Chapter Seventeen

Two days later….

Ororo waved her delicate hand gently back and forth guiding her little rain cloud over her orchids and ivy. Ororo raised her hand to make a larger cloud when a crumpled leaves rustled by the door.

"You keep hanging around me Remy and people are going to start talking…again" Ororo said while pulling off her gardening gloves.

"What's wrong with a little chatter?" Remy questioned back. He dangled from the over head frame of the greenhouse.

"And look where the little chatter got us, everyone thinks you're my boyfriend." She turned to face the upside down Cajun.

"You enjoyed the attention" He smiled but she didn't smile in return.

The past two days at the mansion went into a fog of chaos ever since John's accident, but Ororo didn't assert herself with drama of the mansion, she remained in the peaceful tranquility of her green house. Ever since the eventful diner, she distanced herself from her teammates. They stood back and watched as she got further and further from them the team, the students and her friends. Yet no one made or attempted to make contact with Ororo, besides Remy who took full advantage of her seclusion.

It was a tough forty-eight hours for Remy, after being caught near John's unconscious and bloody body it made him the prime suspect in the 'incident'. His side was never taken into consideration and for it he was deemed guilty by his peers. They never said it to his face or had the guts to converse with him about the 'incident'. Since then he isolated himself from group and stuck with the one person that didn't condemn him.

"You can not remain her forever Remy." Ororo turned her back to him to brush off the dead leaves of the counter top.

"But that's where you are wrong chere, I can." Remy smiled. "You are this Cajuns dearest friend."

"Remy…" Ororo voice froze in her throat when she saw him holding two tickets with his devilish grin. She stepped forward and took the tickets out of his hand slowly. She glowed as she read the tickets. Balcony seats to the Meda Opera premiere. "You know me too well."

"What can say? You've been down for far too long."

"Are you my date then?"

"No" Ororo held a puzzled face at his blunt answer. "I know you too well remember and I know there is someone else you'd rather take, just admit it."

"I don't know of whom you speak of Remy."

"Oh I think you do! He's about yay high a prince…"

"Oh no not you too!" Ororo covered her face in embracement.

"You don't have to hide it from me, I would never judge you chere." He lifted her hands from her face. "One date won't kill you."

"No but I might kill him." She gave a coy smile.

Remy laughed at his shy playful goddess. "I must go my goddess." He kissed her hand and pulled her into a hug.

"Are you two finally going to speak?" Ororo whispered into her ear.

"Logan and his hommes want to have a little chat."

"Remy you sure that is wise?"

"Don't panic they can't do nothing to this old Cajun that he hasn't already survived."

Ororo gave a distressed face. "My love do you know Wolverine?"

Look Down…

It was seven o'clock and there she stood, staring into space. 'He' shouldn't be on her mind but he was. She cursed herself for her thought and the burning pain in her chest and indigestion in her stomach. It was too much to face her refection let alone her fiancée who laid in the hospital bed in the adjoining room.

Every hour or so Rogue would find herself in the bathroom; holding back her tears, holding in her aching cries and frustration. She tried hard to deny it but it was defiantly happening again. The nauseating, dizzy spell was coming back, she tried to mask her panics attacks the best she could in the shallow bathroom. She placed her hands around her throat and squeezed tight. Begging her body not to explode she attempted to reline he thoughts.

Rogue took in heap of air and held it in her lungs and closed her eyes…

"Rogue!" a pounding came at the bathroom door. "Rogue we must speak."

"Just a minute!" she screamed back.

Keeping her eyes close, Rogue pulled removed her clammy hands from her now red neck. It would swell and bruise only causing her more grief. She would now have to make an excuse to pardon herself later before anything was visible or worse before Logan noticed.

"Ok Anna you can do this." She told herself , with her eyes close. "Come on Anna, on three. One…Two…Three. Rogue's heavy lids lifted slowly her tick long lashes battered together for a minute as her eyes adjusted to the overhead lights of the mirror.

"Ahh!" Rogue let out a brief high scream. She slapped her hand over her mouth and got closer to the mirror.

"Rogue everything ok!" A group of voices called out from the bedroom. It was Jean and Scott and typical over worried selves.

"Ah…." She paused for staring into the mirror for an second "Yea I'm, I'm fine." She lied.

She turned her head from side to side with a panic distort look in her eye. Her arms turned blue and hands scaly. She fanned her face out of fear, with no ideal of what to do and time winding down she searched under the counters and the one pull out drew to see if she could a cream, lotion something to wash off her hands.

"Ahm Rogue would mind joining us?"

"One second!"

"Everything ok!" rousing in the bathroom got louder, the slamming of thing and the dropping of thing with the minor 'ouch' by Rogue being thrown in. "Rogue?"

"Yup" she opened the door and everyone's eyes dropped at the sight of her rubber latex bathroom gloves.

"What were you doing cleaning?" Jean raised and eye along with Scott.

"Yeah… actually" Rogue gave a fake smile and slammed the bathroom door behind as Jean and Scott tried to get a peek. "What have you never seen a clean bathroom?"

"No." Jean and Scott looked at one another. "Just seems a bit random."

"Sorry that you think clannishness is random Jean, if you wouldn't mind I think John would like to be left alone."

"John can speak for himself." Rogue looked behind Scott and coming out of the closet was her husband to be smiling walking toward her. "John dose want to be alone with his fiancée but in there own room not the MedBay , with maybe a little wine a candle or two and hours to spare. He broke apart Jean and Scott and kissed Rogue on the lips, but she didn't return the affection.

"John what are you doing? How did you? You should be resting." She tried to encourage him to get back into bed but John wasn't taking her serious and laughed it off.

"Well if you weren't so busy cleaning then you would have heard the news that I was well enough to move upstairs…with you." He said as he pulled her figured body into his arms.

"So soon? I mean that's wonderful but don't want to rush you know"

"He got the stomp of approval."

Scott voice brought chill to her spine, Rogue just wanted to jump up and scream shut the fuck up Scott who was asking you! But instead she took it in stride and smiled harder exposing all her teeth.

Look up…

Remy stood outside of the game room the door was closed and stood studying it. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why he was attending the brut social gathering. He knew what was coming, around a punch or two, possibility being shoved, yelled at looked down upon. It wasn't anything new he's face and escaped worse. Pulling out a deck of cards he began to shuffle the cards unconsciously. He began to recap the quick easy access charge-able object that was in game room.

He opened the door with his hand tucked in his pocket.

"Take a seat Cajun." Logan's blunt voice spoke for the group.

Sitting in a small round table was Logan, Bobby and Sam. Logan sat with his back to Remy shuffled the fresh deck of cards while chomping on a Cuban cigar. The multi colored chips were stacked next to him. Remy was thinking the worse of the "chat" Bobby invited into but instead he found that it was a simple poker game.

"What this?"

"What's it look like Cajun it's a poker game." Bobby commented. "Take a seat lets get started."

Remy looked around "Isn't Scott suppose to be here in this little male bonding?"

"If you're not telling, we don't see the problem." Sam added.

Remy took the seat in front of Logan, he removed his jacket pulled out a roll of cash. And pulled out a hundred dollar bill and placed it on the table.

"Lets play…."

"Sorry I'm late." Scott said as he closed the game room door behind him. Logan gritted his teeth at the sound of Scott snooty voice. Besides being the most uptight of them all he was boring and worst player of group. "Jean was just being so picky tonight."

"How about that." Sam said with disinterest.

"Yea, funniest thing I thought the poker game was going to be Wednesday but I guess I missed the memo that it was tonight." He took off his jacket and through it on the couch. "Good thing I bumped into Lorna or I would have missed this."

"Oh yes God bless that Lorna" Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Jean's been stressing me out lately, I just don't know…" He paused mid sentence when he noticed that Remy was in his seat. "Didn't know this was an open game night."

"I was invited." Remy said gathering his cards that Logan shared.

"I wasn't consulted."

"The Cajun stays." Logan said never taking his eyes of his cards.

"Well share me then."

"Game already started." Bobby added. "Sorry"

Look up, now down…

John held Rogue's hand as his brace, leaning on her as she opened the door. She pushed open the door and John went into emendate affect. Sliding his had down her slender back he rubbed her behind.

"You smell amazing." He kissed her neck.

"oh ha..ha" Rogue laughed nervously. She was glad that John was alright but she didn't think that he would ready to jump right back into bed with her.

"Come on John." She sat him down on the bed and turned her back to get his night clothes from his chest of draws. "You know John I was so worried when you were away and then you got hurt. I just want to make sure you're safe."

Rogue pulled out an old t-shirt and track pants.

"I've been stressed John and all this has taken a toll on me, I'm in no mood for..." The lights suddenly went off and Rogue turned in horror to think that they were in danger again.

"John!" she screamed.

"Don't worry babe I'm right here." John wrapped his arms around Rogue cupping her breast. He pulled her back to his chest and feasted on her lips. "mhmm" moaned into her mouth. "You know how I like it." He said in a husky tone.

Not bothering to remove her clothing John bent her over and lifted her skirt, not even taking the time to remove her panties or give a Rogue a moment to process he shifted her panties and inserted himself into her.

Now Look Up At Me….

"That's how the men do poker." Remy flipped his cards and pulled in all the chips and cash.

"Ahhh again!" Bobby cried and dropped his head on the table.

"Bobby can you act like you have some damn balls for one fucking minute." Logan took out his frustration on Bobby, he was now down five hundred bucks to the sly Cajun.

"Thought you weren't good at poker?"

"Never said that homme I said that I can play" Remy smiled as he counted his bills. "All about the play of words."

"He's having a good night."

"He took all our money I would be over the blue moon too." Sam commented as he looked into his empty wallet.

"Wasn't talking about him…" Logan paused and lit another cigar. Everyone followed him and froze as well waiting him to continue.

Logan took in a huge puff and released it into the air. "Wait for it."

The remaining table members looked around Scott sitting in the corner like a disciplined child. He raised a brow at a slight whisper of a sound.

"Ah." It was faint at first and the men looked around the table trying to figure out the noise.

"What is…" Before Bobby would finish Logan began to smile. A light banning noise found a rhythm, the volume increased to a conic pounding. Bobby's eyes grew in horror.

"Lucky guy, who's room is above us?" Sam questioned with a lax face.

"John's." Scott answered in disgust, while awkwardly shifting in his chair.

There was a quite pause then a grunt, a moan, it grew a little louder and louder. Until massive groan was let loose followed by a blood curding scream.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Eyes at the table shifted around, each man was uncomfortable, it was like listening to their parents have sex in the next room.

"Yes! Ahhhhh" The screams continued pouring in and getting high, it was a very dramatic over the top performance that Rogue was giving.

For the first time Logan looked up and directly at Remy.

"Told you he was having a good time." He said to Remy for more of a reaction.

"She's faking." Remy commented back in a cool tone. Remy knew that Logan was looking for a reaction from him. He gave a reasonable answer to the question everyone was wondering; 'was Remy and Rogue fucking.'

The increased glow in Remy's eyes and jarred line of lips was there answer.

"I know she's faking." Logan tapped his noise and stood from the table.

"Where you going?" Bobby asked.

"The bar." Logan said from the door.

"Coming with." Bobby yelled.

"Same here." Sam and Scott said at the same time.

Remy rose from the table and watched the pack leave from the room. He was behind them ready for the bar too. But the wimpier that came from the room above. Remy couldn't place it but a dark feeling came over him. Something was wrong, something was wrong with her.

Above

"Yes!" Rogue scream once more as she slapped John in the face.

"Ouch!" John went with his natural instinct and slapped Rogue back in her face twice as hard. "What the fuck."

Rogue flew and landed on the floor at the edge of the bed. She looked up at him with her hand over her face she could feel the blood coming from her lips.

"Since when are you this rough!"

John liked the submission role they had going, Rogue's new aggressive attitude wasn't going to fly with him…

Outside

"Remy hurry up We wanna leave!" Bobby shouted out of the window of the car. "We wanna get wasted! Whoat!" he blared the car radio and stuck his tongue out attempting to be a rock star.

Remy lifted his head and pitched his cigarette for him lips, he was suddenly feeling stressed and agitated.

"Come on now Lebeau! Hurry…."

Sam's words were lost as a room on the third floor windows exploded. The puff of black smoke escaped the windows and flames rand ramped collecting on roof top and long the deck the wrapped the mansion top. The explosion was enough to force the men to shut their eyes, the felt the hot all blow towards them. The school fire detectors went off and the place went down into anarchy.

"Isn't that John's room!" Bobby yelled to the others, he turned to see that Remy was already gone.