Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters; please don't sue me I am a poor college student. I am not making any money off of this and I am just writing it for the benefit of my own entertainment as well as the entertainment of the other fans out there. Also, this is a story from my own imagination, any resemblance to real life events, or even those in fiction is completely coincidental. As an additional note, there are so many fan fiction stories out there on this site as well as others, so any similarity is coincidental or great minds just happen to think alike. I do claim the non-Marvel characters, such as the Williams family and the new offspring of the LeBeau and Summers families. Thanks!
Note: I apologize for the spacing and random indents and anything of the sort. When the pages are loaded onto this site everything seems to get a bit messed up. I noticed that single lines get double spaced randomly. Sorry about that.
[[Text in these brackets denotes French.]]
Through the Years
Part VI
Chapter Twenty-Five: Actions Speak Louder than Words
Midway through the summer and already most people were sick of the extraordinarily hot weather. Remy LeBeau was not one of those people. Having grown up on the bayous of Louisiana, he relished in the sultry days and nights that summers up North could bring. It was comforting in a way, if only it could last nearly all year instead of just a few months a year. He knew that his wife felt the same way since she was a fellow child of the South. He smiled at her as she entered the kitchen were he was cooking up a gourmet dinner.
"Hot today, Shugha," she breathed as she took a seat at the kitchen table.
"Not as hot as you, Chere," he said, flirting in her general direction.
"Ya Swamp Rat," she exclaimed as she got up from her chair and wrapped her arms around him. "Are ya always such a charmah?"
"Wit' you Chere, always," with that he pulled her in tight for a passionate kiss. It might have been a coincidence, but at the same moment, the pot on the stove began to boil.
As Remy held her, Rogue thought about how lucky she was. She had a loving husband, a lovely house, and a beautiful daughter. It was never far from her mind that she nearly lost that little girl a few months back but she didn't want to seclude her daughter from the world either. She and Remy were as careful with Jessica as two mutant parents with a developing mutant child could be. As a result of their encounter with Mr. Sinister Scott suggested that maybe it would be a good idea to train Jessica and Nathaniel in some sort of self-defense training. In a rare display, Mr. and Mrs. LeBeau actually agreed with him. Once Jessica healed from her wounds she and Nathaniel started mild self-defense work with Wolverine a couple of days a week in the afternoon. Since they were only little he didn't push them hard and made it more of a game than anything else. Since Jean usually watched David as well he was invited to join them, but the little boy found solace with a certain blue-furred companion more often than not while his friends learned to defend themselves. Sometimes he'd join his friends in their workouts with Logan, but if Hank McCoy was free he'd spend the afternoon with him. The world of technology fascinated the little boy and Hank was more than happy to pass on his knowledge of computers and their workings with the eager young pupil. Now that she was a teenager, David's sister Carlie didn't come to the Mansion after school anymore opting instead for extracurricular activities or social events. However, if Jean, Remy, or one of the other adults was unable to watch the kids, Carlie usually stepped up to the plate and baby-sat. In fact she sometimes watched the three youngsters while the adults had a night out. Since she was turning fourteen in September, the X-men wondered if the young lady would develop mutant powers in the near future. She was around the right age after all.
"Ah love ya Mr. LeBeau," Rogue said as she pulled away from the kiss.
"An' I love you Mrs. LeBeau," he replied. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a small figure entering the room. He ran over to her and scooped her on top of his shoulders.
"POPPA," the little girl squealed with delight. "Let me go Poppa," she demanded as she giggled and her eyes sparkled.
"Now you know dat dere is no way dis Cajun is ever lettin' his lil' Wildcard go," he said. And he meant that with all his heart. After nearly losing her once he vowed to never let her go again, not if he still had breath in his body.
"Now Remy don't torture the child, ya Swamp Rat," Rogue said as she made her way over to the laughing pair.
"Yeah Poppa, don't torture the child, you Swamp Rat," repeated Rogue's miniature as she sat contently on her father's shoulders.
Both parents laughed at her best imitation of Rogue.
"Well if I'm a Swamp Rat den you are a Swamp Mouse petite."
Remy put the little girl down and Rogue handed her plates so she could help set the table. Remy smiled as he thought that these were the moments worth living for.
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"But I don't want it," she pouted as she looked at the plate.
"But you usually like my gumbo petite," Remy pouted back.
Rogue had to smile; he looked just as pathetic as their daughter who was trying to get out of dinner and onto dessert. Like father like daughter.
"Ok, how about just one more bite an' den you're done. Sounds fair, non?
"Non."
"Jessica ya'll are gonna finish yoah dinner or there will be no dessert. Understand?"
"Yes Momma," with that she took to finishing the few mouthfuls that were left on her plate.
"Way to lay down t'law Chere," Remy whispered as he leaned over towards Rogue.
Rogue shook her head and smiled. Time and time again she always found herself being the enforcer of rules. Remy couldn't deny his little princess of anything, and Jessica knew how to work her way with him. The thought that always made Rogue laugh was that the famous charmer was always out charmed by his own daughter!
The rest of dinner continued fairly uneventfully. Ice cream was scooped out for dessert and it wasn't until they had just about finished that they found their meal interrupted.
BEE BEEP! BEE BEEP!
"What in tarnation? Who could that be?" Rogue got up and went to a comlink that was on the counter in the kitchen. When Xavier had the house built for Scott and Jean he made sure to include an emergency comlink system from the Mansion to the little house down the street. There was one in the kitchen, living room, and both bedrooms. When they first moved in, Remy joked that one of the few places that didn't have one was the bathroom because there are just some places where privacy is sacred. No one ever used the comlink system unless the house phone line was busy or if it was during one of the tests to make sure the system worked and that was done a few times every year. However, Rogue knew it wasn't an extreme emergency or else they'd be hearing some sort of automated warning like "All X-men report to the War Room immediately." In that case they'd have to haul tail over to the Mansion.
Rogue pushed a button on the side of the speaker, "Hello?"
An image of Professor Xavier appeared on the small screen. "Hello Rogue."
"Oh hi Professor, what can Ah do foah ya?"
"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything but this is an urgent matter."
"Well what is it Shugah, spit it out."
He proceeded to explain that Bishop, newly returned from a lengthy mission received some information that required a team of X-men to head to New Mexico for some information and probably some preventative action; a mutant uprising of some sort. He told her that they needed her absorption powers in case some of these rebellious mutants were too much to handle at full strength. As reserve members of the X-men, Gambit and Rogue were always ready to help out but rarely were they ever called. In fact, neither had been called to help out since before they got their powers back.
"Ah understand what ya're sayin', but Ah don't know if Ah can do it. Ah mean, Ah haven't used mah absorption powers in nearly a decade! Ah mean, Beast says their fully functional and Ah've used mah strength and flight since then. Ah…Ah just don't know if Ah can do it."
"Well Rogue," said the image of the Professor on the screen. "That's up to you. It's your call."
Rogue looked over at her husband and daughter who were oblivious to her conversation and in the middle of some sort of staring contest which involved staring at the other person's ice cream and trying to get a spoonful of it before the other could pull the bowl away. She had to protect them, even if there was no immediate threat.
"Ok Professor Ah'll do it. When do ya need me?"
"Right away. You, Bishop, and Sage head out immediately."
"Right, Ah'm on mah way," she said as she shut off the comlink. She then went up the stairs and took her old uniform out of the closet. It was her favorite one, green and yellow jumpsuit which she capped off with a brown aviator jacket. She through the uniform on in record time and flew, literally, back down to the kitchen.
Not as oblivious to the conversation as Rogue thought, Remy heard every word and he didn't like it. But he knew she had to do it, just like he would if he was the one called.
The uniformed clad Rogue leaned over and gave Jessica a hug. "Momma's gotta go away foah a little bit. Be a good girl foah Poppa."
"Don't you want to finish dessert," Jessica asked looking up at Rogue.
"Oh baby girl, Ah don't have any time. Put it in the freezer, an' you an' Poppa can finish it foah me tomorrow night."
Jessica got up from her chair and hugged her mother's knees. "I love you Momma. I'll be good." She then parted from her mother and brought the designated treat to the freezer, using a chair to reach it.
While the little girl was out of earshot Remy told Rogue, "I know you gotta do dis Rogue, but be careful please."
"Ya know Ah will Swamp Rat, especially when Ah've got this to return home to." She pulled him in for a fiery kiss before flying out the door.
"What a femme," he muttered to himself before turning back towards the kitchen and getting ready to talk his daughter into helping him with the dishes.
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Later that night, a crowd of about ten teenaged mutants in PJs sat in a common room in the dorm of the Xavier Institute of Education. Jubilee and Bobby made a point of having at least one social night a month to keep the spirits of the students up, especially since there were only a few students here for summer school; not because they were doing poorly but because they had no where else to go. Tonight was their Board Game Night and despite initial protests of anticipated lameness and boredom, everyone seemed to be having a great time. So good in fact that they ran out of popcorn and Jubilee had to run to the dorm kitchen to make more.
"Mr. Drake you owe me some mad money yo! I own Park Place and you my friend are on it!"
"Jeez Trent, take it easy on me! I was an accountant; I'm use to dealing with real money, not this fake stuff. I mean, what country honestly accepts currency with the Monopoly man on it!"
"Um, the nation of Trent does, so fork it over," said the young man whose powers were to turn odds to his favor. "I think I'll call my country 'Trenton' yeah, I like the sound of that!"
"Um, that's the capital of New Jersey, you know our neighbor to the south," retorted Savannah, a girl with gils who could survive in the water as easily as she could on land. "Now I know why you're in summer school."
"Oh yeah well, they stole it from me! Some freaky mind readers down there in the Garden State. You know the whole idea of the Parkway, gas stations where it is illegal to pump your own gas, and diners open 24 hours a day as far as the eye can see. They stole it all from me," claimed the young man as he tried to regain some integrity. Savannah just rolled her eyes.
"I think your cheating, you're not using your powers, are you," Bobby asked as he handed over the appropriate amount.
"I swear to you I am not, the Trent man doesn't lie or cheat. Especially not to the man who has to grade my Calc test."
"Hmmm," Bobby grinned. "Good point."
"So Mr. Drake, I heard a rumor that you were dating Ms. Lee," said Savannah. "Is that true or do I just have a bad source?"
"Me date Ms. Lee? C'mon now Savannah, I've known her since she was just a kid. There can't be anything between us!"
"Oh," sighed Savannah. "That's too bad because you would make a totally cute couple!"
Bobby laughed, "You can tell your source that it has strange ideas, I can't see Ms. Lee and me ever together! There's no way anything could ever happen between us, it's too weird!"
Bobby didn't realize that Jubilee was in the doorway with a fresh batch of popcorn and heard every word of it. She felt tears stinging in her eyes since she had such strong feelings for him and he could never feel anything for her. After all this time and all these years she'd always be just a kid to him! She'd be in her eighties and he'd still see her as juvenile!
She thrust the bowl of popcorn into his lap and said, "I'm tired Mr. Drake, I'm going to bed. I think you can handle everything here by yourself. It's almost curfew anyway." Then she stormed out of the room.
A totally confused Bobby was left with a bowl of popcorn in his lap. "What was that all about, she was fine before she went to the kitchen. Must have been something she ate."
"Um duh Dude," Trent said as he reached over to take some popcorn from Bobby. He knocked on his head lightly like a door. "Are you totally oblivious, the chick totally digs you."
"WHAT?! NO WAY! She sees me as nothing more than an older brother or something. You guys are nuts."
"No Mr. Drake," whispered Leslie, an empath. "Her feelings are hurt, you are the one who is nuts."
Knowing Leslie rarely ever spoke up unless it was something important, Bobby felt like he had to take her word for it. The fact that she was an empath didn't hurt either.
"You think I should go talk to her?"
"UM YEAH!" was the unison reply of nearly every student still left in the room.
"Ok, alright. PEER PRESSURE! Jeez! Get to bed, all of you."
"What, we don't get to stay up and watch," Trent mock pouted.
"You can watch or you can pass your Calc test, your call."
"Ok alright going, sheesh! I'm not playing Monopoly with you anymore, it makes you crabby," said the young mutant as he headed to his room.
Once all the students were safely in their rooms and the common room was cleaned up, Bobby made his way to Jubilee's room.
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Jubilee sobbed into her pillow. How could she ever be so foolish to think that there was ever the remote possibility that Bobby could ever have feelings for her? Then she heard a knock at her door.
"Jubes, are you in there?"
"Where else would I be? I said I was going to bed."
"Please Jubilee, I think we need to talk."
She got up, wiped the tears from her face, and went to the door. "What is it Bobby," she asked with the best smile she could muster up.
"Were you crying kiddo? What's wrong?"
"Wrong? Oh goodness, nothing! Just a little over tired and overstressed, and it all kind of got to me. That's all. No need to worry about little old me!"
"Oh," said Bobby rather surprised. With the way the kids were talking he half expected her to be in an inconsolable state with her feelings hurt. They must have been wrong…yeah that's it, they didn't have fully developed powers and they just were wishful thinking that two of their favorite instructors could get together. That had to be it. "You sure Jubes, that's it?"
She forced a convincing laugh, "Oh of course Bobby! I'm sorry if I seemed off before, just stressed from the work of summer school. Now if you don't mind, I really need to get some sleep."
"Well, all right if that's how you feel." He leaned over and gave her a hug. "Glad you're OK. Goodnight Buddy!"
She closed the door and went back to the solace of her tear-drenched pillow.
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That same night at 1407 Graymalkin Lane one of its residence was raiding the fridge. Hard workouts always left him hungry. Standing at the counter with a hearty sandwich Logan felt this evening couldn't be any better. Then she entered the room. Her white hair blew around her due to the open kitchen window. She looked radiant by moonlight. Actually she looked radiant by any light. Even in the standard issue X-men sweats she was wearing, she still looked beautiful.
"Lookin' for a late night sandwich, eh," he asked.
She smiled, "Actually I was more in the mood for some popcorn. I was going to watch a movie if you would like to join me." She took a bag of popcorn and put it in the microwave.
Despite his tough exterior his heart actually felt like it skipped a beat. "Well Darlin' that all depends. Is it a chick flick or somethin' good?"
"Perhaps you would like to pick out the film Logan," she said still smiling. If he didn't know any better he'd almost think she was flirting with him.
"Perhaps we can find something we both enjoy."
"Perhaps.."
They stood there for a few minutes just gazing at each other. Then the microwave beeped signaling that the popcorn was finished. Ororo took the bag out and poured the contents into a bowl. "Well my friend, help yourself. There is more than enough here for you."
Was she suggesting what, he thought? "Excuse me?"
"Popcorn Logan, I made enough for both of us."
"Oh," he coughed and cleared his throat. "Of course that's what you meant. Well Darlin', I would love to join you."
"Then shall we…," she said taking up the bowl of popcorn.
"Of course," he offered his arm to the weather goddess which she graciously took and then laughed, her eyes sparkling the entire time. Then they made their way to the Rec room.
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Author's Note- I'm a Jersey girl and I couldn't resist some home state references when I realized my faux pas in naming a character Trent. One of my favorite things about the X-men is that they are so close to home. Sometimes Marvel takes stabs at my state too:-P
Anyway, anyone happen to catch the hinting at the future of Gambit and Rogue's relationship in the "The End" series? I for one enjoyed it, at least if it is what I think it is :-)
Enigmagirl2727- Thanks for the compliments, that's really sweet of you! I also love seeing my favorite characters get the happy endings they deserve, and sometimes seeing my not-so-favorites get their just desserts :-P
SevgrlxYou are right, I should have had Gambit and Rogue deal with their feelings after Jessica's recovery in the last chapter, but I didn't know exactly how to put it in without disrupting the flow of things, so I held it off until this chapter. That and I didn't want to give everyone too much to read in one day, I tend to write a lot in one chapter. But I hope you are enjoying the story! :-)
Star-of-Chaos- Well, I did want to reveal Jessica's powers to their fullest extent later but here's a scorecard of what we have witnessed so far… From Rogue she seems to have a weaker form of the absorption power and from Gambit she seems to have similar or maybe weaker ability to charge things as well as an apparently stronger form of his telepathic abilities. But a little girl like that can't have all those powers (or can she)? Don't worry, they'll find out soon enough what the real deal is. (I don't intend to make her the all powerful mutant savoir of mankind (hint, I have someone else in mind for that job but you didn't hear it from me) or anything like that but it's just that her parents have such great powers you can't help but play with them.) After all, with parents like Gambit and Rogue you can't help but get a powerful kid, providing it's a mutant and not a Graydon Creed scenario. Hope that helped!:-)
Tammy- Yeah it would have been terrible if they lost her, especially since they lost the first baby way back early in the story. :-)
Kitsu Lebeau- Yes I always seem to have something up my sleeve, right now it's my arm :-P Seriously though, your wish is my command and here's an update for you! And don't worry, randomness is fun! :-P
Ishandahalf Don't worry, I grumble about my crappy eyesight too, in fact everyone I know seems to have crappy eyesight (ponders that for a while). But yeah as I've said before who wouldn't want to be in Remy…I mean… Mr. LeBeau's class! :-)