143Chapter two: Ok Just This Once
"Rogue wait!"
Since Remy discovered that the child Rogue had barred had infatuating eyes like his own. Remy embraced the adorable boy and instantly felt a connection. Rogue on the other had was fighting to come to terms with the revel and snatched young Olivier from Remy's shaking arms, making a rush get away.
"Rogue stop!"
Rogue was weaving in and out of the crowd, jumping in between cars trying to lose Remy like she'd done for years. She held Olivier like a purse, squeezing him tight against her body. The wind blew at her face and she blamed it as the cause for her tears that ran down her cheeks.
Olivier nestled in the arch of his mother's neck and shoulder couldn't see his mother's tears instead he watched the strange man with eyes like his, run after him and his mother. Too young to grasp the seriousness of the situation Olivier only wanted to go back and take a picture of the man he just met. He had never met with someone with eyes like his.
"Rogue look out!"
Rogue hearing the panic in Remy's voiced turned back to look at him in the mix, she flashed her head forward quick enough to prevent herself from colliding into a reversing taxi. She jerked forward and froze, as oxygen pumped her lungs full. Rogue swore at herself mentally, her irrational actions almost hurt her and her son. The crash of Olivier's camera opened her eyes to what she was doing and who was being affected.
Remy catching up to them pulled Rogue back away from the car bumper. "Are you two ok!?" he asked before engaging in the argument of the taxi driver was trying to start.
Rogue put Olivier down and he hustled over to his camera, he picked it up in his hands like a wounded puppy and looked up at his mom with watery eyes.
"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry we'll see if we can get it fixed…" she bent down to him examining the camera, Rogue defiantly had better days.
A mob was forming and Remy was losing his temper with the taxi driver. He was letting all his frustration out on the rude driver, but when Remy got a glimpse of his frightened son and the tired Rogue he knew it was time to cool his tone. Remy didn't want that image of him making a scene to be the first Olivier remembered.
Remy quickly dropped the debate and rushed to Rogue and Oliver. "Cher we better get out here." He grabbed her arm and brought her to his level.
"I'm not going anywhere with you…" Rogue answered in a low tone.
"Rogue you can't be serious?"
"I am I told you that I left you in my pass."
"Can we at lest talk about this in private."
"No!"
They then began to bicker, keeping arm movements and lode language out of it for Olivier's sake.
"Mama, it won't turn on…." His small stubby fingers gabbed at the on button.
"Rogue be reasonable."
"I don't care what you want." The mob was turning from the still cussing taxi driver to the riddled couple.
"The flash thingy isn't turn'n on…."
"You owe me at lest an expiation."
"You can figure it out by yourself; you know how the human body works." Rogue said dryly.
"I can't believe this I'm not the bad guy here!"
"Yeah sure…"
"My pictures…" Olivier started to tear up "What will I show Logan?" he tugged on his mother pant leg. He was cranky from his long day, hungry and devastated that his prize position was broken.
Rogue sighed she was so involved with her own thoughts she didn't see the extent of Olivier's suffering "Honey…" she picked him up and cradled Olivier in her arms, rubbing his back smoothly.
Remy too felt like a fool he was putting his own emotions ahead of whom he was fighting for.
"I will not discuss this as long as he's with me…."
"Let me take you guys out for dinner give us time to talk….give me that at lest." Remy tried to be the bigger person, but when Rogue started shaking her head he played puppet with Olivier "I can fix Oli's camera too…"
Olivier's head popped up and a bright smile washed back on his face, it was the cutest sight. His grin was just as daring and loving as Remy's.
"Really!"
"Really…" Remy grinned back at the child and Rogue mouth fowl words to him over Olivier's head.
"Olivier…" she said in a depressive tone that her son knew too well. "We can't…"
"Oh Mama please…" he pouted his lips and waved the camera in her face "Please my pictures..."
Rogue was made into the bad guy she couldn't say no now, after Remy got him filled with joy. It only made her more angry at him, for using Olivier to get to her. Getting Oliver's camera fixed would help him remember the good moments of their trip and not the negative impulsive behavior Remy bought out in Rogue.
Taking a deep breath Rogue reluctantly nodded her head.
"Yeah!" Olivier clapped his hands waved his camera.
Rogue put Olivier down to walk and shook her head at Remy. Remy for saw his actions making her upset but he had the right didn't he?
Remy hailed them a cab and they all bustled in looking like a collected protective family from a distance. In the car Remy and Rogue were civil to one another, even if that was for the sake of their son, who sat in between them.
The car ride was long and Rogue wondered how long it was going to take, the meter was well pass any reasonable price. But she also knew Remy and his antics he would try to showoff, boosting his materials objects. That was beneath the new Rogue she wasn't the girl he met in the dinner on Sunday after noon. Still as much as Rogue tried to force those memories out of her head, once in awhile they would creep in and leave a smile on her face.
Remy's eyes wondered over to Rogue's beautiful face, even though he was mad at her, she looked astonishing in deeming sunlight. Locked onto her, Remy's body tensed up when something hit his lap. Olivier had fallen asleep and toppled over onto Remy's lap.
At a sudden lost Remy didn't know how to react to the situation. It was strange and made Remy feel a new sense of pride. Olivier was a gentle young child and Remy held him as such.
Rogue watched Remy in disappointed because there was no way Remy was going to walk away not with love blooming in his eyes. She was going to have to stay three steps ahead of him and take any opportunity to put her back in the dominating position. Even if Remy ended up hating her, she already hated a lot of herself.
Remy felt Rogue's eyes judging him and he turned in to match her intensity. They stared at one another in complete silence, it's how it always started for them with a look. Remy leaned in closer as did Rogue out of pure instinct.
"Thank you…" he whispered into her close ear.
The years humbled Remy and Rogue took notice. She closed her eyes bowing her head slightly to his words, that small force that brought them together was the same one that Rogue cursed herself for. It was an evil temptation and Rogue was grateful for sudden stall of the car.
"We've arrived." Remy wiggled Olivier's body, waking him up. Rogue took a mental snap shoot of the two together, it was a perfect moment, Remy holding his sleeping child.
Olivier yawned stretching as Remy opened the car door after paying the diver. Picking up Olivier in his arms he headed to the house with Rogue, he set Olivier down as resident butler came out to greet them.
Settling down and wiping the sleep out of his eyes he rested his heavy head against his mothers leg. "Whoa!" Olivier exclaimed looking at the outside of the mansion "This is where you live?!"
It was a massive home unnecessary for a bachelor, it was well equipped with eight rooms, marble and hardwood flooring, and an old brown stone color on the outside. The house was surrounded by trees in full bloom with plenty of property. Looking out appeared that it went on endlessly.
"Its so big!"
Remy heard Olivier exclaim behind. Remy had just given his butler orders regarding the camera.
Turning to Olivier, Remy crouched down "There's a pool in the back, horses too…." Oliver's eyes only got wider in excitement. "Jay here can take you to see them if you like…" Remy rose up and eyed down Rogue "And give us old folk a minute to talk."
"Ok!" Olivier ran to pass Remy and Rogue to the butler waiting for him, he didn't bother to wait for his mother's permission.
Rogue watched Olivier take off down the gravel path to the back of the house, it was amazing to her how much he was like his father, but she quickly pushed that thought out of her head like she had done so many times before.
The pair didn't speak, only keeping wide smiles on their faces until their young son was completely out of sight.
"Back with the Guild I see?"
"It was home for me once why not again?"
"We're just here for dinner…" Rogue crossed her arms over her chest and flashed her hair walking into the mansion. Remy rolled his eyes at Rogue; she defiantly wasn't going to lose that sassy attitude anytime soon.
Rogue remembered the house layout pretty well much hadn't changed since they spent time there together in their teen years. She went straight for the living-room, the room stayed the exact same, filled will expensive art pieces and collectables oversized furniture and lots of leather. Rogue specifically sat in the tall leather chair seated for one. It was her favorite and she had good memories in it.
The tension was ridiculous, Rogue refused the offer of a drink they sat like sobs waiting for time to run out. Remy sat opposite of Rogue in the long sofa nursing a glass of water. Rogue sat crossed legged with her head turned to the window, watching Olivier out the window feed the horses.
"What happened to Quicksilver…?"
Rogue fiddled with the small ring on her sender finger which was still gloved. Her body language indicated that she was in no mood for a confession. In truth she only wore the ring to keep men at bay. Since her slit with Pietro she was in no mood for a relationship.
"He's gone…" she answered dryly.
"Oh…"
"Yeah..."
"What brought you to Paris?"
"Irene has a home over here she wanted us to come visit before it got cold."
Rogue never made eye contact only watching her sweet son play outside. Remy was hopping for an answered that involved him even if in the smallest way but he didn't get it.
"Oh…"
"Yeah…"
"When did you find out?" Remy was done with the small talk, the pressure was mounting he just wanted simple answers.
"They day he was born."
Rogue looked at Remy to answer, she wasn't lying he saw it in her eyes. She had no clue until she gave birth to Olivier and saw his eyes first hand. It was a shock to only one man, the one who put the ring on her finger the first time. Pietro was heartbroken and walked away soon after.
"And?"
"And that's it" Rogue wrinkled her brow.
"You didn't think I had the right to know?"
"We made our choices Remy and it was time to live with the results."
"You never gave me time to live with the results!? You made that decision for me!" Remy slammed down his glass. "You had no right!"
"I seem to remember you saying that kids weren't in your future?" she inched closer to the edge of her chair.
"I was a teenager when I said that" He couldn't believe that she brought that up or that she remembered.
"And you're still acting like one!" she stood and pointed at the room.
"What does that even mean!?" Remy jumped up and screamed back at her.
"You think the world revolves around! You expect me to drop everything and flock to for support, I'm a lot stronger then you think I am, I've been doing this solo everyday for three years no running off to my daddy's mansion!"
"I would…."
"You what, you what Remy, you would have been there!? Don't bullshit me!" She crossed her arms. "Be there as you please maybe, but I don't want that he" she pointed out the window to Olivier examining an old tree house "Doesn't deserve that, he deserves a full time committed father!"
"How dare you say that? I know what it feels like to need a father…"
"Remy you have slept with a lot of people before you met me, possibly during your time with me."
Remy's mouth ran dry at her words that was huge accusation and Remy was offended. Rogue knew she struck a nerve it hurt her too to say those words but she had to do what she had to do.
"You can't tell me you have been celibate all this time… just think of the amount of children you have out there, think of this like all those one night stands you have no ties with…. That's how I survived."
"If you were decent enough to tell me the truth then act selfishly Rogue, I wouldn't have other women in my bed for pass three years I would have given everything up and stayed by your side."
"This isn't a romance novel Remy, I had to grow up, I had to grow every time you come in my life while you just got to coast threw struggling with nothing…."
"Coast threw, I walked away! You know how that tore at soul not having you!? You were all I had all I wanted…"
"There you go it's always about you, Remy…" she took her seat again and lowered her tone. "After what I've done…"
"We, you weren't always alone Rogue…"
"It doesn't matter, I still committed them." She looked round the room some of those art pieces she helped gather.
"Remy that day I let go of your hand you know that I've been battling within ever since. You weren't any good for me because I didn't face you, if I didn't face you I wouldn't have to face all that but…"
She made a fist and pulled all her emotions back in "…but when Olivier was born I had to face you and end all the inner torment in my mind for his sake I was going to be the best mother possible… when I look at him I see you the eyes the smile…."
Having Olivier was not only a daily reminder but bitter sweet gift.
Rogue started to press out the invisible wrinkles in her pants "I will not let him know a partial father Remy, you may have interest now but I know you it's the chase you love."
"We're not talking about a puppy Rogue…"
"I know."
"Why do you hate me what changed?"
"Nothing that's the problem…"
She rested her head on her finger tips "I don't deserve this life…."
Rogue said under her breath, Remy did not hear nor understand that by not having allowing herself to have both him and Olivier in her life, was Rogue's ideal of a punishment of her crimes. After four years she believed it to the fullest extent. Having to see Olivier everyday no matter how beautiful he was, he was also her tourture being hunted by Remy's imagine and if and buts that came with it. Olivier was however her second chance to do it right. And no matter how tempting she wasn't going to fall into unnecessary old habits
"I'm not walk away…." Remy told her blankly.
"I heard that from you once too, but you did and here we are." Rogue to stood to match his glare.
"He's my son…."
"No you are his father, he's your son when there is genuine bond."
"You want me to dazzle you, impress you? Seems like you already condemned me…"
Want to impress me? Then leave us alone, that's the best thing… for everybody." She cocked her head in a serious motion, showing Remy that she would not back down on the subject.
"Why'd you kiss me at the gift shop chere?"
"You kissed me."
"But why did you allow it to go one for so long?"
There was a fickler in his eyes that Rogue knew too well, it often appeared when he had her trapped and she knew what would come next a paralyzed body and hot lips.
"Mama!" Olivier ran tracking dirt into the house, from playing outside. "I met this horse named thunder….he was fast…. I fed him and brushed him…."
"Slow down, I want to hear all about it." Rogue turned blocking Remy completely out of the picture.
"Ahmmm" The butler in stood outside the living room "Dinner is ready when you are…"
Only Remy would have a southern chef in his French home. Rogue wasn't surprised in the lest. She sat as plate after plate of classic southern comfort food came out, it smelt delicious and tasted even better. It was hands down the best part of her day.
Half way threw the blacken chicken Olivier asked "Are you a mutant?"
From they way Rogue had been acting Remy was surprised that Olivier knew what a mutants were.
"Yes…" Remy answered slowly, watching Rogue rub her temple out of frustration of Remy's answers. "Are you?" Remy did love to push buttons and Rogue words couldn't be trusted at that point.
"No yet." Olivier bobbled his head around.
"You want to be a mutant?"
"Only one with super speed!" His little fingers couldn't mange the fork so he used his hand to bit the chicken.
"Super speed?"
"Like Quicksilver!" Olivier started making buzzing racing noises moving his hands at his side as fast as he could.
The sight of Olivier wanting to be the next Quicksilver disgusted Remy, he dropped his fork in pain the noise raddled the dinner table as it clashed into the expensive plate. Remy ran his hand threw his hair and pushed back his seat, he had no more room to stomach food or the thought of someone else having the pleasure of raising Olivier. It should have been him that Olivier idolized not a fake father that isn't even there anymore.
Rogue tried all day to burn Remy so that he would lose interest in her small family and Olivier did it without knowing. Rogue thought that seeing Remy lose his patents would make her feel better in a way but it wasn't as satisfying as she had anticipated. Remy waved to the servants to stop bringing the food and put his napkin into his plate. Rogue couldn't believe it Remy was throwing in the towel?
Olivier was young and impressible; it just then struck Remy to how low he was on Olivier's radar. Remy didn't matter in the slightest bit in Olivier's world. Rogue was telling the truth she did lock Remy out of her and Olivier's life.
"What can you do?"
Olivier mirroring Remy's actions put his napkin in his plate and struggled to push back his chair too.
"I have lots of energy and I can make things blow up by touching them." Remy spirit had deemed but he answered Olivier in an upbeat manner masking his pain from the youth, but Rogue noticed.
"WOW" Olivier mouth dropped in awe like a kid in the candy store. "Can I see?"
"Of course." Remy smiled "its best if we do it away from the table." He stood extended his had for Olivier.
"Can I go?" he asked his mom.
Rogue face was less then pleasant she hated the position that Remy put her in. Somehow Rogue knew things would go down a show and tell path, but she had a plan and Olivier's antics would assist her in a major role.
"Ten minutes." She said in her serious mom tone.
Ten minutes turned into an hour. Show and tell turned into two Disney movies and a card game. There on the floor laid Olivier already asleep curled up to Rogue. Remy was finishing the game of solitaire Olivier and him started while the ending of the movie played in the background.
"Rogue despite what you say I'm always going to be around one way or another." Rogue didn't answer and Remy could only picture the face she was making at him.
"Rogue?"
Remy turned to see Rogue passed out sleeping with Olivier in her arms. He picked up a blanket and covered the mother and child. He would have woken them to offer a room but Remy knew Rogue would have refused and stormed out with Olivier. Remy didn't want them to leave, even thought he was a micro atom in Olivier's and now Rogue's world, they were massive part of his.
A third Disney movie was in rotation and Remy didn't have the strength to move to change it, so it played and he watched the little clown fish bond with his father and find their way back home. Remy wasn't sure when he dozed off but it felt nice to sleep next to the family that he wanted. It looked like fairly tale family scene, a fallen asleep mother and father with an infant son in the living room by an open fire place and a flat screen TV. Too bad no one eyes were open to witness the peaceful moment.
At an early age Rogue learned a skill that came in handy more often then people realize, playing possum. The moment that Olivier started to yawn and flutter his eyes, Rogue too started to take longer deeper yawns once in a while and purposely became more lazy to what the guys were doing. She sat behind Remy so that he would only glance back one in awhile and that's when she would act it up the most, rubbing her eyes and so froth. When Olivier was completely out she fluttered her eyes making sure Remy saw it. Then when his back was turned entranced with his game of solitaire, she closed her eyes and lowered her breathing. Fake sleeping was an underestimated skill.
Rogue cracked her eyes open when she heard the repeat of the fish movie for the third time. It was time for her to make her move. Remy and Rogue's matched each other in sneaking abilities, working together once, Rogue knew what would and wouldn't disturbed Remy out of his light sleep.
She moved fast with the speed of a sprinter but with the grace of a dancer. The house wasn't close to the city where Irene was staying but if memory severed her correct Remy always kept the garage packed and she knew where the skeleton was hidden. It was her plan the moment she walked onto the property, there was no way Remy was going to let them leave any other way.
"Tat, Leave it to Remy to have a garage packed with cars and not one four door."
She said mentally. The garage was separated from the house and the engine of boxier was a smooth puer. If Remy didn't take such good care of his car's then maybe he would have heard the faint wispier.
Remy woke up and hour later and stretched his arms feeling a bit optimistic that Rogue was coming around, he figured that she was feeling more comfortable with him again, since she had fallen asleep with Olivier in his home. When Remy looked over and only saw the lonely blanket, he knew that he had been played since the moment she stepped foot into his home. It almost slipped his mind how good of a thief and tracker Rogue was. There was no point in running around the house to see if he could catch her. Rogue knew the house as well as he did. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she used the skeleton and stole one of his cars.
"Sir the alarm just…"
"I know jay." Remy waved his hand at him as he stood "There's no need to go after them."
"You're not going to do anything." Jay couldn't remember the last time Remy took a passive measure.
"Non, I am going to do something…" Remy picked up the blanket and headed for the stairs.
"Where are you going?" It was such typical Remy behavior, give no answers but make a million requests.
"To pack…" Remy stopped on the stairs "Wake up the crew tell them we're taking off in an hour."
"Where to sir?"
"New York." Remy yelled from the top of the staircase. He didn't know Rogue's home arrangements but that was the best place to start searching for answers.