Chapter 9
Within minutes of notifying the
X-Men of Jeremy's disappearance, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat
had arrived at Rogue's house searching all over the vicinity. Beast had taken
Rogue back to the Institute's infirmary to stabilize her mind and body after
she had fainted in Gambit's arms.
Storm, Shadowcat, and Remy
gathered at the back of the house after looking for an hour or so with no sign
of the child or Sinister.
"Where de hell can dey
be?" Gambit exclaimed as he charged a card and threw at a nearby tree
causing it to explode which created a big hole on the side of the tree.
"Calm down, Remy. We'll
find the child." Orroro said as she attempted to soothe the raging Cajun.
"When I get my hands on
dat monster, he's going t'regret he ever knew Remy Lebeau!" Gambit said as
he ignored Storm's attempt, and charged another card and chucked it at the tree
again.
*Poof*
Kitty Pryde looked up to see
Nightcrawler hanging from a lamp post.
"Any sign of Jeremy?"
she asked the blue X-Man.
"No sign ov my
nephew." Kurt replied shaking his head.
"Wolverine, did you pick
up any traces of either the child or Sinister?" Storm asked into her
X-Communicator.
"I followed their scent
about five blocks north, and two blocks east, to a dark alley, but can't pick
up anything after that." Wolverine replied, on the X-Com.
"Fine, we'll come get you
and head back to the mansion for the next part of the rescue plan." Storm
told Wolverine.
"Dis is bullshit. We
should be lookin' for them." Gambit exclaimed as he charged another card
and chucked it at the already severely damaged tree.
"Remy, we have to
recollect and decide on what the next action should be. You can go ahead and
try to find them yourself, but from past experiences, we've always worked
better and faster as a team. Are you coming with us or not?" Storm asked
him.
Remy looked at the three X-Men
around him. It finally seems as if they are accepting him back again. How
bitter-sweet it is he thought, the day he gets his life back is the day he
might lose everything again.
"Yes, Remy'll come." He
answered as he walked to the X-Jet along with the team. Right before he
boarded, he charged another card and threw it at the tree where it finally came
crashing down.
* * *
Rogue felt her eyes trying very
hard to open. She felt so tired and confused. Where was she again? What just
happened? Last thing she remembered was Remy on her doorstep, and Jeremy gone. Suddenly
she sprang right up with full alertness.
"Jeremy! Momma's
comin'!" She exclaimed as she tried to get out of bed of the X-Men
med-lab.
"Chere, calm down. Everythin's
gonna be okay." Rogue heard him say as she felt his arms wrap around her
from behind.
"Remy, ah, we, need to
find him." Rogue said as she turned around to face him. She looked into
his red on black eyes, and she can see that he was tired, worried, and a little
confused still. Why wouldn't he be, she thought, he just found out he has a two
year old son who has been abducted. I should have just told him.
Gambit looked into Rogue's
teared up green eyes. He can tell she was scared and really needed him at the
moment. Yet, he can't help but feel a little angry towards her for keeping his
child from him. He let go of her and walked back to the chair he had sat in
while watching her.
"Don' worry, Rogue. Dey're
all upstairs working to find de petite." Remy told her as he looked away
from her gaze.
"We should go up, we can
help." Rogue said as she tried to get up but felt her legs go weak on her,
and fell down into bed.
"Not with de state you're
in, chere. You're still exhausted, just rest for now. Plus, we need t'
talk." Remy said as he finally found her eyes and made contact.
Rogue sighed, she knew this was
inevitable yet she was hoping it wasn't going to happen. She had so many dreams
where he just comes back and accepts her and her child without question. It
seems highly unlikely that'll it be that simple.
"Fine. Talk." She
said bluntly and with a hint of anger.
"Sorry, chere, but you're
not the one who's allowed t' be angry. Why didn't you tell me I had a son? Why
did you keep something like dis from me? Did all my sins make you think dat I
would be incapable of being a good honourable pere? No matter what I did in the
past, nothing would have kept me from being a good father to my son. All you
had to do was give me de chance. It wasn't even yours to give because that was
my child. Dat's good enough reason t' tell me!" He exclaimed as his eyes
burned with anger and pain.
Rogue finally felt the severity
of the problem. As she looked into his eyes, she can see that it was tearing
him apart having been away from his son's life. She truly felt 100% sorry for
what she did to him.
"Ah'm sorry, Remy. Ah
really am. Ah know ah should have told ya. Ah was going to in Nawlins, but y'
didn't want meh. Ah know that's no excuse to not tell ya, but ah didn't want ya
t'think that ah told ya to try to keep you with me. Ya wanted to be free, Remy,
and so ah let you go." Rogue replied as she broke away from his eye
contact and felt her tears starting to fall. She just felt so incredibly stupid
for what she done. First, she dropped Remy to what could have been his death in
Antarctica. Now, she kept his flesh and blood from him for two years, only for
him to find out that he may never meet his son if Sinister succeed with
whatever sick plan he has. Jeremy, god, what has she done. At that realization,
she felt the tears flowing down uncontrollably as she buried her face into her
hands.
"Ah'm sorry, Remy, ah
really am. If ah could change back time, ah would have told ya regardless if ya
wanted me or not. Ah'm just sorry. Now, Jeremy's gone, and if we don't find
him, y'may never meet him. He's such a beautiful chil', he really is, Remy. He's
a lot like you. He's mischievous and very observant of t'ings. Hell, he even
has your name in his name. Ah'm sorry. Ah'm so sorry." Rogue said as she
cried harder, still a little scared to look up to face Gambit. He hates me. He
truly hates me now. She thought. I lost my love, and now my son.
After what felt like forever,
the silence between them had almost convinced Rogue that Remy had left the room
in disgust. She lifted her head, and found herself staring straight into a pair
of red eyes.
"Chere, Jeremy sounds like
a fine garcon. You did a good job, but after we find de petite, y'think maybe
we can try to raise him together?" Remy said genuinely.
"Yes. Ah promise y'll be
in every part of his life." Rogue said with sincerity and relief with the
knowledge that he did not hate her.
"What 'bout yours? Remy
should have told you this long time ago, and should have kept telling you; Je
t'aime toujours." He whispered as he pulled Rogue into his arms and was
face to face with her, inches from kissing her beautiful lips.
Rogue looked into his eyes, and
for the first time, she felt that they were finally on the same page. No more
playing games; no more miscommunication, it was real.
"Ah love you too, sugah. Always
have, always will." She whispered as she kissed him ever so gently and
sweetly.
Gambit feeling nothing being
sucked out of him, took advantage of the situation and kissed Rogue
passionately and deeply. A kiss that he had been longing to give her since he
first met her. A kiss that showed that every part of him was willing to give up
everything to just to be with her. A kiss that prove his undying pure love for
her.
After they had finally pulled
away to catch their breaths. He looked at her with happiness and confusion. "Chere,
how is dat possible? What 'bout your powers?" he asked.
"Powers are neutralized at
the moment, sugah. Thanks to Beast's little gift here." She replied as she
lifted her wrist and jangled the bracelet.
"We'll have to have a lil'
fun later on wit dat. First, let's go find our petite together, d'accord?"
He said as he held out his hand.
"Oui, d'accord."
Rogue replied in French with her Southern accent, as she took his hand and
walked to the War room, determined to find their baby.