Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is just a figment of our imaginations, so please, bear with me!

Attention: Keep Your Kleenex Box Handy!

"When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful."

-Barbara Bloom

Part 2: The Middle

Chapter 6: Filling the Cracks

Ororo's crystal eyes opened, confusion clouding them instantly as she looked around the med lab. How did I get here? Did I faint? What happened? Why is the light so bright? She screwed her eyes shut to keep away the intruding light, before she tried to move her right arm to cover her eyes, but panicked when she felt something heavy on her arm. She couldn't move it. Her breathing quickened a bit and the heart monitor began to beep loudly. Why couldn't she move her right arm? It did not help that she was still feeling quite fuzzy after whatever had happened just now. To free herself, Ororo moved frantically in bed, but it was of no use.

Logan awoke from his profound slumber, instantly alert; Jean and Hank both rushed into the room when they heard the monitor. Jean sat on the side of the bed, and took the hand of the frightened woman and said in a calm, gentle voice, "Rory? Honey, you're alright... Relax. Breathe... Take deep breaths, hon."

Ororo did as she was told; her breathing calmed slightly, and the heart monitor returned to its slow beeping. However, her sparkling, blue irises were still anxious and frightened. Trying to orient herself a little more now that she was more awake, Ororo looked around the room, and noticed Logan still holding her hand. It made her smile a bit. He was there with her… He cares… He cares about me enough to be here…Maybe he's just here out of pity. She sighed. I was hoping people would spare me the sympathy and pity talk; especially if they did not mean it.

"Wh-what happened this time…?" She voiced her question in a low whispered, directed a bit more to Logan than anyone else in the room.

But Jean was the one to answer, "You had a seizure, Rory... It's okay if you don't remember much."

Ororo shook her head, and then Hank asked, "What is the last thing you remember Ororo? Walk me through what happened, before the seizure, please?"

The Weather Goddess nodded and closed her eyes, in order to try and relive the evening's earlier events. "Uhm… I remember… Telling Logan about the cancer. I remember… Arguing with him why I wouldn't take treatment and then… That's it… Sorry…" She frowned.

Jean looked at her extremely confused and asked, "What cancer?"

At that moment, as Ororo opened her mouth to confess to Jean what had been going on for the past several weeks, the doors to the medical wing opened. In came a few of Ororo's students, Scott, and Professor Xavier all looking very worried for their beloved teammate and teacher. Kitty carried with her a few balloons with smiley faces that said "Get well soon" and a teddy bear, Piotr had some fresh flowers, while the other carried some cards. They smiled, and Scott walked over to Ororo, and kissed her forehead whispering, "How are you feeling Ro?"

She smiled, "I've been better, and you Scott?"

Scott just smiled as he was interrupted by Kitty running quickly to Ororo and hugging her tightly, "Are you okay, Miss Munroe!" Rogue did the same; making sure her skin didn't touch Ororo's as she hugged her tightly.

Ororo nodded, her cheeks turning a pink tint under her mocha-colored skin. She was not used to this much attention, and she thought it was a bit unnecessary, but she continued to smile, and placed a kiss on Kitty's forehead and one in Rogue's hair. "How are you girls?" She whispered.

"Worried, but seeing you sitting up helps," Rogue gave her teacher a sad smile.

Kitty and the others nodded in agreement. Ororo shook her head, still smiling bashfully, "Thank you very much, that means a lot to me. But, I am fine honestly."

She looked at Jean, who was still holding her hand, as well as Logan, and she squeezed both of them before saying, "I think... It's time you all knew…"

Six pairs of eyes looked at her curiously, unsure of what she was about to say. Hank looked at Xavier, who frowned; both knowing what was going to come next. Ororo glanced at Logan, uncertain of how to break such news to her fellow X-Men, students and people who she considered her family. Logan gave her the best reassuring smile he could muster and squeezed her hand, nodding a bit.

She inhaled and exhaled before whispering, "I have brain cancer. Stage four… It is terminal. I have three to five months to live." She frowned and bowed her head, not wanting to see the others' reaction.

Logan swallowed hard. Three to five months. How exactly was he supposed to show to her how much he loved her in three to five months? It just was not humanly possible. From that moment on, Logan silently promised himself and Ororo – even though she didn't exactly know it yet - that he would do everything in his power to have her see how his love for her would make him walk to the ends of the Earth.

Jean gasped, and brought a shaky hand up to her mouth as she whispered, "What?"

Her green eyes looked shattered as tears fell from them. Her shoulders began to shake as the telepath began to sob. Scott walked to his wife, and hugged her tightly as he tried to process the information. He tried not to cry as well, but failed miserably when a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

Ororo heard as Piotr took Kitty into his arms, and he shushed her as she began to cry as well. She dared to look up for a moment, and Rogue was looking back at her; her skin had gone paler than usual. Marie moved slowly a bit closer to Ororo, and took her hand in her gloved one delicately as her other gloved hand traced Ororo's cheekbones and she whispered, her accent thick for that one moment, "Ahm sorry, Miss Munroe…"

Ororo gave her a weak smile and nodded, "It's alright child, I'll be okay." She tried her best to give a confident smile, but as of right now, not even she believed her own words.

Hank frowned, and watched Ororo as did Logan, and they noticed how bad she felt for being the one to break the news to her family and watching them hurt. He decided it was time to usher everyone out, "Alright everyone, Ororo needs her rest. Please, go. You may visit her in the morning. It is far too late." Truth be told, it was only 10pm, everyone was usually asleep much later than that.

Everyone nodded and sadly said goodnight, as they all began to file out of the room, leaving Ororo with Professor Xavier, Hank and Logan. Logan still held onto her hand, and for that she was secretly grateful. Xavier wheeled himself closer to Ororo's bed, on the side opposite to Logan, and took her hand, as he asked, "How are you feeling, my dear?"

What was it with people and holding her hand today? She chuckled a bit at the thought and nodded, "I'm okay… I… Could I have a moment alone please?"

Xavier, Hank and Logan all nodded. But when Logan stood to follow the two other men out, Ororo grasped his hand and whispered, "Stay? Please?"

Logan looked at Xavier and Hank, who had stopped when they heard Ororo whisper, and they nodded. Logan nodded as well, "Okay darlin'… Ya wan' somethin' ta eat or drink? Ya hadn't done either in a while…" He asked actual concern in his voice.

She was slightly surprised. There was this very genuine care and concern – almost like love in his tone… She kind of liked it, but that was a luxury she would not allow herself. She refused to allow herself to let Logan spoil her. But she nodded at his request, but then shook her head, "N… no... I'm fine..."

"Are ya sure?"

Ororo nodded and gave him a weak smile, "Yes..."

A silence fell over them and Logan sat back down where he was before. He unconsciously took her hand once more. They were both silent, completely consumed by their thoughts. He came to notice what he had done when he felt her hand twitch under his. He let go quickly, "I... Uhm... Sorry if... I hurt ya..." he mumbled bashfully.

She shook her head and took his hand back up, "N-No, you didn't-" Ororo cut herself off by dropping his hand suddenly, and flying her hand to her mouth.

Logan frowned and opened his mouth, but the Mistress of the Elements stood quickly; the burning sensation that traveled up her stomach, chest and throat overwhelmed her, and the sudden surge of adrenaline had been the driving force that managed to get her to the bathroom in time. Ororo leaned over the toilet as she began to gag heavily; the room began to spin quickly, as she heaved. Logan was hesitant on whether to follow her or not, considering she had left the bathroom door opened, the animalistic man opted toward following the Goddess. He got to her just as she was finishing. She looked much paler than she was before, and her skin felt clammy when he touched her face to get stray hair out of her eyes. She sat back against the cold tile wall, as the room continued to spin rapidly; she moaned, "Hmm… I could sleep for a week right now…" Her eyes closed slowly.

Logan grunted, and lifted her up gently by her forearm, wrapping his arm around her waist, hoping to steady the drowsy, ill woman. She practically leaned on him complete, as he nearly dragged her back to bed. He lifted her once more, and gently laid her down, tucking her in. Logan whispered, taking his place beside her again, "Sleep Ro... Ya need sleep..."

"...Stay..." She whispered, noticing what she said after the word left her mouth.

Logan nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see him since her eyes were half closed. "Wouldn't have it any other way, darlin'…"

She gave him a sleepy smile, as darkness overwhelmed the African Beauty quickly.

The next morning, Ororo was awakened by low sniffling. She opened her eyes, and waited for her eyes to lose all the excess sleep obscuring her vision. She was oriented when memories of the previous night rushed back to her. Looked around the room, the woman spotted Jean sitting at her desk, crying as she looked at her computer screen. Ororo frowned, guilt washing over her as she watched her sister-friend hurt, because of her. Ororo slowly sat up, finding it odd that her body felt so heavy and drained, and just instantly fatigued, just from that short amount of work. She shook her head, and watched the room spin. Sighing, she continued to try and stand. When her feet touched the floor, she nearly fell over. Her legs must have become jelly overnight, because that was what they seemed like. Ororo could barely bear any weight on them.

Ororo gasped a bit, but caught herself weakly with the railing of the hospital-like bed. Jean stood from her desk, and went to help Ororo, "Are you okay? Did you need something?" She asked her looking her over as she laid Ororo back into bed.

The Weather Goddess shook her head, "No… I'm fine, Jeannie. Something tells me I can't say the same for you, huh?"

Jean looked at her, tried hard not to cry, but failed miserably. Ororo took her best friend into her arms and hugged her tightly as she cried, just as she had done many times before. From the death of a relative to broken hearts to pep-talks mistaken for ass-kickings; they had been through it all together, and they were closer than blood. Jean could tell you every single heart break Ororo had been through in the last ten years and Ororo could, by heart, tell you about every scar on Jean's body and how she got it. They knew when the other needed a hug, or just needed to be left alone. They knew when to slap the other because they had done something stupid, but they would always cry about it together in the end. They had known each other for a little over eleven years and the bond between these two women could never be understood by any man.

Rocking Jean back and forth as she lay back in her bed, Ororo continued to whisper into her ear, "It's okay Jay; everything will be okay…."

The two must have fallen asleep after that because when Ororo opened her eyes again, she was still in the medical lab, and Jean was still in her arms. Well… Sort of. Jean had her head on Ororo's stomach, and her arms around Ororo's waist, and she cried even in her sleep, because Ororo noticed some tears slipping out the corner of her eyes, and how red they still looked.

"Ororo?" She heard a familiar deep voice call to her.

She looked around and found Hank in front of her holding a chart, writing things down. She tried her best to smile up at him though her eyes still drooped and whispered, "Good morning Hank."

He chuckled, "I believe you mean is "Good afternoon", it is well past 3pm!"

Her eyes went wide when he said that and she untangled herself from Jean and tried to stand quickly, but gravity pulled her down too quickly with a loud thud. She cursed lowly in Swahili at the fact that her legs continued to fail on her. Resting should have fixed that! She had spent nearly an entire day in bed, after all. But it hadn't… There was a tumor pushing on her brain and loss of motor skills was something they were expecting. Looking up at Hank, who had come over to help her up, she chastised her doctor and long-time friend, "Why didn't you wake me? I had a History test to give, and my students needed the review sheet for next week's midterm and…"

He put his blue index finger over her full lips to quiet her ramblings while he set her down gently on the edge of another empty bed, "None of that is important at the moment. The faculty and all the students are quite worried about you and cannot wait for you to get better, so how about we work on that, yes?"

Dear Hank; always so cheerful and optimistic, while inside he died along with Ororo. He knew everything that was happening to her, even though she refused to speak of her feelings most of the time, he had seen it before. He watched his father die of brain cancer, his diagnosis very similar to Ororo's. He knew that at around this time the limbs would begin to fail and that normal, everyday activities such as standing and walking were going to become, not only difficult, but dangerous. He knew that he was going to have to make a decision about Ororo's health. A decision she would more than likely hate, if not outright refuse. He desperately didn't want to seem like the bad guy though. Unfortunately, these were the effects of this terminal disease. His beast-like features fell and his eyebrows furrowed.

Ororo sighed, "What is on your mind, my dear Hank?"

"Ororo, please hear my explanation with what I am about to say before you react…" She braced herself as Hank continued, "I think it is time you began using a wheelchair to get around."

Her snowy eyebrows furrowed, "Already?"

Hank explained to her how the cancer was beginning to "mess with her", in a sense. He said that it was causing the extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, fainting, as well as her limbs failing and clumsiness. Not to mention the slowly increase in seizure frequency, that made Hank most nervous of all. She nodded the whole way through and sighed, "Alright… Will this be all the time though?"

The doctor shook his head, "No. I would say to use your discretion in figuring when you would need it. However, in the eleven years I have known you, you have proven to be incredibly stubborn, especially when you're ill. We really cannot have you lifting anything heavy or overexerting yourself. I really only would allow you to forego the chair if you know you will not be standing for long periods of time. Please Ororo; I just do not want you to get hurt."

She swallowed, processing the information, "Okay... This will take some getting used to." She looked around the room, "Where did Logan go?"

She blushed when she asked and Hank chuckled, "He had to go teach his classes. He did leave you a note by your nightstand saying he'd be back in a bit, or that he would just see you at dinner."

The African beauty blushed again and Hank continued, "How about we get you into a wheelchair so that you can get upstairs, yes?"

Ororo didn't like the idea of suddenly being put in a wheelchair because she was weak. What would her students think of her?

It would generally take me a lot less than five years to update a story of mine – that may or may not be a lie... I am so sorry for any of you who waited, and if you didn't, that is so very fine. I do intend to finish the story now. I have a newfound appreciation and inspiration for it, given some recent life experiences. If you're still with me on this journey, then thank you! If you are not, I sincerely hope that you are doing well! Next update coming soon!