Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men. And the 'Operation: Clone Stan Lee' plan has officially gone out of the window. mumbles angrily
A/N: Chapter 4, please enjoy! I worked really hard on this chapter and I want to know if you think I got the characterisation right.
Rogue noticed that they'd all finished their food and the other three Acolytes were watching her, waiting for her next move.
She looked at Remy. "We should go." She said simply. She could have sworn that she saw John's shoulders sink a little at the refusal for a fight. Remy nodded nonetheless.
She picked up all of her bags and followed the other three out of the fire exit on the other side of the food court.
She was walking towards the car when she sensed someone coming up behind her. 'The psychic.' Rogue spun round to face the woman.
"Want somethin', Red?" She asked menacingly.
The Acolytes stopped dead and approached the pair carefully.
The red-head ignored everyone around them and spoke directly to Rogue. "We only want to help you, Rogue."
The younger girl's eyes widened. "Get outta my head befo' ya see something' ya don't lahke."
"I'm not in your head Rogue. We know about all the mutants in this town. We know what happened. Why you ran away from Mystique."
Remy looked down at Rogue. 'Wha' did she have ta do wit' Mystique?'
Rogue grew evermore defensive. "Ya know squat!"
The psychic's expression didn't falter. "I know about Carol. I'm guessing I know more than these three."
"It's naht ya're business ta know anythin' about meh. Ah didn't tell anyone fo' a reason." She said solemnly.
"I'm not judging you Rogue, please-"
Rogue waved off her speech and turned to walk to the car.
"Rogue! We can help you."
Rogue stopped in her tracks and turned to her once again. Seven mutants were all watching her.
"No one can help meh, Red. Ah'm fahne as it is anyhow. Ah suggest y'all go back ta where ya came from before ya get hurt."
The four strangers all looked at her with concern and then obeyed. They went back towards the mall without looking back.
'How the fuck do they know about Carol?'
The Acolytes watched the backs of the 'X-Men' and made sure they had gone into the mall before turning back to Rogue and walking towards her. They stood in silence for a few seconds before it all got to much for St. John.
"Who's this Carol, then?" He asked earnestly.
Remy kicked him in the shin.
"Just a woman ah used ta know."
"Well, what did ya do? How were you involved with Mystique?" He asked her too many questions.
"John!" Remy shouted before Rogue could. "Knock it off homme."
Rogue didn't look at any of them and just stalked towards the car.
On the way back to the dome the silence was deafening to Rogue.
"So," all eyes were on the girl again, "y'all don't really get on with those guys?"
"Big understatement, cherie."
Rogue looked at Remy to see him smirking at her.
"Somethin' funny, Cajun?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.
"Remy liked de way ya handled y'rself back dere, chere." He leaned closer to her, his extraordinary eyes penetrating hers. "Remy likes a feisty fille."
Rogue yawned. "It's getting old, swamp rat." She said, not missing a beat.
Remy wet his lips. Rogue turned her body to face him properly. "Ya're really in mah space, sugah." Now she leaned closer to him, her lips inches away from his. She smirked as she saw Remy's gaze drop to them. "Step off."
She raised her chin slightly and leaned right back into her seat. He didn't move and was still grinning. "Ah'd rather step on, chere."
"Careful, swamp rat. Ah might hold ya ta that. Ever been comatose befo'?" She asked him with a sickly sweet voice.
"I bet it's worth it."
Then he leaned back into his own seat. He could swear he saw a blush creep up on Rogue's cheeks.
When they got to the dome she went straight up to Remy's room and left her bags at the base of the bed. She sat cross legged on the bed and levitated up. It tended to calm her down.
"Well, Remy never knew y' could do dat, chere." Remy looked at the young woman in amazement.
"For fuck's sake, what is wrong with ya?" She shouted harshly.
The Cajun leapt back as she floated back down to the ground. She walked straight up to him and held her head up to his, searching his eyes for any emotion.
"Ah always hear 'em coming." She said to him simply.
Remy immediately knew what she meant and smirked yet again. "Like I say, I was a t'ief, y' pick dis stuff up."
Rogue sighed deeply. At least he wasn't an enemy. It still bothered her like hell though.
She walked back into the room. She could feel Remy's eyes on her and spun round suddenly.
"Ah thought so," she said.
"What, cherie?" He asked her inquisitively.
"Ya were lookin' at mah ass." Rogue looked hard into his face. His features didn't move in the slightest. "Ya ain't even denying it."
He smirked. "Caught red-handed, non?"
"Why are ya here?" She asked. He always wanted something.
"Remy was wonderin' if he could ask y' a question, chere."
Rogue eyed him suspiciously. "Ah can't guarantee ah'll answer it, swamp rat. She sat on the bed. "Shoot."
"Well, wit' dese powers o' yours. Remy was wonderin' if y'd ever been kissed."
Rogue raised her eyebrows at the personal nature of the question. She even blushed a little. She turned away before Remy could see it and pick on her for it.
"Ah don't really talk about mahself much, swamp rat. Especially naht about mah old life."
The Cajun looked almost disappointed.
"What's your favourite card game, Rogue?"
She sighed but decided to humour him. "Rummy."
"Really? Why's dat chere?"
"Ah'm unbeatable."
He smirked. He was really enjoying this.
"One game o' Rummy. If Remy wins, y' answer his question.
"Yeah sure, I'm gonna play cards with a guy who's nickname is Gambit and always has a pack in his hand. What? Ya think ah'm stupid?"
"Not at all. Remy t'ought y' were unbeatable."
"Ah was."
"Humour meā¦please." He did his best puppy dog eyes and cocked his head to the right.
Rogue felt embarrassed for the man. She thought she'd give him this one.
"Sure, ah'll play."
Her opponent smirked and immediately pulled out his cards. He dealt them each seven cards and let Rogue start with the first card from the deck.
3 minutes later.
"Rummy. T'ree jacks et four sixes." He said proudly.
Rogue wasn't surprised. She put down her cards. Four kings, seven, eight and nine of clubs with the queen of hearts.
"Nearly, chere." Remy told her. He was too used to winning at cards to be smug about it anymore. But, his prize was pretty important to him. "So, tell me about de first kiss, if dere ever was one."
Rogue stared at him for a few seconds. 'A deal's a deal.'
"Once, ah kissed him an' he was in a coma for three months. That's all there is to it."
Remy looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Musta been one hell o' a kiss, cherie."
She drew her knees up to her chin and hugged herself around them. "Ah don't really remember it much."
"Sure y' don'." He said condescendingly. "Every fille remembers dere first kiss."
"Well, ah just wanted ta forget mine. Plus, who wants ta think about somethin' that they'll never be able ta have again anyway?"
Straight away, she knew she'd said too much.
"Y' never know what de future may bring, chere. Y' might well be able t' touch someone again."
Rogue snorted a little. "That's your wishful thinking, naht mahne."
"Are y' sayin' dat ah'd have a chance if it weren't for dem powers."
Rogue looked at him with a sincere expression. She uncoiled and crawled slowly up to his position on the bed. Again, inches away from his lips and staring straight into his eyes.
She said slowly and seductively, "Naht in your wildest dreams, Cajun," and pushed him straight off the bed.
He jumped straight up to his feet and put his hands on his hips. "Dat's very impolite cherie, 'specially seeing as y'r sittin' on Remy's bed." He made a good point but Rogue wouldn't admit that. She stood up with one hip popped out and a hand on it. His gaze drifted all over her body.
"Ah'm up here, swamp rat."
"Remy knows, river rat."
Rogue's eyes narrowed. "What did ya just call meh?"
"Wha'?" Remy asked innocently. "Remy t'ought pet names were becoming a running t'eme."
Rogue just looked down and shook her head.
"Remy's up here chere. Geez, if y' were curious y' jus' had t' say."
He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her close to him so her hips were right on his thighs.
She was speechless for a few seconds but recovered quickly. 'So, that's his game.'
She ran her hands up to his shoulders and glided them down his covered arms. She felt his heart beat faster and her hands stopped at his wrists. In a flash she had twisted them and pushed him into the hallway. She was still furious about his advance and leapt to give him a roundhouse kick but he caught her ankle and she dropped to the floor.
He bent over her and pinned her arms to her sides then sat on her stomach with his knees taking over for his arms and keeping hers pinned.
She wouldn't stop kicking and yelled at him. "What the fuck do ya think ya're doin', Cajun?"
"Remy has t' defend himself cherie." He was smirking. Enjoying his little power trip. He bent further over her and put his hands by her shoulders on the ground. "Are y' gonna b' good? Remy don' wan' his cherie t' b' too mad wit' him."
She drew her feet up to his upper arms and flipped him straight over to her side, quickly scrambling over to sit on his stomach and pin his arms above his head.
