Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 16
Chapter 2: Celebrate Reconciling
Everything was back to normal three days later in the mansion. The kids were back in training, the instructors back on schedule. The weather had been constantly rainy, sometimes heavy shows, sometimes light drizzle, but spirits in the mansion were not dishearted.
Remy LeBeau found himself summoned to Professor Xavier's office that Friday morning. He quietly entered the office after knocking. Professor Xavier was up to his neck in paperwork, it was everywhere in piles, on end tables, piled on chairs, thick folders on the desk, the Professor looked slightly overwhelmed, but seemed to be coping fairly well.
"Jean passed on a message that you wanted to see me about something?" Remy asked.
The Professor gestured to the chair in front of his desk, "take a seat, you can put those piles of paperwork there on the floor," he offered pointing out the large piles of printouts.
"If you don't mind my asking, Professor…what is all this stuff?" Remy asked as he picked up a pile of the papers from the chair.
"Research, I'm trying to find out the government's stand on the mutant research facility…" he explained, "the government are heavily involved," he said.
"I could have told you that, Professor," Remy admitted, "Government been involved since about 2005," he sat down, "Magneto had a few politicians wrapped around his finger – in the April of 2005 I kidnapped one of those politicians, without his signature on the final papers, there was nothing anyone could do to put through this secretive mutant registration act of every mutant arrested for general offences…" he explained, "except, I fucked up royally, if you'll excuse the language, I was on all kinds of medications for…some personal reasons…and I was…up to my eyeballs fucked out of my head," he made a face, "I didn't pay attention to what I was doing, got caught by cops…"
"Yes…I've read your…impressive…criminal record from the global criminal database, Remy…it's staggering," Professor Xavier stated.
"Is this why you wanted me to come see you?" Remy asked, "to fill in the gaps of information?"
"Eventually, I'll be wanting to call a meeting where you can explain it to us all," the Professor stated, "But for now…I would like to discuss your...future."
"My future?" Remy asked, he raised an eyebrow, "that's pushing it a little, isn't it?"
"You don't think you have a future as an X-Man?" Professor Xavier rested his arms on the desk, leaning forwards a little, he gazed at Remy seriously, his piercing eyes fixed on his.
"I…uh…lets say lately, I've lost my precision and skill…my…I used to be pretty quick on my feet but…not now…plus…back injuries from years ago sometimes cause me so much pain I can't move…it's really not a good idea that…I join the team. I'm a liability."
"Is this so?" the Professor seemed confused, he faced his flatscreen monitor on the desk, and used the cordless mouse there to select something. He swung the monitor around to face Remy, and gestured towards the screen.
Remy stared at it, there was a video of himself fighting against a sentinel Robot. He remembered…it had been the end of January, and Rogue had set the session higher than he'd intended, he'd almost been killed. But in the video, he saw exquisite timing and accuracy, perfect dexterity, flawless agility. At least up until the exercise changed.
"Care to explain this then?"
"You taped me?" Remy raised an eyebrow, then sighed, "I was on a good day," feeling slightly embarrassed. It had almost been like his skill had betrayed him, and that he was nowhere nearly as good as he appeared on that screen.
"You know, there are doctors who specialise in back pain, perhaps I can recommend you to someone exceptionally talented in that field. And as for your other skills, I see no problem with them, but perhaps with a little refresher in the Danger room, you'll be feeling a little more confident."
Remy shook his head, "I…I don't want to be an X-Man…look, I'm here for Rogue…she begged me to stay…that's it…I'll be your 'handy-man' again or whatever, but not one of the team, I'd put everyone in Jeopardy."
"Remy…at least think about this…three days back from Genosha has not given you enough time to settle and decide on what you want from your life yet…and being a 'handy-man' is hardly living up to the true potential I see on this tape," he gestured towards.
"Right now, the only potential I need to live up to is bein' there for Rogue…that's all that matters…"
Professor Xavier sied, "fine, but please, just think about it. In the meantime, I'll try and come up with some duties for you to do until I can find you another position, alright?"
Remy nodded, "alright," he got up, "get that to me as soon as possible, I need somethin' else to do but look out the window whilst waitin' for Rogue to finish her duties for the day."
"Okay, by the way…can you please see Kitty when you get a spare moment…we'll put you in a more comfortable room than the guest room you're in now."
The moment he'd left the Professor's office he headed down to the Danger room control Annex. Logan was in the control annex when Remy arrived, he was controlling a Danger Room session for the students, Remy approached, gazing out of the huge windows. Rogue was in there, standing in the centre of the room explaining tactics to a large group of students – they were all quite young, aged from ten to twelve, and they all seemed fresh faced and a little nervous.
"Bored?" Logan asked, he was smoking a cigar, he sounded gruff and emotionless as he always tended to.
"A little," Remy watched Rogue begin to demonstrate how to successfully reach the goal. It was an easy obstacle course, with no real imminent danger that Remy coud see, however, he could see by the way Rogue was moving that she was still in intense pain, and the look on her face said it all. "What's this?"
"New students, twelve of them. Barely out of diapers," Logan uttered gruffly. "A few of them had parents in the GMCF."
Remy sat down, "The GMCF's policy was only to incarcerate adult mutants – it left a lot of kids abandoned as I understand."
"Yeah, kids would be thrown into foster care or juvenile halls…" Logan nodded.
Remy looked at all of the kids, their expressions uncertain, faces pale of alarm as they watched what Rogue had to do. "Poor little bastards," he uttered, "mutant seem to be manifesting in mutants before puberty these days, can't be easy. Barely enough time to be a kid before being punched with the big fat reality that they'll never be completely normal again…"
Logan turned to look at Remy momentarily, "so you're back for good?"
"As long as me and Rogue are together," Remy replied, a little too bluntly, and he suddenly realised how bad it must have sounded, but truthfully he didn't care.
"That doesn't sound too optimistic," Logan snorted, he looked at the man.
"Should I be?" Remy said, "only a matter of time, really, before I fuck up again and cause the poor woman more heartache," he kept his eyes on Rogue now, through the window, as she leapt, bound and swung over the obstacles.
"Y'know, the old LeBeau used to be over confident…you…are a mess, you need to get yourself fixed, boy, if you're gonna be one of us again."
"I'm not one of you. I'm just here for Rogue, and that's all. I'll do chores to earn my keep round here, should keep me busy enough."
"Your choice," Logan said, "shame, your skill, you'd be an asset to the team. You always were a great X-Man. Mouthy and smart-assed but talented and powerful…it's a shame to let that go."
Remy said nothing, he simply left the room, took the elevator down and let himself into the danger room, stepping up beside Rogue. "Fresh blood, huh?" He gestured to the kids.
Rogue did not seemed surprised of his presence, "freshest I think we've had so far, youngest is nine."
"Like babysittin'?" he asked.
"Actually, it's kind of fun sometimes…" Rogue shrugged, "What ya' down here for anyway?"
"I just…I wanted to run something over with you," he said, "Xavier just asked me to rejoin…and I've turned him down, just wanna make sure that my not bein' one of the team is alright with you…" he explained, "if…you don't want to date a simple handyman I'd understand."
"You're going to take up position as Handyman again?" Rogue asked.
"Bother you?" Remy asked.
"No, it's just…"
"I'm not living up to my true potential?" Remy asked, folding his arm.
Rogue gave a firm nod, "yeah…"
"You're not the first one to have said so," he admitted softly, "But…I don't know, an X-Man isn't who I am anymore…I've changed a lot…and I just…don't want to put anyone in danger is all…"
Rogue seemed slightly disappointed, but, she realised, there was not much she could do about it, it was after all, Remy's decision. And besides, he was a little fragile at the moment, perhaps he was being smart in his decision. "I…gotta admit, I am kind of sad we won't be working together, but…it's alright…you could be the guy who wipes windshields at the local carwash and it wouldn't make a difference," she smiled.
Remy gave a slight smile, "As long as it's alright with you…"
Rogue looked at him, "one moment," she pleaded and headed over towards one of her new students who was having trouble on one of the obstacles.
Remy watched her, she was confident, and seemed contented in life, and he was happy for her. He found himself hoping that he wouldn't be the one to ruin it all for her. He had an increasing fear that something he would do would turn everything upside down. It wouldn't be the first time.
Rogue came back over, "sorry about that. Kids these days…spend too much time on video games and not enough time exercising that they are in SUCH bad shape…" she admitted.
Remy nodded, "Hey…maybe wanna do something tonight?" he asked.
"Like?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the students.
"A date…general stuff, I don't know, dancing, drinking, eating, a movie…or something…just thought…maybe…it'd help us get our heads around bein' together again. We have to get used to each other again…"
Rogue smiled brightly, "alright."
"Wow…things have changed, huh?" Remy asked.
"Hmm?"
"Been the first time I asked you out on a date you've actually just gave me a straight answer instead of throwing something at me or calling me a swamp rat," he responded, "Anyway, I gotta go find Kitty. She said something about I had to move rooms or something…"
"Okay," Rogue nodded.
"I'll brief you about the date later," he touched her arm tenderly, then left.