Special thanks to DisturbedCourtney for her help with Remy. She has a way with him ;)
As the mansion disappeared quickly behind them, Rogue was thankful that there would be no conversation for this ride. It was taking everything in her to hold on to Remy and not break down in hysterics. She'd gone searching for a cure; to her unpleasant surprise, instead of controlling her skin she wound up manifesting every power she'd ever stolen. Rogue could still feel the bone claws itching beneath the skin of her knuckles, and the metal of the Harley made something inside her body reverberate like a plucked string. Feeling the shudder pass through her as everything flashed before her closed eyes, she tightened her arms reflexively around Remy's waist.
Passing what little traffic there was on the roads, the city loomed in front of them both ominous and comforting at the same time.
"Where exactly you need to go Roguey?" Remy threw the question over his shoulder at her while the bike idled at a red light.
"Grand Central Station Rems." Grand Central wasn't a place to draw suspicion, and there were plenty of people there to lose herself in. It would make tracking difficult, if not impossible.
"Grand Central, what you gon' do there p'tite?" Gambit's question held an edge of confusion.
"I'm meetin up with a friend of mine, she's visiting from Washington. We're gonna grab lunch and do some shopping. If it hadn't been for you giving me a ride I might have been late meeting her." The lie came easily enough, and if Gambit had any doubt, he never showed any signs of it. When the light changed again and the traffic started moving, Rogue was thankful that he hadn't asked any more questions.
She knew she couldn't risk having him drop her off in front of the Institute, and putting two and two together. She also couldn't afford for him to tell Logan where she'd gone when he got back to the mansion. She knew Logan, and she knew he would follow; she just hoped she'd gotten enough of a lead. As it was, Grand Central was only a few blocks away from the Institute, and all the different scents would effectively mask hers; at least, she hoped they would. Logan's nose was good, but even he had his limits. Reaching their destination Remy pulled up to the curb.
"Ça c'est votre s'arrêter mademoiselle. We are here." Remy flashed a smile as Rogue climbed off the bike.
"Je vous remercie Monsieur Lebeau." She replied, somewhat startled that she had understood him, much less known what to say back.
"Never knew you spoke French chere." Remy winked at her as she handed him her helmet.
"I'm just full of surprises Rem, thanks for the ride," she called as she began to walk away.
She entered the station and sat down on one of the benches, making sure that Remy would be long gone when she re-emerged alone. Time seemed to crawl by as she waited, and after five eternal minutes she impatiently decided it had been long enough. Pushing her hands deep into her pockets she descended the stairs and made her way to the busy sidewalk, before heading in the direction of the Institute.
'Dr. Agee will know what's goin' on. This will all be sorted out soon.' Letting out a weary sigh she picked up her pace.
Logan paced the garage aimlessly, anger warring with fear. He'd seen Marie leave with the Cajun and he'd raced to the garage in a futile attempt to follow them. It would be his luck that Gambit had one of the few vehicles that didn't carry a tracking device.
"No t'ief likes feelin' someone over they shoulder all the time," Gumbo had said. "Gotta have some freedom," he'd said.
'The thief better have an angel looking over his shoulder,' Logan thought as he hopped on one of the available bikes, 'because if anything happens to Marie, they'll never find all the pieces.' Peeling out of the garage and down the drive Logan had started to follow the already weakening scent.
The back roads they'd taken had been a godsend because there hadn't been to much traffic to interfere, but once he'd hit the interstate the trail had run cold. Cursing he'd turned back, knowing that the only thing he could do now was try to get a hold of Lebeau. With the telepaths out of the mansion he was pretty much on his own, and Gambit wasn't known to carry a cell phone. Hopelessly out of options, Logan did the only thing he could. He paced.
After an hour of restless pacing and damage to several of the vehicles housed in the garage, the distinct sound of a Harley could be heard coming up the drive. Logan's nose twitched as the wind carried the scent of a very familiar, and soon to be very dead, Cajun.
Remy wasn't prepared when he turned around and nearly walked straight into Logan. The metal lined shoulders of the man in front of him were as rigid and unforgiving as his mood. Gambit barely had time to register the movement before the Wolverine had him pinned against a wall, his shirt and trench coat bunched in the deadly hands.
The look that Remy saw suggested something feral, and he knew that he wasn't dealing with Logan. He'd never actually seen the Wolverine, but he now knew that Bobby hadn't been exaggerating. The eyes in front of him were enough to drive a spike of fear straight through him, and he wondered what he'd done to garner such a greeting.
His question was answered quickly enough when he heard the low growl of Logan's words, "Where is she bub?"
Remy's red on black eyes narrowed slightly and he tilted his head in thought. He was pretty sure he knew the 'she' Logan was referring to, but he wasn't sure he should throw Rogue to the wolves so to speak. There was no telling what Logan would do in a mood like this, and Remy was rather fond of Rogue. He didn't think Logan would hurt her, she was the only one the Wolverine could really tolerate; but he didn't want her raining hell down on his head for sending Logan after her like that, if she didn't want him knowing where she was.
"Where is who mon ami? Remy know many fems, and he not be one of de mind readers." Remy let out a sly smile, and prayed he would come out of the encounter in one piece.
Logan slammed him into the wall again, with enough force to make him slam his head against the brick before throwing his arm across the Cajun man's throat.
"In case you haven't noticed Gumbo," Logan released the claws on his right hand with a SNIKT before easily burying them into the wall next to Gambit's head, "I'm not in a joking kinda mood. She's in trouble and she could be in danger, now where the hell IS she?"
The Wolverine pulled his arm back, once again allowing air into the Cajun's lungs and retracting the adamantium blades. With a slight cough, Remy rubbed his damaged windpipe. Straightening himself, and adjusting his attire, he faced Logan.
"Since when is shoppin' considered dangerous t' anyt'ing other dan a man's credit cards Logan?"
"Is that what she told you?" Wolverine sneered, "Ya know Lebeau, you ARE as dumb as you look. You think she was that eager to get out of here to go shopping?" Logan was incredulous. "Where did you take her Gumbo, I'm gettin pretty damn tired of you wasting my time."
"Grand Central Station, homme. If dis be so serious, won' y' be needin' back up or somet'ing? Why ain' de team freakin' out wit' you?"
Logan let out a snort even as a sense of pride flit through him, 'Figures. She's got me in her head, of course she'd pick a place to get lost in. Million different damn scents. Hard, but not impossible.' Turning the keys in the ignition of his bike he directed his attention at Gambit, "You let me deal with Rogue, the team doesn't need to be involved in this. If I'm not back with her tonight, then let someone know. I have a comm device on me if shit gets out of hand. Until then, stay outta my way."
Flipping the visor of his helmet down and revving the engine, he peeled out of the garage.
Shaking his head, Gambit made his way toward the mansion. 'Wolvie said he doesn' want de team involved,' Remy smirked to himself, 'but since when do I do what 'm told?'
Making her way through the crowded city streets as quickly as possible, Rogue wondered how long it would be before Logan attempted to follow. After everything that happened, she didn't doubt he would try; she knew the man. She knew how stubborn he truly was, and even if he hated her, he would try to bring her back. The man would never admit it, but he had a moral code that would put Cyke to shame. He had considered her his obligation, and he would be blind in his determination to fulfill that obligation. That same blind determination and sense of honor, was part of what made him so endearing, so easy to love; and what made you want to choke the life out of him all at the same time.
It killed her to think she might never see him again, see her friends again. If they didn't hate her for what she'd done to Logan, they would surely be disgusted by her 'selling out'. She felt the jagged pieces of her heart weigh heavily in her chest, as she walked the last block to the institute. The closer she got, the harder it was to take the next step. The Logan inside her head was screaming at her to turn around, telling her that everyone would understand. Telling her she was making a mistake. The other voices had faded for the most part, but never his. He'd become her voice of reason over time, and she'd come to rely on his instincts. Now she railed against them as the guilt snaked through her, and the doubts crashed over her again and again. She shut her eyes and tried to push everything to the back of her mind, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it.
'Just breathe,' she chided herself as she climbed the marble steps in front of her. Even as she tried to convince herself she was doing the right thing, she couldn't help but feel like a lamb being led to slaughter. Biting back the urge to turn and run she put her hand on the large door handle. Stopping, she took in a deep breathe. 'At least I finally told him I loved him.'
Pulling open the door, she tried to banish all thoughts of Logan. She could never go through with this if she kept thinking about him. She wiped away the single tear that trailed down her cheek as she stepped through the door way. There would be no turning back after this, the final step. She only hoped it would be worth it in the end.
