Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remy knew there was a reason Sinister had asked him to search for information on the underground mutant group the Morlocks. His new mission was to lead the group he had gathered to their location. Sinister had not relayed why he was doing this, and Remy just assumed it was Sinister's scientific curiosity. Perhaps he just wanted to capture a few for tests. Either way Remy should be able to lead them down there, and be back before the X-Men even noticed he was gone. He had spent the last several days researching the tunnels himself, looking for the easiest accessible entrances. He knew he could just ask Storm for a tour, but he didn't want to bring about any suspicion.
Tomorrow was the night of his mission, but tonight, he had a movie date with Rogue in the rec room. Tonight he would put aside his second life.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rogue sat at one end of the couch, legs spread across, bare feet in Remy's lap. He massaged them with gloved hands, as the two watched the big screen in front of them. Two empty wine glasses sat in front of them, a bottle of half finished pinot noir lay corked beside them. Although the mansion's residents had not taken to the new Cajun just yet, they did appreciate the way he treated and affected Rogue, and therefore, had respected their evening of privacy.
There was a silence between them, Rogue intently watched the screen, interested in the movie. Remy however, could not concentrate on anything in the room. Whenever he was around Rogue a guilty feeling washed over him, the feeling that he was betraying her. He was betraying her trust, he knew that. Remy reached for the wine, pouring himself another glass.
Well, at least I maybe I can forget wit dis. Remy thought, as the red liquid slid down his throat. Placing the glass back on the table he once again started rubbing Rogue's feet, his hands moving in a mechanical motion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mansion's kitchen was buzzing with activity that morning. Shadowcat, Colossus, and Nightcrawler had just recently returned from a mission, and were relaying information to the Professor. Jean and Scott sat next to them at the table, sipping there coffee, intently listening to the mission briefing. Warren and Betsy were chatting amicably near the fridge, while Bobby searched the cupboards for something to eat.
Remy knew no one noticed his presence, as he stealthily moved through the shadows in the hall. Pulling his trench coat tighter around him, he exited the mansion, praying for a quick mission.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remy was tired of trudging through the sewer water, Sabertooth, Prism and Blockbuster at his back. The rest of the team had followed some mutant girl in.
"Hope yer lookin' forward to this as much as I am Lebeau," Sabertooth snarled behind him.
"Well Creed, I'm not exactly sure what dis be about. Far as I'm concerned, I'm just takin' y'to des people, nothin' more.
Sabertooth snorted. "So the boss didn' trust his right hand man with the info huh? Let's just say this is going to be one fun night!
"Whatever, as long as we make it quick non?
Suddenly, a larger room appeared within their sights. Morlocks, men, women, children were everywhere. Remy felt anxiety reach his chest, a pounding reached his ears. The three marauders behind him ran forward, leaving a stock still Remy behind. In utter shock, Remy witnessed the three begin to attack any Morlock within their vision. The brutal slaughter froze Remy to the spot. Blood shot out everywhere, not even the children were spared.
"Hey LeBeau! Stop watching from the sidelines, and help us a bit why dontcha?" Sabertooth yelled, a lifeless corpse clinging from his claws. Remy watched as he slammed the figure into a nearby wall, the limp form smearing blood against the tunnel as it slid to the ground.
A rage filled Remy then. His heart had turned cold long ago, but not cold enough to help spread blood in the massacre. His hands glowed red, as he reached for his deck of cards. Fuming Remy began to attack Sabertooth, his anger making him sloppy.
Sabertooth fell back in pain from the attacks, but they did not keep him down for long. Turning with a vicious glare, Sabertooth charged Remy with every intent of killing him. Remy's limbs felt weak, as if he could not lift another card in his defense. The outright genocide occurring before him had made him sick.
Sabertooth's claws gutted Remy, and as he held him up in the air, he seethed, "Sinister will make sure ya suffer for this one LeBeau. If ya don' die first." Sabertooth flung him to the ground, spinning on his heels, he rejoined his team.
Remy lay curled on the ground in a fetal position, imagining that this was the end of his miserable life. Looking down however, he realized that although there was a lot of blood, the wound itself wasn't much more than a scrape. Remy could not turn to face the crowd, but a whimper to his left caused him to sit up.
A girl no more than ten lay hidden beneath a dead body, a woman, quite possibly the child's mother. Remy stared into her eyes, a swell of shame enveloping him. Looking around him, he knew the X-Men would arrive shortly in an effort to stop this madness. Quickly he grabbed up the girl and ran for his life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The X-Men's blackbird hanger had been transformed into a med bay, handfuls of injured bodies littered the ground. The X-Men had fared no better, several of their members gravely hurt.
Rogue walked amongst the injured, Logan at her side.
"When that Cajun get's back from whatever bar or club he's been partyin' at I'm going smash the pretty boy's face." Logan had not been pleased about Remy's absence at such a crucial time. He had left without word, and without his communicator.
"Ah'm sure he's got good enough reason to be gone Logan.
"Yeah, maybe he was helpin' the other side.
"Logan that's ridiculous, we woulda seen him down there if he were," Rogue defended her friend.
"Gambit's pretty good at not being seen Rogue.
It had been two days since the massacre, and everyone's spirits were low, the entire mansion reeked of despair and anger. The smell of blood filled Rogue's nostrils.
"Ah don't know how y'all can stand it in here Wolvie. The smells are nauseating,
Wolverine sniffed the air, and his eyes narrowed, spinning around he growled, claws itching to extend and attack.
"Easy dere Wolverine, I ain't your enemy." Remy leaned against a doorway, looking a little worse for wear, exhaustion evident in his features. His left hand kept reaching for his side, as if protecting something.
"Are we sure about that Cajun? Where the hell have ya been!?
"Y're starting t'sound a bit like Cyke now, doncha think Logan?
Wolverine only growled. Rogue placed a hand on Logan's shoulder, looking towards Remy. "Sugah, it's an honest question. We could have used ya in the battle. Where were ya?" Rogue's emerald orbs pleaded with Remy. He could see the hope unlocking beneath them. She wanted a good excuse.
"Dere was an emergency wit' de Thieves Guild chere, I had to head down south for a couple days. I had no idea what was goin' on up here.
"Ya should have taken your communicator bub.
"I know Logan. I forgot it in m'rush. M'sorry. Is dere anythin' I can help y'out wit now?
"It's a little late for help now, unless yer a doctor. Wouldn' surprise me with all yer secrets." Logan began to stalk off, tired of arguing with the Cajun.
Rogue simply looked at Remy once more, before leaving the room herself. Remy sighed. Wolverine's words had cut him in a wound not yet healed. He had spent the last few days recuperating in his New York apartment, afraid to face the X-Men. In the last several days though, his heart had iced further, a depression leaked through his entire body, a dull throb attacked his skull, numbing his senses, erasing his compassion. He was no longer the same man.
Remy watched the scurrying motions of the X-Men around the hanger, their noble attempts breaking Remy's soul even more. Without a word to anyone else, Remy slipped back into the shadows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the time being, the X-Men had accepted Remy's excuse for being gone. Remy wasn't their biggest concern right now, recuperating from the battle was their top priority.
Jean was washing dishes after breakfast, the rest of the mansion's inhabitants were watching TV or swimming in the pool, trying to forget the bloodshed they had seen. Warren had disappeared after his wings had been amputated, and his lover Betsy was out searching for him.
"Lo' Jean." His voice held no emotion, it was just one flat tone.
Jean finished her last dish, and wiping her hands on a dishtowel, she turned to face him. "Good morning Remy. You missed breakfast you know.
"I know." Remy looked to the floor. There was a couple seconds of awkward silence, before he stared back up at Jean. He began to smile, his eyes wildly lighting up.
Jean knew Remy was a charmer, that one smile from him could melt any woman's heart. But this wasn't his flirtatious smile. Jean suddenly felt her body turn cold, scared by Remy's presence. "Well, I-I better go find Scott, he wanted to watch a movie with me," Jean stuttered, her uneasiness evident in her voice.
As she walked to the doorway Remy now stood in, he slammed his arm against the side, creating a barrier for Jean.
Jean stared at his arm, then looked up into his eyes. She wanted desperately to read his mind, but she knew she could not get past his mental shields.
"Have fun Jean," Remy whispered, removing his arm from her path.
Jean didn't answer, hurrying through the frame in search of her boyfriend.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remy had lost his appetite, and had headed outside for a cigarette. It was a beautiful day outside, and he could hear voices drifting from the pool area. Crouching down on the steps, Remy played with the unlit cigarette in his hands.
"Hey sugah.
Remy didn't look up. "Bonjour Rogue.
Rogue. He didn't call her chere. In fact, he hadn't called her chere in several weeks. That's how long it had been since the Morlock Massacre.
"Remy, if y'all are feelin' guilty about not bein' there, then-
ÔIt ain't dat Rogue." Leaning back on his elbows, Remy lit his cigarette. It was then that he looked up at Rogue. She stood in a green and black stripped bikini, nothing more.
"Nevah seen y'in a swimsuit before Rogue. It be a very nice sight, if y'don' mind me sayin'.
Don't mind me saying? Remy never minded what he said! "Well, Ah appreciate the flattery swamp rat, Ah was beginning ta wonder where all you're charm had gone ta.
Remy merely looked forward again, inhaling another drag of his cigarette, saying nothing.
"Well, Remy, a bunch o'us are going out dancin' and drinkin' tonight if y'all want to come. We're leavin' around 8." Rogue took one last glance at Remy before heading to the pool.
Remy's eyes gleamed. Things were going to get interesting. He stood brushing his jeans off. He felt hollow, lifeless, yet he smiled.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They had been dancing all night, their bodies releasing the stress of the last few weeks with every movement. Remy had even come, and appeared to have left behind the glum mood he had been in for so long. But, as Jean Grey had found out that night, appearances are quite often deceiving.
Remy had watched her head in the direction of the ladies room, and slipping off the dance floor, he had followed her.
Jean threw the paper towel in to the trash, pushing the bathroom door open with one hand. She came face to face with a grinning Remy.
"Remy, what are you doing?
"Lo' chere." With that he pushed her back into the bathroom, placing both hands on her arms, shoving her into the wall. Jean opened her mouth to scream, but Remy made a shushing sound, signaling her to be quiet. Jean tried to remain calm.
"Y'know Jean, y'and your boyfriend always did get on my nerves, always whisperin' bout me, never trustin' me. I'm a new man now chere, and I don' take kindly t'bein' pushed round.
Jean just glared at him. "Neither do I!" With that Jean used her telekinesis to fling Remy away. The bathroom was small and he only ended a few feet from her.
"Now dat wasn' smart Jean." With a blink of an eye, Remy had lit up Jean's entire outfit in a pink kinetic charge. Startled, Jean released Remy, knowing he had the upper hand.
Remy resumed his position in front of her, eyes shining brightly, demonically teasing Jean.
"Since when can you do this?" Jean breathed.
ÔI got a lot o'secrets up my sleeve Jeannie. But I ain't here to hurt y." Jean snorted, giving him an unbelievable stare. "Dis coulda been a lot simpler. All I want are de access codes t'Cerebro's files. I noticed every other X-Men has dem, cept' for me.
"Why should I give them to you!
"Y're not really in de position t'question dat, now are y'Jean?
"Fine. Do you have paper and a pen?
"Don' need em'. I gotta good memory, just tell them t'me now.
Jean gave Gambit the information, asking in the end what he needed it for.
"Just wanted t'feel like part o'de team chere," Remy smirked. Just then someone entered the bathroom. Quick as lightening, Remy released his kinetic hold and covered his body over Jean's, leaning in, he began nibbling on Jean's ear. Jean grimaced.
"Tell anyone bout dis Jean, and y'won' see Scott ever again. Got me?" Remy whispered.
Jean nodded, holding her breath.
"Good, y'make a good partner chere." With that he turned to leave the room. "Bon soir, cherie, n'remember what I said.
Jean released her held breath. She suddenly felt very nauseas. Her mind began to spin, circulating the different ways she could warn the others without Remy knowing. Sliding down the wall, Jean began to cry. Scott's life was in her hands, and she knew she did not have the courage to risk it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waltzing back through the dance club, Remy grabbed ahold of Rogue's gloved hand.
"Hey chere, whaddya say we take a walk, get a breath o'fresh air?
"Sure sugah. Ah was beginning ta get a bit hot and tired myself. I'll just go tell Ro' were leaving." Remy watched her walk away, evaluating her every step. She was gorgeous. Remy's only weak spot really. Once again Remy felt a dull throb pound through his head. He had constant headaches these days, and they seemed to fluctuate with his mood. Remy pushed that out of his mind as Rogue sauntered back to him. Grabbing her hand again, the couple headed out of the club, into the fresh night air.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to those two that reviewed so far!