Rogue took a leisurely stroll though the French Quarter of New Orleans; taking in the colorful sights of the beautiful and vibrant city.
As she made her way to “Le Voleur Monsieur” she remembered first arriving in the city.
Rogue had a terrible start to life; abandoned by her mother and left to care for her father, a drunken, violent bigot who preached the lord’s message but never actually followed it himself.
Discovering that his daughter was; at the age of fourteen a mutant, cast her out into the streets with just the clothes on her back and the measly twelve dollars in her pocket.
Taking chances hitchhiking; Rogue ended up on the streets of New Orleans, where she quickly developed the skill of reading situations, people and separating them from their belongings.
The last skill caused her to cross paths with a young man by the name of Remy LeBeau; another thief and mutant.
He quickly realized that Rogue was more than the average pickpocket and set about gaining her trust which was easier said than done.
After weeks of setbacks and broken bones; the result of Rogue’s temper, Remy finally reached his goal.
Before long he’d introduced her to his father, Jean-Luc LeBeau; leader of The Thieves Guild. Like his son, Jean-Luc could see Rogue’s uncommon quality and potential. Eventually, he invited her to stay with him and Remy and to take part in the Guild.
Rogue was pulled out of her revelry by the smell of stale smoke and the sound of soulful music.
Looking up, she laughed at her failure to realize that she’d walked straight into the bar without so much a glance about her.
Rogue made her way to the rich mahogany bar that lined the right side of the building; spotting familiar faces.
‘The Guild is out in force tonight.’ She thought.
Checking out the rows of both staff and customers, Rogue smiled and sat down.
In her most honey toned voice she drawled, “Say sugah, what’s a gal gotta’ do to get a drink round’ here?”
Spinning around at the sound of a voice he’d recognize anywhere, the bartender vaulted over the bar and pulled a giggling Rogue into a fierce hug.
“It’s good to see you again Mon Ami.” He said, placing her back down.
Seeing the commotion and recognizing the woman in which it surrounded, the Guild members set about welcoming Rogue home.
Home.
Rogue smiled at the thought; reflecting back on the words of her father.
Words that included ‘Satan’, ‘spawn’ and ‘untouchable’.
But she’d found a home with The Guild and she was happy.
“Ya know sugah, ah’m still waiting for that drink” Rogue teased.
Laughing, Jean-Luc got back behind the bar.
“This calls for a celebration,” He said; reaching for the champagne.
Shaking her head Rogue replied “Yeah, it does. But not with that shit you’ve got there. Honey, I’m a southern lady with a taste for southern drinks and ah don’t mean moonshine. Bring out the Bourbon… and none of that watered down shit ya’ serve the locals.” She added as an after thought.
“Would I do a thing like that to you?”
“Ya’ really want meh to answer that?” she asked before taking a drink.
“Leave the bottle sugah.”
Jean-Luc smiled and left her to drink.
Rogue spent the next couple of hours catching up with old friends.
She’d been gone for nearly three years; changing drastically in her time spent away.
The Thieves Guild had expanded its operations in both legal and not so legal areas.
There had been births, deaths and marriages; but the biggest shock of the night had been finding out that Remy was no longer a member of The Guild or even still living in New Orleans.
He’d left some fifteen months earlier and it hadn’t taken Rogue long to find out why.
“Mister love em’ and leave em’,” had fallen in love.
Raising her glass, Rogue offered a silent toast to her absent friend and his lady love.
‘May she have the patience of a saint,’ she thought; slamming her drink back, “Cause she’s gonna need it.”
As the night wore on, the bar continued to fill up with people eager to catch a glimpse of the infamous Rogue.
Many a tail had been told about the southern belle and many more were told that night.
Rogue filled everyone in on what she had been up to in the years since she’d left.
She had travelled over most of the northern states and up through Canada; breaking hearts as she went.
She edited her stories where it pertained to work because no one needs to hear the gruesome details of her life as an assassin.
Lost in her tales, Rogue barely registered the man sliding onto the stool beside her.
He cleared his throat in an attempt to get her attention and when that didn’t work he tried talking to her, “What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?”
Rolling her eyes at the cheesy chat-up line, Rogue turned to face him and quickly wish she hadn’t.
Looking like pink Bismuth incarnate; the man wore a ridiculously bright flamingo shirt, a pair of khaki trousers and sandals.
His vile cologne didn’t help matters either.
Rogue shook her head in an attempt to clear her senses; letting her eyes fall over the rest of him with which she was equally unimpressed.
He was about six feet tall, with a blonde crew cut, green eyes, croaked nose and a weak chin.
A little too average, despite his muscular tone and a little too clean cut.
Rogue preferred her men with an edge of danger.
“Just catching up with some old friends,” Rogue answered, “and before ya ask, no ah ain’t looking to make anymore.”
Refusing to take the hint the man pressed on with his lame attempts to peak her interest.
“Come on now honey, be friendly cause’ I’ll tell you I was sitting over there and I saw you and I said to myself, Dave I said causes that my name, Dave. I said, heaven must be missing an angel and I just had to meet it.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding meh” Rogue said barely able to keep the laughter out of her voice, “ah mean does that evah work? And ya’ know, now that you’ve met me, you can go... go on, shoo!”
“At least let me buy you a drink, what do you want?”
“A gas mask.” she replied because seriously, the smell of his cologne was beginning to make her eyes water.
“You know I’m beginning to get the idea that you don’t like me.”
“Run with it. Actually, no… on second thought, sit downwind with it.”
“I was just being friendly love, thought maybe me and you could get a little better acquainted.” He sad leering.
“Sorry ‘love’, but ah’m a little busy right now.” And with a smirk Rogue added, “and ah can’t even spare thirty seconds for ya’.”
“You’re just uppity ain’t ya?”
“Nah sugah, ah just don’t like slumming it.”
“Hey, I didn’t come here to be insulted”
“No, where do you usually go? Ah bet they miss you there.”
“You ain’t exactly a prize yourself. You bitches are all the same, you think-”
“Ya’ know what I think sugah? That yer’ really startin’ to piss me off. Ah ain’t gon’ spread mah legs fer ya’, so fuck off!”
As she turned to leave ‘Dave’ grabbed her by the arm and got in her face, “You ain’t nothing but a two-bit whore!”
A look of pure contempt flittered across Rogue features; staring straight into his eyes she threatened, “Walk away now, while you’ve still got the ability.”
Their exchange had begun to draw attention from the customers at the bar; some wondering if they should step in until they heard:
“Easy there honey, I wouldn’t want you to break a nail.”
At that point the patrons decided to sit back to enjoy the show.
Giving an empty laugh, Rogue elbowed him in the face.
Grabbing him by the back of the neck and ramming him face-first into the bar; she took a sick pleasure at the sound of his nose breaking, making little choking noises as the blood flowed freely down the back of his throat.
As he tried desperately to get away, Rogue flashed him a sticky-sweet smile before landing a swift kick to his family jewels.
The ordeal had left Dave bloody and broke on the floor and Rogue; like nothing, turned back to the bar, “Augh! Son of a bitch, ya’ spilt mah drink!” She moaned, stepping over her would-be suitor.
She paused, picking up the nearly empty bottle of Bourbon and poured the remaining alcohol over Mr. Casanova; informing him, “This ones on meh sugah.”
Exiting the bar, Rogue took a deep breath; trying to calm herself.
“Ah shit, this ain’t working.”
Taking a long drag from a newly lit cigarette, she exhaled; smiling at nothing in particular.
“What a homecomin’.”
Sensing someone was watching her, Rogue straighten her shoulders.
“Hasn’t anyone evah told ya’ that it’s rude to hide in alleys and stare? Not to mention creepy.” She said; raising her voice loud enough to carry across the street.
Realizing they had been discovered, two smartly dressed men emerged from the alley and crossed the street, “Are you Ms. Raven?” One asked; slightly agitated.
“Depends, on who ya are, and what ya want? Cause if yer the IRS… then no, ah ain’t.” She answered.
One of the men spoke up, “I’m Doctor Burton, and this is my colleague Doctor Sandbrook. We have been trying to find you for sometime now Ms. Raven, but you have proven a difficult lady to find.”
“So, what? Ya’ just hang round’ dark alleys on the off chance that ahm’ in the area?” She asked; stubbing out her cigarette.
“Well, no of course not. We… heard that you were back in New Orleans, and knowing this is your home, it stood to reason that you’d come here.”
“Seriously, is that the best ya’ could come up with?”
Feeling uncomfortable in Rogue’s presence; Dr. Sandbrook blurted out, “We are in need of your professional services.”
She laughed.
“And here Ah am thinking that ya’ went to all the trouble of tracking meh down to ask how I was.” Rogue drawled sarcastically.
“What’s the job?”
Giving Dr. Sandbrook a disbelieving and disapproving look; Dr. Burton responded, “Before we discuss the specifics Ms Raven, we would like you to understand that we are law abiding citizens, and in no way condone murder or any type of criminal activity.”
“Ya’d be surprised how often ah hear that in mah line of work.”
“Indeed. However if you could help us with our problem, we would be very grateful.”
“Yeah? How grateful?” Rogue asked, the meaning of her question not lost on either of them.
“Very grateful, and as a token of our gratitude we would like to invest with you a large sum of money, say fifty thousand dollars.”
“Oh, ah think ah might be able to help ya’ out with this problem of yours. Details?”
“Our ’problem’ goes by the name of Wolverine.”
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
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Author's Chapter Notes:
This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so sorry if it sucks. Thanks to plainlayz for the beta.