I don't own the X-Men. Damnit.
Somebody Else's Song - Chapter 19
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'd like to thank you all individually, but since that's not allowed on this site anymore (grrrr)... Anyways, Spicey Sweet asked about R&R's ages. I never really considered their ages when I wrote this soooo, I guess they're in their mid to late 20's. A few other folks asked some questions about Carly and Bethany - these will all be answered in the next few chapters - I promise! Also, thanks to Tammy for Marvel's contact info. :D
xxxx
He was numb. They knew where she was.
How did they find her? Did she contact them? Does she want to see me? Does she still love me?
Like I still love her...
Remy looked down at his watch. His plane was taking off on time - that was a surprise. He'd be back at Xavier's a little after lunch.
At least most of the students will be back in class. Don' really feel like dealin' wit' a bunch o' loud kids.
He let out a breath. He felt terrible. He had lied to Bethany. He'd never done that before. From the very beginning of their relationship, she'd known he was a mutant, an X-Man, a thief. She also knew all about Rogue.
Bethany had been his friend for nearly two years before they became lovers. She had been there for him. And he had done the same for her when her marriage fell apart. And now he felt like the scum of the earth for not telling her he was going to New York.
Why did I do dat? She would've understood. Probably even offered to come wit' me - help me through it...
But he didn't want that. And if he was honest with himself, it was because he didn't want his girlfriend around when he saw Rogue again.
How can I even t'ink like dat! I love Bethany! She's amazing. She helped me through so much.
"I'm such a jackass," he muttered, causing the balding man in the seat next to him to look at him strangely.
Remy muttered an apology before forcing himself to settle down as the plane carried him back to New York for the first time in nearly three years.
xxxx
"What de hell are you sayin', Wolverine!" Remy was on his feet immediately, unable to believe the words he was hearing.
"Calm down, Remy," Psylocke said from her place beside him. "Let Logan finish."
"Non!" All rational thought escaped him, "I want to know why you haven't told me dis until now!"
"Rogue didn't want anyone else to know," Wolverine watched as Remy began pacing, his hands twitching to blow something up. "She was trying to protect us."
Remy scoffed and shook his head, "Unbelievable."
All dis time and he knew. Logan knew where she was and knew it was drivin' me crazy not knowin'.
"Gambit," Professor Xavier spoke up, "Please take your seat. We need to figure out our course of action---"
"Oh, I've got your 'course of action', Prof! Tell me where she is so I can go get a few t'ings off my chest. Den, I'm goin' back to N'awlins where I belong. Dere. Dat's a plan."
"I told you we shouldn't have bothered to call him," Warren addressed Storm. "He isn't one of us anymore."
"According to you, War, I never was," Remy snapped.
"Remy," Jean spoke quietly, "Will you please sit down and listen to everything? We called you because we felt you deserved to know. If you don't want to be a part of this, you are more than welcome to leave."
He looked from Jean to Storm and sighed.
"Fine," he sank back in his chair and turned to Wolverine. "Dis isn't finished."
xxxx
"Alright, Lapin. I got it," Remy said impatiently, rolling his eyes. He switched the phone to his other ear. "I knew dat Jean Luc would be pissed...yea...I'll take care of dat when I get home. Okay? Yea. You do dat. Just don't tell Bethany about any of dis, you got it? Good. Now put her on. Merci."
"Remy?"
"Hey Bethy," he smiled into the phone. It was good to hear her voice.
"What's goin' on? Lapin's really pissed off. Where are you?"
"San Francisco, like I tol' you. An' don' worry 'bout Lapin. He'll be alright. Listen, petite, I know I said I'd be home tonight, but somet'ing has...come up."
"Oh. Well, how long will you be then?"
"Not sure. Not too long, hopefully."
"Well, what's come up?...Or is it Guild stuff?"
"Yea. Guild stuff," Another lie. "I'd rather you didn't know de details. Look chere, I gotta go. I'll call you soon."
"Okay. Be careful. I love you."
"You too," he barely got it out before he hung up the phone. He sat down heavily on his old bed and put his hands over his face.
"You okay?"
Remy looked up to see a very pregnant Jean Grey-Summers.
He attempted a smile, "I'm jus' dandy, Red. An' how are you?" Her concerned look didn't falter. Remy blew out a breath.
"You want de truth, den?"
"It's like it, yes." She sat down next to him on the bed.
"I feel like my heart's breakin' all over again." He said it so quietly that she barely heard him.
Gently, she reached over and took his hand "You want to talk about it?"
"Not really."
"I wish you'd get some of what you're feeling off your chest. Its not good for you to carry all these negative thoughts and feeling around. They weigh you down. Distract you."
Silence feel between them for several moments before Remy spoke.
"T'ings have changed."
"Yes they have."
"It's been too long. You can't jus'...go back to de way t'ings were before. No matter how badly you want to."
"Remy---"
"I met someone. A woman."
"...Oh?"
"She...she's special. She helped me through a lot of stuff. Matter of fact, I'm de reason her husband left her."
"I see."
"Non. Wasn't like dat. We were friends. I met her through Mercy, my sister-in-law. She introduced us at a party. T'ink she had a little crush on me at first. But I had too much to drink. Ended up tellin' her all about Rogue. I guess she figured I had too much baggage...But we became friends. Den she got married...She actually met her husband at dat same party, come to t'ink about it."
Remy rubbed his free hand down his face, but held tight to Jean's hand with the other.
"She practically forced me to start livin' again. Invited me out wit' her and her husband. She would take me to lunch - just de two of us - all de time. But her husband...he didn't like her hanging out wit' another man. We both told him our friendship wasn't a threat to him but...he jus' couldn't handle it. He left her. Broke her heart. An' it was my turn to repay her for all de kindness she'd shown me. Den...t'ings jus' changed. I started to see her differently. One night we went out dancin' and I saw dis guy get too friendly wit' her and I jus' lost it. Beat dat boy up pretty bad. We've been together ever since."
Jean sat quietly beside him, giving him time to finish. It was obvious to her that he felt guilty over his relationship with this woman. He needed someone to tell him that it was okay.
"Do you love her?"
"Yea."
"Then why did you come back?"
"I could lie to you and tell you its because I feel obligated to, but I doubt you'd but it."
Jean smiled softly, "Then why?"
"Because as much as I love Bethany...God help me, I love Rogue more."
Jean said nothing so Remy continued.
"I know dere's no future for me an' Rogue now. Hell, maybe dere never was. And Bethy's been so good to me...I hate lyin' to her. But I couldn't pass up a chance to see Rogue again. I never would've forgiven myself if I passed up dis chance. Plus, from what y'all said earlier, Rogue's in trouble. Even if I didn't want to see her again, I couldn't just stand by and do nothin'. She meant too much to me."
"She means to much to you."
"Yea."
A few more moments passed before Jean spoke again, "There's no such thing as 'too long'."
"Hm?"
"You said 'its been too long'. It hasn't Remy. No matter what happens with Rogue and Carly, you'll always have a home here. "
Remy snorted, "No. Rogue was my home. Not dis place. And she and I are over so..." he trailed off with a sad smile. "Jeannie...I'm not sure I'd want to go back...even if I could."
Without a word, Jean put an arm around his shoulders. She smiled sadly when he leaned into her embrace.
xxxx
Okay, I know I said I'd try to get R&R "reunited" in this chapter, but I really wanted to post this tonight. And if I wanted to do that, then I had to leave it here. I hope y'all enjoyed it. And in the next chapter, we'll see what Rogue's been up to all this time. And we'll gat that promised Rogue/Remy interaction.
Please review and let me know what you think. It motivates me to write much faster. wink, wink :)
-Alyx
