First off: An apology. I am deeply, DEEPLY sorry for neglecting this story. It wasn't fair to ya'll who are faithfully reading it and giving me such wonderful feedback (that I appreciate more than I can ever say). I didn't forget about ya'll, but some stuff has been goin' on in my personal life for the past couple of months that has sort of ruined my desire to do anything productive. It's getting better now though. :)
Secondly: THANK YOU to everyone reading and reviewing this story.
Thirdly: On with the Romy-ness :) Hope you guys enjoy this chapter...
Wish I owned 'em, but I don't.
Somebody Else's Song - Chapter 13
"Carly! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" the man screamed at the irate woman before him. He watched helplessly as she threw object after object against the walls of their hotel room, "Jesus!" He dodged the alarm clock.
"She's alive!" Carly continued to scream, tears streaming down her face. She collapsed to the floor. Sobs racked the young woman's body. Satisfied that her tirade was, for the most part, over, Simon Greene knelt beside his lover and attempted to comfort her.
"Shhhh honey...it's okay."
"No!" she argued, her wet face buried in his chest, "It's not okay. She's still alive."
Having been with her for over three years, Simon had become accustomed to her lapses into depression and her child-like fits. He knew she was a mutant. Knew it from the day they met. She had explained to him once how her powers worked. He could recall something about sharing her brother's mind when he died and something about a psychic Professor trying to exploit her powers, but that was it. All he knew for sure was that something to do with her powers caused her to go off the deep end every now and then. He gently rubbed her back with his hand, trying to calm her down.
"Who's alive Carly?"
"Rogue."
"Rogue? The mutant girl? No, honey, she's dead. We killed her, remember?" he replied, his voice cold.
"No! She's alive! I can feel her."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" she pulled away from him, "You think I'd imagine something like this!? The girl is alive. She is with Xavier."
"Xavier..."
"Yes," Carly smiled bitterly, "My old 'mentor'," she spat the words out.
"How did she survive? I thought that absorbing all those people at once would kill her. And then the building collapsed..."
"I don't know," she got up and began pacing the room, rubbing a hands to her temple until a slow smile spread across her face, "But you need to make some phone calls 'Colonel'."
He watched her expectantly. He hated when she got like this. He could barely recognize the woman he loved when she began acting like a crazed lunatic.
"I want your men together as soon as possible. We're going on a little trip to Westchester."
"Carly, I don't think---"
"Simon. Do not. Piss. Me. Off."
"Honey, most of my men were killed in our last attempt at takin' that girl out. The ones that are left aren't gonna be eager to go after her or her buddies again."
"Then find some new men...And double the pay. Triple it if you have to. We're not just going after Rogue this time. We 're going after all of Charlie's X-Men."
xxxx
"Rogue?" Remy asked, his hopeful voice barely a whisper.
She blinked as the bright fluorescent lights invaded her sensitive eyes.
"Turn down de lights," Remy ordered. Jean moved to comply.
When the only light in the room came from the small lamp in the hallway, Rogue opened her eyes. Slowly, they focused and locked on his. He smiled when he saw recognition flash in the green orbs.
"Chere..." he moved closer.
She licked her lips and swallowed, the actions somehow foreign to her.
"Give her some space, Remy." Jean said gently, "Her mind seems to be fine, but she hasn't used her voice in months. Give her a few minutes." As Jean spoke these words, Rogue mustered all the strength she could and lifted her hand, longing to stroke Gambit's cheek. Noticing her hand was bare, she began lowering it. Immediately understanding her fear, Gambit grabbed her bare hand in both of his.
"'T's okay, Roguey. You won't hurt me."
"H--How?" her mouth formed words for the first time in months.
"We don't know child," the Professor smiled, his eyes shining, "But that's not important right now."
"He's right Chere. Don't matter how or why. All dat matters is dat you're back."
Her eyes burned as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Don' cry Rogue. Everyt'ings gonna be okay now." He pushed a few unruly curls away from her face before pulling her gently into his arms.
She clung to him as tightly as she could, trembling at the effort. Over his shoulder, she noticed Elizabeth watching them. She looked just as exhausted as Rogue felt. She smiled weakly and Rogue smiled back. Then she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy being in Remy's arms. Finally, he pulled back to look at her. Tears streamed down his face.
"What's wrong Remy?" her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Not'in'...I jus' love you so much Chere..." he broke again. Rogue pulled him to her.
"It's alright, Sugar. I love you, too. Everything's okay now," she whispered.
The three telepaths began to feel like intruders to the couple's reunion.
Xavier cleared his throat, "Well, I think everyone else will want to hear this wonderful news. Jean? Elizabeth?"
Jean nodded, "It's wonderful to have you back with us, Rogue." She bent down and kissed Rogue's cheek before walking out the door. Faintly, Rogue marveled at the small gesture. No such affection had been shown to her in years - with the exception of Remy's flirting and the much too rare instances when her powers were negated. Xavier smiled and sent a mental embrace to her before following Jean out. Betsy made a move for the door but Rogue's voice stopped her.
"Betts? Couldja stay a minute?"
"Of course," Elizabeth stepped toward the bed.
Looking at her over Remy's shoulder, she smiled, "Thank ya, Betsy."
The purple-haired beauty smiled, "Anytime darling."
Remy let go of Rogue and turned to face Betsy. Without warning, he wrapped her in a tight bear hug.
"Merci, 'Liz'beth. Merci. Merci."
"You're....welcome, Remy." She awkwardly hugged him back.
Finally, he let go and went back to Rogue's bed. Carefully, he situated himself so that she was leaning up against him, his arms draped protectively around her.
xxxx
"There you are," Warren said as Elizabeth stepped quietly into their bedroom, closing the door behind her, "I was wondering where you had run off to...Starting to think that you might've regretted some things about last night...Some of the things you shared with me...I have to go into the city. Bureaucratic nonsense..." He muttered as he fastened his tasteful clip-on tie. He turned to regard his appearance in the mirror and caught sight of her face, "Baby, are you okay? You look like you didn't sleep at all last night. And why are you still in your bath robe? It's nearly dinner time---"
"Rogue woke up," she said it simply and quietly, still unsure of whether or not she believed it herself.
"What?"
She looked at him smiling, "Rogue's awake...I helped bring her back...She's okay Warren."
His smile grew with hers as he moved to put his arms around her, "I'm so proud of you. This is---"
"Unbelievable," she finished his sentence, "I know. But it's true." He squeezed her tighter.
"Let's go see her then. The meeting can wait---" she placed a finger to his lips to silence him.
"In a few minutes. Remy will want some time with her alone...Can we just stay like this for a while?"
"Sure, hon. Whatever you want," he whispered, resting his chin on her hair.
xxxx
After hearing of Rogue's miraculous recovery, all the X-Men came to visit at one point or another during the evening. Beast had even allowed food in the Med Lab when Jubilee and Paige suggested that they all eat dinner with Rogue. Finally, Beast had gently suggested that everyone leave so that Rogue could get some rest. The younger students eventually complied, leaving the senior members of the team alone with their still-recovering friend.
Silently, Remy looked around the room. 'Roro, Jean, and Scott were seated on the small, plain couch at the far end of the room, the Professor hovered next to them in his chair. Hank, Bobby, Betsy, Warren and Sam sat around the room in some of the various chairs that had been brought in at some point. Peter sat next to the bed in the chair Remy had spent many nights in. Kitty sat perched happily on his lap. Logan leaned against the doorframe and Kurt sat at the foot of the bed, asking Rogue every few minutes if she needed anything.
Remy smiled. He couldn't ever remember feeling so at peace. He watched Rogue's face as Kitty and Storm took turns telling her about all of Bobby's practical jokes she had missed in the last six months. He watched her laugh as Kitty finished a particularly funny incident. She was stunning. She was pale and thin, and a faint scar now ran down the left side of her face, but she had never looked more beautiful to him. Silently, he bent down, kissed her temple and gave her a little squeeze - partly because he couldn't keep himself from touching her and partly to assure himself that she was indeed alive and here with him.
"Love you, Chere," he whispered, just loud enough for her to make out the words and grin at him.
"As much as I hate to be the one to break up this delightful celebration, I'm afraid Miss Rogue needs her sleep," Hank announced to the room.
This statement was met with a few mummers of reluctant agreement and after several kisses goodnight, Rogue was left alone with Remy, Logan and Hank. After checking all her vitals, Beast patted her hand.
"Well, my dear, I believe you may just walk out of here in a few weeks."
"Thank goodness. Ah cain't wait ta get back to mah own bed."
"I cain't wait t'get t'your bed neither petite," Remy whispered, nibbling gently at her earlobe.
"Cool it, Cajun," Logan interrupted Rogue's giggle, "Don't you go pushin' her."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Remy smiled charmingly at the older man.
After saying his goodnights, Beast left the three alone in the quiet room.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Rogue spoke, "Y'konw...it's gonna be hard to get used to bein' powerless..." She fingered the scars in between her knuckles, "...and bein' covered with scars."
"Yer scars woulda been a lot worse. If we didn't have that Shi'ar technology you probably woulda been completely mutilated."
She nodded at Logan, but continued to rubbed the scars, as if that would make them go away.
"If Ah didn't know better Wolvie, Ah'd say that these scars here came from me sproutin' claws like yours."
"Me and Hank talked about that when we noticed those too. Anything's possible Rogue. We don't have a clue what they did to you. Who knows what happened."
She nodded, digesting the fact that she might never remember exactly what had been done to her.
As if reading her mind Logan leaned over and whispered, "I know what yer feelin' darlin'. Scared to death. You feel violated and vulnerable. Can't, for the life o' you, remember what happened. How you ended up this way. I ain't gonna lie to you. It doesn't get easier to accept, but it does get easier to ignore. I know right now yer wrackin' yer brain, tryin' to force yerself to remember. Don't do that. You've been through enough without puttin' extra pressure on yerself. Just let it come to you on it's own."
She looked up at him with wet eyes, "What if it never does? That scares me so much. Ah've missed over six months o' mah life, Logan. Ah want to remember as much as Ah can from before Ah went into that coma."
"I know darlin'. And there's no easy way to get through this. Just know that we're all here."
She nodded as a few tears escaped. Wiping them away in irritation, she tried to smile, "Now look what ya did! Got me all upset!"
Logan smiled gently, a rare sight, and kissed her on the forehead, "Goodnight darlin'."
"Night," she smiled.
"Take good care o' her Gumbo."
"Toujours," Remy nodded to Logan, "Bonsior, Logan."
Wolverine nodded to him and silently left the room.
"Alone at last," Remy nestled against her.
"Ain't you gonna go on up ta bed?"
"I am in bed," he answered, his eyes closed.
"Silly," she grinned at him, "In your room?"
"Petite, de whole time you been down here I slept in my bed one night....an' dat's only 'cause Logan and Kurt got me drunk and dat's where I woke up."
"You expect me to believe that Kurt got you drunk?"
"Oui," He answered, one eye open and looking at her," He did!" he insisted, noticing the look of disbelief on her face.
"Uh huh."
"Come 'ere," he carefully pulled her down with him. They lay in one another's arms for several quiet minutes in the semi-darkness.
"Remy?"
"Hmm? You still awake, Roguey?"
"Oui," she mimicked him.
He muttered something in French that she couldn't quite make out.
"What'd you call me?" she giggled.
"A smart-ass river rat."
She laughed and he squeezed her against him.
"Ow! Careful, Remy."
"I'm sorry, Chere," he sat up quickly, guilt coursing through him," Didn' mean to hurt you."
"Ah know Remy. It's okay. Ah'm just kinda sore all over. Layin' in this bed fer so long..."
Even in the darkness, the anger that flashed in his strange eyes was impossible to miss.
"What's the matter, sugar?"
"Not'in'."
"Rem...?"
"It's not'in' petite."
"Remy..."
"Alright!" he said it harsher than he had meant to, "Do you have any idea how it felt to lay on dat ground knowin' dat I was de reason dose men had you?"
"Pro'bly the same way it felt knowin' that you were layin' in the middle of nowhere with a bullet hole in you."
"Not de same Chere. I shoulda protected you."
"You tried, Remy. There was nothin' else you could do."
"Non. I coulda done more."
"Remy," she caught his cheek with her hand. Her bare hand. He marveled at the soft hidden strength he felt in it, "Please don't beat yourself up over this."
"Li'l late for you to be tellin' me dat Chere. For the last six months all I've done is play dat night over in my mind. Over an' over," he shook his head and looked away from her.
"Ah'm not gonna preach at you about it. Just please know that Ah don't blame you."
He finally nodded.
"And Remy?"
"Hm?"
"How 'bout a kiss goodnight?"
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Okay, I decided to end this chapter on a high note...but ya'll know what's comin'...Anyways, I'll try to update later on this week. Much love, hugs and kisses,
-Alyx
