A/N: Okay here's the deal guys, I was starting to add another chapter but I went back and reread it, and uhhh, jeez, so I'm redoing each chapter. Please review and tell me if this is better.

Disclaimer: If you sue me all your get is books, because that's all I have. C'mon, who wants to get paid with books for court fees?

Better a thief than an assassin


Rogue opened her eyes and sat up slowly. Waving her hands frantically in Kitty's direction to ensure that she really was asleep, she pulled the small black notebook from underneath her mattress.

With the bright moonlight drifting through the windows, there was no need for light. Putting the pen cap in her mouth she begun to write furiously on the lined paper.

Journal

Is it wrong to hate someone for what they have? Even if you don't know them? Okay... so maybe I don't hate couples, maybe I'm just jealous. It's just... you know, I worked so hard to master my mutant power only now I can't use it the way I want too. Sure, hugging people and not having to cover every inch of my skin is a dream come true, but perhaps that's not the only dream I had. I'd better get to sleep, big biology test tomorrow.

Sliding the notebook back under the mattress she slid back under the covers and cleared her mind before drifting off into the world of dreams.

"Rogue! C'mon Rogue, if you don't get up you won't have time for breakfast!"

With a groan she pulled the pillow from under her head to cover her head and ears to drown out Kitty's voice.

"You know Logan will get angry with you if you don't eat before you leave," Kitty warned and Rogue felt the last bit of sleepiness fade. It was a lot better to just do as Logan said than to get reprimanded.

"I'm up, I'm up! Go ahead and save me a seat," Slowly she rose and took a quick shower before dressing.

Even though her powers were under control, she still feared accidents. Pulling on her old gloves just in case helped to ease her mind.

Running down the stairs she managed to snag a seat between Logan and Scott and a nice sized plate of food.

"'Bout time you got down here kid. I was getting sick of guarding your food." He eyed Kurt from across the table who had a bowl of cereal large enough to be a helmet.

"Thanks Logan." It was no secret that Logan was more fond of Rogue than the others, and she him. He was gruff with her like the rest, but there was always an underlining tone of fondness he showed no other.

"Just hurry up and eat, I've got things to do today." He shoved back his chair and drank the last of his coffee in one gulp. It was also so that only Rogue would get rides on his bike; he usually dropped her off at school, not exactly helping her image much.

She nodded and ate fast; she wanted to get in some extra studying before her test.

Saying good-bye to everyone she rushed out the Institute's doors and hopped on the back of Logan's bike, going over test material in her head.


The bell rang and Rogue picked up her stuff. She'd at least managed an eighty, not bad for someone who had just had time to cram for an hour. Weaving through the happy students she left through the hardly used exit and begun to walk back to the Institute.

Even with control of her powers she still felt uneasy sitting close to people, and in Scott's car, they were crammed as tight as sardines.

She'd already reached the Institute's gate when a nagging suspicion that she wasn't alone ran through her mind. Whirling on her heel she was almost face-to-face with a couple of no good punks from school.

Now when she says punks, she doesn't mean the guys who put their hair in Mohawks with crazy blue glue. She's talking about just a bunch of no good guys who thought they had the right to judge everyone.

"Hey Goth, so this is where the freaks reside." The shortest of the three, for some reason the leader stepped forth.

"Reside? Wow, I didn't know you had that big of a vocabulary." She spat back. The freak insult hurt more than they had intended it to.

"You little-!" He took a step towards her and an image of her stuck in a hospital bed flashed across her mind. She couldn't use her powers on them, and they were three strong. This was just not going to end well, no matter how it came down.

She snapped to her senses as the goon came closer. Lifting her fists she barely saw it out of the corner of her eye.

A playing card had landed right next to the guy's foot. "What the-" BAM! The card exploded sending the boys onto their backs.

A tall lanky boy in a trench coat jumped in front of her and stood to his full height. "We don't treat this fille that way. Comprenez, homme?" In his hand he charged another card and looked at them evenly. "She's under mon protection now. Unless you want to deal with je, I suggest you get lost." The card charged more to prove his point and the punks got to their feet grumbling something about a 'next time'.

Rogue looked at him uneasily when he turned to face her. "What are you saving me for? I an't one of Magneto's lackeys like you."

His eyebrows rose in surprise. "Usually when the knight saves the damsel, he gets a kiss, hell, at least a thank you, non?" Gambit's nimble fingers played with the ace of clubs.

Reaching out her still gloved hand she touched his trench coat, "Since when does a trench coat count as shinning armor? And you sure an't no knight."

He grinned at her. "Well then fine, if I can't be a knight, then you no damsel," With his own gloved hand he reached out to stroke her cheek before he turned and begun to walk away. "By the way," Gambit called back over his shoulder, "Your welcome, cherie."

Rogue stood there, dumbfounded.


Behind several large rose bushes a few feet away crouched the Professor and Logan. (They were checking out the Institute's defenses, c'mon people, they're not so life deprived they'd spy on Rogue)

"Hmm that was interesting... but what was Gambit doing helping Rogue?" The Professor murmured.

"Can't you read his mind Charles? Find out why he helped Rogue? I mean it's not like the guy's just itching to lend somebody a helping hand." Logan growled.

"I've tried before Logan, and it takes time. Besides the boy's mental shields are impressive. And for some reason he can always tell when someone tries to enter his mind." Charles explained again.

"I don't like this, I don't like him helping her." Logan glowered in the direction Gambit had left in.

"Would you rather he didn't?" Charles asked bemused.

"I wouldn't trust the guy with a toothpick, let alone a girl, Charles." He shot back.

"The boy has morals Logan, his honor is amazingly strict-"

"The boy's a thief!"

"There were only two things you could be growing up in New Orleans Logan, and trust me, it's better a thief than an assassin."

"Hn."