Chapter 14

"Nothin Jean." Rogue swallowed back all the hurt that she was feeling to put up a front for little miss popularity.

"Then what's wrong, Rogue? You're upset."

"Not with you, so don't worry about it."

"Rogue, you know you can tell me anything."

"Sure." She turned back to Remy to pick up their fight where they left it.

"I can feel something is really bothering you. I could feel it when we all were back at the mansion. What's wrong?"

She gritted her teeth together; she knew there was progress between her and Jean since they stopped constantly fighting. "Seriously! It's nothing."

"Ro..."

"Jean seriously. Back off!"

"No need to get nasty, I was just trying..."

"Well then jus try somewhere else!"

"Rogue?"

"Jean! Just shut it!"

Remy stood there with wide eyes. He knew like Jean she was taking her frustrations out on the wrong person. "Chere, Jeanie's jus tryin ta help. You could be nicer."

"Shut up ya stupid Cajun! Leave me alone!" Rogue stomped off in the direction of the park exit.

Jean followed like finding out what was bothering Rogue would solve all the problems in the world. "Hey!"

Rogue turned. If I give her a black eye it isn't my fault. "What!"

"Maybe you should calm down, we all came here as a sign of friendship. I don't think you should be acting like this, he worked really hard on it."

"It's none of ya business!"

"You're my friend. Even if you don't feel I'm yours, I feel you're mine. I just want to help."

"If ya wanna help so damn much volunteer!"

"Rogue, come on..."

"Go away Jean!"

"Rogue!" Jean took a step closer to her.

"Seriously... back off red."

"Oh please, you act like the tough girl act makes me run for the hills." She took another step closer.

"JEAN! Back the hell off." There was venom in her words.

"Stop it, okay." She took another step in Rogue's direction. "I just wanna know if you're okay, if you need anything."

"Fine." Rogue backed up three steps. "Can ah just be left alone?"

"Seriously are you okay?"

It was one question to many. Her emotions and thoughts fluxed so quickly Jean had no idea what was about to happen to her.

The party goers watched the tensed argument, it was impossible to look away. Rogue, the smaller of the two took her steps back and Jean the taller one kept stepping forward.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. Rogue rocked back on her heels as Jean took yet another step forward. Rogue rocked forward on the balls of her feet and her hands hid behind her back as if fighting the urge to slap her.

Kitty and Kurt stood there with horror written on their faces. Since they came together as a team Rogue had always fought off the urge to hurt Jean, now not so much.

Rogues hand balled into a fist and rushed from behind her back and collided with Jeans cheekbone. BULLSEYE.

Jean fell to the ground as the entire crowd of people simultaneously held their breath. Within seconds of realizing that Rogue actually hit Jean, Kurt, Kitty and Remy rushed over to them.

"Merde!" (Shit)

"Oh my gosh! Jean are you like, okay?" Kitty reached for Jeans hand and helped her up. Kurt stood there silent.

"Schwester? She was just trying to help."

"Really Kurt, jus back off." Obviously to all present her mood didn't pick up after she nailed Jean in the eye.

"Chere, ya should apologize."

Rogue gave him a look that shook him on the inside. It was a look of pure hatred and dislike to the point that he felt afraid.

After she looked at Remy for that frightening moment she turned and left the park without another word or look at the people there.

She made her way back to the hotel. "Hello Mrs. Le beau. May I get you anything?"

She turned to the man and in her most charming voice and the most brilliant smile she could muster up. "Actually, ah need a cab once ah come back downstairs. If ya could charge it ta my husband that would be great."

"Of course, ma'am."

She rushed upstairs into their room, opened a drawer and pulled out a wallet filled to the brim with money. She pulled out a twenty and headed back out hoping she wouldn't bump right into Remy while she was trying to leave.

When she walked into the lobby she saw the same man who escorted her to a cab waiting on her outside. "Thanks." She looked at the man with tears brimming in her eyes. He gave her a sweet nod and closed the cab's door for her.

"Where you lookin to go sweetness?" The hairy cabdriver asked looking into the mirror at her. He seen the tears and couldn't help himself. "Are ya okay?"

She nodded her head. "Take me to grand central please."

She knew that if she got out of the city and away from Remy it would be easier, she wouldn't be as confused and angry. She had no idea what was going on with her since before Remy had shown up, she was definitely on a slippery slope.

Her emotions were going haywire and she couldn't keep acting like this.

Remy, Kitty and Kurt helped Jean to a chair and started looking for Rogue. They figured that she was just cooling off; she needed to so she wouldn't attack Jean again.

Remy looked around the park for about fifteen minutes when he got a call from the front desk of the St. Regis hotel. "Hello Mr. Le beau. I'm just calling to inform you that your wife left the hotel and put a cab charge on your bill."

"Que?!" (What)

"I'm sorry Mr. Le beau; I didn't understand what you just said."

"'M sorry. What? She left de hotel."

"Yes and put a cab charge on your bill."

"Where?"

"One moment please." He heard papers shuffling over the phone. "Okay, sir. She took the cab to Grand Central Station."

"Merci, petite." He hung up the phone and rushed over to the three X-men. "Did any a ya drive here?"

Kitty looked up at him. "Yeah, we drove here together."

"T'ink ya got room fa one more?"

Before he knew it all four of them jumped into the car and raced to a highway. "So what's really going on with her?" Kitty turned to him in the backseat of the car.

"Not'in."

"You are such a liar." Kitty accused him.

"Petite, its jus none a ya business."

"She's my best..."

"Remy know chaton, if de Chere wanted ya ta know she woulda tol ya, oui?" (Kitten; yes)

"She wouldn't keep stuff from me."

"Den ya mistaken petite, cause she has."

Five minutes away from her stop into Bayville, Rogue stared out of the window. Once she got there it would be all about timing.

She needed to get in and out before she was noticed; it was going to be hard since she lived in a house of super sneaky mutants.

Once she stepped on the train platform she ran to find a cab. "Where you going?"

She gave the driver her instructions and she promised a bonus if he waited for her to come back out of the mansion. He assumed once they pulled up to the manor that she was loaded, so he was going to wait.

She rushed through the gates and into the front door. This was going to be even harder once Logan caught whiff of her scent.

She ran up the stairs and into her room. Once in she locked the door and ran to her closet. A black duffel bag sat on the floor waiting for her if she ever found need for it.

She pulled clothes out of her drawers and shoved them inside the bag. She just needed to get away, to clear her head without anyone trying to analyze her. She needed to sort through all the mess that was accumulating in her head.

Once she was packed and on her way to the door she realized something, she was still wearing the necklace; she ripped it off and threw it on the bed along with a twenty dollar bill she pulled out of her wallet.

She kept repeating this on her way out. Just get out. Just get out. Just get out. Don't stop, just get out.

She sprinted down the stairs and was about to grab the door handle when she felt a sharp pain in her head and stopped immediately.

"We're gett'in married tomorrow!"

"Oui, Chere. We are."

"Ah'm so excited, ah can't wait til ya see me in de dress ah picked out."

They stood there on the dance floor swaying to the music. The rehearsal dinner went off without a hitch. They stood in a monstrous hall surrounded by the thieves and the assassins. They were so in love.

Rogue tried to shake herself, but it wasn't working. What was happening to her?