Woot! Thanks for the reviews! Keep them comin'... cause... like I said; they make me feel ...like a natrual woman.

hah.

no one is laughing but you Jess.

-------------------------------

3

Jean set a large mixing bowl down on the counter with a smile "Then what?"

AJ pointed to the fridge. "Grab two eggs and milk. Pour this much milk into the measuring cup." She said, showing Jean the line on the cup to pour the milk up to. "It's really easy… I can't believe you've never made a cake before."

"Oh, I've made a cake before. Just not right." Jean laughed as she followed AJ's instructions. She brought the bag of cake mix over to AJ and put a hand on her hip. "I know the instructions are right on the back, but somehow, I always manage to screw it up."

"Not this time." AJ took the bag, trying to tear it open as she spoke. "Y'just have to know your oven." She tried to rip the bag open with her teeth to no avail. "If you don't, you could follow the instructions to a tee and still end up burning the hell out of it… Damnit!" She shouted, still struggling to open the bag. "What the hell! Do they have this thing … cemented shut!"

"Here, let me find some scissors." Jean spun around, nearly knocking into Logan who carried her precious little baby into the kitchen.

"Hello beautiful!" AJ grinned.

"Well, I always thought I was more rugged then beautiful, but thanks." Logan smiled.

Rachel extended a chubby little arm with a giggle that AJ took gently, pretending to nibble on her little fingers.

Without another word, Logan extended his claws and cracked open the bag in AJ's hand.

"Found 'em!" Jean spun around with the scissors in her hand victoriously.

AJ dumped the contents of the bag into the mixing bowl. "Put 'em back." She turned back around to face Logan and Rachel, giving the little girl a grin. "That's what we call a 'Show off'." She cooed. "Can you say that Rachel? Show off."

"Funny." Logan grunted, setting the nine month old down in her seat. "Where the h-"

Jean slapped her hand over Logan's mouth, covering it up before he could speak another word. "Watch your language around her. Don't want her growing up with a sailor's dialect."

"Hey," He moved her hand from his mouth "I shouldn't even be watchin' the kid. Which brings me to my original question. Where the… heck… is Kitty? She's the babysitter."

"What do you mean?" AJ asked as she cracked an egg on the edge of the counter, splitting it open and letting the yoke fall into the bowl.

"I mean she ain't around. It's 10 a.m. If she's still asleep…"

AJ's head snapped around. She stared at Logan for a moment before uttering a curse.

"AJ!" Jean threw her hands in the air "What did I just say!"

"Sorry…" She shook her head with a groan as she moved past Logan, hurrying down the hall. She ran up the stairs with him hot on her heels, asking what the hell she was doing.

When she reached Kitty and Rogue's door, she banged on it frantically, trying to turn the doorknob.

Logan moved her aside, slashing the doorknob off and kicking the door in.

AJ cursed at the empty room while Logan stepped in, reading the note on Kitty's pillow.

He growled, looking up at AJ.

"I know… I didn't tell them anything…" She shook her head. She knew exactly where they were. They went to find Gambit, unsatisfied with her answer that he wasn't in trouble. He balled the note up in his fist with a snarl.

"Jubilee went too." AJ pressed her lips together, looking down at her feet.

"They'll be fine."

"What! You're not going t'go after them? The Professor would have-"

"Well guess what? The Professor left me in charge, an' I said they'll be fine. That is, until they get back."

AJ squared her jaw, giving him a nod.

"That Cajun's been gone half a year now an' he still manages to cause trouble." He tossed the note onto the desk, walking past AJ before stopping and narrowing his eyes at her. "Don't go after 'em. Y'hear me?"

She held up her hands. "I hear you boss!"

-------------------------------

Rogue looked at Kitty. "This bus smells."

"Suck it up. We're almost there." She looked out the window as the scenery outside slowly began to turn into Louisiana. Rogue looked at Jubilee who was fast asleep in the two seats behind them.

"What did you write in the note?" She asked.

Kitty turned to face her "I just explained that we were going away for a few days and that we'd call to let them know that we were alright. I said nothing about where we were going, and why we were going there."

"They already know." Rogue pressed her lips together resting her head against the chair, letting her eyes close.

----------------------------------

AJ sat upright in her bed, sweat lightly beading on her forehead. The pictures that raced through her mind jolted her from her sleep. She reluctantly tried to sort through them, knowing full well what they meant.

He stood at the altar with a glowing bride. They both said their 'I do's' and the priest announced them man and wife, but when she pulled the veil up, she was a venomous snake that dug its teeth into his neck. He fell to the ground. Followed by the best man. Then the groom's men fell one by one. And then the entire groom's side of the chapel fell to the ground, poisoned to death.

Gambit wasn't just getting married. He was signing his own death warrant.

And possibly that of everyone in his family. He'd told her that he was getting married to save his family, and restore peace between the guilds.

AJ swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She couldn't let him get married.

She quickly got dressed, packing a few things in her duffle bag before quietly tiptoeing down the hallway. She made her way to the garage, tossing her duffle bag into the red convertible.

"Where are you going?"

AJ looked over her shoulder, letting out a breath when she saw Jean, arms crossed, in the doorway. She'd been so focused on her task at hand that she hadn't even noticed Jean coming.

"I…"

"Cuz… it looks like you're about to hotwire my husbands' car."

AJ pressed her lips together.

"But… if I go with you… it won't be stealing." She smiled.

"You don't even know wh-"

"Oh please. Give me a little bit more credit then that. You're following the others. You can tell me why on the way." She slid into the passenger seat, handing AJ the car keys with a smile.

----------------------------------

Review! I'll add more to the story sooner! lol

hoo boy...