Chapter sixteen: Doesn't Really Matter

(LeBeau's Family Thanksgiving, continuing where Chapter fifth teen left off.)

"Rogue I expected a lot of shit from you but this one takes the whole damn cake!" Mercy crossed her foot, remaining in proper manner of a southern lady. "I bet you couldn't wait to sleep with him." She shook her head in disgust "No protection that sounds like you."

Rogue stood by the creak behind the LeBeau mansion watching her reflection with watery eyes as the vengeful doubt slowly began to pullout her mind. Mercy words continued to bore at her.

"You're the most insignificant woman in his life remember that."

Yes, Mercy LeBeau had heated feeling towards Rogue for she too was blind slighted by Rogue's young innocent mirage and too fell into her web of lies, but things and times change and Mercy was all grown up and out for blood. Rogue's blood. It was difficult for Mercy to watch as Remy was played for a fool. She had been the closest of friends with Remy, that's how she was introduced to her current husband Henry. It was simple fact that Remy had woman looking out for him as much as he looked at them in lust and it tore at Rogue to know that she was not excepted by the woman of his past.

"Ororo was right about you from day one, Remy should have ended it at the dinner." Mercy got up and walked about the room barking down at Rogue. "My god, Rogue, I don't understand you, what made you think that you were ever good enough for him? Clearly some part of you did and look what you did with it?" She stopped and looked Rogue in her eyes "You killed him and I'm sorry that Remy stopped them from killing you first."

Rogue stared at the mucky waters before her, she knew that coming to New Orleans was a horrible mistake and yet she found herself on the jet taken by Remy's charms to follow him. It then truly struck her that she would follow Remy to death and back if he asked and she was forever weakened by him.

Mercy composed herself and sat directly in front of Rogue. Rogue sitting numb looked up as Tante entered the living room. Although there was no visible bruising or traces of blood from Mercy's words, Rogue looked like a defeated boxer, she could have passed out she felt so disgusted and beaten. "The scares you bare are deeper and more painful then any words I could conjure to say to you." For some reason Rogue broke when Tante said those words to her, what she didn't realize was the pain that it caused Tante to say them. She believed in Rogue the most.

Sitting alone by the banks side watching the wild life Rogue made a special wish to feel free as them. It was hard to miss that there was growing battle in her mind, she had been strong for so long but the LeBeau's were her family once to hear them bash her was worse then listening to her mother spin more lies.

Remy was stirring the eureka and chopping onions preparing the pot for the crawfish when he caught a disheveled face from the corner of his eye. It was the light that dived him and she was looking down. Remy wasted no time and made up an excuse to pardon himself from his cooking duties. He soon found himself watching Rogue from a closer distance tossing the stones lightly in the river. His lips parted to speak when Rogue took his voice.

"Don't Remy."

"Chere…" Remy reached for her back.

"Don't Remy this is something you can't fix." She crossed her legs and lowered her head.

"Talk to me Marie don't shut me out. I won't let you to go back, I won't let us go back there."

"You say all these sweet things to me Remy and they sound so good. Then you touch me it doesn't even have to be much just the slightest thing makes me feel…like…" Rogue took a deep breath and wiped a tear way. "I want to know that things are real for once that I do have a family and…I'm accepted faults and all. When will it be enough, when will it be real?"

Remy couldn't stand for it any longer he didn't have the inner strength to re-due it all again. Something in him snapped he couldn't believe that she was doing after all that was sacrificed between them. He bent down and scooped her up in his arms like a new bride. She protested at first hitting Remy's chest but collapsed when Remy continued to walk and stayed stone cold in the face.

"You need to see this." Remy didn't feel anyway when he dropped Rogue on the damp grass. She rubbed her arm in pain and sprung to her feet ready to cuss and slap Remy.

"Look…" Remy wasn't gentle anymore but harsh. "Look" he demanded and Rogue obeyed. She turned slowly to see the massive tree with the tree house intact, it was their spot where they would sneak out and met when they were banned from one other. Rogue missed the place, never in her whole life had she just been as free or more transparent with anyone. It was the only time she was Marie pure and simple.

"Touch it…" Remy said in a volute tone. "Touch it." Rogue started to shake her head and chin started to tremble at Remy rough voice. "Touch it." He pulled her by the hand and shoved her into the tree. "Feel it…"

"Remy!" Rogue struggled against him trying to break loose but Remy had her pinned tight. "Why are you being so rough with me?"

"You used to liked it rough, hurting others as you hated yourself, not caring!" he pinned both her arms against the tree and leaned into her. "Why should I treat you any different!? When you don't see me as anything…"

"Remy…"she looked down unable to hold face to him.

"You can't even look me in eyes why I am wasting my time? Hmmm Marie why" his eyes burned holes into her soul. "You say you love me but you once told said those are just words." Remy dropped her arms and the circulation ran back in her fingers. She caved to the floor looking at Remy upside down as he walked way.

"Remy!" Rogue screamed bloody murder, but he kept walking. "Remy!" she picked up the fallen nut off the ground and hurled it at Remy's head. "Remy!" around the fifth nut making contact with his head, Remy rotated to look at her.

"You know Remy, You know me…" she bent her head and fiddle with her arm "I'm scared" she whispered, Remy couldn't hear her.

"No, sadly I only thought I did that I knew woman within that scared girl, but I was wrong…"

"No, no, no" she ran up to him falling over herself.

"What do we have! I have…" he let out aloud grunt into the echoing woods "You think this is just about you! What about Oli doesn't he have a right to know, what about me chere? I've been working everyday to change so you will love me back as much as you say! But what's the point now?"

"I do…"

"Do what?! You can't even say it! I've been complacent for so long and I don't want anyone else but do you even want any of this." He threw his arms up in defeat.

"Yes I…"

"Stop stuttering, Marie, just say what you feel!" he was speaking with his hand and a very aggressive tone.

"Remy…"

"Say what you feel!!" he bit back causing tears to fall from Rogue's emerald eyes.

"I never killed you." Remy brows unwrinkled but his hash breathing continued. "Don't pretend you don't remember, it was our last night together before what happened in Sinster's lab. It was last chance to make my mother proud all I had to do was take in your head." Rogue inched closer her make-up blurry from her tears. "You came out to meet me…And…."

What Rogue was trying to find the words to finish was that the guild was on strict orders to capture Rogue on sight, but Remy couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You could have called and turned me in but you didn't…" she fell in closer.

"So." Remy said plainly.

"So?! What did I say to you instead? I confessed why I was there and gave you the biggest opportunity to kill me to turn me in but you didn't."

"Again so?"

"So!? Oh my god Remy!" she rested her hands on her side and leaded her torso over trying to get some air. Rising her eyes slowly to Remy sultry orbs "I told you because…"

"Stop stuttering."

"Because."

"Waste…"

"Grr…" Rogue grunted and charged at Remy with her fist and socked him in the face. "Because I loved, I love you Remy!" Remy propped himself up and not giving the bruise any attention. He caved in a bit at her words and ran into her forcing them both back until they hit the trunk of the tree with a thud.

"Say it again."

"I love you."

"Say it again."

"I love you."

"Again."

"Remy LeBeau I love you…" he leaned in and captured her lips.

"Believe it every time chere believe it every time because I love more then I could possibly ever knew I could." He kissed her lips once more binding their hands while keeping her firmly planted against the tree. "I love you Marie and that's what matters is what we feel not what they think."

It was hours of endless passion in the tree house. Rogue never knew such simple joys or blissful pleasures. It was after the sun completely despaired over the tree tops that collected decided that they needed to returned to the house. Walking up to the front door hand in hand, they stood stronger and more united.

Olivier was watching movies with his cousin William, they were to into movie to realize the adults gathered in the next room. Remy and Rogue stood front and center and the conversation went silence.

"Marie" Tante spoke up knowing that Remy wanted to speak to Henry and the others privately. "Come with me child I have something for you." Tante lead Rogue out of the room but was frightened she already round one with Mercy but from the look in Remy's she knew she was safe at last.

"Remy."

"Stop homme, it all stops now you will show her respect."

"You're giving us orders after what she did to you! We are your family Remy we love you here…."

"And I love her that's what don't you understand, I love her."

Mercy crossed her arms and frowned and Henry shook his head in shame.

"When she comes back downstairs you will be kind and or this is last time you will see me."

Mercy's face fell and her eyes filled with water "Remy…" she said softly.

"You made your choice, I never thought I would to have to chose between the woman I love and my family, but know that you will lose every time."

Henry stared blankly not liking Remy's ultimatum, his wife reached back and grabbed his arm in horror Mercy couldn't bare the idea of losing Remy. Henry moved to speak but just as he did Rogue re-entered.

"Marie, Mercy was going over to Paul's house to help Jen with the deserts you should go." Henry offered in a up beat tone.

"Yeah?" Rogue asked in disbelief.

Secretly Mercy was gabbing her finger into Henry's side. Her back was turned to Remy and Rogue, her face was crossed and angry that she was being seen as the bad person for what she said to Rogue. Still as much as it burned her, she wasn't willing to let go of Remy without a fight and from Henry's sudden upbeat tone neither was he.

"Yeah you still know how to make a pecan pie right?" Mercy held a bight smile on her face. The undertone was bitter and Remy noticed as did Rogue but he gave her credit for trying.

"Remy!" Paul entered from the kitchen he determined it was safe when there wasn't any yelling or gun shots. "Homme you going to let the ham burn!" he was suddenly excited too after 'overhearing Remy's ultimatum.

"Just worry about your chicken leave the hog to big boys." Remy said with a chuckle walking over to kitchen doorway, but not before he kissed Rogue on the lips and whispered in her ear. "Queen of hearts."