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Disclaimer: Don’t own, don’t sue. Thank-you to my reviewers, I’m glad you liked the beginning. Now for chapter two… As Ororo and Scott made their way down the hall she couldn’t help but ask him again. “Who is it Scott? You’re worrying me now!” She gave a short and decidedly nervous laugh. “She’s in the Rec room.” Was all he said as he continued to stride at almost break-neck speed. Ororo was struggling to keep up with him. Eventually they came to the Rec room door. Once outside Scott, sounding uncharacteristically nervous, turned to Ororo and said, “Well, I think I’ll leave you to it.” “But----“ She started, but Scott was already retreating away as quickly as he’d ushered her down to the room. Ororo watched him go, sighing and shaking her head with confused irritation. Turning her attention back to the door she placed her hand on the elaborately decorated brass handle, pushing open the mahogany door, she stepped hesitantly inside. * She scanned the room quickly, at first it seemed that there was no one there. But then she caught sight of the crown of someone’s head, just visible at the top of a high-backed chair by the window. “Uh, hello?” Ororo said tentatively, tipping her head to try and see the person. Just then the girl shifted forwards in the chair and poked her head around its side. She was a pretty girl, no older than fifteen. Her face was heart-shaped and still carried a little puppy fat about the cheeks and chin. Her eyes were almond shaped and big, their colour a raw umber hue. Her smooth skin wasn’t especially dark, more of a deep honey tone. But what made it stand out and what made Ororo’s breath catch in her throat was her long, brilliant white hair. Staring directly at Ororo’s dumbstruck form, she stood from the chair, tucking her somewhat lank, straight hair behind her ears. Her attire was a rather mismatched and shabby affair. Shin-length black leggings with a small hole beneath the left knee, a dirty, slightly frayed red T-shirt could be seen underneath a similarly marked camel coloured duffle coat. The said coat had several of its buttons missing and the right pocket was hanging off at one corner. On her feet were, what would once have been a sturdy pair of black Doc Martins but were now practically worn bare. “I ----“, the girl began, running her fingers over the hair that was already firmly secured behind her ear once more. “I do not know what to say.” Her accent was heavy. Ororo began to shake her head, just barely, from side to side. Still she could not utter a word. Her whole body felt as if it were made of lead. “I had always----always heard rumours, around Cairo of----of a Goddess who could command the winds.” She said quietly. The girl perched back down on the arm of the chair she had just arisen from. She gazed down at her hands that were swamped by the tattered sleeves of her coat, fiddling with their frayed edges as she continued. “A Goddess of dark skin, but also of pale hair.” As she said this she ran the extended index finger of her right hand down her own white locks. Ororo finally summoned the courage and strength to move, taking one or two steps in the girl’s direction. But she was brought to a halt as she spoke once more. “Of course, the nuns, they forbade such talk. Talk of pagan witchery, but I always, in my heart, hoped.” The girl stopped, biting her bottom lip as her eyes began to shimmer, but she held on. “I always hoped the rumours where true.” Two tears spilled down each of her softly rounded cheeks. Ororo resumed her walk over to the girl and stood before her. She was still looking down but Ororo brought her hand to the girls face, laying the tips of her fingers underneath her chin and placing her thumb on the girl’s cheek. She gently coaxed the girls face upwards, making her meet her eyes. She blinked, releasing a fresh stream of tears as she gazed up at Ororo, whose own brown orbs were welling up. “How?” Ororo whispered, letting her thumb brush lightly over the girl’s cheek, pushing away the teardrops. She managed a small smile before replying, “Mutants----they make the news in Cairo nowadays to you know.” She smiled again before saying, “Especially when they are X-Men.” Suddenly a pained expression consumed her face and she began to sob in earnest. She closed her eyes as soft, jerking moans escaped her mouth. Ororo brought both her hands up to cradle the girl’s head, slipping her fingers into the girls tangled hair. This encouraged her to bury her face in Ororo’s midriff, stifling her cries. Holding the girl tightly to her Ororo said, her own voice cracking as she fought to keep control, ~ “My little one, shush, shush,----don’t cry.”~ But she broke too, as she began to stroke the girl’s hair. She brought her arms up and wrapped them around Ororo’s waist, clutching desperately at the back of her cardigan. For a long while, the two women simply held each other, trembling with the release of years of sorrow and regret. * * * “Hey, Cyke.” Logan jogged down the hall to catch up to Scott Summers as he was headed for the Professor Xavier’s office. “Who was it?” Scott stopped, just before the door, his head fell back a little and he sighed. Turning to face Logan he said, “Look, this is none of my business Logan. Talk with ‘Ro.” He turned to enter the office but was stopped when Logan slapped one powerful hand on his shoulder and span him back round to face him. “HEY! Just tell me who it goddamn is now!” He wasn’t in the mood to be messed about. It unnerved him when strangers came to the mansion unannounced, especially strangers who wanted to see his wife. Scott pushed Logan’s hand from his shoulder indignantly. “Don’t you ever lay a hand on me again.” He said warningly. He moved away from Logan and back towards the door. Just before he entered the office he turned his head back to face Logan. “It was a girl, a young girl. That’s all I know.” Logan said nothing in reply as he headed off quickly, in the direction of the Rec room. * * * Just as he got to outside the door he was going to walk straight in but then thought better of it. The room seemed quite, too quiet for Logan’s liking. He pressed his ear up against the door, it was a terribly snoopy thing to do but he didn’t care. Still nothing, except the rhythm of soft breathing, two distinctly separate rhythms. It was then he became aware of the smell, the smell of a young girl. Quite fragrant in the way that only girls can be but it was over layered with the more offensive odours of dirt, must, damp and sweat. Just then he heard light rustling and padded footfall coming towards the door. He backed away from it immediately and it was just as well because at that moment Ororo pulled the door open. If he’d still been against it he’d have pitched face first into the room. “What are you doing?” Ororo’s initial look of surprise had turned to irritation. She knew exactly what he was doing, she only hoped he hadn’t been doing it for to long. “I ,urr---I just wanted to see if you were O.K.” He said, slightly sheepishly. “Oh really?” She folded her arms over her chest as she stared up at her husband. “And that involves listening in on my private conversations does it?” He was about to plead his case when he noticed Ororo’s slightly reddened and puffy eyes, then he smelt the salt of tears. His forehead furrowed as he ran one hand down Ororo’s arm. “Hey, what’s wrong darlin’?” He asked softly. Ororo shook her head as she cleared her throat, “It’s nothing.” Logan didn’t need to be physic to tell that that was bullshit. “The hell it’s nothin’. ‘Ro tell me.” “I----“She began before she moved out of the room, pulling the doors closed behind her. But before she managed to close them all the way Logan got a glimpse of two booted feet hanging off the side of the sofa. “I will tell you later, right now I have to go do something.” Ororo pulled a bunch of keys from her cardigan pocket and searched through them for the key to the Rec room. All members of staff at the institute had the keys to every room in the place. Logan looked on confused as she proceeded to lock the door. “Why are you doin’ that?” “I will explain everything later my love.” She rubbed her fingers across her creased brow. “Just please, for the moment make sure no one goes in there.” “’Ro, for gods sakes will you just tell me what the hell is wrong?!” He shouted gruffly, he’d been trying to keep his cool but Ororo’s odd behaviour was getting to him. He hated secrecy, the one thing he’d always been able to count on with Ororo was her honesty. Ororo offered him a brief smile to try and calm him but it was far to forced to bring him any sort of comfort. “Please Logan, just let me talk with the Professor, then I’ll speak with you.” She moved close to him, tiptoeing to plant a light kiss on his cheek. “I promise.” She said close to his ear. With that she headed off to Xavier’s office, leaving Logan to watch after her. He was annoyed yes, but his concern for his wife far out-weighted that. He turned back to the door and wondered who the hell could have rattled Ororo like that, surely if it was someone important from her past, she’d have told him about her, right? “God, I need another beer.” He said quietly to himself and went back to the kitchen. -TBC- What do you think? I know it’s a bit short but R and R please! |