Chapter 15, "Not Quite Paradise"
by: RogueBHS
A/N: Well, after a rather nit-picky review from Randi (oh well, I DID ask for it after all), I hope to be able to do better with my usage of English. But hey, I'm glad I can say I've at least been able to pass English all through school. Ha. I even got a 90-something on my Evo story Drowning. Hehe...I turned that in as my project! But anyway, this IS the final chapter of this part of the arc. As a notice, the next part has a lengthy title, thus Looking Through Your Eyes will be shortened to LTYE for the title that shows up when you look for it. Want the full title so you know what to look for? Here it is: LTYE- When You Come Back To Me Again.
Told you it was a long title. LOL. Since this is the last chapter for this part, I must say right here:
Thank you to ALL of my reviewers!
To those who've simply been reading and not reviewing, I appreciate you reading it, but I must say I missed the reviews from whoever you may be! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll be looking for those who reviewed to be doing so on the next part! *pointed look at Christy S, T, Cris-X, Randirogue, Lucky 439, ishandahalf, RogueRemy and a few others*
"Now, would one of you mind telling me what on earth that was about?" Light reflected off of Scott's ruby shades, sending smaller little streams of light dancing on the walls behind the last two women he wanted to be facing. If Xavier hadn't insisted on him being the one to administer the punishment, he would have gladly left it to anyone else. Watching both women, he waited for an answer, his eyes moving back and forth between them.
Slowly, Rogue shifted in the chair, biting her lip like she always did when there was something she didn't want to discuss. Picking up on that, Scott let his gaze settle on her for a moment. "Rogue?"
With his eyes being on the Southern Belle, he didn't notice that Ororo had shifted as well, and was about to speak. Thus, when her voice reached his ears, he quite nearly jumped. "Scott, it was simply something between Rogue and myself. We both know it was childish, and we both know that fighting amoungst ourselves isn't condoned. So decide on a punishment, please, and leave it at that." When he said nothing, simply turned his eyes to her, she continued. "Rogue and I got this out of our systems, and it won't be happening again."
Raising an eyebrow, Scott looked at Rogue, as if wondering if she'd agree to what Ororo had stated, or would add to it. He wasn't disappointed when she elaborated. "She's raght Scott, an' it ain't anything that's anyone else's business. Its ovah an' done with, so don' go givin' us some lecture on fightin'." She gave a rather sheepish smile. "We already feel stupid enough Ah think."
Scott shook his head, leaning against the desk and folding his arms over his chest as he looked between Rogue and Ororo for a moment. "Well, I can't say I'm not curious as to what made you two act like that, but..." He notices that neither woman is looking at him now, and rethinks what he was going to say next. "Alright, alright. I won't ask. And as for punishment, I think having to fix up the locker room will keep you two occupied for a while. Other than that, we'll leave it open for a week or two and see how you two act between now and then."
The two women glanced at each other, knowing they had gotten off easy, then grinned as Rogue sent a telepathic message to Ororo. Turning back to face Scott at the exact same time, both assumed the most innocent facial expression they could manage. Letting her bangs slightly cover her eyes, Rogue's innocent expression took on a slightly hopeful bent when she spoke, and her voice itself was almost child-like. "Ya aren't gonna spank us too, are ya sugah?"
Scott's face flushed in embarassment as he stumbled over words, trying to answer her. Finding himself unable to do so, he forced an excuse to leave off his tongue, and all but ran from the office. Behind him, Rogue and Ororo burst into laughter, both almost to the point of tears because of that laughter.
Ororo managed to collect herself enough to speak to Rogue, but she couldn't hide her smile. "That was completely priceless, Rogue." A giggle escaped her. "Goddess...I thought his eyes were going to bug out when you said that!"
Rogue nodded in agreement, still laughing. Choking back the next giggle, she stood to leave, glancing at her friend. "Told ya Ah could get him outta heah real quick-like."
Three weeks and a repaired women's locker room later, Ororo found herself searching out Rogue, having been asked by Betsy if the two wanted to go and have a women's night out. Of course, if Rogue wasn't in her room, on the roof, or with Scott, it was highly probable that she was outside, enjoying the day, which is what prompted Ororo to take a walk through the mansion's gardens. After having walked through the rose gardens Rogue favored, Ororo spotted Magnolia out in the lawn on the side of the house, and watched for a while as the kitten chased after the butterflies that were commonly found in the flowerbeds there.
When the kitten stopped chasing the insects, and paused, her ears perking, Ororo glanced around for Rogue, knowing that she had to be close if Magnolia was out here. Magnolia took off towards the front of the house, and Ororo followed at a slower pace, figuring that Rogue must have called to the kitten. When she rounded the corner, Ororo was pleasently surprised to see Rogue sitting in the grass, hip to hip with Remy, and seemingly not caring about the fact that his arms were around her. Magnolia jumped eagerly into Rogue's lap, arching her back as Rogue's hand ran over it.
Remy was the first to spot Ororo, and he smiled at her, but his arms stayed around Rogue's waist as he glanced down to the kitten that was settling half in Rogue's lap and half in his own. When Rogue glanced up, she too smiled, lifting her hand in a brief wave as she waited for Oror to get closer.
Ororo let her blue eyes sweep over the scene, smiling. "Well, it seems you three are comfertable enough."
Remy nodded, tightening his grip on Rogue just a bit, enjoying that she was letting him hold her at all. "Bien sur, Stormy." He gestured around with one hand. "You have anyt'ing t' do wit' de weather, eh?"
Ororo shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't take any credit for the wonderful weather, mother nature did this one all on her own."
"Well, Remy sure ain' complainin!"
Ororo raised an eyebrow, her smile broadening just a bit. "I can see that."
Rogue and Remy both shrugged, and the manner was so similar, it was all Ororo could do to keep herself from wondering exactly how many habits Rogue had picked up from the other X-men. Tilting her head, Rogue grinned at Storm. "Any reason we should be complainin? Cause Ah cain't think of any."
Carefully taking a seat on the grass near the two, Ororo shook her head again. "Niether can I, truth be told." She leaned back, letting the sun hit her in the face with its warmth as she looked directly at Rogue. "How would you like to go out tonight? Betsy and Jean are both in the mood for a women's night out, and I'm much inclined to go with them."
Rogue let her grin turn back into a bright smile, shrugging one shoulder. "Sound fahne t' meh, Roro. That is, if Scott'll let us go."
Laughing softly, Ororo nodded. "You do have a point there. If it comes to it, we'll sneak out then. I refuse to be left out."
Remy's arms slipped from around Rogue and he used them to cover his head, looking around as if expecting something to fall. When Rogue elbowed him, he chuckled and put his arms back around her, grinning. "Sorry, chere. T'ought de world mus' be endin' or somet'ing, what wit Stormy sayin' she'd sneak out o' de house an' all."
Rogue shook her head, smiling still. "Sugah, if it came down t' it, Ah'd sneak out too, so don' be expectin' th' world t' end. 'Sides, Ro's been loosenin' up more, didn't ya know?" When he shook his head, she grinned at Storm before looking back to the Cajun. "Well, Ah'd think ya'd know that Remy, what aftah seein' th' damage we did t' th' lockah room."
Storm laughed. "Rogue, if you think that rascal actually paid any attention to the state of the locker room while he had the oppertunity to see you standing there, sopping wet, I think that you need to reevaluate how well you know him."
Rogue shrugged and managed to look sheepish about the oversight. "Ya do have a good point there, Roro." Her gaze slanted to look at Remy. "Ah'm half suprised he didn' say any more t' meh 'bout it than he did."
Gambit pouted, looking between the two women. "You two not bein' very nice, ya know dat? You be insultin' my character right in front of me!"
Rogue smiled and kissed Gambit on the cheek, then shrugged when she pulled back. "Well, ya are always were th' ladies man around heah, sugah, so Ah dunno why you're actin' insulted. 'Specially when you're always the one t' brag about it."
When Gambit looked to Ororo for help, she shrugged as well. "She does have you pegged there, my friend."
Pouting still, Gambit removed his arms from around Rogue and folded them over his chest, giving him the look of a sulking child. "It be two 'gainst one...don' know how ya 'spect me t' be able t' defend myself."
Ororo grinned this time. "Well, perhaps we don't expect you to defend yourself."
Gambit threw his hands up in defeat. "Den what on earth you 'spect me t' do?"
"Leave."
Gambit looked to Ororo in suprise. "Leave?"
"Yes, leave. I'd like to talk to Rogue alone for a bit, if you don't mind."
"An' if I do?"
"Then Ah'll jus' have t' throw ya upstairs an' let you pray it ain't Logan's or Scott's room that ya land in."
Sighing, Gambit stood up, then looked at Rogue and Ororo for a moment. "You two don' play fair, you know dat?"
Smiling, Rogue patted his calf affectionately. "Neithah do you, Cajun. Now scat."
Mumbling under his breath, Remy walked off towards the mansion, not bothering to look back, knowing that the two women were already talking again.
Watching Gambit's retreating figure, Rogue did her best to ignore the fact that Ororo was basically staring at her. Finally facing Ororo again when she was certain Gambit was out of earshot, Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Somethin' wrong, Ro? You're starin' at meh pretty dang hard ya know."
Storm changed posititons on the grass, putting herself in the shade of the tree Rogue was leaning against. "Sorry about that, Rogue." She glanced at Remy, then back to Rogue. "I take it he knows nothing of what you and I said when we fought."
Rogue shook her head. "Didn' figure it was his problem anymore. You an' Ah worked it out while we were fixing up th' lockah room, so as far as Ah'm concerned, anyone who asks is gonna get told it ain't their business."
Ororo nodded, pausing for a second before she gave a more detailed response. "I suppose that it isn't their business, considering that it was our own refusal to admit certain things that caused the tension between us in the first place. And, as much as I enjoy Remy's company and friendship, there are things that concern you that I don't care to mention to him. Your past being on that list."
Smiling, Rogue met Ororo's gaze levely. "And that's somethin' Ah've been meanin' t' thank ya on. Ah know Remy's been askin' around what on earth happened in mah past as an X-man t' make me so leery o' certain ways of touchin, but its ovah an' done with. Ah ain't gonna move past it if I let it get dug up all th' time. He don' undahstand that."
Ororo shrugged lightly and smiled. "You don't need to thank me, Rogue. I know you don't want to talk about it, or much less have it discussed behind your back, so I try to keep my mouth shut. Besides, the story most of us know is from Carol, and that means it may not be completely accurate as far as I know. So what purpose would me telling the story around serve, other than to possibly arouse a few tempers? That, as we both know, gets us no where."
Laughing softly, Rogue nodded. "True enough. But eithah way, Ah still appreciate it Storm. Mah past, before th' X-men and durin' mah first year or so heah, has pieces Ah'd rathah forget, but Ah cain't. Despite that, a few of th' othahs wanna drag every last bit of it out and study it as if it was some dang expieriment that Hank started. But then...Ah guess part of its gonna come out when Ah do those simulations for all of ya."
Storm nodded, then tilted her head just a bit. "You don't want to do the simulations do you?"
"Would you?"
"No, I suppose I wouldn't at that." Storm paused. "You don't have to do them, you know. One word and they'd be called off."
Rogue shook her head. "It ain't jus' what Ah want that's involved though Storm. Ah need t' do these simulations. Ah've let mahself get rusty on things Ah used t' be able t' do with mah eyes closed." She sighed. "Hell...If Ah had been trainin' all this time instead of relyin', first on Carol's powah, then on th' othahs Ah have now, Ah'd be a bettah thief than Gambit." She cut her gaze to meet Storm's. "Bet none of ya would have evah figured meh for a thief, eh?"
Storm shook her head, laughing softly. "You have me there."
Rogue glanced up towards the house, then back to Storm. "Think we aughta head in? Ah imagine Jean an' Betsy are waitin' t' know if we're goin with em."
Nodding, Storm stood, brushing the grass off of her jeans. "That would probably be a wise idea, especially since we do need to get ready if they plan on eatting dinner out."
Standing, Rogue whistled for Magnolia, then smiled broadly at Ororo. "Then what are we waitin' for eh? Lets go see how far we can make th' guys' jaws drop this time..."
"They won't know what hit them...I can promise you that."
A/N: I wanted to finish this before midnight, and I've done it! Hehe. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! I know I had fun writing it, despite my rather uncooperative muse. Oh, and be looking for the first chapter of Part 3 within two weeks. Why so long? Well, I've got a new chapter of The Evil Within to do, and the sequel to Drowning to start. Don't worry though, hopefully updates won't be too slow. Thanks again to my reviewers!