Chapter Seventeen: Truths in Different Faces.

It was funny how quickly time passed and Rogue found herself believing in the vows she told Remy by the old tree more each hour. It was a long time coming but slowly she began to see the beauty that she had around her, sure it wasn't enough to drown out the horrors and shame of her past but it was enough to balance it out. And minute by minute, hour and hour, and day after day she found a content pattern of happiness. Olivier was her second chance to do it all over and by some lucky strike of fate Remy was included. There never was a second after their trip to the south were Rogue didn't appreciate him.

Sitting angelically in front of her dresser mirror Rogue brushed all the knots out of her long auburn and for the first time in five years she pined it up into a classic up-do. Her forehead scar seemed so much smaller so insignificant, she barley realized it was there. Touching up her make up with a little lipstick, she sat ready for adult after party which all the teacher and full time X-Men were looking forward too.

It was Christmas evening, the presents had been given, food had been eaten and the tone was set to a mellow clam. It was the right time; the time for Rogue to do the right thing and give Remy's the gift he had been longing for. Reaching into her top draw buried beneath layers of clothes and odd pieces of junk, Rogue pulled out a big wide envelope. It had been torn awhile back, the contents being reviled only once.

Standing to put on her red pumps Rogue found herself nervous of what was to come, she was giving herself one more look over when Remy entered her room.

"Hey chere…"

He stopped talking to stare at Rogue's beauty she was short cocktail dress with a red bow on the back and matching shoes. His favorite part which he would never say aloud was that Rogue stopped wearing her gloves, no longer burdened by the scars, but she would always have the memories.

"How do I look?" She cocked her head and gave him a little spin.

"Like a model."

Remy smiled and walked over to her, going in for a kiss he caught himself. He reached in his pant pocket and pulled out a small black box and opened it with his thumb. Rogue's eyes instantly lit up, she recognized the earrings eminently.

Rogue looked down at the deep green emeralds then to Remy almost waiting for him to say kidding and shut the box in her face. Instead he smiled at her and she knew it was all real. Rogue wasted no time and begin her earring transference.

"Do you miss her Remy?" She asked putting the last one in her ears.

"Everyday."

"Are you sure you want me to have these?"

"Oui"

"I would love to have met her."

"My mere would have loved you from day one." Rogue witnessed Remy weakening before her eyes, the subject of his mother is the only thing that could ever do that him. "She's the only woman I love more then you."

Rogue hearted melted at his words and his sincerity in eyes. She embraced him and kissed him lovingly. It amazed her, Remy not only saw the good in her when no else could but helped her to discover it for herself.

"Let's go say good night to Oli before we head out." He held Rogue's hand to lead her out but froze when she pulled back.

"Just you…" she reached off her dresser top and picked up the envelope.

"What's this?"

Rogue didn't answer she only nodded instructing him to open it. Carefully he pulled out the thin piece of paper. The header read; North Chester Hospital birth certificate. Listed was all Olivier credentials - height, weight, eyes and hair color and the bottom of the page was his little foot print and hand print. Remy gave Rogue and inquisitive glance as he looked up from his readings.

"Keep reading." She told him as he tip-toed behind him putting her arms around his chest and snuggling up to him. "Read it out loud."

"Olivier Raven,"

Remy wasn't to surprised that she gave Olivier her last name, specially after the shock Pietro must have, had when he saw for himself Olivier's eyes.

"Mother, Anna -Marie, Raven." Rogue smirked at the notion she was a mother.

"Father," Remy's voice got lodge in his throat, he steadily turned and brought Rogue to his front with crippling expression on his face.

"Father Remy, LeBeau." She finished for him and kissed him on the cheek, but Remy pulled her in wrapping his arms around her in fulfillment. "He was always your son." She spoke smoothly into his ear.

Rogue and Remy parted in different directions Remy heading down the hall and Rogue wondering down to the living where she was greeted by her favorite person.

"Marie."

"Mercy."

Henry and Mercy came up to New York to visit Remy and since the ultimatum that meant Rogue as well. Rogue was surprised and disappointed all at once but masked all her inner feelings. Mercy sat with Ororo by the fireplace in the living room while the other X-Men were off in the kitchen and Rec room drinking and preparing for their night out to be free adults.

Ororo smiled over at Rogue and then whispered something in Mercy ear to make her laugh. Sometime it slipped Rogue's mind that Mercy and Ororo were closer then bacon and eggs with Remy as their toast.

"Marie I…" her voice dropped silent when she spotted Mother LeBeau emeralds hanging from Rogue's ear. She was less then pleased but bottled it in.

"Mercy how are things for you?" Rogue teased knowing that the earrings were bothering her.

"Let's cut the bullshit Marie there are no men around, I don't like you despite what you did to change what Ororo thinks about you or whatever the hell Remy sees in you. But we are not friends. I will only smile and fake enjoying your company if that means seeing a smile on his face."

Mercy quickly took back her drink and brushed passed Rogue.

"I never needed your approval."

"You're right you didn't, you just did whatever made you feel good and fucked everyone in the process." She pivoted on her heels and got hairs length away from Rogue's face "You ever fuck him over again or pull any of your past shit and I will be holding your black heart in a box by sundown."

There were a lot of things Mercy LeBeau had been through and Remy was there to push her through it all. So when Rogue showed up at the LeBeau mansion weeks before and Rogue wasn't dead for what she did to Remy was metrical by the all mighty. Besides being a tall smart and generous brunette she was killer thief, sneak and excellent at hand to combat one of the better Rogue's seen. It was obvious to even Ororo who couldn't help but smirk, that Mercy was sincere in her words.

"All right you two break it up you've been fighting for how many years." Ororo stepped in between them. "Come on Mercy I want you to met someone."

Mercy rolled eyes at Ororo peacekeeping tactics. "Say Ororo, are you back with that sexy Wolverine?"


Mean while –

Remy pushed open Olivier's room door to see him running out of the bathroom with his new cat Candy in hand, he quickly jumped into the bed and pulled up the covers waiting for his nightly routine of a story and a tight hug by both his parents. He sat bundled up in the covers tapping his hand at his side waiting for Remy to come over.

"Come on Gambit…" he smiled and petted his kitty.

It was like Remy was frozen in time and watched Olivier in awe, it was always real that he had a son and he never dared once skip on his fatherly duties but that night as the snow fell outside Olivier's window and his son beamed with joy, he couldn't help wonder if it was all just a devious dream.

"Where's mom?" Olivier asked as Remy took at seat on the edge of his bed.

"Just you and me tonight homme."

"Ok." He pulled out his Monkey Man comic and sat up so Remy could read it to him.

"Aw, in a minute." Remy put down the book and looked at him.

"Are you going to leave." Olivier blurted out, with misty eyes.

"Non… never."

"Never ever?"

"Oui"

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good." A sigh washed over the young boys face and he reached under his bed pulling out a box hecticly wrapped with a big sloppy bow on top. It was wrapped with lots of love and lots of tape. "Here!" Olivier hustled closer to Remy "Open it."

Literally having to tear threw the amount of tape and wrapping paper, Remy eyed the rather small shoe box. He shook it once giving Olivier a good show then opened it. Inside were two items and a card. Remy pulled out a red and black ace covered tie first.

"Mon diue" Remy exclaimed holding it up "I've been wishing for one of this." He swiftly began to untie his tie and replace it with horribly tacky one that his son bought him.

"There's more!" Olivier giggled

Remy took apart the card and read the simplest yet sweetest thing he had ever seen. "Merry Christmas Dad, love Olivier." He smiled down and Olivier and for a brief second Remy felt his eyes water. It was by far the greatest gif that he had ever received.

"Olivier we have to talk." He placed the card to his side.

"You don't wannna be my daddy do you…" Olivier fiddled with his fingers and his small chin begin to tremble. It was clear to Remy then why Olivier didn't give him the gift that morning when everyone was exchanging gifts Olivier was frightened that Remy wouldn't except his offer of fatherhood. Remy brushing back his head titled his head.

"Oui I do."

"Oui?" Olivier asked in disbelief "You're gonna stay and be my daddy for real?" he wiggled his toes as his eyes grew with trill waiting for Remy to respond.

Taking a deep breath but remaining up beat Remy tried to explain "You know in issue three forty two when Monkey Man found out that Monkey lad had the same hand print and super strength? That he was his son?" Remy asked as Olivier nodded his head slowly. "We're like that expect, we have the same eyes not hand print do you understand…"

Olivier shook his head "I am your pere for real…"

"Like new?"

"No" Remy chucked cause in away he was new. "I'm the original I was just couldn't find you for awhile."

"But now that you found me, you're gonna stay right?"

"Oui"

"Forever and ever and ever and ever!?"

Olivier jumped up and wrapped his little hands around Remy's neck squeezing him tighter and tighter "I always wanted a dad." He said in Remy's eyes and instantly Remy's heart only grew fonder and deeper for Olivier.

"Je vous aime Olivier."

"Je vous aime aussi le papa."


Elsewhere-

"Mercy LeBeau, been a long time." Logan greeted and her with a drink as she entered the social nest also referred to as the kitchen.

"Yes it has, Wolverine." She smiled and accepted his drink.

"You can call me Logan now."

"Nope sorry." Mercy smiled brightly. "Ororo called you the Wolverine, when we would gossip about you and sneaking into our house in the middle of the night, you were the Wolverine. When she screamed your named it was always Wolverine and Tante still calls you the damn stubborn Wolverine." She laughed at bit at the last part.

"Oh my how times change huh?" Ororo entered at the last part of their conversation tipping glassing with Mercy and Logan's bottle.

"We we're young and had fun, some more then others." She winked at the speechless Logan, he never knew Ororo talked about him in the 'morning afters'.

"The guild misses you Ororo you don't comeback home enough, I miss having my sister around." They both giggled.

"Yeah those were fun time, where would I be without you guys?"

"Still homeless and stealing cars." Mercy joked.

"Haha I was best wasn't?"

"Oui you were." Henry wondered over and kissed Ororo on the cheek. "Miss you everyday." He kissed her again.

"Awe I miss you all too."

"See why could Remy fall for her?" Mercy added "Instead he fell for girl who used us for her own family's greed and was sent to kill him and hey she even succeed once." Mercy waved her glass getting worked up all over again.

"ahmm" Logan cleared this throat.

"Sorry I forgot you're one of her so called friends now Wolverine." She sighed "I'm getting another drink." Mercy wondered over to Bobby who was pouring the drinks and looking depressed without a date.

"Haha," Henry laughed "She can hold a grudge can't she? Have you seen my brother?"

"Yeah he's upstairs." Ororo replied and Henry too left leaving her alone with Logan. The two had drifted apart over the years, new lovers old skeleton in closest pushed them apart. Avoiding the always awkward tension Ororo turned to leave with the intention of stopping Mercy from drinking too much. When a gruff tick hand, grabbed her arm tight, it shot shivers through out her whole body.

"Logan?" she said surprised by his behavior.

"It's Wolverine" he used her arm and pulled her into his chest. "Or did you forget?"

A vixen smiled played on Ororo's lips "Perhaps I need a refresher course."


Henry was ashamed by the security or the lack there of the mansion had, it was a lucky thing the school didn't have much valuable they would have been robbed years ago he thought to himself. He made his way up the stair case and saw Remy coming out of a room he had no doubt was Olivier's. He pitched himself on the banister of stairs and watched his brother walk away with a goofy grim smile he had on. Henry had only seen it come out a hand full of time the night he kissed Rogue good night was last time he saw. It was a strange smile even though Remy was adoptive Henry saw his mother smile in him only then.

"What's got you so happy?"

"Like my tie?" Remy showed it off.

"It looks like a piece of…"

"Oli got if for me for Christmas, it said to dad." Remy gloated.

To dad was all Henry had to hear to know that Olivier finally knew the truth and frankly surprised that it took Remy long to do it and not cave under the pressure of Rogue's once unreasonable conditions.

"Congrats." Henry slapped Remy's back "Finally, William can come visit his cousin."

"Yeah, I was…"

"When did you go?" Henry questioned taking out a yellow rose from his pocket. It was their father's favorite because it was their blessed mothers favorite.

"Having a son changes a man…" Remy answered boldly taking the flower.

"Changes you so much you go visit our pere grave?"

"Not just Pere beside him is our mere non? That makes it worth it." Remy touched the smooth silk like petals.

"That's the last place I thought you go specially alone?"

"I didn't." Remy smiled as he began his decent down the stairs "The unbearably vial woman as you call her behind by back came with me."

"Whoa." Henry was surprised no one could get Remy to go this father's grave, the fact that Rogue did impressed him slightly.

"I get it now Henry, you can't just get the beauty in life you got to take all the ugly that comes with it." He opened his palm and Henry shoved him jokingly.

"Gambit…ah dad!" Olivier ran down the stairs with Remy's gift in hand. "There's one left." He tip toed stretching to try and get to Remy. Henry decided to give the father and son a moment.

"Merci"

Remy opened the boxed and pulled out a black book. He opened the first page and to see a picture of Remy in Paris playing a board game and turned to see another of him and Olivier making breakfast, the basketball game, movies , Remy sleeping. Most where out of focus but some were decent but to Remy they were all perfect. His son was a talented had made an album of the time he spent with Remy.

"Storm helped me, you like it?"

"Love it." Remy bend down and scooped Olivier up his arms feetie pajamas and all "Best gift ever."

"Well isn't this a sight." Rogue walked over and witnessed the glee on Olivier face, she was happy that he took to the news well as hope she was desperately wanted.

"Mom-I just- showed- gamb…- I mean dad my gift…" Rogue honestly couldn't hear anything else Olivier said after he said dad. Her eyes soften and without thinking about Olivier was all wound up in Remy's arms. She pulled him in by his ridiculous tie and kissed him suddenly but as the kiss grew with passion and Remy slid Olivier out of his arms to capture his love more.

"Come on Oli." Bobby said heading upstairs for his jacket, as they adults all came out of the kitchen and Rec room preparing to leave. "Looks like we're the only ones sleeping solo tonight." He reached for Olivier hands leading up the stairs. Olivier only smiled glancing back once in awhile at his still lip bound parent, giggling at his own private joke that his wish came true.