Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.
Thanks again to my reviewers so far, I know I have been updating fast, but its because my chapters are so short, and I have a little free time right now. In the future I will try to write longer chapters, but I may not be able to update as often. Also, sorry for some of the editing, I have been having a hard time uploading to fanfiction.net, hopefully I will get better with more practice.
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Rogue was halfway down the stairs when she heard his voice in her head.
"Rogue, chere, dere is no need to run from dis Cajun," his voice quietly cajoled. Having been friends with the telepathic Jean Grey for several years, as well as a student of Xavier's, she was used to voices inside her head. But this one was unwelcome.
Get outta meh head swamp rat!' Rogue warned.
Rogue doncha think dat y'are over-reacting?' persisted Remy.
Not really, considering every thing Ah thought about ya is proving ta be false!' Rogue had walked out of the club, into the street. She stood there now, waiting for Remy to leave her head so that she could continue on in peace. Tears threatened to fall from her face, but she held them back. She had wanted to see him again for so long, yet she could not run back to him now.
ÔRogue I can read y'thoughts y'know, Remy silently informed her.
Well then get outta meh head! It was the man that Ah saw all those years ago in the clinic that interested meh! Not the suave charmer y'all were last time Ah saw ya!' Rogue screamed inside her head, hopeful to chase him out.
I'm still dat man chere. My past is too complicated, too painful for dat side o' me t'completely leave. I'll leave y'be if dats what y'want dough Rogue.
That's what Ah want!' The tears did fall now, as Rogue ran. Remy only smiled though, because for although she may have screamed that rejection in his mind, it was her thoughts behind the scream that he listened to, the thoughts that urged him not to leave again.
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He followed her loosely in the shadows, wanting to protect her, but not be seen by her. Not yet anyway. He watched her, analyzed her. She was younger in this timeline, no more than 22. Although she was stubborn, she had not developed the hard lines around her eyes, marked by years of fighting, that the Rogue he once knew had. Here, she had a biological family that loved her still, she was a student, fulfilling her dream rather than someone else's. He knew he could not save the Rogue from his past, the timeline here was moving a different direction than his had. He let out a sigh, remembering the last time he had seen his Rogue. They had only been 20 years old, too young to lose everything.
Suddenly, Rogue stopped, and Remy realized they had reached her apartment building. With great surprise, Remy watched Rogue's still frame hover a couple inches from the ground. Looking around her to make sure no one was watching, Rogue floated up to her tenth story balcony.
Had Rogue absorbed Carol Danvers in this timeline after all?
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Throwing her keys onto the coffee table, Rogue began to wipe her tear stained face, when a glimmer caught her eye. A pair of red eyes sat in the corner, watching her every move. She jumped slightly before yelling.
"Remy! Shit, ya scared the hell outta meh!" She began to head in his direction, rage welling up in her eyes.
"I am not Remy my dear." The figure stood up, stepping into the light by the window. Rogue gasped at the sight of the pale creature before her. He reached a hand and cupped it under Rogue's chin. To startled to move or scream, Rogue stood in stone silence.
"You are beautiful, I will give Remy that much. However, it ceases to amaze me how often he has ruined his life on your account. Especially with the lack of love you show in return," with that the stranger released the tight grip he held on her chin, and stepped back.
"Wh-who are ya?" Rogue stuttered, rubbing her bruised chin.
"He's no one chere, no one y'need t'concern yourself wit least ways." Rogue turned around to face Remy's solemn face. She hadn't even heard the door open.
"Why Mr. LeBeau, I'm hurt. Whatever concerns you, concerns me, you should know that by now." Looking back to Rogue the stranger smiled, white fangs damaging any hint of a friendly smile. "My name is Essex, more affectionately called Mr. Sinister by Mr. LeBeau and his friends.
"What are y'doing here Sinister? I realize now dat y'are powerful enough t'hunt me in any timeline, but I owe y'nothin' at dis point and time," Remy's voice had taken on a seriousness never witnessed by Rogue. His entire body was rigid, on edge. His eyes glowed a dangerous red, his hands ready to attack at any moment.
"Acctually, I came to propose the option of returning you to your original timeline.
"T'be in debt wit y'longer Sinister? I don' tink so. Besides, my life is gone from dat timeline, y'know dat," Remy quietly muttered the last part, losing a bit of his edge.
Sinister rolled his eyes. "Come now Remy, death is a natural part of life, you could have been powerful. You could have lived forever.
Snorting Remy replied, "Yeah well, what about de Remy dat I erased from dis timeline when I arrived?
"Yes, that was a bit peculiar. But why worry about him, while you are somewhere else, hmm?" Sinister's eyes narrowed at this. Rogue had slunk to a corner, watching them bicker back and forth, hoping that it would be over soon.
"I'm not leaving. Y'no longer have control over me," Remy fumed.
Sinister laughed at this. "Why Remy, when have I not had control over your miserable life?" Sinister raised a hand up, clinching his fist in the process, something he had done many times to control the part of Remy's brain he possessed.
But nothing happened. Sinister's eyes widened, while Remy smirked. "Wh-what? Impossible!
Remy's hands began to glow red. "Actually Sinister, y'made a mistake when y'made me as powerful as y'did." With a single look, Remy encircled Sinister's body with a red kinetic glow. "De short time I spent at Xavier's university gave me a chance t'hone in on my newly acquired powers.
"Will you kill me then Remy? As you did so many others." Sinister gave a cruel smile, encouraging Remy.
"Y'killed my soul Sinister. De only times I feel alive are when I'm pretendin', and even dat ain't real. But, I won' kill y', I won' put more blood on my hands." Remy let go of his kinetic hold on Sinister, and with a single smile, Sinister created a portal to escape.
"You never were strong enough son," Sinister stated before jumping through the portal.
With that, Remy collapsed on Rogue's living room floor.
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We stood lined against de wall, collars around our necks, prohibiting de use of our powers. Two days ago our mansion had been attacked. We had been betrayed by one of our own: Kitty Pryde, a clever girl, who hid behind her teenage innocence, cleverly hiding her true Russian accent. She stood before us now, eyes cold as stone, as each X-Men was executed wit a bullet between de eyes. Rogue was pulled from my side, and as she stood in front of de guard, she smiled in my direction, before slumping to de ground, dead. I felt my hands glow red despite de collar around my neck.
And den my world stopped.
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Remy sat up, rubbing his eyes. Directly in front of him sat Rogue, awake, stalk still at the edge of her seat. They stared into each other's eyes, a deep sorrow connecting them. Rogue's hair ran ragged in every direction. Her dance clothes had been discarded for a cami and shorts.
"Life's a bitch ain't it Remy?" Rogue questioned haggardly.
Remy didn't answer, afraid of what would happen. Her emerald eyes were so dim, almost unrecognizable.
"So, from what Ah gather, y'all came here to find meh, ta see meh alive again. While Ah ain't so perfect in this world Remy." Standing up, she stumbled over to his position on the bed, shoving her wrists into his face. Nearly invisible scars outlined her veins, showing what words could not say. "It's why Ah connected with ya all those years ago," Rogue began to cry, not wanting to fall apart in front of Remy, but unable to keep a strong face up for the world any longer.
Remy swiveled his legs around to the edge of the bed, encircling her with his arms, and placing her between his legs. Tears lined his eyes, but did not fall. They were strangers once again, the pain held within their eyes, their only connection. He did not know this Rogue, just as she did not know him. The stubbornness, the pointless arguments, the endless charm: none of it existed here. Here, there was only raw pain, as the two strangers clasped tightly to one another, afraid to let go and face reality.
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