The perpetual goofy smile he wore on his face since he and Ororo announced their engagement to the mansion's residents a week and a half ago, was enough to scare those who constantly remained on guard with the Wolverine around. The feral's canines were damn near terrifying smiling like that. But then again, why wouldn't the man be giddy as he was? After all, he had bagged the Goddess, the one who was every male student and some females' wet dream. The Canadian was blissfully happy and those inside and outside the mansion knew it.

Charles monitored Logan's actions and interactions with joy and humor. He was incredibly happy for two of his most complex and reserved X-Men. He wanted to express his happiness by throwing the newly engaged couple a party right away. His plans were surprisingly shot down by Ororo. While he expected Logan's reluctance to having a party thrown in their honor, and was more than prepared to rebut his arguments, Charles was not expecting Ororo's outright refusal. He learned her reasons why one afternoon after he accosted her on her way back from her greenhouse.

"Ororo, my dear, a word please," he began, but stopped at the look she gave him, which immediately told him that she was onto his game.

"You did not have to waylay me, Charles," she replied around a smirk, "You could have simply requested an audience through our mind link."

Charles smiled sheepishly. "Forgive me, my dear. It is just that I am baffled as to why…"

"I do not want an elaborate engagement party?" Ororo interrupted her mentor. She changed course and headed to the gazebo on the west side of the mansion, knowing that he would follow her.

Charles wordlessly did so on the path built to accommodate his chair. They arrived a few minutes later and he patiently waited for her to restart the conversation.

With a heavy sigh, she began, "It is not that I do not want a party to celebrate my engagement. It is that I…we do not need one." She glanced at the man who meant so much to her, hating to deny him.

"If I may be frank, Ororo," Charles said, waiting for her nod of approval, "I do believe there is more to it than you and Logan not needing one." Her fierce frown prompted him to continue, "I did not read your mind. You know I will not do that without your permission."

'Ro heaved a tired sigh and plopped down on one of the cushioned benches. "My track record with engagements is not that great, Charles. I do not want to, as they say, jinx this one." She looked at him with haunted eyes. "If something is to go wrong with this one, it will absolutely break me and I know I will never recover should it go wrong."

Charles wheeled his chair to position himself in front of her and took her right hand in his. He admired the smooth blemish free skin before looking at her. "Why would something go wrong? You and Logan have a strong relationship, one of the strongest I have ever seen."

A small grateful smile graced her features. "You and Logan have had your share of heartbreak and failed relationships, but I do believe that those experiences are what has made the both of you dedicated and loyal to each other. You cannot let your past failures stop you from enjoying this wonderful time in your life."

"I know this, Charles," she breathed. "But I cannot help it to some extent."

"You are sabotaging your happiness entertaining these thoughts, my dear. "Ororo's eyes flew to meet Charles. "You are a child of nature and you know better than anyone else what you present to the universe is what the universe will return to you. Let me ask you this…would you be entertaining these thoughts if Logan had not proposed?"

Ororo became frozen in time with that question. She opened her mouth to speak, but words refused to come. "I have not thought of it that way," she whispered. "I have been so worried about repeating the same mistakes I did after I became engaged to Forge and T'Challa. I do not want a repetition with Logan. He and I have fought to long and hard to be where we are now."

"And what mistakes were those?"

She stood and turned away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "The biggest mistake I made in both situations was to lose myself, lose who I am. I became the woman whom I thought they wanted and in the process sacrificed the real me."

Charles heard the underlying pain in her voice. After all this time, she still hurt. He closed his eyes, knowing that he should have spoken to her this candidly a long time ago. "My dear, Logan knows the woman you are and I suspect he does not expect you to change who you are just to suit him. As a matter of fact, I think the Wolverine would be insulted if you go about pretending to be someone you are not." That earned him a genuine chuckle. "Logan loves you for who you are."

His fervent words broke through the lingering pain and barriers of her former relationships. Ororo's head dipped, her chin touching her chest. He was absolutely right. Not once had Logan expected anything more from her other than what she was currently giving him. Unlike her previous exes, they had both smothered her with a choice…a choice between her family, the X-Men and a life she was not only cut out for, but now know she never wanted.

T'Challa had wanted her to give up everything she held dear, to be his subordinate in every aspect of life. With Logan, she was his equal and always had been. Forge too had wanted her to give up her family and all she knew, to become his prop, while he excelled. She knew in her heart that Logan will gladly be her prop any day of the week, but that wasn't the type of relationship they had. With him, they held each other up and shone together. She and Logan had a solid foundation built on trust, love, friendship, loyalty and acceptance. She never had that in her prior relationships. And there lied the major difference. She shook her head, a bit peeved she hadn't realize this simple fact before.

Charles chuckled. "Do not beat yourself up, sweetheart. Sometimes it takes someone or something to show us what is right in front of us."

The brilliant smile on her face when she turned to him warmed Charles' heart. The sun itself burst forth with radiance. "You are always there for me when I need it most. Thank you Charles." She bent down, pressing a loving kiss to his wrinkled forehead.

He cleared his throat of the emotion that was beginning to clog there. "What kind of mentor would I be if I was not? It is my pleasure to be there for you and the others."

"Nevertheless, I do not know what I would do without you."

"So, does this mean we can celebrate your engagement? Nothing big."

Ororo gave him a skeptical look. Nothing big? Yeah right. The man had a bad habit of sparing no expense when it came to celebrating momentous occasions. She shook her head, then erupted in joyous laughter and he couldn't help but join her. "If you must Charles. But you know, Logan is going to be his usual ornery unwilling self."

Charles turned around and began wheeling himself out of the gazebo, a secret smile on his face. "I have a feeling that Logan will go along with anything as long as you approve, my dear."

There was an unmistakable pep in her step as she followed her father figure back to the mansion and back to the stresses of all that came with being engaged.