Title: The House of the Rising Sun, Chapter 14
Author: Goddess Evie
Date: 10/06/04
Genre: Romance (Remy/Rogue, Scott/Jean, Lance/Kitty), Action, Drama, Angst, AU, heck, it's got it all…just not all in one chapter.
Rating: G, and I really don't think this'll get above PG. SOME LANGUAGE USE IN THIS CHAPTER (but only towards the end).
Disclaimer: I do NOT own X-Men of any incarnation. I am but a poor, fanatical, poor, college graduate who much enjoys a show so that she writes extensive (and hopefully intriguing, enjoyable, and highly popular) fanfiction to feed her insatiable hunger for anything X-Men and is poor, if I haven't mentioned that already. Also, the song lyric I used as the title doesn't belong to me either. I'm quoting Sarah McLachlan's "I Love You" from her album "Surfacing". This is actually the second time I have used a quote from that song. But, sadly, I own nothing but the plot so don't sue me cause I need all my money for my mission!
Summary: Mostly we just check in with the HR couples of the fic. Except for Jean, and she's actually got a scene with Duncan. Warning: this chapter DOES end with a cliff hangar.
Author's notes: First of all, I actually found that I really enjoyed writing Duncan. The scene I did with him and Jean really put him in a different light for myself, and I hope it does the same for you. Secondly I apologize for being a little off from Canon X-Men: Evo. I know that Scott, Duncan and Jean were all seniors and graduated at the same time. But for the sake of plans I have for my story, I needed Jean and Duncan to still be in high school, so they are. My Alternate Universe genre specification covers that. Secondly, I hope all you Kitty/Lance fans don't hate me. But what's the point of a good relationship/story if there's not conflict? And this chapter should make Rogue and Remy fans VERY happy. That's really all I want to say about that. I'll let you just read it and find out for yourself. Finally, I have to mention something that only partially pertains to the story. I TOOK A TRIP TO LOUISIANA! And I loved it. It was so awesome. I didn't want to come back. I even got into New Orleans for a little bit. It's just too bad I didn't get to really get into the city and keep my eyes open for a red and black eyed Cajun hottie. I also tried Hush Puppies (one of Evo Rogue's favorite foods) and they are so good. I tasted some Cajun food too, and loved it. Now I only wish I could go back le sigh
Chapter 14: And I forgot to tell you I love you.
Lance sat in his jeep outside Bayville High School minutes before the end of day bell was to ring. He had hoped, since graduating the year before, that he'd never have to return to this place. However Mystique, who had made an appearance while everyone but himself had been out of the house, had other plans. Her orders were short, sharp and simple-pick the others up at the school so that they could be back promptly and receive more instructions. Lance hated being Mystique's lackey, and he hated not being given enough respect by either her or the "Great Magneto" to be told what was really going on.
The bright sunny day and clear blue sky went unnoticed by Lance, who tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the song he was humming. It wasn't like there was anything better to do. His current scenery was dismal and if he let himself fall too deep into thought, then he started feeling guilty again. He'd had a hard enough time pulling himself from his slump in order to do Mystique's bidding, he didn't dare risk not being able to do it a second time.
The final school bell rang and after only a few moments teenagers began pouring out of the front entrance. Lance scanned the crowd for his teammates and hoped he didn't have to get out of the jeep in order to find them. Being here was bad enough, he didn't want to actually have to put out an effort and go inside.
The first person Lance spotted wasn't one of the Brotherhood. None of them could ever hope to look so good, despite Pietro's narcissism. Sky blue eyes, silky chocolate hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Today she was wearing flared blue jeans with a white shirt and a pink, cropped, button up cardigan, matching pink flip flops peeking out from the wide bottomed jeans. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder and she had some extra books and notebooks cradled in her arms.
Lance could feel the dreamy smile on his face as he watched Kitty. She hadn't noticed him, yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time before she did. She always did. For now he had a few moments to really appraise her. Since he'd been gone all summer, he hadn't had a chance to see her until the store a few days ago, and then he had been too busy to really look at her. But now he could watch her from a distance and appreciate the subtle changes that had taken place while he'd been gone.
He could tell her hair was longer, and that she had grown an inch or so. Kitty would never be tall, but the height did help to make her seem a little older. Her smile shined as it always did, and she had that far off look in her eyes that most people took for ditziness, but Lance knew it meant she was really deep in thought. She was also a little bit curvier, though still slender and petite. He remembered how small she felt in his arms, and how it only made him want to protect her from the rest of the humongous world.
She looked at him, finally, catching him staring at her. He wasn't ashamed, he did it all the time. Still, he blushed at being caught, even as he boldly held her gaze. It was their own little tradition. At first it had been the easiest way to communicate without offending their associates. Catch one another looking, make eye contact, exchange smiles, and then keep going. But it had turned into something more. Lance loved to be caught by her, but loved finding Kitty looking at him even more.
There was something different about this exchange, however. Lance noticed right away when Kitty didn't smile back. She held his gaze, and stopped in her tracks when she saw him, but Kitty didn't look all that happy to see him. Was something wrong? Was she needing to be a little bit more careful than usual? She had seemed okay in the store, what had happened since then?
She looked away again and Lance's face fell. That hadn't gone as planned. He watched as she scurried on, glancing at him, but not really looking. He continued to watch her, turning around in his seat and craning his neck. When she reached the sidewalk, she headed the opposite way from where he sat in his jeep. She raised her hand, calling out to someone ahead of her, and Lance scowled when she joined Rogue.
Of course, how could he have been so dumb? He sat straight again, pounding his steering wheel and cursing under his breath. Rogue had made it home, just like they had, and knowing those two shared a room, of course she would tell Kitty the horrible things he had done. If she had had any doubts about him before, she was certain about him now.
"Lance, you stopped by to give me a ride? How considerate! But I'll have to pass. This old heap is too slow and I have to get to work," Pietro's suddenly appearance and inane babbling worsened Lance's already darkening mood.
"We have orders from the top," Lance sneered before the boy could zip off again.
Pietro scowled to match Lance's. "What does father want with us, now?"
"Like they'd tell me."
"Tell what, yo?" Todd asked, joining the two along with Fred.
"We'll all find out together. Mystique'll be waiting for us," Lance said, forcing himself to be civil. "Where's Tabitha?"
The three shrugged. "We're not her keeper," Pietro remarked snidely.
"I'm right here," Tabitha's annoyed voice called out as she stepped around Fred.
"Get in," the order included all of them.
"I'll see you all, later," Pietro replied before he whizzed off.
Fred began to clamber in the back, and Todd called "shotgun" as he hopped into the passengers seat. Tabitha rolled her eyes as she began walking off.
"Hey, where are you going?" Lance yelled at her.
"I was in the mood for shopping," Tabitha called back.
"Get back here," Lance demanded, feeling the heat rising.
"Have fun boys. I, personally, am not feeling up to playing lackey for Mystique," Tabitha answered with a final wave.
Lance watched her, his jaw taught and teeth gritted. "Who the hell does she think she is? To hell with her."
He'd had enough from that…plenty of descriptive words flashed through Lance's mind…in the last two days. She only did what she wanted and never cared for the people around her. Next time he saw her, he'd knock her on her ass with one of his quakes. Hopefully, there would be an audience and everyone would laugh at her. She needed a good humiliation…or something…to put her in her place.
Lance turned the key and punched the gear shift into drive, speeding off with squealing tires. Todd grabbed onto the frame before he fell out and even Fred found handholds. The ground behind them trembled slightly.
It wasn't really Tabby herself that had Lance in a foul mood. No, she was only being as annoying as always. It was the fact that she was right, that annoyed Lance.
She didn't deserve what Mystique put her through.
Words the girl had spoken only moments after he and the rest had returned home that summer. Words that made Lance think, really think about what he'd been doing the entire time they'd been gone from Bayville. During the missions as well as the down time between them, Lance had not put a second thought to the way Mystique had treated Rogue, and how his behavior had grown to mimic their leader's. Not until after it was all done, and Tabitha had spoken her mind, did Lance realize the kind of person he had become.
Doesn't make it any less wrong than before.
The guilt followed him everywhere, including in his dealings with Kitty. Now he wouldn't be able to think about the girl without picturing the dark look she had given him, the smile he had not received. The hurt in her eyes and the way she had avoided him. He had wondered about what he could do to make it up to Rogue. The Southerner was a hard enough shell to crack when you really wronged her. But now he had the double effort of making it up to Kitty and regaining her trust. Again.
After their first encounter it had been hard enough to prove himself to her. He'd done a lot of bridge burning this summer without realizing it. Half the time in his brooding he found himself tormented with "If Onlys", wishing he could have acted differently. Or that he could go back in time and do it all over again. They made the fact the he couldn't all the more hard to bear.
Gravel crunched as the jeep ground to a stop in front of the Brotherhood House. Lance found himself sinking back into depression and guilt. And on top of that, he still had to find out what Mystique wanted them all to do against the X-Men this time.
Jean was aware of the presence on the sideline as she ran drills with the rest of the soccer team, dribbling the ball-a term meaning something entirely different in soccer than in basketball-up and down the field in order to sharpen footwork. She smiled, despite herself, but managed to withhold a blush and not let herself look at him. She doubled her effort, attempting to make her footwork with the ball look smooth as it flew between her feet. She couldn't explain her need to show off for him, only compare it to how she always wanted to work her telekinetic and -pathic powers expertly for Scott in Danger Room sessions.
Duncan didn't stay for longer than a few moments. He had football practice to get back to and had only really been on a break. She wished he would stay and watch for just a little longer, with eyes only for her. Not only did she want to do better, but she wanted it for him. To impress him and show him that she was the best and worth those looks he sent her way.
She forgot about him, after that, for the rest of practice. After drills, coach divided them into two teams and had them play each other, sometimes asking one team or another to attempt a certain play. The team Jean was on won. It usually did. There was a reason she was the returning star of the soccer team.
After the mini game, it was time to run plays to refresh their mind after the long summer. First coach would show them each play on a small dry erase board. Next he would assign the positions and take them through it once slowly, to show them how it should be handled on field in relation to what he had shown them visually. Lastly he would set up different offenses or defenses with the dual purpose of letting them practice the moves and showing them in what cases the play would be best used.
Finally, coach called it a day, giving out compliments to varying members of the team. Jean beamed and blushed a little at the praise he threw her way, and nodded a thank you to him. She may not have done much practice in the way of soccer the last summer, but those Danger Room sessions came in handy in more than one way.
While the other girls headed to the locker rooms to change and head on home, Jean made her own detour to the football field where Duncan was still practicing with the rest of the team. Usually the practices ended roughly the same time, but the football team had their first big game against one of the other top rated teams in the state the next day, which meant they would practice a little longer. Jean took a seat on the bleachers situated around the field, taking a long draught from her water bottle and toweling off sweat with a small white hand towel.
Duncan was a remarkable sight on the football field. He ran, threw, passed, evaded tackles and even took them with more finesse and energy than anyone else on the field. He was a strong leader for the team and a good example in his position as quarter back and team captain. Jean knew he had his faults off the field-he had his arrogant and chauvinistic moments, sure-but when he was playing football, he did it with every fiber of his being.
Jean couldn't help but admire that. She could see the respect his team mates had for him and the pride in his coaches eyes. Once again, it reminded her of Scott. The young man tended to overwork himself and those who looked up to him as a leader, certainly, but those same people respected him and Xavier and the other teachers at the Institute showed confidence in the decisions he made as team leader. Those two were more alike than either would like to admit, and Jean still didn't understand why they never got along.
It was another half hour before football practice ended, complete with a pep talk from the coach to put school spirit in the heart of even the sourest student, but Jean was content to sit and watch through it all. Almost immediately, as the team disbanded, Duncan grabbed his stuff and headed for her. She smiled at him as she rose, falling instep with him to leave the field and head back to the school locker rooms. He grinned back at her, his eyes sparkling with left over adrenaline…and maybe a little something for her?
"You guys are gonna dominate at tomorrows game," she commented with assurance. "Every play looked tight."
"It's one thing to run drills against your own team mates, and another to run them against a real opponent," Duncan responded, then added cockily, "But those Mustangs don't have a chance tomorrow."
Jean laughed at Duncan's unabashed confidence. Some people would call it arrogance, but Jean knew that a good part of any game was attitude, and those players, and more importantly teams, with confidence, more often came out on top than those without.
"You are going to be there to cheer me on, aren't you?" Duncan asked, glancing at the red head next to him as he shifted his helmet from one hand to the next.
"I'll be showing my school spirit every minute of the game," Jean assured with a nod.
"I'll make sure to throw the winning touch down pass just for you, then," Duncan flirted just as confidently as he called orders on the field.
Jean didn't blush at the comment. Such an action didn't suit her. Instead, she smiled broadly and gave Duncan a playful shove. "You aren't going to throw every touch down pass for me?"
They paused outside their respective locker rooms as Duncan gave his reply. "I don't see why not. There isn't any other girl worth throwing them for."
They split paths at that point, Jean still wearing her huge grin. She usually left Duncan feeling a little bit higher than before, even if she thought she was already doing pretty well. He just had that affect on her. The only exception was when she had to separate him and Scott from tearing each other apart. Thankfully, with Scott away at college, she wouldn't have to worry about that this year. She'd be able to enjoy the company of each young man without worrying about their competitive spirits.
The locker room was completely empty, all the other girls already changed and gone. Jean almost missed their company. She enjoyed the conversation and playful rhetoric that went on in the locker room before and after practice. But today she was happy to just enjoy the silence and content feeling she had after Duncan's presence.
She changed quickly, more than happy to be getting out of her sweaty practice clothes and into her fresher school attire. She pulled a brush through her hair before pulling it back into a neat pony tail at the nape of her neck. Donning her jewelry, a necklace and ear ring set her parents had sent her last Christmas and a variety of rings, she gathered her stuff together and headed out of the locker.
She came out of the locker room at the same time as Duncan, which was no mistake on her part. He was chatting with a couple of the other guys, but he quickly cut it off and bid them goodbye when he spotted her. She always felt more special when he chose to walk with her over his other friends.
"Well, this must be fate," he joked charmingly.
"I'm sure fate played a big part in us walking out of the locker rooms at the same time," Jean rolled her eyes but smiled.
"Maybe, maybe not," Duncan shrugged back, "but I was definitely thinking fate could place us at senior prom together this year," he asked as he held the door for her.
Jean breezed through it, hiding the awe in her. It was so like Duncan to ask her to their senior prom before it was probably even planned. It wouldn't happen for months, at least until November or December, but he already knew he wanted her to be his date. And he was already asking.
"Well," she replied coyly as he rejoined her at her side. "I think fate could arrange that."
The smile Duncan gave her was bright, and Jean sensed a hint of relief. Had he actually thought that she would say no? His arm slipped around her as he moved closer to her, and she leaned into him a little. Despite being a proud, intelligent, beautiful independent woman, Jean still enjoyed the feeling of safety Duncan's arm around her, his close presence, gave her.
They chatted idly as he walked her to her car. He helped her load her bags into the backseat then insisted on opening her door for her. Jean laughed at him as she climbed in and stuck her keys in the ignition. He gave her a peck on the cheek and then on the lips when she turned to towards him.
"I'm so lucky I have you," he told her, holding her gaze steadily. "I'd be so lonely without you."
This time Jean couldn't help the blush that crept along her neck and cheeks. Duncan closed the door for her and waved at her as he backed away from the car. She waved back, watching him as she turned the key. A lot of the other students at the mansion didn't see what she saw in Duncan, but they never saw him like this.
Shaking her head at herself and how girlish she was acting, Jean shifted into gear and drove out of the school parking lot. She was going to be a little late getting home, and would probably have just enough time to eat something quick before drills in the Danger Room. But she didn't mind the slight rush if it meant spending those precious moments with Duncan.
As per habit, Remy waltzed out of his room after all the rest of the students had made a rush for the dining hall. He always listened until the noise level outside his room died down and faded away before he ventured into the hall to follow them. His door was securely locked behind him as he headed for the grand staircase. He knew Kitty, Kurt and Evan would be saving a seat for him.
For the second day in a row he glimpsed Rogue further down the hall. Today she was standing at the top of the steps, leaning against one of the huge posts. She seemed to be waiting for someone, possibly him? That didn't seem likely since she had avoided him since he had found her in tears a day ago. Still, he put on a smile as he approached her.
Her gaze directed elsewhere, she didn't see him coming at first, which gave him time to admire her curvy figure. Today she wore a black t-back tank top with a random punk band emblazoned on it under an off the shoulder, magenta wrap around shirt with a tie close. He was surprised at the shortness of her black skirt, never expecting her to be the kind to wear minis. But with the abundance of useless buckles and zippers and magenta thread and lace around the hem to match her shirt, it fit her style perfectly. She sported fishnet stockings over a lacy pair of stockings and her usual chunky black boots, and of course a pair of black gloves. For a girl who couldn't safely touch another human being, she sure knew how to dress to make a guy want to touch her despite the risk.
She turned and saw him when he was halfway down the hall, and stood up straight, watching him approach. So it was him she had been waiting for him. Was it too much to hope she wasn't just going to give him a piece of her mind? She seemed to do that quite often, and without Remy knowing what he was supposed to have done wrong. He pretended he hadn't been studying her so closely and knew she wouldn't buy it. She saw right through his every trick and scheme.
The way she seemed to fidget nervously as he came closer to her had Remy wondering. Rogue was never nervous. She was always sure of herself and nobody scared her or made her nervous. Not even Logan, who had most of the other students scared, or at least acting warily around him. Rogue was the only one who did what she wanted despite his threats and growls and showing of six inch claws.
So why would she be so nervous now? And around him? And since when had Remy not been able to read a woman like a children's book? Rogue was more like Shakespeare to him, beautifully crafted, but often confusing and hard to read as well.
He paused as he reached her, still wearing a broad grin. "Yo' goin' t'come eat with' de rest o'us, chère?"
"Actually, Ah had othah plans," she told him, her head bowed a bit. The angle made her green eyes look huge, and they shined softly as she gazed at him, making her seem shy.
"S'too bad. We really gonna miss yo," he told her, hoping to cajole her into joining him down to eat with the rest. After failing yesterday, he felt especially determined to succeed tonight.
"Well, mebbe they'll miss th'both of us," she told him, glancing between the floor and the feet.
His face didn't show it, but Remy was intrigued by Rogue's actions. What was she up to? She didn't seem mad. And she definitely wasn't showing the depth of depression she'd exhibited the evening before. He continued to sense the nervousness she emitted, but what she was nervous for he could not guess.
"Why would dey miss us when we can jus' go join dem?" Remy pushed a bit.
"Cause we ain't gonna join'em," Rogue said, pulling confidence from nowhere. "Come with me."
She grabbed his arm and pulled him along behind her. With her strength, he had no choice but to follow. He could hear the noise from the students talking and laughing as they ate when Rogue dragged him past the open doors. The sound faded behind him as they headed further down the hallway. Rogue was silent during the trip, but her grip on him was unrelenting. She wasn't about to let go.
But Remy wasn't fighting her. He followed her willingly, an amused and somewhat delirious smile on his lips. Whatever she had planned, he found himself looking forward to it. Even if she did just want to bite his head off in private instead of in front of an audience. He doubted it, though. She wasn't acting like she was angry.
A new stimulant caught his senses. He tipped his head up and sniffed at the air. A spicy aroma touched his nose. Scents of the south he missed so much. And the sound of good old Blues music wafted past his ears, bringing the smile on his face to a true grin. Reminded him so much of the home and family he missed.
Standing now next to Rogue in an open doorway leading to one of the rec rooms Remy was stunned by what he saw. She had obviously gone to great lengths to prepare what lay before him. A small round table was set up in a cleared area and set for two. Remy almost expected to see candles and a rose in a vase. A candle lit dinner for two. But Rogue hadn't even put a table cloth on the table.
Another slightly larger table stood off to the side and offered a full meal consisting of genuine southern cooking, including a Cajun dish as the main entrée. Just looking at it all, and smelling it, Remy suddenly felt content and comfortable. This was one of the things he had missed the most living in the North, the wonderful food of New Orleans and the south.
"Ah made everything muhself, from scratch. Nobody here knows Ah can cook. And a lotta the ingredients were hard t'find," Rogue spoke, sounding meek and unsure.
Remy looked at her with wide eyes. "You did dis all yo'self?"
She nodded at him. "Irene taught me when Ah lived with her. She may have been blahnd, but the woman knew how to cook. And she gladly passed the skill and plenty o'recipes on t'me."
"It smells delicious," Remy breathed, inhaling deeply to get the scent.
"Well, sit down and try some," Rogue urged, giving him a shove to get him moving.
Remy sat down in one of the seats at the table as Rogue took his plate and began to load it up. A course slaw, oysters Bienville, hush puppies, and a good thick gumbo. She set the plate in front of him before serving herself and taking her seat. He didn't dig in right away, but stared at her in disbelief.
"Try it," she urged him again, waiting for him to take the first bite.
"Why?" he asked simply, still in awe that she would do something so wonderful for him.
She looked down at her plate for awhile before answering. He could see that she was thinking about what she wanted to say. He waited patiently in the silence for her to speak, eyes not leaving her.
Finally she looked up at him, her green eyes meeting his.
"It's because of last nahgt. Because you were there when Ah needed ya, and ya didn't let muh push ya away. Because ya seemed to know exactly what Ah needed and didn't try to tell muh what would be good fo'muh," she told him, completely honest in her answer. "Ah'm sorry Ah pushed ya out so suddenly, but Ah did wan'ta thank ya."
Remy now found himself blushing. When had a girl ever done that to him? He couldn't think of a single time.
"Was concerned 'bout yo," he told her just as truthfully. Her hand was sitting on the table and he reached across and gently laid his own on top of it.
She didn't flinch, and she didn't remove her gaze from his. The moments they sat there like that were already some of the most precious to Remy. Anytime he could be close to her, he cherished. But the moment had to end sometime, and it did when Rogue reminded him that he should perhaps eat the food sitting in front of him.
"Or what's cold'll get warm and what's warm'll get cold."
He took back his hand and grabbed his fork. She seemed to be on the edge of his seat as he took his first bite. He chose to go straight for the gumbo. The look of sheer delight on his face and satisfied groan he gave were not exaggerated, though she seemed to think so. She was blushing, though, and smiling proudly.
"It really is good," he told her. "Summa da best I ever had."
"Ah whipped up a pecan pie fah dessert. And I can make jambalaya and ettouffe," she told him. "I'll have t'cook those fah ya anothah tahme."
He raised his eyebrow at her while he chewed on a bite of oysters, which were also amazing. A slow smile spread across his mouth. "You gonna cook fo' me again?"
She looked indignant, suddenly, and Remy laughed at her.
"That all depends on you," she told him. "You do somethin' that Ah think deserves another gourmet meal, and mebbe Ah'll cook it."
"Least there's hope," he commented with a wink.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while after that, both of them munching on the food. Remy really was impressed by her ability. He hadn't tasted such fine Cajun cuisine since he had left behind Tante Mattie's kitchen. There was a woman who could cook anything Cajun, Creole or all around southern. He was happy he had found and fallen for another woman who could (and would, he hoped) fill his Cajun cravings. Bella absolutely refused to cook. She'd always told Remy they'd hire a chef to cook for them and eat out a lot.
Rogue was Remy's dream come true, except he could never have concocted one such as her on his own. And he'd never dreamed about actually settling down with a woman. Sure, he and Bella were betrothed to marry, but Remy had always had a hard time picturing what their life together would be like. With Rogue sitting right across from him, and her own hand cooked food filling his belly, he could easily imagine a lifetime spent with her.
"You ever cook fo' anyone else?" he asked her.
She shrugged. "Not really. Just Irene."
"Why didn' you ever let anyone else know yo' were s'talented?"
She nibbled on a hush puppy as she once again debated her answer. "Cause it had been somethin' special Ah'd shared with Irene. And once Ah was ripped from my home and taken to such a strange place, Ah wanted it t'remain special, and not become something Ah jus' did, somethin' common."
"M'glad yo shared it wit' me," he told her sincerely.
"Yo the first person Ah've wanted t'share it with," she replied truthfully.
"Yo secret's safe wit' me," he vowed.
"Thanks. Ah don't think Ah could handle Kurt always bugging me t'cook fah him," Rogue joked.
They both chuckled comfortably.
"Still, it is nahce t'eat something with a little flavor," she admitted.
He nodded in sympathy. "Ah wouldn' mind makin' dis a regular t'ing. I can cook too, ya know."
Rogue shook her head. "Don't push ya luck, swamp rat."
Remy shrugged. "Jus' a suggestion."
"Ah'll keep it in mind."
As soon as they had both finished with the meal, Rogue brought out he Pecan Pie she had promised and sliced it up. She served it plain, without the whipped cream that any one not a Southerner tended to put on it. It was perfect just as it was.
It was just as Remy was relishing the first bite that a voice sounded in his head. It was Xavier summoning them.
We have a situation at the front gates, if you would please meet me there.
Nothing else to say what exactly the situation was. Remy had a deck of cards in his back pocket. They were his only weapons.
Looking up at Rogue, he saw that she had received the same message. Remy sighed at having to leave his dessert behind. He hoped that whatever the situation was, it didn't last too long. He followed Rogue out the door and to the front door.