Special thanks to Rogue Star, without whose help this would have never gotten posted.
Xavier wheeled through the main hall of the mansion on his way to the kitchen, the silence of the a.m. hours his only companion. He loved his students, but the quiet the early morning brought was a treasured time for him. He certainly hoped Ororo had awoken before him this morning. Even the most powerful telepath in the world couldn't come close to making a cup of coffee that rivaled hers.
The Professor instantly turned to look at the door a split second before the doorbell rang into the home, filling the peaceful morning with a chimed melody. At first Charles Xavier grew worried, worried that the someone at his door this early in the morning was an officer of the law, returning a student from some late night shenanigans.
Charles opened the door, his quest for a cup of coffee temporarily put aside, wheeling back as he viewed the individual standing on the steps.
The young man quickly removed his sunglasses, his green eyes looking at the man who he had seen on the television, speaking out for mutants. "Are you Charles Xavier?" He asked, peering curiously into the house.
Xavier smiled and nodded. "I am." He responded, looking at the teenager with the silver hair, and two brown bangs that fell across his face.
"I heard you help Mutants?" The young man asked, hosting the slipping duffel bag back up on his shoulder.
"Yes, I certainty hope so." Charles said warmly, although at the moment he wasn't sure he could help a lost puppy. "Please do come in and talk Mr…?" He moved his wheelchair to the side of the entrance while drawing out his question.
The young man slowly entered through the doorway, his neck craning up to take in the high ceiling and chandelier of the main hall of the Xavier institute. "Gabriel Christianson." He answered. "But people call me Omen."
~~~:*:~~~
"Come on Rogue, open the door."
Silence.
Kitty scowled. "Stop like, acting like a total hermit."
Silence again.
"If you're not going to open the door I'm just going to walk through it." Kitty paused, and again heard nothing come from inside the room. "Okay, suit yourself." Kitty huffed, before walking through the door.
The curtains were drawn, only showing one pale band of light that escaped from the corner of the window.
Rogue cast a green eye on her former roommate before drawing her legs in tighter to her chest. "Go away."
"Nice to see you too." Kitty responded in the direction of the voice. "You okay?" She asked as her eyes began adjust to the darkness of the room.
"Peachy."
"There's that good old sarcastic Rogue I knew." Kitty crossed the near pitch black room and sat on the bed beside the hunched over figure of her friend. "You're blaming yourself for what happened to Remy aren't you?"
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ding, got it in one."
"Want to talk about it?"
"No." Rogue said into her knees.
Rogue and Kitty sat in the darkness, the quiet making the seconds seem like minutes.
"I told him to not come back." Rogue finally spoke, and Kitty looked over at her downcast face. "I could have let him leave, but I just had to get in the last word. I told him not to come back, that I didn't want him to come back." She sniffed, and wiped a tear from her cheek with a gloved finger. "Now he is lying down there and I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell him that I didn't mean it."
"So how is that your fault?" Kitty asked, drawing a puzzling look from Rogue. "You told him not to come back, and he got in a wreck coming back to the institute." Kitty paused. "So, that means if he only had listened to you he wouldn't be in the situation he is in now."
Rogue looked at her friend. She still wasn't sure, but it seemed like her ex-roommate had just turned her entire argument around and disproved it. In a moment of pure valley-girl logic, Kitty had just addressed, solved, and disproved something with all the clarity of some guru. The image of her friend being worshiped by cult-like followers popped into Rogue's head, a scary thought, but it made her smile.
"Kitty?" Both girls looked towards the door.
"In here Piotr." Kitty responded.
They saw the shadow of two feet under the door. "May I come in?"
Kitty looked at rogue, who quickly wiped the collected tears from her eyes and tried to compose herself. "Sure."
The door opened in a flood of light and Piotr stepped into the darkness. "Oh." Apparently noticing them squinting into the light, although most of it was blocked by his body in the doorway, he quickly shut the door behind him. "Hello Rogue."
"Hey Piotr."
Piotr crossed the room, his feet clunking against the hardwood floor. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Rogue responded, trying to silence a sniffle. "I'm okay."
"Of course you are." Piotr walked past Kitty and stood next to Rogue. "But I hope those tears are not for Gambit."
"Piotr!" Kitty scolded, putting her hands on her hips. "That was like, totally cold."
"It would cause him more pain if he knew you were crying because of him." Piotr gently placed a large hand on Rogue's shoulder. "Besides, there is nothing to cry over. As I have told you before, his head is much too hard to be hurt by something as soft as concrete."
Rogue smiled. "Thanks you two."
~~~:*:~~~
John propped his feet on the railing if his teammate's bed. He looked over at the "No Smoking" sign McCoy had crudely fastened to the wall, and resisted the urge to play with his lighter.
"Jeeze mate, only you would get outta a jam like that, jumping out from behind an exploding window and all with guards shooting at yer Cajun ass only to get into a motorcycle accident later that very night." John rolled his eyes at his unconscious teammate. "But I guess that just goes with being Remy LeBeau."
"Ya need to just go ahead and wake yer ass up. De sheila's around here doing nothing but praying and mourning over their fallen sex idol." He shrugged in frustration. "Even when yer unconscious you're making it hard on me."
"Speaking of the sheilas, yours ain't doing to good mate." John continued to ramble, the playfulness in his voice subsiding. "Rogue hates seeing you like this, it's really hurtin her. I know you're the last person who would ever hurt her."
"Imagine, Remy actually falling for a girl." John mused, leaning back in the chair and cradling his head in his hands. "Forget hell freezing over mate, we had better be careful, next thing you know Sabertooth will be wearing a dress and calling himself 'The Foxy Little Kitten'…"
Gambit couldn't help from letting a chuckle escape his throat at that mental image.
"Shit!" John sprung up straight in his chair. "You awake?"
"You know John…" Remy cracked a red on black eye open and looked over at his teammate. "It could have been angels, it could have been strippers, it could have been Rogue, but I got to wake up next to your annoying ass…"
"Oh Remy!" John swooned, and grabbed Remy who still lay in the bad. "Come here ya Coonass bastard!"
"Let…. Go…" Gambit struggled as John tightened his arms around his bruised and broken chest.
"Shit!" John yelled, releasing Remy who fell limply back onto the bed. "The Sheila's gonna go freakin insane when they hear you up!" John sprung away from the bed and bolted out the door.
No sooner than the sliding doors closed behind John's retreating form than they opened again.
Remy looked over at Hank. "Hey doc."
"Judging by Mr. Allerdyce hasty retreat I concluded that you had awoken." Beast paused, gently opening Remy's groggy eyes and shining a light into them. "Or dead, but I certainly hoped the former was the case." Hank removed the light and Gambit blinked. "But listen to me go on about myself, how are you feeling?"
"Like I was in a motorcycle accident."
Hank smiled, barely hiding his joy that his worse fears were more than likely not going to be a factor with his young patient. "I assume you know who you are?"
"God's gift to women." Remy responded without hesitation.
"I'd say, in some egotistical and self centered manner, that that was a yes."
Remy cracked an eye and looked over at the fur covered doctor. "How long I be out?"
"About four days Mr. LeBeau." Hank responded quite happily while scribbling on the chart at Remy's bed. "I have to say that I was prepared for it to be longer."
"Dat means…" Remy lifted the covers and looked down at his body. "Merde…" He let the covers fall and his head flop back onto the pillows.
"Yes, I'm afraid we did have to put a catheter in."
Gambit's eyes widened in shock. "We?"
"Yes." Hank hid a smile. "Jean and I."
"Merde…"
"I can assure you, it was completely professional."
"Still, Remy like to be awake when de femms get de full monte…"
Hank chuckled.
"Got any pain killers?" Remy asked, covering his eyes with the bandaged portion of his forearm.
"Oh my…" Hank moved next to the bed, carefully looking Gambit over. "Where are you hurting?"
Gambit shrugged as best as his condition would allow. "Leg hurts like a mother, but dey ain't for dat."
"Then what are the painkillers for?"
"Not for now, when you got to pull it out." Gambit stressed the word 'it' as he pointed down to his waist, a pained look in his eyes. "Remy not sure if he wants to be awake for dat."
"Although I may resemble Bigfoot, and have been mistaken as such on at least one occasion. I can assure you that I am an accomplished doctor." Hank waved a large blue hand in the air. "Even though my hands are bigger than your head, I am very gentle."
A chill ran up Gambit's spine.
"Mind if I get a razor?" Remy asked quickly changing the subject and rubbing the stubble on his face.
"Of course not. I'll get you a basin and mirror as well." Beast began to leave the room, but turned just before the doors. "Do you feel up for visitors?"
"Visitors?"
"Well, I believe at least one person other than John will be more than happy to see you."
Remy smiled and closed his eyes as he sank back into the pillows at the head of his bed. "Don't think I'd mine just one."
Hank smiled.
~~~:*:~~~
"ROGUE!"
She nearly blew the water she was drinking out of her nose in surprise. But no sooner than she got the liquid under control, a certain red-headed Acolyte grabbed her and twirled her around the kitchen.
"Bloody hell, glad to find ya Sheila, ya got to get down there. The jimmy's awake, damned ole pool shark gave the old flamethrower a scare! He may have a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock, but not to worry sheila everything's apples now! Thought he was in the thunderbox, carked for sure…"
"What language are you speaking?" Rogue finally managed to ask, although the wiry Australian's arms were about to squeeze her in half.
John stopped talking, and panted for breath as he desperately tried to organize his thoughts into legible speech.
"Remy's awake!"
Rogue stared blankly at him. "He's awake?" She asked softly, which drew an excited nod from John. "He's awake!" She screamed, reversing the hold and wrapping Pyro in her own version of the 'Allerdyce Hug of Death' before dropping him into a writhing pile on the kitchen floor and sprinting out of the room.
~~~:*:~~~
Remy grimaced as he strained his arm up to his face and tried to hold the mirror steady. Dragging the razor up his neck, the blade cut the stubble before slipping and feeling the stinging. He jerked the razor away and looked at his reflection as a small line of crimson formed on his Adams apple. Before he could rinse the razor off for another try the sliding doors opened.
Rogue just looked at him, half sitting up in bed, his hair, his eyes, the shaving cream on his face that made him look like a younger and infinitely sexier version of Santa Clause.
"Ello Chere." He smiled beneath the white foam.
Rogue froze. God his voice never sounded so good.
"Damn…" He cursed, trying once again to shave.
"What's the matter?" Rogue asked, suddenly snapped out of her stair at the thought of Remy in pain. Pain she caused, she reminded herself.
"Arms just sore." He indicated the mirror and razor in his hands. "Hard to manage two things at once."
"Here." Rogue reached for the razor. "Let me do it." She offered as she let down the bed's rail and sat on the edge.
Remy raised an eyebrow, and held the razor just out of reach.
Rogue gave him a stern look. "I'm not going to cut your throat."
"Remy just a little worried." He reluctantly handed it to her. "Last time we talked it wasn't very friendly."
Rogue said nothing, just rinsed the razor in the basin before gently tilting Remy's head back. Her gloved fingers graced his neck as she glided the blade up his neck, without a scratch.
"Remy sorry Chere." Gambit offered, feeling free to talk as she rinsed the razor again.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for." She turned back to him, shaving another path. "It was just an argument; I just got scared when I heard what happened at the museum."
"Well, Remy sorry bout what happened dere, but I promised myself long time ago that I wouldn't hesitate to use my powers when someone needed me."
"Remy…"
Gambit didn't let her interject, he needed to tell her. "I let down my little Cousin."
"What are you talking about?"
"My family, member of a thieves guild in Nawlins." He confessed. "I was my cousin Entinne's sponsor so to speak, his Registrar, supposed to be protecting him during de Tilling." He looked up at Rogue's slightly bewildered expression. "It was his right of passage, a job for him to do on his own, after dat he would'a been a member of the guild." He explained.
"It was a standard job. Break into a house of some rich old fart, steal whatever Et had been instructed to steal, and get back to the headquarters." Remy recounted, slipping further into the days of his past life. "Not supposed to be a walk in de park, but they all were. If you were asked to go through de tilling, they wanted you in the guild."
"It went wrong, still not sure why but a whole security force showed up and took us in before we really even got into de place. Et' wanted me to use my powers, but I was afraid." He briefly broke out of his memories long enough to cast a sexy glance at Rogue. "Remy wasn't the calm cool guy he is now." He shot her a confident smirk, however it was hollow. "Turned out the place we were robbin belonged to a real bad man, into some type of slave tradin."
"De kids there were blanks, looked like some type of brainwashin." Remy stared into the bandaged portion of his arm as he spoke, the last thing he wanted to do right now was look into Rogue's eyes as he finished the story. "Knew right den me and Et' weren't goin to stay round any longer than we had to." He smiled to himself, remembering his little cousin's mindset. "Et was determined not to go back to de Guild empty handed, lifted a pack of playing cards from de holding room."
Remy pinched the bridge of his nose. "After dat, well, we tried to escape."
He remembered Et getting hit again, and the cards that he had lifted from what they had deemed the 'nursery' flying out of his hand and fluttering to the ground. The only available weapon seemed so useless. He picked up a card, the Ace of diamonds, and felt it easily take the charge. It felt so right between his fingertips, and even better flipping out of them.
Remy shook the memories away as Rogue wiped the remnants of shaving cream from his face with a damp cloth. "Didn't go well, Remy end up floating on a piece of de building." His face shrugged. "How was I supposed to know de building was on a cliff overlooking the ocean?"
"What happened to Entinne?" Rogue dared to ask.
"Saw him again three weeks later." Remy paused, and forced the words out. "Mi Pierre identified him in de Granada Morgue." The silence fell back into the infirmary with indefinite force.
Rogue swallowed, and tried to speak through her dry mouth. "How old were you?"
"Fifteen."
"My God…" She covered her hand with her's. "Remy, I'm sorry…"
He took a breath, and plastered that old confident grin back onto his face. "If Chere don't quit apologisin, Remy going to start blaming stuff on her to get dem off his chest."
The silence shattered again as the sliding doors 'whooshed' open and Hank padded into the room.
"Rogue." He smiled warmly at her, fearing her reaction. "I think it would be best if Mr. LeBeau were to get some rest." He gulped at her stern glare, a glare that reminded him of the threatening look a mother Kodiak bear gives a wolf, a wolf who is unfortunate enough to place itself between the mother and her cubs, just before the maiming begins. "It is rather late in the day."
"Don't worry Chere." Gambit held his arms out as best he could indicating the pins in his leg and numerous bandages. "Remy not goin anywhere."
Rogue's expression softened, but McCoy still took the moment of distraction to leave the room. They needed their privacy to say their goodbyes for the night. And he needed a head start to avoid sharing an elevator ride with the young mutant who more than likely viewed him as the reason she couldn't stay with her… Hank paused in his retreat, searching for the word to accurately describe their relationship.
"See you in de morning Chere."
She smiled as she rose from the edge of his bed. "Goodnight Remy." She placed a kiss in his hair.
"And I even get a goodnight kiss." He lazily smiled back, his old carefree self returning. "You sure I ain't dead?"
Rogue stopped just short of the electronic door's range. "Remy…"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"Remy love you too Chere."
Sorry for the delay, but I really didn't feel like writing after Saturday's episode. These last few episodes have been, in my opinion at least, the best Evo has come up with.
Magneto and Mystique gone! Where have all the complex characters gone? Screw Apocalypse and his little pyramid too!
Bunny Angel: Don't worry, I rarely have an idea of what's going on either.
Caliente: No, I didn't know there was an X-Man called Sage. Truth be told, I was eating dressing one Sunday that had a lot of Sage in it, and the rest is well, history. Anyway, My Sage is in no way related to the Sage in the comics. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Ishandahalf: I am honored that you did the 'Happy Update Dance' on my behalf. And I do hope updates will come much quicker from me. Bunny on crack eh? I'd pay money to see that.
Rogue Star1: Think your special cause you know what's going to happen don't you? Well, keep in mind, getting there is half the fun. Thanks again for all your help.
Weeble Wobble Chic: Whatever turns my knobs? Can't say I've ever heard that one before. But I like it! Knob turning for everyone! lol
Kurtfan5678: The plot lines make my head hurt too.
