Gambit visibly deflated.  I had so hoped he would have told me dat I was being ridiculous.  Dat wha' Chere and I contemplated was foolishness.  Now, I'm really worried.

Hank patted him on shoulder to comfort him.  "I'm sorry Remy.  I wish I could say more, but at this point, I simply don't know."

The door to the bathroom opened to let Rogue out.  Gambit stepped back out of her way as she walked up to Hank.   "Hank this thing gonna make me cat'cha cold."  She awkwardly tried to hold the back opening of the gown close.  "Ah'm ready."

"Not quite."  Hank left her side to go find the one thing he knew he needed to start.  When he returned, he had a large gold circular collar in his hand.  "Put this on please."

Rogue's eyes grew big with recognition.  "A Genoshen Slave Collar!"  She started to back away from him.

She looked like to Gambit, that she was going to bolt.  He caught her before she could move any further.  "It's 'jis temporary Chere."  He pointed at the large collar.  "A precaution.  Raht Hank?"

"Remy is right Rogue.  Your own bracelet is nearly out of power for the day.  This way I can run my test without causing any harm to either one of us."  She still looked skeptically at him.  "I promise to take it off the moment I'm finished."

She began to breath a little better, "All raht Hank.  As long as yah take that thing off as soon as possible, Ah guess Ah can deal with it."  She groused.

Hank handed the collar to Remy, "Lift ya're hair Chere."  She did as he asked.  Gambit quickly snapped the collar in place before she could change her mind about wearing it.

Hank examined the collar to make sure it was secure and locked then he cut it on.  Immediately Rogue felt sick, almost faint.  Little by little, she began to return to normal.  "Ah forgot how strong these things are.  This big ole flashing light is getting on mah nerves."  She squirmed pulling on the collar as if it was choking her.  "So do some'thin about it!!"  She snapped.

"Chere!"  He pointed a finger at her.  "Ya mind ya manners."  He instructed.

"That's O.K. Remy.  It's just the stress talking." 

Minutes turned to hours.  By the time Hank had finished with the full battery of test he had performed on her, she was bored to tears.

Gambit patiently watched from a distance as Hank drew several viles of blood from her arm.  Rogue hated being stuck.  He observed that every time Henry came at her with another vile, her disposition worsened.

"Ow!!"  She yelled at Hank.  "That hurt!!  Are yah a Doctor or a Vampire!!"  She groused.

"Now Rogue this is all necessary so I can get a complete picture of what is happening to you."  He told her as he watched the vile fill with more of her dark red fluid.

"Yah take anymore, Ah want have none left!!"  She bit out.

Hank chuckled.  "Be patient.  I'm almost finished,"  he said as he carefully pulled out the needle end of the tube from her arm.

"Almost ain't good e'nough,"  She flinched.

"You're correct,"  he said as he produced yet another tube.

Rogue shook her head vigorously,   "Aw now!  No yah don't!!"  She started to get up from the table.  Ah'm tired of being a pin cushion!!"

"Remy!"  Hank called Gambit back over to where he and Rogue were.  "Now see here Rogue!  This is all very necessary,"  he tried to explain to the very agitated woman before him.

"Chere, stop dis!  Hank's only doing wha' he has ta!"

"Then let him take six tubes of your blood!"  She spat at him

Gambit had to think quick if they were going to keep her on that table.  He came to stand directly in front of her.  He cocked his head to one side then smiled.  "Now Chere, don' ya wan' ta know how ya are?  How de baby are?"

He's raht.  Ah'm being silly.  Instantly, she started to calm down.  "O.K. Hank.  One more."  She told him with narrowed eyes.

"Good, because one more is all I need."

Gambit moved to stand behind her.  He brought his hands up to the bottom of her nape as he started massaging her tense muscles.

They both watch as Hank made ready the area on her arm that he was planning to draw more blood from.  He looked into Rogue's apprehensive face, "I promise this is the last one."

Rogue flinched as the needle penetrated her skin again. Gambit tried to keep her calm by massaging her neck and shoulders.

"There.  All finished."  Hank said as he pulled the last tube out of her arm.

"Whew!"  Rogue let out a cleansing breathe.  "Thank goodness."

"Now dat was not so bad, was it Chere?"

"Yes it was!"  She directed at him over her shoulder.

Gambit made a face at Hank.  I sure hope dat is it.  She warmer dan a gassed soaked hornet.  "Now Rogie behave yourself."  He turned to Hank who was writing on the labels that were on the tubes of blood.  "Wha' now Homme?"

"Well first thing is first.  I know Rogue mentioned that she'd taken a home pregnancy test, but I'd like to perform my own test, just to be certain.  Even though those over the counter test are accurate, human error can play a big part in their out come."

"Are yah saying Ah can't read and follow directions?"  Rogue bristled.

"No Rogue."

"Dats not wha' he's saying Chere."

She raised and eyebrow as she studied both of them.  "Sho' sounds that way tah me."

Better change the subject.  Gambit glanced at his watch that he wore on his right arm.  It's almost 9 o'clock.  "How long will it take ya ta get de results?"  His stomach was starting to protest that he had not had breakfast yet.

"Yeah, Ah'm hungry!"  Groused Rogue.  "All that blood yah took, Ah need tah eat tah build mah strength!"

Hank chuckled as he unhooked the slave collar from her neck.  "Quite right, quite right.  "Remy, you and Rogue come back in an hour and I will have the pregnancy test results along with the other results by then.  At that time, if our dear compatriot is indeed with child, we can move on the the next stage of testing."

"No more blood Hank."  She stated as Gambit helped her climb off the gurney.

"No more blood Rogue."  He smiled.

"Good."  She said as she snatched her arm out of Gambit's hold.  "Ah was starting tah wonder if'in yah was the Son of Dracula or something."

"Do ya need any help gett'in dressed Chere?"

"No!"  She snapped back as she turned to go to the back bathroom to dress.  "That's how we got into this mess tah start with."  She snatched her head around.

Once she was gone, both men could relax.  "Woe!  Remy."

"And how."  He pinched the bridge of his nose as he squinted.  "I hope Chere is pregnant.  I mean she is usually on de mean side anyway, but for de last couple of days, she been unbearable."  He shrugged.  "At least dat would explain it."

Hank chuckled as he patted the younger man on his shoulder.  "You have my sympathy my friend."

"Yeah, I t'ink I gonna need it."

Rogue sat at the kitchen table as she watch Gambit prepare two omelets for him and her.  She frowned to herself as she thought of how ill she'd been to him and Hank that morning.  Must be the stress mess'in with mah head.

Gambit flipped the omelet up into the air.  It came to rest on the plate that he had placed above the frying pan on the stove.  He found a fork for her to use in the cabinet off to the left of him.  "Here ya go Chere."  He said as he placed the plate and fork down in front of her.  "Bon appe'tite."  He smiled as he turned to go back to  prepare his own omelet.

Rogue was hungry.  She looked down at the half circle of eggs in front of her.  It reminded her of a smile.  Now when was the last time Ah smiled and really enjoyed it?  She was over come by sadness at the thought.  She aimlessly turn the plate 180 degrees so that the egg would look like a frown.  Oh No!  Not again.  Out of no where tears sprang from her eyes as she started to cry.

Gambit was busy at the stove.  He heard the sound of the skillet frying but some other sound caught his ear.  He turned to catch a glimpse of Rogue.  His mouth fell open when he saw her balling her eyes out.  Aw Damn!  He turned his attention back to his nearly done omelet.  Quickly, he turned the stove off then let the omelet slide into the other plate.  He placed the hot frying pan to one side.

Plate and fork in hand, he hurriedly placed the plate on the table opposite hers.  He then came around to her side of the table.  Coming down on one knee, he studied the crying woman that sat above him.  "Wha' is it Chere?  Tell Gambit wha' de matter."

"Oh Remy ..."  She sniffed.  "Ah'm hav'in a ... a ... what did Jean ... call it last night?"

"A 'Mood Swing'."

"Yeah."

Gambit smiled.  "Wanna tell me wha' triggered it dis time?"

"The omelet ... is ... frowning at ... me."

He arched his brow at her.  "Wha?"  He exclaimed.
 
"Ah turned the plate around ...  and ... and ... it  looks like it is frowning ... at ... me."  She sobbed.

"Dere, dere."  He consoled, patting her on her thigh.  Gambit had to suppress a snicker as he came up off his knee.  "Here..."  He turned the plate back around.  "... now it's smil'in again."  He smiled as he took his seat across from her.  "Eat it dis way and it wan' frown at'cha no more."

Rogue grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table.  She dried her eyes and blew her nose.  Whatever had made her feel so sad before was now gone.  Now why was Ah so upset?  "Dis looks good.  Ah'm starved!"  She grabbed her fork then started wolfing down the omelet.

Gambit stared at her, dumbfounded by her sudden change in moods. "Talk 'bout ya 360."  He said to himself as he shook his head from side to side.  He glanced at his watch as he picked up his fork to start on his own meal.  One hour Hank said.  One hour 'til we have some type of answer for all dis.