Chapter 9

Hello to all the faithful readers. Excuse the group for the delay, but with the holidays and New Year we fell behind. We have been working on the storyline and are up and running again. This chapter is brought to you by Chellerbelle. Italics represent flashback. Please note: none of us own the X-men, X-men the movie or any characters in this story.

Etienne looked at Remy in shock.

"Belle knows?" he repeated after a hard swallow. "How... when... I'm dead, aren't I? I am so dead."

"Et, Et, relax," Remy said as he put his hands on his cousin's upper arms. "She doesn't know it was you. She discovered it missing, but the impression I got was that she thinks it was stolen a while ago."

"You sure?" Etienne questioned skeptically.

"Would I lie to you?"

"Oui."

"Would I lie to you about something important?"

"Well, I guess not," Etienne conceded. "Do you consider my life important?"

"It's nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humour," Remy said dryly. "Look, it just means that we have a deadline to meet to find the chalice. We were already making it a priority anyway."

"Which begs the question," Rogue drawled, "have you even bothered to start looking for it yet?"

Remy and Etienne turned their heads to look at her, Remy dropping his hands.

"I don't suppose you would have any coffee, would you, chère?" Remy asked.

"Actually, Etienne just made up some," Rogue replied sweetly. "Etienne, won't you be a dear and get your cousin some coffee?"

"Uh," Etienne said, looking between them. "Sure."

"Why don't we take this to the dining room?" Rogue went on, her eyes still on Remy. "I'm sure that'll be more comfortable than standing in the hallway."

"It's your house, chérie," Remy replied, spreading his hands.

"And don't you forget it," Rogue said haughtily, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she turned and sauntered into the dining room.

Remy waited just long enough before following to appreciate the sway of her hips as she walked. He was convinced she was doing it on purpose just to tease him. Rogue took her seat and put her hands around her coffee mug, glad it hadn't lost too much heat in the intervening time. She took a sip and watched as Remy sat down on a chair opposite Etienne's seat, marked by his own mug.

"You didn't answer my question," Rogue commented.

"As I said before, this isn't your business," Remy said firmly. "We're dealing with some dangerous people here. I wouldn't want to see you caught in the crossfire."

"In other words," Rogue said as Etienne appeared with a mug of coffee for Remy, "you haven't."

"Merci, Et," Remy said.

"You're welcome," Etienne replied, sitting back down at his own chair.

"I'm quite serious, chère," Remy continued after a sip of his coffee. "Should the worst happen, the Assassins will shoot first and ask questions second."

"Then it seems to me that you need all the help you can get," Rogue replied. "Don't make me kick Etienne out. He's such a nice boy."

The fact that he was probably older than her was completely beside the point. Etienne hid his face in his coffee mug, refusing to meet Remy's eyes.

"Good to know he's been on his best behaviour," Remy said slyly.

"So uh," Etienne said quickly, "I was thinking that maybe the bar might be the best place for you to start. I mean, I suppose I could have lost it on the way to the bar, but I've never dropped anything on the bike before and I know it was definitely in my pocket before we got on."

"I agree. Mercy's checking out pawnshops and the like in case anyone found it and decided to make a quick buck," Remy said. "You know how she likes shopping, so she's happy."

"I bet Henri's not," Etienne replied, a grin appearing on his face.

"You may find yourself in possession of a big bill when this is over," Remy said with a sage nod.

"Mon dieu!" Etienne said, staring at him in horror. "Remy, we have to find the chalice quick!"

"Don't have to tell me twice," Remy drawled, smirking at him. "So, when you checked the bar earlier?"

"I looked everywhere," Etienne insisted. "And I tried talking to the guys too, but none of the staff were any help. The patrons might have been regulars during the day, but none of them were regulars during the night, so that was a dead end too."

"Well, the staff there are never any help," Remy said with a pointed look at Rogue. "They're smart enough to keep their hands clean of Guild business."

"Have you tried replaying your visit to the bar?" Rogue asked Etienne, ignoring Remy's comment. "You know, mentally retracing your steps?"

"You kidding? I've been replaying the whole night, over and over again," Etienne replied wearily. "I even physically retraced them in the bar when I checked it out. I looked under the tables and chairs, around the bar and the pool tables and in the men's, and nothing. Not a damned thing."

"Did you try the women's?" Rogue inquired slyly.

"Uh, no," Etienne replied, feeling his face flush. "I didn't go in there."

"Really? That's a surprise," she mused.

Remy raised an eyebrow at his cousin and then glanced at Rogue. Clearly he was missing something.

"What about cleaning staff?" Rogue went on then. "You know, whoever tidies up after hours? Or do they keep out of it too?"

"They probably keep out of it too," Remy said. "Say, Et, did you think to check the garbage?"

"N-no," Etienne replied.

"Hmm, that may be worth checking out, in the off chance whoever picked it up didn't check the bag," Remy considered. "Let's see, it was pretty late—more like early morning—when we arrived and the first thing we did was order drinks..."

"To a successful Tilling," Remy said, holding up his glass.

"Cheers," Etienne replied happily.

They saluted each other with their glasses and then downed their drinks before ordering another round. While they waited, Remy looked around the bar. It was as upper class as you could get around this part of New Orleans, and a favourite of members from both Guilds as well as the general public. With the current peace between the Guilds, the owner didn't have to worry about Guild-related bar fights.

This time of night, however, there were very few people in there. The only other Thief Remy spied was sitting in the corner, staring into his drink. There were a lot more Assassins, all engrossed in some lively discussion. Remy recognised Bandit hustling at the pool tables and smirked to himself before his attention was captured by a tall, curvy blonde bending over at the next pool table across to take her shot. He was just admiring the way her mini skirt was crawling up her thighs when Etienne noticed and groaned.

"Hey," he objected while waving his hand in front of Remy's face. "Remember me? Etienne? The reason why we're even here?"

Remy turned his head slightly and grinned at Etienne, although his eyes remained on the fine female behind.

"Oui, I remember," Remy said. "But you have to admit, that's a very nice view."

"I'll drink to that," Etienne replied as the bartender slid their drinks across. "But you don't get to ditch me for a dame tonight, Remy."

"Aww, where's the fun in that?" Remy joked. "Don't worry, Et. I wasn't planning any such thing."

"You never do."

Still, the two continued admiring the scenery until the game ended. Her partner kissed her sloppily, and then the two wandered out of the bar with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Care for a game?" Etienne asked, already getting up off the stool.

"Sure," Remy agreed.

They set up the balls and Etienne broke first. There weren't too many things he could do better than Remy. Remy was the premiere Thief, had been known to get women just by pointing a finger and always cleaned up at the poker tables. But when it came to billiards, Etienne was the king.

After beating Remy at the four games that followed, nature called and Etienne headed to the men's to heed its words. Upon his return, Remy had more drinks waiting for them.

"Another game?" Remy asked.

"You're not tired of losing yet?" Etienne teased him.

"Sooner or later, the booze is going to get to you, and then we'll see how easy it is for you to aim."

Etienne laughed.

"Had a few more games, finally left after I beat Etienne," Remy finished and grinned at Etienne. "I went straight home. I'm guessing you did too, Et?"

"Oui," Etienne confirmed and then sighed. "Of all the nights I had to lose stuff it had to be the night of my Tilling."

"And the chalice," Remy added. "Wouldn't have been so bad if you just lost your keys or something."

"Exactly."

"Still would have been able to get home and get in your apartment," Remy went on. "Not like you need keys for that."

Etienne chuckled while Rogue raised her eyebrows over her now depleted coffee mug.

"Uh huh," she said. "I take it you're going back to the bar tonight?"

"What I do is not your concern, chère," Remy replied seriously. "You already know more than you should."

"You know, now that you mention it," Rogue drawled. "I have this thing about peeping toms and voyeurs. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Etienne."

Remy only got as far as mouthing the word "voyeur" before Etienne started blushing furiously and babbled: "It was... I didn't mean... an accident, I swear! Please don't kick me out. There's Assassins involved here. Assassins!"

"Hmm, yes, that does sound pretty dangerous, doesn't it? But your cousin here is just all so concerned about my wellbeing. In fact, he's got me so nervous, I couldn't possibly risk keeping you here in my house where those big nasty Assassins could drop in at any time," Rogue said cynically.

"He has to stay here," Remy said. "We can't afford for him to be seen."

Rogue merely looked at him. She would have liked to have captured his eyes, but unfortunately, they were still hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Why he was wearing them indoors, she had no idea.

"There isn't another safe house," Remy added.

"Not my problem," Rogue dismissed and stood up. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd suggest you both leave."

Remy sighed loudly while Etienne looked anxiously between them.

"What do you want exactly?" Remy asked finally.

"I want to help," Rogue replied, looking down on him. "Is that really so much to ask?"

"You know nothing about the Guilds, and certainly nothing about the chalice," Remy dismissed. "You can help best by keeping Etienne hidden. With you here, you can make supply runs, and I don't have to risk being seen coming here too often. Actually looking for the chalice on the other hand? You'll just be a liability. As far as I see it, chère, your house is the only asset you've got."

Well, perhaps not the only 'asset', Remy decided as his eyes racked slowly up and down her body, but certainly the only one relevant to the discussion.

"Oh really?" Rogue drawled, her body slanting to the side as one hand rest on her hip. "And how, pray tell, were you planning on getting answers out of bar staff—and possibly patrons as well—who don't want to get involved with Guild business?"

"I have my ways."

"Uh huh. Seems to me, you could use all the help you can get in this search, and I'd say the fact that I'm not a member of either Guild is an asset."

Etienne coughed nervously.

"Uh, she does raise a good point, Remy," he offered tentatively.

"I tell you what," Rogue said. "I'm going to go to the kitchen and put these mugs in the sink. When I come back out here, you two had better be gone unless you're going to meet my terms. I'll even be nice and give you a few minutes to talk it over."

In one swift motion, Rogue picked up the three empty mugs and sauntered into the kitchen while Remy and Etienne both admired the view. Slowly Etienne turned his head back to look at Remy.

"Please don't make me leave," he said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but she's hot; especially when she's not holding a frying pan."

"I'll take that under advisement," Remy said dryly, then added: "Voyeur?"

"Not that, you know, she'll be here all the time," Etienne said quickly, feeling the blush run to his face again. "I mean, she'll be out searching too. And really, I think it's very nice of her to want to help us."

"I'd like to know why she wants to help us," Remy replied, seeing Etienne's discomfort and making a mental note to pursue the matter later. "What's in it for her?"

"Well, if we stick around, we might find out."

"This is not a holiday for you, Etienne," Remy told him firmly. "You lost the chalice."

"You don't need to remind me."

"Just making sure."

"You know, she's probably going to come back soon."

"Oui, and I don't have anywhere else to stash you."

"So, I guess she's helping?"

Remy sighed, and his response was delayed by Rogue's return.

"Well now, what do I have here? Two little swamp rats still in my house," she mused. "I'm assuming this means you've decided to take me up on my generous offer? Or were you about to leave?"

Remy pushed out from the table and slowly walked over to her. Rogue kept her eyes firmly on his sunglasses and refused to look away even when he stopped barely inches from her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he said.

Rogue shivered at the dangerous tone in his voice, and annoyed with herself for reacting like that, she reached up and snatched his glasses off. She caught her breath at the sight of his red irises burning in black sclera. Remy didn't even so much as flinch.

"You're a mutant," she stated.

"What was your first clue?" Remy asked dryly.

"Hmph." Rogue snorted and pressed his now-folded glasses into his chest. "Unless you're in danger of shooting optic beams from those eyes of yours, you don't need to wear these things in here. Etienne?"

"Oui?" Etienne inquired.

"Since I'm going to be out and about searching for this chalice of yours, you're in charge of keeping the house clean."

"Of course I am," he muttered.