Title: Last Hope - A X-mas tale 1-14

Author: ASK (A Spawn's Kid) (here-we-go@rocketmail.com)

Website: Hell's Fanfiction Realm

Rating: PG-13

Pairing/main characters: Gambit/Rogue, Rogue/Joseph

Series/Sequel: unfinished

Summary: A very strange Christmas story and one of my personal experiments.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel, well not really. Only one belongs to Marvel but everyone else really don't do much. Don't sue me Marvel, I'm not making any money off this!

Warning: Deals with attempted suicide .

Notes: Bold italic represents supernatural speech. Italics = someone's thoughts. Bold = telepathic speech.

_________________________________________________________

 

Last Hope - A X-mas tale

By A Spawn's Kid

 

Chapter One

Christmas Eve. New Orleans.
"Stop assassin!"
"Wat was I thinkin'? Christmas shoppin' on Christmas Eve? My poppa told me not to wait for de last minute to do somethin'. Said I would get into trouble doin' dat. Now what am I in? Trouble." Belladonna thought as she caught sight of her adversaries closing in on her.
Belladonna's black motorcycle switched lanes and launched forward as the cars made their move.
They turned making the water on the road spatter against Belladonna's bike.
A cold chill went up her back as the water hit her; she knew they were close. The bike twisted and turned trying to lose them but yet they kept her in sight.
"Could be worse," she told herself reassuringly, "if de store wasn' goin' to deliver de gifts I'd have to run dis death trap while balancing packages."
Suddenly and without warning the motorcycle's tires began to slip upon the slick highway. "Come on, don' go out of control on me. Straight up and down, go back straight up and down!" Belladonna shouted as her shoulder scraped hard against the road. She panicked and threw herself to the other side, making the bike skid and whirl around until it shakily returned to the proper position. "My friends better like dis stuff , riskin' my life like dis!" she said nervously as she tried to set aside the pain in her shoulder. A car veered to the left trying to cut her off. "Wat happen to 'peace on Earth and good will toward men'?" Belladonna yelled.
"Dis be strictly business," replied the thief.
She looked around for an escape. A dim light held some hope.
Speeding forward she took care not to lose control. She knew that she wouldn't be able to regain control again, that was a two arm operation. She made a sharp right turn disappearing in the shadows of a small darkened road.
A canopy of branches crisscrossed above her head. Crickets chirped in the cool night air. "Dis might buy me some time. Don' think dey'll find me here just yet."
A cool wind blew, gently calming the assassin's racing heart. Relaxing, the speed gradually became slower, one hundred, ninety, eighty, seventy, until she finally stopped.
"A peaceful road goin' through a peaceful neighborhood. De picket fences are a nice touch. Dis whole neighborhood is like it painted in." Belladonna couldn't help but remark about the place as she cradled her arm. "Bet dey all just finished singin' carols and gettin' drunk on egg nog. Probably just went to sleep in their nice warm beds, Wat am I doin'? Well, dis Christmas Eve I am being hunted like a wild animal and shivering in the cold because I'm half drenched," Belle laughed.
"Dere you are! You can' get away dat easily!" The man stomped on the petal, propelling the car toward her.
"Here we go again! Guess dat peaceful mood is over," she said under her breath as she accelerated her motorcycle again, "Christmas Eve! Dese guys just won't let me slide by!"
Lights flickered on in the houses and creaky doors opened....
Swerving to throw the car off course she caught sight of the second one. "Wat am I in? A bad movie? 'Attack of the Infinite Cars'! Dat it!" she said, thinking out loud, trying to desperately keep herself calm and her head clear.
.... people stood on their front lawns with mouths wide open.
The bike launched once again into the lead, keeping both cars at a safe distance. She began to wonder if escaping these two thieves was her Christmas present.
The sound of a ticking motor became louder and louder behind her. Belladonna wheeled inquisitively around and saw the source of the ticking sound, an ebony car heading straight toward her.
She made a careless swerve to dodge the car. The tire's traction on the road faltered.
" Got to get back control! Just got to...damn I can't get de control back!"
The black car slammed into her bike, catapulting her under a street light.
"I'm one stupid person!" she told herself again and again as she tried to get up, "I forgot all about de 'dird car! How did I manage to forget dat one?"
Belladonna thought quickly, there was no way she could continue to race them on her bike. She didn't even know if her bike would start nonetheless out run the thieves.
Her next idea was to fight it out with them. Three against one, she'd fought with those odds before. She'd fought with those odds before just not with her arm feeling like it was going to fall off.
Her only chance was for a foot chase, she hoped they would be confused enough to give her a descent head start. That would be the only way. Getting up she realized one important fact.
Her heart skipped one beat, then two. "Dis ain't good," she told herself as her lungs stopped for one second, then another.
For the first time in her young life she experienced true fear. Not the fear that she was going to get a good talking to from her father or brother but the fear that they probably don't allow assassins into Heaven.
"Why is de sky becomin' lighter?" she asked herself as she realized another horrible fact, "My life is flashin' before my eyes! I know dis ain't good!"
It was a rather short flash since she could only remember so much but yet it did it's job in adding to the utter dreadfulness of the whole ordeal.
"Lord, I know I screwed up, if dere was anythin' I could do to make it for up...." her prayer was cut short as the thieves stood around her and complete fear gripped her.
One man stepped forward completely undistraught by the whole event and smirked, "Merry Christmas Belladonna and guess wat? You'll never see de New Year!"

 

Chapter Two

Christmas Day. Westchester County.
The stockings were thrown from the chimney without care and it was obvious that St. Nicholas had already been there. They flew. They leaped. They hovered. They came to get their gifts.
All around the tree were packages of all sizes, shapes, and colors. Big ones, small ones, circular, and square ones. All with little white tags.
The mighty X-Men sat around the tree as if they were small children, hopping up and down in anticipation. The thought of gifts filled their hearts with joy.
They waited for the word; the word that would let them tear the decorated paper off the packages and reveal what secrets were held inside. Their bright eyes watched as Charles Xavier floated down to them. As his mouth opened, so were the gifts.
Ripping....
"By the goddess, look at the size of this box!"
... tearing....
"Chere, dat not yours! Look at de name! R-E-M-Y!"
... cutting....
"Sugar, that is ma gift!"
...yelling....
"Stormy, don' step on me!"
... laughing....
"That is what you get for calling me 'Stormy'!"
... smiling....
"Remy, you look as scared as a long tailed cat in a room full on rocking chairs."
... until each had their own pile.
"You a barrel of laughs, Stormy," the reformed thief, Remy LeBeau, remarked, "first you try to kill me under de tree, den all you give me is a box full of coal!"
Storm replied in a snide tone, "You have been bad all year... but I suppose that even you, deserve something on Christmas. Maybe there is something for you under the coal, Remy."
The Cajun turned the box upside down and tumbled out along with a pile of coal were three video tapes.
" 'De best of Ed Wood'? You shouldn' have, Stormy."
"I know you had your eye on it and I was so proud of you when you did not steal it.... so I got it for you." After a moment of thought, "And stop calling me 'Stormy'!"
Remy smiled and nodded his head. Storm knew that he was only going to spend the rest of the day thinking up nick names far worse than "Stormy" but she smiled knowing he was happy.
"It's good that ya got what you wanted this year, Remy," Rogue added to the conversation. She lowered her attention to a red ribbon that she was now folding into various geometric figures.
"Eh, ma cherie, maybe I got a gift you'd really enjoy," Remy whispered into Rogue's ear as her drew her close.
As she felt Remy's warm breath come closer to her she pulled away. "Remy, you know Ah can't! Why do ya torture me like that?"
Before Remy could answer Rogue's question Professor Xavier unknowingly interrupted, "So I suppose that's the last of the gifts and in record time too."
"Not just yet Charles, I have yet one to give."
The voice that could send a chill down the spine of every man, woman, and child. Mutant and human alike. At one time he was the X-Men's oldest and most deadly foe. Now without any memory of being that man, he joined the ranks of the very team he tried at one time to destroy. In the past he was known as Magneto, but now they call him...Joseph.
He wheeled around and looked into the emerald green eyes of the woman only known as Rogue, cursed with the power to absorb the memories and abilities of anyone by the slightest touch.
"Rogue, I have a gift for you that is not under that tree. It is not wrapped or in a box. The gift I have is the one thing you have been longing for, for most of your life, but you must trust me."
Joseph pulled the fingers of his glove and set it aside. With his bare hand he came a millimeter away from her face then stopped. He could see she was fearful but once again in a whisper, "Trust me."
The others waited on baited breath, not blinking, not thinking, only looking, watching for the fateful moment.
Would it work?

 

Chapter Three

"Here goes everything," he thought as he slowly placed his hand upon Rogue's cheek.
Everything was silent.
Time stopped.

Smirking, Gambit watched the display. Part of him really wanted this to work. Most of him really wanted this to work.
In his mind he saw Rogue's face light up as she found that she could touch someone. He had imagined it a hundred times before. Of course in those dreams it was he who had discovered the way to so to speak turn her powers off.
He dreamt of taking her to a secluded restaurant and as they got up to go home he would pull her close and kiss her.
There was one question in Remy's mind.
Remy loved Rogue, that he wasn't questioning. He loved her more than anyone he had ever met and anyone he would ever meet.
He wanted her to be happy, with all his heart and soul but yet a tiny piece of him wondered if Joseph being a big idiot and this whole thing not working would be so bad.
The bad side would be that Rogue would have to go through some trama from absorbing Joseph's memories. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her but what would she really absorb? Three months worth of memories. That wouldn't kill her.
But the good side, oh the good side would be seeing Joseph's limp body fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Joseph would be in a coma for weeks, if not months. He may not even survive depending on how long he held on.
"Wat horror!" Remy joked in the back of his mind. Joseph deserved it. It wouldn't be that bad at all."
"Wat am I thinkin'," he thought as he shook his head in disgust. This was probably Rogue's only chance and here he was hoping it didn't work. What was wrong with him? Why was he being so selfish?
Who was he to deny maybe the only chance at happiness Rogue had? He wasn't living with this power, she was.
"I hope dis be successful " he finally told himself, "Roguie finally get wat she always wanted... So wat her and Joseph been gettin' close, nothin' for me to worry about. Yeah!... Sure!...hopefully."

"Merry Christmas, Rogue," Joseph quietly spoke as he laid his hand flat.
"Joseph..."
"I knew how much you wanted to be able to touch someone..."
"Thank you." She floated up level with Joseph and softly kissed him. "I love you."
Stroking her white stripe, "And I love you, Rogue."
A loud thunder erupted; Joseph and Rogue wheeled about to see what had been the cause. Rogue was quite sure it was Gambit throwing a fit because of what just transpired but to her surprise...
"It worked!"
"Who would have thought?"
"I did!"
"Did you hear what they said?"
"No what?"
"Weren't you listening?"
"Maybe we'll hear wedding bells!"
"Or at least see a working relationship!"
A dark figure emerged from the shadows and strode toward Rogue. Stillness over came the room. Two crimson orbs pierced through the darkness. She knew it could only mean trouble.
"If ya do anything Remy, Ah swear...."
The silence broke, the shadow spoke, "I'm happy for you ma cherie."
"Ah can't believe...."
"Chere, de gift opening wore me out. I'm not usually up dis early and I didn' get much sleep last night so I'm going to finish my sleep. Excuse me." He quickly turned and ascended to the top of the stairs where he disappeared into the early morning shadows.
Complete confusion hovered over her head. He didn't try to take a swing at Joseph or even rant about how she was wrong trusting Joseph and that he was going to betray them and break her heart if not worse.
Remy just left the room to go finish sleeping.
He just didn't cause any trouble but gave her his blessing.
"Ah gave him less credit than he deserves. The sugar sure took it better than I thought."
"Better than you thought? Better than anyone of us thought possible," Ororo worriedly gazed up the steps, "I am going to have a talk with Remy. Start the party without me."
"No problem."
The winds lifted Ororo up as she floated up to the top of the stairs. She hovered there for a moment looking down at the celebration below her.
Rogue hugged Joseph in a strong embrace; Joseph laugh echoed happily to everyone's ears. They looked so happy and peaceful this Christmas morning yet still a strange feeling came over her.
She didn't know what it was but she could not deny its existence. The winds stopped before Remy LeBeau's door.
"Remy, can I come in?"
"Stormy? Sure go ahead, free country."
In the midst of the striekes of light and the patches of darkness sat a man on the edge of his bed. It seemed that the light of the sun was holding his head so low.
Ororo walked quietly to her friend's side. Sitting down beside him she reassuringly took his hand.
"Remy, she is very happy at the moment."
"I know dat, Stormy. Could tell by the glimmer in her eyes and the racket dat dat party is makin'."
"It would make her happier if you were there to help make the racket."
"She don't want me dere, I'd ruin all her fun."
"Remy..."
"Listen Stormy, I think I'll just sleep dis one out. Wake up at eight and everything will be calmed down."
Storm looked at her friend. His red eyes were watery, she knew it would be better if he was left alone.
"You look like you do need your rest Remy, but before you do, do me one favor."
"Wat is it?"
"Stop calling me 'Stormy'!"
He laughed as he stretched out upon the mattress, thrown over him was a thick cover, bundled up at the shoulders and barely covering his feet.
"If you want to talk you know where to find me."
"Thanks Storm."
She quietly closed the door only pausing for an instant to make sure he was really sleeping. Remy rolled to his back, his eyes were closed, his breathing lighter than usually. He was sleeping soundly.
"Good night and may you have blissful dreams." she whispered.
Ororo stopped again at the top of the stairs to look down at the party. She heard hoots and hollers of all magnitudes, all of joy and happiness. Still though she felt a strange feeling and once again could not deny its existence.

 

Chapter Four

"Jack, queen, five! Dis is ridiculous!"
The shadows swirled around the man crouching over his losing game of solitaire. The purple curtains began to float as a cold chill settled into the room. Crowing was heard in the distance.
The cards seemed to sit up from the their cardboard beds and point. They didn't stop at pointing either, they threw back their heads and laughed at him. Remy shook his head in disbelief and confusion, the cards were not alive.
Does she really love him?
The cards couldn't lie, Remy was losing.
She can'.
Not just the game of solitaire, that wasn't important. He was losing everythin' he held dear.
But she said she loved me.
In one word, Rogue.
Suddenly...
"I can' stand no more! I need the four of spades and I need it now!"
He fumbled through the cards frustrated.
"It 's not here! It's no where in sight! I don' care I need dis card! No one gonna see me cheat."
He clambered about his game as the wind blew the purple fabric around him. Annoyed, he tried to pull the curtain off.
"Please don't pull on my cape."
This was no curtain. There was no curtain. There was only a purple cape. Remy wheeled around and was faced with a purple cape and the glimmer of a crimson helmet. Only one word surfaced in his brain.
Magneto.
But maybe there was hope...
"Joseph?"
"That is not my name, please don't call me that."
... or maybe not.
He looked down upon Gambit and shook his head in dismay. "What's wrong? Upset that Rogue loves me with her whole heart and not you?"
"Dat not true..."
"Oh poor Remy! What a SHAME!" Magneto shook his head sarcastically.
Without a moment's hesitation he launched his hand into Remy's chest. He took hold and pulled his hand back out, dropping Gambit to his knees.
In his hand was a heart, still beating.
"I guess you won't be needing this anymore." Erik villainously laughed as he tossed it over his shoulder and strode away from Gambit.
As his heart hit the ground a murder of crows descended upon it. They snipped, and chewed, and scratched. In a matter of moments Remy's heart had become the crows' lunch.
Closing the door, once again, Erik laughed.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Remy leaped up, sweat came down his face, and he grasped the blanket firmly. Breathing heavily he noticed it was now night.
The moon's light illuminated the bridge that overlooked the river. Getting up he quietly told himself, "It's de only way."

 

Chapter Five

It has been an eventful day and there could be no better Christmas for the mutant named Rogue. In a single day she has been granted the one wish she has hoped for since she was a child; to be able to touch someone.
The celebration had gone on for most of the day, loud shouts of joy could be heard as well as demands that Scott would stop singing and the order to take pictures of Rogue and Joseph together.
Rogue had never been happier, she constantly thanked Joseph for this gift. Every time she thanked him he replied, "It is the love I hold for you that brought this gift to be," and every time he said it she returned his words with a kiss.
They were like a young, teenage couple just about to go to the prom. To all who watched the display their love was obvious. It continued all throughout the party.
Ororo looked around frequently wondering if Remy had come down and finished his nap. She began to worry if he was okay but then decided that there could be nothing possibly wrong, all he was doing was sleeping.
However, as the party grew in hours the thunder storm outside worsened.
Dinner time soon approached and the party came to a close. The X-Men sat around the long table and looked upon the stunning variety of foods.
"Okay everyone settle down," Professor Xavier shouted, "We have to say grace."
The group quieted down and bowed their heads.
"Thank you for counting us worthy to have this food and thank you for letting us all be alive to share it. May our cause be easier to defend and further in the future. Amen."
And everyone responded, "Amen."
With that they ate. Attacking the food, Wolverine noticed a strange thing. "Where's the Gumbo? It's not like him to miss a meal."
"Who knows?" Scott replied.
Storm looked over angrily at Scott, "Last time I saw him he was taking a nap in is room."
"Ah still can't believe he's taking everything so well." Rogue smirked as she passed the carrots to Joseph.
"It's not healthy for a man we all suspected to charge at Joseph to sleep all day." Jean put in.
"I know," Storm said, "I have been worried about him all day. He didn't seem very well when he was going to sleep."
Betsy mumbled, "Sleeping all day is not that bad of an idea."
A number of people shouted, "Hear, hear!" to the idea.
"How about we go and speak to our Cajun friend after we have finished our immense dinner." Henry added.
"Do we all have to go and cheer up Gambit?" Joseph asked.
Xavier answered, "I suppose not. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that," Joseph smiled, "after such a meal I would like a..I would like to take a nap."
The table erupted into laughter as his words came to an end.
"I'll talk to Remy after dinner," Ororo volunteered.
Everyone agreed and concentrated on the meal again. Soon the meal was over and as the table was being cleared Storm got up and headed toward Remy's room.

"So dis is wat my life's amount to," Remy quietly told himself as he looked into the water under the bridge, "standin' in de rain 'cause de woman dat I love don' love me."
The rain beat against the wooden boards of the bridge and against the back and shoulders of the man leaning over it.
"Christmas. Bah Humbug! Happiest day of the year...more like de most miserable. Even weather bad."
Looking down into the water he caught sight of his reflection and was disgusted again.
"I got to stop bein' selfish. It is de happiest day for Rogue, finally got wat she wanted."
What she wanted. Something inside of Gambit broke at that moment.
"She can touch people and she has dat...dat...dat thing called Magneto..."
I believe it was his heart.
"It goin' to be hard for her when I go back to de house, all de tension between me and Maggie all the de time now..."
He turned and looked at the lit house. Even from the bridge he could tell that Rogue was happy.
"I don' want anythin' to be hard for Roguie..."
Then he looked inside himself.
"Wat left for me? She don' care about me anymore, time to take myself out of dis picture."
He climbed on top of the bridge's railing and looked down at the water below.

Once again the winds stopped in front of Remy Lebeau's door and once again Ororo felt that something was wrong. She could feel a cold chill go straight down her back making the hair on her neck stand on alert.
She quietly knocked.
No answer.
She knocked again, "Remy are you awake?"
No answer.
Ororo smiled as she told herself, "I was wrong, he is fine. Still sleeping."
As she turned the chill grew colder until she felt as if she was frost bitten.
He is not sleepin'.
Storm turned around startled at the sound of the voice. She scanned the space in front of her for the form of a person. She found nothing.
He is not in his room.
Ororo couldn't find the voice's source nor the voice's body. She could only hear it's words.
"If he is not in his room..." Storm turned the doorknob.
The room was empty.
"Okay voice," she called out, "where is Remy?"
Remy is at de bridge in de distance. Hurry and get over dere. He is ready to throw himself off.

She flew through the pounding rain, straight to the bridge.
"Why would Remy try to commit suicide?" Storm asked herself. She could think of only one answer.
Rogue.
It was Rogue telling Joseph that she loved him that drove poor Remy to this and Storm knew it.
Storm also knew that if Remy was ready to throw himself off then she had better get to him quick. She knew that Rogue meant a lot to him and her loss would give him the strength to jump.
She could see his image in the distance.
The moment of truth had arrived.
To Storm's horror he had begun to jump.

 

Chapter Six

"Remy! Nooooooooo!"
The winds at Ororo command swooped under the falling man and placed him back securely on the bridge.
"What were you thinking, Remy?"
Remy lowed his head.
"Well Remy? What did you think you were doing?"
"Jumpin' off a bridge."
Storm threw her head up to the sky frustrated.
"Come on Remy, I am bringing you home."
She quietly turned and walked back to the house. Ororo couldn't believe what Gambit had tried to do. She was terrified at the thought that if she was only a second late her friend, her best friend would be gone.
"Remy, you had me very worried. Do you know that?"
No response.
She shrugged her shoulders, he must be ashamed of what he had done.
She turned to tell Remy that it was okay but... he wasn't there.
Storm frantically searched for him, then a few yards away she heard the sound that would reveal Gambit's location.
The water splashing!

"Now where do you think 'Ro went to?" Logan said as he carved his name into the table.
Jean looked up at him in horror, "Logan, that's a good table! Is that necessary?"
"Yeah it is. But you still haven't answered the question, Jeannie."
"Logan, she's probably talking to him. It's been a difficult day."
Sam quietly passing by the conversion, "Or the Cajun has a black hole in his room and people are getting sucked in as we speak."
The three of them laughed at the thought.

By the goddess, he jumped! He didn't follow me! He jumped!
Bulleting through the air, tears fell down her cheeks.
Why did I trust him to follow? Next time I am going to take him by the hand.
She quietly whispered, "If there is a next time."

The waves consumed Remy LeBeau.
Even if he wanted to swim to the surface he wouldn't be able to; coldness has numbed his limbs.
Quietly, he opened his mouth letting the waters overpower him.
In a matter of moments he found himself in a white haze. No longer was he able to tell up from down or left from right. He was in a complete state of vertigo.
Then everything went black.

Where is he? I need to find him!
In desperation, Ororo commanded the wind to part the river as Moses did the Red Sea.
There on the newly dried land laid Remy LeBeau.
Storm hovered down and knelt beside him.
He was lifeless, motionless, and Storm wouldn't except that from him.
"You will not die on me, Remy. I will not let you!"
She fiercely pushed down upon his chest as her tears streamed down her chin.
"Do you hear me, Remy? Come back!"
Quickly brushing his wet hair out of his face, she began mouth to mouth resuscitation.
"Breathe! Just breathe for me Remy, that's all I ask!"
Seconds crawled by like years in the moon's light. Storm continued even though all seemed hopeless. She worked harder when any normal and sane person would have given up. She wouldn't let her friend die.
"Please Remy, just breathe."
Ororo watched but nothing had changed, she had failed.
He was gone.
She cradled her friend's body into her arms and gently lifted up once again into the air.
Her tears rolled down her cheeks and fell upon Remy's face.
"...stormy..."
Storm landed immediately and placed Remy down gently.
"Remym was that really you?"
"...who else would it be stormy?"
She threw her arms around her wet friend and whispered, "Thank you."

 

Chapter Seven

"What is wrong with you? Well? Tell me?"
Stumbling, Remy tried to keep Storm from smacking him. It wasn't working.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"No Stormy, nothin' like dat! Come on please, stop hittin' me!"
Storm paused for a moment and shook her head. "I will stop when I am successful in pounding some reason into your thick skull!"
"I got reason in my thick skull!"
"Then why do you not use it, Remy? Did jumping to your death seem like a good idea?"
Storm's voice was sore from yelling and her hands hurt from hitting him so many times but it was the only way to ensure that he didn't do something like this again. He had to know he wasn't alone so she continued to hit and scream. She hit him because she cared.
But it just wasn't getting through.
"Yeah Stormy, it looked like a good idea den and it looks like a good idea now!"
The rain could be heard splashing on the rocks and on the ground. Remy's words had muted the world around them. The eerie silence surrounded them both.
Tears once again rolled down Storm's face.
"Why Remy? Why do you insist on this? I saved you for a reason."
"You're reason ain't my reason. I didn' want to be saved."
His words destroyed Ororo. His words made her think of life without her friend. His words made her realize that his love for Rogue was so strong that he would die for it. His words were not from his usual self but from an empty shell. His words made her more determined to help.
"If that is how you feel Remy," Storm sarcastically said, "then go ahead and jump."
"Okay." Remy turned around and headed toward the river.
She quickly grabbed his shoulder and looked at him frustrated. " I did not mean literally."
They continued to the house in silence. Storm walked behind him so he wouldn't disappear again. A few times Remy tried to turn around and talk to her but she silently pointed forward.
Soon the lights of the house were visible and Remy stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't want to face Rogue. She deserved better than him. He especially didn't want her to know that he tried to jump off a bridge. That would ruin her wonderful day.
"It is okay my friend, I will not tell anyone of what has happened." Storm tried to reassure him.
"Dat not all it..."
"Rogue?"
"Yup."
"I understand Remy..."
"No you don't Stormy, no one does."
"What do you mean?"
"For years I've been tryin' to get her to give me a chance. Finally when we start to get serious...Joseph gets in de way. And now dat she can touch him..."
"You feel that you will be forgotten?"
Remy nodded. "Pretty selfish, eh?
"No, that is not selfish. It is not selfish for a person to worry about how a loved one will think about him. It is not selfish to be hurt when you are scared that you will be ignored."
"I guess so..."
"You will not be forgotten, Remy. Rogue still cares greatly for you. Her and Joseph are...just friends."
"All right Stormy I believe ya, but one last thing. How did you know I was on de bridge?"
"You will not believe this but a voice told me."
"A voice?" Remy laughed bringing a smile upon Storm's face , "Wat de house be haunted?"
"It could be. There have been stranger things in this house, you know that."
"Far stranger things. A ghost would be a nice change of paste." Gambit laughed again and opened the door.

"Gumbo's been talking to 'Ro pretty long."
"Yeah Wolverine, you're right he has been gone long. It doesn't feel right without him."
Jean watched Wolverine and Iceman playing Street Fighter Two. She almost laughed as she noticed how bad Bobby was losing. Wolverine pressed the Y button finally defeating him.
"Now if you two are done," Jean finally said, "do you know where Rogue went off to?"
"Last time I saw her Jeannie, she was with Joseph by the stairs."
"Thank you Logan." she directed her attention toward Iceman, "What is it Bobby? You seem upset."
"I just don't think we can trust Joseph. Come on, maybe he's just pulling our leg with this amnesia thing."
"You're paranoid Bobby. You're just plain paranoid."
The door slammed open and a drenched Gambit and a semi drenched Storm walked into the room.
"What happened to you two?"
"Remy here...," Storm rolled her eyes, "decided to take a walk."
Wolverine looked up, "Should we start building an ark?"
"No, I do not believe that is needed." She turned and looked at Bobby, "And no I will not stop the rain. Stopping the rain would cause typhoons in Japan."
As Bobby slumped back onto the couch for another round of Wolverine beating him Gambit scurried up the stairs.
Hiding in the shadows he quickly and quietly approached Rogue's door. He stood silently in front of the door and prepared to speak with the one woman that held his heart. He took a deep breath and opened the door.
He looked in but before he could utter a word he caught sight of Joseph and Rogue sleeping in the bed. Even though blankets covered the couple he could tell that Joseph's arms were wrapped around her. He knew that Rogue was cradled in his arms.
With all the skills he had developed in the New Orleans as a thief he closed the door not waking either of them.
Like the thief in the night he was, he bolted down the hall. As he reached his room he whispered to himself, "I goin' to kill him."

 

Chapter Eight

The very shadows reached out to Remy as he sat at the edge of his bed. The very shadows cloaked him in the darkness as he contemplated what to do. His red eyes pierced the vacant space in a dead glare as if...as if Joseph stood before him.
"I have to kill him but how? How do I kill a man dat can control metal? How do I even get close enough?"
He shook his head as he thought, I'm a 'dief, all I got to do is sneak up behind him and wham... dead! Dat it.
"Wat de hell is wrong wid me?" Frustrated he flung himself onto his back, head in hands. "I can' just go up and kill somebody! Took me long enough to get dis much of de X-Men's trust, can' just throw it away! And for wat?"
Only one thing entered his mind, Rogue.
"I can' just let him be wid her! It...it just plain wrong."
It felt as if his head was spinning. The urge to kill Joseph was so tempting but he knew that he couldn't just go out and kill him. Killing was wrong...especially when there might be a massive amount of evidence. Even making the murder look like an accident would be too risky...Remy would be the first suspect.
Lying there, he remembered what Storm had told him before coming in from the rain, "You will not be forgotten, Remy. Rogue still cares greatly for you. Her and Joseph are...just friends."
He laughed slightly. "Poor Stormy, she deluded. If dey just friends, I'm de queen of England!"
He knew it was ridiculous when he had first heard it but thought wisely about starting an argument with the wind rider at the moment. She was under enough stress because of him already, all she needed was an argument, Remy thought as his stomach began to rumble.
"Didn' eat anydin' all day, maybe a sandwich clear my head. Just hope everyone ain't down dere now."

With a yarn and a stretch Rogue awoke from her slumber and looked down at Joseph still peacefully sleeping beside her. As she looked she smiled, because for the first time ever she was content.
Touch she thought as she nudged Joseph awake, Ah can touch him.
Joseph's eyes flickered opened and smiled upon seeing Rogue. Looking upon her, he knew she was about to say something and he knew exactly what she was going to say. He was happy that she was so thrilled with her gift but he thought, Thanking me every few minutes is getting quite repetitive.

Ripping open the bread bag Remy laid seven slices of bread out on the table. Then he reached into the refrigerator and grabbed the cold cuts, the mustard, and the whipped cream.
"Damn, out of cheese."
He wheeled around and looked into the cabinet and took out the marshmallows, the peanut butter, and the cheeze whiz.
"Goin' to have to do."
In a matter of moments Remy had completed the "Leaning Tower of Food." Every layer had meat smashed together with marshmallows and cheeze whiz and whipped cream, not forgetting the mustard and peanut butter making sure everything was held tightly together.
As he picked it up, about to take a bite he said, "Like my brother always use to say, 'If ya can' beat dem, try to get yourself sick and sent to de hospital so you don' need to see dem for awhile.'"

"Ah need to tell ya something Joseph...tha...."
Before Rogue could finish her sentence he had kissed her, cutting her off. Finishing the kiss, he looked deep into her emerald green eyes and said, "I know."

As Gambit's teeth treaded on the bread Ororo entered the room. She walked to the table on which Gambit was sitting on and noticed a multitude of products laying next to him. On closer examination she learned that they were products not meant to be put together in a sandwich.
"You are not going to begin to eat that."
"You're right Stormy I'm not, I'm already eating it," he said, taking another big bite.
Storm cocked her head to one side and asked inquisitively, "Are you insane, Remy?"
"Well," he thought taking another bite, "Yeah. I thought you knew I was insane since it was you who drove me dere."
She laughed, "I did not drive you insane. I do not care for driving, I like flying better."
"Den you flew me insane."

"You knew what?" A confused Rogue asked Joseph.
"I knew that if I had allowed you to finish that sentence you would have said 'thank you'."
Rogue lowered her head, "Ya was right, Ah was."
Taking her into his arms he whispered, "There is no need to thank me. There is especially no need to thank me so much. Seeing you smile is thanks enough."

"Well as long as I flew you there."
"So what are we talking about?" The little Canadian asked as he headed to the liquor cabinet for a drink.
"Stormy flyin' me insane."
"If I have not asked you once Remy, I have asked you a million times," taking a deep breathe, "Stop calling me 'Stormy.'"
"Well 'Ro it could be worse..."
Turning to look at the man pouring himself a drink, "And how could that be?"
"The Cajun could be calling you 'Oreo.' "
Taking another bite out of his sandwich, Remy let out a little laugh. Storm turned to him and gave him an evil glare but he went on ignoring her and laughing.
"If you call me 'Oreo' I will hit you, Remy."
"But ya already hit me today. My arms are all sore from ya hittin' me."
"I meant with lightning. Do you understand?"
"Loud and clear... ," quietly under his breath, "Oreo!"
Lightening fell from the sky...

"Ah know but Ah just keep thinking like Ah haven't thanked you enough."
"Trust me, you have," Joseph smiled as he stroked Rogue's hair, "but it's okay. If thanking me will satisfy you then go ahead and continue."
"Ah just can't believe Ah can touch ya..."
Suddenly a bolt of lightening stuck somewhere near by.
"Sugah did ya hear that?"
"Sounds like lightning."
"Did it stop raining?"
Looking over at the window, "I can't tell, the window is wet. Rogue, let's just ignore it. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been important enough to make us worry over it."

...and hit a tree, toppling it over.
"Say that again Remy, and I swear, that tree will be you."
"O...kay St...orm... don' got to be... so crazed about it."
Both turned to see Wolverine digging through the drawers of the refrigerator.
"Logan, are you looking for something?"
"Yeah 'Ro, the whipped cream, trying to make a float."
"Mon ami! Catch!" The can of whipped cream flew out of Remy's hand.
"Thanks gumbo."
"See Stormy, I take nicknames okay," Remy said as he took another bite out of his sandwich.
He knew that if he were a telapath he would be able to hear Storm think, That is by far the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Knowing this, he offered her a piece of the sandwich. She politely declined and shook her head and then looked up at the sky, as if asking, "Why am I friends with this man?"
In the back of Remy's mind he was laughing. The look on her face was priceless as he licked his fingers for the little mustard, whipped cream, and cheeze whiz that got away.
Storm smiled though. Through every attempt her friend had made at disgusting her, she smiled and as she smiled she thought, At least he's acting like himself and not brooding over what has happened today.

"Yeah Ah guess ya're right. If it was something that we needed to worry about the whole team would be down there by now."
"What do you want to do?"
"Let's just lie here for a sec."

Bobby and Beast walked through the hallways of Xavier Institute having a rather strange conversation. A conversation no one could have expected to be discussed.
Well, maybe from Beast, but not from Iceman.
"Bobby, 'Don Quixote' was written as an inspiration for others to always strive for the impossible no matter what the people might say!"
"Henry, baby, it was written to mock the idea of the knights."
"You and your mockery concept! You have been using that idea all night," Beast declared, "According to you 'The Count of Monte Cristo' was written to mock the wealthy in France!"
"Don't you use that tone of voice with me, Beast!" Bobby smirked as he did his best impersonation of Scott.
Henry laughed a little as he replied, "Don't you use that tone of voice with me 'Scott' or I'll report you to Jean!"
Placing his hand over his eyes, "Oh, woe is me!" They both shared a good laugh and Bobby pointed to the kitchen and said, "C'mon let's head to the kitchen. We can discuss your views on 'Robin Hood' and 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' over a piece of cake and some milk."
"Agreed, but there is nothing wrong with my views on either of those two books."

"You are going to be so sick after eating that, Remy." Storm told him as he was rounding up all the garbage from making the sandwich in question.
She noticed that all Remy was actually doing was putting everything in a pile at the edge of the table. He didn't even think about cleaning it up. Storm shook her head again after realizing what Gambit was probably thinking at the moment. It would have gone something like, Well whoever's goin' to clean up dis mess is goin' 'dank me for puttin' it all in a neat pile for dem. She laughed as he looked at her as if she was going to clean it up for him.
Both their heads picked up as Bobby's and Henry's voices were heard in the distance. As they entered the room both Storm and Remy became quite confused and shocked at the conversation that was coming forth from their mouths. Well not from Beast's but from Bobby's. It was Bobby, who would have thought?
"Give me a break, Beast! The two books are not about the injustice between the social classes and drug abuse. Those are locutus ideas. They're about love and the battle between good and evil!"
"Bobby... 'locutus' is a borg. I believe the word you are looking for is 'ludicrous'..."
"Cajun, here's the whipped cream back!" Wolverine said as he put his drinking glass in the sink and tossed the whipped cream back to Gambit at an incredible speed.
It was just a shame when Beast walked right into the metal can's path and wacked him upside the head knocking him down.
Gambit calmly turned to Storm and whispered, "Ten bucks Iceman runs around de house screaming, 'Wolverine knocked out Beast!'"
Calmly whispering back, "No, I think Bobby will scream it from where he stands."
"So we on?"
"The bet is on."
As they finished Bobby quietly said, "If you will be excusing me," and he walked out of the room into the hallway and screamed on the top of his lung, "WOLVERINE KNOCKED OUT BEAST WITH A CAN OF WHIPPED CREAM!!!!!"
Wolverine calmly walked over to Gambit and Storm and asked, "So which one of you won?"
"I do not know. He did not stay in one spot yet he also did not run around the house."
"I don' 'dink either of us won."

"Well Rogue there goes that peaceful second." quickly Joseph got of the bed and extended his hand to help Rogue up and out.
"Well at least we get to see Beast knocked out by a can of whipped cream." Rogue took his hand and headed to the door with him by her side.
"That should be entertaining." He nodded as he closed the door behind them.

In a matter of moments all of the X-Men had arrived in the kitchen to witness Beast holding his head, sitting on the ground, whipped cream in hand.
"So how did this happen?" Jean asked.
"Wolverine threw a can of whipped cream at my head! That's how it happen!"
"Henry, I was talking to Logan."
"Oh...okay."
"Logan, how did this happen?"
"I was throwing the whipped cream to the gumbo over there and he got in the way. It's not like I was aiming for him Jeannie, even though it was fun to see him go down like that."
"What I want to know is, is that allowed in this house?" Joseph asked as he entered the room, holding Rogue's hand.
Gambit whispered over to Storm, "I'm leavin'. I'll wait outside and smoke a cig' until he leaves."
"Remy, you are not leaving because you are not getting out of my sight."
"Why not?"
"I do not trust you to be alone."
"Oh c'mon no one trusts me. Join de club."
"No."
"C'mon Stormy. I promise. Just to de porch. 'Dieves honor."
"All right go. To the porch, no farther."
In a louder voice so everyone could hear him, Remy said, "I'd love to stay and watch you guys set up a kangaroo court and try Wolverine for the attempted murder of our fuzzy blue doctor with de whipped cream can, but my need for nicotine forces me to excuse myself."
Joseph stared at Gambit for a moment and asked, "Are you leaving because you honestly need to smoke or you just don't want to be in the same room with me?"
"Well honestly, a little of both," Remy replied, "but if you want de truth it be more of de latter."
"Why do you insist on hating me?"
" 'Cause I don' like you."
"Because you cannot tolerate my existence, you are tearing Rogue apart between us," squeezing her hand, "Why do you insist on stopping Rogue from being happy? Is that how self centered you are?"
"I'm not self centered, mon ami! Last time I checked, I was giving you my blessin' to make Rogue happy!" Remy shook his head and continued, "I don' hate you because I don' want Rogue to be happy, far from it! I hate you because I don' trust you as far as I can 'drow you and I don' 'dink Rogue need dat."
"She does not need your protection or concern. I am not going to or would or could hurt her! What do you think I am?"
"I 'dink you're a monster! No, I'm wrong. I don' 'dink you're a monster... I know you're a monster! You killed hundreds of innocent people and haven't cared one bit!"
Joseph smiled for a brief moment then replied, "You are talking more about yourself... or have you forgotten the secret that you hold inside?"

 

Chapter Nine

For the first time in Remy LeBeau's life, he was speechless. But he wasn't alone... the whole room was speechless, too. Eyes glanced uneasily at each other after Joseph had spoken... a bewildered feeling entered the room.
"Sugah," Rogue, the brave soul in the room asked, "what are ya talking about?"
Joseph turned to her and pointed to the Cajun who was trying desperately to blend in with the shadows at the moment. Joseph answered, "Maybe Gambit should tell us what horrible deed he has done."
All eyes turned to Gambit but he gave no answer other than lowering his head. Never before had the X-Men known Gambit to tell them anything and history repeated itself. He remained perfectly silent. Yet remaining silent seemed only to incriminate him further. Even though the X-Men hadn't the slightest idea what the charge was against him, his silence was making him seem more and more guilty of it.
"Gambit," Joseph started, pausing to let the X-Men give their attention to him, "are you ashamed of the ghastly act you have committed? Knowing what you did... I'm amazed you can live with yourself."
"Joe-neto, I'm amazed dat you can say any'din about 'ghastly acts'! It seems a little hypocritical to me," Remy yelled back.
The tension in the room built upon every word that came forth and in an attempt to calm the situation Bobby joked, "Come on... how bad could it be? It's not like he grouped together the Marauders or something!"
Remy's expression said it all. True horror was written on his face and terror was in his every thought. This couldn't be happening! Dis all a bad dream! Yeah... Bobby didn' say dat... no one knows... I'll wake up in my room... But as the seconds passed, it became more obvious to him that this was a nightmare he wasn't ever going to wake up from.
A drop of sweat beaded down Remy's forehead unnoticed. His heart pounded in his chest as if a pack of wolves or a pride of lions or both had been chasing him. He gasped for air as if he had just nearly drowned in an ocean or a river.
But in reality he had just nearly drowned, but not in water but in fear. Fear that he would have to give up all that he cared about and believed in because of some stupid thing he did when he was younger. A thing that he regretted with his whole heart and soul.
Wolverine looked up at Gambit a few moments after Bobby had made the joke. For something that was supposed to be considered funny, even though it was in bad taste, it sure spooked him. Why would a joke about the Marauders spook Gambit? He hadn't had anything to do with them. Unless.... It clicked in Wolverine's mind and he had to know, "Did you, gumbo?"
"Did wat?" Gambit's voice was jumpy and nervous. It didn't look good for him.
"Did you create the Marauders?" Wolverine asked noticing the horror in the Cajun's eyes as he spoke.
He didn't receive an answer. The only thing Gambit did was lowering his head again. It was almost as good as if he had actually said yes.
The room went silent, it seemed that even the lights stopped humming because of the shock. They knew that his silence meant he was guilty.
"You created the Marauders?" Angel screamed as he pulled at his own hair, "You cost me my wings? You did that to me?"
"I'm sorry, Angel, didn' know wat was happenin' 'til it was too late to stop it."
"Sure, you didn't know, Gambit," Joseph hissed as he stepped forward. "You just assembled a group of killers, lead them through the tunnels, opened the door, and allowed them to slay the Morlocks! Sure, you didn't know! Of course not."
"It wasn' like dat!" The sandwich Gambit had eaten only a few minutes before was starting to make him feel sick. His stomach turned and turned again with the memory of the massacre.
Storm couldn't believe what she was hearing. Remy, one of her closest friends had been involved in the massacre of the Morlocks. He had helped in the murder of the people she was supposed to lead and protect at the time. Storm had taken their deaths hard and blamed herself for not protecting them better, they were her responsibility. She remembered herself thinking that everyone involved with the massacre should suffer a horrible death. But what about Remy? Did he deserve such a death? He was her friend for a long time, saved her from certain doom, and took care of her when she was a child, did he deserve the same fate as Sabretooth?
She quietly walked over to him and the overwhelming thought among the X-Men was this would soon become a Jerry Springer episode. Storm looked into Remy's red eyes and saw the remorse and guilt he felt. "Why did you do this, Remy? Do not lie, do not leave anything out, just tell me why you would participate in such a terrible thing."
"Stormy..." he began in a melancholy tone, "I didn' had nothin' to lose. Just left Nawlin' and basically left everyone I ever cared about. Didn' 'dink my life could get much worse... I was wrong. Met up wid Sinister, told me to group up some mean and ugly people, so I did. He told me to lead dem into a tunnel, didn' know wat would happen..."
Storm couldn't believe this, she couldn't believe he had done this, but yet deep down she didn't hate him for it. He was just a kid, how could he have known the horror that would occur?
As Storm walked away and sat down Rogue started to question him. Seeing Rogue only made this hurt more for poor Gambit. With this known, how could she ever love him?
"Sugah, didn't rounding of a much of mercenaries sound just a tad bit strange to ya?"
He in the softest of voices replied, "Roguie, why would roundin' up a much of mercenaries sound strange when at de time I had just been married to one?"
Rogue was confused yet somehow what he said had made a little sense. She was completely revolted at the thought of what he did yet sort of felt sorry for him.
Joseph on the other hand, was completely disgusted with Gambit. He pointed an accusing finger at him and said, "He admits he's guilty to organizing the mobile killing squad known as the Marauders! He admits he's guilty of leading them to a gathering of innocent, unarmed... civilians! He admits he's guilty to allowing them entrance and standing by as a witness to a holocaust! He admits to being guilty of the slaughtering of his own kind..."
"It not like I just stood by and didn' try to stop dem!" Gambit tried to defend himself from such a verbal attack. "When I found out wat was goin' on I tried to stop de killin'! I couldn' stop everythin' but I tried to help as many as I could! I grabbed dis one little girl and got her out... I tried to help more but Creed nearly killed me..."
"What did you truly believe a group of homicidal maniacs were going to do? Have a picnic? Play catch?" Joseph asked. There was a fire growing inside of Joseph he spoke. "They were there to butcher people that had done nothing to deserve it. Do not try to talk your way out of this, LeBeau! Because of you a countless sum have paid with their lives for nothing. Because of you a peaceful community was obliterated that day! Because of you a group of people were eradicated like diseased livestock. On that very day you just didn't bring the Marauders, you brought forth genocide!"
"I wonder..." Wolverine said under his breath, stroking his chin, "who does that sounds like?"
Remy looked around at his fellow X-Men. Some were appalled with him already and he believed, others would soon follow lead. "Are you done?" he nearly whimpered, trying desperately to stay strong.
Joseph nodded, only adding, "Unless you have more to confess."
The room was engulfed with horror, shock, and confusion. Many couldn't believe what they had heard. Many completely denied it was even said. Gambit had confessed to the unthinkable... and no one stopped him as he headed to the door.

 

Chapter Ten

The door thundered against its framing. Even though Gambit had left, tension still ran high. It was impossible to forget the fact that an X-Man had just went out that door or forget what that X-Man was accused of doing.
"We need to go after Remy," Storm said as she headed to the door, "We cannot just let him leave without knowing where he is going."
Warren quickly pulled her hand off the door knob. The glare in Storm's eyes was the very glare a mighty Bengal Tiger might give before leaping upon its helpless prey or a fearsome Great White Shark might give before devouring a tasty dolphin. That glare shot straight at Warren, not him nor anybody else would stop her from comforting her friend and anyone who would try, especially after the horrible day she had been having, would learn a painful lesson.
"And why not?" Warren asked with hatred in his tone. "Why can't we just let him leave?"
Storm looked down at Warren's hand, still grasping her wrist. She knew that Warren had all right to be upset at Gambit for the loss of his original wings... and that was the only reason lightning did not strike him right there. As she pulled away lightning flashed illuminating the evening sky. That would be the only warning she would give. "He is an X-Man, that is why."
He stretched his wings and threw his head up, "He's an X-Man? If he's an X-Man then we weren't be talking about his involvement in a massacre! An X-Man wouldn't do that!"
"He was not an X-Man yet!" Ororo tried desperately not to think about hitting Warren with the lightning bolt but it was getting so, so hard. "We cannot judge a man by our standards when he wasn't a member of our team at the time!"
Joseph rose from the wooden kitchen chair and said, "Hitler was Atheist. So by your logic, we wouldn't be able judge him by any rules of an organized religion because he didn't belong to them."
"Joe... Joe... Joe, c'mon here," Wolverine almost smiled as he spoke, "LeBeau is not Hitler! He's as far from Hitler as anyone can possible get. Hitler knowingly and unremorsefully orchestrated the mass murder of millions of people. LeBeau on the other hand did so little in that massacre that I didn't even smell him there! He didn't have much impact on anything! At all!"
"Well maybe you smelled wrong."
"Nope. I'm right." Wolverine cocked his head to one side as in thought, "Unless... I had a head cold that day and my nose was congested. Hmmmmmmmm, no... wait, that's impossible, just forget it, I have a healing factor."
"LeBeau is still a cold-blooded killer," Psylocke professed from the shadows. The ninja had remained relatively quiet throughout everything but it was obvious that she had decided which side she was loyal to.
"Gambit is as much of a killer as Santa Clause is a cannibal."
Bobby, head lowered and very confused, quietly replied, "Explains why Santa's fat, Jean."
Jean Grey sent a nasty glare over at Bobby and shook her head only to bring her attention back to Psylocke. "We have no evidence that Gambit is a 'cold-blooded' killer besides Joseph's words. Let's not jump to conclusions here."
"But, Jean," Psylocke began, "I saw it with my own eyes. I saw what Gambit had done for myself."
"Betsy, how did you see it? There would no possible way!"
"I looked."
"But when we got to the tunnels no one who even remotely looked like Gambit was there."
"Not in the tunnels, in his mind. After Rogue had kissed him and put him in a coma I sensed something was wrong so I looked. It surprised me greatly when I found out that he was a soulless monster."
Jean narrowed her eyes as she looked upon her teammate, "When he was in a coma you went into his mind?"
Very coldly Psylocke answered, "Yes."

Wonder wat dey be sayin' in dere? Gambit pondered as he brought his knees up to his chest. Perched upon the top of the house, enduring the sheeting rain and the lightning he could answer his own question. Probably some'din' about me.
The moment he had feared most had come, being finally shunned away. 'Dought dat one person would stand by me, guess I don' even deserve dat. Perched upon the top of the house he hadn't the slightest clue what was being said about him. He hadn't the slightest idea that some people did not forsake him for his past sins. It might be a small number but still more than he thought he would have.
The lightning stuck again. Just a little closer, Stormy. Just a little closer den you'll have me dead. It seemed to strike every few minutes. Remy knew that Storm had to be extremely angry, the weather reflected it. Everyone must be angry, knowing what he had done.

"You conniving little bitch!" Jean shouted as she jumped at Psylocke. The force of the collision made both fall to the floor and Jean drove a dozen solid punches into her body. "You don't go into a comatose person's mind! We were taught never to do that!" A shattering sound was heard as Jean's fist connected with Psylocke's face.
"Catfight!" Wolverine yelled as he sat up on top of the table for a better view.
Soaring into the middle of the fight, Warren put both his hands upon Jean's shoulders and tried to drag her off. Suddenly a telekinetic field appeared around Angel and he floated up higher and higher until his feet touched the ceiling and he remained stuck there. "Let me down!!!! Please!" he pleaded.
Charles could only look up and see one of his original students stuck to the kitchen ceiling like a common pancake. As he lowered his gaze and he was horrified at the scene before him, two of his students duking it out on the floor and Wolverine almost selling tickets for it. What horrified him more than that was that the victim almost deserved it. No telepath should ever go into someone's mind without permission. That wasn't the right thing to do but neither was attacking your teammates.
A psychic knife appeared in Psylocke's hand and launched at Jean's throat but a simple thought flung it swirling across the linoleum floor. Scott just in the niche of time leaped over the swirling blade and attempted to brake up the fight. "Jean, no matter what Psylocke has done it doesn't mean you can try to kill her. Now come on, get off of her!"
Jean looked up for the briefest of moments at her husband, "Figures you would stand up for her. You always did have a thing for her! I always knew it!" Scott then started to float upwards.
"Jean... I don't have a thing for her! I love you! I'm on your side!"
Jean was surprised by her husband's words and yelled back, "You're on my side?"
"Of course I am, Jean! Can I come down?"

Wonder wat all dat noise was. Remy was content on wondering, he wouldn't go down and take a peak at what his fellow teammates were doing. They wouldn't want to see him, he believed whole heartily, they would just want him to leave them alone.
Dey decide wat to do wid me soon. Probably tell me to leave and never come back. To bad dis all ain't some supervillain's plot to take over de world, I wouldn' come across so bad. He fumbled about with his cigarettes trying to light one but the rain kept putting it out. Remy took the whole pack and threw it as far as he could. As they hit the distant ground the temperature around him dropped.
"C'mon, God, give me a break! My friends hate me, I'm soaked, I can' light one cigarette, and now you had to drop de temperature! Do you like screwing around wid me?" He stood up upon the roof and spread his arms and looked up at the sky. "Like seein' me suffer? Wat is it? I'm de one sinner in de world you don' like? Is dat it? People say I should pray to you and I'll find hope and my life get better! Well give me one damn hint on how to make my life better right now 'cause if did ain't a prayer for help I don' know wat is?"

"Did you here what he said?" Joseph questioned the team, "Our fearless leader sides with LeBeau!"
Bishop came forth from the shadows and quietly approached the center of the room, "A rattlesnake doesn't change what it is because it sheds its skin. LeBeau can't and never could be trusted."
His words set up the battlegrounds, his statement was either true or false, there was no middle ground. There were only two sides, with Joseph or with the Gambit sympathizers. Charles looked on and saw only four of his students standing up for one of their own, one only there because of Jean. The rest of the team, the majority, stood behind Joseph. He knew he had to reunite the team the best he could. Maybe they just need time to think clearly.
"X-Men," the Professor beckoned, "maybe we should all think about this matter privately for a little while, take some time out to consider all the options. Meanwhile, I will find Gambit's location but I will keep it secret unless he is in grave danger. The only thing I will tell you is if he is still on the grounds. Is that all right?"
There were a few uneasy glances but finally all nodded and headed to their individual rooms to think about everything that had happened in a few short hours.

Storm headed to her attic room and listened to the pounding of the rain against her windows. There is a lightning bolt for Joseph, Warren, Betsy... am I missing anybody? Well Bishop does not know Gambit well enough, I will spare him. Lowering her eyes to the floor she made a simple vow, "If anything should happen to Remy because of this, may mercy come upon all of their souls, they will certainly need it."

"Poor kid," Wolverine mumbled as he entered his room, "can't pull that 'get out of horrible past free with amnesia'-card. If this is how they react to the Cajun's past then imagine what they'd act like with mine if I didn't have that card. They'd take me outside the grounds and stone me!"

"Scott, you did the right thing before."
"I only did it because I know you're always right, Jean."
Jean smiled as she looked at her husband, "I know that's silly, but you still did that right thing."
"Thank you. I love you, Jean."
"I love you, too."
"Jean, by any chance did you ever let Warren down?"
"Don't worry, Scott, I did the right thing."

"Jean has a good left hook I'll give her that but I keep thinking I forgot something. What could it be?" Psylocke looked around for a moment. "Warren."
She ran back down the stairs and looked up to see Warren still stuck to the ceiling.
"Come on help me! Please! Anybody? Jean let me down!... Betsy, is that you? Can you get me down? The blood is rushing to my head!"
Psylocke strained and strained but to no avail. "Sorry, I can't, Jean's holding you there, but I can come up."
"Alright."

Joseph led Rogue gently by the hand to her room. He slowly opened the door and pushed away the huge poka dot teddy bear that stood guard against trespassers, especially Cajun ones that were incredible erred out by the strange-looking bear. They sat down beside each other on the bed.
"A lot of things are known now that weren't before so I'll leave you alone so you can have time for this all to sink in. "
"Joseph, how do you know that Remy's such a monster?"
He placed his hands upon her's and pulled the gloves away. Taking her bare hands he asked, "Do you love me?"
"Of course I do, Joseph."
"Then trust me on this." Joseph stood up and walked to the door and gently closed it behind him, leaving Rogue alone.
"But Ah love Remy, too..."

 

Chapter Eleven

So that was it. Rogue took hold of her wine red sheets and wrapped it around her shoulders. Grabbing the corner of an over sized pillow she brought it to her chest as a child would hold a teddy bear. That was what Ah felt in Seattle awhile back, this is what was causing the fear in ya mind, wasn't it, Remy?
Her mind wandered back to a time when she wanted with all her heart to know what was causing Remy the fear that was in turn driving her insane. She had brought the walls of the old theater down because not knowing what he did was hurting her so much. Now she knew, and she wished whole heartily not to.
The memory was too clear now, it made too much sense. Remy's memory pounded inside her mind as the rain pounded against the windows... violently... endlessly... mercilessly. The memory gripped her, the horror caused her to shiver.
Ah got to face it. Gently she closed her eyes, still clutching the sheets of her bed and her pillow. Her body grow still, darkness surrounded her, people seemed just to flash by her, she could feel his heart pounding, she could feel his stomach turning, she could feel the terror in his heart as he saw the blood on his hands. This would be the one nightmare she would never forget.

Meanwhile, alone in her attic room, Ororo had a bad dream of her own. She stood in a peaceful meadow, it went on forever in all directions. The green grass covered the ground not leaving one barren patch of land. The sun danced happily in the sky, shinning down its warmth to the world. It was paradise... until the landscape became riddled with the bodies of slain Morlocks. In an instant the land became scorched and lifeless, the winds blew dust upon the bodies. Darkness had conquered the day, engulfing the world, blocking out the joy and hope that the day had had. Yet there was a light, in the midst of the dead, two scarlet flames burning bright.
Storm awoke with a jerk, her heart pounding against her rib cage trying to break free. Remy? I cannot believe it. The winds lifted her off her still made bed over to the window. "Hail... Lightning... Snow! May my emotions be released with the elements!" She twirled her fingers and the sky let loose its fury. "As they disperse from the sky may my anger disperse from me, and as they plummeted to earth at an extraordinary speed, may a clear and peaceful mind return to me."
She looked on at the carnage she was inflicting before her. The sky flashed endlessly and tiny craters were beginning to form, only to be filled in with snow. The snow blew unrelentlessly against the house. She could hear the shattering of glass as hail collided against the walls. This is not making me feel much better. All it did was break a window and give mental brake downs to those in charge of the Weather Channel. I have to stop torturing them...
She wheeled around and took one step and shook her head, "Why do you always have to make things difficult, Remy?"

"Wat de hell is dis?" Remy scurried across the roof as hail the size of golf balls suddenly fell from the sky. "And I 'drought my problem was wid de cold?" He pulled his jacket up to protect his head, didn't need a black eye or more importantly, a concussion at the moment. He tried to curl up the best he could, while still keeping his balance, to protect himself from nature's onslaught.
He felt a growing pain in his back and realized he had been hit. Not a fatal fall, probably just break a few bones... like my back, my neck, all my ribs, good chance for my legs, at least one of my shoulders, and my skull... Suddenly the sliding stopped. Must have gone unconscious or some'din' like dat. Didn' even feel de impact. Opening his red eyes he found himself holding on to the chimney.

Joseph stared vacantly at the loading computer screen. All of this Shi're technology and it takes five minutes to enter into Windows? A cold glare started to emerge on his face as he tapped his fingers on the computer desk. "Lemmings is just not worth this. Maybe I can just read something from DOS. Someone in this house had to have written a story." He slowly typed in the commands and the whole C drive directory appeared on the screen. "What are they saving? 'Cooking with pretzels'? 'Pencils: Friend or Foe'? What is this?" He scratched his head as he continued, "'Pictures of Leonardo DeCapprio'? Oh no... not him... anybody but him. There must be something of interest here... 'Does saving to the C-drive cost you your soul?' I hope not, there would be an X-Man running around without a soul if that were the case. Well Gambit..." He rubbed his temples trying to comprehend why the mighty X-Men would save any of this, it boggled his mind. "I guess there isn't anything here... wait what is this? 'How to defeat Magneto... Last accessed...' three years ago? I was running a so to speak muck last year! Why wouldn't they look in that file then?" He pushed out his seat and looked in both directions for anybody coming. Quietly, he put a floppy disk in and transferred the file there. "There is no need for them to have this." He placed the disk into his pocket and got up to leave the room flicking his fingers letting the computer shut itself down.
"Maybe I'll go see how Rogue is doing. I think she could use the company." He walked peacefully down the hallway and knocked upon Rogue's door. Waiting a moment he knocked again. She must be sleeping. He opened the door only a sliver and peaked inside. She's probably peacefully lying there, head resting comfortably, sheets gently covering her...
As he peered in he heard Rogue mumbling something in her sleep. He couldn't tell exactly what it was but it wasn't something that someone "peacefully lying" would say, there was a sense of urgency in it. He looked in and saw her clasping her sheets, tossing and turning.
Joseph swung open the door and pulled Rogue into his arms. "Wake up, Rogue, wake up..." he rubbed her back trying to get her awake, "you're having a nightmare, wake up." Rogue started to stir, still speaking to herself. He tenderly nudged her and her eyes flared open, not knowing where she was or who was holding her. She struggled for a moment to get free, still believing that this was part of the dream. "It's okay, Rogue, it's just me. You were dreaming."
She looked up at him and let the sheet fall back to her bed. Instantly, she wrapped her arms around him and tried to calm down. "It was horrible...."
"It's okay now, it was only a dream..."
"But Joseph, it wasn't. It happened." She looked into Joseph's blue eyes, a slight bit of confusion had settled into them... confusion, not to mention concern.
"What do you mean? Tell me."
"Ah relived the massacre through Remy's eyes..." As she spoke he brought her all the more closer. He knew that she was afraid, he could feel her heart pounding, he could feel her still breathing heavily. He whispered gentle words into her ears as he brought her head to his chest. "Ah saw everything he saw, felt everything he felt... it was too much... Ah..." A single tear fell down Rogue's cheek and was quickly brushed away with a tender touch. Joseph lovingly rocked her in effort to soothe her racing heart.
"It's okay. I won't let anything hurt you, be it your memories, 'the Friends of Humanity,' evil space aliens from a planet far, far away, I won't let anything hurt you." He tenderly lifted her chin to gaze deeply into her timid green eyes. "I can't let them hurt you, then I wouldn't be able to see your beautiful smile..." A tiny smile snuck onto her face. "That's better. It's passed, Rogue, whatever you saw and whatever you felt, it's passed. And if it caused you such distress that you can not take a nap, then I will not let it return." He took the sheet and wrapped it around Rogue's shoulders as if a royal robe and led her carefully to her back. Without a second thought, Joseph took Rogue's hands into his own and said, "Rest."

Why do you continually do stupid things in which I have to wonder if I should support you or not? Ororo paced across the aged wood floor, creaking beneath her. As her foot landed she could almost hear Remy saying not to creak the floor. She could hear him say that since she was a thief she should be able to walk the length of the attic without making one sound. She rose one inch off the ground and smirked but quickly that small smile turned upside down.
What am I going to do with you, Remy? Less than an hour before she had been quite certain that she was on Remy's side, but now it seemed that she was doubting her faith. She couldn't see her friend involved with any sort of killing, except for people who deserved it: Sabretooth, Sinister, Kathie Lee, but not innocent people. She tried and tried but the image wouldn't register, the closest she could do was him standing in the midst of it, maybe with blood splashed on him, not actually killing anybody. She knew him too well.
But did anybody actually know the Cajun? Or did they just think they did?
Frustration began to set in for poor, stressed out Ororo, it hadn't been a very good day for her at all. Maybe I need to talk to someone... I definitely need to talk to someone about this. She walked to her door and stopped dead. Who am I going to talk to? Usually when I have a situation like this I go to Remy! Who can I possibly...

How de hell did I fall onto de chimney? I should a fallen down not up! Remy looked about to see if it were some kind of trick his mind was playing on him. Maybe he had hit so hard that he had developed brain damage and that's why he had broken almost all the laws of Physics instantly. At least de hail stopped, just need de snow to stop now. He tried to clear a spot to sit down but the snow was falling all the faster. Forget it, I'm gettin' down. Not goin' inside, just gettin' down.

A soft knock fell upon the wood of Wolverine's door. A normal person wouldn't have even have heard the knock, but Wolverine wasn't normal. He was a mutant and even to them... he wasn't normal. "Who's there?"
"Ororo, can I come in, or are you busy?"
"Not do anythin', 'Ro, come on in."
"Are you sure? I do not want to walk in and see you skinning some poor defenseless animal again."
"Don't worry, can't do that anymore, Chuck says it'll stain the floors."
When was the last time he listened to Chuc... Charles? Ororo, still cautious, pushed open the door and to her relief saw no stray animal inside. To her surprise she saw him reading some book, he put it away too quickly for her to see the title.
"So 'Ro, why the visit?"
"I need to talk to someone."
"About what?"
"About what happened today involving Gambit."
"Surprise, surprise, how'd I know you'd need to talk about this one," Wolverine was tempted to smile but decided it unwise. He had a pretty good idea why she needed to talk. "Darlin', you doubting your faith in the Cajun?"
"I... well... um... yes. He admits to participating in it, how can I not?"
"Listen, let's just say there's a big old van with maybe nine people in it. Seven of them are gathered 'round the driver and the other one's in the back reading a comic book. The eight in the front decide to hit someone and they do. Is the kid reading the comic in the van?" Storm nodded. "Is he as guilty as everyone else in the van for hitting that person?"
"No, he did not do anything. The others planned it without his knowledge."
"The Cajun's the one reading the comic. He was at the massacre sure, but he didn't kill anybody there. The others did."
"We are not talking about a hit and run, we are talking about a massacre of the people that I was suppose to protect!"
Wolverine stood up and looked at her. She seemed the exact opposite of her usual self, calm, peaceful, and sensible. At the moment she seemed agitated, turbulent, and irrational. He firmly grabbed her arm. "Sit down." She, after a moment's hesitation obliged. "The gumbo ain't no boy scout, Scott is, Scott's definitely a boy scout, but the gumbo's not. He's also not a cold-blooded killer. He may be a lot of things, but a killer isn't one of them."
"How do you know that, Logan?"
"'Cause it's not in his programming. Takes a special kind of man to snap out the lights in another person's eyes. The Cajun's just ain't got that mind set. Sure he can take someone down if they attack him or anybody he cares about but he can't get up one day and say 'You know, I want to shoot some rounds into some stranger's head.' He just can't"
"I suppose..."
"The gumbo's feels bad enough and he didn't even do anything, why condemn him any further. He's doing a good job of that himself. So are you going to stand up for him when we make the final decision?"
"I do not believe I should. It would be impossible to remain impartial."
"Darlin', no one's goin' to be impartial. You might be the most impartial one in there. Anyone who wanted the Cajun out but didn't have any reason now got one, and if this goin' to be voted then that's how they're goin' to vote. Not very impartial is it, 'Ro?"
"I suppose so not. He really did not do anything, did he?"
"Didn't even know he was in those tunnels 'til today."
"Thank you, Logan, I needed this."

If Charles's legs were not paralyzed he would have been pacing, but hovering back and forth would have to do. He knew in a short while that something unheard of was going to take place; they were going to decide if an X-Man should be exiled from the team or not. He lowered his head in quiet prayer, hoping his students would be some what fair with this matter. He hoped that they took this time to really think everything through, not just to watch TV and wait until the decision would be made. He knew that the time was approaching.
As soon as he sent the message for his students to gather, the time would have come. The decision would have to be made then. Remy LeBeau may not be his favorite student, but he had risked his life for the X-Men and in doing so proved that he was one. He had least deserved a fair trial. The X-Men were about redemption, wouldn't they?

Logan is right. No matter how I feel about what Gambit did I must stand beside him. He is my friend and none of this was his fault. If he had not been there this horrible event still would have occurred, more may have even died! Even though it is quite easy for me to blame him for all of this and make him the sacrificial scapegoat I will not. I am more mature than that. Those are the actions of a child. Storm floated through the hallway wondering when the time would come for the decision. Why are we not just getting this over with? It wasn't that she wanted the moment of truth to come, it was quite the opposite, she didn't want it to come at all but she knew that that was impossible. She also knew how the rest of the team were going to vote and that only made her worry more for her friend. Where are you now, Remy? You should be here.

How'd I get up here in de first place? Remy looked down the side of the house where he clearly remembered getting to the roof from. At one time there might have been a ladder or something that he had pulled himself onto the roof with but it wasn't there now, nearly everything had been covered with snow. "Dis is great! No way down!"
Remy waded across the roof for a couple of laps trying to think. I need to get down! He was starting to get rather cold standing in the snow. Maybe I can shimmy down de gutter... non, snap in two, Jubes did dat once. Ummmmmm... I can take my jacket, hold over my head, and use it as a parachute... no dat just stupid! I could flap my arms real fast... dat even stupider than the jacket idea... Suddenly with the corner of his eye he noticed a decently sized snow bank directly below the roof's edge. I could jump into dat, it would brake my fall... gonna have to do, dere no better way.
He looked down at the snow pile and closed his eyes. Am I really goin' to do dis? With a simple nod he took one step and went plummeting.
Seconds later the snow had lightly covered him. I'm alive? He slowly opened his red eyes and looked around. Guess so. With some struggle he had climbed his way out of the snow bank and made his way to the kitchen window. All he did was somberly looking in...

Joseph watched Rogue's sleeping form with a smile on his face. There. Peacefully lying, her head rested comfortably, sheets gently covering her... He still held her hand, he had not pulled away, he still held them. Knowing that she was scared would not permit him to let them go. "Soon, Rogue, soon," he whispered as she still slept, unaware of him, "Soon all of this is going to go full swing and... we will finally be allowed to be happy, not interrupted by other matters, I'll make sure of it." He kissed her tenderly on the forehead making sure not to wake her, he knew that she needed her rest.
X-Men, please come to the kitchen, I think it is time to... come to... an agreement on... certain matters.
Joseph shook his head, "If I knew Charles was going to say that, right then, in all of our minds, that loudly, I wouldn't have worried about waking Rogue... oh well."
Rogue slowly began to stir and Joseph pulled her close and kissed her, this time on the lips like he wanted to do before. She smiled and pulled herself up to sit beside him. She didn't want to go downstairs and cast judgment. She knew how he felt and she knew he was sorry for what he had done.
"Are you ready, Rogue?"
"No."
"You have to come down and decide."
"Ah know, Ah'm just not ready."
"I love you, Rogue. That will not change no matter what you pick, I just hope though, you do what is right..."
"Ah will, Joseph... Ah'll try anyway."

Dere dey are, all filing in. Don' know why Warren hanging upside down on de ceiling but dere a story to dat, one dat I truly do want to hear but dat ain't gonna be happenin'. Ol' Claws probably be de only one who vote for me... everybody else decide I'm guilty. Guess it over, bye Wolverine, bye Storm, I'll miss you even if you probably hate me now, Remy lowered his eyes to the white ground, a single tear fell from his eye, Bye Roguie, I miss you most of all but you be happy wid... Mag... Joe... him. I love you. He turned and walked a little bit only to look back and realize that this is the second family he can never go back to. I need a good stiff drink...

Charles bit his lip as he watched his beloved students fill in all the chairs, a feeling of regret entered his heart, regret that he had to be the one that said that it was time to do this, regret that he had to be the one to organize this. He sensed something was about to happen, something was going to fall apart in a few moments.
"My students, we are faced with a difficult decision, we must decide what to do with Gambit. He is guilty of being involved in the Morlock Massacre, that isn't being discussed. The issue is, should he remain an X-Man or not. If he should remain an X-Man say, 'stay' if he should be forced to go say, 'leave.' I will be remaining impartial and undecided, you are the jury of his peers, I hope you have thought about this." Charles really didn't want to be witness to this, but he had no choice, he had to ask them. "Joseph?"
"Leave."
"Henry?"
"Knowing that charge that we are discussing is genuine and knowing the appalling nature of the crime I must say... leave."
Charles looked down but continued, "Logan?"
"The gumbo didn't do anything. Stay."
"Jean?"
Looking dead at Psylocke, "Others in this room have committed worse offenses. Stay."
"Scott?"
Scott's eyes looked up at his wife and in the meekest of voices, "Stay."
"Bishop?"
"Leave."
"Betsy?"
"Leave."
"Warren?"
"Like Betsy said, leave."
"Ororo?"
"Lea... stay! Remy is still an X-Man no matter what stupid thing he has done."
Charles looked around for a moment and a confused look appeared on his face. "Where's Bobby?"
"I suppose he didn't show up." Joseph replied.
"The walking ice cube is the smartest person in this house. Gotta give him credit for that." Wolverine quietly eased over to Storm to grab her, just in case this didn't work out the way that she would want it. They didn't need more unusual weather today.
"Rogue it's up to you then. You can either tie the sides and we would not be able to act until a later date or you can exile Gambit from the X-Men." Charles hovered over to her and placed his hand upon her tense shoulder, "Take a few minutes to decide, you are in a difficult position."

 

Chapter Twelth

Rogue stood with much uncertainty in her mind, squarely on her shoulders was placed the fate of a man. Not just any man, but a man that had fought by her and her teammates' sides so many times that she couldn't count them all. He lived under the same roof with her, his room as close as it could possibly be to her's, and now she had to decide his fate.
She had to decide whether she would send away the man whom she still had strong feelings for, even though her feeling for Joseph were rising to rival them if they hadn't already surpassed them, or allow the man responsible for the most horrible and ghastly event in mutant history to continue to reside under that same roof escaping the justice deserved.
But would he truly? Would he truly not receive some kind of punishment for his involvement in the massacre if he stayed? The question echoed in her mind as she wished she had her flight jacket with, she had suddenly become cold. Maybe it was nature's way of telling her to make up her mind. Did the punishment fit the crime? If she could honestly answer either yes or no to that question, she would know how to vote. She took another moment to answer.

The cool night air gently lifted the tail end of Remy's brown duster as he ran through the lightly wooded pass to a small street. The street practically glowed, the colors of green and red hung about everything in sight. From the small bush, he could see the banner between two streetlights that read "Merry Christmas." Everything reminded him that today was to be a joyous day, surrounded by friends and family opening gifts and singing songs about a birth that took place over two thousand years ago. Being surrounded by friends and family, the simple thought only made Remy's heart grow heavier.
If he was surrounded by his friends they would probably lynch him. But what about his family?
Remy smiled. He could remember when he was a child, the huge tree his father bought every year and the feast they'd have after he opened all his gifts and Jean-Luc found him under all the wrapping paper. He was probably still doing all that, maybe just with his godchildren instead. The happiness that the memory had brought only lasted a couple of seconds as Remy decided against seeing him. He had already been disowned by his friends, being disowned by his father was something he couldn't handle.
The Christmas lights and the plastic Santas gave the street a sense of life, even though it was completely deserted.
The sidewalks would be filled with happy and energetic people tomorrow, busy to return gifts and to get a bargain at the after Christmas sales, but tonight only Remy walked down the concrete paths, alone and drowning in his sorrow.
Kenny's Tavern, a small bar that he and Wolverine used as an escape to get away from Scott's constant nagging of them or to hide when one of the women was in a mood that day. They'd have a couple of drinks together, play a little pool, and then simply take separate routes home hoping that the other was the one that would be caught trying to sneak back into the house at odd hours of the night. Today the bar was closed, the bartender home, and the door locked. And it stayed that way, except for the door being locked.

Rogue looked up into the eyes of her teammates, her family, and ignored the silent pleads from either of the two warring factions that separated them. "Stay." In her voice was an unquestionable tone, and even though she had only said one word, that one word had made its presence known.
She headed up the stairs and as she did she felt a number of eyes on the back of her head. Slightly turning, she caught a glimpse of the sheer confusion on half of the faces and sheer disbelief on the other half. Rogue gently laughed and said, "Listen, Ah'm not gonna be the one that sends that sugah on his way. It's a tie, we can all try him again later, 'til then Ah'm gonna try to enjoy the rest of ma Christmas."
Rogue thought back to being a member of the Brotherhood Evil Mutants and fighting the X-Men. She remembered committing all kinds of horrible crimes for the Brotherhood with the knowledge that they were evil; it was in the name. Pushing away the rising grief that was beginning to tear at her fragile heart she wondered why they didn't put her on trial, they'd have a better case.
At the top of the steps, Rogue shivered slightly. A cold chill had run down her spine as if Iceman had patted her on the back. She glanced behind her to see if maybe Bobby was there, but he wasn't, nothing was. Some time in front of her heater was definitely in order.

The cigarette smoke that clung to the air of the small tavern nearly choked him as he silently closed the door, relocking it. There were no windows to allow the smoke to escape, all it could do was infect his lungs.
No windows, meaning no one could peer in and see the hopeless man, who had run from, basically his family on Christmas, to break into a tavern and drown his ever growing despair with liquor, hoping that it wouldn't engulf him entirely.
Through the darkness his red eyes glowed, becoming moist, holding back tears of desperation. He had taken another swig from the bottle before he lowered his head into his hands, only then did he allow his quiet tears to crawl down his cheeks. Only then did he allow the flood gate that held back every sorrow filled thought to open, and sitting upon an old, worn-out stool he looked out into the shadows, blankly staring into the dark corner that lay across from him, he wondered if this was hell.

The gentle humming of his own hovercraft was the only sound he heard. Rogue had more or less given Remy an appeal and moved his trial to a later date. Charles smiled for a moment, she had lit a candle to fight against the looming darkness. Unfortunately, that struggling flame, only seconds after it appeared, had been blown out.
It was only appropriate that he looked out to a night sky, only under the cover of darkness could something like this take place. The clouds had begun to disappear back into the night, retreating, letting the hope that stars bore reach the Earth.
Charles could hear his students beginning to stir behind him, finally emerging from the momentary shock that Rogue's statements had caused.
"Does this mean that we have to go get him?"
Angel's words brought Charles back into the reality that was unfolding around him, briefly. Still looking out the window at the clear night sky, he cherished the warm, comforting breeze that passed through his chilled bones, lowering his head, knowing it would only last another second, even less. "There is no need..." If his dream were a day, tonight would be the midnight hour. "...he had a decision to make also and he has made it."
"Charles, what are you talking about?"
His head slumped back against the head rest of his chair, his eyes closed, taking within himself the calm. "He has left the grounds." He opened his eyes and again gazed out the window, and witnessed the storm.

The velvet lining of the pool table had given him a chance to escape his feelings for the time being. The cracking of each ball drew Remy deeper into the game, letting him concentrate solely on sinking each one into the well beaten pockets. Each one of his thoughts centered around the colored orbs that laid waiting on the table, their numbers called out to him to sink each one until only one ball stood before him.
The eight ball.
Directly behind it was the corner pocket.
The easiest shot the game had ever seen.
The polished wood of the pool stick lay inches from the ebony ball. The black paint glistened in the dim light of the bar, taking on a slightly whitish cast.
The pool stick drew closer as the ball became flesh toned. Before Remy's eyes the eight ball grew a mop of white hair and then opened its eyes, its blue eyes, staring right into his own.
"Joseph...," the velvet lining of the table tore, revealing its wooden underbelly, the ball launched high into the air and disappeared into the shadows, rolling away from him, and Remy dropped to his knees before the unfinished game.
Joseph. He haunted him, no matter where Remy went, he couldn't escape him, there was no way to. Even his mind worked against him, bringing forth the image, morphing even a pool ball into him. It wasn't bad enough that Joseph had stolen Rogue right from under his nose and then rubbed the salt into his already open and infected wounds by touching her before his eyes, he had to haunt him no matter where he went. On his knees, on the dust covered floor, he questioned Storm's actions at the river, why did she bring him back? It hurt more now than when it did when he jumped.
The eight ball gently dropped back onto its original spot on the table. It had barely made a sound as it hit the velvet of the table but its sound broke the utter silence of the deserted bar and made its solitary guest look up, pulling him from his grief for a moment.
"So are you gonna finish de game or just stay on de floor for de rest of de night?"

Chapter Thirteen

Remy tightly closed his eyes, it was the only thing his body had allowed him to do, she was the one thing it hadn't been expecting. Slowly, he opened them again, lowering them to the floor and he shook his head to clear the liquor born image from his mind and looked back up. He had hoped she would disappear, fade into the bar smoke and mist, but it was only that hope that faded for she was still there, now leaning against the pool table annoyed, pulling on a loose thread from her translucent white coat.
"Come on Remy, you only got one more shot. I won't tell anyone you missed it de first time."
Uneasily, as her voice echoed in his mind he dragged himself to his feet, looking her over, trying to comprehend what was going on. "Belle?" His whisper barely escaped his wary lips but he hadn't truly meant to address her, he was testing her name like a foreign word. This couldn't have been Belladonna, this woman was being friendly, in a creepy sort of way, but friendly nonetheless. As sad as it was for him to admit it to himself Belladonna was no longer his friend, she was no longer his first love, she was his enemy and would act that way. She had made a pact with the blonde she-devil Candra against him forever destroying any hope in his heart or mind that they could ever speak as friends or even associates again.
"Well, at least you remember my name." Belladonna quietly walked past him glancing at the bottles that Remy had gone through on this chilly Christmas evening. An over-whelming sadness built up inside of her as she looked back at him, he was an emotional wreck. He had the look of a man that had had his heart ripped out and eaten by a murder of crows. Self-loathing was coursing heavily through his vein as he came a little closer to her and she could feel it. She could feel it and she hated feeling his pain because she knew that it was only going to get worse.
Her eyes passed over the bottles again and a small smile appeared on her face. "You know, I don' advocate you drownin' your sorrows wid liquor, cheap liquor at dat. But if you must, at least mix dem and get yourself drunk more quickly."
Something was wrong, Gambit could feel it. Maybe it was that she hadn't tried to kill him yet. Or maybe it was the fact that her movements were unnaturally graceful. She had always been graceful, being the favorite child made it possible for her to take dance and martial arts lessons, but it almost seemed that her feet never touched the ground, like she was floating. There was only one way to bring peace to Remy's wary mind and that was to ask, "Wat are you doin' here, Belle? I know for damn sure it's not to criticize my game and be my bartender."
There was anger in his voice, and distrust, causing her to lower her eyes to the floor in sadness. This was going to be harder than what she had first thought.
"I'm here to help you out." She caught the look Remy gave her, he didn't believe a word of it but she understood why. Raising her eyes heavenward she sighed. In her short life she had done a lot of things but none had remotely given her the sense of guilt that he was reminding of her of now. But no one could blame her for her actions with her alliance with Candra, she had been insane and deprived of all the joy of her memories. Still, though she could not be blamed by some else, standing in Remy's presence she took full responsibility and blamed herself. A convention of guilty Cajuns, the thought brought a hint of a smile back to her face. "You know I'm not lying to ya. I'm a horrific liar."
Remy almost nodded but decided against it, he didn't want take his eyes off her. Last time he checked she was far from stable. He did remember though, when they were kids what a hard time he gave her because how obvious she made it when she lied to someone, anyone. Anyone could tell if Belladonna was lying just by looking at her face, but he couldn't today. There was something wrong. There was something wrong with her.
She began speaking again, breaking his train or thought, "Stopped by de mansion. I found everyone else dere but you were long gone. It wasn' hard to find..." she paused noticing the vengeful glint in his glowing red eyes, unconsciously taking a wary step away from him. "Don' worry, dey all still nice and safe. None of dem knows dat one of the greatest assassins in the world was lurkin' around dere house." Closing her eyes in frustration, she tried to think ahead and plan out what she was going to say next. It wasn't going well at all.
Relief spread across Remy's features, even though the X-Men had, to his belief, disowned him, it broke his heart to ever even consider them dying. But why hadn't she done anything against them, or at least to Rogue? It wasn't as if they were even on speaking terms with each other. His head ached as if Xavier had been talking mentally with him all day, it must be the alcohol.
Sizing her up, he took a step forward, accidentally grazing his hand against her's. She was chilled to the bone. For the first time during the whole conversation he took a good look at her as a friend instead of an enemy. Her face and hands were pale, almost an off shade of white. Her once golden hair seemed faded now, only keeping a hint of blonde. She looked terribly sick and Remy kicked himself mentally for not seeing it earlier. She must have come up to New York for help and came to him because he was the only one she would have any reason to trust. And here he was wondering if she was going to try to kill him.
He stepped out of his duster, took it in his hands and put it around her shoulders, realizing just how cold she truly was. "Here." She knowingly smiled.
It would have kept her warm if she had been cold... and if it hadn't fallen right though her.
"Well, it be de thought dat counts, I guess."
Stepping back again, "It fell right though you."
Belle looked down at the duster at her feet and nodded. "Dat it did." She would have had to tell him sooner or later. It was just going to have to be sooner than later.
Remy's right hand reached behind him to the wooded bar and clenched the half empty liquor bottle and brought it to his lips. He must be drunk. There was no other way in his mind to explain this. Glancing back at her, from the neck of the bottle he took another swig, he could almost see though her. "Belle, wat's goin' on?" He put the bottle down and walked over to her again. "I got to bring you to Beast. You're so sick you're beginning to fade away."
Belle laughed. "I'm not sick." She said it so plainly that Remy didn't believe her. All it sounded like to him was that she didn't want to go, that maybe she was afraid of what Beast might find if he examined her.
"Well," he said sarcastically, "if you're not sick, chere, wat are you? Dis sure isn' normal. Bein' intangible."
"Remember when you said, havin' a ghost in de house would be a nice change of paste?" Smirking she finished, "You got one."
Nodding he shrugged his shoulders, "Well dat make sense and all, de coat fallin'... wait a second... ghost? Dat means you're... you're dead."
"Usually does." Silently, she walked over to the scratched pool table and sat herself down on it. From the corner of her eye she saw him take yet another bottle out from behind the bar. She had tolerated him enough. "Put de bottle back. You had enough to drink." She watched to make sure he did it and muttered under ghostly breath: "I didn' drink dat much when my poppa died and I didn' have my memories."
"When did ya die?" His words reflected his heart ache. Yes, he did love Rogue but no matter what a part of him would always love Belle. He never wanted her to die, but he knew she would have to. It was the natural course of things. Part of him always hoped that she'd live to see old age, no matter how many times she herself told him she probably wouldn't.
"I died last night."
"Christmas Eve?" He briefly lowered his head into his hands. Of all the nights to die. "How? Did you at least go like you always wanted to? In de heat of battle and all dat?"
Her fists clenched that tarnished siding of the pool table, her sadness reflected in her now pale blue eyes. "No." She knew what his reaction to this was going to be and she seriously considered not telling him but once again he was going to find out sooner or later. "I got hit by a car."
"A car? De great assassin got hit by a car? All de crap dat happened to you, a car was de thing dat did you in?" At the specter's words he had gotten hysterical. He tried not to laugh but his body didn't agree with his mind.
That all stopped though when the tables and chairs simultaneously lifted up and then simultaneously dropped, thundering against the wooden floor like a herd of elephants over the Safari.
The image of her body being deposed of in the river and then washing up on shore, the image of that poor little boy and his little teddy bear finding her body, the image of her friends back home getting word of her death and then the gifts she had brought for them that had ultimately cost her her life coming right after, were all still too fresh in her mind to allow him to laugh at it.
"Now dat I've done de Jacob Marley routine can we get back to wat I came here for?"
Meekly he replied, "To help me?" still a little shaken at her most recent reaction to him.
"Now you're catchin' on." She laughed quietly, Remy being meek was the funniest thing she had ever seen. If there had only been a camera.
The tips of faded blonde hair glowed for a moment only losing their spark when they relaxed back against her face. Her clenched fists slid through the siding, disappearing under the velvet top. Remy could only watch as his brown duster lifted itself from the ground, straightening out from the fabric clump it had been and floated toward him. Belle's eyes followed the jacket, her blue eyes not faded in the least now, as it came behind him. The assassin smiled at the confused look on her childhood best friend's face as the jacket tapped him on the shoulder and the sleeves slid up his arms, the collar seemingly fixing itself before the whole thing came to rest. "You need de coat more dan me." Now she was the one with the cool powers.
All Remy could do was plop himself back down to the stool. As much of a distraction as this was his mind wandered back to Rogue... and Joseph. Of all the men in the world, she had to choose Joseph over him. A single tear unknowingly escaped from his crimson red eyes, he didn't, wouldn't even have the chance to explain any of this to her, not after his dark secret was brought to light like it was. The air around him had gotten far colder and his fingers reached out to pull his jacket closer to him. Shutting his eyes he hoped that this was all a dream, that he'd wake up in his warm bed with his blankets all bundled around him, and his friends still going blissfully unaware of the killer that they were harboring.
His dream stayed a dream, for when he opened his eyes he found himself still in the dusty old bar, disowned by his friends, with his dead ex-wife now kneeling before him, her ghostly hands hovering over his own, her intense eyes staring straight into his.
"Chere, I don' think you can help me. Honestly, I don' think anyone can so maybe you should cut your loses and go where ever you be goin'." His voice was so light as he told her to leave, it was almost lost amidst the wind blowing against the tavern sign.
But her's was all the more lighter although it could not be lost amidst any sound. For the first time Remy realized that she was speaking directly into his mind and no matter what he did there would be no way to not hear what she had whispered, bringing herself higher as to say it into his ear.
"I don' like where I'm goin'. Besides, I don' ever cut my loses. Ever. You know dat. I never give up. So you better sit back and relax, 'cause I get de feelin' it goin' to be a long, hard night."

 

Chapter Fourteen

"Now you listen to me, Remy," the specter stood beside him placing one of her hands on his shoulders hoaxing him to his feet, "I'm goin' to help you make everythin' better, but you got to do one thing."
The old floor boards began to creak as Remy reached his feet, maybe it was just an illusion but for the first time since he came the smoke seemed to clear, bringing the tiniest bit of hope to the down troten thief's mind. Turning to Belladonna his red on black eyes mirrored that wee sense of hope, "Wat do I got to do?"

"Gone...?" the whisper had barely escaped her. "Remy has left...?" The regal wind rider slumped against the wall for support, the woman who soared through clouds on a daily basis, now feared her legs would give. "Are you sure, Charles?"
"Quite sure." Xavier, for the first time in minutes, pulled his eyes from the images of the raging storm outside, the shock was beginning to leave him. But sadly not his students, especially the cause of the storm. "I am sorry."
"You do not need to apologize, Charles."

The tips of blue fingers reached behind toward the soft white feathers of his wings, slightly touching them, just a gentle stroke, a simple reassurance they were still there.
Warren smiled.
But like all things the smile soon faded as he watched Storm close her eyes; a bolt of lightning struck the ground, its light illuminating her like a spotlight.
"Is she causing this? That bastard leaving hurt her that much?"
That didn't settle very well with him. He was quite possibly one of the key factors that caused Gambit to disappear into the night in which he came, leaving a gnawing ball in his stomach.

"I now whole heartily regret what I said." said Beast as he approached Ororo, his nails tapping against the shiny linoleum each step of the way. "It was the heat of the moment that led me to my conclusion. I did not think ahead to what my actions might cause. I am sorry." A furry hand laid itself upon Storm's shoulder, the lights flickered in and out as another bolt struck close hitting the electrical wires.
As the humming of the bulbs hushed a single tear fell from Storm's eyes and the hand that directed thunder also fell, but it fell upon the soft fur of her friend, taking comfort. Her fingers were slightly tickled by the short bristles and an unseen smile began to form on Beast's face. In the temporary darkness the good doctor knew everything was okay...
Then the lights returned.
"The heat of the moment dictated you actions?" Ororo looked up, her usually kind eyes had grown terribly cold, "Then it is quite lucky we all did not have axes or Remy would be dead."
The good doctor so wished for the darkness to return. In the darkness everything was going to be okay.
Beast, in his longing for normality, had barely noticed Storm fly off but it wasn't hard to see that she had made good time, her hair contrasted so much with the dark skies. Soon she would be out of shouting distance.
"Wait..." he had called out but she did not hear him or did not bother to respond, Beast wasn't quite sure which was the circumstance.
"It's okay," Wolverine's gruff voice accompanied the comforting pat on the back, "I'll talk to her. Ya never know, she might listen to me."
Lowering his eyes, Beast and the rest of the X-Men watched as Wolverine ventured out, the top of his hair the last thing to disappear from their sights, in what appeared to be an all out hurricane.
Then Hank got his wish, the lights blew out.

"You got to go back."
Remy stumbled back startled, nearly crashing into a few of the identical stools that rested beside the bar. It was the first real action, besides a ghost materializing, the bar had seen since Ben, the bartender, locked the place up for the holidays. The dust, that had settled to the floor during the time after it had been closed for the holidays, flew up at the surprise movement and danced upon the slight breeze that dwelt within the near vacant room for a moment before resting again.
"Are you nuts?" The thief's red eyes stared quizzically at the ghost. "Back to de house?"
The dead assassin nodded.
"De house I just left?"
Again, the dead assassin nodded.
An image popped into Remy's mind then; an image that included various members of the X-Men yelling, chairs, the kitchen table being toppled over, and his dead body on the floor with his blood seeping out staining the tiles. It quickly disappeared returning his mind to the bar and glancing around the empty room he knew he had a very easy choice to make. "Not goin'."
Belle took far less time contemplating before she responded and pointed to the door and with a bang, it swung open. "You got to."
His eyes had followed the door before it hit the wall causing them to instinctively shut. It was suicide going back. All those people were angry at him... he couldn't face them, one in particular. "I can'. I'm not goin' back, dat's dat."
"Why?" She watched as he turned away from her and returned to the bar. Belle "hmphed". Being cryptic with her wasn't going to work nor was trying to be commanding even if she hadn't been dead. It was then a light dawned in her mind and her aggravation toward him bled away. He had his reasons and it didn't take a genius to figure them out. Exhaling an unneeded breath she softly told him, "Wait, don' answer dat. I know why."

"Why can't Ah have a nice Christmas every so often?" Rogue asked heavenward as she wrapped the wine red sheets of her bed tightly around her.
She was still chilled.
"Now Ah know why Scrooge was so bitter."
The wind pounded her already rattling window as the humming of her heater tried to match. But for a moment the wind won the competition shaking the glass and frame violently causing Rogue to turn. "Ah hope that thing doesn't come out." she said cocking her head to one side examining the frame from where she sat, "Ah really don't feel like bunkin' with anyone tonight... especially tonight."
With a sigh she turned her attention back to the side of her bed and to the small brown bear that stared her dead in the face with his little black eyes. "Come here," she whispered to the plush toy, almost expecting it to obey, before grabbing the little thing and sitting it in front of her.
"Now why do ya think the only two men in this house attracted to me have horrible skeletons in their closets?" she asked addressing the bear.
The bear didn't reply, just stared back.
"You don't know either, do you? Well, neither do Ah. And Ah don't think Ah ever will." Dancing the bear closer to her, Rogue hugged it tightly to herself. "Ah just hope Remy's okay, like wild dogs down there before. Ah don't hear any shoutin' though. Hmm, maybe Bobby froze them all so no one would get hurt."
The she paused pulling the bear away, "Where is Bobby, anyway?"

"I don't like today."
The Windows 95 icon flashed on the screen as the computer booted up. After what felt like an eternity the main screen came on, the butterflies that decorated the background finally appeared and grasping the mouse as if life depended on it Bobby started to move the pointer around the screen.
"I liked Christmas a lot more when I was little and it involved Santa and not Sinister." he mumbled as he moved the cursor to the Netscape Navigator icon, some surfing over the internet would help him forget today he hoped. "Just because they both start with S's doesn't mean their interchangeable holiday icons."
The white pointer floated over the desired icon and, much not to Bobby's surprise, decided not to move anywhere else or click down.
Frozen. The whole computer was frozen.
"That's it. Screw you, Bill Gates." He placed his fingers on "Ctrl", "Alt", and "Delete" and closed the whole thing out. "I'll play "Doom" on Dos. Just as long as I get to shoot something and relieve the frustration."
The lights of the computer dimmed leaving Bobby in the dark for a few seconds. "Hey, at least I didn't get the blue Windows screen of death again," he chuckled half hearted to himself as something about the complete darkness made him uneasy. The computer began to hum slightly as the empty black screen of Dos appeared before him and with just a tiny cursor blinking greeted Bobby Drake as he tried to forget.

"Rogue's de reason why you can' go back, isn't it, Remy? It's not wat Warren might feel about you or Xavier, it's Rogue." Finished, she gave Remy his space and sat herself down at the bar. Belle smiled, that would get his attention.
Gambit glanced up briefly watching Belle sitting a few seats to his left. This was such an odd day, not even considering what happened at the house. "How'd you know, cherie?" he whispered knowing no matter how lightly he spoke the specter would hear him.
"I'm dead. I pretty much know all." She tapped her nails against the bar and frowned as they went through. That still needed some more practice. "Besides, to me you've always been as transparent as clear, natural, spring water."
For the first time that night Gambit laughed, "Dat true. But chere, den now you know why I can' go back. Dey most likely don' want me dere anyway. I'm doin' wat's best."
The deceased assassin shook her head at her friend and exhaling another unneeded breath. "Don' 'dink for people, Remy. Your always wrong wid dis kind of stuff." Amused at the confused look on his face she got up, while the pool balls racked themselves and a stick jumped into her ghostly hands, and floated to the scratched pool table.
Crack.
Two balls went down into the pockets. The specter paced to the other side of the table, briefly looking up at the only living person in the bar who had turned to watch. "You got to learn from your own history, Remy, or you'll keep repeatin' it."
Crack. Another ball gone.
The floor boards creaked as the thief walked toward the table. "I thought you were gonna help me not start spittin' out lines from fortune cookies."
Crack. Three more.
Aggravated, Belladonna slammed the pool stick down. At least he wasn't brooding again, she thought amused, calming her aggravation with him a little. Taking a deep breath, "But dat is where all your problems lie. You don' learn. If you did den you would know dat dis won't get you away from your problems only prevent dem from biting you in de ass for a while."
"Chere," Gambit began talking to her like she was five, drawing nearer to the spirit, "I can' go back besides Rogue bein' dere, dey know wat I've done."
"Jean-Luc knows wat you've done for years and he still loves you." Belle grabbed the pool stick again with a smirk and returned to her game.
"My papa knows about de massacre?"
"Three weeks after you did it," she replied matter-of-factly, sending another ball into the pocket. "You shouldn' 'dink for other people, you not dem. Dey much more complex dan you give dem credit. Is dat enough to convince you to go back?"
Remy smiled, "You know me well enough, Belle. Is it?"
"Naw, dat would be too easy. You much too stubborn to be convinced like dat. Dat's why I loved you." The deceased assassin returned to the other side of the table, lining up her shot.
Eight ball, corner pocket, the easiest shot the game had ever seen and in the dim light of the musty old bar Gambit recognized the shot; the one he had missed. Belle glanced at Remy briefly, her eyes meeting his from across the room, then returned her attention to the ball. The ebony ball glistened in the light that radiated from the one bulb lamp that hung overhead.
"So chere," Remy moved closer, leaning over the table talking ever so softly, his red eyes sparkling in the shadows the lamp's light created. "You said you were gonna help me..."
"Stop it." She didn't even bother to look up, continuing to line up her final shot.
Gambit drew still closer. He'd be damned if he let her make the shot he missed, he'd break her concentration, "You always were a perfectionist... you..."
Throwing him a glare she eyeballed her shot one last time. "First of all, Remy," the specter laughed, despite the fact that she was trying to concentrate, "You're flirting with a ghost. Don' you find dat a waste of your energy?" Belle shook her head to herself, try to make her miss her shot. She knew his tricks, he mastered them on her. At least he was acting like himself again. "I'll return to Yoda mode in a second, just as soon as I..."
Crack. The corner pocket rattled as the ball plummeted down.
Game point.
Belladonna straightened up as she heard the ball smack the bottom of the leather pocket, and nodded in approval of her work. The pool stick hovered back to its rack almost as if it were alive itself, lightly grazing the floor, seemingly dancing most of the way.
"Wat an easy shot, right, Remy?" she whispered into his ear from behind, causing the startled man to jump forward a little, his duster flaring right through her. She didn't mind, just simply continued moving to the other ear. "But I guess de shot would be harder when de ball turns into Joeneto's head."
"Joseph." Remy whispered as he could almost see right before his eyes Joseph holding Rogue, sleeping soundly in his bed. His eyes narrowed as the picture seemed to fade away into the backdrop of the bar.
Belle smiled. That was the fire she wanted lit beneath him, this was the Remy LeBeau she knew that would do something. She circled around him with a glint in her clear blue eyes, "And dere's more to it dan just dat."

 

TBC in Chapter 15