I promised Gambit this would be our last stop before home. I really wanted
to get the power thing down so I would have something to show for my long
absense. I convinced him to let us accept Madame Chittums offer of staying
on a while.
"Okay let's try this one more time." Gambit and I sat under a tree in the Garden. I reached out my bare hand, and I felt this fingertips with mine. We pressed our palms together and I laced my fingers through his. I had my eyes closed in concentration. I wish I would have opened them. Then I could see the smile on his face.
He reached a hand up on touched one finger to my cheek. It tickled ever so slightly as he drew it along my jawline. He ran them across my wet lips. I could feel him come closer. CONCENTRATE. He came closer. I could feel his breathe. He smelled, like always, of cigerettes and wine. It was intoxicating.
"Remy LeBeau. Why didn't you tell me you were in town!
At about the time his lips touched mine, the voice cut straight through my concentraction.
BANG! Stuff just started blowing up. Gambit was thrown back a few feet.
"Damn it! God Chick ya evah think of tryin' not ta scare a girl half ta death!
Gambit sat up and shook his head. "You pack hell of a punch chere."
"Chere. I thought that was a name ya saved for me."
"Belle you tink dat da reason you no hear bout Gambit was because Gambit no wanna be found. No by you at least."
"Now hon, is that the way you talk to ya wife? We've been married Four years and I haven't seen ya in three and a half."
I had heard all I wanted to and more. Gambit. My Gambit. He was married. I let my self fall for him and. . . now I realize I couldn't really have him. I got up and ran to my room. I started to throw stuff into my duffle.
I could hear Gambit yelling at her from the window. Belladonna. That was her name. Belladonna ruins everything. I look to the dresser and I see the picture, and the mask. I had found a frame for the picture we had taken at Mardi Gras. I took the picture and the mask and placed them in the bag.
I could hear Gambit at the door now. "Rogue. Let Remy in." He never uses his real name. "Come on you no can stay in dere for ever."
I wasn't planning to. I stepped out on to the balcony. "Good bye. Ah'm goin' to the one place I can always call home." I whispered.
I launched my self into the air and headed north.
Gambit rode as fast as he could hoping he would arrive right after she did. A freezing rain pounded on him as he turned down the drive to the Mansion. Rogue had to be there. There was no way she couldn't.
He ran into Logan first. Of all the people why him. "Rogue, Where is she?"
"I knew it! you lost her didn't you, you little swamp rat I oughta. . . "
"Logan put him down. Rogue just contacted me and said she will be away on her own for a while. It seems she is very angry with Someone and wishes some time alone."
Alone with Xaviar Gambit asks, "Where is she, Gambit need ta find 'er."
"Leave her be for the time being. She will be home soon. I'm sure of it."
___________________________________________________
Home isn't exactly where most people would think. Actually it really isn't a where but a who.
"I knew you would come back eventually. I know you well... Daughter."
"Hiya, Momma."
"Come here." I ran into her out streched arms. "I have missed you much."
"Ah missed ya too Momma."
"Have you finally decided to join with me? Become one of the Brotherhood of Mutants?"
"No Momma. Ah came to be near you and that's all. Ah'm an X-man."
"Very well, we will not speak of it."
"We'll make a deal. No questions. Ya won't ask me about what the X-men doin' an' Ah don't ask bout the Brotherhood."
"I believe that is a fair deal. Especially if it gives me the chance to have you back in my life."
"I really do miss ya Momma."
"So what ever happened to that over Zealous but very cute Cajun you were with?"
"Oh Gambit. He makes me so mad sometimes. Ya know he never told me that he was mar'id. Oooh if only I could get mah hands on him now. Ah'd beat him senseless."
"That can be arranged Marie."
"Oh Momma you won't do nutin of the sort, Ah love that boy!"
"But you have just said that you would like to have him beat sensless."
"Yeah well, Ah lied! Oh Momma he has me so. . . so. . . Ah don't know but he has me that's for sure."
"Young love. It's so fickle don't you think."
I walked out on the Balcony of Mamma's New York apartment. If not for all the buildings, I bet I could see the Mansion from here.
"You miss them don't you?"
"Yes, Momma. Ah do."
I sat down in a chair and she came to sit beside me.
"It was always so busy there. All the kids doin' their work an' homework. Logan would be sittin in front o' the tv right now. He would be cussin' cause his teams losin' to Scott's. Jean would be raisin her eyebrow an' shaken her head cause she knew that this would cause nother fight. Xavier would be workin at councelin' some student or punishin' Jubes and Bobby for somethin or other. Ro would be naked in her garden. She love to water them in the nude. She told me Ah should try it sometime. Ah told her that my rooms aren't as secluded as hers, some one would walk in an' see me. Hank would be hidden twinkies from the kids an Kurt and Kitty would be spyin' so they could get some. . ."
"If you miss it so much, why are you still here with me?"
I could hear the distance in her voice.
"Ah figured that Ah wouldn't go back until spring. Thats what Ah said at least."
"It's almost May."
"Ah wanted to make sure mah powers where in check."
"You haven't worn your gloves in two weeks and have yet to accidently absorb anyone while accidently brushing them."
"Well. . . Ah. . . "
"Your avoiding him aren't you."
It wasn't a question. It was more of a statment of a fact.
"Ah can't even look at him with out knowin that he lied ta me. Or at least kept the truth ta himself. An' Ah can't look at him without thinking that Ah love him."
I got up and looked over the rail to the street below.
"You will have to face your fears sooner or later. I did not teach my daughter to run from that which she is aftraid. You're stronger than that. Go home."
She left and came back with my bag. With out turning, she put it in my hand. "Go."
I almost didn't hear her whisper.
"Ah'm not leavin' ya for good this time Momma. Ah'll be back ta visit. Ah don't know how often though. Ah'll miss ya."
She didn't say any thing. I stepped on to the rail and dove off. I let myself fall for a while before turning upward into the sky."
"I miss you too, Marie."
"Okay let's try this one more time." Gambit and I sat under a tree in the Garden. I reached out my bare hand, and I felt this fingertips with mine. We pressed our palms together and I laced my fingers through his. I had my eyes closed in concentration. I wish I would have opened them. Then I could see the smile on his face.
He reached a hand up on touched one finger to my cheek. It tickled ever so slightly as he drew it along my jawline. He ran them across my wet lips. I could feel him come closer. CONCENTRATE. He came closer. I could feel his breathe. He smelled, like always, of cigerettes and wine. It was intoxicating.
"Remy LeBeau. Why didn't you tell me you were in town!
At about the time his lips touched mine, the voice cut straight through my concentraction.
BANG! Stuff just started blowing up. Gambit was thrown back a few feet.
"Damn it! God Chick ya evah think of tryin' not ta scare a girl half ta death!
Gambit sat up and shook his head. "You pack hell of a punch chere."
"Chere. I thought that was a name ya saved for me."
"Belle you tink dat da reason you no hear bout Gambit was because Gambit no wanna be found. No by you at least."
"Now hon, is that the way you talk to ya wife? We've been married Four years and I haven't seen ya in three and a half."
I had heard all I wanted to and more. Gambit. My Gambit. He was married. I let my self fall for him and. . . now I realize I couldn't really have him. I got up and ran to my room. I started to throw stuff into my duffle.
I could hear Gambit yelling at her from the window. Belladonna. That was her name. Belladonna ruins everything. I look to the dresser and I see the picture, and the mask. I had found a frame for the picture we had taken at Mardi Gras. I took the picture and the mask and placed them in the bag.
I could hear Gambit at the door now. "Rogue. Let Remy in." He never uses his real name. "Come on you no can stay in dere for ever."
I wasn't planning to. I stepped out on to the balcony. "Good bye. Ah'm goin' to the one place I can always call home." I whispered.
I launched my self into the air and headed north.
Gambit rode as fast as he could hoping he would arrive right after she did. A freezing rain pounded on him as he turned down the drive to the Mansion. Rogue had to be there. There was no way she couldn't.
He ran into Logan first. Of all the people why him. "Rogue, Where is she?"
"I knew it! you lost her didn't you, you little swamp rat I oughta. . . "
"Logan put him down. Rogue just contacted me and said she will be away on her own for a while. It seems she is very angry with Someone and wishes some time alone."
Alone with Xaviar Gambit asks, "Where is she, Gambit need ta find 'er."
"Leave her be for the time being. She will be home soon. I'm sure of it."
___________________________________________________
Home isn't exactly where most people would think. Actually it really isn't a where but a who.
"I knew you would come back eventually. I know you well... Daughter."
"Hiya, Momma."
"Come here." I ran into her out streched arms. "I have missed you much."
"Ah missed ya too Momma."
"Have you finally decided to join with me? Become one of the Brotherhood of Mutants?"
"No Momma. Ah came to be near you and that's all. Ah'm an X-man."
"Very well, we will not speak of it."
"We'll make a deal. No questions. Ya won't ask me about what the X-men doin' an' Ah don't ask bout the Brotherhood."
"I believe that is a fair deal. Especially if it gives me the chance to have you back in my life."
"I really do miss ya Momma."
"So what ever happened to that over Zealous but very cute Cajun you were with?"
"Oh Gambit. He makes me so mad sometimes. Ya know he never told me that he was mar'id. Oooh if only I could get mah hands on him now. Ah'd beat him senseless."
"That can be arranged Marie."
"Oh Momma you won't do nutin of the sort, Ah love that boy!"
"But you have just said that you would like to have him beat sensless."
"Yeah well, Ah lied! Oh Momma he has me so. . . so. . . Ah don't know but he has me that's for sure."
"Young love. It's so fickle don't you think."
I walked out on the Balcony of Mamma's New York apartment. If not for all the buildings, I bet I could see the Mansion from here.
"You miss them don't you?"
"Yes, Momma. Ah do."
I sat down in a chair and she came to sit beside me.
"It was always so busy there. All the kids doin' their work an' homework. Logan would be sittin in front o' the tv right now. He would be cussin' cause his teams losin' to Scott's. Jean would be raisin her eyebrow an' shaken her head cause she knew that this would cause nother fight. Xavier would be workin at councelin' some student or punishin' Jubes and Bobby for somethin or other. Ro would be naked in her garden. She love to water them in the nude. She told me Ah should try it sometime. Ah told her that my rooms aren't as secluded as hers, some one would walk in an' see me. Hank would be hidden twinkies from the kids an Kurt and Kitty would be spyin' so they could get some. . ."
"If you miss it so much, why are you still here with me?"
I could hear the distance in her voice.
"Ah figured that Ah wouldn't go back until spring. Thats what Ah said at least."
"It's almost May."
"Ah wanted to make sure mah powers where in check."
"You haven't worn your gloves in two weeks and have yet to accidently absorb anyone while accidently brushing them."
"Well. . . Ah. . . "
"Your avoiding him aren't you."
It wasn't a question. It was more of a statment of a fact.
"Ah can't even look at him with out knowin that he lied ta me. Or at least kept the truth ta himself. An' Ah can't look at him without thinking that Ah love him."
I got up and looked over the rail to the street below.
"You will have to face your fears sooner or later. I did not teach my daughter to run from that which she is aftraid. You're stronger than that. Go home."
She left and came back with my bag. With out turning, she put it in my hand. "Go."
I almost didn't hear her whisper.
"Ah'm not leavin' ya for good this time Momma. Ah'll be back ta visit. Ah don't know how often though. Ah'll miss ya."
She didn't say any thing. I stepped on to the rail and dove off. I let myself fall for a while before turning upward into the sky."
"I miss you too, Marie."