AN: Sorry about the time it took me to get this out. I guess my uber writing spree has ended :(

I own nothing except a 2nd place trophy for my competition last Sunday and 43.8 points which means I move up a Grade. All recognisable quotes belong to the respective authors.

Song: Stay With You - Goo Goo Dolls

"And 3, 2, 1."

Rogue closed her eyes and concentrated on Logan's psyche. Slowly she felt a gentle tingling as her wounds slowly began to heal.

Beast was anxiously scanning his machines, waiting for something bad to happen. Emma was mentally critiquing the speed of the healing process. It was too slow, something HAD to be wrong.

But nothing unusually bad happened.

Rogue's pores opened and started to release clouds of steam. Or at least something that looked like steam...

Beast and Emma exchanged a look as the ventilation system quickly cleared the area. "Logan's healing power is venting the toxins from your system. Now that they are gone the healing process should speed-"

He broke off as suddenly all her injuries disappeared.

"-up." Finished Emma smugly.

Logan released a breath he didn't notice he had been holding and went forward to squeeze Rogue's hand. "You okay, kid?"

She smiled up at him. "Never better." Then her eyes slid to Remy. He had almost been pushed back slightly and he looked very lonesome and rejected. Rogue closed her eyes, refusing to deal with that now and allowed the conversation of the others to wash over her.

Rogue was awoken by soft voices later that evening. She cracked an eye but was unable to deduce the time due to the lack of windows in the med lab.

She sighed. There was no way she was going to get back to sleep and so she decided to eavesdrop on the stupid people who had woken her up.

"I don' care! I wanna see her."

"Look. She has had several rather trying days, you should be able to appreciate that. And I am not going to allow anything to happen to her that will cause her undue stress. So you can either leave peaceably or I could call Logan down here." Beast's usually calm and polite voice was almost angry. He certainly wasn't as pleasant as he usually was.

"Dr McCoy... I need to see her. I need to explain."

Remy? Explain? Should she speak up and get it over with or should she pretend to be asleep and put it off a while longer?

Well... Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"Hank?" she called weakly, disgusted at how pathetic she sounded. When she had the conversation with Remy that could change their whole relationship she wanted to be powerful and in control... not lying down like some invalid.

Well when life gives you lemons...

A blue, furry head was stuck around the door "Rogue! You're awake." He exclaimed happily as he walked over to her and checked the machines before starting with the questions. "How are you feeling? No dizziness? Headaches? Any lower intestinal discomfort?"

Ripping her hand out of Hank's grip, she scowled in a remarkable impression of Logan. "I'm fine. You and Gambit woke me up so I thought I should see what the fuss was all about."

Here Hank looked mildly uncomfortable. "Remy wishes to speak to you. Apparently there was some misunderstanding of sorts... I can get Logan if you wish?"

Rogue smiled at the Doctor's thoughtfulness and patted his furry hand "That's sweet of you but I'll be okay. If he pisses me off he'll be through a wall, okay?"

That made him smile. "If you say so, my dear." He turned and opened the door for Remy.

Gambit slid in gingerly, like the floor was made of lava and there was a particularly vengeful mountain goddess ahead of him. Beast made a subtle exit, leaving the two of them alone.

Remy pulled out a pack of cards from one of a multitude of pockets and began to shuffle them at high speed, looking anywhere but Rogue.

Rogue rolled her eyes and then started to struggle to sit up more. She was still a little weak as she hadn't eaten nearly enough. In a flash, Remy was there, easing her upwards with apparently little effort. He then arranged the sheets around her and started to fold the edges into perfectly straight lines, smoothing out every wrinkle.

Still not looking at her.

Rogue sighed and grabbed Remy's hand, mainly to stop his damn fiddling but also to get his attention.

Remy was freaking out. It all seemed so simple in theory. Go to Rogue, explain everything, be forgiven, warm fuzzies all round. But now that he was actually here... with these emerald eyes watching him... he could almost see the familiar warmth in them he had come to know and love.

But he remembered how Belle's eyes and had gone so cold that they could have frozen him at fifty paces.

And he didn't want Rogue to look at him with that same hatred and revulsion.

So he was surprised when he felt a gentle hand at his chin, lifting it and forcing him to look at her.

Rogue wasn't smiling but her face was open and welcoming. "I'm ready to hear your explanation." She said quietly, trying to be supportive. This couldn't be easy for him. It wasn't easy for her either. But after being captured and, at one point thinking she was going to die, she was willing to try and patch things up.

Remy grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it closer to her. He then took a deep breath and focused on one of the machines on the other side of the bed.

"I was told by the council that I was to look for a powerful weapon to be used in the ongoing war 'gainst de assassins. I was travelling through America and den dere was word of dis mutant who had travelled the world and had every mutant power. Using some contacts of mine I tracked you down. A little research and hypnotic charm later and I was in. I den set about befriending you. But it was harder than I t'ought. It didn't help that you're sexy as hell. And soon I stopped caring 'bout the war. All I cared about was you. Den I got a call from Henri, mon frère, saying dat dere was an explosion and some of de T'ieves died. Ma famille was okay... Cept it was close. dey needed me. I guess dat's when Joseph started getting involved and fucked everyt'ing to hell. I was gonna ask you if you'd come and help me out but... But I love you, and I didn't want you around my sort of people."

"You're honest with the people you love, Gambit. Otherwise...It's a gamble." Rogue took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I should have stayed to hear you out. Can you forgive me?"

Remy's eyes shot to Rogue's face in shock. "Me forgive y'? chère, y' got it de wrong way round! I should be begging for y'r forgiveness!"

Rogue suddenly started to laugh. "We're both afraid that the other hates us and we are both begging for each other's forgiveness. This is only a little bit messed up."

Even Remy smiled. "Forgiven?"

Leaning over to press a gentle kiss to his lips. "Forgiven. There is just one more thing I need to do. As soon as I'm released from this damn bed!"

The minute Hank had cleared her she stormed out of the med lab, up the stairs and went to find a certain someone.

Rogue opened the door to his room and saw that he was packing his bag.

"The Professor never sent you on the trip with us, did he?"

Joseph glanced over his shoulder briefly before turning back to his bag. "I do not know what you are talking about."

Rogue moved lithely into the room while Remy stayed in the door way, shuffling cards from hand to hand with all the speed of a magician.

"What made you want to come on the trip?" Rogue kept ploughing onwards.

Joseph paused in his packing. "I don't know. I just had to go with you. Be where you were." His voice was so small and lost. Small boy separated from his mummy in a supermarket small and lost.

Rogue *humphed* at that. "Thought so." Before turning around and sweeping out of the room. Remy watched her go before following her. Man that woman could sweep like a Duchess. Things stayed swept after she'd gone past.

He caught up with her quickly "Where are we going?" He asked. Rogue ignored him but suddenly stopped and her face just screamed 'Light bulb moment' It couldn't have been more obvious that something major had just occurred to her.

She put her hand on his arm and teleported them into their room. Rogue moved quickly, grabbing her duffle bag before throwing clothes and other things into it.

Remy watched her like she had lost her mind.

"Uh... Chère?"

He was then promptly wacked in the face when Rogue threw his duffle at him.

"Start packing. We need to leave. Now."

Remy knew better than to argue with a woman who could crush him in a heartbeat.

"Where're we goin'?" he said as he copied her and threw stuff into his bag.

Rogue shouldered her bag and turned to smile at him.

"Back to our good old university. Come on."

Rogue insisted that Joseph should come with them. Remy and Logan had looked at her with identical expressions that said a mixture of "over my dead body" and "no way in hell"

But she wouldn't be moved and Joseph wanted to come with her... so she got her way.

Logan took Joseph on his bike while Rogue rode with Remy. And of course there was no hanky panky whatsoever.

After arriving and allowing Logan to smell everywhere to make sure that there were no enemies hiding under any bushes, Logan left and allowed the others to unpack.

They had arrived a little earlier than most of their fellow students so the house was quiet but not empty.

Joseph was ignored and left to his own devices while Rogue and Remy decided to go for a walk.

So there they were, wrapped up tight in scarves, hats and gloves. Well Rogue was. Gambit, due to his mutation wasn't that cold and so just wore a thermal shirt, jeans and his trademark trench coat.

Holding hands they walked away from the house and further into the forest. It was nice to get out and just relax, after the last few, very stressful weeks. It was nice just to spend some time together, reaffirming their relationship and building a few more bridges that may or may not have been burnt down when misunderstandings occurred.

Rogue was surprised at how contented she felt. Normally, having Logan in her head, made her feel antsy and jittery at the best of times. But she felt at peace. Kicking through piles of rich autumn leaves, holding Remy's hand and smelling the forest... well it was a perfect moment.

Rogue pulled Remy to a stop at that thought and turned to face him. he looked puzzled for a moment but then smiled at her when he saw the happy expression on her face. He was even more surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed a kiss to his lips and then smiled at him and said "I love you."

Remy smiled back. "I love you too." And he too was content with where he was and his place in the world.

In fairness that was up on the Worst Lines Ever list with 'Nothing Could Possibly Go Wrong.' 'No Turning Back.' And 'This Is Going To Be The Best Christmas The Orphans Have Ever Had'

Back at the mansion Emma was lounging in the rec room, not really watching the film on the TV screen and sipping a glass of red wine.

Scott walked in and sat on the sofa near her. She spared him a glance before returning her gaze to the window. Which was currently more interesting than the stupid film.

Scott broke the silence first. "How do you know Logan?" He asked quietly.

Emma looked back at him with an incredulous expression. "That's what you've been thinking about asking me for the past hour? I thought it might have been something more interesting to be honest..."

He gaped at her. "You... You're not supposed to read people's mind without their express permission!"

Emma snorted. "You were projecting rather loudly, darling. It was hard not to hear."

Scott was flustered and he stammered and blustered for a few moments before returning to his original question. "So how do you know him? You obviously have some history."

Emma's face took on an expression of far away thinking. With just a hint of remembered happiness.

"Well it was a few years ago. I think before he came to the mansion. I was working for the Hellfire Club back then and he caught our attention. I was sent to approach him and gain a better understanding of his personality and if he would fit in with us. Sadly his feral nature meant he wasn't so good at taking orders. So we parted. Not on the best of terms. But Logan's always had problems with pent up aggression."

Scott nodded mutely. He got up to leave but then turned. "Hellfire Club. Are you still working for them?"

Emma laughed bitterly. "Sadly no. Sebastian found a new Queen. Someone he liked better than me. I thought that it was time for me to leave. Maybe my talents could be used elsewhere."

He nodded again and left the telepath alone, nursing her glass of ruby wine.

AN: Thanks to everytone who reviewed the last chapter.