Damned
Part 2
The End is Just Another Beginning
"So Jean was telling me that these flowers would be good because everyone would still be able to see each other across the tables. What do you think, honey?"
What did she think? She didn't think at all. They were flowers, who cared about which freaking flowers were at a stupid wedding that wasn't going to happen? Rogue smiled and laid a finger on the flowers next to the ones Joseph was talking about. "Ah like these, actually."
Joseph smiled back at her and Rogue's heart twisted. "Well, who cares what Jean says." He said, putting an arm around her. "It's our wedding, we'll do whatever we want, right?"
"Yeah, sure." She replied, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. She couldn't do this anymore; he seriously thought they were getting married. Obviously her prayers that somehow Joseph would magically know about her affair with Remy, would be okay with it and it would be as if nothing ever happened between them went unanswered. It was a shame because despite what was going to happen between them, Joseph was a good guy. He just turned out to be not for Rogue and a damned sense of personal and, oddly enough, team loyalty kept her from breaking things off in a respectable way.
"Rogue, are you listening?"
"Huh?" Rogue blinked, realizing that Joseph had asked her a question. "Oh, um, whatever you want is fine by me."
Joseph raised a silver brow at her. "You sure? You've been pretty definitive about everything else."
"Yeah, well, Ah didn't think about this part of my weddin' when Ah was eight." She quickly defended herself. The truth was that she had never thought about her wedding when she was eight, much preferring to climb trees and beat the neighborhood boys at wrestling. She hadn't started thinking about her wedding until she was told that she was to probably never have one because honestly, who wanted a girl they couldn't touch?
"Ok then." Joseph said and wrote something down on a piece of paper. "Now, what about…"
But that hadn't stayed true, did it? It turned out that fate did not doom her to be The Untouchable for all of her life. All it took was time, patience and more than a few power boots from Sage. And now she had someone to touch her and not leave her wanting more. Joseph had been her first but when things happened with Remy, he had opened a whole new door on a new world. Anything with Joseph after Remy was like what two teenagers did in a basement before someone's parents came home. She still remembered quite clearly how Remy's skin felt sliding over hers, how his breath had ghosted over her skin leaving gooseflesh in its wake and the look in his eyes as he told her he loved her. It took a significant amount of strength not to curse Joseph where he stood for making her cut her time with Remy short. He had come home barely a half an hour after her and Remy's tryst which was not nearly enough time. Then they had climbed into bed together a short time later and the scent of Remy left on the bed was covered up by Joseph. But then was any amount of time enough with Remy?
"You know, if you don't want to do this right now, we don't have to."
"No, no, Ah want to." Rogue replied, fingering some catalogues and hoping to feign her way out of this.
"Rogue, I've been going on about Australian rugby teams for the past three minutes. You're obviously not interested. Why didn't you just tell me that you didn't feel like going through this right now?" Joseph apparently wasn't buying her act. Damned Cajun.
"Really, Ah want ta. Ah just got a headache is all."
Sighing, Joseph closed all the open catalogues and magazines, taking her hands in his when he was finished. "Please answer this question honestly for me, Rogue." He said. "Is there something going on that I need to know about?"
Rogue swallowed and closed her eyes. This was it. She could tell him now and finally get it done and over with and move on with her life. Or, she could lie yet again to him and wait. Gathering up her courage, she opened her eyes and looked in his. "Ah need ta tell ya somethin'."
"Go on." He encouraged. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Taking a shaking breath, Rogue said, "Ah…Ah've been seein' someone else." Each word took more effort than the last to get out, part of her screaming in fear that all the lies were about to come undone.
Joseph laughed dryly, nervously. "C'mon, Rogue, that's not funny. Really, what's bothering you?"
"Ah'm sorry. Really, Ah am. But Ah'm not playin' games anymore, Joseph. There's someone else."
There was a long silence during which the slight smile on Joseph's face slid off as the look of pained regret stayed on Rogue's face. "…Oh God, you're serious, aren't you?" He paled slightly as realization washed over his head like a cold bucket of ice water.
Rogue nodded sadly. "Ah am so sorry. Ah never meant for this ta happen…things just got so out of control so fast and before Ah knew it, we were sittin' here pickin' out invitations."
"I-I thought, maybe, a couple of times but…" He looked at her helplessly, like she had just run over his favorite puppy and then backed over it for good measure. "How could you do this? What the fuck is that matter with you!" Joseph was standing now, fisted balled at his side.
"Please don't get angry—" Rogue started, laying a hand on his forearm.
"Angry?" He shouted back at her, flinging her hand off of him. "What did you think was going to happen, Rogue?! That I would just stand here and take it?"
"No, Ah just—"
"Who is it?" He demanded.
"No, no." Rogue shook her head. "You're not goin' after him."
"It's LeBeau, isn't it?" When Rogue was quiet, he shouted again, "Isn't it!" before storming out of the room.
She took a moment after Joseph left to drop her head into her hands and sob a few curses before running out of the room after him.
Remy licked his lips, looking down at the grain of the wood beneath his hands. Looking up, he saw Betsy reflected back at him in the mirror, waiting for him underneath silk sheets. She was outstanding in bed and the looks she was throwing his way promised that this time she would definitely not disappoint. She was a perfect match for him in terms of sex and debauchery and had they met prior to their lives as X-Men, they would have been perfect for each other in every way. But there was Rogue. Rogue, who gave him something he hadn't even known he needed until she gave it to him. She gave him challenge and understanding, forgiveness and hope for him to become a better man. Rogue, who understood what it was like to be used and abused, and who understood what it was like to have to fight for every day.
"S' matter, luv? Havin' a bit of trouble?" Betsy purred from over by the bed.
Rogue, who was able to make Betsy look like a trashy desperate tramp without even trying.
Remy turned around to face Betsy, keeping his hands behind him on the dresser, in case he should have to grab for something fast. A little seen side of Betsy was her temper and Remy had a feeling he was going to be an object of that temper in a few moments.
"Non." Remy shook his head, answering lightly as if he were not about to drop an emotional bombshell on her. "It's just dat I can't do dis anymo'."
Betsy purple brows knitted together in confusion. "What are you talking about?" She asked carefully.
He took a breath and hesitated. "I ain't exactly been de most faithful man t' ya chere."
Betsy's lips pursed, a sure sign that she was biting the inside of her lower lip in a effort to contain her ire. "I'm afraid I'm going to need you to be a bit more clear, luv."
"I been involved with another woman, Betts. Je suis desole" He hoped that she wasn't too blinded by her anger yet to see that he really meant it. He hadn't planned on hurting anybody when this started, but because of Rogue's wishes it was something that had to happen now.
Betsy was now out of bed and putting her arms through a purple silk robe with black edging. "'Been' as in 'was' or are you still 'involved' with this woman?"
Remy had the good grace to look down at his feet. "Still…still am."
"For how long?"
He braced himself for her reaction; his answer was liable to set her off. "'Bout a year now."
"A year?" Betsy repeated, incredulous anger clear in her tone. "You've been fucking around with some other stupid bint all this time? You fucking son of a bitch!" She had crossed the room to him while speaking and had shoved him rather hard on 'bitch'. "I ought to gut you where you stand!"
She moved to strike at him but Remy caught her wrists and held them still, close to his bare chest. "Betsy, listen—"
"Listen?! You expect me to listen to you now that you've told me that the past two and a half years have been nothing but a sodding lie?!" Betsy shouted. "Let me go you disgusting pig!" She tried to get away from him, but when she couldn't, Betsy stomped down hard on his bare foot in her stiletto heel. Thankfully, the actual heel didn't go through his foot or anything, but Remy wouldn't have known the difference as Betsy had some wicked lower body strength.
As he bent slightly to cradle his foot, Betsy took the opportunity to smack him across the face, long nails scoring his cheek slightly. "Betsy, stop it!" He shouted back at her, forgetting about his foot and putting a hand to his now-throbbing face.
"No! You deserve every bit of it!" She moved to hit him again, but stopped upon hearing shouting from somewhere else within the mansion. He could see her make the connection to the voice being Joseph's and then watched as her face turned to fury upon the realization that Rogue was probably the "other stupid bint".
"It's Rogue, isn't it?" She spat the name as if it was poison on her tongue. "I should have known! The time you two spend together, the buddy-buddy-ness…!"
"Chere, wait!" Remy called after Betsy as she fled the room.
The scene culminated in the foyer, empty, as it was still somewhat early for a Saturday morning. Joseph burst into the room, screaming Remy's surname, as Betsy appeared at the top of the stairs. Both scorned lovers locked eyes for a second, possibly finding a new and unwanted commonality.
"Where is he Betsy?"
Betsy was about to answer but was interrupted by Rogue coming into the room. "Do ya really think you're gonna be able to take Remy on in a fight?" She stopped as she felt eyes on her and looked up to see a very angry ninja-by-way-of-Britain staring down at her. Without a word, she vaulted herself over the railing and landed neatly in front of Rogue.
"Betsy, look." Rogue began, putting in hands up in a placating manner. "We never meant ta hurt anyone…" Betsy loomed closer, her psychic knife beginning to make its glowing appearance in her right hand.
The Southerner stuck her chin out in defiance and stopped unconsciously backing up. "Go 'head Betsy. Do it. Ah dare ya ta try and survive in my mind."
"Get away from her Betts. You wanna go after someone, ya go after me." Remy said, himself appearing at the top of the stairs as Psylocke did only moments ago.
"She won't, but I will." Joseph said, rising into the air, fists balled at his sides. He flew forward and tackled Remy into the wall, curses and grunts filling the air as they tumbled down the steps to the bottom. When they landed at the bottom, they separated, Joseph recovering fast enough to sock Remy across the jaw.
"Joseph, stop it!" Rogue shouted above the din of fighting men, starting towards the brawl.
"Where do you think you're going?" Betsy demanded, shoving her on the shoulder and blocking her path. "What the hell do you think gives you the right to sleep with my man?"
"Nothin'." She rudely shoved Betsy out of the way, intent on breaking up the fight. "But it happened and there's nothin' ya can do about."
Betsy blocked her path again, this time shoving Rogue back a few steps. "Like hell there's nothing I can do about it!"
"ENOUGH!"
All parties stopped yelling and froze at the sound of the Professor's stern voice. A sharp look from the man had Remy reluctantly letting Joseph out of the headlock he had him in. Rogue hadn't realized how loud they were all being until now, where it was now quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
"What is going on in here?"
No one answered. There really was no simple answer and no one currently felt like taking the time to inform the Professor. However, Charles would not be denied. Joseph was the first to speak, pointing an accusing finger at Remy. "He's been sleeping with Rogue!" He said it as if Rogue had had no say in the matter and it was all totally Remy's fault.
"I ain't jus' sleepin' with her, you asshole!" Remy hotly said, slapping Joseph's hand out of his personal space.
"You fuckin'—"
"Silence!" Charles interrupted, rolling further into the room. "If you all will please follow me into my office, we can resolve this issue like normal, civilized adults."
It was a long meeting, with many interruptions of yelling and arguments and Logan having to keep Joseph and Remy from tearing the room apart. By the end of it, Joseph had packed up and left, taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. Betsy left too, albeit to the Boston chapter of the Institute with Emma Frost. It was hours after the meeting and Remy found Rogue on the edge of the dock on the lake, watching the sun sink beneath the trees.
"Hey." He said softly, so as not to startle her and standing an overly polite distance away from her. This way, he could quietly let her be upset if she was upset and protect himself should she now think that their coming out of sorts had been a bad idea and blamed him for it.
Rogue looked over her shoulder at him. "Hey yourself." Her tone was rather flat, almost gloomy sounding. He waited a moment and when she didn't tell him to go away, he took that as an invitation to sit next to her. As he settled next to her, he noticed she had one pantleg rolled up and was dangling her foot in the water, tiny minnows coming up to nibble at her toes. She swished her foot around in the water and scared them all away.
"Ya know, Ah was expectin' some kind of punishment." Rogue said, rueful half-smile on her face.
Remy smiled slightly himself. "Can't really punish us fo' our personal lives, eh?"
She sighed and settled into him. "Guess not. Still doesn't stop me from feelin' bad. Ah mean, Ah feel so relieved too, but Ah…" Rogue trailed off, not sure how to continue.
Remy put an arm around her. "S'alright. It's over now, we can move on and relax. Not have t' worry about t'ings anymo'."
"Yeah, Ah guess." Rogue moved so that Remy's legs were on either side of her and she leaned her back against his chest. A tiny bit of warmth bloomed in her chest as Remy wrapped his arms around her waist. She then twisted around and slapped him lightly in the chest. "Why'd ya have ta go and tell Betsy the same time Ah was tellin' Joseph?!"
Remy's eyes widened. "I didn't know! I roll over dis mornin' and she's got on de lingerie and she wants me t' take it off her. I thought that since we agreed t' tell dem de night before…dat sleepin' with her would have been cheatin' in a way. So, I got out of bed and told her. She didn't take it too well."
Rogue snorted. "Way to state the obvious sugah."
"Just wanted t' make sho' yo' simple River Rat mind could understand de situation." His remark earned him an elbow to the ribs that make all the air rush out of his lungs in a rush. But despite the pain and discomfort, Remy had a smile on his face.
And so did Rogue and that was all that mattered.