The Tests of Love

Disclaimers: The X-Men are the property of Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. Christina Aguilera wrote and sang the song "Keep On Singing My Song". My characters are as follows, Rhythm, Kim, and Daniel. Do NOT touch my characters! I made no money or profit in this fic, I did it for simple pleasure and exercise. sisterwine75@hotmail.com

Oohhh, Yeah, Oooh Huh
I woke up this morning with a smile on my face
& Nobody's gonna bring me down today
Been feeling like nothings been going my way lately
So I decided right here and now that my outlooks gotta change

Throughout the day in class and at lunch, they held hands. They being Rhythm and her best friend/girlfriend, Kim. Side by side, in the back of the classroom, and on the patio by the pool at study hour, both girls had been content and giggling to one another about things during the day and such. It was out of fate that they had even managed to have classes together, the last before lunch was Charles' history class in which they both took a front seat but separated hands as Xavier's brow was raised five minutes into his lesson.

"Ya think your poppa'll let us slip out for supper?" Kimber de Sante had been Rhythm's best friend since they met in 5th grade. She came from a family just outside of the guilds but that hadn't stopped them from getting close to the LeBeau's. Long auburn and pink hair that was usually held in a braid and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through anyone with a weak constitution. She was younger than Rhythm by a year and a half but was quick to be her equal when called into question of her ability. Her mutant name was "Thought", and she could hold her own in places that were more fitting to the older generation.

Rhythm stood up from sitting on the stone fountain's edge, in front of the house. "Dunno. Momma's comin in, an' poppa says we need ta have a 'family night' or something. We could prolly meet up for ice cream or somethin' later, though?"

Standing, Kim came eye-level with Rhythm, in shoes. "Hnn. I guess. You ain't gonna steal his bike again, are ya?"

Laughing low, Rhythm bent over and kissed her lips. "Nope. I reckon we'll fly dere."

"Mm. Good cause, I don't like de noise." Smiling up at her as Rhythm stood up again to gather her books as the bell chimed for class.

Remy stood on the porch with his arms folded, watching the two girls talk. "C'mon you two! Class time!"

"Comin, poppa!" Rhythm turned around and hollered back at him as he waved her over. She turned back and pulled Kim to her feet, by her hand, and headed over to where Remy stood impatiently.

Waiting until they stood in front of him, Remy stopped them and placed a hand on Rhythm's shoulder while scooting Kim off to Jean's biology class. "De Prof wants ta see you, girl."

Catching eyes and nodding to Kim, Rhythm turned and walked with Remy to Xavier's office. "What didn't I do now?"

That's why I'm gonna
Say goodbye to all the tears I've cried
For everytime somebody hurt my pride
Feeling like they won't let me live life
& Take the time to look at what is mine

"Ah, Miss LeBeau," Charles smiled as he sat behind his desk and gestured for them to come in and sit down. "Remy, please come in. I trust you are wondering why I've called you in here."

Rhythm sat down beside her father and folded her arms in front of her. "The thought had crossed my mind."

"Shht!" Remy warned as he sat down.

Charles continued unaffected by her words. "Logan and Remy have been telling me that you have come a long way in your training, and although it is clear that your personal feelings for classmates," hinting at the behaviour she and Kim shared during class, "I have thought it best that you become a team leader for the younger trainees."

Rhythm raised and eyebrow and sat forward. "Uh, you wanna bring dat one around again?"

Leaning over to get closer to her, Remy summed it up. "He means, after your last class, you teach a class of your peers for a couple hours a day."

"A couple hours?!" Rhythm shot around to stare at him. "Dat takes up my free time!"

Charles smiled passively. "You'll be finished before dinner. And, not to worry, I will be giving Kimber something to do as well."

"Like what?" She turned back to Charles and sat back in her chair.

He had been ready to tell her but stopped as he heard the engine of a small jet land on the basketball court. "Ah, that would be Rogue."

Not needing to have the name said twice, Rhythm was up and out of the room, running for the backyard before Charles could move. "Momma!" She called as she ran to her mother with arms open for a hug.

"Hiya shugah!" Rogue came out and around to hug her daughter. "Professour. Remy." She smiled at the men that came to a stop behind Rhythm.

I see every lesson completely
I thank God for what I got from above
I believe they can take anything from me
But they can't succeed in taking my inner peace
They can say all they wanna say about me

After dinner, Rhythm sat in her room and talked to Rogue, who took the extra bed. Laying on her belly, facing the end of her bed, she watched as Rogue lay out her clothes and essentials for the night. "How long ya stayin?" The beds faced each other but were across the room from one another.

The room was mainly bare with only a few things from Louisiana, pictures that hung on the walls sized from 5x7s to 8x10s of Rhythm and Kim as well as a few friends. A small desk sat in front of the window that was across from the door, and a long, 6 drawer (2 drawers wide) dresser sat to the left of Rhythm's bed while the wardrobe was next to Rogue's. Leaving her stuff on her bed, Rogue walked around the room and looked more closely at the pictures on the walls. "Just a few days." She stopped in front of the one of Rhythm and Kim standing by a wooden bench, eating ice cream. "Remy let's you have sweets, Ah see."

Rhythm pushed herself up to sit on her knees and look at the pic. "Yea, ain't she yummy?"

"Ah meant the ice cream." Rogue turned around and smirked.

"Oh." Rhythm blushed. "Dat's Kimmy. She's my best friend, and..... I'm sposed ta meet her for ice cream, tanight." Just after she had finished saying it, a knock at the door came. "Come."

Kim opened the door and poked her head in, not noticing that Rogue was in the room. "Hey babe, let's go!" Spotting Rogue, Kim lost her footing and tripped into the room. "Oh, sorry, didn't see ya there."

Chuckling softly, Rhythm got up and went over to where Kim stood, just inside the door. "Kim, dis is my momma. Momma, dis is Kim, my girlfirend."

But I'm gonna carry on
Keep on singing my song

Rogue raised an eyebrow but smiled out of courtesy. It seemed weird to hear those words come from her only child but, to be nice, Rogue tolerated the sentiment between the two girls. "Hello." She nodded to Kim and turned back to look at Rhythm. "Does your father know where you're goin, Rhythm MacKensie?"

"Uh...." Rhythm had been caught off-guard by the question but thought up a sly remark to answer with. "He will in a minute." Smiling brightly, she hopped over to Rogue and kissed her cheek. "Bye momma, we'll be back soon, 'kay?"

"You tell Remy where yer goin, girl!" Rogue called as the door closed behind them.

Running down the corridor and sliding down the bannister, both girls ran into Logan and Storm as they stood in the foyer talking about the next day's assignments. "Oh, Hi Logan! Hi Storm!"

"MacKensie." Storm nodded her direction and smiled as the two girls stopped in front of them.

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Where are you two goin?"

Both chimed with a smile. "Ice cream."

"Where's poppa?" Rhythm looked around and extended her empathy to find him. Snapping out of it as she felt his anger at whatever he was doing, she shivered. "Uh,....nevermind."

"Go. I will tell him you are out." Storm winked and patted Kim's back.

I never wanna dwell on my pain again
There's no use in reliving how I hurt back then
Remembering all of the hell I felt when I was running out of faith
Every step I vowed to take was towards a better day

As they walked to the gate and waited for it to open, Kim slipped her hand into Rhythm's and smiled as the other girl looked over at her. "What's the matter?"

Rhythm shrugged. "Dey're like this ev'time dey get tagether. RRRGG, makes me mad!" She kicked at a small rock on the street as they decided to walk for ice cream.

"I take it supper didn't go so well, huh?"

"More like horribly wrong." Rhythm held her hand with her right as her left was shoved into her jeans pocket. The moon was big and bright as it lit the way into town. "Plus, Xavier wants me to be a 'team leader' for de youngens."

Kim smiled. "That's great! Bout time someone took advantage of what you can do." She had changed from wearing shorts and a T-shirt to wearing jeans and Rhythm's blue flannel shirt.

Sighing inwardly, Rhythm shrugged. "That takes time away from being with you, though. He even said that he had somethin for you to do."

Kim bit her lower lip. "Yea, he told me about that."

"What? What does he have you doin?"

"It's nothin much." Kim changed the subject before Rhythm became upset at the current topic. "You really look like yer mom. I mean, except for the hair...and eyes."

Rhythm smirked. "Ev'one else says I look like poppa."

"Yea, but yer cuter." Kim came to stop in front of Rhythm and leaned in for a kiss, long and lasting.

Wrapping her arms around Kim, Rhythm pulled her close and hugged her waist. "Yer just tryin ta get me inta bed, aren't ya?"

Kim smiled. "Maybe. Did it work?"

"Maybe." Kissing her again, Rhythm nodded ahead for them to continue.

Cos I'm about to
Say goodbye to every single lie
& All the fears I've held too long inside
Everytime I felt I could try
All the negativity I had inside

When they came back to the mansion, Remy stood on the front porch, waiting for them. "Do you know what time it is, girl?" He was annoyed as it was and wasn't trying to contain his anger as both girls blinked up at him. "Where de Hell have you been?"

Rhythm stepped in front of Kim and inhaled, defensively. "We went out for ice cream, poppa, den we sat and talked. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Remy looked from Rhythm to Kim and held back his emotion. "Good night, Kim." He waited for the pink haired girl to hurry inside after telling Rhythm goodnight before he started again. "S' almost midnight, Rhyt'm MacKensie!"

"I know poppa but,--" She tried to speak but was cut off.

Remy closed his eyes. "Shut up." He opened them again to find her looking up at him in shock of his tone. "What if somethin happened ta you? What if you or Kim was hurt -or worse- and we didn't know? Were you just gonna let down your blocks an' let us know? By den, you could be dead, or gone!"

"I'm sorry, already!" Rhythm stomped her foot, causing a thunderclap on the clear night. Dark clouds rolled in and lit up with sparks of lightening.

Rogue and Logan stepped outside and stood behind Remy, after hearing the thunder.

Standing in her pajamas and bare feet, Rogue took in both of them but eased Remy. "Remy, enough for the night. They had a nice evenin away from us, let it go."

Hanging his head and motioning for Rhythm to go inside, he closed his eyes and thought about what he had said to his daughter. He hadn't looked up again until Rogue touched his arm and turned him around to face her. "She's growin up too fast, chere."

"Ah know, but she ain't a baby anymore, Remy." Rogue spoke softly and patted his shoulder.

Remy hugged her and whispered into her ear. "Just tryin ta keep her safe."

For too long I've been struggling. I couldn't go on
But now I've found I'm feeling strong and moving on
I believe they can take anything from me
But they can't succeed in taking my inner peace
They can say all they wanna say about me

Rhythm slammed the bedroom door shut, not caring who she woke up. A moment later, a knock on the door and a deep voice from behind called her name. "Go away." Tears fell down her cheeks and landed on her maroon pillow case.

Logan opened the door and peered in. "Hey, kiddo. You okay?"

Sobbing and not looking at him, Rhythm wiped her eyes and answered. "Just freakin peachy. Poppa hates my girlfriend, momma toys wit' his emotions ever'time she comes back, an' he takes it out on me! Oh, I'm swell, Logan."

He sighed and came to sit on her bed and rub her back. "I know, baby. But, he's just tryin to hold on to that small little pip-squeak that would follow us around like our own shadows. It ain't easy seein you grow up so fast."

Rhythm sat up from lying on her stomach and turned to look at him fully. "I'm not gonna be that kid forever. I can grow up and change, too. It's not fair! You can go as you please, so can everyone else, but me?! Oh no! I have to stay here and play kindergarden! We went out for ice cream, an' den we talked..... Not like we did drugs or had sex. Accordin ta him, I might as well be 5 years old forever."

Logan listened and understood what she said and nodded as she vented her feelings about growing up. "Give him time, Little Bit. Everytime I turn around, yer growin up or doin somethin' different. I can't get used to it but, I guess I have to. The ground shook when you rushed home and told us you wanted to go train with Belle. It slipped out from underneath o' yer dad when you enjoyed it."

But I'm gonna carry on
I'm gonna keep on singing my song

Rogue leaned against the door and cleared her throat, causing them to turn and see her standing there. "How about we discuss this in the mornin? We're all tired an upset and tomorrow ain't gonna be nice for tired people."

Nodding and turning back to kiss Rhythm's forehead, Logan patted her pack and told her good night. Standing up and meeting Rogue at the door, Logan patted her shoulder and said good night to her before slipping out of the room. He sighed as he headed back to his room, and thought about how Rhythm had finally voiced her side of things that she had kept locked away from everyone. The last thing he wanted to see was the look she stared at him with, unhappiness. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he entered his room and closed the door behind him.

"Momma, I'm not 5 years old anymore." Rhythm half-whispered as she stared up at her mother who tucked her in and then sat down beside her. "I need ta grow up, too."

Rogue smiled through a sigh. "Ah know, shugah. It's sinkin in to Remy that you're a young woman, and he can't handle that. He grew up on his own terms and never paid attention to anyone else, until you came along. Ah know you blame yourself for him and Ah splittin up but, baby, it started a long time before you were born."

"Because o' Ben?" Rhythm asked and ultimately regretted it as Rogue's expression changed.

Rogue swallowed heavily. "Partly." Not wanting to hear another word about the one they had lost, Rogue shushed her and kissed her forehead. "Naght baby."

"Night momma."

Whoa, & everytime I tried to be what they wanted from me
It never came naturally
So I ended up in misery, wasn't able to see
All the good around me
They wasted so much energy on what they thought of me
Simply just remembering to breathe

The next morning, Kim was called into Xavier's office during breakfast, leaving Rhythm to sit and eat alone at their favourite spot by the oak tree, near the pool. Rhythm was alone during first class and most of second as Kim came back and only smiled at her before focusing on her studies.

At lunch, Rogue stole Kim away to talk to her while secretly nudging a shy, young mutant with the ability and slight resemblance of a white tiger's cub, forward to talk to Rhythm.

Striped black and white tail swinging nervously behind him, the young boy walked up and blushed as he spoke up. "Uh, Miss LeBeau, ma'am?"

Rhythm took a bite of her sandwich and raised an eyebrow at him. Chewing, she stared at him with a cold tone.

"I heard you're going to start teaching a group, today? Mr. Gambit said I could sign up so, I did. I'm gonna be in your class." His voice was soft and more of a squeak than roar of his features. His pale, almost silver eyes blinked uneasily at her. His rounded ears, furry and also striped, twitched as he picked up her breathing.

Finishing her bite and not seeming real amused by the conversation, Rhythm sighed. "....And?" Catching Remy's eye as he sat at a table with Logan and Jean, on the patio, she glanced back at him and waited.

A small purr bubbled up from him out of nervousness and caused him to grab the end of his tail and fidget. "Well, I thought that we could become friends and maybe, hang out..... after the session....? Maybe go to a movie together?"

"I don't think so." She said it not looking at him but looking at Kim, who had turned the corner from the dining room out onto the patio and stopped to stare at Rhythm in a questionable tone. Tilting her head as if to ask a question, Rhythm's mouth dropped open as she watched Kim look hurt, turn and walk away. "Kim!" Rhythm stood up, paying no attention to the boy she left behind, and ran after the girl, dumping the rest of her lunch into the nearest rubbish bin.

I'm human, I ain't able to please
Everyone at the same time, so now I find
My peace of mind living one day at a time

"Kimmy, open the door, please!" Pounding on Kim's door until her fists were red and sore, Rhythm called into the brown wood. "Kim?"

The bell for next class sounded and children hurried to their classes, leaving Rhythm in the corridor alone.

Kim stood with her back against the door. "Go away, Mac. I can't talk to you right now, I have to pack."

Rhythm stopped pounding on the door and listened. "Pack for what? Kim?"

Walking down the corridor to her class, Storm stopped and placed a hand on Rhythm's left shoulder. "She'll be alright, child. Come, get to class and it will be discussed later." A careful smile as Rhythm turned to look at her and sigh in defeat, she put her arm around the black haired girl and walked her to class.

By the end of the day, Rhythm had showered, changed, and hurried up to talk to Kim. Knocking quietly this time, she reached down and turned the handle to find the door unlocked. "Kimmy?" Opening the door to see Kim sitting on her bare bed with bags packed at her feet, Rhythm stepped into the room. "Where ya goin?"

Kim looked up from the floor and shrugged. "Xavier an' yer momma think I'll be more useful on Genosha. Yer mom is gonna teach me so I can help out youngens, too."

"Wha?" Rhythm was stunned in disbelief at what she was hearing. "Was this their idea?"

Standing up and embracing Rhythm, Kim held her close and tried not to cry. "They talked to my momma and daddy and they both said okay. It's not forever, chere. Just until I get good at it, then I can come back. Okay?"

Rhythm pulled away. "But, what am I gonna do without you?"

"You got dat boy ta keep you company, now." She could see the verbal slap on Rhythm's face and decided it was the end of the discussion. "I gotta go, yer momma's waitin." Gathering her bags and kissing Rhythm's lips, she forced a smile as she hurried past her and down to Rogue's jet.

The walls closed in and made it impossible to breathe in that empty room. Seeing Kim not standing in front of her, or anywhere in the room, Rhythm turned and ran to catch her. "Kim! Wait! Please!" Rushing down the stairs and out onto the back patio, through the grass, and onto the court, Rhythm screamed for Kim to stop until she felt hoarse.

I'm human and I answer to one god
It comes down to one love
Until I get to Heaven above

A crowd had gathered around the jet and court to wave goodbye to Rogue and Kim as they were about to take off. Spotting Rhythm push her way to the front of the crowd and stand there in shock, Kim turned to Rogue and asked to wait until she said her final goodbye. Getting out and walking hurriedly up to her girlfriend, Kim bit her lip and glanced from Rhythm to Remy. "I have to go, now. I'll write you when I get there, and call when I can but, I have to leave. Please, Mac.... Let me go." She called over the loud roar of the engine.

"Don't go!" Rhythm called, pleadingly. "Stay here with me." Holding Kim's hands in hers, Rhythm forced back the tears and did her best to change Kim's mind.

Kim shook her head. "I can't. I have to go. I love you, Rhythm." Kissing her one last time, Kim turned around and hurried back into the jet. She turned and stared at only Rhythm as she smiled and waved to her best friend.

Storm clouds rolled in with booming thunder and bright purple lightening. It poured down rain and forced most of everyone else inside. Frustration and anger and hurt welled up inside Rhythm had let loose in the form of a great storm, drenching the young woman as she stood there, eyes watching the jet disappear in the clouds.

The young tiger named Daniel, had wandered up to stand behind Rhythm and place a hand on her shoulder in friendship, was shocked as Rhythm shook his hand away.

"Get away from me!" Rhythm turned and pushed the boy back, to the ground. Turning back to look for the jet, she hung her head and threw her hands to her face. Her hair fell around her face and covered her tears and sobs as she stood there, shaking.

I've made the decision
Never to give up
Til the I day I die no matter what

A gentle hand on her right shoulder made her jump. Turning her head but not looking at who was there, Rhythm moaned. "She didn't do anything. It was my fault, not hers." Her sobs came more as the rain poured down harder.

"I know, baby." Logan swallowed and glanced back to Remy standing just inside, with Daniel wrapped in a towel. "Rhythm, stop the waterworks. Rain won't solve anythin', or bring her back. C'mon."

In a matter of minutes, the rain cleared up and the thunder stopped along with the lightening. Her tears and sobs were harder to stop but she managed before she turned around to stare icily at her father. She walked back with Logan's arm around her shoulders and sniffled, not caring that she, as well as Logan, was drenched to the bone from the rain.

Storm and Xavier exchanged expressions at the girl's use of power and telepathically agreed that Rhythm might be a little too strong for her age.

The dinner bell chimed and cut in to the sudden erie silence that had befallen the crowd.

As the students and faculty sat down to eat, inside and the drying (with Storm's help) outside, Rhythm sat alone by the pool and stared into the water. Whispers of thoughts and tinglings of feelings slipped into her psyche. It was becoming torment to hear and feel the laughter and confusion from other students as well as the X-Men, and Remy.

"She didn't even belong here." One boy whispered to another as they passed by Rhythm.

I'm gonna carry on & keep on singing my song.....

(They can't take anything from me)

I believe that they can do what they wanna.
Say what they wanna say

The anger rose to a dangerous level, and Rhythm stood up, eyes glowing an evil white as her body outlined itself in a thin red line. She growled and let her anger lift her from the ground, causing several children to scurry from her and run to Xavier. Higher and higher she rose, flickering red static as the thunder started again before the lightening and rain erupted from the sky. Floating to the middle of the pool, forcing the water to spill upward in a tunnel around her, Rhythm let out a deep, loud, gutteral roar of anger that shook the soaked ground around the pool.

(They can say what they wanna)

"Rhyt'm!" Remy stood beside Xavier and called over the thunderclaps, flinching at the lightening. "Stop this!"

Xavier watched in awe at the girl's immence power. "With your permission, Remy, I need to stop her before she hurts herself or another." Raising an arm to shield his eyes from the light, Charles called and saw the nod Remy reluctantly gave. Concentrating a moment, his mind burrowed into Rhythm's frantic and scrambled thoughts and pushed her to shut down.

The tunnel of water had stopped and Rhythm fell into a sleep as she slipped from the air and into the pool, feeling but not knowing who jumped in after her to fish her out. She felt them help her to the edge of the pool and lift her out before carrying her downstairs to the med-lab.

Wrapping her up in a blanket and shutting her in an unbreakable glass room, Remy swallowed. "She be okay, Beast?"

"Yes yes, Remy. She'll be fine." Hank locked the room and placed a hand on Remy's wet shoulder.

(Keep on )
I believe it
That they can take from me
But they can't take my inner peace


End....?