Group Fic

Chapter 6 by Lady Macbeth

The car stopped under the bright pink neon sight. Entering the parking lot, Remy got out leaving her inside the car as he went to the reception. Ororo rested her forehead against the window, wondering how the hell did she managed to start the day a bridesmaid in Westchester and ended it in a dusty road motel somewhere along the Virginia border with the groom, almost loosing her life in between, and pregnant with another man's baby on top of it all…Maybe if she slept a little it would make more sense in the morning…

After a while, Remy got back:

-C'mon, chère…

She got her bag and the rest of the fast-food packages that lay on the car's panel, and got out, holding the same silence she had persisted in for the last hours. As they arrived the poorly cleaned and poorly decorated room, she dropped the bag and threw away their trash in a nearby trashcan.

She wished she could say something, talk; but somehow silence seemed safer…Remy sat besides her and drawing on a deep breath, made the decision for her:

-Go ahead, chère…ask.

-Ask what?

-You know…

-I don't want to ask you anything…I just want to sleep, if that's all right with you…

-Then I'll ask…why?

-Why what?

-Why did you…

-Sleep with Logan?

-Yeah…

Great. Well, he would want to know sooner or later, she might as well tell him and get it over with. If there was anything Remy couldn't accuse her of was not being straight with him.

-Comfort. -She let out dryly, like the answer was self-explanative.

-Comfort?

-Yes. It happened in the same day your wedding was announced…sympathy sex, if you will…for both of us…

-So, you had nothing with him?

-If you mean a relationship, then no, I didn't. You know, even I can have a one-night stand once my life…and to be honest, I was just so mad at you I wasn't thinking straight. I have been kicking myself ever since; not that this is any good now…

She sat down with her back against the headboard, looking up to the ceiling. Her body was sore all over, and even the silence of the dim motel room colored with the pink spectrum from the neon outside, seemed to hurt her ears.

-What about you? Why were you marrying her?

-Safety.

-Goddess, your excuse is lamer than mine, you know?

He chuckled. Lame, that was a damn good word to describe it.

-Why safety?

-Because…you know, with Rogue…I could screw up as much as I wanted, you know…we could get married and still, none of us felt like making it work. I could do whatever the shit I wanted and it wouldn't really matter, we just didn't care really…It was safe; heart-break proof… While with you…

-With me what?

-We were…perfect…you know? I felt…if things were ever to change between us…if I started something with you and then I turned out to make something stupid and loose you, I wouldn't just loose a woman…Loosing a woman is easy, I've been there before… But loosing you…I would loose a friend, a sister, I would loose the single good thing that ever happened to me…I wouldn't take it…

-Remy…

-I know…it's stupid like this…I guess, that makes me a couillon, but, I wanted things to be as they were between us, I was marrying her to keep things the way they were…I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to add you to my "women I broke the hearts of" list…I think, I spent so much time being the ladies man, that I forgot how to be a man…-he grinned painfully-But today, I realized that I wasn't going to get through with it; I just didn't have the gut… That's why I went to talk to you…And, when I saw the pregnancy test, I…I knew it was my fault, I felt you slipping through my fingers…

-I wasn't…-she confessed somberly

He turned around, rubbing his eyes with his fingers, to keep them from watering. For one long moment he just looked at her. Her head was hanging low, a hand rubbing her own stomach…He could almost hear his own heart breaking inside his chest.

-You planning on telling him?

-Not now…

-The baby…will you keep it?

-I guess I will…

-Even it being…

-Logan's? Yes…I think…

-That's good…

-You think?

-Yeah…

-Even it being…-She echoed his words with a flat smile

-I don't really care if it's his…I wouldn't think of it as his…for me is just your baby. That's enough…

She continued to massage her own stomach, biting her lower lip:

-I can't help but wonder …how are things going to be now…

-I guess the more we anticipate things the more they turn out not to be what we think, huh? -He said, placing his hand over hers, feeling something weakening inside.

-I suppose so…

-Did you ever thought about it, before? Kids?

-Yes…every woman thinks of it now and then…

-We still could have one of our own, if you wanted…we're halfway there…I mean we already eloped… - he said jokingly.

-Yes, we are only missing the trailer right now-she let out with a grin-like smile.

-So that's how you picture our future together? Good to know…so you don't think I'm not husband material?

-Well, your marital record is pretty bad so far…but if that's any consolation I do think you would make a good father….

-Yeah, that would be good-he smiled- Have a little one to take care of, teach stuff… I could finally have someone to pass on to the Lebeau Method of firefly catching…

-The Lebeau method of what?

-Firefly catching. When I was a kid I used to snick out at night to catch fireflies, around the bayou; I figured out a way to catch so many I could light up a whole room with them, I swear…That if Mattie didn't catch me first…

She laughed whole-heartedly:

-And how was it, this method?

-I ain´t gonna tell you…At least not until I make the patent.

-Of a firefly-catching method?

-If "happy birthday to you" is copyrighted I can't see why the Lebeau method can't be patented.

-That is the stupidest thing I ever heard! -She laughed beating his head lightly with a pillow. Bursting out in laughing he protected himself with his hands from the second attack, and before she could realize it he was laid back with her on top his body, his arms around her feeling how her waist was beginning to vanish, and her breasts pressed against his chest where starting to get fuller. As his eyes could see from very close now, she seemed womanlier…in a way that truly pleased him.

-So, we cool? -He said, brushing a snowy lock away from her face…

-Remy…-she began, the smile vanishing from her lips, supporting her weight on his chest with both hands and getting up.

-Ok…if you need more time…

They had stopped for breakfast on a little road dinner-place a few kilometers away from the motel, and it had been more than ten minutes since Ororo locked herself in the bathroom. The blond waitress came along with his ordering and looked down at the empty seat in front of him:

-Your wife is not eating anything?

He ignored the "wife" part (and the inner satisfaction it evoked on him) and pointed at the bathroom door:

-I don't think she can eat anything right now…

The waitress smiled in understanding:

-Morning sickness, huh?

-Yeah…

-Been there…-she smiled-how many weeks?

-Seven…-he let out, calculating by the date she had given him, surprised at his own "proud daddy" tone.

-Congratulations…Where you heading?

-Florida…

-Isn't that a little too far for a pregnant woman?

-Yeah, we're…visiting my parents…It's…huh… their anniversary…and we decided to drop by and give the news personally…-he lied, enjoying his own invention, finding it thoroughly gratifying to pretend he had a happy married life with his Stormy.

-That's what I call an anniversary gift! They'll be very happy! You know what, I'm gonna bring her some crackers and an orange juice; it might help with the nausea.

-Thank you. And, could you get a chicken salad sandwich to go…maybe she'll eat something latter…

-Sure.

As the waitress left, Remy turned his attention to his own breakfast; still savoring the sense of normalcy the story he told her had given him. Now, at the light of a new day it was very clear to him, he wanted to be this kid's father, even if it wasn't really his. He would have to deal with Logan, for sure. He was the father; there was no way to erase that. Sooner or later they would have to tie the loose ends they had left behind. But as for now he had to focus on something else…they were heading Florida with nothing but some clothes, Scott's car, and some money borrowed from professor, and she was pregnant. He had to take care of her, let her know he was there for her, make her trust him again…make her love him again. It was time for him to step forward and be man.

He was so distracted by those thoughts; it took him a while to realize his cell phone ringing inside his backpack.

"It must be Jeannie…"

-Hello…You?…Why are you calling me! No I don't…Listen I have more important stuff to worry about than…What? Come again?