"Dark clothes, long jacket, square jaw, messy brown hair covering the eyes
."
It took Lorna Dane a couple double takes to see if she saw him right, only because it was so unusual to see any of her fellow X-Men out of fighting garb.
But it was, and even though Lorna was enjoying a day alone in her own thoughts, trying to answer questions she'd been ignoring for the past few months, she couldn't not say hello to her comrade in arms, Remy LeBeau, otherwise known as Gambit.
Granted, they never really spoke, except for things like: "Get me up to that building"; "Do you have the target?"; "How about I lift you higher?" For that matter, the only thing she really knew about him was that he was a thief and had stolen Rogue's heart.
She stood up and strolled across the NYC café and stood above Remy. He was hunched over intensely reading Oscar Wilde.
She placed her hand on the table. "Remy," she said, realizing that she'd never actually used his first name before.
Remy looked up, confused, his sleep-ridden, puffy eyelids squinted and he pursed his lips. "You know me, chere, but I don't know you."
"Oh." Lorna forgot that in her day of anonymity, she was using an image inducer to make her natural green hair appear brown. She grabbed the device and shifted it for a couple seconds to show the emerald curls. "I suppose this is helpful."
"Oh, Miss Dane." Remy said and grinned sheepishly. "I'm embarrassed to say I didn't right away recognize the face, not without the hair anyway." His leaned his head back and looked at her hair. "I prefer the green." He gestured to the seat across from him.
Smiling, Lorna sat down. "Me too, but I wanted to not be gawked at for once."
Triggering the Cajun charm he exuded so well, Remy LeBeau's red eyes twinkled. "Don' need no green hair ta do dat."
Lorna laughed and winked. "Well thank you, Mister 'You know me, chere, but I don't know you.'"
Acting mock offended, Remy slapped his hand to his chest. "You wound me. And you caught me right before I was about to add 'but I'd like to.'"
Lorna rolled her eyes with a smile, flagged the waitress over and ordered a latte. "Anything for you? My treat."
Remy sat up. "Oh, well, in that case, I'll have another of these."
"One triple espresso." The waitress repeated and walked away.
"So," Remy turned to Lorna. "What brings you out to the city?"
"Vacation. I needed a day off from the monitor work and Guido and Jamie's lame jokes." Lorna quipped. "You?"
Remy played with his empty cup. "Been staying away from the mansion these days."
Oblivious to most everything at Westchester, save one item, Lorna tilted her head. "Can't stand babies?" She referred to the newest addition to Xavier's, Thomas Worthington.
Gambit blinked a couple times in confusion before he realized Lorna had no idea that he and Rogue were no more. He'd poured his heart out to enough people; perhaps he'd leave this one alone. "Yeah. Dat's it."
He shifted uncomfortably. "What about you, chere? Aren't you and Havok about to go da way of Betsy and Warren?"
Lorna pressed her lips together. "Ummm." Briefly, she thought, that a year ago, she might have nodded enthusiastically and rattled off the first three baby names her and Alex Summers had come up with, but they'd not talked about their future together for months. Matter of fact, they'd distanced themselves further than ever. Just one of the things Lorna planned on thinking hard about that very day. "I don't think so."
Seeing his faux pas, Remy immediately took a sip of the triple espresso as it got placed on the table and burned his tongue. "Gah." He groaned. "Dat's what I get for trying to cover up my stupid question."
Lorna laughed at his debacle. She reached out and patted his hand. "Don't worry about it. I was not sure how to answer it, at least not as of late."
Taking the open invitation, Remy nodded. "But surely you've been together for about as long as Jean and Scott."
Lorna's face twitched as she stirred sugar in her latte. She shot back, "So, how are you and Rogue?"
Not expecting the abrupt and painful change of subject, Remy jerked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't know, seein' dat she took up with some woman."
Lorna's face held amusement to comments until she realized Remy wasn't kidding. "Oh Gawd. Oh gosh... I'm sorry Remy. I didn't mean-"
"Don' worry none. It's been going on for a few months. You guys in Washington are pretty oblivious out dere, huh?" His sarcastic quip had bitterness.
Lorna stared at the table biting her lip. "I'm afraid so. That mission in Genosha took a long time and took a lot out of us" was her lame and non- detailed explanation.
A long uncomfortable silence occurred as Lorna clenched her fist feeling like a heel. "Ok," she started. "Probably the reason I didn't speak anything about Alex's and my future is that I'm not sure there is one."
She waited, hoping that her confession would make Remy feel better, if anything, less alone.
He cocked his head. "OK." He took another sip of his espresso. "Da reason I said nothing about Rogue is that it was nice not having to talk about it or have people pitying me and such. Got enough of dat in Weschester."
Lorna nodded. "Makes sense."
Remy returned the nod. "Same wit you."
They silently continued to nod, taking occasional sips of their respective drinks, letting each other's words absorb.
"So," Remy spoke up, then hesitating for a few seconds. "What are you going to do about it?"
Lorna shrugged. "I haven't known what to do for the past year. I mean, we do work together, but." She leaned over on her knees. "I don't think I can keep this farce up much longer. I need to do something to resolve it."
Remy shook his head. "Pardon me for sounding a bit condescending, but have you tried talking to him?"
"Once," Lorna sat back up. "About six months ago - this was just after that power surge had thrown his solar energy out of control. When things returned to normal for him, I just didn't want to jinx it." She lifted her hand and raked it through her hair.
"Oh, that is just stupid, isn't it? I can't believe after all we've been through that this is how I deal with something so minor."
"Maybe it's not so minor." Remy suggested. "Maybe it's a whole lot more dan dat. It's something that your powers combined can't control."
Lorna looked up. "You're probably right. And all this time I've been treating it as something small." She nodded. "I need to address this as the huge problem that it is." She stared at Remy in amazement. "Wow. No offense, Remy, but I wouldn't have gathered you to some up with such.er.accurate ideas." She grinned.
Remy nodded. "After Lou- er.. Rogue and I split, I've been looking at myself, her and our surroundings to see why it happened. It's funny how we assume these special powers of ours can fight against anything dats not Apocalypse or Sinister." He shrugged. "I guess that's where all this hidden wisdom is coming from."
Lorna blinked and smiled, seeing him differently. His time alone had definitely changed his thought process, and at that moment, he was a very stung man. She reached her hand across the table, not intending to touch, but reach to him. "I'm sorry you hurt, Remy."
Remy nodded. "Thanks."
"So what have you been doing with yourself all this time?" Lorna rested the side of her face into her palm and added an encouraging smile.
"Wandering" Remy piped up. "I'd been tempted to go home to New Orleans, just to feel family, but the only family I got left is the Guild and they weren't crazy about me an' Rogue anyhow. One t'ing I don' need is a bunch of 'I told you so's.
"So, I've been staying at the Plaza, visiting museums, and hanging in Central Park." He grinned. "Even stopped a purse snatching."
Lorna smiled back, recalling the other month she stopped a potential robbery when she sensed the metal in the gun-shaped wad in the guy's pocket. "Funny how we can't shed that hero mask, no matter how we try, eh?"
Remy nodded. "It's our duty, really, as X-Men, even on days off. And I think that no matter who.even Mystique.would do the same because their powers and training allow it." He paused to think for a second. "Ok. Maybe not Mystique.. Nor Magnus."
Lorna, who was smiling, paused and frowned at the mention of Erik Lehnsherr. Remy noticed immediately. "Sorry, chere, I temporarily forgot you two share that power."
Shaking it off, Lorna gave a strained smile. "It's OK. I look at it as I'm the good twin and he's the bad." Her smile faded with a sigh. "Still, I cannot help but dread that because of our mutual mutation, I am destined to have him in my life somehow." She grabbed her arms and rubbed them, as if a chilly wind had come by.
Remy only nodded knowing that one day, he'd see Magneto dead.
Eager to change the subject, Lorna asked. "So, what else have been happening back at the mansion?"
Remy shrugged. "Before I left? Oh, Bets and Warren's kid.Rebecca, she's been goo-goo-eyeing the hayseed, Cannonball."
Lorna's eyes widened. "I saw them at the Halloween party. but they're together? Hmm... Didn't see that coming."
"You never do. Oh, and Popsicle and the Ice Queen have been very hot and heavy. Surprised they haven't melted each other."
This stopped Lorna's prepared laugh. "Oh. Yes. Those two." Lorna recalled the playful and nonchalant note from Jean gushing baby announcements and stating that the Bobby and Emma romance looked like "the real thing".
Lorna's tummy did an uncomfortable flip. In her and Bobby's relationship back when she first discovered she was a mutant, they were pretty close, but it never continued - nor were their affections settled after Alex came along and swept Lorna away. They never spoke to each other save some battle discussions and things were never resolved.
Remy barely noticed, for his thoughts drifted back to the mansion and Rogue again. When he looked up from his espresso, he saw Lorna's creamer pour had overflowed.
"Chere," he pointed. Lorna blinked and looked down. "Oh!" She grabbed a couple napkins and hastily wiped up the mess. Remy handed her his extra napkin. "Sounds like the news doesn't settle well."
Lorna flushed. She shook her head. "No. No.it's not that. Bobby and I. well, he brought me into this." She shrugged. "We were dating when I first came to Xavier's."
Remy nodded, an annoying 'knowing' look on his face.
"It's just.odd." Lorna turned from his gaze. "To see your first love so in love with someone else."
"You're not kidding," Remy quipped, in a sarcastic, deadpan voice.
"I guess this is somewhat similar to the way he felt back then." Lorna said quietly, deep in memories for a moment. She titled her head and watched Remy finish his espresso. "Hey, I was planning to walk Central Park. Care to join me?"
Remy thought for a few seconds. "You know, I would like that. Need to work off this caffeine buzz."
Lorna paid the tab and they both headed out. The park, being only a couple blocks away, allowed them to take in the Upper East side, which was sprinkled with dog walkers, specialty shops and more cafes. A pink-haired girl, armed with five dogs of disparate breeds, walked through, hollering "look out" with an amused grin that showed how much she enjoyed the job.
Lorna, a huge dog lover, cooed one pup, a Jack Russell Terrier, whose leash got entwined in her leg and was receptive to her. She leaned down to pet the white and brown dog and received a flying leap up, bumping her in the nose. "Oh!" Lorna squealed, standing up to wipe the dog's nose kiss. "He's excitable."
Remy chuckled. "He likes you, chere."
After a few minutes of petting and playing, Lorna sighed. "Oh, I do wish I could get a dog, but I'd never be able to have time for it."
Remy nodded. "Pets are a commitment."
Lorna gave the dog one last head rub, stood up and dusted her pants. "So, um. who was she?" She bit her lip, not sure if it was the best idea to bring it up. "The one who Rogue.."
Remy sighed. "Jenny is her name. Can't say I know much about her, except that her powers allow them to touch."
Her small gasp was stifled by her hand clamping her mouth. Lorna never thought anyone could touch Rogue, ever. Questions flooded her head like "How?"; "What powers does she have?"; "Is that why she left you?", but kept them to herself. "Wow. That's rare."
Remy nodded. "She tells me dat's not de reason . but." Remy turned away. The familiar fleeting feeling of losing everything that made him who he is accompanied by a bit of nausea made him stagger a bit.
Lorna lifted her hand to his should to steady him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
Remy shook his head. "It's not just pain.it's unbelievable. I never t'ought I'd lose her. Sure dat weirdness with Joseph did have an impact. but I never thought dis would happen."
Instinctively, Lorna rubbed his shoulders.
Remy looked up at her, his natural red eyes not able to show that they were dry, puffy from the lack of sleep, for his dreams only brought Rogue back into his arms.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to show this side of me."
Lorna just looked at him. "Gawd, Remy. It's OK. It's so OK."
Remy started walking. They reached the edge of Central Park before he spoke again, while looking at the ground. "I'm so angry at myself, Lorna." He started. "I feel like I'm looking at myself from a distance and can do nothing for this poor mopey slob." He threw up his hands. "Everyt'ing in my life is on hold."
Lorna nodded watching the group of kids nearby kick the soccer ball around. "You're healing, Rem. And unless your wounds heal like Logan's, time is what you need. Rogue became a part of you and when that part was torn, it bled." She looked up and timidly brushed a chestnut flop away from his black and red eyes. "And it looks like the bleeding may be done now and the healing is beginning."
Remy stared back at Lorna as she nodded. He blinked, then burst out laughing.
Lorna arched her eyebrows in confusion until Remy calmed down a bit to explain. "Sorry, chere. Dat sounded like one of dose stupid cards Jean has a tendency to hand out ta people."
Knowing the sappy Hallmark cards Jean sent out every birthdays, holidays or when someone got hurt in battle, Lorna smirked. "Think I could get a job writing them?'
Remy paused from his chuckling and nodded. "Oh yeh." After a few seconds, he clasped his hand on hers briefly. "I'm sorry, Lorna. I've heard a lot of dis stuff. But in spite of de metaphors, you're right. I'm on de mend."
Lorna gave a small smile and walked ahead. Remy caught up and fell silent because it looked like she didn't want to talk right then.
They walked through some grass mounds, then to the central pond where the artists and their palettes painted their interpretations of what they saw, past the swarm of gossiping nannies as they mindlessly rocked the baby carriages, until they got to a set of bed rocks that looked inviting.
"Lorna?" He asked, gesturing to the rocks, to which she nodded.
Remy took full advantage of the rich autumn sun and stretched his long body, laying back on the rock. Lorna looked uncomfortable as she sat down. She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the trees.
Remy glanced up, then lifted his sunglasses. "Chere.. Get down here. Dis is a surprisingly comfortable rock."
Lorna shook her head. "I'm sure it is. But I'm OK up here." Remy could see her slight smile through her profile.
Try as he might, he could not ignore it any more. "I'm sorry I laughed."
Arching her eyebrows in a confused manner, Lorna turned toward him. "I'm sorry?" she asked.
"You know. dat last time you said somet'ing to me?"
Lorna hung her head down and shook it. "I'm not upset about that, Remy."
"Oh," he nodded and lay back down. A few seconds and he darted back up. "Ok, so I don't know you dat well yet, so I'm not sure what you're so silent considering you were talking so recently.so, what's up?"
Lorna sighed. "I'm envious of you, Remy."
Remy coughed and arched his brows. "Why in de world would you envy this?" he slapped his chest. "I'm a mess, Chere."
Lorna shook her head. "No. You're moving on and I can't start."
It took a few seconds to understand, but when he did, he put his hand on her shoulders and brought her to a hug. Stiffly, Lorna leaned into his chest and felt his breathing. She just stared outward, caught in her own thoughts. "I need to talk to him." Lorna repeated from earlier. "This can't continue."
"Den you should, chere and it's high time."
"I know." Lorna said in a sigh. "I just never thought I'd fall out of love with Alex."
She gasped after she said that. All this time, she never accepted that it was the cause and never wanted to admit it. "I can't believe I just said that!" She jerked out of the hug and sat up straight. "But I guess.I guess I needed to."
Remy only smiled softly. "I think you're ready to talk to him now."
Lorna nodded, smiled and rested her chin on her knees. Her brown in color, but green in nature, curls settled comfortably around her head and past her shoulders.
Remy instinctively reached up and stroked the soft brown hair. Realizing where he was and whom he was doing it to, he stiffened and looked down at Lorna in shock and discomfort, a look she returned. He withdrew his hand very quickly.
"Lorna, I."
"No, it's OK, really."
"No, it's just with the brown hair, it looked like."
Lorna held up her hand. "Forget it. I understand."
After that, no words were exchanged and both felt a bit weird and uncomfortable until they both forgot about it.
Lorna glanced at her watch when her stomach growls. It was way past lunch. She turned to Remy, who had his eyes closed, basking in the sun. She slapped his knee. "Let me buy you a hotdog! Come on." She stood up and led the way to vendor.
Remy furrowed his brow. "A hotdog?"
Lorna looked back. "Yeah! Don't tell me all the time you've been here, you haven't had a New York City dog! There's a vendor at every corner." She waved her arm. "Come on!"
Remy groaned as she got up, feeling pops in his limbs, reminding him that he was out of practice. "But I was jes getting comfy." He whined.
"Oh, poo, old man. Get up!" Feeling a surge of energy, Lorna let herself step down the rocks. She looked up and saw Remy taking his own sweet time on the trip down.
They found a hotdog stand close by the trail. As Lorna dug for money, Remy quickly flicked the bill to the vendor. "If you t'ink I'm going to let you buy again, you jes don' know Remy."
Hearing his trademark third person talk for the first time that day, Lorna bowed and winked. "Lorna thanks you."
"HA!" Remy laughed, nearly dropping his unopened bottle of Coke. Reacting quickly, Lorna used a slight magnetic pull on the bottle cap to keep it from falling. He smiled in gratitude even though the vendor looked surprised it didn't drop. "T'anks, chere."
After finishing some forgettable wieners, Lorna took a sip of her Snapple and walked in front of Remy. She turns back to him and announced. "I'm ready." a matter-of-fact look was plastered on her face.
Remy's perplexed response lasted only a second. "You're.are you sure?"
Lorna nodded. "I'm ready to talk to Alex. Now."
"Good!" Remy smiled and tried to stroll on, but bumped into Lorna, who was not moving.
"No, Rem. I mean. Right now. I have to leave. I don't think I can possibly be any more ready."
"Oh." His face fell slightly, but held his smile. "I was jes gettin' used to you."
Lorna grinned and gave him a slight push. "Oh, go on."
"Hey now. no .. Seriously."
Lorna interrupted him. "Remy."
"What?"
"I think you need to return to Westchester."
"Now?"
"Soon. Back to action. You need it.. And you need to move on."
"I know."
Lorna rubbed her hand along his forearm and quickly stepped up with a slight magnetic lift, to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you. I don't think I could have realized this without you to talk to."
Remy smiled. "Jes doin my job."
"No." Lorna wiped the carnation pink lipstick off his cheek, still hovering a couple inches in the air. "You were being a friend."
Remy shrugged and smiled sincerely. "OK, dat too."
Lorna let herself back to the ground and slowly walked away backwards. "I'm going to call and check up on you, you know."
"You better, because I expect some news!" Remy called back.
Lorna smiled and turned around and ran toward the changing "walk" light. When she got across, she peered back to see if Remy was still there. He was.
It took Lorna Dane a couple double takes to see if she saw him right, only because it was so unusual to see any of her fellow X-Men out of fighting garb.
But it was, and even though Lorna was enjoying a day alone in her own thoughts, trying to answer questions she'd been ignoring for the past few months, she couldn't not say hello to her comrade in arms, Remy LeBeau, otherwise known as Gambit.
Granted, they never really spoke, except for things like: "Get me up to that building"; "Do you have the target?"; "How about I lift you higher?" For that matter, the only thing she really knew about him was that he was a thief and had stolen Rogue's heart.
She stood up and strolled across the NYC café and stood above Remy. He was hunched over intensely reading Oscar Wilde.
She placed her hand on the table. "Remy," she said, realizing that she'd never actually used his first name before.
Remy looked up, confused, his sleep-ridden, puffy eyelids squinted and he pursed his lips. "You know me, chere, but I don't know you."
"Oh." Lorna forgot that in her day of anonymity, she was using an image inducer to make her natural green hair appear brown. She grabbed the device and shifted it for a couple seconds to show the emerald curls. "I suppose this is helpful."
"Oh, Miss Dane." Remy said and grinned sheepishly. "I'm embarrassed to say I didn't right away recognize the face, not without the hair anyway." His leaned his head back and looked at her hair. "I prefer the green." He gestured to the seat across from him.
Smiling, Lorna sat down. "Me too, but I wanted to not be gawked at for once."
Triggering the Cajun charm he exuded so well, Remy LeBeau's red eyes twinkled. "Don' need no green hair ta do dat."
Lorna laughed and winked. "Well thank you, Mister 'You know me, chere, but I don't know you.'"
Acting mock offended, Remy slapped his hand to his chest. "You wound me. And you caught me right before I was about to add 'but I'd like to.'"
Lorna rolled her eyes with a smile, flagged the waitress over and ordered a latte. "Anything for you? My treat."
Remy sat up. "Oh, well, in that case, I'll have another of these."
"One triple espresso." The waitress repeated and walked away.
"So," Remy turned to Lorna. "What brings you out to the city?"
"Vacation. I needed a day off from the monitor work and Guido and Jamie's lame jokes." Lorna quipped. "You?"
Remy played with his empty cup. "Been staying away from the mansion these days."
Oblivious to most everything at Westchester, save one item, Lorna tilted her head. "Can't stand babies?" She referred to the newest addition to Xavier's, Thomas Worthington.
Gambit blinked a couple times in confusion before he realized Lorna had no idea that he and Rogue were no more. He'd poured his heart out to enough people; perhaps he'd leave this one alone. "Yeah. Dat's it."
He shifted uncomfortably. "What about you, chere? Aren't you and Havok about to go da way of Betsy and Warren?"
Lorna pressed her lips together. "Ummm." Briefly, she thought, that a year ago, she might have nodded enthusiastically and rattled off the first three baby names her and Alex Summers had come up with, but they'd not talked about their future together for months. Matter of fact, they'd distanced themselves further than ever. Just one of the things Lorna planned on thinking hard about that very day. "I don't think so."
Seeing his faux pas, Remy immediately took a sip of the triple espresso as it got placed on the table and burned his tongue. "Gah." He groaned. "Dat's what I get for trying to cover up my stupid question."
Lorna laughed at his debacle. She reached out and patted his hand. "Don't worry about it. I was not sure how to answer it, at least not as of late."
Taking the open invitation, Remy nodded. "But surely you've been together for about as long as Jean and Scott."
Lorna's face twitched as she stirred sugar in her latte. She shot back, "So, how are you and Rogue?"
Not expecting the abrupt and painful change of subject, Remy jerked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't know, seein' dat she took up with some woman."
Lorna's face held amusement to comments until she realized Remy wasn't kidding. "Oh Gawd. Oh gosh... I'm sorry Remy. I didn't mean-"
"Don' worry none. It's been going on for a few months. You guys in Washington are pretty oblivious out dere, huh?" His sarcastic quip had bitterness.
Lorna stared at the table biting her lip. "I'm afraid so. That mission in Genosha took a long time and took a lot out of us" was her lame and non- detailed explanation.
A long uncomfortable silence occurred as Lorna clenched her fist feeling like a heel. "Ok," she started. "Probably the reason I didn't speak anything about Alex's and my future is that I'm not sure there is one."
She waited, hoping that her confession would make Remy feel better, if anything, less alone.
He cocked his head. "OK." He took another sip of his espresso. "Da reason I said nothing about Rogue is that it was nice not having to talk about it or have people pitying me and such. Got enough of dat in Weschester."
Lorna nodded. "Makes sense."
Remy returned the nod. "Same wit you."
They silently continued to nod, taking occasional sips of their respective drinks, letting each other's words absorb.
"So," Remy spoke up, then hesitating for a few seconds. "What are you going to do about it?"
Lorna shrugged. "I haven't known what to do for the past year. I mean, we do work together, but." She leaned over on her knees. "I don't think I can keep this farce up much longer. I need to do something to resolve it."
Remy shook his head. "Pardon me for sounding a bit condescending, but have you tried talking to him?"
"Once," Lorna sat back up. "About six months ago - this was just after that power surge had thrown his solar energy out of control. When things returned to normal for him, I just didn't want to jinx it." She lifted her hand and raked it through her hair.
"Oh, that is just stupid, isn't it? I can't believe after all we've been through that this is how I deal with something so minor."
"Maybe it's not so minor." Remy suggested. "Maybe it's a whole lot more dan dat. It's something that your powers combined can't control."
Lorna looked up. "You're probably right. And all this time I've been treating it as something small." She nodded. "I need to address this as the huge problem that it is." She stared at Remy in amazement. "Wow. No offense, Remy, but I wouldn't have gathered you to some up with such.er.accurate ideas." She grinned.
Remy nodded. "After Lou- er.. Rogue and I split, I've been looking at myself, her and our surroundings to see why it happened. It's funny how we assume these special powers of ours can fight against anything dats not Apocalypse or Sinister." He shrugged. "I guess that's where all this hidden wisdom is coming from."
Lorna blinked and smiled, seeing him differently. His time alone had definitely changed his thought process, and at that moment, he was a very stung man. She reached her hand across the table, not intending to touch, but reach to him. "I'm sorry you hurt, Remy."
Remy nodded. "Thanks."
"So what have you been doing with yourself all this time?" Lorna rested the side of her face into her palm and added an encouraging smile.
"Wandering" Remy piped up. "I'd been tempted to go home to New Orleans, just to feel family, but the only family I got left is the Guild and they weren't crazy about me an' Rogue anyhow. One t'ing I don' need is a bunch of 'I told you so's.
"So, I've been staying at the Plaza, visiting museums, and hanging in Central Park." He grinned. "Even stopped a purse snatching."
Lorna smiled back, recalling the other month she stopped a potential robbery when she sensed the metal in the gun-shaped wad in the guy's pocket. "Funny how we can't shed that hero mask, no matter how we try, eh?"
Remy nodded. "It's our duty, really, as X-Men, even on days off. And I think that no matter who.even Mystique.would do the same because their powers and training allow it." He paused to think for a second. "Ok. Maybe not Mystique.. Nor Magnus."
Lorna, who was smiling, paused and frowned at the mention of Erik Lehnsherr. Remy noticed immediately. "Sorry, chere, I temporarily forgot you two share that power."
Shaking it off, Lorna gave a strained smile. "It's OK. I look at it as I'm the good twin and he's the bad." Her smile faded with a sigh. "Still, I cannot help but dread that because of our mutual mutation, I am destined to have him in my life somehow." She grabbed her arms and rubbed them, as if a chilly wind had come by.
Remy only nodded knowing that one day, he'd see Magneto dead.
Eager to change the subject, Lorna asked. "So, what else have been happening back at the mansion?"
Remy shrugged. "Before I left? Oh, Bets and Warren's kid.Rebecca, she's been goo-goo-eyeing the hayseed, Cannonball."
Lorna's eyes widened. "I saw them at the Halloween party. but they're together? Hmm... Didn't see that coming."
"You never do. Oh, and Popsicle and the Ice Queen have been very hot and heavy. Surprised they haven't melted each other."
This stopped Lorna's prepared laugh. "Oh. Yes. Those two." Lorna recalled the playful and nonchalant note from Jean gushing baby announcements and stating that the Bobby and Emma romance looked like "the real thing".
Lorna's tummy did an uncomfortable flip. In her and Bobby's relationship back when she first discovered she was a mutant, they were pretty close, but it never continued - nor were their affections settled after Alex came along and swept Lorna away. They never spoke to each other save some battle discussions and things were never resolved.
Remy barely noticed, for his thoughts drifted back to the mansion and Rogue again. When he looked up from his espresso, he saw Lorna's creamer pour had overflowed.
"Chere," he pointed. Lorna blinked and looked down. "Oh!" She grabbed a couple napkins and hastily wiped up the mess. Remy handed her his extra napkin. "Sounds like the news doesn't settle well."
Lorna flushed. She shook her head. "No. No.it's not that. Bobby and I. well, he brought me into this." She shrugged. "We were dating when I first came to Xavier's."
Remy nodded, an annoying 'knowing' look on his face.
"It's just.odd." Lorna turned from his gaze. "To see your first love so in love with someone else."
"You're not kidding," Remy quipped, in a sarcastic, deadpan voice.
"I guess this is somewhat similar to the way he felt back then." Lorna said quietly, deep in memories for a moment. She titled her head and watched Remy finish his espresso. "Hey, I was planning to walk Central Park. Care to join me?"
Remy thought for a few seconds. "You know, I would like that. Need to work off this caffeine buzz."
Lorna paid the tab and they both headed out. The park, being only a couple blocks away, allowed them to take in the Upper East side, which was sprinkled with dog walkers, specialty shops and more cafes. A pink-haired girl, armed with five dogs of disparate breeds, walked through, hollering "look out" with an amused grin that showed how much she enjoyed the job.
Lorna, a huge dog lover, cooed one pup, a Jack Russell Terrier, whose leash got entwined in her leg and was receptive to her. She leaned down to pet the white and brown dog and received a flying leap up, bumping her in the nose. "Oh!" Lorna squealed, standing up to wipe the dog's nose kiss. "He's excitable."
Remy chuckled. "He likes you, chere."
After a few minutes of petting and playing, Lorna sighed. "Oh, I do wish I could get a dog, but I'd never be able to have time for it."
Remy nodded. "Pets are a commitment."
Lorna gave the dog one last head rub, stood up and dusted her pants. "So, um. who was she?" She bit her lip, not sure if it was the best idea to bring it up. "The one who Rogue.."
Remy sighed. "Jenny is her name. Can't say I know much about her, except that her powers allow them to touch."
Her small gasp was stifled by her hand clamping her mouth. Lorna never thought anyone could touch Rogue, ever. Questions flooded her head like "How?"; "What powers does she have?"; "Is that why she left you?", but kept them to herself. "Wow. That's rare."
Remy nodded. "She tells me dat's not de reason . but." Remy turned away. The familiar fleeting feeling of losing everything that made him who he is accompanied by a bit of nausea made him stagger a bit.
Lorna lifted her hand to his should to steady him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
Remy shook his head. "It's not just pain.it's unbelievable. I never t'ought I'd lose her. Sure dat weirdness with Joseph did have an impact. but I never thought dis would happen."
Instinctively, Lorna rubbed his shoulders.
Remy looked up at her, his natural red eyes not able to show that they were dry, puffy from the lack of sleep, for his dreams only brought Rogue back into his arms.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to show this side of me."
Lorna just looked at him. "Gawd, Remy. It's OK. It's so OK."
Remy started walking. They reached the edge of Central Park before he spoke again, while looking at the ground. "I'm so angry at myself, Lorna." He started. "I feel like I'm looking at myself from a distance and can do nothing for this poor mopey slob." He threw up his hands. "Everyt'ing in my life is on hold."
Lorna nodded watching the group of kids nearby kick the soccer ball around. "You're healing, Rem. And unless your wounds heal like Logan's, time is what you need. Rogue became a part of you and when that part was torn, it bled." She looked up and timidly brushed a chestnut flop away from his black and red eyes. "And it looks like the bleeding may be done now and the healing is beginning."
Remy stared back at Lorna as she nodded. He blinked, then burst out laughing.
Lorna arched her eyebrows in confusion until Remy calmed down a bit to explain. "Sorry, chere. Dat sounded like one of dose stupid cards Jean has a tendency to hand out ta people."
Knowing the sappy Hallmark cards Jean sent out every birthdays, holidays or when someone got hurt in battle, Lorna smirked. "Think I could get a job writing them?'
Remy paused from his chuckling and nodded. "Oh yeh." After a few seconds, he clasped his hand on hers briefly. "I'm sorry, Lorna. I've heard a lot of dis stuff. But in spite of de metaphors, you're right. I'm on de mend."
Lorna gave a small smile and walked ahead. Remy caught up and fell silent because it looked like she didn't want to talk right then.
They walked through some grass mounds, then to the central pond where the artists and their palettes painted their interpretations of what they saw, past the swarm of gossiping nannies as they mindlessly rocked the baby carriages, until they got to a set of bed rocks that looked inviting.
"Lorna?" He asked, gesturing to the rocks, to which she nodded.
Remy took full advantage of the rich autumn sun and stretched his long body, laying back on the rock. Lorna looked uncomfortable as she sat down. She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the trees.
Remy glanced up, then lifted his sunglasses. "Chere.. Get down here. Dis is a surprisingly comfortable rock."
Lorna shook her head. "I'm sure it is. But I'm OK up here." Remy could see her slight smile through her profile.
Try as he might, he could not ignore it any more. "I'm sorry I laughed."
Arching her eyebrows in a confused manner, Lorna turned toward him. "I'm sorry?" she asked.
"You know. dat last time you said somet'ing to me?"
Lorna hung her head down and shook it. "I'm not upset about that, Remy."
"Oh," he nodded and lay back down. A few seconds and he darted back up. "Ok, so I don't know you dat well yet, so I'm not sure what you're so silent considering you were talking so recently.so, what's up?"
Lorna sighed. "I'm envious of you, Remy."
Remy coughed and arched his brows. "Why in de world would you envy this?" he slapped his chest. "I'm a mess, Chere."
Lorna shook her head. "No. You're moving on and I can't start."
It took a few seconds to understand, but when he did, he put his hand on her shoulders and brought her to a hug. Stiffly, Lorna leaned into his chest and felt his breathing. She just stared outward, caught in her own thoughts. "I need to talk to him." Lorna repeated from earlier. "This can't continue."
"Den you should, chere and it's high time."
"I know." Lorna said in a sigh. "I just never thought I'd fall out of love with Alex."
She gasped after she said that. All this time, she never accepted that it was the cause and never wanted to admit it. "I can't believe I just said that!" She jerked out of the hug and sat up straight. "But I guess.I guess I needed to."
Remy only smiled softly. "I think you're ready to talk to him now."
Lorna nodded, smiled and rested her chin on her knees. Her brown in color, but green in nature, curls settled comfortably around her head and past her shoulders.
Remy instinctively reached up and stroked the soft brown hair. Realizing where he was and whom he was doing it to, he stiffened and looked down at Lorna in shock and discomfort, a look she returned. He withdrew his hand very quickly.
"Lorna, I."
"No, it's OK, really."
"No, it's just with the brown hair, it looked like."
Lorna held up her hand. "Forget it. I understand."
After that, no words were exchanged and both felt a bit weird and uncomfortable until they both forgot about it.
Lorna glanced at her watch when her stomach growls. It was way past lunch. She turned to Remy, who had his eyes closed, basking in the sun. She slapped his knee. "Let me buy you a hotdog! Come on." She stood up and led the way to vendor.
Remy furrowed his brow. "A hotdog?"
Lorna looked back. "Yeah! Don't tell me all the time you've been here, you haven't had a New York City dog! There's a vendor at every corner." She waved her arm. "Come on!"
Remy groaned as she got up, feeling pops in his limbs, reminding him that he was out of practice. "But I was jes getting comfy." He whined.
"Oh, poo, old man. Get up!" Feeling a surge of energy, Lorna let herself step down the rocks. She looked up and saw Remy taking his own sweet time on the trip down.
They found a hotdog stand close by the trail. As Lorna dug for money, Remy quickly flicked the bill to the vendor. "If you t'ink I'm going to let you buy again, you jes don' know Remy."
Hearing his trademark third person talk for the first time that day, Lorna bowed and winked. "Lorna thanks you."
"HA!" Remy laughed, nearly dropping his unopened bottle of Coke. Reacting quickly, Lorna used a slight magnetic pull on the bottle cap to keep it from falling. He smiled in gratitude even though the vendor looked surprised it didn't drop. "T'anks, chere."
After finishing some forgettable wieners, Lorna took a sip of her Snapple and walked in front of Remy. She turns back to him and announced. "I'm ready." a matter-of-fact look was plastered on her face.
Remy's perplexed response lasted only a second. "You're.are you sure?"
Lorna nodded. "I'm ready to talk to Alex. Now."
"Good!" Remy smiled and tried to stroll on, but bumped into Lorna, who was not moving.
"No, Rem. I mean. Right now. I have to leave. I don't think I can possibly be any more ready."
"Oh." His face fell slightly, but held his smile. "I was jes gettin' used to you."
Lorna grinned and gave him a slight push. "Oh, go on."
"Hey now. no .. Seriously."
Lorna interrupted him. "Remy."
"What?"
"I think you need to return to Westchester."
"Now?"
"Soon. Back to action. You need it.. And you need to move on."
"I know."
Lorna rubbed her hand along his forearm and quickly stepped up with a slight magnetic lift, to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you. I don't think I could have realized this without you to talk to."
Remy smiled. "Jes doin my job."
"No." Lorna wiped the carnation pink lipstick off his cheek, still hovering a couple inches in the air. "You were being a friend."
Remy shrugged and smiled sincerely. "OK, dat too."
Lorna let herself back to the ground and slowly walked away backwards. "I'm going to call and check up on you, you know."
"You better, because I expect some news!" Remy called back.
Lorna smiled and turned around and ran toward the changing "walk" light. When she got across, she peered back to see if Remy was still there. He was.