~X~X~X~X~X~
Getting Warmer
Chapter 25: Realizations
~X~X~X~X~X~
First, this chapter was supposed to have ONE MORE section, "Precipice of Disaster", but the mood just didn't fit with the rest of the (mostly) upbeat stuff. Plus, it was already at 27 pages with the margins blown out as far as they could go.
RATING WARNING:
This one toys the line between "T" and "M" It's probably where I would put it as a TV-14 if we were going by television ratings. Personally, I wouldn't want my 14 yo daughter to read it, though as it deals with suggestive content and partial nudity. I will indicate with the "~T~T~T~T~T~" at the part where you may (or may not) want to skip some moderate Rogue/Gambit action, but it will be pretty tame compared to what's coming down the pipeline. For the "T" rated version on FFN, I WILL be removing that section, as I realized after editing/revising that I would not, indeed, want my 14 yo reading it. So it's been skipped.
Chapter 26 won't have much in terms of 'dubious' content, but I'm debating on whether or not to even post Chapter 27 on FFN at all since it will be pretty intense. I would be absolutely devastated if "Getting Warmer: Higher Rating" got removed because it was considered too risqué.
As always, so many thanks to AJ for her amazing encouragement, feedback, and responding to my obnoxious emails and questions. Also for checking in on my so much to make sure I'm actually still planning on posting. Also thanks to Spark187, too, for suggestions and helping me brainstorm.
Day 4, continued:
-A Lesson in Hard Things (Lance/Scott/Kitty) 10am/1pm
-Broken and Bloody / 10am/1pm
-Interlude (aka, Kitty takes over my chapter) 11am/2pm
-Visions of Vulnerability 11am/2pm
-Working with the Enemy (see above, 'Kitty takes over') - (12pm)/3pm
-Where There's Smoke 2pm (5pm)
~X~X~X~X~X~
"Alvers!" Cyclops yelled across the lawns as he stalked toward the basketball courts where the Brotherhood boys were playing hoops with some of the younger mutants. Dressed in his uniform, the X-Men's team leader was all business as he advanced on the group of misfits.
Lance eyed the young man jeeringly. "What's the matter, Summers? Afraid to play some one-on-one without your power?" He turned to laugh with his friends, giving Todd a high five while everyone snickered. Avalanche was taken off guard, however, when Cyclops violently shoved him. The lanky teen staggered back and lost his balance, tripping over his own untied shoes.
"What did you do with her!?" Cyclops railed, keeping his hand on his visor. The other new mutants shifted slightly, unsure whether to intervene or not. The team lead had been avoiding Lance and the Brotherhood boys for days, afraid of this very scenario. Just because Xavier wanted to see the best in everyone, didn't mean these guys didn't have some ulterior motive for sticking around so long. And now that Mystique's statue was missing, he could finally explain their prolonged visit.
Lance's first instinct was to retaliate, even clenched his fist as Pietro, Todd, and Fred rallied around him. But he immediately paused, eyes wide with shock and a touch of fear. "Kitty? Is she okay? We only made out, I swear!" He was back on his feet in an instant, searching the grounds as if she would phase out of the ground in front of them.
"Not Kitty, rock tumbler," the X-Men growled. "Mystique."
"Ew," Toad muttered, pulling a face. "Why would anyone wanna make out with Mystique?"
Pietro rolled his eyes as he folded his arms. "Get a clue, Tolanski. What about Mystique, Summers? We haven't seen her stoney butt since after Tibet. Don't you have her locked away in a dungeon somewhere?"
"She's GONE, wise guy," Scott retorted, "and I KNOW you clowns had something to do with it."
This time the ground shook as Avalanche sneered defiantly at the X-Men's team leader. "Yeah? You got proof, SUMNERS? Or is it just that empty head of yours using the easiest targets as scapegoats?"
Scott was rocked off his feet, but quickly fired off his optic blast at the ground under Lance, and the other boy lost his footing as well.
"You wanna go, CYKE?" Lance taunted as both boys clammored upright. "Then let's go. No powers required."
"Great," Scott countered, "and after I kick your butt, you'll tell me what you did with Mystique."
"Good luck with that," Lance quipped, advancing on Cyclops.
Before either of the boys could take a swing, Iceman erected a barrier between the two. "Whoa, guys, chill!"
"Drake, what the hell!?" Scott resounded on his teammate, incensed.
"Exactly, man," Berserker spoke up, putting a gentle hand on Pietro's shoulder in a show of camaraderie. "These guys have been hanging with us all morning. No one even knows what you're talking about, but you're casting blame without even giving us an explanation."
"This ain't like you, Cyclops," Sam nodded along, folding his arms as he put himself between the Brotherhood and their team lead. "What's goin' on?"
"Sim," (yes) Sunspot chimed in. "And stick with the facts, please."
Before Scott could launch into an explanation, Kitty and Kurt arrived in a puff of sulfur and brimstone.
"Lance!" Kitty shouted, running up to her sometimes boyfriend. "What's going on!? Do you know anything about Mystique?"
The grungy teen furrowed his brows and folded his arms. "What, now you're accusing us, too?"
Kitty's eyes widened, but her cheeks flushed. "N-no," she stammered. "I'm not saying you had anything to do with it, I just…"
"You just what? Decided we were the most likely suspects because something bad happened?"
"Like, of course not," Kitty protested, reaching for Lance's hand. She frowned, however, when Lance pulled his hand away and stepped back, folding his arms defensively. The young woman bit her lip, but couldn't hide the hurt that bloomed across her features.
"Look," Scott finally spoke up, his tone calmer as he witnessed the exchange. "Mystique is missing from the basement. We don't know if she was taken, or what, but no one is seen coming or going on the cameras except Kurt, and he had no reason to take off with her statue. Plus Professor Xavier has already scanned his mind."
"So what, you want us to get our heads examined by your precious professor, too? No thanks." Alvers narrowed his eyes at the X-Men as he further distanced himself from the X-Men to stand with the Brotherhood.
"Lance," the tiny brunette pleaded, "if you don't have anything to hide, then what's the big deal?" She didn't reach for him again, but she did shift closer, subconsciously wanting to bridge the chasm that had suddenly popped up. The young man's face hardened, though, and he narrowed his eyes at his girlfriend.
"What's the big deal?" Pietro scoffed, zipping forward to cut off Alver's potential reply. "How about invasion of privacy? Personal rights and freedoms? Your own people already told you we've been with them all morning, yet you still don't believe we're innocent! What's to keep your telepath from going into our heads and mucking about, huh? A little snip here, a tuck there, and POOF, we're just a couple more goody-two-shoes X-Men."
Kitty squared her shoulders and tried to stand tall before Quicksilver as he towered over her, invading her personal space. "Professor Xavier would never do that!" she decried, folding her own arms as her eyes slanted toward Lance..
"Says you, yo," Toad agreed, warily eying the other X-Men. "Personally, I don't trust the guy."
"He gave you a whole freaking block of marble, Toad," Scott reminded him, coming to stand behind Kitty and placing a supportive hand on her shoulder. "And you have the audacity to claim HE isn't trustworthy?"
"Maybe he was just buttering us up," Fred retorted, folding his own arms defiantly. "Maybe this whole week of being nice to us was just so he could try and convert us." The other Brotherhood boys, including Lance, nodded slowly in agreement.
"If we don't have anything to hide, then what does it matter?" Lance stared at her incredulously. He'dbeen quietly formulating his thoughts as the others had sniped.
"Why should an officer have to have a warrant to search your home, Kitty? Why should an innocent man need a lawyer? Why is mutant registration so bad, huh? I mean, as long as we have nothing to hide, why SHOULDN'T we be cataloged and tracked, right?" His arms were folded angrily as he glanced from one person to the next. The X-Men had gone suspiciously quiet under his tirade, but the Brotherhood boys were smirking and nodding. When Kitty opened her mouth to argue, he held up his hand, cutting her off.
"You know, it doesn't even matter anymore." Lance rebuffed. "We're going home. I don't know why we bothered staying in the first place."
The X-Men watched the four Brotherhood members stalk away from the basketball court, towards the front of the house. After a moment of stunned silence, Kitty ran after them. "Lance, wait!" she cried, desperation and remorse lacing her words and cutting through his anger.
Avalanche paused at the back corner of the house, speaking in hushed tones to the others, who nodded and continued walking. Quicksilver disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with a duffle bag stuffed full of clothes, then waited by Lance's jeep for the others. The boys had 'borrowed' clothes after returning from Tibet, but had kept their uniforms at Xavier's on the chance that they were abruptly called to battle.
"What is it, Kitty?" The irritation in Lance's voice was overshadowed by the hurt in his eyes, and the girl stopped short.
"Im sorry. You're right. That wasn't fair of me to suggest it, but you don't have to go. Please, stay," she begged, reaching for his hand. This time he let her take it, but his limbs were limp and defeated.
"We don't belong here, Kit," he insisted, sneaking a peek back at where the X-Men were still eyeing him warily. Gently, he pulled his hand from her grasp and turned to leave.
"Lance," Kitty pleaded. She grabbed his arm with both hands this time pulling him around to face her. "I'm sorry Scott accused you, and for what I said, but that doesn't mean…"
"Yes, it does," he cut her off. He finally met her eyes with a gentle, but wounded expression. "We don't stand for the same things, Kitty. And for the last few days, that hasn't mattered. All that mattered was being with you after Rogue…" He trailed off as Kitty's face fell, then reached forward to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear affectionately.
"But the Brotherhood is family to me," he continued after a moment. "Just like the X-Men are to you. And you aren't going to leave them to come be with me, right?"
He gave her a moment to answer, and she shook her head, moisture pooling in her eyes.
"Exactly. And I'm not going to leave the Brotherhood, either." An errant tear tracked down her face and he took a moment to gently wipe it away. "That doesn't mean we can't be together, can't still date. I'll always be here for you Kitty. I just can't stay HERE."
"What about Apocalypse?" Kitty frowned, trying to find a reason for him to remain at the Institute with her.
"Rogue's dead, Kitty. There's no use sticking our necks out to stop someone that powerful when we might end up just like her. We don't even know what he wants, yet."
"What are you even saying?!" Kitty demanded. "I thought you cared about Rogue! I thought you wanted justice, too?" This time the girl pulled back as Lance reached for her.
"I care about YOU, Kitty. Right now, you want vengeance, not justice, and I don't want to see you get hurt. Come with me. Forget Apocalypse. Forget the X-Men." His tone rose as he cast his gaze between the X-Men and Brotherhood, both of which were watching the pair from opposite sides of the yard.
"And what?" Kitty snarled. "Work for Magneto? For Mystique?! After what she did to Rogue and Kurt? No way." She stepped back, pinning Lance with her hardened stare.
"I don't want to lose you, Kitty," Lance softened in response to her flaring anger as he tried to placate her. "But I won't throw my life away to fight some maniac that wiped the floor with two of the most powerful mutants on Earth."
"He KILLED Rogue, Lance!" The young woman's voice rose along with her ire, and her teammates shifted closer, anticipating trouble.
"And next time it could be me - or you. You think any one of us is going to make a difference when Xavier and Magneto couldn't lift a finger to stop him?"
"You work for Magneto," she reminded him, her tone biting. "What if he orders you to go, anyhow?"
The young man shrugged, grimacing as Scott and Kurt casually sauntered closer. "Then I guess we go. But as soon as Apocalypse takes out Magneto, you better believe the rest of us are gone."
Kitty snorted indignantly and folded her arms, stepping back to study his face. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," he retorted, mirroring her posture. "Magneto doesn't really care about us. He just needs bodies for his fight against humanity, and we just need the money. That's all there is to it."
"Lance, that's… geez."
"It's the truth, Kit." He shrugged, shifting his weight from one foot to another. His anger fizzled out, but the sinking feeling in his gut only gathered mass as he watched her emotions bounce from frustration to despair.
"Don't you have anything you believe in, Lance?" The young woman's brows were furrowed in concern as she dropped her arms, softening.
"I believe in you," he smiled. "I believe in us."
"Lance…" she started, shaking her head. "That's sweet, but not what I meant. I - I believe in what Xavier's trying to teach us here. I believe in peace. I'm an X-Man, and that means something to me. I can't leave. I won't." Tears shone in Kitty's eyes as she pleaded with her boyfriend.
He nodded. "I know. That's part of why I like you so much." Reaching over, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "But that's also why we can't be together."
The moisture in Kitty's eyes expanded, consuming her vision as her tears escaped, and Lance felt his own gaze grow fuzzy. He grabbed her arms and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.
"Do we really have to break up?" she sniffled. "Can't we just, like, pretend, and be dumb teenagers for a while longer?" When she leaned back in his arms, giving him a sheepish, puppy dog look, he chuckled lightly and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips.
"Sure, kitten," he conceded. "But the way I feel about you isn't pretend. I hope you know that."
Smiling widely, Kitty nodded, throwing her arms around his chest to hug him tightly. "I do. " She peeked through his arms to glance over at Scott, who had stopped short a few dozen yards away with his arms stoically folded. "Although," she giggled, "I don't think Scott does."
"Screw him," Lance seethed, his mood souring almost instantly.
The girl stepped back again to raise an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "What is it with you two? What have you got against Scott? I know he's like, Mister Military, but he's, like, a good guy, you know?"
The young man huffed in annoyance, blowing a lock of errant hair from his eyes as he shot a glare at the X-Men's field leader. "I don't like people telling me what to do, especially when they look down on me and think they can push me around. I've dealt with too many pricks who act and talk like they know everything, and I'm just some stupid, good for nothing, low-life kid who has to sit and take it." Without Kitty in his arms, Lance's hands were balled into fists, and a slight tremor rumbled under their feet.
"Hey, hey!" Kitty grabbed both the young man's hands and squeezed. "It's okay. Like, take a breath, okay? I get it - you guys aren't, like, gonna be besties. Sheesh!" Her playful teasing dragged Lance back into the moment, and he pursed his lips with a sigh.
"But Lance," she began gently, "you know Scott doesn't think of you like that, right? None of the X-Men do."
"But they'll never accept me either, Kitty," the Brotherhood leader protested. "Any of us. We aren't good little soldiers. We don't fit the mold, and we never will. And Cyclops, your Professor, none of the X-Men will ever accept any of us. We're just a merry band of misfits, but at least we accept each other - unconditionally. That's something we've got that the X-Men don't."
"That's not…" Kitty started to protest, but fell silent after glancing back at the distrustful gazes of the X-Men and younger students who were watching the pair. She sighed instead. "I know I haven't been the most supportive of you being with the Brotherhood, but I think I get it now. You guys are a family, just like us. Like you said, you accept each other - you NEED each other - and it would be wrong for me to ask you to give that up."
She gave him a winning smile before wrapping her arms around him in another tight hug. "We may not be perfect for each other Lance," she began. "Eventually we're going to have to face the fact that we are two very different people who belong with two very different families." Kitty leaned back again to meet his eyes and hold his hands. "But, like, I for one want to put that aside for as long as possible and just be together as long as we can. After all, right now it doesn't matter if we're, like, on different paths. Not as long as we enjoy being with each other and make each other happy. It may not work out in the long run, but I'd like to at least make the effort, you know?"
Lance nodded, smiling, and kissed Kitty's forehead again. "Me too, Kitty. Me too."
~X~X~X~
"You touch mah boob one more time, Cajun, and I'm gonna feed it to that bear, ya got me?"
Rogue seethed with barely feigned malice as she helped the injured Swamp Rat through the thick trees. Remy's good arm was slung over her shoulder, her hand gripping his coat covered wrist as she tried to take as much of his weight as possible. Unfortunately, the positioning left his hand in a very precarious place, and every time he flinched or stumbled, his digits flexed and brushed the top of her breast.
"Désolé," Gambit muttered half-heartedly, the edge of his mouth barely twitching in a soddy attempt at a smirk. His eyes were barely open, the aftermath of the bear's attack sapping both his strength and flirtatiousness.
Rogue knew Gambit desperately needed food, water, and rest to properly recover from his earlier heroics, but unfortunately all three were in short supply. The Southern girl had filled his coat pockets with as many onions as they could feasibly carry, but they couldn't really afford to stop and eat them at the moment. They had all but lost any hope of locating the river after Remy had taken sick yesterday, and she hadn't dared try drinking the water from the hot spring.
Right now, the priority wasn't finding water, however. At this exact moment, Rogue was simply trying to put as much distance as possible between their last resting spot and the threat of Apocalypse. If they could just get through one more day - two at most - they might evade the madman long enough that the planets would unalign, or whatever, and they could possibly use their powers again.
That is, if Remy survived that long.
If she were honest, things weren't looking good for the Cajun, though. Remy had stopped bleeding, at least, but he was so weak he was barely coherent, let alone able to walk. Rogue had helped him put on his coat - at least halfway - leaving his injured arm out of the sleeve and opting to drape it over his bad shoulder instead. She'd also assisted him in putting his pants and shoes back on before they'd left in the hopes that the extra warmth would stave off potential shock. She was taking more and more of his weight as the hours dragged by, however, and she couldn't tell if they'd gone ten miles, or two. With the way she had to slowly coax him along, it felt like they'd only gone a few feet.
Despite the way her own ribs screamed in pain, and the constant stumbling and wooziness of her companion, they pressed on, fear of discovery driving their instincts to survive. Rogue's heart skipped wildly with every gust of wind and creaking branch, and she briefly wondered if this was how a rabbit felt whenever it emerged from its den, knowing the fox could be lurking just out of sight.
Fatigue and pain warred with anxiety and fear, each vying for domination of Rogue's mind and body. The former demanded rest and recovery, the latter urged her onward.
Another stumble, with her grip reflexively tightening on Remy's hand and waist, had both of them stifling moans this time. Thankfully, Remy was either at his own limits, or he could somehow sense Rogue's waning stamina, and spoke a full sentence for the first time in hours.
"Rogue, chère, we need t' stop. Gambit's gonna pass out on ya if'n we keep up dis pace."
Determination or pure stubbornness (or was it fear?) screamed at her to keep going. "We ain't goin' that fast, Cajun," she volleyed, letting irritation, rather than anxiety, coat her words. "Bet we've barely covered two miles in the last hour." Despite the sentiment, and the continuous shuffling of her feet, Rogue began slowing, her mind and body still at war over the proper course of action.
"Dere's a clump 'o bracken over dere," Remy winced hard as he tried to point with his injured left hand. "Nice thicket like dat 'll be perfect for hidin' while we rest up some." As he argued, he tugged her shoulder, his legs already moving in the direction of the thick clump of bushes. It was all her mind required to concede to Remy's - and her own body's - wishes.
"Alright, alright, hold yer horses, Swamp Rat. No need to hurt yourself worse, huh?" Rogue chided him softly. She knew he was right. They were both in desperate need of rest, but the thought of Apocalypse catching them made her want to run until her body gave out completely.
The closer they got to the concealed thicket, however, the more her body threatened to do just that. So, too, did Remy's, as he sagged more and more against her as they approached the dense foliage. Somehow, she managed to lower them both to their knees without either of them fully collapsing. She knew Remy was assisting her, though she didn't really know how he was managing it. Consciousness was fleeting for the Cajun, despite his valiant attempts to fight it. Still, they managed to crawl into the deeper recess of the thicket, where Rogue pressed her back along a gnarled trunk and coaxed Remy's head into her lap. His injured shoulder was facing skyward, and she took a moment to peel back the makeshift dressings.
"Good news is the bleedin's stopped," she whispered, forcing a slight smile onto her lips even though he was facing away from her and couldn't see it. "Bad news is you're gonna have one helluva scar, Cajun." Her voice feigned a lightness her heart didn't feel.
A light chuckle exhaled through pale lips, another attempt at a grin pulling at his mouth. "Had worse," he muttered thickly. "I think."
This time Rogue snorted lightly and began absentmindedly playing with his hair as she listened intently to the sounds in the forest. Her bare fingers caressed and toyed with the oily, dirty strands, oblivious to the intimacy of her actions as she fought against clawing anxiety and exhaustion alike.
"Y' should get some sleep, chèrie," Remy murmured, turning his head slightly from where he faced her feet to look up at her. His lids were heavy, cheeks pale, but he could feel her rising fear and didn't want her to succumb to a full blown panic attack.
"You sleep, Cajun," she insisted, fingers continuously tracing a nervous trail through his chestnut locks. "Ah need t' stay awake. Can't risk Apocalypse gettin' in mah head."
"D'en I stay 'wake wit' chu." His accent was thick with pain and fatigue, but he fought to sit up nonetheless.
"Oh no you don't, Swamp Rat," Rogue chided him, trying to no avail to get him to lie back down. "You NEED to sleep. It's a miracle ya haven't gone into shock or something."
"Apocalypse is more likely ta invade my head right now than he is yours, petite," he insisted. "So if'n you gonna refuse ta' rest, d'en so 'm I."
Rogue scrubbed her face with her dirty hands as Remy finally sat up and pressed his good shoulder alongside hers. She bit back a growl of agitation and narrowed her eyes at him. Her ribs hurt too badly to wrestle him back down, and she didn't want to risk reopening his wounds, but she knew how badly he needed to sleep. Truthfully, she was so tired she was liable to break down and cry from weariness, but her fear of Apocalypse was all consuming. The mere idea of sleeping - of enduring another vision, or directing the madman to their hideout - was enough to make her breath quicken and palms sweat.
"Please, Remy," she begged, eyes softening as they burned from emotion and bone-numbing tiredness. "Ya ain't doin' good, suga', and Ah don't - Ah have ta stay awake."
Remy shook his head lightly, even though the slight movement made his eyes twitch with barely masked pain. "Non, Gambit's de one who's worse off, so you sleep an' I'll keep watch."
The southern spitfire shook her head violently and growled under her breath. "Gawd, Gambit, will you quit bein' so all-fired STUBBORN? Ah CAN'T sleep! If you go downhill - if you stop breathin', or start bleedin' ta death, and Ah ain't awake this time ta catch it…" Finally, a few tears did escape her eyes, and she averted her gaze, unwilling to let him see the unchecked emotion.
Silently, Remy lifted his right hand to let the back of his fingers catch the rebellious droplets and the tiniest exhalation of disbelief left his lips as he stared at her. "Mon Dieu, chère, didjya truly keep watch 'a me all night? You was dat worried 'bout moi?"
Rogue bit her lip as she gave the barest hint of a nod. "Ya've been through so much already 'cause o' me… If somethin' happened while Ah was sleepin' - BECAUSE Ah was sleepin'..." Her voice rasped, straining against unshed tears, and she shook her head as if to clear the desperation from her words and mind alike. After a silent moment, she sniffed lightly, voice cracking with emotion. "If Apocalypse finds us, he'll KILL you, Remy. And Ah can't - Ah can't lose you."
Her whispered words hung in the air, an ambiguous answer to an unasked question.
Remy knew she could be referring to losing his help and companionship - that she simply didn't want to do this on her own - but he doubted that was what she really meant. Any words he could think to say - encouraging or cheeky, flirtatious or affectionate - died on his lips, too impudent or insufficient under the weight of her declaration. Instead, he drew his good arm around her shoulders and tugged her alongside him, coaxing her body into his warmth. He pressed a featherlight kiss to her temple and she shivered, releasing a deep, shaky breath as she leaned her head on his uninjured shoulder and slowly relaxed into his embrace.
After the mind-altering experience of Apocalypse's visions, Remy's thoughts had been swirling about the state of their tentative friendship and possible future together. Rather begrudgingly, he'd concluded that any potential relationship between them would be unattainable for several months, if not years. He had his contracts, his debts to pay, and she was so skittish and surly about his playful advances that he presumed she wasn't truly interested in him - a thief and a scoundrel - and was only clinging to the closeness of human companionship.
The Cajun's breath hitched in his throat as Rogue gradually melted against him. Even if she didn't feel the same way about him, he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed these stolen moments. After a few minutes of consolatory silence, he felt her arms snake around his waist, burrowing under the trench coat, and his sluggish thoughts danced with delight. The chill of her bare arms resting on his naturally heated skin was simultaneously heavenly and torturous.
Remy could scarcely hope to believe that she felt even a minutia of the same sentiments swirling in his own heart and head. Yet, her unyielding acceptance of his closeness, her shy reciprocation of physical comfort, and the emotional rawness that skittered across his empathy suggested just that. In that moment, despite his injuries, he wanted nothing more than to kiss a trail across her cheeks and banish her drying tears. He knew, however, that any sudden movements - even an intimation of deeper affection - would make her flee.
Fearing her retreat, Remy instinctively tightened his grip, his left hand carefully reaching to anchor her waist. When she didn't move away from him, didn't even flinch at the close contact, he gradually dared to move to a more comfortable position. An inch at a time, he slowly lowered them both to the leaf-strewn ground, him resting on his uninjured right shoulder and Rogue facing him, laying on her left. Her head was tucked under his chin, her cold, damp nose and cheeks pressed into his bare chest with her right arm wrapped snugly about his waist. Their legs slid together, tentative but familiar, as they each sought the warmth and comfort of a shared embrace.
"How is it all the worst stuff keeps happenin' ta YOU on this little adventure, huh suga'?" Rogue forced a laugh even as she sniffled, incredulity warring with deep-seated guilt.
"Just the universe balancing things out, mais oui?" Gambit murmured. He could feel her muscles tense under his hands as she pulled back to look up at his face, green eyes awash in concerned disbelief.
"What makes you say that?" she asked softly.
Even with all their games of 20 questions and the growing intimacy between them, Remy knew he'd divulged precious little of real substance about himself over the last few days. Although he was reticent to do so now, he sighed - a heavy, world weary admission in itself - and closed his eyes against her questioning gaze.
"Every man has a price to charge an' a price ta pay, chère. 2 Gambit's got a lot of red in his ledger." He swallowed hard, visions of red splattered concrete in front of the Notre Dame, of his cousin Etienne plummeting into the sea, and a deal with the devil himself slurred across gruesome, muddled memories. "Done a lot of things I ain't proud of, ma belle. Ain't no hero."
"Don't sell y'rself short," Rogue snorted. "You faced off with Apocalypse AND a grizzly bear just ta save me, didn'tcha?" He could practically feel her rolling her eyes as she scootched closer to his chest. Then, a little more softly, she added, "You ain't fit to be a bad guy, suga'." 3 Her hand stroked up and down his back under the guise of warming his already heated flesh while carefully avoiding the large gash on his shoulder and arm. It was a gesture of comfort and understanding that wasn't unappreciated.
A soft sigh of gratitude, with a hint of skepticism, rumbled in Remy's chest. He cracked one eye to glance down at her, a smirk growing on his lips. "Look at dis here. I be the thief; there you go off stealing m' heart." 4
Pale cheeks, already reddened from the sun's constant attention, darkened as Rogue ducked her head away from his adoring gaze. "Oh hush, you. Get some sleep, will ya?"
"You first, mignon," he quipped, even as he felt exhaustion dragging him closer to that dark abyss.
"Ah don't think Ah can, Remy," she whispered back, so quiet he could scarcely hear her. "Ah'm - Ah'm scared ta sleep. What if - what if Apocalypse looks in mah head? What if he finds us?"
Gently, and with more effort and pain than he could feasibly conceal, Remy reached his injured arm up to brush a thumb across the planes of her cheek. Dried tears left tracks along her dirty face, splotched as it was with soot and streaks of Remy's blood. She had unwittingly transferred the rust colored smears from her hands after tending to his wounds earlier, and he attempted to wipe some of it away with the tips of his fingers. "Imagine y'r home; see THAT in y'r mind instead."
"Gambit, Ah'm serious," she mumbled into his chest, her voice sluggish, yet tense.
"So'm I. Power of suggestion is, well, trés powerful, n'est pas? Jus' close y'r eyes an' pretend it's a nice, quiet day at de Institute," he coaxed, his own eyes falling closed. "What would you be doin?"
"Mmm. Besides sleepin' for a week and eatin' enough t' put Blob t' shame?" She chuckled thickly. "Ah'd prob'ly hang out with Kurt an' Kitty. Maybe build up a big pillow fort in the rec room like we do for movie night sleepovers once a month. Everyone grabs sleepin' bags an' couch cushions, air mattresses… all that stuff. Then we make popcorn, an' watch a bunch of Disney movies, and eat junk food all night. Ah usually don't go, and Ah've never actually slept overnight b'fore, but…" she trailed off. "Right now it sounds mighty nice."
"Won't dey be jealous when dey find out we been havin' our own sleepovers every night?" Remy joked, not expecting her to burst out in a loud, undignified guffaw of laughter. Still, her incredulous revelry elicited another affectionate smile as he blinked down at her small form wrapped pleasantly in his arms.
"Oh lord, Cajun," she snickered. "No offense, but Ah think this has been the worst slumber party ever. 0 out of 10, do NOT recommend."
A girlish giggle sent a thrill of delight through him, rousing him somewhat as he continued caressing her cheek and neck. The fact that she was still allowing such an intimate gesture of affection spoke to her level of exhaustion, amongst other things.
His grin grew, eyes trained on the top of her head as he watched her shoulders shake with amusement and her cheeks split with a wide smile. "Well, de snacks are terrible, f'r true, and de accommodations ain't ideal - I've had worse, mind - but de company's been le meilleur que je puisse demander (the best I could ask for).
"Hmm," Rogue murmured, shifting into a slightly cozier position, and Remy wasn't sure if she'd understood his French or not. Either way, she didn't seem to disagree or take offense, and he considered it a good sign.
"Just imagine layin' on all those soft, cushy pillows, Kurt's tail thumpin' ya in the leg like an excited puppy. Kitty'd be phasing through ya ta reach the popcorn, and the whole gang 'll be gathered round watchin' Big Hero Six or somethin'."
"Princess an' the Frog," Rogue sighed, her breathing deepening. "I's mah fav'rite."
Remy's chest jerked with barely restrained mirth at her sleepy confession. The setting of her 'favorite' movie - in the Louisiana bayou - tickled him to no end. And, truth be told, it was HIS favorite Disney movie, too. At least, where the princess movies were concerned.
"Princess and the Frog, then," he agreed. Rogue snuggled closer, her bare right arm resting comfortably across his exposed waist while she used his good arm as a pillow. He hummed a tune that made her eyes flutter for just a moment, a serene, appreciative smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"Look how she lights up the sky, oh ma belle, Evangeline. So far above me, but I - know her heart belongs to only me. Je t'adore; Je t'aime, Evangeline."
Before he'd even finished the limited verse he could remember, Rogue's breathing had evened out, the barest remnants of that smile still gracing her features. Carefully tugging the edges of his duster over the both of them, Remy tipped his head to press a kiss on the crown of hers.
"Bonne nuit, ma Evangeline."
~X~X~X~
Kitty watched as Lance drove off the mansion's grounds with the rest of the Brotherhood boys. She'd been unable to convince him to stay, but he'd made plans to call her later tonight. He'd also promised to check out the Brotherhood Boarding House and the outskirts of Bayville for signs of Mystique, Mesmero, or anything else 'out of the ordinary.'
Once the rock tumbler and his friends were out of sight, the small brunette turned on her heel and made a beeline for the basement and Mr. McCoy. Professor Xavier really had no way of contacting Magneto directly unless the two of them established a psychic link; and with the threat of Apocalypse looming, the Master of Magnetism wasn't apt to remove his protective helmet without a good reason. So the possibility of quickly getting in touch with Magneto and his Acolytes was unlikely at best.
Kitty, however, had no such limitations. Piotr - Peter - Rasputin, A.K.A Colossus, had left his email address on the note he'd left for her, and the valley girl intended to liberate her laptop and cell phone from 'the Beast' so she could contact the Acolyte about Mystique's disappearance.
It hadn't taken long to find the adults all huddled together in what the new recruits had termed 'The War Room'. Dr. McCoy, Ms. Munroe, Mr. Logan, and Professor Xavier were gathered with Scott, Jean, and Kurt as they reviewed security footage and tried to figure out what had happened. All they'd gotten so far was that at around 10:30 this morning, 'Kurt' had been filmed walking out of the observation laboratory where Mystique had been held. Shortly thereafter, Cyclops was captured on screen as he waltzed out of the mansion gates with no one the wiser. Of course, neither of the two boys had been anywhere near those areas at the times recorded. For all they could tell, Mystique simply 'woke up,' shapeshifted into Kurt, then Scott, and simply left.
"Ja, that's what I said," Kurt spoke animatedly to Beast and the Professor. "I cut my hand. I think I got some on zhe statue. There was definitely some on the rosary vhen I left it in her hand, see?" The blue furred teleporter pulled the worn wooden strand of beads from his pocket, exhibiting the dark smears that stood out against the light olive polish.
Beast glanced up at the religious talisman in the boy's hand, but was too engrossed in a worn, yellowing paper in his hands to give the beads much mind. "And you say this note was embedded INSIDE your lamp? With the rosary hidden in the top?"
As Kitty approached, she could see Mr. McCoy holding a sketch of Kurt as he sat on the floor amidst a shattered lamp.
"Ja," Nightcrawler nodded solemnly. "Mystique must have put the rosary there before she left."
"And this was all you found, Kurt?" Beast asked, turning the paper over. "There was nothing else that could explain these riddles?"
Shadowcat looked from her blue furred friend to the blue furred doctor, trying to determine what she had missed. The young man shifted slightly, redistributing his weight from one foot to the other as his tail thumped the floor. Kitty recognized his discomfort as one of his nervous ticks - a sure sign he was hiding something.
"Nein," he replied after a moment's hesitation. "Nothing to explain what it means. I guess the first line makes sense NOW, though, ja?" He pointed to the paper in Dr. McCoy's hand, and Kitty strained to see the words. Unless she were to phase through the large man's torso, however, she had no hope of reading the page. Not unless she could walk on air.
From the back of the crowd of X-Men, Kitty tried to hop high enough to see the paper as the others muddled over it. She didn't want to be rude and ask someone to move - especially since she'd been late to arrive - but she was eager to know what was written so she could write to Pete about it. She could probably just wait a few minutes, too, until the others dispersed, but who knew how long THAT could take."
Biting her lip, Kitty phased, then hopped up from the back of the crowd, wishing for a moment that the air itself could hold her up. She had expected to kind of 'float' back down like she normally did when phasing, but when she didn't immediately come back DOWN, and sort of … hovered… in the air a moment, she gave a small gasp, trying to hold onto that feeling of weightlessness.
Most of the others were too engrossed in the paper and the conversation to notice the small brunette who seemed to be 'flying' just a few feet off the ground, but Jean happened to glance out of the corner of her eye and quickly did a double take.
"Kitty, what?!" the redhead gaped, and it was enough of a distraction that the petite dancer fell back to the floor with a loud thud.
"Like, OW!" the brunette complained loudly from her new seat on the floor as she rubbed her backside, wincing.
Jean was standing over her, extending her hand to help the girl up almost before the rest of the team had turned around.
"Kitten?" Ororo turned a concerned glance to the youngest X-Man. "What happened, child?"
"Um…" The brunette took Jean's hand and stood carefully, unable to explain exactly what had just transpired.
"She was flying. Sort of," Jean tried to clarify. "Just suspended in the air."
"I was, like, trying to see this mysterious letter thing of Kurt's, but I didn't want to phase THROUGH someone and be, like, rude. So I phased and jumped, just hoping I could slow my gravity enough to sneak a peek, but then I kinda of didn't come back DOWN right away."
Professor Xavier raised an eyebrow, a small smile lighting his face. "Perhaps a new facet to your powers?" he offered. "We will have to explore the possibility further during a more appropriate time. But for now, Hank, perhaps you can let Kitty take a look?"
"Of course," Dr. McCoy nodded, and held out the faded yellow page to the younger girl, who blushed profusely.
"Thanks," she managed, barely glancing up at the furry mutant. She studied the sketch on the back for a moment, but nothing jumped out at her. Then she turned it over and looked over the text once before pulling out her cell phone and snapping a picture of the words. Hank had disabled the wifi and talk/text features on her phone, so it was only supposed to work as a camera at this point, but she'd held onto it, unable to stop fiddling with it over the last few days.
"Is it okay if I send this to Piotr, Professor?" she asked a moment later. "Maybe their team will know something."
When she was met with only questioning glances, Kitty's cheeks darkened. "Um, Colossus?" she clarified. "He gave me his email before he left so we could share information on the Apocalypse thing." The bewildered gazes turned to understanding, then concern and hesitation.
Logan looked absolutely murderous, but as he opened his mouth to snarl, Xavier held up a hand. "Yes, of course, Kitty. I see nothing here that would warrant secrecy, and Magneto should know that Mystique is free and on the move."
The Professor looked around the room. "In fact, we should gather all the students together so I can scan everyone for a possible impersonator. Let's do so quietly, however. If Mystique is still among us, I don't want her running. Scott, Jean, Storm, call a Danger Room session, will you? Something simple, and with an air of entertainment. I'll need to look at each student individually to get an accurate reading." He turned to Kitty. "Please join us once you've contacted Mr. Rasputin, Kitty. You'll find your laptop in the bottom drawer of Hank's desk. Oh, and please add me as a CC on your correspondence. Just in case."
Kitty nodded, another small dusting of pink on her face, and started to dart out the door when Beast called out to her. "Don't you need me to unlock your phone, Katherine?"
The petite brunette slowly turned back around. Her cheeks were flaming red. "I, uh, like, already hacked into it. I've just been keeping it off so you wouldn't get mad or take it away." She toyed with the device in her hands like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
Beast sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, well, thank you for the courtesy, I suppose. Just try not to overdo it with the technology, hmm?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'd hate to have to find a new hiding place."
The young woman simply giggled, nodding once before darting off down the hall to retrieve her laptop. Within a few minutes, the picture had been uploaded, and a very professional yet friendly email sent - complete with the school's phone number and a request to have Magneto call Professor Xavier right away. The young woman chewed her lip all the way down to the Danger Room, butterflies dancing in her stomach as she wondered when - or if - the gentle giant would get her message, and reply back.
~X~X~X~
Rogue rolled over, nuzzling into Remy's warmth and sighing contentedly as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Looking around, she grinned to herself. Huddled masses snored under various sleeping bags, bodies flopping over air mattresses, cots, and foam pads that were strewn about the room haphazardly.
Kitty was on her left, a tiny spot of drool on her pink ruffled pillow case. Kurt HAD been on her right side, and she remembered the way his tail had thumped against her leg at various times throughout the night before Gambit had sneakily nudged him aside to take his place. After everyone else had fallen asleep, the Cajun had moved from Kurt's other side to take the furry blue mutant's place next to Rogue.
"Mornin' chèrie," Remy whispered, so low she could barely hear the puff of breath escape his mouth. His chest was bare, and a pair of black and blue striped pajama pants hung almost indecently low across his hips as she stretched out on top of Kurt's sleeping bag.
"Mornin'" she mouthed back, all dreamy smiles and rumpled hair. Her green silk tank top and matching shorts rode up along her pale flesh, but for once she didn't care.
Rogue's eyes fell closed for another moment as Remy smoothed his thumb across her cheek and affectionately kissed the tip of her nose in his typical way. Ever since they'd returned from their harrowing ordeal in the woods, they had developed a habit of falling asleep together. Plagued with frequent nightmares, she found it nearly impossible to sleep otherwise.
It was all innocent, of course. Late nights spent cuddled up on the couch in the library; midnight movie marathons where she'd fall asleep on his shoulder until an ungodly hour of the morning; laying out on the roof under blankets, just staring at the stars. Occasionally, when she DID try to sleep in her own bed, she would wake up in a cold sweat, voice hoarse from screaming, only to find Remy already next to her, singing sweetly and rubbing her back.
She could remember the past few weeks of stolen moments as easily as she could recall their time spent in the woods. It was a little fuzzy, sure, but the emotions and memories were solid, familiar, and safe. It was a fairy tale ending to what had started out as a Hollywood horror film. Especially since she'd gained control of her powers after they'd returned home, and Remy had opted to leave Magneto to join the X-Men. What's more was that the rest of her team - even Wolverine - were so happy to have her back safely, that no one seemed to mind the Cajun's misdeeds as an Acolyte. The X-Men had accepted Gambit - and his relationship with Rogue - with open arms.
It truly was a fairytale.
Covering Remy's hand with her own, Rogue frowned lightly, peeking up at those red on black eyes that felt so much like home.
Sensing her sudden disquietude, Remy nodded his head in the direction of the door with a finger to his lips, and she nodded in understanding. Without rousing the other two dozen mutants strewn about the room, Rogue followed Gambit out the door, where he awaited with his palm extended so she could take his hand. That familiar rush of heat flew to her cheeks as she slid her bare fingers into his, and she ducked her head as he led her upstairs to her room so they could talk openly. The closer they came to the stairs, the more they rushed, and before she knew it, they were racing through the upstairs hallways of the girl's wing.
Rogue giggled as Remy tossed a mischievous smirk over his shoulder, knowing full well he wasn't supposed to be in her room. A wildfire sparked in her chest and stomach, feelings of appreciation and desire setting her eyes and skin aflame. They hadn't crossed any kind of boundary since they'd returned from the woods, but the memories of Gambit's bare skin against hers, the passionate kiss he'd stolen in the hot springs, and all the intimate touches and confessions they'd shared lived right under her skin, playing in her mind on repeat.
Her breath hitched slightly as Remy fumbled with the lock on her bedroom door, and after a few failed attempts, she nudged him aside and opened it easily. She barely had time to consider why he'd been unable to open it himself before the lock clicked shut behind him as he followed her over the threshold.
Unease and desire bloomed timidly once they were in her room. Rogue stood awkwardly, one arm wrapped around her waist and gripping her other elbow while she bit her bottom lip. Looking into Remy's eyes, they were so heavy with anticipation that she half expected him to sweep her into his arms and take her right there. He surprised her, however, when he sat at the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him gently.
"What's de matter, Rogue? Know somep'in's buggin' ya." His ember eyes were soft, concerned and adoring, but this time she didn't feel the butterflies rustling in her stomach.
The Southern girl gnawed her lip, slowly coming closer, but still not sitting next to Remy on the bed. "Ah don't rightly know, exactly," she started. She felt Remy take her free hand in his, rubbing the back of her bare skin with his thumb. To his credit, he didn't try to coerce or ask her to sit down again, instead letting her do whatever felt comfortable for her.
"Ah've just got this weird feeling, ya know? Like somethin' ain't quite right."
Remy nodded slightly, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know whatcha mean, chère," he replied softly. "I been feelin' it m'self."
"Really? You have?" Green eyes furrowed in surprise as she dropped her other arm and stepped slightly closer, her knees now touching his.
"Oui. Je fais." (I do) He took her other hand in his, bringing both of them up to place a light kiss on the top of each.
Rogue blushed hard, the heat licking deliciously at her insides as flames reignited with that small gesture.
"Almost feels too good t' be true, n'est ce pas?" He sighed heavily when she nodded, and placed both her hands on his face. Nuzzling into her bare fingers, he turned slightly to kiss the tips of her digits.
An inferno raged in her blood and Rogue clamped down on her lip and thighs to keep from quivering as his tiny kisses liquified her insides. She was pretty certain Remy could hear her swallow what little saliva she had left, as her mouth had gone completely dry. Finally, she managed to nod in agreement and hummed a little in response as her thumbs subconsciously traced circles along Remy's stubble. In response, his hands dropped to her waist, his fingers tracing matching patterns into the bony part of her hips.
Their breathing both quickened, and Rogue's palms smoothed backwards, her fingers toying with his chestnut locks in a daringly shy way. Aside from these types of tiny pecks, they hadn't even really made out properly since returning, neither of them daring to cross that boundary between being the very best of friends and a deeper, physical intimacy. After what she'd been through with Apocalypse's visions and intentions, Remy hadn't wanted to push her.
But now, in the quiet stillness of the mansion, feeling safe, and warm, and comfortable with this man she cared for so deeply - cared for more than anyone in her whole life, truth be told - she found she wanted that physical connection more than ever.
Without thought or hesitation, Rogue abruptly leaned down and kissed Remy fully on the lips. It was urgent, and greedy, and full of a promise of things to come. With only the barest tug on her hips, more of a flex, really, she was sitting in his lap, fingers threading through his hair to press his mouth fully against hers. His arms circled her waist, holding her as if she would suddenly disappear, and her grip on his messy locks mirrored his unspoken fears.
Her hands finally left his hair, traveling down to his shoulders and smoothing across his perfectly chiseled chest. 'Like frickin' MARBLE.' She wondered at the supple hardness of his pectorals and abs as her fingers skimmed over the flesh. Good lord, she could lick him like a popsicle. *5
~T~T~T~T~T~T~T~T~T~
Not to be undone, Remy's fingers ghosted upward, just under her tank top, and smoothed along the dip of her spine. His mouth left hers, head bending ever so slightly to kiss along her jaw and nip at her neck in a way that had Rogue bucking in his lap, her hips instinctively grinding against his. It was heavenly and torturous, and she squirmed as her hands skittered across his back, chest, shoulders, abs - anywhere she could reach while pressing her body along his.
She moaned loudly as his thumbs brushed the very edge of her breasts, and she thrust herself farther forward, encouraging him. After several weeks of dancing around each other, unabashedly flirting and teasing, and their almost nightly ritual of falling asleep together, Rogue was done waiting.
And she let him know it in no uncertain terms.
When he didn't immediately take her non-verbal hint, the southern belle growled slightly and removed her hands from Remy's body. Pale fingers gripped the edge of her green silk tank top and yanked it over her head, tossing it to the floor with slightly more aggression than necessary. She pushed down on his shoulders, forcing him to lie on the bed with his legs still hanging off at a 90 degree angle as she attacked his mouth. Forcefully thrusting her tongue beyond his lips, she almost made herself blush with her forwardness.
Remy groaned loudly, his erection springing to life behind his cotton pajama pants and sending tingling bolts of electricity through her core. She couldn't help the way her hips surged toward his warmth, her body instinctively chasing the pleasurable sensation of his hardness rubbing along her apex. Moaning, she better situated herself over his pants so that every movement sent waves of fire and stimulation throughout her body. Her breath came in quick gasps, her hands planted on that perfect chest as she grabbed his hands and placed them over her breasts.
"Oh gawd, Remy," she whined, pelvis grinding harder on his erection as his hips jerked and twitched.
Suddenly, he pulled her face to his, kissing her deeply and passionately before flipping her over onto her back in one fluid motion. Her hands immediately fumbled for the waistband of his pants, struggling to undo the ties that barely held them up on his hips. Just as the string started to come loose, however, he grabbed her wrists and forced them down on the mattress, his legs trapping her thighs to keep her from further movement.
"Rogue, mon coeur," (my heart) he huffed, breathless. "Slow down, s'il vous plait."
Momentary panic flashed behind her eyes, and Gambit smiled down at her, ruby eyes burning with desire and affection. She could also see the apprehension behind his onyx sclera, though, and she swallowed hard. He kissed her once more, lightly this time, but she could practically taste the passion in his lips, and her hips bucked anew.
Remy groaned and pulled back, trying to further distance himself as she was spread, half-naked, below him. His eyes raked over her form, and Rogue felt the heat rise, dusting her face, shoulders, and the tops of her breasts in a deep blush. Still, her fingers twitched under his grip, still desperate to touch him. She felt like a wild thing, driven by pure, animalistic lust. "Gawd, Remy, please…" she whimpered again, arching her bare breasts off the mattress in an attempt to rub against his glistening chest.
"Just - just a minute, chère. Lemme think here." He snorted as he met her eyes, a deep pout forming on luscious red lips. "Mon Dieu, I want you so bad, but this is just TOO perfect, n'est ce pas?"
Green eyes blinked rapidly, and the frenzied haze of desire cleared slightly. She nodded. He was right; this DID feel too good, too right. Too easy.
As if he could sense her sudden trepidation, Remy released her wrists and swung off her thighs to kneel next to her on the mattress. In a blink she was scrambling upright, arms covering her naked chest in near mortification. Panic seeped into the furious pumping of her heart, and she stared at the Cajun, wide eyed.
~T~T~T~T~T~T~
"Let's just think a second here, huh?" Remy soothed, giving her more space as he handed her a pillow to cover herself. "Do you actually remember getting rescued?"
Rogue furrowed her brows, thinking hard, her hands desperately clutching the pillow. "Y-yeah. The X-Men picked us up in the jet, remember?"
Remy nodded, but the concern didn't ease from his features. His jaw was set in a hard line as he watched her expectantly. "I remember dat, too, but what I don't remember is how."
Biting her lip, the southerner thought a moment before the images started to form in her mind. "They, um, they found us by Cerebro, I think. Right?"
Another nod. "Right. I can see it NOW, but two minutes ago, it was like dat mem'ry didn't exist. And even now it feels fuzzy. Half-formed. "Oui?"
Rogue's eyes widened and she looked around the room, all desire replaced with terror. Finally, she turned back to Gambit, scrambling off the bed with the pillow still clutched to her chest as she backed away. "You! You're Apocalypse, aintcha!?" She panicked, head tilted toward the ceiling as she looked around in desperation. "Oh gawd, Remy! Remy help me! Ah gotta wake up!"
Rogue startled as she backed into something warm and solid. Still on the bed, Remy's eyes widened. "Rogue! Look out!"
The X-Man turned to look up into the eyes of Apocalypse, and she nearly screamed. The pillow fell from her hands as she tried to shove him away, but the megalomaniac simply grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back, pulling her flush against his chest before trapping her other arm in similar fashion.
Remy vaulted off the bed, cards in his hands in less than a blink, as if they'd just materialized out of nowhere. But they never ignited as he looked from Apocalypse to the cards and back again before tossing them on the floor, unused. He looked around the room wildly before spying his collapsed bo staff on the nightstand next to Rogue's bed.
A muffled cry from Rogue stopped him from reaching for it, however.
"I consider myself to be a reasonable man," Apocalypse's deep voice boomed. "I understand the human wants of the heart, the primal desires of the flesh." Taking both Rogue's captured wrists with one hand, Apocalypse's free hand roamed, sliding across her naked stomach, feigning a downward motion that made Remy's eyes erupt in flames while Rogue sucked in a breath of mortification and fear. HIs fingers dipped just past the waistband of her shorts before slithering back upward, skimming over her exposed chest briefly, and finally coming to rest on her throat. His fingers flexed, a show of promise and power.
Rogue tried kicking Apocalypse's shins as Remy moved toward the staff on the nightstand, but Apocalypse's hand constricted, cutting off her airway.
"Uh, uh, uh," the giant of a man chided, looking at Remy while he spoke in Rogue's ear. "There will be none of that. If I kill you here, like this, you die in the real world, you know. You feel everything I do to you here, don't you my dear?"
Rogue didn't respond, only gaped like a fish as her face turned red from lack of oxygen. Remy quickly put his hands up and sat down on the bed, glaring with homicidal malice.
"That's better," Apocalypse resumed once Gambit had settled back down. "Now, be a good girl, my queen, and stop struggling. I'd hate to have to chain you to the bed and make your dear Cajun watch while I punish you."
Rogue's face turned up in a sneer, but she couldn't help slanting a nervous glance in Remy's direction. She knew Apocalypse had planted the vision of Gambit in her head, that he wasn't real, and yet, part of her balked at the idea of even an imagined Remy watching Apocalypse violate her. She closed her eyes and mouthed the words to that French lullaby, willing the real Remy to wake up and help her.
"You know I can make all your wildest fantasies come true, for both of you," Apocalypse squeezed Rogue's wrists, making her wince, and a small part of her was comforted by the way the imaginary Remy's eyes flashed murderously.
"Fais dodo ma chère," Remy spoke to her, confident and clear. "Fais dodo. Wake up, Rogue, wake up!"
"You both crave love, companionship," Apocalypse tugged Rogue with him as he moved back farther toward what once was the wall of her bedroom. Now it was a forest, lined with trees, and the X-Man closed her eyes, forcing herself to see the little sleepover with her teammates instead. The floor shimmered, switching from plush carpet to rough dirt and detritus and back again, as the megalomutant and the X-Man both vied for dominion of her mind.
On the bed, which was rapidly shifting between a soft cream comforter and a gray craggy rock, Remy had his eyes closed as he sang louder and louder.
The vehement wails of a baby cut through the din of chaos, and both Rogue and Remy quieted, their eyes snapping open to see a small bassinet appear at the foot of the bed. From her vantage point across the room, arms still trapped behind her back by Apocalypse, Rogue could just make out a teeny fist flailing in the air.
Entranced, Remy slowly stood from the bed and inspected the crying bundle. Rogue watched as his breath caught, eyes shifting between her and the crying infant. Even though she knew it was fake, that both Remy and the baby were just machinations created by Apocalypse, part of her soul swelled with longing and heartache for a future she'd never have.
"Go, my dear," Apocalypse crooned in her ear. "Go and see the gift I have for you." Without warning, he released her hands, and Rogue stumbled forward, only to have the imagined Remy reach out and catch her by the elbows. She barely paid him any mind, however, despite the way her body still yearned for him. Instead, she cautiously approached the bassinet.
"It ain't real," Remy whispered, closing his eyes for a moment as she slipped from his grasp. Still, he put a hand on her bare shoulder as she leaned over the white canopied cradle to peer at the hiccoughing babe dressed in blue. "You know it ain't real."
Nodding silently, Rogue reached inside regardless, reverently pulling out the pink-faced infant and cradling it against her shoulder. She no longer cared about her half-dressed state. The baby felt so soft and warm, and the very idea of him soothed her tattered soul. Carefully lowering the child so she could look into his face, Rogue felt tears slide down her cheeks.
"He's - got your eyes, Remy," her whispered voice cracked as the infant's red on black orbs blinked up at her. She fingered itty bitty strands of white hair at the crown of his head, and his tiny lips quivered with barely restrained sobs. "Shh, shh, baby. It's alright." She knew this was just a dream - another of Apocalypse's ploys to get her to come to him - but it felt so right, so perfect. From the deepest desires of her heart, an ambition she'd long since buried behind the isolating reality of her powers, she felt peace and comfort. With Remy beside her and a baby - THEIR baby - cradled in her arms, she felt - home.
Quietly, Apocalypse crooned from across the room. "It can all be yours - each other, the child, the family you've always wanted. All you have to do is say yes. Just say yes, and show me where you are."
"Mon ange (my angel), please," the vision of Remy begged, stepping between Rogue and Apocalypse, shielding her from the other man's view. His hands rubbed up and down her arms as he stood behind her, staring over her shoulder at the child in her arms. "Ya gotta put him back. Ain't real, Rogue. Ain't none of dis real."
Shoulders convulsing in a repressed sob, Rogue finally turned toward Gambit, completely forgetting about Apocalypse for the time being as the tyrant silently watched the trio from the corner of the room.
"What if Ah WANT it t' be real?" She half cried, softly bouncing the baby as she leaned into Gambit's bare chest, careful not to crush the precious bundle in her arms. "What if Ah want it so bad it hurts?"
"I know, mon coeur (my heart), I know," Remy crooned, pulling back to brush his thumb along the tears trailing down her cheeks. "And maybe someday, it will be. But not now. Not like dis." Gingerly, he wrapped his arms under and around Rogue's, enveloping the baby boy and lifting him carefully away. More tears cascaded down Rogue's cheeks as the imagined Acolyte pressed a kiss first to her forehead, and then to the infant's. She had to cover her face with her hands as she watched Remy gently place the child back in the bassinet. When he turned back around, matching tear tracks glistened on his cheeks as he pulled Rogue into his arms.
"De answer's NON you fils du putain (piece of sh*)," her dream Remy shouted over her head as she sobbed against his chest.
Rogue was simultaneously confused and grateful for the way he took charge, voicing the things she didn't have the willpower to say at the moment. However she had manifested him in her dreams, he was everything she needed him to be and more. His soft, sweet words of endearment, his quiet comfort, his steadfast refusal of Apocalypse. The Remy in her head was stalwart and true as he protected her mind from Apocalypse, and she wondered how on earth she'd been able to conjure up such a powerful, realistic figure.
Apocalypse folded his arms, his smug expression darkening as his eyes narrowed. "Is that truly your answer, my dear? This is your last chance."
"Go to hell, you bastard!" Rogue screamed, turning from Remy's chest. She wanted nothing more than to pummel the omega mutant, but the vision of Remy held her fast even as tears tracked down his own cheeks.
"Fais dodo, Rogue," he whispered in her ear. "Time t' wake up. Don't let him bait you no more. Fais dodo."
Apocalypse sneered. "Very well then, so be it."
All at once, Gambit gasped, biting back a groan of pain as the previously calmed baby screeched inside the bassinet. Rogue jumped back, feeling that horrendously familiar tug of her powers as Remy collapsed to the floor. She was no longer touching him, yet still the absorption continued.
"I allowed you see what your life as my queen could become," Apocalypse seethed. "Now witness what WILL happen without my gifts!"
"Oh gawd!" Rogue cried out as the baby wailed louder and Remy writhed. "Ah ain't even touching them! Ah can't stop it! Remy!?"
"Your powers WILL grow, Rogue - with or without my influence. But if you refuse me, you will become more powerful, and more isolated than you can ever imagine."
"Rogue," the vision of Gambit gasped, trying valiantly to move towards her. "Ya gotta wake up, chère. You're stronger than him. You just have ta want it! Wake up, now! Wake UP!"
Putting her hands over her ears, Rogue sank to the floor, still feeling Remy - and the baby's - life force flowing into her. "Fais dodo, Colas, mon petit frère. Fais dodo, t'auras du lolo." She repeated the song over and over until the sounds of Gambit alternately singing and moaning, and the baby crying, faded. Instead, the sounds of the forest gradually took their place, with birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees.
With a gasp, Rogue came back to herself, only to find Remy's arms wrapped tightly around her, her own secured snugly around his waist. His chest was moist from her tears as she'd cried in her sleep, and she hastily released her grip on him to wipe them away.
"You okay, petite?" Gambit's voice, low and gravelly, greeted her. His left hand was gently and carefully petting her hair. "Bad dream, hmm?"
"Y-yeah," she stuttered, unable to look up at his face as her cheeks flamed. Her heart was a flurry of fear and anguish, but being snuggled up like this, she couldn't deny that she still felt some remnants of the less horrible parts of the dream. "Another of Apocalypse's awful visions, Ah suppose," she finally admitted, sniffling. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, yet she couldn't seem to extract herself from Gambit's arms as she tried to reconcile the fake version of him with the real one.
The imaginary Remy had felt so good, so realistic, that she was struggling not to hug the real one tight and kiss him like she'd done in the dream. Her heart felt so raw and vulnerable from the heaviness of what Apocalypse had shown her - of what she had essentially given up - that she wanted nothing more than to sit and cry in Gambit's arms. She wanted him to hold her, and kiss her, and soothe her just like his dream self had done. But of course, their real relationship - their friendship - was leagues away from what they'd had in the vision. In her mind they'd had weeks, if not months, to develop a deeper intimacy. There, Remy hadn't been seriously injured, and had wanted her just as badly as she'd wanted him.
Neither of them spoke for a long time, both content to just lie there for a little while as she recovered from the emotional turmoil of her dreams. "Thank you," she whispered finally. "For being here. For helping me come back from it." She swallowed hard, still keeping her face buried in the hard, warm muscle of his right pectoral. "Ah think it helps, y' know. When - when you're close, and touchin' me. Makes it easier t' come back."
He hummed a little in his throat, a noncommittal answer to her vulnerable confession. "M' glad it helps, chère," he responded, shifting slightly away from her so his lower extremities weren't pressed so tight along hers. "You just let Gambit know whatever it is you want, and I do m' best, eh?"
For a moment her heart skipped as his words triggered something from the vision, but she quickly shoved it aside. "Well, f'r now," she deflected and slowly began extracting herself from his embrace. "Ah wanna check those wounds a yours 'fore Ah use the little girl's room. Think you can sit up for me?" Getting down to business was just the thing to help her put aside her raw vulnerability, and she forced herself to put the vision from her mind.
"Oui," Gambit replied softly, and he turned sideways a little to push up with his right hand, which had been trapped under Rogue's head during their short nap. Finally, she was on her knees behind him as he sat cross legged in front of her, his coat drawn tightly around his waist with his hands inconspicuously covering his lap. Both of the mutants kept their eyes down, avoiding one another's gaze as they shifted in the cramped thicket.
Rogue never saw the tears that stained his cheeks.
~X~X~X~
Kitty was fidgety all through the training session of mutant dodge ball. There was also an expanded version of 9-square that included a space for every student and a few extra balls to 'help hone their senses and reflexes'. She got tagged out about five minutes in, as she was continuously glancing up at the control room, trying to ascertain whether Magneto had called the Professor yet or not.
When the session ended after about 30 minutes, with Xavier excusing everyone with instructions to wash up for dinner, she couldn't help but sigh. As she left the locker room, however, her anxious mood brightened significantly as she discovered an email notification on her phone. Her smile widened as she sat down on a bench in the women's locker room to read it.
'Dear Katya, I thank you for your correspondence. The words from the picture you sent do not make sense to me, aside from the 'son' likely referring to your friend Kurt, yes? Perhaps the life he saved was Mystique's when he freed her? Magneto is currently indisposed with Mastermind, but I will pass along your message and your Professor's request within the hour.
I hope you are otherwise safe and doing well. If your Doctor McCoy has returned your devices, it must mean you are feeling better, for which I am glad. I am sorry I missed saying goodbye to you directly, but am glad you found a way to contact me to warn us of this new development. I am happy to be in touch with you in a manner befitting of an Acolyte.
I would like to ask how the funeral services went, but I believe that would be too unprofessional. I will continue to keep you and your friends in my thoughts and prayers in these days of mourning.
Warmest regards,
Colossus Rasputin'
Kitty's heart skipped a beat. At face value, his correspondence appeared rather detached and professional. But the misleading omission of his note, which had included his email address, was telling. He didn't want Magneto to know he'd deliberately left his contact information for her. He'd said 'befitting of an Acolyte', which meant he probably had to watch what he said. His last paragraph about personal questions being 'unprofessional' was another hint that he couldn't speak openly and freely with her. Magneto - or one of the other Acolyte's - was likely monitoring his correspondence.
Still, little phrases like 'happy to be in touch with you,' and 'in my thoughts and prayers' spoke volumes through the face value of his words. He'd also sent the message as a 'reply all', so Professor Xavier could receive it as well. Whether Piotr was tempering his words and sentiments for the sake of the X-Men, or the fear of Magneto, was the question now burning in her mind.
Darting up to her room to pull up his email on her laptop, she quickly hit the reply button. She spent a few minutes gnawing on her lip, trying to figure out just what to say.
Dear Colossus,
I'm so glad you wrote back so soon.
Kitty backtracked, deleting the last sentence to formulate it in a more professional (and less obvious) way.
I am very happy that you were so prompt to return my correspondence. Thank you for being so quick to reply and passing along the Professor's urgent message to Magneto.
Smiling, the brunette continued typing.
I think you're right about the 'son' referring to Mystique, especially with the first line - 'A mother's shame is freed wherein blood is shared.' I'd imagine Mystique should be pretty ashamed at what she did, and Dr. McCoy believes Kurt's blood is what freed her from that prisoner, so to speak.
My guess is that the 'devil' is Apocalypse, although the thought of trusting him makes me so angry after what he did to Rogue. I never told her, but she was my best friend besides Kurt. I'm pretty sure she hated listening to me complain about my problems, but she did it a lot more than I think I ever gave her credit for. She gave really good advice, too.
The funeral was hard, but really beautiful. I was actually surprised by how many nice things people had to say about her. She was a bit of a loner and didn't hang out with groups of us very often, but it sounds like I wasn't the only one who appreciated her advice.
I'm still really struggling with the idea that she's gone.
At this, Kitty paused and wiped tears from her eyes and cheeks before they could drip onto her keyboard.
Anyhow, she continued, taking a deep breath. I was thinking that the 'den of gods' mentioned could be over there in Egypt - with the tombs of the pharaohs. The ancient Egyptians were considered gods by their people, so be on the lookout for any booby traps or things like that. I couldn't stand it if you got hurt - or worse - too.
Kitty blushed a little at her own forwardness, then quickly deleted the last line, replacing it with something less obvious.
Just be careful, okay?
As for 'Hope lives when the heart of the queen is shattered,' I don't have a clue who the 'queen' could be. Maybe one of the female pharaohs, like Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, or Nefertiti? I guess if you see any of their hearts lying around looking suspicious, shatter it? Although I doubt Professor Xavier would condone destruction of ancient artifacts (I don't either, usually, but I guess if it gives us hope?), I'm betting Magneto wouldn't think twice. Haha.
She inserted a laughing face and embarrassed faced emoji to show she was (sort of) joking.
'To fell the master, look to the cards' reminds me of Gambit and his playing cards. Maybe there's hope he's still alive? And that he can help defeat Apocalypse? Although I don't know how that's possible if we can't FIND him. Professor Xavier has been checking every day, two or three times a day, for any sign of him, Rogue, or Apocalypse. Kurt has Jean and a few other students convinced that she's still alive.
Kitty snorted as she typed, but sighed sadly.
'The betrayer' makes me think of Mystique, although how a blade could spare a future - and WHOSE future - is beyond me. The only person that woman would save is herself.
I almost don't want to dare to hope that the 'cure for death' could mean that we can somehow bring Rogue back from the dead. Although maybe Apocalypse is so powerful that it IS possible? I just shudder to think what kind of 'sacrifice' it might take. I could totally sacrifice Mystique, though. That would be ideal, actually.
The X-Man giggled softly at her own joke.
Too bad Kurt accidentally freed her; it would be much easier to sacrifice her if we could FIND her. I hope you aren't right about him saving Mystique's life, though. That woman doesn't deserve to be saved. I've never been a vindictive or hateful person, but I can't help but detest that woman. Part of me wishes she were dead, but that wouldn't bring Rogue back, and it would be terrible for Kurt - even if Mystique is the WORST possible mom. I'm so glad he grew up away from her. It always makes me wonder how Rogue turned out to be such a good person after growing up around her. At least, I THINK she grew up with Mystique. I probably shouldn't be talking about this, actually. I don't know what Magneto has told you about that whole soap opera, and I'm starting to feel like a gossip, you know? Not very 'professional,' as you put it.
She paused, deliberating on deleting the entire last paragraph. It felt good to talk to someone, though. No one at the Institute wanted to discuss these things, and she didn't want to burden anyone with her emotional baggage when they were going through the same things.
I should probably say goodbye for now, before I get myself all worked up again. It's just nice to have someone to talk to, you know? So, thanks for listening (well, reading), I guess? Please let me know if you guys find anything out there in Egypt - especially disembodied hearts or booby traps!
Best wishes,
Katya
Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters
1407 Greymalkin Lane,
Bayville, New York 10032 *6
Kitty blushed slightly as she signed her name with the little moniker Pete had given her, but sent the email anyhow. Maybe if she referred to herself as 'Katya', then Magneto wouldn't think anything of the familiar nickname Colossus had addressed her by in his previous email. Gnawing on her lip, she wondered if she should have deleted that paragraph about Rogue, Mystique, and Kurt after all. She hadn't CC'd the Professor on this one, whether by accident or 'subconsciously on purpose', so she didn't worry so much about getting in trouble.
If she were honest, she was far more worried about what Piotr would think of her almost childish tirade. The idea that he would view it as immature, unprofessional, or petty made her a little sick to her stomach. Sighing, she supposed the worst that could happen was that he never spoke to her again.
That wouldn't be SO bad, right?
After all, she barely knew the guy. And he'd already mentioned in the last email that he couldn't really speak openly and freely with her. That was part of the reason she'd included the Institute's mailing address at the bottom of her email. With it, perhaps he could send her a real letter on the sly - if he was so inclined. But if he didn't, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. It wasn't like they were really friends, and although she did think he was kind of cute, she was dating Lance and had no romantic interest in Colossus. Sure, she'd LIKE to be friends with the Acolyte, maybe even help him get out from under Magneto's thumb and become an X-Man (if he wanted to), but that was all there was to it.
Right?
~X~X~X~
"Well, damn," Remy sighed, staring out at the expanse of sheer cliff face that stretched for miles along either side of them. In normal circumstances, the view would have been breathtaking. Gray, craggy cliffs one hundred feet tall plummeted below their feet, with swaths of green laid out for miles and miles beyond that. Crystal blue lakes and ponds dotted the landscape, with one or two rivers or streams barely visible between the countless pines. In the distance, new mountains swelled up from beyond the seemingly painted foliage, reaching into the sky like menacing fingers, intent on trapping the pair in their clutches.
Beside him, Rogue muttered something even more derogatory under her breath as she took in the same scene. They'd both been pretty quiet since they'd awoken from their mid-morning nap in the thicket. Remy didn't know if her silence had something to do with him, or whatever vision Apocalypse had implanted in her mind. But, she hadn't woken up scared out of her mind or violently fighting him - for once - and he didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
Gambit himself hadn't been feeling particularly chatty either, though. He, too, had seen things he didn't care to share. Things that had felt too real, and had broken his heart. At least the nap had done him good physically, even if he was still hurting. His naturally enhanced - albeit minimal - healing abilities had given him a little more energy, and taken away the harshest sting of his wounds, but he was certainly no Wolverine. He was trying very hard to hide his pains from Rogue, whom he could tell was also suffering under the effects of their poor diet, lack of sleep, and her own lingering injuries.
The X-Man had obviously been trying to hide her maladies from him, which was both commendable and irritating. She'd winced and gasped, reflexively holding her ribs as she'd ducked and twisted around fallen trees and wayward bushes, but refused to let Gambit carry her because of his wounds. Truth be told, he didn't know how well - or how long - he COULD carry her at this point. He needed at least another full day's sleep - and some decent nutrition - just to feel human again, let alone start pulling off feats of physical prowess.
He was thankful for the onions Rogue had found and stuffed into his coat pockets - even if they did make his duster heavier than a wet gator. They'd eaten at least half a dozen or more as they'd left the thicket around midday. It hadn't been the tastiest thing in the world, and their stomachs had rather rebelled by the last few bites, but it was nice to eat something other than bugs and flowers for once. They'd decided to ration the onions, on the likely chance they didn't find anything else in the next day or two.
Staring out at the vast expanse of forest, Remy fought back the urge to curse like a sailor and throw things in a toddler-like tantrum. "Well, petite," he forced a lighthearted tone he simply didn't feel. "You wanna go left, right, or …" He turned to face her, to gauge her own mental state at this newest, rather pernicious, obstacle. His heart leapt in momentary fright when he saw her expression, however. Her eyes were wide; shock, disbelief, and a touch of fear dancing in her green irises. Chapped red lips were open in an 'O' of surprise, and she stood stock still, not even breathing.
Whirling around as he pulled his cards from his pocket with his right hand, Remy half expected there to be a giant robot standing just behind him. Instead, he, too, blinked rapidly.
In the thick of the trees just a few miles to their right and tucked just behind the edge of the cliffs, a wispy cloud of steady smoke rose from the forest. As they'd walked, the small puffs had been obscured by the trees that had surrounded them. Now, however, as they perched on the edge of the barren cliff-face, they could plainly see the smoke that was nearly parallel to their current position.
"Is - is that…?" Rogue finally stuttered, her finger shakily moving up to point at the plume.
Remy's face broke into a wide grin for a mere moment before he frowned deeply, his brows twisting into a dark scowl. "Could be a trick," he sighed heavily. "Could be one of Apocalypse's minions started a little fire or somep'in, just ta draw us in."
Rogue's face fell, and she tucked her head, turning away as she wrapped her arms around her waist. The look on her face was only slightly less heartbroken than what he'd seen in his own dreams. .
"Good thing Gambit likes ta play de odds, eh?" He shot her a lopsided grin as her head whipped back around to stare incredulously at him.
"What?" Rogue blinked, not quite understanding. Then, as the corners of Remy's mouth grew into a mischievous smirk, her jaw dropped a second time. "No. NO! Absolutely not!" Hands flying to her hips, green irises flashed with dangerous defiance and alarm. "You just said it yourself, it's prob'ly a trap!"
"Oui, but what if it ain't, huh?" Gambit gently argued. "What if dat's a little camp site for some wilderness survivalist nut who happens ta have a satellite phone? And he don't even realize he's a sittin' duck out dere." He reached out with his good arm to grasp Rogue's shoulder. "You know I gotta go check it out, chère."
"Wait, YOU!?" Rogue hissed, shrugging his hand off her shoulder as she took a step back and narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean 'we'. WE have to go check it out."
Remy shook his head, leaning into her space once more. "Non, petite, Gambit gotta do dis alone. Ain't safe for you t' be anywhere near dere. If'n it IS a trap, we can't afford for you t' get caught, Rogue. You know dat." Keep hidden - if'n I don't come back by mid-day, you follow dat dere river til you find civilization. Don't stop for nothin. If I get in t' trouble, you'll likely be able t' hear it. Ot'erwise, gonna put out dat fire so's we don't attract more of it
The X-Man shook her head violently, brows still furrowed in angry frustration. "No, Remy, Ah ain't lettin' you go alone! You couldn't fight a kitten right now, let alone those sentries." *7
"Ain't gonna fight," he assured her, right hand taking up her left to kiss the back of it. "Just gonna do some quick recon. Gambit may be injured, but he still a thief, non? Sneak in, take a look, sneak out. Child's play."
"Great, then there ain't no reason f'r me ta stay behind!" She ripped her hand away from his, looking very much like she wanted to slap him with it.
Dang stubborn girl.
"First off," Gambit rolled his eyes and sighed with exasperation as he shrugged out of his coat. He quickly sifted through the pockets for his bo staff and pack of cards as he spoke. "I just told ya - you CAN'T risk gettin' caught. Second, you ain't skilled 'nough t' keep quiet and outta sight. Ain't got de know-how or de trainin' dat I got. If'n dere are robo-cops lurkin' around, Remy can spot 'em and evade. You can't."
Rogue opened her mouth to argue, but Remy held his finger to her lips. "You know I'm right, colombe (dove)."
He could tell she was trying to hold onto her anger, but moisture danced behind those brilliant green irises, and he had to stop himself from leaning down to kiss her. Instead, he almost chuckled as he remembered her visceral reaction to his last attempt at doing so. Gingerly, he pulled the tunic of his shirt back over his head as Rogue simply watched, arms folded and expression glowering. Her face only hardened when he winced as the movement pulled painfully at his injured arm and shoulder.
"Gonna leave m' coat wit' you - I'll move faster without it. Won't get snagged on de underbrush so much." It was a partial truth. It WOULD be less of a hindrance if he left it behind with the onions overloading the pockets, but he also had other motivations for leaving it behind - specifically with her. If for some reason he didn't return…
He looked up at the sky out to the right, its journey through the sky now two-thirds complete. "It's three, mebbe four o'clock now. Should be able t' get back here just after nightfall. Might take a pinch longer, but Gambit can see in de dark. Stay outta sight, but close to de ridge, and I find you, d'accord? Keep hidden; if'n I don't come back by mornin', you follow a river til you find civilization. Don't stop for nothin. If I get inta trouble, you'll likely be able t' hear it, so you get gone. Ot'erwise, gonna put out dat fire so's we don't attract more of it, yeah?"
As he finished stuffing his weapons into his pants pocket, he could tell Rogue was waffling back and forth on whether she wanted to kick his ass for trying to leave her behind, or nod in agreement. She settled for glaring at the ground, arms folded petulantly, and he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. "Cheer up, chère," he smiled, using the tip of his right index finger to tilt her chin up at him. "Might could be I find somep'in good, non?"
Her glare softened as she searched his eyes, and he couldn't tell what she hoped to find there. He tried to appear hopeful, cheery, and confident, even though he felt none of those things. It was very likely, after all, that he was walking right into a trap.
Rogue took a deep breath as she reached up to take his hand, squeezing it tightly in hers as she dropped their clasped hands at her side. "Just, be CAREFUL, okay, Cajun? Y'all've already got 'Hero of the Year' award in the bag, okay? No need ta get y'rself hurt again." She attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
Remy stepped forward, just inside her personal space, and let his left arm gingerly go around her waist, giving her a half-hug. "Je te promets (I promise you). No more heroics."
She chuckled in response, getting closer as she wrapped one arm around his right shoulder and one around his waist, pulling him closer and hugging him tight. Even without his empathy, he could feel her anxiousness, dread, and gratitude rolling off her in turbulent waves. "You don't come back, Cajun, and Ah'll kill ya, got it?"
The subtle irony of her statement made him chuckle. If he didn't return, it would likely be because he'd died or been captured, and they both knew it. Still, he winked at her as she pulled back, dropping her arms. "Yes, ma'am," he grinned, and wished once more that he could kiss her. Instead, they stood staring, gazing into each other's eyes as if they could communicate telepathically, saying all the things they were too nervous to speak aloud.
Slowly, Rogue raised a hand, soft fingers brushing along the harsh stubble of his left cheek, thumb tracing his cheek bone, and his lips parted in a tiny sigh. He wanted to bring his hand up to cover hers, wanted to lean into that sweet, affectionate touch, but all he could manage was a harsh swallow. The almost nervous gesture made her lips tilt at the corner, and she carefully pulled his head down towards hers. At the last moment, her lips darted away from his, and she pressed a soft, firm kiss on his cheek.
"For luck," she whispered in his ear, then released her hold on him and stepped back, picking up his discarded coat to hold against her chest like a shield.
Dumbstruck, he watched her back up toward the line of trees, a playful grin toying at her lips. "Hurry back, suga'," she called. "Won't do ta let me sleep all by mahself t'night, would it?" She winked at him, and the shock on his face gave way to a devious smile.
"Certainly wouldn't want dat," he replied, but it came out much quieter than he'd intended, and lacked the sultry tone her words had been soaked with. Forcing a mask of carefree confidence, he gave her a two finger salute and turned to jog toward the plume of smoke, any further quips or innuendos dying on his lips.
After a goodbye like that, he couldn't wait to see how she'd welcome him back.
~X~X~X~X~X~
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Okay, gotta throw this one out there first thing, because I just read the review and while I was a little dismayed that the last chapter wasn't as well received, it made me laugh pretty hard.
For reviewer X-Men FanFare: thanks for the chuckle! I do admit Destiny went to a LOT of trouble to get that message to Kurt, and likely spent a lot of time on it. I should have made mention - the scribbles, the message, and the effort is a direct nod to the X-Treme X-Men comics, where Rogue and her team go in search of Destiny's Diaries, that foretell of future events, and are very elaborately hidden and hard to translate. (in the off chance you aren't familiar). If you're interested in more info on it, PM me and I'd be happy to share.
My hope was that the amount of time and effort Destiny put into that message for Kurt would show just how important that moment in time would become (foreshadowing), and serve to show that while Destiny and Mystique played a hand in Rogue's capture by Apocalypse, they ultimately want their children to stay safe and alive. I hope that helps clarify the weight of why that scene (and Destiny's effort) was so crucial to the story! Thanks again for the review! Keep 'em coming - like I said, good or bad, I'm here for it.
I have been absolutely floored by the number of reviews, follows, kudos, etc this story has received in the last month since I updated. Thank you all so much for leaving the little breadcrumbs for me in the form of reviews, subscribers, and kudos/likes. Every time I get a notification, it motivates me to go write more stuff.
Finally, I am seriously hoping to have this story done and put to bed by January 1st. It's my 'New Year's Resolution' to finish this dang thing before 2025. Crossing my fingers that the next 5 chapters run more smoothly. Chapter 26 is not written AT ALL, but 27, 28, 29, and 30 are mostly done and will just require some fine tuning and a few additions.
FOOTNOTES:
1 - "if you're not guilty, why hide" - Many thanks to AJ (as usual) for the amazing input and ideas here. Likening this mentality to the concept of mutant registration and 'why not be registered if you have nothing to hide' wasn't something I even considered, but it makes perfect sense.
2 - Every man has a price to charge an' a price ta pay." - Gambit, Uncanny X-Men #350
3 - "You ain't fit to be a bad guy." - Rogue quote from Marvel Heroes, a game which I never got to play
4 - "Look at this here. I be the thief; there you go off stealing my heart" 'Rogue Ltd Series' Vol 1 #2
5 - "Lick you like a popsicle" is a nod to Ava_DAlain's (Ava_DAlain) ficlet from her "Lazy Days and Date Nights" fic, and one chapter in which Remy and Rogue's AC breaks. Her other story, "Tantalize" is one of my FAVORITE Romy ficlets, and she is just an absolutely amazing writer that you need to check out if you've never read her stuff. Start with "Voodoo Blues," the first story in her set of fics if you want the backstory stuff to those fics. (She's also currently working on 'Reckoning', which is an alternate ending to the Evo Series "Cajun Spice" episode. It's freaking amazing." (Ava_DAlain, Tantalize, and Voodoo Blues - in case FFN removes those names/links automatically)
6 - Bayville as a place actually has a section in the X-Men Evolution wiki, and it's written in such a way as to sound like a very real place. "Bayville, sometimes referred to as Pine Island, is a village located in the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County just by the North Shore of Long Island in New York, United States of America. By the 2010 census, the population was 6,669. The Incorporated Village of Bayville is located on the Long Island Sound facing Greenwich, Connecticut."
7 - "You couldn't fight a kitten." This line is from a comic book, but I don't know which one. I THINK it's from an X-23 series. In any case, the general synopsis is that Laura (X-23) accidentally stabbed/fought Remy, and he's pretty beat up. Later, Remy and Logan are having a conversation and Remy asks Logan about going to a bar, getting some drinks, and starting some fights. Logan replies with 'You couldn't fight a kitten right now.' Remy's response of 'Course not, kittens fight dirty,' makes me giggle, but the next part where Remy explains that he's just gonna start crap, then kick the angry drunks Logan's way and let HIM fight is one of my favorite bonding scenes between those two characters.
NEXT TIME, ON 'GETTING WARMER':
-A Tight Spot / Precipice of Disaster 4pm/7pm
-A Very Unprofessional Opinion / Betsy's Goodbye (5pm)/8pm
-Playing Doctor (5pm)/8pm
%-The New Jean Grey * 8pm/11pm
-Snuggling Down 8pm/(11pm)
