Note: Hi! This is a fic based on the fifth episode of "Wolverine and the X-Men." This is how it's going down to that point: the mansion was destroyed, the Professor and Jean are missing, the X-Men split up. A year later, Beast and Logan bring back some of them, they built the institute again, but Rogue didn't want to join them; she's with the Brotherhood since episode 2. In the fifth episode, someone hires Gambit to steal something from the mansion; in the cartoon, he and Rogue don't meet or anything. But guess what? They do in this fic ;-) Oh, remember I'm still learning English!
Disclaimer: Don't own them!
Title: Junction.
She never thought she would come back to this place, or even see its walls standing again. It'd been so painful to see it shred to pieces, but she had managed to bury the remains of her past there, underneath the rubbles, never to bring them back or even allow herself to feel sorry about what was lost. And now there it was again, in one piece: the tall pillars, the dozens of windows, the enormous walls among the fog.
But what about her? Where was she now? In the memories of this rebuilt place, with the Brotherhood, on her own? It wasn't too clear for her in which side she was now… but that wasn't what she was there for; she didn't come to take a stand for anyone but herself.
Once she came in and started to make her way down the dark hallways, she realized they made an exact replica of the old mansion; it was a closed chapter in her life the one she felt she was glimpsing at, like through a steamed up window. And they all were probably upstairs, sleeping: Kitty, Bobby, Storm, Scott, Hank, Logan… not like he would be thrilled to catch her sneaking in this way. But that wasn't either what she came here for; she'd figure those things out later on, if she ever did.
The big and metallic room was so silent her own breathing seemed too noisy, so she instinctively tried to calm it down, and to make her steps as quiet as possible. It was still obscure around, but she knew well this underground room. Walking through a door made on a wall of glass, she found a worktable and on it, the container where it should be.
But it wasn't there. She gave a step back, wondering where else could they put it if not there. And then the corner of her eye caught a movement in a shadowy corner, but she didn't have time to do anything before hearing his voice:
"Lookin' for dis?"
She pierced the darkness with her eyes, trying to distinguish his face, but the only thing she could figure out was a tall frame and two red orbits looking at her intensely.
"Who the hell are yah?"
"Remy LeBeau, at yer service," his voice was so… magnetic, somehow: "An' y'?"
"Yah live here?" Maybe they'd been recruiting new people, but in that case, why was he here, hiding in the shadows like her?
"Non, but y' used to, right?"
"How do yah know?"
"Y' didn't answer my questions, but lemme guess, hmmm…" he paused for a couple of seconds: "Rogue?"
"How do yah know?" she repeated, her heart starting to jump fast and her legs ready to run at any moment.
"Y' know de place, which means y're an ex X-Man, oui? An' which other ex X-Man would come back for dis?" She never liked people trying to figure her out, and least of all, people she didn't even know; but her mouth stayed silent at the sight of it: the silver, "U" shaped collar Forge had created, which suppressed mutant powers, being manoeuvred in a fingerless gloved hand. She hadn't yet figured out what would she do once she'd get it: go out and get herself a boyfriend? Right, like it's that simple. But she just needed to have it and save it like the hope for a normal life someday.
"And what do yah want it for?" she said, brushing her thoughts away.
"Bussiness, chere. Dis gizmo right here's got a very high prize in de market" he polished it against his coat.
"Really? And who's gonna pay yah for it? Those mutant chasers?"
"I prefer to save dat info; professional discretion, tu sais?"
"Professional? So yah're gonna professionally sell your people, just like that?"
"Mutants ain't necessarily my people, cherie," he gave a couple of steps forward and she could see him better; she noticed he stared at her white locks for a few moments and then back at her face, scrutinizing it: "De highest bidder is. 'Sides, yah, sneakin' in yer people's place, tryin' to steal dem… non, not what good girls do."
"Well, maybe Ah'm no good girl" she lowered her eyes because his were just so penetrating, but then immediately met them again; she didn't want him to think she was scared of him or, even worst, charmed by him: "An' they're not mah people anymore."
"Y' sure?"
"What do yah care?" she shrugged: "Ah don't even know why Ah'm talkin' to yah…" She turned around to leave, but he spoke again:
"Y' leavin' without it?"
True: she came for it, she'd leave with it. So, with her back to him, she carefully slid out one of her gloves and turned again, her hand ready to reach his face; but in the middle of its way, only a couple of inches from his cheek, he clenched her wrist, immobilizing her arm.
"Dat ain't exactly what I meant" he smirked, staring at her white, fragile fingers.
"Then what? Yah're just gonna let me have it?" she smiled sarcastically.
"I'll let y' have it…" he pulled her a little closer by her arm: "…if y' lemme have a kiss."
"Yah're one sick…!" she burst out, but he interrupted her:
"Come on chere: I know y' want it too."
She wanted to punch him, to say the least, to erase that cocky look on his face; but she controlled herself. She didn't care what he did or didn't think; all she wanted was the collar. Besides, why would he give up to his dirty money only for a kiss of hers? He wanted to trick her, to get away with the collar anyway, she knew it; she could see in his whole person that he was nothing but a liar.
So she bit her tongue and stared at him right in the eyes, trying to breathe calmly, because he was so close and this made her nervous, like she couldn't think straight. Still clenching tight her wrist, he used his other hand to adjust the collar around her neck, making her stomach twitch just to see the way he stared at her lips.
This is so wrong, a part of her kept saying, but it was too late. That delicious scent of him was all around her already, and his lips were on hers.
She wanted to hate this, but it was impossible. This man she didn't even know was kissing her… it was insane, it was so good…
But when he finally released her arm, reality came back to her senses: she had to get away. They were right under the door frame so before she regretted it, her hand quickly reached for a switch in the glass wall, making a glass sliding door abruptly appear and separate the two of them, leaving him locked behind the glass.
She only glimpsed the two red orbits for the split of a second before turning around and walking away, her heart still beating a thousand miles per hours and feeling almost dizzy.
But she wasn't yet out of the metallic room when she heard a strange sound: like something was burning, like… when she glimpsed over her shoulder, the glass door was gleaming red and one second later it exploded, sending pieces of glass in every direction.
Right when Rogue started to run up the stairs that led to the first floor, a warning alarm started ringing. She'd heard it before, when she lived here: it was the alarm for intruders; too bad she was the intruder this time.
But maybe she still had a chance; so she went up as fast as she could, the alarm resounding inside her head and still feeling the burning sensation of that kiss.
"Hurry up chere, we can make it," she heard his voice again, only a few steps behind her.
"Shut up!" She yelled: "Why did yah do this?"
"Me? Our deal didn't include leavin' Remy behind."
But she ignored him and kept making her way. Finally, she found herself in the large garage; it would only take a few steps until she made it to the door. But then, all the lights went on, leaving the place completely illuminated to show Storm, Scott and Logan blocking the way. His reproaching eyes were enough to make her feel like, more than an intruder, a traitor. Again.
"If you wanted to come and visit you could have phoned first" the Canadian said coldly.
"Yeah… Ah will next time."
Nobody said a word for a few moments, while she struggled to maintain his gaze; then, he extended his hand and she had no choice but to take the collar off and hand it to him.
"I'm sorry, Rogue," there was a sad look on Storm's face: "But this collar…"
"Shouldn't fall in the wrong hands, like the Brotherhood's" Logan said abruptly.
"I was about to say it should not be used for a long period of time" Storm corrected him.
"Yeah, it shouldn't fall in the wrong hands" Rogue echoed: "And what 'bout 'im?"
"Who?"
"Him…" Rogue looked around, but there were no signs of Remy: "But… there was…"
"Listen, kid: you've decided to be with them, fine. But don't push your luck with us, got it?"
She could feel the tears burning her throat, so before anyone would see her cry and before they kicked her out, she left.
The street was still completely foggy, as she took one last look at the gates of the institute. This had been a bad idea since the very beginning…
"Bad night, uh?" she folded her arms and kept walking, trying to ignore him: "Yeah, I know: for me too. Except for a nice kiss I got." Remy started to walk by her side, until she suddenly stopped:
"Listen, whatever your name is…"
"Ah, chere, don't pretend y' don't remember it" he chuckled.
"Just leave me alone, 'kay?"
"Don't y' want Remy to escort y' somewhere?"
"Ah don't want anyhtin' from yah, all right? Now leave me alone."
Remy rested his back against a tree and watched her got lost in the fog, away from him. Then he pulled a cigarette out and lit it on with the tip of a finger:
"Brotherhood, hein?" he murmured, exhaling a small cloud of smoke at the same time: "Mebbe it's time for Remy to get 'imself some new affiliations."
END.
Note: If you're reading my other fic, "Bedtime stories", I'm working on it too, I just couldn't get the idea for this fic out of my head. I think it's a little bit of a classical Romy encounter, but I don't know, I felt in the mood to write it and adapt it to the new cartoon. Thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing! 'Cause you're about to review… right? Pretty please?