Disclaimer: The x-men don't belong to me, they're Marvel's property.
Author's Note: Thanks for the comments you've given on the story. Oh and I'm sorry if I didn't come up to your expectations by making this a "days of our lives" kind of story as some of my reviewers complained. But I can't change the plot now, can I? So on with the fic! ^_^
Once again, Many THANKS to ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS!
****
Waited for so long
by Samman
Part VII
"Remy Ah…came t' talk t' you…'bout somethin'."
"'Make it quick I 'ave to be somewhere…"
"Ah wan'ed to talk to 'bout Antaractica…"
"Heh..Is dere any'ting left t' talk 'bout Antaractica?"
"Remy..it's not that..you've got it all wrong, that wasn' meh, there, Ah had absorbed you."
"'kay, so what you're tryin' to say is that it wasn't you who left me to die? Den who was it? Me?"
"No..well yeah. 'cuz you were in my head and your thoughts made me leave ya there…I had never intended to do so…Ah loved you…"
"Ha ha. You're funny Rogue. What an excuse for leavin' a person to die, to freeze to death up North, an' when he comes back you come an' tell 'im dat it was all 'cuz of him?"
"But y' have to understand Remy..Ah…"
"Now now don' cry Rogue. Yer probably t'inkin' dat you're gonna cry dose tears infront o' me and I'm gonna start feelin' sorry f' you, and den we'll hug and makeup? I don' t'ink so."
"Remy? How could y' be so…Gawd..Ah should known…heck Ah knew it, that all of that was a game, it was nothin'. You didn' love me, foh the same reason every othah person wouldn' love me. You weren' any different. Y' played a game with m--"
"Game? You were de one playin' dis game wit' me. I am sick an' tired of dis, we fight an' den makeup, we fight an' den makeup. An' you've got de best excuse in dis freakin' world: dat you' can' touch."
"Ah was not here to "make up". Ah asked for forgiveness. But y' know what, Ah don' care anymore."
"Like y' ever did."
"Wow…Remy this is what Ah get. Ah forgave you for what you did."
"I'm sorry dat I ever asked f' it. But I don' need to be judged. It was my own sin, you're not goin' to hell for it."
"I don' give a damn anymore."
"Nobody does..'cept for Storm."
"You have no idea of what people can be like. You are just so gullible."
"Stop posin' anythin' on Ororo."
"Ah'm not posin' anythi'n on Ororo. Don' get all aggressive on' meh."
"Y' know what, dere's no point arguing, cuz it's over."
"Yoah sayin' it lakh we ever had anythin' between us!"
"Stop yellin'! I can' raise m' voice too Rogue. Y'know what? Y'just killin' me here, just—just..just get the hell outta m' sight."
Remy remembered turning his back to her and thrusting his hands into his hair as his head hurt with frustration. He had waited for another rude remark, or maybe even a punch or any other kind of physical assault. But at that time, he didn't care.
Nothing.
As he was about to leave, he had waited for a response. But nothing came, Remy remembered.
Nothing.
He had turned around, and glanced at her with anger. Her green eyes shone with tears as she clasped her gloved hand over her lips that quivered like that of a little girl's.
"Stop sheddin' dose precious crocodile tears Rogue, save 'em for someone else—for anot'er dumb ass like me who'd' fall f' your stupid games."
"Huh…Oh mah God, Remy…" Was all that Rogue had been able to mutter as she stumbled back and ran to the opposite side towards the women's dormitory.
He had stayed there, leaned one hand on the wall and bent his head with pain and anger.
Remy recalled the whole scene now. The fight that was now going to turn into their very last one. As a matter of fact, Remy had meant for that fight to be their last fight, not their last conversation. However, weren't his last words meant to be their last conversation as he had declared to be a fool to fall for her games? But weren't his ear and mind numb from all the fights, accusations, all sorts of trials and judgments that would enable him to think before he said anything? Remy questioned himself. But it didn't matter.
It didn't matter anymore.
Thinking about the fight right now hurt Remy enough to burn his soul inside. It felt as if he had left his charged cards in his own heart to explode.
2:00 A.M shone in neon blue on the elegant night stand. Remy sat on the bed, with his feet planted firmly near the foot of the bed, with his hands clasped together, with his head bent, and red on black eyes closed-just like her emerald green ones had shut.
****
Hank studied the level of clear fluid in the injection and attached a fresh needle to it. He glanced towards the other resident Doctor of the mansion, Dr. Cecilia Reyes who stood by Rogue's side. Slowly and professionally, she took her unconscious patient's hand in her gloved one let it drop slowly to a small pad that she had kept on the patients' bed.
A deep frown cascaded her forehead and a solemn expression covered Dr. Reyes face once again as she repeat the action but the almost white hand remained motionless, and moved limply and freely like a string when it was moved by the Doctors.
Hank turned towards his table and continued preparing other injections that were needed. "Ahem. I believe that it would be better that you took some rest. You have been here for the past few hours continuously." He moved towards the patient and handed the doctor some soft cotton and an antiseptic bottle.
"So have you." Cecilia Reyes accepted the materials and wet the cotton with the antiseptic given to her. "Besides, Rogue needs our full attention at this point. We can always rest afterwards, but we must do what's important right now, at this moment." She looked at Rogue's face that was lightly lit by the different kinds of short and large lights above her head.
Hank reached a light and extended it by pulling on the rod and focusing at a certain spot. "I don't see a reason to disagree with your opinion Cecilia." He gave her a faint smile.
"I knew you would say that. What is your expert opinion about Rogue's recovery Hank?" Cecilia asked quietly. She rubbed the cotton on her forearm.
Hank raised the injection and inserted the needle in the firm flesh of Rogue's arm. He remembered how despite her vulnerability, Rogue used to get scared of shots. "Well right now as we've put her on life support system, I truly cannot say anything."
****
Another stroke of hair brush ran in the sleek, wet red hair. And another. Jean sat in front of her dresser bushing her wet hair as her green eyes stared in the mirror. She had been sitting here since she had gotten out of the shower. She tugged a wet strand behind her ear softly, kept brushing and staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"Jean?"
Scott took a deep breath and glanced at his feet. "Jean?"
Surprised, Jean looked at her left, where her husband stood. "Oh… Scott. I didn't notice you were here."
Running a hand around his face, Scott began shoved his hands into his pockets. "I…look..Jean I know you shut me out but I want to clear some things out."
"Scott. I'm not in the mood to discuss anything right now." Jean replied firmly while setting the brush on the table with a loud thump.
Scott said on the bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror as she started back at him from it. "You're probably not talking to me because I doubted you from keeping a secret for us despite the fact that Rogue was the one who wanted you to keep it private. I.."
"This is NOT about me and you. Why can't you understand?! It's Rogue I'm worried about. We can always talk later." Jean stood up and moved around the bed to sit at her spot.
Her husband but his lip and changed his shirt. "I'm sorry." He said again.
And this time Jean hugged him until to have more tears run down her cheeks as an uncontrollable sob escaped her lips.
"Shh." He soothed her.
"I'm scared. I'm…so very scared Scott." Jean withdrew from him and wiped a tear.
"I know Jean, I know, I am too." Scott touched her hair and caressed her cheek. "Just get some sleep and then we leave for the sickbay in a while. K?
****
They all exclaimed, yelled, and sang the birthday song as Remy butchered the cake and in a minute got indulged in throwing it around the room. The music blasted in the main lounge of the mansion on Remy's birthday that was celebrated at 12 at night. He was given a surprise and much to his likeness, the surprise was arranged by the other southerner of the team, Rogue.
She looked adorable that night, he remembered. Dressed in beige colored high waters and cotton red top that stuck to her torso, Remy couldn't resist looking her way over and over as she threw her head back and laughed merrily during the party.
At the end of the party, when they all went to bed after doing their Job, Rogue was cleaning the kitchen—the job that was assigned to her. Remy sneaked behind her and snaked an arm around her slim waist as she wiped the countertop clean.
"Eeep!" She jumped and turned around. Having him so close to her, she quickly pushed him backwards playfully with her hand went to put the glasses on the cabinet. "What are ya'll doin' this late dressed up in combat sugah?" She said while putting the items back in their places.
"Danger room session, Cyke's spenin' some quality time wit' his wife while Bobby, Logan and I are supposed to be practicin' at midnight. We're off de mornin' sessions, remember chere?" Once again, Remy found himself gradually advancing towards his target that he always caught and missed.
"Oh..gotcha..Ah think Ah should be leavin' now, its pretty late." Rogue moved around the counter.
Remy grabbed her wrist and shoved her back towards his chest as she started to leave. "Now were d' y' think you're goin' chere?" She seemed to be in an incredibly good mood tonight, he had noticed. "Y' not gonna let Cajun t'ank his girl f' what she did f' him t'night, eh chere?"
"Ah…accept your appreciation and much gratitude towards mah work Mr. Lebeue, now may Ah leave?" She said teasingly as she touched the front of his soft auburn strands that fell on his handsome face.
"I don' t'ink so chere." He said as he wrapped both of his arms around her waist and leaned against the counter, breathing audibly in her soft musk perfume as he did so. "Y' never gave Gambit his gift."
"So what do ya want me ta do?" She said twirling an auburn strand in her covered index finger.
"A nice, long kiss'll do, not'in' much chere." Remy said lowering his face towards her.
Rogue smiled flirtingly. "That won' be a problem…sugah. Hold up though." She reached in her pocket and fished for something, and stared into his eyes as she did so. When she was done, she brought a small box and opened it herself. In the box, was a fine, shinning, copper chain that she took in her delicate fingers.
Remy watched her quietly as she wrapped her arms around him hugging him all the while and clasping the chain around his neck. "What's all dis for?" He asked her caressing her slender waste and back and touched the chain with the other. He moved his lips closer but she parted before anything happened.
"Nothin' much, jus' a birthday gift, that ah thought would remind y' of meh." Rogue paused and ran a tongue over her luscious lips that he longed to touch so much. "An' that…no mattuh how many fights we have, Ah'll always have a special place f' you in mah heart." Rogue stepped back and kissed his cheek, obviously covered by his poker mask.
Before he could grab her, she was already on her way out. "An' that was a bonus." She glanced at him over her shoulder as she said so.
Damn. Remy grinned at her and blew her a kiss with his index and middle finger.
*End Flashback*
Instead of taking a nap during the extra hour that was given to them, Remy stayed awake and pondered over memories that plagued his mind right now.
He stood with his hands stuck to the examination window and watched her lay dead-asleep against the high pillows. The mansion doctors, Hank McCoy and Cecelia Reyes had operated on her and let him watch her through the examination window.
It had been ten minutes now, and Gambit stood there, his hands against the glass and his eyes on Rogue, staring at the IVs and tubes that were attached to her. It made him…sick. In his entire life, never would have Gambit thought that something like this could happen to the Rogue, the brave heart of the mansion, the invulnerable one.
Gambit shook his head and looked down at his feet in dismay and apprehension. Can' believe it, chere. De doc says you be in a coma cuz of de brain hemorrhage caused by de fall, but how didj' get hurt? Y' weren' invulnerable…or more so, y' weren' even clumsy.. A bitter smile appeared on Gambit's lips. May be it was cuz of de excitement, eh? Dat y' controlled y' powers…
A warm hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts and Gambit turned his head to look at the intruder. "'Ro? What are y' doin' dis late?"
"I..came to check up on her…and you." Ororo looked into his eyes and brought her hand down from his shoulder. Her sleek wet hair explained that she had taken a shower for relaxation and relief from the days' events. "How is she doing? Hank said anything?"
Remy broke from his trance and glanced at her. "Wha'..? Oh I'm doin' great, just great." He clenched his jaw. "An' her…Don't know. Prof said Rogue controlled 'er powers a while ago an' allowed her to break de news t' us today but she actually los' her powers an' after dat, she slipped in de bat'room which caused her de injury. It's cuz of dis." Remy pointed his thumb towards his head. "Her brain malfunctioned and it had an effect on 'er powers, causin' dem to turn off completely. Which means dat she'll still be able t' control her absorption powers…if and only she ever wakes up."
Ororo's heart skipped a beat and she shut her eyes completely before taking one deep breath. "I..see."
She tugged a sleek, white strand behind her ear. Her blue eyes stared at his face. "Remy..I…uh..I do not even know where to start."
With a sigh, Remy turned to her and let his blazing red eyes settle on her. "What d' y' wan' t' talk 'bout?"
"About what happened today…in the waiting room." Ororo looked up and ran her tongue over her lips, this was getting way too frustrating for her. "You want to talk?" She grabbed his unshaved chin and turned it towards her as he started to look in the mirror again.
"Why didn't y' tell m' about it?" Remy questioned slowly, staring at the figure in the room.
"About Rogue's powers?" Ororo looked down. "Because she never wanted to tell about it to anyone until she confirmed with the professor."
He turned to look at her simply. "Den why did y' eavesdrop on 'er?"
"Remy why are you interrogating me? It seems to me as if I am the one responsible for this hectic." Ororo looked at him sharply.
"Never said y' were. But dis is what y' wanted to talk 'bout, didn' you Ro?" Remy said.
"I---I don't know what's going on with me Remy…I don't know why I heard Rogue's conversation with the Professor…I don't know why I kept snapping at Jean in the waiting room…I don't know why I laid a hand on Bobby." Ororo frustrating threw her hands up and tears welled up in her bright blue eyes that never once had a tear in them, even in the toughest of their times.
Remy remained quiet and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I do not even know why I ever got in a relationship with you." Ororo said inaudibly with a sigh and dropped her arms to her side.
Clenching his jaw, Remy turned to her and grabbing her shoulders, he shook her lightly. "Den what's dis all about? Why did y' come up to me? Why?" He released her and ran his hand roughly through his hair. "Why did y' hear Rogue's conversation wit' de Prof?"
"Why are you so concerned about me hearing Rogue's conversation?" Ororo asked referring to his last question.
Remy remained silent.
Ororo's lower lip quivered and she controlled herself as soon as the thought of crying and breaking down in front of Remy came to her mind. This was beyond her beliefs, beyond her values and morals of her life that she had fought to achieve all her life. I did it because--I was afraid that--afraid of the fact that you were going to turn back to Rogue once you found out about her powers.
Both of them remained silent, fearing to reveal to each other the fact, which they both knew would be true.
Ororo quietly escaped out of his presence leaving her new lover to mourn, and so that she could get some time to think, to bewail for not one person she could loose, but for another whom she had begun to love so much.
*****
"What happened to you?" Jubilee said trying to humor her partner who had been sitting in the conference room with her for so long. She cleared her throat again. "Last time I checked, you were the one consoling everyone."
Bobby looked at the screen as he typed some information up. He picked up his water bottle to take a sip, a mere excuse that he had been using to avoid talking to her.
"Tell me. What's up?" Jubilee said nudging him. "Something happened. I can bet."
Bobby kept the water bottle with a loud thump on the table and looked at the screen, displaying expensive information to him. "Yeah, Apparently, Rogue—who happens to be my best friend, controlled her powers, lost them, and then to top it all off, she fell in the bathroom, got a brain hemorrhage, is in a coma right now, and the doctors have no idea if she'll ever wake up—"
"Enough with the sarcasm popsicle, tell me what happened." Jubilee cut in sharply. "I know something's botherin' you."
Bobby turned to glare at her. "I wasn't done with my story."
"Then spill it to me already," Jubilee said.
"I got one hell of a slap from..Storm." Bobby said wiping the excess water on his wet mouth.
Jubilee straightened in her chair. "Wha?"
"Yup, she slapped me, wham—right after you guys left." Bobby shook his head disappointingly.
"Wow. I'm not surprised though." Jubilee said, rolling her eyes. "Care to explain me the cause hon?"
"Yeah I kinda said some stuff I shouldn't have." Bobby said sitting in the chair beside Jubilee's. "I said somethin' about her being with Remy."
Jubilee clasped a hand over her mouth surprisingly as she looked at her friend with wide, black eyes. She let the news sink in before she started. "Oh my God, that's what I thought! It came to my mind but I never really said anything considering the situation we were in. No wonder Ororo was acting so differently, all cranky and stuff."
Bobby nodded and shook his disbelievingly. "I couldn't believe it either…I--" He was cut off in mid sentence when the phone rang loudly in the large room.
"I'll get that," With that, Bobby quickly went to receive the phone. "Xavier Institute." He let his blue eyes stare at Jubilee looking at the data on the screen, as he listened to the speaker.
"Okay. Yeah, so you know about the emergency that we had today." Bobby nodded with a pained expression on his face. He ran a hand over his face out of frustration and headache. "Gotcha. What time?" He quickly scribbled some information on the notepad placed on the small table that held the phone set.
"Who was it?" Jubilee said without looking at him.
"Logan."
"What? Oh my god, he's comin' back?" The younger girl got up from her chair and held Bobby's shoulders. "I thought he was on a mission. Professor musta told him, right?"
"Yup, he's comin'. And early in the morning." Bobby nodded. "And something tells me that things are about to get pretty ugly…"
To be Continued….
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A/N: This is it. Stick around in a while and there'll be some action packed stuff. And I PROMISE, I'll update soon. :) I don't write for feedback, I write for you guys but Thanks again for reviewing! Later,
Samman