Chapter 2: Saturday Night

Rogue glanced at the clock. 6:55pm.

"Rogue?" Emma questioned.

"Oh, sorry," Rogue replied and looked back down at the game.

"A little distracted tonight, darling?"

"Yeah, Ah guess."

Not for the first time, Emma was annoyed that Rogue was so hard to read. What she wouldn't give to find out what Rogue was so anxious about tonight. Or, for that matter, who she had been on a date with earlier that week.

For Rogue's part, she couldn't believe what a mess she had worked herself up in. Gambit, she had decided, wouldn't show up. He was probably just playing with her, like he thought he was funny. Taunting her with the promise of a date he had no intention of showing up to. No doubt he'd look at the clock later tonight and laugh about his little practical joke. Never should have gotten her hopes up. Certainly never should have told everyone about the date thing the other night. Logan, she was sure, knew exactly who she had been with, but thankfully he'd chosen not to press for details. At least she had the presence of mind not to tell anyone about the supposed second date.

Rogue shook her head. It was so close to seven now, and she was finding it hard to concentrate on the game.


The doorbell rang, and as Nightcrawler was closest, took the liberty of looking out the peephole. His eyes widened as he recognised who was out there and he opened the door.

"Gambit? What are you doing here?" he asked in shock.

"Evening," Gambit replied smoothly. "Is Rogue here?"

"Rogue?"

As soon as the door bell rang, much to Emma's shock, Rogue shot up out of her chair, knocking it over in the process and practically ran to the door leading to the foyer. She stared, seeing Gambit in the door way.

"Ah can't believe it," she said. "Ya actually showed up."

Nightcrawler looked back at his adopted sister.

"You were expecting him?"

"In a manner of speakin'."

"Yo' wound me, cherie. I would never stand up my date" said Gambit. "Especially one as beautiful and charming as yourself."

As Rogue approached, Gambit pulled his arm out from behind his back.

"For yo'."

At that point, there was quite a crowd building in the foyer. Rogue swallowed nervously as she accepted the bouquet of red roses.

"Oh, uhh, thank ya."

"You're welcome."

"Ready t' go?"

"Oh, uhh, sure..." Rogue looked around frantically, then thrust the bouquet into Emma's hands. "Take care of this for me, Emma? Thanks, sugah."

In two steps she had joined Gambit at the door, who wrapped his arm around her waist and escorted her down the driveway.

"Lemme guess, ya jumped over the gate?"

"O'course. How else was I t' get in? By the way, your security system needs work."

Nightcrawler slowly closed the door behind them, cutting off any more conversation.

"Rogue's on a date? With Gambit?"

"Well, I guess that explains why she didn't drop any names earlier."

"We have to tell Logan about this."

"I already know," Logan replied from his place on the stairs. "Could smell that Cajun all over Rogue when she came back the other night."

"And you didn't say anything?" Bobby demanded. "He's... he's..."

"He's gone and found the best way to spy on us, is what he's done," Emma cut in. "What better way to infiltrate the X-men, who already don't trust him, than by taking advantage of the most emotionally vulnerable member of our team?"

She looked down at the flowers then, and in disgust, thrust them to the side.

"Aww, don't do that," Kitty said, retrieving them. "Whatever Gambit's motivations might be, Rogue'll just get mad if she finds out you wrecked her roses."

"Flowers are the least of our concern," Emma dismissed. "Clearly we need to stop this before it gets any further."

"Rogue isn't stupid, Emma," Logan said.

"No, but she does pine for a romantic relationship, and he's providing her with one."

"As I said, Rogue isn't stupid. She's not just going to blab the goings on of the X-men to Gambit of all people. And, might I add, she's also played the double agent before."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I. But until I see a good reason to intervene, we're staying out of this."


As Rogue rode on the back of the bike, she wondered why she'd actually gone out with him tonight. Maybe it was because she had been so convinced he wouldn't show up, that she had been too shocked to reject him when he did. Yeah, she liked that logic. She could work with that.

Gambit brought the bike to a stop and when they got off the bike, put his arm around her again and escorted her into the park.

"Viola," he said, gesturing to a picnic blanket.

"Isn't a little late a night for picnics?"

"I'm t'inking you're a little too preoccupied with silly t'ings like time, cherie. Besides, no ants this time o' night."

Rogue giggled.

"Ah can't believe ya had this all setup and just left it. That's awfully trustin' for a thief."

"I'm just full o' surprises," Gambit said sitting down with her.

He opened up the picnic basket and started pulling out food. As Rogue waited she looked around, admiring the clear night sky.

"It's a beautiful night, no?"

"Yeah."

"Almost as beautiful as yo'."

Rogue shook her head.

"What's your game, Gambit?"

"Poker, usually," he replied, running his finger up her arm.

"No, Ah mean... with me?" Rogue gestured. "Why are ya doin' this with me? Wouldn't ya have better luck with someone ya can touch?"

"You're a fascinating women, cherie," he said, his voice low as his finger moved from her arm to her white locks. "What other reason do I need?"

Rogue shivered slightly and Gambit moved up closer to her, his hand still in her hair. Rogue swallowed as his lips moved in on hers. They were barely a centimetre away before Rogue pushed him back.

"Are ya nuts Cajun? Ya kiss me and all ya thoughts, memories and powers'll be mine. Do ya want ta fall inta a coma?"

Well, being a mutant he'd only be disoriented, unless she chose to hold on too long, but she didn't want to tell him that. Gambit gave a slight shrug from where he lay, which was interesting to watch given that his weight was now on his elbows.

"Never know, might be worth it, chere."

Rogue stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to her before.

"You're crazy."

"Mebbe I am."

She shook her head.

"Don't start toyin' with me."

"Why not? I like to play."

"Ah won't kiss ya."

"I like the way yo' say dat. Sounds ominous and dirty all at the same time."

"Ah can't say anythin' around ya, can Ah Remy?"

Gambit smiled, noting she'd finally called him by his first name.

"Oh, yo' can say plenty."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"So, what fabulous treats have ya brought ta our table tonight?"

"Glad yo' asked."


For the second night that week, Gambit pulled up outside the gates of the mansion to drop Rogue off. This time, however, he got off the bike as well, and taking her hand kissed her up her arm. Rogue was glad it was dark so he couldn't see her blush. He then pressed his gloved fingers against her lips.

"One day, ma chere, I shall kiss those lips o' yours," he promised her.

"Ah'm just surprised ya even want ta," Rogue replied softly.

"Who wouldn't?"

"Ah think it take less time ta name the list of people who would."

Gambit chuckled.

"Next Friday. Pick yo' up at six."

"Wait, a third date? Ya kiddin' me, right?"

"Wear somet'ing pretty. Not that you don't look amazing in your uniform, cherie, but I should like ta see yo' all dressed up."

"Huh, does that mean Ah'm actually gonna see ya out of that trench coat of yours?"

"Oh yo' can see me -"

"Ah'm sensin' Ah phrased that badly."

Gambit chuckled.

"Until Friday, ma chere."

With a final kiss of her hand, Gambit left. Rogue sighed softly as she let herself into the mansion grounds, feeling a little foolish. She really, really shouldn't get involved with that guy. Nevertheless, as she went down the driveway and headed inside, she found she was rather looking forward to seeing him again.

What Rogue wasn't expecting was to see pretty much everyone sitting around in the lounge room waiting her return.

"Ya'll didn't wait up for little ol' me didja?" she asked in surprise.

"'Course we did," Kitty nodded. "We all want to know how it went."

"Oh, well, it was good. We had a picnic."

"At this time of night?"

"No ants."

"Oh," Kitty said, trying to process this logic. "But what about nocturnal insects?"

"Didn't bother us. Too cold Ah guess."

There was an odd little silence.

"So, you had a good time?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah," Rogue replied, chewing her bottom lip. "He's actually kinda sweet."

"Gambit? Sweet?" Nightcrawler repeated, sounding perplexed.

"Yeah. He even tried to kiss me."

"And what did you learn?" Emma asked.

Rogue looked up at her.

"Huh?"

"When you absorbed him."

"Ah never said Ah absorbed him. Ah said the tried to kiss me," Rogue knew she was grinning foolishly, but she didn't care. "He actually said he thought it might be worth it."

"Perhaps next time, you should take him up on that."

"Why?"

"To find out what his motivations are, of course," Emma replied as if she was talking to an idiot.

"Psh, Ah already know that," Rogue dismissed. "He's an adrenaline junkie who thinks that datin' an untouchable woman is gonna be the ultimate rush. Clearly he's insane, but given that he's the only person who's ever wanted ta date me since Cody, Ah'm willin' ta humour him."

"It never occurred to you that he might be using you to spy on the X-men?"

"We don't talk about work."

"Emma," Logan growled warningly.

"Nevertheless, I don't think you should see him any more. He's -"

"Who the hell are ya ta tell me who Ah can and cannot date, Emma?" Rogue demanded.

"Rogue -"

"We just don't want to see you get hurt, darlin'," Logan cut in.

"Hurt?" Rogue repeated. "Of course Ah'm gonna get hurt. There's no way this relationship can last. He'll either turn out ta be a spy like ya'll suspect, or he'll get frustrated with not gettin' laid and either dump me or cheat or whatever. Or maybe Ah'll end up absorbin' him after all and he'll decide it really isn't worth it."

"Then why -"

"Ever heard the phrase, 'beggars can't be choosers'? Well, Ah'm a beggar, and Ah wouldn't care if Remy was the devil himself, at least he knows how ta treat a lady. This might be muh only chance to get a taste of what ya'll," and here Rogue pointed her finger to everyone in the room, "take for granted."

And on those final word, Rogue turned on her heel and stormed up to her room. Logan glowered at Emma.

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"

"You can see my point thought, can't you? That thief has already worked his magic on Rogue and won her over."

"And what if Gambit's plan is not to spy on the X-men, but to seduce her into working with him?" Storm said softly. "Rogue's particular talents would be of value to a thief. Perhaps you should avoid antagonising Rogue over this, Emma. You might find you're playing right into his hands."