Harry: Are you kidding? We're gonna be partying all weekend to celebrate the release! Starts Thursday and ends when I say it does!
Neurotic Temptress, Lucky439 and T.: All will be explained in time. I swear there's a good reason why she won't listen to Rogue.
Cris-X: I'm actually not too upset that they killed Psylocke. But I am about Colossus, major blow there, but if they kill Scott, I'll love 'em forever!
A/N: '~' indicates a flashback for the un-initiated.
Disclaimer: *ahem* Marvel.
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Storm had been looking directly at Rogue when suddenly, she wasn't there. She looked about her, momentarily flustered and finally found her standing next to her children. She was helping Lucretia and Nicky into the rec room. Blood was dripping from Nicky's leg. No, more like flowing. They set him down on one of the couches.
"I'll get Hank," she said, standing.
Lucretia looked at her for the first time, "Is Logan here?"
"Yes, but…"
"Dere's no need den. Mrs. Summers, if you would," she nodded to Jean and tore a strip of cloth from her shirt, using it to soak up some of the blood from her brother's leg. Almost instantly, Logan was in the rec room and kneeling beside Nicky. He grabbed the boy's hand.
"Come on, kid. Yer not gonna let a little scrape like this to ya, are ya?"
Nicky laughed, "No way, old man." As he spoke, the blood started to dry up and the wound closed. He sat up and smiled at Logan. "T'anks."
"No problem. Now that th' crisis is averted, I'm gonna get back t' dinner," he left the rec room and went back to the kitchen. His voice could still be heard when he yelled, "Hey, Elf, go see yer relations. They're waitin'!"
Kurt ported into the rec room and immediately grabbed his niece and nephew, wrapping them in a huge hug. "What happened? We were worried."
"Oui, what did happen?" Remy questioned from his spot on the couch opposite them, "You weren't supposed t' interfere, Lucretia."
She bolted upright, hands clasped firmly behind her back, "Yessir, I know, but…"
Nicky leaped up beside her to come to her defense, "Dey were expectin' us. Dey knew we were comin'."
Remy raised an eyebrow, "Dat means…"
"Yessir," Lucretia spoke again, "dere's a traitor in de guilds. I'll deal wit' it myself if you would like."
"We'll deal wit' dat later, now tell me what happened."
"We went it like you told us," Nicky explained, "an' he was waitin' fo' us. He swallowed de stone right in front o' us, darin' us to come an' get it."
"You did get it?"
"Yessir, Nicky charged his stomach and de stone ejected from his body."
Storm's eyes widened in surprise at the children's brutality.
"So what went wrong?"
"He screamed, Pappa, alerting de security guards in de building."
"An' the cut?"
"He had just enough time t' pull a knife on us, but fell as he charged, catchin' Nicky in de leg."
The rest of the room was stunned. They couldn't believe they were hearing this. Rogue was surprised that Gambit let them give their explanations in front of them and then she remembered the nature of the assignment and understood. He would want them to realize why they did it.
"So you see, sir," Nicky said, defending his sister, "she had t' get involved or it woulda been de bot' o' us."
Remy stood, a stern look on his face, "May I have it?"
Nicky reached in his trench coat and produced a small gray bundle. Remy unwrapped it and revealed a large blood red stone, wet with blood and other bodily fluids.
"Gambit, is that what I think it is?" Storm asked incredulously.
"Oui," he answered, "dis be de lil stone dat gave us so much trouble in Madripoor all dose years ago. I still got scars from dat," he placed the stone in a jacket pocket and smiled. He placed a hand against Lucretia's face, "You did good, petite. Real good." He dropped his hand from her face and put a hand on Nicky's shoulder, "Now you be a real t'ief, an' I never doubted you."
The two teen-agers beamed with pride. They had done well. Lucretia would like to say that the initiation had gone off without a hitch, but the damn fool had swallowed the stone. Things would have been much better if he hadn't.
"Now go upstairs an' clean up fo' dinner. Oh, an' Lucretia, try an' look presentable, oui?"
"Oui, Pappa," and she turned to her brother, "Race ya!" and she bolted.
"Oh not fair! You can make yo'self lighter!"
"Oh yeah! You can fly y' silly twit!"
"Y' never said dat was in de rules!"
"I just did halfwit!"
Rogue and Remy looked at each other and smiled. It was good to know they could still act like teen-agers.
Kurt and Logan had surprisingly outdone themselves. Because of the special occasion, Logan had made an absolutely astounding Japanese dinner. The mansion was filled with the smell of sesame seed oil. Thankfully, those students who still remained during the summer holidays had already eaten and their meal went un-interrupted. The large dining room table was full of conversation. Bishop, Storm, Scott, Jean, Rogue, Remy, and the Professor were all seated comfortably around it while Kurt and Logan set the dished along its length. With the table finally set, and nearly everyone seated, they waited patiently for the children, including the Summers twins. Rachel and Christopher Summers entered quietly and took their places beside their parents. Rogue and Remy sat silently, relaxed with their thoughts. Finally, Lucretia and Nicholas made their appearance.
Lucretia had honored her father's request and was wearing a knee length black skirt with a black tank top underneath a dark blue button up t-shirt. Her nearly floor length black hair was pulled back loosely. She was wearing combat boots to offset the ensemble. Nicky wore a pair of black slacks with dress shoes and an emerald green button up shirt. His hair was pulled back tightly. If one didn't know any better, they would say the Lebeau children were twins, but Lucretia, almost eighteen, was a little less than three years older than her brother. They smiled at everyone and took their places at the table. At Lucretia's request, Kurt gave a brief prayer before their meal.
The conversation had died down at this point, but gradually began to pick back up. Lucretia was the first to speak.
"Logan-sama," she beamed, "dis is really wonderful."
"Thanks, darlin', it's an old recipe."
"I don' s'pose I could wrestle it from ya?"
"Not a chance half-pint."
She giggled.
Ororo Monroe stared in complete awe at the two adolescents. How could people this sweet be killers? She couldn't fathom it. The thought made her shiver.
Kurt Wagner on the other hand was really amazed at how mature they looked, how Lucretia had bloomed into a beautiful young woman and Nicholas was quickly becoming a handsome young man. Logan was right to call them heartbreakers. He really was proud of his foster sister, she had done well for herself.
"So, I heard you just graduated from Cambridge University," Rachel Summers said to Lucretia, trying to make small talk.
"Oui," she responded simply. She turned her attention to a piece of tempura battered broccoli.
"So, how was it living over there?" Rachel continued, still trying to get something out of the older girl.
"Lonely," she had given up on the broccoli and was now pushing around a piece of shrimp with her chopsticks.
"Why?"
"Cuz you go t' school all year round, an' you hardly ever get t' talk t' anybody cuz yo' so busy wit' yo' studies."
"But did you have a roommate or anything over there?"
"Pappa, Mamman," Nicky interjected, trying to change the subject, "Lu an' I wanted t' go out tonight…"
"With who an' where?" Rogue asked.
"T' Loona's," Lucretia answered, "Frankie invited us."
"Frankie?" Remy questioned, "Yo' still involved wit' dat boy?"
She shook her head, "Non, Pappa, never was. I was just leadin' him on. His parents are wit' dose Pure Humanity people."
Rogue dropped her silverware while Gambit slowly set his down on the plate, "You are not goin' t' Loona's t'night, petite."
"But, Pappa, ain' no harm in it. 'Sides, he's good info'mation. He'll tell me anyt'in' I want t'…" she trailed off. Both Gambit and Rogue were staring at her sternly.
"How about y'all go somewhere else tonight? Hmm, sweetie?" Rogue suggested. Both Nicky and Lucretia could hear the underlying comment: Befoah yoah Pappa blow a fuse. They both nodded. Neither of them wanted to deal with their father when he was angry. He switched completely from dad mode to guild patriarch mode and that was never, ever nice. It was one of the rare times they listened to their mother, but with good reason.
Now that he had calmed some, Remy spoke again, "Why don' you take Rachel and Chris wit' you?" he suggested nodding to the twins. Jean nodded approvingly. It would be good for those two to get out. Scott frowned, but she nudged him in the ribs and he reluctantly agreed.
Lucretia's head snapped up, "Mais, dey too young, Pappa!"
"You were gonna take Nicky wit' you and he's younger dan dem,"
"Yeah, but everybody knows him where we go!"
"All de same, it'll be good fo' you t' get used t' bein' around dem."
"What do you mean?"
"Yo' Mamma an' I have decided it be best fo' you t' stay here an' train wit' Xavier until you can control yo' powers better."
Lucretia stood, knocking her chair back, "What!!" She was completely shocked. "I t'ought you said I could stay in Nawlins wit you! I don' wanna stay wit' a bunch o' headcases an' nancy boy X-men!"
"I beg your pardon," Storm interrupted.
"You people t'ink you got it so good cuz you holed up in dis big ol' mansion away from all de mutant hunters an' de hate groups! You got it easy. Everybody like you cuz old man Xavier helped pass dat stupid registration act!"
"Cretia, petite, calm down…" Remy pleaded.
"Non! I will not! Dis ain' right!"
Bishop and Kurt suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Jean rubbed her temples from all the stress at the table. Logan sat calmly and stared at the scene, as if memorizing every moment. Nicky had moved away from his sister and the table. The Summers twins could only stare on in amazement while Rogue held on to her husband's shoulders, trying to calm him.
Suddenly, in a blaze of fury, Lucretia spun on her heel and stormed out of the dining room. Remy brushed Rogue's hands off his shoulders and walked after her. For a few moments, they could hear muffled voices in the hallway. Then, right out of the blue, they could hear a resounding crack echo through the hall. The door creaked open and Lucretia sulked back in. Remy stood there in the doorway, motionless. Lucretia approached the table, hands folded in front of her. She lifted her face, there was a large angry red spot on her left cheek.
"I apologize fo' my behavior. It was unfittin' an' rude."
The occupants of the table merely stared in shock, all except Rogue, Nicky, Kurt and Logan. Rogue nodded her head, "Fo'given, Lucretia."
"May I be excused?"
"O' course." She turned and left.
"He only does that rarely," Kurt explained, "Lucretia can get quite hysterical. I had to do it myself once, not something I would like to repeat, but sometimes, she needs it." Both Nicky and Rogue nodded in agreement. Logan merely grunted. The others, however, found it hard to go back to their meal. Especially after being called nancy boys by an adolescent mutant who had willing admitted to thievery and had probably committed murder at one point or another. It was somewhat surreal and unnerving. Eventually, everyone filtered out of the dining room and on to other activities.
~~~~~~~
A knock came to the door. Remy answered it slowly, allowing whoever it was on the other side to get slightly nervous. A small balding man stood on the other side. He wore a gray suit and carried a black suitcase. Remy's first impression was a salesman, until he spoke.
"Good day to you, sir. I'm looking for the parents of…Lu…cre…t…i…a and Nicholas Leb…ue?"
He all but slaughtered their names.
"I'm Monsieur Lebeau," he said, emphasizing the name, "what do you want wit' Lucretia an' Nicholas. Are dey in trouble?"
The man was slightly flustered at being corrected but straightened out quickly, "No sir, I assure you, they are not, but you may be."
"How so?"
"May I come in?"
"Non. Explain." Remy really didn't like him. It was obvious he wasn't from around here and really didn't like being this close to him.
"Well, Mr., uh, Lebeau," he said it correctly that time, he learned fast, "I am with the Department of Mutant affairs and it appears that your children are not registered."
"Dat a problem, homme?"
"I'm afraid so, yes. You see, it is required, by law that all mutant children born after…"
"I know de law, but dey not hurtin' no one. Don' see why dey need to. Dey not even in a public school."
"Yes, well, that's another problem."
Remy raised an eyebrow at the man, he could feel that the little fellow was getting more and more nervous by the minute. That was good.
"Are you sure I can't come in?" When Remy didn't answer, he continued. "Well, you see, sir," he nearly stammered, not wanting to say the name again, "under the mutant registration act, children born after June 1st 2000 are to be registered with the department and enrolled in a public school so that their safety and education can be carefully monitored."
"So you can make sure dey don' become dangerous mutants bent on world domination?"
"Please, sir, this is very serious. If you choose not to comply within the next thirty days, you and your wife will be charged with neglect, your children will be taken away from you, and you will be incarcerated for a period of no less than five years."
"An' de ot'er option?"
"Register them as soon as possible, enroll them in a public school, and pay a small fee of two thousand dollars per child."
"Is dat all?"
"You can have them registered," the man was shaking, "at the local mutant shelter."
"Anyt'in' else?"
"No sir, that will be all. Good day." He turned around and practically ran off the porch.
"Good day," he slammed the door.
"Pappa," Lucretia tugged on his jacket. She was eight now, and getting more adorable by the day, but also more deadly. "Who was dat?"
"A very mean man."
"Wan' me t' kill him?"
"Non, better he live in fear."
"Okay," she paused for several minutes, "Mamman, an' Nicky, an' I made lemonade!"
"Sounds wonderful, petite."
Rogue cried when he told her.
~~~~~~~
Despite her outburst, Lucretia was still allowed to go out that night. She and Nicky had decided on a club in the city called Hell. They were familiar with the owner. She was a mutant and the club was mainly for mutants. They had never been there before, but they had known the owner for a few years via their parents. Apparently, she was an old friend of the X-men and still communicated with the regularly. Even though she was friends with the people Lucretia despised most among the mutant community, she liked her. She was strong and forceful. She had even done a couple of jobs for her, and she was currently working on another one so it would be mixing a bit of business with, hopefully, a lot of pleasure.
She had ditched her preppy school girl look for something a bit edgier. She wore a black leather, spaghetti strapped corset with a matching leather mini-skirt. She had thigh high nylon boots on over a pair of fish-net stockings. Her well-manicured nails were painted a deep red. Her lipstick matched them perfectly. She tied a gossamer web wrap around her waist to finish the outfit. Nicky on the other hand, wore a fish-net shirt with black vinyl pants, and there was a hint of black around his eyes. Once again, they looked like twins. They waited at the bottom of the staircase for the real twins and nearly gagged when they saw them.
Rachel wore a pale green sundress to match her gorgeous green eyes while Christopher wore a polo and dress pants. This was not the type of attire one wore to a metal club. Lucretia grabbed them both by the arms and dragged them upstairs.
"Nicky," she yelled down, "mind if Chris here borrow some o' yo' clothes?"
"Not really an option is it?"
"No!"
A few minutes later, she brought them back downstairs in simple black clothes, nothing as elegant or attention-getting as Lucretia or Nicky's, but it was better than what they were wearing before. They looked extremely uncomfortable.
"I don't think we should go…" Rachel whispered.
"Gawd! Poppa's right, ya'll really do need t' get out more. Come on, just keep yo mouth's shut and you won' get roughed up too bad." She winked at them.
They drove one of the institute's cars to the club. It lacked the style Lucretia was used to, but it was practical. The pulled up outside of the establishment and a valet took their car for them. The line was huge.
"Wait here," Lucretia advised to them. Nicky smiled. His sister had a way with doormen.
She walked straight up the bouncer and handed him her ID, "I'm here t' see de lady o' de house."
"I'm sorry miss, you'll have to wait at the end of the line, like everyone else."
She put her face less than an inch away from his, "You like your job, non?"
"I don't think that's any of your business."
"I t'ink you do. Know I would. Lookin' at all dese lovely ladies night after night. Must be nice, oui?"
"Please don't make me have you escorted from the premises, ma'am."
"Look, I'm here on really important business wit' yo' boss. Talk t' her an' I'm sure dis will all work out."
The man sighed and motioned for his partner to take his spot.
"Ma'am, I'm really sorry to bother you like this, but there's a young lady out here who says she's here on business," he said over his radio.
"You have her card?" It was a sweet voice, but carried undertones of authority and power. It had a slight Eastern European accent to it. Most men found it highly attractive.
"Yes ma'am. She's a level four mutant. We can't allow them in, can we?"
Silence.
"Ma'am?"
"Put it into the reader." He obeyed. Several moments of silence followed. "Let her, and whoever she's with in."
"Ma'am?"
"I said let them in."
"Yes ma'am." He went back to the door. Lucretia was still waiting, an impatient look on her face. He handed her ID to her. "You and your friends can go up."
She motioned to Nicky and the others and muttered a soft "I told you so," before entering the club.
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Go! Review, now! I demand it! This is really the part of the story I've wanted to get to for a long time, as you can probably tell by the ungodly long chapters, so I really want to know what you think.