A/N: Voila! my very first XMen fic so be gentle I'm just getting the hang of this, I'm very new to writing thing so bear with me on this. Oh it is also not a song fic, I just really love Slash's Snakepit and the song Ain't Life Grand is my inspiration for the title and really reminded me of our favorite Ragin' Cajun... There will be more chapters. So here, read on :)

Chapter 1:

The wind through his hair and the smell of the open road was all he needed, all he ever wanted as he went speeding down the highway in his previously *cough cough* attained convertible. He smiled to himself as he put a smoke between his lips and turned up the radio.

The end of the summer, down in New Orléans. Should've called, got caught up in the scene. Ain't nothin' wrong, ain't a damn thing right. Gonna be comin' home, but baby not tonight!

The jazzy Rock N' Roll sound was so loud you could feel the vibrations off of the seats in the car. Gambit thought the song was funny, not in a "Ha Ha" way but in an ironic way. He was leaving, he didn't really want to, but he was free. He didn't have to marry Belladonna, he didn't have to be the leader of the Thieves Guild after his Pére. He was free to do what he wanted.

The reason I'm stayin' is everything's swayin' it feels too good to leave. Pay all the bullshit, send me the receipts. I don't know where I'll be. The bayou's callin', the gypsy's out tonight. French Quarter lamps are burnin'. Lamps are burning bright! Now I'm the kind of man that will throw caution to the wind, all night long I'll be here 'til the end.

He felt good, no he felt great. Everything was so perfect, right at that point in his life he didn't have to care and he didn't have responsibilities. He stole, he lied, he drank, he smoked, he had sex, with lots of different women. He travelled, he cheated, he had money and looks. Life was great, just the way he wanted it. He felt free, he hoped it would stay that way.

The caravan awaits me in a place within my mind. Wish you could be here, I guess another time, oh another time.
Whoo, hoo, yeah, yeah, ain't life grand. All the pushin', and huggin', and pushin', and tuggin' and whoo, hoo, yeah, yeah, ain't life grand.

He turned the radio up as he drove, his elbow hanging over the edge of the window and his dark aviator glasses shielding his light-sensitive eyes from the radiant sun. Yep, life was grand. He felt bad he had to leave his city, he was just glad he managed to get out with a little something for his efforts.

Her eyes felt heavy but she kept them on the road, she was tired. Driving all day really beat her up and she knew that if she didn't pull over soon she would fall asleep at the wheel. The truth was, she had no idea where she was going and what she was going to do. After taking the so-called "Cure" her life went spiraling more out of control than it was in the first place.

She had no real reason to stay in the mansion, the Professor and Jean passed away, Logan was gone, she no longer hand any powers and her and Bobby broke up. She just felt like she needed out, like there were places she needed to see before it was too late.

She ended up somewhere in Kentucky that night, she didn't care where she was going but she took off for the south. It was only natural, being a born and bred Mississippi girl. She needed that little feeling of Southern air again, it's been a while since she was there anyway.

I said, whoo, hoo, yeah, yeah, ain't life grand. All the touchin', and feelin', and bumpin', and squealin'. Now whoo, hoo, oh yeah, ain't life grand.

She immediately turned the radio off, she liked the song but she couldn't get her mind off of how stupid she was. Touch, she did it for touch. Yeah, touch was great, hugging, kissing, loving. It was just as amazing as she thought, but why did she have to make such a huge sacrifice to get it?

Rogue noticed a small motel on the side of the busy street and decided she needed rest if she expected to keep driving all day tomorrow. So she parked, pulled out her keys and headed towards the main office to check in and get a room. After getting her two suitcases in and going through her clothes she heard a disturbing growling sound. She took a fighting stance and looked around worriedly. When she heard it again she looked down and her stomach and laughed a little. She felt stupid and couldn't help but think of how funny it would be if someone seen her. But then she remembered about how she was alone and frowned.

The city wasn't nearly as big and a busy as New York, but she liked it. There were people and it wasn't overly crowded, there were cars but not so many you couldn't cross the road. She decided to stop at a local coffee shop and get a bagel, something small and not too greasy like she previously planned. Sipping on her coffee as she sat at a small table and people watched through the window. She decided to go for a small walk and stretch out her legs, which were cramped from driving for days. It was late but a walk couldn't hurt, she did intend to stop and sleep but she was getting reckless and felt like getting some fresh air.

Remy's eyes opened when he heard his alarm clock go off, it was only quiet enough for him to hear and he immediately flew out of bed when he heard it. Someone was coming, he knew because he connected a small device at the end of the hotel hallway near his room that would go off when someone went near his door. After telling the hotel manager he did not want to be disturbed he knew it wasn't room service, especially at 11:30 at night. He didn't even get a chance to throw on a shirt because suddenly the door flew open and a large group of soldiers wearing black with big guns came barging into his room.

Remy opened his side table drawer and grabbed the item they were after before rushing towards the balcony and jumping. The soldiers chased after him thinking he fell to his death but noticed him flipping back and landing on the balcony on the floor below. Gambit went through the room and into the hallway, they were coming at him from both sides so he did a jump off of the wall and onto the other before jumping over the group of men.

Gambit ran as quick as he could and figured it would be easier to run Parkour and get away then through the building, so he ran towards the nearest window and jumped out onto the roof beside the hotel. They followed suit as Remy grabbed a handful of rocks while sprinting, he charged them and threw them behind him. The blast was small but enough to throw them off their feet while Gambit tried to get away.

He smiled a cocky smile when he did a flip over the parapet and onto another below, he was good and he knew it. He ran to the edge of the building but noticed the soldiers quickly marching up the fire escape below him, and seen the bullets fly through the air next to him as they fired. So he ran to the other side but was blinded by an extremely bright, white light in a circle around him. The helicopter hovered over him and the man threatened to shoot if he didn't hand it over.

Remy noticed the buildings were attached but different heights and the chopper would obviously shoot him if he went that way, so he decided the place on the right, the jump was at least 15 feet between the two but him being him he ran and did the jump. He rolled when he landed to keep the impact from injuring him and then sprinted towards the edge, he was only about 4 stories up and there was a fire escape.

He jumped onto the rusty, metal escape stairs and climbed swiftly down the side with ease. He then noticed the fire escape was cut off at least halfway down and he was still two stories up, he would easily break his ankle by jumping so he hooked himself onto a satellite dish and climbed onto a window ledge, there was a flag pole sticking out below him so he dropped and grabbed onto it, perfecting a full swing around in the process, he landed without getting hurt then took off before the army of soldiers caught up with him.

Gambit could hear the chopper above and ran through a tight spaced alley to hide, he watched the soldiers in black speed passed him without a second glance and he let out an exhausted sigh. He followed the alley out onto the main city street and grabbed a large coat off of an outside rack and threw it on.

"Have you seen this man?" He heard someone ask.

"Sorry Darlin', Ah haven't." Some old Southern lady responded, he didn't even turn around to look, he just kept walking and tried to best not to look suspicious. Looking ahead he seen a lone figure's back turned toward him as she walked, her hood was up but he could tell by her body shape that she was younger. So he quickened his pace and caught up with her, he threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled the woman into himself as they walked.

"Shhh," he whispered not getting a chance to look at her face before the soldiers ran by with their guns, the chopper flew past. He let out a breath when they didn't notice him, they just looked like lovers on an evening stroll.

"Merci Chére, dat' was close." He grinned at her, she looked up at him with confusion and annoyance on her pretty face. Hell, pretty wasn't the word he would use. He thought she was gorgeous, long brown hair with oddly white bangs, emerald-green eyes and a pale complexion, full lips and long lashes.

"THERE HE IS!" The old lady from before yelled to a soldier.

"Merde," Remy groaned. "Be seein' yah, Chérie." He kissed the top of her knuckles and winked before taking off into a sprint ahead, he pushed himself off of the building by jumping, then grabbed onto the window ledge and flipped into it. She didn't even notice him slip something into her pocket so the soldiers wouldn't find it if they did catch him.

She couldn't believe the nerve of some people, they think she can just grope a complete stranger to get away from the law enforcement. She should have hit him, she should have yelled, she should have pepper sprayed him. Why didn't she? Why couldn't she just pull out her can and spray him right in the eyes. In those odd colored eyes, she never did see eyes like that before. Red irises, the sclera was black like the pupil. It looked like two blood-red donuts soaking in oil. She shook the thought from her head when she entered her motel room and threw the keys on the bed.

What a wierd place Kentucky is, you get groped by Cajun fugitives being chased by the army. She couldn't help but wonder what army that was, it wasn't anyone she knew or recognized when she was an X-Man. Rogue also wondered why he was running, did he kill someone? Was he a rapist or a crazed drug lord?

It wasn't her problem, why did she keep thinking about it? She left to get away from things like that, from mutant problems and fighting. He was obviously a mutant with those eyes... or a really big Satanist. They were demonic, but yet they interested her. They were gorgeous, she wouldn't tell anyone that though.

"What's wrong with me?" She asked herself as she removed her sweater, she furrowed her brows together when she felt something in the left pocket. Gingerly she reached in and pulled the item out, catching a shine of red as she held it up. It was a beautiful, antique looking necklace with a large pendant. It had silver design around the edge and a gorgeous large ruby in the middle, she could tell it was real and roughly guessed how expensive it was.

How did it get in her pocket?

"Seems like yah got somethin' o' Remy's, Chére." She heard that velvety Cajun voice and spun around to see those same red eyes looking down at her.

A/N: Well, I hope this is enough. This story has been rattling around in my head for a while now and I'm glad to get it out. What Remy was doing on the buildings was called Parkour, also know as a type of free running. To get a better image you could youtube it. It's pretty cool and reminded me of Gambit a bit. Oh and if you would like to see what the pendant looks like I have a link here of my idea :)

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