I want to thank everyone who has been patient with me during the last few months. I am glad to say that this installment of the series is finally finished. I hope you all enjoy this last chapter.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read/review my story, and to those of you who have added this to your favorite stories. Your reviews encourage me and help me to complete my goals.

I look forward to reading your reviews and any suggestions about what you would like to see happen in the next installment.

/

Chapter 10

Back to the present…

"The Professor only began his search for you two days ago. Amazing that you are now here." her voice trailed off, heavy with exhaustion and relief.

A tumultuous silence surrounded them both.

The atmosphere pregnant with sentiment.

Ororo was delighted that she was finally able to give voice to the hell that she had endured over the last year.

Surely, Logan would understand her position.

Goddess Logan.

He had been quiet and extremely still during her narrative.

So very still…

It was eerie, and made the blood pulsing through her veins run cold.

What in goddess name was going on in that head of his?

After 10 very long minutes, Ororo could no longer hold her curiosity in check.

Her nervous gaze settled on him as she gathered up enough courage to confront him.

"Logan…?" she asked tentatively.

Logan sat starring off into space.

Despite the quietness in the room, Logan knew he was making Ororo nervous.

He wasn't doing it on purpose.

Yeah, he could be a complete asshole at times, but now was not one of them.

Logan could not believe the story she had told him.

Everything she had been through…

The courage it took to make it to where she was now…

All without him.

Shit.

A plethora of feelings bombarded him over the last hour.

Shame

Concern

Sorrow

Regret

Hurt

What the hell was he supposed to do with that?

He was the great Wolverine.

He didn't DO emotions. They were always complicated, always changing.

Fuck!

He could feel the pressure building behind his eyes.

The roar building in his ears.

Logan was getting angry.

Anger…

Now that was an emotion he was all to familiar with.

And he allowed it to take over.

Logan looked up into the anxious face of Ororo, allowing the rage to bubble up to the surface.

He did nothing to stop it.

It felt good…familiar…safe.

Startled by the amber eyes that were now boring into her very soul, Ororo gasp and moved further back on her bed.

Self preservation.

With the grace of a jungle predator, Logan rose out of his seat and began to pace the length of the bedroom.

Feeling a bit bolder now that their was space between them, Ororo dared to confront him.

"Logan, please, talk to me. Tell me what you are thinking." Ororo requested.

At the sound of her small voice, he allowed his rage to surge forth.

Before Ororo could blink, Logan was leaning on her bed so that they were face to face.

A menacing growl underscored his words.

"Ya want ta know how I feel? I sat here and listened ta ya tell me how ya knew ya was pregnant, was gonna give MY kids away, then decide ta keep em, and thought it was OK ta keep this shit from me!"

Logan's spit was pelting her in the face.

Ororo's automatic response was to retreat, however, the fury burning in his eyes kept her still.

Seeing he had her full attention, Logan continued.

"Then, ta top it all off…tha fucking icing on tha cake, is that ya only decided ta tell me after ya let that piece of shit Sabertooth in here, near tha babies, and got advice from him. Since when do ya listen ta that fucker? I never knew ya could be a selfish BITCH!" he spat at her.

Oh hell.

Before Ororo even gave thought to what she was doing, electricity gathered in her eyes.

Using a forceful gust of wind, she launched herself off the bed, forcing Logan to move from his crouched position to face off with her.

"Who the hell do you think you are! How dare you. After everything I told you…all the things I went through, you have the audacity to pass judgment on me. You have no idea…"

"Hey, ya coulda told me…"

Ororo looked at him, her mouth wide with shock.

"Surely you are not serious?"

"Hell yeah I'm serious. I called here…twice." he exclaimed.

"Yes" Ororo sneered at him. "Yes, indeed you did call here twice. And both times, you requested to only speak to Rogue. You inquired about Kitty and your precious Jeannie. Sent them your well wishes. Not once, not one time, did you ever ask after my person. Not once did you send a message for me! Do you realize how much that hurt me? You made me feel like I was not worth your time. How was I supposed to get on the phone to tell you that I was pregnant!"

She paused in her rant, trying to get control of herself.

"Even now, you ask nothing of how I feel. Just too busy being the selfish bastard I always knew you to be. Can you comprehend I was scared? Scared that my family was no more. Scared because not only was I pregnant, but by you of all people. Scared for the welfare of my children. I was so sure I they deserved better than me. Scared that if I told you, that you…you would…"

"That I would turn my back on ya." he whispered.

The softness in his voice was unexpected.

Her ire instantly deflated.

"Yes" she admitted softly. She looked up at him then, her fury replaced by unshed tears.

"But in the end, things did work out. My family reconciled. I realized before it was too late that no one out there could be a better mother than myself. And I realized, regardless of the outcome, I had an overdue obligation to inform you of their existence."

Logan turned away from her, slamming his forehead on the door frame.

His hands fiercely grasping at his hair.

Shit!

How many ways of fucked up was this situation?

Run…

Maybe I should have stayed away?

Run…

What does she expect from me?

Run?

A loud frustrated groan escaped his mouth.

Ororo cautiously moved to stand behind him, hesitating slightly before placing her trembling hand on his shoulder.

He immediately tensed under her fingers.

Ororo bowed her head as hot, frustrated tears built behind her eyes..

"I am sorry, Logan. So very sorry…" her voice hoarse with emotion.

Instead of making him feel better, her apology only intensified the various alien emotions he was experiencing.

"Yer killing me Ro." he said so low that she almost did not hear him.

"I know. I did not…"

Before she could finish, Logan suddenly straightened up, causing Ororo's hand to slide down his back.

An involuntary shudder ran through his body at her delicate touch.

RUN!

"I'm tha one who's sorry, Ororo." he said without turning to look at her.

He couldn't look at her.

Not now.

Not after…

"I can't stay here no more. I gotta get out of here." he told her matter-of-factly.

If he had bothered to turn around, he would have seen how Ororo's face crumbled, how her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Without another word, Ororo turned back to her bed and crawled under her light comforter.

She drew her knees up to her chest, refusing to let him witness her weakness.

There was nothing more to be said.

Nothing more could be done.

And thinking back over the last few minutes, she knew she had done what was best at the time.

Look at him now.

He was leaving.

Before going, Logan looked over his shoulder, his gaze settled on the distraught goddess.

"I'll be back later." he said to her back.

But his words were not heard by her, being swallowed up in the sudden thunder.

/

2 A.M.

A high pitched cry rang out from the baby monitor on Ororo's bedside table.

Ororo groaned, her body protesting being woken up after such an emotionally filled evening.

Slowly, she swung her legs over the side of her head and rested her face in her hands.

Goddess she was exhausted.

The high-pitched cry bellowed forth again, but was now accompanied by a tiny whimper.

"Showtime, Mommy." Ororo said to herself.

Moving quickly into the adjoining room, Ororo made her way over to the crib that held the fussy infants.

Smiling at them, she reached down to pick up Zander.

"Hello my handsome little man. You are hungry, yes?"

She was answered by his little fist hitting her chin, his face rubbing against her tank top.

Zaria, not willing to be ignored by her mother, began to protest as well.

"Hello to you as well, baby girl. Do not worry, mommy did not forget you." she cooed at the baby.

Zaria grinned at Ororo, waving her little fist and feet in the air.

Ororo could not help but smile at her antics.

"Well, my loves, seeing as you are both in need of sustenance, I will no doubt have to wake your aunt or uncle to assist me." she hated to wake them, but it was a necessary evil.

"No ya ain't." came a gruff voice from the doorway.

Ororo turned so fast, she lost her balance. Logan moved swiftly to her side to steady her.

"Whoa, darlin. Ya alright?" he said looking into her confused blue eyes.

"Umm…yes. What are you doing here? I thought you left." she accused.

"I told ya I would be back. Guess ya didn't hear me fer tha thunder." he lowered her with a pointed look.

Ororo's face flushed with embarrassment, causing Logan to smirk.

"I went fer a walk. A long walk. Had some thinking ta do. I just got back ta my room when I heard him crying?"

"How do you know it was Zander?" Ororo challenged.

Logan let out a chuckle.

"Trust me darlin. I know. He's hungry. Ya got a bottle so I can feed him?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Ororo could not help but giggle, relief flooding her body.

Maybe things would work out after all.

/

7 A.M.

Scott was making his way back to his bedroom when Jean emerged.

"I just came from the kitchen, but all I could find is the crap the kids like. What do you say we go out for breakfast?" Scott asked his fiancé.

"That sounds great, Scott. Do you mind if we check in on Ororo before we go? She didn't wake one of us last night to help her with the twins. I just want to make sure they are OK before we leave."

Scott tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're right. Let's go check on them. Hey, if they are all up, how about they come with us. The twins have never been off the mansion grounds." Scott suggested.

"Oh, sweetheart, that's a wonderful idea. Maybe we could even take them to the park!" Jean could not control the excitement in her voice.

The prospect of spending time with them filled them both with joy.

When they reached Ororo's room, Scott tapped lightly on the door.

"Ro? Ro, are you up?" he called out to her.

No answer.

Jean pushed the door open slowly. They both gasped at the scene they had come upon.

Logan was leaning up against the headboard of Ororo's bed fast asleep, with a sleeping Zander on his chest.

Ororo was curled up beside him, her head resting on his shoulder, with a sleeping Zaria on her lap.

Scott took out his cell phone to take a picture.

When he was done, he showed it to Jean. They shared a secret smile as Scott forwarded the picture to Ororo's cell.

Quietly they backed out of the room, not wanting to disturb the little family.

As they walked down the stairs, Jean smiled softly to herself.

Jeez, they all thought the last year had been a wild ride…

"The future is always beginning now!"

THE END!