Chapter 6

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Thanks!

Ororo sat in Charles' office waiting for him to speak.

She knew he was angry about what she had done, and she was sorry.

Sorry that she got caught.

Sorry that she was forcing him to punish her, which she knew he did not want to do.

Sorry Logan had somehow managed to get mixed up in it.

However, she was not the least bit sorry for what she had done.

She chanced a glance over by Charles, to find Scott looking down at her.

After Forge made his allegations that Ororo had started the fire, he went to find her before anyone else did.

Of course he found her with none other than Logan.

He probably started the fire and made it look like she did it. Ororo had no motive to do this to Forge, but Logan…

"You did it, didn't you?" Scott asked Logan whom was sitting next to Ororo.

Logan gave Scott a lopsided grin. "Come on boy scout, why would ya think that about me? I'm hurt." He said in a mocking tone.

"Why! Cause you hate him, that's why. Because he is ten times the man you will ever be…"

Ororo shot up out of her seat and was instantly in Scott's face.

"A better man than Logan?" she gave a cynical laugh at that. "Is that what you think of your dear friend Forge? Well, let us see. He is a straight "A" student, an excellent athlete, comes from an upstanding family…and he is a DISGUSTING PERVERT! He is lucky that I only set his bed on fire, for if he had been in front of me, he would be missing a very vital part of his anatomy!"

"Ororo!" Charles called out, shocked at what he was hearing.

He knew Ororo had a temper, but this…

"No Father, enough!" she turned back to Scott, so furious, she did not realized she had just yelled at Charles. "I have listened to you and Forge put Logan down any opportunity you got. Well, let me tell you something about your noble friend. Not three weeks ago, he was up on the roof, feeling me up, trying to coerce me to have sex with him. Today…" Ororo stopped as she became chocked up. "…and today, I find him in the woods fucking that whore Emma Frost!"

Ororo stood watching the storm brew inside of Scott.

Good, it was about time he found out what kind of friend he had.

"You talk as if Logan is so beneath you. Logan has more honor, more loyalty in his little toe than either one of you in your entire body."

Scott's expression turned from anger to hurt. "Why would you say that to me, about me?"

"Logan may have said and done many things to you over the last few years, but not once has he ever belittled you the way you have done. He has never questioned the type of man you are or questioned your authority. He may not like you, but for the most part, he has shown you more respect than you have given, more than you deserve." She finished, her anger diminishing slightly at the hurt look on his face.

Just then, the Professor's door opened.

Forge.

"Sorry Professor, I didn't know…" he caught sight of Ororo.

"You! You little bitch!" He yelled stalking towards her.

Ororo turned ready to defend herself, but she didn't have to.

Scott had moved so quick, no one saw it coming. He threw his entire bodyweight on Forge knocking him to the ground. They became a mass of jumbled limbs wrestling on the floor.

Charles was yelling for them to stop, while pushing the emergency button for Hank.

Logan joined the fray, trying to pull the two apart.

He had to give it to Scott…he was a lot stronger than he looked.

Logan was having a hard time getting a good grip on him.

Or maybe it was the fact the he wasn't really trying all that hard…after all, he was enjoying watching Forge get his ass kicked.

At some point, Scott's visor was knocked off and Logan could hear the lens cracking.

This was getting critical because if Scott opened his eyes…

Hank and Jean burst into the room right in the middle of the chaos. Hank quickly saw Scott was without his visor, so he was the biggest threat.

Scott was strong, but he was no match for Hank. Hank quickly dislodged Scott from Forge's grip and held him towards the door.

"Scott, you need to calm yourself, immediately and keep your eyes closed. Do you understand?" Scott took a moment to calm down and realized he indeed needed to keep his eyes closed.

"Yeah," Scott said, still a little breathless. "yeah, I understand."

Forge by this time had struggled out of Logan's grasp and was standing on his own.

He knew he had screwed up big time and if he didn't start some damage control, he would lose everything he had worked so hard for.

"Look, everyone. I'm sorry for what happened, OK. It was a mistake. We all make them right?" he looked pleadingly at Ororo, Scott, and The Professor.

Then he turned his attention on Ororo.

"Sweetheart, I forgive you for what you did, alright? Now how about forgiving me too huh?" He asked with his arms spread wide like she was going to run right into them.

Instead, she placed herself right beside Logan.

It was Scott who spoke up. "Forgive you…never. You tried to get her to have sex with you, and when she wouldn't you went off and fucked Emma! Forgive you! No man…FUCK YOU!" He spat out in the direction of Forge's voice.

Forge once again let his anger get the best of him.

"Get off your high horse Scott. You're no better than me! I remember you trailing behind Emma like a bitch in heat."

"I never slept with her!" Scott countered.

"You didn't have to because you found another slut to put out."

SMACK!

The sound of flesh hitting flesh reverberated off the walls. Forge's head was still turned due to the force of the blow that was delivered by none other than…

Jean Grey herself.

"Don't you EVER speak about me like that, you worthless prick!"

Suddenly snickering could be heard coming from Ororo and Logan from behind Forge.

"Damn Jeannie, remind me not ta mess with ya. Ya smacked tha shit out of him. And that ain't no small feat seeing as so he is so full of it!"

Ororo could no longer control herself and bust out into a fit of laughter.

This whole situation was so ridiculous, she did not know whether to laugh or cry.

So she did both.

Charles had heard more about his "children" than he ever cared to know.

It was time to start acting like the Headmaster.

"Ororo, Logan, enough!" He said forcefully, emphasizing his demand with a fist landing on his desktop.

All laughter ceased immediately.

Charles looked at Ororo and could see the pain and confusion pooling into her eyes. He wanted to comfort her, but first things first.

"Hank, please escort Scott to the med bay and get his backup visor for him. Jean will accompany you." He nodded his head toward the door, letting him know they were to leave.

Then he focused on Logan.

"Since you seem to have soo much free time and energy, young Logan, feel free to work it off in a 2 hour danger room session…" He watched as Logan rolled his eyes at him.

2 hours in the danger room was nothing to him, but Charles wasn't done. "…Level 5, Sentinels."

No more smiles for Logan.

"Aww shit" Logan muttered.

Now it was Charles' turn to smile.

"You may leave now to get started." Logan gave Ororo a light touch on her back and a smile before leaving.

Then he stopped to take a good look at Forge.

Forge became agitated under Logan's gaze…especially after what happened earlier.

"What the hell are you looking at loser?"

"Just yer face. Looks like Jeannie left a mark, princess."

"Logan, enough." called Charles.

"I'm going, I'm going."

Charles stopped him before he could walk out.

"Oh, and Logan?" Logan turned back to look at the older man. "Do not cheat. I will know." He finished, tapping his temple.

Logan let out a snort and left the room.

Charles looked at the last two occupants of the room.

He hated hearing about what Forge had done to his daughter, and had to force himself not to act like an angry father.

Right now, he had to be Professor Xavier.

He understood Ororo had been deeply hurt and humiliated, but what she had done was not acceptable. Unfortunately, he would have to punish her.

"Ororo, what you did was wrong, you do understand that, do you not?"

"Yes, Professor." She said without looking at him. She hated knowing she had disappointed him.

" I am sorry dear, but you must be punished." Ororo nodded her head in understanding.

"Once I have a professional come in and declare the room structurally sound, you will be responsible for cleaning and painting the room. The cost of all paint and cleaning materials will be taken from your allowance. You will also be responsible for the cost of the bed, as well as the cost of all the things destroyed in the fire. Furthermore, you are grounded until the end of the school term and will not be attending the senior formal this coming week."

At that, Ororo's head snapped up.

She was not a senior, so it was not like it would be her last social event in school… but all of her friends were going and she already had her dress and shoes…

"But Professor, that is not fair! He…"

Charles raised his hand stop her.

" I know what he did Ororo, but I am not addressing him right now, I am addressing you. What you did was dangerous Ororo. What if no one could have gotten that fire under control? What if someone were injured? What if you let your emotions run rampant and actually hurt someone..killed someone. You and I both know that it would not take much on your part to make that a reality. I know you were hurt and upset, but child, you cannot allow yourself to lose control like that."

Ororo knew what he said was true, but she could not help the tears that were silently making tracks down her face.

She did not care about having to pay for the damages done, or paying Forge for his crap.

She barely spent any of her allowance. She could probably pay for everything at that very moment and still have money left.

She did care about the dance.

Some of her friends would be leaving when they graduated and she wanted to spend that night with them.

But now that was not going to happen.

She would not be with her friends.

She would not wear her beautiful dress.

She would not get to see Logan all dressed up in his tux.

Dance with Logan…

Watch Logan dance with Jean…

That made Ororo grimace a bit.

Maybe it was a good thing she was not going.

Ororo finally looked up at Charles.

"I understand, Professor. I am sorry for what I did and I apologize for putting the school in danger."

He let the mask of headmaster slip, taking in her sad little face. "I know you are precious, I know."

He turned to Forge to find him with a self-satisfied smirk on his face after hearing Ororo's punishment.

He will not be smiling for long, thought Charles.

He had after all, hurt his child.

There were benefits to being headmaster.

"Forge, in light of the recent events, it would be best for you to return to your home for the remainder of the school year." He said calmly.

"What! You can't do that! You can't kick me out.!" Forge yelled.

"No one is kicking you out. You may finish your studies with the school…at home." Charles said with a warning look.

"Look, I know my rights. You have no basis for asking me to leave. My father's a lawyer and…"

Charles cut him off. "Ah yes, he is, is he not? Very successful and well versed in the law. Well tell me son, what do your propose your father will say when he finds out about your attempts to corrupt a minor? How about your improper touching of a minor child. How about performing sexual acts in the presence of a minor, hmm? What would his colleagues say if I were forced to pursue a criminal case against you?"

Forge stood stunned. He could not believe the Professor tried to threaten him.

"You can't do that, you have no proof. It's my word against hers. Just because you treat her like gold, doesn't mean she's not lying. After all, look what she did to my room."

Charles sat back and observed the young man.

Was he really so stupid as to try to one up Professor X?

"Is she lying Forge? Come now, I do not think that is the case. In fact, I KNOW that is not the case."

Forge covered his face in his hands, letting out a growl of frustration.

He had fucked up, big time, and if he wasn't careful, he would burn any bridges he had left.

It was bad enough he had fallen out of grace with Charles and Scott, but if his name got caught up in some underage sex scandal…

"I'll have my stuff packed by the end of the day. We can work out a schedule for me to get my exams, and you can just mail me my diploma. I won't be coming back here."

He turned to look at Ororo with disgust on his face. "Don't worry about paying me for that stuff. I don't want your money or anything to do with you ever." With that he turned and walked out of the room.

And then there was one.

Ororo.

"Come here sweetheart." Charles beckoned softly.

Ororo made her way to him slowly, anger and hurt weighing heavily on her small shoulders.

Anger…

… that she had fallen for Forge's lies.

…for embarrassing her.

…that she had lost control and disappointed Charles.

Hurt…

…because she really wanted to believe that someone loved her like that.

…because he betrayed her trust in him, which she did not give easily.

…because she would be missing out on the one night she had been looking forward to.

…and she would miss seeing Logan.

Charles took Ororo's shaking hands in his own, letting her know without words that he understood, and still loved her.

He pulled her to settle on his lap. He no longer had to be the disciplinarian.

Now, he was just Father.

And although he loved being head of the school, he loved this role the best.

Gently, he began to rub circles on her back, just as he did when she was a child.

Gently, he coaxed her, encouraged her, to let go.

Let go with him.

"It is alright now, child." he whispered into her ear. Let it all out. No one is here but us. It is alright now…"

He could hear the fat drops of rain beginning to soak the roof…

Feel the warm, fat drops soaking his shirt…

Ororo's grip tightened around Charles neck as a gut wrenching scream ripped from her throat.

And he continued to hold her, thankful for the storm raging outside that covered the one raging within.