DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.
A/N: Big thanks for the reviews!
CHAPTER 57
"Laura, please come here and change into your pj's." Scott pleaded tiredly and rushed after the toddler with her clothes in hand. Jean had tried to get the girl ready for bed, but the hyperactive brunette had escaped from the bathroom with only her UnderJams on and ran now giggling and squealing through the room.
Scott dove after the little tyke when she crawled quickly under the large bed. Luckily he grasped one ankle and began to pull her out.
"Noooo!" When he didn't let off of her, big tears welled up in her green eyes. "Owww! I tell Daddy, One-Eye!" This did it and she was free to crawl to the other side. But before she could peek out, two delicate feet in high-heels blocked her way into freedom. The girl turned her head and was faced with Scott laying flat on his stomach and reaching under the bed. Looking back to Jean, the woman had kneed down and was now face to face with Laura.
"C'mon, sweetie."
Crying the toddler scurried a little back, her gaze darting from one side to the other. She felt trapped. These people weren't fun to be around. Clutching her toy hamsters to her chest, she buried her face into the soft carpet and pulled her legs to her body. "I want Daddy!" Her voice was high pitched and broken by sobs. "I want Mommy!"
Scott sighed and pulled his hand back. "Shh, Laura. I didn't want to scare you." He locked his gaze with his girlfriend's under the bed.
The redhead smiled gently at the child. "Do you want to watch your DVD, sweetie?" But the toddler didn't look up and continued to sob hysterically.
"Mommy!" Sob. "Daddy!" Sob. "Becca!" Sob.
Smiling weakly, an idea dawn on Scott. "Shh, Becca is here." The sobs continued. "Do you want to see your sister?" This did it and Laura peeked up from the carpet and whimpered. "You can see Becca, but you have to come out."
Laura sniffed and contemplated the words. "Becca?"
Jean smiled, finally seeing light at the end of the dark tunnel. "Yep, baby! Come out and we'll visit Becca."
Laura blinked and wiped her red face with the back of her hand, eyeing the two adults intently. Daddy always called One-Eye a dick, but liked to make him angry. Mommy liked him without a doubt, but she didn't like Red and Laura and her father didn't like the way Red looked at her mama sometimes. With a last sniff the girl decided that the man was the better choice and she slowly crawled towards Scott, a toy hamster in each of her small hands.
Scott breathed a sigh of relief when the toddler staggered to her feet, her face red and wet from crying.
"Where's my sista?" She demanded with a resolved gaze and a small pout while clutching her toys to her bare chest.
"We'll visit her, but first we'll put some clothes on you, sweetie, and wash your face." The man said and lifted the pj's pants up as Jean approached them with a paper tissue. But before anybody of them could do something, Laura's features twisted anew into her crying face, her lower lip quivering. Scott panicked slightly and lifted his hands in an appeasing gesture. "Fine. We'll go now." Immediately her expression lighted up and she ran towards the door.
When they neared Storm's room Jean crouched down and tried to wipe the girl's face, but Laura flinched away. "Hey there, Becca won't be happy to see your tears." Laura glared at her and then fetched the paper tissue blowing her nose and drying her eyes as good as a toddler could do by herself. Jean was a little startled that the child didn't want her help, but smiled. "Becca will be asleep now, so we need to be quite." The redhead and her boyfriend were sure that taking care of a baby – with the dirty diapers, bottles, burps, spit and crying – wouldn't be as easy as baby-sitting a toddler, who could already speak and use the toilet – mostly without help.
Scott saw the kid nod and hoped the toddler wouldn't wake her sister – one crying child was enough. He rapped the door and heard Storm's muffled voice. When he pushed the door open, they found the weather witch sitting relaxed in her armchair, a steaming mug with herbal tea on the small table next to her and a book in one hand while she held a peacefully sleeping Becca in the crook of her arm.
Her voice was a quite whisper as she watched Laura ran towards her. "Hello, dear, what are you doing here so late?" The toddler pulled herself up at the chair's arm while Storm placed her book aside and eyed the half naked child, helping her onto her lap.
"She wanted to see her sister." Scott explained, but saw the silent question, why the Wolverine's child had red puffy eyes and was only wearing diaper-like panties. "She still isn't tired."
Ororo stroked the baby's downy head and smiled at Laura. "See your sister is fine." She watched the toddler reach out and touch Becca's soft cheek. "Aren't you cold, sweetie?" Laura looked up at the dark skinned woman and shook her head. She liked Ro and so did her parents. "Your Mom and Dad will worry when you catch a cold, baby." Storm said in her motherly tone and added after a moment. "C'mon you're a big girl. Show us how you can put your pj's on."
Laura had to smile involuntarily at Storm's gentle features. "OK." Before climbing down the toddler faced the baby and kissed her forehead. "Nighty, Becca."
X
The couple was sure to be finally able to tug Laura into bed, after they had left Storm's room and the girl had put on her cloths calmly. But then she had demanded pancakes, suddenly full of energy again and was jumping on the bed. Now Jean placed a stack of pancakes on the nightstand and eyed the girl, her legs swinging as she eventually sat at the edge of the bed and sang along the songs of her favorite movie, Scott had put into the player to make her calm down. "Here you go. Eat and then I'll read a story. It's way past your bedtime." Her eye fell onto the digital clock. 8:56 PM.
Laura fetched the fork and scrambled to her legs, pointing the silverware at the puzzled doctor. "Cut." She ordered. "Mommy and Daddy cut."
Jean sighed and took the fork, cutting the pancake and then offered a bite. Laura let herself fall to her butt and pressed her lips close. The woman stared down at the child bewildered and exhausted. "What? You wanted pancakes?"
"No help!" She finally said and snatched the fork from Jean's hand. Taking a bite, her face contorted after chewing twice and then she spited the food over the edge of the bed onto the carpet. "Daddy's are better." She peeped into the horrified expression of the doctor. The woman wouldn't dare to hurt her, everybody but Rogue feared her father's rage. And she just obeyed her Daddy's order 'No rules tonight 'cept don't hurt yourself or someone else.'.
"You little-" Jean felt her anger and exhaustion overwhelm her and she lifted her hand without a second thought. Scott watched horrified as his girlfriend was about to strike out at the child, but he caught her wrist in the last moment.
"Jean!" His shielded gaze bore into the woman. "She's just a little girl!"
The redhead's eyes widened in horror about what she had almost done and pulled her hand from Scott's grasp. "Oh God." She was truly shocked about her reaction. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to… it's just… I'm so tired… why won't she sleep?" Tears sparkled in her green eyes and Scott pulled her into a tight embrace.
Laura, who hadn't noticed the almost attack, stuck her fingers into the syrup and licked it up, before jumping down from the bed and let her hamsters scurry about the floor – the girl crawling after them giggling.
Scott also felt like crying – how did Rogue and Logan do this day after day and that with TWO kids? He rubbed soothing circles on Jean's back and kissed her forehead when she pulled away after a minute. "Maybe chasing her around a little will make her tired?" He suggested and turned around to watch the playing child.
Jean wiped her tears away and stood up. "I'll clean this mess."
X
"Sugah, do you think Laura is already asleep?" Rogue asked a little worried. She had glanced onto Logan's cell every few minutes when they had arrived at the stadium, but was able to shove her concerns into the back of her mind when the game had started. She had cheered and cussed – making some men in the row before them stare at her impressed.
The Canadian snickered amused, his arm wrapped about her small shoulders. "Considering the amount of sugar she has eaten, I doubt it. Wouldn't wonder if she got sick from all the sweets." He pressed her into his side gently. "And don't change the topic: The Rangers are sissies and you can't deny it now after this disaster, Kid!"
"That was a foul and everyone saw it!" The brunette argued back as they left the stadium.
Logan chuckled about her flustered features. "No, just in your dreams, darlin'." He pressed a kiss onto her crown of hair and searched for Scott's bike keys in his jeans. "You in the mood for Danni's Bar 'n Grill or do you prefer to be in a strop?"
She swatted his chest playfully and lock their gazes – his eyes were swimming with happiness – a seldom sight. "Ah can sulk and eat at the same time, sugah. Different than men, women can do two things at the same time." She hitched her brow at him challengingly.
"Says who?"
"It's a fact."
"Is that so?" He asked teasingly and his hand slipped down her shoulder to her hip and he began to tickle her side. The brunette began to giggle uncontrollably and some people looked their way.
"Wi- will ya st- stop?" Her face blanketed in a rosy hue. "Ah c- can't bre- ath!"
Logan stilled his fingers and stared down at her with his trademark eyebrow and a cocky smirk. "Thought women can do two different things at the same time, but laughing and breathing got too much for you, Kid?"
Marie feigned a pout and a scowl and wiggled herself from his embrace. "Idiot!" She stomped away, but turned on her heels a few feet away from the motorcycle and her angry expression changed into a wide grin. "Do ya come, Sugah? Or do Ah have to hitch a ride with some drunken asshole?"
Logan growled at that suggestion and chased after the brunette.
X
Laura crawled after her beloved hamsters, under the massive wooden desk, between the legs of a chair and would have squished herself under the dresser, if she hadn't been too big. The wall beyond stopped her toy's race and the girl had to stuck her arm under the furniture to retrieve her hamster. When she finally reached it, her fingertips brushed over paper and curiosity immediately spiked in the child. Grasping both things, she pulled her hand out and eyed her finding. "What's tat?"
Scott approached her on all fours and took the dusty sheet of paper from her small hand. After a glance on the scribbling, his forehead first wrinkled in confusion and then his features lit up. With one movement he picked Laura up and staggered to his feet, facing his girlfriend. "Jean, you won't believe what Laura just found!"
The redhead left the bathroom and met the other mutant's smile. Her eyes fell onto the sheet of paper he was waving and her eyes widened in surprise. She had indeed forgotten about Rogue's test, she had manipulated months before. With a knot forming in her gut, the doctor neared him and reached for the paper. "That's the missing page of Rogue's test." She said with feigned astonishment. "Where –"
Scott grinned. "Under the dresser. Laura found it!" He nudged the girl gently.
The little brunette watched the interaction curiously, but her attention was caught when her mother's name fell. "Is tat good?"
Scott saw the insecurity in the girl's features and smiled at her brightly. "Yep, it's very good you found this! We were looking for it for a long time!"
"It's Mommy's?"
"Yes, it belongs to your mom. She'll be very happy."
'Shit! This runt is already such a pest as Rogue!' Jean reached out and patted the toddler's head. "She'll be proud on you."
A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter you'll finally get a little Rogan smut.