Disclaimer: I hate this bit, they are not mine, I do not pretend to have the ingenuity to create them, and I'm just using them for my morbid pleasure.
And a major thanks to Northstar's Gambit, all reviews are wonderful and I adore everyone who reviews, but constructive critisism is my life. Thank you so much for pointing out to me where my work needs priming. I know that it's hard for people sometimes to read and pick up on these things, some folk just like reading to enjoy it and don't want to analyse what they read. Thanks for the pointers and I will try to remember it in my later chapters. Although it may take a while to get out of Gambit's 3rd person habit. (I adored that about the comic and X-Men original cartoon,) if that is annoying anyone, or you find it hard to read like that, then please let me know.
Sorry for the super long start. ENJOY!
Part VI
Logan stopped dead in the parking lot when he spotted his jeep. Sitting in the back was Rogue; in the seat that he had been left in was Gambit although he had positioned his body so that he could see Rogue while she was talking. And talking she was. Logan couldn't remember ever seeing Rogue talk in such an animated fashion. She was laughing, using her hands to signify some things and sounding genuinely happy for once.
"You two having fun?" Logan asked, climbing in the driver's side. "You owe me ten bucks Cajun." Rogue stifled another laugh, seeing the expression on the Cajun's face.
"Logan, why you being like that? He drank one beer!" Rogue said, scowling slightly. "If ah didn't know better, ah'd say you were being a stick." Was Stripes teasing him? Yes, he was pretty sure that Rogue was teasing and acting very much out of character.
"Whatever," Logan replied, not bothering with any other comeback. "We have to get back. Half Pint will complain if we're late again."
- - -
That night was a most relaxing there had been for a while. The group of X-Men sat in the sitting room, enjoying a night of rented videos one after the other. Kitty and Evan sat arguing during the changing of on video for another.
"I'm telling you, there is like, no way, that Gorge Clooney is better than Brad Pitt." Kitty argued. Evan sat three people down from Kitty, with Kurt and Ororo in between them.
"Please. You only think that cause you have the hots for Pitt. Clooney is totally the better actor. Kurt you agree with me?" The German was about to answer when a small growl from Kitty got his attention.
"I plead de fifth on de grounds dat, I don't want to die." The furry mutant said, holding up two of his three fingers. Kitty giggled, only just realising how cute Kurt looked when he did that little face.
"Well, Scott, Hank, you guys agree with me, don't cha?" Evan tried, convinced that he would get at least one of them on his side.
"I'm not getting involved with this one." Hank replied, turning his attention back to fast forwarding the video. Scott however, didn't reply. He was too busy watching Rogue, sit in between Gambit's legs with a blanket wrapped around her front and over his bent knees. She wasn't paying any attention to anything other that what Gambit was quietly saying in her ear.
It was a far cry from what the Cajun had been like that afternoon. He had been very distant, and didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything until Rogue and Zaire did some stupid stunts and teased him till he at least smiled. Although it had been funny to watch the two mutants, who normally weren't too friendly with one another, make fools of themselves just to see the depressed male smile; it had made Scott worry even more over the developing relationship between Rogue and Remy. Rogue was much more trusting with Remy now, before she would have just brushed him off, but now she seemed to spend a lot of her time with him, which was confusing considering that she had said she hadn't liked him before.
"Hey Scott." Jean's hand on his shoulder brought Scott out of daze. "Come on and sit down. The movies starting." He smiled at her and allowed her to steer him to a seat beside her. They were watching some thing that Zaire had picked out, she had decided they needed to watch a comedy and so they were about to watch LiarLiar. Something Scott really wasn't interested in.
About half way through the movie, the doorbell rang, which was strange considering the security system. Logan went to check on the camera system, Ororo went to check on the alarm system and Scott moved to answer the door, flanked by almost all of the X-Men.
"Be careful Scott," Jean warned, "it's pretty late." Scott nodded before opening the door. Kitty, Kurt and Evan glanced past Scott, curious to see who it was at the door. Scott raised his eyebrows, glancing back at Gambit, who was just now approaching the door after receiving the look, and back to the visitor.
Leaning against the hand railing, in a pair of worn jeans and a diesel stained shirt, flicking his lighter opened and closed, was Pyro. He didn't even look like he was on the land of his supposed enemy; he stood there, looking as if he were just calling in on a friend.
"What do you want?" Scott asked, his arms crossing over his chest. He tried to look intimidating, hoping that Pyro would just leave.
"Just stopping by for a friendly chat, mate." Pyro replied, a smirk over his tanned face showing that he was being as insolent as ever.
"John?" Gambit stood behind Scott, his eyes scanning over the Gardens of the Institute cautiously.
"No worries mate, Magneto thinks I'm with Piotr," Pyro said, noticing Gambit's movement, "he's up at the hospital visiting his sister." Pyro picked up a box that had been lying at his feet. "Came by with what was left of your stuff." The box was handed to Gambit, who moved in front of Scott to take it. "And your key." The Australian held up the small brass item, his face altering from his insolent smirk to a conniving grin.
"What you be t'inking now?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow at the slightly crazed looking blond. The other's hand now taken almost permanent places by the door, listening to the conversation between the two former team mates.
"Well, the 'Tin Man' wants to go home. His baby girl is getting all better now, and we both know that's the only reason he was ever even here. So, since I don't really fancy being left all alone with the furball and old loon there, I was thinkin' you'd be up for one last home coming? With fireworks and sparklers like?" Remy laughed openly as Pyro wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Remy shook his head slightly, "You be mad, mon ami." Remy's eyes flashed with something and Pyro's face seemed to harden. It looked like he was completely determined with this.
"What's wrong Pyro; don't you have something to burn down?" Scott asked, strangely worried over Gambit's silence on the matter. Pyro turned his attention to Scott, the smirk back in place.
"Well, no. I got bored last night. Spent the whole time wondering what I could get up to." John threw the key at Gambit, the Cajun catching it easily in his left hand. "See ya kids." Pyro winked before jumping down the stairs and taking off across the lawn in a run. He still managed to look arrogant as he did it.
Remy picked through the box, noting his wallet, a few pieces of paper, two decks of cards, his staff and a cell phone he didn't recall owning.
"What's up Remy?" Rogue asked, noticing his perplexed look.
"Remy be right back." The Cajun grabbed his trench coat, dropping the box and heading out after Pyro with a mutter of, "Je vais le frapper." Scott frowned, trying to remember his French lessons.
"Gambit!" Rogue went out after Remy, causing Scott to try and stop her.
"Rogue! This could end badly." Kitty slowly raised her hand, causing Scott to stop calling after Rogue and turn to her.
"I was just wondering what it was Remy said." Zaire sighed, annoyed by Scott's pessimism and Kitty's strange need to ignore important things and stick to the insignificant details.
"He's gonna hit Pyro." Zaire turned to the returning Logan. "Well, any big cat's on the ground?" Logan shook his head. "Right then, I'll go get those two back." And Zaire quickly left before Scott could object.
- - -
"John, attente!" Remy caught up with John at the gate of the Institute. John had started to climb the wall when Remy had called to him.
"S'up mate?" The blond asked, jumping down and leaning against the large wall.
"What's de phone for?" Remy asked, slightly suspicious.
"For me to call when it's time for the cake to be lit, of course." John said, as if it should be obvious. Remy shook his head, why did everyone he know have to be slightly crazy?
"Gambit, come back inside." Rogue appeared, standing beside Gambit, shivering slightly. Remy noticed and removed his coat, draping it around Rogue's shoulders, earning a smug smile from the firestarter. "Come on, it's cold out here."
"Well, that's what 'appens at night, Shelia." Pyro said, sniggering slightly at the gothic girl. Pyro then noticed the other female approaching, a blanket pulled tightly around her shoulders to ward off the cool air. "Is the whole family coming out to freeze their butts off?" He asked, becoming mildly annoyed at the entire entourage coming out.
"No, you two get back inside." The new comer said. John raised an eyebrow. There was no way she was older than himself, or Gambit. Was she one of the new teachers or something? Come to think of it, John had never seen her with the X-Men, of that he was sure.
"Well, you must be one of the newbie's, eh. They pick a lot of them up." John said, mainly to himself, while scratching the back of his head. However, the glare the girl shot at him shut him up quickly. Not because he was intimidated, but because she looked just too cute when she did that. Her eyebrows drew together, a few strands of her bangs falling in front of her jade green eyes. Said eyes were drawn to slits, the sparkle of green only just visible.
"John, what you plannin' now?" Remy asked, almost repeating his previous question. John tore his attention away from the dark haired girl; he smiled slightly, shrugging at the Cajun.
"Well, nothing much. Just really don't wanna stay there no more. Used to just be about the roof over my 'ead, but now, mate it's just got way outta hand." John said, letting the façade drop momentarily. "Piotr has already said, once his sister's better, that's him, he's going home. Well, I doubt Magneto is gonna stand for that, two of henchmen leaving and what not." John pulled out his lighter again, flicking the lid on and off like he had done before. "I was thinkin' last night, what if he didn't have to bother with bucket head and fangs? Then there would be less confrontation." John explained. He didn't actually have a plan. It was all up in the air. If Gambit helped him, then he could iron out the rough draft of a plan he had. If not he was just gonna have to…what? Burn the place down?
"Second good deed this month, Remy t'ink you going soft?" Gambit joked, John smirked half heartedly.
"Nah, just can't stand those two no more." He replied, he had to shake himself before he turned completely soft and just didn't go back to the manor. "I'll call ya later mate, tell you what I'm up to and you can decide if you're gonna help or not." John said, slipping the lighter into his pocket again before climbing over the wall.
"Hey." John looked back at the sound of the girl's voice; Gambit and Rogue were already walking back towards the Institute. "Shower and change you're clothes when you get back." John frowned, tentatively sniffing his sleeve. She laughed, a smile breaking out on her porcelain skin. "You don't smell bad, but Sabertooth will smell Remy off ya. Change and shower before he finds out. Or you're goose'll be cooked." John made a face of realisation and once more she laughed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless." She waved a little before running off, John shrugged, running back off down the street, heading back to the hospital to get Piotr before going back to the manor.
- - -
"Do you think he's serious? About the whole leaving thing?" Rogue asked Gambit as they walked across the grass, his arm around shoulder while she leaned into his side to get some warmth from his body.
"John only be with de Acolytes to have somewhere to stay. Maybe t'ings get too bad for him there." Remy mused out loud. What if John was wanting out for a different reason? What if Magneto was taking his anger out on him? But then, would Piotr leave John alone there? No, the Russian had risked a lot in helping Remy leave, there was no way he'd just leave John to face the two bullies on his own. In a way John was probably the weakest of the three of them. Remy and Piotr at least had their powers to defend themselves, but without a source of fire, John was powerless. "Remy gonna help him." Gambit said, he had to return the favour; he had to make sure that John wasn't getting hurt.
"Cajun, ah'm not lettin' you go back in there alone." Rogue said, stopping in the middle of the lawn. She looked up at him, her hair falling around her face. Remy carefully slid his fingers across her cheek, hooking her white streaks behind her ears. She closed her eyes and leant into his touch, even though he wore his gloves once more. "Ah'll come with you. It'll be better if there's someone else." Rogue whispered.
"Sorry to break the moment," Zaire said from behind, "but I'm coming too." She stood there, her hands on her hips with her blanket pulled over her shoulders. "Like Rogue said, it'll be better with someone else there, and Rogue and I can be those someone else's." Gambit smiled at the pair gratefully, it was strange for him to have people who genuinely cared about him. It was nice to have Rogue care, having her there made it seem like he could turn his life around, that his fakeness didn't have to last anymore. "When John calls, ask him to meet in the library the next day. Tell Rouge and I when he does and we'll set things off so that everyone is there." Rogue nodded, Zaire standing beside her.
"Yeah, that way, if something goes wrong everyone is there, and if it's all fine then we can make the arrangements with Pyro while the others are wandering around." Remy smiled and shook his head. "What?"
"You two petite's, going to all dis trouble jus' for Gambit." Rogue and Zaire both smiled, Remy surprised that Rogue actually smiled at him. Zaire moved to the other side of the Cajun, both females wrapping their arms around his waist.
"Don't go getting any idea's Swamp Rat," the southern belle told him, "ah just think that Zaire would be very annoyed if somethin' was to happen to you. After all, she did mend you all up." Zaire laughed, her arm leaving Remy's waist.
"Yeah, and I think that if ya were to get hurt, then Rogue would be very disappointed." Zaire stopped, looked at the door to the mansion and then back to Rogue. "She'd have no one to drool over and cuddle with." Once she finished her sentence, the raven haired girl started to sprint across the lawn, leaving Remy with a blushing Rogue. Remy chuckled, noticing that Rogue wouldn't look at him while they slowly wandered back to the house. Zaire was long gone; probably back in the warmth of the living room watching the rest of LiarLiar with the others.
"You know chère, Remy never t'ink you be one to blush." Remy said, making her blush more.
"Ah'm gonna hurt her when ah get in there." Rogue said, the blush fading slightly, anger seemingly taking the place of her embarrassment. Remy hooked a finger under Rogue's chin, pulling her face to see him. Red eyes met brown, Remy growing far too comfortable in her gaze, this had never happened before; he had never felt like this with another person, least of all a female.
"Maybe you just say thanks." He whispered, Rogue didn't respond, she just stared at him. "See, now would be when Gambit kiss you, non?" Rogue managed a weak smiled, the blush returning slightly.
"Ah wish you could Cajun." She answered, her eyes casting down to his chest. Remy pondered something for a moment, before lifting her chin once more. "What?"
"Remy have an idea." The Cajun tugged at the collar of his trench coat around Rogue's shoulders, the flap of the collar covered Rogue's mouth and Remy quickly leaned down and placed his lips over hers and his collar. He pulled back and noticed the shocked expression on Rogue's face. She looked far too innocent like that.
"Cajun," Rogue seemed to struggle to find her voice, "ah…" Once more Rogue's gaze fell from Remy's. "Thank you." They wrapped their arms around each other, hers around his waist and his around her shoulder, walking back to the mansion in silence.
- - -
John walked out of his room, damp towel still over his head as he rubbed his sodden wet hair. It was just as well that chick had told him to wash and changed. Other wise he'd have completely forgotten about Sabertooth and thus given the game away. Never knew I was so careless, he thought to himself.
He and Piotr had arrived back only moments before Sabertooth returned from where ever he had been that evening. The over grown kitty seemed to disappear constantly; maybe he had to run to the malls to get some cat-nip. So John has successfully made it to the bathroom, washed, shoved his clothes in the machine and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
"Why have you showered?" Sabertooth asked, John turned, surprised at the beasts sudden appearance. He sniffed at John, growling at the young male.
"Hate the smell of hospitals. Can't stand smelling like a Doctor." The blond answered quickly. "Ha, can you imagine, me a doctor?" John made his get a way, heading towards Piotr's room, still laughing for appearances. Damn, that bloody idiot was really getting on his nerves. "Hey, Rasputin, you in here?" John slowly entered the Russian's room, wondering why it was so quiet. "You alright mate?" Piotr turned, sad brown eyes looking straight at the blond.
"What do you want?" He asked, slightly more deflated that John could remember him ever being.
"How's your sister?" John asked, trying to make polite conversation. The large male shrugged, clearly not really in the mood for talking. "You still gonna go when she's better?"
"You think I'm going to be able to just leave? Magneto will hold this over my head until he has completed what it is he needs me for." Came the reply, that must be what all this is about, John thought. His sisters' finally recovering and he's stuck here doing things for a mad man with a tin can on his head.
"What if there was some way you could get out?" John asked, sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. "What if, when she was ready to leave the hospital and go back home to Russia, there was a way for you to go too? Would you take it?" John didn't look at the other mutant; he kept his gaze on the floor.
"What is it your up to now?" Piotr asked, probably wondering why John was being so out of character.
"Nothing really. Well, nothing that you need to know about mate. Just let me know when your sister is ready for leaving, alright?" Piotr seemed very confused, but he nodded none the less. John smiled wildly, leaving the room in his usual troublesome nature.
Problem was that he walked straight into Sabertooth. Trying to laugh it off, John muttered something under his breath before heading back towards his room. Feeling Sabertooth watch him the whole way. Once in his room, he picked up the phone and dialled the number he knew was for the cell he gave Remy.
- - -
AN: Well that was a much faster update than last time, ne? Go me!
Okay, this was also longer than most of the others, but you don't mind that, do you? Okay, well, as you can see the plot is definitely rolling along. And I am sorry if John seems OOC here, but I had to have him be the one to start things rolling in the revenge scheme of things. He's not allowed to burn anything down though! Poor lad.
I estimate another three or four chapters before this is finished, then there will be the epilogue and I already have a few ideas for one shot sequels. Tell me if you would be interested in that, okay?
Well, review please and I'll update again as soon as possible!
I GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY!!!
