28I knew Remy would find Mystique, but at what cost? It seems that the bayou always has a way of bartering. Any changes are followed by consequences- never solutions. Mystique owed the Guild money (which doesn't surprise me) and apparently Remy's word has no weight around here especially considering he declined the offer to be king.
Henri wouldn't be the best leader but he wanted it and Remy didn't. He never did. Even more, he hated that it caused a rift between them. Henri always felt like Remy was stealing something from him. His father's attention is what he always desired. Lucky for him, he doesn't have to worry about Jean-Luc anymore.
Maybe Henri could help me… but then again his first act as king couldn't be something against his grandfather. I know the rules. I lived too long in New Orleans not to learn them. Anyway, I was still reeling from Belladonna and Jean-Luc's affair and my recent stint in an underground cellar because of it. Jean-Luc really loves Bella. I mean he has to for all this to go down. It would have never ended well. Even if Remy and Belladonna got married, Jean-Luc's relationship with her would have come to light eventually. The bayou may be hard to navigate, there are tons of undiscovered areas that hold secrets, but the one thing the Guild can't subdue is untruthfulness.
I guess you could say I'm not too worried about being stuck here. Someone will get me out… Eventually. Remy will find a way. He has never left me behind. None of this should have happened in the first place and that is my fault. If I had told Remy how I felt when I first met him none of this would be the same. I would have never been in New York. I would have never gotten involved with the X-men. I would have never met Bobby. I can't believe I wasted my time on that guy. You look back and can't figure it out. What you do know is that you felt like that is what you deserved. You didn't deserve a true love because it doesn't exist. So you settle. You settle for the guy with the drama. The guy that only has one thing on his mind. The guy that doesn't treat you like he should.
And then there is Remy. Sure he had drama of his own… Crazy family, ex-girlfriend trying to make a mess but that was mostly my fault. If I had just been honest with her I would have been dating Remy for more than a year now. Why did I lie to myself? Why did I think Remy would be happier with Belladonna when I was the only one that could ever love him like he should be loved? I respect him. I never feel pressured with him. We can be in a state of peace. Happiness. Completeness. All I have to do is get out of here.
But how am I supposed to do that with no powers? How the heck did that happen anyway… It's not like I can even test it out. No one has come down here. I don't hear anything but rushing water above me. I don't feel anything except the cold dampness of the prison.
A few days went by. I was trying to keep my strength considering no one had been down to feed me in all this time. I wasn't even an enemy of the Guild. I wonder what they do to them. Torture? I would rather die before they ever laid hands on me again. But maybe I am being a bit over dramatic because they may have even forgot about me.
Mystique always has to ruin everything. And by everything I mean everything. Every moment of my life with her is tainted including this. Can't I ever have my happy ending? My true love? My freak accident of a miracle? Mystique only took me in because she saw my potential and I'm not talking about the she-could-be-president kind of potential because let's face it I barely passed econ and U.S history. She saw my power and my abilities, learning how to take advantage of them. She was always getting in trouble and I was always getting dragged into it like now. If Remy had ever known about her pact with Jean-Luc I know we wouldn't have had to worry about Jean-Luc going around screwing things up. Do you think Mystique will ever retire? Just give up? Morph into some dead old lady and take over her life. Live the rest of her life quietly?
Just then, a puff a blue smoke.
"Rogue!" Kurt was here in all his blue glory hugging me. It felt nice. It felt too nice. Actually I think I might just be passing out. "Ro… I'm gonna get you out of here."
Sure enough I nodded off into black.
When I came to, it was the mist of the swamp water whipping around me that stirred me awake. Remy was at the helm.
"Remy!"
I tried to reach for him but could barely move. I guess I had gone on with food and water longer than I thought.
"Kurt, give her the water."
"I'm so glad you're alright," Kurt said as he handed me the plastic bottle.
After a few gulps, "What happened? Where is Mystique?"
"We don't have her," Remy said plainly.
"Where is the money that she owes the Guild?"
"We don't have that either."
"Then…?"
"We bustin' you out chere!"
"Just like that? How did you even know where to find me? How did Kurt get down there?"
"I know everyt'ing about the swamp Ro'. The cell they were holdin you in was 20 feet under water and when I found the entrance Kurt here just poofed his way down."
I smacked Kurts shoulder, "You could have gotten stuck in the middle of a wall!"
"I was training. Teleporting exactly 20 feet like Remy said. I've got some skills you know."
"You both are crazy."
"So don't you wanna know the plan?"
"Yeah. How are we going to escape the Guild?"
"I was thinking a little vacation first."
A helicopter was hovering above us. Logan was piloting. He waved to Remy, who in turn waved back.
"See yah later," Kurt waved too before poofing up into the helicopter next to Logan.
"Remy, what is going on?"
"I'm not going to lie- I'm going to miss New Orleans. But with you here by my side? I'm ready for any adventure that comes our way."
"That was very… poetic. Who are you? What is goin on?"
The boat was going faster now, "Mostly Imma miss the swamps. The water. The gators. Getting lost… But Louisiana ain't the only place with a swamp."
"We are going on vacation." I stated.
"We are goin on vacation chere. We deserve it. If there is anything that we deserve the most in our whole lives it is this moment. We are going on vacation."
"But the Guild-"
"Henri ain't going to follow us Anna. He has got bigger and better things going on as the new king that I doubt he is going to miss you."
"The money is important to them Remy."
"You sure do know how to kill the mood cherie." The boat came to a slow stop. "Anna… I love you."
"I love you."
We hugged. For a long time we sat there floating on the water in each other's arms.
"I never want to put any distance between us ever again. I want it to always be me and you. Nothing else matters."
"I agree." I began to cry. To hide my tears I buried my face into his chest. There it is. That feeling of peace. Everything that happened to us faded away. None of it mattered. Erased. All that there was, was this moment.
"We are going on a permanent vacation. Wherever life takes us. But first," He touched my chin with his bare hand. Lifting my head up, I saw his red eyes close. My eyelids fell shut and I felt his lips against mine.
"Remy… you kissed me. No headache?"
"No headache."
"How?"
"We did find Mystique. She didn't have the money and she wasn't gonna walk back into New Orleans anytime soon. But she did give me this: She said a doctor gave her dat to her a long time ago. The serum was loaded into those darts and it temporarily shuts off your powers. I guess she saw it as some sort of collateral if she ever needed it. Jean-Luc had it for some time. The Guild knew 'bout you and knew about me- what we could do. They had a contingency plan."
"So my powers are -temporarily- gone?"
"Yup."
It is odd how many things I thought of doing in that moment. I could have a massage. I could shake someone's hand. Little things. Then there we the big things like being with Remy. Completely. All of me.
But my happiness faded, "A temporary fix."
"Well, about that. I was thinkin since we have all the time in the world now we could go find this doctor. See what else he can do for you."
"Got any leads?"
"Of course chere." He squeezed me tight, "I would never come to you empty handed. But remember that is only if you want to find him. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with your brain and that smart mouth of yours. I love that you call me out on all my crap and know exactly what to say to me in any situation because when it comes down to it you are my best friend and that is what is important to me. I wanna be wit you even with your powers. I still wanna hold your gloved hand. I still wanna…"
I kissed him. "I love you."
"So you think about it."
"I will."
"In the meantime let's start that vacation."
"Sounds like the perfect plan."
"Are you sure you want to drop everything? Are you sure about... us?"
With no hesitation, "I'm sure."
Finally.