African Skies and Canadian Whiskey

by Darlin

Disclaimer – I make no profit from this little story nor do I own the X-Men.

A/N – A second movie fic from me. Yes I rather loath the movies but I had an idea that wouldn't leave me be. Takes place after the first movie and before the second, in fact I'm just ignoring the second and third all together.

Chapter One – The Alien

A horde of men dressed in black suits rushed the Xavier Institute. They came armed not with guns and sinister plans but with briefcases, dour faces, and search warrants signed by the President of the United States of America. They were Federal bureaucrats. They swarmed over the school questioning each student and each teacher as well as Professor Xavier. When they finally headed out everyone whispered a sigh of relief, including the President from his oval office when he was immediately informed that all was in order. And all had been in order for the professor was nothing but thorough in his business transactions. But he had forgotten one thing. There was a wild card none of them had considered and it was this wild card that made Xavier sigh in despair when he saw him come into view.

Logan was coming up the front steps to the school as the small troop of men were descending. He gave them a polite nod and passed on. But the twelve, all rather indistinguishable looking men, neither too fat nor too skinny, nor too tall or too short, turned in unison and followed the unsuspecting teacher back into the school. An hour later it was discovered that Logan was an illegal alien with a soon to be expired visa. When said visa expired the federal employees informed Logan, or rather Mr. W. Logan as his Visa identified him, that he would be deported as an illegal alien if he remained. After all, one could never tell what a Canadian such as he might do. Cage fighters could be dangerous.

"But that's a bunch of crap!" Jubilee cried when she was told the news.

"That's so not fair!" Marie protested with equal chagrin.

"Can Canadian's even be illegal aliens?" John asked.

"It's another country, John," Kitty responded.

"It's still not fair!" This from Marie who was so angry she could barely find words to express herself.

"Fair or not I don't have much time left so I . . . well I just wanted you to know," Logan said without showing a flicker of emotion as he left the children alone to digest this bit of news.

"Oh, man! That is so not fair!"

"You sound like a parrot," Jubilee said with irritation.

"But it's Logan! He just came back! What're we going to do without him again?" Marie whined.

"We'll be fine," Bobby said but his nonchalant attitude only served to irritate Marie further.

"You'll be fine maybe but what about all the other kids, Bobby?"

"Guys, I think what we need to be doing is to find a way he can stay here," Kitty said.

"Kitty's right," Peter agreed. "I'm sure the Professor will find a way to fix it."

"I hope you're right," Jubilee said.

"But what if he doesn't?" Marie asked.

"If he doesn't then we better have a back up plan," Kitty said.

-xox-

The starring was beginning to aggravate Logan. It wasn't as if he'd suddenly become a leper. He figured they should be used to him being gone, showing up unannounced like he had that day, what did it matter if it was permanent? Jean kept looking at him with pity and Scott with almost, but not quite, open joy while many of the children watched him furtively expecting who knew what. He was aware Xavier was looking into what could be done to keep him in America but he also sensed the professor was secretly worried there was nothing to be done. In reality Logan knew he didn't have an ounce of hope and so he'd made his peace with it. Now he wanted everyone else to accept it and move on but they didn't seem to want to.

He was walking out the front door just as Ororo came running up the front steps. With her silver white hair tied up in a ponytail she looked younger somehow, laid back and relaxed, something he hadn't felt since he'd could remember. Her brief nod and smile were so impersonal that he couldn't contain a scowl from forming over his face. Why was she so carefree, as if his problem didn't matter? Even Scott cared. Okay, it wasn't exactly concern but Scott definitely cared whether Logan stayed or not. But Ororo swept by without even a how do you do, seemingly unaware of his problems and entirely unconcerned with him. His gut wrenched as he glared at her retreating back. He didn't know why it should bother him that she didn't care. Well, why should she care? Had the shoe been on the other foot he wouldn't have cared one little bit, nope not a smidgen.

-xox-

"So I'm thinking if we can find Logan an American wife he can stay, isn't that right?" Jubilee asked Kitty who happened to be the brain in their midst.

"That's true but from what I read you can't just get married all of a sudden and then you have to stay married for at least year and it has to look real and you have to live together and everything!" Kitty exclaimed.

That was alarming and the others could see why Kitty looked upset.

"A wife," Marie murmured thoughtfully.

"Oh no, you're way too young, Marie!" Bobby told her and John laughed.

"Huh? Oh . . . eeww!" Marie said though she said it with less conviction than one might have expected from a teenage girl. Everyone knew she had a little crush on Logan but Bobby had been there for her long after Logan left and dog tags weren't much company.

"Well, finding a woman who can put up with someone like Wolvie in this itty bitty town's gonna be like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack. It ain't gonna be possible," Jubilee said.

"There're a lot of good looking women around," Bobby said though his remark earned him a glare from Marie. "I meant a lot of nice looking old women that's all," he clarified.

"We don't want him saddled with an old hag," Marie said, slightly mollified.

"They should look as old as he does," John said.

"That's not so old," Marie retorted.

"No one knows how old he is," Kitty said.

"Um, don't you think age isn't what we need to be thinking about here?" Peter asked.

"He can't marry a kid, Peter," Bobby said with a sidelong glance at Marie.

"Obviously, but shouldn't he like her too? I mean they have to get along if they're going to be together for a year," Peter replied.

"That would be Ms. Grey then," John said.

"Ms. Grey is almost engaged to Mr. Summers," Marie said.

"Almost engagements can be broken," Jubilee added her two cents.

"That's just wrong," Kitty said with a shake of her head.

"Well she likes him and all and who else is there? We only know so many women," Bobby said.

"Ooo ooo! That's it!" Jubilee shouted. "We know Miss Munroe!" And she looked at each of them in turn with a wide grin.

"Miss Munroe? That's stupid," Kitty finally said. "She's so – so . . ."

"Completely different from Wolverine you mean?" Bobby chortled. "Kinda like Beauty and the Beast."

"Logan is nothing like a Beast, Bobby," Marie said rather snappishly.

"But they really aren't anything alike," Kitty agreed.

"But she's nice and she gets along with everyone," Jubilee said.

"She's very pretty," Peter added.

"That helps," John said.

"But are they even friends?" Kitty wanted to know.

"They're both teachers," Peter said as if that was enough.

"I don't think I've ever seen them together," Kitty said thoughtfully.

"Why don't we get them together then? That's all we have to do!" Jubilee said.

"What other choice is there?" Marie said with a resigned shrug.

Despite their doubts the future X-Men in training, somewhat unkindly known as the X-Babies amongst the other students, decided that Ororo Munroe would be the most logical wife for Logan . Now all they had to do was convince the two of them and get them to the altar.

-xox-

"So it's true? If I had a wife I could stay?"

Charles couldn't help laughing at the indescribable look on Logan's face. It was a cross between astonishment, distaste, and hope if such a look could be combined.

"It's the custom in America as I imagine it is elsewhere. A wife would allow you to remain here but marriage is a big step and you must realize the government would be watching your every move."

"You're telling me! A wife's the last thing I want or need."

"It's not perhaps the last thing you need as it may indeed keep you in the country but it's certainly something you'd need to think about long and hard if that's the route you decide to take although let me hasten to add that marrying for a green card is frowned upon by the government. If caught there would be severe consequences."

"Yeah, but where would I get a wife from anyway?"

The professor hid a smile. When Kitty had brought the proposal to him he knew neither Logan nor Ororo would go along with it or at least not at first. He didn't know Logan well enough to assume but he did know the two had little in common. His History teacher, Ororo, was quiet, mild mannered, dedicated and loyal with fierce convictions but she also lived as if she had her head in the clouds while his Physical Education teacher, Logan, (should he decide to accept the position) was earthy, wild even, and rough around the edges. He hadn't wanted to let the children's hopes down but neither could he let them continue setting their hopes on such an unimaginable match. Nevertheless, he'd considered their argument because he valued Logan and didn't want to lose him and as such he'd come to the conclusion that their plan could possibly work if approached in the right way and so he'd offered to mention it to Logan and let him decide.

"Surely you must have one or two close female friends, Logan," Xavier suggested.

"Not that close!"

"There's been no one that you've been interested in, anywhere in the States?"

"No."

"No one at all?"

Logan gave the professor a look that clearly stated there was no one he cared to talk about and that line of questioning was finished.

"I see. Well, that leaves us at rather loose ends although I feel I should mention there are two women here at the school that you know."

Logan's eyes widen at the implication. He grunted then left, shutting the office door behind him. The thought of having a wife, trying to find a wife, was incredulous to him. And now the professor was pimping Jean and Ororo. That was unexpected. But the way the professor saw it they were his only choices. He didn't know if he wanted to stay that badly. America wasn't any better than Canada more or less and Canada had the bigger mall.

Suddenly he smacked himself on the forehead. He was thinking just like Jubilee. He'd have to remember to steer clear of her. Marie and her little friends were sometimes as bad as any crumb snatcher he'd seen tugging at their mother's legs, following him around and asking him a hundred questions that only gave them a reason to ask more. He didn't mind usually but now there wasn't much point to it. He'd be gone soon. Better to loosen the ties now instead of later.

He headed outside since that's where he usually went to think, outside there was no fuss and bustle around. He'd have to figure out when he was going to leave, where he was going to stay when he got back to Canada, and what he was going to do. He almost stopped when he saw Scott and Jean standing in the front hallway. He didn't want to hear anything either of them had to say about him having to leave but he kept on.

"He can't be gone soon enough for me," Scott was saying to Jean just as Logan came up behind them.

"Sssh," Jean said then smiled at Logan who ignored them both.

"Hi. Bye," Ororo's chipper voice called out.

All three of them turned to watch Ororo rush past them, hair hanging loose blowing a bit in the breeze she was creating from her fast pace. She was clearly dressed for a date.

"You think?" Scott ventured.

"Yep, another date," Jean responded, smiling.

"She's going on a date?" Logan asked then felt the urge to smack himself yet again when he realized he'd said that out loud. "Good for her," he said, quickly recovering. Why should his problem affect her? At least someone could go on enjoying themselves. He nodded affably at Scott and Jean before hurrying on his way.

-xox-

With time ticking away and still no solution in sight it had become harder and harder for Logan to get a good night's rest. He often ended up walking the grounds at odd hours trying to burn out the thoughts that wouldn't let him sleep.

Coming back from a walk around the huge property a month after the news he was surprised to find a red convertible parked in the driveway. The windows were tinted which prevented him from seeing inside. He crouched down a little and ducked behind a shrub then made his way behind the shrubbery and got closer but still see couldn't see anything. He mentally went over every vehicle he'd seen on the grounds and in the garage but came up clueless. He didn't think they were being overrun by anyone in a slick Mercedes but still, common sense meant he should be on the alert so he slowly made his way over to the car.

Stray branches caught and ripped his clothes and skin but he continued on determinedly. The car was gorgeous if you liked that kind of flashy thing. He did and didn't. For all its beauty it drew too much attention. He crept stealthily closer. He saw now that the windows weren't tinted but actually fogged over. Someone was making out inside the car!

Not back two months yet and despite not really wanting to leave he was already thinking how relieved he'd be to get away from all the kids with their raging hormones. Now he had to play teacher and reprimand the culprits with a good chewing out. And which one of the kids could afford a car like that, he wondered as he rapped on the window. He rapped again, impatiently, when no one responded the first time. He felt his anger rising and started to pound on the window a third time when the window slid down quietly.

"Can I help you?" a man asked.

Ororo was covering her chest with her arms and she looked ready to kill. Her companion didn't seem to notice or mind. He studied Logan with smug satisfaction.

"You're Wolverine," he said.

Logan's eyes glanced briefly at the man, noted that he looked like an American Indian then returned to Ororo who's breast were nearly spilling out of the clearly unbuttoned shirt and barely there bra.

"Logan, can't you see we're busy," Ororo said.

"Uh. Yeah. Yeah, I see that."

He stood there not sure what to do or where to look even. All he could see were Ororo's large breasts bursting out of a red lacy bra.

"Put the window up, Forge!" Ororo ordered but Forge only grinned as he watched Logan's flustered reaction.

"I've heard a lot about you," Forge said.

"You have?" This drew Logan's attention finally. He was surprised Ororo would've been talking about him to anyone least of all with a man she was making out with like some hot, bothered teenager.

"Scott told me all about the motorcycle escapade."

Scott? Logan frowned.

"Jean told me you're . . ."

Logan didn't know what else the man said because Ororo was getting out of the car. She held her blouse with one hand as she threw a killing look over her shoulder at Forge who turned and patted her tush before she was fully out. Without looking at Logan she walked up the steps to the front door fumbling with her buttons as she went.

"I'll call you later, baby. See you around, Logan," Forge said before starting the car and driving off.

Logan frowned again and shook his head trying to figure out what had just happened. Ororo making out with a guy he'd never seen before was hard to wrap his brain around. And something about the guy struck him the wrong way. He'd have to ask Scott about him he decided.

Ororo was still standing at the front door when Logan raced up the steps two at a time. Her back was too him and the way her shoulders were hunched over he figured she was still trying to make herself decent. He would have liked a better look under the front porch light. When she turned around, clothes in order, he felt an unexpected jolt of disappointment.

"Let me in," she said.

"What happened to your key?"

"I – I left my purse in that man's car," she fumed.

Logan laughed and kept laughing even when she threw him a heated look. She could spout daggers from her eyes as much as she wanted, he thought, but after seeing her caught off guard as he had he knew she wasn't the fireball she was pretending to be. She was actually human!

"So, you two serious?"

"What? Forge and me?" she laughed bitterly remembering how he'd ignored her protests not to let the window down while she was still half dressed. "He's an old friend."

That was skirting the issue. What – was he an old lover? They'd obviously been in the middle of something so it wasn't some casual acquaintance.

"So, you ever think about getting married?" he asked then looked at her sheepishly. He hadn't meant to say anything, it just came out.

She looked startled but quickly collected herself. "Marriage wouldn't be conducive to the life I lead as an X-Man. Will you open the door now?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

"Don't ever mention this again," she said in lieu of thanks when they were inside and then she marched upstairs.

So the woman had spirit beyond her beliefs about mutants and Xavier's school, Logan thought with interest as he watched her ascend. He'd finally seen that cool exterior of hers falter and it intrigued him. He followed her up the steps.

"Storm."

"Yes?" She looked over her shoulder, stifling a yawn, too tired to stay angry.

"You – okay, I know this is going to sound crazy but you know what's going on with me – my visa and, well . . . uh . . . To hell with it! You wanna get married?"

Ororo's jaw dropped.

"I told you it was crazy but of course it wouldn't be a real marriage and since you don't want that anyway and it would really help the team out . . . and me, and it would just be for a little while you understand, nothing but a business contract, so . . . you wanna?"

Ororo shook her head at the man's audacity. She'd expected a proposal to be a little more romantic. Nevertheless for a second she actually considered it. She knew he needed help and though she hadn't thought of marriage as the answer she almost wished she could go that far to save him from being deported. Almost. Logan was the last man she'd ever want to be paired with not that he wasn't gorgeous eye candy with a body to match, but still, he was kind of a goof.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you," she said.

"Oh. Yeah, of course, didn't expect you to really. No harm in asking, right?"

Then you shouldn't have asked in the first place, she thought angrily before they parted.

It had been a wild shot, stupid really, asking her like that but seeing her for the first time, a real flesh and blood woman who could actually be wanton with a man had stirred something inside him. Of course he'd noticed she was beautiful and sexy and sure he'd thought of what she'd be like in bed but tonight had brought on feelings he'd never expected to feel. Shock, desire, anger, in fact, he almost felt jealous. But the guy she was out with was a creep, anyone could see that. He'd just thought she'd have better taste – maybe that was why it bothered him he supposed.

-xox-

All night Logan thought about how Ororo looked sitting in that Mercedes half dressed and seething. She was pretty when she was riled up but he'd already known that. It bugged him that she didn't have a decent man. He didn't know much about her but felt she deserved better. He didn't blame her for not wanting to marry him. He told himself that a few times. But no one liked being rejected. Women didn't reject him. He wasn't used to that. He wasn't used to women not paying any attention to him either. Like Jean they were almost always interested. All these thoughts kept him up later than usual but when he woke up he found he was excited to start the day. He thought of Ororo, wondered how she'd react when he saw her again. He was looking forward to seeing her for that reason alone.

He was sorely disappointed when he saw her, however, but duly impressed with her composure. She was as polite as always breezing into the kitchen for a piece of plain wheat toast and coffee then out again on her way to class as if last night had never happened. He had to give her credit. She was as cool as a cucumber. Remembering last night would have made any other woman blush. He couldn't imagine Jean and Scott ever having a make out session like that much less Jean walking away from it with her dignity in tack if she'd been caught.

Ororo's composure never wavered as the day passed. Logan watched her when their paths crossed in between classes and at lunch time. She looked refreshed and lovely and well, as unconcerned with him as she always was.

"Miss Munroe looked beautiful today didn't she?" Jubilee commented as she, Kitty, and Marie blocked the door to Logan's small office after school.

The children had been praising Ororo's many attributes for weeks now and he'd learned to ignore them. He nodded carelessly now, his mind miles away. He'd have to look up his old friend James Hudson, see if there were any openings with the Canadian government. He didn't look forward to going back there but he couldn't think of anything else and something was better than nothing. Better than cage fighting any way.

"Beauty personified don't you think, Logan?" Kitty asked.

"Beauty personified," he repeated absently as he wondered what Ororo was doing. Maybe she was on another date with that guy!

"She's so quiet and nice and she'll make a nice wife one day don't you think?" Jubilee offered.

"Huh? Oh." He saw where they were going with this. He thought of Jean. She would make the perfect wife. Smart, beautiful, spunky. He'd love to marry her if only to get at Scott. He chuckled to himself.

"She's sweet."

"She's loyal."

"She's obedient too," John piped up.

Logan looked up to see John had joined the girls and he had to laugh.

"Probably easy to train, kind of like a dog," John said.

"That's not funny, John," Marie said.

"I always wanted a dog," Logan joked before pushing past the kids and making a run for it. They'd just given him an idea.

-xox-

"Logan, what can I do for you?"

Logan saw Jean wasn't alone. She was seated at her desk in her office and Scott was bent over her so his face was close to hers. They'd been talking, maybe going over some paper work spread out on her desk and now his rival looked up with the smirk he always wore whenever Logan was around.

"Yes, Logan what can we do for you?" Scott inquired.

That blew his plan out of the water. He'd figured if he asked Jean to marry him all she could say was no, just like Ororo had, but with Scott there he wasn't even going to risk being shot down. Still, on the other hand if she said yes right there in front of Scott . . . He caught himself. Odds were heavy on her refusing. Better let it go, he decided.

"Looking for Storm, thought she might be with you," he lied.

"Storm?"

He noticed how surprised Jean looked.

"She's in her classroom," Scott said.

Logan wondered if the look Scott was giving him behind those red glasses of his was anything like the one he felt letting loose.

"We've got a lot to talk about, we're getting married," he said, not able to stop himself.

There was a small pause before anyone spoke.

"Congratulations," Scott said with that twisted smirk of his.

"Yes . . . congratulations," Jean said, falteringly.

"Yeah. Well, I better make sure she doesn't change her mind," Logan replied and made a hasty exit.