A/N: I took the Apocalypse idea and humanized it.
Chellerbelle: They needed a good talk. :) Remy's just a fun kind of guy, naturally.
roguey21: Yep, she has a tattoo! Read on to find out what it is. The story behind yours is so sweet and poignant. :)
Team-JEdward2010: Thank you! I decided to give her one big party for both occasions, since they did occur around the same time. :)
In her bathroom, Rogue removes the bandage and admires the colorful artwork on her arm. "Two hours to heal...not too shabby!" She smiles to herself, thankful for enhanced healing abilities. She walks out to find Kitty and Mercy waiting for the 'grand unveiling'. Remy told them what she did and they'd been pestering her non-stop ever since. She purposely borrowed a denim shirt from Remy and has the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
"Aww...like, c'mon Rogue. Stop teasing and show us!" Kitty exclaims impatiently.
"Yeah, Rogue. We wan' t' see it, chere." Mercy echoes eagerly.
"Alrigh', alrigh'. Here it is." She slides one shoulder halfway off to reveal a red rose with the thorns still attached. There is a crown of thorns draped over the stem with two drops of blood. A banner below has written in fancy script "He Gave All".
"Oh wow! That is, like awesome!" Kitty enthuses as she closely examines the design.
"Dat's jus' belle, Rogue." Mercy smiles softly.
"I wanted somethin' that has meanin' ta me." Rogue explains as she joins the girls on her bed.
"So, like will you get a tattoo with yours and Remy's wedding date when you do totally get married?" Kitty asks artfully, receiving an incredulous look from Rogue.
Mercy slaps a hand over her mouth as she shouts out with laughter.
"When ya announce ya firs'born with Pete." Rogue shoots back, darting a dark glance in Mercy's direction. By now, she's in a fit of hysterical laughter as Kitty blushes a deep scarlet. Rogue rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
"Sometimes I wonda if I'm tha only sane one aroun' here." She mutters to herself.
"I don' know, Rogue. Y' are datin' Remy aft'r all. Dat alone should question y'r sanity." Mercy points out jestingly, finally regaining some semblance of control.
Rogue chuckles merrily. "Ya do raise a good point there, Mercy. I guess that shoots my theory outta tha water."
"Bon, den dat means y' fit in wit' de res' o' us." Mercy concludes with tongue-in-cheek finality.
"Like, what about me?" Kitty queries.
"Ya insane for wantin' ta come here ta see me all tha time." Rogue mirthfully states, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders.
"Yeah, well....." Kitty smiles shyly as she looks down, examining her nails with sudden interest.
Rogue and Mercy share a conspiratorial glance.
"It would seem dat y'r not de only reason de chaton comes 'ere." Mercy observes with a wicked grin.
"I still don' know what ta say about that. I don' know if I will eva recova from tha realization that I'm not tha only one anymore." Rogue teases with mock indignation.
"S' y' plannin' on givin' Remy 'is shirt back?" Mercy asks craftily.
"No. Whateva comes inta this room becomes mine!" Rogue announces decisively as she pulls the shirt possessively around her.
Mercy gazes at her with an upraised brow as she tries not to laugh at the scene unfolding in front of her. Rogue looks at Kitty with a weird expression as the brunette's mouth is agape with shocked humor.
"S' I take it dat means 'm y'rs den, mon Roguey?" A deep, sultry voice rumbles inquisitively from behind her.
Rogue buries her crimson face in her hands as he laughs wickedly.
"Why didn' anyone tell me he was behin' me?" She questions in embarrassment.
"'Cuz we wanted t' see w'at 'e'd say w'en y' said dat." Mercy answers her cheekily.
Rogue moves over to her window with her back turned, pretending to be angry.
"Like, you're not really mad at us, are you Rogue?" Kitty asks with concern.
When there's no answer forthcoming, Remy winks at them and makes his way over to Rogue, standing behind her and pulling her back gently against his chest. He knows she really isn't and is rewarded with a small grin that the other two can't see.
"'M willin' t' be y'rs, as long as dat means y'r mine." He purrs, just loud enough for her to hear
"Do I get ta keep tha shirt?" She bargains playfully.
He chuckles warmly, then leans down slightly to kiss the top of her head.
"Keep it. It looks bett'r on y' anyway."
"Then ya got a deal, Rems." She turns in his embrace and grins at him impishly.
He gazes thoughtfully at her for a moment, then quickly pecks her on the lips, drawing a stunned gasp from Rogue, a small squeal from Kitty and an enlightened smirk from Mercy.
"I f'rgot we 'ad an audience." Remy says ruefully.
"Uh huh..." Rogue is in shock, unaware of her surroundings for the time being.
He grins mischievously and holds her close, memorizing her sweet floral scent.
"I need t' talk t' y' f'r a minute." He unwillingly loosens his hold so he can look at her.
"Dat's our cue t' leave." Mercy states as she guides Kitty from the room, a silly grin plastered on her face.
Rogue snaps back to the present.
"What're ya wantin' ta talk about?" Her face mirrors his sober expression.
"I 'ave t' leave f'r a job t'nigh'. It's a dang'rous one, Marie. Dere's dis facility dat's gonna start makin' dis serum t' turn 'umans int' mutants. Dey wan' t' do dat an' use dem f'r military purposes. It's m' job t' break in an' steal de fo'mula den erase all traces o' it t' keep dem fr'm makin mo'. I need y' prayin' f'r me like y've nev'r prayed befo'." He looks at her earnestly.
"I will, Remy. I promise not ta stop til ya get back home ta me." She states devoutly, burying her head in his chest as she wills the fear/worry to leave.
Feeling these emotions warring in her, he holds her as close as he can.
"I'll be back befo' y' know it, Marie." He informs her confidently.
"Ya betta be or I'm gonna come fin' ya myself!" Rogue warns him only half teasingly.
"Woe t' anyone who tries t' stop y'!" He attempts to tease her.
She manages a choked laugh.
He turns to leave and stops to gaze back at her one more time.
"Be careful, Rems." She says softly as she commits those rubies to her memory.
"I will, cherie. I 'ave a tres important reason t' come 'ome." He smiles at her.
She tries to return it, but her effort falls flat.
Later that night, she stands out on the porch and watches as his car disappears from sight. She sits on the steps and stares at the night sky spread out before her. Rogue touches her lips with her finger, remembering his kiss, although brief. She allows the tears to fall freely as she prays fervently for him. A sense of dread is felt every time she thinks of what he is going to be doing. She doesn't notice another presence until she feels a weight fall across her shoulders. Rogue glances over to see Tante with her eyes closed, but her lips moving in silent entreaty. She leans her head into the other woman's shoulder, soaking up the comfort and strength being offered.
After several minutes, Tante opens her eyes.
"De Bible tells us not t' worry. Seems like it's easi'r said dan done." Tante muses aloud.
"Ya worried about Remy too?" Rogue asks as she sniffles. Tante hands her a tissue.
"Sure do, chile. I always do w'en 'e goes out on dese jobs. It's 'uman. God und'rstan's."
"Yeah. So what do we do?"
"We pray all de mo', petit." She tells her determinedly.
Rogue sighs deeply and continues gazing at the sky.
"It ain' easy livin' by fait', is it, Rogue?"
Rogue snorts. "Ya sure got that right."
"It ain' easy, but de mo' y' start practicin' it, de mo' y' b'lieve it will come t' pass. Now, fr'm w'at y've learn'd ov'r de years, w'en y' b'lieve it'll 'app'n, I mean really b'lieve, w'at occ'rs nex'?" Tante inquires encouragingly..
"Then things actually start happenin'." Rogue answers with a small grin.
"Dat's righ'! Y' know, I've been prayin' f'r 'is salvation f'r years. Nev'r gave up, petit. Den one day, I meet dis jolie fille an' take 'er in. Nex' t'ing y' know, m' long soug't aft'r pray'r is answer'd." Tante inspires the young woman. "Now, m' pray'rs are focused on somet'in else, an' Le Bon Dieu show'd me it'll come t' pass. 'M already seein' it 'app'nin' befo' m' eyes." She states joyfully.
"What's that?" Rogue asks curiously.
"Can' say, chere. All I c'n tell y' is dat y'll know f'r y'self one day." Tante smoothly evades the question.
"Do ya think he'll be okay?" Rogue queries worriedly.
"Not only do I t'ink it, but I know 'e will, Rogue." Tante assures her.
"Then I'm gonna believe it too." Rogue states resolutely.
"Tres bon. Now, it's time f'r dis ol' femme t' go t' bed. I'll see y' in de mornin'."
"G'nigh', Tante. Thanks for tha talk."
"Anytime, honey chile." Tante smiles and departs for bed.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Remy arrives at the facility, located in an isolated part of the country. He prepares in his usual way, but adds a prayer for guidance and safety. He slips into the building and deactivates the alarms without incident and finds his way to the lab. Waiting with baited breath, he makes sure there are no others around.
"You'd think they'd keep a place like this well-guarded." He thinks to himself facetiously.
The place seems to be empty, so he looks for the security cameras. Sneaking up to each one to where he won't be seen, he places a charged card near each one and waits for the explosions. Satisfied, he stealthily enters and finds the container with the serum. Remy makes quick work of demolishing it, then does a thorough job of destroying the lab.
Looking at the building's schematics, he finds the offices and makes his way there. In the corner office, he finds the files and sets to destroying them, then hacks into their system to find everything he can on the formula and the plans for future use.
"The U.S. wants to make a 'mutant army' to use in warfare." Remy gazes at the information before him in disbelief. He furiously deletes all the files and makes sure they can't be retrieved. Just as he's finished, he hears a door opening. He curses, then mumbles a quick apology. As he's leaving, he's noticed.
"Hey you! Stop right where you are!" The man shouts as he holds a gun to him.
Remy pretends to surrender, but as the man approaches, he jumps up and grabs onto the top of the door frame swinging toward the unsuspecting and kicking him full-force, knocking the gun and him over in the process. The man struggles to get up, but Remy is faster. Picking up the gun, he runs toward the door and runs into three more men.
"Looks like we caught ourselves an intruder." One of them, named Greely, sneers.
"The boss is gonna have fun with this one." Rafe observes tauntingly. "Whaddya think, Peterson?"
"Yeah, definitely."
The other man emerges, after recovering from Remy's attack. "Put him in one of the cells. We'll decide what to do with this one in the morning."
"Yes, Captain." The men salute him and perform their duty.
Remy is placed in a cell and the men leave for the night. He tries charging the bars, but they are made to absorb mutant ability, thereby making his escape that much more difficult. He sits, then remembers that he's not without hope, not anymore. He bows his head and earnestly prays for a way out, his last thought of the night centered on an auburn-haired beauty many miles away, before he loses himself in prayer.
XXXXXXXXXX
Rogue is awakened suddenly with an urgency she has never felt before. She pads over to Kitty's room, knowing the girl to be an effective prayer warrior. Kitty groans and rolls over to face Rogue.
"What is it?" She asks sleepily.
"We need ta pray for Remy now, Kit. I have a bad feelin' he's in trouble." Rogue communicates to her.
"Okay." Kitty instantly wakes up and they beseech God on Remy's behalf.
I told y'all there would be an 'event'. Stand by for the conclusion.