Chapter 8
"What's up?" Jubilee asked as she rushed into the room where the others still surrounded Ororo's bed, with most throwing glares at the boy who was right behind her. "We just passed Rogue and she was saying something about a change?" Jubilee said as she moved up beside Creed and reached out to stroke Ororo's hair. Logan for his part remained near the door, not in fear of the dirty looks the others gave him but mostly due to the shame he felt at seeing Ororo's state.
"She just smiled," Creed answered Jubilee's question. "That's the only change."
"Oh," Jubilee said with a sigh and slight frown. "But that's still good right?"
"Yeah, think it means she's dreaming and that she's not in any pain," Creed replied and Jubilee smiled at this. Creed then looked to Logan, who had his eyes locked on Ororo's until he felt the new eyes upon him; Logan then looked dead into Creed's eyes. Neither displayed any anger towards the other in their eyes, just a mutual sadness, the first thing that either would admit to having in common. The somber mood was broken as Dr. Magnus, The Professor, and Rogue all reentered the lab. Dr. Magnus quickly moved to Ororo and Creed and Jubilee stepped back to allow him more room. He checked Ororo's pupil dilation by shining some light in her eyes he then checked the readings coming out from the many monitors that were hooked to her. After his complete examination, he stepped back to address everyone.
"There's no change except that as Rogue told us, Ororo seems to be in the REM, which is the dream state. Sorry, but with the kind of injuries she's sustained it will take some time for her brain to heal and for her to awaken."
"But it will happen right?" Jubilee asked. "I mean her brain will heal and she will wake up right?"
"Only time will tell Jubilee," Dr. Magnus replied not wanting to worry them with the truth which was that Ororo may never regain consciousness.
"Alright everyone it's time for you to head to your rooms, you still have classes tomorrow, and Ororo needs her rest, so please let's leave her to it," The Professor spoke out and at his words the student body slowly left the room, each throwing Logan more glares and mumbles as they passed him, mumbles he heard but ignore for he knew they were just. Everyone left except Dr. Magnus, The Professor, Jubilee, Creed, and Logan. "That applies to you three as well," The professor added not expecting them to agree right away.
"Would you mind if I stay a bit longer?" Creed asked.
"I'm sure you are missed at your school Victor, and you've already stayed past our curfew here, but you are welcome to come back tomorrow, after your classes," The Professor offered and with a regretful sigh Creed simply nodded his understanding as he reached out and stroked Ororo's hair.
"If there's any change could you..." He began to ask only to have the Professor cut him off.
"I will contact you, Victor, I promise."
"Thank you," Creed said.
"No we should be thanking you," Jubilee said as she grasped his arm and turned him to face her. "You got her here fast and I think that made a difference, so thank you," She said reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, she then released him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek to which he smiled and nodded to her before turning and heading out. He paused at the door and looked at Logan, who stared back silently.
"Ya keep an eye on her," Creed said for lack of anything else to say. He wasn't sure what he could say, he knew Logan blamed himself for what happened, but he also knew Logan hadn't intended to hurt Ororo, that he was the target, and that knowledge made him feel just as badly as Logan, yet another thing they had in common now.
"Yeah," Logan replied as the two gave each other knowing nods before Creed left out.
"I'm gonna head up to bed but I'd like a call if there's any changes as well," Jubilee directed to the Professor who nodded in agreement. She then moved to the exit, pausing briefly to give Logan's arm a reassuring squeeze, and then leaving the three alone with Ororo. Logan moved further into the room.
"Can I stay with her for a bit?" Logan asked as he stared at the floor. Dr. Mangus opened his mouth to protest the idea but the Professor spoke up first, raising his hand to signal his friend.
"Yes Logan but only for a little while, she really does need to rest," The Professor said and then mentally asked Erik to leave with him so Logan could have some privacy. Dr. Magnus nodded his understanding as he walked out behind the Professor.
Logan made a slow trek to Ororo's bedside, the same bed she had occupied not so long ago also due to his actions. He sat and simply stared at her, too afraid and ashamed to touch her. After a long time of just sitting with her and staring at her, he finally spoke.
"Hey, Ororo," He said and then fell into another long silence. "I know yer mad at me…."
~<@@@>~
"Now why would I be mad at you?" She asked as she stared into her vanity mirror while she removed her earrings, and occasionally threw a glance at her lover's reflection as he sat on their bed.
"Cause you hated my gift, I'm sorry baby but you know I suck at this kind of thing," He said casually as he watched her do her nightly ritual for preparing for bed.
"It's just my twentieth birthday love, there will be others, and besides I'm sure I'll get great use out of the luggage you bought me," She said with a sweet smile but inwardly she was disappointed that her lover, the man she'd been with for four years hadn't come up with a better gift, but it was the thought that counted she kept reminding herself.
"True, maybe you can use them on our honeymoon," He said with a slight smile as he waited for her to register what he had said, and after a moment's pause, he knew she had for she was still in her movement as she looked at him from through the mirror. His smile broadened as he saw her eyes widen and mouth drop open as her eyes locked to the little black velvet box he was holding up. She quickly turned and leaned back against her vanity, gripping the edge of it tightly. Knowing she wasn't coming to him he stood from the bed and moved before her when he stopped in front of her, he opened the box to reveal the 5-karat solitaire cut diamond ring he had gotten her, with the help of Ororo's best friend Jean. Ororo gasped as one of her hands shot up to her mouth to stifle her scream, as her eyes watered with her tears. He knelt down on one knee and a cry escaped her lips as the realization sunk in. "Ororo Munroe, will you do me the great honor of becoming Mrs. Victor Creed?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed as she crumbled down to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as she covered his face and mouth with kisses. "Yes, Victor I will marry you."
~<@@@>~
"Yeah, you must be having a good dream darlin, smiling like that," Logan said softly as he smiled at her happy façade now holding her hand. "But please don't dream too long, please come back to me. I swear I'm going to make it all up to you. I love you so much Ro, and I need ya, please come back ta me."
~<@@@>~
"You lost your chance Logan, and you have no right coming here now and asking such a thing," She said as she kept her back to him while she gently and nervously picked at the silk veil that crowned her head.
"I think this is the best time ta stop ya from makin a mistake darlin," He said and this angered her enough that she twirled and glared at him.
"How dare you presume that you know what is best for me Logan. I love Victor and the only mistake I have made is to have invited you to my wedding. I should have known you'd pull something like this. Why can't you simply be happy for me?" His anger grew as his nostrils flared a bit.
"So yer content to walk down that aisle and promise yourself to him when yer in love with me too? That's what you call happiness Ro, and what about Creed, how ya think he's gonna feel when he finds out we're lovers?" This question caused her to stare at him a bit in confusion, for they had ended their affair months ago since she had decided that she wanted stability, something Logan wasn't willing to give her. "Oh make no mistake about it darlin, we will continue to be lovers," He said as he moved closer to her and she stepped back finding herself cornered against her vanity. He moved in front of her moving his mouth to her neck where he kissed her collarbone, eliciting a hiss from her. Ororo felt herself giving in as she always did whenever Logan 'claimed' her.
"Logan," Her voice gasped out in a soft whisper. "Please stop," She begged as her eyes slowly closed to the sensations of having him so close and her tears welled up to the fear that he was about to take her right then and there, on her wedding day, while she wore her wedding dress, and mostly because she knew she was going to let him. She always let him in and he always ended up hurting her, but it was as if she couldn't help herself, as if she were addicted to him.
"Make me stop," Logan said as he moved back a bit, clearly allowing her a chance to push him away. Giving her the chance to end their affair once and for all, and start a new life with Victor. She made no reply or move, he reached out and grasped a fist full of her silk and satin wedding dress, and slowly began to lift it, all the while keeping eye contact with her. No regret or remorse grabbed at her as Logan pushed into her, stretching her almost to the point of pain, as she shamelessly leaned back further against the vanity and lifted her legs, parting them further to give him more room and depth. And she didn't feel regret or remorse as she muffled her climactic screams into his shoulder, nor when she felt his cum dripping down her legs. It was his final words to her before leaving that hit her hard. "Now tell me Ro, can you walk down that aisle to Creed with my cum wet between your legs, and staining your dress, my scent all over you, I don't think ya can. I don't think ya will. You love me and yeah maybe ya love him too, but he ain't never made ya feel like I do, and he never will," With that, he left the room and she crumbled to the floor, the weight of what they had done and what he had said bearing down on her. Her mind was in a whirlpool of confusion; was she in love with Logan and Victor both, could she give up one for the other, who did she love more?
~<@@@>~
Her eyes shot open as her heart beat in rhythm with her erratic breathing. She scanned the dark room not sure where she was exactly. After a few minutes, the room became slowly illuminated with a soft light as muffled voiced and blurry forms now surrounded her bed. She squinted and blinked her eyes trying to focus, until some of the forms came into focus.
"Hey darlin," Logan spoke with a grin, happy to have her looking directly at him.
"Logan?" She croaked out in a dry hoarse voice.
"Oh my God, you're really awake. Welcome back Roro!" Came the excited voice of Jubilee who now stood on the opposite side of the bed, having rushed in after being told by the Professor that Ororo had regained consciousness.
"What happened?" Ororo asked and Jubilee instantly shot her eyes to Logan who, only looked down at the ground, his grin already gone and replaced with a stone face. "Where's Victor?" Ororo asked causing both Jubilee and Logan to look at her baffled.
"Victor?" Jubilee repeated and Ororo nodded her head. "He usually comes around 2, after school. He's here like clockwork, has been every day since the accident," Ororo bunched her brow, trying to recall the 'accident', and after a second's thought her hand shot to her stomach as her eyes settled on Logan.
"You and Victor were about to fight and I tried to stop it and…you didn't hurt Victor did you?"
"No," Logan answered as he watched her curiously taking note of the look of relief that briefly crossed her face to his reply. "I didn't mean to hurt you either."
"No, you never do," Ororo mumbled but Logan still heard her.
"I'm sorry. If I…"
"If you could take it back, undo it you would. You never meant to hurt me, you love me," Ororo filled in cutting him off. "I know the words well Logan in the past few months I think I have heard them from you at least a dozen times already, and frankly I…Ohhhhh!" Ororo's words ended as a sharp pain filled her head, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut and clutch at her head. "Goddess, it hurts," She gasped out as Jubilee rushed to get Dr. Magnus, who in turn rushed them from the room and began to examine Ororo, while Logan and Jubilee watched through the window of the lab door.
"Ok was it just me or was Ro just a bit off, and what's with the sudden concern for Creed?" Jubilee spoke out frowning up at the name. Logan didn't reply though he had heard her and had been wondering the same himself. He finally got what he had been wishing for, for nearly two weeks, Ororo had come back, but now he was wondering if she came back to him.
He stood in the doorway, just out of view. He watched her as she lay in the bed, propped against a mountain of pillow. She stared out the open window as if in a trance, in another world, a look he had noticed on her face a lot since she had awakened just two days ago.
"Hello Logan," She greeted without turning to acknowledge his presence, something else he had noticed she now did. He took the greeting as an invitation and moved further into the room.
"Mornin Ro," He said as he cautiously moved up to the bedside. He walked on eggshells around her now, never knowing what mood she would be in, but knowing that he was her least favorite person at the moment. "How are you feelin?"
"Oh my head hurts, and my midsection hurts," She said casually though the intent was vicious, meant to hurt and when she eyed him out of the corner of her eyes she could see it was a mission accomplished.
"I'm sorry," He said lowly as she whipped her head around to him.
"Would you please stop saying that?" She said a little higher than she had intended. "I don't care how sorry you are Logan because it doesn't make any of this hurt less, it doesn't make me feel better about you. It just pisses me off, because if you truly meant it you wouldn't keep hurting me like you do," She said and swiftly turned her head and wiped away the tear that had fallen.
"I know you hate me, I get that and I don't mean ta hurt you more by coming here, I just wanted ta see that yer ok."
"I don't hate you Logan, I wish to the Goddess every day that I did. It would make getting over you a hell of a lot easier."
"Ya want ta get over me?" He asked and she turned to him again with a dumbfounded look on her face.
"After everything, we're been through, all that has happened, how can you even ask that question? Besides, you didn't seem to have much trouble getting over me and moving on to Emma."
"I ain't never gotten over you…"
"No, you just slept with the first girl you met after you left me," She said with a glare. The subject of Emma was still a sour pill for her to swallow, even though she knew it was officially over between Emma and Logan, and even though she was sure it was officially over between herself and Logan as well. "And don't you dare say you're sorry again."
"What do you want me ta say then?" Logan asked as he pushed his hand deep into his pockets and stood looking like a broken man, as he awaited her reply.
"I don't know," She said in a whisper knowing he could hear it still.
"What do you want me ta do?" He asked.
"I want you to leave me alone," She said point blank and Logan had to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat and bite his tongue to keep from begging her not to ask him to do the one thing he thought would be impossible. "Let me try to find that girl I was a few months ago before I got involved with you, the girl who didn't hurt so much and cry so much."
"Ya want ta be free ta be with him?" Logan asked calmly a true contradiction to how he felt inside. Ororo had to frown at the question, but then it dawned on her who Logan was referring to.
"Logan, don't bring Victor into this, this isn't about Victor it's about you and I. Sorry but I can't move on so easily," She said as she gave him an icy stare. "But, I will continue to see Victor on a friendly basis, I understand that you and many of the other boys in this school don't like him, but I do. What I know of him that is."
"Yeah, and what's that exactly Ro?" Logan asked in a near snarl.
"I don't have to explain anything to you Logan, we're long past that."
"Yer telling me ya want a relationship with Victor Creed, and I ain't suppose ta question it?"
I never said…"
"Boy," A voice interrupted the heated conversation and both Logan and Ororo looked to the door. "Are my ears burning, should I come back later?"
"Victor," Ororo said with noticeable glee as she sat up more and looked around Logan, greeting Victor with a huge smile. "No please come in, Logan just came to check on me but he's leaving now," Ororo said looking at Logan as she spoke. Logan could only clench his fists and jaws as he turned to leave.
"Logan," Creed said as they passed each other.
"Creed," Logan threw back and the friendly manner caused Ororo to stare in wonder. Logan left the room just as Victor made his way to the bedside. Logan didn't go far as he stood just outside peering through the crack of the door. He watched in distaste and extreme jealousy as Victor leaned over and kissed Ororo's cheek and then pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and handed them to her.
"It hurts doesn't it?" A voice spoke to Logan just over his shoulder. "To watch someone you care about, care about someone else. Someone who used to want you, wanting someone else."
"Fuck off, Emma," Logan said gruffly to the girl who still took up residency in the room next to Ororo's in the med lab.
"Sorry, I just find it funny how the shit we do has a tendency to come back and bite us in the ass. Guess it's true what goes around comes around," At her continued taunts Logan turned around to face her as she stood in the doorway of her room, in her nightgown, robe, and slippers.
"I know ya ain't comparing the fucked up shit you tried to pull to this situation," Logan said as he folded his arms across his chest.
"No, I'm talking about the fucked up shit you did to her. Payback is a bitch."
"You'd know. Being that you're the queen bitch," Logan threw back and could see Emma's face crumble a bit. Emma made it no secret that she still wanted him, and he made it no secret that a snowball had a better chance in hell.
"Boy, those weren't the sweet nothings that you whispered in my ear when you made love to me Logan."
"Some guys will say whatever it takes ta get pussy, Emma, granted with you it didn't take much," He could see his words hurt her as her lips began to tremble. "And ya can save the tears, 'cause you knew then I didn't give a fuck about you, not while I was whispering all that shit in yer ears, not even while I was in ya, but still you threw your legs open as wide as ya could. And it won't cause ya gave a damn about me either, but you saw a sucker who you could make yer baby's daddy."
"Well the position is still open, maybe you should take it seeing that you've lost your chance with Ororo."
"See that's where yer wrong, Ororo loves me still and I love her, always have, always will. You couldn't break us, and you had some powerful ammo, so I know there's no way in hell Creed will. He's as big a bastard as you are a bitch," Logan said and then turned back to peer into Ororo's room. "I'm not worried about Creed; I'm not worried about him at all," Logan voiced what his heart knew to be a lie.
"Babydoll, you're looking real good," Creed said as he tucked some of her hair back over her shoulders.
"Thanks," Ororo said blushing a bit at his words, and then even more so as she wondered why his words had such an effect on her. "And thank you for the flowers they are lovely."
"You're welcome, hell it's the least I can do after what happened to you," Creed said as he settled on the edge of the bed.
"Goddess, you make it sound as if you're to blame," Ororo said with a small smile which quickly faded as she noticed the look of remorse in Creed's eyes. "Oh Victor, please do not think that what happened was your fault, you are not at all to blame. I do not blame you."
"Naw, I'm partially to blame. I provoked the runt…Logan."
"No," Ororo said her voice and face hardening. "Do not make excuses for Logan's behavior. It does not take much to provoke him; he's a hothead, always reacting irrationally. His motto is strike first, ask questions later if anyone's left alive," Creed chuckled a bit at her words, which he felt also described him.
"That sounds a lot like me too," He said and then watched her closely to see her reaction.
"Maybe, but it's a side you have not shown me yet, you are quite the gentleman Victor Creed."
"Shhh...I told ya don't be saying that too loud, my reputation remember?" He said with a smile and a wink and Ororo giggled at him.
"Oh sorry, I forgot," She said, smiling as she playfully rolled her eyes. "But seriously Victor, please know that you were not at fault, from what I've heard I owe you my life. Thank you."
"You're welcome, but you know you didn't have to go through all this just to get out of our second date," Creed said and it took a moment for Ororo to understand what he meant, and she again giggled again.
"I assure you I would much rather have attended our second date than to be here, I'm sure it would not have been as painful an experience as this is."
"I'm sorry Babydoll, that you're hurtin," He spoke as he gently stroked her cheek a movement that stunned her silent for a moment.
"Well, I'm suddenly feeling better," She said as she threw him a coy smile before dropping her gaze from his.
"Good, then I expect a rain check."
"Ok, how about tomorrow night?" She asked and could tell by his expression her words had stunned him a bit. "Dr. Magus says I can leave tomorrow, he's given me a clean bill of health, he just had one last test to run and wants to keep me one more night for observation."
"Alright, then I will take you out for a celebration dinner. Does that sound good?"
"It sounds very good," Ororo replied with another coy smile.
"So it's a date," Creed said as he extended his hand to hers, and she happily accepted it by grasping it into her own. Instead of shaking it, Creed lifted it to his lips and gently kissed the back of her hand, and then he leaned into her and softly pressed his lips against hers. Ororo felt a bit weak in the knees and felt herself leaning further into him, but then a sudden wave of regret hit her and she quickly pulled her hand and body back. "I'm sorry," Creed quickly apologized.
"No, it's not you, that was nice…too nice, and I…"
"You're not over Logan, I understand."
"Not if you think that, then no you clearly don't understand. Mind you I'm not over Logan, no, but it wasn't about him, it's about me. I just don't want to rush into anything again just because it feels really good."
"Ok, then we'll go as slow as you like, you set the pace of things. So, you thought it was a 'really' good kiss, huh?" Creed asked with a proud, gloating grin, and Ororo playfully smacked his chest and rolled her eyes.
"It was ok," She replied with a grin of her own.
"No, but you said really good, I heard you."
"Shut up," She said as she laughed and folded her arms across her chest. Neither knew that they were being watched by hard, cold, angry, and very hurt eyes, as they continued to laugh and converse for another hour.