Author's note: Alright, I will not admit how deeply dejected I am that no one has bothered to review my story yet... (Dries tears), but I remain composed. I really have many good ideas for this story and wether I receive the desired support or not, I will finish it. So, to finish up here, I hope you enjoy this new chapter and have a chance to review.
My deepest thanks,
The Vampire Pandora
P.S Words in italics are flashbacks.
Chapter 4
"But Charles, how will we convince him to return with us?", Ororo asked in despair.
"He may be lost at the moment, but he will hear us out even if he does not wish to listen", Charles answered her, taking her hand in his.
Ororo nodded her head as Charles let go of her hand and wheeled out of her room. She stood alone in the middle of the floor and ran a hand through her long hair. As she sighed, she could not help but fear Remy's initial reaction to seeing them again. She missed her troublesome companion, and she knew it would break her to have him deny her again.
This was no time for tears. Ororo wiped away the mist from her large, black eyes and tried to settle her shaky nerves. She would bring him back. She would bring him home.
" Is everyone strapped in?", Scott called out behind him.
"Ve are ready, Cyclops", Kurt's rich, German voice replied.
"Alright then", Ororo said happily, "Next stop, Nouveaux Orléans!"
"That's New Orleans, Logan", Cyclops taunted to Wolverine over his shoulder.
Logan did not bother to answer the cocky captain. Sitting back into his seat, (Fuck, he hated flying!), Logan fingered the leather pieces that strapped him back into his chair. He felt tired, grumpy and irritable and Summers was not helping his mood. Angry thoughts had kept him up the night before when he had gone to sleep after their meeting.
How could the professor even consider bringing Gumbo back? He had been nothing but a pain in the ass since he had first come to them. The guy was a damn thief, for Christ's sake! Charles was letting just about anyone in.
But Logan knew he wasn't being honest with himself. Although he would never have admitted it then, and would never now, he had actually grown to like the mischievous Cajun. His assurance, his devil-may-care attitude and his love for the thrill had impressed Logan. He knew what the others thought and agreed with them. That damn boy was just like him.
Maybe it was for those reasons that Marie had also grown close to the chump. He had seen the way she looked at Remy, the way he looked at her. God, he knew what it was like to be young! He had volunteered himself quietly to chaperone the two and their raging hormones. The others had found it amusing to see him get so protective over Marie. However, they had never really understood the relationship between the Rogue and the Wolverine. For the first time in a very long time, Logan had been needed. There was someone he could protect. It was an understatement to say that Logan had been fond of her. She was like his little girl.
So when Remy had started to put the moves on her, it was perfectly natural for Logan to grow concerned. The guy was obviously a womanizer! One didn't need Logan's heightened sense of smell to catch a whiff of the charm that oozed from every pore. Girls had loved this boy, and he had certainly loved many back.
Time passed and things between the thief and his little Marie had grown steadily more serious. She had loved him, utterly and completely and for a brief moment, Logan had thought Remy loved her back.
So imagine everyone's surprise to find him gone, simply disappeared one morning. No note, not a word to Rogue or any of the others. Gambit was gone.
Logan could remember those nights as if they had happened last week. The endless nights of hearing Rogue cry herself to sleep for weeks and the months of silence and heavy depression. It had taken a long time for Rogue to slowly come out of the darkness and come back to them.
Bobby had helped. That stupid kid, Logan hated Drake and everybody knew it. But he had been the main person to help Rogue gain some of her old life back. They had dated before Remy's stay at the Institute and it was obvious Bobby's feelings had never gone away. So Rogue had grown desperate and had clamped unto Bobby with all she had and the two had resumed their relationship a few months ago.
And now, now that things were finally looking up for Rogue, they were going to go find that bloody hell-raiser and bring him back into her life! Logan tore his fingers through his unruly hair in frustration. He hoped that Charles knew what he was doing.
" We're closing in on his last known location", Storm announced as she shot a quick glance at the jet's radar screen.
" Everybody hold tight, we're going down", Cyclops told them, turning his head to look at Jean quickly.
She smiled at him faintly and looked back down at the professor who was still feeling weak from his use of Cerebro that morning. Remy had obviously been in a mood. It had taken Charles nearly an hour of trying to catch a peep at Remy's mind. Jean only hoped that Remy hadn't realised what was happening only to run off before they arrived.
"He'll be there", the professor assured them, once more answering their silent question.
"He has to be", Storm whispered to herself.
Sunlight peered in through the broken blinds that haphazardly covered the window. Remy groaned as the brightness hit him in the face, blinding him temporarily. He grabbed a pillow and shoved it over his head. God, his head... It felt like a million tiny Logans were simultaneously stabbing and skewering the inside of his head.
Well, he had drank last night, much more than he should have he supposed. But this was one bitch of a hangover. Remy was no stranger to the bottle, but never before had the next morning been so rough.
A dog outside somewhere began to bark, sending waves of torment through Remy's head. He put both hands up to cradle it and shut his eyes. All he needed was a little more sleep...
That damn dog!
" La geule!", Remy yelled as the dog resumed barking. " Tu la ferme, espèce de maudit..."
It hurt to much to scream. Moaning as he held his head, Remy kicked off the remaining blankets that covered his lower body. The others lay tangled on the floor, giving the impression that last night had not been an easy one.
Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Remy pushed himself up and got shakily to his feet. The room around him spun a little, and Remy shook his head slightly to adjust himself. He stumbled and put out both arms to steady himself.
His outstretched arms grabbed the end of a chipping, pine bureau that sat against the wall. He ran his fingers through his wily, auburn hair and dared a glance in the tiny mirror that hung just above the dresser. His usually fresh-looking skin seemed sallow and dark circles ringed under his eyes. Well, at least his eyes looked normal. It was heard for bloodshot to appear on his red/black eyes.
Groaning at the sight of his hair that was sticking up every which way, Remy tried unsuccessfully to calm down his wild locks. He ran his palm against his cheek, feeling two days worth of stubble there. He'd have to shave later...
"Screw it", Remy mumbled. "There be no femme ta impress."
Leaving the dresser, he made his way over to the bedroom door, stepping over piles of clothes and papers. The hallway was even brighter than his room. The windows on the north wall needed re-shuttering and Remy hadn't been bothered to do so.
Walking into the kitchen, Remy navigated around an overturned chair to get to the cabinet above the sink. Throwing open the doors, he pushed aside some soup cans, his hand groping in the dark cupboard looking for his bottle of pills.
Un-screwing the lid and tossing it aside, Remy spilled two of the pain-killers into his hand and pop them into his mouth. Tossing his head back, he swallowed the two tablets without water.
Turning away from the cabinet and reaching for the coffee pot that rested on the counter, Remy swore as he found it empty.
"Merde!", he exclaimed miserably. "Things couldna possibly get better for Remy."
A knock at the door.
"Shut-up", Remy whispered to whoever must be laughing.
"Knock again, Professor. Maybe he's still asleep."
"No, I'm sure he heard me Jean", the professor said, sounding convinced. "I know he's awake."
Logan growled a little under his breath. He could smell the scum-bag all over this place and he could hear him stumbling around inside. Ororo put a hand on his wrist, smiling a little tensely at him. Logan sighed and looked away in anger. It took every inch of his will-power not to simply kick down Remy's door.
He was saved the trouble as he heard footsteps approaching the door from the other side. The sound of a dead-lock being turned, and the doorknob started to turn.
"Hello, Mr. LeBeau", the professor said jovially.
Remy stared back at them, in shock. Logan saw Jean turn quickly out of the corner of his eye, and noticed a deep blush that had risen to her cheeks. He could understand why the slightly prudish young woman was reddening.
The Cajun shit-head stood in the doorway, hair flying everywhere and bruises across his bare chest. "God", Logan thought to himself. "Does he always answer the door without pants?"
Remy stood there, not moving, until he seemed to register what was happening. Backing up slowly, he look at each of them in a panic.
"Oh mon Dieu... Professor, Ororo, Jean, Scott...", Remy stammered.
"What's the matter Gumbo? No hello hug?", Logan snarled.
As quickly as the panic had appeared, Remy's calm demeanour suddenly reappeared. Although he was blushing a little, he opened wide the door and invited them in with a sweep of his arm. Disappearing back into the house, Remy called back to them.
"Just make yourselves at home, mes amis. Remy'd be right back."
"Do we dare?", Ororo whispered to Jean, who giggled.
Even Charles seemed a little thrown as he nodded to the others. Scott came behind him and helped Charles get his chair up the steps and into the house. As soon as he entered, the others filtered in behind him.
Ororo's breath caught in her throat as she took in the disaster area that was Remy's home. Dust covered everything and food wrappers littered the floor. She knew Remy could be a little careless, but she had never considered he could grow to be so, well, piggish!
Jean made a face as she peeled a cheesy wrapper of the wheel of the professor's chair. Ororo had to agree. As much as she loved this boy, she would not touch him until she was sure he was clean!
Remy reappeared, now dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a black, form-fitting T-Shirt. He didn't seem embarrassed about the mess or even the fact that they had caught him in his undergarments. Jean could understand why. She loved Scott with all her heart, but Remy was hot! She blushed again as he sent her a wink.
" Bonjour Red. Wat be it dat brings y'all here?", he asked them casually.
"We have come here to talk to you Remy", the professor answered, determined not to waste time. "And to convince you to come here."
Logan groaned angrily under his breath and was silenced by a sharp jab from Ororo's elbow.
Remy raised an eyebrow and grinned at them.
"Sérieusement?", he asked, still smiling.
"Seriously", Ororo replied, addressing him for the first time.
Ororo thought she caught a glimpse of emotion in Remy's devoid eyes. But as quickly as she had seen it, it disappeared within the red. He ran a hand through his hair, merely making it even messier.
"Hey Stormy", he said softly. "Haven't seen ya in a long while. Did ya miss Remy?"
"Oh, I don't care if you're filthy", Ororo exclaimed, leaping over and enveloping the boy in a strong hug.
As she held the boy in her embrace, she felt crushed as he only stood there, letting her hold him. She stepped back a little and looked up into his face.
He was looking back at her with that, that damned expression. That, whatever-happens-I'll-with-it look. Ororo was angry. She wanted to slap that boy. So she did, hard.
"Merde Stormy!", he exclaimed, laughing a little as he rubbed his stinging cheek. "What was dat for?"
"You're lucky she's the one that smacked you, boy", Logan snarled, "I would have drawn blood."
"Logan, please", the professor reprimanded, sounding tired. "Storm..."
"What is the matter with you Remy LeBeau!", the normally composed Storm shreiked. "How dare you just stand there and pretend that nothing's wrong! I've, we've been worried sick about you since you just up and left us all those months ago."
"Speak for yourself Ororo", Logan whispered.
"And here we finally found you", Storm continued, her fists shaking with rage. "And you have the nerve, the audacity to pretend like you don't care! You didn't have to stay, but you do owe us an explanation as to why you left the Institute! I though I was your friend Remy..."
"But why are you suddenly Remy's friend afta so many months, chère?", Remy asked slowly, his own eyes bright with anger. "Ya coulda found me before this, non? So why now, huh? What iz it you all want?"
"Remy, we tried to find you", Ororo explained, her voice trembling.
"Enough, the both of you", the professor suddenly interrupted. " Remy, we have only come to talk to you, to see how you are."
"Well, you've seen", Remy answered coolly, arms crossed across his chest. "Now you can leave."
" We need you to back with us Remy", Jean's voice suddenly cried out.
Remy looked at her in surprise.
"My 'elp? Wad could you need diz Cajun's 'elp for?"
"There's someone who's in some trouble back at the academy", Logan told him as everyone else grew quiet. "Look bub, we're askin'. If you can't get off your high horse, then fine. We'll go. No Storm", he said, raising his hand to silence her. "I ain't draggin' him back if he don't want to come."
"Someone, needs help?", Remy asked, his voice sincere for the first time. "Is it, is it..."
"Rogue's fine", Logan answered sharply. Like you really care, he thought bitterly.
Remy sighed and uncrossed his arms. Looking around at each of them, he offered them a small smile.
"Want ta sit down?", he asked shyly.
"So", Remy said finally. "Diz girl, Rielle? You say she needs 'elp controlling her mutation? Well, Remy don't see how he can help but..." He sighed. "He will."
"I'm sure Rielle will greatly appreciate you aid", the professor said, secretly relieved.
"Ain't doin' this for da 'ptite", Remy told them. "Or for you Professor. Doin' this for Stormy. She 'elped dis old thief out before. Time he returned the favour."
The professor nodded at him.
"Of course", was all he said.
Author's note: Well, Remy's on his way home! I know he was a little rough around the edges and mean in this chapter, but what do you expect? Poor boy's heartbroken...