Work of Art
Chapter Thirty: The End
By DamageCtrl
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own the X-Men or anything associated with it.
"Can...can Ah speak to yah for a second?" Rogue choked out. Remy kept his eyes on her and without question, nodded and followed her back into the house. Rogue lead him to his father's study, away from listening ears.
Remy could feel his heart racing in his chest as he closed the door behind him. Rogue stood stiffly with her back turned towards him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. He swallowed nervously. "Rogue-"
"What the hell is that?" she asked, her Southern tinged voice lace with fury. She whirled around, large emerald eyes rimmed with tears.
"Y'r...y'r wedding..." Remy stammered. "Just like y' told me."
"Yah actually went and put together MAH dream wedding?" Rogue gasped. Remy nodded. Her eyes narrowed. "WHY? Yah know that Ah was already angry at everyone for planning mah wedding and so yah went ahead and did it FOR meh? What kind of stupid male logic is that?"
"I didn't plan dis, chere, y' did," Remy told her sternly. "All I did was ask some questions and execute y'r wishes."
"But..." Rogue stammered. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to contain the raising flush. "Ah'm angry at yah!"
"I know." he offered her a small grin and Rogue took a deep breath.
"Ah wanted to plan mah own wedding."
"And y' did," Remy told her. "I promised y' no hassles. No stress. No arguing with other people about de wedding and I came through. I just had to hire some wedding fairies."
Rogue growled at him. "Just how much did that all cost? Yah know, I wanted to pay for mah own wedding! Ah didn't expect momma to pay for it or yer Papa to!"
"Dey didn't pay for it," Remy told her. "Everything y' see out dere...borrowed from family friends. All de food...cooked by Tante Mattie, y'r mere, and a few others. De decorations, from Pere's late wife's family. De flowers - Ororo knows some people. De limo - Emil's friend. De only thing dat y' have to pay for, chere, is dat chocolate cake from Paris. And it's 35 Euro."
Rogue stared at him. "Yah lie."
"Okay, it's 40 Euro, but I should pay part of it, too, oui?" He winked and Rogue grew more infuriated. Not because he winked, but because he was right...Perhaps a little bit because his wink did things to her body that she didn't want to think about right then and there.
"Ah'm serious, Remy!"
"So am I, Rogue," Remy told her. He walked forward and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Y' said if de wedding fairies poofed up y'r dream wedding, y'd be happy. Well, wedding fairies poofed it up. Are y' going to let all deir hard work making dis come true go to waste?"
He looked down at her eyes as Rogue looked around quietly. "What about momma?" Rogue said softly. "Wasn't she mad?"
"She's always mad," Remy grinned. "Rogue...chere..." She was looked down at the ground. "Rogue, look at me," A warm hand gently cupped her chin and brought her gaze up to look at her. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Rogue bit her lower lip. "Will y' marry me?"
Her eyes closed and she let out a whimper. "Of course, swamp rat," she said as she choked back her tears. Remy instantly smiled, the worry draining out of him quickly. "Ah didn't come this far not to!"
He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Rogue closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. A hot mouth trailed down her chin and slender neck before resting at it's base. "Dere waiting for us, y' know..." he murmured against her.
Rogue felt her body heat up as she fingered his hair. "Ah know..." She felt her legs brush against the side of Remy's father's desk.
Then she felt a warm hand riding up her thigh. "But dey can wait?"
"We're the guests of honor, sugh..." Rogue said as she pulled his face up to eye level. "They can wait."
"No, we can't!" a voice shouted from behind the thick doors. Rogue practically fell back against the table she was leaning heavily on as Bobby's impatient voice cut through her thoughts. "There is a table of food out there CALLING to me! GET MARRIED already!"
"Bobby! What the hell are you doing?" Betsy's voice echoed from outside. "Get away from the door, you blasted fool!"
"But I'm hungry!"
"Then eat that carrot you're carrying around in your pocket," Kitty told him. "Eww...why DO you even have a carrot there?"
"Hey, don't knock Carrotman!" Bobby retorted defensively.
Rogue sighed and buried her head against Remy's shoulder. "Guess they can't wait..."
"Maybe we should've eloped..." Remy chuckled. He kissed the top of her head and gently pulled her up against him as he lead them to the door. Tiredly he opened it to find Betsy holding Carrotman over a waste basket and Bobby screaming about murder.
"Will yah guys stop it?" Rogue sighed. "It's mah wedding day!"
"So you're going to do it?" Jean gushed from where she was leaning on by the stairs. A wide, bright smile spread across the red head's face. "You're going to get married?"
"Ah'm still not talking to yah," Rogue pointed out proudly. Jean rolled her eyes. "Okay, let's go."
"Luv, you can't go out dressed like that." Betsy said as Rogue was about to pass her. Rogue stopped and looked at her with a frown.
"Why not? It's a nice dress! What's wrong with it?"
"What she means is that you can't go out looking like THAT when there is something better UPSTAIRS," Kitty stressed. To add to her point, she threw in a wink. "So let's get you changed!"
"Upstairs?" Rogue looked over at Remy, who gave her a sly smile and shrugged. Two arms grabbed Rogue and dragged her upstairs, with Jean leading the way. "Remy!"
"I'll be waiting at de altar, chere!" He winked. Rogue disappeared upstairs and Emil rounded the corner.
"Dere y' are," he sighed. He tossed Remy a black dress bag. "Y' better go get changed." Remy grinned and headed into the study to change into his suit.
Upstairs, Rogue was pushed into her room. "What's the hurry..." her voice trailed off as she saw the dress laying neatly on the bed. "Oh mah Gawd..."
"Special delivery courtesy of Monsieur LeBeau," Betsy said. "Now get changing, we don't have all day."
Her hair was put up, thanks to the hair dresser that was friend of Mercy's and on stand-by waiting for her. Her veil was placed on by Raven's hands and her gown straightened by her friends.
"Okay..." Jean said as they stepped back to survey their work. "You're ready to go."
Rogue stepped forward and looked at the full length mirror. "Holy cow, Remy's going to die." she mumbled.
Betsy smirked. "Not if you stay here all day, luv. Come on...let's get going." Raven headed downstairs ahead of the group to tell everyone to get read. Slowly, Rogue walked down the stairs, a photographer friend of Etienne's was taking pictures of her as she did.
The bride's maids made sure her train didn't drag as they approached the back of the house. The doors were open wide and the ushers were standing by. "Cue the music." Raven's stern voice could be heard from outside.
Soft string music flowed out and Remy, who was standing outside and hadn't seen Rogue yet, began to walk down the aisle. The groomsmen and the bride's maids got into their designated pairs and stepped out, just a few paces ahead of each other.
Then, Rogue's favorite classic piece sounded and her eyes widened. "Are you ready, dear?" a voice said beside her.
She turned and saw her mother standing there. "Momma?" she gasped in surprise. She thought she would be walking alone.
"Who did you think was going to walk you down the aisle and give you away? Kurt?" Raven smirked. Rogue grinned and looped her arm around her mother's. As soon as the last attendant reached the altar, the mother and daughter stepped out of the house.
Everyone stood up as Rogue appeared. In small, measured steps, she headed towards the altar, where Remy stood, mouth slightly agape, but red on black eyes twinkling with excitement. At what, she could only guess.
They reached the altar and Remy stepped forward. Raven gave him Rogue's hand, but not without a final warning glare. He responded by leaning forward and giving Raven a quick kiss on the cheek, to which she bristled, but held her temper.
Rogue squeezed his hand and tried to give him a disapproving look, but failed miserably. She couldn't stop smiling. Raven went to take her seat next to Irene as the couple faced the priest.
This is it... Rogue thought to herself. She felt a hand squeeze her's reassuringly and stole a glance from Remy. He was looking straight ahead, trying to look serious.
She hardly heard the priest's words as her mind zoned off. Only when they spoke their vows did she zone back in. She smiled and repeated them, adding that she loved him no matter what. He slipped a ring on her finger and she on his. And then came the part she had been day dreaming out when she zoned off.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Rogue couldn't stop grinning as she turned to face Remy. He had a familiar mischievous look in his eyes, but loving adoration almost out shone it. Almost. He lifted her veil. Her heart was threatening to jump out of her chest.
"Mon Dieu..." he whispered in awe. Rogue blushed. He leaned down Rogue closed her eyes. She leaned up to meet his kiss. She knew that people were cheering. She knew that there was clapping and music has started.
But it didn't seem to register as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. Remy lost himself in her once more, arms riding up and down the sides of her wedding dress clad body, ignoring the whistles that came from his side. Their bodies were pasted against each other, completely oblivious to the wedding guests.
"Guys..." Jeans voice cut through their haze. "Guys!" Rogue reluctantly pulled away and looked at Jean with a frown.
"WHAT?"
The red head's face was just about as red as her hair. She kept her eyes down as she motioned to the crowd. "Umm...you've been making out for five minutes." she whispered sheepishly.
Rogue and Remy looked around and found everyone snickering or pretending not to pay attention to the couple. Remy had lip stick smeared over his mouth in odd angles and Rogue discovered that two buttons had already been undone on the back of her dress. Blushing furiously, Rogue pulled away.
"Heh...sorry..."
"Throw it to me!" Kitty screamed. Rogue rolled her eyes as she stood on the porch, her back to the group of shouting women behind her.
"Yeah, I'm sure Petey would love that, Kitty!" Betsy laughed.
"No way he's dancing with another girl!" Kitty shouted. Piotr had caught the garter from Remy, despite fierce competition. Actually, he hadn't even wanted to join in on the action. But Kitty ran out of her drink and he was passing by to get her another cup when the garter flew out and landed in his hand.
The shy Russian turned bright red as everyone laughed and congratulated him. Now Kitty had her eyes on the bouquet. Rogue sighed and kissed the flowers good-bye, for they would surely be torn apart.
"Mercy! What are y' doing in dat crowd?" Henri's voice shouted.
"Er...um..."
Remy's blonde sister-in-law walked away empty handed. "Throw it already!" Jean screamed from the sidelines. She was sitting at a table with Logan, Wanda, and her husband to watch the event.
"Yah sure yah don't want in, sugah?" Rogue asked.
"Positive!"
"Rogue! Hurry up!" Kitty yelled.
"Fine!" Rogue took a deep breath and threw the bouquet over her shoulder. She immediately whirled around to watch the action. Women were diving for it and she grinned. The bouquet was suddenly kicked out of the circle and landed at someone's feet.
"Hmm...what's this?" Jean Paul knelt down and picked up the bouquet. He grinned from ear to ear as he waved the flowers in front of the women, half of whom were still on the ground. Everyone groaned as he laughed.
Betsy burst out into barrels of laughter as she pointed at Piotr. "Looks like you got your wish, luv! Piotr won't be dancing with another girl!"
"You know the rules!" Rogue said as she walked down the steps and into Remy's arms.
"What?" Piotr's face turned bright red again as Jean Paul waltzed up proudly to the table and offered his hand.
"Do it!" Kitty cheered with a laugh.
Still bright red, Piotr sighed and gave in. Everyone cheered as Jean Paul lead the artist around the dance floor. Half way through the song, Jean Paul dumped him on Kitty and handed her the bouquet.
"Until you learn how to dance, we can never be!" he exclaimed with a laugh before falling into his seat next to Jean.
The main table where Remy and Rogue were sitting, Jean-Luc stepped forward. "Isn't it customary for de bride to dance with her new father-in-law?"
"Ah do believe it is." Rogue said. She took Jean-Luc's extended hand and kissed his cheek before turned to Remy and sticking out her tongue out at him playfully.
Remy chuckled and took a drink of his wine. He turned and saw Raven sitting with Irene and talking. "She'll probably say no...oh, well," Shrugging, he got up and headed for his mother-in-law. He bowed before her, as if she were a queen. And she just glared at him. "Momma, may I have dis dance?"
Raven studied him for a few minutes. She looked past him where Rogue was dancing with Jean-Luc. "All right."
"Dats too bad, mebbe next ti...what?" Remy's head shot up, disbelief in his face as Raven stood up.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. "Let's go, boy. Don't step on my feet."
"Is your mother dancing with Remy?" Jean asked with wide eyes as Kurt nearly choked on his drink. He nodded.
"Yah...I never thought I'd see the day, either." Kurt nodded.
"The world is truly coming to an end." Betsy grinned.
Hours later, after the last guest had left and all the left over food - a slice of chocolate cake - was put away, Rogue, barefooted, was carried into the house by Remy. They were about to go upstairs, when Tante Mattie stopped them.
"Where are y' two going?" she asked incredulously.
"Upstairs..." Rogue murmured. "Ah'm tried..."
"Not here, y're not," Tante Mattie snorted. "Y'll never get any privacy HERE."
"Den where are was supposed to go? Emil's car?" Remy asked.
"De limo's waiting, boy," Tante Mattie said, directing them to the front door. "It'll take y' to a hotel in de city."
"Y' sure?" Remy asked.
Tante Mattie nodded as he carried Rogue out of the house. "Just get out dere and make some bebes!"
Remy nearly fell over as Rogue stiffened in his arms. "Is she serious?"
"Lots of 'em!" Mercy added as she waved.
"Oh! I call Godmother!" Jean shouted as well.
"No, fair! She's mad at you! I get first dibs!" Bobby declared.
"Bobby, luv, if you WANT to be a GodMOTHER, be our guest." Betsy's amused voice smirked.
"Wait...no, that's not what I meant!"
The door closed and Remy leaned back against the soft leather interior. "Is it over?" Rogue asked at his side. Remy sighed and shook his head.
"Chere...I think it's just begun."
15 Years Later
"And this piece," Jean said as she stood in front of the large, life size model of Michelangelo's David, "Is a replica of David, which is in Florence, Italy."
"Miss Grey," a little girl asked as she raised her hand. "Are there any works here from Raphael?"
Jean couldn't help but smile. Of course Remy and Rogue's daughter would ask about Raphael. "Most of the ones on display here by Raphael are recreations," she told her Goddaughter. "Except for A Pious Man's Daughter."
The child wrinkled her nose. "I've already seen that one..."
Jean chuckled and looked at the rest of her students. She had gotten a job as a principal at an elementary school and was now with the group of students at a San Francisco art museum. Among the students was the LeBeau daughter. Her younger brother was a few grades below her.
"All right. Everyone has their assignments for Miss Lee's class," Jean said. "Take out your sketch books and try to copy your favorite piece. Don't worry if it doesn't look exactly like it, that doesn't matter. What matters is that you find something about it you think is work working on."
"How much time do we have?" another student asked.
"The rest of the day. Remember, we meet in the front of the museum at 2:30." Jean said. She let the students wander off to look around the museum and began to look around herself. She found Remy, who had volunteered to help that day, standing in front of the glass encased Raphael.
Rogue was sitting on the bench next to him, sketching it out herself. "How's it going, sugh?"
"I thought you two were supposed to be helping watch the children." Jean said as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Remy's supposed to be watching them. Ah'm just along for the ride." Rogue grinned. Just over the hill and Rogue still looked good.
"Then let's get something to drink at the cafe while the children are drawing," Jean said. "I can go for a cup of coffee right about now."
"I'll keep an eye on de kids," Remy assured them. "If dey get out of hand, y're on y'r own, Jeannie."
"Nice to know you're on my side." Jean rolled her eyes as Rogue laughed and stood up. The two women walked out of the wing an Remy wandered into another room.
"You have until we leave to complete the questions," another woman's voice said. Remy looked up and saw a blonde woman giving instructions so a handful of prep school children. "Are there any questions?"
"No, Mrs. Frost-Summers." the uniformed children chorused.
Deja vu... He thought to himself. He shrugged and walked past them.
"Hi, Papa." He saw his daughter and smiled.
"Hello, petite," he walked over. "Find what you want to paint, yet?" he asked in French. The girl shook her head.
"Non..." She sighed. "Papa, I think I'll just sketch the sketch from home." she told him in English.
"I thought it had to mean something to y', petite."
"It does. It's home." She walked past her father, clutching her sketch book, and heading towards the room he had come from.
She found the sketch and sat on the bench in front of it. She curled her legs up beneath her and sat cross legged on the bench, her book in front of her as she began to draw the outline for the sketch.
"Excuse me, hi, can I ask you some questions?" She looked up and saw a boy about her age standing there looking intensely at his paper and then at her. He had a blush on his youthful face as brown hair topped his head. He looked kind of nervous.
"What kind of questions?" she asked suspiciously. She heard giggling in the corner and glanced over to see a few girls looking their way and giggling.
"About the paintings here and stuff," he explained. "I'm from Xavier's School and I have a project to do." he stammered.
"So do I. I'm doing it right now." she stated as she lifted up her sketch book to show him. Those giggling girls were annoying her.
"Good luck, Summers!" another boy's voice jeered in the distance. The girl raised an eyebrow in question, just as she'd seen her mother and grandmother do. The boy in front of her turned red.
"It'll only take a minute, please? It's for school," he added, hoping to get her to sympathize with him. She shrugged and finally nodded. "Great! First question is what is your favorite piece?"
"That one," She pointed to the sketch as if he were stupid and couldn't realize it. "Because without it, I wouldn't be here."
He looked up at her with questioning brown eyes. "What?" he asked.
"My mom owns that sketch. My Papa gave it to her a long time ago and they lend it to the museum sometimes," she told him. "I don't know the details, but Papa says that without it, he would've never met my mom."
"Oh...okay..." the boy wrote it down. "What's your name?" he asked as he dotted a period at the end of his sentence.
She looked at him hesitantly. "I don't know you." she stated simply. For all she knew he was a 10 year old serial killer. Okay, probably not, but still...
"Oh," he extended his hand. "I'm Alex Summers. I'm here with my mom's class on a field trip. Nice to meet you."
She stared at his hand and then at him. Slowly, she extended her hand and shook his. "Bekka LeBeau."
"Bekka...that's a nice name..." he trialed off.
"It's okay." she shrugged.
She turned back to her sketch and the boy looked at her. He nervously tugged down his collared shirt and tie. "Um...nice sketch."
"Thanks."
Remy choose that moment to walk past his daughter, deciding to join his wife and Jean for coffee. Just as he opened his mouth to ask if Bekka wanted something from the cafe, the little boy who was loitering around her spoke up.
"You're a lot prettier than the sketch, though."
Remy's jaw nearly hit the floor. Bekka froze in mid sketch and looked up at him as if he were crazy. "What?"
Remy groaned and ran his hand down his face. "Mon Dieu...here we go again."
A.N. - Hello! It's finally over. OVER! You will never have to deal with me again:) Thank you all for reading and keeping up with me this long. I really appreciate it! To all the reviewers THANK YOU! I really enjoyed reading what everyone thought would happen and to see if they were right or not. THANK YOU FOR READING! Much love!