Because You Loved Me
Chapter 8: I Had Your Love, I Had It All
by
QMan
Ororo looked straight at Kitty and as if they were the only two in the hallway said, "You know, I love him."
"I know." Kitty said, "I do too."
"No, I mean I love him deeply." Ororo said, "As a woman loves a man, not as a sister loves a brother."
"Oh." Kitty said in a small voice.
She was falling, she knew it. There was nothing she could do about it, either. She felt both the constricting fear of her claustrophobia and the freeing joy of flying with rain pelting down on her. She experienced the sensations of being trapped and emancipated at the same time. It was definitely love.
Of course, him being a teammate and one of her closest friends complicated things. Add to that the fact that he was pining away for an inaccessible woman, and the mix was not good. The fact that the other woman was married and deeply in love with her husband didn't seem to register with him.
Ororo sighed, shaking her head and causing her silvery white hair to cascade freely down her back in waves. Contemplating her problem with Logan was getting her nowhere. Today was the day she let him know in no uncertain terms how she felt, consequences be damned!
She checked her reflection in the mirror. A simple yet elegant white gown with silver slippers peeking out from the bottom hem, with a tight bodice that dipped into a V to expose ample cleavage. The whiteness of the gown was off set by her silky black bare arms and shoulders. On her right wrist was a thin silver bracelet that matched her pair of dangling earrings. The pair of ear adornments were silver and styled as clouds on her lobes with three rain drops, silver all, suspended on a near transparent wire. A bit of lipstick, a dash of rouge, and a spritz of Christian Dior completed the package.
Nodding her head judiciously in satisfaction, she left her attic loft. Making her way to Logan's room she passed several teammates. Bobby openly gaped, dropping the sandwich he'd been about to consume. Kitty whistled long and low, asking what the occasion was. Kurt distractedly teleported right into a wall. Rogue slapped Remy when she noticed the lustful look on his face. By the time she got to Logan's door, Ororo was feeling very confident of her appearance.
She lifted her hand to knock and the door opened. Logan almost ran into her, a bag over his shoulder. When he nearly careened into her, he jumped back to stop himself.
"Sorry, 'Ro." He said, then took an appreciative look up and down at her. "Lookin' good darlin'."
"Thank you." Ororo replied, "Where are you going?"
"Hafta get out." Logan said gruffly, "Can't stay here right now. Not with Slim an' Red goin' away."
They were still at the threshold of Logan's doorway so Ororo asked, "May I come in?"
"Dressed like that, I don't know." Logan said even as he stepped back to let her in, "A man might get ideas, ya know."
She shut the door softly as she said, "Maybe I want you to get ideas." At his shocked face she went on, "Jean isn't the only woman in the world, Logan."
"I know that--"
"Do you?" Ororo cut him off, "Sometimes I wonder. I've been dropping clues for you for months now, and you've done nothing. I'm sure with your heightened senses you had to notice."
"I did." Logan whispered.
"Then why didn't you do anything?" Logan looked away at the pleading accusation in her tone, "Why did you ignore me?"
"'Cause it ain't right ta act on it when I still love Jean."
"So you feel nothing for me?" Ororo asked, fearing the answer but needing to know.
"I don't know." Logan said, "I feel somthin' fer ya, I just ain't sure what."
"So stay." Ororo suggested, "We can figure it out together."
"No." Logan objected. When Ororo opened her mouth to protest he cut her off, "It wouldn't be fair ta ya. I gotta go an' get my head an' heart straightened out. I don't want ya ta wonder if'n it's Jean I'm thinkin' of an' not ya. That's not fair ta ya, so I gotta make sure myself."
"Alright, that is acceptable." Ororo said as her voice became choked. She took a step toward Logan, "Don't be too long."
Being so close, they couldn't resist each other and they embraced. What followed was the most passionate kiss either had ever experienced. Their lips met and time ceased.
Logan broke contact first and stepped back to retrieve his bag. He was breathing hard and had a wild look in his eyes.
"When I come back we'll pick up from here."
"I look forward to it." Was all Ororo could manage before Logan had walked out the door.
***
"That's so beautiful, Ororo." Kitty said, "For him to say those things meant that he really cared about you."
"I know." Ororo said, "Then Jubilee was kidnapped by Sinister and we went there and. . . " She broke off as sobs escaped her. She covered her face with her hands and wept, joined by Kitty and Rogue, who'd both rushed to her side to comfort her.
Even this far underground, the team could hear the storm that raged outside, a testament to Ororo's tumultuous emotions. Losing Logan was going to be hard on them all. Even sharing so many good stories about him had only lessened their apprehension momentarily. They all knew the moment of truth was quickly descending upon them, and they were not ready for it.
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