OOO

HURT

OOO

Rogue woke up next morning, cramped and hurting. Her pillow was soaked wet from her tears.

As angry as she should have been at herself for crying, she couldn't care less at the moment. Remy had left her and that in itself could drive anybody to tears. Especially the girl who had loved him for who he was, for all that he was. Especially the girl who had broken his heart. Especially her.

Her mind was a puddle of desperate cries and torturous memories of them. Most of all, it was all occupied with thoughts of him, of his look of pure hatred, love and rejection, at himself and at her.

What she needed was a hot shower to make the pain go momentarily away. She couldn't bear it any longer. After he had found out last night, she had come straight back at her room, locking herself in and crying.

She had cried for their love lost after all they have been through. She had cried for things that she would never experience now because he wasn't here with her anymore. She cried because he had left, never to return again.

She felt the searing water running down her back, soothing her muscles. However, her mind wasn't put to rest. The pain was all still too present and she broke down in a puddle of skin and bones on the shower's floor, head in her arms, tears falling down on her face and water gushing out of the pommel, drilling itself into her back.

The memories kept coming back at her, like a vengeful battalion, making her cringe in defeat. She had caused his departure, and it was final. The memories kept opening wider her unhealed wound, breaking her apart.

She didn't understand the fate that always kept them apart. Maybe it was them and their secrets, maybe it was something deeper, that she couldn't understand. Weren't they meant to be together, didn't they love each other? Then why all the downs? This last fall was her fault, she understood completely why he had reacted the way he had, she understood why he had left but it still hurt.

All the battles they had fought... Now she was alone because of her fear. It was said that she was fearless, never scared, cold-blooded.

Not so.

She had been afraid he would leave her.

With the control of her power, she thought about all that could be. All that they would finally share and all that he would finally have. The challenge would be over. He would leave her.

She wasn't afraid of the physical closeness. She had craved it for such a long time. She was afraid he would get tired of her.

Now, she would never have him all to herself. It was worst than if he had left her because he didn't want her anymore. Looking back at her reasoning, it didn't make any sense any more. He loved her...or had loved her. How could you still love after such a lie?

It had been a simple brutal lie that she shouldn't have kept. He had deserved to know. Not because he lusted after her but because they loved each other. But now, her worst fear were confirmed : he had left her with more hatred than was possible in any other situation she had made up in her mind.

She was the one who hadn't trusted him, not the other way around like she used to doubt.

She had found him once. She could find him twice if he let her, if she trusted him.

OOO

Why were they the only ones to fight the battles? To have such downs that at a breaking point, ups were not possible?

He was simply confused as to why it had all happened. What had drove Rogue to keep that secret away from him?

Taking a deep breath, Remy ran his hand into his hair. Inside his room, locked in, alone, he hurt much more than before, much more than he could have imagined. He had thought or rather hoped that all was good on their horizon, but it was not to be. Rogue had proved him otherwise. They didn't have a future together anymore.

How could you forgive someone for keeping such a secret from their lover? How could you keep facing someone who had lied to you in such a way?

Clutching his demise, the medallion, he made his way with his light backpack on the street.

No cure for Rogue-love was to be found in New Orleans. He had no options left, he had to leave.

His love for Rogue wasn't worth fighting against : it was a lost battle anyway. He simply couldn't believe this was the way it all ended. He didn't have the energy to fight anymore. To fight all the lost battles of their cursed love. Between them, it would never be alright. Their whole path led to nothing. It wasn't worth fighting for.

It was there, suppressed by his hurt but it existed nonetheless. It would always be.

He loved her. It was a one-sided emotion.

OOO

She searched the streets, combed them dutifully but never found him. She walked the whole French Quarter, faced Jackson Square once again, went inside every bar. She had searched every possible place. Now all that needed to be checked was one last possible place since he wasn't at Henri's place nor at his own place, the address being given by his cousin.

As she crossed a street bundled up of people, she felt a pull at her jacket's pocket. Her hand shot automatically out, gripping her attacker. Her fingers encircled a small wrist and when she looked down, her eyes met those of a frightened boy, not over seven years old. In front of this pitying sight, though, she didn't falter nor release her grip. There was nowhere near hell some kid was going to steal her wallet.

Suddenly, something hit her behind the head. Turning around, she came face to face with an old lady with her hand held high holding a purse. The woman had hit her with a purse? What for? Then she began screaming, and Rogue's question was answered.

"Stop child abuse!" Of course...Right...

The mob automatically became denser, pushing her around, making her let go of the boy. First, Rogue needed to calm the blood-crazed people and then she could fallow the boy to wherever he was meant to. If she was lucky, he would lead her somewhere meaningful.

She slipped out of the crowd unnoticed with sarcastic thoughts. It was just like the comics. The fight was going on without the person in question...

After a couple of minutes of chase around the streets, she saw him enter a nice three stories high red-bricked house, surrounded by a metal wrought fence.

That's when she noticed where she was. Following the boy unnoticed had been more difficult than she had planned. He was so skitterish, always looking around him, that it had been nearly impossible not to be seen, but she had managed. In the process though, she had lost track of her surroundings, thus leading her here.

To a quite familiar sight. Making her way across the multiple greenery, she arrived at the door of Remy's father's house.

What she was doing here, she didn't know. It was pure suicide. Then again, at the point where she was, it didn't matter anymore. If she could have Remy back...

All clues pointed to this house. If Remy wasn't anywhere in New Orleans that she knew of, he'd be here. Then again, she had thought that she had known the man she loved but he kept surprising her in most unusual ways, like when he cried or when he had left her.

Frowning her brows in deep concentration, she banned those thoughts in the back of her head with her psyches and moved closer to the house, bending down so as not to be seen. She progressed through the bushes then covered herself by walking close to the house's wall covered in ivy.

She had planned on rounding the corner of the house and getting in by a back window but as she was making her progression she caught a few words floating through the air. The words made their way to her ear, unwanted and dreadful.

"I want him dead."

Of course, Jean-Luc could have been referring to anybody but a sense of foreboding crawled into her heart the moment she heard them.

Her breath escaping in little uncontrolled puffs, she got closer to the window and waited for details. If she wanted to warn Remy, she might as well learn the most of it.

What she had just heard shouldn't have come as a surprise but it had. Jean-Luc wanted his son dead. It wasn't new, hadn't Remy warned her about that grudge his father still held against him? It was a part of this secret he had held against her for two years.

It reminded her of her own secret she had held against him.

Her face fell and in her inattention, she looked through the window, straight at Henri who was looking at her too. She dropped down again and cursed herself for a fool. Now what? Was he going to let the rest of the Guilt know of her presence? But as she checked again out of curiosity, he was still looking through the window straight at her.

She then heard the fatal words. "Henri, what are you lookin' at?"

Rogue winced in her wait for Henri's answer. "Lookin' at the sky." Came the smooth reply. She inwardly breathed out again. She couldn't see Jean-Luc's face but knew he must have left it off since he continued unravelling his plan against his own son.

"You all know what to do. Jake, I want you to get Belladonna...she'll have an important business to do for me."

Rogue heard footsteps of the men all leaving, the front door opening and closing again. She then saw Henri pass through the gate while looking at her and motioning her to follow him, which she did. She had the feeling, after seeing Henri and Remy act together, that his brother didn't want to see him dead.

She stayed well away until they had walked a few blocks away then approached him while still staying behind him a few steps.

"Just find him Rogue. Make sure he stays alive. It's the only way I can protect him, he'll understand."

She felt tears come to her eyes. He surely didn't know about last night.

"I can't, he doesn't want me in his life."

Henri let out a short laugh. "Rogue, who are you fooling?"

"But..."

"I know Rogue, he came by last night before leaving."

"Do you know where he has gone?"

"New York." He replied simply before lengthening his stride and leaving her behind.

She should have know. He was coming back to his sources. The Institute.

OOO

I swear, you asked for this crap, you impatient people. Yeah, I know that it's been nearly three months since the last time I updated (I was dead to the fanfiction world) but the fact is I lost interest in it. I lost interest in writing too so if your not happy with this chapter, then...wallow.

Enchantedlight : thought Rogue was stupid too...makes us hate her and love Remy...or so I do ;)

Ishandahalf : I don't plan on finishing (if I do...) this story as an angst... no way, ROMY rules!

Star-of-Chaos : you are one violent woman! Watch out for your head...and Rogue, we don't want her to die, do we?

Silver Ink : X-Jean 4 EVER! Bwahahaha...

The Real Mai : this chapter is so not original, really cliché, if you ask me so I hope you are not too disappointed!

Lady Farevay : I love you! (kinda weird, if you ask me) Anyway, thanks for all the support you give me! (about your last review...I'm a perv, OMG, don't tell anyone ;)

Ms.Rogue Lebeau : I didn't go with Rogue being kidnapped, but Remy getting murdered! Do not worry though, for Rogue shall save the day!

DemonRogue13 : Remy emotional...can you ask for more in a guy?

Weapon X 61 : Now can I get my cookie?

Sleepy26 : thanks!

Ele Goddess of Elements : there you go, don't threaten me please! ;)