Disclaimer: The X-Men Belong To Marvel

THAT 'OL WIND

                            By: Maigen Green

Sarah watched as the little red haired boy crunched down the last of

his cereal. She sat and watched this amusing sight for several

minutes. When the dinging of the old grandfather clock grabbed her

attention. 7:15. 

"Rhemi it's past seven. Go put ya shoes on and get ya books or ya

gonna be late." Sarah said in her best "mother" voice. 

The little boy looked up at the clock. Realizing that his mother was

right,  began to conive his way out of the horrible experience of

school.

"Oh momma my tummy hurts. I don't feel like going going to school. I

think I have chicken pox!" he said as he pulled up his jeans to

reveal several small red dots on his knee.

"Ain't that the scrape you got when you fell off the slide at Tommy's

house yesterday?" Sarah said with a small grin on her face. Trying to

conive himself out of things was one of the things he had picked up

from his father. His Father. She tried not to think about him much

these days, for they were happy memories that brought sad feelings. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the slamming of a screen door.

"C'mon Mom!" a little voice yelled from the car window. 

She quickly gathered up her things for work and went out to the car.

She dropped Rhemi off in front of his school. Just another day. She

headed off toward the office. She worked as an assistant trainer at the

Fairaton County Physical Therapy Center. If she hadn't of loved her

job she would have quit three years ago, when she found over a half a

million dollars underneath an old busted porch board. She had assumed

it was money her Grandparents had been saving until their death a few

years back. 

A soft melody catches her ears. She reaches down and turns the volume

to more than ear shattering. 

No it can't be. She thinks as she catches the tail end of the all too

familiar song.

The song is drowned out by the Dj's voice saying that Remy Labeau is

back in town for his last United States show and that tickets are

available.

She pulled off to the side of the road. Her eyes began to swell up

with tears as she remembered the last time she had seen him. Remy.

It was a fairly cool night for August. The county fair was having

it's last night. It was a great time. Sarah had decided that she would

meet up with her friends when she got there. 

Sarah walked around the fair grounds for a good ten minutes. After

one more round she decided she was tired and that she needed a rest.

She went and got herself a caramel apple and a coke and sat down on a

back row in front of a long stage. 

A old white haired man (who reminded Sarah of Grandpa Jones from

HeeHaw) came out onto stage and began announcing the next act. It was

a young man named Remy. That was it, no last name or anything. When he

came out she realized how shockingly beautiful he was. Being drawn in

by his looks she stayed awhile. He had a nice voice but it had too much

of an accent for her taste, French or something. 

As she stood to leave she heard the singing stop,as did the music.

Then she heard his voice.

"Um 'cuse me chere, but maybe it not be good for my reputation to be

havin' beautiful ladies walk out on me in the middle of a song.Eh?"

She felt her face turn hot. She kept on walking,hoping he wasn't

talking to her.

"Miss? Chere? You wit de white stripe in your hair."

She stopped dead in her tracks. Now how many people had a white

stripe down the back of their heads. Her wish hadn't been granted.As

she turned to see her vocal admirer, she felt a hundred or more eyes

on her. She knew that her face matched the color of his red hair to a

tee. 

She slowly made her way around. As she looked at him she pointed to

herself and mouthed "me" to him.

He gave a small laugh, "Of course you. How many other belles do you

see runnin 'round wit red and white hair? 'less they be real

patriotic." The wry grin on his face somehow made her angry. 

"Well 'cuse me suh, but ah hadn't been informed that it was a crime

to leave a free performance. Perhaps ah should have asked before ah

came." she said with sweet sarcasm dripping on her voice.

"HAHA , you do have a fire in you." this was followed by a quite

laughter from a few of the crowd.

Sarah suddenly realized that their confrontation was being watched by a

fair ground of people. This time her face did not turn so red. As she

sat down.

"Please if ya don't mind, continue." She said with a gesture toward

the stage.

"If you insist Madam. This song goes out to you." He said, then began

a beautiful melody about love and forgiveness.

After it was over she waited around intent on finding her suave

admirer. She felt a peck on her back and turned around to see the same

man standing before her. 

"Hello chere, ya waitin' for me?"

"No ah was not," she stumbled for an excuse, "Ah was merely tryin' to

find some o' mah friends, that's all."

"I don' believe you chere. The fair almost closed an' you ain't

looking in the right direction." He stated as he turned her head to

the entrance of the fair.

Looking for a way out of this conversation she quickly changed the

subject.

"Why do ya keep callin' me 'chere.' Ah have a name ya know. And that

ain't it."

"Then may I ask, what is your name, Mah cherie?"

"Sarah. It's Sarah. Sarah Hutchenson. You?"

"Ah, Sarah. What a beaut'ful name. Well then Miss. Hutchenson, my

name is Remy. Remy LeBeau."

"Hello Remy. Or shall I say Mr. LaBeau?"

"No, please, call me Remy. Care t' be joinin' me for a few rides? I

have all these free tickets an' no one t' ride wit." He asked with the

same wry grin on the face.

"Why ah'd be honored Mr. LeBeau, ah mean Remy." she responed in her

best Scarlet O'hara voice.

They spent hours just riding and talking. They rode every ride at

least four times.Sarah was beginning to fall in love with this

stranger, she hoped he felt the same.When the lights went off and the

rides stopped they were left alone outside the gates of the old fair. 

A small rain had begun to fall. 

"come wit me. Get you outa dis rain." he said as he grabbed her hand

and lead her to what looked to be an old shed. He opened the door and

turned on the lights. It was filled with music and guitars. 

"It ain't much, but it's home. Well for now. I be leavin tomorrow."

"Wha.. your leavin? Where?"

"Somewhere up near Nashville for about a week then on to

Memphis.Then? Lord knows where."

"Oh, so this is your last night?"

"Ah, Chere, mon amour," He said as he lifted her head in his hands,

"I not ever leave you." 

She smiled a little at that. Then ever so slowly he bent down and

kissed her.

"Ah... Ah.. Never..."

"Ssshhhh.. it okay. I love you." he stopped her before she could finish.

She had stayed the night with him. The next moring he had pleaded

with her to come with him. She had said no. How could she? She was a

Freshman in college, she had her whole life ahead of her. Her parents,

she couldn't hurt them like that, and her grandma only had a few more

weeks to live. 

He called his manager and told him he wasn't leaving. His manager

told him it was impossible. He had a contract and would suffer

unreparable financial blows for both of them if he didn't go. He could

not

do this to his manager who was also his best friend. 

The bus drove up in front of the shed. He begged her once more to

come with him. Once again she said no. They held each other for a few

precious moments, until he had to go.

As he was getting on the bus he yelled out something she would never

forget.

"Oh you can't hol' back de wind, and if it's meant to be again,den

some day I'll find my way back to your arms."

Now as she sat in her car tears rolling down her eyes, she wondered

if it really was meant to be.

She had just dropped Rhemi off at her mother's house. She parked in

one of the many open parking lots. The marqee read "Remy LeBuea," she

gave a silent laugh at this.

At the end of the concert he played his biggest hit ever. It was the

song she had heard over and over on the radio, but before that she had

heard it from his tear stained face, standing in front of an old beat

up bus.

She listened now as the words were put to music. His voice gently

drownded the auditorium.

"Then the D.J.'s voice comes on and says he's back in town tonight

for one last show. Her eyes swelled up with tears, God could it be

it's been ten years. Since that Autumn night outside the county fair.

When two strangers shared the night, and in the darkness found a

light, that to this day is still alive and burning there. He asked her

twice to come along, they said goodbye at the break of dawn. Oh she

can't hold back the wind, and if it's meant to be again, then some day

she'll find her way back to his arms."

The song went on telling of the day they got together and of the love

they shared. She cried through most of it. 

After it was all over, she dried her eyes and went back stage. She

saw him sitting there, on a small blue chair. Looking around sadly. 

"Remy?" she asked "Remy, is that you?"

He looked up with a start. "Sarah.." He said when his eyes met hers.

They remanised of old times. They relived the most perfect night they

had ever experienced again that night. In the morning he once again

asked her to come. She told him no. She told him of her son. She

showed him a picture and watched as his eyes saw his own staring back

at him. There was a slight spark in his eyes which faded when he told

her that he must be a lucky man.

She watched with a tear in her eye as the bus drove out one more

time. The last time she would ever see it. 

"Ah guess that ol' wind has once again found it's way home..." She

said as a tear trickled down her face.

"Yeah I guess you right chere." a voice said as two strong arms

wrapped around her waste.

"Remy there's somethin ah need to tell ya, bout my son, well he's...

his father is... well he's your son." she looked down.

"I know chere, I seen it in the picture, he beautiful. Perfect."

"Just like his daddy."

"Ha! Let's hope not."

They both laughed as they got into her car to go home.

"Hey chere," He said as he got into the car,"Have you found anytin'

suspicious under your porch..?"

               The End?

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