Kurt came in, eyes wary. Jeremy greeted him cheerily, the glint of mischief in his eyes. "Hey, Kurt. Good to see you."

"Guten tag," he said, doubtful and cautious. He nodded to Rogue, seated by Jeremy, then looked at me. He started to smile, but then he saw Logan and he stopped. "Hello, mother."

I nodded. "My son. It is good to see you again. It has been some time."

"Hey, elf." Kurt was ignoring him, but Logan was not an easy person to ignore. Oddly enough, that seems to be a trait he shares with Jeremy.

Kurt's eyes cut to his face, then to our linked hands, and he nodded, though he looked at Rogue.

I moved again, trying to get comfortable. I despise weakness, and I particularly hate weaknesses which are mine alone. Perhaps no one will notice.

"Mother?" He looked worried. "Are you all right?"

Blast. Perdition. "I am well. Rogue, why are we here?"

She cleared her throat. "Well, I have something to tell ya. I'm going off duty for a while."

Logan and Kurt leaped in. "Sister, are you well?" "Why, kid?" Jeremy began quietly laughing, and Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Can you hold back at all, guys? For heaven's sake, y'all should let me get in a word." She paused, and Logan squeezed my hand as I shifted position again. "You see, uhm, I'm pregnant, and …"

I was nearly deafened by the congratulations being extended by Logan and Kurt. They both approached my daughter. I was stunned. Little Rogue?

No. She was not so little. I looked at her, then at Jeremy. Beneath the pride and amusement on his face as he watched the men fawn over my child, there was my own worry, mirrored. Good. He was not merely a pretty peacock. He might not be too bad for my daughter.

I cleared my throat, and my son and my - dear God, what can one call Logan? He is not my lover at present, most endearments seem silly when applied to him, and his name is not easy to shorten. Hm. My irritant? - looked over at me. "Do they think you can carry the pregnancy to term, so far?"

Rogue's elation diminished, and Jeremy's arm tightened around her. Kurt's face became concerned, and his grip changed to monitor her pulse. Logan's face darkened, and he looked back at her. She tried to cover things up with a smile. "Well, they don't rightly know, yet. Hank's gonna be monitoring me, and we're gonna call in an obstetrician to keep an eye on me. Remy's gonna take some time off, too, so's I can have someone with me just in case."

As the men talked to her, I turned an idea over in my head. Rogue being off duty, Jeremy being off with her, Logan having an interest in her well-being, as did Kurt and I … it could work, but to make things profitable, there had to be more people involved.

Rogue broke away from the others and came to me at last. "Are you all right with this, mama?"

I brushed her hair away from her face. My Rogue. "I suppose I must be. Whether I like it or not, you are pregnant and may have a child. I do reserve the right to worry about you." I tried to hold her, but she was too far away. She knelt and got closer so I could close my arms about her. "I do not relish being a grandmother. It makes me feel old."

"Now you know how I feel." Logan. Ridiculous man. I began laughing.

"Mystique, you never old." The flattering Jeremy was at it again.

Scott's voice came over the intercom. "All on alert status. Two enemy mutants, Pyro and Avalanche, approaching by car. Hold positions, people. We don't know that there will be another attack yet."

Rogue pulled away from me. Kurt teleported elsewhere. Logan moved to the door. I smiled. I knew why they were here. Petros had said he was coming for a visit.

Apparently, he had not told Charles.