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"Sometimes, life can get exciting and you get caught up in the moment. All you can think about is the thrill that'll come with it. But do you ever take into consideration of the aftermath? Do you truly think that everything will work out fine in the end if you just let it go? I know that life doesn't work that way. You have to make it right for yourself. You have to bite the bullet and take the hits for yourself. No one is going to save you all the time. Some of us learn it the hard way and some of us are guided the right way by a helping hand. Life is shorter than it seems. Take what you can from it and learn from your mistakes. These are only a few of life's little lessons. To accept defeat is to say you give up and to say you give up is to give everything you've earned away." Her eyes searched the crowd, watched the nervous people shift and the happy people try to hold in their grins. She smiled slightly. "Take my advice and keep your memories close to you 'cause sometimes, life can be cruel. Thank you." Cheers rose up from the crowd as they stood up and applauded. Flashes were seen as some proud parents took pictures. She allowed a wistful smile to grace her lips as she thought about what may come in the future, what may or may not happen. Either way, she would try her hardest to face it head-on. She stepped away from the podium and climbed down the stairs, joining the crowd awaiting everyone who followed her cautious steps.
"You can give one hell o' an inspiring speech, Ro'." She stopped and looked toward the direction in which the voice came from. Leaning on the building, arms folded across his chest, a cocky smirk on his face stood someone who she hadn't seen in weeks.
"I'm rather fond of it, myself." She said softly, looking away from him. Two women hurried over to her and started speaking in a hurried manner, trying to tell her all they wanted to say in less than three seconds.
"We're proud of you, Rogue." Raven put an arm around her shoulders. The woman had been around, trying to help out as best as she could. Irene was grateful for the help. The blind woman smiled, no, grinned proudly.
"It was a beautiful speech. No one could've said it better."
"No, but I know a few people who could've touched more people's hearts." Rogue hated the fact that all that she said was what she learned the hard way. She silently thanked whoever was responsible for what she had now. "Can I.. have a minute alone, please?" The two nodded and left, Raven sporting a knowing look, and Irene sporting a small smile. She knew that Rogue had been down because of the way things had turned out for her. "So, what're you doing here? Get lost on the way to the bar?"
"Very funny." A smile tugged at his lips. "Ro', I'm.. Well, I'm sorry for the way I acted. It was really selfish of me."
"Man, I wish I could give you a Breathalyzer test. What have you been drinkin'?" He frowned.
"Okay, I deserve that. Listen, how 'bout we ditch this crowd and go somewhere we can talk? I don't feel like bein' here among such promising and prized graduates."
"Why? Makes you feel stupid?"
"Still as feisty as ever, I see." She crossed her arms.
"I have a place to be after this, y'know. Doctors aren't very giving when you're late for an appointment." He cocked a brow and sighed.
"Monthly check-up?"
"No, I just need to go because I want to know what's unhealthy for my child." She turned her back to him. "But there is something that I know is an' it won't be tolerated." He blinked. "Smokin'."
"Ah, I see. Naggin' at me already an' we ain't even married." She stiffened.
"Get to the point."
"I just want to apologize. I came here to see you on your big day. Proud of me?"
"Well.. you didn't exactly cause a riot like I expected you would if you came here."
"You got somethin' against me o' somethin'?"
"Of course not." She said with feigned innocence. He twitched then sighed.
"Well, I guess I'll see you later.. or whenever." She watched him walk away. It was obvious that he hadn't taken good care of himself. He hadn't shaved in a while and his hair was unruly. His eyes looked glazed with tiredness and his voice was laced with weariness.
"If only I could forgive you for what you said to me." She whispered softly.
"I don't think I'm ready for this responsibility, Rogue. I'm sorry."
"I'm sure you are." She bit her lip. Would her child really be better off without him, as she had thought that night? Did she need him more than she believed?
-
The only sound that filled the silent house was that of a phone ringing. It had been ringing for five minutes. She sat on her bed, staring at the object, wondering if she should answer. He was all she could think about. For two damn hours, he plagued her mind. His voice echoing in her ears and his face pictured there every time she closed her eyes. She didn't feel like answering the phone. She didn't want to talk to him. Then, the ringing stopped. She fell back and sighed, having enough of crying. That night, she had cried. She would admit that it hurt that he hadn't accepted it. Why was he trying to come back into the picture now? Was it just that he had thought it over and even agreed with her that he had been selfish and childish to reject it right off the bat?
"No." She murmured. She sat up when she heard a knock at her window.
"Rogue!" She turned around and stifled her gasp of astonishment. Why was he pursuing this?
"Remy.." She walked to the window as if in a daze. The soft pitter-patter of the rain against the glass caught her attention. He was drenched, standing out in the rain, grasping the ladder in his hand so he didn't fall off. She touched the glass, her heart pounding. Her emerald eyes widened when he touched the glass in the same place, his warm brown eyes staring at her pleadingly. She hesitated, taking her hand away and placing it on the lock, turning it. She pushed the window up and stepped away, watching him climb through the window. She thought that this all seemed like a dream. So real, yet not. He closed the window behind him and stood there, staring at her.
"You.. didn't answer the phone." He stated, his voice low.
"I.. I didn't want to." She whispered. She looked down at the floor. "You're getting my floor wet." He looked down and noticed the wet carpet beneath his feet. She stepped lightly towards him and took his trench coat off, walking out the door with it.
"Ro'.." He sighed and followed her, not taking any notice that he was tracking water with him. She came back out of the bathroom with a towel and handed it to him. "I want to make it up to-" She put a finger to his lips and stuffed the towel in his hands, walking away silently. He didn't know what kind of behavior that was. Was she accepting his apology? Was she saying that she wanted him to stay? Or was she just concerned about the carpet? Shrugging, he went into the bathroom and took off his shirt, drying himself off. His pants were wet, too..
"Here. You left these the last time you were here." He turned and saw her holding out a pair of his sweats. He smiled and took them. She turned and left quickly so he could change. He came out in just the sweats with the towel draped around his shoulders and his wet auburn hair falling into his chocolate brown eyes. She held something out to him and he raised a brow. "I hate it when you don't shave before that five o'clock shadow comes in." He smirked and scratched his 'whiskers.'
"Hm, I suppose I did go a little long without shaving, now, didn't I?" She nodded. He went back out to the bathroom. She sat down on the bed and bit her lip. Was she going to accept his apology? What would she do without him, anyway? She was thinking about the child. It would be better if it had a father and she knew that she would never meet someone she could tolerate as much as him. "Hey, I know I was a big, as you would put it, ass to you but.. I never expected it to happen."
"Neither did I. I almost wished that I hadn't told you." He sat down beside her and put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"We'll be okay, Rogue. You jus' watch an' see."
"Rogue, time for dinner!" Rogue lifted her head off of Remy's shoulder and stood up, pulling him with her by the hand.
"They're not mad at me, are they?" She raised a brow and shook her head.
"I was the only one sore at ya, Sugah." He blinked when she dragged him from the room. "But, since we did make up an' all, I figure you can eat with us."
"You're so kind."
"I know."
-
"You should really follow that diet that the doctor gave you, Ro'."
"When I need advice from you, I'll ask."
"Then I'd never be able to.."
"My point exactly." He frowned and rolled his eyes as she ate her second bowl of ice cream.
"It's midnight, shouldn't you be asleep?"
"It's midnight, shouldn't you be home?"
"I'm where I should be."
"Did you tell ma?"
"Say that again?"
"Did you tell your mother?"
"About what?"
"This."
"You mean you didn't?"
"No." She stuck the spoon in her mouth and smiled. "I didn't tell her nothin'." She waved the empty spoon around after she pulled it from her mouth. He stared at her in astonishment.
"And all this time I thought she knew.. No wonder why she wasn't mad at me."
"You're a genius."
"Shut up." He grabbed a spoon from the drawer and tried to get some ice cream from her bowl. She pulled the bowl out of his reach. He blinked.
"Never take a pregnant woman's food. Especially not her ice cream." She turned her back to him and took a few spoonfuls before handing it back to him, empty.
"Thanks."
"No problem." She opened the refrigerator. "Now, onto the second course. Pickles." Remy made a face.
"Aren't you done yet?"
"No." She took out the jar of pickles and smiled when she took one out, which happened to be the biggest one in there. Then she put the top on and put it back in the fridge. "Now, I'm done." He rolled his eyes before putting the bowl in the sink, along with his unused spoon.
"I bet you feel so fulfilled."
"It's the greatest feeling in the world." She took a bite. "I know that eating this now will satisfy my craving but tomorrow, I may pay for it." She shrugged and walked out of the kitchen.
"And I may yet make sense of this situation."
-
It was an odd feeling for her. Waking up with his arm draped around her waist, the feel of his body against hers, and the peaceful sound of his breathing. She realized now only how much she missed it, missed him. She looked up at him, her eyes taking in every inch of his face; memorizing him as though it was the last time she would ever see him. She snuggled deeper into the warmth of his body and sighed contentedly. What seemed like five minutes later, in a haze, she heard someone's voice.
"Rogue?" She opened her eyes and found herself staring into his warm brown orbs. He grinned at her. "Sleep well?"
"Mmm-hmm." She mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Call me at noon."
"It is noon."
"Come back later." He chuckled, knowing where this was going. He sat up and looked back down at her. Then, with one hand propping him up, he reached out with his free one and played with a ringlet of her white hair.
"I had a dream."
"Remind me to make a medal for you later."
"Sure." He smirked. "Since it was about us livin' in a one-room apartment with five kids, seven cats, and a dog." Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, an odd look on her face.
"Dream? Are you sure it wasn't a nightmare?"
"I dunno.. I sort of like the dog part.."
"I wish I had aspirin.."
"I'm on it." She watched as he left the room. She felt the familiar wave of nausea hit her and she was off to the bathroom. Now, she was used to this but it seemed like it was getting worse. She was almost tempted not to eat but she had a soft spot for cravings and being hungry. And she had told her doctor about this and he had responded by telling her that she had to eat and that sometimes the nausea wouldn't be so bad. He tried to reassure her that it would over soon.
"Soon my ass.." She stated dryly. Her eyes became dazed as she leaned her head on the toilet. She felt tears running down her face for no reason at all. Her throat felt sore and all she could hope for was to get the nasty taste from her mouth and to feel better. She felt her hair being pulled back into a messy ponytail then someone began rubbing her back.
"You feel all right?" She shook her head and mumbled something he couldn't understand. His face took on a stricken look.
"Don't worry, Remy. She'll be okay. She's just having morning sickness." Raven's voice startled him and he turned to look at her.
"You're stayin' here?"
"To help her and Irene out. I didn't do it all those years ago and I want to make up for it."
"Oh." He turned back to Rogue and frowned. "What should I do with these?"
"No aspirin for her. Just remember that next time." Raven took the pills from his hand and left the two alone. Rogue felt the second round coming up and moaned, holding her stomach. Remy closed his eyes when he heard her cough and choke and heave. He felt sorry for her. He really did. And to think that he had bailed on her when this was partly his fault.
"I'm sorry, Ro'." He meant it in more ways than one. He sighed and got up a little shakily. "I'll.. uh.. get your tooth brush and tooth paste ready for you." He opened the cabinet and did as he said he would. When he looked at her again, she was curled up on the floor in a ball. It reminded him of when they thought she had the flu. "Are you done?"
"Probably not." She said in a weak voice, fighting off the feelings of dizziness.
"Is there anything you want me to do?"
"Yeah." She looked up at him. "Go and wait in my room."
-
Rogue sat on the couch, hugging a pillow as she stared blankly at the TV screen. Remy had gone home earlier and had said nothing about coming back later. She had been staring at infomercials for what seemed like forever and she was ready to stick her head in the oven.
"We've got to stop meeting like this." She looked toward the doorway and saw Remy standing there with a cocky smirk on his face. "My lovely belle fille, what might you be doing?"
"Not watching infomercials."
"You poor thing." He walked over and turned the TV off, sitting down next to her. "I can solve all of your boredom problems."
"Oh yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?"
"By loving you."
"Really? And how will you do this?"
"Cuddle with me?" He gave her his irresistible pout. She smiled and situated herself so that she was leaning against him and he wrapped his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him and just relaxing completely. He rested his head on hers and smiled. He felt better than he had in that entire month. He closed his eyes. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he had envisioned it at first.
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