Chapter 7: Back Here
-Baby set me free
From this misery
I can't take it no more
Since you ran away
Nothing's been the same
Don't know what I'm living for
Here I am, so alone
And there's nothing in this world I can do-
The loud roar of Remy's motorcycle prevented any conversation. Kitty just clung to him, as he tore down the roads of Westchester. All she really wanted to do at the moment was go home. She had had enough for one day. First seeing Lance again and then Remy whisking her off on his motorcycle to protect her. But, what from was her question.
Suddenly, the motorcycle seemed to slow as Remy drove up the driveway to an old abandoned warehouse. It looked to be on its last legs. Once he had parked right in front of the building, he killed the engine and leapt off the bike with the grace and finesse only Remy would be capable of possessing.
"You'll be stay'n here tonight wit Remy, Petite. Might as well git comfortable." He sauntered inside the building.
Kitty sighed and climbed off the bike. She knew that if he asked, she'd walk through the very fires of Hell for Remy, but sometimes it was too much. She just wanted to go home and sleep, gab with Jubilee and Rogue, maybe have a little visit with Piotr.
Piotr! God, she just wanted to talk to him right now. Have him protect her from all this Lance crap. Remy was too intent on being her savior to really discuss something with him and Piotr was always up for listening to her.
"Shadowcat, come inside. You'll freeze if you stay out dere." Remy called from the doorway.
"I want to go home, Remy." She whispered fervently. "This day has been packed with too much emotion, I just want to find my bed and sleep."
"I'm going to take you home in de morning, Mon Shadowcat. Remy don trust de X-men to protect you." He shook his head. "Not from dem."
"Lance?" Kitty scoffed. "He's only one person. I can protect myself from him!"
"What do dey teach you at dat school, Petite?" Remy barked. "Remy been gatering information fur a long time. 'e wants to protect you from de Brotherhood. Everyday dey get stronger and everyday dey get more members. It's a war, Mon Petite. A war dat Remy will not loose 'is Shadowcat to. If Remy have to kidnap you and flee da country den 'e will."
"I'm not going anywhere, Remy! If there's a fight coming, than you damn well better be sure I'll be there! I've been training for this! I have friends and family and a life at the Institute. I'm happy. Remy, I think I've finally fallen in love again!" She retorted.
Remy's gaze snapped up. "You means to tell Remy dat you is over de Shaker boy?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I have been. I dated Pyro when I first arrived at the Institute, of course that didn't work out. Then, Peter walked through those heavy oak doors and I was head over heels. Still am."
"Remy is happy for you, Mon Petite. But, if dis Peter hurts you, den Remy will splode 'im!" Remy held out his hand. "Come inside."
-Until you're back here, Baby
Miss you, want you, need you so
Until you're back here Baby yeah
There's a feeling inside I want you to know
You are the one and I can't...
Let you go-
Kitty shivered as she entered the warehouse, what was Gambit saying about not freezing outside? It was ten times colder in here. "Remy, it's colder in here than it is outside." She pointed out.
"But it is safer in here dann outside, mon Petite." Remy grinned, pointing to a corner where he had found some old blankets and anything else that was soft, was piled in. "Get some shut eye, mon Shadowcat. Remy will watch over you tonight."
"Remy, really. Can't you just take me home?" She pleaded, shivering again. "It's freezing in here."
"I'm sorry, Petite. Remy promises to take you home tomorrow." He sat down in the corner and patted the empty space beside him. "Besides Remy can always keep you warm in many ways." He smirked.
Kitty giggled and plopped down beside him. "You are such a pervert." She shivered again. "But I wouldn't say no to some cuddling. I could use some of your body heat."
-So I told you lies
Even made you cry
Baby I was so wrong
Girl I promise you
Now my love is true
This is where my heart belongs
Cause here I'm am
So alone
And there's nothing in this world I can do-
Kitty curled into Remy's chest, hugging him tightly as the wind whipped through the building again. He in turn had pulled her close, trying to hold his trench coat around both of them.
"Hey Remy?" She titled her chin, looking up at his face.
"Yes, mon Shadowcat." He replied, running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm scared." She whispered. Whenever she was scared at the Institute, she covered it by working out more and training harder, but when it came to Remy, she could tell him anything and not feel like a coward or be embarrassed. Maybe it was because he was an Empath, maybe it was because they were so close, whatever it was she was grateful. She could never be ashamed of how she felt and she knew Remy would never turn his back on her.
"I know." Was his response. "Remy will always protect you, so you don't hafta be scared."
"I can't help it. After all Lance put me through, the last thing I need is him messing with my head again." She burrowed into his warmth.
"You should've told Remy 'bout him sooner. Remy would've killed him." He held her tighter. "Shaker boy will pay fur what he did to you, mon Shadowcat. 'E will beg fur Remy to spare 'im wenn Remy is through wit 'im."
"That's exactly why I didn't tell you. I knew you would kill him. You're all I've got for family Remy, besides the people at the Institute and I can't loose you." She thought of Piotr, wondering what he was doing right now.
"You never will loose Remy, Petite. You are Remy's family. His sister in everting except blood."
"I know, you're my brother in everything except blood. I just wish you were always around. That you were back here, with me, all the time." Kitty sighed and snuggled closer. "But I'll take what I can get. I love you, Remy."
"Remy love you, mon Shadowcat." He placed a butterfly kiss in her hair. "Now get some sleep."
-Until you're back here, Baby
Miss you, want you, need you so
Until you're back here Baby yeah
There's a feeling inside I want you to know
You are the one and I can't...
Let you go-
Remy watched his girl, as she slept. Her breathing in a slow even pace, a small smile curving her lips as she dreamed of flowers and puppies and all that happy stuff little girls can dream of. If only he could freeze this moment forever, have her be this peaceful and happy as she was in sleep.
After her break-up with that idiot, Alvers, her dreams had not been as happy and peaceful. The night she had shown up at the hotel he was staying at, after her break-up had nearly broke his heart.
-And I wonder, wonder
Are you thinking of me 'cause I'm thinking of you
And I wonder, wonder
Are you ever coming back in my life
'Cause here I am so alone
And there's nothing in the world I can do-
flashback
"All right, all right. Remy is coming." Remy walked out of the bathroom in his hotel room. Someone was banging incessantly on his door and wouldn't go away. "Listen Homme, it's late and Remy wants to go to sleep and what Remy wants Remy gets." He snapped, as he swung the door open. He wasn't prepared for the sight on the other side.
Wet, trembling and tear stained, Kitty Pryde stood on the other side, her fist raised as if to knock again. She was soaked to the skin from the rain and her eyes were red and puffy, filled with tears and there were still tracks from the previous tears she had shed.
"Oh Petite." He hated seeing her upset in any fashion, but looking at her now was just heartbreaking. He wordlessly opened his arms to her and she wasted no time in throwing herself into them. "What happened?" He pulled her inside and closed the door.
"Lance, he..." She stammered and Remy let out a growl. There was no love lost between Remy and Kitty's boyfriend. The big idiot didn't treat Kitty right and to someone who considered Kitty family and loved her like she was one of his own, the shaker boy was a bad choice in boyfriends. He hadn't kept his dislike of the boy hidden either, he had confronted Kitty about him on several occasions, but she had insisted that he didn't really mean it.
"Shaker boy is a dead man." He started toward the door, but Kitty's small fist wrapped around his arm stopped him.
"You don't even know what he did." She sniffed.
"Doesn't matter, mon Shadowcat." He stepped back in front of her and wiped some of the escaped tears off her face with his thumbs. "He made you cry, dat's a good enough reason fur Remy."
She choked back another sob, before launching herself into his arms again. "I broke up with him." Her voice was muffled against his shirt. "He was so angry. I told him it was because he kept forcing me to be someone I'm not and I felt as if I was suffocating and needed space. I thought he was going to kill me."
"Dat's it." Remy placed a butterfly kiss in her hair. "You're coming to New Orleans wit Remy. Remy will take care of you."
"I can't." she shook her head. "There's something else I've got to tell you. Tonight, before I went to see Lance, a mutant woman named Dr. Jean Grey showed up on my doorstep. She said that she worked for a school for people like us, mutants, where we can be safe. She's a school teacher. It's in Westchester, New York. It'll be good for me to go there, get away from Deerfield."
"If you needs to get away, denn you come wit Remy." He led her over to the bed and sat her down, before rummaging through his duffle bag for a pair of dry clothes she could wear. "New Orleans is away from Deerfield."
"I'm not a thief, Remy." She wiped her eyes. "I don't fit in your world in New Orleans. I need to go to school and be a kid. This is an amazing opportunity. Besides, it's not like my parents are keen to having me around, with the whole town discovering my being a mutant and all."
Remy handed her one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweats. "Oh Chere." He sat down beside her, as she leaned into his shoulder.
"Come with me." She whispered.
"What?" He looked down at her in confusion.
"Come with me, Remy. Come to this school. You could get your education; you could be with me. Don't make me go alone." She pleaded.
Remy sighed and shook his head. "Like you don't fit into Remy's world, Petite; Remy don't fit in yours. Remy will visit you, but he cannot go there."
She nodded solemnly, before standing up. "I thought that might be your answer." She went into the bathroom to change.
Remy leaned back against the headboard of the bed. It'd be more of a travel to visit his Shadowcat at this school, but he had to do what was best for her. She'd be happy there and best of all; she'd be safe. Safe from anti-mutant groups, safe from Alvers, safe from Remy's life. That's all that mattered to him, his Shadowcat's happiness and safety.
She emerged from the bathroom and crawled into the bed, snuggling into the covers. Remy stretched out and spooned behind her. She relaxed against him and fell into sleep a few minutes later, while he watched her until the early hours of the morning.
End of Flashback
He should have gone with her to the school. He didn't even think about his own happiness, just hers. After she left and he heard about Magneto, he had gone into overdrive. Listening to the mutant grapevine, determined to protect her. He'd visit her from time to time and call her often.
When he had heard about Lance, the only thing that mattered was getting to Westchester. He didn't trust them up there to keep and eye of his Shadowcat, so he had to watch over her personally, all the while, fighting diligently against the Brotherhood.
None of that seemed to matter though, as he watched her sleep. He was back here, with her for now, watching her sleep peacefully and keeping her safe for tonight. It's what he did best. She was safe and he could relax because he was sure of her safety.
-Until you're back here, Baby
Miss you, want you, need you so
Until you're back here Baby yeah
There's a feeling inside I want you to know
You are the one and I can't...
Let you go-