Alright, this is my first X men fanfic- plan to write more, cause I love Rogue- so pleeeaaaasssseeeeee review, please? Cause I would really appreciate feedback. I hope ya'all enjoy.
By the by, I'm gonna attach the translations at the end of each section in a different color(hopefully). Also I had French in high school but it's been a number of years so I'm rusty. I'm going off of babelfish, as long as it, for the most part, lines up with what I remember. So if I butcher any of it I'm really, really sorry.
Also, sorry if I over did or under did Gambit's and Rogue's accents, not trying to be obnoxious with them.
And finally, I don't own x men, it all belongs to marvel, sad day. And the choking sleep scene I got from grey's anatomy which I also don't own. And gambit's explanation/confession to rogue was inspired by the 1998 version of les mis which, again, I don't own
Enjoy, I hope =)
Rogue sat bolt upright in bed, panting heavily, and felt her body fall back down onto the mattress. She brushed her sweaty hair out of her face and stood up.
"Aah! Shut up," she moaned, clutching her head. "Ah, I didn't want to."
Stumbling, she made her way to the shower. With the hot water pouring down on her body, she felt it relax her. Releasing a sigh, Rogue worked to put up the mental walls which sleep always seemed to tear down. She tried to ignore the screaming in her head as she was forced deep into Rogue's subconscious. Rogue let out a sigh of relief as she felt her mind go blissfully silent.
Wrapping herself in a robe, Rogue left the bathroom hoping she could force herself to meditate since she wouldn't be sleeping again that night. It was the only way she'd be rested enough to teach tomorrow. She hated meditation but it was the closest thing to sleep Rogue could get after she woke her up.
"Kid?"
"Yea?" said Rogue, instinctively stepping back from the voice.
"Again?"
"Look, Ah don't know why y'all can't accept the facts, Ah have," demanded Rogue, her southern drawl coming off thicker than usual.
"Rogue… they're not facts; with the professors help you can beat it."
"Her, not it, Logan. And they are facts. She's a part of me now, an unpleasant, pissed off part, but still a part of me. Ah don't think she can be gotten rid of and Ah can live with that… Ah deserve to live with that," she finished in barely a whisper.
"Rogue, what happened, it wasn't-"
"Logan, ya can't make excuses. No matter what anyone says, Ah touched her. Ah destroyed her. Anything she does to me now, it's no more than Ah deserve."
"No, you can't think that way kid," he told her stepping forward.
He watched fear flash across her face as she backed up keeping distance between them.
"No, Logan."
"Rogue, you can't keep a five foot radius between yourself and everyone else for the rest of you life."
"Yes, Ah can!" she insisted emphatically.
"Rogue, it's not healthy. Your life is hard enough don't make it worse," he pleaded.
"Ah won't hurt anyone else, Logan. Please don't ask me to risk that!"
"You have to learn to accept the past at some point, kid. You won't get near anyone, you won't use any of you powers; when you start missions again-"
"No Logan. When Ah told the professor that part of my life was over Ah meant it."
"Rogue, you can't-"
"Look, Ah agreed to stay at the mansion- and only cause you promised to drag me back if Ah tried to go off on my own- and Ah agreed to teach, both more than Ah wanted to do. Can't that be enough?"
"For now," he conceded.
"Good night, Logan," she said sadly, maintaining the distance between them as she made her way back to her room.
Logan watched the woman he considered a daughter, make her way down the hall. Anger warred with sadness in him as he longed to help Rogue find herself again, to find peace again, and not knowing anyway to do so.
"I'm glad you've decided to join us," said the professor in earnest.
"Thank you," said a voice with a strong Cajun accent.
A door to the professor's office opened, and the two watched a number of people file in.
"The kid's finishing up with a student," Logan informed the professor.
"You know, Logan, she is not a child anymore," said Ororo.
"Yea, I'm kinda surprised she lets you call her 'kid', actually," put in Scott.
"Hmph," grunted Logan crossing his arms.
"Well, I will introduce her when she gets here. In the mean time, Logan, Ororo, Hank, Scott, Jean, Warren, Kurt," the professor said, looking at each of the teachers in turn. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of our staff, Remy Labeau."
"Ah go by Gambit," he informed by way of greeting.
"Welcome to the institute, Gambit," offered Ororo.
"What are you gonna be teaching, bub" Logan demanded.
Before the new teacher could answer, the door opened. A young woman with long dark brown hair, streaked with white in the front entered the room.
"Ah, this is our other teacher," said the professor.
Rogue looked up and felt the color drain from her face. It was him! But it couldn't be him, he couldn't be here.
"Remy?" she forced herself to croak out.
"You two know each other?" asked Jean.
It took him a few moments but eventually Gambit managed, "Ma cherie?"
"J'ai pense que vous etiez mort," whispered Rogue, shocking those present with her French.
Pain showed on Gambit's face and he quickly crossed the room to Rogue. The others watched in surprise as he snaked an arm around her small waist and pulled her against him, his other hand wrapping itself in her hair. Hank and Ororo were quick to put restraining hands on Logan.
"Mon Coeur," he whispered, and pressed his lips to hers.
Several mouths dropped in shock, as he continued, seemingly unaffected by Rogue's touch. The remaining jaws dropped as well when Rogue began kissing him back.
Gambit let out a groan, clutching her even closer, and felt Rogue's body react. She began deepening the kiss, one hand gripping his shirt and her other cupping his face. When he started to slow, she yanked him closer, her arms wrapping tightly around him. He complied, penetrating her mouth with his tongue. This time she let out a moan and rose up on her toes, causing his hand to now rest on her backside- he didn't move it back up. The kissing couple, oblivious to those around them, didn't hear the Wolverine unsheathe his adamantium blades but carried on their embrace. Finally, Gambit pulled back a little, pulling her lip a bit with his teeth.
"Je ne suis pas mort, ma amour," he told her, his breathing heavy.
Rogue looked up into his eyes, silent tears suddenly spilling down her face.
"Cherie?" he asked, concerned.
"Vous etes vivant? Vous etes vivant! Comment? Je ne comprends pas, J'ai vu… Je… Mais si vous etiez vivant pourquoi a fait ne venez-vous jamais pour moi? Pourquoi?"
Hugging her to himself, Gambit whispered, "Gambit, would have, cherie."
"Ah, Ah don't understand, Remy," she insisted, sounding fragile.
"Ah'll explain it all in good time, ma tresor, all in good time."
Sighing, Rogue buried her face in Gambit's chest breathing him in as deeply as she could; in the end all that mattered was that he was here, holding her.
"You had better have a good explanation, bub," growled Logan.
"Um, I think what Logan is attempting to say is that we are all somewhat confused, and would appreciate a little elucidation," clarified Hank.
"Yes, I think some information is called for," added Ororo, not unkindly.
"Gambit, is mah bes' friend," said Rogue, her southern accent stronger than they had ever heard it.
"Is making out with your best friend a southern thing? Because I've never seen best friends greet each other like that," replied Scott.
"Ah didn' mean that sorta bes' friend, Ah meant, he's mon moitie," said Rogue, her voice cracking. Then, leaving them more confused than ever, she turned back to Gambit, "Ce qui si c'est un reve? Je suis effraye, Remy."
"Sshhh, cherie, Gambit's here, now and this is no reve. You have nothing to fear, Gambit promises, yea?"
Rogue let out a strangled sob and fell against Gambit chest.
"That's it chere, let it out," he comforted quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
The others looked on dumbfounded, as the usually stoic and distant Goth broke down in the arms of the new teacher. Even Logan's anger had seemed to evaporate in the face of Rogue's sorrow.
"Perhaps it would be best if we continued this tomorrow," suggested an uncomfortable sounding Hank. "I think the two… friends could use some time… to catch up and several of us have a danger room session to start."
"Yes, tomorrow would be fine. It's time to go, ma epouse," agreed Gambit, and, before anyone could protest, he scooped Rogue up and carried her from the room.
The others stared at the now shut door.
"Well, that was… interesting," said Scott.
"I think you mean creepy," Kurt corrected, seeing his sister French kiss was something he could have lived without.
"It's been a couple of years since I've had French but I'm pretty sure 'ma epouse' means my wife," added a shocked sounding Jean.
"What!"
"Logan, leave them be tonight," ordered the professor.
Translations, and, obviously the color thing did not work.
Ma Cherie= My dear/ my darling.
J'ai pense que vous etiez mort =I thought that you were dead.
Mon Coeur= my heart
Je ne suis pas mort, ma amour= I am not dead, my love.
Vous etes vivant? Vous etes vivant! Comment? Je ne comprends pas, J'ai vu… Je… Mais si vous etiez vivant pourquoi a fait ne venez-vous jamais pour moi? Pourquoi?= You are alive? You are alive! How? I don't understand, I saw… I… But if you were alive why did you never come for me? Why?
Ma tresor= my treasure
Mon moitie= my half
Ce qui si c'est un reve? Je suis effraye, Remy= What if it is a dream? I am afraid, Remy.
Reve=dream
Ma epouse= my wife
A few hours later, Rogue was snuggled up in Gambit's lap in his room.
"Ah'm sorry, I shouldnta lost it like that."
"No Marie, no saying desole. You had every right to be upset and, if Gambit knows you, that breakdown's been a long time coming. Oui?"
"Yea," conceded Rogue, who kept no secrets from her Remy. "But I'm better now."
Gambit cupped her face, forcing her to look at him, "You're in control now, chere, but Gambit don't think you're better."
"Ah take what I can get," grumbled Rogue, who, standing, made her way into Gambit's bathroom.
He heard water running, and few minutes later she emerged, her face free of tears. She looked at him but instead of going back she walked over to the window. Gambit waited a moment and then walked up behind her.
"Marie," he whispered lovingly, wrapping his arms around her.
"I've missed being touched," Rogue admitted, "I've missed being touched by you, Remy."
"And Ah've missed touching you, ma belle," he said, and then deciding to take a chance began unbuttoning her dress shirt.
"It's abou' time, sugah,"
Smiling he started kissing her neck, as he slid her shirt down her arms till it fluttered to the floor. Slowly, he began kissing down one of her arms, rolling Rogue's glove off as he went. He worked his lips back up her arm, his warm breath sending shivers through her as he tugged off her other glove. She felt her own breath catch as he twirled her around to face him, smiling at her hungrily. Deciding it was her turn, she pushed up on her toes kissing the bit of chest his shirt left exposed. Gambit let out a groan, his hands, which had been resting on her hips, slid down to her backside, paused for a moment, and continued down till they were wrapped around her thighs. She moaned and pressed against him.
"Oh, chere," he groaned, hoisting her up so she had to wrap her legs around his waist.
She started tugging on his shirt, as he carried her over to their bed.
Translations
Desole= sorry
Oui=yes
Rogue walked out of the bathroom, not bothering with a robe, her damp hair hanging down her back.
"Now, chere, there's a sight for gambit's sore eyes," smiled the Cajun.
"Yea, Ah think you mentioned that a couple times las' night too," she smiled at him, deliberately swaying her hips as she walked over to pull on one of his shirts.
"Oh, girl, you torturing Gambit."
"Am Ah?" she asked coyly cocking a hip to the side and laughing as he fell back and covered his eyes groaning. "Alrigh', Alrigh' Remy, Ah'll be good, Ah promise."
"The Lor' does have mercy," he said sarcastically. "Now come on over to Gambit, chere."
Curious, she walked over to the bed, plopping down next to him, "What's up?"
"Gambit wants to make things official for us, cherie," he said holding up a small velvet box.
Trying to keep her emotions off her face, she took the small parcel. She turned it over a few times in her small hands, finally opening it.
Flashback:
A nine year old, small for her age, ran through the woods, trying to hold back her tears. At least, until she was with him, he would make it okay, he always made the bad things okay, or, at least, he made them bearable. Trying to guess at how much farther she had to go, the girl lost her focus and fell. She stifled a small cry, brushing white and brunette hair out of her young face.
Finally she reached her destination and, desperately trying to hold onto her churning emotions, carefully threw a few pebbles at a particular window. A small male head popped into view, he nodded once and the girl turned making her way back into the wood.
Waiting in a clearing, she finally saw the boy emerge; making his way over, he crouched in front of her.
"What's wrong, cherie," he asked, trying to sound older than he was.
"Remy," she whined, the long held in tears bursting out of her as she threw her arms around her best friend.
"What it is, Marie, tell Gambit what's wrong," he urged, comforting the girl he loved.
"My mama, she said Ah'm gonna be different, like… like you're different."
"And what's wrong with being different like Gambit, chere?" he asked, his cockiness returning at the offense.
"But she says it won't be like yours, it won't be good. She say's… she say's… Ah'm gonna be poison Gambit," she wailed, holding onto him even tighter.
"What d'ya mean, Marie?"
"My… My skin," she howled, waiting for him to pull back, "it's gonna hurt people, su… suck the life righ' outa them. Ah'm not allowed to touch anyone, ever again."
"That ain't true, Chere," he promised, holding onto her more tightly and angry at Mrs. Darkholm for hurting his Rogue.
"But what if it is," she cried. "Ah'll never get close to anyone, no one will ever wa… want to be with me! Who wants a girl they can never touch, Remy? Ah'll always be alone!"
"No, cherie, Gambit will never let you be alone," he promised, his grown-up phrasing, for once, not sounding out of place.
"But how, I don't see…" started Rogue.
"Me, chere."
"Even you can't make people wanna be with me, wanna touch me."
"No, chere, but Gambit wanna be with you, Gambit'll still touch you."
Rogue studied his face for a moment reading the earnestness in it but instead said, "You say that now, but what happens five years from now? Ten years? You'll get tired of it."
"No, Marie, Gambit won't, Ah promise. We'll always belong to each other."
"You say that now," she insisted, "but you can't know."
"Alrigh' then, we'll make it official."
"What are you talkin' 'bout Remy? Like a promise?"
"Like a vow," he said, thinking fast. "We'll get married, chere."
"What! Are you crazy? No one would let us, we're too young to get married."
"No we ain't, cherie. I mean, we can't go before a preacher or nothing' but what does that matter? It's the words that matter, at least, that's how Gambit sees it. So we'll say the words to each other righ' here and now. Then, no matter what happens we'll always be each others, chere. We'll never be alone," he promised.
"But what happens when we grow up and you can't kiss me, Remy? You'll want a different wife then."
"No chere, Ah'd want you no matter what. 'Sides Gambit would find a way to still kiss you. Ah Promise."
"… Okay… you say the words first."
Gambit sat up on his knees, and pulled off her gloves, then taking her hands said, "I, Remy Labeau, take AnnaMarie Rogue Darkholm- my cherie- to be my wife for ever and always. No matter what, chere- sick or healthy, happy or sad, rich or poor- for ever and always.
Taking a deep breath, Rogue moved to her knees, "I, AnnaMarie Rogue Darkholm, take Remy Labeau- my Gambit- to be my husband for ever and always. No matter what- sick or healthy, happy or sad, rich or poor- for ever and always… Now what?"
"We kiss, Gambit thinks," he said, slightly nervous.
He may have loved Rogue but he didn't want to kiss her yet, he'd rather just high five her, or something. But she was his wife now, so he figured he had to. Closing his eyes, gambit scrunched up his face and puckered his lips.
Scrounging up her courage, Rogue leaned forward with pursed lips as well. The two met half way, their mouths connecting for a millisecond before they quickly pulled back.
"There," said Gambit, sounding relieved, "It's now official, we're married."
Rogue's face turned angry and she put her hands on her hips, "And just 'cause Ah'm your wife now, Remy Labeau, doesn't mean you get to kiss all the time! Got it?"
"I won't, Marie," he promised earnestly. Then smiling he said, "But you do have to high smile at Gambit- all the time- in front of the other girls."
"Okay, but you have to carry my back pack to school now," she conditioned.
"Agreed."
"Do we have to live together now?"
"Gambit don' know. Ah don't think your mama would let us… But we'll probably have to after high school."
"Yea," she agreed.
End Flashback
"Well? Am Ah gonna havta put it on myself?"
Smiling, Gambit slid the diamond ring on her finger, "What d'ya think, chere?"
"Ah think my reputation just went out the window," she smiled, kissing him.
"Gambit can live with that," he interrupted, before returning to kissing her.
A throat cleared from the door and the couple broke apart.
"The professor was hoping you… the two of you would join the rest of the staff for lunch… He, um, was planning on finishing up last night's conversation," asked Jean, a disgruntled looking Logan, glaring over her shoulder.
"Alrigh'," sighed Rogue, standing up, "Ah just gotta go find some clothes."
"You think?" grunted Logan.
"Well, you look as happy as a dead pig in the sunshine, Logan, try a smile," Rogue said, stopping a good distance away. "You two mind movin' outa the way?"
"Oh, Yea, of course," said Jean.
"Whatever," grunted Logan, at the same time.
"Chere, you busy after lunch?"
"No."
"Good, Gambit'll help you move all your things in here."
"And just what in the Sam hill is wrong with my room?"
"It doesn' have a bathroom, and showers are too much fun for Gambit, if ya know what I mean."
"Well, you sure do know how to convince a girl."
"You ver nine, that does not count," declared Kurt.
"I gotta agree with the fur ball, Rogue," said Logan, who had determinedly avoided talking to Gambit.
"And Ah gotta disagree, Ah mean there are plenty of people who do it all proper but don't really have a marriage. Ah mean, yea maybe we don't have the paper work behind us but we got the vows, and we've held to them," insisted Rogue.
"She has a point," agreed Storm. "They seem to have a better 'marriage' then most actually married people I've met do."
"I don't know, I don't want to set a bad precedent with the students," said the professor.
"Look if it bothers ya'all that much, one of you can get certified an' all online, remarry us today, and then ya'all will have the paperwork?" offered Rogue.
"That seems fair," said the beast.
"There's something I still don't get," said Scott. "You guys can touch each other, how?"
Gambit and Rogue looked at each other before responding in unison, "We don't know."
"This actually supports a theory I've been developing," said the professor.
"What d'ya mean, professor?"
"Well, Rogue, we've run numerous tests and we both know there are no physical reason's why you can't control your powers, and I've been wondering if some of it is psychological."
"Are you sayin' Ah can't touch people 'cause my mind won't let me? That's crazier than a pet squirrel professor!"
"I haf to say Rogue, it is funny seeing your southern side is come out; but, vould you mind using phrases that make sense?" pleaded Kurt.
"Chere's phrases make plenty of sense, it's the professor's 'theory' that don' make no sense, furball."
"Doesn't it Gambit? Rogue, you're a loner. You like your space and you don't trust people, almost no one gets close. And there is no need to get upset, it's true," explained the professor.
"He has a point, cherie."
"Well, maybe."
"It would make sense for your powers to reflect that mind set," continued the professor, "especially since your mother first put the belief in your head.
"Alright then," argued Logan, "then why can she touch card boy, over there?"
"I think that is fairly obvious, Logan," said Hank.
"Just watch them," explained Ororo at Logan's glare, "it is as if together the two make a whole person. They grew up together; he married her when they were children so she would never have to face a future alone. Rogue clearly trusts him without uncertainty. And it seems he knows her better than anyone. She has no reason to keep her defenses up around him."
"Yes, well, if I am correct, Rogue, we should be able to work to correct thi- Rogue!" said a concerned professor, for Rogue was doubled over clutching her head.
"Ah know! Ah'm sorry!"
"Chere! What is it? Tell Gambit what's wrong!" he demanded, sounding frightened.
"No! You can't, yo- ," she cut off in a scream as her body rose out of the chair in spasms.
"Chere!"
"Rogue! Help let me in," said the professor, his eyes closed in concentration. "Rogue!"
"Professor?"
"Yes, I'm here Rogue and I'm going to help you but you have to let me in!"
"Ah… Ah can't," gasped Rogue, as the spasms worsened. "She won't let me."
"Fight her, kid," growled Logan. "You have to fight her."
"Ah can't. She's so strong. Aaaahhhhhh."
"Not as strong as you are, kid, you can beat this."
"Beat what? Would somebody tell Gambit what is going on," demanded a panicked Gambit.
"Ms. Marvel is trying to gain control of Rogue," said Ororo.
"What?"
"We will explain it all in time, but for now Gambit I need you to make her focus on you," insisted the professor.
"Chere," said Gambit, looking up at Rogue who was now closer to the ceiling than the floor, "listen to me chere."
"Remy?" came Rogue's strangled voice. "Remy, help me!"
"I will, Marie, but you need to listen to me, focus on Gambit!"
"Get her to relax, Gambit!" ordered Xavier, starting to sound scared himself.
"Come on chere, you can do it! Focus on me and relax."
"Remy?" she called her voice less desperate.
"That's it chere, just relax. You remember when we skipped school that one time and Gambit took you fishing? Think about that day. You liked that day, just you and Gambit by the lake? Think about how the water was lapping against the shore. You wanted to swim, not fi-"
"I'm in," interrupted the professor at the same time Rogue let out another scream only it didn't sound like her.
The teachers watched in frightened silence as the professor and Rogue battled in her mind, the only evidence was her twisting and turning body. Finally, she let out a final scream-sounding like herself again- and fell toward the ground. Jean slowed her fall in time for Gambit to catch her.
"It has never been that difficult," gasped the professor, fear evident in his voice. "Gambit would you please carry her down to the infirmary and I will explain everything."
Flashback
"What are you planning, magneto!" demanded Rogue, struggling against her metal bonds.
"An experiment, Rogue," he replied calmly.
"When this drug wears off magneto!" Ms. Marvel threatened vaguely, her body paralyzed from the neck down.
"You will probably be dead," he said casually.
"What are you talkin' bout, helmet head?"
"This," he answered, pulling a cloth off of a tray.
There were two weird looking metal gloves, which he directed onto her bare hands. They only covered the top leaving her palms uncovered. He released the metal restraints holding down her arms.
"What on earth?" asked Rogue.
"I am sorry, my dears," he said, raising the metal tables they were strapped to, so the two women were facing each other. "It is for the greater good."
Rogue felt the metal gloves lifting her hands, pulling them forward- toward her fellow x-man.
"No!" screamed the two at once.
"Please! Please don't," pleaded Ms. Marvel, fear showing on her face.
"Magneto, don't do this!" ordered Rogue. "This isn't right, stop it! There is no greater good in this!"
"Stop! Please!" Ms. Marvel screamed again.
Heedless, of their pleas and Rogues attempts to pull her hands back, magneto brought the toxic skin closer and closer to Ms. Marvel's exposed face.
"No, don't."
"I'm so sorry," whispered Rogue to a hysterical Ms. Marvel right before her skin made contact.
The two women let out identical gasps as they made contact. Ms. Marvel started to scream. Rogue tried desperately to pull away as images and memories invaded her mind, till she, herself, began to yell.
Rogue felt horror steal over her as her friend finally fell silent. A few minutes later Ms. Marvel's heart rate monitor coded and magneto let Rogue's hands fall.
"Congratulations Rogue, you've killed her. And now everything she was should be yours, permanently."
Rogue let her head fall as silent tears fell down.
End Flashback
"So, bub, she was under the impression you had been killed but you never mentioned why you didn't enlighten her otherwise," prodded Logan, while the two waited for Rogue to wake up.
"While Ah was… away, I changed in ways, Ah… Ah wasn' mahself," Gambit tried to explain, obviously uncomfortable with the topic. "Ah was a fool, a selfish, wrecked, fool, Logan. Ah was given reason to believe chere had moved on and reason to believe she was better off without me in her life. So Ah listened… Like Ah said, a selfish, wrecked, fool."
"So what exactly changed your mind the other night, bub?" asked Logan, not wanting to admit to himself that he could relate to the Cajun.
"Ah saw her face, and heard her voice and Lor' did the truth hit me," he said, the guilt clear in his voice.
Rogue woke up to find herself in one if the institute's hospital beds, two men staring down her.
"What happened?" she asked as Remy leaned down to kiss her.
"You scared us kid, that's what happened," explained Logan. "You almost didn't win this time."
"I'm sorry," she muttered, trying to keep the embarrassment off her face.
"No, Chere."
"Card Boy's right, it's not something you need to apologize for, kid."
"But-"
"You're awake," said the professor, coming into the room. "The others will be pleased."
"Mm-hm, yea," she said.
"Rogue, we will beat this," promised Xavier.
"Her," she corrected automatically, not bothering to argue, it never made any difference anyway.
"Rogue, darlin', you gotta sleep," pleaded Remy.
"Not tonight, Remy, Ah can' fight her tonigh'."
"Gambit didn' say nothin' 'bout fightin' her, chere."
"But that's what it is, Remy," she insisted. "Everytime Ah sleep, every nightmare Ah have, is me fightin' her and after today… I just can' tonigh Remy."
"Ma chere," he murmured, pulling her into his lap. "You can' live in fear of her and you can' blame yourself forever."
"But Ah do. That's what none of the others understand, Rem. Ah am terrified of her. She is so strong, Ah don't know how long Ah can fight her and Ah am so afraid that one day Ah'm just gonna lose and… And Ah can' convince myself that it wouldn' be fair. Just listen to me, gambit. Ah took everythin' from her, destroyed her, killed her. The fact that it wasn' my choice doesn' change anythin'."
"Alrigh' Gambit listened, now it's chere's turn to listen. Gambit understands feeling guilt, better than you know. You should feel guilty. Your powers helped do this. But don' let it destroy you, chere, let it drive you, instead. Learn to control your powers and learn to make peace with the past 'cause if you let this destroy you too than Magneto wins."
"But what if Ah can't?"
"'We', chere. It's 'we' now and we can do this."
"Hey, kid. Where ya been?"
"Moving."
"Oh, yea," Logan frowned.
"You don' like 'im, do ya?"
"Oh, I like him fine."
"Don't lie," she ordered.
"I just don't know him," he maintained.
"And you don' like him."
"Fine, kid, I don't, happy?"
"No."
"What do you want from me then?"
"Ah want you to give him a shot Logan," she pleaded.
"Rogue-"
"No, listen to me. Ah love him, Logan, he's a good man. For a lot of my life he was all Ah had. When Ah lost him… It nearly destroyed me. But then, Ah found the X-men, Ah found you, Logan and it was like Ah had a family again. Ah almost felt whole but he was still missing. Now Ah have him again, and Ah want you to be happy for me, please. Ah know him. Ah trust him. Can' that be enough?"
"I'll try kid."
"That's not good enough, Logan. You say you want what's best for me, well he's what's best for me and if ya make me choose, Logan, Ah'll choose him, every time. Don' make me do that, Ah need both of you," she pleaded.
Logan studied her for a moment, noticing that she wasn't maintaining her usual five feet radius, "Alright, kid. I'll be good."
"Thank you," she said, throwing her arms around him. Then pulling back, "Oh, sorry."
"Don't be, it's nice seeing you acting human again.
"Logan, Ah kinda need another favor."
"What, kid?" he grunted.
"Well, the students are makin' out like this weddin's the best thing since sliced bread. So ya know, no small five minute ceremony for us," she frowned.
"Okay, so what can I do?"
"Ah, uh, need someone to give me away… Jean's insisting it has to be done right."
"Yea, kid," he smiled, trying not to show how happy she'd made him, "I'll give you away."
"Thanks, Logan," she smiled.
"It's good to see you smile again."
"Wake up, Remy," said Rogue, desperately shaking him. "WAKE UP!"
"No," he roared. "You can'! Gambit won'!"
"Remy, it's a dream! Wa-" Rogue was cut off in surprise as Gambit rolled them off the bed so he was straddling her. "Gam-"
Rogue tried not to panic as she felt one of her husband's hands close tightly around her throat. His eyes were open but he wasn't in the room and he wasn't seeing Rogue. Whoever he was seeing he wanted dead, Rogue could see it in his eyes. The fact that he was going to kill her was confirmed when he lifted and slammed her head into the floor. All thoughts of using her stolen powers vanished as stars appeared before her eyes, and she tried not to pass out. Gambit was going to kill her!
Suddenly Gambit was off of her, and she looked to see Cyclops putting his glasses back on.
"Rogue, are you alright?" asked a concerned Storm.
Instead of answering though, she forced herself to her feet. She had to make sure Gambit was okay.
"No, Rogue," ordered Beast, catching her around the waist and holding her back.
"Let me go!"
"Rogue, he was trying to kill you!" said Scott, sounding concerned for her sanity. "We need to make sure you're alright and he needs to be restrained until the professor can examine him."
"What he needs is me! Let me go!" she demanded again as beast tightened his hold on her.
"No!" said a frightened sounding Gambit. "Keep her away from Gambit, keep, chere, safe!"
"Don' you dare listen to him. Now let me go, Beast."
"Just calm down, Rogue," answered Beast.
"Why don't you make him, you have the strength to," suggested Logan, who, to the surprise of most present, hadn't tried to kill Gambit yet. "You want to take care of cardboy, kid? Fine, but prove to me you'll do what you have to in order to keep yourself safe. Otherwise, I'm gonna let Beast here, drag you down to the infirmary and I'm gonna make sure cardboy's locked up good and tight."
"Go with them, chere, please!"
"You asked me to give the two of you a chance," said Logan, who sounded like he was saying the opposite of what he wanted, "this is me giving you two a chance."
Without hesitating, Rogue drew on her stolen powers, breaking free of Beast's grasp, rising up into the air and facing them.
"Now, get out!"
"You heard the kid," said Logan, walking toward the door.
The others stared in shock for a moment before following him out. Once the door was shut, they rounded on him but Ororo spoke first.
"What were you thinking, Logan?"
"You're the one who said she wasn't a child anymore. That was me listening to you," he smiled innocently.
"Logan-" Scott started but was quickly interrupted.
"Look I don't like it, but he is her… husband" he forced the word out as if it were a particularly vulgar curse. "They have a right to handle their… marital disputes how they want, and Rogue just proved she'll do what she has to."
Sighing, the others turned to go.
"Aren't you coming Logan?" asked the beast who noticed Logan was sitting on the floor outside her room.
"I told her I'd give the boy a chance, but I never agreed to leave her to the slaughter."
"Chere, please," he asked, sounding desperate.
"You ain't gonna hurt me, Remy, you jus' took me by surprise before."
"No, chere, you don' understand-"
"You're right, Ah Don'. So make me."
"Rogue!"
"No, Gambit," she said, plopping down into his lap. "You said the other night you and Ah are a 'we', now start actin' like it. And that ain't a request."
"Chere," he sighed, his head dropping against her chest, "there are things Gambit don't want you knowing."
"Tough, it's 'forever and always' remember?'
"Chere," he groaned, caving. "When... When you thought Gambit had died, Ah was actually taken to a lab, they… they wanted to understand how a mutant works, they wanted to study us. We… we were lab rats chere, can you understand that, no better than animals to them. Actually, they treated the rats better than us."
Gambit waited for the questions, but instead she leaned in wrapping her arms around him. And that was worse. Rogue could feel him shaking with the tears he was trying to fight back.
"They… they did things to Gambit, chere, and… and Gambit did things… Ah'm not proud. When Ah told you Ah understood guilt, Gambit meant it. They… they broke me, Marie. And, now… Now Ah've hurt ma chere and that is unforgivable," he told her pulling back, looking at the women he loved, the women he needed to leave.
"No, Remy. Ah know that look, you ain't leavin me! Ah won't let you."
"Chere, Gambit can see the bruise on your neck… It's not safe for me to be with you."
"Bull! An' you don't get to say how you're gonna help me, gonna fix me and then go an' try to take care of yourself on your own!" she practically yelled. Calming a little, she continued, "Remy, I'm your wife, your bes' friend, your mon moitie. Jus' like you're mine. We lean on each other Gambit, get our strength from each other, that's how we've always survived. We're only whole when we're together, an' you know it. You're gonna help me fix me, jus' like Ah'm gonna help you fix you. An' we'll be stronger for it. You know Ah'm right."
"Oh, ma chere," he whispered, a tear falling as he pulled her close. "Dieu m'a béni quand il me vous a donné."
"Moi aussi," she whispered back. "Moi aussi, mon mari."
Translations
Dieu m'a béni quand il me vous a donné= God blessed me when he gave me you.
Moi aussi… moi aussi, mon mari= me too… me too, my husband.
"You look beautiful, kid," said Logan, walking into the room.
"You havta say that," she said, shrugging off the compliment. "Ah'm the bride."
"At some point kid, you're gonna havta learn to take a compliment."
"You an' Gambit have more in common than ya'all know.
"Hmmph," he grunted, offering his arm.
"Alrigh' let's get this over with," she said taking it and heading outside with him.
"It's your wedding day kid, shouldn't you be happier."
"We're already married as far as Ah'm concerned, and Ah've never wanted a big production of a wedding," she complained.
"Fair enough, but you've made everyone else really happy."
"The silver lining I suppose," she sighed as they reached the ceremony.
"Ready, kid?"
"You have no idea," she told him, a smile spreading over her veiled face.
She still had a long way to go before she healed, as did Remy, but they would travel that road together, with a family behind them. He had no idea how ready she was.