A/N - Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I love positive feedback. I'm a review whore. Not gunna lie. Anyways... here's another enthralling chapter that I'm sure you're all bound to enjoy... WINK.
PS! Are you on team Remy or team Joespeh?! Make sure to cast your vote in my poll! (found in my profile) Every vote counts dudes... I still haven't written the ending... :)
9
"See that?" Cole pointed at the splotches of plaster on the ceiling of the library. "Looks like a bunny rabbit!"
Rogue folded her hands on her chest and tilted her head off to the side. "Kinda looks like Logan."
The two lying to her left started laughing. Apparently, they agreed. Although it wasn't as much fun as cloud watching, this was an amusing alternative.
Remy propped a hand behind his head, his other arm cradled Cole, whose head was resting against his shoulder.
"Dat looks like a train." Remy pulled his hand from under his head and pointed.
"I see it!" Cole smiled "I like trains."
Rogue sat up slightly, turning onto her side, propping her head up on her fist.
"Well y'don't say. Now there's somethin' ah didn't know!"
Cole laughed at his mothers' sarcasm.
"Y'know what Remy likes?" He asked with a grin. When Cole shook his head he wrapped his arm around the boy tightly. "Remy loves d'sound a'yo laugh…"
He tickled Cole's sides causing him to laugh and squirm.
"Ah'll save you Cole!" Rogue sat upright and began to pry at Remy's hand. "He's too strong Shuga! Ah think he's been eatin' too many veggies!"
Remy finally stopped and loosened his grip on Cole. "Dat's right. Nobody messes wit' Remy."
Rogue laughed and shook her head. "The thing is…" She scooted closer "Ah know you're just as ticklish. Get him!"
Cole hopped on top of Remy while the two of them started tickling his sides. Rogue grabbed his wrists and held his hands back, egging Cole on.
He suddenly went limp, claiming defeat.
"We won Momma!" Cole jumped up and down on Remy's stomach.
"But now…" Rogue lifted Remy's limp arm and dropped it with a frown. "He's dead!"
Cole flopped back down pulling one of Remy's eyes open and looking at his little eyebrows puckered.
It snapped shut when he let go.
"Now what?" Cole pouted.
Rogue shrugged "Ain't mah problem." She gave Cole a wink "Want some ice cream?"
He nodded enthusiastically until Remy reached up and yanked Rogue down on top of him.
"Not yo'problem?"
She laughed.
"Remy make it yo'problem."
Rogue laughed harder and pulled away as lightening flashed through the room.
"Momma!" Cole gasped "Can I go get my train? I wanna show Remy my train!"
She nodded "Sure thing Sugah."
Rogue smiled as she rolled onto her back next to Remy.
"Thank you Remy."
He turned to face her. "Thank you? For what?"
She rolled onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows so she looked down on him lying next to her.
"For this."
"You made d'picnic. Remy should thank you."
She gave him a stern look "You know what I mean."
He smiled.
"It means a lot to Cole."
His smile grew and he poked her side "Jus' Cole?"
She laughed "An' me too."
"Yeah?" He looked at her with a grin, propping his hands behind his head. She stared into his red eyes, giving him a slow nod.
"Glad ah could help y'chère." The smile spread to his eyes. "Y'know Remy'd do anything fo' you two."
"Ah know." she whispered.
"Haven't known Cole that long, but it feels like forever." He stared at the ceiling. "He really is a good kid chère."
She smiled silently.
"You ain' afraid a'little ol' Remy bein' a bad influence on him, huh?" his eyes met hers and she rolled them dramatically.
"Ah'm hopin' he'll be a good influence on you." She looked down at her hands that were folded on the ground.
"Ahh, you know as well as anyone chère... dere ain' no good influence on Remy." He smiled, pulling one arm out from behind his head to brush his knuckles along her cheek.
Her eyes darted over to his as she felt her face flush under his touch.
Without thinking, she moved in, gently pressing her lips against his in a slow kiss. Remy pulled his other hand out from behind his head, placing one on the small of her back and the other wandering to the nape of her neck. Remy rolled them over in one fluid motion, coming to a stop hovering over her at a better angle to deepen the kiss.
The lights flickered slightly before disappearing, engulfing the room in blackness .
Rogue's eyes snapped open immediately and she pushed Remy off of her.
"Cole!" She bolted to a sitting position.
"S'alright… jus' the storm." Remy murmured.
"No…" She stood up. "He's afraid of the dark."
She tried to feel her way to the door, hitting the couch and falling over with a thud. Gambit stood up and used his well honed thieving skills to feel his way towards the door in the dark. There was a loud shriek
causing Rogue to jump up.
"Don' worry chère, Remy get him."
He moved into the hallway stopping dead in his tracks. Rogue squinted as her eyes adjusted to the dark.
"Remy?" She moved towards him, her hands extended in front of her to prevent another accident "What's wrong?"
She turned her head when she reached him and her heart dropped.
The slowly intensifying soft pink glow before her caused her heart rate to quicken suddenly, thudding so loud in her ears she would have sworn everyone else could hear it. Kitty and Peter stood on the other side, similar shocked looks plastered on both of their faces.
It was too late.
"Cole!" Rogue shouted. Through the glow she could see his back facing them. "Cole! Momma's here!" she stepped forward cautiously, the glow cast its' pink light onto Kitty's face who looked up at Rogue with her eyes wide open. He looked over his shoulder at her, another sight that caused her heart to race. His once bright green eyes were now a deep crimson, glowing against black.
The train he held in his hand was completely engulfed in the bright kinetic glow.
"Momma…"
"Ah know you're scared of the dark baby." She held up a hand taking another careful step forward, approaching the boy as if he was rigged to explode.
One wrong move and that's exactly what he'd do.
She looked over her shoulder at Remy whose shocked expression matched Kitty and Peters.
"Remy's here too, see? Y'don' have t'be scared."
Cole nodded, turning his head forward again, lifting his one hand to wipe away a tear that trickled down his cheek.
"Don't let go of the train Cole." Rogue instructed.
He sniffled "Ok."
"You need to settle down baby… don't be scared."
She took a few more steps towards him. With the hallway still pitch black - without the assistance of the glowing toy train- he couldn't see her if he wanted to. And she knew he wanted to.
"Ah'm here baby." She whispered into his ear, kneeling down and wrapping her arms around him.
"Don't let go of the train." She repeated.
He nodded "I'm sorry Momma…"
"Shhh… it's alright baby. We'll fix it, ok?"
He nodded.
"I could take the train and phase outside, let it explode out there…" Kitty knelt down with a frown, keeping her distance from the nervous boy.
"No!" He cried. The glow intensified, prompting Kitty to shield her eyes.
"I don't want my train to 'splode Momma."
He said through a fresh bought of tears that spilled down his cheeks. The glow grew even more intense as his hands dimly began to take on the same appearance as his train.
"It won't." She tried to sound as soothing as possible.
She watched as the pink burning glow crept up his arms and darkened slowly. Rogue watched, horrified at the very thought of what was happening to her little boy. She tried to calm herself to the best of her ability before allowing herself to try to speak.
"Remy." She loosened her grip on her little boy as she watched the charge seep out of his clothes. She tore her eyes away to look over her shoulder. He watched in silence, still visibly in shock.
"Remy!" she shouted, snapping him back to reality. He calmly stepped towards them and knelt down in front of the boy.
"P'tite." He ran a hand through his soft auburn hair that was being illuminated by the collar of his shirt.
"Dis yo'train huh?"
Cole nodded. "But I don't want it to 'splode!"
"Why don't y'give it t'Remy. Promise it won't explode."
"Promise!?"
Remy nodded.
"But Momma said don't let go."
"It's alright Cole." She hugged him tightly again and Cole let go of the train, handing it off to Remy. The glow instantly faded as Remy absorbed the charge. "Don' move p'tite mec," He instructed with a small grin. "Almost done."
"See?" She whispered into his ear. "Almost over."
With Remy's hand on Cole's arm, it would be safe to use her powers. She gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, slowly draining him of his energy. His limp body slumped forward into Remy's arms, the threatening light disappearing instantly.
The lights flickered slightly before power was returned to the mansion.
Rogue's eyes met his and they silently stared at one another for a moment. She knit her brow, trying to read the blank expression on his face, when he looked away.
Remy stood up with the little boy in his arms.
"We should take him to see Hank."
Rogue nodded and the two silently took Cole downstairs.
"Well," Kitty cleared her throat to break the silence, looking up at Peter "wonder where he gets it from."