Street Livin’ - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Courtney
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 12

Remy crept down the hallway, the thick carpet under his feet muffling the sound of his pattering steps. He made his way towards the stairs. He suddenly heard Jubilee at the base. “I’ve gotta show you this picture, Kit! This guy from school is too hot for words!”

Remy’s eyes widened as he heard her coming up. Thinking quickly, he ran silently away from the top of the stairs and down the women’s wing once again. With a mental “duh”, he realized she would be following him since it appeared she was headed towards her own room.

He sprinted by Rogue’s room, momentarily asking himself if he should just go back in there. He kept running though, mainly because if he went back to her empty handed, he would have shown he wasn’t the thief he bragged about being. And years of experience would not be for nothing in his eyes.

He continued jogging down the hall completely before turning the bend. He ducked into the shadows and hoped Jubilee wouldn’t be traveling further than his current position. He peeked out and saw her knock on Rogue’s door. His eyes lit up. He figured he was caught. So he decided to book it out of there.

Meanwhile, Rogue was sitting on the bed, munching slowly on her sandwich. She heard the knock on the door and grinned. She hopped off her bed and ran to the door. “Remy, what kind did ya - -“ She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Jubilee on the other side. “Hi,” she greeted shyly.

Jubilee smiled. “Just wanted to check up on you guys.” She glanced over Rogue’s head and didn’t see Remy. “Where’s yer partner in crime?” She joked.

Rogue’s mind cranked for a lie. She’d been lying to people all her life; this shouldn’t be hard. “He’s in the bathroom. Said the sandwich wasn’t agreein’ with his stomach.”

“So he’s in that bathroom?” She pointed to a shut door off to the side of the room.

“That’s a bathroom? He said Kurt showed him one along the hallway and was going to use that.” Please, oh please don’t make this sound like crap.

Jubilee quirked her eyebrow in thought, but then changed her face normal. “I’ll have to tell Kitty that, so she can pass the info on to whoever’s cookin’”

“Ah think it’s ‘cuz he hadn’t had anythin’ that good foh so long so ya won’t need ta do that.”

“Alright, kiddo. Is Remy spendin’ the night?”

“If that’s okay. Ah’m not ready ta be alone yet…” she looked at her feet. She felt she was milking her ‘condition’ a tiny bit, but she really didn’t want to be without Remy.

Jubilee smiled warmly in a maternal matter. “Sure. When he gets back, just stay in the room. Don’t need to be caught outside at this time of night. Just let him know about the bathroom over there next time.”

“No problem. G’night, Jubilee.”

The Asian began shutting the door. “Night.”

Remy soon found himself in the elevator he and Kurt had been in at the start of the afternoon. He poised his finger to hit the first floor button, but then remember – and faintly saw – the small navy blue button below the first floor button. Smirking to himself, he pushed it.

The doors slid shut with a near silent woosh and then he began traveling down. He glanced to the floor monitor which had passed by the first floor second before. He descended down for another ten second before elevator stopped.

The doors swooshed open again and Remy blinked. These hallways were much different than the ones upstairs. Metallic floors and walls scaled down to a final door at the end of the hallway. Light reflected off of every surface like a mirror. Remy started walking down the hall, catching glimpses of extra doors along the side. The most intriguing door, however, was the one at the end of the hall.

He finally reached it and encountered a problem. There was a keypad to get inside, and being the curious little person he was, he wanted in. He peered at the keypad. It looked like it needed a four-digit code and fingerprint identification. He shrugged. He placed his hand lightly over the numbers and called on his power. “C’mon…” he whispered. He hadn’t had any trouble with the nuisance of a power since earlier that day and now he couldn’t even call on it for a simple task. Tapping his fingers – not necessarily on the keys – he tried bringing it up. Nothing.

He faintly heard music on the other side. Music? He decided to knock on the door, disregarding the fact that he should be long asleep due to the rules. He realized this then, and jumped away from the door. The doors slid apart, and Remy saw the man with red glasses called Scott.

He glanced around from what Remy could tell. “I’m hearing things…” he mumbled as he walked back in. Remy took a huge chance and slid into the room as the doors closed. Surprisingly enough, Scott didn’t even notice. His brow was furrowed and his hand was held up to his temple. Remy could only assume that Scott’s eyes were closed behind the glasses. The familiar psychic fire was surrounding his head.

Great, anot’er spook, Remy sighed internally. He did take a moment to examine what he had stumbled into. The room was oval shaped, and along the way on either side of the door sat about ten computer stations, and in the middle of the room sat an oval sized table with chairs surrounding it. It looked as if people had meetings there.

What intrigued Remy most was the window that spanned the entire side opposite the doors. He was surprised it wasn’t the first thing he’d seen. He checked over his shoulder before moving from his crouched position. Scott was still concentrating on whatever.

Remy half-crawled to the window to see what was beyond it. His hands fell on buttons that were a control panel in front of it. Careful not to push on any completely, he stood up and peered down. It was another room, much larger than any other room in the mansion. It was plated with the same metal as the hallway outside and as the room he was in.

As he tried to get a better look, he leaned up mistakenly, hitting a ‘slide-up’ control. Suddenly, the metal folded in several parts all around the room. Machinery cranked and twisted in the form of laser gun and spider looking obstacles.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” Oops, busted. Remy turned and saw Scott coming towards him. Remy braced himself to be hit, but Scott walked past him to hit a couple buttons. With a glance out the window, Remy saw that the machinery had gone away again.

“I was lookin’ for de kitchen?” Remy shrugged.

“Terrific,” Scott sighed angrily.

“Did I do somet’in’ wrong?” He asked innocently.

“You have no idea what you’ve gotten into. Newer students don’t find out about this place until years after they’ve been here.”

“I didn’ mean anyt’in’ by it. I saw de blue button an’ it was jus’ like ‘C’mon, Remy, touch me. I be a pretty p’tite blue button, no harm.’ I’m sorry.” Inwardly, he was grinning. Wait till he told Rogue!

Both of them looked as the doors slid apart once again, Hank standing on the other side. “Oh dear,” he whispered when he caught sight of Remy. “What is he doing in here?”

“I’m trying to figure that out.” Scott looked back at Remy. “What are you doing up past ten anyway?” He glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. “It’s five after eleven now!”

“Me an’ Roguey woke up a li’l after ten because she was still sleepin’ from dis mornin’. We wanted somet’in’ t’ eat so we went downstairs. We didn’ know anyt’in’ ‘bout any rules until we talked t’ de ot’ers.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re out of bed now.”

Hank stepped forward. “He was going to discover this place eventually, Scott. Of course, it wasn’t predicted that he would in his first twenty-four hours of residence, but none the less, no harm was really done.”

Scott stood still for a moment. “I guess you’re right…”

“I’ll go upstairs right now, promise!” Remy headed for the doors once again, but Hank stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I will escort you up and make sure you go directly to your room.”

“But I be spendin’ de night wit’ Rogue.” Scott opened his mouth to protest. “She don’ wan’ be alone. De girl’s been alone half her life.” He mainly said the latter for a better excuse, but the more Remy thought about it, the more it was true.

Hank sighed before Scott could say a word. “I really do not see a problem with his reasoning. Besides, what would they do?” Remy hid a small smirk. The older students had asked the same thing. What did they think Rogue and Remy would do? He told himself to ask around the next day.

Hank started to lead Remy out of the room, but he called over his shoulder. “Maybe you should head up as well, Scott. Has Jean contacted you yet tonight?”

“Yeah, she has… I told her I’d be up in less than five.”

“Would you like me to wait?”

Scott shook his head. “Not necessary. Remy needs to get to bed.”

“Understood. See you in the morning.” He smiled briefly before turning his attention back to Remy. They passed through the doors and Remy heard them shut behind him. “Now, Mr. Remy, I know for a fact that you did go back to Rogue’s room after Kitty walked you up.”

Remy looked up at the blue mutant. “How?”

“I talked with Logan a few minutes after you went upstairs. I was on my way up from my lab and Logan told me what Rogue did with Emma.”

“De femme had it comin’.”

”I’m not frowning upon what Rogue did, because once in a while Emma needs to be taught a thing or two, but Rogue shouldn’t be testing her powers like that when everyone knows so little about them.”

“Why are y’ lecturin’ me? Rogue of all people should know how her powers work. She’s gotta deal wit’ it in her head. She can test it on whoever she wants. If she wanted t’ try it on me, I’d let her.”

Hank looked at him sincerely. “My apologies, Remy. I am afraid that the professor has been rubbing off on me in my time here.” He paused for a moment. “You really trust her that much, though?”

“’Course I do. She’s de only person in my life dat has ev’r cared enough t’ stay wit’ me. If it weren’ for her, I’d still be in N’awlins, pro’bly dead by now wit’ dese powers.” Remy looked to the ground as they reached the elevator.

Hank was silent for a few seconds. “I’m sorry… I did not mean to bring up this topic.”

Remy waved him off. “It’s fine. Don’ worry ‘bout it.”

“I still feel awful. Would you like a cup of juice before we go back upstairs?” Hank was no good at this parenting thing. The smallest things he had dealt with in his life were atoms and they were easy compared to a curious thirteen-year-old.

Remy smiled. “How ‘bout some ice cream?”

Hank walked Remy back to Rogue’s room, the young teen’s hands carrying a carton of, by a chance of luck, cookies and cream ice cream. Hank was still unsure of this request, but he just went with it, hoping it would keep the kids in Rogue’s room until morning.

“Merci, Henri. See you in the mornin’,” Remy said as they reached the door.

Hank smiled gently. “Good night.” He walked on down the hallway.

Remy opened the door and saw Rogue picking at her half-eaten sandwich. She looked up and smiled. “Ah was hopin’ it’d be you this time.”

“I saw Jubilee knock here. She get suspicious of where I was at?”

Rogue shook her head. “Ah lied ta her ‘bout where you were at. Pretty long bathroom trip, eh?” She giggled. Then she jumped off the bed and walked over to him. “So what kind did ya get?”

He held up the carton proudly. “Cookies an’ cream.”

Her eyes lit up as she snatched the carton away from him. “Yay!” Then she glanced at him slyly. “Ah heard you thank Hank for gettin’ it foh ya. What happened ta stealin’ it?”

Remy nudged her towards the bed. “Because I found somet’in’ even better t’ look at.”

“Ooh, what?”

“Dey have dis entire ot’er place downstairs, complete secret.” He went on to tell her what everything looked like, including the big room with the machines, and how he got caught.

“What do ya think they use it foh?” She asked, shoving a heaping spoon of ice cream into her mouth.

“No idea, p’tite. We’ll just have t’ ask around t’morrow or somet’in’.” He dove into the carton to get his own bite.

“Ah wanna see it. Sounds really cool.”

“I’ll have t’ take y’ down one day. Not’in’ too soon because dey’re gonna be on special watch for me now.”

She nodded, letting a mouthful of ice cream melt in her mouth. Then she spoke up. “Ah have a question, though. Ya said that Scott’s a… mental person, too? That brings the total in the house up to like…” she counted on her fingers. “Five!”

“He might have not been… because Henri asked him somet’in’ about talkin’ ta Jean. So maybe she was in his head?” He shrugged.

“Ah don’t like livin’ with all these spooks. If Ah didn’t have those shields in mah head or whatever Emma called them, they could get in at any time they wanted to.” She held her hands up to her head. “Ah don’t want them in here anymore.”

“Me neit’er. Creeps me out. Dey haven’ gone f’ me yet dough.”

“That’s a good sign. Even though Ah thought they would considerin’ you’re the reason we’re up here in the first place. It was just weird ‘cuz Ah got mah power the day of. Still freaks me out.”

“Oui, me too.” He thought for a minute what he had said to Hank about trusting her enough that he would let her touch him.

“What are ya thinkin’ ‘bout?” She looked at him thoughtfully.

“Jus’ how y’ powers are. An’ how if y’ needed t’, y’ could get mine offa me any time y’ wanted.”

She smiled. “Really? Ah’ll hafta remember that.” At that moment, if she could have felt anymore love towards him then, she would have. He’s always gonna be there foh me. More than anyone ever was befoh. A wash of warmth fell over her, and she felt the coolness of the ice cream slide down her throat more distinctly.

Remy stretched languidly. “I dunno if I’ll be able t’ fall sleep again.”

“Me neither. An’ we hafta stay here, too.” She said with an audible pout.

“Scott was mad I was outta de room in de first place. I don’ t’ink we should try it ‘gain.”

“Ah know,” she sighed. A breeze ran over both of them and the looked to the open window. Rogue got up to close it. She laughed. “What is it?” Remy asked.

She drew the curtain aside to show him. “Full moon. Ya know, when all the creepy crawlies come out ta play.”

“Y’ scared of dem?”

She looked at him, this time her face suddenly sad. She flips t’rough emotions so quickly, Remy noted. “Victor remind me of a werewolf… or werecat sometimes… he just has that… thing about him.”

“Like he would be two people?”

She nodded slowly. “Sometimes he could be nice, well, ta Momma anyway. He would apologize foh hittin’ her an’ get her somethin’ nice ta make it up ta her.”

Remy abandoned the ice cream carton on the bed and made his way over to the window. He peered outside, glancing over the grounds in the moonlight. Nothing was moving at the time. He couldn’t hear any sound either. “I’m sure if we had anyt’in’ goin’ on de grounds dat de security’d pick it up.”

She looked at him with shaky eyes. “Am Ah really safe here, Remy?” He nodded. Slowly, she stepped up to him so her face pressed into his chest and she just stayed there unmoving. Remy, still new at the whole caring about another person thing, tentatively wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She breathed out, her breath unsteady and soft. He rubbed her back in a circular motion.

“If dey don’ keep y’ safe, p’tite, I will.”

She tilted her head up so he could see her face. Tiny salty streams were flowing from her emerald eyes. “Ya promise?”

“Oui.” His hand trailed up into her unique hair and gently lowered her head back onto his chest.

“Thank you,” she murmured. She continued to cry though. Remy could only assume she was just letting everything go. She shook with sobs and Remy held her without question. He would be there for her, always and forever.

After a bit, she pulled away, rubbing her eyes and nose of excessive moisture. “Sorry ‘bout that,” she whispered with a smile.

“Don’ worry ‘bout it.” He stepped away from her and peeked out the window. “I got an idea.”

She looked at him quizzically as he pulled the screen off the window and looked outside again. “What’re ya doin’?”

He glanced back at her, a sly glimmer in his demonic eyes. “I be right back.”

“What?!” She hissed. Remy latched his hands on the windowsill and jumped out. “Remy!” She ran over to the window and saw him attempting to climb over to the balcony for the next room. “That’s Jubilee’s room,” she called in a loud whisper.

He nodded, somehow getting his left hand onto the edge of the balcony. Holding his breath and closing his eyes, he played on a huge whim that if he swung his weight the right way, he would be able to reach the balcony with his other hand.

“Remy, are you okay?” was the only thing he heard. He opened his eyes and saw that he was hanging on with both hands. “Great, Rogue!” He hadn’t done any jumping like that in a long time and it was exhilarating.

“How did you do that?” She was fully astonished.

“I’d have t’ do dat all de time,” he said as he clambered up the balcony so he was safely on the other side. “Dat time it was easier dough…”

“So… what are ya gonna do now that you’re ovah there?”

He thought for a minute. “Umm, I actually don’ know… I wanted out of de room.”

“So what am Ah supposed ta do now?” She half-grinned, half-pouted.

“Give me a second t’ figure dis out.” He glanced around. “Do y’ have rope in y’ room?”

“How should Ah know… give me a second.” Rogue disappeared into her room. Remy looked up as he waited. Dat’s where I wan’ go.

A few minutes later, Rogue appeared at the window. “Ah made one outta mah bed sheet.”

Remy shrugged. “Good ‘nuff. Y’ tie it t’ somet’in’ heavy?”

Rogue disappeared and reappeared again in fifteen seconds. “Yup.”

“K, toss me de end of it.” Rogue did so, though it took a couple tries. Once they finally got it, Remy tied it tightly to the railing of the balcony. “C’n y’ walk ‘cross it? Use de wall t’ help y’.”

“Ah dunno if Ah should do this, Rem…”

“Y’ c’n do it, p’tite. I have faith in y’.”

“You’ll catch me, raht?”

“O’ course.” He smirked. Then he climbed back on the other side of the rail. “C’mon.”

“Where’re we goin’ after this?”

“De roof.”

“What?” She took a deep breath. Ah show Remy Ah can do this. Ah can do this just as good as him an’ he’ll be proud of me. She started on the makeshift rope. “How’re we gon’ get up dere?”

What de… “Rogue?”

“Oui?”

“Why are y’ talkin’ like me?”

“Ah am?” Ah was thinkin’ in mah head how Ah should be brave like him… it slipped. Ah dunno how though.

“Y’ did.”

“Oh…” She again thought of him and how agile he was when he jumped across. Ah can be like that. Suddenly, her hands started to hurt… but she kept her eyes on the prize.

“Dere y’ go… Merde!”

“What?!” She lost her balance momentarily before she realized that her hands were stinging with pain due to the fact they were glowing. “Oh mah Gawd, what’s happenin’?” She freaked out and completely threw herself off the rope.

“Rogue!”

She left out a high-pitched scream and began to fall before she abruptly stopped midair with a woosh of wind. She began to ascend again and she flew above Remy, burning hands forgotten for the fleeting moment. She soon found herself face to face with the white-haired wind rider.

She set Rogue down on the tiny patio located outside the attic and looked down at Remy. She smiled and brought Remy up in the same fashion. Rogue watched in awe as the girl’s eyes glazed over and were solid milky white like her hair as she brought Remy up.

“T’anks, Ororo.” She nodded her acknowledgement, her eyes darkening to regular baby blue, which was still odd in contrast to her cocoa skin. “Y’ okay, Rogue?”

The younger girl held up her hands. Remy nodded and mutely reached into his pocket. He pulled out a playing card and gave it to Rogue.

She held it in her hands identical to how Remy would hold one. The card was quickly overtaken by the glow erupting from her hands. “Toss it now,” Remy instructed. She did and before it touched the ground, it exploded in a tiny poof.

“I heard from the others that was your power,” Ororo noted, talking to Remy, though her baby blues were focused on the scattering ashes fluttering to the ground.

“It is. Rogue takes de powers of ot’ers.”

“When Ah touch them,” Rogue timidly added.

Remy turned to her. “Y’ didn’ touch me dat time, dough,” he mentioned softly.

Rogue wrung her hands together in deep though. “Ah was thinkin’ ‘bout ya an’ wanted ta be brave like ya. Ah dunno where the glow came from.

“What an odd power,” Ororo murmured in awe.

“Thank ya, by the way. How did ya know we were out there?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about a lot of thing.” She glanced at Remy quickly before looking back at Rogue. “I could hear you out there whispering. Hopefully the wind I carried you with muffled your scream. Now I should ask you what you were doing outside.” She smiled, though her eyes showed some sternness.

Remy shrugged, smirking. “Can’ keep us cooped up too long.”

“Every time I see you, that smirk is always present.”

Remy’s smile turned into a grin. “I guess I’ve got a reason t’ be happy now.” He turned to Rogue then. “But dat doesn’ help us figure out what happened t’ y’.”

“Ah don’t wanna talk ‘bout it, cuz Ah don’t understand it.”

Ororo nodded. “Headed for the roof?”

“Oui. C’n y’ get us up dere so we don’ have t’ climb?”

“You can go through my skylight. We are on the top floor after all.” She led the younger two to one of the few skylights and pulled down a rope from the ceiling. “Go ahead. But don’t be too loud this time. Logan’s patrol starts at quarter after midnight.” She pointed to the clock on the wall, showing they only had twenty minutes before he started.

“Y’ gon’ come up wit’ us?”

“I need to get some sleep. I have classes in the morning.” She smiled warmly. The younger two nodded and Remy handed the rope to Rogue. He boosted her up a bit and she scrambled the rest of the way up.

Rogue gave the thumbs up when she was up there securely. Remy held the rope and was about to climb up when he looked at Ororo. “I got a question f’r y’ real quick.”

“Hmm?”

“Ev’ryone keeps sayin’ dat me an’ Rogue won’ do anyt’in’ even if we sleep in de same room. What did dey mean by dat?”

It took every bit of self control for Ororo not to burst out laughing. “I shall ask you a question, Remy, in hopes that it may answer your own. How much do you know about the birds and the bees?” For being a kid with such apparent street smarts, he’s a bit too naïve.

“Birds an’ bees, quoi?”

“Sex, Remy. You’re getting to that curious age, aren’t you?”

“Sex?” He thought about it for a moment and realized he was blushing. “I dunno… I guess dat I notice dat some girls are prettier dan ot’ers or somet’in like dat.” Then he looked up through the skylight. “Dey t’ink dat ‘bout me an’ Rogue?! Non!” He could never imagine Rogue like that. She was too young, too fragile… too hurt.

Ororo smiled despite Remy all but screaming. “That’s what they mean about not having to worry about it. So don’t you worry about it.”

“What ‘bout me?” Rogue called down.

“Not’in’, p’tite.” He held onto the rope tautly and pulled himself up. “G’night, Stormy.”

“What did you call me?”

“Stormy. Y’ know, y’ make it rain an’ ev’ryt’in’ like dat.”

Her smile faded. “Do not address me by that again.” She kept her tone light hearted, but firm in the same.

“But it suits y’ so well,” he smirked.

“And that smile is quickly becoming your trademark.”

“Y’ say dat like it be a bad t’ing. Night.” Before she could say anything else, he was up on the roof.