Messagage to Readers:

I just wanted to make sure you know that I posted chapters 19 and 20 at the same time. So if the last thing you remember is the Halloween Party. Then you might want to read Heart in a Cage it leads up to Perfect Day. Thanks, enjoy

December 28th, New York

It was 9 degrees out. The sun shimmered down brightly on the snow-covered hill. It was illuminating the deception of warmth, when in actuality. Warmth completely was absent from the scene.

Three treacherous souls walked through the snow to their hidden transport. They left empty-handed, not gaining anything despite the underhanded tactics they employed.

They were about 15 feet away from the entrance to their jet when they heard something whirl by.

The blast knocked them to the ground, though they where unharmed.

Upon a hill stood a dark figure looking down on them. A long black coat flowed behind him, and crimson eyes stared down, burning holes right through their cores.

/

It all seemed so obvious to Remy as he stood in front of 200 guests. Imploring them to indulge in all the party had to offer. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with his revelation. So he could try and find an alternative he was sure didn't exist.

When he finished talking, the guest cheered, raising their glasses to him. He was only momentarily pleased that his speech had been adequate. He felt an arm go around his back, and he let himself be guided to the bar. He forced a small laugh and sat on a barstool.

Remy fidgeted with the drink he'd just been given. He could make out what Tony Stark was saying, but it wasn't registering. He looked up at him and the other Avengers to see their glasses raised. Realizing they were waiting on him. He raised his and quickly knocked back his whiskey.

He felt Tony's arm go around him and give him a shake.

"Come on, let's get the man another one!"

Remy smiled and absently picked up his drink, knocking it back. Then did the same to the one next to it. This elicited a strange look from Tony and the others. Realizing he'd just downed six fingers of whiskey in less than a minute, he understood why.

"Would you gentlemen excuse me for a moment?"

"Not a problem." Tony smiled back.

Remy knew it was his duty to be host to the guest, but he needed time alone.

So he went through the crowd of Anna's guest, most of them had nervous or sympathetic looks on their faces. A few of them were even talking about how Anna had made the right decision by not showing up.

So he was relieved when he bumped into some actual friends.

"Hey man this is a great party, I'm sure Rogue's just running late. Women right? This ones a shapeshifter, and she still took four hours to get ready."

"Wade!"

"It's ok, no rushing perfection, right, Vanessa?" Remy said, taking her hand with a wink.

Wade could swear she turned purple as Remy kissed her hand, and she giggled.

"But, unfortunately, I don't think Anna will be here today."

"I'm sorry, man, that's rough. If there's anything, we can do for you. Please let us know.

Remy smiled back at the two of them and after a moment's thought.

"Actually, there is something you can do."

/

Remy sat on the floor, throwing cards at a hat. Anna's loss of control over her power yesterday was an obvious sign. Nobody had thought anything of it. He was too focused on convincing Anna not to cancel the Wedding. He didn't see what was going on in time.

Argh!

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts from his mind. They would do no good now. He took out a cigarette, lighting it with his finger.

/

I follow his scent down into the lower level where the Med bay is. He is sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up, holding a lit cigarette. Though from the amount of ash hanging from the end, I do not think he has smoked any of it. I hear a song playing on a nearby speaker.

"You're going to reap just what you sow. You're gonna reap just what you sow."

I walk over to him and sit as he is. We have had many interesting conversations, but have always just enjoyed each other's company.

Right now, however, I wish I could think of something to say. I feel like I have betrayed him. He always supports and encourages me, and I...I wanted this to happen. At least something like this, and now he is hurt. There's nothing I can do to fix it. My thoughts are interrupted as he takes my hand and gives it a small squeeze.

"Are you alright?"

"Probably not."

I can hear somebody running around outside, a minute later, Debbie pops her head inside.

"There you are. Over here!"

Anna flew in behind her, wearing her wedding gown. A look of relief crosses her face, and she smiles at Remy.

"Oh, thank god we found you. Debbie says we can still do this. Everybody's eaten, but we can get them back to the site, and we can be married now."

Remy slowly gets up, letting the cigarette fall from his hand. He walked towards them, eyes cast down. Pausing, to look at Debbie. His red eyes burn with malice, and he is still for an uncomfortable moment. Her eyes soften under his glare closing as she turns away.

I wonder why he was so mad at her as I move to join him...

An overpowering fragrance hits my nose, increasing with every step closer to Debbie. Suddenly, it becomes clear to me what is going on. I should have seen it sooner.

"Où étiez-vous?"

Complete French was a nervous tick he'd had when he was younger. These days it only happened during impossible battles. Right now, it was because part of him didn't want to ask her questions. She wanted to marry him, and he desperately wanted to give in. In French, she might not understand.

"It doesn't matter. It was a mistake." She said as the hopeful look on her face was quickly vanishing.

"Ça me fait." He said softly.

She froze. No words could make it through her lips.

"Tu étais avec lui?" He asked despite her falling tears being answer enough.

She nodded.

"L'avez-vous touché?"

"Remy...please..don." She choked on her words.

"comment... l'as-tu.. touché" He choked on the words pausing to clear his throat.

She went up to him, putting her hand on his face making him look her in the eyes.

"It was just one kiss, and it was a mistake. I swear to you."

He winced, his eyes shut, and leaned forward, pulling her, so their forward heads pressed together. His fingers gently caressing her neck. She heard him take several deep breaths.

"Remy?"

"Je pense que c'est la fin de nous mon chére."

She took a second to understand what he said and felt her heart drop as she did.

"Please...don't...say that."

"Je comprends enfin,...tu ne m'aimeras jamais comme je t'aime"

Her hands trembled, one of them tightly clinging to his collar, and the other gripped in his hair.

"No..." She whispered, "A.. love...you, Remy, I want to be with you forever. You have to believe me."

His eyes would not meet hers, hearing the pain in her voice was tearing his heart apart. It felt as if seeing it in her eyes would kill him. He pulled free of her, then gently planted kisses around her face. He had to try and comfort her; he couldn't help it. After one last kiss on her forehead, he walked away from her and up to Debbie uttering one word.

"Where?"

"That's not a good idea, Remy."

His eyes burned with hate, never leaving hers. She said nothing but showed him a location on her phone.

And he went for the exit.

Suddenly it hit Anna where Remy was going, and she started to hurry after him.

"Remy, wait!"

Debbie walked in front of her, eyes glowing, then turning yellow as her skin changed to blue.

Anna shook her head, backing away as Mystique tried to embrace her.

"What did you do! What did you do?!" Yelled as she shoved away from her embrace.

I quickly stepped between the two.

"Anna, please," Mystique begged.

Snikt! "Answer her."

"I had nothing to do with yesterday. I swear, I would never do that!"

"How the hell am I supposed to believe you?!"

"As soon as I got free of Emma's hold, I came here to help you. They wanted you back on Utopia. They think you can trick the Phoenix force into giving you the power. Hope isn't ready."

"So you get them to come here and ask me! Why did they have to ruin my wedding?!"

"Erik,...he still wants you to rule by his side. He wants you for your power."

Anna's face fills with disbelief.

"And you helped him."

Raven shook her head."I knew it wouldn't work. I...I didn't know how far they'd go." She sighed, slowly moving closer to Anna.

"Urgh!"

Raven fell to the ground.

"Stay away from her."

I don't think I've ever hit anybody that hard in my life.

Anna slowly walks over to me, her eyes unblinking and staring at me intently.

Rogue hits like a Mack truck, but I am ready to take whatever she dishes out.

My heart jumps as she throws her arms around me and sobs.

Rogue can also take a hit from a Mack truck.

But I put my arms around her as if she's breakable.

/

Emma and Scott listened to Erik through the sound of the snow crunching belief their feet.

"We knew it was a long shot," Scott replied.

"Yes, well, it wouldn't have been if Raven had been completely on board."

"Now that we failed to bring Anna back. We need to discuss how we should approach Vanessa."

"The Cuckoos and I can start incepting her mind."

"No! We just tried inception, manipulation, and deception, and what do we have to show for it?

Unlike Anna, you have no emotional ties with Vanessa. There's no way in hell we should risk pissing off Deadpool. We just need to talk with her and explain how vital she can be for mutant kind.

BOOM!

None of them had seen it coming. They didn't even have time to shield themselves from the blast. Lucky for them, the assailant chose to blow up the jet while they were still a safe enough distance away.

As he walked up to them, his black trench coat flowed behind.

The soft glow from the fire hit his face right as he walked up to Scott and Emma he halted and turned his head towards them.

"We trusted you."

A look of shame or regret crossed Emma's face and she turned her gaze away.

Erik walked closer to him.

"What do you want?"

"You know why I am here."

"I have no wish to fight you. If I hurt you, she'll surely never speak to me again."

"That sounds like your problem."

"Think about this carefully, even when you two had a whole team, you couldn't beat me."

"Then, you got nothing to worry bout."

Remy sensed the metal debris surging his way during their discussion. He dove to the ground avoiding the impact quickly discarding his trench in the snow. The long sleeved t-shirt he had the foresight to change into so he could ditch the metal cufflinks was instantly soaked by the freezing snow as he rolled to avoid another metal slab. He reached out grazing it with his fingers as it passed by.

Eric hardly had the time put up his shield, and the explosion knocked him back. Before he could regain himself, he jerked to the side.

Looking up, he saw the younger mutant, his fist glowing and igniting on contact with the shield, to blasts openings through it.

Eric couldn't keep it replenished enough to repel Gambit.

Struck in the face, his head spun.

He blocked the next hit with his arm only to see his glove glowing. He quickly yanked it off and threw it as hard as he could.

Gambit struck again and again before he could even blink, Erik blocked what could with metal wreckage.

The hard surface did nothing to deter him, but Erik could tell his anger was distracting him.

Gambit gasped, as a metal bar tore his side. Ripping his clothes, leaving a gash.

"You're a fool, you know what we did, and she still choose you!"

Gambit's crimson eyes flared as he screamed.

"You had no right to touch her!"

He ducked, dodging the next one. Then side steps another. He put a charge in it and kicked it at Erik.

He pushed it away with his magnetism, the shrapnel sprayed over his chest, tearing into him.

Scott shot away one of the charge filled metal slabs aimed at Eric, then shot at Remy.

"Stay out of this!" He hissed at Scott as rage filled him to the core.

He did, however, use Scott's interference to his advantage.

Remy no longer had time to dodge the metal debris.

He saw one hurling for him, he felt the molecules around it, and the energy flowing through him.

BLAM!

An explosion knocked it away from him.

The debris kept coming, faster and faster.

Remy charged the pieces as they came at him.

But the shrapnel was getting too close.

One tore through his left shoulder. Another hit him in the chest.

Soon the blood loss slowed him down, and he was wrapped up in a sheet of metal.

Erik flew him over to look into his devil eyes, with his own evil stare.

"You think you're better? Remind me. What happened when you touched her?"Erik scathed, lifting him up in the sky, then plunging down into a snow mound.

Remy tried to breathe in, tried to break free.

The cold, it was devouring him Burning more than his mere flesh rather burning down into his soul. Calling him home, he realized Cecilia had been right about him.

Death was what he wanted. He had been seeking it out for years, looking for a way to rid himself of all the guilt he'd been carrying around with him since he was a kid. Trying to wash it all away by helping people as an X-Man, trying to win the love and approval of an angel. A woman who seemed so innocent and pure that her love surely had to mean he was worthy.

His body tightened as a chill went through him. _...(Just a perfect day)

"You need me. I can give you the power you need to destroy him."_ ...(You made me forget myself)

His body shook again. _...(I thought I was)

Death was crawling its way throughout his body. _...(Someone else, someone good)

He could feel it coursing through his veins, in second now._ ...)Oh, it's such a perfect day)

It would take him over._ ...(I'm glad I spent it with you)

Remy pulled in all the energy that he could. _...(Oh, such a perfect day)

"Ce n'est pas le de que je meurs!" _...(You just keep me hanging on)

(You just keep me hanging on.)

Erik stood above with the smug satisfaction of victory while Scott and Emma pleaded with him to let Remy up.

The ground rumbled, the snow pulsed upward into a pile. Then again, spraying from the ground like a geyser. They all moved away before it erupted, blasting in all directions. Scott covered Emma, and Erik put up his shield calling more metal to him.

Remy emerged, his body emitting an electric blue glow.

A wall of metal came dashing at him.

Erik's eyes widened in shock as they shattered to pieces in the air far away from Gambit. Who glided over to him.

His eyes burned with electricity. He raised his hand, an explosion went off inside of Erik's magnetic shield, knocking him to the side.

He fell to the ground after being hit by another. He gasped, rolling away as the snow glowed blue.

Remy could feel the energy everywhere all he had to do was brush it with his mind. And it was building inside of him,

more intense than he felt in years. He had to release it, and he had to release it soon.

"You're gonna reap just what you sow."

"You're gonna reap just what you sow."

"Jesus Christ!" Logan exclaimed, coming to a halt in his jeep.

The noise was deafening, like a canon going off right next to him. He saw the smoke rising over the forest. He drove to the edge of the forest and jumped out of the jeep. He'd have to hike the rest of the way. It wasn't far before he started to see the devastation. The trees charred with limbs missing. Several were knocked over. He came to a clearing, blasted and barren. It reeked of smoke, but he didn't smell any explosives, at least not nearby.

He caught the scent of Remy along with... "aw, hell no." He followed it to the scene of the battle. Charred wreckage, but there wasn't much heat coming off of it. This happened a while earlier. He saw Erik on the ground covered in wreckage, unconscious. Looking around, he came across Scott and Emma. "What did you idiots do?" They weren't far from the clearing, and the blastwave must have knocked them all out. "What the hell happened?

Logan looked over at Remy, sitting in the snow, breathing deeply.

"They fucked with Death."

French Translation

"où étiez-vous?" Where were you?

"Ça me fait." "It does to me."

"Tu étais avec lui?" "Were you with him?"

"L'avez-Vous touché?" "Did you touch him?"

"comment... l'as-tu.. touché" How did you touch him?

"Je pense que c'est la fin de nous mon chére." "I think this is the end of us, my cherished one."

"Je comprends Enfin,...tu ne m'aimeras jamais comme je t'aime." "I finally understand, you'll never love me. The way I love you.

"Ce n'est pas le de que je meurs!" "This is not the day I die!"