Disclaimer: The X-Men are not mine � but if you read the first chapter, you know that already. If you didn�t read the first chapter, you should, because this doesn�t go "back" very much. I�m sorry to have to write such a short chapter. But today, I got a job with a 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, full-time. And to be honest, I don�t know when I�ll continue this story. Probably within the month. This may turn into a bunch of short chapters, based on the time I have, but it WILL get done�eventually. I want to clarify a couple of things. In this story, what you read is EXACTLY what you�re getting. This isn�t the only web site this story is on, so let me cover the FAQs that are already getting on my nerves. o Yes, Storm and Gambit are actually married. o Yes, it was a legal wedding. J o No, Storm is not possessed by the Shadow King o No, Gambit is not dreaming o And no, no, NO, neither one of them is going to die in Chapter Three. That�s not to say not to expect surprises in the future, but what I�ve written now is pretty much set in stone. The End Is the Beginning, by stormfreak Part Two: Logan�s Say Logan walked down the corridor leading to the classroom with a heavy heart. By the time the sun was at high noon that day three things became obvious in the X-Mansion: 1) Gambit was gone - again, 2) he had taken Storm with him, and 3) the odds of them returning were little to none. The whole house was forced to accept that. Had Gambit left on his own, Logan could�ve estimated the time he�d have come back. But Storm went with him. Rock-steady, straight as an arrow, "the-needs-of-the-X-Men-come-before-my-everything-including-my-own-breathing" Ororo Munroe. And if she was gone, then the X-Men could bet their lives that she wasn�t returning. Who caused it, and what was said? What kind of charisma did Remy LeBeau have to convince a work-driven X-Leader to drop everything and leave? Simple. Same as Chuck, Logan thought wryly. He offered Storm a better life. Better than bustin� her ass every day and reading by the fireside alone at night. He offered her the one thing none of us can give her � love. No wonder she left. She shoulda left. Secretly, Logan was rooting for them. Remy was cool and Ororo was his heart, but he�d rather lose them both to love than have them stay around and be resented. The attitudes of the X-Men made him ill; the women, with their catty opinions, and the men were too punkish to stand up for either Storm or Gambit. No loyalty whatsoever. Let them stay gone. There comes a time in every person�s life thought Logan diplomatically, to put themselves ahead of other people. And Ororo Munroe iss highly overdue. It was Remy that was a shock. Not that Logan felt that Gambit wasn�t a responsible person or as a selfish man, but Rembrandt LeBeau wasn�t exactly the model picture of a husband and lover. The fact that Remy had married Ororo was a thought that Logan never needed to be told. Storm wouldn�t have left if she hadn�t have felt that Remy wouldn�t marry her. He knew that. He�d better make her life a heaven on Earth, or I WILL track that Cajun down. I dare him to let Storm come back with hurt in her eyes. It�ll be the last woman Gumbo lays his eyes on. Now Logan stood outside of the American History classroom, listening to the mingling comments of Generation X�ers try to explain the actions of the missing X-Men with the arrogance, disdain, and know-all that only teenagers can express. "I just don�t get it�" " She hasn�t had a man all this time; what difference would it make now?" "�can�t believe she�d just up and leave like that�" "�it�s like neither one of them ever gave a damn about us�" "C�mon, y�all! I think it�s romantic!" "Stealing another�s woman�s man is That�s so trashy�" "He�s so fine; he could get any woman. What does he want with her? She�s boring�" "This isn�t like Storm�to just leave�" "This isn�t like Gambit�to just stay with one woman�" "What kind of teacher will we get now�" No one heard Logan walk through the door, but everyone heard him slam it. Hard. For a long moment, he simply stared at the teenagers with obvious disgust. The silence grew louder and louder, and everyone became uneasy. Logan began to speak, controlling the tone of his voice and the contents of his words: "Everyone sitting here has some reason as to why Storm left with Gambit. You all think you have the answers; that you know the whole story. You think he�s a womanizer; she�s a traitor and fool; this will never work. "It�s none of yer business why they chose to leave. NONE! Get this �forbidden love� bullshit out of yer minds. Remy and Ororo are two consenting adults, and if they want to leave this place to start a life of their own, they don�t need yer permission or yer damned blessing. "Why did Storm leave? Yer nasty words and catty thoughts ran her away. THAT�S why she left, since ya�ll are lookin� for a reason. Didja think Storm couldn�t hear? That she had no heart? That she wasn�t hurtin� behind yer words? "Didja think she was made of steel? That she could go though her whole life without being loved, without being touched? Yer all young adults; ya know what love is and what�s it like. None of you could imagine going your whole life without someone to love; why did you expect different from her? "She loved every one of you. Every soul here knows that Storm put 200% of herself into her teaching. And this is how you repaid her. Ran her away; now ya wanna bitch cuz ya�ll don�t have yer precious teacher to pad yer GPAs. "Y�all have a lot of damn nerve." He turned to walk away. "Wolverine?" a voice nearly whispered. It was Jubilee, the only Gen X�er with the guts to speak at a time like this. "What?" "It is the middle of the school year. Who will teach us? Will Storm come back?" "Teach you?" Logan sneered. "Teach you? Teach yerself, ya flamin� brats." TBC |
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