Flash clapped her hands and even Rouge had to smile. Remy drove them to the movie theater and bought Flash her own jumbo popcorn and candy. He and Rouge shared popcorn. Remy delighted in the sound of their laughter. Then he announced that he had the "two most beautiful cheres" sitting next to him. Flash had giggled and Rouge flushed. He just grinned.
When the movie was over he took them to the mall. BIG MISTAKE! Remy learned an important lesson that day. Never let two southern girls loose in a mall!
Meanwhile:
Spell had gone to the driveway to meet Logan. He was standing by her car when she got there.
She grinned and waved. She walked fast to where he was and jumped in her car. She motioned for him to get in the passenger seat. As she started up the car Logan wondered about her. At times she was sweet as pie, but at others…….well she was hiding something.
He wondered at the faraway look in her eyes when he asked about her past, or talked about what little he could remember of his.
As the car blasted down the highway, his musings were interrupted by her soft voice.
"Hey Logan?"
"Yeah." He grunted.
She started to speak and then shut her mouth. It was not yet time to ruin it all by revealing it to him.
"Sleep well?" She asked instead. Then she grinned and revved the engine.
Logan cocked an eyebrow. Sleep well?……… Well actually he had slept well over the last few nights.
"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"
She just shook her head. "No reason."
Wolverine lay a callused hand on her shoulder. Then without a moment's warning he grasped the rubber band that constrained her dark mane of hair. He pulled it out. Almost immediately her black brown hair was caught by the wind and swept back. Spell turned to look at him and growled, but there was merriment in her gleaming eyes. Steering with one hand, she whacked him in the head.
Wolverine rubbed his forehead in mock pain.
"What'd ya do that for?"
Spell laughed as she maneuvered the car into the parking lot of a dank, rundown bar. She stepped into the smoky atmosphere with the air of a queen. She settled on a creaky barstool near a couple of guys engaged in a game of Texas- Hold 'em with beer stained, greasy cards.
"Hey Bubba"
She said to a big man in filth covered overalls and a rugged, unkempt face.
"What's going on tonight?
The man, obviously, "Bubba", let out a resounding chuckle.
"Warm beer, hopeless fighters, and static TV. 'Bout the only good thing in this dump is that there jukebox."
Spell ordered a beer, which, although not freezing, was tolerable. Then she sauntered over to the aforementioned jukebox, which was currently playing "Miss American Pie"
Spell sang along softly under her breath.
"Don't remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride, but some thing hit me deeeeeeeep inside, the day, the music dieeeeeeed."
Then she hummed the choars and dropped a few quarters in the slot, punched in a few numbers, and slid back over to the bar.
"What'd ya put on"
Logan asked.
Spell answered, her voice barely audible.
"Just some old favorites of mine."
Meanwhile:
Gambit staggered out of the mall, loaded down with bags from various stores. Flash skipped beside her father, holding a bag from the Candy Shoppe. Rouge also carried a few bags. She no longer felt anger towards the child who was so much like Remy. Flashes happy-go-lucky manner had made it hard to be angry for long. Bright stars twinkled in the dark sky as they loaded up Gambit's car and headed home.
Once they reached the mansion and unloaded bags (tomorrow Rouge and Flash would sort through them), Flash grabbed Rouge's and her father's hands and pulled them out onto the roof where they lay there, entranced by the bright starlight.
With a cry of excitement, Flash pointed toward a blaze moving across the sky, closed her eyes and whispered under her breath.
"I wish Rougey wasn't so mad at mommy no more."
Shortly after that she fell asleep, still thinking about her heartfelt wish. Gambit carried her to her room and tucked her in. Then Rouge remembered that she needed to talk to Remy. Then she saw the fatigue on his handsome face and decided to wait until the morning.