Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N:

How long was I gone? A week? Two? A month? A month and a half?

blushes shamefully

Sorry guys. I was busy on a project for most of April and was hospitalized for two weeks in May. After I got home, actually after that horrible, horrible experience (something about having a morbid fear of needles with a doctor who absolutely insisted on blood samples every eight hours), I was so weak that I can't write for a while.

Can you forgive me also for not answering reviews for this chapter? I have a feeling that you've forgotten all about this fic and what you've written all those weeks ago. =) Plus, still feeling a wee bit woozy.

Thanks guys. And to make it up, I'm updating my other fic too.

Special prize goes to JexyBaby and to curlygurly for getting my arse into gear for this one.


The Immunity Challenge

Chapter 5

Naughty Girl

She consulted the numbers proudly displayed on the door and then at the piece of paper she held in her hands. Same number. With an arrogant toss of her shiny blond hair, she then rang the door bell.

A petite brunette answered the door.

"Is this the house of Anna Marie Darkholme?" Honeyed words poured out from pouty bloody red lips.

The brunette's eyes widened in shock and promptly forgot how to work her vocal cords.

Biting back the urge to impatiently tap her foot, the blond by the door let out a sigh. "Hello?" She waved a hand in front of the brunette's face. "Can I see Anna anytime tonight?"

"Kitty?" A voice from somewhere inside the house interrupted the one-sided conversation taking place on the porch.

Barely a second later, another woman appeared beside the brunette. She, too, succumbed to whatever it was that caused the brunette's mouth to fall open.

The blond frowned. "You're not Anna Darkholme,"

"B-Bella Donna?" The second woman gasped.

A smile graced the woman's lips. She soo loved it when other people start knowing her name. It meant that she was becoming the star that she had dreamt of as a child, if she wasn't there already.

Bella Donna extended a flawless hand. "And you are?"

Giving herself a mental shake, the other woman decided that she won't embarrass herself in front of celebrities anymore, the memory of opening the door for Remy LeBeau while wearing a disgusting green facial goo still fresh in her mind. "Wanda. Wanda Maximoff." She accepted the proffered hand. "And this is Kitty Pryde." She nudged the girl beside her out of her stupor.

"Hi!" Kitty Pryde finally chirped when she got over her shock of opening her door and seeing actor/model Bella Donna on the other side.

Bella Donna almost winced at Kitty's over enthusiastic greeting. "So? Anna?"

"I can't believe that Anna's friends with both stars of Gambit," Wanda muttered.

Oh, Bella Donna thought crossly. I wouldn't exactly describe us as friends.


"I can't believe you made me break my date, LeBeau." Bella Donna hissed under her breath even as she let herself be escorted by her fellow Cajun actor into her favorite restaurant, Eros.

"I'll make it worth your while, chere," Remy murmured his promise.

Bella Donna sighed. She knew Remy was stuck on a girl, which in itself is not unusual. What was unusual was that the girl was not into him at least as much as he was into her. That fact was probably the reason why he was dateless that Friday night.

Oh, Bella wouldn't fool herself into thinking that Remy was depressed over that fact or even in love with the girl.

He was just challenged by the fact that a mere femme is resisting his advances.

Since the most recent object of his affections refused to be with him Friday night, and it would be impolite to ask others out as he persisted until the very last moment into tempting her into coming out with him (Belle knew at least a dozen girls who would be willing to be Remy's last-minute date but that crazy man's sense of chivalry prevented him from doing so. Funny, Bella later reflected, how that same sense of chivalry fails to apply to her!).

Remy tempted Belle into canceling her date by telling her that he's got reservations in Eros that he would probably have to cancel because he was dateless.

Reservation in Eros was not to be taken lightly. It had to be booked months and months in advance. But LeBeau seems to have a perpetual reservation in that restaurant seemingly weekly.

It was a rare man that gets Belle into that dining place.

Bella surveyed the crowd. Only the rich and the influential dine there.

Then, her blue eyes widened. "Oh, LeBeau, I believe you just made it worth my while." She said as she clutched his arm to prevent him from making his way to the maître d'.

Remy raised an eyebrow.

Bella nudged her head towards a table. "Dakota Robbins the Fifth," she said, naming the blond seated there. "Heir to the Robbins fortune, from the Robbins International Hotels. Never had the chance to meet him yet since her almost always out of the country. So this must be my lucky night."

Bella knew Remy wasn't terribly surprised at her knowledge. If there was a worthy bachelor out there, Bella Donna sniffs him out soon enough. She knew her charms are enough to sweep that unsuspecting bachelor off his feet, but she'd be the first to tell any girl seeking advice that additional help couldn't hurt. And after all, knowledge is power.

A smile that can only be described as evil touched Remy's lips. "Remy's going to make your night much, much more valuable, chere," he whispered to her ear huskily. "How would you like an introduction to Mr. Robbins?"

"You know him?"

Belle, for the first time noticed Mr. Robbin's date.

Porcelain complexion. Full, pouty lips. Emerald eyes. Russet locks. Long thick lashes. Dressed a bit on the conservative side, but Belle could see that she was pretty, if a bit on the staid side.

And it was as if she and Remy couldn't have come at a more convenient time. It was clear that the couple in question was having a tiff, based on the apology in Robbin's eyes and the unshed tears in his date's.

Remy grinned but didn't reply. Instead, he ignored the head waiter and led Bella instead to the table in question.

"Anna," Remy spoke out pleasantly when they were already beside the table.

When he saw Belle, Robbins removed his hand which covered his date's and immediately stood up.

"Now isn't really a good time, LeBeau," the woman said softly as she looked away.

"It's fine, Anna." Robbins tried to catch her eye but she refused. He let out a sigh. "LeBeau," he acknowledged the other man. "Nice to see you again,"

An elegant eyebrow raised. So she's the Rogue.

The two shook hands.

"This is my friend, Bella Donna," Remy introduced the sensuous woman by his side. "Belle, meet Cody Robbins,"

Bella was almost disappointed when Cody Robbins merely shook her hand.

"This is my girlfriend, Anna Darkholme."

Girlfriend, huh?

Cody smiled cordially at the two. "Why don't you—"

"Cody," there was no mistaking the warning in Anna's voice when she interrupted him.

"Join us?" Cody finished weakly.

"Why thank you." With a haughty glance, Bella was able to summon two waiters to add chairs to the table.

When all was seated and the newcomers were examining their menu, Bella saw Cody's hand attempt to once again cover Anna's. She was delighted when Anna immediately withdrew her hand.

"Ahn,"

"Excuse me," with that, Anna immediately walked away from their table.

Cody was about to follow when a hand on his arm prevented him from doing so. "Give her a few minutes to compose herself," Bella Donna advised.

Hesitation warred in Cody's eyes, but in the end he followed the unsolicited advice.

"Or, better yet," a malicious smile crossed Bella Donna's lips, but Cody was too distraught to notice. "Why don't we send Remy after her?"


"Anna, someone's here to see you!" Wanda singsonged.

If Anna was surprised when she saw the popular actress visiting her in her house, she gave no outside indication. She merely flickered a glance at her and turned her attention back to the pint of ice cream she held in her hands.

"Hello, Anna." Belle took notice of the puffy eyes, the red nose, the pink pajama, and the silken robe that was Anna Raven.

Anna sniffed. "Go away."

"Nice to see you, too"

Anna's two friends watched in wide-eyed attention at the exchange of words.

"You're actually the last person I want to see right now." Anna frowned. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Believe it or not, I came here as a friend." At Anna's snort, Belle continued. "Look, I know we met on the wrong foot and all, but I'm not here to steal Cody from you—" Actually, she was, but Anna didn't have to know that.

"Steal Cody from me?" Anna asked incredulously, and for the first time since Bella entered, fire began to burn in her eyes. "I'd like to see you try!"

Bella frowned. Was that an open challenge? "I actually came here to apologize for coming on strong last night. I just wanted you to know that flirting is as normal as breathing to me and last night meant nothing. But you seem so sure of yourself that I have to choice but to take you up on your offer,"

Once more, Anna seem to lose interest in the conversation. "Yeah, well, whatever."

"You mean you don't mind if I attempt to seduce your boyfriend."

Anna shrugged, "Knock yourself out."

Bella frowned. "Are you guys over?"

"I actually don't know."

Belle sighed. Cody Robbins was practically being handed over to her on a silver platter. She supposed she should be glad but she can't help but feel suspicious. "You know what? I'm gonna do you guys a favor…"


tbc


sorry guys, feeling a bit doozy again so i have to stop. but i leave with a promise--I would update this story within this week, Thursday at the latest.See ya'll then!