Disclaimer: I do not own any x-men characters they belong to marvel.
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
Chapter. 3
19 hours… 26 minutes… 15 second… 9:26PM
Rogue awoke to a new nurse walking into the room
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I just need to change his gauze dressings."
"Oh it's alright sugah" rouge yawned, stretching out her tense limbs.
She looked down at the man she once knew and sighed, his vitals hadn't changed and his wounds looked as gruesome as ever. Rogue moved away just enough to let the nurse have some space to do her job. She flinched as the nurse gave Remy a shot. 'ah hate needles'
"Were you two close?" the nursed asked and turned toward her.
Rogue sat down next to remy's bed and rested her hand on his. "Not really…" rogue shook her head "Once" her voice trailed off. Rogue couldn't even begin to describe the relationship that they shared.
The nurse smiled softly, gave rogue a nod and left the room.
Rogue sat there pondering the question the young nurse had asked her. Close? Rogue never considered herself close to anyone but there was something about the Cajun Casanova laying in front of her. Her mind flooded with memories of the day he "kidnapped" her. She was never the same after that, something had changed within her. Not that she would ever admit it but Remy hit a chord deep within her heart. Maybe it was because they shared similar pasts, maybe it was because he wasn't afraid of her… or her mutation. He took her because he saw something in her, a strength she didn't see in herself for a very long time. He had needed her help, selfish as his reasoning's were back then she understood. She forgave him the minute she absorbed him, the minute she found out the truth. Sure she was pissed as hell, betrayed once again. Used for her powers, but yet she was oddly at peace with it. She attacked him, screamed at him, left him. It broke her heart and he gave her his in return. In his own way he was trying to atone for hurting her, she knew it was never his intention. She saw his dilemma, felt his guilt. Rogue put her head in her hands. This was all too much, all these old feelings and memories. She wasn't quite sure what to make of all of it. Rogue gingerly felt to her left pocket. There it was the familiar feeling of that old card. 'What are ya doing to me swamp rat?'
Rogue looked back up at Remy. His face was pale and bruised. He looked so fragile… so broken lying in his hospital bed. Rogue had seen her share of injured people before, hell she had even seen her own brother just as helpless but this, seeing Remy like this shook her to her very core. Rogue hadn't felt like this in so long, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to care for someone. It scared her knowing that after 3 years all that it took was his name, his face to bring her right back where she had started all those years ago. Torn and confused. She could never explain it to the others about what transpired on their trip to Louisiana. No one understood why she didn't let Logan finish him off; mercy is what she told them. She was showing him mercy, but that was never the case. She was showing him in her own way love. At least the only way she could portray love back then. She gripped Remy's hand tighter and spoke to him softly.
"Ya really did it this time didn't ya swamp rat… got ya self all banged up…" rogue sighed and put her head down. "Please wake up Remy." And with that she closed her eyes, never once letting go of Remy's hand.
29 hours… 13 minutes… 22 seconds… 8:13AM
Rogue stared at the clock on the wall. Tick, tock, tick, tock . It was like the damn thing was taunting her. Reminding her with every second that passed Remy was still not awake. Rogue stood up and began to pace the room, every now and then glancing at the beaten mean before her. Just then her pocket started to vibrate; she reached in and pulled out her phone and saw the familiar number. She glanced up at Remy and turned to take the phone call out in the hallway.
"Hey Logan" rogue sounded exhausted.
"Stripes, where are you?" Questioned the gruff man. "You were supposed to meet me 2 hours ago" he grunted.
'Shit, ah completely forgot' rogue mentally slapped herself. "Ah'm so sorry Logan, it slipped mah mind. Somethin came up unexpectedly"
"Ya a phone call would have been nice kid." Logan paused "We miss ya Rogue, I miss ya."
Rogue's heart dropped and she immediately felt guilty.
"Ah know ah miss ya too, ah'll make it up to ya ah promise" rogue spoke softly.
"Yeah, been hearin that for a while kid." Logan's voice dropped "I understand why ya left … but it still hurts" he forced a laugh. "Startin to take this a little personal."
Rogue's voice hitched as she tried to speak. "Logan… please. I swear this has nothing to do with that, or with ya."
"Alright, then tell me what's going on Stripes?"
Rogues breathing labored. She never could keep anything from him, the man was like a walking lie detector.
"Everythin's fine Logan, ah'm okay. Just some things ah need to take care of."
"Alright darlin' I won't push it. Just know I'm here for ya. We all are, whenever ya wanna come home." Logan sighed and hung up the phone.
Rogue stared at her phone and held back the tears. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Logan's feelings. This was just all bad timing. Rogue thought about calling him back and telling him everything that had happed over the past few hours, but what would she say? How could she explain it, hell she didn't even know how to explain it to herself. She had no idea why Remy was back or who attacked him. Her first thought was the guilds but that didn't explain why Remy was in New York or why for that matter he had her picture and information. Had he come back for her? Or was he just keeping tabs like he used to. Her mind wandered to all the possibilities. Rogue took a deep breath, composed herself and opened the door back to Remy's room.
9:10PM
Almost a week had passed and still no change in Remy's condition. Doctors and nurses shuffled in and out of the hospital room hourly. Rogue paced back and forth twirling a strand of hair nervously around her finger, an annoying habit she had picked up from kitty. She had been convinced finally by to go home if only to grab some clothes and take a shower. She had agreed and rushed back as soon as she could. It was a somber feeling to return to her apartment she felt guilty leaving Remy in the hospital but reminded herself that not taking care of herself wouldn't do him any good.
"Ugh!" Rogue let out a frustrated cry.
"Everything alright in here?"
Rogue spun around to the voice seeing standing there with his clipboard and an amused smirk on his face.
"Ya peachy." Rogue replied sarcastically and sighed. "Ah'm sorry patience has never been a virtue of mine. "
"I can see that." The doctor chuckled and walked toward her. "I have some news though, if you'll have a seat."
Rogue walked across the room and took a seat in one of the two chairs seated by the window on the side of Remy's bed. Dr. Pratt followed behind and sat down.
"As you know we've been running a few test this past week about Remy's condition. So far everything has come back positive. All his wounds are healing at an extraordinary rate, no infections, no side effects from the medication." The doctor paused and his face faltered. "Although we have no explanation to why Remy has not awoken yet, right now it's a waiting game. Sometimes in these situations the mind is just as damaged as the body and they do not always heal at the same rate."
"Ah'm not sure ah understand."
"In traumatic instances the mind can set up barriers almost like a defense – mechanism, in some cases especially in mutants the patient retreats into their mind for safety. Almost like a mild amnesia except in this case Remy is unconscious. Most likely he will awaken on his own or something will trigger his mind and he will come out of the coma."
"Ah see" rogue said quietly. Of course she was happy he was healing physically but when it came to the matters of the mind it made rogue uneasy. She had been in that place, scared and alone not sure what reality was.
"Sometimes all it takes is a familiar voice."
Rogue looked up at the doctor and nodded, Rogue had spoken very little since arriving at the hospital. A few words here and there to nurses, but when it came to Remy all she did was stare and hold his hand. So many times had she wanted to talk to him more since that first night she stayed with him but every time she opened her mouth she froze.
"What do ah say to him?" she asked unsure of herself. "Ah- uh, ah mean we… " rogue inhaled sharply. "Remy and ah haven't spoken in quite a while, ah'm not sure …"
"You obviously meant a great deal to him, why else would he keep such an old photo of you in his wallet."
Dr. Pratt let out a soft laugh at rogues shocked face.
"Gossip travels fast in a small hospital like this." The doctor smiled at rogue, reached out and took her hand. "Don't over think your relationship with him, whatever happened in the past is just that. What's important is that you are here for him and it's just my speculation but I think your exactly who he wants to wake up to." Dr. Pratt released her hand "I have some more rounds to take care of, you'll have more privacy now that were done running tests. You'll only have a nurse every now and then checking in on him. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank ya, for everythin ya done."
Dr. Pratt turned and left rogue with her thoughts. She sat there for a while not sure how to move forward. She leaned back for a moment before she finally spoke up.
"Ah hope you know ya got me worried sick about ya swamp rat...got me feelin like I did 3 years ago. Torn between helpin ya and kickin ya ass." She laughed softly to herself.
"Ya know a lot has changed since ya been gone, ah've changed. Not that ah'll admit this again but ah owe most of that to ya. I was so angry back then, at my powers, at the people around me. Ya showed me ah had people that truly cared for me."
Rogue frowned and sighed. "Not that it matters now, things are a bit strained between me and the X-men." Rogue shook her head and tried to bite back the tears. "Enough about that."
Rogue reached forward and clasped Remy's hand. "Ya gunna be okay, ah promise. Whatever it takes, ah owe it to ya. Your safe now, whoever did this to ya won't get away with it."
Rogue bowed her head and let the tears fall, all the emotions from the past week had finally taken their toll on her. She knew she was supposed to be the strong indestructible girl but that façade became harder and harder to keep up as the days went on. She let the barriers down and just cried letting the waves of everything she was feeling crash over her.
Suddenly rogue froze as she felt Remy's hand grip her own, her breath caught in her throat, her tears stopped flowing and she slowly looked up. Emerald gems met dark orbs.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Hope those tears aren't over this old Cajun, chere."
Authors Note:
Well it's been 5 years since I've update this story. I was 15 when I starting writing this and so much happened in these past few years. It was never my intention to abandon this story for so long but life took its toll on me. I'm back now older and wiser and much more capable of writing this story. Thank you all who have updated and favored this story over the past few years. I'm finally at a point in my life again where I can use writing as an outlet and a form of expression. I have a few other stories posted on here that I will be continuing plus 2 more that I am very excited about starting. I'm a little rusty, please bear with me. So any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated, I've always valued any review I've gotten. It means so much to me when you all take the time out to let me know how I'm doing. I will be trying to update a chapter every 2 weeks, then hopefully more often as I continue to find my footing back into the wonderful world of FanFiction. God how I've missed this. I've also rewritten the first 2 chapters of this story, not much has changed just some dialogue and grammar/spelling issues.
Thank you all again, please review.
Love always, Tante Che'nelle