Resurrection
The mansion was quiet.
At 2:30 in the morning, one would expect it to be.
But Storm couldn't shake the feeling the something was about to happen.
It came from that close link to nature that she held. She wasn't a precog or a psychic, but she had a heightened sense when it came to certain things- a sixth sense.
She walked through the hallways, stopping to look in on a few children now and again.
Her children; her babies.
She now understood how the professor had felt about them. That special connection that each child had with you; you couldn't forget a single face, or smile, or tear.
Her musings took her directly to Rogue's door.
Her heart squeezed painfully at the thought of the young woman that they had lost. She had always been in the background, fading into the corners, except of course when it came to Wolverine. Then the two of them could always found together at some point.
She smiled at the thought. Rogue had that special connection with him that no one else shared, not even Jean, and he had professed to be in love with the redhead.
Thinking about Jean made the weight of her grief heavier. Another lost one.
A soft sound from Rogue's room caused her to snap out of her musings. Opening the door slightly she noticed Wolverine sitting at a chair by the window, holding something close to his chest.
But what shocked her more was the silent tears streaming down his face. His face was one of abject misery.
"She's in pain," he whispered softly.
Not hearing what was said, Storm stepped into the room, closer to him.
"What did you say, Logan?"
"She's in pain. Whatever they are doing to her, it rivals what was done to me by Stryker, and that's something I dread to even think about. But she's living it. AND THERE'S NOT A DAMNED THING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT."
"We've tried, Logan. We've tried everything we can think of. We've used every contact, worldwide that we hold, and they are numerous. We've called in every favor, paid thousands in bribes, and still… nothing. It's as if she vanished off the face of the earth."
"Don't you think I know that!!!? I am her goddamned mate. I feel with every heartbeat an immeasurable pain that impossibly seems to grow with each second that we are apart. And when they begin to torture her in earnest, I seem to feel every lash. My God, some mornings I actually wake up with bruises as if I'd just faced Sabertooth and lost badly. ME!! BRUISING!!! I don't know how it's possible. But that's not what the worse part of all is. It's the absorption. She has her powers back, y'know. And in eight months, I think she has absorbed at least a hundred mutants. A GODDAMNED HUNDRED!!!!
"Do you know what kind of stress she must be facing with so many entities in her head? Why didn't they take me instead, 'Ro? I could at least face whatever she is going through right now. But she… she's only twenty-one years old. What kind of life is that for a twenty-something to have?"
"I don't know what to tell you, Logan. I honestly don't know how to deal with this."
"Would you give me some space? Wolverine… well our little discussion has him riled and he doesn't like your scent at the moment."
Understanding her friend's need, she left the room quietly.
Still, something about the night seemed… anticipatory.
Her musings again brought her to a part of the mansion that she had avoided like a plague.
His memory was the strongest here, and the grief seemed to magnify in this room's presence.
Opening the door to the professor's office, she stepped inside, for the first time in almost a year.
Her eyes fell first on the empty chair, behind his mahogany desk.
A desk that had once shined with constant polishing and attention was now covered in a layer of dust.
That seemed to be a fitting depiction of the school.
It seemed as if the school was under a shroud of grief that didn't want to lighten. There rarely was laughter in the hallways anymore, and the students academic achievements were dropping.
"What do I do, professor? How do I help them? How do I help Logan? What about Rogue? … How do I help myself?"
"Ms. Storm?" came a childish voice from the doorway.
She jumped slightly, as if caught doing something naughty.
Turning to see who could be up at such an hour, she was confronted by a small dark haired child.
"Ryan, isn't it?'"
"Yes."
"What are you doing up so late, Ryan? Couldn't sleep?"
"Nope. You woke me up."
Taken aback, Storm asked, "I woke you up?"
"Yes."
Walking forward the little boy then placed his short arms around her knees, in a tight hug.
"What was that for?" she asked, pleased by the action.
"You needed it," he said simply.
"How did you know that I needed that?" she asked, again puzzled.
"You woke me up," he said cryptically. "Don't worry, everything will be okay. He's on his way home…well sort of."
"Who?"
"The professor."
"The professor?"
"Yeah. Your father. He's okay, and he's coming home. He told me so. Kurt's coming too. He should be here in a couple of minutes."
"Kurt?"
"Yes silly; Kurt. You know, blue, with marks and a tail. The man that loves you, and whom you love. That Kurt."
Stunned, Storm could do nothing as the boy gave her another quick hug.
"I'm going to check on Mr. Logan now. He needs a hug even more than you do."
He was gone before she could recover, as quickly as he came.
The phone broke her out of her reverie.
That phone call, gave her the hope she so desperately needed.
She looked heavenward, and for the first time, in as far as she could remember, she thanked God for small mercies; well big ones, too.
Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.
That was the moment that Kurt chose to 'pop' in.
"Good evening, fraulein. What 'as you so sad 'is evenin'?" Kurt asked in greeting, taking the weather witch's hand in his.
"Not what, who. And I'm not sad, Kurt. I'm happier than I've been in almost a year."
A/N: So what do you think of this chapter? I had thought of writing this chapter differently, with Storm just receiving the phone call and going to collect the Professor. But then I thought "Where's the fun in that? Where would the innuendos be?" But the deciding factor was actually Ryan. I reread Strange Conversations and his character just struck me so much that I just had to bring him back, hence, this version of 'Resurrection'. Never fear though more action to come (yeah, yeah I know, I promised that before and it didn't come). But it is. I have a special chapter planned for the ass kicking of Lilly. But we'll see.
Anyways, (I sure do talk a lot), thanks as usual to my beta Sublime Angel. Stripes darling, I love ya!
To my faithful reviewers:
PyroWhore, TaraFish, saz89, shelaweena, dulcesweet, emma134, Trickstersthiefgirl, Mnesomne's Tears, xXxoddballxXx, lildevil0644, irisheyesrsmiling, irisheyesrsmiling, Die Schurkin, GrantingTroyTurner, Dita, Fallen-fairy-wings, noro and AnimeGoddessAthea.
Thank you so, so, so, so, so very much for you faithful following of this story.
PyroWhore: Darling I haven't heard from you in a while. Are you losing interest?