Chapter 10
The next morning, Betsy walked down the stairs slowly, ignoring the howling storm outside. She was not sure what had sent Ororo into such a fury but it sounded like a party of banshees. Ignoring the sounds coming from the kitchen, she opened the front closet and wrapped a water proof coat around her before stepping out the front door. Stepping off the porch, she looked up at the awe inspiring sight of Ororo hovering in the midst of the tempest that declared the woman's confused and violent emotions to the world. Their eyes met for a moment and a bubble of calm air formed around her, though the fury of the storm did not abate. Betsy nodded in gratitude and continued to walk quickly to the boat house.
It was important that she be there that morning for several reasons. The cold would not be doing Remy any good and he probably assumed the storm raging outside was because of him. Perhaps he thought Ororo had grown to fully hate him and was using the storm to try to drive him away. Another reason, though, was she needed someone. Last night had been painful and she needed a shoulder to cry on.
She knew she could go to Logan but this seemed like a better idea. Like she had told Remy and Warren both, trust was a two way street. You could not expect another to open up and become vulnerable to you if you were not willing to do the same. Perhaps by going to Remy now, she would reassure him, prove that she was actually interested in being there for him. Maybe, it would help him, make him feel better just as helping him had made her feel better. There were many good reasons, including the fact that Betsy thought Remy would understand her heartache better than Logan.
Reaching the door to the boat house, Betsy raised her hand to knock loudly but it was not necessary. The door opened before her hand met the wood and Remy stepped aside, inviting her inside. Entering quickly, she did not comment on the timing.
He, apparently, felt a need to explain anyway. "Remy saw you comin' down de path. Was hopin' you'd come 'nd visit today. Stormy's in some mood." He shivered and she laid a hand on his shoulder. "'S cold."
"Yes, it is. Can we sit on the couch? I need someone to talk to."
Remy's eyes opened in equal parts surprise and concern as he lead her to the couch. Betsy curled up on one end, tucking her legs underneath her while he lounged on the other end. With a loud boom, sleet began to pelt the windows and a cold draft made them both shiver and Remy look out the window apprehensively, wrapping his arms around himself. There was an afghan over the back of the couch and Betsy unfolded it and tossed Remy one end while tucking the other end around her legs. The Cajun hesitated, staring at the blanket apprehensively but the sleet turned to hail as the temperature lowered once again causing him to slide over on the couch so he could share the afghan.
Betsy's spirits lowered further. She had been right that the storm would be a problem for him and she almost wished she had asked Ororo to stop it. Unfortunately, that would have been betraying Remy's trust and that was not something she was willing to do. Looking up, she found him staring at her, concerned.
"What is it, m'ami? What happen'?"
"Warren and I had an argument last night, well, actually it was a continuation of a previous argument. It was public and Jean got involved, on his side, of course. Anyway, he and I are, apparently, through."
Remy lay a comforting hand on hers. "Sorry t'hear dat. Dere anyt'ing Remy can do ta help?"
"Yes."
"Quoi?" (translation: What?)
"Exactly what you are doing now."
Remy nodded and then gently tugged her forward, wrapping her in a comforting hug. Betsy relaxed against his shoulder, taking comfort in the simple contact as she hugged him back. Rogue's words came back to her, hurting her once again. "Rogue took their side too. They called me an ice queen and Jean said I was untrustworthy. Most of the rest of the team was there and heard everything but said nothing, just watched it like it was some kind of show."
"People good at dat when it don' concern dem."
"Yes, you would know, wouldn't you?" He did not respond. He did not need to. "I just do not fully understand how the fight escalated to that point anyway. I thought I had been doing a good thing giving Warren his space. He accused me of not being there for him but I was, he just never came to me. He thinks I do not understand what he has been through but, apparently, Jean and the others can. That really hurt. It hurt more when he let Rogue and Jean say those things to me, never said a word in my defense."
"Like you tol' me, 'e's too wrapped up in 'is own pain. Don' see what he doin' to you."
They fell silent for a long time, sharing comfort and strength. Eventually, Remy spoke again, "Dey're wrong, y'know."
Betsy nodded against his shoulder. "Yes, about a lot of things. Me. You."
"'Ow you know de wrong 'bout me?"
"How would I know they were right?"
Remy had no answer.
A crack of thunder caused Remy's body to tense and Betsy tightened her arms around his chest in comfort.
"Stormy really have it in for someone t'day." His tone left no doubt that he assumed that someone to be himself.
"She still cares for you but she is just confused and hurt. She asked me how you were doing last night." Betsy did not consider it a betrayal to tell him. She had not promised not to tell him and Ororo had not asked her to.
Remy pulled back, his eyes filled with a painful mixture of hope and disbelief. "Stormy did?"
"Yes, I told her only that you were coping."
He nodded and allowed her to pull him back into the comforting embrace.
The next morning, Betsy walked down the stairs slowly, ignoring the howling storm outside. She was not sure what had sent Ororo into such a fury but it sounded like a party of banshees. Ignoring the sounds coming from the kitchen, she opened the front closet and wrapped a water proof coat around her before stepping out the front door. Stepping off the porch, she looked up at the awe inspiring sight of Ororo hovering in the midst of the tempest that declared the woman's confused and violent emotions to the world. Their eyes met for a moment and a bubble of calm air formed around her, though the fury of the storm did not abate. Betsy nodded in gratitude and continued to walk quickly to the boat house.
It was important that she be there that morning for several reasons. The cold would not be doing Remy any good and he probably assumed the storm raging outside was because of him. Perhaps he thought Ororo had grown to fully hate him and was using the storm to try to drive him away. Another reason, though, was she needed someone. Last night had been painful and she needed a shoulder to cry on.
She knew she could go to Logan but this seemed like a better idea. Like she had told Remy and Warren both, trust was a two way street. You could not expect another to open up and become vulnerable to you if you were not willing to do the same. Perhaps by going to Remy now, she would reassure him, prove that she was actually interested in being there for him. Maybe, it would help him, make him feel better just as helping him had made her feel better. There were many good reasons, including the fact that Betsy thought Remy would understand her heartache better than Logan.
Reaching the door to the boat house, Betsy raised her hand to knock loudly but it was not necessary. The door opened before her hand met the wood and Remy stepped aside, inviting her inside. Entering quickly, she did not comment on the timing.
He, apparently, felt a need to explain anyway. "Remy saw you comin' down de path. Was hopin' you'd come 'nd visit today. Stormy's in some mood." He shivered and she laid a hand on his shoulder. "'S cold."
"Yes, it is. Can we sit on the couch? I need someone to talk to."
Remy's eyes opened in equal parts surprise and concern as he lead her to the couch. Betsy curled up on one end, tucking her legs underneath her while he lounged on the other end. With a loud boom, sleet began to pelt the windows and a cold draft made them both shiver and Remy look out the window apprehensively, wrapping his arms around himself. There was an afghan over the back of the couch and Betsy unfolded it and tossed Remy one end while tucking the other end around her legs. The Cajun hesitated, staring at the blanket apprehensively but the sleet turned to hail as the temperature lowered once again causing him to slide over on the couch so he could share the afghan.
Betsy's spirits lowered further. She had been right that the storm would be a problem for him and she almost wished she had asked Ororo to stop it. Unfortunately, that would have been betraying Remy's trust and that was not something she was willing to do. Looking up, she found him staring at her, concerned.
"What is it, m'ami? What happen'?"
"Warren and I had an argument last night, well, actually it was a continuation of a previous argument. It was public and Jean got involved, on his side, of course. Anyway, he and I are, apparently, through."
Remy lay a comforting hand on hers. "Sorry t'hear dat. Dere anyt'ing Remy can do ta help?"
"Yes."
"Quoi?" (translation: What?)
"Exactly what you are doing now."
Remy nodded and then gently tugged her forward, wrapping her in a comforting hug. Betsy relaxed against his shoulder, taking comfort in the simple contact as she hugged him back. Rogue's words came back to her, hurting her once again. "Rogue took their side too. They called me an ice queen and Jean said I was untrustworthy. Most of the rest of the team was there and heard everything but said nothing, just watched it like it was some kind of show."
"People good at dat when it don' concern dem."
"Yes, you would know, wouldn't you?" He did not respond. He did not need to. "I just do not fully understand how the fight escalated to that point anyway. I thought I had been doing a good thing giving Warren his space. He accused me of not being there for him but I was, he just never came to me. He thinks I do not understand what he has been through but, apparently, Jean and the others can. That really hurt. It hurt more when he let Rogue and Jean say those things to me, never said a word in my defense."
"Like you tol' me, 'e's too wrapped up in 'is own pain. Don' see what he doin' to you."
They fell silent for a long time, sharing comfort and strength. Eventually, Remy spoke again, "Dey're wrong, y'know."
Betsy nodded against his shoulder. "Yes, about a lot of things. Me. You."
"'Ow you know de wrong 'bout me?"
"How would I know they were right?"
Remy had no answer.
A crack of thunder caused Remy's body to tense and Betsy tightened her arms around his chest in comfort.
"Stormy really have it in for someone t'day." His tone left no doubt that he assumed that someone to be himself.
"She still cares for you but she is just confused and hurt. She asked me how you were doing last night." Betsy did not consider it a betrayal to tell him. She had not promised not to tell him and Ororo had not asked her to.
Remy pulled back, his eyes filled with a painful mixture of hope and disbelief. "Stormy did?"
"Yes, I told her only that you were coping."
He nodded and allowed her to pull him back into the comforting embrace.