Argh! This chapter did not want to be written. The problem is that I have so much I want to put in, and only a few chapters left. Yes, that's right. Unless the place I've been getting the chapter names from *cough Bible cough* suddenly grows, there are only five more chapters I can write, not including an epilogue (if there is one). This makes me sad, but it can't be helped.

This chapter assumes you've seen the Evo episode 'Cajun Spice'. If you haven't, it's on the marvel website and (possibly) youtube or Google videos.

Love Always Trusts

Neither of them were what normal people would call 'safe', and maybe that was one of the reasons he was drawn to her. Of course, it went much deeper than that. But ever since that meeting, where Magneto had warned them not to touch her bare skin, that she was dangerous, he'd been interested. At first, it was a challenge. How close could he get while they were fighting, without being knocked unconscious? He found out the answer pretty soon, when she came around that corner, and almost bumped into him. It was then that he realised that she was beautiful. Don't get me wrong, he had noticed she was attractive, but beautiful...that was something different. In the words of a book Mercy had once forced him to read, "It's not the face, but the expressions on it. It's not the voice, but what you say. It's not how you look in that body, but the things you do with it. You are beautiful." (1) But even though she was beautiful – inside and out – he knew there'd be hell to pay when she woke up.

They were in a similar position to one they'd been in only a year ago. He was playing cards on top of a crate, waiting for her to wake from a gas-induced sleep, courtesy of his bo staff. Once again, it was because of his past, but this time he was taking her away, rather than towards. As he left on his bike with her curled up asleep in the sidecar, he'd mentally told the professor where he was going, and why. He may have been safer in the mansion, but he wasn't going to risk it, or rather, risk her. He was taking her somewhere safe, the only place he could think of that they'd be accepted, with no risk of innocents getting hurt by his insane near-wife.

They were heading to a tall skyscraper in New York, on 42nd Street and Madison Avenue, better known as...the Baxter Building. The flame-boy, Johnny, owed him a favour or two. They were currently on a train, also much the same as before. Rogue stirred, and Remy looked up from his game of solitaire.

"Wha...what have ya done now, Swamp rat?" She cursed inwardly at how weak her voice sounded. She had only regained consciousness a moment ago, but she was already pissed at him.

"Bonjour, chere. Ca va?"

"Lemme see." She said sarcastically. "Ah've just woken up from bein' gassed by ya, ah'm absolutely parched, ya've kidnapped meh again, Logan's goin' ta kill ya, mah boyfriend's a bloody idiot. Ah don't know, how do ya think Ah am?"

"Y' boyfriend? Who dat?"

"Well Ah thought it was ya, but let me tell ya, Ah'm havin' second thoughts abaht it. How could ya do this again?" Remy came over, helped her into a sitting position, and handed her a bottle of water.

"Y' could say Remy's doing de wrong t'ings for de right reason. Bella would kill y', so Remy's makin' sure dat don't happen. He's takin' y' some place safe, and den..."

"Let meh guess. Then ya goin' ta go fight that bitch, and end up gettin' killed, right?" His eyes sparkled behind the dark glasses.

"Hopefully not de last part. Anyway, y' were havin' second thoughts 'bout Remy bein' y' boyfriend, remember? Why would y' care whether or not he died?"

"Because Ah love ya, ya idiot!" She shouted angrily, threw away the water bottle, and pressed her lips against his in a searing kiss. He pulled her closer, so that her body was moulded to his. She reached up and pulled off his sunglasses, throwing them to the floor along with the bottle. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hands trailing down his back, tracing delicate patterns on it with her finger tips. His arms wet around the top of her hips, crossing up over her back to cling to the opposite shoulder blades. When they broke apart to breathe, he trailed kisses along her jawline and down her neck, then back up to her left ear, while she arched into him, moaning softly in the back of her throat.

"Remy loves y', chere. Y' de reason he came to de institute, y' Remy's raison de vivre (2). He needs y', chere. Y' everyt'ing to him." A snort of amusement came from the open doorway of the luggage carriage, and Remy froze. Turning around slowly, he put Rogue behind him, and looked straight into the eyes of...Belladonna.

Yeah, I seriously considered ending this chapter there, but I'm not that mean. Just to warn you though, I almost certainly will suck at the next bit. (Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!)

"Y' know, that was nearly mushy enough t' make me sick. Y' two 'r' quite de pair." The assassin said, still leaning against the opening of the carriage. As Remy started towards her, Belladonna pulled a gun out from behind her back, and he stopped. He knew enough about Bella that she meant business, and wouldn't hesitate to pull that trigger. A whisper came from behind him.

"Remy? How do Ah turn mah powers back on?"

"Non, chere. Remy's not lettin' y' absorb her. It's too dangereux. Trust me, y' don't want someone like her in y' head." Belladonna watched on with slight bemusement.

"Absorb me? Oh, y' mus' be dat mutant fille. Rogue, right ?" Remy growled. In any other situation, Belladonna would have thought it sexy, but right now...it was quite scary, actually. His crimson eyes flashed.

"Y' have no right at all t' say her name, Donna. C'mon den, shoot me an' get it over wit'." And he spread his arms wide, inviting her shot.

"No, I don' t'ink I'll use de gun after all. It's too...impersonal. Dis is much better." And she drew a short sword from a scabbard on her back. Remy reached into a pocket and pulled out his staff, extending it. He reached into the opposite pocket and brought forth a charged card.

"Hide behind dose crates, chere." He whispered to Rogue.

"No! Ah can't let ya fight by yaself! Ah want ta help ya!" He smiled ruefully.

Shoulda know dat was comin'. He thought to himself.

"chere, Remy'll be fine. Y'll jus' distract him. Don' worry. It'll be OK." And with that, he threw the card at Bella. She jumped neatly to the side, as he'd known she would, and did a quick roll, springing back onto her feet. She began to approach him, but he kept up the hail of cards. They held her off for a little while, but she was steadily advancing through the explosions. He charged one a bit stronger than the others, having the satisfaction of seeing her jump slightly as a small piece of exploded card cut her cheek.

Contrary to popular belief the best fighters didn't keep up a repertoire whilst with an opponent, they kept deadly quiet, focusing only on the other's eyes. A weapon can lie, but never the eyes. Remy, however, had a perfect poker face, and his feelings were clouded. Belladonna, however, showed her emotions with her whole face, and Rogue didn't need Remy's empathy to know that his opponent was completely and utterly insane. She was wild, eyes wide, teeth bared in a feral grin. Finally, she reached within striking distance of her ex-fiancé, and lashed out with her sword. She may be insane, but her sword-work was brilliant. Remy had to jump backwards to avoid getting slashed in the stomach.

"I thought that y' might want some new scares t' go wit' the ones Julian gave y', Remy-kins." Bella explained, grinning wider. Remy's face remained impassive, but Rogue could sense the hatred and anger roiling off of him. He swept his bo staff at Bella's knees, by she jumped easily over it. What she wasn't expecting, however, was the backswing, which caught her in the stomach, knocking her off balance for a second. She quickly recovered, and swung at Remy's neck. He dropped into a crouching position, and Stuck his leg out, moving it in a fast semi-circle. He hit the back of her legs, and she toppled over. As she fell, she grabbed the extended leg and tugged, pulling him over next to her. As they both started to rise, Rogue called out inside her head.

Remy? Are ya there?

Oui, chere. What's de matter?

How do Ah bring mah powers back ?

Remy not goin' t' tell y' dat.

And why not? The real ya needs my help!

The real Remy would prefer t' be dead dan have someone like Belle inside y' head.

How do ya know that?

Remy is him, remember, chere?

Remy just tell meh! She shouted angrily. She could feel him and the other psyches wince slightly at the loudness of her voice.

Rogue? A new voice called out to her. One she recognised instantly as Logan's.

Yeah? What do ya want?

Well in here, we all know what all the others know, so I can tell you if the Cajun wont.

Go on then!

Back in the battle, things were getting ugly. Both competitors had several shallow cuts on their faces and arms, and Remy was limping slightly. He had a cut on his forehead which was leaking into his eyes, effectively blinding him. He had dropped the staff, and it had been quickly kicked away. He backed up, away from Bella's sword-point, to find a tearing wind at his back. Somehow, she had manoeuvred him around to the doorway. There was nowhere to go from there- either he jumped out and left Belladonna alone with Rogue, or she killed him, leaving her alone with Rogue. Suddenly, Bella stiffened and crumpled, falling to the floor, revealing Rogue standing there, with a look of horror on her face.

"Mah God..."she whispered, before sinking to her knees, arm still outstretched in front of her. Remy hurried over to kneel besides her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and they remained in that position until the train arrived in New York. In that time, Belladonna didn't stir a muscle.

(1) Yeah, I don't own the book. Okay, competition time. Who knows which part of the Bible I'm getting chapter titles from, and who knows the name of this book and its author? People who get it right will be announced at the top of the next chapter.

(2) Reason for life

As the Fantastic Four only get mentioned, does it still count as a cross-over, or am I OK? After all, they do live in the same universe. And is Belladonna dead, or merely unconscious? I finally have something I can make a poll about! Come to my profile page to vote!