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The mansion was abuzz with speculation,

“What do you think the Professor’s announcement is going to be about?” Jubilee asked out aloud to both of her cell…ahem, roommates, Kitty and Rogue.
“What do ah know?” Rogue answered sarcastically, and a bit too fast. She hoped that whatever it was, it would be about Ororo and Logan. She knew that they had been planning on a coming out and today seemed like the perfect day to do so.
“Who said you know something? You never knowing anything interesting.” Jubilee snapped back. “I was just wondering. As you know my gossip-radar doesn’t seem to be working properly. The latest one, that about the Ororo and Logan ‘thing’,” she stressed with double quotes, “lucky for me I didn’t get shit-in-tha-face for that. If Logan had found out, he would surely have made Jube-shish-kakob of me.”

“Do you think the teachers have any idea?” Always...well, usually the voice of reason, Kitty brought up a valid point.
“I don’t know….at least I don’t think so,” Jubilee answered. “The Professor’s projection, it was a ‘public’ one, to all students and teachers.”
“Hmm…” mused Kitty. “Then what?”
“Why are th’ both of yah so worried?” Rogue flipped her hand. “We’ll come ta know in th’ eveninh.”
“Chica, you have been here for almost three years now and still you haven’t learnt the real truth behind all our efforts,” Jubilee patted her back. “Its not the thing we gossip about. That’s not important. What’s important is the effort put behind getting it. The joy of the hunt if you will. After all, just like Wolverine, we too are hunters, the only difference between us that is that we just hunt for information and gossip, unlike your Wolverine, who hunts for anything and everything.”

“Why do ya always bring Logan into everythin’ ah tahlk about?” Rogue frowned, her eyes narrow in annoyance. “If its not Logan then its Remy.”
“Because that is the easiest way of making you understand something child,” Kitty said in her best Ororo imitation.

“Whatevah.”

---

“So, what do you think the Prof is going to talk about?” Bobby asked of Piotr and Kurt.
“No idea,” answered Piotr in his gentle but heavily accented voice. In spite of being the tallest and largest mutant at the institute, he will still very reserved, very calm…almost shy and liked nothing more than to lay back and immerse himself into a good book or practice his art.
“Ve should ask Jean or Scott,” Kurt offered, his yellow eyes and shiny white teeth greatly contrasting against his indigo colored skin.

“No way man,” Bobby shot him down. “Like they are going to tell us. You know how secretive both of them get whenever the Professor has to make any new announcement.”
“Then how about Hank or Ororo?” Piotr offered. “Or maybe Wolverine?”
“NoNo, not Wolverine either,” Bobby shook his head. “And not Hank. Nothing to be gained there. He is always busy with some experiment or the other. He probably doesn’t even know.”

“Then Ororo?” Kurt offered, repeating Piotr’s words.
“I don’t think so, she seems to be busy in her greenhouse,” Bobby ruefully looked in the direction of the large glass enclosure. “And you know how she doesn’t like to be disturbed when she is there.”
“Yes,” Kurt hung his head. “Guess we have to vait until the evening.”

“You guess right Tovarish.”

---

“Jean, do you know what the sudden announcement is about?” Scott Summers turned to his wife as they walked towards their room.
“No Scott,” the redhead shook her head. “But whatever it is, it must be really important. He even sent a second thought projection to faculty to not to entertain any questions from the students regarding this announcement.”
“Yeah, like any of the faculty knows anything,” Scott smirked not knowing about the set of ears trailing them. Having dumped her friends for some much needed emergency reconnaissance, Jubilee was trying to glean any information she could.
“Just a minute Scott,” Jean laid a hand a hand to silence him.

**Jubilee, what are you doing?** she projected to the Chinese American girl.
**Oh. Who? Me?** Jubilee tried to appear innocent, failing as her thoughts gave her away.

**I know what are you looking for** Jean smiled in her thoughts. **But let me put that particular line of thought of yours to rest. None of the teachers know anything**
**Hmph.** Jubilee pouted. **Thank you Mrs. Summers.**

**You are welcome.** Jean withdrew her thoughts.

---

Inside Charles Xavier’s plush office,

“Do you think anyone suspects anything? Or knows the truth?” The blue furred mutant known as Beast asked of his mentor.
“Henry, I KNOW that no one knows the truth or even suspects it,” Xavier smiled an enigmatic smile. “Although there are very many speculations, none are even, how they say…none are even in the ballpark.”

“Good,” Beast flashed his fangs. “What about Jean? Surely she must be able to sense Ororo’s or Logan’s thoughts?”
“She might have been able to read Ororo’s thoughts,” Xavier nodded, his mind going back to the events of the previous day. “But she is not reading them nowadays. In fact she is making a conscious attempt to block them out. As for reading Logan’s thoughts. His mental shields are quite strong and effective and he is very adept in using them. Its another legacy of elusive past.”

“So there is no way, they can know about it?” Beast grinned in glee.
“I don’t think so,” Xavier agreed with him. “Not unless they can access either of our minds.”
Flashing another smile at Xavier’s comment, Henry let out a chuckle. “And that is an even more difficult proposition, specially after you helped me beef up my own mental shields. As you eavesdropping on your thoughts, I don’t think even Jean will dare intrude upon them.”
“I don’t think so,” Charles nodded his head.

“Anyways, its just a few more hours.”

---

Evening at the Xavier Mansion,

“Man everyone seems all dressed up,” Bobby spoke to the tall auburn haired man standing next to him. “Even you Gambit.”
“Remy dress smart all da time,” the Cajun charmer flashed his standard heartbreaker smile. “The ladies love ‘im for dat.”

“Watch it mein friend,” Kurt spoke as he walked towards them, himself dressed in one of his few white shirts and black cotton trousers. “I don’t want Rogue to beat you to a pulp.”
“Or better yet,” Bobby added. “Wolverine.”
“Da Wolverine know dat Remy’s heart only beat for Rogue,” Gambit proclaimed, a little louder than normal, his eyes darting around the room for any chance that Rogue’s personal body-and-honor guard was prowling around.

“Yes, he may know that,” Bobby nodded his head, a grin coming over his face. “But he also knows that you are a A-grade flirt. You have just now stepped up from his ‘to gut’ list to his ‘not to gut’ list. So, take my advice and don’t play around.”
“Uh-huh,” Remy just nodded his head, waiting for his girlfriend to come and save him from any possible Canadian style slice-an’-dice action.

---

Soon (About fifteen minutes later),

“Professor, looks like everyone is here,” Scott turned Xavier. “I think we can begin.”
“Lets wait a few more minutes,” Xavier had a smirk on his face, one that unnerved both Scott and Jean. “We are still missing one team member,” he gestured to the empty seat besides Ororo.

“I don’t think he is going to come Professor,” the X-Men’s leader shook his head. “You know about Logan and public gatherings. They mix as well as oil and water. I am sure he has something more important to take care off.”
“Like going to the city to get drunk and laid,” Logan’s gruff voice from just behind him caused Scott to whip around, also capturing the attention of everyone present in the room. “That’s what you said, this afternoon, didn’t ya…One-Eye.”

“How? Uh….” Scott’s eyes jumped from Logan to a smirking Ororo and then back to Logan again. This wasn’t a good thing. “Well its not like I said anything wrong,” he muttered under his breath.
“No you didn’t.” Logan caught his words and tossed them back at him. Stepping closer to him, he bent down and whispered just loud enough for him and for Jean and Ororo seated on either side, his words causing not only the both women but also Scott to turn flush red. “But I got my lay fer the day already done. Now just lookin’ fer the night.”

**Logan, if you will take your seat, we can start. Ororo has been waiting for you.** Xavier informed him.
**Sure thing Chu….Professor.** Logan frowned at his almost slip. He wanted to stay on the straight and narrow, if only (and specially) for tonight. He knew it meant a lot to Ororo. Hell, it meant the world to him….She meant the world to him.

Occupying the empty chair next to his weather goddess, he snaked his hand through hers and gently squeezed it under the table, enjoying the calming effect of her scent, her physical feel, of everything her.

---

“Attention everyone,” Xavier’s baritone voice boomed across the dinner table. As soon as everyone was giving their complete attention to him, Charles raised a hand to Ororo.

**All yours.** His projection was to both Ororo and Logan.

Pushing back her chair, Ororo stood up slowly, her hand resting on Logan’s shoulder. They had decided that she would be the one to get the ball rolling, with Logan joining later…once the questions and comments, all of which they were sure to get, starting coming in.

Clearing her throat, she looked around her family and friends. “I…We…I would like to thank you all of you for coming here tonight. I have an announcement to make…..”

“I…uh….” she looked down, her hands fumbling with the forks. Logan’s laying a supportive hand on her hers, instantly bolstered her confidence.

“I am pregnant.”


A few seconds of silence and then, “WHAT?” the cry rose from many places along the table, the rest too stupefied to say anything or react in any other way. None of them had known that the resident goddess was ‘seeing’ anyone, leave alone with child.

“Uh-Umm…Ororo,” Jean raised hand drew Ororo’s attention to her. “We didn’t know you were seeing anyone outside the mansion.”
“I am not,” was the confident answer.
“Oh...Okay,” Scott answered for Jean, his brain turning to guess Ororo’s mystery lover. Looking at the various table occupants, he tried to guess who could it be. The students were immediately eliminated. That left Remy, Kurt, Henry, the…ugh, Professor and….double ugh, Logan.

“So who be the pere of your babe cherie,” Remy grinned at her, adding a wink to fluster her. “Or that be a secret for another Sunday?”
“No secret there Gumbo,” Logan’s rising form silenced him and the rest of the whisper-gossiping students immediately.
“Everyone,” Ororo smiled and gestured towards Logan. “The father of my children.”

--

“Children!!” Jean squeaked aloud, grabbing at Scott for support.
“Yup, children,” Logan waggled his eyebrows. “Two of ‘em,” two fingers rising up to do the same. “Remember I told ya.” He winked at Jean.

“Come one Cyke,” not only to let a chance go, Logan urged Scott. “I know ya wanta say somethin’. So spill it.”

“Ororo, are you sure?” Scott’s question and soft tone, gained a threatening growl from Logan and a frown from Ororo.
“Of course I am sure Scott,” Ororo unsuccessfully tried to contain her ‘hormonal’ anger. “How can you even suggest that?”

“No. Its not, what I….I, what I meant was,” Scott turned to Jean for help. “I mean, I know you must have done the self tests, but maybe you should have a doctor check and confirm it,” he added hopefully, his mind still not able to process the sudden news. Ororo and Logan? Of all the possible ‘suitors’….Logan!!

“A doctor did check and confirm it,” Beast’s words surprised him and more importantly Jean even further.
“Henry! You knew?” Jean exclaimed, feeling confused, surprised, miffed and happy, all that and more, and all at the same time.
“Yes Jean.” Henry nodded his head. “Ororo came to me about two months ago. After I confirmed it, she made me promise her that I would keep it a secret.”

--

“So what now?” Scott’s question was aimed at Logan, his jaw still tight.
“What?” Logan merely put on that infernal lopsided yet smug grin of his. “Now we wait fer the rugrats to come.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Scott scowled. He knew Logan perfectly understood him, but the bastard was still playing around as if nothing had changed. “I meant about you and Ororo.”
“Yeah, what about us?” Logan’s gaze narrowed.

“Logan,” Jean cut in to handle the situation. Scott and Logan’s traditional and long standing teasing and bickering was legendary and seemingly never ending. “What Scott meant was what are your plans for the future? Are you two going to marry? Stay single? Common-law partners?”
“Nah,” Logan flipped the suggestion away, his one hand snaking around Ororo’s waist, the other balling in front of Cyclops, almost as if to let his claws out. “No need fer that….already done and dealt with.”

“Me and ‘Ro, we’re done with it.”

A collective gasp sounded throughout the room. Even Scott and Jean’s mouths fell open at the gold band on Logan’s ring finger, its partner glinting on Ororo.

“A month ago, today….We got hitched.”

Note: I know that quite a few of the readers had guessed about this. Thanks for not letting the cat out of the bag.

One more chapter left in this story….for now. I do have a follow-up (or depending on how you see it, a prequel) planned and in progress. Hopefully everyone who read and enjoyed this fic. will do the same for that too. And who knows, once that is done, I may even extend this fic. or do another one to complete the trilogy.

Also, one more thing. A lot of my work literally oozes angst. But for this fic. (and others related to this), I’ve deliberately tried to keep the mood light and the angst-fest to a bare minimum. Hope everyone liked it. Please review and let me know.