Chapter Twenty-Four

"Hank the others will be home soon. I think I will get the girls to unpack all of Anne's things and get her room ready. Do you think you could get that armoire down stairs on your own?" Asked Charles.

"Sure Professor it should not cause me any problems. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, I think once the girls are done with Anne's things I want you to move all of Logan's things into the suite too."

"Sir is that such a good idea? Mind you I am only thinking of how poor Gambit is going to take this. Frankly I am still shocked at the bond I witnessed between Logan and Anne earlier. I can not recall ever seeing Logan scared before. It was quite unnerving for me. Sir, I know that it is not my place to ask this of you and I swear I will never repeat anything if you would answer me one question."

"They are husband and wife, Hank. They have been married for decades. I don't even know there real ages and I've studied both their minds. You know better than most the nature of Anne's abilities. I believe she has had enough exposure to Wolverine over the years that she permanently duplicated his healing factor thus giving her the same longevity."

"Astounding. Leave it to Logan to find the one female mutant on the planet that has the possibility of being his equal in all ways. I must run more tests on them both," Hank trailed off into his own thoughts.

Charles felt the others coming up the driveway. He smiled to himself. They had all out done themselves on the gifts. Anne and Logan would both be surprised.

"Hank, just do as I asked. I will take care of Remy. The others will be in the house soon. Will you ask the girls to take care of Anne's room for me? I am going to my office for a bit before I have a talk with Anne and Logan and I do not want to be disturbed."

"Yes, sir," Hank said as Charles headed out of the room.

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Hank met his friends at the front door egger to start his new set of tasks.

"Hey, Beast how are they?" Jean asked.

"They are doing fine. Logan has even been up and showered. Anne is just a tiny bit behind him on her progress but doing well."

"That's wonderful," Storm commented.

"Ladies the Professor has a chore for you to do. He and I moved most of Anne's things into the third floor suite and he though you ladies could unpack and get the rooms ready for her."

"What a great idea," Rogue said. "The suite is the perfect place for her and Becca. The Professor always has the best ideas."

"Well, Joseph did not seem to share your opinion and frankly now he is on the war path, my dear," Hank said with a small shake of his head.

"Oh, he didn't. I'll have to have a talk with him, but first I want to help with the rooms."

"Beast," Jean said, "I think you need to go ahead and take some of this stuff down to Logan and Anne. I think the flowers, the candy and of course the balloons. Everything else can go to their rooms."

"I still need to get Anne's armoire out of the attic and into her room," Hank replied.

"Tell you what, I'll help you take this stuff down stairs and then I'll help you with the armoire."

"If you're goin' down there, so am I," Remy said.

"Remy I won't be going in just carrying a few things to the door and leaving before Hank even opens it, I swear," Jean promised.

"Fine what am I supposed to do then?"

"You know Scott could use help unloading the parts he bought today. Plus the delivery truck will be here with the plants and things in less than an hour. That stuff should keep both you men busy," Ororo said.

"Yeah, come on Gambit, lets leave the girls to it and hit the garage," Scott slapped Remy on the back and ushered him out the front door.

"Now Jubilee and Becca you two go collect your stuff from Jubilee's room and bring it upstairs. Then after we get your mother's stuff settle we'll get your stuff from the ballroom and get your room set up too," Storm dealt out her instructions, "Rogue and I will take these gifts upstairs and then we'll get started. You know I bet Hank didn't think to get the things out of the Ballroom. I don't even know if he knew they had arrived last week."

Storm and Rogue head upstairs.

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As soon as the foyer had cleared Joseph took off for the garage. He had learned several good bits of information today while the others were out and it was about time he put a few of them to good use.

Joseph found himself a hiding spot in the bushes by the garage. From his position he would be able to hear every word the two men said and not be seen. Since the return of Gambit and Rebel things had gotten much easier for him. He thought his mission was ruined with the Professor's return, but first the wedding and now Rebel was keeping the old man busy and his thoughts away from Joseph.

Hopefully he would learn what he needed soon and could return home victorious.

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As Remy unload another box he decided to ask Cyclops for his advice.

"Scott, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure," Scott replied a little puzzled.

"I don't know what to do and don't take this personally but normally I would go to Logan, but I really need help."

"Thanks for being honest. Go ahead and let's see if I can help."

"You've always loved Jean haven't you?"

"Yes, there has never been a time that I haven't loved her. I woke up one day and realized I loved her and I've never stopped. But it's not like that for everyone."

"I know that, I do. The thing is and this is going to make me sound awful, before I came back here I seriously thought I loved Belle. I really did. I was willing to do anything to be a part of her family. I wanted to make her happy and safe and all that good stuff. But then we came back here. I thought I put Rogue in the past. I thought my heart was as broken as it could be over her. Then standing there watching her pledge herself to another it felt like not just my heart but my whole soul shattered into billions on billions of pieces."

"Remy, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how horrible that was, but that doesn't make you a bad person."

"No, but the whole time, during the wedding, Belle held my hand doing all she could to make it easier on me. Caring for me."

"Anne is a wonderful lady. I should know. We had some bad times before she left, but they were mostly my fault. I was totally jealous of her. Everything I worked so hard for was second nature to her and I couldn't stand it. You know she could have killed me but she didn't. What she did was feel so ashamed for just hurting me that she ran off. You know I bought her three new dresses today. Spent over a thousand dollars on them and I would do it a hundred more times over if I could take all the pain I caused her away. I got her locked up in some hell hole and then she left us because she rightfully lost her temper a little. I deserved what I got from her and more."

"Scott, that's not helping. Now I feel worse. I've been in such a bad mood because I know I don't love her. I can't love her. I can't stop loving Rogue. I came along and rearranged Belle's whole life and now all I can think about is how to get out of it. She has got to be the best friend I've ever had and I'm gong to break her heart."

"Gambit, I don't know what to say," Scott looked helplessly at Remy.

"I just want Rogue back."

"Remy she's married now," Scott said seriously.

"I know that and I'm not going to interfere. I even went to her right after the wedding and told her I was happy for her. And I am. I just can't live without her. Joseph is all wrong for her. Not that I'm right for her. But I can promise you I love her more. I would rather love her from afar than pretend that I can move on and love someone else. I guess I could try but wouldn't it be worse for Belle and Becca if I did? Up until an hour ago I was determined to."

"Remy do what you need to with Anne, but please leave Rogue alone," Scott really was at a loss. He had no answer for Remy, "Other than that I just don't know what to tell you. Maybe you should talk to the Professor."

"I will. Do you need anything else from me? I need some time to myself."

"I'm good. Go on, just remember what I said," Scott watched Gambit head for the main building and go into a side door before he turn back to his work.

"How does one person own so many clothes," Rogue asked Storm.

"Honestly, I don't remember her having this many before. She had lots of them, but not this many. I have no idea where they all came from."

"Look half of these are vintage and in excellent condition."

"I know, see this pink dress, it has to be early 40s or late 30s. And those boxes over there are full of hats to match almost every one," Storm said turning around to show Rogue what was in her hands, "And this sailor dress over here is most defiantly from the 50s. And those over there are late 60s and 70s."

"Well, these are a lot newer. What's with all the leather and lace? Plus most of it is black or dark purple," Rogue thought these were sad colors.

"Anne was not a very happy person. She barley had any memories from before coming here and according to the Professor she did remember having a child but didn't want any of us knowing that," Storm was saddened that her friend had not trust them enough to confide in them.

"That's awful. At least I can remember enough of my past to know I don't have any offspring running around."

"True. I just wished I could have helped her more. She is such a strong woman, but I wish she would learn she doesn't have to go it alone. She has friends, we're here for her."

"Storm, what is Anne like?"

"Strong, is the easy way to describe her. She is determined, very smart, amazingly caring, and compassionate. She was a little rough around the edges, a tough person. But mostly like her mother. With a slightly darker aspect to her personality," Storm was very fond of Anne's mother, Leanna.

"You knew her mother?"

"Yes, her mother helped me when I was a child and latter arranged for Charles to bring me here."

"How did you meet her?"

"Leanna James, that was her name, came to me in Cairo not long after I had meet Professor Xavier. She said she was a friend of his and she took me into her home and taught me to use my abilities. She took care of me for several years until I left to join the tribes," Storm owed Leanna so much. "She was also responsible for safe guarding Jean in her early development and bringing her here when she was ready. She also located Scott and was a driving force in getting Beast and Warren here."

"It sounds like most of the X-men owe her," Rogue was amazed at this new information.

"You know something else, Anne is the spitting image of here mother. She keeps her hair much longer, but it amazes me how she favors her mother."

"Well, it sounds like Anne looked like her but didn't much act like her," Rogue commented.

"Oh, Anne had all the same underlying qualities and tenderness it was just packed into a tough soldier exterior. Anne is a wonderful loving, caring, helpful, compassionate, endearing woman. But on top of all that she is a hard as nail soldier and born leader. She keeps a cool head under the most exasperating stress. She's got a lot of fighter in her and attitude too."

"Storm, I think we finally have all Anne's clothes put away, do you want to put the bed together first or take a break from this room and work on the sitting room or bathroom or Becca's?"

"The bed, then the bathroom. If I know Anne she's not going to let Charles keep her locked up for long and I want her to have everything she needs."

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Beast had found a rolling cart for the flowers and candy and was pushing it into the elevator while Jean followed balloons in hand.

As soon as the doors closed Jean spoke, "Hank in all these years of knowing both of them, did it ever once cross your mind that Logan was married to Anne?"

"You know? Of course you would know. No, it never crossed my mind."

"I just can't figure it out. Neither one seems suited for the other."

"I believe Anne is as near to perfect for Logan as anyone could be," Beast had his own concerns, "Jean do you remember Leanna James?"

"Anne's mother, of course I remember her she did so much for all of us. I was so upset when she left and then when Anne came and the Professor told us that she was Leanna's daughter and that Leanna was dead. I think the only thing that could have hurt me more at that time was the death of my own mother."

"Don't you think that Anne and Leanna look alike?"

"They are mother and daughter, Beast. That can be expected."

"Jean they look exactly alike. Do you remember Leanna's tattoo, we saw it that one summer when she took us to Malibu?"

"Yea, it says "James" on her lower back in red ink."

"Anne has that tattoo."

"She could have gotten it in memory of her mother."

"Jean, Charles told me he was no more sure of Anne's real age that he is of Logan's real age," Beast was being honest he really believed Anne was Leanna James.

"Beast, I just don't know. It's hard for me to believe that the ultimate pacifist Leanna is the same person as the all guns a blazing Anne. Mother and daughter, yes, but the one and same, no."

"Jean, were here. You want to go ahead and carry those in. I know you've already been in; you're the one that set the lock codes this morning. And besides I will not tell Remy."

"Sure," Jean said as the door slid open. The shock Jean felt this time made this morning's seem like nothing.