Author's Note: I'm so happy that this story is going so well. ^_^ Thank you all who read and reviewed. Your reviews helped me write a lot. I'm keeping the Assassins the Assassins because that name is so much cooler than the Rippers. I'm not well versed in the guild in the X-men comics' world so I'm changing things to fit this story. If that makes you mad, I'm very sorry. Also there is a small lemon in the chapter. Why? Because that's what happens when Rogue and Remy are left alone. ^__^ I hope you find it tasteful and appropriate. Don't think NC-17. Think R and it's all good. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men
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Chapter 5
The Problem with Returning
"Oh my God! Like, just look at it!" Kitty gasped, her forehead pressed against her window as she stared out of it with big blue eyes. "Look at all the lights!"
"Man, we're miles from the Big Easy!" John continued as he leaned against Kitty to look out the same window. "Watch out, New Orleans, here we come!"
Rogue smiled from her seat up front, feeling restless excitement boil in her stomach. Despite the long hours on the rode, crappy hotel food, popped tires, crazy antics, the trip to New Orleans all seemed worth it once she saw the glowing lights of the sleepless city as night fell.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, looking sideways to peek on Remy's profile in the corner of her eye. Even though t was getting darker by the second, she could see the harshness of her face and the way he all but gripped the stirring wheel. She frowned, thinking that he looked more like a man on death row then a man returning to his hometown. He had been acting weird ever since Jackson. She didn't know what was wrong but she wanted to. But if she preyed too much Remy would just become surly and defensive.
"Ain't you glad to be home, Remy?" she asked softly while the clowns in back 'ooh'ed and 'ah'ed at the sites.
He shrugged and continued to keep his eyes on the road. "Sure, I'm glad, chere," he replied halfheartedly.
Rogue rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him with all she had. "Then act like it then."
"You try driving for 8 hours straight and then have enough energy at the end to be happy," he snapped back. "I'm just tired, chere."
She was inches from telling him that she didn't believe him. But she just rolled her eyes again and murmured, "Whatever," before turning and looking out her window.
It was strangely quiet in the car from then on. Kitty, John, and Piotr had noticed the tension between the two lovers and stared them with large eyes.
"Trouble in paradise, mate?" John asked after a moment.
"Shut up," Remy grumbled.
John immediately pressed his lips together and said nothing.
The rest of the ride was as silent as the grave. Rogue didn't even enjoy the ride as they entered Downtown New Orleans and saw all the crowed and decorated streets. They were at the hotel in a matter of minutes. It was a large, beautiful building, streets away from the French Quarter. Rogue sighed in relief and jumped out of the car, breathing in the warm spicy air of spring in the South. Remy and the others followed and Rogue walked with Kitty and John to the group of tired but nonetheless excited mutants who were gathering in the parking lot. She chose to ignore Remy when he came up to stand behind her.
"All right, students," Ororo spoke up from the front of the group. "We made it here in one piece. I'm faintly surprised. Now Charles, Logan, and I decided that since it's still early in the evening, you may go out and explore the city a bit."
All the students cheered excitingly, beaming and thanking the adults.
"Since tomorrow in Mardi Gras, there are many people so be careful and go in groups," Ororo continued. "And please be back before nine. Get your key and room number from me before you go, students."
"Man, this is fucking awesome!" John exclaimed, smiling as he wrapped his arm around Kitty's slender shoulders.
"Like, what should we do? We've got like 3 hours to look around," the young girl replied. "Do you want to eat somewhere? Like, all 5 of us?"
"That's a good idea," Piotr told her. "I'll go."
"What about you, Rogue?" Kitty asked.
Rogue sighed and shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure," she muttered, just to make Kitty happy even though she was grumbling inside. "Why not?"
Kitty smiled at her and turned to ask Remy. "Are you, like, coming too?"
Remy shook his head, still ignoring Rogue. "I don't think so, chere."
"What?" Kitty asked, totally shocked. "Why not? It won't be the same without you."
"I'm calling it an early night, that's all," Remy told the group before turning and walking off. "See ya guys tomorrow."
"Man, that's fucking lame," John snapped. "What a party-pooper."
Rogue watched as Remy got his room and key number from Ororo and disappear quickly inside the hotel, face fixed in thought. She bit her lip and wondered for the umpteenth time what was wrong with her boyfriend. She had seen this side of him before but she had always been able to pull him out of it. Why couldn't she this time?
"You know what, Kitty?" she murmured. "I don't think I'll go either. I'm pretty tired myself."
Kitty pouted as she turned to look at her friend. "What? You're, like, not going either? What a bummer!"
"Sorry," Rogue replied, shrugging and walking off. Like Remy and the other students, she got her key and room number from Ororo and headed into the large hotel. Out of all the hotels they had stayed at during the course of the trip this one took the cake. Unfortunately Rogue was too distraught to be amazed at its beauty. She made a beeline for her room and waited for her luggage to be carried up to her.
Once in her room, she groaned in frustration and she flung herself onto one of the beds, sinking into the soft mattress and burying her face in the pillow. Too tense to relax, Rogue's restless mind wondered back to Remy. She knew that he wasn't going to call it an early night. He never went to bed before midnight. What the hell was he up too?
Frowning, Rogue sat up and pulled her knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs and pulling them close. She desperately clung to them. When she closed her eyes she imaged that she was really holding on to her boyfriend. Ever since Jackson, Remy never touched her and kissed her. When she tried to initiate something, he would always pull away.
She was surprised when she noticed that she had started to cry. She was disgusted with herself. It wasn't like her to be so weak. She ought to get to the bottom of this and fast but if she did Remy would just push her way and become defensive. If that happened, we would never tell her anything. He didn't trust her. That was so obvious. But why didn't he after all they had been through?
"No, that's not true," she told herself. "Remy does trust me. Maybe it's being in the city that has him all weird with the murder and all. But that can't be it. He wouldn't have returned if it wasn't important."
Rogue frowned and pushed her brain to think of a logical answer. Maybe he's thinking about leaving she thought, making her blood run cold. Maybe being in the city has reminded him how much he really likes it here. Maybe he wants to leave the X-men and stay in New Orleans. As illogical as that notion was, Rogue thought that was it.
"Ooh, I can't stand this!" Rogue groaned, pulling at her hair. "I just want to go to sleep and think this is all a bad dream!"
Inches from becoming a lachrymose ball of lovesick girl, she throw off her clothing and slipped beneath the covers on her bed, dressed in only her panties and bra. She turned off all the lights in the room from a switch by her nightstand. Nestling further down into her gloriously sating covers, Rogue closed her eyes and dwelt in her self-pity. This was not the way she planned to spend her first night in New Orleans.
She didn't even look up when she heard Kitty enter and then leave as quietly as possible once she had freshened up to go out to eat with John and Piotr, thinking that Rogue was sleeping. A little bit later, Rogue heard the door open again. She thought she had dozed off and it was Kitty coming back from her excursion and thought nothing of it.
When the intruder quietly made its way to her bed and lay down next to her, Rogue knew it wasn't Kitty and felt fear wash over her cold body. She tensed, readying herself to defend herself if the intruder meant to attack. But she stilled automatically once she smelled that apprised spicy cologne and the warmth of the hard body next to her, spooning her. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her figure under the thick comforter. Even though she didn't want to, Rogue sighed and felt her smaller body melt in Remy's familiar embrace.
"I'm sorry, chere," Remy whispered after a moment, his voice low and a bit gruff. She didn't reply but looked into the darkness, biting her lower lip. "I'm just at my wits end so to speak. I need to do some things now that I'm here. Things I thought that I never thought I'd do again. And now I've realized that I shouldn't have dragged you all down her with me. It was a mistake. It's too dangerous."
"What do you need to do?" Rogue finally asked, her voice cracking painfully in her tight throat. She felt her eyes fill as the tears came and silently rolled down her pale face. "Will you be okay?"
Remy sighed and held her tighter. "Back in Bayville, I got a call from Aluin St. Simone. He's the leader of my guild now. He told me that things with the other gangs were getting bad, especially with on gang in particular, the Assassins. He needed me to get down here and settled a couple of issues with that gang. But I shouldn't have come down here. I can't settle anything. The Assassins want me dead. How the hell can a settle something like that?"
Rogue frowned, feeling more tears come, as she turned around in Remy's arms to look up at him. The pain and confusion she saw in his beautiful eyes ate at her heart. Remy touched a hand to her face gently.
"I made you cry," he whispered, wiping her tears away with his fingertips.
"It's okay," she replied, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "Why do they want you dead, Remy?"
"Vengeance. They are making of mess of New Orleans and the Thieves Guild can't hold them back for much longer. They will keep it up until they get their vengeance, too."
"So this is the reason you've been acting so…strange lately?"
"Yes," he confessed guiltily. "Can you blame me?"
Rogue shook her head. "I wish you told me earlier. I thought you were going to leave me or something and stay here in New Orleans."
Remy leaned his forehead against Rogue's own. "I'd never do, chere."
Rogue sighed and cupped his face in her hands. "I won't let them hurt you, Remy. What are you going to do?"
She felt him shrug. "I don't know, chere," he replied, his cracking. "It would be best if I just left the city but I can't leave the guild like this. They really need me now. I was thinking about sneaking out and seeing them tonight."
"Take me with you, Remy."
He tensed and then shook his head. "I'm sorry but that's too risky, chere," he explained to her, sighing heavily. "The Assassins are everywhere. I have to move quickly before anyone sees me."
"I'm a mutant. I can take care of myself," she protested. "And there are so many people here. No one will be able to see us. I won't let you go alone."
Remy sighed and looked down at her. "Since I've a feeling that you won't take 'no' for an answer, I'll take you with me. But if anything happens, just get away as fast as you can, okay?"
"Okay. Do you think something will happen?
"Don't know. We'll just be careful," he murmured, running a hand slowly down her face. She tilted her head into the gentle caress, giving Remy an unfettered view of her neck, which he immediately ducked down to kiss. She flinched, his warm lips tickling her sensitive skin, but continued to hold him close.
"When are we leaving?" she asked him.
"Thought around midnight," he said, pressing his lips close to her ear. "We can sneak out. No one will know where gone."
Rogue hummed softly in reply, to overwhelmed to speak as she felt Remy kiss a line to her mouth. Trembling a little, she let him kiss her breathlessly as his own hunger pour into her body. In an instant she wished that the cover between them was gone. Thinking the same thing, Remy pulled back the silky sheets and crawling inside her warm cocoon, but not before stopping to observe her state of undress and stripping off his trench coat.
"You should sleep like that more often, chere," he teased him, smiling lecherously as his nimble fingertips ran down the middle of her chest to play with the lacy fringe of her bra.
She tried not to blush or be nervous since he had already since her like this before. But she couldn't. Heart pounding a mile a minute, she smacked his hand away. "Come here, Remy," she demurred, flushing warmly as she opened her arms. "I'm cold!"
"All right, chere. Hold your horses," he purred, joining her under the covers and throwing the comforter over them, trapping them in a world of darkness and warmth.
Rogue giggled as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her shoulders and neck. "Remy, wait! Let me turn on the TV or something!" Struggling, she reached out from under the covers and groped around her nightstand until she found the remote control. Pressing any button in her hurry to turn it on, the television in the corner flickered on.
"Ooh! Trading Spaces!"
"Chere!"
Rogue laughed and turned up the volume before throwing the control away and scrambling back under the covers. Remy immediately had her pinned under him, making quick work of unhooking her bra. Closing her eyes, she let him deal with the thing as she settled further in the mattress, enjoying the sound of his labored breathing and feel of his opulent touches.
She cried out softly when he stripped her bra away and nuzzled her breasts, kissing one fervently while his free hand massaged the other. Arching her back at the touch, Rogue's hand frantically went to the hem of Remy's shirt and tugged at it, wanting to feel his naked skin against her own. He pulled away just long enough to pull his shirt and pants off before returning to her body to ravish her. She moaned, wrapped her legs around his waist and running her hand through his long auburn tresses to his back, fingertips gliding over the warm, slick flesh.
When he was moved away, her breasts felt heavy and delightfully swollen. He started to nip his away down passed her belly to the hem of her underwear. She blushed as her removed it, kissing and nuzzling her legs and he pulled them down. Warm silk against her naked, sticky skin was a strange feeling but not unwanted. It was very liberating to make love on silk sheets, very romantic too. She sighed, lifting her arms above her head and stretching, trying to feel move of the silk. Remy sat back on his legs, smiling down at her. She blushed and smiled back at him.
"You're beautiful, chere," he purred, his voice husky as he leaned down to kiss her mouth. She moaned silently and pulled him down until he was nestled between her legs above her. He had taken the opportunity to strip off the remaining articles of clothing and was just as naked as she. Heat boiled in her stomach when she felt him rub against her intimately and she arched up against him.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. His hand wondered from her neck, over her breast, to rest against her tight, kneading the flesh. In one swift moment, he pushed gently into her and was buried deep inside her. He waited a few moments, letting her adjust to his invasion. She whimpered into the kiss when he pulled out only to thrust into her again.
Hidden from view under the covers, they found a rhythm that left them both breathless and impassioned. As hungry kissed were given and taken, hips rocked, and soft cried of pleasure filled the dark room, Rogue inevitably found the peak of her passion and cried out as pleasure washed over her, weakening and tensing her body at the same time. Above, she felt Remy shudder as he followed her and held onto him tight until her ecstasy passed.
She was panting and hot when it was over. She laughed breathlessly, seeing Remy's face buried in the side of her neck and she threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling his hair with her nose. She kissed his forehead.
"I love you," she whispered to him, running her hands up and down his spine.
"I love you too," he replied, finally looking up at her and smiling. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers sincerely.
They settled down onto the bed, lying on the sticky sheets for a few more moments until it was time for Remy to go. Wanting nothing more to be with Rogue, he sighed as he sat up on the bed, running a hand through his tousled hair.
"I better go before Kitty comes back," he grumbled.
Rogue groaned and sat up, wrapping her arms around him from behind. She kissed his shoulder. "Okay," she sighed.
"I'll get you around midnight. You think Kitty will be asleep then?"
"Probably. If not, I'll just say you and I are sneaking out to do something romantic. She won't tell the adults."
"Okay. I'll knock on the door when it's time," Remy said, pulling on his clothes.
Rogue nodded and laid back down, watching her boyfriend. When he was done, he leaned down and kissed her. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, chere."
She smiled at him and watched him walk out of the room before sitting up again and walking into the bathroom to take a shower.
~*~*~*~
Rogue had dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and was sitting on the ground, back against her bed, as she watched the television. Kitty was lying on her bed, flipping through a magazine. It was a quarter to midnight.
"Are you going to sleep, Rogue?" Kitty asked after a moment.
"Nah. I'm sneaking out with Remy actually," she replied, smiling nervously at her friend. "He wants to do something romantic."
"Really? That's so, like, cute! So I'm guessing Remy, like, got over whatever was pissing him off?"
"Yeah." Rouge felt herself blush and she quickly looked away.
"Oh God," Kitty groaned. "You and Remy alone. Let me guess what happened."
"Please don't," Rogue begged.
"Where you guys do it?!"
"Er…his room," Rogue lied.
"Oh, good. It would be totally weird if you did it in here! I'm sneaking out with John too."
"Really? When?"
"Around one. We're, like, going to a club down the street."
Rogue grinned at her friend. "Have fun."
"I will."
A faint knock on the door interrupted the conversation as both girls looked up. Rogue sighed and stood up, pulling on her boots. "That'll be Remy."
"Oh la la! Don't stay out too late, Rogue."
Rogue glared at her roommate before walking out of the room, quietly closing the door behind me. Remy was standing in the shadows in the hallway. She almost missed him. When he reached out to grab her arm, she jumped a good foot.
Smiling apologetically, he grabbed her hand with his and led her down the hallway without a word. They took the stairs down to the main floor and walked out of the main lobby into the night air with no one catching them. Out in the street, Rogue breathed in the cool spicy air of the city. Remy didn't stop and guided her down the street, their voyage shrouded in shadows.
"Remy, where are we going?"
"A meeting place."
They moved quickly and quietly through the streets, dodging from alleyway to shady alleyway. For the most part, people ignored them. There were a lot of drunken weirdoes out that night. No one stuck out. After a while, the loud city faded away and Rogue found herself in a darker part of New Orleans. No longer were they protected by the warm glow of city lights, now that only had a full moon. Gone where the locked buildings, bedecked with iron galleries and a large aboveground cemetery lay before them, surrounded in thick, curling fog.
Rogue felt herself pale and she struggled to gulp down her rising fear. "A cemetery, Remy?"
"Not superstitious are you, chere?"
"I believe in ghost, if that's what you mean."
"I do too. Damn, couldn't Aluin have picked a better spot?" he murmured, shaking his head. "This place gives me the creeps."
"Wait! You're meeting in there?!"
"Oui."
"Oh, man," she hissed, holding on tightly to Remy's hand.
"My thoughts actually. Well, let's go, chere."
Rogue took a deep breath. "I'm scared."
"Me, too."
Hesitantly, the couple walked through the large stone gateway and into the dark graveyard. Thick white fog twisted in and out of the large aboveground tombs and creepy statues of weeping angels and morose women. But in the darkness, even though they were no doubt very beautiful in the daylight, the sculptures looked like malicious demons in the moonlight. Rogue shuddered and moved closer to Remy. They moved deeper into the graveyard as the darkness and the fog closed in on them. It was dead quiet, the silence only disturbed by the soft treading of their feet.
"We're almost there, chere," Remy whispered suddenly.
"How can you tell? It feels like I'm walking is circles," Rogue replied.
After they walk a couple more yards, they stopped by a statue of a heavenly seraph when a tall shadow moved behind it. Remy automatically reached for a card in his back pocket.
"Who's there?" he demanded.
The shadow stepped forward. "It's me, mon ami," a deep voice replied. "Aluin."
Remy sighed and quickly replaced the card. "Nice place to throw a welcoming party," he quipped without a trace of humor.
"I thought so. Who's that with you?"
Remy turned to look at her. "This be Rogue," he said. "She's my girlfriend."
Aluin nodded but said nothing. "It's good to see you, Remy."
"You, too. Did you come alone?"
"No," a new voice, female this time, spoke up. Another shadow moved behind the statue and stood beside Aluin. "It's too dangerous to be alone at these times."
Remy looked to the other figure. "Nicolette?"
"Oui."
"Are we just going to stand around here and chat?"
"We've got an empty tomb up ahead where we can go," the girl replied. "Follow me. It's not far."
Her and Aluin turned and walked off and Remy followed, pulling Rogue with him. It wasn't long before they came upon the mausoleum and quietly snuck in like regular looters. Inside, the old tomb was pretty big with a stone coffin and bench. There were a couple of candles scattered about as well as another person who hung quietly in the shadows.
In the dim light, Rogue could see that Aluin was a tall, lanky man with mocha colored skin and long black hair. Nicolette was a young girl, around Rogue's age with an elfin face and short brown hair. They were both dressed in baggy street clothes and trench coats. The third person was an older man, mid-thirties with a long scar running down the side of his face. They didn't look the friendly type either.
Aluin stood by the coffin, arms crossed, while Nicolette sat down on the bench. Remy gestured for Rogue to take a seat next to the girl and she did as Remy moved to stand alongside Aluin.
"I'm guessing you appointed Nicole to be your second hand?" Remy questioned.
"Oui. She's very capable."
The youthful girl lifted her head and smiled at Remy.
"Thank you for coming, mon ami," Aluin said, resting a large hand on Remy's shoulder. "I know it's difficult and you probably think I'm failing as a leader but I can't hold back the assassins anymore."
"I appointed you because I thought you could," Remy snapped back.
"It's not Aluin's fault!" Nicolette spoke up, her voice rising with her anger. "The assassins suddenly got all restless and bloodthirsty. We need to strike them hard and fast where it hurts them most. Remy, even though they are after you, we're not planning to hand you over to them. You're a strategic genius. We need your help to help us end the war once and for all."
Remy was silent for a moment and Rogue watched as Aluin leaned in to murmur something into his ear. Remy shook his head and muttered, "I need her here. She knows what's going on and can take care of herself."
Rogue looked away, figuring out that they were talking about her. Obviously Aluin didn't like her being there.
"What has the Assassins been up too as of late?"
Aluin sighed and replied, "They've killed several of the Thieves Guild members already. They demand to see you. I've told them that you were dead but they didn't believe me. They say that they won't stop until they have you. That's not possible and I fear that a full out war will develop. We have to stop them."
"Don't worry. We'll think of something."
"Remy," Nicolette said, "it's your…I mean, you know as well as I do, who exactly wants your head."
Remy nodded and paled.
"Listen, things were pretty quiet before she came back. When she did, she took hold of the Assassins and started this whole campaign to find you. If you take her out…"
"We'll think of something," Remy repeated, sharper this time.
Nicolette sighed heavily and looked away. "Whatever you come up with, it won't stop her. The assassins need to be whipped and whipped good and she needs to die. She's completely off her rocker and will stop at nothing until she gets you. You have to kill her. It's the only way. Only you can do it."
Remy ran a hand over his face and hissed. "Damn, I need a drink. When do we need to act?"
"Before someone else is killed," Aluin replied. "If you approve, the guild is equipped with guns and will act on my command."
"I don't want a bloodbath, Aluin. I'll go see her. Maybe I can talk her out of wanting to kill me or something."
"I don't think that will work," Aluin said.
Remy shrugged. "Fine. I'll think of something. Just wait. We'll talk tomorrow, all right?"
Aluin frowned. "All right. Does anyone know you're here?"
"No. Just Rogue. No one followed me either."
"Okay. Hang low now that you're here. The assassins are everywhere. If they catch a glimpse of you, they won't hesitate to tell Belle and come after you, no matter what the cost."
Remy nodded and moved over to stand besides Rogue. "I know that," he told Aluin. "I'll be careful. We'll talk tomorrow."
The black man nodded without word and Rogue stood up and followed Remy out of the tomb.
"Man, that was something out the Godfather," Rogue muttered, running her hands up and down her chilled arms.
"Except were Cajun and not Italian," Remy laughed softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leading her away.
She looked up at him, confused. "You seem pretty all right for having someone out to kill you. You okay?"
"Nothing unusual about someone wanting to Kill Remy unfortunately, chere."
"Why is she after you?" she asked, not wholly excepting Remy to give her the truth.
Remy frowned and he didn't talk for a while. "The man I killed," he murmured, "he was her brother. Now she wants revenge."
Rogue gasped silently, feeling the cold hand of shock grab hold of her heart. "Who is she?"
"Belladonna is my wife."
To be continued!
Author's Note: Ooh I love this chapter (even without the lemon)! It's so suspenseful! And the truth is finally out. How will Rogue react? I wasn't planning on having Remy tell Rogue about Belle but that seemed a better time and waiting until Belle told Rogue at the end. I really hope you liked this chapter! What a horrible cliffhanger!