In two days, she woke up for the first time. She scared Remy many more times before then. Convinced him that she was but a beautiful, tragic corpse. Left there to haunt him. Punish him for his sins. He couldn't get her to eat or drink. To rouse. At times, he was convinced her heart wasn't beating. That she'd stopped breathing when he dozed off on accident. In his dreams, she died long ago. But after two days of wondering. Hoping. Praying. Praying she opened her eyes. Cloudy, unfocused, grey eyes that tried to see him. She huffed and it turned into a cough. She sputtered, trying to move.

He frowned at her, his fingers playing gently in her hair. "Easy," He cooed. She twitched, feeling something draped over her. 'Jacket,' She thought, her head buzzing. Aching. She tried to turn her head, but there was a sharp, shooting pain in her neck. "I'said easy." He gripped her a little tighter so she didn't hurt herself. "Y'been out two days." She'd recognize that outrageous accent anywhere.

"Mmmmmmm," She tried to force herself to say words, any word, but it was too hard. He rubbed her shoulder reassuringly, and even weirder, she was glad he did.

"Don' try an' speak. Not strong enough yet." He gently raised her into a sitting up position and she whimpered. "Ah know. Remy gotta get you to eat." Even if her mouth couldn't say it, her eyes were asking 'why'. 'Because ya can't help yaself,' He thought, deciding not to speak up. "Remy saved what he could for ya, ate what couldn't. Dey bring ya better food. But, t'ink ya need water most." He held the full cup of saved, clean water to her lips.

It was some of his share, too. He was worried about the girl becoming dehydrated. Letting her face communicate thanks, she sipped, coughing a lot when she drank too much. The New Orleans native smiled, glad to see her fighting. Desperate for sustenance. Those few days hoping she wasn't dead had been awful. Now, he had an ally. A way out. A reason to hang on. Eventually, she was able to control her shaking and breathing enough to sip the water, feeling rejuvenated after a while.

Then, she worked on buttered bread. Remy was amazed to see the color (what color she had, anyway) return to her skin, a little light in her eyes. She looked like a different person with no makeup, wavy hair, and less of her uniform on. But that was neither here, nor there. Still wrapped in his jacket as though her powers were active, she leaned against him.

They sat in silence for hours. The first words Rogue spoke were, "Thank you."


Three days after that, they came for Remy. Rogue still looked weak. Battered. The bruises from the doctor's abuse were fading into dark blue and yellow. She still trembled mostly and found herself very weak. But she flew to her feet swinging for the attendees who came for him. They tased her, tackling her back into the cell with ease while Gambit screamed hoarsely. Like hell they were taking him to do what they'd done to her.

"Rogue, don'-"

She screamed, cursing, scratching the researchers as she reached for him. "REMY," She shouted, tearing the man's heart in two. "Remy, no!" She knew. She knew what laid in store for him. They had spent almost two weeks straight torturing her. Cutting her. Forcing her to absorb. Trying to find her breaking point. Getting skin samples, hair samples, blood samples. Their hands all over her body. He couldn't go through that, too.

It was better to be left in the cage. Always better. He watched her, weak and exhausted. No powers, and still fighting them. Fighting for him. 'S-She remembers...' He thought solemnly. He hadn't helped her so she'd owe him. If that'd been his plan, he'd failed. The girl was unconscious, on death's door. She'd never know how he'd cradled her, used his warmth to keep her there. She saw him as an ally, a friend. But she didn't know he'd sat vigil for her, guarded her from the Grim Reaper. The connection they secretly shared.

She reached for him, tears in her eyes. "Remy, find me!" She begged. They couldn't just take him away, not now.

"You remember," He said in disbelief. "When dey brought ya here..." He flinched as they slammed her against the wall. 'Damn dem.'

"Only since Ah woke up, Remy don't let them-" They dragged him away, out of her sight. 'She don' even remember... And she fought like that to try to help me...' He felt an unidentifiable feeling swirl in his gut. He had found her prickly, but interesting before. But now he found that she grew on him, like a mold or a spore. It sounded unpleasant, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

'I'll find you,' He thought as they led him to a bright, white room.