Marie D'Ancanto (Rogue)

After I skipped happily from her room, I lost myself in the children, listening to their stories, laughing at their jokes and applauding their tricks. Another hour and Emma was gone from the mansion, a taxi arriving to take her to hell for all I cared, as long as she was away from my home and my family. I watched as she left through the garage- a pitiful, disgraceful escape for a pitiful, disgraced woman. Barely a few months ago, I had relished that thought of locking us in the Danger Room and pummelling her arse until she was as dead as Stryker. Now I felt nothing but emptiness, to physically hurt her would have lowered me to her level- even if it would have felt really, really good.

I almost felt sorry for her, she had honestly loved Logan, and- I put a finger to my lips remembering how she had kissed me that night she had handed me over to Janine- she had loved me as well.

Shuddering I turned away, it was nearing midday and the children having been given a holiday, mainly because Storm was in bed- officially sleeping off her exhaustion but Dr McCoy was conspicuous for his absence in the kitchen- I had just given birth and Logan was too distracted by his son. Colossus had opted to take the classes but Jubilee had threatened to hitch him to a kite and discover electricity if he tried. So I moved around the dancing children and went outside. Standing there and losing myself in the warmth and the beauty of the day, I finally felt free again. Smiling mischievously I removed my shoes and threw myself onto the gravel, running along the grass, flying past the forest everything around me became a blur until the object of my desire appeared up ahead. Standing up he opened his arms and stumbled back as I threw myself into them, "Jesus darling, you just gave birth!" Logan protested sitting me down on the picnic blanket as I scrambled eagerly to where our newborn son lay sleeping in his basket,

"That was a week ago Logan" I throw to distract him,

"Oh no you don't" Logan grabbed me round the waist and sat me across his lap,

"I just got him to sleep"

His hand rubs my back and I giggle straddling his waist and kissing him passionately, since our marriage we had become inseparable, his hands disappeared under my corset but I stop him knowing we're in full view of a mansion of impressionable children. "Tonight" I promise kissing him again,

He groans in complaint, "I don't wanna wait that long"

"If Ororo and Dr McCoy can keep their relationship on the low, then we can too"

He grins, "Speaking of which…"

"No!" I gasp, "Really"

"I saw the rings on their fingers when they first got back"

I'm speechless; I can't believe my gold digging skills failed to pick out the rings, though to be fair I had other things on my mind that night.

"I guessed we kinda upstaged them huh?" I slide off his lap and snuggle against him, "Yeah well we'll give them their fifteen hours in the spotlight,"

"Fifteen minutes sugar" I correct as he begins playing with my hair releasing it from its chignon,

"Fifteen hours" he repeats, "I'm sick of the girls sighing after us wherever we go"

Laughing I fell into a doze as we lazily watch the leaves sway ahead.

Suddenly I sat up with a start, "Oh no!"

"What?" Logan asks me concerned,

Suddenly we hear the distant rumble that sounds like thunder; we hear the shattering of glass. "I forgot to lock Jimmy out of the chem. Lab"

It would be another three months before Jimmy's eyebrows grew back. And another two after that for us to rebuild the lab.