Chapter Three –Escapees

Chapter Three –Escapees

"If y' so much as put a foot out o' dat bed Remy LeBeau, I will knock y' into next week!"

Remy grumbled silently as he laid bed-ridden in the confines- no, cage that was his bedroom. After finally regaining consciousness not three days ago, he had been force fed, fussed over and frustrated by the fact that he couldn't do simple tasks such as walk on his own two feet without help. If he wasn't recovering from a near death experience, he knew his brother and cousins would have teased him to no end. He felt like a child sick in bed with the way Tante Mattie fussed over him. If he so much as grunted or shifted, she was onto him. And as much as he loved Tante he hated it when she fussed over him. His injured state didn't improve his chances of escaping her fussing either. So that was why he waited; waited until Tante Mattie had to leave to attend to dinner for the rest of the household. He remained still and vigilant as her distinctive footsteps echoed down the hallway outside his door. It was only when she reached the stairs that he pushed back the covers and carefully slipped his feet over the edge.

It was nice to finally stand on his own- for about a second before the aching in his chest spread to his legs. As his knees bended like rubber, his head began to spin but after holding onto the bedpost for support for a good half a minute, the world snapped into focus and he was making his way across the room. A satisfied sigh escaped him as he reached the bedroom door. He had always been a fast healer but even he had to admit that he had never recovered so quickly before. But then again, he had never taken a bullet to the heart before.

His footsteps barely struck a sound as he made his way down the silent hallway but the real difficulty came when going down the stairs. Each step had its own creak of weakness.

It was a minefield.

Every time the wooden steps creaked under his feet, Remy would silently curse and become as still as a marble statue as he waited for Tante Mattie to come reeling like an enraged Banshee. He sighed silently in relief when he made it to the last step but was quick to remember his initial quest. He had spent five days cold turkey without so much as a whiff of a cigarette.

Once outside, he was a free agent. The warm evening air engulfed him with a sense of refreshment as he walked steadily across the grass lawn that tickled the soles of his feet. The estate grounds were a jungle of their own with the tall walls set around the perimeter, allowing protection if not privacy for its occupants. Remy had barely skimmed twenty feet away from the house when he stopped behind a particularly large oak tree only to pull out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. With the pinch of his finger tips, the cigarette lit with a kinetic charge. He took a long drag and exhaled; enjoying the breath of fresh air as it slipped through his nostrils. The cancer stick dangled between his fingers as he leant against the tree's spine and swept his gaze of the familiar grounds.

To think that the last time he had looked at his home was almost the last.

Another sigh escaped him as he dropped the cigarette and crushed it under his heel. It seemed pointless now to tempt death any further, pointless and stupid. Absentmindedly he began to pace the wilder parts of the plantation. His feet did the thinking for him. He had the entire plantation burned into his memory so there was no real means of getting lost but just this once he wanted to pretend that he was. It would match well with the mess he was already lost in. A deep sigh erupted from him. Perhaps putting out that cigarette had been a mistake after all, he thought. At least that had proven to be a distraction. He contemplated jumping the fence and exploring the bayou that surrounded the house but ended the idea before he even reached the fence. "Dead give away." He didn't want to get mud on his feet. Tante Mattie would be looking for him by now and he didn't need any more evidence against him and his unauthorized escapade. He decided it was best to keep to the grounds and continued on down the invisible path his feet seemed to follow. However while his feet seemed programmed in their stride and destination, his gaze was free to roam the evening scene. The familiar every-day scene caused a slight frown to mar his handsome face. Again the thought that he could have lost all this plagued his mind. He could have lost his family, his home; everything that was a part of his life-

He was suddenly brought out of the maze that was his mind as an out-of-place but certainly familiar sight appeared in his view some feet away...

He felt something in him, that something he couldn't name nor define awaken fully at the sight of her. His feet took charge of his destination much like before. He was walking towards her before he could think to stop himself.

"Bonsoir chére." (Good evening dear)

Though he said it softly, the young woman was startled as she came away from her own thoughts. He had watched her no more than half a minute from a distance but somehow he knew she had been miles away in her thoughts. As soon as those flecks of green ice landed on him, they flickered with surprise for a moment then brightened as the full extent of the emotion lit up her face. Remy found himself in difficultly to breathe for a moment. Never had he seen such eyes.

He fell out of his thoughts once he realised she was staring at him with a glint of confusion in those timeless eyes. Remy cleared his throat and put on a fragment of his hold smirk.

"We never got t' exchange names chére. I be Remy LeBeau."

He held out a hand in offering. She eyed it sceptically as if it would bite. Remy uttered an amused, anxious chuckle.

"Remy don't bite chére."

Still sceptical, the woman reached out and slid her delicate gloved hand into his. He felt the warmth of her hand pulse even through the fabric of her glove.

So warm... He thought.

When she did not say anything, he raised his brow and attempted to catch her gaze with his as he spoke.

"May Remy have de honour o' knowing y' name belle?" (beautiful)

It was as if the woman suddenly came alive again. If he was not mistaken, she shook her head slightly as if to shake away her quiet disposition. The lightest of blushes spread across her lily-white cheeks as she replied gently.

"Ah'm sorry... It's Marie."

Her voice sounded rough from disuse. Even so, that sultry Southern accent sent nothing but tremors down his spine. Marie... He practiced silently to himself. He grinned a little wider and she blushed deeper. She still wouldn't quite meet his eyes, no matter how hard he tried to catch it. Instead he remained with her hand in his and raised it to his lips. He felt her pulse quicken under his lips.

"Dat's a pretty name chére."

That blush he was now so fond of deepened but he was disappointed when she drew back her hand. He realised as she tucked it under her sling-bound arm that she was wrapped in a very familiar pale yellow shawl...

He was suddenly brought out of his thoughts when Marie spoke.

"Ah should head back. You're Aunt won't beh happy t' know ah snuck out."

He almost laughed at the irony of the situation but wasn't given leave to as she began to walk away. Something sank within him, something close to the heart. He followed quickly.

"Wait a minute chére-"

She stopped abruptly and froze like a statue the moment his hand rested on her covered shoulder. A confusion he didn't quite understand emerged in him but it was swiftly forgotten when she turned to look at him. And really looked at him for the first time...

He swore he couldn't breathe in that moment.

And then it all came shattering to a halt with the familiar call of his name. The connection between them snapped in two and Remy was forced to turn around in the direction of the caller. It was twice he was surprised that morning.

"Remy!"

His fiancée's face lit up with a mixture of anger and relief. Thankfully, for the moment, it was relief that won out of the two as she raced towards him at a quick pace. As soon as he was within reach, she pulled him down for a quick embrace only to push him back and slap him up the back of the head. He hadn't the time to say 'ouch' before she was berating him about the engagement party he had so dramatically missed. Her violet eyes simmered angrily.

"Y' grand fou! Y' ditched our engagement party t' get y' self shot!"

"Bella-"

"Que pensiez-vous? Sortir le soir où tu savais mon frère et ses amis seraient hors de votre sang?"

(What were you thinking? Going out that night when you knew my brother and his friends would be out for your blood?)

Remy sighed as she continued to rant in French. He realised now that perhaps he should have been more careful that night, before the shooting. Belladonna's discerning gaze did not ease the pass of his mistake either. However when those violet pools became glossing with tears, he felt an abundance of guilt overwhelm him. He held no contempt for Belladonna over their arranged marriage. She was as much a victim of the treaty as he and as much of a sham their pending wedding would be, it was hers. It was the only real wedding she- or inevitably he- would ever have. The other night had been important to her but he knew that it flailed in comparison to her worry for him. They had been close friends since childhood. Of course she would be worried. Right now he assumed she was just angry at him and at herself for being too emotional. The second smack to his head by the flick of her wrist was evidence of that. She tended to act out on him whenever her emotions were in uproar.

"Damn y' LeBeau! Y' nearly got y' self killed!"

She began to pace on the spot, sending him a meaningful glare his way now and again as she forced back tears. Belladonna was probably the only one he knew capable of hiding her emotions with ease around people. All but him of course. When she came near enough, he reached out and pulled her into a one-armed hug he knew she needed. She punched his good arm none too lightly but he bit back a groan of pain. She cursed him in French one last time before relaxing. When she was calm, Remy spoke.

"Je suis desóle ma ami. Mais I was jus' helpin' a fellow t'ief. T'ings got out o' hand..."

He didn't know why he didn't tell her it was a woman he had tried to help. Even in their betrothed state, he somehow figured it a bad idea to tell Bella everything. Not after what Julien had done before they were shot. He fell out of thought when Bella pulled out of his arms. She sniffed once and wiped her eyes before setting a stony glare his way.

"Y' one o' ma best amis Remy. Mais ify' die on moi, I'll bring y' back et kill y' m'self!"

Though Remy chuckled, he didn't double her capabilities. No matter how far fetched it seemed, he knew Bella would've found a way to reach the impossible. He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. He thought of kissing her head but the thought became dry and foul in his mind. He frowned for a moment. When had that ever been the case? He recovered with a light chuckle as he replied warmly.

"T'anks for caring Bella. It's nice t' know y' do now et again."

Bella punched him one last time, emitting a light grunt of pain from him before she spoke.

"So what are y' doin' out here anyhow?"

Hit with a cold shock of realisation, Remy turned to where Marie had stood...to find she had disappeared all too soon.

Oh does it feel wonderful to be back in the game. Great news you guys! I've got 4 months off and LOADS of time for writing again! REVIEW!

-Gams