Authors Note: I'm sorry for the late update! I've been away and had no Internet access so I'm a little off schedule, never mind eh? I like this chapter. I don't really know why I like it, it's not well written or all that exciting or anything like that, though I usually hate all my own work so its gotta be an achievement right? I hope you like it too! Enough to review at least ;-)
Star-of-Chaos: Roguesicle! You have no idea how much that made me laugh! Thank you very much:-)
Enchantedlight: glad you liked it, ta for the review
Dreamschemer: I have read Giddy and I love it. Originally, this story hit a little too close to Giddy, so I have changed parts, though I was still wondering when someone would twig and make the comparison. I just wish I could write as well as Seven Sunningdale though!
Evosmylife: bless, cute is fine, I was just worried I'd upset you! It would be truly bizarre seeing your own dead body-its not an experience I ever want myself! Thanks for the review
Ishandahalf: aww you'll really miss my story? That's a lovely, very sweet thing to say! Thank you! Hopefully there will be a sequel; I have ideas for one, but ever since I finished this, I've had writers block and to top it off, exams, which means no time to write. The summer is coming though, so maybe, just maybe ;-) I love happy endings too, but you'll have to wait and see with this one, it could go either way, and I don't wanna ruin the mystery! Thanks very much for the review
Ms.Rogue LeBeau: I've never seen that film, so I'll have to take your word for it! Thanks for the review!
Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix: grounded? Tut tut! Though I can't really talk... Who was at the top of VH1's list? I know who would be at the top of mine!
MorriganFearn: I feel your pain. I'm in the middle of important exams too-it's not good. I hope you do really well though, good luck:-) I'm secretly pleased you think I'm giving everyone a fair amount of screen time; I was worried I'd done exactly the opposite! Especially right at the end... I think your accents are very well done! Certainly your Pyro accent is one of the few I don't think is really over done and irritating, it's quite an achievement! I'm sticking my gold stars to my shirt, thank you for them! Once again, good luck again with your finals!
One More Star in the SkyChapter Sixteen (In which the cards are showing)
It hadn't been easy getting the dead weight of the cryogenic chamber back. Everyone pitched in to help lift and Jean tried to take some of the weight off using her telekinesis, but it was still incredibly heavy.
Remy and Kurt had tried their very best to re-tell the information they had procured before, but not understanding the science or anything made it a little hard. They also gave Logan Rogues file, making him hiss.
They had radioed ahead to tell Hank and the Professor. Hank was especially intrigued. Apparently he had heard of Dr John Hunter and his knowledge of cryogenics and was quite excited about meeting him.
Eventually, with the help of many people, the chamber was in the med lab. Bobby had formed a layer of ice around it to keep it cold, just in case, even though the now awake, but still stunned, doctor had told him it wasn't all that necessary.
-o-o-o-o-
"There is no real method of reviving people from this process with the present medical technology. By doing this I hoped that at some point in the future, when medicine is more advanced, someone would find her and wake her up." Hunter told the large group of mutants that were assembled in the Professors study the next day.
"However," Hank cut in, raising the hopes of the crestfallen students. "We do have some of the equipment left by the Shi'ar. Its far more advanced than anything we have on earth, but it's still not perfect. There is a good chance Rogue will not recover from the process, but there is no way of telling right now, it's just a chance we will have to take if the decision is made to try and revive her rather than lay her to rest."
"We can't jus' give up on her! y' gotta at least try! It ain't like deres anyt'ing t' lose!" Remy practically yelled at both doctors.
"Mr Lebeau, kindly calm down," Xavier sternly told him, forcing Remy to sit back down.
"There is one other thing," Beast continued, "and it does involve you Remy. If we do manage to wake Rogue, it is most likely that she will be able to remember none of what has gone on between you two. She will not know who you are or how you got here, let alone that you are good friends."
The enormity of these words hit Remy hard. What if Beast was right? What if Rogue remembers nothing? He wasn't sure if he could handle that...
"Y' still gotta try," he decided grimly, looking Hank straight in the eye. The furry doctor nodded.
Out of the corner of his eye, Remy could see Rogue perched on one of the arms of the sofa. She looked like she was lost in deep thought, though not in a good way. A confused frown was etched across her features, as if she didn't quite know what to make of the situation. He was getting very concerned about her and was about to get up and go over to her, when she disappeared completely.
"I think that's enough explanation for now, we shall all discuss this matter further after your danger room session this evening," the Professor told them. At the mention of the danger room there was a collective groan. "However, if you would like to stay behind Remy, I would like a word..."
Remy was worried when he heard that. Last time Xavier had wished to talk to him in private it had involved some rather unnerving telepathy. It was too late though; the room had already emptied.
"I sense you are deeply worried about the potential memory loss Rogue may suffer if the procedure is successful." All Remy could do was nod. "I'm afraid it is a risk you must be willing to take but if its any consolation, I believe that memories are a part of the soul, one of the things that make us human, they do not die along with us."
The Cajun took a moment to digest the words. Whether there was any truth in them or not, it was a comforting thing to hear. It certainly made him a little more uplifted anyway.
"There is one more thing however," Xavier cut through his train of through. "Perhaps you should ask Rogue for her opinion in all of this, it seems with all this commotion, her point of view has become slightly... forgotten. May I suggest you speak to her about this first? It is her body after all..."
Remy nodded, feeling suddenly very ashamed that he had forgotten all about his angels opinion whilst he had been fighting her case for her, he had just taken it for granted that this was what she wanted too. He got up, thanking the Professor before quickly exiting the study.
-o-o-o-o-
As Rogue had done one of her great disappearing acts, Remy had no idea where she was. She could be "upstairs" as she called it, she could be somewhere in the mansion, she could be in another country for all he knew. Needing to clear his head, he sought refuge in the place that had become his sanctuary in the month or so he had been here...the roof.
Climbing up there, he was surprised and relieved to find a figure in white, hair blowing softly in the wind, sat on the sloping side of the roof, staring out over the town, the sun just beginning to set. Far in the distance, the bell of an old clock tower rang out, welcoming the seventh hour of that afternoon.
"Y' know every time a bell rings an' angel gets its wings," Remy told her, quietly going to sit down on the roof beside her.
"Ah don't wanna talk ta ya rahte now Rem," she told him quietly, but with force.
"If y' didn' wanna talk t' me, why did y' stay here? Dere are a million ot'er places y' coulda gone, but y' chose here. Gotta mean somet'in..."
She paused for a moment, looking like she wanted to say something but was in half minds as to whether or not she should. Eventually, the truth won out.
"D'ya ever consider other peoples feelin's or wishes when ya make important decisions for them?" If there was a shadow of a doubt in his mind as to what this could be about, it had now vanished.
"Did ya perhaps stop for a moment ta consider tha fact that Ah mahte actually lahke it up here? That Ah mahte not wanna have ta come back. Ah'm at peace Rem. For tha first tahme in years Ah don't have other peoples voices in mah head, there are no memories that ain't mah own and Ah can touch people, Ah didn't have any o' those things when Ah was alive. Ah think things really mahte be better for me here..." she quietly trailed off, leaving both of them lost in contemplation.
"I had no idea y' felt like dat chére." Was all he could offer. "Can y' at least see it from de ot'er way around though?"
She looked at him, slightly confused at what he had just said, but she was still quiet which meant she was obviously prepared to listen to him.
"Seven, eight mont's ago," he started, trying to count back just how long it was ago they had first met, thought that memory would never fade should he live to be a thousand, "I woke up one mornin' t' find de most belle femme dat I've ever seen sittin' in my room, and I haven' been able t' get her outta mon head since."
Rogue smiled. She had never imagined in a million years she would have heard anyone say things like that about her.
"I fell fo' y' Roguey, couldn' help myself, I never felt dis way about anyone else in my life, I can't just let y' go like dat. I wanna have a life wit' y' and grow old wit' y', deres never been anyone in dis world who meant as much t' me as y' do. Je'taime mon ange."
She stared deeply into his red and black eyes, so perfectly contrasted with her own. She allowed herself to melt into his warm embrace. She was still torn though. This was very very wrong indeed, but she couldn't help herself either.
"Ah love ya too Remy" she murmured into his chest, feeling him breath out a deep sigh of relief. Evidently he had been very worried she would react badly to what he had just told her. He never once thought for a moment that someone like her could possibly ever put up with a swamp rat like himself. He had been wrong.
"This is very wrong ya know," she said, teasingly, but ever so slightly serious. They both knew the magnitude of what they were doing. "Ah'm really putting mah job on tha lahne here, Ah hate ta think whats gonna happen when they fahnd out, probly wanna punish us both..."
"Den let de punishment come," he told her huskily, tilting her head up, caressing her soft cheek. He gently brushed a stray white hair away from her face before leaning in, kissing her lips gently, moving down her neck a little, feeling her shiver slightly every time he did so. They both lost themselves in each other then and there. The kisses grew more and more passionate as the sun set behind them. It was growing rapidly darker but neither wanted to move, afraid of what could happen if they let each other go.
-o-o-o-o-
A few blocks away, an elderly man was busy trying to fit in the last of his gardening before the sun set for that day. As he stood up to straighten out his back and wipe his brow, he looked up towards the beautiful golden sunset that was painting pink and orange hues delicately across the evening sky. On it's way back down from the sunset, his gaze fell upon the roof of a nearby mansion. He could have sworn he saw a man happily embracing thin air! He shook his head; it must be the heat getting to him. He went back inside, deciding that next time he went out to do gardening all day in the sun, he was definitely wearing a hat.
Aww bless! Wasn't that cute! They love each other! Well they sorta did before, but you know what I mean...and the old man! I just love him, god knows why, I seem to have become very attached to my bit-characters... but scary moment with Rogue not wanting to come back! It's a good thing Remy was there to talk her down (so as to speak)
Anyway, I hope you liked that! Please please please review:-)