Chapter 1: Tension

             Rogue hated Christmas – with a passion.  Never before had she hated Christmas so much, but this year, things were…slightly different.  Despite the large beautiful Christmas tree in the foyer, and the garlands hanging from the walls and the ceilings, Rogue didn't feel inspired by the holiday.

             In fact, it only depressed her further.

             Stuck in the Mansion with Professor Xavier, Logan, Hank McCoy and worse of all, Remy LeBeau, on what was meant to be one of the most special nights of the year, seemed like some sort of torture. 

             She was reminded of a Christmas last year when she'd known how she'd felt about Scott Summers, and been unable to do anything about it other than daydream.  But this?  This was different.  Daydreams might have been reality with Remy LeBeau, had she not chosen the inappropriate answer to his question.  In short, he'd asked her to make a decision, be with him now, or never be with him.  She'd chose to never be with him, now finding herself why, and kicking herself for having decided so soon. 

             Now, as she stood from the top of the hall glancing over the balcony overlooking the foyer,  watching Remy doodling tiny cartoons on the cast in his arm as he sat at the bottom of the stairs, she pined once again, as she had for the last three months having waited for him to come home.

             She'd so been looking forward to Christmas until the abduction four nights ago, the thought that this year she might have someone to share it with had excited her, thrilled her, the thought of sitting before a cosy fire, snuggling up against Remy and watching the flames burn and listening to them crackle had warmed her inside.  Now, the thought simply made her ache. 

             Rogue had been lost in her thoughts, daydreaming about what could have been, and thinking of what she should have said to him instead of what she had.  She was so lost in those thoughts, that the ringing of the phone on the table behind her in the upstairs hallway caught her off guard and she jumped, with a loud gasp.

             Remy heard the phone, but only turned when he heard her gasp, and he looked at her, "phone," he said simply, and almost coldly, then got up and walked away.

             Rogue mentally kicked herself and swore at herself angrily, she reached for the phone and picked it up, "Hello?"

             "Rogue?  Oh my gosh!  You're actually back – we didn't know where you were, you were gone when I left…I was so worried…oh my god, what happened?  Why do you sound so depressed?!  Did something happen?  Is Remy not back yet?" Kitty Pryde's voice came blasting at her full force like pellets, reminding her of everything she'd already rather forget.

             "Do you take SPEED just so you can talk that fast?" Rogue queried, she leaned on the banister railing casually, eyeing the archway Remy had left through.

             "You'd think, but no, really, I'm just hyper," Kitty stated.

             "There's a change," Rogue said sarcastically.

             "You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit?" Kitty said, sounding smug.

             "Whatever."
             "So…where were you?  I was really worried," Kitty said.

             Rogue relayed the story in full – leaving out only about Remy giving her the bottle of serum after their escape.  Kitty listened patiently, and at the end took a deep breath, sounding perhaps a little jarred.

             "So…you're saying…he slept with Bella Donna…" Kitty trailed off.

             "Yeah," Rogue felt furious every time she thought about it, she had to admit though, having talked about it to Kitty had made her feel so much better. 

             "What an asshole," Kitty hissed, "no wonder you broke up with him, I don't blame you."

             Rogue would have hugged Kitty right then if she'd been there, the fact that Kitty had agreed with her and backed up her decision made her feel less alone than she had before. "Thanks…"

             "Do you think you'll get back together with him?" Kitty queried. 

             "Not really…" Rogue sighed, "he seemed…upset with me…and he did give me a now or never ultimatum, remember?"

             Kitty paused a moment on the other end of the phone, "so…how are you guys dealing with being stuck together over the holidays?"

             "Ugh," Rogue sighed, "Since we got back he's just totally ignored me…or been a prick," she commented.

             "It'll blow over, it just needs time," Kitty said, "I don't know too much about relationships but I know break ups sting for the first few days," she admitted.  "Everyone knows that."

             "This breakup is like acid on a raw wound," Rogue frowned, "Kitty, I can't help thinkin' I made a mistake…"

             "Of course," Kitty made it seem like this was completely natural, "a sort of post-break up regret," she explained, "the sort of 'was I right to break up with him', and 'did I say the right thing', and 'should I have just let him do all the talking'," Kitty rambled.

             "It's like you're reading my mind," Rogue sighed.

             "Trust me, it goes away," Kitty said, "after I realised me and Lance were goin' nowhere I used to ask myself the same dumb questions…"

             Rogue chewed the inside of her cheek, "Yeah."

             "Oh, I gotta go…but I'll see you on New Years Eve," Kitty giggled in a bubbly way, "Merry Christmas."

             "Yeah, Happy Hanukah," Rogue replied, remembering Kitty was Jewish. 

             Rogue hung up the phone and placed it back onto the cradle on the little table in the hallway, she sighed, and leaned against the banister.  She wished she had the power to turn back time, and yet found herself wondering that even if she had would she have changed anything, or unknowingly said the same things? 

             She sighed, this was going to be one lonely Christmas.

             Rogue lay on her bed glancing up to the ceiling, it was dark in her room – even though it was only six-thirty pm.  She had a few large pillar candles lit – they stood on her bedside cabinet.  Near the window she had a few incense sticks lit and the room was thick with the smell of burning wood and jasmine, filling her senses.

             She had almost nodded off into an uneasy sleep when there was a very sharp knock at her bedroom door, sharp and loud.  She sat up, folding her legs and resting her elbows on her knees, "c'mon in," she said.  She prayed it would be Remy – yet it wasn't. 

             Hank McCoy slipped into the room in a very quiet graceful way that carried his large size with such ease, he glanced over to her, holding onto the top of the door with one of his large blue furred hands, "Rogue, we're all going out for dinner," he stated.

             "Have fun," Rogue waved him off.

             "No, I don't think you understand, you have to come also," Hank stated.

             "But I really don't feel like being with everyone right now."

             "The professor demands your presence, kiddo," Hank walked over, he sat on the bottom of her bed, she felt the bed buckling under his enormous weight, it sloped to one side, and she felt as if she'd topple over.

             Rogue steadied herself, "fine.  Where are we going?"

             "Paris Avec l'Amour," Hank stated, "its exclusive, you know."

             "Oh wonderful, so I have to dress up?" She queried.

             "Yes…" Hank nodded, he patted her shoulder, "Be ready in half an hour?"

             "I'll try my hardest," Rogue shrugged.

             "Good girl," Hank smiled, and got up, the bed bounced back up from under his weight and shook Rogue almost violently off the bed as he did.  He smiled once again, and left the room.

             Rogue smiled faintly when he left, but then the emptiness in her heart returned, Remy would be there, and not only that, but in a French restaurant, he would surely order his food in French, being a complete jerk by showing off. 

             Sighing to herself, and headed to the closet to find something to wear.