Disclaimer: Marvel owns all X-Men related things, though I own this fic and the general concept for it.
Rating: Rated M for language and mature subject matter.
Similar to chapter 16, I will have a song posted within the chapter, to sort of help with the mood. It is "I Only Have Eyes For You" by Jamie Cullum. I love this song, and since this story heavily moved down to New Orleans, all it did was remind me of this song.
I'm actually finding it very easy to write about Rogue as a server because I now have a part-time job as a server, and it helps like no tomorrow to write this now.
Also, I only just realized it. In the last chapter, I gave Rogue's co-worker the name of Monique. Monique is also a very close friend of mine, and almost anything we do nowadays, we do it together. I almost did not realize that I had used her name in my fic. XD (though the physical description is quite different then how my friend really is)
Enjoy the chapter!!
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Are the stars out tonight?
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
'Cause I only have eyes for you, dear
xxx
Tujages was slow that night. Barely any tables were full. Then again, it was a Tuesday.
Rogue wandered through the dining area, picking up random scraps people left along the floor or tables. She only had one table at the moment and they were happily eating away. With very little to do, Rogue walked up to the old cypress bar and began chatting with the bartender, Monique soon joining them on such a slow evening.
Little attention was paid when the door opened and more visitors arrived. Monique was the first to notice and tapped Rogue on the shoulder to get her attention.
"Hey hun, that guy that just walked in," Monique started in a hushed tone. Rogue looked over her shoulder, inconspicuously as the host lead a single man to a table.
"What about 'im?" Rogue asked, not knowing what Monique was talking about. Maybe she was going to try and set her up again on a date. After what had happened with the fruit-cake Monique set her up with a few weeks prior, Rogue wasn't about to fall for it again, "Ah swear, if you try hook meh up with 'im lahke that Johnny what's-his-face, Ah'll…"
"No, no!" Monique stopped Rogue, "He was one of de guys dat was eyein' you de other day, when it was rainin'."
Rogue looked back again, utterly confused.
Said 'guy' was just sitting down at his table, pale-ish blonde hair, ever so slight goatee, and a leather over-coat that seemed to be almost too heavy for that time of year. He was cute, not so memorable. But for some reason, he seemed familiar. Maybe it was some flashes of memories from the psyches, she wasn't sure. All she knew was she had probably never met him in her life.
"Nevah seen 'im befo'."
"Rogue," The hostess that seated the man approached them, "Table 8 is yours."
"Well, looks like Ah'll be getting' tah know 'im a bit mo' anyways," Rogue told Monique, who had begun giggling at Rogue while she grabbed a wine menu from the bar and moving over to the mystery man's table. His head was upright, but his eyes looking down at the menu below him. Rogue did little to try and grab his attention.
"Evenin', sir."
The man's head almost snapped at attention after she spoke, "Bonjour, madamosielle," he replied, allowing the greeting to roll from him. It was made clear that he gave her a through once over as she stood before him. Rogue had seen this type many times before, but why not earn the extra tips.
"Qu'est-ce qu'un homme comme vous fais ici tout seul?" (What is a gentleman like yourself doing here all alone?)
"De better to appreciate the beauty dat is around me, ma cherie," he replied again, gently taking hold of Rogue's gloved hand and kissing the back of it. Cajuns; always the charmers, always the same. Well… not all of them.
"Merci beaucoup. Can Ah get ya somethin' tah drink?" Rogue asked politely, placing the wine menu on the table.
The man paused for a moment, not even touching the menu, "Merlot, s'il vous plait."
"Comin' rahght up," Rogue smiled as she turned and walked back to the bar.
xxx
My love must be some kind of blind love
I don't see anybody but you
xxx
Over the course of the evening, Rogue's other table had paid and left, Monique finished for the day, and still that mysterious man sat, drinking his Merlot long after his short meal had ended and his bill paid. Monique had told Rogue to at least get the man's name before the night was over. It seemed that that was his goal to learn hers as well. How many had tried, but still she, only known as the Rogue.
"Lost in thought?" Rogue asked him on her round, the man staring blankly ahead of him, until she came into his view.
"Non, not so much now," he joked, sitting straighter in his chair now. He extended his arm to the chair across from him, offering her to sit as well. Rogue took the offer.
They talked for a while, yet some how remaining vague on both parts. He, a businessman. Which business, he would not say. His taste for Merlot, a family trait. Whose family, unknown to even him.
Rogue played along. It was fun, something she hadn't had in a long time. She missed it.
xxx
The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky
'Cause I only have eyes for you
xxx
"Dere still is one t'ing, ya not told me, chere," he said, taking a sip from his glass.
"Really? What's that?" Rogue questioned.
He looked up from his glass and smirked, "Yo' name?"
Rogue bit her lip and looked away from him, silent, but teasing, "Ah should probably get back to work."
"A trade? Mine for yours?" He quickly retorted before she could even stand from her seat. Rogue eyed his suspiciously, but only seeming to find that playful glint in his eye.
"Fahne. What's yours?"
He smiled as he spoke his name, "Phillipe."
"Lovely name," Rogue replied.
"Et tu?" Phillipe asked in anticipation.
Biting her lip again, "Ah only go by Rogue."
Phillipe leaned back in his chair taking in the name, "It suits you well… Rogue."
Rogue could only smile as she light-heartedly ended the evening, "Well, that was certainly enjoyable, but as yah can clearly see, Monsieur Phillipe, we will be closing soon."
"Oh of course. Don't let me keep you from returning home after such a long hard day of work," Phillipe joked, earning a sigh and eye roll from the southern belle. He quickly took her hand in his again, as gently as before, and kissed it again, "Until we meet again, ma cherie."
Rogue blushed as he turned with his coat in arm and left the building. But for some reason, after all that time talking to the mystery man, all she could think of as he walked out was Remy, and the last time she saw him. When the world made sense and when everything seemed right. That image of him walking out the door, coat in hand, that was all she saw.
xxx
I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
xxx
Rogue had left soon after Phillipe did, in a fit of tears that she desperately tried to hold back. The walk home seemed even longer when she cried. All she wanted was to curl up with a pillow and sob until all water had left her body.
Why wasn't she past this yet? She should have been happy with her new life. Everything was going so well and even the attacks from Carol had become more and more suppressed. But whenever it came to Remy, all those memories just came back to her, never letting her forget that she had passed the happy time of her life at only 18 years old. She knew she would never be that happy again, as much as she wanted to be in her new life.
Rogue, deciding she had enough with walking, flew the rest of the way home in the now deserted streets at 2 am. She quickly got into the house and threw her bag across the room as she collapsed onto the sofa in the living room. She cried into the throw pillow for twenty minutes before talking herself back to normal. Her face felt tight from dried tears, her make-up smeared. Her hair felt knotted from the wind blowing through it on the flight home. Rogue quickly decided that a nice hot bath, with lots of lavender, would calm her down and make her feel better.
Too lazy to care about where her clothes ended up, she undressed as she walked up the stairs and to the master bathroom, a trail leading behind her all the way to the door. Hair in a loose bun and jewelry removed, Rogue slipped into the steaming bath that seemed to soothe all the aches she felt earlier. She reached over to the iPod radio she kept in her bathroom and hit play, Jamie Cullum filling the room with soft piano and even, steady beats.
xxx
You are here, so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
I only have eyes for you
xxx
Hair dried. Teeth brushed. Pajamas on.
Rogue moved straight from the bathroom to her bed, exhausted from the long day. She sat on the side of bed, attempting to clear her mind. The less active it was, the better she slept. It had become a nightly ritual for her; one she was intent on maintaining to regain at least a portion of her sanity. Staring blankly ahead, Rogue's attention soon fell on the open closet that held a large portion of clothing that needed to be washed. But hanging still was the duster she cared for with pride. Ignoring the dirty laundry, Rogue stood from the bed and sauntered to the neatly hung garment, gently taking it from it's hanger and holding it in her arm as she pondered it's sentimentality.
Rogue returned to the bed, duster still in arm, and laid down on the comfy bed, grabbing a pillow and curling up on her side. Her face was buried in the lapel of the trench coat, reminiscing all the scents that lay dormant. It was all she needed to calm her thoughts.
As the coolness of the pillow died under her touch and the hot weather, Rogue rolled over, facing the window and rested against another pillow. It seemed awkward to her that it was warmer then I should have been. She remembered turning on the air conditioning before she left for work that day. Her thoughts some what faded as she began drifting off. But before fading off completely, she looked out to the window to see if it was open. She must have been dreaming already. All she saw were those beautiful red eyes she had missed for so long.
Rogue smiled at the memory, her eyes watering again, "Ah missed you, Remy."
Rogue silently fell into sleep as the tears streamed down her pale cheeks, soon gently brushed away by caring hands.
xxx
My love must be some kind of blind love
I don't see anybody but you
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Yay! Another chapter! Started this last night actually. Took a while to figure out how I wanted to start this off.
Don't worry, all will be revealed shortly. Muahahahaha!!!
PLEASE review you guys, even if it's constructive crit! I love that stuff! ^__^
And thanks to those of you who have been. Your words of encouragement mean a lot to me. 3
Until next time…
