Sorry it's been a while guys, while someone was updating the security on the computer, Microsoft word was completely deleted and I had to wait until I could reinstall it. Warrior Zoe: I'll try to work in the Paris thing. Jean1: thanks, I thought that they were getting a little too lovey-dovey myself and had to bring them back into character. Chica: If you have Rogue and Remy, you gotta have the angry-angst, and I wanted to have them kiss and make-up so why not roll it up all together? TitaniaRogue: I think my story has made everyone pick up the habit, lol! I'll have to pass out those candy ones, so no lung cancer. Burning Touch: She seems to have forgotten that part of her mission, hasn't she? Maybe she thinks he'll be better off with them anyway and thinks he won't consider it a betrayal? And don't forget, Creed is still hanging around. InTHEgrid: I love your long reviews!Candy cigarettes! Otherwise, I'd be a public health menace.I will try and relieve your poor overloaded head a little in this chapter. Creed told Rogue what happened in Paris, he also told her what Remy said to Genevieve, I'm sorry I didn't clarify that, so she just heard him echo those words to her and it made her doubt. Remy'sRogue: Candy cigarettes and cold showers; if I had Remy, I may need one but not the other. Thanks, I'm glad you liked the chapter. Yes, Remy's undying devotion to his family; it has made him give up a lot, but is he devoted enough to give up Rogue? Rogue14: Sabertooth? I wouldn't do that to Rogue, would I? Let's just say he is an unpredictable fellow and leave it at that. Tammy: I really like Pyro and Rogue and I am going to try and put more of him in if I can. As for Paris and Morocco . . . we'll just wait and see how it all plays out. Remy doesn't know that Rogue knows Sabertooth or that she knows about Paris.

Marvel's, not mine.

Chapter 21

He didn't want to move, he didn't want to get up or even shift his position because then this moment Remy was sharing with Rogue would end and he would have to leave her. Taking a deep breath, Remy lifted himself off of Rogue and looked down at his green-eyed beauty.

"Hey," he said, he wasn't sure of what else to say.

"Hey," she looked up at him, her eyes still a bit dazed.

"Are we alright?" he didn't know if he could leave this spot unless they were.

Rogue was silent for a long moment, her emerald eyes focused somewhere above his shoulder. He wished that he knew what she was thinking or feeling; he felt like he was hanging by a thread, dangling over a very deep pit and he would fall into nothingness if she refused him. What they had just shared had seemed like they had made up; had let out their frustrations and doubts, but he needed to hear it from her lips that they were alright.

"Chere?" he said, softly as though he really did not want to jar her from her thoughts and although she had only been silent less than a minute, it felt like an eternity to him.

"You hurt me," Rogue turned her focus back to him.

"I know."

"Don't do it again."

-X-

Emil was pacing, had been for nearly an hour; ever since he saw Anna leave the house and Remy follow her into the woods. It was nearly 9pm and Remy would have to leave soon. If he did not leave soon, Jean Luc would come looking for him. Something had not been right with Anna; perhaps she was upset that Remy was leaving or maybe she had had another run-in with Belle; whatever the case, Emil knew that Remy would be able to fix it. But their time was running out and he wasn't sure if they could stall their uncle, who would come here for Remy before he searched anywhere else.

"You're goin' ta make yaself dizzy," Lapin said from where he sat, propped up against a tree.

"Non, 'm not."

"Ya makin' me dizzy."

"What could possibly be takin' dem dis long?" Emil stopped pacing and faced Lapin. He received a mocking eyebrow raise in response to his ridiculous question. "Never mind. Dey better speed it up."

"Regarde la-bas!" Lapin pointed to the woods. (1)

Emil turned his attention back to the woods to see Remy motioning for them to come closer.

"It's nearly time fer you ta leave," Emil said as he and Lapin reached the edge of the woods. "Your pere gonna be lookin' fer you."

"Oui," Remy said. "Don' I know it. I need yer sweater, Lapin."

"Quoi?" Lapin clutched his zip-up hoodie and stared at his cousin, who was now minus his shirt.

"Anna need it," Remy told him.

"She cold?" Lapin obliged and gave Remy the sweater.

"Sometin' like dat," Remy turned and handed the sweater into the woods where it was snatched away by an unseen hand.

"What happened to yer shirt, Remy?" Emil asked.

"I lost it."

Rogue chuckled as she stepped out of the woods, zipping the sweater up over her ruined dress. Her hair was in disarray, her nylons were ruined and both her shoes were gone. It didn't take very much imagination to realize what they had been doing; especially when Remy stepped further out into the pale light coming from the nearby house and angry red, welts could be seen going down his back, chest and abdomen.

"Emil," Remy turned to his cousin. "I need ya shirt."

"What? Why not Lapin's?"

"'Cause we already relieve him of his sweater."

"But . . .!"

"You want me to go home wit' out one?"

"What about me?"

"Do you really tink dey'll ask?"

Emil grumbled as shrugged off his shirt and tossed it to Remy.

"Ya hafta get goin', Remy," Lapin said as Remy shrugged on the shirt.

"I know," Remy turned to Rogue who was desperately trying to hold back tears and he pulled her close. "You'd best get inside, amour."

Rogue only nodded as she lost her vain battle with the tears and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled his face down to her and they shared one last, searing and desperate kiss. When she broke away, she fled toward the house, not looking back and taking Remy's heart with her.

"Uh, Remy," Lapin began uncertainly.

"Not now," Remy didn't take his eyes off the massive house that had swallowed up his love.

"Um, your pere be comin' up de walk."

-X-

Rogue didn't bother turning on the light when she entered her bedroom, she just closed the door and opened the drapes to let in the moonlight. She stripped off her clothes, tossing the ruined ones in the trash and draping Emil's sweater over the headboard of her bed. She pulled on a pair of jeans, a long sleeve white shirt, socks and a pair of sneakers. She was pulling on a pair of gloves when Mystique entered.

"Everything's in order," her skin shifted to midnight blue. "Did you make any progress that would warrant me calling this off?"

"I told him about the Brotherhood and he's interested," Rogue sat down on the edge of her bed. "But his family. . ."

"Yes, I've noticed that blind devotion. His family caught him outside and I sent Irene down to keep them there, so we have a few moments. Tell me everything that happened tonight."