Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix: lol, don't worry; I don't think I need any more continuity type references so you can sleep easy. I've decided to wing it and then the stuff that doesn't make sense I'll call AU! See! The system works! Thanks for the review.
Ishandahalf: will they won't they? Do they don't they? All good questions, and the answers to which can only be discovered by reading on! The bunny is tired and the crack doesn't seem to be doing it any good at all. It's not a good sign I tell ya! Not good at all...ta very much for the review luv!
Miya Reino: hee hee, the romyness is in jumps and starts but its there! Oh'll you'll like some of the later chapters...I can sense it in my toes! Thank you very much for you review!
Misa1124: Just for you, I have done a very rough map of how many chapters I have left to go. I reckon I can make it to about 18 or so, but I think the last chapter will probably be pretty long. Is that a longish story? I'm not really sure I can stretch it out longer than that. Nope, no one but Remy can see Rogue, but to him she's very real indeed...thank you very much for you review too, you said some lovely things!
One More Star in the Sky
Chapter Eight (In which the day arrives)
Now Remy stood at the front of the church, looking as if he was attending his own funeral rather than his wedding. There was a deep feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, made worse by the fact that people kept coming over to slap him on the back to congratulate him.
Belle hadn't arrived yet, but the Church was filling up fast. There were so many people, it seemed as if the two families had invited the whole of New Orleans. The place was filled with beautiful pink roses; the florists had really outdone themselves, but Remy didn't notice any of the decorations.
He wished Rogue was here, it might have been just that little bit more bearable if she was, although it wouldn't change the fact that her was stuck with Belle for life now. In a few short hours, he would be married to a woman he didn't love.
Since he was twelve he had known that this day would come eventually. They were meant to be, and this was meant to last a lifetime, but they had grown apart. It was too late; he no longer felt anything for her like he did when he was younger, and he doubted that she felt anything for him either, her heart belonged to Jacques now.
Suddenly, music started playing and Belle appeared down the aisle at the large wooden doors on the arm of her proud father. Remy's heart dropped even more, he had been secretly hoping even now that she wouldn't turn up. She was wearing a frothy white wedding gown, her blonde hair piled up on top of her head and a white lace veil over this. Glancing to his side, he could see his family sitting in the front row. His father and Tante Mattie, his older brother Henri and his wife Mercy, as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, all staring back down the aisle, smiling at the bride.
As she approached, Remy could see that Belle was far from the picture of happiness that she should have been on her own wedding day. There was a distant look in her blue eyes, suggesting that there were many places she would rather be than here right now.
At last, she was standing beside Remy, her veil now lifted over her head, away from her face. The priest began to speak, but Remy tuned him out. He knew his part by now, they had been practising this since before the date had been set, it had become second nature.
Finally, they had reached the vows. A small cousin of Belles who was looking after the rings came forth and handed one of the delicate gold wedding bands to Remy.
"Merci p'tite," he whispered to the kid, who grinned and ran back to his parents.
"Remy Etienne LeBeau," the priest began, "do y' take dis woman, Belladonna Boudreaux, t' be y' lawful wedded wife, t' have an' t' hold from dis day fo'ward, fo' better o' fo' worse, fo' richer o' fo' poorer, in sickness an' in health, t' love an' t' cherish, as long as you both shall live?"
Remy sighed heavily; he knew what had to be done. Carefully he slipped the ring onto the finger of Belle's extended hand.
"I do."
"And do y' Belladonna Boudreaux, take dis man, Remy Etienne LeBeau, t' be y' lawful wedded husband, t' have an' t' hold from dis day fo'ward, fo' better o' fo' worse, fo' richer o' fo' poorer, in sickness an' in health, t' love an' t' cherish, as long as you both shall live?"
Belle picked up her ring, and was about to take Remy's hand, but she faltered. She choked on the words, unable to say them. After what seemed like a lifetime, she dropped the ring, making the guests gasp quietly, all in one voice.
"I'm sorry Remy, I jus' can't do it," she told him, staring into his eyes. "I'm in love wit' someone else, I' should have told y' before, but I couldn't, please don't hate me."
On that last, dramatic note, she ran out of the church, hurriedly taking off the ring on her finger and dropping it in her haste. All the guests were talking now, unable to believe what had just happened. Marius Boudreaux looked murderous as he watched his daughter run. This meant that the thieves now had the upper hand, and no doubt they would use it to their full advantage.
Remy was over the moon. The joy dancing in his eyes was unmistakable, but instead he decided to put on his poker face and play the injured, jilted ex. His own family knew different. He had been trying to weasel out of this marriage for ages, but the assassins didn't, and they were going to make them grovel for all it was worth.
Jean Luc came and put a supportive hand on Remy's shoulder.
"Dere dere son. I know, it's hard, but y'll be all right...in time." He made sure he said it in a voice loud enough so that Marius was sure to hear it. Remy put on a wounded expression.
"Remy t'inks he needs t' go home, have a stiff drink..."
"O' course, y' go." Jean Luc turned to Marius who was now standing sheepishly behind him. "Marius!" he exclaimed, "now what are we gonna do 'bout dat peace treaty?" He put his arm around Marius' shoulders in a slightly threatening way, and started to walk him towards the exit. All the guests were beginning to depart, as was his family and Remy thought that it was high time he made his escape and had his own private celebration.
-o-o-o-o-
He shut the door to his room behind him and leaned back against the closed door. A wide grin spread over his face and he began to laugh, quietly at first, but growing louder and heartier by the second.
"Rogue, where are y'! Remy needs to talk t' y'!" he spluttered out between laughs.
The moment she appeared, she threw her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. He grabbed her round the waist and spun her around, still laughing.
"It worked chére! It worked!" he was incredibly happy, no longer did he have to live in fear that he would end up stuck in a loveless marriage.
"Ah know sugah" she said softly once he had put her down, "Ah watched tha whole thing upstairs."
"Knew y' wouldn't leave dis ol' t'ief" he grinned, stroking the side of her face, making her blush ever so slightly.
"Do ya know what ya gonna do now?" she asked suddenly, pulling away from him.
"Dunno yet chére, but I t'ink I might leave N'awlins, jus' for a while, see a bit more o' de big wide world."
"Where?" she asked him more curiously. It was still her job to look after him, she thought she better find out what he had planned.
"T'ought I might go up north a bit, mebbe take a trip t' New York, always wanted t' see de big apple." Rogue raised an eyebrow, she knew how Remy's mind worked by now, a little sightseeing trip was not all he had planned.
"Really swamp rat? Are ya sure that's all ya gonna do?" she asked skeptically, hands on hips.
"Can't hide anyt'ing from y' can I chére?" she shook her head. "Well Remy t'ought dat whilst he was dere he might go and visit Roguies ol' friends."
"And tell them what? That their former teammate is now hauntin' ya? I don't think its gonna go down to well..."
"Shh p'tite" he soothed, running his hands through her soft hair a little, "It'll all work out, we just play it by ear a bit non?"
Yay! Goodbye Belle! But how soap-opera-ish was that! I'm very sorry it was such a predictable thing to write, but it worked out ok in the end didn't it? Belle's gone, that's the important thing. And Remy's going north! What FUN! As a certain reviewer of mine would say...
Heh, anyway my loves, please, do review, it only encourages me! Wait, is that really a good thing?