Accidental Beginnings

Chapter Twenty-One

AN: Does two short updates equal one long update if posted back to back? lol Well...I'm going out of town, to guess where? New Orleans! to ring in the New Year. I thought I'd go ahead and post this since I'm going to be working straight through the week after I get back on the 2nd. Just so you know...I will be looking for Remy while I'm there. lol

On a serious note. I hammered this out in the last couple of hours and i hope it's not full of typos. I'm beginning to think no one will tell me if there are. I'd completely forgotten Logan's lil sister's name (Rose) in the last chapter and just typed astericks to remind myself to go back and change it. of course I forgot and not one said peep. lol So, with that said, No Beta. and please let me know if there are outrageous mistakes that i should be flogged about.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ororo had left within the hour of Remy's departure. She'd tried to hide it but Jean knew her…she was upset. Jean closed the door behind the last of the shower attendees. It had been a long day of trying to remain neutral and oblivious of the situation between the two people she cared an extreme amount about. But she did it and now she was exhausted.

Exhaustion aside she couldn't wait to rush to Scott who was in the kitchen tidying up to ask if he'd gained any new information. "Well," she said as she crossed the distance to stand next to him at the island, "did you find out anything new?"

"Not about Ororo but there was some interesting news about Emma," Scott said looking away from the counter he was wiping and over the rim of his glasses towards his wife. Her nose crinkled as she scrunched up her nose like she smelled something foul. She wouldn't like what he was about to say. "He's going to propose."

Jean stared at Scott wide-eyed and speechless but Scott knew the latter wouldn't last that long. "Are you kidding me? Propose? Are you serious?"

"Absolutely."

"No flipping way!" the redhead bellowed. "Did you tell him he's making a mistake? What did he say?"

"Of course I told him I didn't think it was a good idea. He's in love with another woman."

"And?" Jean asked anxiously.

"And nothing. There's nothing else to say. It's up to him and Ororo to fix their mess."

Much to Scott's surprise Jean said nothing but the look on her face said it all. His feisty wife felt defeated. She knew he was right and there was nothing they could do. It had been ten years after all. But there was one thing she could do. She could tell Ororo and after that it was out of her hands. Ororo could do what she wanted with the information. It was time for Jean to think of her own family.

Jean sighed and turned towards the entry of the kitchen, "I'm going to bed. Good night." She didn't wait for him to answer.

Ororo hailed a cab after exiting the Amtrak station. The Acela only took three and a half hours to travel from Boston to New York. She was always thankful for the quick trip but today it was a blessing. The sun was about to completely disappear she just wanted to be in her own home before letting the events of the day sink in.

Multiple cabs tried to pick up the pretty fair. She never had a problem catching a cab. She settled into the back and adjusted her tote and purse before giving the grinning driver directions. She ignored him. She didn't feel like tossing back and forth pleasantries. She was tired.

As soon as the car started to move Ororo heard the tone of her iPhone. It was Jean. Ororo was sure of what Jean wanted to talk about but she just didn't feel like it. The call went to voicemail. Jean hated leaving messages. Needless to say the tone interrupted the silence of the dark cab. This time Ororo rejected the call right away and let it go to voicemail. She was sure Jean would hang up but was surprised to see a message had been left.

The cab driver of course tried to hold a conversation with her about the ringing of the phone. Ororo was polite but kept the talk a minimal. She'd been in this scenario enough times to realize the cabby would eventually try to ask her out if she was too friendly.

This time it wasn't hard to act cold. She just wasn't in the mood to gently let someone down. Instead she pressed her voicemail button and listened to what Jean had to say, "Ro, honey, I promise after this I'll never try to get involved with your life." Ororo rolled her eyes. She didn't believe that for one moment and absently wondered if Jean believed it either. "It's just that I want you to be happy. Ro," she paused, "Remy's going to ask Emma to marry him. Soon from what Scott tells me. I just thought I'd pass the information on to you. Do with it what you will. I love you, Ro. Bye."

Ororo barely heard what Jean said after the "ask Emma to marry him" part. He couldn't marry her! She was a gold digging, conniving child hater! She couldn't watch him make this huge mistake even if he hated her or not. She had to talk to him.

She dialed Devin's number and much to her surprise he answered.

"Devin!"

"Hey cuzzo. What's going on?" the ever-cheerful teen chirped.

"Are you with Remy?" she asked getting to the point.

"Nah. I'm on my way back to the hotel though. Had to go home and get fly. I'm taking my lady out tonight."

Ororo smiled despite the urgency. "That's nice. Hey, do me a favor and tell Remy to call me. Give him my number, okay?"

"Will do. 'Bout to hop on the subway. I'll tell him though."

"Okay, thank you, Devin."

"Later."

The cab pulled next to the curb of her apartment building. She thanked the cab and paid him along with a hefty tip before he could try to keep her any longer with flirtatious chatter.

Frank, the doorman, was waiting with the door open ready to accept the resident with a smile. "Ms. Munroe, how was your trip."

Ororo shook her head. "I should have stayed home."

He laughed missing the fact that it was more than just a bad trip. He was used to tenants exaggerating their day. "Better luck next time," he said and closed the door.

Ororo stopped by her mailbox after fishing its key out of her purse. Junk mail and one large ivory envelope. She hopped on the elevator as she tore it open. An invitation. Hank and Trish's wedding invitation.

The elevator stopped and its doors slid open. She wasn't in a hurry to get into her apartment any longer. Nothing and no one was there for her. It was four for walls with a door. It wasn't a home. It might as well have been a coffin. She was dying slowly inside those walls.

Once inside she dropped her bags to the floor and stood there. The looked at the bare white walls and the stark furniture. The only treatments on the windows were cheap blinds that came with the apartment.

Silently she wondered what was the point. Day in, day out she went to a job that had no fulfillment. Her volunteer work was the only joy that seemed to enter her life.

At that moment she felt alone and unloved. The man she loved hated her guts…with good reason. She'd pushed him away one too many times. The one she tried to love had finally realized he deserved so much more.

A lone tear gathered and fell down her cheek staining the front of her dress. The old battered trunk standing in as a coffee table in the middle of her living room pulled her to it. She sniffled in an effort to keep from make a complete mess of herself as she sat in front of it on the floor and unsnapped the two hinges after clearing of the magazines. Taking a deep breath she opened it and the past came rushing back.

One by one she pulled out the items that she hadn't looked at in at least five years. An empty ring box. The diamond ring that was once presented to her was once again a tie tack. A sacred heirloom and a token of a mother's love. An unopened pregnancy test when Remy swore she was pregnant after their trip second trip to Paris. However it was a case of food poisoning much to his disappointment. Souvenirs and packs and packs of photos weighed the trunk down. Finally at the bottom was the item she was looking for.

Remy had given her his old brown duster during the first winter break back home from college. She'd missed him and he'd told her to wrap up in his coat whenever she needed to be in his arms. Right now she needed to be in his arms. She slipped on the coat and curled up on the couch. She wondered if he even remembered this coat. The coat that was hanging in her closet on the day her aunts' went to their apartment to collect her things. The coat she cried into for the first few years after their divorce.

Emma was afraid to tell Remy to slow down. He was driving well over the speed limit and a bit erratically. She could tell by his clenched jaw that he was pissed off and she wasn't sure if it was at her or not.

He hadn't said a word since getting into the car after talking to his ex-wife. Emma could only imagine what she'd told him. Whatever it was she'd tell him his ex was lying. She was an ex for a reason. He'd believe her over some woman he'd obviously left if her sorrowful reminiscing was any indication.

Remy had all but forgotten Emma was in the car. He just wanted to get back to New York and forget the whole encounter. He and Scott had gotten into a volley of heated words after the comparison of his hurt to that of Ororo's.

Scott told him that Ororo was humiliated publicly while it was just his ego that was bruised. But Scott didn't know the details of that night. The words that were whispered in the dark.

Christmas Eve

They lay in the dark next to each other. After ten years of longing for each other's body they'd taken what they needed from each other. So many times, Remy was afraid he'd run out of condoms if they continued at their insatiable frenzied pace. There would be sore muscles and bruises in the days to come.

He'd half expected for her to get up and leave when he felt her moving and the bed shifting. But he was pleasantly surprised to feel her legs wrap around his, her arm drape over his waist and her cheek rest against his chest.

"I could stay like this forever," she said into the dark.

He wrapped his arms around her waist making an effort to pull her closer. "And I'd let you," he answered placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. He felt her smile against his flesh.

Ororo shifted her body straddling his waist as she sat atop him. He placed his hands on her waist and waited. He was pleasantly surprised when she leaned forward and kissed him deeply. Even though they'd touched, tasted, and filled each other there were no real kisses. But in that kiss there was more love than he'd ever remembered having in his whole life.

She pulled away, "I've missed you so much."

He quickly turned her and took the dominant position she'd just had. "That night in your apartment…you said you didn't want to be with me. Did you mean it?"

"No."

Remy was relieved to know that the wall she held firmly around her had crumbled. She was finally being honest with him and with herself. He kissed her again then asked another question that she hadn't answered on those two encounters, "Do you still love me, Ro?"

He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"Yes."

Remy's jaws clenched even tighter and his foot pressed the gas peddle just a bit harder with the thought of how she left the next morning. She was still going to marry that man after she'd told him he she still loved him, wanted to be with him…in his arms forever. Then the next morning she took it all away. He'd never forgive her for that.

End Note: Can you tell I'm trying to get this story done? Don't lose hope Sunshine! This is still a Remy/Ro story!