Chica De Los Ojos Café: I don't think he'll ever learn, lol. I've been swamped with so much stuff that this is the fastest update I could manage. Still, enjoy, this latest chapter. A Lost Soul: I've been building up the suspense, haven't I? This is a pretty action filled chapter so, you'll for sure find out what's happening next. Hope you like. DemonicGambit: True. And if Gambit weren't like that, he wouldn't be oue Remy, right? Lol, okay, here's the new chapter.. MJK: That was exactly what I was planning for this chapter; you're right we need a bit more depth on him. And, yeah, Remy never wastes anytime. I think he was born that way. Nonty-Dos: Thankyou! (grins) I love it when people like my portrayal of Remy! Read and Review! Enchantedlight: Wicked. I hope the wait wasn't too long; it's getting harder and harder to do fast updates. Ishandahalf: Road trip! Police chases! Whoo! I can't give away too much away about Remy, but I will tell you, that in later chapters this story will become less Marie orientated and more Remy… Moving on, Bobby? (blinks) Who's he? TheDreamerLady: Don't get me started on homework, lol, its one of the reasons why I can't update regularly anymore. In fact I'm supposed to be doing it now… (whistles innocently). Okay, while I'm 'researching air pollution', I'll write your response. Thanks for liking my filler. Glad it was funny; I was tried hard to make it interesting. Hope you like this. Girl Number 1: I love Remy too! He rocks! Hope the wait was worth it… I think it was at least… scroll down… Adrenaline Addict: I don't think he has, good thing he's good looking ;-). Poor Marie…I'm driving you crazy with this red-haired woman? (Laughs evilly) Don't give me ideas… Willaj: Thank you! That one sentence seriously made my day so to speak. Great you like my idea, when I first thought of it, I thought it had already been done… Still, don't forget to review! Silent Doom: To tell the truth, I think I stole that saying off someone, lol. To answer your 'half-question', Marie always felt she had this kinda link with Remy, but up until lately hadn't really felt any major urge to question it. Now, she's all alone, isolated from everyone she knows, on the road, with him. Alone. Stranger Danger! God, now I'm sounding this teacher I used to have. In any case, moving on, you bet. Remy is so busted. Bored247: Your review really motivated me to get off my ass and upload this new chapter. Don't worry; I'm an impatient person too. I just hope this lives up to your expectations…
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ACTION: n. activity; operation; gesture; a battle
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Ever been in a situation that you never thought would happen to you? Marie had. In fact she had experienced so many bizarre 'situations' that little fazed her anymore. However, due mostly to the hectic life of being a superhero, it were things resembling anything close to normalcy that were the exception. This was just one example, out of many and Marie hated it.
"SWAMP RAT!" she screamed, as they plummeted further down the stretch of road, the police car in hot pursuit. The road was still barren, but more road signs were appearing, and the sun didn't seem to be so hot anymore, though she felt umcomfortable under her many layers of clothing.
He looked at her demurely, "W'at is it?"
"What is it?" She gaped at him, giving the mirror another harried look. The flashing vehicle seemed to be edging closer. "You stole a freaking car that's what! Are you insane? Are you on drugs? Ah mean," Here she took a deep breath, "YOU STOLE A CAR!"
He sighed, wincing slightly as he rubbed his ear., "Remy dinks y'overreacting, chere."
"Oh yes," Marie slouched back, "Ah'm just neurotic, aren't Ah? Normal people steal cars all the time, don't they now?"
Remy's lips twitched, "Remy dinks y'should relax. Dis is brot'ers car, not'ing less."
Marie stared at him openly again, and despite their situation, had time for surprise, "You have a brother?"
"Didn't Remy jus' say so?" He sounded mildly irritated. But she, naturally, refused to let it go.
"Cajun…" She reasoned.
"Look, he probably, wouldn't even 'ave noticed yet! 'e won't be back for anot'er two 'ours!"
"But, Ah don't think…" A thought entered her mind, as the car lurched faster, upsetting her stomach slightly.
"Chere!" He tried to signal the conversation was over.
"Stop the car."
"W'at?" The wind blew faster, through the open window.
"You heard me, Swamp Rat! You're probably right; your brother wouldn't have noticed his car missing yet. And if he did, he probably wouldn't rep-"
"You don' even know 'im!" Remy cried.
"No shit." She clutched her seat, and this time spun her whole body around to see the persisting car. The sirens made it almost impossible for them to hear each other, and the bright lights were beginning to give her a headache."
"But…" He stared at her in disbelief.
"Stop the damn car!" She yelled now, "Before Ah do it for you!"
He sighed angrily, and made a show of slamming the brakes, and stopping the engine, "Y'happy now, chere?" He demanded roughly, shaking his head in disbelief, as the police car followed suit, leaving a cloud of dust. The sirens stopped, but the lights remained.
"Ah think it'll take more than that!" she snapped. His eyebrows narrowed.
Behind them a balding officer had departed his car, and was walking steadily up to the car. He tapped on the window expectantly. Remy rolled his eyes, leant back, and slowly pushed down the button, letting the glass slide down. Marie held her breath. If she was wrong, oh god, Remy was going to hate her forever. After he got out of jail that was. Her face grew sweaty, with suspense, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. This didn't seem like such a good idea anymore…
In the driver's seat, Remy cast her an anxious look. Noticing her tense position, he offered a small smile, telling her to relax. She was with the master of deception, after all. And besides perhaps chere had a point, non?
The officer ignored all of this and bent down, his faces inches away from Remy's. His mouth opened, yellow teeth showing, as he spoke dangerously. Marie closed her eyes and prayed, an act that reminded her of Kurt. The officer began to speak.
"Y'were ten miles ovah the speed limit, sir."
Silence. Both occupants of the car were startled for one moment. And then Remy laughed. And then it was her turn to glare back at him, but when he only laughed harder, she could not help but be inclined to do the same.
"God," she sighed, a smile still playing on her lips, "What have Ah got mahself intah?"
xxx
Hungry, and with it being late afternoon, they stopped off at a local diner. Remy had got away with a warning, and both were trying best to forget their fight. It was an open sort of place, with windows, and white tables, spaced evenly out. The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly even, but there was something that disturbed Marie that she could not place into words.
"We need tah talk," she said plainly, as the waitress left laden with their order.
"About' what?"
"You being a mutant…" It was something she had forgotten before, but now it stung inside her.
He sighed, "Do we 'ave to?"
"Yes," she gritted her teeth, "What's your power?"
"Later."
She stared at him, "Can you at least tell me a bit about you?"
"It's a long story."
"We're not really going anywhere," she said pointedly, "And ever since you owned your mouth and expressed that we had some kind of twisted link, Ah've wanted tah know more about you. Fucking hell, Ah'm on a road trip with a stranger! You know about me; come on you've even met mah parents!"
He leant back and draped one hand over the back of his seat, staring out the window to his right. He had that trench coat on again; it had been in the boot, and as soon as they had stepped out, he had put it on. It looked so out of place, yet somehow, strangely,it seemed to belong.
"Are those you real parents?"
Marie clicked in her tongue in irritation at the change of subject, but answered nonetheless, "Ah'm adopted. Ah never knew my real parents. Least Ah can't remember them."
"Remy never knew 'is parents either," He nodded slowly.
She looked up. It seemed he was ready to talk after all, "Really?"
"Oui. Jean-Luc found me on de streets. Raised Remy like 'is own, until…"
"Until what?" Marie found it odd the way he referred to his father. It was like Erica did, come to think of it, but that was only because she was under the impression sounded 'cool'. Though she had heard Sarah scathingly mention Erica's parents to Jack, when Marie was much younger, claiming that when they weren't working eighteen odd hours a day, they were overseas on business. Still…
"Until Remy's mutation appeare'." He cut into her memoirs and she shook her head, freeing her mind of all other thoughts.
"What's your power?" Marie asked the question again.
Remy cast a worried look around, "Not now, petite. Later."
She frowned, "What happened after your mutation was uh exposed?"
"Den 'e always 'ad work fo' Remy." He looked away; indicating that thread of conversation was over.
"Did you have any friends?" She tried a different tactic.
The expression on Remy's face changed abruptly. Though his eyes were covered with the usual dark sunglasses, his features twisted in something Marie could only describe as sorrow or perhaps even guilt. Then, finally he spoke, just one word:
"Belle."
"Belle?" Marie frowned, "That's like the feminine version of beautiful in French, right?"
He laughed, thoroughly amused, "It can also be a name, petite."
"Oh," Marie reddened, embarrassed, "Ah don't know what's wrong with me."
He leant forward and patted her shoulder, "Dat's okay. It's a childhood problem. Remy understands."
She swatted his hand away, playfully, "So were you tah an... item?"
"Oui. De wedding was all planned and such."
"Wedding?"
Drinks arrived. The young red-haired waitress shot Remy a winning smile, before departing. Marie was too in shock to notice.
She blinked several times, "Aren't you a bit young?"
"Maybe. Remy is only dix-sept. But it was more a necessity. Yes, we loved each other, but we were young. It was, ah, 'ow do y'say it? Puppy love?"
"So, Ah'm guessing it didn't work out," Marie mused, before sinking into the depths of confusion, "This is all tah unreal. How do Ah even know you're telling the truth?"
He raised one eyebrow over the rim of his shades and dug deep into pockets of his coat. He pulled out a small crimson box. He opened the velvet box carefully.
She lent forward, enthralled, "Oh mah gawd! It's beautiful!"
Unlike last time, when she uttered those same words to someone else, Marie was not lying. It was almost like magic to her emerald eyes. It was perfect.
What her stare was registering was a thick white gold band. On top, in the exact center, rested a deep purple amethyst lying delicately between two glittering diamonds. The ring shone against the light, as her eyes lingered. Remy smiled gently at her reaction.
She traced a finger absentmindedly over it, "Why an amethyst?"
Marie half expected him to say that it was not an amethyst at all.
"Because de amethyst is de stone fo' de month of'February . Dat was when Belle's birt'day was," He said instead, before sighing, eyes downcast.
But Marie smiled softly. He looked up, interested.
"Chere?"
"Well mah birthday is in February tah," She blushed furiously, "Not that Ah'm imp-"
He cut her off, "Remy dinks it's a sign."
She rolled her eyes; the moment killed momentarily, "Whatever, Cajun. So why didn't the wedding go ahead?"
"Dere was a fight," He looked away, "Remy won' go into it. 'Nyway Jean-Luc was eager t'leave."
He closed the box sharply, just missing her finger, "Pardon."
"No, it's okay," Marie watched silently as he put away the box, "You know why?"
He frowned, "Why w'at?"
"He wanted to leave," Marie explained patiently.
"Oh, business," Remy sipped his drink, "At de leas' it was a cover fo' 'im t'leave, wit'out embarrassmen'. So he dragged me and Henri. T'ough de trut' was, petite, 'e wanted Remy far, far away from dat place, befo' 'e was made t'do against 'is will."
"Henri? Your brother?" Marie guessed, as she tried to process this latest piece of information. It scared her slightly, that 'normal' people could have lives filled with so much mystery and intrigue. And to be absolutely honest, she wasn't liking this side of Remy. Perhaps she should have let the past be, just that. The past.
"Yeah."
"And you're from Louisiana, right?"
"New Orleans," Remy nodded.
"Jean-Luc isn't angry with you? Ah mean you did – Ah mean you did kind of…"
"Screw everyt'in up?" Remy laughed sardonically.
Marie blushed, "Oui."
He paused, then, suddenly serious, "He gets angry sometimes."
Marie didn't say anything, and rested a hand over his. She recalled dimly, the bruise on his neck. Could this be the cause? She knew better than to say anything, though.
"Won't they miss you?" She asked instead.
He shrugged, "Remy's a big boy. He dinks dey'll understand."
She nodded slowly.
"Anyway," he cleared his throat, "Since Remy trusted y'enough t'share 'is story, he believes chere s'ould do de same."
She sighed, as the food arrived at the table, "Eat slowly. This is going tah take awhile."
He smiled cockily, "I wouldn't miss it fo' the world, Rogue."
The smile on her face wavered, however, when she saw that familiar flash of red hair.
Marie decided to ignore it.
xxx
"It will do." Marie examined the motel room. It was plain, with a double bed in the center, next to small table. A tiny television was on a desk opposite and a bathroom was off the side. They had some difficulties with doors, they seemed to have a way with jamming, and the room looked dirty. Not to mention the fact that the windows were stained. Truth was she didn't like it at all.
"Y'okay?" The Cajun, who was standing at her right side, had been treating her differently ever since she had shared the story. Marie hadn't told him everything, had decided at the last moment that he was in fact, still a stranger. Instead she simply elaborated her life story. She would tell him the truth, later, when she knew he could be trusted for sure. Yes, she knew he had trusted her with his story, but there seemed something wrong with it. It was almost as if he wasn't telling her the full story, leaving missing pieces and many questions. In fact, he still strangely would not reveal his powers, something that annoyed her to no great end. Still, her tale, with adopted parents and comatose boyfriends, seemed to have shaken him up a bit.
Marie shrugged off the question, "What do you think of the room?"
Remy smiled slightly, "It's all we 'ave."
If only he knew.
xxx
It was late at night, and Marie was in the bathroom, with Remy in the main room. She now examined the little room critically. The paint was peeling off the walls, the tiles were loose, and the mirror was dirty. It was as shabby as the bedroom, and she didn't like it anymore. However, it was that night, at that exact shabby motel, when the real action began.
She had been washing her face, when she heard it.
Marie raised her head and trained her ear. Footsteps, outside the other room, faint, but loud enough to alert her sixth sense and make her turn towards the door. Then -
SLAM!
A door banging open dangerously, hitting something with frightening speed. The front door. The towel dropped from her hands as she bolted to the bathroom door.
BOOM!
The sound echoed hideously from outside. Marie jumped back in shock, before quickly recovering and springing forward. She pulled at the door handle. What the… Oh no…
The door wouldn't budge.
The damn thing must have jammed again. Merde…
"Remy?" she called, tugging desperately, "What's going on?"
No answer.
A sick feeling crashed through Marie and her stomach dropped. She slammed her hands against the door,yelling in frustation and concern, "OPEN!"
THUD!
There was the unmistakable sound of something hitting a wall, in the adjacent room. Marie frantically pushed the handle down, with all her strength, furiously, fear rushing through her.
It wouldn't budge.
Her breath tightened as she angrily pounded the door.
"Remy!" She cried, "REMY!"
CRASH!
Fuck.
"Who's there?" Her voice cracked.
Again, no answer.
Marie banged her head against the door, paused, and then withdrew a few steps before ramming into the door with full force. The door violently burst open and she tumbled through, landing on the floor ungraciously. She rubbed her head and slowly sat up.
Her mind blanked as she viewed the tragic scene. There were burn marks on the curtains and bedspreads. The bedside table was knocked over. Glass shards were everywhere. Cards littered the room. And Remy… Remy was on the floor, motionless, his arms bent at an odd angle.
"Remy!" she shrieked, rushing forward. Suddenly,she stopped, aware of someone else's presence in the room, behind her. An icy chill overcoming her, she turned around slowly, eyes widening in fear as saw him. If he could be called a person, that was. But Marie knew him all right. They went way back.
Sabretooth!
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A/N: My aim is for 100 reviews before the next chapter… So, please, reviews are wanted more than ever now! Sorry for the wait again. Listen, I try to get a new chapter up soon, but I get busy. Also, the site went down for updates, and where I live I had to wait until Sunday to upload it (damn time differences). I wasn't too happy with the last bit, but yeah, tell what you thought :-) Btw, I know Marie was on the road for eight months before anyone showed any interest in her, but technically that piece of information was only in the deleted scenes… Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers!