17

She'd been around the block a few times, and suffice it to say that she was no idiot. She knew when she was being used, when some bastard treated her like she was just some old sock. There was a difference between having an understanding with someone, that their relationship was strictly of the sexual nature and that nothing would come of it, and being a body utilized for the release of ones sexual frustration brought on by someone unattainable.

She had started out as the former, and wound up as the latter.

And that just simply wouldn't do.

She came to a stop in the rec. room doorway, her eyes instantly drawn to him. Sitting on the loveseat, reading a book.

So now it was time for a little payback.

She sat down in the big arm chair across from him, a grin dancing across her lips when he looked up.

"Hey Joe."

"Hi Sarah... what's up?"

"Oh, not much." She leaned back in the chair, drumming her fingers on the arm rests as she spoke. She'd noticed the change in him as soon as sheshowed up, but it wasn't until the kids little accident that he started acting far too strange for her liking. "Whatcha readin'?"

Joseph glanced down at his book and shrugged "It's just a biography I found in the library. I'm waiting for Cole and Anna to finish up with Professor Xavier."

Ahhh the meetings. The secret meetings that no one quite understood. The ones that began right after the 'incident' that had Remy acting spooked. She noticed these too.

"Is it good?" She asked innocently, causing Joe to cock his head with a grin as he squinted his eyes.

"What's up Sarah?"

She let out a deep breath and put on a frown. "Do you think you're a good judge of character?"

"Well," He leaned back in his seat and set the book down next to him. "I'd like to think so."

She noticed them bickering when no one else seemed to pay attention, she noticed the tension between them when Remy took off inexplicably, she saw how people wrote it off as either one of them being temperamental, but she wasn't buying it.

"You don't like Remy." Sarah bit her lower lip before continuing. "Is he a... bad character?"

Her first real red flag came when she'd walked in on them in the kitchen, sharing a tender moment as they discussed Rogue's son. She saw the look in his eye... the way he was with Rogue, it wasn't just mere flirtation or playful banter. She'd hurried back outside, making some lame excuse as to how she needed help so that shewasn't the one interrupting their Hallmark moment.

Joseph chuckled. "I'll let you be the judge on that one. Besides, I don't think you should be having this conversation with-"

"I don't owe him anything." Her stare turned hard. She felt the way he tensed up when Joseph had asked Rogue to go with him to Muir Island. And she casually mentioned to Kitty that Remy had offered to be Joseph's sparring partner in lieu of Summers, suspecting that the girl knew more than she let on. Her suspicions had been confirmed when Rogue practically flew by her on her way to the danger room.

Sarah lifted her chin slightly and narrowed her eyes. "You don't like him. Why?"

"It goes way back Sarah..." He ran a hand through his silver hair and chuckled. "It's pretty stupid actually."

She lifted her eyebrows expectantly prompting Joseph to suck in a breath and rub his hands together.

"Anna was my girlfriend, Gambit was her best friend, and he liked to try to make me jealous. He got some kind of sick amusement out of it."

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and folding her hands together. "That's it?"

"Yeah, I told you it was-"

"You're sure?"

He'd come to her room, just as she presumed he would, all hot and bothered and ready to go. And she gave him a lame excuse about feeling ill, suggesting that he take a cold shower instead. Sure, she could have told him off right then and there, but that wasn't her style. Besides, this would be much, MUCH more fun in the long run.

Joseph furrowed his brow and stared at her. "What do you mean?"

She pressed her lips together and tipped her head to the side thoughtfully. "Do you know when Cole's birthday is?"

XXXX

Remy knocked on the door and leaned against the wall as he waited for a response. It was more of a courtesy than anything else, he didn't expect her to be there. Nor did he expect she wanted to see him. He glanced over his shoulder, eyes sweeping the empty hall to ensure it was all clear before proceeding to pick the lock. Within seconds he had the door open and was gingerly shutting it behind him as he scanned her room. He'd noticed them there when she was still in the unpacking process but hadn't paid any mind to them at the time. But now, as the possibility of her taking his sole family member away loomed in the near future, he felt like he needed to seize the opportunity while he still could. He moved over to her bed and knelt down, lifting the skirt out of the way. Success. Two photo albums stacked up under the bed and a shoe box labeled 'pictures'.

He pulled all three items out of their home and sat back, leaning against the bed as he glanced at the clock on her night stand. He should have plenty of time to peruse before she returned.

With a deep breath, he cracked open the first album, a smile naturally sprawling across his lips as soon as his eyes were exposed to the first page. A series of images of a wrinkly, puffy-eyed newborn baby were arranged on the page with 'Happy Birthday Cole!' written neatly along the top.

A sudden swell of regret and sadness created an ache in his chest. If only he'd stayed like she'd asked him to. If only he hadn't been such a stubborn cowardly prick...

He turned the page, his eyes falling on a picture of a tired looking Rogue holding her new little bundle. The joy bursting through her worn out appearance, making her green eyes sparkle. He could only imagine how scared she must have been. And how proud she was when she first laid eyes on him. And what it must have felt like to hold him in her arms for the first time, and look at his tiny little wrinkled face with nothing but pure, unconditional love.

There would never be a picture of him holding that sweet little bundle with that same look of joy and awe that was all over Rogue's face, in the single picture she shared with her son at this young age.

Before he knew what was happening, he heard the tumbler in the lock roll back and the door swing open. His head snapped up and he clamped the album shut, staring up at her from his place against her bed on the floor.

She blinked at him with a look of shock, slowly knitting her brow as she glanced down to the item in his hand.

"What are you doin'?" Rogue's eyes moved over to the second album and shoebox sitting next to him before falling back on him as he stammered for a pithy response.

She crossed her arms and shook her head. "You coulda just asked." She offered him a forgiving smirk, stepping into her room and closing the door behind her.

Rogue plunked down on the floor next to him, picked up the second album and began leafing through it. "How far did ya get?"

Remy looked over at her, then up at the clock with a frown, realizing he'd just spent a half an hour staring at the first two pages. "I'm done." He set the album down next to him and stood up.

"Sorry about... breakin' in."

She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Please, everyone knows that locks are just a formality with you around."

His smile fell short of reaching his eyes and he rubbed the back of his neck. He wanted to say more, but he couldn't quite find the words. Sorry didn't quite seem to be enough to express how he was feeling. So instead he headed for the door, stopping with his hand on the doorknob when Rogue cleared her throat.

"Did you want one?"

Remy shook his head without looking back at her. "No."

He pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway, closing it up behind him. He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets and started down the hall, rounding the corner and walking smack dab into Joseph.

Remy jerked back and muttered an apology before continuing on his way, ignoring the befuddled look on Joseph's face.

Lord only knew what his problem was this time. The stick he had up his ass was probably starting to chafe.

XXXX

Not a minute after Remy left, there was a knock on her door. She smiled, still seated on the ground by her bed, keeping her eyes fixed on the pictures in her album.

"You change your mind?" she called out, looking up only when the door opened a bit. "Joseph?" She stood up and knit her brow as she searched his face. "What's up?"

"I think we need to talk, Anna."

"Sure." She motioned for him to come in, and he closed the door behind him, rubbing the back of his neck with a frown.

"When was Cole born?"

Rogue smiled and crossed her arms. "His birthday's not for a while. You ain't thinkin' of gettin' him somethin' already are-"

"No." He stopped her mid-sentence, causing her smile to waver slightly. He let out a breath and stared at her before carefully continuing. "How long after I left was he born."

Her smile slowly disappeared and she looked down. "Um... about 11 months."

"How long after I left... did you leave?"

Rogue knit her brow and shook her head. "Joe..."

"Please, just answer."

She let out a breath and shrugged. "I don't know... 3 months or something."

He nodded slowly and looked away. "You didn't leave, and then get pregnant."

"Ah was pregnant when ah left." she said softly.

He continued to nod before shooting out a breath and shaking his head, turning his attention back to her. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Eventually she just shrugged and looked down. "At first... ah didn't know how to tell anyone."

"So... who's Cole's Father?"

She silently looked back up at him and pursed her lips. Her silence was enough of an answer to make him chuckle and shake his head.

"Son of a bitch. I knew he was just chomping at the bit, waiting for me to be out of the picture. I knew it." He ran a hand through his hair as he spoke. "So what did he do, wait for me to leave and then pounce? Take advantage of you and then just... leave?"

"Joseph, it wasn't like that." She frowned.

"So what was it like then? You wait what... 10 minutes after I'm gone before jumping into bed with him?" His expression grew serious and he knit his brow. "I was gone before you..."

"Yes." She stepped towards him. "Joseph, of course. Ah would never..." She trailed off and let out a breath. "Look, ah was young, an' upset, an' wreckless, an' he left before ah even knew about Cole. Ah know you must think ah'm an idiot."

"No." He moved over to her and wrapped an arm around her gently. "I could never think you were an idiot. Stupid, maybe. But not an idiot."

She laughed, resting her head in the crook of his neck and let out a breath. "Ah'm sorry you had to find out like this. Ah wanted to tell you but Remy asked me to wait." She tipped her head back to look up at him and frowned. "You're alright with this... right? Ah mean, Ah'd understand completely if this was too much Joe."

Joseph sighed and shook his head. "I think I just need a bit to process everything."

"Ah understand." She kissed his jaw.

"I mean, we can make it work. If that's what you want. But..." He shook his head again and frowned. "Him of all people..."

Rogue laughed and tightened her hug playfully. "He grows on you after a while."

"Like a parasite." He added with a smirk.

A/N- It's a little shorter than I wanted, but I figured it was better than nothing. (THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.)

Thanks for the reviews! More too come soon... hopefully! :)