Chapter 1: Muir Island
Rogue was dozing peacefully aboard the blackbird jet, it felt as if it were the first time in an eternity she'd slept. And in her sleep she had vague dreams, dreams of things that never made sense. Her dreams these days almost always included the young man known as Remy LeBeau.
Rogue stirred when something small and hard hit her in the face, and she shifted her position, slightly wakening, and then tried to go back to sleep, again, something else hit her, this time felt as if it bounced off her forehead.
Eyes still closed, she rubbed her forehead confusedly, and snorted tiredly, and leaned back in her chair against the pillow she'd brought with her.
Again, something hit her in the face, her eyes snapped open, seeing Remy LeBeau leaning over the back of the chair in front of her flicking peanuts at her.
"LeBeau!" Rogue gasped, she rubbed her face, "what in the hell are you doin', I was sleepin'!"
"I know, I was bored," he smirked, he tossed the bag of peanuts away and rested his arms against the backrest of the chair, he was facing her, rested his cheek against his arms, looking at her, "sleep good?"
"I was until you intervened," Rogue ran her fingers delicately underneath the corners of her eyes to wipe away any sleep crusts, while at the same time, desperately trying to not disturb her thick eyeliner.
"You slept for five hours, Chere," Remy advised her.
"I'm still tired."
Remy smirked, "we're almost there."
Rogue leaned to the side, still securely seat-belted in place, she could see the large windows of the blackboard up front, seeing nothing but sky and cloud, she tried to remember where they were going, she'd been so tired she'd forgotten already.
Then it came to her. Muir Island. Hank McCoy alone was taking four of the students to visit the first official Mutant Research Centre in Britain – perhaps even in the world. It just happened to be on a small Island in Scotland, she had a feeling – even though no one had told her much about it – that the Island would have very little on it other than the Research Centre itself.
"You awake or what, Chere?" Remy waved his hand in front of her face from side to side to get her attention, she'd been staring into space.
"Do you mind!" Rogue slapped his hand away roughly with one of her gloved hands, and frowned, "one rough bump on this ride and you could end up touching me, and the last thing I need is more of your thoughts and memories – and powers – in me!"
Remy smirked, "nah, you'd rather have other parts of me in you…" he looked at her beneath his dark brown bangs with eyes that were red on black.
"Why you—" Rogue was about to find a nice string of vulgar swear words to dismiss Remy with, but the voice of Hank McCoy stopped her abruptly.
"Remy LeBeau, need I remind you that your innuendos and euphemisms are well out of place amongst a class of minors," Hank did not even turn, but he'd heard the commotion at his back, he was piloting the jet, with Kitty Pryde in the seat beside him, helping pilot. Kitty glanced back to look at both Remy and Rogue, and Kurt, who was in the seat opposite from where Rogue was, he glanced at them both with a suspicious expression.
"Didn't say a thing," Remy defended, he sat back down in his seat very innocently.
Rogue blushed scarlet, she leaned forward to speak between the gape between the two chairs in front of her, where Remy was sitting alone, "I'm gonna get you for that," she muttered quietly.
"I look forward to it…" Remy turned and gazed at her through the gape in the chairs, he smirked, she could see only one of his eyes.
"Get a haircut," Rogue muttered, and leaned back in her chair stubbornly, and then added "And a shave."
The remainder of the flight only lasted for forty minutes, and the jet finally landed on a large field about forty feet away from a large modern-looking building. The five X-Men – Hank McCoy, Remy LeBeau, Kitty Pryde, Kurt Wagner and Rogue – left jet, and headed towards the building, greeted at the front door by a woman with shoulder length brown hair, and very plain – but pretty – features. She was wearing a long white coat, a simple brown skirt and a cream coloured blouse.
"You're early," the woman stated, a thick Scottish accent made her voice stand out.
Hank smiled, "Kids, this is Moira MacTaggert, she's one of the co-founders of the mutant research centre as well as one of the worlds top geneticists, among other things."
Moira smiled, "Welcome to Muir Island."
Remy stood behind Rogue, and nudged her playfully in the back. Rogue elbowed him in the stomach very carefully – remembering how strong she actually was compared to him.
"I guess we should get you settled into some rooms before we show you around," Moira smiled, "come with me…"
Hank waved the students to follow, "go with Moira. I'm catch up with you all later," he assured.
The students followed Moira, leaving Beast outside. The inside of the mutant research centre was huge, and immaculate, everything new and clean, so clean it seemed to sparkle.
"Wow, this place is great," Kitty Pryde marvelled, "so this is like, the first official Mutant Research centre in Britain?" she queried.
"Yes," Moira said, "we work towards researching the facts behind mutant genetics and manifestations, we hope to help a lot of mutants here in the future…" she explained.
Remy walked quietly behind Rogue, and placed his hand softly against her lower back, Rogue pulled away, "Remy, stop it!" she said a hushed whisper.
He just smirked and walked despite her telling him off. Rogue walked a little ahead, so that Kurt was between herself and Remy.
Moira led them up a very large winding staircase, and then along a long hallway, and then up a smaller staircase, "This is the living area up here," She stated, she gestured to a large rather normal looking living room, "The rooms are all in one hallway at the moment, so male and female quarters are not separated as of yet, the fourth floor is still being painted you see," Moira explained. "Okay, so what are all your names?" she asked as she stopped in a small narrow hallway.
"I'm Kitty Pryde," Kitty smiled, she shook Moira's hand.
"Kurt Wagner," Kurt gave a goofy bow.
"Remy LeBeau," Remy stated, he did not look at Moira, he was watching Rogue carefully.
"Rogue," Rogue muttered quietly, she could feel Remy's eyes staring at her intently.
"Alright…" Moira nodded, "Kitty…you can take this room," she opened a door, and gestured inside. Moira walked over to the door next to the door of Kitty's room, "Rogue, you're in here…"
Rogue looked at Moira, separate rooms? That could only be trouble, she hoped the doors were lockable. "Are the doors lockable?" she queried.
"Afraid not…as of yet," Moira made a face, "is something wrong with that?"
"I…no, not at all…" Rogue glanced at Remy who looked amused.
"Alright…" Moira nodded, she then crossed the hall, "Remy…" she motioned to the door directly opposite Rogue's room, "you're in here, and Kurt, the door on the left to this one," Moira finished, "go in and get yourselves comfortable and unpacked, and come down to the front hall in about an hour?" she looked at them, "when I'll show you all around."
"Alright," Kitty said brightly.
Rogue sighed and went into her room, shutting the door behind her. The room was tiny, a single bed against one wall, with a very small low dresser beside it, a small desk lamp upon it. There was one large window, simple white blinds hanging in front of it. Rogue walked across the carpeted floor and yanked on the cord of the blinds, pulling them up, the room had a nice view of the ocean and a beach, she opened the window carefully and leaned out fully, the cold Scottish breeze stirring her hair.
"Nice view…"
Rogue glanced over her shoulder, Remy had entered the room, he was standing leaning against the threshold. "It is, isn't it?" she gestured to the view outside, although the sky outside was grey, the view was not any less spectacular.
Remy looked at her backside and gave a nod, "Yup, from here it is."
Rogue suddenly realised what he meant and brought herself back into the room from the window, and closed the window, "what do you want, LeBeau?"
"I was bored," he flung himself on her bed.
"So unpack," Rogue kicked his left leg, which was hanging off of the bed.
"So hostile, Chere," Remy reached up, grabbing a hold of her waist and pulled her down onto him, smirking, "when you gonna warm up to me again?"
Rogue began to fume in anger, she'd already been through this with him previously three weeks ago when he'd returned to the X-Men. She'd told him there could never be anything between them – he seemed to ignore the fact completely. It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to him, or that he didn't interest her in the slightest, but after all he'd done, and his involvement with her gaining Miss Marvel's powers, she knew she couldn't ever trust him in that way. Not now.
Rogue pressed her hands against his chest and tried to get up, "stop it!" she kneed him between the legs and rolled off of him, falling to the floor with a thud.
"Owwww," he groaned, "Chere, you're lethal…what is it with you and maiming guys in the balls?" he looked at her with confusion.
"It's the best way to hurt a guy," Rogue shrugged, "get out of my room."
"You don't really want me to go," Remy held himself in pain.
"Sure I do," Rogue gestured towards the open door, "get out."
"I can't…you've hurt me…" Remy moaned.
"I'll hurt you more if you don't get your ass out of my room…"
Remy remained on the bed writhing in agony.
"Fine," Rogue walked over, and with no trouble, picked Remy up, flinging him over her shoulder, holding onto the backs of his legs, "I'll have to move you myself."
Remy, with a free hand, slapped his hand against her backside playfully, "you don't wanna do that."
Rogue frowned, "yes I do, she dropped him roughly on the floor outside of her room, and stepped back inside and closed the door, and stood against it to keep him out.
"Oh come ON!" Remy whined, "that was SO unfair!"
Rogue rolled her eyes, "Life is unfair."