~The Wedding~

by michiru

Rogue stopped at the beginning of the aisle, and looked at those assembled. Mystique, her mother. Logan, her father. Kitty, Kurt, Peter, Ororo. Those who had been there, and accepted her first.
And standing at the end, Remy.
She smiled at Logan as she took his arm. As the professor was not able to attend, and he being her true father, she had asked him to give her away. He had accepted gladly, enjoying the new role in their long relationship. The only other person than her mother, even now, that she trusted completely.
She walked down the aisle, eyes on Remy. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo.
He looks ready to bolt, she thought with a smile. He's gone up against some of the heavy hitters, yet a small wedding is what freaks him.
Logan gave her over to Remy, giving her a smile. She grasped his arm, making sure he wouldn't be able to run.
"Dis is it, Ch�re. Are you ready?"
"Utterly."

The minister's words had tumbled over her like water. She barely remembered the ceremony at all.
But looking down at the gold wedding band, it was so obviously real.
"Ch�rie?" Remy looked down at her. "Are you well?"
"Yes, Remy. Ah'm just a bit overwhelmed by it all."
"It's a big day," Remy agreed, grinning at her. "Are you happy?"
"Yes. Ah just� well, after talking ta everyone, ah guess there was a time ah never thought ah'd ever get married. Ah'm jus' wonderin why my powers are controllable now. Did it take that clunk to the head? Ah remember barley anything of my past. Every once in a while ah get� feelins, ya know? Nothin' like a mem'ry, but just a 'ah know this' kind of thing. Yet, ah don't feel like ah'm missin anything. My life is complete despite no mem'ries of my past."
"Ton past, it was emotional baggage, ma amour. I would be happy to lose all my past up to when I met Stormy. I tink everyone, dey have something dey would like to give up. You got to start over again. And wit' your powers, sometimes you did not know if dat was your memory, anyway. Dis was a blessing for you.
"And you are here, among your family. All dese people here, dey came for you. Dey all love you. And despite your not remembering dem, dey are happy for you, and know they can make new memories wit' dem."
"Almost true, Gumbo," Logan said from beside him. "Believe it or not, people here like you too. And I'm sure your brother and his wife came to see you get married, not Rogue. And I'm sure Sarah is happy to be here for you."
"C'est vrai," Remy agreed. "I tink Henri and Mercy are here for me. Dey might be here for da food."
"It is good," Rogue agreed, turning back to her plate.
"Well, as the father of the bride, I think I'll make a speech," Logan grinned, standing up.
After clearing his throat for a moment, trying to get people's attention, he finally yelled, "Hey! What do I have to do for some respect here?"
"Is that a trick question?" Hank called.
"Ha ha. It is to laugh. I just want to make a really quick speech. I would like to say congratulations to Rogue and Remy. I wasn't sure about this at first, but I believe now that things are going to work out between the two of them. Though I'm still not sure about Remy being my son-in-law," Logan frowned humorously.
"How do you tink I feel?" Remy called. "I also want to say something." Remy got to his feet. "I thank you all for coming today, even if it was just because you wanted to ogle Roguey in her beautiful dress."
"Remy," Rogue blushed.
"Do not be so modest, Ch�rie. A bride, she is always the most beautiful of all women around her, no matter what. It is a magic, and you have it."
"Alright already. Ah didn't want a weddin' full o' speeches. Ah wanted a weddin' o' fun!" Rogue got to her feet. "So let's get these tradition things done, so we can start the dancin'!
"Ladies, line up. Let's see who the next blushin' bride's gonna be!"
"I guess you don't remember this, but at the last wedding held here, you caught the bouquet," Jubilee grinned.
"Did ah? Ah guess it was fate then. 'Roro! Get yerself out here! Ya need a man, and at yer age, ya'll need all the help ya can get!"
"Excuse me?" Ororo looked startled, and frowned at the resulting laughter. "I am not old," she muttered, as she moved into place.
"C'mon, Monet," Paige tugged at her. "This is exciting!"
"Oh, yes. Absolutely," Monet said in a dead-pan tone.
"I hope I look that beautiful on my wedding day," Jubilee sighed, stars in her eyes. "How about you two?" she asked her teammates.
"Yes!" Paige gushed.
"I know I will, of course. If I get married. I have to find someone worthy of me."
"Yes, Monet," Jubilee rolled her eyes.
"Out of the way, kiddos," Kitty phased through them.
"Hullo, Kitten. Are you ready?"
"Oh, yeah, Ororo."
"Do you believe in the myth? That the one that will catch it, will be next to marry?"
"Worked for her, right?" Sarah butted in.
"Lettin er rip!" Rogue yelled.
"No extra strength, hear?!" Jubilee yelled.
"Yeah, yeah," Rogue laughed, then threw the bouquet.
It sailed toward the waiting cluster of women.
With a determined look, Sarah ran to Peter, and crawled up his back, ignoring his protests. She launched herself from his broad shoulders, and dove for the bouquet, snatching it from the air, then doing a neat tuck, and roll, to land triumphant.
Rogue applauded, smiling widely. "Nice move, girl!"
"I didn't want it that much, anyway," Jubilee pouted.

The night had been wonderful. The guests were beginning to leave, and Rogue was feeling at her most content. She had danced with every male X-Men member, and several of them more than once.
"Ch�rie? Are you ready? If we want to catch de plane, we need to leave now."
"Yup, ah'm ready," Rogue smiled happily. "Ah don't think ah've been ta Rome before. This is gonna be great!"
"Oui," Remy agreed."
Rogue hugged him tightly, with the realization that her life was changing again. But instead of a new chapter in her life, the book was ending, and being put on the shelf, and a new book was opening.
The first book had a happy ending.
Hopefully, the second would as well.

~End Chapter 9

~The End~