GenX-Sitting: Part Two

by Kerri G.

Charlotte watched the teens out on the dance floor. The music was loud and pulsing, the club crowded. They were lucky to get a private table near the dance floor.

Well, you couldn't call it luck, really. The manager saw them arrive in the limo and cleared a place for them. She tipped him handsomely for the special treatment.

Judging from the expressions on the kids' faces, they were having a good time. Remy wasn't happy when told the club served no liquor, but Jubilee managed to get him out on the floor where his grace and agility served him well. He moved in the current steps as well as the kids. All it took was one dance to get him started and he hadn't sat down since, moving from one female student to the other, and finally to other girls in the club.

Bishop waited outside. He had insisted on coming with them, but refused to enter. A word from her to the manager got him served with all the water and soda he could drink, plus a stool to relax on. 'Overhearing' bits and pieces around her, she learned he'd fallen into conversation with the bouncer and the two of them were having a good time dealing with the rowdies. Only Bishop could have a good time rousting kids at a club.

She'd danced herself a few times, Angelo, Mondo and Everett taking pity on her adult status before moving off to younger partners. She didn't mind. She'd told Emma all along they needed to feel part of the teenage world. They were having a marvelous time.

Remy finally slumped in a chair next to her, holding an icy glass of sparkling water to his forehead. "Dey wear me out, chere."

She saw the glint in his eyes and wasn't fooled by his words. "You're having a good time," she told him. "And you are far from worn out."

He shook his head, his auburn hair picking up highlights from the lighting. He brushed the thick stuff back from his face with his fingers. "Some girl stole my clip," he complained.

"Probably wanted a momento from the really cute guy with the accent," Charlotte teased him. His charisma, charm power, attracted females of all ages. They often made fools of themselves over his handsome cajun self.

A slow song, one of the very few, played from the speakers. Remy took her hand. "Now you come dance wi' me, save Gambit from de wolves." He tugged her up and out on the dance floor.

He gathered her up, one hand on the small of her back, the other holding her right hand against his chest. She could feel his heart beating underneath her fingertips, his breath stirring the hairs around her ear, the feel of his body through the tight denims she wore, the heat of his hand through the thin silk of her shirt. She could smell the musk and sweat of his body.

Over his shoulder she could see girls glaring at her. The students ignored them, too busy enjoying the music.

"It's working," she told him. "If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under by now."

"Huh?" He was concentrating on the feel of her in his arms, her vanilla musk perfume that made his head swirl, the softness of her cinnamon hair against his cheek. How come he'd never noticed it before?

"Your harem. They're not happy with me."

He glanced around. "Dey children, chere. Dey get over it." His body was on fire. He forced himself to think of Rogue and Logan, and the fact he valued his skin. This was just a reaction to Rogue's cruelty, he knew it.

The song ended, much too quickly for his taste, and a fast driving beat started. He kept hold of her hand and swung her into the next dance.

They closed the club down, the kids begging for more. Charlotte didn't accommodate them, there were laws about this sort of thing. She got them into the limo and back to the school, promising them they could turn on the stereo there and dance till dawn if they wanted.

The ride back cooled their overheated blood and they were all more than ready for bed by the time they got there. As it was, she'd be surprised if she saw any of them before noon the next day.

She did a bed check after they'd all settled in, Bishop doing an outside check. He just wasn't happy if there wasn't a perimeter to secure.

She knocked on Remy's door. Receiving permission to enter, she found him sprawled in a chair, clad only in his blue jeans, smoking next to the open window.

"Dey all asleep?" he asked.

"Yeah. How are you?"

"'Kay, chere."

She took the chair across from him. "It's not nice to lie to a 'path. You want to talk about it?"

"Dis nothin' new. Rogue problems. I never understand her."

Charlotte said nothing. She slipped off her boots and tucked her feet under her.

"She won' let me touch her, doan want me to touch no one else. She get mad if I pay 'tention to her, mad if I doan pay 'tention. Not easy lovin' dat gal."

"Is it worth it?" Charlotte asked softly.

"Som'times, I doan know."

"I'll tell you a secret about women. The only thing that scares a woman more than having a man who wants to touch her all the time, is not having any man want to touch her at all. She's scared to hurt you, trying to protect you from your own urges and hers. And maybe she's feeling a little smothered. You are persistent."

"It's lonely, not havin' someone to share the night wi'," he whispered. A tear escaped down the side of his handsome face.

"I know," she answered quietly. "I have spent lifetimes being alone. It doesn't get any easier, you just get used to it."

He pushed out of his chair to his knees, burying his head in her lap, his arms around her waist. His tears were hot and soaked through to her skin.

For long minutes she held him to her, stroking his hair back from his face. He cried silently, not a sound escaping him. His misery surrounded them.

At last he raised his head. She wiped his cheeks with her hands. His hand moved from her waist, sliding around her neck and bringing her mouth to his for a hot, hungry kiss.

It was his pain and anguish acting, she told herself, trying to untangle herself from his embrace without hurting him. She couldn't, he didn't even notice her attempts. She waited until he came up for air. His eyes were glowing and passionate.

"Chere," he whispered, his forehead against hers, his breathing erratic. He looked into her eyes and saw gentleness, understanding, but no desire. He pushed away from her.

"You reject me too," he said savagely, yanking on his shirt.

She 'forced' him back into his chair, holding him there easily. He couldn't move a finger, glaring at her with hot anger.

"I didn't reject you, Remy. It's not me you want. I'm just a convenient body for you to take your frustrations out on. I'm not free to accept or reject you, unless you want to end up in one of your jambalayas. I am a poor substitute for Rogue."

After long moments he let out a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"I'm your friend, Remy, but betraying Logan's trust isn't a consideration. You told me yourself, you have to take it on faith." She released her hold, stepping behind him to massage his tense shoulders with strong fingers. "Friendship is also something you take on faith. Our friendship wouldn't survive the experience."

His head lolled back against the chair, her touch bringing him a chance to relax. "But-"

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

He smiled at her as she left. He actually felt better.

Noon the next day found the students in the Biosphere, a portable stereo providing background music to the lively discussion rehashing the previous night's adventure. They were talking about the possibility of a repeat performance when the whine of a motorcycle got their attention.

"Charlie didn't say anyone else was comin'," Angelo commented, stretching his body around at an impossible angle to get a look.

Jubilee jumped over to the entrance, looking out. She saw Wolverine, with Del riding behind him, pulling up to the front door. "We got more company," she told her classmates. They all trooped out to see what was going on.

Charlotte waited at the front step, falling into Logan's arms readily. He swung her around, causing Jubilee to roll her eyes. Adults!

She took the opportunity to fling herself at Wolverine. "Where have you been?" she yelled.

He grinned at her. "Got done early, an' we got a guest."

"Did you do anything to hurt Hank?" Charlotte questioned, her face in mock suspicion.

"Nah, darlin', he's still breathin'," he winked at her. "Del showed up this mornin' an' we jus' decided to come on down."

Del heaved a sigh. "Next time I'll just take a plane. I thought 'Granddad' was going to kill me on that thing." She looked down at him from her greater height with affectionate tolerance.

"You know Jubilee, but you haven't met the rest of the students," Charlotte drew her over to where the rest of the group stood. "Gang, this is Del Bennett." She introduced the students.

The boys stood in shock. Del was truly lovely, with her creamy skin, golden eyes and dark hair. A growl from Logan brought them back to their senses. Jubilee grinned herself. Maybe at long last her dates wouldn't get so much paternal attention from Wolvie.

Bishop stood on the steps above them, eyes only for Del. He wouldn't come to her, as much as he wanted to. Fortunately, Del had too much of Grandmother Charlotte in her. She didn't mind going to him. He hesitantly returned her kiss, eyes on the audience below, especially the frown on Logan's face. He drew her inside.

Logan snickered. Charlotte poked him in the side. "You do it on purpose, don't you?" she demanded.

"Just' lookin' out for the girl, darlin'." He completely ignored the fact the 'girl' was probably older than he was. He pushed his bike around back to the garage.

Jubilee got right to the point. "Do ya think maybe we can go back out tonight to the same club? Now we got Wolvie and Del to go too."

"Think about it," Charlotte told her, "Do you really want Logan sitting in a public place watching you and the other girls dance with one boy after another?"

She didn't have to mull that one over long. "I guess not," she conceded.

"How about dinner and a movie?" Charlotte suggested. "My treat."

Faces brightened. "Sounds good," Ev agreed.

"What about the mall for this afternoon?" Paige suggested.

While they all ran in to get ready, Logan found his way back out to where Charlotte sat on the front steps. He sat down next to her and lit a cigar. "How's it goin'?"

"Fine. We took them out to a club last night and had a good time. Bish got to be a bouncer for awhile. If he ever decides to leave the X-men he could make a good living being a professional rouster." She looked at him closely. "How was the check up?"

"Hank never finds anythin', he just likes to update my files. He didn' even tell me to give up the beer an' stogies."

"Like you'd do that," she chided him. "We're going out to the mall now, dinner and a movie later. Interested?"

He thought about it for all of two seconds. "Nah. I'll hang around here. Gumbo came wi' ya, didn' he?"

"He's still in bed. The girls wore him out on the dance floor last night." She rose and dusted off her short skirt. Remy was one subject she didn't want to talk about this morning.

He eyed her legs with interest, reaching out to run a finger down her bare skin. "Sure ya don' want to stay an' play wi' me?"

"Letch," she teased. "There's plenty of time for that later. Why did Del show up? Did she say anything to you?"

He shook his head. "I got the feelin' she was comin' to see Bishop."

The relationship that sprung up between Del and Bishop worried Charlotte, more than she let on to Logan. She had no right to worry, and Del was a grown woman, but something nagged about it in the back of her mind.

"I'll call for the limo and then we'll all get going. You've got time to change your mind." she smiled. "I think I'll take the opportunity to refill my lingerie drawer, maybe with flannel this time."

He gave her a considering look. "I might go if ya let me pick out a few things for ya to wear. An' it won' be flannel."

End Part 2.

Next-Logan faces his most difficult challenge yet-shopping in Victoria's Secret.

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