Note:

It's a drabble set post-series and is inspired by the

Jamie/Kitty 'not a date' from the episode Self Possessed.

There is also a link to a cool X-men Evo RP site in my profile. Check it out.

The Paradox of the Madrox

"She said you were 12 years old" Roberto pulled himself out of the water and turned back with a cocky smile, just in time to see the expression fall on each one of the 17 Jamies' faces before the tower of Jamie Madroxes fell into the water with a loud splash.

Absorbing the dupes with a very disgruntled look, the now 15 year-old Jamie Madrox swam over to the other end of the pool and pulled himself out. "It was a term of endearment" he covered lamely, thinking that if he told himself that enough that he'd really believe it.

"Yeah, because every girl wants to date a 12 year old."

"Yeh're giving dating advice again Roberto? Are ye sure you're the expert in that particular field?" Came a voice to their side. Rahne Sinclair had been back only a few days now and was surprised at how much had changed in the Institute. Of course, some things stayed the same (Roberto's ego) but there was a different air to the place after the battle with Apocalypse. A lot of growing up was done, it seemed... and she'd missed it all.

"Why would I be?" The hot-head defended, trying to hide a blush.

"Ah just haven't heard of yeh having a good track record. If any at all." She smirked. Of course, getting Roberto to second guess himself was as easy as it had always been.

Jamie felt like going and embracing the girl just for making the boy that he'd been forced into making his confidant eat his own words.

"I have a track record. It just isn't well known." Roberto tried to explain as smoothly as he could but it ended up coming out with a questioning tone, as if he needed the confirmation from either Rahne or Jamie that he was in fact, correct with this.

"I don't think I've seen you go on a date in a while..." Jamie mused.

"You wouldn't know. You came running to me telling me you had a 'date' with Kitty and you needed help and it wasn't even a date."

Rahne pursed her lips wondering if she needed to come to any sort of defence of the younger boy, who didn't seem to need any help. He clapped his hands twice and duplicates appeared at his sides. "It was a date, I have witnesses."

"You can't count yourself as a witness."

"Ah'm sure Jamie could find other witnesses" Rahne finally stepped forward and out of her silence exchanging a grin with Jamie.

"It just hardly sounded like a date from what you told me about it" Roberto pointed out, determined to save face in front of the two that seemed to be ganging up on him.

"I did everything you told me to!" Jamie protested. This was unfair, Roberto was supposed to be a living step-by-step guide to the boy and now he was claiming that he was reading it... err... him wrong?

"The end of date kiss, it's the closer. It's not a date without that."

Rahne rolled her eyes, wondering just what it was she'd walked into here. Jamie clearly didn't have anything to say to that besides getting a defeated look on his face which caused Rahne's heart to drop down to the shoes that she wasn't even wearing at the moment. She hesitated and then carefully worded; "Jamie. Would yeh like to go on a date with me sometime? Ah can't promise Ah'll be like Kitty but it could be fun."

"What are you doing?" Roberto blurted out, his cool facade lost for a moment.

"Ah'm making sure Jamie has a real date without your timely wisdom. If that's alright with ye."

"Sure" The youngest of them agreed easily, grin widening. He put out a hand to Rahne and she grabbed it as they swiftly left the pool area trying to keep their faces straight until they were far enough from Roberto to break out laughing. "That was great!"

"Ah think he had it coming. Ah guess some things never change."

Jamie giggled a little bit longer at the recent memory of Roberto's face at the idea of him going on a date with Rahne before the laughter died down. It wasn't that far fetched was it? In the case of a real date that was, and not whatever it was that Kitty gave him that night. "So um..." he cleared his throat attempting to broach the awkward topic of how real it actually was. "Did you mean it? You don't have to go out on a date with me if you didn't want to."

"Ah'd be honored." Her voice didn't waver in the slightest. Jamie could almost believe the truth in that statement.

"So... Friday?"

"Sure. Ah'm new in town, ah guess ah could do with a catch up." She placed a hand on his shoulder before patting down on it and releasing.

"And this time I won't even have to borrow Roberto's suit! ... right?"

She shook her head. "Ah like what yeh usually wear."

"Alright then" He clapped his hands together again, duplicates forming and hurriedly absorbed them again. "Friday. It's a date."

She looked completely unperturbed as she gestured for him to enter the mansion before her, towel around his neck. "Ah'll be looking forward to it."