Work of Art
Chapter Fourteen: A Season of Surprises - Part 1
By DamageCtrl

All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own the X-Men or anything associated with it.

"'Ello? Anyone home?" Remy already knew the answer yes, as the lights were all on in the kitchen and the sound of the television was blaring from the living room.

He walked out into the main room and Jean stuck her head out from the kitchen. "Hey, Remy! Thanks for letting stay here. You have one great shower, you know that?"

He laughed and nodded. "Glad y' had fun, cher," He turned around and was about to head to his room for a change of clothing, when his eyes landed on the television. Lucy Lawless jumped off her horse and let out her battle cry. His red on black eyes widened as he felt his entire body drain of color. "Merde..." Without hesitation, he sprinted across the room and drove at the DVD player.

"Does Rogue know about all your movies in that loft?" Jean asked with a smirk as she opened the microwave. Her half eaten box of Thai food was slowly pulled out as Remy shoved the DVDs behind 'The Godfather'.

Remy blushed and shook his head. "Non! Don't tell her!"

"Tell meh what?" Rogue asked. She walked into the apartment, putting her phone back into her pocket. She stopped as she saw his apartment. The hard wood floors, the expensive rugs in the living room, the tasteful furniture and the gorgeous night view... "Holy crap! Yah live here?"

Remy jumped on that question immediately, not wanting Rogue to think him strange for owning the Xena box set. Instead, he casually stood by television and smirked. "Oui, chere? Y' like? Y' can move." He suggested slyly.

Rogue allowed her bag to slip off her shoulder and on to the couch as she passed it. Her wide green eyes were pasted to the open windows that nearly took up one entire wall. "How much do yah pay for this place?"

"Bought it and fixed it up myself," Remy said. "Was a warehouse, but it had room for a studio and I liked de view."

"Hey, Remy, bet you really want to get cleaned up and changed," Jean said with a bright smile. She gave him a studying look. "You're still wearing the same things from yesterday." She added as she wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, fo'got 'bout dat when Rogue walked in..." he grinned, cheekily.

"Ah bet..." Rogue rolled her eyes and Remy wandered off into the hall. Jean placed her food on the high table and rushed over to Rogue.

"You have to see his loft!" she insisted with a beaming smile. Rogue tilted her head, looking confused as Jean pointed out the spiraling stairway.

"Ah didn't even see that..." Rogue mumbled. "Can we go up?"

Jean gave a little snort. "Like he'll get mad at YOU," Jean said. She began trudging up the stairs. "I guess I was supposed to sleep here last night..."

Rogue reached the top floor and smiled. She flopped herself down on the bed and giggled. "This is cute..." The loft had a low wall that reached her waist off to one side and then a series of horizontal bars going up to the ceiling. The low wall and bars looked out over the living room.

Rogue's eyes landed on the big black leather seat that Jean and fallen on. "Yep..." Jean said with a grin. "It's a bean bag."

"Get off!" Rogue dashed over and Jean let out a squeal as Rogue squished herself next to her. The two laughed as they struggled to see who could get the bean bag. Rogue somehow ended up upside down and Jean was hanging over the side. "Hey..." Rogue narrowed her eyes. "Is that Sex in the City?" She let out a snicker as she crawled over to the shelf.

Jean sat up, trying to fix her all over the place red hair as Rogue sat on a floor pillow and looked at the DVDs. "I think it's trying to hide them...the DVDs downstairs are such guy movies..."

"Ah never saw him as the type of man ta like Audrey Hepburn..." Rogue mused. "What else does he have here?"

"Oh, you should see the bathroom! It's in this chrome, black, and red decor. AND it's clean," Jean added. "You hit gold, Rogue."

Rogue gave her a lopsided grin. "Sure did..." Jean raised an eyebrow.

"I want to know..." Jean said before chewing on her lower lip. "But...well..."

"He's a ten, sugah," Rogue assured her. "Definite ten..."

"Ooh..." Jean blushed slightly and grinned. "Wait until the other girls hear about this. Betsy...God, she'll want to know all the details."

Rogue laughed. "Well, they'll be here..." Rogue's voice softened and she looked at Jean with a concerned smile. "Sugh...they told meh about what happened last night..."

Jean's smile faded from her face and her eyes looked down. "Heh..." she gave a weak laugh. "I kind of figured they would..."

"And Betsy told me about what yah planned ta do today..." Rogue added. She reached over and took Jean's hand. "How are yah feeling?"

Jean's hand tightened around Rogue's and she took a deep breath. Jean closed her eyes tightly. "I feel pain, Rogue," Jean admitted quietly. "It hurts a lot, you know? Ten years...but...I had a good cry last night," she gave a weak smile. "I hope I didn't stain Remy's couch with my tears."

"Yah slept on the couch, sugah?" Rogue asked in a pitying voice. Jean shrugged.

"As long as I slept," she sighed. "And today...Emma Frost came to talk to me about Scott."

"WHY?" Rogue stressed. She shook her head. "Ah don't understand."

"I guess she wanted me to know her point of view," Jean said. She gave a small scoff. "I gave her mine, as well."

"What did yah say?" Rogue asked quietly.

"The truth...the truth...just that I love Scott, but I want him to be happy. Even if it's with HER," Jean added, slightly bitter. "But if she hurts him..." Rogue caught the threat in Jean's words and nodded understandingly.

"Yah gonna be okay, sugah." Rogue assured her.

"I know..." Jean nodded. "I feel like I've gotten some closure. It feels good..." Jean smiled slightly and wiped the tears that were forming at her eyes. She looked up at Rogue. "But, forget about that for a moment. What matters is that I'm alive and healthy. I have a job and most importantly my friends."

Rogue smiled and moved herself up on the bean bag to give Jean a big, warm hug. "Yah always have us, sugh..." Rogue assured her. "Hell, yah probably even have Remy now...he comes with the package, yah know."

Jean laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, well, he won't be too happy when he realizes I was in his studio last night..." Jean's voice trailed off and she paled. "Oh no..."

"What? What's wrong, sugh?" Rogue asked, her eyebrows coming together and looking worried.

Jean shot up from the bean bag. "I forgot about the painting!" She gasped. She ran towards the spiraling stair case just as Remy's voice echoed through the open room.

"JEAN?" His voice was a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Does he sound angry?" Jean asked nervously as she looked over at Rogue.

Rogue shrugged. "Sugah, what did yah do?"

"Just a little therapy to help me get through the night..." Jean admitted sheepishly. Suddenly, the door bell rang and Jean's eyes lit up. "I'LL GET IT!" she announced.

She ran down the stairs and didn't give a second look to Remy, who was walking out of the hall way, holding something in his hands. Rogue was following behind her. "Hey!" Kitty's voice said. "How are you feeling?"

"What's with the worried face?" Betsy demanded immediately. "Did Scott show up? Tell me where he is!"

"No, no..." Jean sighed. She stepped aside and let her two friends in. "Everything is fine...kind of..."

"Kind of?" Kitty asked. "What do you mean?"

They walked out into the living room where Remy was holding up a piece of canvas board. From the back, there seemed to be several puncture holes through three major areas. Rogue was staring at it carefully.

"Umm...I can explain..." Jean began slowly.

"Non, cher, Remy tinks dis is pretty self explanatory." Remy said with a smirk. Rogue let out a chuckle and turned it around.

"Ah didn't know yah could paint, sugah." Rogue grinned. Jean blushed furiously as Betsy and Kitty burst into laughter. On the canvas board was a stick figure man. But the circular head with the brown hair and tell tale sunglasses made it all too obvious who it was.

"And here I thought that you were not the artsy type, Jean," Betsy grinned as she walked over to the painting to further inspect it. "I take it all back now."

"Umm..." Kitty began as she furrowed her eyebrows. "Now, I'd expect you to have stabbed his head-"

"Raght in the middle of the sunglasses, Jeannie...that's classic." Rogue agreed.

"Yeah, and the heart..." Kitty nodded. She glanced over at Jean. "But why the multiple stab wounds to the crotch?"

"Non, Remy understands dat one..." the only male in the room insisted as he cringed. The four women laughed and Rogue rubbed Remy's shoulders comfortingly.

"Sorry, Remy, I didn't mean to use your supplies...I had a hard night and I just-" Jean began, but Remy shook his head.

"Non, cher, don't worry about it...art is a good way t' let tings out," he assured her. "'Sides, dis is pretty good... y' can feel de emotions y' put in it."

"I'm thinking they're mostly hate..." Betsy concluded with a nod.

Jean rolled her eyes. "Just give it to me and I'll toss it."

"No, keep it!" Kitty piped. "It's cool..."

"And Ah think it yah did a good job, sugah. Honestly," Rogue added. "Remy, do yah mind holding on ta it so Jean doesn't sneak out and toss it?"

"Anyting for y', chere," He agreed as he lowered the painting and leaned down to give Rogue a quick kiss. "I'll put dis away den cook dinner, oui?"

"Can we order out, too?" Kitty asked. "I suddenly want something...I don't know...different. Like Russian..."

"Psh...that's a double meaning if I've ever heard one," Betsy snorted. Kitty gave her a quick glare. "You know it's true!"

"Jean, what do you want ta eat, sugh?" Rogue asked carefully. Jean thought for a moment.

"Are YOU going to be cooking..." Jean asked warily. Rogue frowned.

"Ah ain't a bad cook!" she exclaimed. "And Betsy - no comments!" The dark haired woman snapped her mouth closed before she could give her opinion.

"Well, remember that time you tried to cook us 'Southern' food?" Kitty asked sheepishly. "That was the first and last time we had to use a fire extinguisher."

Rogue fumed slightly. "Ah told yah'll, Ah didn't know Ah left the dish rag in the oven!"

"Yes, that's supposed to make us feel more confident..." Betsy mumbled. "Let's just order pizza and get it over with."

"Actually...some Southern food does sound good now..." Jean mused. Rogue's face lit up excitedly. "Can we order that?" Rogue immediately scowled.

"I'll cook," a male voice said from the hall. Barefoot and wearing jeans and a simple white shirt, he passed them, looping an arm around Rogue's waist as he did. "Roguey'll help."

The other three women exchanged glances. "Do you HAVE a fire extinguisher?" Kitty asked carefully.

"Kitty!" Rogue growled.

"Oui, I have two."

Rogue shrieked. "REMY!"

"Je t'aime, mon chere," Remy cooed soothingly into her ear as he dragged her into the kitchen. "Don't worry, we won't be needing dem..."

There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Kitty said. Jean was in the middle of showing Betsy the loft. She bounced over to the door and flung it open. A loud, ear splitting scream cut through the flat.

"KITTY?" Betsy practically jumped off the stairs and rushed to the door, quickly followed by Rogue, Remy, and Jean. "Kitty what's - LOGAN!"

"Logan?" Jean asked, looking confused.

Standing at the door way, with Kitty hugging him tightly, was Logan, looking slightly amused. "How you doing, kid? Long time no see."

"I'll say!" Betsy laughed as she reached over to hug the older man.

"Logan! Come in! Come in!" Rogue gushed as she grabbed him arm and dragged him into Remy's apartment.

"Badger?" Remy asked curiously as he watched the short, hairy man stumbling into his apartment, followed happily by an excited Kitty and a beaming Betsy. "What're y' doing here, homme?"

"It's Wolverine, Gumbo," Logan snorted quickly as he hugged Rogue back. "Came to see if everything was alright. Saw Red crying at the doorway earlier today. Thought I'd check up on her."

"Red?" The girls' eyes darted around the room until they realized Jean was the one he was talking about. Rogue let out laugh. "Logan, that's Jean Grey. She was our roommate in college."

"Oh...nice to meet you," Jean gave him a bright smile and extended her hand. "Sorry about earlier...I was having a bad day," He reached out and shook her hand firmly before letting it go. "Thanks for the water, by the way."

"Not a problem darlin'," he assured her. He locked eyes with Remy, who was in a black apron and holding a wooden spoon. "How do you know all know Gumbo?" he asked, sounding almost disgusted. Remy rolled his eyes.

"Remy?" Rogue asked. She smiled widely. "He's mah boyfriend."

"WHAT?"

"Logan, calm down!" Betsy assured him. "How do YOU know him?"

"Moved in a few years ago," Logan grumbled, obviously bothered by the situation. "He's my..." he seemed to snarl. "Neighbor."

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Badger-"

"Wolverine!" the shorter man snarled.

"Yeah, how do y' know Roguey?" Remy asked curiously.

Logan didn't look inclined to answer anytime soon, as he stood there, glaring at Remy, so Rogue answered for him. "Sugah, Logan's mah martial arts instructor - mah sensei," Rogue beamed. "He taught Kitty, Betsy, and Ah everythang we know...even sent Kitty and Betsy ta Japan for a summer ta learn at an actual dojo."

"Known Rogue since she came to this town," Logan growled dangerously. "That's a long time, Gumbo. You hurt one of my girls, you have to deal with me. Got that?"

Oui, I'll put y' on de list of people who already want me dead. Right dere next t' Roguey's maman and Julien. Remy gave Logan a cocky smile and inched towards Rogue, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and squeezing her gently. "She ain't y'r girl no more, homme."

Logan lunged at him, but Rogue held her hand up to stop him. "Let meh get this straight," Rogue told him proudly. "Ah ain't NO ONE's girl, yah got that? Not yahr's," she said as she looked at Logan. "OR yer's." She added as she looked at Remy, wiping that smirk off his face.

Betsy chuckled and crossed her arms. "Well, since Logan is here, can he stay for dinner?" Betsy asked.

"Any friend of Roguey's is welcomed here," Remy told them. "So long as he doesn't try t' kill me..."

"I ain't giving no promises, bub," Logan insisted. "Can't stay, anyway. Got a class in fifteen."

"Dat's too bad," Remy said, obviously not at all disappointed. "Mebbe next time." He smiled, pleased. Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Well, now we know where yah live, sugh, we'll drop by," Rogue said as she peeled Remy off of her and gave Logan a hug. "Thanks for taking care of Jean."

Logan merely grunted and accepted the hugs that his former students gave him before he left. Jean also gave him a hug, feeling it was in the moment. "Thank you, Logan. I really appreciate it." She added as she gave him a thankful smile. He nodded and sent a warning glace at Remy.

"Remember, Cajun." he warned before leaving the apartment. The door slammed closed and Remy looked at the women. They all looked quite happy to see the other man.

"I still don't get it," he said as he wandered back into the kitchen. "What do de femmes see in de badger?"

Raven sat alone at office, shifting through some papers on her desk. Outside, she heard the familiar voice of her daughter.

"Can't make it, sugh," Rogue was telling one of Eric's children. Raven guessed it was the daughter, Wanda. "Remy's taking meh ice skating."

"Ice skating? The man is from New Orleans, how in the world does he know how to ice skate?" Wanda laughed. "In New York, he never went ice skating and he had plenty of chances. Just sat around the outside of the ring..."

"Picking up unsuspecting girls, Ah bet," Rogue sighed, shaking her head. "So what about tomorrow? Yah free ta go Christmas shopping then?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you...noonish?" Wanda said, in a knowing voice.

"Ah'll see yah at eight sharp at the store..." Rogue replied, sounding annoyed. Raven heard Wanda agree with a laugh before the two women's voices were closed off by the elevator.

Raven released a tight breath she hadn't been aware she was even holding in. She looked down and frowned as she realized she had gripped some of the blue prints in her hands and wrinkled them. Instantly she let go of them and shot out from her chair. She stood by her window, getting a glorious view of the city, as she crossed her arms angrily around her.

It had taken her a week to bring herself to bring Rogue her cell phone. Even then, as she stood at Rogue's desk, the young woman regarded her coldly. She had given her mother a annoyed look before a barely heard thank you. Obviously, she was still mad about the events a week before.

Now, it was Friday and Raven found even more reasons to hate Remy LeBeau, feeling that he had turned his daughter against her. The man was involved in the death of a hundred something people, was an obvious womanizer, and now he turned her daughter against her.

She would not loose Rogue to a man who would never be worthy of her daughter. She turned around and went to her purse. She dug through her wallet and pulled out a small business card. Raven stared at the numbers as she sat down. After a moment of hesitation, she dialed the numbers and waited for someone to pick up. Three rings later, she got a response.

"Dis is Julian Boudreaux."

"Mr. Boudreaux," Raven said calmly as she leaned back against the thick leather chair. She glanced down at the picture of her and her children on her desk. "This is Raven Darkholme. We met a few days ago at the art show in the park..." Raven turned around on her desk, so she faced the sprawling city beyond her window. "I have a proposition for you."

"Who was dat, mon frere?" Belle asked as she wandered into her brother's study. For the time they were staying in San Francisco, they had rented out town house in the middle of the city. It was right next door to a studio where Julien was working from.

"Just got a commission, Belle," Julian said calmly. "And a proposition."

Belle raised an eyebrow. "An dat is?"

"Don' worry 'bout it."

"Non," Belle pouted. "When y' say dat, I worry. What's it 'bout, Julien?" she demanded.

The blond man stood up and casually walked across the room to where his sister was standing. "Gonna paint LeBeau's femme." he smirked deviously.

"What?" Belle gasped. "Why? Why y' paintin' HER?" she snorted, disgusted. "She's Remy's, isn' she? Let Remy paint 'er."

"Her mere don' like Remy," Julien explained. He patted his shoulder as he passed her and walked towards the living room. "She desperate t' get de girl away from him. Don' blame her."

"So she asked y' t' paint 'er?" Belle scoffed. "Dats stupid." The pretty blonde woman wrinkled up her nose and crossed her arms.

"Y' not tinkin' far enough, Belle," Julien scolded lightly. "She'll have t' come 'ere t' model fo' me. LeBeau won' be happy. Tink he'll trust me wid 'er? Course not, LeBeau will come stormin' in an' see me wid de femme."

"He isn' gonna believe dat!" Belle laughed. "Y' over Remy? Non, not gonna happen," Julien scowled at her before reaching for his phone on the kitchen table. "Now whatcha doin'?"

"If LeBeau can't leave Ms. Darkholme, den Ms. Darkholme will leave LeBeau."

"Why would she?" Belle grumbled. "Dere isn' a woman alive who'd leave Remy. Y' neva fo'get a man like 'im." Julien smirked.

"She'll fo'get, mon soeur..." Julien said as he opened the phone and dialed in a number. "I will MAKE her fo'get."

"So what are you going to get Remy for Christmas?" Wanda asked as she and Rogue walked down the street, several bags already in her hand as she beamed the other woman a smile.

"Ah don't know..." Rogue sighed tiredly. "He doesn't seem ta need anything...Any suggestions?"

"What about-"

"CLEAN ones."

"Oh...then none," Wanda shrugged and Rogue rolled her eyes. "I got him a sweater."

"Yah got everyone a sweater," Rogue chuckled. "Yer dad, Pietro, ME...what'd yah get yer husband?" A sly smirk slipped over Wanda's exterior and Rogue groaned. "Never mind, Ah don't wanna know!"

"I WAS going to tell you about the PG-13 gift, but fine...if you want to wander the stores on Christmas Eve wondering what to get your tall, Cajun god..."

"Okay! Fine! What'd yah get him?"

"New boxers!" Wanda announced. "It's a practical gift."

"Ah ain't getting Remy boxers!" Rogue flushed, remembering his black ones with the red devil rubber duckies.

"Are you SURE?" Wanda asked coyly. "I mean...you can always make him model them for you."

"Oh the other hand, it IS a practical gift..." Rogue nodded as she rubbed her chin. She grinned. "And Ah do love having an excuse to look at his tight buns..."

"Well, if you're more daring...there is a store I know of where we could go to..." Wanda suggested. Rogue gave her a questioning look.

"Where?"

"You want to go?"

"Doesn't hurt ta look, does it, sugh?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Wanda grinned. She looped one arm with Rogue's. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see..." Wanda's smile was a bit unnerving as she dragged Rogue to her car. After fifteen minutes, they drove around the city and parked in front of a store. Rogue looked out the window and saw the lingerie clad mannequins on the windows.

"Good Vibrations?" Rogue asked. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. She whirled around to look at the overly pleased Wanda sitting in the driver's seat. "YAH TOOK MEH TA A SEX SHOP?" she nearly shrieked.

"Calm down, it's not-"

"Ah can't go in there!" Rogue shouted as she pointed to the store. "It's...it's..."

"It's a high class store. Honestly, Rogue, I wouldn't take you to a hole in the wall adult book store." Wanda assured her.

"Ah..." Rogue's face was bright red. "Adult book store?"

"It's a legal term...let's go!" Wanda got out of her car before Rogue could stop her and closed the door. The green eyed Southerner stared, horrified, at Wanda's vacant seat. Her door opened and Rogue let out a yelp. "Rogue, don't be scared!"

"Ah ain't scared! But it's DAY LAHGHT!" Rogue gasped.

"Haven't you ever been to one before?"

"Yah! For Jean's bachelorette party we took her ta one as a joke! But it was dark and Ah wasn't getting anythang for any one!" Rogue argued.

"So you HAVE decided to get Remy's present here. Bravo," Wanda pulled Rogue from the car and closed the door, locking it before Rogue had a chance to scramble back inside. Rogue stared at the car longingly. "Rogue, if you put up a fight, it'll only be worse."

Rogue's blushing face fell. She knew Wanda as right. She turned around and grudgingly followed the other woman into the store, her head down and red. They stepped into the store and some light music reached her ears. Half way towards the back of the store, someone called out to her familiarly.

"Chere?" Rogue's head snapped up as she heard a voice to her right. She turned and her mouth nearly dropped as she saw Remy standing by a rack.

"REMY?"

Wanda looked from either person and silently lifted her cell phone. "Let's see...camera..." Rogue ignored the little click she heard from Wanda's phone as she stared at Remy.

"What are yah doing here?" Rogue gasped.

He looked at her, as if it were some normal occurrence to be where he was now. "Shopping," he told her simply. He lifted up a two pairs of what seemed to be edible undergarments. "Y' like red or black?" He gave her the infamous lopsided smirk. "Dey ran out of green."

Jean felt a small vibration in the pocket of her jacket as she stood in front of a clothing rack. She quickly reached inside and pulled out the phone. She smiled. Wanda sent her a picture. She flipped open her phone and let out a choked laugh. She looked around warily as she covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her snicker.

Rogue was standing with her mouth open while staring at Remy, who stood a little ways from her holding two pairs of underwear.

"I'm definitely saving this..." Jean grinned. She walked along the aisle. She was holding two bags from other stores in one hand as the other was saving the picture. She was too busy studying Rogue's expression of confused horror to look where she was going and ran into someone's warm body. "Oh, sorry-"

"Jean?"

About half a dozen curse words flooded Jean's head as she recognized that voice. She lifted her head slowly and paled as she realized she'd run into Scott Summers. He looked down at her with surprised brown eyes, for once not hidden behind sunglasses.

"Scott! What a surprise, are you Christmas shopping, too?" Jean asked, immediately slapping a happy face on.

He stared at her for a moment, almost wistfully, as he nodded. "Yeah...yeah, what about you? Here with the girls?" he asked casually. He studied her for a moment. Jean looked well, bright green eyes twinkling and her lovely red hair flowing over her shoulder smoothly. Her green scarf only brought out her eyes. "I heard you laughing a moment ago."

"Oh that?" Jean chuckled. Opps...guess I was too loud... "No, a friend sent me a picture of Rogue making a weird face on my phone," Jean explained. "I'm shopping solo today. I can't surprise the others if they're here with me."

Scott merely nodded. "Yeah...I'm alone, too."

What? No blonde tag along? She thought to herself. Immediately, she felt guilty and shook her head slightly. "That's nice," Jean gave him a warm smile. "Well, it was good seeing you again. Have a good holiday season, okay?"

She shielded herself mentally and gave him a quick hug and released him. Before she could say 'bye, Scott', his hand reached out and grabbed her arm firmly. "Wait, Jean...can we talk?"

God, not this. Not another talk. I don't want to talk! her mind screamed. "No, Scott...I don't think that's a good idea."

"Jean, please," Scott pleaded, not willing to let her go just yet. "I know you talked to Emma."

"Scott-"

"So can't you take time to at least talk to me?" Scott asked. Jean stopped trying to get him to reas her and stareed at him. The anger and resentment rose as her eyes narrowed.

Slowly she shook her head. "NOW you want to talk to me?" Jean scoffed, "After six months of saying that I didn't understand, NOW you want to talk?"

"Just hear me out-"

"No, Scott," Jean gasped as she pulled her arm away. "I tried to, I wanted to listen, but it's too late now. I don't want to listen to you any more."

"Jean, I...I don't want to divorce you." he told her in a pained voice.

So he got the papers... Jean thought to herself. She took a deep breath and took a step back from him. "Scott...I want you to be happy. And if being with Emma Frost makes you happy-"

"Being with YOU makes me happy!"

"Not any more," Jean told him sternly. "Scott...I don't think I can be happy with you any more." His face fell and he reached out for her.

"No..." he whispered as he took her arm. "No, Jean-"

"Scott, let me go." she ordered firmly. Scott shook his head and pulled her towards him.

"Jean, please, give me another chance-"

"Scott, let me go, I don't want to scream!" Jean hissed in a low voice as she pulled her arm back.

"Please-"

"No!"

"That guy giving you trouble, darlin'?" A deep, gruff voice made Scott release Jean's arm. She immediately snatched it back against her, as if she were burned and cradled it against her body.

"Who are YOU?" Scott demanded.

"Scott, this is Logan." Jean said before Logan could give any introductions of his own. Jean quietly stepped back and stood behind the fierce looking man.

"Red's with me, slim," Logan growled. "You come near her again, you ain't gonna come out looking good." he warned in a low voice.

Scott looked from Logan to Jean, a hurt look on his face before he straightened up and took a deep breath to calm himself. "Jean-"

"Didn't you hear the clue, bub? Get out of here!" Logan snarled. Scott jerked his head back and looked at Jean again. She turned her head away from him.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but stopped. He gave a nod and turned around, disappearing back within the store. Jean closed her eyes tightly and Logan turned to look at her. "Thanks...Logan..."

"No worries, darlin'," he told her, his voice gentler, but still gruff. "C'mon..." he grumbled as he waved for her to follow. "You look like you could use a drink."

A.N. - Scott was pushed away by yet another superior man. Too bad for him. I never realized the reply buttons on the reviews...I'm going to try them out so if you receive a random reply from me, it's nothing bad. :) So, now, we've gotten the ball rolling with Raven and Julien's little plan, but first...next chapter will be Remy-Rogue fluff! Sorry if this one was just aimless filler. Thank you for reading everyone!