A/N: OK, I'm gonna note a few slight alterations. I'm changing what happened in "Cajun Spice" for the purpose of my story. The Rippers did kidnap Jean-Luc, but they are not affiliated with the Beaudreux family. Julien, his father, and Belladonna are members of the Assassins Guild, just as Remy is a member of the Thieves Guild. So basically Julien and Remy did not fight and Rogue has not met him (Julien). And I didn't like how much of an ass Jean-Luc was, so that's also changed. Let's just say that Remy and Jean-Luc were in a fight (or something like that) at the moment. All clear? Hope so! Anyways, onward!
Chapter Two
Two years earlier…
Rogue walked down the bustling streets of New Orleans, her emerald eyes occasionally scanning the crowd. She had no logical explanation for visiting the city, Rogue knew it would not contain any of the answers that she was seeking. But there was something that called her to it, something that urged her with all its might to travel to New Orleans.
Or perhaps someone? One of the many voices asked her.
Rogue shook her head. She was not here because of Gambit, or at least that's what she kept trying to tell herself. It was true that, since he whisked her away on their little adventure, Rogue had found herself unable to stop thinking about him. But he was not the reason she was currently in New Orleans.
Nope, Gambit has nuthin' ta do with it. She said to herself, although the fact that she had his queen of hearts card tucked safely away in her back pocket did not add to her argument in the least bit.
Shaking her head, Rogue tried to focus on anything aside from the sexy Cajun. Like figuring out where the hell she was.
"Oh shit," she mumbled.
She glanced around her and tried to figure out where she was, but had no such luck. Rogue had forgotten to pay attention to street signs as her mind had been occupied by more… interesting things.
Damn that Cajun, even when he's not around, he still causes trouble fah mah. Taking a deep breath, Rogue attempted to calm herself. There was no use getting all worked up, she would simply have to ask someone for directions. As she was about to stroll into the store to her right, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"'Scuse m' mademoiselle, but yo' seem a bit confused. Are yo' lost?"
Rogue turned around and was surprised to find a very good looking man standing behind her. He had dirty blonde hair that ran down to his shoulders, deep blue eyes, and an earring in his right ear. He smiled at her.
"Actually, Ah think Ah am."
"Well I'd be glad t' help yo' find yo' way back. De name is Julien Beaudreux."
Rogue hesitantly shook his outstretched hand. "Mah name is Rogue."
"A pleasure t' meet yo'. Now where are yo' stayin'?"
"Ah think its called Annie's Bed and Breakfast."
"I know de place well. I can take yo' dere now if yo'd like."
"That'd be great, thanks."
The two made there way down various streets and Rogue was surprised at the complicated path she had taken. Julien seemed nice. He told her of all the tourist traps that were a waste of her time, where the "hot spots" were, and what streets she should avoid. Although some of it she already knew due to the fact that she had absorbed some of Remy's memories. Rogue noticed Julien had stopped, but it wasn't in front of her hotel.
"Yo' hungry Rogue? Dis little place has de best jambalaya."
Rogue shifted her weight to her left foot, a bit tentative about eating lunch with the stranger. He seemed nice enough, but she had been fooled before. "Well, Ah don't know…"
"I promise I ain't gon' t' try anything'. I jus' wanna feed yo'."
Rogue shrugged and decided to take the man up on his offer. What was the worst that could happen? If she felt uncomfortable all she had to do was touch him and run. So she nodded. "Sure, why not?"
Julien opened the door on his right and held it open for her to step in. The ambiance of the little restaurant felt very southern and natural to Rogue. It had an almost cozy feel to it and she immediately felt at home. Jazz music echoed softly through out the restaurant as she and Julien took one of the corner tables. A few minutes later, the waitress came up to their table to take their order.
"Hey Julien. What'll it be? De usual?"
Julien nodded. "Rogue, dis is Sara. Sara, dis is Rogue."
Sara smiled warmly at Rogue. "Welcome t' de Big Easy, Rogue. What can I get fo' yo'?"
"Thanks, Ah'll take a cup of jambalaya and a water."
"I'll bring dat right out fo' yo' two." With that, Sara walked off, leaving Julien and Rogue alone.
"So, what part o' Mississippi are yo' from?"
"Caldecott County, actually. How'd ya know?"
Julien smiled. "Yo' accents pretty t'ick. I t'ink any true Southerner could tell."
"Ah guess ya raight. So, do ya lahke living in N'awlins?"
"Dere's no place better. M' sister, father, and I have lived here since I can remember. It's a little rough on de edges, but it grows on yo', non?"
Sara brought the jambalaya and the two voiced their thanks. As they began to eat the delicious Southern dish, Julien turned the conversation over to her.
"So, how long are yo' visitin' fo'?"
Rogue shrugged. "Ah dunno. Fah however long Ah want, Ah guess. Ah don't really have a set schedule or anythang."
"Yo' made any plans at all fo' yo' free time?"
"Nope. Ah was just gonna take it as it came, ya know?"
Julien nodded. "Maybe I could take yo' on a boat ride one day. Yo' could meet m' sister, Belladonna. She's a bit crazy, but I t'ink yo' might get along well. Yo' ever been jet skiing?"
"Once a long tahme ago, but Ah don't really remember how ta do it anymore."
"Well den, yo' should definitely come wit' me and Bella one o' dese days."
"Maybe," Rogue said cautiously. Jet skiing meant having to wear a bathing suit and that meant skin exposure, which was something she really wasn't comfortable with. But she didn't want to let Julien know she was a mutant, seeing as how she didn't know him that well and wasn't about to say "hey, Ah'm a mutant and if ya touch mah skin, ya can die."
The conversation continued with its light tone. Julien told her lots about his life in New Orleans, but the more he said, the more Rogue got the feeling that he was holding something back. It was the same feeling she had felt around Remy, before she absorbed that guy from the Rippers and discovered that he was the son of Jean-Luc LeBeau, head of the Thieves Guild.
Half an hour later, the door, which was behind Rogue, opened and Julien looked up. A smirk crept onto his face when he saw who it was. Curious, Rogue tried to turn her head so as to get a better look, but some woman was blocking her view, so she went back to eating her jambalaya. Julien leaned back in his chair and raised his voice as he called to the man.
"Well, look who it is. Been a while, non?"
The man he was talking to caught sight of him, grinned, and walked up to their table, finally giving Rogue a good look at him. When she caught sight of the man, her eyes widened and she nearly choked on her jambalaya.
"Julien, what kinda trouble are yo' gettin' yo'self int' now?"
"I'm jus' havin' dinner wit' one o' de prettiest femmes in N'awlins."
"Oh really? And what femme in her right mind would agree t' eat wit' a scoundrel like yo'?" Remy replied raising an eyebrow. As he turned to face her, Rogue caught the look of shock in his red on black eyes.
"Remy LeBeau meet Rogue."
"Oh, we've met before," Rogue said and she couldn't help but notice the smile that had crept onto Remy's face.
"Oui, Rogue an' Remy go way back, right chere?"
Julien eyed the two suspiciously. "Oh really now?"
"Rogue is de femme dat Remy told yo' about, Julien. De one who helped Remy rescue mon pere."
Julien's eyes widened. "Oh, so she's de girl dat yo' wouldn't shut up about?"
Remy chuckled. "Oui."
Julien's eyes glinted with knowledge. He glanced down at his watch and stood, as if just realized he had some place he had to be. "I didn't notice how late it was. Since yo' two "go way back" I'm sure yo' wouldn't mind me leavin' yo' in de capable hands o' Mr. Le Beau. He'd be mo' den happy t' show yo' de way back t' yo' place, m' sure." Julien and Remy shared a look. "I'd better be on m' way den. Places t' go, people t' see. I'm sure I'll see yo' around sometime Rogue. It was a pleasure, t' be sure." Julien threw some cash onto the table, winked at Rogue, and left.
Remy shook his head at his friend, but took the seat across from Rogue nonetheless. "So, how yo' been petite?"
Rogue shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant, though her heart wouldn't stop its wild beating. "Okay Ah guess."
"De other X-men around? Or is it jus' yo'?"
"Ah'm by mahself."
Remy had to stop himself from smiling. So obviously she's not here on business, he thought. Possibly pleasure?
"Well, where are yo' stayin'?"
"Annie's Bed and Breakfast."
Remy wrinkled his nose a bit. "No friend o' Remy's gon' t' be staying at a bed an' breakfast."
Rogue crossed her arms under her chest and raised one of her eyebrows. "Who said Ah was ya friend?"
"Well, if we ain't friends, den what are we?"
Rogue snorted. "Ah dunno, but Ah'm pretty sure that friends don't kidnap each other."
"Fair enough. Well den let Remy put yo' up in some place nice as part o' his apology t' yo'."
Rogue hesitated. Was it really a wise decision to trust the sexy Cajun again? He had fooled her once, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to do so again. Each of her psyches were spouting off advice, but she tried to block them out.
I think you should like go with him. He seems genuine enough and you know from the last time you absorbed him that he didn't like mean to hurt you. Besides if he like tries anything, you can just zap him.
Rogue mentally rolled her eyes. Of course it was that Kitty would say something like that. In Rogue's opinion, the girl shouldn't trust people so much. But at the same time, she had to recognize the truth behind the psyche's words…
"Why not?"
Remy smiled and swiftly took Rogue's hand in his, kissed it, and then released it just as quickly. "Merci bocoup, ma chere."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ah ain't ya chere, swamp rat."
Remy grinned. Jus' yo' wait, Rogue. Jus' yo' wait, he thought. But instead of saying so, Remy just shook his head and stood. He lead Rogue out of the restaurant and down the street.
"C'mon chere, Remy's gon' t' show yo' jus' what N'awlins is all about."
Present Day…
"What are ya doing here?"
Remy chuckled. "Chere, what kinda 'ello is dat?"
Rogue smiled as she welcomed the hug that Remy gave her. "One fit fah a swamp rat."
"Yo' wound po' Remy, petite," Remy said jokingly. He took a step back and lifted his right hand, lightly tugging on one of her white streaks. "Remy missed yo', Rogue."
"Ah know," she said quietly. "Ah missed ya ta." Glancing around the garden, Rogue realized that they were not in the most secluded place and so motioned for him to follow her. "Come on, we gotta talk."
Rogue led Remy through a path in the forest that led to the gazebo on the cliff behind the mansion. Once they got there, Rogue and Remy sat on the white benches and Remy took Rogue's hand in his and kissed the back of it. As he lowered the hand from his lips, he did not let go, but instead grasped it tightly, lightly making circles with his thumb.
"What is it, chere?"
"Ah don't want tha X-Men ta know about mah stay in N'awlins just yet. Ah know the questions it'll bring and Ah don't think Ah'm ready ta answer all of 'em. They know Ah was in Louisiana fah a bit, but they don't know fah how long or what Ah really did down there."
"Is Remy dat embarrassin' petite?" Rogue couldn't tell if he was joking or not.
"No Remy, its not that. Ah just… Ah really changed down there, ya know? And Ah'm not ready ta tell them why. Ah'm still confused, Remy. And Ah don't need ta add their questions ta mah own."
Remy nodded, completely understanding what she meant. "Don' worry about it Rogue, yo' secrets are safe wit' Remy. But… if yo' t'ink dat Remy is jus' gon' sit back an' pretend dat he don't feel nut'in fo' yo', den yo' even crazier den Remy t'ought."
"Ah don't expect ya ta do that, Remy. Hell, Ah don't even think that Ah could do that. Let's just keep some of tha stuff that happened down there quiet, at least fah now."
"If dat's what yo' want Rogue."
"Thank ya sugah. But ya never answered mah first question. What are ya doing here?"
Remy smirked. "Would yo' believe Remy if he told yo' dat he joined de X-Men in hopes o' gettin' closer t' yo'?"
Rogue quirked one of her eyebrows at him. "Considering that when Ah left N'awlins Ah told ya that Ah had no idea of if, or when, Ah'd be returnin' ta tha X-Men? Naw, not really."
Remy shrugged. "It was worth de try, non? Well, anyway, after yo' left, it got kinda borin' down in N'awlins. Aside from a few side jobs, nut'in big was gon' on. Remy figures its de calm befo' the storm." Remy paused and seemed to contemplate his next words. When he spoke again, it was a with a quiet seriousness that Rogue didn't usually associate with him.
"Dere's somethin' brewin' wit'in de Guilds, Rogue. Remy could feel de tension risin'. He don't know what it is, but dere's somethin' dere. Even Julien seemed t' be walkin' on pins and needles. An' yo' know dat boy don't get nervous easily. So Remy split. Talked t' mon pere about it and he t'inks it was a good idea. When all de hell does break loose, dey gon' need someone on de outside, someone who ain't gon' be trapped in de center. But in de mean time… Remy don't know. Maybe he jus' wanted t' do somethin' productive fo' once. Be on de good side instead o' de bad."
Rogue was silent for a while and simply watched the waves crash against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Remy was right, something was happening. But it wasn't just amongst the Guilds, Rogue could sense it too. It was this foreboding feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. Looking down at their intertwined fingers, she sighed deeply.
"After Ah left, Ah finally decided ta see Irene."
Remy looked at her carefully, trying to size up whether that was a good or bad thing. Personally, he believed it was dangerous to tamper with the future. And when one sought the help of a clairvoyant such as Destiny, it was hard to believe that they would not end up tampering with their own future, and thus, possibly destroying it. But, then again, he also knew that Rogue hadn't sought Irene for her prophetic powers. There were other questions that Rogue had wanted answered.
"An' did she help yo' any?"
Rogue took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Not really. Ah mean, she told mah some stuff, but Ah almost think that she just made thangs even more confusing. The answers she did have just brought more questions." Rogue moved her left hand to squeeze the bridge of her nose. "Do ya ever get tha feeling that maybe Ah'm just not supposed ta know?"
Remy took his free hand and gently tipped her face so that she was forced to look at him. Though she had gotten good at controlling her emotions, thanks in part to him, he could still read her well enough. Rogue's feelings of longing and sadness were rolling off of her in waves and it took all the control that Remy had not to use his empathy to make her happy. He'd learned the hard way that she did not like him tampering with her emotions, no matter how noble his intentions were.
"We're gon' t' figure it all out, Rogue. I promise yo' dat no matter what it takes, m' gon' t' make sure dat all yo' questions are answered."
Rogue smiled softly at Remy. The only things he ever referred to in the first person were the things that mattered most to him. And Rogue's heart couldn't help but jump a bit when she recognized that it was obvious that she meant so much to him.
"Thanks Remy. Ah can't tell ya just how much that means ta mah."
"Yo' don't have t' chere. Remy knows."
Their eyes were locked onto each other and a thousand words were spoken, though neither uttered a single word. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither Southerner able to pull away from the strong connection. A lump began to rise in Remy's throat and he tried to open his mouth, but found that he couldn't. Rogue looked at him hopefully, but upon realizing that noting more would be said, she sighed and finally shook herself free from the pull of his eyes.
"Ah gotta start heading back. Kitty wanted ta do something with mah tonaight."
Remy merely nodded in response and the two made their way back to the mansion in silence. When they reached the front doors, Remy's grip on Rogue's hand tightened and he quickly pulled her to him. She looked up at him in surprise as his gloved right hand gently caressed the side of her face.
"T'morrow work fo' yo'?"
She quirked her eyebrow at him. "Depends on what ya have in mind, sugah."
"Not sho' yet. How about Remy surprises yo' wit' something special t'morrow around six?"
Rogue shrugged. "Fahne by mah."
Remy gently smiled at her and lightly kissed the top of her head. "Remy'll see yo' t'morrow at six. Until den, au revoir mon chere."
"Wait," Rogue said, "where are ya going?"
"Dunno. Remy's got some t'inkin t' do. An' since yo' and de Kit cat gon' be doing de girl's t'ing tonight…guess Remy'll jus' have t' fend fo' himself, non?" With that he kissed the back of her hand and started down the stairs, already fingering the motorcycle keys in his pocket.
"Don't get ta drunk Cajun! Ah don't wanna have ta explain ta tha younger members what a hangover is."
Remy chuckled to himself as Rogue shook her head and headed into the mansion. Some things would never change, not that she was complaining.
A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. And I know that Julien and Remy were never friends (in both the comics and cartoons), but for the sake of my plot line (or what I think it will be), I need them to be. Besides, I'm tired of Julien and Bella always causing trouble for poor Remy. And besides, I think what I have planned for him and Rogue should be more than enough! Read and review!
Oh, I stole one of the lines in this story from one of my favorite movies. The first person to guess what the line is and what the movie is gets a special present!
