A/N - Hey! Sorry it's been a few weeks... I had a busy week and didn't have time to post. Anyways, thanks for your reviews! Enjoy!!
PS - don't forget to vote in my new poll! Yippee!
8
She closed her eyes as the house lights dimmed. It had been so many years… she wasn't sure she'd remember what to do, how to move. She sucked in a slow breath opening her eyes to see the simulated obstacle course.
The stretch of course before her had once been 'her' run. The one Logan made up especially for her to hone her agility. The one Remy had run with ease thousands of times… just to tease her. He'd always loved to tease
her. She let out her breath and balled her fists, feeling the cool leather tighten between her fingers as it stretched over her knuckles. This was her fourth attempt. She ran forward, leaping towards the rope on the wall before
her, scurrying up. She flipped herself up over the top, dropping to the ground on the other side. Rogue quickly regained her balance making a beeline for the balance beam, crossing a line of swinging obstacles that
rhythmically danced back and forth, threatening to take her out in one fell swoop. She managed to dodge them, hopping onto the beam, trying to keep her balance as she ran, jumping off the end, grabbing onto the rope
hanging over a gap of water. She swung across the gap, hitting the ground on the other side.
Hard.
She lost her balance slightly, stumbling forward, straight into the path of her next obstacle. The slab of concrete slammed against the wall, inches from her. She stumbled backwards, right into the path of the second slab that
flew towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact. The giant slab stopped inches from her face, pressing her body against the wall, pinning her securely in place.
"Well, well..."
Her eyes shifted to the side, meeting two red, glowing eyes, the grin plastered on his face perfectly evident in his smarmy tone "Stuck b'tween a rock an' a hard place?"
She bit back her urge to yell at him, pressing her lips together. "Don't do this Remy."
"But I'm so intrigued chère. Y'look so… helpless." He brushed his knuckles along her cheek. After a moment of her struggling silently, Rogue let out a breath.
"Can it Cajun. Ah'm really uncomfortable…"
He jammed his bo staff in the gap, pressing the small red button with his thumb to open it up. The adimantium staff flew open, pushing the concrete wall back with ease.
"Better?"
"Much." She frowned.
"Y'rusty, non?"
"Ah can sure kick your ass at a game of Hungry Hippo, but unfortunately ah don't have much need for mah... other skills… in the real world." She shook her head as she inspected herself to make sure there was no damage
done.
"Oh. What about your other other skills?" He grinned slowly.
"Mah other skills?" She raised her eyebrow playfully. "What… other skills are you talkin' about Mr. Lebeau? The ones that help me kick your ass? Or the ones that help me resist your… lovely charm?"
He laughed "Y'always could resist de charms non?"
"Y'damn right." She poked him in the chest. "Y'needed someone t'put you in your place."
He grabbed her hand with a smile. "May be true… but dem ain' de other skills Remy was talkin' 'bout…"
She pressed her back against the wall behind her as he inched closer. "Remy… don't."
"Pourquoi?"
"Because… we should never have…" She shook her head.
"But den y'wouldn' have any… skills…"
She smiled "You takin' credit?"
"Who else?" He rolled his eyes "Joseph?"
She frowned. "Don't do that Remy…"
He kissed the tip of her nose. "Ain' doin' anythin' chère." He muttered, the grin never leaving his face.
"Yes. You are." She whispered. "Y'know that 'charm' thing a yours don't work on me… so knock it off."
He shook his head, their eyes still locked. "… I ain' doin' anything Anna."
They stayed like this for a moment, hovering inches away from one another, before Rogue shifted.
"Ah should go." She gave him a peck on the cheek "Don't wanna stick around t'watch you do this obstacle course blindfolded…" Remy laughed and backed away; admiring the way she looked in the leather uniform she'd managed to pour herself into.
"And besides, ah have a date." She grinned.
He rolled his eyes.
"Don't do that…" She pointed at him. "Ah thought you woulda grown up some in six years."
He let out a breath, pushing back the urge to rag on Joseph. "Where y'goin' on dis date?" He said the last word like it was a curse.
She beamed again. "Picnic! An' Cole's taggin' along this time too. He's so excited…"
He looked away before she caught him rolling his eyes again. "Right well… have fun."
"You're enthusiasm is overwhelmin'." She said flatly. "Y'know ah never understood that about you. Ah was always jokin' around with you… bein' just one of the guys… listenin' to your tales of dates an' one night stands…"
He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck with an innocent shrug.
"An' everythin' was fine. But as soon as the tables are turned, you get all possessive." She pulled her gloves off and started for the door.
"Remy don' get possessive." He followed her.
"Or maybe it was because before Joseph… nobody ever wanted me, an' that's the way you liked it."
He frowned following in step beside her. "Anna, don' say dat. Y'were my best friend. It's my duty t'be protective. Not possessive." He shoved his hands into his pockets with a shrug. "An'… I guess Joseph's an' alright
guy…"
Rogue smiled. "Thank you."
He held the door open for her. "Problem is… y'don' really want him."
She furrowed her brow. "Here we go again. Ah don't know what you keep basin' all a'your so-called-facts on. Y'say you know me so well, but y'seem t'only see the things y'wanna see. We got-"
Remy took her arms gently, stopping her mid sentence as he spun her around to face him.
"Who y'tryin' to convince here Anna? Me? Or you?"
---
What an egotistical moron. Rogue squeezed her eyes shut as the hot water pelted off her face. 'Who are you tryin' to convince.' Ha!She spun around and wiped the water from her face with a scowl "That man's got a lotta nerve talkin' t'me like that." she mused out loud.
Of course he had a lot of nerve, He always was one of the only people unaffected by mah temper... She shoved the tap to the off position forcefully and tore the shower curtain open. "He should start worryin' about it right about now." she finished the thought out loud as she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel.
Rogue cautiously moved over to her bathroom door, opening it up just a crack; just enough to peek out to make sure the coast was clear. She'd been caught by him too many times this way. She'd fly out of her bathroom in a hurry to get ready and he'd be there, lounging on her bed as if he was meant to be there; as if this was his room. With a deep, calming breath, she pushed the door open the rest of the way, satisfied she didn't have any unwelcome visitors.
As she applied her makeup, she cursed him for getting into her head like that. While she picked out her outfit, she swore she'd never talk to him again. And by the time she was dressed and ready, she'd let it go. So what if the stupid swamp rat was convinced Joseph wasn't right for her? He was entitled to his opinion, -as wrong as it was- and she knew better than to let him get under her skin so easily.
With another deep, calming breath, Rogue headed out into the hallway, making her way down to the kitchen to put their picnic together. She looked out the window with a frown as she pulled the basket out of the cupboard above the stove. Hopefully the rain would hold off. Maybe ah'll ask Storm for a little favor.
"Hey."
Rogue spun around, the voice bringing her back to reality. "Joseph!" she smiled "It looks like the rain might hold off an'-"
The somber look on his face caused her to stop. "What is it?"
"I have to go."
"What do you mean?"
Scott walked in behind him. "Anyone seen Marrow? Emergency mission…"
"Scott! Shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?!"
"Duty calls." He pressed his lips together. "Besides we shouldn't be gone too long. Honeymoon can wait." Scott spun around and headed off to find Marrow. No doubt they wanted her to serve as communications. Thunder rumbled through the sky causing the building to shake lightly.
"Looks like we'd have to make a rain check on our outing anyways." Joseph rubbed her bare arms with an apologetic look.
"Yeah… no, of course. 'Duty calls.'" She said with a smirk, imitating Scott's official tone. "It's fine. Some other time."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Promise."
"Stay safe Joseph."
He smiled. "Always do."
She gave him a peck on the lips. "Goodbye."
Rogue watched as Joseph left, uttering a sigh as she looked down at her picnic lunch. She plopped her elbow on the counter and dropped her chin onto her fist, giving her head a shake. She knew Cole was going to be disappointed.
"Momma?"
"Yeah baby?" She looked up at him, standing in the kitchen doorway.
"We're not havin' a picnic. Are we?"
It wasn't a question. Just a sad realization.
"Not today Cole. You know Joseph's an X-man. An' sometimes important things come up that make him have t'leave t'help people."
Cole pressed his lips together thoughtfully and nodded. "Don't be sad Momma. We can have a picnic later."
She smiled slowly. "You're right Cole. Y'always know how t'make momma feel better."
He moved over to his mom and wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight hug.
"Dat looks like some lunch." Remy raised an eyebrow, giving Cole a wink. "Plan on eatin' it outside? In d'rain?"
She shook her head. "Picnic canceled."
He furrowed his brow. "Ah… y'don' have t'cancel. Jus' move it inside."
Cole's eyes lit up. "Yeah!"
"But Joseph can't… he's leavin' as we speak."
"Don' need Joseph t'help you eat."
Cole giggled.
"'Sides, Sarah's off with dem too… so Remy's free." He gave Cole a smile. After a moment of hesitation, Rogue nodded. "Fine."
Cole jumped up and down, grabbing Remy's hand "Yay!"
"You boys go find a place t'set up." She shook her head as she watched the two walk away. Even when just five minutes ago she was ready to rip that smirking face off his head, she couldn't deny the truth; Remy always knew how to make her feel better. And it appeared he had the same affect on her little boy.