"Dat not gonna work, cherie." Remy said gently. "Let me help."
Rogue blinked back her tears of frustration and dropped her arms to her sides.
Remy slipped the dress off her shoulders.
Rogue gasped again and said, "What are you doin'?" in a slightly scared voice.
"Y' gonna have t' start over again, chere."
"What do yah mean?"
"De dress, camisole, chemise, an' bra all have t' come off. Y' can't wear your bra. Dat be part of what de corset for. Dat how dey do it here." Remy said as the dress dropped to the ground and he started to lift both the camisole and chemise up at the same time.
Rogue began to be excited at his touch, she couldn't hurt him with her powers, she wanted to feel his touch on her body. She began to breathe in quick little breaths. Remy felt himself becoming very aroused, he stroked her bare skin at the waist. When he removed her bra, he cupped her breasts. She moaned and closed her eyes, swaying back against him. He stroked her aureoles with a feathering touch. She began to move with the rhythm of his touch, making gasping squeaks. Remy grinned, those squeaks both aroused and amused him. Remy took one hand and pulled up her petticoat, then slid his hand up one of her legs, when he reached the top, he cupped her through the pantaloons, then gently pressed with his fingers against her, she gasped again, then parted her legs slightly.
Remy was shocked. She hadn't stopped him this time. She was willing to let him go as far as he wanted to, she would let him take her willingly, right here. He couldn't, not here. She deserved better than this, especially for her first time. A honeymoon suite at the highest class hotel, perhaps.
Remy abruptly removed his hands and stepped back from her. He smiled to himself, what would de guild members think of him now? Remy turning virtuous? Never! They wouldn't believe it. Rogue though, deserved it. He patted the engagement ring in his pocket. He had bought it during their shopping trip before the dinner date. The date they ended up not having. He hadn't shown it to her. He had refused to tell her what he had bought. He had planned to propose marriage to her tonight after the dinner. He would yet, when the time was right.
Rogue opened her eyes and turned around, shyly covering her breasts. She looked at Remy with a soft smile and gently said, "Yah didn't have tah stop Remy."
"Y' deserve better dan a tumble in de leaves."
Rogue laughed warmly. "Yah are such a romantic Remy LeBeau. That's one of the reasons ah love yah."
"Y' love me?"
"Yeah. Ah don't have tah ask yah Remy, yah already told me."
"I say it anyways, cherie. Je t'aime Roguie, no matter what."
She hugged him tight, her bare breasts pressing against his vest. Then she said mock impatiently, "Well yah gonna help me get dressed or what?"
Remy laughed and picked up the chemise. "Dis go first."
"Ah know that. Ah have seen `Gone With The Wind', yah know."
Rogue grinned back at him, sharing a in joke amongst southerners, as she pulled the chemise on and watched it fall to about her mid thighs. She loosed up the side ties of the petticoat and tucked the bottom half of the chemise in between the pantaloons and the petticoat. The petticoat was a bit short too, it only came down to her mid calves. Then she retied the petticoat and picked up the dreaded corset. Both the front fasteners and the back strings were undone. Rogue fastened the hooks in front, then Remy did the strings in back. As he did he congratulated himself on being such a good judgment of Rogue's figure and the girl's. The corset fit Rogue better than it had the girl. Remy only had to tighten the holes directly above and below Rogue's waist tighter than her natural figure. That would make the corset only uncomfortable, it shouldn't interfere with her breathing, then she put the camisole on. Rogue was relieved, when the dress went on with no more problems, that Remy had found a girl a bit plumper than she was, and that thanks to the cut of the dresses in this time period the corsets didn't go down more than a couple of inches below her waist. At least she could sit down without too much discomfort. Which was good, because she needed to sit down now, to change her shoes. When she tried to bend over to take her shoes off, she realized she should have done the shoes before the corset. Remy helped her change her shoes then. Rogue still had her tights on. She remembered women wore them all the time. Rogue's were thigh high tights because she preferred them to pantyhose most of the time.
They walked towards Baltimore again, reaching the outskirts in afternoon.
"Y' stay here chere, I'll get us some money quick."
"Yah mean yah gonna pick some rich man's pockets." Rogue looked resigned.
"Have t' chere. I won' steal much, promise, just enough t' get by here."
"Ah know. Don't get caught, be careful." She looked worried at him.
"You too. Stay here, chere, please. I be back before y' know it." He smiled reassuringly.
They hugged tight, then Remy walked into the city as quickly and quietly as he could. Remy saw a couple obviously drunk, rich young men and quickly picked their pockets, taking half of their money. Then Remy broke into a closed general store without damaging the lock, and stole a carpetbag, the most unattractive one, carefully arranging things so it looked like nothing was stolen.
When he came back, he saw Rogue had put on her duster over her dress, but was still shivering. Remy quickly transferred most of the clothes to the carpetbag, then offered her his coat.
"Yah need it, an' don't tell me yah not cold, ah know yah are."
Remy shrugged and put his coat on. They could wear them in the city. They were a bit strange for this time, but not enough to really stand out, especially his coat. Remy picked up the quilt and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Better now, chere?"
"Yeah." Rogue knew it would keep her warmer, and tomorrow would also cover up the bodice part of the coat, which was where the styling was most different from coats of this period.
They waited until they heard the first train of the day, and pretended to be passengers getting off the train. Rogue was glad to have the quilt and her coat. It was too cold to be with out them, even though the brown dress she had on was wool, as was the petticoat and the camisole.
Remy asked the station master where a nice, but reasonable hotel was for him and his "new bride".
Remy wore dark tinted wire rimmed glasses and pretended to be blind. Remy decided to use his real name. Being his wife no one would inquire Rogue's name, she would simply be addressed, if at all, as Mrs. LeBeau.
As they walked they passed where you could see Fort McHenry, it's some what unique star shape made it instantly recognizable.
"Remy, it's Fort McHenry! Yah know the place where Francis Scott Key saw the flag still wavin'!" They got a few amused looks by passing townspeople, but other than that they were ignored. Rogue sighed with relief, she hadn't done anything to draw undue attention to them by her excited statement. She was glad she had remembered before she said something else, that "The Star Spangled Banner" didn't become the United States national anthem until 1923. She was also glad she hadn't shouted "Look!" since Remy was pretending to be blind, and wearing black tinted wire rim glasses. Rogue was glad they had played around and done a little shopping before their dinner date, that they ended up not having. She had bought the glasses for him as a joke. When she had pestered him into putting them on, she laughed and laughed. He looked a lot like John Lennon with them on, and in between laughs she told him so. Remy had joked back that he always liked Ringo better. But Rogue saw the flash of embarrassment on his face and he quickly took them off and put them in one of his coat pockets.
Truthfully Remy had always admired John Lennon, the man stood up for his beliefs and acknowledged his mistakes. It was the idea of being compared to him that made Remy shudder. Remy still didn't believe he was a morally good person. Rogue wasn't completely aware of that being the reason for Remy's discomfort. She just thought he didn't like being stared at or laughed at. She grinned that he had to endure some form of discomfort too, pretending that he had to be guided around because he was blind.
When they came in sight of the Basilica of the Assumption Remy stopped and stared in it's direction, Rogue knew why. Remy blamed himself for the Morlock Massacre. When the slaughter started Remy was first horrified, then panicked and fled the tunnels. He felt damned by God because he had led the Marauders straight to the Morlocks, then he just ran away, not giving up his life trying to save the Morlocks.
Rogue gave his arm a squeeze and whispered, "It wasn't yoah fault Remy. Yah were far less tah blame foh that than ah was any o' the things ah did while ah was with Mystique. Ah went intah situations knowin' ah was goin' tah hurt people, an' thought it was fun, tah kick some people's butts."
"But y' were just a girl, y' believed what Mystique told y'."
"Ah chose tah do it though; yah didn't know. Ah almost killed Carol Danvers."
"We best not talk no more `bout dis on de street, even in whispers, neh?"
"Ah just want yah tah stop blamin' yoahself. It took me a long time tah stop condemin' mahself, but with Ororo's, Logan's and the other's help ah did. Yah got Ororo, Logan, Hank, and me completely supportin' yah, and the others will before long."
They got to the hotel and got a room. It had a sitting room and a bedroom. Rogue and Gambit both looked at the furniture with appreciation. For that time it was considered only functional, but the beauty was obvious to them. Seeing the furniture as new, not antique only made the contrast between the craft work of this furniture and the blandness of the furniture of their time more obvious.
They put down their things in the room. Then Remy said, "I'm going t' make us some more money, chere an' find out where dat plantation be."
"How?"
Remy pulled out a card. "Wit' dese."
"Remy, saloons were real dangerous places, ah'm goin' with yah."
"No chere. Ladies didn't go dere."
"Ah'm goin' with yah, besides yah supposed tah be blind."
"Not completely, I could be able t' see a few inches, dat be enough t' play. Make dem t'ink I be an easy mark too, neh?"
They quietly argued back and forth a few more times, then Remy decided that compromise would be the best way to end this, he agreed to let her accompany him there, but she wouldn't go in, he asked her to return to the hotel but he held no illusions that she would. She probably be waiting for me. He told her not to wait by the door, or despite the way she was dressed the patrons might think she was a lady of easy virtue.
Rogue of course wasn't about to go back to the hotel, she did however, avoid the doors, instead peeking in through a side window. She was angry when she saw Remy allowing the "women of easy virtue" to drape themselves all over him when he had obviously won a round. Not only was he allowing it, he was enjoying it, Rogue seethed.
"Young lady, that is not proper entertainment for a lady!" Rogue gasped in surprise and turned around. Two elderly ladies were looking sternly at her.
Rogue quickly remembered their story, and said with anguish, "But mah husband is in there!"
The expression on the ladies faces immediately transformed to compassion, the younger looking one said, "Oh you poor thing! How long have you been married?"
"Two weeks." Rogue said, making a good show of looking upset.
"What a hideous beast!" The older woman exclaimed. "Gambling, drinking, and spending time with..." The woman blushed, unable to say the words, then she continued, "while you stand outside, in clothes that don't even fit you right!"
The younger woman asked, "Have you eaten today, child?"
"No." Rogue answered truthfully.
"Lets his wife starve! Only married two weeks, and already mistreating her! Now you come home with us, and we'll get you something to eat."
"Ah...mah husband..."
"Don't worry about him. I can tell you are from out of town. We'll stop by where you are staying and tell them where you are. The whole town knows who we are."
The ladies smiled at each other, then introduced themselves. "I'm Emily Bothwell and this is my sister, Amanda Dunwall. We're both widowed, and our foolish children have all gone west. When my husband passed away I moved in with Amanda and her husband. Then William died, and now it's only us."
"We'll leave a message at the hotel, your husband can come find you." Amanda Dunwall stated.
Rogue decided to go, she might be able to find out where the plantation was from these ladies. She was glad Remy told her the name of the family who had the plantation that Judith was on. Plus Rogue was just ticked off enough at Remy to cause him a little worry.
When they got to the house the ladies insisted on feeding her a whole meal and fixing her dress so that it would fit better. One of the sisters moved the buttons as close as possible to the edge, and the other sewed some lace edging around the hem so the length would be considered more proper for a lady. As they sewed Rogue found out she met a couple of the town "radicals".
When she asked them where the Smith plantation was, they told her where it was, then started talking about the horrible institution of slavery. Rogue quickly found out they were ardent abolitionists, supporters of women's rights, and for the prohibition of hard liquor. Rogue just listened.
"It's absolutely outrageous how tight they expect these young ladies to lace their stays! They'll end up cripples!"
"That's what men like, the more helpless the better!" The ladies continued to talk about women's unequal status for several more minutes. Rogue listened, fascinated. She was actually listening to two women that spoke out for the equality of women. They weren't historically famous, just two of the literally hundreds, if not thousands, of women that spoke out for the rights of women. Rights she had because of them, and all the other women like them.
"Now if you are going to be here this Saturday, that's when we have our meetings..."
Rogue finally responded to the women. "Ah believe in what yah say, but mah husband and ah will be goin' back home by then." Ah hope! Rogue added to herself.
"And I suppose your husband doesn't support women's rights?"
"Oh he does, despite what it looked like back there."
"In other words he's a hypocrite."
"Not exactly."
"Oh dear, do you mean he supports `free love'?"
"Sort of, but he believes in marriage too."
"My dear, you have a strange husband!"
Rogue laughed, that was true!
"I believe we've fixed your dress as much as we can." The other sister politely changed the subject.
Rogue took off the dressing gown that the taller sister loaned her while they worked on her dress. Rogue had unlaced her corset partway for comfort while she had the dressing gown on. One of the sister helped her re-lace. She laced it much looser than Remy had at the waist.
"I hope this isn't too loose for the dress to fit over." Rogue sighed with relief when the dress buttoned up without difficulty. Now the corset was only as uncomfortable as her mother's girdle had been when Rogue had snuck and tried it on when she was twelve. She wondered then why her mother would wear something as uncomfortable as it had to be on an adult woman, since Rogue could feel it was even squashing her in with her barely adolescent figure.
In the meantime Remy had let one of the women that worked at the saloon "guide" him back to the hotel. He found out from her how to get to the plantation. When they reached the hotel Remy pulled out a silver coin out of his pocket and gave it to the woman. She looked happy then ran her hand across his chest with a inviting look on her face. Remy grinned back, but told her,
"Non. Dat be for de walk back here. Y' don' have t' do no more for me. You go back now, I be fine."
The woman looked surprised, then shrugged and walked back to the saloon. Remy walked into hotel. The desk clerk shouted, "Hey!" Remy walked over. "Your wife is with those crazy old ladies."
"What crazy old ladies?" Remy questioned, a little concerned.
"Oh that's right, you're not from anyway around here. They're a couple old widows. They're abolitionists, prohibitionists, and for women's rights." Then the clerk laughed, "Your wife will come back wearing one those `bloomer' outfits!" Then in a slightly more serious tone, "Hey, I'll get Old John to drive you there. Maybe you can get there before too much damage is done!" The clerk laughed again. Then he pulled a cord. A couple of minutes later an older black man came in. "Take this man to the crazy ladies house, his wife is there." The older black man raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then guided Remy out to the hotel buggy.
After about five minutes they reached the ladies house. Old John got out and started to help Remy out, but Remy shook his head no, and leaped down. Old John looked surprised, and Remy told him he could see a little. Then Remy took out another silver coin and slipped it into the old man's hand, and quietly asked him, "Are y' free?"
"Yes sir." The old man answered, surprised.
"Good. Y' keep dat coin f' yourself, y' understand?" Remy said quietly.
"Yes sir." The old man said and put the coin in his pocket, got back in the buggy, waiting for Remy's return.
Remy knocked on the door. The ladies' only servant, an young, opened it Irish woman who spoke with a noticeable accent. After Remy very politely introduced himself and why he was there she invited him in. She took him to the front room where the ladies were just finishing up helping Rogue get dressed. They were still talking. The servant introduced Remy. Rogue smiled mischievously at Remy, he grinned back at her. Then Remy proceeded to be as charming as possible to the two widows. By the time they left, five minutes later, he had charmed the ladies enough that he could tell they were thinking better of him, just by the looks on their faces.
"You be naughty, chere, goin' off wit'out tellin' me where you are."
"Well, what about yah? Yah let those women drape themselves all ovah yah, in fact yah encouraged it!" Rogue said with more than a hint of jealousy.
Remy laughed, he'd seen her peeking in the window of the saloon. He couldn't help himself, he wanted to stir her jealousy, de Bon Dieu knew that she had, by de way she had fluttered all over Magneto, before Remy had enough and left. Remy though, just said, "Dey be de distraction, chere. Besides, I find out from dem just where de plantation be at."
Rogue sighed and shook her head ruefully, Remy would nevah change. This was the man she had fallen in love with. A lopsided smile crossed her face.
"We get out dere early tomorrow morning. It too late today." Remy said as the beginning of sunset touched the sky.
"Ah just hope they haven't found her yet. Ah hope she's safe."
"Me too, chere." Remy didn't mention that he had recognized one of the guys at the saloon drinking, fondling a saloon girl and he laughed and loudly said something about having all the time in the world. They hadn't found Judith yet, he knew.}
When they got back to the room Rogue saw Remy had got a few more things for her. She hoped he had actually bought these. They included two hats, a nightgown, another dress, wool tights, pantaloons, and needle and thread. Rogue was glad he got the hats, her unusual hair color was getting stares. With her hair put up, she could cover the white streak with the hats. Not wearing a hat alone, had probably drawn attention to her, most married women wore hats, or at least a snood, at this time, except some frontier women. The pink dress he got had fringed layers and a deep hem. Once the deep hem was taken out and re-sewn much smaller it was actually within the length range acceptable for a lady, brushing the top of her feet. They re-sewed the hem together, since the circumference of the hem was so wide, it would have taken forever for one of them to sew it. When their stitches met, they both sighed with relief, even more so when she put it on and it fell straight.
"Time t' go t' bed chere."
Rogue unbuttoned the dress. She was mightily relieved this one buttoned down the front. Then she lifted off the camisole, untied the waist strings of the petticoat, letting it fall to the floor, and unhooked the front fasteners of the corset. "Oh it feels good to get that damn thing off. It's worse than a under wire bra."
Remy grinned and looked at her in the thin chemise and pantaloons, she looked both cute and sexy at the same time. When she saw the direction of his gaze Rogue blushed. He laughed and turned around while put on the nightgown. He undressed down to his briefs, he usually slept naked or in his briefs. Usually naked, except in winter, and it was pretty cold here, plus he didn't want to scare Rogue.
Rogue joined Remy in bed nervously, she wasn't sure if it was more about her feelings or his. She nervously moved a few inches away from Remy, then she turned on her side, facing away from him. Remy sighed and closed his eyes.
Rogue felt herself coming awake, she blushed at the erotic dream she had been having, then when she realized the position she was in, she blushed even redder, and jumped nearly out of the bed. She had been half on top of Remy, with one of her legs curled around Remy's other side. Remy had been running his hand up and down that leg, in his sleep! Rogue got back under the covers on her side of the bed. "Yah gotta get yoahself under control, girl!" She muttered to herself. She fell back asleep still embarrassed by her behavior. Thirty minutes later she woke up. Again she was half on top of Remy. This time he was stroking her intimately. She was at a loss at what to do. It felt so good! She was aching from the sensations. He was also nuzzling her neck. Rogue moaned. Remy mumbled something and his other hand squeezed her butt. She realized he was still asleep, she didn't know what he had actually said, it was probably dirty. She thought, shocked, he's probably done it in his sleep! Becoming fearful that she might find out, she wiggled herself away from Remy. As last time his hands flopped to the mattress, twitched a few times, like a caught fish, then were still. Only Remy could be a letch in his sleep. Then she shook her head ruefully. Oh listen to you girl, she thought, who was the one rubbin' herself all over him! Rogue felt a tinge of fear about her actions in sleep now. She pulled the bedspread off the bed, took it and a pillow and went into the sitting room. She wrapped herself up a couple of times in the covers and lay down on the couch and slept.
When Remy awoke he was at first afraid that Rogue had gone off by herself. When he found her still asleep on the couch he was relieved and embarrassed. Why was she always running away from him, it wasn't her powers now, neither of them had them right now, and they showed no signs of returning. He should have been the gentleman and at least offered to sleep on the couch. He would do that tonight, since she was still afraid of him, for some reason. He gently shook her awake. Her soft smile when her eyes opened made him want to hold her forever. She kissed him lightly on the lips. Remy kissed her back and she opened her mouth. They lay back on the couch, Rogue still tangled in the covers, with Remy on top of them. Rogue moaned with the feel of Remy completely on top of her, even through the layers of cloth. Remy broke it off, gently. He pulled her back up to a sitting position.
"We best get Judith today." He said, helping her untangle herself from the blanket.
"Yeah." She looked down, not able to look at Remy without blushing.
Remy helped her get dressed. They rented a buggy and horse and drove out to the plantation. They were both surprised when they quickly figured out who was Judith. There was something about her that they immediately recognized, even though she didn't look that much like Ororo. They decided the best way to insure Judith's safety would be to "buy" her from the "owner", even though the idea of buying another human being from someone was a sickening thought to both of them, they would do it to ensure Judith's safety. Remy would pretend that he had newly come into money. So he wished to be respectable now. For that his wife needed a personal maid. He told this to the plantation owner. Remy said they already had picked out the one they wanted to buy, and pointed out Judith, who had been serving tea to Rogue. Just to be certain they had the right person Rogue had asked her name. When she said "Judith", Rogue told her that she had a nice name, and nodded at Remy, so he would know that they had the right person for certain. That was when Remy pointed Judith out to the plantation owner. The owner nodded and took Remy into another room, leaving Rogue waiting in the parlor. The owner readily sold Judith when Remy acted like someone who was somewhat ignorant of normal prices, and charged Remy 20 dollars more than the average in a private sale. Remy just wanted to get out the room, and off this damn plantation with Rogue and Judith. They left as soon as they politely could. Remy got them both in the buggy. As soon as they were off the plantation and driving through some woods, they told the visibly upset Judith what was really happening.
"Shugah, yah won't be goin' tah New Orleans."
"Ma'am?" Judith responded, surprised.
"We get y' out of dere, so y' can free."
Judith looked skeptical and asked, "Why me?"
Rogue and Gambit looked at each other uncertainly, then Remy came up with something, that though it was a lie, would have been plausible.
"We hear dis man, also from New Orleans talking `bout a slave girl dat fit your description on dis plantation. he want t' take y' back t' New Orleans. Do y' know `bout what happens t' dose girls?" Judith shuddered and nodded. Rogue hugged her.
Remy had been sickened during the course of the conversation when the owner had told Remy that the girl was 16 and a virgin, and he was "getting ready to plow her, himself," implying that he thought Remy was really buying the girl for his sexual gratification. Remy just barely restrained himself from becoming enraged. He wanted to slam the man into the nearest wall. Remy would tell neither about them about that, it was something best not to upset them with. It had, however, helped Remy come up with a reason to tell Judith why they picked her to save.
They returned the buggy and went to a store and bought Judith things for her trip north. They bought her red flannel pantaloons and a camisole. Rogue told Judith when they got back to the hotel room that she would need them for the horrible, cold northern winters.
Judith figured they must be telling the truth, they wanted her to be free in the north. She had never met any white people like them. Judith did have a suspicion that they were telling one lie. She didn't think they were really married. She didn't know what it was that made her think that, but it was something about them. She wondered why they weren't married. They were white, so no slavemaster was keeping them from being married. She could tell neither of them were wealthy either, so their families weren't keeping them from marriage. The only thing she could think of was that maybe they were different from normal in other ways too. Maybe they didn't believe in marriage.
Remy went out and told Rogue and Judith to stay in the hotel room. They would leave late in the afternoon. He told Rogue he was going to get some more money, gambling. Rogue wasn't happy that he was putting himself in danger for money. He told her they needed a little more, he promised not to stay than a couple of games.
Soon after he left Rogue decided to take the initiative and find Harriet Tubman and then she and Remy could bring Judith to her and travel with them, so that when those guys attacked she and Remy could fight them off. Rogue worried a little about her fighting ability, with no powers and in these clumsy dresses. She asked some man handing out abolitionist pamphlets if he knew where "Moses" was. "Moses" being Harriet Tubman's best known alias. The man gave her some directions and an address. As Rogue walked away, a couple of men started to push the guy around. Rogue watched from around the corner of a building. They told him to hand out his "radical rags" elsewhere, the pamphleteer moved on, relatively unhurt. Rogue breathed a sigh of relief and walked toward the docks.
The closer she got to the address the more jumpy she felt. This was definitely a seedy area. She began to doubt if she had got the right direction.
Suddenly she was grabbed from behind. At first she froze in shock, but then her years of training in the danger room kicked in. She fought back with a vengeance. Then she felt the knife on her neck and saw the second man. She felt herself begin to panic. She breathed faster in fear, but struck back the way she had been taught, knocking the knife out of the second man's hand. He went after his knife. Now Rogue felt slightly better. She might be able handle the other guy, alone, if she acted quickly. She jerked herself free. Then while he was still surprised at her doing that, she swung around facing him, and quickly and with as much force as her natural strength would allow she slammed her fist into his solar plexus. When he bent over in pain, she struck his carotid artery hard enough to knock him out for quite a while, but not hard enough to kill him.
Unfortunately, by that time the second thug had found his knife and he grabbed her from behind and hauled her up to him, holding the knife against her neck again. "So you like to fight, huh, well, I'll see just how well you fight after I cut you a few times." He growled at her.
"Fraid not, gutter trash!" Remy slammed his bo staff against the man's head.
Rogue jerked free as the thug was momentarily dazed. He held onto his knife this time and lunged at Remy, sneering, "Who're you, the Prince Charming for the whores?"
"Dis pretty chere be a lady, she be my wife." Remy responded as he easily parried the thug's knife.
Rogue watched to make sure the other guy didn't wake up, or that no one else was coming to join the fight. Remy seemed to be handling the guy alright. They seemed to be about evenly matched, maybe Remy being slightly better.
Remy was pissed off, first with Rogue going off by herself, even though she knew her powers weren't working, and now this guy had Remy even more pissed. A rapist, the only people he hated more were people who hurt children for pleasure. Remy toyed with this guy, keeping his anger in check, letting this guy think he was actually a match in fighting skill. As soon as this guy let his guard down Remy would beat the holy hell out of him.
Rogue shrieked as she thought she saw Remy mistaking a stab towards his chest as a feint. Remy had seen it, but Rogue's shriek distracted him and was late in blocking the blow, and got a slight cut on his forearm. Remy hissed his breath at the sudden pain but kept his concentration, even though his rage was building.
The thug sneered at Remy. "I'll kill you, rape your woman over your corpse, then I'll kill her slowly and painfully."
Remy lost it. He grabbed the knife from the creep and stabbed him through the heart.
Rogue gasped as Remy let the dead man drop to the ground. She couldn't believe it, Remy killed the guy! Remy took out the knife and threw it in the Chesapeake. Then Remy went through the guy's pockets and took all the money. Then Remy dragged the dead guy to the river bank and pushed him in.
Rogue just stood there in shock, she had never seen this side of Remy, not this cold angry side. It frightened her a little. He was so concerned about her getting hurt, that he would kill someone that wanted to hurt her. It was overwhelming. She wondered if she would react the same way if Remy's life was threatened. She thought about for a while, considering the possible situations, and came to the startling conclusion, that she might. Their love for each other went that deep, she realized he loved her so much that he didn't want any chance of her coming to harm. He wanted to protect her. Somehow it wasn't as offensive a notion as it might have once been. He would die to protect her because he loved her. She wanted to do something to show him how much she cared about him. That she cared about him as much as he cared about her. It made her feel all the more guilty about driving him away because she couldn't deal with her feelings for him.
In the meantime Remy had rifled the other guy's pockets too. He was still unconscious, Remy smiled, she did a good job on dis guy, even wit'out her powers. Remy took all his money too, and the two knives he had hidden on his person.
Remy turned to Rogue now, his anger still rolling in him, "What you come here for? You scared me to death!" He said with fire in his voice.
"Ah heard that the safe house Harriet Tubman is staying at right now, is here!" Rogue retorted in a tight whisper.
"You heard wrong, chere, she never tell no one where she go, she take different routes everytime."
"How did yah know that?"
"It was in de tale Stormy tell me `bout Judith."
Rogue said nothing, but she still felt a little put out at Ororo again for telling Remy that story and not telling her.
Remy kept one of the knives for himself and gave the other to Rogue.
"Ah'm not takin' that thing!" She recoiled in disgust from the thug's weapon, picturing how it had been used on other, less strong victims.
"If y' goin' out alone y' gonna need a weapon! You shouldn't have come here alone, anyways!"
Rogue grudgingly took the knife in it's sheath, and lifted up her skirt, tying it to the end with the petticoat strings, then let the skirt drop back down.
Remy nodded in relief.
Remy's cut wasn't bad, it had already stopped bleeding and hadn't bled through the coat. They still looked fairly presentable, so they headed straight back to the hotel.
When they walked in the door Rogue said, "Ah'm sick, ah'm stayin' in the room the rest o' the day." She had said it loud enough that the other people in the hotel lobby heard and stared at them. After he heard her close the door of their room, Remy put on a bragging posture and smirked, nodding at the others in the lobby. A couple of the men, who had been standing, talking and smoking cigars, grinned back at him. Then they came over and congratulated him on getting his bride pregnant so quickly. They asked if he wanted to celebrate.
Remy allowed them to take him to the hotel bar. He drank the small shot of wine they bought him. Remy grimaced at the horrible taste. It was one of the worst wines that he had ever tasted. Even worse than that homemade concoction that Lapin made and they both drank when Remy was 12. It was the only time he ever got so drunk he puked his guts out. He vowed then and there to never let his drinking get out of control again. Remy decided he'd been with these guys long enough to politely leave. It wouldn't be long now before they had to leave with Judith.
"Need t' check on my wife."
The two guys laughed, and one of them said, "You won't feel this way about the rest of them, I ought know I got eight of them." Then the two guys laughed again, Remy just smiled politely and left.
The guys were loud enough that Rogue heard their comments in the hotel room. When Remy came in she said, "Ah heard them, you made them think ah was pregnant!"
"Dat can easily be arranged, ma amour."
"In yoah dreams, Cajun."
Judith knew they couldn't be married now. They didn't act anything like the married couples she knew! They were the strangest couple she had ever seen, and it wasn't just their looks, although that was strange enough. The woman, who went by the name Rogue, with her two color hair, and the man called Remy with the strange red on black eyes. He told her he'd been in an accident, that a gun had backfired on him, that was why he had strange colored eyes. He pretended to be nearly blind, but she knew he wasn't. The woman gave no explanation for her strange hair, other than she was born that way. Somehow that sounded more truthful than the man's story. They had something to hide. She wondered what it was other than they weren't really married, despite the fact the woman wore a gold band on her finger.
While they argued, the tone becoming more flirtatious as it went along, Rogue was thinking, A baby, with Remy, ah'd like that. She imagined holding the baby in her arms, and smiled. Remy would be ovah the moon. He loves kids. Ah know he really wants tah be ah daddy. There's no one ah'd want tah be the father of mah children more than Remy.
Remy watched the expression change on Rogue's face from teasing to a soft smile with a far away look in her eyes. She hadn't answered back to his last teasing remark. He wondered what she was thinking about. Somethin' dat make her happy.
Could Remy dare to think it was something about him? He touched her nose, and said in teasing tone, "You be dreamin' about me, hon'?"
An embarrassed Rogue blushed, but shot back, "No. Ah was thinkin about what ah was goin' tah eat when we get back home."
Remy leered and Rogue blushed. He would make ah double entendre out of what ah said!
"I know what I'd like t' eat."
"Hush Remy." Rogue vaguely knew what people meant when they used "eat" in that way, but it made her uncomfortable to think about it. It was too "kinky" as Jubilee might say. O' course that girl probably wouldn't think that it was! She was about the dirtiest minded girl Rogue knew, with the exception o' Betsy. Betsy never talked about it much though, just implied she knew all about it, and had tried it all. Rogue felt stupid and naive compared to all the other X-women. Much less the guys.
Now she have dat serious look on her face. Remy leaned over and gently kissed her lips. Rogue sighed and relaxed, and Remy stopped the kiss and said, "Sorry, cherie, I was bein' crude. I poligize."
"It's alright Remy. Ah was just embarrassed `cause Judith was here."
Remy just nodded, although he imagined Judith had probably heard far worse things directed at her. She was pretty. He was sure the plantation owner had already said things and maybe even started to do things. The same went for the two teenage sons he saw briefly. Remy thought, that's probably why Judith ran when she did. The threat of the father or the sons or all of them forcing her. She be a slave so she couldn't fight back. She chose the best way. Run to freedom. Now that fear wouldn't hound her. She would go north already what she should have been all along, a free woman. Remy was going to give her all but a few coins of the money. He could get more, or he and Rogue would be back home soon and wouldn't need these coins.
Remy put the money in the bag in Judith's hand. She looked shocked. Remy smiled at her and said, "You need dis in de nort', petite."
"Won't you need it? I can tell you aren't rich, Mister Remy."
"Jus' Remy is fine, I'm no gentleman."
Judith nodded, but she strongly disagreed. Mister Remy was much more a gentleman than any of the white men she met who called themselves gentlemen. He was what they only played at being, a true gentleman. He played at not being one, but she had seen the way he treated Miss Rogue, and herself. The gentleman was intrinsic to him. Judith took the money and thanked Remy for it.
Then Rogue gave Judith the knife that Remy had taken from one of the guys that attack her. It had a ivory handle. Rogue said, "You'll need this for protection."
Judith teased as she accepted the knife, "Won't you need it for protection from him?" She grinned and pointed to Remy.
Rogue smirked. "Ah can handle him."
Remy leered at Rogue. We'll see `bout dat, he thought, amused and aroused by the challenge Rogue was throwing him.
That evening they walked to the meeting spot. Judith knew where it was, she and Remy took the lead Rogue walked behind, they were all on the lookout for someone ambushing them. So they were somewhat prepared when the two guys leaped down from the trees.
Rogue and Remy quickly put Judith between them. One of them went after Gambit, and the other went after Rogue. Rogue was relieved that Judith understood Remy's head signal, and she ran for it, while Remy and Rogue fought these guys. These guys were much more skilled than the two guys that had attacked Rogue at the docks. These guys, of course were from the 1990's also. Skilled thugs. Rogue was afraid she wouldn't be able to defeat this guy. Not without her powers. Remy wasn't having a easy time either, he was sweating, despite the early December chill. Suddenly two shots exploded and the two guys dropped to the ground. One shot through the head, the other through the neck.
They were dead.
Then a women stepped into the clearing where the fight had been, another woman was behind her. Rogue gasped when she recognized Harriet Tubman from the photograph she had seen of her in history books. The woman behind her was Judith. Rogue was shocked that Harriet Tubman had killed those guys, the gun was still in her hand, the pistol she always carried, it was pointed down now.
"I was watching you. You've been trying to help one of my people, so I helped you." Harriet told them.
"Merci, Madame Moses. We be in your debt. We'll take care of dese guys." Remy said and he and Rogue waved goodbye to Judith as Harriet nodded then walked back into the darkness.
Remy went through the guys' pockets. "Sapriste!"
"What?"
Remy held up the device, it was damaged.
"Damn." Rogue muttered.
"Mebbe we can fix it. I don' know. It take while t'ough. First t'ings first, t'ough. We need to get rid of de bodies."
Remy dragged one guy, while Rogue reluctantly did the other. They dumped them into the Chesapeake. As the bodies floated away, slowly sinking from the weight of the waterlogged clothes, Remy shook his head and said half ironically, "Be a lot o' bodies in de Chesapeake lately, neh?"
"It's not funny Remy. I don't like killin'."
"It not funny. Don' like it myself, but if de people you be fightin' playin for keep, den you better too, or it might just be your body bein' food for de fishies."
Rogue shuddered and nodded solemnly.
Remy came over and they held each other tight for a few minutes. Then Remy said, "We best be goin' north too, just to be on de safe side. We go straight north t'ough. Dey be followin' de coast." He gently kissed her, then stepped back.
Rogue took his hand as they began their long walk. Near dawn they found an recently abandoned cabin, it still looked to be in good shape. Rogue said, "Likely they went west."
"At dis time, probably." Remy replied.
There was even some wood still stacked in a pile. They both tiredly picked up an armload and carried it inside. Both were relieved that it was relatively clean inside, only around the chimney was it dirty.
They found a forgotten empty straw ticking mattress, folded up next to the door. It was essentially two sheets sewn together, except for one of the short ends. Straw would have been stuffed inside it until it was full, then that end would have been sewn up. After they piled up the wood in the fireplace, Rogue unfolded the ticking and laid it out fairly near the fireplace. Rogue took off her layers of clothes. First, the long, hooded cloak that Remy bought, then her coat, next the pink dress, finally the brown dress. Then she was down to her 1990's clothes, with both the 1860's underclothes and her own, minus the corset. She left the green dress and damned corset behind. They also left the carpet bag behind, which was one of the reasons they were wearing layers, the other was for the warmth they provided.
Remy was peeling off layers too. On the top he stripped down to the skin and down to his own pants on the bottom. Then he worked on get ting the fire started.
After the fire was lit Rogue brought over her layers of clothes she had discarded. First she laid the cloak on top of the flat ticking. The cloak was huge, except at the very top because it had to go around the width of the skirts of that time. Then she laid her duster and the pink dress on the side she decided to sleep on. She laid the brown wool dress on Remy's side, since he had no long warm piece of clothing to lay over himself tonight. Remy put on the 1860 shirt and vest back on once he got the fire lit.
They laid down on their impromptu bed together. Rogue laid her head on Remy's chest, looking at the fire, afraid to look at his face, and shyly said, "Remy, ah've been thinkin' about what's happened the past couple o' days..."
"What is it cherie?" Remy asked, with a little tinge of fear that she pull away from him emotionally again.
Rogue took a deep breath, and said in a whisper, "Ah want yah tah make love tah me." She blushed a deep red, but continued, "Yoah the man ah've dreamed of lovin' all mah life. Yah love me as much as ah love yah. Yah want tah protect me `cause yah love me. Ah don't need tah be protected, ah can take care o' mahself, but ah understand why yah feel that way, ah feel the same `bout yah."
Remy turned over on his side, so that they faced each other. "Are y' sure you're ready for dis?"
"No." Rogue said honestly. "Ah'd like tah though."
Remy nodded, then said, "I can do something else f' you, if y' want me too. It feel real good, I promise."
"Okay." She replied with a mixture of trepidation, curiosity and excitement.
Remy helped her out of her clothes, with gentle touches and jokes. Rogue found herself relaxing and getting turned on by this. Once she was down to her bra and underwear he began to make feathering touches on her breasts, then up to her earlobes and back again. Rogue closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure. Then he took the bra off and stroked from her bare breasts to her waist rhythmically, while he kissed her slowly and deeply. Then he let one of his hands slid inside her underwear and stroked there. Rogue rolled over to her back and lifted her hips with gasps and sharp surges of pleasure. Remy drew off her underwear, then stroked between her legs with both hands till she spasmed and cried out in orgasm. He gently teased her then, "Wonder if dey heard y' back in Baltimore?"
Rogue blushed down to her breasts with mortification. She had no idea she would scream like that, it was so embarrassing. Anyone nearby would have heard her. She wanted to die from embarrassment. She had been completely out of control. She certainly couldn't do this with her powers, far too dangerous! Then she thought, maybe our powers will never come back. Maybe we'll be stuck here. She looked at Remy and felt closer to him than she ever had before. She smiled and thought, if we are stuck here the rest of our lives, there's no one else ah'd more like tah be stuck with. We definitely bettah stay north, if we are stuck, at least foh the next few years. Ah'm a southerner, an' proud o' it, but ah'm not about tah want tah be in the south during the Civil War! Especially since ah'd like tah have kids with Remy. Ah'd love tah be pregnant with a baby that's ours.
They worked on figuring out how to open the device the next day, as well as cleaning up their temporary home. In the barn they found an old broom, a frontier axe with a broken handle, and some clean straw, which they hoped, since it was winter, had no live bugs in it. They stuffed the ticking and sewed it up, with the needle and thread Remy brought along in his pocket. They fixed the axe, first making it a short handled axe, then once they found a sturdy branch, axing that off the tree. Then they took out the old handle and putting the branch in it's place, after Remy had whittled the top to fit in the groove.
Remy found a stream nearby with several types of fish in it. They managed to catch a few small fish with a couple of burlap bags they had found in the barn.
"Ah think we can survive here, if we need tah, Remy."
Remy smiled and kissed her, "Be a couple of pioneers, neh?
That night, in bed, Rogue said, "Remy, ah'm ready now, ah want yah tah make love tah me."
"Non."
Rogue looked surprised. "No? Why?"
"It not be safe, y' could get pregnant."
Rogue blushed then said, "Don't you have condoms?"
"Non. Not wit' me. Only woman I want t' be wit' recently been you. What wit' your power an' all, I not be needin' t' carry none, least until now... `Sides even if I did have one dey not be one hundred percent. Y' could get pregnant."
"What would be wrong with that? We love each other, we want tah be with each other... Ah thought yah loved kids...."
"I'd love t' have kids wit' you, chere. More dan anyt'ing! But not here, it be too dangerous..."
"What do yah mean?"
"Women die havin' babies in dis time, lots of dem. De medical care was terrible. If you die cherie, `cause of me, I wouldn't want t' live."
Rogue looked at Remy with tears brimming in her eyes and hugged him tight, he hugged her back just as tight. The love she felt for him right now was overwhelming. After a few minutes she felt a bit more in control of her emotions and asked him, "Well, could yah at least do what yah did last night?"
Remy chuckled. "Oui."
The next week Rogue said no more about making love. They spent the days trying to fix the device and see how it worked by looking at the wiring and connections. They also prepared as best they could for the winter, in case they had to stay in the past. If it looked like they wouldn't be able to fix by the end of the week, they would go to the nearest town, and get the food and supplies they would need over the winter.
Every night was spent like the first. Remy didn't blame Rogue, she was too naive to realize how her sexual reactions were affecting him. It wasn't exactly comfortable trying to sleep every night with an erection.
After a few days they were elated that it looked like they had figured out how the device worked. Now if they could only repair it. After a lot of thought the next day Remy came upon an idea that might work. The next morning he used one of the needles that he had bought, and carefully cleared away some metal shavings that appeared to be clogging one of the connections. As soon as got a same part of the shavings out of the device it began to hum. He almost cheered. He carefully cleaned away the rest of the mess and fixed any loose connections that his cleaning uncovered and the hum became softer but deeper sounding. He carefully checked for any other problems but found no more damage. He gently closed and resealed the device and put it in his coat pocket. He went and found Rogue. She had caught some more fish for tonight's supper.
"It be working, chere."
She dropped the burlap bag and squealed with delight and ran to him and hugged him. "We can go home!"
"I'm not sure how well it work, t'ough, or how t' program it. Hope it be set f' where we come from."
Rogue kissed him. "You'll get that date yet, Cajun!" Rogue refused to believe anything but the best right now.
Remy smiled. "Hope so cherie, lookin' forward t' it. We'll go tomorrow morning, neh? So we can see what we're doin'."
"Sounds good tah me. Yah ready for supper?"
"Oui!"
The wicked look in his eyes made it obvious he meant that in more than one way. Rogue blushed lightly, but then smiled lopsidedly.
"Ah swear Remy, yah must not think o' anythin' else."
Remy laughed. "Y' know what dey say `bout men, chere, dere mind be on only one t'ing all de time!" He smirked.
Rogue play slapped his arm, but sash-shayed past him into the cabin with the burlap bag. Remy watched her move. He felt turned on just watching her walk, the way her body swayed with her motion! It made him want to be in her, right now!
Then he shuddered, remembering last night's dream. They were stuck here, and she worked on him, gradually getting better at it, till finally he broke and he took her. They made passionate love for weeks. Then she got pregnant and died from blood loss shortly after the baby was born, a beautiful little girl. Rogue begged him not to blame himself as she died. She knew he wouldn't blame the baby. Then she died. That's when he woke up with a jerk. He held the alive and well, but still sleeping Rogue beside him, gently kissing her. He silently promised he never do anything to hurt her in any way. Without her powers she looked so fragile beside him.
Rogue had been having dreams too, hers had been pleasant, however. She dreamed of herself and Remy with a houseful of children, happy and healthy.
After supper Rogue said, "Since we got it workin' and we're leavin' in the morning, ah want yah tah make love tah me tah night."
"Non."
"What's wrong now?" Rogue asked with a touch of irritation.
"Don' know where we be endin' up at, could be some place even worse dan here."
Rogue sighed with disappointment, but realized that Remy was right, they could end up who knows where or when.
Remy continued, "But I do somet'ing for you dat give you all de pleasure, wit' none of de risk."
"What?" Rogue had no idea what he could mean right now, other than what he had been doing.
Remy grinned broadly, "Let me show you." and helped her take off her clothes. It started out the way it had the other nights, kisses and his hands touching her everywhere, making her gasp with pleasure. Then he put his mouth on her breast and she gasped with surprise and the surge of desire. Then she felt truly stupid. She should have guessed he meant this, she'd read enough romances that the guy did other than sex, was this. She should have realized that was the one other thing Remy hadn't done yet. Then Remy gently nipped her areola and all coherent thought left. All she felt was his mouth and hands on her body. All she could think of was him moving over her and taking her. She moaned, she wanted him to take her. She arched her hips towards him.
Remy had carefully remained clothed, it helped him stay in control of his own desires. Slowly he moved down her body. He skipped over where he would go shortly and picked up one of her feet. She instinctively opened her legs and arched her hips. He stroked the sole of her foot with his tongue. Rogue gasped and spasmed in pleasure. Gradually he moved her legs, with his fingers and tongue. By the time he reached his goal she was making inarticulate sounds and arching rhythmically toward him. Remy stroked her intimately with his tongue till she screamed and spasmed hard. Then moved up and held her in his arms.
Rogue lay there dazed for a long time. She had never dreamed of having such intense feelings! She felt drained but wonderful! Remy breathed hard trying to get himself back under control.
He teased her a bit breathlessly, "Bet dey heard y' in New Orleans dat time!"
She blushed bright red, but shot back, "Ah didn't know yah were so kinky!"
"Been told dat by a few ladies."
"Ah don't wanna know about it."
"Wouldn't tell y' anyways. Not one t' kiss an tell, chere."
"Good." Then she looked at him curiously, "Do yah really like it? Ah mean, ah've heard guys don't really like it." She blushed again.
Remy laughed and hugged her. "Some don't. But I most certainly do! Not much more fun dan watchin' de woman I love scream in ecstasy from de pleasure I'm givin' her. I could stay down dere all night!"
"Yah are a kinky devil!"
"Want me t' show y' how kinky, chere?"
"Remy!" she said, but teasingly, there was an excited sparkle in those emerald eyes. "But first," she said emphatically, but nervously, "Ah want tah touch yah and make yah feel good." She had noticed this time that Remy was breathing hard and looked uncomfortable. She realized why and felt horrible, she been unthinkingly selfish all week!
Remy smiled and said, "Okay, cherie. I'll help show y' what t' do. Don't be nervous."
He got a solemn nod from her in response.
"Smile cherie, laissez le bon temps rouler!"
Rogue grinned. Suddenly she had the inspiration that Cajuns had probably invented the phrase, "let the good times roll" for sex, before they had extended it to their "raison de etre".
Remy guided her hands for a while, then picking up her courage she touched her lips to one of his masculine nipples. Remy gasped sharply.
Rogue got scared, "Did that hurt?" She moved back and looked into his eyes.
"Non, cherie it feel real good!"
"Do yah want me tah do it some more?"
"I'd like dat."
Rogue brushed her lips against the other nipple, then gettin braver, stroked her tongue against it.
Remy groaned and said a little breathlessly, "Dat's real good, chere, you be doin' a real good job."
Encouraged, she reached down and unzipped his pants, then fumbled with the button at the top. Remy chuckled and reached down and unbuttoned it himself. He stood up and let her slide the pants down to the floor. while he stepped out of them, Rogue lightly traced her hands up and down his legs. He slid down his underwear while she was doing that and stepped out of them. Then he sat back down with his legs extended. He was getting so excited that standing was becoming difficult anyway.
Rogue looked at Remy. This was the first time she had seen him naked and aroused. She'd caught glimpses of him naked, but he hadn't been turned on. She had never seen any man naked with an erection. It was kind of scary. She hadn't really pictured that it would get that much larger. Tentatively she touched it.
Remy sucked in his breath. Rogue knew now that meant she had done something that felt good to him. She put her mouth on one of his nipples again, lightly brushing the other one with her finger tips, and stroked his shaft with her other hand.
"Dat's...real good...chere." Remy said between gasps. Her touch was tentative, but it was enough to sharpen his urges.
Rogue nervously looked at his erection, trying to build up her courage to do to him what he had done for her. She had no idea what to do. What would feel right and how she was supposed to do it. It was so big, not a small area like hers. Rogue blushed, but felt a push of determination. If he can do it for me ah can do it for him. Very tentatively she moved her mouth to his shaft and put her mouth over the end.
Remy jerked sharply. "Dieu!" He gasped, "Bon Dieu..." he said more softly. Keep control Remy, he thought, she not be ready for de end part yet. Just the sight of her doing this, even if she wasn't doing it exactly right, it was enough to make him almost let go right then and there.
"Enough...chere," Remy gasped, "come up here...I want t'....kiss you."
Rogue let Remy gently pull her back up to his mouth. He put her hand on his erection and laid his over it. He moved their hands with a quick hard rhythm now, while he kissed her deep and hard. Then he let go. Rogue felt something warm and wet hit her thighs. She was surprised at the warmness. She smiled at him during the kiss, she felt him smile too. They broke the kiss.
"T'anks, ma cherie, you do real good."
Rogue blushed. "Ah'm glad, ah didn't have any idea what tah do!" She said embarrassed.
"Dat be alright, didn't expect y' to, being you're still a virgin."
"Ah don't wanna be one anymore..."
"I know, ma coeur, Remy promise when we be safe at home if y' still want me to, I will."
"Yah promise."
"Oui."
They touched each other for a while longer than drifted off to sleep.
The next morning they got ready for their attempt to return to their own time. Rogue felt a little depressed now. When she woke up, she recognized the sensations coming back to her. Her powers were returning. First would be the strength, then would come flight, and lastly her innate power, the absorbing ability. she had lost her chance. She was too depressed right now to cry. She put her gloves on with resignation. Remy came over and hugged her, then they walked into the field holding hands.
"Well chere, here it goes."
Rogue tightened her grip on his hand as they stepped into the breech. Remy looked briefly surprised, and Rogue nodded at him solemnly. Remy gave a reassuring squeeze to her hand. Then they were in the breech. They felt nauseatingly dizzy for a few moments and saw a stomach turning swirl of light. Then it cleared and they staggered against each other.
