I
still don't own Marvel…
*** *** ***
It
was a week before Remy came back to Jacques, and this time, Lila was with him.
"Well
ain't she fawnin' all over him," Trixie commented, watching Lila and Remy
from the other side of the room.
"Wants
t'make sure everyone knows he's hers," Elaine said. "Probably knows
how much he flirts when she ain't 'round."
"He
flirts when she is around," Rogue said.
"Good
point," Elaine said with a laugh.
"He
could do better den her," Trixie said.
"Like
who? You?" Elaine asked.
"Well,
yeah."
"You
really like Remy?" Rogue asked Trixie.
Trixie
shrugged. "I t'ink he's hot."
Rogue
felt nervous, and she wasn't sure why. "Is that it?"
"Well,
yeah, I guess… Why, you got a t'ing for Gambit, Rogue?"
"No!"
"You
denied dat a little too quickly," Elaine said.
"He's
not my type."
"What,
you like women or somet'ing?" Trixie asked with a snort. "You can't
be breat'in' an' not be attracted to dat man."
Elaine
rolled her eyes. "Dat's your opinion, Trix."
"You
disagree, 'Laine?"
"I'm
not answerin' dat question."
"Dat's
a yes."
"Dat's
not a yes."
"Yes
it is."
"Non."
"Oui."
"Non."
"Um,
y'all just keep up you're little middle school argument, and I'm gonna get back
to work, okay?"
Elaine
laughed. "Sounds like a good idea, Rogue. Gonna get back t'work,
too." She started out the kitchen door, but glanced back at Trixie first.
"Ain't a yes."
"Is,
too!" Trixie yelled at the doors as the shut behind Elaine.
Rogue
just smiled and shook her head.
*** *** ***
Rogue
was in the bathroom washing her hands when she heard someone come in the room.
She looked up and saw that it was Lila. "Um, hi, Lila," she said.
"Rogue,"
Lila said with a nod. She paused for a second, as if she was thinking, and then
said. "I want you to stay away from Remy."
"What?"
Rogue turned around, wondering if she was kidding, but saw on Lila's face that
she was very much serious. "Lila, I really don't spend that much time with
Remy. The only contact I have with him is when I'm waiting his table."
Lila
glared. "Seeing how much Remy talks about you, I find that hard to
believe."
Rogue
blanched. Remy talked about her? Enough to make Lila jealous? That fact made
Rogue's stomach start doing flip-flops. "Lila, really, I don't spend that
much time with Remy."
"Just
stay away from him," Lila growled, stomping into one of the stalls and
slamming the door behind her.
Rogue
stared at the closed door in shock for a second before leaving.
*** *** ***
Rogue
was clearing the plates off one of her tables when Remy walked up to her. "Hey,
Rogue, some of us are goin' out later, you comin'?"
Rogue
glanced over at Lila. "I don't think I should."
"Why?
Jacques said he's closin' early t'night." He gave her his patented
charming grin. "What else you got t'do?"
"Catch
up on my sleep?"
Remy
chuckled. "You can sleep tomorrow. Your shift doesn't start till
five."
"How
do ya know that?"
"It's
on de board by de kitchen, chère."
"Well
aren't you the smart one."
"Papa
always tol' me I was. Now come on, chère. You never go out wit' us. Even
Elaine's comin' tonight."
Rogue
looked over at Lila again, and saw the way that the other woman was glaring at
her. A sly smile crossed her lips. "Sure, Remy, I'd love to go out with
y'all." She looked over at Lila, who was fuming, gave her a slight wink,
and then went back to finishing her shift.
*** *** ***
They
all went out to a night club a few towns over, and Rogue rode over with Trixie
and Elaine. "Where's Remy?" Rogue asked after they'd been there for a
few minutes.
Trixie
looked out the window and began to giggle. "He's in de parkin' lot wit'
Lila gettin' de t'ird degree."
Rogue
looked out the window, and sure enough Lila was screaming at Remy in the
parking lot. "Wonder what dey're sayin'" Elaine said.
"I
have an idea," Rogue said.
Both
of the other girls turned to her, a gleam in their eyes. "What?"
"I
don't want to sound self-centered or anything, but I think it might have
somethin' to do with Remy askin' me to come," Rogue said. "Earlier
today in the restroom Lila told me to stay away from Remy."
"She
what? Why?" Elaine asked.
"She
said Remy talks about me a lot, and she wants me to stay away from him."
"Oooh…Princess
Lila's feelin' like mebbe she don't got such a strong hold on her man,
non?" Trixie said with a giggle
"She's
got a reason to be jealous, I t'ink," Elaine said. "I've seen de way
Remy looks at you, Rogue. If Remy was my man, I wouldn't want him 'round you,
neit'er." She gave Rogue a teasing grin.
"I
just think Lila's overreactin'," Rogue said.
Just
then, Lila came stomping into the club, slamming the door in Remy's face. He
came in a second later, obviously trying to get her to talk to him, even though
Rogue couldn't tell exactly what he was saying. Lila just ignored him and went
up to the first guy she saw, laying the charm on thick. Defeated, Remy walked
over to Trixie, Elaine, and Rogue's table.
Elaine
rubbed Remy's shoulder affectionately. "You all right, Remy? Is it over
wit' you an' Lila?"
"I…I
don' know. She got mad at me, an' started yellin'." He looked over at
Rogue. "She t'inks I got somet'ing goin' on wit' you, chère."
"Remy,
if you want me to go…"
"Non,
Rogue, don' leave on account of Lila. If she wants t'be dis way, den fine. I'm
not gonna turn my back on one of my friends jus' 'cause she says to."
Rogue
tried not to break out into a huge grin at that. Remy considered her a friend?
"I just don't want to cause any trouble between the two of you…"
"You're
not, Rogue. Lila's got her own problems, dey don' have anyt'ing t'do wit'
you." He looked over at Lila, who was fawning all over some guy, then back
over at Rogue. "Wanna dance?"
Rogue
knew he was most likely just using her to make Lila jealous—and the current
music taste of the DJ was somewhat outdated and well, bad—but she couldn't
bring herself to pass up the chance to dance with Remy. "Sure,
sugah."
You
need to give it up.
Had about enough.
It's not hard to see,
The boy is mine.
I think it's time we got this straight,
Let's sit and talk face to face.
There is no way you could mistake him for your man,
Are you insane?
Remy
pulled Rogue out on the dance floor and over to stand close to where Lila and
the other guy were dancing. He held Rogue close to him, pressing her body
against his and easily getting Lila's attention. Lila glared at Remy then
pulled her dancing partner closer, making a show of rubbing up against him.
Rogue, deciding that she couldn't let Lila one-up here, mimicked her movement,
making Remy suppress a chuckle at how willing Rogue was to play along.
See I
know that you may be
Just a bit jealous of me.
Cause' you're blind if you can't see
That his love is all in me.
See I tried to hesitate,
I didn't want to say what he told me.
He said without me
He couldn't make it through the day,
Ain't that a shame.
Lila
glared even harder at Rogue and Remy, then began to make her movements more
elaborate, more sensual. Rogue mirrored every thing that Lila did, adding
something else to it each time, just to make Lila stew. She could see the anger
in Lila's eyes, and it only spurred her on.
And maybe you misunderstood,
Plus I can't see how he could
Wanna take his time and that's all good.
All of my love was all it took
The boy is mine.
You need to give it up.
Had about enough.
It's not hard to see,
the boy is mine.
I'm sorry that you
Seem to be confused.
He belongs to me
The boy is mine.
As
Rogue began to strength her efforts to win the impromptu dance-off with Lila,
Remy found himself paying less attention to the woman who was officially his
girlfriend and more to the lithe figure in front of him. He'd been attracted to
Rogue the moment he'd first seen her—something Lila had obviously picked up
on—but he hadn't truly wanted her before. Not until then. The fire in her eyes,
her iron-willed determination not to let herself be bested made her all the
more beautiful to him. Remy suddenly had the urge to hold Rogue and never let
her go.
Must
you do the things you do
Keep on acting like a fool
You need to know it's me not you
And if you didn't know it girl it's true.
I think that you should realize,
And try to understand why
He is a part of my life
I know it's killing you inside.
Rogue
tried to ignore how close she was to Remy and just pay attention to the task at
hand. Remy didn't want to dance with her because he was attracted to her—he
wanted to dance with her because she was the person who apparently could make
Lila Cheney the most jealous. Remy's every touch set Rogue's skin on fire, but
she kept reminding herself that this wasn't for her, that he didn't really care
about her. Besides, after Logan, how could she fall for Remy? A man like that,
she'd be setting herself up for heartbreak all over again.
You
can say what you wanna say.
What we have you can't take.
From the truth you can't escape.
I can tell the real from the fake.
When will you get the picture.
You're the past, I'm the future
Get away it's my time to shine
If you didn't know the boy is mine.
Her
face red with anger, Lila reached up and grabbed her partner, kissing him
fiercely. Rogue's eyes widened. She couldn't do that! What would Remy say if she
just reached up and kissed him. A part of her said to just go ahead and do it,
that she wanted to kiss Remy so badly, and this was her chance—if he freaked
out on her, she could just say it was for Lila's benefit, that it hadn't meant
a thing. But no, she couldn't bring herself to do it, couldn't set herself up
for that kind of disappointment.
You
can't destroy this love I've found
Your silly games I won't allow
The boy is mine without a doubt
You might as well throw in the towel
What makes you think that he wants you,
When I'm the one that brought him to
The special place that's in my heart,
He was my love right from the start
Remy
could tell that Rogue wasn't going to kiss him, and he could see the corners of
Lila's lips turning up in a smug grin, even as she stayed firmly latched on to
the man she'd picked up. Remy's mouth set in a line of grim determination. He'd
be damned if he let Lila get this one. He grabbed Rogue and kissed her with all
his might, holding on as her initial shock passed and she melted into his arms.
Lila
had long since stopped her kiss, and Rogue and Remy were still locked in an
embrace. Any linger thoughts of Lila had long since left Remy's mind, and all
he cared about was holding Rogue. Lila noticed that the attention had turned
off her, and she stormed off in a huff, yelling at her dancing partner when he
tried to follow her.
The
song had already stopped when Remy and Rogue finally pulled up for air. Rogue
looked up at him and felt her heart lurch. What she was feeling right then she
hadn't felt since…since Logan. Rogue stepped out of Remy's arms. What was she
doing? She couldn't let herself fall, not again. "Remy, I…I…I have to go
to the bathroom," she said lamely, running from the dance floor.
*** *** ***
"Rogue?
You in here?" Elaine walked in to find Rogue, sitting on the counter
beside one of the sinks, crying. "What's wrong? Remy said you flew off de
dance floor like a cat wit' its tail on fire."
Rogue
wiped futilely at the tears in her eyes. "I'm falling for Remy, Elaine,
and I can't do it."
"Why
not? You'd be better for him den dat Lila."
"I
just can't, Elaine! Logan…"
"Logan?
Dat man you had in New York? What does he have t'do wit' dis? You still in love
wit' him?"
Rogue
buried her face in her hands. "I don't know! Sometimes I think I am, and
sometimes I think I'm not. But it doesn't make any difference. If I let Remy
in, he'll only hurt me."
"You
don't know dat, Rogue."
"Yes
I do! Men like Remy, like Logan, they're all the same! Dammit, Remy's no better
than Julien!"
Elaine
frowned. "Now dat's not fair t'Remy, Rogue. I've known Julien an' Remy
bot' a long time, an' I can tell you dey're two very different people. Julien
knows how t'steal a woman's heart, but Remy knows how t'give his back in
return."
"I'm
not givin' my heart to anyone, ever again," Rogue swore.
"Rogue,
don'. I made de same promise t'myself when Claire's papa left, an' I regret it
more den anyt'ing I've ever done. I pushed away every chance at true love I
ever had. Don' you do dat, too."
"Elaine,
I…"
"Trust
me, Rogue."
Rogue
just nodded and gave a forced smile.
*** *** ***
Remy
was sitting at the table with Trixie when Elaine and Rogue came out of the
bathroom. "Lila left with that guy," he said.
"What
a bitch!" Rogue blurted out. She put her hand over her mouth. "Sorry,
Remy."
Remy
smiled slightly. "It's all right. She's doin' dis t'get t'me, and I'm not
gonna let her."
"Why
don't ya fin' some ot'er girl t'spend de night wit'?" Trixie asked,
leaning over the table a little closer to Remy and batting her eyelashes.
"I'm
not in de mood for dat," Remy mumbled, ignoring Trixie's obvious advance.
"Remy
LeBeau not in de mood for dat?" Elaine teased. "Quick, someone
go try t'sell de Devil a pair of skis—he's gonna need 'em."
"Very
funny, 'Laine." He stood up. "I'm gonna go out an' smoke a
cigarette."
"You
can smoke in here, y'know," Trixie said.
"I
wanna be outside."
"Mind
if I come with you, Remy?" Rogue wasn't even sure why she'd asked that.
She was still a little wary to be around Remy after what happened on the dance
floor, and she wasn't sure if being around someone who was smoking would be the
best idea since she'd decided to quit earlier in the week. But she felt somehow
compelled to be alone with him, to talk to him.
"Uh,
sure, petite. Come on."
Rogue
followed Remy outside and they sat together on a bench in front of the club. He
pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his duster and offered one to her
"Smoke?"
"No,
thanks, I just quit."
Remy
took one out for himself and lit it. "I'm sorry."
Rogue
chuckled. "Not as sorry as I am, I'm sure. But I'm sure I'll be happier in
the long run. Those things'll kill ya."
Remy
took a drag off his. "Oui, but you'd die happy."
"Interesting
logic."
Remy
shrugged. He stared out into the pitch black night for a few moments before
asking. "What happened on de dance floor."
Rogue
felt her stomach doing flip-flops. It was the questioned she'd longed for and
dreaded ever since Remy had kissed her. "What do you mean?"
Remy
sighed. "On de dance floor, 'tween us, what happened dere, Rogue?"
"Nothin'
happened, Remy. We were just tryin' to make Lila jealous."
Remy's
expression was completely unreadable in the dark. "Yeah." He paused
for a moment. "Dat's what I t'ought." He took a couple more drags off
his cigarette before throwing it on the ground and stamping it out with his
foot. He stood up. "I'm goin' back in. You comin'?"
Rogue
started to wonder if maybe she hadn't answered his question in the best way.
Sure, her response had been the safest, but did she really want to be safe? Was
being alone actually the best way to get over Logan?
As
she walked back in behind Remy, she really wished she'd gone ahead and smoked
with him…
*** *** ***
A
few days later, Remy came back to Jacques's with Lila on his arm again.
"What the…" Rogue said as she saw them come in.
"Dey
do dat all de time," Elaine said.
"Do
what?"
"Break
up den get back toget'er. I t'ink dey do it for de make-up sex."
"Elaine!"
"Well,
you explain it, den."
Rogue
sighed. "You're probably right."
"Course
I am. So dey're in your section. You gonna wait on dem, or you want me t'take
over?"
"Give
you that table? Ha! You know what kind of tipper Remy LeBeau is," Rogue
said with a laugh.
"Oh
yeah, you're jus' in it for de money."
"Oh
hush. I already told you I don't have any feelin's for Remy."
"Rogue,
dat's really not gonna work anymore. I saw de way you two were kissin' de ot'er
night."
"That
was just to make Lila jealous."
"Rogue,
really, you need t'be honest wit' yourself. Dat kiss was more den makin' Lila
jealous. You were still kissin' when she left de dance floor."
"Elaine,
please don't, okay? I am attracted to Remy, but it can't ever go any further
than that. I can't let myself go through that again."
"Why?
Because of Logan? Rogue, you say dat Remy doesn't look like de type t'commit,
but he's loyal t'Lila Cheney, an' she treats him worse den de chien."
Rogue
looked down. "I…I just can't open myself up like that, Elaine. I thought
you of all people would understand."
"Don'
use me as you're model, Rogue. I regret de mistakes I made. You know I almost
got married once? Dis great guy, Luc. He even loved Claire like she was his.
But I called off de engagement 'cause I was scared of fallin' in love again,
afraid dat he'd leave me de way Claire's papa did. So I pushed him away. De
worst day of my life was when I saw him marry anot'er woman. I t'ought him
leavin' me would hurt, but I found somet'ing dat hurt a lot more den dat ever
would."
"Elaine,
I…I didn't know."
"Don't
like t'talk about it much. But listen t'me, Rogue. I'm not sayin' fall in love
wit' Remy, but I am sayin' don't let dat Logan keep ya from fallin' in love
wit' anyone."
"Just
give me a little more time, Elaine."
"I
know, Rogue, it's hard."
"I
need to go see to my tables, Elaine." Rogue walked over to Remy's table.
"What
do you want?"
Remy
looked up. "Huh?"
"What
do you want? Place your order. I'm a waitress, remember?"
"Just
give us the same thing we always have, Rogue," Lila snapped.
"Sure
thing, Lila. I'll have that right up."
Rogue
turned and stalked away from the table, not even looking at Remy.
*** *** ***
"Chère?"
Rogue
didn't have to turn around to recognize that voice. "Customers aren't
supposed to be in the kitchen, Remy."
"Rogue,
you know I'm in here all de time."
"I
have tables to wait on."
Rogue
tried to walk out of the kitchen, but Remy stopped her. "Where ya goin',
petite?"
"I
told you, Remy. I have tables."
"Tell
me why you're mad at me."
"I'm
not mad at you."
"Den
what's goin' on wit' you?"
"Why
are you back with her?" Rogue yelled. "Two nights ago she stormed out
of a club with some other man because you were talkin' to me!"
"How'd
ya know what we were fightin' about?"
"I'm
not a moron, Remy. Look, you could do better than her, okay? Lila's a bitch.
She doesn't even deserve you."
"Someone
better den her? Perhaps you, chère?"
Rogue
looked up into his eyes, hoping to see that he was joking, but could tell that
he was serious. "Remy, you and I…we can't."
"Why?"
"I
don't want to be with anyone. I just want to be alone, okay? The only man I
ever loved was Logan, and that was nothin' but pain, so love is pain, all
right?"
"Rogue…what…"
He frowned, obviously confused. "Who was Logan?"
"It
doesn't matter anymore." She grabbed a couple of plates that had just come
up and shoved them at Remy. "Here's your food."
"Rogue,
I…"
"Go
away!"
"I'm
sorry, chère."
Rogue
turned around, not wanting Remy to see the tears that had suddenly formed in
her eyes. "Just go, okay?"
"I
do care about you, Rogue. We could try it, I t'ink maybe we'd have a chance at
somet'ing."
"Go."
Remy
sighed and walked out of the kitchen, knowing he'd never convince her to talk
to him then.
Once
he was gone, Rogue reached and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry
Remy," she said softly, "but I just can't take any more chances when
it comes to my heart."
*** *** ***
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