A/N: Wow, it's been a long time since I posted anything up on this site, but I felt like trying my hand at it again! I hope you enjoy! This chapter will mostly have establishing content with Rogue and the others appearing in Chapter Two.

CHAPTER ONE

Say what you will about Mardis Gras, but Remy's favorite holiday back home was always Halloween. The tourists weren't as prevalent, and the shows were so much better in his opinion. A city built on voodoo and wealth produced one of the strangest places on Earth, and it sure knew how to throw a party. It was just an added bonus that his eyes, normally hidden behind a pair of sunglasses in public, were openly admired during this time of year.

He and his brother were eager to be out with their cousins enjoying the festivities, but for now could only watch it longingly from the window. Duty before pleasure after all, and as was tradition, the Thieves Guild played host to the leaders of the Assassins Guild. It was a boring affair, but one he had to suffer through as the second heir to the family name.

Marius Boudreaux sat across from Jean Luc, a sour expression on his face. Beside each of the Guild leaders sat their two children and heirs. Not even Mercy was allowed to attend though she had grown up under Jean Luc's eye and was married to his eldest.

Remy's face was a blank slate as he looked across the table at what should have been his own wife. Belladonna was as deadly as her name suggested, and right at that moment, her sharp blue eyes stared into his with enough vitriol to wound. She too knew what she should have been versus what was.

Boy had he dodged that bullet.

On Jean Luc's right hand sat Henri, the eldest of his sons. His usual jovial attitude was sober and hard, a mirror of their father. Sometimes even Remy forgot how well his elder brother took to the role of primary Guild heir. It was just as well; Remy didn't want the responsibility of it. He wasn't a leader and while he might be a more skilled thief than Henri, he knew his future didn't lay in leading a clan of them. Perhaps it was best he had no illusions about leading the Guild. It would make things easier when the time came for Henri to take the position, and he would need Remy's support the most.

Julien Boudreaux sat opposite Henri. Like his rival across from him, Julien was a mirror of his father, ready and willing to lead the Assassin's Guild into the future. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't the heir. That honor went to his younger sister who bested him in both skill and ferocity. He was one of the best of his Guild, but in his heart he was a coward. Male or female, Marius would only allow his title to pass down to the strongest of them, the most brutal.

Between the six sat a long contract drafted weeks before. Every year on Halloween night, the leaders of the two Guilds would meet to discuss the terms for continued peace. It was cliché perhaps to conduct such a meeting on this night of all nights, but the Guilds of New Orleans did love their traditions. Especially when it came to the centuries' old feud of theirs.

Yep, Remy was perfectly content leaving this mess to his brother when the time came.

"If dis looks t'be in order," his father was saying to Marius. "Sign it and we can be on our way."

The Assassins leader didn't look to be in any rush. Remy watched with impatience as he took the contract in hand and read it over for what had to be the tenth time that night. Remy and Henri were missing the fun, let's get a move on!

"Y' added another block to y' territory," Marius finally sniffed, tossing the contract back at him. "Change it back."

"We agreed on dis, Marius," Jean Luc said, eyes narrowing. He was just as impatient as his sons to be done with this whole affair. "After a hundred years, de southern block returns t' us."

"I didn' agree to dat," Marius said. "Change it back."

"Père," Belladonna sighed. "Who cares? It's a filthy quarter mile o' swamp."

Remy hid a smirk by pretending to scratch his nose. Leave it to dear ol' Belle to crack first.

Marius shot his youngest a look, but he could tell he was the only one who really wanted to drag this meeting out longer than it needed to be. "Bon," he said with a slight growl. "Take de swamp."

The two leaders finally signed the contract and let their heirs bear witness just below. The drudgery of Guild politics was finally at an end for the night. Remy couldn't get up from his chair fast enough. He tossed the Assassins a wave, took his brother by the sleeve, and marched out.

"Don' get into trouble," Jean Luc warned the pair as they left.
Remy turned and grinned at his father, arms spread. "Moi?" he asked. "Perish de t'ought, Père."

An eyebrow lifted but the man just waved them off. They all knew things would go better if he just let them have their way. A bored Thief was an irritating Thief. "Off with y' two," he conceded. "Keep an eye on him, Henri."

"Oui!" Henri called, and the pair went to his car to make good their escape. Remy could feel Belladonna's ice blue eyes on his back the entire way and resisted an urge to shiver. What was her problem that night anyway?

"Remy!" she called, but he ignored her and slid into the passenger side of the car. Not today, Satan.

Once inside the car, Remy reached back for a set of bags. They were each dressed in the nicest suits they owned, and as such, would make the rest of their costumes really shine. He didn't know where the tradition came where the Thieves of the Guild would all don Venetian festival attire for Halloween, but there it was. Even he was a slave to tradition now and then.

Besides, he looked damn good in it.

"I thought we'd never get out of there," Henri complained, pulling the car out of the parking lot and zipping out into traffic.

Remy looked in the rearview mirror and saw Bella watching them leave before stalking over to her own car. "Oui," he said. "An' I never thought I'd be grateful f' Belle's temper."

"Halloween," Henri sighed. "De night o' mysteries."

"Only mystery I'm aiming for is how much we gotta drink t' catch up wit' everyone," Remy said. "Dey have a three hour head start on us."

"Not me, Rem. Mercy cut me off."

Remy turned his red and black eyes on his brother, softening just a little. "How she holdin' up?" he asked. "Père's ready t' move her into de plantation if she ain' careful."

"I'd pay t' see him try it," Henri said with a laugh. "She'd kick his ass, knocked up o'non. Y' thought she was scary before when she was mad, y' ain't seen nothin'."

"Can y' blame him? It is his first granchil'." Remy smiled at the look on his brother's face. He was still stuck in a state of disbelief, even five months into Mercy's pregnancy. But he'd make a good father in the end. He deserved this happiness, and so did Mercy. He could only hope she didn't kill anyone in the process. A firecracker by nature, she was outright ferocious when pregnant.

"Mebbe his last too if she kills me," Henri chuckled. "Y' have t' protect me as my frère an' meilleur ami."

"From Mercy?" Remy said with a snort. "Ain' likely o' possible."

"Coward."

"Damn right I am."

They pulled onto Bourbon Street and cruised for a place to park. There were several designated spots throughout the city for Guild members, enforced by businesses who wanted to curry favor. So while traffic was a nightmare between pedestrians and vehicles alike, it wasn't long before Henri found a place to park in the midst of it all.

"Where dey say t' meet them?" Remy asked, opening his bag. Inside was a black and red cape and a matching Venetian plague mask. His brother wore a similar set, though his was blue and gold.

"De 544," Henri said. "Ansel's been beggin' to go for weeks now."

Masks and capes in place, the brothers made their way up the street, passing every manner of person out on the town. From children still trying their luck at trick or treating to tourists to jazz bands, everyone was out to enjoy the night. Remy's senses were filled with the sights and sounds of home, and while he loved it, he wasn't at ease. There was something missing from this, and he found his thoughts drifting northward toward a small town in New York.

It had been years since he was last in the area, and longer still since he had business there. After the events of the mutant Apocalypse, the various mutant teams that lived in Bayville all seemed to agree on a truce. With no mercenary work left to do, Remy took the opportunity to split town and head back south where he belonged.

And he did belong here. He was as much a son of New Orleans herself as he was of Jean Luc. Despite all his wandering ways, Remy always returned home in the end. It was where he was destined to remain, where his brother and cousins and everyone he ever cared about was destined to remain.

Well, perhaps not everyone.

"You alright, Rem?" Henri asked, giving him a side glance as they walked.

"Fine," he answered. "Jus' thinking is all."

"Well stop it. Tonight's about havin' fun with y' famille. No thinking allowed."

Remy chuckled and nodded his agreement. Thinking only caused trouble. It had been a long time since he'd last seen his only friend up North, and he doubted she even remembered him. There was no point in reliving the past.

Inside the club, the men found Mercy and five of their cousins already seated with food. She stood and went to her husband as soon as she saw them, and Remy slid into her place at the booth.

"What took y' so long?" Ansel asked with a pout. "We thought you'd be startin' World War Three wit' how long y' were."

"I was perfectly behaved," Remy said with an honest raise of his hand. "It was Bella dat kept th' peace in de end."

"Miracles neve' cease," cousin Liliana snorted, stealing one of Ansel's fries. Twins Claude and Colin were busy flirting with the waitress, and Estelle simply looked bored. Well this wouldn't do. Not on Halloween.

He was about to suggest moving the excitement to the dance floor when a sharp voice cut through the deafening music.

"Remy LeBeau!"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was above that, after all. More mature than that… Oh, but why did it have to be her?

"Look what piece o' trash blew in from de street," Colin remarked. He and the others all looked at the Princess of Assassins with open disdain.

"Dis club in our territory, ma chere," Claude added. "Run along to y'own."

At last Remy turned his head to look at Belladonna. He should have figured she'd follow him here. When she had a bone to pick, simply ignoring her would only make things worse. No one ignored Belladonna without paying for it.

She had changed from her Assassin garb into a flowing blue dress that brought out the unusual color of her pale eyes. Her hair was pinned and tied into elaborate knots with a few stray curls brushing the curve of her neck. Once, that would have tempted him, teased him until he had no choice but to follow after her.

Those days were long gone, and she was clearly in denial about it.

"Get outta here, Belle," he sighed. "We don' need any blood t'night."

"I don't care 'bout what boundaries y' think y' have," she said with arms crossed. "If y' want me gone, den make me." She walked towards them with deliberate steps. He had to give her credit; she wasn't easily cowed even when surrounded by enemies on territory not her own. Hell, the glare Mercy was sending her way should have been enough to make the woman back off.

Damn her, she was right though. No one was in the mood to restart anything simply because she walked into the wrong nightclub. Simply the thought of having to endure another contract signing was enough to make Remy let her stay.

"Just tell me what y' want," he said. "Den be on y' way."

A delicate eyebrow arched and she looked at the assembled Thieves. Point received, Remy slid out from the booth to give Mercy her seat back and walked towards Belladonna. Though her dress was nearly sheer, he had no doubt she had no less than five hidden weapons somewhere on her person. Beauty and lethality were two attributes Belladonna wore equally well.

She led him towards the back where it was at least quiet enough to hear each other without shouting. Not that he really needed to listen to know what the woman would say. He practically knew the speech by heart.

"Remy," she said, just the smallest bit of softness creeping into her cold gaze.

"No, Belle," he interrupted, crossing his arms. It was time this stopped. It wasn't good for either of them. "Y' know my answer."

"Y' loved me once!" she cried, reaching for him. He stepped away from her and her gaze hardened again. "I know y' loved me. We can still make it work, give our families peace…"

"Y' got no interest in peace," he said. "An' I got no interest in marryin' you. Y' think we'd actually make each other happy?"

"Happiness'll come," she said. "If y'd just—"

"No," he said again, more firmly this time. He took off the damn mask so he could face her properly, his eyes cold and hard.

He believed her when she said she loved him, he even believed she meant only good out of this. One thing he could never believe, however, was that happiness would come to them. They were opposites, and not in a good way. Whatever hormones were going through him when he was younger, it was all gone. He was a man now, and not as prone to giving in to the temptation that she offered. They'd kill each other within in a year if they were married, and their families would follow soon after.

"Je suis désolé," he sighed. "But no. Now go on home 'fore Julien comes lookin'."

"My brother doesn' control me," she said, but he could see tears beginning to form. She was too proud to let them fall, but it hurt him to see it anyway. "He says our kind don' mix."

"Y' should listen t' him," Remy said. "We don'. We ain' meant t'. Go home, Belle."

He put the mask back on and turned to go, feeling her rage even without the use of his empathy. He didn't look back and he didn't pause. That was, until something forced him to.

"Don' y' dare walk away from me, Remy LeBeau!"

A blast of heat hit him from behind, throwing him to the ground. All around him were screams of frightened club-goers and the sound of people running away. Remy was more stunned than hurt thankfully, and he quickly rolled to his feet, turning to face the threat. He reached into his pocket to pull out his trusty pack of cards, ready to charge them in a counter-attack. Whatever Bella had done was…

But she didn't have any weapon in her hand.

The Assassin's hands were glowing, encircled in orbs of flame. Her eyes were burning with their own fire, orange now instead of blue. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. She'd never shown any signs of having mutant abilities before; she'd even openly announced her disdain for them, Remy aside.

The woman looked down at her hands, just as confused by the outburst as he was.

"Remy!"

He looked back at his twin cousins who came running, Ansel and Liliana close behind. Estelle and Henri were ushering a furious Mercy out of the room. She was hollering to take out the Assassin princess herself for daring to attack her brother. Good old Mercy.

The cousins stood at his side, pulling out their own weapons to back him up. A knife here, a gun there. Like any of that would matter against a mutant Belladonna. Except the woman didn't seem like she was trying to take anyone on. She looked up from her hands and the fires slowly died. Her eyes paled to their normal blue. The color drained from her face as she looked at Remy beseechingly.

"Remy?" she asked, and then toppled down into a dead faint.