A gentle tap on his shoulder caused Gambit to open his eyes and see his daughter standing in front of him with a smile on her face.
"Wha' y' doin'?" He asked, quietly, lifting his head and looking at the clock that read '6:18'.
"You said we were goin' to the park." She whispered, loudly.
"Yeah, when de sun come up." He said, lying his head back down. "Come get me when de clock say eight. Ça va?"
"How long is that?" Leila asked, pouting.
"Not long, petit." He said, stroking her long auburn hair. "Now, go on an' play."
Letting out a loud sigh, Leila hung her head. "Okay." She said as she slowly left the room, closing the bedroom door behind her.
Sighing as well, Gambit moved to his right side and cuddled close to Rogue, who placed her hand on his that draped over her waist. "Ya better take her." She said softly.
"I will." He said. "Jus' not at six in de mornin'."
Propping himself up on his elbow, he gently pulled on Rogue's shoulder, causing her to lie on her back. "What's on ya mind?" She asked, seeing him smirking at her.
"Figure since we a'ready awake..." He said, moving on top of her and kissing her neck.
"Whoa, hold ya horses, hun." Rogue said, gently pushing him off. "Ah've gotta be up in ten minutes."
"Pourquoi?" He asked.
"Ah'm goin' with Scott and tha Professor to Washington'." She said getting out of bed.
"Washin'ton'?" He asked, sitting up. "Why y' headin' dere, mon amour?"
"Because, there's another mutant who has issues touchin' people." She said, changing from her night gown into a pair of fitted jeans and a T-shirt. "Ah'm apparently tha go ta gal when these kids pop up."
"T'ought dat trip be next weekend." Gambit said, watching her put her hair up in a pony tail.
"Nope. It's today." She said.
"How long y' gonna be gone?" He asked.
"A week." She said, turning to him and smiling. "It'll go by fast, sugah."
"Well, at least y' be close." He said, sitting back on his hands.
"Not Washington D.C." She said. "Washington state."
"Oh." Gambit said, his mouth still open. "Shit."
"Watch ya mouth." She said, giving him that look.
"Sorry." He said as she walked over and sat down beside him on the bed. "Dat mean, y' ain' gonna be here for our anniversary, Wednesday."
"Ah know. Ah tried ta push tha trip back, but this was our only opportunity ta talk with both of tha parents. But, hey, it's alright, lover." She said, hugging him. "We can celebrate when ah get back."
He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Oui." He said, feeling her pull away. "Can' believe it been five years a'ready."
"Seems longer, huh?" She asked, running her hand through his wild bed head.
Closing his eyes at the sensation, he then opened them when her hand was through combing his hair and he leaned in, kissing her softly. "Y' call me, eh? Check in?" He asked.
"Of course." She said, gently patting the side of his face. "Ah leave in a little bit. Ah've gotta go meet up with Scott and tha Professor. Ah'll see ya in a bit, alright sugah?"
He nodded as he watched her stand and walk to the door, opening it and closing it behind her.
Leila was bored. No one was awake to play with her and she had to wait until the clock said eight until she was suppose to wake her dad up. Putting her cars on the edge of the pool table, she raced them around until she threw them off, causing them to crash. She did it again and again until she heard someone in the kitchen. Smiling widely, she wondered if it was Uncle Logan.
Running into the kitchen from the entertainment room, she turned the corner to see Ororo. "Tante Ro!" She said.
"Good morning, child." Ororo said, kneeling down and hugging her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah." She said as Ororo combed through her long hair. "Look."
Ororo smiled as Leila showed her the cars she had been playing with. "Are those the cars Bobby gave you?" She asked, seeing the girl nod.
"I've been racing them 'round the pool table." Leila said, watching Ororo stand and turn to make her tea.
"You know you are not suppose to play with the pool table." She said, seeing the girl pout her lips like a fish.
"I know." She said, looking down at her cars. "What time is it?"
Looking at the clock, she looked back down at the five year old. "Six thirty-two." She said, seeing the girl sigh. "What is wrong, child?"
"Mornin'." Rogue said, walking into the kitchen.
"Mommy!" Leila said, running over and hugging her legs.
"Hey baby." Rogue said, picking her up and resting her on her hip as she walked over to the fridge. "Ya hungry?"
"Yeah." The girl said, looking in the fridge when the door opened.
"What would ya like?" Rogue asked, taking out the fruit bowl and a pack of vanilla yogurt.
"I wanna have pancakes." Leila said, looking at Rogue's face.
She chuckled. "Well, Daddy's the cooker." She said. "Run up and tell him ya hungry."
"But he said not to come back until the clock said eight." She said as she was placed back on the ground.
"Yeah, well, ya tell him Mommy said he needs ta get up, 'cause Mommy's about ta leave on her trip." Rogue said, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard and preparing her breakfast.
"Okay." Leila said, running up the stairs, with her cars in her hands, and down the hall until she reached the bedroom door.
Opening it, slowly, she poked her head in and saw her dad still in bed. Quietly walking in, she climbed up on her mom's side and over to him, looking down at his face. He was asleep.
Again.
"Daddy." She whispered loudly. "Papa."
"Rawr!" He playfully roared as he sat up and grabbed her, causing her to squeal, tickling her for a few seconds.
Taking a deep breath and sighing, Leila hugged him. "Mommy said you gotta get up and feed me, 'cause she's leaving on her trip." She said, looking into his eyes.
"Well, it be a good t'ing I love y' an' Mommy so much." He said, setting her to his right and throwing the covers off. "Y' go down t' de kitchen. I be right dere."
"Okay!" Leila said, jumping off the bed and heading out the door.
Running down the hall, she ran down the stairs and stopped once she came to the kitchen entrance, seeing her mom looking at her. "What have ah told ya about runnin' down tha stairs?" Rogue asked with raised eyebrows.
"Sorry." She said, walking into the kitchen and climbing up on one of the bar stools.
"It's alright." Rogue said. "Just as long as ya remember why ya ain't suppose ta."
"B'cause I could fall and hurt myself." She said, making her cars crash, softly, into each other on the island bar's counter top.
"That's right." Rogue said, turning to Leila and reaching out, combing through her hair. "Is Daddy awake?"
"Uh huh." She said, still playing with the cars some more.
"Good." She said, tucking her daughter's hair behind her ears. "Ah'll hang around until he shows up, then ah gotta go. Plane's a leavin'."
"I will watch her." Ororo said, with a smile. "I do not want you to be late and put yourself off of schedule."
"It's fine." Rogue said, leaning against the counter. "Ah'm the main attraction, so they can't leave without me."
"Ugh." Gambit moaned as he rubbed his face, walking into the kitchen. "Why we up so early on a Saturday?"
"Because ah'm about ta leave and ya daughter's hungry." She said, leaning against the counter.
Skipping over, Leila stepped on the tops of Gambit's feet and grabbed hold of his front pockets. "I want pancakes." She said excitedly, holding on as he carefully walked over to the coffee pot.
"Pancakes?" He asked, pouring himself a cup. "Y' don' want pancakes."
"Yes I do." Leila said.
"Non, y' don'." He teased.
"Yes I do!" She said louder.
"Non." He teased again.
"Yes I do!" Leila said loudly again, jumping softly on his feet.
"Remy." Rogue said. "People are tryin' ta sleep."
"Mus' be nice." He said, smirking at her as he placed his hand on Leila's head.
"And that ain't how ya ask when ya want somethin'." Rogue said, looking at Leila. "Ya know better."
"Can I please have pancakes?" Leila asked, looking up at Gambit. "Please, please, pleeease!"
He chuckled as he pat her head. "Go sit." He said.
Pushing off his feet, Leila ran over and climbed up on one of the bar stools at the island bar as Scott and Charles entered the kitchen. "Good morning." Charles said with a smile as he looked at everyone in the room.
"Good morning." Ororo said, smiling back.
"Good morning!" Leila said, resuming her play with her cars on the counter top.
"Are you ready to go?" Scott asked, Rogue.
She nodded, taking another bite of yogurt. "Just say when." She said, looking over and watching Leila.
"How are you, Leila?" Charles asked, smiling at the little girl.
"Good." She said, not looking at him.
"Are you excited to start Kindergarten?" He asked her.
"Uh huh." She said, glancing at him.
"I say she skip Kind'rgarten an' go straight t' first." Gambit said, preparing the pancake badder. "My daughter be smart."
"She is very advanced." Charles said, watching her some more as Jean walked in.
"Hey." She said with a smile, walking over to Scott and kissing his cheek.
"Hi Jeanie." Leila said, waving to her from the island bar.
"Hi Leila." She waved back, getting the girl to smile and go back to playing with her cars.
"How are you feeling?" Scott asked, looking down at Jean's pregnant belly.
Placing a hand on the, now showing, bump she sighed. "Alright." She said.
"Ah miss that feelin'." Rogue said, finishing her yogurt. "Ah loved bein' pregnant."
"Well, it's been rough for me." Jean said, walking over and sitting beside Leila at the bar.
"Yeah. Ah'm sorry gal." Rogue said, walking over and tucking the girl's hair behind her ears. "Ah had my rough moments, too."
"Made in China." Leila read on the bottom of one of the cars before flipping the other over. "Made in China."
Rogue smiled and lightly chuckled at the girl's random reading. "Good job, sugah." She said, patting her forearm. "Ya know what China is?"
"No." She said, rolling the cars on the counter top, looking at her mom.
"It's a country on tha other side of tha world." She said, seeing the girl's eyes grow wide.
"The other side?" Leila asked.
"I can show you, if you like." Charles said with a smile. "Follow me."
Climbing down from the bar stool, Leila followed Charles to his study where they made their way to a large globe. Reaching out, he turned it slowly until he reached Asia, stopping and pointing to China.
"That," He said, outlining the country. "Is China."
"And it's on the other side of the world." Leila said, spinning the globe slowly.
Charles chuckled when she let it spin quickly, causing it to go round and round. "That's correct." He said, watching her look at the globe. "Do you know where we live?"
"New York." She said.
"Can you find it?" He asked, stopping on North America.
She shook her head, watching him point to the edge of the land.
"We live right there. In the state of New York." Charles said watching her look closer.
Looking at him, she had a confused look on her face. "Is the Earth big?" She asked.
Charles smiled and placed his hand on the top of her head, stroking her hair. "Yes. The Earth is many, many, many times larger than this." He said, watching her spin the globe again. "Perhaps your father can show you pictures of New York and the Earth today on his computer."
"Yeah!" She said, then calmed down. "But after we go to the park."
"Of course." Charles said as he escorted her out of his study. "Priorities first."
Heading back into the kitchen, Leila noticed her mom sitting in the bar stool she had just been sitting in. Walking over, Rogue picked her up and kissed her cheek as she sat her on her thighs.
"What'd ya think about China?" She asked Leila.
She shrugged, making them laugh. "It's bigger than New York." She said, looking back at her mom and lifting her left index finger. "That's where we live."
"Ya correct." She said, watching Gambit turn around with one pancake on a plate.
"I do believe dis young lady asked fo' a pancake." He said, setting the plate down in front of her.
"Merci, Daddy!" She said.
"Mon plaisir." He said with a smile, turning around and plating up three other pancakes. "Got mo' comin' if y'all want 'em."
"I'll take some if you don't mind." Jean said.
"O' course." He said, setting a plate with two pancakes on it in front of her. "Anyone else? Scott? P'fessor?"
"No thanks." Scott said.
"I'm fine, thank you." Charles said.
Gambit smiled at Storm. "Ro? Y' know y' want a pancake." He said, seeing her smile. "Y' a'ways like de way I make pancakes."
"I will have one." She said, watching him plate the last one up and hand it to her. "Thank you."
"I think we better get going." Scott said, looking at Rogue.
After cutting up Leila's pancake, Rogue got up and placed Leila in the stool before she kissed the top of her head. "Ah'll see ya later, baby. Ah love ya." She said, hugging Leila. "Ya be good for Daddy and for every one here, understood?"
"Yes ma'am." She said, taking the fork and stabbing a piece of pancake.
Walking around and to the stove, Gambit turned to Rogue and kissed her. "Call me every day." He said, kissing her once more.
"Ya got it." She said, running her hand down the side of his face. "Ah love you."
"I love y', too." He said, letting his hand stay on her waist as long as possible as she walked away. "Y' be careful, now."
"Ah will." She said, turning and blowing him a kiss as she left the kitchen with Scott and Charles.
"This is really delicious." Jean said, taking another bite.
"Daddy is the best cooker in the world!" Leila said, stuffing another piece in her mouth.
Gambit chuckled as he reached over and ruffled her hair. "After breakfast we get our teeth brushed and den head t' de park, eh?" He said, seeing Leila's eyes widen.
"I'm done!" She said, hopping off the bar stool.
"Excuse me." He said, snapping his fingers and getting her attention. "Y' ain' had but four bites."
"But I'm full." Leila said, climbing back up and placing her hands on her stomach.
"Y' better eat dat pancake." Gambit said, pointing at her plate. "Y' need de strengt' anyway if y' wanna be runnin' 'round an' climbin'."
"Alright." Leila groaned as she picked her fork up and stabbed a piece of pancake, violently, causing the fork to clang loudly against the plate.
"Ey." Gambit said, his brows dipping. "We don' hafta go anywhere if y' gonna be actin' like dat."
"No!" Leila plead. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Finishing up the rest of the pancakes, Gambit placed them in the fridge before he started to clean up. After Leila finished, she hopped off the stool and ran around the bar, grabbing Gambit's jeans.
"I'm gonna go brush my teeth!" She exclaimed as she ran off and up the stairs.
"No runnin'!" He called out before sighing and shaking his head as he reached for his coffee cup and took a sip.
Storm smiled as she stood and cleaned her plate at the sink. "She has so much vibrant energy." She said, looking at Gambit.
"Gonna make her run all dat energy off at de park so I can sleep." He said, smiling back before looking at Jean. "T'ink yo' tired now. Jus' y' wait, chere."
Jean laughed. "Oh, I remember when Leila was a baby." She said, placing her hand on her belly. "I had a lot of late nights with you guys."
"She is a very special child." Storm said, placing her plate in the dishwasher to dry.
"Dat's wha' my Tante say." Gambit said as he look toward the kitchen entrance. "I'ma go check an' make sure she actually brushin' an' didn' get sidetracked."
Jean and Storm laughed as he head toward the stairs. Walking down the hall and then turning left, he met Kitty when she walked out of her room.
"Man, sounded like a stampede." She smiled at Gambit as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail.
"Désolé." He said. "We goin' t' de park."
"Nice! Have fun." Kitty said with a smile as she headed toward the stairs.
Walking to the end of the hall, he saw the bedroom door was wide open. When he walked inside, he smiled when he heard her humming a song she had made up while she brushed her teeth. Quietly making his way to the bathroom door, he stopped just before the door frame and leaned against the wall, listening to her. She continued to hum and then spit into the sink before running her toothbrush under the water, tapping it on the edge of the sink before placing it in the toothbrush holder and hopped down off of the step stool.
Coming quickly around the corner, she let out a yelp as she ran into Gambit. She giggled as she took a step back and pushed her hair out of her face.
"Did y' brush dem good?" He asked, kneeling down and seeing her nod. "Show me."
She gave him a big smile, showing her teeth. "See?" She asked, pulling the edges of her mouth with her fingers.
He smiled and pat her thigh. "Bon. Go get dressed." He said, standing and watching her run into her room.
Walking out of the hall and into his bedroom, Gambit sat his mug on the nightstand and then lied down on the bed. Rubbing his face, he closed his eyes and waited for her to finish.
"Bes' put some clean underwear on!" He called out.
"I did!" Leila called back from her room. "Daddy, I need help with my shoes!"
Gambit sighed. "Bring 'em in here!" He said, not moving as he heard her run into the bedroom.
He sat up when she jumped on the foot of the bed with her pink, light-up shoes. Taking her socks, he put them on her feet before he took her shoes.
"R'member how t' tie dem?" He asked, taking the laces. "Y' tell me de steps."
"Left over right." She said, seeing him do as she said. "Make bunny ears and then left over right."
After tying them, Gambit pat her left foot. "Y' do dis one." He said, watching her take the shoe laces.
"Left over right." She said, tying the first knot before dropping on lace and making a loop before doing the same with the other. "Make bunny ears and then left over right."
"Fantastique." He said with a smile. "It tight enough?"
Standing on the bed, she jumped twice. "Yeah!" She said as Gambit reached out and gently swat her left thigh.
"Ey! Dis ain' yo' bed." He said, standing and picking her up. "Ain' suppose t' jump on beds, anyhow."
"Can we go now?" Leila asked, placing her hands on the sides of his face. "Pleeease Daddy?"
He chuckled as he grabbed his mug and walked out, still holding her. "Y' need t' ask if ot'er people wanna go. Tante Ro might wanna join us." He said as he walked down the stairs and then sat her down on the ground where she ran into the kitchen.
"Tante Ro!" Leila called as she ran over to the table were Storm sat.
"Yes, child?" She asked, setting her magazine down and turning to her.
"You wanna go to the park with me and Daddy?" She asked.
"I would love to." She smiled, seeing the little girl's face beam with delight.
"Daddy, she said yes!" Leila said, turning around.
"Y' ask anyone else?" He asked, placing his mug in the sink before putting his hands in his pockets.
Leila looked at Kitty and smiled. "You wanna go to the park?" She asked.
"You know what? I would love to, but I can't this time." Kitty said, giving a weary smile. "I actually have a meeting today with Hank, but I definitely will next time."
"Okay." She said, then turning around and looking at her dad. "What about Uncle Logan?"
Gambit shrugged. "Good luck findin' him, petit." He said, walking closer to them. "Go ask Jeanie fo' some help."
Nodding, Leila ran off down the hall and came up on Jean's office. Walking inside, she saw Jean typing away on her computer.
"Jeanie?" She asked, getting her attention.
Jean smiled as she turned and gave Leila her full attention. "What is it, sweetie?" She asked, placing her hand on the side of Leila's face.
"Can you find Uncle Logan?" Leila asked.
"Of course." Jean said, closing her eyes for a brief moment before opening them. "He's not here."
Leila slightly frowned. "Where is he?" She asked.
Jean shook her head. "I'm not sure." She said, combing through the girl's hair. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. He's probably running errands this morning."
Leila pouted before she looked up at Jean. "Do you wanna go to the park?" She asked, smiling.
Jean placed her hand on the girl's shoulder and rubbed her arm. "I can't right now. I've got to type some things for this coming school year. I'm sorry, Leila." She said.
"It's okay." Leila said as she left Jean's office and walked back into the kitchen to see her dad talking with Ororo. "Uncle Logan isn't here."
"Then it looks as if it is only us." Storm said, standing and taking Leila's hand.
After parking, Gambit and Storm unbuckled their seat belts before walking around and helping Leila with her seat belt. When it was off, she jumped down out of the car and ran off toward the playground equipment.
Grabbing the bag that held their water bottles, Gambit shut the door and locked it as they started toward the other side of the park. Hooking her arm in his right, Storm watched Leila as she climbed up the steps and headed toward the spiral slide.
"She never slows down." Storm said with a smile as she placed her left hand on her forehead to block the sun.
"Tell me 'bout it." Gambit said as they walked under a large tree and sat down on the bench. "She wearin' me out."
"She is keeping you young." Storm smiled, crossing her right leg over her left before resting her arm on his left shoulder.
"Don' feel like it." He chuckled, setting the bag beside him on the bench. "Part o' me is glad we only got de one. Don' know if I could handle two o' t'ree. Jus' de one drive me crazy."
Storm laughed. "Because she is inquisitive like you and always on the go." She said, looking out and watching Leila run up the slide, but slipping and sliding down.
"Oui, but she got Anna's temper." He said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Guess I deserve dat, no?"
Storm continued to smile as she pat his shoulder before turning her attention back to Leila. They watched as she ran around the equipment before climbing up the slide and then trying to attempt to climb on top of the monkey bars.
"Ey!" Gambit called out, standing up. "Y' get down from dere!" Leila looked at him before she climbed back down and slid down the slide. "Dis girl."
"Sometimes you need to let them learn the hard way." Storm said as he sat back down and leaned back on the bench.
"I know, but..." He said, watching her say hi to another kid that walked up to the playground equipment. "Don' like seein' her in pain."
"Of course not." Storm said, patting his shoulder. "No parent wants to see their child in pain. It is your job to protect them."
They were quiet as they watch the two children play, racing around the equipment before they ran over to the swings.
"I a'ways wonder wha' kinda powers she gonna have." Gambit said with a soft smile. "Is it gonna be somet'in' like mine or Anna's or somet'in' completely different?"
Storm looked at him and smiled. "We will not know until she is older." She said, looking over at Leila. "But it is interesting to think about."
"At least she won' be scared." He said, looking at Storm. "She been growin' up around mutants her whole life."
"That is true." Storm said, as Leila grabbed their attention.
"Daddy! I need you to push me!" Leila called from across the park, waving her left hand at him.
Gambit smiled as he stood and head over to the swings where he went behind her and began to push. The other child's mother walked over and helped her own daughter, smiling at Gambit.
"She's adorable." The woman said. "How old is she?"
"T'anks. She five." Gambit said, smiling back.
"So is mine." The woman said, still smiling at him. "Is she in school?"
"She be startin' dis fall." He said, as they both continued to push their children.
"Which elementary?" The woman asked.
"Home schooled, actually." Gambit said.
"Wish I could home school." The woman said. "I'm working full time."
"It's rough." He said as Leila turned around.
"My daddy's a mutant." Leila said, smiling.
Gambit noticed the woman's smile fade as she stopped pushing her daughter and stopped the swing, looking at her watch. "I'm sorry, but we have to go. It was nice meeting you." She said, taking her daughter's hand and leading her back to their car.
Sighing, Gambit stopped pushing Leila and placed his hands on his hips. "Why are they leaving?" Leila asked as her swing slowed down.
"Y' can' go tellin' people dat I'm a mutant." He said, stopping the swing and picking her up.
"Why not?" She asked as they walked over to Storm.
"B'cause people are scared o' mutants. I know y' don' understand, but y' will." He said, setting her down.
Storm placed her hand on the side of Leila's head, pulling her close. "Come, child." She said as they walked to the car.
A/N: Just a little something to get you guys curious.