Epilogue
Eight Months Later…
Remy woke with a start, sensing something wasn't quite right and rolled over to find himself alone in bed. He glanced at the clock with a yawn, groaning as he saw the numbers blink, 4: 45 AM and sat up, rapidly registering the fact that he was in fact, alone, when he shouldn't have been at that hour. He glanced towards the bathroom, figuring Rogue might have had to make yet another trip before the night was out, and was surprised to see it was dark and still.
Quickly he rose, grabbing his robe as he did so and slipping it on, praying that Rogue hadn't had another of the nightmares that had been assaulting her lately. They normally revolved around the baby's health (which for the majority of the pregnancy had been normal) and while Jean assured Remy they were normal, it was still a nightly experience he found completely unsettling and it was even worse for Rogue.
He plowed his fingers through his hair as he started for the living room, passing by a bridal magazine, that reminded him of the fact that he and Rogue were not only in the midst of planning for the baby but were also, in fact, planning their small late summer 'wedding'. The term wedding was being used lightly, since Remy was in fact, still legally married and could do nothing about it, without starting a fiasco nether wanted to deal with.
It had been Storm's idea to use a semi-pagan ceremony of her people's that would declare them as husband and wife to their friends and colleagues, (which everyone pretty much considered them anyways,) without the legalities. At first Rogue and he had debated having the ceremony at all, both being happy they way that they were, but then decided what hell, and so the plans were proceeding nicely to have the ceremony in August, a year to the day he'd showed up at her hotel in New Orleans.
Both Remy and Rogue had decided they wanted to wait until after the baby was born for the ceremony, so he or she could be a part of it, instead of just a carry on participant.
Remy entered the living not surprised, to find Rogue pacing the length of it, dressed in her bathrobe, one hand resting on the small of her back while the other caressed the shelf of her stomach. She had a determined look on her face that Remy knew meant she was feeling ether some discomfort, or she wanted to kill someone, possibly both where he was concerned.
He leaned against the doorframe to the living room and watched her for a moment as she slowly paced along, feeling nerves shoot through him as he realized what was happening and what was going to happen if his hunch was right.
Rogue reached one end of the room, and slowly turned to start her circuit again, finally noticing him and giving him a nervous smile. "Hey", she said breathlessly as she started towards him.
"Hey, chere", he said as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, nonchalantly. He waited until she'd reached him and then tipped her chin towards him, catching the burgeoning pain in her eyes as a pain began to build. "Da baby's coming, non?"
"Ah don't know yet", she said with another nervous smile. "Ah've only had a few mild pains, Ah didn't want to say anything until Ah was sure, it was labor and not false."
"Ya should have woke me, little one", he said as she rested her head against his chest for support. "Remy'd have gotten up with you anyways."
"You need your sleep as much as Ah do", she said quietly as she yawned. She tried to grin but all she could make it too was a pained smile. "Especially if you are, gonna help with the night feedings, right?"
"Right", he said, feeling her body tighten against his as he spoke. For the first time in nine months, it really occurred to him that they were going to have another child, another little one to add to their newly formed family group, and he felt his heart quicken and brighten at the prospect. "So how long ya gonna wait before we go get Red, huh?"
"Let's wait another hour", Rogue said, as her voice caught on a strong contraction and she rested her head against him for support. "Remy, Ah really need to sit down." Her last words spoken were almost a wail as a strong contraction gripped her and she in turn grabbed Remy with all the strength she dared.
With a light curse, Remy directed them to the couch and down on to it, settling a large pillow behind her back as he did so. "Remy knew he never should have let Cykes and Red convince us to go clubbing tonight." he said as he watched her get through the mild contraction. "We should have stayed home, what with your due date so close and all. It was probably da damn noise and action in da club dat brought dis on."
"Ah wanted to go clubbing ", Rogue said through gritted teeth. " Hell, knows when we'll get to go again." She leaned back against the pillow and tried to catch her breath. "It was a good idea for us to get out and enjoy ourselves for a bit." she smiled at him, remembering the fun that'd had that night, flirting and dancing all the slow dances, it was the best time Rogue had ever had in a club when she couldn't drink, even if she was as round as an apple and the size of a small watermelon.
It had taken a good amount of convincing on her part to get him to agree with the idea of going out with the team, and she wasn't about to tell him she'd been having mild contractions almost the entire time they'd been out. God knows if she ever got pregnant again, he'd never let her out of the mansion.
Whether it was the fact that he'd missed her pregnancy with Trey, or just his nature, Remy'd had been extra protective during her pregnancy, not liking to let her out of his sights for a moment if it could be helped. This conflicted with Rogue's independent nature, and had resulted in some banger arguments between them. Arguments Rogue usually won because as she stated they learned to compromise or as Remy stated because the couch in the living room was lumpy of hell, and he couldn't stand sleeping on it for the extended periods of time he was.
"Besides, it's not like Ah'm too early or anything, we only had three days to go before my due date anyways." She laughed as she glanced towards Trey's room. "Aren't ya glad Amara said she'd watch Trey tonight?" Since Jubilee had come clubbing with them, with Logan of course, Amara had offered to keep the kids, Scott and Jeans as well, for the night and while she'd been reluctant as first, Rogue was now gladder that she had then ever.
Remy brushed the hair out of her eyes, and thought back over the last nine months, there were times when he had been sure he wouldn't survive another day. Mood swings, cravings, and worst of all, morning sickness. He'd never heard anyone as sick as his belle chere as she'd been in the beginning, and he'd spent a good portion of his teen life around people who thought drinking and throwing up was a lifestyle choice. It got to the point where Remy had spent most of his mornings sitting outside the bathroom with a magazine, praying for noon, for her sake because that was when it seemed to stop.
He smiled as he thought of the time she'd sent him out for ice cream at two in the morning, and he'd forgotten his keys. He'd wound up having to pound on the door like a bad imitation of Fred Flintstone, and holler her name until she'd woken up and let him in, and she'd been none to happy about it.
Then there had been Trey's birthday on Halloween, and the costume party they'd thrown him. He'd got as Batman while Remy had dressed up as a vampire and Rogue had gone as a bar wench. For once Remy was glad he wasn't a teacher because he couldn't have handled a crowed of little ones like Rogue and Jean had been able too.
Everything during the pregnancy had been new to Remy, while it was almost old hat to Rogue who had obviously gone through everything with Trey. Still he knew that he being there this time had made every thing more special, and he was thrilled with every change that occurred in her body, every kick and flip that signaled another child of his was growing in her and doing well. He loved to rest his hand on her stomach and feel the baby kicking, or to watch her stomach moving as she slept and yet it saddened him a bit to think he'd missed out on that with Trey.
He'd been surprised at how quickly she'd grown round during this pregnancy, but knew it was because unlike her last one, she'd thrived during this pregnancy and her health had never been better, according to her regular check-ups with Jean. He'd made sure she didn't stress herself out, didn't take on too heavy a class load when classes had started and done much of the cooking so she'd have time to rest during the day instead of rushing around like she normally did.
Trey for his part was still skeptically there was a child in his mother at all, and when they'd asked him whether he wanted a brother of sister, had replied he'd rather have a Cocker Spaniel. He had started pre-school with the rest of Jubilee's daycare kids and was on fully days, growing like a swamp reed and often causing more trouble then he was willing to fess up to. Rogue had commented several times that he was exactly like his father, and that thought alone was enough to give Remy chills as he remembered what he'd been like as a child.
"What are you thinking?" Rogue asked him as they lay together on the couch, resting for the moment before another pain hit.
"Nothing.", Remy said as he kissed her temple. "Just about how much I love you and our children chere."
"Children", she said with a smile, still not quite used to the fact she was going to have two children instead of one child. It all didn't seem quite real yet, like a wonderful dream that she was going to wake up from and yet she knew it was real, and that made her happier then she'd ever been in her life. She linked her hand with his, and smiled up with him. "Ah love you too."
The hour crawled by, the slowest of Remy's life, as he rubbed her back, and held her hand and the pains showed no signs of stopping, so reluctantly( because he didn't want to leave her for an instant), Remy agreed to go and get Jean like they'd planned. "Remy'll be right back", he said as she fought through a strong contraction.
"Hurry", she said through gritted teeth as she watched him go.
Remy quickly, tossed open the apartment door, wincing at the bang it created, and started for Jean and Scott's room, now down the hall farther since they'd moved Livvy to her own room when she turned a year old. As he practically flew down the hall, the others began to poke their heads out their doors to see what was happening. "What's going on?" Jubilee said sleepily from Logan's doorway, where she was standing, clad only in one of Logan's t-shirts.
"Nothing much", Remy said as he continued down the hallway without missing a beat. "Jus havin a baby is all." He wasn't surprise to see Jean making her way up the hall with her medical bag on her robe clad arm, glad for once she was a telepath and didn't need to see things to know what was happening. Remy immediately changed directions and began to follow her as she headed for his room, and Rogue.
"How far apart are the pains", she asked with a friendly smile as she saw how nervous the normally calm Cajun was.
"Seven minutes", he said "She didn't want me to come and get you until we were absolutely sure it was real, and not false."
"Seven minutes isn't false", she confirmed as they entered the apartment and headed for the living room. 'In fact, it's more like, get ready to catch."
Rogue was still in the living room, having settled herself comfortably in Remy's Lazy Boy, in a position that seemed to take the pressure off of her back and give her a measure of relief. Remy move quickly to her side as she struggled to sit up and helped her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders for support.
Jean smiled as she squatted down next to her, and quickly took her pulse. "So seven minutes huh?" she said as she listened to both the baby and then Rogue's heartbeats.
"Six, now", Rogue said, clenching her teeth so hard, it was hard to understand her.
"Right, off to Med Lab we go then." Jean said, watching her patient closely as Remy helped her to her feet, and let her use him as a support to lean against. "I'll go ahead and get things ready for you."
Rogue nodded, too focused on what was happening inside her own body to hear what her friend and Doctor was saying. As Jean hurried off, and they slowly began to follow her at a pace Rogue could handle, Remy turned to her and gave her one of his best Cajun grins. "Ready to have a baby chere."
She gave him a dirty look that would have put Logan to shame. "Do Ah look like Ah have a damned choice, Cajun?" She said and he was actually relived to find that his spunky souled girl was still alive and well, Rogue had been so mellow through out the pregnancy he'd feared she was gone forever.
They made their way out the door, and down the hall as the rest of their teammates watched and offered both encouragements and congratulations as they returned to their rooms and beds. Soon, much to Remy's relief they had made it to the lab and Rogue was settled in a hospital gown in bed while Hank and Jean bustled around and got everything ready for the baby's arrival.
"How we doing?" he asked her as he tucked the blankets in around her and settled down in a chair beside the bed.
"Better", she said warily. "Jean gave me some painkillers," She grinned rather goofily at him and he knew the dose had packed a wallop. "Ah'm numb from the waist down."
" Dat always helps", he said with a nod as he watched the light from the lamp above her glint off of the necklace he'd given her at Christmas time, and to his knowledge she'd never taken off since. It was a slim silver chain with a rounded piece of his and her birthstones in the middle and a smaller piece of Trey's birthstone and the new baby's on ether side of it and as soon as he'd seen it he'd known she'd love it and he'd been right.
Despite his objections Rogue had wanted to know whether their baby was a boy or a girl until it was born, so it was still a mystery as to whether they were having a daughter or another son. It didn't matter, they'd loved the new baby what ever it was but in Remy's opinion it would have been nice to know, for at least planning the colors in the nursery.
Soon then he'd expected, and Rogue too he could tell, the contractions were only a moment apart, and both Jean and Hank were bustling around the business end of the bed as they checked and re-checked Rogue's blood pressure and the baby's heart beat.
Remy slipped an arm around Rogue's tired shoulders and helped support her as she began to push soon after that. He couldn't believe, given the fact her last labor had been so long, that she'd been in labor for less then five hours and yet it was obvious it wouldn't be much longer and the baby would be with them.
"Come on Rogue", Jean said encouragingly. "Just a couple more pushes and it'll all be over." She patted her leg through the hospital drape and smiled reassuringly "You'll be able to rest soon."
"Your doin real good, chere", Remy whispered in French, as he leaned his head against hers briefly. He wound his fingers through her gloved ones, wincing as she quickly crushed his poker playing hand, and squeezed reassuringly back as she mustered up the last of her strength for another good push. "Ya jus gotta give a little more."
'Ah don't know if Ah can", she gasped, biting her lip to keep from crying out as another pain torn through her. "Ah'm so tired, Cajun. Ah just wanna sleep."
"Remy knows P'tite", he said "But ya gotta try, okay. Remy's right here dis time to help you." And he was right there a moment later as she gave one final push, slumping back against his arm in exhaustion as a tiny wail filled the room.
" It's a girl.", Jean cried excitedly as she began to towel her off and then a moment later laid her on Rogue's stomach so Remy could cut the cord. She then wrapped her in a blanket and laid her in Rogue's arms as all of them, Remy included, felt tears come on.
"Hello little one." Rogue said softly as she looked down at her daughter for the first time and then up at Remy. "It's nice to finally meet you."
Remy was too choked up to speak, so instead he reached out and rest a hand lightly on his daughters tiny head as he kissed Rogue's hair.
"Does she have a name?" Hank as from Jean's side.
"Carlee." Remy said, speaking for the first time as the name they'd picked out came back to him. "Carlee Jade Lebeau."
"Some one should go get Trey", Rogue said. "Ah promised him, he'd get to see her right after she was born."
"Let's get you cleaned up first," Jean suggested as she handed the baby to a surprised Remy. 'And then I'll get Scott to go and get him."
Remy stared down at his daughter, and into a pair of the greenest eyes, surrounded by black, he'd ever seen, eyes exactly like his and Trey's and he'd never felt prouder, of her, of Rogue, and he'd never felt as happy as he did at that moment. "Hey li'l one", he said gruffly, not sure how exactly one talks to a baby of less then an hour old. He settled her in the crook of her arm as she yawned, and he smiled as across the room Rogue did the same thing. "Remy thinks she'd gonna have red hair like you", he said as he moved back to her side and settled down beside her again.
"Umm", Rogue said "And probably your temper."
"We can hope." he said with a laugh as he felt tears chocked him again. "Ah love you chere." he said softly as he reached out and kissed one of her hands. He grinned lopsidedly at her. "She's beautiful, just like her mama." He looked down and then back up at her. "Thank you Rogue," he said "For her, For Trey, for loving someone as rough as me."
She grinned and leaned against him as he laid the baby in her arms. "You've got nothing ta thank me for Cajun", she said. "We've both worked hard to get where we are."
"So?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"So what?' she said, smiling down at Carlee.
" Was it worth it, or should Remy say, is it worth it?" He asked seriously.
"Every minute", she said "Ah wouldn't have traded any moment of the last four years for the world."
"Me nether", he said as Scott brought Trey.
"Hey son", he said as he settled the boy on his lap. Scott smiled at Rogue and the baby in her arms, mouthed the word congratulations and slipped back out of the room again, leaving them alone as a family for the moment. "Look, you've got a little sister."
Trey looked wholly unimpressed. "I thought were getting a dog", he said with a frown and both his parents laughed.
"No.", Rogue said "But this is better, trust me."
"If you say so.", Trey said, clearly not believing her one bit.
Rogue caught Remy's eye and they laughed again as she felt fatigue begin to over take her. She yawned and after a moment struggled to keep her eyes open.
Remy noticed and setting Trey down took Carlee and settled her, a little awkwardly, in the bassinette beside Rogue's bed. Jean was keeping her in the lab overnight and then she and the baby could go home tomorrow. They still had to test and see if she was immune to Rouge's mutation but he knew that would have to wait for a few weeks until both Rogue and the baby were stronger. He had a feeling though, and he'd later find he was correct, that she was also immune and Rogue could touch her like she could Trey. "Sleep now, Mon Coeur", he said kissing her on the temple through her hair. "You've had along day."
He picked Trey up, and turning slipped from the room to go and get some sleep himself and Rogue watched him go with a smile as she began to drift off, feeling herself give in to exhaustion and slip away. For a moment she held on, looking at the baby in the bassinette beside her, thinking of how much her life had changed in the last year and how now she had the family she'd always wanted.
And then she let herself go, with a smile.
Knowing what exactly she had to wake up to the next morning and for every morning after that, and knowing she wouldn't miss it for the world.
The End.
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