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'

Flashbacks

Matthew

Chapter Seventeen: Surprises

"Henry? Ya down here sugah?" Rogue called, walking further into the medical ward, searching for the large, blue furred Beast.

"Back here my dear," he called from his office, situated at the far back of the lab. Picking up her pace she walked quickly back there to find him hanging upside down from the ceiling, a volume of William Shakespeare's work open in his hands. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Ah hope Ah'm not interruptin' anything," she said walking further into the room, her arms cross over her chest.

"No not at all my dear," he closed the book and jumped down, flipping midair to land on his feet. "Just a little relaxing reading before I retire. Now what brings you to see me at this late hour Miss Rogue?" He offered her a chair before sitting across from her, smiling broadly.

"Well," Rogue really wasn't sure how to say it. Henry was not only her physician, but also one of her closest friends. And also, well, male. "This is more a doctor patient thing," she began, her cheeks reddening slightly.

"Ah, I see," Henry rose and walked over to the coat rack, pulling on his white lab coat and turned back to face her. "Better?"

She laughed heartily at his attempt to put her at ease and smiled, relaxing a bit. "Y'know, it mahght beh," she eased back into the chair and started twiddling her thumbs as he settled behind the desk.

"Now, what seems to be the problem today?" he asked again, pulling her chart from the bottom drawer on his desk, opening it before him.

"Well, Ah was wonderin' if Ah could get a blood test," she began, still unsure how to tell him of her suspicions.

"I see, and what am I looking for with this test?" he asked gently, having a feeling where this may be going, considering all the current circumstances.

"Well, the thing is, Ah've been sick, nauseous, for the past week or so now, and started actually throwin' up today, and Ah thought it was just that flu that everyone's got," she paused and found new fascination with her shoes. "Then Ah realized Ah'm late…" her voice trailed off and she looked up at him through her lashes.

"Ah, I do see," he smiled at her and closed the file. "How late exactly?"

"Almost three weeks," she said softly, the blush on her face deepening. "Ah guess with all the excitement of having mah baby back, Ah didn't notice."

"That's perfectly understandable my dear," Henry reached over and took her two hands in one of his own, giving them a squeeze. "Why don't we go ahead and get that blood sample?"

A wave of relief washed over Rogue and she flashed him a genuine smile. "Thanks Henry."

"Of course my dear, come this way," they began to head back into the lab, Hank walking on his fists as well while they moved.

"Henry, can Ah ask ya ta not say anything until we know for sure? Ah don't wanna git Rems hopes up or anything," she said, her arms returning to her chest after she had hopped up on the table.

"My lips are sealed my dear," he turned to her, gloves on and a tray in his hands. "Lets get started then."

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Two days later and Rogue was heading back down to the lab. The past two days had been hell, and the others had started to notice Rogue's sudden waves of illness. Remy and Matthew were becoming concerned, as was half the mansion, and urging her to go see Henry. So today's meeting with the blue doctor wasn't hard to leave for. It was hard however to get her nervous husband and son to wait in their rooms. She was finally able to persuade Remy to help Matty with some of his phonics homework

The doors swished open before her and the cold air from the lab hit her full in the face as she entered, looking around the room. "Henry ya here?" she asked, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu as she looked about the lab.

"Ah, Rogue my dear, please come in," he came out of his office, a broad smile on his face and a file in his hand. "Sit, please sit," he motioned to one of the exam tables, which she hopped up on.

"Is everything alright Hank?" she asked, rather nervously, wringing her hands as she waited for him to get settled on a rolling stool, the folder in his hands.

"Yes dear, everything is fine," he looked down at the file and opened it, barely able to contain his own excitement. "And in about twenty nine weeks you will be even better I'm sure," he looked up at her, a grin firmly set on his face and his eyes sparkling.

Rogue paled considerably as she stared at him, unsure that she heard him right. "Hank are ya sayin…"

"Yes my dear I am. You are seven weeks pregnant," he said, his smile broadening.

She froze for a moment before squealing, launching herself into his arms. "Oh Hank! Thank ya thank ya thank ya!" the force of her impact against him caused the stool to spin several times.

Hank laughed happily and hugged her back. "Oh my stars and garters! You are very welcome my dear, but I do believe you should be thanking the young Mr. LeBeau, don't you?"

"Remy!" she pulled away from Hank, her eyes sparkling and kissed his cheek. "Ah gotta go tell Remy!" In a flash she was running out the door, calling her thanks over her shoulder as Henry continued to chuckle softly.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Rogue found Remy sitting in the kitchen of the mansion, the plans for their new house next to him on the table and Matty at his side, his phonics book between them as he helped his son with his homework. Logan and Scott, who had been helping Remy design the house and were planning on helping with the construction were both watching from where they leaned against the counter, a cup of coffee in Scott's hand and a beer in Logan's. Jean and Ororo sat at the table with the two LeBeau men and the Professor, sipping cups of tea while Kurt hung upside down from the ceiling fan, all of them watching Remy and Matthew closely, smiles on their faces, although Logan's was hidden by his beer bottle.

"Do y' comprenez now petite?" Remy asked, as Matty wrote the answer in the book with a large blue pencil, a gift from his Uncle Kurt.

"Oui, I think so," Matty replied, picking up his fathers French terms more and more everyday. He looked up to continue and spotted Rogue and broke out into a large grin. "Mamma!" he called, holding out his arms towards her.

"Hello mah perfect little boy," she laughed happily, walking across the room and scooping him into her arms, smothering him in kisses. "How is yer homework comin' sugah?"

"Very well it seems," Charles said with a smile, sensing her excitement, and turned to face her.

"Mamma are you okay? What did Uncle Henry say?" Matty asked, his eyes shadowed with concern as he watched his mothers face, one arm wrapped about her neck.

"Well, Uncle Henry had some really good news for Mamma," Rogue laughed, kissing his cheek again. It was then that Bobby entered the room, grumbling under his breath as he watched Rogue cuddle her son. He walked over to the fridge to grab a snack, trying to ignore the scene behind him.

"Now mah little man, how do ya feel about havin' a little brother or sister?" she asked, her joy shinning in her eyes. Normally she would have taken Remy aside and told him first, at least that's always how she planned to do it, it just never seemed to work out that way. When she had found out she was pregnant with Matthew she had been so freaked out and shocked by it that she ran in and announced it, in front of his father, Tante Mattie as well as his brother and cousins. So this really was not any different than the last time.

A shocked silence fell over the room as Remy's eyes grew to the size of saucers, the reality of her question sinking in. That silence was quickly broke as the mayonnaise shattered against the tile floor, causing everyone to turn and look at Bobby, his mouth hanging open and the fridge open before him, broken glass and white goo on the floor at his feet. Without a word he closed the door and turned, walking out of the room.

As soon as the door closed Remy was up, a smile on his face as he swung his wife and son around, laughing happily! "A baby cherie?" he asked, grinning broadly.

"Oui!" she laughed, setting Matty down on the bench and wrapped her arms around Remy as he danced her about the kitchen.

Everyone came up to them then, shaking Remy's hand and slapping his back and hugging Rogue, offering congratulations. As Jean pulled away, smiling at the couple her eyes fell on Matty who was sitting at the table, his phonics book before him and a vacant sad look in his eyes.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Jean found Matthew later that evening, sitting in the middle of Ororo's garden, watching a caterpillar crawl across the grass. He sat cross-legged, his fits under his chin and his elbows resting on his knees, a sad look in his eyes, his new jacket firmly around him and his sunglasses setting on top of his hand as he watched the bug.

"Hey Matty, can I sit down?" she asked, indicating the clear spot next to him.

"If you wanna," he mumbled, not taking his eyes off the bug.

Jean sat slowly, bending her knees so that her long a-line lavender dress wouldn't become too wrinkled and leaned back on her hand, watching the bug with him for a few moments. "You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Come on Matty, it'll make you feel better," she prodded gently.

"No it won't."

"Sure it will," she nudged him with her arm and smiled. "Come on, don't make me tickle it out of you," she grabbed him quickly before he could move and pulled him into her lap, tickling him mercilessly.

It only took a few minutes before he cracked. "Okay, okay I give!" he laughed, leaning back in her arms.

"Good, my hands were getting tired," she smiled and set him up next to her, turning to look into his eyes. "Now talk."

"Well, I was thinking," he began, picking at the blades of grass on the ground around him, avoiding eye contact. "With the new baby, they won't need me anymore."

"What are you talking about? Of course they still need you!" Jean exclaimed, pulling him back into her arms and hugging him tightly. "Why would they not need you?"

"Because the new baby will be there, and need mamma to love it and hold it and feed it, and it will need daddy to play with it and call it his petite and read it stories," Matty answered, crying softly now, hugging Jean back. "I 'member when Mr. and Mrs. Lockins, this one family I lived with for awhile, had a baby, and then they decided they didn't want me anymore and sent me away. What if mamma and daddy do that too?"

"Oh, shhh little one, shh," she soothed, pulling back to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Do you think that if they didn't want you they would have searched so hard for you? Or kept Mr. Whiskers safe all this time?" he shook his head slowly and she continued. "Besides, they are going to need you now more than ever."

"Why?" he asked, more than a little confused.

"Well, you're going to be a big brother now. That means helping to take care of your new brother or sister. Keeping them safe, protecting them from bullies and being there for one another from now until forever. You don't think your parents could do all of that without you do you?"

Matty mulled it over for a moment, his hand on his chin, causing Jean to have to stifle a laugh before he spoke. "No I guess not."

"Not guess not of course not," she kissed his temple. "Now go inside. Your mamma's worried about you."

"Okay, thanks Sum…Auntie Jeanie," he caught himself using her old name and grinned sheepishly before kissing her cheek and running off to find his parents. She watched him go a sad smile on her face before rising and walking out into the garden, enjoying the cool evening air on her skin and the peacefulness surrounding her. She crossed her arms in front of her and rubbed them, staving off the chill on her bare arms as she rounded a corner and paused, looking directly at a lone bench in the middle of the parkway, a large oak tree setting behind it. Her hands began to tremble as she walked forward, reaching out a hand and tracing the carving that was on the trunk. S.S. Loves J.G in a large heart. Suddenly the memory of that day flooded back to her.

"Scott, what are we doing out here?" Jean laughed as Scott dragged her out away from the other students, his hand wrapped firmly around her own. "We're going to be late for physics!"

"So we'll get the notes from Hank, this is more important," Scott stated firmly, pulling her further into the garden.

"The Professors going to be mad," she began and paused suddenly, her mouth falling open in shock. She stood in front of an oak tree, their tree, the one they shared their first kiss under and the one they often danced under late at night when he couldn't sleep because memories of the plane crash that killed his parents and brother still haunted him. And in the center of the bark, carved neatly was their initials in a large heart. S.S. Loves J.G. "Oh Scott," she whispered, her hand going to her mouth as she gazed at it and then him.

"I didn't know how else to say it," he admitted shyly, running his right hand through his hair and looking at the ground, his left shoved deep into his pocket. "You don't have to say it back if you don't want to."

She paused for a long moment, regarding him closely before smiling broadly, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you too Scott Summers. With all my soul."

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Scott was sitting at the desk in his room grading papers. When Matty had come back safely from the garden and Rogue had covered him in the appropriate amount of kisses, he had decided to come upstairs and get some work done. The year had just begun and he didn't want to start off behind. Plus the work kept his mind off other things. Glancing up at the picture of him and Jean that sat at the corner of the desk, smiling happily at a fair that had come through town almost six years earlier. Well in theory the work kept him busy anyway. He sighed and looked back down at the paper, making a few more red marks before writing a grade. He was about to start on the next one when a knock sounded on the door.

Looking confusedly over at it he sighed and rose. "Just a minute!" he called, turning the papers over and walking over to the desk, straightening his glasses before opening the door to see Jean standing before him, breathing heavily. "Jean what is it?" He asked concerned, wondering if something had happened to Matty or one of the others.

Suddenly she flew at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I love you too Scott Summers. With all my heart and soul."

Authors Note: Sorry for the wait. No excuses I've just been a bit lazy. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I thought I would give it a really happy ending. Hope it's not too corny though. Read and review (no flames) and let me know what you think. Only three chapters left now folks.