Title: Cries Of the Wounded, Part Three
Author: TrilogyX
Rating: R for violence and bad language
Disclaimer: Ownership of any really great characters found in this
story belong to Marvel. I just want to have my own special brand of
fun with them for a while. Thanks.
Notes: This is movie verse.


Cries of the Wounded
by
TrilogyX

Part Three


Rabbit roasted over an open flame was not supposed to taste
like charcoal. Okay, so he'd forgotten about it and it got a little
burned. He'd been doing that a lot lately. He may as well have been
eating his socks.
Logan glared at the charred remains of his dinner and with a
disgusted grunt flung it behind him somewhere into the thicket of
brush and trees. Hopefully, the scent would attract a nice hungry
grizzly bear. He was itching for a fight and didn't really care if
he came out on the loosing end.
Holding his canteen to his lips, he took a swig of water to
wash the aftertaste from his mouth. The rest he used to douse what
was left of his fire. Wild animals usually steered clear of flames.
His bunched up leather jacket served as a pillow as he
stretched out and stared blankly at the twinkling map of stars above
him. Tonight, he would make sure that he would do nothing more than
look at the stars. He would not allow any thoughts of what he left
behind. If he happened to fall asleep, there would be no dreams of
her. He would stare at those stars, even if it killed him.
He'd been absently scratching at his belly a few minutes
later, when he felt an annoying buzz growing in the back of his
head. He knew what it was, and he rolled his eyes and tried his best
to ignore it. He went back to trying to make out the shape of
Centaurus in the sky.

~::Logan::~
Swatting at his head uselessly, he glared back at the sky.
~::LOGAN::~
He winced.
~::I know you hear me, Logan::~
"Fuck off, Chuck."he said, aloud.
~:: I deserved that. I should not have shouted at you.::~
~::That's right, old man. Now get out of my head.::~
~::It's not going to be that simple to get rid of me::~
~:: It'll get pretty easy if I ride down to Salem Center and
run three shiny claws through that cue ball you call a skull::~
~: :Such violent thoughts, Logan. But, if it will get you
back...::~
~:: I told ya, I ain't comin' back. Now fuck off::~
~:: Ororo's not well, Logan. It's not healthy for a woman
in her condition...::~
~:: WHAT? What do you mean ...her condition?::~
Logan sat up quickly as a sense of dread spiraled through his
entire body. Dear God, something was wrong with her.
~:: If you are so concerned. Why don't you come and find
out?::~
~::DO NOT PLAY MIND GAMES WITH ME !! WHAT'S WRONG WITH
ORORO?::~"
No answer.
"CHARLES !!??"he yelled out, jumping to his feet. "ANSWER
ME !!"
The buzz in his head was gone. He was shouting at the trees,
clawing uselessly at air like a madman.
"DAMN IT."


"Someone has to tell her. If you're not going to say
anything, I will."
The two men eyed each other with carefully, both wishing this
conversation wasn't happening.
"There could be dangerous reprecussions, Jean. She is not
prepared to hear this." Henry McCoy spoke first.
Charles slowly nodded in agreement.
"There have already been dangerous reprecussions, Hank. If
we don't act fast, things will only be worse."
"I'm no expert, but should she be loosing weight like
this?."the professor asked them both.
"She's barely eating. What she does manage to eat, is most
likely not staying down. That should pass in a few weeks."
"Do you think she's still taking the vitamins, I prescribed?"
Jean's gaze shifted from away from both men. "Yes. I told
her they were sedatives, to help calm her nerves. I'm sure she
thinks that's why she's been sleeping so much."

Charles rested a hand on her shoulder. "I know how you hate
keeping things from her. None of us want to do this."
"Well, time is growing short. Ororo will be entering her
second trimester soon. We have a responsiblity to inform her that
she's going to be a mother." Henry reminded them
"I just can't get over this. No one should have to bring a
child into the world like this." Jean said, blinking back the tears
in her eyes. "I tried asking her last night if ... I think she's
tried to block out what Sabertooth did to her."
Charles squeezed her shoulder and smiled. He'd been debating
how much he should say, now he knew. There was no need for any extra
worries, here. "I made contact with Logan, last night."
"How is he?"Jean asked, appreciative of the change of topic.
"Angry, mostly. I do happen to know that he is almost as
miserable as Ororo."
"Logan, actually let you get inside his head?"
Charles shrugged. "Not exactly. I reached him quite
unexpectedly actually a few nights ago while he was having a dream."
"Oh."a deflated Jean, sighed.
"I had no intention of prying into his mind, but what I saw
was really quite...revealing?"
"I'm almost certain I don't want to hear this." Hank mumbled
under his breath.
Intrigued and hopeful, Jean sat up in her seat. " I'm pretty
sure I want to hear it."
"I'm only telling you two this to put yours fears to
rest...this does not escape this room." Xavier warned.
Jean and Hank tried not too look offended, after all they'd
managed to keep everything else to themselves for the last two
months. Simultanously, the two doctors nodded their consent.
"I am 100 percent certain that Ororo's child was not
fathered by Victor Creed."
Jean sank back in her chair, with a huge sigh of relief. So
her original vibes had been true all along. Ororo hadn't been acting
so withdrawn because she'd been raped. She was in love.
Hank McCoy just stared at them blankly. "Anyone mind
enlightening me as to who is responsible for impregnating, Ms.
Munroe?"
Both telepaths just blinked at the furry blue doctor in
disbelief.
"You know, McCoy...for one of the smartest men on the planet,
you sure can be slow on the draw."
The professor's mouth quirked slightly at Jean's comment.
Taking mercy on the slow genius in question, he sent a quick PG-13
rated glimpse of the dream he'd witnessed to help the guy along.
"Oh, my...stars and garters."


Ororo stared at her friend as though she'd lost her mind.
Jean swallowed hard, a quick peek out the window showing the
wind outside suddenly picking up speed. That couldn't be to good for
the kids softball game, she mused.
"How in the world can I be pregnant?" Ororo said, her head
swimming so quickly she forced herself to sit back down.
Jean quickly drew in her bottom lip, and clenched it between
her teeth. Not even a grin, would be a smart thing right now.
"Look at me. I'm not pregnant. I think I'd know if I were
pregnant." Ororo glared at her. "Do I look pregnant?"she asked,
pulling at her form fitting top to prove her point.
"I took several tests when you were brought in, Ro. I have
no doubt in my mind."
Ororo wished she was standing up so she could sit down. It
made no sense. Staring down at her flat tummy, she frowned again.
She was not any bigger, in fact she was frighteningly smaller. Her
voice was very small. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"
Jean moved over to where her friend sat , feeling the fear
coming off her in waves.
She pulled her into a quick hug. "The baby is fine as far as we can
tell. Charles and I have been keeping a link with...the child. There
have been no signs of distress."
"You can do that already?" Ororo asked, in breathless wonder.
Jean smiled. "I didn't know it was possible. Charles showed
me how. The baby is a living being with a soul...I can't exactly
communicate like I can with you, but I can gauge the child's well
being."
Ororo shut her eyes as tears streamed down her face. She
hadn't completely lost him. Part of him was growing inside her
body. A tiny little person.
"You have to start taking really good care of yourself,
Ororo. If I have to hospitalize you I will."
Ororo smiled back at Jean through her tears. "That won't be
necessary."she assured the redhead, her hand protectively covering
her belly.



"Cut it out, Swamp Rat." Marie complained, swatting away
Remy's hand in feigned annoyance.
"Aww,beb...Remy jes wanna see what dey look like?"
" Ya already seen 'em, before." Marie said in exasperation,
glaring at him.
"So...gimme a lil' peek an I'll leave ya alone."
"Ah didn't say, I wanted ya to leave me alone, you dork."
Marie murmured.
"Cela est bon, le bien-aimé. Now let Gambit see, an he
promise not to leave you 'lone den."
"All right, fine." Marie drawled, tossing aside the novel
she'd been trying to read.
Remy LeBeau grinned from ear to ear as she revealed what he
wanted to see. " I knew dey would be perfect."
"Great, now let me finish mah dang book." Marie said, rolling
her eyes as she let her hair fall back down to her shoulders. A man
gives you ruby earrings and he acts like he can look at them any old
time he wants to.
Remy settled back down on the cozy little blanket they
shared, content with watching her as she resumed her reading. He'd
never met a girl who he could talk to for hours on end about nothing
and everything at the same time and yet still be thrilled to sit with
and not talk at all. He was reaching into his pocket, to pull out the
worn deck of cards he always carried, when his sixth sense alerted
him that they were no longer alone. He groaned, when he saw who it
was.
"Looks like we got some company, Marie."he said, inclining
his head as she looked up from her book.
"LOOGGAAAANNNN!!!"
Both men winced at the high pitched sound that came out of
her mouth as Marie sprang to her feet, nearly stepping on Remy as she
ran over to engulf their surprise intruder.
Remy bit back his jealousy at the way she was jumping up and down all
over the guy, watching as Logan gave her a big squeeze back and then
proceeded to try to peel the overly excited girl off him.
"When did ya get back? "she was asking, oblivious to the
quick glare Logan threw at Remy.
The Cajun just raised a one dark auburn brow in reply before
reaching back in his pocket for his cards.
"I just got here, kid."
"Why in the world, did ya run off again like that. It wasn't
yer fault what happened to Storm."
Remy sat there quietly, shuffling his cards trying his best
not to show his alarm at the immediate rise of emotion his empath
abilities detected coming from Logan at the mention of the beautiful
weather witch. 'Dis soundin' real interestin'he thought.
He tensed when he saw Logan grab his girlfriend by the
shoulders, an ace beginning to flicker to life between his fingers.
"You know what's wrong with her, Marie?" Logan demanded,
oblivious to the young man slowly beginning to rise off his feet
behind him.
Startled by his sudden outburst, Marie shook her
head. "There ain't nothin' wrong with her...I mean, not that ah know
of."
Behind them, Remy relaxed slightly. He didn't since danger,
only a strong mixture of fear, concern and panic from the older man.
Still, he held his ace ready. Logan looked like a powder keg about
to blow.
Loosening his grip on her, Logan sighed. "I didn't mean to
scare ya, Darlin'. I just need to find out what's going on."
"It's okay, sugah."Marie smiled,eyeing him carefully. He
sure was actin' stranger than usual.
"You two wouldn't happen to know exactly where she is?"
"Ms. Munroe?"
"I don't think she here, homme." Remy finally spoke. "She
and Dr. Summers left a while ago."
"Did they say where they were going, kid?"
Remy didn't care much for being called a kid, but the guy
looked real agitated so he let it slide. "Nah, but dey told Visor Boy
dat dey woudn't be gone long."
"Visor boy?"
"Remy, be nice." Marie chastised him. To Logan, she
informed. "Remy and Scott don't get along to well."
"Cet homme est un dick"
"Hush, Remy."
'Points scored to the kid.'Logan thought, catching the lanky
thief slip something back in his pocket out of the corner of
eye. "Sorry I disturbed your ...whatever. I'll catch up with you
later, Marie. I'm sure Chuck already knows I'm here."



He didn't even get to knock. The door to Charles Xavier's
office swung open before he even reached it.
"Cut the parlor tricks, Chuck and tell me what's wrong with,
Ro."
Behind his desk, the professor steepled his fingers as he
eyed the weary looking man, cautiously.
"As much as I'd like to tell you everything and ease your
mind right now, I am not the person you should be asking."
Logan strolled over to the desk as calmly as possible. A
nerve ticked in his jaw as he bit down the series of profane names he
wanted to call the other man.
Charles only eyed him back with the same infuriatingly calm
expression as always.
"I came back to get answers to those fucking questions you
planted in my head. I don't appreciate being jerked around,
Charles. I ain't leaving until I find out what the fuck is wrong
with her."
"That is exactly what I wanted to hear, Logan. Ororo will be
home shortly, I would suggest you go somewhere and calm down, so you
will be better prepared to hear what she needs to tell you."
Logan turned and stormed back out of the office, slamming the
door behind him. "Manipulative son of a bitch."he
muttered.
~:: Yes, that may be true, Logan, but Ororo needs you. I
brought you back. She is like a daughter to me and I will do anything
to make her happy. If you get lucky maybe one day you will understand
what that means.: :~
Anyone in the hall, quickly stepped aside as Logan brushed
blindly by and headed upstairs to Ororo's loft to wait.




"I hate you."
"You don't mean that, Darlin'"
"Look at my face, Logan. I look this way now because of
you."
"I tried to stop it, Ro."
"YOU FAILED. Now, I have to look like this for the rest of my
life."
He stumbled. "What do you mean the rest of your life. You're
young and beautiful. A few scars on your face can't take that away."
He told her trying to reach out to her.
She kept stepping back from him, just beyond his
reach. "Don't touch me, I hate you."
"Please don't say that, Ororo. I left so you would be safe."
" I'll never be safe. I don't want to go on looking like this
anymore."
He saw her grab something then out of the corner of his eye.
Why couldn't he see what it was? What the hell was wrong with his
eyes.
"I don't care how you look, Ro. I love you."
"You left me. You don't love me."
A knife. She was holding a knife. Oh, God.
"NOOOO !! Please,no...put it down."he cried. She didn't seem
to hear him.
"I thought you cared about me, Logan. You're a liar."she
told him, through hysterical tears.
He screamed out to her, but she couldn't hear him. He was
screaming at the top of his lungs, frozen in place by hands he
couldn't see. He screamed anyway but it wasn't enough. He cried out
her name as she buried the knife deep inside her chest.
"ORORO!!!"

He sat upright, waking from his dream, just as the door to
her room swung open. Ororo stood there, her expression unreadable as
she stared at him.
"Logan, what a lovely surprise. It is really nice to see you
back. Why are you screaming?"she said, cooly stepping into her room.
"By the way, nice to see you made your home in my bed so
soon."she tossed over her shoulder, as she breezed past him to place
a shopping bag in her closet.
Trying to catch his breath, he stared at her back in
disbelief. Realization dawned on him that he was no longer dreaming.
She was actually standing there. Alive.
Abruptly, Logan released the pillow he'd been holding before
he fell asleep. The one that held her scent the strongest. He hoped
she missed that little detail.
She turned around then, the palpable anger storming on her
face a direct contrast to her nonchalant entrance.
He was fully prepared to see remnants of those three bloody
slashes, that had been literally ripped through her face like crimson
ribbons. That was what saw the last time he'd seen her naked face.
He wasn't quite prepared to see her looking as perfectly
beautiful...no more beautiful than she ever had.
"What happened to your face?"
The drive. That's what it was. Driving all night, after
months and months of sleep deprevation explained his slow reflexes.
Had he been somewhat rested, he would have noticed her reach back and
grab the perfume bottle behind her. He would have seen it before it
got within milliseconds of his head. It barely missed as he jerked
out the way, only to shatter on the wall behind him.
"MY FACE?? Is that all you care about you....."
Logan brushed the shards of glass off his shoulder, barely
noticing as he nicked his finger. It was already healing
itself. "Of, course not. I came back because of you."he stood,
stepping towards her.
Ororo frowned. "Why now? Why not stay away a year? Two
years."
"I was worried about you. Charles contacted me and..."
"He told you! I can't believe this! This is absolutely
priceless."
"He didn't tell me any..."
"Get out. Get out of my room. You've been out of my life for
three months now, Logan. As far as I'm concerned you can stay out."
"You don't mean that, Ro." Logan said, a sad little smile
flickering across his face.
A quick boom of thunder outside, told him she did.
"Please, Logan..."she said,her voice trembling "I am dealing
with this the best way I can. I can not deal with someone who will
not stay around. Please, just do what you do best and leave."
Logan felt his heart plunge to his stomach at the sight of
her silent tears. 'I really am a fucking asshole.'he thought. No
matter what he did he always wound up hurting the people he loved the
most. He really really was the best at what he did, he thought
bitterly.
The walk to her door was hard, the pang in his heart growing
stronger with every step but he had to do it. He had to go. He
always did.
His hand circled the doorknob and all he could do was watch
his knuckles go white listening to her choked sob.
"I'm sorry."he forced through the closed off sensation in his
throat.
She cried harder.
'Asshole'the voice in his head, screamed at him.
He had to tell her just once. Even if he couldn't be man
enough to look at her face when he said the words. He couldn't leave
it unsaid.
"I'm sorry I hurt you. That I am still hurting you. I wish
I could be a different man than what I am. The kind who could
stay...stay around and love you the way you deserve. But I'm not.
But there will always be another Creed out there ready to hurt you to
worse. I can not live with that."
He was met with absolute silence. He leaned his forehead
against the cool wood of her door, forcing himself to finish what he
had to say.
"I wish I could take you in my arms and promise that I will
stay with you forever...but what happens when you can't stay with me.
Behind him Ororo was in a cold sweat, trying her best to hang
on and hear his words. Goddess, why must she have a dizzy spell now?
She knew she was never going to hear from him again. Silently, she
willed herself to remain upright.
"I know it's selfish, Ro. I'm a selfish bastard who never
even deserved you to give me a second thought."
'No...no, you aren't.'she wanted to yell at him. All that
came from her mouth was a pained moan.
"I hope that you can forgive me for everything that happened
that night."
Logan turned the knob within his sweaty palm. Jesus, his
hand was shaking like a leaf.
Ororo blinked. The room was spinning like mad.
'C'mon, tough guy...just say what you need to say to her and
get it over with.'
"Ororo...I ..."
Ororo helplessly reached for the edge of her dresser.
'Turn around and say it to her face like a man, jackass' his
inner voice growled.
Logan let go of the door and spun around before he could
change his mind. She had her back to him, her head on the dresser.
His sensitive ears picked up on her rapid breathing, her impossibly
fast pulse, the overwhelming scent of her tears. He felt like the
lowest piece of shit on two legs. There was no way he could say it
now. Not with her hurting like this. He longed to take her in his
arms, and tell her everything would be okay. Instead he took a deep
breath, willing himself to turn around and walk out the door.
That's when he realized something wasn't right. He sniffed
again. No, something was really wrong. She was upset yes. His nose
hadn't missed the heavy sadness, but it had missed the panic she was
in.
"Ororo?"
Ororo tried her best to answer him, heard the fear in his
voice through the ringing in her ears.
He caught her just before her head hit the floor.

Downstairs Jean and the Professor both looked up at the same
time, as the force of his mental scream caught their immediate
attention.

He was back. The Logan she'd heard in her dreams,who had been there coaxing her back from the darkness after her attack. Why was he here now? He was not
supposed be saying the things he was saying now. Begging her not to
leave him? Didn't he understand that she would never leave him. Over and
over again, saying how much he loved her. She wanted to giggle. It
felt like she was floating. She was so happy. And yet sad at the same time.
As sweet as his words sounded, they could not be real. He was leaving her. Again.


It wasn't so easy carrying her to the bed, she was a dead
weight. Then there was the glass. It was everywhere. He leaned her
carefully on the edge of the bed, speaking softly into her ear as he
jerked every stitch of bedding onto the floor. "Promise me you won't
leave me, Ororo. Please. I swear I'll stay. I'll stay and do
whatever I have to do to keep you safe. Just open your beautiful
eyes and tell me, you will stay with me."
Goddess, she couldn't dream if she opened her eyes. He
wouldn't be there if she did.
"Please, baby...open your eyes and I swear I'll stay."he
cried, resting his forehead against her stomach after he realized he
was crying all over her face.
It was raining. How could it rain in the house? Dream Logan
said she could open her eyes....she knew he wouldn't be there anymore
but she could see if she left the skylight open.
Slowly, she dragged her weighted lids open and looked up. It
took a moment to focus, but after she blinked she saw that the
skylight was locked tight. She had been really dreaming.
Goddess, she felt heavy. Especially...her stomach. Her
heart lurched. The baby!!
She looked down expecting something horrible.
She looked down right into a pair of hazel eyes.

Right outside her door, Jean put a stilling hand on the
Professor's arm and they turned around. ~: I told you she was okay,
Charles. Just a little dizzy spell:~

"Are you okay?" he asked.
She nodded.
"You're still here."she whispered, amazed.
"I told you I wouldn't leave."he said, closing his eyes as
slow smile crossed his face.
"Did you really say..."'
"That I love you?" He interrupted, turning his head and
kissing her flat little belly through the thin cotton shirt she wore.
"Did you mean it?"she asked after a long moment of enjoying
those little kisses but wishing they were actually touching her bare
skin.
His lips stilled as he gazed back up at her. Something
beautiful glowed in his eyes that she had no words to describe. "I
meant it more than I ever meant anything in my life."
"Oh, Logan..."she cried, fresh tears seeping out of her
eyes "Say it again."
"I love you. I love you. I love you."he said, slowly leaving
a track of kisses along her torso as he spoke.
He smiled down at her when he reached her face. "I love
you."he said unflinchingly, seeing the truth register in her bright blue eyes.
She could barely breath until he pressed his lips to hers.
Their sighs mingled, as they lay there, half on, half off her bed.
The first time he'd ever kissed her the whole world seemed to
explode into heat. This time everything fell back into place.
Logan wanted to kiss her forever. He never wanted to go
without the taste of her another day in his life. Too bad he had too
breathe. There were some things a healing factor just couldn't get
around. Besides he had a lot on his mind.
"You have two heartbeats, Ro."he informed her.
"I know. I believe I am supposed to."
"How come I didn't notice that before?"
" I was not pregnant before."
Logan closed his eyes. He knew it. For a while, he thought
he'd been imagining things. Still he had other questions. He placed
his large hand over her tummy reverently.
"Shouldn't you be a little bit...bigger than you are?"
"Not really that much. I am only a few months along."
His eyes fluttered back to her belly again. There was just
the tiniest little swell he noticed. "The baby?"
"Perfectly fine. I just had a bit of a trouble remembering
to eat for awhile."
"Promise me from now on you will make certain to make a
complete pig of yourself at all times."
"Okay, and I promise that if I do that I most certainly will
get bigger."
Because he couldn't resist he kissed her again. "Why didn't
you tell me you were pregnant? Chuck made me think..."
Ororo's eyes drifted open then, trying to make her hormones
stop reacting to the way he was rubbing her belly.
"I thought you already knew."she moaned, as he began lifting
her shirt.
"No."Logan said after a long moment, finally realizing what
Charles had done. That sneaky old...coot.
His mouth closed over her impossibly sensitive nipples,
smiling to himself as her fingers clenched in his hair.
The hot little circles he made with his toungue made her
whimper. He grinned, before he slowly scraped his teeth over the
perfect chocolate brown nub of flesh. His reaction time was getting
better, cause he was able to catch her cry before she got to loud.
Kissing her, he slowly caressessed the responsive flesh he was more
than familiar with in both memory and reality.
"We're really gonna have to work on that screamin',
sweetheart."he murmured against her lips. "Someone breaks down that
door and there will be hell to pay."
She laughed against his mouth, noticing as his hand kept
returning to one spot against her heart.
His gaze dropped out of curiousity to see what he was
touching. A chill went through him as he saw the small circle of
scarred flesh beneath his hand.
Ororo just continued to run her fingers through his silky
hair. Waiting for him to put Victor Creed back where he belonged.
Then she felt a wetness there. Tears. Very quickly replaced
by again by the heat of his mouth.
"Logan?."she sighed before she could become lost for words.
Reluctantly, Logan dragged his mouth away from her soft lush
skin.
The smile she gave him was radiant while she brushed the
remnants of tears from his face.
Her words made him smile back.
"It is all over now, Logan. We won."


Epilogue....