AN: Yeah, I own Roxy and Satina too, but I don't really care about them... even "Sparky" and "Max".
"Rémi LeBeau, what is wrong with you? Seriously, have you lost your mind? You can't just--"
"Roxy," Rémi said sternly.
Roxanne sighed as she ran a hand through her short black hair and pursed her blood red lips.
"Fine, fine, I'll shut up. But when everyone else comes back, just you wait!"
"Roxy, dis ain't none of your business. Dem too."
"None of my business!! Why, of course it's my business!"
"Why?"
"... Moron..." Roxy muttered under her breath.
"Who's loco?" Satina asked as she walked into the room.
"Who else?" Roxy pointed at our favorite Cajun, who grinned.
"Ah, mes chères, crazy only describes our love..."
Roxy pushed him away. "Don't try your tricks on me, Gambit. I still say she's gotta go."
"Who?" Satina asked nervously. "Me? Why me? I didn't mean to do it, I swear I'll try harder, I can do this, you guys know I can, please don't kick me out--"
"Chère! Calmd down," Rémi said as he comforted the young Latina.
"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Roxy asked, confused.
Satina blinked. "Umm... nevermind."
"Quoi?" (What?) Rémi asked. "You t'ought dat we gonna t'row our special Spanish girl away?"
"Rémi, don't avoid the topic!" Roxy chided.
"What's shoved up *your* ass?" Satina asked. "Will someone please tell me, what's going on?"
"Oh, I'll tell you alright!" Roxy exclaimed. "Our little swamp rat here brought home a little girl! Just picked her off the streets like gum! And he--"
"Roxy!" Rémi said. "Parle plus bas, she's sleepin'!" (Talk softer)
Satina looked at Roxy oddly.
"Roxy, I'm surprised at you! You know he rescued us from the streets too... Of course, we were already out of school, but why can't he take someone else in too? Besides, it's not as if her were keeping her."
"Well, what is this going to turn into, Satina, a business?" Roxy asked rhetorically. "Hon, do you know where she's sleeping right now? *In his bed!* And God above knows how many diseases she might have!"
Rémi was now getting sick and tired of being talked about like he was dead.
"She's clean, Rémi promise..."
"Oh great," Roxy rolled her eyes. "Comin' from you, that's a real assurance. Yup, we know for sure now! Think you got any other promises you intend to keep? They just aren't real pop--"
"Roxy!" Satina grabbed Roxy's arm and led her over to the couch, away from Rémi and his deadly rage. "Come here, chica, and we'll pout together until Max and Sparky get back. Is that okay?"
Rémi didn't bother to hear the rest of the conversation. He went into his room and closed the door behind him quietly.
He sat in a chair next to his bed, silently watching the sleeping beauty before him. He now noticed that her hair was wavy, and her fingernails were long, and polished black. Her baggy clothes were much too inappropriate; they barely hid her, and she was almost swimming in them. They also revealed that she was malnourished disgracefully. She was dirty, bone skinny, and looked like she had been attacked by a mountain lion. Huge scrapes, cuts, and gashes littered themselves across her body. There were even a few bruises, black and blue, and huge things on her legs and arms.
Rémi felt pity. No wonder she's--
He cut himself off mentally. *She's not dead,* he thought to himself. *She will be taken care of, c'est promis.* (That's a promise.)
"Monsieur?" (Mister?)
Rémi jolted back to reality and looked at the little girl, who now was staring at him with her wide, mysterious eyes. Rémi grinned.
"Salut, petite! Vous comprendez anglais ou français?" (Hello, small [one]. You understand English or French?)
"Français," she whispered softly. "Je ne sais rien d'anglais." (French. I don't know any English.)
Rémi smiled. "C'est d'accord, ma chère. Je m'appelle Rémi. Comment vous vous appelez?" (That's okay, my dear. [Chère sounds so much better... I'll leave it like that.] My name is Rémi. What's your name?)
The little girl shook her head. "Je ne sais pas mon nom." (I don't know my name.)
Rémi frowned. "Est-ce que vous ne souvennez rien?" (Do you remember anything?)
The poor girl shook her head sadly.
Rémi was silent for a moment.
"Je vais vous appeler Marie. Vous resemblez à une Marie, et j'aime le nom. Ça vous plait? Marie?" (I'm going to name you Marie. You look like a Marie, and I like the name. You like it? Marie?)
Marie smiled. "Oui, ça me plait." (Yes, I like it.)
"N'inquitez pas, ma chère, je vais te siogner." (Don't worry, chère, I'm going to take care of you.) Rémi assured Marie.
"D'accord. Merci, Papa Rémi." (Okay. Thank you, Papa Rémi.)
Once Rémi recoverd from the shock of being called "Papa," he realized Marie must be hungry.
"Marie, tu as faim?" (Marie, are you hungry?)
Marie nodded vigorously.
"D'accord, je vais te donner quelquechose manger. Attends ici, et tu peux reposer pour une minute; je revenirai bientôt." (Okay, I'll go get you something to eat. Wait here, and you can rest for a minute; I'll come back soon.)
"D'accord, Papa Rémi. Je n'ai pas d'autre endroits aller. Comme, si je poudrais." (Okay, Papa Rémi. I don't have anywhere else to go. As if I could.)
Rémi smirked. "Vrai, vrai. Tu n'es pas bête." (True, true. You're not stupid.)
And so Rémi went to rummage in the cabinets for something to eat, if not at least edible. Hopefully something nutricious, she needed to get healthier--
Suddenly Rémi's peace was shattered.
"What are you doing?" Roxy asked harshly.
Rémi looked over his shoulder, grinned, then proceeded to take an apple. "Oh, just gettin' somet'in' for Marie," he said, his back to Roxy.
"Marie?" Roxy asked, confused. "Who's Marie?"
"Oh, ma petite fille." (Oh, my little girl.)
"What? Rémi, speak English. You know I can't understand that French shit."
Rémi paused. "Mais c'est tout qu'elle sait." (But it's all she knows.)
"Gambit cut the crap!" Roxy yelled, her face bright red.
Rémi turned to face Roxanne, a stubborn expression set in his face.
"Rémi is gonna take good care of 'is petite," he said roughly. "You don't like it, 'it de road."
Roxanne gasped, shocked. Then her eyes narrowed in hatred.
"What happened to you, Rémi?" she asked. "What made you all messed up inside? This isn't you! You wouldn't care--"
"Ne dis pas ça!" (Don't say that!) Rémi shouted as he threw a card at Roxy. "Ce n'est pas vrai. PAS VRAI!" (That's not true. NOT TRUE!)
Roxanne flinched as the card exploded on contact with her conjured shield.
Satina poked her head into the kitched.
"What's going on here?" she asked. "You guys okay?"
Rémi grinnned. "No problem, chère. Not'ing to worry about; Roxy just discussin' some stuff wit' Rémi."
Satina looked at Roxy's face, which was blood red. Roxy bit her lip, but said nothing. Satina rubbed her head and left the room.
"Stay outta my way," Rémi glared.
Roxy frowned, but said nothing. She left the room with a huff.
Rémi then proceeded to take every item of food an dput them all in a bag, including the entire cookie jar. Then he went back to his room, bag in hand, and locked the door.
"Papa Rémi? Qu'est-ce que tu fais?" (Papa Rémmi, what are you doing?)
Rémi was busy talking to himself as he threw almost everything into the bag.
"Yes, Rémi know dat 'e's not 'iself, mais c'est la vie, Rémi change, for better or worse, Rémi don't know..." (but that's life)
"Papa Rémi! J'ai peur!" (Papa Rémi! I'm scared!)
Rémi paused and looked at Marie, who's mysterious eyes were now round with fright. Rémi smiled reassuringly.
"N'inquiète pas, chère. Nous juste avons besoin aller loin. N'inquiiète pas, ton Papa Rémi s'occupera de chaque chose." (Don't worry, chère. We just have to go away. Don't worry, your Papa Rémi will take care of everything.)
Marie tilted her head, confused.
"Vraiment? Pourquoi nous avons besoin aller loin?" (Really? Why do we have to go away?"
"Tu comprendras, quelquejour," (You'll understand, someday) Rémi said. "Maintenant, peux-tu marcher? Ah, non, qu'est-ce que je dis? Tu es faible. D'accord, je te porterai." (Now, can you walk? Ah, no, what am I saying? You're weak. Okay, I'll carry you.)
And so Marie let out a small cry as Rémi picked her up, blankets and all, and carried her out the window, suitcases in hand.
"Rémi LeBeau, what is wrong with you? Seriously, have you lost your mind? You can't just--"
"Roxy," Rémi said sternly.
Roxanne sighed as she ran a hand through her short black hair and pursed her blood red lips.
"Fine, fine, I'll shut up. But when everyone else comes back, just you wait!"
"Roxy, dis ain't none of your business. Dem too."
"None of my business!! Why, of course it's my business!"
"Why?"
"... Moron..." Roxy muttered under her breath.
"Who's loco?" Satina asked as she walked into the room.
"Who else?" Roxy pointed at our favorite Cajun, who grinned.
"Ah, mes chères, crazy only describes our love..."
Roxy pushed him away. "Don't try your tricks on me, Gambit. I still say she's gotta go."
"Who?" Satina asked nervously. "Me? Why me? I didn't mean to do it, I swear I'll try harder, I can do this, you guys know I can, please don't kick me out--"
"Chère! Calmd down," Rémi said as he comforted the young Latina.
"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Roxy asked, confused.
Satina blinked. "Umm... nevermind."
"Quoi?" (What?) Rémi asked. "You t'ought dat we gonna t'row our special Spanish girl away?"
"Rémi, don't avoid the topic!" Roxy chided.
"What's shoved up *your* ass?" Satina asked. "Will someone please tell me, what's going on?"
"Oh, I'll tell you alright!" Roxy exclaimed. "Our little swamp rat here brought home a little girl! Just picked her off the streets like gum! And he--"
"Roxy!" Rémi said. "Parle plus bas, she's sleepin'!" (Talk softer)
Satina looked at Roxy oddly.
"Roxy, I'm surprised at you! You know he rescued us from the streets too... Of course, we were already out of school, but why can't he take someone else in too? Besides, it's not as if her were keeping her."
"Well, what is this going to turn into, Satina, a business?" Roxy asked rhetorically. "Hon, do you know where she's sleeping right now? *In his bed!* And God above knows how many diseases she might have!"
Rémi was now getting sick and tired of being talked about like he was dead.
"She's clean, Rémi promise..."
"Oh great," Roxy rolled her eyes. "Comin' from you, that's a real assurance. Yup, we know for sure now! Think you got any other promises you intend to keep? They just aren't real pop--"
"Roxy!" Satina grabbed Roxy's arm and led her over to the couch, away from Rémi and his deadly rage. "Come here, chica, and we'll pout together until Max and Sparky get back. Is that okay?"
Rémi didn't bother to hear the rest of the conversation. He went into his room and closed the door behind him quietly.
He sat in a chair next to his bed, silently watching the sleeping beauty before him. He now noticed that her hair was wavy, and her fingernails were long, and polished black. Her baggy clothes were much too inappropriate; they barely hid her, and she was almost swimming in them. They also revealed that she was malnourished disgracefully. She was dirty, bone skinny, and looked like she had been attacked by a mountain lion. Huge scrapes, cuts, and gashes littered themselves across her body. There were even a few bruises, black and blue, and huge things on her legs and arms.
Rémi felt pity. No wonder she's--
He cut himself off mentally. *She's not dead,* he thought to himself. *She will be taken care of, c'est promis.* (That's a promise.)
"Monsieur?" (Mister?)
Rémi jolted back to reality and looked at the little girl, who now was staring at him with her wide, mysterious eyes. Rémi grinned.
"Salut, petite! Vous comprendez anglais ou français?" (Hello, small [one]. You understand English or French?)
"Français," she whispered softly. "Je ne sais rien d'anglais." (French. I don't know any English.)
Rémi smiled. "C'est d'accord, ma chère. Je m'appelle Rémi. Comment vous vous appelez?" (That's okay, my dear. [Chère sounds so much better... I'll leave it like that.] My name is Rémi. What's your name?)
The little girl shook her head. "Je ne sais pas mon nom." (I don't know my name.)
Rémi frowned. "Est-ce que vous ne souvennez rien?" (Do you remember anything?)
The poor girl shook her head sadly.
Rémi was silent for a moment.
"Je vais vous appeler Marie. Vous resemblez à une Marie, et j'aime le nom. Ça vous plait? Marie?" (I'm going to name you Marie. You look like a Marie, and I like the name. You like it? Marie?)
Marie smiled. "Oui, ça me plait." (Yes, I like it.)
"N'inquitez pas, ma chère, je vais te siogner." (Don't worry, chère, I'm going to take care of you.) Rémi assured Marie.
"D'accord. Merci, Papa Rémi." (Okay. Thank you, Papa Rémi.)
Once Rémi recoverd from the shock of being called "Papa," he realized Marie must be hungry.
"Marie, tu as faim?" (Marie, are you hungry?)
Marie nodded vigorously.
"D'accord, je vais te donner quelquechose manger. Attends ici, et tu peux reposer pour une minute; je revenirai bientôt." (Okay, I'll go get you something to eat. Wait here, and you can rest for a minute; I'll come back soon.)
"D'accord, Papa Rémi. Je n'ai pas d'autre endroits aller. Comme, si je poudrais." (Okay, Papa Rémi. I don't have anywhere else to go. As if I could.)
Rémi smirked. "Vrai, vrai. Tu n'es pas bête." (True, true. You're not stupid.)
And so Rémi went to rummage in the cabinets for something to eat, if not at least edible. Hopefully something nutricious, she needed to get healthier--
Suddenly Rémi's peace was shattered.
"What are you doing?" Roxy asked harshly.
Rémi looked over his shoulder, grinned, then proceeded to take an apple. "Oh, just gettin' somet'in' for Marie," he said, his back to Roxy.
"Marie?" Roxy asked, confused. "Who's Marie?"
"Oh, ma petite fille." (Oh, my little girl.)
"What? Rémi, speak English. You know I can't understand that French shit."
Rémi paused. "Mais c'est tout qu'elle sait." (But it's all she knows.)
"Gambit cut the crap!" Roxy yelled, her face bright red.
Rémi turned to face Roxanne, a stubborn expression set in his face.
"Rémi is gonna take good care of 'is petite," he said roughly. "You don't like it, 'it de road."
Roxanne gasped, shocked. Then her eyes narrowed in hatred.
"What happened to you, Rémi?" she asked. "What made you all messed up inside? This isn't you! You wouldn't care--"
"Ne dis pas ça!" (Don't say that!) Rémi shouted as he threw a card at Roxy. "Ce n'est pas vrai. PAS VRAI!" (That's not true. NOT TRUE!)
Roxanne flinched as the card exploded on contact with her conjured shield.
Satina poked her head into the kitched.
"What's going on here?" she asked. "You guys okay?"
Rémi grinnned. "No problem, chère. Not'ing to worry about; Roxy just discussin' some stuff wit' Rémi."
Satina looked at Roxy's face, which was blood red. Roxy bit her lip, but said nothing. Satina rubbed her head and left the room.
"Stay outta my way," Rémi glared.
Roxy frowned, but said nothing. She left the room with a huff.
Rémi then proceeded to take every item of food an dput them all in a bag, including the entire cookie jar. Then he went back to his room, bag in hand, and locked the door.
"Papa Rémi? Qu'est-ce que tu fais?" (Papa Rémmi, what are you doing?)
Rémi was busy talking to himself as he threw almost everything into the bag.
"Yes, Rémi know dat 'e's not 'iself, mais c'est la vie, Rémi change, for better or worse, Rémi don't know..." (but that's life)
"Papa Rémi! J'ai peur!" (Papa Rémi! I'm scared!)
Rémi paused and looked at Marie, who's mysterious eyes were now round with fright. Rémi smiled reassuringly.
"N'inquiète pas, chère. Nous juste avons besoin aller loin. N'inquiiète pas, ton Papa Rémi s'occupera de chaque chose." (Don't worry, chère. We just have to go away. Don't worry, your Papa Rémi will take care of everything.)
Marie tilted her head, confused.
"Vraiment? Pourquoi nous avons besoin aller loin?" (Really? Why do we have to go away?"
"Tu comprendras, quelquejour," (You'll understand, someday) Rémi said. "Maintenant, peux-tu marcher? Ah, non, qu'est-ce que je dis? Tu es faible. D'accord, je te porterai." (Now, can you walk? Ah, no, what am I saying? You're weak. Okay, I'll carry you.)
And so Marie let out a small cry as Rémi picked her up, blankets and all, and carried her out the window, suitcases in hand.