Life went on in a mundane blur and Rogue couldn't help but feel ho-hum about everything. She missed her time with Remy and hated being apart from him. Everything switched to a muddy grey in her world without him. She tried to act like everything was fine and that she didn't miss him, but everyone at the mansion could always tell when something upsetting was up with her.

The worst part about that was that everyone was so damn helpful, or at least tried to be. It wasn't their faults that she didn't want to confide her feelings or tell them what was wrong, she just couldn't. As much as these people cared for her, she knew they wouldn't understand what she had going on with Remy.

More than likely they would try and dissuade her from seeing him, and that was certainly not going to happen. She and Remy could admit that they loved each other to each other, but they couldn't admit it to anyone else. To do that would be a quick way to end things, and neither wanted it to end.

Rogue didn't know what she was supposed to do. She loved him more than she'd ever loved anyone, despite who he worked for and what he did with his time when she wasn't around. He wasn't a bad person, just one who sometimes did bad things. It was something they never addressed or talked about. The way Rogue saw it; he was good to her, so there was no point in arguing over it. She knew he was only doing his job, but eventually she feared that their respective roles outside of their bed would invade the sheets soon enough, taking over all aspects of their relationship.

The question was always, how long they would keep up pretending what they really were. Were they really lovers destined to be together, or was she really an X-man and he an Acolyte who had simply gotten confused over boundaries?

They were heavy questions to ask and neither wanted to answer. To answer them could potentially end things. Rogue had the sneaking suspicious that they wouldn't deal with the tricky part of their relationship until they were caught and the cat was out of the bag.

She was okay with that. Right now was what mattered. Right now they were having fun and in love. She couldn't see any real good reason to ruin what they had going on. It was why they were cooling their jets for a bit and keeping a low profile. Neither wanted 'the now' to end, and getting caught would do just that. Regardless of how miserable she was without him and how much she missed him, this was a minor sacrifice to keep their love affair going.

Laying low drove him nuts. He wanted her in his arms, in his room and in his bed. He hated it when Wolverine was in town. He liked it best when Creed got stir crazy and left with Wolverine chasing after. It got rid of both noses. Not that Creed would give a damn who he was seeing, but it put Rogue at risk should Creed decide to care. As far as Remy knew, Colossus was the only Acolyte to figure out what was going on with him and Rogue.

He had spent the better half of his time merely watching Rogue from afar and as much as he told himself he had to quit it lest he get caught, he couldn't really resist inching his look out spots closer and closer. That ended quickly a few nights ago when Logan had caught his scent. Remy had backed off immediately and high tailed it out of there before Logan could actually catch up to him. Luckily, the vicious man had assumed that the Acolytes were just up to no good and that catching Remy's scent had meant that trouble was brewing.

It was pure coincidence that Magneto had actually had a confrontation planned a few days later, making Remy's discovered appearance by Logan confirmed as 'just the Acolyte's spying'. True, he was spying, but it wasn't to cause any trouble. It was just that he missed Rogue and had wanted to see how she was doing.

He was pretty sure she knew that he had been around, especially after Logan had caught on to him. She would have been briefed about his detected presence in one of the team meetings. He wondered if she was upset with him for hanging around, or if she was missing him as much as he missed her.

Today would be different. Today they would get to see each other at close range.

He was suiting up for yet another confrontation with the X-men, something about… oh, hell, he didn't even know. He hadn't been paying attention. He was too busy planning out how to separate her from her team and get her alone.

They hadn't seen each other in over a week now, and he was contemplating goading Creed into causing trouble up in Canada again, just so Logan would leave and Rogue would be free to spend her nights with him. It was never a permanent solution to their problem, but anything that made it easier to see her was better than nothing.

The X-men were already at the location, a rundown construction site, when the Acolytes arrived. Remy did his very best not to make any eye contact with her at all. He caught her from the corner of his eye trying to do the same.

Summers went after him and he dodged a couple of poorly aimed laser blasts. He pulled out a couple cards before being tackled from the side by a familiar weight.

"I got him, Scott, but Jean needs help over there with Pyro!" Rogue shouted as she pinned Remy to the ground, straddling his waist. Once Scott's attention was off of them, she moved her hips below his waist, sliding her crotch against his. He closed his eyes in bliss as the blood rushed from his head to more important places.

"Miss me, Cajun?" she asked playfully.

"You have no idea." he sighed.

"Actually," she answered, pressing herself harder against him, "I think I do."

"You don't play fair at all," he replied thickly as the heat of her body threw his into a frenzy.

"It's not my fault 'girl on top' gets you hot," she teased.

"It's not 'girl on top'." He smirked. "It's you on top that gets me hot."

"Honey dripper," she answered wryly.

"Already?"

She gasped in surprised shock, hiding her grin.

"Don't be vulgar."

"Can't be helped, ma cherie. I want you now."

She stifled a giggle.

"We're in the middle of a fight."

"I hate these open locations. Why can't we ever fight in docking yards or abandoned buildings or five star hotels?"

"We've been in this position too long," she whispered with a hint of panic as she glanced nervously around.

"Right." He shoved his weight up forcing her over onto the ground, switching their positions. He kept her pinned to ground. "Struggle a bit, Chere."

"Lord, Scott's gonna blast you from behind again if we stay like this."

"Doesn't matter, he's got terrible aim. It'll graze at best."

She gave him a reprimanding look.

"Alright, alright, you wanna chase me or should I chase you?" He surrendered.

"Which would you prefer?"

"You know I'll catch you faster."

She hid her delight well.

"You can chase then," she answered licking her lips.

He met her grin and let her go, giving her a head start before he chased her. He charged a few playing cards and tossed them no where near her, but close enough to steer her somewhere a little more private and out of the way.

In due time, he caught up to her, pinning her roughly against a chicken wire fence. She winced slightly and he immediately loosened his grip.

"Sorry, Chere," he whispered feebly. "Thrill of the chase."

"I don't mind your rough man handling," she cooed, swiftly throwing her weight against him and effortlessly putting him up against the fence. She had managed to get one leg in between his, pressing her thigh fiercely against his crotch.

"Ah Dieu, I want you right here," he moaned deliriously.

"Yeah, 'cause that will go over well," she replied wryly with a sense of bitterness that they couldn't just go at it like rabbits right here.

"Come and see me tonight, ma cherie," he begged quietly. "It's been almost two weeks."

"I'll see what I can do. We've been under careful watch since we've been outed as mutants," she answered hesitantly. "Logan's bumped up security in case any mutant hate groups try anything."

Remy groaned. It was not exactly the answer he wanted to hear. It was already hard enough to see each other without throwing mutant hate groups into the mix.

She caught the look on his face and her features softened.

"I'll try my best, Sug. Y'know I want to see you too."

"Shadowcat's looking at us funny, now might be a good time for a stomach punch," Remy spoke warily.

Her fist hit him in the side and he gasped, crumpling over. She had one hell of a hook.

"You okay?" she asked, not moving her lips or showing any concern on her face, but he could always hear it in her voice.

"Yeah, better finish it though, she's heading over here."

"Remy, I hate-"

"Just do it, Chere!" he instructed quietly.

She pulled her glove off quickly, glaring at him as her hand came in contact with his face. He knew she hated using her mutation on him and he hated being sucked into the black hole of nothingness that came with it, but sometimes it was necessary. Like right now for instance, Kitty was looking suspicious and heading over to them. He'd be unconscious on the ground by the time she got to them.

Rogue shoved her glove back on furiously. She could feel him in her mind, whispering sweet nothings and digging out all their pleasant memories. She was fucked if Jean saw her mind right now. The combination of his memories mixed with hers was murder. She had always hated absorbing him. One, she didn't like hurting him, and two, this mingling of salacious memories made it very hard for her concentrate and kept her in a delirious sexed-up state.

"You okay?" Kitty asked, running up to her.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine." she answered giving the girl a faint smile.

"What was he saying to you?" Kitty asked. "You loosened your grip on him and-"

"He's a charmer that one," Rogue answered abruptly. "Didn't get him very far this time, though."

"Did you get anything from him?"

"Naw, his mind's a cesspool. You wouldn't believe the amount of sex in there."

Kitty giggled.

"That's awful!"

"Least I don't have pay for porn," Rogue answered dryly

Kitty burst out in high giggles. "You're terrible!"

Rogue gave her a sly smile, probably something she picked up from Remy. "Come on. Let's regroup with the rest of the team."

She walked casually away from his body with Kitty, willing herself not to turn around and check on him. He'd be fine, he always was. Colossus would pick him up and drag him back to their hideout. He'd wake up and take a couple painkillers and be fine. It still didn't mean that she didn't like leaving him like that.

Back at the mansion, they held a team meeting. It was normal to go over what had happened in a fight. It helped them improve upon tactics or figure out motives and how they could do better next time. Each team member's contribution was discussed and Rogue's turn had come up.

"Rogue, you're hesitating on using your mutation to take enemies out quickly. At least that's what I've noticed." Scott said. "Gambit wouldn't have been a problem at all if you'd absorbed him the minute you pinned him."

She tried to think up a good excuse, when Kitty chirped up, "I'd hesitate too if I had her mutation, Scott. You have no idea the amount of crap she absorbs from people just so we can get a quick fix to stopping enemies."

"I agree with Kitty," the Professor began. "We are still discovering the full nature of Rogue's mutation, and I have some reservations concerning a liberal use of it. I feel it should be used as a last resort, not as a quick fix."

"Sorry, Professor," Scott answered, slightly shame faced. "I guess I never thought of it from that angle."

"I'm thinking we're going to bump up combat training," Logan began. "Gambit never should have found an advantage to not only put Rogue in a submissive position once, but twice."

Rogue scowled.

"He's too quick," she argued.

"Well, maybe if you didn't spend so much time listening to him talk, you'd be more alert." Logan continued. "I know you're not used to guys flirting with you, Rogue, and so does he. He uses it to his advantage."

"He doesn't flirt with me!" she cried outraged. "And even if he did, doesn't mean I'd be stupid enough to listen to it!"

"Rogue, no one here is doubting your abilities, or implying you're not doing your best," the Professor answered calmly. "But, perhaps taking on Gambit is a little out of your league right now."

"What are you saying?" she asked angrily.

"As a solution to not using your mutation on a whim, I think it would be best if perhaps you fought someone more suited to your fighting style and let Jean take care of Gambit."

"Jean!?" she replied in horror.

"Hey! I can handle him!" Jean replied hotly. "It's that stupid fire starter I have trouble with."

"Which brings me to my next point." The Professor continued. "I think Rogue is better suited to fighting Pyro and Jean is better suited to fighting Gambit. I think this switch up will help us achieve more victories and less violent ones."

"But-" Rogue tried to protest.

"I know your pride is hurt on this one, Rogue. You don't take it lightly when an enemy can best you, but let's just give this a try, hmmm?"

She nodded bitterly. There was no point in arguing with the Professor when he had his mind made up.

"Don't worry, Stripes," Logan said, patting her shoulder. "I'm gonna teach you some deadly holds."

Logan's words had little comfort for her since the problem had nothing to do with her fighting Remy. It was Jean fighting Remy that would be a bad situation. If she got into his mind, she'd know all about them and what they were doing. Jean wasn't the type to keep that sort of thing a secret either, and the more Rogue thought about it, the more she hated the idea of Miss Goody-two-shoes finding out.

Rogue had no choice. She'd have to sneak out tonight and tell him the awful news. It didn't make her happy at all. She hadn't been with him in a while, and she didn't want to come with anything that would put a damper on the mood. She sighed mournfully. Sneaking Remy was getting harder and harder all the time.