Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or basic storylines from the X-Men. I do, however, own Matthew. And yet, still I am poor beyond belief.
Authors Note: THANK YOU REVIEWERS! You all make me so happy.
Oh and just FYI, this story will be 20 chapters including the epilog, so we're not quite at the end yet folks.
'Thoughts'
Matthew
Chapter Sixteen: This Side of Normal
"Tada!" Matthew said, stepping out from behind the dressing screen in his parent's bedroom and spinning before Jean, Ororo and Rogue, modeling his now perfectly fitting trench coat, X-Men logo's over both shoulders.
"Very nice sugah," Rogue said laughing as she walked over and lifted the small boy, kissing his cheek.
"Yes, you look quite dashing," Ororo stated as Jean nodded in agreement, a broad smile on the telepaths face as she watched Rogue fuss over the little boy face.
They had been back at the institute for a good three weeks now and things were beginning to settle down for everyone. Even for Jean, whose memory had yet to return. She worked with the professor every evening, trying to regain her memory and figure out what exactly the power was that had begun to grow within her. And that she had been having trouble controlling.
Two days after they had returned, they threw a huge party both to welcome Jean back home and to celebrate Matthew's birthday, albeit, three days late. And since then he had been the talk of the Institute, and everyone adored him. They had called Remy's family down in New Orleans as soon as they had got back home and they were already making plans to come up for a visit to see the little boy. Unfortunately, they were unable to schedule it until a month after he'd been home. So in less than a week, the already bustling Institute was going to be even busier.
"Can I wear it to school tomorrow?" Matthew asked his mother, putting his best pout on his face, the one his father used to get his way.
"Ah'm gonna kill yer daddy fer teachin' ya that," Rogue grinned, setting him on the bed and tickling him gently, still mindful of his healing ribs. Matthew fell back on the bed laughing hysterically, causing the other to women to as well. "Ah suppose ya can." Rogue finally said, releasing him and helping him to the floor.
"Merci Mamma!" he squealed happily, throwing his arms around her legs, having gotten better at moving with the cast, and kissing her knee before running over to Ororo. "Merci Stormy for helping with my jacket," he hugged the weather Goddess and kissed her cheek.
"You are very welcome child," Ororo hugged him back gently and watched as he ran next to Jean.
"Merci Jean," he said, hugging her as well.
She pulled him into her lap and hugged him a bit tighter. "You're welcome kido," she smiled and kissed the top of his head, setting him back on the ground.
"I'm gonna go show daddy," he said, rushing out the door.
"Alright sugah," Rogue smiled after him, collapsing on the bed. "Ah wish Ah had his energy."
"Does anything tire him out?" Ororo asked, smiling at the young woman. It was good to see Rogue so happy. It had been long coming.
"Only his powers," Rogue answered. "They take a lot outta him."
"Is the force-field all he can do?" Jean asked curious. She had been spending so much time working on recovering her memory and trying to understand her own gifts, she hadn't thought much about his.
"Yeah. Hank says he draws off energy his skin collects during physical contact, lahke mah mutation, but not as severe. He don't retain any memories or anything lahke that and he don't knock people out. Then he converts that energy through his hands and can create a kinetic force field, lahke Remy charges the cards," Rogue explained proudly. "The Professah thinks that he may have some latent abilities that may present themselves latah."
"Are you worried about him starting school tomorrow?" Ororo asked after a moment. They had decided to enroll him in a public elementary school, considering he was the youngest one at the mansion and the adults all thought it was best he interact with children his own age.
"A bit," Rogue admitted. "But Remy and Ah explained ta him that he can't be usin' his powers or talkin' about them with the other kids."
"How'd he take that?" Jean asked curiously. Matty was so into mutants and so proud to be one she wasn't sure how he'd understand that not everyone felt the same way.
"It took some explainin', but he understands why now," Rogue sighed. "Ah just wish he didn't have ta y'know?"
"That is the Professors dream my dear," Ororo smiled softly at her. "And we are all helping to make it real."
"And Matty's a perfect start," Jean said. "He wanted to be a mutant even before he got his powers."
"True," Rogue rose and smiled, as the other two women rose as well. "Well, we best go start dinner," she said as they exited the room and headed towards the kitchen.
Outside Matty tore out of the front of the institute, rushing down the stairs and out towards the driveway where Remy, Logan and Scott were working on their bikes.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" he yelled, causing Remy to turn and grin, walking over and crouching down to scoop the boy into his arms, kissing his cheek while Logan and Scott smirked over at them.
"What is it mon petite?" Remy asked, bouncing him a bit in his arms.
"Look?" Matty held out his small arms, trying to show his father the jacket.
"Well let's see now," Remy set him down and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest and placing his hand on his chin, regarding the boy seriously.
"Mamma made it," Matty replied with a grin, spinning for his father. "Aunt Ro and Aunt Jean helped too." Since coming to the mansion he had taken to calling the older instructors Aunt and Uncle, as well as Kitty and Jubilee. And, to Remy and Rogue's delight, he'd taken to calling Bobby Sir Stinky.
"Bon, tres bon," Remy nodded approvingly. "But, somethin' missin', don' y' homme's agree?" he asked.
"I don't know Gumbo, looks pretty good to me?" Logan stated with a smirk, adjusting a belt on his bike.
"Well now that you mention it," Scott said rising. "Something is missing isn't it?" he adjusted his shades with a smirk.
"Oui," with that Remy strolled over to his pike, and reaching into the side bag, pulled out a pair of children's sunglasses, matching his own. Walking over he knelt and placed them on the little boys' wide-eyed face. "Dere, now dat jus' perfect."
"Merci daddy," he grinned, throwing his arms around Remy's neck.
"That's mon bon garcon," he whispered, kissing Matty's forehead. "Now, how y' want t' go fer a ride?"
"On the bike?" Matty asked grinning excitedly.
"Oui, o' course on de bike," Remy smirked, walking over to the red Harley and climbing onto the back, pulling Matty up in front of him.
"Wont Mamma be mad if we don't tell her first?" he asked as Remy revved the engine and threw back the kickstand.
"Non, it jus' be a short ride hahn?" With that he gunned it and took off down the driveway, Matty's arms flying out to the side as he laughed happily.
"They all seem happy now," Logan commented, a cigar no firmly planted between his lips as he continued to work on the bike.
"That they do," Scott said rather sadly, looking down at the wrench in his hand. Suddenly a loud crash followed by screaming could be heard from inside the mansion.
"Jean," Scott whispered before taking off across the drive, the wrench landing with a loud thud on the ground.
"What the hell?" Logan asked, dropping everything and following him. "Not again."
xoxoxoxoxoxox
"Ah don't know what happened Professah," Rogue was saying as Hank fussed over Jeans now unconscious body, her and Ororo standing near Charles out of the way as Logan leaned against the wall, Kurt hung upside down from the ceiling, rosary beads moving quickly through his hoofed fingers and Scott sat next to the bed, Jean's hand tightly in his own. "One minute we were talkin' and makin' dinner and the next she's bursting inta flames and loosin' control."
"Since tapping into her power, she has been having trouble learning to control it," Charles mused sadly, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. "She has more power in her than we ever imagined."
"Is there anything we can do for her Chuck?" Logan asked, eyeing the red head closely.
"I'm afraid not. Until she learns to control it, then we must simply be there for her and try and help her through this. I'm hoping that if she is able to regain her memory, she will be able to remember how she was able to learn control before, and the process will be easier for us all, but most importantly herself," Charles sighed.
"Why doesn't she remember yet?" Scott asked frustrated. "It's been almost a month and still nothing."
"Patience my friend," Ororo soothed, walking over and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She's getting better."
"It's just takin' her a while sugah," Rogue agreed, coming over to his other shoulder.
"The memory is a tricky thing I am afraid," Charles began. "As Logan can attest to. But she is making progress. We just must give her time Scott."
"I know, I know," he ran a hand through his auburn hair and sighed in frustration. "It just breaks my heart to see her like this."
"I understand Scott, but we must be patient," Charles comforted, coming to the other side of the bed.
"She has stabilized Professor," Hank said after a moment of checking the monitors. "She should be awake in a little while."
"Very good Henry. Notify me when she's awake. I would like to speak to her," Charles said as he began wheeling out of the room.
"Come Rogue, let's finish dinner," Ororo said after a minute, the two women heading for the door. "Kurt, could you give us a hand?"
"Yeah," Kurt replied, disappearing in a cloud of sulfur and reappearing next to the weather witch, taking her arm in his as they headed for the elevator.
Logan cast one last look at the resting Jean and the distraught Cyclops before stalking out of the room, in search of something to wail on.
"Are you going to sit with her Scott?" Hank asked after a moment.
"Where else would I be?" he offered the blue Beast a half smile.
"Very well, I will be in the laboratory if you need me," he stopped and rested a large hand on Scott's shoulder. "And do not worry my old friend, as they say, 'The path to true love never did run true,'" he quoted before giving Scott's shoulder a pat and walking towards the lab.
"Tell me about it," Scott said with a snort before bringing Jeans hand up to his lips, kissing it softly. "I'm right here baby," he murmured to her. "I'm not going anywhere."
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Matthew and Remy drove up the drive a ways, before turning off onto a small side road, leading into the trees of the woods surrounding the Xavier Institute. They drove down it for a few minutes before coming to a clearing, where Remy stopped the bike and shut off the engine.
"Where are we daddy?" Matty asked, as Remy quickly got off the bike, lifting Matty off and placing him on the ground.
"At de Institute, jus' further up. What y' think o' dis place mon garcon?" Remy asked, watching as the boy began to slowly explore the large open space.
"I like it. It's big," he decided after a moment, turning to look at his father. "Why are we here daddy?"
"Cause, Ah been talkin' t' de Professah, and he say Ah can build us a house here, what y' think o' dat?" Remy asked, walking around as well.
"Why do you need to build us a house daddy? Don't we live with the X-Men?" Matty asked, slightly confused.
"Oui, but this be jus' fer us. And den, Oncle Henri and Tante Mercy and even Tante Mattie and yer Grand-père could come and visit non? And have a place t' sleep," Remy explained with a grin, kneeling next to the boy and picking at the grass. "Y' non lahke de idea?"
Matthew thought for a long time, biting at his bottom lip and reminding Remy of Rogue so much at that moment that he had to bite his tongue to keep from chuckling at the boy. "Can I have a swing?" he asked finally, looking seriously at his father. "Like the one we used to have, from the pictures?"
"O' course mon petite," Remy answered with a grin.
"And will it have a big kitchen so me and mamma can make cookies?"
"Oui."
"Then I like it very much. When will it be done?"
Remy chuckled at that and lifted him up, swinging him in the air and causing him to laugh loudly. "Hopefully soon petite," he brought the boy in close and kissed his cheek. "Come, let's go tell yer mere."
"Kay. Daddy?" Matty asked as they settled back on the bike and Remy started the engine.
"Oui petite?"
"Will it be done before you and mamma get married?"
"We'll see petite, we'll see," Remy grinned at his young sons enthusiasm as they headed back for the Institute, already making plans in his head of where he wanted to begin.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Remy was busy putting Matty to bed while Rogue leaned over the toilet, offering all her dinner to the porcelain Goddess. She flushed and groaned, closing her eyes as she rose slowly, turning and grabbing her toothbrush. "Great, just what Ah need, the flu that half the Institute has," she grumbled before scrubbing away at her teeth.
She rinsed with mouthwash three times before exiting the bathroom, pulling her hair up as she went. She paused and looked at the calendar, checking to see how many days were left until Remy's family arrived and paused, looking at it curiously. Grabbing the top and flipping it down to the next month she gazed at it for a bit longer, shock seeping into her veins as she pulled down another month.
"How did Ah miss this?" she asked, already heading out into the hallway. "She paused and peeked in Matthew's room, the one that Remy had been given when he first arrived, but had never used, watching as Matty sat curled in his fathers lap while they read a story on the bed. She watched them for a long moment, noticing that they still had a long way to go before walking back down the hallway, heading for the stairs, and Hank, who she knew was down in the lab.