Disclaimer: All the X-men, whether small or big, ugly or beautiful, fat or
skinny are not my property. They belong to Marvel. I'm just borrowing
them to do as I wish with my fave Southern couple. >:)

Note:
I've finally gotten round to writing more on IDR, call it a whim if you
like. Actually, my school break started. YAY! :)

All comments to rogue79@mbox3.singnet.com.sg




I DON'T REMEMBER
Part 5


Vicki Lew
November 1997



It wasn't much of the Beverly-Hills type of residential material, but she
was overjoyed. Her first room outside of the X-mansion, away from the
protection of the X-men. The freedom was already making her giddy. Rogue
wondered why she had never thought of doing this before. Perhaps she didn't
have a reason to then. This might've been more of a forced action than a
voluntary one.

Again, her thoughts wandered off to Remy LeBeau, wondering what he was
doing with Jenny right now. Holding her bare hand? Kissing her? Maybe doing
even more...She blushed and snapped out of her signature melancholy. The
X-woman slipped her clothes into the drawer provided, busying herself with
settling down into the small room. When everything was done a little while
later, she just stood there in the middle of the apartment and surveyed her
handiwork.

It was wonderful, but now she wanted nothing more than to cool off with a
shower.

Just as Rogue was about to hit the shower, there was a knock on the door.
Cautiously, she latched the door, opened it and peered out. A handsome
young man, a few years older than her, smiled warmly at her, his strawberry
blonde hair flopping cutely over his forehead.

"Hi! I live next door, name's Gabriel Weldorf; call me Gabriel,"

The man extended his hand in a sincere welcome gesture. Rogue dimpled coyly
and shook his hand, careful to avoid any skin contact.

"Glad t'meet ya, Gabriel. Ah'm...Sabine...Rogers."

It felt weird, telling someone her real name. But it sure was a nicer change from 'Rogue'.

"Sabine...French, huh? It's a real charmer; so can I call you Sabine?"

She nodded enthusiastically and beamed. It felt so good to fit in for once, and to have a friend or acquaintance of her own. Ten minutes in this new environment, and she had a little normality going on already.

It was blissful.

Gabriel tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced around the apartment and offered, "If you need any help, just knock on my door, Sabine. I'll be glad to lend a hand," He hesitated a bit but continued, "Uhm...Would you like to have a little welcome dinner over my place tonight? Pasta's on the menu."

Blinking in disbelief, Rogue took a little time to respond. She was going to have to get used to this.

"Why, thank you; ah'd love to!"

Gabriel's face brightened immediately and gushed, "That's great! C'mon over at 7 tonight, I'll have friends over so we can mingle,"

"Sounds good, hon."

"How about you? Got any friends you'd wanna bring?" She shook her head; he just shrugged and accepted that, ending with, "That's okay...I'll see you later!"

She stood there a little stunned. Maybe she just wasn't used to being accepted and greeted with a warm welcome. Smiling, Rogue went into the bathroom and wondered what to wear later.

***************************************************************************

'How long could she keep dis from me?' He busied his hands with the lock on Storm's bedroom up on the attic. He had overheard Storm and Rogue's phone conversation earlier. 'Coulda asked Storm, but dis more fun. 'Sides, don' t'ink she'd gimme Rogue's whereabouts anyways...'

Remy Lebeau smiled slyly as he heard a soft click as the lock finally gave way to his thieving prowess. Maybe there were some things that you could never forget. Stuffing the lockpick set into his jeans pocket, he casually strolled into the room and looked around on Storm's dresser.

A little black book.

He arched a brow and picked the book up, and, flipping through the pages, he discovered that it was an address book.

'Dis real easy,' he thought in satisfaction to himself as he looked for a freshly-inked entry.

Sure enough, there it was, in a recent handwritten scribble of ink - Rogue's address. Well, at least he figured that that'd be it, despite the fact that the address didn't have the owner's name fixed to it, simply because he had seen no other new entries. It was worth a shot, if it meant clearing things up with Rogue.

The Cajun took down the address and left the book carefully back in its place on the dresser and slipped out of the room, locking the door on his way out. Walking down the hallway back to his room, he stared at the piece of paper with Rogue's supposed address.

'What I say t'her?' His footsteps came to a halt. 'What 'bout Jenny?'

He couldn't remember what he loved about Rogue. She was a very attractive young woman, yes, but it felt so wrong to be with someone whom you couldn't recall loving...And yet, it was awkward to have developed strong feelings for Jenny while having a nagging feeling that he had something special with Rogue when...Well, when he was...himself. His memory might come back to him. Then again, it might not return fully. Perhaps there would be parts that he'd never recall totally. What if those permanently lost memories held those of him and Rogue? Moving towards the door of his room again, he felt a big headache coming on.

"Sugar..."

It was a faintest of whispers, but he heard the husky, feminine voice reverberating in his mind.
Remy looked up sharply at the open doorway of his room...She was there. Rogue. Dressed in nothing else but a filmy T-shirt, sitting on the edge of his bed, and dimpling coyly at him.

His little 'normal' fantasy.

He remembered that. His sub-conscious knew everything, he just had to open up that closed window...But how? Rogue was still there, blushing, waiting...Then he shook his head to clear it and she was gone. He felt disappointed...And hot under the collar. Remy found that he only wanted to be with Rogue now...

"Remy??"

The Cajun whirled to face Storm, who looked quite shocked to see him in her room.

Straightening his back, he nodded to acknowledge her presence, albeit with a touch of cockiness.

"What are you doing in my room?" the windrider demanded.

He shrugged casually as if he had committed no wrong and replied, "Jus' lookin' around..."

Storm regarded him coldly and said haughtily, "Of course you are, Remy."

An awkward silence ensued.

Finally, Remy sighed and handed her the piece of paper he'd tucked into his jeans pocket.
"Jus' wanted t'find her, dat's all. Sorry I had t'sneak in ya room, chere."

"What do you wish to achieve from looking for Rogue?" Storm walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge. She motioned for him to do the same, and he obliged.

"I dunno." Remy rubbed the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. "De truth dat y'all won't tell or really don't know? It not fair t'me, Rogue or Jenny. What happens later if I make a full recovery?"

"Rogue chose it to be this way. Shouldn't you respect that?"

"Respect what? I don't even remember! Dieu! Don't I get t'chose none?" Remy pushed himself off the bed and strode over to the opposite end of the room, trying to keep his temper in control. "It so hard. Why didn't ya tell me in de first place when I came back, Storm?"

"This is between you and Rogue. She didn't make any plans to tell you. How could I interfere?"

"She too foolish. How long did she t'ink this li'l game could play on?"

He looked at his feet, a pained expression on his face.

"Here." He looked up at Storm;  her hand offered the return of the slip of paper. "Do as you wish...I only ask that you let Jenny down gently, my friend."

"O'course, Stormy. Merde, I wanna do dat too..."

Quietly, he accepted the offer and slipped out of the room silently.


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To be continued...