"Changes, Pt. 2"
by David (Jax)

Ororo stood at the foot of the stairs, readying herself for the upcoming confrontation that she knew couldn't be avoided. "How should I word it?" she wondered, as she slowly ascended the tall staircase. "Professor, I think we need to discuss some things....." She went over in her head, "I don't want to come off as condescending. But the X-Men are my team, too. I've done more to prove myself as a capable leader, and I can't just have him usurp my position after being away for so long....."

She stopped, as she was now standing in front of the the door to the Professor's study. "Here goes nothing......" she silently though to herself as she knocked on the large oaken door. A deep voice resonated from inside the room, "You may enter."

Ororo pushed open the door to find the usual scene, Professor Charles Xavier, sitting at his desk, perpetually going over one aspect or another. "Professor, I think we need to discuss somethings." Ororo said.

"Go ahead....,"The Professor said, not bothering to look up and making the boredom in his voice evident.

Ororo took a deep breath,"Goddess help me....Charles, about today's meeting in the Danger Room. Many of the X-Men, myself included are wondering about these 'goals' you have set for us, seemingly out of nowhere."

"They are not out of nowhere, Ororo. Now that I have returned to the X-Men, we are going to take a different approach to things around here. Setting goals for ourselves and acheiving them will only aid us in the long run, I assure you."

Ororo's eyebrows arched in curiosity, "What do you mean by 'different approach', Charles?"

The Professor looked up, "I meant perhaps we can get things done effectively around here from now on."

Ororo's mind spun, "Had he just insulted me? My leadership skills?" her mind poured out question after question.

"Is that all, Ororo? You have something to be doing, I'm sure."

Ororo remained silent, simply looking forward, unsure of what she wanted to say or even how to say it. She had done the best she could in both Charles's and Scott's absenses. She had tried to keep the team together, but let them remain as individuals. She had tried to do her best.

"No, Charles. That isn't all. These goals, we don't appreciate them. I thought you had advanced enough as the founder of the X-Men than to simply throw out orders and expect us to follow them like children. You managed to insult everyone in this house, everyone on this team, working for your dream. You were away a long time, Charles. Things are different. I'm sorry if you didn't approve of my leadership skills, but I doubt anyone could have done more than I have in each situation. The X-Men are people, Charles. Not robots who do whatever you say," Ororo quickly spat out, getting it all out before the nerve to say it all left her. She stared heatedly at the Professor, waiting for his reaction.

"Well, then," he said calmly, "I'll take that into consideration."

Ororo's mind was shocked, he barely responded at all. But she didn't let it show on her face, she turned around and walked out, the air around her crackling with her energy. As she turned down the hall she bumped into Logan.

"Logan! Wha--what are you doing here?"

"Listening to you, 'Ro. You sure gave it good to the Professor."

"I didn't mean to 'give it good' to him. Merely to have my point taken across. Logan, Charles has done this before. The entire leaving and then returning and expecting us to simply hop back in our ranks. It didn't work then, and it won't work now. I know that. You know that. Everyone knows that, but Charles seems oblivious to it....."

"I don't like it, either. Charley's old enough to know better. This song and dance don't work like it did with Slim and the others way back when."

Ororo sighed heavily and rubbed the top of her nose, "Perhaps....perhaps we should contact Scott. He always seemed to listen to Scott's opinion more than mine."

"Hey," Logan quickly followed," Don't start that 'Ro. I been into battle with you more times that we both care to remember. And you've done more than Scott or anyone else has done to prove yourself. You got me on your side, and lady that's saying alot."

Ororo smiled, "Thank you, Logan. I just think we'll have to go about it all a diff-" her voice was drowned out by a clanging alarm.

"The alarms are working again?" Ororo shouted, changing her attitude entirely, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her, preparing her for whatever may come.

"Yeah! Kitty was working on 'em last week!" Logan shouted, "Sounds like the intruder alarm!"

Ororo and Logan quickly descended the staircase and met Peter by the front door.

"Peter, you should armor up. Just in case," Ororo suggested.

"Already on it, Ororo."

Wolverine's dense bone claws slid out of their hidings, and he crouched down, "Open the door, 'Petey."

Colossus flung open the door and the X-Men flew out on their intruder.........


An intruder with many bags.

Bobby Drake had a coy smile on his face, "Uh, hey guys. Thanks for the bandwagon."