The Red String of Fate Unraveled – by Darlin
Disclaimer – All X-Men characters belong to Marvel and Disney, no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N – This was inspired by a review for An Ever Fixed Mark in 2014 that made me go over that story again, making some corrections, adding a few lines to make it flow better and I just kept thinking about OreO after that! So I started a kind of sequel, a one shot this time. Worked on it off and on for a year but here it is for any OreO lovers and most especially for those who let me know how much they liked An Ever Fixed Mark, this is for you guys.
For any RoLo lovers still thinking about Old Man Logan's death – I mean Wolverine, check out Reina247's Last Thoughts. It deals beautifully with Logan's death but it's definitely Loganish language. Still not certain about this Secret Wars thing but at least Ororo and Logan survive it.
For any Rogue fans you may be in for a ride. Don't hate me, just enjoy the ride and see if you can find the clues as to why Rogue's gone, well rogue. *evil laughter*
When Remy LeBeau had to sidestep a puddle of vomit he took that as further proof that he shouldn't have agreed to see his former girlfriend. But Rogue had been calling him all week, leaving messages, pleading with him to meet her. Remy thought she'd accepted his marriage even though he realized she knew he still loved her despite marrying another woman. When she'd visited him and Ororo and they'd told everyone they were expecting a baby, there had been no histrionics and she'd even seemed to enjoy shopping for baby things that week. But now, out of the blue, she was badgering him with desperate messages and though Remy loved her, and would do anything for her, the thought of seeing her left him conflicted.
When she'd called the first time he'd caught his breath in surprise. And seeing her cherished face pop up on his phone had sent a thrill of excitement through him. He'd been sorely tempted to answer but he'd forced himself not to. Things hadn't been good for him and Ororo since little Remy Junior was born, and turning to Rogue would be too easy, like a comfortable habit but utterly inexcusable. He loved Ororo deeply despite their problems. And yet Rogue needed him and how could he ignore that when he still loved her? For that matter how could you love two women at once? And how did you remain sane while knowing both needed you but that you could only be with one and knowing that the one you gave up would be miserable?
Remy knew Ororo and Rogue were strong women, neither unable to get on without him, but he would never forget the misery he'd gone through when he hadn't been able to be with the woman he loved. At first that had been Rogue, repeatedly, and then, then it had been Ororo. With Rogue he'd borne his pain in silence. He now knew Ororo had seen this, accepted it, but said nothing, just as Rogue had when Ororo left and he'd been miserable. He'd had no choice after she left because without Ororo he'd been lost. He'd felt as if he weren't whole. So he'd gone after her, he'd chosen Ororo, but now he had made a different choice, one which he innately knew, as he traversed the dark streets of New York City, meant his life would never be the same again, for he had chosen Rogue this time.
It was an agonizing decision. And each slow step he took, taking him back to Rogue, was painful. He tried to rationalize his choice. And all the while he tried not to look skyward because when he did he saw Ororo in the fading rain, the dark night, the twinkling of the few vague stars viewed through light pollution between skyscrapers. He saw them together like they used to be, her laughing at him, teasing him, chiding him, loving him – waiting for him. But each call from Rogue was more desperate, there had been no possible way he could not go to her.
His hand, poised against the door to the club where he was meeting Rogue, fell away. He knew if he went inside it was over between him and Ororo, that he dare not go back to his wife. And yet Rogue's voice over the phone, tear laden, raw, pleading, had given him no other avenue. He owed Rouge more than this, a meeting in a dark club in the wee hours of the night, hundreds of miles away from his wife. He knew it wasn't the right thing to do but it was the only thing he could do.
With renewed resolve he entered the club. Sudden relief overwhelmed him when he saw she wasn't there. She wasn't sitting at the bar where she said she'd wait for him and he heaved a huge sigh of gratitude. He'd been a fool. She was fine, didn't need him after all. He had to believe that, had to believe it so he could turn and flee, leave all his hopes and apprehensions behind, and never think of her again. But instead he stood by the entrance, his stomach caught up in knots. He'd spotted her. She was dancing with a woman, smiling, uninhibitedly happy. He was confused and even more so when she waved at him with a gloved hand and then instead of coming over to him she kept on dancing.
"You're late," she hissed when the dance was over, pulling him along with her to the bar where she plucked up a purse from a stool and made him sit down before she climbed on top of him, sitting in his lap as if they did this every day.
Remy's stomach turned and he bit back a groan.
"Are you alone?" she asked as she looked around.
"Yes."
"Were you followed?"
"No!"
"Are ya sure, sugah?" Rogue asked, glaring at her ex.
"Remy know enough not ta be followed, an' you know it!"
Rogue's glare intensified. "Did you tell her you were meeting me?"
"You mean did I lie to my wife for you?"
"Uh huh, so ya did. Good," Rogue said with a satisfied smile and a giggle, and then she kissed him.
Remy wrapped his arms around her waist, stood up suddenly then set her down on her feet and pried her arms from around his neck.
"Dis ain't what I came for, Rogue – you know dat."
"You are such a liar," she laughed. "We both know what you came here for an' why ya didn't tell your little wifey."
"You said you needed me, dat you were in trouble, dat it so bad you couldn't tell me over de phone. What's goin' on?"
"Ah'm in trouble."
"Tell me how I can help."
"Ah – ah'm goin' crazy with all these voices in my head. Ah can't go on living like this, without you ta help me. Ah don't know how ta live anymore, not without you. We belong together. Ya got no business bein' with her any more now with your baby bein' dead!"
Remy caught his breath. "Don't mention my son to me again – ever. Do you understand?"
"Suit yourself but she couldn't even give you a real baby, that ain't my fault!"
"Rogue, I feel I owe you but you keep talkin' 'bout my son an' Ororo . . ."
"What? You do owe me, Remy, you owe me everything!"
"I don't like dis game yo're playin'. We were finished, even on a good note, I thought you understood."
"Understood what? That you still love me but you married another woman ta have sex with?"
"It ain't like dat!"
"Cause ya loved me an' stayed with me even without sex, I know," Rogue purred, putting her arms around him again.
"You don't need my help do you?" Remy said as he removed her arms.
"Ah always do, sugah! Ah thought you'd be happy to be back with me an' we'd pick up right where we left off. Ah know you want me – you always have, you always will."
When Rogue tried kissing him again he pushed her away, shaking his head. He was angry, sad, confused, guilt ridden. But mostly he was fed up and sorry he'd come.
"Lie ta me if ya wanna but ah know ya still love me. Deep down inside that thick skull of yours you know you will never stop lovin' me. It ain't her you came ta see, it ain't her ya wanna sleep with every night, it's me!"
Remy grabbed Rogue by both her arms and fairly shook her. "I love Ororo, I love my wife! This was the biggest mistake I've ever made," he hissed then thrust her away from him, turned and quickly made for the door.
"The hell you do! You wouldn't be here if you did!" Rogue hollered, hurrying after him but she was cut off by a small group of people who'd just gotten up to leave. Cussing, she shoved past them but when she finally got outside Remy was gone.
"Damn you, you stupid, cheatin' Cajun!" Rogue growled.
High above on the opposite building Remy watched his ex. She looked almost evil, her face twisted in genuine rage. This wasn't the Rogue he'd last seen over a year ago announcing the arrival of his child. This wasn't the Rogue who had contentedly spent the week shopping for baby clothes with his wife and Jean. This Rogue was out of control. He guessed that her powers were fluctuating, that she hadn't gained control over her powers like she thought she had, that maybe some of the long ago persona's were coming back and she was losing herself again. If that was the case she did need help.
When Rogue went back into the club he sat down on the building fire escape and tried to think. Seeing Rogue like that left him feeling empty and sick. He saw that she truly needed him but he saw clearly that he no longer needed to be there for her. That time in his life had passed. But what she'd said was true. He'd lied to his wife to be with her. Ororo might have understood that Rogue needed help but he had a feeling she would've insisted on going with him and the sad truth was that he'd wanted to see Rogue alone. He'd secretly longed to hold her, to be held, to feel loved again, to know he wasn't the failure he felt he was. He'd known he shouldn't, couldn't see her, and he'd told himself this repeatedly but deep inside he'd known that he would.
Now he was disgusted with himself. He'd betrayed Ororo only to let Rogue down. He ran both hands over his face before getting up. She'd kissed him, had to know how much this was tearing him apart. And even if she hadn't absorbed any of his thoughts she had to know their meeting would kill Ororo, and yet she obviously didn't give a damn. He ached inside. He knew he should go back inside, take her out of there, get her back to the school, try to talk some sense into her, get some help for her. But he yearned to go home more. He wanted to go back to his wife, back to the way things used to be. But could it ever be like it used to be? Sadly home wasn't what it had been after the baby.
Things had changed for the worse after that. The baby – Remy never thought of the child if he could help it. Nothing had gone right. Cecilia, Hank and Dr. Nemesis were at odds as to what had happened. Their little boy, dead, to them just an experiment on life support, so tiny and helpless, so perfect, so beautiful – so lifeless and lost to them.
Ororo had been inconsolable. She'd shut down. Things she used to love, gardening, teasing him, fishing, going out to dinner, everything was forgotten in her grief. There was no more easy banter between them just a gulf that he couldn't get past. She wouldn't let him in. She went about her daily life glum and silent, ignoring him for the most part. Nothing he did seemed to reach her not even when he'd suggested having another child. She'd almost bitten his head off for that. He'd told her they would never, could never replace their little boy, but they could have more children to love. She'd just shifted into auto mode after that, agreeing with him but no light in her eyes, no response when he held her. It had been like holding Rogue back when she'd freeze when touched.
Touch. He missed touching Ororo, holding her, kissing her, making love to her. He missed being touched. Again he remembered Rogue's kiss. He was at fault there, he'd wanted to touch her so badly, had hoped maybe – hoped for what? Not sex. Not her kiss. Hoped for love, to be loved again. But the sight of Rogue, her boldness, so out of character, sitting on his lap like they were still together, that kiss – it sickened him. Just like he sickened himself. Logan had thought he wasn't good enough for Ororo once. Maybe he wasn't. She would never trust him again if she found out.
Once he'd trusted Rogue with memories of his marriage, trying to make her understand his love for Ororo, and he'd felt she'd been grateful for his trust. But this time she'd barged in, taking what she wanted of his memories just like the old Rogue, desperate to kiss even the villains. But maybe he was wrong, had she really stolen his memories? It hadn't felt like it usually did when she sucked them from him. It was obvious her powers were off so could she have seen inside his head, seen his desire, his pain, his love wavering, growing? And yet she'd worn gloves. He wished she'd simply explained what was going on so he'd know how to help her.
Finally he pulled his cell out, determined to call Hank, but he quickly slipped it back into his coat pocket. It wasn't time for Hank's monthly check in and Ororo had stopped their visits because it had been too hard on her going back to Westchester. How could he explain that he was in New York while Ororo thought he was elsewhere on Thieves Guild business? What could he say? That he'd just run into Rogue or that the messages she'd left were erratic? Surely Hank must've noticed her change. And as he realized this he was finally able to move. She had help! The X-Club would be able to fix her!
Remy leapt off the fire escape, landed gracefully, then without another glance at the club he walked away. He was going home.
Ororo hadn't dressed up like she used to do when her husband was coming home after a trip. She wore an old pair of pajamas and her hair was done up in a messy bun. She was looking out the window but she wasn't hoping to see Remy. She hoped he wouldn't come back for a long time yet. Maybe he'd let her grieve alone for once. Maybe if she could grieve the way she needed to then she could let the past be. She got up, walked around their bedroom, aimless and hopeless. She felt miserable in their room, in their house. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. There were too many horrible memories. Their memories should have been good and wonderful, something to cherish all the rest of their days. But this house was full of death.
Night set in but Ororo didn't notice. She was standing in the middle of the room hugging herself. She wasn't crying, wasn't moving. Remy watched her from the doorway feeling that everything he loved was slipping through his fingers. He didn't know how to reach her, how to show her he was there for her, how to make her see he loved her even more than he had thought. He didn't want to lose her because without her he would be lost again, forever.
"Mon chèrie, Stormy darlin', I'm back," Remy finally spoke up as he crept behind her and slid his arms around her.
Ororo spun around, startled. "You scared me," she said, pulling away.
"I'm sorry, chère, Remy come back early. I didn't wanna leave you alone too long. I missed you," he said, his velvet voice thick with emotion.
Ororo looked at him. He looked tired and he needed a shave. She ran her hand over the day old beard. He caught her hand, pulled her close, held her tight. He couldn't remember the last time she'd reached out to touch him.
"You . . . smell," Ororo said, pulling away from him yet again.
"I guess I need a shower, sorry," he said then bounded into their en suite.
Ororo stared hard at the door which he'd slammed shut. He'd fairly ran from her. She felt sick to her stomach. He smelled of perfume and she knew that perfume. He smelled of Rogue. Her heart sank. Her guilty husband was now showering off his ex's scent, her ardent touches, her desperate kisses.
"Hey, Stormy, everyt'ing alright?" Remy asked when his wife entered the bathroom. He was just getting ready to get into the shower.
"You should tell me if there's anything wrong, Remy."
"I don't know, dat's just da problem, chère. I wish you'd talk ta me."
"I'm talking," she said.
He looked at her, worried, confused, guilty, but he nodded, just glad it seemed as if they were finally going to be able to talk.
"Where were you, Remy?" she asked.
He was surprised by her question and overwhelmed with guilt but he quickly smiled though the smile vanished immediately and he shook his head, ashamed and angry with himself. If it had been anyone but Ororo he would've played them with a straight face. And Ororo, knowing her husband so well, noticed every nuance of his silent guilt. She leaned down, picked up the shirt and coat from the pile of clothes he'd tossed carelessly on the floor, sniffed them, one at a time, taking her time, and then she handed them to Remy.
"What do you smell besides smoke and your cologne?" she asked.
Remy had automatically reached for his things but he froze at her words, his arms still extended; the coat and shirt dangling in his hands.
"Did you run into anyone while you were in Chicago? Anyone we know?"
He couldn't find words. His deep, melodious voice was for once silent.
"Did you sleep with anyone when you were there? I hear she can control her powers now. Is that why you're in such a hurry to wash up? Did you hope I wouldn't notice that you stink of your ex?"
Remy swallowed as the evidence slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor.
"Well, your face tells me everything. At least you didn't lie to me."
"It's not what you t'ink, Ororo!" Remy cried as he reached for her but Ororo knocked his hands away.
"They always say that don't they? It wasn't supposed to happen, we didn't mean to – it just happened."
Remy heard the distant peal of thunder and knew it wasn't a storm that was coming – it was his wife's fury. And he knew she had every reason to be furious. He knew he should just tell her the truth but oh how he longed not to hurt her! One selfish, little slip and he'd betrayed her. He didn't want her to know because he didn't want to lose her. Seeing his ex hadn't been worth it. Suddenly he hated Rogue. But he hated himself more.
"Stormy, I love you, please, you gotta know dat, but Rogue's in trouble," he said.
Thunder rumbled as Ororo looked at him calmly.
"She needed me," he said, closing his eyes now, aware of how absolutely stupid he sounded. He tried again, "Stormy, nothin' happened! I promise you dat! She . . ."
"She certainly made sure she got enough of her perfume on you so that I wouldn't miss it," Ororo said, not letting him explain as she snatched his pants and shorts.
She held them to her nose, carefully sniffing each piece. But Rogue's scent wasn't there.
Remy stood there, naked in the middle of their bathroom, watching his wife, icy fear gripping his heart. He felt as if he were dying when Ororo sunk to her knees, clutching his clothes to her chest, and she began to cry. He immediately knelt beside her, wrapped her in his arms.
"She losin' her mind, chère, dat's what she wanted ta see me 'bout, dat's all. Oui, she kiss me but I didn't let her kiss me again. I was sorry I ever went to see her. As soon as I saw her I knew . . ."
"You knew what? That you still loved her, that you loved her more than me, that you made a mistake marrying me, the crazy lady who can't get over our child's death?" Ororo wailed, looking at him with such pain he felt it too.
"Non! Non!" he said, shaking his head savagely, reaching for her.
"Don't touch me, Remy! I cannot be certain that I won't strike you dead if you touch me ever again!" she screamed so loudly and fiercely with a clap of thunder echoing her anger, that Remy was actually afraid of his wife in that instant.
"But, Stormy I don't love her!" he roared, scared or not he didn't want to lose the only woman he knew he would ever love so completely.
"I don't love her at all! Just t'inkin' of how I screwed up, going ta see her, maybe losin' you – Ororo, she wasn't worth it. Not'ing's worth losin' you over. Please believe me! If I still loved her I couldn't have left her like she was, I wouldn't have deserted her like dat! She's out of control but it ain't up ta me ta try an' save her. I just wanted ta get back to you, Stormy. I only love you, chère, you're mon coeur, please believe me!"
The wild look in Ororo's eyes slowly faded with his desperate confession. She wiped at her eyes, looking at him with a sad, childlike look full of hope and fear and need. And this time when Remy reached for her, knelt beside her there on the cold tiles and pulled her to him, she sunk into his embrace.
"I should've told you what was goin' on wit' her but I didn't know how. I felt dat I had to see her alone, maybe hold her, to be held, just a hug, nothin' else. But I was wrong ta leave you to go to her an' I was miserable goin' ta meet her an' miserable when I saw her. I didn't want her, didn't want anyt'ing ta do wit' her. All I wanted to do was get back to you. I'm so sorry, mon amour, I'm just so sorry."
There was fear mixed with raw love in his voice and Ororo held onto him, drinking in the look of desperate love on his face. She felt the warmth of his body melting into the coldness of her own body, into the iciness of her hardened heart. She would not lose him too then. But could she be sure? Nothing was ever certain. Little Remy was proof of that. She'd always known how much Rogue meant to him, had accepted that that was simply how it would always be. Could he truly be free of his feelings for Rogue?
"I will never leave you like dat again. I promise, Ororo. Please believe me."
She didn't say anything just held onto him. If she lost Remy too she didn't know how she would go on. She knew he had been tempted because she hadn't been there for him. Remy believed that one day their baby would wake from his coma-like state and be whole. But she didn't believe that, too many months had passed. This was the rift between them. How could she blame Remy who had never pretended that he would not always love Rogue?
"Forgive me, mon précieux amour," Remy whispered.
"Forgive me, ma chère," she whispered in return for she would take the blame and she would never lock Remy out again. And slowly the storm outside subsided.
"Well, that didn't work," Rogue muttered to herself. She looked at the woman sleeping beside her and wondered briefly who she was. She didn't bother waking her but instead got up, dressed, and left.
"What a complete idiot," she grumbled after getting Remy's voice mail then, voice sugar sweet – "Remy, lover, ah sure was glad ta see ya. Ya don't know how good it was or how it helped me seein' you. Ah . . . ah need ta see you again, ah need ya sugah. It hurts ah need ya so bad. Please call me back. We need ta talk."
Remy and Ororo both looked at his phone vibrating on his nightstand. He didn't reach for it and Ororo had a feeling she knew why.
Last night they'd made love for the first time since she'd given birth. Being with Remy like that again made her feel as if she were finally healing, that they would survive this. But the hum of the vibrating phone was like a hammer crashing down on any hopes she had of mending what she might have broken.
"Why don't you answer it?" Ororo asked with an edge to her voice. She wanted him to settle things with Rogue, to prove he was truly done with her.
Remy wanted to say something to reassure her but he was tongue tied.
"I'll answer it," Ororo said, reaching over him but he caught her, pinned her beneath him and kissed her hard on the lips.
"If it's her, Remy don't want nothin' ta do wit' her. I only wanna be concentration' on you. I want our belle amitie back, you don't know how much I've missed you," he said, his voice an octave deeper and growing thick with desire.
"Our beautiful friendship," she breathed, realizing how deeply she cherished and loved Remy.
"I'm changin' my number," he added before he kissed her again, this time soft and long.
And Ororo gave in. It was better to love her husband than to let him be tempted by another woman. She pushed aside visions of him and Rogue, determined to believe her husband, desperate to trust that he had been true to her.
After their lovemaking she laughed and said, "What do you suppose she would have done had I answered?"
"Just' ask for me, she dat crazy now."
Ororo shoved him playfully before cuddling next to him. "What's wrong with her, Remy? Is she really so bad off?"
"Not sure but I t'ink her powers are out of control."
Ororo closed her eyes and sighed in satisfaction. So Rogue couldn't have made love to her husband!
"Did she – did she take your memories – our memories," she asked.
"She might've. But it wasn't long. I made her stop."
"Why? Did you think a kiss would make me jealous or . . ?"
"I thought going to see her would ruin us," Remy said flatly.
"Then why did you?"
"Ororo, I felt I had no choice."
"So every time she calls you'll be going to her aid?"
"No! No, mon chère, Remy can't help her. It's not my job to help her any more. De only one I gotta help is you – us. I gotta trust dat someone at de school will take care of her now."
"Then you were serious, that you're no longer in love with her?" Ororo asked, sitting up and looking at him as if his answer would make or break her.
He sat up, held her at arm's length, and nodded solemnly. "I swear, Ororo. I will always want her to be okay but dere's no love in me for her anymore. I guess I had to see her to find out."
Ororo leaned against him wanting him to hold her tight and never let go.
"I'll never see her again wit'out you," he promised and pulled her close, held her tight, not wanting to ever let her go.
Having seen that Remy had no intention of rendezvousing with her again, Rogue was already planning her next move. If he wouldn't come to her she'd go to him. She landed in New Orleans with a smile on her face and determination in her heart. She dialed the LeBeau's land line as she drove her rental car from the airport.
"Hello, Storm sugh, it's me, Rogue. Can ah speak ta my Remy a minute please?"
"I think you need to fix this," Ororo said when she handed the phone to Remy.
"Bonjour?" Remy said into the phone, giving Ororo a questioning look.
"Remy, darlin' ah'm in town! We still gotta talk. You don't even know how much ah've needed ya, lover. Ah can't . . ."
Ororo watched with relief as Remy hung up. Meanwhile Rogue looked at her cell and giggled.
"She's here," Remy said.
"Here?" Ororo moved to the window. Remy followed her, both peered out.
"She's in town, not here yet looks like."
"If she's in town she must really need to see you."
"She saw me an' . . . Ororo she don't need me. She's . . . somet'ing wrong wit' her, but Hank or somebody gonna have ta fix her. She's not Remy's problem any more."
"They haven't been able to help her in the past," Ororo said, wanting to add that they hadn't helped their son either. But instead she sighed and said, "We've been through a lot Rogue and I. Perhaps it won't hurt if we let her come over. Maybe if she sees how . . . well, that we're okay – we are okay aren't we?"
Remy gathered her to him, squeezed so hard she groaned, then loosening his grip he kissed her.
"I guess that means we're alright then," Ororo said and sighed.
"It means we gonna be just fine chère."
"And . . . and our baby? Remy, did you see him when you were in New York?"
Remy closed his eyes. "No. Only wit' you, chère, only wit' you," he murmured.
She nodded into his body, wishing she could burrow even closer. This man was her anchor. She had almost forgotten that. Without Remy – but she wouldn't have to think about life without Remy. She would make herself not think of little Remy either. She bit her lip now and fought back tears. When Remy Junior had been born he'd been so perfect and beautiful, with tanned, brown skin and hair just like Remy's only curly. What color would his eyes be she wondered, not for the first time?
"We gonna stick to de plan, chère. We wait it out," he whispered. "Agreed?"
She hadn't truly agreed before but she saw that he needed her to believe him and so she would. They had to get on with their lives. They couldn't survive if she didn't give them that chance.
"Agreed," she whispered back.
When Rogue showed up, Ororo opened the door with a welcoming smile for her old friend. But Remy came up behind his wife and draped his arm over his wife's shoulders, looking anything but welcoming.
"Oh," Rogue said when she saw their united front.
"Rogue, Remy said your powers are out of control and we're both worried for you. Have you talked to Henry or . . . ?"
"No," Rogue said, cutting her off, "Why should ah when ah know what'll help me? I wanna talk to Remy alone. Please."
"No," Remy said. "You got somethin' ta say you say it in front of my wife."
Rogue glared at Ororo who stood a little taller and smiled.
"We both want to help you," Ororo assured her.
"Ah – ah . . ."
"Go home, Rogue, they'll take good care of you. Remy want you to be okay but I can't help you."
"Ah know ya do an' you can sugah cause you're still in love with me like ah'm still in love with you."
"Remy and I have already discussed what happened and I think you may have misunderstood," Ororo said.
"Oh?" Rogue looked surprised.
"We got no secrets, Stormy an' me."
"It ain't no secret that you still love me! Storm you know it too! Don't let her come between us, Remy! You've always been there for me before, don't do this to me y'all, not when ah need help! Ah need you, Remy sugah. We love each other; we always have an' always will!"
Ororo was taken aback by Rogue's outburst but Remy only held his wife tighter.
"Dat's over wit'. I can't help you in anyway. I don't love you like I did an' if you keep dis up I'm gonna start not even caring. Seeing you again, it made me see how much I love my wife, dat she's my world an' you got no place in our world. My place is with her, not you."
"You were with me last night, remember ? He was in my arms, kissin' on me an' everything, Storm, cheatin' on you!"
"Remy mentioned that. Rogue, I think I should call Logan and have him come get you," Ororo said.
"No! Don't call him!" Rogue yelled.
"Don't leave, chère," Remy said, stopping Ororo from going.
"See! He's afraid of being alone with me and we both know why!"
"Rogue, this is becoming tiring. We only want to help you and I know Logan and the others care for you and want you to be well just as much as we do," Ororo said.
"Ah'm not talkin' to you anymore, Storm! Ah hate you for what you've done ta me an' Remy. You've wrecked my life an' this is all your fault!"
"You gonna' have ta leave, Rogue. Dere's no way I'm lettin' you talk to Ororo like dat!" Remy said, his voice full of anger.
"Ah ain't leavin' – ah, ah, ah'm gonna – ah'm gonna kick your ass from here ta Mississippi, Storm!" Rogue cried.
Ororo looked stunned, just for a moment, and then, trying not to chuckle, she just shook her head.
"Are you serious, Rogue?" Remy exclaimed. "Ororo'll be de one kickin' yer ass 'cept she be kickin' your southern fried ass all de way inta China. Now get the hell off our porch!"
Ororo grinned wide. She would have cheered had Rogue not been in such turmoil. She loved Rogue and their friendship was important to her. But now she was finding it hard not to have thoughts of ill will towards Rogue instead of feeling sorry for her friend.
"No, lover, please don't send me away! Please just let me in!" Rogue pleaded.
"Remy, why don't you call, Logan," Ororo suggested.
"No! Don't call him! What's he gotta do with it anyway? You think you've won, Storm but you haven't! Remy's still mine, heart an' soul, an' he always will be. No! Don't you call Logan you idiot!" Rogue screeched and pushed past Ororo as she tried to stop Remy who'd pulled his phone out. Throwing herself at him she nearly knocked him down.
"Let's try to be civilized about this, Rogue!" Ororo urged.
"Hah! Ah'm in y'all's house now an' y'all ain't never gettin' rid of me! Ah'm y'all's new house guest fer good now!" Rouge squealed triumphantly.
Remy exchanged a look with Ororo as he stepped further away from Rogue. "Rogue, you gonna have ta settle down," he said.
"Why don't you sit down since you're in? And, Remy ma chèrie, please get her a drink – what would you like Rogue?"
"Huh? Uh, a drink? Well, yeah, sure. I'll have a – a – a mint julep, since you're offerin' an' you go get it fer me, Storm."
Ororo and Remy exchanged a look again, both of them at an utter loss.
"If ya can't trust your husband with me fer a minute then you ain't got a marriage, now go on, scat!" Rogue said.
Ororo took a deep breath then left the two of them alone. But as soon as she was gone Rogue threw herself into Remy's arms and kissed him.
"Get off me!" Remy gasped as he fought her off. She put up quite a struggle. And even though she didn't seem as strong as she once was they still wrestled for a minute.
"Listen you! You better dump that bitch an' go back to – go back to me you asshole! I didn't come all the way down here for nothing you disgusting Cajun! I am not goin' back without you even if I have to kill your little Stormy!" Rogue snarled as she tripped Remy then sat on top of him.
"Am I interrupting?" Ororo asked as she stood in the doorway with a glass of water in hand.
"It ain't what you t'ink, Stormy!" Remy shouted.
"No, ma chèrie, I expect it isn't," Ororo said. She sat down in an armchair and calmly took a sip of water as she watched Rogue get up, Remy quickly following suit.
"You didn't!" Rogue cried as she stared at the cell phone in Ororo's other hand.
"I did and Logan would like to speak to you, Rogue," Ororo said, holding the phone out to her new house guest.
"Well, ah don't wanna talk ta him!"
"Why didn't you tell me that you two were dating now?" Ororo said.
"Cause we ain't!"
"Interesting because apparently you're actually with him right now – on a date. I'm presuming you weren't aware of that little fact, Mystique," Ororo said.
"Mystique!" Remy cried.
Rogue laughed. "Who's ta say the woman with him ain't really Mystique? They used ta date decades ago ya know!"
"Well, Logan could detect – oh, that's right! Your second mutation allows you to duplicate a person's scent now! Did you hear that, Logan? Looks like you're the one that's been duped. Why don't you stab your faux Rogue a few times since she's the impostor? That should solve our little dilemma and Rogue, you won't mind as long as he doesn't kill her, right?"
Rogue or Mystique starred, her mouth hanging open wide.
"I'm on it!" Logan said over the speaker, a hint of amusement in his husky voice.
"No! Don't do it! Don't hurt her, Logan! You're right, it's me, Mystique!" Raven Darkholme cried, almost instantaneously transforming into her true form.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Remy roared as he lunged for the blue skinned, red haired mutant.
Raven screamed as his hands gripped her throat.
"You had me t'inkin' I'd lost Ororo!" Remy shouted.
"You should . . . be happy . . . uh . . . let me . . . go!" Raven sputtered as she tried to pry his fingers off. But Ororo gently laid a hand on her husband's shoulder and his grip automatically loosened, his wife's touch calming him.
"Now that you know you love Storm more than Rogue you owe me boy," Mystique said. "But I'm going to kill, Logan. He wasn't supposed to be with Rogue! That girl lied to me!"
"As you lied to us," Ororo replied. She was quite amused by the ruse. "I think I suspected something was off when you declared that you were our new house guest then wanted a mint julep."
"Why'd you do dat to me? I had ta leave Rogue when she needed me most! You made me t'ink she was really bad off an' I couldn't help her!" Remy said.
"It's your own fault jackass! You went and married Storm, left Rogue with a broken heart, and she ended up cryin' on Wolverine's shoulder, of all people, you spineless, wishy-washy gigolo! And now she's screwing him!"
"Ew," Remy commented.
"You see! You do still love her! You're jealous!"
"Uh, no. Dat's just how I always felt when Wolverine was sniffin' around Stormy all de time – just eww, glad she had enough sense not ta fall for him. But if Logan gonna make Rogue happy, an' he does heal up in case her powers freak out, well, dat's good for dem."
"Oh, shut up, Gambit!" Mystique muttered.
"Don't go blamin' me! You an' her need ta talk. Now, you gonna leave or you want my wife ta kick your sorry, blue ass ta Westchester?"
"You don't think we didn't talk! She said she wasn't seeing him anymore, that she was going away for a while, needed time to think by herself. But she sneaked off with him and wrecked my plan to keep her away from Wolverine!"
"Rogue probably just wanted you to stop badgering her, she a grown woman. But, yeah, Remy kinda understand where you're comin' from – it's Logan after all. But when you love someone, really love 'em you'll do anyt'ing not to hurt her," he said, looking at his wife.
Mystique watched Remy walk over to his wife then kneel in front of the chair she was sitting in and embrace her.
"Je suis desolé, Ororo. I shoulda never gone an' seen her wit'out tellin' you. Will you forgive me for bein' so stupid, chère?"
Ororo urged him up then pulled him down on top of her, laughing. "I'm sorry too, Remy, of course I forgive you. We both made mistakes and I hope you can forgive me . . . for everything."
"You two are sickening."
"Then it would seem that that is your cue to leave," Ororo said, then ignoring Raven altogether she kissed her husband.
Mystique looked at the two for a short moment. She was surprised by how solid their love seemed to be, their obvious bond. She'd been so certain that Remy still loved her foster daughter. Now it was obvious that he loved only Ororo. Mystique wasn't an overly emotional woman but a small part of her was glad for them, just a tiny part.
"So, Rogue is going to continue to screw my ancient ex and I must do nothing about it if I don't want to lose her again," she said to herself then shuddered a bit as she thought of Logan making love to her beloved Rogue.
"Ew," Remy and Ororo said together and laughed at each others reaction.
"You like a cockroach, Mystique, can't get rid of it wit'out squashin' it. Can't you just go?" Remy said.
"That's an inane analogy," Raven replied.
"It means get de hell outta our house an' don't come back or maybe I just might choke de life outta you."
"Raven, just as Remy said, Rogue's a grown woman; if she's happy can't you try to be happy for her?" Ororo asked, quietly.
"You traitors! You should both want her with anyone but that man! You didn't want him did you, Storm?"
"I . . ."
"You didn't even know he loved you because, ew, you wouldn't want to be with someone like that."
"Well . . . I . . ."
"See? I just wish you weren't right." Mystique groaned. "Alright, I'm leaving but you should both thank me. Neither of you would have found out Rogue is out of the picture now. I can't believe I ever thought of Gambit as the lesser evil between him and Wolverine," Mystique said as she walked out.
"Raised in a barn too," Remy muttered as he got up and shut then locked the door.
"She's just trying to get a rise out of you, ma chèri," Ororo said, coming up behind him and slipping her arms around him.
Remy turned around, holding on to her. He chuckled. "Remy know exactly how ta make you forget Logan ever went sniffin' 'round you, an' I'm gonna make you forget all night long, Mrs. LeBeau."
Time passed and Remy's mistake and Ororo's depression became faded memories. But for all the grief their crisis had caused it had shown the couple how much they truly loved each other. Fortunately over the years they never had another rough patch like that. Rogue moved on from Logan to Erik and still had an amiable friendship with Logan and Remy and Ororo, apparently happy with the master of magnetism. Logan moved on as he always did, content with life for the most part. Sometimes he still wished he'd made a move on Ororo before Remy woke up and grown some balls but all in all they were all happy. And yet Ororo and Remy were still fighting one lone memory. They never had another child though Ororo had finally agreed to try.
Now as Ororo wound her arms around Remy he pulled her against him wanting to make love to his wife. Realizing what he could have lost he never got tired of making love to her. This was the way it was supposed to be, he thought – or not. Their land line was ringing. He cursed under his breath. Their cells were off and only the X-Men had their home number.
"Henry's monthly progress report," Ororo said quietly when she walked over and saw the number. And Remy saw there would be no sex that day and not that night either and perhaps not for a while after. Hank's calls always set Ororo back for a day or two but he'd grown to accept that.
"I was wrong, it's Logan," Ororo whispered after answering the call.
"If he's breakin' up wit' his latest girlfriend ta try an' steal you away from me den I'm gonna have ta kill ol' man Logan. Man's timing was always bad," Remy grumbled. But Ororo wasn't listening.
Remy started at the look of alarm on his wife's face, thought how he would kill Mystique if she was messing with Ororo again. For that matter he'd even kill Rogue if she ever hurt Ororo. There was no choice to be made now. He only had one love and that was his wife, his life, his Stormy.
"Remy!" Ororo cried, dropping the cordless phone. Remy, now just as alarmed, reached for her.
"Chère, bébé what's wrong?" he demanded.
"Oh, ma chèri, our baby! Logan said he woke up when Rogue and Erik were visiting him! Henry said he's alert and well, to come! Our little Remy's going to be okay!" she sobbed.
"Stormy . . . Stormy . . . thirteen years . . ." it was all he could say.
"You were right, Remy, you were so right! You said to wait it out, just wait and see." Ororo couldn't stop talking and crying even as she threw her arms around him. "You always knew he'd be okay didn't you? If only I'd listened to you at first, but oh, how hard it was to think of our little one laying there all these years not quite alive and yet not quite gone. But now he's awake! Oh, Remy! Oh, Remy!"
Remy's own tears fell onto Ororo's hair, tears of joy and love. The diagnosis of their son had been more guessing than fact, that their baby had mutated in the womb possibly. She'd had a c-section when they hadn't detected a heartbeat when she was thirty-six weeks along. The baby was born as if asleep, not breathing, but all other vital signs positive. Not in a coma but in hibernation from what the many consulted experts believed. Hank speculated that the child was waiting for puberty to complete his mutation. If he could survive. He'd made no promises. He only knew the child had the X gene, and he hoped that he, Reed and the others were right. And now their baby boy had come out of the hibernation phase Hank had correctly guessed him to be in!
"Whoa, Stormy, we gonna have a super baby on our hands!" Remy said and they both laughed, neither caring what their child's mutant power would be.
They would have the family they'd both longed for. They would truly be alright now. The red string of fate that tied them so firmly together may have frayed, even unraveled some but they were now bound and knotted in love that no one could undo, he and his wife and their little boy.
~Finis~
A/N – Well, I hope you enjoyed this. I couldn't think of a good power to give their child so if anyone has any suggestions pm me and I might write a short little epilogue. Thanks.