The slim cigarette danced between his thin fingers as he watched the girl in the gym. Judo slam into the ribs...Wolverine. Right elbow into the bag at eye level...Storm. Right hook...Wolverine. Leg sweep...Storm. Their moves, her body—lethal, but graceful.
Figures.
He took another drag off his cigarette. Nada couldn't see him behind the two-way glass, but he wondered if she "felt" he was there, kind of like Wolverine knew someone was around without seeing them. She didn't have her father's instincts, but damn if she didn't glance over at the mirror every so often and stare straight into his eyes.
He frowned again and watched as she arced over the pommel horse like an angel in flight, scream a loud "Kee-yai!" and kick the gym horse over with her foot. Child of the X-Men or no, she looked like one dangerous customer. Hopefully she was on their side.
"I never pegged you for the voyeur type, Remy."
Remy blew a slow cloud of smoke through his nostrils but didn't turn around. Before she had spoken he knew she was peeking over his shoulder. "We t'ief's pride ourselves on it, Stormy. Gotta watch the prey to play."
"Sounds like something Wolverine would say."
Remy sniffed at that. "Maybe he and I ain't so far 'part as you t'ink, Stormy."
"I doubt that. And don't—"
"'—call me Stormy,' I know," Remy finished. He flicked the cigarette onto the floor and ground it out beneath his boot. "Tell me somet'in I don't know, eh? 'Course, if you trusted me more, maybe y'would."
Ororo sighed. "It wasn't any of your business, Remy."
"Really?" He smirked and pulled another cigarette out of his shirt pocket.
"Thought we was one big happy fam'ly, an' all that. All for one, an' one for all."
She frowned at the cigarette, but this wasn't the time to chide him about his bad habits. Ororo put her hand on his shoulder, but he still wouldn't face her.
"We are family, Remy. But I...Wolverine and I had to think some things through first. We could not let Nada's heritage become some sort of sideshow carnival. Nada—and for that matter, Wolverine and I— did not need a whole lot of prying ears and eyes until the truth was understood."
"So you hid it from us."
"We hid it, yes," Storm echoed. "But for a good reason. For Nada's safety."
And yours? Remy thought, but he didn't say it. As he lit his cigarette, he wondered about the deep pang of jealousy inside him. He didn't like it, and he didn't understand why it showed up now. He had the love of his life already. But Stormy...Well, she'd been his first love, deep inside. He felt like a father giving away his daughter's hand in marriage.
He grimaced, ground out his new cigarette, and turned to her. "She's your spittin' image, Stormy. Yours and the Wolfman's. Even got your moves. And his."
"Really?"
She glanced over Remy's shoulder and smiled a little as Nada preformed a short kata. Storm's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Nada is very talented."
"No kiddin.' All dat good talent, whooo...Gets it from her mama, that's fo' sure."
She caught his lopsided grin, but she missed the odd, quiet sadness in his red-on-black eyes when her gaze returned to Nada's kata.
Remy cleared his throat. "He treatin' you right?"
"Sorry?" Ororo laughed a little, recognizing one of Nada's high kicks as her own.
"The Wolvster. Can't deny dat chemistry now. I's plain as day."
Ororo glanced at him shyly. "I am happy, Remy. It surprises me, but yes. I am very happy."
"You t'ink dis gonna be some kinda permanent situation?"
She sighed and folded her arms. "You are too nosy." Her face clouded a little as she stared at a point over his left shoulder. "To be perfectly honest, I am uncertain, Remy. Things change. Still...I will enjoy myself as long as it lasts."
Remy smiled sadly and shrugged. "Well, out of all of us you deserve somethin' in the love department. Somethin' good, for a change." He kissed her on the cheek. "Good luck, Stormy."
"Thank you, Remy," she whispered. She didn't scold him for the nickname this time and watched him leave from the corner of her eye. They could have been more than friends—certainly much more. But the crush she once had for Remy had blossomed long ago into kinship. Her heart ached for him, since he was and always would be the brother she never had.
And now Nada was the daughter she never knew.
"Which is about to change," Ororo said, sighing.
She folded her arms and watched her daughter partly in admiration and partly in fear. After an...intense experience with Logan in the library, she had convinced Wolverine to follow her into her attic room, where her shyness at their new relationship set off yet another round of lovemaking. Her body had hungered for sleep after their passions cooled, but as she traced a slim finger across the folds of her sheets, her mind kept darting from one awful scenario to another.
"C'mon, 'Ro," Logan had said. His warm breath tickled her earlobe as she nestled into the crook of his arm. "Try an' get some shut-eye. If not, you'll be a walkin' wreck, and I ain't in the mood to catch the holy hell from that."
"Soon, Logan." She snuggled tighter into his warm body, but he wasn't appeased.
"All right," he grumbled. He wrapped his bare arms around her belly and hugged her tightly. He kissed her ear. "What's the deal?"
"I—I don't know," Ororo faltered. She unconsciously laced her fingers through the thick hair of his arm. "I suppose I'm a little concerned about tomorrow. That's all."
"You talk to her yet?"
"Hm?"
Logan sighed. "Turn around."
She did, but her long hair hid her torn expression. Wolverine studied her looks. Her calm facade was simply that—a facade—and he knew she was hiding her true feelings behind a mask of cold indifference.
He brushed back her platinum strands. "Yep," he chuckled. "You two can pretend like the best of 'em."
She propped her head on her elbow and lifted a slim eyebrow. "Which means?" "You know exactly what I mean. You've done it fer years, and you're still doin' it." He shrugged. "Nada's got my temper, but she uses it to keep people away, not to let off steam. 'Cept for that temper, she's a helluva lot like you."
Heat rose to Ororo's face but her voice remained glacier still. "In what way?"
Logan eyes glittered like two black diamonds, piercing her heart. She had to turn away and pretend that her own fingers were more important than his hard gaze.
"I said it before, and I still mean it. You keep everyone at arms length so they won't hurt ya. Me, I don't care. I'll wear ya down. You can count on it."
She smiled slightly at that, and his rough finger traced the line of her lips.
"But Nada don't have that 'luxury,' and you shouldn't put 'er through your hoops. You can't keep her at arms length, like yer own personal lap dog."
Her eyes narrowed to slits and she angrily turned her back on him. "I care about Nada. I care what happens to her."
"Yeah, you do. In a way." He rubbed his thumb between her dark shoulder blades. "But you've gotta talk to her. Show her you mean it."
His fingers became more insistent, and she felt her body unexpectedly responding to his touch. "Love's a two-way street, Ororo. I know you. I know that when you really start caring back, you let people inta your world. You get honest about yourself, an' you finally let down yer 'goddess' guard. Nada needs the real you. Not high an' mighty Wind Goddess. You willin' to do that?"
She swallowed and stared up at the skylight. The moon was full. Its light sparkled beneath the tears on her cheek, but her voice was steady and firm. "I honestly do not know, Logan."
Logan rolled onto his back, closing his eyes. "Let Nada in, 'Ro," he grumbled. "She needs you as much as you need her."
She needs you as much as you need her...
The question disturbed her but she let it hang, unwavering, in her mind for nearly an hour. She pursed her lip but she knew Logan was right. She had to follow his lead, trusting that this reality was their reality to come, trusting in a faith she did not personally feel. Ororo sighed and traced her finger across Logan's cheek. His eyes were still shut but he smiled at her, and kissed her fingers.
Sighing, she pulled back the bedcovers and grabbed her robe.
"Where're you headed?"
"To take your advice."
She glanced at Logan, who smiled at her sleepily. "That's a first."
"So don't get too comfortable with it."
She caressed his cheek again and kissed him full on the mouth. Her mind was still veiled in the shock, but she was getting used to this man. Very used to him.
He grasped her hand and kissed it. "Hurry back."
Ororo had nodded, slipped from his grasp, and left for Nada's room, only to discover that the child was not there. At first she feared the girl had left the mansion, but the idea struck her: If she were in Nada's place, and unable to rest, where would she go?
"Heee—yah!"
Ororo's lip quirked as Nada's yell awakened her from her reverie. She put a trembling hand on the gym door, and forced her face into its calm, unreadable mask—but for the first time, she feared that her emotional control might slip and betray her true thoughts.
* * *
Nada couldn't help shivering a little. She had felt her mother's presence before she entered the room, and the collar around her neck felt like a donkey's yoke around her shoulders. She felt like a prized ass, too. Stupid girl. She should've taken a walk outside. Anything to avoid—
"You're very good."
She licked her lips and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Thanks...Ororo. Guess I learned from the best, huh?"
"Probably." The older woman grunted and righted the pommel horse. "You're strong, too."
Nada laughed bitterly. "Only when I'm mad." She glanced at Ororo and sat back against the gym equipment. "Nothing supernatural or mutational about that. Just a bad temper."
"Ah. I understand."
Do you? Nada's mind shot angrily. But out loud, she sighed. "This has been one hell of a day."
"Indeed." Storm sat on the pommel horse and patted the empty spot beside her. Nada glanced at it warily, but joined her after a small shrug of protest. She faced the opposite direction from Ororo, but Storm made sure their backs touched.
"You should be resting."
"Too tired to sleep, I guess. And dimensional jumping's like bad jet lag--I never get used to a new place long enough to sleep right. Maybe that's why I'm such a head case."
Ororo didn't say anything, and Nada almost wished she could see her face. Sometimes her attempts at humor weren't very funny. She wasn't sure if she'd made Storm upset with her flippant tongue.
"Nada..." Storm's voice felt suddenly real, and it sent a shudder through Nada's body. "I'm sorry we haven't had more time to talk. I've treated you more like a sick...animal than a human being. Certainly not like my own child."
"Hey, well," Nada began quickly. "No skin off my brown nose. It's not like you know me, or anything. Or—"
"Don't," Storm said simply. She reached behind her back, and covered Nada's trembling fingers with her own.
Oh, God, don't touch me, I won't be able to bear it...Don't do this, Mom, please...
"If you stop pretending with me, I will stop pretending with you. Is that fair?"
"Um..."
Ororo turned just as girl's shoulders began to convulse. She wrapped her arms around Nada's body and cradled her close, and didn't try to stop the tears from her own eyes.
"You're my child," Ororo whispered into her ear, over and over. "I am your mother. I love you. I love you, Nada."
"Thank you," Nada whispered. "Thank you for believing me."
They both cried hard, but eventually the tears gave way to exhaustion and they both fell asleep at the same time. Moments later, a short, brutish man turned off the gym lights and tossed a blanket over them. But as he left the room, his whiskered face held a small smile of satisfaction.
~~~ Next Part => ~~~
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