A/N - Thanks for the reviews! I realize now that posting during the week that pretty much no one is home probably isn't good for the "view count" but I promised another chapter before Christmas and darnit... I'm a woman of my word. :)

Although... it's a short one... Enjoy! R&R!

5

It took a lot to shock the Cajun charmer, but the last two words out of Anna's lips was enough to leave him speechless.

Kitty's sudden bought of laughter snapped the sense back into him. "Are… you're kidding. Rogue." The smile slid off her face when Rogue didn't laugh. "Rogue."

Rogue shook her head. "He was stayin' at our neighbor's house down south… Ah didn't wanna pull him outta school right before his year was done. She flew up here with him."

"I jus' finished kindergarten!"

Remy smiled in spite of himself. The little boy certainly did look like Rogue. He noticed Logan come to a stop next to him, his arms crossed tightly against his chest.

"How!?" Kitty shook her head. "Is that why you left? Did you learn how to control your powers?!"

"Wow." Sarah raised an eyebrow with an approving smile, ignoring Kitty's stream of questions. The situation wasn't as shocking to her. "Kindergarten? You look too BIG to be just finishing kindergarten."

Cole puffed out his chest slightly and nodded. "I was one a'the biggest kids in my class!"

Rogue stood upright, brushing the auburn hair off his forehead. "Why don't you go get your suitcase from outside an' Momma will take you up to your room."

"Kay." Cole nodded.

"Wait." Joseph took a step forward. "You want a hand kiddo?"

Cole grinned and nodded enthusiastically. Joseph headed towards the door, exchanging a look with Rogue as he passed by her.

"My name's Joseph. You can call me Joe."

Cole took the silver haired, handsome mutant by the hand and excitedly hurried towards the door, rambling on about his trip here.

"Why… why didn't you say something?" Kitty took a step forward. "Don't you think you should prepare us for something like this?"

Rogue shook her head. "Ah wanted to enjoy bein' back here before ah dropped the bomb."

Logan grunted, causing Rogue's head to snap back up and look him dead in the eye.

He wasn't impressed and she could tell.

Her gaze fell back to her feet as Cole walked back through the doorway with Joseph tagging along behind him, dragging a colorful suitcase on wheels.

"Momma!" Cole said excitedly, waving a piece of paper around in his hand. "I made a picture in school!"

"For me?"

"No." He giggled. "For them."

Logan walked towards them, keeping his eyes on the young boy who held up the piece of paper with a proud smile. He looked exactly like Rogue.

Rogue raised an eyebrow at Logan as he came to a stop in front of them.

He grunted with a frown. "Cole, was it?"

"Yes sir." The little boy lifted his chin slightly. The action caused Logan to smile slightly in spite of his gruff act. He certainly acted like Rogue.

"Y'got more manners then anyone livin' here kid." He looked at Rogue again as Cole reached up, holding her hand protectively.

"That's cause momma says ah have to." he gave his mom a toothy grin. "Right?"

"Yuppers." Rogue nodded. She pressed her lips together tightly, exchanging a stare with Logan. She looked back down. Remy shook his head, reading the shameful expression that spread across her brow. That was the real
reason she didn't want anyone to know about her Son. She was ashamed of what it meant.

"I drew this for you." Cole held out the picture. "It's my Momma. Cuz you guys don't really know her anymore. Right? That's her with me."

Rogue rolled her eyes with a laugh "Cole, y'five goin' on fifty y'know that Sugah?"

"Why don't I bring this up to your room… and then we can take a little tour? How does that sound?" Joseph asked, looking from Cole to Rogue.

Cole jumped in place, clapping his hands excitedly "Momma? Can we?!"

"Sure." Rogue nodded, taking her sons hand and leading him upstairs.

"Bye Mr. Logan." Cole waved at the gruff man as he passed, holding tightly to his Mom's hand affectionately.

Logan watched as the three of them headed upstairs, silently observing his subtle mannerisms and taking in the new young scent. It was familiar. Oddly familiar…

---

Rogue unpacked the colorful suitcase with an easy grin. "Now ah want you t'make sure y'keep this all nice an' tidy. Ah don't wanna come back in here… findin' out y'room looks like a tornado ripped through here."

Cole grinned. "Okay."

"Promise me?"

"I promise." Cole rolled his green eyes dramatically. "How long are we stayin' here for?"

She looked at him from over her shoulder. "Why? You don't like it here?"

His eyes went wide and he shook his head. "No! I do!"

Rogue grinned, turning back to continue unpacking his things. "Ah'm glad."

Logan stopped in the doorway, leaning against the door jamb with his arms crossed.

Rogue looked at him silently. He was watching Cole who was tracing circles on the wall with his finger.

She let out a breath. It wouldn't be much longer. He was inches away from figuring it out. "Hey."

He looked at her with his jaw squared. "Yeah."

The look in his eye as he stared at her, his blue eyes nearly burning sent a shiver up her spine. He'd been the only one that could make her feel so uneasy with a single look.

She pressed her lips together. "Cole… why doncha go find Joe. See if he'll give you that tour..."

Cole jumped to his feet excitedly giving Logan a grin. "Hi Mr. Logan."

His face relaxed and he smiled "Hi kid."

Cole scurried past the man in the doorway, racing down the hall.

"Don't run inside!" Rogue hollered after him before turning her attention back to Logan.

After a long moment of silence, she sucked in a breath. "Ah screwed up."

"I guess so."

He clenched his jaw, biting back the urge to say something he'd most likely regret later.

"Ah really don't wanna hear it… 'specially not from you Logan. Alright?"

"Rogue-"

"You don't think ah spent every single day ah was carryin' Cole… just thinkin' how disappointed y'all would be…? How you would never look at me the same way again." She shook her head. "But as soon as ah saw
him… 'soon as ah looked into his big green eyes..." She trailed off with a smile which quickly grew stale. "Ah don't care what y'all have t'say 'bout me. Ah really don't. He's… mah world."

"So then why wait so long to come back?"

"Because ah didn't need to." She frowned "Look… ah'd love to sit here an' listen to your lectures on life, but ah got better things t'do." Her brow puckered before she moved past him. He watched her leave, just like he'd
watched her leave that night so long ago.

With no explanation.

His mind began to wander, bringing him back to that night. He should have known something was up, but he'd been so tired… he'd chalked it up to her being a woman and left it at that. That is, until the next morning.

…She'd caught him just before bed as he was lounging around his room in his flannel pajama bottoms; her black, long sleeved PJ's pulled down over her hands as she stood in his doorway. He'd frowned at her."It's a little late kid."

"Yeah…"

He'd looked up at her freshly scrubbed face, the way she leaned on his door jamb so nonchalantly, crossing her arms over her chest. The image had imprinted itself into his brain as she gave him a half smile. The 19 year old
Goth, all ready for bed with no makeup on and a pretty little smile. She was such a beautiful girl when she wasn't trying to be so angry. It had been just over a month since Gambit took off and three since Joseph
disappeared, and everyone noticed… she hadn't been the same since.

"Just wanted to say goodnight." She pressed her lips together.

He'd raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Alright…"

And that's when she did it. She stepped towards him, letting go of her long sleeves revealing her bare hands, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his bare shoulder.

To say he'd been shocked would have been a pathetic understatement.

"Darlin'…" He'd managed to say, gently holding her in return as if she were a delicate china doll. As if he were too rough, her powers would kick in. "How…?"

She pulled back slightly, looking him in the eye. "Don't know. Not sure that matters much right now."

He'd furrowed his brow, about to ask her something more when she closed the space between them, giving him a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight." She whispered before slipping her arms from their comfortable place around his neck and stalking back towards the door. "See ya later."…

Logan let out a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. The next morning, she'd been gone. Everyone had thought it was because she was so upset over first Joseph leaving, that once her best friend Gambit left, she couldn't take it anymore. But he'd always known she was stronger than that. She left because she no longer needed to be there. And that had been what he'd thought. That is, up until today.

He finally realized what the mysterious familiar scent was; the one that was a mixture of Rogue and crayons and some mystery ingredient that he'd picked up off of Cole.

It would be best if he kept his mouth shut.

For now.

Merry Christmas!