Know Your Neighbours

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply. sisterwine75@hotmail.com The X-Men and their likenesses belong solely to Marvel and 20th Century Fox. No harm meant. No money exchange. Just an idea on my part. Matthew and Stephanie are mine. Do NOT touch them.


The next morning, Stephanie came trodding down to breakfast. She steered clear of her brother's room and was up before Logan even opened her door to wake her. Having spent most of the night staring out the window, at the house across from them, it was summed up that the new neighbour was going to take her father away from her too.

"Mornin darlin. Did you get any sleep?" Logan followed only steps behind her to start the coffee pot.

Stephanie went about her morning ritual with strawberry poptarts and chocolate milk. "Some. I spent most of the night reading a study on molecular physics. Did you know that eye colours in parents send down pure colour to their children, not a mixture?" She had been busy with gathering her hot poptarts out of the toaster, beside the coffee pot, rather than look at Logan. "The child has either brown or green, not both."

Logan looked at her in an uncertain tone. "What brought this on?"

Not looking at him, she gathered her paper plate full of her breakfast and a small glass of chocolate milk and shrugged as she turned to go sit at the table. She sat down with her back to him and broke off a corner of one pastry to eat.

Logan sighed. "You don't like him do you?" Pouring himself coffee into a cup he had set beside the pot the night before, he had turned away from her and waited for the answer. "What's the matter, Steph? You think he's gonna take me away from you, is that it?"

"I didn't say that." Stephanie said quietly as she had finished her bite.

"No but, you were thinking it." Logan came to sit down to her left, at the table. He took a sip and nodded as Matthew walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

Listening partially to what was being said, Matthew butted in. "Didn't say what?"

Logan didn't take his eyes off of her. "Nevermind. Yer sister's just havin a hard time, today."

"I am not." She picked up her poptart and took a bite, ignoring her brother. "I just think he isn't natural. Anyone who washes their car at 3AM, is in dire need of medication." Chewing and swallowing, Stephanie stared at the chair across from her, the one that Matthew had taken the liberty of sitting in.

Matthew chuckled. "Cheating on your boyfriend, Mister Sommers, already?" He had buttered two slices of toast and sipped a small glass of orange juice.

"I detest you." Was her registered reaction.

Logan sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. "Enough. Look," Opening his eyes and staring at Stephanie. "I know it's hard when new people come into the picture. I'm not asking you to just off-hand accept him but, I betcha he knows about what you two are goin through. His dad is Jean-Luc LeBeau. And from what I know about that family is, Mrs. LeBeau also passed away- about 10 years ago." He took a breath and continued. "LeBeau Industries is also in the science department and I bet they're one of the sponsors at the science fair. Don't you think you should at least give him a chance before you pass sentence?" Feeling as though he were yelling at her, Logan backed off and sipped his coffee before waiting for them to finish and pushing them to get their things for school.

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The school was only 4 blocks away but since they were running late, Logan gave them a lift before coming back to get ready for work. Stephanie sat in the front seat and wouldn't even anchor a look at her father until they were both getting out to run to class. "Bye dad!" was all that was said on most days but, today was only a day for "Bye."

"Bye guys. See ya after school." He managed to get out before the doors of the brand new white Envoy were slammed shut. He sighed as he watched them hurry into the front of the building, and then pulled away for home.

As he pulled into the driveway, Remy had been out in the front yard with his moving friend. Shutting off the engine and getting out, he turned around in time to see the friend kiss Remy on the lips and then climb up into the cab of the Uhaul. He stood there a minute and watched the truck pull away before seeing Remy wave a hand to him. Smiling as he waved back, he walked to the end of his driveway as Remy sauntered over to talk to him.

"All moved in?"

"Uh, yes. Just small boxes to unpack, now." Looking in the direction of the disappearing truck, to the right, Remy turned and smiled back at Logan. "You don' have to work, t'day?"

Logan cleared his throat. "Yea, I uh actually have to hurry and get ready. That buildin you pointed to last night, is where I gotta go." He feigned a smile as it was a bit uncomfortable for him to admit he didn't have a high paying enough job as Remy. "I'm the security chief. Time to check tapes and catch up on what I've missed for the last two days." Giving Remy a curious glance, he asked. "You goin in?"

Sighing and looking back at the house, Remy shrugged, digging his fingers into his jeans pockets. "Mebbe. Got alot of unpackin ta do. Silverware, towels, dishes, movies, stuff like dat. Gonna clean out de car."

Chuckling low, Logan remembered what Stephanie said during breakfast. "My daughter said you already washed it at 3 this mornin."

Remy blushed. "I get restless durin de night."

"Just let me know when you wanna repave the driveway." Logan laughed, letting Remy catch on and laugh too. "Well, I guess I'd better get to work. If you aren't doin anythin- at about 6- hop on over fer some dinner." Turning back but not moving from his spot, he waited for an answer.

Thinking for a minute, Remy nodded. "Merci. Six sounds good. Might be a few minutes late, business meetin dis afternoon."

"Alright, see ya then." Giving a small wave, Logan turned fully and hurried in the house to change for work.

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With two of his guards out with the flu or vacation, Logan was down to only 3 guards other than him. He had sent the other 3 out to roam the halls and asked one to check camera 6 on the fifth floor as it was acting up. He sat in the semidark room, staring at each of the 12 cameras for three seconds at a time.

It was a slow day and getting slower by lunch time. The parking lot camera proved to be one of the most interesting cameras of the day, being as Remy's sleak white '86 vette pulled in next to his father's newly waxed black BMW. Logan sat up and took another sip of rapidly cooling coffee.

Remy got out and shut his door, looking around for anyone else in the garage, before proceeding to the elevator that was solely dedicated to traveling straight to Jean-Luc's office. He was nicely dressed in a black suit with a dark blue shirt, leaving the top button undone and no tie. His hair had been combed back and placed in a ponytail that slithered down his back in elegant silk. Black shades hid his beautiful and unique eyes but he took them off as his cell phone in his left pants pocket rang.

Logan fixed his eyes on the single camera and watched intently on how Remy moved while talking to the other person on the phone. Reminding himself of the other cameras, Logan glanced at one camera and then immediately back at Remy. Remy was still on the phone for most of the ride but, as his eyes met the camera's and eventually the watcher, he smiled as if looking straight at Logan. Eyes wide, he sat back and then looked around like someone else had been in the room, or Remy had somehow managed to sneak in.

The call ended and Remy leaned back, resting his slender elbows on the brass railing behind him. When the car came to a stop and the doors opened, he stood there for a moment before exiting out into his father's full penthouse office. "Ya wanted t' see me, poppa?"

Jean-Luc was a very well-dressed businessman who took extreme care in his work and person. His long brown ponytail was pulled back into a neatly secure band while he wore only the finest in Armani. His gleaming brown eyes were accented by his thin face and even thinner mustache. He had been a millionaire since he founded the company at 23, now he looked for better things to do while continuing to enjoy his wealth at the top of the tower. Jean-Luc was a handsome man as well as distinguished enough to afford only the best schools for his somewhat mischievous boy, Remy. A tone he often felt embarrassed by.

"Yes. Sit, please." Jean-Luc looked up from the papers on his desk and smiled at the young version of himself that stood 3 feet from the front of his desk. He motioned to a chair and leaned back in his, clasping his hands together. "How's the new place, Remy? Is it what you've wanted?"

Sidestepping and placing his hands on the arms of a small, rounded brown chair, Remy sat and crossed his legs before answering. "Oui. Met de neighbour last night, an' goin for dinner, t'night." He folded his hands in his lap and smiled at his father. For once, he was glad that the conversation didn't start with an argument.

Nodding and standing up, Jean-Luc came around to lean against the front of the desk and cross his arms. "Just you that's living there, correct?" His tone had changed to a more stern accent as the chat continued without the raising of voices.

Remy inhaled and breathed out slowly. "Poppa, de only reason I moved out was dat I didn't subject you to my private life. Lord knows you don' like my tastes in anythin, so I bought dis house to have my way wit' t'ings. Ain't hurtin nobody in dat neighbourhood, an' we stay indoors. We don' never run around de front yard naked, or fuck while gettin de mail. But, yes, just Remy lives dere."

"Don't take that tone with me. I am still your father, and I deserve respect for raising you after your mother died." Jean-Luc hissed. "Private life or not, I deserve to know what my son is getting into and if he is keeping himself safe. There's people out for not only me but you, as well. I didn't agree to let you move out and into some strange neighbourhood just to mock my parental concerns. The company you keep seem to be the sort that would turn on you if you even think about a wrong turn. Drugs, sex, loud music, and which gendre to go home with seems to be all your generation thinks about. Time to put down some roots, Remy. Meet a nice girl, fall in love and then have a few children later on. Think about your future, Remy. These trollops that you obscenely hang around with won't give you what you deserve." He meant it in the best possible way, however he forgot to take into consideration Remy's feelings in the matter.

The heat he felt under his clothes and deeper into his skin vibrated and demanded action. Without confronting the outburst, Remy unfolded his hands and stood up, the smile had been long ago replaced with a tone of an ill taste. Looking at his father with a cold expression, Remy turned on his heel and headed for the elevator. The door opened immediately and Remy stepped in, back to Jean-Luc as the doors closed again.

Logan watched as Remy turned around and stood in the middle of the car. The smile was gone and the aurburn head was hung in sadness. A hand reached up to cover Remy's half-hidden face and made Logan wonder what went on between them. He had watched the entire conversation on another camera but with no audio. He could tell the conversation went from good to not so pleasant in a matter of seconds. Three point three seconds to be exact.

Remy remained staring at the ground until he reached his floor and went straight to his office, slamming the door shut behind him. Throughout the day, he took no calls and only received one visitor to which he closed all the blinds around the huge, glass corner office, and remained there for an hour.

The wonder of the penthouse camera replayed in Logan's mind for the rest of the day. Shrugging his conscious mind back into his over all work, he still thought about what they were talking about. To him, they had the perfect father-son relationship he had wanted with his children when they were grown, but the harsh realities seemed to end as he watched and remembered Remy's private elevator reaction.

TBC........