Chapter 9

Secrets Revealed

Anna looked over at the man that lay in the bed beside her. The room was completely dark, except for a glimmer of light from the full moon. As she traced her fingers down his bare back, she recounted the events that led them back into each other's arms. That kiss was all that was needed to open the floodgates. One solitary kiss was the only sign that Remy needed to know that Anna was still his. They rushed out of Trixie's, completely ignoring the remaining X-Men. Anna pretended not to see the way Logan had rolled his eyes as they walked past him.

They forgot the world around them as they released their passion for one another. Anna blushed at the memory of how she and Remy explored each other's bodies like uncharted lands. No one had known this, but Anna had not been intimate with anyone since departing from the X-Men. She had replaced the empty void in her life that Remy left with work. Flirting with Damon had been the closest thing to a relationship that Anna had.

A pang of guilt hit her as her thoughts wandered back to Damon. Anna tried to push him out of her mind, hoping not to ruin this moment. She gave Remy a gentle kiss on the cheek as she quietly climbed out of bed. Grabbing her robe, she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up before going back to sleep. When she emerged from the bathroom, she was met with a glowing pair of crimson eyes. Anna leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her bed guest to speak.

"Hey, chere," Remy's smooth voice whispered in the darkness.

"Hey yourself, Swamp Rat," Anna joked. Remy sat up and leaned his back against the bed frame. Anna walked back towards him, feeling like a nervous little girl. She hid her nerves well, giving Remy a sly smile and raising an eyebrow. "So," she started to say as she reached the side of the bed. Anna didn't have the opportunity to say anything else. Remy quickly wrapped himself around her, laying her back onto the bed. Their bodies intertwined, picking up where they had left off just an hour ago. Her eyes fluttered as his gentle kisses caressed her neck. As their lips and limbs met for another round of feverish affection, to Anna, nothing in the world could go wrong.

Exhaustion was setting in as Damon made his way back to Manhattan. As he drove into the parking garage, his thoughts drifted back to Anna. She looked so beautiful that it hurt to know how much in love she was with someone else. As much as they flirted, he saw the way that she looked at Remy, and the way that Remy looked at her. Damon had hoped that there would be some hope for them, but he didn't want to force Anna into anything she wasn't ready for. If he had to wait for her, then so be it. Damon looked at his watch and saw it was almost two in the morning. As Damon walked to the elevator, a sharp pain in his head overwhelmed him. That was when everything went black.

Remy lay staring at Anna, wondering what he did right to have her back in his life. As he ran his fingers up and down her arm, she gave a little smile.

"You're ticklin' me, sugah," she giggled. Anna maneuvered her way closer to Remy, resting her head in the crook of his neck. She took a deep breath, inhaling his intoxicating scent.

"Sorry, ma cherie," Remy smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Je t'aime."

"Ah love you too," Anna whispered back. "Ah'm so sorry Ah left you…"

"Shh, Anna," Remy interrupted, "Dat's de past. All I want t' do is look ahead to de future. Our future." Anna looked up at him, with a tear rolling down her cheek. Remy took his finger and wiped it away. "What's de matter, chere? Why y' cryin'?"

"Nothin's wrong, Remy," Anna smiled. "It's just, for the first time, in a long time, Ah'm actually happy." She wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling onto his chest. Remy continued to stroke her hair, and within a few minutes, she was fast asleep. The still of the night was interrupted, though, by the sound of a vibrating cell phone. Remy tried to ignore it at first, but whoever was calling was quite persistent.

Remy reached over to Anna's nightstand drawer to silence it. As he opened the drawer to get her phone, he saw a gun. Anna had never been the type of person to carry a weapon. As Remy pulled out her Blackberry, he wondered if Anna was in trouble. When he turned back around, he saw a pair of emerald green eyes looking at him. The eyes trailed down to the phone that he was holding in his hand. Remy glanced down to see the name Ronald Brookes. He handed the phone over to Anna, who immediately answered.

"Hello," Anna answered, still sounding half-asleep.

"Where the hell is Price?" Remy heard the voice booming from the phone.

"What?" Anna replied. Remy watched as Anna's eyebrows narrowed. She rubbed her temples before speaking again. "He left hours ago. He should've been there by now."

"Don't you think I know that, Raven?" the man continued. "I've been calling him for the last two hours. I've been waiting for him at the office."

"Ah have no idea, sir," Anna replied. "Ah'll try to call him. Ah'll call you back in a few minutes."

"Don't keep me waiting," Brookes grumbled back.

"Somethin's wrong," Anna whispered. She got out of the bed and began to pace. Remy watched as she dialed. After a few seconds, Remy assumed that she had been directed to voicemail. "Hey, Price. Where the hell are ya? Brookes is lookin' all over for ya. He's still at the office waiting. Call me when ya get this so Ah know you're okay." After she ended her call, she looked over at Remy.

Remy knew immediately that something was wrong. He had known her long enough to recognize the pout that was currently on her lips. She sighed and closed her eyes, not saying a word.

"What's goin' on, petit'," Remy asked. "What's de matter?" He wondered if this had anything to do with that fact that she was carrying a gun.

"There's something Ah need to tell ya, Remy," Anna whispered as she sat on the bed next to him. "Please, don't be angry."

"You can tell me, Anna," Remy answered, placing his hand gently on her cheek. "Whatever is wrong, I'm here t' help."

"Ah," Anna started, unable to get all the words out. She bit her bottom lip. Remy knew that this was serious. "Ah haven't been completely honest with you or the X-Men. Now, Ah'm afraid Damon's in trouble, and Ah don't know what ta do."

Remy didn't quite know how to respond. However, he did know was that he wasn't going to lose Anna again. No matter what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into, he was determined to be there for her.

"Anna," Remy said, "jus' tell me what's wrong." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"When Ah left the X-Men, Ah didn't quite know what ta do with mah life," Anna explained. She looked at Remy and decided to skip over the part where she had returned to the mansion to see him with Lanie. This wasn't the time nor the place for this discussion. "A few years ago, Ah was approached by some government guys. They knew that Ah wasn't on the X-Men's current roster, but they felt that Ah could be of use."

"Be of use?" Remy questioned.

"They started a mutant division for the FBI," Anna nodded. "We mainly investigate crimes against mutants."

"We?" The word did not get past Remy. "Chere, what exactly do y' mean by 'we'?"

"Ah work for the FBI, Remy," Anna swallowed hard as she answered. She stood from the bed and walked over to her nightstand. From it, she pulled out her gun and a bifold containing her badge, holding one in each hand. She sat back down beside Remy, showing him her badge. "Special Agent Anna Raven, pleased to meet ya." Anna looked up to Remy, looking for some sort of reaction.

"And de homme?" Remy asked next.

"Damon? He's mah partner," Anna answered. "We were sent here ta investigate the murdered mutant in the woods right outside of town."

"So," Remy said, "he's not y' boyfriend." Anna shook her head, surprised by Remy's line of questioning. "Dis is great, Anna!" An enormous smile grew on Remy's face.

"What?" Anna was confused. This was definitely not the reaction she was expecting from Remy. Angry. Hurt. Confused. But, definitely not happy.

"Don't y' see, chere?" Remy explained, "Damon's not y' boyfriend! Den dere's nothin' in de way of us getting back t'gether."

"Oh, Remy," Anna answered. "But, what about Lanie? What about the fact that Ah lied to ya?"

"Lanie. I will talk t' her," Remy responded. "And the fact that y' work for de FBI don't bother me one bit. May come in handy," he winked.

"But, Remy," Anna responded. "What do Ah tell the X-Men."

"It may sound strange comin' from dis ol' thief, but y' just tell dem de truth." Remy was right, and she knew it. Before Anna could continue their conversation, her phone rang again.

"Hello?" Anna answered. "No, sir, Ah haven't gotten in touch with him." Remy watched as Anna listened to the other person. "Oh no," she said, the color draining from her face. "Yes, sir. Right away." Remy waited in silence as Anna took the phone away from her face.

"Damon?" Remy asked.

"No," Anna replied. "It was my supervisor, Ronald Brookes. They found Damon's car in the Bureau's garage. His keys were found near the elevator, but he wasn't anywhere around. He's missin', Remy." Even though Damon and Anna weren't a real couple, Remy knew that he meant something to her, more than Remy cared to admit. But, despite the fact that Damon was his competition, he decided that he would do anything to help Anna find him. "Ah've gotta tell the Professor, Remy. Ah need his help."

Remy nodded in agreement. He took her by the hand, and they walked down the dark halls of the mansion to the only man that would be able to find Damon.