Remy was ready to scream aloud by the time he had staggered back into his house. Rogue gone. Gone. How, he wondered, could he be so foolish as to let himself believe that Rogue would never discover his 'secret'?

Not that it was a secret anymore. Now that the truth was already known to her, she would undoubtedly never forgive him. What was it she had told him? May our paths never cross again.

Remy swore aloud as he half-tripped over his stick the second time that day. Cursed stick! If only it had not been lying across the floor, he would never have tripped, and he would have been able to enjoy Rogue's company longer.

And what, then, of his father? he wondered. Jean-Luc still needed saving, that much was clear. As long as he remained captive, it would most certainly fall to him to find a way out of that mess. But, how would he do it without Rogue? The plans he had drawn up could only work if they worked together, as pair. Not individually; there was no way one person could tackle it alone.

By all that was in him, this was worse than any torture! He wanted so badly to concentrate of thinking of a new plan to save his father, but images of Rogue kept coming and coming back at him against his will. He didn't want to think of her; Remy did not believe in regretting the past too heavily when there was a future to look forward to. But, despite his best efforts, he found himself unable to think of anything but her.

Why should she have been any different, though? Remy struggled to find out. She was certainly not an incredibly lovely woman to look at physically, and was most definitely not the kind of girl who bore that certain sweet, seductive nature that always somehow drew men to her, like bees to honey.

Why, then, was he so attracted to her?

Remy LeBeau, don't forget your father still is a prisoner! How about actually saving him first before you think about your own personal matters?

He hated to admit it, but that little voice of conscience nagging him was only too right.

Marching back tiredly to the table, he heavily seated himself on a chair, and hunched over his plans, neatly written out. All for nothing now.

And then Rogue was standing right there before him again, smiling in a half-tender, half-teasing manner, so that Remy's heart skipped at least three beats.

"Oh, stop it," he muttered with annoyance, giving the side of his temple a mild hit. "She isn't it here anymore! Just get her out of my mind!"

Did he love her? Remy certainly did not know. Love, he had decided a long time ago, would always be a stranger to him. He had never cared for it, and nobody, anyway, would probably bother to give it to him.

Then Rogue had come along and set his heart on fire, so that he could now hardly cease dreaming of her. How many times now, had he lain awake in his bed at night, allowing himself to conjure up images of her, time and time again? It was not common knowledge to Rogue yet that Remy, in the past, had actually entered her room several times at night just to see her lying peacefully on her bed, fast asleep.

"Come on, come on," he muttered to himself. "Concentrate on this first! This should be a priority for now, not Rogue! She's gone! Just accept that for once!"

He idly dawdled about with his pencil, staring at the papers and seeing nothing but images of Rogue.

Angry, frustrated at his inability to concentrate, Remy flung the pencil down onto the floor, crumpling up the plans. There was just no point in this. As long as he remembered Rogue, it would be impossible to think of anything else, let alone draw up a new plan.

It would be best for him just to take his chances with the gang soon, along or not. In the meantime, it would probably be better for him just to rest and recuperate and make himself accept the fact that he might never see Rogue again.

Goodbye, mes chers.

Apologies for the delay, guys!!! Ah well...

OK, I'm really sorry to have to say this, but I seriously have to put this story on hiatus for now. I've got way too many committments for now to be able to write more for some time. Just gimme until the end of next month, or early December, and I should be able to put up the next chappie, I promise. Please don't be too mad; I really didn't plan for this to happen. For now, just be patient please, and REVIEW!!! Thank you!