Author's Note: The second installment. Not too much to say, only one section this time. Angst-filled as always. Time has passed, how much have things really changed?? And feelings waned??
Disclaimer: Simply put, I own nada. Not Rogue, Joseph, Storm, Gambit, Emil, or Jean-Luc. And sadly not the X-Men. :(
"talking" - 'thinking' - .::character perspective::. - section introduction/foreign languages
Sometimes
by, Caliente
Moving On
Love. It only comes once in a lifetime, or so they say. But, sometimes ya have ta let yer love go. Accept that maybe it's what's best. An' after ya do, it hurts. Eventually ya heal, an' begin ta feel again. Sometimes you're lucky enough ta find it again. Love. Or at least somethin' close enough ta fill the void.
.::Rogue::.
"Joe quit!" Rogue shrieked with laughter as the silver haired mutant tickled her mercilessly. "Don't make me strike back, ya won't survive."
The Magneto clone, or whatever he was, laughed a deep laugh as he leapt out of the way of a murderous Rogue. He stuck his tongue out at her, which just fuelled her anger. She chased him around the room, finally tackling him onto the bed. "So… ya give up?" she asked breathlessly, her face just inches from his.
Joseph smirked in a way that reminded her of Remy, but she quickly removed those thoughts. "Never," he answered before bringing his face up to hers.
Kiss. Touch. It was so sweet to Rogue. Something that she had been denied for so long… and now she was free to have it any time she pleased. They broke apart and Rogue glared at him. "That doesn't mean ya won sugah," she told him in a stern tone.
Normally they would have continued; however, fate, or in this case Ororo, intervened. The weather witch cleared her throat from the doorway and stated, in her regal tone, "Rogue, may I please have a quick word with you?"
Pushing herself off of Joseph, Rogue smiled at her friend. "Sure. Joe was just leavin'." Joseph shot her a questioning look, but she just half shoved him out of the room. "We'll finish this later," she threatened playfully after him.
The two women could hear Joseph laughing from down the hall. Ororo walked calmly towards Rogue, and sat next to her on the bed. "It is good to see you in such good spirits child," she commented with a smile. "I just wanted to check up on you. To make sure that–"
"Ah'm all right," the Southerner supplied. She smiled at her team leader. "Ah'm great 'Ro," she stated. "Ah feel happier than Ah have in a long time."
"Since Remy left?" Storm pried carefully.
"Yeah," Rogue agreed, unable to keep the sadness out of her eyes at the mention of her former lover. "Since Remy went on his mission." 'An' never came back,' she finished in her head. 'Like he promised he would.' She felt the familiar tears forming in her eyes, and she struggled to stop herself.
"It is okay to still hurt child," Ororo soothed. "It still hurts me as well."
"Ah know," Rogue whispered, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. "Sometimes Ah feel bad, knowin' that Ah don't really love Joseph. Knowin' that if Remy just came back, Ah would be his again in an instant. But Ah just can't keep waitin' 'round like a fool, waitin' fo' a man that may never return. A man who will never return. He decided for us, years ago. Ah just wish he hadn't picked the path he did. Ah still miss him."
"I understand, we all do," Storm assured the younger girl. "Love is not something you just 'recover' from. And neither is pain. Both take time to get over. But you are moving on, and that is admirable."
"Thanks Storm," Rogue said honestly. "Yer too kind."
"I speak the truth," Ororo replied. She smiled at the younger girl. "You have become so much more than you ever dreamed of. Do you remember when you first arrived? All you had were the clothes on your back, and you were asking your enemies for help. And some of us, myself included, did not treat you well. You believed yourself deserving of our anger; however, you soon proved that you were just as brave as the rest of us. Risking your life for the dream, time and time again. You have proven more than just your worth as an X-Man. You have proven your worth as a person. And as a worthy person, you deserve to be loved, and to love in return. Right now you cannot, and Joseph understands that. But he is not asking it of you, all he wants is the chance to love you. To help you heal from your previous heartache. And given that chance, I believe he will prove himself worthy of you. And perhaps you will grow to care for him as he cares for you. But for now, all he wants is to be with you."
Rogue's eyes sparkled with tears as she listened to Ororo speak so highly of her. "Wow," she breathed in surprise. "Thank ya. Ya always know how ta make a gal feel better." She felt a small smile grace her lips, but the moment she remembered Remy it was gone. "You're really too kind. An' Ah appreciate the pep talk. But… could Ah please have a few minutes alone? Ta reflect."
"Of course." Ororo stood and walked to the door. She paused and added, "We're all here if you need us."
'All but Remy,' she argued silently. "Ah know," Rogue murmured as she watched Storm's retreating figure. Rogue moved to her nightstand and opened the drawer. She lifted out a picture of Remy, which he had signed, 'I'd always bet on you… Love Gambit.' [1] She felt the tears she had been restraining flow down her cheeks. "Why? Why didn't ya come back?" she questioned the photograph. "Why wasn't our love enough?" She looked away, placing the photo back in the drawer, face down. "Why can't Ah get over you?"
.::Remy::.
"Jus' gettin' in?" a heavily accented voice asked in a dark room. Gambit smirked in the darkness, able to see who it was perfectly due to his red on black eyes. "It's nearly five in de mornin'. Where y'been boy?"
"Nowhere papa," Remy replied innocently. "Jus' around."
The light switch flipped on, causing Remy to curse and cringe in the sudden brightness. He quickly pulled out his sunglasses and slipped them on, relieving him from the painful lights. "Don' give me dat boy," he scolded. "Y'not too old f'r me t'whip."
Gambit winced as he recalled the whippings he received as a child. "Uh, I was doin' a job," he offered.
"Try 'gain," the older man almost laughed at his pathetic expression. "Henri an' Theo got back from deir jobs earlier. Asked dem where y'were an' dey had no clue. 'Sides I'd like t't'ink dat I'd know if my own son was out doin' Guild work."
"Coulda been out doing some personal t'ievin'," Remy tried pathetically. His father just gave him a look. 'Not to self, kill Henri and Theo later,' the younger man thought as he silently cursed his brother and cousin for not covering for him. "All right, y'caught me. I was out wit' a fille. Las' time I checked, dat wasn' a crime." 'Merde, now my accent's thickening,' he noticed. 'Always did hate that.'
"Not technically, no," Jean-Luc responded. "'Course y'wife migh' have a t'in' or two t'say 'bout it."
"She's not m'wife 'nymore," Remy defended. "We got a divorce, 'member?"
"Dat y'did," the leader of the Thieves Guild agreed. "But dat won' stop her from sendin' her assassins after you or anyone y'wit'."
"I know, I know," Gambit muttered in defeat. He plopped down in a chair near his père but out of slapping distance. He knew better. "Not m'fault de woman's unhinged." Jean-Luc snorted but chose not to comment. "M'sorry, okay?" he apologized pathetically. "Guess I'm still a restless soul."
"Mebbe. Or mebbe you're jus' wishin' f'r somet'in' y'gave up years ago." His father paused, making sure he had his son's full attention. "Or someone."
"Like dat girl, uh, Rouge," a new voice piped up.
"Rogue," Remy corrected instantly. "It's Rogue, Emil, not 'Rouge'. She'd murder you if she heard y'call her dat."
"Whatever," his young cousin shrugged him off. "Whatever happened t'her. I liked dat one. She was a real looker. An' strong, like–"
"Emil, don' y't'ink y'should mind yo' own business," Jean-Luc suggested in a commanding tone. "An' go back t'bed. Dis conversation don't concern you." He moved to argue but his uncle cut him off again. "Bed. Now. Comprenez?"
"Oui." Emil pouted like a little boy as he exited the kitchen. "Don' see why Remy's so special," he grumbled just loud enough for the pair to hear.
Jean-Luc shook his head with a small laugh. "Dat boy ain't never gon' learn. Or grow up." He glared slightly at Remy. "I t'ink dat's prob'ly yo' influence."
"Hey, I am definitely more mature den Emil," the mutant thief argued. 'Not much, but more just the same,' he added to himself with a small smirk.
"Oui an' dat's de sad part," Jean-Luc agreed ruefully. He observed his somewhat estranged son closely. "Y'gon' tell me what got y'so worked up over Rogue or do I have t'guess?"
His father's sarcasm did not go unnoticed; however, Gambit pointedly ignored him. "It's de past. What's dat saying? Let it lie."
His father stood to leave, looking at his son closely once more. "I have. De question is, have you?" With that, Jean-Luc exited the kitchen, as quiet as a thief.
Remy stood and followed his father's lead, heading towards his bedroom. He flipped off the kitchen light and silently glided up to his cushy room. Once inside, Gambit shed his coat and plopped on the bed. By all accounts, he should have been exhausted, but something was keeping him awake. Flipping on his bedside lamp, Remy lifted the loose floorboard by the bed and removed a small framed picture that once resided in his wallet. [2] Rogue's green eyes stared back at him. "'M sorry," he apologized to the photograph. "F'r all de pain I caused, mebbe even still cause. An' all de pain I couldn' prevent. If I could go back, mebbe t'ings woulda turned out different. Unfort'nately, f'r now, all I can offer is my regrets. Because, chere, I do regret leaving you. More den anyt'ing else in de world. But it's too late now. Can' change de past."
[1] Rogue really does have a picture of him that he signed like that. I didn't make that up. Nifty, huh??
[2] Remy really did have a picture of Rogue in his wallet. I just figured he would have removed it after they separated.
Review Responses: Thanks to everybody who read it… and especially to those that reviewed. YAY!! Keep it up y'all!! Star-of-chaos: He left on a mission. Undisclosed (plot hole maybe). The question isn't why did he leave. It's why didn't he return. Thanks for being my first reviewer!! :) - Aro: Emotional is good. Means I did my job right. I hope this was soon enough for you. :) And I updated the other stuff… you just had to sit through a Scott chappy. Angst makes the world go round, huh?? And here I thought it was gravity. :P - Lady Sir Henry Morgan: Sad but good… I'll take it. :) And different?? YAY!! I'm creatamative. *grins like a loony* Thanks!! - Jean1: Aliens eh?? Not my forte. But I'm glad you liked what I did do. :) Guild trapping him back?? How did you know?! :P More like Remy keeping himself away. Thanks for the sweet review!! Random, but sweet. - Millie: I've "piqued your curiosity"… first time for everything I guess. :P It's not ended – it's just getting started. BWA-HA-HA!! More angst to come. Thanks, you're TOO kind. - Ishandahalf: Wow!! I'm always great?? Thanks!! *blushes* Too sweet. :-D I didn't mean to make the beans sad… I was just having an angst itchin'. If that makes any sense (I know it doesn't). Fluffy goodness?? I make no promises!! Except that somehow their true feelings will be revealed. And maybe a happy ending is in store. Probly. No depression spiral, "Diary of a Mutant" will have fluff… someday. When they wake up. Promise. - T.: Thanks!! :) Remy left 'cause he had a "mission". That part's not TOO important… the important part is that he didn't return. Like he promised. - Smirnoff Ice Lover: The rest?? It's coming. Like the turtle, slowly but surely. :P Of course I'll write more… what kind of horrible person would leave it there?? Not I!! I am persuaded by your, er, interesting argument. :) You're not pathetic… I promise!! Glad you liked it. - Panther Nesmith: Angst overload?? There is no such thing!! :P Think this is bad, read my fic "So Gone". J/K Hehe. Danger Will Robinson?? Been a while since I heard, er, read that. You have to update your "Series of Unfortunate Saturdays" Series. I LOVE IT!! - Rogue: Love the accents… thanks. I try. :) I don't have characters think in their accents… 'cause I don't think in mine. Just a personal thing. Thanks for the UBER sweet review!! - Jukebox: Secret mission?? Not really. I'm just being ominous about it 'cause I don't wanna have to deal with it. Just a device to separate them. *author shrugs as reader glares* Sorry. The big deal is not that they were separated, it's that he didn't come back when it was over. - The Rogue Cajun: Sweet but sad… YAY!! That's what I was hoping for. :) Glad you like it… I think… sorry I made you cry tho. :( I'm seeing a 75% chance of a happy ending.
