Unwanted Visitors

"Chere, Remy think dat you de most belle woman dat he has ever seen. You also think de same way about Remy oui?" whispered the Cajun.

"Y-yes I d-do," stuttered Essex unable to tear her gaze away from those red on black devil eyes. She knew that Remy had empathic abilities, listen to his words, stare too long into his eyes and you were lost as he stole your heart.

Unfortunately for both of them the attraction was mutual, Sinister's new pheromones making her equally attractive to the opposite sex fortunately not to the same effect they'd had with Creed. Still it didn't take much for Remy to fall for a woman and now he had eyes for no other. They kissed again and this time Sinister welcomed it, after all she was a woman now and Remy was exceptionally handsome. What harm would a little romance do after all? Surely one little kiss wouldn't hurt and it wasn't as though he knew just who he was really kissing.

If he did find out he'd probably kill himself but not before he killed me first, that's if he didn't just have a heart attack on the spot. There's another thing as well, now I'm a woman I still feel just a little uncomfortable with kissing men, I mean I just never used to think of myself as inclined that way.

"Remy hear dat you were attacked by Sabretooth and dat must have been so frightening chere. Remy want you to know dat you safe now with dis Cajun chere, he will see dat no harm come to you s'il vous plait."

Unfortunately there was danger approaching as Remy spoke in the beautiful form of Rogue who certainly didn't appreciate how 'friendly' Remy was getting with this admittedly attractive stranger. She knew all too well Remy's certain weakness for beautiful women and the fact that just about any woman who met him fell for the Cajun charm. Frowning she recognized the woman from Hank's description, the one he'd saved from Sabretooth and who'd seemed very keen to reward him. He'd also told her about his suspicions, that she wasn't in any real danger from Sabretooth and that Creed had been holding back in the fight.

"Alright Mystique yah may be mah mother but yah can get yah hands off my Remy. What in tarnation do yah think yah doing anyway trying tah seduce all the X-Men? Ah'm going tah have tah ask yah tah leave now sugah," snapped Rogue picking up Remy rather roughly by the collar and dumping him on the floor.

"I'm really not who you think I am," protest Natalie Essex truthfully.

Rogue gave an unladylike snort and was about to bodily haul Sinister out of the front door when Sinister decided there was only one cause of action and accidentally brushed her hand against Rogue's cheeks. The merest of touches and Rogue suddenly realized she'd made a mistake, there was something familiar about the woman but she definitely wasn't Mystique. Natalie meanwhile decided it was time to use her secret weapon by bursting into tears. Remy was still moaning quietly to himself rubbing his sore ribs but Rogue found somehow she was on the verge of tears herself.

"I don't ask for all this attention but men just seem to be constantly throwing themselves at me. It wasn't so bad with him, he's handsome but this morning I was ambushed by this well werewolf creature and I thought he was going to rape me. I ran but he kept chasing me and I ended up in the crowd and now this man said he was going to kill me. Then he saved me, I wanted to come here and thank him and ask for your help," sobbed Sinister.

"Oh sugah, ah'm so sorry ah should have realized yah were a mutant and that yah didn't ask fer yah gift. Ah bet that's why old Sabretooth was so gentle, he was too besotted with yah. Well sugah yah come tah the right place, we're the X-Men and we'll always help a mutant in need. Ah bet Hank will be only too happy tah help yah," Rogue said gently putting a comforting arm around Natalie's shoulders. She was regretting her earlier conduct, after all how could she have been so paranoid to think that a harmless woman like this could be a threat.

"Oh I hope so, I really hope so," whispered Sinister trying not to cackle triumphantly.

Kitchen

Logan was in the kitchen having one of his beers and a good brood at the same time. It was times like these that he wished he still had those cigars, a good brood just wasn't the same without one. Still he had been running the problem over and over in his mind and Creed had definitely been holding back. Now why would he do a thing like that unless it was something to do with that mysterious woman that Hank had saved? Maybe she'd set up the whole thing to get close to Hank which probably meant she was working for one of their enemies, maybe Hank's personal nemesis the Dark Beast or another of their major enemies like Mystique, Magneto, Sebastian Shaw, Sinister or even Apocalypse. Logan growled under his breath as his concentration was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Logan bared his teeth in a snarl, shaggy brows narrowing as he scowled, maybe it was that woman come to try her look again. Popping out his claws he went over to the door and yanked it open, just sheathing his claws in time as he caught the scent, just Trish Tilby, a nuisance maybe but not a danger. Trish took one look at the growling feral whose hirsute face was menacing at the best of times. She cowered back and let out a short scream. Logan just stood feeling somewhat sheepish as she recovered her composure. From the little black dress she was wearing he guessed she'd come to try and persuade Hank to come to dinner with her.

"Logan you nearly gave me heart failure, just try not to frighten people so much in future please. I mean here I am expecting my darling Hank and instead I get someone nearly as hairy and a lot more menacing. I know you're a feral and you've got that sort of rage thing but you could at least try and keep it in check," Trish said sternly poking a finger into Logan's chest.

"What do ya want darlin?" growled Logan.

"Well I was quite hurt by Hank's behavior, after I'd publicly apologized to him and he just threw my offer to renew our relationship right back in my face. All those people were looking at me like I was dirt as well. Do you have any idea how upset I feel? Well I'd like an apology from Hank and he can at least take me out to dinner," Trish's voice was dangerously close to a whine.

"Well ya ain't getting a shred o' sympathy from me Trish. At least now ya know how ya make Hank feel whenever ya decide ta dump him 'cause yer career might be harmed by yer mutant boyfriend. Yer constantly splitting up with him, breaking his heart then taking him back when ya get all guilty and ya string him along fer a bit only ta throw him aside again. Hank doesn't need ya darlin, he's got another woman now, one who actually cares fer him rather than getting a Pulitzer."

Trish Tilby looked taken aback and then her eyes narrowed and she gave Logan a vicious slap on the cheek. Eyes filling with tears she turned on her heel and ran out of the door slamming it shut behind her. Logan rubbed his cheek and gave a rueful grin. He did feel slightly guilty; despite his rough exterior he didn't like offending or hurting women's feelings. Still he felt that Trish had needed to be told and he certainly wasn't going to let her cause any more trouble in Hank's life not now that the fuzzy blue fellow finally seemed happy again. In Logan's opinion that was Hank's major failing, he could be a little too tender hearted and forgiving. Luckily for him he had a certain feral to look out for him.

"Maybe it would be better ta keep this ta myself at least fer a while. I doubt that fuzzy is going ta appreciate me interfering in his affairs even if ya know what's good fer him bub," muttered Logan to himself.

He scratched his chin in thought and decided to help himself to another beer.

The lounge

"Please Hank have mercy on me I beg of you, show me a little of that compassion you're so respected for," pleaded Bobby as he knelt before Hank.

Hank furrowed his shaggy brow and then sighed heavily; well he was feeling rather magnanimous so maybe just this once he could allow Bobby a two hundred and fifty point lead instead of the usual two hundred. Of course he'd probably still win most of the Scrabble games but it would make it more of a challenge. Jubilee had also managed to secure a similar lead by the far simpler method of just looking at Hank with those eyes of hers. That glance could reduce even Logan to tears so he'd stood no chance at all. Anyway the dear child was at present on the verge of collapsing from a fit of the giggles so he'd better relent. Hank raised a hand in surrender.

"Stars and garters, you may have the lead Bobby even though you took the last Twinkie,"

Maybe he should have joined Cecilia Reyes as she did her research in the laboratory. Wrestling with the Legacy Virus was probably a less formidable task than surviving an evening with Jubilee and Bobby in such a mischievous mood. He was liable to either lose his sanity completely or end up with his fur turning completely gray. Or maybe he'd undergo another spontaneous evolution and become oh a lion or something and wouldn't that be a surprise to them all. He'd offered to join Cecilia but she'd gently refused and told him to relax and enjoy the rest he'd earned. He'd assented willingly enough although he did have his doubts when Jubilee had hugged him and told him he was her favorite furry blue gorilla. Now he almost wished that Sabretooth would turn up since another fight with him would probably be more relaxing right about now.

"Right so if you lose then Hank you have to agree to do whatever we want for the rest of the evening. If you win Bobby does all the chores tomorrow and I have to go shopping with you. Everybody agreed," Jubilee's smile was dazzling, she'd successfully managed to talk the two men into a plan that no matter what occurred she came out a winner.

"Hank ah has got a visitor for yah sugah, would yah be so kind as tah come and see her?" asked Rogue popping her head around the door.

"I most certainly shall," said Hank thankful for his reprieve.

Sinister's lair

Victor Creed had just about managed to squeeze himself into the tuxedo although his rather burly frame and broad chest meant he had to leave the top couple of shirt buttons undone and the sleeves were a little short. His claws did tend to have a little trouble tying the bowtie as well so he'd left it off. Now he admired his reflection, he'd showered and washed his hair and had remembered to shave for once and to trim his muttonchops. Stroking his newly smooth chin he grinned, he looked good and he was sure Natalie would like it.

"Yeah I look like a real gentleman now, how can she resist the charms of Sabretooth," he rumbled to himself with a pleased little growl.