Present Day- A Phone Conversation

Had she really just picked up the phone and heard that Cajun smooth voice that made her knees go weak or was it just a figment of her imagination?

"Y' dere chere?" his voice rang back, pulling her back from her reverie, from the thoughts that this couldn't really be real, it just couldn't.

"Remy is that ya?" her voice was barely a whisper her disbelief dripping from every word.

Remy took another drag from his cigarette as he leaned against the banister of the porch at the Lebeau mansion. Her voice, her Southern twang, it was enough to send that rush in his blood and make his teeth clench. It was almost overwhelming.

"Oui Anna Marie its moi," he tried to keep his voice even despite the need for this conversation to end, despite the need for this conversation to lead somewhere better.

"Wh-what's goin' on?" Rogue's voice was straining not crack, she fought back the tears that had already been spilling and were threatening to storm forward. Where were Kitty and Storm when she needed them?

She curled up into a small ball, her knees pressed firmly against her chest and she desperately tried to meld the phone to her ear just to hear the response that seemed to be taking an achingly long time for him to make.

"I jus, I needed ta talk to y'. Needed ta hear y' voice I guess," he knew he sounded like some lovesick teenage boy, but hadn't she shown him that that was exactly what he was, nothing more than a teenage boy in her arms.

Rogue was overwhelmed by his words. Was this time, was their prior chance meeting really eating away at him as badly as it was at her? Did he share the horrible pain she felt at being separated from him?

"How did ya get this number?" her voice was acid. She had to protect herself. Surely this was a trap, a trick, another way for her to get hurt. She had lost him once; she wouldn't risk having him back just to lose him again.

Remy smiled to himself. His chere always was a skeptical one; it brought back so many memories. He took another drag off of his cigarette before rubbing the butt end into the wood of the banister.

"Petite y' know how I got dis number so why are y' even askin?" his voice was filled with that cockiness, that ease of blunt answers that she had always marveled at.

"Does the guild honor any rights ta privacy?" Rogue asked listening for the scoff and chuckling softly when she heard the warmth of his breath washing over the phone. It was enough to send a smile straight to her lips. Was this really happening? Was she really smiling, feeding into the fantasy of this little conversation?

"De guild doesn't honor any rights 'sides deir own. Thought dat you would 'ave known dat by now chere," Remy chuckled over the line.

It was as if the past five years had never happened, as if they weren't living separate lives. But they were. As if on cue there was long silence. Rogue shifted on the bed. This was wrong, this wasn't supposed to be happening. They had both moved on. Couldn't she just feel his warmth just one last time? Remy stood up straight, turning to lean his back on the banister letting out a deep breath. Couldn't he just have her in his arms for one more night?

"So why did ya call?" Rogue's words were quiet and weighty. They both knew this was the question neither wanted to answer. This house of cards they built so carefully over the past few minutes could so easily come crashing down if they weren't careful, if this response wasn't what either expected.

They should have known that's exactly what it would be.

"I wanted ta know if y' would come wit me ta lunch. I really wanna talk ta y' mais not over de phone," Remy's words were filled with that serious timbre. The one Rogue knew to be the truth despite the fact that she couldn't see the red flourish that passed through his eyes.

There was another long silence. He could hear her breathing, if he hadn't he would have resigned to the fact that she no longer wanted him, that this conversation was for nothing. But he knew deep down that things between them weren't finished, could never be finished. He loved her, would always love her.

Five Years Prior

It had been weeks since her birthday and the crimson eyed thief that had inhabited her home was gone. She should have seen it coming, should have known they would make him leave. But she just wished it wouldn't have been so soon.

Rogue was lying down on her bed staring straight up at her ceiling counting the popcorn like structures that clung to it. It was a little past midnight, three weeks since her sixteenth birthday and she was horribly lonely.

The day after her escapade at the beach (that's what her parents had deemed it) Gambit was thrown out of her house. Her parents had said that it was ridiculous that he stay with them any longer if his father had a mansion of his own not very far from the Darkholme- Lensherr's.

On top of that, John and him had had a falling out. John had it set in his mind that Gambit had left him to rot on the beach and Gambit said nothing to contradict him. The boy just sat and took everything everyone dished out to him in stride.

He had been leaning lazily against the wall, shirtless once more, a pair of jeans hugging his hips perfectly. Rogue remembered sitting in the living room, her knees pressed to her chest as she watched him flip through a deck of cards only looking up into the eyes of Raven and Erik Darkholme-Lensherr when he wanted to.

He walked out of the house with an Erik Darkholme- Lensherr screaming after him but not before passing Rogue a simple note.

Don't ever let them tell or make you feel like you aren't worth it. You are. I'll keep in touch, just might take a while. Don't let 'em get to ya. We'll talk soon cherie. Don't forget about moi.

Yours Truly,

Remy Lebeau

Rogue clutched the note to her chest as she counted popcorn ceiling particles and thought of Remy Lebeau, of her Gambit. He had been the only thing getting her though the long summer days filled with nothingness. She would have been lying if she said the note hadn't given her hope. After all it meant he cared enough to reassure her. That was something.

She waited for the signal. It was something they both had to agree on. Something that was inconspicuous and would be unheard. She knew he could maneuver well enough past the security cameras and motion detectors but it was this signal that was the most dangerous. If anyone else in the house got any inclination foul play was at hand they would be caught and there would be little else the pair could do to weasel their way out of trouble.

She waited and waited and waited. It was five past midnight. He was hardly ever late. Hardly ever this late. He was usually early if anything. Had he been caught? Had something happened? She sat up nervously in her bed staring out her window, staring at the bush and waiting for the tell tale sign.

She glanced down at the clock on her nightstand as it flashed 12:08 in bright red digital lights. She bit her bottom lip nervously as she fiddled with the note in her hand. There was a light tapping on her window pane and then the bush began to shift slightly to one side and then the next.

Her heart leapt as she rushed to grab her bag and wrenched open the window. She flew out into the bush without any qualms landing on a rather squishy and firm thorn. She opened her eyes to see his crimson flames laughing back at her, his face mere inches from hers.

"Miss me cherie," he whispered into her ear, as her arms snaked around his neck and she clutched him closer to her body.

"Ya're late Swamp Rat," Rogue whispered furiously. "Ah thought ya weren't gonna come."

Remy pushed up onto his elbows and arched his eyebrows at Rogue.

"Y' really t'ink I was gonna stand y' up. Y' wound me mon sweet River Rat," he grinned back at her when she stuck her tongue out at his term of endearment. "Bes' be on our way, chere. Don't wanna chance gettin' caught, now do we?"

Rogue nodded her head as she shrugged her bag back around her shoulder. They tiptoed out of the bushes and through the side pathway before hopping the fence. Remy turned to her and pulled her hips over the bars of the gate smiling at the touch, she rolled her eyes at him.

They had been planning this for three weeks. Tonight was the last night that Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr would be living in the same house as her biological family. Tonight was the last night she would have to deal with the feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness and loneliness and pain. Tonight was the night she was free.

The day after Gambit had departed from the mansion Rogue received an anonymous text message on her cell phone from a number she was unfamiliar with. It was simple but she knew immediately that it was Gambit.

Meet me at midnight at the park outside of town.

Using her skills of stealthy sneakery Rogue had managed to leave the house that night without being detected and to her excitement be greeted in the darkness by a demon eyed young man. He pulled his arms around her waist and nestled his jaw into the side of her neck. Rogue exhaled.

They had spent the whole night together at that first meeting, not returning to her home until the early morning when the sun was just glimmering above the horizon. That night was when they first had the idea, laying on the cool grass staring at the summer sky together.

"Ah can't stand bein' there anymore," she whispered to him, snuggling deeper into his trench, his arms wrapping ever tighter around her.

His hand brushed her cheek. "Den do somet'ing about it."

Rogue turned over to face him and met his crimson orbs in the dark. His face was serious and hardened with concern as if he wished he could say something but was unable to, was restraining himself. She furrowed her brow and opened her mouth as if to respond he put his thumb over her lips to silence her.

"If dey can't make y' happy. If dey don't treat y' right, don't go back. I can't stand to see y' hurt anymore. I've seen it fo' as long as I've known y' and John and I could only ignore it fo' so long. Don't go back," his words washed over her face as she inhaled his spice scent.

Rogue's emeralds searched his eyes. She didn't understand. It wasn't that easy. It just couldn't be. Unless…

"Where would Ah go?"

He knew she would ask the question. He had the response ready. But the real question was, was she ready? Could she handle what he told her next? Were they ready for this yet? Rogue was hoping for the response. She wanted the words to be said but was fearful of them. What would it mean?

"We'd jus' leave. Get outta here and live, de way we want to. Wit'out dem, wit'out de false love and de faux gestures. We'd be together. Dat's all dat matters," he stared into her eyes as he said the words, scared that he would lose conviction if he didn't.

Gambit was unsure of when it had happened. If it was after that night at the beach or before or if he had always felt that way but he had fallen in love with Rogue. He knew deep down that he had always felt protective of her, he had chocked it up to being an older brother type at first but he knew now it wasn't true. He loved her. He would protect.

Rogue's lips fell upon his and for a moment they were lost in the bliss of their kiss. His hand cradled her to him and finally they broke for breath, Rogue's head nestled on his chest, her arm wrapped across his torso as they laid beneath his trench. He gently stroked her hair as they both stared up at the stars.

"Gambit?" Rogue's voice was meek and quiet and she was staring down at their feet as they playfully rubbed against one another.

Remy looked down at her, "Yeah Roguey?"

"Ah'm scared."

He knew she meant about everything. Not just leaving, not just their relationship, but about going back home, about all the little complications that just seemed to get in the way of everything. He kissed her forehead.

"I know…I know."
So as they finally sauntered down Rogue's street and she turned for the last time to look upon the place she had called home. It was a poor definition. It was a placed she resided at. It was a prison. Nothing more. Remy gazed at her from the corner of the street. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and then proceeded towards Gambit's car.

Around the next corner Gambit had parked his truck. It was more practical for moving and Rogue smiled as she looked at the cherry red Ford pick-up that reminded her that he was a down home Southern boy. Gambit took her bag and placed it in the bed of the truck with his things and opened the door for her.

Rogue didn't want to admit the twinge of regret that washed over her as she sat in the truck waiting for Gambit to take the driver's seat. She turned once more looking over her shoulder at the familiar street. This wasn't her home. Home was where the heart was, right? So where was her home?

The truck started up with a roar and Gambit pulled away from the curb leaving behind the one place he felt like he belonged. It didn't matter. He was protecting the one thing that mattered to him now and that's all he cared about. He stared at Rogue for a moment taking in her posture as she watched the neighborhood disappear into fast moving dark masses outside of her window. There was a distinct tear hanging from her emeralds.

The drive was silent. When they reached the limits of the city and kept going it was still extremely dark. Rogue curled up next to Gambit, her head resting on his shoulder as he drove the deserted highway. They were leaving everything behind. But it was worth it. He cared. They didn't. They didn't deserve her. And he cared. She would leave for him, because he would do it for her. She loved him. She hoped he loved her.

No words were spoken. None needed to be said. The horizon was all that they were trying to capture. The pick-up roared toward the impossible line. Remy's hand found Anna Marie's and for a moment both could breathe. This was all they needed.