Chellerbelle: :) Thankses so much! Let me tell you I struggled with 27 just trying to figure out what to write. I'm glad it turned out the way it did.
courtneykutie: I am soo happy you liked it! :D
Team-JEdward2010: Remy is overjoyed at the recent development. ;) Oh, the temptation! Lol.
Rogue is excited. Today is the Fourth of July. She has always loved this holiday. True, she loves most holidays, but today she's especially happy. Tonight most of the house's residents will go into town and watch the fireworks by the river.
She sits with Wanda, Kitty and Mercy as they watch the guys move a picnic table to a shady spot. It won't make that much of a difference, since it is in the 90's and humid as all get-out. Wanda assumes a wicked grin as she moves closer to Rogue and nudges her arm.
"You know, you could really make those guys look bad." She informs her cunningly.
Rogue's eyes take on a mischievous glint. "Yeah? An' how do I do that?"
"You have super-human strength, right?" At Rogue's nod, she leans over and whispers her impish plan as Kitty and Mercy listen in, Mercy snickering behind her hand and Kitty giggling with her head buried in her knees.
As soon as the guys set the table down with a collective groan, Remy grabs his glass of iced tea and takes a long drink as Henri and John look at each other and fall back on the grass, bringing a chorus of laughs from the girls. Remy walks over and stands in front of them. "We got one mo' table t' move." He points out humorously.
The two prone men moan, then John mutters "Slavedriver.", getting a wicked chuckle from Remy.
"Try bein' up since fo' dis mo'nin t' cook wit' Tante. Den y'll see a true slavedriv'r." Remy states defensively.
Rogue stands up and sashays over in the direction of the other table. "Don' worry guys, I got this one." She grins confidently and picks up the other table with very little effort, carrying it over by the other one.
She moves back to the girls, who are cheering and stops by Remy, giving him a smart-alecky grin.
"Show-off." He mutters, but the smirk belies the tone. Henri and John can only stare in astonishment at her.
She giggles as she heads back to her cheering section, Wanda jeering "Imagine that, it only takes one woman to do the work of three men."
"Isn' dat 'ow it usu'lly works out?" Mercy asks playfully, earning her a glare from Henri.
Piotr returns from his run to the store, carrying several cartons of soda and bags of ice. "What did I miss?" He questions, taking in the bantering between both genders.
"Rogue just, like showed-up the guys by moving the other picnic table totally by herself." Kitty laughingly informs him.
"I see." He states, even though he really doesn't.
"C'mon, Pete. Give me something to carry and we'll take these into the house and get the coolers ready." Kitty requests, noticing the bewilderment on his face.
"I say de nex' time somet'in' needs t' be carried, I'll go t' de sto' an' Petey can do de carryin'." Henri suggests decicively.
"Non, it's bett'r entertainment watchin' y' doin' it, frere." Remy jibes the older man.
"T'ink we should do a face-off b'tween Pete an' Rogue?" Henri whispers to Remy.
"Only if y' wan' t' clean up aft'r dem." Remy responds cheekily, then whistles as he saunters off to join his girlfriend, leaving Henri to gaze after his retreating form.
Approaching the group, Remy comes up behind Rogue and pulls her against him. "Why y' makin' me look bad, cherie?" He queries, affecting a hurt tone as he wraps his arms around her and lightly kisses her neck.
"Sorry sugah, I couldn' resist. Y'all gave me tha perfect opportunity." She points out smartly as she reaches up to plant a kiss on his cheek.
"I wasn' de one passed out on de grass." He retorts observantly.
"No, ya weren', so ya get credit for that. Think a it as a jab ta those two." Rogue advises teasingly.
"Hmm..." He pretends to consider her 'offer', then concedes cleverly "I'll give y' dat one, but only on de account dat it was fun seein' deir faces w'en y' carried dat table by y'self." He chuckles deeply.
"Yeah, that was pretty funny." Rogue laughingly agrees as they move inside to help Tante bring the dishes outside.
After the resplendent picnic lunch is eaten, everyone assists with taking in the leftovers, what little is left. They decide to spend the afternoon indoors, since it is too warm to play any sports-related games outside. Several spirited games of pool later finds Rogue and Remy facing off with everyone else, minus Jean-Luc and Tante who opted to stay in the living room, providing a captive audience.
"W'at y' be givin' me if I sink dis shot, Roguey?" He asks with a smoldering gaze.
She gives him a seductive smile, which makes his eyes burn brighter. "If ya can sink this shot...I'll talk dirty ta ya." She says just loud enough for him to hear.
"Oh, y' got a deal, cherie." He states eagerly and lines up his shot.
"Wait jus' a minute there, Swampy! What do I get if I can sink it?" She inquires with a small smirk.
"Oh, de places I could go wit' dat question." He declares playfully.
"Keep it clean, Swamprat." Rogue growls warningly.
"Why y' always takin' 'way m' fun?" He complains tauntingly. "Okay," He surrenders with a small sigh. "I'll make y' m' crab etouffee."
"Ooh...that's definitely a deal!" Rogue expresses enthusiastically.
Remy lines up his shot, and misses. He utters a frustrated growl and moves to sit and watch Rogue. She lines it up, but she also misses by a hair. Remy returns to the table with renewed determination and sinks the shot.
"Aw...man!" Rogue groans in dread as he walks to where she's standing. He stops before her and gives her that winning smirk. There is a playful expression in her eyes, which would normally warn him, but his anticipation is clouding his judgment.
"Ya won, so a promise is a promise." She says with finality. He leans closer, as does their attentive audience. She begins in a husky voice "Mud....dust....dirt..." She can't help herself any longer and begins laughing as the expression on his face changes from confusion to mischievousness.
"'Ow did I know y' were goin' t' be a smart-aleck 'bout it?" He asks ironically.
"Ya should know me by now, Rems." Rogue speaks between giggles as the rest of the room is holding their sides in laughter.
"The sheila burned ya with that one, mate!" John howls with laughter.
Remy glares at him for a moment, then sets a lightly charged card next to him. Not enough to hurt, just to startle. It goes off and John leaps into Wanda's lap. She gives him a strange look and quips drily. "It's not often that I have men throwing themselves at me."
"I knew ya loved me, Wands." John wildly throws his arms around her and gives her a noisy smooch on the cheek, which gets him shoved off her lap, but he doesn't notice the grin ghosting on her lips.
Remy gives Rogue an evil grin and advances toward her slowly. Her eyes widen and she begins retreating backwards out of the room. She sees his intent, yelps and runs upstairs, him hot on her heels. The sound of Rogue's hysterical laughter is heard seconds later.
That evening, the same group is down by the riverfront, seated in a good location so they can see everything. The southern duo is sitting on a blanket with Rogue inclined against Remy.
"Got t' say dis is de bes' 4th I've ev'r 'ad, Marie." He replies contentedly.
"Definitely is for me." Rogue affirms as she gazes at the sky in contemplative thought. She decides to speak what's been on her mind. "Have ya figured out what ta do about Belle yet?" She asks with slight anxiety.
He really didn't want to think about that subject, but he knows the time runs short.
"I don' know w'at t' do. All I know is dat 'm not marryin' 'er!" He states forcefully.
"I know I don' wan' ya ta." Rogue tells him with complete honesty.
He smiles gently at her and lightly kisses her cheek. "Maybe we come up wit' somet'in' t'get'er, non?"
"Yeah, I'll be workin' on it." Rogue promises as she turns to kiss him.
On another blanket nearby, Henri and Mercy take in the colorful show in the sky. She is snuggled into him, happily foreseeing his expression when she informs him of the news. She can't wait any longer to tell him.
"Henri?"
"Oui, ma chere?" He gazes down at her lovingly.
"Nex' year we may not be comin' 'ere."
"Why would dat be, Mercy? We got a job o' somet'in'?"
"Somet'in' like dat." She says enigmatically.
"Mercy, w'at's goin' on?" He queries warily.
"'Cuz our bebe will be t' small t' be out 'ere." She explains with a merry smile.
"Bebe?" He repeats dumbly, then catches on. Stupor changes to joy. "Mercy! D' y' know w'at dis means?" He stands and shouts, catching the attention of everyone around them. Mercy chuckles as she pulls him back down and kisses him. "Oui. It means I'll be carin' f'r deux childr'n." She says in a sassy tone.
"Ha ha." Henri retorts as he takes her in his arms and deeply kisses her.
Later, after returning home, Rogue sits in her window, wide-awake. She tries to think of ways to stop the wedding, but keeps coming up empty. It seems hopeless. Deciding that she can think more clearly when she's driving, she changes into her shorts and T-shirt and silently leaves the protection of the house.
Taking the road toward town, but not exiting in that direction, she drives onward, not noticing the dark vehicle with its lights off. It gains on her rapidly, successfully running her off the road and into a tree. Barely conscious, she finds her phone. Grasping it as she feels the darkness descend, she dials Remy's number.
"'Ello?" He picks up, immediately recognizing Rogue's number.
"Remy....help....me..." He hears faintly as she slumps over.
*evil laughter* Oh yes, I'm going to leave off here and make you wonder what will happen next! Questions will be answered in the next chapter....or will they? Bwahahahaha.......
