Chapter 5: Road to Recovery

             Five days passed, and Remy's condition began to quickly improve, although the pain was easing up, and his movement was more free – allowing him to walk without aid – he could only travel short distances until the pain would become intense once again.  Frequent rests were needed, but he found himself delighted once again he wasn't so restricted to his bed.

             And this wasn't the only good news, while he and Kitty continued their playful 'faked' flirting, Rogue's moods became even broodier, and Remy and Kitty would both notice whenever Rogue was in the room she'd look at them with an expression from her eyes they'd swear could shoot daggers.  Cold, harsh, jealous stares.  They were beginning to find it amusing. 

             By Sunday night, Remy found himself on the recreation room couch, near the back of the room Amara and Sam were working on a school project using the internet for research.  The three of them were the only one in the recreation room, and the room seemed unusually quiet, even for a Sunday.

             Kitty Pryde entered the room, looking rather pleased with herself, wearing a short pale blue skirt, and a white button down blouse, she sat beside Remy, and whispered, "I think it's totally working…"
             Remy didn't turn to Kitty, he pretended to be more interested in the television programme he'd been watching on the making of 'Matrix: Reloaded', so as not to draw attention to himself or Kitty.  "Y'think?" he kept his voice low, knowing that with the volume of the TV, and Amara and Sam's heated discussion about their project, that they wouldn't be overheard.

             "She is fuming…seriously," Kitty grinned, she leaned a little closer to Remy to whisper near his ear, "she isn't talking to me much."

             "And that's a sign?" Remy raised an eyebrow, he glanced towards her a little.

             Kitty giggled, "whenever she does talk all she does is complain about Jared," she whispered.

             Remy smirked, and shifted his seating position, his back aching again, "how much longer you think we gotta keep this thing up?"

             "As long as it takes 'til she dumps that loser," Kitty stated.

             "Do you think just flirtin' around her is really workin' though?" Remy asked, "I mean flirtin' can come off really innocent," he pointed out.

             Kitty shrugged, "good point."

             "It's takin' too long, I want her back as soon as possible, I'm sick of this flirtin' thing, it was fun at first, but it's getting boring…"

             "Well I don't know how to get her back faster," Kitty folded her arms.

             "I think we could speed up the process if we take it one step further…" Remy kept his voice low.

             Kitty raised an eyebrow now, her blue eyes right on his, "Uh…what are you talking about?" she asked quizzically.

             As if on cue, almost, Rogue entered the living room, she flung herself into a chair near the TV, she quickly glanced over to Kitty and Remy.  The look on her face very sullen.

             Remy caught the look, but pretended he didn't even notice Rogue come in.  Kitty turned her head towards the TV, pretending to be more interested in that, as opposed to having looked suspicious whispering near Remy's ear.   Remy drew his breath silently, knowing that if he was going to make Rogue jealous, it was going to take more than a little flirting with Kitty to do it.

             Kitty wasn't really prepared for what happened next, when Remy put his hand very tenderly upon her face and turned her head towards him, planting a soft and lingering kiss against her lips.  Her eyes remained wide open, shocked, she would have pushed him away if it weren't for the fact Rogue was watching them both.  Even though the back of Kitty's head was facing Rogue, she could swear she could feel a heated angry expression burning into the back of her skull.

             What is she doin'?  Remy thought at Kitty.  Kitty seemed frozen to the spot, not moving at all, while his lips rested against hers.  Remy decided to intervene with that, he sneakily pinched her side hard, her reaction was to gasp, her mouth opened, and he pressed his mouth harder against hers, moving his lips, hoping to God Rogue was watching, and fuming about it. 

             They both heard heavy footsteps, and the recreation room door slammed loudly.  Kitty broke away from Remy and turned, seeing Rogue was gone.  She'd stormed out.

             Remy glanced to the back of the room, Amara and Sam looking at them both with much astonishment.

             "What, haven't you ever seen a kiss before?" Remy raised an eyebrow, "go back to your project and stop lookin' at us like that," he commanded, he turned to Kitty, who looked thunderstruck.  "You ok?" he asked lowly to her.

             "That was…so…unfair…" Kitty uttered, she made a face, and turned away stubbornly.

             "I needed something that was gonna make her jealous," Remy shrugged, his voice low.   "What happened to you?!" he asked suddenly he turned towards her, "you froze!"

             "I didn't expect it!" Kitty shoved him, "and it was mean, god you're an asshole!" she got up and stormed out of the room also.

             "Kitty!" Remy called after her, frowning.  "Jesus, what have I done now?" he muttered to himself angrily.

             Rogue's first instinct was to break something, and upon entering the bedroom she grabbed a hold of the nearest item, a blue-green glass jar holding some rings – which had been sitting on the dresser – and she threw it against the wall, she heard the rings hit the floor, saw some roll away under Kitty's bed.

             How could he?  How could he kiss Kitty like that in front of her?  It was…cruel. 

             Rogue hated herself, why had she let him go, why?

             I didn't let him go, he let me go, Rogue told herself angrily, she paced the room frantically looking for something else to break. 

             She'd waited what felt like an eternity to kiss Remy like that, and never had been able to, and now there had sat her best friend with her lips pressed against Remy LeBeau's.  It hurt so much that they'd kissed that way.  Surely they'd known she'd be in the room, why couldn't they have just held out until she'd left…god, if only she hadn't seen that kiss.

             Rogue felt tears sting her eyes but forced them back.  What does it matter, Remy isn't my boyfriend anymore, Jared is…

             She paced more around the room, her heavy platform boots making a loud banging against the carpet. 

             It should have been me kissing him like that, not her!  Rogue thought miserably, she finally sat on her bed.  But it's never going to be me, Rogue thought miserably.

             The bedroom door opened, Jared Rickman stood, his blue hair up in a Mohawk style, his eyes heavily lined with black kohl.  "What's all the thudding?" Jared asked, he'd heard her stomping around.

             "Nothing," Rogue muttered, "Just miss perfect and her fucking perfect man showing off in the rec room."

             "Kitty and the Wanker?" Jared asked walking in to the room, he closed the door.

             "Yes."

             "Why does it bother you, you're not WITH him anymore, you're with me now," Jared pointed out.

             "I know," Rogue sighed, "It just…jesus, my BEST friend."

             "Let them get on with it, they're both losers, they deserve each other," Jared shrugged.

             "No…you don't get it," Rogue said, "this is one of those things that best friends aren't meant to do…" Rogue sighed, "It's like some unwritten law in friendship that friends should NEVER date another friends Ex."

             "That's not a canon rule of Friendship," Jared shrugged, "And anyway…who cares what they do.  It's not like you want him back, is it?"

             "No, of course not," Rogue lied, secretly she kept thinking that she did want him back, she didn't want Kitty getting any further than that kiss with a man that she was pretty sure she still loved.

             "Then let it slide."

             It took some time for Remy to find Kitty, his movement hindered by pain, he found her in the mansions' library, pouring over some books.  Remy entered the library, walking slowly. 

             "Kitty?" Remy asked, "what the hell was that all about?"

             Kitty was frowning at her books, "you know what it was about…it was about what you just did, LeBeau."

             "I kissed you…big deal."

             "You are an asshole," Kitty slammed her book shut harshly.

             "Why?"

             "Because you kissed me in a way you can't ever kiss her!  Do you know how incredibly fucked up that is?!" Kitty demanded, "do you have ANY idea of how she probably feels right now.  That wouldn't have just made her jealous, it would hurt…"

             Remy stood, "I know…" he trailed off.

             "Why would you wanna hurt her, Remy?  Haven't you hurt her enough already.  All we agreed to do was make her jealous…not trying to scar her emotionally!"

             "Calm down…" Remy held his hands up in defence.

             "I will not…God," Kitty stood up, and paced the room, "we're stopping this shit right now, its gone far enough.  You had no right to do that, no right to kiss me like that!"

             Remy walked over, "Petit, I want Rogue to take me back, I will do anything to do it, even kiss someone I'm not attracted to," he gestured to Kitty as if to say 'meaning you'.

             "Oh charming, so now I'm not attractive as well as a backstabbing slut," Kitty turned away, livid.

             "No, you are, but I'm not attracted to you.  Petit, you gotta understand why I did that…" he said, "why I kissed you."

             "Why?" Kitty muttered.

             "Because I'm hoping she would take me back on the basis of knowing at least if she couldn't touch me, no other girl could touch me either…" he explained.

             "That's fucked up, Remy," Kitty paced back to the table, and sat down, opening her book again.

             "I know it is," Remy nodded, "Katherine…please…"

             "Don't call me Katherine," Kitty muttered.

             "Fine, Kitty…petit…Shadowcat, whatever you want me to call you, do not abandon this plan now…I can't do this without  you."

             Kitty sighed, "Remy, I can't do this…I can't kiss you like that and not feel guilty for what she's gonna feel."
             "Then be on the receiving end…" Remy shrugged, "just don't sit there like a frozen statue with wide open eyes…" he stated.

             "No…I can't," Kitty hugged herself insecurely, "she'll hate me forever."

             "She won't hate you…not forever.  Petit, I done worse things to betray her than just kill someone else…even slept with someone else…" it slipped out, he had been referring to Carmel, he quickly corrected his error, "I slept with Bella Donna, true, she never forgave me totally for it, but she did accept it, and we became friends – and more – again."

             Kitty shook her head, "no…this is different.  If Rogue means anything to you, you wouldn't hurt her by kissing me the way you did."

             Remy began to feel quite angry, "Hello, has it occurred to you that she left me totally for another guy?  Has it occurred to you that while she was going out with me she was also constantly thinking about leaving me for that English jerk-off?!" he demanded, his voice raised, he winced, a sudden movement causing his back agony.  "She hurt me!"

             "She was confused, jesus, Remy, there's a big difference between you and Rogue you know," Kitty slammed her book shut again she got up, "you were the first guy to show interest in her!  Her life is incredibly fucked up and she's confused, okay, just confused.  She doesn't know any better – YOU do, you've had experience, SHE hasn't."

             Remy looked at Kitty, "so…you're not going to continue this with me then?"

             "No," Kitty said, and without another word, she got up, and left the room, slamming the door behind herself.