Josh was furious. He gone to found Amara just to discover that not only did she not want to talk to him, but also she had actually been discussing the idea of going out with Bobby. So he'd done the only sensible thing and left her in tears by dumping her. He tried to find Kurt for over an hour but he'd checked the most obvious (and a few not so obvious places) he came to the conclusion that Kurt had appropriately disappeared.

He decided to head up to his sister's room for someone to talk to. He stopped outside her room and smiled to himself at the sound of talking and laughing.

It's good to hear her laugh like that again. She hasn't properly since what that bastard did to her.

"Hey Row. Can I come in?" Josh reached for the handle.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Remy kissed down Rowen's neck making her giggle. He had his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, not wanting to let go.

"Merci Cherie, Best time ah has ever had. Now are you ok?"

"Yeah." Rowen smiled, trying to find the best words to describe what had just happened. "...It was nice."

Remy feigned hurt. "Dat's all ah get. Nice. Well next time ah'll just have to try harder."

"Rem. It was amazing. Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being you, Coming to talk. Not meaning those things you said to me."

"We didn' get much talkin' done. And as for dose thin's ah said, forget dem. Forget all 'bout dat day."

"Deal." Rowen stretched and rolled over. "We better get dressed and show our faces, or people may get suspicious."

"Let dem. Let dem find us. Dis place hasn' had much gossip in a while."

"If they find us the only thing people will talk about is Josh killing you." Rowen swung her legs over the bed and tried to find her clothes. She'd just stood up to do her trousers up when Remy pulled her back on to the bed and started talking French to her. Throwing Remy's own jeans at him Rowen laughed. "That better have been nice, now get up."

"Ah would never say anythin' bad about ma fille."

"Hey Row. Can I come in?" Josh's voice sounded from the outside of the room, the handle turned and the door started to open. Remy cursed in both English and French. While doing his jeans up as fast (and carefully as he could.) Rowen spun around just in time to see the disgusted look on Josh's face at the sight of her just in trousers and a bra alone with Remy who was also only half dressed.

"What have you done to her?"

"He hasn't done anything Josh. Nothing that I didn't want anyway."

Rowen leapt over her bed and stood in front of Remy to try and protect him from her brother.

"If you've laid one finger on her Cajun…"

"JOSH"

"Ah laid more den a finger on her boy."

"REMY."

"Rowen do you remember what he did to you?"

"Well you only remind me at least once a day so yeah. But I also remember how happy he makes me, and how much he cares."

"I care Rowen. Why do you think I'm against this?"

"Josh you try to protect me. You're only around when you think I need to be looked after, not when I just need to talk to some one, or to laugh…"

"I come talk to you all the time."

"Yeah, you talk to me. What about when I want to talk? If you really cared you'd let me be happy, not making me miserable by telling me how much of a creep he is."

"I was trying to make you feel better."

"I know, but it didn't because I knew it wasn't true. I love you Josh, You didn't just forget about me. You made an effort even around your friends, knowing what they thought. You weren't just my brother, you were my best friend."

"And now?"

"I don't need you around me all the time. You know this place has been good for me. And I'm glad you're hear with me, but I don't need a knight in shining armor, not like you're trying to be."

Josh looked at his sister, 2 months ago she wouldn't have been so outspoken for fear of loosing him. He cocked his head to one side and suddenly realized how much she had changed. She held her self higher with newfound confidence. Her body was no longer fragile and marred with bruises and cuts, It was well toned and tanned from her training sessions, Her eyes, once filled with sorrow, were glowed slightly due to the power she was harboring inside. His head went up to the man stood behind her. Remy's hand was gently resting on Rowen's shoulder as she leant back against him. Josh noticed the look in Remy's eyes. It was a mixture of caring and awe as he stared at the girl pressed up against him.

Josh's face cracked in to a smile. "Ok. I give in. On one condition."

"Name it mon ami."

"You never do anything like it again. Hurt her and you're dead."

"Ah wouldn' dream of hurtin' her. For one thin' you never noticed you're the only one who will willin'ly pair with her in trainin' de past month? Dere's a reason for dat. She's brutal when she's annoyed. Ow Cherie, dat wasn' nice." Remy rubbed his side where Rowen had hit him.

Josh laughed. "Yeah I noticed. I'll leave you to it then. And if you see Kurt tell him I'm looking for him."

"Erm bro that was my fault. I asked him to tell you to talk to Amara, Why what's happened?"

"We split up, No big was thinking about it any way, got my eyes set on a certain southerner."

Remy laughed. "No offence, but ah don' swin' dat way. Taken by this belle anyway." He gently squeezes rows shoulder who looked up and smiled at him.

"You know who I mean."

Rowen looked back to her brother. "Go for it. Just be careful, She's still not too used being able to touch again."

Josh nodded and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Remy wrapped his arm around Rowen's waist and turned her to face him. She pressed her body up against his. She noticed the cheeky glint in his eye and looked down at the bulge sticking in her leg. "What again? You can't be serious, you're like an animal or something."

Remy laughed. "Only aroun' you cherie. You know how hard it's been to control my self dis long. No pun intended." Rowen's smiled and wrapped her legs around Remy's waist as he lifted her and carried her back to the bed.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Come on Logan. It's his 21st. You've got to let us do something."

"I can't even remember what it's like to be 21 sparks, so no. I don't"

"Please Logan. Pretty please."

"Get rid of the puppy dog eyes and I'll think about it."

Rowen smiled and stopped pulling a face. She'd spent the day trying to convince Logan to let Remy off his grounding for one night so they could celebrate his birthday, which was the following day and was currently knelt next to him on the sofa trying to get her own way.

"Thought about it. NO"

"Fine." Rowen returned to using the puppy dog eyes and pouted playfully. "Meanie."

"Rowen he is grounded. I'm not letting him off just because you made up. He hit another student unprovoked."

"I hit him first. That counts as him being provoked. And what about all the fights he gets in to with Josh. You don't ground them then."

"That's different."

"Why because their men?"

"Precisely."

"Double standards or what. Oh come on Logan. Please. We can all go out. You can supervise. Even choose where."

"Ok. I give in. I'll talk to Charles. See what he thinks." Logan stood up and walked out of the room.

Rogue looked up from where she had pretended to be reading. "Score."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Bowling."

"Logan You cannot be serious."

"He's loosing it in his old age."

"Sparks I'm warning you."

"Logan you've been warning me all night."

The students of the institute were sat around the table eating their evening meal when Logan had announced that he had made a decision about Remy's birthday, which had sent the room in to uproar.

"Yeah, well this is your last chance. We're going bowling if you like it or not. That way all of the students can join in."

Remy looked up from his plate. "Ah think dat it's a good idea."

Once again the noise level at the table rose. "LeBeau it's your 21st."

"Yeah your officially allowed to do all those things that you've been doing since you were 12."

"Yeah no more stealing alcohol from Logan's not so private store."

"Bobby. Ah will kill you. Somethin's are worth bein' grounded for life."

"That better had not be true gumbo or I will change my mind about what I'm going to say next. Ah also talked chuck in to allowing the older male students to join me at a club…" Rogue and Rowen started to shoot him evil looks, while jean opened her mouth to complain, but Logan got there first. "…With dates of course. And I can hear what you're saying to stripes Sparks. Last warning." Rowen pulled an innocent face and pretended that she hadn't been whispering to Rogue about the best way to get revenge. She gently squeezed Remy's leg under the table. The others knew that they were talking again, but only Rogue and Josh knew that they had got back together and how serious it had got. Glancing back over at rogue she noticed that her best friend wasn't looking too happy. Josh still hadn't admitted how he felt, so as far as she knew she wouldn't be invited.

"Hey Logan you realize that that was her second last warning."

"Hey Tabatha. Ever had a energy ball shoved down your throat?"

"Rowen, Watch it." Logan growled at her.

"Logan What do you mean by the older Students?"

"If you got to ask Popsicle then it aint you." Logan picked up his plate and walked in to the kitchen.

As soon as he walked out of the room all female attention turned to the only 2 single, or so they thought, male students left. Amara quickly let go of Bobby's hand and turned to Josh. "Hey you know that what I said last week I didn't mean don't you?"

Josh Laughed. "Don't kid you're self Amara. You wouldn't get anywhere near the door of a club. Hey Rogue. I was… err… Just wondering… I mean…" Josh was suddenly nervous.

Remy laughed at his friend's awkwardness. "He wants you to go with him."

Rogue smiled and looked at Josh's now pale face. "Sure Sugah."

Tabby turned to Remy, wanting to make it obvious as to make Rowen jealous. "How bout you? You've not said who you're taking yet."

"That's because ah don' need to Cherie. De lucky fille already knows who she is." He flashed her his charming smile and winked, Tabby smiled beck getting the wrong idea, then her face dropped as Remy leant down to kiss Rowen.

"Purleessseeee."

Rowen pulled away and joined in the laughing at Tabby's expense. She looked over and noticed that Kitty wasn't her normal smiling self, despite being leaned up against peter that was whispering quietly in her ear.

"What's up kit?"

"I'm like so not going to get in."

Rogue looked up from talking to Josh. "Sure you are Sugah."

"Yeah we never leave anyone behin'." Several of the younger children opened their mouths to dispute. "No one dat's been invited anyway."

Rowen jumped as a loud noise sounded behind her.

"KURT. NOT AT THE TABLE."

The Blue fuzzy elf next to her simply stuck his tongue out before having a brief whispered conversation with Remy, and porting back to his seat.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"I cannot believe that blue fur ball." Rowen stormed back in to her room that for some reason had become party central to the girls going to the club later. The girl's dorms had become off limits to all boys, and they even had Rahne and Jamie (the only male allowed near) stood guarding each end.

Kurt's girlfriend Amanda looked up. It was her first visit to the institute and she was nervous. "Do you mean Kurt?"

Rogue laughed from her place by the dresser. "Nah Hank. Take it he said no."

Rowen flopped down on to the bed and perched her self up on her elbows before she started to mimic Hank's tone. "Now Limbo, Do you think that is a suitable idea? What would happen if you're powers played up, it would not be a very good image for the institute." She rubbed the back of her neck. "He said if it's hurting and annoying me so much then I should have another week in the lab. But no way am I missing tonight."

"Just, like ignore him. He's only sore because he can't come as well." Kitty appeared through the wall from her bedroom next door.

Amanda looked over at the girls. The whole conversation was confusing her. "Why can't Mr. McCoy just have one of those image things like Kurt does?"

"He won't wear one."

"Oh. Why do you need his permission to take you're necklace off?"

Rowen sighed and tilted her head back; She was so fed up of explaining to people. But half of the students never seemed to grasp the concept. "It stops me from turning in to a sparkler."

Amanda seemed rather taken aback by the abruptness. This was the first time that she had properly met Rowen, but Kurt had always told her how nice she was. Jean walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ignore her. She gets annoyed easily."

"Yeah, she's not got any all day." Rogue laughed again as Rowen shot her a dirty look.

Jean smiled "Rowen remember we're walking to the club tonight while Logan and Ororo drives everyone back. Make it rain and I'll tell Logan about Remy sneaking up here at night."

Rowen sat up suddenly. "You dare red."

Jean smiled and placed a black silk scarf on her stomach, "Oh I dare, Tie that over you're necklace."

Smiling back Rowen picked it up and put it over the now scruffy looking chocker around her neck. "Thanks."

Rogue put her lipstick down and turned to face the others. "Ah'm ready." Rowen looked her up and down whistling. "Josh is going to drop down dead." After spending most of the morning searching through Rogues wardrobe for something that didn't cover every inch of her body and finding nothing, they decided that shopping was the only option. In the end they, after much debating from all parties present, had found a low cut, clingy and partially see through black top, along with a burgundy leather skirt that stopped just short of her knees and a pair of knee high boots.

Rogue laughed, "So's Remy, and Josh probably if he see's his little sister like that."

"I'm an hour younger than him." Rowen was wearing a pair of black leather trousers, that looked great, but had taken 10 minutes to get in to, and caused so much noise as she had fallen over that Logan had come running, all of which meant that it would be impossible for her to go to the toilet all night, and a black velvet corset. The darkness of her clothes and make up making the vibrant colour of her hair and that surrounded her eyes stand out more than normal. Pulling on her new Rock stilettos, She stood up. "Me too."

They group of girls walked out of the room. Jamie ran up to them from the other end of the hall. "You look nice sparks, you all do."

"Thanks lil mate. And you did a great job guarding for us." Rowen gently squeezed his shoulders, over the last month he'd slowly gotten in to Logan's habit of calling her Sparks.

"That's ok. Remy and Josh tried to sneak up about 5 minutes ago, They offered to pay me double what you were to let them have a look."

Rogue laughed fell back to walk on Jamie's other side. "What you do Sugah?"

"Rahne saw them off."

They reached at the top of the stairs; at the noise all of the boys below stopped talking, and started open mouthed. Jubilee, Amara and Tabby stood next to the door, all-sulking still because they hadn't been picked. Rahne had admitted earlier that she was glad she wasn't going and Roberto had offered to take her to see a film when they had finished bowling, which is why she had been more than happy to be look out for them in return for being taken shopping for new clothes to wear, and help with make up.

There was a cloud of smoke next to Amanda as Kurt appeared and took her arm while Peter walked up the bottom few steps to meet Kitty. Rogue nudged Rowen's arm and pointed to where Josh and Remy were stood and they both laughed. "Close your mouths boys. The Goldfish look doesn't do much to for a girl. The boys walked forward to meet them. Remy wrapped his arms around Rowen. "Suppose dey'd notice if we were late to bowl."

"Don't think about it Cajun. It took me ages to get in to these trousers. I'm not coming out until the end of the night."

"Ah guess ah'll have to wait den." Rowen laughed and pulled out of Remy's arms. She took his hand and led him to the rest of the students walking out of the door.