Blaze It Up!
Author: AmberEyes
Disclaimer: Ummm, let's see if I close my eyes and wish hard enough and click my heals three times… Nope didn't work, as much as I wanted it too. The characters still don't belong to me; they belong to Stan Lee and the other writers and creative geniuses at Marvel Comics Inc. I'm just using them for my own devices. I also don't own the lyrics to Love Will keep Us Alive, the Eagles do, but I've borrowed them for this fic.
Rating: R rating for sexuality.
Pairings: Rogue/Remy LeBeau
Scott Summers/Jean Grey
Jubilation Lee/ Logan
Category: Romance
Archive:Summary: An old plot line but a goody. The classic Romy told my way, so basically it's just Remy and Rogue getting together with a new spin on it I hope. I'm completely ignoring the cannons from the comic books, or cartoon and starting from scratch, so be patient with me if I make mistakes.
Author's Note: This story is based on the lyrics to an Eagles song called "Love Will Keep Us Alive," becauseI thought of the story concept while listening to that song and I thought it really suited Remy and Rogue. I've included the lyrics at the end of the chapter for reference.
I Love X-Men am wholly obsessed with them, have been since I was a kid but I know nothing about the comics cannons since I watched the cartoons and later the movie. So... this story follows no cannons from any of them, I'm making the story lines up as I go along but nothing really important like characters or powers of course, I'm using what little info I know really. Please don't criticize me or burn me for this, I really wanted to write this fic for along time. Feedback... feedback...feedback... don't let fan fiction authors starve and become an endangered species.
I
June was not the time to take a road trip as far as Ororo "Storm" Monroe was concerned.
The roads were crowded, the traffic jams were terrible and people were rude, especially to those they thought were mutants or mutant lovers. She'd have preferred any time to travel except the early months of summer when all the children were out of school and off on trips with their parents. That may have seemed out to some who knew her because after all, she was a school teacher, and the summer months were when she could travel easily but she stuck by her words. The only good thing about having been sent out on this mission was that the weather had been perfect for the duration of the trip to New Orleans and back again and since that had been totally her doing for the better part, it didn't make the trip any more interesting or less hectic.
As a child Ororo had been gifted with the power to control and manipulate the weather, and her people had revered her for it and the benefits it could bring her. Now, as an adult she used her powers to help others as part of a team of mutants, called the X-Men and she was proud of how far she had come from her early days as a pickpocket in Kenya.
She stepped out of the restaurants washroom, actually aware of the glances she was receiving from the other patrons and waitress as she smiled at them and strode out the door to her waiting convertible. 6'2, tall and slim, (and dressed in a white cropped off shirt and a ethnic print skirt she'd bought on her last trip to Johannesburg) with ice blue eyes and coffee colored skin, she knew the looks of jealousy and admiration she was getting well, she'd been getting them all of her life since the time she was nine years old. And in the same respect, she knew the looks of curiosity and anger she was also receiving from some of the caf's patrons and even its owner, from his position at the end of the counter. Subconsciously she reached up and pushed a strand of pure white hair out of her eyes, tucking it gracefully behind her ear, not caring a whit what they thought as they stared at her hair,( her crowing glory, and something else she was extremely proud of,) and slipped her sunglasses out of her purse, sliding them on she stepped outside.
She headed for her teal green Thunderbird, and slipped behind the wheel, smiling when the car started up with a cat like purr and cruised out of the parking lot and back on to the highway.
Ororo leaned back in her seat, setting the warm sun hit her face and the wind ruffled her hair as she picked up speed, and after a moment leaned over and flicked on the radio to her favorite new age station, letting the soft music calm her as she coasted along, enjoying the ride for the first time. She couldn't wait to get home to the mansion and seen everyone, the team was like her family, with new members leaving and coming all the time, and three weeks was far too long to be away, even if she was in constant contact with her mentor Prof. Charles Xavier for updates about what was going on at home.
As if on cue the soft new age music coming from her top of the line stereo system changed to a thumping heavy rock tune, that caused her teeth to start to vibrate it had so much base.
Yes, the team was like her family, she loved all the members dearly.
However, every families had their annoying members.
She rolled her eyes, and glanced over her shades at her driving companion and the newest member of the X-Men's team as he settled back in the passenger seat, drumming his fingers on the window ledge of the passenger's side window as he bobbed his head to the loud beat of the music.
Tall, muscular with a chiseled face and auburn hair, Remy LeBeau was the reason she'd been sent on this mission. Xavier wanted him on the team and since LeBeau had a history, and a well known reputation as a master thief, and Storm had been a well known pickpocket in her time, he'd figured she'd have the easiest time recruiting him. It had proved to be an easy task once she'd found out where his regular hangouts in New Orleans's were and had actually managed to talk to him. While he'd initially scoffed at the idea of joining the team, especially once he found out that it was also a school for a large number of mutant children, after she'd explained Xavier's philosophy's he'd agreed to join at least for a trial basis. Storm guessed it was the idea of fighting, and being able to get away with fighting that had swayed him to join but she figured he'd come around to their way of thinking totally once he'd talked to the Professor.
He was dressed in a pair of faded jeans, a black t-shirt and a brown trench coat, and she wondered briefly how he was standing the heat, dressed in all the layers he was in. He grinned at her, glancing over the tops of his shades, giving her a glance of his red on black eyes that had so startled her when she'd first met him. "What's a matter Stormy?" he asked as he took in the unamused look on her face. "Not your type of music cher?"
"Must you call me that annoying nickname, all the time?" She asked changing the subject as she changed the radio station back to where it had been.
He shrugged his shoulders and changed it back. "No, not if dat's what ya want."
"Then don't", she pleaded, suddenly intensely glad that they were only an hour away from the mansion. "Just call me Storm, or even Ororo, anything but that." She changed the radio again, praying he would leave it alone, wishing the jet hadn't been grounded for up grades. Then it would have taken only hours to get to New Orleans's and back, instead of four days there and four days back.
Four long days, in a car with a mutant who was as sexy and charming as he was infuriating and annoying at times.
She liked Remy, they got along well for the most parts, had various tastes and talents in common but if she ever had to share her car with him again she'd electrocute him and present the team with the smoking remains.
She groaned inwardly as he changed the radio back again, and the loud music resumed pouring out of her speakers. Nobody touched her stereo, everyone else on the team knew that from riding with her, it was like fiddling with Scott's bike or Logan's pool table, or worse yet, Rogue's tequila, it meant death and not in an easy way. "LeBeau", she said calmly, as was her way, "If you touch that radio dial again I'll wreak the forces of Mother Nature on you so hard, you'll be picking up kinetic energy traces for a week."
"Very funny." he said as he leaned back in his seat and laced his fingers behind his head. As if on cue a loud crack of thunder split the air, making him jump and cloud began to gather on the horizon, moving towards them a rapid pace. He looked over at Storm in time to see the lightning flicker in her eyes, a warning of what was to come. "Ahright, ahright", he said holding his hands up palms extended as he changed the radio station back again. "Remy won't touch it again, he promises."
"Good." Storm said as the day returned to its serene calmness around them. "It's not much longer to the mansion anyway."
He nodded, and cocked his head at her. "So your Professor, he really want Remy ta join dis team of yours?"
Storm nodded "Yes, he seems to think you'll make a good edition." She smiled at him. "I think you'll like it Remy, I really do. The others are very nice, you'll see."
"Remy hopes so.", he said then spoke carefully. "Remy really hasn't ever been a team player chere, he tends ta work alone, thief's prerogative as ya well know, he's not sure if he'd be any good on a team."
Storm smiled again. "Charles wouldn't have asked you to join if he didn't think you didn't have the qualities he's looking for." She said as she took a corner faster then she would normally and reveled in the feel of the car beneath her. "You'll fit in", she said as she tuned the radio better and settled gain in her seat. "And I'm sure you'll get along with everyone, you'll see."
"Remy hopes so." He said quietly, watching the road. "He really does."
The rest of the ride proved uneventful and soon, much to her relief, Storm found herself, heading up the road to the mansion as the sun began to set. "This is GreyMalkin Lane.", she explained to Remy, "It leads in and out of the mansion, and continues on into Salem Center," she glanced at him and found him staring her with a raised eye brow. "That's the town we just passed through." she said to clarify as the mansion came into view.
"What is that?" he said as his jaw dropped and he stared at the Victorian mansion in awe. Storm grinned, she never got over the look people got when they the Mansion for the first time, students and adults alike. She knew the Mansion was huge, so filled with rooms that even with a considerably large student population that was still growing; they'd ever use them all but sometimes she forgot just how huge it was to new comers. She'd lived there for so long that it didn't seem that big to her, it just seemed like… home.
"That's home." she said as she pulled up to the gates. She leaned out the car window and swiped her security card through the slot, and the massive iron gates opened welcomingly. "I know it seems late but I'm sure the Professor will be waiting for us." She knew he would have known they were back even as they entered the lane and that he'd want to speak to Remy, right away.
She pulled into the garage a moment later, and wasn't surprised at all to see Cyclops, showing a group of the older male students the new features he'd added to the tricked out Harley he drove. He looked up with a smile as she pulled in and stopped the car.
"Well, look whose back". He said as he dismissed the students and they went back inside. He watched as she got out of the car and going to the trunk, pulled out her travel bag to take inside. "We were beginning to think you'd run away on us."
"Not a chance Scott." she said with a laugh as Remy got out and pulled his army issue duffle bag out of the back seat where he'd stowed it for the trip. It didn't contain much, he'd only brought things with him that he considered the most important, and that in itself wasn't much.
He watched as Scott eyed him for a moment through the visor that covered his eyes, and he eyed him right back then extended his hand in greeting. "You must be the new guy", he said after a tense moment "I'm Scott Summers, but call me Cyclops."
"Nice ta meet ya", Remy said coolly as he shook the younger man's hand firmly.
"Scott's our team leader." Ororo informed him as she moved to his side with her bag. "He and the Professor coordinate the team for the most parts, along with Jean."
"Jean?" Remy said, raising an eyebrow.
"My fiancée", Scott said and there was a note of pride in his voice that Remy envied. "You'll probably meet her when you go inside; she's never far from the Professor when it comes to the team or work."
Remy nodded and turned to follow Storm into the house. "By the way", he called back as Cyclops started to polish the chrome on the bike. "Nice bike Cykes."
"Thanks.", Cyclops said stoically as he went back to his work.
"Is he always like dat?" Remy asked as they stepped inside and he got a good at where he'd be living from now on. It was opulent in a way he'd never seen. As they walked he started at the oak walls and expensive furniture. They passed a room where a group of kids were watching TV, and Storm waved to them, staring at him as they passed. "Not always." she said by way of answering his questions. "Not when he's around Jean Grey, he's not."
They approached an office door and he knew without asking it was Professor Charles Xavier's office. "He's waiting for us ", Storm said as she stepped up to the door and knocked lightly.
"How ya know da?" he asked.
She knows A voice sounded in his head and for a moment stunned Remy until re realized it was coming from inside the office. Of course, Storm had passed the time on the trip by telling him of some of the powers of his new team mates and she'd mentioned that Charles Xavier was a telepath and a strong on at that. Welcome Remy LeBeau
They entered the office, and Remy looked around at the few others who were sitting in chairs or on couches. Obviously he and Storm had interrupted a staff meeting or a faculty meeting of some sort, and Remy's first idea was to slip out again and come back after he'd settled in his rooms but he could quickly see that wasn't going to happen.
He sized up the other members of the team quickly starting with the stunning redhead on his left, seated closest to the Professor. She smiled at him and gave him a once over with her emerald eyes before turning nonchalantly back to the Professor. Judging by the ring on her hand he assumed this was the Dr. Jean Grey, Storm had told him about, and the fiancée Cyclops had mentioned earlier, so he moved on. Seated next to her was a young Asian girl of about sixteen, dressed in a pair of tight black jeans and a yellow jacket with a pink pair of sunglasses perched on her forehead, he wondered if she was a student or member and seated next to her was the shortest hairiest man he'd ever seen in his life, a man that looked more animal then human. He gave Remy the once over, and Remy caught the predatory look coming from him, he was a hunter and not afraid to show it.
Last but not least was a big blue…beast. It was the only thing Remy could think of to describe the blue man sitting there sipping tea out of a china cup that looked like it was going to shatter into desert sand in his large hand at any moment.
"Hate to interrupt something important," he said. "Remy can come back later if it's better for ya'll."
"Not at all" Jean said as she glanced at the professor with a smile and Remy knew he'd mentally said something to her that only they could hear. "Please come in and meet everyone."
Remy made it a point to never say not to a beautiful women, even if she was clearly spoken for, (Which made him resolve to toughen his will, since there seemed to be an abundance of them on Xavier's staff) so he stepped into the room with Storm behind him and shut the door, praying he wasn't making a mistake and wondering just what exactly he'd gotten himself into when he'd said he'd join Charles Xavier's team.
Twenty minutes later, the introductions had been made and Remy found himself seated casually between Storm and, the Asian girl he now knew to be named Jubilee, while he attended his first briefing. He attempted to sit between Jubilee and, the short hairy man, he now knew to be named Logan, and had to quickly rethink his decision because when he'd sat between them closer to her, he'd seen the look on Logan's face, and recognized it well. He'd given it himself quite a few times in the past years and he had no desire to become separated from a body part he was fond of and would hopefully use in the near future.
Okay, so everyone with the exception of wheel seemed to be paired off, it was something he could live with; it just didn't make things any easier on him.
"About the attack on the Governor a few weeks back", Jean said, giving Scott an appraising glance as he entered the room and stood behind her, jolting Remy to the conversation being held. "I've been thinking it could have been set up by Magneto. He seems like the perfect target, with all his anti-mutant sentiments."
"I agree", Logan said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Bub, seems like he had it coming from all sides."
"It does seem like something Eric would do," Xavier agreed. "And since he's been lying low for the past few months, it also seems like the perfect time, when nobody suspects."
There were unison nods around and Remy winced inwardly for a moment.
" It wasn't Magneto", he said, being intimately familiar with the man from what Storm had told him on the trip home and what he'd read in the papers. It was more then that though, he knew for a fact it hadn't been Magneto who had tried to attack the governor; it had been someone …else.
"Really", Logan said, clearly not liking the fact the new guy was trying to have an input where he didn't know jack. The truth was, however, Remy did know and he was willing to share what he knew, if they were willing to listen. "Then fill us in tough guy, who was it?"
"Logan!" Xavier said sharply before turning to Remy with a warm smile, that Remy had a vague sense was probing him for something. "Please, fill us in, Remy if you know something."
Remy nodded and after a moment spoke, conscious of the fact everyone in the room was looking for him. "It was a hired hit, and a well placed one at dat."
"By Magneto", Logan clarified as if speaking to a small child.
Remy shook his head. "Didn't have nothing ta do with mutants actually. Da Governor has string of gambling debt as long as my arm. People wanted ta get paid and he didn't want ta pay up."
"So it was money." Jubilee said as she looked up from the well manicured hand she was inspecting.
"Got it in one, li'l one." Remy said as he gave her a charming smile. "But it didn't go as planned. Da security at da Mansion was tighter den the assassin thought, so she bailed before things got out of hand anymore then da already had."
"You're sure of this?" Xavier said, looking vastly relived it wasn't his old friend up to his tricks again.
"Positive", Remy said, accepting a mug of coffee from Scott with a nod of thanks.
"And you know this how?" Jean asked gently as she took her tea from Scott and stirred in some sugar. She was clearly warily about invading his privacy but in the same her curiosity was winning out.
"Remy's a member of da Thieves Guild chere," he said just as gently, letting her know she wasn't over stepping. "And da Thieves' Guild and da Assassin's Guild run pretty close. Remy's got da inside track on things dat goes on, so ta speak."
"Connections, huh?" Logan said, grudging accepting the boys words.
A familiar and lovely face drifted to mind, causing Remy's chest to constrict but he quickly pushed it away, reminding himself that part of his life was over and he needed to move on. "Ya could say dat." He said, taking a sip of coffee, letting it scald his tongue "Anyways, da attack didn't have nothing ta do with Magneto but Remy can't promise it won't happen again." he took a breath. "Da guild's hit men are ruthless and persistent, dey won't stop till da jobs finished."
"Good to know." Scott said as he sat down with Jean and settled an arm around her.
The topic moved on to the school and student, turning the briefing into a staff meet and Remy was surprised to find he'd been switching off with Scott to teach Auto Shop. It wasn't that he didn't know anything about car, he knew plenty, and it was just the idea of teaching it to others that scared the hell out of him.
"You'll do fine." Jean assured him. She grinned and he got the feeling Scott had just said something only she could hear. "It could be worse." She made a face. "At least you don't have to teach Sex Ed."
Everyone laughed, Xavier included and it seemed to draw the meeting to a close on some note. Lesson plans were discussed and then on a final note, Xavier excused himself and left the staff in the lounge to discuss things amongst themselves.
"Okay", Jean said a moment after he'd left. She pulled out a clipboard and checked the items off of the meeting agenda. "So, let's talk about the students now shall we?" She smiled again at Remy and he wondered if she was always in a good mood or if it had something to do with the second glass of wine Scott had just handed her. "We meet nightly to discuss the students going's on, to see if there are any problems that need to be dealt with. It's usually minor stuff like misplaced homework, tutorials, lost cloths, things like that."
"Doesn't sound so bad." Remy said, taking a gulp of his lukewarm coffee. "Sounds like something Remy could get used to doing on a regular basis."
Jean nodded, signaling that was good and moved on. "On the plus side, Siryn's not pregnant like we thought, it was a false alarm."
Remy nearly choked on his coffee, if that was normal and minor for the mansion he didn't want to see what a crisis was. Logan grinned and slipped an arm around Jubilee. "I'll bet Colossus is happy."
"Ecstatic, they both are", Jean said with a grin. "I think they'll be more careful from now on."
"I hope so." Scott said as he adjusted his glasses on his nose. "The last thing we need around her is X-Babies.", he grinned at Jean and Remy got the feeling he wasn't to see that, that often. "From the student's at least."
"I'd like to stay naive and ignore the fact we've got sexually active teens around here." Storm put it. "Please!" she pleaded; looking vaguely disturbed her students cavorting around her. Her students were her babies; she didn't want to think about them making any of their own.
"It's a fact of life." Jean said. "We've just got to deal with it and provide the birth control." Remy sat slacked jawed, listening to the conversation around him, wondering what type of school exactly he was going to be working for and in the same moment deciding he liked it immensely already.
"On to the next subject", Jean said tossing her clipboard aside. "Have there been any Rogue sightings lately?" She looked around. "Any? Any at all?"
"A couple in the northwest corridor", Jubilee said, "And Kitty said there's been a few in the kitchen, and one in the garden, last night around midnight." She winced. "Although that could have been a skunk."
"What's a Rogue?" Remy asked, his curiosity peaked as he pictured a mystical creature of some sort or a tough mutant he could fight.
"A very illusive but beautiful creature", Beast said well naturedly.
"With a penchant for strong tequila, pool and Honky Tonk music." Logan put in.
"And a fiery temper to boot." Scott said with a shudder.
" Guys!", Jean said with a soft laugh. She turned to Remy and began to fill him in. " Rogue's a member of our team as well." She sighed and fiddle with her wine glass, deciding just how much to tell him as she went along. "And she's usually at these meetings."
"She teaches English and music history." Jubilee said with a yawn.
" Normally.", Scott agreed. " But not at the moment, I'm covering her classes." Which is a laugh since you almost failed history in school. Jean's voice sounded in his head as she went on. And I should know since I tutored you .
" Anyways.", Jean said, ignoring the crude response he sent back at her , of what else she was tutoring him in, in High School. " She had a bad break up with her boyfriend about three weeks ago and she's taking it hard. They were together over a year and it shocked her when things went sour all of a sudden, without warning."
" Since then she's hardly come out of her room." Jubilee said. " Not even to eat, unless she has too."
" The short of it is, we're all worried about her.", Jean said, " She's normally a very strong, independent person, but this just seemed to have broken her somehow."
" She doesn't show up for training, for her classes, and every time anyone passes her room she's crying." Scott said, clearly sympathizing but also thinking the situation had gotten a bit out of hand.
" All we've basically had her sightings of her in the past few days, since she tends to stick to her quarters." Beast said, crossing his legs in a way, Remy found almost comically given his size and girth. " So we've been tracking her so to speak, to talk her out."
" To see if we can help in any way.", Jean said with a snort. " Hasn't help a damn though, she's still holed in up there. "
"And she's got my best of Areosmith CD." Jubilee lamented to the air. She turned to Remy. " I couldn't even get her to go shopping with me, and Rogue loves to shop."
" Who was da boyfriend?", Remy asked, knowing what she felt like in a way, his heart going out to her.
"Bobby Drake", Logan said, the loathing in his voice saying how much he disliked the man, who'd clearly hurt a good friend. " But he's not here, he left the team after they broke up." He extended a claw and made a crude gesture the ceiling before retracting it. " He knew better then to stick around after what he did to her."
" If you see her, just tell her who you are", Jean said, changing the subject " She's normally very nice to everyone.", she cleared her throat and looked up at the ceiling. " It's just Bobby, she has a few problems with."
" I'll bet." Remy said, still not believing he'd just seen a claw extend from Logan's hand and a deadly one at that. He cleared his throat. "Well if Remy sees her, he'll just have ta introduce himself and see how thing go, won't he?"
"Ya", Logan snorted, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. Remy began to see a protective older brother streak running down his back a mile wide. "Cause I've got a feeling that'll go well."
"I just want to make sure she's alright." Jean said as she sipped at her wine. "So things around here can get back to normal."
"Normal?" Logan said with a laugh as he tossed his beer can on the table. "I don't know what house you been in Red, but 'round here, this is normal."
Remy winced, wondering again about the definition of normal, and quickly deciding it wasn't a definition that suited Xavier's School for the Gifted, at all.
When the meeting let out twenty minutes later, Storm had to run off to deal with a student's roommate crisis, and Scott had, had to go talk to Xavier about something he'd forgotten to mention at the meeting, so Jean offered to show him to his room (so he could stow his stuff.) and then give him a quick tour of the Mansion.
"It would be easier to show you around if it where still light." Jean said as watching as he looked around his new quarters. "But then the students would be out and everyone would be in class so…"
"It's ahright." He said as he tossed his duffle bag on the bed. "Remy don't min the late hour." He wiggled an eyebrow at her. "After all, something be better off when dey done late at night, non?"
Jean laughed as they left the room and shook her head, wagging a finger at him as they descended the stairs into the main hall. "Are you always this flirtatious, Cajun?"
"Mostly", he said as he cocked his head at her. "Remy guesses he just can't help himself when he sees something beautiful." He looked over the top of his sunglasses. "Why?" A thought crossed his mind. "It don't bother you, does it?"
Jean shook her head as they entered the west wing media room, quiet and still for the night. "No, I don't mind, I know it's just harmless fun…" her voice trailed off and he glanced over at her as he took in the room.
"But…" he prompted.
"Well," she said as they moved on. "You and I both know it's harmless; however Logan won't see things that way if you flirt with Jubilee."
"Not a good idea huh?" he said, trailing a hand over the back of a nearby chair.
"Arsenic on toast is a better one." she confirmed. "If you flirt with her and he sees it", she looked away and then looked back but the message was clear. Remy had no desire to wind up drawn and quartered for the student population to see and laugh at.
"She's a little young for Remy's tastes anyways, chere." he said with a laugh. "Dare's a big age difference between her and Wolverine, ain't there?"
Jean nodded. " Yeah, but we're not sure about just how much since we can't tell Logan's age,", she winced " It was a little uncomfortable at first but we've all gotten used to seeing them together." She smiled as they walked down the hall and she led him to an elevator. "He takes of her and Jubilee... Well she shops mostly, but she keeps him together when he needs to be."
Remy nodded, having heard enough to bring that old hurt back again, and watched as she pressed a few buttons on a control panel. "Where we goin?" he asked.
"Underground," she said "I'm going to show you the underground parts of the mansion, the parts that have nothing to do with the school." She winked at him. "Trust me; this is the better part of the tour."
For the next hour, Remy found himself led in and out of the complex series of rooms that were woven together under the Mansion to form the team's base. "Dis is amazing." he said in awe as they left the jet hanger, and headed for the Danger Room.
They gazed into the room through the viewing window, and even now he could see a pair of figures were inside. A muscular blonde man and a petit auburn haired teenager were sparring with staffs, swiping at each other, each trying to bring the other down. As he watched one figure took flight, landing behind the other, and trying to swipe her feet out from under her. It didn't even faze her, because she simply phased through the staff, and he kept going. "That's Sam Guthrie," Jean said "But everyone calls him Cannonball." she nodded to the girl. "And that's Kitty Pride, also known as ShadowCat."
"More members of the team?" he asked, wincing at Cannonball caught a lucky blow and Kitty went down hard.
Jean nodded and Remy shook his head. "You guys actually get to train in there?" He said, itching to get his hands on one of the staffs and give it a try.
Jean nodded as they moved on from the round room. "You'll get a chance to try it yourself tomorrow. Scott expects us all in the Danger Room at 8:00 AM sharp." she winced. "And trust me; you don't want to be late."
"I believe you." he said, recalling what he'd seen of their young leader and his strict attitude, as they headed back upstairs and ended the tour at Remy's door.
"Well, this is it", she said "You can probably find your way around, on your own tomorrow. It's really not hard to navigate around here once you get the hang of it."
"I'll bet.", he said as she turned to leave.
She smiled again and inwardly he thought of how lucky Scott Summers was. "Welcome to the team", she said as she turned and walked away towards the rooms she shared with Scott. And welcome home.
It took Remy a moment to realize she had spoken to him telepathically instead of physically. "Home," he said aloud, it was a word which he hadn't let himself think about for a long time, hadn't thought he'd ever have again or be able to let himself have. Now he was being offered that chance again and he'd be damned if he was going to let it slip through his fingers like it had before. He stepped inside his room and looked around, it wasn't big but he didn't need lots of space anyways. He nodded to himself, "Dis could be home." he decided as he began to strip down for bed. "Now, Remy's just got to make sure he don't screw things up again." It was with that thought on his mind he slipped under the covers and drifted off to sleep.
Remy wasn't aware of how long he slept, it could have been a few minutes or a few hours but the newness of the mansion finally got to him, and he found himself awake again. He lay in bed, trying in vain to get his eyes to shut so he could rest but after half an hour, he gave up with a sigh as he passed a hand over his eyes.
With a muttered French curse, he rose and pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on then slipped out of his room, shutting the door quietly behind him. His stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten anything since he and Storm had stopped at the diner( and even then he'd only wolfed down a burger) Vaguely remembering Jean mentioning a staff kitchen on the main floor, he decided to see if there was anything to eat there that he'd like. He headed quietly down the stairs, (quickly memorizing the way back to his room so he wouldn't get lost,) and in the direction of the kitchen he'd seen on Jean's tour. He rounded a corner and stopped in his tracks.
He'd found the kitchen easy enough but that wasn't all he'd found.
Standing with her back to him at the counter, (making a sandwich if the materials she was working with said anything), was the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, and Remy'd seen a lot of them in his time. She was tall, slim with pale skin and a waterfall of auburn hair that fell over her shoulders and part way down her back, Dressed in a green silk robe that covered her completely, and shielded a good portion of her from his view, she was so busy with her task that she didn't notice him as he watched her from his post, leaning against the doorframe.
Remy knew right away, he'd found the illusive Rogue, everyone had been talking about earlier.
As he watched she went about making her sandwich, but soon stopped, and he realized she'd misplaced something, and was looking for it. "Now where in the name of sweet hell did, Ah put that mustard?" she murmured to herself and Remy felt his jaw drop as he took in her accent.
Oh dear Lord, she was a Southerner like him.
Now why hadn't Jubilee or Jean had the presence of mind to mention that to him earlier?
He watched a moment longer, noticing the mustard sitting on the island in the middle of the room, and then silently stepped into the room, swiping the mustard off of the counter as he did so. "Where the hell did it go?" she said as he came up behind her.
He silently stepped up behind her and handed her the mustard over her shoulder, knowing he was probably going to get his ass kicked but doing it anyways.
"Thank you." she said accepting it vaguely, not even thinking yet, that she'd come into the kitchen alone and had been ever since.
"Don't mention it chere", he said as she picked up a knife and moved to put mustard on the bread.
Suddenly he watched as she stopped what she was doing, and cocked her head as it sunk in she wasn't alone, and whirled around to face him faster then he'd ever seen a human move .
"Bonjour", he said as he gave her his most charming grin and leaned back against counter top beside her casually.
Before he could blink he found himself up against the door of the large stainless steel fridge mounted along one of the kitchen's walls, staring down into the greenest pair of eyes he'd ever seen framed by a streak of pure white hair on ether side. "Who tha hell are you?" She asked as she held him up easily off the floor and held an arm at his throat.
"Someone, who knows better then to put mustard on Rye bread with ham and cheese." he managed to choke out as she squeezed tighter.
"Very funny." she said stoically as she squeezed tighter against his throat. "Answer the question before I get really mad, and you lose a limb."
"New...team...member..." he choked out, marveling at how strong she was.
She studied him for a moment, taking in his red on black eyes, and his shaggy auburn hair. He could feel her eyes boring into him as she thought through what'd he'd just said. Then without a word set him gently on his feet as she backed away.
Without a word she went back to making her sandwich as he struggled to catch his breath, and for the first time he noticed she wore gloves that kept her hands and arms covered. There was silence in the kitchen for a moment until she spoke softly, with her back still to him. "Ah didn't know Xavier was recruiting Swamp Rat's now?"
Something about the way she spoke, cut right through him and made his blood stir like it hadn't in along time. "Guess he thought I had something to offer." he said watching as she poured herself a glass of pop and set it beside the plated sandwich. "Ya be Rogue, non?"
She nodded as she stared at the floor, and he smiled. "Remy thought so, Jean told me 'bout you earlier."
"Filling you in on my pathetic love life huh?" she said sharply and he winced.
"Non", he said holding up a hand, "Just telling Remy what she thought he needed to know." He grinned again and made an x over his chest with his finger. "'Cross Remy's heart."
"Hmmm", she said, and he could see now that she'd obviously been crying earlier, her face was still red and swollen. She glanced at him sideways and he could see she was in pain, could almost feel the wounded air around her. "Ah didn't hurt you did Ah?"
"Nothing more den my dignity." He said, watching for her reaction.
Since she hadn't kicked his ass to date, he had to assume she knew there was a new face in the Mansion and on the team, and she believed him when he said it was himself.
"What's your name Cajun?"
He pulled a couple of slices bread out of the bread bag and set them on the counter as he grabbed for the ham. "Remy", he said after a moment as they both studied each other. "Remy LeBeau."
"Well", she said as she turned to go with her food. "It was nice meeting you, Remy LeBeau" She turned back for a moment and gestured with her glass. "Bit of advice?"
"Ahright.", he said leaning against the counter again. "Remy's always willing to take advice from a beautiful woman like yourself."
"Don't sneak up on people in this house like ya did,"
"Not a good idea, huh?" He said as he began to put the sandwich together.
"Let's just say, your lucky it was me and not Logan." she said and then to his surprise, she grinned and he saw some of the fire she's normally have. "Because if it was him, ya might have lost more then ya dignity."
"Ouch", he said with a wince. "Everyone seems to be warning Remy to him."
"He's a good friend once you get to know him." Rogue said as she turned to go. "Just don't piss him off in the meantime." she tossed over her shoulder.
"Wait", he called, wondering what he was doing and whether he'd left his good sense in the bayou with the gators. He had no clue what he was doing, or if she'd even talk to him, he just knew he didn't want her to leave yet. There was something about her, something in her eyes that both haunted and intrigued him and he wanted to figure out what it was.
She turned back, looking both tired and more then a little annoyed and he struggled to think of a reason to get her to stay. "Dat sandwich, it gonna last ya very long," he said gesturing with his own and then to a nearby stool. "Why don't ya sit down and Remy'll fix you something that'll last ya until morning."
She gave him a look that clearly said he was completely insane. "Are you offering ta cook for me?" Her eyes clouded and he could see the banked anger in them come to life. "Or is this some sort of come on?"
"Non!" he said quickly as he tried to think of what he could make her. An idea came to mind and he smiled. "Jean just said before ya ain't been eating much, thought ya might be hungry that's all."
"Tell ya what?" he said before she could speak as he grabbed ingredients out of the cupboard and began to stack them on the counter. "Ya sit down there and Remy'll whip up a batch of his Ragen Cajun pancakes for ya to try."
"They spicy?" she asked edging slowly into the kitchen.
"Nope.", he said as he began to roll up his sleeves "But dey got 'bout two pounds a chocolate chip's in um."
Rogue was sold in an instant but still wary. "Ah suppose you think that Ah'll talk to you, pour out my whole life story."
"Not if you don't want too ", he said "Hell we can talk 'bout what ever ya want."
"You don't know me," she said as she sat down. "You don't know my problems, hell ya just met me."
"Nope", he agreed as he started mixing ingredients. "Don't mean Remy ain't willing ta listen if ya want." He sighed. "Sometimes it helps ta talk to someone who ain't been around ta see things first hand like."
"Ah don't want to talk about him." she said sharply, figuring if he'd talked to Jean he'd know who she meant.
"Fair enough." he said as he grabbed a frying pan and turned on the stove. He wondered if they'd woken anyone up with their talking, or if the smell of the pancakes would but he pushed it out of his mind as he watched her toss their sandwiches away and grab two new plates out of the cupboard.
"Chocolate chips, huh?" She said watching as he added a heap of them to the batter. She looked at the batter and then back up at him. "You grew up with sisters didn't you?"
"Brothers", he said "Or actually, a brother."
She nodded. "Ya from New Orleans?"
He nodded back and poured the first of the batter into the hot pan. "Born and raised." he said. "You?"
"Mississippi", she said "Lower Mississippi."
He grinned "And you called Remy a Swamp Rat? Dat's great coming from a li'l River Rat."
She made a face at him, amazed she could be so comfortable around someone she'd just met. "So?"
"So?" he said as he neatly flipped a pancake in the air and caught it in the pan again without batting an eye. "Ya got a name besides Rogue dat Remy can call you?"
She shook her head and refilled her glass of pop. "Not that Ah'll tell you, Ah don't tell anyone mah real name. It's just Rogue, that's all."
He nodded, accepting that. "A women of mystery, huh?" he winked. "Remy likes mysteries."
She smiled at him, and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling as she accepted the small stack of pancakes he offered her. True to his word, the chocolate was oozing out of them and she winced wondering how her stomach was going to handle them. She grabbed a fork and was about to take a bite when he stopped her. "Wait."
"What?" she said, watching as he went to the fridge and pulled out a can of whip cream. He offered it to her with a flourish, and when she nodded squeezed a generous dollop of it on her pancakes.
" Dare", he said as he put it away and sat down across from her with his own. "Now, ya can eat."
Rogue smiled, feeling better then she had since before the break up and did just that, as she got acquainted with her new co-worker.
Two hours later, Remy slid the last dish back into the cupboard, and turned to face Rogue, watching as she yawed and nearly slipped off of her stool. She'd insisted on helping him clean up the dishes even though it was clear she was bone exhausted, and fighting to keep her eyes open. He watched as she yawned again and tried to hide it unsuccessfully behind a hand and he shook his head. " Go on to bed girl", he said with a laugh. " 'Fore you fall over."
She smiled and nodded, rising from her chair as she did so. " Thank you.", she said after a moment of silence.
" It was just griddlecakes.", he said as he slung the dishtowel over his shoulder" It wasn't like gourmet cuisine or anything."
" Ah didn't mean for the food", she said " Although it was good." She exhaled and looked like she wanted to say something else but held it back. " Just", she after another moment. " Thank you."
He knew she was talking about the fact that he'd listen to her talk, the last few hours , and hadn't said much about himself, only occasionally offering an opinion or view. " No problem.", he said casually to her back as she left the room. " Anytime."
As Rogue walked away back to her room, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened that night. She'd practically poured her heart out to a total stranger, someone who for all rights and purposes shouldn't have cared, and yet she felt better then she had since before the break up. She'd enjoyed herself more with the Cajun then she had with her well known friends in along time " Get a grip Rogue", she muttered to herself as her room door came into view. " The last thing ya need in your life right now is another man." The problem was she got the feeling if it was someone like Remy LeBeau, she wouldn't mind at all.
Back in the kitchen, Remy was putting the pancake mix away when he noticed that Rogue had left her soft leather gloves on the island center in the middle of the room. He picked them up, smiling as he thought of her and then angrily pushing the thoughts that popped up out of his head with a shake. " Get a grip LeBeau.", he muttered to himself. " She's hurt and the last thing she needs in her life is another man."
Especially one like him with enough baggage to start his own luggage chain.
He glanced at the gloves, and then with a sigh slipped them into the back pocket of his jeans. He'd have to return them the next time he saw her, when that would be, if she was avoiding the others. With that thought on his mind he turned and went back to bed, wondering when he would see her again.
As it turns out he didn't have to wait long at all.
Because the next morning, for the first time since her and Bobby's break up, Rogue got up with the others and came down for breakfast with the team.
To be continued…