Chapter 1
updated: 4/20/2008

Everyone settled in their seats as Cyclops, leader of X-Men, maneuvered the Blackbird out of the hanger headed for their latest mission. Storm took her usual seat beside him as copilot. Directly behind her sat Rogue, Bishop and Joseph. They had been called away suddenly to council a young mutant. His powers had recently kicked in. He was having trouble dealing with them. Not unusual except that his power seem to be on the verge destroying the tiny village where he lived with his family.

With nothing to do for the next couple of hours but look at the scenery, Rogue had brought a long a book that she had been reading to past the time. Bishop busied himself with cleaning his guns while Joseph thumbed through a magazine.

Man, this is boring, I feel like talking, he thought as he thumb through the same magazine for the fifth or sixth time. Joseph turned and saw Bishop testing and cleaning yet another gun. I don't want to talk to him besides he doesn't trust me yet. Then he turned and looked at Rogue. Hummm, that's an intriguing thought. She did not look like she was really into the book as of yet so he decided to speak. "What are you reading?"

She paused to looked at him with a smile, "Life Long Affair."

"Ah, romance. Is it a good one?"

"Yeah, Ah like this author's style. The way she throws people together in different situations are some'thin else."

"Being a romance type book, don't you always know how it's going to turn out?"

"Yeah, but the ride she takes yah on is usually worth the trip," she smiled.

Joseph grin back at her. She was so innocent, so sweet and so beautiful. He knew that she and the Cajun member of the X-Men, Code Name: Gambit, were sort of an unofficial couple, but since he was not here it was an opportunity that he could not pass up, especially since she could now touch a person without absorbing their psyche or powers.

He looked at her bracelet, the source of now ability to partially control her powers. "May I see that?"

She looked skeptical at him then at the bracelet. He thought she was going to say, No. But as if she was deciding something, she finally said, "Alraht."

Rogue unlocked the bracelet double clamps to hand it across the aisle to him. For the life of her, Rogue couldn't figure out Joseph and she usually prided herself on sizing people up pretty accurate. She knew that most of the X-Men still didn't trust him, especially Gambit. And after what he'd or rather Magneto had done to Wolverine, she had to question herself why was he working along with the X-Men now?

"How does it work?" he said while he studied it.

Rogue leaned over to pointed out the different controls and their purposes. He seem genuinely interested in what she was telling him.

"Can you show me?" asked Joseph.

She looked again as if she was making a major decision. I think I'm scaring her. "That's O.K. if you don't want to ..."

"Nonsense, why wouldn't Ah." She got up out of her seat to come sit next to him. "Let me see it back."

"Sure." He handed the bracelet back to her.

Rogue put the bracelet on, locking it in place, then pressed the button that she had told him would switch it on. For a few moments she looked as if she would faint.

"Are you all right?"

"Ah'm fine, Ah still haven't gotten use tah its affect yet. Hank said it would take a few days for mah system tah get use tah being negated on a regular basis."

"How do you feel now?"

"Ah'm fine, Ah already feel like mahself again."

"Good. Have you touch anyone yet?"

She blushed as she thought of the passionate kiss her and Remy had shared in Hank's lab earlier that day. "Yah could say that."

Joseph looked at her then said, "Oh." He dropped his head shyly. "I should've said have you touched anyone else?"

"No, Ah really have not had time tah think about it."

Joseph reached down. He picked up the gloved hand that the bracelet rested on. He slowly pulled off the glove. Rogue started to pull her hand away from him, but he stopped her with a look. For some reason she did not understand, she stopped. It's his eyes. They were the prettiest shade of blue. They reflected something else that she was not quite sure of.

She found that she had trouble breathing and swallowing. Human to human contact was still very new to her. It created a jumble of emotions that at the time she was having trouble sorting out.

Joseph felt an electrical shock go through him all the way down to his toes as he stroked her soft skin.

Bishop had been watching them out of the corner of his eye. What does he think he's doing? I wonder should I interrupt? No, no, Rogue's a big girl, he won't go any farther then she let him. He narrowed his eyes to study the couple. I won't tell Remy, he'll go ballistic. I think I'll just keep an eye on them.

Joseph looked up and saw Bishop looking at them. He did not want any trouble so he placed her hand back in her lap. "I think your 'body guard' is watching."

Rogue followed his gaze. She turned to the right just in time to see Bishop drop his head as he continued working on one of his guns. Ah wonder how much he saw or if he saw anything? Rogue smile at Joseph as she put back on her glove then went back to her seat.

He watched her go. She was still smiling as she sat back down reopening her book then started back reading where she had stopped. I'd better take this slow, he thought. "I'm going to the back of the plane to work at one of the computers, anyone need anything while I'm back there?" he said as he got up.

Everyone commented that they were fine or that they did not need anything.

Rogue kept her head down as he passed by but Bishop rolled his eyes at him openly. He let his gaze follow Joseph as he made his way to the tail section of the plane.

Bishop put down his gun to come sit at Rogue's side, "What are you doing?" He gritted at her.

"What in the world are yah' talking about?" Shoot! He had seen us.

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

"Oh yah mean Joseph, he is harmless," she said with a wave to the back of the plane.

"Really? I wonder if Gambit would think so?"

At the mention of Gambit's name Rogue instantly felt guilty about letting Joseph touch her so intimately. But she had to derail Bishop some kind of way.

"It was perfectly innocent." Liar! she thought to herself. "He was just curious about how mah bracelet works and Ah saw no harm in showing him."

Bishop looked at her evenly, never cracking any kind of an expression.

"Bishop, Ah know you are Gambit's child from an alternate future but Ah am not Remy's personal property. Ah will talk or touch anyone Ah want tah and Ah don't need yours or Remy's approval," she said pointedly.

"I know that Rogue, but you are playing with fire. If I know anything about my father, he is very territorial, it comes from life in the Guild, you have to be that way. He especially will be this way with you now that he can touch you. After all these years of waiting on you, what do you think will happen if he thinks someone else is trying to move in on his woman?"

"HIS WOMAN!... Ah know what Ah'm doin'...," she said sternly as she picked her book back up. "...This conversation is over Bish!" She dismissed him.

Bishop shook his head, No as he got up to go back to his gun cleaning. This could mean big trouble, he thought as he retook his seat.

Rogue pretended to read as she thought about what Bishop had said. Am I playing with fire? Would Remy be jealous? This was interesting because she had never been in this type of situation before. The thought of having two men panting over her at the same time, was something totally new. And if she had to be honest with herself she found it a little bit thrilling.

Remy on the one hand, had been there all along trying to woo her even before she could touch. He did everything he could to still make her feel like a woman. He's done a pretty good job of it too. Every time she saw him, she could feel her heart skip a beat.

Joseph had seemed so lost, having amnesia from when the evil part of him, that was characteristic of Magneto the X-Men's one time deadliest enemy, drained away then left twenty-five years younger. Not one of the X-Men had reached out to him as a friend. He was new to the team so he had not been around until lately, but she felt sorry for him. Ah always did have a thing for stray cats, she told herself.

She did not think she had enough experience to sort through the conflicting emotions about Joseph. Was it pitty, compassion, fear or could she be a little bit attracted to him too? Ah need tah talk tah someone 'bout this. Ah'll ask Storm when she gets a break.

She did not have to wait long. As soon as Cyclops put the plane in autopilot, Storm got up from her seat and stretched. She caught as glimpse of Bishop watching her from behind the plasma gun barrel he was cleaning. Hummm, interesting.

"Ororo, could'yah come her' for a minute? Ah need tah ask yah some'thin."

Dressed in her grey, white and gold trimmed combat uniform, Storm walked regally over to her. "Yes Rogue ..." she seated herself across the aisle from Rogue, "What is it?"

Storm watched her face. She looked at how Rogue was blushing. "Are you embarrassed by something child?"

"Well sort of." Rogue began twisting her fingers into knots as she tried to explain. "Ah was wonderin' how do yah handle it when a man is attracted tah yah?"

Storm was taken aback by her question but quickly recovered. "Are you speaking about Remy?"

"Uhhhh ... No." She looked even more embarrassed.

"Oh," Storm raised an eyebrow at her. "Rogue, might I ask who is it?"

"Ah don't wan'ta say raht now."

"O.K, that is your choice but I need a little more details before I can give you a solid opinion."

"Alraht, yah're raht," she conceded. "Ah was wonderin' if it were possible tah be attracted tah more than one man at a time?"

"Are you?"

"Yes ... No, Ah don't know. Ah'm totally confused."

"I can see that." Storm smiled. "There are other emotions that can be confused with attraction, given the right situation, but Rogue that is perfectly normal. It is possible to feel emotions for more than one man at the same time. There could be a common quality that both men have that draws you to them. The question is, how you choose to act on that emotion?"

"Ah ne'vah thought about it that way."

"You need to ask yourself, do you feel stronger for one than the other? Are you in love or could you be in love with one or the other? Is what you are feeling more akin to compassion, passion or even gratitude. Once you have the answer to that, then I am sure you will know what to do," Storm told as she stood to leave her.

"Thanks Storm. It sounds like good advice, now if Ah only knew the answers tah those questions."

Storm lean down, "I maybe a bit bias to try helping you with that, so I won't suggest anything except for you to be careful. Emotions can be volatile things ..." She spied a quick look in Bishop's direction. "... I should know." She was referring to her powers over the weather that coincide with her moods. Storm patted her on the arm then left her to contemplate her advice.

Yah know she is raht. Remy has been there for me no matter what. He's even told me that he loves me and Ah do feel more for him then just a casual attraction. Ah'm being silly. Ah think Ah know what Ah want and who Ah want. Looking back where Joseph was working, This promises to be a long mission. Oh Men! Life was so much simpler before this bracelet came along, she grimaced then set out to complete her book before they reach their
destination.

Throughout their stay Rogue had kept a safe distance from Joseph. They had engaged in idle conversation but no repeats of the hand holding incident. Bishop had watched them like a hawk, well when he wasn't watching Storm. Whenever she and Joseph were more than five feet together, he would appear. He needs a hobby or a woman. She smiled. Ah'm goin' tah hav'tah tell Remy to call off his bloodhound, she thought with a smile.

Everything had been fine until the last day of the mission that they were scheduled to return to Westchester. That afternoon Cyclops, Storm and Bishop had went to install the equipment that the young mutant would need to keep in touch with the X-Men. Rogue and Joseph had been left alone at the hotel where they were staying. She did not see any harm in offering him friendship. Rogue had decided that she'd kept her distance long enough and that she was being silly. She would have to face
him sooner or later. She'd prefer it to be sooner since Remy was nowhere around.

Rogue was coming out of her room headed for the hotel's restaurant for dinner. Ah might as well ask Joseph if he'd like tah join me. She went to his door then knocked. When he opened the door, Rogue was caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Maybe this was not such a good idea after all, she thought.

"Hello Rogue, can I help you?"

"Hello Joseph. Ah was wonderin' if yah would like tah join me for dinner downstairs. Ah thought since the others are gone and we are the only two here and we don't know anybody else, what the Hell," she chuckled nervously.

He grinned at her, "Of course I would love to. Just wait one moment until I go get the key and my wallet. Come in."

She did as he asked, looking around the room aimlessly until he gathered what he needed. He came back to her side. "I was sort of thinking along the same lines, but you beat me to it."

"Yah know what they say about great minds?"

He chuckled as he held the door open for her to exit.

They engaged in small talk as they ate. Both of them finding that they had similar interest in food, music and art. Joseph explained to her how he felt about his pass crimes as Magneto. He still felt guilty for it even though he had no memory of it. She told him how now that she could finally touch another human being, that she was a little afraid to.

"Ah bet yah think Ah'm crazy," she looked embarrassed.

"No I don't. What you are feeling is perfectly understandable. You probably still are in shock. You probably don't trust yourself or the bracelet fully yet."

"Really, yah think so? That does makes sense."

"Do you have it on now?"

"Yeah."

"Does it still make you feel faint?"

She shook her head indicating no.

Before she knew what he was doing, Joseph reached over the table. He took her ungloved hand in his, "How's that?"

She blushed as he started stroking her hand with his thumb, "That's nice Joe."

"You see Rogue, there is no harm in touching another human being, you should do it more often."

Rogue got the double meaning to his statement. She dropped her head in shame then quickly took her hand out of his. "Joseph if Ah did not know any better, Ah think yah were trying tah flirt with me?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Only trying?"

That flustered her. "You shouldn't go on like that with me."

"Why? You mean because of Lebeau? I don't see him here anywhere, do you?"

"No, that's not what Ah meant."

"Then what? Are you committed to him? Has he asked for your hand in marriage? Are you even considered his girlfriend? Rogue just because he has flirted with you in the past does not automatically make you his girlfriend."

"Ah know that, but Ah do sort of like him."

"Really? If you like him so much why is it that when you think I'm not looking you're watching me? Why is it that every time we touch my pulse race and so does yours?"

"But Ah ... that's not ... why ..."

"Don't even try to deny it," he interrupted her. "Are you forgetting that even though I may not remember Magneto, I still possess his power of magnetism. I can since the iron in your blood meaning I can also tell when your pressure changes. Every time I come near, your pressure rises," he said smugly.

Rogue rose to leave, "Sah, yah are sufferin' from delusions of grandeur. This conversation has went far enough Joseph." She place enough money on the table to cover her meal as she left hurriedly.

That's just great. I've made her mad. That's no way to win a lady by pissing her off! He decided to follow her so he could apologize. "Rogue wait!" He called out to her as she left the restaurant. He placed his share for his meal on the table too then ran after her.

He did not catch up to her until she had gotten to the door of her hotel room. "Rogue wait!" She would not turn to looked at him. "Please Rogue wait," he called out to her as he got closer. She started to unlock the door to go in but he caught her arm in order to stopped her.

"Please Rogue don't be mad at me I was only stating a fact," he explained.

"Let go of mah arm." she said flatly through gritted teeth.

Joseph studied her for a moment, she kept her head turned away from him, so he walked around the other side of her. She quickly turned away to the other side. "Rogue, are you...are you crying?" He said softly. He knew she was angry, confused and a little frightened, but he never thought she would be crying.

She turned to look at him. Her eyes were filling with water as the drops puddle then rolled down her face on to her blouse. "So what if Ah am?" She sniffed.

"Come here." When she hesitated, he went to her, encircling her within his arms. She relax laying her head down on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I never meant to upset or hurt you in any way. Please don't cry," he begged.

She sniffed a couple more times before she got control of herself. Could it be that Ah care more for him then Ah want tah acknowledge or could it be that Ah am totally confused? Whatever it is, it feels good tah have a shoulder tah cry on.

"Are you better now," he asked.

She raised her head to look at him, "All better."

Joseph was caught up in her beauty. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of emerald green. Her hair was a deep russet amber with its characteristic solid white streak down the middle and her skin was a creamy pale beige. Her complexion was flawless, not a spot nor a wrinkle. It was easy to see what Gambit saw in her. She was beautiful inside and out.

Before he knew what he was doing, Joseph begin lowering his head. If I don't try to kiss her I'll die. She can either kiss me back or switch on her powers and knock the blazes out of me, he thought.

Rogue saw what was coming. Should Ah let him do this? One thing is for sure, if Ah do, then Ah'll have something tah compare Remy's kiss with. Then Ah'll know how Ah feel. Ah'll know if Ah'm attracted tah Joseph or 'jis feeling compassion for him.

As he lowered his head to her mouth, Rogue kept her hands to her side as she prepared to receive his kiss.

At first contact, he gently pried her mouth open. He applied more pressure as he began searching her inner recesses with his tongue. She kissed him back as he began undulating his head to gain more access.

Where is it?, she thought. Where is the mind numbing, soul wrenching, knee melting and electrifying passion that Ah had felt when Remy had kissed me? It wasn't there, It Wasn't There, IT WASN'T THERE! The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Oh...mah...God! Ah might as well be kissing mah brother. She began to push away from him.

She's pushing me away, he thought. He eased the pressure of his arms around her as he studied her closed expression. Joseph had certainly enjoyed the kiss, but there was something missing in her face. It puzzled him. "What's wrong Rogue, didn't you want me to kiss you?"

"Well, yeah Joseph, Ah sorta' did," she pushed out of his grasp slightly. "Thank yah."

Raising his eyebrowse, "Sorta'...Thank you?," he asked.

"Yeah, thank yah. That was a nice kiss. It help me determine a few things."

He screwed up his face in a puzzled expression. "If you don't mind me asking...things like what?"

She put her hand over her mouth. "All this time Ah was so confused about all the emotions Ah have been feelin' toward Remy and toward yah. Yah see, Ah never really had a boyfriend 'cept Cody. Yah know what happened tah him. So Ah really had nothin' tah compare any of this with. All this time Ah had been wondering whether Ah was attracted tah yah the same way Ah was attracted tah Remy. All this time Ah had been wonderin' if Ah was in love with Remy or whether Ah was in love with the idea of being in love. Ah know now, so thank yah."

He felt disappointed. It showed in his expression and in his voice, "Rogue that is the nicest 'Kiss Off' a guy has ever had. You are in love with Lebeau aren't you?"

She dropped her head, "Yeah. Ah'm sorry if Ah hurt'cha Joseph."

Joseph shook his head at her. "I don't get it. Is it de accent?" Joseph mimicked Gambit's Cajun drawl. Rogue couldn't help but laugh. He mocked Gambit perfectly. "Is it the way he dresses?" He gestured at his clothing. "Is it those demonic eyes of his? What is it that this man has that I don't?"

"In a word ... Ah think he has... me."

Joseph sadly looked at her. "I can't say I'm not hurt and I won't say a better man won, but if you are happy, I can try to live with that. I had to make my feelings known." Then to her surprise, he smiled.

"Thank ya Sugah."

He lowered his lips down to kiss her on her forehead, "You are welcome."

*Cough* *Cough* They turned to see Bishop glaring at the both of them as he approached.

Oh shucks, Perfect timing! thought Rogue because she was still in the circle of Joseph arms. Guiltily, she moved away from him as Bishop walked toward them. The closer he got the madder he looked. They could not look more guilty than they did in his eyes.

Joseph cleared his throat, *Ahem* "Where are the others?" He asked.

"They are finishing up the last minute details." Bishop looked from one to the other.

Rogue figured that there was no since in lying. "How long you been standing there Bish?" Rogue asked sheepishly.

"Not nearly long enough I presume," he grated. "Rogue what's wrong with you? What are you doing?" He asked, narrowing his eyes in Joseph's direction.

"Nothing Bish, don't have a cow. Ah was upset and Joseph was 'jis comforting me is all," she waved a hand toward Joseph.

"Is that right?" The question was meant for Joseph but he was still looking at Rogue.

Joseph was not put off by Bishop's demeanor, nor was he the least bit intimidated by him. Bishop may out weighed him by 70lbs. But Joseph was still one of the most powerful mutants on earth. "You heard the lady did you not?" Joseph regarded him evenly. "Excuse me, I think I'll leave you to alone to talk." He left them standing there in the hall.

Bishop turned back to Rogue now that Joseph was gone. Rogue was ready to be berated by him to the max. However, to her surprise he looked sad.

"Bish what's wrong?" she asked.

"Rogue this will break my father's heart if he finds out about it."

"He's not going tah because yah ain't gon'na tell him."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Let's go inside and talk." She opened the door for them to go into her room. Rogue closed the door behind Bishop. "Now let me explain." Rogue told him how she had been confused every since Joseph had touched her on the plane on the way down there. She told him how it had upset her, even about his first initial kiss.

"You let him kiss you? How could you do that to Remy?" Bishop was visibly agitated.

"Ah did it for a reason Bish. Ah wanted tah see if Ah really had feelins' for Joseph or was Ah reacting out of compassion or the shock of being touch again. The moment he kissed me Ah knew Ah was in love."

Bishop expression grayed even more. "Well ... how are you going to break the news to Gambit that you are in love with Joseph instead of him. This will crush him."

"Bishop?! Ah'm in love with Gambit not Joseph, ya big oath!"

"Oh." He scratched his head, "It took kissing another man before you knew this?"

"Well Ah guess Ah'm a slow teach Sugah, but yeah that is what it took. Ah knew the moment we kissed that Remy was the one for me."

Bishop was not convince, "What about the way you two have been making eyes at one another?"

Rogue shook her head at him. "Evidently it was legitimate on his part, he really has feelins' for me and Ah do feel a certain twain for him but mostly as a friend. Mainly, Ah guess Ah had been tryin' tah figure him out. He knows that now so Ah don't think there will be anymore between us."

"All right Rogue, I believe you. But you have a lot to learn about men. Don't think just because the water stopped that the well has run dry," he pointed a finger at
her.

Rogue cocked her head to the side as she regarded him, "Bish, Ah ne'vah knew yah had it in yah tah be metaphorically."

"Blame it on Hank. I think he's rubbing off on me."

They both laughed. Bishop turned to leave Rogue's room. "Are you going to tell Remy about how you feel when we get back?"

"It depends. Are you going to tell Storm how you feel about her?"

Bishop halted his steps at the door. He turned back around to face her. Rogue sputtered with laughter from the look of shock on his face. "How did you know
that?"

"Ah might be slow, but Ah ain't dumb." She winked at him.

He smiled. "Maybe one day, but getting back to Remy, are you?

"Honey Ah'm not only going tah tell him, Ah'm going tah show him." she smiled wickedly at him while flexing her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Bishop's mouth dropped open, "I'm not going to touch that with a ten foot pole," he said as he left her alone in her room.

With Bishop gone, her thoughts immediately turned to Remy. "Ah wonder what's he up tah?"