One Year Later

by Shada

one year after his trial, remy returns to the mansion

One Year Later

By: Beastess

Disclaimer: I own not, you sue not.

Summary: A year after his trial, an old friend is back to visit.

Rating: PG-13

Note: I don't exactly know what went on in the sending of Remy to Antarctica, so give me a little leeway on this.

~

~ Storm POV ~

I was gardening. I was always gardening this time of day, this time of year. Hell, I was gardening any time I could get my hands in dirt.

Actually, I hate that part of it, getting dirt between my fingers and under my nails where it's especially impossible to get out. I hate getting my hands messy, not in the sense of I won't do anything- just the literal translation.

But anyways, I was gardening, wearing thick gloves mind you, it was time to pull out weeds. That's the worst part of every year - weeding. Bending over with sweat beading down my face and trying to keep my hair out of my way but its too damn slippery for that and-

"Wan' some help wit' dat, Stormy?"

I swear, I nearly dropped the weed I had just pulled up which would not have been good considering the fact that I would have completely forgotten to pick it up again and there goes all my hard work. My shovel did clatter rather noisily to the ground, though. I recognized that voice all too well, and it had been almost a year. "Remy?"

That cheeky SOB just nodded and winked at me. His red eyes glowed with mirth and his grin spread across his face. "None ot'er dan me, mon ami. Didja miss me?"

Did I miss him? DID I MISS HIM? By the Bright Lady, the mansion hadn't been the same in the year he had been gone, ever since we- I stopped myself just short of hugging him. "I simply don't believe it," I whispered softly. Looking back, I'm not quite sure how he even heard me, "You would forgive us even after what we did to you?"

All of a sudden, he was serious. I shit you not, Remy LeBeau was serious. "Only if y'can fa'give Gambit."

I gave up and finally hugged him. He was taller than I remembered, thinner too- and not just stretched out. Looking up at his face I saw that his cheeks were more sunken in than they had been. "Remy, we overreacted back then, and I mean all of us. Me, the professor, Jean, Scott, Logan, Rogue-"

He suddenly interrupted me. "Roguie, w'ere is she? She still be here?" Goddess, he seemed genuinely concerned for her, even after she had left him to fend for himself in Antarctica.

But he wanted to know about Rogue and I hated to be the one to tell him. "She-she didn't do so well when she came back. Locked herself in her room and wouldn't talk to anyone- she rarely even ate. After about the first week, Xavier and Jean went through her room and took out anything sharp. They found half a bottle of aspirin in the bathroom." I was forced to watch as realization dawned on him. "She was leaning over the toilet, puking up the other half, spent a while in the med bay after that. She's fine not, just kind of . . . dead, on the inside."

The words were barely out of my mouth when I found myself dangling a good two feet off the ground as Remy grabbed my upper arms and hoisted me up in the air. He looked terrified. "W'at! W'ere is she, Stormy?"

I tried to look him in the eye, but couldn't make myself do it and hung my head. "Aw, shit," I muttered under my breath, frowning slightly, "Why am I the one stuck telling you this?"

His eyes widened further, if that was possible. "Would y'repeat dat, Stormy. I t'ink Antarctica did somet'in' t'dis Cajun boy's ears cause I jus heard y'say 'Aw shit.'"

Okay, this was getting embarrassing- a man younger than me was telling me to mind my language. A Cajun man none the less, as he had conveniently reminded me. Remy must have read my thoughts because he just smirked. Probably about time to tell him that Rogue hadn't moved, maybe then he'd put me down. "Same place you left her, Remy, that's where Rogue is. A year is a long time, but not long enough for things to change around here."

Praise be to the Goddess, he put me down. I hate it when people feel they have to prove how much taller and stronger they are- Logan's the short one, not me. But Remy was gone as swiftly and silently as he had come as soon as I told him where she was, with barely a "T'anks Stormy," thrown over his shoulder as he left. I shook my head in private amusement while I went back to work. If it was anyone but Remy, I would be scared for Rogue.

~ Rouge POV ~

Ah heard him befoah anything else, Ah've been workin' on listenin' foah people evah since he left. Guess that was my way for keepin' him alive around thah mansion. Ah missed him moah than Ah let on.

Theah was ah faint scratching on thah inside of thah lock. Knew it wasn't Logan, he woulda just sliced through it. But thah sound was softer than anyone heah could have made it - and mah heard skipped ah few times.

Don' know why Ah didn't turn around when Ah heard thah door scrape against thah floah as it opened. It wasn't until he spoke that Ah even really believed he was. "Rogue, mon chére, are y'ever gonna get off dat pretty ass o' y'rs an' give dis lonely t'ief a proper welcome home?"

Did Ah mention that Ah learned tah control mah powers in thah yeah he was gone? Just like flippin' ah switch, once Ah admitted that Ah really did want to touch an' beh touched an' didn't care if Ah got hurt, Ah could do it. It was as if Ah had to lower an emotional shield befoah Ah could lower thah one set up by mah powers. Now Ah'm free tah touch whoever Ah want- but Ah don't. Every day Ah still wear mah gloves an' full body suit. Nevah quite been able tah figure out why Ah do that, God only knows Ah hate it enough.

But he was back an' Ah was just sitting heah. A yeah had gone by an' Ah wasn't getting up. A yeah, mah Lawd, it had been ah yeah since Ah left him in thah biting cold tah die. Since Ah told him tah fend foh hisself, seems Ah said somethin' along thah lines of, "That's what yah best at."

God, how could Ah have done that? Just hearin' him again brought back memories- Ah knew tears were sliding, unchecked, down mah face but Ah didn't care. Befoah Ah fully knew what was going on, he was sitting beside meh on thah floah, gently stroking mah face through mah hair. Ah grabbed his bare hand with mah gloved one. "Lawd, Remy, do yah have ah death wish?"

He just smiled and laughed. "If it means bein' wit' y' again, p'tite, Remy'll wish anyt'in."

Ah couldn't keep this from him, Ah just couldn't. Ah felt like, Ah don't know, like Ah owed it tah him tah tell him that Ah could control mah powers. Don't quite know what possessed meh tah kiss him though, guess Ah hoped he still had feelin's foah meh, aftah what he said. Shoah he's a shameless flirt an' charmer, but flattery will get him everywhere- an' he knows it.

But Ah kissed him an' theah was no changin' that. Remy instinctively jerked back so hard that Ah had tah keep him from fallin' ovah an' thah kiss was broken. No doubt he was thinkin' of that last time this had happened an' didn't want tah end up in another coma, but Remy was thah last person Ah'd expect tah see nearly faint.

Ah was cryin' an' he was cryin' with happiness an' Ah could see it in his eyes that he still loved meh an' somethin' inside meh just snapped. Ah collapsed against him, sobbing with horror at what Ah hah done that yeah befoah an' relief that he didn't hate meh like Ah would have in his place. When Ah couldn't cry any moah, Ah just leaned mah head on his shoulder and whispered, "Just hold meh."

~ Remy POV ~

"Just hold meh." Dat was w'at she had asked m'back when we was goin' t' Belladonna's place t'rescuse dat boy, Cody. It hurt me t'see him die, jus' cause it hurt Rogue so much, don' t'ink I'd ever seen her cry like dat. Except f' now, o' course. Da femme was jus' cryin' and sobbin' against m', but I didn' care cause I was cryin' jus' as hard. Not only did she still love m', she could control her powers. I knew dat if I started singin' now, I'd never stop. So I was content t'hold her.

O' course, dat wasn't all I wanted t'do, but if I told her half da t'ings I t'ought of while I was in da Antarctica t'keep m'self warm, she'd never want t'see me again. No one ever said dis boy didn' have da dirtiest mind dis side o' da Big Easy. Den again, guess I'm not so proud o' dat here, doesn't really matter 'nyways.

Don' quite know why I didn' hate da femme f'w'at she did t'me back dere, mebbe dat's cause it's w'at I woulda done in her place- w'o knows, mebbe it was me in control o' her w'en she did dat. But all it took was seein' her again and any t'oughts o' revenge or hurtin' her were gone as if dey had never been. Mon Dieu, she was beautiful, and I hated m'self f'ever wantin' m'vengance. Meant w'at I tol' Stormy, I would fa'give dem if dey could some'ow fa'give m' f'w'at I did in da Massacre. So far, da two people I've talked ta have seemed not t'mind, in fact, dey blame it on demselves, which I find t'be unexpected. Probably cause w'ere I grew up, fa'get and fa'give were f'da weak.

But now, I was fine wit' jus holdin' like she wanted m't'. I woulda done anyt'in she wanted m't', woulda jumped off da nearest bridge if'n she asked. She didn' t'ough, and I must admit, I was pretty grateful f'dat. If'n she had, I never woulda seen her again.

Felt her wrap her arms around m' and I noticed dat she was much smaller den she had been. Stormy hadn' been kiddin' w'en she said dat da femme didn' eat too much. Seemed like she was half da size I remembered. Roguie leaned her pretty lil' head against m' shoulder again, near stuck dat w'ite strip o' hers up m'nose. Her hair tickled m' chin a lot too, I nearly sneezed and dat would not have been da best t'ing t'do.

Wait, she was talkin' again, in dat sweet Sout'ern drawl o' hers dat wrapped m' 'round her lil finger. "Ah know how yah feel, Swamp Rat, with thah dreams." Mon Dieu, da nightmares dat had haunted m' t'roughout most o' m' life after da Massacre were now in her head, and she hadn't done anyt'in t'deserve dem. I shifted around a lil bit so dat she was mostly sittin' in m'lap, somet'in, it seems, dat I was more comfortable wit' dan she was. Wrapped m'arms 'round her, as if I was tryin' t'protect her from herself - and me. I took one o' dose small, slender hands o' hers in mine and she jus' watched as I peeled da glove from her fingers. Looked t'me like she could control da powers dat had gotten us in dis mess, so I figured dis would work.

Rogue didn't do anyt'in t'stop me, so's I figured it was okay dat she wasn't wearin' dose gloves any more. Jus stroked her fingers, gently as I could- 'mazed m' how soft her skin was, I'd never actually felt it b'fore. She turned her head 'round back over her shoulder t'look m'in da face and I nearly drowned in dose emeralds she calls eyes. "Ah learned tah control mah power ah few months ago. Unless Ah really want tah, Ah cain't hurt yah." Her voice was so soft I barely caught it, had t'really strain m' ears.

I had been right! "Well den, chére," I whispered back, "If'n I t'ink i's m' fault and y'blame y'self, den I don' see w'y we can't go back t'da way t'ings were, non?" She smiled and I was left jus' a pile o' ooze on da floor. Dat smile dat was sweet, sexy, and seductive in its own lil' way - took it f' all da answer I needed b'fore I kissed her again. Dis kiss was not'in like da one she had jus' given me a few minutes earlier, dis was no brief touch o' da lips, no quick peck. I kissed her long and hard, like she deserved.

Hate losin' m'mind da way I did, da last time I did dat was w'en ol' Sabertooth had Henri and Genevieve strung up like he did. Den again, if'n I had gone f'da femme, I wouldn't be here now wit' da one I really love. Wit' Genevieve it was all about da pinch and den gettin' out o' dere.

Y'know, f'a femme as inexperienced as h'self, Roguie's a damn good kisser. 'Course I knew I was too, da Gambit's da sexiest t'ing in N'awlins. She looped her arms 'round m'neck and I grabbed her hips t'turn her t'face m' so's she wouldn' have t'twist her head like she was. Got up on m'knees and pulled her up close t' m'chest and she ran dose long fingers o' hers t'rough m'hair. Dat tickled so's I grabbed her hands wit' mine t' keep 'em still. Guess she was gettin' tired o' jus' kissin' cause da next t'ing I knew her mout' was a lil' bit open. Course I responded wit' da like, an' dat was about da time I guided her t'da floor.

~ Jean POV ~

Ororo knew something we didn't, I could tell that when she walked into the room. She was pretty much dancing on air and she was in earlier from her gardening than she ever had been before. Scott and I had just been sitting at the table eating breakfast when she walked in, Logan behind her. He went strait to the cabinets and swung them wide open, scowling like he was all the time. "Dammit, don't you people have anything but cereal to eat around here?" he growled.

Scott smiled slyly and I could tell he was about to say something I wasn't going to like. I was right. "I don't know, Logan, there're always the rabbits out in the woods behind the mansion."

I smacked him upside the head, careful not to knock his glasses. "Scott, that's disgusting!" But Ororo was already laughing and even Logan was trying to suppress a grin. That was when I noticed there was something different about our resident weather goddess. "What's up, 'Ro?" I asked, "You know something and I can't quite put my finger on what it is."

She waved her hand a little to signal that she needed a few seconds to compose herself before she could talk. When she finally did, her answer did not help. "Oh, nothing really. I just saw an old friend while I was in my garden."

There was a distinctive *shink* and two sets of adamantium claws shot out of Logan's hands. "What kind of 'old friend'?"

Luckily for her, Ororo caught the message. "An old friend of mine who saved my life a few years back, calls himself Remy LeBeau."

There was a mixed reaction throughout the group. I, personally, was in shock. I had never expected to see him again- certainly if he hadn't died in Antarctica he would never had come back here. Logan's eyes went wide and he just kind of stared at her. Ororo was smiling as she looked around at all of us. Scott tried to jump up in surprise, but the table got in his way and he upended the whole thing, sending two bowls of cereal and two glasses of milk clattering to the floor. Logan clapped him on the back. "Real graceful, Scooter."

'Ro looked over at me and laughed. I'm sure I must have made a sight with my jaw dangling about a foot below my face. "I'm not quite sure I heard you right, 'Ro," I finally managed to say, "Did you say Remy, as in the Gambit? As in Rogue, the Morlocks, trial, Antarctica?"

She nodded. "Brown hair, red eyes? That's exactly who I said, and who I meant. He's back."

"Where?" was the one word Logan growled.

A bundle of blue fur bounced across the room. Hank hit the wall and did a quick summersault before landing on his feet. Smiling at us all, he pushed his glasses back on his nose. "Feeling rather monosyllable today my friend?" he asked Logan.

Logan just growled.

Scott took it upon himself to explain. "Remy LeBeau has returned, or so Ororo tells us. You know him, the one convicted in the trial about the Morlock Massacre a year back?"

"Ah, yes," Hank said with a deep breath, "The young man of Cajun descent who has excelled in the arts of extortion and theft? I do remember him."

"He means thief," Ororo explained to a rather confused looking Logan.

He growled again. "I know that. Where is he?"

'Ro just shrugged. "I think he's gone to see Rogue, he did inquire after her and when I told him where she was he took off. It would explain why she has yet to appear down here."

I stood up from my chair, careful not to trip over the table as I walked to the door. Amidst the confusion, no one had thought to right it again. "Well," I said as I turned to leave the room and head towards Rogue's room where Remy should be, pulling Scott behind me, "I vote we all go say hello."

I felt a hand on my other arm holding me back. Logan let that eyebrow of his go and smirked. "You really wanna go there, Jeannie? I mean, he did just return from hell on Earth and she can control her powers."