Chapter 4: Nausea
When Rogue opened her eyes, she wasn't on the grass outside of the public house anymore, in fact, at first she didn't recognise where she was, and then she realised she was in Remy's room at the research centre, the lights were on, Remy stood by the window, his arm against the frame, he was hunched a little, his shoulders rising with his breathing.
"Remy…" Rogue leaned up slowly, a pounding coming to her head, "What…"
"You passed out outside the pub," Remy answered, he turned towards her, "had me scared."
Rogue sat up slowly, putting her hand to her head, "I feel weird…"
"I think you had a panic attack or something…" he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed where she'd been lying, "I had to sneak us in through the window so we wouldn't get caught having been to the bar – together," he explained.
Rogue lay back, rubbing her forehead, "god it felt so weird…" she said, her memories of it all coming back, the dizziness, the numbness, the breathing she'd had no control over, "I've never felt like that before."
"It was probably stress…you got scared…that guy freaked you out, it's no wonder you panicked," he admitted, he pulled the blinds at the window up, Rogue realised it was morning.
"I slept all night?" she asked sitting up suddenly again, a nausea suddenly overwhelming her.
"More or less…" Remy gave a shrug.
"You didn't sleep, did you?"
"I was worried about you," Remy shrugged, "Realised you probably passed out because of the booze more than the panic attack."
"I think I'm gonna be sick…" Rogue shot to her feet, and tripped accidentally, falling on her face, she pulled herself up, hand covering her mouth, she rushed to the bathroom just in time as the vomit came up. She leaned over the toilet, making hideous retching sounds, the alcohol from the night before coming up.
Remy followed her in to the bathroom, he closed the door behind himself, "just a hangover, if you're going to drink the way you do, you'll get used to it," he leaned against the door, putting his hands in his pockets.
Rogue fell to her knees, holding onto the toilet, the sickness passed after some moments, she rested her cheek against the cold porcelain of the toilet, "god I'm never drinking again."
Remy looked at her, "I thought maybe me and you could go to Edinburgh today, go shopping, see a movie, take your mind off things," he admitted.
"Remy, I'm not in a fit state to go any—a—" it came again, she leaned over the toilet, a second wave of nausea and vomit came.
Remy walked over, grabbing a handful of her tangled hair, holding it away from her face, "can't be much more of it in you," he stated. "And within an hour or so you'll be fine, I promise."
Rogue leaned over the metal railing at the back of the ferry, more vomit coming than she'd have ever expected. Remy's words echoed in her mind. You'll be fine, he'd said. Ever since the ferry had left the dock she'd been hanging over the banister throwing up. She wasn't sure if this was still the hangover, or just sea sickness, but since her head was throbbing intently, she was going to go with her first guess.
Remy was resting with his back against the railing, smoking a cigarette, "still sick then?" he asked, stating the rather obvious.
"You said I'd be fine."
"How was I to know the hangover would last all day?" he asked with a shrug, "besides, once we get onto mainland, you'll feel lots better," he said, "you need this."
"Yeah…right…" Rogue mumbled. "Where does this ferry go?"
"I told you, Edinburgh, capital city of Scotland. This ferry more or less goes to a small dock near a mall, they have everything in there to keep us amused for a few hours, you'll feel better…maybe you should get some food in you, I haven't seen you eat at all these last few days."
"I have eaten," Rogue remarked, she rubbed her head wearily, "god I feel like shit…"
"My poor Chere," Remy smirked a little, "You've had it rough this year," he turned around to face the banister, he put his arm around her tenderly, pulling her close to him.
"Why did you want to go to Edinburgh today anyway? Don't tell me just for shopping…" Rogue looked at him curiously.
"You don't believe me? Jesus, can't I just have a day with my girlfriend – the woman I love – in the City without there being some ulterior motive?" he asked of her, looking hurt.
"There is though, right?"
"Well…" Remy sighed, "yes, I'm going to take that ring for appraisal – see what info I can get out of it," he said.
Rogue's head was throbbing so much she could barely concentrate, "that ring?" she queried, forgetting.
"The ring the security guy found in the lab," he said, "this ring is definitely an antique piece of jewellery. And I've seen it before, I just can't think of where," Remy sighed, "I wanna find out more about it."
"How do you know it's an antique?" Rogue asked.
"A thief knows…" Remy answered, "do you think when a professional Thief learns his trade that he just learns to steal?"
"Well…Yeah…" Rogue shrugged.
"When you learn thieving, you learn what to look for, how to tell antiques from fakes, and how to put a price on an object," he explained, "despite its crime, there's an art to it," he explained, "there's intelligence involved in it."
Rogue nodded, understanding. "So…you think the ring is antique?"
"I don't think, Chere, I know," Remy reached into his pocket, he brought the ring out, "look at it…" he gestured to it.
"Looks modern to me," Rogue shrugged.
"They don't cut gems like this nowadays," Remy gestured to the ruby, "see how clear it is?" he asked, "I'd say this is an really rare fiery red African Rose Ruby…probably just over 2 carot, the stone itself is probably worth about ten thousand – and it's completely unflawed," he explained, "and at first I thought this was silver, but its white gold…" he stated, "and the band on this is thick, and despite it's scratched, its in excellent condition…inside the hallmark is really old, its hard to pinpoint that hallmark exactly. Gems, I'm good with, precious metals, not so good," he shrugged.
"Everyone has a weakness," Rogue shrugged, "it's so small, must be a womans ring…"
"Yeah, it is," Remy responded, "try it on."
Rogue slipped off one of her gloves and slipped the ring on, it fit and just barely, it twinkled beautifully in the daylight, "god its gorgeous," she admitted.
"Hmmm," Remy nodded, looking at her hand.
Rogue slipped the ring off and handed it to him.
"Anyway, this antique jeweller in Edinburgh, they'll pinpoint the date, the worth, probably the origins too."
"So…you think you find out the rings origins, you find our thief?"
"Not really, but it'll give us some insight. Besides it's bugging me…I know I've seen it somewhere before…I just can't think of where…"
Another wave of nausea came over Rogue, she leaned over the railing again, hanging almost over completely, throwing up. Her head swimming, dizziness coming over her.
"Jesus, you can't have much more left in you," Remy put his hand on her back and rubbed a little, "you alright?"
"Ugh, what do you think?" Rogue spat to try and get rid of the taste in her mouth.
"We'll be on mainland soon, Chere," Remy soothed.
"You asshole," Rogue muttered, "I told you I wasn't in any fit state to go out today," she slid down and sat on the deck, her back against the railing, hair stirring in the wind, "I think I'm dying…" she rubbed her head.
"Stop being so dramatic…" he teased.
"Jesus, Remy, I feel like Charlie Benante is pounding drums in my skull, and my throat feels raw, and my mouth tastes like shit…and you think I'm being dramatic?" she wiped her sweating face, leaning back taking in deep breaths. "I should have never listened to you when you said I'd be fine."
"It's a hangover, nothing more, sickness is probably just being irritated by being on the water," he explained. "You'll feel much better on land."
"Easy for you to say."
"You're being so dramatic," Remy smirked, "We'll find you something to settle the hangover while we're in Edinburgh and you'll be fine."
Rogue pulled herself up, "aren't you tired?" she asked, she took a good look at Remy, his eyes were slightly dark underneath.
"Yes," Remy shrugged, "but I'll deal with it."
"You didn't sleep all night, you'll make yourself ill," Rogue touched his arm.
Remy smiled, "I'll sleep tonight, I'll have an early night," he smiled looking out as they began to approach the Edinburgh docks, "there it is, Edinburgh," he smiled.
Rogue looked up at Remy, things were peaceful. It might be a good time to tell him about what Jared had said. The longer she held it off, the more difficult it was going to be to tell him.
But she couldn't, she wanted to and yet, she couldn't say it, and she wasn't sure what was holding her back.
"What's on your mind?" Remy looked at her from the corner of his eyes, he could see the guilt on her face again, he was so curious, what was it she was hiding from him?
"Nothing," Rogue lied, "nothing at all," she leaned into him, pressing her face to his chest, wrapping her arms around him, at least if he couldn't see her face, he couldn't pin her guilty expression. "God I love you so much," she murmured.
Remy was surprised by the sudden announcement of her love, it seemed almost as if she was trying to distract him from asking questions. He decided to let it drop for now, when she was ready, she'd tell him. He couldn't exactly preach to her about secrets when he'd had so many of his own in the past.
But it unnerved him so much, the not knowing beginning to eat away at him. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly, running his fingers down her spine, the black suede of her three quarter length jacket soft to the touch, "I love you too."
Rogue pushed him away just in time as the nausea came again.