Prince Charming in a Trench Coat: Part Two
By: Ariesque
Kitty watched as Rogue ran her finger down a certain blouse as she pulled it out of Kitty's wardrobe, hanger and all.
"So that's the blouse you want?" Kitty asked, her eyes mesmerized on Rogue as she put the blouse against her chest
and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Yeah, so?" Rogue asked, her eyes skimming the sleeveless blouse. The collar drooped down the front, beckoning
mystery and an altogether beauteous form. It was daringly perfect. "Do you think it would look good on me?"
Kitty smiled simply. "What wouldn't? I'm so glad you're ditching that green outfit - it's so dirty and bland." Rogue
sniffed, turning to her roommate.
"I'll go try this on," she finally said, moving to the bathroom. Minutes later, she emerged wearing the elegant blouse,
sharpening her look while Kitty observed the effects.
"I think you should drop the purple mascara and lipstick - so over the hill and deathly. Try dark champange, you
know, to, like, match the blouse. It would totally bring out the inner beauty in you," she finally said, making Rogue frown.
"What if I don't like the idea that I hafta walk around in high heels and dark champange color lipstick and..."
"Blush, to rise the color of your skin and bring out those cheekbones. Or maybe powder would, like, do as well."
Rogue bit her lip. "I'm not going anywhere special, ya know. Just to pick up the new guy and all."
Kitty grinned, pinning up Rogue's hair from the back. "You're his best lady, might as well chuck it up a bit."
Rogue wrung her fingers nervously. "I don't know how you could say anything like that. We're not even close. We only
met two nights before, and I don't even think he wants to join this group. But whatever, as long as Scott's got a good plan to
get him in the Institute."
Kitty gently pulled down Rogue's hair in the front to make it look more chic. "I'm sure it's a good plan. Scott wants to
take him head first if he has to. But Rogue, tell me, what's he like?"
Rogue took up the perferred color lipstick before uncapping it. Kitty had a million make-up appliances, and yet,
none of them suited Rogue enough to try them out. There were just so many of them.
Applying it to her lips, she replied, "He's okay, I guess. The natural street fighter by night while a prince charm-me
by day. It's enough to drive a girl crazy."
Kitty giggled. "Like he's got you going," she said, and let Rogue look at herself in the mirror. Kitty had magically
transformed the plain, little, Miss Gothic, into a fashion model. Rogue stood there, stunned at the person she was staring
at which she assumed, was supposed to be her.
"Whoa, Kitty. You really overdid it this time," she said, still staring at herself while Kitty moved to the dresser. She
came back frowning before pulling out Rogue's regular gloves.
"I thought I had those long, fancy gloves on the dresser. I guess these would have to do for the night," she said,
giving them to Rogue. She took them, squeezing it slightly just to feel the soft touch.
"Like I said, Kitty, this isn't anything important," Rogue said, pulling on the gloves as Kitty tossed her the matching
mascara and snorted.
"Give yourself a break, Rogue. You look drop-dead gorgeous. Am I good, or am I good?" she asked, grinning from
ear to ear as Rogue stepped away from the mirror.
"I feel stupid," she finally said to Kitty before opening the door.
"Well, at least you look good," Kitty commented, and Rogue closed the bedroom door before heading through
the front door.
Amazed.
It was the only expression on Gambit's face when he saw Rogue. Her Gothic self had been changed into a ...
beauty queen.
"What's all this?" he finally asked her, forgetting to invite her in.
Rogue smiled stiffly. "I don't know, but I'm telling ya, these heels are really killing me," she said, and Gambit laughed.
"Good, I thought your inner self was changed too. Then I would really be in deep trouble."
Rogue gave him a tender smile before suddenly locking on his gaze. "I thought I'd like to introduce you to my
folks, ya know, just to get to know what they're like," she said nervously.
Gambit shrugged intensely. "I could use the invitation. Besides, I would like to see the city once again." Rogue
gave him a startled look, but then remembered that she had told him that she lived in the city. And he said it didn't
matter to him. "I've been here too long."
They then marched down the steep steps before walking to Rogue's car. She assumed she was underaged, fifteen
she was. But it didn't matter. She looked too good to be given a fine. I guess that's the beauty behind the beauty, she
thought, fixing the back mirror before stepping on the gas. They traveled in silence, but Rogue could feel Gambit's eyes
on her. Yup, this was the way I wanted him to see me, she thought to herself as she continued down the easy road.
Pretty - not Gothic.
But she felt guilty that she was playing around with his feelings; messing around with his head. Thinking that she could
get away with pretending that she wanted to help him, messing with how pretty she wanted to look, when she really
felt horrid and ugly inside. That feeling of longing for closeness was at her heart again, stabbing her continuously until
she finally stopped in front of the Institute.
"Some place you got," Gambit crooned, before jumping out of the car. Rogue opened the gate, and allowed
Gambit in. But then Rogue found herself closing the gate before she could go in. She could only see Gambit's confused
face before the security system went off, and the place was shooting discs and weapons in the air. He was forced to go
further into the dense, lush gardens, dodging anything that tried to hit him until he was suddenly met with Cyclops.
"Whoa, who are you?" he asked, but Cyclops shook his head.
"You better be cooler than what you seem, 'cause that attitude ain't gonna save you your life!" he said, letting
lose large bolts of light behind his glasses. Gambit took over the battle by throwing his famous cards into the air and pinning
Cyclops to the wall.
"And those powers you've got aren't strong enough," he said, and threw a holographic card which exploded and
caused Cyclops to fall to the ground. Just as soon as Cylcops was down, so was Gambit, who fell from something hard
hitting his back. Turning around, he saw Jean, who was taking up benches with her solid power and throwing them at
Gambit. Catching one, he hurled it back to her, which knocked her to the ground as well.
"Is this some kind of ambush you people are trying to play on me?" Gambit asked Jean, who was trying to get
up from her fall.
"Maybe," she said, still struggling, "but you're just going to have to deal!"
Just before Gambit could object, bony spikes lit the air, and Gambit was froced to run from the hail of spikes.
Turning, he took up his playing cards and threw them at Spyke, who immediately was pinned to the wall.
"Gosh, where are all of these people coming from?" Gambit asked himself, before he was knocked away by
Shadowcat, who whooshed through the ground with Nightcrawler at her side. Without a delay, Gambit threw his favorable
items, knives, which skimmed their skins and sent them running and phasing.
"Oh, so now people want to play rough," Gambit said, fire lighting his eyes. Upon this, he gathered up his powers,
making what seemed to be a massive power ball, before Rogue suddenly started running in front of him.
"No wait! You don't have to do that!" she cried, immediately stopping the ball from exploding.
Gambit fumed bitterly. "Then what was it you wanted? Who are all these people? What do they want with me?"
he asked, but Rogue was silent. The truth would only make him angrier. Suddenly, a nearby bench was lifted, and hurled
at Gambit who was struck against the face before he shot Rogue a look that chilled her to the bone. What was going
through his mind was a mystery, but wasn't revealed as he took off running back to the gate and disappearing from view.
It was too painful to watch, so Rogue helped the others get back on their feet as she removed the cards that pinned them
against the wall.
"Did he just go balistic, or what?" Kitty asked, rubbing her neck as Kurt helped her to her feet.
"I don't know, but I suggest that you shouldn't go near him anymore. He's just too dangerous," Scott said, but
Rogue shook her head.
"You don't understand. Why did you all have to gang up on him? Couldn't it just have been you?" she asked.
Scott frowned. "Because Professor Xavier said he was too strong for one person to handle. You saw him, he practically
wanted to tear the whole place down!"
"But it wasn't his fault - you shouldn't have planned the test like this! And dragging me into this is beyond what
I wanted to do!" Rogue was angry that she had let Scott take over her mind. She was being played like a doll on strings.
And she couldn't believe she had let them to do that to her.
"I'm sick and tired of you all just trying to assume that everything is okay! You never try and stop and think if
someone's hurt or injuries are at large, or that you're just being too harsh! You expect that it's okay to mess with people's
feelings because you don't think it matters to you!"
Scott frowned. "Rogue, we're just trying to help you."
"Help me?! You're not helping me, you're not helping any of us! I'm tired of you acting like the father I never had -
always hovering over me to see what I'm doing. I'm sorry, but that just isn't your job," Rogue answered, her anger bellowing out. "Why don't you all just leave me alone?!" Rogue finally yelled before she could control her anger, and she took off running. By now, nobody cared, and she didn't know where to run to. Nobody would want to run after her, or feel sorry for her. It just didn't make sense anymore. Or at least, not to her it didn't.
"That was totally creepy what Rogue did back there," Kitty said, as she and Kurt walked down the dark hall and
down the steps leading the the pantry.
"I know, it was like zhe waz really sticking up for zat guy," Kurt answered, pushing open the door. Evan was already
sitting on the couch, reading his usual comics and Jean playing on her laptop.
"But she's never had the audacity to do something like that. I, like, was totally freaked out," Kitty said, and Evan
looked up from his comics.
"You have to get used to Rogue, so tends to be so obsecure," he said.
"Yeah, but she does have a point there. I mean, what if we're just treating her like this because we're told to do it?
It's the only thing that seperates her from us, and she's sick of it. Maybe being with this new guy helps her realize what
friends really are," Jean reasoned, and everyone nodded.
"If only she would tell us more about him," Kitty said, and giggled. "It's like she keeping him for herself. Sort of
like a... prince charming."
"In a trench coat," Kurt said in statisfaction, and everyone smiled. He did have point - the new guy was wearing
a sagging brown tench coat that noted he could be a hood.
Jean smiled. "His powers are strong. He would do nicely on our team."
"But what if he's not ready? What if he doesn't want to join us?" Evan asked, and Kurt shrugged.
"He is a child ov ze atom. He will have toh find hez place someday," he replied.
"Then Rogue really's going to have ta convince him," Kitty said, which by now, everyone knew she was doing.
If they could only figure where she had gone off to.
The sky drakened swiftly as Rogue neared the outskirts of the city. She would soon be approaching the townhouses
where Gambit lived, though she knew he would never take her in. The thought of depriving him and manipulating the
very being of his feelings made her sick and the dagger that she carried with her tore her heart in two. She suddenly
realized that she wasn't pretending to befriend him, she was trying to... care for him. As absurd as it was, she couldn't
believe she had fallen for Gambit, the half-bitten, street-ragged, gambling, pool pointer, women charmer, who had
stolen her heart and her mind in the first place. Almost like Scott, though she never really had true feelings for the guy.
Climbing up the steps to the door that lead to Gambit's place, she took a harsh pause before rapping on the door.
Almost at once, the door flung open, and Rogue found herself staring into Gamibt's fierce red-brownish eyes which she
never really noticed before.
"Uh, hi, Gambit," she managed to say after an awkward pause fighting for the right words. "If you're not mad,
do you think I could crash here for the night?"
Gambit gave her a small smile. "I never said I was mad. Gambit's always here anyway - especially when you need
him," he said, and let her into his small place.
~ + + + ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ + + + ~
Rogue stirred before suddenly realizing where she was. She immediately sat up, looking around, startled as she was.
And there was Gambit. Her eyes strewned over him with question, but she kept to herself as he laid down a cup beside her. "I thought you'd never wake up," he said, innocently enough.
"Why, was I snoring?" she asked hurriedly, flushing abruptly.
"Naw, it was worst. You were talking in your sleep."
Rogue blushed; she couldn't believe it. And she didn't even remember what she was dreaming about.
"Don't worry, it didn't bug me. It scared the hell outta me for awhile, but I got over it."
Rogue looked down at the blanket which she had laying on her, suddenly realizing that it was Gambit's long trench
coat. Looking over at the cup he had placed next to her, she noticed steam rising from the contents, and shot him a frown.
"What is this? Poison?" she asked, and Gambit stifled a laugh.
"It's something called tea. I thought you might want it to wake you up and all," he answered, and Rogue picked up
the cup.
As she put it up to her lips, she noticed Gambit was staring at her intensely and she had to rivet her stare back into
the cup. The contents were hot, but the liquid woke her up. Then she remembered all the trouble she had brewed up
between Gambit and the X-Men, and tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. But she refused to let them go.
She was just too.. proud. But all the words had to come out sooner or later. Might as well do it now.
"Gambit," she said, not looking up at him. "What was I saying in my sleep?"
Gambit growled under his breath, but he didn't resist to answer her. "You kept saying you were sorry and that you
wanted to belong. To what? To whom?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
Rogue took a deep breath. "I - I wanted to say sorry - to apologze - to you."
Gambit raised an eyebrow. "Me? You didn't do anything..."
"Yes I did! I was only mixing your feelings, toying with them to grab your attention! All those pretty acts and
sweet talks were all a set-up! I wanted to pretend that I was caring for you when I simply had no choice but to do so
to get you into becoming one of the X-Men. But I never realized what impact a person could really do to another.
It scared me for awhile that you were actually being convinced that I really cared for you, and when they attacked you
like that, I just - I just- couldn't handle it. I exploded at our team's leader, and that's how messed up I made everything.
I should have never recruited you - never met you - so that I wouldn't be in so much mess, leaving everyone hurt and
broken while I stood and watched. The real reason I want to belong is because this power - this curse - is keeping everyone
away. It's built this wall between other people and me, and I dare not touch someone else since they might just end up
in a coma. It's a terrible power- a - a curse, and... I-I shouldn't drag you into my problems."
She then broke down crying, knowing that Gambit dare not touch her. It hurt him that he could only sit next
to her while she cried, comforting herself because there was no other way she could feel understood. But Gambit knew
that Rogue was in trouble, and if she couldn't overcome this power now, it could end up abusing her. And Gambit wasn't
going to let that happen. He then did the unthinkable - he drew her closer, strapping his arms around her and waiting
for the power to drain from him. He heard Rogue gasp, and then she pushed away in fear of what might have happened.
"Did you not hear what I just said?! You could have been..." she started in disbelief, but Gambit shook his head.
"But you see, I'm not. I think, that if you resist the feeling that you needn't be touched, then the power will take
over and leave the person you're touching comatized. But," he said, picking up her hands. "You have to stop that feeling
and overcome the power with your will that this person doesn't need his power drained. I believe that if you can control
other people's powers, there is still hope for controlling yours. Try it." Rogue gave him a surprised look, but Gambit nodded
his head for her to go on. So she lightly picked up his hands and as calmly as she could, began to resist the power that
was tempting her to absorb Gambit's powers. And as if by some mystery, nothing happened.
"Well, you're a fast learner," Gambit said, as Rogue threw her arms around him.
"Oh my God! I can't believe I did it!" she said excitedly, pulling back and staring into Gambit's shining, proud eyes.
Just then, a spoof of smoke droned into the room, and Nightcrawler immediately appeared. He raised his eyebrows
at the moment he had encountered in such short notice. "Uh, am I ruining the moment?" he asked playfully, and Rogue
pulled away from her hold around Gambit.
"How did you find me, fuzz ball?" she asked fiercely, and Nightcrawler let his mouth dangle.
"Uh, the Prof. got another reading. The Institute is under attack."
"What?" Rogue said, and rushed to Night crawler's side.
"You might as well come too - there isn't any point of you just standing there," Nightcrawler reasoned, and
Gambit nodded silently. Besides, what could he do? Nightcralwer then put a three-fingered hand on his shoulder, and
with a spoof, all three mutants diappeared into the late night.
They arrived shortly after, and with surprise, were taken head long by the Blob. Rising to her feet, Rogue pushed
her way through before being thrown to the ground by Lance.
"Sorry Rogue, but we have orders, and we have to take this guy back with us to the Brotherhood."
Rogue struggled in his grasp. She then brought up her other hand and drained Lance's power into her. Without
a moment's delay she stomped the ground, immediately causing the soil to split underneath.
"Good, your powers ain't rusty," she said to the weak Lance and ran up to where Jean and Cyclops were helping
Spyke get Pietro to his knees. With a quick flash, two cards swept the air, and Gambit appeared before throwing a single
knife and pinned Pietro to the wall.
"Hey!" he shouted, as Spyke approached him with a clean smile on his broad face.
"Yup, he's on our side. Gotta problem with that?" he asked the hanging Pietro.
Shadowcat stood to one corner, trying to see where Toad had gone. Suddenly from the back, something jumped
unto her shoulders, and she could only balance herself before being knocked over. Phasing through the ground, Toad
hopped to a nearby branch, to be met with Nightcrawler who used his powers to confuse the Toad. Then Shadowcat
reappeared, her arms coming down hard on his neck. Now all that was left was the Blob. With Lance's power still in her,
Rogue let her foot come down hard on the ground, spliting it wide enough for the Blob to fall into it.
"Good work, Rogue," Cyclops congratulated her, and turned to Gambit. "Well, you sure proved yourself worthy
of this team. Do you think you want to join us?"
Gambit frowned, turning away, but without much delay, said, "I don't know." Rogue buried her brow and
looked over at him with question in her eyes. Something told her he didn't feel comfortable in this place, and she
knew it couldn't be his time.
"Well, think it over. If you happen to change your mind, don't hesitate to come to us," Cyclops said with a
smile and lead the rest of the team inside the Institute. But Rogue stayed with Gambit, her heart pounding in her
chest. Gambit turned around, swiftly gaining speed as he walked out of the Institute's grounds. Rogue followed
him until they got as far as Gambit's townhouse.
"Why are you still following me?" Gambit asked her, and pushed open the door.
"Because I don't think it's right that you should leave me hanging like this." Gambit frowned, looking away
from Rogue's steady gaze as she took his hand in hers. Suddenly, she could hear Prof. Xiaver's voice inside her head,
telling her to erase Gambit's mind of what had happened these few days in order to conceal the privacy of the Institute.
"No, I won't," she mumbled, and Gambit raised an eyebrow.
"You know, I never did get to mention how pretty you look," he said, and Rogue blushed as her silent stare grazed
Gambit's tousled trench coat and firery red hair. She was supposed to take every sign of their meeting away from
him - the only person who tuly ever understood her for who she was, who realized how much pain she was going through
and eased it. Who didn't play with her feelings or thoughts, and always said he was there when she needed him.
The person that told her to control her powers, and taught her the power of fellowship. And she was supposed to make
him think that nothing between them ever happened? Rogue put her head down in dismay, suddenly realizing she had
fallen for the guy she was supposed to recruit. And she never felt close to anyone before, so the feeling scared her.
"Where will you be going?" she finally asked, her breath caught inside her throat.
"New Orleans. Look, it's not easy saying good-bye, but I guess I don't want to belong to any group right now.
I'm sure you'll be very productive with your life now that you can control your powers. Anyway, you know, I will come
back to visit," he said, a look of hope on his face. Rogue couldn't tell him what she should do - he would want to resist her.
"Yeah, I know you'll come back and visit me someday - it just won't be... soon." Without a second thought, she
raised her head to meet his lips and kissed them as gently as she could before she drained him of his power and memory
of her existence or any of the X-Men's from his mind. She kissed him until she felt his body droop from the drainage, and
she sank to the floor with Gambit in her arms.
"I'm so sorry," she cried, two tears peltting down unto his chest as she cried until she couldn't anymore. Kissing his
cheek for the last time, she left him lying in the center of the small townhouse before leaving, not intending to come
back. Thinking over what he had done for her, she realized that he had replaced the feeling of longing with hope - hope
for anyone to enter her heart, hope for perseverance to keep on living. He was leaving her to make her own decisions, to
live life as a normal person, to understand her meaning in life.
Just then, she spotted Scott's car driving along the road, and stopping by the curb, he smiled over at Rogue.
"Hey Rogue," Scott said pevishly, "need a ride?"
Rogue smiled and jumped in the passenger seat. "You know me, I always need someone there for me."
Scott smiled and looked around. "So your prince charming in a trench coat didn't want to join after all," he said,
and Rogue nodded and then frowned.
"Where exactly did you get that name for him?" she asked, and Scott shrugged.
"Kurt and Kitty made it up. But we all know that he is something like that to you, right?"
Rogue smiled. "Of course it is. Just don't tell the others I said anything."
"I won't," Scott said, and started the gas. Rogue understood that he wouldn't, though it would accidently slip
someday. But there was always hope that he wouldn't.
This is, if he wouldn't.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in X-Men Evolution. That's why it's a fanfic.
So what did you think? I know it got soggy at the end, but it releases any doubt that Rogue did like Gambit after all.
I mean, what's a romance fic without the grand finale being a kiss? Until next time ~ Ariesque
By: Ariesque
Kitty watched as Rogue ran her finger down a certain blouse as she pulled it out of Kitty's wardrobe, hanger and all.
"So that's the blouse you want?" Kitty asked, her eyes mesmerized on Rogue as she put the blouse against her chest
and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Yeah, so?" Rogue asked, her eyes skimming the sleeveless blouse. The collar drooped down the front, beckoning
mystery and an altogether beauteous form. It was daringly perfect. "Do you think it would look good on me?"
Kitty smiled simply. "What wouldn't? I'm so glad you're ditching that green outfit - it's so dirty and bland." Rogue
sniffed, turning to her roommate.
"I'll go try this on," she finally said, moving to the bathroom. Minutes later, she emerged wearing the elegant blouse,
sharpening her look while Kitty observed the effects.
"I think you should drop the purple mascara and lipstick - so over the hill and deathly. Try dark champange, you
know, to, like, match the blouse. It would totally bring out the inner beauty in you," she finally said, making Rogue frown.
"What if I don't like the idea that I hafta walk around in high heels and dark champange color lipstick and..."
"Blush, to rise the color of your skin and bring out those cheekbones. Or maybe powder would, like, do as well."
Rogue bit her lip. "I'm not going anywhere special, ya know. Just to pick up the new guy and all."
Kitty grinned, pinning up Rogue's hair from the back. "You're his best lady, might as well chuck it up a bit."
Rogue wrung her fingers nervously. "I don't know how you could say anything like that. We're not even close. We only
met two nights before, and I don't even think he wants to join this group. But whatever, as long as Scott's got a good plan to
get him in the Institute."
Kitty gently pulled down Rogue's hair in the front to make it look more chic. "I'm sure it's a good plan. Scott wants to
take him head first if he has to. But Rogue, tell me, what's he like?"
Rogue took up the perferred color lipstick before uncapping it. Kitty had a million make-up appliances, and yet,
none of them suited Rogue enough to try them out. There were just so many of them.
Applying it to her lips, she replied, "He's okay, I guess. The natural street fighter by night while a prince charm-me
by day. It's enough to drive a girl crazy."
Kitty giggled. "Like he's got you going," she said, and let Rogue look at herself in the mirror. Kitty had magically
transformed the plain, little, Miss Gothic, into a fashion model. Rogue stood there, stunned at the person she was staring
at which she assumed, was supposed to be her.
"Whoa, Kitty. You really overdid it this time," she said, still staring at herself while Kitty moved to the dresser. She
came back frowning before pulling out Rogue's regular gloves.
"I thought I had those long, fancy gloves on the dresser. I guess these would have to do for the night," she said,
giving them to Rogue. She took them, squeezing it slightly just to feel the soft touch.
"Like I said, Kitty, this isn't anything important," Rogue said, pulling on the gloves as Kitty tossed her the matching
mascara and snorted.
"Give yourself a break, Rogue. You look drop-dead gorgeous. Am I good, or am I good?" she asked, grinning from
ear to ear as Rogue stepped away from the mirror.
"I feel stupid," she finally said to Kitty before opening the door.
"Well, at least you look good," Kitty commented, and Rogue closed the bedroom door before heading through
the front door.
Amazed.
It was the only expression on Gambit's face when he saw Rogue. Her Gothic self had been changed into a ...
beauty queen.
"What's all this?" he finally asked her, forgetting to invite her in.
Rogue smiled stiffly. "I don't know, but I'm telling ya, these heels are really killing me," she said, and Gambit laughed.
"Good, I thought your inner self was changed too. Then I would really be in deep trouble."
Rogue gave him a tender smile before suddenly locking on his gaze. "I thought I'd like to introduce you to my
folks, ya know, just to get to know what they're like," she said nervously.
Gambit shrugged intensely. "I could use the invitation. Besides, I would like to see the city once again." Rogue
gave him a startled look, but then remembered that she had told him that she lived in the city. And he said it didn't
matter to him. "I've been here too long."
They then marched down the steep steps before walking to Rogue's car. She assumed she was underaged, fifteen
she was. But it didn't matter. She looked too good to be given a fine. I guess that's the beauty behind the beauty, she
thought, fixing the back mirror before stepping on the gas. They traveled in silence, but Rogue could feel Gambit's eyes
on her. Yup, this was the way I wanted him to see me, she thought to herself as she continued down the easy road.
Pretty - not Gothic.
But she felt guilty that she was playing around with his feelings; messing around with his head. Thinking that she could
get away with pretending that she wanted to help him, messing with how pretty she wanted to look, when she really
felt horrid and ugly inside. That feeling of longing for closeness was at her heart again, stabbing her continuously until
she finally stopped in front of the Institute.
"Some place you got," Gambit crooned, before jumping out of the car. Rogue opened the gate, and allowed
Gambit in. But then Rogue found herself closing the gate before she could go in. She could only see Gambit's confused
face before the security system went off, and the place was shooting discs and weapons in the air. He was forced to go
further into the dense, lush gardens, dodging anything that tried to hit him until he was suddenly met with Cyclops.
"Whoa, who are you?" he asked, but Cyclops shook his head.
"You better be cooler than what you seem, 'cause that attitude ain't gonna save you your life!" he said, letting
lose large bolts of light behind his glasses. Gambit took over the battle by throwing his famous cards into the air and pinning
Cyclops to the wall.
"And those powers you've got aren't strong enough," he said, and threw a holographic card which exploded and
caused Cyclops to fall to the ground. Just as soon as Cylcops was down, so was Gambit, who fell from something hard
hitting his back. Turning around, he saw Jean, who was taking up benches with her solid power and throwing them at
Gambit. Catching one, he hurled it back to her, which knocked her to the ground as well.
"Is this some kind of ambush you people are trying to play on me?" Gambit asked Jean, who was trying to get
up from her fall.
"Maybe," she said, still struggling, "but you're just going to have to deal!"
Just before Gambit could object, bony spikes lit the air, and Gambit was froced to run from the hail of spikes.
Turning, he took up his playing cards and threw them at Spyke, who immediately was pinned to the wall.
"Gosh, where are all of these people coming from?" Gambit asked himself, before he was knocked away by
Shadowcat, who whooshed through the ground with Nightcrawler at her side. Without a delay, Gambit threw his favorable
items, knives, which skimmed their skins and sent them running and phasing.
"Oh, so now people want to play rough," Gambit said, fire lighting his eyes. Upon this, he gathered up his powers,
making what seemed to be a massive power ball, before Rogue suddenly started running in front of him.
"No wait! You don't have to do that!" she cried, immediately stopping the ball from exploding.
Gambit fumed bitterly. "Then what was it you wanted? Who are all these people? What do they want with me?"
he asked, but Rogue was silent. The truth would only make him angrier. Suddenly, a nearby bench was lifted, and hurled
at Gambit who was struck against the face before he shot Rogue a look that chilled her to the bone. What was going
through his mind was a mystery, but wasn't revealed as he took off running back to the gate and disappearing from view.
It was too painful to watch, so Rogue helped the others get back on their feet as she removed the cards that pinned them
against the wall.
"Did he just go balistic, or what?" Kitty asked, rubbing her neck as Kurt helped her to her feet.
"I don't know, but I suggest that you shouldn't go near him anymore. He's just too dangerous," Scott said, but
Rogue shook her head.
"You don't understand. Why did you all have to gang up on him? Couldn't it just have been you?" she asked.
Scott frowned. "Because Professor Xavier said he was too strong for one person to handle. You saw him, he practically
wanted to tear the whole place down!"
"But it wasn't his fault - you shouldn't have planned the test like this! And dragging me into this is beyond what
I wanted to do!" Rogue was angry that she had let Scott take over her mind. She was being played like a doll on strings.
And she couldn't believe she had let them to do that to her.
"I'm sick and tired of you all just trying to assume that everything is okay! You never try and stop and think if
someone's hurt or injuries are at large, or that you're just being too harsh! You expect that it's okay to mess with people's
feelings because you don't think it matters to you!"
Scott frowned. "Rogue, we're just trying to help you."
"Help me?! You're not helping me, you're not helping any of us! I'm tired of you acting like the father I never had -
always hovering over me to see what I'm doing. I'm sorry, but that just isn't your job," Rogue answered, her anger bellowing out. "Why don't you all just leave me alone?!" Rogue finally yelled before she could control her anger, and she took off running. By now, nobody cared, and she didn't know where to run to. Nobody would want to run after her, or feel sorry for her. It just didn't make sense anymore. Or at least, not to her it didn't.
"That was totally creepy what Rogue did back there," Kitty said, as she and Kurt walked down the dark hall and
down the steps leading the the pantry.
"I know, it was like zhe waz really sticking up for zat guy," Kurt answered, pushing open the door. Evan was already
sitting on the couch, reading his usual comics and Jean playing on her laptop.
"But she's never had the audacity to do something like that. I, like, was totally freaked out," Kitty said, and Evan
looked up from his comics.
"You have to get used to Rogue, so tends to be so obsecure," he said.
"Yeah, but she does have a point there. I mean, what if we're just treating her like this because we're told to do it?
It's the only thing that seperates her from us, and she's sick of it. Maybe being with this new guy helps her realize what
friends really are," Jean reasoned, and everyone nodded.
"If only she would tell us more about him," Kitty said, and giggled. "It's like she keeping him for herself. Sort of
like a... prince charming."
"In a trench coat," Kurt said in statisfaction, and everyone smiled. He did have point - the new guy was wearing
a sagging brown tench coat that noted he could be a hood.
Jean smiled. "His powers are strong. He would do nicely on our team."
"But what if he's not ready? What if he doesn't want to join us?" Evan asked, and Kurt shrugged.
"He is a child ov ze atom. He will have toh find hez place someday," he replied.
"Then Rogue really's going to have ta convince him," Kitty said, which by now, everyone knew she was doing.
If they could only figure where she had gone off to.
The sky drakened swiftly as Rogue neared the outskirts of the city. She would soon be approaching the townhouses
where Gambit lived, though she knew he would never take her in. The thought of depriving him and manipulating the
very being of his feelings made her sick and the dagger that she carried with her tore her heart in two. She suddenly
realized that she wasn't pretending to befriend him, she was trying to... care for him. As absurd as it was, she couldn't
believe she had fallen for Gambit, the half-bitten, street-ragged, gambling, pool pointer, women charmer, who had
stolen her heart and her mind in the first place. Almost like Scott, though she never really had true feelings for the guy.
Climbing up the steps to the door that lead to Gambit's place, she took a harsh pause before rapping on the door.
Almost at once, the door flung open, and Rogue found herself staring into Gamibt's fierce red-brownish eyes which she
never really noticed before.
"Uh, hi, Gambit," she managed to say after an awkward pause fighting for the right words. "If you're not mad,
do you think I could crash here for the night?"
Gambit gave her a small smile. "I never said I was mad. Gambit's always here anyway - especially when you need
him," he said, and let her into his small place.
~ + + + ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ * * * ~ + + + ~
Rogue stirred before suddenly realizing where she was. She immediately sat up, looking around, startled as she was.
And there was Gambit. Her eyes strewned over him with question, but she kept to herself as he laid down a cup beside her. "I thought you'd never wake up," he said, innocently enough.
"Why, was I snoring?" she asked hurriedly, flushing abruptly.
"Naw, it was worst. You were talking in your sleep."
Rogue blushed; she couldn't believe it. And she didn't even remember what she was dreaming about.
"Don't worry, it didn't bug me. It scared the hell outta me for awhile, but I got over it."
Rogue looked down at the blanket which she had laying on her, suddenly realizing that it was Gambit's long trench
coat. Looking over at the cup he had placed next to her, she noticed steam rising from the contents, and shot him a frown.
"What is this? Poison?" she asked, and Gambit stifled a laugh.
"It's something called tea. I thought you might want it to wake you up and all," he answered, and Rogue picked up
the cup.
As she put it up to her lips, she noticed Gambit was staring at her intensely and she had to rivet her stare back into
the cup. The contents were hot, but the liquid woke her up. Then she remembered all the trouble she had brewed up
between Gambit and the X-Men, and tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. But she refused to let them go.
She was just too.. proud. But all the words had to come out sooner or later. Might as well do it now.
"Gambit," she said, not looking up at him. "What was I saying in my sleep?"
Gambit growled under his breath, but he didn't resist to answer her. "You kept saying you were sorry and that you
wanted to belong. To what? To whom?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
Rogue took a deep breath. "I - I wanted to say sorry - to apologze - to you."
Gambit raised an eyebrow. "Me? You didn't do anything..."
"Yes I did! I was only mixing your feelings, toying with them to grab your attention! All those pretty acts and
sweet talks were all a set-up! I wanted to pretend that I was caring for you when I simply had no choice but to do so
to get you into becoming one of the X-Men. But I never realized what impact a person could really do to another.
It scared me for awhile that you were actually being convinced that I really cared for you, and when they attacked you
like that, I just - I just- couldn't handle it. I exploded at our team's leader, and that's how messed up I made everything.
I should have never recruited you - never met you - so that I wouldn't be in so much mess, leaving everyone hurt and
broken while I stood and watched. The real reason I want to belong is because this power - this curse - is keeping everyone
away. It's built this wall between other people and me, and I dare not touch someone else since they might just end up
in a coma. It's a terrible power- a - a curse, and... I-I shouldn't drag you into my problems."
She then broke down crying, knowing that Gambit dare not touch her. It hurt him that he could only sit next
to her while she cried, comforting herself because there was no other way she could feel understood. But Gambit knew
that Rogue was in trouble, and if she couldn't overcome this power now, it could end up abusing her. And Gambit wasn't
going to let that happen. He then did the unthinkable - he drew her closer, strapping his arms around her and waiting
for the power to drain from him. He heard Rogue gasp, and then she pushed away in fear of what might have happened.
"Did you not hear what I just said?! You could have been..." she started in disbelief, but Gambit shook his head.
"But you see, I'm not. I think, that if you resist the feeling that you needn't be touched, then the power will take
over and leave the person you're touching comatized. But," he said, picking up her hands. "You have to stop that feeling
and overcome the power with your will that this person doesn't need his power drained. I believe that if you can control
other people's powers, there is still hope for controlling yours. Try it." Rogue gave him a surprised look, but Gambit nodded
his head for her to go on. So she lightly picked up his hands and as calmly as she could, began to resist the power that
was tempting her to absorb Gambit's powers. And as if by some mystery, nothing happened.
"Well, you're a fast learner," Gambit said, as Rogue threw her arms around him.
"Oh my God! I can't believe I did it!" she said excitedly, pulling back and staring into Gambit's shining, proud eyes.
Just then, a spoof of smoke droned into the room, and Nightcrawler immediately appeared. He raised his eyebrows
at the moment he had encountered in such short notice. "Uh, am I ruining the moment?" he asked playfully, and Rogue
pulled away from her hold around Gambit.
"How did you find me, fuzz ball?" she asked fiercely, and Nightcrawler let his mouth dangle.
"Uh, the Prof. got another reading. The Institute is under attack."
"What?" Rogue said, and rushed to Night crawler's side.
"You might as well come too - there isn't any point of you just standing there," Nightcrawler reasoned, and
Gambit nodded silently. Besides, what could he do? Nightcralwer then put a three-fingered hand on his shoulder, and
with a spoof, all three mutants diappeared into the late night.
They arrived shortly after, and with surprise, were taken head long by the Blob. Rising to her feet, Rogue pushed
her way through before being thrown to the ground by Lance.
"Sorry Rogue, but we have orders, and we have to take this guy back with us to the Brotherhood."
Rogue struggled in his grasp. She then brought up her other hand and drained Lance's power into her. Without
a moment's delay she stomped the ground, immediately causing the soil to split underneath.
"Good, your powers ain't rusty," she said to the weak Lance and ran up to where Jean and Cyclops were helping
Spyke get Pietro to his knees. With a quick flash, two cards swept the air, and Gambit appeared before throwing a single
knife and pinned Pietro to the wall.
"Hey!" he shouted, as Spyke approached him with a clean smile on his broad face.
"Yup, he's on our side. Gotta problem with that?" he asked the hanging Pietro.
Shadowcat stood to one corner, trying to see where Toad had gone. Suddenly from the back, something jumped
unto her shoulders, and she could only balance herself before being knocked over. Phasing through the ground, Toad
hopped to a nearby branch, to be met with Nightcrawler who used his powers to confuse the Toad. Then Shadowcat
reappeared, her arms coming down hard on his neck. Now all that was left was the Blob. With Lance's power still in her,
Rogue let her foot come down hard on the ground, spliting it wide enough for the Blob to fall into it.
"Good work, Rogue," Cyclops congratulated her, and turned to Gambit. "Well, you sure proved yourself worthy
of this team. Do you think you want to join us?"
Gambit frowned, turning away, but without much delay, said, "I don't know." Rogue buried her brow and
looked over at him with question in her eyes. Something told her he didn't feel comfortable in this place, and she
knew it couldn't be his time.
"Well, think it over. If you happen to change your mind, don't hesitate to come to us," Cyclops said with a
smile and lead the rest of the team inside the Institute. But Rogue stayed with Gambit, her heart pounding in her
chest. Gambit turned around, swiftly gaining speed as he walked out of the Institute's grounds. Rogue followed
him until they got as far as Gambit's townhouse.
"Why are you still following me?" Gambit asked her, and pushed open the door.
"Because I don't think it's right that you should leave me hanging like this." Gambit frowned, looking away
from Rogue's steady gaze as she took his hand in hers. Suddenly, she could hear Prof. Xiaver's voice inside her head,
telling her to erase Gambit's mind of what had happened these few days in order to conceal the privacy of the Institute.
"No, I won't," she mumbled, and Gambit raised an eyebrow.
"You know, I never did get to mention how pretty you look," he said, and Rogue blushed as her silent stare grazed
Gambit's tousled trench coat and firery red hair. She was supposed to take every sign of their meeting away from
him - the only person who tuly ever understood her for who she was, who realized how much pain she was going through
and eased it. Who didn't play with her feelings or thoughts, and always said he was there when she needed him.
The person that told her to control her powers, and taught her the power of fellowship. And she was supposed to make
him think that nothing between them ever happened? Rogue put her head down in dismay, suddenly realizing she had
fallen for the guy she was supposed to recruit. And she never felt close to anyone before, so the feeling scared her.
"Where will you be going?" she finally asked, her breath caught inside her throat.
"New Orleans. Look, it's not easy saying good-bye, but I guess I don't want to belong to any group right now.
I'm sure you'll be very productive with your life now that you can control your powers. Anyway, you know, I will come
back to visit," he said, a look of hope on his face. Rogue couldn't tell him what she should do - he would want to resist her.
"Yeah, I know you'll come back and visit me someday - it just won't be... soon." Without a second thought, she
raised her head to meet his lips and kissed them as gently as she could before she drained him of his power and memory
of her existence or any of the X-Men's from his mind. She kissed him until she felt his body droop from the drainage, and
she sank to the floor with Gambit in her arms.
"I'm so sorry," she cried, two tears peltting down unto his chest as she cried until she couldn't anymore. Kissing his
cheek for the last time, she left him lying in the center of the small townhouse before leaving, not intending to come
back. Thinking over what he had done for her, she realized that he had replaced the feeling of longing with hope - hope
for anyone to enter her heart, hope for perseverance to keep on living. He was leaving her to make her own decisions, to
live life as a normal person, to understand her meaning in life.
Just then, she spotted Scott's car driving along the road, and stopping by the curb, he smiled over at Rogue.
"Hey Rogue," Scott said pevishly, "need a ride?"
Rogue smiled and jumped in the passenger seat. "You know me, I always need someone there for me."
Scott smiled and looked around. "So your prince charming in a trench coat didn't want to join after all," he said,
and Rogue nodded and then frowned.
"Where exactly did you get that name for him?" she asked, and Scott shrugged.
"Kurt and Kitty made it up. But we all know that he is something like that to you, right?"
Rogue smiled. "Of course it is. Just don't tell the others I said anything."
"I won't," Scott said, and started the gas. Rogue understood that he wouldn't, though it would accidently slip
someday. But there was always hope that he wouldn't.
This is, if he wouldn't.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in X-Men Evolution. That's why it's a fanfic.
So what did you think? I know it got soggy at the end, but it releases any doubt that Rogue did like Gambit after all.
I mean, what's a romance fic without the grand finale being a kiss? Until next time ~ Ariesque