1. Chapter 1

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter One: Day One, Part One**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine Saturday morning in the middle of summer, Marie and Remy wake up together and determine they had a good time, now, if they could only remember it.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found who is AWESOME and puts up with my flightiness. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! It was supposed to be a one shot, then the first scene took fifteen pages, and then the story hit the LJ post character limit and then I got to 100 pages and then Word stopped counting spelling erroros and I gave up. So, not a one shot. This came to me in a migraine and amused me greatly, so I hope you guys don't take it too seriously.

_July 1st, Day One, Saturday_

The dark oblivion held him in it's warm, comfortable thrall and Remy knew, despite the fact that his brain was beginning to work, that he didn't want to get up. He enjoyed the hazy forgetful feeling of a true sleep without dreams and extraneous emotions that others gave off interrupting his slumber or twisting his nightly absolutions. He kept his breathing even and slowly took stock of his surroundings as best he could without opening his eyes or invoking his mutation. He was warm, warmer than usual, the warmth that only came from having another body in bed with him wrapped up in the silky feeling of five hundred thread count sheets. He felt a heartbeat under his one hand, the hand attached to the arm that was wrapped around the ribcage of the woman next to him, (she had to be a woman, her breasts pressed against the top of his arm) tucked up into his side and under his chin. Her head rested on his other arm, his left arm he belatedly realized, her hair spreading over his neck and their fingers entwined. She smelled like oranges and honeysuckle.

Involuntarily he smiled. He must have had a good time last night.

It took him a good minute that he couldn't remember there being a last night.

In bed next to him, Marie, who still considered herself as Rogue most the time, woke up, her body going from being a dead weight, to someone slightly more aware and holding themselves up. She kept her eyes closed, basking in the warmth of being in a man's arms, his hard body pressed against her in all the right places and his calves keeping her feet warm. Her body ached in pleasant ways. She resisted the urge to snuggle closer not wanting it to end, her first one nightstand. How weird.

Except, she'd gone to bed alone.

It wasn't the realization for Remy that his last memories were of early morning, or for Marie that she'd been alone in a motel dropping into bed exhausted, that made them open their eyes. They were both perfectly happy to lay there in each other's arms in contented ignorance, willing to push away the total illogic of their situation to deal with later.

Someone pounded on the door.

Remy's eyes flew opened and his head come up as he glared at it.

"Remy!" Emil shouted from the other side. "Open up!"

Remy scowled and wanted to swear but it was far too early in the morning for that, or so he thought.

Emil pounded again. "Remy! Ah know yah are in dere, if yah don' open t'is door, Ah'm comin' in whet'er yah like it or not."

Remy did spit a curse that time. "Merde." He tugged his hand out from the woman's and involuntarily looked down as he did so and his heart stopped. On his hand and on hers were two simple platinum bands. Well, simple was a mild understatement, his was simple, hers sparkled with a several small rows of diamonds in a curved line from one side to the other.

Emil hit the door again. "Ten!" He started.

Remy forsake dignity and rolled out of bed. His eyes stopped at the bedside table and the piece of paper innocently sitting there that declared in stark black and white that Remy Etienne Lebeau had married Anna Marie D'Ancanto.

"Nine!"

Remy jerked his gaze away from the marriage certificate and found his pants. He jerked them on and went for the door, noting that as he did given the dishevelment of the room that he and Anna Marie must have indeed had an amazing time. He worked the zipper closed, not bothering to button them.

It was a damn pity he didn't remember it.

"Eight!"

Remy jerked the door open and glared at his red headed cousin. "Bon matin, Emil."

"Matin? Matin! It's almost noon!" Emil gaped at him.

Remy ran a hand through his hair and glanced over his shoulder at Anna Marie.

Marie sat up and held the sheet to her chest. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders. The mid-morning sun struck the red strands and lit them up like fire. She looked around the floor, most likely for her clothes, and not finding them, picked up his shirt and after shrugging it on, she stood to button it. The bottom of the shirt reached the bottom of her thighs and it strained across her chest. He stared, hand tangled still in his hair. His brain became an incoherent muddle of married, legs, shirt, married, _mine._ Marie didn't notice. She watched her hands work the small buttons through the holes and paused after three buttons, her eyes widening and she held her left hand out, staring as sunlight sparkled off the stones.

"What in hell did we do?" She gaped.

Remy shifted on his feet, trying to get his brain to work again, not sure how to answer her with Emil standing right there. This is not something he wanted to go into in front of his cousin.

Emil ignored her. He wasn't going to give Remy a choice. "Remy, Ah don' care about de femme yah have in dere. It's been near two days and Oncle is gettin' in one of his moods."

Marie's legs gave out and she abruptly sat back on the edge of the bed as she paled.

"Cherie!" Remy let go of the door, working his hand out of his hair and the tangles he'd found. He didn't notice or care that Emil caught the door before it closed and shoved his way into the room. Remy knelt down next to Marie and grabbed her hands. They were cold. "Cherie, look at me." He murmured, rubbing her fingers trying to get them warm again.

She jerked her eyes away from the ring. Her green irises seemed lost in the whites. Her eyes went back to their hands and to his wedding band. She swallowed hard. "What did we do?" She whispered again.

"Remy." Emil said lowly.

Remy didn't dare take his eyes away from Anna Marie or else he might have thrown something at Emil, and he might have charged it first. He reached up and cupped her cheek with his left hand. He opened his mouth to say something soothing, anything, even just to tell her how beautiful she was.

Emil beat him too it. "Yah got married!" He said voice almost cracking.

Remy inhaled in the split second quiet of the room. Emil then burst into hysterical laughter and dropped to the floor with an audible thump.

Remy winced. "Dat." He muttered. He dropped his hand and his head, sighing.

Emil almost didn't sound like he was breathing. He took a deep ragged breath and managed to get out a sentence. "Yah are in so much trouble." He went back to his sidesplitting laughter. Remy's shoulders tensed and he gritted his teeth. Emil continued to laugh. "Yah, married." He choked.

They surged to their feet together, Remy grabbing Anna Marie before she could go after Emil. He wasn't sure why he knew she was going to do something to his cousin, but he just knew it by the state of her emotions or her body language or some sort of deep instinct that he didn't remember buried in his subconscious.

"Emil," he spat. "Yah are not helpin'!"

"Desole." Emil said and then paused. "Non." He laughed harder and wiped tears from his eyes.

"Anna Marie, sha," Remy tilted her chin upwards with a finger.

"Marie." She corrected. He raised an eyebrow. "Ah go by Marie." She added.

Remy corrected himself with plenty of irony. "Marie, sha. Why don' yah go start de shower, while Ah deal wit' Emil."

Emil gaped at them for a second and then started to cackle more.

Marie nodded and glared at Emil over Remy's shoulder. She turned and stalked to the bathroom. She glanced over her shoulder just before she reached it, her eyes lingering on his chest. She flushed, bit her lip and ducked her head as she grinned. Remy's lips twitched. So, she liked what she saw. He waited until the door closed before spinning, crossing his arms and staring down his nose at Emil.

"Yah don' know her name." Emil pointed at him. He gulped air. "And yah married her!"

Remy put a hand to his eyes and rubbed the ends of his eyebrows. It didn't really do anything, but he had to try. "Emil." He gritted out between tightly clenched teeth, his jaw starting to ache almost immediately. The shower started. Emil continued to laugh. "Emil. Shut up!" Remy almost gave into the temptation to kick him. "What do yah want?"

Emil propped himself up on his shoulders and grinned at him. "Make up yer mind. Do yah want me to shut up or do yah want me to talk?"

Remy pointed at him. "Answer de question and only de question."

"Well, it was a very open ended question. Ah mean, what do Ah want from life? Or what do Ah want for lunch? Or what do Ah want for keepin' quiet about yer nuptials?"

Remy interrupted before Emil could go on all day. "For what reason did yah come here?"

"Mais, given first dat Ah had to find yah, which given yer tendency to pay for everyt'in' in cash is much hard t'an it sounds," Emil grinned at him. "It's not really me dat wants anyt'in'."

"Dere is no need to be a literal hard ass." Remy fingers twitched. He needed a cigarette or to throttle Emil.

Emil tilted his head. "Oh, yes dere is."

"Get to de damn point. So Ah can join mah wife in de shower."

Emil choked and laughed again. "Does she know dat yah are gonna join her?"

Remy twitched. "Out wit' it." He said in his best 'I'm losing patience and am about to kill you just to hear your bones pop' tone of voice.

"Oncle Jean-Luc is missin' his favorite son." Emil smirked at him. "And it is time for yah to come home as he does not like it when he loses said favorite son in de same city. Come on Remy, yah have credit cards. Reassure de old man by usin' dem once in a while instead of disappearin' all de damn time."

"Ah don' disappear all de time." Remy said distractedly, his mind focused on the fact that Jean-Luc, his beloved Papa was in a mood that Emil was using soft words like 'does not like.' Remy felt his brain go a little fizzy. How mad was Papa?

"So, Ah'm to find yah and escort yah back to de chateau." Emil scowled. He'd drawn the short straw and he was half certain that they had rigged it just so he would do so.

That jerked Remy back. Papa was mad. He'd sent someone in the famille to escort him home and not some apprentice who needed the practice in tracking down things. "Mon Dieu. Fine, let Remy shower first." Remy glared at him one last time. "Stay put and no eavesdroppin'."

Emil smiled the most innocent smile he could muster. "Ah shall not move from t'is very spot."

Remy rolled his eyes and went around the room gathering all the clothes and personal effects he could find. He folded the marriage license carefully and put it in his pocket. He didn't trust Emil one bit. He found a pair of woman's boots next to the coffee table with a plate of crumbs on it, an opened bottle of champagne, empty, and two glasses, one tipped over. Her dress was actually under the bed and their other personal effects scattered elsewhere across the end tables and on the floor. He glared one last time at Emil and Emil smiled at him, put his hands under his head and started to whistle.

Remy opened the bathroom door and shut it behind him.

"Remy?" Marie asked from the other side of a shower curtain.

"Oui, cherie." He said and folded her clothes on the counter, placing what had to be her phone and other personal effects on top of them given he didn't recognize them. He shook his head and picked up his shirt off the floor, and then folded his clothes, taking off his pants again. He stepped in the shower behind her, finding her huddled underneath the spray, water pouring over the back of her head and down her back. His eyes followed that stream of water down her spine, barely noting the pale smoothness of her skin, more entranced by the amount of curves that he could see even from the back, the breadth in her shoulders and the narrowness of her waist. His eyes dropped to her hips and he winced. Blue-black bruises stained her beautiful skin the size of his fingertips.

She pulled her hair away from her neck and around to the side and he winced again at the hickey on the side of her neck.

Apparently their fun had been more passionate and less gentle than he'd thought. Mon Dieu.

He reached past her, seeing that she'd already opened the soap and the bottles of shampoo and hair conditioner. He grabbed the soap and soaped up his hands before running them along her back.

She jumped.

"Easy, sha, just Remy."

She looked over her shoulder at him and blushed, turning her head back around quickly, her hands twisting her hair. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. His hands gently rubbed up and down her back and she bit her lip as the glimpse of him naked and slightly glistening with sweat and the spray of water, absolutely covered in muscles and his face model handsome and- her lips tingled and she stifled a moan as he found a knot in her back, rubbing at it with his thumbs slippery with soap arousing other parts of her body.

Remy leaned forward. "Yah gonna share dat spray?"

She gasped. "Y-yes." She flushed again and without looking at him, stepped out of the shower.

Remy pouted. She hadn't had to leave. He shook his head and moved under the water himself. Though it was probably better that she had or else he might have caressed those curves more and forgotten that they were next to strangers and taken her against the wall of the shower. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to forget the way her voice gasped and the bare edges he'd seen of her breasts. Merde. Why in hell couldn't he remember the night before? It wasn't right not to remember his wedding night, or at least he was assuming it was his wedding night. He hadn't caught the date on the license, to enthralled at his own signature given his quick by necessity glance.

Marie wrapped a towel around her and bit her lip as she picked up her phone. Her eyes widened again. "It's Saturday!"

"What?" He lifted his head, torn away from his thoughts. What did she mean it was Saturday? It couldn't be Saturday. The last day he remembered was Thursday. Mon Dieu. It couldn't be Saturday.

"The old man is gonna _kill_ me." Marie said for both of them and she spun around to face the shower and then flushed again. Oops. He'd been so nice to wash her back for her and she'd just gotten out and left him there. She curled her toes into the bathmat and berated herself. He was her husband and he wasn't going to do anything to hurt her and if he did try something, by all that was holy she'd probably _help._ The towel dropped to the mat and she got back in behind him. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry." She muttered and grabbed the soap out of his hand. He ran his gaze down her figure, pausing at her breasts, her belly button. He looked back up and met her eyes. She felt herself turning red again, but she raised her chin daring him to call her on it.

"Don' be." He smirked at her.

Her lips twitched and she tossed the soap from hand to the other. "Yah are a dirty naughty man."

His smirk turned into a grin. "Oui. Whatcha gonna do 'bout it, cherie?"

"Ah think Ah've already done it Sugar, but it wouldn't hurt to clean yah up a bit." She tossed her hair behind her back and put her weight on one hip. "We're just missin' a scrub brush."

He snickered.

Marie soaped up her hands and then stopped in mid motion. "Holy shit." She muttered. Streaks of pink and red marred the skin of his back and his shoulders seemed to have little half moon puncture marks.

Remy frowned. "Cherie?"

"Ah got yah a bit, Sugar." She winced. "This might sting."

"Mais, dat is hardly a moment for restraint." He said. "Remy already figured out dat we had fun, if only Remy could remember what dat fun was."

"Sugar, six inch scratches ain't exactly what Ah'd call fun." Marie shook her head. He had to be a little bit crazy. Okay, he had to be a great deal crazy. They'd gotten married. Of course that meant she was crazy too.

"Depends on de moment when yah receive de scratches." Remy shrugged and hissed as she ran her hands along his back, gently rubbing the soap in. "Remy takes it yah don' remember either, non?"

"No." Marie said it softly.

"Merde." He closed his eyes and tilted his head back down.

Marie finished washing his back in silence and put the soap back when she was done, getting back out and giving him a little privacy to finish. Remy took his cue from her and washed up, including his hair. Swearing inwardly to himself when he couldn't get the image of Marie from invading his brain, he turned off the hot water completely and stood under the cold for as long as he could manage it. With another mental curse he twisted off the cold water and pulled the curtain back.

Marie zipped up the back of the little black dress he'd found on the floor covering up the black lacey bra and her spine. He shook his head once to break the mesmerizing sight and reached for a towel, wrapping it around his waist. Marie turned around, the skirt of the dress swishing around her thighs even as her hair was in wet tangled clumps, the white streaks turned a bit clear and the red a dark brown. She looked adorable in the dress. It was in that second he rashly decided he liked her better in his shirt.

He reached for a second towel and scrubbed his hair and upper body as Marie leaned against the counter and smiled at him. He stopped and blinked once. "Cherie, are yah checkin' Remy out?"

Her lips twitched. "Oui."

He ducked his head once and peered up at her through his lashes. "Bon."

She laughed and it rolled over him, low and sweet. He liked the sound of it. He took a step closer to her and suddenly the bathroom became too small for the both of them. Her laughter died in her throat and her head tilted backwards not to break contact with his eyes. He slowly leaned down, her lips parting and his head tilted, their lips touching and then fusing together. His hand slid around her waist, pressing against the small of her back. He pulled away just as slow. One her hands slid up to his shoulder. They stared at each other a few seconds and then she went up on tiptoe as his head ducked back down, lips meeting again. They pulled away long seconds later and he rested his forehead against hers, smiling at her. She rubbed the tip of her nose against his.

Outside, Emil began to sing a French drinking song, a dirty French drinking song.

Remy sighed. "Ah'm goin' to kill him." He muttered. Marie laughed again. Remy kissed her laughter away until she moaned. He pulled back. "But to kill him, Ah need to get dressed. And to do dat, Ah have to let go of yah." He said. She grinned at him and didn't say anything. Remy repressed a whine and reached for his shirt. He shrugged into it and didn't bother to button it up. He paused in reaching for his pants and tilted his head to the side as the incongruity of her outfit finally hit him. "Cherie, why are yah wearin' motorcycle boots wit' dat dress?"

"Because-" She stopped, her eyes widening and she let off a string of French curses that he had to admit impressed him. "The motorcycle." She started to shove away from him and he wrapped his arm all the way around to the other side of her waist.

"Cherie, cherie, de state of de motorcycle ain't gonna change in de next few minutes. Remy is almost dressed." He picked her up to keep her from moving.

She nodded rapidly and bit her bottom lip. "The old man is going to kill me." She added in a whisper. "And then he'll hand me o'er to Scooter and he'll have his turn." Marie put her face in her hands as her heart pounded against her rib cage. Nothing had better have happened to that motorcycle.

Remy set her back down and put on his pants. Marie parted her fingers, forgetting about the motorcycle for a second in her curiosity. He guffawed. She squealed and blushed. He shoved his feet into his own motorcycle boots. He pried her hands from his face. "Come on, cherie."

She ducked her head and let him pull her from the bathroom by one hand.

Emil stopped his singing. "Are yah two lovebirds done now?"

Remy rolled his eyes and pulled out a roll of bills from his back pocket, peeling a few off one handed to put on the table as a tip. "Oui."

Emil looked over. "Mon Dieu, button yer shirt Remy."

Remy leered at him. "Worried dat yah might like it?"

Marie sniggered and glanced around the room. She thought she had everything, but since she didn't know what they'd actually brought up with them, she wasn't sure. She let go of his hand and checked what looked to be a coat closet. "Ah hah!" She grinned and pulled out her leather duster and his trench coat. She tossed him his coat and shrugged into hers.

"Merci, cherie." He said and put his coat on too, even though the sun was shining outside and until they got going, given it was the beginning of a hot sticky summer he'd be unbearably hot.

"Yah are welcome, sugar." Marie reached into her coat pocket and dug for her keys. She frowned when she didn't find them. "Come on." She muttered and knelt down, unsnapping a pocket on her boot. "There." She pulled the keys out. "Thank God." She said with fervor.

Emil opened the door. "De bill is all paid."

Marie blinked. "Maybe this is a bad thing to be askin' but, um, where are we?"

"Hotel Maison de Ville, New Orleans." Emil said and his brow furrowed.

"New Orleans?" Marie stopped in the middle of the open door. "New Orleans." She whispered.

"Oui." Emil said slowly.

"Ah was in fuckin' Mississippi!" Marie half shouted.

Emil's jaw dropped.

Remy bit his lip. "Well, Ah was at Café Du Monde." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"The motorcycle." Marie muttered. "Louisiana." She shook her head. "How did Ah get to Louisiana and not know it?" Remy walked her down the outside porch overlooking a courtyard swinging their hands back and forth.

"Ah don' know." He said.

She turned her head and raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, Ah didn't expect yah to, Sugar."

He looked back at her and half-smiled. He shrugged one shoulder. She'd asked. She rolled her eyes and looked away from him. A few seconds later, she risked another look over at him, a small smile playing on her mouth. He felt her emotions change and looked at her. She looked down. He moved over six inches so they could walk closer together. Marie giggled. Remy grinned.

Behind them, Emil rolled his eyes.

They got to the front of the hotel and Marie made a noise of relief in her throat. Scott's customized, custom painted Harley Davidson V-Rod sat in the parking lot without a scratch on her. She broke Remy's hold and ran over to it, straddling it and running her hands along it. With a half sob of relief she braced her elbows on the handlebars and put her head on her arms.

Remy tried not to laugh and failed miserably.

Marie turned at him and looked at him through strands of her hair, looking quite sheepish. "Yah don' understand. It ain't mine. Ah borrowed it and-" She winced and buried her head again. "It's okay." She muttered. "Ah can breathe now."

Emil gaped at her again and Remy snickered. "Not yers." He said.

Marie sat up and rolled her eyes, tossing her hair. "It's a _V-Rod, _a boy toy. If Ah had the money to buy a Harley, it wouldn't be a pretty ass toy like this. Ah'd get a _Harley,_ like a Heritage Softail or something."

Remy laughed. She was adorable. He liked her already.

Emil scowled. "Dat's great. Can we go home now?"

Remy leaned against his own Harley. "What's yer big hurry?"

"Yah got married and Ah want to break de news." Emil grinned and rubbed his hands together.

Remy looked over his shoulder at Emil and scowled. "It's mah news. Ah get to tell it."

"Oh non. Ah get to report to Oncle _first._"

"If yah two are gonna fight o'er it, Ah'll just do it and solve yer problems." Marie shifted on the bike and stuck the keys in the ignition, pulling it upright and kicking the stand up. She looked at both of them and reached into her pocket for her sunglasses and smiled sweetly.

Emil stared at her. "Where are yah from, Madame?"

Marie smiled broadly at him. "Mississippi."

Emil looked at Remy. "Yah can tell it." He paused. "And yah can be yelled at."

Remy scowled at him. "Merci," he grumbled.

"Oh non, merci beaucoup." Emil half bowed and mounted his own motorcycle.

Remy rolled his eyes and got on his motorcycle, starting it up. Emil started up his motorcycle as well and Marie managed to start Scott's in the overlap between theirs so they couldn't hear it over the sounds of theirs. She didn't want to field questions over the modifications Scott had made to the engine. For one, she didn't know what they all were and for two, she wasn't sure if Logan hadn't added some as well without Scott's permission. Both spent far too much time in the garage working on the bike in her opinion. Marie backed out as Remy did, making sure to keep up next to him. He and Emil knew where they were going and she didn't want to lose him. They motored through the streets of New Orleans and stopped at a light next to a car. Marie looked over, noted the color and make and looked back at the light with disinterest.

The cute college boy in the driver's seat didn't take it that way. He smiled at the amount of leg she was showing and revved his engine.

Marie turned her head towards Remy, her sunglasses slid down her nose and she rolled her eyes. "V-6 pussy," she mouthed.

Remy grinned, and dropped his eyes in admiring glance of his own at the leg he could see. Marie wrinkled her nose at him.

The guy revved the engine of his cute little sporty convertible again. Marie turned her head, half smiled, shifted into neutral and gunned the throttle on the V-Rod. The engine roared drowning out the motorcycles idling next to her and overriding the pitiful V-6. The guy's eyes widened. Emil's jaw dropped and Remy raised his eyebrows taking a second look at the motorcycle. Marie lifted a hand, and pressed her fingers to her lips blowing the guy a kiss. She shifted the motorcycle back into gear as the light changed and they pulled away. She shook her head at Remy and he laughed as he signaled a turn onto the road back to the chateau. She adjusted her sunglasses back and grinned. They managed the rest of the trip without incident, the gates opening as they pulled into the drive.

It was only her familiarity with Xavier's mansion that kept Marie from becoming extensively nervous at the French Style veritable Plantation manor that they rode up to. Remy stopped at the front door. He glanced over at Marie. She shut V-Rod down and kicked the stand down.

"Leave yer t'in's, cherie. De servants will get dem." He said softly.

"And the keys?" She asked and bit her lip.

"Leave dem, no one will steal from yah here." He said. He got off his bike. Marie inhaled deeply, then let it out, and slowly pulled her hands away from the handles, getting off. Remy held out his hand. "Not a scratch, cherie."

"Yah promise." She said, trying not to sound too anxious.

"Ah promise."

She got off the bike and took his hand. "All right."

Remy intertwined their fingers and headed up the stairs. The front door opened before they could get to it. A young woman with dark brown hair in a classy outfit that still managed to scream uniform smiled at Remy and bobbed a curtsey. "Monsieur Remy." Her eyes lingered a few seconds too long on Marie before passing to Emil. "Monsieur Emil." She added.

Remy glanced at Marie and cursed at himself and his own stupidity and then promptly decided it was Emil's fault that he hadn't been able to think about how Marie's physical appearance was going to factor into this whole debacle. She looked beautiful to him. Her red and white hair a tangled mess somewhat dry from the ride, the black dress was rumpled and her shoes didn't at all match in terms of style. But her unpainted face glowed in health and her eyes sparkled in good humor. All of it wouldn't matter to his family. Merde. Ten more minutes and she, at least, would have been able to find clean clothes and brush her hair. He was a fool. He kicked himself one last time, and knowing there now was no help for it, blundered ahead. "Bon matin, Anastasie. T'is is mah wife, Madame Anna Marie."

"Marie is fine." Marie murmured.

Anastasie's dark eyes widened and she belatedly curtseyed again. "Madame." She murmured.

"Is Papa in his office?" Remy asked and led Marie into the house.

"Oui, Monsieur." Anastasie said and shut the door behind Emil. "He is expectin' yah."

Remy winced. "Merci." He muttered.

Marie glanced around the house and wondered if all rich people hired the same decorators. The inside of the house looked eerily similar to Xavier's mansion except for the color scheme with French furniture instead of English. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked at Remy. He looked back at her.

"Cherie," he started and stopped unsure of how to go on. He wasn't sure he wanted her to meet his father until Jean-Luc could manage to pretend to be civil. If Papa were as angry as Remy thought he might be, then Jean-Luc wouldn't bother to be polite to her.

"A parlor will do me just fine." Marie smiled at him and tried to keep it from trembling. She had her own calls to make.

He smiled at her. "Yah are a wonder." He murmured and escorted her to the morning room. "Remy will be back," he paused. "Eventually." He squeezed her hand. He turned to go.

Marie didn't let his hand go. "Remy." She said and it came out a little like laughter. He turned back. Her eyes danced and she went up on tiptoe, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "For luck." She murmured.

His eyes lit up behind his sunglasses. "For luck, oui?" He murmured and kissed her again, their lips pressed against each other lingering. He pulled back and slid his sunglasses down his nose, winking at her.

She pushed hers down and winked back. He squeezed her hand one last time and walked off down the hall.

Marie sighed and turned into the room, she pulled off her coat and laid it across a sofa, sitting down next to it. She looked at the window and winced again. She stiffened her shoulders and sat up, taking off her sunglasses. She was the Rogue. She could handle one cranky old badger. She pulled out her phone and hit speed dial, setting it next to her ear.

It rang three times and by the third ring, Marie was having second thoughts. She didn't get a chance for thirds.

Someone picked up on the other end and started out in a snarl of pure rage that made Marie wince. "Kid, if you ever do that again, I am going to paddle your backside so hard it will throw you into next week!" He barely breathed. "I had some specific conditions about this little trip of yours and one of them was that I'd pretend I didn't know where you were as long as you checked in every twenty-four hours."

"I-"

"Two days, Marie, two damn days and I'm this close from tracking you down and hauling your scrawny ass home."

Marie swallowed hard. "I'm all right."

"You won't be when I get my hands on you!"

"Ah got married." Marie said it hurriedly, hoping that it would silence him enough so she could explain the rest of it.

It worked for maybe ten seconds. "What?" He roared.

"Ah got married." She said meekly.

"Where are you?"

"New Orleans." She said and knew as soon as it was out of her mouth that she shouldn't have revealed that information, at least, not until she explained that she was missing a significant portion of her memory including said marriage.

"I'm coming down."

"But-"

"I'll see you in an hour." He growled and the line went dead.

Marie stared at the far wall without seeing it. "But, Ah'm all right." She murmured. She automatically shut the phone off and set it in her lap. She cradled her head in her hands not a second later and groaned. Logan was coming.

She was in so much trouble.

Someone cleared their throat from the door. Marie jumped and looked up. Anastasie looked down her nose at her.

"May Ah get yah anyt'in' madame?" She asked.

Marie licked her lips and glanced down at her lap. She winced at the time. It wasn't noon, but it was near ten o'clock. "If it wouldn't be a bother, may Ah have somethin' to eat, please?" She felt her heart pounding and an irrational urge to explain herself. "Emil woke Remy and Ah out of a sound sleep and we didn't have time to get anythin'. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, Ah'm sure he's half starved." She finished in a rush.

Something about Anastasie softened. She smiled. "It won't be any trouble at all, Madame."

"Oh merci beaucoup." Marie smiled and knew it trembled. Anastasie curtseyed and left the doorway. Marie sighed and ran a hand through her hair and grimaced as her fingers met tangles. She bit her lip as she mentally compared her rumpled and tangled appearance to Anastasie's pressed dress and neatly coiffed hair. Oh God, she was a mess. Marie worked out a few more tangles and finally gave it up as a lost cause. It was only a few minutes later that Anastasie came back with a tray with small fruit tarts, coffee and a dish of cream. Marie smiled at her. "Oh, this looks wonderful, mah compliments to the chef."

Anastasie beamed and curtseyed again, watching Marie critically as Marie poured a cup of coffee as if judging to make sure she did it properly. Satisfied with Marie's graceful movements Anastasie said. "She'll appreciate it. Now, if yah are fine here, Ah'll go take care of Monsieur Remy."

Marie set the coffee pot down. "Ah'm more than fine." She paused. "In an hour or so, Ah'm expectin'," She bit her lip, unsure of how to explain Logan, "mah guardian of sorts. He's Canadian and tends to dress like a lumberjack. His name is Logan Howlett."

"Ah'll keep an eye out for him and lead him here, Madame."

"Merci again, Anastasie." Marie sighed. She had no idea on how Logan would be arriving, but she knew he'd find him one way or the other. Maybe she should call him back and remind him about the GPS function of her cell phone. She looked at the phone a moment and then decided that he could figure it out himself. He was going to cause her enough trouble without her hurrying his arrival. She picked up her coffee and considered the selection of tarts. Until he arrived, she wasn't going to worry about it.

She had enough to worry about already.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it is pure cupboard love.)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Two: Day One, Part Two**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine Saturday morning, the Father figures of our duo weigh in on what they think of the marriage and they aren't pleased to find their children in yet more trouble. But Logan is always cranky. **Rated M for Adult Content.**  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found who is AWESOME. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! I can't think of anything else to go here, so forward!

Remy walked down the hall deeper into the house towards his father's office. His boots clicked rhythmically against the polished hardwood floor. He buttoned his shirt as he walked, feeling the eyes and the emotions of both staff, family and the Guild Members waiting for audience with their King warm against his skin and mind. He ignored it as best as he could and injected his usual swagger into his walk. No one tried to stop him, not even his brother, probably on orders from their father that Remy was first to report to him.

Bon. Remy wasn't in a mood to be stopped anyways.

He shucked his coat outside of his father's office and tossed it on a chair. His cousin, Theoren, didn't look up from the desk placed outside Jean-Luc's office.

"Rat'er late, Remy."

Remy curled his left hand and rubbed his thumb over his wedding band and then without a glance or response to Theoren, there really was none he could make. Remy knocked on the door.

"Come." Jean-Luc's gravelly voice said from the other side.

Remy twisted the door handle and pushed it inwards, ducking inside what had been the smoking room before his father had taken it over as his private office. The décor hadn't changed as Jean-Luc, like most the family, smoked and the red walls covered in bookshelves filled with leather bound books and plain oil paper lampshades suited him just fine. He sat in his leather wingback chair in the shadows, ankle on one knee, elbows on the arms of the chair and hands folded in front of his chin. What little light there was shone off his bald head and the thin beard like a line down the middle of his cheeks leading to the goatee on his chin was meticulously shaved. Remy shut the door behind him and was all too aware of his rumpled clothes and unshaved face.

"Sit." Jean-Luc used two fingers to point at the chair in front of his desk, keeping the rest of them intertwined before they returned to their original position.

Remy sat.

Jean-Luc watched him for a few minutes, tapping the knuckle of his index finger against his chin, contemplating his younger son. He'd come a long way from the dirty, bedraggled but extremely talented child of ten that Jean-Luc had arranged to take off the streets. Perhaps, he had come too far in his talent as a thief. Jean-Luc stopped his tapping. "Well?" He asked.

Remy took off his sunglasses and met his father's eyes squarely. "Ah didn't realize it was Saturday."

Jean-Luc's exploded, his voice rose in volume so that anyone in the hall could hear it and not just those that they both knew had to be pressed against the door and any other convenient listening places. "Didn't realize! Perhaps the world may have stopped for yah wit' yer all night card games and ladies of light virtues. For de rest of us, de world goes on and yah ain't in it! Yah are never to do dat again, Remy. Never again! Yah are always to tell someone where yah are goin'. Ah t'ought dat Ah'd finally gotten de message t'rough dat t'ick skull of yers. Yah seemed like yah were startin' to t'ink ahead. How many times is it gonna take for yah to learn? Yah disappeared wit'out a word for o'er forty-eight hours. We weren't sure if yah were dead or alive or even still in de city! Not one of yer bolt holes were in use. Where de hell were yah?"

Remy winced. "Ah don' know."

"Yah don' know! Don' sit dere and tell me yah don' know. Where were you?"

Remy shouted back. "Ah don't know!"

"Who were yah wit'?"

"Ah don't know." Remy tightened his hands on the arms of the chair.

"And what in hell were yah doin'? Answer me, Remy!"

Remy almost automatically said he didn't know again. In reality, he really didn't know for sure. He only knew the one thing and mon Dieu, it was not going to go over well at all. "Ah got married." He answered.

Silence filled the room for ten seconds as Jean-Luc stared at him, brain frozen in shock. There was a knock on the door and before anyone could answer, Anastasie breezed in, a tray in her hands. She set it on the desk before Remy.

"Madame Marie said yah didn't get breakfast. Courtesy of Tante Mattie." She said and smiled at him, curtseyed and backed out of the room before either Jean-Luc or Remy could say anything.

Remy's hands shook a little as he reached out and took the steaming cup of coffee and inwardly blessed both Marie and Tante Mattie. He managed to take what he hoped was a cool and calm sip, even if the cup rattled against the saucer.

"Madame Marie?" Jean-Luc's voice rumbled lowly with barely contained rage.

"Mah wife." Remy took another sip of coffee.

"So, which of yer whores is she?"

Rage flushed through Remy and his eyes glowed red, the outline of the cup in his hand sparkled a bright magenta. "She is not a _whore._" He spat at his father. He didn't keep whores. He never _paid_ for sex. Though he didn't think his father saw a difference between the women that plied sex for a trade and the girls that were willing to give their favors due to mutual attraction and the want of a good time.

"Yer sluts t'en." Jean-Luc sneered.

Remy's nostrils flared and he had to work to take the energy he'd created back into his body. It wouldn't help matters to explode the good china and throw it at his father's head. "She's not a slut eit'er." He ground out. "She's mah _wife._"

Jean-Luc brushed off the visual display of his son's temper. It was immaterial if the girl was a slut or a whore. "What's her name?"

"Anna Marie." Remy eased his fingers off the cup before he broke it by squeezing it so tightly. He stood and got out the marriage license and set it on the desk before his father before sitting back down. He took another sip of his coffee and eyed the pastries on the plate and wondered if it would piss his father off more if he took one and ate it before the yelling started again.

Jean-Luc picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it. His experienced eyes examined it and he clenched his jaw. It was genuine and completely legal. "Yah rash, reckless, young fool!" He shouted at Remy and dropped the paper onto the desk. "When Ah took yah in, Ah tried to train yah to t'ink!" He glared at his son and broke into a string of insults in French that would have done the dirtiest gutter brat proud, his voice rising in volume until the windows shook.

Remy didn't let propriety or respect for his elders get in the way of responding in kind at the same volume, his insults perhaps more diverse being tossed in the gutters before he could take care of himself. This went on for a good ten minutes covering everything from their sexual habits, probable ancestry, various bodily fluids of differing animals and actual intelligence and sanity.

Not willing to admit that he'd run out of insults, Jean-Luc threw another question at his son. "Where did yah meet her?" He shouted.

"Ah don' know." Remy shouted back.

"Where did yah get married?"

"Ah don' know!"

"Merde Remy, yah can't just not _know_ these things!"

"Ah don' remember! Ah don' remember anyt'in' after T'ursday mornin' until Emil woke us up less t'an an hour ago. Ah don' remember! So, Ah don't know where Ah was, where Ah met her, when Ah met her or why Ah married her. Ah just know Ah did!" He shouted. They glared at each other. Remy defiantly grabbed one of the pastries and started in on it. He swallowed a bite and muttered before he took another. "Out of a sound sleep." He chewed and swallowed again. "Barely had time to bathe, or dress or find out her _name._" He glowered at the pastry as if it had done him some sort of harm. "She don' remember eit'er." He took another bite.

Jean-Luc leaned back in his chair and refolded his hands. Maybe he should take a different tact. "Where were you last before t'is mornin'?"

"Café Du Monde and it was T'ursday."

"Did yah notice anything unusual?"

"Non."

"Not'in' in yer coffee? No puncture marks?"

Remy flushed a bit. "Not unless yah count Marie's nails."

"Maybe we should swab under her nails."

"We showered." Remy said and glared at his father. "And Ah hadn't met her on T'ursday mornin'. It ain't her fault."

"Ah weren't accusing her."

"Yah were comin' pretty damn close." Remy glared back down at the pastry. He shifted in his seat.

Jean-Luc scowled. His son was being awfully sensitive about a near stranger that he happened to be married to. "Get out."

Remy jerked and stood up. His eyes darkened. "And what are yah gonna do?"

"Handle yer usual feckless irresponsibility." Jean-Luc snarled. Remy snatched the marriage license off the desk and picked up his coffee. He spun on his heel and walked towards the door. "Send Theoren in." Jean-Luc ordered.

The door opened just as Remy reached it. Theoren stood on the other side. Remy shoved past him. "Papa wants yah." He said. Theoren entered the room and the door shut behind him. Remy stood and stared into his coffee and his throat tightened and he had to swallow hard once to keep tears from welling into his eyes. There had not been a word of congratulations or even a single insincere wish for happiness from his _father, _the man who Remy loved and respected above all others. He took a swallow of his coffee to try to get a handle on his emotions, on the disappointment that made it hard to breathe.

He forced himself to move. He couldn't stand in the hall and cry. He had to get back to Marie. He didn't cry anyways. He'd stopped before he was ten, crying was for those who had time to wallow in useless self-pity.

And Remy had never had time for self-pity.

* * *

Logan passed money to the cab driver's hand through the window and turned without a word, mounting the steps of the closest address that the Blackbird had been able to come up with for Marie's current location on the GPS. He grunted. He'd long lost any ability to be impressed with piles of brick and stone. For some reason, he wasn't surprised when the door opened before he could reach it. It just seemed like that type of place. He also didn't bother to wonder about the type of trouble that Marie was in now. Marie, he'd learned, was generally always in trouble of one sort or another and it didn't matter what type it was, all that mattered was who he had to kill to get her out of it and how much he was going to have to beat her ass into shape so he didn't have to keep running out after her all the time.

He pulled the cigar from his mouth and raised an eyebrow at the uniformed maid who had opened the door. "I'm lookin' for Anna Marie whatever her last name is now."

The maid could barely disguise her horror at his beat up jeans, button down flannel over a torn and dirty wife beater and his scuffed boots that looked like they'd been in the horse barn one too many times, behind a mask of politeness. "We've been expecting you, Monsieur Howlett."

"Lady, I'm Canadian." He raised both eyebrows at her and stuck the cigar back in his mouth.

She sniffed. "Madame Marie Lebeau is in de parlor. Follow me." She gestured at him and turned, leading the way without a backwards glance. He snorted and followed her without any further comment. She paused in front an opening that could hold double doors if anyone had bothered to hang them. "Mister Howlett." She announced and left without another word.

Marie stood up from an antique French sofa and clasped her hands together in front of her. "Logan."

"So, what am I to call you now, kid? Mrs. Lebeau."

Marie bit her lip. "Ah- is that his last name?" She reached up and tucked some hair behind her ear, inadvertently exposing the bruise on her neck.

Logan's eyes narrowed, at the fact she didn't know her husband's last name and the bruise. "Congratulations." He said. She started to smile. He continued. "You've managed to land yourself in a pile of shit." He left off the unneeded but thoroughly appropriate, again.

Her smile faded. "Ah know yah ain't happy with me."

"Not happy doesn't even begin to cover it," He crossed the room to stand across the coffee table from her.

"Yah don't have to rub it in." She twisted her hands together, inadvertently twisting her wedding band.

"Yes, I do, because you don't ever seem to learn." Logan pointed at her face.

"Ah learn just fine! Ah ain't ever been in the same situation twice. And o'er half of them weren't really mah fault!"

"Which is more luck than anything else."

"The bike is fine!"

"You went missing and are married and you think I care about the bike!" Logan shouted at her, pulling the cigar out of his mouth.

Remy paused at the doorway of the room and watched in amusement as Marie's chin rose.

"There ain't a scratch on it!" She shouted back.

"The same can't be said about you." Logan glared at her. "How many beers did you drink, kid?"

Marie cocked her hip. "Ah _know_ what a hangover feels like and Ah don' have one. Ah'm perfectly healthy."

Remy blinked once and tilted his head. His shoulders loosened a bit. If she didn't have a hangover, they hadn't been drunk. They hadn't been totally irresponsible and completely lacking in judgment when they'd made this decision. He wrapped his fingers tighter around the cup to try and quell their shaking. And if she hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have known. Merci Dieu. He metabolized alcohol too fast. The champagne they'd shared, would have been nothing to him. He could kiss her, would kiss her, later. Once he was sure, whoever this man was, wasn't going to kill the both of them.

Logan scowled. The time Marie had gotten drunk had not been one of the better times of his career at Xavier's. After a blistering lecture from Scott and the retort that Logan was not Marie's keeper, Scott had invoked his so called seniority and had _assigned_ Logan the job. He'd been chasing after her troublesome ass every since. Logan shoved the past away and glared at the large bruise on her neck. "Not from where I stand."

Marie reached up and slapped a hand over hickey. "That ain't nothin' that Kitty or Jubes hasn't had more often than not."

"They have boyfriends." Logan pointed out reasonably enough.

"Ah have a husband!" Marie retorted.

"And it looks like he's rich, so you can get a lot of money when you divorce him." Logan said, his voice snide.

Remy darted across the room and grabbed Marie before she could dive across the coffee table at Logan. He didn't even remember setting his coffee cup on the nearest table. He wrapped his arms around Marie and pulled her back. "Ah'd take it as a kindness if yah wouldn't rile mah _wife._" He snarled at the other man and glared.

"You her _husband?_" Logan glared back.

"Oui." Remy lifted Marie off her feet again. "Cherie, please. It ain't polite to try and hurt de guests, plus, it's ne'er good on de furniture."

"Ah ain't gettin' a divorce." Marie spat at Logan.

"Good to know." Remy muttered. He didn't particularly want a divorce either, not that he'd any time to think about it. Just, in general, he didn't want to get a divorce. If he was married, he was married. It helped that his wife was beautiful, sassy, rode a motorcycle and was Southern.

Logan sighed and seeing there was a chair behind him. He sat down and stretched his legs in front of him. He stuck the cigar back in his mouth and took a puff off of it, not caring whether or not the house allowed smoking. He put one hand on his knee. "Okay, kid, let's start from the top. You stole-"

"Borrowed." Marie relaxed in Remy's arms and since he figured she wasn't going to try to beat on the other man, Remy let her go. She tugged Remy down to sit on the couch next to her and then refused to let go of his hand. "Borrowed without permission."

"Stole," Logan corrected, his lips twitched into a small smile, a proud smile, "Scott's bike and left the mansion to try and 'find' yourself."

"Ah was just followin' yer fine example. Ah do intend to return it." She jutted her chin out.

Remy fought to keep his face straight. Not only did his wife drink, she stole, which she'd learned to do from the man sitting across from them. He struggled not to laugh. Logan and Marie were too much alike, almost as if they were related. Remy stroked her fingers. Strangely, the fact that she knew how to steal endeared her to him. He glanced at her and traced the profile of her face with his eyes, lingering on her lips. Marie flicked her eyes over towards him. Their eyes met. They smiled slightly at each other.

Logan coolly ignored her insult. "Uh huh, sure. Then what?"

"Yah know what." Marie glowered, looking away from Remy and back at Logan.

"Enlighten me again." Logan pinned her with his gaze.

"Ah traveled south, sedately, callin' every twenty-four hours as Ah promised the six hours _after_ yah discovered Ah was missin' and barraged mah cell phone."

"Turn it off next time."

"Yah turned it on remotely!" Marie blew her breath out and rolled her eyes. "Ah traveled mostly scenic routes, highway six and the like, staying in cheap motels and edgin' around cities. Yah know this. Ah crossed the Mason-Dixon Monday, keepin' to mah intended itinerary-"

"Of no itinerary at all."

"Ah was in Jackson, Mississippi Wednesday night."

"Then?"

"Ah woke up here this mornin'." Marie said it absolutely matter of fact.

"And in between?" Logan chewed on the end of his cigar.

"Ah don' remember."

"But you got married." Logan tilted his head and looked at her in partial disbelief.

Remy sighed and reached into his back pocket again and pulled out the marriage license. He passed it across the table. "Oui."

Logan took it from his hand and skimmed it. "So, that's your last name. Sorry, was your last name. Pretty."

Marie flushed. "Logan."

Logan passed the paper back. He didn't know enough to know whether or not it was real, nor did he care. Marie took it from his fingers and looked over it herself and bit her lip at her own neat signature, picture perfect. She read over it a few times. She tightened her grip on Remy's hand. He squeezed back. It was real. They were really married. It wasn't just two rings and some sort of strange informal ceremony. There was a legal document. Remy squeezed her hand again.

"Cherie." He murmured. It didn't really hurt, but the flavor of her emotions was beginning to worry him.

She started and licked her lips. "Sorry." She murmured and handed it back to him and then belatedly realized she was crushing his hand. She flushed and ducked her head, easing up her fingers. Remy set the paper on the coffee table and used a finger to push he chin up so he could see her eyes. "It's real." She murmured.

"Desole, Ah should have let yah see it earlier." Remy caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"It's okay, we ain't had much time to adjust." She smiled at him and leaned into the touch.

He smiled back. "No. It ain't. Ah should've let yah see it de moment Emil broke de news. Yah are far too forgivin'."

Logan cleared his throat and interrupted before he had to see something sweet and sappy that he was better off just not knowing about. "This your town, bub."

Remy broke his gaze with Marie and looked over at Logan. His brow furrowed. "Oui." He didn't understand the point Logan was trying to make.

Marie however, did. If this were Remy's hometown, then his scent would be too muddled to track properly as the motions of his everyday living would constantly overlap. Her scent trail would be easier and probably much more linear and thus easier to follow. Logan turned his gaze to her. "Where were you before this?" He asked. He'd pick up her trail from there and trace it back.

"We were," She frowned and looked at Remy. "Ah don't remember the name."

"Hotel Maison de Ville." Remy supplied. "It's in de French Quarter."

"Do yah need our clothes?" Marie asked.

Remy felt more confused but wasn't sure he should ask, this seemed to be something so normal between them that he didn't want to feel like a fool.

Logan shook his head. "No. Now, where's the bike?"

"It's fine! Don' yah trust me?" Marie almost wailed.

Remy choked on a laugh. Yes, definitely a teenage daughter distressed by her daddy.

"After the string of escapades you have put me through." Logan paused and seemed to consider it. "No." He stood. "I'm taking the bike. You two can go get dressed in something _clean._" Their clothes smelled of sex, smoke, booze and sweat and that was one thing too many.

"Thank yah for yer permission." Marie rolled her eyes.

Logan snorted came around the back of the couch and kissed the top of her head. "Buck up, kid. I'll be back in a few hours."

Marie's eyes widened. "Oh come on, Ah wanted to use the NOS."

Logan snorted and walked out the parlor door, smirking. "Too late."

Marie pouted and leaned back in the couch. Remy worked his jaw, unsure of whether or not he even wanted to ask. The door shut behind Logan and Remy also didn't know how he was going to find the bike on the property and decided if Logan hadn't asked, maybe he already knew where it was and Marie didn't seem worried about it.

He stood and pulled Marie to her feet. "Come on, cherie." He murmured, wrapping his other arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Remy is longing for clean clothes and a shave."

Marie grinned at him. "But yah are all scruffy and sexy." She said. He snorted a laugh. She went up on tiptoes and rubbed her cheek against his, feeling it scrape against her skin. "Ah like it." She murmured into his ear, resting her hands on his shoulders.

He shuddered and leaned his head back. She was still smiling and he laughed, twisting his head to kiss her. She leaned into him and he pulled away slowly. He barely remembered to grab their marriage license off the coffee table before he led her out of the parlor and up the stairs to his bedroom, hand in hand.

He twisted the door open to his room and let her hand go, going further inside. Marie let the door shut behind her and looked around, trying to get a feel for him from his furniture and decorations that just seemed to match the rest of the house, antique, tonal colors, fine art. Remy fiddled with a fine wooden box that appeared seamless until he did something and it opened up, a stack of papers inside of it. He added the license to it and then looked at her.

"Cherie?" He asked.

"Yer room. It's nice." She half smiled at him and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Ah, uh, share a bedroom with five other girls and they plaster their boy band and celebrity posters all over the walls." She took a step inwards and looked down at the carpet, then looked up. "Ah've got the window."

He grinned. "Dat must be nice."

She shrugged. "They wouldn't appreciate mah taste in posters anyways." She didn't think that her preferred Pantera, Motorhead, AC/DC or Alice in Chains posters and memorabilia would go over well. Not that she had any money to buy such things.

"Papa won't let Remy put up posters or even frame Remy's record covers." Remy sighed and shrugged. "So, Remy got to pick de art pieces." He came over and rested the tips of his fingers on her hips.

Marie tilted her head, the box was whole again and she couldn't even tell how he'd opened it. "The box?"

"It's fireproof." He said and he was halfway positive that no one else in the family had figured the trick to opening it yet. It was the closest thing he had to a safe for the possessions he didn't want anyone touching.

"Oh." She said softly.

He grinned, leaned down and kissed her. For the first time since they'd woken up that morning, they were alone and he was going to take full advantage of it. No one would find out anything that they didn't already know in the next hour, he reasoned.

Marie's hands came up and gripped the outside of his shoulders and she leaned into the kiss, returning it as best she could, enjoying how he kissed her without any reservation. No one, and she meant no one touched her without a split second of hesitation first, until Remy. She opened her mouth for him and their tongue tangled. Tingles started at the back of her mouth and worked their way down to her belly. Vaguely she remembered that they were supposed to be changing into clean clothes.

His hand came around her back and unzipped the back of her dress, his fingers tracing the small of her back when he was finished, dipping inside the dress to touch her skin. She shivered.

There was some logic in this, she reasoned. To get dressed, first they had to get undressed. She fumbled for the buttons on his shirt, unwilling to stop kissing him to watch what she was doing. After that, any chain of reason failed her and she really wasn't one for reason anyways. She worked the last button out of the hole. With a quick jerk of her shoulders and a wiggle of her hips, her dress fell to the floor. Unable to stop herself, she pressed her hands flat against his chest and then rubbed them along his muscles, stroking the skin with her thumbs. He moaned and pulled her closer to him, trapping her hands. She moaned and leaned her head back.

"Off." She ordered. Somehow managing to squeeze her hands between their bodies to shove at his shirt underneath it at his shoulders.

He captured her mouth again and helped her take his shirt off, having to let her go. It dropped to the floor behind them. They took a step towards his bed and she grabbed one of her boots, tugging it off. A second step and she had the other one off. He picked her up, turned and set her on the bed. She wiggled upwards towards the pillows and he kicked his boots off as he crawled onto it after her. He kissed up her torso, kissing her stomach, between her breasts, the hollow of her throat and her chin before claiming her lips again silencing her gasp. His long hair brushed against her skin and blocked out the bedroom.

She tangled a hand in his hair, keeping him at her mouth, sliding her tongue along his as she arched her body into him. She wanted to feel him pressed against her, wrapping a leg around him to bring him as close as possible. Her heart sped up, her blood pulsing in her veins. He slid his arm under her, working at the catch of her bra, somehow managing it even from the strange angle. He rubbed her side, feeling muscle under her smooth creamy skin. She sucked on his bottom lip and he pulled away from the kiss to brush his lips in little kisses down her jaw to the sensitive spot near her ear. She made a muffled noise, tilting her head back and invitation he didn't at all want to refuse. He kissed down her neck, pressing an extra gentle kiss over the bruise he'd already made the night before and then rubbed his cheek along her skin. She shuddered and moaned. He smirked and pulled away.

"Remy." She breathed. He untangled his head from her hands and pulled her bra off. He looked upwards and caught her eyes as he cupped one of her breasts in his hands. She bit the inside of her lip. He ran a thumb over her nipple. Her eyes half closed. He didn't stop smirking as he leaned down and took it into his mouth, sucking down on it. Her lips parted and she wiggled her butt against the bed, trying to hold back another moan and not quite able to. Her nipple went from soft to hard in his mouth and he let it go with his mouth, to rub his stubble over it. Marie half gasped and half moaned.

His pulse jumped. She was so responsive to everything he did. He kissed down her stomach, pausing at her belly button, his hands still paying attention to her breasts. He teased the scar with his tongue and her stomach caved in trying to get away from him, her hips bucking. He sat up and unbuttoned his pants.

Marie whimpered at the loss of him and his touch. She used her elbows to push herself up, her swollen lips parted as she panted. He unzipped his pants and her eyes widened. She sucked in a breath and then pushed her underwear down and then off entirely as he pushed his pants off. Both garments ended up on the floor. He turned his attention back to her and stopped. He ran his eyes along her figure, taking in all the smooth skin that she bared for him. She flushed and did the same for him and when he didn't move for a good minute she whispered. "Get back here and touch me." Just touch me! Her brain screamed.

He chuckled and slid up next to her, trailing his fingers along the outside of her leg. "Bien sur, cherie." He murmured and started to once again, kiss along her torso, murmuring soft phrases in French as he did, his hand teasing the skin of her thigh, gradually moving inwards. She shifted towards him and her legs spread open a little. Unsure of what to do with her hands, they opened and closed for a few minutes. He stopped in his gradual exploration and grabbed one, placing it over her breast before going back to what he was doing. His fingers finally reached the inside of her thigh, caressing the sensitive skin there and she gasped.

He could feel the heat radiating off of her. He propped his body over her and captured her lips with his again, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Her hands came up and she used her nails to lightly scrape against the skin of chest. He moaned as she found the sensitive skin near his armpit and her fingers went and played with his nipples.

Remy reached over and opened the drawer of his nightstand, not even really thinking about what he was doing as he opened and put on the condom. Marie didn't even seem to notice, until he slowly slid inside her.

She made a small noise as it ached a little as he stretched places inside her that were already sore. She'd felt worse and had survived worse. She wrapped her legs around him.

If he'd had any thoughts in his head, they would have fled completely at her tight warmth. He pulled away from her lips and put his lips next to her ear, saying something he knew had to be incoherent in French as he started to work inside her.

She moaned and arched against him as her back exploded in tingles. She said something back that was just as incoherent and moaned, completely forgetting the painful ache, as another sort of ache took over. Remy kissed her again, muttering between the kisses.

* * *

Henri stood outside the door. His hand raised, as he'd been prepared to knock. Papa wanted to see Remy downstairs. He stared at the door and swallowed as another pair of moans came from the other side and he heard the girl, Remy's wife, his brain reminded him, say something in a mixture of French and English that he couldn't quite decipher and didn't want to. Henri took a step backwards. His brother groaned and the other sounds of sex were unmistakable and inexorable. He lowered his hand and took another step back.

Remy had never interrupted him and Mercy having sex. Henri swallowed hard and he had never even wanted to _hear_ Remy having sex, much less walk in on him doing the deed. There was a part of him that still viewed Remy was the young, somewhat innocent, boy that Jean-Luc had taken in. The fact that Remy hadn't been innocent about sex ever being raised on the streets had escaped him, but Henri had no trouble pretending once Remy hit puberty. It also hadn't occurred to Henri that Remy did a lot of pretending to protect his sensibilities. The fact that Remy had supposedly had sex with every girl in his age group and some not in New Orleans was something Henri put down to hearsay and malicious rumors. Forget the grain of salt, in Henri's opinion the whole thing was fabrication. Confronted with the idea that there might be some truth to the matter, Henri wasn't prepared to deal with it.

Henri took another step back and then fled. Papa would have to wait. There was no way that he was walking into that. There were some things not even Henri was willing to do in the name of family.

* * *

Marie cried out, squeezing down on him, her body jerking and bucking against him. He followed her seconds later, burying his head into her neck unable even to swear as he exploded, brain shutting off, muscles arching and tightening.

She panted under his weight and stared at the ceiling, strands of her hair falling over her face. She started to stroke his back with one hand, running her fingers through his hair with the other. It took her a few minutes to catch her breath and let her heart wind down to normal. No longer moving, their skin adhered together with their sweat.

"This ain't what Logan meant." She said softly.

He lifted his head and grinned at her. "Too bad." He said. She giggled. He pressed a kiss to her lips, chasing that giggle away into a soft moan. He pulled back. "Mm, now we need anot'er shower."

"Ah don' think Ah can move, Sugar." She groaned. Nor did she want to move.

He grinned and teased the corner of her mouth with his lips. "Come on, sha. Hot water, slippery soap, all dat skin to touch."

"More sex." She murmured and met his eyes. She wasn't a fool.

"Oui."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yah will just have to carry me."

He laughed and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her, rolling them over so he could get his feet to touch the floor. He carried her into his private bathroom and pressed her against the wall of the shower as he turned on the water, kissing her deeply. She squeaked as the shower started and he laughed again. She scowled at him and tugged his head back to hers.

They did get around to washing up, eventually.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it's pure cupboard love.)_


	3. Chapter 3

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Three: Day One, Part Three**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** Jean-Luc tries to handle the situation, Remy and Marie are less than enthused about it and after lunch, the visitors and packages start arriving.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you!

_You guys are so awesome and enthusiastic! Just, wow! So far, all of your questions will be answered as the story progresses, either this chapter or like ten chapters from now. (Day One got long.) I hope you will stick around to see them. Thank you guys so much for reading and commenting, it makes my day!_

Last time in Complicated Situations... Remy and Marie woke up married with no memory of even meeting, happy regardless they faced their father figures and their inevitable disapproval...

Remy came downstairs feeling slightly better being in clean clothes and having gotten a shave. He rubbed the back of his hand at the stubble still on his chin and grinned as he remembered how Marie had almost had a heart attack when he'd gone for a razor. She'd insisted he keep _some_ of it. She was currently attacking her hair with a hairbrush. He'd offered to help and she'd told him that it would just take too long. She wasn't prepared to be gentle with it. So, he had come downstairs to see if there was any sort of news about what had happened to them. He turned into the morning room where Anastasie said his father was waiting for him. He stopped a few feet in, his gut clenching. Etienne sat on the couch and spread before him were several papers. Etienne ran his hand through his already messed up blonde hair and leaned over to correct something.

"Papa?" Remy asked, his left hand tightening into a fist, as if someone was trying to pull his wedding band away from him.

Jean-Luc opened without preamble. "Because yah are of age, Ah cannot put an annulment of yer marriage through, despite de fact Ah don' approve of it." Jean-Luc picked up his coffee cup.

"Yah tried to annul mah marriage!" Remy felt like he'd been slapped. This was not what he thought his father would do! His heart started galloping in a panic. "Ah can't go upstairs for less t'an forty-five minutes wit'out yah makin' decisions for me." Remy heat surged through his body and his other hand curled into a fist as well. His jaw tensed. "Yah haven't even met _her._"

Jean-Luc picked up his coffee cup. "Ah tried to get yer input, but yah were ot'erwise," he paused, "occupied."

Etienne's eyes widened and he ducked his head wishing he could disappear into the couch.

Remy ignored the reference that he had been having sex, mostly because it was true and otherwise because it was not anyone else's business what he did with his wife in his bedroom. That included his father. "Tryin' to make mah marriage disappear, ain't _handlin'_ it." Remy waved a hand outwards. "And Ah don' t'ink yah _can_ annul it." The marriage had been consummated. They'd had sex, more than once, both last night and just now.

Jean-Luc snorted. "Dat hardly matters now a days. Non. So, yah will just have to file for a divorce instead."

"No."

"Sign de papers, Remy."

"Remy, what is he talkin' about?" Marie asked from the door.

Remy's teeth ground together. "He wants us to file for divorce, bring in de _lawyers._" He turned around.

Marie paled and her pulse sped up. She didn't _have_ a lawyer. She couldn't afford one either. She didn't have any money. Most of all, she didn't want a divorce. She straightened her spine, stung a little. She hadn't even had a chance to meet his family and someone was trying to get rid of her like, like she was a piece of gaudy art that had been given to them and no one wanted. "Ah'm sorry to be such an _inconvenience._" She said and lifted her chin. She said the words towards Remy, but it was obvious that they were directed more towards whoever had come up with the idea for the divorce than at Remy.

Remy moved forward and reached out, taking her hand. "Ah'm sorry for mon Pere's presumptuous manners." He said, and brought up her hand, kissing the knuckles. "It is not mah desire, cherie." He reached up and brushed the knuckles of his other hand along the edge of one of her stripes, and then along her jaw. Dieu, she was so beautiful.

"Ah didn't think it was." She half-smiled at him, not after his performance upstairs. He took another step forward and put a hand on her waist.

Etienne watched them under his lashes and his swallowed hard at the amount of tenderness that Remy was displaying towards his wife. He clenched his hands on his knees. What was going on here? Sure, Remy was angry as Oncle had said, but Remy seemed angry at Oncle and not at the fact he was _married._

Jean-Luc seemed to be ignoring them. "Less than five minutes, as long as she doesn't contest it."

Marie dragged her eyes away from Remy's. They narrowed and her voice sweetened in her anger. "Of course Ah contest it. Ah don' _want_ it."

"_We_ don' want it." Remy added.

Jean-Luc scowled.

That decided Etienne. Remy didn't want a divorce. Jean-Luc had duped him into something. Etienne wasn't sure what, but he'd been duped. He gathered the papers. "Ah'm sorry, Remy. If Ah had known that this weren't yer idea, Ah wouldn't have put these together. Ah'll just go shred them." He stood up. "Or somet'in'." He added in a mutter. There were some days he didn't know why he'd agreed to be the lawyer for the family.

"Bon." Remy said.

Etienne finished tapping the edges and stood up and then happened to look at Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc glared at him, lines etched into his face in anger. Etienne licked his lips and half bowed at Jean-Luc before fleeing the room past Remy and Marie. He didn't even dare look at them.

Marie sagged in relief against Remy. He rested his head on the top of hers and thanked God that Etienne had some sense of integrity.

Jean-Luc decided that it was time to interrupt the newlyweds. "Father Jerome will be visiting after lunch."

Remy's brow furrowed and he turned at his waist to look back at his father. "Fat'er Jerome? Why?"

Jean-Luc wondered who had hit his son on the head. "Because, accordin' to dat very official and properly filed marriage license, he is de one who officiated yer wedding."

"He did?" Remy frowned. "Huh. Interestin'."

Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Ah t'ought dat we might have gone before de Justice of de Peace." Remy shrugged.

Jean-Luc blinked once and had to admit a bit to himself that his son might not be lying about not remembering the last few days. He still wasn't sure whether or not to believe Remy about not remembering, but so far, his story held up. "None de less, Fat'er Jerome did marry yah and lunch is ready to be served in de dinin' room whenever yah bot'ered to show yerself again." He stood up.

Remy kept a hold of Marie's hand and let her go so they could face his father together. He raised his chin and met his father's eyes preparing for yet another fight. "Mon Pere, t'is is mah wife, Anna Marie." He said. Marie forced a smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "Marie, ma cherie, mah Papa, Jean-Luc."

Marie was all too aware of how out classed she was compared to the rest of the Lebeau's. Jean-Luc's three-piece suit was custom tailored and immaculate. She felt shabby in her second hand pair of jean shorts, t-shirt and the only shoes she had with her, the motorcycle boots, in comparison. She squeezed on Remy's hand and reminded herself that it didn't really matter. She'd earned her current state and her money, the hard way, her own way, through her decisions. She wasn't going to let some moneyed man who probably inherited it all make her feel less. "Ah'm pleased to meet yah." She murmured. Jean-Luc glanced over her once and dismissed her with his eyes. He nodded once and walked past them. Remy made a noise of distress in his throat and Marie quickly squeezed his hand. She smiled brightly. "Ah'm hungry, sugar. Are yah hungry?"

"Non," he choked. "But Remy will try."

She hugged him and he wrapped his arm around her, still holding onto her hand. He put his face into her neck and inhaled. She smelled of soap and herself and he missed the oranges and honeysuckle but was still comforted by her presence. They were in this together.

"Remy!" Jean-Luc shouted from down the hall.

Remy jumped and tugged her closer. They were coming. She squeezed him once and he sighed. "Come on, cherie." He let her go and led her down the hall to the dining room.

Henri glared at him and then at her. Remy ignored his brother and pulled out a chair for Marie, away from his father. He glanced around the table, noticing its relative emptiness in comparison to most family meals. Marie sat and Remy sat down across from Henri who sat next to Emil. Theoren sat on Marie's other side.

Marie glanced down at her plate and blinked once. She hadn't seen this much silverware since Miss Rose's etiquette class at that summer camp her foster parents had foisted her off on between seventh and eighth grade. She mentally made a map of what was for what and hoped she was remembering correctly. It had been a few years.

Remy waited until Jean-Luc picked up the bread before picking up a dish and nudging Marie with his elbow to get her attention. She glanced at him. He raised an eyebrow. She looked at the dish.

"Please," She murmured. He served her a portion of the meat dish before serving himself. "Thank yah," she said just as softly and smiled at him, going for the right fork.

Remy set the dish down. "Across from Remy is mon frere, Henri."

Marie set her fork back down and smiled at him. "Charmed."

Henri scowled at her and picked up the dish that Remy had just set down. "Oui." He muttered.

"Yah remember mah cousin, Emil." Remy flashed a frown at his brother.

"Hard to forget." Marie bit her lip.

Emil snickered.

"And next to yah is anot'er cousin, Theoren."

Marie looked over. "Bonjour." She smiled.

Theoren nodded once. "Bonjour, jolie."

"De blonde in de mornin' room was Theoren's frere, Etienne." Remy served her something else without asking for permission. "And we are missin' Henri's wife, Mercy and Tante Mattie."

Marie picked up her fork again and nodded in bemusement at her now full plate. "Merci, Remy." She stabbed something that looked like roast fowl with her fork. "De man t'is mornin' was mah friend and sometime keeper, Logan." She said. "Since, we ne'er got to formal introductions before he was out the door." She rolled her eyes at her plate.

"And yer family?" Remy asked.

The fork paused between her plate and her mouth. "They're dead." She said and took her bite. It was something she'd come to terms with a long time ago, except for once a year when Logan did his best to keep her away from the alcohol and the one time hadn't succeeded.

Silence fell over the table for a few minutes. Remy swallowed. "Ah'm sorry, cherie."

Marie swallowed her bite before turning her head to smile at him. "Ah don' remember them that much."

He reached over and stroked her hand. "Ah'm still sorry."

Her eyes softened and then she grinned. "Ah don' got a lawyer either."

Jean-Luc twitched.

"Ain't sorry about dat." Remy muttered and grinned back, ducking his head and starting on his own food.

Henri snorted. "Surely, yer famille had one on retainer."

Marie decided to cut her meat. She'd lived in a mostly self-sufficient commune on the Mississippi. They didn't like lawyers, doctors, money or the law. It burnt to the ground and she'd been the only survivor. Most of the people in the commune didn't even have _dental_ records. The mess hadn't been sorted out when she'd fled Meridian, which had been on the other side of the _state._ They hadn't left her any money, and precious few records of who had been there. It was amazing she had a birth certificate and a social security number. She'd been _seven_ and not considered a totally reliable witness. She did have a caseworker, but her court appointed lawyer had been dismissed long ago mainly because there was nothing for them to squabble about. The land had been turned over to the bank and the money from the proceeds of the sale had supported her for a little while.

Now, she was supported by the state or would have been if she'd still been with her foster parents. She did small jobs at Xavier's, but the Professor supported her and she thought that he and Logan had come to some sort of agreement over her tuition and board. Mainly, she considered herself a charity student and since there was a rather large group of them at the school. It didn't matter one way or the other. They were given the exact same treatment and attention as the paying students.

Not that this was any of Henri's business. Marie looked at him through her eyelashes. "Mah family didn't retain anythin'." She said sweetly.

More silence fell over the table and Henri shifted in his seat. They took a few bites in silence and Henri, not having learned his lesson, tried again. "How did yah two meet?"

Marie shrugged.

Remy did the same. "Don' know."

Henri looked between them as Emil snorted and started to laugh again. Emil set his fork down and put his hand up to his eyes.

Marie tried the vegetable and said after she swallowed. "First time Ah remember settin' eyes on him was this mornin'."

"Tea, cherie?" Remy asked.

"If yah please." She replied.

"Bullshit." Henri muttered.

"Henri." Jean-Luc spoke up. "Not at de table."

Henri scowled and sank into his chair. They ate in silence again as Emil continued to snicker every time he happened to look at either Marie or Remy, who did their best to ignore him and the increasing awkwardness of the table.

In her back pocket, Marie felt her phone buzz. She jumped and grabbed it. Her eyes widened as she turned it over and checked the caller ID. "Ah'm sorry, Remy. It's Logan and if Ah don' take it. He'll try to take mah head off next." She said and stood. Remy nodded. The phone buzzed in her hand again and Marie quickly leaned over and kissed Remy's cheek, fleeing the room for the hall. Silence reigned around the table, but it was a listening type of silence. Marie put the phone to her ear and stopped next to a randomly placed table under a window. "It's Rogue." She said quietly.

"Hey Stripes." Logan said on the other end. "How are you holdin' up?"

"Fine." Marie said.

"I made it to Jackson." Logan said.

Marie's eyes widened. "Already!" Damn it, he had used up all the NOS.

"It ain't that far. Do you have a piece of paper?"

Marie bit her lip and opened the drawer of the table and blinked in relief at finding a pad of paper and a couple of pens there. She picked one out. "Yeah."

"All right, pay attention. I'm only goin' through this once. I started at that fancy hotel." He started to lay out where she'd been the last few days. "You two met at a bar," He supplied the name. "Kid, didn't you remember what happened the last time I took you in a bar?" He asked in exasperation. He hadn't a clue what it was with Marie, bars and trouble, but it always seemed to happen that way.

Marie drew the linked male and female symbols next to the bar name. She smiled. "Yah started a fight and Ah finished it." She reminded him.

In the other room, Remy's brow furrowed and he wondered what had solicited that comment. The conversation wasn't very enlightening listening to one side, but he had a feeling that was a bit on purpose on Marie's part. She seemed to be one who played things close to her, ample, chest.

Logan growled on the other end of the phone and continued with his list of places that didn't completely make sense to her. She nodded and wrote them down anyways.

"The funny thing is, until I got to this motel, no one that I talked to remembered you."

"Maybe Ah ain't that memorable." She said, but her brow furrowed. This was a large city. They saw hundreds of people a day in some spots, why would they remember her? It did seem a bit odd that no one remember though.

"You keep tellin' yourself that." Logan shook his head. "Come on, kid. You went plenty of places and not one of them even remembers anyone with your type of hair, which is pretty damn distinctive in of itself." He'd even taken out his picture of her that he never admitted to carrying, but it came in handy for times like these. It never hurt to be prepared. People still hadn't remembered her.

Marie blinked. "Interestin'." She murmured. "Ah'll tell Remy."

Logan growled again. "Scarlet O'Hara?"

Marie rolled her eyes and cocked her hip. "What?"

"That was your name on the register."

"Ah was avoidin' Caldecott and Meridian." She said and reread the list. "It were as good a name as any."

"You still could have used your real name."

"It weren't that type of motel."

"It's a step up from where we met." Logan said. "Not my point."

Marie's eyes narrowed. "Logan, are yah forgettin' Mississippi Department of Human Services?" She shoved her hair behind her shoulder and glared out the window. Most of the offices of Human Services were located in Jackson. She'd been trying to be cautious since she was sneaking around under their very nose. Logan could be the most forgetful human being she'd ever met. One would think since he'd mentioned the bar they met in, he'd also remember the fact she'd hitched a ride uninvited in his trailer. "Yah know. The ones that got me listed as missin', runaway, the ones Ah'd prefer to have me listed as missin', runaway, presumed _dead_. Since, we still got a few years before they'll list me as missin', runaway, _emancipated._" The last people she wanted looking for her was the state of Mississippi. She had enough enemies without adding an entire State government to the list.

Remy shoved his chair back and tried to look at her in the hall. His eyebrow rose. His wife was a runaway. He learned new things all the time.

Logan snorted. "I thought-" Charles tended to handle these things as soon as the students turned up at the school, making them wards of the school instead of wards of whatever state or country they were from.

"The Professor made some discreet inquiries and told me that he had run into some 'opposition.'"

"Oh. That's not good."

"So, maybe yah would like to try and adopt me?" Marie hissed. "But Ah'm gonna have a devil of time dealin' with one name change, much less two!" That is if Logan could even do so in the first place. His legal status was just as gray and nebulous as her own given he couldn't remember his full name, place of birth or even how _old_ he was. "Ah feel lucky that mah face ain't on a milk carton."

"No. They save those for the cuter and younger kids."

Marie's face flushed and she made helpless throttling motions. Just what was he implying? "Is there anythin' _else?_"

"The bike is fine." He said and it sounded like he was grinning.

"Ah know that!" Marie almost shrieked.

"I'm goin' to go grab the Doc. I'll be back before dinner."

"Fine." Marie hung up on him and glared at the window. "Stubborn, cranky, forgetful, old _badger._" She wanted to fling her phone down the hall, but it wasn't ladylike and then she'd have to go get it. She growled and took a deep breath. She tore the list off the pad and tossed the notepad and pen back into the drawer, shutting it. She stuck her phone back in her pocket and remembered to walk sedately back into the dining room instead of stomping. She ignored the silence and handed Remy the note as she sat down. "Remy, Sugar, do any of these places look familiar?"

Remy looked at it. "Well, dat's a jewelers, de cathedral where Father Jerome is posted, a bakery, a café," He tilted his head. "De bar."

"We met there." Marie picked up her fork.

"Mais, good to know." He said and wanted to ask how Logan had found these things out in under two hours. "One looks like a hotel, a pretty seedy hotel." He frowned. Marie made a noise in back of her throat, as if she'd expected something of the sort. "And one is a park, what were we doin' at de park?" There were a couple of other places he didn't recognize.

"Feedin' the ducks." Marie said dryly. "No one remembers us, Sugar."

"What? Oh, dat one is a department store."

"Logan asked around, no one remembers, well, me." She frowned. "He didn't say if he asked about yah." Damn it, he probably should have and didn't or even if he did, he wouldn't have mentioned it to her. She furrowed her brow and tried to decide if Logan had meant a single you or a plural you when he said that nobody remembered 'you.' It was probably the former since she knew that Logan could care less about Remy, but it would make sort of sense if that no one remember her, no one would remember him too if he was suffering the same amnesia problem.

"If no one remembers, then how-" Remy looked at the list.

"He has a nose for these sort of things." Marie shrugged. She wasn't about to go into the peculiarities of Logan's mutation over lunch.

Jean-Luc held out his hand and Remy handed the list over to him. Jean-Luc looked down it and raised his eyebrows. This was exceptionally useful. "I'll make some inquiries." He said. Marie bit her tongue to keep from making a snide remark. Jean-Luc set the list down next to his plate. "You're a runaway." He added.

Marie smiled at him. "It seemed like the best idea at the time."

"This adds complications to the situation."

Marie's smile didn't fade. "Story of mah life, Monsieur Lebeau."

Stunned silence fell over the table and Remy wondered if he should tell his wife to tread carefully. Marie went back to eating as if absolutely nothing was wrong. To her nothing was, she had gotten used to people acting like she was a pawn in their giant chess games of power. Showing fear or intimidation wasn't useful and given her own powers, they had more right to be intimidated of her anyways. It was grow a spine or roll over and die. She'd never been one to roll over and die. Run when the situation demanded. Die, never.

Jean-Luc controlled his temper. "The state may contest your marriage."

Marie finished the last few bites on her plate before answering. "That depends on yer state laws. If we were married in Mississippi, then they would have every right. Accordin' to the paper, we were married in New Orleans and the laws here are?"

"Eighteen and older." Remy supplied.

"Perfectly legal, they have no grounds to contest." Marie took a sip of her tea and then a long drink as she realized that she was finally back in the land of proper sweet tea and someone in the kitchen knew what they were doing.

"Barely." Jean-Luc said.

Marie set the glass down and folded her hands in her lap. "And yet, it's still legal." She pointed out. And she highly doubted that her foster parents would put up a fuss even if the state did contest the marriage. They might sign the papers with sighs of relief that she was no longer their 'problem.' They might surprise her and do the opposite.

She highly doubted it. She terrified them.

Not as much as she terrified herself.

Anastasie paused in the doorway. "Dere is a package for Monsieur and Madame Remy Lebeau."

Remy and Marie looked at each other. "Cherie?" He asked.

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Yer guess is as good as mine."

Remy pushed his chair back. "Merci, Anastasie. Does Remy need to sign for it?" He stood and crossed the room to her.

"Non, Monsieur." Anastasie held out a thick manila envelope. "It were delivered through a service, not de mail."

Marie's brow furrowed and she got out of her seat and came up behind Remy. Remy took the envelope from the housekeeper. "Merci beaucoup, Anastasie." He said and turned it over in his hands, the script on the front confirming that the package was for him and Marie, but not clue on who had sent it.

Anastasie curtseyed and left.

Emil pushed his chair back and came over to peer over Marie's shoulder. "Open it!" He bounced on his toes.

Marie turned her head and took an involuntary step closer and into Remy as she realized how close Emil was to breathing down her neck. She wrapped an arm about Remy's chest to balance herself and glared at Emil. Remy turned his head to glance at her and couldn't figure out why she was so surprised and actually a bit uncomfortable. She pressed her lips together and then spit out. "Back up."

Emil smiled, raised his hands and took a diplomatic step back. "Maybe we could go to the mornin' room, so everyone could see."

Remy raised an eyebrow at Marie. She hissed outwards and nodded at Emil. "Thank yah. Sorry, sug." She added to Remy.

"Don't mind." He replied. "Mornin' room, oui?"

"That's fine." She said and with a final glance to check if Emil was still at least two feet away from her she, hooked an arm through Remy's. They left the room, Emil following them like a puppy.

Jean-Luc picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth. "Perhaps we should go see what trouble Remy has gotten into now."

Henri shoved his plate away. "Oui." He muttered and scowled. Here was Remy, getting all the attention again for acting stupid. And there was this nonsense about forgetting everything. Remy had to remember something of the last two days. He'd been upstairs having sex with the girl. Henri glowered at his shoes all the way to the morning room. He took a chair without grace and crossed his arms. Jean-Luc took another chair and laced his fingers together much the same as he had in his office.

Remy and Marie sat on the couch, the table in front of them. Remy turned the envelope over and over in his hands. Marie huffed. "Are yah gonna open it?"

"Oui." He said and hefted it trying to feel the weight.

"Oh for, give it here." She snatched it from his hands, reached down into her boot, pulled a butterfly knife, flipped it open with a practiced twist of her wrist and sliced the top open with the blade. Emil swore and Marie looked up, brow furrowed. She looked at the knife in her hand, shrugged and shut it, putting it back in her boot. It'd been a gift from Logan who seemed to think it normal to carry knives everywhere. Not that he ever needed a butterfly knife or a jackknife or a kitchen knife or any kind of knife that was separate from his body. She tipped the envelope over her hand and a small card fell out. She handed it towards Remy and then looked at him when he didn't take it. She blinked at his dropped jaw. "What?"

"How long have yah had dat?" He sputtered.

"Logan gave it to me." She shrugged and waved the card in front of his nose.

"Dat didn't answer de question." He said and took the card.

"Ah don' know, six mont's to a year. It was after the second or third kidnappin'. He got annoyed." Marie said and lifted the envelope up to her eyes. He'd told her to just stab them next time so he wouldn't have to. There hadn't been a next time. Yet.

"Second or third?" Remy sputtered and realized he had the card upside down and flipped it over.

"I've had an interesting life. It's a curse." Marie frowned at the stacks of paper and then gently bowed the envelope to get the pile out. They fell into her lap and she went quiet, her fingers hovering over them.

Remy's eyes widened at the name on the card and he looked down, his eyes widening further at the stack of photographs.

"Yah hired a photographer?" Emil's voice sounded strangled.

A female voice came from the door. "Who hired a photographer?" She asked and walked into the room, slapping riding gloves against her hand.

Henri turned his head. "Mercy." He smiled. "Mon amour."

She smiled at Henri, her straight blonde hair somewhat wind tossed from her ride. She leaned down and planted a kiss on his lips. "Henri."

"Yah missed lunch." Jean-Luc said from his chair.

"Desole, Papa." Mercy sat on the arm of Henri's chair arm and Henri wrapped an arm about her.

Marie stared at the photograph, a head to toe of her in a wedding dress. Not any wedding dress, the wedding dress, the one she'd lusted over for months. She hadn't meant to lust over anything as silly as a wedding dress. Her relationship with Bobby hadn't been near that serious, but Jean had been flipping through one of those bridal magazines that generally didn't interest her, except Kitty had squealed and Marie had happened to glance over and saw the most beautiful gown in the world in her opinion. It wasn't the one that Kitty, Jubilee and Jean were looking it, that had been the opposite page, but Marie had fallen in love with the yards and yards of silk, lace and small beads. She'd waited until they left and carefully cut that page out, taking it with her and carrying it with her for months to look at when she was alone and to dream. It was out of her budget, out of her reach and yet, she'd memorized every detail, from the full skirt that fell from the hips, to the corseted top, the designer, the style number, everything. Her lips parted and her eyes tingled. And here she was, in a picture, wearing her dress. She swallowed hard and passed the picture to Remy, the next one was of them together, holding hands, grinning like fools.

Mercy frowned at the two on the couch. She looked at Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc took pity on her. "T'is is Remy's wife, Anna Marie." He said without any sort of inflection.

Mercy eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She stared at Jean-Luc like he'd lost his mind.

Remy felt the shock and a bit of sadness rolling off of Marie. He set the picture of her down on the table and took the rest from her hands, putting them down on top of them. He took her hand in his. "Cherie?" He asked.

"Ah don' remember." She murmured, her eyes stinging.

He reached up and brushed her hair away from her face with his left hand. "Ah don' eit'er."

She shook her head, ruining his work. "No. Yah don' understand. Ah _wanted_ that dress. Ah loved it from the moment Ah saw it and Ah don' remember. Ah don' remember puttin' it on and knowin' that it really was the dress Ah wanted it to be. Ah don't remember havin' the feelin' that this was real and Ah was gonna be a bride or seein' yer face when yah saw me for the first time. Ah don' remember any of it and-"

Remy pulled her into his arms. "Ah know, cherie."

"Ah want to remember." She whispered, her fingers digging into his shoulder, twisting his t-shirt.

"Me too." He whispered back and pressed a kiss onto her temple. She was absolutely adorable in this urge to try and get him to understand how much it meant to her. It wasn't fair or right. A man and woman should be able to remember their own wedding. He glanced at the picture of them, together, holding hands. "We look happy."

Mercy stared at them and felt a twinge of sympathy for Marie even as she tried to fit all the pieces together of what was going on. She couldn't imagine being married to Remy, trouble on two legs. She repressed a snort though, she'd never ever put herself in such a situation to end up married to anyone and not be able to remember it.

Marie tilted her head back and smiled. "Ah want to know what _happened._" She said.

Remy reached over and picked up the pictures. "Mais, we weren't feedin' ducks at de park." He half smiled at her and wrinkled his nose.

Marie giggled. "It was a guess. Did yah have a better one at the time?"

He put the one of them together on the table next to the full length one of Marie. "Non." Remy glanced at the next one and paid more attention to the background. A park, green grass, tall trees, a public place where you didn't have to rent anything or make reservations or pay any money. It was ideal for a quick wedding. It was also something he had wanted, something small, something private, outdoors instead of cooped up in a building, something that didn't turn into a big political or societal affair.

Mercy picked up the full-length picture of Marie. She appraised it and hid her shock behind a mask of politeness. This was not the type of dress the wife of a Lebeau should wear on her wedding day. Maybe Marie considered it expensive and appropriate, but it was ready made and maybe there was silk and lace, but it was all machine made and nothing was done by hand on the entire dress. If Marie had worn such a dress, even as beautiful as it was, in an official wedding to Remy, the family would have been the laughingstock of New Orleans' society for years. She passed the picture to Henri, who didn't care about such things and quickly passed it on to Jean-Luc. Mercy picked up the picture of them together.

Remy went through the pictures. There were a lot of them together as a couple, looking deliriously happy. There were pictures of Marie, posed as if she belonged in a fashion spread in a bridal magazine, pictures of him, looking handsome if he was allowed to make such a distinction. Pictures of Father Jerome saying the blessing over them, pictures of them dancing together in happy abandon with some of the entertainers off to the side making music.

"Ah ain't holdin' any flowers." Marie said softly.

"De park had plenty of flowers, and dere was no one to hold dem." Remy paused. "Did yah want flowers, cherie?"

"Not really, Ah just thought it kind of odd that we went to the pains of buyin' weddin' rings and getting' a dress and someone must of done mah hair, but there ain't any flowers."

"Oh." He looked at the pictures. "Yah have jewelry. Ah don' remember any jewelry t'is mornin'."

"Maybe we rented it all?" Marie's brow furrowed. "Ah don' know, Sugar." She lifted the picture up and looked at the jewelry closer. It was all diamonds. She didn't own anything remotely that nice. The leaves and vine headpiece in her hair even looked like there were diamonds in it, if one could tell under the chiffon lace edged veil. She glanced at her wedding ring. "Remy," she lifted it up, he probably knew. "What is the settin' on this?"

His brow furrowed. "Platinum."

She blinked once. "Oh." She put her hand down. It wasn't silver or white gold, no it was platinum, the most expensive metal you could get for wedding rings. Good God, what had they been thinking? She had better not lose it, ever. "No flowers still seems odd." She said, distracted.

"We had cake." He said absently.

Marie brightened. "We did? Chocolate?"

He paused and tried to remember the crumbs. Had they been light or dark? "Oui, Ah think."

"It had better been chocolate." She muttered.

"We can call de bakery and ask." Remy said.

"If they remember." Marie pointed out. "Remember what Logan said and the bakery was on the list, so Ah was with yah or yah might have been with me. He weren't specific about that." She said.

Emil snickered.

Jean-Luc appraised the pictures and tried to hide how much the obviously happy smiles on Remy and Marie's faces disturbed him. It disturbed him almost as much as the fact that they were discussing inconsequential things like the lack of flowers and what type of cake they'd had afterwards and seemed quite merry about it. They were strangers. They shouldn't be this happy over being married to each other, especially when they claimed not to remember anything until this morning. It didn't make sense. Something had to have happened to them, but he couldn't see it in the pictures. They didn't look drugged or drunk unless it was drunk on joy.

"Hmm." Remy muttered and kept the last picture of the two of them on their lap. "Yah are beautiful."

Marie bit her lip and flushed. "Remy."

He looked up and met her eyes. It was truth. It wasn't the dress. It hadn't been the styling of her hair or the make up. It was her, pure and simple. It wasn't an opinion. It was fact. And if he hadn't said it today yet, he'd been remiss in doing so. He leaned forward intending to kiss her not caring about his cousin or his brother or his father.

Anastasie interrupted. "Father Jerome, Monsieur Lebeau." She announced. She stepped to the side and Father Jerome, an older gentleman with a full head of white hair and smile lines where smile lines should be in the regalia of a Catholic Priest entered the room.

Remy stood up quickly and Marie, taking her cue from him set the picture on the table and stood as well. "Fat'er Jerome." Remy smiled at him. He had always like Father Jerome, who was one of the few men who knew Remy's full history and had never held it against him.

"Remy, mon fils." Jerome beamed and came over, shaking Remy's hand. He turned his smile towards Marie. "And de lovely Marie, my new fille." He said. Marie held out her hand as well and Jerome shook his head. "No. No. No." He smiled and took her into his arms for a quick hug. "How is de excruciatingly happy couple?" He asked.

Marie looked sidelong at Remy and smiled. "We are still happy."

Remy broke in. "We just weren't sure if we remembered to thank yah properly." He said.

Marie coughed and Remy pinched her. Jerome didn't notice. He continued to beam. "Quite profusely." He said and waved a hand. "Ah was more t'an happy to do it. Ah am always happy to join a couple of God's children."

Jean-Luc interrupted. "Mon fils didn't bribe yah, did he?"

Jerome started and then laughed. "Non, mon ami. They simply asked."

Marie tugged Remy down the couch a cushion. "Father, please sit. Did yah want somethin' to drink, tea, coffee?"

Jerome sat down. "Non. Merci beaucoup." He said. Remy and Marie sat down next to him. Jerome spied the photographs on the table. "Are t'ese de pictures t'en?" He picked one up and sighed. "Such a beautiful day."

Jean-Luc smiled politely. "Ah was sorry to have missed it. How are yah today, Jerome?"

A frown flashed across Jerome's face as it finally occurred to them that it had been odd that Jean-Luc hadn't been there at Remy's wedding. Stranger still, Jerome himself had not thought to call up his old friend and faithful parishioner to tell him that his son had come and asked Jerome to marry him. But, it had been all so very fast and Remy was a young adult now, perfectly and legally capable of making his own choices, Jerome reasoned. And given how much Remy loved his father, it surprised Jerome that Remy himself hadn't called Jean-Luc. "Ah am most well today."

"No dizziness, headaches, loss of memory?" Jean-Luc rumbled.

Jerome laughed again. "Ah may be getting' old, mon ami, but Ah'm not dat old." He looked up and narrowed his eyes. "And how are yah today, Jean-Luc?"

"Shocked and bothered." Jean-Luc said with a small smile.

Jerome set the picture back on the table, thoroughly prepared to answer Jean-Luc's comment. Anastasie came once again to the door, holding a small package in one hand. "Another package for Monsieur and Madame Remy Lebeau." She said and curtseyed.

"Anot'er one." Remy's eyebrows rose.

Anastasie crossed the room and handed it to him. "Oui, Monsieur."

"Merci, Anastasie. Desole for makin' your mornin' so busy." He said and took it from her.

Anastasie smiled and shook her head. "It makes life interestin', Monsieur." She left the room again.

Marie tilted her head. "Are yah gonna open it t'is time?"

Remy narrowed his eyes and looked at her. "Oui, ma cherie." He said. She snickered at him. He glared at her again and undid the tape, folding it inwards, but still careful to set the paper away from the pictures. Inside was a black velvet box and Remy flipped the lid opened and stared. Marie stopped laughing and it took her a good thirty seconds to breathe. Remy barely found his voice. "Mon Dieu." He whispered. He picked the engagement ring out of the box. It was clearly meant to go with the wedding band, a large diamond facetted in an old fashioned European style framed with smaller diamonds in a delicate cast band. The glistened like white fire in the sunlight, sending small rainbows spraying across the room.

Remy debated internally about getting down on one knee and putting it on Marie's hand in the proper fashion. She deserved that much. However, Papa would go ballistic. Emil would end up on the floor in hysterics. Who knew what Henri and Mercy would think and Father Jerome would ask questions. Remy picked up Marie's left hand and slid the ring down it as Marie watched him, eyes wide. He subtly tilted her wedding band so that when the rings met, the pattern matched perfectly. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it.

Marie could barely breathe. He'd bought her an engagement ring. Her heart pounded like a trapped bird against her ribcage. They couldn't have been engaged more than twenty-four hours, maybe twelve, maybe less and he still had gotten her an engagement ring. "Oh, Remy, it's gorgeous." She whispered. She didn't know what else to say after that. Thank you seemed a bit redundant and an understatement of mass proportions. Really, the best sort of thank you for diamonds was not at all fit for polite company. She raised her eyes and met his trying to convey everything she could through her face and her smile. Remy smiled back.

Jean-Luc's fingers tightened together, the knuckles turning white. A dress, rings, Father Jerome, and the two of them staring at each other like they were the only two people in the world, it took effort for Jean-Luc not to clench his teeth and grind them together. And no one had invited or even told him, on top of Remy going missing for a full two days. He was not going to get them apart at this rate. Why had Jerome married them? Why? And Jean-Luc didn't dare ask outright, either.

Fortunately for him, he had sons and nephews that weren't as tactful as he was. Emil picked up one of the photographs and tilted his head. "We were all so surprised when we found Remy went and got married on us, Fat'er." He said. "We ne'er t'ought dat we would see de day." He grinned at Remy. Remy slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowed. Marie did the same and Emil quickly put the picture up between them and hunched his shoulders.

Jerome waved a hand. "T'ey seemed to have everyt'in' in order and didn't want to wait. Ah saw no reason not to oblige dem."

Remy refrained from sticking his tongue out at Emil by mere force of will. "And we are very happy dat yah did so, Fat'er." He said.

"Weddin's, christenin's, Ah am always happy to take time out of mah day to perform dem." He cast a serious look at Remy and Marie.

Marie's eyes widened at his implication. "Oh. No. No. That was not the reason for the rush at all." She flushed to the roots of her hair. "Given how we met, we wouldn't even know that yet." She muttered.

Remy cast a glance at Henri and Mercy. "Dere are ot'ers dat could provide yah an excuse for a christenin' ot'er t'an us."

Jerome laughed. "Indeed."

Remy looked at Jean-Luc. "Now, Papa are yah satisfied?"

"Non," Jean-Luc sighed. "Fat'er Jerome doesn't seem to t'ink dat dere was anyt'in' wrong wit' yah yesterday."

Remy's eyes widened.

"At near eight o'clock in de mornin', Jean-Luc." Jerome shook his head. "Ah know dat mon fils drinks perhaps too much, but not even he starts dat early."

"Perhaps he was not actin' like himself in ot'er ways." Jean-Luc said and frowned.

Jerome waved a hand. "He seemed very much himself and very happy." He glanced at Remy and Marie. "Still very happy."

Marie squeezed Remy's hand and beamed at Jerome. Jean-Luc didn't bother to hide his scowl since no one was paying attention to him.

Remy smiled and shook his head. "Fat'er, we shouldn't waste your time wit' our silliness. Ah'm sure yah have many important t'in's to do today."

Jerome stood. "Yah are right, mon fils."

Marie stood as well. "Let Remy and Ah walk yah to the door, Father." She said. Remy hurridly stood and linked his arm with Marie's.

"Merci, ma fille. Yah are too kind." Jerome smiled and they headed out of the room. They didn't say anything until just before the door.

"Thank yah for comin' Father." Remy murmured. "Papa is worried and Ah fear a bit shocked o'er de suddenness of it all."

"Ah more t'an understand. Ah tried to warn yah." Jerome shrugged.

Marie forced a laugh. "Don' worry, Fat'er. Our folks are more than aware that we ne'er listen."

"We reap what we sow." Remy sighed and let his shoulders sag. "Yah drive safe back to de Parish, Father. And thank yah for marryin' us."

Father Jerome smiled. "Yah are more t'an welcome, Remy. Congratulations again, and may God bless yah."

Remy opened the door. "And yah, Fat'er."

Jerome smiled and took his leave, going down the steps. Remy shut the door behind him and turned towards Marie. "What do yah t'ink he meant by we had everyt'in' in order?"

Marie tilted her head. "Well, Ah'm eighteen and yah are?"

"Nineteen." Remy answered matter of factually.

"Yah are Catholic and Ah'm a Baptist." She added. He nodded. "Ah'm from Mississippi. Yah are a Louisianan Cajun. Ah'm an orphan. Yah are-"

"Adopted." Remy interrupted.

Marie absorbed that for a second and continued. "Yah are rich. Ah'm broke. Ah want kids. Yah-"

His eyes widened. "Eventually."

She grinned. "Ah'm a mutant. Yah are a mutant and what else do we really need to know?" She asked. Remy had been following right along, but at that statement and question, his mind blanked. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again. Marie brushed a lock of white hair behind her ear. "Of course, mah mutation ain't as obvious as yers, Sugar. Except for the hair, but anyone can achieve this look with enough hair dye and a bit of patience. So most don' even think it is a mutation."

"Wait." He paused. "Yah are a mutant." His brain raced trying to figure it out.

Marie tilted her head and bit her lip, smiling. "Oui."

"Is Logan?"

"A mutant." Marie confirmed.

"He literally tracked yah back to Jackson?" Remy's eyes widened.

"He's had practice." Marie's lips twisted.

Remy went back to the original statement that had caused his brain to break in the first place. "Yah are a mutant." He repeated.

Marie rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand. "Well, we ain't had much time to talk that ain't been in front of yer family and it ain't somethin' Ah'm too comfortable discussin'." She placed his hand on her hip and then went up on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, tilting her head. Remy's eyes closed. This was something he understood. He kissed her back, pulling her closer.

He pulled back a little. "Dere have been ot'er t'in's dat needed doin'." He murmured.

"Sugar, Ah'm tryin' to thank yah for the engagement ring." Marie narrowed her eyes. "Hush." She covered his mouth with hers again. Remy wanted to laugh or grin but with Marie's lips against his, he was much more in favor of kissing her back. Marie wrapped her arms around his neck and his other hand caressed her thigh before going up and cupping her ass, even as their mouths opened and the kiss deepened.

The front door opened from the other side as a young blonde woman with blazing blue eyes burst through it. She stopped dead in her tracks on the threshold. Her eyes widened and she paled. "It's true! Yah got married!" She shouted.

Remy jerked his head away from Marie and turned it towards the door. "Bella?"

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Bella weighs in and Remy learns something about her that he hadn't known before and yet more packages arrive to Jean-Luc's ire and Marie's pleasure._


	4. Chapter 4

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Four: Day One, Part Four**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** Bella has found about the marriage of Remy and Marie, she shows up to confront Remy and then does something she shouldn't, something about some folks have to learn the hard way.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! The OFFICIAL update schedule for this story is Wednesday and Saturday until completed._ So, just in case anyone missed it... Remy has his regular red on black eyes here. Woot!_

Last time in Complicated Situations... _The front door opened from the other side as a young blonde woman with blazing blue eyes burst through it. She stopped dead in her tracks on the threshold. Her eyes widened and she paled. "It's true! Yah got married!" She shouted._

_Remy jerked his head away from Marie and turned it towards the door. "Bella?" _

* * *

Marie licked her lips and then rubbed them together before looking over at the other girl.

Bella ignored her. "Yah were supposed to marry me!" She shouted.

Remy's brow furrowed. "What?" This was the first that he had ever heard of that plan.

"What! What!" Bella shrieked. "Ah can't believe yah."

Marie slid her hands down to his shoulders. "Remy, Sugar, maybe yah should introduce me to yer _friend_?"

Remy shifted on his feet and tried not to think too much on the way that Marie had toned friend. "Marie, t'is is an old childhood friend, Bella Donna Boudreaux." He tossed his hair. "Bella, t'is is mah wife, Anna Marie Lebeau."

Bella glared at her. "Not interested."

"Bella-" Remy started.

"We were to get married!" Bella stomped a foot.

"We never e'en _dated._" Remy said exasperated. Just what he needed, his family mad at him and his best childhood friend coming and spitting assumptions at him.

Marie blinked once and her lips twitched as she tried to force back a smile. "Maybe we should find an empty room before we bring the whole house for the latest drama." She murmured.

"Mon Dieu." Remy winced. "Oui. If Emil laughs at us one more time, Ah'm gonna t'ump him."

"Remy, are yah even payin' attention to me?" Bella took a step forward.

"Yah are yellin' at me, how can't Ah?" Remy retorted. He grabbed Marie's hand and marched down the hall.

"Remy!" Bella shouted.

"Mais, are yah comin' or not, Belle!" Remy shouted over his shoulder. Bella slammed the door and stomped after them. Remy ducked into the nearest empty room, not caring if it was the formal parlor, the receiving room or even the music room. He spun around and glared at Bella as she came in after them. Bella shut the door and glared back at him.

"What is t'is, Remy?" She shouted pointin' at Marie. "Who de hell is she?"

"Mah wife!" Remy shouted back.

"She can't be yer wife! Ah'm to be yer wife!" Bella raised her chin.

"Since when?" Remy shouted.

"Since forever!"

"T'is is de first Ah heard of it." Remy glared at her, his body taut with tension.

Marie looked at Remy and then at Bella and a laugh escaped. Both turned a glare at her. "Sorry." She giggled.

"T'is ain't funny." Bella sneered at her.

"Yes. Yes it is." Marie snickered.

"Cherie." Remy growled.

"Well, yah didn't know anythin' about it and," Marie looked at Bella. "Yah just assumed without tellin' him."

Remy covered his face with his hand, his left hand. "Sha." He groaned.

Bella glared. "Yah were supposed to date _me._ Yah were supposed to fall in love wit' me! We were supposed to get married and do great thin's." Bella spun to face Marie. "Yah ain't anybody to him! Ah'm his best friend. Let him go."

Remy wasn't sure what happened next, but Marie suddenly hissed and put a hand to her temple. Bella swayed, her complexion turning a pasty white. She reached for a chair and collapsed into it, her head between her knees.

"Remy," Marie shook her head once. "Would yah go get some aspirin and a glass of water? Please."

Remy looked between them once. "Uh, oui." He murmured and left the room.

Marie waited until the door closed behind him and she was sure he was down the hall. She went over to Bella and crossed her arms. "Well, that was a pretty damn stupid thing to do." She said. "And right rude."

"What de hell?" Bella moaned.

"Does anyone know yah are a telepath?" Marie tossed her hair.

"A what?" Bella lifted her head.

Marie untangled her arms and knelt down, peering into Bella's eyes and winced at her mismatched pupils. "A psychic and a pretty damn clumsy one at that."

Bella leaned away from her. "Ah don' know what yah are talkin' about."

Marie reached out and grabbed her chin. "Don' lie to me Sugar. Yah knew what yah were tryin' to do. Yah are in need of a serious course on ethics. Another psychic might shut yah down for what yah tried to do to me if they knew yah did it deliberate."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "He's nothin' to yah, a complete stranger."

Marie let her chin go and narrowed her eyes. "He's mah husband. That ain't nothin'." She said. Remy came back into the room and set the water down on the table. Marie reached over and picked it up, she handed it to Bella. "Take this, yah gave yerself a pretty good thump in the brainpan there."

Bella snatched the aspirin and the water and swallowed.

"Cherie, what is goin' on?" Remy asked.

Marie stood. "Yer friend Bella Donna is a telepath, not a very powerful one and untrained. She tried dippin' into mah brain and encountered more than she bargained for. It was bound to happen eventually if yah go into other people's minds without permission, eventually yah run into one that bites back."

"A telepath?" Remy stared. "She's a mutant too." He swallowed. "How do yah know?"

Marie sighed. "Ah've had extensive experience with telepaths."

"Stop talkin' about me as if Ah ain't here." Bella muttered.

Marie glanced at her. "In a way, yah ain't." She said. "Is there someone yah can call to take her home?" She looked at Bella. "Yah are gonna need to lie down for a while. Yer brain's gonna get all swollen any minute here after the first trauma of knockin' against mine."

"Knock?" Bella winced and put her temples to her head, barely daring to touch it.

"Slam? Ran brutally into? Crashed?" Marie supplied. She wasn't lying when she said that Bella was clumsy. Her head hurt a little too, but it would fade away in a few more minutes.

"Remy will go call for a driver." Remy murmured. He left again.

Bella glared at Marie. "What did yah do to me?"

Marie sighed. "Nothin' and that's the beauty of it. Yah did this to yerself by goin' where yah shouldn't have been goin'."

"That-" Bella waved a hand, unable to explain what she had heard or felt in Marie's mind verbally.

"Loud, ain't it." Marie nodded.

"What did yah do to him?" Bella glared.

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Do?"

"Yah are a telepath too." Bella scowled.

Marie laughed. "No, Sugar. Ah've had a lot of dealin's with them, but Ah ain't one mahself." She sobered. That was one power she had so far managed not to absorb and never wanted to do so. She had more than enough voices that weren't hers in her head. "Ah didn't do anythin' to Remy and Ah wouldn't."

"But yah could." Bella pointed out.

Marie sighed. "And Ah could do it to yah too, but Ah won't because Ah ain't like that and Ah have had an ethics course or two."

Bella glared at her. "Who are yah?"

Marie smiled at her. "Remy's new wife."

Remy returned. He came over by Bella. "Ah've got a car ready to take yah back home, Belle cherie. Can yah walk?"

Bella glared at him, tried to stand, swayed and Marie caught her. Marie grimaced. "That's a qualified no, Sugar."

Bella shoved away from Marie. "Ah'm fine." She immediately swayed again and this time Remy caught her.

Remy looked at Marie. "Is t'is normal?"

Marie sighed. "When they don' know what they are doin'."

Bella glared at her. "Ah-"

"Are workin' on instinct and blind stupidity." Marie interrupted. "Yah need sleep and more sleep and not to walk about in other people's heads without permission." She snapped. "Yah can do more harm than good when yah don' know what yah are doin'. If yah ain't careful, yah could up insane or worse." There was a thirty-second pause of silence as Bella blanched and Remy's jaw dropped. Marie's lips twisted. "Spooks." She said in a tone that she'd picked up from Logan.

Remy picked Bella up under her knees and headed out the door. "For some reason, Bella, Ah t'ink dat yah should listen to Marie. She seems to know what she's talkin' about."

Marie snorted and walked behind them. "There's no need to rub it in Sugar."

"Alphonse will take yah home and make sure yah are to go to bed." Remy said as Anastasie opened the door for him. Remy nodded at her and walked down the stairs. Marie stayed at the door. Alphonse opened the door of a black sedan and Remy carefully put Bella inside. He kissed her forehead. "Ah'm sorry, Bella. Ah didn't know how yah felt about me."

"Yah should have." Bella said and scowled at him.

"Well, Remy is dense."

Bella widened her eyes and pouted. "Remy, we-"

Remy put a finger to her lips. "Non, Bella. Ah'm married now and Ah'm happy. One day, yah will be happy too."

Bella scowled and crossed her arms. "Yah can't know dat." She looked at him. "We could have been happy together."

"Maybe." Remy sighed. "Now, we'll ne'er know." He stood up. "Get some rest, Belle. Psychic powers are dangerous. Yah need to be more careful."

"Comin' from yah, dat's useless advice. Yah can't e'en remember yer own weddin'."

Remy sighed. "Non."

Bella turned her head away from him. Remy shut the door and took a step back, slapping the top of the car. Alphonse started it and pulled away. Remy shook his head slowly and ran his hand through his hair. He turned and walked back up the steps. He wrapped his arms around Marie and buried his face in her hair. Marie wrapped her arms around him back and squeezed.

"Is this gonna be a common thin'?" She asked.

He groaned. "Remy hopes not."

Marie rolled her eyes. The next ex-girlfriend or potential ex-girlfriend was going to get a punch to the jaw. Perhaps that would keep the rest of them from coming around and trying to make claims on him.

Remy sighed and let her go, leading them back to the morning room. Mercy looked up from a second glance through the wedding pictures. "What was dat about?" She asked.

Remy pulled Marie back down onto the couch and groaned. "Bella Donna knows. She ain't happy." He said. Marie grinned. Remy glanced at her and frowned. "It still ain't funny."

"Oh yes it is."

"Cherie." Remy tried.

Marie rolled her eyes and looked at Emil, the one person she knew would share her amusement. "Apparently, Bella Donna assumed since they were childhood friends that her and Remy were gonna get married someday." She said. Emil snorted and then laughed. "All without ever cluein' in Remy on her plans."

"It ain't funny." Remy pouted.

"Well, sugar, maybe she was inscribing Mrs. Bella Donna Lebeau into her all her notebooks with plenty of hearts to go with it, but unless she makes a move on yah, it ain't gonna do any good." Marie crossed her legs and didn't bother to hide her smile as Remy's eyes went directly to them. "She's had what?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Ten years." Emil said.

"Ten years to make her move or for yah to make a move on her if yah were interested. Ah have known yah maybe forty-eight hours and somehow managed to convey mah interest well enough that we're _married._"

Remy winced and looked up into her eyes. "Bella is a bit more subtle than dat."

"Stealth and subtlety are all well and good," Marie tossed her hair, "But for makin' lastin' impressions nothing works so well as an explosion or two." She said with a smirk. Remy couldn't help but grin. Marie tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. "There somethin' to be said for a little aggression."

Remy laughed, leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

Marie smirked at him when he pulled back. "But, just for the record, Sug, next time Ah wake up without any memories, Ah'm goin' the traditional route of being dead drunk and gettin' a tattoo."

"Yah don' want to get married again?" Remy mock pouted.

"For some odd reason, the law frowns on bigamy."

Remy laughed. "Dat's true."

"Besides, they'd never survive us." Marie nodded. She raised an eyebrow. "We, sugar, are trouble."

Remy stared at her a second and then leaned backwards, laughing so hard that he could barely breath. Marie grinned at him, leaning back so her shoulder rested against the back of the couch and she could look at him. He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, unable to stop laughing. It was true. It was too true. Marie cuddled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder, rubbing her thumb along his fingers, smiling.

The rest of the family looked at the both of them like they were insane. Neither Remy nor Marie would have been able to explain the joke for the life of them. Not that they noticed or cared about the looks the family was giving them. Jean-Luc looked between them and his eyes narrowed. They were in trouble and they were _laughing_ over it as if it was nothing.

Mercy put the picture she was looking at back on the table and frowned. "Yah two got married and yah can't remember it." She stated. "And yah haven't known each other more than a day or two?"

Jean-Luc scowled. "That is the long and the short of it." He glared at Remy. "And it's not funny, mon fils." He rumbled.

Remy took a deep breath. "Non. It's not." He glanced at Marie and another peal of laughter escaped. "Desole. Desole. Just-" He snickered. "Trouble."

"Personally, Ah've been wonderin' if it's a tertiary mutation." Marie nodded and looked solemn. She lifted her free hand and waved it in front of her. "Trouble attraction." She smirked. "Kind of like the power of magnekinesis or Ah heard about this mutant that can make pheromones."

Remy laughed again. "Cherie, stop it."

Marie sat up. "No. Ah mean it. It has got to be part of the X-genetics. Not every mutant has it, if they don' they end up bein' involved by association but they aren't the trouble magnets and then others, like Logan and Ah, we got it in spades." She poked Remy's ribs. "Yah too."

He grabbed at her hand and missed because he was still laughing. "Yah don' know dat."

She snorted. "With a last name like Lebeau, that's just askin' for trouble."

"It's yer last name too!" He reached for the hand again and Marie moved it out of the way.

"Ah was a trouble attractor _before_ Ah was a Lebeau." She said and looked down her nose.

He paused. "Mais, so was Ah." He grinned and then went after the hand again.

She darted her hand out of the way. "Then it has got to be the X-gene. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Jean-Luc rubbed his temples. "Remy, Marie!"

They quieted and looked at him, Remy's hand in mid-air still flailing after Marie's hand that had poked him. Remy blinked. "Oui, Papa."

"What are yah talkin' about?" Henri asked.

"The X-gene." Marie frowned. It was pretty common knowledge in mutant and scientific circles. "An activated X-gene is what makes a mutant, a mutant." She shrugged. "Well, yah can be a mutant and have an inactivated X-gene, yah just don' have any powers." She paused. "Yet." In Europe, they were working on tests to detect the X-gene before it activated and the powers that be were actively lobbying for and against it for the usual reasons. The Professor was keeping his powerful mind on the situation.

"And how do yah know about t'is," Henri waved a hand, "X-gene?"

Marie shoved her hair behind her ear and frowned. "Because Ah have one?" She raised an eyebrow. "Or did yah think that Remy was the only mutant in existence?"

"No." Henri frowned.

Marie nodded once. "Uh huh."

Remy wrapped his free arm around her. "Remy don' know if t'ey t'ink about mutants at all."

Marie looked down at him. "Kind of hard not to."

"T'ey didn't pass dat registration act." He said and stroked her hip.

Marie rolled her eyes. "Only because Senator Kelly _died._"

Remy frowned. "Non. He's still alive."

Marie shook her head. "It's an impersonator, a metamorph, a _female_ metamorph. Senator Kelly's dead." After he'd turned into a big puddle because Erik had made a machine to mutate his perfectly normal human DNA into having a working X-gene. Kelly's death had not been one of Ororo's nicer or happier memories. Marie had been spooked out for days by any sort of pool of water on the floor, worried it was actually someone's dead body. It had not helped that Erik had used her to power that same machine and almost killed her in the process. She inwardly shuddered. Plus, there was the whole indignity of being dead and being cleaned up with a _mop._

Remy gaped at her. "How do yah know dat?"

Marie shrugged. "Ah know people." She smiled at him. "Trouble, remember."

"Yah are cool, cherie. Ah'm gonna keep yah." Remy grinned at her.

Marie laughed and wrinkled her nose at him. "Yah keep sayin' that."

"Ah mean it." He nodded.

A maid entered the room and with a short curtsey to Jean-Luc, she approached Remy and held out a handful of papers. "Monsieur Remy, we found dese receipts in yer coat pockets and Anastasie t'ought t'ey might be important to findin' out what happened to yah."

Remy reached up and took them. "Merci beaucoup."

"De rien, Monsieur." The maid curtseyed again and left. Remy started looking through them. He stopped and looked up as two maids and a footman, preceded by Anastasie entered the room with several boxes. "Anastasie?"

"More packages, Monsieur Remy." Anastasie said.

They set the boxes on the table and left.

"For de love of God, Remy," Jean-Luc exploded. "Did yah buy de whole town?"

Marie sat up, her brow furrowed as she recognized the shape of one of the boxes, round, like a hatbox. She got up and carefully opened the top. Her eyes widened and she set the top back down and picked it off the larger box underneath and then opened that one. Inside, in neat folds, was the dress, her dress, her wedding dress. She cried out and put her hand to her mouth.

Remy looked up at her cry. His eyes widened and he went back to the receipts. "Restaurant," he muttered. "Jewelers, dress." He passed that one to Marie. "Clerk's office, bakery, hotel, salon, barber, Cab tab, café, bar tab," He frowned. "Photographer, liquor store. We really did do t'is proper."

Marie's hand shook as she read down the receipt, there was a dress, the jewelry, the veil, shoes, under garments. She paled at the amount at the end and the fact it had been paid in full in cash. She passed the receipt back to Remy and bit her lip as she looked at the dress. "Mine?" She whispered. Remy looked down the receipt and wasn't surprised that the jewelry had cost more than the dress. Not that he cared about such things. Marie reached out and her hand hovered above the fabric and the little beads on the bodice, trembling. "It's mine?" She whispered again.

Remy heard the second whisper and sat up, wrapping an arm about her. He kissed her cheek. "Oui, sha."

Her eyes tingled. "Ah'm gonna cry. Ah don' want to cry."

Remy set the receipts down on the table and pulled her into his shoulder. "Dere, dere, cherie."

"Yah bought it. Yah didn't have to buy it."

"Ah don' remember buyin' it." Remy said dryly.

Marie giggled. "It's still sweet."

Remy flushed and bit his lip. "Since Ah don' remember it and neither do yah, does dat mean yah are gonna try it on?"

Marie sat up and stared at him. "Yah mean, Ah-"

"It's yer dress." He pointed out.

Marie's eyes lit up and she turned and put the box lid back on. She stacked the boxes together. "Ah'll be back."

"Yah don' have to do it right t'is minute!" Remy protested.

"Yes Ah do." Marie picked up the dress box and then the round box that had been on top of it that held the veil. She kicked his feet out of the way and dashed out of the room. She stopped at the door and took a few steps back. "Ah have to make sure everythin' is there!" She said and disappeared again and they heard her going up the stairs.

Remy shook his head and put his hand over his eyes. "Femmes." He muttered. Emil laughed and Remy lowered his hand and glared at him. "Emil! T'is ain't funny."

Emil grinned at him. "Are yah finally gonna admit yah don' know everyt'in' about women?"

Remy glared at him, gathered the receipts and the photographer's card. He stood up and passed them to Theoren. "Maybe t'ese will help." He said and reminded himself to tell Marie that the cake had indeed been chocolate.

Marie re-entered the room, grabbed the last couple of boxes and without a word went back out leaving them to stare after her. Emil choked trying to hold back laughter. Theoren leafed through the receipts.

"Now dat is a femme on a mission." Theoren said and turned one over.

Remy looked up at the ceiling and prayed for patience. He picked up all the pictures and put them back in their envelope.

"Gracious, ain't she excited." Mercy said and her mouth curled in scorn.

Remy straightened and blinked once, staring at Mercy. He then looked at Henri and then at his Father who wasn't saying a word. Emil continued to snicker quietly. Remy shoved everything down behind his best poker face. "Pardon moi." He said and walked out. Emil's amusement mixing with Mercy's scorn and everyone else's anger against his emotional shields and he couldn't stand to be in a room with them another minute. Not when Marie was so happy and he wanted to be happy.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next Time in Complicated Situations... Marie tries on her wedding gown with the help of Tante Mattie and Logan returns with the "Doc." Poor Remy. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Five: Day One, Part Five**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** Remy beseeches Tante Mattie for help, Marie makes a splash with her wedding dress and Logan returns with 'the Doc' who has some uncomfortable questions and unexpected surprises.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! For the person who figured out who "Doc" is, you get a cookie!

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Marie met Bella, Remy's childhood best friend who seems a little spoiled and the wedding dress arrived. Marie has eagerly gone to try it on._

Remy took the stairs quietly and had the handle of his room halfway turned before someone on the other side shoved their weight against the door.

"No." Marie said on the other side.

"Cherie, it's mah room!" He whined.

"Ah'm getting' dressed." She said.

He stared at his door. "But-"

"And yah are gonna stay _out_ until Ah'm done." She said with finality.

"Remy wants to put de pictures away."

Marie opened the door six inches and held her hand out for them. He met her eyes and pouted as he put them in her hand. She shut the door again.

He rolled his eyes. "Do yah need help?"

"No." She said.

He snorted. She needed help. That dress was not meant for one person to get into by themselves. He had no idea who had helped her into it on their wedding day, maybe the shop? He knew he hadn't helped take her out of it, so maybe the shop had helped again? He sighed. "Ah'll go get Tante Mattie."

"Ah'm fine!"

"Gettin' Tante Mattie, cherie!" He said and turned away, walking back down the hall. He took the side stairs, also known as the servant's stairs down to the kitchen. Tante Mattie was overseeing the clean up from the noon meal still. Her large hands waving this way and that as she plunged them in and out of soapy dishwater. The maids and menservants that kept the house running and were paid handsomely for their work scurried around the kitchen following her directions. Remy dodged through them with ease, knowing the pulse of the kitchen as well as he knew the streets of the French Quarter where he'd grown up. He got to Tante Mattie's side with no trouble and waited until she paused in her shouting. "Bon Matin, Tante Mattie."

Mattie spun, her eyes wide. "Remy!" She wiped her hands on a towel and wrapped them around him. "Yah are all right!" She squeezed him tight.

Remy hugged her back. "Remy's fine, Tante."

Tante shoved him away from him and looked him up and down with her hands on his shoulders. "Yah disappeared again." She shook him gently. "Yah ain't to do dat."

Remy grimaced and ducked his head. "Ah don' remember doin' it."

"Honey child." Tante Mattie's voice turned grave, a scold in and of itself.

"Ah don't!" Remy jerked his head up and looked her in the eyes. "Ah don' remember not'in' 'til t'is mornin'." He stiffened his shoulders under her hands, ready for another fight. "Ah got married."

Silence fell over the kitchen as everyone waited for Tante Mattie's reaction. Mattie nodded once. "Ah heard de rumors. Show me." She said. Remy held his left hand up and Mattie grabbed it. She peered at the ring and turned his hand over and ran a finger along the palm. She nodded once. "Properly done."

His eyes narrowed. "Yah _knew_ t'is was gonna happen?"

"No." Tante Mattie let his hand go and beamed at him.

The kitchen started to make noise again.

Remy bit his bottom lip. "Tante, Ah really don' remember a t'in'. Did someone lay a gris-gris on me?"

Mattie's brow furrowed. "Ah don' know." She frowned and nodded once. "Ah'll look into it, honey child."

He sighed. "Merci." He licked his lips and shuffled his foot once. "Um, mah wife, Marie, mais, de dress came and neither of us remember anyt'in' and she's tryin' it on and would yah be able to go and help her?"

Mattie frowned. "Why ain't Mercy helpin' her?"

Remy shifted on his feet. "Mercy," he shrugged, unable to figure out a way to tactfully say that Mercy was being exceptional snotty about Marie.

"T'ey're givin' yah a hard time." Mattie patted his shoulder. "Of course, Ah'll go help, Marie, is it?"

"Oui."

"Ah'll go right up." Mattie straightened her apron.

"Bon. Merci, Tante." Remy shifted his weight again. "Ah'll be in de bar," he paused. "Hiding." He said and darted across the kitchen, dodging workers.

Mattie shook her head and marched off across the room and up the stairs towards Remy's and now Marie's bedroom. She knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Marie asked from inside, her voice husky and sweet.

"Tante Mattie, honey blossom. Remy sent me up to help yah." Mattie said.

"Come on in." Marie said and Mattie opened the door. Marie, a beautiful redhead, stood before the full-length mirror in her underwear, gloves and shoes, holding the dress up to her chest. She turned her head as Mattie shut the door and started. "Oh." She said and then smiled. Remy hadn't mentioned that his Aunt Mattie was black, but then again, why would it occur to him? Marie tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Bonjour, Madame Mattie."

Mattie shook her head. "Yah are to call me Tante Mattie like all de ot'ers, honey blossom. Now, may Ah help yah wit' t'is dress?"

Marie blushed. "Please, Ah guess Ah was a bit hasty in sendin' Remy away."

Mattie came across the room, taking in the opened boxes on the bed and a close up picture of Marie smiling at the camera, head slightly turned so one could see her upswept hair. She got behind Marie and shook her head at the laces. "Of all de t'in's." She said and started to work on tightening them.

Marie looked over her shoulder at her. "Ah have no idea how Ah got into it, Ah'm assumin' yesterday, or out of it for that mattah."

"Have yah no friends in N'Awlins?" Tante Matte asked, subtly trying to get some more information about Remy's wife.

"Most mah friends went home for the summer and Ah was travellin' by mahself." Marie bit her lip. "Accordin' to the pictures it were just Remy and Ah at the ceremony other than Father Jerome."

"Adjust the bodice, honey child." Mattie said. Marie did so. "Dat's it." Mattie finished pulling the laces tight and tied it into a bow.

Marie looked down. "Ah ain't at all used to this." She muttered to herself and adjusted the skirt.

Mattie took a step back and nodded. The dress fit beautifully. "We should do somet'in' about yer hair."

Marie's hands went to her hair. "Oh, Tante, yah don' have to, Ah was-" She trailed off, not sure of what she really was trying to do other than take the excuse to put the dress on, to touch it, to know that it was real and not some sort of dream.

Mattie waved a hand. "Sit down on de bed and we'll get have it done in a few minutes."

Marie bit her lip and picked up the skirt and before she sat on the edge of the bed, picked up the picture and handed it to Mattie. "Ah guess that was the way it were yesterday. Maybe there were some pins in one of mah pockets, but they sure weren't in mah hair this mornin'." She forced a smile.

Mattie smiled back. "And a picture yah were. Ah can do that quite easy now." She set it on top of an envelope and came around behind Marie. "Yer family were lettin' yah travel by yerself?"

Marie wondered how many times she was going to have to say it. "They really don' get much say in the matter. They're dead."

Mattie's hands stilled and she took a second look at the expensive store bought dress and at Marie and the pictures and the boxes. Mattie put it together. The girl had nothing. Marie probably had very little money, traveling alone for one reason or another, with nothing but a few clothes and dreams. Mattie found a brush and ran it gently through Marie's hair, gathering it into one hand. Marie'd woken up married to Remy without memories but Remy was handsome, charming, had money and according to the pictures they had the type of fairy tale wedding that a poor girl could only dream about and never even hope to achieve. He was something, something better than money or material possessions. Mattie didn't know what had possessed either of them to get married or even if there were any emotions involved. She doubted that they knew either, but they looked happy and that was enough for Mattie. What was done, was done and there was no use getting all angry over it. "T'ey would be sorry to have missed it." She said. She was sorry to have missed it.

Marie laughed slightly. "Maybe mah mama would have. Daddy-" She trailed off. "Daddy wouldn't approve." She said instead of saying something like, Daddy weren't no good. Daddy beat us. Daddy was better off dead.

Mattie tucked up Marie's hair and pulled a few pins from her pocket to secure it in place. Surely someone on her side would be sad to have missed the wedding. Mattie picked up headpiece with the veil and pinned it in Marie's hair. "Dat's too bad, honey blossom. Remy is a fine boy."

Marie flushed. "Ah wouldn't call him a _boy._" She said.

Mattie chuckled. "Non. He's a man now. All grown up and married. If Ah t'ink about it too much, t'is old woman is gonna cry."

"Oh, please don' Tante." Marie wrung her hands together and wanted to jump and hug her, but didn't dare as Mattie was still adjusting the veil.

"Dere." Mattie stepped back. "Take a look at yerself in de mirror."

Marie inhaled and picked up the skirts, getting up to look at herself in the mirror. She dropped the skirts and stared. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. This was it. This was what she'd wanted to look like, to be.

Mattie saw the jewelry boxes and shook her head. "Oop. Let's just get these on." She muttered, opened them and handed the earrings to Marie. Marie's hands shook as she took them and took out the cheap sterling studs and replaced with them the diamond drop earrings. Mattie clasped the necklace around her neck and smiled broadly.

Marie put her hand up to her neck, her left hand, the wedding band and engagement ring sparkling. She'd been a _bride._

Mattie sniffled. "Oh, yah look so beautiful." She said. Marie turned and beamed at her. Mattie reached out and impulsively hugged her. "Yah best go show Remy, honey blossom. Don' let de other's get yah down. Yah two be happy. Ah'll be waitin' right here to help yah back out of t'is rig."

Marie hugged back and laughed. "Merci, Tante. Ah'll go do that."

"We don' want Remy helpin'." Mattie leaned back. "'Cause he's a man." She winked. "And yah two have ot'er thin's dat need doin' today." Like dealing with the family and their bad reaction to the marriage.

Marie flushed but laughed. "All right."

"He's in de bar, go downstairs, and instead of headin' towards the front door, head away from it, take the first hall to the right and it will be de third door on de left." Mattie said.

Marie grinned and picked up the skirts, heading out the door in her heels. "Merci, Tante." She said over her shoulder and followed her directions. She got a few startled reactions from the servants and a few people she met in the hall. She just smiled at them and didn't say anything. She quietly opened the third door on the left.

Remy had a chair balanced on its two back legs, his feet propped onto a table. An empty cut square class sat next to his feet and he held a black cigarette in his hand. Marie smiled. He looked like a very bad man with his long hair, tight black t-shirt, jeans and scuffed up motorcycle boots. Just the type of man she liked deep in her soul. She shut the door behind her and made sure this time it made some noise.

He turned his head and stared, looking like someone had smacked him between the eyes.

Marie lowered her eyelashes and turned her chin to the side, but didn't take her eyes off of him. "Well?" She took a step forward.

He took his feet off the table and the chair legs thumped to the ground. He set the cigarette into an ashtray and strutted across the room. His eyes roved up and down. "Wort' every cent." He said, voice husky. She laughed. He rested his hands flat against her hips and drew her closer to him. "Yah are beautiful, Madame Lebeau." He said and tilted his head, kissing her.

Marie wrapped her arms around his neck and responded enthusiastically. He didn't pull away for several long minutes. She smiled up at him, eyes somewhat hazy. "And yah are sexy as hell, Monsieur Lebeau."

He smirked. "Bon."

He ran a hand up her back and feeling the bow started to tug on it. Marie felt his hands pause and instinctively knew what he was doing. "Remy!" She hissed. "Tante Mattie is gonna help me out of it and not here!"

"Aww, cherie." He pouted.

She kissed him, sucking the pout into her mouth and biting down on it. She pulled away. "No."

He moved his hands away from it and sighed. "Ah'm gonna take yah out of it one day."

Marie wrinkled her nose. "But not today, we got other thin's that need doin'." She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. "Ah feel like a princess."

Remy wondered if he should tell her that she was a Princess. He was the Crown Prince of Thieves, which by all logical thought made her a Princess. He decided now was not the best time to be sharing that he was part of a family criminal syndicate and was supposed to lead it someday. He sighed and decided to go with the previous statement. "What ot'er t'in's?"

"Logan is gonna return eventually." She said and played a hand through his hair. "Won' that be fun."

"Non."

"Otherwise, Ah really don' know. It was somethin' Tante Mattie said. Ah like her, she's real sweet."

"When she wants to be." Remy muttered.

Marie giggled. "She calls me honey blossom."

Remy rolled his eyes. "Ah'm her honey child. She nicknames yah accordin' to who yah are wit' if she don' have a nickname for yah already."

Marie laughed. "That's a good a system as any. Logan sort of makes it up as he goes along Ah think."

"He called me bub." Remy raised an eyebrow.

"He calls _everyone_ bub if they annoy him, or kid, or whatever insultin' derogatory name he can come up wit' in terms of yer appearance or paraphernalia." Marie sighed. "He gets annoyed a lot."

Remy snickered.

Anastasie knocked on the door before she opened it. Marie turned her head to look. Anastasie opened her mouth and closed it several times before shaking her head.

"Madame Marie, Mister Logan has returned wit' another," she paused searching for the right word. "Gentleman." She settled on, as if she wasn't sure gentleman even applied to whoever it was.

"Merci, Anastasie." Marie smiled and tried to work her way out of Remy's arms. "We'll be right there."

Remy made a slight noise in protest and tightened his arms around her. "Ah ain't had yah alone more t'an an hour all day!"

Marie sighed. "We'll be right there."

Anastasie pressed her lips together. "T'ey're in de parlor."

Marie stroked Remy's neck. "Remy, we have to go. Logan is worried enough." And if they didn't go, Logan was likely to kill everyone trying to get to them and then once he found them he might just kill them out of spite.

Remy whimpered as he remembered that Logan knew how to track Marie. "He could find us."

"Easily." Marie nodded.

Remy let her go slowly. "Bien." He said and held his arm out. "Now Remy feels under dressed."

Marie put her head on his shoulder. "Yah look handsome. Logan won' care a bit. Yah should see the way he dresses when it's a 'formal' occasion."

Remy escorted her towards the front parlor and decided not to tell her that in a way fine clothes to him were armor against the world. He chided himself as he remembered Logan's dress from earlier. They turned into the front parlor and Remy stopped dead as someone who was big and blue but dressed in a suit stood up from the loveseat. The man, Remy was sure it was a man, beamed at them.

"Felicitations and Congratulations on your wedding!" He said.

Marie lit up and let go of Remy's arm to dash over and hugged him. "Oh, thank yah, Hank."

Hank hugged her back and then held her at arms length. "What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life - to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?" He said. He paused. "George Eliot."

Marie grinned. "Ah feel honored to be a recipient of one of yer quotations." She stepped back and turned. "This is mah husband, Remy Lebeau."

Remy moved forward warily but extended his hand. "Charmed."

Hank took his hand and shook it, a proper handshake. "Congratulations." He said it so sincerely and enthusiastically.

Remy grinned back. He could tell that Hank meant it. And it was the first real congratulations they'd gotten all day, in a way, Father Jerome didn't count. He'd congratulated them already. Remy felt a little lighter. _Someone_ was happy for them. "Thank yah."

Logan spoke up from wherever he had been. "Kid, why are you wearin' that?"

Marie looked down at her dress. Her chin came up. "Ah was tryin' it on. It was delivered from the shop and since neither of us remember it, we wanted to see it." Her eyes narrowed. "We have pictures."

Hank shook his head. "You look beautiful."

Logan growled.

Marie smiled at Hank and then glared at Logan. "Tante Mattie is waitin' for me upstairs. Ah'll just go change back into mah regular clothes."

"Ah," Hank interrupted. "The women insisted that we pack some more clothes for you." He adjusted his glasses and reached down by his feet picking up a bag. "I believe there are some wedding gifts inside as well."

Marie took the bag from him and blinked in surprise. "Well, Ah, why thank yah, Hank. Ah'll be right back." She smiled and once again picked up her skirt with one hand, kissed Remy's cheek and headed towards the door.

Logan sighed. "Stripes." He said. Marie paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "You look real pretty."

Marie smiled at him, ducked her head and almost skipped out the door. Remy looked between Hank and Logan and tried not to feel too nervous. Logan was sitting in a chair, cigar in hand and Remy wished he had gotten his cigarette. He decided that sitting seemed like a good idea and took a seat on the couch. Hank took this as his cue to sit back on the loveseat.

Logan looked at Remy. "So, what has happened since I left, bub?"

Hank sighed. "Really, Logan. This could wait for Marie."

Logan stuck the cigar back in his mouth and raised an eyebrow at Hank in his best 'you have got to be kidding me' expression. And for the sake of diplomacy, Remy decided he would answer the question. It was much better than sitting in silence. "Not much. Mon Pere had Etienne write up divorce papers and tried to get me to sign dem, after he found out dat he couldn't just annul de marriage. Ah refused. Marie refused. Lunch. Father Jerome dropped by and confirmed we weren't drunk or out of it in a way to be noticeable when he married us and oh, the pictures, engagement ring and dress showed up." Remy shrugged. A maid came in, set Remy's ashtray down next to his elbow and left without a word. Remy reached over, picked up his cigarette and took a drag. "We are still gatherin' information. Thank yah for yer help."

"Don't thank me yet." Logan pointed at him. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do about you."

Remy grinned. "Ain't dat more up to Marie? 'Cause she's made her will very clear."

Logan growled. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Oh my heavens." Hank said.

Marie dashed back into the room. "Ah'm back." She glanced between Logan and Remy. "And yah haven't killed each other. Good."

"Cherie, t'ink of de furniture." Remy tsked his tongue.

Marie pointed at Logan. "He won't care."

"Damn straight." Logan muttered.

Hank sighed. "May we please get on with this?"

Marie sat down next to Remy. "Of course, Doctor."

"Doctor?" Remy started. He narrowed his eyes. "What kind of Doctor?"

"M.D. and Ph.D." Hank smiled. "I have some very specific questions and I apologize in advance if they make any of us uncomfortable."

Remy reached down and grabbed Marie's hand. She frowned and glanced at him. He shook his head and decided as long as Hank didn't get the needles out, that he would be okay.

He looked at Marie. "Please, tell me what happened in your own words. Marie first."

Marie licked her lips. "Well, it was Wednesday night. Ah was exhausted between handlin' the bike and tryin' to avoid the Law. Ah registered in this cheap seedy hotel on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi on the wrong side of town and went straight to bed without stoppin' for a shower. Ah fell asleep and woke up with Remy in Louisiana, Saturday mornin'." She decided that Hank didn't need to know the particulars of that situation. She frowned. "Ah knew Ah was in bed with a man and Ah remember thinkin' somethin' about a first one night stand but after that the details didn't connect from my memories."

Logan growled again but didn't comment.

Hank nodded. "Remy?"

Remy's brow furrowed and he mouthed 'first' before he decided that was a matter to pursue later in private. Then he winced as he remembered his own first memories. Merde. He hoped she didn't kill him. "Let's see. Ah was at Café Du Monde, which is down in de French Quarter. It was Thursday morning." He frowned. "Ah don' even remember _leavin'._" He bit his lip. "Ah don' know, it was almost as if Ah blinked and the next thin' Ah remember is once again, bein' in bed with Marie thinkin' we must have had a good time de night before." He tilted his head. "And th'en goin' dat dere wasn't a night before because it should still be before nine in de mornin'. Ah got dere as soon as it opened at eight thirty."

Hank looked at Logan.

"The guy said that Marie checked out about nine thirty, ten." He supplied. "He's the only one to remember her."

"Not true, Father Jerome remembers us. De bridal shop must remember us given dat t'ey shipped the dress and de photographer and the jewelers had to as well." Remy said.

Hank nodded and looked back at Marie. "How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?"

Marie bit her lip. "Given the way Ah was travellin', prior mornin's and they don' have free breakfast, none that Ah would touch anyways, thirty minutes at the least, forty five minutes if Ah was takin' mah time. If the place was as bad as Ah remember it bein', Ah'd lean more towards thirty minutes. If they had hot water past five minutes Ah'd be shocked."

Logan snorted.

"When you woke up in the morning, how did you feel?" Hank asked.

Marie and Remy looked at each other. Remy shrugged. "Comfortable?" He said. Marie nodded, that was a good as word as any.

Hank pressed his fingertips together. "No disorientation, dizziness, headaches, dry mouth, or any sort of physical discomfort?"

Marie coughed. "None that couldn't be explained by um-" She flushed.

Remy snickered. "We had a good time."

Hank flushed even under the blue and the fur. "I see. So, no puncture marks, odd tastes in the mouth?"

"After two days?" Remy shook his head. "No puncture marks, Ah would have noticed that at some point. No soft spots on de head like anyone hit me either." He glanced at Marie and she nodded.

Hank nodded. "In your memory, what is it like?"

Marie squeezed Remy's hand. "For mahself, there isn't any sort of black spots, or jarring sensations, hazy half memories or conscious missin' time. It is just like Ah went to bed and the next mornin' Ah woke up somewhere else."

Hank looked at Remy. Remy hadn't ever had to think about his memory in such a manner before so he tried thinking back and nodded. "De same."

"Interesting."

Logan finally spoke up. He didn't find it all interesting. "I want the Professor to take a look."

Marie glared at him and didn't say anything.

Hank shot a startled look at Logan and then looked back at Marie. "And was there any sort of residual emotions that you can remember?"

Marie's brow furrowed. "Residual emotions?" She asked. She looked at Remy. Remy didn't have any idea of what Hank might mean either. He shrugged.

"For instance, when you woke up, did you feel anger, fear, resentment, or any sort of general emotion that has flavored your entire day?" Hank made a few gestures with his hands.

Marie and Remy shared another look. Marie bit her lip. "Ah don't know. Ah mean, there was some shock when Ah saw the ring, but-" She paused and was grateful that Hank was generally someone who let another person work through a thought. "Mostly Ah've felt happy."

Remy rubbed Marie's thumb with his, "Despite de yellin' and de smart remarks, Ah'm happy."

Logan, not happy with being ignored, said again and now doubly worried. "I want Chuck to take a look."

Marie's eyes narrowed. "No."

Logan didn't blink. "Yes."

Marie stood up. "Ah said no."

"And I say that it needs to be done."

"It don't!" Marie said firmly.

'You are missing parts of your memory and you feel _happy_, there is something wrong!"

"There is nothin' wrong with bein' happy!" Marie shouted.

"There's something wrong when you're missing your memory. I know, kid!"

"Yah are just jealous that Ah'm happy and yah can't figure how to pull your damn foot out of your mouth!"

"Don't you start wandering off the subject." Logan pointed at her. He wouldn't make this personal if she didn't and given she'd been missing the past few days and was missing her memory to boot, he'd give her some allowances, but she was treading close to the line.

"Ah'm tired of bein' attacked when Ah'm happy!"

Logan stood up and took a step closer so that they were toe to toe. "I don't give a good god damn if you're happy or not! Chuck is going to check your memory."

Remy looked between, extremely confused, but unwilling to either interrupt or look away.

"No. He ain't! There's nothin' wrong with mah head and Ah ain't puttin' the Professor at risk unless there is!" Color rose in Marie's cheeks. She was fine. She knew she was fine. Her mutation was under control. She wasn't having any of the usual symptoms of when a psychic messed with her or anyone else's memories and neither was Remy. The way her voices were acting due to Bella Donna they might try to trap the Professor in her head and she just didn't need another voice in her head until she could coax, manipulate, bribe and order the various personalities around enough to let him out.

"There is something wrong." Logan's fist clenched and he restrained the urge to thump upside the head and make sure there was something wrong. Maybe if he was lucky he'd finally smack some sense into her because all the previous smacks hadn't done a damn thing in that department.

"It took _four_ telepaths last time. Ah am _not_ goin' through that again o'er nothin' bein' wrong!" Marie raised her hand and put her thumb down as if a visual aid would help Logan get the point.

"One telepath and three backups. Get it straight!"

"That still adds up to four!" She flung her arm out and stomped her foot. It scared her and anyone rational silly that while Charles could enter her brain, even he still insisted on three others, working together, to be there just in case something happened.

"Charles is going to check your memory if I have to tie you up and hold you down myself." Logan shouted.

"Ah accept yer terms! If yah touch me Yah will be out before yah can even blink!" Marie screamed back.

Hank put a hand over his eyes. "Oh my stars and garters." He muttered. He didn't want to go through another session of Marie absorbing Logan and the resulting emotional and physical fall out. Hank didn't think that having to rebalance Marie's hormones at the moment would be a good idea, especially since she was newly wed.

Remy shot a startled look at him.

Logan wasn't the least bit phased. "Then your husband will get a real education, real quick."

"He will if yah try to tie me up!"

"I wouldn't have to tie you up if you'd just act rational!"

"Ah am acting rational. Everythin' is stirred up enough as it is and yah want to add the Professor into the mix without back up! Yah are the one who ain't actin' rational!"

"Stop being stubborn."

"You first!"

Remy decided that this had gone on long enough. The next step he figured, was one of them was going to punch the other. "Mais, if anyone is gonna be tyin' up mah wife, it's gonna be me and it ain't gonna be for a telepath to take a look see into her head." He said with just the proper amount of 'if you know what I mean,' in his voice.

Logan froze. Marie's jaw dropped and she flushed, stuttering. Hank closed his eyes and tried to pretend that he hadn't heard that.

Logan turned his head and glared at Remy. "Gumbo." He started. His voice a low rumble.

Remy flashed a grin at him that said without words that he had meant what he had said he meant. "Wit' ma cherie's permission, oui?" He said and raised an eyebrow. "Or she could tie up Remy, dat could be fun too."

Logan growled.

Marie twirled, her face red. "Remy!"

He winked at her. "Ah got a new nickname. Does dat mean he's annoyed at Remy?"

Logan answered. "Damn straight."

"Bon." Remy put his cigarette in his mouth and took a drag and then took it back out, blowing smoke. He looked at Hank. "Was dere anyt'in' else?"

Logan growled. He didn't like being ignored.

Hank started. "Yes. I just needed one more thing from both of you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two clean syringes. "A blood sample," he said.

Remy started and it was only through a shred of self control and the fact that he didn't want Logan, Marie or well, anyone, to see him act scared, that he wasn't all the way across the room. "Is dat really necessary?" He said and wondered if he could crawl inside the couch and still be considered manly.

"There are many drugs that have a distinctive degradation pattern in the blood stream with a sample I should be able to detect or eliminate most of the obvious possibilities. The obscure possibilities are so rare that it would beat any known statistical chance that you were subjected to them at the same time and have the same chemical effects on your brains." Hank said.

"A simple yes or no would've done, non?" Remy muttered.

"Of course, Doctor." Marie said and came over, willingly holding her arm out as if this was simple routine.

Remy's eyes widened and then he winced as the needle pierced his wife's skin and Hank pulled back taking several ccs of fluid. Hank pulled out the needle and capped it, pulling out a bit of cotton and some gauze tape. He efficiently taped up the spot. "Thank you, Marie. Please remember to apply pressure."

"Yes, Doc." Marie grinned at some shared joke.

Out of another pocket in his shirt, Hank got a pen and labeled the side of the syringe. He put the syringe away. "Logan ran me out the door without a chance to get more than the essentials." He explained.

"Sounds like him." Marie muttered.

"Then wouldn't let me return to my lab when the girls decided to pack something for you." Hank added and came around the coffee table.

Remy's eyes focused on the unused syringe and his brain started to babble a continuous stream of no. He shoved back into the back of the couch and his heart pounded. He was having trouble breathing.

Logan noticed. "Kid." He said lowly, getting Marie's attention and directing it towards her husband. Marie's brow furrowed and she bit her lip in concern.

Hank paused. "I'm sorry. This is necessary."

Remy never thought needles were necessary, but there was no use telling a Doctor that. He shook his head unable to speak.

Marie sat down on the couch and grabbed Remy's hand. Her eyes wide as she felt his pulse fluttering and she could see he was panting, his complexion slightly gray. "Remy, sugar," She murmured. "Look at me." She reached up and took his chin in her hand, pushing it towards her.

He met her eyes, his pupils tiny dots inside the red. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, her tongue sliding into his open mouth, gliding along his. She cupped his cheek, hiding the sight of the needle from him. Remy froze and as Marie encouraged him with her tongue, he responded relaxing a little.

Logan growled.

Hank flushed red, but grabbed Remy's arm, straightened it out, finding a vein and pushing the needle in, taking his sample before Remy could do much more than notice the prick of the needle. Remy started and tried to jerk away from Marie, but she held him there. Hank pulled out his needle and bandaged Remy's arm. "Th-thank you." He muttered and stepped away.

Marie didn't stop kissing Remy.

Logan growled again, louder. "Kid. You've made your point."

Marie slowly pulled away and licked her lips, keeping her eyes locked with Remy's.

"Hey." He muttered. "Dat was not nice."

She rubbed her nose against his. "All over."

Remy blinked. "Okay, maybe it was nice." He closed his eyes and sighed. Marie wrapped her arms about his shoulders and Remy pulled her into his lap, resting his head on her hair. He realized a few minutes later that he wasn't shaking, his usual reaction after being in the vicinity of a needle. He turned his head and pressed a kiss into Marie's hair.

Hank turned to Logan. "There is a lab that I can use at the hospital."

"I'll escort you." Logan said.

"That is completely unnecessary." Hank put his samples away and brushed off his suit jacket.

"She's fine here." Logan crossed his arms. "You aren't."

Hank sighed. "No one is going to attack me over a few blood samples."

Logan raised his eyebrows. He didn't want to rehash ancient history, but- "San Francisco?"

Hank shuddered. "Your point is well taken. Very well." He smiled at Remy and Marie still cuddled on the couch. "We shall return." He turned and left the room, Logan behind him in a clear guarding position.

The couple watched them go. Remy tilted his head, bemused. "Logan's former military?"

"Somethin' like that." Marie said.

"Dat explains de knife."

Marie coughed. "Yeah, the knife."

Remy blinked and made a confused face. Marie's face softened and she opened her mouth to start to explain a little more about Logan, when Jean-Luc entered the room.

* * *

_dun dun dun..._

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Jean-Luc picks a fight, Tante Mattie takes her turn to ask questions and all of this before dinner!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Six: Day One, Part Six**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** Jean-Luc picks a fight over the marriage that neither Marie or Remy remember but are quite happy about, Tante Mattie is forced to intervene for she has some questions of her own.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! My apologies in advance if I get any of the Voodoun wrong. I tried to keep it as general as possible. Only one more chapter of day one left... I don't know if I'm sad or happy.

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Marie made a splash with her wedding dress, Logan returned with Hank and just as Marie was about to explain more about her father figure... Jean-Luc entered the room._

Marie shut her mouth. Given how little Jean-Luc seemed to know about mutants and what the rest of the world called 'the mutant situation,' she didn't want to reveal anything that he didn't already know.

Jean-Luc scowled. "Are you done causing an uproar in t'is house?"

Remy's face, which was still confused from Marie's amused statement, didn't become any less confused at this confrontational question. "Uproar?"

Marie crossed her arms and muttered. "We really need some time to ourselves, Sugar." This was getting ridiculous.

Jean-Luc ignored her. "T'is isn't a natural situation and Ah'm tired of the two of yah actin' like it is."

Remy and Marie looked at each other. Marie raised an eyebrow. Remy's eyebrow rose in return. "Mais, dat is a little odd." He said. It hadn't ever even occurred to him not to act like he was happy and to _not_ treat Marie with the respect (and other things) that being his wife deserved.

"Ah'm at a loss to how Ah'm supposed to be actin'." Marie pressed her lips together. "Should Ah have vapors or somethin'?"

Jean-Luc still seemed intent on ignoring Marie. "Dere was yellin' a few moments ago getting' all de servants goin'. What is goin' on?"

"And now there's gonna be more yellin'." Marie said in a low voice.

"Marie and Logan were just havin' a fight. Nothin' unusual." Remy reached to put his cigarette back in the ashtray. "He ain't happy eit'er."

"They could form a club." Marie added, keeping her tone low.

Jean-Luc's eyes narrowed as he saw the bandage. "And what is dat?"

Remy glanced at the bandage and blinked. He'd completely forgotten about it in under thirty seconds. Marie's company was far too interesting for something like a little puncture wound to be even a distraction. He blinked again, as if suddenly realizing that someone taking a blood sample from him might be a problem. "Umm."

Jean-Luc roared. "Who was here and what happened, Remy?"

Marie leaned her head back and groaned. "Yep, more yellin'."

Remy's eyes flitted to her exposed neck and he tightened his fingers on her hips. Jean-Luc's anger heated his brain like fire he couldn't and shouldn't ignore it no matter how tempting kissing down her neck looked. He forced his attention back to his father. "Logan returned wit' a Doctor. He wanted a blood sample, routine tests for chemicals."

Jean-Luc exploded into a string of expletives in French. Marie's head came back up and her eyes widened. Jean-Luc returned to English. "How could yah let someone take a blood sample from yah? Where is yer head? Yah know how dangerous it is! Lettin' some crackpot Doctor come in-"

"Doctor McCoy is _not_ a crackpot!" Marie snapped, her own eyes narrowing. "He's a fully trained and certified _medical_ and _scientific_ Doctor!"

"No one takes blood from mah son wit'out permission!"

"If yah are that concerned, then yah should have had it done _hours_ ago!" Marie screamed back. "Doctor McCoy knows what he's doin'! He's the leadin' mind in the investigation of mutant genetics and Ah trust him with mah life!" It was the truth. Some of her escapades had not ended as well as others.

"Stay out of this yah no good punk brat!" Jean-Luc screamed at her.

"Don' insult mah friends!" Marie shouted back. She could care less if he insulted her, but no one insulted Hank, who _happened_ to be the Secretary of Mutant Affairs and her good friend in front of her, the second being a great deal more important than the first.

"Yah have no idea of what he will do wit' t'ose samples." Jean-Luc shouted, this time directed at Remy.

"Hank will be extremely careful." Marie shouted and Remy had to grab hold of her more firmly to keep her from moving off of his lap and getting into his father's face.

"Yah don' know that!"

"He more than knows about the need for security."

"Like hell he does!"

"He's a _mutant!_" Marie shouted. Silence reigned in the room. Marie breathed hard. She reached up and brushed hair from her face. "Hank will be exceptionally careful. The mutant community _knows_ what happens if someone unscrupulous gets their hands on even a partial _strand_ of our DNA." She breathed out and her hands clenched into fists as some extremely unpleasant memories, hers and others, rose to her mind. "We know." She whispered. And it hadn't been all humans either. Mutants had messed with each other's DNA as well with results that were just as bad if not worse.

Jean-Luc glowered and managed to lower his voice. "Remy has a bad reaction to needles."

"Ah noticed." Marie said with a touch of scorn and rolled her eyes.

Remy stroked Marie's thigh. "Ah'm fine, Papa. Really."

Jean-Luc looked at him. "Do yah need anyt'in'?"

"Ah'm _fine._" Remy flushed. "Marie distracted me. Ah didn't even shake afterwards."

Jean-Luc's eyebrow rose.

Marie uncrossed her arms and put a hand on Remy's. "Ah wouldn't recommend mah method to anyone else. It's a bit personal." She glanced at Remy and smiled. He smiled back.

Jean-Luc had a bad feeling that he knew exactly what Marie meant. His teeth clenched however as he realized they were treating the situation as completely normal and routine again.

It was fortunate that at that moment, Tante Mattie bustled into the room and with one look at Marie and Remy making eyes at each other on the couch and Jean-Luc's face, she decided to intervene.

She turned to Jean-Luc. "What is wit' all t'is yellin' in here?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. Jean-Luc opened his mouth to say something but Tante Mattie cut him off. "Dere has been enough yellin' today. Yah are an adult! For shame, yellin' at Remy when he is so happy."

"Dat's de point! He's happy!" Jean-Luc roared.

Mattie's eyes narrowed. "Use yer inside voice, Jean-boy. We can all hear yah just fine."

Jean-Luc's voice came out strangled. "It ain't natural to be so happy when married to an utter stranger."

Mattie tilted her chin down. "As good as a point as dat is, dere is no point yellin' at t'em o'er it. T'ey have every right to be happy if t'ey want to be."

Marie scowled at Jean-Luc. "Are yah sure yah ain't been talkin' to Logan on the sly? Yah sound exactly alike."

Remy nuzzled her jaw. "Maybe it's de daddy instinct."

"Logan ain't mah daddy." She said. Remy snorted. Marie turned her head to brush her lips against his. "He's bettah."

Remy reclaimed her lips.

Mattie smiled and then glared at Jean-Luc as he made a face. "Where are yer manners, Jean-boy? My maman taught yah bettah and if yah can't find yer manners, go sulk in yer office and wait for Theoren to bring yah news."

Marie broke the kiss and she snickered at Mattie's nickname for Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc flushed, spun on his heel and marched out of the room. He'd leave them to their folly and get to the bottom of what insanity had come over his son without their help.

Mattie sat down and put her hands in her lap. "Now honey child, blossom, it's Tante's turn to ask questions, t'ough wit'out de yellin' dat everyone else seems to require."

Marie laughed. "Thank God."

Mattie nodded emphatically. "Dere is no need for dat. Ah do foresee more yellin' today t'ough. It just seems inevitable."

Remy sighed. "Ask away, Tante. We'll answer de best we can."

Mattie looked at Marie. "Do yah know what a gris-gris is?"

Marie blinked. "Some sort of spell? Ah ain't sure of the details."

Mattie nodded. "Exactly dat, it's a spell made up in a pouch and hung around de neck. Different items in de bag give de gris-gris different purposes."

Marie's brow furrowed. "Ah don' remember any pouches. Wouldn't that sort of thin' be kind of obvious?" She paused. "Yah think that someone put a magic spell on us?"

Remy kissed her cheek. "It's a possibility, ma cherie. N'Awlin's is de home of Louisianan Voodoun."

"But," Marie waved her hand. "A spell."

Remy's eyebrow rose. "Yah are willin' to accept a mutant as a possibility, but not magic?"

Marie bit her lip. "Ah don' know if Ah'd accepted a mutant as a possibility." She muttered and squirmed. She hunched her shoulders and looked at Mattie trying to convey that she was sorry. "Still don' remember any pouches."

Mattie looked serene. "No one gave yah a pouch, or slipped one around yer neck when yah weren't lookin'?"

Remy shook his head. "Non, Tante."

"Yah didn't see one at de hotel?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Ah weren't _lookin'_ for one but Ah didn't see one when Ah was searchin' de room for our t'in's." Remy said.

"There weren't any in the pictures. Or at least, Ah weren't wearing one." Marie tilted her head thinking. "Remy's shirt was all buttoned up so perhaps he were. Would bot' of us have to be wearin' one?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Mattie shrugged. "Depends on the gris-gris and how powerful it were."

"But dere weren't any in de room when we woke up. So, if dere were one to begin wit' someone would have had to come and take it off which would require knowin' where we were goin' and what we were doin'." Remy frowned. "Dat would take plannin'. And if someone did put one on me, shouldn't Ah remember at least meetin' ma cherie." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "So dat she would get in de influence of de gris-gris. Or shouldn't she remember meetin' me?"

Mattie shrugged again. "Depends on de gris-gris."

"T'ey probably already cleaned de hotel room." Remy pointed out.

Marie shifted in Remy's lap. "These things have a shelf life?"

Remy looked at her. "Oui. De person dat made de gris-gris can determine de length of time de gris-gris works and when it was supposed to work."

"Oh." Marie frowned. "So unless we could or couldn't find one conclusively, there's no way to prove if we had one put on us."

"Oui." Remy nodded.

Marie wanted to ask why they were asking these questions then, but decided it was probably best for once to keep her mouth shut. It seemed important to Remy and Mattie that they cover everything. "Oh." She said instead.

Mattie waved a hand. "Ah already have someone lookin' into de gris-gris angle at de hotel. We've looked through honey child's thin's but we ain't looked through yers honey blossom."

Marie furrowed her brow. "Ah'm confused."

"They don' know how long yah are stayin'," Remy explained. "And don' want to invade yer privacy wit'out permission."

"It's just a few clothes." Marie blinked. "Ah didn't see any pouches when Ah went for clean ones. Yah would know bettah than Ah. Yah can look if yah like."

"Merci, honey blossom. Ah'll do it mahself." Mattie said. Marie nodded. Mattie tilted her head. "Snakes."

Marie widened one eye. "What about them?"

"Did yah see any? Have a dream about dem? Have an odd vision of dem in yer memory?"

Marie blinked. "Ah'm sure if Ah looked hard enough Ah could find one." She paused. "Not off de top of mah head." She said quickly.

Remy shook his head.

"Was dere anyone singing, makin' music or dancin' around yah at any time recently?"

"Well, at de weddin'." Remy said. "But Ah don' know if t'ey were summonin' de spirits. Ah suppose someone could go and ask. Dat is if de entertainers remember us. T'ey may not."

Mattie's shoulders and head went back. Her lips pursed together. "Explain."

"Well, almost no one remembers us." Remy said. "At least, not de people dat Logan talked to. We know dat, say, de bridal shop had to remember us, and de jeweler and de photographer because t'ey sent t'in's to de house. We know Father Jerome remembers marryin' us, but as far as we know, no one else does." He shrank into the couch. "We didn't really get to ask de questions." He finished in a mutter.

"And Logan keeps bein' too busy yellin' for me to get any details about who he did and didn't talk to." Marie pushed her hair back. "Ah didn't realize it would be so important."

Mattie processed this. "Have eit'er of yah come to de attention of any of de Queens in N'Awlins?"

"Ah don' make a habit of shoutin' Marie Leveau when Ah shoot dice." Remy scowled. "Not dat Ah know of."

Mattie looked down her nose at him. "Or anyone wit' patronage of a Voodoun Queen."

"Dat don' narrow t'in's down!" Remy sputtered. "Not dat Ah know of. And if Ah attracted t'eir attention, why would t'ey spell me wit' forgetfulness and love?"

"Irony." Mattie raised an eyebrow. "Kharma?"

"Dat's a Hindu belief." Remy glowered at her. "And t'ey would have to have somet'in' personal."

"Cell phones come wit' cameras." Mattie pointed out.

"Mais, Ah don' know." Remy wanted to beat his head against the couch. He felt helpless. He hated feeling helpless.

Marie shrugged. "Ah just got here."

"T'is all just seems so random." Remy muttered. "Too random for a gris-gris to have been put on bot' of us."

"Dat leaves powders." Mattie murmured.

"Like drugs?" Marie perked up. "Doctor McCoy is lookin' for that."

Mattie beamed. "Bon." She stood and beat her hands together. "Ah'll just have a look t'rough yer t'in's honey blossom. If dere is anything dirty, Ah'll have laundry take care of it."

Marie flushed as she remembered that the dirty clothes she knew of were in piles on Remy's floor. She wasn't used to servants at all. Even at the school, the students did their own laundry. "Merci, Tante."

"Dinner will be served in a few minutes. Yah two best go get cleaned up and changed." Mattie smiled at them and left.

Marie looked after her. "Changed?" Her eyes widened and things started to feel a little slippery in her mind. "Ah don't have anythin' to change into." She whispered. She was so out of her league in this family.

Remy felt her panic like soda bubbles. "Cherie?"

She looked at him. "Ah don' have anythin' bettah to wear."

"Didn't Doctor Hank hand yah a bag?"

Marie's blinked and her face cleared. She put her face in her hands. "Ah forgot."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "We've all been busy, yellin'." He said. "It's okay."

Marie whimpered. "Ah just forgot."

Remy kissed her head. "Remy knows."

"Yah think whatever was done to us is still workin'?"

"No." Remy said.

Marie looked up. "We probably thought everythin' was perfectly normal yesterday and the day before."

He rested his forehead against hers. "Probably. Don' matter. Ah remember de bag."

She grinned. "Okay."

He twisted his head and kissed her. Marie's eyes closed and she moaned. He pulled away. "Come on, cherie. Let's go upstairs. We won't have time for sex, but Ah can watch yah get dressed."

Marie snickered. "We don't?"

"Non. No one is late for dinner." He wrinkled his nose. "No one."

Marie slipped off his lap and stood. "Yah are still a dirty man."

He stood up and grabbed her, pulling her out of the room. "De best way to be."

"Not enough soap in the world."

"Non."

"The solar system."

"Non."

"The universe!"

He laughed and she giggled and they laughed all the way up the stairs to their bedroom. He turned the handle. "And is dat a bad t'in'?"

"Only in certain circles. Ah've never claimed to be part of them." Marie sniffed.

He pushed the door open and grinned at her. "Bon."

She snickered and shut the door behind her. The room had been picked up. Her new bag was on the bed, but the bag she'd packed was missing, as were the clothes on the floor. The boxes with her wedding dress and jewelry were sitting in a corner. She bit her lip. The servants certainly were efficient.

Remy could feel her unease and he turned to her. "Cherie?"

"Ah ain't used to this." She muttered again.

"Cherie," He half smiled. "After a near ten years, Ah still ain't used to it."

That made her smile and she shook it off, heading for the bed. She unzipped the bag and her eyes lit up at the packages on top. "Oh, presents!"

Remy grinned, but went for clean clothes. "No time."

Marie pouted and put them on the bed, counting, six cards and five gifts. They were even wrapped. She tilted her head and tried to remember who was at the mansion and who wasn't. Five seemed about right given that it was summer and most her friends had gone home lucky enough to have families and the Professor was in Europe. Most of the presents would be from the teachers anyways. She smiled again, and reached further into the bag and pulled out what was on top. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was some of her nicer clothes. Not something she would wear to church, but not something she'd wear to a bar or a club either, something prettier than her normal wear, something she'd wear on a date. And since most of her clothes were black, everything was pre-matched.

She pulled her t-shirt over her head.

"Hey!" Remy protested. "Remy ain't watchin'."

She turned around and looked down her nose at him. "If yah had the ability to protest, yah were watchin' Sug."

Remy already had his own shirt off and he crossed his arms. "Only 'cause yah moved."

Marie rolled her eyes and unbuttoned the zipper of her shorts. She hadn't realized he'd been serious about watching her get undressed. She looked down at her feet and had to think about a sexy way to take them off, despite the fact she was just going to have to put them back on. However, she didn't see any chairs to make it possible, so she pulled them off the same way she had when they had sex earlier and dumped them to the side. She looked up, caught his eyes and undid the zipper of her shorts, wiggling her hips as she tugged down on the sides. They landed in a heap at her feet and she stepped out of them and cocked her hips. "Yer turn." She said. Remy couldn't tear his eyes away from the way her black bra and panties with little bits of lace contrasted against her pale skin. Marie smirked and came over to him, putting her hands on the waistband of his jeans. "Unless, yah need help."

He grabbed her hands. "We really don' have time for t'is." He muttered.

She kissed him and he moaned, sliding his hands up her arms. She unbuttoned his jeans and slid her hands underneath. She broke the kiss. "If we don' have time, yah should think about wearin' somethin' underneath yer pants."

He cupped the back of her head with one hand and kissed her again. He didn't have a coherent answer to that. He pulled away, when it became apparent to him at least that if he didn't, they were going to miss dinner all together and someone, probably Emil was going to find them in the all together. Normally, he wouldn't care in the least. Today, however, he'd angered Papa enough. He licked his lips and panted. She pulled his head back down and kissed him quickly and when she broke it, he went after another kiss. His blood felt like it was on fire.

Then he picked her up and set her a foot away from him, every fiber of his being protesting. "Yer clothes are o'er dere." He said, his voice so husky that even he didn't recognize it.

She stuck out her bottom lip and tilted her chin down. "Remy!" Her hair fell over her shoulders and trailed over her face.

He took a step backwards. "Oh no, cherie. We _have_ to go to dinner."

She tossed her hair. "Fine, just don' make any plans for later." She spun on her toe.

He worked out of his pants and realized she'd taken two steps and stopped to look at him over her shoulder. He lowered his eyelashes and smirked at her, meeting her eyes squarely. She blushed and stuck her tongue out at him. He raised his eyebrows and wiggled them. She turned redder, put her tongue back in her mouth and stalked back to her clothes, nose in the air. He grinned at her back, and reached for a pair of dress pants.

They got dressed in silence, stealing glances at each other, but not willing to say or do anything unless they forget all control and end up tearing each others clothes back off and giving into their hormones and feelings.

Remy finished adjusting his tie and Marie pulled her brush through her hair once and they looked at each other. He exhaled. "Ready, sha?"

She set the brush down and steadied herself. "As Ah'll ever be, Ah guess."

He held out his hand and she took it, feeling better as his fingers entwined with hers. They went out the door and Marie looked over her shoulder at it and wished they hadn't had to leave. The room seemed like a little sanctuary of sanity compared to the rest of the house. Remy squeezed her hand. She squeezed back.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me?_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Remy and Marie try to survive through dinner and Marie finally gets to their presents!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Seven: Day One, Part Seven**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** Over dinner, Jean-Luc stumbles over some of Marie's father issues and the fact she has no problem manipulating them, and some answers are found and more questions asked. Plus, wedding gifts.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! Next time we make it to day two, FINALLY.

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Jean-Luc picked a fight and got put in his place by Tante Mattie who reminded both Remy and Marie that it was almost time for dinner..._

They entered the dining room and Remy kept his relief at not being late behind his best poker face. Henri finished seating Mercy and sat down himself, turning his head to watch his brother come in. Remy sat Marie in the same seat he had for lunch before seating himself.

"Good evenin', Theoren." Marie murmured.

"Anna Marie." Theoren said.

"Marie is fine." She said and clasped her hands in her lap wondering what the meal was going to bring this time since there were no dishes on the table.

"Not Anna?" Etienne asked. He paused as he realized that they hadn't been introduced. "Ah'm Etienne Marceaux." He said.

Marie nodded slowly. "Merci, Etienne. Nice to meet yah. And no. Ah'm not much for bein' an Anna." She said. She had no idea how they would take the fact she'd gone by Rogue for years before allowing those closest to her and those at the school to call her Marie. Circumstances had let her release some of her guard, but not enough to be called Anna and that was only quite recently anyways. Before, only Logan had been allowed to call her Marie and that's only because he was special.

The servants came in and set down a soup course in front of them all. Jean-Luc picked up his spoon, which was the signal that everyone else could start eating too.

Mercy took a proper swallow of the soup. "Mais, it's yer name, isn't it?"

Marie picked up the soupspoon and remembered that here her manners were going to count for or against her. She managed to get it half full before bringing it up to her lips and taking the half swallow. She wanted to weep in pleasure as the flavor exploded across her tongue and damned society for making manners so important. She looked across the table, where Mercy was sitting and wondered if Mercy had put her blonde hair up herself or had someone else do it. Marie had never been able to get the hang of doing anything other than a ponytail or a simple braid by herself. She filled the spoon half full again and smiled. "It is. Ah don' go by it, Marie, si vous plait." She took another half swallow.

Emil coughed and paid attention to his soup bowl.

Remy's eyes flicked over to him. "Did yah have somet'in' to say, cousin?"

Emil shook his head. "Non."

Marie smiled. "Really, Ah don' mind, Emil."

Emil's eyes widened. "Marie is from Mississippi." He said hastily.

"So Ah am." Marie murmured and took another half spoonful of soup. "Caldecott, to be precise, though Ah was livin' in Meridian for a time."

"What's in Meridian?" Theoren asked.

"The last set of foster parents that would put up with me." Marie smiled at him.

"And t'en yah ran away." Jean-Luc rumbled from the head of the table.

Marie didn't even look at him. "As Ah said, it seemed the best idea at the time."

"Which conveniently explains not'in'." Jean-Luc set his spoon down.

"Ah'm still waitin' for the reason why Ah should have to explain mahself to yah." Marie set her own spoon down, temper pricked.

Mercy's lips twisted. "He's yer father-in-law."

"Explainin' yerself to _fathers_ never helps." Marie spat the word and her eyes flashed in rage. Real fathers, foster fathers, father-in-laws, it made no bit of difference to her. Stunned silence descended onto the table. Marie picked up her spoon, hand shaking. She'd had experience with _fathers._ She went back to eating. Why she had run away was none of Jean-Luc's business and had nothing to do with her current situation with Remy.

Mercy leaned back. "Well." She muttered.

The servants came and took away the soup course and put small salads down in front of everyone. Marie withheld a grimace. If this was the way that dinner was going to go, not being able to actually finish a course, she was finding the kitchen and sneaking down for food later. Mutants in general had higher metabolisms than regular humans and she was no exception even if she did have it under control, it took energy to keep it that way, just as it took energy to use it. She picked up her salad fork and ignoring the lettuce for now which was more water than for what it was worth, speared a carrot. It was either go after the most nutritional things or forget her manners entirely so she could get a decent meal.

Nobody spoke through the entire salad course. The servants took the plates and put down a meat course next.

Marie decided she liked lunch better. There she could at least get more than one thing at once.

Anastasie cleared her throat from the door. "Mister Howlett, Madame Marie."

Marie pushed the chair back and stood.

Logan took a step into the room. "Oh, don't bother standing on my account."

Marie put the chair back and took a few steps towards him. "If yah don' mind, Ah'd rather face yah standin'."

Logan grunted. "Yer clean, kid."

Marie blinked. "And what does that mean?"

"It means you and Gumbo here don't have any drugs in your system." Logan glared at Remy. "I'm takin' Hank back to his lab to run more tests and going to pick up Chuck."

Marie made a face of disbelief. "But yah said it yourself, we're clean!"

Logan poked her in the head. "Fine. You didn't take drugs, but that doesn't mean you're fine."

Marie ground her teeth. He was working on her last nerve. He could leave and stay gone for a while for all she cared, however if she said anything of the sort, he'd stay just to be contrary. "Ah _am_ fine."

"And I outrank you, kid. I'm getting Chuck. He'll know better than you."

Marie made a noise that sounded something like a teapot going off. "Ah know mah own mind! We don' need yah to get the Professor when everythin' is fine!"

Logan smirked. "Decision made."

"He's in Europe!" Marie flicked a hand out.

"Yep."

"With Moira!" Marie glowered at him. "He rarely gets to see her! Yah can't just up and grab him."

"Emergency situation."

"This ain't an emergency!" Marie screamed. "The DNA test, _that's _an emergency. _That's_ important. Yah can't just leave _Emma_ there by herself."

"Emma's been takin' care of herself for years."

"Yah don' trust her!"

"Well, I'm going to learn for a few days while Charles comes and sorts this out." Logan crossed his arms. "Whether you like it or not."

"Ah don' like it!" Marie stomped her foot. "If yah would stop bein' stubborn and listen to me! Yah are makin' this so much harder than it needs to be."

Logan raised his hand and pointed at her. "If you would stop running off and let us take care of you for once, this wouldn't be necessary."

"Ah think bettah _movin'_!"

"And running _always_ gets you in trouble. Stay put and that's a damn _order,_ Rogue!" He turned on his heel and marched out the door.

"What? Yah ain't even gonna say _goodbye!_" She shouted after him.

"You don't!" Logan shouted and the door shut behind him.

Marie crossed her arms and watched the door, a smile playing on her lips.

The motorcycle roared to life outside.

Marie's eyes widened and she uncrossed her arms and ran to the window. He hadn't! "Damn it, he took the motorcycle!" She whined.

Remy forced back a laugh. "Mais, it is just a boy toy, cherie."

Marie turned and frowned. "Just because it's a boy toy, sugar, it don' mean Ah don' like playin' with it." She said, looking at him. Remy's lips twitched and Emil choked. Marie's forehead wrinkled and she flushed. "That didn't sound so vulgar in mah head." She muttered. There were too many male personalities up there.

Remy couldn't help it. He laughed.

Marie glared at him and then smirked. She walked around the table and leaned up against him, pulling her chair out with one hand. She leaned over and whispered into Remy's ear. "Ah guess Ah'll just have to play with yer boy toy instead." She brushed her breasts against him. Remy stopped breathing, Marie's smirk became a smug smile and she dropped back into her seat. "It weren't a telepath that did this anyways." She said and began to cut her meat.

Remy tried to convince his heart to stop pounding. It didn't work. "How do yah know dat, cherie?" He managed to ask.

Marie put her utensils down. "Ah wouldn't be able to do this." She said and caressed his jaw with the back of her hand. Remy swallowed hard. Marie dropped her hand. "No matter what Logan thinks, a telepath wouldn't be able to do this, sugar." She shook her head. "The human mind don' work the way most folk thinks it do. Memory is pretty screwed up. It ain't a linear process, one thing leadin' to another. Things tend to be a bit more associative than that. The mind identifies memories with smells, colors, tastes, emotions. Yah can't just go in and take a memory without leavin' damage to somethin' else and yah just won't take a certain amount of time. Yah could go in and take somethin' but somethin' else is gonna go too, like knowin' the letter b or the smell of oranges. Yah could forget how to walk or how to talk. Messin' with people's minds is dangerous because no matter what yah do unless yah are a passive observer, yah are gonna damage _somethin'_. Yah can even damage yerself, like yer friend, Bella found out." Marie paused. "Which reminds me." She muttered and pulled her cell phone out and hit speed dial.

Logan picked up on the other end. "Yeah."

"Ah met a telepath, Logan. Her name is Bella Donna Boudreaux and she ain't had any trainin' whatsoever. Would yah please tell the Professor?" Marie said pleasantly.

"Met a telepath." Logan's voice was filled with skepticism.

"Yes."

"I'll tell Chuck."

"Thank yah, Logan."

"And stop manipulating me." He growled.

"Never." Marie smiled and hung up. She put her phone away. "There, that's settled."

"So, yah aren't a telepath?" Henri asked.

"No. Ah have had a lot of experience with them. Ah know the basics." Marie nodded. Her mutation made it a necessity to understand the human brain and how it worked. According to Hank and the Professor, her mutation shouldn't even be logically possible.

Henri's brow furrowed. "So, what is yer mutation?"

Marie smiled sweetly. "None of yer damn business."

Emil found his voice. "Bella's a telepath?"

"Not a very good one." Marie murmured and decided she needed to eat something before this plate was taken away from her too, or else, she was grabbing it from the servant and dumping it onto the next plate.

"How do yah know dat?" Emil's voice rose in incredulity. He didn't understand how if Marie wasn't a telepath herself, how she could know Bella was one.

Marie took a few bites, chewed and swallowed before answering. "She tried to manipulate mah mind. She's restin' now, or she should be."

"Tried?" Emil still couldn't believe it.

Marie tilted her head. "Oui. Ah told yah, tamperin' with the human mind has consequences to yerself and to the person yah are tamperin' with, which is why any telepath with a sense of decency or any moral scruples tries to keep in their own head as much as possible." Marie furrowed her brow and though through what was going to happen next. Logan would take Hank back to New York, where Hank would disappear into his lab and then Logan might make a quick report to Scott while the plane refueled. Then he'd leave for Europe, get there in the middle of the night and Moira would put her foot down about not leaving at least until morning. Charles would have to wrap up whatever he was doing in Europe first, then he'd come back and insist at stopping at the school for a quick session with Cerebro, which might make it too late for them to come down by that time and Jean would put _her_ foot down and insist that once again they leave in the morning. "We probably won't see the Professor and Logan again until Monday." She nodded. "Then the Professor will take care of it as much as he can before comin' here, so most likely after lunch, early afternoon." Marie went back to eating.

"And who is this Professor that he can just 'handle' things?" Jean-Luc asked.

"The most powerful telepath in the world." Marie said it without any sort of pride, like it was just a matter of fact.

"Have you _met_ every telepath in the world?" Emil asked out of curiosity.

"Ah lot more than Ah ever wished to meet." Marie grimaced. They seem to consider her an interesting case study. Most of them were nice enough, but there were times she felt like she needed to remind a few of them that she was indeed a person and no, they weren't to mess with her mind. Some of them got that way, they found intriguing minds and they liked to try and figure out how they worked. And telepaths really couldn't hide very well from each other. They were attracted to one another like magnets. It was kind of like powerful mutants, they started to stick together after a while or fight each other. Mutants were a totally different and quite strange society.

"And Bella Donna is a telepath." Henri said.

Marie nodded. "Oui. She'll be in good hands with the Professor."

Emil looked at Etienne and bit his lip. He looked back at Marie. "Has she ever tampered wit' us?"

Marie's fork paused and she looked at him. "Ah don' know Emil. Ah ain't a telepath to be able to tell yah. That's why Ah told Logan to tell the Professor. He can come and look."

"So, she might have?" Emil twitched.

Marie put her fork down and she folded her hands. "A good way to know if a telepath is messin' with yah is if yah start to do somethin' that ain't in yer nature to do. Bella didn't seem that powerful and rather clumsy, mixin' her tamperin' with verbal commands. If she ordered yah to do somethin' and yah automatically did it and it was against yer nature, then yes, Ah'd be worried she'd tampered wit' yah. Young telepaths are more likely to tamper with those that they're closest too, mainly family and long term friends."

Emil looked at Remy. "Out of all us t'en, Remy is de most at risk."

Remy stared at his plate and tried not to think about the things that Bella could have done to his brain that he didn't even know about.

Marie snorted. "Sugar, if that girl couldn't convince Remy to date her, then Ah doubt she did anythin' to Remy at all."

Emil's eyes widened.

Remy turned his head. "What makes yah t'ink dat?"

"An almost sure sign of a female telepath messin' with a male's head is that the male loves her absolutely and she can do no wrong. Since, yah two can't communicate about love at all and seem to fight a lot. Ah ain't worried about it." Marie picked up her fork again and took a few more bites. She swallowed. "And yah shouldn't be either. We got _enough_ thin's to worry about." She reached over and patted his leg and then left her hand there.

Theoren had been sitting quietly, listening and thinking about what Marie had said. He finally spoke up. "So, if a telepath can damage a mind, can t'ey fix dem?"

Marie turned her head, hand still on Remy's leg. "That depends on what yah mean by fix. Most of the time, the brain has been manipulated so much, that there is no way to set it back the way it was before even if a telepath wanted to. To be able to fix that type of damage would cause far more damage to the mind." She looked solemn. That was what the Professor had feared was wrong with her mind. That it had been damaged absorbing David and that was why she hadn't any control over her mutation. It had taken several interesting and somewhat dangerous experiments with Logan and Hank for them to figure out how her mutation even worked, plus a few other mitigating circumstances. She pushed the memories away. "The Professor would prefer to stop the manipulation and let the brain heal by itself or coax it over a long period of time to go beyond the tampering. The mind constantly changes with new memories and experiences. It's a very adaptable organ, but it takes time to adapt."

"How long?"

"Years, sometimes decades." Marie said softly. Neural adaptation was part of her mutation and what she did would probably kill anybody else. Her problem had been taking what she did instinctually and putting it on a conscious level, plus a bunch of mental reorganization. The normal human mind had to be trained and in a way, reprogrammed and that took time. The good and sometimes bad thing about the brain was that it formed patterns of behavior for good or for ill and it was easier for the brain to go along with the set patterns of behavior than to fight against it and it took conscious effort for a person to change those patterns. Those patterns were what made it easier for a telepath to break the manipulation and let the brain go back to what it normally did. However, the longer the brain was manipulated, the deeper the new patterns became and the harder it was for the brain to change back.

Every time she absorbed someone, her neural patterns changed to match that person's and then they'd switch back to hers because hers were the ingrained patterns. She was the dominant mind, but every time, the outer edges of her patterns changed to reflect the addition of a new personality, a new voice in the back of her head. Strangely enough, what she considered the back of her brain, telepaths considered the front and were confronted with a chorus of voices and various personalities that formed a rather imperfect mental shield over her core self. They didn't like it, but she considered it a very useful side effect, one of the few useful side effects of her mutation that she'd ever found. She wished there were more of them.

Marie realized she'd gone silent and had just been looking at Theoren for a few minutes too long. She turned her gaze back to her plate.

Remy reached down and put his hand on hers. He didn't know why this talk made her sad, but it did. He leaned over a brushed a kiss on her cheek. "Well, Ah for one am relieved to know dat no one was messin' wit' my head."

Marie smiled at him. "Well, no telepath, maybe an empath but that don' explain why we forgot everythin'."

Remy pasted his smile on. "An empath, right." Inwardly he swore and reminded himself that his empathy was passive and that he couldn't project outwards anyways, but it didn't make him feel any less nervous. The closest time that he could corner his wife and exchange in private a detailed conversation about their mutations, the better.

Marie picked up her fork and fiddled it. "Probably not." She said. "Ah ain't ever heard or met an empath that could do whatever it was that was done to us. It'd really help if we knew what that was."

"We'll know more tomorrow." Jean-Luc said.

Marie nodded and didn't care to question it.

They didn't finish the rest of the meal in silence, but Mercy deliberately turned the conversation to people Marie didn't know and places that she hadn't been. Marie ignored it and was grateful that she got a chance to eat her meal without having to fend off uncomfortable questions about her past. Remy didn't let go of her hand, forcing her to eat with her off hand, but she didn't mind. It seemed to comfort him as much as it comforted her. Being served course by course, the meal took twice as long as it should have.

They retired to the parlor once the meal was finished and Mercy kept monopolizing the conversation. It took Marie five minutes to remember that she didn't know these people very well, didn't have to make friends with them if she didn't want to and she did have other things that needed doing. More pleasant things like opening wedding presents rather than listening to Mercy go on about things that Marie knew nothing about.

Marie stood. "If yah will excuse me, it's been a long day." She smiled and with an apologetic kiss to Remy's cheek, she left the room and headed upstairs.

"Mais," Mercy said with a smile. "Ah thought she'd never leave." She turned to Jean-Luc, not seeing Remy's fists clench and his jaw tighten in rage. "Papa, what are we gonna do about her?"

Remy glared at her. "Do, Mercy? Do?"

Mercy rolled her eyes. "It's obvious she knows not'in' about anyt'in', Remy. Really, what were yah t'inkin'?"

Remy ground his teeth. "Ah don' _know_ what Ah was t'inkin' Mercy. Ah don' _remember._"

Mercy sniffed. "Yah are a Thief and a Lebeau." She waved her hand. "And what is she?"

"We don' know yet, Mercy." Jean-Luc said.

Mercy wasn't done. "Or even who is she?"

"She won't answer any of t'ose type of questions. We're working on it." Jean-Luc nodded. "We should know more in de mornin'."

Remy stood. "Ah'm goin' to bed." He stalked out of the room not caring what the family thought.

Henri went after him. "T'is is bullshit, Remy. Just stop yer lyin' and everyt'in' will sort itself out."

Remy turned and Henri almost ran into him. "Ah'm not lyin' Henri. Ah don't remember anyt'in' and neit'er does she!"

"Yah didn't have to marry a near stranger to get sex every night!"

Remy gaped at him. "Open yer eyes! Ah have sex wit' near strangers all de time! Ah could have sex every night if Ah wanted to! Ah didn't have to go and get married! Ah don' know why Ah got married and Ah'd surely like to have a chance to find out!"

"How can yah not remember? Yer always causin' trouble."

Remy felt like he'd been slapped. He knew he had his fair shares of woes and tribulations, but he was _trying_ to be a good son. "And yah have a life dat is perfect." It came out with more bitterness than Remy expected. "De Perfect son wit' de perfect wife, everyone so happy wit' yah all de damn time, ne'er a word against yah. Ah try and Ah try and Ah don' know how to be anyt'in' but trouble." When Henri had gotten married to Mercy, everyone had been so happy and welcoming. Henri had gotten his own wing of the house and gifts and parties. Everything always worked out for Henri, _everything._ Remy turned away from his brother and mounted the stairs, resentment twisting his gut into knots.

"Maybe if yah listened!"

Remy hunched his shoulders. He did listen. He did try! He wanted to be the type of son that Henri was and he just couldn't do it no matter what he did. Something always happened and he was dragged back in front of Papa to be yelled at for something he didn't understand where it went wrong in the first place. It was a cycle that constantly repeated and maybe it wasn't something he was doing wrong, maybe it was him, maybe he wasn't cut out to be the son that Jean-Luc wanted and the brother Henri needed.

Maybe he didn't really belong, maybe he wasn't supposed to be a Lebeau after all.

And despite the lack of happiness, congratulations and general well wishes on behalf of his family, the thought that he wasn't really a Lebeau in their hearts, hurt most of all.

* * *

With the door of Remy's room shut behind her, Marie felt herself relax a little. In here, there was no one to grate on her nerves by asking impertinent questions or making presumptions about what she wanted or to sit there in silent disapproval of her when they knew nothing about her at all. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ears and sat on the bed next to the cards and presents.

She picked up the cards, Scott, Jean, Ororo, Jubilee, Hank and John. She smiled a little and then frowned as she realized that Scott and Jean, the happiest and most stable duo at the mansion had sent separate cards and thus probably separate gifts.

She flipped Scott's card over and opened it. There was a general well-meant holiday greeting card style message of congratulations inside. What interested her more was the personal note.

Marie, I forgive you for taking the motorcycle. I understand the urge to get away and thank you for taking such good care of it. It was pretty obvious that Logan knew where you were at all times anyways. Be careful. ~ Scott

Marie smiled and set the card aside feeling a little relieved. Scott forgave her for stealing his precious bike. As a wedding present, she would take it and run like fury. She opened the next card from Jean. Jean's card was elegant, tasteful and reserved and sincere. Her note was simple, saying that since Jean knew nothing about Marie's husband, she'd bought a gift for Marie instead, though she was sure that Remy would appreciate it even for just a few minutes.

Marie's brow furrowed and she found Jean's box, curious as to what that message could mean. Marie carefully unwrapped the small flat box, tucking in the tape and folding the paper. She set it aside and worked the top off. Her eyes widened and she bit her lip. She picked up the black piece of lingerie and tried not to giggle. Yes, she was _sure_ Remy would appreciate it. She glanced at the rest of the boxes. There wasn't any law about her not being comfortable while opening them was there.

She quickly pulled off her boots and her clothes, taking a second to fold them up and put them on top of the dresser. She slipped the nightgown over her head and grinned at the way it felt against her skin. She tugged the hem down and sat back on the bed tucking her legs beneath her and picked up the next card and gift. She opened the card and smiled again as it was from Hank and inside was yet another quotation, this one more or less a piece of advice as many quotations were advice. She set the card to the side and opened it, unsurprised to find a book of selected love poetry by famous writers. She flipped through it and decided it was something better to be explored later with Remy. The next gift was from Jubilee and Marie flipped through the remaining cards to find hers. She ripped it open. The card had loud colors and full of humor, much like Jubilee. Underneath the punch line it read 'OMG, we so need to have a party!'

Marie rolled her eyes, anything for Jubes was an excuse for a party or shopping or both. She opened the present that had the suspicious size and shape of a shoebox and snorted when it did indeed hold a pair of high heels with peep toes and lots of straps with little grommets and a few chains. The same pair of high heels that Jubilee had tried talking her into buying less than a month ago on one of their very many trips to the mall that had to include a trip to the shoe store because Jubilee was addicted. Marie had come so exceedingly close to buying them and it was only the fact she felt she needed to save money that she hadn't.

"Thank yah, Jubes." She whispered and worked her feet out from underneath her and slipped them on. She admired her feet for a few minutes and turned to the next present from John. She opened the card, sighed and put a hand over her eyes. "Thanks a lot." She muttered. She hadn't really needed to get a card filled with the sort of crude humor that John appreciated. He was a lot of fun when he wasn't being plain whacked out crazy, but she had hoped that Wanda would be some sort of influence on him. She cringed and opened his present anyways. Wrapped in cheery candle covered paper turned out to be a box of condoms. Marie turned bright red and set it down away from her.

The last box was from Ororo. Marie opened Ororo's card. It was just as elegant as Jean's and her note was just as cryptic saying that her gift was something Ororo knew was Marie's favorite. Marie unwrapped the gift and almost burst into tears at the sight of her favorite perfume, something she stared at in longing at department stores and sprayed herself with the testers whenever she could because like her wedding dress and the shoes, she really couldn't afford luxuries like expensive French perfume. She opened the box and carefully cradled the bottle in her hand. She uncapped it and held it up to her nose sniffing eyes closing in bliss, orange blossoms and honeysuckle. She sighed and even though it was late and she knew she shouldn't, she held out her wrist and depressed the top, patting her wrists together and then patting behind her ears, on her throat and between her breasts. She carefully capped the bottle again. She picked up all the presents and put them on Remy's dresser and frowned as she saw a tube of lipstick next to a pile of what looked like things from her coat pockets. She picked it up and turned it over reading the color.

She didn't remember buying it. She opened it and twisted it upwards. It didn't look like it had been used that much either. She went over to the mirror and applied it, tilting her head this way and that. She leaned in close. It could be the color she was wearing in the wedding photos, but why buy the lipstick and nothing else? Though, Logan did say she went into a department store.

Marie sighed and shook her head. "Don' be silly, Rogue. Yah know what yah did and why yah only bought the lipstick." She'd probably did most of her makeup with the department store samples and maybe sprayed herself with perfume too and only bought the lipstick because she was going to need it more than once. She rolled her eyes at herself, capped the lipstick and put it back on the dresser before coming back to the mirror to admire her presents.

The door opened and Remy entered the room. He stopped, his mind derailed from his fight with Henri at the bottom of the stairs at the sight of her. He shut the door quietly behind him. He came across the room and wrapped his arms around her, inhaling and his eyes closed in bliss at the sweet scent of orange blossoms and honey suckle radiating off of her. "What's t'is?" He murmured.

Marie leaned into his arms. "Weddin' presents." She smiled. "They're really more for me, mah friends not knowin' yah and all, but they thought that yah would appreciate them even for a few minutes."

Remy's eyes opened and he turned her around, stroking his hands down her sides over the satin. He smirked down at her. "Ah t'ink dat Ah can appreciate dem for far longer t'an a few minutes." He said. Her eyes widened and her painted lips parted. He leaned down and kissed her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he proceeded to show her exactly what he meant.

* * *

Henri found his father and Theoren in one of the working rooms farther in the back of the mansion. Televisions flickered with various security feeds and Jean-Luc watched them, his hands folded together.

"Well?" Henri asked.

"She is who she says she is." Jean-Luc didn't look at him. He nodded at the desk. "If dat is all yah wanted to know. Her birth certificate matches de dates on de marriage license, her fingerprints match and dat is all dere is to know about her."

Henri frowned. "Dat seems odd."

Theoren spun his chair around. "She is listed in de Mississippi Department of Human Services records as an orphan and a runaway, no reasons listed for de latter. Apparently, her famille died in a fire and she was de only survivor. It'd be more suspicious if she hadn't been seven. Ot'erwise, she's done not'in' to distinguish herself and enter de realm of de media eit'er academically or illegally. Mississippi has no idea where she is, t'ey lost track of her pretty much immediately and from de looks of t'in's t'ey haven't been lookin' too hard."

"Limited money and resources for a rather large scale problem," Jean-Luc said, "explains dat."

Theoren nodded. "And once it was clear dat she left de state, it became a federal matter."

Jean-Luc looked at Henri. "Ton frere?"

Henri's lips twisted. "Probably upstairs in his bedroom havin' more sex wit' de girl he claims not to remember marryin'."

"So far, his story holds up." Jean-Luc said. "Until it don', Ah'm inclined to have to believe him."

Henri gaped. "Papa!"

Theoren ignored him. "T'ey met at de bar." He said. There was only one bar to the Thieves Guild that merited the term. He pointed to a tape. "She turned down Gregory wit'out use of violence just before Remy went in to do his knight in shining armor act. T'ey talked. Remy bought her a drink. T'ey talked more. T'ey danced. T'ey kissed." Theoren switched to another tape. "From dere t'ey went to her hotel, Remy escorted her to de door and left her dere."

Henri's brow furrowed. "So?"

"Out of character for Remy." Theoren said. "Normally, when he's dat into a girl dat he's escortin' her someplace, he stays de night." He picked up a receipt. "Accordin' to de time markin's, de next t'in' dat we know dat happens is t'ey went to Father Jerome, he said near eight o'clock in de mornin' and t'en t'ey went out for breakfast at Café Du Monde." Theoren switched tapes again. "From dere Remy went to de clerk's office. De license is back dated by de way."

"Could we use dat?" Henri asked.

Theoren snorted. "Only if we could prove it was deliberate on de part of de clerk." Theoren started the tape. "Non. T'is was all Remy doin' his sweet talkin' and de clerk asks him a few questions and Remy leaves."

"So, what was she doin'?" Henri frowned.

"Gettin' fitted for her dress probably." Theoren shrugged. "She had to do it sometime. T'ey met up again for lunch and to buy de rings." He gestured at the tape that Jean-Luc was watching intently. "He went to de barber. She went to de department store and did her makeup." Theoren's lips twisted. "And dat was a clever bit of work. T'en she went to a salon, back to de dress shop, got her dress and took a cab to de park where she and Remy met up again. T'ey got married in de early afternoon wit' de photographer and one of de entertainers as de witnesses. T'ey went _back_ to de dress shop where Marie changed out of de dress and into her regular clothes. T'en t'ey went to dinner, stopped at a bakery and a liquor store afterwards and t'en to de hotel. So, in essence, t'ey met, planned and executed a complete weddin' in under twenty-four hours." Theoren set the remote down, sighed. "And t'ey don' remember a t'in'." He doubted that half the people they'd seen on the way remembered them either. He had noted a pattern, but he wasn't completely sure of it enough to mention it yet.

"Convenient." Henri muttered. "So, like Mercy asked, what are we gonna do?"

Theoren raised his eyebrows at him. "What can we do? Oncle already tried to annul de marriage and t'en got de papers ready for a divorce. Dat didn' go over well wit' either party."

"So, we have to resign ourselves to de fact dat Remy married a penniless mutant orphan?" Henri crossed his arms. "He spent more money in one day on dat weddin' t'an she's probably ever seen in her life."

Theoren shrugged and looked at Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc had changed from watching Remy and Marie pick out rings at the jeweler to watching Marie go from station to makeup station at the department store. "She's done t'is before." He said.

"Got married and not remembered it?" Henri's lips twisted. "Should we warn Remy?"

Jean-Luc sighed. "Non, mon fils. She's done de whole make-up routine at de stores before."

"She's a _runaway._" Henri said, his voice full of scorn. He wouldn't be surprised if the girl knew how to shoplift.

"And dat is what bot'ers me," Jean-Luc turned away from the televisions. "What is she runnin' from?"

Theoren shrugged. "She don' have a good opinion of fathers and Ah bet she wouldn't tell us since she just met us."

"Lots of questions wit'out answers." Jean-Luc mused and tapped his lips with his knuckles. He hated questions that had no answers.

* * *

Remy kissed up the side of Marie's neck, her back pressed against his chest. "Mmm, cherie, de presents were nice."

Marie laughed. The dress did lay crumpled on the floor but only after two hours worth of exploration and lovemaking had it finally come off. The shoes were tangled nearby. She snuggled closer to Remy. "Well, the dress was from Jean and the shoes were from Jubes and Ororo sent the perfume." She turned her head to smile at him. "Scott forgave me for takin' the bike. Hank gave us poetry and," She grimaced. "John sent condoms."

Remy snickered. "How practical." He murmured and kissed the side of her mouth, the part he could reach. "Who are t'ese people, Marie?"

Her brow furrowed. "Well, Jubilee and John are two of mah friends but the others are mah teachers at school." She half smiled at him. "They're the closest thin' Ah've got to family."

Remy's brain caught the present tense. "Yah are still in school."

She wiggled around and bit her lip. "Ah've got a year left. Ah'm registered at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, but Ah don' have to stay there. Ah can do whatever yah did or go to the public school here or somethin'. We got time to figure it out."

Remy didn't nod, it was the way she said that these people, who were happy for them and sending them gifts though they didn't know him from Adam, these people they were Marie's _family_ where she was going to _school_. He couldn't take her away from that. She'd said it. She was broke and everything that he'd done for her meant so much. He wasn't going to be the one to tear her away from what she did have. But he didn't want to fight about it right this minute. He wrinkled his nose at her. "So, yah are gifted?"

Her eyes narrowed and she smirked at him. "In so many ways, sugar."

He snickered. "Cherie!"

She stretched and curled up against him. "Yah are 'gifted' too. Xavier's school is for mutants, Sug." She paused. "There are a lot of orphans and runaways at the school." She said quietly. "The Professor takes us in and if he can, teaches us control, makes us as safe as he can for ourselves and for others."

"The same Professor dat is gonna come here." He said and rubbed his fingers along her back in an effort to comfort her.

"Oui. Charles Xavier is the Headmaster."

His fingers stopped. "De Charles Xavier?"

Marie leaned her head back to look at him. "Ah don' know more than one exists."

His brain raced. He did try to keep up with news of what was going on in the mutant world and Charles Xavier was a name that came up over and over again along with Henry McCoy. "And dat was Dr. Henry McCoy, de _Secretary_ of Mutant Affairs?"

Marie half smiled and nodded. "Yeah. He really does prefer Hank though and Twinkies." She giggled. "Hank really likes his Twinkies." She smiled at Remy. He stared at her, unsure of what to say. Marie pressed a finger to his lips. "He likes to read upside down and holds his teacup in his toes."

He kissed her finger. "Did Ah say yah were cool?"

She laughed. "Oui."

"Bon." He grinned. "How do yah _know_ t'ese people, cherie?"

She sighed. "That's a long story, sugar."

He grabbed her hand and moved it out the way and kissed her lips. "One day soon, yah are gonna have to tell Remy." He raised an eyebrow. "So, what is our present from Logan?"

She bit her lip again. "Currently, Ah think it's yer life."

Remy thought about that and what he knew about observing Logan and Marie's reactions to Logan and he nodded. "Ah'll t'ank him de next time Ah see him."

She rubbed her feet against his calves. "He'll appreciate that."

Remy rolled over on top of her and pressed his lips to hers. He knew that Logan wouldn't appreciate what he was going to do next, but whether Marie knew it or not, she wanted more. And he was far too willing to oblige her.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations.. Remy shows a side of him that kept him alive on the streets and Father Jerome shares the happy news during church service..._


	8. Chapter 8

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Eight: Day Two, Part One**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Two, Part One: After a good nights rest, Remy continues to turn the house upside down with his attitude about Marie and somehow they manage to make it through church after which Theoren shows them the information he has gathered leading to a small revelation.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! Lots to say this time, in comparison to day one, day two is pretty short and I'm basing this upon my own experience in the knowledge that by the time you get up for church, go to church, come home and eat dinner, over half your day is _shot._ On another note, due to the sites wonky issues lately, I'd like to remind everyone that I also post over on LiveJournal at the name of prettygoth_ink, prettygothgirl is my personal journal there and given how _much_ I write, it's more sensible to separate them. So, if you can't find it here and the sites not acting right, check there. Usually I post there first, but not always. And Thank You to everyone who PMed me and told me something was wrong. Not, that I could do anything about it, but it was nice to know. **Rated M for Mature Content**

_To My Anon reviewers (in general): Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome and I appreciate it._  
_To Anonymouse (and anyone who is interested): Thank you for your persistence in trying to review. It was bugging me too the way the site was working. I'm glad you're enjoying the story and thank you for sticking with it despite having the same opinion as the father figures. I actually wasn't going to write this story because of the premise and then I realized that in it that Marie and Remy were happy, which is what made the story and everyone's reactions funny. That was why I wrote it or else, this would be in the dust bin of my memory. The story is finished, plus what is going to happen after the mystery is solved is already settled in my head and because your hopes and suppositions involve plot, I can't tell you! I hope you stick around to find out whether your close or not. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!_

* * *

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie were forced to wake up by Emil banging down the door and discovered they were married and happy about it though they didn't remember anything, both families reacted (somewhat poorly) and investigations started, and for now Jean-Luc believes Remy about it and Marie and Remy are still learning about each other._

July 2nd, Day Two, Sunday

Remy's internal clock woke him in the early morning light of the false dawn. He opened his eyes once and immediately closed them pulling Marie closer and savoring the moment of waking up for the first time consciously knowing he was married. He examined his emotions critically, more in reaction to his family's emphatic declarations that he should not be happy with the situation than anything else. He shifted downwards and nuzzled Marie's shoulder with his chin, searching for regret or anger or anything that would justify their reactions.

Nothing.

He was still quite happy. Remy brushed her hair out of the way and kissed the nape of Marie's neck, his Marie, his wife.

Marie made a sleepy little noise, her hand squeezing his, entwined exactly like the day before. "Remy?" She murmured.

"Bon matin, Marie cherie." He murmured into her ear, voice rusty with disuse.

She moaned and arched against him. "Mornin', Sugar." She groaned, her own voice husky. He chuckled and cupped one of her breasts, rubbing his thumb around the nipple. Marie's eyes opened a little. They'd just done this over and over last night and she wasn't sure if it was the fact that it was simply morning or he'd gotten some sleep but she could feel pressed against her back that he was ready to go again. She whimpered as his hand caressed her skin and his lips trailed a hot path up her neck. She couldn't take it very long, rolling over and shoving him down onto the bed, covering his lips with hers and spreading her legs so he could enter her. Their hips rocked together hard and fast and she scratched down his chest with her nails. He arched upwards, a mixture of French curses and endearments flying off of his lips.

She cried out and collapsed on top of him. She closed her eyes and panted against his neck, sweat pooling in the small of her back. God, she loved being married. That had to be the _best_ way to wake up. Her mind drifted back over the details of the wedding that they knew and she smiled. They'd done everything right, the dress, the rings, the cake. She stroked Remy's chest as something occurred to her. "Remy?" She lifted her head.

He opened his red on black eyes by mere slits. "Mmm?"

"Since we did everythin' else, do yah think we did a weddin' announcement?" She reached up and traced the outline of the goatee he was growing.

His eyebrow rose. "Dat is a good question, possibly. Dere wasn't a receipt for it, but maybe t'ey didn't give us one and Ah don' know how much money Ah had to know how much is missin'."

Marie flushed. "Ah ain't counted mine yet." She pushed her hair over her shoulder. "But if yah were to publish an announcement, what paper would yah put it in?"

His hands moved off her hips as he pondered the question, one coming up to caress her breast again. "Well, dere really is only one paper dat publishes weddin' announcements so, Remy would say de Times Picayune."

Marie wiggled against him. He was getting interested again. "Oh, that narrows thin's down." She muttered.

He reached up and tugged her head down, kissing her. "We can check o'er breakfast." He murmured. "Remy would make whatever yah wanted but Tante Mattie would get annoyed."

She giggled. "Yah cook, Ah knew Ah married yah for a reason."

"Yah don' cook."

She wrinkled her nose. "Ah didn't say that. Ah can cook. It's passable, as in it's edible and yah can tell what it is, which is a lot bettah than some of the other girls at the school." She smirked. "Ah can bake too."

He snickered. "So can Ah."

She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth for a moment. "Bon. We won't starve." She paused. "Please tell me there's more food for breakfast than for dinner, or else Ah will starve."

He chuckled. "Why do yah t'ink Ah learned to cook?" He pressed another brief kiss to her lips before she could groan or swear. "Breakfast is buffet style, best meal of de day." He would have to remember to go down to the kitchen and get food for both of them over the day if her metabolism was anything like his. He would have to ask her if it was normal for mutants to eat more.

"Oh thank God." Marie muttered.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "So, cherie, are we havin' more sex or just talkin'?"

"Multi-task." She stuck out her tongue at him.

He swore at her and rolled them back over. "Ah'd rather have bettah uses for dat tongue, ma cherie."

She couldn't answer him as the next second he covered her mouth with his and got them all tangled up together. When their mouths did part, he was pretty sure some of the things they said were blasphemous for a Sunday. He couldn't find it in him to care in the least.

* * *

Towel wrapped around her torso, Marie picked up her bag and set it on the bed reaching into it to find out what other clothes she had for the day. The first thing she pulled out was not promising for church wear as it consisted little more of a bunch of layered fabric in the form of a bustier she'd made out of several second hand garments. (She'd never asked the Professor why there had been a rather pathetic looking bustier that hadn't fit her in the used clothes closet in the first place, however it had made a good pattern and the notions had come in handy for making the one she had. The library really did have books on everything.) She bit her lip and set it on the bed and with determination started to empty the bag and with each item she pulled out becoming more and more frustrated.

She made a noise in the back of her throat and threw yet another top that was far too flimsy and she'd admit it, revealing onto the bed, followed by her leather mini-skirt that she'd made from an old leather _coat_.

Remy opened the bathroom door, a towel around his waist. His eyebrows rose. "Cherie?"

She pulled out another useless skirt and her nostril's flared. "Jubilee packed mah bag. Ah can tell." She ground her teeth. "Not one practical bit of clothin', just everythin' Ah own that could be remotely called _pretty._" She pulled out a box and flipped it open and rolled her eyes at the mess of makeup and jewelry that was in it. She set it to the side and reached back in knowing she had to be near the bottom of the bag. She pulled out a very elegant and not at all revealing black sleeveless dress that started at her collarbone and went to her knees. "Oh Thank God, Ah detect the hand of Jean." She muttered and set it off to the side and sat down next to it. Remy laughed. She glared at him. "It ain't funny, sugar. We have to go to _church_."

"Desole, cherie." He came over and hugged her.

She put her head on his shoulder. "And it don' help that Ah know exactly what Jubilee was thinkin'. 'Oh, new husband, must be sure that she impresses him!' Probably threw Jean right out of the room. It ain't like she don' mean well and Ah don' appreciate it." She shrugged helplessly. And she knew that Ororo, who might have been able to instill some restraint in Jubilee was probably downstairs at the time restraining Logan.

"But some more practical clothes would have been preferred." Remy snickered. "Not dat Ah care one way or de ot'er."

"Or at least some of mah more _conservative_ clothes." Marie made a face. "Ah do own some."

Remy glanced at the pile of clothes on the bed. He had to admit they were nicer looking than the clothes he had when he had been broke and living on the streets. He rubbed her back. Her clothes weren't anything near the American and French designer labels that filled Mercy's closet. His poor cherie, probably felt quite intimidated and out of place. "Ah'm quite sure, cherie, dat Ah didn't marry yah for yer clothes. T'ough dat little black dress is really somet'in' else."

She snorted. "It packs well."

"De skirt is so swishy. It really compliments yer pretty legs." He reached down and ran a finger along her thigh.

She grinned. "Oh, yah noticed?"

He met her eyes. "Oui." He smirked. "Ah also noticed dat yah look bettah in mah shirts."

She leaned in and kissed him. "Ah doubt the same could be said about yah. Yah'd probably just look gay or somethin'." She smirked. He laughed. She pressed a hand on his chest. "Ah guess yah just will have to run around in no shirt at all."

"Oh?"

"Ah noticed all yer sexy muscles." She grinned at him and lowered her eyelashes, the grin turning into a small smirk.

"Bon." He said and winked at her. He stood. "Yah notice anyt'in else yah like, yah just tell Remy." He walked across the room to his closet, sliding the doors open.

Marie eyed his back. "Well, Ah keep getting' glimpses of this fine ass." She said. He looked over his shoulder at her, eyes narrowed. She smiled at him. "Yah said." She stood up and dropped the towel and found a clean bra. His eyes dropped to her chest and she cleared her throat. He jerked his eyes up. "See somet'in' _else_ yah like?" She asked.

He grinned, looked away and undid his towel letting it drop to the floor.

Marie giggled.

They dressed in silence with the occasional outburst of laughter as they thought about what they had just been talking about. Marie came over to him and turned around. "Zip me up, Sugar." She said and pulled her hair out of the way.

He kissed the nape of her neck as he obliged. "What do yah normally do, cherie?"

"Ah make interestin' contortions." She turned and tugged on the hem adjusting it over her slip and thigh highs. "Merci." She kissed him quickly and went to pick her makeup off the bed.

He grinned and put a tie around his neck. "Nice."

Marie brushed a bit of eye shadow on her eyelids using a hand mirror and lined them with her eye pencil next. She put on a little powder, then blush and finished with a mascara before putting it all away. She knelt down and picked the heels off the floor, unhooking the chains, setting them in with her jewelry as she slipped them on.

Remy stuck a pin through his tie and went for his cufflinks. Marie rummaged through the box until she found a pair of smaller hoops and put them in instead of her studs. She picked up her brush and ran it through her hair and frowned as she realized that Jubilee hadn't packed her straightener. She gathered her hair in one hand and pulled it over one shoulder, the ends curling, the white stark against the red. She bit her lip and tilted her head. It would have to do. It wasn't like she could do anything else about it. She went over the dresser and used another small spritz of her perfume, sighing in pleasure as the scent rose from her pulse points.

Remy ran a brush through his shoulder length hair and set it down. He came around and put a hand on her back. "Hungry?" He asked and leaned down and kissed her.

"Mmm, open ended question, bad." She murmured.

He kissed her again and slowly pulled away. "Yah be right, cherie." Go down and eat breakfast and face the family for another day or stay in bed with Marie. If he had his druthers, he'd really go with the second option as it wasn't much of a choice. Face his family, bond with his wife. Face family, have sex.

She sighed and leaned against him. "Ah need food." She said. She looked over at the bed and then at his three-piece suit. "Wait." She put a finger to his lips and went over to one of the piles and pulled out a pair of black opera gloves. She quickly pulled off her rings and put on the gloves pulling them on with practiced motions. She slid the rings back over them and nodded in satisfaction. She turned and tucked her arm into his. "Now Ah'm ready."

Remy added another question to the list of the ones he was making about his wife and escorted her downstairs. Doing his best to ignore the family, he led her over to the sideboard and let her go so she could choose a plate. Marie went down the sideboard first and made sure her plate was full. She paused as she realized that the coffee was self serve too.

"Remy will get it." He murmured.

"Black." She murmured back. "Si vous plait."

He grinned. "Bien sur."

"Merci, sugar." She said and went to the table. Theoren did a double take at the amount of food on her plate as she set it down in front of her. She pulled out her chair and smiled at him. "Good mornin'."

"Mornin'." He murmured and picked up his coffee.

Remy set his plate down at the setting next to her, and came back with coffee a few moments later. He sat and picked up the paper next to his father's hand and leafed through it. He picked up his coffee with his other hand and scanned it. "Found it." He said and handed it over to Marie to read first.

Marie skimmed the announcement and blinked once and went back and read it again, going over it slowly this time. She started to laugh. "Oh my. Ah ain't ever seen it put quite like _that._"

Jean-Luc lowered the selection of the paper he was reading. He looked at Remy.

Remy cut his eggs with the side of his fork. "We put an announcement in de paper." He said.

"Yah must have wrote it," Marie giggled. "'Cause Ah ain't that good with a turn of phrase."

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It's all _true_." She handed it back to him.

Remy had his coffee cup to his lips and he kept it there and snorted. "Dat's all true?"

Marie laughed. "In a manner of speakin'." Her eyes danced. "Ah'm sorry Ah can't remember writin' t'is. We must have had _fun._"

"Dere's even a picture." Remy put the paper back where he found it. It was one of the wedding photos. It was amazing what money could do. "We'll have to get a some copies, cherie."

Marie snickered into her coffee. "We should." She took a sip. "Show Logan."

Jean-Luc put down the article he was reading and picked up the section and read the announcement. His jaw twitched as he read it and without a word he passed it to Henri. It started out like a regular announcement, their names, their parents, where the wedding had been, who had officiated, what the bride wore, it was the biographical information that had been twisted beyond all recognition.

Henri read it and spit out his coffee. "What de hell, Remy!"

Remy snickered. "Truth, every word of it."

"Maybe we should've included survivor information." Marie said.

Remy coughed and laughed. "Dat's obits."

"Get ahead of the game." Marie buttered some toast.

"No one has killed us." Remy worked on his eggs.

"Yet." Marie finished for him. "Yah know Logan is still thinkin' on it." She took a bite and chewed and swallowed. "But that's pretty normal for Logan. So, Ah guess we shouldn't worry overmuch."

Emil gaped at them. "Yah make t'is Logan sound like a psychopath."

Marie shrugged. "He's grouchy, cranky and defensive. He has his days where if yah even _look_ at him he threatens to kill yah. So far, all he's done is yell."

"Daddy's little girl." Remy muttered.

Marie paused. "Oh no, Sugar. Ah weren't daddy's little girl." She finished her toast and picked up her plate, she kissed Remy's cheek as she stood. "Logan's bettah, remember."

Mercy took the paper from Henri after he finished and her eyes narrowed and her fingers tightened on it crinkling it as she read it. Emil peered over her shoulder and his eyes widened as he read it.

"Were yah on drugs?" He asked.

Remy snorted and started to snicker again.

"Logan says that Hank says no." Marie said from the sideboard. "We're clean."

Remy grinned. "He didn't seem happy about it eit'er. Glared at Remy."

Marie brought another full plate back and sat back down. Mercy lowered the paper, stared at it and raised an eyebrow. Marie smiled at her. "Ah'm watchin' mah figure." She said and started in on the second plate.

Remy coughed and went to get a second full plate for himself.

"Logan was de guy who was here yesterday?" Emil asked.

Marie nodded, intent on eating.

"So who is Hank?" Etienne asked.

"Dr. Henry McCoy." Marie said after she swallowed.

Remy set his plate down. "De Secretary of Mutant Affairs. Nice homme."

Silence once again filled the room. Etienne took the paper from Emil without a word and read it. It was easier than saying anything in the mind field that the room had just become.

"Cherie," Remy took a swallow of coffee. "Should we get him some Twinkies for helpin' us out?"

"He'd like that." Marie giggled. "Though Ah don' know if we should be feedin' his Twinkie issues."

They looked at each other and burst into laughter. "Dat's bad." Remy said and restrained his laughter to snickers.

Etienne passed he paper to Theoren. Theoren inhaled his coffee and Marie casually reached over and thumped him once, hard, on the back. Theoren nodded his thanks and set his coffee cup down. "Merde, Remy, are yah _tryin'_ to offend half de town?"

"Only half?" Remy blinked. "Merde, Remy was hopin' for _all_ de town."

"We don' know." Marie said. She narrowed her eyes and rolled them at Remy.

He winked at her. He would have stuck out his tongue, however, that would probably have lead to some serious making out. It would not be appreciated at the breakfast table. Marie ducked her head and smirked.

Theoren handed the paper back to Marie. Marie looked it. "It's a nice picture though."

"That's the only _good_ t'in' to be said about it." Jean-Luc said from the head of the table.

Marie finished her plate and pushed it away, rereading the announcement again, picking up her coffee in one hand. She didn't have anything to say to Jean-Luc who had made his disapproval so clear she wasn't about to get into it with him again.

Remy got up for a third plate, his shoulders stiff. "Remy t'ought it was funny." He muttered.

Everyone but Marie and Remy looked at Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc carefully set his utensils down. "Dere is _nothin'_ about t'is situation dat is funny."

Marie didn't look up from the paper. "On the contrary, Emil found it hysterical."

Emil paled and decided he was going to hide behind his coffee.

Jean-Luc exploded. "Keep your low uncouth opinions to yerself."

Marie lowered the paper and turned her head and looked at Jean-Luc, meeting his eyes squarely. She raised one eyebrow at him. She couldn't care a bit of his opinion about her. If he wanted to continue, she would be more than happy to respond. Remy turned, his jaw clenched and he set the plate on the sideboard so he wouldn't blow it up. This was his _wife._ There was no reason for his father to be constantly insulting her. Marie snorted once and turned her head away from Jean-Luc, raising the paper again. That's what she thought.

Jean-Luc gritted his teeth. "Show me due respect."

"Yah first." Marie said mildly.

Jean-Luc's nostril's flared.

Remy slammed his plate down onto the table. "Papa, she is mah _wife._" He glared at his father. "Treat her wit' respect dat de title deserves."

Stunned silence fell over the table as they stared at Remy. Henri's brain stuttered. Remy hadn't just taken Marie's side over Papa's. He hadn't. Henri swallowed hard. Remy had.

Jean-Luc glared back at Remy. "Mon fils." He started.

"No." Remy gritted out. "Ah want yah to treat her de same yah treat Mercy. Marie is now yer daughter too."

Theoren and Etienne looked at each other. This could not be happening.

"T'is is not de same situation as Mercy." Jean-Luc said softly.

"Ah don' give a flyin' fuck dat de situation ain't de same." Remy's voice hardened. "Yah would treat a guest dog bettah t'an yah are treatin' mah wife."

"And just how long is she goin' to remain yer wife before yah go back to yer womanizin' ways?"

Remy's face turned red. "Part of t'ose weddin' vows include bein' fait'ful. Ah made a promise before _God._" He reached over blindly and rested his hand on Marie's shoulder. Marie set her coffee cup down and reached up and took his hand in hers. "Ah ain't goin' to _cheat_ on Marie or divorce her."

Jean-Luc stood up. "We leave for Mass in ten minutes." He walked out.

Remy stared after him. His hand tightened on Marie's.

Henri found his voice. "Remy, what do yah t'ink yah are doin'?"

Remy turned his glare to Henri. "Standin' up for mah wife."

"Sugar," Marie murmured. "Finish eatin', please."

Remy sat back down and refused to let go of her hand, going after the food on his plate like it had done him personal harm. He had been very close to slugging his father. He hoped that Henri would do the same if Papa insulted his wife. He looked at his brother and changed his mind, probably not. Henri would never have to defend his wife to Papa. Mercy was approved. Mercy was of the same social set and from a Thief family to boot. Mercy was _perfect_.

"Yah don't know her or even why yah married her!" Henri gaped at his brother.

Marie looked at Henri and tilted her head. "Yah do realize when we figure that out, that we don' have to tell yah."

Mercy bristled. "We're his famille!"

"And yah still ain't entitled to that information." Marie said firmly. "We may tell yah, but we don' have to." Who knew? Maybe the reason she and Remy got married was extremely private and personal. It was clear as day that Henri loved Mercy and that's probably why he married her, but she wasn't demanding the information from them.

Mercy's eyes narrowed. "We don' even know who yah are." She spat.

Marie grinned, amused. Some days she didn't know who she was. Remy pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth. He glanced at his wife, curious as to why she thought that what Mercy said was funny. "Yah ready, cherie?"

"Oui." Marie smiled at him, her face softening. They stood up together and left the dining room.

Mercy didn't bother to lower her voice. They heard it clearly in the hall. "Gold diggin' little tramp."

Remy started to turn around and Marie tugged on his arm, keeping him headed towards the door. "Really, sugar, if Ah was gold diggin' Ah'd do it a bit closer to home. Ah always thought that Warren Worthington the Third was cute and Ah know Betsey Braddock has a twin brother, not a mutant, but she is."

Remy's head whipped towards her. "Warren Wort'ington de T'ird is a mutant."

Marie grinned at him. "He's got wings, big fluffy white ones, much to his father's displeasure."

Remy blinked. He knew that the Braddock's were British royalty. "T'ey bot' go to yer school."

She nodded, then went up on tiptoe and kissed him. "But Ah married yah. Yah are much sexier."

He grinned. He sobered. "We'll ride in de second car with Tante Mattie, if dat's okay wit' yah, cherie."

"Ah like Tante Mattie." Marie smoothed his tie. "And Ah don' want to get into another fight with yer father today." She smiled at him. "Before Ah forget." She murmured and pressed her mouth to his, twisting her head. He wrapped his arms around her and sought entrance to her mouth so their tongues tangled. She bent one knee, raising her foot into the air.

He pulled away slowly. "What was dat for?"

Marie lowered her eyelashes. "Thankin' yah for standin' up for me."

"Ah like de way yah thank me," He grinned. He opened the front door and escorted her to the car that wasn't holding his father. Alphonse opened the car door for them and Marie murmured a thank you as Remy helped her in. The rest of the family came out a few minutes later, Tante Mattie getting in with them and there was a bit of milling around as they all realized Remy had changed cars thus upsetting the natural order of things.

Mattie shook her head. "T'in's aren't goin' any bettah today, honey child."

Remy put his arm over Marie's shoulders and tugged her closer so their sides touched. "Non, Tante."

Mattie tsked her tongue.

They didn't say anything else the whole way to church. The family had their own pew and Remy escorted Marie to it with a minimum of fuss. Throughout the service, Marie let Remy guide her, standing when he did, sitting when he did. She shook her head. Catholics did everything backwards compared to Protestants. She wondered if the Method brothers and John Calvin and the like had gotten together and decided that if the Catholics did things one way, they were going to do them the opposite. That scenario kept her amused for quite a while as she listened to the Latin phrases and responses.

Father Jerome stood and beamed at his congregation. "Before Ah begin my sermon, Ah am delighted to announce dat Ah had de privilege of joinin' Monsieur Remy Lebeau and Anna Marie D'Ancanto in holy matrimony t'is Friday afternoon. May we all share in t'ier joy as t'ey go forth in life as one bein'."

Whispers ran through the church and heads craned to try and get a look at whom Anna Marie was. Remy felt Marie take his hand and he looked down at her, flashing a smile. She smiled back.

Father Jerome began his sermon and heads gradually turned back to the front as people realized that they needed to pay attention. Remy squeezed Marie's hand and decided that he needed to give the church a donation for marrying them on such short notice as a thank you. He'd talk to Marie about it after Church. As usual, his mind drifted to the little things, like the sun through the stained glass shining on Marie's hair, the sweetness of her scent mixing with the smell of warm candle wax, the curve of her cheek, the press of her thigh against his, the warmth of her body. His leg jiggled.

Marie glanced at him once, she grinned and then turned back to the sermon ignoring it.

Father Jerome finished and the choir sang and there was the benediction and it was none to soon for Remy. It wasn't that he minded church. He just got bored and lost focus. Today, he could pretend at least to have an excuse. He was newly married and his attention was, as it should be, on his wife.

They stood and Remy escorted her out of the pew and into the throngs of people. Marie tucked her arm around his and moved as close as she could to him. He glanced at her.

"Ah ain't really a crowd person." She said softly.

He didn't have a chance to answer her before they barraged with people coming to congratulate them on their wedding and introducing themselves to Marie. Remy lost track of how many hands he shook and how many times he said thank you and that he was very happy. Marie had to show off her wedding ring and Remy pretended not to notice that she shook with her right hand and kept her knuckles bent when displaying the ring to curious strangers. He also pretended not to notice her unease around so many people as she was doing a good job of hiding it behind her sweet smile. Her head swam with names and faces and she hoped that she wasn't going to have to remember any of them. She could tell that some of the younger women that introduced themselves were genuinely happy for her, while others wanted to scratch her eyes out.

Remy wasn't sure how they got to the door and Father Jerome. Jerome beamed at them again and Marie remembered to compliment him on his lovely sermon picking out one of the details as her favorite. Remy reminded himself to thank her later, as he couldn't remember a thing about it.

"Merci Dieu." He breathed once they were out of the church.

Marie brushed hair away from her eyes. "Maybe we should've had a receivin' line."

"Like Fat'er Jerome?"

"Next to Father Jerome, so everyone could get it all out of the way at once." Marie grinned at him.

"Remy understands why people have receptions." He shook his head and led her to the cars, hoping that they weren't holding the family up.

"Yah didn't pay a bit of attention to the sermon, Sugar."

Remy flushed. "Remy gets distracted." He kissed her cheek. "Ah'll thank yah bettah later for keepin' Remy from anot'er scold." He said. Alphonse opened the car doors for them and Remy helped her in. He sat next to her and looked her in the eyes. "Ah was t'inkin' dat we could make a donation to de church for marryin' us, maybe to de orphan adoption fund?"

Marie bit her lip and put a hand on his knee. "That would be nice."

He sighed. "Papa will call it a bribe."

"Even if we're doin' it after the fact? Father Jerome didn't make any noises about us promisin' him money."

"True." Remy nodded slowly.

"It's a fine idea, Sugar. Ah like it. Now, if we were givin' Logan somethin', like beer. Ah'd call that a bribe."

Remy chuckled.

* * *

They ate lunch in icy silence. At the end, Theoren set his napkin on his plate and turned to Remy.

"Dere is information dat Ah'd like yah to look o'er." He said quietly.

"Somet'in' wrong?" Remy's brow furrowed.

"Non. Ah'd just like yah to see it for yerselves and give me your opinion."

Marie nodded. "We can do that."

"Plus, dere is some minor accounting that needs to be gone over in regards to de weddin' expenses." Theoren stood up. "Yah know where to find me, Remy, when yah two are ready."

Remy picked up his coffee cup. "Oui, Theoren."

Theoren left the table and Marie finished her plate. She leaned back in her chair and let her gaze drift towards the window. Money, now there was a conversation she wasn't looking forward to having with Remy. She had not been joking when she said she was broke. As of Wednesday, she had enough money for the hotel, a few more of near the same price and enough gas to get back to Xavier's. She'd gone to bed thinking about turning around and going back before she had to resort to alternative measures to get money to be able to do so. In all honesty, she hadn't stolen the motorcycle and took off to get in trouble. She'd just needed to think, to be able to make decisions outside of the pressures of everyone and she'd done that.

"Cherie?" Remy asked.

"Hmm?" She turned her head.

"Yah ready to see Theoren?"

She waved a hand. "Yeah, sorry, mind miles away for a minute there."

"Where was it?"

"Jackson." She said softly. In Jackson, she'd been faced with a choice of going back or turning herself in. She wanted to go back to Xavier's and then the exhaustion of running all the time made turning herself in tempting. It was a moot point now. She smiled at Remy. "It don' matter no more."

Remy stood and held out his hand. "All right."

She took it and let him help her up. They left the room together and Remy led her back further into the house. "Yah know," She murmured. "Yah ne'er did give me a tour of this place."

"Remy would, cherie, but we ain't had de time." Remy opened the door to another hallway and after a few more turns, opened yet another door into a room with several television screens, computers and all the modern paraphernalia that was needed to run a business.

Theoren turned in a desk chair and nodded. "On de desk o'er dere are de receipts dat we found in yer pockets. We don' know how much money yah had on yah, but we t'ought it would be good to see if it totals out."

Remy sighed. He knew why Theoren wanted it, just in case they'd missed an expense or something else that was important. It didn't make it any less tedious.

"Yah got scratch paper?" Marie asked. She reached into the side seam of her dress to what looked like a pocket, but really wasn't, and pulled out a roll of bills from where they'd been hiding under her garter belt on the inside of her thigh.

Remy blinked. "Where were yah hidin' dat?"

She smiled at him. "Someplace yah don' look."

"What else are yah hidin' under dat dress?"

Marie sighed and reached in again, pulling out the knife and flipping it open. She pointed it at him. "Any other questions?"

Remy raised his hands and took a step away. "Ah didn't even see yah put t'ose on."

Marie flipped the knife closed and put it away. "Yah weren't supposed to." She found a chair and sat, pulling the smaller pile of receipts to her.

"Yah went armed to _church._" Theoren gaped at her.

Marie began to sort them by date, pushing the slips of paper away that weren't from Thursday and onwards. "Mmmhmmm." She put down the money she'd had on the top of a random piece of paper and didn't look up.

Theoren looked at Remy. "Just what type of woman did yah marry?"

"One that tries to always be prepared." Marie answered.

"Who attacks at church?" Theoren widened his eyes.

Marie crossed her legs. "Someone who don' give a shit about propriety and manners and there are lot more of them out there than yah think. It's a mindset." She shrugged. Logan was the furthest thing from a boy scout she'd ever met (especially since Canada didn't have Boy Scouts) but he did adhere to some of their principles, like be prepared. He really liked that one. Used it as an excuse to torture _everyone_.

Remy sat down next to her and pulled his own pile of receipts toward him, ones he recognized from the day before. He didn't bother to organize them, but put the money he remembered having at Café Du Monde and started to list the totals off the receipts, labeling the expenses as he went down with the dates.

Marie had seven receipts when she finished sorting. She put their amounts down and subtracted by hand each one. Then she counted her money.

"It totals." She said. She frowned. Apparently, she hadn't paid for any of the wedding at all.

Remy reached for the calculator and punched in numbers, counting out bills with his other hand. He finished both at the same time, checked the number on the calculator, wrote it down and compared it to what he had in his hand and blinked. "It's too much."

Theoren frowned. That was not what he expected. "It can't be too much."

Remy set the money down, totaled the receipts, added how much it probably cost to put in the wedding announcement and subtracted it from how much he had on Thursday morning. He circled the total already on the paper and then recounted the money. "Theo, it's too much." He turned and held the paper out to Theoren. "Ah had close to a hundred thousand on me and we spent near seventy-five mostly on de dress, jewelry and hotel. So, Ah should have about twenty-five left. Ah've got near fifty thousand."

Theoren frowned. "Yah shouldn't carry dat much cash in de first place." He read down the list and glanced to Marie. "Yah didn't pay for anythin'."

"Ah bought lipstick." Marie said, her voice full of irony. "Ah'm broke, Theoren. Ah've got maybe a thousand and that was what was supposed to get me back to New York."

Remy frowned. "Who has been payin' for yer schoolin' t'en?"

"Charity case." Marie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "There's a lot of them at the school." She looked at him and half smiled. "Orphans and runaways." She looked at her glove-covered hands. "Some with mutations so extreme, that they've become a danger to themselves and others, maybe for the rest of their lives."

That was why the DNA test was so important. If the mutants had it, if the good mutants, the responsible humans had this test, not to commit genocide to all mutants before birth, but to be able to identify them, these children could be trained. They could be watched and maybe, maybe there would be fewer accidents, less deaths, less children running away or forced out onto the streets. Maybe there could be fewer Rogues. She reached down and in anger, pulled of her rings, pulling off her gloves and almost throwing them on the table, before putting her rings back on, her movements convulsive and jerky.

She wasn't Rogue anymore. She had _control._

Remy reached over and grabbed her hands. "Cherie. Marie." It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she had been one of those mutants. Hell, he'd been one of those mutants. It was only through pure luck that he felt he'd gotten control and Remy still wasn't sure why Jean-Luc hadn't thrown him back out into the gutter where he'd found Remy. Marie closed her eyes and let him pull her close.

Theoren had questions about what they were talking about, but decided to ignore them in favor of more pertinent questions. "So, if t'is is too much, what did yah do Remy?"

Remy looked up from where he had his head buried in Marie's hair. "Ah don't know."

Theoren sighed. "Okay, theoretically, what might have yah done?"

Remy put his chin on Marie's head and thought about it. "Mais, Ah could have wit'drew money from one of mah accounts, but yah would have gone lookin' for dat."

"Right." Theoren nodded.

Though, Remy thought he might have been able to pull it from the accounts that his family didn't know of and he was sure he had a few of those. Call it abject paranoia or whatever they wanted, but he had more false identities and more money squirreled away just in case of something. He didn't think about whatever that something was. "Or, Ah could have grabbed some from one of mah bolt holes." He shrugged. "Dat's easy to check."

"If yah are you." Theoren muttered.

Remy smirked at him. "Or, Ah might have played poker."

Theoren sighed. "Which is improvable."

"Because of de amnesia problem everyone else is havin'." Remy didn't nod. He couldn't with his head on top of Marie's.

Theoren sighed. "Will yah look into it, or do yah want us to?"

"Ah can do it." Remy rubbed Marie's back. "If it's really all dat important."

"Yah have twenty-five thousand too much and yah ain't worried even a little?" Theoren rubbed his forehead. "Remy."

"Too much is bettah than not enough." Remy defended. "Ah'll check, mon Dieu Theoren. Yah have got to give me a few days." He doubted he had pulled a _job_ in New Orleans the night before his wedding.

Theoren leaned his head back, his dark long hair falling backwards and he groaned. "Fine. A few days and dat is it." He turned the chair. "Here, Ah've got dem cued up in order, what security tape we could find of de two of yah since dat mornin'." Theoren passed the remote over.

Remy took his head off Marie's as he felt her start to move. He took the remote from Theoren and he and Marie looked at each other. She swallowed hard. Remy kissed her forehead and she smiled at him. He started the tapes.

It was the oddest thing he'd ever done. It was like watching a totally different person walking about. Remy leaned backwards, pulling Marie with him and toyed with her fingers as he watched them, first separately at places like Café Du Monde, gas stations, random street cameras, the seedy motel where Marie had taken a room. Marie bit her lip as the tapes played. The room stayed silent, as there was no sound.

Henri opened the door and joined them crossing his arms and resting against the back wall. They didn't notice.

Remy stilled when they got to the bar. He found himself and Marie, watching intently. Marie talked with a guy, Gregory, another Thief. Gregory did something and Remy could tell he must have been watching from across the room, as Gregory didn't have the best reputation when it came to women, he'd started towards them, but Marie deflected Gregory just before he got there. He'd introduced himself, they started to talk and he'd ordered them drinks. What were they discussing? He couldn't read their lips well enough to tell given the grainy video.

Marie shifted. "Ah wanted to dance." She murmured.

Theoren frowned. "How can yah tell?"

"Body language." Marie said.

Remy stopped it and went back, this time watching Marie. "Ouias." He murmured. He snickered as not a few seconds after he'd stopped the tape, he'd pulled Marie out onto the dance floor. "Dat dress really is somethin'." He muttered.

Marie elbowed him. "Hush, Sugar."

They danced and sometime in the middle of it, he leaned down or she went up, Remy couldn't tell, and they'd kissed, pulled away, _looked_ at each other and kissed again long and slow.

Suddenly, Remy understood. He felt Marie tense, her body like electric in his arms as she figured it out too. They watched the rest of the videos in silence. Watched him take her back to that hotel and disappear from the video. Watched them at Café Du Monde holding hands and talking with their heads close together over coffee. Watched them at the jewelry store, leaning over the counter and pointing at rings. Watched Marie drift around the department store doing her makeup and video of her coming and going from the bridal shop, them at the receiving area of the restaurant, them at the bakery and the liquor store, them at the desk of Hotel Maison de Ville and while Remy noted details and the idea he should get a menu and so on, the fact that he knew why he married Marie resonated in his body and bones.

The tape finished and he shut it off. "Ah get it now." He said, looking down at Marie. She smiled up at him.

Theoren's eyes narrowed. "Yah know how it happened?"

"Non." Remy picked Marie up and set her on her feet. "But Ah know why." He couldn't verbalize it. He just knew and that was it entirely. Watching that kiss, seeing their faces, they had known this was it, that they were the ones for each other. And he couldn't explain it without sounding like a lunatic. It was a feeling, a certainty without hard evidence behind it. They fit, like puzzle pieces maybe. Or there was just something that he couldn't put his finger on with words but from that kiss forward he'd acted on it with dead certainty that it was the right course of action to take.

"T'en why?" Henri growled from the door.

Remy and Marie looked at each other and grinned. Remy wrapped an arm around her. "Ah can't explain it. Ah just know."

Marie reached over and grabbed her money and gloves. "Now, is there anythin' else?"

Theoren glowered. "Yah two are goin' to give me a headache. Why, Remy?"

Remy shrugged helplessly and picked his money off the table. "Ah really can't explain it. Yah are just gonna have to figure it out for yerself."

"Ah've watched these tapes three times already and Ah don' see whatever it is yah are talkin' about. Yah talked, yah drank, yah danced, yah kissed, what's de big deal?"

Remy's lips twitched. "De ot'er person doin' de talkin', de drinkin', de dancin' and de kissin'?"

Marie hid her face in his neck and then gave into the temptation to kiss his pulse. Theoren made a noise in the back of his throat. Remy raised an eyebrow at him. Theoren put a hand over his eyes. "Remy, contain yer wife."

Marie snorted and then laughed, pulling her head away from Remy's neck. As if anyone, husband included could contain her. She walked away from Remy, hips swaying. Remy's eyes dropped to her ass and then he started after her. "Wait up, sha." He grabbed her hand. "We should go out tonight."

Henri scowled. "Why?"

Remy blinked. "Why what? Why did Ah marry Marie or why go out on a date?"

"Not that either are yer business," Marie reminded Henri.

Henri glared at her and tried to make his face milder as he turned it to Remy. "Yah didn't notice anyt'in' about how t'is could have happened?"

"Non."

"But yah know why?"

Remy smirked. "Oui."

"Okay, t'en why?" Henri asked.

"Ah really can't explain it. Try explainin' de wind." Remy raised a shoulder.

Henri looked at Marie.

"Oh no. Ah ain't even gonna try. It's personal." Marie tugged Remy forward.

"But yah know." Henri sounded quite skeptical.

Remy and Marie looked at each other, grinned and looked away. Remy went along with Marie's tugs. Marie rested her head on his shoulder. "Ah accept yer offer of a date tonight, Sugar."

"Bon."

"Where should we go?" She asked.

Henri stared after them, brow furrowed, completely baffled.

"De bar? See if we can burrow out some memories?"

"Oh, good plan, dangerous. Ah like it." She said as they turned the corner.

Remy snickered. "Now all we have to do is survive t'rough dinner."

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it is pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Marie receives an invitation over dinner, they remember something they forgot, plus they manage to go on a date..._


	9. Chapter 9

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Nine: Day Two, Part Two**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Two, Part Two, During dinner Marie and Remy something they forgot and Marie brazenly pushes the Lebeau's tolerances and Remy's self control on their date to a bar, which is always the cause of trouble.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! Apparently, yes Canada _does_ have boy scouts (Rogue and I didn't know this and apparently neither did Lost). And now I get to have another scene to write for a sequel, but it's an amusing scene. And if anyone is interested in soundtrack music, at some point in this chapter, please feel free to cue up George Thorogood's Bad to the Bone. **Rated M for Mature Content**

Last time in Complicated Situations... _The Lebeau's, including the new member of the family went to church, but not before there was a fight over breakfast. The two figured out why they got married and planned a date._

Between the second and third course, Anastasie leaned over Marie's shoulder, a silver salver in her hands. "Madame Marie, t'is came for yah." She said softly.

Marie picked an expensive vellum envelope off the salver. "Is there someone waitin' for a reply?" She asked and looked at the front. She didn't recognize the name, however it was indeed addressed to Mrs. Anna Marie Lebeau.

"Oui, Madame."

"Merci beaucoup, Anastasie." Marie murmured. "May Ah have a pen, si vous plait?"

"Bien sur, Madame."

Marie unfolded the back of the envelope and pulled out a card. She scanned it and blinked. "Remy, who is Garnette Ranoux?" Her tone filled with 'and why should Ah care?'

"One of de daughters of Malcolm Ranoux, de eldest." Remy tilted his head. "He has t'ree girls and one boy, de boy is de youngest."

Marie nodded. "And where do the Ranoux' fit in N'Awlin's society?"

Remy's brow furrowed and he started rattling off a list of names that were organized by how long the family had been in New Orleans, how rich they were and how much political influence they had in and out of the city, the most powerful families have all three and the least having only one quality. Marie glanced around the table and hid her smile at the looks of bafflement and downright confusion on the faces of the other family members. Apparently, this was Remy's own private ranking system and probably had nothing to do with what the actual social rankings of the families actually were. He finished and reached for the salt.

Anastasie returned with a pen and retreated to the wall to wait.

"Thank yah, Sugar." The Ranoux' weren't at the same power ranking as the Lebeau's in Remy's opinion but were powerful enough in their own way. "Now, how popular is Garnette?"

Remy paused, saltshaker over his food and he turned his head towards her. "What?"

Marie did hide her smile behind the card. She could tell that Remy had not a clue what she meant, which was rather sweet on his part. She bet he danced with every girl in the room. She lowered the card once she was sure she had her smile under control. "At a dance, would Garnette be in the center, at the outskirts or next to the wall?"

"Oh." Remy shrugged. "De outskirts."

Perfect. Marie looked back at the card. "She would like me to go shoppin' with her for a dress on Monday mornin' for an upcoming soiree. Ah'd like to accept, if that is all right with yah, Sug?" She asked.

Remy could feel the shock and confusion ripple around the table. He didn't quite understand himself why Marie was asking him for permission to do something as mundane as _shopping_. He set the saltshaker down and looked at her. He raised an eyebrow in question.

She raised one back. "Logan."

The one word explained it all. If she was out and Logan did return earlier than she expected, he would be the one who would have to keep him chained. Remy nodded. "Oui, go ahead." He should be able handle Logan for as long as it took to call Marie on her cell phone. His brain stuttered and stopped. Marie started writing. He stared at her hands. Marie finished her acceptance, signed her new name with a flourish and stuck the card back into the envelope. Anastasie returned and placed the salver in front of her just as Marie raised her hand with the envelope. Marie started but placed it on the salver with a murmur of thanks. Anastasie left the room. Remy continued to stare at Marie.

"Sugar?" She reached over and caressed his cheek.

"Our cell phones." He murmured. "We didn't check dem."

Marie stared back at him for a second and then slapped her hand over her eyes. "Oh good God. How stupid can we be?"

"Very." Henri said.

"Shut up, Henri." Remy snapped.

"Yah got married and don' remember. Dat takes a very special level of stupid." Mercy rolled her eyes.

Marie lowered her hand. "The question was rhetorical." She looked back dinner. "It can wait five minutes." Not that the food was enough to feed a child much less two maturing mutants.

Remy pushed away from the table. "No. It can't." He was going to have to feed them again anyways. Marie set her fork down. She thought about chiding Remy and forcing him to sit back down. She looked at his face and then grinned. He grinned back and pulled out her chair. She grabbed his hand. He helped her up and pulled her from the room. Marie giggled and took a half skip to catch up with him. The family stared at their backs. "Our room, quick." He whispered.

She laughed and they dashed up the stairs, ran down the hall and enter their bedroom, shutting the door behind them as if they were escaping the Inquisition.

"Phone, phone." Marie muttered and found it on his dresser. She checked for messages and didn't find any. Logan was still in Europe or flying, hopefully.

Remy pulled his phone out of his dress coat pocket. "Yah took yer knife, but not yer phone to church?"

"Logan is in Europe and no one else important has the number." Marie walked backwards and flopped onto the made bed, her hands manipulating the settings on her phone. Her eyes widened. "Oh, pictures!"

Remy sat down and then stretched out next to her. "Really?"

She adjusted the phone so he could see it and started to scroll through them. "Outside the bar?" She asked. He snickered and put a hand on her stomach.

"De alley. We must have been makin' out, cherie."

She turned her head and grinned. "Nice."

He leaned forward and kissed her. "Oui."

She continued to scroll through them. "So, the park where we had the weddin'."

"It's mornin', though."

"Huh." Marie bit her lip and kept going. "The Café, oh, the rings, me tryin' on dresses. Oh dear, they did try to get me in others." She winced. "The salon. The weddin' itself, the weddin' rings, Us at dinner, the cake!"

"Oh bon, it had frostin' and it's pretty." He said.

"Was pretty. We ate it."

"Oh, de champagne. Ah'll get us anot'er bottle."

Marie went to the next picture and blushed. "Um, Remy, maybe we shouldn't give these to yer folks."

Remy bit his lip to keep from laughing. He held it back. "So, we did have a good time."

Marie's jaw dropped and her eyes went back to the picture of Remy stripping. She looked at him and then burst into giggles, throwing her head back. Remy laughed with her, rolling onto his side and putting his face into her neck. He kissed the bruise he'd made on their wedding night. Marie brought the phone up to her eyes and scrolled through the rest of them, each one a bit racier than the last. She blushed but felt parts of her start to tingle and ache.

"Let me see, cherie." He said. She scrolled back to the one she'd finished on and handed it to him. He scrolled through them and he stopped laughing. "Merde." He muttered.

"Yer phone now." Marie poked at him.

Remy frowned as he saw he had a picture message he didn't remember having, as he never had picture messages. He didn't recognize the number either. He opened it and his eyes widened. He shifted upwards and showed it to Marie. She stared at the picture of him down on one knee and her holding his hands blushing but smiling broadly.

"Oh, Remy." She murmured, her eyes shining.

He set the phone down to the side and kissed her lips, her mouth parting and her tongue seeking his. He'd done it. He'd proposed properly, sure, there hadn't been a ring, but there'd been one knee and one very happy Marie. She moaned and he pulled away slowly. She smiled at him. He cuddled back up next to her and went after his pictures.

"Lessee, you, you, more you, you again, us, you," He commented. She poked him. "Oh, here we are, de weddin' night."

She giggled. He scrolled through them and she stopped giggling and squirmed. "Ah ain't that sexy." She murmured.

"T'is is proof ot'erwise." Remy smirked. "Mah sexy cherie." He agreed with Marie though, there was no way he was letting his family see those particular photographs. "In dat sexy black dress."

"Most of mah dresses are black." She reached up and rubbed the back of her hand along his cheek.

"Oh, bon, yah get to be sexy all de time." He said. She giggled. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "But yah know de one dat Ah mean, wit' de swishy skirt dat shows off yer legs."

He finished with his phone and tossed it over his head. He didn't feel like calling his voicemail and checking back messages at the moment. He turned his head to her. "So, about dat date?"

Marie grinned at him. "Oui, we should get dressed and get out of here while we still can."

He widened his eyes. "Hadn't t'ought about dat." He sat up and Marie giggled, curling up on the bed. He looked at her. "Cherie?"

"Ah'm tryin' to decide what to wear."

"We're goin' to a bar."

"But Ah've got so many _choices_." She wrinkled her nose at him.

He rolled his eyes and bounced off the end of the bed. Marie rolled over onto her other side to watch him undress and then dress, her mind in a whirl of trying to remember what clothes she had and what clothes she didn't and trying to find some sort of clue to what she should wear from what he was wearing. He wasn't being at all helpful with his American uniform of a t-shirt and jeans. She eyed the way his pants fit over his ass for a minute. He turned, leaned over and kissed her quickly.

"Remy will be downstairs getting de motorcycle ready."

"The motorcycle?"

"It's a double."

Her eyes widened and she nodded.

He left the room, the door shutting behind him. Marie sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She looked at the door and then down at her dress. She bit her lip and smiled as a plan formed in her mind. So, Remy's family didn't like her? Let's see how they would deal with the real Anna Marie. She narrowed her eyes. Let's see how _Remy_ dealt with the real Anna Marie. She stood up, and reached up behind her, unzipping the dress. It fell to the floor and she headed for her bag.

* * *

Remy entered the front hall and ran a hand through his hair. He turned to the hall mirror and pulled the chain around his neck out from under his shirt and hoped that Marie wouldn't take too long getting dressed. He'd known Southern Belles that took hours. He sighed and leaned up against the wall and scuffed his boots together.

Henri exited the parlor and stopped when he saw Remy waiting.

"So, was dere anyt'in' interestin' in yer phones?"

Remy smirked. "Just pictures."

Emil stuck his head out. "Pictures? Ah heard pictures."

Remy snorted. "T'ey are only interestin' if yah want more details about de weddin', which none of yah care about." As they didn't care about his marriage at all, only that it was an imposition into whatever plans or expectations or, well, he wasn't sure what they were against.

Theoren shoved Emil to the side. "Dere might be some more clues as to what happened to yah."

Remy shifted on his feet. "Not dat Remy saw."

"We need to seem dem to make sure." Theoren scowled at him.

"Remy will print de pertinent pictures tomorrow." Remy waved a hand.

Henri's eyes narrowed. "What are yah not tellin' us, mon frere?"

Remy didn't get a chance to answer. Henri wouldn't have liked his answer anyways. Remy heard footsteps on the stairs and glanced up, seeing Marie's high heels. He knew he was in trouble when he saw she'd reattached the chains. He stilled and mentally began to swear, his heartbeat increasing.

Marie came down the stairs, hips swinging and over a tiny leather mini-skirt she wore one of his button up shirts. It looked exactly like the one he'd just taken off and it probably was. Henri and the cousins turned their heads to look as they noticed his attention wasn't on them anymore and they stared. She strutted past them and stopped a six inches away from Remy.

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Isn't dat one of mah shirts, cherie?"

She smirked at him, lips shiny. She reached out and plucked at his tight black t-shirt. "Well, Ah would've taken the one yah are wearin' but then the bar wouldn't serve yah." She paused and tilted her head, lowering her eyelids covered in dark eye shadow. "But, if yah don' like it." She started and reached up and undid the buttons one at a time. "We can just leave this here." She straightened her arms and let the shirt fall, catching it with the tips of her fingers, revealing a bunch of chains masquerading as a necklace, a thick upper arm bracelet and one very tight black bustier that made her tiny waist seem that much smaller.

Remy's eyes widened. His heart thumped once and stopped for a few seconds. The bustier made her ample cleavage seem just a little bit deeper. He reached a hand out and snagged the shirt from her fingers and then ran the free fingers up her back, looking down and seeing the strip of skin between the hem and the waistband of the skirt or should he say several belts over the skirt. He looked up at met her eyes, pulling her closer. "Ah t'ink we best take it, just in case yah get," He paused. "Cold."

She smirked. "If Ah get cold, yah ain't doin' yer job correctly." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Uh huh." Remy muttered and leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. He brushed the tips of his fingers on his other hand against her legs, feeling the soft silkiness of her thigh highs. Her mouth opened and he tangled his tongue with hers, tasting her and the sweetness of peaches and strawberries. They pulled apart slowly and he stood straight. He spun slowly, making sure that he was still holding her as he did. They walked to the door.

Marie glanced over her shoulder, a smug smile on her lips. She waved a hand at Henri and the cousins. "Yah'll have a good night now."

They stared at her, jaws slightly agape. She and Remy fit their walk together like they'd been doing it for years. Remy opened the door and they headed down the stairs and he flung the shirt over his shoulder.

The door shut.

No one in the hall moved as they heard a motorcycle start up and head up the drive.

"Holy shit," Etienne breathed, breaking the silence.

Emil laughed. It sounded strained and no one joined him. Henri turned his head and looked at Emil. Emil's laughter trailed off strangled under his gaze.

Jean-Luc walked out of a nearby room. He paused seeing them all standing there motionless. "What de hell has gotten into yah?"

Theoren jumped and started. "Ah was-"

"Office, hidin' in mah office." Etienne said and took a step forward, running into Emil who was muttering something about the paper. They both took a step back, shook their heads, took a step to the same side and did so again before finally getting it right, half bowing to each other.

Henri shifted. "Wife, have yah seen mah wife, Papa?" He asked. Jean-Luc's brow furrowed. Henri shook his head. "Nevahmind, probably where Ah left her." He took a step towards the door. "Wrong way." He spun on his toe, walked past Jean-Luc.

Theoren looked both ways. "Ah'm goin' dat way." He pointed in a random direction. "For bourbon." He said and exited hastily.

Jean-Luc frowned at the now empty hall. "Mais, dat was odd." He murmured and didn't move for several minutes.

"Monsieur Lebeau?" Anastasie asked coming out of the dining room.

He smiled at her. "Ah was headed somewhere, but Ah can't remember where it was."

Anastasie nodded once slowly. "If yah say so, Monsieur. Bonne nuit."

Jean-Luc shook his head quickly. "Bonne nuit." He smiled, turned and walked towards his office, wondering what had gotten into everyone.

* * *

Remy stopped the motorcycle in front of the bar. It had a name, the Guild members never ever bothered to call it by it. It was just 'the bar.' Remy kicked the stand of the motorcycle down, dismounted the bike and turned holding out a hand for Marie. She smirked at him, took it and swung her leg over and having them meet before getting down, thus making a much more dainty dismount of the bike.

She looked up at the sign and her brow furrowed.

"Ringin' any bells?" He asked.

"Nary a one." She looked at him. "Just, it ain't the type of bar Ah'd usually go to if Ah had my druthers." She said. Remy looked at her for a few minutes. She bit her lip. "Which are the same type of bars Logan tends to go to." She clarified.

He snorted and they entered the bar together. "Logan takes yah to bars, cherie."

"It's either Logan or go with Scott." Marie glanced over at him. "Scott's choices in bars, or shall we say 'clubs' and Ah ain't exactly compatible."

Remy led her towards the bar and found a place near the end of it with an empty stool. He helped Marie onto it and leaned against the bar. "T'ose yer words or Scott's?"

Marie grinned and crinkled her nose. "Logan's." She said. She hadn't ever asked, a bit afraid of the answer. She was pretty sure Scott had at one point, but it was hard to tell when Scott was giving one a strange look over something Jean had said, Logan had said or something one had actually done. Remy snorted and caught the bartender's gaze, putting up two fingers. The bartender grinned, his teeth flashing against his dark face and nodded. Marie glanced around and relaxed a little, the interior was more like she was used to. She ran a toe up and down Remy's leg and leaned a little closer to him. He grinned at her. She batted her eyelashes. "Anythin' on yer end?"

He leaned down and put a hand on her thigh. "Remy can pull a hundred memories out of t'ese walls." He said and pressed a kiss to her lips. "But not de ones Remy wants." He said as he pulled away.

"Damn." She muttered and put a hand around his neck, tugging him back down for a quick kiss.

The bartender slid two squat glasses towards them and left.

"Bourbon?" Remy asked.

Marie blinked. She didn't even know how he had ordered without having to show ID. But if she remembered from the tapes, he'd done the same thing the night they met too. She shook it off and half-grinned and picked up a glass with her free hand. He straightened. She lifted it up. "To trouble, Sugar."

He laughed. "Trouble, cherie." He said, they clinked the glasses and took judicious sips of the amber liquid.

Across the room, Julien Boudreaux, Remy's rival and self-proclaimed arch-nemesis sat at a corner table and watched the couple flirt. He didn't frown, but watched, fingers playing with his glass, blue eyes bright. He didn't know the girl, dressed up like some sort of slut with delicious curves and red hair. Julien preferred blondes, but with a body like that, he could settle for a redhead. Julien didn't care who she was, it was the fact that she was with Remy flirting with Remy, teasing his hair with her fingers and stroking his shoulder the next second. And Remy, in Julien's opinion, was the second best man in N'Awlins. And if she was willing to spend time with Remy, she'd be willing to spend time with him. He shifted in his seat and smiled watching and waiting for his chance.

It wasn't long in coming. One of Remy's friends approached him and interrupted the blatant flirting the two were doing.

"Remy, mon ami."

Remy tore his gaze from Marie's. "Not tonight."

"At least come and say hi. We ain't seen yah in a few nights, beginnin' to worry if yah were all right."

Remy glanced at Marie and their lips curved up into smiles. "Remy's tres bien." He said.

Marie laughed low in her throat. "Oui." She said. The guy's brow furrowed in confusion. Marie lifted her hand and brushed Remy's cheek. "Yah go and say hi. Ah'll be just fine right here. If Ah move, we won't get the seat back."

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Yah sure, cherie. T'ey are just in de back, playin' poker."

Marie's eyes widened. "Ah'm stayin' right here. If Ah start playin' we'll never leave."

Remy's eyes lit up. "Yah play poker." He almost purred it.

She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Not tonight."

Remy laughed and leaned down, brushing a kiss across her lips. "Remy will be right back, ma cherie." He murmured. He walked away. Marie watched him go and smiled, picking up her glass to sip from it.

Julien knew his opportunity when he saw it. He got up, made his excuses to his tablemates and approached the belle femme who was now alone, an easy target. "Bonjour, ma cherie." He said and smiled at her.

Marie turned her head a little to look at him. "Do Ah know yah?"

He half bowed. "Non. But Ah would like to know yah. Julien Boudreaux."

Marie's lips twitched and she crossed her legs. She wanted to roll her eyes at his oozing sense of superiority. "Rogue."

He frowned. "Dat's not a name."

"Mais, sugar, yah said Ah don' know yah." She smiled at him and took a sip of her bourbon. "So, that's all yer gettin' until Ah've got bettah reason to give yah somethin' else."

"Does Remy know yer name?"

Marie laughed. "Of course." She was married to the man or had this idiot not noticed the thousands and thousands of dollars worth of diamonds on her hand. She gave him a second look, slick suit, slick blonde hair. He probably hadn't. He wouldn't pay attention to such things unless they were important to him.

"T'en Ah see no reason dat yah can't share wit' me de t'in' yah gave so easily to him." Julien's eyes flicked down her figure. She was more beautiful up close.

Marie restrained her temper, as she knew exactly what he was implying. "It's strange lately how many people Ah've run into who feel that they are entitled to everythin' about a woman." She took a sip of the bourbon. "When they ain't owed a damn thin'." She added.

"Remy certainly feels dat way." Julien made a slight gesture with his hands.

"He is the only one that has the right."

Julien smiled. "Yah play wit' words so easily, cherie. Do yah play wit' other t'in's?"

Marie's eyes narrowed. "Sugar, yah ain't near prepared to handle me."

"Dat good."

Marie's hand rose.

Remy grabbed her wrist and glared at Julien. "Julien, Ah'd take it as a courtesy if yah wouldn't flirt wit' mah _wife_." He glanced at Marie, her eyes still on Julien. "Ah'm beginning to see what Logan goes on about." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles.

"Yer wife?" Julien gaped at Remy. Remy had gotten married. When had this happened? And why did _he_ not know about it?

Marie shifted a little to look at the man she wanted to deal with, rather than the one she wished would just leave. "Last time, Logan started it."

"Last time?" Remy put an arm around her, resting his hand on her stomach. This sounded like a story he needed to hear. "Oh?"

Marie wiggled up against him. "He took me to Harry's. Ah met a boy, cute, not mah type, but cute nonetheless. Well, we're doin' a little flirtin' while Logan had gone to get a beer. From across the room, Logan sees this boy do somethin' _he_ feels is inappropriate." Marie rolled her eyes. "He stomps over, slugs the kid right in the jaw, sends him flying into a table. Next thing yah know _half_ the bar is involved." She took a sip of her drink and looked Remy in the eyes. "So, I picked up his beer bottle and hit him over the head with it." She smiled. Remy guffawed. Marie lifted her eyebrow and lowered it. "_Someone_ had to do it." She took another sip. "The man has a constitution of a _rock._ He turns to me and starts yellin' that he was on my side!" She sighed. "The poor boy was only tryin' to ask me to dance!"

Remy laughed, leaned down and kissed her, pulling her off her stool. She barely had time to put her drink down before he spun her about and pulled her onto the dance floor.

Julien stared after them, not at all sure what to think or do. The bartender came over and collected the glasses. Julien turned to him, sure that he would know something. "Remy got married?"

The bartender frowned and then watched Remy and Marie dance and saw light shine off the diamonds on Marie's rings and Remy's wedding band as Remy rubbed his hand flat against the small of Marie's back. "Huh, so he did."

"Yah didn't know." Julien's eyes widened. "Ah didn't know. Who de hell knows? And why don't de rest of us know?" He couldn't quite comprehend it and there was also the fact that Remy hadn't married Julien's sister who had had her heart set on him since childhood.

The bartender left him to his brain scramble and headed over to the other side of the bar. He unplugged the music and as if this was some sort of signal the entire bar quieted. He grinned as everyone turned to look at him, including Remy and Marie.

"It has come to our attention dat de most charmin' ladies man in N'Awlin's history, Remy Lebeau has up and tied de knot to a belle femme dat, Ah'm sorry, bebe, Ah don' know yer name."

Marie ducked her head and blushed. "Anna Marie."

"Congratulations and condolences." The bartender intoned. Marie laughed and Remy made a face at him. The bartender raised his hands. "A round on de house in honor of Remy and Anna Marie Lebeau!"

The bar cheered. Marie grinned up at Remy and pulled his head down for a passionate kiss. The cheers got louder and were intermixed with a few shouts. The waitresses shook their heads and went after the drinks that the bartender had just given away for their customers. The bartender grinned and started the music again.

Marie pressed her body tight against Remy's and slowly broke the kiss. She didn't break his gaze as they started to dance again, the music focused over the dance floor making it next to impossible to talk. They didn't need to talk. They let their bodies do the talking for them. Their feet making patterns as their bodies pressed against each other, lips occasionally brushing, their hands joining and holding and teasing. The pulse of the music became the pulse of their hearts and they could feel the ache of sexual desire building inside them.

It was close to midnight before they left the floor, hand in hand, heads close together. Marie clung to his bike on the ride back, her lips trailing up and down his neck. He parked the bike in the garage and pulled her off the seat.

"Little tease," he muttered and kissed her, walking backwards.

She moaned, opening her mouth for him and letting their tongues glide and dance together. She pulled back. "Sugar, is there another way in?" She tugged at his t-shirt, pulling it from his pants. "Ah don' want to use the front door."

Remy grinned at her and for a second debated using the kitchen entrance, but knew that she'd probably have the same problems with it. "Remy knows." He said and winked at her. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and tugged her forward.

She giggled and caught up with him. He led her to the tree outside their window. He let go of her hand and jumped up, catching the nearest branch and swung up around on top of it. He looked down. Marie looked up at him, lip between her teeth as she seemed to be considering something. He held out his hand and she grinned, bottom lip still caught in her teeth. She shook her head and looked down, raising her legs at the knee to take off her shoes. She passed them up to him and then jumped upwards and grabbed the branch, pushing herself up until the branch as at level of her stomach, she folded in half, spun around and set her knees on the branch as she came back level with it.

He snorted. She lowered her eyelashes and smirked at him.

He grinned and leaned over and kissed her quickly. His cherie knew how to climb trees. He handed her shoes back to her and worked his way upwards. From time to time he glanced down to look at her. She watched the route he took, admiring his ass in those tight jeans and once he put an arm around her to 'steady' her. Marie snickered, and 'helped' him up to the next branch with a hand to his butt. He glared down at her and she fluttered her eyelashes at him. He grinned. Soon, they were level with the window. He walked over and out of his boot he pulled his tool kit and deftly picked the simple locks that were the only thing that Jean-Luc bothered to put on the windows. He used the branch as a springboard and entered his room.

He turned, but Marie was using it like a walkway as well and even though he _thought_ that it was too far for a person to step, that's all she seemed to take and she had a foot on his windowsill and then was in their room.

She rested her weight on one hip and reached out and dropped the shoes. She smirked at him.

Remy put his hands on her waist and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck. The lips lingered over each other, skin not willing to part as they pulled away. They looked at each other, breath mingling for a moment, lips slightly parted. He ducked his head back down, plunging his tongue into her mouth. She tasted so good. She groaned.

He picked her up and took a step to the side and then forward, shoving her against the wall. Her legs came up and wrapped around his hips.

Her back supported by the wall, Remy's hands were free to wander and they slid down her thighs, rubbing along her thigh-highs and pushing up her skirt. She tugged at the top of his t-shirt. He moaned and broke the kiss long enough to lean back and help her take it off, pulling it over his head, shaking out his hair and tossing it to the floor. She raked her nails down his chest and he hissed, ducking his head back down to kiss her more. Their hips ground together and Marie's hands went for his belt buckle.

It took a few more seconds than she wanted to get the belt buckle out of the way, so she could undo the button on his jeans and undo the zipper. She whimpered against his mouth as she reached down into his pants, finding him hard and hot for her.

Remy tore his mouth away from hers and swore at the feel of her hand on him. He gasped as she pulled him out. He reached down, fingers searching for the closures on the bustier and found one in the middle, the hook and eye like they used on a bra. He worked it out and the one underneath it, loosening her breasts. He wanted to see them bounce. His fingers fumbled as she ran a hand along him. He couldn't take it anymore. He pushed aside her panties with a finger, feeling heat radiating off of her and thrust, grabbing her hand and shoving it against the wall, fingers clasped.

She cried out and pressed her head back against the wall as he filled her core. Marie met his eyes and he leaned in and kissed her again. Their mouths worked as he pumped in and out of her, hot and wet. Her other hand wrapped around his neck and he grabbed her hip, bracing himself and kept going. She felt the ache building up in her, her breasts rubbing against the inside of her bustier, nipples hard.

He went faster, harder and their tongues tangled in time to their bodies. She began to shake, her thighs twitching and he could tell she was close. The ache exploded in her and she cried out, jerking against him. He continued to thrust a few more times, letting her ride it out and then he thrust as deep as he could get and exploded. She cried out again, the sounds muffled.

He slowly pulled away from the kiss and rested his head next to hers on the wall. They panted together. He turned his head and could smell her, oranges, honeysuckle, sweat, bourbon and sex. He kissed her neck, picked up her weight again, easing out of her as he did. He turned and set her on the bed on her back.

He shucked his shoes as she wiggled out of her skirt and her panties, even as she climbed up towards the pillows. His pants hit the floor as she tossed her thigh highs over the side and started to work on the rest of the bustier. He crawled up the bed and started kissing at her ankles, his hand wrapping around the top of her foot.

Again wasn't an option. Again was a necessity.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it is pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Monday, is never a good day and it starts out psuedo-well and then gets worse immediately over breakfast, and Logan returns!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Ten: Day Three, Part One**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Three, Part One: Tensions escalate at the Lebeau household and while Marie goes shopping Remy takes some desperately needed time to think. And Logan returns!  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! **Rated M for Mature Content**

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie went on a date, came home and things devolved into newlyweds essentially in their honeymoon phase._

_July 3rd, Day Three, Monday_

Marie woke to feel Remy's hand caressing her curves and his mouth pressing hot kisses against the junction of her neck and shoulder. She moaned deep in her throat too tired and groggy to do much more than that. Remy smirked and ran his nose upwards so he could put his lips next to her ear.

"Mornin' Marie sha." He rumbled.

She shivered and her back twisted as the vibrations of his voice worked down her spine and made the small of it tingle. She groaned, opening her eyes into mere slits. "Ah ain't awake."

He chuckled and nipped her earlobe before talking again. "Yer talkin'."

"Don' mean Ah'm awake." She closed her eyes.

He grinned. "Let Remy see what Remy can do about dat." He kissed down her jaw and snickered once as her head turned to meet him, so they could kiss. He slid his hand upward teasing her breast. She made a noise as he tweaked he nipple. Her mouth opened and he slid his tongue inside, not caring about morning breath or anything in his desire to kiss her. Her tongue played against his sliding and causing friction as the rough rubbed together.

He continued to play with her breasts and any sweet spot he could find along her torso, sliding his fingers over her skin before borrowing one of her tricks and using his nails. Her skin came alive under the sensations and she whimpered. Marie shifted her hips, trying to get enough room to roll over so she could return the favor. Their mouths fed off of each other.

He grabbed the hip he could reach and broke their kiss. "Non. Let Remy." He murmured.

Her brow furrowed as he half rolled and grabbed a condom out of the drawer, putting it on before coming back. He parted her legs, resting one on top of his and guided himself inside her.

She gasped and he bit back a whimper. It was always different from this angle, tighter, even if he couldn't get quite as deep.

She reached up behind her and wrapped an arm about his neck. "Remy, sugar." She said, tugging his head back down, tilting her head back so they could kiss again.

He murmured against her mouth. "Ma cherie." He started to thrust and she had to tear her head away to cry out as he worked inside her. He kissed down her neck, whispering French endearments. His hand slid south into her curls and parted her lower lips, finding her clit and rubbing around it in circles feeling how wet she was.

She started to twitch, heat spreading through her body, an ache growing. He continued to thrust inside her. He felt it building as well. Her mouth opened and she ground against him in little circles. Marie wanted, how she wanted more, harder, faster.

Remy grunted and increased the pace and rubbed her clit harder.

She jerked against him, the ache releasing, heat and tingles spreading through her entire body. Her inner walls tightened against him and he swore as he exploded inside her. They collapsed together gasping.

Marie gathered her thoughts first. She brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. He groaned and carefully pulled out of her. She smiled and rolled over to lie on top of him.

He grinned at her. "Awake?"

She half-smiled back and leaned down. "Oui." She said and brushed a kiss across his lips. "Sugar, it's a good thin' Ah'm on the pill, 'cause yer only rememberin' a condom about half the time."

Remy stared at her for a few seconds and heat rushed to his face, the tips of his ears and the back of his neck. Aww, hell, she was right. And safe sex was something that Remy had always prided himself on practicing. He squirmed under her and his mouth opened and closed. Finally, something came out. "Merde." He said. Marie held back a giggle at her husband's red face. He closed his eyes. Her lips twitched and she kissed along his cheekbone. He squirmed again. "Cherie, did yah-?" He wasn't sure how to ask the question without seeming rude.

"Those two days?" Marie asked.

"Oui."

"Yes." She pressed a kiss against his cheek. "And Hank would've mentioned if mah hormones were off too."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Desole."

Marie laid a finger against his mouth. "Don't."

His eyes opened. "But-"

She turned her hand and ran a thumb over his bottom lip. "Yer clean, right?" She asked. He nodded. She smiled. "Ah'm clean. It's all right."

He reached up and wrapped a hand around her waist. "Dat's right, Remy heard somet'in' dat sounded like _first._" He lowered his lashes and grinned at her.

Marie flushed. "It's a longish story." She reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "One we don' have time for before breakfast."

He snickered. "Uh, uh, uh, Remy was yer _first._"

She rolled her eyes. "Sugar, why am Ah thinkin' that yah have been first for a lot of girls."

"Because yah'd be right." He ran a hand up her spine. "By de time most of dem got experience, t'ey ran off after de guys t'ey really wanted." He said softly. "And t'ey weren't Remy Lebeau."

Marie made a raspberry with her lips. "Their loss, mah gain."

He tucked his chin down, his hair falling into his eyes. "Yah ain't mad dat Remy is experienced."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "After all the sex we've been havin' and me bein' very appreciative, yah have to ask?"

"Just makin' sure." He muttered. "Some femmes would be."

"Well, sugar, Ah ain't some femmes. Ah ain't _most_ femmes. Ah'm me." Marie leaned down and pressed a solid kiss to his mouth. She had far too many 'memories' of sexual encounters in her head to begrudge him his.

He moaned as she pulled away. "Bon." He said. "Ah'll try to be more consistent." He said and flushed. He couldn't believe that he'd been so caught up in the moment. He'd been forgetting to use protection.

She giggled. "Ah'm complimented dat yah forget."

His eyebrow rose. "Oh?"

She grinned at him like a Cheshire cat and rolled off of him. Her feet hit the floor and she stretched and then looked at him over his shoulder, glancing downwards and smirking at his predictable reaction.

He swore and threw a pillow at her.

Marie ran to the bathroom laughing.

* * *

Jean-Luc didn't glance up from his paper as they entered the dining room. Remy barely had a chance to pick up a plate and hand it to Marie before he started.

"No one heard yah return, mon fils." Jean-Luc said.

Remy picked up a plate and watched Marie take a large serving of grits. "Leave me some, sha." He whined. She wrinkled her nose at him. He pried the spoon out of her hands and took a serving before addressing his father. "It was late."

Jean-Luc rustled his paper and continued as if he hadn't heard. "In fact, Ah don' remember givin' yah permission to go out."

Marie's eyes widened. "We have to ask permission now?"

"Ah didn't address you." Jean-Luc said.

Marie stuck the serving spoon back into the fruit salad and sucked her cheeks in to try and control her temper. "Ain't that dandy." She said under her breath.

Remy's jaw flexed and he closed his eyes and decided to focus on the main argument for the moment and get back to his father respecting his wife later. "Ah didn't know dat Ah had to ask _permission_ to take mah wife out on a date. Or is everyone _else_ confined to de house too?"

"Did you remember anything?" Emil asked. He thought that Jean-Luc might forgive Remy if Remy actually remembered something of the previous two days.

"Non." Remy said shortly with his gaze on Jean-Luc. "Mais?"

"Merde." Emil muttered and ducked his head, digging back into his food.

Jean-Luc didn't look away from his paper. "Ah assumed given yer current situation yah would have more sense t'an to leave de house."

Marie strode across the room and set her plate down. "Well, Ah'm goin' out t'is mornin'. Yer permission need not apply." She pulled out her chair and sat picking up her fork. Jean-Luc's paper finally lowered and he glared at her. She smiled at him. "Remy already told me Ah could."

Remy set his plate down next to her and went after coffee, all without saying a word.

Jean-Luc folded the paper and decided to ignore Marie. "Yah have no idea what has happened to yah or if it could happen again. It is best dat yah stay here."

Remy set down the coffee and looked at his father. "So, Ah'm confined to de house?"

"For the time bein'."

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Yah know, whatever that happened could just as easily happen here as anywhere else and given that we only lost forty-eight hours of memory and got _married, _yah are being a mite overprotective."

Mercy snapped. "Yah shouldn't question de Patriarch."

Marie picked up her coffee and took a sip. "If it were an attack of some sort, strange as it may seem, it could happen _anywhere._" She'd been attacked at church, at her school, walking down the street. Though, Xavier's was more of a target given that it was a place where mutants gathered. "And the tapes indicate that we didn't act in any manner different than we normally do." She'd remembered to take her contraceptives for God's sake.

Henri's fork paused. "Yah got married."

"It was bound to happen sometime." Remy rolled his eyes. "Marie has a point. Bein' here or dere don' make much difference. Only if we are here and are hit again, yah will be hit too."

"Too many victims." Marie murmured.

Remy's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Somethin' Scott muttered as he passed me one day after talkin' with Logan." Marie snickered. "It was after they had an argument o'er Logan takin' me to bars and Scott feelin' Ah should go with him and the rest of the students to the club." She paused and took a bite. "Ah think. Or it could be Scott being wacky."

Remy snickered. "It makes sense t'ough."

"Ah didn't ask, Sugar. Ah didn't want to know. Scott and Logan talkin' and agreein' on anythin' scares the hell out of me."

Remy worked on holding back a smile and couldn't. It flashed across his face. "Why's dat?"

"Because Scott has a big old stick up his ass." Marie said and scooped up her last bite. She picked up her plate and stood up, heading to the buffet. Remy waited until she'd gotten to the buffet before barking a laugh. Marie snorted. "The worst thin' is for years they were goin' after the same girl."

Remy dropped his fork and started laughing, putting his hands on his temples and his elbows on the table. He wiped his eyes as she set her plate back down. "Scott's de one yah borrowed de bike from."

"Just followin' Logan's fine example." She grinned at him.

Remy's lips twitched. "Yah two are mean."

She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Downright _cruel_." She purred.

Jean-Luc growled. "Are yah two done flirting?"

Marie rolled her eyes. "No. But, do interrupt."

Remy frowned. "What were we arguin' about?"

"House arrest." Marie pointed at him with her fork.

"Right." Remy snorted. "Anyways, it could be a one time t'in' or just a fluke."

Jean-Luc scowled. "Ah want yah here where Ah can keep an eye on yah."

"That don' precisely work." Marie murmured. "Logan's tried."

Remy turned his head back towards his father. "Ah've t'in's to do around de house today before Professor Xavier shows up wit' Logan." And then, maybe then, his father would see the ridiculousness of house arrest and lift it.

Marie quickly finished the last bit on her plate. "However, Ah did agree to go shoppin'." She stood and when it was clear that she would have just brushed his cheek, but Remy turned his head and they kissed, their lips lingering over each other until Emil coughed. Marie stood up and rolled her eyes. "Ah'll be back before lunch." She smiled at him.

"Sayin' be careful is meanin'less, oui?" Remy smiled back.

"Ah'll do my level best." She winked at him and with a caress with back of her hand along his jaw. She left the room. They heard Anastasie say something to her outside the door and Marie thank her. Remy returned to applying himself to his plate of food.

Mercy hissed. "De nerve of dat girl."

Remy's fingers tightened on his fork. He wished that Mercy would just give Marie a chance. He forced his jaws apart and continued to eat.

Henri looked up. "What ain't yah tellin' us?"

Remy glowered at his plate. Henri had asked this last night and the answer hadn't changed. There were parts of his life, and that included his sex life that he'd prefer to remain private. "Not'in' dat yah would be interested in knowin'."

Henri snorted. "Dat's a cop out."

Remy threw his fork down, his temper getting too hot to even want to eat. "Yah don' care." He glared at Henri. "Not a one of yah care about my weddin'. So stop askin' about t'in's dat Ah'm holdin' back like yah do care. Ah told yah what Ah know and what we've discovered if it's pertinent. Outside of dat, yah don' care or yah need to mind yer own damn business." He stood and shoved the chair back. He left his plate and stalked over to the buffet. He loaded a plate with food that he could eat with his fingers.

"Yah don' know if t'ose facts are pertinent or not." Theoren said it gently.

His sex life was _not_ pertinent. Remy turned on his toe and headed towards the door. "Ah've got work to do."

"Remy." Etienne tried.

Remy turned out the door and headed deeper into the house without another word.

"Oui." Emil said and reached over for his coffee. "Dat went well."

* * *

Marie stepped out of the car and knew whom Garnette was by the woman near her age that perked up from the corner café where they had agreed to meet. Marie approached her hoping that she was right.

Garnette stood up, one hand checking her upswept dark brown hair and the other placing a hand at the vicinity of her heart. "Ah do declare, yah are prettier than even in yer picture." She smiled at her. "Yah probably don' remember me from church." She held out her hand. "Garnette Ranoux."

Marie took it and they shook. "Ah'm afraid Ah don't. Anna Marie Lebeau."

Garnette let her hand go and grinned. "And that must be a strange thin' to say."

Marie smiled back. "Ah'm still gettin' used to the feel of it. Please, call me Marie."

"And Ah haven't ever gone by anythin' but Garnette, at least it isn't a mouthful." Garnette waved a hand. "Ah shouldn't have put off gettin' a dress so long, but Ah just plum forgot."

Marie laughed. "Good for me, Ah haven't a thin' to wear and could surely use some guidance."

Garnette grabbed her purse and they walked down the street towards the nearest store that Garnette wanted to go to. "Yah are from Mississippi then."

"Oui, but Ah've been attendin' a boardin' school in New York." Marie brushed her hair behind her shoulder.

Garnette made a face as if to say, 'oh New York.' "What brought yah to N'Awlin's?"

"Travelin and then well, Ah met Remy and-" Marie shrugged. "It was all so fast."

Garnette sighed. "How romantic."

Marie glanced at the slim girl out of the corner of her eye. "Like a fairy tale." She bit her lip and wondered how she could politely ask if Garnette was mad at her or not. She couldn't remember Garnette's initial reaction to her at church. There had just been too many people shaking her hand and trying to get close.

Garnette smiled dreamily. "Yah are so lucky." She perked up and grinned at her. "Remy's so lucky! He's such a sweetheart and all the girls that had their hearts set on him." Garnette made a noise with her tongue. "Ah wouldn't wish them on mah best friend much less Remy."

"Even Bella Donna?" Marie's brow furrowed.

"Yah've met Bella?" Garnette's eyes widened and then she waved her hand. "Course yah've met her, Remy's best friend. She's been laid up for the last couple of days. Ah bet since she heard the news." Garnette made a 'if you know what Ah mean' face at her. Marie bit her tongue. Something like that, she thought. Garnette continued. Her blue eyes animated. "Even Bella Donna." Garnette nodded and opened the door. "There's a lot of broken hearts in N'Awlins."

Marie looked around at the racks and racks of dresses and wondered what type of shop that Garnette had taken her too. There wasn't a designer name on the door, but the inside was certainly a cut above the shops that she'd gone with Jean and Ororo on occasion. "Ah didn't mean to do that." She said.

"Of course yah didn't. It was bound to happen." Garnette laid a hand on her arm for a moment before moving off. "Don't blame yourself for somethin' they all set themselves up for." She snorted. "Remy's got more sense in his left pinky toe than those girls have all together. Ah figured he'd marry someone from out of town." She said. It seemed Marie didn't have to say much to keep Garnette talking. "Speakin' out of out of town," Garnette spun. "Rosaline is gone and we have to find yah a dress that will outshine her."

"Me?"

"Oh," Garnette sneered and it looked strange on her face. "Yah don't know Rosaline, but yah will. She'll make sure of it. She believes she is the one that makes N'Awlin's go round and well," Garnette flicked a wrist. "Let's just say, if Rosaline isn't happy. There are a whole bunch of us that will be." She smirked. "And since yah are married to Remy, she has a huge reason to not be happy to begin with. She's the one hostin' this little party." She added as an afterthought.

"Gracious, Garnette. Ah feel like Ah should be walkin' into a fight." Marie faked a gasp. She already knew that she was going to be swimming with sharks. She hadn't exactly anticipated that Garnette was going to provide them with ammunition. Marie didn't mind going into fights as long as she knew where she stood and she hadn't come here to get a dress anyways.

Garnette smiled sweetly at her. "Welcome to N'Awlins." She headed towards a rack, gesturing for a woman who had be unobtrusively hovering to help her.

Marie followed her and pondered the merits of discussing this concept of trouble and Garnette with Remy and knew it would be a lost cause. She swept her eyes around the shop. Maybe she should try to narrow down some choices. If only to save time and keep Garnette talking.

* * *

Remy knocked on Theoren's office door and opened it without waiting for a response from his cousin. He stopped as he saw his brother and the other cousins in conversation that suspiciously stopped as he entered the room. He paused and decided that he didn't care anymore. Let them gossip about him and Marie. They didn't have any ideas what was going on anyways. "Remy printed de pictures yah wanted." He said and came over and handed to Theoren.

Henri shifted in his chair and crossed his arms. "Why do Ah have de feelin' dat t'ey are highly edited?"

Remy ignored him. "Dere's no money missin' in any of mah accounts. Bein' housebound makes it impossible to check ot'erwise."

Theoren nodded. "Ah'll talk to Oncle about it. Are de pictures edited?"

Remy gritted his teeth. "Oui." He ground out. "And non, before yah ask, yah may _not_ have de ot'er ones." Him losing his memory did not mean that he'd lost all rights to privacy in his life. He was willing to open up his life to an extent in the advantage of finding out what happened. He had limits. Super sexy pictures of Marie's and his wedding night were over those limits.

Theoren flipped through the top pictures and he stopped at the one of Remy and Marie in the park, Remy proposing. He stared at it and the looked up at Remy and then back at the picture. Remy shifted his weight and crossed his arms, daring Theoren to say anything. Etienne leaned over and his eyes widened.

Emil reached over and snatched it off the top and started to sputter.

Remy smirked. He turned around and walked out. In the hallway, he heard Emil cry out from the room, "Yah proposed!"

Remy heard soft footsteps behind him and turned his head, his eyebrow rising as he saw Etienne. Etienne shrugged. Remy snorted once and they walked down the hallway in silence. Etienne wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't surprised when Remy opened the door to the back stairs that led to the side entrance of the upstairs ballroom.

Remy ignored Etienne. He needed to think and didn't care one way or the other if Etienne was there as long as Etienne was quiet. As Etienne tended to be the quieter of the two brothers, Remy didn't think he'd have a problem. Theoren was apt to ask intrusive questions in the guise of 'gathering information' or 'being helpful.' At the edge of the ballroom, Remy shucked his shoes, his shirt and his socks. He walked to the middle of the floor and stood there.

He inhaled.

He exhaled and started moving through his forms.

Etienne found a seat on the floor and watched, brown eyes thoughtful. Maybe Remy would talk about it. Maybe Remy wouldn't. One way or the other, Etienne would be there to listen.

With his body moving through motions he knew so well he didn't have to direct them and it looked like he was doing something important, Remy could let his mind wander. He caught a glimpse of his wedding band on his hand. So, he was married. It didn't seem as bad as his famille was making it out to be. He'd always wanted to get married at some point. He didn't want to spend his life alone and now he wouldn't have to. He supposed he should try to see it from his family's point of view.

He'd gone missing. He didn't remember anything. He'd gotten married to a complete stranger under mysterious circumstances. She was an orphan, broke, and a mutant.

She was beautiful, sassy, sweet and adorable.

She and his father were headed towards another fight.

Merde. He and his father were headed towards another fight if his father didn't start to treat his wife…

…His beautiful, sassy, sweet, sexy, adorable, spicy, pushed all the buttons he loved, wife…

…Whom he'd married under mysterious circumstances after going missing (at least to his family) and losing his memories (on his end) for two days…

…With some respect.

He still wasn't sure he saw the problem here. If he hadn't been adopted by Jean-Luc, he'd be broke, an orphan still and a mutant. Merde, if he hadn't been adopted, he most likely would be dead or in jail or stolen for some sort of mutant experimentation by the government. He'd heard rumors and had discovered just enough of fact for him to think those rumors might be true. He didn't like needles, being caged and hospitals enough as it was without the idea of being captured for what came down to torture. They could label it science as much as they wanted. It didn't change the fact that it was torture pure and simple. He repressed a shudder.

It was a fact as well though, that his adopted family had money and for all of their lives they had had money. Jean-Luc, as much as Remy loved him, did not know what it was like to be without that one integral towards a better life resource. His family, they were educated and had given him that same gift. And above all, they were family. In times of trouble, they had each other to fall back on. They just didn't know what it meant to be alone, to have no one to rely on but oneself. And for ten years, Remy had done just that, scrabbled for his food, fought for his bit of space in the world, stole what education outside what he'd been allowed. Fagan's rules and his protections had only extended so far and after that Remy had been on his own and Fagan made sure Remy knew it. (Remy also knew that Fagan wasn't the old man's real name, but it was an acceptable term of address.)

He and Marie had a lot in common, probably a lot more than anyone in his family realized.

She had manners, or enough to please Remy who didn't really care so much for them other than the fact that they could get him what he wanted. So, she was brazen. It probably was one of her ways she exerted her power over her space. It was her way of taking control.

It excited him. It made his heart pound.

_She_ excited him with her appreciation for little things like perfume and jewelry and chocolate cake. And kisses that tasted of peaches.

…Peaches…

In little black dresses that swished around her legs.

Marie made him laugh. Happiness, he hadn't felt this happy since, since, he'd figured out what Jean-Luc meant by saying he was adopting Remy. Or was it when he'd scraped enough money to buy the horse he'd painstakingly befriended over months while he'd been hiding in the stables during his street years, the horse that was so wild that no one else could get near him much less ride him, a horse that no one had wanted, like no one had wanted Remy.

That horse had been the first thing that had truly been his. He still owned that horse.

Like the room really wasn't his. Jean-Luc had let him pick the art, sure, but had manipulated the choices. Remy had come to terms with it, but it didn't make the room his.

Marie was his. Someone that he had chosen, he'd proposed to, he'd arranged the marriage with, a marriage that they had both wanted, the way they had both wanted it.

Dieu, he wouldn't give her up for the world.

So, he didn't know a lot about her. There were things that needed answering and that took time and privacy, something that his family hadn't been giving him the last few days. And so they'd gotten married under strange circumstances. They were legally speaking, adults, it was their decision and their lives. He knew _why_ he'd married her even if he couldn't properly put it into words. So what? Social niceties and proprieties be damned. If they were happy, whose business was it of anyone else's?

Remy spun about on one foot and kicked the air.

Etienne looked up as the door opened. Marie entered the room and her eyes lit up as she saw Remy working out in the middle of the floor. She shut the door behind her, back to the door, both hands on the handle. She glanced down and winked at Etienne.

Etienne didn't wink back. His brow furrowed.

Marie took off her shoes and socks. She walked out into the middle of the floor and ducked under Remy's spinning kick and as she came up, blocked a punch on her arm, throwing one past his ear with her other hand.

"Cherie?" Remy's eyes widened.

She smirked at him. "Yah looked bored and lonely out here, Sugar." With that, she lowered her shoulder and threw him down. "Care for some company?" She asked, leaning over him.

Remy stared at her. His eyes narrowed. He swept one leg out, catching hers, bringing her down and rolled them over. "Sure t'in'."

He hadn't bound up her arms. She threw a punch at his chest and forced him to back off. She arched her back and sprang to her feet. They circled once and he kicked out at her, aiming high. She crossed her arms in front of her face, blocking it. And the fight began.

He soon figured out that she was a brawler and so tried to keep her at a distance. She grinned at him and caught his leg, spinning up it to get close to him again. They danced a different type of dance than the one at the club across the floor. They looked at each other in the eye, from time to time, eyes darting to the shoulder or the center of the chest to try and see what was going to happen, if their eyes didn't tell them.

The door opened again. Logan entered the room, stopped and smelling a third person, looked down and saw Etienne. He grunted. "What's goin' on?"

Etienne shrugged. "He was practicin' and she joined him and so t'ey are sparrin'. Ah guess."

Logan grunted again, shut the door and leaned against the wall. He watched the two. He half-smiled. Gumbo wasn't that bad. Logan recognized some of the forms Remy was using and wasn't too surprised by the different types of savate, though how Remy had learned street savate, Logan didn't know. Perhaps there was a good story behind it. The acrobatics were an interesting addition however to the style. He winced as Remy took Marie down and then nodded as she knocked him off balance enough to roll out of the way and instead of running. She came up right under him and punched him.

"Marie, tighten that elbow!" Logan barked out.

Remy glanced at the door, twice. It cost him. Marie threw him to the ground.

"Pay attention to her, Gumbo. Not me!" Logan said again. "Good job, Marie."

Marie snickered and backed off. Remy rolled to his feet. They turned, once again circling each other. Logan growled at the healing scratch marks on Remy's back, but didn't say anything.

They started attacking each other again.

Logan's eyes narrowed as Rogue knocked Remy off balance. "Gumbo! Move that foot an inch inward and she won't be able to do that. Damn it, Marie, stiffen that elbow!"

They kept going, Logan occasionally barking out advice until he realized at some point he'd lost their attention. It could have been the one time when Remy had thrown her, he'd caught her hip or instead of punching him, she'd laid her hand flat on his chest. Or it could have been the time where their heads had gotten so close that they'd accidentally kissed instead of Marie head butting him like she should have. Logan preferred the accident explanation over what he feared was the correct and purposeful one.

Logan sniffed and knew what had happened. He shook his head, peeled off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and stalked out to the dueling couple and with and expert grapple, he threw Marie one way and Remy the other.

They rolled to their feet and looked at each other. Marie's grinned and she bounced on her toes. "Rules?" She asked.

"Anything goes, kid." Logan smirked. "You two against me."

Marie edged over to stand by Remy. "Even our powers?"

By the door, Etienne frowned and mouthed the word, 'powers.'

"Anything." Logan nodded.

Marie turned her head towards Remy. "Just don' hit him in the balls." She said. Remy's eyebrow rose. She bit her lip. "He won' be nice after that."

Remy nodded once.

"Kid, I ain't nice to begin with," Logan said.

Marie made a raspberry and attacked. Remy dodged around to Logan's other side and tried to catch him off guard. Logan fended both of them off, going to one knee to get out of the way of Rogue's punch and taking Remy's kick to the shoulder. He spun around, trying to knock both of them off their feet. Remy flipped over backwards and Rogue dodged out of the way.

Etienne watched. He thought that Logan might go after Remy, but Logan went after Marie. She jumped backwards to evade his punches. On the third leap, something happened, Etienne almost didn't see it, there was a noise of metal grating against metal and suddenly there were three long knives coming out of Logan's knuckles pointed at Marie's stomach.

Remy panicked. His hands flew to his cards and he had four between his fingers and flying before he even thought of it. The first card hit Logan in the shoulder and exploded, spinning him about while the next three hit him successively straight in the chest, throwing him backwards away from Marie and towards the wall.

Marie threw up her hand.

Logan fell to the floor with a large thud, the room shaking and his ears ringing from the sound of the explosions. A large wound seeped blood around the burnt black edges in the middle of his chest, a smaller one on his bicep.

Logan shook his head once. "Damn, Gumbo, that almost tickled."

Remy panted, his shoulders heaving. He stared as metal in the shape of ribs glinted in the morning light before the wound started to _heal,_ pulling the blood in with it.

Logan got to his feet, his chest completely closing as he did. He stretched out his other arm and popped his other set of knives. He grinned at Remy, chin tucked downwards. Remy didn't have time to think about Logan and whatever Logan's powers were, Marie was already acting.

Marie hit him from the side. Remy came in on a slide and took out Logan's leg. Logan fell and had to retract his claws before he impaled himself or the floor. He swung around and elbowed Marie.

The multiple doors were flung open as Jean-Luc and the rest of the family ran in weapons in hand.

Etienne's eyes widened. "Stop!" He shouted, jumping to his feet and getting in front of Theoren who had come through the same door he and Remy had used. The family stopped.

Remy stayed in close, both attacking him at once by mutual unspoken agreement trying to keep him busy so he couldn't pull his knives on them again. Remy punched him and Logan swept his arm around it, grabbed Remy by the elbow and tossed him. Remy threw his weight to the side to keep close and landed on his feet as Rogue tried to knock Logan off balance by kicking at his knee.

Etienne swallowed hard. "T'ey're sparring." He glanced back as Remy executed a cartwheel style kick, hitting Logan twice. "Ah t'ink." He added in a mutter.

Logan knocked Marie away. She executed a tumble in midair that didn't look like it was possible by the laws of physics and landed on her feet, before springing back into the fight. Remy used the time to keep Logan busy with a string of kicks and punches that Logan blocked on his arms, legs and shoved aside with his hands in some form of Japanese martial art.

The family looked at each other and it was with obvious reluctance they put their weapons away. But they couldn't seem to stand still. They walked the edge of the ballroom with the doors in it watching, not able to intervene but not willing to leave either as the combatants danced across the floor.

Logan laughed and for some reason that Remy couldn't figure out, he spent more time taking Remy's blows and dodging Marie's. Logan dodged her succession of punches that drove him straight into Remy's fists and feet but he didn't seem to care about that.

Logan knocked them away again and before they could recover, he had his knives out.

The family stopped dead in their walking and stared. Emil's mouth opened and shut several times and he almost pointed at Logan.

Remy vaulted to his feet from his back. Marie tumbled and then rolled into a crouch facing Logan. "Stay back." She shouted at Remy and then contrary to her own advice, she went in.

Remy pulled out his cards and watched with eyes narrowed as Logan continued to try and dodge her, swiping at her with his claws. He saw an opening and charged a card lightly and threw it, letting the charge go before it hit anyone.

It exploded near Logan's head, knocking him off balance.

Marie dodged inside Logan's range with his claws, tucked her weight underneath him and threw him to the ground. The floor shook. She paid no attention as she grabbed his wrists in her hands, swung around, putting a knee on his chest.

Henri's jaw dropped.

Jean-Luc's face closed as he evaluated what had just happened. Though he still did not have enough information to form many conclusions. Marie was dangerous and trouble. He didn't want or need any more trouble near his son.

Logan strained his head to look back. Remy stood nearby, another card in his hand and it, and his eyes were _glowing_. Yep, he was dead. Marie had him skin to skin and Gumbo looked ready to blow his head off. He retracted his claws. "Good work." He said.

Marie squealed, face lighting up. They'd won! She let go of Logan's wrists and threw herself bodily at Remy. They tumbled backwards. She plastered her lips to his. Remy threw the card away to catch her and they hit the floor and rolled a few times. The card exploded in empty air. Marie ended up on top. Their mouths refused to part.

Mercy's mouth curled in disgust.

Logan sat up and rubbed his wrists. Damn it. That was exactly what he'd been trying to _prevent._ "Kid." He growled.

No response.

"Stripes." He tried again.

Nothing.

"Rogue." He snarled it.

Nothing.

"_Marie!" _He shouted.

She made a noise of protest, but raised her head, lips swollen. Remy saw her neck and didn't bother to even try to resist. He kissed down her neck.

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Gumbo, that goes for you too."

Remy sighed and rested his head on the floor, his hand running up and down Marie's back.

"Chuck is going to be here after lunch. So you two best get cleaned up and be _presentable_ before he gets here." Logan stood.

Marie's brow furrowed. "Yah left him by himself?"

Logan shifted his weight and didn't meet her eyes. "'Ro is with him."

Marie's mouth formed the word 'Oh,' as her eyebrows rose. She rocked back onto her heels and stood, holding her hand out for Remy. No one in the family expected him to take it. Remy grabbed it without hesitation and used it to spring to his feet. He pulled her close and kissed her again.

Logan growled. "Gumbo."

Remy flipped him off with his left hand, using the ring as a pointed reminder that he was Marie's husband.

Logan rolled his eyes. He went for his clothes. _Teenagers._

Marie pulled away and snickered. They walked towards the clothes as well and Remy blinked as he realized the entire family was watching them. He raised an eyebrow at Etienne. Etienne shrugged raising both hands and lifted his eyebrows as if to ask what Remy expected. Remy winced. Oops.

Marie didn't bother to put her shoes back but just stuffed her socks into them picking them up. Remy put his shoes and shirt back on and they and the family started heading out of the doors. The younger ones all went down the back stairs into the house along with Logan.

Emil frowned and looked around as if finally coming to his senses. "So, yah didn't buy a dress?"

Marie snorted. "Ah wouldn't do that without Remy bein' there." She grabbed Remy's hand and winked at him. Remy winked back.

"What, yah couldn't make a decision?" Mercy sneered, tucking her arm around Henri's.

"No. Ah could make a decision just fine." Marie moved closer to Remy. "Ah just want him there."

Henri rolled his eyes, assuming the reason from his limited experience of shopping with girls. "You seem capable enough of holdin' yer own packages." He said.

Marie's eyes darted towards Mercy and she frowned. Hadn't Mercy ever clued her husband in to why women took men shopping? Or did Mercy just not take Henri shopping with her? "Ah am."

Logan snorted. "Then why is it 'Ro takes me out with her every time she needs a new dress?"

Marie looked upwards and then turned her head and looked over her shoulder at Logan. Men were utterly clueless. "And just how many of those dresses end up in shreds on her bedroom floor?" She asked. Logan's face went blank and she could see him thinking about it. She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Do yah still think that yah are goin' along to hold _packages_?"

Henri's head swiveled around and he gaped at both them.

Remy snickered and moved closer to Marie. "When is t'is soiree dat Garnette was buyin' for anyways?"

"Tomorrow." Marie turned her smirk upon him. "Ah was so hopin' to borrow yer hands tomorrow mornin', Sugar." The woman had promised to open the shop for her being that tomorrow was the fourth of July.

He grinned. "Ah'll be more t'an happy to hold packages for yah, cherie."

Marie tossed her hair. "Buyin' a dress today weren't the point anyways."

Logan suddenly seemed to reach a conclusion. "You went shopping?"

"Ah stayed put in N'Awlins. Don' throw a hissy." Marie rolled her eyes. "Yah would approve of mah true and nefarious purpose."

Logan nodded slowly once. "And what was that?"

Marie turned her head and grinned at him. "Recon." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Information." She rounded out all the syllables.

Remy laughed and tugged her towards the set of stairs that led to their bedroom. "And did yah learn anythin' interestin'?" He asked as they went up.

Logan stayed at the bottom. "No sex!" He shouted up at them.

Marie stuck her tongue out at Logan, before answering Remy's question. "Ah did. Rosaline is out of town and holdin' t'is here shindig and wouldn't yah know it, Rosaline had herself a big old crush on guess who?"

Remy shuddered. "Remy don' have to guess, Remy knows." Not a chance in a frozen hell would he have married Rosaline. He barely danced with the girl and only out of social obligation. He opened their bedroom door and closed it after them.

Marie turned, dropping her shoes and pressed him against it, placing a hand over his shoulder next to his head. Their other hands still linked together. She smirked at him. "So, how fast do yah think we can disobey Logan?"

He grinned at her. It started slowly and took up most of his face. "Pretty fast."

She giggled and moved in closer. He kissed her. Her giggles turned into a moan.

They were fast, but not too fast.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me?_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Marie shows Logan the wedding announcement and gets a lackluster response, while Remy invites Logan to lunch with the family... that should go well._


	11. Chapter 11

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Eleven: Day Three, Part Two**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Three, Part Two: Remy invites Logan to lunch and over polite conversation the family gets a measure of Marie's 'family' and Charles asks hard questions that Marie and Remy aren't prepared to answer.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you!

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie sparred against Logan and through teamwork managed to win which got them a little excited..._

The moment they walked in the dining room once again holding hands, Logan knew. He didn't even have to smell the sex on them to know that they'd done it. He could just tell by Marie's posture and the look in Remy's eyes when he looked at her. It was there to see in the subtle glow of her skin and the satisfied swagger in Remy's walk.

It was fortunate for all concerned that Marie had a distraction ready. She let go of Remy's hand and bounced across the room. "Look, Logan!" She grinned and held out a piece of paper. She widened her eyes. "We put an announcement in the paper."

Logan took it, not quite sure he even wanted to know. He met her eyes. "Good for you?"

Her shoulder's dropped and her lips pressed together. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she took out her phone and took the announcement back. She held it up, took a picture of it and then dialed a number and held it out for Logan to see.

Logan's eyes widened. "Kid. Don't you-"

She smiled at him and hit send. She handed the paper back to him and raised her hand, counting down from five. When her thumb went down the phone rang. She grinned at him and answered. "Marie."

"Oh my God!" A female voice said clearly on the other end. "Oh my God. Oh my God!"

Logan twitched. She had to call the Firecracker.

"Hi Jubes." Marie kept her eyes on Logan and the grin didn't leave her face.

"Logan didn't say your husband was so mcDreamy!"

Marie blinked once. "What did yah just call mah husband?"

"He is! He is like, so mcDreamy." Jubilee gushed.

Logan laughed. It served Marie right for calling Jubilee.

"Just for the record, Ah am _never_ repeatin' that." Marie cocked her hips. "Really."

Logan put a hand over his eyes. "Stripes, hang up on the Firecracker."

"No." Marie wrinkled her nose at him.

"You are so _lucky_." Jubilee gushed on the other end. "I can't take my eyes off of him!"

"Hey!" Marie stomped her foot.

"Ohkay, like I so can, because that dress is so gorgeous. I can't even believe it and you look so amazing and just wow. What in hell did you do? Like, win the lottery! Because I want some, girl."

"He's got cousins." Marie snickered.

"Are they hot?"

"Ah can't say. Ah've been fully occupied."

"Damn girl, I do not blame you." Jube giggled. "We have to have a party. A _huge_ one, invite absolutely _everybody!_ Oh, oh, oh! Did you like the shoes?"

"Of course, I liked the shoes." Marie glanced down at her feet. "Yah almost had me convinced."

"I knew it! Like, I am the best!"

"The shoe queen."

"No. No. Like. Goddess!" There was a pause. "You wouldn't like, believe, the uproar you have caused around here. Logan freaked out on Thursday and I mean, freaked."

"Freaked." Marie raised an eyebrow at Logan.

"Totally, absolutely, out of his mind."

He lowered his hand. "Did not." Logan growled.

"He's right there isn't he? Muttering." Jubilee asked.

"Yep."

"You _freaked_." Jubilee said at him.

Logan shifted on his feet and glared at the phone. "That's enough."

"And Hank has disappeared into his lab muttering things like 'Fascinating!'" Jubilee popped her gum. "Which, you know, like, never bodes well for whoever he _finds_ fascinating. And Scott went over that bike with a fine tooth _comb_ for the twenty-four hours he had it before Logan took off again. You are so lucky that it wasn't harmed or I think Scott might have tried to kill you anyways. Oh, and he thinks your priorities are all screwed up, despite this detailed inspection. All this fuss because you got married! I swear, Bobby is going to freak!"

Marie paled and her knees buckled. She grabbed for the back of chair and found one. "Bobby?" She whispered. Oh God.

"Marie?" Jubilee asked.

Remy dodged over and grabbed her. "Cherie?" He murmured, trying to ignore the fact that after she had paled she'd said another man's name. He pulled out the chair and guided her into it, kneeling down next to her and grabbing her hand.

Logan's brow furrowed. "You forgot about the Icicle?" He grinned and tried not to snicker too much. That was just precious.

Marie went from pale to bright red in the space of ten seconds. "He dumped me right before school ended. He said he wanted _space_ like a state line and six hours weren't enough." She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "Ah don' want to talk about it." She didn't want to talk about the way he'd said the words and how they and his posture had screamed that he expected to take right back up where they left off when he returned. It was partly why she'd run. She'd run to make decisions and one of those decisions had been _not_ to take back up with Bobby. She'd made that before she'd crossed the Mason Dixon.

Logan growled and Remy's hand tightened on hers, his eyes flashing dangerously. She didn't want to talk about it. So they wouldn't. Remy could feel the heat of embarrassment or even abject humiliation that radiated off of her and her emotions. But he most definitely wouldn't _forget_.

"That's it," Jubilee said on the other end. "He's off my friend's list."

"Jubilee," Marie opened her eyes and licked her lips. "Could we keep this to those at the school right now?"

"You know, you so, like, owe me, right?"

Marie winced and bit the bullet. There was only one thing she knew that would keep Jubilee quiet. "Ah'll go shoppin' with you."

"Yes!" Jubilee hissed.

"No yellow, pink, and orange and _no_ pet stores." Marie said it firmly. It was best to lay down the law now.

Jubilee sighed. "Fine."

"Thanks for the shoes, Jubes." Marie said. She wanted to tell her thank you for being excited and happy, but it didn't seem appropriate in front of everyone. "Ah've got to run for lunch."

"You are soooo, welcome and I'm going to run and show this picture to John, like right this minute. He deserves a full out gloat."

Marie laughed. "He won't disappoint."

"Wait, I think he's told Wanda already. Is that okay?"

"Yah know Ah love Wanda." She caught Remy's eyes. "But not in that all fire passionate lesbian way."

Remy rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, because you have to explain that statement to me!" Jubilee laughed. "Can I show her? Please?"

"Just, tell her not to tell anyone else, including her ruthless father, psychotic twin brother or certain wild child we shall not name who likes to make things go boom."

"No Tabby, gotcha. Oh my God, she's almost as bad a gossip as me."

"Almost?"

"You're right, it's just not possible, I'm like, three times as bad. Tootles!" Jubilee hung up.

Marie hung up and let her hand drop to her lap. Remy reached up and took it in his other hand, rubbing her fingers. She smiled at him.

Logan finished reading the announcement. He sighed. "Kid, you're twisted."

"It's all true." Marie giggled.

"If you close one eye and squint real hard and that's the stuff I _know_ about." Logan shook his head. "That sense of humor of yours is going to get you in trouble one day."

"Yah mean it already hasn't?" Marie widened her eyes and disentangled her hand from Remy's to put it against her chest. "Good gracious me, Ah'll have to do somethin' about that."

Remy snickered and stood halfway up, leaning over and kissing her. "Don' leave Remy out of it."

"Oh yes, must include yah, sugar." Marie's eyes twinkled.

Logan sent a level look in their direction trying to decide if they were serious and then looked back at the paper in his hand. "Nice picture."

"We like it." Remy stood the rest of the way up.

Logan grunted.

Remy squared his shoulders, squeezed Marie's hand before letting it go and walked over next to Logan. Logan handed the paper back to him and his eyebrow rose as Remy carefully folded it before putting it away. Remy met his eyes. "Thank yah for lettin' me live." He said and held out his hand.

Jean-Luc paused in the doorway and watched, having barely having heard what Remy said and not at all understanding why Remy had said it.

Logan looked at it once. He looked back up into Remy's face and figured that he was being sincere and honest about it. He took Remy's hand and they shook. Remy didn't try to prove his dominance or use his powers on Logan. "You're welcome, bub."

Remy nodded and let his hand go. He understood that this might be a temporary thing and that Logan didn't approve. He could live with that. "Join de famille for lunch?"

Logan grinned. "Sure. Should be entertaining."

"Yah have no idea." Marie muttered from her chair.

Jean-Luc frowned and entered the room, finding his spot at the head of the table. Marie stood up and walked around the table to her usual seat, Remy rushing around and grabbing it just before she could. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. He widened his eyes at her. She rolled hers at him, but let him pull out the chair and seat her. Logan shook his head and sat down next to her.

Anastasie entered the room at the head of a line of servants. She set the main course on the table. Remy cleared his throat. "We have one more for lunch, Anastasie, si vous plait."

"Bien sur, Monsieur Remy." Anastasie curtseyed and with a quick glance at Logan full of disapproval she returned to the kitchen.

Logan pushed his chair back and balanced it on the hind legs and watched her leave. He shook his head. He'd have to remember to not put his elbows on the table or wipe his mouth on his sleeve. He grinned.

Theoren paused in the doorway as he saw Logan sitting in his usual chair. His hesitation only lasted a moment before he took the seat next to him, forcing Etienne down another spot. Etienne sat next to him and looked mournfully at his empty place setting. Anastasie returned from the kitchen and set his spot leaning over him.

"Merci, Anastasie." Etienne murmured.

The rest of the family gathered. Henri seated Mercy and Emil pulling out a chair across from Logan eyeing him warily.

Logan smiled at him and turned his head to Marie. "So, did I miss anything interestin', kid?"

"Church." Marie said simply.

Logan glared at her once and let the chair drop to the floor with a thump. "Not what I meant."

Remy snickered and picked up a dish, serving Marie and passing it to his father.

Marie fluttered her eyelashes. "Ah'm sorry. Ah forgot yah don't find church interestin'." She poured Logan a cup of coffee, then Remy and herself. "We did find some photographs on our phones. Would yah like to see the cake we bought?"

"No."

"Then, no, nothin' that would interest yah." Marie took a sip of her coffee. She set it down. "Some jerk hit on me at the bar Ah met Remy at though."

Logan sighed. "You took her to a bar, Gumbo?"

"We went on a date." Remy said and cut his meat.

"That's backwards." Logan muttered and filled his plate until there was absolutely not a single bit of plate showing. "So, did you learn anything?"

Remy smiled. "Dat Marie and bars are fun?"

Logan sighed.

"We didn't get in any fights. The bartender even toasted us." Marie smiled at Logan. "It was sweet of him, though Ah ain't sure why he was apologizin' to me." She looked at Remy.

Remy deliberately took a bite of food as not to answer. Emil snickered. Marie smirked and shook her head.

Jean-Luc looked down the table at Logan. "So, Mister?" He paused.

"Logan's fine." Logan replied.

Jean-Luc nodded once. "Logan t'en, what is your relationship wit' Marie?"

Logan raised an eyebrow. He'd been asking himself that very question for years. He couldn't figure out if he was some sort of father surrogate or a lion tamer or shining knight or somewhere in between.

Marie coughed and started to laugh quietly at the look on his face.

Logan lowered his eyebrow and narrowed his eyes at her. "Her teacher."

Marie set her fork down and worked on containing her giggles refusing to look at him.

Emil blinked, because Logan didn't exactly look like a teacher and given what they'd seen in the ballroom, he certainly didn't act like a teacher. "What do yah teach?"

Logan didn't even wait a beat. "Art." Martial Arts, the Art of war, it was all art.

Marie exploded into giggles again. She knew Logan's mind too well. She took a deep breath and leaned over to Remy, putting her lips next to his ear as she murmured. "What do yah call a man with no arms and no legs on a wall?" She leaned away.

Remy's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed for a few seconds.

"Marie." Logan growled.

Remy began to snicker. "Dat's awful."

Logan picked up his coffee. "Don't start."

Marie looked down her nose at him. "They're yer jokes, not mine."

Logan took a swallow of his coffee. "Doesn't mean you need to repeat them."

Marie batted her eyelashes. "Yes, Logan. Shall Ah repeat the worse ones then?"

"So, karate is a hobby then?" Jean-Luc said from the head of the table.

"No." Logan said.

Marie smiled. "Logan is also head of security."

Theoren's fork paused. "Where?"

Logan glared at Marie, but answered. "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

Marie smiled at him. "He protects us." Or he tried.

Logan sighed. "I am not a god damn hero."

Marie saluted and clicked her heels together. "Sir, yes, sir."

"Keep it up kid and I'll swat you into next week like I promised." He raised an eyebrow. "And this time I won't let Gumbo help you."

Marie grinned and hummed a little triumphant ditty under her breath. Logan decided it was in his best interest to ignore her. He took another helping of potatoes.

Mercy smiled and didn't look up from her plate. "Perhaps your school should teach a course on manners."

Logan's eyebrow rose again at that barb. "I'll suggest it, right after 'lying for fun and profit.'" He said without turning a hair. Marie bit her tongue but her shoulders were shaking. She didn't dare talk or it would lead to the list of courses that Logan thought the school should teach, like 'resurrection for dummies', 'lock picking', 'not panicking' and 'how to dodge.' Logan smiled at Jean-Luc. "So, what do you do?"

The family went silent at that.

Remy smiled. "We're in security."

"Nice." Logan nodded. "General theft or something more specific?"

"General." Remy said. "We're very versatile."

"In protecting against theft." Theoren said deliberately with a glare at Remy.

Logan snorted. He hadn't mentioned anything illegal. Remy hadn't mentioned anything illegal, but with that one phrase, the whole cat was out of the bag so to speak. Marie lowered her head and smiled at her plate, also catching it.

"Perhaps yah can look at the school's security then." She said and put her hand on Remy's leg.

"Perhaps." Remy said. "Not wit'out Professor Xavier's permission."

Marie widened her eyes. "Of course not." She said and pushed her empty plate away. She picked up her coffee cup, maintaining the most innocent expression that she could. "Though it wouldn't be a proper test if we told the Professor." She said after she took a sip. "As long as Logan knows."

"Knows what?" Logan said.

"Exactly." Marie smiled.

"I'll think about it."

Marie hid her lips behind her mug. "Yah do that."

Logan rolled his eyes.

Emil frowned. "So, if yah ain't really a teacher what do yah do?"

Logan smiled. On the good days, he killed things. On the bad days, he killed things. And on the really bad days Marie almost killed him in multiple ways. Otherwise, he taught others to kill things because they weren't that good at it. He thought it had something to do with too many moral scruples. "Nope. Really am a teacher."

"That teaches art?" Henri was skeptical.

"Define art." Logan said.

Marie snickered. If they thought Logan was odd for a teacher of art. The really needed to meet Piotr, an artist as everyone here understood the definition.

"Sculptures, paintings, architecture." Henri rumbled.

"You're forgetting theatre." Logan said and finished his plate. He leaned his chair back, pulled out a cigar and lit it, still not caring whether or not the house allowed smoking. He grinned at Henri. His head turned towards the front of the house. "Chuck's here." He said and stood up.

"So he is." Marie murmured and stood. "Sugar, is there a particular room that we should meet him in?"

Remy wiped his mouth and stood, offering her his arm. "De parlor is fine."

Marie tucked her arm in his.

Anastasie stopped in the doorway. "A Professor Charles Xavier and Miss Ororo Munroe are here to see yah, Madame Marie, Mister Howlett."

"We know." Logan said. He sighed. "God damn spooks." He said under his breath.

"De parlor, Anastasie, si vous plait." Remy said.

Anastasie nodded and left.

Remy sighed and led them there and ran his fingers through his hair. "Cherie." He murmured.

Marie turned to him and smiled, adjusting his collar. "Yah look fine." She said.

Logan paced in front of the windows and refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Dat's not," Remy sighed. "Never mind."

Marie smiled at him. "He likes chess, reads extensively and has a weakness for small children."

"At least with Doctor McCoy, Remy didn't know who Remy was talkin' to." Remy muttered and abruptly sat down on the love seat.

Marie sat next to him and put her hands on his. He met her eyes and smiled at her. She smiled back. He leaned down.

Charles rolled into the room and stopped his wheelchair. "There you are, Marie." He said with a smile.

Remy jerked back. Marie lowered her head and muffled a giggle.

Logan stopped his pacing. "Oh thank God, if I had to see too much more sweetness I'd have to kill something."

Charles sent Logan a chiding look. Logan gave him a 'you have got to be kidding me' look in return.

Marie stood up and smiled at him. "Hello, Professor."

"Thank you," Ororo said from the doorway. "That's really not- well, since you insist." Ororo shook her head and came into the room, setting a box down on a side table. She smiled at Marie as well. "Hello Marie."

"Miss Munroe." She said with a smile at her. Ororo looked down her nose at her. Marie rubbed her lips together and then grinned. "Ororo."

Ororo held open her arms and Marie went over and hugged her. "Thank the goddess you are all right." Ororo squeezed hard and then leaned back to look at her. "Don't do that again!"

"Ah'm sorry for makin' yah'll worry."

Ororo shook her head. "But not for running off."

Marie ducked her head. "No."

Charles looked at Remy. "So, is this the young man in question?"

Marie disentangled herself from Ororo's arms and flushed. "Yes. This is mah husband."

Remy stood up and offered his hand to Charles. "Remy Lebeau."

Charles met his gaze squarely and took his hand, shaking it firmly. His eyes narrowed a little as he tried to get a general psychic flavor off the young man and couldn't. How peculiar. "Congratulations, Marie is a fine young woman. You're a very lucky young man. May I call you Remy?"

"Oui." Remy let his hand go. "Merci beaucoup."

Charles smiled. "Thank you." He gestured. "Please, let's all sit down. We might be here a while."

"Of course." Remy said. "Some of mah famille might want to join in on t'is discussion." He held a hand out for Marie and let her sit first before sitting down himself. He glanced at Anastasie who nodded once and went to find and invite the rest of the family who might want to listen.

"The more minds available the more we shall be able to determine." Charles glanced at Logan. "Logan, you're making me tired watching you."

Ororo smiled and sat down on the couch. Logan rolled his eyes and perched on the arm next to her even though there was a perfectly fine spot right next to her.

"How was Europe, Professor?" Marie asked, her hand intertwining with Remy's again.

"Very busy, but I feel hopeful that all shall work out for the best." Charles sighed and shook his head. "They are so close and yet still so far."

"Then we have time." Marie nodded.

"Some." Ororo smiled. "But not as much as we desired."

Logan snorted. "That's always the way of it."

"I'm sorry to have taken yah away from the meetin's." Marie bit her lip. "And Moira."

"My dear child, don't be." Charles smiled. "You are very important to us as well."

Marie flushed and ducked her head. "Not as important as the genetic testin'."

"That will be here tomorrow and the day after that." Charles said it gently. "The longer we wait, the more information we lose about what may have happened to you and Remy."

The family filed into the room and found seats. Jean-Luc sat down in a wingback chair across from the coffee table from Charles. Theoren sat on the couch with Etienne next to Ororo. Ororo nodded at them. Henri and Mercy took seats next to the fireplace as Emil leaned against the mantle, their eyes all on Charles.

"Ah am Jean-Luc Lebeau, Remy's father." Jean-Luc rumbled. "Ah'd like to know how yah will be able to help mah son."

Charles nodded at him. "My names is Charles Xavier, by profession I am a psychiatrist. I am also a highly trained psychic that specializes in the finding and training of mutants."

"So, a mutant did this to my son." Jean-Luc gestured at Remy and Marie's intimate pose on the loveseat.

"That is what we shall try to determine." Charles nodded and then he half smiled. "Though, before I forget." He looked at Ororo. Ororo stood up and retrieved the box from the table. "Moira and I picked out a gift for you while we were in Europe."

Ororo set the wrapped box on the table in front of them.

Marie's eyes widened. "Oh Professor, yah didn't-"

"Nonsense." Charles waved a hand. "You don't get married everyday."

Marie felt her eyes tingle. "None of yah had to buy us gifts." She murmured, even as she reached out and picked up the box. She turned it around in her hands, unsure of what it could be.

"We wanted to." Ororo smiled and sat back down.

"And we appreciated dem." Remy said. "For more t'an just a few minutes." His lips twitched. Marie flushed and she started on the tape slowly. Remy watched her for a few seconds and his eyes narrowed. "Cherie." He murmured.

She stopped and looked at him. "Yes, sugar." She raised an eyebrow.

"Are yah gonna open it or fuss wit' de tape?"

Marie went back to carefully peeling the tape back. "Ah like the paper."

Remy's eyes stayed narrow as he shook his head and rolled them. Marie kicked his ankle, since she was wearing heels, it didn't have much impact. Remy grinned and put an arm about her shoulders and watched her. The paper fell away to reveal a cardboard box and Marie opened it and pulled out a glass case. Her eyes widened and her lips parted. A silver dipped rose in full bloom reflected the sunlight pouring through the windows and gleamed off the engraved plate on the wooden base. It read, Remy and Anna Marie Lebeau, June 30th and the year. "Professor, it's beautiful." Her eyes pricked again. "Thank yah." She couldn't tear her eyes away from the carefully dipped petals.

"You're very welcome." Charles clasped his hands together.

Marie's eyes shone with the softness of repressed tears and happiness. She looked up at Remy. "Even the date." She said. "Barely a June bride."

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "A beautiful June bride." He murmured, not caring about his family or the Professor.

Charles kept his face bland, but his attention had been on the two since he'd come into the room. It was odd, when they looked at each other there was some sort of psychic emanation that radiated off of them at the same frequency. It didn't reach out and touch anyone else in the room. It stayed between Remy and Marie and dampened when they weren't interacting.

Logan looked at the Professor and wondered if he should start begging Charles to stop the two of them.

Either the Professor had his own thoughts on the matter or he heard Logan's and took pity on him. "Now, I know that you are probably tired of going over this, but please, tell me what happened in your own words."

Marie and Remy looked away from each other and once again, the odd field or emanation receded. Marie set the encased rose on the table, trailing her fingers on the top for a second before leaning back into Remy's arm. She swallowed and pressed her hands together staring at them. "Ah guess, Ah should start." She said. "The school year had just ended and," she licked her lips. "So much has happened t'is year and Bobby and well, everythin' Ah needed to think mah own thoughts without interruption." She glanced up, her face begging Charles to understand. "Yah know." Her voice broke. Charles knew how hard it could be to think one's own thoughts through all the noise of others. Remy's brow furrowed and with his free hand, though he didn't know why she was so distressed yet again, he reached over and took her hands in his. She smiled at him and to Charles abilities the emanation flared because she looked away just as quickly. "Ah borrowed Scott's bike and Ah left. Ah was gonna come back. Ah was gonna return it. Ah just needed to get away." She licked her lips. "To make decisions."

Charles nodded. The past year had been particularly rough on her. "I see. I wish you had _asked_ and told us first."

Marie closed her eyes. "Ah ended up in Mississippi." She said it softly. "In Jackson, Ah'd halfway convinced mahself that turnin' mahself back into the system was the answer."

Logan stiffened and sat up. "You-"

"Ah'm not a danger anymore." Marie's throat closed up and she had to swallow the lump down. "Ah checked. They dismissed the investigation in Meridian when David woke up. There weren't any charges filed. Didn't make the paper even." Her eyes opened and she met Logan's eyes. "If Ah went back, Ah could have a _life_ again without havin' to worry about the law at every turn." She shook her head. "Don' matter now. By the time Ah reached Jackson, it was late enough that all the Human Services offices were closed. Ah rented a room, fell into bed exhausted and thinkin' Ah'd figure things out in the mornin'. Ah woke up in N'Awlins two days later in a different much fancier hotel, married to Remy."

Henri snorted. "Just like that."

Charles ignored him and turned his gaze to Remy.

Remy sighed. "Not so much to tell. Ah woke up. Ah went out for breakfast to mah favorite café, felt like Ah closed mah eyes for a second for one reason or another and opened dem in de same hotel wit' Marie."

"And how has your life been for the past year?" Charles asked.

Remy shrugged. "No complaints, nothin' dat Remy would consider unusual or worse t'an de usual."

Charles smiled. "Worse than the usual?"

Remy sighed. He looked down at the hand on top of Marie's. "Mah mutation, it does funny t'in's sometimes, but it's always done dat. It ain't somet'in' dat Ah haven't been expectin' sooner or later."

"Realistic of you." Charles nodded. "You are how old?"

"Nineteen." Remy supplied.

"Yes, you have at least six more years of potential growth in your mutation. After the two of you woke up, what happened?"

Jean-Luc looked startled and at the mantelpiece, Emil mouthed, 'six years.'

Remy and Marie looked at each. "Mais," Remy started.

"Everyone descended." Marie bit her lip. "And we've spent most the time fendin' off questions."

Charles smiled. "So I heard."

"And gatherin' information tryin' to put what happened together." Remy looked away from Marie. "We found pictures, video footage and receipts. We talked to de Priest dat married us while Logan said he talked to ot'ers when he backtracked Marie."

Theoren coughed and stood up, handing an envelope to Charles. "We don' have copies of de professional weddin' pictures dat Remy and Marie have, but we have some stills from de videos and some of de ones off t'eir phones."

Charles took it. "Thank you."

"Theoren." Theoren said. "Theoren Marceaux."

"Theoren." Charles nodded.

"Monsieur Remy?" Anastasie asked from the door.

"T'ey're on de dresser, Anastasie." Remy said and looked at her over his shoulder.

"Ah'll get them." She said and headed off at a walk.

"The dress, photographs and engagement ring were delivered." Marie said.

"Engagement ring?" Charles said and then paused as he came to the picture of Remy proposing. "Oh, I see." He said. Anastasie returned and waited patiently for Charles to notice her. He looked up almost immediately and she held out the envelope to him. He smiled at her. "Thank you, my dear." He opened the envelope and slid the pictures out. His eyebrows rose. "How marvelous."

Marie's eyes lit up and she leaned back into Remy.

Charles handed the picture to Ororo. Ororo's face lit up. "You look so beautiful." She glanced at Remy. "Would it be presumptuous of me to call you handsome?"

Remy laughed. "Oui, but Ah'll take de compliment in de spirit it were intended."

"You look amazing together, and quite happy." Ororo smiled and handed the picture back to Charles.

Marie smiled back. "We are."

Remy pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"And you remember nothing." Charles said.

Logan shifted on the chair arm. "And neither do the people they talked to that day or at least the ones I was able to talk to."

"Like who?" Remy's eyes narrowed. "We have been meanin' to ask yah."

"The bartender at that bar where you met." Logan crossed his arms and bit back a biting scold to Marie about her and bars. "The bakery people, those street entertainers in the photographs, the desk person at the seedy motel where Marie stayed that first night and kid, that weren't a safe place, even for you. None of the gas station attendants, the lady at your 'favorite' café."

Theoren broke in. "Ah did some checkin'. De maitre'd at de restaurant dat yah ate yer weddin' dinner at remembers yah. De cab driver yah hired for de day, don't. The photographer and de ladies at de dress shop remember yah. De ladies dat yah barely interacted wit' at de department store don't."

"Yah know the _cabby._" Marie's eyes widened.

"De cab's number and color was in one of de videos." Theoren waved a hand. "De people at de jewelry store remember yah. My t'eory is dat de people yah exchanged more t'an money and a few words wit' do remember yah, somethin' like a signature. For instance de clerk remembers yah Remy, but he don' remember back datin' de license."

"Ah signed at the hotel, didn't Ah?" Marie's brow furrowed and she glanced at Logan.

"Jamie Vegas?" Logan asked. He didn't get that one. He'd gotten the Gone with the Wind reference, but this one escaped him.

Marie flushed. "Junk food for the brain." She muttered. There was no way she was explaining her addiction to author's like Kelly Armstrong or Kim Harrison or even Laurell K. Hamilton when she was extremely bored. They were only slightly better than her favorite gothic romance novels, but not by much.

"So, the two of you are saying that if Marie and Remy only exchanged money with a person those two days, the person doesn't remember them." Charles said to make sure that he had it right.

Theoren nodded. "Oui."

Charles nodded. "Interesting."

"But relevant?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Perhaps." Charles returned his gaze to Marie.

Logan snorted. "Here's somethin' else then. You know how you said you were wandering along back roads, kid?" He asked. Marie nodded. Logan pointed at her. "From Jackson to here, you didn't."

Charles frowned. That was odd if, indeed, Marie using back roads had been her established form of behavior for the trip.

Marie blinked. "What do yah mean?"

"Highway, straight shot from here to there." Logan waved his finger from side to side. "No back roads, no detours, like you were on some mission."

"Oh." Marie bit her lip. "Ah don' remember."

Remy rubbed her shoulder and leaned over and murmured that it was fine into her ear. She smiled at him.

Charles cleared his throat to gain Marie's attention. She turned her head back to him. "How is your mutation?" He asked.

"Under control." Marie refused to look away from Charles, unsure of if she wanted to see the other's faces. "No dizziness, mood swings, black spots, headaches, pain, hot, cold, or unexpected abilities or voices."

Charles nodded and then picked up a picture. He showed it to them. In it, he found their expressions very interesting. According to the time stamps, this was the first indication of deep emotion from both of them. Remy wasn't sure how Theoren had managed it, but he'd gotten a still of them looking at each other in the club between their first and second kiss. "Now, I know this sounds terribly cliché, but how did seeing this for the first time make you feel?"

They looked at each other, not entirely sure how to answer Charles because it was something they couldn't put into words themselves. Charles felt the emanation between them get stronger again.

Remy decided to go with honesty without looking away from Marie. "Ah can't explain it."

Charles repressed a smile. Oh dear. He was one of those that had a hard time expressing emotion. He looked at them and their posture and the way they looked at each other and Charles knew despite knowing each other for less than four days that they remembered. They loved each other. He set the picture down. "Please try."

Remy and Marie stared at each other, not saying anything as they struggled to find the words.

Henri cleared his throat and Charles looked over at him, a quick mental push keeping the rest of the family silent as Remy and Marie worked through it.

Remy turned one of Marie's hands over and slid their fingers together. "Ah, Ah just knew." He said. Marie reached up and cupped his cheek with her other hand and he rubbed along her fingers with his thumb, as he leaned into her caress. "Ah knew dat t'is was it and Ah had to act." He leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against hers.

Marie's eyes closed. "We just belong together. It felt right. This was what Ah wanted."

Charles wanted to sigh. They weren't going to be able to admit they were in love. He wasn't surprised given Marie's history. It figured she would attract a man like her. The strange psychic emanation, almost like a single note perhaps or a peculiar chord that resonated between them had strengthened to a crescendo.

Marie paused. "All of it." She finished softly.

Charles kept the desire to talk from the rest of the family clamped. He could tell that none of them approved and indeed were quite angry over the confession between Remy and Marie. Their anger at the moment would serve no useful purpose. "It was important to you to be married."

Remy looked up. "Oui."

Charles focused on something that Marie had said when she'd seen the date of her own wedding on the engraved plate, barely a June bride. "To be a June bride?"

Marie's eyes opened. "Doesn't every girl want to be married in June?" She frowned and then flushed. "Sorry, Professor, yes. It was important."

Charles looked through the pictures again trying to pick out details and not quite sure of what to ask of the ones he noticed.

Ororo did. "The dress, that's the one you wanted."

Marie's head jerked to look at Ororo. "Y-yes." She stammered. "How?"

"Jean noticed that one of her magazine pages was missing and I saw you looking at it one day." Ororo clasped her hands together. "We didn't want to say anything and risk embarrassing you. It seemed precious to you."

Marie blinked and felt tears welling up again. She nodded. "It is." She whispered. "Ah, Ah guess Ah wanted to be asked properly, to have the dress Ah knew Ah didn't deserve, to be married by a man of God to the right man. The right man was the most important." But yes, she had lusted after that dress. She felt a tear welling in the base of her eye and she reached up to wipe it away.

"It seems rushed, holding it outside." Charles knew it sounded rude but it felt like the only way to get answers out of Remy.

"Dat's what Ah wanted." Remy said. "Ah wanted to ask a woman properly. Ah wanted Fat'er Jerome to marry us." He knew it in his soul though he didn't remember. "He's known me since childhood and has never judged me. Ah wanted it to be small, to be outside where Ah could see de sun and feel de breeze. Ah wanted cake." He shrugged and smiled apologetically. "But de woman was de most important."

Charles looked at them. "And neither of you asked family to be there. Why?"

Marie's eyes widened and she looked stricken. "Ah- Mah family has been dead for so long Ah guess Ah didn't even think of it." Part of her knew had always knew and felt that she'd be standing alone on her wedding day. It was just fate. She looked at Remy.

Remy glanced at his father and swallowed hard. He looked away unwilling to look at any of them. "Ah always wanted mah famille dere, but Ah was always afraid dat t'ey would turn it into an _event._" His lips curled. "Ah never wanted or needed half of N'Awlin's at mah weddin'." He could feel his muscles knotting up. "Dat's not who Ah am. Dat day of all days, Ah'm just a man who was bein' joined by God to a beautiful and amazin' woman." He'd always been an orphan in his mind, a poor boy without anything and if he found a woman who could see past everything that he'd become through money and Jean-Luc's careful education. He hadn't wanted to be anything else other than that boy, that man who hid under the manners and fine clothes. Dieu, he didn't know what Marie saw in him.

"Your family is important to you." Charles said softly. Remy nodded unwilling to speak anymore. Charles continued. "Their approval more so." He said. Remy nodded again. Charles finished. "But the most important to you was that this intimate moment in your life not be turned into a spectacle for the masses."

Remy cringed but nodded again. "Oui."

"That would have happened if you had included your family in the planning and execution of your wedding due to the fact that you are a family of some importance and prominence in New Orleans." Charles finished.

"Oui." Remy said miserable. Not that his family approved of his choice in a bride at all, which would have been another problem if they had been there. Plus, he remembered Henri's wedding. It had lasted for weeks. His skin crawled just thinking about it. "Desole. Ah just-" He couldn't finish. He had wanted them there. He had. But- Their looks, their emotions, their disapproval was bad enough after the fact. He wouldn't have been able to bear feeling it during what was supposed to be the happiest and most joyful day of his life.

Marie pulled his head down so he could hide it in the crook of her shoulder and neck.

Charles sighed. He hated having to ask these questions and drag out these emotions in front of Remy's family. The toxic emotional atmosphere of the house told him volumes about what Marie and Remy had been experiencing since they first woke up together, anger, shock, disapproval, disdain. "A telepath didn't do this to you." He said. Marie glared at Logan as best she could without turning away from Remy. "In fact, a psychic couldn't."

"Ah knew that." Marie muttered.

"It is quite impossible due to both of your mutations." Charles finished. "I cannot touch Remy's mind at all due some sort of shield around it and your own shield makes it impossible to enter your mind with ease as well." He said the last to Marie.

Remy's head came up. "Dere's a shield around mah mind."

"Yes, a very dense shield, and if I can't penetrate it, no telepath can." Charles took the time to set the photographs of them on the coffee table.

"Not even Bella Donna?"

"Ah, Miss Boudreaux." Charles nodded. "No. She is a very small telepath. She would have no ability whatsoever to influence you telepathically."

Remy felt relief surge through him. "Oh merci Dieu."

Charles nodded gravely. "Yes. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for others around her. They will all be fine in time, however, I have put strict limits on what Miss Boudreaux can do until she gains some control."

Remy shuddered. He wasn't sure he liked the way that Charles had said strict limits nor did he like the way that Charles had confirmed Bella had been manipulating those around her. "Mah famille?"

"Are all free of her influence." Charles said it gently. "She had much more time to work on her father, brother and close friends."

Remy nodded. "So, t'is shield saved me."

"I believe so."

"Will Bella be okay?" Remy bit his lip. She'd been his friend a very long time.

Charles sighed. "If she learns control, she will be fine. Whether or not she chooses to learn control and alternative methods of getting what she wants is up to her."

Remy nodded.

"However," Charles continued with the thought that Remy had pulled him away from with his questions about Bella Donna, "this does not mean that a mutant with some sort of psychic power didn't influence you." He looked between them. "There is some sort of psychic emanation between the two of you. It is something that I have not encountered before."

Logan shifted on his seat and spoke up. "So, none of it is real. It will go away."

Charles wanted to glare at Logan as both Remy and Marie paled and their hands tightened on each other. "No. I wouldn't say that."

"But you just said that it was some sort of psychic-"

"Logan, your prejudices against psychic powers aside, it does not mean what Remy and Marie feel for each other is going to 'disappear.'" Charles did glare at Logan.

Logan glowered at his hands. "I'm not prejudiced." He muttered.

Charles mentally shoved his list of Logan's own problems aside and returned to the more pressing problem of reassuring Marie and Remy that they weren't going to wake up tomorrow hating each other. "It is coming from both of you, like a connection and the more you two think and feel about each other the stronger it is. It doesn't reach out to affect anyone else but you. Perhaps earlier it did, it's impossible to tell without having direct experience with it." He waved a hand. "But with some of Hank's calculations, I believe have a better idea of what to look for if indeed it is a mutant that did this."

"Could of it been magic?" Remy asked.

"Like Wanda's hexes, but for good luck?" Marie asked. "Remy's Tante Mattie knows Voodoun."

Charles pondered it. "I wouldn't rule it out. The Lord knows that we have seen stranger in our life times." He smiled and chuckled.

Marie grinned. Logan rolled his eyes.

Ororo smiled. "Indeed."

"Now, you are always welcome to return to the school." Charles said. "I may have some answers for you in a few days."

Jean-Luc frowned. He wasn't sure, but it sounded like Professor Xavier had just implied that Marie hadn't finished high school.

Marie stood. "Thank yah, Professor."

Remy stood as well. "Would yah be willin' to send us a copy of Marie's school transcripts?" He could get the rest of them on his own as soon as Marie told him where else she'd gone to school.

"Of course."

Marie took Remy's hand. "We have a lot to talk about." She smiled up at Remy. Remy smiled back.

Charles looked and sounded amused. "I'm sure you do."

Ororo stood up and came over and hugged Marie. "Congratulations. I hope you two will be very happy."

Marie hugged her back. "Thank yah so much for yer gift, Ororo." She murmured. "Maybe Ah'll see yah t'is fall."

"Goddess willing." Ororo smiled and let her.

"And the creek don' rise." Marie smiled.

Ororo moved aside. Logan sighed and got up. "I hate these things." He muttered. He shifted on his feet in front of Marie. "Look, kid, _call_ me and I don't mean if you're in trouble."

Marie bit her lip and then hugged him. "Ah will."

"'Cause it's not my job anymore to pull you out of messes." Logan hugged her back.

Marie went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Ah know. Ah'll be careful."

Logan opened his mouth, shook his head once and decided he didn't want to get into it. "Do it this time." He growled. "Get them before they get you for once."

"Ah'll try!"

Logan kissed her forehead. "Sure yah will, Stripes." He let her go and looked at Remy. "You know the drill."

"Hurt her and yah kill me?" Remy asked.

"That's the one."

Marie shifted her weight. "And what if Ah hurt him?"

Logan grinned. "Then he had it coming." He walked past them and stood next to Ororo.

Marie met Charles' eyes and shook her head. Charles chuckled.

"You two take care of each other." He said and used the controls on his chair to turn it around.

Remy reached and took Marie's hand. "We will."

Logan and Ororo let the Professor go first and then followed him out. Logan didn't get five feet out in the hall before he started protesting. "I don't like leaving her here alone."

Charles answered calmly. "If that is the way you feel, you may stay here if you feel the need."

"I said I didn't like it." Logan rumbled. The door opened and shut behind them.

Marie sighed. "He's impossible." She muttered and squeezed Remy's hand before letting it go. She picked up the rose, the wrapping paper and the photographs that Charles had left on the table. She put them in their envelope and tucked them under her arm. "Ah'll go put these away."

Remy took one glance at his family and knew the last place he wanted to be was in that room. "Cherie, do yah ride?"

She paused. "Ride what?"

"Horses." Remy clarified and smirked at her. "Ah know what else yah ride already."

She tucked her chin down and lowered her eyelashes. "Yes, Ah ride _horses._" She rolled her eyes. "Is that an offer?"

"Oui."

"Good. Ah could use the _exercise._" She sashayed out of the room.

"Hey, Ah can give yah all de exercise yah ever need, cherie." Remy shouted after her and left the room.

Marie laughed.

Remy went to saddle his horse.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it is pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Marie and Remy finally have some time alone to talk, about themselves, their pasts and their mutations plus, other things._


	12. Chapter 12

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Twelve: Day Three, Part Three**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Three, Part Three: Remy and Marie finally get some alone time to discuss things that probably should have been discussed before getting married...  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you!** Rated M for Mature Content**

Last time in Complicated Situations... _The in-laws took gauge of each other and Charles evoked some extreme emotions from the newlyweds that made the atmosphere of the house worse, it's a good thing that Remy owns a horse..._

Démon pawed the ground of the front drive with his fore hoof and tossed his head. Remy reached up and rested a hand on the arched neck and made soothing noises. The horse nudged Remy's shoulder. Remy patted him and told the blood bay stallion that yes, he was indeed quite beautiful and truly magnificent. He just needed to learn how to have patience, all in a soothing melodious French. The horse huffed once and settled a little. Remy shook his head. Somehow between him getting Démon saddled and out to the front door, Tante Mattie had heard what was going on and sent out a picnic 'snack' and a blanket.

The front door opened and Marie came down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom and frowned. "Where's mine?"

He grinned, turned and mounted Démon, guiding the horse closer to her. "Yers?"

She crossed her arms. "Ah can foresee this bein' a problem."

He laughed, leaned over and picked her up, setting her in front of him. "Ah see no problem." He murmured and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled away slowly and with a hand on the reins, he used his knees to turn Démon around and towards a trail that led deeper into the estate. "Besides, Remy only has one horse." He said it a little apologetically.

Marie laughed and rested her head against his shoulder. She didn't mind really, this was nice being held in his arms and being able to smell him mixed with the scent of horse. "Don' yer famille own more?"

"Oui, but Démon is mine."

"Démon?"

"Le Démon Rouge du Petit Diable." Remy said and the horse's ears perked up. Démon turned his head a little so he could look behind him with deep brown eyes. Remy winced. "Ah didn't name him. De stable master where Ah bought him did." He said. Marie made a soft contented noise of inquiry, content to listen and watch the scenery. Remy inhaled and reminded himself that she had to know eventually. "Yah know dat Ah was adopted, oui?"

"Yah mentioned it." Marie said and brushed a kiss against his neck. She refrained from telling him how lucky he was.

"Mais, for de first ten years of mah life Ah lived on de streets of de French Quarter." He paused and when she didn't say anything, he continued. "To live Ah begged, Ah stole, became part of a gang of ot'er children dat was ruled by a man t'ey call Fagan. He taught us to read enough dat we could make out signs and enough numbers dat we could add and subtract. He taught us ot'er t'in's." Remy didn't see the trees that they were passing under or the green grass. His mind was in the past with Fagan and his trays of jewels and the fact that over half of them were fake didn't matter, it was the knowledge that one of those jewels could have fed him for a year that had made those lessons harder than many of the others that he had learned. One boy had stolen from Fagan once. Remy's gut still churned at what Fagan had done to him as a lesson. "Pimped us out to folks who wanted to steal but didn't know de ropes. If yah were smart yah learned de rules and yah learned dem quick. Sometimes yah got lucky and made enough money to satisfy Fagan and yah got to go steal for yerself so yah could eat." He shifted Marie a little as the horse swayed. She didn't need to know all the awful details of the first ten years of his life. "Anyways, one of mah hidin' places was in de stables for de rich folk dat could afford horses or de tourist's dat had money to rent dem. De stable master bought Démon as a t'ree year old for his looks and t'en learned of de temper dat went wit' dem." Remy shook his head. "Ah had a spot in de hayloft dat Ah hid books Ah stole from de Goodwill donation box, snatch an hour's sleep and every night Ah could Ah'd go down wit' de horses and talk to dem and choose one to brush. Démon wouldn't let anyone near him. Ah spent six mont's workin' at it so dat he would tolerate me near him, stole him sugar, gave him carrots, talked to him, paid attention to him, spoiled him rotten." He grinned. Marie chuckled. Remy kissed the top of her head. "After Papa adopted me, Ah bought him a year later once Ah got de money, heady stuff for an eleven-year-old former street rat to buy his own horse. Bullied de stable master everyday not to sell him to anyone else or geld him. Turns out dat de stable master knew Ah was dere de entire time and of mah mutation. Called me le petit diable, and well, once Ah started payin' attention to Démon, which was de first day dat de stable master had him, he became mah le demon rouge."

"But yah never bought another horse?" Marie leaned her head back to look at him.

"Dere's only so much room in de stables." Remy half smiled. "And Ah haven't found anot'er horse like him." He tugged on Démon's reins and moved him off the path to wander what seemed like a directionless way through the trees, which only served the purpose of avoiding all the low hanging limbs.

"Ah bet yah were the envy of the stables once yah bought him."

Remy chuckled. "Pissed everybody off. He was a popular horse to try and ride."

"And only yah succeeded."

"Oui." Remy grinned. He still remembered Julien's face clear as day when Remy had calmly led Démon out and mounted him without the horse putting up a bit of fuss that couldn't be controlled with a word or two in French and a tight seat. Remy pulled Démon to a halt next to a sunlit clearing, picked her up again and helped her down, before dismounting himself. He threw the reins over the horse's head and let them fall to the ground. Démon shook his head rapidly and then turned it and shoved his nose between Marie's breasts.

Marie laughed and carefully scratched his head. "Ah'm havin' a hard time believin' dat he's so terrifying as yah claim."

Remy rolled his eyes. "Démon, vos maniéres." He gently chided the horse. The horse took a step back and hung his head. Remy snickered. "He takes to some people bettah t'an ot'ers and he likes femmes." He ducked under Démon's head and went to the other side, undoing the picnic basket and the blanket from the saddle. "Plus, Ah've had years to try and settle him down."

"Uh huh." Marie held out her hand and snickered as the horse instantly put his nose in it. She reached around and rubbed his neck. "Yah are just a big old baby."

The horse snorted and nudged between her breasts again. Marie laughed.

Remy sighed, undid the cinch and took the saddle off. He patted the horse's back and set the saddle down near a tree before coming back, picking up the blanket and the basket and wrapping an arm about his wife tugging her away from his horse.

Démon took a few steps after them. Remy turned his head and looked at the horse. Démon stopped and lowered his head. Marie giggled and put her head against Remy's shoulder. "So big and fearsome."

"Mais, he's got no one to impress at de moment. Dat's when t'in's get nasty." Remy snickered.

Démon decided to lie down and roll in the grass, before settling in one spot, idly cropping grass as the mood took him.

Remy let Marie go near the middle of the clearing, set the basket down and unfolded the blanket. He shook it out and Marie grabbed the other side and they spread it out. He sighed and fell down backwards onto it to look at the clouds. Privacy. Marie laughed and a moment later lay down on top of him, her face hovering over his before she leaned down and kissed him. He sighed in contentment, wrapping one arm around her and putting one under his head. She pulled away slowly and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Thank yah for sharin', sugar."

He blinked slowly. They knew so little about each other. "Yah need to know, sha."

"Ah'll listen to whatever yah want to tell me." She smiled and it looked a bit wry. "It's nice to have a choice in the matter."

Remy's eyes narrowed. "Okay, Ah _have_ to know. What is yer mutation?" She'd been dropping all these little hints with her actions and words and it was driving him mad.

She laughed. "Ah suppose that's fair since Ah've seen yers."

"Some of mine." Remy muttered. "And Ah didn't see any of yers."

Marie sobered. "Ah didn't use _mine._ If Ah had, Logan would be dead or at least in another coma." His brow furrowed and she realized she wasn't clearing anything up for him. She rolled off of him and then onto her side so she could see him. He turned his head and she reached over and smoothed his eyebrows with a finger before running it down his nose. "Ah guess it's mah turn for story time." She pressed her lips together. She actually hadn't ever told anyone her full story before. "Ah grew up in a commune on the banks of the Mississippi. Ah don' rightly remember what their whole philosophy was and all the folks that do will tell me was it was some sort of hippy thing, no technology, no doctors and all that. Ah remember mama's smile and the way she liked to sing. Ah can remember playin' in the mud on the riverbank and pickin' flowers, climbin' trees. Ah remember mah father's fists." She looked away from him. "There was a fire. Ah don' know how Ah survived. No one else does either. Ah should be dead as the rest of them. The state sent me to live with mah Aunt Cary. She and Ah didn't get along. Ah kept actin' out and runnin' away back to the ruins of mah home. They decided that she couldn't control me and bein' so close to the commune was detrimental to mah development. So, they put me in the foster system." She inhaled. "Ah was seven. Contrary to what they believed would happen. Things didn't get bettah. Ah got worse, acted out more got into fights and tried to run as often as Ah could." She closed her eyes and felt the tears well up behind them. "One of mah foster brothers was molestin' me."

"Cherie."

She pressed a finger to his lips. "T'is is important, sugar."

He reached up and grabbed her hand and held it. "All right."

"They found out, moved me out of the home. After that though, no one could figure out how to 'control' me." Marie swallowed. "They threw me in camps and after school programs and activities and everything to keep me busy and away from them and when they figured out that wasn't doing anything about mah behavior they'd pass me to someone else. This kept repeatin' until Ah was sixteen. There was a boy, on the football team of all things. He was cute. He seemed nice. Ah'd forgotten about the molestation, blocked it from mah memory." She sighed and kept her eyes on his chest. Remy's gut churned and he tightened his grip on her hand. "And Ah don' know why mah foster parents allowed it, but they let me invite him over and up into mah room. Ah told him about this trip Ah was plannin' to take North after school before Ah went to college. He kissed me." She paused and licked her lips. "Ah put him in a coma for _three_ weeks." She glanced up and met his eyes for a second. "Ah knew every stupid football play for the varsity team. And Ah knew that if he'd had his way, no was not an answer he was going to accept after kissing me." She squeezed her eyes shut. Remy didn't say anything, not sure of what to say. "Ah ran. And for almost two years, Ah couldn't touch anyone skin to skin without drainin' their life away from them, their memories and emotions and if they were mutants Ah stole their powers." She exhaled. "Ah can still hear all of them inside mah head."

"But now yah have control."

She smiled and met his eyes. "Ah have control."

"How?"

"Ah killed someone." Marie waited for him to cringe or rear back. He didn't move, he waited, relaxed and didn't break eye contact. Marie continued. "Her name was Carol. She was another mutant in the Air Force. She loved to fly, which is funny since she could fly, no airplane necessary." Marie's lips twisted. "They strapped me to a table, brought her in, told it was time to do her duty to her country and forced our hands together. She died." Screaming, Marie thought but didn't say. They both had screamed. "The straps weren't strong enough to hold me with her mutation and Ah escaped." She felt a tear fall from her eyes and trail wet and hot down her cheek.

"That weren't murder, cherie. Dat was another rape." Remy reached up and gently wiped the tear away.

"But Ah still killed her." Marie's throat closed up. "Ah have all this trainin' from Logan and Ah should've been able to do _somethin'_."

Remy tugged her back onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Yah weren't de one in control, cherie. Yah were a victim."

"Ah know. Ah know. The Professor and Ah have been goin' over this for months. Carol really screwed up mah head, almost worse than absorbin' Logan and Ah've almost killed him at least twice."

"Yah know, dat explains a lot."

Marie poked him. "Ah have all these _men_ in mah head and they won't _shut up_." Marie sighed. "That's when Logan bought me the knife."

"Logan's knives also explain a lot."

Marie smiled. She couldn't help it. "But Carol really made the Professor and Ah go through mah head and mah memories. She shook things up pretty badly and then Ah was attacked by a telepath and they ripped a pretty solid chunk in mah brain accordin' to the Professor and that brought all mah memories that Ah'd blocked back and well, Ah spent a lot of time meditatin' and shiftin' people around in mah brain and well, somehow it led to me bein' able to touch again." She sighed. "It's a balance though. If somethin' happens like yer friend Bella Donna times one hundred or one thousand, then it might get interestin'."

"Ah love yer way wit' words, cherie." Remy snorted.

Marie raised her head. "But now Ah also have Carol's powers at any time and access to the one's Ah've absorbed before one at a time." She shrugged and shifted some of her weight to her elbows. "The Professor thinks that given yah know, seven or so more years Ah should be able to access as many powers as Ah want, whenever Ah want. Something to do with mental development and neural growth."

"Why does t'is sound especially scary?" Remy eyed her.

She grinned. "Because Ah've absorbed Multiple Man?" She tilted her head. "He's really quiet though. It weren't that long of an absorption. The easiest to remember are Logan and Magneto, which is handy when mah husband sends Logan flying towards walls!" She poked him again. "It's a good thing his skeleton is coated with admantium or yah would have a new window where no window should be." She hadn't absorbed a telekinetic yet. And since the strongest telekinetic she knew was Jean Grey, she didn't _want_ to absorb one.

Remy squirmed. "He pulled knives on yah!"

She scoffed. "He was nowhere _near_ hittin' me."

"Ah didn't know dat!" He jutted out his bottom lip.

She leaned down and took it into her mouth. She pulled away slowly. "Yah ain't scared of me?"

He wrinkled his nose. "Ah don' have de sense." He said. She giggled. He sighed. "Besides, yah ain't heard de whole of mine yet. T'ough it appears dere's a lot about it Ah don' know." He frowned. "Ah wish Ah'd known of t'is school when Ah was still goin'." His brow furrowed. Where had he been in his story? He thought back. Aah, right, Jean-Luc had adopted him and he'd bought his horse, Le Démon Rouge du Petit Diable. He shifted a bit and tugged her closer. "Ah've always had t'ese eyes. When Ah was little, t'ey called me Le Petit Diable and as Ah grew older Ah became Le Diable Blanc. Always nice to have a nickname, oui?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "When Ah was little, Fagan, de man in charge of us remember, had a poker game and Ah snuck in and watched and listened, hiding in de dark. De men were interested in 'rentin'' my services off of Fagan and mais, t'ey got de old man drunk." Remy snorted. "Asked him a few questions about where Ah came from and so on. Ma mere abandoned me at de church when Ah was a babe, because of mah eyes. She thought Ah was possessed by de Devil. Perhaps, she was right. Ah've never been able to walk de straight and narrow. T'ey stole me from de church, Fagan and his group of T'ieves. Somet'in' about some sort of Voodoun prophecy from de Loa about a demon eyed babe. Even drunk, Fagan wouldn't say what it were about. T'ese eyes marked me always."

Marie broke in. "They're beautiful."

He squirmed and flushed. "Cherie."

She smiled at him. "Beautiful, beautiful eyes. One of the first things Ah noticed."

"And yah never reacted." He lowered his eyelashes.

"Blue skin, forked tongues, tails, big old wings, claws, yer eyes ain't somethin' that really would get remarked upon among mutants, Sugar." She smiled and leaned down kissing him. "Not the way yah think they would be, since they're so pretty." She murmured against his mouth.

He felt his face and other parts of him heat. He kissed her quickly. She liked his eyes. He felt a grin growing on his face. It pleased him far more than he could tell her. "Anyways, mah eyes and de stable master brought me to de attention of Papa. He knows a bit about Thievin' and knew of de prophecy by de Loa for some reason or anot'er. He knows a lot of what goes on N'Awlins. He came out to where Ah worked for de Fagan and let me pick his pocket before he grabbed me." Remy laughed. "Ah was so scared, cherie. He was a big man to mah skinny half starved ten-year-old self. He picked me up by de back of my coat, and instead of turnin' me into de Law like Ah t'ought he would. He bundled me into his car, took me home and dumped me into Tante Mattie's care while de lawyers made de adoption official. Ah squirreled away food from de table for weeks in mah pockets. Ran away a couple times tryin' to get back to Fagan and to see de horses. Ah had no idea what de word adoption meant. Jean-Luc had to sit me down and explain it to me step by step and when he figured out dat Ah still t'ought dat Ah was bound to Fagan. He took me back and made a 'deal' wit' de old man." Remy snorted. "Fagan knew bettah t'an to mess with Papa anyways. If Papa wanted me, in Fagan's mind, Ah was Papa's and good as gone. A bit of a relief to de old man, Ah t'ink. Some of de questions he was gettin' from folk were makin' him a mite uncomfortable about keepin' me around. Dat same day, Papa took me to see de horses. He'd been teachin' me to ride a bit around de stables here, but t'ey weren't de horses Ah knew. Démon was so happy to see me." Remy felt his voice catching. "T'ings were good until Ah was thirteen. Then Ah blew up an opera house." He closed his eyes. "Thirty seven people died because of mah powers." He whispered. "Ah felt every single one of dem go, their fear, their pain, their anguish."

"Oh Sugar." She murmured and cuddled up against him.

"An accident t'ey called it." Remy half laughed. He knew better. "Ah haven't blown up anyt'in' dat big since, don' know if Ah could, but Ah sure as hell don' want to." He stared up at the clouds seeing more than the clouds but the very energy in the air itself. "Ah _see_ energy, cherie. Ah feel de energy of people's emotions but Ah can't do anythin' about dem. Ah can take a dead tree and put mah hands on it and turn de matter into energy and it will explode into not'in' but atoms and probably take half de field wit' it." His voice turned miserable. "Ah almost blew up Mercy's chaton de ot'er day. Ah've never been able to charge livin' matter before. Scared de hell out of me, because how much energy does it take to kill somet'in' if Ah'm just touchin' it? Dere's no way to find out and Ah don't t'ink Ah want to know. Ah'm not a killer."

"That's good to know." Marie said dryly.

It forced a grin out of him. "Well, Ah'm a damn good t'ief, a fine poker player, and an expert lover." He ran a hand along her back. "But, non, not a killer."

Marie moved so she could look at him again. "So, yah can _feel_ mah emotions?" She asked. He bit his lip and nodded. Her brow furrowed as she thought back. "Well that explains _that._" She muttered. "Ah should've known somethin' was funny when yah kept respondin' to mah distress when Ah didn't say a word." She stroked his forehead. "That actually seems kind of handy."

He shook his head. "It would be if Ah could turn it _off._" He didn't want to talk about what it felt like when Henri and Mercy were having sex or so on and so forth. Marie snickered and reached underneath him, digging for something. He squirmed. "Cherie!"

"Ah wanna play poker and Ah know yah have a deck of cards somewhere."

"It ain't a full one."

"So? That will just make it more interestin'." She grinned at him.

He swore. "Mon dieu, cherie." He rolled them over and pulled the pack of cards out his pocket and waved them in front of her nose. "We don' got money to bet with anyways."

She wrinkled her nose. "Sugar, Ah'm thinkin' more like a man than yah are and that scares me."

"Mais, if yah put it dat way, Ah am inclined to remind yah dat it's only me up here in mah head." He kissed her forehead. "So, what would yah like to bet instead?"

She fluttered her eyelashes. "Ah don' know, information, clothes, motorcycle keys."

He laughed and rolled off of her, sitting up. She propped her body up on her elbows and tossed her hair. He grinned at her and opened the deck. "And if we don' want to answer de question we can exchange it for an item of clothing and vice versa."

She grinned back. "Sounds equitable, Cajun."

He shook the deck into his hand, cut it once and shuffled it. She sat up. He dealt and play began. They bluffed. She held. He exchanged cards. She called. He lost.

She smiled at him. "Music?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What about it?"

"What type do yah like?" She glared at him.

He grinned. "Jazz."

She muttered something about how she should have known. "Mah deal." She took the deck and they started again. He tried to figure out her tells. She peaked at her cards and took out two exchanging them for more in the deck. He held and bluffed. They bet more and eventually he won, getting two questions and a piece of clothing for his trouble.

Remy raked her figure up and down with his eyes. "Ah like dat shirt." He said. "Hand it o'er, cherie." He held out a hand and gestured with his fingers. Her lips twitched and she slowly peeled it off, pulling it over her head, making a production out of it as the motions pulled her belly taut and shoved up her breasts. He swallowed hard as she put the shirt in his hand. She winked at him. He lowered his eyelashes. "What is yer favorite food?"

"Be more specific." Marie grinned at him.

"More specific?" He rolled his eyes. "Okay," he figured he knew her favorite dessert, which had to be chocolate given how adamant she was about the wedding cake being chocolate. "Favorite fruit."

She pouted. "Yah are gonna make me choose one."

"Oui."

She sighed. "Grapes."

"And why?" He stretched out and put his chin on his hand.

Marie blinked. "Ah don't know. Ah guess because they can be sweet and sour. Yah can roll them about on yer tongue. They're good frozen, fresh, or fermented. They're fun to _suck._"

He snickered and picked up the deck dealing it out. She won the next hand easily.

She tossed her hair. "How many girls have yah had sex with?"

He stared at her. "Ah refuse to answer dat question."

"Then Ah want yer belt." She wrinkled her nose at him and held out her hand.

"Because Ah don't _know_ de answer. Ah never kept track." He muttered and undid his belt anyways, sliding it out of his belt loops. "And Ah don' know why yah want to know."

"Curiosity." Marie took his belt from him and tossed it over her shoulder.

"Okay, elephant child, deal." He scowled.

"Yah are the one claimin' to be an expert." Marie shrugged. "Ah was wonderin' how expert." She shuffled the cards, refusing to look at him and decided to give him something for free. "Ah've got other people's memories of sex to draw on, Carol really enjoyed it. Ah have a few memories of Logan's that Ah wish Ah hadn't. Couldn't look Ororo in the eye for _weeks_." She dealt out the cards and peeked at her hand, all without looking at him.

"Ah really don' know." Remy murmured. "Ah didn't keep a black book."

"Damn, Ah can't take it, call up all them girls and _gloat._"

He laughed. "Bet, cherie."

She bet another piece of clothing. He bluffed. She returned his bluff with one of her one. He upped the bet. She responded. He tried to bluff again. She called. He lost. She grinned at him. "Shirt sugar." She wriggled her fingers at him. "Ah wanna see all them drop dead gorgeous muscles." She said. He unbuttoned it, tugged it off and threw it at her. She laughed, catching it and set it to the side. "Hmm, mah question again. What is yer favorite color?"

"Does black count as a color?" He asked.

"In this instance, Ah say no." Marie grinned. She liked black too.

He sighed. "Dat would have made it easier." He raked his hair back and then with a twitch of his head set it swinging again. He liked red, on women. But then again, he liked purple and given a choice between a purple shirt and a red one, he'd probably wear the purple one. But if given a choice between a purple dress or a red dress on a woman, he'd go for the red. However, this was supposed to be about his favorite color. So, he guessed he'd have to go with, "Purple."

"Yer powers are a variant of purple." She pointed out.

"Fuchsia or magenta." He muttered. "Not _pink_."

Marie swallowed a giggle, sensing she had touched a sore spot. She hadn't said a word about pink. She handed him the cards.

He shuffled, still thinking about colors and dealt. They bet. She bluffed. He smirked and held. She folded.

"Okay," He tilted his head. "What is _your_ favorite color?" He asked. She stuck her tongue out at him. He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "And no, black is not on de list."

She bit her lip, and leaned back to look at the sky and think about it. She always had secretly liked yellow, but not to wear. It was a nice cheerful accent, yellow, but not gold. She liked red too. It was nice for special occasions and making that lasting impression. But really, really, if she had a choice, "Green."

He grinned and shuffled again, dealing with a flourish. She peeked under cards, her face not betraying anything and suddenly she glanced at him sharply. "No usin' mah emotions against me."

"Ah wouldn't!" He reared back. "At least not deliberately, cherie. Ah do try to tune it out."

Her face fell. "Ah'm sorry, sugar. Ah shouldn't-"

"It's okay, really." He waved it away. "Yah have a point. Sometimes Ah do use people's emotions against dem, even if Ah don' mean to." He said. She nodded. He lowered his lashes. "But t'is is for fun, oui?"

"Oui."

"So, Ah'll try not to. Yer bet."

She bet clothes again. He chuckled and raised it to two pieces of clothing. She raised the bet to information. He held. She held too. They eyed each other not sure if the other was bluffing or not. He stroked down his stomach. Her eyes flicked to the motion. He smirked as her eyes came back to meet his. She blushed. He held again. She raised it to another item of clothing, meeting his eyes and daring him. He raised it again. She held. He glowered at her and folded.

"Shoes and socks, sugar." She grinned.

He sighed. "Ah ain't wearin' enough clothes." He muttered, but pulled them off and shoved them towards her.

She picked them up and set them behind her. "Hmm," she pondered her next question. What should she ask? "Who taught yah to cook and bake?"

His eyes lit up. "Tante Mattie." He grinned. "It kept me out of mischief or so she claimed."

Marie laughed and shuffled the cards then dealing them out. "Ah see."

"It didn't. Ah just started causin' trouble in de kitchen instead. Do yah _know_ de fun yah can have wit' a bag of flour?"

Marie coughed. "Oh yes."

He grinned and checked his cards. "Ah bet clothes."

"Yah are getting' low on those."

"Ah like livin' dangerously." He stretched.

Marie snorted. "Wish granted."

"Because yah are so very dangerous, all dem knives and scary friends." He chuckled and rolled over to his back.

"What happens if Ah bet more clothes than yah have?" She asked.

"Yah made de rules, don' yah know already?"

"It didn't occur to me yah would run out of clothes so quickly." She looked down her nose at him.

"It means dat Ah _lost_, cherie and am at yer mercy." He smiled, closing his eyes.

She sighed. "Ah see yer bet and raise yah information."

"Ah hold."

"The proper term is check." She ran her eyes down his body, as he wouldn't notice. Her mouth watered and she glanced down to check her cards again.

"Check t'en." He grinned.

"Yah ain't payin' attention."

He opened his eyes and turned his head. "Sure Ah am, Ah just checked. Now yah have to raise, check, call or fold."

She scowled. He was far too relaxed. "Fold." She muttered.

"Ah want yer panties, cherie."

Her eyes widened. "Not mah skirt or boots?"

"Not yet."

"Yet!" Her voice turned out strangled.

He snickered. "Shall Ah take dem mahself?" He asked. She glowered and wiggled out of them, tossing them at him. He grinned and picked them up, examining the lace. "Oh so sexy."

She flushed and found a sitting position where her legs were kept together. He grinned, set them to the side and gathered the cards, shuffling them. "What other games do yah play, cherie?"

She reached up and played with a lock of white hair. "Pool, a mediocre game of darts, arm wrestlin', thumb wars, Egyptian Rat Fuck."

He rolled over and grinned at her. "Egyptian Rat Fuck?"

"Slap. Egyptian War. Egyptian Rat Screw, whatever yah want to call it."

"Ah _know_ what it is." His eyes danced. "Ah just have a hard time findin' folk who will play wit' me." He pouted. "T'ey say Ah'm too fast."

She laughed. "They say Ah'm too strong."

He dealt the cards. "It's de only game dat Ah've found dat's dirtier t'an poker."

"Hmm, information." She said, refusing to rise to his bait about dirty card games.

He smirked and checked his cards and held the bet. She called. He sighed and turned his cards over.

Her eyes lit up when she saw she won. "What's yer mutant codename?"

"Gambit." He said and pushed the cards at her.

She thought about it as she shuffled and dealt. He bet clothes again. She raised information. He once again bet clothes. She glanced at him sharply and he smiled at her. She bet information again. He held. She called. He won.

"Shoes, cherie."

She sighed, took off her boots and poked him with her bare toes.

He grinned and negligently flung her boots off the blanket. "Hmm, what is your codename? Logan has too many nicknames for yah."

"Rogue." She sighed. "It's been Rogue since before the powers or else Ah'd think about changin' it."

"Rogue and Gambit." He murmured. "Or is dat Gambit and Rogue." He considered it and couldn't decide. She poked him with her toes again. His hand snatched out and grabbed her foot. He ran his finger along the arch of it. Marie bit her tongue and squirmed. He grinned at her. "Who is de firecracker?"

"Jubilation Lee. One of mah friends at school, she bought me the shoes. Ah swear, she's addicted to them." Marie rolled her eyes and tugged her foot out of his hand.

He grinned. "T'ey are nice shoes. Ah like dem very much." He picked up the cards, shuffled and dealt them.

"Information." She said.

He grinned and raised it to more information. She narrowed her eyes and bet clothes. He bet information again. She held. He held. She exchanged some cards and bet more information. He called and won.

He shoved upwards and crawled over to her. "What do yah like bettah?" He asked. "T'is." He kissed her solidly and pulled away. "Or t'is?" He murmured and kissed her again, parting her lips with his tongue, his hand coming up and undoing her bra. He took it off and tossed it away. She moaned. He pulled away, "Or t'is?" He asked voice husky, leaning down and taking one of her nipples into his mouth.

She whimpered as his tongue laved it around in a circle. "Ah- Ah can't decide. Yah are gonna have to show me again."

He pulled away, looked up at her and chuckled. He gently pushed her back into the blanket. "All right." He murmured, crawling over her. He kissed her again, first only with his lips and then added his tongue, stroking hers and the inside of her mouth. His hand fondled her breast as he slowly pulled away and kissed down her chin and her neck. His mouth found her breast again and his hand slid down, teasing her belly before slipping under her skirt. He blew against her nipple as his hand teased between her thighs. She moaned and arched upwards. He sucked her nipple back into his mouth and parted her lower lips, searching and finding her clit. He rubbed around it in gentle circles. Her legs parted and her mouth opened. She could feel a familiar ache growing in her belly and between her legs.

"Oh, God, Remy." She bucked her hips against his hand.

"Dat?" He asked pulling away, rubbing a little harder and faster.

"No. No. No. More." She shook her head.

He slipped his fingers further south and pushed them inside her, his thumb still working her clit. He worked them in and out. She bit her lip to try not to cry out. He stopped, his eyes almost closing. "Ah know." He murmured. He took his fingers away and she did cry out but at the loss of the feeling. He tugged her skirt off and when she lay bare beneath him, he kissed down her stomach and then between her thighs. He licked her from back to front and set his mouth around her clit like it was the nipple he'd been licking not a few minutes earlier. He laved at it with his tongue, sucking and licking, sliding his fingers back inside her, adding a third.

Marie grabbed at the blanket and the ache continued to grow, her muscles began to twitch, heat building. She spread her legs further to try and get more of the sweet sensations he was causing with his tongue and fingers. He worked his fingers further in and slid around until he pressed against the sweet spot inside her.

It took only a few more thrusts with his fingers and she cried out, almost choking, her body shaking.

He pulled his fingers out and moved his head down, licking and sucking at her opening, lapping her up, keeping her going a few moments more before he pulled away, kissing along her thigh.

She stared at the sky and gasped for air. Remy smirked and licked his fingers off. Her skin flushed and her hair matted with sweat against her forehead, she was the most beautiful sight in the world to him.

She exhaled. "Yah didn't win mah skirt. Yah forfeit yer motorcycle keys." She said.

He snickered and unbuttoned his pants. "Ah do?"

She raised her head as she heard the zipper of his pants part. "Oui."

He shucked his pants and crawled back over her. "Bien." He leaned down and kissed her swollen lips. He didn't care as long as he could make love to her.

* * *

Bella Donna let her horse wander along the paths of her family's estate. Her head full of what Charles Xavier had told her about her mutation and the harm she'd caused to those around her and to herself. She could barely explain to him what it had felt like running into a mind like Remy's wife's. He had understood though without the words. She thought it might be because he was a very powerful telepath. Or it could be that he was Remy's wife's mentor. She cringed. Remy's wife. She couldn't remember the woman's name. Didn't want to remember because she had been right about how dangerous being a telepath was and Bella didn't want her to be right about anything. Remy's wife.

Her mind shied away from the subject. Because she wanted to be Remy's wife, ever since he'd saved her life as a child, she'd wanted him. He'd been dirty. His clothes ragged. He'd been her knight, the one who would always save her and protect her. When Jean-Luc had adopted him and he'd cleaned up cute and then he'd grown with muscles and the cute became handsome and the handsome turned to sexy, his voice deepening and his face sharpening. He escorted her to balls and danced with her at every party and smiled at her with a special smile that he'd given her ever since they were kids. His odd eyes warm with some sort of feeling she couldn't define because she could never read his mind.

Dieu, she loved him.

She thought he had loved her. It hadn't mattered to her that she _knew_ he had sex with almost every lower class and middle class girl that he could. It didn't matter because someday he would be hers. He'd always come home to _her_. And those smiles, and those lips and those husky terms of endearment, would be _hers._

And he'd married someone else.

What had she done _wrong?_

Had she not loved him enough? Had she not always accepted him and defended him to others in their circle?

Bella didn't notice when her gelding wandered across the property lines onto the Lebeau estate. That is, until the gelding snorted and she looked up.

Démon, Remy's blood bay stallion, cropped grass nearby, bareback and reins dangling.

Bella Donna brightened and got off the gelding. She patted his neck and went towards Démon, knowing Remy had to be somewhere nearby. Maybe she could talk to him, really talk to him this time and tell him. He'd listen and _see_ and- her heart sped up. He would know that he'd made a mistake and love her instead.

The brightness of the clearing beckoned and she walked towards it and abruptly stopped.

Remy, naked to the sun, lay over a woman, his wife, one hand traveling between her thighs as he kissed her. Cards were strewn all over the blanket and clothes flung everywhere. Remy's wife's hand came up to cup his cheek. The diamonds on her rings broke the sunlight dazzling the eye. She arched up into him and he moaned, it might have been a word or not. Bella couldn't tell.

Bella flushed, her hand coming up to her mouth. Her eyes tickled and she felt a full out cry coming on. She turned and fled, hoping that they didn't see her or hear her. She grabbed the gelding's reins and flung her body into the saddle, turning the horse back to the Boudreaux chateau at a gallop, tears streaming down her cheeks and her heart shattering.

Bella Donna knew love when she saw it and Remy loved his wife.

There was no hope that he'd change his mind.

No hope at all.

The gelding stopped somewhere and she slid off and bawled into his neck.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Marie and Remy discuss something called the future and when things get rough over dinner fleeing the house is the plan of the day._


	13. Chapter 13

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Thirteen: Day Three, Part Four**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Three, Part Four: The couple discuss the future and things get worse over dinner when Marie unwittingly provokes Jean-Luc into an argument.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you!

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Marie and Remy talked to each other, getting to know each other better among other things and Bella Donna's hopes were crushed for a future with her and Remy..._

They made love. They cuddled up together after, not saying anything but idly caressing each other, looking into each other's eyes, kissing from time to time until it aroused them and they made love again. They ate the lover's meal that Tante Mattie had made, feeding each other, and when the licking of fingers and laughter became too much, they made love yet again.

Remy sighed and pressed his face into her neck and shoulder after, kissing the skin her could feel and enjoying the feel of her fingertips running up and down his back. "Cherie." He murmured.

"Sugar." She replied.

He slid off her body and propped his head on hand. "We need to come up wit' some options about what we wanna do, because once t'ey get past t'is whole memory nonsense t'ey'll be askin'."

Marie smiled at him. "Stay married?"

He grinned, leaned over and kissed her quickly. "Dat was a given."

"Not to them."

He sighed. "Non." He slid his other arm around her waist and slid his body close to her. "Yah have to go back to school in de fall."

"Ah could always go to school here."

Remy's eyes widened. "A Lebeau go to a public school! Cherie, Ah'd ne'er hear de end of it."

She reached around his head and started to play with his hair. "Ah don' have to go to public school. There's nothin' wrong with public school though." She really didn't have any other ideas about schools around here. "Ah don' know."

"Dere's some private schools around. Ah looked, but some of dem are boardin' and ot'ers might not allow married students." He bit his lip.

"What did yah do?"

"Papa hired tutors and Ah took de GED." Remy flushed. He wasn't precisely ashamed of it, but his tutor had been adamant that he was smarter than the GED test would be able to tell others.

"Ah can do that." Marie nodded.

"Cherie?"

"What?"

"Are yah smart?" He asked.

Marie shrugged. "No more than any other person. Ah mean, Ah ain't Forge but most folk ain't Forge."

"Who's Forge?"

"He's um," Marie sighed. "He's a mechanical genius Ah guess. Part of his powers is that he knows machines and he designs the weirdest things and adores Star Trek." She bit her lip. "But Kitty is really smart too, like, yah wouldn't know it to listen to her talk or look at her because she's super cute and talks like Jubilee, but her brain is like a computer. She hacked the Pentagon's mainframe the time they took me but Ah freed mahself before they could get to me. So they went and freed the other mutants instead."

"Good of dem, but yah keep comparin' yerself to geniuses cherie. Dat's not really answerin' mah question."

"Ah get good grades, but Ah don' know what yah are expectin' me to say." She frowned at him.

He rubbed his nose with hers. "Ah just don' want yer diploma to not reflect yer abilities and if yer smart, yah don' have to take de GED. We don' have to stay here eit'er, de Professor did say yah could go back and Ah more t'an have de money to pay for yer tuition."

"Xavier's is a boardin' school." Marie scowled. "Ah share a bedroom wit' _five_ other girls."

He shrugged. "We'll talk it o'er wit' de Professor. At worst, it would be no worse t'an stayin' here." His hand tightened on her hip and he felt the flare of resentment again.

"Sugar?"

"Henri and Mercy have a whole wing of de house." He muttered and lowered his eyes to her shoulder.

"Things have been busy. They probably haven't thought about it yet." Marie tried to reassure.

He snorted. "They ain't gonna." If Papa hadn't thought of it by now, he wasn't going to think about it. "We're _married_ and Ah want more t'an a bedroom."

"Sugar, Ah don' know how much money yah have so Ah hesitate to suggest we could buy a house or rent or anythin'."

He met her eyes. "Money is de least of our worries. It ain't money dat Ah worry about, cherie. It's Papa and what Ah'm gonna do while yah are at school wherever yah end up goin' to school or even if we hire de tutor Ah had." He sighed. "Ah guess Ah need his advice." His gut clenched. He just had this feeling he knew what it was going to be and they'd be no better off than before.

"Ah ain't had good experiences with fathers, sugar. So Ah ain't sure if that's a good idea or not." Marie worked a knot out of his hair with her fingers.

"Papa loves me." Remy said. Or he thought that Jean-Luc loved him. "He's just worried."

Marie groaned. "He has reason, sort of."

Remy smiled. "Just a little, but _still._" He rolled back over and put his head on Marie's shoulder. "Yah think he'd be used to t'is by now."

"Okay, hypothetically, what do yah want?"

"Mah famille to be happy for us, a wing of de house and Ah don't know, some enthusiasm." He grumbled. "Ot'erwise, Ah just want what is best for us as a married couple."

Marie shifted under him. "Well, Ah want a house. Yer family is nice or at least yer cousins are nice, but Ah'd like some space and privacy."

"Stables." Remy muttered. "Stables for Démon and some pretty mares for him to work off some of dat excess energy wit'."

Marie giggled. "Like yah work off excess energy with me?"

Remy looked up and narrowed his eyes. "Foals in de spring, but no babies. Not until yah finish school."

"Mmm. No babies, yet." Her eyes closed. She'd like some babies eventually, a swing set in the backyard, a tire hanging from a big old tree.

"A swimming pool." Remy added. "Motorcycles of our own. A fully stocked kitchen." He walked his fingers up her side. "Lots and lots of bourbon." He said. Marie laughed, her body shaking. He shifted his hand down to the blanket and used his upper body strength to shift over her, holding his body up as he kissed her. She stopped laughing and wrapped her arm about his neck. He kissed her several times, their lips meeting and parting before he pulled away. "Lots and lots of t'is." He murmured.

They made love again.

* * *

Remy held Marie's hand in his, their fingers entwined as they headed up the stairs of the house. He swung the picnic basket with the folded blanket on top in his other hand. His gut churned as he watched the door come nearer. It scared him a little. He'd never felt _dread_ coming up the steps to his own home before.

Anastasie opened the door. "Bonjour, Monsieur Remy. Monsieur Theoren is looking for yah." She said and took the picnic basket that he handed her without any other comment, her disapproval of his state of undress written all over her face.

"Merci beaucoup, Anastasie." He said.

Anastasie curtsied and shut the door behind him.

Marie's lips twitched as she glanced at her husband's unbuttoned shirt and the muscles she'd caressed all the horseback ride home as he'd let her sit behind him. It'd been nice to feel his warm skin under her fingers, like it'd been nice to press kisses up and down his neck.

Theoren must have been waiting for them in the parlor. He came into the hall, a sheaf of papers in his hand. "Professor Xavier faxed yah t'is." He said and handed the papers to Remy. "A few hours ago." He looked at Marie, his face full of questions.

Marie looked back and kept her face bland. There was no way that she was explaining about the Blackbird and how Logan only felt comfortable if he was flying her. Logan liked mach three, if and only if he was piloting. It wasn't any of Theoren's business and classified information of a sort. "He must have called ahead." She said.

Theoren blinked. "Of course."

Remy flipped the top page open and glanced at it. "It's de transcript Ah asked for." He said. "Ah'll look at it in a few minutes. Marie and Ah should go get dressed for dinner." He flipped it shut. "Merci, Theoren." He and Marie started forward, mounting the stairs.

"You're welcome?" Theoren said. He'd just pulled it from the fax machine that was all. He shook his head and turned back into the parlor.

Remy shut the door of their room behind them and Marie kissed his cheek. "Ah'm gonna take a quick shower." She said and let go of his hand.

He nodded. "Ah'll be dere in a minute."

She walked to the bathroom and he heard the shower start up. He shrugged out of his shirt passing the transcript from one hand to the other and sat on the bed. He flipped it open again and knew from the second page that Charles Xavier hadn't called ahead as it was a personal handwritten letter of recommendation. Remy turned the page and looked down the list of classes and grades earned. They were in forms of percentages and not the letter grades that were next to meaningless to him. He liked numbers. They were solid and understandable. If one had a 95 out of a hundred, it meant that one had gotten the answers right 95 out of 100 times. It made much more sense than the ambiguous A or B or C. He never understood what that meant. He checked Marie's numbers. They were all 93 or higher. He bit his lip and turned each page and checked them all and shut the fax.

His wife was smart. There was no way in good conscience that he could allow her to have a private tutor and take the GED test. He glanced at the box that held all his important papers. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his GED. He wasn't proud of it either. He was happy he had it. Remy had never thought he'd get an education at all. Education was for rich people with real parents and new clothes and shoes on their feet. He'd never set foot inside the sacred halls of learning and he supposed that a GED is all that he really deserved.

But his wife, his wife was smart and she'd earned whatever advanced education degree New York offered. She should have her chance to finish it. And she'd said something about college. If his wife wanted to go to college, she should have the best degree that would get her into one for whatever she wanted to do.

So, no tutors, he decided. He stood up, went over and opened the box slipping the transcript and recommendation letter inside before shutting it again.

He went and joined his wife in the shower.

* * *

The servants set the soup course in front of them and left the room. Marie picked up her spoon.

"Marie," Jean-Luc addressed her. "Ah would appreciate it if yah would dress appropriately for dinner."

Marie set her spoon down. She didn't glance down at her clothes. She didn't have to. She knew the top she was wearing was next to nothing, which was why she was wearing something else underneath it. She supposed that the skirt didn't pass muster as well given the height of the slit on the side. She crossed her legs. However, she was out of conservative clothes. It wasn't her fault. She wasn't the one who had packed her bags. She looked at Jean-Luc. He wouldn't understand that she was sure and everything _else_ that Jubilee had packed for her was worse. She smiled. "Ah suppose Ah could find some _alternatives._" She loaded the word down with as much sexual innuendo and the clear implication that he'd appreciate her other choices even less. If he decided to press the issue, she would come to the table _naked._

Everyone at the table caught it. Spoons paused. Emil choked on his soup.

Jean-Luc's eyes narrowed. "Remy, contain yer wife."

Remy calmly took a swallow of his soup. "Ah like a woman dat speaks her mind." He said and set a hand on Marie's leg under the table. He didn't care how she dressed. In fact, he quite liked the way she dressed.

Marie smiled and looked down, laying a hand on Remy's. She should correct him with the word 'minds', but refrained.

No one dared speak. Remy continued to eat, trying to ignore the rising emotions around the table.

Marie tossed her hair. "If yah like that, yah really should see me do impressions, Sugar." She picked up her spoon again. Remy's spoon paused and he glanced over at her. His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. She continued. "Mah favorite is Logan and metal detectors, but it ain't really polite for the dinner table." She took a half spoonful of soup and brought it to her lips. Remy's brain worked and he put it together. Marie's mutation, the fact she absorbed memories and emotions and powers and the fact Logan had metal over his skeleton. He felt laughter bubble inside him. Marie swallowed her soup. "The Professor only sent him through airport security once."

Remy set his spoon down as his very vivid imagination came up with the scene of a cranky Logan, zealous security guards and a touchy machine. He started to laugh, eyes closing and tears coming to his eyes. He doubted that the machine survived.

No one else laughed, then again, no one else really got the joke.

"Dere's no need to dress like a brazen hussy." Mercy snapped. Remy stopped laughing. Marie set her spoon down and leaned back in her chair. She eyed Mercy and wondered what the hell she had done to earn the girl's ire. Perhaps it was because Mercy had money and she didn't. Maybe it was something else. Marie's eyes flicked to Jean-Luc. He was the one who set the tone for the entire house. She knew that if he didn't approve of her, no one would.

Besides, "Yah ain't really seen me dress like a brazen hussy." Marie lifted and eyebrow and lowered it. "It requires one of Remy's shirts." She smirked at Remy.

Remy coughed and grinned. What was underneath the shirt had been exceptionally sexy. He wouldn't mind seeing it again. He ran his hand along her thigh. Suddenly, something occurred to him. "Cherie," he turned his head. "If yah can fly, why did yah climb de tree?" If he had thought of it, he would have asked earlier, perhaps dragged the game out a couple more rounds.

Marie smiled back at him. "Ah like climbin' trees, it's _fun._" She winked at him. "Among _other_ reasons." She would follow his fine ass wherever it went if he wanted. And she'd seen him take a few glances that he hadn't needed to take. That climb had been nothing but inappropriate looks and touches.

Remy's grin flashed again and he lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles. His wife climbed trees because she _liked_ to. She really was perfect.

Mercy's eyes blazed. She couldn't stand seeing Remy fawn over Marie anymore. "Yah are a nobody! Do yah understand me, a nobody!"

Remy's eyes blazed and he clenched his jaw as he felt power surge through him. _He_ was nobody. His mother had been a whore and his father probably some nameless client. He was a bastard son of a whore. He'd stolen to survive. He'd eaten out of garbage. He was no one without the adoption. Money and the Lebeau name didn't change that. His skin tingled with energy. He knew he had enough power to blow up the table if he wanted. He hadn't blown the table up since he was fourteen and he didn't want to start now. It wouldn't help anything.

Marie turned her head and looked at Mercy. No. She thought. She was everybody. She was Logan and John and Bobby and Carol and Ororo and Kitty and David and everyone that she'd ever touched since she'd gained her mutation. She was Erik. She was Lance. She was James. She was everyone. Her face went blank and still as she watched Mercy, listening to the voices in her mind, Logan's sarcastic comments, Erik's disdainful dismissal for what did a normal human know, and Carol's snide posturing. She felt Remy's grip on her hand and looked back at him. Her cheeks sucked in as she saw his rage and it fueled her own anger and everyone else's anger in her head.

Logan had a mind like a tactical computer, but he didn't need to help her to figure out why Remy was so angry. Remy had just told her his story that afternoon. So it was still fresh in her mind that her husband had been a little boy who was raised on the streets.

It occurred to Marie that she wasn't sure how Logan had refrained from responding to Mercy's remarks earlier more than he had. Logan also had the tendency to find what annoyed someone and then he pushed and pushed until it no longer annoyed them or they tried to kill him. Then he found something else to annoy them or legitimately got to beat them up. Mercy was acting like a fifth grader. Her eyes narrowed and she looked back at Mercy. "Would yah like to find a convenient mud pit and wrestle so that at least the boys will get some entertainment out of us fightin'?"

"Remy!" Jean-Luc barked.

Remy's gut twisted. He shoved away from the table and stood. "Ah'm no longer hungry. Wit' yer permission, Ah have some business to take care of in town tonight." He half bowed and stalked out.

Marie stood up and glared at them all, her eyes lingering on Jean-Luc. He was the only one who could fix this. Instead, he tore his family apart with his anger. She clenched her jaw and had to hold her own powers in check to keep from indulging in a Bobby style fit of rage and shattering every single bit of crockery on the table, the windows and turning the floor to ice. It was exceptionally tempting. "Excuse me, Ah need to check on mah husband." She didn't bow or curtsey, just turned and walked from the room. She caught up with him with a bit of flying and tucked her arm around his. "Easy, sugar." She murmured.

"Desole for leavin' yah in dere." He murmured.

"Don' be." She settled to the ground. "Ah know all about fun explosive powers and how unpredictable they can be. If we're goin' out, Ah'll go put on somethin' a little less provocative."

Remy stopped, grabbed her hips and pulled her against him, kissing her fiercely. Marie's dug her fingernails into his upper arms and responded back just as hard and passionate. He pulled back. "Yah dress de way yah want." He said.

A chair scraped back in the dining room. Marie and Remy both heard it. She kissed him quickly and headed up the stairs.

Henri entered the hall. Remy looked at him over his shoulder and looked away.

"Mercy has a point." He said.

"No. She don't." Remy replied.

"She's not suitable."

"Ah don' give a damn." Remy's fist clenched. "She's mah wife and dat is dat." He figured that Henri had better get used to it along with the rest of the family. He wasn't divorcing Marie.

"T'en at least stop lyin' to us. Just because she's good in bed, don' make her part of t'is family."

"Ah didn't marry her for de sex!" Remy spun on his toes and glared at his brother. "She's it, Henri. What part of dat is so hard to understand?"

"Yah heard Logan, it will go away!"

"Logan is not a psychic!" Remy shouted at him. "T'is ain't goin' away. It just gets stronger."

"So because yah believe t'is is _real_ yah are goin' to take her out to yer hidin' spots and share wit' her all yer secrets."

"If yah t'ink dat Ah'm leavin' mah wife alone here wit' all of yah, yah are touched in de head."

"We ain't touched. We're worried dat yah are makin' a huge mistake dat yah will regret one day."

Remy took a step towards him. "And who was Ah supposed to marry?" He asked, his voice low. "Bella Donna? Rosaline? Antoinette? Cleo? Isabella? De one from Japan, Kasumi? What femme did yah all have picked out for me?"

"We didn't!"

"T'en what is de big deal about me marryin' who Ah want to marry?" Remy exploded. "From de moment dat we walked t'rough dat door, not a one of yah has managed to be even convincin'ly polite or respectful to mah wife except perhaps for Etienne who don' like to upset anyone or Tante Mattie who's actually part of de servants and not really _family._"

"Yah didn't invite us! Yah didn't want us dere!" Henri screamed at him.

"And more and more yah are convincin' me dat yah don' want me in de first place!" Remy screamed back.

Henri reared back as if slapped. He didn't say anything and neither did Remy for several long minutes. Marie's boots made noise coming down the stairs. Henri blinked. "Yah call dat less provocative." He said.

Remy turned. Marie looked down at her leather pants and t-shirt ensemble. She frowned at Henri. "This is provocative?"

Remy smiled. "Yer pants, t'ey're tight."

Marie grinned, if that was all it took. "Sugar, Ah could be covered from neck to toes and still be provocative. Ah've had _years_ to practice."

Remy snickered. "Yah could be dressed in a flour sack and still be sexy to me, cherie."

Marie came down the last two steps and wrapped her arms about his neck. "Because it'd be so _short._" She purred and pulled his head down into a long kiss. Remy moaned. Marie pulled away and lowered her eyelids. "Yah owe me motorcycle keys."

"Tonight?" He whined.

"Yah forfeited. So, oui, tonight." She shifted her weight onto one hip.

He pouted. "Ah wanted to drive."

"Too bad. Logan took the V-Rod, Ah'm missin' mah motorcycle bondin' time." She wrinkled her nose. "Ah need mah speed."

"Afraid dat yah can't keep up?" Remy taunted.

She poked him. "If Ah had the V-Rod, yah _wouldn't _be able to keep up. Logan and Scott have added at least 50mph to the top speed and that's without the NOS."

Remy grabbed her hand and snickered. "Which yah didn't get to use," he said.

Marie pouted this time. "No. Ah had plans!"

Remy grinned. "Oui?"

"There's this road that no one goes down in Caldecott with a long straight away before the turns and it's got a few little dips in it and Ah was gonna go there and just let it all out." Marie tilted her head back and sighed, then brought it back down. "But Logan took it before Ah could." She pouted. "So, keys."

"Couldn't yah just fly it?"

"It ain't the same."

"No." Remy snickered. "Yah wouldn't have all dat vibration."

Henri's jaw dropped.

Marie licked her teeth behind closed lips. "No." She leered at him and ran a hand down his chest. "Power between-"

Remy leaned and kissed her before she could finish, nipping her bottom lip. "Dirty, cherie." He murmured.

"Yah like it." She murmured back.

"Oui." He grinned and spun them about, starting to walk her backwards towards the door. Marie giggled and kissed him again. They kissed all the way down the hall and Marie opened the door and it shut behind them. Henri heard Remy laugh on the other side.

Henri reached up and rubbed the top of his head. Things were getting worse.

* * *

Remy let Marie drive, he didn't mind wrapping his arms around her petite waist to murmur directions in her ear and to give her some revenge for the kisses she'd planted up and down his neck during the horse ride back to the mansion. He figured that they were both still hungry and directed her to a place that it wouldn't matter if they ate three to four times the amount a normal person would, a hot dog stand. It was simple. It was prosaic and Marie didn't even look at him funny.

They leaned against his bike with two to four hot dogs a piece and he could have been any businessman out with his girlfriend or whatever as she tore pieces off the bun and fed it to him and he kissed away the ketchup from around her lips. He didn't care that they had to look like one of those nauseatingly sweet couples that most people wished would just go away. Marie laughed with him and cuddled up next to him.

That is until he picked her pocket for the keys. Then she glared.

He smiled at her. "Only Ah know where we're goin', cherie." He said. She pouted. He kissed her, sucking that jutting bottom lip into his mouth and didn't stop kissing her until she moaned. He broke away and smirked. "And yah didn't say how long Ah forfeited mah keys for," he pointed out.

She wrinkled her nose. "Mah mistake." Her eyes narrowed. "Next time!" She poked him. "Ah'll remember."

He laughed and mounted the bike.

The first place he took her was in a bad section of town for N'Awlin's. He noticed with amusement that Marie took a look around and adjusted her walk and the way she moved until she could put a professional lot lizard to shame. His suit happened to be urban camouflage perfect for any section of the city depending on how he wore it. He wrapped his arm around her and took her up some rickety stairs to an apartment that had seen better days, most likely back when this part of the city had been more respectable.

He picked the lock on the door and opened it. She entered first and he palmed the lights. Their low yellow glow didn't reveal anything more promising inside the apartment than the dirty dusk had revealed outside the apartment.

Marie blinked. "This is," She paused and looked down at the dirty linoleum. "Nice."

He grinned. "It has its luxuries."

She looked at him. "Like what?"

"Stairs." He deadpanned and went for the hiding spot where he kept a stash of money. There was a duffle bag in a listing pasteboard dresser that it took several tries to get the top drawer to work free of the swollen 'wood.' He managed it and set it on the bed, counting the money as he put it inside.

Marie walked around. The fridge wasn't plugged in, neither was the microwave. She opened the cupboards also made of some sort of pasteboard and wasn't surprised to find them empty. Remy zipped up the bag and she turned around. She shifted her weight onto one hip. "How many of these places do yah have?"

He picked up the duffle and glanced around, checking to make sure there was nothing else he needed. "Three." He shrugged. "T'ey're left overs from my street days."

She nodded absently and didn't say anything more as he led her down the stairs and back to the bike. The second place wasn't much better than the first, except to access it they had to go inside and take a rickety elevator up three floors. She glanced around and looked at him. "Ah feel like Ah should be dancin'." She said. His brow furrowed. "Thoroughly Modern Millie." She explained. "It's how they made the elevator work."

He nodded once.

She peered at him. "It's about jazz and the Charleston and speak easies. Come on, sugar. Yah have had to have seen it."

His lips twitched. "Nope."

She sighed. "There goes mah pop culture reference."

The elevator door opened and he led her down the hall. He used a key this time, mainly because he had one for this place. The floors were cheap carpet instead of linoleum and there was more furniture but the lights were just as dim. Remy walked past her into the bedroom and flipped the lights on in there too.

Marie sat on a chair and it sagged underneath her. "So, sugar, what are we doin'?"

He stuck his head out of the bedroom and checked for her and then disappeared back inside. "Just checkin' out de financials."

She bit her lip. He was packing up the money though. She crossed her legs. "Oh."

He came out of the bedroom and she could tell there was more money in the bag. He dropped it next to her and knelt next to her. He looked into her eyes. "Cherie, anyt'in' we decide to do is gonna take money. And," He bit his lip. "Ah don' know if Ah'm gonna need t'ese places anymore. Ah don' want to leave de cash layin' around when we might need it to do, Ah don' know, buy a house or somet'in'."

She bit her lip. "Can we take the stairs down?"

He laughed, stood, threw his key on the counter, grabbed the duffle and opened a window. "Fire escape is de only stairs t'is place has."

Her eyes widened and she came over to his side and glanced down. "Ain't that illegal?"

"Oui, goin' out?" He asked. She rolled her eyes, ducked out the window and 'jumped' to the ground. She landed gently. Remy guffawed and dropped down the fire escape by actually jumping. He landed next to her and peered down his nose. "Cheater."

She lifted her chin. "Yer just jealous."

"Only a little bit." He grinned and kissed her nose. They went back to the bike.

The third place was the best of the lot, except for the fact that it didn't actually have a door, or stairs or sort of conventional way into it unless you were a Thief. He led her up to the roof of an adjacent building. By balancing on a ledge underneath a window, he opened it up so they could get in.

Her eyes widened at the huge windows on the other side of the long room. "Wow." She murmured and went to over to peer through them towards the Gulf over the few warehouses between her and the water.

Remy went for the money and when he'd finished counting and packing it he sat on the end bed and chewed his lower lip.

Marie turned around after a few minutes. "Sug?"

"Ah must have played poker." He muttered. "It's de only t'in' dat makes sense." He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Desole, cherie. De ot'er two places had de amount Ah remembered."

"This one don't," She stated and came over, standing in front of him.

He looked up and half smiled. "Non. Ah t'ink bettah sometimes when Ah play poker, maybe dat's what happened. Ah needed to t'ink and so Ah went and beat a lot of folk at poker. Ah hope Ah didn't piss no one off."

She grinned and pushed him down onto the bed. "Highly likely." She set her knees to each side of his waist and tossed her hair back. "Ah wish we didn't have to go back."

He debated sticking his tongue out at her over the fact she was sure he'd angered someone and then decided to focus more on the idea that it looked like his wife wanted sex. He could handle sex. He reached up and grabbed her waist. "Oh?"

"Our room is nice and all, but it's lackin' an integral part for us bein' newlyweds." She reached down and started to unbutton his shirt. "Privacy." She leaned down and pressed her lips to his, twisting her head at an angle. She pulled away a little, nipping his bottom lip. "So we can find out what makes each ot'er _scream._" She kissed down his chin. "Ah can't help t'inkin' every time we have sex that one of yer family members out there listenin'."

He tilted his head back. "Don' say dat, cherie. Yah will turn me off of sex for as long as we stay dere."

Her hands went for his belt buckle. "Wanna bet?" She asked.

"No. Not really, Ah'd lose." Remy muttered. She laughed and sat up, pulling her t-shirt over her head. He propped his body up on is elbows and ran his eyes over her chest. He met her eyes. "So, screamin'?" This apartment was about as private as they were going to get until they had a place of their own.

She grinned at him. It started slow and took up her face. "Yes, please."

He hooded his eyes and smirked back. He sat up, and kissed her hard.

Then, he made her scream and she wasn't satisfied until she made him scream too.

* * *

Jean-Luc heard the door open and close. He glanced up at the time. It was past midnight. His eyes narrowed as Remy walked down the hall hand in hand with his wife, a duffle dangled from his fingers and by some miracle it seemed his shirt was actually buttoned. They weren't being loud, but they weren't trying to sneak in either. Jean-Luc frowned.

As they passed the door, Marie leaned over and kissed Remy solidly on the mouth and for some reason, Remy laughed.

Jean-Luc cleared his throat. "Remy." He said.

Remy jumped and looked into the parlor. "Papa?" Then, it came back to Remy as to why he'd left the house in the first place and his face hardened into a mask that Jean-Luc had not seen directed against him, ever.

Jean-Luc ignored it. "You're late."

Remy's face became exceptionally bland and polite. "No more so t'an usual." He paused and added. "Sir." It almost became an insult. Remy squeezed Marie's hand. "Bonne nuit." They headed towards the stairs, Marie not even willing to look at Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc's jaws clenched together and he ground his teeth.

He decided to blame Marie for Remy's behavior. Before her, he was able to get along with his son just fine. And now, he was losing him.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Remy and Marie turn to avoidance tactics and proceed to set New Orleans' high society on its proverbial ear._


	14. Chapter 14

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Fourteen: Day Four**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Four: Remy goes and asks Jean-Luc for advice. Marie makes her debut in New Orleans society on Remy's arm, much to the family's and some of society's dismay.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! And things start winding down...awww.

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie finally got to talk and make plans and had yet another blow up at dinner with Remy's family._

_July 4__th__ Day Four, Tuesday_

After their morning round of sex, Remy leaned down and kissed Marie's nose. "How do yah feel about goin' out for breakfast?"

She smiled up at him and cupped his cheek. "Sounds wonderful."

He smiled back. "Bon."

She tilted her head back and pulled him down for another kiss.

So, they went out for breakfast, to Café Du Monde and he snagged his favorite table almost positive it was the same one where they'd planned their wedding announcement and probably most of the wedding. He glanced around. Avoidance games were usually beneath him, but after Mercy's outburst last night at the dinner table, it was the only thing that he could think of that would keep him from exploding something to prove a point. What the point was he wasn't sure. He was an adult? He was a bad man and should be respected? He knew that an explosion might justify the latter but it would do nothing about the former. And, he'd spent so much work on controlling his powers. He didn't want to lose said control in front of his family.

Maire reached out and put her hand on his. "Yah look miles away."

"Non. Just what is now, four days ago?" He looked at her. "Wonderin' how much of what we planned, we did right here." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Makes t'is place special."

Her lips upturned slowly into a sweet smile. "It does." She looked around. "Ah still wish Ah remembered."

"Me too, cherie. Me too." He fiddled with his coffee cup and couldn't drag his eyes off of her.

Marie looked back at him. "Sugar, are we avoidin' yer family?"

He flushed and dropped his eyes. "Oui."

"Just makin' sure." She reached over and used a finger to bring his chin up. "'Cause Ah don' know about yah, but Ah'm about to explode some thin's in a fit of pique."

He laughed. "And how would yah explode t'in's, cherie?"

"Well that depends on if Ah have access to a lighter or not." Marie's lips twitched. "Ot'erwise, Ah was almost to the point of freezin' thin's until they shattered last night."

His eyes widened. "Yah can do dat?"

She bit her lip. "Ah, uh, absorbed mah ex a lot." She squirmed. "Once every few months, actually."

Remy laughed. "Oh la la la, he don' have a lot of imagination or balls do he, oui?" He had a feeling if he'd been dating Marie, she'd probably have absorbed him a lot more than every few months, if he hadn't come up with someway around it.

Her jaw dropped and she began to snicker. "No. Ah guess not." She reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. "But he controls the temperature of thin's." She paused. "Well, let me be clear about this, he can make things cold and that's it. Once he freezes thin's he can't unfreeze them." She shrugged. "Handy in a temper though."

Remy leaned forward. "But if yah have a lighter?"

"Well, John," She started.

"De one who got us de-"

"Remy!" Marie slapped a hand over his mouth. He grinned at her behind it and kissed her palm. "Yes, _him._ He went to the bad for a bit there and he manipulates fire. Ah absorbed him to put his fires _out._" She rolled her eyes and dropped her hand. "Most of mah other absorptions aren't good for explodin' thin's." She sighed. "Ah try not to absorb folk, sugar."

He reached over and picked up her hand again, turning it over and pressing another kiss to the palm. "Which says a lot about de type of person yah are, cherie." He sighed. "Yah know, Ah'm gonna have to t'ink of dat next time, changing de temperature of objects instead of chargin' dem. T'ey might go boom, but it won' be as obvious it were me."

Her eyes narrowed. "Yah can do that?"

"Kinetic energy, make atoms go faster, make dem slow down." Remy let her hand go and put it around her coffee. It started to steam a few seconds later and he took his hand away. "Wahlah."

"Yer eyes glow when yah use yer powers." She observed.

"Ah know." He restrained a scowl. He hated that little tell.

"That's _really_ sexy, Sugar."

He blinked once. Or, things could be looking up on that front. "Really?"

Her voice dropped into the purring range. "Really."

He ducked his head and smiled a little. "Oh."

Marie's stomach melted. He looked like such a little boy who'd been told they were good after all. He was adorable. Perhaps, he was more insecure about his eyes than she thought. She was going to have to work on that. They were gorgeous and he should be proud of them. She leaned over and he glanced up just enough for her to press her lips to his. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her over onto his chair with him and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He pulled back a little and stared into her eyes. She was so amazing. He leaned back in and kissed her gently. "Where's de dress shop?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Can't wait to help me out of mah clothes, Monsieur Lebeau?"

He smirked at her. "Yah know it, ma cherie."

She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Ah have to finish mah coffee since yah heated it up for me so nicely."

He pouted.

Marie finished her coffee and taunted him with every sip.

* * *

Marie smiled at the owner of the shop. "Thank yah so much for openin' for us today. This is mah husband Remy." Marie turned her head and looked at Remy, smiling.

The owner smiled and almost fawned. "Anythin' for yah, Mrs. Lebeau. Ah have the dresses yah and Garnette picked out all ready. Please, take yer time."

Remy smiled at the woman. "Merci beaucoup."

Marie dragged him into the back of the shop towards the dressing rooms. "It shouldn't take too long. We narrowed it down to three choices."

"Only three?"

Marie turned her head and glared at him. "Oui, three." She shoved him into a chair. "Stay put."

"But Ah want to help."

She stuck her tongue out at him and strutted into the dressing rooms. Remy leaned back in the chair, crossed his arms and snickered.

Less than five minutes later, Marie came back and stepped up onto a small pedestal in front him. She spun slowly and kept an eye on his face. He tilted his head and didn't say anything.

She placed her hands on the skirt. "Ah know. It's black." She pushed her hair back. "Yah are right, too hot, to many other people will be wearin' it and little black dresses are so much sexier." She nodded once and went back to the dressing room.

Remy grinned and waited.

She came out dressed in a green sheathe that matched her eyes. His eyebrows rose as she lifted the skirt and stepped onto the pedestal. She dropped the hem and turned again, looking over her shoulder at him so he could appreciate the exceptionally low back of the dress. He tilted his head. She sighed. "Predictable right? And a bit constrictin'." She stepped down and picked up the hem again. "Let me try the one Ah picked out."

Marie went back into the dressing rooms and crossed her fingers, hoping that the last dress would give her 'the look' that she was searching for. It was a combination of the 'struck between the eyes' and 'I want to take you to bed' look that would certify that she had the right dress. She was almost certain the next dress would be it, but Garnette had gushed over the previous two so much she had to set them aside as well.

Marie barely got around the corner and into his line of sight before she stopped at the look on his face. His eyes had darkened into that odd dark rose red color and his lips had parted a little. She ducked her head and smirked, sashaying around the pedestal to stand between his knees. She leaned down and put her hands on the back of the chair over his shoulders. "So, yah like red." She purred.

"Oh, oui." He murmured.

She leaned down, lips parting. They kissed, tongues mingling and his arms coming around her. She pulled back. "Bon." She glanced down at the dress's bright color. "Ah like this dress, it's," she paused. "Patriotic."

"Sexy." Remy muttered. It was simple in execution as all red dresses should be, but it hugged her curves and flared out just before her knees and didn't have a huge train like some the others in the shop. He glanced down. "Are yah tryin' to suggest somet'in' wit' yer cleavage at dat height, cherie?"

She stood up abruptly and glanced down at the low neckline. "No." She put her weight on one hip and looked down her nose at him.

He smirked back at her and wiggled his eyebrows. "Too bad."

She reached up and fluffed one of the little sleeves that draped along her bicep and rolled her eyes. She spun on her toe, and a slit up to her thigh split open along the edge of the dress. "Ah'll be goin' now."

"Hurry back."

She looked over her shoulder at him and wiggled her butt.

He laughed and went to pay for the dress and whatever else she needed that went with it.

* * *

Remy took Marie out to lunch before they returned to the mansion. He stayed in the bedroom long enough to collect some papers and see Marie into the shower before he headed downstairs to his father's office.

He stared at the door a few seconds too long, his gut and mind churning with conflicting emotions before he reached up and rapped on the door.

"Come." Jean-Luc said from the other side.

Remy inhaled and exhaled once and opened the door, ignoring the looks that everyone else was giving him. He shut it behind him. "Allo, Papa." He said and kept his eyes squarely on the floor.

"Mon fils."

Remy glanced up at him once and couldn't read his father's face. He took a seat in front of his father and tried not to remember what had happened the last time he had sat there. He shuffled the papers in his hands and refused to look up from them. "Marie has to finish school in de fall." He said and paused waiting for his father to say something. Jean-Luc remained silent and Remy snuck a glance at him and noticed his father's folded hands. He looked back at his papers. "And Ah found some options dat might work. She's smart," he felt the words rushing out, "really smart and Ah don' feel it would be fair to her to be tutored. Dere are some good private schools around here dat might take her or de Professor said dat she could go back to his school if she wanted. If dat is de case, we could get a house up dere for de time bein'." He finally fumbled out of words. "Or we could do somet'in' else. Do yah have any advice?"

Jean-Luc didn't move or change expression. "Get rid of her."

Remy stared at his father, too shocked for words for a few minutes. His father couldn't be serious. He reached out with his empathy consciously, not ignoring it for once. His father was serious. Rage flared through Remy. He'd come and he'd asked politely for advice about the future and he'd gotten just the answer he'd feared he would. It was the same answer that he'd gotten from the very first. "Dat's not _advice._" He snarled and stood.

"Dat's mah answer."

Remy glared at his father, turned on his heel, flung the door open and _slammed_ it behind him. Not caring that no one slammed his father's office door.

Everyone in the waiting room jumped and turned to stare. He glared back, meeting Theoren's brown eyes squarely before stalking down the hall towards the main part of the house. He turned into the parlor and threw his papers down on the coffee table and put his head in his hands and shook. He didn't _want_ to do this by himself. He wasn't prepared to make this sort of decision alone. The back of his eyes grew hot and he pressed his lips together.

The couch sank down next to him. "Remy, sugar." Marie murmured and put a hand on his arm.

He lowered his hands and looked at her. He reached over and put a hand on top of hers and searched her eyes. "He wants me to get rid of you." He said and his voice filled with agony. "I _won't._"

Marie slid closer to him. "Then don't." She put her head on his shoulder. "Ah wouldn't agree to such a thin' anyways."

He sighed and rested his head against hers. "Bon."

She looked at the papers. "So, what are we gonna do?"

"Ah don' know." He whispered and turned his head to put his nose in her clean hair. He closed his eyes. He wasn't so alone in this decision after all. He worked an arm around her. He'd never be alone as long as he had Marie. "It can wait until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Dere's nothin' to do tomorrow." He slid his head down and pressed a kiss to her temple. "We can t'ink about it until t'en."

She leaned her head back and smiled. "All right. Shower's free."

He smiled back, a faint one. "Not for long." He stood up and then raised an eyebrow at her. "Is dat one of mah shirts, cherie?"

She laughed at him. "Oui." She stood and wrapped her arm around his. "Ah don' have a robe yah see." She lowered her eyelashes. "And while Ah _looked_ for one of yers. Yah don' seem to have one either."

He grinned. "Never saw de point."

"So, Ah wanted to find yah and needin' somethin' to wear over mah nightgown, one of yer shirts seemed the best Ah could do." She tilted her head to the side. "Since Ah don' give a damn what anyone else in the house thinks of me." She said. He tried not to laugh and it got stuck in his throat. She bumped him with her hip. "Don' forget to breathe, sugar."

He started to laugh and couldn't stop until the door to their room shut behind him. He spun her about and pulled her into a long kiss. "Merci, cherie."

She rubbed her body against his. "Yah're welcome, sug."

He slammed his mouth back down on hers and she groaned. If they kept this up, she was going to need another shower and he couldn't find it in him to care. He pulled away panting and his hands worked under the hem of the button down shirt that stopped at her mid-thigh. He stopped when he didn't actually feel the satin of her nightgown underneath it. His eyes widened. "Cherie! Yah _lied_ to me."

She smirked at him. "Ah said Ah needed somethin' to wear over mah nightgown. Ah didn't say Ah was actually wearin' said nightgown."

"Yah went downstairs dressed only in mah shirt." He stared at her.

"Ah told yer father Ah could find somethin' more appropriate." She shifted her weight and tucked her chin down, widening her eyes as she tried to look innocent. "Do yah think he'd consider this better?"

Remy choked. "No."

"Ah guess Ah'll have to try harder." She pouted.

"But Ah like it." Remy muttered and kissed that pout away. She grinned against his mouth.

"That's all Ah care about." She murmured and rubbed her leg against his.

"Yah are tryin' to cause trouble." He glared at her.

"Well, if they are starin' at me, they ain't yellin' at yah." Marie kissed his chin. Her eyelashes lowered. "Yah know, Ah don' think Ah got clean enough in the shower. Maybe yah could help me out." She ran a hand along his chest.

"Maybe Ah can." He kissed her. "But maybe Ah won't." He said and kissed her again. She made a noise of protest. "Maybe, Ah'll just make yah dirtier."

She giggled. He picked her up and carried her into the bathroom.

* * *

Marie's hips swayed as she carefully set one foot in front of the other, her legs almost crossing as she came down the stairs. One hand rested lightly on the railing and the other she had tucked through Remy's arm.

Mercy glanced up at the sound of their footsteps. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed at the sight of Marie's bright red dress embroidered with what could be roses or camellias depending on how one looked at them in the same color as the fabric. Marie smiled back at her as they stepped off the stairs. She glanced at Mercy's dark blue asymmetrical dress.

"Yah look beautiful, sugar." Marie kept her smile up. Mercy did look lovely, the blue making her blue eyes brighter and Marie still wanted to know if Mercy had a maid to help with her hair, which had been piled on top of her head in some manner that Marie couldn't quite figure out.

Mercy laid a hand on her diamond and sapphire necklace. "And yah look like a brazen hussy, as usual."

Remy's eyes widened in shock. "Mercy." He hissed. He glanced at Henri for some help, but Henri wasn't paying the least bit of attention.

Marie didn't lose her smile. "There's no need to be jealous that yah didn't think of it first." She turned her head to look at Remy. "Besides, it matches Remy's eyes." She leaned over and kissed the side of his mouth. "Ah adore his eyes."

Remy turned his head and leaned in to kiss Marie gently. "Bon." He murmured.

Henri turned to say something to Mercy and looked twice at Marie. Marie turned her eyes to Henri and raised an eyebrow. Henri cleared his throat. "We should be goin'." He said.

"Oui. De sooner we leave, de sooner we can return." Remy nudged Marie forward. "And Ah can get to doin' what Ah'd prefer to do wit' t'is dress Marie is wearin'."

Mercy sucked her cheeks in and Emil, who heard the last about choked on his tongue.

Marie snickered. "Yah really should take yer husband out shoppin' more, Mercy." She said as they passed her.

Mercy glared at her back and took Henri's offered arm. She leaned in close to him. "Remy can't be serious about takin' her." She murmured.

"In dat dress?" Henri asked back in the same quiet murmur.

Mercy narrowed her eyes. "At all." She hissed.

"We are just gonna have to go along wit' it for now." Henri patted her arm. "He'll come to his senses soon."

"And what if he doesn't?" Mercy glanced at her husband, voicing the fear that everyone, barring a few that actually were happy for Remy, had in the house.

Henri watched Remy help Marie into the car and patted Mercy's hand. "He will." He said and Henri hoped that his brother wasn't as much as a fool as he acted.

* * *

Despite all the mental preparation Marie had been trying to give herself and all the distractions, well, Remy was such a fine distraction that she didn't need another, Marie could still feel butterflies building in her stomach. She put her head on Remy's shoulder. She knew once Rosaline knew who she was, she was going to be about as welcome as a skunk at a garden party. There was no need to go into the irony of her white stripe and the fact that this was an actual party in an actual garden.

Remy's thumb made soothing circles on her knee that was exposed through the slit in her skirt and Marie smiled. All right, so she didn't have a finishing school education, gold instead of blood and polished airs, she did have Remy and a whole host of personalities to draw on for polite insults and disdainful mannerisms if needed. Not that she would need them. She could come up with enough on her own but it always good to have a back up plan or two or three.

Something she'd figured out because when Scott's plans went south. They really went south. Though she wasn't sure who had come up with that expression. She rather _liked_ the South.

The car stopped and the driver opened the door. Remy got out, turned and offered his hand to Marie. She smiled at him as she took it and got out of the car feet first. "Merci, sugar." She murmured. She tucked her arm into his as they turned to join a stream of people walking around a large brick southern mansion in the antebellum style. Marie tilted her head. "Yer family's place is nicer." She observed. She paused and swept her eyes over the gardens as they turned the corner. "Xavier's is nicer." She muttered.

Remy grinned. "Xavier has more money t'an de Bryant's, cherie."

"Xavier has a weather witch to look after his gardens." Marie murmured.

"A what?" Remy's brow furrowed.

"Hmm, actually, Ororo's more of a goddesss Ah guess." Marie patted his arm. "Or somethin'." Marie grinned as she remembered something. "She was also a pickpocket in Cairo in her younger years."

"De woman who is wit' Logan?" Remy's eyes narrowed.

"Oh yes, that too." Marie nodded.

"De lovely well dressed black lady wit' de white hair, precise accent and beautiful manners?" Remy asked for clarification.

"Mmmhmm."

"A goddess?"

"Technically."

"Wit' Logan?" He looked at her as if she were crazy. They were talking about the same Logan, the cranky, temperamental, threatened to kill them, father type figure? With a mutant who had enough power to be considered a goddess? It had to be some sort of opposites attract thing.

"She controls the weather and has a deep attunement with the planet. Logan," Marie paused and bit the inside of her lip. "This isn't talk for polite company, sug."

"Yah brought it up."

"No. Ah brought up that Ororo's mutation is controllin' the weather." Marie stroked the inside of his arm.

"We'll finish t'is later." Remy muttered as they approached the hostess.

"Oooh, Ah feel faint when yah threaten me like that." Marie giggled.

Remy ducked his head and grinned.

"Oh, Remy! Yah came!" A young blonde woman who looked like she had spent half a day too long in the salon actually cooed at him as she batted obviously fake lashes over her big brown eyes. She held out her hand.

Remy's grin faded into a polite smile. He took her hand and kissed the back of it without lingering. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Bryant." He let Rosaline's hand go.

Rosaline pouted pink painted lips that almost matched the color of her dress perfectly. "How many times must Ah remind yah to call me Rosaline?"

"Until Ah remember."

Rosaline turned her head to say something to Marie and stopped dead as she realized she didn't know her. Rosaline frowned and her lips tightened a little as she noticed Marie's dress. She looked back at Remy and raised an eyebrow. "And who is this, Remy darling?"

Remy's smile broadened. "Oh, dat's right. Ah forgot dat yah were out of town t'is weekend and missed de announcement. May Ah present mah wife, Anna Marie."

Rosaline's eyes widened. "Wife?"

Marie held out her left hand. "A pleasure to meet yah, Miss Bryant."

Rosaline eyed Marie's hand for a moment before taking it briefly. "Yes." She said. Her eyes lingered a fraction too long at the rings on Marie's hand.

"Please, just call me Marie." Marie smiled. "Your gardens are lovely."

Rosaline smiled at her with her lips closed and her eyes narrowed. "Please, do enjoy them." She said through gritted teeth.

Marie smiled back. "We will."

Remy smiled at Rosaline and they walked away. He leaned closer to Marie. "What are yah doin', cherie?"

"Takin' the high road." Marie fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh, Ah see Garnette, shall we go say hello, Sugar?"

Remy slid his arm down hers and then around her waist. "Of course, since Ah doubt Ah could stop yah."

"Yah could very easily." Marie moved closer to him. "Just by askin' me to dance."

Remy sighed. "Non. Not yet. We must pretend to be social." He hated these things with an all abiding passion and never missed them when he was out working and would prefer to have such an excuse for all of them. Guild functions were only slightly better.

Garnette smiled at them as they approached. "Oh, there yah two are! Ah was just tellin' the others about yah." Garnette smiled at the group of young women around her. "This is Remy's wife, Marie."

"Since, she's on Remy's arm, Ah should hope so." One said, a brunette. "Rosaline's too busy to make introductions." She looked significantly at Garnette.

Garnette looked back and rolled her eyes. "Well, bless your heart, Helene. Ah was fixin' ta do so." She turned to Marie. "Helene Covington, our stickler for fine manners."

Remy looked around. "And where is your beau, Helene? Ah'm feelin' outnumbered here."

Helene sighed. "Ashley bought some sort of new fangled expensive vehicle in Italy and all the boys have gone off to drool over it."

Garnette sniffed. "Except for yah Lebeau, Marceaux boys who have just arrived."

Marie smiled. "Is it red?"

"Pardon?" Helene blinked.

"The car, is it red?" Marie repeated.

"Ah don't know. Ah haven't seen it." Helene shrugged. She glanced at Garnette.

"It's Ashley. Ah wouldn't be surprised." Garnette waved a hand. "May Ah also introduce, Kennedy Mitchell, Coco Court, Ivonne Oullet, and Primrose Gunter." As each woman was named, they nodded or smiled. Marie recognized some of them from church, but wasn't sure. She smiled back at each of them.

"Rose, please." Said a young woman, the last named, with strawberry blonde hair. She smiled at Marie. "Red, how daring!"

Marie smirked. "Merci beaucoup. Ah couldn't resist it." She turned her head and smiled at Remy. "Nor could he."

Remy grinned at her. "Ah like red." He paused. "On a woman." He finished. His eyelashes lowered. "On yah, ma cherie."

"Well, Rosaline sure is fumin'." Rose shook her head.

"Rosaline isn't the only one." Coco said, or Marie thought it was Coco. Coco glanced at Marie, her gray eyes slightly pinched in worry. "What have yah two done to Mercy to make her look so sour?"

"We got married." Remy said deadpan.

"And Ah'm wearin' red." Marie shrugged and reached up to run her fingers along her white stripe as she'd parted her hair so it all fell over one shoulder leaving the side nearest Remy bare.

"Ah don't understand." Kennedy's voice was so soft that Marie almost didn't hear her. It didn't quite match her height, strong bone structure or deep brown hair. "Why is that such a bad thing?"

Marie and Remy looked at each other. They smiled and looked down and then glanced at each other again. Marie started to shake as she tried to hold back giggles and Remy's control was not much better.

Remy's smile turned into a wicked grin. "Ah can't remember." He said. Marie burst into laughter. Remy winked at her. She winked back. "We should go and mingle more," he paused, "Ladies." He said.

Coco spoke up. "Would yah please spare me a dance, Remy?"

Remy broke his gaze with Marie and smiled gently at Coco. "Desole, jolie. Not today. Today, Ah dance only wit' mah wife."

Coco blinked once, too flabbergasted to speak.

"Perhaps we can talk more later. It was so nice meetin' yah'all." Marie smiled and let Remy lead her away.

Remy looked around. "Oh, dere's old man Davin."

Marie bit her lip and sifted through her memories of Garnette's never ending prattle. She knew that name and she didn't think what Garnette had to say of him was anything good. "Ah don' think we're supposed to talk to him."

Remy frowned at her. He didn't know why people didn't talk to Monsieur Davin. The man was full of interesting stories, but he was invited to every party and then everyone avoided him for some reason. Remy never understood it. Why did they invite the man if they didn't want him there? "Why not?"

Marie's brow furrowed as she tried to remember what Garnette had said and realized that Garnette hadn't ever said anything specific, mostly to avoid the older gentleman. "Yah know, Ah don' know."

Remy met her eyes. "Yah were sayin', cherie?"

She grinned at him. If he didn't care about social standing, why should she? "Lead the way."

He grinned back.

* * *

Bella Donna smiled at Rosaline and hid behind her it how much she detested the other woman, who had up until last week been her chief rival for Remy's affections in Bella's eyes. She was quite positive that Remy didn't retain any feelings for the girl, but given Rosaline's social standing Bella had always maintained an air of caution.

Not that any of it mattered now.

They exchanged social pleasantries Bella turned her head, just in time to see Marie kneel down next to old Monsieur Davin, her one hand on the older gentleman's knee and her other clasped in Remy's. Bella's eyes bulged. What was _Remy_ doing?

Bella gathered her pale blue skirts and headed towards Mercy. She would _never_ allow Remy to take her anywhere near Davin and his bad habit of pretending to be blind to get a look down every female's bodice that fell for his deception.

Marie's head tilted back as she laughed outright at whatever Davin had to say, as Remy grinned and said something to make the older man laugh as well.

Bella cornered Mercy. "What is _Remy_ doin', talkin' to Monsieur Davin?" She hissed.

Mercy's eyes narrowed and she whipped her head about to find the older man under the trees and focused on Marie's bright red dress. "Introducin' his hussy, Ah guess." Mercy sneered.

Henri reached over and took Mercy's wine glass. "Remy always talks to Monsieur Davin." He said in a low voice. "Usually by himself."

"Mais, Ah'd _never_ let Remy take me near him." Bella tilted her nose upwards. The man was one step up from a pervert.

Mercy tossed her hair. "She's a nobody and knows not'in'."

"Mercy." Henri hissed. "Not here."

Marie rose gracefully to her feet and Remy steered her towards a group of young men that were approaching from the other side of the house. They all started talking at Remy and it was obvious when Marie asked a question for they all looked at her once and then did a double take. Remy said something and several gaped while others laughed. Marie raised her eyebrow and asked her question again. This time someone actually answered her and for far too long in Bella's opinion, Marie and Remy fit themselves directly into the conversation, which from what she could hear was about cars versus motorcycles. The conversation attracted several of the older generation from nearby to add their own thoughts to the debate and were subsequently introduced to Remy's new wife.

With a glare at the large group of young men and Marie talking, Rosaline stalked over to the string quartet in the middle of the garden and started talking fiercely to the cello player. The tuxedoed musician nodded and raised his bow over his strings and started to play. Rosaline smiled.

It didn't last long as Remy laughed at something one of the others said and turned to Marie, bringing her hand to his lips he kissed it and led her to an open space, wrapped an arm about her waist as they began to move to the waltz.

Henri turned to Mercy and held out his arm. "Shall we, mon amour?"

She smiled at him and let him lead her away, as other couples joined Marie and Remy out on the open lawn. Etienne bowed at Bella, who rolled her eyes but allowed him to take her hand.

Several times during the subsequent dances, men and women alike tried to cut in on Remy and Marie. Remy frowned at them all and pulled Marie closer refusing to let anyone besides him dance with his wife.

Marie smiled at him. "Yah are bein' slightly possessive, Sugar. Ah can dance with others."

He frowned at her. "Non. Ah don' plan to be separated from yah all evenin', cherie. Ah just got yah and Ah don' like sharin'." He said. Remy didn't care about polite social niceties. She laughed. He leaned down and kissed her. "And yah enjoy it."

She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. "Yah are makin' the other girls unhappy."

"T'ey'll get over it." Remy rested his head on top of hers.

She closed her eyes and smiled.

They danced the rest of the afternoon, only stopping as evening fell and Remy felt they could make their excuses and leave.

Not that any of his excuses were remotely near the truth.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it is pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Remy and Marie once again discuss this concept called the future and they end up making and announcing some decisions. God help them._


	15. Chapter 15

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Fifteen: Day Five**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Five: Remy gears up for a fight with his new wife while they make some decisions, but she's not the one he needs to worry about.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! Only two more chapters left, one week! Ack!

Last time in Complicated Situations... _The family attended a patriotic garden party and Remy took Marie back to the chateaux early for some 'quality' time..._

_July 5__th__ Day Five, Wednesday_

The wooden box that held all of Remy's important papers lay open on the floor and the papers were scattered into piles in front of Remy on the side of the bed, an open laptop hummed next to him as he sorted through them. Marie's transcript and their marriage license right in front of him as he scanned other papers before putting them into piles. At the head of the bed, he could hear Marie half-humming, half-singing a ditty as her pen scratched across fine cardstock that he had no idea where or when she'd picked up. It didn't matter. She'd taken it upon herself to write out thank you notes for their wedding gifts and he was more than willing to let her. All the gifts were from her friends anyways. She would know what to say a lot better than he did.

Plus, he was gearing up for a fight that he intended to win.

The bed shifted. Marie stuck her cards in front of him.

"Sign please."

He glanced at her and took the pen and cards from her hands, not even bothering to read the notes as he signed them and then handed them back.

She hummed some more as she stuffed them into their envelopes and then licked the glue.

He paused in his sorting to watch her. His eyes narrowed. "Cherie, can't yah do dat someplace else."

She grinned at him. "Nope."

He mock scowled at her. "Yah are distractin' me."

Mischief brightened her green eyes and she stuck out her tongue at him.

He growled and pounced on her, pushing her back into the bed and swallowing up her giggles with kisses. She tossed the cards out of the way and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled away slowly and traced her lips with his fingers. "All done?"

Her nose wrinkled. "With what?"

"De cards."

She wiggled under him and he glared at her and pinned her hip down with his hand. "The cards, oui. Yah. No." She grinned at him.

He brushed his lips across hers. "We have a lifetime."

"And Ah'm impatient." She pouted.

"Yah are possessed of more vices t'an virtues."

"Naturally, Sugar. So are yah."

"Good t'in'." He murmured and kissed her again. She moaned. He pulled away. "Ah was t'inkin' cherie, t'is whole house t'in' we want. Why don' we get one in New York?"

Marie shoved up on her elbows forcing Remy to sit up and her brow furrowed. "In New York, why for?"

"So yah can finish school."

She sighed. "We've been over t'is Sug, Ah can go to school down here. There's nothin' wrong with public schools."

He placed a finger over her lips. "Havin' never _been_ to public school, Ah shall have to take yer word for it." He said. She scowled at him. He smiled at her. "And Ah don' t'ink any of de public schools around here can give yah de same quality of education dat Xavier's can-"

She jerked her head back. "That don' matter to me."

He continued as if she hadn't said anything. "And Ah don't want to take yah away from yer family and friends." He cupped her cheek. "Dat matters to me."

"What about yer family? What about yer friends?"

Remy sighed and rolled over to the side and put an arm over his eyes. "Ah don' know, cherie." He murmured. "Most of mah friends _are_ famille and yah know how well us bein' together has gone over wit' dem."

She rolled over so she could lean down and brush a kiss across his lips before curling up against his side. "Ah'm sorry, Sugar."

"It ain't _yer_ fault." He snapped and then instantly winced. "Desole, cherie, Ah don' mean-"

"It's okay. We're in a bit of a spot here."

"And if we stay here," Remy bit his tongue and then decided that he should just come out with it. "Papa will expect us to stay in de chateau and for me to take jobs that will take me overseas away from yah, just like Henri and Mercy do."

"Jobs?" Marie raised her head.

He sighed. "Yah married into a famille of international thieves. Papa is King of de Guild and Ah'm," He flushed. "De Crown Prince and as de Crown Prince Ah'm expected to not only learn but do mah share of de work and pay my dues and tithes." He refused to look at her, not sure of what she was thinking as her feelings were a confused muddle. "Ah'm almost a Master and Ah need to learn from ot'er Masters." He'd aced his tilling, aced it! And he was still working out the details for the job that he wanted to prove his mastery with. "And Ah can't do dat here." He finished in a grumble. Papa had been keeping him far too close to home for Remy's peace of mind towards finishing his Mastery. It was almost as if Jean-Luc had a set date and refused to tell Remy about it.

"Yah lost me at international thief." Marie said slowly.

Remy grinned. "Desole. Papa-"

"Knows somethin' about thievin'." Marie glared at him. "That is an _understatement._" She poked his side.

He squirmed. "Mais, just an itty bitty one."

She growled. "King of Thieves. Ah _knew_ it was somethin' illegal."

He bit his lip. "Cherie?"

"International thieves." She muttered. That was it. She was not telling him about being a black leather clad vigilante until she could shock him as much as he'd shocked her. Thinking of which, being a vigilante was just as illegal as being a Thief.

He rolled up onto his side to look in her face. He reached over and pulled a few loose strands of hair back. "Are yah okay wit' t'is?"

"Ah have _terrorists_ in mah head. Thievery is bettah. Yah don' kill anyone." She scowled at him. "Gimme a minute to adjust."

He made a show of shutting his mouth and he stroked her forehead, wondering about the whole terrorist comment. He wasn't quite sure how to ask though.

Marie sighed as some of things that had happened made slightly more sense, such as all of Remy's family being proficient in some sort of weapon. Sure, it hadn't made much sense at the time, but she'd ignored it in favor of beating Logan. She had been around mutants far too long who found that knowing self-defense (and in many cases offense) was integral for survival. It'd been the only way she'd survived. Which she hoped was why she hadn't thought them knowing self-defense was out of place.

So, her husband was an international thief. He'd been a thief from childhood. It made a certain amount of sense that he would remain one. And since, Jean-Luc was also a thief, it made more sense for him to adopt Remy than for a random rich guy doing a random act of kindness in adopting a beggar who had just stolen from him. Logan was paranoid and Erik a master strategist and both thought that if Jean-Luc was the King of Thieves, then Jean-Luc had known of Remy long before Remy had turned ten and done nothing about it.

Marie didn't think it'd be wise to bring that up to Remy. But, she had to wonder on how much of his life had been manipulated by both the Loa prophecy and the King of Thieves, his beloved 'Papa.' Probably a lot more than he knew, if he thought of it at all. She met his eyes. "So, yah need to learn from other Thieves?"

"Yah all right wit' t'is?"

"Ah married yah for bettah or for worse. It might come in handy to have a husband that knows how to pick locks and blow up things without hurtin' folks. Stop answerin' mah questions with questions."

He half grinned, leaned down and kissed her slowly. "Yah are marvelous, cherie." He murmured. He moved back upwards. "Oui. And dere is de Lady of New York. She has t'ieves under her dat have whole sets of skills Ah don' know yet." He said. She bit her lip and nodded, like she knew what he was talking about though she had no idea. He caressed her forehead again. "We specialize in bein' ghosts, ma cherie."

She relaxed. "Oh. That makes me feel bettah." She met his eyes. "Ah don' like the thought of yah in danger."

Remy smiled slowly. "Ah like de t'ought even less. T'in's happen, but de experienced t'ief has back up plans."

Marie nodded. "So, yah could learn new skills in New York." She paused. "Couldn't yah do that here?"

"Dat would mean leavin' yah here alone for weeks to mont's at a time, and Ah won't do it." Remy's jaw tightened. "Ah want what is best for us, cherie and me not bein' around won't help our marriage."

She blinked once in acceptance. "No. It won't."

"And," he swallowed. "Cherie, Ah don' want to take yah away from yer family. T'ey are all yah have."

"Ah still don' like goin' away from yers." She crossed her arms. "We could just move out."

He sighed. "It won't work. Papa will keep pressurin' me to divorce yah. Mercy will snub yah as much as possible. T'en Papa will send me away regardless and yah would be here alone in t'is city wit' no one to fall back on."

"Can't Jean-Luc send yah away if yah are in New York?" Marie asked. She refused to call that man Papa.

Remy nodded once. "Oui. But if t'is goes de way Ah t'ink it will, he'll be so mad he won't t'ink about it _and_ yah would have Logan and de Professor and yer friends to keep yah company."

"Yah pretty much decided for us." She pouted.

"Yah can pick out de house." He said. Women liked that sort of thing.

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Just, make sure de kitchen is big." He muttered. He picked up the laptop and handed it to her. "Dat's de list." He'd obscured all the prices. He knew she'd balk if she saw how much they wanted for some of those piles. It made no difference to him. "All wit'in an hour of de school."

Marie wiggled upwards to lean against the headboard. "Anythin' _else_ other than a big kitchen that Ah should be lookin' for?"

"T'ey all have stables and plenty of land attached." Remy shrugged. It didn't matter what state of repair the place was in or the interior. That could all be fixed with enough time and money and what did they have but money and time.

"Ah wish we could go and look." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Pictures don' really help all that much."

"We could, but it depends on how long yah want to live in a hotel wit' Démon chompin' outside de window."

"Serve yah right if Ah chose the biggest, most expensive house on this list."

"Go ahead." He paused. "If yah can figure it out."

Her head came up and her eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"

He smiled at her.

She smiled right back.

He went back to sorting his papers, putting most of them back in the box while he pondered the merits of how they should inform the state of Mississippi that Marie was no longer technically a run away. Nor did she need any sort of custodial parental guardians. She had him. And he had her, funny how that worked.

Oh, it would probably be best to go to New York and then let the lawyers settle it out. He dismissed the entire issue from his mind and using the internet connection on his phone made arrangements to get Démon transported north by train and a stable to house him in until they did have a house. It wouldn't take more than a week once he put forth an offer through his agent. The houses were all private sales anyways and he planned to pay it all upfront. Marie just needed to decide what house she wanted first before they made any permanent plans. He hummed under his breath as he heard Marie tapping on the keyboard behind him. And then, and then, they could make the house their own.

Their house, their marriage, their things, their _life_ the way they wanted to live it.

He contacted the FAA and sent a message to Professor Xavier as a courtesy.

"We can leave early tomorrow." He looked over his shoulder at her. "Fly straight through, be dere after lunch." As an after thought he switched to another message and made hotel reservations.

Marie looked over the screen at him. "Ah've got a problem." She jutted her bottom lip out.

"Too early?"

"No. The house with the biggest kitchen and that Ah like, ain't the biggest or the most expensive." She exaggerated her pout.

He snickered and crawled up next to her, curled up around her and put his chin on her shoulder. "Oh, dat one. Ah liked dat one." It did indeed have a big kitchen, or more to the point a huge kitchen and frankly, he never cared a wit about the rest of it.

"Then yah know all about it." Marie pouted more. "Ah wanted to be all excited and point out the good stuff."

"Yah can always remind me." He stroked her waist with the arm he'd wrapped about her.

"But yah know already, why waste air when we could be doin' other things." She crossed her ankles. He grunted. She sighed in vexation. "Like buyin' it already."

He grinned. "And here Ah was hopin' yah had more nefarious ideas for all dat air in mind." He tugged the laptop off her thighs and scrolled up for the information he needed, emailing his agent with his other hand. He paused. "Did yah have a second choice, just in case, cherie?"

Marie bit her lip, reached over and pointed out another one. "That one, Ah guess."

He nodded and added it to the email and pressed send. He tossed the phone to the bedside table and shut the laptop. "Dere, we'll know more after dinner."

Marie's stomach promptly tied itself into a knot. "Damn it." They'd been avoiding family meals for very good reasons.

Remy sighed and hid his face in her neck, dread also filling him. "Last one. Ah promise." He murmured and kissed her pulse.

She groaned. "If it's gonna be mah last meal, Ah feel like Ah should get a request first."

He grinned and set about distracting the both of them with his mouth and hands. It even worked for ten minutes.

* * *

There was an icy silence as Remy and Marie sat down for dinner. Marie could almost hear the smart comments that the more outspoken of the family members were keeping locked behind their teeth. She nodded at Emil and put her hand on Remy's thigh.

Mercy's jaw worked as she glared at Marie. Jean-Luc kept his eyes firmly fixed on the opposite and empty end of the table. Emil wasn't sure how to respond to Marie's nod and so he glanced between her and Jean-Luc for several minutes before staring at his plate in misery. Not even Etienne dared to say anything for fear of triggering an explosion in someone.

Most of the meal, they ate in the pseudo-silence of cutlery against china and the sounds of glasses being raised and lowered.

Remy waited until dessert to say anything. "Marie and Ah will be leavin' for New York in de mornin'." He said it quietly, but he might of well have shouted it.

Marie continued to eat. Other forks paused in mid-air as the family members looked at Jean-Luc.

"No." Jean-Luc said and put all the force of an order he could behind it.

Remy stiffened his shoulders and raised his chin before meeting his father's eyes. "Oui, mon Pere."

Jean-Luc's eyes narrowed. "Yah are not leaving N'Awlins."

"Yah haven't left us much choice!" Remy reached down and put his hand over the one Marie still had on his thigh.

"Ah don' care if she goes back-"

"_She_ has a name. _Marie_ is mah wife." Remy interrupted. "And yah have more t'an made it clear dat yah can't live in de same house as her and not fight!"

"You are staying here!" Jean-Luc roared.

Remy refused to back down. "Non. Ah'm not." He said it gently. "Every'tin' is taken care of, de Lady of New York has accepted me as a student while Marie is in school come autumn, Démon-"

Jean-Luc stiffened, his hands trembling in the force of his anger. "Yah went behind mah back and arranged for lessons."

"Ah asked yah for your advice and yah refused to give me any." Remy jutted out his jaw. "Ah _asked._ Ah gave yah a _chance_ and t'en Ah felt like Ah had no choice-"

Henri interrupted. "Dere's always a choice, Remy."

"And Ah made some." Remy snapped at him.

"Her!" Mercy pointed at Marie. "Yah are choosing her over us! Your family!"

"Dat's not de truth!" Remy glared at her. "But dat's how all of yah are goin' to see it." He finished. "No matter what Ah say." He stood and Marie stood with him, for once keeping her mouth shut. He looked over his family and pressed his lips together. "Marie and Ah have a lot to do before mornin'." He said. "Bonne nuit." He led Marie out.

"Remy!" Jean-Luc said in a low rumble.

Remy shut his eyes and his ears as they went up the stairs and Jean-Luc continued to angrily call his name. His heart ached. He consoled himself with the fact he was doing the right thing. He was doing what was best for Marie and for himself and for their marriage.

No one had ever explained to him that growing up was going to hurt so much.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand that it's pure cupboard love.)_

_Next time in Complicated Situations... Remy and Marie leave for New York..._


	16. Chapter 16

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Sixteen: Day Six**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Six: Remy and Marie follow through on their big announcement, while Remy's family buries their head in the sand or at least most of them.  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you! One more chapter!

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie made plans for their future, especially about education and where to live and then announced it to Remy's family over dinner._

_July 6__th__ Day Six, Thursday_

Démon screamed into the crisp early morning air. His hooves pounded against the sides of his stall as a large group of stable hands and unfamiliar men surrounded it. Remy stood prominently in the center talking to him in French. Démon refused to be calmed by mere words. He sensed something in the air and he didn't like it.

The men murmured uneasily to each other.

Remy sighed and gestured to one of the boys, who ran and got a special blindfold out of Démon's tack.

The stable master caught Remy's shoulder and spoke into his ear, shaking his head and eyeing the large stallion. Remy shrugged him off and jumped onto the door, balancing on his toes.

The stallion reared, lashing out with his fore hooves, before coming back down. Remy jumped to the sidewall. Démon reared again. Remy waited until he landed and then grabbed his head, slipping the blindfold over the horse's eyes and buckling it tight before the horse knew what had happened.

Démon went beserk. He lashed out at the sides of his stall, kicked the trough, reared upwards until his head almost brushed the ceiling, trumpeting and screaming as loud as he could.

Remy gestured at all the other men to get back. He started talking to Démon again, reaching out lay a hand on the horse's neck that glistened with sweat.

Gradually, Démon calmed.

Remy jumped off the wall and into the stall with his horse. The men held their breath. Remy came around to Demon's head, not taking his hand off of the horse and pulled Démon's head down by his halter, still talking in a quiet murmur. The horse blew out of his nose a few times and tried to shake his head, but couldn't with Remy holding it. Remy reached behind him, over the door and pulled the latch. He backed up, leading Démon out of the, clipping a lead rope on him as the stable master passed one to him.

The horse stopped once with his hoof on the edge of the ramp of the trailer. Remy coaxed him up with sweet words. The horse snorted once and entered the trailer. Remy tied him off and patted his back, before exiting and shutting the door behind him with a metallic clang.

Remy gave the men their instructions and the ones that would be taking care of Démon on his train ride up, got into the truck and it pulled away.

Remy held out his hand to the stable master and got pulled into a hug. They clapped each other's backs before parting and Remy ruffled the stable boys' hair that he could reach and waved to those already at their chores. He turned and jogged towards the black sedan sitting in the driveway.

Marie leaned against the side and he put his hands on her waist, leaning in to kiss her. He pulled back and grinned at her. "Ready?"

"Yah bet." She grinned back.

He opened the door behind her and they got in and he shut it behind them, directing Alphonse to take them to the airport.

The car left the drive and while Remy wanted to look back. He didn't.

* * *

Henri stood in the morning room, a cup of coffee in his hands, the sun streaming down. His shoulder's stiffened as he heard the horse scream. He continued to drink his coffee and tried to shut it out.

He couldn't shut out the sound of the trailer gate closing.

He closed his eyes. Henri hadn't exactly believed Remy when Remy said that they were leaving. He still didn't believe it. Remy wasn't leaving. Remy was bluffing to get something. He had to be. Remy wouldn't leave N'Awlins. The city had practically raised him. Remy loved it. He wouldn't just up and leave.

Car doors shut and an engine started.

Remy wouldn't leave.

Henri drank his coffee.

* * *

From the upstairs window, Etienne pulled the curtain back and watched the boot of the car exit the gates of the chateau and pull onto the road. He bit his lip and felt the back of his eyes start to warm.

He was three times a fool. He should have braved Jean-Luc's wrath more and talked to Remy about everything. He should have made Marie feel welcomer. He should have done something to stop this. He should have talked to Oncle.

Even if the thought of talking to Oncle made him shake in his shoes and his knees turn to jelly.

But-

But-

Remy had always stuck up for him! Remy had always talked to Oncle in Etienne's favor when Etienne wanted or had done something. Remy was his best friend.

And Etienne hadn't even had the courage to go and say good-bye.

Etienne let the curtain drop from his limp fingers and put his head on his arm so no one would see the tears he couldn't stop.

And Remy was gone.

* * *

Alphonse pulled the car directly onto the tarmac next to an older model plane. It didn't precisely gleam in the sunshine, but it was well taken care of and any wear was the wear of use.

Marie glanced at Remy. "This it?"

"Oui."

Her brow furrowed. "Are yah sure it's gonna stay in the air?"

"Hey, dat's mah baby yah are talkin' about. Show some respect."

She looked at him for a long moment too many. "Yah won her in a card game."

"Jacks over fives."

Marie sighed.

From the front seat, Alphonse repressed his laughter and stopped the car. "We have arrived, Monsieur."

Remy rolled his eyes. "Merci, Alphonse." He opened the door, got out and helped Marie out of the car.

Alphonse opened the trunk and got out. The men near the plane surrounded the trunk and pulled out bags, hustling them up the stairs and into the main portion of the plane. A man approached Remy and began to discuss with him the details of their flight, handing him a clipboard.

Remy checked it over and signed it. The man took the clipboard back and nodded at him, jogging away towards the terminal.

The men finished loading the plane and Alphonse shut the trunk. He smiled at them. "Bon voyage, Monsieur, Madame."

Remy's eyes were on the edge of the field towards were other cars would come in, but he brought his gaze back to Alphonse long enough to smile. "Merci Alphonse."

"We will." Marie added. "We bettah." She mock glared at Remy.

Remy grinned. Alphonse grinned back, touched his fingers to his cap and got back into his car. He pulled away.

Remy's eyes went back to the edge of the field.

He hoped.

He knew it was a fool's hope.

But he hoped that his family would come to see them off.

Fool's hope, most of them weren't even up yet.

Minutes ticked by. It was almost time to leave. Marie shifted on the tarmac next to him, her fingers tapping a beat on his arm.

Another car appeared at the edge of the field. His heart pounded. Maybe- maybe Papa would, maybe-

The car stopped. The door opened.

Tante Mattie got out and Remy waited.

No one followed her.

His mouth went dry and his throat closed. Mattie approached them, her stride full of purpose. Remy could barely talk by the time she took the few steps between them. "Tante." He managed in a strangled voice.

"Oh, honey child."

"T'ey ain't comin', are t'ey?" He whispered.

Mattie's eyes filled with sadness. "No."

Remy's throat closed solid and he had to swallow several times and inhale raggedly to hold back the tears. He didn't ask why. Though he wanted to. But he was afraid he knew why. They didn't love him like they said they did. He dropped his eyes to his shoes so that Tante Mattie wouldn't see his grief.

Mattie wrapped her arms about him. "Dere, dere. It ain't no fault of yers." She murmured. "Yah go and be happy." She said. He nodded, unable to speak. Mattie kissed the top of his head and let him go. She moved over in front of Marie and then hugged her as well. "Honey blossom, yah take good care of him and he'll take good care of yah."

Marie hugged her back. "Ah will."

Mattie let her go. "T'is ain't good bye, t'is is just until next time."

Remy forced a smile. "Oui, Tante. Au revoir."

"Au revoir." Mattie smiled at them.

Remy led Marie up the stairs. A man lifted them behind them and the plane shut.

Mattie could see Remy as he sat down in the pilot's chair and went through the pre-flight checklist over the radio with the tower. The plane started to move and it rolled down the tarmac towards the runway and into line.

* * *

Jean-Luc sat in his office. It was far too early for bourbon, but no one was going to tell him that and a squat glass filled halfway sat in front of him. Not that he had touched it. He stared at the top of his desk. Somewhere, nearby in the silence a clock ticked the seconds that turned into minutes away.

Jean-Luc brooded. He didn't know where he'd gone wrong or what he had done to drive Remy away from him so thoroughly. Perhaps, it was Remy was just at that age. This whole marriage was pure rebellion, against his place, his societal expectations, his familial obligations, him.

Remy would come to his senses. Jean-Luc was positive of that. Remy wouldn't leave. He'd get to the airport, realize what a mistake this all was and what he was throwing away and he'd tell the girl that he was wrong and come home.

A pretty face wouldn't be able to stand against the obligations and responsibilities that Remy had to his family, no matter how good in bed she was.

Remy would return.

Jean-Luc was sure of it.

* * *

Remy increased the throttle on the engines and the plane started to roar, moving faster down the runway. His hands shook and he had to force them to settle, shaking his head once rapidly to remove the blur of unshed tears. He pulled back on the yoke and the plane rose into the air, nose headed upwards.

On the ground, Tante Mattie put a hand to her forehead and watched it become nothing but a small dot in the blue sky until she couldn't even seen the tiny glint of sun shining off the fuselage.

Then and only then, did she return the car and direct it back to the Lebeau chateau.

* * *

_Several hours later_

Remy watched in amusement as Marie knocked on the door of a very large stone mansion. "Cherie, why are yah knockin'? Yah used to live here."

She glared at him and knocked again. "It's polite. They ain't expectin' us."

"And Ah doubt dat t'ey would care-"

"Ah ain't just waltzin' right in, sugar."

"Yer t'in's are still here, so yah still have a claim." Remy grinned at her.

Marie pushed her hair behind her shoulder and turned to glare at him, hands on her hips just as the door opened.

Jubilee's jaw dropped. "Oh my god, ohmygod, ohmygod! Marie!" She squealed. She paused. "Why were you _knocking?_"

Remy raised his eyebrows at Marie as if to say 'see.'

Marie rolled her eyes at him. She turned to Jubilee and smiled at her. "Because it's polite?"

"Like, you _know_ that you are always welcome here." Jubilee tossed her hair and then grabbed Marie's arm and about dragged her inside. "And I need to hear _everything_!" She looked over her shoulder. "Oh, it's him. It is really him!" Her eyes widened. She leaned over and said in a low voice that wasn't that low at all into Marie's ear. "He's even more mcdreamy in real life!"

Remy's jaw dropped. "_What_ did yah call me?"

Jubilee grinned at him and then promptly ignored him. "The rings, the rings, you _have_ to show me your rings." She gushed at Marie.

Remy muttered something in French under his breath and entered the mansion, shutting the door behind him and then promptly winced as Jubilee squealed.

He wasn't the only one. Logan appeared in the doorway of a nearby room. "What is- Stripes?"

Marie grinned at him. "Hey, Logan."

Logan blinked several times and then caught sight of Remy. "Gumbo?"

"Bonjour, monsieur Claws."

Logan scowled. "What are you two doin' here? Aren't you supposed to be-"

"Oh," Marie waved a hand. "Ah'm here to pick up mah things." She paused. "Ah can do that right?" She raised an eyebrow at Logan.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Just take the Firecracker with you and do it _quietly._"

"Sir, yes sir." The two girls chimed and dashed up the stairs.

Logan shook his head and looked back at Remy. Remy took his hat off and turned it around by the brim in his hands. He smiled at Logan and said. "Could yah direct me towards de Professor's office, si vous plait? Ah have an appointment."

"An appointment." Logan repeated and then shook his head. "Sure. This way." He led Remy down a hall and pretended not to notice Remy casing the place the way a soldier would or more precisely the way a thief would. Logan knocked and opened the door. "Gumbo to see you, Chuck."

Charles looked up from his desk. "Thank you, Logan."

Logan raised an eyebrow, clearing wanting to know what was going on. Charles smiled at him and didn't say anything. Logan looked at Remy.

Remy smiled at him as well and entered the room, conveying nothing. Logan shut the door behind him and Remy and Charles evaluated each other from across the room. After a moment, Remy crossed the office and sat down in front of the desk.

Charles folded his hands in front of him on the desk. "How was your flight?"

"Pleasant, merci beaucoup." Remy set his hat on his knee. "And yours?"

"Mercifully short." Charles hazel eyes lit up with humor. Remy's charming grin flashed as he could imagine what the atmosphere in the plane must have been like. Charles tilted his head. "Your note was vague as to what you wanted."

Remy inhaled. "Ah, oui. Desole. We were in a bit of a hurry. Ah wanted to discuss wit' yah Marie's schoolin' for next year." He paused. "And if it would be possible for her to continue here."

"Of course."

Remy held up a hand. "Before yah agree, Ah have some terms and conditions. Mais, one condition really. Marie and Ah are married and are in de process of purchasin' a house nearby and if she continues here, Ah would have to insist dat she lives wit' me and commute to school each mornin' and return home to me each evenin'."

Charles stared at him thoughtfully a few minutes. "You are buying a house."

"Oui." Remy blinked. Hadn't he just said that?

"In the neighborhood." Charles tried to wrap his mind around it. He knew the approximate property values of the homes around his and couldn't figure out what had prompted Remy to buy one instead of renting something far cheaper for the year that Marie finished school. He couldn't imagine the two of them wanting to say in New York beyond that unless something else intervened.

"We'd share a property line, but it's about twenty minutes usin' de roads. Dat is, if de deal goes t'rough. Ah've put in a generous offer, but yah never know." Remy shrugged. "Ot'erwise we'd be maybe forty-five minutes away, dependin' on how fast yah drive."

"What does Marie know of this?"

"Oh, she picked it out." Remy's lips turned upwards. "Ah don' t'ink she realizes it's quite dat close."

Charles wanted to laugh. "And your family?" He asked. Remy looked away from him and shrugged. There were a lot of conflicting emotions behind that shrug. Charles decided it was best to leave the topic alone. "I see nothing wrong with your condition as you call it. I wholeheartedly agree with it in fact." Charles voice filled with sympathy. "You two are married and it is proper for the two of you to live together."

Remy's eyes came up and he slowly smiled. "Merci."

"This of course, will lower her tuition considerably."

Remy leaned forward. "Let's discuss dat, shall we?"

* * *

John peered around the door as Jubilee said, her voice rising in pitch. "He owns a horse!" His eyebrow rose at the pile of clothes and the other pile of possessions on Marie's bed. Seeing that it was relatively safe, he entered and found a chair to sit in and played with his lighter.

Marie grinned at him. "Hey, John." She said and then rolled her eyes at Jubes. "Of course he owns a horse and we're gonna own more. He said something about gettin' mares for his stallion to play with and foals in the spring."

John snorted. "Play?"

Marie slapped her hand to her forehead. "Yah two are two of a kind." She muttered and then dug into the corners of the closet to see if she'd missed anything.

"So, he took you on a horse ride?"

"It was more like a picnic, we played cards, had food, talked a bit." Marie's voice echoed.

Jubilee met John's eyes and shook her head. "And had lots and lots of sex, I bet."

John grinned. "They _played_ with each other."

Jubes guffawed as Marie squealed and threw something at him across the room. It fell short of her target due to poor aerodynamics. "We're married!" She defended. "Dirty minded." She muttered.

"Notice, like, she didn't deny it." Jubes winked at John.

Marie came out of the closet, face red. "Ain't no point. Yah have seen him." She dropped her armload of things onto the clothes pile and sighed. "Ah think that's all of it. When did Ah accumulate so much junk?"

Jubes twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "So, was New Orleans nice?" She asked and pronounced it like leans instead of lins.

Marie winced at her mangling. "Ah didn't get to see that much of it. His family was pretty pissed and wanted us to stick close to the house. We did go on a date or two though."

"You really don't remember?" Jubes stared at her. "Like, so unfair."

"It is!" Marie nodded and began to sort through her clothes. "The dress is gorgeous and Ah wish Ah remembered tryin' it on and wearin' it!" She sighed. "Or, yah know the weddin' kiss and silly stuff like that."

"The wedding night?" John smirked.

Marie paused. "Um, yeah." She muttered.

Jubilee's eyes widened and she pounced. "Okay, that's totally an 'Ah know something' um. So spill!"

Marie swallowed. "We found pictures, includin' the weddin' night."

"I want to see!" Jubilee's jaw dropped.

"Absolutely not!" Marie glared at her. "That was _private._"

Jubilee pouted.

"Yah can see the rest though." Marie said.

"Whee!" Jubes grinned. "And we so, have to set a shopping date."

Marie bit her lip. "Can Ah have a few days? So Ah can get a place to put thin's?"

John paused in flicking his lighter open and closed. "Okay, what do you know that we don't?"

Marie tucked her hair behind her ear and turned back to her clothes. "We're buyin' a house. Remy wants me to finish school here."

"Apples." John grinned.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jubilee bounced up and down. "Because, it would be awful if you went away. We would so like, miss you, so much and no one would, like understand until we told them and now, we can all celebrate all the important mile stones together." Jubes stopped bouncing. "Except you skipped ahead of the rest of us."

Marie bit her lip. "Ah didn't _plan_ to."

Remy cleared his throat from the door. "Cherie?"

Marie turned and grinned at him, her entire face lighting up. "Sugar. Yah done talkin' to the Professor."

Remy entered the room and looked around and shook his head as he noticed that Marie's bed was right next to the window, just as she had said. "Oui. Everyt'in' is settled."

Jubilee sighed. "You even talk sexy."

Remy eyed her warily. "Merci, Ah t'ink." He turned to John. "Remy Lebeau, Marie's husband."

"John Allerdyce." John held out his hand and they shook.

Remy grinned. "Oh. Yah are de one dat gave us de condoms."

"Remy!" Marie flushed.

"T'ey have been very useful. Merci." Remy continued pretending not to have heard her.

John snickered. "You're welcome."

Marie covered her face. And then peeked at Remy between her fingers. "When yah remember to use them."

John's face blanked and Remy spun on his heel to glare at Marie, the tips of his ears and back of his neck turning red.

Jubilee's jaw dropped. "You gave them condoms!"

Remy crossed his arms and looked down his nose at his wife, ignoring Jubilee. "Yah are too sexy, ma cherie."

Marie put her hands down and posed provocatively. Remy made a face at her.

John looked at Remy and then focused on Jubilee. John smiled at her. "I was being practical."

"Shoes are so practical." Jubilee crossed her arms.

John snorted.

"Not de ones yah gave ma cherie." Remy rolled his eyes.

"I'm telling Wanda." Jubilee looked down her nose at him.

"I already did." John smirked.

Marie looked at Remy and widened her eyes. He smiled at her and came over to help her pick through her things as Jubilee and John continued to bicker about appropriate wedding gifts behind them. Remy even managed to sneak a few kisses in between his commentary about her clothes before John and Jubilee caught them and started to pick on them instead.

Laughter echoed down the hall as both Marie and Remy retaliated with vigor.

At the bottom of the stairs, Logan paused and put a cigar in his mouth smiling. He still wasn't sure about Remy, but it was good that Marie was back home.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's purely cupboard love.)_

_Next Time in Complicated Situations... Charles has had a little under a week to determine what happened to Marie and Remy, but he is the most powerful psychic in the world..._


	17. Chapter 17

**Complicated Situations**  
**Chapter Seventeen: Day Seven aka The Epilogue**  
_by PrettyGothGirl_

All Standard Disclaimers Apply  
**Spoilers:** _Post X-Men, **not X2, X3 or Origins Compatible**_  
**Summary:** One fine morning, Remy and Marie wake up together, happily married and they can't remember a thing. Day Seven: Professor Xavier has had almost a week to try and determine the cause of Remy and Marie's amnesia, he's not the greatest psychic in the world for nothing...  
**Author's Note:** A big thank you to my beta reader, Lost and Never Found. This story is dedicated to Mariamcardoso who wanted some sexy Romy lovin'. Hope this is enough for you!

_You guys have been awesome! (You know you guys always are awesome!) Thank you all so much for reading and brightening up my last two months with your crazy notes and theories. Now, onto the last bit of the story..._

Last time in Complicated Situations... _Remy and Marie went through with the hard decision and moved North to focus on their marriage and so Marie could go back to school... as for the family that wasn't mentioned, Emil was passed out from getting drunk the night before, Theoren was feverishly making lists of what needed to be done when Remy returned (with or without Marie) and Mercy was sulking in bed stoutly refusing to believe that Remy would leave and professing mightily she didn't care if he did (though she really did care quite a lot)... not that this changed anything._

_July 7__th__ Day Seven, Friday_

Charles regarded the young woman who sat across the desk from him, doubt written across her face. She was young, young in the relative terms as in young compared to him, perhaps about Ororo's age and she had tried to age herself by the way she dressed in a neutral tailored suit that clashed with her skin tone and her pale blonde hair pulled back tightly away from her forehead into a bun. Nothing could age the round face and full lips that if she had taken more time with her appearance would have made her more attractive than this jarring image of a woman trying to make herself older before her time. Charles knew the reasons she was trying to make herself that way and while he sympathized it wasn't working. She looked like a child in her mother's clothes, a lost child. She pressed her lips together and clasped her hands tighter together, her ankles crossed.

"Ah'm sorry, Professor Xavier. Ah simply cannot believe in what yah so obviously do." She shook her head. "It simply isn't possible."

Charles could read from her mind that she was about to thank him for his consideration and leave. He kept his smile on his face. "Please, Mrs. Flynn, let me explain further. I do have some evidence behind my claims." He looked expectantly at the door. Someone knocked. "Come in." He said.

The door opened and Remy entered, hand in hand with Marie. "Bonjour, Professor."

Charles smiled broadly at them. "Good morning, Remy, Marie."

Remy shut the door behind them and led Marie to a sofa. She sat and adjusted the skirt of her little black dress and with a curious glance at the woman, Marie looked at Charles. "Yah said yah might have an answer to what happened to us."

Remy sat next to Marie and took her hands in his.

Charles nodded. "I believe I do. I would like to introduce you to Mrs. Flynn and her daughter, Taisie."

Marie looked at Mrs. Flynn but Remy's nudged her and her eyes traveled past the woman to the next chair over to Taisie who had chosen a large wingback chair for herself, Ororo's favorite wingback and it had obviously been dragged to its current position from where it usually sat by the fireplace. But the chair was inconsequential to the presence of the little girl inside it. Her hair a brilliant neon pink was piled on top of her head with spiral curls trailing over her shoulders. She clasped in gloved hands a pink purse that matched the pink satin and lace party dress to perfection. It didn't matter that her stocking feet in black polished mary janes dangled six inches above the floor or that her fake pearl necklace was slightly askew. Taisie met Marie's gaze with large violet eyes set off by turquoise eye shadow. She bit on her lip and the last of the pale pink lip-gloss vanished. Marie smiled at her. "A pleasure to meet yah."

Remy nodded. "Bonjour Madame, petite."

Charles looked at Mrs. Flynn. "I believe, though they don't know it, Marie and Remy can verify that your daughter is indeed a mutant."

"Taisie is a perfectly normal child." Mrs. Flynn stiffened.

"And extraordinarily gifted." Charles added. He glanced at Taisie. "Do you enjoy stories, Taisie?" He asked. Taisie glanced at her mother, but when Mrs. Flynn wouldn't look at her, she nodded at Charles. "Good. I have an especially nice one, though it is very short and it happens to be true. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young maiden who had run away from home."

Taisie's eyes lit up. "Was she a princess? I like princesses."

Charles looked at Marie. "I don't know. Would you like to be a princess, Marie?"

Marie glanced at Remy whose lips were twitching. "Not yet. Remy could be a Prince though."

"Very well," Charles nodded. "The beautiful young maiden's name was Marie and she was very special, for she had a terrible gift that she had through many adventures gained control of and now she needed time to think about where her life was going to take her. One night on her journey, she laid down at an inn."

Remy interrupted. "And woke up married to a handsome Prince in an inn at his beautiful city."

Charles looked at him levelly and decided that it was probably best not to comment about who was telling the story.

Taisie tilted her head. "So, she became a Princess."

"Oui." Remy nodded.

Taisie reached up and tugged on one of her curls. "Yah were right. It were short."

"I wasn't done, but now I shall have to revise." Charles sighed. "The Prince and now the Princess didn't remember what had happened and so they set out to investigate how this could have come to pass. They discovered that they had met not many days earlier and at their first kiss had fallen in love and decided to marry right away without telling their family or friends."

Mrs. Flynn interrupted. "A very nice story to be sure, but what does it have to do with Taisie being a mutant."

Charles folded his hands. "As I said, this story happens to be true. Mrs. Flynn, at what time on Thursday morning did you and your husband disclose to Taisie that you were getting a divorce?"

Mrs. Flynn colored. "I don't see where that is any of your business, though I don't know how you know that in the first place."

Charles continued gently. "It was early morning, perhaps between eight thirty and nine o'clock." He looked at Taisie. "And it greatly hurt you." He said. Taisie's eyes had widened and they seemed too big for her face tears gathering at the bottom of them. She wrapped her arms about her purse. Charles continued. "You were so upset that you collapsed. Do you remember what you were thinking?"

"Ah, Ah just want them to love each other and be happy again!" Taisie cried out and burst into tears.

Remy and Marie looked at each other. Their hands tightened and while part of them silently vowed that the two of them would never become like the Flynn's, the other part of them faced the truth that they had met and gotten married because of little girl who could be no more than ten years old manifesting her powers under the stress of her parents separating.

It had been a well meant wish, a wish that had gone wildly astray.

Charles couldn't say anything to ease her pain. There was nothing to say. "What every child wants for their parents." He looked at Mrs. Flynn. "Between eight thirty and nine o'clock Thursday morning, Remy and Marie stopped remembering what happened to them and those around them also forgot them."

"That proves nothing." Mrs. Flynn's eyes narrowed.

"They met, fell in love and the very next day decided to get married so they could be happy together." Charles continued.

Taisie started to sob. She understood and it horrified her. It was one thing to read in fairytales about the Prince and Princess falling in love at first sight, but to have something she'd done force them into it. She didn't believe in that, she couldn't do something like that. "Ah didn't mean to!" She hadn't. She hadn't known!

Remy couldn't stand her tears anymore. He squeezed Marie's hand, got up, crossed the room and knelt down next to Taisie pulling out a handkerchief and putting it into her hands. "Oh petite. Of course, yah didn't mean to, yah didn't have any control over it." He said. Taisie stared at the handkerchief and sniffled. He continued, taking it back from her and wiping her eyes. "And Marie and Ah are very happy. Yah did a wonderful t'in' for us or to us, whatever de case may be, oui?"

Marie knelt down on the other side of the chair. She smiled at Taisie. "It were like our very own fairy tale, a wonderful one with only the things we wanted. A dream come true."

"Taisie resonates strongly on a psychic level as a mutant who has just manifested their powers does." Charles said to Mrs. Flynn.

"My daughter is perfectly normal. She is _not_ a mutant." Mrs. Flynn insisted.

"Yah don' remember?" Taisie asked, voice small.

"Non." Remy held out the handkerchief. "Wipe your nose, petite."

"That's awful," Taisie wailed, "and unfair." She wiped her nose.

Marie smiled. "We t'ink so too."

"Your daughter has the ability to find minds that resonate with each other and cause them to meet." Charles said. "I hesitate to put it this way, but perhaps you could say that she finds the two halves of a whole or even soul mates and brings them together, easing their way towards whatever she wishes. It's not something that can be seen. It is something that can only be felt on a psychic level."

Taisie stared at the handkerchief crushed in her hands. "So, Ah didn't _make_ them get married?"

Charles could hear how much this relieved her and he smiled. She had such strong ethics for one so young. "No, child. You just attracted them to each other, like magnets and they did the rest." She didn't need to hear that the power of her manifestation had greatly hurried what he hoped was the normal process of her powers. He did not believe that pulling minds together from miles apart and having them get married overnight was normal especially for her age.

"Oh." Taisie glanced up and met Remy's eyes for a second and then glanced back at her lap. She glanced at Marie next.

Remy winked at Marie. "Ah'm not sure if we should be complimented for takin' prompt action or insulted for bein' hasty."

Marie wrinkled her nose. "Ah got yah now, sugar. There ain't no take backs."

Remy grinned. "Bon." He said and leaned over and kissed her quickly.

Taisie giggled and it was slightly watery, but it was a giggle.

"Mrs. Flynn," Charles broke in. "Whether or not you want to believe it, Taisie has a gift, one that she needs to be trained in so she can control it, instead of it controlling her. At the very least, I can offer Taisie an excellent education and a stable environment at my school."

"With other mutants." Mrs. Flynn said and the way she said it made it clear that she did not believe in mutants at all.

Marie stood and held out her hand to Taisie. "Why don' Remy and Ah take Taisie on a tour, while yah two discuss it."

Charles smiled. "That would be welcome."

Taisie glanced at Marie's hand and then at the handkerchief still in her hands and then at Remy and then at her mother.

"Keep it, petite." Remy said.

Mrs. Flynn pressed her lips together and then nodded. Taisie wiggled off the chair and took Marie's hand. Marie tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Do yah like horses?"

Taisie nodded. "All princesses should ride horses. Are there any white ones?"

Marie half smiled and led her to the door. "No. There are a bunch of brown ones and some gray ones."

Remy stood up and followed them.

Taisie sighed. "Ah guess they'll have to do."

Marie leaned down. "Ah was disappointed too." She whispered.

Taisie grinned and looked back at Remy. She gestured at him and he came up and opened the door before taking her other hand. "What does petite mean?" She asked.

Remy smiled at her. "Little one, it's French. T'ey teach French here if yah want to learn." He said and the door closed behind them.

Charles tried not to shake his head at how well both of them got along with young children and then turned his attention back to convincing Mrs. Flynn that it was in her and Taisie's best interest to attend school here.

He prayed that he would succeed.

* * *

_reviews are love, love me? (And I understand it's pure cupboard love!)_

_Ack! There is no next time and there is so much story untold, what about Bobby and does the family ever accept the marriage and Bella Donna and the Loa prophecy and the X-Men and... well, please do not fear, the story just got rather, gap ridden, from here on out and I didn't feel right continuing when this story had been day to day. So, hopefully sooner rather than later, keep an eye out for a catch all story where I'll be posting one shots and short series based in this universe hopefully in sequential order and when I have them finished. Thank you all, once again, for reading and I hope to see you again in the future (which is once again hopefully sooner rather than later!)_


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