Chapter 3

She was a fool. An utter and complete fool.

Rogue had allowed herself to be maneuvered by Logan, and she did not like it one bit. He looked so damn smug as they left the Professor's office, telling her they should start first thing tomorrow and acting so cool towards her.

She wanted to scream!

Beast looked down at Rogue, noting her blood pressure had spiked and said gently, "Want to talk about it?"

Feeling a blush creep into her cheeks Rogue mumbled no and took several deep breaths. Logan was acting strange and it bothered her. Looking at the situation objectively she knew she was allowing her emotions to rule her actions. Was she reading too much into Logan's actions?

True, Logan had been acting strange lately, but she could not blame him. The time on the road has been hard, and she knew better than anyone else how hard it was for him to interact with other people. She could not be angry with him for not wanting her the way she wanted him, and that was the bottom line. His return is a good thing, and she would stop acting like a fool.

She flinched as Beast injected her with some anesthetic so he could remove a skin sample. Beast said that he wanted to start with more traditional tests before he ventured into more 'alternative' scientific studies. Allowing her mind to drift away again she began to contemplate another matter that had been niggling the back of her mind. Remy.

The flowers he had sent were perfect. Wild flowers were her favorite with their unique blooms and colors. He was either quite perceptive or very experienced. Maybe some of both she reasoned. Men that good looking do not sit home alone each night. She would call him, and she would do it as soon as she was finished with Beast, she decided. Besides, she chuckled, she could not think of a better candidate to help her move on from Logan than Remy.

As they finished with the last of the tissue and blood samples Beat told her they would not be meeting tomorrow but could resume the following day. Happily she agreed and went back to her room. The playing card was still there, next to her flowers. Fresh nerves twisted in her belly as she picked up the phone.

Her fingers shook a little as she dialed the number, and as the phone rang her belly began to quiver in earnest.

"Bonjour," said the deep voice at the other end of the line.

Rogue hesitated, and then said, "Is this Remy?"

"Oui chere, it's Remy. I'm glad you called. Was beginning to think you not going to."

"Sorry about that. Ah've been … busy. Ah want to thank you for the flowers. I love them. They're perfect."

"My pleasure, chere. You read Remy's card?"

"Yes, and Ah wanted to take you up on your offer, if it's still open?"

"Remy would love to have dinner with you. You just say when."

"How does tonight work for you?"

Rogue looked again at the clock on her dresser and sighed. She had been through every outfit she owned and nothing was quite right. She would normally go with her old stand-by of jeans and t-shirts, but he told her that she would want to be more dressed up tonight. All her dresses were far too conservative for the sake of her skin, and she wanted something more … sexy.

Chewing her lip and looking in her closet for the fiftieth time she pulled out another dress and held it up to herself in the mirror. It would work, she decided. Not too dressy, not too casual. She slipped it on and looked at her reflection carefully. The dress was black satin with sheer black sleeves. The dress was cut in a daring v but the sheer fabric kept it modest. The skirt cinched at the waist and draped down just below the knee. Turning the skirt swung playfully around her legs. It was perfect.

She slipped on some sheer black stockings, added a cheerful red beaded necklace and black gloves. All in all, she liked the look, but she called Kitty anyway for a second opinion. Kitty was shocked when she saw Rogue, and she started to ask a thousand questions. Rogue told her very briefly about her encounter with the mysterious Cajun and asked, "Ah have not been out much and I wanted to know what you thought? He said we were meeting for dinner downtown so I wanted to look … nice," she finished lamely.

Kitty beamed at her and said, "You look perfect. His eyes will roll back in his head!"

Rogue smiled, tucked her hair behind her ear, and said, "Thanks, Kitty."

She and Kitty walked out into the hall and as Rogue was going down the stairs the ran into Beast.

"My dear, I must say you look lovely this evening." He smiled at her warmly and she smiled back.

"Thanks, sugar!" She made her way down to her car and as she pulled out of the garage she had one fleeting thought of Logan. 'No, not tonight.' She ordered herself not to think of him again. That part of her life was over and tonight she hoped to find the future.