Hi its me again. Ok, I did some research and yes part of the idea I'm using was from a Tabby timeline. I added a bit to it for flavor but I can promise this will be one heck of an epic adventure. Oh and I know I said Romyness would happen in this chapter but there was a change of plans that will make the story better. It will happen eventually but not just yet. This story will be an emotional roller coaster so I warn those who be faint of heart to fasten your seat belts and hang onto the lap bar in front of you at all times.
Disclaimer: Not yet, though you never know. I hear if you wish upon a star it makes no difference who you are anything your heart desires will come true. So...I'll be stargazing.
" Life is like photography. You use the negative to develop."
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Pietro smirked. "Ah, Berserker, thought I heard your yell."
Ray and the others breathed in relief. "Just blowing off steam, you know how it is." Ray nodded. He knew Pietro's reputation and figured he wouldn't say anything.
"Yeah-I-figured." Pietro agreed. "I-was-just-gonna-go-grab-something-from-my- room-when-I-heard-you-three-yelling." He lied easily.
"We were just ranting about one of the problems with the institute." Roberto smirked, gesturing for Pietro to enter and join them by nodding at an empty chair.
Pietro zipped in, knowing they obviously trusted him enough to not have fried him to oblivion by now. He figured this method would get him information quickest.
"So who got on your badside?" He asked lazily.
"Funny you should ask, she used to live with you." Sam scowled.
Pietro sat up, his suspicion seemingly validated. "What'd she do now?"
"She played us all like fools." Sam grumbled bitterly.
"But on the other side, her whorish ways finally caught her and landed her in trouble." Roberto chuckled sounding way too amused by the fact.
"Oh?" Pietro raised an eyebrow, hiding his curiousity.
"Yeah. She came in here bout a week ago ta inform us that she's late." Sam leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes as if in pain. "Three weeks late."
Pietro's eyes widened. "And it gets better." Ray snorted. "The little bitch had the nerve to come in here and say its one of ours."
Roberto huffed. "She's lying. She is not late. She's just trying to mess with our heads." He smirked. "Besides, even if she was, by some miracle not lying, which I highly doubt, there is not a chance in hell its any of us. She's been sleeping around with everyone for a while now."
Pietro raised an eyebrow at how Roberto was laughing something like this off. And he took note of how Ray seemed pretty much nonchalant. Then he noticed that Sam really seemed distraught.
"What's-with-him?"
Ray shrugged. "He's taking it pretty hard because they'd been dating. Nobody was supposed to know because they had two different reputations to hold up. Naively he assumed she'd never cheat on him."
Pietro let out a whistle. "Ouch. That's-gotta-hurt."
"Yeah probably, but hey." Roberto chuckled. "That's what happens when you commit to one chick, eh Maximoff?" He winked.
Pietro felt sick suddenly. He knew just a little while ago, he'd have happily agreed and been as crude and vulgar about any girl as Roberto and Ray were being. He didn't understand the sudden change but he realized that hearing them disgusted him.
"Yeah," He pasted a smirk on his face. It fell quickly. "I-gotta-go-get-ready-for-a-danger-room-sim." He lied.
"What'd you do?" Ray asked.
"Ah, you-know-the-drill." Pietro rolled his eyes. "Do-your-chores, Don't-annoy-Summers, Stay-outta-the-girls'-Dorms." He smirked impishly. "I-never-was-one-to-follow-the-rules."
Roberto snickered. "Way to go."
Sam frowned and sighed.
Pietro shrugged then headed out. "Catch-ya-later."
He zoomed down the hall, mildly disbelieving that his lie had fooled the 3 goons. Instead of heading to his own room, he zoomed back to the girls' dorms. He never had been big on rules.
He barged into the room he was seeking with an accusatory look on his face. "What-the-Hell-were-you-thinking!"
Rogue jumped about a mile and dropped her book. "Pietro! Ya eva' hear of this novel thing called knockin'?" She fixed a glare on him. "Ya gonna give someone a heart attack!"
He glowered at her. "Why-in-the-world-would-you-go-and-do-something-like-that!"
"Somethin' like...what?" Rogue asked in confusion.
"You-know-very-well-what-I-mean!" He accused. "If-you-heard-the-things-Crisp-Dacosta-and-Guthrie-were-saying-about-you..."
Her eyes widened. "They're already on the gossip chain? Crap!"
"Well-this-is-kinda-big-Rogue!" Pietro rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Why'd-you-do-it!"
"Ah...Ah wasn' ready fo' commitment..." She stammered. "Ah didn' think it'd be fair ta string 'im along like Ah was-"
"Well, great-going-he's-pretty-devastated-about-it." Pietro snapped. "He's-all-playin-the-silent-but-devastated-hero. He-looked-ready-to-cry-when-I-saw-him."
"He was really that upset?" Rogue tilted her head to the side. She sighed. "Ah spose Ah better go an' talk ta him."
"That-probably-won't-help-at-this-point." Pietro pointed out. "His-roommates-may-kill-you. They-weren't-sounding-thrilled-with-you."
"Really? Wow, this whole thing has really blown outta proportions." Rogue frowned.
"Duh." Pietro gave a scathing glare. "But...Don't-go-do-anything-crazy...I-wouldn't-want-anything-to-go-wrong-or-something." He eyed her midriff warily.
She noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Are ya alright, Pietro?"
"Oh-I'm-fine. It's-you-I'm-worried-about." He looked warily at her.
"Ya scarin' me Quicksilver." She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Ya actin' crazy. What's gotten inta ya?"
"The-real-issue-here-is-why-you-allowed-what-got-into-you-to-get-in-in-the-first-place!" He frowned. "It's-completely-uncharacteristic-of-you!"
"Pietro, ya ain' makin' any sense!" She sighed in frustration.
"Me!" He gaped. "How-can-YOU-of-all-people-say-that! I-mean-almost-anybody-else, I'd-accept-it, but-you-aren't-like-that-do-you-know-that-your-whole-life-is-now-ruined!"
"Pietro, what are ya goin' on about?" Rogue asked cautiously. "All Ah did was tell 'im Ah ain' ready ta deal with a relationship right now..."
"Nice-way-of-doing-it! I-suppose-those-other-two-were-just-to-enjoy-the-effect?"
Rogue looked confused. "What are ya talkin' about? Ya completely lost me..."
"And-how-long-have-you-had-control-of-your-powers-anyway!"
"What?" She blanched. He realized immediately that he'd struck a nerve.
"What-am-I-not-supposed-to-know? Or-do-you-think-I'm-that-stupid?" He raised an eyebrow. "Kinda-easy-to-put-two-and-two-together, Rogue."
Cold fury seethed from Rogue. "Ah don' know who put ya up ta this. An' Ah don' know who fed ya that lie. Frankly ya ain' makin' any sense, Quicksilver. An' ya really startin' ta get on mah last nerve." She gave a warning tone.
"Ok-so-you-don't-have-control. Still-doesn't-explain-that!" He gestured to her stomach.
"What the Hell ya goin' on about Maximoff?"
"That...that...incident-with-Cannonball-Sunspot-and-Berserker!" He flushed. "The-mistake-that-made-you-a-mother-and-a-cheap...tool-that-belongs-in-the-shed-next-to-the-rake-and-the-shovel-at-the-same-time!" He snapped, unable to utter the word the others had used.
Her jaw dropped for about a second before her eyes blazed in green fury. She fixed a glare on him before kicking him hard in the stomach. He fell back with a pained 'oomph'.
"What the Hell put that idea inta ya head ya spastic moron! Ah can' even touch let alone get pregnant! Take back what ya said or next tahme ma aim won' be fo' ya stomach!" She growled.
He groaned and tried to glare back but he was seeing stars from the hit. "Why'd-you-agree-with-me-then?"
"Obviously Ah thought ya were talkin' about somethin' else, Maximoff." She snapped. "Now take back what ya said!"
"Sorry!" He squeaked nervously and scurried back as far as the wall would let him go. "I-misunderstood-Please-don't-kill-me!" He pleaded, fear shining bright in his eyes.
She growled and let him up. "Ya got ten seconds 'fore ya dead meat."
"Ok-so-I-heard-Cannonball-and-the-other-two-goons-complaining-about-somebody-and-they-invited-me-in-and-told-me-at-least-part-of-the-story-about-a-gilr-I-used-t-live-with-and-all-the-signs-led-up-to-it-being-you-so-I-assumed-they-were-talking-about-you-don't-be-mad-please?" He cringed as if expecting her to beat him senseless.
"See what assumin' does?" She smirked.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Makes an ass outta you an' me." She frowned. "Neva, Eva, unda any circumstance, call meh or any gal that again, an' maybe Ah'll let ya live."
He nodded shakily. "So-if-they-weren't-talking-about-you..." Pietro broke off in confusion.
"Well, they weren'." Rogue glowered crossly. "Ya could prolly ask Tabitha. She's prolly the authority on what's goin' on in everyone's social life."
"Oh-my-gosh!" He clapped a hand to his mouth as the truth clicked. Rogue figured it out just seconds behind him. "She-can't-be..."
"Don' jump ta anotha conclusion, Pietro." Rogue warned. "Those boys could jus' be rat'lin' ya chain."
"Rogue! Get-the-picture-they-were-talking-about-one-of-three-girls. My-sister-'s-hooked-on-Toad-of-all-people." He crinkled his nose indisgust at the name. "And-as-you-so-politely-told-me-it-couldn't-possibly-be-you. There's-only-one-other-girl-I-lived-with."
"Don't assume anythin'." Rogue warned. "They could just be makin' it up."
"Rogue-think-for-a-moment-they've-been-giving-her-a-hard-time-and-all-it-has-to-be-true."
Rogue glowered and picked him up by the collar of his shirt. She forcefully threw him into the hall, disregarding the sickening crunch and thud when he hit the wall of the coridor. "An' next time ya come in here, Ah'll call Logan up ta deal with ya."
He groaned as she slammed the door. He rolled onto his back and put his hands on his face gingerly. Unlike when Tabitha's long nails had grazed his cheek, the blood was a lot thicker and free flowing. He guessed his nose was objecting to being slammed straight into a wall.
He dizzily climbed to his feet and sighed as he headed in the general direction of the hospital wing for the second time this morning. He entered and Dr. McCoy looked up from his game.
"What happened, this time?" He seemed shocked. "Another dispute with Tabitha?"
"No." Pietro grumbled. "Rogue threw me into a wall."
"My, you certainly seem to be quite popular with the ladies this morning Mr. Maximoff." Beast chuckled softly.
"Yeah." Pietro sighed.
"Well, I'll just mop you up a bit and then you can tell me what action of yours provoked our firey Rogue." He nodded and handed Pietro a box of tissues and a glass of water.
"What's this?" Pietro asked suspiciously.
"Well there's nothing I can do about the bloody nose until it ceases so the tissue is to help apply pressure and catch the spilled blood. And the water is because it is unpleasantly warm here in the infirmary."
Pietro shrugged and took a seat in a proffered chair. He then began to explain to the doctor exactly what he had done to merit his injuries.
Meanwhile, Tabitha was still up in her room. She seemed lost in thought, staring at a small white plastic device in a plastic bag. This small object was the cause of the biggest change she could imagine for her life. She blinked back a tear as she stared at the indicator.
After a while she felt a small twinge of hunger so she gently placed the plastic bag carefully under her pillow and got up to go back down to the kitchen. Breakfast was certainly over by now, but she felt that was for the better. Misery hung over and by the time she had gotten back downstairs, tears were slowly streaking down her face. Everything was so totally out of control and the strain was taking a lot out of her.
She opened the refrigerator door and grabbed some mayonnaise, ham, and cheese. Savagely she slammed the door, causing the room's other occupant to jump slightly as he looked up and noticed her.
She turned around upon hearing a bottle clunk agaist the table and frowned at Remy who was sitting there sulking and toying with a partially empty brown bottle miserably.
"Thought you quit." She commented conversationally as she grabbed two slices of Wonder Bread from the bag in the breadbox. She brought her sandwich stuff to the table and sat beside him.
Remy shrugged.
"What happened?" Tabby asked gently as she started putting her sandwich together.
"Nothin'." Remy said sullenly.
"Nothing, huh?" Tabby frowned. "Well that's a pretty big nothing if it can bring you back to drinking when you swore you'd never touch alcohol again."
"Remy knows he said dat. 'n Remy kept 'is promise, chère." He smirked slightly and spun the bottle so she could read the A&W Root beer label on the front.
"Funny." She rolled her eyes. "Nice idea though." She rose and grabbed herself a bottle from the fridge. She resumed her seat and dug into her sandwich.
"So, what's up?" She asked between half-hearted bites.
Remy sighed. "Y' said she'd say yes." He accused.
"What!" Tabitha looked up sharply. "Rogue said no!"
Remy nodded and stared at his drink.
"Said she di'n' wanna play games. An' her pow'rs were anot'er reason. She said she'd t'ink bout it but de tone o' her voice said she won'."
"Sorry to hear it." Tabitha frowned. "Did you just rush her and pounce hoping for an answer."
He looked slightly guilty. "Maybe. But should dat matter?"
"You cornered her and hoped she'd go out with you?" Tabitha raised a skeptic eyebrow.
"Oui...Remy'd do it if de fille asked."
"Remy..." Tabitha sighed. "This is Rogue, not you. She doesn't like being forced to do anything. You scared her."
"Oh." He frowned. "Why dey make femmes so damn hard t' understand? Someone need t' write a book wit' instructions on how t' deal wit' filles like Rogue."
Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Obviously you need it. She isn't that hard to figure out."
"Easy fo' y' t' say." Remy scowled. "Yo' a fille too."
"Thanks for noticing." She grumbled. "But really, she's pitching lots of easy-catch freebie clues, your just not catching them."
"Remy never was so bon at baseball." He chuckled.
Tabitha nodded. "Well you want some hints from a legendary catcher?"
He raised an incredulous eyebrow.
"I was captain of my softball team when I was ten." Tabby winked. "And as another girl I can pick up on the curveballs she throws."
"Remy gonna owe y' his soul when dis be over ain' he?" The older mutant chuckled softly.
"Nah." She laughed good humouredly. "Call me a hopeless romantic, but I love it when the gorgeous guy ends up with the perfect woman of his dreams."
"So Remy be gorgeous?" He smirked playfully.
"Yup, but you belong to Rogue." Her eyes hardened for a moment. "And I'm more trouble than I'm worth."
"P'ti'e, don' be so hard on y'self." He patted her back gently.
She sighed and forced a smile. "Enough about me, lets get to work on you and Rogue. Yes, I know she said no. But she doesn't really mean no. She's probably just testing you. Its how she weeds out the losers from the really special people."
"Y'mean dere's still a lil chance?"
"Uh huh. Hard to get is usually a surefire sign that she likes you. She worked that ploy with Cyke."
"She liked Summers?" He asked in horror.
"Yup. Borderline obsessive if you ask me." Tabitha shrugged like it was obvious. Remy looked ready to fall off his chair and have a heart attack.
"Cyclops?" He squeaked. "De same Cyclops who orders in the danger room at unholy hours an' bosses us all round an' has a stick up 'is-"
"The very same." Tabby laughed. "But keep your shirt on, well you can take it off if you want, really I wouldn't mind. But anyway, it didn't work out so well. He never realized she'd sell her soul for him because he was hung over on Jean."
Remy groaned. "She liked him?"
"Yeah, we covered that." Tabby said in a bored tone. "But now you're in the picture and she likes you a lot. Probably more. You can't crowd her though. Give her space. And follow my RPP."
"Yo' what?"
"My RPP. Rogue Proof Plan." Tabby's tone suggested it was obvious. "I spent last night figuring out a perfect strategy of how to get her returning the affections and dating you."
"Y' bin readin' dose teen chick mag'zines?" He laughed.
"Maybe." She giggled. "But I know she believes in a happy ending as much or more than I do."
"Dat so?"
"Yeah. She just hides it well. And she'd love a happy ending with you. But if you rush it, she won't be able to enjoy the fun and intrigue of the beginning and middle. Sometimes the plot along the way is better than the ending!" She warned.
"Remy take it yo' inta soap op'ras."
"Sometimes." Tabby shrugged.
"Glad t' hear Remy's social life be so entertainin' t' y'." He smiled in amusement.
"Better you and Rogue than John and Marsha." She commented mentioning her favorite soap characters. "You think YOU two got problems? Jeez, John cheats on her with the maid who happens to be Marsha's twin sister, then she retaliates by a string of one night stands in Morocco in which she falls in love with a pool guy named Miguel and then- I'll just shut up as you have no idea what I'm talking about." Tabby laughed.
"T'anks..." Remy eyed her warily.
"Look, I'm going to make sure you get your fair chance with her." Tabby said suddenly empassioned. "Give me three dates. Then you're on your own. If all goes well your hers. And failing that, well either you aren't meant for each other or you screwed up." She continued cheerily.
"Um...daccord." He shrugged. "Y' ain' gonn' tell nobody dat y' helpin' Remy right? Mean, dis kinda be embarrassin...a twen'y year ol' master t'ief needin' help from a fille t' get a femme t' date him an' all dat."
"My lips are zipped LeBeau." She frowned suddenly seeming depressed again. "I'll not tell a soul. Not like I have anyone to tell...but I won't."
He looked at her in concern. "Y' okay chère?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine...I guess." She sighed.
"Non y' ain'. Don' lie. Remy kin always tell. De emotions rollin' offa y' like water on a duck, peti'e." He shook his head. "What be bringin' y' down t' de kitchen t' wallow in misery an' seek de comforts o' de bottle an' ham?"
Her eyes gained a distant quality and all of a sudden she seemed small and afraid. His empathy picked up nervousness, fear, loneliness, anger, and sadness.
"I don't know if I should tell you." She mumbled hesitantly. "I mean, no offense or anything, its kinda personal."
"Ah. Remy unde'stand." He nodded.
Moments later she looked up at him questioningly. "Remy, are we friends?"
The question startled him and he looked up in surprise. "Oui, Remy guess so. We so alike an' all. Bin t'rough too much an' used fo' pow'rs an' that."
"I mean, if I were to tell you something that almost nobody knows...would you ditch me like everyone else has?"
"Course not." He said scandalized. He placed a comforting hand on her back. He could tell whatever she was strugling with was big and important to her.
"Really? Even if it's something really, really bad?" She asked in a small voice.
"What happened?" He asked soothingly, but alarmed.
"I'm...I kinda..." Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked them back to hide them. "Sorry, this is really hard for me to tell." She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm...I'm having a baby." She murmured in a soft, frightened voice. She turned her face away to hide the shame on her face and avoid looking at him.
"YO' WHAT!" Remy's jaw hit the table and he accidentally knocked his bottle of rootbeer over, sending it crashing to the floor.
"I'm...going to have a baby." Her voice was trembling and low.
"Who de lucky homme?" He asked, masking his shock.
She shuddered and bit her lip. "I...I don't really know." The unwelcome tears dribbled down her cheeks slowly and she stared intently at her sneakers, as though they were the most important things in the world.
She expected him, as an older person, to start lecturing like Jean and Scott had. She expected disappointment and confusion. And really, he was confused and shocked and asking why the hell she was telling him this. But he could sense her fear and shame. He figured flipping out wouldn't help anything.
"Oh, p'ti'e." He stood up and walked over to her, pulling her into a gentle hug. He had no real clue what he was supposed to do but seeing her so upset made something inside him feel this was the right thing to do. "Remy be honest, he don' know what t' say, chère. Mais, if y' eve' need an't'in' even if it just be t' talk, Remy always be dere fo' y'."
She sniffled into his shoulder miserably. "Thanks. That means so much to me...Everybody...everyone else who found out..." She broke off crying softly, unable to control the tidal wave of emotion any longer.
He rubbed her back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. All of a sudden his ears, sensitive to even very soft sounds from his training as a thief pricked as he heard muffled foot steps approaching the kitchen. All of a sudden they stopped short in the door way. A short inhalation of breath made him turn around.
Rogue stood in the doorway, looking shocked, betrayed, and angry all at the same time.
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OOO! Remy's got some splainin' to do! Hi again. I know, I know, death to me for all the dumb cliff hangars right? Well sorry but I just can't resist. And now we have a couple cans of worms open at the moment. Yikes. Wonder what will happen with em...
SPECIAL THANKS TO-
howlerdrode- Yeah it would seem that way, but shhh don't tell him that. He hasn't yet realized it. LOL sounds like a blast, pun totally intended. Don't worry they're getting there's eventually. Don't worry. This soon enough for ya? Thanks for reviewing.
NaijaStrawberrie- Yep she is, and yep its one of 'em but no they didn't do that. Thanks for reviewing.
JediTwitch-LOL glad to hear it, because I have a whole bunch of them stacked up my sleeves. She'll realize it, but after what she just walked in on it may be a little while. Yeah Tabby and Pietro have quite a few issues to work out as of yet. And he gets major props cuz he does care about her, a lot more than he'll admit. Thanks for reviewing.
WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc-Aw thanks for the compliment and the review.
Dis Chick Digs Da Fuzzy Dude- LOL Glad your so excited about it. Yup perfect proof indeed but she does tend to be a little out of the love loop so its forgiveable that she doesn't see it. LOL no you're not really, it was designed to be hidden. Can't tell ya that but it will be revealed soon, possibly the nextest chapter. Lol ya I've never noticed so much hostility towards the guys before but ya they do pretty much deserve all that and more. Of course she'll tell, I mean that kinda secret can't be kept hidden for very long. She'll find out who, but not for a while as of yet she only knows it could be one of the three. Thanks for the spirited review, and don't let the suspense kill you because then I'd be short one of my favorite authors!
el diablo- LOL It's ok. I'm confused a lot too. And sorry bout the Romyness, I had a burst of inspiration that will make the romyness that much sweeter when it finally arrives, hope you'll stick with me anyway. And yes all will eventually get revealed. Thanks for the review.
chicita- Well they'd prolly deserve and ya she is. He does seem nice and I'll play that up. Rogue will eventually let up on Remy but it may take a while. Thanks for the review
FluidDegree-Well that's true. I feel bad for him too but that is who Rogue is. She has every reason to be slightly suspicious. She thought he and Tabby were pulling a prank on her. Ya she'll come round eventually. And yup the 3 goons will get what's coming to them soon enough. Thanks for the review.
tinuviel-telcontar-LOL that was basically my reaction, Thanks for the review.
pinkpunkmonkey-Neat. Thanks for telling me, did your review get cut off? Thanks for the review.
Rogue gaL- Glad to hear it, thanks for the review.
tinuviel-telcontar- Glad to hear it, thanks for the advice. Thanks also for the review.
tinuviel-telcontar- Sorry...didn't mean to make you sad...thanks for the review.
Nettlez- Yeah I know, but not too many people give her positive screen time. And yes he is OOC but love does that to a person. woot thanks for the snacks and the review.
ishandahalf- Nah you really can't blame her, the suspicion is deep rooted and part of who she is. She probably would sell her soul for what he takes so for granted, but do ya blame her? Ya that drives me nuts so she's gonna hafta put up a little resistance to him for it to be effective. Besides the more drama, the sweeter it is when they finally end up together, right? Yup she is. And yes they are. That will be explained soon enough though. Yeah Pietro does care and he doesn't know it yet but that will come out soon too. LOL thanks for the review.
MagCat- LOL well there weren't too many hints to catch. And ya I bet it was sobering for Remy. And that just goes to show there's a first time for everything. Thanks for the review.
Masau- LOL maybe the nighttime isn't getting to you as much as you think. Though I can tell you it definitely wasn't Rogue but no worries, it was meant to seem that way. Thanks for the review.
Sweety8587- Sad to say but its true. If we didn't write the song lyrics we ain't allowed to use 'em. Oh let me know if ya make your own site, I'll write there. This one's drivin' me nuts and I'm thinking about doing my own site too.
Sweety8587- Hope this chapter cleared things up a bit for you and yes that may eventually happen, thanks for reviewing.
black cat of the black rose-Ok thanks for reviewing.
Ok now since y'all were kind enough to read this far, would ya mind reviewing pretty please?
7-20-05