Paper Training

Not Quite How Logan Expected This To Go

"You're sure it was K who logicked you into thinking about marriage?" Storm asked with a look of disbelief.

"Believe it or not," Kate said with a little laugh, "Yeah."

"I can see where that would throw you," Storm said, nodding as she sat down across from Kate with a completely sympathetic expression. "But perhaps it would be easier if you shared with me what you're thinking."

Kate laughed. "Yeah, probably," she agreed before she leaned forward a bit, her hands clasped in front of her as she thought it over. "I guess... I just never thought I'd get married? But I don't see myself ever leaving Kurt. And spending time with him is the happiest I've ever been... So ... does that mean I should marry him?" She looked up at Storm openly. "How do you even know you're ready for something like that?"

Storm watched the confused younger woman for a long time, smiling encouragingly. "I don't know that anyone can ever help you decide that, but I can tell you from watching my friends over the years that if you can't imagine your life without him, then you should consider making sure he is a part of it."

"Yeah." Kate let out a bit of a sigh and a rueful grin. "I just keep running out of reasons not to."

Storm gave her a soft smile and rested her hand on Kate's arm. "If the reasons you have to do it make far more sense than the reasons — or fears — not to ... then you already know the answer."

"Yeah," Kate agreed, leaning back a bit. "Yeah... I guess.... It still terrifies me though."

"Of course it does," Storm said with a little laugh. "You'd be a fool if it didn't, because you actually mean it. You're not considering it for the wrong reasons. You're considering it with your heart on the line."

"Oh, good." Kate let out a relieved breath. "I was kinda worried the sheer terror was a bad thing."

"Is it the terror of being married at all, or the terror of being married to him, because I can tell you, my friend, there is a difference." Storm drew in a deep breath and leaned back in her chair for a moment before she relaxed as she seemed to settle on a track for her advice. "You know that I once married — for all the wrong reasons."

"I didn't know the reasons," Kate admitted. "I mean, you've mentioned the marriage at movie nights, but I figured it wasn't something I should pry into."

"It was for the sake of unifying a nation," Storm said. She let out a small sigh at the memory of it all. "I did it with no warning. Hardly anyone knew about it until well after the fact — and it hurt my friends that I would do something so serious without thinking to even invite them. In the end, even though we tried to make it work — the love was never there."

"That's... not what marriage should be. But that's what it is sometimes."

"The one and only reason that you should ever marry — is for love," Storm said as she leaned forward with a little spark to her gaze. "If you have that you have it all."

"And I'm hopelessly in love," Kate said honestly. "Really."

"And so is he," Storm said gently. "Believe me — I know my little brother."

Kate leaned back and let out a sigh. "Yeah. I... yeah." She looked up at Storm with one eye closed. "It's going to sound really stupid ... I just... keep expecting to find out he's done. Or find out something awful. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"That simply won't happen with Kurt," Storm said easily. "His life is an open book, and he wears his heart on his sleeve for all the world to see."