My notes: This is my first attempt to write anything in English. So please, tell me if there are any mistypes, grammatical errors or whatever.
It's a slow start, the real action will come later, I promise... Tell me, if you like or even if you don't like the story.
Chapter 1
New Residents
It was afternoon and at the big mansion in Bayville most of the young mutants were outside playing games of their own invention. This time it was mutant soccer.
With big cloud of smoke and "BAF" sound the ball ended in hands of a blue elf. He promised to return them the ball under one condition – to come with him to the garage. Unwilling they followed him, knowing, that he could teleport anywhere and they would never see the ball again. Yes, they could go to get new one but all the sport equipment was stored in the garage, so it would have the same outcome.
„Tadaa, my nev bike!" Overjoyed elf pulled off an old gray tilt and introduced to his classmates and friend his new vehicle. Some guys in the back of little crowd whistled and chuckled.
"Congrats, it's,… ehm, nice Kurt." Complimented red haired girl, known as Jean Grey.
"Yeah, and since you bought it with your own money, it's amazing." Scott Summers, tall boy with brown hair and red sun-glasses, known as Cyclops, also tried to support his younger friend, but not as successfully as his girlfriend did.
Few more people tried to do the same as their mentors and then everyone left leaving Kurt Wagner alone with his Eped Sport, little blue electric scooter. Young blue furred mutant sad on his bike and sighed.
"Dis Cajun t'inks it's cute." A Southern accent came from a dark corner of the big garage. Even though Kurt didn't see the man he knew who it was. Gambit was the only person who was refereeing to himself in the third person.
"Cute? Chicks vill love it!" Kurt Shouted with laugh.
"Hate to break it t' ya bro, but chicks love Harleys or BWMs, not scooters." Another southern accent came from stairs. They let to an apartment above the garage. It had only one resident – young girl with unique white stripes in her auburn hair. She was all covered in clothes even though it was only early autumn. She was wearing black heavy boots and blue jeans. Next she was wearing some kind of red shirt, but on top she had gray knitted cardigan that went up to her knees.
The Cajun forgot to breathe for a while. He stepped out of the shadow.
"Anyway, why do ya need a bike? Ya can 'port." She interrupted the silence.
Gambit took a deep breath and took a quick glance at the girl, who was still sitting on the stairs and talking to her brother.
She sized him up and noticed that his hair had grown. He was wearing his old uniform - usually covered with a trench coat, which he now had over his arm.
"But the professor told me that if I ever port to school again, I vill have to clean the entire X-Jet again. And Rogue, I think, he vill vant to speak vith you about the flying, too."
"Yeah, Ah spoke with him before ya called us all here, t' show us ya bike." She tried to cover her giggle, but unsuccessfully. Her brother glared at her, though knew what to say.
"So if you vant a ride, schwester, just tell me."
"Thanks, but Ah'll be borrowing Logan's bike."
As they spoke, Gambit, who was left forgotten, was wondering about the "flying" remark. When he saw her few years ago, her only power was her touch. She possessed the ability to absorb life energy along with memories and powers – if the person was a mutant; unfortunately she didn't have any control over her powers. He didn't remember anything about flying.
"By the way, what are ya doin' here, Swamp Rat? Came for a little chat after two years?"
"Glad y' remember Remy's pet name, chére." Said, trying to tease her a bit.
"Whatever, sugah, Ah'm outta here." She as said was walking upstairs to her flat.
"Would y' care t' accompany dis handsome Cajun to see the Professor?"
Instead of answer, she sent him an air kiss and slammed the door.
"Remy will treasure dat." Caught the kiss into his hand into his hand and placed it on his heart. Then he turned to Kurt who was watching the scene with obvious disgust on his face. "So, Kurt was it? Could y' show me the way?"
When they entered Professor Charles Xavier's office the chatter in the room was suddenly silenced. Everybody was waiting for the Professor to speak.
"Welcome Mr. LeBeau, I was just discussing your request with the rest of my team. Even though I still haven't heard their opinions, I want to say that you are welcome to join."
Scott jumped from his chair and started shouting: "Wait professor! You can't do this! He was with Magneto! He's the enemy!"
Jean, who was sitting next to him, grabbed his hand and tried to calm him. He pushed her hand aside and standing was glaring at Gambit who was still standing at the door.
"For this time I have to agree with Mr. Hotshot, Chuck. This guy is nothin' but trouble. Remember two years ago, when he kidnapped Rogue?" Wolverine was leaning on the wall near Charles Xavier and smoking. He disliked Gambit, as most of the team did.
The incident he was talking about was when Gambit and Rogue went to New Orleans to save Gambit's father and even though Rogue at first went unwillingly, then she was more than happy to spend her time with Cajun. They went to restaurant and talked about how their lives were similar.
"Wolverine, stop." Warningly spoke Storm, standing beside the professor. She put her hand on Wolverine's back and with silent SNIRK he pulled his adamantium claws away from Gambit's face. A cocky smirk appeared on Gambit's face.
"For friends it's Remy."
"An' prof, in case ya forgot with all the kids and their parents here there aint' any more guest rooms." With graceful landing on the windowsill, reminded everybody Rogue. "We are planning to celebrate Christmas sooner, so we can invite everyone an' later they can celebrate it at home, or wherever." She briefly explained to Gambit and crossed her legs still sitting on the windowsill.
"So, with everybody in agreement to Gambit's stay; I welcome you here." This sentence was followed by disgruntled murmur from Scott and Wolverine and also Rogue's face has shown some signs of disapproval. The professor ignored them and continued as if nothing happened: "But please follow the rules we have here. I'm sure you have the idea, but to be sure,... Rogue, would you be so kind and show Gambit around? And about the bedroom, I believe that you have a rather big sofa in your flat. What about lending it to your new teammate?"
Young mutant nearly fell out of the window as she heard her mentor. She made a somersault in the air and floating in the air outside the window she was looking at the professor in disbelief.
"Chére!" Gambit's heart skipped a beat as Rogue fell out of the window. When he saw her again on the other side of the window she looked as the most beautiful picture he had ever seen. She acted as if it was nothing and glaring at the professor she put one white strand of her two-colored hair behind her ear.
"Ok, class dismissed." Xavier said jokingly.
"Follow me, Swamp Rat." Rogue smirked at Gambit as she flew off.
As clueless Gambit wandered the mansion, he overheard two girls chatting.
"And this is like totally awesome. Like, Rogue has returned last month and now Gambit. I'm totally sure they were somewhere together!"
Rogue returned last month? He wondered what that meant. Leaning on the doorframe he interrupted them: "Hi, petite, I'm Remy LeBeau. Would y' mind showing moi around? Remy's guide has disappeared."
The girl that was speaking squealed and took his arm. He knew her from previous encounters with the X-Men, she was the one with phasing ability.
"I'm Kitty Pryde. This is my friend Amara Aquilla. And like I know this place the best. So, come with me!" She didn't even give him the change to object and was already dragging him down the hall.
"Remy, like, where are you going to sleep? B'cause, from what I know this mansion is totally overcrowded."
"Thanks, but Remy has a place to stay, petite. The professor said that I can stay at Rogue's until there's a room from me."
Without any further question she showed him the main kitchen as well as the other two. Since the school had more students day by day they were forced to expand the mansion. Now they had one part only school, since many former students stayed as teachers. Second part was dorms and third, the original were apartments for teachers, big library, laboratory and small infirmary. However in case of bigger injury there was always the fully-equipped Med Bay in the basement. Along with Danger Room that served for training sessions with students as well as for the X-Men to improve their fighting skills. And also the X-Jet was parked there with few more technical toys.
"And that would be it." Kitty said happily as she clapped herself for the tour.
"Merci, petite. But y' forgot t' show moi Rogue's apartment. I heard she's got place for herself."
With badly hidden disappointment Kitty followed Gambit to his car to get his bags and then showed him the way to garage and stairs to Rogue's flat.
"Once more: merci." And with a kiss on her hand he left to get settled.
Remy LeBeau entered a small attic flat and was left speechless. Everything around him was shouting "Rogue".
Next to the stairs was small kitchen connected to the living room by big French doors, on the right, that were wide opened and made the place looked twice as big. He left the bags at the last step and looked carefully at the kitchen. One wall was pale green and the opposite was simply white. All the kitchen cabinets were a slightly darker green than the wall, they were opposite to, but handles were again white. He assumed that she was eating in the living room most of the time, because instead of a proper dinner table there was just a cooker that was torn out from the kitchen set and put opposite it, so it made nice closed area for cooking. The cooker had a small extension that served as table for two and there were two high bar-chairs.
He walked through the white French door and on his let seen Rogue lying on the sofa. She probably had been reading a book, because there was one lying on the floor with crumpled pages. He picked up the book and put it on the small wooden table in front of the sofa.
The wall that was green in the kitchen has now changed into beige. It was so smooth transition that Remy nearly didn't notice it. The white wall remained white; however, there was a small library that covered it whole. The sofa, Rogue was sleeping on was crimson red as well as the curtains.
He crept up on her, as he wanted to cover her with a woollen blanket; he noticed that she was awake.
"Like it here, sugah?"
"Not quite, y' know, if we were making out on the couch we would be probably seen right from the stairs."
"And that's why we'll never be making anything on this couch."
"So, we are going t' y' bedroom, chére?"
With no interest to answer his question she got up from the sofa and went to the last room. She opened the door and waited for him to go in. But as soon as he was an inch from the doorframe she slammed the door.
"That is a forbidden place."
Before she shut the door he could see that one part of the roof was glass-fronted. Under that, in the middle of the room, was a queen sized bed with green-silver beddings. On one side on the wall was a wardrobe and on the other was a desk. It was connected to the bed, so it also served as a night table.
Rogue returned to the living room and pushed the small table under a large television and placed all the pillows on the floor. It took her only a minute to convert her davenport sofa into a regular double bed and from somewhere took blanket and bedcovers and gave it to once again speech less Cajun.
"Ya know what to do, right?"
She looked at his puzzled face and laughed. It was long since he heard this heard-warming laugh.
"No idea, mon chérie." He lied with smile on his face.
Even though she knew him well enough not to believe him, with a sigh she helped him.
"Dinner at the mansion is at seven. If ya miss it or anything ya can cook something quick here, but Ah don't have here much."
He looked at the clock. It was already half past seven – he was there full six hours.
"Okay, I'm leaving, no need to lock it here, but please don't try to get into mah room."
She went down the stairs leaving the Cajun alone. He was overjoyed; he was going to spend the next week or so in one small flat with the most beautiful woman on this earth. As he took a clean shirt and a pair of old jeans from his bag and put it on.
X
"So Rogue, like how's living with Gambit?" Kitty attacked he friend as soon as she entered the kitchen.
"I still don't think it's the best solution, Chuck." Logan mumbled with small growl.
"Rogue, don't forget you're going on a mission tomorrow." The professor ignored Logan and reminded the young girl, who was just tying up her hair. She sat beside Logan and took a big portion of a tomato soup that was for dinner.
"No business at dinner time." Ororo Munroe said strictly. She was preparing a second dinner for the students. They didn't have a curfew, but all light had to be turned off at eleven.
"I'm sorry, Storm." The old man had apologized and everybody else at the table was laughing as he was scolded by one of this own students.
A while after Rogue has joined them Gambit also came into the kitchen. Kitty followed by Jubilee jumped off their seats and took him to the table.
"Bobby, you're finished, so go away!" The Iceman was chased off so that Gambit could sit down with one girl on each side.
Rogue looked at them and quickly finished her soup. With a jump she stood up and put her plate along with cutlery and mug into the dishwasher.
Jean was staring at her in pure amazement. Rogue was always quiet around many people but this was too much, even for her.