AN: Hey guys, not much to say for this chapter. I just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews. Also, I noticed that almost all of them had the same recurring theme that I wanted to address:

The Romy is almost here! lol.

Be patient my lovies, rushing into a relationship never makes the ride as fun! That said, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

The only thing keeping him company on the roof tonight is the swirling smoke of his cigarette and a head full of unanswered questions. The most predominant of them being

What de hell was dat?

No, really. What the hell was that?

Everything was going fine between him and Rogue. It seemed that she had been able to move forward, leaving whatever it was between them (sexual tension, he would say) in the past. She didn't freak when she saw him and Amara part ways, she had been perfectly fine during their car ride to and from the diner. They even shared pleasant conversation at the diner.

Again,

what the hell was that?

It was as though as soon as she had gotten out of the car with him and saw what he now knew as Bobby's car, a tidal wave of guilt washed over her. He knew that he'd struck a nerve the other day when he told her she wasn't exactly the definition of a faithful girlfriend, but he never knew that the mere kisses that had taken place what seemed like ages ago were still affecting her self-conscience in such a way.

He's barely snuffed out his cigarette before he's lighting another one, his nerves are all kinds of worked up and in need of some kind of relief.

Fact: She regretted giving into temptation at the fundraiser.

Fact: She was in love with Bobby.

Fact: She felt guilty for kissing Remy behind Bobby's back because she's a good person.

He wishes he was a good guy. He's not. He's a very, very bad guy.

That's why he's still thinking about how it felt to hold her while she cried. His body tingles at the memory of her burying her face in his chest and her arms around his waist. Only a bad guy would enjoy having her body pressed against him while she's seeking comfort because of the guilt she feels for the very same reason.

While he's on the tangent of how he's not a good person, the answer he was looking for finally dawns on him. He doesn't know what the hell that was

he doesn't know what that was because he's never felt guilt for lying, for cheating.

Because he's not a good guy. He's never been, and may never be a good guy.

"Ah'll talk tah yah later…" She mumbles after she finally composes herself enough to stop crying. He's not sure what to do, what to say, so instead he nods dumbly while she walks away.

He doesn't want to admit it, but he had hoped she would come up to the roof tonight. While it obviously wasn't a logical hope, considering the state she'd been in, he had hoped they really would talk later.

She's not coming.

"Remy?"

He turns towards the delicate voice knowing full well who it is before his eyes fall upon the blonde hair pulled into an intricate twist; the blue eyes that are looking at him with a hope of disbelief.

She hopes that she can believe the lies that come from his mouth. Because believing a lie would be better than admitting the truth: he was sleeping around.

"Belle," her name comes out in a well practiced purr. This is a scenario he's lived a hundred times, each time easier than the last. You tell them pretty words, feed them pretty stories and they somehow seem to forget (ignore) that you were in fact flirting with the girl she caught you talking to.

You give them pretty lies so that they will believe you weren't trying to talk the pretty face into inviting you into their bed.

"Who was she, cher?" He watches her eyes trail over to the now empty seat beside him where the girl (Lacey? Lexi?) had been sitting. He wonders for a moment if that girl is going to make it home safe or if Belladonna has already made a call.

It wouldn't surprise him.

He shrugs nonchalantly. "De fille was askin' 'bout de city. She on vacation." The lie twists itself so easily he thinks he might even believe himself as he lights a cigarette, inhales the good cancer and exhales it with a sly grin. "Why? Y' worried Belle?"

He's off his stool now, leaning against the bar and giving her his best seductive look. His free hand braces her hip, his thumb rubbing circles there before he leans forward, close to her face. "Y' know Remy love only you, chere."

He's so close she can taste the bourbon and cigarettes from his breath as her eyes search his, wanting to believe him. "I know, Remy."

She doesn't know

she doesn't know that he loves her. What she does know is that he's her betrothed.

Those girls may get him for a night, but she'll get him forever. That's good enough for her.

Rogue had skipped dinner tonight, still full from her late lunch and not wanting to face everyone after her friends saw her in the state she'd been in. Instead, after her and Bobby parted ways she'd gone to her room and crawled under the covers.

She was still there.

The breakup had gone as smoothly as it could have. She and Bobby had finally come to terms with something they should have realized a long time ago: they weren't in love. They loved each other, sure, but that wasn't the same. Bobby's heart had belonged to someone else (whether Kitty knew it or not, Rogue wasn't sure anymore), and she had selfishly ignored the signs because she didn't want to lose the only boy who had ever made her feel special.

She didn't want to be alone.

It was clear to her now that the anger she'd previously felt towards Bobby for his relationship with Kitty was a way to justify holding onto him when her heart wasn't in it anymore either. No, ending it was right, fair.

He'd be able to move on with Kitty, if Kitty would have him.

And Rogue, she'd be able to…

she didn't know what she'd be able to do.

This brought up a whole new set of unsettling questions that she didn't have answers to. Like for instance,

what the hell was that?

In the midst of her revelation (breakdown?) in the garage, that she'd have to do right by Bobby by letting him go, she let Remy comfort her as she cried over the end of her relationship. He let her cry into his chest, and he had spoke soothing words into her ears; some in English and some in French. He told her to let it out, so she did. She let it out for twenty whole minutes.

And the thing is

the sick thing is

in the back of her mind, she enjoyed having his arms around her. In the back of her mind, she was glad that Amara was mad at him and that she and Bobby were coming to end. In the back of her mind she had hoped…

"Rogue?"

Kitty's voice pulls her out of her thoughts and after a moment of wondering why she hadn't heard the door she makes the obvious connection that her roommate doesn't need to open doors.

"You okay?" She feels her bed sink slightly, and finally turns to see the petite girl sitting at the end of her bed with a concerned expression. "I heard about what happened." Kitty won't meet her eyes as she adds for verification, "About Bobby."

She pushes the covers off her chest and straightens to sit up, facing her friend who has busied herself with memorizing the pattern of her bed set. The breakup happened hours ago, but she knows her eyes must still be red and puffy because the tears hadn't stopped even though she knew this was what she wanted; what he wanted.

"Do you like, wanna talk about it?"

She does.

She does want to talk about it, but she can't find the words. How could she possibly explain this to her, to Kitty, of all people? Her best friend, her roommate, the girl that Bobby had actually wanted but pushed away out of respect for Rogue.

Ah hopes it isn't too late for them. She thinks with a frown. It'd be a shame if they never got to have their fair try because she had taken so long in coming to terms with reality.

"Ah love Bobby, Kitty."

The suddenness of her statement draws Kitty's attention away from the pattern of Rogue's comforter and to Rogue's face instead. She's not sure if her face gives away the sudden sense of fear that she feels in the pit of her stomach. Did Rogue know? She couldn't know.

"Um, yeah?" Kitty stutters awkwardly, trying to fill the conversation.

"Yeah. Ah love Bobby, but ah'm not in love with Bobby." She sighs, looking at her gloved hands. "And Bobby ain't in love with me, eithah."

"Bobby totally loves you, Rogue." Kitty's eyebrows are pushed close together, trying to reassure her friend of the Bostonian's affections for her.

"Ah know Bobby loves me, Kit. But he ain't in love with me." She bites her lip, wondering if she should step in or let life take its own course. "He's in love with you."

A pause partnered with a shocked, guilty look.

"Oh."

Bobby grabbed a soda from the fridge before passing Logan who was on his way in while he was on his way out. He'd just gotten out a 'hey Logan', before the gruff mutant grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him with him, plopping a bewildered Bobby in one of the chairs.

Logan put one foot on the seat of another chair, leaning his elbow on the bent knee as he lit the cigar in his hand and brought it to his lips. "Spill it, icecube." He demanded calmly after letting out a puff of smoke.

It may have happened only just before dinner, but news travels fast in the mansion and Logan had exceptional hearing. Word was: Bobby and Rogue broke up. Seeing that Rogue hadn't showed up at dinner, he could only assume it wasn't exactly a clean break.

"Logan, I really don't think-"

"I didn't ask what you think, Drake. I asked you to tell me what happened." His voice was stern but not angry. After all, he wasn't Rogue's father. He was her friend, and as her friend he wanted to know exactly what kind of mess Bobby had left that he'd need to help Rogue clean up.

"We broke up."

"Well, no shit."

Bobby's face turned from bewilderment in the beginning to incredulousness by this point. "She broke up with me, Logan."

Well that wasn't what he was expecting.

"Did you cheat on 'er?"

"No." Bobby's voice was exasperated.

"Lie to 'er?"

"No!"

"…are you batting for the other team now?"

"Ok, now you're just being a jerk." Bobby said, getting up with an eye roll when Logan smirked at the last question. "We just mutually decided it wasn't going to work. It was completely amicable, I swear."

"Alright then. Sorry about that, kid." Logan shrugged indifferently as he put the cigar back in his mouth and watched Bobby exit the room shaking his head in slight amusement.

"Kit?" Rogue asked after the brunette didn't say anything else afterwards. "Kitty?"

"Are you… are you mad?"

Her eyebrows knit together, and she thought about it. She used to think she was mad. But now? Now it seemed silly to be mad over her best friend and her boyfriend falling for each other. Now she knew first hand that no matter how much you wish you could, you can't make your heart feel the way you want it to.

"No, ah'm not mad."

She watched relief wash over her friend and Kitty finally looked up to meet her eyes, the look of guilt still written across her face.

"I'd never, I mean, like, I wouldn't date him-"

"Kitty," Rogue interrupted her before she could even get her words straight, "it's okay. Ah know that it's definitely an… odd situation, but ah'm not, and won't be mad if yah and Bobby do end up dating."

It wasn't until Kitty lunged forward, wrapping Rogue in a hug (with complete disregard of the potential threat of their skin touching) with slight cries escaping her that Rogue realized that she had absolutely, without a doubt made the right decision in breaking up with Bobby.

It had never occurred to her

how much their outgrown romance had an effect on Kitty also.

It's with this knowledge, this appreciation for the kind of love that both Bobby and Kitty had for her, a love for her that ran deep enough that they had put their own feelings aside in exchange for her own, that she wrapped her arms around Kitty and cried too.

It occurred to her that with friends like them, she was never going to be alone in the first place.

The next day at lunch, the others had a hard time wrapping their head around the 'amicable breakup' that Bobby and Rogue tried to explain to them when questioned about the prior day's rumors.

"Hold on. Home girl say what?" Jubilee asked, raising both her left eyebrow and left side of her upper lip in a disgruntled, confused expression. "You mean you two just decided 'yeah, we're done'. Like a business transaction? As simple as 'would you like fries with that?'"

"Yeah, don't exes usually glare at each other and act all spiteful?" One of the other students, Tabby or 'Boom Boom', asked in amusement.

Bobby tried to glare at Rogue but when their eyes met they couldn't help but to burst out laughing.

Piotr had stayed quiet about the subject, believing that amicable or not, it was Rogue and Bobby's business and he didn't want to pry. Kitty also didn't comment on it with the others, but exchanged happy smiles with the former couple.

The idea of a 'Bobby and Kitty' coupling was still up in the air, where it was likely to stay for awhile. Despite the odd circumstances that the trio of friends were under, Bobby still felt that it would be moving too fast if he asked Kitty out so soon. Still reeling from the breakup of her two friends and the knowledge that Bobby returned her feelings, Kitty appreciated having the time to get her head straight.

Once the initial shock over the announcement settled in, the conversation went on to other subjects, for which Rogue was happy about.

She laughed as Piotr told stories about being back at home, and Jubilee rambled on about a cute guy she met at the mall. The air was light and happy, and it was a welcome change from the stress, worry, and bitterness that she had let seep in for weeks prior.

"Chere," Remy pulled her out of her thoughts when he leaned down by her ear. "Y' got a minute?"

Turning her attention away from her group of friends she looked up at him with a nod before quietly dismissing herself and following him out into the hall. "What's up, Remy?" She asked him, sticking her hands in her back pockets.

"Y' feelin' better?" He asked after studying her for a moment. She seemed to have done a complete 180 since the last time he'd seen her.

She moistened her lips, letting them leave her mouth with a slight 'pop' before she nodded. "Yeah, ah am." What could she say? It was evident that he was worried about how she'd acted yesterday in the garage and truthfully, she was embarrassed he had been there to witness it. "Ah'm sorry about yester-"

"Rogue," he startled her when he stepped forward and grasped her elbow, his hair falling around his jaw line as he looked down at her, "I jus' want t' make sure y' okay. Dere's no need t' be embarrassed."

She wanted to deny that she was embarrassed because him knowing that she was only embarrassed her more but she knew it was a pointless argument. He'd once told her he had the ability to feel people's emotions (empathy, she thinks he called it), so she knew he would know she was lying if she denied it.

"Yah're a good friend, Rem'."

He liked that.

He liked her appreciating his friendship. He liked that she didn't push him away when he stood too close. If Bobby was her boyfriend, then at least he'd be able to be close to her as her friend.

He was her friend

and she trusted him.

He could smell her shampoo due to their close proximity. He could see her chest rising and falling with each breath she took. He was mere inches away from her and dieu, if it didn't feel like a hundred miles. All he wanted to do was claim her lips with his and-

he won't.

He won't because she trusts him. She trusts him to be her friend, and as her friend he won't put her in a spot that will make her feel any guiltier than she already did in regards to her boyfriend.

"Remy…?" She looked at him, confused when he never replied, but just continued to stare. Something in her chest fluttered a bit when she thought she saw the red of his eyes flicker.

She must have imagined it, because then he says

"'m runnin' late," and backs away from her, walking backwards in the opposite direction.

Watching him in confusion at his sudden change of demeanor, she nods when he lands the finishing blow,

"Got a date." He lies, hoping it will make up for the way he was looking at her with unabated want. He sends her a wink for good measure, to play if off playfully before he turns around and walks off.

Her mouth opens and closes as she watches his retreating form.

In the back of her mind she had hoped…

It didn't matter what she hoped.

She and Remy were just friends.

The rest of the week had progressed as normal. It must have been five days after the breakup that Logan finally asked (see: demanded) Remy to join in on the team training sessions per Ororo's request. At first Remy had hesitated, but Stormy had told him that he had been with them long enough to settle in and that it was time for him to highly consider joining the active X-Men team.

"That, or you could teach a class." She said with a knowing grin.

"I wonder if m' trench is gon' match de uniform." He had answered her hastily. Teaching teenagers would be much worse than fighting bad guys while dressed in leather suits.

It did.

Oh boy, it did.

And by the looks on the girls faces as he entered the danger room, the myth about girls finding men in uniforms more attractive was definitely true. Jubilee's mouth pulled into a smug smirk as she checked him out without shame. Kitty recovered quickly, looking away from him with a blush. Stormy raised an eyebrow at his obvious amusement. Rogue was

completely ignoring him?

Instead, she was talking to Emma.

Who apparently was coerced into joining the team too.

Fuck me. He inwardly groaned, dreading having to spend any more time with the blonde then he had to.

He didn't realize he'd been staring at the two until Bobby joined them, throwing an arm around Rogue's shoulder before giving Emma a big smile. "So, you guys making more progress since you talked Rogue into dumping me?" The blue eyed mutant teased Emma.

Wait une minute… what?

Rogue looked up at Bobby, a smile spreading across her face as she wrapped an arm around his waist with a chuckle.

Emma just rolled her eyes, although the smile was evident. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Bobby?"

"Rogue gaining full control? Absolutely." He said, shaking the shoulder his arm was over slightly.

"No, I meant blaming me for your breakup." Emma and Rogue laughed as Bobby exaggeratedly rolled his eyes, laughing as he shook his head.

From watching this interaction, there were three things that Remy gathered.

1) Rogue and Bobby were no longer a couple.

2) It was Rogue who broke up with Bobby.

3) Remy had put himself in the friend zone.

Merde.

As Logan started going over the simulation details all Remy could think was

What de hell was dat?

Remy had to hand it to Emma,

while he might have forced her hand into keeping her mouth shut about him, she certainly was able to make up for her frustrations by taking it out on him in the danger room. As a matter of fact, it was the ample opportunity to make him miserable and she had plenty of opportunity to do it because

Logan made them partners.

Asshole.

The Canadian had smirked at Remy and Emma cockily as he paired people up for the session that day. He could hardly hide the amusement in his eyes when he'd told them it was to promote camaraderie within the team and that you two's fight can't affect the team, bub. In short, Remy thought that Logan

was being an asshole.

A fact of which him and Emma had actually agreed on. When they informed him of this, he'd simply let out a snort with a well it looks like it's already workin', then.

So naturally Frost, with her 'ever forgiving' personality, let Remy watch his own back. In short, Remy thought that Emma

was still a bitch. But that's not news.

What is news is the fact that she had rolled her eyes at him when, at a point where they were in no danger of flying projectiles and lasers (which by the way, what the hell was that?), he had asked what was up with Rogue and Bobby's breakup and how did she have anything to do with it.

"Ask her yourself Cajun, I've done far more then my fair share of trying to make this work in your favor." Emma sneered, looking over her shoulder to be sure that no one and nothing was going to put her in the line of fire.

He raised his eyebrow, wondering what she was talking about. "Yeah, cause y' so obviously have tried t' play match maker." The sarcasm dripped from the statement as he rolled his eyes.

At this point, he thought Emma was going to break a mauler with the way she was grinding her teeth. "You have no idea, Lebeau. If only you knew what I know. If only you knew." She said as she walked ahead of him, apparently bored of putting up with him and wanting to find the others. It's only because of the fact that she can't read Remy's mind that she didn't know those words had struck a chord and

and that Remy wasn't having it.

He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back towards him, slamming her roughly into the wall. His eyes blazed angrily, grabbing her chin tightly.

"Gambit's tired o' tip toein' around de obvious Emma. What do y' know about Mel and what de hell are y' doin' 'ere?"

Crack.

The room spun as he gripped his own jaw, doubling over from the force that she used when she gave him a right hook with a sparkling fist. She was quick to shake it off, sending it back to its flesh state (Emma didn't have to learn a lesson twice).

"I have no clue what the bloody hell you're talking about, Lebeau! I don't know who Mel is, but I do know if you put your filthy hands on me one more time I'm going to shatter every bone in your revolting body!" She screeched, infuriated with him. "I don't know why you're so against me, Lebeau, I really don't! You make me regret ever going to that hole in the wall club to invite you here! And to think I thought your presence would benefit Rogue! You've done nothing but be a bloody pest!"

It was at that point that Remy finally put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Emma didn't know Mel. Emma never knew Mel. Emma knew who he was, where he was, and what he was because of Rogue. She must of read Rogue's mind during one of their sessions.

So you have to understand how much it really hurt his pride that after he processed that a) Rogue had been thinking about him after that night despite what he had previously believed, and b) that Emma had come to that club for the sole purpose of bringing him here to see Rogue again in the hopes that it would work out between him and her, that he had been completely wrong about Emma the entire time.

Emma wasn't a bad person at all.

Emma was anything but a bad person.

Emma was a good person.

He had never known that she had just been trying to add a little bit of white to her paint.