Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.

Alright, I'm posting the last two chapters at the same time. I'm sorry if this story was slightly confusing, but thanks to all my reviewers! The last chapter is very short, but its more of a conclusion than anything else….

……………………………….

Remy watched the goddess of weather bent over her garden, shoveling away at the soft dirt. Always tending to her garden.

He walked slowly towards her, knowing that aside from Logan, she would be the only other to sense his steps.

But she didn't.

"Whatcha working on Stormy?"

Storm looked up with a slight smile, and took her rubber gloves off.

"I'm planting my garden vegetables for the summer."

Remy knelt down beside her.

"Any hot peppers?"

…………………………………………..

Jean ran as fast as she could through the grass towards the lake. Scott had run off to make sure Rachel was alright. She could see Logan's body along the edge line, and was just hoping he was alive.

Her hand flew to his neck, checking for a pulse. Of course he was alive. There were tiny explosion like markings across his face that had caused deep incisions. Jean let her fingers hover above them, but she could see his healing power at work already, slowly closing them up.

Quickly she sent a warning call out to the X-Men.

They were under attack, and she was afraid she knew by whom.

…………………………………..

"Of course there will be hot peppers my friend. Just for you."

Remy smiled again, and watched her turn back to her garden.

"Is there something else I can help you with Remy?"

Just then Storm sat up straight. Remy recognized the analyzing look that clouded her features. The look of receiving a message.

Remy wasn't receiving it. And he knew why.

"Would you really have never left me to die Storm?"

Ororo looked slowly, and slightly fearfully into Remy's eyes. She had such wide, blue eyes.

"What is going on Remy?"

"Did you love me Ororo?"

He could see her mouth stutter, her regality draining from her confusion.

"I love you Remy but-

"But you never came looking for me. Not once, eh Stormy?"

He could see her arch back on her heels in preparation.

"You were dead."

Remy smiled and looked over to her garden, causing her gaze to look down as well. It was all he needed.

He slit her throat with the blade up his sleeve, and laid her down gently in the grass by her garden.

"No chere, I wasn't dead. I was waiting. But no one ever came."

Her eyes had turned white as she died. And he was sad to walk away from her.

……………………………………………………..

Jean had to use her telekinesis to transfer Logan away from the side of the lake. It was a slow process, but she couldn't sense anyone nearby, which meant Logan's attacker would likely not disturb them.

She had tried to wake Logan up, but he had been out cold.

Jean moved along the outside of the house, sensing movement inside.

Her eyes, so trained on moving forward, almost failed to look down and see Ororo.

Jean knew she was dead before she dropped Logan in the grass to check the woman's bleeding neck for a pulse.

A knife wound, too deep for any hope.

Storm was dead.

……………………………………………………….

The younger trainees were away today. It was Sunday. Their time off. Remy had known that.

Remy also knew the team was now on red alert, possibly on the look out for him, since he hadn't received a telepathic message. Yet the mansion was so quiet.

He headed upstairs first, wiping Ororo's blood off his knife and sticking it in the pocket of his boot.

Scott exited Jean's bedroom as Remy walked down the hall.

"Remy?" Scott acted surprised at first. He hadn't seen Remy since Antarctica. "Did you get Jean's distress signal?"

So she hadn't mentioned Remy. Maybe.

"Oui. I was just on my way up here to check things out," Remy replied smoothly.

There was a pause between the two men. Perhaps awkward for both.

"What're you doing here anyway Scott?" Remy shimmied to the side to stop Scott from moving downstairs.

"I, uh, I was here to see Rachel. Is there a reason you're stopping me from heading downstairs?"

"I already checked down there. Nothing." Remy smiled.

"Well, then, I should probably let you know that Jean warned me about you Gambit."

"Oh," Remy looked to the side, waving his hand in the air. "I don't' go by dat name anymore Scott."

Remy pushed the man into the empty doorway. They had the same physical build. Remy was slightly leaner, but just as strong.

Scott's hand went immediately to his glasses.

"What are you doing Remy?"

"You were probably the one dat ordered the team not to go back to Antarctica, non?"

Scott's hand remained unmoving by his glasses.

"It was Rogue's decision to leave you there Remy. We all thought you were dead."

Remy pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up.

"So, the team just flew off in that jet, knowing I'd been left behind, and no one said a word? No one thought, that despite what I'd done, I didn't deserve to die?" His cigarette waved languidly through the air in with his loud gestures.

Scott straightened his jaw. "You did deserve to die for what you did Remy."

"I didn't kill a single Morlock Summers. But your pretty wife has killed millions."

Scott lifted his glasses, the red hot blaze shooting out. But Remy had known that would bait him. And in Scott's inability to see as he shot blindly at Remy, the Cajun moved closer, kicking Cyclops in the stomach, while simultaneously dropping the cigarette to the ground.

In his surprise, his glasses fell to the floor, and Scott immediately flew a hand to cover his eyes and keep them closed.

But, he could hear the crunch of his glasses breaking as Remy placed his boot over them. He knew Gambit could place himself anywhere in the room, and Scott would never know where he was.

Scott also knew he couldn't shoot randomly, hoping to hit him.

Rachel was hiding in the closet.

"You know Scott, for some reason, I'm more angry at you for something else."

Scott stood up and backed against a wall, eyes still closed.

"What's that Gambit? That I have more honor?"

Remy laughed out loud at this.

"Actually, its that you don't."

Scott felt a quick breeze and knew Remy had just passed close by him.

"You left your wife and child, because another woman seemed more interesting for a few moments."

Scott scoffed with disbelief.

"Remy you've slept with hundreds of different woman since you've known Rogue."

"Your daughter's smart Scott. I think she already has de ability to read people's minds."

"What do you want Remy?"

"The X-Men are falling apart Cyclops."

Scott swallowed.

The explosion hit his gut like fireworks. Blood trickled from his mouth, but he was already dead.

Rachel crawled out of the closet slowly moving towards her father.

Remy had known she was in there, but he had hoped she would stay behind the door, unable to see.

As she neared Scott's body, her tiny hands began to slip through his blood.

Remy kneeled beside her.

"Rachel?'

She looked at him with wide green eyes, brimming with tears.

"Are you going to kill me?" Her voice was so small, so young.

"Petit, you're going to be fine. You're going to learn t'live for yourself, you understand me?"

Her lip trembled, and Remy wiped a few stray tears from her cheek.

"I'm sorry petit."

……………………………………………..

Scott Summers had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Remy was very familiar with that situation.

There was one more person he needed to see, and he had left her asleep on her bed one flight up.

"We trusted you Remy."

Remy smiled and swung one foot around gracefully to face Jean Grey. He wondered if she knew about Scott yet.

"No you didn't Jean. I'm not sure I've ever been trusted."

Her pink bubble surrounded Remy, pinning him to the wall. He was three doors away from Rogue.

"Were you going to kill Rogue too?"

Remy's expression fell slightly, a move a thief as professional as him never let happen. His mouth parted open, just a little.

"You killed Ororo without a second thought Remy." She looked deeper into his eyes, searching for what she could not see inside his mind. "You need help Remy. The X-Men can help you."

"You can help me forget about my fingers being so fucking cold they nearly fell off?" His tone was soft, far from malicious. "You can help me love the cold again?"

Jean moved closer, the pink bubble still encompassing Remy. She tried to soften her expression too, to warm to him.

"Remy everything takes time, but telepathy can really go a long way."

Remy smiled, and looked to the ground. He was hovering a little above it.

"I don't know what's wrong wit' me Jean. I was a different person when I left Antarctica."

"That is understandable Remy, but it's going to be okay."

Jean sent out a telepathic vibe, and was surprised when Remy let her sense his outer emotions. He seemed to be telling the truth, to truly feel upset for his actions.

She released the pink bubble and watched him slide against the wall to the floor.

Jean kneeled in front of him, placing a sympathetic hand on Remy's shoulder.

"Remy, I'm going to have to take you down to containment. I promise it will only be temporary, alright?"

She watched Remy's shaggy auburn strands nod up and down in understanding.

And then she felt his fist slam into her gut.

Surprised she tumbled backwards, her balance picking her up onto her feet. But, Remy was already up, a sick smirk on his face. He reached out and pulled her in close by the collar of her shirt. She could feel the heat of his kinetic energy warming her shirt.

He kept his face so close to her, his nose practically grazing her forehead. She couldn't look him in the eye.

"I don't think you woulda been so nice if you'd known I'd just killed your husband chere." And with that he slammed her against the wall, her shirt still charged.

He watched her eyes widen, water already brimming around the edges.

"Guess that connection o'yours really is dead."

"Remy, what, I don't." Jean's normally articulate nature froze as her emotions took over.

Remy kept one outstretched hand towards Jean, the one she assumed he was controlling his kinetic power with, while the other rubbed a hand through his hair.

Strangely enough, a tear ran down Remy's right cheek and he began to nod.

"I ain't gonna kill you Jean."

She tried not to show her relief. She didn't really believe him anyway.

"But I still need to see Rogue, and I can't let you stand in my way."

Jean looked down at her shirt and wondered how quickly she could rip it off before it would explode.

Looking down gave Remy enough time to whack the back of her head with his bo staff, knocking her out.

Remy drug Jean by her wrists into the room he had left Scott and Rachel. The girl was still at her father's feet, looking strangely calm.

He left Jean on the floor and looked at Rachel one more time.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you petit?"

The girl didn't blink, but she nodded, slowly.

Remy nodded back, eyes to the floor as he quietly moved out of the room and shut the door, jamming it closed with a chair from the hallway. It wouldn't hold an X-Men, he knew that.

That was alright, he and Rogue were going for a ride anyway.

…………………………………………………..

On the way to Rogue's bedroom, Remy remembered Jean's telepathic warning call, and moved cautiously to the door.

He couldn't' hear anything behind it, and was slightly surprised, that had she heard or received the message, he hadn't yet seen her.

Of course he had given her his power suppressing pills with the hope of leaving her drained.

As he opened the door and saw her lying asleep still on the bed, his heart caught and his head began to feel dizzy.

He really didn't know who he was anymore.

He was sure he loved her. But-

He moved closer, his feet silent against the wood. He put one knee on the bed, letting it sink into the comforter. She didn't stir.

Remy lay his body alongside hers, reaching one finger out to run through her hair. A thin sheet was draped around all of her naked curves.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, blinking rapidly before she realized where she was.

"Remy?"

"Oui chere?"

"Ah had the strangest dream."

Remy smiled, his hand cupping her face.

"I need to show you something Rogue."

She smiled and stretched across the bed.

"Right now?"

"Right now Rogue."

Remy jumped out of bed and moved towards her closet.

"Whaddya want to wear? How bout' a nice dress?"

"What do ya have planned swamp rat?" Rogue asked playfully, slinking out of bed and slipping on her underwear.

Remy threw her a solid green summer dress and smiled.

"Slip that on chere, and I'll show you."

He watched her dress without the slightest suspicion in her eye. He smiled lightly and knew that he really loved her.

But, he also knew it could be easier than this. This constant whirlwind between arguments. All of the struggles. They didn't have to exist.

She reached out for his hand when she had finished dressing.

"Why don't you fly us down to de garage chere?"

She looked perplexed, eyebrows arching.

"Why Remy? We've got a perfectly fine front door."

Remy pulled her in tightly, regret beginning to finally seep through his still fragile form.

"Because I love flying wit' you Rogue."

She smiled and picked them both up off the ground. Their happiness rarely lasted very long. He was always so happy to see her smile.

She dropped him lightly by his bike, and they drove off together. Her long hair blew against his neck as they headed down the highway and tears began to streak past his cheekbones. He only hoped they would not blow behind him.

There was a field that overlooked the town below, several miles from the mansion. They had come here once together.

Rogue stepped off the bike and moved forward slowly, the tall grass brushing her bare ankles. He watched her cross her arms, but she didn't look back.

Remy shut the bike off and followed her.

"We haven't been here in a long time Remy," Rogue finally spoke.

He stepped up beside her and let the breeze blow his bangs across his eyes.

"It's been a couple o'years."

They had stopped here once after a date. A date that had never wavered towards anger or frustration. It had seemed perfect.

"I've never loved anyone like you before chere."

Rogue half turned her head, smiling beautifully, closed lipped.

"Ah know that Remy."

Her eyes moved across the expansive view, her smile unchanging.

"I was stuck in Antarctica for a week."

And then her smile did fade, and she hugged herself tighter, perhaps preparing for what always came between them.

"I found shelter, back in Eric's base. I was freezing ta death chere, but you know what the hardest part was?"

She looked at him, obviously scared to look.

"What?"

"Dealing with my thoughts. Wondering where we'd gone wrong. How can two people so in love and so connected hurt each other so much chere?"

Rogue put a hand to her mouth and shook her head sideways.

"Ah don't know Remy."

Her voice was beginning to shake.

Remy pulled her in close. He stroked her hair and wondered what else they could possibly say. Effort could only go so far.

"Wolverine saved me that day."

There was a stalling pause as Rogue pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. The shock couldn't remain hidden from her wide eyes.

"Wh-what d'you mean Remy?"

"A week later in the snow. Wolverine came wit' de X jet and saved my life."

Rogue tried to push further away from Remy.

"Bu-ut, what? How? How did no one else know?"

"I was delirious when he showed up. He had managed to sniff me out. He dropped me off at my father's mansion, and I asked him not t'say a word. He told me none of the X-Men had wanted to go back for me, but he didn't leave team members behind."

"Remy-

"I know you went back a thousand times chere, but I became a different man in that week. I was near death. Logan told me not to show back up at de mansion. He was surprised when I did, but managed not to say anything bout' de rescue."

Rogue remained quiet and shifted on her sandaled feet.

"But when I woke up a few days later, my father's house was empty, all except Tantie Mantie who'd been taking care o'me. Dere was no reason t'stay in New Orleans after I'd healed. My family was dead."

Rogue put a hand to her forehead, swaying slightly.

"Oh, either your story is making me dizzy sugah, or somethin' else is wrong."

The drug was wearing off and her powers were coming back. That's what it felt like.

Remy swallowed and looked at her. She was his ideal, his only woman.

It was now or never. He didn't know what to do.

So he leaned in, cupping her face, and he kissed her the best he could.

With her powers just returning, she didn't have full control, and Remy felt his energy being sucked away.

When she realized what was happening, she did resist. But somewhere in that quick minute, they hit an understanding without words.

So they kissed until they collapsed into the grass.