Chapter 10:
Gambit walked out of the lab feeling drained. Eric was having a bad day. The boy didn't seem to believe that he'd made any progress, though he was able to draw in the flames to just his own body at this point. He refused to believe just how far he had come. There had been no point in working with him in his current attitude, so he decided the boy needed a treat. He went upstairs to Storm's classroom and knocked on the door before sticking his head inside. "I need to see Laura," he said, pointing at the girl.
She stuck her tongue out at her friends, a gesture no one would have thought her capable of when she'd first joined them, and slipped out in the hallway. "What's up, Gambit?" she asked.
He took her arm and led her down the hall. "How would you like to have the rest of the day off of class?"
Her eyes sparkled, "What do I have to do?"
An hour later, Gambit stood with Jaleena outside of the "box." Laura had just stepped inside, despite Eric's protests. "It's all right, Eric," Jaleena reassured him for the dozenth time. "As long as we keep the door open, I should have no problem helping you keep control. Laura will be fine."
Laura grinned at him and sassily explained, "I heal pretty quick, so even if you did burn me, I'd be over it in a few minutes." She set the metal folding chair she'd brought with her across from him and sat down.
"You two don't worry 'bout us," Remy called in, "Leena be watchin', but we be mindin' our own business."
Jaleena smiled at the two and waved before turning her attention to Gambit. "This was really a great idea, Remy. It was very thoughtful of you. I don't know that he's been within touching distance of anyone for months."
He nodded, looking thoughtfully at the two teens, one on fire, the other with hidden blades in her hands and feet. "Yeah. It pretty important to have somethin' ta live for. Eric jus' need a little help rememberin' why he gotta keep workin'."
When he looked back at her, she was looking at him strangely, and he raised an eyebrow in question.
She blinked a few times and shook her head. "Nothing." They watched the two talking, smiling when Laura stood to enact the part of some story she was telling. After a few moments of observation, she turned back to him, "Remy, can I ask you a personal question. If it's none of my business, you can just say so."
He shrugged and looked at her expectantly.
"How are things with Rogue? I mean, are you happy?"
He had to bite the inside of his cheek, hard, to keep from grinning. He was afraid to hope that this might mean anything. Trying to look casual, he shrugged. "Dey okay. Why you ask?" She got the strange look on her face again, almost like she felt sorry for him? Perplexed, he took a step closer to her to lower his voice, "What's goin' on, Leena? Why you ask me dat? And don't tell me it be nothin'."
She took a step back and bit her bottom lip. "I really shouldn't say anything, Remy. I just wanted to know how you felt about her."
He tilted his head to the side, "Well, Remy love her, of course," but he allowed a note of uncertainty to creep into his voice. He knew the exact moment when she heard it.
She turned to look back at Laura and Eric. "You know, love can be a lot of different things, and it changes over time. Sometimes we don't even notice that it does."
"You tryin' to tell Remy somethin', Leena?"
She shook her head. "No. Not really. I just, I guess I just wanted to give you something to think about."
He nodded and looked back at the teens again. If she could be cryptic, so could he. He sighed and ran a hand through the shaggy hair at the top of his head. "Well, some love don't change. Remy t'ink dat's true love, when you love someone 'til de day you die, and you know it ain't likely to ever change." He crossed his arms over his chest and kept his gaze focused on Eric and Laura. He could feel her gaze on him as he stood there.
When she spoke, her voice was so quiet he barely heard her words, "Are you talking about Anna Marie, Remy?"
He glanced at her quickly, he could tell she was holding her breath. Quietly, he responded, "No, Leena. Not Anna." Then he moved away from her to step forward into the box. "Well, dat be enough time for now, don't you two t'ink? Eric probably need some time to rest. We grab some lunch, and den we come back down." Despite their protests, he led Laura out of the box and toward the door, not looking at Leena again.
Later that afternoon, Leena tucked her hands into her pockets and took a leisurely walk around the grounds. It was unseasonably warm for October, so she thought the warm air and beautifully colored leaves would do her some good. She waved at Jubilee, who was lounging on some picnic tables with Logan but shook her head when her daughter beckoned wanting some time to herself to sort through all that she'd learned so far that day.
She pulled a piece of chocolate and peppermint candy out of her pocket and popped it into her mouth to chew as she walked. It all kept going back to Jubilee's "friend's" situation. Had she really been talking about Remy and Anna Marie? Could her daughter have been trying to imply that Remy still loved her. She sighed, shaking her head. She wouldn't put it past Jubilee. The girl had been tirelessly trying to mend fences between them, and she couldn't blame her. If she had been lucky enough to have parents growing up, she would have wanted them to be together, too.
Sighing, she kicked a rock along the path for a few moments, eating another piece of candy in the process. She could be reading so much into this, into his words this afternoon. She had so badly wanted him to have been talking about her because God knew she was still desperately in love with him. She reached up to touch the wedding ring that dangled beneath her shirt. But love couldn't be enough, not across an ocean, not with all of the secrets that they still kept from each other.
She tugged her hair loose from the braid and pulled it over her shoulder to comb her fingers through the curling mass. She had gone through a sparse patch of wood and was now walking along a small pond. She and Rogue had run here a few times, and she thought it was especially peaceful. She perched on one of the stone benches and popped another piece of candy into her mouth.
What if Jubilee had been talking about Remy and Anna Marie? She mentally laid out her options.
She could tell him that Anna was cheating or encourage Anna to speak up herself. After all, it wasn't fair to Logan that they had to sneak around.
She could prompt Remy to talk more and to admit that he was no longer in love with Anna. If she could get him to admit that, maybe she could encourage him to end the relationship. If that happened, maybe they could spend some time getting to know each other better and if that worked, maybe he might still feel something for her. (she didn't like how many "ifs" were in this option)
She could tell him she still loved him. He could then decide what he wanted. He could choose to stay with Anna Marie, which would let her know that he did truly feel for her or that he was fulfilling a sense of obligation, which Jubilee had implied. He could also choose to be with her. But then what would she do?
She could just keep out of it and let things run its course.
She sighed. Option 4 was obviously the right one. Right? Twisting her hair around her wrist, she decided she'd call Laurel, her best friend, as soon as she got home. Considering the fact that Laurel was the one who invited the X Men to their school last spring, she doubted Laurel would like Option 4. She would probably be all about Option 3. Frowning at herself, she then wondered why she'd even considered calling her friend.
"Oh, Leena," she murmured, "You are such a fool."
"I would not say that," a deep, feminine voice said behind her. She spun quickly to see Storm standing behind her dressed in beige slacks and a pretty teal jacket. Despite her inner turmoil, Jaleena smiled widely. She had genuinely enjoyed getting to know the woman when the X Men had visited that spring. Storm continued, "May I join you? I am happy to listen, or to just sit and enjoy the view with you."
"Of course you are welcome to sit down, Ororo. Perhaps some advice would be in order."
Storm smiled as she sat, "I would be happy to share my thoughts."
Jaleena leaned back and stared out at some ducks swimming in the pond, likely on their way south for the winter. "Can you just tell me some things?" At the other woman's nod, she asked, "Has Remy seemed…different since coming back?"
Storm paused to consider the question focusing her gaze on the ducks as well. "The obvious answer is yes. Since he's announced that Jubilee is his child, that has changed him a lot, but somehow, I don't think that is what you are asking about, is it?" At the shake of Jaleena's head, she offered, "I would say that he and Rogue's relationship has changed. They are still affectionate, as is their nature, but it seems more friendly than romantic. Is that what you were asking?"
Jaleena smiled, "Am I that transparent?"
Storm laughed, "No, but were I in your position, I would wonder the same thing. Finding you alive hurt him a great deal, Leena, but I think it also woke a part of him up. Whether it was you or Jubilee, I do not know, but he is happier and more optimistic, even moreso since you are here. I have noticed particularly when the two of you work with Eric together. Those are the days when he seems more carefree than he has ever been since I met him. It is nice to see him thus."
Jaleena nodded, but didn't respond, so they sat in silence until the ducks splashed in the water and took flight. "I would add one more thing," Storm said, "He is angry. Remy does not like being betrayed, and I believe he felt as if your leaving them was the worst kind of betrayal."
Jaleena sighed, "I know. I have apologize, but it's not enough. I don't know what would be enough."
Storm shook her head, turning her sympathetic gaze on Jaleena. "I wish I could help you with that, but I do not have an answer."
Jaleena nodded and they lapsed back into silence as twilight fell.