Sorry y'all. No review responses this time. I'll do some next time though, I promise. :)

Recap: Some of the X-Men have taken a vacation to a large cabin Xavier owns in North Carolina. Rogue and Remy went into town for supplies and ran into a bit of trouble with some locals. Later that evening, they are again attacked by men with guns and inhibitor collars. Rogue is taken prisoner and Remy is left for dead. The other X-Men find him and go after Rogue. Finally, and with quite a bit of trouble, the X-Men find Rogue, but it's too late. Carly, a woman who has hated Rogue for years for the murder of her brother, causes Rogue's power to haywire and she basically goes crazy with power overload and causes the building to collapse. The X-Men are too late to save her from the crumbling building. They take her broken body back to the mansion and soon discover that her mind has been "destroyed". Months later, Psylocke helps "heal" Rogue's mind. Just as things are getting back to normal, Carly and her men attack the Institute. The X-Men win, with some injuries. As Simon is leaving with Carly's half-dead body, she tells Rogue that her friends will never be safe. With that thought haunting her, Rogue decided to leave Xavier's.

Chapter 16 Flashback: Rogue grabbed his unbandaged arm and forced him to turn around. Standing on her tiptoes she launched herself at him. She kissed him for, what she knew would be, the last time. Remy recovered from his surprise almost instantly and easily matched her passion. When the lovers pulled away they were both gasping for air.

"Ya sure you got to go into town? Maybe you and I should continue dis elsewhere," he asked breathlessly.

She laughed weakly, "Ah love you, too." She whispered the words then turned away from him and walked briskly towards the garage.

Remy watched her go, perplexed. Something was going on that she wasn't telling him. He'd just have to get it out of her tonight.

"Come on, Cajun! Cut it out with the goo-goo eyes and let's play some ball."

He went back to the guys and they continued their game, though this time Remy's heart just wasn't in it.

I don't own the X-Men. Damnit.

Somebody Else's Song - Chapter 17

xxxx

"Hey, Rogue," Bobby knocked on his friend's bedroom door. "I was gonna go pick up some pizza for dinner. You wanna come with?" When he got no response, he opened the door a crack. "Rogue?" He stepped inside the small bedroom and looked around. There was no sign of her.

Maybe she's downstairs. He turned to leave, but something on the middle of her perfectly made bed caught his eye. Three envelopes. Two white and one pink. Feeling especially nosy and disregarding the fact that Rogue would kill him if she caught him going through her stuff, he picked them up. One of the white ones had "Logan" scribbled on it in Rogue's hand writing. The other was blank. The pink one said "Remy".

"Well, I know I don't want to read that one." He tossed the pink one back onto the bed. "It's probably a list of things she wants to do to him." Bobby shuddered. "And I really don't want to get caught readin' Wolvie's stuff, so..." He slipped his hand inside the blank envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper. A glance at the first few lines was all he needed to send him running out the door and down the stairs.

xxxx

"Scott!" Bobby skidded to a halt at the bottom of the stairs after nearly colliding with the older man. "Sorry," he grabbed Scott's arm to keep him upright. "Where's the Professor?"

"I think he's down in the Lab with Hank. Why? What's some important that you have to knock down a crippled old man?" Scot attempted a joke as he readjusted his crutches.

"Rogue's gone."

xxxx

"She left these." Bobby produced the three envelopes and handed them to the Professor. He looked them over before opening the blank one. He scanned the page quickly before looking back up at Bobby.

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"At breakfast. Remy said she went into town earlier. Said she wanted to be alone. I figured she was still upset about yesterday, so I went to ask her if she wanted to go on a pizza run with me. She wasn't in her room, but those were on her bed."

Charles closed his eyes and nodded, "Alright. Iceman, call an emergency meeting. Only senior members are to be present."

xxxx

Remy sat at the circular table in the War Room. He watched as his fellow X-men filed in and sat down. No one seemed to know what was happening. Remy felt apprehension rise in his stomach. He reluctantly recalled another time when they had all been asked to the War Room. He remembered every detail about that meeting. At least the details up until the point when they told him Rogue was hurt. Then it was all a blur.

Remy shuddered as he forced the bitter memories away and reminded himself that today there would be no life altering news. He wouldn't feel his world spin out of control. Rogue was fine. She was still shaken up - hell, they all were. Carly's attack had shaken them to their very core.

"How's the arm?" Logan's voice interrupted his unpleasant thoughts. Wolverine sat down beside him, chewing on an unlit cigar.

"It's a'ight. Hank said it was a clean break. Six weeks and it'll be good as new."

"Good to hear," Logan grunted as the Professor entered the room, followed by Iceman. Bobby closed the door behind him, then moved to take his seat. He glanced at Remy momentarily, but Gambit didn't understand the look on his teammate's face. Remy looked around the table. Everyone was at their place now, except for Rogue.

An internal alarm went off and Remy was on his feet.

"Where's Rogue?" He asked the room. Everyone looked at him in confusion - except Bobby who carefully avoided eye contact - and the Professor.

"Remy, please sit down-" Xavier began.

"Non," Remy cut him off, panicked. He turned to Bobby, "Drake! Where is she?"

All eyes turned to Bobby, who finally looked up, "She's gone."

Remy felt as if all his strength was being sucked from him. His mouth went dry and his palms became sweaty.

"Where!" he practically shouted.

"I don't know," Bobby countered slowly and quietly.

"Dat's bullshit, Bobby! Where is she!" Remy started towards him, but Logan caught his arm.

"Calm down, Cajun. Drake hasn't done anything. Sit down and listen to the Prof."

Remy glared at Logan for several tense moments before jerking his arm away. He turned to Xavier.

"Where is she?" he ground out quietly.

"I don't know-"

Before he could finish, Remy started towards the door.

"Remy wait," Charles called. "She left these," he held up the letters for the first time.

Xavier held the pink envelop towards him. Remy looked at it a moment before snatching it away and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Charles cleared his throat before holding one of the letters towards Logan. Wolverine looked at him in confusion before taking the letter. Then Charles opened the remaining envelope. He skimmed the letter briefly before reading it out loud. When he was done, he folded it and slid it back in its envelope and placed it on the table.

"We're not going after her, are we?" Bobby asked, looking down at the floor.

"She asked us to respect her choice to leave. Though I do not agree, and I know the rest of you don't either, Rogue is an adult. There's nothing we can do except pray for her safety and happiness."

Logan stood up swiftly, knocking his chair to the floor. "That's bullshit, Charles. And all o' you know it. She belongs here just as much as the rest of us. Where is she gonna go? This is her home."

"You're right Logan, but-"

"Save it," Logan cut him off and stalked out of the room.

"He's right," Betsy spoke up. "This is bullshit. You realize that Wolverine's going after her. And Gambit as well."

"Logan will probably have better luck tracking her," Xavier sighed, "but it's not for them or us to decide what is best for Rogue."

xxxx

Remy,

I'm so sorry. I know that's not the best way to start off a letter, but it'll do. I wish things could be different. I love you so much. I never thought I'd feel for anyone what I feel for you. And I know you feel the same way about me, so I know this is going to hurt you. I realize that you may never forgive me for this and that kills me. But I can't stay here. We got lucky this time. No one was hurt too badly, but Jean and Scott are going to have a little family soon. And the students are getting younger and younger each year. I can't live with the fear that we'll be attacked in our home again all because of me. I want all of y'all to be safe and if that means that I have to leave, then so be it.

I know you won't understand. I'm not asking you to. I just want you to respect what I have decided. Please believe me when I say there is nothing I want more than to marry you and start our own family. From the moment I saw you all I wanted was your love. And now that I have it, it feels like I'm throwing it away. But I'm not, Remy. I swear. I'll never stop loving you and I'll always treasure our time together. I won't blame you if you move on. If you find someone new that will make you happy, then you have my blessing. Just don't settle for less than you deserve. You are the most amazing man I've ever known and whoever you end up with should feel that way too. God, it kills me to think about you with someone else. The thought of someone else having your children, someone else sleeping next to you at night makes this even harder. But I have to go, Remy. For all of your sakes. Please don't hate me for this. Please try to understand. I love you.

Forever Yours,

Anna Marie

"Anna," he whispered. Remy almost smiled. So he knew her real name after all these years. Tears that had been kept at bay while he read the letter were freed now. "Non. Non." He buried his face in his hands. He took a few moments to pull himself together, then stood up. He slipped her engagement ring off his pinky and placed it in one of the interior pockets of his trench coat. It had been sealed in the envelope with the letter. He buttoned the pocket securely and started toward the garage. He had to find her. He couldn't lose her. Could not live without her. Not again.

xxxx

He smelled her behind him long before she spoke. He kept quiet though, letting her make the first move.

"Ah see y'all got mah letters." She spoke quietly. If it weren't for his enhanced hearing, he wouldn't have known she spoke.

Logan said nothing. He didn't even turn to look at her. She sighed and walked around to sit down next to Logan on the bench underneath the bus stop shelter. They sat quietly next to each other for several long moments. The only sound was the incessant thumping of the light rain on the tin roof of the bus stop. Finally, Wolverine spoke.

"What is this, darlin'? What do you think you're doin'?"

"Logan. Don't start. Ah asked you here because Ah thought you would understand."

"You listen to me, girl. This is the dumbest thing you've ever done. And you've done some stupid things."

"Wolverine-"

"You know you're killin' Remy with this shit, don't you?"

She looked away then, trying to hide the tears. She wiped them away and looked back at her friend.

"That's why Ah asked you to meet me here. Ah want you to keep an eye on him. Try to keep him outta trouble when Ah'm gone."

"Rogue, we beat Carly. There's no need-"

"She'll come after him. She threatened to come after all o' y'all. Ah figure with me gone, maybe she'll leave y'all alone. But...Ah don't know Logan. I think she'll go after him even if Ah'm not with him anymore. She was in mah head. She knows how much he means to me."

"So next time we'll be ready for her. We're X-Men, Rogue. We don't run away from our problems. We find solutions. And if we can't find one, we make one."

"Yer makin' this harder than it has to be."

Logan glared at her for a long moment. Then he sighed. "Just promise me you'll be careful, darlin'."

That did it. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a fierce bear hug.

"If you need me, you know where to find me," Logan whispered into her hair.

They held one another a moment longer before she pulled away, "Thanks." She wiped her face with her fingers, but it did no good. Her tears kept coming, but she managed a smile.

Wolverine stood up and turned to walk away from her.

"Logan."

He turned back around.

"You will look after Remy?"

"Fer as long as he needs me to," he smiled and walked away, leaving Rogue to wait for her bus. Alone in the rain.

Okay, yes it was short. But I just wanted ya'll to know that I'm still alive. School and work have been crazy. Add a personal life to the mix and well...It's not very pretty. Anyhow, I know that this chappy is mostly crap - it doesn't advance the plot at all. But the next chapter will take this story in a completely different direction and I wanted to get this one out of the way.

My Spring Break is in 2 weeks. Unfortunately, because I'm poor, I don't get to go to the beach or anything like that. But, those of you who enjoy my fiction will benefit.

I hope all of y'all are still reading. I can't apologize enough for the delay in updates.

Okay, so...same time, same place 2 weeks from now?

Hope to see you here!

-Alyx