Disclaimer: If I can figure out how to make the Rajin' Cajun flesh and blood, then will he finally belong to me? No, huh. Well, just thought I'd check.

The black clouds that came rumbling late in the afternoon should have given her a warning. Rainy days had never been good for her and rainy nights usually bode worse for her. However, her day had gone so well when she had heard Remy LeBeau was planning something for tonight. The news had sent her into a heart fluttering day dream, thinking about all the romantic things he had done with her in the past. She was definitely a sucker for romance. How she wished that wasn't true. Then maybe she wouldn't be so broken as she was now.

"So I guess what we had together doesn't mean anything?"

Gambit had been dreading this moment for a long time. As he took a seat on the edge of the large soft bed, he thought back to all those endless motorcycle rides that eventually led him down his current path. It wasn't until the last one, the longest one of all, that he had finally made up his mind and knew what he had to do. So here he was, in her room, telling her what his heart had chosen, or rather whom.

"'Course it means somet'ing, chere. We'll always have dat, but Remy deserves a chance t' be happy, jus' like you."

She slowly turned from the night darkened window where she had been looking out to the pouring rain drenching the mansion's perfectly manicured grassy lawns, facing him with her beautiful tear streaked face. As she walked across the room to sit on the bed next to him, Gambit buried his face in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. He had expected emotions to run rampant in the space between them. Anger, rage, jealousy, even a flurry of smacks, but nothing had prepared him for the silent sorrow emanating from the softly sobbing girl beside him.

"I thought you were happy. Even if you weren't, I still held the hope that you and I would live happily together again one day. I guess I just couldn't see the reality that has been staring me in the face this whole time."

Gambit raised his head from his hands as he felt her raise her arm to her own face to wipe away more tears. There was one thing he couldn't stand and that was making those for whom he genuinely cared cry. Instinct made him want to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything would be alright. Instinct was a very hard thing to fight. No matter what he said or did for her, at this moment in time there was no way he could tell her it would be okay. To her, everything she had come to know and love was crashing down around her. Her world was falling apart and little girl dreams of finally finding and marrying her Prince Charming were breaking down right in front of her face. So instead of giving her the comfort he knew she was yearning, he stayed silent through the ensuing uncomfortable silence.

"Just tell me one thing: what does she have that I don't have? Why does she make you so much more fulfilled than I ever did or could?"

Wow. That was definitely a loaded question he hadn't expected. The girl beside him was one who rarely cared what other people cared concerning her. She did things her own way and didn't care if she was praised or outcast for her actions. On top of that, he could never think of an instance where she wanted to be compared to someone else. She was her own individual, unique from all others, and was very confident in that fact. As much as the question had thrown him off guard, his solo rides had given him enough time and self-analyzing to provide him with the answer which had previously been so elusive to him. Well, at least it was elusive to the part of his mind that consciously admitted to things.

"Well, no offense t' you, chere, but dere's no comparison t' her. Everyt'ing Remy needs is everyt'ing she be. She gives me more dan I could ever want, more dan I e'er thought I wanted. You won' believe dis, chere, but for once Remy's satisfied wit' a femme."

She half chuckled half sobbed next to him. She never thought she'd hear the words fall forth from his mouth, but if they did she had hoped they would be regarding her. How could she have been so fooled, so deluded? The more she thought about all their interactions the more she realized he had played her just like he did with any other woman. Sure there were plenty of sweet words, smoldering glances, and heart stopping touches, but that was just the charm the Cajun naturally possessed.

"I take it she's back there right now planning some beautiful fairy tale wedding and all."

Now it was Gambit's turn to laugh and he was more grateful for the change in his mood, if even temporary, than anyone on the planet could possibly know. His rich voice bounced slightly off the walls of the moderately sized bedroom. It quickly died when he noticed her wince. He remembered she once told him she loved his laugh because when he held her in his arms she could feel the joyous noise reverberate through her being.

"Non, I highly doubt she's doin' anyt'ing like dat. Haven' even asked her yet. An' even if I had, she's not like dat, not lookin' for her knight in shining armor."

Truth was she thought she had already found him when Gambit came along. That made him think of all the trouble they had gone through concerning their relationship. If everything was as crystal clear to others like it was to him it wouldn't even matter if he asked her or not since everyone the couple knew already considered their nuptials shortly forthcoming anyway if not obligatory.

As quickly as that all ran through his mind it was just as quickly erased when he once again heard that gut wrenching laugh/sob.

"She's stupid then, 'cause, Remy darlin', you are more than some stupid tired old cliché."

Gambit let silence fall between them. When she didn't make a move to protest anymore he got up to walk toward the window. As he looked at the dark green blades that sparkled as the moonlight was trapped in the raindrops he thought about how he never thought he would live in a mansion like this again. When he was first exiled from what he considered his childhood home he hadn't held much hope for the future. Now he was walking away from the only home he had known in a long time and from something that could be considered a sure thing in order to spend his life with a woman he never thought would be able to tame him. The more he thought about her beautifully jaw dropping face, her silky soft hair, her glittering jewel like eyes, the more he realized he had nothing more to say. With the worst of the storm over the only thing he wanted in the world was to get back home to his love. As if sensing his thoughts she began to speak before he got the chance.

"I suppose you'll be wanting your freedom now. I'm sure you're anxious to get back to her."

She didn't make any move to go to him so he turned to her. Reaching in to his trench coat he pulled out the one object that symbolized everything that was left between them. Taking the few steps toward the bed Gambit handed it to her, in a way giving back everything he had taken.

"If you'd do Remy dis last favor, he'd be eternally grateful t' you, chere."

She sighed, resigning herself to the fate that had fallen between them. She should have been more aware, cherished every moment they had together. She should have known she couldn't bring an end to his wild ways. She should have known he was never meant to be hers. As much as all these realizations hurt the worst of it was she actually fooled herself into believing they might actually be able to make it even though her instincts had told her not to start a relationship with the Cajun charmer.

It had just taken a matter of minutes and now it was all over. As she once again looked into the dismal night she watched his retreating figure as his motorcycle headed down the driveway. In her heart she knew she would never see him again. He belonged to her now, the other woman. If she had been willing to be honest with herself she knew he had never been hers and in reality she was the other woman. As more tears spilled over her delicate face she had to admit that nothing, not even the end of time, would ever be able to tear them apart. And she wasn't sure if she wouldn't be broken for the rest of her life.

The End. Or Is It?

Author's Note: I know, I know, this has been done before. But- - - has there ever been a cliff hanger at the end of one before? After all, who IS this woman that Remy just left broken hearted in his wake? And to which woman is he going home? What was the object that symbolized so much? What do you think you know? Maybe if you leave me a little review I'll post the answers to all these questions and more!