Sam flew from Xavier's to Paige's school in record time. Talking to Rogue had helped him decide what he was going to say to his sister. Paige was sitting on the front steps, as if she was expecting him. "Morning Sam."

"Mornin' Paige," Sam said as he sat down on the stairs next to her. She looked up at him and sighed.

"I know what this is about. You want to make sure that I don't date an older man until I'm eighteen." Paige sat back and waited for the lecture.

"Actually, Paige, Ah'm not goin' tell ya not ta." Paige looked at him, surprised. "When Ah joined the New Mutants, Ah dated an older woman- Lila. Ah loved her," he told her with all honesty. "But at th' time, Ah didn't understand someone very important. Ah didn't understand muhself."

Paige started to object, "But you had to know yourself. How could you not?"

Sam frowned at that. "Ah was who Ah needed ta be ta be with Lila. Maybe that was good, maybe that was bad. But there are pressures there that weren't there when Ah was datin' Boomer. Thinkin' back, Ah would have liked ta know why Ah tried ta big brother the team."

Paige rolled her eyes at that remark, "You try to be a big brother to everybody." She smiled and leaned into him. "You are a big bother after all.

Sam continued, "It seems at yer age, all ya want ta do is grow up. Then ya get there, and all ya want ta do is go back. The reason Ah was so mad at Bobby was he didn't respect ya enough ta let ya grow up, without the pressures of dating an adult. Ah can understand ya wantin' ta date him, Ah can understand, sortof, why he said yes. Ah don't like it one bit." He started tearing up the grass beside him. "Ah want ya ta have all the time in the world ta grow up, know yerself, and ta have fun.

Paige looked at the serious expression on Sam's face and tried to explain, "Sam, Ah --" She didn't think her asking Bobby out would have had such an effect on Sam.

"Want me ta think of ya as a grown-up, Ah know. This life ages us so fast. Soon ya will lose close friends, face challenges that ya never thought ya would face." Sam thought of just some of the things he had seen in his short lifetime. "Paige, Ah want ta think of ya as grown up, but Ah can't, not yet, but Ah'm trying. Yer always be mah little sister. Ah don't have ta like the fact that ya dated an older man, Ah don't have ta like the fact Lizzy's in a family way. Ah can love ya and Ah can love her."

"Ya know about Lizzy?" Paige was surprised at that.

"Yeah, she wanted ta grow up so fast that she left her childhood behind. Ah don't want that for ya." Sam paused. "Ah am proud a' ya. Ya made a grown-up choice with' Craig."

Paige frowned, "Didn't feel like it. Felt like I was being a baby, you know?" She sighed as she continued, "He was ready, I wasn't. I know Momma and Daddy had to get married, and I didn't want that." She turned to her brother, hoping for some advice. "How about you? I know it was hard for them, and I don't want that."

Sam smiled at that. "Ah know whatcha mean. Ah don't want that life. Ah'll tell ya what Lila told me, 'A real person respects their partner's feelings.'" Sure, he had grown up knowing that Curtis at the drug store would give guys condoms if they wanted them, but his father had used protection and Sam still was born. "Ah know if Ah was ta get some gal pregnant, Ah would feel like Ah had ta marry her. Ah want ta marry because Ah love her. Only one thing that keeps with what we were taught in church and is totally safe."

That surprised Paige. This whole conversation did, Sam was treating her more grown up than he ever had before. "You weren't tempted?"

Sam shook his head, "With Lila, yes, a lot, we all but did it. Tab, she had her own problems ta deal with, and Ah loved her enough ta let her work though them without adding ta them. Li'l Bit, heck yeah. Ah even had the condoms with me." He was being gut-level honest with his sister.

Paige stopped him, "Bit's family! Ah knew ya two were having problems, but..." So that was way Li'l Bit never told Paige what happened that night she had met Sam in New York.

"When the little head starts thinkin' for the big head, friendship can fly out the window," Sam warned. "Now, Ah can't take my girlfriend ta meet my best non-mutant friend until Ah know that it won't upset Rahne." It was a pity, the two would have a lot in common. "Ya have ta make ya own decision, but make it for yourself, not for me or momma or yer boyfriend. Make it 'cause it's what Paige wants."

Paige smiled, "Ah will."

Sam hugged his sister. "What Ah'm tryin' ta say is this. Ah can't make yer decisions for ya, but Ah can try ta stop ya from making the wrong choices. That's called being a big brother."

Paige hugged him back. "Ah wouldn't wantcha ta stop."

Sam got up and smiled. "Rogue told me ta stay away from the mansion today, cause Scott's on the warpath, so Ah'm gonna see Rahne and then take her ta a concert in Dallas tonight. Rogue's gonna take ya ta a football game."

Paige smiled. She wanted to see the Auburn- Mississippi game, and spending the day with Rogue was a great idea.

***

Rahne gently finished cooling down after her workout. Lacking the technological advances of the X-Men, her team had learned to depend on less futuristic ways of conditioning. An average day for her included four or more hours of exercise, weight lifting, dance routines with Kitty, and experimentation with her mutant powers. On top of that, she taught two one hour long, twice a week exercise classes at her church whenever she was on Muir Island.

Drinking her water, she realized she wanted to continue exercising, but she was expecting Sam's call any minute, so she vetoed the idea. It was a shame though, she had just finished getting her advanced class's new routine down and she enjoyed it. What a problem, she thought to herself, tae exercise or tae wait for Sam?

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see Sam walk in until he spoke to her. "Hi Rahney."

Rahne jumped and started to go into her transitional form until she realized it was Sam in the room. "Sam! Ye nearly scared me out of ma skin!" She turned and smiled.

Sam laughed. "Ya always were a little jumpy."

"What are ye doing here?" Rahne picked up her towel and weights. "A thought ye'd call me."

"The gang all pulled a number on Cyke, and Rogue tol' me ta git and stay away today," Sam explained. "So Ah thought Ah'd see ya."

Rahne smiled softly. "A wish ye had called first, A'm a mess." Her hair had slipped out of her pony tail, her clothes were baggy, and she was sweaty. This wasn't the way she wanted Sam to see her.

He disagreed, "Naw, yer beautiful." Rahne shook her head. Sam must be blind. "So, since Ah'm spending the day with ya, wouldja like ta go ta a concert tonight?"

"Who's playing?" She and Sam had somewhat different tastes in music.

"These bands. . ." Sam laughed as Rahne rolled her eyes, "Ah think my friend said they were DC-Talk--"

Rahne's eyes lit up. "Ye got tickets ta Texas Fest?" She had tried, without luck, for a week to get tickets to go see her favorite bands. "A'd love tae!" Thinking quickly, she added, "But A've got tae get in one more hour of exercise today."

"Then let's see that routine ya were working on." Sam got down a step and some weights. It would be no trouble to get a pair of sweat pants.

"Okay, but A'm not gonna take it easy on ye just because ye're me --" Rahne stopped, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

Sam understood her confusion. "Ah'd never want it ta be said muh girlfriend took it easy on me." Rahne smiled as his lips met hers.

***

Jean was preparing lunch and holding back a smile. She was Scott's wife and should take his side on this matter, but there were times she had to admit finding his buttons was too easy. She listened as he continued, "And then I cancel everybody's practice session because Sam wasn't there! How do they do it?"

She continued to stuff the pasta as she answered, "You're too predictable. What would have happened if you ran that session with everybody in it?"

Scott looked at her as if she was crazy. "But Sam was the one that was signed up," he whined.

"And Sam traded," she reminded him. "And everybody got their wires crossed."

"They tricked me!" Scott sputtered. "And now, I don't get to work out."

"Then we'll just have to find our own way to work up a sweat today," Jean grinned suggestively. "Since you have the whole afternoon free..." Her voice trailed off as she ran her fingertips up his arm.

"What a pity practice was canceled," Scott said as he looked at his wife. Jean held back a small giggle. Cyke 123 worked every time.

A polite cough reminded them that they weren't the only ones in the room. Bobby stood in the doorway and announced, "The masses are getting hungry."

"It's almost done," Jean reassured him. "Sam left everything ready to cook before he went to the Academy." Jean had swapped with Sam a couple of weeks ago, and he had called in his marker today.

Scott shook his head as Jean got the turkey breast out of the oven. "I still can't believe his behavior."

Jean smiled. "He's happy, finally. I'm happy to cook for him." She set the large bowl of stuffing on a tray. "What I don't see is why you went out with Paige, Bobby."

Bobby muttered something that Scott barely caught. "What?" he asked.

"IwantedEmmatonoticeme." Bobby said, slurring his words together. "I wanted Emma to show some sign she liked me," he repeated.

Jean laughed. "It's sweet to see how much you've changed, Bobby." She moved a strand of hair out of her eyes and continued. "Still lacking in common sense, but acting different." At Bobby's downcast look, she added, "If you want to find out how Emma feels about you, go ask her." Jean was working to give Emma the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she had changed.

"Yeah, right, what can I say to her?" Bobby sighed. "Sorry I was such a jerk to agree to go out with Paige, especially since you are the one I was trying to impress?" Jean gave him a glance. "Well?"

Scott sighed. "Women love it when you admit you're wrong," He enlightened Bobby. "And your actions make some measure of sense when you explain that you were trying to make Emma jealous."

Bobby picked up the tray with the drinks on it and started to walk into the dining room. "And Bobby," Scott added, "I need the PAC- RAT tested today. A short run- say the distance between here and the Academy would do it." He had spent a large part of yesterday doing routine work on it.

***

Rouge touched ground outside of the school, wearing a Rebel's sweatshirt and blue jeans. Paige had decided on an Auburn sweatshirt and sweat pants, which were less likely to fly off when Rogue carried her to the game.

Rogue had a new toy with her, a metal harness strapped around her stomach, much like a large fanny pack that Paige would ride in. It was awkward looking, but a lot less awkward than being carried all the way to Alabama. "Forge made it for us, and Ah decided Ah wanted dibs on it today."

Forge had made it for Sam and Rogue, but today was the first time they had had a chance to use it. Sam left too fast to borrow it, and Rogue checked it out, leaving a warning note for Bobby. She had even told Logan to tell Bobby that Sam would need a way to get Rahne to the concert. Oh course, she had written the note backwards, in Spanish, and hidden it behind the apple juice and Logan snorted when she asked him. They were going to help Sam get his revenge.

Paige strapped herself in and put on the strange device that allowed her to listen and talk to Rogue while flying. Rogue gained some altitude, and Paige turned on the force field.

Rogue started talking first, "Ya date worth it?"

Paige sighed. "Bobby and I don't work as a couple." She and Rogue shared a quick grin.

Rogue laughed. "One day ya might, and then y'all can laugh about ya's first date- complete with a knife-welding brother." Paige smiled as Rogue picked up speed. If Bobby and Emma didn't work out, then, maybe, one day they would get together. Rogue continued, "So Rahne and ya brother got together, huh? Happy about it?"

That Paige was happy about. "Yep. I hope they stay together for a long time. It's nice to see a couple that works."

Rogue looked down at the woman-child she called a friend. Paige was unique among her friends, not just in terms of her mutant talent, but on her outlook in life. She had beauty, brains, and loads of talent and was willing to use them however she needed to in order to get what she wanted. She could be a wonderful ally, or a force working for herself. Paige still had a lot of growing up to do. She needed to learn how to fit in, accept herself, and be really happy. "Was it worth it?"

That Paige didn't really know the answer to. "Sam's been a little Godlike to me for most of my life. Today, he was... human, open. And I saw him for himself." Paige looked down at the distant forest.

"And now that I know who he is, I wish I could go back to seeing him as I did last week." Not that she didn't love her brother, but it was a lot easier to believe a Godlike person would always come back.

***

Jubilee sat at her desk, writing in her journal. A lot had happened in the past twenty-four hours. She had finally told Jono off, Paige told Jono off, Paige and Bobby decided they didn't work out, Sam and Rahne decided they did, Ev asked her out. She filled pages in her diary, trying to figure out what was really going on. The only thing she knew for sure was that Wolvie wasn't going to take the news of her and Ev going out well, mainly because he didn't want her to date.

Finally, she picked up the phone and called him. "Hello?" Wolvie's voice came over the line.

"It's me," Jubilee sighed. "Can I go out to a high school dance tonight?" Might as well work up to the big question.

Logan chuckled. "And Ev taking' you up, huh?" He liked the teenager, a shy, soft-spoken lad who was a good counterbalance to the outspoken, outgoing girl. Besides, after watching Sam last night, he knew that some people just have to get together.

Jubilee sighed, "If it's okay with you. Thanks to Paige, I have to get your okay."

"Go on, have fun." Jubilee was shocked, he had really taken it well. "How's school goin'?"

They spent more than an hour talking on the phone about anything and everything.

***

Emma picked up the phone and dialed the number for Cordelia's private line at her boarding school. After a moment, a male picked up. "Hello?" shouting to be heard over the noise of the room.

Emma twisted the phone cord as she asked to speak to Cordelia. "Just a moment!" the young man shouted. "Delia! Phone!"

"Hello?" Cordelia picked up the line.

Emma paused for a second, "Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday," she told her. "Did you get my check?"

Cordelia's voice grew cooler, "I used it to have this party." Somewhere, a young lady giggled. "Thank you." It was clear that her mind was on her birthday party and she didn't want to talk to Emma.

"Good," Emma choked out. "Then I'll let you go." Quickly, she hung up the phone. Emma didn't know if she should be happy or sad at Cordelia's response.

Her own daughter wanted nothing to do with her.