CH.7
Skylar hadn't realized she'd overslept until Kat, in the form of an actual cat, was sitting on her chest and hitting her face repeatedly with her paw. Sky tried to turn over, but Kat dug her claws in which woke Sky up with a painful shock.
"Ow! Damn it Kat you know that hurts." Skylar rubbed the scratches on her chest while Kat shifted back to her human self and lay draped over her lap without a hint of remorse.
"You never sleep in this much I got worried. So you stayed up pretty late last night with the Cajun what did you two do…together…alone…until dawn." Kat was practically humming with excitement as she waited for Skylar to wake up enough to form complete sentences. Sky only had to look at the Cheshire cat grin her friend was sporting to know she wasn't going to be able to get out of this conversation so she may as well answer her questions now.
"We talked Kat that's all. Now get off of me so I can shower." Kat obediently slid off her but refused to let up the line of questioning clearly not satisfied with such an abrupt answer. Kat stood outside Sky's shower and continued to bombard her with questions.
"What did you two talk about all night long? You didn't go on and on about your research did you? Sky I know you're proud of your work and we all thank you for what you do but I hate to be the one to tell you that not everybody cares about the healing properties of plants like you do. Poor Gambit forced to endure an entire night of listening to prattle on about ferns and flowers and he was too nice a guy to tell you to shut up." The bar of soap Sky threw hit Kat right in the side of the face.
"No I did not bore him with my work, work that he finds fascinating by the way, and I did not prattle about plants. I have never prattled in my entire life!" Kat rubbed her cheek and scoffed at her friend's outrage.
"You prattle, you rant, and you certainly carry on. So what did you talk about if not plants?" Sky shut off the water and began drying herself off hoping Kat would take the hint that she needed privacy, but her unashamed friend just went to the bedroom and lounged on the bed while Sky started dressing.
"He asked about my brothers."
"And?"
"About what I was like in high school."
"And?"
"And why are you so interested in who I speak to all of a sudden? Yesterday you grilled me about Logan and today you won't get off talking about Gambit."
"Do you get off talking about Gambit?" Skylar looked at Kat who had mumbled something she hadn't quite caught.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing, I'm just happy that you're finally getting past your personal issues with people and talking to guys again. That whole business with Michael happened a long time ago. I guess I'm just happy to see you getting back out there." Sky, who had been zipping up her jeans, stopped and turned to stare at her oldest friend.
"Getting back out there? What are you talking about Kat?"
"Dating again. I think you and Remy make a really cute…"
"Whoa, Kat I'm not dating Remy." Kat's face went from cheery to confused, "I may not have a problem talking with him, but that doesn't mean I want to date the guy."
"But you like him."
"He's not as bad as I thought but…"
"You spent all night talking with him."
"That doesn't mean…"
"And you think he's hot."
"I'd have to blind not to think so! Everything about him is so…" Sky knew her argument was losing footing and the worst part was she was forgetting why she was protesting so hard. "Kat we're just too different. The only thing we have in common is this place. I wouldn't have met him if we hadn't come to this place."
"And wouldn't that be a shame." Skylar couldn't take any more of Kat's hovering sp she opened her bedroom door and shoved her into the hallway slamming it before Kat could protest.
Later when Skylar was poring over some data Kat's words resonated in her head, teasing her.
"Damn it. Why is this bugging me so much?" Kat doesn't know anything about who's good for me." The more she thought about it the angrier she got until finally she had to go searching for Kat to tell her how wrong she is. In her huff Skylar stormed past Logan who quickly turned around to follow her.
"Doc I was just looking for you."
"Not now Logan I'm looking for Kat."
"She's in the danger room. She's going to be an X-men." Sky rounded the corner that lead to the danger room.
"I thought she would. Kat's an amazing vet, but she was born to be part of the X-men."
"But not you."
"Nope, not me." They stepped into an elevator and rode up to the danger room viewing area. Logan could see that Sky was in a mood.
"Something troubling you Doc?"
"Kat said something to me this morning and I need to tell her she's wrong." Logan looked at Skylar and cocked an eyebrow. "I know it sounds odd but this is normal to us." Logan chuckled at her and followed as she exited the elevator and looked down at the danger room she'd been in just a few days earlier. Kat had taken the form of a jaguar and was pacing so gambit and Cyclopes couldn't corner her. Gambit threw flaming cards that exploded once they were in proximity of her. Skylar had yet to witness Remy's power and as she watched him she became enchanted.
"Gumbo's pretty good huh?"
"I've never seen his power before. It's incredible." Sky watched Kat shift effortlessly between animals to gain the greatest advantage as both gambit and Cyclopes shot at her with everything that they had. Sky was so engrossed with the scene below that she hadn't noticed when Logan's arm slid around her waist.
"Feeling better Doc or do you still need to blow off steam?" Skylar turned to face him and leaned against the glass.
"I'm feeling good, but it seems to me you have a thing for red headed doctors." Logan's face grew serious as he slammed his palms on either side of her head. "Did I strike a nerve wolverine? I know you have feelings for Dr. Grey which makes me wonder if I was just a substitute for your own feelings. Maybe you still need to blow off steam." Logan practically growled at Sky's words and she greeted his aggression head on.
"I would never you use anyone like that."
"But you do love her don't you?" Logan tried to stare Skylar down, but she was Irish and lived with older brothers her entire life, she didn't intimidate easy.
"That's none of you're business Doc."
"If you love someone you don't kiss another person."
"You don't know anything about me and Jean."
"I know she's in love with Cyclopes." Logan's breath fanned out across her face as he exhaled, clearly trying to hold back his anger. They stayed like that until Kat, Gambit, and Cyclopes walked in and broke the tension.
"Hey Sky what's going on here?" Sky peered around Logan's massive frame to look at the much smaller Kat.
"I came looking for you to tell you something, but now I'm mad at Wolverine so I forgot why I am mad at you." Kat tilted her head to the side clearly not understanding what her friend was trying to tell her. Gambit laughed at the two of them and slapped his hand on Logan's back to try and make him back away from Skylar which he did.
"Do you often spend time being mad at people Têtue?"
"Yes! I mean no. What did you just call me?" Skylar ran her fingers through her straitened hair and shook her head to try and clear it.
"Logan, don't come to me when you want to blow off steam. Kat I remembered what I wanted to tell you, you're wrong. Excuse me." Sky walked passed everyone, opened the elevator and rode back to the main part of the mansion. Everyone stared at her as she left. Scott was the first to speak.
"She sure has a way of making an exit doesn't she?"
"I love her, but sometimes I have no idea what she means. What was I wrong about?" Logan stormed out and Scott quickly followed after him.
"Beats me chat that girl is the most confusing and amazing person Remy's ever met." Kat smiled and kissed his whiskered cheek.
"I understand what she meant when she said I was wrong, but I'm not. She's worth it Gambit. She's worth every headache she'll give you and there will be plenty, but at the end of the day she'll make you some magical remedy with her plants and tell you jokes and remind you why she's the most remarkable person in this world. I know you can see that spark in her. She's been trying so hard to hide from the world, but you can see the real Skylar deep inside. She's the strongest person you'll ever meet and when she finally lets her guard down for you to see that perfect heart you'll fall for her so hard you'll break." Gambit looked down into Kat's golden eyes and saw how true her words seemed to be. For once he didn't care about the chase, or even if he got the girl, he just wanted to see Skylar's teal eyes filled with happiness. "She's probably in her lab right now if I know her, I bet she'll let you in if you ask nicely." Gambit laughed at her yet is feet were already taking him in the direction of Skylar's lab. When he got there Remy knocked softly on the door and waited for the door to open. It wasn't until Sky stood in the door way that he realized he'd been holding his breath. When he finally looked into her hard eyes his heart skipped a beat and he knew he was lost for this irate, irrational, and wonderful woman.
"Do you need something?"
"Just thought I'd give you some company. Can I watch you work?" Skylar softened and stepped aside so he could move past her. As he brushed past her Sky felt a familiar shock and with an odd expression watched him walk over to her table and pull up and stool for him to sit on. As he got comfortable Skylar watched him with curious eyes before biting her lower lip and closing the door. What if Kat wasn't wrong? Sky turned back around, walked back to her chair, and sat down facing Gambit. His red eyes never left her's until he looked at the data in front of her and asked, "what's dis about?" Skylar sighed and turned the papers around to show him.
"Listen carefully because I don't want to keep explaining it to you. If you're going to watch me work then you better follow along."
"So Remy can come again den?"
"If you want to." Remy smiled at her suddenly shy face and grabbed one of her hands suddenly needing to feel her against him.
"You're never gonna get rid of me now Skyla'."