Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.
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Kitty Pryde sat cross-legged in the grass, under the shade of a nearby tree. A textbook was spread out in front of her, accompanied by several sheets of paper and a pen. But her attention lay nowhere near her required reading. She had one elbow perched on her knee, her hand holding up her chin.
She thought that by leaving the mansion she could slowly forget the emotional pain that had run rampant among her teammates and family for the last couple months. It had been two weeks since she had left, but nothing had changed. She felt a coward, running back to California.
Letting out one large sigh, she began to collect her things, shoving them into her brown tote. A shadow suddenly hung over the space she occupied, where the sun still hit her. Startled, she glanced up.
Now, the X-Men were her family, her dear friends, and so she was confused to see the person staring back at her. If they were looking to get her back, she thought they would have sent someone who knew her better. But Piotr Rasputin stood before her now, his face trying to assure her with a tiny smile.
"Piotr?" She asked curiously. "What are you doing here?
"I've come to ask for your help." His words lit up Kitty's face slightly. "You see the X-Men-
"Wait, wait." Kitty knew he was here on behalf of the X-Men, but she felt disappointed anyway. But then again she didn't even know Piotr. "The X-Men want me to come back already?
Piotr nodded. He definitely wasn't much of a talker.
"Well, I just got here Piotr. I'm not ready to go back there yet." Kitty said, trying to assert herself with confidence.
Piotr was a bit shocked to hear this woman speak, she sounded so different than the woman he had known for the very brief week before she left. Her tone was serious, no longer the playful, carefree woman he had met. He enjoyed her ability to display the two very different emotional traits, and he felt himself attracted to her.
"Have you not been paying attention to the news Katya?" Piotr persuaded.
Kitty was a bit taken aback by the nickname. She liked the sound of it rolling off his tongue. She almost forgot to answer his question.
"Yes, I have. I'm sure the X-Men can deal with it, without my help.
Piotr looked to his feet. "I do not believe so." He looked back up. "Is there anything I can do to persuade you to come back with me?
She knew his question was not meant to be romantic. He was simply doing what he had been ordered to do. But it drove into her heart, forcing her to oblige. Perhaps Piotr had been sent deliberately. She would have to ask Kurt about that.
"I suppose I can come back to see what the crisis is really about. I'll come back for the weekend, for now." Kitty flipped her hair back over her shoulders as she positioned her bag onto her shoulders. "Just give me time to pack.
Piotr smiled warmly, nodding his head. "Thank you Katya.
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Rogue was walking a very delicate path. She could almost feel the thin paper of her decisions ripping beneath her kitten heels as she walked to work. A voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her to contact the X-Men. They may have heard of Remy's miraculous recovery. They may be able to tell her more than Remy himself could or would.
Remy had been back in her life for nearly two weeks now. She still felt unsure of his intentions, but she could not push him away. Not yet.
As she approached the little clothing store, she noticed her co-worker Nikki leaning against the front door, filling her nails.
"What are ya doing gal?" Rogue called out. "Y'all have a key to the place too!" Rogue yelled playfully. It was their morning to open.
"Yah, I musta lost it in my room somewhere. Sorry.
"No problem Nikki." Rogue stated as she pulled out the store key and pushed open the door. As she headed for the counter to turn the lights on a tingling sense erupted through her body. Something was not right.
Spinning around she had just enough time to catch Mystique's heel as it nearly missed her chin.
"Glad to see you're still at the top of your game Rogue." Mystique sneered, lowering her leg.
"And Ah'm glad ta see ya still ain't afraid to knock out your only daughter!" Rogue spat. "What are ya doing here anyway? And where's Nikki?
Mystique smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Nikki is taking a cat nap in the sand. She'll wake back up in a few hours." Mystique began to saunter through the store, her form molding in with the dark shadows at times. "And I, Rogue, am just here to warn you.
"Warn meh against what mama? Ah ain't got time for this!" Rogue slammed her hand down on the counter, causing Mystique to pause behind a rack of clothes. She began to paw through the hangers as she spoke.
"To warn you against rejoining the X-Men." She stated simply.
Their eyes met without a word.
"I had hoped those eyes were not permanent." She added on.
"Sorry ta disappoint ya mama. As Ah always seem ta of." Rogue sneered.
"I would correct you Rogue." Mystique grinned. "But I shouldn't have to. You know how good you are.
"And ya should know Ah ain't got no reason to go back ta the X-Men." Rogue clutched the hem of her sleeve, pulling it further up her wrist, staring at the thread. "Especially aftah they just left Remy ta die.
Mystique's eyes brightened at this, but Rogue missed it, her attention on her shirt, rather than her mother. Mystique was aware that Remy had resurfaced, however, if she could convince her daughter to hate the X-Men, it would only be to her advantage.
"I see Remy has paid you a visit." Mystique began slowly.
Rogue merely nodded, still not facing her mother.
"They did leave Remy to die." Mystique paused, choosing her next words carefully. "But Gambit works for a much more-professional man now," she finished a bit staggeredly.
"Ah suppose." Rogue stated blandly, obviously not wanting to talk about Remy any longer with her mother. "Why don' ya want meh ta rejoin the X-Men anyway?" Rogue looked up as she spoke.
"I just think you are safer here. Away from this apocalyptic nonsense." Mystique's voice came out smooth as butter, but on her tongue it sounded alarmingly fake to her daughter's ears.
"Y'all would never go this far outta your way for meh safety mama.
Mystique moved herself away from the clothing rack, slinking over to the counter Rogue stood behind. Her eyes narrowed, as did her voice when she spoke next. "As hard as it may be to believe Rogue, I am here for your safety." Her tone was firm, and Rogue did not feel like challenging it.
"Fine." Rogue reached for a pad of paper, flipping on a light switch in the process. "Ya can go now mama. Ah gotta do meh job now." Rogue retorted with equal tone.
Mystique stood tall, and slowly melted her form into that of a young teenage girl.
"I'm glad to see we agree on something." She stated, heading for the back exit. There were no good byes or apologies. She was gone, and Rogue was left staring at her price sheet, the awkward glow of the light above her digging into her sensitive eyes.
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Kitty had left Piotr in the lobby of her dorm building. Scuring around her small room hurriedly, she shoved things into her bag. She was unhooking her laptop when her door squeaked open. She smiled.
"Piotr, I said I would be like, just ten minutes!" Kitty exclaimed, turning to face her doorway entrance. She nearly screamed in surprise when she came face to face with the blond Marauder known as Vertigo.
The woman smirked before knocking the shocked Kitty unconscious with her mutant powers. After the girl had fallen to the ground, Vertigo moved to the desk. Searching out a post-it and a pen, she scribbled a quick note and then slapped it to the front of the door. Next, she dumped the contents of Kitty's suitcase out and plugged the laptop back in. Then, pulling the small girl's body into her arms, she opened her portal and slipped back into the black hole.
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Remy hadn't wanted to bother Natalie at work, so instead he had gone straight to her apartment, hoping to surprise her there. Picking the lock to her front door, Remy gave a small smile. Natalie had informed him of his life as a thief, but really all it had done was confirm a suspicion Remy already had. His skills as a thief appeared to be as natural as his accent.
He loosened the top buttons of his collared shirt as he waltzed through her apartment, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. Her apartment smelled slightly of lavender, a scent that now comforted Gambit immensely. It seemed so familiar.
He pulled a bottle of bourbon from an upper cupboard in her kitchen, pouring some into a glass. Slouching into a chair behind a set of curtains that dragged across half of her living room area, Remy indulged in his thoughts.
He desperately wanted his memories. It was inherently clear that Natalie meant something to him, and he was beginning to be concerned that he had in fact been in love with her. And if he had, he wanted to know.
He took a quick gulp of his liquid, twisting a finger around the transparent cloth of the curtain. His bourbon glass went back up to his lips as he watched the front door creak open. It seemed, to Remy, that the urge to say I love you to Natalie was yet something else that felt as natural as his accent.
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Remy had relocked the door upon entering Rogue's apartment, so she had no lead way that he was inside waiting for her when she inserted her key into the lock and turned the golden handle.
Stepping inside she kicked off her heels and threw her bag on the side table. Stopping, she took a moment to breath in, letting her hands fall to her sides. She had no idea Remy was watching her every movement, breathing in her beauty as she exhaled her pent up emotions.
After she relaxed she felt someone watching her. She also knew it was Remy, no one else created the comfortable air the room now held. Rogue moved her hand up to her hair, pulling on the clip that held her curls up. She turned then, estimating where he was watching her.
He sat casually in a chair behind her curtains. His red eyes were blazing and a drink rested in one hand. His details were made fuzzy by the curtain, but he stood up, putting his drink down, as her eyes latched onto his. He moved the curtain aside with one arm, his gaze not letting go of hers.
At first Rogue read confusion in his eyes, causing him to look incredibly sexy in his button down shirt. But as Remy advanced towards her, she realized that what she had thought was confusion was in fact a look he had given her long before he had lost his memories. She swallowed slightly, once again pulling on the hem of her cardigan sleeves.
He clasped one hand around her left arm, his mouth open slightly as if to say something. But instead his lips rushed forward, drinking her in fiercely. Rogue moved a hand into his auburn hair, feeling her body being pushed forward into a wall. The taste of bourbon still hung on his lips, and the spices of his cologne and cigarettes intoxicated her senses.
In the past two weeks they had done a lot of holding, hugging and touching, but not much in the way of kissing. Rogue could feel the overwhelming passion erupting on their lips. She felt Remy's hands slip underneath her cardigan, and quickly it fell to the floor, revealing her nude colored blouse below. Despite the rough passion they were releasing, his hands were gentle, running over her skin with grace.
Suddenly, Rogue felt her legs being lifted up as Remy positioned them around his hips, and gathering her in his arms, he carried her towards her bed. His red eyes met her own for a brief second before his lips plunged down again, meeting her mouth. One hand moved up her blouse caressing her stomach, before sliding up to her chest. His mouth eased its way to her neck, as Rogue wound her hands through his tousled locks, her legs still wrapped around his torso.
Remy found his way back up to her mouth, but rather than kissing her lips, he opened his to speak, quietly and a bit hoarsely. "Was I in love wit y'chere?" He whispered.
Rogue swallowed, looking into his groggy eyes. Pain flashed across her face as she relived her last moment with Remy in Antarctica. His pallor colored cheeks, dull eyes, and nearly blue lips, murmuring that he loved her. And yet he had still looked so damned beautiful.
She pushed Remy off of her, standing up and readjusting her blouse. She tried to make herself angry, but she couldn't. This was the same Remy, and right now he was watching her with frustrated, perplexed eyes. She was his only connection, his only hope at reviving his lost life.
"Chere," he began, "I'm sorry. I shouldn' o'asked dat." Remy scooted into a sitting position on the bed, one hand rubbed through his hair nervously. After a second of silence, Remy clunked his head back on the headboard, his eyes closing as he swallowed hard.
Rogue suddenly felt ashamed at her actions. How was Remy to know what his words had sparked in her? She crawled back onto the bed, curling into his lap. She thought she saw relief shrug from his shoulders as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. With slight trepidation, Remy placed an arm around her thin frame, one thumb rubbing her shoulder blade. He leaned down a bit and kissed her forehead as a sign of forgiveness.
After several minutes of the comforting embrace, Remy slide the two down into the sheets, pulling Rogue closer to his warm body. Rogue put her hands to the side of Remy's cheeks, as both their eyes roamed each other's face. Rogue could feel the words itching in her throat, and closing her eyes, she positioned her body up further, causing Remy's face to rest near her chest, as she wrapped her legs around his lower back, placing her hands back into his hair. He grasped her tightly to him with both arms. It was then, in the protection of their close embrace that Rogue could let go of the words that welled inside of her. They would make or break the moment.
"Ya did love meh Remy." She felt his body tense, and frightened she added, "And Ah love ya too.
She felt his soft lips kiss her lower neck, as the tension slowly faded from his body, and his grip on her once again became tight. They remained silent for the rest of the night after Rogue's last words. Remy's intense grip on her body scared Rogue somewhat. She closed her eyes, as one tear caressed her cheek, nearly invisible against her olive toned skin, her thoughts on wishing she could just go back in time. And she cursed herself as she let slip the feeling that if she had never left Mystique or joined the X-Men, she would not be in this mess. She tried to erase the idea, but found it impossible, because somewhere, deep inside, she knew the feeling was true. She loved Remy, but she could not lead this faulty life.
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"Yes, I am certain Professor," the Russian accent stated. "She will not return with me. She has left a note. Run away." Piotr's voice sounded tired against the receiver of the phone, as one arm leaned heavily against the outside dorm building.
"Alright Piotr, return to the mansion immediately. We will undoubtedly need your help." The Professor felt discouraged that Kitty would not come back in such a desperate time of need as he replaced the phone to it's crook.
Jean, Scott, and Kurt sat in front of Xavier, in the midst of a short meeting. They had been interrupted by Piotr's call.
"She is not coming." Kurt's words came out as a statement, rather than a question.
Scott turned to Kurt. "What made you think that?
Kurt shrugged. "Just a veeling.
Facing the Professor again, Scott's expression became worried as Xavier confirmed Kurt's assumption. "Well what are we going to do Professor? We need more men! Apocalypse has opened those strange globes! He's taken out Magneto!-
"Scott, please calm down. I am aware of the situation." His words were quiet but stern, and Scott hung his head in admission.
"I have called in the Brotherhood," Xavier continued.
"Professor!" Scott yelled, slamming his fist into the arm of his chair. Jean reached over and grabbed hold of his hand, trying to sooth his anger.
Jean turned to Kurt before stating her words. "Have you contacted Rogue?" Her question hung in the air to be scrutinized.
"Yes." The Professor finally answered. Kurt's eyes brightened. "At least I tried. I could not find her mind anywhere." Noticing Kurt's concerned face Xavier added, "But I do not believe she is dead, rather she is using Remy's incredible mind blocks. She does not want to be found it seems.
Suddenly, Bobby burst into the study in his iced up form, panting slightly, his eyes wide in shock. "Professor, there-there's someone here to see you." Bobby reached for the doorframe, resting quickly.
Xavier's eyes shut, as he searched to pick up the signal of the intruder. As he did so, Scott faced Bobby.
"What happened Bobby? Who is it?
Xavier replied for the out of breath Iceman.
"It's Nathanial Essex. And he's alone.
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What happened to my reviewers!? If you guys don't like the sequel, tell me, I'd like to know what I should change or work on.
Texasgrrl: Glad you like it. I'm trying to mix in the love stories between the other X-Men, besides Rogue and Remy, although this fic will concentrate mainly on the two southerners. Love is the undoing of many things, it seems only likely that it could in fact undo the X-Men. But we will see.
Pandora's Sorrow: She does still have the red on black eyes, as this chapter probably cleared up, but I wouldn't call them permanent just yet. It's ok if you like the sequel more, that kind of thing doesn't happen often. But I seemed to have lost reviewers for this one.
Star-of-Chaos: Remy was confused. He has an excuse for sleeping with Vertigo. I always wondered if he had something with one of the Marauder's in the comics though, so I suppose I'm exploring that.
Ishandahalf: Damn, you should send some of your reviewers my way. I got 16 reviews for my first three chapters and you get over 100. Sheesh. You're a good writer though, so I can't complain too much. And with your new story YOU can't complain about my angst. Glad you liked the chapter and the ROMY moments though.
TheRealMai: You didn't annoy me with the Morph thing, don't worry. And the eyes on Rogue may or may not be permanent, I can't say just yet. And Sinister's motives will be revealed in due time. Glad you liked the chapter and the story so far!