Disclaimer: Don't own'em. Marvel does. No profit being made here, folks. I also don't own Mulan (Disney) or Road to El Dorado (Dreamworks). Technically, I also don't own a Lincoln Navigator either, but I wouldn't mind owning one... posh, very posh.
Rating: PG ... might be one dirty word, not sure
Archiving: Just ask and ye shall recieve.
Feedback: Would be much appreciated.
Summary: Last chapter had some interesting phone conversations ... now we have consequences...
Notes: A little more serious than previous chapters, but still full of cute children goodness. Plus, Gambit and Bobby are seriously funny when they pester each other. There are several grammatical errors in here, that were left on purpose. They involve approximations of Cajun accents, so please forgive! :D Oh and I wanted the subtitle to this to be Instant Grandparents (Just add water!), but I refrained.

Frozen Pop
by Shade

Day Nine: Instant Grandparents

"Dat one looks like a boat!" Little Remy cried.

Bobby smiled. He was glad that Gambit had shown up that afternoon and asked them all to the park. The four had had the best time playing on the playground. In a moment of generosity, Gambit had even bought them all ice cream. Now they were lying in the soft, spring grass staring up at clouds.

"It does kinda look like a boat," he agreed.

BJ pointed to another cloud and said, "That one looks like a monkey."

The cloud looked nothing like a monkey but Bobby and Gambit quickly agreed anyway. Remy only giggled. It was Gambit's turn again.

"Dat one looks like de Hope Diamond."

"I don't even want to know how you know that, Remy," Bobby said. He quickly looked around for a cloud that looked like something more than a cotton ball. The other three hadn't been too impressed when he'd used that for his last guess.

"What? You never been to de Museum of Natural History, mon ami?"

"Yeah, but I went while it was open."

Gambit snorted. The two had been picking at each other all day. Bobby was starting to worry that they sounded like an old married couple.

"You know," Bobby said, finally realizing a way out of guessing, "we should be heading home so these two munchkins can take their nap."

Cries of "Non!" and "No!" filled the air. Bobby sat up and stared at the boys. It was time to make a deal.

"Listen, you guys take your nap, and we'll watch a movie when you get up."

Little Remy pouted and asked, "Is Gambit goin' to stay?"

"Yeah!" BJ chimed in. "Pleeeease!"

"That's up to him guys, not me."

The Cajun in question looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"Well, I suppose it would depend on de movie, non?"

The two boys whispered back and forth before coming to a decision. BJ was elected negotiation spokesperson.

"How about Mulan?"

"I was t'inking Road to El Dorado."

It was Bobby's turn to snort.

"Stealing gold over saving a country. Not a surprising choice there."

"Bite moi."

"Now you're stealing my lines. Shameless!"

Having decided that Gambit's terms were acceptable the four headed back to the Navigator and home. The sight that greeted them in the driveway was something none of them expected.

"Oh no!" Gambit whispered and turned off the engine.

"Gambit, why are my parents and your father arguing in my backyard?"

"Um, I forgot to tell you dat your parents called de other day when Logan an' I was babysitting. Logan tol' me cause he talked to dem. I was talkin' to my pere on de cell at de time. So dey all know about de boys. Sorta."

"You realize that everything's just gone straight to hell in a handbasket," Bobby whispered.

"Oui, and Remy, he be holdin' de handle, non?"

"Yup."

The two mutants got out of the SUV and began unstrapping the boys. Bobby had actually gotten them out of the vehicle before three angry adults descended upon him.

"Robert Drake just what is going on here! I want answers boy!"

"Dad, I can explain everything, if you'll just calm down."

"Oh William! Look!" Maddie's voice quieted her husband and Jean-Luc's first protests toward his own son.

Bobby watched his mother kneel in front of BJ. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she cupped the boy's cheek. BJ, for his part, was slightly frightened by this strange woman. Nervously, his feet froze to the ground. Remy didn't seem frightened at all. He stepped forward and pointed at Maddie Drake.

"Your de mom!" he announced.

"Yes, Remy, this is my mom. Mom, Dad, Mr. LeBeau, this is BJ, and this one is Remy."

"In all my years! Son he look de spittin' image of ya as a boy!"

"Oh Bobby, honey, he looks just like you did at this age!"

Bobby smiled.

"Well that is sort of the idea, Mom."

William Drake shook his head and said, "Bobby, I want to hear an explanation."

"Let's go inside everyone and I promise I'll tell you what happened."

"So she just left them with you?" Maddie said with surprise.

"Well she didn't have much of a choice, Mom. She didn't want the boys to get hurt. I just hope that the other kids are as safe."

Bobby stared at his slightly less fuming father. His mother, to her credit, was taking all this well in hand. He guessed it had more to do with having someone else to baby than her grasp of the situation. Jean-Luc had been silent through the whole story, but Bobby could see the man's mind working overtime by the expression he wore.

"So you just took in two kids, with no means of support yourself?"

"William, your heart..."

"Don't coddle me, Maddie, and don't coddle my idiot son either. You know perfectly well who is going to end up taking care of these kids."

"Dad, I can handle this. I've been handling this. Plus, I have the other X-Men for support."

"Bobby, this isn't one of your strange missions! These are children!"

"Mr. Drake," Gambit said quickly, "I assure you dat Bobby has been an excellent guardian."

"Oh yes, and you would be an expert."

Jean-Luc stood.

"Mr. Drake, if my boy says dat Bobby is taking care of t'ings, den he is. Dat is de end of it. If you don' want the boys here, den I would be perfectly happy to provide a place for dem to stay."

Gambit's eyes turned quickly to his father.

"Oh please, Papa! You jus' interested in getting some grandbabies. You been on to me for years to settle down an' have some kids."

"Don' you take dat tone wid me. It's true though. I would like to get to know de boys. Looks like I ain't never gonna get a chance to play grandpere, so I might as well try it out while I can."

Gambit looked at Bobby and rolled his eyes. For his part, Bobby tried not to chuckle. Maddie seemed anxious.

"I don't like this talk about taking the boys somewhere else. They've been uprooted from their world, and they're just getting used to being here. They probably feel safe. I don't think they should leave."

"Oh for Pete's sake Maddie, you're as bad as the Cajun!"

Jean-Luc sniffed as if offended. Bobby was still trying to hold back his laughter. Escape seemed the safest option before he made his father even angrier.

"I'm going to look in on the kids. They probably aren't really sleeping with all this excitement," he said making a quick exit.

True to his words, Bobby found BJ and Remy pressed up against the door trying to listen to the conversation downstairs. As soon as he stepped into the room both of his legs were attacked by strong hugs. BJ was practically in tears.

"Are they going to make us leave? Are they going to take us away? What's happening? Are you in trouble?"

"Whoa! Slow down! It's okay. Come on you two. Come over here and sit on the bed."

Bobby gently lifted each boy and sat him down on the mattress. After they were situated, he squatted down to look at them at eye level.

"You're not leaving, and neither am I. I'm taking care of you guys and nothing is going to change that, okay?"

Remy nodded, but BJ didn't look so sure.

"Listen, my parents and Gambit's dad are just surprised to find you here, that's all. They remember us when we were little like you. Seeing you just makes them want to protect you both like they did us when we were little."

"You were little?" Remy asked.

Bobby laughed, "Yes, a long time ago, I was just like BJ. Just like Gambit was like you."

"What's going to happen?" BJ asked.

"I don't know, but I'll tell you what I do know. You two are very lucky."

"How?" the boys asked in unison.

"Now you have grandparents and they are the best thing in the world!"

BJ looked skeptical again and asked, "Really?"

"Yup, really. See you can always talk grandparents into stuff that moms and dads would never let you do. They're pretty special. In fact, I think I've got a little idea on how to make them all stop being upset..."

"If you have such a problem wid it Mr. Drake, den I'd be happy to lend any assistance I can."

"Listen, Mr. LeBeau, I'm not sure if I like you backing this whole thing..."

"William!"

"Come on, Maddie! Can't you see how ridiculous this whole thing is?"

Before the wills that were William Drake and Jean-Luc LeBeau could clash again, a loud thumping could be heard coming down the stairs. Three adults and Gambit turned to look at the blonde and auburn haired blurs that flew into the living room.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! I had the bestest dream!" BJ said quickly trying to catch his breath. To William's complete surprise the boy hopped into his lap. "I dreamed that you took Remy and me to the park and we played on the slide, even though Grandma told you not to cause of your heart!"

Remy had run straight to Jean-Luc who scooped him up with practiced ease. The leader of the New Orleans Thieves Guild was notorious for his love of children.

"Grandpere! Did you bring me somet'ing? Gambit said dat grandperes always bring t'ings!" Remy asked also out of breath. While William was speechless, Jean-Luc was not so easily surprised.

"He did, did he? Well den you really are too much like my son, aren't you? I might have brought somet'ing you boys might like."

Both Remy and BJ squealed in delight. Bobby had slipped into the room unnoticed and he sat down quietly next to his mother. The unshed tears in her eyes made him smile. He put an arm around behind her and pulled her into a hug.

"Well, they certainly aren't arguing anymore," Bobby thought wickedly. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a look of quiet respect from his fellow X-Man across the room. Bobby had gone with his strong suit, emotional manipulation. It had never let him down before, and it certainly hadn't today.

continued >>

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