Thursday Afternoon, Remy and Lorna

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Following this post, Remy comes up to see Lorna as she asked. She tries to talk him out of going after Amanda but fails.



Remy limped painfully up the stairs. He could have taken the elevator, but he wasn't interesting in avoiding the pain. Every step established a new threshold; a new limit to how he was going to live the rest of his life. There was almost a grim satisfaction in the jolts, pain reminding him that he was still alive.

He'd considered not make that statement on the journals, but he couldn't help it. He suffered the curse of drama at times, but more importantly, it was to point out that Amanda wasn't resolved yet. Remy didn't know what was going to happen. Would she come back? Would she walk away? Or, as he was deathly afraid of, had she been driven over the line?

Jokes aside, he gave himself even chances of getting out of this caper alive tonight, and that might be a trifle optimistic. It was amazing that he could smile as he knocked on Lorna's door.

Lorna eased the door open, looking tense though some of that faded when she saw Remy. "You're prompt. Come on in." She winced at his limp, guilt as present as ever for what she'd done to him. "How are you feeling?" It was slightly more polite than wanting to know what kind of idiocy he thought he was going to perpetuate this time.

"Alive. Dat's good enough these days." He gave her a lopsided grin as he limped in, and eased himself down on the edge of the couch. His hip was too twisted to let him seat comfortably in normal chairs any more.

"And you? Remy glad dat you not trying to hide up here any longer." Remy said simply, taking in the room with a gesture.

She sat in a chair, folding her legs up beside her. "I figured I had to stop being afraid and allow them to all stay away in droves instead of forcing them to stay away." She combed her fingers through her hair, looking at him still obviously tense. "Why are you going after her? How do you know you won't be her next battery?"

"Because I know 'manda. She didn't do dis because she wanted power or wanted to be de next villian." Remy's voice didn't change, but his voice hardened. "Maybe because I don't want to give up on her. Dat's something too many people are willing to do."

"She saved your life because I nearly killed you. That doesn't explain how she learned to steal life energy in the first place." Amanda's new trick upset Alex and in the end, that had been enough to set Lorna on a side. "She nearly killed Manuel. I don't like him but I don't think he deserves what she did. And he was her bond…why do you think she won't hurt you too?"

"'manda didn't try to kill Manuel, I don't think. Ripping out dat bond, dat was her cutting ties." Remy shook his head. "You not wrong. 'manda might be past dat line, and she might kill me. But I believe in her not to. Isn't dat what it comes down to? You either believe in someone or you don't."

Remy put both hands on the top of the cane, folded across each other casually. It was a position becoming very common for him. "De Professor can take someone's mind and turn dem into 'nother person faster den I can blink. Me, Nate, half a dozen others can kill a person as easily as we can snap our fingers. One femme here de Queen of Hell even. We don't fear dat because we feel we can trust dem not to. I trust dat 'manda at least going to listen to what I have to say."

"Remy…" He was probably the safest person to go to her. She'd risked a great deal to save his life and ruined her own in the process. But Lorna didn't trust herself not to hurt someone these days. She couldn't find it in her to trust Amanda. "Promise me that you won't let her do to you what I did."

"She won't." Remy settled himself. "And even if she would, Remy still go. If she's going to cross dat line, den it's going to be through me, Lorna. Dere's a half dozen people living in dis mansion dat alive because dat girl put herself on de line for dem. One of dose people is me. She's owed dis much."

Lorna bit her lip. "Remy...God. I'm not going to tell you not to go because that isn't fair. You came after me and I didn't deserve it. But I do want you to promise me that you'll be careful."

"Remy be as careful as I can. Honestly, dere's a good chance dat I'm not coming back." Remy said, but his words contained little emotion. "Dat's why dey call it risk, neh?"

She stared at him and stood abruptly, unable to sit still. "I don't know what to say. I don't want you putting yourself in danger but I have no right to ask anything of you." One hand crept to her neck then clenched to a fist when she realized what she was doing. "What are you thinking?"

"Walking into de lion's den." Remy smiled. "If I can get her out, I will. If not, dey going to pay to keep me dere."

Remy collected himself and limped towards the door. "I won't give up on her, Lorna, just like I won't give up on you. Dat's what makes me different den Gambit. I have to hold on to dat."

Lorna followed him and touched his arm lightly before he reached the door, waiting until he looked at her to speak. "I still have faith in you. Just...just so you know." She leaned in and hugged him tightly.

"Den you understand why I have to do dis for her too." Remy caught her with one arm, the other using the cane to keep him upright. "'sides, you enough reason for Remy to make it back, chere. Risk or not, Remy not going in blind. And I've got a few tricks left, even now."

She nodded and drew back, "That should probably worry me but...good." She paused, hesitating for a moment before moving back to press a kiss to his cheek.

"Can't keep a good man down, chere. Or me, for dat matter." Remy touched her cheek, looking deep in her eyes. "Remy coming back, chere. Just believe in dat."

He gathered up his cane and limped out the door.