The shadows swirled around the man crouching over his losing game of solitaire. The purple curtains began to float as a cold chill settled into the room. Crowing was heard in the distance.

The cards seemed to sit up from the their cardboard beds and point. They didn’t stop at pointing either, they threw back their heads and laughed at him. Remy shook his head in disbelief and confusion, the cards were not alive.

Does she really love him?

The cards couldn’t lie, Remy was losing.

She can’.

Not just the game of solitaire, that wasn’t important. He was losing everythin’ he held dear.

But she said she loved me.

In one word, Rogue.

Suddenly...

“I can’ stand no more! I need the four of spades and I need it now!”

He fumbled through the cards frustrated.

“It ‘s not here! It’s no where in sight! I don’ care I need dis card! No one gonna see me cheat.”

He clambered about his game as the wind blew the purple fabric around him. Annoyed, he tried to pull the curtain off.

“Please don’t pull on my cape.”

This was no curtain. There was no curtain. There was only a purple cape. Remy wheeled around and was faced with a purple cape and the glimmer of a crimson helmet. Only one word surfaced in his brain.

Magneto

But maybe there was hope...

“Joseph?”

“That is not my name, please don’t call me that.”

... or maybe not.

He looked down upon Gambit and shook his head in dismay. “What’s wrong? Upset that Rogue loves me with her whole heart and not you?”

“Dat not true...”

“Oh poor Remy! What a SHAME!” Magneto shook his head sarcastically.

Without a moment’s hesitation he launched his hand into Remy’s chest. He took hold and pulled his hand back out, dropping Gambit to his knees.

In his hand was a heart, still beating.

“I guess you won’t be needing this anymore.” Erik villainously laughed as he tossed it over his shoulder and strode away from Gambit.

As his heart hit the ground a murder of crows descended upon it. They snipped, and chewed, and scratched. In a matter of moments Remy’s heart had become the crows’ lunch.

Closing the door, once again, Erik laughed.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Remy leaped up, sweat came down his face, and he grasped the blanket firmly. Breathing heavily he noticed it was now night.

The moon’s light illuminated the bridge that overlooked the river. Getting up he quietly told himself, “It’s de only way.”