APOCALYPSE
A/N: I'm trying. I really am. Please keep reading. I'm sure you'll love it.
Please?
CHAPTER 14
AWAKE
Being an x-woman had always proved gratifying. All the years Rogue'd spent as a
part of the team had earned her a family, even when she kept everyone at an
arm's length, literally. But it wasn't a bed of roses. Far from it. It was
exhausting. There was never time to rest; there wasn't time for having much of a
private life. But she'd managed to bare with it. And she'd learned to value the
quiet moments a lot more.
No one had really wanted to go to sleep that night. Not until Remy was back. But
she'd convinced Logan and Sidney to let her make guard while they rested, after
a lot of bickering and a few attempts at extortion. Now she was happy her plan
had worked.
Rogue figured it was better for Remy to have passed out because, for what she'd
witnessed, whatever kind of trip he'd taken couldn't have been comfortable.
Still, now he was asleep. Looking as peaceful as he'd never seen him look before, and
she couldn't stop looking at him there, with his head resting on her lap, while
she stroked those beautiful red locks of silky hair. He was beautiful. That word
may not apply to other men, but it was definitively suitable for Remy LeBeau.
Curious. If her memory served her right, that was exactly what his name meant.
LeBeau. The beautiful one.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a low chuckle that apparently couldn't be
repressed coming from the "sleeping" beauty. She pushed him away, making him
fall head first on the floor and stood up defensively.
"Ow!" he cried, but immediately resumed laughing. She frowned and crossed her
arms, mocking offence.
"Ye bastard! Ye were awake?!" he nodded, chuckling "What's so funny?"
"Cherie, y' want me!"
Remy was laughing hard, and since it seemed he wasn't laughing at her, but "with"
her, she let it pass and joined him.
"Ya're not supposed to read people like that, sugah! That's just wrong!" she
accused him, without spite in her voice. He lifted his arms defensively and gave
her a mischievous smile.
"Remy wasn' reading no one. Y' just love Remy so much it be impossible for him
to ignore it!"
They could have kept going all morning with the fake fight, but something told
Rogue that was her cue to turn the conversation a little more serious. So she
sat next to him and took his right hand on her gloved ones.
"I do. I love ya so much sugah." She whispered. Remy sobered a bit and kissed
her hair; the same tender way he'd done so, so many times before.
"Je t'aime ausi, cherie."
They held each other for a long time in silence. Neither of them thinking, just
feeling, like they used to when things were ok between them. Those times were to
be treasured. Eventually, Rogue spoke, much like a little girl.
"Remy. . .?"
"Qui?"
"Aren't I supposed to have like super super powers too?"
Remy chuckled.
"I don' know cherie. I guess."
"Ah don't feel any different. Well. . . except for the dreams. Maybe the kid is
wrong and I'm not the second. . . whatever?"
Remy seized her by the shoulders and stared intently into her eyes.
"Y' must be. I'm sure y' are. And y' know why?"
"Why?"
"'Cause this be destiny. And we are destined for each other." He finished with a
smug smile.
"Aw, Remy. . . yer so sweet." She joked. But both knew the other meant what
they'd said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Archangel woke up with the first rays of the sun. He was sore all over. Whether
it was for flying for as long as he had, for sleeping on the ground, or for
whatever had made him pass out and take him where he was now, he couldn't know.
The last thing he remembered was arguing heatedly with Scott because his friend
wouldn't tell him were the traitor was. After that, everything was blurry and it
made his head hurt to try to remember.
This wasn't good. He had no idea where he was and he didn't feel like asking for
help to any of his so called "friends", who'd choose a thieving bastard over
him. He stood up, groaning, and looked around, trying to recognise the place.
It did look sort of familiar. But besides that, there wasn't anything he could
pinpoint to know his location. As it was, he'd just slept on a generic park, on
a generic city. He'd been on too many cities during his life to recognise one
just for a park.
It didn't matter. He must have gotten there during the time he couldn't
remember. And there was a chance- if luck for once happened to be on his side-
that he was closer to Gambit.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The morning light seeped through the mansion's windows, warming up the air a
little on that cold winter day.
Jean sat alone on the kitchen table, holding a cup of tea and lost in thought.
She didn't want to look around; didn't want to acknowledge her entire word
falling apart. The mansion was in ruins. Almost everyone from the team was
either missing or running away from them. She was loosing it.
She still couldn't believe how many tragedies could decide to happen at the very
same time. Her dear friend and mentor, the professor Charles Xavier, wasn't only
missing from sight. She couldn't find him in the astral plane anymore. It was as
if he didn't exist anymore, and she didn't want to think about what that
implied. Another dear friend, Hank, along with his girlfriend, Joseph and
Bishop, were missing somewhere in the Shi'ar empire; IF they were lucky. Bastion
had nearly killed them all. Outnumbered and taken by surprise, they'd still
managed to beat him. And of course, Gambit running away had set the whole thing
in motion. Logan and Rogue had fled after him for the good reasons, while Warren
had gone after his revenge.
She held Gambit responsible for the whole thing. The rational part of her brain
told her it was stupid, but she still thought about how better things were
before Gambit decided to make a disappearing act. Of course, if she was to be
fair, it had all started with the professor going bananas on them. But Gambit
seemed more suitable for taking the blame.
"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" came Scott's tired voice, accompanied with a
yawn, and she shook herself from those thoughts.
"Nothing worth repeating, baby. Did you get any sleep at all?" she asked after
seeing the bags under her husband's eyes.
"Not really. I'm worried. What's new, huh?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. What is it this time?"
"Warren. I talked to him yesterday. He was out of his mind. I've never seen him
like this. I think that if he finds Gambit, he'll kill him, and there's nothing
I can do to stop him."
Jean was surprised to actually be worried now, after hearing Scott saying that.
Surely, Gambit was to blame for everything wrong with the universe; but to have
him killed? That was totally different from any of her plans to skin the Cajun
alive. This was serious.
"Oh, Scott. . . " was all she managed. Scott started pacing.
"I can't leave the mansion! Not now! There's only four of us left, I don't know
what to do."
"Calm down sweetie. You didn't tell Warren where to find them, did you?"
"Of course not! You think I'm stupid?"
Jean left her cup on the counter and hugged Scott tightly.
"Then there's no need to worry. You did everything you could. Logan should be
about to call to tell us how everything's going, so stay calmed. You should
probably take a warm bath and try to get some sleep. I'm starting to worry about
you."
Scott smiled at her and sighed.
"That's ok. There's enough worry going around to add yours. I'll be ok."
"Promise."
"I promise." Jean patted his back and started walking to the door. "Where are
you going?" Scott asked.
Jean turned around with a smile.
"There's something I need to do. I'll be back soon."
She needed to talk to someone. About everything, but specially about Gambit, and
she figured the only person who'd have as mixed feelings as her would be Storm
herself. Unless she was late and Ro had managed to work through it already.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sidney was tying up her shoes, just about to head for breakfast, when her eyes
turned black and she fell into a short trance. When it was over, she stared down
at her ring for a long time. Finally, she walked over to were Rogue and Remy
were making breakfast, with a tense smile plastered on her face.
"Hey you two. . ." she waved at them and they waved back. "That smells
wonderful."
"Merci, petite. Remy's goin' to introduce you to Cajun cuisine. With de help of
the belle Rogue, here." He answered, without taking this eyes of the food.
"That's great. Can I talk to Rogue for a moment though?" she wasn't able to hide
the seriousness in her voice, and Rogue turned around immediately sharing a
worried glance with Remy.
"Sure, sugah. I'll be right back, ok?"
"Don' be too long." Remy said, worry seeping through his voice.
"What is it?" Rougue asked once they were out of Remy's and Logan's hearing
range.
"I've been thinking, about your powers." Sidney started. Rogue interrupted her.
"I'm not the second offspring? Is that it? I knew it!" Sidney lifted her hands,
trying to get her attention.
"Wait, wait! I never said that!" she said urgently.
"Oh? Then why don't I have enhanced powers like Remy there?" Sidney sighed.
"Your power is to absorb other mutant's powers right? That's why you can't touch
anyone." Rogue nodded. "Give me your hand."
"Why?" Rogue asked, suspiciously.
"I need to prove a point."
Rogue reluctantly gave Sidney her hand. She yelped when Sidney took one of her
daggers and sliced a deep cut on her palm.
"You bitch!" she shouted, and was about to return the aggression, but before she
had a chance to do it, the wound had closed, not leaving any scars. "Huh?! What
did ye do to me?!"
"Your powers are enhanced. I just didn't thought of it before. You can absorb
other mutants powers without touching them now. Without even making them
notice."
Rogue scratched her head.
"Then why can I read people's minds like Remy?"
"I thought I'd made it clear that your enhanced powers aren't really mutant. I'm
sure that if you try to charge something, you'll be able to do it, though."
"Oh, I see. This is what you wanted to tell me?" Rogue started to leave, shell
shocked, but a little relieved to know for sure she was Remy's other half.
"Not really. Wait. There's something I wanted you to have. For a while, anyway."
Sidney took the ring off her finger and placed it on her hand. "Give this to
Remy. Have him wear it and. . . you'll be able to touch him without hurting
him."
Rogue gasped.
"Really?! Oh mah God! Thank you!" she gave the girl a quick hug and ran to the
kitchen.
Remy was startled by Rogue's cheerful entrance, but at least that didn't mean
bad news.
"What's so funny cherie?" he asked smiling, and lifted his eyes from his
cooking. He dropped his knife and almost chopped his toe when he saw that
Rogue's green eyes had a golden hallo around them, just like in his dream.
"What sugah, you look like ye've seen a ghost!" she said , he smile never
faltering,
"Y'r eyes. . ." he whispered. "They're . . .different."
"Ah, don't worry. The kid took of her ring, and you saw how the eyes of that
midget change all the time. It'll go away, I'm sure. But look!" she put the ring
on one of his fingers and he stared at it confused. "Ye know what this means?"
"I don' really know, but it must be good. Maybe y' wanna explain to Remy?" he
smiled a little.
"I have a better idea." She said with a mischievous grin, leaning over him and
pressing her lips to his. He braced himself, waited for the agony and the pain
that never came. When he realised he was safe, his heart skipped a beat and he
deepened the kiss.
They could have been kissing for hours. All need for air forgotten. If it hadn't
been for Sidney's wail for help and Logan's low growl after smelling a familiar
scent.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: I'm trying. I really am. Please keep reading. I'm sure you'll love it.
Please?
CHAPTER 14
AWAKE
Being an x-woman had always proved gratifying. All the years Rogue'd spent as a
part of the team had earned her a family, even when she kept everyone at an
arm's length, literally. But it wasn't a bed of roses. Far from it. It was
exhausting. There was never time to rest; there wasn't time for having much of a
private life. But she'd managed to bare with it. And she'd learned to value the
quiet moments a lot more.
No one had really wanted to go to sleep that night. Not until Remy was back. But
she'd convinced Logan and Sidney to let her make guard while they rested, after
a lot of bickering and a few attempts at extortion. Now she was happy her plan
had worked.
Rogue figured it was better for Remy to have passed out because, for what she'd
witnessed, whatever kind of trip he'd taken couldn't have been comfortable.
Still, now he was asleep. Looking as peaceful as he'd never seen him look before, and
she couldn't stop looking at him there, with his head resting on her lap, while
she stroked those beautiful red locks of silky hair. He was beautiful. That word
may not apply to other men, but it was definitively suitable for Remy LeBeau.
Curious. If her memory served her right, that was exactly what his name meant.
LeBeau. The beautiful one.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a low chuckle that apparently couldn't be
repressed coming from the "sleeping" beauty. She pushed him away, making him
fall head first on the floor and stood up defensively.
"Ow!" he cried, but immediately resumed laughing. She frowned and crossed her
arms, mocking offence.
"Ye bastard! Ye were awake?!" he nodded, chuckling "What's so funny?"
"Cherie, y' want me!"
Remy was laughing hard, and since it seemed he wasn't laughing at her, but "with"
her, she let it pass and joined him.
"Ya're not supposed to read people like that, sugah! That's just wrong!" she
accused him, without spite in her voice. He lifted his arms defensively and gave
her a mischievous smile.
"Remy wasn' reading no one. Y' just love Remy so much it be impossible for him
to ignore it!"
They could have kept going all morning with the fake fight, but something told
Rogue that was her cue to turn the conversation a little more serious. So she
sat next to him and took his right hand on her gloved ones.
"I do. I love ya so much sugah." She whispered. Remy sobered a bit and kissed
her hair; the same tender way he'd done so, so many times before.
"Je t'aime ausi, cherie."
They held each other for a long time in silence. Neither of them thinking, just
feeling, like they used to when things were ok between them. Those times were to
be treasured. Eventually, Rogue spoke, much like a little girl.
"Remy. . .?"
"Qui?"
"Aren't I supposed to have like super super powers too?"
Remy chuckled.
"I don' know cherie. I guess."
"Ah don't feel any different. Well. . . except for the dreams. Maybe the kid is
wrong and I'm not the second. . . whatever?"
Remy seized her by the shoulders and stared intently into her eyes.
"Y' must be. I'm sure y' are. And y' know why?"
"Why?"
"'Cause this be destiny. And we are destined for each other." He finished with a
smug smile.
"Aw, Remy. . . yer so sweet." She joked. But both knew the other meant what
they'd said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Archangel woke up with the first rays of the sun. He was sore all over. Whether
it was for flying for as long as he had, for sleeping on the ground, or for
whatever had made him pass out and take him where he was now, he couldn't know.
The last thing he remembered was arguing heatedly with Scott because his friend
wouldn't tell him were the traitor was. After that, everything was blurry and it
made his head hurt to try to remember.
This wasn't good. He had no idea where he was and he didn't feel like asking for
help to any of his so called "friends", who'd choose a thieving bastard over
him. He stood up, groaning, and looked around, trying to recognise the place.
It did look sort of familiar. But besides that, there wasn't anything he could
pinpoint to know his location. As it was, he'd just slept on a generic park, on
a generic city. He'd been on too many cities during his life to recognise one
just for a park.
It didn't matter. He must have gotten there during the time he couldn't
remember. And there was a chance- if luck for once happened to be on his side-
that he was closer to Gambit.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The morning light seeped through the mansion's windows, warming up the air a
little on that cold winter day.
Jean sat alone on the kitchen table, holding a cup of tea and lost in thought.
She didn't want to look around; didn't want to acknowledge her entire word
falling apart. The mansion was in ruins. Almost everyone from the team was
either missing or running away from them. She was loosing it.
She still couldn't believe how many tragedies could decide to happen at the very
same time. Her dear friend and mentor, the professor Charles Xavier, wasn't only
missing from sight. She couldn't find him in the astral plane anymore. It was as
if he didn't exist anymore, and she didn't want to think about what that
implied. Another dear friend, Hank, along with his girlfriend, Joseph and
Bishop, were missing somewhere in the Shi'ar empire; IF they were lucky. Bastion
had nearly killed them all. Outnumbered and taken by surprise, they'd still
managed to beat him. And of course, Gambit running away had set the whole thing
in motion. Logan and Rogue had fled after him for the good reasons, while Warren
had gone after his revenge.
She held Gambit responsible for the whole thing. The rational part of her brain
told her it was stupid, but she still thought about how better things were
before Gambit decided to make a disappearing act. Of course, if she was to be
fair, it had all started with the professor going bananas on them. But Gambit
seemed more suitable for taking the blame.
"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" came Scott's tired voice, accompanied with a
yawn, and she shook herself from those thoughts.
"Nothing worth repeating, baby. Did you get any sleep at all?" she asked after
seeing the bags under her husband's eyes.
"Not really. I'm worried. What's new, huh?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. What is it this time?"
"Warren. I talked to him yesterday. He was out of his mind. I've never seen him
like this. I think that if he finds Gambit, he'll kill him, and there's nothing
I can do to stop him."
Jean was surprised to actually be worried now, after hearing Scott saying that.
Surely, Gambit was to blame for everything wrong with the universe; but to have
him killed? That was totally different from any of her plans to skin the Cajun
alive. This was serious.
"Oh, Scott. . . " was all she managed. Scott started pacing.
"I can't leave the mansion! Not now! There's only four of us left, I don't know
what to do."
"Calm down sweetie. You didn't tell Warren where to find them, did you?"
"Of course not! You think I'm stupid?"
Jean left her cup on the counter and hugged Scott tightly.
"Then there's no need to worry. You did everything you could. Logan should be
about to call to tell us how everything's going, so stay calmed. You should
probably take a warm bath and try to get some sleep. I'm starting to worry about
you."
Scott smiled at her and sighed.
"That's ok. There's enough worry going around to add yours. I'll be ok."
"Promise."
"I promise." Jean patted his back and started walking to the door. "Where are
you going?" Scott asked.
Jean turned around with a smile.
"There's something I need to do. I'll be back soon."
She needed to talk to someone. About everything, but specially about Gambit, and
she figured the only person who'd have as mixed feelings as her would be Storm
herself. Unless she was late and Ro had managed to work through it already.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sidney was tying up her shoes, just about to head for breakfast, when her eyes
turned black and she fell into a short trance. When it was over, she stared down
at her ring for a long time. Finally, she walked over to were Rogue and Remy
were making breakfast, with a tense smile plastered on her face.
"Hey you two. . ." she waved at them and they waved back. "That smells
wonderful."
"Merci, petite. Remy's goin' to introduce you to Cajun cuisine. With de help of
the belle Rogue, here." He answered, without taking this eyes of the food.
"That's great. Can I talk to Rogue for a moment though?" she wasn't able to hide
the seriousness in her voice, and Rogue turned around immediately sharing a
worried glance with Remy.
"Sure, sugah. I'll be right back, ok?"
"Don' be too long." Remy said, worry seeping through his voice.
"What is it?" Rougue asked once they were out of Remy's and Logan's hearing
range.
"I've been thinking, about your powers." Sidney started. Rogue interrupted her.
"I'm not the second offspring? Is that it? I knew it!" Sidney lifted her hands,
trying to get her attention.
"Wait, wait! I never said that!" she said urgently.
"Oh? Then why don't I have enhanced powers like Remy there?" Sidney sighed.
"Your power is to absorb other mutant's powers right? That's why you can't touch
anyone." Rogue nodded. "Give me your hand."
"Why?" Rogue asked, suspiciously.
"I need to prove a point."
Rogue reluctantly gave Sidney her hand. She yelped when Sidney took one of her
daggers and sliced a deep cut on her palm.
"You bitch!" she shouted, and was about to return the aggression, but before she
had a chance to do it, the wound had closed, not leaving any scars. "Huh?! What
did ye do to me?!"
"Your powers are enhanced. I just didn't thought of it before. You can absorb
other mutants powers without touching them now. Without even making them
notice."
Rogue scratched her head.
"Then why can I read people's minds like Remy?"
"I thought I'd made it clear that your enhanced powers aren't really mutant. I'm
sure that if you try to charge something, you'll be able to do it, though."
"Oh, I see. This is what you wanted to tell me?" Rogue started to leave, shell
shocked, but a little relieved to know for sure she was Remy's other half.
"Not really. Wait. There's something I wanted you to have. For a while, anyway."
Sidney took the ring off her finger and placed it on her hand. "Give this to
Remy. Have him wear it and. . . you'll be able to touch him without hurting
him."
Rogue gasped.
"Really?! Oh mah God! Thank you!" she gave the girl a quick hug and ran to the
kitchen.
Remy was startled by Rogue's cheerful entrance, but at least that didn't mean
bad news.
"What's so funny cherie?" he asked smiling, and lifted his eyes from his
cooking. He dropped his knife and almost chopped his toe when he saw that
Rogue's green eyes had a golden hallo around them, just like in his dream.
"What sugah, you look like ye've seen a ghost!" she said , he smile never
faltering,
"Y'r eyes. . ." he whispered. "They're . . .different."
"Ah, don't worry. The kid took of her ring, and you saw how the eyes of that
midget change all the time. It'll go away, I'm sure. But look!" she put the ring
on one of his fingers and he stared at it confused. "Ye know what this means?"
"I don' really know, but it must be good. Maybe y' wanna explain to Remy?" he
smiled a little.
"I have a better idea." She said with a mischievous grin, leaning over him and
pressing her lips to his. He braced himself, waited for the agony and the pain
that never came. When he realised he was safe, his heart skipped a beat and he
deepened the kiss.
They could have been kissing for hours. All need for air forgotten. If it hadn't
been for Sidney's wail for help and Logan's low growl after smelling a familiar
scent.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
