18

Remy watched as Joseph walked in the rec. room, before turning his attention back to the yellow ball on the pool table and making his shot. The bewildered look on Joe's face was gone, but the way he tensed up slightly as their eyes met momentarily was certainly not lost on him.

"Geeze." Logan chuckled after Remy took his shot and missed, glancing back to Joseph. "What did ya do to him?"

Obviously it wasn't lost on Logan either. Remy stood up and leaned on his pool cue with a frown, keeping his eyes fixed on the green felt table. "Don't know what yo'talkin' 'bout."

Logan took aim with a snort. "Sure ya don't. He got his back up as soon as he spotted you."

"How's dat different from any other time?" Remy smirked, his eyes following the white ball as it sped across the table, cracking into it's target which disappeared into the corner pocket.

"Well," He moved around the table and studied his options. "Ya must've done somethin'."

Remy rolled his eyes before turning them back to Joe. A slow malicious grin spread across his lips as he thought of what he could have possibly done to upset him. "Maybe I should ask 'im, hein?"

Before Logan could voice his opinion on the matter, Remy's grin grew and he called out his name.

"You alright, mon ami? Y'look a little distraught."

Joseph looked up and blinked at him before giving a single nod. "I'm fine, thanks."

"Ya sure? Because Wolvie here seems t'think dat I did somethin' t'piss you off." Remy glanced at Logan who was now frowning deeply at him. "I'd hate t'be blamed fo'somethin' I didn't do."

Joseph shook his head and looked away "Can't think of anything off the top of my head. But I'm sure I can come up with something by the end of the day."

Remy chuckled and shook his head at Logan. "See dat Wolvie? It's nothin'!" He looked back at Joseph and shrugged. "I told him you were just with Rogue. If anyone pissed y'off, it'd have t'be her, non? But den... what could Rogue have said dat'd upset you?"

"Gumbo..."

"No, no... I wanna hear dis." Remy held up his hand to Logan and smiled at Joseph when he turned to face him again. "She's perfect, non? Don't see whatshe could've possibly done."

Joseph shrugged silently. Remy held his stare as he tipped his head to the side with a thoughtful nod. "Or maybe I should've said... who."

Remy gave Joseph a self-satisfied smirk when a flash of anger crossed his expression.

Logan sighed and set his pool cue down. "That's enough."

"Don't know why it was so difficult for you... teach her how t'touch an' den chicken out before sealin' d'deal." Joseph worked the muscles in his jaw as Remy spoke, which served to spur him on. "Wasn' dat difficult." He grinned and lowered his voice a notch. "She was pretty easy actually..."

Joseph balled up his hands and lunged towards him with his elbow drawn back and his aim set on Remy's jaw. He ducked away before Joe's fist met his face and chuckled. "Awww yo'just sour cause you didn' get in her pants first. Don't take it out on-"

Joe's fist cracked against Remy's cheek bone, cutting him off before he had a chance to finish his sentence and effectively removing the stupid grin from his face. Without missing a beat, Remy took a swing at Joseph, missing only due to the fact that Logan had grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt.

"I said that's enough!" He growled.

"What the Sam Hill is goin' on?"

Remy reefed his shirt out of Logan's clutch with a scowl as Rogue stared him down, with a wide-eyed little boy holding her hand.

"Y'need t'keep a shorter leash on yo'man, chere."

Rogue squared her jaw as she visibly tried to calm herself down. "Cole, go to your room."

He turned to look up at her, his little brow puckered with silent anxiety. "Momma?"

She took another calming breath and without returning his look, pointed down the hall. "Go."

She watched as he scurried off before moving over to Joseph to inspect the damage done to his hand. "Shit Joe..."

Joseph knit his brow and sighed. "I'm sorry Anna, I lost my cool-"

"Sorry Anna?" Remy snorted and shook his head. "Yo' a real piece a'work. Joe."

Her head snapped up and she glared at him dangerously before stepping towards him and jabbing a finger into his chest, backing him up until he bumped into the wall. "An' you're a piece a'somethin' else, Cajun."

"C'mon Anna... I was jus' playin'. Ain' my fault d'jerk can't take a joke."

"Don't piss on my foot an' tell me it's rainin', Swamp Rat. Ah'm sure you deserved more than what you got." She seethed.

"Anna-"

"Ah've heard enough outta you." She shook her head and narrowed her eyes with a deep set frown. "Jesus, Remy. Grow up." She took Joseph by the hand and pulled him along with her, leaving the rec. room awkwardly silent.

Kurt scratched his head and looked at the other three by-standers caught up in the storm. "Vhat ze heck just happened?"

Bobby and Jubilee shrugged, turning back to Remy when he finally moved. He gave Logan a frown as he tenderly touched the skin on his cheekbone that had begun to swell.

"Thanks for d'help."

"You deserved it. Besides..." Logan shoved him back against the wall again with a growl. "Yer lucky I didn't beat you down myself."

He turned to the three and waved them off. "Nothin' more t'see here."

Sarah stuck out her lower lip and moved towards Remy, her brow creased with concern. "Poor baby!" She touched the slowly-turning-purple skin next to his eye and nodded thoughtfully.
"You should get some ice on that."

"It's fine." Remy grumbled.

Bobby stepped forward. "Actually, ice will stop the swelling and numb any pain. She's right, you-"

"I said it's fine!" He snapped, pulling away from Sarah and storming out of the room.

Sarah offered Bobby a shrug with the hint of a smile playing on her ruby lips. "He'll regret it tomorrow..."

XXXX

Rogue raked her hand through her hair, stuffing it behind her ear as she frowned. "This is gunna hurt."

Joseph winced when she dabbed the antiseptic drenched cotton swab on his split knuckles, trying to hide the pain through a forced smile. "Nah, it's fine."

Her frown deepened as she ignored him, gently dabbing at the fresh wound.

"Anna, I'm sorry... I-"

"Ah know." She stopped him mid-sentence, keeping her eyes fixed on his hand. "It's not your fault." She moved over to the freezer and pulled out a fresh bag of frozen peas, setting it gently over his raw knuckles. "An' for the record, ah'm not easy."

Joseph pursed his lips, realizing she'd heard the majority of their 'conversation' and was well aware of the fact that he was provoked. She leaned against the counter, silently staring at the package of peas that served to numb the pain in his throbbing hand.

"Ah just don't know what t'do here Joe." She sighed eventually. "Ah feel like ah'm stuck between a rock an' a hard place."

He remained silent, waiting for her to continue. Instead, she scrubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Ah'm gunna go make sure Cole's alright."

She let out another deep breath and exited the kitchen, taking the long way through the halls up to her sons bedroom, just to avoid running into anyone who would expect an explanation regarding the fight that had undoubtedly reached everyone in the manor by now. Any type of gossip spread like wild fire, and the juicy kind spread even quicker.

She tapped on Cole's door before turning the knob and poking her head in the doorway. "Coley?"

He sat in the middle of the floor playing with his train set, looking up to her at the sound of her voice.

"You alright hon?"

He nodded silently.

"Everything's okay now baby, you can come out if you want."

He looked back to his trains and shook his head.

"Alright." Rogue chewed her lip and knit her brow. "Did you want me t'leave the door open for you?"

He shook his head again, keeping his attention focused on the little red caboose he was fixing onto the rest of the train.

"Okay." She pulled herself out of the room and shut the door quietly behind her, resting her forehead on the cool wood. The good Lord had given her the gift of a raging temper, but she hated displaying it in front of her emotionally sensitive son. She reassured herself that he'd be fine in a few hours, just like he always was, before spinning around and heading back to the kitchen.

She barely made it to the end of the hall when a blue, furry hand rested on her shoulder.

"Rogue?"

"Oh, hey Kurt." She put on a smile. "What's up?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Just..." She let out a deep breath, allowing the smile to drop off her face. "A lot on mah mind ah guess."

"Zat fight... it vas about you, right?"

She pressed her lips together in a thin line and studied his face for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "Kitty told you."

He shrugged sheepishly and offered her a smile. "Yeah. A few days ago."

Rogue rolled her eyes and continued down the hall with Kurt by her side. "Of course."

"So vhat are you going to do?"

"Ah don't know Kurt."

"Vell... vhat does Gambit think?"

"Does he ever really think?"

Kurt chuckled and Rogue shook her head. "Of course he wants us t'stay. Ah just don't know exactly why. Sometimes ah think that this is all just a game t'him. An' if ah go... he loses. Y'know?" She looked over at her brother and knit her brow. "What do you think ah should do?"

"Vell, obviously I don't vhant you to go." He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "But I think you should do vhat makes you happy. It's not like you'll disappear for half a decade or anything, right?"

Rogue pressed her lips together in a tight smile and gave him a sidelong glance. "Alright... ah deserve that."

"Look," He came to a stop and turned to face her, prompting her to do the same. "You know vhat is best for both you, and Cole. Ve vould all love for you to stay, but you've never done things to make everyone else happy before, vhy should you start now? And like I said, if you do decide to go, you von't be disappearing like you did before. You'll visit. And ve'll be here vhen you decide to come back."

She gave him a grateful smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you Kurt."

"Zat's vhat I'm here for." He patted her back and pulled away to return her smile. "Just... don't forget zat ve're here. Again."

She laughed and shoved him away playfully. "Yeah thanks. Ah'll try to remember this time."

XXXX

The day continued along the same downward spiral, including dinner. Rogue had tried to coerce Cole out of his room, but he still showed no sign of his normal self. And Remy was off pouting on his own, no doubt nursing the wounds he'd acquired that morning. With the two boys off secluded on their own, she couldn't help but notice the glaring similarities in their personalities. The difference was that Cole was five, and Remy should know better.

So with nothing else to do, she'd volunteered to clean up the mess in the kitchen, left by a very well meaning Jean Grey who had cooked a barely edible meatloaf for everyone. And the silence was a welcomed change. Now that everyone knew of 'the big fight', the questions were non stop. She of course, would plead the fifth and tell whomever was interrogating her to mind their business. But that in itself was becoming increasingly tiresome. And now, with nothing but the soft whirring sound of the dishwasher to keep her company as she wiped down the counters, she allowed herself the time to think. Joseph had begun packing up his room, and although he never said anything to her on the subject, she was really starting to feel the pressure to make up her mind. He was due to leave at the end of the week, and Cole had had his potentially last meeting with Professor Xavier earlier that day. With the Professor being called off to Muir Island himself, Cole would be going these last few days meeting-free.

That is, if she decided to go.

And Remy's little scene earlier sure as hell didn't help his cause. She'd all but made her mind up on the matter, but there was just something holding her back from committing to her final decision. Something that seemed to erase the urgency of the whole situation and made her want to think twice. And she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

"Need a hand?"

Rogue sighed inwardly at the sound of the familiar voice behind her and shook her head.

"No thanks Sarah, ah'm just finishing up."

The leggy blonde moved across the kitchen and leaned against the counter as Rogue continued to wipe it down needlessly.

"Busy day."

Rogue let out a soft laugh and nodded. So much for being alone. "Yeah, you could say that."

"I bet it makes you just want to pack it all in and head for the hills."

Rogue furrowed her brow and glanced over to Sarah. "Not exactly."

"I know it must be a tough decision to make Rogue." She nodded thoughtfully. "To have two men fighting over you like that? It must be rough."

"No one was fightin' over-"

"I mean, on the one hand... Joseph. Tall, gorgeous, all around nice guy. On the other... Remy. the smoldering, sexy bad boy. Tough break."

Rouge shook her head and put a hand on her hip. "That's not-"

"I mean sure... with Joseph, you have security. But with Remy..." She wagged her eyebrows.

"Sarah... you got it all wrong."

"Oh, do I?" She asked innocently. "Because I was the understanding that you an' Joe were just... what's the word..." She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Lukewarm?"

Rogue froze. Her eyes fixed on Sarah's studying her, before she shook her head slowly. "Ah don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do."

Rogue crossed her arms and stared at Sarah. "Please. Ah don't have time for this garbage."

"And unless you want Joseph knowing what I'm talking about, you'll do exactly what I tell you to do." Sarah smiled. "You and I both know there's only so much shit a nice guy can take... and I'm sure that finding out you and Remy are screwing around behind his back would absolutely crush him."

"Sarah, we're not-"

"Save it." She snapped. "I can't understand what all the fuss is about." She tipped her head to the side and gave Rogue a once over. "But for some reason, you got two men practically salivating over you."

Rogue rolled her eyes and stuck her hip out with a frown. "Y'just gunna insult me, or are you gunna get to the damn point?"

Sarah crossed her arms and stared at Rogue silently for a moment before shaking her head. "Go."

"Excuse me?"

"I want you to go with Joseph. Because if you stay here... that goddamn Cajun is just going to be pining after you like a little puppy dog, and I'm tired of being a substitute."

Rogue furrowed her brow and blinked a few times before sucking in a breath. "So then why don't you leave?"

"I'm an X-man, remember? I'm actually a required member of the team... not just some free loader with a kid." After a moment, Sarah smiled as if they were best friends and shrugged. "Well, I'll see ya later!" And off she went, gliding back out of the kitchen and down the hall, leaving Rogue in stunned silence.

It seems that her mind had just been made up for her.

A/N- Heeey... so another chapter up quick because I felt bad due to the uber lameness of the last chapter. (The whole first part of this one was meant to be at the end of the last one... but I ran out of time.)

Anyways, thanks for the reviews! I know you all hate Sarah now... and that's fine. She hates you all too. LOL!

(Dear Ken, thank you for Disco-ing with me late into the night. I love the night life. I love to boogie. xoxo Barbie.)

Keep those reviews coming! I love them so much! They make my heart swell with happiness! Either that, or I have a serious condition that should be discussed with a doctor.

;) KC