Oh my Gosh... I'm so sorry for absolutely forgetting this fic and all of you who are reading it, shame on me!!! Truth is, keeping it up it's getting harder than I thought. I really want to keep it well written and focused on the original plot, as I don't want to fail any of you. Anyway, here's the new chapter (finally) which I hope you liked it... I really want to thank all of you who had read, reviewed, and added it to your alert and/or favorite list, and especially to Wanda W for helping me with the beta-read, as I said before, if you're enjoying and liking the story is largely because of her!! I maybe shouldn't be doing this now -since I'm at work- but what the hell my boss isn't here... btw I just finished reading UltimateGammy91's 'Just Friends' and I absolutely recommend it to you all, so go and read it now!!
Disclaimer: All X-men belong to Marvel!!
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Chapter 3.
-Few weeks later-
Master of Louisiana's Thieves Guild, Remy LeBeau, closed the door of the library behind him and walked towards the big wooden desk. The pressure of being the chosen heir for the title of Master didn't even compare at all to the difficulty of dealing with the 'feelings' he was developing for that Rogue girl.
He was sitting by the big window, a glass of Bourbon in one hand and a cigarette in the other, thoughtfully until he was interrupted by the voice of a man. A man Remy has heard the moment he entered the room, even if he didn't make any noise -well trained thief-. The said man, who was wearing a black suite and a purple satin scarf, walked towards Remy and poured himslef a drink before taking a seat beside the Master.
"So," Jean-Luc said to his son. "You saw dat mutant fille again last night hein. What was her name?"
"Rogue."
"Rogue," said Jean-Luc. "Why her?"
"What do y' mean père?"
"Y' know what I mean son; y're 'visiting' her a lot, ain't y?"
"Non, I'm visiting the Brotherhood of Mutants... this could be an important and powerful alliance."
"To de Guild or to y'?"
"What are y' implying Jean-Luc? Is dis 'cause I'm a mutant?"
"Y' know it has never had to do with dat Remy," said Jean-Luc without ignoring the fact that his son has called him by his name. "And again son, y' know what I mean… stop avoiding de fact dat y're more interested in dat fille dan you would like to admit."
"Well... I might be."
Jean-Luc laughed aloud. "Some suitor!"
"Is dere any problem?" Gambit asked defiant.
"Dat poor girl," said Jean-Luc. "Y're incapable of fidelity son. Y've always been."
Remy's crimson eyes brightened with fury at his father's words. How could he? Of all the members of the Guild, Jean-Luc was the person he trusted the most and therefore he expected him to be more understanding, after all he was HIS son.
Gambit scrutinized his father, his voice more serious than before. "Dis one is different."
"And how would dat be?"
"Don' know... I just feel it. It's not just her beauty. It's... it's..."
Jean-Luc laughed again at his son's lack of words.
"Somet'ing surely y' can't understand."
"C'mon Remy don' be dat hard on y'r old père. I used to be in love with y'r mère." Said Jean-Luc sighing at the memory of his beloved, deceased wife. "It's just dat... y' don' know her."
"I know what I need to, père." Jean-Luc watched his younger son's face, and felt a deep kinship. For a moment, his son showed him the mature man he never expected to know. This Rogue girl seemed to be an extremely important issue for him. Prudently, he decided to leave him alone.
"I'll be careful on dat mon fils." Said Jean-Luc as he exited the room, leaving Remy alone with his thoughts… his thoughts and the seeds of doubt his father has just sown in his already mixed-up head.
Taking a deep breath, Gambit walked towards the large white-framed window behind the ebony desk and stood still, staring at the brilliant moon. Jean-Luc had to be wrong, he didn't even know Rogue the way he did. But again how much did he truly know her. She seemed to be an honest girl, yet she was indeed working for Maximoff, wasn't she? And there was something more… regarding business, Jean-Luc, was never wrong.
The slight remembrance of Rogue sent him back to the night he met her. That first time he laid eyes on her, when he knew the southern beauty was far more than a maiden in distress, so to speak. No, that girl… there was something more about her. During the time of knowing her, he had become somehow addicted to those expressive eyes. Her glare, he'd notice, used to tell more than it said, and he had to admit that she was hiding something. Nevertheless, as much as he refused to admit it, he was falling for her…
Alone in the darkly lit room, Remy LeBeau sighed deeply. The moonlight cast a faint yellow glow, not strong enough to define his features entirely. Surrounded by shadows the so-called 'ladies man' hummed.
Farmer John, I'm in love with your daughter. Yeah the one, with champagne eyes... (Neil Young)
...
Drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair, Pietro studied Rogue's features. "Rogue, I'll ask you this one more time. Have you seen the inhibitor collar?"
"Nah, Ah haven't." Rogue lied.
Clearly disgusted, Pietro shook his head at her words. He was no fool and that girl was hiding something. He stood up, walked around his desk and knelt in front of Rogue's chair to have a better look at her face. "Rogue," he whispered. He was so close. Rogue could feel his warm breathe brushing her cheeks as he leaned into her face. Rogue closed her eyes and the remembrance of Remy hit her hard and betrayed her. She opened them and found her gloved hand over Pietro's; his intense gaze made her shiver as she realized what she was doing, yet she didn't make a move, neither did he. The space between them was less than an inch, and she could feel her heart beating faster. The man facing her was not Remy LeBeau, and yet he was making her blush. In that exact moment the door opened and a confused Domino froze at the scene in front of her.
"Sorry for interrupting you guys." Said Neena.
"No... you haven't," mumbled Pietro as he stood up. "What is it Neena?"
"Here Rogue, this came for you." She extended her hand and Rogue took the letter.
"Oh, thank yah," mumbled Rogue.
"Who could that be?" said Pietro ironically.
"Remy..." whispered Rogue, whose excitement was evident. Rearranging herself a little she looked at Pietro, trying to hide her feelings. "Gambit is asking me for dinner at his manor tonight," she said unable to hide her thrill. "Alone..."
"What?" Pietro scowled. "He can't... you can't."
"Well, if emphasizing it in his letter wasn't enough." Neena handed Rogue a package. "He also sent you this." Rogue opened it and found a beautiful dark green dress, and long black silk gloves that matched the gown perfectly.
Pietro couldn't help to feel jealous. He couldn't let himself to lose absolute control of the situation and if Rogue's feelings began to get involve then it was possible that his so called control could be lost. So, he decided to confront Rogue once and for all. The girl was insecure and he was sure he could make her hesitate.
"Well Rogue, the thief is falling in love with you..." said Pietro faking indifference.
"Ah... Ah wouldn't say that." Rogue mumbled nervously.
"Don't you see darling. Love makes a man," Pietro emphasized his next words by raising his voice a little. "Any man, extremely vulnerable."
Rogue stared at him, lost in the meaning of his words and their link with Gambit.
"How do you like this new control, beauty?" He asked, and gave Rogue a piercing look accompanied by a slight caress on her face. The action didn't pass unnoticed by Neena, but she decided it was better to ignore it.
"At first Ah confess, Ah didn't like it so much," Rogue moved away from Pietro and that gaze she was beginning to find someway intriguing, and grabbing firmly the given dress, she focused her mind on the thief. "Ah didn't care for him; but now Ah... Now Ah..." She found herself unable to end, as she couldn't find the words to explain the way she was beginning to feel about him.
"Rogue, it would be wise for you not to be fooled by your own masquerade." Pietro said seriously. "It is your duty to use his love to our advantage. Remember?"
At that moment Neena, decided to intervene. "Pietro is right Rogue. You must not forget our main goal. We've been here for three weeks now and you haven't showed us any result." Turning towards Pietro she added. "Or this mission is evidently pointless since the thief is never gonna gave her that damn collar. Or..." she looked at Rogue and with a little chuckle, she added. "She evidently isn't capable to achieving it."
"Look Domino," Rogue faced her teammate. "Ah don't like to be pushed, and Ah'll handle the situation with the Cajun the way Ah prefer to." Rogue smiled, crossing her arms over her chest, she shifted her weight onto one foot, as her hip stuck out on the side. "And yah know what? Ah'm capable of fulfilling any task... maybe Ah just don't want to."
"I knew it! I know you're falling for him, aren't you?"
"Well missy, that's none of yahr fuckin' business!"
"Ladies stop it!" Pietro said raising his voice over the girl's. "Rogue, I'm just gonna say this thing once," he said giving Rogue a threatening look. "We're here for one thing, that fucking collar and you'll get it the way we've planned it. No more bullshit. No more fooling around." Pietro began to shout, pounding his fists on the desk. "You'll undress in front of that stupid thief if it's necessary, but listen to me, we're not gonna leave this damn city without the inhibitor!"
"Hey," Rogue shouted back. "Yah want it so bad? Then get it yahrself jackass! Ah'm done." She turned around and made her way towards the exit, but obviously she wasn't as fast as he was. In less than a second, Pietro grabbed Rogue by the arms and pinched her against the wall.
"Listen Rogue, I want that collar on my desk by tomorrow," he said furiously. "I've promised it to my father and I won't," he raised his voice, "I WILL NOT fail him... I'm not the weak Maximoff!!!" His blue eyes were full of rage, and the ferocity of his look hit Rogue even more hard that his strong grip or the beating against the wall. She didn't say a word; neither did Neena. They both stood in a shocked silence as Pietro left the room.
"You better do as he said," Neena finally said. "You little X-girl (the name Neena used to mock and tease Rogue), don't have an idea who Pietro Maximoff can really be." Rogue stared at her with both confusion and anger.
"You wanna be part of us, don't you?" Neena smiled triumphantly. "Well welcome to the Brotherhood of Mutants. You're playing with the big boys now Rogue, nobody around here cares about your feelings. We're no X-men. We make no friendships. And if you don't do as you have to, or fail... nobody is gonna cheer you up, or hug you to make you feel all right, quite the opposite," said Neena, leaving the room.
Rogue didn't know how to feel. It hadn't turned out well with the X-men and things with the Brotherhood weren't working out either. So, maybe she was the problem, maybe she was the one who couldn't commit to one ideology or team. Maybe she was meant to be a loner, after all wasn't her power enough proof.
Rogue left the room and went to her bedroom. Throwing the box and the dress within in the corner, she began to change her clothes. It was time to leave. No, it was time to fulfill the mission, achieve the task and get that stupid collar for once and for all. Rogue chose a pair of black skinny jeans, black long sleeve shirt with an olive green short sleeve over it, olive gloves and a purple scarf and pulled her hair back in a high ponytail. Then, she climbed down the window, exiting the house without telling anyone. She was determined to do it, so she headed for the Thieves Guild manor with one thing in mind the collar inhibitor. However as she walked through the dark streets her mind was more and more fixed on something else. Remy's eyes, and that passion within them, that pierced her. His scent every moment he embraced her. The taste of his lips and the warmth of his touch… Was she ready to betray him? Why not? He was a mutant too, so he must be aware of how hard survival could be, and as a thief he certainly didn't trust any one, so how would she be different. But what if… what if he meant all the things he said, and really cared about her? Was she ready to lose that in order to please Pietro?
...
-New York-
After weeks of using Cerebro, Emma Frost hasn't found him. Logan was furious but knew it wasn't her fault. For some reason the mutant known as Gambit hadn't used his powers so due to that locating him was being almost impossible. Then, finally Emma perceived a slight sign of mutant activity. Powers described as Gambit's were used for an instant somewhere in Louisiana. Emma concentrated, using all her power in order to find the thief that got the collar inhibitor made by Forge.
"Logan?" said the blonde taking Cerebro off. "I've found him."
Logan who was standing behind her, raised his face but his glare showed no emotion, "Great Frost, where is he?"
"Louisiana, New Orleans, the French Quarter."
"Good."
A few minutes later the regrouped X-men were having a meeting in what used to be Xavier's office. The mahogany desk had been moved all the way back; Logan believed it was nobody but the Professor's place and the rest seemed to agree. So the so-called office was just a couple of leather couches displayed along the room framed by the ceiling-floor length bookcases. In less than ten minutes after Frost's find every single X-man -except for Forge- joined Logan and Emma. Hank McCoy, Scott Summers, Katherine Pryde, Bobby Drake, Kurt Wagner, Ororo Munroe and the still not affiliated but considering the invitation, Warren Worthington.
"Frost has found Gambit," Logan announced. "We're going to get the collar back, it's an extreme powerful device which can't fall in the wrong hands." Everybody nodded in silence so Logan continued. "Drake tell Forge to prepare the Blackbird, we're leaving today." Bobby nodded and left the room.
"Summers," Scott turned his gaze which was focused in a framed picture over Xavier's desk. It was a picture of the good old times that showed the former X-men team... especially in the face of his lost girl Jean Gray. "You'll stay in charge, if something comes up you know what to do." Scott nodded.
"Frost, Kurt and Pryde you are coming with me. Your abilities suit this mission."
Once everybody had left the room, Logan stopped Scott grabbing him by his left arm. "Summers, if the Professor wants to make contact with us from the future, talk with him, but just you. I count on you... after all you were once the X-men leader."
A slight smile grew on Scott's face for an instant, the kind of smile that suggested the remembrance of better times now gone, and putting his hand over Logan's shoulder he managed to say, "Good luck."
"Wish it to that bloody Cajun coz I'm gonna rip him up."
XX
Please, please, let me know what you think!! All suggestions, comments and inputs are gladly welcomed ;) and don't forget I'm still dealing with my english writing...
A/N: the conversation between Rogue, Pietro and Neena, when he said love makes a man extremely vulnerable and Rogue's answer about how she feels about Remy are inspired by the series 'The Tudors'. At the beginning of season one, Anne Boleyn's dad and uncle asked her to charm the king and when she confessed the way she's caring about the him, her father told her not to be fooled by her own masquerade, as he and her uncle want to take advantage of Henry's love for Anne... tremendous series btw!!! (jonathan rhys meyers is so gorgeous).
Review. Review. Review!!! Please!!!