The first thing Remy did for Jubilee was to take her shopping. According to him a wardrobe consisting mainly of shorts and tops was not suitable for a friend of Remy LeBeau. So, after some weak protests on her part, the two went a shopping spree that left him breathless and London shops considerably better off. He staggered into the apartment, laden down with bags and she followed kicking the door to behind them. He collapsed on the sofa and glared at her, "Never ever again."

Jubilee grinned down at him, "Wuss." Her expression softened, "Thanks, Rem. It¡¦s nice to have some¡¦pretty things again." He smiled up at her and kissed her hand.

¡¦F¡¦r you p¡¦tite, la monde."

Jubilee beamed at him, "Now I¡¦m going to get changed and then," she gathered up the shopping bags, "I¡¦m going to cook for you." Remy looked up at her suspiciously.

"Y¡¦can cook?"

"Sure. How d¡¦you think I survived for the last ten months? Couldn¡¦t live on Big Mac¡¦s and Happy Meals all the time. Well, I tried but couldn¡¦t. But anyway, I can cook now¡¦toacertainextent."

"Why am I suddenly afraid?"

"Why Remy, don¡¦t you trust me?"

"Trust you? Of course¡¦I trust you. I jest t¡¦ink dat maybe I should cook dinner, pamper you a little."

"No Remy, now it¡¦s your turn to be pampered a little," she headed towards her bedroom, "and don¡¦t worry," she called back, "I won¡¦t give you salmon-, salmon-¡¦what¡¦s it called again?"

"Salmonella?" he said faintly.

"That¡¦s it¡¦salmonella. Elise, friend of mine in Paris, got it while I was there," Jubilee¡¦s voice floated back from her room, "She was in hospital for almost two weeks. Never did figure out where she got it¡¦"

Remy blenched. She was joking right? Of course she was. She had to be. Oh God¡¦

Jubilee reappeared, now clad in black jeans and a red silk shirt. She burst out laughing at the stricken look on Gambit¡¦s face, "Relax Gumbo. I¡¦m just winding you up." She hiccuped, gasping for breath, "You¡¦re soo gullible."

Remy scowled at her, but ruined the effect by saying, "Y¡¦really can cook?" with such a pathetic note in his voice that it sent Jubilee off into another laughing fit.

She mopped her eyes, "Y-yes, Remy I c-can."

He relaxed visibly. "Good. I¡¦m goin¡¦ for a shower an¡¦ when I come out I expect to have a gourmet meal waiting for me." With as much affronted dignity as he could muster, he walked into the bathroom. Jubilee continued to giggle as she headed into the kitchen and began pulling out pots and pans.

******

"So," Jubilee crossed her arms and looked smugly at Gambit, "can I cook or what?"

He sat back in his chair, "Chere, I owe you an apology. You must cert¡¦nly can cook."

"Apology accepted¡¦now go do the washing up."

******

After washing up, they both retired to the sitting room, curling up together on the sofa and watching something called ¡¦Coronation Street¡¦ on the TV.

"Remy?"

"Uh huh."

"I was just thinking¡¦y¡¦know, I might not ever go back to the X-Men."

"Yes."

"And, well, if I¡¦m not going back to them maybe I should¡¦God, I can¡¦t believe I¡¦m doing this to myself¡¦finish my education?"

"Dat¡¦s a good idea, though I¡¦d never have thought you¡¦d suggest it."

"I know, it¡¦s just ¡¦have to take a little responsibility don¡¦t I? Can¡¦t leave the future to sort itself out. The problem is¡¦"

"Problem?"

"I want to go to school under my own name. I used loads of false names when I was travelling ¡¦round Europe but I think I need to have finished school under my real name."

"It would make t¡¦ing¡¦s easier, yes." Remy shifted so that he looked down in Jubilee¡¦s face, "You worried the X-Men will find you if you are Jubilation Lee again?"

"Well kinda, but also Emma and Sean are my legal guardians and I don¡¦t think they¡¦d appreciate a call from a school in London, do you?"

"I see your point¡¦maybe I should be your guardian?"

Jubilee looked up at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, p¡¦tite I know damn well you have a way wit¡¦ computers, so to speak."

"Hey," she narrowed her eyes slightly, "how¡¦d you know about that?"

"Gambit has his sources, chere. By de way I was wonderin¡¦ when you¡¦re gonna show me all those passports you got?"

Jubilee sat up quickly and faced him, "Have you been going through my stuff?"

"Non. But if I know you, you¡¦ve got a bunch of fake passports and such to go along wit¡¦ your false identities. Am I right?"

"Yes," she muttered.

"Mind showin¡¦ dem to me?"

Jubilee got up and grumbled all the way to her room, "¡¦lousy, all knowin¡¦ Cajun thief¡¦" she dragged her huge rucksack out of her room and to Remy. Using a switchblade, which Gambit did not know she had, she cut into the lining of the bag. Reaching in she pulled out a pack of passports, driving licenses etc. bound together by an elastic band. Grousing still she handed them over to Remy.

Remy took off the elastic band. French¡¦ Canadian¡¦ Chinese¡¦ American. Passports¡¦driving licenses¡¦student ID¡¦s¡¦my God, she even had library cards. He flicked through the pictures, looking at her various incarnations¡¦blonde, brunette and once even a punk with purple spiked hair. Remy grinned to himself; he¡¦d love to see the look on Cyclops¡¦ face if he found out the firecracker had these skills.

"You done looking yet?"

"Yes." He handed the bundle back to her, "What¡¦s de matter p¡¦tite? You said y¡¦trusted me."

"I do¡¦"

"Y¡¦also said I could trust you."

"Oh. Sorry." She sat down, contrition written all over her face, "It¡¦s just¡¦ old habits die hard, y¡¦know."

Remy put an arm around her shoulders, "I know. So tell me how did you manage to get all these." She looked smugly at him, "That¡¦s for me to know, and for you to find out Cajun."

"I suppose I¡¦ll have to settle for that. I s¡¦pose that you¡¦d be able to get a British passport for y¡¦rself."

"Not a problem."

"Den you¡¦re goin¡¦ to transfer guardianship from de White Queen and Banshee to me."

"I am? Ok, not sure how I¡¦m gonna do that but¡¦okay."

"And then you¡¦re gonna hack into de Queenie¡¦s little computer thingy, get your school record, alter it if y¡¦wish and write a glowin¡¦ report from Mme. Frost. C¡¦est tout."

"That¡¦s ALL?" Jubilee was looking a little panicked, "Ok, hacking into government departments, I¡¦m fine with. But hacking into Frosty¡¦s computer¡¦that¡¦s totally different. The security is like, super-tight. It is the king of security systems, they¡¦d lock down on me in like five seconds."

"You¡¦ve tried before?"

"Well, umm, yeah. Once¡¦ ages ago."

"What for?"

"I was bored."

"Ah, yes. Good reason."

"Well I was."

"Okay, okay y¡¦were bored. Don¡¦t you think y¡¦could try again?"

"I suppose so¡¦if I had the right equipment and everything, I might be able to," Jubilee chewed the tip of her fingernail thoughtfully, "Yeah. I can do it. Could be fun." She looked at him, "You realise you¡¦re gonna have to get a computer? And loads of other not-so-legal stuff?"

"And me an honest law-abidin¡¦ citizen."

She laughed and gave him a hug, "You¡¦re great Rem, y¡¦know that?"

"Ah shucks, p¡¦tite ya makin¡¦ me blush."

She socked him lightly on the arm; "I¡¦m serious. If it was Scott or Wolvie or even Bobby who found me, I¡¦d be back in front of the X-Men ¡¦explaining myself¡¦ right now."

"Chere, I know as well as anyone dat ya sometimes need some time away from the team. Dey¡¦re not always so ¡¦understanding."

"Why am I thinking we¡¦re not talking about me anymore?"

"Sorry chere, went a bit off track dere for a moment."

"No, no, Remy. I didn¡¦t mean it that way. Is it¡¦is it something you want to talk about?"

He looked at her, "Exactly how much d¡¦you know about the Mutant Massacre?"

"Oh," she bit her lip, "had a feeling it was about that."

"So you know¡¦what I did."

"Yeah¡¦"

He started to get up, "It¡¦s been a long day p¡¦tite. Maybe it be time to go to bed."

"No Remy, don¡¦t go," she pulled gently at his arm, "sit with me. Please?"

He looked down at her and allowed himself to be pulled back down onto the couch, "There somethin¡¦ you want to say to me?"

"I¡¦" she put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to turn and face her. "Remy¡¦have you forgiven yourself yet?"

He looked at her in surprise. Wasn¡¦t sure what exactly he had expected, but it definitely wasn¡¦t that. How should he answer? The truth; he trusted her. "Sometimes I t¡¦ink I have, dat everythin¡¦s been forgiven, that I can put it behind me¡¦but other times¡¦it¡¦s hard chere. I did an awful t¡¦ing and nothin¡¦s ever gonna change that."

"I¡¦hmm," Jubilee put one hand on his, "Okay. Yeah, it was a horrible thing that you did but you didn¡¦t know Remy. Were you stupid? Yeah, you were. But you can¡¦t go on beating yourself up about it forever. You made a mistake. A big one, I¡¦ll grant you that, but a mistake nonetheless. Everyone makes mistakes Remy, and there¡¦s no reason why you should be the exception to the rule. You¡¦re a really good person¡¦you know it, I know it, the X-Men¡¦they know it. I know that you¡¦ll never let yourself be used like that again, I trust you Remy. I think it¡¦s time you started to trust yourself."

Remy looked at her. He didn¡¦t know what to say. Jubilee had hit every nail on the head. He squeezed her hand, "Trust myself¡¦guess I¡¦ll have to learn how."

"C¡¦mere Gumbo." Jubilee wrapped her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. When she found out what had happened in Antarctica, she had eventually bullied the story out of Bobby, she had been shocked and angry. Not angry with Gambit but with Rogue, she didn¡¦t understand how Rogue, who claimed to love Remy, could leave him to die in a frozen wasteland. She didn¡¦t buy the bull about Remy¡¦s personality affecting Rogue¡¦s decision. Personally she thought that he had made it up to make himself and Rogue feel better, the fool was so in love with that girl he¡¦d do anything to make her happy. Jubilee sighed mentally, Rogue was a nice person but so very not worth the heartache she caused Gambit.

Remy released Jubilee first, "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"We should go to bed now, it¡¦s late."

Jubilee stood up and stretched slightly, "You¡¦re right. I am kinda pooped." She bent over and kissed him on the forehead, "Night Remy."

"Night Jubilee," he watched her walk away then stood up and made his way to his own bedroom. It was nice, he reflected as he slid under the covers, to have someone to talk to.

******

The next morning Jubilee was up before him again and had breakfast ready. She was a little hyper, trying to figure out the best way to get into the Frost Enterprises server undetected. She had a list of stuff she needed as well.

"Here," she thrust the list at him, "I¡¦ll need these, please."

"What are they?"

"Well those," she pointed at one section, "are the specs for the computer I¡¦ll need. The rest is stuff that¡¦ll make it a whole lot easier for me to make the changes I¡¦m going to make."

"And all dis stuff is just available in any computer store?"

"Well I¡¦ll have to make a few modifications but I have these little adapter thingies¡¦" she smiled.

"Y¡¦took some of Hank¡¦s stuff. Didn¡¦t you?"

"Well some of it is my own, things I put together myself but¡¦"

"What did you take?"

"An image inducer, a GPS thingamajig an¡¦ some tools."

"GPS. What¡¦d you need dat for?"

"Thought it might come in handy. So will you get this stuff for me?"

"¡¦Sure. I realised y¡¦had skills p¡¦tite, I didn¡¦t realise y¡¦were a threat to national security."

She giggled, nearly choking on some toast, ", Oh come on Remy , I¡¦ve been with the X-Men for like, what, 4 years. With them, geniuses are a dime a dozen, I¡¦d have had to be totally thick not pick somethin¡¦ up."

He nodded, "Ok. But what do you ¡¦ntend to do while I get all dis stuff."

"Unpack, duh. Clean up around the place and such."

"Fine. I¡¦ll go get m¡¦coat." He returned a few more moments later. "Won¡¦t be gone long, p¡¦tite. You be alright on y¡¦r own?"

She rolled her eyes, " No Remy. I¡¦ll just huddle in a corner until you, the big strong man, comes back to protect me, the defenceless little woman."

"Good den." He kissed her forehead and went.

Chuckling she started to clean up. Once she¡¦d finished she went to her room and dumped the contents of her backpack on the bed. She was sorting out her clothes when she heard the front door of the apartment open. "Forget somethin¡¦ Rem?" she called out. Silence. "Remy?" Silence. Becoming slightly nervous she tiptoed silently to the hall and stared at amazement at who she saw there.

It was a woman. A really beautiful could-be-a-model woman. Tall, elegant with long black hair swept up in a French braid. She stared at Jubilee, Jubilee stared back at her. Eventually the silence was broken.

"I¡¦m looking for Remy LeBeau. Is he here?"

"Yes¡¦that is¡¦not at the moment," was the flustered reply, "he¡¦s gone out for awhile Mrs¡¦"

"Ms. Diane Hathaway. I¡¦m a friend of Remy¡¦s, heard he was back in London. Thought I¡¦d pop by."

"I see." Jubilee put her hand out, "I¡¦m Jubilation Lee. Friend of Remy¡¦s, I¡¦m just staying here for the time being." The hand was shook.

"Nice to meet you."

Silence fell once more.

"Do you want to wait for him? Here?" Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.

"Would you mind?"

"No, no. Not a problem." Goddamnit. "The living-room¡¦s this way."

"Oh it¡¦s alright, I know my way around." Sweet smile.

" Ok." Oh I¡¦m sure you do.

Diane sat down in one of the armchairs, perfectly at ease. Jubilee, on the other hand, remained standing.

"Would you like some tea? Coffee?"

"Coffee would be great. Thanks." Sweet smile again.

"Right. Back in a minute." It was hard for Jubilee not to stomp into the kitchen. Not that she had any logical reason for stomping, but that woman just pissed her off for no apparent reason at all. She started the coffee grinder. Several ideas involving coffee and Bovril floated through her head but she resolutely ignored them. She could be sweet and polite and two-faced, even if it killed her.

******

Exactly seventy-three minutes later.

"Jubilee? I got everythin¡¦ y¡¦asked for." He staggered slightly under the huge box in his arms before placing on the ground. Pause. "Jubilee?"

"In here Remy." Her tone was even. He walked into the living room and froze for a moment. Diane. He¡¦d forgotten. Shit. Recovering quickly he smiled charmingly at the two women.

"Diane, how are you chere?"

She rose and walked towards him, "Good Remy, I¡¦m good. It¡¦s been a long time." She hugged him. Remy returned her embrace but kept a watchful eye on Jubilee.

"Sure has. What have you been doin¡¦?"

"Oh, you know, this and that. Took up modelling for awhile."

Jubilee stood up, "Well I¡¦m sure you two have loads to catch up on," she said with her usual friendly smile, "I¡¦ll put the shopping away." She smiled again and left. Remy was left facing Diane.

"What brings you here, chere?"

"Heard you were back in London. Thought I¡¦d drop by," she tilted her head, "for old times sake."

"Chere, as y¡¦can see I have a guest at de moment¡¦don¡¦t think I¡¦ll have much time for socialising for awhile."

Diane crossed her arms, her expression hardening, "Ah, yes. Jubilation. Didn¡¦t know your taste ran to school girls."

"Jubilee is my friend, Diane, nothing more an¡¦ nothing less."

"I see," she leaned towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and brought him down for a kiss. "You know where to find me." She turned and left the room. He heard the front door closing behind her. He went to Jubilee¡¦s room and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Inside she was slowly taking apart her rucksack with her switchblade. There were several layers of lining, each layer concealing something. She looked up, "Hey Remy. Just unpacking my stuff." She began to remove various electronics equipment, "Diane gone?"

"Yeah, about her¡¦"

"Mmm hmm?" The bag was slowly becoming a pile of tatters.

"You don¡¦t have to worry ¡¦bout her comin¡¦ ¡¦round."

"Oh?" it was calmly said, uninterested.

"Er¡¦yeah."

Jubilee looked up at him, amusement in her face, "Remy were you afraid she¡¦d upset me?"

"Well¡¦uh," he was embarrassed. Full out, red face embarrassed. "Yeah."

She looked down at the bag and continued cutting, smiling to herself, "Gumbo, just ¡¦cause I¡¦m staying here doesn¡¦t mean that you have to put your life on hold. I¡¦ll admit, I think that Diane is a prize bitch. Excuse my language. But I¡¦m old enough, y¡¦know, to guess what your relationship with her is. By the way, do you always hand out your keys to strange women?"

"Right, and no I don't."

She looked up, "Oh my GOD, you¡¦re blushing!" She jumped to her feet. "This is so very much a Kodak moment." She began to turn on her heel, "Where¡¦s my camera? Have it here somewhere." Remy calmed himself down and the colour faded from his cheeks. Seeing this she sighed with disappointment, "Damn. Now no-one will ever believe me when I say that I saw cool, suave Remy LeBeau blushing."

"Just wasn¡¦t sure if you¡¦d appreciate any ¡¦friends¡¦ of mine popping in ev¡¦ry now and then."

Jubilee rolled her eyes, "I¡¦ll admit that I¡¦m a tad depressed at the moment. But, and this is a big but, I think I can handle you having a social life. I mean it wouldn¡¦t be fair if I got to bring back a guy, and you couldn¡¦t invite one of your ¡¦friends¡¦," she made quotation marks with her fingers, "over to your home."

"You can¡¦t bring boys ¡¦ere!"

"Ex-cuse me?" she looked at him, her eyes glinting dangerously.

"Y¡¦heard me. No. Boys." Remy was really getting into this whole protective big brother thing. He knew boys. He knew what they wanted. Therefore Jubilee should have restricted access to them. She may think she knew the ways of the world but she was still innocent. In his eyes anyway.

"Remy," her voice was one of annoyance and amusement, "I think you¡¦ve got me mixed up with someone else. I¡¦m not a child anymore, and legally I can have sex if I want to." He winced slightly. "That¡¦s right Remy. I. Can. Have. Sex. In fact maybe I already have had sex." His eyes widened and she grinned. "C¡¦mon Rem, what age were you when you had your first girlfriend?" He opened his mouth, but she interjected, "And if you say ¡¦but it¡¦s different for girls¡¦ I will hurt you. A lot." He closed his mouth, a defeated expression on his face. Smiling understandingly she patted his hand consolingly, "It¡¦s ok. I appreciate your concern, it¡¦s kinda sweet, but I¡¦m a big girl now." She flashed him her brilliant smile, "I¡¦m glad we talked about this." Turning her back to him she headed towards the big cardboard box with all the computer equipment he¡¦d bought that morning. "Now give me a hand here."

******

Several hours and countless expletives later, the two stood back. All the equipment was set up. Gambit had been screamed at many, many times for connecting things that apparently weren¡¦t meant to be connected. Jubilee had had her not considerable patience strained to its very limit. But now, at least, they were finished. Jubilee pulled up a chair and started up the system. Within minutes she was attempting to gain entry into the Ministry of Justice.

"Remy, this is going to take awhile. You should go out, get something to eat." She glanced over to where he was sitting on her bed.

"Non, p¡¦tite. Tell you what, I¡¦ll make dinner. It¡¦ll be ready in about an hour, okay?"

"That¡¦d be great. Thanks." She didn¡¦t look up as he left the room, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

An hour later, Jubilation Lee was a citizen of the United Kingdom. She sat back in her chair with a contented sigh. She ranked her skill with computers right up there with gymnastics and lock picking. But the next part would be harder, transferring guardianship to Remy and getting into the Frost database. She could try¡¦

"Jubilee? Dinner¡¦s ready."

"Coming." Jubilee smiled to herself, she and Remy sounded like something out of one of those sickeningly sweet television ads with those happy families smiling at each other. Next thing they¡¦d be calling each other ¡¦honey¡¦ and ¡¦sweetheart¡¦. Oh the horror¡¦she giggled to herself as she went to the kitchen.

******

It took Jubilee six days to transfer guardianship to Remy and hack into Frost Industries. She became so involved in what she was doing that she forgot everything else, working day and night. A part of her said that she was becoming as stubborn as a certain canuncklehead, this thought caused her to take a break every now and then for such things as food and sleep. During those six days Remy hovered anxiously around her. He was worried, she could see it in his eyes, in his stance. It had become more to Jubilee than simple hacking, she was cutting off, legally, her ties to the X-Men. She was still angry she still hurt. Less than before, but those emotions were certainly there. When she was finally finished, Remy sighed with relief. It was time for her to start living, like a normal person.

For the next five weeks Jubilee enjoyed life. Remy brought her to the theatre, to historical landmarks, showed her all the sights of London. She was becoming more relaxed, she felt secure. That¡¦s what she needed, a constant. Her life had always been in a state of flux, people drifting in and out, changing her, hardening her. But now there was Remy and he was there, the constant. She started school in August. Jubilee had argued with him about it. She was adamant that she would do perfectly well in a public school, he wanted her to go private. He won by showing her a picture of the gym. She had had to do a small test to decide which class she should go into, surprising herself by doing well. She quickly made friends and, overall, settled in quite well. It was nice to be Jubilation Lee, a completely typical seventeen-year-old girl.

******

Comments and criticisms are welcomed.