Rogue had spent the last hour in the library. She was doing research for her paper on old-school fighting techniques that Logan had assigned her since she could no longer participate in the self-defense class anymore.

Or at least that was what he told her an hour earlier.

She was still fairly small for being almost four months along. She could move as quickly as the other girls and it wasn't like she couldn't process the strengths and weaknesses of her opponent just because she was pregnant.

But Logan insisted she sit the class out.

Whatever…she wasn't going to miss running thirty laps every other day anyways.

There was still another hour to the class so she went back to the gymnasium where it was being taught. She pushed open the swinging doors and saw that everyone was listening to Logan as he gave instructions – something about there being no shame in going for an opponent's obvious 'soft spots.' Logan did love his dirty fighting tactics.

Rogue scanned around the room and saw Jubilee sitting on a bench not too far away, reading a gossip magazine and sipping on a can of soda.

"How come you're not in there?" Rogue asked, taking a seat next to her friend.

Jubilee gave her a grunt in response, usually meaning that she wanted to finish an article before getting into a conversation. Rogue waited patiently until Jubilee closed the magazine and gave her a dazzling smile. "Did you know that Catherine Zeta-Jones uses a four hundred dollar hair treatment? And you know what it's made out of? Caviar! What a riot!"

Rogue arched a brow. "This is what you've been doing the entire time?"

"Girl, getting Logan pregnant was the best idea ever. Not literally, of course. I've been able to get away with just about anything nowadays. I just casually mention that he probably needed to get a maternity bra to go along with his maternity outfits…"

Rogue giggled. "You didn't!"

"Of course I did!" Jubilee snuck a glance to where Logan was still talking with the rest of the class and said in a lowered voice, "Don't tell Logan about this but Dr Grey and Ms Munroe are still working on getting that padded suit together and from what I've seen so far, they're taking pity on him and only did the belly part. They aren't going to make him have his breasts enlarged too."

Rogue grinned. "My lips are sealed."

"Good, because this thing has so far gotten me out of running laps, researching for my English paper, and also he's been giving me change for the vending machines. He even offered to take my turn at washing the dinner dishes too if I never mention the words 'maternity' and 'bra' to him ever again."

They laughed but Rogue stopped abruptly when she saw who John had been paired up with.

"What the hell is she doing with him?" she hissed angrily, pointing toward where John and Amara started to circle each other slowly, occasionally throwing a swing or a jab to test the limits of their mock-fight session.

"Take it easy, Rogue. Her partner has a broken leg. It wasn't planned or anything."

"I don't like it."

"No one said you had to like it. Come on, let's go get a brownie or something. I need to get another soda too." Jubilee tugged on her arm until Rogue finally got on her feet and was reluctantly pulled away from watching as Amara grabbed John, almost getting him into a headlock. But it wasn't a headlock, per se – more like smooshing his head against her breast.

Rogue was about to give the girl a piece of her mind but Jubilee gave her a hard tug towards the vending machines outside. "Come on! I need my afternoon snack! You know how cranky I get if I don't eat something!"

Rogue couldn't believe her ears or eyes. "Did you not see that?"

"See what?"

"Amara…she had…breast…" Rogue sputtered out.

"Yes, Rogue, Amara has breasts." Jubilee nodded sagely, then turned her attention to counting out her change. "Should I get a Snickers or M&M's? I am rather partial to nougat… Oooo! They have Cheetos now! I have to get that!"

"Jubilee!"

"What's the problem?" Jubilee looked at her friend, as she grabbed her cheesy snack from the drawer at the bottom of the machine. "You know when they fight, there's going to be some sort of bodily contact, Rogue. It's nothing. They're just practicing their self-defense moves. That's it. Nothing's going on."

"I just wish he had another partner," Rogue muttered.

Jubilee started putting in her money into the soda machine. "Yeah, well, I'm wishing for world peace and a pair of Manolo Blahnik's but I'm not expecting those anytime soon either. I think he would have partnered up with Bobby but you know…they haven't exactly been talking since…well…"

"Oh God…you mean they haven't been talking at all since…the pregnancy?"

"Err…well, no… They chitchatted for awhile but…err…I think the real falling out happened when…erm…we busted in on you guys…you know…under the sheets, if you know what I mean..."

"Under the sheets?"

"You know, that day when Logan became the fourth blind mouse?"

Rogue groaned, burying her face in her hand.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure they'll work things out eventually. I think Bobby just needs some time to adjust to this."

"I guess… I just can't believe John didn't say anything to me."

"He probably didn't want to burden you with it. Like I said, I'm sure they'll get over this. Here, have a Cheeto. Processed cheese always makes things better."

Rogue smiled, grabbing a handful of Cheetos from Jubilee's bag.

"Hey! I said 'a Cheeto,' Miss Grabby-Pants!"

"I'm eating for two now… I have to keep up my strength."

They both laughed and made their way back to the gym. When they got back, the class seemed to be taking a short break from the exercises Logan had been putting them through. Amara and her friend, Danielle, were standing by the doors, gossiping among themselves. When Rogue and Jubilee passed by them, Rogue could plainly hear Amara talking about something she had no business talking about.

"Oh, it's so obvious she trapped him in that relationship. I mean, if she hadn't gotten pregnant, do you think he would still even be with her? I don't think so."

"Don't, Rogue, she's not worth it," Jubilee whispered. But Amara heard her comment and turned to look at them. Amara just smirked then went back to talking to Danielle. This time Rogue couldn't hear what they were saying anymore but there was a lot more giggling going on. "Come on… There's a Jake Gyllenhaal article I want to show you."

"I couldn't even give her a good, hard slap?" Rogue whined.

"No, then you'd be lowering yourself to her standard and I know you're better than that. Now, come on."

They sat back down at the bench they were at earlier, Jubilee taking yet another gossip magazine out from her gym bag. "Here, read the one about Jake and his dogs. I think his cuteness factor just goes through the roof when he's with those dogs. They're all so cute together. Did I mention it's all so cute?"

Rogue tried to concentrate on reading the article Jubilee pointed out for her but she couldn't help taking small glances over to where John and Amara were training again. It looked like Amara had stumbled over her own feet and managed to throw herself exactly into John's arms. Rogue felt her fingers digging into the magazine pages, crumpling the paper into tight wads. She tried to restrain herself. She really did.

But then the tipping point came when Amara's hands glided over John's shoulder, over his sides, and rested directly on his…

Jubilee had been watching Amara also and couldn't believe her eyes. She really didn't think Amara had the nerve to pull such a stunt. And right in front of Rogue too! "Oh crap…" Jubilee muttered. She looked over to her friend who had already stood up and stomping her way toward the groping girl. "Rogue! She has weak ankles! Take her down at the ankles!"

John had managed to free himself from Amara's unwanted embrace, only to find Rogue launching herself against the girl. "Rogue! Wait!"

"You don't ever touch him, bitch!" Rogue yelled. "You keep your filthy hands off his ass! That ass is mine!"

Amara screamed in pain as Rogue began pulling on her hair and scratching at her face viciously. Amara managed to get her hand around Rogue's own loose hair and began pulling also. Soon the two girls fell to the mat, punching and biting and screaming obscenities. John tried to grab Rogue away but the two were so entangled, he didn't know who or what he was grabbing.

"What the hell is going on here?" Logan shoved his way through the crowd that was forming around the two wrestling girls. "Holy fuck… Rogue! Amara! Stop this right now!" Logan managed to grab someone's arm but for his trouble, he was elbowed savagely. "OW!! My eye!!" He stumbled away from the fight, cupping his right eye in pain.

Kitty saw Danielle try to make a move toward the fight and stuck her foot out to trip her. Danielle landed with a big 'oof' onto her stomach and Kitty sat down on the flattened girl to keep her from moving.

It wasn't until Peter came into the picture with his metal shield protecting him from (unintentional, of course) scratches and bites and elbows to the eye that the two girls were pulled apart. Peter got a grasp on Amara and John pulled Rogue away. Bobby and Warren managed to convince Kitty to stop sitting on Danielle, that the fight was over for now. Jubilee just kept whooping and hollering while Logan was furiously blinking his right eye as his vision slowly came back.

"You stay away from him!" Rogue screamed. She was still making such a ruckus that John hauled her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, making his way out the doors. She pulled up his t-shirt, pointing to his ass. "This is property of Marie D'Ancanto! You touch it again, I swear to God you'll have more trouble than your mama ever gave ya!"

"Sing it, sister!" Jubilee called out as Rogue was carried away.

John didn't let Rogue down until they were back in their room. He dropped her off his shoulder onto the bed and turned away from her, dragging his fingers through his hair. Rogue lifted herself up onto her elbows and stared at him as he paced back and forth, clearly agitated. He finally sat down at the edge of the bed, his back still to her.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

She straightened, now sitting up next to him. That scene in the gym kept playing over and over in her head. "She grabbed your ass!"

"Yeah, I know about that part! I was there! Jesus Christ, Rogue! You're pregnant! That little tiff you had? You could have really hurt the baby, you know that, right?"

She suddenly became as meek as a kitten. "I know."

He sighed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Look, I know Amara isn't your favorite person and you'd like to have another round with her but you have to think about not just yourself now. I can handle someone like Amara…what I can't handle is to see you get hurt and something happening to our baby, okay?"

"Okay." She pulled herself closer to him, playing with the hem of his shirt nervously. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Did I trap you?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I just…I'm just wondering…you don't feel like I made you stay with me, right? I guess what I mean is…I know that I didn't exactly ask you if you wanted to have this baby too and…I don't know…I forced you to…"

"Rogue, listen to me. Nobody forced me to do anything. You know better than anybody that no one is going to tell me what to do and what not to do, right? I'm here because I love you and I want to be here. That little baby you have inside of you? It's part of me too."

She looked at him in wonderment.

"What? I have something on my face?"

She smiled. "No…it's just…"

"What?"

"It's the first time you said that you loved me."

"It is?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry…"

"No, don't be sorry. I know it's not words you would throw around easily and I never expected you to say it out loud. Your actions spoke louder than anything but…"

"It's still nice to hear?"

"Yeah…"

"I'll say more often then. And I say it because I do mean it, Rogue." His arm tightened around her as she closed the small gap between them.

The dining hall that night was full and the gossip surrounding the cat fight that happened that afternoon spread like wildfire around the mansion. Some gave Rogue the evil eye but most gave her a big thumb's up.

Rogue and John sat with Peter, Jubilee, Kitty, and Warren. Bobby still sat away from them but gave them a hesitant greeting when the couple passed his table.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't John Allerdyce."

The whole table looked toward where the slightly mocking, slightly sultry voice was coming from. It was a red-haired girl – one hand on her hip, a grin on her face – looking directly at John.

"Wanda," John gasped out, choking on the piece of bread he had in his mouth.

Her grin only broadened. "It's good to know you remember my name, lover boy."

Then to the amazement to everyone else at the table (and basically everyone who had been at the dining hall), she leaned over and kissed him full on the lips.