All Marvel characters belong to them. The other characters belong to me. No profit was made from this.

By Keri Wilson

LEBEAU PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Chapter 4: First Adolescence

Betsy sat on the front office couch gently bouncing her 18 month old son Mark on her knees as she talked to Tara. Tara sat behind the desk, in the most comfortable chair.

"I know it probably sounds irresponsible to you, but Warren and I just can't take care of a toddler, not now, since we're both on active duty. It wasn't so bad when he was a baby, and I didn't go on many missions, and Warren tried to be helpful. Now, though, we've both realized we aren't comptent with children. Besides the mansion is no place for a small child."

"No, ah don't think it sounds irresponsible. Some people just aren't cut out tah be parents. Y'all tried, at least. Look at poor little Maria DaCosta. She'll never likely see her mama, and Roberto... Well, he comes around when he remembers that sweet little girl. Half the time she calls Remy and ah, Daddy and Mommy, breaks mah heart in two everytime she says it. We've told her several times who her parents are, but since she nevah sees her mama, and only occasionally her daddy, it hasn't sunk in yet. She calls Jubilee mama sometimes too. Ah just hope Roberto remembers her birthday this year. Last year he finally showed up two weeks late, with presents and a flimsy embarrassed apology. Compared tah that y'all have done an excellent job. Ah agree that mansion is no place tah raise a child. Ah'll nevah understand why Scott and Jean found nothing wrong with it."

"Well your school didn't exist until six years ago, but that's not what you meant, right? I mean they did send the twins here as soon as the school opened...

"No ah meant earlier, when they'd go on missions they'd just bring the kids down tah the subbasement to the "saferoom" where they had a bunch of toys in the room. Scott went on a mission six days after their twins were born, as soon as he saw Jean and the kids were settled and healthy, and just two days after Mary was born. Jean put them in the "saferoom" when they were six weeks old, same with Mary. The kids were monitered at all times, but the only time anybody was in there with them was if Hank, Sam or occasionally Logan weren't on a mission."

Betsy felt a bit guilty, she hadn't ever gone in for more than a few moments during those times she was "assigned" the "babysitting duty". She had felt like the kids were imposing on her time, and they weren't her kids, anyway. It brought up her feelings of failure as a parent again. Nobody gave as much to their kids as Tara and Remy. Somehow they both seemed to almost instinctively know exactly what their children, and other people's children too, needed, and the kids all knew it. She had already heard Scott off-handedly mention when she said something about she thought it was time for Mark to go to the school, that his kids favorite teachers were Tara and Remy.

"Tara, no one is as good at parenting as you and Remy. I know my son will be well taken care of here."

Tara was a bit taken aback by Betsy's behavior today. She had never been like this before. Betsy had at times been downright hostle to Remy, and contempteous to her.

Tara stood up to take the baby from Betsy. Betsy gasped when Tara stood up. Betsy actually blushed then, and said stumblingly, "You're...going to....when's the baby due? I hadn't heard..."

Tara smiled, they hadn't told anyone outside of the school yet. This was their sixth baby. "Ah'm three months along, almost four. This is, maybe, the last one..."She said as she cuddled Betsy's baby.

"Maybe?" Betsy asked. She couldn't even imagine having six kids, much less more than that!

"When we were married ah thought five or six sounded nice, but now that ah'm actually pregnant with the sixth....Remy really wants one more, and ah...like bein' pregnant. Ah'm thinking we'll probably have one more."

Betsy just shook her head. Tara and Remy and kids! "You aren't having any problems this time?"

"Not now. Ah didn't have any more problems than the last time, a little morning sickness, and lowered endurance. Ah'm over that now. Gettin' ready tah go intah the second trimester, the best time, yah know, ah feel wonderful."

"Glad t' hear it, chere." Remy said coming into the office. "Time f' you t' do some teaching." Remy said as he took the baby from Tara's arms. Tara gave him a quick kiss. "Okay, see yah at lunch." Tara walked out of the office towards the classrooms.

Betsy watched Remy holding her son. He had Mark laughing in no time. Then still holding Mark, he handed Betsy the papers to sign. "Thas' all left t' do, chere." Betsy signed the papers, she didn't have to read them,she already knew what they said. Then she came to the page where she had to fill out the biological information. She filled her part in, then stared at the father's information section. What could she put in, she didn't know who the father was, it could be Warren, then again it could have been two other guys. She knew the child was hers, that's all that was important. Besides, both of the other guys had the same blood type as Warren, and one was blond too. So a blood test would have been useless, and she wasn't really interested anyway. Warren was acting as the father, even though he knew about the circumstances. He was certainly the best of the three guys, she didn't even know what she was thinking of, fooling around with those other two guys. She had just been mad at Warren because he was fooling around with another woman at the time, stupid on both their parts! Betsy decided to write down what she always said, "father unknown".

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After Tara taught the World History class she took her break. She decided to walk down to the gym and talk to Jubilee. Jubilee usually took her break around this time too. Occassionally the two women would take their break together, eat their lunch, and talk. As she neared the gym the last of the kids walked out, and through the open door she heard a conversation between Logan and Jubilee. He must have shown up after school started this morning, Tara thought.

"You want to go out for a beer or something, darlin'?" Logan said, with an attempt to be jocular.

"Logan, you know that's a no way, not while school's in." Jubilee responded. She knew Logan was getting attracted to her again. Jubilee was relieved that had finally forgiven her, but his attraction embarrassed her, because it reminded her more than anything else about what she did on her eighteenth birthday. She knew she still loved Logan, but in a mature woman's way now.

Tara, not wanting to be a eavesdropper walked right in and greeted them, "Why don't we all have lunch together." She knew it would make her seem naive, but Tara knew that Jubilee wasn't quite ready for a relationship with Logan again. Jubilee would feel like she had been rescued and readily agree. Logan would go along with this just to be with Jubilee, even if it had to be in Tara and Remy's company.

"Sounds good." Jubilee responded almost immediately and walked toward Tara, Logan grimaced briefly, but then put his neutral expression on his face and followed them.

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A couple of weeks later Tara and Remy's oldest child, Renee, began to complain of pounding headaches. It was about time for the monthly gentic test anyway, so Tara and Remy took her down to the infirmary.

Every child was tested once a year, to check for emerging mutant powers. Once girls reached 10 years and boys 12 years they were tested once a month. Any physical symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, headaches, or hallucinations were taken very seriously and the child would be immediately tested.

Renee tested positive for an active mutant gene. Now they had to go to the Westchester for the second tests. The second tests were far more sophisticated. They would tell exactly what her power, or powers were and what degree it or they would eventually be manifested.

Renee waited nervously for the results of the first set of tests. Tara and Remy were nervous too. Tara showed it by hugging her daughter around her shoulders, and giving little reassuring squeezes every so often. Remy was more aggitated, he paced back and forth from them, to the lab door, and back again, over and over.

Finally, Hank emerged from the lab. "I've run the tests several times, just to be certain. Renee, you have your mother's primary power."

Tara felt her heart sink. They knew the likelyhood was high that one or more of their children would get that power, but thinking about it and actually seeing it was a different story.

Remy got right to the point, "You know if it's de same, or different?"

"There is a subtle difference. The tests aren't completely conclusive, but I believe she may be able to eventually be able to control it. Also the gene's power is much weaker than yours, Tara, even after several disruptions. So it appears to be a benevelent further mutation."

Remy felt overwhelming relief. This first crisis had not been as bad as they feared. He looked at Tara, she was smiling with relief too, but her eyes still looked worried. He knew that meant a long serious talk tonight, after the kids went to bed.

Renee asked the question that she wanted to know about the most. "You said I might be able to control it?"

Yes, it appears you will be able to as you mature and become more accustomed to the power. Now, though, unless you are ready to try to test the extent of your current control, it would be better to do something fun to get your mind off it. We can do that test tommorrow, you've had enough stress today."

"I want to try it now." Renee said with more than a little of her mother's determined streak.

Tara looked very worried, but Remy got a lopsided smile and shook his head. She definitely be her mother's daughter! He thought.

Tara and Remy followed Renee and Hank back into the lab. Hank used the Shiar technology to call up a simulated "victim". The creature was not truely real, but was more real thanthe standard hologram. It had simulated, but non dangerous memories and powers, to make this less hazardous and stressful for everyone.

Before Renee touched the simulation Hank gave her the basic instructions. "When you touch it and you feel your power activate, concentrate on controlling the rate you get the memories and powers. If you can do that, try to see if you can shut the power off.

Renee nodded, she was nervous, but eager. If she could shut it off the power would be very useful in battle. She knew the possibilty exsisted that she might have to fight, just like her parents did in their youths. Her parents school did prepare them minimally for that possiblity. Once she went to the Academy that part of her training would increase dramatically. Renee had, with the quick mind she inherited from her father, seen almost immediately how a controllable power would be very useful in battle. She already had her mother's mutant strength, although not much yet, and she would eventually get only a tenth of her mother's strength. Five tons or fifty, either one was incredibly useful and amazing. She grinned, showing her strong resemblance to her father more than ever.

Tara couldn't look, but Remy wanted to make sure he saw everything, just in case his petite got herself in over her head. He'd get her away fast somehow.

Renee tentively touched the simulation. First came a strange flow of power, that had been almost instant. She quickly remembered what she had been told, and decided to try to slow down the power transfer. She grinned when it worked. She had been able to block the absorbtion of memories completely! She had felt them start to come too, but she threw up a block and it washed back out of her back into simulation. Then she decided to try to push the power back into the simulation. She concentrated hard. She felt the absorbed power begin to leave her. Then the wave of painand nausea struck. She screamed and collasped.

Renee was quickly put onto a medical bed. After being unconcious for about an hour she woke up with severe migrane headache and vomiting. After about fifteen minutes that subsided. After a lenghty discussion on what had happened Tara and Remy told her it would probably be better for her to just wear the gloves, like her mother had. If it was going to make her that sick to control it, it wasn't worth it. Hank concurred. Renee felt so dissapointed, she thought for sure she could do it, and do it right away. Tara and Remy comforted her on the way back to the school. Renee felt ashamed and embarrassed. Both parents realized this by the time they got back to the school. They decided the best thing to do was to let her deal with it herself until she wanted to talk to them about it. It was hard for both of them though, for slightly different reasons. Remy just because it was one of his children and he didn't want anything bad to ever happen to any of them. Rogue because she had to deal with this power and she knew what her daughter was more than likely feeling. She wanted her daughter to not have to deal with those feelings.

Renee talked to her friend Scotia afterwards. "It was awful. I got sickas everything. Mom and Dad were really scared, I could tell, even though Dad was trying not to show it."

"You still look real pale Renee, do you think you should be restinginstead of climbing the hill here." she said shortly after they started hiking in the woods.

"I'll be okay." She said with a firm tone.

Scotia decided not to say anything more, even though she was worriedabout the way her friend looked as the continued to climb uphill.

After several minutes, having almost reached the top of the hill, she finally hit upon a subject to maybe get her friend calmed down. "I think my brother likes you."

"What! John Summers liking a LeBeau- never!" Renee looked at Scotia with a crooked smile.

Scotia grinned, "Hey, I am a telepath." She was relieved, it had actually got Renee to smile.

"No way, just last month he had a crush on Luna."

"Luna ignored his cow eyes till he gave up on her."

Renee laughed, then got glassy eyed and swayed on her feet. She quickly grabbed a tree branch and held on until her head cleared.

"Hey let's go home now okay?" Scotia looked frightened. She didn't know if she could carry her friend back by herself. She didn't have her mom's telekintic power, just the telepathy.

Renee looked real angry for a moment, then sat down and clenched her fists, "Crap, crap, crap." She looked up at Scotia willing herself not to cry, "It's not fair. Uncle Hank said I'd be able to control it, why I can't I do it without getting so sick!"

Scotia sat down next to Renee. "It's probably like what happened to me when I got the telepathic powers when I was eight. I had real bad migrane headaches trying to block it out. Mom had to help me learn to block without it causing me to be sick."

That was true Renee thought. Scotia had it rough at first when her power came in too.

The two girls sat silently for a few minutes, then Renee got up carefully and said, "Well they are probably worried about me, I guess I better go back now."

"Yeah, I better too, if they yell at you I be there to take part of the blame."

"Thanks." Renee smiled at her best friend. "Were you really serious about your brother liking me?"

"I think he's interested anyways, his eyes follow you whenever you're in the same room."

"I thought he was just bugging me with that. It's annoying."

"My brother hasn't a clue about how to get a girl to like him."

"Kind of surprising since he hangs out with Mathias Wagner, he's got serveral girls chasing him."

"Maybe it's in the genes, from what Mom has said Dad wasn't that skillful in courtship. But your dad Renee..." Scotia blushed.

"Don't tell me you like my dad that way Scotia, I'll get real annoyed."

"It's not your dad, it's um..." Scotia blushed a brighter red.

"My brother! Him? He hardly even likes girls yet Scotia!"

"Well..."

"You know Richard likes you?"

"Um...Yeah."

Renee laughed. "What's your dad going to say?"

Scotia groaned, "I don't want to think about it."

"They're looking for you." Edwina McCoy ran up to the two older girls and annouced breathlessly. Hank McCoy's daughter looked fairly "normal" except that the hair on her head was a deep blue and her fingernails were clawlike. Despite this she was a pretty child with a very round face. She was friendly, intelligent, and intensely curious about everything in other wordsshe was her father's daughter. Hank McCoy's marriage had unfortunately been short lived. But long enough to produce a child. A child that Hank adored and shared custody with his ex-wife. Edwina was right now trying to urge the two older girls to hurry back to the house, the girls were following her until Renee looked back the way they had come.

"Oh boy here comes my dad." Renee could see he looked angry.

Scotia shivered, Renee's dad rarely got angry, but when he did he was scary. It wasn't that he did anything mean just that you knew he knew just what privelege you were most afraid of getting taken away because you had done something bad. He'd always be right to the point too.

"Renee, y' can't leave the school grounds f' two weeks." Remy told his daughter. Then he turned to Scotia. Scotia felt relived he didn't look soangry at her. Once Renee had gone in the house, Remy said. "I'm not mad at you petite, you did what a friend should do with her stubborn friend, go `long t' make sure she don' get hurt."

Scotia was so relieved she almost cried. Even though she knew Mr. LeBeau was always fair, she was afraid this time that worrying about Renee would cloud his emotions.

"Sorry if I scare you, Remy just upset dat Renee go off an' not tell anyone, especially wit' her being in no shape t' go off."

"I-"

"Y' told her dat? Good. I'm glad she have such a good friend." Remy smiled a little, then he turned to go back in the house. Then he stopped and decided to say a little more. "Y' remember about dis and y' be a credit t' any group y' join. He grinned. "Now don' be getting no swelled head about dis."

Scotia stood there amazed, instead getting scolded she had been praised. Daddy would never have praised her for this. She knew what he would have said; "you should have told one of the grown upswhat Renee was doing instead of tagging along with her." Renee's dad was totally different from her dad in the way he saw things.She had known that but had never seen it so clearly before.