Ah, the end is in sight. The last story in my little trilogy of stories is here. What should you do? Review.
Oh, by the way, I've again split the chapter into two pieces. No reviews means no second half.
An American Trilogy
III. Crying in the Chapel
Ororo Munroe had intended to greet Remy as he arrived, but her training session had run longer than anticipated, and she found that by the time she caught up everyone, things had happened. What exactly had conspired wasn't clear, but it didn't look good. Several people were gathered around Rogue's door, and very few of them seemed happy. Logan looked like he wanted to dismember something; Robert was sulking a bit, and Scott... well, he hadn't been in a good mood since the Stryker debacle. Jubilation was the exception, the girl seemed bursting with energy, even more so than usual.
"What's happened?" Ororo wondered, as she joined the group.
No one else wanted to answer, so Jubilee stepped up. "Miss Munroe, the world as we know it is quickly coming to a crashing halt. Our bachelor for life wants to settle down. Ya see, Gambit just got back and it turns out he's totally in love with Rogue. Like, way in love. According to him, they're engaged. Only problem is, the second she saw him, Rogue ran like she was qualifying for the Olympics and locked herself in that room. A few minutes later, while Gambit, Bobby and Mr. Logan were squabbling over who knows her best, she pulled Gambit inside with her so they could talk."
Ororo leaned back against the wall and raised an eyebrow. "Remy's engaged?"
"I know, tell me about it!"
Engaged. The word sounded foreign and strange next to the Cajun's name. Storm had known him longest, and perhaps best, of all the X-Men, and she thought she'd assessed him correctly: he was the daring soldier, the gentleman thief, the considerate, empathetic friend, and the ladies' man who'd live life like James Bond, jumping from adventure to adventure, and from girl to girl. The new news was strange news, indeed!
"So, tell me," Logan said, after a moment. "Who is this Gambit?" His tone was harsh. Already, he didn't like him. But, Ororo thought, it didn't have to be that way between the two. If there was any X-Man that Logan could relate to, it'd be Remy. The younger man also balanced a troubled past with the promise of a better future.
She looked at the Canadian. "He came to us a few years ago, as a young thief with the power to manipulate kinetic energy. Since then, he's become a valuable member of the team, though he has been taking time off lately to handle things at home."
"A common thief," Logan snorted.
"I never said he was common." Ororo smiled. She felt a bit like a parent or older sibling, bragging about a talented child. "Remy is, perhaps, the best thief in the world. I guarantee you, they haven't invented the lock that could keep him tied down."
"Unless you count Rogue." Jubilee pointed out.
The weather witch nodded, thoughtfully. "This has become quite the turn of events. How long have they been talking? And does anyone know what they're talking about?"
When Remy had first entered the room, he'd been seized by the urge to sweep Rogue up in a powerful embrace and squeeze the nonsense out of her. His hands had even brushed across her waist, lingering there for just a second. How easy it would have been... but she'd stiffened at the contact, and he'd grown cold as well, as he turned and waited for her to face him.
Now, it had been a few minutes, but she was still struggling to begin. He thought he might help her a bit, give her a hand, maybe a starting sentence. Then, he realized he wasn't sure what to say, either.
Before...
"What's da matter?" Remy LeBeau called out, letting a small amount of anger seep into his words. Not without cause, though, she'd been avoiding him all day. When he went in the kitchen, she stepped outside. When he decided to watch television with her, she remembered she wanted to finish reading her book. He'd gotten to know the sight of her retreating figure a little too well. Even as he called, Rogue didn't answer. She was walking down the hill quite purposefully. He thought she hadn't heard him, but he repeated himself, louder, and still, she continued her descent in silence.
So he ran after her. Rogue wasn't running, and even if she had been, he was faster. Remy wasn't even out of breath as he caught up with her, spun her around and forced the confrontation. Her eyes blazed, and for a second, he wondered if maybe, he should've let her cool down first. Too late for that, now. "What's the matter?" She snapped, "The truth is th' matter, Remy."
Patience was a virtue, but he'd never been very virtuous. Remy rolled his eyes in frustration. "I have no idea what y' talkin' about, Cherè. Maybe, if y' explained yo'self in some kind o' coherent fashion-"
"Ah'm not gonna stay here an' be insulted by some dirty, sneaky, stupid, ugly boy."
"Ugly?" He started to ask.
She shrieked.
"Oh, come on, Roguey. Last week, y' told me y' loved me. T'day, I be da scourge o' society. Now I don't remember doin' nothin' wrong in between dat time, so obviously, one o' us is goin' crazy."
Bad choice of words. She jumped on them like a cat toying with a plastic mouse. "It's me, Remy. Ah'm the loony one. Ah'm the one who's downright insane f' trustin' you. Ya know, Ah can't believe after all that romancin' an' sweet-talkin', this is how it ends. With me findin' out what a creep ya really are."
"I'm not a creep!" He insisted.
"Then tell me, Remy LeBeau, what do you call a man who doesn't tell the girlfriend he supposedly loves that she's the other woman?"
"What? Roguey, dat's a load o' shit. What would make y' believe dat?"
She crossed her arms. "Yoah engagement ta Bella."
He froze.
Oh.
That.
Suddenly, things were a lot clearer.
It was almost funny –not that someone had leaked that kind of private, serious information to her before he'd had the chance to do it himself, but that she was reacting so poorly to the news. Was she jealous? How weird. He'd had his share of girlfriends in the past, but things had always been light, friendly, and detached. He never cared what they did when he wasn't around, and they responded in kind. Yet, here was a girl red in the face because Belladonna had that little, tiny, insignificant piece of him.
Unable to hold it back, Remy laughed. Such a reaction earned him a slap in the face, though the soft, plush feel of her glove weakened the blow considerably. Rogue turned away from him and resumed her angry march.
Not that he was just going to let her go. Before she'd gone too far, he came up behind her and snatched her off the ground, swinging her over his shoulder. "Chéri," he said, "let's be reasonable 'bout dis."
"Put me down!"
"I will, I will. Soon as y' listen t' me."
"Put me down or Ah'll kill ya as ya sleep."
He paused. "Least I'd have given y' a reason t' stick around, non? Now let's talk about da whole engagement issue. Da t'ing is, Cherè, if it had been important, I'd have mentioned it by now."
"How is th' fact that you an' Bella are gonna get married not important?"
Remy sighed. "Because we're not gettin' married, Roguey."
"Liar. Ah saw th' contract while Ah was cleanin' out the files."
"But dat's just it. It's a contract. A piece o' paper. See, when da Guilds finally stopped fightin', people were enamored wit' da peace. It was like Heaven t' them. An, keepin' wit' human nature, da folks started panickin', worryin' dat they were gonna lose it. One day, Bella an' I stepped inside da house t'gether an' our parents saw possibility. They t'ought, here's our chance t' solidify t'ings. Now me an' Bella have grown into wonderful friends, but lovers? I t'ink not."
They'd reached a clearing, and Rogue wasn't really struggling very much, so he took the opportunity to drop her down onto the grass. He knelt down beside her and pinned her there, forcing her hands flat with his. "Now, Beb, it's a signed deal. Dat means Bella's got t' find herself a guy first. But she's going to. An' you are gonna stay here wit' me an' we are gonna live happily ever after."
He looked carefully at Rogue. Clearly, the fight had gone out of her. She stuck out her bottom lip and frowned, but there was no more blazing anger to contend with. "Ya still should o' told me," she maintained.
"I should've," he agreed. "Next time I'm contractually obligated t' marry someone, you'll be da first t' know."
"Ah still say yoah stupid."
"A complete idiot," Remy nodded, running a hand along the curve of her chin.
"An' sneaky."
"Its in m' blood." He reached into his pocket and brought out a card, then slipped it between their fingers.
"An' ugly."
"Now who's lyin'?" He wondered, leaning over her.
"Yeah, an' who ain't afraid o' tootin' their own horn?"
"Well, y' won't let me toot yo's." Remy grinned wickedly and closed the space between their lips for just a moment. Then he pulled back and watched her toss the charged card into the sky, where it burst into sparks.
He motioned to get up, but she held onto him.
"Mr. LeBeau, Ah'm not entirely sure Ah've been persuaded ta forgive you."
"Really? What else do I got t' do?"
She smiled. "How many cards ya got left?"
Rogue sat down on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. She seemed tired, exhausted really. When she spoke, her voice was low. "Ah shouldn't have run away like Ah did," she finally said. "But Ah just couldn't imagine breakin' up with ya officially. Ah thought Ah could run away from that responsibility, but obviously, this is somethin' we're meant ta go through, huh? Remy, what ya have ta understand is that Ah don't want ta be with ya anymore."
His brain was broken. His ears weren't fully functioning. Something was wrong with him, Remy knew, because he couldn't be hearing what he thought he was hearing. "I don't understand," he said. But then again, when it came to her, when did he ever?
She wrung her wrists. She was uncomfortable. "People change, Remy. They grow apart."
"Like hell. Y' were practically drownin' in laughter last time I saw y', Roguey. Yo' eyes were brighter n' da stars. Y' expect me t' believe dat y' just changed, just like dat?"
"No. Not just like that. It started weeks before that day. It started back when..." She looked away, avoiding his gaze. He wondered why, until she finished her sentence. "It started back when Ah first learned about the Morlocks."
Remy gave an audible gasp.
Tears welled up in young Remy's eyes as he stumbled back towards the tunnel entrance. He wished, vainly, that he could undo time like a knot in a shoestring: one tug, and everything would go back to how it was.
Oh, God, but there was so much blood.
The sound of screaming, screeching, crying, laughter, dying was a constant barrage on his ears. There was no way to block it out. No way to take back what he'd done. He'd never been queasy at the sight of blood before, but when he looked down at his shoes and found them pasted to the floor with the red fluid, his knees nearly gave out and his stomach lurched.
Oh, God, what could he do?
His powers were currently inactive, and even if they weren't, it was too late to stop the massacre. The smell of death was already in the air, on his clothes, forever in his memory. From across the mess, Malice met his gaze and smiled slowly. She pulled a metal rod from out of a man's chest and twirled it in her hands, as though she were putting on a show.
This wasn't what Sinister had described. This was no small band of terrorists. It was a people. A society. And they were being destroyed because of him. Why had he done it? For such a petty reason. His powers had manifested, and he couldn't control them. Sinister had promised to lend a hand in the matter, if Remy gathered together a group of assassins and guided them towards an enemy force. They were assassins... so what did Remy care? He'd grown up next door to the Assassin's Guild.
But even Julien didn't laugh like a hyena while disposing of his victims. Even Julien didn't slaughter small children.
He tried to stop them anyway. Sabretooth was nearest him. He lunged for the giant man, but found himself thrown back, clawed hand sunken deep into his shoulder. Pain blinded him for a moment, and then Sabretooth pulled away, smirking as Remy's blood dripped from his hand. "Stay outta my way." Another hit to the head nearly knocked him unconscious.
For a moment, Remy laid there, wondering if maybe, this was for the best. Maybe he ought to die with the people he'd doomed. But through bleary eyes, he noticed the rise and fall of a girl's chest. She'd fallen among the dead, but clearly, there was life still in her. Magenta hair fell out of her hood, but he brushed it back under as he pulled her into his arms. She was unconscious, and he knew that was for the best. Whispering a silent prayer for the others in the tunnels, he managed to slip away, intent on saving the one child he could.
Oh, God, forgive him.
Almost instantly, the dynamics in the room changed. It was no longer about Rogue's absence, or the fact that Bobby Drake thought he and she were an item. It was much more than that. This was something serious... something Remy had buried away, so deep it seemed as if they were someone else's memories implanted in his brain.
"Da Morlocks," Remy repeated. "What did y' learn?"
"That ya played a big part in their deaths." She said, quietly. "Ah tried ta reason it out in my head. Ah swore Ah wouldn't let it tear us apart. But, Remy, as Ah packed our suitcases, it occurred ta me Ah still hadn't completely forgiven ya. An' how am Ah supposed ta marry a man Ah can't forgive?"
He could almost literally feel the world crumbling to pieces beneath his feet. He wanted to explain to her the truth –how he'd been young and stupid and so easily misled. He wanted to explain his guilt, how every day from the day in the tunnels until the hour she walked into his life, he had hoped only awful things upon himself. Every breath used to hurt. He wanted to tell her that she'd restored his faith. But for once, words failed him.
Met with silence, Rogue continued on. "Ya should o' told me, Remy. Ah trusted you. If Ah'd have only heard it from yoah lips, it might've been easier. We could've worked through it t'gether. But ya left me ta figure everythin' out on my own, an' Ah haven't come up with good solutions."
He looked up sharply. "What do y' mean? Y' don't t'ink I...y' know me, Roguey. I... I'm stronger, because o' you. I promise what I was ain't what I am now. Y' can't leave me over dis. Y' have t' understand..."
"Ya think Ah can understand ya, Remy? If Ah could do that, Ah could forgive ya. But Ah can't."
"But.." he slid down to his knees in front of her, clutching her hand and pressing it against his lips. "I love you."
"Love ain't always enough," she cried, as she wrenched herself away from him and escaped out the door. She left cold air in her wake. Though Remy knew he was kneeling at the X-mansion, his home away from home, he felt more like someone had left him alone in the bitter Antarctic.
She rushed past all the people waiting outside her door. She didn't want to see them and have to answer more questions. It was hard enough spoon-feeding Remy the quasi-truth; in reality, she did think he should have come to her, but she had forgiven, anyway. There wasn't anything that she couldn't forgive him. Some tiny voice screeched at her for hurting Remy where he must've been most vulnerable. But she justified her actions by reminding the voice that Remy's life was at stake, and if she had to break his heart to keep him alive and well, she would. Maybe someday, he'd be able to understand what she was really feeling.
Rogue moved quickly through the mansion, exiting through the back doors, so that she could enter the large garden. There were benches there that allowed for quiet contemplation –or, the raining of uncontrollable, undisturbed tears. Her legs were wobbly. Her head felt like it was going to explode into a thousand pieces. Her hands were shaking. If she didn't sit soon, she'd collapse on the ground like a rag doll without support.
Luckily, the garden was empty. Probably because most of the people were probably still around her door, like her break-up with Remy was the event of the year. Great show. Can you believe she dumped him? Maybe now that he's free... The wooden base of the bench caught her as her legs finally gave out. Immediately, she curled up like a fetus. Maybe the world would just go away.
"I know what y' goin' through," a voice said. At first, she thought it was one of the people in her mind. They liked to talk sometimes. But seconds later, a needle plunged into her neck, and the world faded to a giant mass of squishy blue and green.
No, Aqua-colored.Or was it turquoise?
Maybe sea foam green.
Or Robin's Egg Blue.
The mass moved back and forth, slowly, a giant ameba blocking her view of the world.
Move away, now, she thought. Move away so Ah can see...
Blonde hair? Rogue opened her eyes and frowned, blinking several times as things came back into view. She was lying down on a hotel room bed, while a blonde in the corner packed what appeared to be rather lethal weapons into her pocket. Amazing, that the girl could fit all of those things onto her person, and still not lose her figure. There was only one girl who Rogue remembered could do that. She cleared her throat. "Bella?"
The blonde snapped her head around and smiled brightly. "Marie! It's been a long time. Y' don't call, y' don't write. We were beginning t' t'ink y' died. I never even got t' introduce you t' my husband." She frowned a bit. "O' course, I understand how it must've been in Candra's orders, da whole not talkin' t' us."
Rogue had been about to ask how she'd ended up on a hotel bed, when the last thing she recalled was a bench in the mansion's garden, but something Bella said seemed more important. "What do ya know about Candra's orders?"
Bella raised a sword high above her head and sliced the air with it. She seemed half satisfied. "About a week after y' left, m' husband was required ta take a loyalty test."
"Ah don't remember that."
"Its only necessary when Candra says it is. An' it's not a real test either, just a nice lil' euphemism f' torture."
"Ah."
"Yeah, he gets hospitalized an' has t' not want t' kill her. He passed wit' flyin' colors."
"Ah see."
Bella smiled. "It made m' so mad, her orderin' dat. Remy may not have told y' Marie, but us younger Guild members ain't too happy wit' Candra, period. Dat was da last straw. After, I started gatherin' information 'bout her, so's when I kill her, I can reason wit' da elders an' prove it was justified. I found out dat y' went an' saw her, an' a contact gave m' access t' certain recordin's, among 'em da deal y' made wit' Candra. I'm sorry, Rogue. Y' really could've used a friend in dat, non?"
"Ah could've." Rogue agreed. Her neck ached a bit. She ran her hand along it, and felt the bump. "Did y' kidnap me?"
"I changed y' scenery, Marie."
"Why?" Not that she wasn't grateful. It was easier to breath when she wasn't surrounded by people wanting answers.
"I dunno." Bella pulled out a large knife, and tested its edge against the wall. "I t'ought maybe y' wanted t' try an' kill her wit' me. Two is a better number n' one, right? By da way, y' might want t' consider doin' somet'in' 'bout da security system..."
Later, Somewhere in Europe...
"Are ya sure we're not overreactin'?" Rogue asked as she jumped off the bike. Right behind her, a lithe figure slipped off as well, and adjusted the gun strap on her shoulder.
"I dunno. Want t' ask her if she's already slept wit' Remy, 'fore decidin'?"
"No. But..."
"This is what I do for a livin', Marie. I'm tellin' y' right now, we are not overreactin'."
"She's done other awful things, right?"
Bella raised an eyebrow. "She threatened t' let da Guilds war if y' didn't go away, didn't she?"
"Yeah."
"People would've died." The other girl nodded, remembering.
Bella ran a mental check for their other weapons: the smaller gun in her pocket, the dagger in her boot, the rope hanging loosely around her waist, the lightweight sword on her back, and, of course, the mini bombs acting as barrettes in her hair. And then there was the stuff Rogue was carrying. Always be prepared, that was her motto. There was no telling what it might take to kill a person. Especially when that person was Candra, the Benefactress.
She'd been taught to believe that no one could ever kill Candra. The woman was, after all, immortal, and a powerful witch. But such lore didn't impress her. She knew the better truth, that Candra was merely the recipient of good genes. Her kind had died before, and she would follow. Belladonna Boudreaux would see to that.
She'd never liked her, not the sight of her face, or the tribute she demanded, or the worship she'd fed off of. It never felt right, sending so much of their hard-earned prizes overseas to someone who treated them so poorly. And now, Candra had crossed the line when she'd interfered with their personal lives.
She hadn't been married long, only a few short months. The honeymoon months. She should've been sipping margaritas with her new husband off the coast of some uninhabited, beautiful island. Instead, she'd spent most of her time at his bedside, since Candra had insisted he perform a loyalty test. She'd wanted to kill the monster for years, but they'd always held her back, urging her to wait for a proper time. Now, she was done waiting. The things she'd learned in the past few days. If Remy knew, he wouldn't want to wait, either.
The mansion was tall, old, and intricate; the kind of lavish, beautiful building that had never found a home in efficient America. Its light gray walls reached towards the sky, and seemed to emanate a sense of power. Guards, casually dressed, lingered around every stop, even in the garden pathway, but as a Guild princess, Belladonna held some authority over them and was allowed to pass. They did not question her presence, or her apparel, or her companion.
Inside, they moved more carefully. Getting caught with Candra and a group of her men wasn't an ideal situation. It was going to be hard enough finding a way to kill Candra without having to waste any time or energy killing the lackeys, too.
They passed the guest room and made their way towards Candra's office.
Or tried to.
They were interrupted on the way by the Benefactress herself. Clad in flowing white robes, the older woman smiled on. "Bella! Marie. It's such a surprise to see you both here. Shouldn't you be home, tending to your husband? Or is the thrill already gone? Perhaps you wished you'd picked one of your own, after all. And Marie, I can't imagine things are going well with Gambit. Maybe we should all step back and let the two young Cajuns find each other..."
"I love m' husband." Bella said, curtly. She didn't get nervous on the job very often, but her hands felt much too cold. She rubbed them against her black pants and held onto her anger, using it like a beacon to guide her actions. "And I know what y' did t' Remy an' Marie."
Candra stepped up to her, and ran her hand along Bella's hair. "Really? What did I do?"
"Enough t' send her away. It won't matter, though. In the long run, he'll love her, despite you. Just like I'll be happy wit' m' man, even after y' dead."
"Dead?" Candra laughed. "You are getting carried away with yourself. Perhaps you both ought to sit down a while and rethink your anger. Maybe they haven't taught you well enough, but I'm in charge. Over my life, your lives, and Gambit's life. Do you think I care what you all feel? Do you think I sit up at night worrying if Belladonna Boudreaux thinks I'm worth a loyalty test, or if Remy LeBeau's dreaming of someone else while he sleeps in my bed? You're all just toys, sweeties. Or better yet, tools that I will use as I desire, whether I'm aiming for wealth or personal pleasure. And it's not about good or evil, either. It's about power. I've got it and you don't."
"Y' don't have as much power over people as y' t'ink."
"Really?" Candra sighed. "Did you know that your husband called me himself, asking that I be lenient with you? He said you were quite upset, but that in time, you'd calm down. Did you know that Gambit sought me out the very day he learned you'd vanished, Marie?"
A cold chill ran down Bella's back and she tried to shake it off. But she couldn't. Some invisible force was holding her down. Her eyes met Rogue's and it was clear that they'd greatly underestimated the older woman. Maybe they should've waited after all. This was not the scenario she'd imagined. Her head dropped. "Merde."
She had just enough movement available to press her chin against the button on her sweater and transmit her pre-recorded message.
Wow. The girls were a wee bit stupid. Hmm. And only one more half a chapter to go! Will it be happy? Sad? Horrifically tragic? If you deliver Jude Law to my doorstep, I can guarantee you fluff. Otherwise... you'll have to wait until I update and hope for the best!
Review, please!
Individuals:
Orion Kohaishu: Don't worry about. We're all a little weird. Thanks for the review! Come again soon.
Keebler-Elmo: I did add a little more of their history! So... now you're obligated to review again! Thanks!
EmeraldKat'sEye: Confuddlement? I love that. It's catchy. Confuddlement. I think I've said it in my head like, fifty times by now! Tomorrow, I'll be sitting in class and that's all I'll be able to hear in my head. Don't forget about the locked box with the awful ending to be posted in the event of my untimely death...
Ishandahalf: Uh, you see a wee bit upset for some reason. I really can't imagine why. I always assumed you were a HUGE Candra/Remy fan. The idea of being resocialized to Romyness actually sounds way fun. Which probably means I don't need to be resocialized, but I can always lie and say I do need to be. You'd believe me, right?
Star-Of-Chaos: Hmmm. You want to smack Candra? Me too. It's funny how we think alike sometimes. Hey, sometimes, do you wish you could stand on top of a plane while it's in flight and try to catch the clouds in your hands? No?! Uh, me neither... Thanks for the review!
Samm16: Itchy band-aids, huh? That's a little bit creepy. I'll be sure to avoid old band-aids in the future. Thanks for the review! Come again.
MJK: I'm glad you liked my reasoning for Rogue's leaving. I wanted it to be a real reason, and debated everything from her accidentally absorbing Henri to amnesia before finally settling on Candra's interference. And, well, they did talk! Sort of. Thanks for the review!
Sweety8587: Something tells me that it's not Remy's hand in marriage that Candra's after. Hope you liked this chapter, too! Review!
Balabalooza: Or die? DIE? You wouldn't kill me, would you? WOULD YOU?!? I expect a theme song now.
Dreamschemer: Why thank you! And now that I've read your review, I feel like eating a grilled cheese sandwich!
Lelann37: Well, I guess the marauder question has been sort of answered. What am I gonna do next? That will require your reading the next chapter! Thanks so much for the review! Come again!
Enchantedlight: Thanks a bunch! Glad ya like it!
Goddess Evie: Pulling rank, are we? And me, sneaky? Oh, come now! Will Rogue and Remy end up together? Well, at least you know that they love each other. That's worth something, isn't it? Thanks!
AnalisDestiny: Glad ya like the POV shifts, 'cause that formats making a triumphant return in the final post. And yeah, that would've been weird if Rogue had been dating Scott... but then I'd have had to rip out my hair and stuck a knife in my own hands for writing such stuff! Thanks a bunch for the reviews! Come back now!
Kari: Ah, she has a name! I'm glad you like it! I live in perpetual fear that one of my chapters will completely ruin the entire story. And yes, I am a little crazy. Thanks for the review, Kari! Review again!
Freak87: Okay, I don't remember the exact quote, but in Pillow Talk, with Rock Hudson and Doris Day, he talks about being some kind of tree, I think. And then his friend suggests that he's been cut down and such. That's a great movie, by the way. Procrastination can lead to the death of humankind? Ah, how true. Especially when your name is Professor Charles Xavier.
Lonewolf422: Poor Bobby. Awww. Well, that's enough pity from me! Here's hoping you liked the update! Review again!
Black Dragon: Cliffhanger? Evil? Me? Hardly. I'm glad you don't hate me, because I really, really want you to review again! Please?
Questions? Comments? Coconuts? You know where to find me!