Of Days and Events
By HazelEyes 401
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Disclaimer I don't own the X-men Evolution series, they belong to Marvel.
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Chapter 4: Of Protectors and Brothers
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"Hey swamp rat." Rogue yelled out to get his attention he turned around to look her in the eyes, confusion was written on his face.
"If ya have time, it would be nice if we could hang out. Ya know catch a movie maybe, or order in a pizza and play those card games that ya like so much." Rogue stared in his eyes as her foot drew little circles in the dust.
"Dat would be nice, Cherie." Gambit responded but was interrupted by a loud little girl.
"ASK HER OUT!"
"AMARA!" Kitty yelled back to her friend as they phased out of the bush to meet a shocked Gambit and Rogue.
"Dat is a good idea, petite." Gambit replied as Rogue snapped her head around momentarily forgetting the intruders.
"Rogue, would you like t' go out t'night?" Gambit asked the question that was on everyone's minds as Rogue stared back a small blush brushing her cheeks.
"She like totally accepts!" Kitty ran up and answered for Rogue who was too surprised to say anything for a moment.
"Kitty! Ah can answer my own questions. Ah would like that, Remy." Rogue answered after a brief pause.
"YES, YES, YES!" Kitty jumped up overly excited about Rogue and Remy's date that night.
"Now, you have to take her to a nice restaurant and be here by 7 o'clock. Oh, I am so excited, come on Rogue we have to get you ready!" Kitty chattered on in a single breath as Amara walked up to Gambit's bike.
"Um, excuse me, Remy but is that the only transport that you have?" Amara indicated the motorcycle that Gambit was still leaning on.
"What is wrong wit' my bike?" Gambit asked a little offended.
"Oh, it's not that. It's just . . ." Amara tried to explain as Kitty jumped in.
"Oh, you're right Amara. Gambit you can't take Rogue to dinner on a motorcycle. Make sure you get here a little before 7 and I'll get Jean to let you borrow Scott's car for the date." Kitty called out to him as Gambit started to get on his bike beginning to leave, never taking his eyes off Rogue as she returned his gaze.
"I will see ya later, Rogue." Gambit quietly stated as sat down on his bike, he paused.
"Rogue, dere's somet'ing I have t' ask: if t'ings were different when I took ya t' New Orleans. If I had come t' ask for your help, would you have come?" Remy asked Rogue as he paused for her answer.
"Of course, ah would Remy. And, it might have made your life a lot easier. Ya might not have Logan threatening ya every time ya see one another." Rogue laughed at Remy's expression of shock and understanding.
"I never said dis but I am sorry for taking you like dat, I had no right..." Gambit started to say more before Rogue interrupted him.
"No, Gambit, ya don't have ta say anything else. Ah've already forgiven ya, like ah said in Louisiana: 'ya did the wrong thing for the right reason.'" Rogue answered as she smiled again. Gambit put his helmet on and started the engine.
"Au revoir, Cherie. I will see ya later." Gambit bid her farewell as he drove off down the driveway and out of the mansion.
"Yeah, Ah'll see ya later, Remy." Rogue looked at the trail of dust he left behind and was overjoyed that this wouldn't be the last time she saw the swamp rat.
"Oh, Rogue, do you like know what time it is?" Kitty yelled to Rogue as she grabbed her gloved hand to drag her into the mansion.
"We have to like get you ready for your date." Kitty pulled Rogue up the stairs and into the front door.
"Kitty, it's only one o'clock isn't it a little early to be getting ready for a date at 7?" Rogue asked as she pulled her hand from Kitty's iron-like grasp.
"No, besides we have to find a dress, shoes, fix your hair, your make up and before I forget we have to find Jean so she can like talk to Scott." Kitty excitedly chattered away as Rogue gave Amara a pleading look asked her to save her from Hurricane Kitty. Amara just shook her head in the negative before she left to go up the stairs.
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"That was rather unexpected." Ororo stated for the group in Xavier's office. Hank, Charles Xavier and Ororo Monroe stared out the second story window watching Kitty dragging Rogue into the mansion while Gambit left down the driveway in his motorcycle.
"Yes, it would appear that Kitty arranged for Rogue to go out with Gambit." Xavier stated to the group as he showed a small smile.
"Charles, did you really listen on when they were talking?" Hank asked a little shocked that Charles would invade someone's privacy.
"He didn't have to. I'm sure the entire mansion heard Kitty's screams of joy." Ororo stated.
"What happened to Logan? He was here a minute ago." Hank silently observed.
"Oh, he will be busy for a little while . . . apparently we are having a problem with the Danger Room's programming." Charles exclaimed with a smile glimmering in his eyes.
"I can't believe that you would purposely distract Logan just so Gambit could get in."
"Really, Storm, because I certainly can. Do you really believe that Logan would allow Gambit to talk with Rogue let alone ask her out?" Hank asked a now stunned Ororo.
"I see your point. Still it will be interesting when Logan learns of this date tonight." Ororo mused to the group.
"Well, I'm sure I can do something to keep him busy for the night. But you are correct Storm, Logan will not be pleased." Charles explained as they continued to watch Kitty drag Rogue into the mansion and everyone could not help but notice that Rogue had not stopped smiling since she spoke with Gambit.
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Kitty continued to drag Rogue into the mansion and up the stairs toward their shared room when they bumped into Jean.
"Oops, sorry Jean . . . Oh, I'm so glad I ran into you!" Kitty practically shouted to Jean as the taller girl took a step back in shock.
"Oh, really, well it's nice to run into you." Jean stated still surprised.
"Well, I know you are going to be shocked, but like Gambit asked Rogue out on a date." Kitty shouted as Rogue hid behind her hand and Jean stared at Rogue.
"VHAT!!" A shocked Kurt teleported in front of the girls seemingly shocked beyond words as the cloud of sulfur dissipated just as his shock turned to anger.
"You cannot go out vith him!" Kurt yelled at Rogue as her tempered flare along with his.
"Oh yeah, and why can't Ah go out with him?" Rogue challenged with her hands on her hips.
"A few days ago, you couldn't stand him. Now just because of a bump on ze head you suddenly vant to date him?!"
"That and he like gave her a ring." Kitty piped up among the sibling's argument.
Her comment was greeted with stares from everyone . . . surprise from Jean, anger from Kurt and irritation from Rogue.
"Uh, Kitty, exactly how much did ya hear of our private conversation?" Rogue asked making sure to emphasize the word private.
"Oh, not much just all of it," Kitty replied not the slightest bit perturbed by Rogue's growing anger.
"That conversation was private and ya had no right to eavesdrop." Rogue admonished Kitty who still looked indifferent.
"He gave you a ring.(!)" Jean asked out of curiosity at the same time Kurt asked in outrage.
"Yeah he did, it was real sweet of him." Rogue answered a little shy.
"May I see it?" Jean asked as Rogue complied, taking her right glove off. Jean looked on as Rogue took the ring off of her thumb and dropped the ring into Jean's open hand.
Jean gently turned it over in her hand, awestruck and impressed at the rings immaculate design. She was pleasantly surprised that the emerald was cut so smoothly into a heart shape with a golden heart embedded into the center of the heart. The emerald gleamed and sparkled under the hallway light. Jean gently turned it over admiring the ornate design of the band carved into a vine of ivy. She cradled the ring in her hand again and floated the ring back into Rogue's hand, replacing the ring on her thumb and putting her glove back on.
"It really is an amazing ring, Rogue. I'm glad for you." Jean exclaimed to Rogue.
"I know, like, it is so amazing. By the way, can you like talk Scott into letting Gambit borrow his car for the date?" Kitty asked using her best puppy dog face. Everyone continued to ignore Kurt as he continued to stare into space at Rogue's hand.
"You can't go out vith Gambit!" Kurt yelled at Rogue which earned him stares of boredom from the three girls.
"Ok, like what was I saying. Would you please talk to Scott?"
"Why would I let Gambit take Rogue on a date in Scott's car?" Jean asked as they all continued to ignore Kurt.
"AH! Ich kann nicht glauben, dass Sie mit einem Mann herausgehen würden, der Sie entführte!"(1) Kurt was ranting in German.
"Kurt, why do you shout in a language we don't understand? It doesn't really tell us anything." Rogue asked Kurt which stopped his ranting and with a final yell of outrage he ported out of the hallway with an echoing threat of telling Logan.
"Like I was saying: why would I let Gambit borrow Scott's car?" Jean restated her question after watching Kurt leave.
"Well, if like everything goes well on the date, then Rogue will have her own boyfriend and like stop looking at Scott. Then, you could have Scott all to yourself." Kitty whispered to Jean as Rogue looked at the spot where Kurt disappeared.
"I'll see what I can do. So, Rogue what do you have to wear?" Jean caught Rogue's attention as Kitty looked shocked as she had a mental reminder.
"That's right. We need to go to the mall to look for a dress and shoes. Rogue has got to look amazing for her date!" Kitty cried to Jean as she appeared thoughtful.
"You are so right, let's go. I'll take you to the mall myself and be your style consultant." Jean offered as she laughed at Rogue's expression of relief.
"Thank ya, Jean, Ah don't know what Ah would do with Hurricane Kitty." Rogue and Jean laughed as Kitty looked on a little confused.
"Alright let's go!" Kitty cried out in excitement completely ignoring Jean and Rogue's earlier comments.
The three left to the garage and drove out of the mansion heading for the mall so the girls didn't hear the earth shaking scream of one Logan.
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Logan's scream echoed through the halls scaring the birds out of the trees and causing the ceiling to shake and the lights to flicker.
"Well, that was shorter than we thought." Ororo mused to Hank and Xavier as they sat in the common room watching Jean, Kitty and Rogue drive to the mall in Jean's jeep.
"CHARLES!!! WHAT HAPPENED!?!" Logan yelled to Professor Xavier from the danger room as Kurt teleported them to the common room. Logan looked especially threatening with his eyes glaring daggers and his claws barely sheathed.
"WHAT happened?" Logan asked once again slightly calmer.
"It would appear that Rogue does indeed reciprocate Gambit's feelings and apparently, Gambit asked Rogue out on a date before he left." Charles calmly explained.
"What do you mean? You said that he was leaving for good and that was the ONLY reason he was talking to Rogue." Logan growled to Charles as Hank and Storm took a step back from the irritated mutant.
"Look, Logan, Gambit would have left if Rogue did not care about him but deep down she does care and is acting on those feelings. You should be happy for her." Charles stated to his friend who then exploded.
"BE HAPPY FOR HER!! THIS GUY KIDNAPPED HER CHARLES! DID YOU FORGET THAT?" Logan continued to yell as Charles began to roll out of the mansion as Logan followed him. Logan and Charles left Hank and Storm in the common room with a stunned Kurt, all of them having no words for the most recent explosion.
Charles and Logan went down the same path where they found Gambit two months ago, when Charles stopped in front of Logan and stared the older man in the eyes.
"Logan, I understand that you care for Rogue like she was your daughter. We all care for her, but there is something you must understand: she is not a normal girl."
"Of course, I know that! How can you think I don't?"
"I don't mean in the sense that she is a mutant, I mean in the sense that she is not able to touch another human or mutant. This makes her different and I hate to say it but she is treated differently than the others."
"She is not treated that differently. She has friends and they sometimes forget about her mutation."
"Yes, and I am proud of them for that but the problem is Rogue never forgets and sees herself as a danger to everyone around her."
"She is not dangerous if she takes precautions and you know that she seems to take too many precautions." Logan argued back before he caught himself.
"That's right, she does too much. And, like it or not her mutation has an impact on her attitude. Since she can't touch anyone, she has chosen to push everyone around her away and this causes a problem. She has built so many walls around her both physically and mentally that no one can really get to know her and no one has tried, no one that is except for Gambit."
Logan stared at his old friend as his words started to register in his brain.
"Think back to all of the times that you see Rogue. In your memories does she ever seem to be really happy?" Charles challenged Logan.
"Now that you mention it . . . no, I can't seem to remember a time when she was really happy." Logan admitted hanging his head low.
"That's right, it is hard for her because she worries so much for everyone around her. What's worse is she tries to hide it and it affects the other students' behavior as well. I hate to see her like this." Charles finished explaining to Logan who strangely remained silent as he looked back to the main gate.
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At the mall, Kitty was turning Rogue into her own personal live doll. They had been there for only thirty minutes and Kitty had already made Rogue to try on nearly every dress in this store. Just think, there were 10 more stores like this one. Rogue sighed as she tried on the latest dress that Kitty had "phased" through the door. She must have modeled fifteen dresses for Kitty and Jean already.
"Kitty, don't you think this is a little much?" Rogue asked her friend who sat outside of the dressing room door trying to figure out which of the five remaining dresses Rogue should try on next.
"Of course not, I want this to be the best date you ever had." Kitty exclaimed to Rogue as she again fell silent in the dressing room stall.
"It's just one date, Kitty. Why are you doing so much?" Rogue asked her friend and was surprised at her response.
"It's just that we don't see you like this very often."
"Like what?"
"You know . . . happy." Kitty sadly answered as she sat down on the bench outside the stall.
"Is it really that bad?" Rogue hesitantly asked.
"It's worse because we like don't know what to say. We don't want to make it worse and we like don't know what to say to make it better. It gets pretty tough so we just figure it is like best to say nothing at all, but it does bother us, me especially." Kitty finished answering as she picked up a teal green dress for Rogue as Rogue stepped out of the stall in the dress.
"Oh, like that is the perfect dress!" Kitty yelled out to Rogue as she turned around in front of the mirror admiring the knee length black cocktail dress. Rogue silently approved of the dress even though it was sleeveless and was held up by a silver chain link that scooped around her neck to clasp up the back of the dress, securing the dress.
"Is that the dress you want to wear, Rogue?" Jean walked up carrying a big box of shoes as Rogue turned around.
"Do ya like it?"
"Of course, it matches your necklace perfectly." Jean strongly approved.
"Yeah, Ah'll just need some elbow-length gloves and a jacket or shawl to cover my shoulders." Rogue voiced her opinion to the two girls as they both nodded like a couple of bobble heads.
"Of course, I know just where to find all of that, but in the mean time I want you to try these on." Jean set the large box of shoes down in the stall and opened it to reveal a pair of sleek knee length dress boots with a two inch heel and a zipper that stretched from the inside of the ankle to the hem just below her knee. Rogue sat down and tried them on, as she modeled them in the mirror she admired that the boots matched the dress perfectly. It also covered up the part of her legs that the dress didn't cover.
"It looks great but have ya seen the pricetag?" Rogue asked the girls as she looked at the dress and the boots. She was given an allowance every month but what she had with her did not quite cover the dress and shoes and anything else Kitty might want to pick out.
"That's perfectly alright. I'll help chip in, the boots are my idea after all." Jean offered which eased Rogue's mind.
"Yeah, and I like can totally help with the dress. That dress is just too perfect for you to not buy it for your date." Kitty agreed and Rogue smiled at the two of them which caused them to laugh and Kitty to get another idea.
"Okay, so we like have the dress and the shoes, now we need the gloves, a jacket and the make-up." Kitty exclaimed to the girls as she was silently impressed at the time they were making.
"Now hold on a minute, Kitty. Ah agreed for ya to help me get ready but Ah put my foot down when it comes to mah make-up. Got it?" Rogue asked giving Kitty a glare that warned her not to push Rogue. Kitty relented and agreed to leave the make-up alone.
Rogue changed back into her normal clothes and they went to the counter to purchase their items and were shocked to find all of the cash they needed for the items in Jean's wallet. Jean looked at the card in her wallet and laughed out loud but didn't tell Kitty or Rogue where the money came from. There was enough money left over to get all of the other things they would require for the date. They drove back to the mansion after picking up a quick lunch from the food court and being impressed that they were able to leave two hours after they arrived, a personal record for Kitty by herself.
Back at the mansion, the girls walked into the mansion a little wary as they saw Logan at the door waiting to meet them. Kitty gave a nervous gulp, as Jean stopped after getting out of her car, and Rogue looking at Logan just like it was an ordinary day.
"Stripes, we need to talk, now." Logan demanded of Rogue as Kitty took her purchases to their room. Rogue followed Logan into the mansion as they walked down the hallway and approached the danger room. Logan stopped right at the doors and turned to have a talk with Rogue.
"Are you sure about this guy, Stripes?" Logan asked Rogue up front.
"What is the big deal, Logan? Gambit just asked me out for a date to dinner." Rogue countered as she still couldn't figure out why Logan would be upset about her night.
"You were kidnapped, Rogue. Do you know what it's like to have to stand by and wait to find you? Not knowing where you are, if you are safe?" Logan asked Rogue as she stayed quiet.
"Not to mention that he used you. Can you really forget that?" Logan asked again as Rogue looked him in the eye.
"Ah'll probably never forget that, Logan. Ah've been used a lot and it always hurts each time, but Remy is different. He is the first person who is actually and truly sorry for using me like he did." Rogue explained as she looked back up to Logan. Logan sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair, obviously nervous about the whole thing.
"Why did it have to be him, of all people?" Logan asked the young girl.
"Well, he just . . . he never really cared about my mutation. He has always flirted with me and tries to touch me. I know it sounds crazy but he treats me like ah'm normal and there aren't a lot of people who do that. Do you understand, Logan?" Rogue asked the person who was like a father to her, and he sighed again.
"I think I understand, but just because I understand don't mean that I approve. Got that, Stripes, if he does anything to hurt you, and I mean anything I want you to let me know and I won't hesitate to rid the world of him." Logan explained to Rogue as she brightened up at his not complete disapproval of Gambit.
'Ah'll just have to see what Logan does when he sees mah outfit.' Rogue thought to herself as she turned to go back to her room to finish getting ready.
"Logan, Ah want to thank ya." Rogue turned back as she was leaving.
"For what?" Logan asked a little confused.
"For always being there for me, it means more than you think." Rogue explained as she ran upstairs to find Kitty and Jean.
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A/N: Okay finally done. In the next chapter we finally get to the date, I just couldn't add it here because the chapter would have been far too long. Besides, it doesn't take me long to write a full chapter and still have some left over. Please read and review. The next chapter will come much sooner. I can't wait to write it down!! It's been playing in my head for quite a while.
(1): I can not believe you would go out with a man that kidnapped you!
