Work of Art
Chapter Twenty-Seven:
Unlikely Reminder
By DamageCtrl
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own the X-Men or anything associated with it.
Those weren't something you saw every day. Even as he dropped his pants and stepped out of them, she couldn't help but stare. Remy turned around, the Cheshire grin on his face disappearing the instant he saw the look of concentrated shock on her face. Immediately, he assumed something was wrong. Again.
Her eyes were wide and locked on the pattern. Her mouth was parted slightly. Was something wrong with him? Was it the mask? Should he have taken off the mask? Non, she distinctly said 'Keep it on, Remy'. God, maybe something WAS wrong with him! He'd never had complaints before...
He swallowed and stood up straight in front of her. He began nervously. "Rogue-"
"Are those...?" Rogue swallowed as her eyes narrowed. "Are those red devil rubber duckies on yer boxers?" She asked with a slight gasp.
His face flamed up and he resisted the urge to drop his hands over them in a futile attempt to hide them. "Yes..." he trailed off carefully.
Suddenly her eyes crinkled up as globs of clear tears rimmed at her lashes before tumbling down. "Oh mah God..."
"Rogue?" Remy asked nervously. "Rogue, what's wrong?" She didn't answer. With each passing second of silence, his fear rose and before he knew it, he was gripping the iron seat by the table with white knuckled hands.
He had followed her, half kissing half walking, all the way back to her bed and breakfast, which was at the top of a building. It was about five flights of stairs up, but worth the climb. It was spacious enough with a television and a queen sized bed. It had a small glass table with a chair, where Rogue had dumped her mask and scarf.
The building itself was probably renovated several times in it's long history, but it had the modern conveniences... except for an elevator. Rogue was telling him that it's small window over looked the court yard where the infamous Casanova once frequented. He had just grinned.
But now, the grin was gone. His heart was racing as Rogue's hands gripped the comforter she sat on. Remy stood there, unsure of what to do as Rogue's eyes shut closed. Her hands rose and covered her face as she rubbed her head. "Ah...Ah've seen them before."
Remy tilted his head to the side questioningly. "Before? Where?"
"Ah'm not sure," Rogue said as she shook her head. Her eye brows were furrowed in concentration as she gritted her teeth. "But Ah've seen them before...on YAH."
His eyes widened. "Chere, maybe y're remembering," he said. In a split second he was by her side, one arm around her shoulder and squeezing them gently as the other held her hand reassuringly. "C'mon, Rogue. Y' can do it."
She looked up at his reassuring eyes behind the mask. Even in the dim light, she could see the hope that flared there. Desperate hope that was unwilling to be given up. Rogue turned her head away. "No, nothing's coming."
"Don't give up, Rogue!" Remy said desperately as he pulled her closer. "Just try to remember."
"Try to remember WHAT?" Rogue choked out as she looked at him disbelievingly. "That Ah remembered how yah paraded around in mah apartment with those things on? Or how cute yer buns looked in them? Or how cute Jean and Betsy told meh yer buns looked in them a few days later?"
A sly grinned spread across his face. His hand left hers and rose to caress her face, gently wiping her tears away with his thumb. "So Jeannie and Betsy thought I looked cute in dem?"
Rogue shook her head. "Yeah," she sniffled out as she turned her head away. "They said Ah was very lucky..." She trailed off and snapped her head back up. "Oh mah God, Remy..."
Instinctively, her hand rose, trembling, as she reached up over her chest and felt around for something. Something that she had grasped the last few days before her accident, as if it had been a talisman to protect her. He watched her eyes. She was looking for something and suddenly she realized it was missing. She was panicked, but from the way her eyes were squinting, she couldn't remember what was missing.
Then he realized what she was looking for. She had held it in her hand when he found her in Julien's studio. Remy pulled off his mask and tugged the shirt over his head. He threw them behind him on the bed and reached around his neck. The chain hung there, it's ring dangling from it. He held his breath as he held it up in front of her. "Y' looking for dis?"
Rogue's face started to get red and warm. Her breath became shallow as she reached out and stroked the ring with her slender fingers. Her heart was racing.
Seen it plenty of times, chere, but it pales in comparison to y'. Rogue's eyes closed tightly as a familiar voice echoed in her head.
Just a name, chere?
It's Rogue.
Wait a second, dat don't be y'r real name, is it?
What makes yah think that?
De badge dere says y'r name is Anna Marie.
Mah legal name's Anna Marie. But Ah like ta go by Rogue. Got a problem with that, swamp rat?
Non, chere, Rogue fits y' better any how.
Her chest was rising and falling and her body was shaking. Remy's grin was gone as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back. "Rogue? Rogue, what's wrong?" Images were flashing through her head. Slowly setting them into her concious mind with astonishing clarity and order.
Why'd yah paint meh?
Eh? Why'd I paint y'?
Yah heard me. Why? Quoi?
Y' don't always see something dat takes y'r breath away like y' do, chere, Didn't want to distrub y'. Just think y're amazing and worth de swipes of mon brush. Didn't do y' no justice, though...
She could hear him inside her head and outside. She could feel his arms around her tightly, trying to sooth her as she shook violently in his arms. Her heart was threatening to explode of her chest as her hands gripped her lap.
And just how many balconies have yah climbed up, Romeo?
Does it matter? I'll climb a thousand t' get t' y', mon coeur.
Thought yah left, swamp rat.
And leave y' widout a proper good-bye?
"Rogue? Rogue, say something! Y'r scaring me, chere! What's wrong?" Remy was pleading beside her as Rogue reached out and grabbed his arm. Her grip was tightly.
"Fire...Paris..." Rogue stuttered between labored breaths. Remy's face paled. Her other hand blindly searched for his. "Momma..." She found his hand and squeezed it.
"Do y' want me to call y'r momma, Rogue?" Remy asked.
Rogue shook her head violently. "No!" She gasped out. "New Years...New Years..." She looked like she was wracking her head for memories, forcing something important and forgotten to resurface. "It was something important..."
Remy stared at her as she struggled to remember. C'mon, Rogue...remember...God, please let her remember...
Oh, yeah, I have one mo' thing to ask, chere!
What is it, sugah?
Rogue, I love y'!
Ah love yah, too, sugah!
Good! Anna Marie Darkholme - Will y' marry me?
Rogue's eyes flew open as she stiffened in his arms. Her heart was still beating a mile a minute, but her mind was clear. The heavy fog that had been in her head the entire time was lifted. "Rogue?"
"Yes..." she whispered softly. She slowly became aware of the strong arms wrapped around her body and the heated breath brushing against her cheeks. She felt a familiar heart against her back as hers slowly began to match it's pace.
"Rogue? Rogue, are y' okay?" She closed her eyes and choked back another cry.
"Yes...Remy, Ah'm fine..." she trailed off. She felt the bed shift beneath her as Remy moved over the bed. He sat down in front of her. Rogue's face was tilted down and he gently cupped her chin and lifted her to look up at him.
"Chere?"
Vivid green eyes opened and reflected his face within their depths. She carried a familiar look, one he hadn't seen in a month too long. It reflected his constant look and hesitantly, a hopeful smile reached his face. Silent tears gathered at her eyes once more and Rogue's hands reached up and stroked his face. His familiar face.
Remy closed his eyes as a long lost warmth found it's way back to him. Each gentle caress knew him. Her hand stopped over his cheek and held his face lovingly. Through his daze, he heard her voice and his heart leapt up to his throat.
"Remy..." she whispered intently. "Ah missed yah."
Jean stepped out of Remy's apartment with Betsy behind her. They locked the door and headed for Jean's car. She was once again apartment sitting for her friend. She and Betsy carried arm loads of DVDs in their arms, taken from Remy's massive, alphabetized collection. As they walked down the hall, Betsy looked at the stack of box sets she was holding and frowned.
"Won't he be angry when he finds out we stole these?" Betsy asked.
"We did not 'steal' them," Jean assured her. "We're borrowing them. And if he says anything, I'll claim them as a payment for watering his plants."
Betsy scoffed. "His plants? Jean, luv, he has one mini cactus."
Jean shrugged. "It's still a plant," she asserted. "Anyway, with him off in his adventures in Europe - Rogue Hunting, he won't need them."
"I don't see why you needed these," Betsy grumbled as she looked down at the DVDs Jean was carrying. They all had one theme: wedding. "Are you planning to get married or something?"
Jean nearly stumbled. "Married? Why would I be planning a wedding?"
Her voice had risen and she was now looking away. Betsy frowned. Jean could be such a horrible liar. "Jean...whose wedding are you planning?"
"Betsy, weren't you listening? I just told you that I'm not planning a wedding. Why would I be planning a wedding? I mean, really, I'm single. You're single. Kitty and Pete aren't even engaged."
Betsy quickly zoned in on Jean's choice of words. Whether the red head was trying to be sneaky or trying to bait Betsy into asking her, the British born woman could no longer be sure. "What about Rogue?"
Jean's face turned red. "What about her?"
Betsy's jaw dropped as she stopped just outside the door of Jean's car. "Oh bloody hell, Jean! Are you mad?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Jean insisted.
"Oh no," Betsy frowned. "You gave yourself away already! Admit it! You're planning Rogue's wedding!"
"I am not!" Jean scoffed. She was fumbling with her car alarm.
"You are so!" Betsy accused. "You LOVE planning things! It's in your nature, Jean. You're a one woman power house when it comes to things like this."
"Okay, fine!" Jean grumbled. She pulled open her door and sat down. Betsy sat down in the passenger's seat next to her. "So what if I'm looking for ideas to help Rogue with her wedding?"
"Oh, yes, right 'help Rogue'," Betsy rolled her eyes. "It'll be a clash of the Titans: You versus Raven - the battle for Rogue's wedding. God, what don't you two just take down Tokyo."
"Funny," Jean said. She backed out of her parking space and headed for the street. "Besides, Raven doesn't even know yet so I have the advantage."
Immediately, Jean mentally swore. She slipped again. Betsy stared at her. "Know WHAT?"
"Nothing."
"WHAT?"
"NOTHING!"
"WHAT?"
"New Years Eve, Remy really did ask Rogue to marry him and she said yes!" Jean cracked and cringed at her own weakness. Next to her, Betsy let out a gasp.
"She got engaged and she didn't TELL ME?" Betsy shrieked out, betrayed. "How could she-Wait...SHE TOLD YOU! And you didn't TELL ME?"
"She didn't tell me!" Jean assured the other woman. "I found out from Remy!"
"REMY?"
"When he was hiding out at my place." Betsy's eyes widened as her jaw dropped.
"I don't even know you any more, Jean."
The red head rolled her eyes. "He had no where else to go, being wanted an all. And I knew he didn't do it, Betsy. He'd never do that to Rogue. At least not willingly. Anyway, he was wearing an engagement ring on a chain around his neck and when I asked him about it, he told me."
"That's all well and good, but what about NOW?" Betsy stressed. "Rogue has no memory of him, remember?"
Jean waved her had to dismiss the obstacle. "That's only temporary."
"How do you know?"
"Rogue will definitely remember Remy," Jean said, completely assured of her decision. "I mean, how could she not? She spent so much time with him and he's just completely melded himself into her life. Sooner or later, she's bound to remember. And with Remy with her in Europe, I'm going to bet it's sooner."
Betsy sighed and shook her head. "Ever the hopeless romantic."
"Just because MY romance didn't work out, doesn't mean I believe that Rogue's won't," Jean added. "And besides...you saw him in his boxers..."
Betsy smirked. "I do admit, it is quite difficult to forget a man like that."
Remy rolled over on the bed and stretched out in his sleep. He was completely worn out. Rogue was sitting on the ledge by the window, dressed in an over sized T-shirt. She leaned back against the wooden buttress that jutted out from the ceiling and brought her knees up to her chest. She stole one last long look at him before turning her head and looking out the window.
Everything was so clear. She could see across the rooftops and court yards of the buildings outside the window. The moon was hanging over head. Rogue exhaled deeply. She should've been in bed with him, sleeping just as soundly as he was. From the bed, Remy gave a little snort and flipped over on his stomach.
Rogue smiled slightly as she glanced over. Ah'm so sorry, Remy... Guilt was gnawing at her once more. This time because she had forgotten him. He kept saying that it wasn't her fault. It was Julien's. Still, Rogue hadn't told him she went. If she had, it could've all been prevented. And her mother never said he couldn't go.
She mentally groaned. Just one bad decision after another and look where it got her. In Venice with a hot naked man in her bed, yet too drenched in guilt to care. She closed her eyes and buried her head in her lap. She still couldn't believe that of all the things that had set off her memories, it had been a pair of red devil rubber ducky boxers. She snorted to herself. That shows where yer mind is, girl...
"Rogue?" a sleep dulled voice called from the bed. "Rogue, chere, what are y' doing up dere?"
"Just...admiring the view," she said, offering him a weak smile. He grinned, obviously thinking that the view was him. Her smile left her face and she looked down. "Remy, Ah'm sorry-"
"Dats enough," Remy said sternly. He sat up in bed and slid off, not caring that he was nude. He'd lived with his body for several years and Rogue's already seen it, so there wasn't anything for him to hide. He walked over to the ledge and wrapped his arms around his waste, pressing his head against her chest gently. "No more apologizing, chere. No more. I don't blame y'. Y' shouldn't blame y'rself."
"But-"
"Y' may have forgotten me, but y' also remembered," Remy told her. He looked up at her and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "And even if y' never remembered, y'r still de same woman I love..."
She reached out and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She pulled him closer and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Remy..."
"Take as long as y' need...I'll wait for y' forever." He assured her. She closed her eyes and leaned against him. A question had been in the back of her mind as soon as her guilt reached her.
"Yah still want to marry meh, sugah?"
He gave a little laugh. "Are my eyes red?" he chuckled. He kissed the side of her head. "Of course I still want to marry y', chere. Never questioned it for a second. De question is, do y' still want to marry ME?"
Rogue let out a little gasp and tensed up. She could feel his own tense reaction against her arms and she bit her lip. She nuzzled his neck gently . "Yes, Ah do. If yah want meh, Ah want to marry yah."
"Do y' want me?" Remy asked uncertainly. He steeled himself for the answer.
Rogue gently pulled away and looked down at him from where she was perched. "Sugah, even when Ah didn't remember yah, Ah wanted yah."
The flame in his eyes lit up and he leaned up to kiss her. "Thank y'..."
Rogue pulled away and looked at him seriously. "Ah want to tell everyone, Remy."
He raised an eyebrow curiously. "Everyone?"
"Yeah," Rogue nodded. She looked away from him momentarily. "Ah was afraid at first. Afraid that it wouldn't work out... that everything would come between us."
"Y'r mere?" Remy guessed.
"Amongst others," Rogue said. "Mah insecurity...yer guilt...maybe we'd just fall out of love, yah know?"
"What changed y'r mind?"
The corners of Rogue's mouth lifted slightly and she let out a small, bitter laugh. She shook her head. "Mah mind hasn't changed. Ah'm still scared," Rogue admitted. "Ah'm terrified, actually."
"Chere, y' know I wouldn't hurt y'-"
Rogue lifted up her hand and silenced Remy. "Remy, y' took a chance to come here and find meh...yah got meh to remember; yah brought me back. Ah want to take a chance, too. There ain't anything that will assure we'll be forever, but if Ah don't try, Ah'll never find out. And if Ah'm going to try, Ah want to with yah."
"Sweeter words were never spoken, Rogue," Remy let out a relieved sigh and rested his head against her shoulder. "When we get home, we'll tell everyone, oui?"
Rogue nodded her head. "Let meh deal with momma."
Remy grinned. "If y' think I'll leave y' to deal wid y'r momma alone..."
"Momma let yah come after meh; momma will accept yah marrying meh," Rogue asserted. "Yah just have to deal with the fact that Raven Darkholme is going to be yer mother-in-law."
He cringed slightly, but over all retained his smirk. "I'm more concerned about y'r brother."
"Kurt is harmless," Rogue smiled back. She tilted her head to the side. "Oh mah God...Ah've never met yer family!"
And then the reality slammed into Remy like a brick wall. Family had always been important to him. He supposed that being adopted lead him to value them so much. He looked up at Rogue and gave her a curious look. "Y' ever been to N'awlins, Roguey?"
"This is the craziest thing you've EVER come up with!" Betsy exclaimed.
"Shh!" Kitty said as she held her finger to her mouth. Jean was hovering over Remy's speaker phone. "It's ringing!"
On the soft leather couch, Betsy rubbed her temples. She couldn't believe that they were doing what they were doing. She felt a nudge on her arm and turned. Kurt handed her a bottle of Tylenol. He was also rubbing his head. Bobby handed her a cup of ice water before taking a seat and gulping down his own drink. After popping two caplets, much to Piotr's amusement on the couch across from them.
"Wanda, you should do all the talking," Jean whispered. Wanda was sitting on a stool next to them. "They know who you are, right?"
"Let's just hope they remember." Wanda nodded.
"Hello?" An out of breath female voice was gasping for air, as if they had run to catch the phone. "Dis is de LeBeau Residence."
"Hello, this is Wanda Maximoff, I'm an old friend of Remy-"
"Oh, cher, Remy doesn't live here any more-" the woman began, as if it were a usual sales pitch.
"I know that, I'm calling with co-conspirators from San Francisco regarding marrying Remy with one Anna Marie Darkholme." Wanda began. From the couch, Kurt groaned and fell over, as if he had been stabbed. Kitty threw a pillow at him and gave him a silencing glare.
"Marriage? Hold on, I know who y' want," the woman said. There was a pause and then, in the back ground, they heard a powerful set of lungs belt out "TANTE MATTIE!"
The women in Remy's apartment looked at each other with shock. Wanda shrugged. "I think we were talking to Remy's sister-in-law, Mercy." she explained. The others nodded.
"What is it, chille?" another voice asked.
"Some lady from San Francisco. Says she wants to marry Remy off to some Anna Marie-"
"Move out de way, Mercy!" the woman, who was presumed to be Tante Mattie, ordered. There was a lighter yelp and the phone was passed. "'Ello? Dis is Tante Mattie. Who is dis?"
"Wanda Maxi-"
"WANDA! Hello dere! Long time no talk," Tante immediately greet. "So what's dis I hear about Remy getting married?" she asked gleefully.
Kitty looked at Jean. "Wow, she's more into it than we are."
Wanda chuckled. "Tante, do I have a story for you!"
"Momma, Ah'm at da Vinci airport," Rogue said. It was quite early in the morning and she and Remy were two out of the five people who were already waiting by their gate for their flight. Remy was sitting on the plastic chairs with their carry on luggage. He was playing with some hand held electronic device, looking concentrated. "Ah'm about to catch a flight back to London. Then Remy and Ah are flying back to the States."
"What time do you land in SFO, my dear? I'll come pick you up." Raven said coolly.
Rogue looked at her watch, which she'd adjusted back to Pacific Standard Time just a few minutes ago. "Um...actually, momma, we aren't going back to San Francisco. Not just yet."
There was a pause. "Explain, dear, before I scream." Raven stated simply. Rogue shivered and took a deep breath.
"Momma...remember how we called yah when we were in Florence and Ah said that Ah remembered Remy?"
"Don't beat around the bush. Tell me." Rogue sighed.
"Momma, Remy asked meh to marry him and Ah said yes!" Rogue spilled, rather loudly. Remy looked up at her. She had stopped pacing. Before her mother could comment, Rogue continued on. "And we're flying to Louisiana to visit his family," she asserted proudly. She braced herself for her mother's onslaught, but it never came. Seconds passed and Rogue glanced nervous at Remy who gave her a questioning look. "Momma?"
"You're getting married?"
"Yes..."
"To HIM?"
"Yes."
Rogue heard Raven take a deep breath to calm herself. "Let me speak to him."
"No."
"What do you mean 'no'? Let me speak to him!" Raven demanded.
"No, momma, yah're just going to chew him out-"
"I'm your mother, I can chew out whomever I want out!" Raven declared. "Now let me talk to LeBeau!" Before Rogue could tell her no, Remy's hand swept in and plucked the phone from Rogue's hands.
"Hey!" she gasped and reached for it. Remy held it out of her reach before putting it against his ear. He gave Rogue a confident look.
"'Ello, momma-"
"I told you not to call me that!" Raven growled viciously. Remy grinned and Rogue groaned. He just HAD to go and bait her mother like that. "When are you coming back?"
"Don't know..." Remy shrugged.
"Why didn't you tell me you asked her to marry you, you buffoon!" Raven demanded. "Haven't you the decency to at least ask permission to see my daughter, let alone marry her?"
"You're right, momma," Remy asserted, earning him another groan from Rogue. "May I have y'r blessing?" There was a pause.
"Well, I can't do anything about it NOW can I?" Raven shrieked.
He raised his eyebrows. "Is that a yes?"
"Take it as you will."
"A yes it is then," Remy said. He gave Rogue a thumbs up and Rogue's mouth dropped. "Well, momma, Rogue and I will get to y' on de details of de wedding when we get back. Sounds good, oui? Bye-bye, momma," He snapped the phone closed and held his arms open to Rogue. "See, chere? I'm winning y'r mere over."
Rogue ran a hand down her face and shook her head before stepping into his welcoming embrace. "Let's just hope that she doesn't turn Mother of the Bride-zilla on meh," Rogue mumbled as she buried her face in Remy's shoulders. "Ah'm starting to regret telling her...AND Jean and the others."
Remy chuckled. They had been sitting on a vista over looking Florence when Rogue finally worked up the nerve to call her mother about remembering. Raven was happy, although hid it well. She said she would take care of Rogue's work until she came home. Rogue, elated that her mother wasn't regretting her decision to tell Remy where Rogue was, decided it was time to call her best friends.
Remy then admitted Jean knew, but assured her that she was the only one. To which Rogue laughed and said "Sugah, Jean couldn't keep a secret that big if her life depended on it." When Rogue had called, everyone, save her mother, already knew.
Remy chuckled and kissed the top of her head reassuringly. "I'm sure it isn't dat bad."
"Hi, Tante, did you get the cloth samples I FedExed over?" Jean asked. She was sitting on the balcony of her and Rogue's apartment, a wedding planning book in her lap. "Great! I was partial to the hunter green...Rogue loves green. What do you think?"
"Don't you think this is a bit extreme, Katya?" Piotr asked as he sat on a stool at the breakfast bar with Kitty. She was flipping over her issue of Modern Bride. "Remy and Rogue haven't even set a date yet.
"Yes, but when they do, well have everything ready!" Kitty gushed. "Besides, she'll thank us for helping relieve the stress."
"Yah, she'll thank you, all right," Kurt said as he hung upside on the couch, lazily. "With lots of screaming, yelling, and words that would make Logan roll in his grave."
"Logan's not dead." Kitty piped.
"You get what I was saying." Kurt dismissed the little fact as he munched on cheese puffs. He glanced out the balcony where Jean was nodding and taking notes.
"Oh yeah, hunter green would bring out red well." Jean was explaining. Kurt groaned. Bobby sorted from where he was spread out across the arm chair.
"She's going to kill you guys..." Bobby added. Kurt nodded and Kitty rolled her eyes.
There was a knock at the door and Kitty pointed to it. "Can you get it?" Piotr nodded and easily slid off his stool. "It's probably Betsy. She's bringing some samples from the stationary store."
The tall Russian walked across the apartment and went to the door. He opened it and his eyes nearly fell out. Betsy was there, standing demurely, which was very unlike Betsy, behind a foreboding looking woman. "Mrs...Mrs. DARKHOLME!"
From his seat in the couch, Kurt fell off. "Mother?" he gasped. On instinct, his eyes darted around the apartment for a place to hide. Bobby had all but frozen in his seat.
"Good afternoon, Piotr," Raven said in her low, cultured voice. "Are Jean and my son here?"
Kurt let out a yelp and debated whether or not to run and hide in Rogue's room. However, it was too late, Raven walked casually into the apartment and locked eyes with him. He swallowed nervously.
"Er...hello, mother."
"Kurt." Raven said calmly.
Outside, Raven saw Jean on the phone. "Great...great! Sure, I'll wait...Hello, Mr. LeBeau? Oh, okay, Jean-Luc, then. Jean is fine. A site? I'll start looking through here though...a church? Oh, I'm not sure...Rogue's family is Catholic, but she was adopted...I'll ask what she wants. I will call you as soon as I compile a list of suitable places here. And how many were going to fly over? Uh-huh...okay...great! Thank you, sir! Bye." Jean hung up the phone and turned around. In an instant, her self satisfied smile vanished as she laid eyes on Rogue's mother.
"Hello, Jean."
Jean slowly walked into the room, noticing the tension in the air as everyone looked to see why Raven Darkholme had come. "Mrs. Darkholme...to what do I owe this pleasure?"
The woman's lips curled up. "Rogue's engagement to Remy LeBeau."
The tension just tripled. Kurt daringly stepped forward. "Engagement?" he asked. Raven raised an eyebrow at him.
"She just called me and said that she's going to marry him." Raven told them.
"And...you're not mad?" Kurt said slowly. Raven narrowed her eyes at him and Kurt took a step back, cautiously, in preparation for his mother's outburst.
"I prefer to say 'accepting'," Raven said as she lifted her chin proudly "I came here to see what you have come up with for her wedding."
"Come up with?" Jean stammered. "What makes you think we've come up with something for her wedding?"
Raven just looked at Jean. "Jean, my dear, you were always a terrible liar." Raven said. Jean looked defeated and Betsy crossed her arms.
"Mrs. Darkholme, what exactly have you come here for?"
"Wedding planning, Betsy," Raven told her coolly. "I AM the mother of the bride."
Betsy sighed and ran her hand down her face. "And so the battle begins..."
A.N. - I know everyone thought that the thing that would set off Rogue's memories would be the painting. :) But you just can't forget a man with amusing boxers. :P Almost done! Almost done!