Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
It's about 7:00 at night. Rahne and I are eating the meal that we fixed. I'll tell you what: she and I make some mean pizza casserole. As for the chocolate oatmeal cookies that we tried to make: that's another story. During our meal, Logan walks into the Kitchen, opens a cabinet, pulls out a locked ice-box, unlocks it, using his thumb-print, pulls out a beer, locked the box again, puts the box away, opens the beer, take a sip, and walks out of the Kitchen. Rahne and I, just, stare at him the entire time. He doesn't even acknowledge our presence. As soon as he leaves the room, both of us laugh. My laughing is cut off by a kiss from Rahne. I'm Jamie Madrox, and I feel as if I was kissed by an angel.
After diner, we walk to the pool and sit down. Kitty, Alex, Sam, Jean, Scott, and Warren are eating Kalua Pig, a Hawaiian dish that Alex cooked. As we arrive, Scott walked up to us and says "Hey guys. Want some pig? There's plenty left." "No thanks, man." I say. "We just ate." "Not a problem. We'd love it if you guys stayed, though. The more the merrier." I raise my left eyebrow. Scott's never been quite this relaxed, before. "Are you drunk?" I ask, and Rahne elbows me in my left rib. "I mean, you're more relaxed than usual." "No, no, no. Alcohol does something odd to my powers. I don't want to talk about it, though. But, um, I'm relaxed because Jean and I, just, got engaged." I smile and nod. "Congratulations, guys." Rahne stares into my eyes, with a look of passion and a smile on her face. I smile back at her, unsure of what she may be thinking. "So, when are you going to propose to Rahne, Madrox?" Alex asks. "When he's ready." Jean says. "Thank you, Jean, but what says that I won't propose to him?" Rahne says, smiling. I smile and let out a chuckle. "What's so funny, Jamie?" she asks me. "Nothing, fuzzy." I laugh, as Rahne gives me the annoyed look that I expected to get. She kisses my cheek, and smiles. "You see, I don't understand that. You'd think that she'd slap him, or something. What's the deal, here?" Alex says. "I knew that he was, only, joking. We do that to each other, all of the time." Rahne says, smiling. Rahne and I decide to sit down at the pool, and dip our feet in. She lays her head on my shoulder, I wrap my arm around her, and I kiss the top of her head, lightly. Everyone is staring at us. I can see their reflections in the pool, which is lit by the security lights. "I need a boyfriend" Kitty says. "I need a girlfriend." Alex says. "I need a one-night stand." Warren says, laughing. Warren walks over to us and says "Have you guys, uh, you know, yet?" "No." Both of us say in unison. "We don't want to." We smile at each other and laugh at the fact that we said the exact same thing at the exact same time. "It's something too special to just go and do." I say. "Jamie, I swear, you're like the best boyfriend that I've ever heard of." Kitty says. "You went from being that annoying little kid who I took on that date as a last resort, to this Casanova with a heart of gold. Oh, why did Lance have to flee the country?" "Because he's afraid of prison and wanted to go to a country that wouldn't extradite him?" I say. "That was a rhetorical question." "Ah, well, I'm just saying." Hours pass, and every goes inside. I walk Rahne to her room, give her a kiss good night, and walk back out to the pool. I sit there, alone, until Miss Monroe walks outside. "Having trouble sleeping?" she asks. "Kind of." I say. "You're thinking about Rahne, aren't you?" "Yes, ma'am, I am." "Want to talk about it?" "I guess we can. You see, Scott and Jean got engaged tonight. They've been together for several years. Rahne and I have only been together for three years, and yet we are more in love than anyone that I know. I want to propose to her, but I'm afraid of what may happen in the future. I mean, what says that we won't part ways after this summer and she won't meet somebody else?" "Oh, I see. Look, Jamie, once upon a time: I was engaged. He was the king of an advanced civilization in Africa. I was in love with him, greatly, but our hearts were in separate places. He had to lead his people, and I had to fight for mine. Both of us knew that we had to separate. I visit him, sometimes, still. Though, the elders of his civilization have forced him to marry and procreate, so that he may have an heir." "So, I'm supposed to follow my heart, even if it means leaving her?" "No. I am saying that you should not make the same mistake that I made. I should have married him. It is too late, now. I mustn't dwell on the past, but use it to lead others in the right direction." "Thanks, Miss Monroe." "Jamie, you are not only a student, but you are my friend. I am here for you whenever you need me." She and I say our goodbyes and I head off to bed at dawn. ((To be continued…))