Here be the mighty disclaimer! Bow to it's power! I most certainly do not own X-Men Evolution nor do I own the plot from 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'...put them together though and you have my triuphant return to Yes, I will be making inroads to my other stories and wrapping them up...but let me tell you writer's block is murder...almost a year of it...let's not talk about that. This one's as light and fluffy asI get and it's dedicated to all my fan(s?) if any are left out there. Excuse me now but I have to hide before Ishy gets to the end of this chapter...I think she'll try hunting me down and killing me...

Prologue

Stark white walls and the antiseptic smell of the hospital were the man's only companions as he paced like a caged animal in front of the delivery room. The doctors had kicked him out almost an hour ago and the agony of waiting was driving the man insane. Absently he shuffled the pack of cards that never left his side to give his hands something to do. Normally he'd start chain smoking but he'd given that up nine months ago-because all the books said it would be bad for the baby. His marriage might not have been what he'd consider ideal but fatherhood was something he took very seriously.

"Monsieur. Lebeau?" A timid voice called from behind him spinning Remy around to face the elderly obstetrician who'd been handling the birth.

"Oui Docteur? Qui se passé?" Remy had to fight to keep the words from trembling over his lips.

The slump to the older man's shoulders said it all and Remy moved closer. "The bébé?"

"You have a beautiful baby girl Monsieur." He smiled tightly and ran a heavy hand through his hair, "She's happy and healthy…the problem is Madame Lebeau."

Remy started as if the old man had struck him; "What's wrong wit her?"

"Please bare in mind this isn't something that happens often in this day and age," The doctor tried to explain, "But there was considerable hemorrhaging during the birth…"

"Just spit it out…" Remy sunk into one of the hideous orange chairs that all hospitals bought in bulk.

"Your wife is dying Monsieur." Tears appeared in the doctor's eyes showing how much it pained him to loose a patient. "It could be hours it could be days. We were not aware that she had a previous condition…her kidneys have shut down and she's not replacing the blood she lost during the birth." He rested a hand on Remy's shoulder, "I suggest you say your goodbyes then see to your daughter."

Feeling at least ten years older than he had before speaking to the doctor Remy nodded and stood. He followed the directions he'd been given for the private room they'd put her and the baby in until the end. Rubbing the heels of his hands over his red on black eyes Remy pushed open the door and forced himself to smile for his bride.

"Allo Amour," Her voice was soft, quieter than Remy could ever remember hearing it; "Your petite fille has been waitin' to meet her papa."

Remy's heart constricted and for the first time in years he remembered why he'd fallen in love with the woman he'd married. "You know me Belle…can never say non to a jolie fille."

The blonde in the hospital bed smiled wanly as if it took all of her effort to do so; her skin was a sickly putty colour and her normally bright violet eyes were dull. "I named her Anna-Marie."

Again Remy felt like he'd been struck. He'd never have dreamed to hear that name coming from Belle's lips-she knew she was dying. Swallowing Remy looked into the cradle at the tiny girl, a down of strawberry blonde coated her head, as if sensing the attention being paid to her the baby's eyes opened revealing eyes the mirror image of her father's.

"At least no one can say she's not yours." Belle pulled herself up in bed, "I'm sorry Remy. I've been the worst wife ever, I can't even do this right."

"Non," his words were choked. "Elle est une ange."

"Je sais," Belle's voice was soft as she beckoned Remy to her side and away from the baby. "Too bad I won see her grown."

"We kin find another Docteur…" Remy stumbled, "Tante Mattie…"

Belle shook her head softly; "No Remy. I'm dying. It might not be the death an assassin craves but I know it just the same. Mebbe it's for de best dis way." She lifted a hand coated in tubes when he tried to talk, "Non. I know that you don love me Remy. Not the way you used to when we were kids. But you stood by what the Guilds told you to do and married me even though…your heart was no longer mine. You're gonna be de best pere dis side of the Mason-Dixon. I'd never be a good maman…"

"Belle…"

She pointed to eight envelopes resting on the table next to them. "Take good care of her Remy…make sure you give her one on each of her birthdays. Have Tatte Mattie read dem to her til she can read dem herself. There are things that can only be said between a girl and her mother."

Remy pocketed the letters and sat on the bed next to Belle; it didn't take much to hold her tiny body in his arms. Despite everything that had happened between them he felt the stirrings of the love he'd felt for her when he'd been a young and foolish man swayed by a pretty face. "Remember Belle de first time we met?"

She smiled softly and sank into the embrace, "I do…But you always tell the story better."

"Well it was de hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year…Remy had just been adopted by Jean-Luc an' was busy getting to know de mansion…"

He told the story hoping in a small place in his mind that his daughter-his sweet little Anna-Marie-could hear it and understand where her parents had gone so horribly wrong. Belle's body shook once in his arms and the heartbeat that had slowly kept up to Remy's stopped. The infant at the foot of the bed let out a wail as if she knew for a fact that her mother had died.