~X~X~X~X~X~
Getting Warmer
Chapter 21: Closer
~X~X~X~X~X~
The dawn is breaking - A light shining through
You're barely waking - And I'm tangled up in you
I'm open, you're closed - Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face - Light up again
Even the best fall down sometimes - Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind - I somehow find
You and I collide *
"You and I Collide" by Howie Day
~X~X~X~X~X~
Deep in the forest where mountains meet the heavens, and glaciers melt into rivers, a small mound rose out of a dense copse of fir trees and tall, willowy bushes. It was composed primarily of fallen trees, creating a natural shelter as leaves, dirt, and moss gradually covered the short, dome-like structure. Sunlight filtered through the few natural cracks between the interwoven branches, silently caressing the faces of two wayward mutant fugitives on the run from a madman. A sliver of light passed over the closed lids of the taller of the pair, both of whom were partially buried in twigs and leaves, beckoning him back into the waking world.
Remy LeBeau inhaled deeply as he stirred, his lungs filling with the sweet, musky scent of fresh mountain air. His face was almost uncomfortable, chilled by the first truly cold night they'd experienced in the last few days. Thankfully, he and his traveling companion had stayed relatively warm thanks to the combination of the natural shelter he'd found and Rogue's trick with the leaves - piling them on and using them as insulation.
He turned his face toward the sleeping girl who was still cuddled tightly against his side, her cheek resting on his armored chest. The blindfold she'd worn when they went to sleep had shifted up to her forehead, pulling her hair up out of her face and highlighting her features. Aside from the slight sunburn reddening her cheeks and nose, and the pinched hollowness of her cheeks from lack of nutrition, she actually looked peaceful for once. No frown marred her lips from bad dreams, and her body was completely relaxed - not twitching or jerking from visions, nor drawn up tightly from the cold.
Slowly and carefully so as not to wake her Remy reached up with the hand that wasn't entangled by her body, and pushed aside a few branches and twigs that obscured his view of her sharp, strong features. Not for the first time, he was struck by how truly beautiful she was. Lean, yet muscular, with luscious curves and full, supple lips.
The warm sun danced across her delicate features, highlighting her thin, slightly upturned nose and high cheekbones as the wind outside their shelter swayed the trees. He smiled as he was reminded of a song he'd heard, with its slow, sweet, and slightly somber melody. * He could never remember the entire thing, but the first lines had resonated with him.
'The dawn is breaking, a light shining through. You're barely waking, and I'm tangled up in you.'
It had struck him at the time, as he'd realized he'd never spent the night with a woman and woken up with her the next day. Not even Bella Donna. And, back then, he'd wondered sadly if he ever WOULD.
The irony made him chuckle lightly, and he tried not to wake Rogue as his chest rumbled against her cheek. He had been waking up with the same girl next to him for the last three mornings, and he wasn't even romantically involved with her.
Gambit couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so soundly, or felt so… right, and it struck him that he would be perfectly content to wake up like this every morning for the rest of his life. But such things were not in the cards for a thief and scoundrel like him.
So, instead, he indulged in his deepest fantasies for a moment in the early morning glow, with this perfect woman wrapped around him like the coziest of lovers. Delusions of grandeur and a better life swirled through his mind: visions of her in a beautiful burgundy dress as they danced the night away to REAL music; of whisking her away from the X-Men for a weekend of frivolity in NOLA during Mardi Gras; of long, passionate nights filled with inventive ways around her unique powers; trips to Paris; heated arguments that melded into comforting embraces; drives on his bike with her arms wrapped around his waist; stealing kisses from those full, enticing lips; leaving flowers and surprises in her room just to see her face light up…
Remy took a deep breath and swallowed hard, forcing such pleasantries from his mind as the bittersweet images created conflicting emotions of heartache and hope. Contemplating his own dismal future, he closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer not for himself, but for her. He prayed that even though he could never share such a life with her, that she would one day find such a future with someone. With everything she had endured in her short life, she deserved a little happiness.
Glancing back down at her angelic face, the corner of his mouth turned up in the smallest of broken hearted smiles, and he leaned in slightly, letting his lips brush her forehead. For now, at least, he would take what he could get. Even if it was only for this small, fleeting moment where he got to hold her in his arms and watch her sleep.
~X~X~X~
Kitty Pryde stretched her arms above her head as she woke, wincing slightly as the burns on her arm pulled painfully. She was careful not to make a noise, however, as the mass of other students in the main lounge were still sleeping, including Ororo and Mr. McCoy. Lance had moved away from her after the movie was over - or, more accurately - had BEEN moved by Logan. She peeked over to where the boy was sleeping on the other side of the room, half out of his sleeping bag with Todd's leg flopped over his chest.
Kitty suppressed a giggle, opting to let Lance sleep since he was rather grouchy in the mornings. Instead, she phased through the floor, popping up again once she was out in the hall. She briefly wondered what to do with her time while everyone else slept in, and decided she would start by taking a shower and getting dressed.
She phased through her bedroom door a few minutes later, heading for her closet. At first she pulled out her black pants and short-sleeved maroon blouse. But she quickly realized what day it was, and her face fell. Digging through her closet, she pulled out a few of her black dresses and laid them out on her bed, suddenly somber. After a few minutes of frustrated deliberation, she threw the entire lot on the floor and flopped face down on her pillow, eyes full of tears.
Kitty squished her pillow with her good arm and dug around inside the silk pillowcase. When her fingers alighted on a familiar piece of paper, her lips turned up in a watery smile. She turned onto her back as she pulled it free, tracing her name written in long, swooping letters on the front of a wrinkled envelope.
"Katya"
The young woman glanced at the door briefly, almost feeling guilty as she pulled the folded papers free to review them for the dozenth time in the last 24 hours. The first page was a short, hastily scribbled note.
"Dear Katya,
I enjoyed our short time together immensely, it will always be precious to me. I wish my circumstances were different and I could stay with you and your X-Men. I hope you will find comfort and solace with your friends during this difficult time. Please take care of yourself, and keep in touch.
Piotr"
At the bottom he'd written an obscure email address in Russian, but since Mr. McCoy had confiscated her devices, she had no way of deciphering it at the moment. Next, she slipped the second piece of paper out from behind Piotr's note. It was roughly the size of a large index card - probably from one of the note pads that could be found next to every landline phone in the school. On it was a penciled sketch of Kitty herself as she'd sat across from Colossus in the metal bubble a few days ago.
There was an incredible amount of detail for something he'd obviously done from memory. He'd included everything from the X-logos on her uniform, to the bandages on her burnt arm, to the buckles on her boots. He'd drawn her face with a sweet half-smile, her head tilted slightly as she'd peeked up at him shyly.
Kitty ran her fingers across the edge of the picture, careful not to smudge the delicate graphite. Not for the first time, she considered buying a frame for the beautifully drawn image, or at the very least getting it laminated. Like the other dozen times she had examined the image, the brunette's heart jolted ever so slightly with excitement and pleasure. She got the distinct impression that the large Acolyte was slightly enamored with her - after all, he had made her a special meal that was both complex AND considered her Jewish background, he'd drawn a rather flattering (and slightly intimate) portrait of her, and had spent several hours researching on her laptop while she'd slept next to him.
The last thought made her blush darkly, but she smiled nonetheless. She'd known Lance for several years now, and they had never shared such an intimate yet casual moment. In fact, she'd spent more time with Lance in the last few days than she probably had in all the years she'd known him COMBINED.
Kitty bit her lip, feeling slightly guilty that she was practically dating one boy, yet was rather quickly (and surprisingly) developing a bit of a crush on another. She loved Lance, of course, it was just… Confusing.
Sighing, Kitty rolled over, looking across the room at Rogue's untouched bed and wished she had her best friend to talk to about all this. Rogue may not have been the most outgoing person at Xaviers, but she was a great listener and typically gave really good advice. The southerner was hands down one of the best people at keeping secrets, too (aside from Jean and the Professor), and she NEVER had a single air of judgment or disgust about Kitty's taste in boys. Fashion, maybe, but not boys.
Kitty swallowed the lump that welled up in her throat as she considered her dead friend. She had often wished that Rogue would put herself out there more, maybe join her and Lance on a double date or something. But her friend had insisted that dating was out of the question, and it wasn't like there were any boys Rogue had been interested in anyhow. The brunette thought it was a shame her friend hadn't gotten to know the Acolytes. From the brief interactions Kitty had had with Gambit, he seemed like the kind of guy Rogue might actually tolerate - maybe not in a romantic way, but at least they were both from the south and had SOMETHING in common.
Snorting, her mind fleetingly imagined going out on a double date with Magneto's Acolytes, Kitty with Piotr and Rogue with Gambit. With another sigh, she wondered briefly if the card wielder had perished at the hands of Apocalypse, too. Had the two been together at the end?
Or had Rogue died scared and alone, never knowing just how desperately her friends had tried to find and save her?
~X~X~X~
Light, rhythmic caresses against her arms and neck slowly drew Rogue from a deep, peaceful slumber. Eyes still closed, she gradually forced her way back to consciousness as she felt bare fingers rubbing against a knot in the back of her neck.
"Rrmmm, tha's nice," she drawled, more relaxed than she'd ever felt in her life, and she was once again immeasurably glad she wasn't out here alone.
Remy's chest jiggled under her cheek as he chuckled lightly. "Well t'ank God f'r dat. Couldn't decide if y'd like it, or if y'd hit me."
It was then she realized she was partially draped across Remy's body, her arm slung across his chest, leg curled up over his thigh with both feet tucked under his calves. His duster was still pulled tight around her, but with her arm over his chest, it was at least partially covering Remy as well. Rogue blushed furiously and ducked her head so the Cajun couldn't tease her about their intimate position. Although, she was impressed that he hadn't said anything about it so far.
"D'ja stay warm enough, chère?" Remy made no move to get up, but the branches and leaves that had so heavily covered them last night had already been moved away, and Rogue marveled at how deeply she must have slept not to notice.
Although her cheeks were still flushed from embarrassment, the Mississippi native reluctantly extracted herself from Remy's arms as she sat up. A deep wince marred her features as she did so, however, and she grabbed the upper part of her left arm - which had been trapped between her body and the ground all night - with a gasp.
"Wa's wrong, p'tite?" The Cajun was immediately upright as well, ducking slightly in the short shelter as he reached for her.
She gave him a small, reassuring smile. "It's nothin'," she replied, still cringing. "Mah arm fell asleep is all. Whole darn thing."
Remy touched her hand, his eyes darkening with concern at her discolored fingertips. "Merde - y'r hand's like ice."
Rogue raised an eyebrow as she held her arm near the shoulder. "It's just asleep s'all," she reassured him with a chuckle, even though she couldn't even feel his touch against her fingers. Well, at least her body wasn't reacting stupidly this time. Maybe there was hope for her yet.
"You gettin' the pins and needles feelin'?" he asked, unwilling to so easily dismiss it.
She nodded. "Just above the elbow so far, but - hey, OW!" She protested loudly as Remy took her arm and stretched it out completely, scooting over until he was sitting adjacent to her with their knees touching.
Remy kept her hand and forearm in his lap and chuckled. "First time ya ain't pulled away, chère."
"Cause ah CAN'T Cajun, d'uh. Mah arm ain't exactly functional like this, ya know." Her tone was snarling, eyes narrowed, yet she hid her amused smile behind pursed lips.
"Ooww! Dooon't!" she whined, squirming uncomfortably as Remy began rubbing up and down her arm. Starting with the inside of the upper part near her armpit, he dragged two digits all the way down to the tips of her fingers. "Gotta get the circulation goin' again. Honestly, 'm a little worried about frostbite with how purple y'r fingers look. Musta had the blood cut off f'r a long time."
She whimpered a little, biting her lip as he carefully massaged his way down from her upper arm again, trying to get the blood flowing back into her fingers. "Ugh!" she complained, biting her lip as the pins and needles sensation expanded outward like super heated knives. "Do ya HAVE t' rub it? It'll come back on its own, ya know. This is the WORST!"
"Desole, chère," Remy replied, his dark eyes empathetic as he gave her a tilted half smile. "I know it's painful, but we gotta make sure. Plus, you can't hang on t' me if ya don't have any feelin' in y'r fingers." He chuckled as she squirmed again and brought her numb hand up to kiss the back of it.
The gesture made Rogue's heart skip wildly, but she maintained a neutral expression even while averting her eyes. So much for him not affecting her as easily…
Remy spent a few minutes carefully rubbing her fingers and palm, watching carefully as her hand slowly turned from a purplish-blue to dark red, then light pink as the blood flow successfully returned.
"Can you use 'em yet? Move y'r fingers pour moi, s'il vous plaît?"
Rogue wiggled her digits making a few stiff, loose fists, and frowned. "Feels like Ah've got the arthritis of a 90 year old seamstress, but it'll do. Thanks. Ah THINK." The uncertainty of her voice was levied by her playful smile and knowing wink, and Remy found himself grinning like an idiot.
He picked up her hand once more, kissing the back of it a second time. "Anytime ma chère, anytime."
~X~X~X~
"Remy, stop!"
From a few feet behind, Rogue called to the Cajun, her voice full of urgency and dread. It was still fairly early in the morning, having only been walking for an hour or so.
Holding a large 'L-shaped' branch and his pocket knife, Remy was forging a makeshift path through the dense underbrush. He walked a few feet in front of Rogue as he attempted to push, break, and cut the branches that blocked their path. He had scoped out several paths, but opted for this one as the 'best of the worst' possible options. His other choices had included a wide, open swath of rocky slopes, or skirting the muddy banks of a large lake - both of which would make them easy targets for Apocalypse's lurking goons.
Until now, they had been relatively lucky in their travels. They had found deer trails and natural pathways, and most of the foliage had been light and sparse under the tall red cedar trees. With his heavy combat boots, Remy had been able to stamp down some of the smaller bushes and ferns, and the two travelers had easily navigated around the larger obstacles like low hanging pines.
The Cajun immediately froze at Rogues warning, unsure if he was about to get a spider web to the face, or step on a snake… Again.
"That there's poison ivy!" the Southern girl explained as she pointed to a few dark green bushes. "You touch that - even with your clothes - and we're both gonna end up with some industrial grade itchin'."
Placing his foot down carefully, Remy looked around, taking stock of the swath of matching bushes. "Merde," he muttered under his breath before sighing and turning around. He was careful not to touch the offending foliage, but couldn't be sure he hadn't already brushed against some.
Rogue was also backtracking cautiously, trying not to touch anything. Despite the rising heat and humidity of the afternoon, she was grateful Remy had insisted she wear his coat to protect her arms and legs from the dense brush. It had likely saved her from yet another ailment on her growing list of maladies.
"How bad's poison ivy again, chère?" Gambit asked a moment later, pausing as he stared at something hidden within the bushes.
"Pretty bad…" she murmured, trying to follow his gaze. "If the oils get on your skin, it can cause somethin' like a chemical burn. It gets on your clothes and can transfer to your skin through secondary contact. It's a bugger to wash out, too. Can even be fatal if it gets in your lungs. Why?"
"'Cause d'ere's a strawberry bush right under some of it 'bout 10 yards straight through it."
Rogue groaned loudly. "Don't bother, Cajun. There's no way we can wash those well enough to get all the oils off 'em. If we ate those and they had any sort of residue on 'em, it could kill us."
Sighing, Remy nodded and followed her back through the heavy brush.
"We DO need t' find food soon, chère, or we gonna have t' scrounge up more grubs and crickets."
"Ugh," Rogue stuck out her tongue as she retraced their steps through the recently forged trail. "Ah don't know if ah can…" she paused suddenly, her ears perked by the sound of twigs snapping somewhere in front of them.
The X-Man froze, her terror at being caught by Apocalypse momentarily overtaking her ability to react quickly. Before she could move, however, Gambit had lifted her, bridal style, and was darting through the poison ivy to find a hiding place. He tried keeping her legs above the bushes, protecting her skin by wrapping his coat tighter around her. Dropping into a crouch inside a dense patch of bushes, Remy pulled Rogue into his body and curled around her as tightly as he could without causing further injury.
The clomping of heavy footsteps grew closer until it was directly in front of them, walking the same trail they had just blazed.
Rogue wasn't able to see anything with her face buried in Gambit's chest, but from the way the branches snapped and shifted, it was clearly very large. The Cajun's arms around her were tight with tension before he suddenly deflated, sighing in relief.
"Ain't a robot, petite," he whispered. "Just a moose. Big 'un at dat. Still better t' give him a wide berth and stay quiet til he's mosied on through."
The girl turned carefully in Remy's arms until she was able to see the giant bull moose walk by not 15 feet in front of them. She gasped, the size and magnificence of the creature leaving her awe-struck. The moose's horns were so large she could have easily reclined in one like a lounge chair.
"Wow," she breathed as the creature moved on, oblivious, and disappeared in the dense underbrush. As soon as it was gone, Remy stood, lifting her again and using the back of his hand to brush away some of the bushes. Even so, a few of the branches rubbed against the sides and top of her hair, pulling at her scalp. The pair made their way back to the makeshift trail quickly, but were already starting to itch.
"We gotta hightail it back to the water, Remy," Rogue warned. "The sooner we get this stuff off our skin and clothes the better."
"And I can't carry you since it's all over me." Remy looked apologetic, but he shook his head chuckling. "Imagine dat would be a t'ousand times worse d'an jock itch."
Rogue shuddered, but laughed lightly. "Yeah, ah'll take mah chances at walkin'. Ah just hope we ain't too far from the water."
"Nah," Remy assured her, checking his bearings as he rubbed the back of his hand against his inner thigh absentmindedly. "Should only be a few minute's walk, is all."
"Hey!" The southerner chastised Remy, catching his wrist with the sleeve of his coat. "Don't scratch Cajun! You'll only make it blister. Try to keep your mind off it." She had an overwhelming urge to scratch her scalp and upper calves, but refrained. "Ah think it was mah turn, right?"
Smiling, Rogue fell into step beside him as they made their way through a less compact section of the forest, heading for the nearest body of water.
"Sure," he smiled back, his hand twitching from the urge to scratch. "What's your question?"
The two had abandoned '50 questions' in lieu of a more natural 'game' of Q & A. They each got to ask one question at a time, and their answers had become more organic and free flowing. After nearly four full days of constant interrogations and 'clarification' requests, Rogue naturally launched into an explanation for almost every one of her answers now. Gambit was still succinct and not very forthcoming with honest, open explanations, but even he was opening up more.
"You asked me about MY theme song, but what's YOURS?"
"OH, dat's an easy one ma petite - I got TWO. 'The Gambler' by Kenny Rogers, or 'Ace of Spades' by Motorhead. Never can decide which I like best though." He turned his head, smirking at her as they walked side by side.
"Not sure Ah know either a those," the southern girl replied. Rogue's brows were furrowed as she focused on her feet. Every step was deliberate and tentative, as if it caused her pain just to put her foot down. Remy tried to hide the concern on his face as he watched her carefully, realizing that she was trying to hide a limp.
Gambit started humming the melody to the Kenny Rogers song, keeping an eye on his bearings. Thankfully, with the massive mountains towering above the trees in the north, it was fairly easy to discern if he was heading the right direction.
"Gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em… Know when to walk away,
And know when to run. You never count your money, When you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin', When the dealin's done."
Singing softly, he looked over at Rogue again, the small smile on her face producing a matching grin on his.
"If'n I'm feelin' in a bit more of 'metal' mood, den it's Motorhead. Ain't much of a 'singin' song though…" He took a moment to play the air guitar, pretending to jam out, and Rogue giggled.
"If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man. You win some, lose some, it's all the same to me. The pleasure is to play, it makes no difference what you say. I don't share your greed, The only card I need is The Ace of Spades. The Ace of Spades."
He recited the lyrics like poetry, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "'Course, my card be d' Queen of Hearts, but you already know dat."
Rogue gave him a tilted half-smile. "Ah suppose that does fit ya - least on the surface. Not what ah woulda picked for you though."
"Oh really?" Remy questioned. His eyebrow was cocked in surprised curiosity at her casual, easy admission. "And what exactly would YOU suggest?" He noted that something in her demeanor had shifted since their close call this morning. She seemed more comfortable around him, even going so far as to playfully tease him a few times.
"Ah'm torn," Rogue supplied readily. 'On My Own' by Ashes Remain, seems like it would be a good fit for ya. Ah get the feeling you THINK you're some loner who has to keep your distance and fight on your own. Or there's 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls." She paused, turning her eyes toward him slightly as she tried to mask her blush behind her hair.
"You know that song?" she asked somewhat shyly. "The lyrics go something like, I don't want the world to see me, cause I don't think that they'd understand. When everything's made to be broken, 'I just want you to know who I am.'" She had the slightest lilt to her voice, not quite singing, but not simply repeating the words, either.
"That one would probably work for either of us though, huh?" The southerner smiled lightly, but nervously, unsure if he would understand her meaning, or if he even knew the song.
"Course," she added, reaching up to scratch her scalp, "the Mariah Carey song, 'Hero' comes t' mind as well. But I doubt it's something you'd ever pick for yourself. Ah think it suits ya though."
Remy shrugged nonchalantly as he lifted the branch of a Paper Birch out of her way. "Can't say I know any of 'em, chèrie. Desole." (sorry)
Rogue's body language - as usual - showed a juxtaposition of reactions. Ducking under his arm and the branch, she simultaneously sighed in relief and visibly deflated, both comforted and disappointed by his lack of understanding.
In reality, he knew at least two of the songs. The Mariah Carey song was something his former girlfriend had listened to - repetitively - when they were very young. Before they'd even started training as Thief and Assassin (Rippers), Remy and Bella Donna had spent hours just listening to music as they had picnics together on the banks of the bayou.
And Rogue was right, it was definitely NOT something he would ever pick for himself. 'A hero lies in you,' was not a line of which he would consider himself worthy.
'Iris' was another he'd listened to as a young teen when he and Belle had started drifting apart. She had been enamored with her life as an Assassin, finding thrill and power in the prospect of killing.
Remy had not.
So why had he lied to Rogue about it? So what if he knew the lyrics to a few silly songs? So what if they carried a special meaning to him? Rogue didn't know about his past, or Bella Donna. She didn't know how much he had wanted to be a 'Hero' as a young boy, or how badly he had wanted to be accepted as a young man.
"So what's a song you'd pick for me?" Rogue grinned lightly, a curious, yet nervous expression on her face as she nibbled her lip. She discreetly brushed her hair to the side, scratching her scalp simultaneously.
"My, my, chere," Remy whistled, impressed. "You're really gettin' into m' little game, eh?"
"Maybe," she answered coyly, pushing another branch from a maple aside with one hand and rubbing the inside of her calf with the straps on her other leg. "Or maybe ah just wanna know who it is ah'm trustin' with mah life. You start spoutin' off some horrendous rap song and ah might have t' reconsider mah trust in your judgment."
Remy chuckled as she teased him, noting how her playful smile lit up her eyes. "Stop scratchin', we're almost dere," he admonished lightly. "And I gotta say, 'Lips Like Morphine' by Kill Hannah."
Rogue snorted and rolled her eyes, clearly familiar with the song. "How original," she commented. "Sure would 'knock ya out' though - least under normal circumstances."
"Dat's just d' first one dat came t' my mind when I found out about y'r powers," Remy continued. "I think dat song from Greatest Showman 'This is Me' fits better. 'Look out 'cause here I come, An' I'm marching on to d'beat I drum. I'm not scared t' be seen, I make no apologies, d'is is me.'" He sang a few bars, his eyebrows dancing in amusement at her intrigued smile. "What you t'ink chère? Dat sound 'bout right to you?"
Rogue shrugged, blushing lightly for what felt like the umpteenth time. "Maybe. Guess ah'll have t' look it up when we get home."
"You thought of any dat might fitcha better, yet?" He sighed in relief as he spotted the shiny reflection of a lake a few yards ahead.
"Well," she started, but Gambit held up a finger, silencing her.
"Hold dat thought, petite," he whispered. "Lemme check dis out first. If dere's a problem, Gambit'll give a special whistle - like a bird - dat'll mean you stay low and hide. If'n you hear any explosions, you run. Got it?"
Rogue nearly put her hands on her hips defiantly before she remembered not to touch anything. Regardless, she opened her mouth to argue, but Remy's stern look and raised hand halted her protest.
"We can't risk you gettin' caught, Rogue. No matter what happens, you STAY AWAY if'n dere's trouble." His dark eyes flashed imploringly, his face serious as he stared her down.
The southern girl huffed, rolling her eyes in begrudging acceptance even though her heart and stomach were lurching with anxiety for his safety. "Fine - But you BETTER get y'r butt back her on the double, Cajun.."
He nodded, then smirked flirtatiously. "Wouldn't say no to another good luck kiss."
"Ha ha," Rogue rolled her eyes and blushed lightly, hiding her hands inside the sleeves of Remy's coat so she could fold her arms. "Just be careful, Cajun. And hurry up before mah hair falls out from all this itchin'."
Remy bowed low, careful not to touch anything, then turned on his heel and made his way through the trees to do a little reconnaissance.
Rogue waited, arms still folded as she nibbled her lower lip nervously. She had butterflies in her stomach, but whether it was from nerves about Remy's safety, or his request for a kiss, she wasn't sure.
She swallowed hard, recognizing that the butterflies were not so much a result of his request, but from her sudden, inexplicable desire to FULFILL said request.
Just like during their impromptu 'dance' yesterday, Rogue found herself responding to the Acolyte in ways she never dreamed possible. Even though it was just part of their plan to foil Apocalypse, Rogue realized that the cocky Cajun was quickly endearing himself to her.
God help her, but she actually LIKED the guy.
Moreover, she was starting to think she was… attracted to him. That stolen kiss in the meadow of white flowers, and her overwhelming relief that he hadn't been killed had very much solidified that realization. In fact, if her previous experience with Scott Summers was any indication, she might be developing a legitimate CRUSH on Remy.
Rogue balked at the thought.
No. No way. She'd only known Gambit a few DAYS. There was no way she could already have a crush on him. She hardly knew him.
But, her mind interjected, she'd known even less about Scott when she'd first become enamored with him. She had LIVED with Cyclops for nearly five years, yet compared to Scott Summers, she actually knew more about Remy LeBeau than she did anyone else at the mansion. Except maybe Kitty, but that was only because her friend talked incessantly…
She already knew Gambit's likes and dislikes, parts of his past, his family background, his moods, his desires, his abhorrence of spiders (NOT fear, as he'd so adamantly argued), his strengths and faults, his hopes for the future, and all the little things she loved and hated about him.
As far as 'alone time' was concerned, hour for hour, Rogue had probably spent TRIPLE the amount of time alone with Remy than she ever had with Scott.
Save for that one trip to New York City when they'd met Angel - Warren Worthington - and their bi-monthly racketball games, Rogue and Scott hadn't really done anything together one-on-one. They'd only had a handful of deep, meaningful conversations, and racketball wasn't really much of a 'talking' sport.
So yes, it was VERY plausible that she could be developing a crush on Remy LeBeau.
The flutter of nervousness and anticipation in her gut confirmed what her brain tried denying, and her breath hitched as she blushed deeply in realization. Oh yeah. She definitely had the beginnings of a crush on the cajun. But then again, Gambit was just so damn annoying sometimes. If it weren't for that charming smile and the way he tried to help and care for her without being patronizing or overbearing, she would probably detest the guy. He had such a knack for getting under her skin and irritating her, and she found herself wanting to hit him more often than not.
And that kiss had been… Well, NICE, sure, but it was meaningless. A 'good luck,' and 'I might die' kind of harmless peck. Right?
"You okay, chere?" While she was ruminating, Remy's voice called from somewhere to her left, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Geez, Remy, ya scared me half t death!" She barely resisted the urge to put her hand over her heart from how hard it was racing, both from her revelations and being startled.
The Acolyte nearly snorted in response. "Considered whistling to bring ya back down from those clouds you were visiting, but didn't want t' scare ya. Ironic, no?"
Rogue's expression turned dark as she folded her arms again, her body language suddenly tense and hostile. "Hilarious."
Remy tilted his head at her sudden mood shift. "What's up, chere? You mad at moi? Y'r awful red." Remy had no idea why the young woman suddenly seemed so cross. She'd been annoyed by his joke about a kiss, sure, but it hadn't upset her THIS much, had it?
Rogue turned her head away, fuming. Of COURSE she was mad at him. She was mad at his stupid face, and his stupid charm, and his stupid smile, and his stupid gorgeous eyes, and… And, truthfully, she wasn't mad at Gambit so much as she was at HERSELF for being so weak as to be charmed by him.
"Yes - Ah mean no. Ah mean…" she stammered, finally turning toward him slightly. "Ugh! I ain't in the mood for 20 questions, Gambit! Ah'm itchy, Ah'm tired, mah feet hurt, and ah…"
Rogue stopped suddenly, forcing her mouth closed before she could reveal anything else. "Can we just try t' get this poison ivy off, already? Is the coast clear, or not?"
Disquieted by her own musings, the southerner kept her arms folded and tried not to meet Gambit's eyes. He was so good at reading her, she was afraid he'd immediately recognize - and exploit - the source of her embarrassment. No, she was just going to have to ruminate on all the reasons she DIDN'T like him, and hopefully her brain would regain control of her stupid hormones.
"Sure, Rogue, whatever you want, ma chère," Remy agreed comfortingly.
"And stop calling me chère!" She snapped again, glaring at him as she finally met his eyes.
For once, the Cajun was quiet, cocking his head slightly as he watched her with furrowed brows. His concern was almost palpable, and Rogue bit her lip as she averted her eyes again. When he walked toward her instead of leading the way to the lake, Rogue backed up. Blush gone, her face paled again, her eyes widening as she lifted a hand to stop him.
"D-don't," she warned weakly. His empathetic response and silent questioning thinned her resolve to stay mad at him, and her chin quivered as her own emotions warred.
Gratefully, he actually stopped, but he was still too close. Close enough that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted.
Sighing, his shoulders drooped as he watched her mood shift again. "Remy don't understand you, girl. One minute you're fun and flirtin' with moi, and de next y'r ragin' mad again. De hell is goin' on?"
"None of your dang business Cajun!" she hissed. "And that was NOT flirting!" Her cheeks were turning bright pink again as she tried to rekindle her anger at him.
"Fine." Scrubbing his hand against his inner thigh again, he changed the subject. "De path to de lake is nasty muddy, and rocky. We don't want y'r legs getting dat kinda bacteria in 'em, so I'm gonna have t' carry ya."
"But I can't -" Rogue started to protest, subconsciously taking a miniscule step back.
"Not piggyback. Just like before wit' da moose." He was all business now, knowing that any teasing or flirtatiousness would delay their 'bath'.
"Are you sure ah can't just…" Rogue looked through the trees at the tiny bits of water she could see reflecting a few dozen yards away. She reached up to scratch her head, but barely stopped herself.
"De longer we argue, de longer it'll take t' wash dis off," he reminded her.
She huffed, "Fine. Let's just go." Rogue stood still, her arms still folded with her hands hidden by the long sleeves, and allowed Gambit to carefully scoop her up. Once she was back in his arms, she carefully draped her arm over his shoulder. Thankfully, his black cowl covered his entire neck all the way up to his ears so she didn't worry about touching his skin with her poison ivy infected clothing.
The X-Man blushed again, this time with true embarrassment at being carried like a child. It was humiliating to be so reliant on an ACOLYTE of all people, and she found her anger flaring once more. Taking a deep breath, she tried not to think about the awkwardness of the situation and reminded herself to close her eyes. Even though the gesture was practically useless now, it actually helped her feel more at ease.
"So," Gambit started as he suddenly leaped over something, causing Rogue to cling tighter to his neck and gasp lightly. "You were tellin' me which song you picked for y'rself?"
"Uh," Rogue pursed her lips as he took another unexpected leap. Her arms tightened against him further as he held her close and carefully navigated the uneven terrain.
"I, uh, Ah was thinking about which songs I listen to the most and why I like 'em," Rogue admitted quietly as she tried not to think about her itching scalp and upper calves. "I really like that Linkin' Park song, 'Somewhere I Belong.' It's always resonated with me, even before ah got mah powers, really."
Remy nodded, although she couldn't see it. "Oui, I know dat one. Truth be told, it's one of m' favorites, too. Je te comprends (I understand you). I like their other one, 'Crawling in My Skin,' too."
This time Rogue nodded, a small smile on her face. "Offspring - 'Gotta Get Away'?" she asked.
"Dat too," he agreed. He stopped, and Rogue could hear the sound of gentle waves lapping against the shoreline. "We're here. Can't put ya down in d' mud, but I found a log you can sit and float on. De water's freezin' so we gotta be quick. You got any ideas how t' wash dis poison ivy off?"
Rogue opened her eyes again to see that he'd chosen a spot that was snugged in from the lake slightly, allowing the tall trees to hang over the water and partially obscure the area from easy view. A large log, about 10 feet long and a foot in diameter, was laying partly on the shore and partly in the water. From within Gambit's arms, she looked around, noting that there were deep lines in the mud from where the cajun had likely dragged it into position.
"We ain't got any soap, so Ah guess the next best thing'll be mud," the X-Man shrugged, her arms still around Remy's neck. "We'll have t' rub it into our clothes like soap. It aint gonna be a fix all, but hopefully it'll help enough."
"Hmm," Remy pondered, looking around at the mud, the log, and Rogue herself. "Dat's gonna be some trick tryin' t' keep your legs clean den."
"Especially since the poison ivy's all over mah legs and the wraps anyhow."
"And we don't wanna be out here in de open f'r long. Dis little alcove gives us a bit of protection, but it ain't as dense as Remy'd like."
Rogue noted that he'd slipped back into his use of the third person as his eyes calculated the situation almost professionally. The corner of her mouth tilted into a small smile. Was that a quirk of his? To talk in third person when he was scheming or uncomfortable, but he used first person, 'I', when he was relaxed, content, and familiar with someone?
"Suppose you'd object t' me just takin' y'r clothes and washin' 'em myself?" Remy asked, smirking. "You could sit dere on dat log an' be Gambit's muse." He winked at her playfully, his mouth only a few inches from hers as he continued to hold her in his arms.
"Definitely," Rogue admonished, removing one hand from his neck to slap him on the shoulder lightly. "Pervert." She narrowed her eyes at him, but the hint of a smile on her face hinted at her teasing words.
Remy laughed grandly as he hiked her up a little higher in his arms and waded out into the water towards the end of the log. He hissed as the cold water seeped into his boots. "I'm gonna sit y' here and wash dese wraps den. Might as well check out how y'r legs are doin' too. I put some of de dandelion milk on 'em while you were sleepin' last night."
He carefully placed her down on the log, and Rogue yelped slightly as the end bobbed down into the water, soaking her bottom and legs with the icy water. Coughing to cover his chuckle, the cajun uttered a quick, "Sorry, p'tite," and lifted one of her legs to untie the cording around her calves. The ties, which had been so awkwardly cumbersome at first, came loose easily this time, and Remy had both her legs unwrapped in just under two minutes.
Rogue watched him quietly, resisting the urge to gaze out at the picturesque lake. She didn't want Apocalypse to invade her dreams and figure out their general location, so she tried to focus on Remy instead. Gently, he took one of her ankles in his hand, lifting her leg slightly to inspect each wound and blister on her feet and legs. He touched a few here and there, watching her reactions for signs of severe discomfort or pain. A few of the larger, dark red gashes earned him a small hiss, and he frowned.
"Merde, chère, we need t' put more layers on y'r feet. I can't believe y'r walkin' on d'ese blisters and sores. Shoulda got more dandelion milk on 'em t' stave off de infection."
Rogue shrugged one shoulder wordlessly, but subconsciously pulled the end of her dress down over her lap, securing it better.
"Ah'll walk on blisters b'fore I let you take off more of this dress, Cajun," she finally growled as he glanced at the garment, calculating again.
Remy chuckled and nodded as he put her leg back down in the water. "D'accord, I get it,"
He walked closer to the shore, scooping up handfuls of mud and rubbing it into his boots and pant legs. Once he had scrubbed his footwear thoroughly, he sat down in the cold water with a bit of a hiss and promptly took off his shoes and socks. He rinsed the socks in the water a few times, then wrung them out, but didn't wash the socks with mud like Rogue had guessed. Instead, he walked back over to her, and carefully pulled his socks and newly cleaned boots over her feet.
Rogue watched him with a puzzled expression. "Ah ain't lettin' you walk barefoot through the woods, if that's what your thinkin', Gambit."
The Acolyte smiled widely. "I appreciate y'r concern, chere, but dis is just so you can 'wash up' without gettin' y'r legs all muddy." He cinched up the sides of the boots so they formed more to her calves. The shoes themselves were far too large, but at least they wouldn't slide right off in the mud now. "Dese boots are great f'r heists - dey adjust so Remy can hide stuff in 'em. Cards, knives, diamonds, you name it."
Rogue just smiled and nodded as he finished adjusting the boots. He'd switched between first person and third again. First person for casual conversation, third person for business speak - or nervousness. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from giggling. She wondered if Gambit was even conscious of his little quirk.
Remy held out a hand for her, and Rogue carefully slid off the log into the water.
"Somethin' funny, chere?" he asked, his head cocked to the side as he watched her try to contain her laughter.
Dang, but he could read her like no one else. "You, uh, you've got mud in your hair, Remy," she covered quickly.
He felt along the strands and pulled out a few splashes of dirt before dipping his entire head in the water. This time, Rogue giggled aloud as he flipped his head back, creating an arc of water droplets that splashed her.
She didn't notice the large glob of mud in his hands until it was too late, however.
"So do you," he quipped, plopping the sizable mud ball onto her head before she could react.
Rogue gasped, gaping like a fish as she stared at him in shock. "Oh you did NOT just…" She pulled a handful of the mud off her head and threw it at him. The mud ball hit his shoulder, splatting onto his neck and chin.
In turn, Remy leaned into the water and picked up another handful of mud as Rogue did the same.
"Oh, it's ON, mignon," he teased, his red on black eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Bring it, SUGAH," she taunted, black mud oozing from both her hands.
As mud flew through the air, muted gasps and giggles echoing lightly across the lake, both young adults momentarily forgot their current woes as they simply allowed themselves to play.
~X~X~X~
"Hold on tight, cherie!" Gambit warned as his feet slid along the loose rocks while he traversed the debris of a long extinct glacier. He felt her long fingers grapple at the collar of his uniform, trying to strengthen her grip without choking him. She was blindfolded again, and knew that the inability to see was making her extra anxious with the unsteady footing. They were both still slightly damp after their 'bath' due to the poison ivy exposure, but he had insisted that she don the material again because of the unique landscape.
The sun still hadn't reached the apex of the sky when they'd come across a somewhat narrow pass between two mountain ranges. The pass emptied out into an old moraine - a swath of dirt and rocks caused by what had once been a glacier - something that reminded him of a landslide. Unfortunately, they had no better options for routes as he didn't want to take her up into the snow covered mountain tops.
The worst part of this path, however, was that they were essentially sitting ducks as he slowly picked his way through the boulders and debris. The unstable soil made walking among the rocks tricky, and he had slipped more than once. He'd instinctively reached back on several occasions to grab her backside with one hand while his other used his broken staff as a walking stick to stabilize their descent.
To her credit, Rogue had said nothing about him groping her butt, and had only gasped and tightened her grip on his shoulders and waist each time he lost his footing. Every time he kicked up rocks, the sediment skittered down the hillside, the sound bouncing and echoing off the twin mountains that stood like silent soldiers, watching the pair's struggle.
After sliding down the mountainside for a few precarious moments, Remy finally regained his footing and paused to steady his own heart rate, wincing as the handful of pebbles shouted their presence within the valley. He was trying his best to keep against the side of the mountain to shield them from easy view, but the steep incline and the rocky terrain kept shifting him further from the edge.
They were only about 10 yards from an entire valley of tall, densely growing grass-like flowers with bushy white tops, with large boulders interspersed throughout. Another 20 yards from the wide meadow was the tree line. As he picked up his pace, Gambit saw a large grizzly bear amble out from the tree line and stop, inspecting them curiously as it lifted its head and sniffed the air.
He cursed under his breath, and Rogue whispered in his ear; her voice tight with worry. "Wha - what is it?"
"Just… just a bear. We'll go around. Give it a bit more room." His voice was cheerful and easy, but a moment later the bear roared, the sound so loud within the echoing rubble and mountainous bowl, that pieces of shale and dirt fell loose, causing more debris to bounce down the slope of the rocky moraine.
"Merde." Rogue heard the Cajun swear again, but with the blindfold over her eyes she couldn't tell what was happening aside from the fact that she felt Remy backing up slowly.
But then a cacophony of chaos rumbled from the top of the rocky hillside they had just traversed, and Remy was suddenly running so quickly with her on his back that it defied physics. Before she could utter a single world, Remy had flung her over the top of his back, catching her in his arms and pulling her flush against him as he dropped onto the ground. She landed on top of him, but he had turned them again so he was covering her body with his own in an instant.
Thankfully she was too stunned for words, and Remy whispered in her ear, a mouse's sigh in the wind.
"Not a muscle, not a sound, cherie."
The bear roared again from somewhere to her right, but it sounded like it was retreating, getting fainter by the second.
"Movement detected. Investigating," a booming, robotic voice announced from the top of the moraine. Anxiety bloomed in her throat and she suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe. Yet Remy didn't move, didn't even gasp, as he lay completely still against her, her face pressed into the hollow of his throat as she practically hyperventilated.
In the next instant it sounded like the entire mountainside was cascading down on top of the pair. The rubble from the mountain crashed down on all sides, and she felt the pebbles and stones bounce off Remy's body as he held her tight, protecting her from the fallout. She flinched with every stone she felt reverberate against his body, even though Remy himself didn't even flinch.
"Fais dodo, cherie," he whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear above her own ragged breathing.
But it had the desired effect. She took a deep, shaky breath - well, as deep as his weight pressing along her body would allow. The southerner couldn't tell if she was about to pass out from sheer terror, or the pressure of his body against her already broken ribs. Yet, she could tell he was still trying to keep as much weight off her as possible.
Once the debris settled, Rogue could hear two pairs of gigantic footsteps clomping within a few yards of their position, and she was in awe that they hadn't yet been grabbed, AND that Remy still hadn't moved a single inch. She desperately wanted to pull off the blindfold and see what was happening, but she didn't dare twitch a single pinky.
But then the sounds of the monstrous footsteps moved to the right, where the bear had run off, and they heard the trees bend and break as the robots seemingly chased the poor, frightened creature.
"Stay here, cherie," Remy whispered. He pulled back from her enough to pull the blindfold from her eyes. "Dese flowers'r thick 'nuf t' hide ya good. I gotta see which way dey goin'. Don't you move 'til I come back. If de sun passes de highest point, den you keep headin' south wit'out me, comprends?"
She opened her mouth to argue, instinctively grabbing at the lapels of his uniform as her eyes widened with fear and shock. He wasn't truly going to leave her there alone, with the threat of both the robots AND trying to survive on her own?
"Rem-"
He brushed a piece of hair back from her face, staring into her eyes for a moment, and Rogue's breath caught in her throat. Then, a large grin grew on his face and he pressed his lips against hers before she even had time to blink.
"F'r luck," he winked, then was gone, leaving her breathless and blinking stupidly.
For ten minutes Rogue lay, anxiously staring at the empty blue sky, watching the morning sun creep upward from the corner of her eye. Her ears were strained for any sound - a broken tree, a shift in the stones, thunderous footsteps, anything.
And she stewed.
How DARE that low life Swamp Rat steal a kiss and then take off like that?! She was furious and embarrassed and flustered, all at once. She wanted very much to slap that SMIRK off his face, then kiss him again.
The thought made her cheeks redden. She couldn't deny that she'd enjoyed the sweet, albeit brief, peck on the lips, but the fact that he'd left with barely an explanation, and with such a dreadful suggestion that he might not return made her tremble with fury and fear.
Another ten minutes later the sound of explosions echoed throughout the little valley and Rogue sat bolt upright, momentarily forgetting that she was supposed to keep hidden.
She sat amongst a sea of white, bulbous flowers that somewhat resembled exploding cattails. Although she could barely see past the five foot tall stalks that fully surrounded her and stretched across the valley, a plume of thick, dark smoke billowed up from nearly a mile away.
"Rem-!" The X-Man stifled her own scream by clamping both hands over her mouth, and she threw herself onto her stomach on the hard, cold ground, hiding again as despair and terror clenched her heart in an icy fist.
Pale, frozen fingers stayed locked over her mouth and nose as she tried to keep from hyperventilating, heartbroken sobs threatening to escape with every second.
Oh gawd, oh gawd, Remy! Her mind cried over and over. He can't be dead! He can't! Oh gawd, Ah can't do this on mah own! Please don't let him be dead!
Rogue breathed through her tears, listening carefully to the sounds of the forest, convinced that the Cajun would come traipsing through the meadow at any moment.
But when the minutes turned to hours, and Rogue still lay unmoving on the ground, Gambit's damp coat still covering her chilled body, the tears simply refused to quit as she gave up hope that she would ever see that enigmatic, infuriating, charming Cajun ever again.
~X~X~X~
A knock sounded on the door of Charles Xavier's study and the telepath looked up from behind his desk, momentarily confused by how he had missed someone's approach.
When the door opened without invitation and a purple haired woman entered, he finally understood. "Ah, Betsy. Of course," Xavier smiled. "It seems your mental shielding has grown greatly over the years, Psylocke. I did not sense your presence at all."
Ms. Braddock chuckled, but her eyes were soft. "You give me too much credit, Charles. You've been … distracted."
Xavier bowed his head, nodding as he refused to meet her eyes.
"Do you need any help with the services today?" she asked quietly as she approached, watching his every move and twitch.
"Ororo has taken care of everything," he admitted with a touch of shame. "Perhaps you could ask her what is needed."
"And what do YOU need, my friend?" Betsy asked gently, coming around to put a hand on his arm.
Charles finally met her sharp lavender* eyes. "You've already done it," he assured her. "I have felt many of my students' pain soothed by your interventions. You have my gratitude, Elizabeth."
"Of course, Charles; it's the least I could do. After all, I owed you one." She winked as she sat on the desk beside him, hands in her lap. "Your students NEED you, Professor," she reminded him. They need to mourn and move on. And so do you."
He sighed, a melancholy fog filling the air between them as she watched him avoid her gaze. "I know," he managed at last, lifting his eyes without meeting hers. "I suppose that's easier said than done, isn't it."
The purple haired model nodded knowingly and lifted off his desk to kneel next to his wheelchair. "You helped me so much after Tom and Mojo, Professor," she reminded him, taking his hand and refusing to let him break eye contact as she touched his mind with her own.
"Let me help you, Charles. I know why you won't talk to your colleagues, or let your students know what's on your mind, but I have no ties here, and you know where I stand. Please?"
With a sigh, Xavier dropped his chin, awarding her with a small, heartbroken smile.
~X~X~X~
Curled on her side with one arm cushioning her head against the rocky ground, Rogue sniffled quietly. The sun was fast approaching the middle of the sky and Gambit's coat sleeve was saturated with tears. She'd dozed here and there, desperation and heartache exhausting her already overtaxed body. She knew she would have to get up, get moving, head southward as Remy had instructed her before he'd…
An errant sob clawed its way past Rogue's throat and she couldn't stop the loud echo her misery made against the craggy mountains.
"Rogue…" a whisper against the wind called to her, and her heart leapt hopefully, then froze. What if it was just her imagination? What if it was a trap? What if she was stuck in another vision-dream?
She kept her eyes screwed tight, hand over her mouth as she listened intently, trying to discern what it was she was hearing. The wind whistled through the fluffy white flowers and the leaves and branches in the nearby forest rustled as they danced and bowed.
But the sound of her name did not come again, and the tears sprang to her eyes anew as she held her breath against another wail of anguish.
"You alright, cherie?"
Rogue would have screamed in surprise if her hand hadn't been over her mouth already, but even so, the unexpected voice behind her ear startled her so badly, she jumped and flailed, instinctively throwing her arm back.
Her elbow connected with something solid.
"Merde, girl, what is it with you hittin' me all de time?" A deep, lilting voice chuckled as Rogue turned onto her knees, eyes wide with shock and relief as she stared into Remy's red irises.
"R-Remy? Is - is that really you?!" Her chest heaved as she tried to restrain the emotion that was making her shake all over.
"Course, petite," he smirked. "Didn't t'ink Gambit'd leave ya out here all on y'r own, did ya?"
Her rapidly reddening cheeks confirmed that she did, in fact, think just that. The shock and relief on her face changed, however, as her bright green eyes grew dark and angry.
"You no good, awful, sneaky, horrible, SWAMP RAT!" Rogue screamed, lunging forward and throwing her fists against his chest repeatedly. "Ah thought you were DEAD! Ah heard that blast and saw the smoke and Ah thought…" Tears were pouring down Rogue's cheeks now as sat up on her knees and rained half-hearted blows against Remy as he, too, kneeled and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Let me go!" She shouted, not caring a whit about how her protests bounced and echoed through the tiny valley. "Ah hate you! Ah h-hate you! Ah th-thought you were d-dead…" All those repressed sobs bubbled up and out as Rogue buried her face in Remy's shoulder. Her arms wrapped tightly around his middle as she clung to him and cried.
Remy petted her hair with one hand while the other rubbed up and down her back, his own face pressed tightly against her cheek.
"Won't lie, petite, dis one came close," his voice grated as he whispered against her ear.
She recognized his nervousness at once - he'd slipped back into third person as he swallowed hard and held her tighter.
"Thankfully t'ose robots ain't as high-tech as dey look," he chuckled, but she could tell how hard his own heart was beating. "Seems dey'll go after anyt'ing dat moves. Dey managed t' get a few shots off at dis one, but got confused by dat bear. Unfortunate for de bear, but lucky pour moi."
With as emotional as she was, he didn't have the heart to tell her just HOW close he'd gotten to being incinerated. Nor did he want to tell her that he'd been delayed by choosing to draw the goons AWAY from her hiding spot.
The Cajun actually had to stop himself from kissing her hair as he held her a few more seconds, then stood, pulling her up with him. "Can't stick around, petite. We gotta get movin. Dey headin' southeast f'r now, but who knows how long 'til they change direction or more of 'em pop up. We might have to keep walkin' through de night t' put some distance 'tween us."
Remy bent down in front of Rogue, turning his back to her so she could climb on. It also gave her a moment to wipe her face and recollect herself without feeling quite so embarrassed about her brief break down. When he stood, with the girl's legs encircling his waist, and her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, he couldn't help but notice just how tightly she clung to him.
~X~X~X~X~X~
Author's Notes:
I had to break this bad boy into 2 pieces. This was only HALF of what I initially intended to cover in Chapter 21, and I didn't want to wait another month until I posted an update. This one's for A.J. - thanks for checking up on me and keeping me invested, girl!
I'm so touched by people's reviews and PM's who have said how much they look forward to the updates from this story (and others). I got REALLY hyper fixated on my new story, "Ensnared," and with the help of the immensely talented Maedelin, we pumped out over 150 pages between October 12th and November 12th! So I guess I should spend the NEXT month on Getting Warmer. It's so close to being completed I can almost TASTE it! Although, I must say my initial idea of finishing at under 30 chapters will probably be undershooting it if I have to keep splitting these chapters.
Here's the breakdown of upcoming chapters (at this point, chapters and sections subject to change)
Chapter 22: (Day 3?)
-Funeral 3pm/6pm
-A Change in the Weather 3pm/6pm
-Bad Berries 4pm/7pm
-Kitty/Lance 5pm/8pm
--Bad Weather/Building a Shelter 5pm/8pm
Chapter 23: (Day 3)
-Bad Dreams
-%-Hot Springs LATE AFTERNOON 4pm/7pm
-Kurt & Mystique NIGHT (8pm)11pm
-Bear EVENING/DUSK 8pm/(11pm)
-Mad Dash at Midnight NIGHT 12am/3am
Chapter 24: (Day 4)
-Rock & A High Place MORNING 10am/1pm
-Mysterious Mail MORNING (10am) 1pm
-Salvation or Trap EARLY AFTERNOON 12pm
-Look Who's Back 12pm/3pm
-A Kiss for Luck 2pm/5pm
Chapter 25: (Day 4)
-Scott vs Lance (2pm) 5pm
%-A Tight Spot 1pm
-Playing Doctor (2pm) 5pm
-Disappearing Act (2pm) 5pm
-Snuggling Down 9pm/(12am)
%-The New Jean Grey * 9pm/12am
Chapter 26:
%-Kodak Moments ** time unknown
%-One Night Only **
Chapter 27: Day 5
%-The Morning After 7am/10am
-Trust Issues (Lance/Kitty/Pete)
-Disaster! (Xavier unconscious, Mesmero, Rogue hurt/runs
-Rescue Mission
-The Unthinkable (Rogue captured by Apocalypse, Gambit knocked off cliff)
%-A Wing and A Prayer (Gambit trying to reach Rogue)
Chapter 28: Day 5 (Continued)
%%-Final Desperation
%%-The Bride of Apocalypse**
%-A Thief When all Else Fails
Chapter 29: Day 5
%%- Confrontation