April 5, 2010 ; Most of the typing was done over April 11, 2010, actually. Haha.

Set several years after last chapter. Might include references to a chapter of Enlightenment, but you don't necessarily need to read that first.

And let's just go with the fact that all the students and New Mutants returned after the Apocalypse stuff. And they added a few.

NOT mine.

The two were in the kitchen as Rahne trudged in sleepily, Hank at the counter pouring himself a cup of coffee and Charles at the table reading the newspaper.

Charles quirked an eyebrow at the girl's expression, asking, "Not enough sleep last night, Rahne?"

Rahne uttered a grunt in reply, sliding into a chair across from the professor and dropping her head into open palms.

With a chuckle and a smile, Hank poured a second cup of coffee, setting it down near Rahne's elbow before settling into the seat next to Charles's wheelchair.

"What time did you get home last night?" Beast asked, his brow furrowing even as his smile grew.

Rahne mumbled something that sounded like "Midnight or so" as she took a sip of the coffee, looking up at her instructors from under sleep-laden lashes.

Mr. McCoy humphed in suspicion and Professor Xavier gave him a sideways glance.

"Something wrong, Henry?"

Hank ignored the question, returning to his newspaper.

Charles steepled his fingers and looked at Rahne, who was now sitting up with her hands curled around the coffee mug. The lycanthrope stared into the mug wistfully, amending, "All right, so maybe it was closer to two."

Hank grunted appreciatively. "That sounds better."

Charles chuckled, smiling slightly.

"I'm sure there was a good reason, Hank. And Ms. Sinclair is old enough not to need a curfew, provided the privilege is not abused."

He gave Rahne a look, and the Scottie ducked her head, her face turning a light shade of red.

"Yeah…" she began in reply. "I don't think you'll need to worry about me too much anymore…"

Hank looked over the top of the paper at her, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"How so?"

Rahne bit her lip indecisively, though her eyes were gleaming.

Carefully, she tugged at the chain around her neck, pulling the necklace up and over her shirt to reveal an engagement ring that sparkled in the morning sunlight.

"Oh!" Hank smiled, and Charles nodded.

"I had a feeling."

Rahne frowned, but Charles spoke before she could.

"Roberto is a fine young man. He's been asking questions of everyone else in the Institute, the girls on what they thought of certain rings, and the boys on how to best propose. It was only a matter of time."

"So that's why he asked me about marriage a few months ago…" Hank grinned. "I thought it was a school assignment, but it was personal. Well, I know you'll both be very happy together."

With that, Beast stood and ruffled Rahne's hair, setting his coffee cup in the sink before he left the room.

"You look worried," Professor Xavier commented, frowning at Rahne's expression. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No," Rahne said quickly, shaking her head.

Rahne, Charles probed gently. I've known you long enough that I can figure out your moods without telepathy…

Rahne sighed. "It's just…"

She frowned, struggling to come up with the right words.

"You said yes, obviously," Charles prodded. "Unless this is a late April Fool's joke, which I doubt. So what is it?"

Rahne closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the old signal allowing Charles permission to enter her mind.

It's a little overwhelming, almost too much at once. First you ask me to teach, and now Roberto asks me to marry him. It's just… confusing.

The Professor couldn't hold back a chuckle as he reminded her, As I recall, it was you who kissed him…

Yes, but that was…different…

Not the way I see it. You've been interested in our Mr. Costa for quite some time, even before he pulled you out of the pool that day.

Rahne blushed as the Professor gained access to her memories of her first interactions with Roberto, and the changes their relationship had taken over the last few years.

"If I may," her mentor stated softly, "I'd like to be the…well, the second to congratulate you, though Mr. McCoy's was not spoken. You'll be fine. Roberto is a good man. And it's easy to see that he cares for you very much. You'll be in good hands with him."

He patted her hand gently before wheeling himself out of the kitchen, leaving Rahne to mull over the conversation.

Notes: Meh. Not my favorite, but an update!

I love trying to write Prof. X! He's so formal and wordy… Lol.

I had SO much trouble deciding which boy to pair Rahne with, Roberto or Sam. In "Retreat" it seems that she and Sam are flirty, but I've read several fics with her and Sam, and after looking through her Wiki article, I discovered that she had a crush on Sam in the comics. She also had several other relationships… Ack! So I went with what I wrote in Enlightenment.

Uhm, I wasn't sure about the whole ring thing for Rahne. I didn't know what would happen to the ring if it was on her finger when she morphed. I decided it might be uncomfortable on her paw, so I went necklace form.

Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap:

Uhhh… Wiki article and Enlightenment; maybe episode "Retreat."

Words: 706

Time: A few hours mostly on a Sunday.

Other: I apologize if the first part of the last chapter made you freak out a little. For some reason I decided I needed to make it a "HOLY-CRAP-WHAT-THE-HECK" kind of moment at the beginning.

I wasn't totally sure about Hank being a father-figure to anybody specific, and his Wiki article didn't list any specific relationships. Gee, great help, guys… So I scratched the idea of him being the only father-figure in a chapter. He's involved, but not the only one congratulating. There are a few girls for whom both Hank and the Professor are father-figures, IMO. This is one of them.

I'm also thinking about doing a companion fic to this one, detailing the events of how the boys proposed. We'll see where that idea leads… =\