Fractals

Fractals Chapter Twenty Three (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply


A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE ™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch and Uberbeta… The cats are insane. That’s all there is to it. InterNutter, TC, Maxwell Pink and Dracena are loverly and wondermous for archiving/hosting! ProPhile: Smut is delayed… I’m working on it, lol. Voila. Morgan: *poke * Readers/Reviewers: *GLOMP * Thanks!!! And the ducks thank you with quacking…



Jubilee snorted and poked Logan in the ribs. “She likes you, dude.”
“Don’t ‘dude’ me,” Logan snapped, though he did glance furtively out of the corner of his eye at the young woman behind the counter.
Rahne was already in the car, fidgeting nervously and glancing around as if expecting someone to leap out at her at any moment. Jubilee sighed. “Come on, before she sheds or something…”
Logan raised a brow and followed Jubilee towards the car. “I need to stop by the plant center and get Storm those seedlings she ordered special.”
Jubilee made a cat noise followed by a whipping sound. “And I know you know what that means,” she teased, yanking open the passenger side door.
Logan growled. “Don’t need to be sayin’ things like that, Sparky.”
“Whatever…” She reached for the radio only to have her hand slapped away. “Hey!”
“No one touches my stations,” he gruffed, glaring at her briefly. “You okay back there Rahne?” He had started the car and was pulling out into traffic as he spoke, hissing a curse under his breath as someone cut him off.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, fine…” In truth, she was in knots emotionally. She had thought she could handle it all and be brave but the closer it got to the meeting with the archbishop and Vatican representative, the more she felt as if she were in over her head. And to top it off, Remy coming in with his news that morning had only made the acid roiling in her stomach seem to boil over and flood her veins with a hot, painful urgency. She wanted desperately to crawl under her bed and hide in perpetuity. She was working up to blurting that she had called Kitty, confessing that she had given her friend some warning about the impending visit, but she was stopped by Logan announcing that they had arrived at Bayville Garden Center. “I’m going to stay in the car, if that’s okay,” she muttered.
Logan raised a brow and, as Jubilee practically bounced out of the car, leaned over the seat towards Rahne. “You okay?” he asked softly. “Want me to take you home?”
She nodded, then shook her head, then sighed, “I don’t know! I guess I’m just under a lot of stress…”
“Look, kid, don’t worry about that stuff Remy brought back. It’s all under control,” he hazarded a smile at her and cuffed her ear gently. “Sit tight. We’ll only be a minute.”
She nodded and sank down onto one side as Logan got out of the car and shut the door behind him. She offered him a slight wave as he shot her a concerned glance, then closed her eyes and sank into an uneasy half sleep. _Make it go away, _ she thought, _and I’ll be much happier. _

Jubilee narrowed her eyes and peered at the stand of later summer/early autumn blossoms. “Those are supposed to be good luck, you know,” she said, pointing to the mums. “We should get some.”
“Gardening ain’t my forte.” Logan shifted restlessly for a moment before he spotted the customer service desk. “Wait here. I won’t be a minute.”
Jubilee nodded and waved him off, bending to pick up a plant that looked obscenely like a gynecological illustration. She was straightening when she felt strong hands on her waist and a rough chin against her ear. “Silence, ma chere.”
“Then don’t fucking scare me,” she snapped under her breath, though her irritation warred with a smile. “What’re you doing here?”
He turned her to face him, the odd plant between them. “I try to catch y’all ‘fore y’all lef’ mais you trop rapide1, non?” Remy dipped his head to kiss her, taking the plant and holding it out of squishing range as she stood on her toes to return the gesture. Breaking for air, he added, “Didn’t get a good chance ta tell you mornin’ ‘fore you lef’…”
Jubilee raised a brow but did not seem annoyed as she asked, “You tracked us down just for a good morning kiss? I don’t believe you. I’m immune to your bullshit, remember?”
Remy tried to look offended but failed, instead grinning quickly and taking her hand. He put the plant back down on a nearby display and said “Viens,”2 tugging her behind him. Jubilee started to protest but it turned into a squeak as she found herself pulled almost off her feet is wis wake.
“Remy, slow down! Short legs! I got short legs!” She gasped as he swung her in front of him and picked her up once they were outside, turning to press her against the building and kiss her again, this time passionately, not caring who saw. She made a muffled, surprised noise but did not fight him after the first surprised second. When he pulled away, she stared up at him with slightly glazed eyes and a racing heart. “What was that about?”
“I’m gonna be goin’ away for bit,” he breathed, staring at her intently.
She could tell that he was studying her, even though he wore his usual dark glasses. This made her stomach drop to her knees, her breath catching in her throat for a bare second before she could respond. “Why?”
“Can’t say, ma belle. Mais I may be gone a bit…” He moved to kiss her again but found her hand against his chest, pushing him away. “Chere…”
“Put me down, Remy.”
“Quoi?”
“Down. Put me down. Feet on the sidewalk. Now.” She found herself staring up at him, fighting the urge to stamp her foot and demand he tell her everything. “When do you think you’ll be back?” she settled on asking aloud.
“I…ain’t sure,” he admitted, sighing. “It’s…”
“Guild business, yeah, I know… You know,” she said suddenly, her ire up, “for a bunch of people that tore your heart out, they sure do need you a lot.”
“Pardon? What you mean?” He leaned forward, penning her in place with one hand on either side of her.
“I mean,” she tried to temper her words with kindness but knew, even as she said them with her hand against the side of his neck, her fingers curling idly in his hair, that they were hurtful, “they abandoned you, Remy. They cast out out and forbid you to enter New Orleans openly on pain of death. Why do you do all of this for them? Is it for Belladonna? I understand if it is…”
Remy’s expression flared into irritation briefly before becoming neutral again. “Chere, you don’t unnerstan’ at all… an it ain’t fo’ Belle, mais she involved.” He pressed another fevered kiss to her forehead. “I’ll call you tonight, d’accord? I’ll keep in touch.”
Something seemed so final about his words that tears sprang to her eyes unbidden. “Remy…”
“Non, chere,” he breathed, kissing her again. “I can’t…”

Rahne started as Jubilee got into the car, her shoulders hitching in silent sobs. “What’s wrong?” the Scottish girl asked, sitting up and leaning forward.
“Everything!”

1 Too fast
2 come