Hi lovely readers!! I want to apologize for my lack of updates but I'm working on my thesis -which is proving to be harder than I ever imagined- and leaves me less time than I'd like for my fics... However, here I'm for now updating this one. I really want to thank you all who had kindly reviewed, read and added this to your alert/favorite list, if I'm here is partly because of you all!! hope you like it! R&R

A/N: italics are for thoughts and french words.

Disclaimer: X-men and it's evo version belong to Marvel!

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Chapter 4.

About a month later, Rogue was finally discharged from the med-bay in a quite satisfactory condition and with no further complications; that was Hank said. At least in the surface, was what Rogue keep telling to herself. It was someway pleasant that nobody noticed how she was truly feeling, yet disagreeable, since it just showed how much she had grown apart from those who she once called friends and family.

She didn't blame them, though. A few of them like Kitty and Kurt had tried to spent time with her during her recovery. One day, Kitty even visited her with a strawberry Ben&Jerry's pint and asked Scott to plug in her DVD player on the med-bay for them to watch a movie, but Rogue was so absent-minded, her thoughts were miles away in some kind of introspective world that was all her own. The conversation had run out and the ice cream had melted, and after that Kitty's visits became more sporadic. So, here she was now, isolated in her room with the excuse of being tired.

It was a sunny Sunday and Logan has just given the kids the day off, so the entire group decided to make a BBQ pool party to celebrate Jean's upcoming birthday. However, Rogue wasn't so enthusiastic on joining them on their so-called fun and despite how Hank tried to convince her mentioning how she was fully recovered, Rogue stayed in her room and curled up on her window sea, watching from a distance.

Looking through the window Rogue watched as her teammates enjoyed the sunny summer afternoon by the pool. The sun warmly touching their bare skins and the rumors of voices and laughs that reached her room made her reconsider her only feasible option, to leave again. They seemed to be ok without her and -what the heck- she would be better without them too... this had just been a stumble, not a fatal fall. She left before and she could do it again, maybe she wasn't X-men material after all.

She wasn't in the mood of socializing, nor to cope with all her 'dressed in bathing suits' teammates. Rogue had per se always been a lonely girl, weighed down by the potential of her mutancy and her incapability to control it. Now, after the New York incident all those fears were torturing her again, the constant concern of draining people's strength and life haunted her, thus she preferred to stay away.

Besides, things were the same here. Scott was still the pretentious leader, always wanting to have the last word. Jean was the female leader and Scott's pretty fiancée. Logan was the solitary, brave and impulsive rough man, Xavier's right hand and Ororo was the wise woman by his side. Kurt was probably a little more mature now, more comfortable with his look and finally over Kitty. Kitty still was the sweet and cute X-member, with her girly manners and a desire of helping people; a truly believer of Xavier's preaches, she'd even mentioned lately her wish to become a politician. Then there was Tabby always wanting to be the center of attention, and as Rogue could notice she has got her eye on that tall and slender, well built new member. Gambit, the Cajun thief Rogue had heard about and who was now staring back at her. Rogue immediately pulled the curtains, but couldn't resist the feeling to take a quick look outside one more time. When she finally did it, he was standing right below her window, looking back at her with a smile in his face that intrigued her, suddenly she found herself unable to turn around and smiled back at him before disappearing behind the peach colored curtains.

"C'mon chère... smile pour moi." He said as he stared at her with that almost devilish smile across his face. "I knew you couldn't be dat unreachable... You're a très belle femme Rogue, mais a femme after all, and no femme could resist Remy LeBeau."

Walking back inside the house, Remy went to the library, one of her favorite places. After days of watching her in silence he had learned her moves and times. Like the well trained thief he was, Remy found more about Rogue in a couple of days than her own friends and teammates had in years. She enjoyed reading in solitude, but more because the pleasure of it than for her loner manners. Frequently Remy watched as Rogue closed her eyes and stayed like that for a while before returning to her book, he could swear she was picturing herself as the heroine from whatever novel she was reading. Sometimes he even caught her running her gloved fingers over her face and neck just to open her eyes and let out a sigh. The first time he saw her doing that he couldn't help but feel sorry for her, a life without the possibility to enjoy another human touch must be devastating. However he wasn't here to feel anything for her, not even pity, he was here to make her pay for what she did... he was here to make her pay for his brother death.

"Bonjour petite," Remy said once Rogue entered the library. Her eyes widened when he offered her his hand, he was clearly ignoring her reluctance to make any kind of contact. She froze when he grabbed her hand in his and shook it lightly. Oh sweet Lord he was enjoying her fear and disconcert. "I believe we haven' been introduced properly yet... je m'appelle Remy," He said with a thick Cajun accent, raising his gaze and gaving her a confident warm smile, the kind of smile that could make you stop a second and forget anything on your mind. "Remy LeBeau..."

"Mah name is... Ah- Ah'm Rogue." The girl said still in shock, tucking a lock of white hair behind her ear.

"Rogue," Remy said without losing his grip on her hand, on the contrary squeezing it a little. "Nice to meet y' ma belle... alors, I believe dis may call for a proper introduction, hein?" He smirked at her blush.

"An- and..." Rogue cursed herself for her sudden stutter and inability to find not just the right, but ANY words to say. "What are yah doin here? Ah mean with the big party outside and all."

"Dat's not mon kind of party," he said with a chuckle. "Besides..." he added almost in a whisper. "I'd rather be inside... de view is so much better." He said pulling her a little closer to him and fixing his red on black eyes on her emerald ones.

Rogue got lost on those bright velvety crimson eyes unable to move or say anything. Remy on the other hand, was entranced in hers, drowning on those pools of emerald deep and tempestuous as the sea. He could feel the warmth of her body through her gloves and his empathy allowed him to noticed the rush of emotions his touch was provoking in her. Against all his will he couldn't break the contact. It seemed as if the time had stopped and the only thing that mattered was the beautiful girl in front of him, but what annoyed him the most was how much he was enjoying the moment.

"Eh bien," Remy finally managed to say. "I guess I'll see y' around Roguey." And with that he released her hand and walked away, leaving a perplexed and confused Rogue standing in the middle of the library.

Quite startled himself, Remy went straight to his room, feeling somehow guilty. He owned his brother this and he wasn't' going to ruin it because of some stupid boyish attraction, she was just another girl for God's sake! He decided to take a cold shower to calm down and went into the bathroom.

It had been a while since he looked carefully at his own reflection and he noticed that he had lost wait. He then realized that lately his clothes had been feeling looser, a fact he had not given importance until now, shocked by his reflection. Remy closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh as his brother's name escaped his lips, after all this time he had not mourned him once. Focused on his revenge he had almost forgotten about his sister in law and his coming nephew.

"I can do dis Henri, je sais que je peux..." (I know I can) Remy said as the red eyes in the mirror stared back at him and his hand traveled along his bare chest, passing a finger over his multiples scars, reminders of the times when he was unable to control his powers… just like the green eyed girl. "Merde!" Remy cursed, slamming his fists against the sink. As much as he tried, his thoughts seemed to go right back to her. And he hated her for that; he hated him for that...

Remy stroke his hair and stepped forward into the shower. Maybe this was what going insane felt like, he thought smiling. He shuddered as he felt the cold water running down his body, his muscles tightened before his body relaxed again.

Stepping out of the shower, Remy pulled a towel off the rack and wrapped it against his body. Once back in his room, he quickly moved to his drawers and threw some clean clothes on, a pair of ripped jeans and a white t-shirt. Dressed, relaxed and with his mind calmed he stepped into his balcony and sat on the stone rail.

Lighting up a cigarette, Remy noticed Rogue walking through the surrounding lawns. The light breeze swept her auburn hair and white locks dangled around her face despite how much she tried to keep them behind her ear. Taking a long drag and exhaling the puff out of his mouth, Remy's gaze followed the southern beauty. As he threw his cigarette butt away a broad grin spread across his face. Oh yes, he loved challenges and he was probably standing right before the biggest one of his life. And one thing was for sure; Remy LeBeau was a gambler who never lost.

"Y're gonna be mine chère… y're gonna pay for what y' did." Remy said as his eyes sparkled with rage. "I'll make y' fell in love with me… I'll make y'r life a misery."

XX

Oh what's on your mind Remy... you mean, mean boy!! You've no idea the girl you're about to know... tun-tun-tun-tuuuuun LOL!!

Don't forget to tell me what do you think about it, so please drop me a review, you know you want to!!! I'm always trying to improve my English so forgive me for any mistakes here...

take care you all
~pennylane~