Storm entered the mansion through the front door and removed her coat.
She had been out for a long walk on the grounds, alone as usual. Her solitude was comfortable only because it was so familiar, like an old friend that was ever present. She hung up her coat in the closet just off from the entrance and proceeded to go to her room when she heard someone coming in her direction.
She ascertained the direction the noise was coming from, then quickly spotted Logan. He had an all too familiar look on his face. She noticed him coming down the main staircase of the mansion in a state of fury and mumbling obscenities. "Logan, What's troubling you?" Storm asked.
"I'm going kill that guy!" Logan growled as he approached her. His muscles were tense and his fists were clenched. His manner suggested his was ready to fight right then and there.
"Who are we talking about?" Storm asked with concern in her voice.
She went to touch his shoulder but halted her attempt, too afraid to touch him in his current state.
"Cyclops! I just don't understand how Jean puts up with that guy."
"Oh, what else is new?" Storm blurted and rolled her eyes in an annoyed gesture. "You are starting to sound like a whining, spoiled child who doesn't get his way." Storm said completely disgusted with Logan.
Logan stopped short and his eyes went wide at the bluntness of Storms comment. She didn't normally get annoyed easily and this seemed to be coming out of left field. It was apparent something was bugging her.
"What's got into you? What's with the attitude?" Logan asked, his previous rage at Scott quickly forgotten.
Storm looked Logan straight in the face. Her eyes pierced his with a look of contempt. It almost made him look away so as to not to have to meet such an angry stare.
"I am sick of your jealousy! It has gone on long enough, and I'm sick of it!" Storm blurted straight into his face. Something had snapped and Storm knew she had to have her say or it would drive her insane. She had kept her feelings bottled up for far too long, and now they were exploding to the surface. She had a small amount of pity for Logan for a brief moment; he had no idea what was in store for him!
"'Ro look…" Logan began but Storm quickly cut him off in mid sentence.
"No, you look! This hatred you have for Scott because he has Jean is childish. At one time I felt sorry for you for being in love with a woman you couldn't have. I now see things differently. Now I see that you surround yourself with women you can't have! You also love the attention you get from flirting with the ones too young for you, but you know that you can never have a real relationship with any of them. I think that's the way you like it. You say you love Jean and you pine after her. But now I think it's only because you know you can never have a relationship with her. You are safe that way. You can have these dysfunctional relationships without any real commitment. You can come or go with no attachments to anyone. I think if Scott was not in the picture that you still would not be in a relationship with Jean because you are just a coward, and would probably just run away at the first adult problem. You know, I always wondered what was wrong with me. Was I not attractive enough? Why were you never interested in me? Then it occurred to me! Maybe it was because I was the one woman here that you could have had a serious adult relationship with, and that was the reason you didn't want me." Storm stopped talking to look down. She was visibly upset. The dam had broken and all the feelings she had had bottled up had burst out. Of all the people that could have witnessed her loss of composure she wished it hadn't been Logan.
"I don't understand…why are you so mad. Have I hurt you?" Logan asked.
His mind was racing at all the information being thrust at him. He couldn't understand how his being in love with Jean or his close relationship with Jubilee could have hurt Storm. NO ONE had ever called him a coward before!
At that question Storm lost it. She could not hold back her tears or her words. "Are you that blind? Am I that invisible to you? I am in love with you. I have been for a long, long time now. But I have also come to grips with what's going on and now I can finally see you for who you really are. You have a lot of growing up to do with regards to relationships and I won't wait for that. I have grown up and I'm ready to go on to the next part of my life. I will be free from the torture of loving you and knowing that love will never be returned." With that Storm turned and left. With her head held high she exited the mansion to feel the night wind on her tear stained face. She would go for another walk and this time it would be better. A great weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she felt better now, better than she had in a long time.
Logan was left in silence. He had just stood there and taken in everything Storm had said. She had cut him down to size and he could not argue a single point except one. Somewhere deep down he knew she was right about his fear of closeness, his fear of commitment, but she had not been right about everything. All he was able to say just before she had closed the door was " 'Ro…I'm sorry."
~~~ To Next Part => ~~~
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