Chapter 4: Briefing
Two days passed, and everything seemed somewhat silent and sombre in the mansion between Remy and Rogue, they ignored each other as much as possible, which wasn't difficult. Rogue would pour herself into her studies, danger room training, and Logan's martial arts lessons, while Remy would spend his time avoiding Hank's strict rules of rest and relaxation when all he wanted to do was some physical labour and find a way to distract himself from the thoughts that were constantly running through his head.
It seemed this time it truly was over. The cross Rogue had once cherished so much now lay in a drawer in Remy's bedside cabinet, beside the tobacco tin she'd given him for Christmas.
Halloween arrived, and in the morning, all residents of the mansion were called into a briefing, something that Ororo and Logan had decided would benefit everyone on at least a weekly basis, to keep up to date with everything.
The war room – where most of the X-Men's planning was done – was in use for the briefing, and everyone sat around the round table, it had been the first briefing in a very long time.
"Thank you for all coming promptly," Professor Xavier said, he sat at the table in everyone's view, he sat straight and proud, he looked wide awake and alert, everyone else around the table looked half asleep. "Logan and Ororo feel that a weekly briefing every Friday morning at seven might benefit you, so that you can discuss important team issues, or any other things…"
"How long do these briefings need to last?" Jean asked, her elbows were propped up on the table, she was listening intently.
"For as long as it takes to discuss important issues," Professor Xavier replied.
Remy leaned back in his chair, wincing at the pain, at least it seemed the pain was slightly easing away. He glanced across the table, Rogue looked as if she hadn't brushed her hair yet, her makeup slightly smudged as if she'd gone to sleep with it on rather than having applied it fresh that morning. He tried to pay attention to what the Professor was saying, but his thoughts were constant on the incident where Rogue had given him back the necklace.
When Rogue raised her eyes from the table top to glance at Remy, he looked away from her, his face flustered, his expression sad. Rogue felt pangs of guilt, and kept her eyes averted from him there on.
The meeting dragged on, the X-Men brought up various issues regarding Danger Room sessions, school lessons, and other such things. Remy was losing the will to live, he would have rather been anywhere than sitting there listening to Jean's request for new uniforms, Amara's complaints about classes being too hard, and Kurt's comments about the danger room sessions being too easy.
"Is there anything else anyone would like to bring up before we adjourn the meeting?" Hank asked, he was taking notes of things.
"Yes," Rogue said, it had been the first time she'd spoken since having sat at the table. All eyes turned towards her – except Remy's.
Remy pretended to find more appeal in charging up a pencil he'd found lying on the table, he absorbed the energy back into himself, then recharged it, watching as it glowed brightly.
"Yes, Rogue?" Professor Xavier asked.
"What's being done to find Jared?" Rogue asked quietly.
Everyone looked at each other, and then to Professor Xavier. Remy felt so angry, why did she have to bring this up again, especially in front of him, couldn't she have brought this up quietly in a one on one meeting with the Professor? Remy glanced towards Kitty who looked away, her face slightly paling.
"I assure you we're doing everything we can," Professor Xavier stated, "Ororo, Hank and Logan have all done thorough searches of Bayville, we've contacted his family but no one has seen him, and even Cerebro can't find him unless he uses his powers."
"I followed his scent up to Talbert Road, but from there the scent disappeared, which means he must have found transport," Logan said, his voice gruff.
Rogue frowned a little, "isn't there more we can do? Can't you telepathically find him?" Rogue asked.
"I'm afraid I can't contact him. It may be that he's so far away that I cannot contact him telepathically…great distances dampen my abilities," the Professor explained.
"You're meant to be the most powerful telepath in the world but even you can't find him?" Rogue made a face, to her it felt like an excuse, as if they weren't looking, as if they didn't want him back.
"Why would we want that loser back anyway?" Bobby asked, yawning a little, "He used his powers against Kitty – that's one of the rules here, isn't it."
"Yes, Bobby," Ororo nodded.
"What's that rule?" Remy raised an eyebrow, he couldn't remember having heard of it. He hadn't really bothered to check about a lot of rules about living in the mansion. He'd never been one for obeying rules in the first place.
"Oh come on, LeBeau, haven't you even read the list of rules for the mansion?"
"You know Gambit. He doesn't live by rules," Kitty smirked a little, her face beginning to slowly return to its normal colour.
"You don't use your powers against another mutant in the institute…" Amara preached wisely, "its rule number one."
"But I see you guys do it all the time, prankin' each other," Rogue shot angrily, "I don't see how that can be acceptable but this isn't."
"That's different, we're talking about the difference between a prank, and tryin' to maim a team member," Logan stated haughtily. "What Jared Rickman did was deliberately brain-scramble Kitty, could have killed her, could have left her brain-dead, who knows, fact is, breakin' rule number one in the way he did is grounds for expulsion in extreme cases, and you don't get much more extreme than that."
"This is true, Rogue," Ororo said softly.
Rogue looked down to the table, her brow furrowing into a frown. "So you're sayin' even if he did return, he wouldn't be welcome."
"We will cross that bridge when we come to that, Rogue," Professor Xavier stated calmly, "If we ever do."
"Professor?" Amara cleared her throat, feeling a change of subject was in order, "we were wondering if maybe we – I mean Bobby, Jamie, Ray, Sam, Tabitha and I – can head out into the woods tonight for Halloween."
Professor Xavier raised an eyebrow, "The woods? What would you do there?"
"Start a campfire, tell ghost stories, just have some fun," Bobby said, "we wouldn't be drinkin' or nothing," he said. "Just some normal Halloween fun."
Hank glanced towards Professor Xavier, "sounds like a reasonable request, Charles, I shouldn't see why not…"
Professor Xavier paused for thought, "fine, but I want
two people to chaperone, just to be on the safe side."
"Awww man…" Bobby made a
face, "not the instructors! They'll
ruin everything!"
Professor Xavier smiled a little, "Not one of the instructors, I know that would dampen your fun," he softly laughed, "any volunteers?" he looked towards the X-Men.
"Busy tonight," Kurt responded, "me and Kitty are heading to a costume party held for charity," he explained.
"Same here," Jean said, "Me and Scott bought those tickets a month ago. We've been looking forward to it."
"Rogue?" Professor Xavier glanced towards Rogue, "would you be willing to chaperone?" he asked.
Rogue gave a sigh, "I guess," she said reluctantly, she wondered how much trust he held for her for this in the first place, she'd broken enough rules herself that it seemed as if she'd be the least likely candidate to chaperone the younger mutants.
Remy also sighed. He wanted to talk to Rogue, and this might give him just the excuse he needed to do it, "I'll chaperone also," he stated.
"Remy, you're meant to be recovering," Hank warned.
"I know," Remy said, "but sittin' in all day and not doin' anything is makin' me crazy. Besides, it's not like I'm gonna have too much work, all you're wantin' is someone to make sure the kids don't set the woods on fire or get drunk," he pointed out.
"Point taken," Hank smirked a little.
Rogue looked most annoyed that he'd put himself up for chaperoning also, it meant they'd be put together. Still it didn't mean she had to talk to him.
"Well, alright," Professor Xavier agreed finally. "Gambit and Rogue will chaperone, and I do not want you out in those woods any later than midnight," he stated, "if you're not back by then, there will be a severe grounding for all of you."
"I'll make sure they're back by Midnight, Professor," Remy stated in a bored tone, he charged the pencil up again, then absorbed the power back into himself.
Professor Xavier nodded, "I know I can trust you."
"You're about the only one," Remy said coldly, he noticed Rogue shoot him a strange look from across the table, "Can we go now? This chair isn't so good on my back," he added.
"Yes, meeting adjourned, go to your lessons."
The room emptied, Rogue caught Remy at the door, "why did you volunteer?" she demanded, her voice sharp and acidic.
"Because no one else did," Remy stated, "and because I got nothin' better to do."
"Are you doin' this just to try and piss me off?" Rogue demanded, she looked up at him, he loomed over her in the doorway, his shoulders hunched forward slightly, back bent a little from pain, his brown hair unkempt, framing his chiselled face. His deep set red eyes were dull beneath his low brows.
Remy glanced at her, he drew his breath through his teeth, anger rising within himself, "No, I'm doin' it because I want to be more involved with the X-Men, and the recruits, alright? Everything isn't about you," he lied. "You better go for your lesson," he uttered, and with that, headed off in his own direction, wishing he hadn't let himself get so frustrated and mad at her, he couldn't help it, she was fuelling his own anger with her attitude towards him. He hoped by tonight they would get it settled once and for all.