Chapter Four: Lets Play a Game I

Rogue made an excuse to preoccupy every minute of Olivier day, no matter how hard Remy tried Olivier was always too 'busy' doing something, which meant that Remy had to think outside the box. Rogue's negative sprit wasn't going to stop him from being a good father.

It was Remy's luck that the spare room that he occupied was next to Olivier's, but Rogue on the hunt scoping out Olivier's room three times at night a random wasn't his luck.

However Olivier's busy schedule would begin at seven am, for pre school, then back for snacks, tutoring with Hank, sports, piano lesions, dinner and bed. That didn't leave much time for Remy or any aspect of normality for a young kid.

Every morning Remy would get up and make a full breakfast, he would barley touch it though that wasn't it's purpose. Causally he would do this every morning at six- thirty so at seven prompt when Olivier would wonder downstairs they could talk because breakfast was already made. Oliver and Remy would make idle conversation and eat a hardy breakfast for the brief twelve minutes they had together. During the twelve minute span, Rogue would be getting herself ready. She thought that Storm was helping Olivier with breakfast. It was arrangement that she had made with the weather goddess months ago.

"How's the toast?" Remy asked from the stove scrambling some eggs.

"Bon." Olivier answered taking a big bite.

"Bon, you speak French now?"

"No… I can pretend." He copied his father signature grin perfectly.

"Hahaha, yes we can pretend."

Remy felt that he was pretending around Olivier for the few weeks, he didn't feel that it was fair that he had to lie about spending time with his own blood.

"You want sausages too?"

"Uh huh, they're my favorite."

Twelve minutes adds up over time and Remy was finally getting to see his true son. Olivier was a happy confident little boy, his favorite color was red, he loved watching basketball as much as he did Saturday morning cartoons. He hated vegetables and was allergic to blueberries. Remy wasn't proud of the limited time he got to spend with his son but it was a start and it humbled Remy to know that Olivier liked spending breakfast with him.

When Remy had the early breakfast concurred he began to infiltrate the small window of time were Olivier was only partially supervised by Rogue. This narrow space was in between his sports and studying. Remy would be in the Rec room at the same time as Olivier which was completely by chance of course. This time was spent talking, and playing card or board games. Once again this time was slightly above fifteen-minutes but it adds up too. Remy never thought he would enjoy a game of snakes and ladders as much as he did with Olivier.

"Ah I win!" Olivier proclaimed waving his hands in victory.

"I guess I'm no good at this game…"

Remy purposely threw the game, he liked seeing Olivier's eyes light up when he had something to be proud of, Remy hope that in time, his eyes would light up for him.

"Don't be sad, I'm just good."

"You're just that good?" Remy thought back if he was that cocky at that age, it didn't take him long to remember that he was.

"Hmmm…" Oliver smiled as he was about to roll the dice for a new game.

Their time was microscopic compared to Olivier's jammed pack day, but it was time they both looked forward too. Even though Olivier was young he picked up on the tension between Remy and his mother and therefore rarely spoke about Remy around his mother.

Olivier left their game half finished and Remy stayed behind to clean up when Rogue came to take Olivier to his piano lesions. She didn't even look at Remy, instead she glared at Kitty who was seated on the couch, Kitty was suppose to be keeping an eye on Olivier. Remy sat like an infant with crossed legs smiling politely until Rogue left the room. He sat on the floor picking up the scattered pieces of a puzzle. He wasn't in a rush and took his slow time collecting all the pieces.

"Would you like some assistance?"

"Non" Remy didn't bother to look up.

"Of course you do." Hank bent down and low and picked up one or two pieces.

"If memory serves me correct you are quite good with French?"

"Oui?" Remy answered.

"I was wondering if I could use your expertise for a project?"

"Sure?"

"Wonderful, study-room two fourteen in twenty minutes." Hank told Remy while bracing himself to stand. "See you then." He patted Remy on the back and left the room.

Remy interrupted Hanks question for assistance, he was preoccupied with what he was planning on making for breakfast tomorrow to care. He was thinking whale shaped pancakes with two kinds of bacon. The thought of him eating breakfast with Olivier made him smile, it was by far the best part of his day.


Remy being one for punctuality, showed up ten minutes late. Room two-fourteen, was a common room seating around twenty students comfortably. It was like most of the others at the school except this once seemed a bit brighter.

"Gambit!"

Olivier got excited and bounced in his seat when Remy showed up, he was so worried that learning French would be boring.

"Remy always on time." Hank greeted him from his desk.

Remy had no idea that's where Olivier and Hank have been meeting he walked that hall a million times without any luck. Hank went over to Remy putting his hand over his shoulder and turning their backs to Olivier.

"Next time you should be on time, you only twenty- one minutes until Rogue is finished her danger room lesson. This isn't our usual study room and I need him back in seventeen minutes." Hank explained. "Seventeen" Hank stressed. "Rogue is prompt unlike yourself…"

They turned back to see Olivier waiting patently. "Now this is a surprise for Olivier's mom and for now this is our secret."

Olivier rubbed his hand together with an evil smirk "Yeah! I wanna get good."

Remy had to give Hank his credit, he was very good a plotting. He didn't however think that Hank would give him such a gracious gesture.

"Ok, let's get started." Remy jumped right in and pulled up a seat in front of Olivier.

"I'll be down the hall and I'll be back in sixteen minutes exactly."

Hank eyed the clock behind them before exiting. He closed the door gently behind him not want to disturb the tutoring lesson.

Oliver was picking up French at record pace Remy couldn't be any more proud, their tutoring lesson went on without a hiccup for sometime. Olivier was truly a brilliant kid.


One afternoon Rogue finished her session in the danger room early, because one of the students got injured. Kurt volunteered to take him to the Med Bay. Leaving Rogue with time to spare, she went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and bumped into Storm and Kitty. Storm was always good at masking her feelings but Kitty was like a book, she looked like she saw a ghost walk in.

"Surprised to see me?"

"No, it's just you're like clock work these days I never get to see you alone…" Kitty tried to cover her tacks.

"Well Sam fell and hit his head a pretty bad. I sent him to the infirmary and I ended today's lesion early. Besides I wanted to take Olivier out for dinner today it's been awhile since I spend one on one time with him."

"You do have the child running up and down with that schedule of yours." Storm added to the conversation.

"I want him to get the most of the day, get a jump start on life." Rogue opened her hands in innocence and leaned over the kitchen island to talk to girls seated at the table.

"He's three not thirteen Rogue."

"I don't expect you to understand Kitty; you didn't have a kid while you were still growing up."

Rogue was the only mom in the mansion. She was just entering adulthood when she found out she was going to be a mother. No one else really understood, a majority of the school was either in their late teens or early adulthood.

"Don't give me that teenage pregnancy sob story we were all there and we helped you threw that and a lot more, giving Kitty attitude doesn't change the fact that your doing this to Olivier because Remy is here and he's a wonderful father but you don't see that…."

Storm had officially snapped she couldn't sit and watch Remy try and steal time with his own flesh and blood. Watching them make and eat breakfast every morning was the most breath taking sight she had seen, it would bring a tear to her eye every single time.

"I don't have to take this…"

"Rogue I helped you mother Olivier when you were a scared young woman, you trusted me then I'm asking that you do it now, give Remy a proper chance."

"So he can loose interest? I don't think so."

"Loose interest give me a break!" Kitty yelled "The man came back from the dead for you! And left because you forced him too, a blind man could see how he looks at you when you enter a room it's like his life has purpose." Kitty lowered her tone and re-took her seat she was surprised how she just let herself lash out like that.

"I thought you would understand of all people Ororo. I really did…"

"I do Rogue, you know I do. But you can't run away from your past. We've been down that path. Remy has done nothing except prove to you that he is here to stay, even when you doubt him."

"Storm you know my biggest fear…."

"Let him…"

"What happens if I let him in and he loves me?"

The twinkle in Rogue's eye represented two things one bitterness for herself and deep in her emeralds was a glitter of hope that made her wish he would love her just one more time.

"Then that's wonderful…"

"That's perfect ho…" Rogue interrupted Kitty.

"How it should be? That's the problem you can't get everything you want…" Rogue drank some of her water contemplating what she just said. "I had the perfect life with Pietro and look how that turned out… he hates me, left my son scared, fatherless and broke my spirit."

"…But he didn't break your heart cause he was never fully in it was he?" Rogue looked away at the question there wasn't an appropriate answer. "Maybe all this is faith?" Kitty gave a love stricken sigh.

"Sometimes life give's you a second in your cause a third chance for you to realize what you have..." Storm gave Rogue a warm pleading smile.

"We're not saying to get married…."

"I am." Kitty bluntly stated her reasons for meddling.

"Would civility between you two for Olivier's sake kill you?" Stormed poured herself some more tea. "You've given them no time together, you don't have to tell Olivier that Remy is his father but having him in his life wouldn't be the worse thing."

"Like really? Logan is an old grump and all the other guys got love affairs going on…" Kitty blithely stated the obvious.

"Sure do!" Jamie came with an upbeat attitude. He was one of the younger students but was too reaching that prime dating age "Heading to my date as we speak…"

"Be back by curfew…" Stormed warned

"Oh I will" he smiled evilly.

"All of you" Stormed backed up her threat with a glare to the multiplied copies of Jamie.

"Well I'll see…" Rogue got up from the table.

"That's a no." Kitty mumbled.

"That's a we'll see." She shook her head "I'm going to get Olivier from Hank" she said cheerfully.

"Oh Oli is downstairs in the study hall with Gambit." Jamie blurted out in between chugging down some milk.

"What? What did you say?"

"I said that Oli is downstairs with Gambit, I just saw them? What's the big deal?" Jamie wiped away his milk mustache.

"The big deal is that my son is with someone I strictly forbid him from seeing and his name is Olivier not Oli!"

Storm and Kitty shot daggers at Jamie, him and his big mouth, just as Storm and Kitty were starting to get Rogue to see the light he pushes their progress back a million miles.

"You two set this up didn't you!" Rogue turned her anger onto Storm and Kitty.

"How long? I can't believe you two scheming like that." She made a disgusted face at them. "How long has this been going on!"

Kitty hated seeing Rogue so worked up, she had no idea about a set plan. She was not innocent though she did witness Remy and Olivier playing in Rec room and didn't intervene and she too started calling him Oli. Unable to take the pressure Kitty was about to confess when Storm held down her arm and shook her head warningly at her.

"Fine that's how it's going to be!?"

She eyed down Jamie who was too paralyzed from fear to move. He felt as if he just poked a sleeping mama bear. Rogue gruffly held Jamie by the collar shoving him into the fridge.

"Rogue!" Kitty shouted.

"Shut up Pryde this doesn't include you, so Jamie you going to tell me or am I going to have to ask twice."

Let's Play a Game II

Jamie almost wet himself in utter fear of Rogue, he had never witnessed her so angry and his life. He sang, about every incident he had ever and seen or heard off that included Olivier and Remy. That including the breakfasts, board games, card tricks and now French lessons.

Rogue was fuming she already figured that Remy passed Olivier back to Hank, so she went to Remy in the study hall first she wanted to exchange some words with him without Olivier watching. Unfortunately Remy wasn't there. Still riled up when she meet Hank Rogue gave him a piece of his mind after giving Olivier orders to go upstairs and wait in the den with Logan. Right that second Logan was only person she would allow herself to trust. Rogue was sure that Logan of all people wouldn't trade her in like the others did.

Remy sat in the kitchen as he was informed by Storm of the showdown he just missed. He was heavily warned that Rogue was on the hunt but he took it in stride. He wasn't going to stop he was simply going to have to find another way to get to her. Reason wasn't working and so a new approach would be tested, that of guilt.

Rogue came into the kitchen flying, Storm was quick to stand to defend Remy but he didn't want her assistance. He gave his infamous head nod that signaled to her that it was ok leave.

"You've done a lot of things Remy but this is the lowest."

"The lowest thing, do you mind reminding me about this despicable act I've done."

"You can't go around…"

"Spending time with my son?" Remy removed himself from the table and stood toe to toe with Rogue. "You're right I forgot that was a crime."

"Remy you put me in the worse position..."

"I forgot that I was the bad guy. I mean after all I did. Confessing my love, dropped my life in Paris to come back here oh and coming back from the dead for you. How could I been so cruel."

Remy was about to walk away when Rogue jerked him by collar and threw him into the wall pinning him by his wrist. "Despite what you say or think, I don't owe you jack shit. I will and will always do what is best for him if that means keeping him from you then so be it."

"Am I that evil?" Rogue was about to comment "Why did you kiss me."

That kiss was the only thing Remy had to hold on to that gave him hope that Rogue would come back to her senses and allow a connection to rekindle. It struck a nerve with her every time he brought it up. Remy could tell from her reaction that there was something there, her eyes soften and grip on his wrist loosened. Remy knew what he had to do, back off and let Rogue see that he was good as anyone else. Some space would let her see first hand how much he really cared.

"Go and tell him that you rendezvous are finished. Understand that if you won't then I will and my version won't be as pretty." It was the first time Remy saw Mystique come out in Rogue, he wouldn't have believed it unless he saw it first hand.

Remy didn't have to move, Logan and Olivier rushed in, there was barley enough time for Rogue to let go of Remy.

"Gambit, Logan and me gonna play basketball wanna play?"

"Non, not today."

Remy bent down and picked Olivier up and placed him on the table top to sit. Logan was behind the group pressed up against the wall, he wasn't sure what was happening but judging from Rogue's expression he needed to stay for a just in case scenario.

Remy looked at the young child it was strange for him to see the copy of eyes staring back at him. It left him at a loss of what to say, so he began gently.

"Olivier…"

"Oli, you call me Oli." He held the basketball in his lap, tapping it once in awhile, his smile fell when Remy didn't smile back.

"Olivier."

"Stop calling me that!" The serious behavior that Olivier saw in Remy's eyes frightened him.

"It's your name" Remy sighed it wasn't an easy task turning away your own. "Your mom wants to spend more time with you because she loves you that much, which means we have to cool it for awhile."

"What?"

A little shimmer came over Olivier's eyes. Logan propped himself off the wall he couldn't believe was hearing. Remy blow his one shot with him and was no longer on the Logan totem pole of respect. Logan made a mental note to slam Remy into a wall.

"We can't hang around as much... understand…"

"No….No…I, you said we're buds." He hugged his tiny body around his ball for comfort. He was horrified that yet another man was trying to leave.

"We are buds for life just think of that card trick I taught you and…" Remy had no real clue of what to say. He shouldn't have to say anything besides I love you to Olivier.

"Are we still going to be friends?"

"Forever, I need sometime to work things out and then its right back to snakes and ladders."

"Promise?"

"Promise"

"What about breakfast?" He had on the same puppy dog face he did in Paris, it made every heart melt.

"We'll see…" Remy took Olivier off the table and rubbed the top of his hair, looking to Rogue with livid eyes.

Rogue posed like a duck in water, appearing clam and unaffected on the surface but her insides was a blend of sorrow an misery. The whole scene disgusted her and made her feel dirty. It had been several years since Rogue had the thought of having a drink but right then she dreamed of a serious one with no tracers or blends. Instead of giving the temptation any thought she pushed it to the back of her mind and repeated to herself that it was all for the best, Olivier will understand one day

Remy had no passion or life left in his eyes they burned red with little sign of black, he felt violated the very second he started speaking. The words tasted like poison on his tongue. No father should have to say that to his child and for that split second Remy was no better then his own father that hurt him just the same. He sucked in the pain that bled from his heart, it was all apart of a bigger picture and he prayed that it would payout out in his favor.

"Let's go and see if Colossus wants to play with us." Logan offered trying to lift Olivier's sprit.

"I don't feel like playing…" he sluggishly left the room dropping the basket ball on the floor.

Logan was less then impressed with the antics the parents were pulling. He gave them a stern look of 'pull your crap together' and hustled out of the kitchen with the ball to see to Olivier.

Rogue feel the lump starting to form in her throat, tears soon would fall and she wouldn't allow Remy to see her cry, when it was her wish for him to break his young son's heart. She stepped passed Remy standing perfectly allied with his shoulder, she gave him a sideway look as if she was trying to find the strength to speak but nothing came out. With one bent knee to move Rogue paused at the sound of Remy voice:

"Red….it's his favorite color. He hates carrots in any form. Basketball is favorite sport, the amazing monkey man is his favorite cartoon and his birthday is around the corner…. I'm not some creepy back water pervert, I'm his father and I want to be treated as such."