FYI:

~Personal Thoughts~

~"Inner Voices"~

ESP

%The Written Word%

[Flashback]

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

* Com Link or Telephone *

*Sound Effects (usually just Kurt's bamfing)

{Background noise--music, crowds, etc.}

ROGUE

"Where am Ah?" Ah looked 'round meh ta see the bar from earlier completely empty.

"Don' tell me, y' already forgot dis is Remy's favorite hangout." Ah turned 'round ta see Remy leanin' back on a pool table while shufflin' a deck of cards.

"Where is everybody?"

"Y' didn't imagine dem." Ah looked at him confused as Ah walked over ta where he was standin'.

"What's that supposed ta mean? Is this a dream?"

"Non."

"Then how can Ah imagine real life?" Ah was completely confused now as the pool table racked itself an' two cue sticks appeared restin' on it along with a cube of chalk.

"Y' not. Dis be in y' head." He chalked a cue stick an' broke the balls. Ah blinked a few times as Ah let what he said sink in.

"Wait, this is where ya hang out all the time in mah head?"

"Sometimes, wasn't 'til de ot'er night dat y' started wit' de bar." He smiled up at meh as he knocked another ball inta a pocket.

"So why am Ah here?"

"Why are y' here?" He was actin' like some kind of rebound board an' Ah didn't like it.

"Ah don't know, that's why Ah was askin' ya." He only smiled as he knocked a third ball inta a pocket.

"Dis be y' head, Chére." Ah picked up the cue stick an' twirled it in mah hands feelin' the weight of the wood.

"This is all ta real."

"Ya got a great imagination, 'cept when it comes t' alcoholic drinks. But Logan's learnin' t' deal wit' it. Ah glanced back at the bar ta see Logan sittin' there nursin' a beer bottle. Ororo sat next ta him with what looked like a club soda an' lime.

"Uh huh." Kurt was standin' over a jukebox talkin' with Kitty who was on Piotr's lap. Betsy an' Jamie sat on bar stools nearby with Dorian sittin' slightly behind 'em. Ah watched as they chose a song an' Kurt programmed the machine as it started playin' Jewel's 2 Find U. "So this is how a song gets stuck in mah head."

He smiled as he knocked in the fourth ball. "Oui, every song y' ever heard is in dere." Ah smiled as Ah remembered how Ah'd been hummin' the 'Millions of Peaches' song while Ah had been drivin' ta N' Awlins. (A/N: Who remembers that from the mid-90s? I do, it was extremely annoying and my friend was obsessed with it.)
"Where's Mystique?" Remy frowned as he scratched.

"She don' come out much."

"Oh. Um…maybe y' can help meh out with somethin'."

{If I asked you a question, Would u look me in the eyes? Has our love been built on lies?}

"Oui, what can Remy do f' de belle femme?" He leaned on his cue stick the same way Remy had earlier in the real bar.

"Well, how do ya do it? How do ya go from bein' completely serious ta bein' goofy?" He laughed at mah choice of words.

"Goofy? Remy likes t' t'ink of it as bein' charmin', but whatever y' say, Chére.

"Jus' de way I am. I'm always de charmin' Cajun y' usually see, but den when I'm 'round y', t'ings change. I feel different, 'cause y' different. I don' want y' t' t'ink I'm jus' flirtin' wit' y', so I get serious 'bout t'ings when I talk t' y'." He smiled warmly at meh as he put an arm 'round mah shoulder. "Now maybe y' can tell me somet'in'." Ah nodded. "Why do y' get de urge t' run every time someone gets t' close t' y'?"

{Well, why I'm asking, You see, the time is now, To turn our backs forever, Or work this through somehow}

"Ah do not!" He frowned an' Ah knew Ah was lyin' ta mahself even. "Ah don't know. Ah didn't even get close ta people before, an' then ya come 'round with ya cocky Cajun ass crap an' tear down the wall Ah'd worked so hard ta build 'round mah heart ta protect mahself an' everyone else." He laughed as he moved his arm down 'round mah waist an' spun meh 'round so Ah was facin' him.

{And I want to see you, I want to feel new again.}

"It ain't that Ah'm tryin' ta run, it's just natural reflexes kickin' in." He placed a finger on mah lips ta silence meh as Ah stood there ta stunned ta move.

"I understand, Chére." He bent down an' quickly kissed meh on the lips. Ah didn't know what ta do, for all Ah knew that went 'gainst all the rules in mah head that Ah'd set up with mah psyches.

{Hey, you, Do not walk away, Let's choose love, come on, What do you say?}

"Ah didn't absorb ya." He was laughin' a lot at meh.

"Chére, y' already absorbed Remy, y' can' do it 'gain."

{Hey you, Know that I would spend, My whole life all over again, To find you}

"Right, Ah knew that." Ah blushed as Ah looked down only ta come face ta face with his toned chest which made meh blush all the more. He rested his chin on the top of mah head an' swayed slightly.

{We've layered hurt on hurt, I've seen pain cloud your eyes, But we are bruised, not broken}

"Why do we always end up hurtin' each other?" He tilted mah chin up an' looked meh in the eyes with the same pained expression Ah'd seen on the real Remy earlier.

"'Cause dere's always de fear we gonna leave each ot'er." He hit the nail on the head an' Ah was thankful that he seemed ta be all knowin' sometimes.

{Like a phoenix, love will rise, And do you see me? Do you feel new again?}

Ah put mah head down on his chest an' smiled enjoyin' the fact that this all seemed so real. Ah knew that half the touches an' caresses he was givin' meh weren't possible in the real world.

"Can Ah just stay here forever?"

"Non, y' gotta go back sometime and make Remy happy f' real as well." He smiled at meh but the pain was still there.

{Hey, you, Do not walk away, Let's choose love, come on, What do you say?}

"It's hard for ya, ain't it. 'Cause ya here an' ya there ta." He gave meh a feeble smile as he nodded.

"Wouldn' be right f' y' t' kiss de bot' of us. Almost like cheatin' on Remy, and I wouldn' wan' y' doin' dat."

{Hey you, Know that I would spend, My whole life all over again, To find you}

"What would ya do if ya never met meh?" He looked shocked at mah sudden question.

"Don' know, probably not much since not'in' important happened b'fore y'."

"Ya marriage was b'fore meh."

"Oui, but dat's not important compared t' y'."

{Look in my eyes, Kiss my mouth hard, Let your conviction, Reassure my heart}

He kissed meh 'gain but Ah pulled back outta it. "But if y' never met meh, y' wouldn't know that."

"I don't t'ink 'bout what might have been, Chére, just what is. Y' gotta live f' de present."

{Promise me now, I'll promise you, too, I love you}

"But if y' never met meh…" He placed a finger over mah lips ta quiet meh.

"Chére, I love y' and dat's all I know. I don' care what coulda been or any of dat."

{Hey, you, Do not walk away, Let's choose love, come on, What do you say?}

"But if y' never met meh, what would ya be doin'?" He sighed in disgust realizin' Ah wasn't givin' up on this subject.

{Hey you, Know that I would spend, My whole life all over again, To find you}

"Den I'd be spendin' mon life lookin' f' y', de fille of mon dreams." Ah blinked as Ah took in his answer. He could be stubborn sometimes but his words seemed ta strike a chord with meh. "Ya gotta wake up now."

"But Ah thought ya said Ah wasn't dreamin'."

"Non, but y' are sleepin'."

Ah suddenly became aware of mah senses. Ah could hear the gentle breathin' of someone else an' a great warmth wrapped 'round meh. Ah could also smell smoke, which confused meh. ~Ah always ask for a smoke free room…except Ah'm not in a hotel.~ Mah eyes flew open ta see Remy lyin' next ta meh with his arms wrapped 'round mah waist. His face was probably only an inch away from mah own an' Ah sucked in mah breath ta keep from screamin' or somethin'. Ah shut mah eyes again an' rolled away from him so he couldn't see that Ah was already awake when Ah felt him shift as he woke up.

GAMBIT

I woke up b'fore she did and laid dere holdin' her simply enjoyin' de moment. She rolled over in her sleep so dat she was facin' me and pushed her head int' mon chest while sighin'. ~Wonder what she's dreamin'?~ I rested mon head on top of hers relishin' in de smell dat girls had. Somet'in' 'bout girl's shampoo or whatever always smelled perfect. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled.

"Bonjour Cherie."

"Mornin'. She yawned as she went t' roll over and get out of bed but I pulled her back int' me. "Ah need t' get up y' know."

"Non, y' can jus' stay here wit' me." She sighed as she allowed me t' pull her back in t' mon chest. "Have some pleasant dreams?"

"Ah guess ya could say that." She rolled back over t' look at me as I raised an eyebrow.

"Dreamin' of me?"

"Sort of."

"Is dat an oui or non?" She sighed.

"Oui, Ah guess. It wasn't really a dream, Ah was talkin' ta ya psyche." She smiled faintly 'til she saw mon smirk. "An' no, nothin' happened." I pouted as leaned mon head on top of hers.

"Y' know what aujour d'hui (A/N: today) is?"

"What is this? Twenty questions? God, Ah'm surprised ya ever got a girl." I gave her de puppy dog eyes as she rolled hers. "Taday is the seventeenth."

"Which is…"

"If ya expect meh ta remember those petty li'l anniversaries, ya nuts."

"Non, but I t'ought y'd at least remember mon birt'day."

"Ah knew that."

"Y' a terrible liar, Chére." She gave me a pout and batted her eyes mournfully. "But y' a damn good pouter."

"Ah learned from the best." She broke int' a grin as she went t' get up 'gain. I let her as I rolled over ont' mon back t' look up at de ceilin'. "Ah guess Ah should be goin'…" I bolted upright and stared at her as she broke out laughin'. "Ah was only kiddin'."

"Mon Dieu, y' shouldn' kid like dat! Nearly gave dis Cajun a heart attack." I stood up and wrapped mon arms 'round her waist.

"Remy, let meh go. Ah gotta use the bathroom."

"Non, not now. Y' can' kid 'bout leavin' den expect me t' let y' outta mon sight. B'sides, y' didn' give me mon gift yet."

"Ah already sent ya one." She was squirmin' t' get free but I didn' give her an inch t' move.

"Oui, but dat was b'fore y' came t' N' Awlins."

"Well, Ah don' have anythin' ta give ya, so there."

"I had somet'in' else in mind."

"Oh what's that?" Ah spun her 'round quickly and kissed her on de lips.

ROGUE

Ah didn't have a chance ta react or anythin'. B'fore Ah knew what was happenin' Ah was lip locked with Remy as Ah felt his memories an' bein' slippin' inta meh. Ah heard him groan as he slipped away from meh an' fell unconscious onta the bed. Ah put a hand on mah head as the past three months of his life swept in ta mah brain at warp speed—all the arguments with Bella, his conversations with his father, brother, an' Tante Mattie, everythin'. "Mah God, Remy!" Ah knelt over him but he showed no signs of stirrin'. "Dear God, why'd he go an' do that?" ~Ah gotta go, Ah knew somethin' like this would happen. Ah knew he wouldn't be able ta handle not touchin' meh.~ Ah dug in his coat pockets 'til Ah found mah keys an' grabbed mah bag as Ah flew out the door leavin' him ta wake up alone.

Ah rushed down the stairs an' was 'bout ta slip out the door when Ah heard a woman's voice callin' out ta meh. "Slow down, Child, b'fore y' hurt y'self." Ah stopped with mah hand on the doorknob an' looked inta the kitchen ta see an older woman standin' over a stove with a wooden spoon in her hand.

"Ya don't understand, Ah have ta leave—now!"

"Nonsense, y'll sit right down and have y'self some grits b'fore y' go. B'sides, I haven't seen y' here b'fore and I want t' know how y' met de boy."

"Ah really don't have time." She gave meh a stern look so Ah complied an' sat down at the homely dinin' room table. She set a plate of grits down in front of meh an' Ah quickly began ta eat 'em figurin' the sooner Ah finished the sooner Ah got outta there.

"Y' must be starved!" Ah looked up at her after Ah finished the plate an' went ta leave 'gain but she placed a stern hand on mah shoulder an' pushed meh back inta the seat. "Now let me have a good look at y'. Swear I've seen y' b'fore, even if y' are a River Rat."

"Ah'm sure ya haven't."

"Of course! Dat picture of Remy's. Y' de girl dat he's been so worked up over." Ah cursed Remy for keepin' the picture in such an obvious place.

"Yeah, guess that's meh. An' ya Tante Mattie, right?"

"Dat's right, Child." Ah heard a door slam somewhere b'hind meh an' rushed footsteps announced someone's arrival in the room.

"Tante Mattie, where is he? Where is that good f' nothin', dirty, lyin', cheatin' husband of mine."

"Child, that ain't no way t' talk 'bout de boy." Ah turned 'round ta see Belle standin' in the doorway an' did mah best ta not tweak out at the situation Ah had gotten mahself in. ~This is not good.~

"YOU! So the rumors are true! Remy really has been cheatin' on me with a scummy li'l river rat."

"Ah ain't no scummy river rat, so ya can just take that back." Ah stood up ta face the blonde lookin' for an outlet for mah wrath. She ta looked like she was lookin' for a fight.

"Y' know de rules, Bella, dere ain't no fightin' in my kitchen."

"Fine by meh."

"Chicken are ya? Maybe ya should be a river chicken."

"Why Ah outta…" Ah swung a fist at her but she easily dodged away from it. She snorted in disgust as Ah launched another attack her way. "Ya don't deserve him, ya know that."

She stopped dead in her tracks just as she was 'bout ta start attackin' meh as well. "What?"

"Ya putain (A/N: bitch), can't ya hear meh? Ya don't deserve someone as carin' as Remy."

"That bibette (A/N: dick)? Ha! He only cares 'bout himself, especially when it means that he can get around with a whore like y'." Ah blew mah top right then as Ah started swingin' at her 'gain. Tante Mattie seemed slightly upset but not surprised as she watched.

"Ah ain't a whore! Ya don't even know ya own husband. Nothin' like that has ever happened between the two of us, an' even if we both wanted ta, we couldn't!"

Outta the corner of mah eye Ah saw Remy now standin' in the doorway. "Did Remy miss somet'in'?"

All the frustration Ah'd penned up inside was finally comin' out on her. Suddenly Ah found both mah fists caught as Ah struggled ta get free. "Remy let meh go!"

"Non, not 'til y' bot' calm down." He was lookin' straight at meh an' Ah knew mah eyes were burnin' with anger. "Especially, y', Chére, or y' gonna blow somet'in' up, literally." He let go of mah hands but kept a firm hold on mah shoulders as Ah fumed.

"Ah don't really care an' Ah hope it's her!" Ah glared over his shoulder at Bella who was standin' there with her fists on her hips waitin' for Remy ta turn 'round an' pay the slightest bit of attention t' her.

"Uh hmm…"

"Remy t'inks it's time y' went home, Bella."

"So, I guess it's true. Y' really did go and get y'self a girlfriend b'hind my back. I hope y' happy now dat y' shamed de bot' of us t' de guilds."

"It's time y' went home, Bella." He never looked at her only at meh as she continued ta rant.

"Y' know, I t'ought y' might change. I hoped dat after workin' f' dat guy in New York, y' might have. But y' didn't, y' went an' got y'self a whore of a girlfriend." Ah bit mah lip ta keep from screamin' at her 'gain as Remy sighed.

He bent down an' whispered in mah ear so that Ah was the only person who could hear him. "Ignore her, she gets like dis sometimes. It's jus' best t' let her be." Bella finally got tired of her husband who was clearly ignorin' her an' left the way she had come slammin' the door ta announce her departure.

"Y' hurt?"

"Just mah pride. Thanks for stickin' up for meh." Ah brushed past him an' headed back up the stairs ta find a bathroom where Ah could change an' prepare mahself for the rest of this horrid day.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Wheh! That was almost tiring just writing about that screaming match. You asked for it and you got it--a smack down between Bella and Rogue. But don't worry round two will eventually come up. It seems like everyone is rooting to have Bella get her ass kicked! Yeesh, you people are violent. But then again, so am I. Muahahahahah. Sorry about the crappy French. If I have a French speaking fan out there, please help me out some and tell me when I've really botched it up.

Gothic Cajun: Yeah, that's kinda where I got the idea from…I'm a thief, but then so is Remy!

Lightspeed Suzuku: Hmm…I already had Brian in before, not sure how to bring him back, um…I'm not the best at the comics, so who's Meggan and husk? I admit it I'm clueless. You make me laugh so hard! God, are you funny, I'll have to see if your stories are just as funny…going to read them now.

Ishandahalf: Hmm…Remy dying…good concept.

Thanks also go out to Lid'l Rogue, Pomegranate Queen, O r i g i n a l1, and Rogue 4787. You're my inspiration.