Sorry about the typos! I've edited this again! 9/5/09

Mr Rogue and Mrs Gambit

Chapter Four – So Much for Happy Endings

Remy blinked once before a puzzled expression took hold of his features. Gently, he sat himself down beside her and turned to face her. He made sure to hold his composure in place as he spoke in a gentle toned voice.

"Why not?"

Rogue turned away from him for a moment. A small sigh escaped her before she pulled herself to her feet and exited the room. Bemused, Remy followed shortly afterwards. When he emerged from the bathroom, Rogue turned around with a small, thin velvet box in her hands. She handed it to him and told him to open it. More confused than ever, Remy did as she asked. To say the least, he was surprised by what he found. He traced a fingertip over the rose-gold chain. A million memories and questions rose to the surface as he slowly turned to meet her gaze. Rogue stared at him with a mixture of anxiety and guilt, clear in those emerald eyes. Glossy with tears, her lip quivered with barely repressed nerves. He stared at her with a lost look that was both questioning and disbelieving.

"Ya fathah gave meh that this mornin'. Ya know who this belonged to, raght?"

Remy paused for a moment. He knew this bracelet alright. How many times had his mother pulled him into her arms as a small child with this precious bracelet wrapped around her wrist? How many times had he found it on the kitchen sink and returned it to her because she forgot to put it back on after washing the dishes? A vague, half-smile spread across his lips that was both bitter and sweet as he stared down on the precious trinket.

"Pére gave Mere's bracelet t' ma chére?"

His mother's bracelet hadn't left her vanity table in over ten years. It hadn't changed since the last time he saw it and he was sure, given that his father had paid for it (instead of stealing it), it would always look this good; this perfect.

And it was perfect for her.

He frowned disbelievingly as he turned back to meet her gaze.

"Y' don't want it?"

Rogue didn't shake her head in agreement or refusal. Her voice nearly cracked under the strain of blame and anxiety as she replied.

"Ah can'te take it."

He held it out to her anyway. Was this what this was all about? A small sigh escaped him as he replied.

"Mon Pére gave it t' y' chére-"

"Because he thinks ah'm his daughter-in-law! Don't ya see how wrong that is?"

Remy let out another sigh as he ran a hand over the back of his head.

"Rogue, it's not dat bad-"

Rogue shook her head gently.

"Ah can'te marry ya on Sunday, Remy. This has gone too far."

Remy stared at her for an elongated moment.

"But it wouldn't be real. Chére- it's all an act-"

"Ah can't keep lyin' to your family over this. It- it just doesn't feel raght. They're all so happy about this, ya fathah, Tante Mattie an' Mercy, Henri…ya cousins."

She shook herself as she shook her head in self revolution. After leaving the garden, she had barricaded herself in Remy's room with the excuse of a headache. She had practically worn through the floor boards in her constant pacing as she meddled over her decision. The rose-gold bracelet sat on the bed like a pensive cat, watching her with invisible little eyes that made her feel scrutinised and guiltier than ever. She felt horrible. She felt like she was deceiving angels, not thieves. Bringing them happiness that was fabricated on lies tore at her conscience and her heart strings like nothing ever had before. She hated lying to them. Despite their field of employment, they were good people that deserved better. Tante Mattie and Mercy, though frightening in their enthusiasm, were both wonderful about handling the preparations in such a small amount of time. The Church they wanted had been booked out until December next year, so they had taken whatever booking was left which was this coming Sunday. Rogue had nearly had a heart attack when Tante had announced it but grinned and bared it while she still had nerve. Henri and Remy's cousins already treated her like one of the family. That is, they teased and flirted until the point in which her face was as red as a tomato. Despite the blushing and embarrassment, she actually loved them for it. What's more, Jean-Luc had paid for the wedding single handed. Rogue didn't care how loaded with money he was, it was still a more than generous gesture. His offering of his wife's bracelet was more than either of her parents had managed. She didn't even know who her real father was.

Rogue came back from her thoughts only to realise how Remy was staring at her. His eyes were glowing intensely with an emotion she couldn't quite pinpoint. It stood between something like remorse and worry but there was another she couldn't name...or wouldn't, given the circumstances. Rogue felt a pang of guilt cut into her like a hot knife at that look. What would happen now? Her voice was small and no more than a whisper.

"Ah can'te lie to them Remy. Ah'm sorry."

With that said, Rogue motioned for the bathroom again but was not three steps across towards it when Remy moved towards her. His hands grasped her elbows and pulled her towards him so that she stood practically in his arms. Rogue stared up at him with wide eyes as he looked down on her with a new look that was both remorseful and…guilty? When he spoke, he spoke in a husky whisper with such sincerity that kept her silent.

"I shouldn't 'ave asked y' to do dis in de first place ma chére. Je suis désolé. Y' did more for moi den I deserved." (I am sorry)

He leant forward and kissed the top of her head with a whisper of a touch before he let her go and silently left the room. Rogue was left utterly speechless as she stared after him.

What had she done?

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Two days later…

"I still can't believe dis happened."

"I know. I was so sure dey were…y' know?"

Theo took another swing of his bear as he, Henri and Etienne nodded in agreement. Yesterday, Remy had gathered the family together in the main living room and announced that he and Rogue were not getting married nor were they ever married in the first place. Rogue and her parents had been excluded from the meeting, thankfully, as Tante had practically fainted upon hearing the news. They had had to bring her water and fan her face for a major part of five minutes before she came to- and then proceeded to smack the living daylights out of Remy. Surprisingly however, it had not been because of the fake marriage or wedding. It had been for using Rogue. Remy hadn't disagreed with her one bit. He didn't even back away as she continued to throttle him. That had been an unbelievable sight for the family indeed. Jean-Luc had been awfully silent afterwards. However, the main attraction was when Rogue and her family left the next morning. Rogue had attempted to give back the bracelet to Jean-Luc but he had refused to take it back. He insisted that she keep it. Reluctantly, she did so. Tante Mattie and Mercy had been teary-eyed and embraced her like a daughter and sister, not a woman they had opened their home to for just a week. Theo and the other LeBeau men had done much the same. However, when it came down to Remy, things became a thousand times more complicated.

Theo let out a slight huff of indignity and shook his head. "What a fou." (fool)

Remy had been a little awkward, as if he didn't know what to do with himself. He told her to take care of herself in a severe tone as he strained to keep a smirk on his face. To Theo, Rogue had been a pillar of strength and unshed tears as she nodded and told him to do the same. After a moment of awkward silence, they hugged and said their goodbyes. Theo had never seen Remy behave so out of character in those ten torturous minutes. Remy was a smooth charmer, the man with the silver tongue that could make a woman blush and swoon with just a smirk and few husky words. Now he was this pining fool, watching the woman he so obviously wanted more than life itself as she stepped out of his life. Leaving himself doomed to wed Bella-de-vil. It was damn painful to watch his cousin suffer. It was painful to watch her suffer too.

Theo let out a disgruntled groan. 'Dat's it.' He turned to his oddly glum and silent clan of cousins.

"Where be Remy?"

Henri let out a disheartened sigh.

"Nursin' a bottle o' bourbon in his room."

Theo frowned for a moment of deep thought. A moment later, his creased brow turned upside down. Innovation had struck him. He abruptly stood and set down his beer bottle before he fled the room. He ignored his cousins' odd looks as he headed for the front door. Theo checked he was definitely alone before pulling out his cell phone and dialling. The phone rang several times before a familiar Southern accent spoke up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Bonjour ma petite, dis be Remy's cousin, Theo."

There was a hint of disbelief in her voice as she replied in candid alarm.

"Theo? How did ya get mah number? Is everythin' okay? Is Remy-?"

Theo grinned amusedly as a rough chuckle escaped his lips.

"Rogue chére, jus' how much do y' love mon cousin?"

The line went silent for a few moments except for a few half-cut gaping noises that left him grinning from ear to ear.

"Why are ya askin' meh this?"

Theo rolled his eyes at her lack of straight answers. Nevertheless, the obvious tinge of sadness in that answer was all he needed to say what he knew would solve all their problems.

"Y' see ma petite, I know dat it would break ma famille'shearts if Remy didn't marry de femme he loves. Dat arranged marriage can be settled by someone else. Mais de Assassins might put up a fight t' keep him wit' Bella-de-vil on deir heels."

There was a pause before Rogue replied. Her voice was strained with honest confusion.

"What are ya suggestin' Theo?"

Theo chuckled.

"Mon famille know about de fake priest Remy hired. De Assassins don't. T'ieves are tres bon at keeping secrets ma petite et even better at keepin' dem from Assassins. What dey don't know won't hurt dem non?"

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Sunday Morning…

Remy let out a quick breath as he hid his nervousness. He had never been nervous. He was confident, charming, intelligent and quick-tongued, he was slightly perverted at times but he was rarely a man who was nervous. Letting out another anxious breath between his tighten lips, he rolled back on the heels of his shoes as he stood at the grand altar of the church. The murmur of arriving and already seated guests buzzed about the grand hall as an organ played. His time as a single, happy man would end when the wedding march began.

He let another breath out to push away his anxieties.

"Dis won't be so bad. Y' can do dis."

He let another breath out to calm himself as he continued to fidget. He looked at his watch. He pulled at the sleaves of his tux to straighten it. He lightly cleared his throat as he took another look at his watch. He ignored Henri's worried expression. He did anything to keep himself calm but his usual antics were beginning to lose their momentum. The guests were filling out the vacant gaps in the bench rows. The sight added tension to his antics. More than enough of them gave him winning smiles and 'thumbs up' and practically blinded him with their flash-cameras. Remy was sure he was seeing white stars at one point but he was mistaken completely. The massive church doors had been opened. The white sunlight practically blinded him but only for a moment. The wedding march began to play on the organ as a figure clad in white was led down the isle.

He felt what was left of his composure sink to the pit of his stomach as his mouth fell open in shock.

"It couldn't be…?"

Led down the isle at a steady pace by Logan walked a woman dressed accordingly to her character in a Victorian style wedding gown. It trained behind her in elegant fashion in a tail of raw silk ruffles. Though they were probably heavy, she gave no indication of that as she walked down the isle like an angel on a path made of clouds. The bodice shaped her curvy hips and wrapped perfectly around her small waist while a long veil kept her face obscured from recognition. A loose French-twist of dark auburn and white curls were distinguishable under the floral pattered that characterised the flimsy fabric of veil. She held a simple bouquet of white tulips in her right hand that were tied together by long, thin streams of silk and lace. They dangled like cobwebs drifting in a gentle wind.

She was heaven incarnated.

Remy suddenly forgot to breathe properly. He regained what little composure he could muster only when Logan raised the veil from her face. Like the father he was, in his heart if not by kin, the usually gruff-natured man kissed her cheek and whispered some sort of gentle praise before he handed her free hand to Remy's trembling one. Her flesh was like warm porcelain. When Remy raised his disbelieving gaze to meet hers, he found himself in a state of utter disbelief all over again. Emerald eyes stared back at him with such strength and vividness it nearly left him giddy. He was drawn out of those pools of green when the priest began to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we gather here today to witness the marriage…"

The priest's words became a blurred murmur in the background as Remy stared at her from the corner of his eyes. He could hardly believe she was standing here with him, her hand enveloped with his own by a red sash on the platform before them. He had feared when he daftly reached out for her hand that he would catch thin air and look up to find Belladonna's calculating violet eyes staring back. Instead, he found a pair of emeralds and a reassuring smile that rendered him completely speechless. When the priest announced them man and wife, Remy hand never been so desperate to fasten his lips to another woman's in all his life; him, the womanising charmer. Her lips were honey, so warm and soft he would willingly consume them. She was a little shy, a little nervous but he knew that she enjoyed it just as much as he did. It was over too soon when they broke apart. They surfaced to realize a thunderous applause had broken across the room and not a minute later, they were walking down the isle and out of the church with his family and friends on their heels. After another kiss outside the limousine, Remy helped her into the backseat with her heavy train in his hands. Both were grinning ear to ear when Remy finally managed to speak. A half-chuff of laughter escaped him as he spoke. He was still a little disbelieving of what they had just done.

"I t'ought y' didn't want t' go t'rough wit' dis?"

Rogue bit down on her lower lip and smiled.

"Well, ya family knew it wasn't real this tahme. Only people we were lyin' to was Gawd an' an army o' Assassins ready t' slit ya throat. Ah figured those were a few facts ah could live with."

Unabashedly, Remy let out a hearty bark of laughter that caused his face to crease with true mirth. Rogue found it to be one of the most delightful sounds she had ever heard. When his laughter finally died down, Remy reached out for her hand and squeezed it tenderly. His other hand was more brazen and gently cupped the side of her face. He grazed his thumb over her cheek as a tender smile spread across his lips.

"Merci ma chére. Y' didn't have t' do dis mais I'm glad y' did."

Rogue smiled. A soft, attractive pink painted her cheeks as she replied in a mockery of seriousness.

"Ya owe meh big tahme Cajun."

Remy chuckled softly and nodded in agreement.

"Oui, he does. Owe y' my life, really."

Rogue blushed a little harder as she replied.

"Well, considerin' ya Dad gave meh a free weddin', ya Mama's bracelet and a fully paid for honeymoon to Venice, ah think ah can cut your sentence t' half a life. Sound fair?"

Remy chuckled as he continued to stroke the rose-tinted flesh of her cheek. He was surprised she hadn't moved away from him or smacked him for touching her.

"I'd willingly give y' my life et anyt'ing y' wanted ma Rogue-chérie. Y' jus' name it."

He loved the way her blush darkened to a redder shade of pink.

"How about buyin' meh lunch in Venice?"

Disbelief struck him again as she blushed twice as hard as before. Did he hear right? He raised a disbelieving brow at her but continued to smirk devilishly as he spoke.

"Roguey are y' asking Remy out?"

Bashfully, Rogue turned her gaze to the leather seat as she shifted slightly. Though she replied with a soft-toned voice that was full of nerves and uncertainty, it was like melted chocolate and angels calling in his ears.

"Maybe."

Remy tugged slightly on her hand, causing her to look up at him again. He leant in slowly and whispered huskily as he grinned in blatant elation.

"Well den, by all means Madame Gambit, Remy would be more den happy to."

To his amusement, Rogue let out an adorable snort of laughter before playfully slapping his shoulder. She continued to chuckle as she replied in a mockery of his accent.

"Then a date it is Monsieur Rogue."

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Epilogue

Theo let out a sigh of satisfaction as he took a drag of his cigarette. The smoke escaped his lips in another sigh as he leant back against the Church stairs in a leisurely manner. Henri, Etienne and Lapin sat around him in similar fashions, all completely oblivious to the Church standing behind them as they talked.

"Well, dat went exceptionally well, non?"

A few of them chuckled while Henri just grinned and replied lightly.

"Oui. Mais I t'ink I'd like t' see how de real one goes too."

They all laughed with equal amusement. However their chatter and amusement was cut short as a car briskly came to an awkward stop across the pavement in front of the Church. Not a moment later, a man dressed in white and gold priest robes hurried out of the driver's seat and began to rush up the stairs. He stopped when he spotted the four men in their matching black suits. The elderly man looked between a heat stroke, panic and a relief as he managed to speak between puffs of air.

"Is this- Is this the wedding of Monsieur LeBeau and Mademoiselle Darkholme?"

The three cousins gave wary, confused looks amongst each other before Henri answered the man.

"Oui it was. Euh…who are y' exactly?"

The man turned another shade of red with embarrassment as he replied with a defeated sigh.

"I am the actor Monsieur LeBeau hired for the ceremony! My flight was delayed by an hour-! I called the house, I called his cell phone but he wasn't there and…"

The four LeBeaus gave similar expressions of raised brows and blank faces as they turned to look at each other. The actor-priest continued to babble on as they all relaxed into their previous leisurely positions on the stairway. Theo clicked his tongue.

"Well, it looks like we won't need dat real wedding after all."

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-The End-

Thank you everyone who reviewed!

I'll have a new one-shot for you soon I hope!

-Gams