The Last Chapter

Rain. The only sound that filled the recesses of the mansion wings echoing through corridors coupled with sporadic clashes of lightning and thunder where sky battled earth for domination. A coincidence as to the fact that he too had his own battle to confront.

Striking, a vision of distraught beauty, a Venus de Milo in modern day gazed out of framed aperture with sad eyes seeing everything yet nothing all at once. She had been like this for a number of days now. He had grown to suspect it had less to do with him and more to do with the ones she left behind in order to be with him.

And yet she was free. A bird with a key to its own cage. He had no restrictions over her. If she wanted to leave then she could despite the fact that the sight of her retreating back aggrieved him.

"You miss him don't you?" Remy spoke from a distance as if his nearness would force her to leave.

She turned then. The eyes lit only by the lightening casting the hall in an eerie corn silk hue, "If I go to him he will never let me come back here. But if I leave then I cannot stay with you."

A truth he knew all too well. Remy tried to read her deeper emotions through her shadowy eyes when she turned from him blocking them with her spun ginger hair. Stilling his self for his words he came closer to her using a finger to carefully place her hair behind her ear so that he could see her face for what he thought would be the last time, "If you miss him then go to him."

Thunder concealed her small gasp, but not her tears. They ebbed along the contours of her face as she slammed her fist into the window, "You don't get it. I don't want to leave," her words punctuated by another crackle, "I want to be with you," but in a smaller voice, "And him too."

"I will not make you choose."

"But he would."

"You don't know that."

"A year to this day," she used the back of her hand to steady her tears, "I've been. I've missed … I haven't so much as called him."

Lightening illuminated her face. It was in that moment that he truly knew he did not have a choice. He had known that eventually this day would come. Sins considered he didn't deserve happiness. He didn't even disserve her he painfully admitted to himself. A few months ago he saw the first signs of her duress.

At first he thought it a miscalculation on his part. Maybe that day he wasn't witty, handsome, smooth, romantic, and or charming enough when all the while it was not him it was her.

The year spent together had many a vicissitude. Change whether it is good or bad followed by readjusting had been their norm. At first it seemed simple enough. He had originally underestimated her need to get to know him which is why he put up fronts as well as lavishing her with his wealth. But his Anna already knew he was rich, already knew he was a Guildsmaster. She told him bluntly one day that maybe she couldn't get to know the real him because he didn't even know who that is and if he couldn't figure that out then it was a waste of time putting up with his antics.

So naturally he simply filled her in on his life story hoping that would suffice her. Instead this had the opposite effect. She told him that she wasn't looking for his timeline she was looking for him and to emphasize her previous threat she left that night to a nearby hotel refusing to come back until he found himself.

In need of assistance he spoke with his father. JeanLuc simply told him to ask himself questions making it a point to answer himself truthfully and that he might be surprised by the outcome. After work that evening he sat with a blank piece of stationary in front of him wondering what the hell kind of questions should he be asking himself. The same occurred three nights in a row until, over a night cap, he began scrawling random questions.

By morning he had formulated that he loved grilled cheese sandwiches, preferred beer in a bottle rimmed with lemon juice, liked soccer, loved to steal –well more like relished in it, hated being a Guildmaster, hated having responsibility, admitted that he was more the wind winding its way around a motionless mountain top, that secretly he longed to be free. He realized that what he loved best about having sex was for those brief hours he could forget about who he was. His guilt, his responsibility, his hardships, and just enjoy life. He also admitted to himself that he was more of a bad person who did good things than a good person with the occasional screw up and that he was ok with that. In fact the prospect of going to hell didn't scare him. Few things rarely did. Yet the notion of spending his life without her scared him more than anything.

He told her as much the same morning and although she didn't come back when he left the hotel she was back by dinner time.

And it was about three months in before the romance began. He'd never forget the day when the autumn flowers were in bloom. How the asters with their pink petals reminiscent of his Anna's lips called attention to the viewer while contrasting beautifully with violet spotted toad lilies and goldenrod marigolds.

Amongst the flowers she sat with her legs crossed, elbows resting upon her thighs, in deep concentration. Wondering what she was reading he crossed over to her easily plucking the book from her hand turning her focused eyes to polished emeralds.

Refusing to give it back until she explained it she confessed that it was a romantic novel, but she just couldn't believe how easily the lead female would fall in love with the lead guy just because of a few words and a conveniently placed accident.

"Depends on the guy." He stated picking up where she left off reciting the male lead, Pietro's , lines. Still holding the book she recited Angelica's lines and by the time they finished reading he had her red faced. He could make the ingredients to bologna sound good if he wanted to. From then on they always read together like that when he wasn't busy.

From there matters only grew warmer. It's funny looking back he considered. How can his memories be so warm while his current state was ice cold? Either way there had been many close calls to touching her. In the hall, his bedroom, the kitchen counter, of course the flowerbeds, and what's more he didn't actually have to initiate contact all the time.

Then December came with the news that he would soon be an uncle. Apparently making Bella pick up after the dog he bought her on her knees made her see reason. And with it being the time of good tidings Bobby showed up near constantly with status reports constantly talking about his little family. And how happy his family was and how good looking his family was going to be once it was complete. He said if he had a son he'd treat him less than just to toughen him up, but if he had a daughter he'd spoil her rotten and look after her always.

It was those words at the dinner table that made his Anna draw short. Sitting her flute down she politely excused herself. He didn't understand then like he did now. After all how could he fully understand the perplexity of a woman's mind until it became rather obvious what was troubling her. And now that it was June again he couldn't remedy her current state of dismay.

While she was getting to know him he had gotten to know her. He knew that as important as he was to her he just wasn't enough. Although he was ready to forsake anything just to be with her she wasn't because she had a heart. When she loved she did so unconditionally. A gift he had only recently felt. He knew he could never make her choose, he also knew she needed her friends and her parents. After all she was entitled to that right.

Drawing her into his chest, "Go."

"I … I." she was torn. He could feel the ripping of her heart through his clothes as readily as he could hear it in her voice.

"If you love me," he couldn't finish the command just yet. His throat had restricted, closing him out of the words he not wanted but needed to stay. Chocked, "You will leave me."

"But I don't want …"

"Few rarely get what they want," he reminded pulling her tighter to him, "Seldom have what they need and Anna you need your family. Go to them."

"But I need you too." Her grip on his waist tightened at the goodbye.

Forcing his arms to release her, "Anna I am commanding you to leave not because I am Guildmaster here, but because I love you. A while ago you asked me who I really was. What I can tell you now is that I'm not the type to deny you anything … not anymore."

The precipitation outside quickened in time with her heartbeat causing her to jump, "I don't know what to say. Thank you seems so cruel and calling you a jerk at this moment wouldn't work …"

"Just go. Nothing you can say will change how either of us feel."

)GM(

How could everything be so calm when she felt the world crumbling around her? Her feet felt like lead with every step she took away from him. On her way out she just sat there and stared hoping for one last glimpse. Only after an hour passed did she find it in herself to depart. Broken inside out she went to one of the few places in the world she felt truly safe.

Xavier's Institute for the Gifted

Not caring that her headlights were still on or that there was luggage in her trunk she walked up to the doors trying to find the strength to open them. Anna had a reputation as being one tough bitch and she would be damned if she just walked in there looking every part the kicked puppy.

Balling her fist as she tried to ground herself she heard a rustle to her left. Turning she saw it was Logan. He was looking at her as if he had just found the cure to cancer which abruptly turned to fierce anger then concern when he no doubt smelled the tears clinging to her blouse.

Before he could do so much as question her she ran into his arms and cried. She had missed him so much, she was so happy, and yet sad. Bittersweet to be with her father yet without her lover. Seeing that she would not calm anytime soon he carried her to the garage.

Upon being sat down she apologized for what she had told him for she didn't mean it followed quickly by all that has happened until now.

"I … I," she cried, "I … just love him … so much."

The sound of Logan punching his bike bought her out of her confession. He was beyond angry constantly fighting for the words to say while looking at her as if she disgusted him. Until finally he caught the words as if the wind carried them calling her a besotted fool and a dumb ass, being the nicest of terms, for running back to someone he had worked, not to mention her friends, so hard to save her from.

He even complimented Remy for having the sense to send her back where she belonged. Then he blamed his self. If only he would have saved her sooner, if only he would have paid more attention he would notice the signs of his daughter losing her mind.

Then he was angry again. Swearing to the high heavens finishing with the words, "At times like this I'm glad I'm not your father," which he immediately wished he could take back.

)GM(

"I've … had my suspicions." Rogue said to Logan a quarter past one in the kitchen a few days later.

"Anna …"

"My real parents. Who are they?"

Closing his eyes to see the memory more clearly, "It was an accident. I was in search of a new start. My search took me to Avinger, Texas. It's a small town. No more than a thousand people and I was just passing through.

It was late but I wanted a coffee. The waitress was kind to me. Let me in, pulled out a chair, and handed me a menu saying that they rarely saw visitors here when her boyfriend came. He didn't look small town. He had a business suit with neatly groomed brown hair with a pale complexion swearing up and down that the bastard wasn't his. When she persisted he slammed her into the table and I saw him out.

The girl was sad. She didn't have much money. She couldn't bring her child into this world. Since I saved her she said anything I wanted on the house and told me her life story. Her friend Jamie-Beth snuck them into this high end function in Dallas. And that's where she and Jameson Carter met.

I stayed a little while. Long enough to know she was thinking of adoption before I left for Mexico. A while later I came back. She was hiding a black kid in the back from these racist assholes that were hunting him until they passed.

Someone snitched and they threatened to kill her if she didn't give up where she had moved the kid to since the diner was clean. I heard her scream, I ran, I heard the shot. I wanted to chase after the guy who did it but the pain induced labor.

I didn't know what to do so she yelled orders at me. Next thing I know I'm at the diner holding you. She knew if we didn't get you out soon you would die with her and then she asked me to make sure that you were safe. It's strange that the moment she closed her eyes the same pair opened to look at me.

And after I settled everything down there I had you and didn't know what to do, but I couldn't give you up. I'm sorry I never told you. Marianne was a good woman. Even dying she put the needs of others over herself."

"I see."

"And I've done some thinking. I don't like this. Whatever this is between you and him, but I will try. Lord knows I've sinned and even your mother managed to bring out the good in me perhaps you do this for him."

"Logan."

Standing, "Anna I know what I said that day will take some time to forgive and I'm not agreeing to this to appease him. I'm doing this for you."

"Why?"

"Because I love you too."

)GM(

"I guess Tatera did do something right after all," he said admiring the blue Mayan jade necklace turning the smooth pieces in his hand, "if it weren't fer him I would have never met her."

"Who?"

He turned surprised to see the woman he was just thinking about. With a smile he answered, "The woman that I love."

Pretending to not know to whom he was addressing, "Do I know her?"

"She looks a lot like you except she's wearing this necklace."

"Umm no one is wearing that necklace."

"Not yet." Remy walked behind her placing it around her neck. Once it affixed itself to her throat it glowed. Concerned he reached to take it off at the same time she did. The touch normally left him waking up on the floor the next day but this time it did nothing. Apparently she noticed the same. Their eyes met briefly before pulling her into a smoldering kiss. In those moments he let her know how much he loved her and would continue to love her before taking it off assuring her that, "I will claim your heart without the need for touch."

"Are you so sure?"

Pulling her into his arms, "We have the rest of our lives to find out."

"Promise?"

"Promise."