BATTLES
Storm begrudgingly left the room to prepare for a fight that she was extremely sure that she would win. Rogue just stood there by Remy unfeeling, uncaring about any such turn of events. Remy turned to her, slightly unsure of her ability to take on Ororo. She looked at him, almost reading his mind, as if she needed to.
"I'll be fine."
"Chere-"
"I better go and get ready. Don't wanna go in unprepared." Remy couldn't help but feel guilty over this chain of reactions. Rogue was changing too fast, much faster than the others. He had no doubt that it had to do with her little absorption of him. But to make matters worse, he was getting ready to lose someone dear to him, no matter which way the fight turned. Banishing Storm would be nothing, since he knew that she would still be alive. He could keep tabs on her if the need be. Rogue was strong, but inexperienced. She wasn't even able to control her powers as a human, instead she feared them.
Rogue stood tall, not wanting anyone to see any emotion. She didn't know what had come over her. One moment she was attempting to understand Remy, to assert her role that she obtained through him. But in the next moment she felt nothing. She really did want to, literally, tear out Storm's heart and cram it down her blood thirsty, power hungry throat. She quickly found an empty room and closed the door behind her so she could lean against it. She looked up towards the ceiling, as a single tear made its way down her cheek.
"What is wrong with me?" she whispered to herself as she slid down the wall and onto the floor.
"Rogue?" she quickly looked up to see her brother come out of a dark corner. Her eyes turned to slits as she stood up immediately.
"Kurt?" she whispered harshly.
"Mein schwester," He called out to her as he held out his hand. She showed him her fangs as she hissed at him.
"What are ya doin' here?" He simply smiled.
"I am not really here. I am in your head, thanks to Emma." Rogue's head cocked to the side, as she studied the figure before her cautiously. She heard no beating heart, no blood rushing through his veins. He was telling the truth, though she began to feel her hunger grow.
"You have changed mein schwester, but I have found a cure."
"What are ya talkin' 'bout Kurt? Ya'll tried ta kill me with your last cure! Why should I believe you?" Kurt looked away from her in shame.
"Yes, but I could not do zat to you. It vas not in me. Zere is a real man zat no vampire could turn. He could help you."
"I don't believe ya," She whispered, but mostly to herself.
"Rogue you have to. It's eating at your soul. You grow hungrier even now. It's taking you over. Zere is not much time. You will be like zem, uncaring of all zat is alive and good," he pleaded with her. "I need you Rogue. You are mein schwester, and if I could not protect you, zen who would. Zis is not you." She turned back to him abruptly, anger evident.
"We said our good-byes sug. Whatever I am, you had ya chance to help with. I don't wanna die, even if this is what I am. You better just stay out'ta my way, and GET OUT'TA MY HEAD!" she quickly forced up her own mental shields and kicked her unwanted visitor out of her mind. Full of anger, she opened the door, accidentally pulling it off of the hinges. However, she did not care and through it to the side. She went downstairs in search of something she could drink before she had to fight Storm. She had a nice little surprise that no one knew she had, except Jean, and she was going to use it to the best of her ability.
The time had finally come, and Remy sat in his seat, remembering the grotesque show of Sabertooth's final exit of this world. Tonight he would have to watch such a show of his closest friend and the woman that he had chosen to stand by his side. If he did not allow this fight, it would break his own rules, and then he could only imagine the consequences of that. But, could he really live with himself over the death of one of these women? What Storm had done was wrong, but was it worth her life? What of Rogue? He already felt as though there were no way of replacing her in his life. Did he love her? Or was it lust?
Storm was the first to stand beforehim. She stood there with all eyes on her as the crowd could hear the crack of thunder across the sky. She stood there so regally, waiting for her competitor. Her eyes did not leave Remy's until the moment Rogue had stepped into their 'arena'. Rogue refused to look in Remy's direction, her eyes staying on Storm. Both women hissed at one another, in acknowledgment of their burning hatred for the other. Storm, in her belief that Rogue had taken all that was due to her. Rogue, in her belief that Storm was overbearing and meddling, wanting Remy for her own journey for power.
They circled one another, as Storm held a growing, crackling ball of lightning in her hand. Just as Storm had thrown it at her, she disappeared in a puff of smoke. At first, Storm believed that she had died, simply turning to ash, but turned in just enough time to get punched squarely in her stomach. Rogue had sent her flying into the wall that was clear across the room. Everyone watched in awe as Rogue used a magnitude of powers on Storm, including that of her own. Storm had fought well, but could not take on this one woman army.
No one knew how long the two had fought, but knew that it was over when Storm laid on the ground, unable to get back up as Rogue moved in to lay her hand over her head. The crowd began to cheer in their blood lust. Rogue wanted her dead, smiling wickedly at Storm as she made contact, draining her. But something had gone off in Rogue's mind during the transfer, causing her to quickly let go. She silenced Storm into the back of her mind as she stepped back, slightly dizzy. Remy was by her side at a moments notice, holding her up. She looked up into his sad dark eyes, just before she whispered to him, "She's not dead." And with a newfound strength, she walked away, letting him deal with the situation as he would. Everyone else there believed her to be dead, but then again, how can you tell if a vampire is dead, when at the hands of another vampire?
Remy carried out his own orders, quickly burying her just away from the grounds, before dawn. He smiled knowingly over the grave, and disappeared into what was left of the night, wanting desperately to see his queen. To touch her, taste her, to know her with a newfound passion. But he had to know if she had done this for him, or because she still has some of her own innocence.
There is something to be said about fighting your own battles, but this was different. Kurt was right, though she had known it herself. Her own blood lust was growing and she did not know how much longer she could contain it. She was becoming more and more like Storm, though her interest in Remy was much more than platonic or power. It was very sensual. She loved his touch, his voice, that body, and those eyes. There was something about those eyes.
Before her powers came into play, she was a bit of a tease with the boys. Why not? She thought that she had all the time in the world. But now she knew that she could never have met a man like this one. She was completely unknown in this area of 'expertise', but she knew she wanted him. But if she gave herself to him, even if she were ready, would he throw her to the side as if nothing ever happened. The challenge would be over, wouldn't it?
She had seen so many of his memories. He had been with plenty of women, even for someone his age, even if he had drunk from a great deal of them afterwards. Part of her wished she had been one of those women so that she would know what they had felt. He had given his heart to Belladonna, only to have it turn colder than before from her betrayals. What was next for her?
Elsewhere…
"So vhat do ve do now?"
"We convince her, bub."
COMPLICATED
Rogue went outside the moment that she woke up. Once again, she was no longer able to see the sun rise. It was another day in this ridiculously frustrating new life for her. She has always been alone, except for some choice people in her life, but no one else understood what it was like to feel the need to be alone. Her powers had once controlled her, but no more. She was in control, wasn't she? She had this growing evil welling up inside of her. Why was this all so complicated?
Little did she care, but Remy was watching her. He was always watching her. Each movement she made seemed as if someone was scrutinizing her every move. It was so overwhelming. He came up behind her, so very slowly, as if afraid she were a beautiful butterfly that would fly away once it realized he was there. Little did he know that it was more like a wounded animal. Her brother's words went through her mind over and over.
'You have changed mein schwester, but I have found a cure.'
He tried to kill her, well; he tried, though it was not him who pulled the trigger. He did try to warn her, didn't he? She wanted to be herself again, even if it meant that she could no longer touch. She was fighting a losing battle over her humanity everyday. How much longer would it be before she could no longer fight it? What would she be then? Would she really enjoy the types of things the other vampires do…like what had been done to Sabertooth? She had fought with him, disbelieving, but could he really help her?
She wanted to live, there was no doubt about it, even when she felt as if she did not, she had to. She had to believe in something better, some higher power to see her through, even though she was becoming this evil being. Perhaps if she had met Remy some other way, some alternate reality, they could have been happy together, meeting each other under different circumstances, but she wanted to be human. She longed to see the sun, to eat real food, to drink something that was not blood.
But after everything that had happened, could she leave Remy. Even if she found Kurt, and it worked, without killing her, Remy seems to actually care for her. He chose her, not to mention nearly dying to save her. But he goes into leader mode when they are no longer alone. She is, as well as a certain few, allowed to call him Remy, while everyone else only knows him as Gambit. He seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders running this guild of his. But when they are alone, or when he looks at her, it's like nothing else matters to him, even if he makes some cocky, off-handed remark. It's as if he wants her to know the real him, the one no one else sees, even his closest friends. Could she really leave, in a quest to once again fulfill her own desires? Is it really so selfish to want to be human again?
Remy came up behind her, sensing her on going confusion, and wrapped his arms around her gently. He could hardly handle being so far away from her, even though, having his arms around her, it still felt like she was millions of miles away. Everything in his being screamed to take her, especially after what she had done with Storm, but he knew better, she was still not ready. Besides, he did not know if she had done it for him or not, eventhough he would like to think so. She did not deserve to die for such a crime, and she had been one of his dearest friends for so long. Storm had brought it upon herself.
Either way, he couldn't help but wonder about her frequent mood swings changes. She moved from one extreme to another, in a matter of minutes. He was beside himself with his own desires when he had first seen her in his room, wearing all of that tight leather. She kisses him, taunts him, and teases him as she makes a point of showing him that she wants more, but then will completely change the subject like some inexperienced school girl who is still unsure of herself. She is constantly fighting herself; seemingly happy with him, but not wanting this life.
He could understand that she wanted to be free. To have those abilities that humans do. To walk in the sun light, to drink real wine, but to fight for it so much, when she could not touch another living soul as a human. He wished that he could open up his own soul to her, no matter how dark it was at this point. For her to see how much he wanted to make her happy, how he needed to make her happy. He just had so much responsibility. She was the only one he could truly trust. She spoke her mind, to a fault. She didn't care what others saw, what others would think, and yet, she knew how to play by the rules if she wanted to.
"Remy." She whispered to him as she turned in his arms, wanting to see his face, but feeling so ashamed as to her thoughts. She refused to look up, even though she felt she needed to. He tilted her chin, raising her eyes to meet his.
"What is it mon amour?" She could not stop the few tears that shed once those words left his mouth. 'Mon amour'. Was she really his heart? Was it the heart that was loving and wished to be warm once again, or the cold, dark, bottomless one that he used to rule his guild?
She closed her eyes, allowing the last tear to fall. He slowly, but casually wiped it away with his thumb, searching her face for the right words. Why was she so unsure of herself?
"Chere?" he wanted to plead with her. Finally she opened her eyes, but pulled herself from his embrace.
"I want to choose you, I do." He watched her skeptically, his face showing no emotion.
"But what good can I possibly be to you, if I don't wanna be here?" she paused, still searching for the right words.
"This isn't exactly a normal relationship. I was turned inta somethin' I didn't even know existed, an' ya come over to me, like this is normal."
Remy watched her trying desperately to hold back his annoyance.
"This isn't who I am. This isn't what I wanna be."
"You mean like-"
"Gambit," she finished for him.
"You always one to get straight to da point, non." He pointed out bitterly, as his jaw clenched. Suddenly, she seemed to change. Any emotion she had just showed seemed to disappear. She put a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side, giving him an icy stare.
"Yeah, I get to the point. Why run 'round the truth with you? I'm supposed to be your heart! Which one, I'm not quite sure."
"What's dat suppose to mean?"
"You…"
Remy's eyes stayed fixed upon her, though they did not soften towards her anymore than her icy glare had softened towards him.
"Without me, den everythin' would crumble. Dere be no rules. Every one of dose hungry blood suckers would go crazy. Dat not somethin' Gambit would want on his head."
"No, you're not gonna lay this down on me. I understand it, but I didn't ask for this."
"Gave you a choice."
"Right. When you hunted me down?"
"Just to give dis a chance." Rogue looked away from him, a slow seductive smile played with her lips. She sauntered over to him placing both of her hands on his chest, sliding them up behind his neck.
"An' what is this exactly?" she purred into his ear. His face was still void of emotion, but not unreadable.
"Anythin' you want it to be." He closed the little space that was left between them and tenderly kissed her. Rogue could feel all of his pent up emotion there and then, all of his anger, his hope, his love, his passion. They both pulled back almost breathless.
"Remy, I-" was all that Rogue could get out before the sound of someone clearing their throat pulled them back to reality. Both looked to see that it was an uncomfortable looking Jean.
"I hate to interrupt, but Gambit, you are seriously needed." He nodded and she walked back inside to wait for him.
The look they shared spoke thousands of words, but neither spoke one of them. He was who he was, and he could not change that and neither could she. He wanted to explore a relationship with her, but could not give her what she so desired…freedom. Freedom from this place, to not have people watching her every second of every night, freedom from his need to rule them, free from this evil. She just wanted it to be the two of them. She wanted to tell him about Kurt's cure, before the interruption, to see if he would condone it, to see if he would join her if she chose to try, but she knew that there was no point. She only wanted to hear it from him.
"Nightcrawler, are you in position?" the communicator silently spoke into Kurt's ear.
"Ja, you see her?" he replied.
"Yeah, and the meat is on his way back inside. She's alone."
"Ja. You got my back?"
"Yeah, just keep her eyes on you."
"Not a problem Wolverine, just don't let her bite me." Kurt heard the other man's laughter, just before he stepped out of the bushes, in front of his sister.
"Rogue?"