Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.

Thanks to PomegranateQueen, Pandora's Sorrow, DazzlinShorty, ishandahalf, GreenFairyGirl88, silky black, Totally Obsessed47, TheRealMai, and Antonia for reviewing!

Questions:

Pandora's Sorrow: Yes, both Eric and Xavier are evil in this story. A lot of people are sorta out of character in this story.

Silky black: Kitty didn't go with them because she's nearly invisible, and she knew it would be hard to get around the city like that. She's pretty much reserved to the fact she is dying, but her character will come back and be explained more later.

TheRealMai: Hmm..is throwing up productive? Well, I updated faster, so maybe I saved you that pain. You will now have to find something else to do while waiting. :)

Notes: Xavier can walk in this story, he is NOT in a wheelchair. I figured if I could change his personality, I could change his physicality.

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Remy let the last drops of the showerhead hit his neck, as he twisted the water off with one hand. Opening the curtain he reached over for a dry towel, patting his face, slowly, as if unable, unwilling to leave the small, now steamed room.

He stepped out, drying himself off quickly. Slipping into a pair of boxers, he carried the towel with him as he exited the bathroom.

Remy didn't really expect to see her there. He was so sure she would be chatting away with Warren over a glass of wine, catching up on old times. But there she lay, stretched out on the bed, one arm draped over her face. She was still dressed in her jeans and tee, but her feet were bare, and he watched with interest as her toes twitched back and forth nervously.

He glided forward without a sound, stopping just before the edge of the bed. And despite his confusion, he could not help but watch her.

She was beautiful, holding a radiance he had never seen in another woman, not even Belladonna. As his eyes scoured over her body, he squinted to find a fault, just one flaw to prove she was human. But even his keen eyes could not pick up even a blemish of a fault. He gave a rough sigh. Except for her past, her previous actions, her involvement in the death of his wife.

But Remy dropped his towel and rolled onto the bed next to her nonetheless, resting inches from her, but not touching.

He stared up at the canopy roof, as Rogue removed the arm that covered her eyes.

"Ah thought ya said Ah could have the bed sugah," she stated lightheartedly.

"Dat I did chere," Remy replied, thankful for her effort to dissuade the awkwardness. He turned his head to the side, meeting her eyes. "But it was your mistake ta trust a thief."

"The word thief doesn't seem right ta describe your talent Remy. Ya have more grace and honesty than what that word implies." No hint of sarcasm laced her serious tone. Her green eyes held firm, as if trying to imprint those words into his mind, knowing he did not believe them.

"How long do we have Rogue?" Remy asked suddenly, changing the subject, his eyes never leaving hers, yearning for an answer, anything to ease whatever he was feeling.

"Till what Remy? Till Xavier finds us?"

Remy scooted closer, moving one hand to rest intimately on Rogue's waist.

"It seems t'me like I lost Belle pretty fast. One day things were fine at de Guild, and de next day she was sick, and dis whole hell began." Remy paused, and Rogue felt her eyes well up, her throat thicken. "But all I felt was de need for revenge when she died. Dere was no gap in my soul when she died, no missing element." Remy eased his hand up to Rogue's face, laying his palm on her cheek. "Dere was no lost love."

Rogue nodded, unsure of what to make of his words. Was he forgiving her for what she had done? Or was he relieving his own consciousness? She reached over, gathering the courage to touch him like he now touched her.

"Ah didn't mean ta drag ya inta all o'this Remy. Ah didn't expect ta fall for ya."

Remy's stern look melted away into a small smile. A long pause ensued then, as the couple lay observing each other.

"What is it bout' y'chere?" Remy whispered as he fingered her hair, captured intensely by her eyes. "What is it dat makes me want to forgive y'so easily?"

"Ah don't know sugah," Rogue breathed through her choked voice.

Remy leaned in then, kissing her softly, slowly on the lips. Looking her in the eyes after, he rubbed his thumb against her delicate, olive toned skin.

"Y'gotta be de most complex woman I've ever met chere." His hand roamed back to her hip, pulling her in tighter to him. "Yet you're so effortlessly flawless." He kissed her again, feeling her body quiver. He moved his mouth up to her eyelids, watching them clinch tight for fear she would cry, and he kissed each one, allowing them to relax, and release the salt water brimming beneath.

Rogue hated to cry. It had been instilled in her that she should not show her fear or weaknesses. But she had held them in long enough. Hugging Remy closely, she pressed her face into his warm neck, letting herself relieve the tears that had been pent up for so long. His hands rubbed her back, before pulling her in tightly.

They lay there, molded together, until Rogue's tears stopped running.

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Remy inhaled deeply from his cigarette, watching the city beneath him from Warren's balcony. In the early morning light he had managed to throw on a pair of jeans, and now he leaned against the railing, wind blowing the auburn strands of his hair across his face.

"I didn't peg you as the early morning type," Warren's voice came from behind Remy.

Remy didn't even flinch; he had heard Warren's footsteps several feet away. Instead he exhaled a cloud of smoke into the brisk air.

"I don't sleep much," Remy finally replied, as Warren joined him against the ledge.

"Mmm," Warren muttered, "Does that have something to do with your mutation, or your lifestyle?"

Remy gave a small smile as he dangled his cigarette over the edge. "A bit o'both I suppose."

The wind blew a few times, filling the silence that followed before Warren spoke again.

"I knew your father, Jean Luc, for a brief time period."

Remy sucked in his breath, pursing his lips in annoyance. He reached one hand up and rubbed the side of his face. "Yeah, a lot o'people know mon pere Warren."

Warren rested his elbows against the railing, looking out over the city. "I suppose, yes. I worked a mission for him. It was my first one with Rogue actually." Warren let the last bit trail off, as he eyed Remy from the side for his reaction.

One eyebrow arched up and Remy took a long inhale of his cigarette.

"It happened long before she was sent to watch you though. Has she told you much about that story?"

Remy shook his head side to side. "Non." He stared forward, not sure where Warren was trying to take this conversation.

"Hmm. I guess I should let her tell it to you then." Remy turned his head then, watching Warren gaze off in the distance. He was quiet for a long while, looking out is if he were waiting for something. "It's strange what people will do for love," he finally whispered.

Remy felt his body tingle all over in warning, as he quickly dropped his cigarette and twisted around. He came face to face with Scott Summers, blocking the man's punch effectively, before retaliating with one of his own. After knocking Scott back he remembered Rogue was still asleep in the bedroom, and he made a mad dash through the living area, his agility caring him over the coffee tables and low sofas.

He felt Jean's telekinetic flair push him against the wall, but all her effort did was place him closer to the bedroom.

As he stood up he grabbed a vase off the edge of a nearby table, charging it as he did so. He flung it towards Jean as a distraction, knowing she would just put up a bubble to deflect it. Remy took off in a quick sprint as soon as the vase left his hand.

Surely both Scott and Jean were behind him, but he ignored that as he entered the guest room, only to see the demon like Kurt holding Rogue hostage with a knife to her throat. His sharp teeth gleamed wildly in the morning light as he began moving in a half circle away from Remy.

Remy moved one arm out as if to settle Kurt down, but he caught the quick look in Rogue's eye, and glancing down he noticed her ankles and feet were still bare from the previous night. Instantly Rogue hooked her leg backwards, behind Kurt's back and under his arm, touching a bare patch of skin. Once he had fallen to the ground, Rogue dropped down and removed his dagger.

"Mama always did train meh better than him," Rogue muttered as she straightened her shirt.

"Dat creature's your brother?!" Remy asked as he reached her side, just as the door flew open.

Rogue nodded as they moved their eyes to the incoming crowd. Eric, Jean and Scott stood before them, waiting for the southerners to react.

"Well ya sure found us fast this time Eric, Ah'll give ya that much," Rogue spat.

"We had a little help," Eric explained, extending his arm as Warren walked into the room, his eyes narrowly meeting Rogue's.

"Warren?" Rogue said disbelieving, before her anger began to flair. "How the hell could ya?! Ah thought ya quit this lunatic squad!"

"You really just assumed that Anna. You provided the words, I just filled in the blanks."

"But what about Betsy?" Rogue questioned.

Warren shrugged. "The X-Men didn't kill her, your dear friend Logan did. Not all of us would drop everything for a notion as foolish as love."

Remy watched Rogue visibly deflate as the dagger dragged her arm down further.

"What is it you two are running from so desperately?" Eric interrupted. "The chase would end if you joined our ranks."

"Ah ain't gonna be a part o'that dirty work no more," Rogue seethed.

"You were raised by Mystique child, once a killer, always a killer."

Remy stepped forward then, his face stern. Rogue recognized his poker face, mainly from the months of watching him.

"And what would happen if I joined you Eric?"

Eric gave a deep sigh, raising his head up.

"And how am I to believe you trustworthy? Why would you join when Rogue does not wish to, you would leave her behind?"

Remy took a step closer.

"What makes you think I even care bout' dis girl Eric? She helped kill Bella."

"Yes, but in effect so did I. I did send Anna on the mission."

Rogue watched Remy with concerned eyes. She thought he was lying, but his face and his words were so serious she couldn't be sure.

When Remy didn't respond to Eric's comment, he directed his attention to Jean.

"Fine. Jean, take a hold of Ms. Darkholme. Perhaps Remy can help persuade her to his decision."

"Sir, I really don't think we should trust what Remy says!" Scott yelled. "He's never been trustworthy."

Eric gave Scott a stern look, before he turned to walk out of the room.

Jean overtook Rogue in a telekinetic bubble, holding her body still with the same ability. Remy could hear here screaming his name from inside, her voice being slightly drowned out by the bubble.

But he kept walking, moving to the front of the crowd, afraid to meet her eyes. She would understand at some point, she would have to understand his faults, as he was so clearly able to forget about hers.

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Remy stood in Xavier's office, a room he had never before been in. He was waiting for Xavier, and he stood by the bookshelf, haplessly scanning the titles. He didn't really think he could convince them he wanted to be part of their team again.

He heard the door open behind him, and he removed a finger from the spine of book, dragging it down the wood of the shelf slowly as he began to turn around.

He watched Xavier walk around to the seat of his desk, gesturing to an empty seat across the table from him.

Remy moved cautiously to the seat, his eyes never leaving Xavier. The man smiled unnervingly at Remy, his hands clasped in a steeple on his oak desk.

"You are quite the impossible man to predict Mr. LeBeau. Your inherent charm implies you are soft, warm hearted even, able to love. But your darker days as a thief and your edgy presence give cause to believe you are dangerous. What are you?"

Remy's eyes were the only thing to flicker, as they changed to a brighter shade of red. "I suppose y'need me t'be dangerous." It was a statement, not a question. "And heartless, uncaring t'a fault." Remy cocked his head to the side. "Obedient."

"It would be safer for me if you were Remy. But how can a lone thief such as yourself remain obedient to one man?"

Remy gave a smirk, crossing one foot over his knee, his appearance formal. Xavier continued when Remy did not respond.

"It's strange for a mutant to have a trio of powers, each in their own subdivision, such as you have Remy. Kinetic abilities, inhuman agility, empathy; a form of telepathy in it's own right. Is there anything else?" Xavier rushed on, not giving Remy the chance to respond. "Your abilities would be of value to my team Remy. But your loyalty to Anna will not."

"Have y'ever been in love Xavier?" Remy asked unexpectedly.

He looked taken aback as he released his clasped hands.

"Yes, I have Remy."

Remy remained quiet, his eyes pushing Xavier to continue.

"And it proved to weaken me." Xavier's eyes roamed to the desktop. "In essence she helped me begin what I have started here now."

"How?"

Xavier seemed lost in the past, Remy's questions confusing his current situation.

"When I was your age a man visited me. He claimed he was from the future." Xavier's eyes took a far away look. "Moira was with me when he arrived. He claimed a war between mutants and humans would begin, and that I had the power to stop it. At the time Moira had no idea I was a mutant. When she found out she left me. Perhaps if she had stayed, my cause would not have turned so bitter and vengeful."

His eyes snapped up finally, a resentful edge glaring strongly.

"It ain't too late to change it," Remy tried.

"Moira heads a scientific firm against our kind Remy. As long as she fights off my kind, I will work against hers."

Remy stood up then, slamming his chair backwards.

"Dis is all a case o'revenge! You're killing your own kind too Xavier!"

Xavier stood up as well, meeting Remy's eyes. "I am fighting for the lives of the mutants with the strength to survive!"

Remy began to back towards the door, his fists glowing pink.

"Where's Rogue?"

Xavier stood up straight. "She has already received her first injection."

Remy felt his blood run cold, his heart beat slow down, his expression freeze. Xavier smiled cruelly back at him.

"Love makes everyone weak Remy."

Remy stared blankly towards the man, hardened at such an early age he believed love a crutch, a curse. And he plagued anyone who believed in it, using it against them. Remy felt sick upon this thought, as though he were bleeding internally.

He slipped out the door, but Xavier made no move to follow. As Remy wandered down the hall in a daze he realized Xavier knew exactly what he was doing. He knew Remy would never truly join the X-Men. He knew Rogue was his weakness.

Remy began to move into a full on sprint, ramming his fist against the elevator button, time slowing down around him. Colors blurred together as he pushed open the stairway door and flew down the steps.

As he made it down the hall, he noticed a man made of ice standing in front of the med bay glass window. His arms were folded tightly to his chest, his expression lost.

Remy joined his side. He knew the man as Bobby Drake. A new patient. A man who would probably melt to death.

"I see they got her too." Bobby whispered.

Remy looked through the glass, his body collapsing against it as she saw Rogue tied to a lab bed, eyes closed, her beautiful ivory skin, blue and blotchy.

Remy felt the glass cool immensely, and rolling his head to the side he noticed one of Bobby's iced palms placed on the glass.

"I liked that girl. So strong." Bobby muttered.

Remy looked over, breathing heavily now. He shut his eyes, his empathy picking up the man's confusion, pity, fear. His fore head slid down the glass, the cool surface pressed against his skin.

He had gambled, and he had lost.