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Logan had taken Miyako to the Danger Room for another session, confessing that he was enjoying testing his abilities against the ninja samurai. Jubilee had opted to join them. Eric and Michael were working with Jean on telepathy.

"You did what?!" April shouted at Thomas in the recreation room. Serene looked up from her book, settled against Remy comfortably. "You did not just say what you think I said, Thomas Marion."

"April, honey, you love ballroom dancing." Thomas threw Serene a pleading glance. "I thought we'd have fun dancing."

"It's not the dancing that bothers me, Thomas," April retorted. "I just happened to have been bothered by the competition I heard you say."

"You're an exhibitionist anyway, April," Serene said, amused. "It shouldn't bother you."

"You're not helping, Maya."

"I know." Serene laughed and turned her attention back to her book.

"It'd serve you right if Remy had signed the two of you up for the same competition," April growled, still eyeing her husband murderously.

"Now dat you mention it..." Remy cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Serene dropped her book, then elbowed him in the stomach. Hard. "You did not."

"Ummm..."

"Remy LeBeau. You did not have the nerve to sign me up to be in a ballroom dancing competition." Serene was now glaring at him.

Remy squirmed slightly. "I was t'inkin' dat mebbe we make de Marions look goofy, non?"

"They don't need our help for that, Cajun."

"Thanks a lot, Maya." April started to smile, enjoying the thief's discomfiture. "Maybe we should make them suffer."

"And what? Make them be a couple?"

A snort from the doorway drew everyone's attention to Rogue. "I think they'd be cute as a couple," she said in her Mississippi drawl. "But if you really don't want to go with Remy, I'd be glad to go."

Serene narrowed her eyes possessively. "He's mine, Rogue."

"Remy?" Rogue glanced at him.

He shrugged. "Remy t'ink dat de Priestess be right, Rogue."

Rogue shrugged slightly. "Then luck to you both." She turned and walked away silently.

"Well, chere, wha' y' say?"

Serene glowered at Remy. "When is this competition?"

"Tomorrow night," Thomas answered.

"April and I will go." With that, Serene stood and took April's arm, dragging her out of the recreation room. "But remember three words: Revenge is sweet."

Thomas and Remy glanced at each other worriedly. What had they gotten themselves into?

*****

Remy leaned back in his seat in the limo with a sigh. It had been a fun night, taking the Marions and Serene to the Waldorf for dinner. Thomas had almost fainted when the limo had pulled up outside the mansion, then again when it stopped at their destination. Serene had simply laughed at Thomas.

The competition had been a success; Serene and Remy had taken first place, with the Marions coming in a close second. Thomas had grumbled a bit, until Serene had explained that Remy was a thief, and had had to learn more grace than a bucketful of elephants.

Serene had chosen a gold silk dress with short sleeves and a plunging back, the hem coming to midthigh. The material was filmy and gauzy, clinging to her curves almost immodestly. She had chosen to wear her hair in a sensible French braid, but she had managed to intertwine small gems throughout her raven tresses. And for some inexplicable reason, she had added cosmetics to the package.

The rose lipstick had made her generous mouth look fuller, more inviting. The silvery eyeshadow only enhanced the grey of her sultry eyes. And, somehow, she had managed to find a glittery powder that sparkled in the lights. Which she had dusted over her exposed skin. Which had drawn the attention of more than one man.

For some reason that Remy hadn't quite figured out yet, April had done the same with makeup, causing Thomas to look uncomfortable and jealous all night. Even though April had dressed a bit more conservatively than Serene.

April's black skirt ended just above her knees, showing off her toned legs. The material seemed to float around her, though, perfect for dancing. She wore a navy blue wraparound blouse, the V neck emphasizing the gentle swell of her breasts. Her dark brown hair was also done in a French braid, though she had added small roses to the plait, rather than gems.

Now, however, the two women were whispering to one another, pointedly ignoring their dates for the night. Serene suddenly leaned forward and gave the driver directions to another dance club, then grinned at Remy sweetly. "We're not going to one of your usual dives, Remy."

"Dives?" Remy glared at her, offended. "Dey not be dives, chere. Dey be de life o' de party."

"If you're interested in prison time, sure."

"Chere..." Remy sighed, glaring at April and Thomas as they hid their laughter. "Why y' t'ink dat Remy go t' dives?"

"Let's put it this way, my darling: you had best hope that neither my brothers nor my mother find out what kind of places you frequent. You're a dead man otherwise."

"But Remy have y' t' protect him, non?"

"No way. I'm going to run straight for the border if they find out." She gave him an amused smile, then looked up as the limo pulled to a stop in front of a club that looked worse than any of Remy's usual haunts.

"Chere?"

Serene ignored him as she opened the door and slid out, April hot on her heels. Thomas and Remy stared in shock as they breezed into the club, then looked at one another.

"My wife did not just go in there with her crazy best friend."

"De chere did no' jus' make ol' Gambit look like a fool."

The two men stared at each other a moment longer, then Remy opened the door and slid out, followed by Thomas. Without a word, they strode into the club, intent on retrieving their errant dates. Except the club was filled with a mass of moving bodies, the dancing raw and sexual. And neither Serene nor April were to be found.

Finally, however, they found the two women at a small table, sipping drinks lazily, and apparently waiting for them. "Finally got bored of the limo?" Serene asked mischievously. April just smiled at Thomas.

Neither woman seemed to notice the men at the bar, the ones who were watching them intently. Nor did either woman see the way those same men shifted threateningly at the approach of Thomas and Remy.

"Chere, dis place be too hard, even f'r me."

"So?" Serene shrugged. "If you don't like it, I'm sure I can find someone who will dance with me."

April laughed at her friend's comment, amused at the flare of jealousy that appeared in Remy's red and black eyes. Serene was bright; she knew that both males would be jealous of the attention. And jealous they were.

Thomas grasped April's hand, and dragged her into the crowd, leaving Remy and Serene alone. "Serene, dis place is no' f'r y'."

"Whyever not, Remy?"

"Because you be sof' and gen'le, no' rough ¡¦ tough."

"Shows how much you know." Serene leaned towards him as he took April's vacated seat. "I've been here before, and I know what this place is like." She smiled and took his hand, entwining their fingers. "Remy, I'm not as soft and gentle as you think. I can be as rough and tough as Logan, if I need to be. No one messes with me, because someone else will step in and defend me."

"Den t'ink ¡¦out Summer."

"My life did not end when I had my daughter."

"Non, bu' y'r life was also no longer completely y'rs when y' had Summer." Remy stood and dragged her onto the dance floor, anger suddenly tingeing his words. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Don' know if y' know dis, chere, bu' dat girl look up t' y'. ¡¦w y' t'ink she feel when she find ou' dat y' go t' places dat even Logan don' touch?"

He had apparently struck a nerve, since she dropped her gaze. "That was unfair, Remy."

"Non, it was no'."

Serene sighed, all fun having been drained away by his harsh words. "Let's go, then. I'll try and find something dull to do."

"Chere..."

She sighed, cutting him off. "Remy, can we go home? I'm not having fun anymore." She carefully extricated herself from him, and slipped through the crowd, vanishing from his sight.

"Did you talk any sense into your woman?" Thomas growled as he walked up, April nowhere in sight.

"Oui. Where be y'r wife?"

"Outside. She saw Maya leave, and followed her." Thomas gave Remy an appraising look. "What did you say to Maya anyway?"

Remy gazed out over the bodies with a sigh. "Jes' reminded de chere dat she no longer can do as she pleases."

"And that hurt."

"Oui." But both men knew that it had hurt Remy as much as Serene.

*****

Serene was sitting outside, apparently meditating when Remy found her. April had torn into him that evening, and Thomas had torn into April. It had been an ugly scene, and had ended when Logan had casually poked his head in the room and threatened to knock some sense into them if they didn't go to their room and make up.

"Chere, Remy no' wan' t' hur' y'." Remy crouched down next to her.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Cajun." She opened her eyes, not looking at him. "It just doesn't matter anymore."

"Chere, p'tite love y'. Y' be her goddess."

"Demoness." Serene's tone was flat. "No...demon." She jumped up and spun around, facing the mansion. "Release my daughter, Creed," she said, her voice hard.

Remy twisted around, but couldn't see anything. "Dere be no one dere, chere."

"I can smell ¡¦m, Gumbo." Logan silently joined them, sniffing the air. "Can't say where, though."

"In the trees." Serene's voice was still hard, still deadly. Somehow, she had managed to produce a well crafted and well balanced dagger, holding it with an ease that spoke of long familiarity. "There's a taint that touches the soil, that makes the earth recoil in shock and horror. A taint that is unnatural, that is violent, that speaks of death and pain."

"Don't like bein' called unnatural, frail," Sabretooth growled, holding Summer in his arms as she struggled.

"Mommy!" Summer bit Sabretooth on the arm. "Daddy!"

Serene sprang towards Sabretooth, her dagger flashing. The bigger man tried to swing the young girl in front of him, but Serene had already managed to draw blood. Instead, he swung his massive arm back, catching Priestess across the face and flinging her back towards Remy.

Logan growled and started towards Sabretooth. "Jus' ya an' me, bub."

Sabretooth laughed viciously and raked his claws down Summer's back. The girl's scream of pain was cut short, only to be echoed by Serene's anguished cry. "Summer!"

Sabretooth eyed the three of them contemptuously, a tessaract opening behind him. "Don't follow me, or the kid dies." Then he was gone.

Logan swore and turned to where Serene huddled on the ground, pushing Remy away. "She's dead," Serene said softly, tears streaming down her face. "I felt my link with her snap...she's dead."

"Serene..." Logan crouched next to her. "We'll get ¡¦m. I promise."

"It doesn't matter anymore. My daughter is dead." Her words were punctuated by a piercing scream of grief and anguish.

Neither Remy nor Logan said anything, but her sorrow was mirrored on their faces as the rest of the team poured out of the mansion.

*****

Remy heard Eric approach him, had expected the confrontation to happen. Cougar had been glaring at him darkly during the small funeral. "Oui?" Remy asked nonchalantly, still gazing into the distance.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't skin you alive, Cajun. You allowed that thing to take my niece, and now my sister is holding onto reality by a thread."

Remy turned on one heel and glared at the younger man. "Remy no' interfere ¡¦ause Remy know dat Logan a ninja, ¡¦ Serene a ninja. Dey can deal better with Sabretooth den me. Remy be an obstacle, no' an asset."

Eric tilted his head thoughtfully. "Good enough. But I should still skin you for letting my sister suffer in silence."

"De chere wan' be ¡¦one, Cougar."

"She did. She doesn't now."

Remy walked away. He'd heard enough.

*****

April and Michael gave Remy reproachful looks when he approached, but backed away to let him be with Serene. She didn't seem to notice when he sat next to her on the ground, but she did lean against him. "I miss her."

"I know y' do, chere." He gently pulled her into his arms, offering a comforting embrace.

She accepted his offer, falling silent. It was a long time before Remy realised that she had cried herself to sleep, but he didn't hesitate in carrying her to her room. She looked like a fallen angel, grief and sorrow etched into the striking lines of her face.

Pain twisted his heart for a long moment. She had always possessed a wary innocence, as though she always believed that, eventually, things would work out in the end. And now, that wary innocence was gone. Sabretooth had destroyed it.

Remy quietly backed out of her room. It would be a long time before Serene would recover from her daughter's death.

*****

"Y'know, Maya will take my head off for telling you this." Michael leaned against the kitchen counter casually, watching the Cajun drink his coffee irritably.

"Wha' dat, mon ami?"

"She went to Salem Center." Michael gauged the other man's reaction. "To Hardcore's."

Remy dropped his coffee cup. "She went where?"

"Hardcore's. Y'know, that place that she and April went to after the ballroom competition? That place that you highly disapprove of?"

"Why she go dere?"

"Drown her sorrows, I believe she said. She's got a high tolerance for alcohol; it comes from being bonded with the earth. Eric went with her, since she threatened to blast his brains if he didn't get out of her way."

"Mon Dieu." Remy swore, then stood. "Why tell me dis?"

"Because she might listen to you. She ignores Mom, and Logan, and April, and Tommy, and Jubee, and me. She's threatened Eric. She might listen to you." Michael shrugged good naturedly. "But I can get Eric to beat her over the head if you aren't up to it."

Remy glared at Michael, then stormed out to the garage. Michael simply smiled.

*****

Hardcore's was the same as Remy remembered it. Which he had preferred to not do. Except Serene had gotten the stupidest idea into her head, and now he had to dig her out of there.

He found Eric lounging against the bar, watching his twin and scowling at the women who surrounded him. "Please tell me you've come to get Maya," Eric said as Remy approached. "She's not even listening to me anymore, and I can't do a damn thing without making Chris over there pissed." Eric jerked his chin towards a big burly man who was watching Serene with a measure of lust that irritated Remy.

"Let de man ge' pissed, mon ami." Remy strode over to Serene and grasped her arm firmly. "Time t' go, chere."

Where in the hell had she gotten her outfit? He stared down at her as she turned towards him. Her all black leather outfit emphasised her shapely body, from the boots to the sleeveless vest, to the pants that had laced slits up the sides. Slits that went all the way up. Revealing a tantalising amount of golden leg.

"Do you just like to ruin my fun?" Serene glared at him darkly. Her grey eyes were steady, but it was apparent that she was on the verge of being drunk. Not just tipsy, but flat out drunk.

"Oui."

"Let ¡¦r go, bud." Chris had materialised, and was now glowering at Remy. "If my woman don't want ya, then ya can just beat it."

"She's been his woman longer than she's been yours," Eric said with a measure of amusement, having joined them when Chris had. "In fact, she's been his woman only."

Chris snorted in disbelief. Remy slowly released Serene's arm, then turned and looked at the big man with disgust. "Dat true, chere? Y' with dis bastard now?" His tone was soft and dangerous, making Chris shiver slightly.

Serene sobered slightly, apparently realising that she needed to tread lightly. "No," she said quietly.

"What was that?" Eric smiled as his twin shot him a look of pure murder.

"No, I'm not with this bastard." Serene spoke louder, her voice steady.

"Ge' los', mon ami," Remy said quietly, his crimson eyes flashing. "Or y' be hur'." Chris scurried off with a fair amount of fear, and a wounded pride.

Eric gave Remy a cheerful smile, recognising Serene's mood. She was uncomfortable, Remy was furious, and it was high time for Eric to hightail it. The fireworks might be amusing, but he really didn't want to watch the bloodshed. Eric headed for the door. A session in the Danger Room with Mikey would be preferable right about now. Yeah, that sounded good. Real good.

*****

Remy was holding Serene close, but his anger kept her silent as they danced. What had she been thinking of, coming here?

"I was thinking of stopping the pain," she said softly. "I was thinking that if I had enough to drink, the pain would stop. That I wouldn't feel like I had lost an important part of myself."

"Dat no' a way t' do it, chere," he said tightly. He had been aware when she had heard his thought, but he'd ignored it. "Y' can' jes' drink de pain away. Y' need t' deal with it."

"Not today, Remy. I can't today." There was a definite plea to her words, and the significance of the day hit him.

Mon Dieu, it was Summer's fourth birthday. She would have been four years old today. No wonder Serene didn't want to deal with the pain today.

"Oh, chere..." Remy's anger drained away. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, letting her draw strength from him. "Dis no' be de way to deal with pain. Y' can' do it alone. Y' got all o' us t' help y'."

"Don't you understand?" Serene whispered, pain in her eyes. "It hurts too much. It just hurts!" She buried her face in his chest as her tears started again. (I was stronger than Creed, I defeated him. I love my little girl, and she's gone!)

Remy found it a bit disconcerting to hear her mental voice; she hated her telepathy. "Chere, dis no' be de place to ease de pain." When she didn't say anything, he gently led her to the door and out into the night.

He wouldn't tell her how much it had hurt him to lose his daughter as well. He wouldn't tell her how much it was hurting him now to watch her try and ruin herself. He wouldn't tell her how he was hurting; it was nothing compared to her pain.