Disclaimer: Marvel's characters not mine.

Author's Note: Yes, I know that the beginning seemed all too familiar with the movie, but I wasn't sure how to start off the story properly. So this chapter is going to start a bit different for the sake of the story. Besides, I didn't want it to be EXACTLY like the movie in the first place. :P I'm being so generous today, so offered up to type another chapter. :) ENJOY!


Die Another Day

2. Rank of Hands

New Orleans, a few years earlier…

Remy LeBeau only smiled as he began to look at his fan of cards in front of him.

"Well, Remy, yo' betta not cheat dis time!" the man had said angrily as he began to lift a card from the remaining pile of cards in the middle of the table.

Remy shrugged, he didn't really know why others could be such a sore loser. Sure he had a number of games won, but that didn't exactly mean he was cheating. It was only his luck he had to presume.

"Don' be such a sore loser, it's only a game." Remy reminded him only to earn a glare in response.

"Yea' I wouldn't be a sore loser, if dis game didn't involve MY money!"

Remy only shrugged as he continued to concentrate on the poker game. He recently had just betted only a few bucks of cash, mainly a few hundreds and a few fifties but nothing too much to surprise himself. He instantly then looked at the middle of the table to see the large amount of cash settled near the deck of cards and took a slight gasp at how much there was. It looked a like a good wager to himself to buy a few expensive things at hand.

So far, Remy was just having a bit of luck, or as he would like to call it. Winning a good amount of money from the past few games of other opponents until this man decided to challenge him. Thinking that he had the best of Remy LeBeau when in fact, the opponent was indeed losing.

Remy then took out of the cards in his set and decided to place it in the middle as he took another card from the deck.

He smiled, "Yo' wanna drop it?" he asked.

The opponent looked at him, taking a good notice of his demonic red eyes. He gave a snarl and decided that maybe he had an extremely good chance at beating this Cajun. His heart began to beat a bit faster, his adrenaline beginning to increase as he took one more look at his hand of cards.

"Yo' first, LeBeau." The opponent replied.

Remy wasn't hesitant has he laid out his cards evenly on the table.

3 of clubs, 3 of spades, 3 of diamonds, 6 of clubs, and 6 of hearts.

It was a full house.

The opponent briefly looked at his cards and was taken aback when he had noticed he had… a flush! The opponent then sat there in his wooden chair, gripping his cards tightly as he began to stare down Remy. He didn't know how it could have been possible!

Instantly the opponent then grew out an angry cry as he threw his hands of cards towards the Cajun.

"HOW IN DA HELL!" he cried.

Remy shrugged as he just blindly gave a slight smile towards the man who was now in distraught.

"I take it dat I…"

"DON' SAY IT, LEBEAU! DON' SAY DAT YO' WON!" the man screamed gaining the eyes of many others who were in the bar.

"Okay," Remy replied calmly as he leaned back towards the chair and stretched. "Yo' lose!"

Remy didn't see it coming but the opponent then leapt towards him, grabbing his collar.

"Ya' like t'make jokes, do ya?" the opponent screamed hotly in Remy's face.

Remy coughed as he took a small gasp of breath, "When was da last time yo' brushed yo' teeth!"

The opponent then grew madly as he then balled his hand into a fist, raising it above his head as he began to strike.

Remy instantly kicked him in the stomach, sending him across the room. The opponent laid on the floor as Remy got up calmly and walked towards him.

"Dat's a shame, can't even take a poker game." Remy said as he helped up the opponent on his feet.

Yet he might have made a mistake as the man decided to try and take another shot in punching Remy's face. Remy took the hard shot in his cheek, stepping back as the opponent then grabbed a wooden chair and slammed it on the floor, breaking the wooden chair into several pieces. A few people gasped in surprise and decided to leave the bar immediately.

"Hey! That's enough!" the bartender yelled, but the opponent seemed to ignore his request and continued.

The opponent then took the sharpest wooden material from the floor and proceeded towards Remy.

"Let me make dis clear, Cajun! No one takes my money!" he screamed as he ran towards him, preparing to strike the splintered ends of the wood into Remy's head.

'Okay, I've just about enough of dis…' Remy thought. He reached into his trench coat pocket and pulled out a small object. Making sure it was the right one to choose, Remy took a good aim and threw it on the floor. The opponent stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at what just had been thrown. It was a small black orb, the opponent stood back and in an instant a burst of smoke came from within and began to spread quickly throughout the bar.

The smoke was nearly opaque, but Remy managed to make his way to the area where the betting money had been located. While the opponent was distracted by the grey and very unsettling smell of the smoke, Remy continued. Leaning towards the floor he felt the crispy dollar bills with his finger tips and quickly started stuffing his pockets.

'Da smoke won' last fo' very long.' He thought to himself.

Knowing this, he made his way to the quickest exit from the front doors and ran towards the next stop for his afternoon.


The doctor's office, present-day...

Rogue shot Remy a glare, "What does this hafta do with meetin' each otha?"

Remy then gave a smile towards his wife, holding up a hand in giving a gesture for her to calm down.

"Hang on der, Remy gettin' der soon."

Rogue only smirked and huffed, "Okay, Cajun. Don't be fibbin' on how we met nah."

"You may continue, Remy." The counselor spoke.


New Orleans, a few years earlier…

Remy didn't exactly plan on what to do afterwards.

He was glad to have his skin still intact, not to mention the wealthy earning from the past poker games. However, Remy kind of suspected that he might not be going to the same bar for a while.

'Might as well call it a suspension.' Remy thought in his head. He shrugged afterwards and began to walk a few miles to another one of his favorite local bars. This time, it wasn't for any trouble with a handful of lucky poker games.

He needed a drink.

He sighed; Remy couldn't believe that violence was just becoming part of his life. He just wished for a bit of peace at least, this was his monthly off before he had to go back in the deadly business, and he did not want it to start off with a fist fight. Sometimes Remy wondered if he ever really wanted to quit. Get a real job, someday even getting married, or having any kids.

Just walking a few more blocks down the sidewalk, Remy came up to a small tavern, from the inside he could hear the loud noises of music and the pure smell of alcohol.

Remy only smirked; the routine of coming by here seeing people drunk was just a typical day for business. Yet when he began to walk inside, he noted that there weren't as many people inside like he thought. He found that it was good thing, now he could have at least a few minutes of quiet time and a good swig of beer.

He walked towards his usual seat near the bar table and hopped onto a stool.

A beautiful blonde girl walked up to him, "Hey sweetie. What would ya like dis time?"

Remy gave her a wink, "The usual, Dacey."

The blonde gave him a sultry smile, "Comin' right up, Remy."

While he waited patiently he began to turn around to scan the small area. The jukebox was playing loudly with jazz – one of New Orleans signatures. The tables only occupied with a few customers, but he only gazed upon one.

She was a woman with her head slightly looking down. Her hair was a cascading shade of brunette but he couldn't help the fact that the white streaks added a nice touch to frame her face. She was wearing a gray tank top along with a seemingly knee length skirt. He also had to notice the nice comfortable pair of shoes she matched her attire with.

Remy had to arch his brow, he never saw this woman in here before. He always knew the majority of all the usual customers were mainly all males – but it was the first time he actually saw a woman sitting and drinking a mug of beer herself.

"Here ya go, Remy. A nice cold beer for ya." The blonde said as she settled the beer on the bar table.

"Thanks," He replied and gave her a decent amount of cash to make the blonde grin.

Remy then took his gaze to the young woman at one of tables. She was taking a small gulp of beer but she had noticed the pair of red eyes towards her. While taking down the drops of alcohol, she looked up to see Remy staring at her. She had put down the mug of beer and began to look at him back.

That was Remy noticed the woman wink at him. Remy immediately felt a slight tingling sensation down his spine. He hadn't the slightest idea why, but it felt nice.

Remy then brought his mug along with him as he began to walk towards the young woman.

"Now what's a pretty fille like yo'self doin' here?" Remy asked only to receive a small smile from the woman.

"Drinkin' my usual mug of beer fo' the day, whatcha' think I'm doin'?" she retorted, taking another swig of alcohol.

Remy grinned as he pulled up a wooden chair next to her.

"Jus' to warn ya' belle der's a few things that might not be safe in dis bar for a woman like you." Remy said with a wink.

The woman laughed, "Oh really? This comin' from you, Cajun?"

Remy took a sip from his mug, "Yo' noticed, eh? Mabbe yo' like it, no?"

The woman gave him a brief look on her face as if she didn't want to admit it. But deep down, she could feel her heart racing as she was being talked to by this handsome young man.

"De name's Remy LeBeau." He said as he held out a hand for her to shake.

The woman blushed, "Mah name's Marie. Marie D'Ancanto"


A/N – So there you have it. Remy finally meets Rogue, hmm. I wonder what happens next? ;-) Tell me what you think!