Author's Note: One reviewer (Ishandahalf) brought up an interesting point. If Remy has troubles with his past why the hell is he going back to New Orleans? Well, when I began writing I didn't focus of that point but I will in this chapter so if it sounds like it came out of the blue then it probably did. I'm sorry. **heavy sigh** And Rogue only knows that things she saw in chapter 11 of 'In the Rain'. Nothing much more. She knows some things, more than Remy ever told her, but not the things she finds in New Orleans. Got that? If you are confused, I'm so sorry.
Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men
~*~*~*~
Chapter 4
The Problem with Retribution
Remy didn't sleep well that first night of the road trip. Of course he had been exhausted when he drove through the endless parade of countryside but once he stepped foot inside the damn hotel lobby he was wide-awake and scared to death. Those memories started to surface again, causing wave after wave of cold adrenaline to course through his body, but he didn't want to think about them. They were dark and they were grim, a testament and undeniable proof the Remy Lebeau was bad blood and would always remain so no matter how hard he tried to be good.
That night he knew that the trip to New Orleans was a bad idea. He should have gone alone down in the sweltering bayous, should have stole quietly out of the mansion, and dealt with his own demons. Though the lure of Mardi Gras with his girl in his arm did seem awfully tempting at the time. But he was just being stupid then. He didn't need the adults or the other students, or even Rogue, for that matter, to get caught up in the dangerous game that awaited him. But either way, they couldn't turn back and Remy had to get to New Orleans was quick as possible.
It all started with the alarming call from his friend, now the leader of Remy's guild, Aluin St. Simone, the previous week before. It had been short but a desperate plea for help. The Guild was struggling keeping New Orleans to themselves. The Assassins were more ruthless than ever. Aluin needed Remy's experience and skill to put down the latest war. And Remy promised him that he would. This one last time. That was it.
But damn it all to hell, he should have gone alone, he mentally shouted at himself, seething with worry as he lay in bed. But it was too late now. He would just have to be careful.
Remy spent most of his night worrying and tossing and turning in his bed. Of course he missed his home and his friends but there was one person in particular that he dreaded meeting. Well he would just have to keep quiet when he was in New Orleans and he would make sure only the Guild knew he was in town. Otherwise, there would be people after him for the kill.
~*~*~*~
"You look like you had a rough night, Remy," Rogue finally commented as they made their way back to the car along with everyone else for another glorious day of traveling. "You're not sick are you?"
He shook his head, forcing a smile for her sake, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his side. "Ain't nothing, chere," he murmured, the warmth of her body chasing his dark thoughts away. "The bed was too soft so I couldn't sleep much."
A small smile tugged at the corners of Rogue's full lips that took a little bite out of his worry. "Why didn't you camp out on the floor then?"
"Too hard."
"Poor, baby," she cooed softly. "Maybe you oughta let Piotr drive today? You look like you're ready to go back to sleep."
"I already asked. He said he would."
Rogue laughed and wrapped her arms around his lanky waist. "Great. Now we can snuggle in the backseat and cheer ourselves up."
"I'm up for snuggling," he teased, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead, "but don't mind if I fall asleep."
Rogue gave a light shrug as she shook her head. "Couldn't care less, Remy."
They happily settled themselves in the big back seat of their car and, buried deep in each others arms, didn't much care for the long wait as the rest of the students and adults found their cars and settled in too.
"We'll ain't that bloody cute," John replied with a cheeky smile as he looked back at them, climbing into the middle seat with Kitty. "And me without my camera."
Rogue, quite happy where she was, grinned at the boy but didn't say anything. Instead she just closed her eyes and rested her heard against Remy's chest. His slow steady breathing made her realize that he was already fast asleep. Poor thing.
They drove through the rest of Virginia for the remainder of the morning. It was one in the afternoon when they decided to stop at a small, rustic shopping center in North Carolina. Limbs stiff and stomachs unhappily empty, Remy and Rogue crawled out of the back seat to stand in a parking lot behind a restaurant with everyone else. Rogue was pleased to see the Remy look a lot better than he did in the morning.
"Ooh Xavier, like, said that we can look around in the shops after we eat!"
And so was Kitty. Rogue turned and flashed a quick smile at the younger girl. She was standing close to John with her long brown hair pulled up once more into a high ponytail. Since it was a lot warmer, she had ditched her heavy sweatshirt and wore a pink shirt. Rogue thought about putting her black jacket in the car too. It really was a great day. The air was warm and the sky high and blue. For a brief moment, a pang of homesickness hit her. She didn't realize how much she missed the South.
"Ready to go, chere?" Remy asked, a hand squeezing her shoulder gently.
Her nostalgic reverie broke immediately and she looked up at him, smiling and nodding. They walked hand-in-hand towards the restaurant in the back of the group.
"Hey, Kitty!" Rogue called out.
"Yeah?"
"Meet me after lunch. We have some shopping to do."
Kitty grinned. "Do you, like, have a plan?"
"Indeed."
Kitty's grin widened before she turned around and continued to walk with John.
"You do you have in mind, Rogue? I know that smile from a mile away," Remy told her.
She tugged at his hand. "We're going to get those boys where it hurts the most."
Remy looked puzzled for a moment. "You gonna kick them in the groin and then run away or something?"
"No but I can say it'll probably scar them for life."
"Now I really wanna know what you're up too." Remy smiled, humor brightening his dark eyes.
Rogue found herself grinning maniacally. "You'll just have to wait and see."
An hour later, their lunch was over and the students started to wonder in different directions, no doubt to shop in one of those cheesy souvenir shops that seem to be everywhere in the shopping center. Rogue waited outside the restaurant for Kitty alone, leaning up against the wooden exterior with her arms crossed. She had told Remy that she and Kitty needed to shop in private so Remy left her alone and went away, sulking.
"Hey, Rogue!" Kitty smiled as she walked through the entrance of the café. "Okay, so, like, tell me your plan! It's it good?"
"I think it is," the other girl replied, straightening and locking her arm around Kitty's. "You got some money on you?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Rogue smiled. "We are going to buy something. We're going to a lot of something," she told her, leading Kitty away from the restaurant and into the big square. Across the green square and in front of the girls was a supermarket. "But we will have to be quick about it. We can't let anyone see us."
Kitty's blue eyes were bright with mischief. "Okay. I'll, like, follow your lead."
Rogue and Kitty walked across the piazza and stepped into the large store. A woman with big curly hair and wearing a bright red apron smiled at the immediately and asked if they were looking for anything in particular. Rogue shook her head and headed further into the store.
"What are we looking for?"
"Hold your horses, sugar," Rogue replied, turning her head from side to side and they walked down the lane, peering into every aisle. "There! We're here to buy those."
Kitty gasped at Rogue pointed to before a high giggle of girlie glee escaped her mouth as she blushed and looked at her friend. "Are you, like, serious?!"
"Of course! Now grab as many as you can!"
Kitty dashed down the aisle. "This is going to be so good!"
~*~*~*~
"Did you think that we should be singing the theme to mission impossible?" Rogue panted as she hurled the last of the bags into the back of the by now laden back of the car.
"Come on, Rogue, we're, like, almost done," Kitty replied, shoving another one into the cramped space. "We can't let anyone see. Did we really need this much?"
"Of course!"
"But we got like 20 packs!"
"Shut up, girl, and keep hulling them in!"
"There's not enough room!"
"Phase them through each other!"
"Ooh! That's a good idea."
"There!" Rogue finally exclaimed as the very last bag was phased into place. "Now pull the door down and close it."
Kitty struggled to do so. "It won't, like, close!" she exclaimed, panicked.
Rogue sighed and added her own body weight to the resisting door.
"Oh, I, like, told you we got too many bags."
"Just keep pushing, Kitty!"
"Ooh, what do we have here?"
Kitty and Rogue gasped and turned around, keeping both bodies pressed against the car. Remy and John were feet away, smirking with hands on their hips.
"What do you guys want?" Rogue asked irritably.
"Nothing much," John replied, smiling an innocent smile of a young boy. "What'cha got there?"
Kitty paled. "Nothing…much," she stammered out.
John cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Then want wrong with the trunk? It looks…fuller."
"Er…"Rogue replied.
"Did you two girls go shopping?" Remy asked.
"No."
"No."
Remy sighed and shook his head. "You don't have to lie about it."
"Where not lying," Rogue lied.
Remy tossed her a wide grin. "Really?" he drawled out.
"Uh-huh."
"I don't believe you. John."
The Aussie nodded and stepped towards the girls.
"Now, John, this is, like, not a good idea!" Kitty told him as he stepped between her and Rogue.
"Sorry, babe," he replied before grabbing the hood and pulling it open. Rogue and Kitty jumped out of the way just in time to see the bags of their shopping mission fall out of the back the car, knocking John down and burying him.
"Ow…" John muttered half-heartedly beneath all the bags.
"You were shopping," Remy laughed as he stepped forward to grab a bag. "Now, what did you get?"
Rogue gulped and looked at Kitty. Kitty bit her lip and looked at Rogue. Both winced when they heard Remy's manly shriek of horror. "Fils de putain! Merde!" he shouted in Cajun before tossing the bag away as if he was burnt badly.
Rogue sighed. "Er…Sorry about that…"
Remy stared at he in disbelief. "I know that my mama never told me what happens to a girl but, damn, do you need so many, chere?!"
"They're not for me or Kitty!" Rogue told him, exasperated. "They are for Sam and Kurt and nothing scares boys more than a girl's period. So we bought 10 bags of pads."
"PADS?!" John screamed before leaping to his feet. Incredulous, he stared down at the countless bags of maxi pads and visibly blanched. "You girls are twisted!" he hissed, quickly backing away from the car. "I think I'm going to be sick."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Where do you think your, like, going, mister? You totally messed everything up! So it's your responsibly to put all the bags back!"
Both Remy and John looked like deers caught in the headlights. Very sick deers on the verge of fainting.
"But…"John stammered.
"Chere…"
"You two are such babies," Rogue snapped out before grabbing the bags and shoving them back inside the car. "They're just pads! Come on, Kitty. Hurry up before anyone sees."
"Fine." With one last glare in John's direction, Kitty went back to work.
"What is happening?" Piotr asked
as he quietly came upon the group. He watched Rogue and Kitty before looking at
the immobile Remy and John. "Why are you letting the girls do all the work?"
"Because they are, like, typical males," Kitty grumbled.
Piotr looked a little confused. "Pardon me but I did not think a girl would need so many feminine products."
"They ain't for us, Piotr," Rogue panted from the exertion. "They are for a practical joke against Sam and Kurt."
This was probably the first time Rogue or Kitty ever heard Piotr laugh. It was deep, soft, and warm. They paused in their work just enough to gape at the giant Russian, not really sure how to take this turn of events.
"May I help you too then?" Piotr asked. "I heard what Sam and Kurt did and think they deserve whatever you have got planned for them."
"Er…" was Kitty and Rogue's reply as they watched him swoop the rest of the bags into his arms and shoved them all into the back in one smooth motion. When that was done, he pulled the door down and shut in completely. The others just stared.
"There," Piotr said, taking a step back and brushing his hands together. "It's done."
The others continued to stare.
"Oh my god," Remy whispered.
"Piotr…he…touched them!" John exclaimed, still very white.
"What a total softie!" Kitty sighed.
"What a man!" Rogue breathed, looking just as star-struck.
The two girls immediately latched onto Piotr's arms and looked at him as if he were a famous movie star.
"Hey, sugar, wanna go get some ice cream?" Rogue asked.
"All right," the Russian replied, smiling down at them. "I'll pay."
Remy and John saw their girls sigh dreamily and head off with their friend. They were too shocked to do anything for a moment.
"Hey! What are we? Chop liver or something?!" John shouted at them. "Piotr, you son of a bitch!"
"Man," Remy sighed with a shake of his head as he watched the trio walk off. "Kitty and Rogue were putty in his hands. That ain't right!"
"Sensitive prick my ass. I like girls and all but you don't see me painting their toenails…"
"Or picking up their…feminine things," Remy added with a shudder.
"Well, come on, mate," John said considerably cheerful as he patted his friend's back, "let's be men and buy some whiskey with your fake ID."
Remy felt better then and he grinned at John. "Sounds like a plan, mon ami. Lead the way."
~*~*~*~
"Chere…"
"…."
"Chere!"
"…."
"Chere!"
"Give it a rest! When will you get it through your thick skull that I'm not going to talk to you, Remy!"
"I figured that much, chere. But you can't still be mad at me for this afternoon, can you?!"
Rogue considered for a brief moment. "Yes," she finally answered before turning her face back to the window and watching the dark landscape fly by.
Remy sighed and felt like putting his face in his hands and giving up this futile debate. "Come on, chere! You said it yourself! Boys are naturally scared of a girl's…thing. I can't be blamed!"
Rogue sat at the very end of the seat of the car but Remy was still frozen by her cold shoulder. It was late in the evening and they were still fighting. It exasperated him to no end. Part of him wanted to get mad right back and part of him wanted to shake some sense into his girlfriend while a tiny part of him known that he ought to apologize for being such a guy. But he didn't listen to that back. Like hell he would apologize for his natural instincts! The same argument was carrying on in the seat in front of them only with Kitty in the passenger seat and John sulking by himself.
"Piotr didn't seem to be bothered by it," Rogue told him coldly.
"That's because Piotr's a weirdo."
"No, it's because he's sensitive and you're…just a guy!"
"And if I am?"
Rogue gave a heavy sigh and ran her hand through her hair. "Damn it, Remy, sometimes you can be so sweet. And other times you can be so…male! Why don't you just make up your mind for once and stick to one or the other?!"
"Chere, I'm just being honest with you! A girl on her period is scary! You're weepy one minute and then madder than hell the next."
"You have no idea what it's like to have a period to just shut your mouth, Remy! It's like there is something inside of you that's eating away at your uterus!"
Remy flinch as if in dire pain at the U-word while Kitty gave a firm and hearty 'amen' from the front seat.
"But, chere," Remy pleaded, "I've never had one and never will. A girl's period is the unknown to a boy. The final frontier so to speak. It's not my fault that it freaks me out!"
Rogue glared at him. "What if I need you to rub my back during my period or get my something to drink? Are you just going to run away?"
"Of course not, chere! I'd do anything for you."
"Really? Even run to the store if I'm low on pads?" Rogue asked, scooting closer to him.
"If you really need me too, I guess I would," Remy answered in defeat, even though he still looked slightly uncomfortable with the idea.
"You wouldn't faint or run away?"
"…No."
She inched even closer.
"Really?"
"…Yes, chere."
Rogue smiled at him. "You are a softie underneath it all!"
Remy didn't even try to gather the pride to defend himself. He just sighed and let Rogue run her hand through his hair.
"Yeah, just a softie," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "One big unmanly softie."
"Does that mean you wanna help me and Kitty with the revenge?"
"What do you have in mind?" he asked, knowing that was a signing his own death warrant.
"I need you and John to distract Sam and Kurt while we decorate their rooms. They aren't sharing a room so you have to keep them busy for at least a half and hour."
"Okay. No problem."
"Thanks, Remy."
"Don't mention it, chere."
~*~*~*~
"Okay, Kitty, you ready?"
"You bet!"
"Remy got all the boys into a poker game. So we have plenty of time."
"Okay. Let's go. Is the coast clear?"
Rogue peeked out passed the doorway of their hotel room and glanced up and down the long hall. It was late in the night so no one was out. "It's good," she whispered back to Kitty. "Move out."
Wearing tight black clothing with their devious items in a bag on their shoulders, the two girls slipped passed the door and quickly but quietly crawled down the hallway to the stairway. It was easy to get to the floor below where the boys were staying for the night.
"What room is Kurt's?" Rogue asked softly as they crept down the quiet hall.
"104."
"Here it is! Phase your head in and see if Scooter's in there."
Kitty nodded, concentrated for a millisecond before phasing her head through the large burnished door. When she phased it back, she smiled at Rogue and said, "It's empty."
"Okay. Let's get in there and do some damage!"
Kitty grabbed Rogue's hand and led them both through the door. Once inside the fancy room, they instantly tossed their bags to the floor and threw them open. They filled their hands with pads and unwrapped them quickly.
"Where do we, like, put them?"
"Everywhere where Kurt's things are."
"Got'cha!"
Fifteen minutes later the Kurt's bed, clothing, nightstand, and the shared bathroom was covered in the cotton objects. The girls snickered and quickly escaped the room to find Sam's. The same fate was bestowed unto Rm. 110.
~*~*~*~
Later in the night, those who didn't want to lose anymore called the poker game quits. Remy smirked at his winnings and gave Sam and Kurt and bright 'good night'. They grumbled and left for their rooms. While the girls slept peacefully two horrified shrieks of the utmost terror echoed throughout the fancy hotel in the deep dark night.
~*~*~*~
"Well I feel much more better this morning!" Rogue sighed as she made her way down to breakfast the next morning.
"Me too. I slept really good."
Smirking, the girls walked inside the dinning room. Pale and traumatized, Kurt and Sam glared at them as they took their seats among the group of mutants. Kitty and Rogue smiled at them.
"Have a nice night, boys?" Rogue asked.
Kurt frowned at her. "You are twisted."
"Very twisted," Sam added.
"We just taught you boys a lesson," Kitty told them sweetly. "Never, like, barge into a girl's room without knocking in the morning."
"Believe me, I won't do that ever again!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Me neither!"
Rogue nodded with approval and started to eat. "Good."
"All right, students," Charles spoke from the head of the table. "In two days we will be in New Orleans. Our next stop is Jackson, Mississippi."
"Man, just 2 days away from the Big Easy," Rogue sighed, turning to smiled at her boyfriend who sat next to her. "Are you getting excited?"
She was surprised to see Remy's grim expression as he started down into his untouched plate.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked, reaching out to touch his hand.
He quickly withdrew it and stood up. "I gotta pack some things, chere," he told her quickly in a hushed murmur. "I'll see ya later."
Rogue was shocked into silence as she watched Remy stalked out of the dinning hall, the long leather tails on his trench coat floating in his wake.
What's up with him, she asked.
To be continued….
Author's Note: I had a real life experience with two girls who put pads all over this guy's room. I thought it was funny. I hope you do too! Man, I'm so close to just putting this fic 'on hold' but I'm keep writing since there is so many of your out there like it. I have so many ideas for the story it's just finding the time and the creativity to type it all down. I have a month off for Christmas so I plan to (hopefully) write a lot more. ^____^ Another thing, 60+ reviews for 3 chapters?! Dang! 0_0 thank you all so much for reviewing. I'm glad to like the story!