My endless notes *sigh*: Okay, about Rogue and Kurt's ages… For people who actually watch the show, I know it's off. But just go with it? I think it gave it a cute li'l twist… or whatever. And honestly, Evolution Rogue is half of me almost (or that's how my psycho mind likes to think of it) and when the series started, she was 15 and in 10th grade, and whaddya know, I was 15 and in 10th grade. Now I'm 16. Rogue, therefore, is 16. Simple? And Kurt is just 16 as he always has been. Now enjoy the next part :o)
Going Home – Chapter 5
Rogue stood at the top of the steps for a quiet moment, listening in on the rest of Irene and Mystique's conversation. "Did I make a mistake by coming down here, Irene? She doesn't want to see me, not after all I've done to her and Kurt."
"She'll give you a chance. You are her mother, Raven."
"I don't know… I'm still really skeptical about this whole thing. She didn't come down here to see me." Ya got that raht. Rogue rolled her eyes. She shifted her weight and set off the creaking noise on the top step.
"Dammit!" She hissed. Betta go down now. She walked down as if nothing happened. She just smiled weakly at the two ladies. "Umm, hi."
"I'll be in the kitchen." Irene smiled herself and got out of her seat and felt her way to the kitchen. Rogue stood for a second by the steps uneasily.
"Why don't you take a seat?" Raven ran a hand through her dark brown hair.
"Ah'll talk ta you in yoah natural form, only." Rogue said sternly. Once Mystique had changed back to her blue-skinned form, Rogue walked over and sat in the seat Irene had been sitting in. "So… what's brings ya ta Caldecott?" Nice openin', gal, said a voice
Quiet, you, she internally scoffed.
"Irene called me soon after you arrived… She thought it would be good if we could see each other while you were away from your other teammates. She didn't mention the Cajun though…"
"Leave Remy outta this." She said harsher than she wanted. She made no attempt to make up for it though.
Mystique just nodded. "I'm sorry," she began. "For everything. I know that doesn't mean anything now because I've put you through so much since you left the team…"
"You could say that, Mystique." Why am Ah bein' so mean? Get ovah it, like Remy said. "Ah guess Ah should apologize too."
Her hollow white eyes centered on her daughter. "What for?"
"Foh leavin' you an' the boys… an' just bein' a pain in the ass."
Mystique smiled. "Accepted, Rogue."
"How are they anyway?"
"They're good. I'll let them know that you asked about them."
Rogue's turn to smile. "Ah always felt like the odd person out with them anyway. Bein' the only girl an' all."
"Didn't seem to bother them at all. Especially Lance."
"Oh don't get me started." She sighed. "That boy tried so hard ta get me."
"You know, this is nice."
Rogue dropped her smile. "It kinda is. Ah wish things didn't turn out so bad between us. You are mah momma."
"Everything's my fault though. I mean, what the hell was I thinking with Miss Marvel? To my own daughter?! It makes me sick to even associate that with my doing."
"What made ya do it? Ah mean… it wasn't yoah idea was it?" Rogue gave her a cautious look. Was she going to like what she was about to hear?
"Partially… but Magneto had the initial idea. I thought it would bring you back to us, but it drove you away even further."
Rogue looked down to her hands. "Why cain't ya just leave him? Ya worked with us befoh… against the Juggernaut. All of the boys did."
"Remember, I had first wanted to steal Cerebro," she mentioned, her voice laced with guilt.
"Ah don't know what ta say anymore, Mystique. Ah hate ta be so mean ta ya, but…"
"You have every reason to be. I don't know what I could ever do to make it up to you." She stood up in frustration.
"Ta think of it, ya were great when Ah was with the Brothahood. You could just act like that again."
"But I'm the enemy now. That's what makes it so hard."
"Don't make it hard! You don't hafta be the enemy!" Rogue stood up this time, stomping furiously. The floor responded to her stamping with loud creaks.
Mystique noted that greatly and it added to her guilt. "I can't just be a good guy, Rogue. It doesn't work like that!"
"Doncha think Ah know that? But cain't ya at least try? There doesn't hafta be good an' bad. Just… somethin'. Do it foh me… an' Kurt too. Ya didn't fohget about him, did ya?"
"Of course not! I still can't bring myself to think of him and what happened in that castle…"
"That's anotha story Ah don't even wanna talk about tanight. This is too much as it is." She plopped down in her seat. "Ah think we should do this again," she said barely above a whisper.
"What was that, dear?"
"We should do this again. With Kurt, Ah mean. He could use the closure. It would get him offa mah ass."
Mystique smiled. "I love it how you can use that language in front of me."
"The only people Ah don't talk like that in front of is Storm and the Professor. Irene, too."
"So pretty much the people you have respect for?" Rogue shrugged. "Oh. Well, I think that it'd be good for all of us to get together and talk. And what do you mean, 'get him off your… ass'?"
"He's such a bodyguard. Sometimes Ah regret sayin' somethin' 'bout him bein' an 'annoyin' li'l brother.' How the hell would Ah know it woulda been true 5 months later."
"He is older than you, though. By twenty-seven minutes."
"We're twins?" Mystique nodded, her red hair bouncing. "Whoa… learn somethin' new every day. Wait till he hears that."
"You didn't know that?"
"Ah always thought Ah was older by… Ah dunno… now that Ah think about it…" She threw her hands up and laughed. "Hell, Ah nevah thought about it thoroughly. All Ah really noted was that we're in the same grade. Didn't think we would end up bein' siblin's. An' Ah've only known for what… a week? An' since then Ah've had finals…" She laughed nervously, "a trip ta Seattle."
"Seattle?"
"Yanno, it's funny how that happened..."
"I'm all ears, Rogue."
"Well, befoh ya get any ideas runnin' through yoah head, Ah'll let ya know first. Me an' Remy were… quote-unquote 'messin' around', an' we got kidnappedbyMistuhSinisterbecauseRemyowedhimfromsomethin'Ahstilldon'tquiteundahstand." She breathed heavily after saying it so quickly.
"Did you say Sinister?"
Rogue nodded somberly.
"My daughter… God, what did that monster do to you?"
She put her hands up. "Nothin'! We were saved by the othahs before anythin' could."
"And this happened because of something Remy did."
"Ah told ya never ta mind him. Ah don't care if ya don't approve of him, because it doesn't mattah ta me 'cuz Ah love him an' that's all that matters." Since when did this conversation get so intense? Ah mean… we're talkin' like we've been a family fohevah! Not that Ah'm not enjoyin' it in a morbid kinda way. Ah nevah could talk ta Irene like this, or the Professah foh that mattah too.
"You love him?"
Rogue beamed defiantly. "That's raht. There's this connection 'tween us that was there evah since Ah met him."
To Rogue's surprise, Mystique smiled slightly. "I'm happy for you. Honestly. I know nothing I say about Remy would change your mind, so I'll leave it at that. But he worked for Sinister?"
"Technically… no. He didn't stay with him long enough ta do anythin' but have a few experiments done on him… Because he used ta be like me, no control whatsoevah."
"And Sinister helped him?" Another nod. "I see."
"Mystique… why didn't ya keep me an' Kurt tagether… all three of us in a family? Ah'm not gonna even ask who mah daddy is, because Ah'm afraid y'all're gonna say someone Ah don't wanna hear. Like Logan or somethin'."
The blue woman laughed. "Oh no, not Wolverine. To be honest… I don't even know."
Rogue's jaw all but dropped. "What do ya mean ya don't know?"
"I thought you said you didn't want to know?"
"But that's different than you not knowin' at all!" Mah mother, the whore. This just keep gettin' betta an' betta.
"To answer your question, I had you separated at birth because of Magneto. Irene volunteered to keep you safe down here while I went to Germany with Kurt. Then one thing led to another, and I thought I had lost him forever. It just got too painful to see you on a regular basis so I periodically checked in with Irene and stayed near Bayville." She avoided Rogue's piercing green gaze.
"Wow. Somehow, Ah wasn't expectin' that." She heard the creak go off upstairs. "Or that." She smiled. "Remy, Ah know ya're up there."
He peeked his head down. "Y' know dat I wouldn've set dat off normally."
"Ah know. A big shot thief like yoahself doesn't let anyone know of his presence. Get down here." She stood up when Remy made his way down the steps. "Me an' Mystique were just talkin', but Ah think you've been listenin' the whole time."
"Heard m'name mentioned. What c'n I say?" He sat down in her previous seat and she proceeded to sit on his lap, not caring in the least what Mystique would say.
She just eyed the couple warily. "Well, Rogue, it's getting late. I wouldn't want to keep you from your vacation, so I'll leave you two." She shifted back to Raven Darkholme and disappeared into the kitchen.
Remy watched her leave. When he was sure she was out of ear shot, he turned to Rogue. "How did it go?"
"Actually, Ah think it was pretty good. Foh the both of us."
"Good t' hear, chere. Remy was startin' t' get worried. Didn' hear anyt'in' 'cept some poundin' for a moment." He nuzzled against her neck through her shoulder length hair.
She sank into his touch. "Hmm… Ah really don't wanna talk about her anymore though…"
"I'm not 'bout t' fool 'round down here. Or in dis house."
"Then stop teasin' me." She lulled her head against his face. "How about this? Ah'll go an' set up the extra cot in mah room while you bring in the bags. Then you can tuck me inta bed an' do whatevah ya want with mah half asleep body."
"Sounds like a plan, chere." Rogue levitated herself off his lap and twisted a lock of his hair in her fingers.
"Ya bettah get movin' then, Remy. 'Cuz Ah might be asleep befoh ya make it up there." She yawned to prove her point.
He captured her hand entangled in his hair with his own hand. "Don' t'ink y' gon' be fallin' 'sleep before I get t' massage dose tense shoulders o' yours."
"Fair 'nuff. Ah'll see ya upstairs." In a reverse of roles for once, she kissed his hand. Then she flew upstairs, giving him a seductive look before landing at the top.
Remy then scrambled out the door, eager to get those bags in the house.
Raven watched their interaction from the kitchen. "I wish I could have seen her grow up." She sighed. "The same with Kurt. I missed so much, for the little I have gained by being away from them."
Irene sipped her coffee. "They both have grown up to be such wonderful young adults. Too bad I never had the joy of taking care of Kurt."
"God, I miss them. Maybe she's right. What am I saying? I know she's right. I have to get away from Magneto somehow."
"Even for a little while. Just stay down here. He wouldn't come down here, would he?"
"Hard to say. Would you really mind if I stayed down here a little longer?"
"Raven," Irene said somberly. "You are always welcome here. Maybe Rogue will decide to stay longer as well."
She only shrugged, knowing well enough that Irene would have not noticed. "I can only hope."
Remy lugged the bags up the stairs in one trip. "Chere? Li'l help, maybe?" He hit the top step and dropped the bags. Right now is one of dose times I'm thrilled I'm not datin' Kitty. Carryin' her t'ings might as well be suicide. He laughed in spite of himself.
"Just drag 'em. Ah'll help ya in a second." She called from her room. She was having trouble setting up the rusty old cot.
Remy did as she said and pulled the bags by the handles to the archway of her room. "Need anot'er pair o' hands?"
She looked up and nodded. "Ah'll grab the bags after we finish this up." Remy knelt down and helped her while she pulled apart the cot and Remy locked it into place. Rogue then got up and picked up the bags with ease and put them in a corner of the room. Then she flopped onto her bed, the stuffed animals bouncing in sync with her landing. "Ah'm so beat. Ah didn't think not gettin' any sleep last night would be such a pain." She yawned loudly and curled into a sleeping position, facing Remy. "You tired at all?"
"Spendin' an' entire day wit' you is very tirin', chere." He laughed as he stretched out on the cot. "Damn, dis t'ing isn' very comfy."
"Hey, if the circumstances were different, Ah'd let ya join me on here. But Ah have no idea how much Ah flop around when Ah'm sleepin'."
"I do."
"You've watched me while Ah slept befoh?" She asked, only half surprised.
"What do y' t'ink gets me t'rough de bad nightmares?" He countered.
"You have nightmares, Remy?" He only nodded. "Ya nevah told me."
"Didn' wan' bot'er y' wit' it." He avoided her eyes.
She climbed off her bed and next to his lying form on the cot. "Ah bother you with enough shit ta last a lifetime. Remember what ya said earlier? We still gotta learn about each othah. C'mon, let's switch foh once." She smiled as she soothed him into flipping over onto his stomach. She started working out the knots in his shoulders slowly. "Now, tell me what ya dream about."
He relaxed immediately with her touch. "It's either about Sinister or losin' somethin'. The last couple of nights-"
"Nights?" She asked alarmed.
"Oui, nights, it's been 'bout Sinister. Seein' him triggered somethin' in m'head, I guess."
Rogue sank her fingers deep in his collarbone region. "What happens in those dreams?"
"All de operatin' t'ings. Most of de time it's me, but last night it was you."
"Me?" She stopped massaging.
He nodded against his pillow. "Not'in' is ever clear 'bout what exactly he's doin' t' eit'er of us, I just feel de pain."
"Oh… Ah've had dreams like that. People say that ya cain't feel anythin' in dreams, but Ah know different. Looks like you do, too." He just sighed into his pillow. "How come ya nevah told me 'bout it befoh?"
He shrugged weakly against her hands. "Didn' want y' t' worry."
She wiggled her fingers down his spine. "Sometimes Ah feel like this is a one way relationship… you're always fussin' ovah me but Ah feel like Ah don't do anythin'…"
"Chere," he lifted his head up. "Y' don' need t' be worryin' about me. Y' have enough t' worry 'bout wit'out gettin' my stuff involved."
"So, ya don't want me ta care, is that what it is?" She took her hands off his back.
"Y' know dat's not what I meant."
"Go on an' explain then, 'cuz Ah'm really confused raht now." She got off the cot and sat at the edge of her bed.
"Rogue, y' ov'r reactin'."
"With good reason, Remy. It sounds like ya don't want me ta know a damn thing about ya."
"It ain' like dat at all, stop doin' dis."
She exhaled loudly. "All raht. Ah'll stop it, but ya cain't keep this up. Ya promise not ta keep stuff from me anymore?"
He sat up on the cot, "'Course, chere. I'm sorry."
She licked her pouted lips. "Fine, Swamp Rat. You're forgiven foh now." She smiled slyly. "Ah know of a way foh ya ta make this up ta me though."
He caught on to her tone and sat next to her on her bed. "An' what would dat be?"
She laid down and rolled over onto her stomach. "Mah turn."
He chuckled. "Much obliged, chere." He dug into one of the discarded bags and found his fully fingered gloves. Then, he began work on her neck and shoulders. In a few short minutes, she was fast asleep. Remy noted her deep breathing and pulled away from her body. She hadn't even changed at all out of her clothes so he gently took off her boots and set them on the floor by her bed. He figured it would be dangerous for him to pull of anymore of her clothing so he tugged the blanket out from under her sleeping form. She stirred slightly but moved enough to allow him to pull it out so he could tuck her underneath. She moaned peacefully at the new comfort and settled in.
Remy checked the clock to the side of her bed. Surprisingly, it was only 9:50. Rogue was usually one to stay up until at least midnight. Especially with him around. Deciding it was way to early for him to actually go to bed, which he was not looking forward to since the cot had a lumpy old mattress, he started heading downstairs to get a drink.
When he was at the bottom of the stairs, he could still hear Mystique and Irene talking. Not caring if he bothered them, he walked right into the kitchen. He nodded to them and then started looking around the room. "Where d'ya keep y' glasses, Irene?"
"Second cabinet from the fridge."
"Merci." Always the gentleman. He smiled to himself as he got a glass from where she said. Then he went to the faucet and filled it up with water. After filling the glass and taking a sip, he sat down with the ladies. "What's up?"
Raven glared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Jus' tryin' t' start up a friendly conversation, Mystique. Too much t' ask?" He rested his elbow on the table and propped his head up to keep eye contact with her.
"Not at all. Is Rogue asleep?"
"Oui. She fell asleep after t'ree minutes of a backrub."
Her eyes flicked white as if to say "you were touching my daughter?" He only nodded, a twisted smile apparent on his features. "How close are you and my daughter, exactly?"
He laughed to himself. "Y' sure y' wan' hear? Dis ain' somet'in' I usually talk t' parents 'bout. An' dat's not what I'm here t' talk 'bout."
"Oh it isn't? Then by all means, tell us why you have graced us with your presence." She smiled her own sardonic smile.
"I c'n tell y' wanna resolve t'ings with Rogue. But it ain' gon' be easy f'her."
"I know that already."
"Good. Dat cuts half of my warnin' in half den."
"This is a warning?"
"Absolutely." His smile faded and his eyes burned red. "Don' y' hurt her. 'Cause whatev'r progress y' made wit' her t'night will be shattered if y' try anymore of y' shit."
"I know this already, LeBeau." She sighed cheerlessly. "I'm really trying this time though. I'd do anything for her forgiveness for everything she's been through."
He stared her down for a moment before his eyes turned soft. "Y' really changed?"
She avoided his eyes. "After she found out I was her mother, it really didn't matter to me if she left me or not. There was just so much anger between us that her reaction could have made less of a difference to me. But then I lost my son, too. Neither could understand how their mother was the head of the enemy team. Reality hit me then. I have to stop being their enemy and be their mother."
Remy thought to himself for a second before responding. She sound pretty serious… knew if Rogue gave her a chance dat she'd come 'round. "Well, Mystique – Mademoiselle Darkholme – Y've passed m'test."
"You were testing me?" She asked in a flat tone. Do I sound not surprised? I hope so.
"Y' know I do it all f'her. Don' ev'r doubt dat." He smirked again.
"I don't think I ever will. You two seem… very serious."
He took his head off his hand and leaned back in the chair. "D'ya really wan' know all de stuff we do besides get in trouble?" His smirk remained strong.
Raven matched his with one of her own. "I'll just take your word for it, Remy."
"Good. So, is dere anyt'in' I should tell de ot'ers when we head back up t'morrow? Like a secret plan t' invade de institute at all?" He raised an eyebrow.
She shook her head. "Now if I told you, where would the fun be for my boys?"
Remy stood up. "Ver' good, Mystique. Jus' 'cause t'ings are - almost - bett'r 'tween y' an' Rogue don' mean y' hafta give up y' whole job."
"Really?" Her eyes went wide.
"Well, if y' wan' change, go 'head. But if not, jus' don' f'get 'bout her an' Kurt. Y' can beat de crap outta me an' de ot'ers… 'specially Evan," he smiled to signify he was kidding. "I'm sure Rogue don' want y' t' get in trouble wit' y' boss, dat's all."
Raven nodded. "Thank you for respecting that, Remy. There will be a change, don't worry."
"Good t' hear. I'm goin' t' bed. Night." He walked past her and out of the kitchen, silently waiting about 5 feet away from the arch to hear anything.
"I told you he was good for her." Irene piped up.
"Now I'm starting to believe you."
Remy smiled at his success to have finally gotten on any mother's good side and went upstairs.
TBC
Yes, this was a big Mystique chapter… and no Cody. I really wanted to get a new chapter up though… and my bro is kicking me off the computer any time now. So look for the new chapter in a couple days :o) Please review and lemme know whatcha think!