Authors Note: So this is the last chapter -sniff- Its been quite a journey hasn't it? I gotta say you've all been incredibly patient, you lovely lovely people. I had a great birthday by the way, thanks for all the nice birthday wishes especially the nice little birthday dedication from Ish ;-). So for the last time, shout outs...
Enchantedlight: aww thank you! And thanks for the review too
Ishandahalf: thank you very much for my birthday fic! it was a great present! November you say? Well you never know, you may get a sequel to this for your birthday then! Taking your fic hostage is just plain cruel though! I'm looking forward to that! Though we'll just wait and see what you think of the ending ;-). I've done some research on cryogenics, but science isn't my strong suit so I'm blagging it a bit, hopefully it will make sense slightly, I promise nothing though. Thank you very much for all your entertaining reviews over the chapters, you've been great!
Ms.Rogue LeBeau: thank you too! I'm very happy I got so many birthday messages; you're all very kind.
Star-of-Chaos: ahh well that's one more than I've ever been responded to. Though I cant say I blame her, a trillion reviews, though the ultimate dream, would be pretty hard (not to mention lengthy) to reply to, plus, I'm a very lazy reviewer! Thanks very much for all your reviews; I always look forward to getting them!
IceAngel46: a review is a review is a review. Well written or not, I love them all! Thanks very much for yours!
Evosmylife: hahaha! Clones, now that's a scary thought! I've never seen van helsing but I think I remember putting in a little description of what Gabriel looks in this chapter. Thank you very much for the song, that made my day!
Dreamschemer: thanks. I'm pretty sure this chapter is longer and better than the last, I hope you like it!
Panther Pendragon: heh heh, thanks
Episodic: yep, I'm a Gemini too! Happy birthday for the fourth! There is a sequel in the works, but it won't be finished or possibly posted for sometime. I'm glad you like the story enough to want one!
As a side note, I finally got to see Cajun Spice the other day. You're right, its seriously good!
So without further ado, here is the last chapter of...
One More Star in the Sky
Chapter Eighteen (In which the curtain falls...)
"We are ready to begin," Beast told the small group that had formed outside the med lab. "I have to warn you, this may take some time.
Many hours ago they had taken Rogue out of the chamber and removed the liquid nitrogen that had replaced her blood, keeping her frozen. It had taken ages, but finally her body had returned to a temperature warm enough so that it would not freeze any new blood that was put into her veins.
The door closed and a collective breath was held. Remy wished for two things right now, one was a cigarette and the other was Rogue holding his hand. The former was achievable, though he didn't want to leave right now. The latter however was not.
Finally the thing Rogue had been fearing had happened. She had been called to Gabriel's office to discuss what had gone on. Remy had a funny feeling, and probably a justified one, that Gabriel was not going to be a happy angel...
-o-o-o-o-
Rogue stopped to take a breath before knocking on the white door of Gabriel's office. Faye had come with her too, just in case she needed someone to be there for her. The waiting had been terrible. Gabriel was a busy man and so Rogue had been forced to wait a very long time before being called in.
Opening the door, she found a youngish man in a smart white suit sitting behind a desk. He had dark hair and a small beard, not quite a goatee. Funny, Rogue had expected him to be a lot older, though everyone she had met in heaven was young; people seemed to be reverted to about 20 years old once they arrived here.
"You must be Marie Darkholme. I've been expecting you, please take a seat." Gabriel told her, gesturing to some seats on the other side of the desk. Rogue did as she was told.
"I'm sure you both know why we're here," he started, looking pointedly at both Faye and Rogue. "What you have done is completely unacceptable, I simply cannot allow it." He said, fairly calmly, addressing only Rogue this time.
"There will be punishment of course, you may be asked to appear in front of a tribunal. If that happens, it has gone a lot higher than me and so it'll be out of my hands."
"Gabriel please," Faye started before she was abruptly cut off.
"No! It's completely unacceptable! And you! You were suppose to be watching her to make sure nothing like this happened!" he practically yelled.
"No, don't blame Faye, its not her fault," Rogue told him, she knew she shouldn't have let Faye come...
"Don't talk back to me!" Gabriel was getting very angry indeed now, sounding a little like a parent. "I haven't decided what your punishment will be yet, but it will be severe, what you've done goes completely against every rule we have here."
Rogue hung her head slightly. This was turning out worse than she imagined...
-o-o-o-o-
"We have finished the blood transfusion and started using the Shi'ar respiratory device. The good news is that Wolverines healing factor seems to be working splendidly, though she isn't out of the woods yet. Her lungs and heart seem to be showing signs of improvement, but there has been no activity from her brain as such." Hunter informed them all.
Remy gulped. It was great that her body was getting better, but if her mind wasn't there she would never wake up.
"Only time will tell, but the improvement she has shown so far is very encouraging, now we just have to play the waiting game." The doctor continued. "Perhaps you would like to sit with her?" he asked Remy, who nodded.
Walking into the room, he saw his Rogue lying there, hooked up to many wires that were either helping her or checking her progress. She didn't look as pale now, at least that must mean the blood was getting round her body.
He sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. It was still fairly cold. He wasn't wearing gloves and neither was she, so he took a guess that her powers couldn't be active just yet.
She looked so innocent and peaceful lying there. Some things just weren't fair. This should have never happened to her, though Remy supposed if it hadn't, they might never have met. Sometimes you have to be grateful for the hand fate deals you.
A large, furry hand was placed upon his shoulder; silently reassuring that everything would be alright. Hypocrite. Beast had no idea if this would work; he was worried himself. Remy would be crushed if this didn't work out, he just knew it, the boy had pinned all his hopes on her recovery.
"Y' gotta come back to me Roguey," he whispered, hoping that wherever she was, she could hear him.
-o-o-o-o-
The argument between Gabriel, Rogue and Faye had become a very heated one by now. Rogue was sure there were probably people listening outside the room to find out what was going on. Arguments of this proportion never happened in heaven.
"You shouldn't be able to punish someone for falling in love! Its not like it's a sin!" Faye was almost yelling too now.
"Its not the fact she fell in love! Its who she fell in love with!" he screamed back.
"Ah'm still here ya know!" Rogue added, they were all talking about her like she couldn't hear them.
Suddenly, she felt a tug, like something was pulling her very strongly and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She cried in surprise, shutting Faye and Gabriel up simultaneously.
"Marie! What's wrong?" Faye rushed over, mothering.
"It feels lahke Ah'm bein' pulled! Maybe it's workin'!"
"What? Whats working?"
"They found mah body. It was frozen and now theyre trahin' to bring me back!"
"What!" Gabriel practically exploded this time. "This is even worse! What were you thinking! You can't just leave heaven!"
"Looks lahke Ah am though!" Rogue grinned, happy at last.
"No, I wont let you go!" Gabriel suddenly pulled her back, stopping the invisible tug from the other side.
-o-o-o-o-
Remy perked up at the sound of the brain monitors suddenly making some noise. It was tiny, barely showing up on the screen, but it was there. He was elated.
"Look! Henri! She's back! She's comin' back t' me!" Remy was grinning and laughing in excitement. However his excitement was short lived.
Suddenly the brain activity stopped.
"What happened? Why has it stopped?" he asked, looking around for answers, panicking.
"It is hard to tell. Seemingly Rogue looked like she was returning to her body, but then she disappeared again, though her body still seems to be in good working order. I can't imagine what has happened..."
"So is dere still a chance she'll get back?" he asked frantically.
"I'm sorry Remy, I don't know."
-o-o-o-o-
"Stop! Ah need ta go back!" Rogue screamed to no avail.
"No!"
There was a struggle between the two. Rogue, desperate to get back to her body and Remy, Gabriel, desperate to keep her in heaven so she could face the consequences of her actions.
Faye just stood there, looking between them. This whole situation was just bizarre. She had seen a lot of things she'd never dreamed possible in her time here, but she had to say, this was the winner.
There was the crashing noise of the door being pushed open very hard and the struggle was momentarily forgotten as everyone snapped around in the direction of the noise. There in the doorway stood Cupid, an almost murderous expression on his face.
The fighting had attracted the attention of almost everyone in the huge office by now and they were all craning they're necks, desperate to see what was happening. They were out of luck though as Cupid slammed the door shut behind him.
"Gabriel what are you doing! Let this poor girl go immediately!" Cupid yelled at the top of his effeminate voice. "I simply cannot let you do this!"
"Leave this alone Cupid! Its none of your business!" Gabriel yelled back.
"Oh contraire! This is in my department and therefore, it is my business!"
He was met by three confused stares
"Those two are destined to be together! You cannot come in between true love!"
"But its wrong! Very wrong! She's an angel and he's a mortal! It just won't work!" Gabriel explained.
"It won't work because you won't let it work! However they met, it was meant to be! Let her go back to her body, do the right thing!"
Rogue felt please that Cupid had come to her rescue, even if it was a little unexpected. He was doing a good job fighting her case for her, and whilst him and Gabriel were having their little confrontation, she could feel the pull taking her back again. Gabriel was distracted; if she kept quiet he wouldn't notice.
"Right now I don't care if its destiny or true love or whatever, she cannot leave heaven!"
"Oh yes she can!" Cupid almost screamed. He looked over at Rogue and noticed that she was started to fade, disappearing from heaven. He beamed at her, but this attracted the attention of Gabriel to what was happening behind his back.
"No!" he yelled again, making a lunge for Rogue. Before it was too late, both Cupid and Faye grabbed an arm and dragged him back, keeping him away. It was no easy task...
Just before Rogue slipped away, she heard voices call out to her.
"Good luck Marie! We'll keep an eye out for you!"
"Yes, have a lovely, lovely life my dear! Best wishes!"
And with that, she was gone.
-o-o-o-o-
It had now been a very long time since Rogue's body had begun to respond to the treatment but her mind was still showing no signs of improvement after its little blip. Hank was now toying with the idea of getting the Professor to take a look, but he wasn't all that sure it would help.
As far as they knew, Rogues body was in full working order once again, but her soul was still absent. Without that she could never wake up, all the effort of cryogenically preserving her and in turn reviving her would all be in vain.
Remy was still sitting with her. Holding her hand and murmuring for her to get better, to come back, constantly switching between English and French. Hank wondered exactly how long he would be prepared to sit there.
Bleep
Hank's ears pricked up, as did Remy's. Was that the brain monitor, or just the machinery making unimportant noise?
Bleep
There it was again. Remy hadn't wanted to get his hopes up, but now he looked up he could see waves slowly forming on the monitor, a steady, consistent bleeping shattering the silence.
Bleep
Hank and Dr Hunter both came over to examine the patient. It was true; her brain really was showing signs of activity once again. Hopefully, it wouldn't be long before she woke up.
Remy thought it was too good to be true. He held her hand even tighter, as if expecting her to slip away from him again, at the same time, red on black desperately searched for any indication that she might be waking up. Soon enough, there it was, it was small, but it was there, a tiny flutter of her eyelashes.
"Rogue? Can y' hear me chére?" he asked almost frantically.
Rogue groaned slightly and attempted to open her eyes. It was harder than she thought. However it was worth it, and the first thing she saw when she opened her bright green eyes was Remy, smiling back at her. She could even see that he was starting to well up slightly.
"Remy?" she asked quietly, not quite believing it to be true, perhaps this was all some cruel dream, a punishment for what she had done.
"Oui chére, I'm here," he reassured, silently thanking anyone, anyone at all, that through all of this, she had retained her memory.
Rogue began to attempt to sit up, but her body was incredibly stiff. Unsurprising really, considering what it had been through. With Remy and Hank's help though, she finally managed it, propped up by pillows so she could sit comfortably. It was only then that she realised Remy's hand was holding her own. He was holding her bare hand in his.
"How? How are we touchin'?" was all she managed to choke out at Hank.
"I presume that all the strain on your body has affected your mutant powers, not to mention the things you may have been given at Trasks base." At this last part, Dr Hunter looked incredibly ashamed. "Your powers should hopefully return soon, though they may not be as strong as they once were." Hank finished. Rogue smiled, turning back to Remy.
She ran a tentative hand through his auburn hair before he grabbed it, kissing the palm, making her smile even more. She was so happy to see him, properly see him, touch him without feeling guilty.
"Ah love ya Remy," she whispered through tears.
"Love y' too Roguey," he murmured back before pulling her into a hug, her arms around his neck, he kissed her hair silently as he held her, never wanting to let her go, he loved her too much.
Hank looked at the couple and smiled. 'Ahh, young love' he thought to himself. Suddenly, he noticed something out of place. The thin hospital gown that Rogue was wearing had come open slightly, exposing some of her skin.
On her back, running parallel to each other, there were two peculiar dark lines, etched onto her pale skin...
Aww, its all over and angels save the day! But the happy ending is what counts...
In true 'Oscars' style, I'd like to say a few thank you's. Firstly, my friends Faye and Chris who have been encouraging me to finish this story all along and have formed the basis for my made up characters, big hugs and many thanks, I know when you get round to reading this you'll be pleased your characters saved the day ;-)
Also, everyone who's taken the time to read this story, thank you for doing so, I hope you enjoyed it! Lastly, anyone and everyone who took their time to write me a review, it was truly lovely of you to do so, especially the people who have reviewed from the very start like ishandahalf and Star-of-Chaos and also MorriganFearn (the only person who could write a 2 page review!). This was the first story I had the courage to post and all your kind words and encouragement have made me glad I did.
Hopefully I'll see you all again soon, take care of yourselves!
SweetRevenge