So, I intended to reply to all of my absolutely lovely reviewers. and then FFN had another issue, and I couldn't get in. But now it's letting me in, and I wanted to get this posted before it got cranky and crapped out again. That said, I will reply to all the fabulous folks who took the time to review. Thank you! I was so excited by your comments that I wrote another chapter and half! And thank you to the alerts and favorites. You guys are so awesome!
I'm not sure when I will get the next chapter up. My homework has been rather difficult this weekend, and I'm not as far along as i would like to be. (glares at homework sitting on the desk) . And my midterm is next week, but I promise I will get at least one more chapter up by then.
As always I don't the X-men, Marvel, or the Guilds. But they are so much fun to borrow. Have a good week and enjoy!
Layla
Rogue leaned edgily against the back of the couch. It was now nearly 2:30 am and she was getting increasingly antsy. The burst of energy she'd gotten from Gambit had worn off with her adrenaline rush after the fight, making her feel all the battles, stress, and lost sleep of the last 40 hours.
Remy had been unconscious for 4 hours now, and Jean-Luc had stopped by just long enough to make it abundantly clear that she wasn't leaving or calling any one until Gambit woke up.
They had to know she was gone by now. Even with the message she'd seen from Kitty when she tried to call home on her cell phone, there was no way Logan and the professor didn't know she'd left.
Henri and Mercy were cuddled on another couch keeping her company while she waited for Remy to wake up. Both had thanked her repeatedly for stepping in when she had. Henri seemed to think she'd found the only possible loop hole in the Guild's iron clad rule book, and it had impressed him more than a little.
Tante Mattie entered, bringing Rogue's freshly laundered clothes with her. "Best pack these away. You'll be needin' more than one set of clothes for the road."
Rogue's eyebrows rose. As tired as she was, she fought back the desire to snap a question at the woman. What little she'd been able to figure out about her left Rogue with the distinct impression that getting on Mattie's bad size was not a good idea. "Why will Ah need clothes for the road?" she asked, as politely as she could manage.
Mattie smiled at her. "You don' t'ink we're gonna send Remy on the road alone with those two huntin' him, do ya child?" She smiled her enigmatic smile and slipped out of the room.
Grumbling to herself she muttered, "Well that's just great. Now Logan's really gonna kill me." She shot Gambit's sleeping form a glare. "See if Ah ever try to help the Swamp Rat again."
She nearly jumped out of her skin at the half amused hmmrph that came from the couch adjacent to hers in response. Henri and Mercy stood, Henri moving to stand beside the groggy Gambit and Mercy slipping out the door. "You awake, frère?" Henri asked.
"C'est possible," he slurred in French, attempting to sit up. A few minutes of staring stupidly at nothing, and he finally shook his head and focused on his brother. "How'd it end?" he asked guardedly.
Henri gave a light shrug. "Rogue fought in your place." His confusion on just how she'd made that happen was obvious. "Not quite sure how, but she fought as you. Knocked Julien on his back. Marius denied he knew about de attack, so I doubt Julien will live to see the dawn. He didn' even challenge Rogue fightin'."
Remy's eyes widened. His eyes flickered over to Rogue. He held her gaze for a long moment before turning back to Henri. "Marius declare Bella his new heir?"
Henri nodded. "Ouias. Marius is de one who said de weddin' is off. He and Pere are goin' to meet later to find a way to work t'ings out wit'out a marriage."
Gambit's relief was visible on more than just his face. His whole body relaxed, head dropping and eyes closing for a long second. "Jean-Luc agreed the wedding was off?" he confirmed.
"Oui. No way you'll marry Bella Donna now, even if you wanted to." Henri rested his hand on Gambit's shoulder. "Been delt a fresh hand, frère. If you want out, Remy, take dis chance and don't look back."
Rogue tried to silently bury herself deeper in the couch cushions. Emotional moments between family members always left her feeling awkward and out of place. Given her involvement in the night's events, she was doubly uncomfortable.
Her fidgeting attracted Gambit's attention. "Seems I owe you a second time, Chérie."
Rogue glared. "Ah don't like cheaters. That's why Ah fought."
Even tired and groggy his smirk nagged at her. "Sure it is." He looked at her carefully for a moment, his eyes focusing on the gauze taped to her neck. "Julien get you?"
She shrugged, downplaying how if he hadn't moved her it would have been much worse. "Just a scrape. Nothin' serious."
Dropping his smooth exterior for a moment he looked her in the eye. "Thank you," he said seriously.
Rogue fidgeted and finally nodded, accepting his thanks without comment, not sure how to handle his blatant honesty.
There was a moment's pause before she asked, "Since you're awake, can Ah call Logan now? He's gonna kill me for leavin' without sayin' anything."
Glowing red eyes flashed with surprise and amusement. "You snuck out? Chérie, I'm touched."
Rogue glared. He was reading too much into this.
Her mental Logan snorted. You're the one that went running down there, Stripes.
She got a fleeting impression of amusement from Remy's significantly fainter psyche. The psyche had settled into her mind like Logan and Julien, no longer up front and sharing control of her body.
Annoyed, she stood up from the couch and went to the cabinet where Jean-Luc had placed her phone after he found her trying to call the mansion. The door was locked. Crossing her arms over her chest, she loudly rested her shoulders against the cabinet as she watched Mercy return with Jean-Luc.
"Can Ah have my phone back now?" she asked, not bothering to hide her annoyance with Remy's father.
He ignored her and turned his attention to Gambit.
"Comment ça va?" Jean-Luc asked, carefully watching his son for any lingering symptoms of Rogue's absorption.
Remy tossed him an annoyed glare, well aware it was more concern about him losing his abilities that it was actual concern for his person. "I'm fine. It's nothing we haven't done before." Rogue snorted, and he smirked, but his voice was serious. "Stop giving the fille a hard time."
Jean-Luc's eyes flicked from Remy to Rogue and back again, his shrewd eyes trying to figure out exactly what relationship bonded the two mutants. He finally settled his gaze on Rogue. "'Fore y' call home, we should discuss how we're goin' to handle dis Marauder problem, non?"
"What do you mean by 'we'? Ah've already done more than Ah planned. My part is over." Rogue bit out the question, her eyebrows rising in expectation of an answer from the man who reminded so much of a pirate, and not in a good way.
Jean-Luc took obvious pleasure in his answer, leaning casually against the arm of Remy's couch, relaxed but still alert. "Y' said it yourself, Rogue. You've gotten involved with dis. Too many saw what y' did tonight. Y' leave now, and de Marauders will just follow y' figurin' y' know where Remy is. Wasn' protectin' your little family de reason you came all de way down here?" he drawled, eyes glittering maliciously.
Rogue visibly glowered at the man's thinly veiled threat. If her little fight earlier didn't attract Arclight and Scalphunter's attention on its own, Jean-Luc would ensure they followed her.
Although a bit wobbly on his feet, Remy stood quickly, moving to stand next to Rogue by the cabinet holding her cell phone. "That's enough. You remember the damage her family did to the Rippers? You go after her and they'll come after what's left of the Guild."
Jean-Luc eyed his son sharply at the implied threat. "Are y' claimin' she's under your protection?"
"I'm still a prince," he said, an edge of challenge in his voice.
Rogue looked between the two Thieves before reinserting herself in the conversation. "Ah am still here, you know. Ah don't need anyone's protection. Ah can handle myself. And how the hell are you a prince?"
Remy smirked at her, enjoying the flash of temper in her eyes. "Prince of thieves," he stated, holding her gaze as she absorbed his words.
Her eyebrows rose dangerously high. "That mean Ah should call you Robin Hood?"
Henri laughed out loud, pulling Rogue and Remy out of their staring contest. "I really do like y', petit." He gave Rogue a friendly smile. "Y' are of course under Remy's protection while y' are here. But mon pere is right about de Marauders. Remy is known for havin' belle femme's around. If you leave now, dey will assume he is wit' y'after de fun tonight."
Rogue looked uneasily between Henri and Remy. Henri seemed more trust worthy than his father, but she was still leery of the LeBeau brothers. For a reason she couldn't really explain, she trusted Gambit the most. Perhaps she should be questioning her sanity. Again.
At her questioning look, Remy nodded reluctantly, confirming his brother's words. "If you want to keep them from finding out about the X-Men, it's probably wise for you to stay here, out of sight, until this is over."
Jean-Luc interrupted before Remy could go on. "She will of course be under our protection if she stays. But it would be best if she leaves wit' y'."
Remy frowned, watching his father in suspicious confusion. "What do you mean?"
Jean-Luc smirked. "Y' ain't de only one in dis family who knows how to disappear, Remy. If she runs with y', we can claim your departure is due to a new contract. A fille who has a need for your talents, and who impressed the Guilds durin' de fight, requested y' for a job. The two of y' will leave together, makin' sure to keep your cover as y' lay down a false trail."
Gambit gave his father a tight smile. "The Guild stays out of trouble when questioned, and when we go off the grid, they'll hopefully think it's for the job."
Jean-Luc nodded with a sly grin, and for once Rogue had no problem imagining him as the King of Thieves. "How y' two handle de two of them once you're gone is up to y'."
Remy sighed before turning his head to face Rogue. "Hate to say it, chérie, but it's a good plan. We can arrange for de Wolverine to casually be in the same place somewhere to get you. Then I'll figure out what do about the Marauders."
Rogue watched his face carefully, looking for any signs that he was trying to play her again. Finding only resignation and tiredness in his eyes, she grudgingly nodded in agreement that it was a good plan. Well the beginning of it wasn't too bad. It would protect the X-Men, even if it left her in the awkward position of playing Gambit's love interest come business partner for a while. But she didn't like the idea of leaving him to face the Marauders alone.
She'd sort of assumed the Guild would help him handle the situation so she didn't have to. The notion that Jean-Luc was sending Remy away specifically so the Guild wouldn't have to get involved in any way bothered her, much more than it appeared to bother Remy. She wondered why he'd ever agreed to stay after rescuing his father.
But now wasn't the time to interrogate him on how he planned on handling the two assassins. That part could be worked out later. And if Logan was going to come all the way to where ever they were going, then she might be able to talk Logan into helping Gambit. It would be a long shot, but she could try.
Yeah, and that will be a fun conversation to have with Logan, she thought to herself. She could feel mental Remy start to make a flirty comment and pushed him away, along with the faint sense of disapproval she felt from Scott's fuzzy and vague psyche. Like Ray he was too indistinct to make an actual comment, but she was dimly aware when he did or did not like something.
Returning her focus to the thieves around her she spoke. "Ah'll agree to leave with you." She intended to stop and leave it at that, but additional words slipped out anyway. "But Ah make no promises about what happens once Logan arrives." Hiding a grimace she willed her face to stay expressionless, held Jean-Luc's gaze evenly, and hoped the thieves took her comment to mean that Logan was unpredictable and that she couldn't speak for him. Not that she was having a hard time with the idea of leaving Gambit behind.
A quick sideways glance at Remy gave her a glimpse of a knowing smirk, and Rogue figured she hadn't fooled him. She hid a wince. This trip just kept getting better.
Jean-Luc watched her with a hint of smile, and she began to doubt she'd fooled anyone. He gestured to the cabinet behind her, a key in his open palm. "Den by all means, call your family. I'd use de burn phone that's beside yours, if I were you." The smile hardened. "But make it clear dey're not to come anywhere near y' until you're well out of Louisiana."
With a defiant glare, she took they key and unceremoniously pushed Gambit out of the way. She didn't like being pushed by anyone, even if she didn't have any real choice in the matter if she wanted to protect her family.
Turning the phone on, Rogue winced at the time. It was 2:45 am in New Orleans; that meant 3:45 in Bayville. She moved to the far corner of the room, futilely trying to gain some amount of privacy. Placing her own phone in her pocket, she dialed Logan's personal cell phone number from memory.
He answered after two rings, sounding wide awake and annoyed. "Stripes? You better have a good reason for not calling until now, Rogue."
Wincing she deflected partially, not looking forward to all this conversation would entail. "They told me Ah couldn't call you until Gambit woke up."
She could practically hear Logan's eyebrows rise. "Why did you have to absorb Gambit?" he asked guardedly, easily connecting why the Guild wouldn't let her leave with Gambit unconscious.
"Cause one of the assassins drugged him and challenged him for the right to marry the Assassin's Guild's leader's daughter. If I hadn't absorbed him and fought as him, Julien would have killed him." She didn't think it was wise to mention that Julien and Bella Donna were brother and sister. That would likely push Logan over the edge.
Logan grumbled for a moment, but all Rogue could pick out was 'couldn't have that' in a sarcastic growl. She decided not to press the issue.
With a sigh, Logan moved on. "You tell him about Essex and the two Marauders?"
Rogue's head snapped up. "How'd you know they're Marauders?"
Logan grumbled in annoyance. "Long story. Ran into them once before. They were working as mercenaries for hire at the time. Thought I'd killed Arclight." He sounded disconcerted that the woman hadn't remained dead. "I take it Gambit knows they're Marauders?"
"Yeah. Essex sort of had him workin' as one for while." Rogue wasn't sure what Logan's reaction to that would be.
"Figured as much from the file. Have to hand it to the Cajun for sneaking out. They ain't an easy bunch to get rid of." There was the faintest hint of approval in his voice that gave Rogue some hope that he might be helpful when the time came. Interrupting her train of thought he asked, "You ready for us to come get ya? Don't wanna risk you running into those two in the airport."
She couldn't quite keep the grimace off her face as she answered. "They won't just let me leave. Rem..Gambit's father will send the Marauders after us if Ah don't help Gambit get out of Louisiana." Her normal twang thickened as she glared at Jean-Luc.
"Like hell he will," Logan snarled.
She cut him off before he could continue. "Ah already agreed to it. Gambit and Ah will make it look like Ah hired him for a job. Once we're out of Louisiana, you can meet us and Ah can leave."
Logan picked up on the lack of emotion in her statement. "They listening in?" he asked.
"Of course," she said, making it sound like she was agreeing to whatever instruction he was giving her.
Logan's gusty sigh blew over the line. "They're leaving him to handle this alone, aren't they?"
"Yes." She said, forcing herself to not sound relieved he'd picked up on that and that he didn't like it.
Logan paused for a long moment. "You gonna just walk away, Stripes?"
She couldn't quite hide the smile tugging at her lips, but kept her words succinct and emotionless. "No."
"Good girl," Logan's voice was tight, but his pride was obvious. He hadn't taught her to run from a fight. "We'll deal with that when you're out of there. You got enough ID to pull this off?"
"Just the one," she answered, "but it should work fine for a while. Ah think."
"Do what you need to get out the state. Half-Pint and I will work on making sure your ID is deep enough. As soon as you and Gumbo know where you're going, call. I'll have Charles keep an eye on you until we get to you. Be careful, darlin'. Now put the Cajun's father on."
With a smirk, Rogue sauntered over to Jean-Luc, "It's for you," she drawled, and handed him the phone.
She waited, one hand on her hip, taking particular joy at the enraged but silent state that Logan inspired in Jean-Luc. He all but threw the phone back at her and snarled, "You'll leave before dawn."
French translations
C'est possible: It's possible.
Comment ça va: How are you (informally, I think)
Snicker... Jean-Luc's afraid of Logan... But they are hitting the road! Together. Hmm. I wonder how that will play out... Stay tuned, and let me know what you think!