The Healing Heart
Chapter 4
by
Nina



Disclaimer: All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are © and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities.All rights reserved.




"Un-GLAU-Blich."

Ororo giggled after she used Kurt Wagner's expression. She and Logan were still very much naked, but their shared nudity delighted her now. She felt at ease with the man beside her and, as she stole a look at his hidden smile, it appeared he felt the same. She rolled onto her belly, lifted her slim legs so her ankles touched, and cradled her head on her forearms. A stray flower - one of the few untouched by the two of them rolling across the ground - caught her eye. She plucked it and twirled it under her chin.

Logan lay on his side and propped his head under his fist. He smirked and began rubbing her back with his opposite hand. "Liked it, huh?"

"Very much." She stroked the petals of the flower while enjoying the warmth of Logan's hand across her bare back. Although her body wanted to respond with more she was content with Logan's hand, for now.

"Nice ta hear you laugh, 'Ro."

"Mmm," she sighed. "I guess I don't laugh very often."

"Nope. A cryin' shame, too. You have a pretty laugh."

An embarrassing heat rose to her face, and he saw the blush through her chocolate features. His rough hand across her back became a single finger tracing the length of her spine and warmth spread through her again. Unconsciously, she began rubbing her legs together.

She shyly turned from his welcoming face. "No one's told me that before."

Logan's hand stopped; she felt strangely disappointed. "Honest? C'mon."

She shrugged. "It's not important."

"Sure it is."

He kissed her neck. Logan guided her frame into to his and wrapped his arms around her back, and she slid easily into the bends of his body. She almost fell asleep in his embrace, as their spooning effect was both real and comfortable. But on the edge of consciousness, a disturbing question woke her and forced her to see the truth.

Isn't it too comfortable?

She grimaced at her old, wary thoughts but as team leader, she had to listen: Would this new situation change them? How would the team respond? Where would this lead? Her mind traveled from one end of the puzzle to the other, searching for a solution, but she found none.

"What're you thinkin' about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Face me," he said quietly. She paused before turning, regretting how his heightened senses forced her to form her sentences before she was ready to speak. He knew when the chemistry changed and understood what she felt before she could form the feelings herself.

Ororo stared him full in the face but purposely hid her expression through her long strands of flowing hair. "What?"

Logan tapped his nose with his forefinger. "Doesn't do any good to lie to this. You havin' second thoughts 'bout what we did?"

Sighing, she flopped onto her back and stared into the sky. The moon was full and gleaming, and the last of her bewitching fog had lifted from the surface. A gentle wind blew across the ground, chilling her flesh.

"No, I enjoyed it."

"Me, too," he said, surprising her.

"But you know we cannot continue, don't you?"

He grunted and rolled onto his back. "Didn't say we had to."

"How do you think this will affect our working relationship?"

"What?"

"Our working - "

"I heard you the first time." Logan laughed darkly and shook his head. "God, 'Ro, you can be a real tight-ass."

She nodded, rose, and grabbed her clothes in one fluid motion.

"What d'you think you're doing?"

"Putting my clothes back on."

"Why?"

Why do you think, she thought, but she didn't say it. She hated the idea of dressing in front of him, but she had no choice. Each buckle seemed like a new problem for her shaking fingers.

Logan rubbed the bridge of his nose with a hairy thumb. "Why don'tcha give me a chance to explain, before you go off half-cocked."

"I'm not angry," she said, forcing a boot onto her calf. She jammed her toe in too far and stubbed it in the corner. Dammit, can't manufacturers make a comfortable pair of boots?

Logan laughed at her. "Oh, no, you're not upset. Yer just hoppin' around half-naked on one leg for kicks."

"Logan," she warned. Part of her did see the humor in the situation, but another half felt embarrassed and used. "I don't play the part of a fool well. Look to the tree in the garden, if you choose to test me."

"Dammit, get off yer high-horse for once in your life." Logan grabbed his jeans and put them on quickly. "That's part of your problem."

"My problem?"

"Yeah. Yours. You own it, and you like keepin' it. Otherwise you wouldn't be struttin' around with it so much."

"Oh, do enlighten me. I'd love to hear this."

A small rumble of thunder churned with the anger in her gut. She slept with this man? How dare he say such things, as if he knew her well enough from a few hours of passion.

"Never mind," he growled, "you ain't listenin'. You're a tight-ass, and you'll always be a tight - "

A bolt of lightning flared from the sky and struck the ground a foot from where Logan stood. The energy from it flung him backwards and slid his body across the grass.

"Goddess--!"

The man held his head delicately while blinking a few times from the bright flash. Ororo ran to his side and quickly examined his body and scalp for scorch marks and bruises. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that. Are you all right?"

Logan rubbed his eyes. "Thought you said you weren't mad."

"Well . . . maybe a little bit."

He laughed. "Damn, if that's just a little mad, I'd hate to see you furious. I'd be a briquette by now."

She couldn't help the snort that came from her nose, which made Logan laugh harder. He laughed so hard that he belched, which made Ororo grasp her sides in helpless agony.

"Stop, Logan, I have to pee."

Water streamed down his cheeks. "I'd pay money for you to tell Xavier that during a Danger Room sesh. 'Hey, Chuck, couldja stop the Sentinel routine for a sec? I gotta take a whiz.'"

She crumpled to her knees, and her body convulsed. She couldn't catch her breath. "Stop, stop! I mean it!"

He crawled over to where she was and took a long breath. "Can'tcha see the Prof now: 'Hey, mutant piss shorts out Sentinel circuits!' 'Yeah? How'd ya find that out?' 'Well, y'see, that's the funny part . . . ' "

Ororo keened loudly because she was on the ground, hugging her stomach. "Logan, I'm going to kill you if I wet myself."

"Hell, we're in the forest," he said, slowing down. He breathed a few cleansing breaths and wiped the tears from his eyes. "We got free trees and free toilet paper, courtesy of all these leaves."

She made a face and sighed. "Not a pleasant thought."

"Ya can't really be choosy 'round here." Logan helped her to her feet while plucking the stray leaves from her hair.

"Logan, I - "

"Ro - "

"You first," they said in unison.

Ororo smiled slightly and put a hand on his shoulder. She nodded at a tree. "Give me a minute, all right? Then, I think we should talk."

Logan nodded. "Sounds good."

***


Ororo felt energized by the coming dawn. After they dressed, she took Logan's hand and led him to the highest hill on the eastern side of the property. She sat down and he sat behind her, wrapping his warm arms around her shoulders like a second skin. She smiled, watching the horizon weave the midnight black of night with the scarlet-gray of morning.

"It's going to be a beautiful sunrise," she whispered.

"Mm-hmm," Logan agreed. "Wasn't such a bad night, either."

She settled her head into his chest while he stroked her hair."I'm sorry I'm such a . . . 'tight-ass' sometimes. I'm in control so often that I often don't recognize it."

"I know, darlin'." He sighed, and the vibrations from his deep, rumbling voice reassured her. "We've all got it to some degree or another - comes with the mutant label. But it don't hurt to balance it off with some good ol' fashion fun. You can't be in control all the time, so you gotta learn to roll with the punches."

The corners of her mouth turned. "Then, what we did was simply 'old fashioned fun'?"

Logan paused for too long and she craned her neck to see his face. She couldn't read the odd look in his eyes. "I guess, in part. Can't say that I haven't thought about it for a while, though."

Me either, she thought, but she didn't say it.

Logan stopped stroking her hair. "How're you feelin' now?"

"Still a little angry," she admitted, "but I feel better. Thanks for the renewal."

"Anytime," he said. But as the sky began its measured fade to pink, she couldn't help thinking that his statement may have carried a deeper meaningä

***


Xavier's school was usually a quiet place on Saturdays, especially early in the morning. Students often slept in while others left to visit relatives or friends in New York. Every once in a while someone rose early - usually a young teenager missing his or her regular routine - and watched cartoons in the sitting room. Ororo was nervous when she and Logan entered the hallway holding hands, but to her relief she didn't see anyone.

"Thank you, Logan."

He smiled gruffly. "You already said that."

"Well, I'm saying it again." She kissed him on the cheek and he patted her rump. She blushed.

"Just don't go around cookin' trees without askin' me."

"I'll try not to."

She turned to ascend the grand hallway stairs, when Logan grabbed her arm and kissed her deeply and unexpectedly. It stunned her, but she couldn't help the smile on her lips.

"That's to getcha goin' today."

"In more ways than one." She covered her giggle with her hands and skipped up the stairs like a little girl. She didn't look back, and missed Logan's half-smile watching her until she disappeared around the stairwell.



CHAPTERS:   1   2   3   4




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