Author's Note: Blah, blah, blah. These characters are not mine. However, I am not making any money off of this so you can't sue me. It is for entertainment purposes only. The following is simply a work of fan fiction. It is in response to the challenge of killing off one's favorite character. If you would like to e-mail me with your comments about how much you liked it, which, naturally, I hope you will, please feel free to e-mail me at Freeverse0@aol.com. Of course, you can flame me, but in doing so I will feel ultimately depressed and will consider never writing another fan fic again since this is my first attempt for an X-Men related one. The choice is yours. Translation: I'm the author. You're the reader. The characters do not belong to me. You can't sue. Here endeth the disclaimer.

Legacy
by Freeverse

It was a cold night. So unusually cold and lonely, even for Raven Darkholme. There was something about tonight that just wasn't right. Some ominous star in the night was shining brighter. She was sure of it.

She couldn't sleep. It was nights like these were she just wanted to slip into nothingness and not be disturbed.

The shrill ringing of her telephone by her bedpost abruptly ended her thoughts and she found herself reaching for her gun. Cursing about the moment's stupidity, she realized a phone call was nothing be frightened about. Until she heard the lifeless voiced on the other end.

It was Remy LeBeau. His usually somewhat cheerful Cajun accent was dulled. She was barely even sure if it was him. "Miss Darkholme?"

It was a stupid formality. She hated being called that. Ever since he and Rogue had wed, he had felt somewhat obliged to call her Miss Darkholme. Even Mystique would be better. Nonetheless, she found herself replying, "Yes?"

"I don' know how to say dis..." he said.

Raven didn't reply.

"Rogue ... she dead," he finally managed slowly. She could almost tell he was crying. A grown man crying. It was something she thought she'd never see ... or at least hear.

Her eyes grew wide and more emotionless than ever. She stared, not blinking, trying desperately not to let herself cry. She had to be strong. Maybe it was all a mistake. Maybe it was all a dream. She's wake up and everything would be fine. She'd call Rogue and hear her voice. Everything would be fine.

"Miss Darkholme?"

She knew it wasn't a dream. The feeling of dread, of disbelief in her was much too real. "That's impossible," she said softly. Rogue, the invulnerable, dead.

"Dat's what I t'ought too, but..."

It was a difficult subject for him. She could tell. Still, she had a right to be selfish, to be consoled. Her daughter had died. She had cared for Rogue as her own, and in an instant, she was gone. The house of cards she had so carefully erected as a family once again came crashing down with just one simple sentence. Raven wanted only to know one thing, "How did she die, Remy?"

"She was on a mission wit' de rest o' de team," he replied slowly, as if talking to a child.

This annoyed her. Raven wasn't a child, she was a mother. Rogue was a child and know she was dead. It was so unfair! She could barely grab a hold of her emotions.

"An killed by Magneto's hand," he finished. "She was just a casuality. Others died ... but Rogue was da worst. She tried t' save Storm ... but.." He couldn't finish.

Raven suddenly hated the X-Men more than ever. She silently wished them a slow and painful death from taking her child from her. They took away everything important to her. They took away her whole damned family! Irene had been killed. Kurt barely had a relationship with her, and now Rogue was dead. Killed by Magneto in the line of duty. Raven wanted to just get revenge. But not even the lives of her murders could bring Rogue back.

"Miss Darkholme?"

She wished he would stop repeating himself like a retarded child. "I'm here," she replied tightly, surprised her hallow heart could manage to suppress any emotion. "Is she ... buried?" she asked, her tone more civil.

"No. But dere havin' a funeral soon..." he said. "An I know Rogue would want you t' say a few words."

Raven was touched. She and Remy obviously didn't get along very well. To be blunt, he never did like the cunning, manipulative temptress she was. However, he was willing to put this past him to please Rogue. She had always wanted the two to someday get along.

Such a pity it had to be the day Rogue died.

"Thank you, and good night, Remy. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, chere," he replied. "'Night."

Raven slammed the receiver down and turned to her bed. She blinked repeatedly as Rogue's death hit her with full force. It came over her with such an onslaught is was amazing she stand it. My baby girl is dead, she thought before erupting into tears.

Remy sat on the bed he and Rogue shared and wept. He remembered all the good and bad times they had together, and most importantly, the day he watched her die.

It would have been like any other fight, but Magneto was serious this time. He was not fooling around. The X-Men had spoiled his plans too many times, and now was time for revenge. That meant killing Charles Xaiver.

In opposition were Jean Grey, Gambit, Storm, Colossus, Beast, and Rogue. They were risking their lives to save the life of another. Their teacher, and more importantly, the man who finally gave Rogue the ability to control her powers.

Remy could remember how happy he had been when he had found out. Not only would it make their relationship less complicated, but Rogue could finally quit hating herself and see what a beautiful and wonderful woman she really was. And he could finally touch her.

Xaiver had finally gotten somewhere with his work with Rogue. She began to let go of the problems, of the traumas that made her fear touching someone else. He convinced her that the memory of absorbing Cody and Miss Marvel had prevented her from ever controlling her powers. Once she let go of her fears and began to relax and stop hating herself, she had complete control over her powers.

The control came slowly at first, causing a few accidents along the way, but it she steadily became more and more able to touch someone without unintentionally hurting them. A few months later they had wed.

It had been a large ceremony. Everyone that was dear to the couple were invited, including the X-Men. They knew everyone, including themselves had been waiting for it. They had been kidding themselves when they had pretended they weren't in love.

The happily married couple had just started to begin to make more future plans before the fight that stole Rogue's life. They had wanted a family, but they would never even get the chance.

Remy hated Magneto. He wanted to rip out his icy heart as Magneto had done to Rogue, although hers was warm and caring. She didn't deserved to die!

It had happened so fast. One moment the sharp metal object had been aimed at Storm, and the next it had been planted in Rogue's chest. She was dead in a matter of minutes.

Remy remembered that he was in hysterics, trying to wake her up. He was being a fool. He knew she wouldn't flutter those pretty eyes, uncorrupted in emerald beauty. She was dead.

And now it was all his fault. If only he had done something. If only he had been quicker. He could've saved Rogue. His lovely wife. His beautiful lover. His caring friend.

Ororo Munroe watched as they carried Rogue's body into the morgue. It was zipped up, and she was glad because she didn't think she could bear to look upon the cold, lifeless body of her friend and hero.

Rogue didn't deserve to die. She risked her life for someone who could have easily been taken away. She had lived on the earth longer and she had no immediate family except for the X-Men. She had not just begun to start a family, nor had she just wed.

She blinked back tears, thinking about how unfair Rogue's death had been. She would have given anything to save her, and even more to join her, as she knew Remy also felt.

The way her death affected everyone was horrible. Logan barely spoke anymore and Remy was a wreck. Raven had become even more violent and hostile than ever, and she kept replaying Rogue's sacrifice over and over again.

"Storm, you cover Colossus," she replied, looking at the wounded Piotr (Peter) Rasputin who looked, at this point in the battle, like a beat-up tin man.

Beast was pretty beat, but still standing. However, he was in no condition to fight. Rogue had her far share of scratches, as did Jean, Gambit, and Storm, but they were determined not to give up.

"Surrender Charles now, and I'll let you live," Magneto said.

"Ah don't think so, chump!" Rogue exclaimed, flying up to were he was levitating and hitting him with all her strength.

He was thrown a few good feet away, but recovered pretty quickly. "Is that your best shot, Rogue?" he asked her.

Magneto used the iron in her blood to send her flying into Gambit, and sending them into a tree, hitting their heads hard.

Gambit's head began to spin, but he forced himself up, as did Rogue, although she was barely only slightly fazed.

"Haven't you realized, dear," he asked Rogue, "I'm too much of a match even for you."

"What about me?" Storm demanded, sending a powerful bolt of lightening to Magneto.

He howled in pain, but recovered nonetheless and before she had the chance to react, he sent a sharp metal pole toward Storm.

Storm obviously wasn't paying attention she was too busy tending to Gambit to realize she was in danger. Rogue's head snapped up and she knew she had to do something. She dove in front of Storm at lightning speed and screamed as the pole stabbed her right through the chest.

Storm gasped in horror and Gambit rushed to his wife's side. "Rogue, chere, are you okay?" he asked as she cradled her in his arms.

She tried to move her lips, but they barely even twitched. Her skin began to pale suddenly and her eyes were glossy. Remy knew what it meant, but he didn't want to admit it.

"Rogue, wake up," he urged, gently shaking her. She didn't respond. He shook her harder, but the only response her got was her head jerking back and forth.

"My God," he said, his eyes wide. His eyes began to well with tears. He turned to Storm. "She ... dead."

Ororo blinked. Why was she remembering these things? It was bad enough then, but she didn't think she could handle reliving it over and over again, with the knowledge that she should've been the one who died.

The service was beautiful. Rogue had always felt at home on a warm summer day. She had always loves roses, yellow especially, and red when Remy would take the occasion to buy them for her. She had always loved the colors yellow and green, and he had made sure they would be there.

The X-Men were also there. They were mourning for their loss also, as Rogue had been part of the X-Man family.

Raven was a wreck. She was obviously trying to hide her feelings as she approached to microphone and cleared her throat.

It was so incredibly hard for her to form the words, but she forced herself to do so. Rogue would have thought the gesture was touching.

"There are no words to explain how much Rogue meant to me, to all of us. She held so many roles, as a daughter, a wife, a lover, a friend, and an X-Man, that it's hard to believe that anyone has not been touched by Rogue."

"Her death was heroic, and I know that's how she would have wanted to die. That was what life was about to her. Being a hero. Fighting for something better. She had won the fight that day, but had unfortunately lost her life. She died as a hero and her legend, her legacy, will never be forgotten."

She sat back down before she could weep in front of everyone she absolutely loathed for taking away her family.

Remy stood up, uncertain to whether or not he was stable enough to say something without bursting into tears. "As Raven said, Rogue's death was unfortunate, an it greatly affected everyone. De ones who will miss her most is her family. She had many families, de one dat had never cared 'bout her at all an all but pretended she didn't exist. Den she b'longed t' Raven's family, one dat she felt safe an loved in. An 'cause Raven was a carin' parent, she allowed Rogue t' come t' Xaiver Institute, where she b'came part o' anot'er family an I first met her."

"I can almost remember de thoughts went through my mind. I 'member t'inkin' she was de most beautiful woman I ever set dese two eyes on. An as we began t' b'come friends an develop a relationship, I couldn't 'member anyone kinder an more brave than she."

As Remy stood up, Storm also said a few words, but what surprised everyone the most was that Logan stood up and was crying. He also tried to say what Rogue meant to him.

It was the final resting place of Rogue. She would have liked it. It was by a river, a peaceful and tranquil spot. A yellow rose bush grew by the grave. Her tombstone was emerald engraved with the words inspired from Raven's speech: Rogue LeBeau 1978-2012 Her legacy will not be forgotten.

Wiping tear from his cheeks, Remy began to speak to Rogue. He knew it was foolish. She wouldn't hear him, but he kept talking anyway. He spoke about the great times they had had and how he wished that she was there.

The sound of footprints had interrupted his flow of words. He looked up to see Raven dressed in a black dress and tears streaming down her cheeks. He couldn't remember if he had ever seen her cry.

"She really loved you," Raven said simply.

"An she loved you, too," he replied. "She always was lookin' up t' ya, but I never got why until now. You loved her, too."

She blinked. "Yeah."

"I'm gonna miss her. More dan you'll ever know," he said.

"I think I know, Remy," she replied. She wiped away a trickle of tears, almost laughing. "Rogue had never seen me cry, besides the day when Irene died. I guess she would be shocked if she were here."

"Yeah."

"What are we supposed to do now with her gone from our lives?" she asked. It wasn't fair. They both didn't know how to carry on now the she was gone.

Remy looked up. "Just what you said yourself. Never forget her legacy."

She began to cry again. Remy arose from his squatting position by the grave and embraced her. "Never, ever forget, Raven," he said.

And in the distance, they thought they heard a faint laugh. That charming Southern laugh. And then it was gone.

*~*The End*~*

P>S> FEEDBACK! Is that subtle enough for you?

Down-Home Charm / Fan-Fiction / Fan Artwork / History Books / Photo Album / Songbank / Miscellania / Links / Updates

Legalese: Rogue, the X-Men, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are Trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc. and are used without permission. This is an unofficial fansite, and is not sponsored, licensed or approved by Marvel Comics.
• Privacy Policy and Submission Guidelines