An: Enjoy! =)

The sound of a woodpecker drilling loudly into a nearby tree was the first thing that greeted Remy the next morning as he rose from his deep slumber. The sun was rising in the east and was barely peeking over the horizon and there was still a light mist and a chill in the air, causing him to shiver lightly. As he rolled over gingerly on his wool blanket, a small smile crept across his lips as he gazed down at the woman lying next to who remained sound asleep. Several loose strands of Ororo's shocking white hair was scattered across her stunning beautiful face as her chest rose and fell slowly with every breath she took. Remy knew that they needed to beat the sunrise and get an early start on the day, but the truth was that he didn't have the heart to awake her just yet. She looked too peaceful. As a soft snore escaped her lips, her soft breath caused a strand of hair to fall from her forehead onto her cheek.

Gently lowering his hand to her face, Remy gently brushed the loose strand of hair away, and as he continued to stared down into her beautiful face, he couldn't help but feel the same feeling he had felt the previous night when they had shared a kiss. The yearning he had for the woman was no longer just pure physical. He had become truly smitten with her. Remy realized that he may have finally truly learned what it meant to love a woman. As much as he wanted to lay there and bathe in her enchanting beauty, he knew that he could no longer resist the urge he had to relieve himself. As he slowly rose from the warm pallet of blankets, he stretched and yawned quietly trying to avoid the sleeping beauty, but realizing he had failed when she suddenly she began to stir.

"Remy?" she inquired sleepily as her eyes opened barely revealing the aquatic orbs that were peeking beneath her thick black eyelashes.

"Don't worry, petite. Everything's fine. Remy jus' goin' to grab a drink of water from de creek," he smiled reassuringly, "Go back t' sleep."

He watched as she mumbled something incoherent as bundled deep in the thick blankets she had wrapped around herself for comfort from the hard ground, and to shield off the night bugs swarming around the one last glance at her sleeping figure, he smiled tenderly before disappearing off into the barely lit woods. Moments later, he had finished relieved himself, and was heading back to the camp when he got the eerie feeling that he wasn't alone and that he was being watched. Hearing the sound of a twig cracking come from behind him, Remy reached for his gun tucked safely in the front of his trousers when he felt a cold steel muzzle press firmly against his back. Feeling his pulse speed up, he swallowed deeply and slowly raised his hand in the air in a show of surrendering. As a soft breeze slowly brushed past him, he caught a familiar scent in the wind that caused his fear to fade into surprise. Forcing a smile, he slowly began to turn around.

"It's been awhile, mon cherie," he said with a smirk on his lips as he faced his captor, "Is dis how y' greet an ol' friend?"

He could hear here a soft female snort in disbelief as she un cocked the weapon. Raven walked into his line of vision tucking a strand of her black raven hair behind her ear. She hadn't changed one bit. She still had an incredible body beneath the tight pants and blouse she was wearing, and she still wore her trademark tough expression on her attractive face.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked startled as she slowly lowered.

Remy chuckled softly.

"Y' were de only woman who has ever been able to sneak up on me without catchin' a bullet to de chest," he said smirking, "Dat and Remy knows dat perfume anywhere."

"It's nice to know that after all these years, you haven't forgotten my scent," she murmured sweetly.

"How could Remy fo' get y' scent when y' always smelled like home?" he asked huskily.

Raven smirked as she shook her head amused by his mild flirtation. His charming smile reminded her of their youthful days when they still had been slightly innocent and naive. She realized despite how much they had grown over the years, some things were bound to never change.

"Dis ain't exactly how Remy envisioned us reuniting," he admitted as he narrowed his dark eyes at her intensely.

Raven forced a smile.

"Me neither. As much as I hate to do this, you and I both know that you have no other choice then to go back to New Orleans. If I don't bring you back to Jean Luc, your father, he will not be pleased. You of all people should know what happens to people who fails to make your father happy," she warned gravely.

The cajun smiled bitterly.

"Remy left Nawlins for a reason. My father's happiness has not been a concern of mine fo' a long time," he said evenly.

"Jean's Luc's happiness aside, did you honestly think that running away wouldn't have its consequence?" she asked bluntly.

Remy glared at her sharply. He could recognize the accusation in Raven's voice and he didn't take too kindly to the fact that she was practically insinuating that he had a yellow streak running down his spine.

"Let me make a few things perfectly clear. Remy didn't run away out an' he definitely didn't leave out of cowardice. He left Nawlin's cuz he wanted a better life for himself," he said stiffly.

Raven sighed heavily.

"I'm not talking about your decision to leave, Ettinne. I'm talking about your decision to not only spare the life of the girl who's parents who you watched murdered, before whisking her away to some small quaint to live some twisted life you feel is normal," she said evenly.

Remy stared at her stunned.

"Y' got it all wrong, petite. Y' have no idea of what y' are talkin' about," he growled quietly.

"Then explain it to me," she insisted firmly.

"You wouldn't understand. It's complicated," he said gruffly.

Suddenly Remy sniffed the air lightly with a troubled look on his face.

"What's dat smell? It smells like the woods is on fire," he said frowning.

A dark shadow passed across Raven's face.

"Victor found a small Indian village not to far from the border filled with women and children. Apparently the camp had been lightly protected due that the tribe's warriors were out hunting for dinner and he went in and took what he pleased. After he was finished, he set the whole village on fire. I don't believe that there were any survivors," she informed grimly.

Remy fought to keep his anger and rage contained but it was practically impossible as he physically began to seethe.

"Is this what y' take pleasure in now, cherie? Is dis really what has become of the Guile of Thieves?" he asked sounding disgusted.

Raven flushed angrily.

"What did you expect to happen with Creed in charge? That man has become more ruthless and murderous over the years and he cannot be stopped. He is lawless and soulless and anyone who is unfortunate of be in his path will be brutalized in any way shape or form he sees fit," she said evenly.

"Why did you stay there with them? Why didn't you leave with me the day he made us slaughter that Ororo's family?" Remy demanded.

Raven sighed heavily.

"If I would have left with you, Jean-Luc would have sent Victor after me and we both know that bastard wouldn't have stopped hunting me down until I was dead. I'm not like you, Remy. I wasn't strong enough to run away and embrace a future where I would spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder of fear of Jean' Luc's vengeful wrath. If he is willing to send cold blooded killers to retrieve his son, I shudder to think of what would he do to me if I betrayed his trust. That's why you must come home and face him. If you show repentance, I am sure that he is more then willing to show you mercy and allow you back into his intimate fold," she tried.

"Are y' out of y' mind, cherie? De last thing Remy wants is a reunion with Jean- Luc. Y' know as well as I do dat my father and dis blood thirsty gang needs to be stopped," he growled evenly.

Raven nodded in agreement.

"Yes, and I also know that the only person who can stop him is you, and you alone," she started softly, "You have to leave the woman behind."

The cajun shook his head stubbornly.

"Remy ain't jus goin' to abandon her jus' cuz y' tell me to. Remy failed to protect her once. I ain't gonna let history repeat itself," he warned, his dark eyes flashing angrily.

Raven stared up at him pleadingly.

"Listen to me, Ettine. It's far too dangerous to confront Victor and your father as long as she is with you. We both know that if Victor gets the opportunity, he will kill her for the pure amusement of it. Going the journey without her is the best way you can keep her safe, Ettine. There is no other way," she said quietly.

When he failed to respond, she moved closer to the cajun and rested a comforting hand on his forearm.

"Neither of us wants to see anything happen to her. She deserves a better fate then we gave her mother, Etinne. The best thing you can do is run with me. Run with me and never look back," she insisted desperately.

"I can't," he said abruptly as he turned away from him.

Despite her patience, Raven couldn't help but feel frustrated at Remy's stubbornness. Raven realized that Remy had changed in more ways then one. The cajun she had known before would have only cared about looking out for himself. The man she knew had been self centered, egotistical, and arrogant. The man she was standing face to face appeared to be very humble and it became obvious that he was determined to protect a woman that Raven suspected that he had strong feelings. As she peered closely at his handsome face pinched with tension. she caught something in his eyes that made Raven's heart slow plummeted into the pit of her stomach.

"You are willing to take the chance of getting yourself killed or worse for that negro woman? Please don't tell me that you were actually foolish enough to fall in love with her?" she exclaimed in utter disbelief.

When he failed to deny her accusations, she realized with astonishment that her suspicions had been true. Remy had done the unthinkable and fallen in love with the strange white haired blue eyed negro woman. While a part of her was shocked, another part of her actually sympathized with the distraught former thief. While she had the urge to chastised him for doing something so obviously stupid, she managed to contain herself as she stared at him feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time. Compassion .She couldn't imagine how difficult it had to be have his heart stolen by a woman's who family his father ordered to be murdered.

"You don't have to answer me, Ettine. You forget how well I know you. Your face says it all," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Why are y' here, Raven? Why did y' come back fo' me without de others?" he asked hoarsely, desperate to change the subject.

Raven's expression turned grim.

"I didn't trust Victor to get you back to your father alive. I overheard him talking to some of the other guys how he was going to get even with you for abandoning the gang all those years ago," she revealed sounding troubled.

"Fine. Remy will make sure t' get de bastard first. Now if y' don't mind, Remy needs to get on his way," he mumbled turning to walk back towards camp.

He frowned when Raven quickly jumped in his path blocking his way.

"Listen, Ettinne. You have two choices. You can either come with me peacefully, or Victor will come back with the others and take this woman, have his way with her, pass her around to his scum bag men and kill her. You and I both know that was the horrible fate that had fallen upon her mother. Do you really think that you can honestly stand back and watch as it happens to her?" Raven asked quietly.

Remy realized that while it damn near killed him to admit it, Raven was right. If he continued on his journey with Ororo to get justice for her slaughtered parents, he knew that she would more then likely be killed or worse. The thing that frustrated Remy the most was the fact that the only thing he could do to safely protect her was by making sure that she stayed out of arms reach of the gang and out of reach him. He knew that what had happened between him and Ororo the previous night, was nothing more then a mistake. The fact that he had allowed himself to give in to temptation to taste her lips assured him that she was better off without him around. Silently, he acknowledge the fact that it would break her heart to lose track of the gang that she had been chasing for years, but Remy rather her be alive and broken hearted then dead in her search for justice.

After quietly heading back to the camp and retrieving his horse, he cast one last remorseful glance at the white haired beautiful black woman still lying in her pallet on the ground, before burying his spurs into Gambits' hide and riding off into the distance.

8888888

Logan exhaled deeply as he took one last drag of his cigar before putting it out on a nearby rock. He had woke up not too long ago and in order for him to get a move on the day, he had to have a cup of hot the small kettle that was brewing on the fire, he poured himself some brew in a tin cup and sipped it sighing in contentment. Sniffing the air, he got a whiff of a familiar scent on the breeze and his ears twitched as he picked up the sound of something moving quietly to the left of him. Turning his head a rare smile spread across his lips as he spotted a doe and its fawn not too far away near some big oak trees grazing while keeping a wary eye on him. Glancing up at the sky, he noticed that it was the crack of dawn and he began to think about the previous night where he had barely been able to sleep. He had been too worried about Ororo.

He knew that the longer she remained out in the woods alone, the more chance she had of something terrible happening to her. As the wind blew softly through the tree limbs above him, he knew that if he wanted to get an early start on the day, then he should get off the velvet black cowboy perched tightly head on his head, he began beating the dust off it before putting it back on. After throwing the little coffee left in the tin cup on the fire, he hit the tin can against a stone loudly causing Anna to rise from her sleep startled and wide eyed.

Grinning amused, he watched as she stumbled around the campsite sleepily struggling to gather her things so they could continue on the long ride they had ahead of them that day. Moments later, she finished securing her pack and hopped on the back of her mare with a cigarette dangling from the corner of her lip. Spending the night with Logan had been uncomfortable and awkward to say the least. Despite Anna's attempts to make conversation with him to fill the silence, Logan had remained quiet and withdrawn. Although he knew that Anna was just trying to be friendly, he was focused on one thing, and one thing only. That was getting Ororo back safe and sound.

As they began to head out, Logan noticed the slightly confused expression on the brunette's face and he grew suspicious.

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" he growled.

"Ah rode though these parts before. Ah know where Ah am going," she retorted evenly.

Anna made a face showing that she was annoyed with his constant interrogation. The entire time they had been riding together, they had continually gotten on each others nerves. If Logan wasn't being patronizing and curt towards her, he was giving her the silent treatment. As she silently observed the brooding Sheriff out of the corner of her eye, she began to wonder exactly what it was that Ororo saw in Logan. In Anna's opinion the only redeeming quality about the feral man was that he was ruggedly attractive. As far as she was concern, Remy and Logan were polar opposites from one another. While the cajun was warm, charming and engaging, Logan was cold, standoffish, and withdrawn.

While Logan was a hard man to read, it was more then obvious that he had some feelings for her white haired friend. The thought of the stoic sheriff being taken with the reserved and emotionally guarded black woman caused a warm smile spread across Anna's lips. While the two had very little in common, it was obvious that there was a strong and deep attraction between the two of them. Anna wondered why she hadn't seen the sparks before now. She had been so convinced that Ororo and Remy had a connection, that she hadn't even allowed herself to consider the fact that she could have possibly had a thing for the Sherriff. Now that she was aware of the romance blooming between Ororo and Logan, she was determined to find out just exactly how the surly Sherriff felt about her friend.

"So how much do you like her?" she asked bluntly.

Logan's face shown that he was completely taken off guard by her question.

"What?" he snapped sharply.

Anna continued to stare at him unfazed.

"Are you plannin' on courtin' Ororo?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," he retorted evenly.

Anna smirked.

"Ah suppose it ain't none of my business. Ah just happen to find it peculiar that you are chasin' a woman y' barely know deep across dangerous territory," she said innocently.

Logan shifted on his horse was an uneasy look on his face. He was more then a little anxious and uncomfortable with his feelings for the strange white haired black woman. He was usually a level headed man who was known for rational thinking and behavior. In hindsight, he realized that chasing a woman he barely knew was far from rational. He didn't understand why he had such an intense drive to keep Ororo safe, but deep down he knew it had something to do with the fact that he couldn't stand to see another woman he cared about perish at the hands of out laws. Especially when he was fully capable of preventing it this time around.

Logan felt a deep flush flood his face. He knew that his actions would draw some curiosity from Anna, and while he knew that he had some strong unspoken feelings for the woman that they were pursuing, he wasn't quite ready to admit it aloud, much less to her nosy friend, Anna.

"Are you always so chatty?" he asked sounding annoyed.

Anna upper lip curled in disdain.

"Are you always so sour?" she retorted.

Logan muttered something unpleasant under his breath before spending the next few hours riding along side of Anna in a stony silence.

As the sun began to rise high in the sky ushering in a hot afternoon, Anna lifted her fingers to her blouse and loosened a couple of the buttons. She let out a soft sight of relief as a cool breeze danced across her damp flesh. As she brushed the dirt out of her eyes. It was barely noon and already she was feeling a touch of exhaustion at traveling under the hot blazing and unforgiving heat of the sun.

"So you never exactly explained why you let Ro run off alone in the first place," he said stiffly breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

His question had completely taken her off guard and felt her face burn hot. The truth was that she was still feeling more then a little guilty over the fact she had pushed Ororo away by accusing her of something completely awful and untrue. Anna wished that she could go back in time and changed what had happened between the two of them, but she knew that it was impossible. The only thing that she could do now was find Ororo and make sure she was ok and let her friend know how sorry she was at saying the things she had said.

"She and I ain't exactly on speakin' terms. We had a fight over the stupid cajun," she mumbled sadly.

Logan's dark eyebrow arched surprised.

"Ah accused her of puttin' her feelin's for Remy ahead of wantin' t' really find her parents killers," she said quietly.

"That's a really rotten thing to say. Especially to someone who is suppose to be your friend," Logan said evenly.

Anna nodded feeling guilty. She knew that Logan was right and that what she had accused Ororo of being was completely out of line, but she knew that there was no point of dwelling on the matter in that particular moment. When she caught up with Ororo, she would have the chance to make things right, but Anna knew that her main focused was finding her friend and making sure she was ok.

"Don't you think ah know that already?" she growled sadly.

Logan wanted to give her a piece of his mind, but he could tell by the devastated expression on her face that she was already feeling guilty enough, so he remained silent.

Suddenly he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up as his ears picked up a soft yet noticeable noise somewhere ahead of them in the woods. Logan frowned as he narrowed his eyes and sniff the air slightly. He had spent most of his life as a tracker and hunter, and he began to get the distinctive vibe that he and Anna weren't the only ones in the woods.

"Stop," he hissed holding his hand up signaling to her halt.

Anna tugged firmly on Rogue's reigns causing her mare to neigh in complaint.

"What in de world?" she started but one sharp glare from the sheriff caused her to immediately fall silent.

Something was wrong. Not only could he sense it, he could feel it in his bones. Sniffing the air once again, he narrowed his eyes as he realized that they weren't alone in the woods.

"Something smell like it's burnin'," he said gruffly as he looked towards the east and noticed a light fog of smoke coming from that direction.

The brunette was beginning to get a bad vibe as she noticed the sudden change in the sheriff's posture.

"What is it, Logan?" Anna whispered worried.

His eyes perked up as he listened to the silence and felt his heart race in his chest when he heard the sounds of soft whimpering. Before he could figure out what direction the sound had come from, a blood chilling war cry pierced the air followed by a womanly scream and a gunshot.

Anna gasped in horror feeling all the blood drain from her face.

Before she could move, Logan had already taken off on his horse in the direction that the commotion had come from. The closer he got, he felt the blood drain from his face as he spotted and Indian warrior standing near a creek holding a warm in his grasp with a knife to her throat. As he grew closer, he felt his heart nearly stopped as he realized that the Indian's captive was Ororo.