Disclaimer: Rogue and Gambit are the sole property of Marvel not mine, I'm just usin' them for entertainment purposes.
Short disclaimer huh? well this is Part five now and I'm deliberately speechless for today, so just enjoy the whole fic. And ... and ... and, before I forgot, I need feedback (maybe I should have another address, my present one is lousy long, if that's the reason why you guys won't write =)

No Return, No Exchange
by Southern Nightingale

Part 5

Rogue gasped in fright and confusion, her heart is beating wildly as she stared at a young man that stood across her.

"Georgia! ... Mon Dieu ... non ... it wasn' me, it not what you're thinkin'." James reasoned in an innocent way. She could tell he was very scared right now of what is happening.

Rogue only stayed quiet and shook her head.

"What's going --" Chris cut in immediately into the scene in his pajamas, seeing the more frightened James and awfully shocked Rogue.

Chris's eyes went in a rage of fury and indecent anger as it faced James's troubled ones. "You! you impudent son of a --" Chris almost bashed James up until his father came in stopped him.

"Chris calm down!" Mr. Rockefeller held Chris back tight as his mother came.

"Oh my -- "

Rogue was trembling, she covered her face as it showed unspeakable emotions.

"No, it wasn' me, believe me!" James cried hopelessly.

"Likewise! I should wring your neck you bull!" Chris shot back angrily his face in deep beet red fighting from his father's grip.

James faced Rogue as it showed that it needed help and defense, but she only just stood quiet and numb.

"You'll have to explain your reasons to the police" Mr. Rockefeller gave a stern and firm look at James.

Remy never felt so hopeless it's like the feeling when he was in his 'trial'. He tried to reason that it wasn't him, it wasn't really him, he have stopped the robbery all right, but he became the main suspect.

Remy sat near the police officer's desk as he saw the officer typing in an old looking typewriter. He also still heard the noise of the press even in the barren walls of the officer's room. The police officer faced him finally.

"Mr. LeBlanc, Can you explain your intention?" it asked in a brisk tone.

"No, Dieu, can't y' see dammit, t' wasn' me, I was tryin' ta save it, de real thief left as I was framed, I was framed!" Remy answered in an angry and desperate tone.

The officer rose an eyebrow. "Well, do you know who?"

"Yes I do! it was Ralph! Ralph -- "

"Like it's the truth " Remy turned and saw Chris entering, with Georgia following. Georgia looked tired and nervous.

Remy watched every move as he sat opposite him. "Ralph Albrant? why would he do such thing?" Chris continued as Georgia sat beside him and carefully slipped her arm at his, telling him to calm.

"It was him! ask him!" Remy suddenly remembered Ralph's last words after he made an escape. 'The Rockefellers made me do it" but this is not the right time in telling that.

"Ms. Smith" the officer faced Georgia's sad one. Remy felt her concern and confusion. "You have confirmed that you heard someone with Mr. LeBlanc and that when you opened the master room door, you heard a window breaking sound but it you said it wasn't Mr. LeBlanc who is trying to escape"

"Yes" Georgia answered meekly.

"Have you seen the thief?"

Georgia shook her head as Chris placed his arms around her.

"She's sayin' de truth, it wasn' me!" Remy responded in a loud tone.

"Save it on the court" Chris replied, his eyes sharpening.

Georgia had faced him and finally said something. "M'be ya should let him explain ..."

"No" Chris stood up. "I'll be going, I need to settle something" He faced Georgia. "Let's go"

"Chris --"

"Let's go Georgia" Chris repeated but in a motionless way.

Georgia sighed and stood up as she gave a last stare at James. She left with Chris as Remy returned to his desperate look and with the slam of the door, Remy felt he'll have to go over with the sufferings he have again.

Dieu isn't dis gonna end?

Rogue was silent all the way, she faced the glass doors as she saw the press people again flashing cameras and are endlessly noisy.

After pushing, covering, ignoring and fighting her way to her awaiting vehicle, Rogue sighed as she sat in the large limousine with Chris. Finally she have been given the courage to speak again. "What if he didn' do it?"

"Georgia I don't understand why do you want to defend him" Chris replied without facing her.

Rogue sighed. "Chris, please, Ah did heard someone wit' him, m'be if we stick ta what Ah saw ..."

"That's enough Georgia, please, I wouldn't want another conversation about it now"

That told Rogue to just shut up and just wait for the worst.

In the prison, Remy felt angry with a mixture of indescribable emotions as he ignored some prisoners with him, he knew they were talking about him.

It was afternoon when he was settled there, he tightened the grip of his crossed fingers as he remembered Georgia, Damn why can't she defend me?

He knew it wasn't her fault. But all Remy felt now is anger.

"Hey James! why won't ya talk?!" a man with a long snake tattoo on him exclaimed.

Remy heard some laughter, he stayed quiet, his hands wanting to charge something up as the temperature slowly rises.

"Whazza matter LeBlanc, quite speechless for the Rockefeller fortune?"

Remy closed his eyes shut. "Just ... don' ... talk ta me ... now"

"Ooooh, I'm scared" the prisoner laughed.

That did it. Remy felt his hands producing high kinetic energy as it slowly smoked. Some prisoners paused and stopped bewilderedly.

"What the--"

Remy finally faced the prisoner, shameless. "I toldja ta shut up ... " *spark*

The prisoner backed up in fear and shock as Remy gave a red angry spark in his left eye.

Remy smiled contentedly as all prisoners occupied the other side fast.

Nev'r mess wit' Gambit

Rogue slammed some papers at her desk. Her hair is a mess, she decided to take out the bun style as she rested on her table sipping hot chocolate.

Ev'r since that robbery happened Ah can't set t'ings right

Chris is in another meeting for today, a week passed already and Rogue felt the urge to visit and see James.

Yes, maybe she should do that.

Rogue fixed her hair again and pulling her sweater from a chair beside her. Rogue deliberately forgot to fix the messy papers on her desk. Rogue decided to just drive her own car all the way to the station.

Rogue had some strange feelings in the night of the robbery, why isn't Chris's parents that angry ... shocked or ... it wasn't just normal.

After thinking, Rogue never realized that she'll get there fast. After looking around for signs of annoying news casters Rogue seeped in the station.

"'scuse me" Rogue placed her hands at the officer in charge's desk. " May Ah see Mr. James LeBlanc?"

Remy hit his fist with the cement walls as it results to a slow breakage. It's been a week of torture and non ending rage of anger. He doesn't know why is this happening to him, all he want is a new life.

"Hey LeBlanc! Ya've got a visitor!" a fat policeman called through the barred steel.

"I'm not seein' anyone" Remy muttered softly, his voice hoarse showed a hint of anger and hatred.

"Well, it's the billionaire's gal"

Georgia? After some quick thinking Remy decided to see her.

She was there, her fingers crossed with each other a grim look. With Remy's footsteps she woke up from her thoughts and faced him.

Remy had to admit Georgia really looked terrible. She looked tired and is a mess. Remy gave a short smile while she exchanged him with a concern one.

"Fifteen minutes" The police reminded as it left him and Georgia alone in the visitor's section. It's a good thing they didn't have to meet in a way they have a glass that separates them and they speak in receivers like the one in telephones.

"Hi James" she greeted meekly.

"Hi yourself" Remy sat across her.

"So ... um ... " Georgia looked at her hands. "How are ya?"

"I'm terrible, t' ank you" Remy never wanted to say that in front of her but there's too much grief at his side.

"James ... look, Ah never wanted ya ta be like this it's just that it's goin' too fast an' ... "

"Ya believe me?" Remy asked in disbelief.

"Well ... " Georgia faced him honestly. "Ah -Ah don' know"

Remy lost hope again, grumbling as he sat not caring how.

"James" Georgia replied kindly again. "Chris got me in a trap, Ah may not be able to defend ya ..."

"What's wrong? You saw it all, ya heard everythin' , t' was not me, I wouldn't do dat!" Remy hit the table that separates them both.

"No James, if we could only do this step by step we w- "

"What do ya care 'bout dis anyway! No one believes me, you! you could be my way out but it seems you didn' believe at all. This whole mess got me insane!!! Cain't ya se it!!!" Remy cried demanding as he stood impatiently at all his efforts enough for Georgia to look scared but it didn't stopped her.

"James if only ya would listen ta me!"

Remy decided to sit back and listen. "Well let's hear it ..."

Georgia's face changed once again, now taking once a deep breath and again. "James ... Ah told ya Ah can't defend ya, right?"

Remy nodded still in shut eyes.

"But Ah didn't say Ah'm not willin' ta find out the truth ... "

Remy opened his eyes slowly as his face began to calm, the rage disappearing, his fist that softened grip and paid attention.

"James" For the first time Georgia held Remy's hand in a firm hold making a solemn pledge. "Ah'm willin' ta make this promise, Ah'm gonna find out t' truth, or so if it have ta risk mah life, Ah would, no one can stop me ya hear? no one, not even Chris ..."

Who's that guy?

Oh yeah, Ralph Albrant. Rogue had a hold in his address in a small paper, she just hoped he's there. She still can't believe that he did it but James said so.

Rogue landed on the house. "Gawd, m'be an asteroid hit this place" Rogue faced the broken-down house, better left dead, and worn-out. Rogue sighed as she knocked. No one was answering.

It was eight in the evening when she decided to come. No one came or anything. "Dang Ah must be stupid, he's accused in this robbery, he might be at Japan raht now"

When absolute silence had answered her, she decided to go. not until she saw a shadow escaped the back door ...

"Wha ... Hey!!!" Rogue ran after the shadow, carefully that she won't tumble on the rocky lawn.

No one is around, Rogue slowly floated into the air as she found Ralph running for his life. When she was close enough she is still deciding whether she should hit him or not. She haven't beat up something after a year or so.

"Well here goes ..." Rogue gave a average kick at Ralph's spine as he fell down moaning in pain.

"Alright! I give up! I ... "

"R' lax Ralph, it's only me"

Ralph looked up from his back. "M-Ms. Smith?!"

"Yeah, listen, Ah'm not gonna tell the cops ... unless ya tell me what really happened" Rogue gave her old tough look which she had used when she was an X-Man.

There was a bar just around the corner. That's the place Rogue chose in testifying.

"Alright ... " Ralph looked down and thought for a while. He looks like he hadn't took a bath for weeks. "Yes I did the robbery ... but it wasn't me! I mean, I never wanted to do it!"

"What do ya mean?" Rogue asked as she sipped her drink, eyes awaiting for the answer.

"Well ... I can't tell who ... I mean ... "

"Whaddya mean you can't?!!" Rogue slammed slowly on the table as it shook her juice letting it to spill a little.

"I can't!! they're gonna kill me!! it's better if I just turn myself over, yes ... I'll do it!"

Continued in Chapter 6.

Oh gollee ... Part 6 would be next soon actually, my mom is out there waiting for a kill, I should be asleep now, ag ... (Who died and created school anyway?!)

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