- Y'all know the dilly yo that I don't own these character or marvel…blah blah blah…
Author's Note: It's been a while since I've written anything new. Been really busy with life… thought life is still as dull as usual, but it's now more time consuming. Anywho, I re-wrote this chapter completely, like I will be doing from now on. I think you all have caught onto that already. Another thing, honestly, I do not know how Joseph is like but I figured that he would be insistent if he had to but still remain a terrific friend to Rogue. After all, she was the one who really extended a hand of friendship to him. So, I hope you like this chapter. Remy will appear in the next chapter, but not quite sure when the next chapter will be written or posted. Thank you to those who have stuck by me through all this drama, love you all so much for that – muah xoxo
A Different Way to a Perfect Ending
Her eyes widened with surprise as she registered what he had just said. Apparently, he had heard the news and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he was referring to. Though, she was still hoping against all hope that he had heard something different – something that definitely did not have to do with her or her baby. But all her hoping was dashed when he spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" Joseph asked while his soft blue eyes studied her. She looked flustered, but she had a healthy glow to her; a glow that he hadn't seen since that Christmas night in New York City.
"Ah didn't think it was any of your business." Rogue replied more defensively than she had intended. By the look on his face, Rogue knew that Joseph definitely didn't expect her hostile response. "Ah'm sorry." She mumbled before he could even speak.
"It's alright. I should be the one who apologizes. I have no right to question you on your physical well-being. It's not as if I'm anyone important enough to." He stated with a hint of resentment.
"Joseph… don't do this." Rogue said softly and looked away from him.
"Don't do what, Rogue? Don't be here for you? Don't prove to you that I love you and we belong together?" Joseph asked exasperatedly.
"Yes. Don't do all that. Ah can't deal wit' this right now. Ah can't talk to ya right now." Rogue said and took off into the air before he could even say another word of protest.
-xoxo-
His body was hovering outside the gymnasium's window while his eyes remained completely focused on her. She was doing her regular workout routine, well at least her regular pregnancy workout routine that included a mixture of yoga, tai chi and some milder form of kickboxing. She didn't notice him since the window was actually quite high up. He was extremely glad about this very fact for this was the only time that he could actually see Rogue. For the past few weeks since his return, she had avoided him like the plague. Her action only frustrated him and encouraged him to try harder to talk to her. He was absolutely determined to sort out their relationship or lack of one.
While Joseph watched, unbeknownst to her, Rogue finished up her routine and grabbed her water bottle. In a week, she would officially be six months pregnant which meant that her feet would disappear from her view and the stretch marks would really do some damage. She smiled at those facts since as much as she hated the circumstances, she enjoyed being pregnant. After all, she would have never thought this would have ever been possible for her, given her mutation and all.
Yes, she didn't forget her curse of a mutation at all. She knew that she wouldn't be able to deliver her baby like every other woman. Hank would have to perform a cesarean section, but she didn't even mind that fact too much just as long as her baby came out healthy. Perhaps the only detail that made her slightly depressed besides the obvious was that she would never be able to touch her baby's skin and feel how soft it would be. She would never be able to breast feed her baby nor bathe it without wearing gloves. She shook her head to rid of the depressing thoughts. Being almost six months pregnant and with wild inconsistent mood swings, depressing thoughts definitely did not help any situations at all.
Her train of thoughts wandered from subject to subject while she walked towards the changing room to shower. The subject of Joseph finally arose as she sighed heavily at the thought of him. He had been back for three weeks now, and she hadn't talked to him since the day he arrived. Honestly, she didn't know what to say to him. She thought she had made it perfectly clear that she and him could never work out, not when she was still in love with… she couldn't even think of his name for fear that the tears would fall again.
He hated her. Joseph loved her. He wasn't here for her. Joseph wanted to be here for her. He didn't want to have anything to do with her. Joseph wanted all of her.
A part of her desperately wished she could return Joseph's feelings and that perhaps they could work out; they could make a family together. But the mere thought of that ever happening made her sick to her stomach. The idea of Joseph raising Remy's child was enough to stop her from trying to conjure any feelings whatsoever for Joseph.
Perhaps she should talk to Joseph and make it absolutely clear to him that she would never love him the way he wanted, but hadn't she already done that the first time? Rogue didn't see a point to stating the obvious again especially when she had to witness him getting his heart broken all over again. She shook her head when the realization came to her. Once again, she was thinking about her own feelings and not Joseph's. She knew that the real explanation of why she didn't want to talk to him was because of two reasons. The first one was that she didn't want to be responsible for another person's heartbreak, and the more significant one was that she knew that once she heard all that Joseph was willing to offer to her and her unborn child, she might be tempted to take him up on his offer. After all, even with all her mistakes, did she not deserve a happy ending with a man that loved her?
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she knew the answer immediately. Now, all she needed to do was find Joseph.
-xoxo-
A twist, a turn, a snap – soft sharp sounds that could be heard from his room as he worked away on an idea of his. He was so deeply concentrated on the task at hand that he didn't notice a certain southern pregnant woman standing in his doorway. She had been standing there for ten minutes, not making a sound even when the baby kicked her a few times as if to inform her to get a move on. When the baby kicked again for the fifth time, a light giggle escaped her as she looked down at her round bump in a disapproving manner.
"Bad baby." She reprimanded softly not noticing Joseph had become aware of her presence and was already walking towards her.
"Bad baby?" He inquired amusingly.
She laughed nervously as she brought her eyes to meet Joseph's soft blue ones. "Yeah… ah think ah got a soccer player in the making here."
"Remind me to pick up some soccer cleats later then." Joseph responded jokingly. Rogue laughed politely, though his comment fell short on the humour part for her. The two then stood in awkward silence for a while until Joseph finally asked, "did you want to come in and sit down?"
"Oh… right… that'll be great." She stuttered her reply slightly and stepped into the room. She walked over to his bed and sat down on the foot of it. He looked back at his side project on the desk and promptly walked over to it in order to cover it with a towel before settling down on his chair.
"So…" He began.
"So…" She finished.
"Is there something on your mind, Rogue?" Joseph asked the necessary question and studied her unreadable facial expression.
"Yeah. Guess there has to be since ah'm here, right?" Rogue responded.
"Right… what is it?" He asked bluntly.
"Ah'm sorry." She stated unexpectedly
"Sorry?"
"Ah'm sorry for avoiding you these past few weeks. It was wrong of me to do it and ya didn't deserve that kind of treatment especially since ya have only been a great friend to me ever since we met. Ah don't know what possessed me t'do such a childish act. To think, ah'm having a baby and ah still act like a teenage schoolgirl. But that's not the point right now. The point is, ah'm sorry for being such an inconsiderate friend and ah do hope that this doesn't mean the end of our friendship because ah do care 'bout ya, Joseph." Rogue stated firmly.
"Apology accepted, Rogue. I must apologize as well. It wasn't required of me to come back here after I found out the news of your pregnancy, but I thought… well… I still think that you need support from someone who cares about you… who loves you…"
"Stop before ya say anything ya're going to regret." Rogue interrupted him mid-sentence.
"I'm not going to regret it, Rogue. I do love you and you do not have to go through this alone. You do not need to raise this precious child of yours alone." Joseph said boldly.
"Joseph, did it slip your mind that this child is not only the flesh and bone of yours truly, but was also created by the man ya hate with an intense passion?" Rogue pointed out.
"The baby may be half his, but he isn't here to claim the baby so he is only the father in blood and nothing else. But I'm here, Rogue. I'm here for you and I love you. I'll be all that you need if you'll let me." Joseph said persistently; after all, he was fighting for the woman he loved at the moment.
"Have ya ever thought why Gambit isn't here, Joe?" Rogue asked softly.
"He doesn't want you after the… incident. I know he's alive, Rogue. I actually ran into him once when I was driving through Louisiana… seemed really spiteful when I asked him if he had met up with you… though I won't rule out that the spite was intended for me. Then, I found out that you were pregnant and it all came together. He doesn't love you like I do, Rogue. He doesn't know what love is. But I do. I feel it whenever I'm near you. You were the only one who believed in me when I say I don't remember being Magneto. You were the only one who gave me a chance at a new beginning. So, let me give you the chance for an ending of happily ever after… or to the best of my abilities."
"Remy doesn't know about the baby." Rogue simply stated, not wanting to address all the other statements in Joseph's speech.
"Oh…" Joseph said, stunned with the new information. Perhaps, he misjudged the whole situation completely.
"He doesn't know about the baby. Ah couldn't tell him because… ah couldn't trap him into being with me. That isn't what love is about, and believe me when ah say that ah love him with all my heart… then and now. Ah'm so sorry, Joseph. Ah wish it could be otherwise. Ah wish ya were the one ah love. Ah wish ah could have the happy ending and ah can't think of anyone as loving as ya, but ah'm not deserving of that love. Ah'm not deserving of having ya spend the rest of your life with someone who will never give her heart to ya completely. Then, there's the baby. Ah can't lie to my child about the paternity of it nor can ah have a substitute for Remy. Ah need to do this on my own. Ah need to raise my baby on my own. Ah need to finally grow up and face my responsibilities, but ah can't do that if you're gonna be standing next to me every step of the way. Ah hope ya understand, sugah. Ah didn't wanna hurt ya but we needed to get it all out in the open." Rogue explained sincerely.
"Right… that we did. I guess it really is over then. Rogue, I understand and respect your decision but if you ever change your mind…" Joseph attempted one last time.
"Ah won't, but thanks though." She dismissed it.
"So… where does this leave us?" He asked somewhat hesitantly, though he needed to know.
"As friends… ah hope." Rogue responded shyly.
"Sounds great. I'd rather have you as a friend then lose you completely." Joseph said genuinely.
Rogue smiled at him, got up and walked towards Joseph who was already standing. She looked up at him, wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. He returned the sentiment as he held onto her delicate body. A few moments passed before she pulled away from him. "Ah think it's about time ah take my afternoon nap… getting a little tired." She said while she yawned and stretched her arms.
"You go do that then. I'll see you later hopefully. Despite the outcome, I'm grateful that we had this talk." Joseph said truthfully.
"Me too. Thank ya for being such a great friend, ah do love ya for that." With that last comment, Rogue walked out of his room in search for her own big fluffy bed.
"If only you loved me more than just that." Joseph mumbled as he watched her leave.
-xoxo-
Knock Knock
"Come in." She said and as soon as she did, Joseph let himself into her bedroom. He had a smile on his face and a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"Hi Rogue." He greeted brightly.
"Hey sugah. Going on a date wit' someone?" She asked and eyed his flowers.
"Actually, these are for you." He said and handed her the flowers. Hesitantly, she took them and asked, "What's the catch?"
"Just thought a beautiful eight months pregnant lady would like some flowers to brighten up her day." He responded.
"Okay then. Thank ya." She expressed gratefully and took a whiff of the lovely scent of the mixed flowers. She placed them in a vase on her bedside table and turned back to her friend. "So, what are ya doing here? Thought Scott wanted ya t'make use of the danger room since ya are gonna be a full on member now, right?"
"That's what I came to talk to you about."
"So there was a catch! Ah knew flowers always had its price. Spill it. What's the deal?" She asked inquisitively.
"You wanna take a walk with me while I explain?" He proposed and held out his arm to her. She smiled at her friend who had been nothing but great since their talk a couple of months ago, and slipped her arm around his. "Fine. Ah think the baby could use a good stroll."
"Then it was a good suggestion on my part." He said.
Once the two were walking around one of the plentiful gardens of the Institute, Rogue asked once again, "So what's up, sugah?"
"I think I'll miss hearing you call me 'sugah' the most." He stated.
"Sounds like ya going somewhere, Joe." Rogue said.
"Well…"
Rogue immediately stopped in her tracks and looked Joseph in the eyes. "Again? Ah thought we worked things out. Don't leave, Joseph. Ah'll miss having ya around. Ya have been such a tremendous comfort and wonderful friend these past couple of months, and just when our friendship hit a comfy spot too… not to mention, ah thought ya wanted to be a permanent member of the team. Make amends for the past and what not."
"You and I both know that except you, everyone else in this household despises me." He pointed out.
"That ain't true." Rogue argued somewhat unconvincingly.
"Name one person who doesn't besides Professor Xavier." Joseph challenged.
"Umm… there's…. Scott? Ah mean he tolerates ya pretty good." Rogue answered meekly.
"He tolerates me, yes. He trusts me as a teammate, no. Face it, Rogue. I never belonged here nor do I want to. The only reason why I ever stayed here was because of you." He said truthfully.
"Well… then what do ya plan t'do?" She asked cautiously since she didn't want to address his reason for staying before.
"There's still so many things that I need to find out – like who I am, how I got this way, and what's in store for me in the future. I won't be able to find the truth here. I need to leave." He said.
"Are ya sure about that, sugah?" She asked, and didn't bother to insist that he stayed. She understood the need to go explore and discover old truths, especially when those truths are the very ones that made up one's life.
"Pretty sure. Actually, I'm leaving later today. Bags are all packed and ready to go." He told her.
"So soon? Ya ain't gonna stay t'see how this lil' monster that have been kicking me for the past few weeks will turn out?' She asked, a little stunned that he was leaving so soon.
"I'm sure that the 'lil monster' will be an angel and as much as I love to see his or her pretty face, I don't think I want to stay here much longer." He said while avoiding the real reason why he didn't want to stay to see the baby's birth. Rogue knew the unspoken explanation as well. She knew that Joseph was still not comfortable with the idea of her carrying Remy's child and for him to actually witness the flesh and blood of Remy LeBeau would be the reality that Joseph was still trying hard to deny.
"Okay. Ah understand. At least this time ya said good-bye." Rogue said and smiled lightly for him.
"Not good-bye, just a 'see you later'?" Joseph suggested and smiled back.
"Fine, see ya later it is." Rogue agreed.
"One more thing though… I have a gift for you." Joseph said and dug it out of his pocket.
"Joseph… now ya really shouldn't have." Rogue said uncomfortably.
"Trust me, you'll really enjoy this." He said and handed her a small black velvet jewelry box.
She took hesitantly, opened it slowly, and gasped at the sight of it. "It's gorgeous, Joseph but ah can't accept this."
"Yes, you can. Let me put it on you." Joseph said and took out the silver bracelet out of the box. She held her wrist back though, not willing to let him give her such an extravagant gift.
"Rogue, don't be silly here. Let me put it on you and I'll tell you the significance of this bracelet." Joseph said and waited patiently for her to extend her arm. Realizing that he could probably wait there all day for her, she extended her wrist out to him. He smiled as he clasped the bracelet on her.
"Okay… so what's the significance?" Rogue queried with interest.
"Close your eyes and let me show you." He said and she obliged more willingly to his request this time since she was quite curious to learn what his answer was. As soon as she did, with the softest yet ever so real touch, Joseph kissed her lightly on her forehead – skin on skin contact. And there was no absorption whatsoever. Rogue opened her eyes in disbelief and stared into the jovial cerulean eyes of Joseph. "What just happened?" She managed to ask although with some difficulty since she was still overcome with the phenomenon that had occurred.
"I think you know what just happened, Rogue. But in case you didn't feel what I felt, you can touch now." Joseph told her.
"How? When? What?" Rogue asked rapidly.
"The bracelet. Just now and whenever you have the bracelet on. And I'm not quite sure how to answer the 'what' part." Joseph said with amusement as he watched Rogue's still surprised expression.
"Oh mah god. This can't be… Ah can't believe it… Ah can touch!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms around Joseph. Then, she brought her lips up to his cheek and gave him a big wet smack. Once again, no absorption occurred for the bracelet acted as a power neutralizer.
Joseph hugged the excited but still fragile woman back, she was eight months pregnant after all, and said, "Well, that was an unexpected but completely delightful thank you."
She pulled back from him with the biggest smile on her face. "How did ya manage to do this?"
"A few configurations here, a few test runs there – who cares about the technical mumble jumble, the point is that you can touch now. You also know what this means right?" He asked, with a coy eyebrow arched.
"What?" She said, narrowing her eyes slightly at his cocky expression.
"I have just given you the power to feel the horrendous and excruciating experience a woman endures when she is giving life." Joseph said.
Rogue's eyes filled up with tears when his words sunk in. With the bracelet, she would now be able to experience the natural process of giving birth; she would now be able to feel her child's soft skin; she would now be able to be a real mother in every way possible. No words could be said on her part. Instead, she simply walked up to Joseph and hugged him. He held her gently as he rubbed a comforting hand down her back.
"Thank you." She managed to mumble into his shirt.
"You're welcome." He responded softly.
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