Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the X-men. I cannot. It is forbidden by the Gods.
Undreamt of
Salvation on Canvas
A blank canvas sat in front of her…it was the only blank one in the room. Today had been art day after the lessons, and she was surrounded by messy masterpieces. An open bottle of wine sat beside her as she contemplated the empty field of canvas, for today was an anniversary.
The crimson of the wine reminded her of his eyes; always burning red when he looked at her…she could remember his smile, his smell…even his favorite cigarette brand. And today was the two year marker, two years since the funeral, seven months of being a mother. She fingered her necklace "Ah so wanted to be raisin our children shugah…tahgetha…ah know yah'd love them Remy…ah just know…"
Her hand shook and she gripped her necklace harder "Where are yah? Yah promised swamp rat…promised we'd be married afta yah got back…" The clasp broke in her hand, the smooth silver sliding down her throat in a cool glide. It laid spread across her offending hand like a beautiful, lifeless snake. It struck a chill through her body that she couldn't seem to stop.
She turned her back to the canvas reserved for her and clutched her arms about herself. She was determined not to cry…so she distracted herself.
Sarah's canvas was covered with a family scene. All of the children were portrayed in minute detail, and standing behind them all, was Rogue herself…smiling. In precise, gold letters, Sarah had written "This is the Family God gave me" It was perfect, right down to the mischievous grin on Kurt's face as he reached forward to pull Dreeny's hair. The painted Rogue was reaching her hand to the side…perhaps to stop Kurt, or perhaps to hold someone's hand…but none of the painted children were near that painted hand. Beside Rogue was blankness…as if the painting wasn't finished. It started to draw her mind back to Remy…so she glanced away.
Johnny's canvas was an inept carnage scene. Godzilla rampaged through Tokyo, half a person clutched in his mouth. Great green claws were holding a math book that was being shredded and rained down upon the fleeing people. Despite herself, she smiled at his unsubtle statement. Then she noticed the eyes…crimson with black pupils…
The next was done by Justin and his constant companion Raven. Small chubby hand prints were liberally sprinkled around the entire area in colors ranging from red and yellow to bluish purple. Justin had taken a brush and drawn shadows for each of the handprints…and antennae to those that overlapped to form butterflies. But there was one spot…under all the prints…a large black hand had been placed upon the canvas first, trails of red flowed along the palm, reminiscent of blood flowing…the colorful butterflies all seemed to be flocked around this dark spot…gently feeding from the flowing liquid…She shook herself and chastised her rampant imagination. But she still turned away.
Maggy's painting was a jumble of random lines and colors…as if a she hadn't cared about making a picture, but about making a mess…or modern art. Thomas's was the same…then it occurred to her. She slid the twin painting together until their edges touched and stepped back. A picture began to form from the random strokes. A river started in the upper corner of Maggy's colorings and meandered to the bottom of Thomas's…stones lined river, and trees. Two children were sharing a swing that swung from the branches of a drooping willow. They were being pushed by an indistinct person whose brown hair was blowing in an errant breeze…
Kurt had drawn the back of Dreeny's easel because he didn't have a fruit bowl to look at he had said. Rogue had to admit he could copy quite well…even the wood grain was painted correctly, right up to the scorch mark on the corner of Dreeny's frame. Strange, she had never noticed how much the remnants of Sarah's brief anger at Dreeny looked like the ace of spades. She glanced over at the original to see if the painting was a fluke…it wasn't.
On the business end of Dreeny's easel rested her painting. All cool trees done in greens and browns. The lines were indistinct, fuzzy, giving the glade a surrealistic feel…a dreamlike quality. Fireflies danced among the twilit branches forming arcane patterns and forms if one looked long enough. But the glittering points of light Dreeny had painted did not hold her attention…her eyes were drawn to the shadows, a large one in particular that seemed to almost be a man leaning against a tree. There was only one spot of fiery red in the whole scene…right near the shadow…where a cigarette would be. Rogue moaned and turned, once more facing the blank canvas.
The wine bottle was empty, her vision swimming through unshed tears…she picked up a paintbrush and let her heart lead her hands all the while sending a litany out…like she imagined a telepath would, almost a prayer in it's intensity. "Remy…ah love yah…ah need yah…come home…"
* * * * *
He awoke to the piercing cold that accompanied his iron bonds, his mind foggy from sleep. There was a muffling silence and the quarters were still blacker than soot…he should have been sleeping. But he was more awake than he had been for a long time. His pulse was pounding so hard he was afraid that the others would hear…slowly his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He tried to catch the elusive tendrils that had pierced his exhausted slumber, puzzle them out.
He was number 19 in chain 3, the numbers had been burned into his brain, it was his name…his existence…had always been. But unlike the last time he had thought of himself…there was a nagging doubt; a hole in an elaborate story that he had believed. Perversely he tugged at the hole…widened it…started to covertly tear it to shreds, because on the other side he could see something…something important. He was convinced it was a voice from there that had awakened him. Suddenly, the last bits of the fable melted, and he stood on the other side. He knew with an absolute certainly that something on their last mission had gone wrong…he had let someone down…He was an X-man. He remembered his name. Not a number, not an epitaph, but a true name: Remy LeBeau.
His eyes glowed crimson in the darkness, he gently stretched his muscles and massaged his torn, bleeding fingers. He was quite prepared to spend the rest of the sleep period opening his shackles and finding out where he was...
Whoever had caused Rogue's tears was going to pay.
He had been gone for a little over two years…but now, Gambit was back. He almost pitied them.
* * * * *
She was doing dishes and waiting for the Tylenol to kick in and stop her headache. She had been up all night, painting…but drunk as well. She couldn't remember what she had painted…she would check when she finished the breakfast dishes. At least today was Saturday, the kids had no class and were therefore outside playing, leaving her in peace.
The sudden cessation of pain in her temple was a blessing, she brushes wet fingers through her hair and smiled, enjoying the breeze and childish shouts that floated through the window. Last night had been rough, she had cleared out the wine she had bought to augment the wine cellar, but today was full of sunshine. She trailed her fingers to her neck, yawning tiredly, and froze. Her necklace was missing…her inhibitor…Remy's gift…
She started to panic then remembered that the clasp had broken…it would be easy to fix…she just had to be careful with the kids…
Her thoughts were interrupted as Justin flew straight at the kitchen window, Raven clinging to his back. He stopped mere seconds before colliding with the screen. He looked worried, near panicked… "Momma! Momma Rogue…come quick…Dreeny fell in the creek! Sarah and Johnny pulled her out but she's not breathing…"
She thought fleetingly of finding the necklace…but she had no choice. She hoped… no, she prayed that her powers wouldn't realize they weren't being repressed as she flew through the kitchen screen and on toward the sodden elf child that was her daughter.
* * * * *
Dear Diary,
Today was fulla suprises…as usual. Ah apologize for not writtin last night, but ah was stinking drunk. Ah painted a portrait of Remy while ah was drunk…it makes mah chest hurt. It looks jus like him, with that little secret smile of his, and his laughin eyes…ah hung it in mah room, right above the desk. It's easier tah believe when ah can see him.
Ah broke mah necklace…and the inhibitor in it. But Dreeny fell in the creek…she needed CPR…and ah touched her…nothing happened! Can yah believe it? Dreeny is alright…a bit shaken, but fine. Ah let her sit on the couch wrapped up all warm in a blanket an watch Labyrinth three times in a row like she wanted…
Did ah forget tah mention last night was an anniversary? Ah got through it…for awhile there, right when ah was the drunkest ah guess, it was almost like Remy was there…but ah'm rambling…ah'm just so relieved…ah don't know what ah'd have done if Dreeny…if Dreeny…nevah mind. Se's okay, that's what counts. Ah'm going tah bed.
Rogue
* * * * *
She closed the diary and looked up at her painting. She hadn't lied, it was perfect. All the little things she knew of him…all the little mannerisms. It was as close as she could get to him, and for now it was enough.
She left the room to check on Dreeny, who was sleeping through the fourth run of Labyrinth, not noticing the shadow that was defying logic and hovering over the painting, making the sly smile look like a sinister snarl…or the thin red lines running from his fingers…
* * * * *
Xavier Institute:
There were whispers running rampant through the school. Ugly whispers. Bobby didn't believe them, he couldn't. Rogue was a wonderful person…she would never have harmed the children…but Xavier wasn't speaking about her at all…no one had heard from her…or the children...in months…
He made up his mind and walked into Xavier's office, and was surprised when the professor snatched a small black box from his desk and hid it in his lap. "Professor?"
"Yes Bobby?"
"I have a question…about Rogue…"
Xavier sighed and stared him in the eye "Bobby…"
"I'm her best friend! I deserve to know…is it true?"
"Which rumor? I can assure you that she is sane and harmless, the children are safe…"
"Then why haven't we heard from them?"
"It's for the best…"
Bobby stared in horror as the words dropped from Xavier's lips "Bullshit Professor" He stalked out of the office, slamming the door. The minute he did, he heard a purring voice in his head.
Emma's saccharine tones slid through his brain like poison "Didn't I tell you he was hiding them…Keeping you all away from her…"
Bobby hung his head, unable to defend his mentor "She would never hurt the kids…"
"Not willingly…but just think on it Bobby…Xavier needs soldiers…the kids are all alpha level….and he is the strongest telepath on earth…in the emotional state she was in when she left, Rogue would be easy to…control."
Bobby clenched his fists and tried to breathe through the anger that swam into his head "…no…"
The white queen laughed in his head "No? Think on it my friend…" Then she was gone, and Bobby…Bobby was thinking hard.
* * * * *
Tah-dah!!! What do you all think?
