AN:

I based Rogue's family (Owen, Priscilla and Carrie) on what was written in Rogue series 3, with some modification made to allow for established movieverse canon and what had previously been said in this series so far. Plus a ton of creative license to fill in the gaps, heh.

Chapter 3

The engagement party was like a starting gun, signalling for Rogue and Gambit to get a move on actually making wedding plans if they were serious about getting married in June. They sat down and had a good chat about what they wanted and didn't want. Gambit was adamant about no spandex, no dancing midgets and no abductions. After he was done being silly, they got down to business.

On the subject of budget, Gambit told Rogue to spend whatever she wanted. Part of Rogue felt a little weird about spending what would predominantly be Gambit's money (although he did point out it was soon to be her money too), but also relieved that there was one less thing to worry about.

Rogue and Gambit had already been looking around for prospective venues prior to the party (and subsequently blanched at the waiting periods for certain places). Rogue wasn't all that enthusiastic about a long engagement, but kept some of these places in mind in case she couldn't get anywhere for a June wedding. Fortunately, they were able to find places for both ceremony and reception fairly soon after the engagement party.

The ceremony was going to be held in a quaint, little-but-not-too-little church. The minister thereof had no problems with marrying a Catholic boy and a lapsed Southern Baptist, but did insist they do a six-week marriage course with him first. Rogue was surprised by Gambit's willingness.

"A good t'ief always cases the place first," was his reply. "I find it strange you're so reluctant, especially when yo' have such strong opinions about making our marriage work."

For the reception, they found a hall with a waterview. The hall itself wasn't anything spectacular, but the waterview would be good for photos.

Rogue and Gambit took a flight from New York to Mississippi on Friday afternoon and it was well after eight by the time they'd finally arrived at Carrie's Bed and Breakfast. Rogue concluded as she looked around the lounge in all its Southern charm that the place hadn't changed a bit.

"Ah thought Ah heard someone come in," said a portly, middle-aged blonde upon her entry into the lounge from the side door. "About time ya got here, Marie."

"Hi Aunt Carrie," Rogue replied with a smile.

Rogue walked over to greet Carrie properly with a hug, but stopped at the last moment. This wasn't because she was worried that her aunt might be scared of her mutation, but rather because Carrie just wasn't much of a hugger to begin with.

"And who's this?" Carrie asked, gesturing to Gambit. "Living up North too long making you forget your manners?"

"Sorry," Rogue said sincerely. "Remy, this is muh Aunt Carrie. Aunt Carrie, this is Remy... Muh fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Carrie repeated, her face lighting up with delight.

"Yeah," Rogue said, not entirely encouraged by her aunt's reaction due to the sly gleam in Carrie's eye.

"A pleasure t' meet yo', madame," Gambit said politely.

Carrie smiled as Gambit kissed the back of her hand.

"Delighted," she replied, looking him over admiringly. "And how did you meet muh niece?"

"Go ahead," Rogue said. "Tell her all about how ya rescued me three times."

Gambit grinned as he let go of Carrie's hand.

"We actually met in a bar not too far away from here about deux years ago," Gambit began.

"A bar?" Carrie repeated, looking at Rogue. "Two years ago? What were you doing in a bar then, young lady?"

"Uhh...not drinking alcohol?" Rogue replied awkwardly.

"Better not have been."

"She was upset about the Cure wearing off and everything wit' her parents," Gambit went on, "so the first thing I rescued her from was her own misery."

"Uh huh, and just how did you do that?" Carrie drawled.

"I used my infallible charm," Gambit replied cheerfully. "Den I rescued her from trois thugs –"

"Where'd these 'thugs' come from?" Carrie asked, looking towards Rogue.

"One of them found out Ah was a mutant and he brought his friends along to ahh...well...yeah..." Rogue said.

"Mmmhmm," Carrie said, and looked back at Gambit. "So, you rescued muh reckless niece from trouble, then?"

"Oui," Gambit replied with a nod. "And den I discovered dat she had no place t' go fo' the night, so I took her back wit' me and escorted her back t' New York."

"Escorted, huh?" Carrie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"After dealing wit' the thugs, I didn't think it would be right fo' me not t' take her home and make sure she was safe," Gambit said with a slight smile. "Besides, I found out that she was living wit' an old friend o' mine."

"Convenient," Carrie said, took a deep breath and looked back at Rogue again. "So, you actually managed ta find yourself a Southern gentleman. There might be some hope for you yet."

"Thanks, Aunt Carrie," Rogue replied cynically.

Gambit just smiled and chose not to mention he wasn't much of a gentleman.

"Ah haven't told Mama and Daddy about our engagement yet," Rogue went on. "Ah thought it be better done in person."

"Oh, Ah couldn't agree more, sugah," Carrie replied with a smug tone. "Now, why don't Ah show y'all ta your room?"

After Gambit was done complimenting Carrie for the fine breakfast she provided the next morning ("You weren't joking about that infallible charm were you, boy? Now git!"), Rogue took him on a tour around her hometown. Rogue showed him the church she used to attend, and where she went to school, and the numerous places she used to hang out at with her friends. At first Gambit teased her about the tour, but Rogue simply pointed out that he had done the same thing when they were in New Orleans, and that silenced him. They weren't meeting Rogue's parents until lunch time, but the tour took up most of the waiting time since they were walking to each destination.

At around 11:50am, Rogue and Gambit arrived at her old childhood home. Rogue couldn't believe quite how loudly her head was pounding in her chest, and was quite certain that Gambit could hear it. They walked up the pathway to the front door, and Rogue pressed the doorbell.

There was a long wait before the door finally opened, and a big, hopeful smile appeared on Rogue's face as she laid eyes on her father.

"Hi Daddy," she said.

"Hi Marie," Owen replied and glanced over at Gambit, frowning slightly. "Who's this?"

"Oh, uhh, this is Remy," Rogue replied.

"Pleasure t' meet yo'," Gambit said, holding out his hand.

"Ah'm sure," Owen replied with a tight smile on his face as he shook Gambit's hand. "Come on in."

Rogue took a deep breath and glanced at Gambit as her father stepped away from the door. Gambit followed Rogue inside. He wasn't concerned about Rogue not introducing him as her fiancé straight away, realising that she wanted to announce their engagement to both parents at once.

"Your mother's in the kitchen," Owen said. "Lunch should be ready soon."

"Great," Rogue replied.

Awkward silence followed.

"So, uhh, mind if Ah show Remy muh old room while we wait?" Rogue asked. "Umm...that is...assuming it's still as Ah left it?"

"More or less," Owen replied. "I'll let you know when lunch is ready."

"Okay."

Owen left towards the kitchen. Rogue sighed and glanced at Gambit before tugging him towards the stairs.

"Ah get the impression this is gonna be a long lunch," she said.

"I'm sure things'll warm up once yo' have a chance t' actually talk," Gambit replied reassuringly.

"Ah hope so."

Rogue led the way to her old room. It didn't take long to realise why Owen had said "more or less", as her parents had clearly been using the room to store things. There were a number of large boxes on the floor, but otherwise Rogue's old things seemed to be intact.

"So," said Gambit, looking around. "Dis is where ma Roguey spent her childhood, hein?"

"Heh, yeah," Rogue said and then gestured to the foot of the bed. "And that's where it ended."

"Where yo' kissed... what's his name... David?"

"Uh huh," Rogue said, nodding and looking at the bed sadly.

Gambit leaned into her. "So chère, just what were yo' doing, kissing on your bed?"

Rogue laughed.

"Just that, sugah, just that," she said, and pointed to a map above the headboard of her bed, with pins and string stuck on it. "That was that trip Ah'd been planning on taking. Which Ah did end up taking after muh powers manifested."

"Ahh," Gambit said, navigating his way through the boxes to take a better look. "Well, now, dat was quite a long trip yo' had planned there."

"Uh huh," Rogue said as she sat on the side of the bed and pulled out the top drawer of her bedside table. "Ah'm sure it would have been much better if Ah hadn't needed ta resort ta scavenging for food."

Gambit shrugged. "Mebbe we can do it proper one day."

"That might be nice," Rogue said.

Ten or so minutes later, Owen arrived to inform them that lunch was ready. They headed downstairs into the dining room, where Priscilla was already seated at the table. Her eyes lit up when she saw her daughter, but a slight frown appeared when she saw Gambit.

"Hi Mama," Rogue said, walking around the table to greet her.

"Hi sweetheart," Priscilla said and then gestured to a nearby chair. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"Oh, sure."

Rogue said down, trying not to feel hurt that neither parent had wanted to give her a hug or anything. She couldn't reasonably expect them to throw off all their fears of her mutation in one fell swoop, could she?

"This is Remy," Rogue went on, gesturing towards Gambit.

"A pleasure t' meet yo', Mrs D'Ancanto," Gambit replied, joining them at the table.

"Likewise," Priscilla replied as Owen sat down as well.

"Lunch smells great," Rogue said, looking at the table and its plates of chicken and salad.

"Thank you."

Aside from things like "can you pass the salad?" and "may I have the butter when you're done?" very little was said while they filled their plates with food. Rogue discreetly avoided using her left hand as much as possible, not wanting her parents to find out about the engagement by noticing her ring. She had imagined telling her parents straight away, but things just felt so awkward right now it didn't seem like the right moment had arrived yet.

"So, Marie," said Priscilla. "Just what have you been doing with yourself at this...mutant school?"

"Ah'm the school mechanic and autoshop teacher," Rogue replied. "Remy teaches as well; cooking and, uhh, self defence."

"Oh? You can cook, can you?" Priscilla asked.

"I have the dubious privilege o' being the best chef in the house," Gambit replied. "Unfortunately, this means I usually get stuck cooking on holidays."

"Best chef in the house," Rogue repeated. "Only person even resembling a chef more like it."

"There are other cooks who can pull off a decent meal," Gambit said.

"Only 'cause ya taught 'em how."

"Well, I didn't teach your Mama," Gambit said, picking up a piece chicken with his fork. "And might I say, this chicken is divine."

"Thank you," Priscilla replied politely.

"Your mother tells me that you've gotten this death touch of yours under control," Owen said, cutting up his food as he spoke.

"Funny, calling it a death touch," Rogue said, trying not to sound cross. "Ah've never actually killed anyone with it. And yes, Ah do have it under control now. Just got full control last year. Remy was the one who helped me figure things out and practiced with me."

Owen glanced over at Gambit.

"Oh?" he said tersely. "You two are close then?"

Rogue took a deep breath. This was it.

"You might say that," she said. "We're engaged."

Dead silence.

Owen and Priscilla looked at each other.

"You have got to be kidding me," Owen muttered under his breath, so low that Gambit only just caught it, and Rogue didn't hear it at all.

"Engaged," Priscilla repeated, looked at Gambit, then back at Rogue. "Uhh, Marie, honey, don't you think that Remy's just a little old for you? No offence, Remy, Ah'm sure that you're a good man..."

"None taken," Gambit replied smoothly. "We get that a lot, actually."

"It's only seventeen years," said Rogue, trying to brush it off. "Ah just don't think that age matters when ya really love each other."

"Of course not," Priscilla said tersely.

Another awkward silence fell, and then an idea occurred to Rogue:

"Oh!" she exclaimed, and went on quickly, trying to reassure her mother: "Ah know we said that Remy's a teacher at the school, but he was never muh teacher. We didn't meet until after we found out that the Cure was wearing off, and that was after Ah graduated. There was never any illicit teacher/student love affair."

"Good to know," Priscilla said.

"So what did you do prior to teaching at Marie's school?" Owen asked, giving Gambit a hard look.

"Freelancer," Gambit replied.

"I see," Owen said, clearly unimpressed.

"We're getting married in June. You will come...right?" Rogue asked, looking anxiously between her parents. "It would mean so much ta me if y'all could be there, and Daddy, Ah'd really like for you ta walk me down the aisle..."

"I'm sure we can arrange something," Owen replied, and Gambit immediately distrusted his tone, sensing the man had zero interest in doing any such thing.

"Ahem, so..." Priscilla said, with a determined cheerfulness. "Marie, Ah was curious about something. You see, we've been hearing all about Warren Worthington's 'houses for the homeless', project. The one where mutants are getting involved?"

Rogue face lit up. Maybe Warren's project was working and that was what inspired her parents to try and patch things up!

"Yeah, Remy and Ah have been involved with that," she said eagerly. "It has been so rewarding. Y'all have no idea; the looks on the faces of these families when they get the keys to their own house. There are times when it feels like the work is never going ta end, and ya decide that ya never want ta do this again. But then ya reach that moment when it's all done and ya can't wait ta build the next one."

"Well, Ah'm glad you're getting so involved in your community," Priscilla replied. "It's certainly been interesting for us, hearing the different stories, and actually seeing everyone at work. There are certainly some...unusual mutations out there."

"Yeah, but it's been nice working together, putting aside our differences and doing something that'll change the lives of others for the better," Rogue said with a decisive nod.

"Ah'm sure it has," Priscilla said. "What Ah'm curious about though, is that we've seen a woman who looks just like you, but she was flying and lifting up walls."

"Oh, that was me. Muh mutation isn't a death touch," Rogue said, with a frown towards her father. "Yeah Ah do put people inta comas, but those times are actually exceptions, not the rule. Usually it just makes 'em dizzy. Anyway, the point is, when Ah absorb mutants, Ah get ta borrow their powers. And it happens that Ah've imprinted super-strength, flight and invulnerability permanently."

Priscilla and Owen looked at each other.

"It's a long story," Rogue added, having no interest in recounting the story of Carol Danvers and Genosha. "But the extra powers have come in very useful along the way."

"Like with building houses," Owen said with an edge to his voice.

"Amongst other things," Rogue replied.

"Ah imagine you know Warren well then?" Priscilla asked.

The question sounded casual, but on top of all his other observations of Rogue's parents, it was the last piece of the puzzle Gambit needed. He had a sinking suspicion he knew what was really going on here.

"Yeah, pretty well," Rogue said, reaching for her glass. "We see him more than we used ta since he got his New York office. It's a little hard ta stay in good contact with someone when they live on the other side of the country, although, he does have pretty impressive flying speed. Sometimes he, Storm and Ah go flying together."

"Sounds like fun," Priscilla said.

"It is," Rogue said with a nod. "We haven't gone for awhile though. Warren's been busy with work and his charity projects, and of course, Ah've been busy with the wedding. Plus, there's this stupid rumour that's been going around ever since this Masquerade Ball the Worthington's held last year that Warren and Ah are dating, so we've been trying ta avoid being seen with each other. Of course, we're most likely ta get seen together building houses and that's when the cameras are usually around but..."

Rogue trailed off, seeing her parents look at each other again, and she realised what she just said.

"Oh..." Rogue said slowly. "Y'all probably heard that rumour too."

"Well, we did," Priscilla said slowly, not looking at Rogue. "We weren't sure if it was you, though, sugah. It looked like you, but we didn't think those were your powers."

Rogue pressed her lips together and stared hard at her mother and father in turn. Gambit quietly put down his knife and fork.

"That's what this is really about, isn't it?" Rogue said, looking right at Owen. "You thought Ah was dating Warren. You thought Ah was dating a millionaire and so y'all thought you could just...worm your way back into muh life for the opportunity ta mooch some cash."

"We really have missed you, Marie," Priscilla said hurriedly, while Owen just looked stonily back at Rogue without saying a word.

"Really," Rogue said, her growing upset and anger tingeing her voice. "This isn't about money then? Y'all really do want ta patch things up? You're honestly trying ta get over your fear of muh mutation?"

"Ah'm sure you can understand why your death touch—" Priscilla began.

"It's not a death touch!" Rogue screeched at her. "Ah can't believe this! Ah should have known it was too good ta be true. Ah was getting married ta the man Ah love more than anyone in the world, and muh parents wanted to reconcile. Ah was really looking forward ta y'all being there, and Daddy walkin' me down the aisle—hell, what am Ah saying? You probably can't wait ta give me away for good!"

"Simmer down, Marie," Owen said firmly. "This is no place for your hysterics."

"Hysterics!" Rogue yelled, standing up so fast, her chair fell down behind her. "Ah'll show you hysterics—"

"Roguey-chère," Gambit cut in, reaching into one of the inside pockets of his coat. "There's an easy way t' resolve this, if I may?"

"Do whatever the hell you want," Rogue snapped, her eyes flashing angrily as she clenched her fists by her sides, trying to resist the urge to smash things.

"I'm so glad you said that," Gambit said languidly as he pulled out his cheque book. "So, Mr D'Ancanto, would yo' happen t' be a gambling man at all?"

"No," Owen replied, his eyes on the cheque book.

"Well, yo' are t'day," Gambit replied. "I am going t' write yo' a cheque. If yo' accept this cheque, den yo' and your dear wife agree never t' contact Rogue—Marie—ever again, and t' stay out o' her life from here on in."

Rogue drew in her breath sharply and stared at Gambit as he calmly wrote up a cheque.

"Remy..." she hissed in shock.

"This is your parents' chance t' reveal their true intentions, no?" Gambit said coolly. "Either dey really were only after money, in which case dey'll get it a lot faster dan if dey had t' waste time schmoozing wit' yo' and, ahem, Warren. Or dey actually want t' patch things up wit' yo', in which case, no amount o' money would keep dem away."

Rogue swallowed hard and didn't dare look at her parents.

"Ah really don't think that this is appropriate," Priscilla said tentatively.

"How much?" Owen asked.

"Daddy," Rogue said plaintively, feeling like her heart was breaking.

"Dat would be the gambling part," Gambit said coldly, lifting his head and meeting Owen's eyes. "It could be in the hundreds, the thousands...it could be fifty cents."

There was silence as Gambit finished writing the cheque and set it aside. He kept the cover of the cheque book closed so that Owen couldn't see what was written.

"Come on," Gambit said, keeping his expression bland just like he would in a game of poker. "If yo' really have a problem with Rogue's mutation den any amount—even fifty cents—has gotta be worth the guarantee dat you'll never see her again. On the other hand, if this wasn't all a farce, if yo' really do care about Rogue, den not even a cheque for a million dollars could keep yo' away."

"You're a teacher," Owen sneered as Gambit pulled out a deck of cards. "You don't have that kind of money. You're just throwing numbers around."

"Yeah? I don't believe I actually told yo' what I did as a freelancer," Gambit replied slyly, springing the cards from hand to hand with practised ease as he leaned back in his chair. "I also happen t' be very, very good at poker."

Owen watched as the deck of cards sprang back to Gambit's other hand.

"How do Ah know the cheque'll even clear?" he demanded.

Rogue turned away from the table and leaned against the wall.

"Owen," Priscilla said after a glance towards Rogue.

"It'll clear," Gambit said. "If it doesn't, yo' might decide t' contact Rogue, and I plan t' make sure dat yo' never hurt her again."

As if to emphasise the point, Gambit stopped springing the deck of cards and took up a solitary card between his fingers. He charged up the card and Priscilla gave a little scream as his eyes changed from brown-on-white to red-on-black. Owen's jaw stiffened.

Gambit removed the charge from the card and went back to springing the deck between his fingers as if nothing had happened. He kept his eyes locked with Owen's.

"Owen," Priscilla said, her voice sounding a lot more scared and nervous than it had before. "Ah think... Ah think we should..."

"We'll take it," Owen said.

Rogue choked out a sob as Gambit put the deck of cards back together and removed the cheque from the book. He stood as he held the cheque out to Owen and put the book and his cards back into his pockets.

"If yo' ever contact Rogue again, even so much as a birthday card," Gambit said with a voice of icy-menace, "I will come back fo' every last cent."

"Oh don't worry, we won't," Owen replied, practically snatching the cheque from Gambit's fingers.

Gambit turned from him and slipped his hands around Rogue's waist.

"Come, ma chère," he said as Owen gaped at the one million dollar cheque. "Let's go."

Rogue couldn't seem to stop the tears from coming as Gambit led her away.