Chapter 4

        The man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew he had a very good hand, as he looked down at his card. Hell, it was a full house. Yet, the man sitting across from him had such mischievous look in his eyes as if trying to challenge me yet knowing that I have a good hand. And those eyes. they were bloody red on black, must be one of those damn mutants. Screw him, he's not going to bluff me into folding, I have a fucking full house. Mutant or not, the stake's at ten grand, can't back down now, he decided.

        "Full house Jacks." The man confidently said as he threw his card downs face-up, and with both hands started reaching for the jackpot.

        "Wait a sec, mon ami, not so fast. Gambit hasn't shown his cards yet." The ever so confident Remy Lebeau looked up with a extremely cocky smirk on his face.

        "Fine, what you got?" The man asked nervously and shifted in his seat again.

        "Don' be so nervous looking, mon ami. Gambit only have two pairs." Remy stated still with the smirk plastered on his face.

        The man sighed with relief. "Well that means I win then." He said, as he started for the jackpot once more.

        "Jus' one more sec. Gambit didn' tell you what two pairs he has." A very confident Remy Lebeau said.

        "I don't see how it matters, Cajun, you and I know full well that a full house beats any two pairs." The man responded anxiously not sure what the Cajun was up to.

        "Not if it's two pairs of Aces." Gambit said as he threw his cards on the table.

        "Fuck! Dammit, you son of a bitch." The man cursed angrily.

        "Now now, no need for dat. Gambit won fair and square. It was a good round, n'est pas?" Remy casually asked as he drew in his winnings.

        "For you, you son of a bitch." The man screamed at the red-eyed mutant.

        "Fine fine , Gambit give you one more chance t' win your l'argent back." Remy suggested with a coy look on his face.

        "Fuck no! You think you're going to get another five grand from me. You got to be kidding. Go to hell." The man yelled as he got up abruptly making his chair fall backwards, and stomped out of the room.

        What a sore loser, I did give him another opportunity to win his money back. Remy thought to himself while looking out at the beautiful view of the moon on a clear humid New Orleans night, from the top lobby of the saloon he was staying at. Sure, I basically won all his savings, and the chances of me losing is slim to none.. Poor bastard, almost makes me feel bad. Remy thought at the amusing situation, and chuckled to himself. Remy Lebeau aka Gambit, was a mutant and also once an international thief. He was the best of the best when it came to thieving and playing cards and he knew it. Too bad, you can't succeed at the one thing that most people can. to love. You may be able to win everything through a game of poker, hell you can even get any lady you want. except for the only one who has ever meant anything to you. You lost it all, and no matter how skillful you are, you will never win, steal, or get it back. Remy sighed thinking about the trial of a month ago.

That was the beginning of the end. He bitterly thought. His past sins finally caught up with him, and hell did he pay. Really not much point to live now. I lost the X-Men's trust, and more importantly, I lost Rogue, my beautiful chere, mon coeur. But if I end it all now, what does that say about me? I'm just taking the easy way out. It's just a slap to the memory of the morlocks, I deserve the lifetime of pain and suffering from the guilt that I live with everyday. I deserve all that's happening to me. He told himself for the millionth time.

He sat in silence for what it seemed like an eternity, just watching the sky. Still drowned in his guilt and not wanting to move an inch for fear that he might break and destroy something or someone out of anguish. As he watched the sky, he thought he saw someone flying in the air. Gambit rubbed his eyes thinking he might have been mistaken. However, he looked at the very same spot again, and she was as clear as day, it was Rogue. She was dressed in her green and white X-Men uniform and scanning intensively.

Storm and Kitty must have told her I was here. Oh god, how I want to just hold her, she's so beautiful. Gambit thought as he watched her against the gorgeous backdrop of the clear starry night. He felt his heart skip a beat as he thought about how wonderful it will be just to be with her again, and the memory of that one sacred night in Antarctica resurfaced with the passion and love they both felt that night.

He got up with the intention of going downstairs and telling her how much he still loved her, wanted her, needed her. No, you are not going to hurt her again. His conscious practically screamed at him. Haven't you've done enough? She'll never forgive you for what you did. How can she love you if you don't even love yourself. She deserves better than you and if you really claim to love her, you will let her go. She already has enough to deal with as it is, and she does not need a scoundrel, no, a murderer in her life. Gambit bitterly thought and decided that the right thing to do was to let her go.

" I'm sorry, Rogue, this will be the last time I'll ever hurt you, I promise." He said aloud to himself, as he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

        * * *

        Rogue landed in the alley of the French Quarters of New Orleans. Where, could he be? She thought, as she walked out into the open street. She tried to see where she was, and saw that she was in an area of inns, saloons, and hotels. "Well, this isn't going to be easy now is it, lil one?" She whispered to her stomach where hers and Remy's love child was growing.

        "Petite, y'sure know how to make a man excited, non? Where'd you get dat dirty mind of yours?" A voice said and came from a distance behind her. It's him, Rogue thought, as she whipped around to meet him. When she saw him, she also saw a small blonde chick underneath his arms, giggling at whatever line Remy had just thrown at her. Before she even thought it through, Rogue simply said, "Remy."

        Remy's head snapped to where she was standing, hearing his name come out of those beautiful lips of hers. Stay together he thought, do this for the good of her. "Rogue, long time no see. What brings you here to N'awlins?" He asked with a tone of unconcern.

        "Yah know full well why Ah'm here, swamp rat. Ah can see y're busy though, so, ah best be going." Rogue replied angrily yet trying to hold back tears at the same time.

        The sight of seeing Rogue's eyes watering up, nearly killed him, and he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her how much he was sorry and how he loved her so. No, do what will ultimately be best for her. She doesn't need you in her life. His head reminded him, before he was about to do something foolish. He turned to the blonde bimbo he had just picked up in the lobby, and said "Petite, Remy must chat with this femme alone. Why don't yah go upstairs and put on sometin' nice and I'll see you in a bit." The blonde giggled and went back into the saloon with every intent of doing whatever he said.

        Rogue turned around as she heard him say those words. He really hates me. He doesn't love me at all. I might as well walk away now, there is nothing more to be said. She thought as she felt tears running down her face.

        "Rogue, I'm sorry you saw what you saw. Why did you come back?" Gambit asked gently as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

        Get a hold of yourself, Rogue thought. Do not let him see you cry, you're not going to guilt him into being with you.

        "Ah. ah heard you were in New Orleans, and thought to see if yah were okay. Ah guess yah are. So, ah best be heading back to the institute now, unless you want to come with me and rejoin the team?" Rogue asked softly still unwilling to turn around and face him for fear that she wouldn't be able to control her tears.

        "Chere, I'm sorry, but I can't return to the institute and be an X- Man. I don' deserve to be an X-Man for what I've done." He solemnly stated.

        Rogue finally found the little bit of courage to turn around and face him. When she made eye contact with him and stared into those hypnotic red eyes of his, she knew all she wanted at the moment was for him to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything will be okay.

        As Remy stared into those beautiful green eyes of her obviously trying hard not to cry, he felt his heart break at what he was about to do next.

        "Come back and be with me then. With me and our."

        "Dere is no us. Dere never will be again. Dere's been too much pain whenever we're together. It's best just to end it all, Chere. Je suis apologique." Remy interrupted as he looked away.

        He hates me. He doesn't want me. Yet, there is still our child, should I tell him? No, he doesn't want you and he's made it clear, if you tell him, he would only think you're trying to guilt him into being with you, and the last thing you want is for him to be with you because he feels he has to, not because he wants to. You're better off on your own. Rogue told herself, as she tried to gain some composure.

        "Fine, if that's what yah wan', that's what y'll get. Good-bye Remy Lebeau." As she turned around, and flew off into the cloudless night as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

        "G'bye, mon Coeur. Je t'aime toujours." Remy whispered as he felt tears rolling down his cheeks while watching the woman he loved with all his heart, leave him forever.

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