The Chinaberry Tree outside her Window
By: Ariesque
Last Updated: 6-28-04
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama
Rated: PG for language
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.
A/N: QUESTION FOR THE READERS!!! I have been wondering lately, where does Remy LeBeau appear in X-Men 2 the Movie? I know his name pops up, but is that an appearance? Clearing that up would be nice. Also, I wish to take this time to lament my sorrow since X-Men: Evolution has been sliced off the air. And my dad taped over the episodes I recorded! bangs on T.V. Drat you knaves!!! DRAT!!! Anyway, I know you all have been waiting for this chapter to be up for a while, and hopefully it was worth the wait. Cries desperately I tried! I tried!
Chapter Five
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November 25, 2003
The snow was falling when Rogue reached the Dome. It had started early afternoon, and as the day progressed into night, the snow was coming down in clumps. She hadn't thought things through very well, having only brought a thin coat. She was trembling when she finally knocked on the door, half-expecting Magneto to answer as he always did. But when Piotr answered instead, her dread turned into anxiety.
"Can we speak?" she asked, haphazardly. Piotr looked behind him, as if expecting some one to pop out of the shadows.
"Come inside. Magneto and John are out at the moment." She followed the metal man into the main room. There, as if out of place, sat two chairs and a coffee table between them.
"Ah gotta be honest with ya, Petey. Didn't think you'd be here today."
"Magneto called me this morning. He told me he needed someone to watch the Dome while he and John went out. Business, I am suspecting." He motioned for the girl to sit, which she did. "And you, Miss Rogue? What troubles you into coming all this way just to see John?"
She shifted in her seat, as if uneasy with the name. "Actually, Pete, Ah came tah see yah."
He sat down across from her, and his face remained stony. "I can only wonder why." He looked down at his lap as if her gaze was unsettling enough.
"Ah need tah ask yah about John. He..." she moved a piece of hair behind her hair and breathed out a quivering breath. "...ain't himself lately."
"He is always like that. Crying for attention..."
"No Petey. Ah think he's going violent." Piotr darkened at this comment. "Look. Ah need tah know what yah meant back at Jean's Wedding when yah told me tah be careful of him..." Piotr got to his feet at the mention of this. He walked over to the window and stared out at the falling snow.
"It is not my place. Not anymore." Rogue stared at him. "But he can tell you."
"Ah was thinkin' bout dat too." Her eyes left him and gazed at her gloved hands. "But dah truth is Ah'm scared of what he'll say...and what he'll do."
"If love is true, he will understand." It was Rogue's turn to darken at a comment.
"Dat's just it, Petey, Ah don't think Ah love him--if Ah ever did." She couldn't meet the stony gaze that had finally settled on her. "Remy's ahlive and it didn't take me long tah realize what Ah've been missing." Rogue glanced up at her listener. "Ah'm afraid dat John will hear he's ahlive an' he'll kill him out of spiteful rage. John is capable of dat." Her eyes glazed; she put her head down as if defeated.
Piotr stared; blinked.
For once, he had nothing to say.
December 12, 2003
Jubilation and Sam had finished a box of Chips Ahoy and were now moving on to the next box.
"What you have to understand, Sammy, is that John ended up finding out about Remy being alive because he had overheard Rogue and Piotr talking over at the Dome one day. What really got him angry was that she had said she never loved him at all."
"Dat's really what she said?" Sam was amazed, while Jubilation shrugged.
"That's what Remy said when he told me. He also said John overheard Rogue talking about the docks, and how Rems met her there. Maybe that's why John didn't have too look far for him."
November 27, 2003
St. John Allerdyce was never regarded as a fool. Possibly insane, but never a fool.
That was until he met Rogue, of course. From then on, he was the king of fools, having fallen in love with the one girl who he already knew could never love him back. He had had his time with her--no matter how short it was. Then, Remy LeBeau returned, and there went John, out the window.
He was tired of being the second man, the person who waited around. He was no match for the thief of hearts, for unlike John, Remy had taken Rogue's.
That was why John knew he had to end it. If Remy wouldn't die, John would just have to help him.
Besides, a man can't resurrect himself twice.
Institute Informative November 28, 2003
A pawn shop was robbed this morning. No one saw the perpetrator, and thankfully no one was hurt. There were bullets and a gun stolen, and the police are yet to draw up suspects. If anyone knows anything, they are to report to the Bayville Police at 555-4321. Remember: you can remain anonymous.
-Kitty Pryde-
December 2, 2003
There was something ominous in the air, but Remy LeBeau couldn't put his finger on it. He had been sitting on the dock for half an hour, watching the ships part and return. He wasn't waiting for anyone, really. But the pretentious business-- it wasn't right.
That's what made it ominous.
He wanted to leave Bayville once and for all, but he just couldn't bring himself to go away. There was something in his heart that told him that there was no point in leaving for what he was looking for since the beginning was right where he left it.
There was a sound, a rustling to be more accurate. His sharp ears tried to place the noise, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Remy was worried. Not really about the sound, but mostly about the fact that his ears were failing.
Suddenly, from behind, a sharp kick to the back of the head sent Remy staggering forward. He whirled around, trying to face his adversary, who immediately threw a punch aimed at the face. Remy dodged, kicked forward, making the attacker fly back for a second.
"Oh, that was original," the man said, and Remy's ears perked. If he didn't doubt his hearing as he had, he could've swore it was St. John.
"Johnnie?" Remy tilted a suspicious head to one side. The man chuckled.
"Didn't think you'd recognize me." St. John had changed somewhat during the months Remy was absent. There was the paler face and the caved in features. The evil glow about his blue eyes actually made Remy nervous.
"God, Johnnie. You look like death." The Aussie grinned.
"Not as dead as you'll ever be." The way he looked at his fellow ex-lackey sickened the thief. "I heard you've been living all this time, Rems. So we didn't go to Nawlin fer nothin' after all. Rogue always failed to mention seein' yah."
"Fer once I'd like t' not hear about Rogue," Remy said, exasperated. John looked abashed.
"How unlikely of yah, mate! Certainly aren't the philanderer since yah left?" Remy glowered.
"It's a lonely life."
John chuckled. "You're preachin' tah dah choir." He smoothed down his hair and looked serious--something that threatened Remy indirectly. "And anyway, found out Rogue never was interested in me. Shameful, isn't it? She was tellin' it to Piotr. At least she spared me." Remy shifted in his boots. John was getting to a point. The question was where the point was. "She told him you and she used to meet here occasionally...figured my chances are better finding yah here if at anywhere at all." He gave a face so bitter that Remy pitied him.
"I'm sorry, John," the thief said, and meant it. The Aussie spat on the ground.
"Sorry? Bet yah are, since she loves yah after all." Remy did not look at him.
"Really." Doubt clouded Remy's voice. "She told me she wouldn't give y' up."
"Bah! We both know dat's bull. She wouldn't lie to Petey. Maybe tah yah, cuz yer a liar yerself." Remy looked up, hope crossing his face. It was all John had to see to harden into his already suppressed shell. "But enough of dat. I've reached my conclusion already. I've decided what I want to do. I want to kill Rogue. But just so you know, all those letters you gave her when yah were away--I got them first, I did. Burned them all so she didn't need tah. But that didn't keep you away. Yah kept coming back. An' if I had known yah were here already, I'd done dis a long time ago." Before Remy could see it coming, the gun John had was fired. It caught the thief, who immediately fell to the ground. A scarlet pool was collecting near his head as Pyro quietly put the smoking gun away.
"Oh, and it was nice to see yah again. Really." John walked away whistling.
---
Rogue sat up in her bed, gasping. It had been one of those nightmares that seemed so real that she couldn't remember it. The night air seemed colder than usual, and she turned her head to observe that her balcony doors were open. Swinging her legs over the bed, she advanced to them, but as she turned their handles to lock them, she felt the presence of another in the room, and whirled around to face John, leaning against her door, those stony blue eyes scrutinizing her.
"John?" she breathed. Her breath turned into tiny clouds in the room. He smirked, a mysterious, dark smirk, and came closer to her.
"G' Day, Sheila." He stooped to kiss her lightly on the top of her head. As he did so, she noticed the lock on the door had been melted. She pulled back, questioningly.
"What are yah doin' here, John? What's yer business?"
John stiffened. "What? I cain't see my love?"
"At four in the morning'?" He smirked.
"All to myself, dat's what I mean, love." He did not hesitate to sit on her bed and cock his head in such a way that Rogue had to ponder what was wrong. "It's pretty chilly in 'ere, love. Doncha have insulation?" Rogue frowned.
"John, Ah think yah should leave." It was John's turn to frown.
"I don't hafta."
"Cain't we talk tahmorrow?" John gave her a glare that seemed to slice into her soul.
It scared her.
"Not wise, love." He got up and started pacing the floor. "But den again, what is wise? Anyway, I didn intend on stayin' long. Surely, yah didn want me to." His frown widened as he stopped pacing. "No questionin' dat."
"Please, John," Rogue began to plead. "Someone will hear yah..."
"Let them!" His voice was alarmingly loud. Rogue's heart froze for she had never seen him so angered. His features suddenly softened and he relaxed a bit. "Sorry, love. Forgot where I was." He cleared his throat, continued pacing. "Just came tah tell yah what I thought about us." Rogue stared at the Aussie who started advancing towards her.
"I saw him," he breathed, and Rogue didn't have to ask who 'him' was. "Still the same, cocky, tall, red-eyed thief we all knew him fer. Only dis time, nobody knew he had returned. Not even Xavier, but Remy hasn't been usin' his powers lately has he?
"Well, I's be comin' down the street tah dah dome, an' I hear yer voice chattin' w' Petey and I listen in. Simple as det. But what got me was det Remy was alive and det..." he clenched his fists, "yah still had yer feelings fer him. So, as disappointed as I was, I got tah thinkin', well, Johnnie, Remy's back and yer Sheila's lovin' him as she always has, so what do yah do? An' would yah believe...? It was very simple. Steal a gun and shoot him. It was very unlike him tah not know I'd find him eventually and kill him."
Rogue stared at John, stunned. Then, when the words formed in her mouth, she muttered, "John..." Her brain started screaming and she found herself at John's throat, yelling, "Oh Gawd, John! Yer friggin' playin'! Yah cain't! Yah couldn't!" He pushed her back, smiling wickedly.
"Oh, but I did." He suddenly pulled out his weapon and now his smile was more menacing that ever before. "Yer playin' w' life or death, love. Only dis time, it's no game. I found out dah hard way, and now..." The encasement clicked. "...now, it's yer turn." Rogue could see the sheer madness on his face. Clearly, the Aussie had gone crazy.
"Yah wouldn't kill me..." Her voice hoarse, she whispered her words. John, in all his delusional rampage, nodded, as if there were a part of him that didn't really want to kill her. There were shouts that could be heard outside her door, people banging on it, trying to toy with the knob. Suddenly, Kitty was seen phasing through, but as she did, John let out a bullet at the girl, who retreated, but was unharmed.
John turned his head to glance back at the Southerner who had rejected his heart. He sneered. She had killed him many times before. This would be the perfect occasion to make her realize what she had done to him. No one makes John a fool.
What you have to understand is that when madness takes over the id of the mind, the person lapses between true consciences. Here, John was having second thoughts about killing Rogue, even though his mind steadily told him to fire. Rogue was standing quite still now, her face dull without expression. The fear resided in the pools of her eyes, and even though the room was dark save for the glowing digital numbers on her clock, John could see her dread. She would not fly at him again--no. She was waiting. But for what? John had to look away as he paused.
The gun quivered in his hand.
"It was I dat blew up dat note, love. Not Remy." This was John's sane conscience speaking. He watched as Rogue's eyes widened, as if struck by a severe blow. "It meant so much tah yah fer him tah find it. And I couldn risk dat." The gun lowered. John would not succumb to the madness which Rogue had inflicted upon him. The madness a result of his love for her. The sane conscience was telling John that if he really loved her, he would let her go.
When she made no effort to speak, John's mind clicked back to the insanity. The fire in his eyes returned--vengeance would be his.
But not for long: Logan managed to burst through the door in time before slashing the gun away from the Aussie. He hardly seemed to notice as the Wolverine pushed him against the wall, detaining him like a cop would do.
"It was almost mine," John was muttering, over and over again. Revenge. He was talking about revenge. Logan growled in his ear, and the Aussie made no further effort to speak. Rogue watched for a moment, and then, as if by impulse, raced out of her room, past the staring faces which followed her as she ran through the hall, coming quickly across Jubilation's room.
It was no surprise to her that it was empty.
December 12, 2003
"It's like this, Sammie," Jubilation said, her eyes suddenly drifting seriously. "When Remy was shot, well, he was shot through the shoulder, and perhaps by luck, John didn't bother shooting him again, you know, to finish him off. To this day, no one knows why. But Remy, with his shot shoulder, managed to pull himself up and hurry to the nearest pay phone, which was a little over a half mile away. By that time, he was delirious, but gosh, did he ever hold on." She paused, as if to build momentum, and then continued. "He dialed my line, politely asked me to come down by the docks, please, to not tell Rogue but mention it to maybe Xavier, never once telling me he was shot. So you could imagine how stunned I was to find my dearest confidant nearly drained of all his blood, nodding his head to keep from fainting. But as bad as it was, he was able to express his deepest gratitude while being loaded on into the X-Jet by Logan and Bobby, smiling, telling Xavier that he wasn't paying attention and got shot.
While this was going on, John had somehow managed to break into Rogue's room, and was threatening to kill her, so when Logan returned, he smelled trouble [literally], and hurried to Rogue's side. And to everyone's surprise, she wasn't harmed. She then went looking for me about Remy."
"Sounds pretty bad," Sam Gurthie agreed. "Did he live?"
"Well, Remy wasn't about to give up the battle he was winning. They pulled him through, they did, and then when it was all over and when Remy was in his right mind again, he told me to come in, and that's when he pulled at my arm, smiled, and said, 'How am I doing, Jubes?' and I told him he couldn't have looked any better. And could you imagine? He was happy because Rogue did love him after all, and that was the reason why he stayed alive."
"Really?" Sam sounded doubtful. "He really told yah that?"
Jubilation merely smirked. "You of all people to ask! Well, you never really have to inquire about happiness. You can always tell when someone like Remy is fulfilled."
December 5, 2003
Rogue stood in the waiting room, her back towards the room Remy was in. She had been there for three hours since Jubilation told her where the thief was recovering, and for three hours she had checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothed her black dress, straightened her gloves, all in the effort just to do such tasks over again. When she finally realized her hair could never be any fluffier, her face any brighter, her lips ever redder, she looked into the room.
An ivy was hooked up to his arm, a blue blanket covering his lower body. His left shoulder completely bandaged, he slept with a look of peace that made her smile. She fought the idea that he could be dreaming of her.
"He's been waiting for you since he was brought here, you know." Rogue turned to meet the eyes of Jubilation, Raccoon in her thin arms, red ribbon around its neck to match her dress.
I've been waiting for him for eternity, she thought. "Ah don't wanna wake him just yet...he's tired..."
"So he is." Jubilation smiled as she tenderly stroked Raccoon's back. "Tired of just seeing you in his dreams. Go on--I think he needs the real thing." Rogue did not stall any longer, for after all, love does demands presence.
The soft creak of the door aroused the sleeping thief, and she wondered if she should retreat now, just to check her face one more time...
And then his eyes fluttered open, a smile appeared on his face, and Rogue knew there would be no turning back.
"At last." Remy grinned as he said the words. "She comes."
Rogue took his hand in her gloved ones and stroked it. "Got me plenty scairt, Mr. LeBeau. Almost had a thought dat John finally done yah in." Remy laughed at her statement.
"Were y' really thet concerned? Mais, y' eventually learn t' deal w' a thief." His scarlet eyes looked her face over as if never wanting to forget it. "Besides, y' can't kill a dead man twice." Rogue smiled graciously, and moved her gloved hand to his face. She then focused on his bandaged wound and her smile faded.
"Ah almost cost yah yahr lahfe, LeBeau." He frowned, playfully.
"Ah, but y' see, the real matter of de situation is whether it was worth it to be shot by mad man John in order t' end up in this bed, git fine accommodations, and bein' close t' de femme I love." He then grinned, and the world around Rogue seemed to melt away. "But det is just self-explanatory, really." Sitting up in the bed, he looked her square in the eye. "I'll tell y' de truth, chere. We're meant t' be t'gether. Y' know how I figger? I don't die. Everytime I attempt to, well, I always run int' y'. But no one's complaining." He leaned in closer to her, and it reminded her of that time she had landed in his arms in an attempt to save the wedding ring.
Only this time, she really knew he loved her.
"So, y' gotta ask yerself: is it worth it? To throw your life away f' a thief? To beat odds, powers, pain--in order to love?" he whispered, his nose almost touching her ear. She pulled back, gave him a small smile, and met his lips.
Remy received the sensation of joy mixed with a certain pain, and just when he knew the throbbing in his brain would blow off his head completely, Rogue pulled back again. As dizzy as he was, Remy gathered his intellect and began to think.
This kiss wasn't sweet like Jean's, wasn't sour like Bella's.
This kiss, he felt, was love.
"Self-explanatory," Rogue mentioned, and Remy had to agree.
Institute Informative : December 23, 2003
Good news, gang! Ororo gave birth to a healthy, seven pound baby boy they're naming Chuck, after no one in particular, but Kurt says it's Xavier's nickname, although no one is for certain [except for maybe Xavier himself]. Remy LeBeau is alive as well, after having tangoed with St. John, a.k.a. Pyro, who is being detained as insane for the present time, and almost lost to a bullet. For such nice treatment since he's come back, Remy says he will cook his famous soufflé when he gets out of his confinement to the bed. He's being tended by Rogue herself, which is an improvement because it's all about self-assertion with your feelings, honey.
Note to Jubilation: Logan wants Raccoon exactly seventeen feet away from him at all times. Some sort of allergies he is complaining about.
Also, a new chinaberry tree is growing outside Rogue's window again, but she does not protest to its presence. Who ever knew she'd take a liking to foliage?
--Kitty Pryde--
Hopefully that satisfies. (I tried! I tried!)
By: Ariesque
Last Updated: 6-28-04
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama
Rated: PG for language
Disclaimer [that I forgot to put on Ch.1]: Don't own X-Men Evo, but the places in Bayville I do.
A/N: QUESTION FOR THE READERS!!! I have been wondering lately, where does Remy LeBeau appear in X-Men 2 the Movie? I know his name pops up, but is that an appearance? Clearing that up would be nice. Also, I wish to take this time to lament my sorrow since X-Men: Evolution has been sliced off the air. And my dad taped over the episodes I recorded! bangs on T.V. Drat you knaves!!! DRAT!!! Anyway, I know you all have been waiting for this chapter to be up for a while, and hopefully it was worth the wait. Cries desperately I tried! I tried!
Chapter Five
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November 25, 2003
The snow was falling when Rogue reached the Dome. It had started early afternoon, and as the day progressed into night, the snow was coming down in clumps. She hadn't thought things through very well, having only brought a thin coat. She was trembling when she finally knocked on the door, half-expecting Magneto to answer as he always did. But when Piotr answered instead, her dread turned into anxiety.
"Can we speak?" she asked, haphazardly. Piotr looked behind him, as if expecting some one to pop out of the shadows.
"Come inside. Magneto and John are out at the moment." She followed the metal man into the main room. There, as if out of place, sat two chairs and a coffee table between them.
"Ah gotta be honest with ya, Petey. Didn't think you'd be here today."
"Magneto called me this morning. He told me he needed someone to watch the Dome while he and John went out. Business, I am suspecting." He motioned for the girl to sit, which she did. "And you, Miss Rogue? What troubles you into coming all this way just to see John?"
She shifted in her seat, as if uneasy with the name. "Actually, Pete, Ah came tah see yah."
He sat down across from her, and his face remained stony. "I can only wonder why." He looked down at his lap as if her gaze was unsettling enough.
"Ah need tah ask yah about John. He..." she moved a piece of hair behind her hair and breathed out a quivering breath. "...ain't himself lately."
"He is always like that. Crying for attention..."
"No Petey. Ah think he's going violent." Piotr darkened at this comment. "Look. Ah need tah know what yah meant back at Jean's Wedding when yah told me tah be careful of him..." Piotr got to his feet at the mention of this. He walked over to the window and stared out at the falling snow.
"It is not my place. Not anymore." Rogue stared at him. "But he can tell you."
"Ah was thinkin' bout dat too." Her eyes left him and gazed at her gloved hands. "But dah truth is Ah'm scared of what he'll say...and what he'll do."
"If love is true, he will understand." It was Rogue's turn to darken at a comment.
"Dat's just it, Petey, Ah don't think Ah love him--if Ah ever did." She couldn't meet the stony gaze that had finally settled on her. "Remy's ahlive and it didn't take me long tah realize what Ah've been missing." Rogue glanced up at her listener. "Ah'm afraid dat John will hear he's ahlive an' he'll kill him out of spiteful rage. John is capable of dat." Her eyes glazed; she put her head down as if defeated.
Piotr stared; blinked.
For once, he had nothing to say.
December 12, 2003
Jubilation and Sam had finished a box of Chips Ahoy and were now moving on to the next box.
"What you have to understand, Sammy, is that John ended up finding out about Remy being alive because he had overheard Rogue and Piotr talking over at the Dome one day. What really got him angry was that she had said she never loved him at all."
"Dat's really what she said?" Sam was amazed, while Jubilation shrugged.
"That's what Remy said when he told me. He also said John overheard Rogue talking about the docks, and how Rems met her there. Maybe that's why John didn't have too look far for him."
November 27, 2003
St. John Allerdyce was never regarded as a fool. Possibly insane, but never a fool.
That was until he met Rogue, of course. From then on, he was the king of fools, having fallen in love with the one girl who he already knew could never love him back. He had had his time with her--no matter how short it was. Then, Remy LeBeau returned, and there went John, out the window.
He was tired of being the second man, the person who waited around. He was no match for the thief of hearts, for unlike John, Remy had taken Rogue's.
That was why John knew he had to end it. If Remy wouldn't die, John would just have to help him.
Besides, a man can't resurrect himself twice.
Institute Informative November 28, 2003
A pawn shop was robbed this morning. No one saw the perpetrator, and thankfully no one was hurt. There were bullets and a gun stolen, and the police are yet to draw up suspects. If anyone knows anything, they are to report to the Bayville Police at 555-4321. Remember: you can remain anonymous.
-Kitty Pryde-
December 2, 2003
There was something ominous in the air, but Remy LeBeau couldn't put his finger on it. He had been sitting on the dock for half an hour, watching the ships part and return. He wasn't waiting for anyone, really. But the pretentious business-- it wasn't right.
That's what made it ominous.
He wanted to leave Bayville once and for all, but he just couldn't bring himself to go away. There was something in his heart that told him that there was no point in leaving for what he was looking for since the beginning was right where he left it.
There was a sound, a rustling to be more accurate. His sharp ears tried to place the noise, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Remy was worried. Not really about the sound, but mostly about the fact that his ears were failing.
Suddenly, from behind, a sharp kick to the back of the head sent Remy staggering forward. He whirled around, trying to face his adversary, who immediately threw a punch aimed at the face. Remy dodged, kicked forward, making the attacker fly back for a second.
"Oh, that was original," the man said, and Remy's ears perked. If he didn't doubt his hearing as he had, he could've swore it was St. John.
"Johnnie?" Remy tilted a suspicious head to one side. The man chuckled.
"Didn't think you'd recognize me." St. John had changed somewhat during the months Remy was absent. There was the paler face and the caved in features. The evil glow about his blue eyes actually made Remy nervous.
"God, Johnnie. You look like death." The Aussie grinned.
"Not as dead as you'll ever be." The way he looked at his fellow ex-lackey sickened the thief. "I heard you've been living all this time, Rems. So we didn't go to Nawlin fer nothin' after all. Rogue always failed to mention seein' yah."
"Fer once I'd like t' not hear about Rogue," Remy said, exasperated. John looked abashed.
"How unlikely of yah, mate! Certainly aren't the philanderer since yah left?" Remy glowered.
"It's a lonely life."
John chuckled. "You're preachin' tah dah choir." He smoothed down his hair and looked serious--something that threatened Remy indirectly. "And anyway, found out Rogue never was interested in me. Shameful, isn't it? She was tellin' it to Piotr. At least she spared me." Remy shifted in his boots. John was getting to a point. The question was where the point was. "She told him you and she used to meet here occasionally...figured my chances are better finding yah here if at anywhere at all." He gave a face so bitter that Remy pitied him.
"I'm sorry, John," the thief said, and meant it. The Aussie spat on the ground.
"Sorry? Bet yah are, since she loves yah after all." Remy did not look at him.
"Really." Doubt clouded Remy's voice. "She told me she wouldn't give y' up."
"Bah! We both know dat's bull. She wouldn't lie to Petey. Maybe tah yah, cuz yer a liar yerself." Remy looked up, hope crossing his face. It was all John had to see to harden into his already suppressed shell. "But enough of dat. I've reached my conclusion already. I've decided what I want to do. I want to kill Rogue. But just so you know, all those letters you gave her when yah were away--I got them first, I did. Burned them all so she didn't need tah. But that didn't keep you away. Yah kept coming back. An' if I had known yah were here already, I'd done dis a long time ago." Before Remy could see it coming, the gun John had was fired. It caught the thief, who immediately fell to the ground. A scarlet pool was collecting near his head as Pyro quietly put the smoking gun away.
"Oh, and it was nice to see yah again. Really." John walked away whistling.
---
Rogue sat up in her bed, gasping. It had been one of those nightmares that seemed so real that she couldn't remember it. The night air seemed colder than usual, and she turned her head to observe that her balcony doors were open. Swinging her legs over the bed, she advanced to them, but as she turned their handles to lock them, she felt the presence of another in the room, and whirled around to face John, leaning against her door, those stony blue eyes scrutinizing her.
"John?" she breathed. Her breath turned into tiny clouds in the room. He smirked, a mysterious, dark smirk, and came closer to her.
"G' Day, Sheila." He stooped to kiss her lightly on the top of her head. As he did so, she noticed the lock on the door had been melted. She pulled back, questioningly.
"What are yah doin' here, John? What's yer business?"
John stiffened. "What? I cain't see my love?"
"At four in the morning'?" He smirked.
"All to myself, dat's what I mean, love." He did not hesitate to sit on her bed and cock his head in such a way that Rogue had to ponder what was wrong. "It's pretty chilly in 'ere, love. Doncha have insulation?" Rogue frowned.
"John, Ah think yah should leave." It was John's turn to frown.
"I don't hafta."
"Cain't we talk tahmorrow?" John gave her a glare that seemed to slice into her soul.
It scared her.
"Not wise, love." He got up and started pacing the floor. "But den again, what is wise? Anyway, I didn intend on stayin' long. Surely, yah didn want me to." His frown widened as he stopped pacing. "No questionin' dat."
"Please, John," Rogue began to plead. "Someone will hear yah..."
"Let them!" His voice was alarmingly loud. Rogue's heart froze for she had never seen him so angered. His features suddenly softened and he relaxed a bit. "Sorry, love. Forgot where I was." He cleared his throat, continued pacing. "Just came tah tell yah what I thought about us." Rogue stared at the Aussie who started advancing towards her.
"I saw him," he breathed, and Rogue didn't have to ask who 'him' was. "Still the same, cocky, tall, red-eyed thief we all knew him fer. Only dis time, nobody knew he had returned. Not even Xavier, but Remy hasn't been usin' his powers lately has he?
"Well, I's be comin' down the street tah dah dome, an' I hear yer voice chattin' w' Petey and I listen in. Simple as det. But what got me was det Remy was alive and det..." he clenched his fists, "yah still had yer feelings fer him. So, as disappointed as I was, I got tah thinkin', well, Johnnie, Remy's back and yer Sheila's lovin' him as she always has, so what do yah do? An' would yah believe...? It was very simple. Steal a gun and shoot him. It was very unlike him tah not know I'd find him eventually and kill him."
Rogue stared at John, stunned. Then, when the words formed in her mouth, she muttered, "John..." Her brain started screaming and she found herself at John's throat, yelling, "Oh Gawd, John! Yer friggin' playin'! Yah cain't! Yah couldn't!" He pushed her back, smiling wickedly.
"Oh, but I did." He suddenly pulled out his weapon and now his smile was more menacing that ever before. "Yer playin' w' life or death, love. Only dis time, it's no game. I found out dah hard way, and now..." The encasement clicked. "...now, it's yer turn." Rogue could see the sheer madness on his face. Clearly, the Aussie had gone crazy.
"Yah wouldn't kill me..." Her voice hoarse, she whispered her words. John, in all his delusional rampage, nodded, as if there were a part of him that didn't really want to kill her. There were shouts that could be heard outside her door, people banging on it, trying to toy with the knob. Suddenly, Kitty was seen phasing through, but as she did, John let out a bullet at the girl, who retreated, but was unharmed.
John turned his head to glance back at the Southerner who had rejected his heart. He sneered. She had killed him many times before. This would be the perfect occasion to make her realize what she had done to him. No one makes John a fool.
What you have to understand is that when madness takes over the id of the mind, the person lapses between true consciences. Here, John was having second thoughts about killing Rogue, even though his mind steadily told him to fire. Rogue was standing quite still now, her face dull without expression. The fear resided in the pools of her eyes, and even though the room was dark save for the glowing digital numbers on her clock, John could see her dread. She would not fly at him again--no. She was waiting. But for what? John had to look away as he paused.
The gun quivered in his hand.
"It was I dat blew up dat note, love. Not Remy." This was John's sane conscience speaking. He watched as Rogue's eyes widened, as if struck by a severe blow. "It meant so much tah yah fer him tah find it. And I couldn risk dat." The gun lowered. John would not succumb to the madness which Rogue had inflicted upon him. The madness a result of his love for her. The sane conscience was telling John that if he really loved her, he would let her go.
When she made no effort to speak, John's mind clicked back to the insanity. The fire in his eyes returned--vengeance would be his.
But not for long: Logan managed to burst through the door in time before slashing the gun away from the Aussie. He hardly seemed to notice as the Wolverine pushed him against the wall, detaining him like a cop would do.
"It was almost mine," John was muttering, over and over again. Revenge. He was talking about revenge. Logan growled in his ear, and the Aussie made no further effort to speak. Rogue watched for a moment, and then, as if by impulse, raced out of her room, past the staring faces which followed her as she ran through the hall, coming quickly across Jubilation's room.
It was no surprise to her that it was empty.
December 12, 2003
"It's like this, Sammie," Jubilation said, her eyes suddenly drifting seriously. "When Remy was shot, well, he was shot through the shoulder, and perhaps by luck, John didn't bother shooting him again, you know, to finish him off. To this day, no one knows why. But Remy, with his shot shoulder, managed to pull himself up and hurry to the nearest pay phone, which was a little over a half mile away. By that time, he was delirious, but gosh, did he ever hold on." She paused, as if to build momentum, and then continued. "He dialed my line, politely asked me to come down by the docks, please, to not tell Rogue but mention it to maybe Xavier, never once telling me he was shot. So you could imagine how stunned I was to find my dearest confidant nearly drained of all his blood, nodding his head to keep from fainting. But as bad as it was, he was able to express his deepest gratitude while being loaded on into the X-Jet by Logan and Bobby, smiling, telling Xavier that he wasn't paying attention and got shot.
While this was going on, John had somehow managed to break into Rogue's room, and was threatening to kill her, so when Logan returned, he smelled trouble [literally], and hurried to Rogue's side. And to everyone's surprise, she wasn't harmed. She then went looking for me about Remy."
"Sounds pretty bad," Sam Gurthie agreed. "Did he live?"
"Well, Remy wasn't about to give up the battle he was winning. They pulled him through, they did, and then when it was all over and when Remy was in his right mind again, he told me to come in, and that's when he pulled at my arm, smiled, and said, 'How am I doing, Jubes?' and I told him he couldn't have looked any better. And could you imagine? He was happy because Rogue did love him after all, and that was the reason why he stayed alive."
"Really?" Sam sounded doubtful. "He really told yah that?"
Jubilation merely smirked. "You of all people to ask! Well, you never really have to inquire about happiness. You can always tell when someone like Remy is fulfilled."
December 5, 2003
Rogue stood in the waiting room, her back towards the room Remy was in. She had been there for three hours since Jubilation told her where the thief was recovering, and for three hours she had checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothed her black dress, straightened her gloves, all in the effort just to do such tasks over again. When she finally realized her hair could never be any fluffier, her face any brighter, her lips ever redder, she looked into the room.
An ivy was hooked up to his arm, a blue blanket covering his lower body. His left shoulder completely bandaged, he slept with a look of peace that made her smile. She fought the idea that he could be dreaming of her.
"He's been waiting for you since he was brought here, you know." Rogue turned to meet the eyes of Jubilation, Raccoon in her thin arms, red ribbon around its neck to match her dress.
I've been waiting for him for eternity, she thought. "Ah don't wanna wake him just yet...he's tired..."
"So he is." Jubilation smiled as she tenderly stroked Raccoon's back. "Tired of just seeing you in his dreams. Go on--I think he needs the real thing." Rogue did not stall any longer, for after all, love does demands presence.
The soft creak of the door aroused the sleeping thief, and she wondered if she should retreat now, just to check her face one more time...
And then his eyes fluttered open, a smile appeared on his face, and Rogue knew there would be no turning back.
"At last." Remy grinned as he said the words. "She comes."
Rogue took his hand in her gloved ones and stroked it. "Got me plenty scairt, Mr. LeBeau. Almost had a thought dat John finally done yah in." Remy laughed at her statement.
"Were y' really thet concerned? Mais, y' eventually learn t' deal w' a thief." His scarlet eyes looked her face over as if never wanting to forget it. "Besides, y' can't kill a dead man twice." Rogue smiled graciously, and moved her gloved hand to his face. She then focused on his bandaged wound and her smile faded.
"Ah almost cost yah yahr lahfe, LeBeau." He frowned, playfully.
"Ah, but y' see, the real matter of de situation is whether it was worth it to be shot by mad man John in order t' end up in this bed, git fine accommodations, and bein' close t' de femme I love." He then grinned, and the world around Rogue seemed to melt away. "But det is just self-explanatory, really." Sitting up in the bed, he looked her square in the eye. "I'll tell y' de truth, chere. We're meant t' be t'gether. Y' know how I figger? I don't die. Everytime I attempt to, well, I always run int' y'. But no one's complaining." He leaned in closer to her, and it reminded her of that time she had landed in his arms in an attempt to save the wedding ring.
Only this time, she really knew he loved her.
"So, y' gotta ask yerself: is it worth it? To throw your life away f' a thief? To beat odds, powers, pain--in order to love?" he whispered, his nose almost touching her ear. She pulled back, gave him a small smile, and met his lips.
Remy received the sensation of joy mixed with a certain pain, and just when he knew the throbbing in his brain would blow off his head completely, Rogue pulled back again. As dizzy as he was, Remy gathered his intellect and began to think.
This kiss wasn't sweet like Jean's, wasn't sour like Bella's.
This kiss, he felt, was love.
"Self-explanatory," Rogue mentioned, and Remy had to agree.
Institute Informative : December 23, 2003
Good news, gang! Ororo gave birth to a healthy, seven pound baby boy they're naming Chuck, after no one in particular, but Kurt says it's Xavier's nickname, although no one is for certain [except for maybe Xavier himself]. Remy LeBeau is alive as well, after having tangoed with St. John, a.k.a. Pyro, who is being detained as insane for the present time, and almost lost to a bullet. For such nice treatment since he's come back, Remy says he will cook his famous soufflé when he gets out of his confinement to the bed. He's being tended by Rogue herself, which is an improvement because it's all about self-assertion with your feelings, honey.
Note to Jubilation: Logan wants Raccoon exactly seventeen feet away from him at all times. Some sort of allergies he is complaining about.
Also, a new chinaberry tree is growing outside Rogue's window again, but she does not protest to its presence. Who ever knew she'd take a liking to foliage?
--Kitty Pryde--
Hopefully that satisfies. (I tried! I tried!)