Chapter 9:
Back With Logan:
Shit! I fucked up big time! knew I shouldn't have left her on her own! I should've stayed with her. Now she's locked in the school with some fucking maniac with no way to escape! I thought she'd be safe. I checked the fire alarms, I triple checked security. I thought she'd be safe, I really did! There was nothin' else I could've done...
And that's what's so God damn pathetic.....
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Back With Rouge:
The dull thuds of metal objects lodging into wood was all that could be heard for several, horribly quiet moments. When the final piece of cutlery hit the door, everything was again still and silent. Rogue took notice of what was in front of her for the first time and saw that there was no one standing anywhere behind her or even laying or cowering or injured or hell even dead on the floor. She let out a huge, shuddered sigh and leaned against the counter next to her to support her suddenly shakey legs. She tiredly held her face in her hand and lowered her head, her eyes closing. It was all in her imagination.
Things had been stressful for her lately and it was making her imagination work over time. There was no one watching her or making noises. It was, like so many things, just in her head. The noises were just the house, the being watched was her imagination and her sandwich...Well, she couldn't explain that so she just decided to ignore it.
After giving another sigh, Rogue straightened up and turned around, intending to get more bread. However, upon turning, she collided with someone else. She screamed in surprise and backed away quickly, stumbling a little in her haste. It didn't take her long to realise that it was actually the form of Remy which she had bumped into.
"Jesus Swamp rat! What ya tryin' to do! Give me a heart attack or just make me think Ah'm losing mah mind!" She gasped out irritably, pressing her hand against her pounding heart.
"Sorry, but Remy couldn' resist dhe temptation of teasi' his chere." He grinned playfully at her. Rogue glared at him and noticed something in his right hand.
"Whah'd you steal mah sandwich!" She yelled, her now half eaten sandwich being the object in Remy's grasp.
"Remy hungry. He missed lunch." He replied with a shrug.
"Ya could've just asked me to make ya your own insteada stealin' mahne." She grumbled while nudging past him to finally get more bread. "What are ya doin' here anyway?" She asked as she moved back over to the jars, bread in hand.
"Remy came to keep you company cherie." He answered as he lifted himself up to sit on top of the counter beside Rogue.
"How'd ya get past the security system?" She continued to question, though her tone was now less hostile and more calm.
"Wasn' too hard. Dhere some blind spots on dhe east side of dhe garden so it was easy enough to ge' in dhe grounds. As for gettin' in dhe building, Remy climbed up to an open window." He explained before taking a bite of the sandwich. Rogue considered what he said and guessed the open window was probably the one in Jubilee's and Kitty's room. She grinned at the thought of the lecture they'd get if the teachers found out. "Expected a higher standard of security from a place like dhis." Remy continued after swallowing a bite of sandwich. She merely shrugged in reply.
Rogue looked up from her sandwich and glanced around herself for a moment before appearing to remember something. She peered over her shoulder and saw all the cutlery still lodged into the door and the surrounding wall. A faint, embarassed blush tinged her cheeks while she lifted her right hand and stretched it out in front of herself. She went to draw it back to her body but found she couldn't. Her blush faded and she frowned slightly in annoyance and determination before sharply yanking her arm back. As she did so, the cutlery dislodged from the door and wall and jolted forward harshly before pausing for a second and then smoothly floating over into the, still, open drawer.
Rogue took a sharp knife from the air as it passed her and used that to cut the sandwich. All this had been watched very carefully by Remy as he continued to eat his stolen sandwich.
"Dhat a handy trick." He commented as Rogue dropped the two dirty knives in the sink to her left and then nudged the cutlery drawer shut with her hip.
"Yeah. Guess the fact Magnerto tried to kill me has one advantage." She muttered darkly. Remy's eyes widened in surprise at Rogue's words and tone and it didn't go unnoticed by her. She gave a tired sigh and her shoulders sagged as though burdened by a heavy weight. "Ah'm sorry. Ah'm just a little stressed. Hasn't exactly been the best coupla days ever." She apologised, offering a forced smile.
"Solitary startin' to get to you hmm?" Remy guessed sympathetically.
"It's just so borin' and being so bored is so frustratin'. Ah think Ah'd actually have prefered the Professor's idea of talkin' 'bout stuff but he had to go and cave in to Logan's stupid solitary idea." She moaned as she put away the jars she had got out. "Ah trahd callin' ya a few tahmes but ya phone was always off." She added, turning her head to look at him.
"Yeah...Remy was in Louisiana. Didn' really wanna be disturbed you know?" He told her solemnly.
Rogue stopped her movements and switched her full focus onto her friend.
"You were in Louisiana?...How'd it go?" She inquired gently.
"Not so good. Wen' to find ou' facts more dhen anyt'in' but Remy found dhat even dhey were hard to find." He murmured, sounding disappointed. "Got a look at dhe headquarters dhough and you're right chere, no way is Remy gettin' in dhere by himself."
"We could go together, right now." Rogue offered half heartedly. She wanted to help but her helping meant leaving the school and that would probably mean more punishment. She didn't like that but she didn't like Remy being so sad even more.
"Non chere. Remy not gon' get you into anymore trouble by making you sneak ou'." He told her stubbornly. "Jean Luc in no immediate danger. He's jus' dhe bait to get Remy over dhere. Dhere's no immediate rush." He continued, his words casual and relaxed but his tone betrayed him by sounding worried.
"Well, that's something at least." Rogue encouraged, not really knowing what else to say.
"Hmm..." Remy merely hummed in reply.
Rogue watched his for long expression sadly and found that the irrisistable urge to hug him was rapidly creeping up on her. Would it be wise to give in to that urge though? It might be mistaken as a romantic gesture, which although she would like it to be, it couldn't be. She wouldn't allow Remy to get himself involved with her that way. She couldn't touch after all. What sort of relationship can you have if you can't touch?...
Well, there was that scarf she bought...
No, it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be a good idea...But surely giving him a hug wouldn't be so bad right? Just an innocent, friendly hug. Nothing romantic, nothing overly intimate. Just a friendly hug between friends. Because that's what they were. They were friends...
But it could be so much more...
No it couldn't! She can't touch and therefore can not have a normal relationship.
After she was satisfied that she had completely convinced herself that it was the truth, Rogue put her sandwich down and moved a little closer to Remy. She ignored the little voice inside asking why she was so nervous if it was nothing but a friendly hug and slowly slipped her arms around his waist...
"See, this is fahne. A simple, comforting hug. Plenty of layers in between and absolutely nothing romantic abaht it. Totally safe. Nothing to worry abaht. Okay, he just put his arms arahnd mah waist but that's normal. It's just a sahgn that he ain't uncomfortable and that's good. Good to know he's feeling comfortable...Erm, did he just tighten his hold or was that mah imagination? Not that Ah'm payin' that much attention to the situation of course 'cause Ah'm completely at ease. Ah'm totally fahne with the entire situation...Even though his head is restin' on mah shoulder! Oh Ghad, Ah can feel him breathin' on mah neck!
Hmm, that actually feels kinda nahce...
No! This is not nahce! It's bad! Very bad! He's too close. Something's gonna happen and Ah'll have an unconcious Cajun to explain to Logan and the others when they get back. Gotta think of a reason to pull away...
He's so warm though and he smells so gooooood...
No, gotta stop thinkin' lahke that. Those thoughts are not gonna help the situation! Focus on an excuse. Any excuse...
Do Ah really have to pull away though? He obviously knows the risks. He'll be careful........
Nope! Sorry, can't take that chance. Can't...Wait...Is he?...He's not...Oh crap! He's started nuzzling! He's nuzzling mah neck...Hey, did Ah just hear someone sigh? Was that me? Did Ah just sigh! Gahd, this is so embarrassing!
But good.
Shut up! Oh Gahd, please say somethin' Remy! Ah don't care what, just say something to ruin the moment, to give me a reason to pull away. Any little thing will do!"
"Remy didn' t'ink you'd get dhis bold 'til our first date cherie."
"That'll do!"
Rogue pulled away from the warm embrace perhaps just a little too quickly before doing her best to glare convincingly up at Remy.
"And what date would that be?" She asked, managing to control her voice quite well.
"Dhe date dhat Remy get to take you on 'cause he won dhe bet." He replied with a hint of cockyness in his voice, his empathy allowing hm to know exactly how he was effecting her.
"Erm, Ah hate to burst ya bubble Swamp Rat but ya lost that bet." Rogue reminded him. "It was a trap, just lahke Ah knew it would be. Ah was raht, you were wrong. Ah won, you lost."
"Let us study dhe actual phrasing of dhe bet hmm? If Remy recall correctly, and he does, his exact words were "if not'in' unexpected happens". Not'in' unexpected did happen chere. Remy knew it was gon' be a trap, dhat's why he didn' wan' you to come alon'." He explained, his tone now annoyingly cocky. An annoyed frown formed on Rogue's face. She was annoyed at Remy for using such a cheap trick and she was even more annoyed with herself for not picking up on it sooner...But something suddenly occured to her...
"Wait, somethin' unexpected did happen. Juli's goons shot at me and later, when we were in the apartment above Joe's cafe, ya said ya thought they had more honour than that. You didn't think they'd do that. Ya didn't know they'd shoot at me which means it was something unexpected. Somethin' unexpected did happen and you said it wouldn't." She countered with a huge grin on her face. "So, Ah was raht and you were wrong! Ah did win and, yes, you did lose!" She laughed triumphantly. Remy stared at her in disbelief, his jaw hanging open a little. After a while, he seemed to recover sufficiantly enough to frown in disappointment.
"T'ought Remy was supposed to be dhe t'ief 'round here." He grumbled. "And dhere you go stealin' his victory."
"Ah'm sure you'll get over it." Rogue told him, her huge grin still stuck firmly on her face. "C'mon Swamp Rat, Ah wanna beat ya at some pool." She challenged playfully as she led Remy out of the kitchen.
Rogue 2, Remy 1. That was the final score between the two at pool. Remy had started making excuses when it was clear he would lose their fourth game and had insisted on settling the score over cards. Rogue had reluctantly agreed, the hope of beating him at, literally, his own game spurring her on.
So, now they were in the sitting room, sat on the floor opposite to one another with two piles of cards in front of them; one facing up, one facing down. Both held their own fans of several cards but, where as Remy was annoyingly casual, his cards simply resting on his lap, Rogue held hers close to their chest and was much more serious. She studied her cards carefully before plucking one out of the fan and placing it down on the pile that faced up. Remy took his turn much faster and placed an eight of clubs down on the same pile.
"Spades." He says, drawing out the word as though he wasn't completely sure.
"Haven't ya already put dahn the eight of clubs before?" Rogue asked him, frowning in suspicion.
"Obviously haven' since dhere it is now." He replied reasonably, though something in his voice told her that he was hiding something. Rogue continued to frown but said nothing more. She sighed in annoyance as she realised she had no suitable cards in her current hand and grudgingly picked one up from the pile which faced down. Her face brightened a little when she saw that the card she picked up could at least be used. A sly grin formed on Remy's face as he placed down another of his cards, the eight on spades, on the pile facing up. "Hearts." He said, his grin remaining.
"Would ya stop changin' it!" Rogue exclaimed in exasperation, the card she just picked up now useless like the rest. She glanced down to see what card he had placed down and her frown returned.
"You're cheatin'!" She accused angrily.
"How?" He asked, his face a mask of innocence.
"You've got extra cards!"
"Dhat kinda goes agains' dhe object of Crazy Eights chere. You meant to ge' rid o' dhe cards, not get more."
"If you ain't cheatin' then whah do Ah have that card as well?" She countered, holding out her own eight of spades. Remy stared at her for a moment.
"How do Remy know you not dhe one cheatin'?" He finally replied.
"'Cause Ah ain't the one with a couple dozen packs of the same type of cards!" Rogue cried before suddenly diving forward and pouncing on him. Caught off guard, Remy was thrown off balance and they both fell onto the floor with a slight thud.
After a bit of a struggle, Rogue managed to pin Remy's arms down with her knees. That left her arms free so, all complexes about her skin forgotten, she could slide her hands up Remy's sleeves. Surely enough, she found several loose cards up there and, pulling them out, revealed that they were mainly eight cards of various suits. She held them up so he could see and smirked down at him, gloating over the fact she knew him better than he thought she did. Remy interrupted her small celebration though and yanked his arms suddenly, unbalancing Rogue in the process and causing her to tip over. Remy quickly dove onto Rogue as she began to try and shuffle away and the situation switched to his control. A small, playful wrestling match followed before Remy finally managed to pin Rogue down beneath him. The whole mood then suddenly changed from playful.
Rogue had giggled the whole time and continued to do so until she felt Remy tenderly brush his bare finger tips against one of the white streaks in her hair. Her breath caught in her throat and her giggles ended abrubtly with a choaked squeak. Her eyes flashed open and she stared up at Remy uncertainly. He simply stared back with soft, caring eyes. They stayed frozen that way for an uncanny amount of time before Remy began to inch his face closer to hers.
"Remy..." Rogue whispered fearfully, causing Remy to stop dead. "Ah don't want to hurt..."
"I know, but I also know that you want it as much as I do." He murmured, letting his eyes drift shut. Rogue was too stunned at the fact he hadn't referred to himself in third person to even reply. She continued to watch nervously as he drew ever closer to her. So warm, so comforting, so reassuring...She allowed her own eyes to drift shut and found hereself eagerly tilting her head up to meet him faster. They were so close, so near to touching...
The sound of a distant door banging open suddenly reached their ears. Both flashed open their eyes in an instant and they snapped their heads to the side to stare at the entrace of the sitting room from which the front hallway was visible from.
"Rogue?" Scott's voice called out.
"Don't call out! You'll give 'em time to run off!" Logan's voice came next though it sounded more distant than Scott's. Rogue's mouth still dropped open in horror though; Logan was back!