Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.
Note: This chapter concludes my story. This is a dark Romy, and it deals with serious issues, that are somewhat close to my heart. It is not meant to offend or provoke anyone, so sorry if it does! Also, sorry about the screwed up plot, Sinister wasn't meant to be a main character, so I'm not sure if I should have even brought him in, oh well. I have a more light-hearted story already in the works, so I hope you enjoy this last chapter.
Also, a special thanks to Star-of-Chaos, Tammy, enchantedlight, ishandahalf, and Kitsu LeBeau for reviewing this short story!
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Two days after Sinister's appearance, Rogue and Remy had not yet left her apartment. Sinister's presence had left Remy in a mentally taxing state, and Rogue herself felt bewildered, and mentally tired herself. They had spent the last two days in few words, there main topic of conversation being Rogue's life, so as to avoid mentioning Sinister. Rogue had explained that she suffered a mental condition called manic depression, otherwise known as bipolar disease. Upon inheriting her powers, the disease intensified, but Xavier had taken her in, helping her calm her powers, and thus calm her condition. Her life story was not glamorous, nor interesting suffice her two attempted suicides, the second not even being her own wish, but a stranger she had by accident absorbed.
Her stories broke Remy's heart further, if possible. The strong Rogue he had once known was still there, but she too was broken, like him. She had done a good job of covering her tracks in the last several years, keeping her depression in check.
"How did y'keep quiet so long chere? I would never o' guessed your condition Ôtill now," Remy whispered this, as he reached across the table to play with an unruly twist of her hair.
Rogue clasped onto his wandering hand. "It's not like Ah didn' try to tell people. They just didn' understand Remy. Ah lost a lot o' friends, people Ah cared about, and Ah learned t'keep meh mouth shut. Ah'm a lot bettah than Ah used ta be. Meh mom helped a bit with that.
For a brief second Remy's eyes clouded over. "The Rogue I knew never had a family, biological one anywa'.
"The Rogue y'all knew sounded much stronger than meh," Rogue whispered.
Remy's hand tightened around her own. "Y'were both equally strong chere, y'just each had a different fight in life t'deal wit. Maybe the Rogue I knew was forced t'grow up too fast, wit'out a family, and de disease alluded her somehow.
"How old are ya Remy?
"Uh, I'll be 26 next month chere, why?
"Just wondering, with all that time traveling, maybe y'all just age well, and your actually closing in on 50.
Remy laughed at this, and dropped his hand back onto the table. "Since we're askin' questions chere, and changing de subject, how is it dat y'can fly?
"Ah thought ya were watching meh. Ah know how ta control small portions of the people ah absorb, including their mutant powers. Ah was using Jean's telekinesis to float up ta meh window. Could your Rogue fly?
"Oui. She had super strength too, forced upon her in anoder bad turn in life. But let's stop callin' her my Rogue chere. She's dead now. You're de only Rogue I know now.
"Alright Remy. Does that mean y'all are going share with meh how you got here, and what chased ya here in the first place?
Remy sighed. "RogueÉI want t'chere. But do y'really want t'know?
"Why wouldn't ah sugah?
"It's just dat, I'm afraid dat if y'hear too much Ôbout my past, I'll lose any chance of a future wit y'.
Rogue recoiled at his last words. He wanted a future with her? Did she want that? Rogue sighed as well. "Maybe y'all are right Remy. But what do we do now?
"We go outside for starters chere. Remy's getting restless in here.
There he went talking in that damn third person again.
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"So what do you guys say to one final get together, huh? One more time before we graduate, and I forgot each and everyone one of you forever?" Bobby's smirk grew at his last words, while his arm hung around his less than amused girlfriend Emma.
"You will have to wait two weeks longer to forget Bobby. You are after all invited to Scott and I's wedding," Jean retaliated. Rogue placed a hand on Jean's shoulder to assure her Bobby was kidding. No one would forget their wedding.
"That's a good idea sugah. Especially since not everyone is staying in New York." Rogue's glare shifted to her goddess like friend Ororo.
"I can't help that I got a modeling job in Paris Rogue. For the thousandth time I'm sorry!" Ororo laughed as she stated this, knowing full well that Rogue was proud of her success.
Remy smiled through their banter. He had enjoyed spending the last month with these people. They were genuinely good friends, and helped him ease away from his darker days. If he knew what was to come, perhaps he would have left the table and walked away, not looking back. But today was a good day. It was one of those days that made the bad days worthwhile, while at the same time clouded your vision, impairing you to what lay ahead. And Remy missed all of the signs along the way.
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Jean and Scott's wedding had been beautiful. Rogue had clung to Remy the entire time, sighing off and on throughout the entire ceremony. Now, at the reception, the two danced, huddled close.
"Did ya evah imagine having a family o' your own Remy?
"Course chere. But dreams can be killed. Luckily I was fortunate nough to find y' again chere.
Rogue removed her head from his shoulder, looking up. Placing her giant eyes upon his, she smiled. She smiled, and Remy's knees went weak. A sense of deja vu swept over him, and without realizing it, he tipped her chin up, and placed his lips tenderly upon hers. It was the first time he had kissed her since the rooftop. Both Rogue and Remy had been hesitant to move forward in any direction with their relationship, but now he had broken the barrier. Their kiss became fervent, and Rogue pulled away breathless.
"Now why did we wait so long ta do that sugah?" Once again she wore that brilliant smile. Briefly, Remy wondered if she really was bipolar. Sure she was stubborn, but she constantly smiled, showing her sadness only in those days after Sinister's appearance months ago. His thoughts were forgotten as Rogue's lips once again met his own.
The harsh cruelty love provides was forgotten on Remy, as he once again remembered how to love.
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Rogue closed her apartment door quietly, coming home from a late night at work, and her hands shook as she dropped her keys, narrowly missing the table, they dropped to the floor with a loud clank.
"Shit!" Rogue exclaimed. Removing her high heeled shoes, she padded along her hallway, entering the bathroom. Turning on the facet she splashed cold water onto her face. Looking into the mirror, she noticed bags had begun to form under her eyes. Pursing her lips, she opened the medicine cabinet, reaching for her medication. Each pill had become routine, but tonight she was tired. The bottle fell from her hand, splattering on the ground, spilling little pink pills everywhere. Silently, Rogue swept them into the palm of her hand, and threw them into the trash. Without a second thought, she left the bathroom and entered the bedroom.
Remy lay twisted in the sheets, his naked body almost entirely exposed, the black silk providing enough modesty to cover certain areas. He had been showing up at her apartment often, although he had a place of his own. He had returned to his thieving ways to make a living, an aspect that surprisingly did not bother her. She knew little of his life as a thief, and even less about his life in the other timeline. Rogue traced her eyes from his chiseled face, to his well sculpted chest. She had never seen a man more beautiful, yet more plagued with the hardness of life. Rogue removed her shirt and pants, and in only her underwear, she walked to the window, staring at the miraculous view of the city, her breath heating up the glass.
She felt Remy slide up behind her, the contours of his body matching perfectly with her own. His naked body felt sinful against her own, but a headache had reached her sinuses, and her concentration was focused on her own selfish pain.
"What's de matter chere?" Remy asked, the sleepiness of his voice caused it to sound husky.
"Nothing sugah, just got a headache is all." Rogue turned to smile at him, as he pulled her into bed, their two forms molding into each other, as they fell asleep in each other's arms.
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Remy had known his depression would not last long. He never liked spending much time in self-pity, over-evaluating the terrible aspects of his life. He had always been one to live life, ignoring the bad, gambling and charming his way into any situation. He was beginning to return to his normal self. The depression that Sinister had left him with, as well as the death of the X-Men was becoming a distant memory, one he had pushed into the recesses of his mind. Being a telepath he often thought of locking those memories away permently, but knowing that to be a bad idea, decided to move on with life instead. Today he was meeting with Ororo, who was in town for the next week on business. Before she had left, her and Remy had grown close as friends, unsurprisingly to Remy, since in his last timeline they had been good friends as well.
"Lo' Stormy.
"On the runway, I am called Storm Remy, not Stormy." Sitting down at the cafe, Ororo gave a small smile. "It is good to see you looking well Remy.
"Remy always looks good chere," slyly, Remy slipped his hand under the table to squeeze Ororo's knee as he said this.
"Remy, the constant flirt. It is funny, Rogue always described you as shy, yet every time I saw you I never got that impression." Ororo slapped Remy's hand away, smiling at his audacity.
"Rogue's a funny girl sometimes. Don' know why she would spread around a terrible rumor such as me bein' shy dough, it could ruin my reputation right quick.
Ororo's face grew solemn. "Speaking of Rogue, I visited her yesterday afternoon.
"So she told me Ro'." Remy slouched back into his chair, lighting a cigarette as he did so.
"She had her normal smile, but her body movements scared me a bit Remy. Has she been acting strange?
Remy shrugged, the topic was upsetting his nerves. "She's a bit stressed wit work Ro', nothin' too serious. Don' worry, I'm watchin' out for her." With that, Remy signaled the waiter to place their order, effectively ending Ororo's questioning.
"Now den, tell me all about life in Paris Stormy.
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I've always considered myself a spontaneous man. The thrill of de unexpected provides a tantalizin' challenge. But not all unexpected events are tantalizin', some are just down right cruel. I learned dat dat day. Dat day, my soul died for de second time. An' I couldn' help but feel dat it was all my fault.
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Remy entered Rogue's apartment, picking the lock as he always did, eying the clock on his way in. 1:58, the clocks hands displayed. Well at least she would probably be in bed. Although the past week, she had been up well past this time, claiming she wasn't tired. Removing his trench coat, he headed towards the bedroom, after sticking his head into the kitchen and living room. She had been nowhere. Suddenly, music caught his ears. The closer he appeared to the bedroom, the louder it became. The classical soundtrack to Amelie played on the stereo. Remy's lips curled into a smile. It had become her new favorite movie, she had even watched it several times in French, with French subtitles, hopeful to learn a bit of the language Remy often spoke. Remy's eyes roamed to the bed, but Rogue was not there. He felt a slight breeze, and noticed the balcony doors ajar.
It was a fair sized balcony, half mooned shaped, stone pillars creating the railing. Her mother really did lavish her in extremities. Rogue stood in a jade silk robe, her back towards Remy.
"Ya know Remy, Ah could have a second key made for ya.
"Dat's ok chere, I enjoy pickin' de lock, reminds me dat I'm good at somethin' in life," Remy replied with a soft chuckle.
Rogue sighed. "Ah was sorta hoping ya wouldn't show your face here tonight sugah." At this Rogue turned her face partially to the side, her tear streaked face shining against the moonlit sky.
"Chere, are y'alright?" Remy began to take a step towards her in worry, but she motioned a hand up to stop him.
"No Remy." Rogue sucked in her breath. "Ah just want ya to leave now Remy. Leave, and don' look back. Ah'm so sorry.
"What are y'talking about girl? I hope y'ain't thinkin' about jumping off dat balcony. You know dat I would just jump right after y'.
Rogue smiled lightly at this. "Tell meh a story Remy.
"'Bout what chere?
"About your past.
"Ok chere, no problem, but can I come closer t'y'?" Rogue solemnly shook her head no.
"Alright, dat's not a problem either." Breathing in deeply, Remy heard the music in the bedroom stop, and he began his tale. "Well chereÉ"Remy sighed. "I came to dis time because de X-Men, a team of mutant superheroes, and my only family, were murdered Ôfore my eyes. I was offered a trip back in time, and I took it wit'out thinkin'. I ended up here, and somehow managed t'make de Remy of dis time disappear. I ended up right in de Thieves Guild, and to make a long story short, I lost a couple good friends, as well as my lover Bella, for de second time in my life. But de trip through time had disoriented me, and I was too confused to just leave. Instead I experienced a hell o'lot of deja vu." Remy nervously laughed at this, looking up to make sure Rogue was still there listening.
She didn't appear to be, her gaze lost in thought, yet nearly blank.
"An' what about Sinister?" Her quiet voice startled him.
"My powers were out o'control before I came t'dis timeline. He came t'me, after I accidently killed a lot o' people. I'd like t'say dat he messed wit de chemicals in my brain, made me crave revenge. I returned to de Guilds, destroying everythin' in my path. I was angry at de assassins for killin' my friends, and angry at de thieves for banishin' me. For once in my life I was caught, and dats how I ended up in dat clinic, where I first saw you.
"Huh.
"Dat all you got to say chere?
"No. Ah love ya Remy.
"Ah chere, I know, and je t'aime aussi.
"Hmm.
And faster than he could count, Rogue swiveled to face him, a gun planted against her temple.
"Ah'm sorry Remy." The loud bang sliced through the crisp air.
And once again his world stopped.
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Remy climbed to the top of the building, perched at the edge, watching the city lights. A year had passed since Rogue had ended her life, but Remy had not healed. He had returned to his stone cold ways, thieving his only thrill. He still blamed himself. He had missed every sign, her shaking, her constant headaches, her lack of sleep. He hadn't known she had stopped taking her medication. But, she was gone now. Gone again. He had never told her how Rogue had died in his timeline. Nearly the exact same way; a bullet to the brain. Had he told her that, maybe she would have reconsidered. But she was always so damn stubborn.
He had considered the different ways to get her back. But Sinister was his only connection to a time portal, and he would not succumb to that man's control again.
Standing, Remy spread his arms out wide, feeling the wind rush through his fingers. He had thought of another way to see her again. It was cliche, but the pain, the insistent need to see her green eyes again buried that thought.
Remy closed his eyes, and leaned forward, wondering slightly if this next Rogue would be a stranger as well.