The ongoing voices from the speakers continued to echo around the busy hall as the man known as Charles Xavier continued to wheel himself further down until he stopped in front of the hospital room he'd been led to. There was no more mistaking it. This had to be the room she was in. The room someone long lost would be waiting for him to finally take her home.
"You're the first visitor she's had." The nurse sadly said next to him. "But then you can't expect much from someone who can't even remember their name."
"No…I suppose not." With a deep breath he nodded for her to open the door, revealing an empty bed with its pristine white linen sheets still wrinkled as if someone had occupied it not long ago.
Trailing his eyes along the room he stopped when he saw a familiar figure distractedly staring out the window.
"If you need anything…?" the nurse hesitantly began to say.
"No thank you. That'll be all." He gently smiled at the nurse as she closed the door behind herself leaving them alone. Wheeling himself closer he only paused once he reached the bed, never once removing his eyes from someone he held dear.
"You came…" The woman's voice sounded so empty and devoid of any emotions as she continued to look down at the people on the streets. "Like I always know you would."
"And yet…you never bothered to reach out to us." he could see her anxiously stare down. "Or give them your name."
"I knew they would only be afraid of me…knew they would…" her voice slightly shook with fear of what people might do if they found out. "But not you…"
"No…" His eyes became bleary with tears as he saw her apprehensively turn to stare back at her former teacher with small tears of her own. "Hello Jean."
-X-
"Did he say where he was going?"
"I'm afraid not." Emma replied boredly as she sat on one of the chairs around the meeting room. She knew exactly where their precious Xavier had run off to once they managed to find Jean Grey. But surprisingly he didn't want to break the news to his students until he could see for himself. And that was something Emma was looking forward to seeing. "I'm not his keeper."
"How could the professor just leave without telling us?" Scott frustratingly asked out loud as he leaned against the table.
"Oh, was he supposed to? I wasn't aware that we had to check in whenever we decided to go off somewhere." She playfully mused.
"You don't." Logan spat back. "Feel free to leave whenever you want Frost."
"Logan." Ororo's sternly said. Despite none of them being entirely pleased with Emma being here, they still had to accept the professor's wishes even if he wasn't here.
"Well I'm sorry 'Ro but if someone doesn't explain this to me in the next few minutes I'm going to blow." He bit back. "We have two idiots God knows where, with one of them aiming to get a visit from these…" he made it a point to extend his claws. "And now the professors gone off too? But anytime I do it it's called careless and foolish. Well what'd you call that?!"
"Careless and foolish." Scott answered, enjoying the way Logans brow ticked.
"Logan's got a point." Bobby spoke up still angrily glaring at the table. "What's with all the secrecy? The professors been so obsessed with Cerebro lately, then goes off without telling us while Rogue's…" Working his jaw Bobby tried not to think about why she would want to leave in the first place, and with Remy no less.
"Don't worry Boby I'm sure she's fine." Kitty reassuringly said in the seat next to him. "If I know Rogue she's just as eager to come home."
"Yeah, and besides she's with Remy right? What could go wrong?" Jubilee absently continued to chew her bubblegum until the room suddenly fell silent. "What?"
"Jubillee's right." Ororo reassured everyone. "They're both capable young adults training to be X-men. They know better than to-"
"What? Sneak away without telling anyone and stealing Cyclop's bike?" Logan frustratingly snapped back making all eyes now turn to him in surprise. "Did you know our fearless leader here has been crying about it all this damn time?"
Opening and closing his mouth, Scott was just as taken back by his statement. "I have no, and since when do you care? As I recall you've stolen it a few times yourself Logan."
"Exactly! Which is why I need it back."
"Guys." Ororo cut in. "Can we get back to on topic. And like I said before they'll be fine, trust me."
"Trust you?" Logan bitterly smiled just as Hank walk in. "You know Storm…now that I think about it, I don't remember you ever telling us what Remy's other powers are."
"What?"
"You're his friend right, yet I haven't heard you mentioning anything about his other powers when Hank and I gave him a few test runs in the Danger room."
"Oh dear." Swiftly turning on his heel as soon as he sensed the tension in the room followed by his name, Hank quickly returned the way he came.
"Test runs? Or punishments?" Ororo angrily asked back.
"Pick one." Logan stubbornly folded his arms over his chest and raised an inpatient brow when she still didn't answer his first question. "Storm?"
"Does it really matter right now?" Bobby disbelievingly looked around.
"No. Because if she's not back by today I'm going to go out and drag them back myself." Logan spoke over his shoulder as he stomped out of the room.
"Wait Logan!" Ororo exhaustively slouched back on her seat. "Well, that could've gone better."
"Well, this should be interesting." Emma slyly grinned as she leaned on her elbow entertainingly watching from her spot. "Interesting indeed..."
-X-
Squinting her eyes shut, Rogue awoke to find the headache she'd been dealing with now increasing ten folds, making her head feel like double its size. Turning on her stomach, the nausea reminding her of why she didn't usually drink.
She took a quick peek to see Remy's bed empty, which at least gave her some comfort in knowing she didn't have to face the humiliation of not remembering anything from the previous night.
"Bonjour sunshine."
But things of course never worked out in her favor so why should they start now?
"Morning?" she rasped, wincing at her dry throat. Was it really morning already? "How did I get here?"
Panting Remy stopped midway from doing another set of push-ups as he looked to see her slowly raising herself to her elbows. "You know…down here where we're from, de typical responds dis one would get is a good mornin' back." he chuckled. "I'd even accept a good mornin' sexy but it's your choice really I ain't picky."
Growling, she raised her hand to try and stop the hammering in her head.
"I take it you ain't a monrin' bird either?" he grinned as he resumed his pushups.
"You could say that." She winced when the pounding headache became louder. She may not have been an early bird to begin with, but the way she was feeling right now made her feel more like a permanently exhausted pigeon at this point. Maybe drinking wasn't the way to go.
"Have a good time last night?"
"If you want to consider the world biggest hangover a good time, then yeah I did." Her hair was as wild as a tornado's path right about now, she could tell by the way some of the strands stood up. All she wanted to do right now was bury her shattered pride under the blanket with her and never come out, but couldn't as another horrifying thought crossed her mind. "Ah um…"
He glanced up from his position on the floor by the side of his bed to see her stumble over her words as a perplexed frown appeared on her face.
"We didn't, did we?"
"What?" He rolled his shoulder and neck as he jumped to his feet, which was right around the same time he couldn't help but see the attractive flush on her cheeks as she timidly tried not to look at him.
She could tell he was trying not to laugh at her obvious confusion if the slow, sexy smile that spread across his beautiful face was any indication, rendering her momentarily speechless as her insides began to burn at the sight of a shirtless Remy.
He was without a doubt the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. She could only hope and pray that she didn't embarrass herself last night.
"Please don't tell me Ah lost brain cells last night and we…." She pressed the blanket to her chest, gripping it so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Oh gawd…we did, didn't we?"
"What? You don't remember?" He raised a curious brow trying his hardest not to smile. "It was amazin' Chere. De moon shone magnifique, de earth moved, angels sang…"
She began feeling herself hyperventilating, completely forgetting to see that she was still dressed in the same clothes from last night. She was really the worse girlfriend ever! What would Bobby say? Logan? Kitty? Jubilee? -Frowning she knew what the girls would say which didn't make this situation any better.
Nervously swallowing she forced herself to try and remember how to speak, the shock of her possible first time being one she couldn't even remember. "Why would you?"
"Why would I what?" He folds his arms across his broad chest. "Sleep with you?"
"Well we did, right?"
"Sleep together?" He questioningly raised his brows. "Oui. Although not in de way you're probably imaginin'." He smirked as he kept his gaze on her. To be honest, a part of him did wonder what it would feel like waking up next to her, so it had taken more self-control than he had to peel himself away from her last night and sleep in his own bed. But he was still somewhat confused as to why she would even ask that. Didn't she realize everything she had to offer that could make any man more than happy? "I didn't take advantage of you Rogue if dat's what you're worried 'bout." He clarified right as he reflexively dodged the pillow she threw at him.
"You're an ass." She was too tired to do much else as he only continued to stare down at her still panting from his morning exercise.
"Trust me Chere if we did, you would most certainly remember it." He confidently winked at her while grabbing the towel by his bed, gesturing to a small tray on the nightstand. "But you should eat something, not to mention dis will help." He wiggled the small bottle of aspirin on the tray.
"You ordered room service?" she raised a skeptical brow as he began wiping his face and chest.
"Figured you'd be hungry." He casually shrugged watching as she began drinking her glass of water.
"Offers still open if you'd like me to prove it..." He grinned when he heard her gasp before frantically coughing, her cheeks flaming. "You alright Chere?"
"Yup. Never better." She rasped taking a rather long sip. "Could you please put a shirt on?"
"Oh je suis désolé, does my sweat offend you?" he sarcastically frowned as he draped the towel over his shoulder and began heading towards the bathroom.
To be honest it didn't offend her as much as it made her thirstier and wet her lips, her eyes cascading over his toned and tan muscular back right as he turned.
'Great…' Of course he'd catch her staring like some lust starved schoolgirl.
"Chere, you haven't even had breakfast yet." The moment she could see laughter dancing in those gorgeous eyes of his she had to quickly look away to hide the way her face turned an embarrassing deep shade of red. "Unless you want to skip it dat is?"
""What?!" Her pulse quickened, and she suddenly felt both hot and dizzy at the mere suggestion. What has she turned into? Some kind of hussy? "No of course not you disgusting perv! Ah was just wondering because Ah know you'd sleep with anythin' with a pulse."
"So, it's before breakfast an' I'm already bein' accused of bein' a male whore-rapist, who's no good in bed since you may not have any memory of it." He raised an intriguing brow. "Quite the insult if I dare say so myself."
"Not to mention a kidnaper." She mumbled.
"How could I forget." Chuckling, he disbelieving shook his head. "You know you, were a little nicer last night."
"Sorry. Ah don't mean to insult you. At least not right now." She apologetically shook her head since he was trying to be nice to her despite how she may have behaved last night, then wince because her brain was still pounding relentlessly. "Ah'm honestly just very confused." She sighs and closes her eyes for a second.
"It's alright Chere." He gave her a small smile but saw that she still seemed uncomfortable about the way she was feeling right now. "Have any good dreams last night?" he casually asked watching her carefully.
"No, not really." She quickly responded as she turned away to look out the window. "Can't even remember what happened last night."
"Dat so?" he slowly nodded dropping his gaze to the floor. He should've known this was all in his head after all. Nothing else to it but the truth.
"Why? Is there somethin' Ah should know?" she confusingly furrowed her brows.
"Nothin' at all Chere." He forced a strained smile as he turned to go and shower.
"Remy?" she quickly called out before he could close the door. Chewing on her bottom lip she remembered their previous conversation about giving him another day.
"I see you're t'inkin' 'bout my offer." He acknowledged.
"Ah've had time to think about it." She answered. "One more day and Ah'm leavin'. Whether you come with or not that's up to you."
Bowing his head he nodded in agreement. "Whatever de lady wishes."
-X-
After dragging her lazy feet to yet another hotel, she just about keeled over on the front desk as the guy there finished off with another customer three people in front of her.
"Well dis is a nice place non?" Remy leaned down to whisper which only made her shudder and shot him an unamused glare still feeling the aftereffects of her hangover.
"Ah'm tryin' not to kill you right now Swamp Rat."
"Much oblige Rogue. It'll save me de time to enjoy one last night on dis earth within de company of de most belle femme I've ever laid eyes on."
"Don't you ever get tired of hearing yourself?"
"Not when it comes to you." He seductively smiled turning to see a vending machine nearby and walked over to it.
When it was finally her turn Rogue was just about to greet the front desk clerk when the boy's face suddenly lid up as soon as he saw her.
"Hi and welcome! How can I help you miss?"
"Rogue." She politely smiled, finding it amusing how his cheeks flared up. "Ah'd like to rent a room if you have one?"
"For one? Sure, let me check!"
"A room Chere?" Remy's teasing tone immediately had her stiffen when she realized he was right next to her. She was just about to tell him off when the front desk clerk's face changed from delight to horrified.
"Hmm?" Raising a curious brow, Remy carefully eyed the guy until recognition set in. "Billy mon ami! How you been?"
"You're with him?!" The guy whose name seemed to be Billy had his jaw hit the floor as he pointed an accusatory finger at an eagerly smiling Remy.
"You two know each other?" Rogue bewilderedly asked. Was there seriously anyone here he didn't know?
"Oh, Billy an' I go way back." Remy waved off even as the boy quickly fumbled with his phone. "Small world huh?"
"I got in trouble because of you!" Billy shouted, successfully grabbing the attention of some of the people nearby. "My dad wouldn't believe me when I told him about the room you blew up -which is why I'm here!"
"Well at least you got to travel…" Remy lamely offered, remembering how destroyed it was after he was attacked by that purple haired woman before being found by the x-men on their doorsteps. "Besides' I paid for de damages, no?"
Reluctantly Billy couldn't disagree since he remembered seeing a good amount of cash on the counter after they found out the room was no longer intact. "You can't stay here. My dad will kill me!"
"Billy, I thought we were amis." Remy frowned seeming hurt, but Rogue could tell it wasn't sincere.
"Clearly not." Rogue scoffed as she crossed her arms in front of her. "If you're not busy flirting with any livin' thing around your only rubbing people the wrong way Cajun."
"C'est ridicule. Name one time." Remy requested and Rogue was certainly more than happy to do so but stopped when Billy cut in.
"She can stay, you can't." Billy stubbornly shook his head. There was no way he was about to get another hotel ruined. Not on his watch.
"Is dat so?"
"Yes."
"Read any good magazine's lately?" Remy dangerously narrowed his eyes before turning to Rogue who this boy was clearly trying to impress. "Billy loves to read, doesn't he?"
She wasn't sure what was going on between those two as her eyes bounced from that poor boy who was now staring at Remy either like he was about to cave after Remy's odd remark or call the cops as he gripped the phone tighter.
Reluctantly lowering the receiver, Billy took one careful look around before he quietly leaned forward in a hushed tone. "If my dad hears about this…"
"Won't hear it from us. Ain't dat right Chere?" Remy shot her a small wink which only made her roll her eyes as he handed Billy the money. "I'll even personally make sure nothin' happen to de room on my watch. Although can't make any promises if my femme here be too loud-Shit!" wincing he had to painfully bite down on his lip after her boot pressed down hard on his foot again. "Mon dieu…why de same foot Chere?" he grunted, peeking his eye open only to see Billy appreciatively looking at Rogue.
"You just couldn't help yourself, could ya?" she disbelievingly shook her head as she snatched the keys from Billy and began walking in search of the room. "Be glad that's all Ah did Swamp rat."
"It's the only available one we have but if you need anythin' I'll be here. Feel free to call me anytime!" Billy shouted after her before turning to Remy. "Girlfriend?" Billy asked as he and Remy followed her walking towards the elevator with their eyes.
"Workin' on it mon ami." Remy briskly raised his hand in a swift salute before painfully jogging after her in time to avoid the door closing in on him. "What did you do to dat poor guy?" he asked when it was just the two of them watching the numbers begin to light up to their floor and he moved his throbbing foot.
"Me?"
"Well he sure as hell ain't puttin' on a show just fo' me." He scoffed as they exited the elevator. He eyed the fancy hall and remembering that he didn't recall getting this kind of friendly service when he was in the other motel Billy's dad had back in New York.
But as soon as he realized she had stopped walking next to him he curiously turned to see her blankly staring at their door.
Her eyes practically fell out of her head as she stared back at the number to their room surrounded by an obnoxiously large pink heart.
"What?" He raised a knowing smile as he snatched the key out of her stiff hands to let them in.
"The…the honeymoon suite?" she carefully enunciated, horrified to see him so casually waltzing around the room and giving it an impressive once over.
"Quite nice an' classy if you ask me." He spoke over his shoulder as he dropped his duffle bag on a nearby chair to look out the window while she apprehensively closed the door, but not before dropping her bag next to her and folding her arms over her chest.
"You're kiddin' right?"
He began making himself comfortable on the black silk king sized bed after kicking off his boots and blissfully leaning against the pillows.
"You're enjoying this too much." She defeatedly sighs as she walks over to the large window.
"Mm-hmm, an' I know a good way to spend our time."
"No." she quickly cut in, instantly shutting down anything that might be brewing in that disturbing mind of his.
"You did look quite comfy sleepin' next to me last night." He seductively murmured, watching behind playful eyes as she stared at the bed trying to come up with something else to say, but the cute blush on her cheeks betrayed her. "Look Chere, de bed's big enough." He grinned while he sat up. "You stay on your side while I'll stay on mine."
She huffed at that. "You can't be serious? If you think Ah'm goin' to share the bed with you so you can get naked and try to charm and seduce me with that…that thing in your pants-"
"Dat thing?" he briefly looked down before he eyed her like she was crazy, but nonetheless couldn't help his lip from raising into a humorous smile. He almost wanted to laugh because he didn't like this new arrangement any more than she did, but it was pretty comical just how much this really was ruffling her feathers. "Listen Rogue I don't like dis any more than you do."
'Ouch.' She inwardly winced but did a pretty decent job at hiding it.
"But it ain't like we have much of a choice right now, an' it was de only one dey had. Bedside's I was just gonna grab a blanket an' sleep on de floor comprends?"
Parting her mouth, she was about to decline the suggestion but knew that that was the best idea he'd had since this whole trip had started.
"Here." She guiltily handed him a pillow when he gestured for one. "You sure you'll be alright?"
"Ain't de first time I've slept on a floor Chere." His eyes gleamed with amusement. Seeing her apprehension he slowly smiled. "I'm flattered dat you'd like to take advantage of me, but rest assured I ain't dat easy." When he saw that familiar slow growing smile on her it made him glad that he managed to make her feel at ease about the whole thing.
He wasn't worried about taking the floor since he didn't necessarily feel the need to make her feel worse about this situation any more than she was. And besides, he knew that that was the last thing on her mind when she could be with Bobby.
"We…" she nervously let her eyes bounce between the comfy bed and the hard floor. "Ah'm sure we're mature enough to share a bed without anythin' happenin'" God lord did she really just say that? "Bedsides like you said the bed's big enough for both of us to stretch out in without touchin' each other." Why oh why couldn't she stop her mouth from running wild when her nerves picked up?! It wasn't that she was planning for anything to happen with him but the thought of sharing it with Remy suddenly made her hands clammy.
Shooting his brows up in surprise, he let his eyes land on the inviting bed that beckoned him to come and lay down on it. Quite possibly with her wrapped around him with her hair sprawled all around the pillow -oh hell who was he kidding? There was no way in hell he would be able to get any sleep with her sleeping on the same bed as him. Just the image of what she had done to him last night just by innocently laying next to him without her knowledge had him vigorously shaking his head, unable to be persuaded otherwise. "Dats' very generous of you Chere...but I t'ink it be best if I take de floor."
"Oh." Something about the way he said it made her inwardly frown. She tried not to let the sting of rejection reflect in her voice, but regardless of her pure intention of only wanting to share it for sleep…he seemed to understand how she may have taken it. "That's fine."
"Rogue it's not that…" Trying to find the right words seemed to be harder than he thought. "Somehow…I t'ink your boyfriend might not look too kindly of de fact of dis one sharin a bed with you."
"Its ok Ah was just offering." She quickly answered as she walked around the bed to try and get to her duffle bag she still had by the door to hide her humiliation. 'Great, now he must think I'm just some hussy or something…'
He seemed to notice and tighten his grip on the pillow in his hands as he looked down at it. Contemplating his next move without wanting to sound like a complete asshole or some damn lost hormonal adolescent that can't keep it in his damn pants.
How did she not realize how hard this was for him just to be around her when he couldn't do anything but watch from a safe distance like she seemed to be doing now. "Rogue I-"
Startled, she looked down at her pocket just as a call came in, quickly digging into her jean pocket to answer. "Bobby." She eagerly smiled before looking back at him, which made Remy press his lips together in a tight lip smile before she returned her attention back to her phone.
'Of course.' He could feel his powers flowing into the pillow still clutched in his hands turning a dangerous purple red before stopping himself. Clicking his tongue he grabbed his own bag, not bothering to hide his annoyance as he stomped towards the bathroom.
"Bobby hey." Her smile momentarily faltered as she glanced over her shoulder when she heard the bathroom door slam shut a little too loudly. "I tried calling you earlier."
"Yeah, sorry about that, but we were stuck at a meeting." Bobby explained wiping his forehead with a towel after training. "But I tried calling you last night Rogue. Where were you?"
"Oh that." She calmly breathed in before honestly answering. "I went out to this night club with Remy-"
"What?" he frowned.
"Before you say anything it was because he had to meet this woman…" she began to explain most of what happened last night, leaving out the part where she may have drank a little too much since he would no doubt lecture her about it. But unlike many of the other conversations recently he seemed rather quiet today.
"But you're ok now?" he worriedly asked. "Because you said you'd be back by now-"
"And Ah will Ah promise." She quickly said. "Ah just need to-"
"Time. Yeah I get it." Shaking his head he watched as Logan marched towards the elevator with Storm. "I guess call me when you have the time then."
"What? Bobby-" Glancing down at her phone she was startled to see he had hung up when she thought they were making progress today. But now she wasn't so sure anymore.
-X-
The ride there was uneventful as she remained absently staring out the window as the minutes ticked by. So Remy didn't know whether she was still upset about what happened earlier or because of the phone call she'd received.
Regardless he decided not to ask since he had his own issues to work through right now considering they were now driving up the bumping driveway to his home and the gravel against the tires as they stopped seemed to successfully pull her back from whatever was going on in her head.
"Where are we?" she warily asked when he silently stepped out of the car to observe the exterior.
Trailing his eyes from the overgrown lawn, the unkept dry fountain and barely stable trees. He didn't answer even when she stepped next to him.
"Whoa…" she breathed out, looking out at the large, abandoned home. She could tell that it used to be beautiful and made to look like it was built for the wealthy. Stones were covered with grass now and shingles of grey color now brown and barely holding on.
The front porch wrapped around to the other side with dark wood beams holding up the roof.
"This…this was my home." Remy distractedly answered even as the crushing of gravel beneath his boots continued to evade his ears and ran up the dirt-stained steps until he stopped inside.
Walking into the foyer it opened up to a grand staircase much like the schools, but this one had parts of the wood missing and she didn't want to think what would happen if she even put a little weight on it.
She could imagine what it must've been like back during its glory days when Remy actually lived here, but stopped when she saw the broken shards of glass from a chandelier nearby revert her eyes back to Remy who still had his back towards her. While this old house continues to creak and groan like an ancient ghost long left behind. "Homey."
"It wasn't like dis when I left Chere." He spoke over his shoulder, but despite the frown on his face his tone held a hint of amusement.
Walking deeper into his house his shocked eyes continued to take in every little detail trying to understand what the hell happened. "None of dis did…"
Following him down a hall she could see the traces of old picture frames that most likely lined up each part of the walls on either side as they passed.
"What do you think happened here?" She softly asked just as he suddenly took off at a sprint, swinging the back doors open and disappearing outside. "So we're runnin' Ah guess…"
She wasn't sure how long or where the heck they were off to as he expertly continued running past the many trees surrounding them, raising himself up and over, flinging himself over branches and water the same way she assumed he always did whenever he lived here- which would explain why she was still a good distance away while he continued running until they came upon a dark clearing.
Stopping a few feet from him she tried to catch her breath as she stared at Remy's rigid form when he stopped to frantically survey the many headstones around which made her realize… "A cemetery?"
"My family…de Thieves. When someone steps to de other side…dis is where dey rest." His voice came out eerily calm, but his heart continued to beat faster with fear as he hastily jogged over the graveside to try and look for anyone he knew, but also terrified of what he may find.
He didn't care how long it could take him as he desperately ran from one row to the next, each name beginning to blend and blur together until he stood shock still in front of a headstone that had a large crack in the center of it and another stone next to it.
Catching up to him she quietly allowed her eyes to read the elaborate name engraved onto it.
"Jean-Luc LeBeau…" Turning her head she read the name right next to it. "Henri LeBeau…" Covering her mouth with her hand she briefly closed her eyes, unable to do anything but suddenly feel so sorry for him. To have to come all this way only to find someone he knew buried deep. Find out that perhaps the loneliness he must have felt since coming here only hit him in the worse possible way now. "Oh gawd…" she whispered. "Remy…"
"All my life I always asked to be buried here." He quietly explained keeping his eyes on the names, not at all sounding like himself…sounded so unsure almost vulnerable like he was trying to keep it together this whole time, that the whole arrogant, confident, cocky and playful Gambit everyone here new was just a way to mask the way he was truly hurting.
But Rogue knew that no one could ever be that cold. That anyone with a heart would feel things, even Remy. Despite how much he wanted people to believe nothing could ever bother him he was still very much human.
But to see him like this now only made her heartbreak for him.
"Who are they?" she softly asked. "Your dad…?"
Slowly nodding he clenched his hands when his eyes read the next name. "An' brother. I couldn't even find my own name Rogue…an' deirs shouldn't even be here."
Swallowing down the growing pile of guilt he seriously felt like he was going to be sick.
Since a young age he always hated seeing family and friends being buried if they were lucky enough to recover them, all the more reason as to why being a thief wasn't easy. Most thieves' children could lose their mothers or their fathers at an early age like Henri had. But unlike Henri, Remy never knew of his true parents, but nevertheless was lucky enough to have someone like Tante Mattie who was always there to fill that emptiness for them. And yet he couldn't even find anything about her here either.
"Ah'm so sorry Remy…" She wanted him to understand that it was ok to feel this way- to grief, but for now she would be there for him if he needed her to.
"I can't even find my own name here Chere." He repeated, his eyes were quickly filling up with stubborn tears he refused to shed, shaking with so much pent up emotions. "Why?"
Narrowing his eyes he furiously shook his head before running down the row, eyes flickering down the line of names until he stopped near a smaller headstone at the end.
Rogue watched him fall to his knees as he took in the final resting place of one Etienne Marceaux.
Panting, he looking so pained as he powerlessly read the name over and over again in his mind like some sick twisted joke he would never be able to escape.
'Because of your decisions, dat boy is barely hanging onto life…Dis is all your fault! My brother is lying here because of you!'
Snapping his eyes shut he allowed all the guilt, all the torment to consume him in hopes that by some miracle it would switch their places…make this all go away like some horrible dream. But in truth he knew there was no fixing this. That this was all his doing and that there was nothing that would ever change it.
"Dis was all my fault..." He tried to take a deep breath, but it only came out strained. "It was my fault…Etienne. Dat fool always looked up to me since we were kids…always wanted to be like me." He bitterly chuckled. "Not quite sure why to be honest when all I did was get dem into trouble…"
"What happened…?"
"He looked up to me Rogue an' I got him killed." He hung his head, no longer willing to face the shame and disgust he himself felt every day. No doubt Rogue would too.
"Remy?" When she saw his breathing coming in erratically and strained, she gently reached out her gloved hand to comfortingly placed it on his shoulder. "Take a deep breath with me, ok?"
Snapping his eyes open he felt his lungs burning, barely able to keep his eyes from staying open as the familiar sensation threatened to take hold of him again. Counting…he knew he should, it always helped the many times he's been through this since escaping that place, but right now he just couldn't care.
She wasn't entirely sure what was going on or who these people were, but she knew enough to know a panic attack when she saw it and he was teetering on the edge of it. Maybe this was the reasoning behind his constant tossing and turning every night whenever he wasn't aware she'd been watching. "Ah'm here ok."
When he shakily held onto her hand still resting on his shoulder as if she were his only lifeline, she securely squeezed it to let him know she was still here for him. Watching him slowly breath in and out as the seconds became minutes.
What startled her next was when he silently got to his feet and briskly walked away, leaving her wondering if maybe she did something wrong. "Remy? Remy wait!"
-X-
It was by pure luck and determination that she somehow managed to find her way back to the house or rather what was left of it when she came upon a small path that led her to an old dock overlooking the water. As she slowly made her way over, she could see him sitting by the edge with one knee raised and eyes looking over at the cloudy muddy water.
Fidgeting with her hands she apprehensively approached the dock; the wooden bridge was old and creaking beneath her shoes, fearful that she may plunge into the water.
She sat herself down next to him, placing her palms behind her back on the wood as she stared up at the powdery blue sky and gazed at the puffy clouds. She wasn't going to pry on things she had no business prying in, and instead just allowed the comfortable silence to help ease the stress for the both of them.
It was nice sitting out here compared to the ongoing noise of the city. You could throw a rock and that would be the only sound for miles. Made it easier to think, to be alone, which she supposed was why he picked this spot. She could only guess that once nightfall came that the soothing sounds of the crickets were amongst the little things that would always make this place feel like home.
After sitting for a while she silently watched him lost in thought, breathing in that dense humid air until his shoulders loosened and he seemed more relaxed.
"Dere's a boat ramp down de river dere." He pointed to her left. "Mon frère an I used to run along dese docks every day until we managed to borrow our very own boat."
Even though she knew he wasn't done healing, she knew this moment just seemed right. Sitting here in the comfortable company with him made her realize that even Remy had a past that he was having a hard time parting with, that there were so many things she still needed to know about him…wanted to know.
"It's nice here." She remarked, letting her eyes reach out to the water. "Ya'll do any fishin' while you were here?"
"You lookin' at de best fisher man in all of New Orleans Chere" he grinned proudly but still not quite reaching his eyes. "Mais, we did a different type of fishin at times…one dat your lady ears shouldn't hear 'bout."
"Why am Ah not surprised." She amusingly hummed as she allowed herself this rare moment to relax and glance up at the sky. "So…why the name 'Gambit'?"
"Been t'inkin' 'bout dat one fo' some time I wager?" he quietly chuckled glancing down at the water and indeed letting the memory of those times wash over him. "…was in some hot water at one point in my life, got caught. But 'fore dis one managed to escape…played a couple of card games with some guards. Fools dey were." He enjoyably scoffed. "Anytime dey played me dey lost…so I s'pose de name Gambit just stuck after dat." He indifferently shrugged, remembering how so much simpler times were before his capture. How everything made more sense… "You know…one day I'm here complainin' 'bout de life I had…de life dat was chosen fo' me…an' now I'd give anythin' to go back."
Leaning back, she turned her head to see him thoughtfully staring down at the water.
"I thought back den dat things would never change…an' at times hated my life fo' it, hated mon père. But now I realize dat not havin' de chance to do dat again hurts a little extra…dat bein' here just reminds me of de things I've lost."
"And gained." She saw him swiftly glanced up to see the concern in her green eyes. "My daddy always said don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces. So there's no way Ah nor anyone can know what it feels like."
"Wise man your Père." He impressively inclined his head.
"Yeah…till he found out Ah was a mutant." She lamentably smiled remembering the horrified look on his face when he found Cody barely breathing on her bed. "Funny how that happens…" she took a deep calm breath since this wasn't about her but about him, and she wanted to make sure he would be alright-although she doubted that this would ever truly go away. "The point is sugah…we've all got different baggage's, some more than others. But that doesn't mean we don't have some idea about what you might be goin' through even if it's not much." She playfully nudged his shoulder with her own. "And another wise man once told me that talkin' about it sometimes helps too."
"Wise man huh?" he half smiled when she threw his words right back. Never been called that before.
"Well only sometimes." She corrected. "Half if not most the time he's like a walking migraine."
"So much fo' dat compliment." He slightly smirked and could see in her eyes that she was enjoying herself and to be honest he didn't do the whole opening up thing but found it strangely comforting to talk to her. Having someone who possibly been down a familiar road as he made it easier to talk. Although he doubted anyone with his past would ever truly find redemption. "I've spent most of my life runnin' from de law. Now I'm out here tryin' to what…save it? Out playin' hero like de rest of you? I ain't no X-men Chere. De X-men are heroes. I'm a thief. Nothin' more nothin' less, an' when all else fails dats what I am."
"Ah don't believe that and neither do you." She frowned. "Anyone's capable."
"You believe dat Chere? Dat sometimes a person can…become somethin' better?" His brows scrunched together, not understanding why she couldn't see it and his voice came out harsher than he meant it to. "I'm just a guy who was thrown here. I've got nothin' good to my name Rogue."
"We aren't judged by our past actions you know, just what we chose to do in moments moving forward." She wasn't sure if it was just the closeness, but there always seemed to be something that made her want to draw closer to him as if by instinct, wanting to make him understand that he did belong here.
"So if I ever scare you…will you run?"
Slowly parting her lips, she was taken aback by that question. Searching his eyes with her own, she could see he seemed scared, sad and broken. How was she supposed to answer when only the mere thought of him made her feel and react in ways she never had expected and just as scared.
"After all dis time Chere de world don't change. Technology might but de basic human nature don't. Not fo' nobody, especially me."
"You may be right that the world doesn't change, but…" Frowning she turned her body full to face him. "It's all about how you see it. And that's why we're here. To change things, to make things better for everyone Remy, to save people."
"An' you t'ink everyone's worth savin'?"
Uncertainty passed over Rogues expression before she answered truthfully. "No, Ah don't. But that doesn't mean Ah won't try."
"Why?"
"Because just like right now…Ah think you could use a friend."
Friend.
The urge to scoff was so strong. Since friends wasn't something he could be with her. For many reasons.
A friend didn't think about her all the time. A friend didn't think about what her lips would feel like. A friend didn't think about shoving her against the wall and driving into them hard until they couldn't breathe, and a friend certainly didn't picture what the other would look like sprawled across the sheets while he devoured her until she screamed with pleasure.
And a friend didn't constantly think about different ways to make her smile, what it would feel like waking up with her in his arms…just to be close to them and forget about everything else.
He silently studied her, but didn't say a word. Unable to do much but hear his own heart thumping in his ears as he stared at her green emeralds that he constantly felt himself getting lost in before he had to force himself to look away.
He stayed quiet for another minute before hesitantly opening his mouth. "You know…as crazy as dis may sound Chere…I believe dat it was meant to be dat you came into my life, an' I into yours." He slowly tilted his head back as she surprisingly blinked back, extending his hand out as he got to his feet. "Maybe someday our dreams will merge together Rogue."
Reaching her own hand out she was just about to tell them that they should head back since it looked like it was about to rain, when the wood beneath their feet gave off a warning creak before it opened up beneath them. Pummeling them into the swampy waters below.
Gasping, she quickly got to her feet and stared with mortified eyes at an equally baffled Remy, but it was quickly replaced by his laughter as he ruffled his wet hair.
"Nothin' like takin' a nice dip in de water, wouldn't you say Chere?"