AN: Okay so I forgot to put that if you guess who the mutants Remy is thinking of when Vertigo and Sabertooth are fighting them I will give you some insight into what will happen in upcoming chapters, so yeah either PM it to me or put it in a review! Please and Thank YOU! :D
Rogue and Remy stole through the mansion with agile soft tracks, making their way down to the hangar. Rogue was excited, pumped up for the upcoming mission, the fantasies she wished she could keep at bay playing incessantly in her mind. She hid her ecstasy well, settling for a mask of quiet poise. Remy on the other hand could not hide his emotions so well. His nightmare had shook him deep within and there was no way for him to keep his thoughts from the part he had played in the massacre. He wished he could die in that moment, because the guilt, the aching guilt in the pit of his stomach was making him so nauseous that before they hit the hangar he was sure he was going to spew. Stomach acid bit at his esophagus and he wished, hoped, prayed that the pain would go away despite the fact that he knew he deserved it.
Rogue had not looked back at him until they were boarding the X-Jet. She was too happy, too busy trying to alter her facial expressions to keep the others unaware of her current risqué thoughts involving the certain Cajun she was towing to the jet. Remy and Rogue took a seat on the jet next to each other, Remy sitting once again with his elbows at his knees and his folded hands held in front of his mouth, his burning red eyes holding immense pain. Rogue turned to look at him, at the man she swore she was falling in love with and for a moment her façade broke and she too felt the pain, the stomach acid churning in her intestines.
"Chere, don't worry 'bout moi 'kay. Remy's just thinkin', plannin' out the recon in 'is head," Remy lied through his teeth. He could feel the waves of concern beaming off of Rogue and he hated himself more for making this beautiful angel love him, feel for him, someone who deserved no such thing.
"How did ya?" Rogue asked half silently.
"I'm an Empath Roguey," Remy smiled slightly turning to look at the belle. He sighed. How was he going to let her love him? "I can feel other people's emotions."
"Oh," Rogue said quietly, casting her eyes downward to her boots. She moved them back and forth much like a child would, as if she was embarrassed someone had caught her caring for him.
At that moment Ororo entered the jet with Logan both discussing the night's plans. They turned to look at Rogue and Remy, sitting so near each other but obviously both physically upset about something. The two looked at each other with thoughts running through their heads that only the other could know. Logan and Ororo had become close friends since his recruitment to the team. She seemed to be the only person who could calm Logan down when he was in a fit of rage, and as they both had a penchant for a certain Southern belle the two acted as parental figures and guidance counselors to the young Rogue. Ororo knew upon Remy's arrival, Logan had become especially protective of Rogue's virtue, much like that of a father and it didn't help that Remy's womanizing ways were world renowned. Ororo had pleaded with him to wait until all the cards were played but with this obvious uneasiness on the jet Wolverine would soon be making an appearance and it would not be due to any anti-mutant activity in Connecticut.
Ororo's sapphire eyes turned into begging oceans, attempting to quell the feral's anger. She could have sworn she could see the strain it took for him to keep his claws inside his hands and with a whispered, gruff "You better be right," Logan walked to his seat beside Scott, hoping that there would be plenty of dumb guards that he could pick off without anyone noticing.
Storm took a seat across from Remy and Rogue watching them with discriminating eyes which the pair had both felt firsthand prior to this bout upon the jet. Gambit attempted a smile, trying to show his cool, smooth demeanor that Storm knew all too well, but Storm merely shifted her gaze to Rogue who had now crossed her legs and arms and rotated her body towards the front of the jet. There was no doubt in Storm's mind that something was going on and it worried her. Remy leaned back in his seat, crossing his ankles out in front of him. He knew that this was soon to be the tensest mission he had ever gone on.
"Is everyone ready?" stated a too chipper Scott. He spun around in the pilot's chair to face the passengers to be met with glares. His words grated on everyone's already stressed nerves.
"You just don't know when to say the right thing do ya bub?" Wolverine said shaking his head. Scott gulped audibly despite being the leader and turned back around to man the controls.
The flight to the MRD base was quiet, too quiet for Rogue's liking, which is why she used the time to think of the various holes in her relationship with Remy. His stoic demeanor on the plane left her rattled and she wondered what had happened in the ten minute period they were separated that had changed his persona so much. Ororo could see by Rogue's actions and the way she bit her lip just so that she had returned to her insecure habits and with the whole of her being she held back the need to rush over and console her as well as strike Remy with an exceptionally large bolt of lightning.
Scott landed about half a mile outside of the base, touching down lightly on a soft patch of grass. He was frightened to speak at first and then after a moment he realized that he was in control of the situation and spoke.
"Alright, Gambit you're up. Storm, give us some cover," Scott stated as Storm brought a thick fog upon the surrounding area. "Gambit you will scope out the exterior to search for a point of entry as we were unable to get schematics for the facility. After finding an access route you will proceed inside the base with Rogue while Wolverine mans the entry point to ensure that you and Rogue have an exit. Storm will remain on the outskirts to call in to Wolverine any possible complications with guards. I'll be staying behind in the jet in case a quick getaway is needed. After you assess the various tech and guard towers within, you will report back. Is everything clear?"
"I think I should go with ol' Gumbo instead of Rogue," Wolverine mentioned, the only thing on his mind being ripping Remy's womanizing private parts to shreds so that he would have no way of hurting Rogue.
"Why? I can take care of mahself Logan, in case ya haven't noticed," Rogue stated angrily. She was in too much of a heightened mood. Remy tended to have that affect on her. Gambit couldn't help but smile, he loved when she was sassy.
Logan grumbled and Ororo followed him as he clenched his jaw, pulled the hood of his uniform over his head, and stormed out of the jet.
"Can't wait to get inside, non Roguey," Gambit stated trying to clear the tension of the plane ride over as him and Rogue walked to the facility. Rogue was silent and after a few moments took a few strides ahead of him. She wondered if he was just playing mind games with her. Hadn't he opened himself up to her before? So why did it seem like he was hiding something tremendous from her?
Remy's stomach tossed and turned and he tried to focus on the task at hand, chiefly getting in and out of the MRD base without being detected. But he had other things on his mind, like the fact that he had hurt Rogue inadvertently and he had no way, at the moment, of making it better. As he and Rogue stood in the fog engulfing the facility, Wolverine a little too close for Gambit's comfort, he scanned with his well adjusted eyes the various outer workings of the base.
"There, above de firs' gate, after de second guard tower. There's a guard entrance that no one is at," whispered Gambit to Rogue and Wolverine who stood awaiting his next move. The thief pulled out his bo staff and agilely pole vaulted over the fence landing like a cat on the other side, shielded by the ever thickening fog. Rogue was next up, as she flew over the fence touching down gracefully beside Gambit. Wolverine, claws out, growled his way up the fence and over landing in a seemingly normal fit of anger on the other side of the fence.
"What now Gumbo, or have you forgotten that there are about thirty guards and motion detectors on the way to that damn hidey hole entrance of yours," rumbled Wolverine.
"Well now Wolvie, if ya doubt ya skills by all means stay behin'. Gambit's sure dat he and Roguey can handle it from 'ere," Gambit poked fun gaining his façade back with his every thievish movement.
"Come on Logan, stop being a baby. If anything you can slice and dice 'em all before we get there," added Rogue as she sauntered her way up to the next barrier. Storm's fog was offering great cover for the three and it gave them an extra advantage in a field like this.
The first set of motion detectors was up, and Gambit spotted them just before the gang stepped across the boundary. He outstretched his arms to stop them and waited as Rogue floated across the area to the shadows of the building. She beckoned them across as she waited for an unsuspecting guard to turn his attention to a sudden lightning bolt that Storm had hurled. Gambit once again with the aid of his bo staff jumped. Wolverine hurled himself over the detectors much to the amusement of both Rogue and Gambit. The trio finally shimmied their way up the wall (Rogue would have flown but the proximity to the guards made it dangerous). At the entrance, Wolverine took his post after incapacitating an unknowing guard. Gambit and Rogue finally stole into the entrance both uncertain of the obstacles to come.
