Trapped

Author's Note: ^^;; Okay, I think you know have my permission to whack me upside the head… I was gone for SOOOO long…. Here's the next chapter. I hope it'll tide you over until next week.

Hope my schedule goes according to plan.

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It was a fine day for pick pocketing, and tuning up on thieving skills, yet Remy was using his time to pace around his room. Ever since Julien Boudreaux's gala, the only thing on Remy's mind seemed to be Angelique. Everything was happening so fast. A couple from Angelique's past had appeared during Julien's birthday celebration, and Remy viewed them as a threat.

As he ran his gloved hand over his thick auburn hair, Remy's mind wandered to the pair. He recognized the woman from years before. Her name was Ororo Munroe, she was one of his father's thieves from Cairo, but she had left the family. She and the LeBeau family were no longer in contact. And with her connection with Angelique, Remy hoped it would stay that way.

He heard a knock on his door, and before he could utter a word, Tante Mattie stepped in.

" Chil' why be y' poutin' in yo' room?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Remy shrugged, taking a deck of cards from his pocket, and began to shuffle them around.

"Jus' takin' a break, Tante," Remy lied, charging a few of the cards as he juggled them. " Remy jus' tired."

Tante Mattie rolled her eyes," Right, I s'ppose dat Angelique don't have nothin' t' do wit' y' bein' dis way?"

"Angelique?" Remy asked, turning around to face the window. " Non."

Sighing, Tante Mattie shook her head and said," Pas l'inquiétude, petite celui. Angelique ne vous partira pas. Elle veut savoir seulement de son passé." [Trans: Don't worry, little one. Angelique will not leave you. She merely wishes to know of her past.]

Remy scoffed, dropping a charged card on the floor. Tante Mattie winced, knowing she would have to replace the floors.

" Mais… pourquoi? Why do she have t' know 'bout her past?" Remy asked, " She got us now, th' people she was wit'… dey left her! Why do she want to know 'bout dem?"

" It be de way we be, Rem," Tante Mattie replied, hoping to have comforted the boy, " Angelique knows she will always belong here, mais… some part o' her will always wan' t' know."

With that, the elderly woman quietly stepped out of the room, leaving Remy alone with his thoughts once more. Grunting with frustration, Remy somersaulted out his window, landing gracefully on the lawn.

" Remy?"

Turning around, he found Belladonna, Julien's younger sister. She had a light blue summer dress on, and had a look of wanting on her face. It was a known fact that Bella had somewhat of a crush on Remy, but he did not see her in that way.

" Bonjour, Bella," Remy greeted politely, kissing her hand. "What y' doin' here?"

Bella smiled seductively and sauntered towards him. " Julien wanted t' see Angelique, so I jus' came along."

Remy growled, " Julien's here?"

Nodding, Bella chose to ignore the angry look on Remy's face. " Oui, I think he be infatuated wit' dat fille, but who knows?"

" Pardon, Belle but Remy has to find l'Ange," Remy replied. As he walked away, he failed to notice the jealousy written on the woman's face.

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Angelique placed a phony smile on, and nodded once in a while. She didn't really listen to a single word Julien was saying, but he wasn't making it easy for her to leave. She had been waiting for Wolverine and Storm's arrival, but instead she was stuck with Julien's company.

She had to admit, it was somewhat flattering, but the boy had nothing else to talk about but the guild. It was as if he had no hobbies other than cleaning his weapons.

" Ange?"

Angelique was roused from her thoughts, and she immediately placed another smile on her face.

"Sorry, Ah must've spaced out there a bit," she said, " y' were sayin'?"

Julien moved closer towards her and took one of her hands in his. He placed a kiss on her hand and smiled. " C'est rien, ma cherie. I was jus' sayin' how beautiful y' eyes were."

" Oui, they are tres belle, mais, y' got t' be leavin."

Looking up, Angelique found Remy standing over them with his arms crossed. He had a frown on his face, and his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses.

" Oh, oui," Angelique replied, " Ah have guests coming over. It would be rude t'-"

Julien shook his head, " Non, no need to apologize. A femme such as y'self don't need t' apologize f' nothin'."

Remy rolled his eyes, wondering how many times he heard that line coming from Julien. " Yes, yes, an' a femme like her don't need y' t' keep botherin' her. She knows."

Angelique couldn't keep herself from giggling. Julien glared at Remy, but he composed himself and gave Angelique a slight nod. As he left the room, Remy sat down on one of the couches, only to stand up again. He reached for the crushed box on the seat and looked at Angel. He cocked one of his eyebrows and lifted the box.

" What?" she asked innocently.

" When did y' two become such good friends?" Remy asked.

Angel laughed and smoothed the wrinkles on her pants. " Please, y' were th' one acting like a jealous boyfriend! When did y' become so possessive?"

Remy was about to answer, but he decided to bite his tongue. He didn't want to admit to her that he had fallen for her. The kind of hearts, the prince of playboys, had fallen for a woman who barely knew her age. He shook his head, wondering how it came to be.

" Rem? Y'okay?"

He nodded, and sat back down, careful not to sit on another gift. He tossed the crumpled box, which Angelique caught easily. She threw it over her shoulder, knowing it would land on one of the tables behind her.

" Somet'in's not right," she said. " What's wrong?"

Remy took off his glasses and looked deep into her eyes. Angelique loved his eyes; they were as red as fire. Heavens knew Remy had a fire in him that Angelique knew would never burn out. He took her hands, caressing them, and running them on his face, loving their softness.

" Don't leave."

Angelique seemed shocked to hear those two words come from his mouth. "Wh-what? Why would I leave?"

There was silence between them, and she recalled her meeting with the Wolverine. Angelique smiled and pulled Remy close to her, giving him a big hug.

" Aw, don' be like dis," she said, " Ah'll always be here, after all, who's goin' t' embarrass y' when one of y' girlfriends come home?"

Remy's face fell. 'She don't know I love her?' he asked himself. He mentally slapped himself. 'Of course she don't know! Y' didn't tell her!'

Angelique rose, humming to herself, as she left Remy with his jaws on the floor.

"How could Remy forget t' tell her?" he stammered to himself. ' I am so stupid'

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Logan took a deep breath, as he and Ororo neared the house. This was it, he thought. The one chance to see what happened to Rogue. He vowed to bring her back, and he would stick to that vow. Ororo on the other hand, felt nervous to step inside the house. It would not be the first time she would meet Jean-Luc, and she knew that if Jean-Luc was the same man she knew… it would not be the last.

'Goddess help us'

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Author's Note: Like it? I thought putting Bella in there might spice things up a bit.