Disclaimer: I do not own the xmen
The road passed quickly by as Rogue drove. Her eyes were transfixed dead straight ahead as emotions threatened to overtake her. Rogue had no clue what road she was on . . . only that it was away and went somewhere. She gripped the steering wheel as if her life depended on it in a firm and aggressive hold, but her arms were shaking slightly. It did not make any sense . . . nothing Remy had just told her made any sense. Rogue felt exposed and vulnerable like her heart was out on display for the world to see. She blinked madly at the tears brimming over her eyes finally consenting that she needed to pull over before she crashed the car. Rouge violently jerked the car off the road and onto a small grassy shoulder and parked. The second she was stopped, Rogue folded her arms over the wheel and buried her head in gap her arms created. The seatbelt dug painfully into the side of her neck, but Rogue for the most part ignored it. She needed to get a grip on things . . . Rogue felt her whole life shifting and changing completely out of her control, and it terrified her. She hated not having complete control over her life and more than not someone else was always trying to manipulating her from the sidelines like she was a marionette to bend to the will of others. It seemed as if a larger hand than even Mystique was at play here maybe even fate.
Suddenly the car was suffocating her. Rogue tore at the seatbelt almost strangling herself in her desperate urge to escape. The car door flew open and Rogue sprung out and slammed the door shut taking her aggression out on the car. Rogue then proceeded to paced along the side of the road breathing deep big gulps of air trying to calm her panicked nerves. She was married. The psyches in her head were all screaming various things at her. It was difficult to pick up one opinion clearly amongst the deafening chorus of sound. She could tell who was angry over the news as opposed to happy. Logan was the loudest by far and was throwing a full-blown temper tantrum in her mind. Kitty was squealing high pitched in excitement.
Rogue pressed her hands against her ears as if she could block out the sound. "Quiet!" she screamed. The commotion in her head stopped instantly and the sudden change to silence was startling. It did not last long and was soon filled with the churnings of her own thoughts, which were hardly any better. Rogue knew she needed to talk to someone . . . and not the voices in her head. Kitty was out simply for the fact that once she knew there would be nothing by mushy girly talk. There was really only one option. Rogue pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and speed dialed a familiar number and placed the phone to her ear.
It rang three times before a voice came on saying, "Rogue?"
"Wanda," Rogue managed to croak out and was embarrassed at how her voice sounded. It was high pitched and on the edge of hysterics. She could practically hear the tears threatening to spill in her voice.
"Rogue? Are you alright? What happened?" Wanda demanded catching on quickly that something was not right.
Rogue opened her mouth to explain, but all that came out was a sob. "Did Gambit hurt you?" she asked sounding close to violence.
"No," Rogue mumbled. It took her a minute of deep breaths like the Professor taught her to calm down enough to manage an explanation. "Wanda, ah'm married!" Rogue hugged herself with her free arm and leaned back against the car looking up at the pale blue cloudless sky.
"Rogue, that was a fake wedding. Are you injured?"
"No, ah ain't injured. Ah'm married, that's what ah am! Ah just found out from Remy that John misunderstood and married us for real."
"What?" the Goth screamed on the other end.
"It's true. John married Remy and meh and submitted the paperwork to the state." The ring on her finger felt heavy and confining, but Rogue was too afraid that if she took it off she would lose it.
"I'm going to kill him! It was explained to him several times that it was fake! Rogue, I am so sorry. He's dead." Wanda vowed. When Rogue heard the news she had fantasized about strangling John till his face turned blue. However, unlike her, Wanda would really do it.
"No, Wanda. Don't kill him . . . ah . . . ah just want ta talk and figure this out. Ah don't know what to do or make of all this." Rogue explained. She had to press herself against the car as a large truck whipped past her and threatened to blow her over.
"Well, how do you feel about being married to Gambit?" Wanda asked sounding too calm. Rogue did not really trust the sudden change from furious to perfectly composed. Rogue said a silent prayer for John in her head.
How did she feel? "Ah never thought ah would ever get married. Who would want ta marry meh? Ah'm just learning to touch, and it's frightening. Ah gave up on the idea that ah could ever find a guy, and now suddenly ah'm married. Ah didn't choose to marry, and that ain't the way things are supposed to work. Ah can't be married to him," Rogue said firmly. As she said the words she knew she was telling the truth. She could not stay married to Remy it simply was not right.
"You're right. It's not supposed to work out like that, but it did. However, that's not important. What is important is how you feel about him. Rogue, how do you feel about Remy?" The last time this question had been brought up Rogue had dodged it like the plague.
"Ah . . . ah," Rogue muttered her voice cracking as the tears poured freely down her face again. "Ah love him" she said out loud for the first time. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces. The one man she wanted more than anything was actually hers, but she could not keep him.
"You love Gambit? Then I don't see the problem," Wanda said sounding annoyed with her. Rogue clutched the phone harder in her hand and closed her eyes.
"Wanda, ah love him, but that does not mean that Remy loves meh. How can ah stay married to him knowin' that ah love him and that he's just married to meh because of some weird notion of honor. He said he doesn't believe in divorce. He never wanted to get married to anyone." Rogue wanted Wanda could understand what she was trying to convey.
"How do you know he doesn't love you back? Rogue, no marriage is easy or perfect. It takes work, hard work. If you love him then hold on to him as tight as you can and never let go. I don't know if Gambit loves you, but I can tell he cares very much for you. What would be the harm in giving this a chance? Like a trial period," Wanda suggested.
"A trial period for a marriage? Like what, we give it six months to see if it will work out or somethin'?" Rogue asked. It was a crazy idea . . . something only Wanda could come up with. However, at the same times Wanda's suggestion soothed Rogue's fears.
"Yeah, although six months is not a lot of time. Go to Gambit and explain the trial period. You'll give you two a year to work things out and if at the end of the time it's obvious you simply cannot stand each other you get divorced."
"A year? Ah'll give him six months. That's plenty of time don't ya think?" Rogue negotiated back. Was she really going to do this? Give being Remy's wife a try? There would need to be rules. Remy was the sort of man who needed his boundaries clearly point out, and then pointed out again when he failed to listen to them.
"Six months . . . a year . . . just give it a try Rogue," Wanda encouraged. "I can't believe you're married. Does this mean I have to get you a wedding present?" her friend asked effectively lightening the mood. Rogue could not help but laugh.
"No, just don't actually kill John and we'll call it even. Ah might be mad at him, but ah don't want him dead," Rogue said. She was surprised how much better she felt having talked to Wanda. Rogue never figured her dark friend to be any good at comforting anyone ever. She needed to give Wanda more credit in the future.
"Okay, I won't kill him. I will find him, hurt him, and figure out why he did what he did. I probably could not kill him anyways I love him too much."
"Withhold sex from him that would probably hurt him more than anything else," Rogue suggested.
"Why would I punish myself too? No, I know exactly what I am going to do," Wanda promised in a sinister voice. "Rogue are feeling better?"
"Yeah, thanks for talkin' ta meh, sug. Ah'm still a little nervous, but ah don't have the overwhelming urge to run till mah legs can't run no more." Rogue said and meant it. She could live with a trial period. For some reason it sounded less intimidating to give a marriage a test run. It was sort of like buying some piece of technology from a store and then returning it if you find you don't quite like it. It was a strange way to look at a marriage, but it was the only way Rogue could look at it rationally and calmly.
"I'm happy to help," Wanda told her. "Look, if you're okay Rogue I want to go find John."
"Yeah, ah'm fahne. Happy hunting!"
"Thanks. Bye," Wanda said and then the line went dead. Rogue stared at her cell phone for a minute before slipping it back in her pocket.
It had been a crazy day. First Remy's ex-fiancé shows up. Then her powers go bonkers, again. Finally, the icing on the cake she learned she was married to Remy. A small part of her felt smugly satisfied that she was married to him . . . sort of a 'take that you blonde bitch he really is mine'. The sappier and often suppressed side of her was on cloud nine happy as can be. She was married to Remy LeBeau. She was Mrs. Rogue LeBeau. On the bright side, at least she no longer had to lie to Remy's family. She had hated lying to the sweet Mercy and welcoming Tante Mattie. Rogue knew that in her heart she wanted to be Remy's wife to have and to hold and all that stuff. Rogue pushed the swirling thoughts from her head. She told Remy that she needed to think, but honestly she did not want to think. Rogue wanted to push everything that happened back and go on pretending merrily that everything was the same and that nothing had changed. That was exactly what she would do tell Remy that they would talk about this whole marriage thing after they left his family. They would give their marriage an honest chance then . . . a six month trial period.
Rogue drove the car back towards the LeBeau mansion ready to have her conversation with Remy. She was happy that he had insisted on her taking the car since otherwise she would have been completely lost. Rogue had only been driven to the LeBeau house one time and she had been blindfolded then. When she left with Mercy early that morning to go shopping she had not even bothered to pay attention to her surroundings as they left. It was a good thing the house was saved as a favorite on the GPS system. Not knowing how to get back had been irresponsible and rather un-x-men like. 'You can say that again, Stripes. What have I always taught you? Know your surroundings!' Logan snarled. Rogue rolled her eyes, but chose not to comment back. If she ignored Logan long enough he would go away. At least he had calmed down somewhat from the news.
"Turn right in three hundred yards," the British woman directed her from the GPS system. Rogue thought it was hilarious that a bunch of Cajun thieves were taking directions from a British woman.
Still chuckling to herself, Rogue turned down Amelia St. She was paying close attention to the roads now wanting to know exactly how to leave in the case of an emergency. The LeBeau mansion was sort of in the middle of nowhere Rogue concluded. While driving back she drove past very few houses . . . and the ones she did spot were also large colonial mansions like the house the Thieves owned. It made sense in a way that thieves would want few neighbors to be watching their comings and goings. Rich people would not pay much attention either not wanting any curiosity risen about their own affairs.
"Turn left in three hundred yards," the robotic British woman instructed Rogue breaking her from her train of thought. This time, Rogue turned onto Charbonnet St. She wondered if Remy was back at the house already. She had left him two hours ago, and at the time he said that the LeBeau house was not far. Rogue was surprised at the distance she had managed to drive in her hysteria. Her stomach took that time to gurgle loudly letting itself be known. She was starving since she never got to eat lunch. Rogue decided she would invite Remy to go out and have lunch with her so that they could talk. They needed to talk now that she was calm.
"In three hundred yards you have arrived at your destination," the GPS announced. True enough, Rogue could spot the mansion just peeking through the trees. Rogue turned the car down the driveway and parked.
She had just gotten out when the front door flew open revealing a worried Mercy with Henri hot on her tail. Worst case cinereous instantly sprang into Rogue's mind . . . Remy hurt . . . Remy running into Belladonna . . . Wolverine tracking him down and gutting him. "What's wrong?" she demanded finally finding her voice.
"Where have you been, cher? What happened? Did you and Remy have a fight?" Mercy asked. It was obvious Mercy was deciding whether she should scold Rogue or comfort her. In the end the blond planted her fists on her hips waiting for answerers with a soft look or worry on her face.
At Rogue's confused expression Henri further explained, "Remy came back an hour ago in a foul mood without you. He paced around and then left without explaining anything to anyone." Tante Mattie appeared at the door wiping her wet hands on her apron with a prominent scowl on her face and her brows closely knitted together.
"Remy ain't here?" Rogue asked. She figured he would have gone straight home and stayed there.
"What happened?" Mercy asked again.
"Well . . . ah was upset so ah asked Remy to give meh some time to myself ta think. Ah figured he came right back here. You're saying Remy left?" Rogue asked for the second time.
"Mercy, Henri, Rogue get inside. There is no need to have this conversation out in the yard. Come into the kitchen and we'll have some nice sweet tea," Tante said from her position at the entryway. When no one moved to comply with her commands she said in a loudly barking voice, "Get inside now!"
With that Rogue, Mercy, and Henri all scrambled to do as she said like small children. Once everyone was inside and sitting together at the kitchen table there was an awkward silence. Tante placed three ice filled glasses before each of them followed by a large pitcher of iced tea. "Does anyone know where Remy went?" Rogue asked.
"Non, he refused to answer any of our questions. Did you deux have a fight?" Henri asked in a kind soft tone.
"Well that's between Remy and myself. Ah needed ta clear mah head and told him ah would meet him back here in a bit. Remy insisted that ah take the car and he walked." She knew Henri and Mercy meant well, but what went on between her and Remy was private. However, Rogue felt bad. Something she said or did had to have upset him. He had seemed fine when she left, a little sad but fine. A stab of guilt pierced at her heart followed by a worry that settled deep in the pit of her stomach.
Suddenly, Rogue sprung to her feet startling both Mercy and Henri. "Ah . . . ah need ta go find him," she stammered.
"Rogue, chile, sit down. Remy will be fine. He just needs to clear his head just like you did," Tante's voice commanded even with her back turned. The woman was stirring something in a pot on the stovetop smelled wonderful. Rogue's stomach growled loudly, but she remained standing for a moment before reluctantly sitting back down. "Mercy and Henri but out of the poor girl's business. She is his wife and doesn't need le deux of you to be poking yer noses into affairs they don't belong in. My goodness, you would think you deux would know what it feels like and know private married business when ya saw it."
Both Mercy and Henri gave Rogue sheepish glances looking properly reprimanded. "Sorry, cher . . . I tend to be a little nosy. Forgive moi, s'il vous plait," Mercy said and reached across the table to give Rogue's hand a squeeze.
"Désolée, belle-soeur," Henri offered.
"Don't worry," Rogue said shrugging away offenses. They really had meant to harm. Rogue got to her feet still feeling antsy despite Tante's words, and busied herself with pouring each of them a glass of iced tea trying not to think too hard about Remy or how hungry she was.
She was just about to sit back down when the kitchen door violently swung open and Jean-Luc stepped inside startling Rogue slightly. "Désolée, belle-fille. Dis old Cajun didn't mean to startle you," he said sounding earnest.
"No problem," Rogue replied and sat down. Jean-Luc hovered just behind her shifting his feet anxiously.
"Do you happen to know where dat husband of yours is by any chance?" Jean-Luc asked. Rogue tried not to glare at him wondering if he was sincere in his question since everyone else seemed to know that Remy was not at the mansion.
"Père, Remy ain't here," Henri said before Rogue had the chance. "What's wrong? You look upset?" Once Rogue was paying closer attention, Jean-Luc did seem rather perturbed a strange cross between annoyed and worried. He subconsciously rubbed his pants and looked around at the faces in the room.
"De Assassins are in an uproar. Apparently they are a bit miffed about Belladonna's nose and the fact that Remy's married," Jean-Luc explained. Rogue felt the blood drain from her face. She had not even thought about the repercussions her punching Belladonna's nose might have on the Guilds. She had come here for the purpose of settling the rising tensions in the Guilds and keeping Remy from getting married seemed she might fail again.
"Are they moving to attack?" Henri asked rising to his feet in a quick and fluid movement the grace of a Thief.
"None, Marius is insisting on a meeting tomorrow. He specifically requests you, petite," he said and nodded towards Rogue. "et Remy. Myself and a few other Thieves will also be going."
"Sorry, ah didn't mean ta cause so much trouble." She did not feel bad about hitting Belladonna, but she her conscience was not to thrilled over the mess she caused Remy's family as a result.
"None, not your fault petite. Belladonna admitted to drawing first blood so no worries. It was bound to be found out sooner or later," Jean-Luc assured her with a big grin that reminded Rogue of Remy.