Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men…as they were created and copyrighted before I was born…I may inherit them someday though…
Author's Note: Okay, this story, like all stories, is starting to become too big for one comprehensive story line. So, two more are branching off. This story will continue, focusing on Rogue/Gambit and Jubilee/Logan. Kurt/Kitty will be appearing in Chance and Circumstance while Jean/Scott will be in Embers. Thank you for bearing with me on this.
Best Laid Plans
A Snowball's chance
Guests are an important part of any wedding. They come to share good fortune and bless the marriage, and generally cause mass mayhem. For a dual wedding, such as this one, there are proportionally more guests invited. Most of those guests were on the front porch, bright and early, waiting for someone to answer the doorbell.
* * * * *
Rogue awoke with a nagging feeling that she should be doing something…something important…she lay snuggled next to Remy for a moment and tried to think. She was in med-lab, as was most of the team…she was the only able bodied person currently in control of her senses…and she was supposed to reschedule the wedding! An annoying buzz sounded through the halls… "Oh mah Gawd, the doorbell…" she dislodged a sleeping Cajun and flew down the halls, and up from the lower levels.
She arrived at the front door in record speed, and opened it to see well over thirty people patiently…and some not so patiently, waiting. The man whose finger was pressed to the doorbell turned and smiled, bowing graciously "Morning mah belle, mah son let such a lovely girl answer the door on her own weddin day?" Jean-Luc looked up at her.
She licked her lips and withdrew her hand nervously "Ah meant tah call ya'll, but there's been a change in plans."
"Do not tell me that my son will not be marrying you?" Jean-Luc hand flew to his heart in a gesture of shock.
"Ah'll still be callin you daddy Jean-Luc, jus not tahday. Everybody got banged up pretty bad last night…ah think ah'm the only one awake…"
"That is no excuse! Show me to Remy…I'll carry him to de alter…"
"It won't be for long ah promise…just a week…"
"Hmm…a week. I can wait that long for de boy tah get patched up. Until then, I'll just stay. We'll all stay."
Rogue looked out over the sea of faces and saw them nod, from lowest thief to highest super hero; all of them were willing to wait a week. Here. She blinked "Here?"
* * * * *
Remy awoke…to a cold bed and a horribly aching head, but that was alright. It wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before. He sat up with a groan and glanced around. Jubilee was as responsive as she had been the day before. Logan still crouched by her bed in feral mode, looking more like a puppy that had been kicked than an intimidating wolverine. Kurt and Kitty, for a bit of morning surprise, were entangled in the other cot, sound asleep. Seeing as how no one was going to remember it, he indulged himself in a few more heart felt groans "Gambit getting too old fer dis…"
As he stood, he dreamed of a quiet life, with just him, Rogue…a couple of kids. Super powered kids. Super powered hyper kids. "Maybe we wait on de kids neh?" He shuffled about and managed to locate some pain killers without jostling his head too badly. Their effects were miraculous. The pain receded; he could see clearly, he could even find the door out of the med-lab without too much trouble.
The hall to the elevator was a bit longer than he remembered…but that was alright too. It was all okay. "Cause Rogue an Remy gonna be married and there's no need tah worry" he told himself on the ride up. The mere thought made him smile immensely. So when the doors opened, he was grinning like an idiot, into the hassled face of Rogue as she pushed him back in the elevator along with his father, Jean-Luc. "Morning Chere, morning Pere…"
"It's afternoon Shugah, and ah suggest ya'll don't say another word till ah get all the arrangements made…"
"Arrangements?" Remy looked across the little box of space at his pere. Jean-Luc wisely kept his mouth shut.
* * * * *
The two men trailed Rogue like silent escorts, right to the danger room control panel. To Rogue's vexation, the small screen read "ROOM IN USE" She opened the door and stepped in without a moments hesitation. That was her first mistake. An icy snowball hit her smack in the face followed by very annoyed sounding Bobby Drake "Ah! Rogue! You messed up my trajectory…I almost had it down pat…"
Rogue cleared slush from her eyes and looked around. It was a beautiful simulation…of the wedding. Where Rogue had entered was the platform where the actual ceremony would be held. She could see guests arranged nicely around them…hear Kurt saying the final passages…she turned an saw herself and Remy standing next to Logan and Jubilee…all liberally covered in icy slush. "Just what was you doin shugah?"
Bobby didn't miss the evil gleam in the depths of Rogue's eyes, nor Remy's glare from over her shoulder. "Nothing but practice Rogue…you see…I was just seeing…what places a bad guy with a desire to stop the wedding to stand in and hit you guys. Once I was done researching I was going to assign people to guard those spots during the ceremony…you aren't buying are you?"
The trio at the door shook their heads.
Bobby sighed and looked around "Alright then…You'll never take me alive!!!" He started an icy barrage of snowballs at the three and gleefully listened to the sounds of their surprised yelps. Until they moved. Towards him. In moments he was being dog-piled from three sides. They pinned his hands and sat on him.
Rogue leaned down to talk in his ear "Now what was that about bein taken alive?"
His response was a snowball.
* * * * *
The rest of the house was handling itself relatively well. Several guests had taken it upon themselves to cook, while most of the rest took over the rec-room. As various X-men woke up and made their stumbling way to the kitchen, they were greeted by several overly cheerful strangers…many with nearly unintelligible accents.
Even more fun was Xavier's face and head turning red as he tried to eat a "Cajun" breakfast and all the spices that entails. Xavier hastily excused himself from the raucous laughter once he could breathe again. He slowly headed to med-lab to check on Jubilee
* * * * *
Jubilee could hear a voice calling her…soothing…but she knew it lied. Lied like everyone else. It would go away soon, they all did eventually. The voice would leave her alone here where it was safe, where no one lied. She couldn't be hurt here…she looked down at herself and saw the gaping, bloody ruin of her chest. She could heal here, slowly, but she would heal. And she would forget. Forgetting seemed important for some reason. She shrugged and walked further into the darkness.
She could hear the voice grow frantic, almost crying. But she ignored it…letting the darkness seep into her wounds and chill her, numb her. Yes, numb was good.
* * * * *
Bobby was trying to speak. It was a little hard with three people sitting on him, but he was trying. "Gmmph grrr grmphta!"
"Chere, I t'ink he beaten neh?"
"Ah think we need tah get him outta here so we can use the room for quarters…"
A voice called out from behind them "We can work wit dis…" Several of Remy's cousins were standing behind them.
Rogue's eyes widened and she slipped off Bobby "How did ya'll?"
The entire group looked like Remy when he was trying to be innocent. Remy reached down to help her up "Chere, we all be t'iefs…"
The group smiled and nodded. She sighed and toed Bobby "Yah can get up now shugah, we need tah reprogram the room." His answer was a snowball.
* * * * *
Xavier looked up from calling Jubilee as Bobby was carried in by several people. He seemed to be struggling a great deal, but the eight people carrying him paid him little heed. Bobby spotted Xavier and called out "Help me! Help me!!!!"
Rogue followed the group in and rummaged around in the med drawers "Ah tried tah be nice Bobby, ah really tried…" She pulled out a small hypospray tube. The group detaining Bobby grinned and stood him up.
Remy walked in, wearing all black and a somber expression. "Booby, for crimes against de t'eives guild of Nawlins, and their soon-to-be sister by de name of Rogue, you be sentenced…"
"Professor help! Their gonna euthanize me!!!"
Remy continued over Bobby's complaints "…you be sentenced…"
"You wouldn't do this in front of poor, innocent, catatonic Jubilee would you?"
"…to relax."
Rogue pressed the hypo home and instantly Bobby's muscles lost any form of control…he melted into a puddle and tried to frown. "Umm…okay, can't move…"
The entire group looked down at the supine Bobby and grinned "Good, maybe we can get some work done now."
Bobby's answer was a snowball.
* * * * *
Jubilee could hear a friend calling…an old friend. Someone who needed her help. He was calling so desperately that she started to remember his name…his face…his tricks. He was always her friend. He never deserted her, and now he needed her. She stepped out of the darkness, but the cold came with her. It was an invasive cold…wet…slushy.
She sat up with a start and looked around the med-lab, staring past the milling bodies and ignoring the noise until she spotted her target, laying on the floor and drooling. She paffed him lightly and growled "You are so gonna die for that bobster."
He glanced at her and grinned, or tried to. His face wasn't working right. "Some help here Jubes?"
She looked around the room and took in the mass chaos…then her glance fell on Logan, who was looking at her with simple hope in his eyes. "It looks like you got it covered snowball" She watched as sanity bled back into Logan's eyes his head sagged wearily.
His voice was hoarse from growling so long…but he only needed to say one word "Jubilee?"
Everyone froze for a moment and looked towards the only occupied bed left in the room. Then on a mutual accord they all filed out, Rogue dragging a protesting Bobby "Ah! Rogue, how am I ever going to learn if I ain't allowed…"
"They need their privacy Bobby, ah guess it's a good thing that we already drugged ya…"
"Oh yeah that reminds me…catch!"
"That's it." She towed him to the Cerebro room and tossed him in. "Ya'll can stay there till yah can walk out"
"Rogue? Oh man…at least turn on the lights…rogue?"
* * * * *
Jubilee cradled Wolvy's head in her lap "I was lost Wolvy…I wanted to hide…"
"I know darlin, I know…thank you…fer coming back…"
"Bobby brought me back…he needed me…"
"I need you darlin…always will"
"But Jean…"
"Jean got a sword stuck in her head for that, an I didn't do it."
"You mean it?"
"Yep. I'm gonna ask this one more time…think on it awhile. Darlin…will you marry me?"
"You know the answer to that question."
"…darling?"
"Yes. Yes you silly barbarian."
"Good. Love you. I'll even help you kill Bobby."
"Oooo, that is love."
"Yep"
* * * * *
End of Chapter ten! And a reminder, see Chance and Circumstance for Kurt and Kitty. Embers coming soon. Till next time loyal readers!