Chapter 24

"Come on! Come on! Almost there! Almost there!" Gambit muttered to himself as he broke past red lights.

XXXXX

It was the next morning when Rogue was moved. Apparently, as she was led out, she got told that things should have been decided yesterday afternoon, but she caused quite a stir with the higher court. Where Rogue thought she was the one clueless with what the assassins and thieves meant by that, it turned out they were information seeking too. Trying to find out what it was Rogue had said or done to make the higher courts struggle so much to come up with a decision. They asked what she said, but she told them just her story of her life and that it was too much to explain. They commented back with how it must have been some life she lived. Rogue hung her head down by this, but a small smile slipped on her lips as both the assassins and thieves agreed and debated if Rogue was a better thief or assassin according to her powers and her stealing and framing Bella Donna.

Rogue was led to stand outside of a room. The same room she had been questioned in. No one really explained what was going to happen next, but one of the thieves knocked on the door and stuck his head in to let the higher court know she was there.

Coming down the hallway though was a beautiful blonde who caught Rogue's attention. Rogue swallowed down hard as the blonde approached her, giving nothing away in her face at just how pissed she was. Rogue hadn't actually had to face Bella Donna yet. She was hoping to avoid her. Bella Donna stopped in front of her.

"So, you're the Rogue ." She asked casually.

Rogue's bottom lip trembled, but then she straightened, not wanting to show weakness. Rogue felt a little of the old, angry goth kid come back to her. Even though she had lost all her makeup and was in jeans and a plain, long-sleeved t-shirt supplied by the guilds since her clothes were ripped, burnt, covered in soot and bloodied. Rogue regained her voice and thought to protect herself even though she was going to die. She may have opened up to the courts and Remy, but she still wanted to uphold an image of being strong. Not weak. Not someone who can be taken advantage of. If she was to die, she was to die with a good name and reputation to go with it. "Yes." She said.

Bella nodded her head and did something that surprised Rogue . She smiled.

"So your the gaul that's got everyone all hopped up, non? I gotta say I'm impressed with what ya accomplished even if I did almost end up diein over it." She said raising her eyebrow at her.

Rogue just waited to find out what Bella Donna really wanted to say. An assassin took her arm and began leading her into the room, but Bella reached out her hand, stopping them for the moment.

"'tween you and moi, I neva wanted ta marry Remy either. I have... Someone else on the line." Bella said, her eyes shifting to the assassin by Rogue's side, holding her elbow. Rogue's eyebrow rose as she turned her attention back to Bella Donna who still had that smile on her face. It wasn't a cruel, sinister one that gave the impression that she was glad Rogue was dieing, but it was a small smile of gratitude. "What ya did, what've you done, goin ta face the courts afta marryin Remy, stealin from the courts and now facin em, it's really brave of ya. Remy found himself quite a catch in ya." Her smile dropped to a frown and she looked sorrowful. "I'm just sorry it has to turn out this way. I wish ya all the best of luck with your punishment. But I have heard rumors." Bell said stepping closer to her. "That most of the higher court don't wanna kill ya. That they like ya and wanna use ya skills. I also heard bout ya questionin the feud-"

"Bella, they're waiting." Said Bella's secret man.

Bella looked from him back to Rogue and gave her arm a little squeeze.

"I don't blame ya for anythin ya did. Good luck, and I'm sorry." Were Bella's last words to Rogue. But they meant a lot. It felt good to know that Rogue was going to die with forgiveness and apparently a reputation. This was her choice and she was doing this with her head held high. She entered the room.

XXXXX

Gambit jumped out of the car, running wildly through New Orleans, trying to figure out where Rogue was. There was traffic and he found it faster to run. He found no thieves in the heart of New Orleans. He ran quickly, and found a motor bike, which he nicked and drove wildly fast to his home. There he met a thief at the door.

"Where's Rogue?" He asked.

"I can't reveal-"

"Answer me you stupid excuse for a thief! Do you not recognise me! I am Remy LeBeau, prince of thieves and I demand ta know where she is! Tell moi now or else!" Gambit yelled in utter anger, terrifying the guard.

"Dey-Dey taken her ta de swamps." Gambit's anger left him and his face dropped. The swamp could only mean one thing.

Gambit ran back to the motor bike and drove as deep into the swamp as the bike would go. When it got stuck in the mud, Gambit ran rapidly through the swamps till he came to the temporary built up wall and the thieves and assassins that surrounded the outside. They tried stopping him, but he pulled out his Bo-staff from his trench coat, not caring if he hurt his own men, and jumped over the wall. He looked up seeing Rogue on the man built stage on her knees in a red dress with her head being guided to the stand. Nothing else mattered. Gambit ran down the aisle, dodging under the arms that shot out at him. He ran, hearing his heart in his ears, but nothing else mattered to him except getting to Rogue. As the axe raised high in the air, Gambit jumped high, skidding on the stage and just reaching Rogue.

Rogue gasped at the sudden weight of a body on her. At first she didn't realise what had happened. She didn't see Gambit running towards her or hear the hysteria of the thieves and assassins yelling to stop him. All she could do was focus on her last words to Remy. At the weight of the body, she thought that was what it felt like to die. Slowly she reopened her eyes, hearing a mumbled yell.

"No! Don't kill her! If ya kill her ya kill me too!"

That was strange. It sounded like Remy. And why wasn't her head in the bottom of the basket that she could see was still in front of her. Rogue blinked a few times, till reality set in and the strange feeling of arms wrapping around her made her turn her head.

"Remy." She gasped.

Gambit's head was inchies from hers and his body was laying on top of hers. He was heavy, but she figured he was protecting her from the axe. His arms moved up her body and he removed her from the stand and wrapped her head inside his chest. Rogue felt the tightness of his grip as he locked her underneath him.

"You dare stop the execution? Boy-" yelled Malcome who hated Rogue.

"What ya doin is wrong and ya know it." Remy yelled back.

"Move away before ya moved!"

"Non. She ain't even part of de guild."

"Another reason why she is a threat."

"A reason ya can't do dis. She ain't under guild laws."

"Move now boy! You disgrace your guild!"

"And you disgrace all of us by doin dis. She may well be de greatest thief dat eva lived and ya willin ta throw dat all way just cause she made a mistake. She gave de money back. There's no harm done."

"She did not give the money back! The money was found."

"She was gonna confess. She just did this causa moi. If ya gonna punish anyone punish me!"

"Fine! Arrest em!" Malcolm commanded.

Hesitantly, assassins and thieves surrounded and grasped hold of Gambit, trying to pull him and Rogue apart, but he wasn't letting go. Gambit's family, mainly Henri and Jean-Luc, pushed into the crowd surrounding Gambit and Rogue, yelling to leave them alone. But it was no good and they just got pushed back.

"Get them! Get her! ARUGH, MUST I DO EVERYTHIN MYSELF?" Malcolm yelled As he moved forwards, pushing past bodies to get to them.

Rogue felt her lungs being crushed, but Gambit still didnt let go. He shielded her as best as he could from all the hands trying to grab at her. His face cringed up in pain and she didn't care about her own.

"Remy, just let meh go!" Rogue yelled at him threw the noise even though he was right by her side.

"Non! I won't let em take ya! I'd rather die!" Gambit yelled back.

Rogue was touched, feeling tears in her eyes, but she couldn't see her Remy in any more pain. Rogue struggled pulling her glove off, and reaching out to grasp the next available skin she could.

There was a scream, a fainting body and a very strong, very powerful voice which boomed over all the thieves and assassins, regaining control and yelled, "ENOUGH!"