I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE for not having written sooner. As I stated earlier, I am a college student. I worked my tail off over the summer to have $$ for school. If you are a college student (or attended college yourself), you know all about that. And if you aren't, then you'll learn soon enough…ANYWAY, on with chapter 4!
Ch. 4 – Inevitable Confrontations
The trio walked over to the elevator. They rode to the top and quickly entered their room. Logan immediately slid the closet open and pulled out Marie's leather battle suit and carefully shoved her into the bathroom. His voice sounded firm and non-negotiable.
"Change. Now." She nodded as she closed the door. Meanwhile, Logan turned Gambit around as he changed into his suit. Within minutes, Marie had changed into her suit, complete with leather gloves. Logan checked his claws. Gambit's face went to a pale white. Logan saw this and he withdrew his claws and looked at Cajun.
"One lesson. Never..never…make me mad Gumbo." The color returned to Gambit's face as he nodded. He looked over and saw Marie in her suit and it took all he had not to lose himself. She looked as stunning as ever. Logan pointed out, and Marie headed that way. Gambit watched in horror as they were about to open the door.
"What? No plan mon ami?" Logan chuckled.
"No need. We go kick the crap out of him." Gambit stepped in front of the door.
"No. Dis man may be big an' stupid, but he can have surprises up 'is sleeve." Logan stopped and crossed his arms.
"Well, what do you suggest Cajun?" Gambit motioned for them to leave.
"Gambit 'splain in the elevator." The elevator arrived a few minutes later. The doors opened and closed, with the three mutants on board. When it reached the bottom floor, Logan had a smile out of his face. They left the elevator and headed out to the rendezvous in the French Quarter.
Sabertooth was pacing nervously. He felt this was his best chance to date to eliminate the small Canadian that had been a thorn in his side for many years. It would all end today. He looked at Margot Boudreaux with an uneasy look.
"What if they don't show?" He growled.
"Dey will. Remember, I kill de girl, and you kill off your Canadian fellow. We both get a crack at Remy." Margot Boudreaux was the older sister of Bella Donna Boudreaux. It was because of Remy LeBeau that Margot's sister had become deemed mentally unstable and eventually lead to her death. She wanted to destroy Remy, but first, she wanted to destroy his new lover girl. She also wanted to show Remy powers she had acquired from Candra. It would be these powers that would ultimately destroy Remy and his new flower. Neither mutant noticed a shadow moving on a second story balcony of the quiet French Quarter alley. Sabertooth looked, and saw two figures walking towards them.
"Well well Margot. You were right." He smacked his fist in his hand as the two X-Men approached. Marie and Logan stopped a few yards from their opponents Sabertooth and Margot. The shadow popped his head up and gasped.
"Margot!" Remy was up on the second story ledge, but no one on the ground noticed him.
"I was hoping you'd bring the Cajun along with ya. But tearing you apart will be something I'm gonna enjoy Wolverine."
"Watch yerself there bub. I let you survive our last encounter on the Statue of Liberty." SNIKT! "That's a mistake I plan not to make twice." As if under the power of some self-gratifying fan fiction writer, the two jumped at each other and added another chapter in their saga. Meanwhile, Margot pointed at Rogue.
"Tis a pity that Remy will not be 'ere to witness the end of his new chere. I plan on destroying you as he destroyed my sista!"
"Bring it on Hun!" Marie stepped up into a fighting pose. "Just trah your best on little Rogue." Gambit knew Margot meant business and extended his staff and drew a handful of cards.
"Margot!" He called as Margot was about to make her move. She looked up and spotted him on the ledge.
"Oh Remy! Twill be a shame you can do nothing to save your new chere. I'm gonna destroy her like you destroyed Bella!" Gambit tossed a spread of charged cards and leapt off the railing to stop Margot. Margot ignored them and flew straight at Rogue. Rogue managed to leap out of the way of her. Gambit charged into the fray, but Margot simply landed next to him, blocked his staff thrust and punched him with all her strength. Remy flew back to the nearby building. Rogue rushed her. Margot and Rogue grappled for a few moments. Gambit was out cold for a few. Margot tossed Rogue casually against the wall.
"REMY!" Cried Rogue as Margot slammed her in the stomach. Rogue tried to resist as best she could.
"Dat fool Cajun's out cold." Margot tossed her against the wall across the alley. Rogue managed to stand again, and land a punch on Margot, but not like it did that good. Margot threw Rogue back next to Gambit. Margot, feeling the fight was hers, strolled over to where Rogue was. Meanwhile, Rogue was trying to gently smack Gambit awake. Margot grabbed Rogue in two places on her back, and flung Rogue headfirst into a garbage dumpster. Gambit tried to stand, but he found it tougher than normal. He was tottering and trying to regain his vision.
"You lil'l wench. You touch her Margot…I'm gonna run ya through…"He saw Margot standing over Rogue. Gambit tried to run over to stop her, but simply fell on the ground in a few feet. He looked up as Margot looked back at him. Rogue lay motionless on the ground.
"Now Remy, wid my new powers from Candra, I'm gonna snap the head off your beautiful flower." Gambit again tried to stand, but could not. He began to crawl and yell "NOOOooo…" Margot reached down to snap the neck of Rogue with both of her hands. Margot had just wrapped her hands around Rogue's neck when suddenly Rogue's power kicked in. Marie suddenly awakened as Margot's body collapsed onto her. Gambit was now desperate and used his staff to stand as Marie screamed in pain over the life force transfer. Gambit regained his strength with every step as he approached the now motionless Margot and the flailing Rogue. He carefully slid Margot's body off Rogue, and Rogue leapt up, apparently ready to hit Gambit.
"It's me chere! Don hurt Gambit now." She stopped but it appeared as if a battle was being fought inside her, and there was. Her powers had drained Margot so bad that Rogue now possessed the powers Candra had given Margot and now Rogue had. Marie's own consciousness was battling this new one of Margot as to who would control her body. That's when they heard Wolverine cry for help. Gambit grabbed her gloved hand and pulled her toward the sound.
The battle had started so well for Wolverine. He fought Sabertooth to a standstill. After destroying a trashcan over Sabertooth's head, he found a hubcap and slashed off the outside and quickly sharpened it to make it a dangerous projectile.
"Here's looking like you need a haircut bub." He flung it like a Frisbee at Sabertooth's head. Creed barely managed to roll out of the way. The Frisbee lodged in the wall while Sabertooth ran for the nearest dumpster. He ran right at Wolverine. Wolverine tried to jump out of the way, but Sabertooth caught him in the foot. Sabertooth crushed Wolverine against the wall, but Logan was fine because of his skeleton and healing ability. Wolverine jumped back and drew his claws.
"Alright bub. You asked for it." Sabertooth just egged Wolverine on more.
"You want me runt? Well, come get me!" SNIKT! Wolverine drew his claws and rushed the overgrown brute. Sabetooth sidestepped him, but Logan clotheslined him and forced him back against the wall.
"Well well. Looks like the tides of war have changed…" Just as he was about to finish the overgrown hairball, Sabertooth pounded Wolverine in the chest. He managed, after a hard smack to the head, to pin Wolverine. Try as he would, Wolverine could not kick out of this pin. Sabertooth growled in pleasure.
"Let's see what you had for breakfast!" Just then, Gambit planted his staff and kicked Sabertooth off Wolverine. Rogue, still feeling the effects of the mind transfer, picked up Sabertooth and flew up into the sky.
"Where you wanna go sugah? Canada? Antarctica? China?" With that, she simply flung him over the horizon. Logan couldn't believe his eyes. Rogue floated down and smiled, then collapsed as her feet touched ground. Both men rushed to her aid. Gambit told of her plight, and leaned over to try and save her. Logan pulled the car keys out of his pocket along with the room key.
"Cajun, I want you go to go get our stuff packed up in the car, I don't really care how right now. Then get the car out of the lot, and meet me here. We've got to get her to New York and fast." Gambit looked confused.
"New York? She needs help now! How you and Gambit get her der dat fast?"
"Who said we were drivin Cajun?" Gambit shook his head, but took the keys and ran off to the hotel.
He returned a little while later. Logan saw him coming and picked Rogue up. He loaded her into the passenger seat and motioned Remy to get in the back of the now cramped Honda.
"You got any stuff you wanna take with us? I assume you're coming with us."
"Naw. Gambit got the stuff he need on him. Let's get her somewhere safe." With that, Logan spun the tires and was driving out of the Crescent City and headed southeast down the Mississippi Delta.
"Why we driving dis way? New York is across de lake!"
"Shut up Cajun." SNIKT! He drew the claws on his right hand. "We need an obscure place to make the meeting. Fort Jackson down on the delta seems like a quiet enough place." The normal 40-minute drive took 15 as Wolverine mashed the gas. He drove into the parking lot of the fort, and pulled out his radio.
"One eye, where the hell are ya?"
"Took you long enough to get here Logan." Cyclops opened the passenger side door to get Rogue out as Jean stood in the bay of the Blackbird. At her side was a student at the Institute who was a med student, the mutant Henry McCoy, AKA the Beast. Cyke rushed Rogue up to Jean and Beast as Logan and Gambit got the car pulled into the cargo bay. Cyke then took the controls and closed the cargo bay door. The Honda was just small enough to fit in it. Logan and Remy got out and secured into their seats on the Blackbird, while Jean and Beast attended to Rogue. Cyke had the plane off the ground in no time and headed for Westchester. As soon as they were airborne, Cyke turned to question Logan.
"Who is he?" Pointing obviously at Gambit.
"Hold it there one eye. His name's Remy LeBeau, or you can call him Gambit. And from what I understand, both Rogue and I owe him our lives." Jean came up front. Logan leapt to his feet.
"What's the prognosis Jeannie?"
"Physically…Rogue is okay. Mentally, her mind is a jumble of personalities and emotions. She must have completely absorbed this person called Margot Boudreaux. I'm not sure who she is." Gambit and Logan explained the situation to everyone. Within a little while, Cyke retook the controls and landed the plane in Westchester, where the rest of the team awaited them. Xavier directed to show Gambit to the guest quarters while Rogue was whisked away to the med lab.
A few days past when the team was in the dining room eating dinner when Beast helped Rogue in.
"I present to you, a healthy and cleared for departure of the medlab Rogue." They all overwhelmed her, and she immediately went into the trip and how they felt. She also gave the disk of her report to Scott, so he could grade it. They all gave her more leniencies after what had just occurred on their trip. Marie now had Margot's conscience running around her head, they all gave her more space. Xavier began to counsel her, and over the next few weeks had the problem of Margot under control. However, he also discovered Marie's feelings for both Logan and Remy.
"Professor, ah don't know what to do. Ah like both of them." Xavier's face didn't change.
"No Rogue. I believe you only truly like one of them." To this, she said nothing. "And I think you may need to go talk to him right now…" She nodded. 'The professor always knows what's best. I should tell him." She went up to his door. Then cold feet set in. Marie began pacing nervously as to what to say. Suddenly, the door swung wide open. The occupant inside looked surprised.
"Rogue, what a surprise! What's…on…" He was cut off as she simply walked by him and sat on his bed.
"We need to talk…" The door shut behind him.
ALRIGHTY EVERYONE! This is an interactive Fan-Fic. YOU the reviewer have the option of which X-Man Rogue decides to pursue a serious relationship with. HOWEVER, I have a few rules for this. First, the reviewer MUST leave a valid, working email address. If I cannot respond back to ya, that vote doesn't count. I don't want any ballot box stuffing. This is to be a fair voting process. I will give you reviewers until Midnight on the 8th of September to vote. Any reviews/votes received after that will be appreciated, but will not be counted. The conclusion chapter will be posted on the 15th of September.