Remy watched as the players at the breakfast table ate in silence. Beast, Rogue and Jubilee, however, made more than enough conversation to make up for their four quiet teammates. Storm was the first to finish her breakfast and without speaking got up. After rinsing her dish in the sink she went to leave the room. "Where ya off to, Storm?" Remy asked from his perch on the counter. His voice somewhat startling Jubilee who had forgotten that he was behind her.
Storm was a little surprised too, but at the question itself. She wasn’t used to people taking an interest in her actions. She turned and faltered a little. She hadn’t thought about what she planned to do today. Quickly an answer came to her though.
"I’m going to grab a book, go down to the lake, sit under a tree and read. Why?" "No reason, I was jus askin’. Dat sounds nice. "
Remy could feel that Logan was glaring at him with a red-hot stare. Remy was counting on it actually. ‘This pot just needs a little stirring’ he thought.
Rogue had turned to look at Remy as well. She also was wondering why he was asking, since he had promised to take her for a drive into the city today. She would remember to grill him about it later in the car.
Ororo, not sure what to make of the conversation, turned again to leave.
* * *
Out by the lake, Ororo settled down under a large willow tree. She brought her knees up to rest the book upon them and started to read. After reading the same paragraph for the fifth time she put the book down. ‘I really don’t feeling like reading,’ she thought to herself. She laid the book on the grass and stretched out her legs. She decided she would just daydream and watch the clouds today.
* * *
Logan paced his room like a caged tiger. The ache in his chest still had not subsided, regardless of what he did. He found himself becoming angry now because he didn’t know what to do with himself today.
‘There’s something wrong with the clocks in this place,’ he thought as he looked at the time again. It was only ten minutes later than the last time he looked.
The hours were just crawling by and Logan was going out of his skull. All he could think about was how much he wanted to go to the lake and see Storm. But at the same time, that’s exactly want he didn’t want to do.
"Damn that Cajun!" Logan muttered. He felt it would have been better if he didn’t know where she was. Then he wouldn’t have to spend his day debating on seeing her. He just would or wouldn’t, whatever the fates decided.
"Shit! What’s the big deal? I always walk the woods. Just cause she’s there means nothin’." He said and grabbed his leather jacket.
Logan went outside and headed towards the lake. He convinced himself that he wanted to speak with her anyway. To tell her that what she had said to him the other day was too harsh and uncalled for.
Logan stopped short when he saw her. She was sitting under a tree, looking out onto the lake. The slight wind off the water playing at her beautiful hair. He was frozen with uncertainty. ‘So what do you want to say to her then?’ he thought to himself. ‘That’s why you came down here, wasn’t it?’ His head was spinning. She had told him that she was in love with him and since that revelation all he could think about was her. It had been such a long time since he had heard those words said to him. He was intrigued. He was obsessed. He had to know ‘Why him?’
"Screw it!" he said in a low voice so as not to alert Storm to his presence. "I need a work-out to clear my head," he added as he turned to return to the mansion’s gymnasium. Telling the little voice in his head, that was saying ‘cop out’, to shut up.
* * *
Later that night…
"Scott, have you noticed Logan acting strange today?" Jean asked as she was getting ready for bed.
Scott buttoned the last button of his pajamas and began to turn down the bed as he looked at Jean "I didn’t notice anything." He said showing a complete lack of interest in the topic of Logan. "Are you coming to bed?" he added as he saw Jean was pensive and pacing the room.
"Um, in a minute. I’m worried about him. He seemed different today, and he wasn’t at dinner with the rest of us." Jean tried again to get a discussion going with Scott.
Getting slightly annoyed Scott piped up "Look, if the guy was dancing around singing show tunes then I’d be worried. Anything else and I’m not interested. That guy is just too damn moody to figure out." Scott climbed into bed and sighed. It had been an exhausting day and the last thing he wanted to do was talk about Logan.
"He seemed so distant and disinterested. I’ve never seen him act like that with me before." Jean said, making it perfectly clear she had not been listening to Cyclops at all.
"Well maybe he’s finally figured out that your married and not interested in him." Scott said sitting up in bed. "You don’t like having this guy madly in love with you do you?"
"No, of course not." Jean lied "I just get worried when people act differently. I don’t like change."
"Change is good. Come to bed." Scott said as he snuggled down and turned off his side table lamp.
"I’ll come to bed a bit later. There is something I need to do first." Jean said and grabbed her housecoat.
* * *
Storm was not tired and although the rest of the mansion was all ready for bed, she felt the need to stay down in the dimly lit living room and listen quietly to the stereo. She had not seen Logan since breakfast and instead of his absence helping her to move on, the day spent alone thinking had had quite the opposite effect. He was all she could think about.
Curled up on the couch, she hoped that listening to sad songs would purge her soul. Force her to feel so much that eventually there would be nothing left to feel. The music was reaching deep inside her and bringing all her pain to the surface. As the tears began to silently fall, she was only slightly aware that outside the wind had stopped and the night air had become quiet and still. Lost in her own thoughts she didn’t immediately notice the figure standing near the end of the couch. She spotted Logan leaning up against the wall, partially hidden in the shadows. With incredible stealth he made no sound as he slowly approached her. He lowered himself beside her and brought his face in close, without ever taking his eyes off of hers.
‘Am I dreaming?’ she thought as he moved in to kiss her. She didn’t resist as the world dissolved around her. She reached up to pull him closer so she could feel the heat of his body against hers. Their kiss deepened and she felt her will slipping away. It was wonderful, better than she had ever imagined. Then a bolt of lightening struck a tree not far from the mansion and she was brought back to her rational self with a start.
She pushed Logan away. "What was that?" she said, her voice harsh, angry more with herself than him. " I don’t need to be rescued Logan."
Logan was dumfounded. "I wasn’t trying to rescue you. I…It seemed right. I…I have feelings for you ‘Ro," he said softly, realizing that once he had said it, the pain in his chest was finally gone.
"Feelings? What does that mean? What about Jean?" Storm asked "What about her?" Logan was not looking at Storm now, but instead at the floor. "Do you still love Jean?" Storm persisted.
"Yes…no…I’m confused right now ‘Ro. I can’t just turn my feelings for Jean off like that. But I do feel something for you and maybe in time..."
"I won’t play second fiddle to a ghost relationship Logan." Storm interrupted. "’Ro, it’s not like that…" Logan had lost the will to continue. He was too confused in his own feelings to try and explain them to her. Defeated, he stood up to leave when he saw Jean approach from the adjoining room.
"Logan, I’m glad I found you. I checked your room and you weren’t there. I was wondering if I could talk to you." Jean said as she came closer to the couch. Before Logan could answer, Storm sat up into view and turned to look at the Jean.
Jean’s face went pale.
~~~ T B C ?! ~~~
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