A.N. Here I am, back at last! I have missed getting to write and hope some of you may be interested in reading what I've come up with for this chapter. Christmas slowed me done a tad, but hopefully I will now have loads of extra writing time.

Disclaimer: They belong to Marvel and the fact that I can't get enough of them just shows Stan Lee's brilliance.

Remy hung up the phone a couple of hours later feeling emotionally wrung out, but satisfied with all outcomes. The following morning Professor Xavier fielded a call from Remy's father letting him know that Remy's family fully supported his desire to help his friend and yes, they understood the many implications and risks involved,. Remy had been nothing if not thorough when dealing with his father's endless supply of questions the night before. "We are fully aware of the p'ticular dangers t' our family's, uh, business pursuits. After hearin' all mon garçon (my boy) had to say, we be trustin' th' jeune Escroc (young Rogue) fully."

Although he tried, Charles could not read much in the man's voice. Having no choice but to take him at his word Charles let both Rogue and Remy know that they would meet with him that afternoon. Feeling both anticipation and nervousness Rogue tugged at her gloves as she and Remy took the final few steps to the room she'd chosen as the place where she'd be most comfortable. It had surprised Remy and the professor when she'd said which room she wanted to use, but had agreed readily enough.

Now the two young people sat on the bed with the professor in his wheelchair right before them. "So how dis work?"

"Typically we allow Rogue time to meditate and channel her focus on her skin and then when she feels she may be ready, whomever she is working with allows her to touch their hand. It's very simply really."

"An' it hasn't worked yet, bien (right)?"

"Well, no it hasn't," the professor was forced to admit. "However, your presence will, we feel, make all the difference."

Rogue decided it was time to set them straight on a few things. "Ah am in the room, you know. Could ya' both quit talkin' about me lahke Ah'm not even here?"

"Je suis désolé, chéri. (I'm sorry)." Charles chuckled and also agreed that she was right.

"Est il possible (Is it possible) dat maybe mon chéri needs a change o' method?"

"What did you have in mind?" the professor wanted to know.

Rogue was as intrigued as the professor. Perhaps they needed a fresh idea since what they'd been trying obviously wasn't working. Both were listening intently to what Remy had to say. "I just t'inkin' dat maybe havin' her focus so much on her skin could be de opposite o' what she oughtta do. When I touched 'er yesterday it was all good 'til she noticed and paid 'tention to it." Remy ran a hand through his hair as he found the right words. "What if overt'inkin' it's de problem?"

Charles sat back thoughtfully, nodding as he mulled over his past experiences with Rogue's mutation and Remy's fresh input. "You could be right, Remy. In fact, Dr. McCoy and I had already considered that in a slightly different way. We were planning to propose an experiment at a later date, but thought the two of you should have some time working together on this first."

This time it was Rogue who spoke. "What kahnd of 'experiment'?"

"Thinking along somewhat similar lines as Remy has just proposed, we wondered if your mutation was a strong when you're sleeping. We'd come up with an idea of how to test your mutation's reactions when in repose."

"Can we trah it when Ah'm awake instead?" She'd always been nervous about hurting people unintentionally when she slept and was often bothered by bad dreams. She thought the likelihood of hurting him then could even be higher than when she was awake. "This way Ah can brace mahself for it."

Remy turned to her and used his serious voice when he said, "Dat's de problem, cherie. Ya' got ta' stop assumin' de worst an' 'bracin' for t'ings."

Charles intervened, trying to retain control of the situation and keep them from arguing. He was still explaining what he believed Remy meant when Rogue felt something strange. "Cher, promise dis Cajun ya' won't panic, okay?"

His voice distracted her and had her attention on him. She knew him too well to not be suspicious. "Panic about what?"

"Mon Rogue… do ya' trust me?" He was staring into her eyes willing her to place her trust in him as she'd said she could. Finally Rogue took a deep breath and nodded. Remy placed one hand on her head and gently angled it down so she could take in the sight of his fingers touching her arm, his graceful but roughened digits gently resting on her bare skin. Rogue instinctively tried to jerk away, but stopped at his low, urgent, "Don't do it, cherie. Jus' trust me."

Drawing in a shaky breath she gave a jerky nod in response. "O-okay, Rems."

His fingers slowly started to move back and forth in a slow, soothing gesture while using his knuckles to urge her face up again, silently demanding she look at him rather than where he was touching her. Gradually he felt the pull of her mutation again, but it was much more sluggish than before and it hadn't started for more than two minutes.

When he pulled back, the professor released a pent up breath. "That was remarkable," he breathed. Remy was slightly lightheaded, but only needed a few minutes to regain his bearings. "We must report this to Dr. McCoy."

Rogue was still breathless and processing what this really meant. "I t'ink we'll stay here, Professor," Remy commented, his eyes still on his friend.

Trying to be attentive, yet undeniably distracted by recent events, Charles agreed as he glided to the doorway.

Finally turning her bright eyes on Remy, Rogue spoke in hushed but excited tones ripe with promise, "Ah touched ya'… We realleh did it Rems!"

"Ya' sure did, mon ami," he grinned back at her.

"No, Remy. We did it. I maybe nevah would've done this without ya'." She rose to her feet and tugged him up also. Once they were both standing and he looked down on her with confusion tinting his eyes, she wordlessly reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing herself against him she tried to convey her deep gratitude, her joy, everything that was racing through her with nothing more than that hug. Remy knew. He knew every single thing she was saying without talking at all. He knew, he appreciated her finding a way to show him, and he relished the opportunity to wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

Not wanting to risk moving too fast this soon, he forced himself to drop his arms and back away. Rogue felt disappointed, almost bereft actually, at the loss of his touch. She shook her head to rid it of any lingering thoughts of him while shoving some of her more assertive psyches back where they belonged. Trying to act nonchalant, she let him know, "Ah think Ah'm gonna celebrate."

"An' what ya' t'inkin' o' doin'?"

Rogue's head tilted slightly to one side as she twirled a lock of hair around one finger while looking up in thought. Darting a glance at the hair in her grasp she commented, "Ah gotta get a haircut soon. It's getting pretty long."

Remy reached out to stroke the other side of her head. "Non, cherie, don't do dat. I like your hair longer dis way. Il est très beau. (It's very beautiful.)"

"I don't know what that translates to, but I think it means ya' like it better long."

"Pretty much. It's your hair, Rogue, an' you're the one who has to like it, but I sure wish you'd leave it."

"Okay… Ah can do that. Ah've kept it shorter ta make it more practical for fightin' is all."

Before they could talk about it any further or she could make any plans for how to celebrate her accomplishment, they were interrupted by the professor's urgent tones in their minds. "X-men, we have a situation. Meet me in the hangar as soon as you can. Time is of the essence."

"Looks lahke my celebratin's gonna have ta' wait. See ya' downstairs," she tossed over her shoulder while making her way from his room. When Rogue joined the team downstairs, the only people arriving after her were Kurt and Kitty. She waited with her arms crossed as they phased through the doors and then teleported over to the others. Tabitha popped the bubble she'd blown with her gum while asking, "So what's up, Professor X?"

"Four mutants are attacking the Brotherhood house. The chaos being caused has drawn out the local authorities. The crowd of watchers is growing and I'm concerned about not only their safety but what effect this will have on the tenuous mutant-human relations in town."

After a brief discussion regarding strategy, the professor designated who would be in charge of each of the two strike teams. "Rogue will lead the second team, made up of Gambit, Nightcrawler, Boom-Boom, and Shadowcat. The five of you are the most likely to be seen by the brotherhood members as neutral or friendly."

Rogue said nothing until everyone moved towards the vans. She then discreetly sidled up to the professor to question where only Hank would overhear, "Professah, are ya' sure Ah'm tha best one for this?"

"I have no doubts, Rogue. None at all."

"Cherie! Le's go!" Rogue turned to Remy, whose face was lit with excitement that he was finally getting to see some fighting. She almost grinned at his childlike glee.

"Ah'm comin'!" she mock grumbled. With a fleeting glance to the pair staying behind she pledged, "Ah won't let ya' down."

Only after the vans had pulled out did the professor state, "I know you won't."

In the van, Remy drove, remembering easily the way to the house Rogue had shown him on one of their tours of the town. "So vhat iz ze plan?"

"Ya' know what? Tha truth is y'all know what to do without me tellin' you anything more than this: let's start out playin' it cool and makin' nice. Maybe we'll luck out an' that'll be all it takes. If not, then remember tha basics. Oh-," she tacked on as they were about to open the side door and leap out, "and Tabby, if ya' could trah not ta blow anyone up an' leave tha house intact, that would be great."

"Aw! I never get to have any fun at all!" the perky, sometimes pesky, blond teased. Kitty giggled, the door slid open, and those riding in back piled out. "Hey blue," she called before he left her behind, "how 'bout giving a girl a ride?"

"Sure thing," he agreed, reaching out to take her hand. The pair disappeared leaving nothing but a puff of sulfuric smoke behind. Kitty phased to her intangible form to protect herself and make getting through the ever-growing crowd easier. Remy held Rogue back when she would have just plowed directly for the police barricade. "Just follow me, cher," he directed with a wink and a flirtatious cocked brow. She shook her head, but did as he asked, letting him tug her around the outer edges of the crowd.

Rogue mimicked his fluid movements and agile maneuverings well, which left him impressed. Soon they were at a gap in the police line on the southeast side of the house where things were relatively quiet and neither officers nor television crews would spot them. Slipping onto the property and racing soundlessly across the lawn and onto the small back porch, they were soon inside the house. "We're in," was all she said into the earpiece that would convey her words to both teams.

"Good work, Stripes," Logan's gruff voice praised.

"Ve are inside, too," came Kurt's accented tones. Rogue made short work of leading Remy through the kitchen. Although she'd given him a concise picture of the layout on their way over, he knew she knew every inch of the place far better. Peering from behind the partially opened door, Rogue saw Toad through the narrow crack. About to round the door and approach him, she was stopped when her hair ruffled in a breeze and she was nose-to-nose with Pietro.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, aggression in every taut line of his body. His eyes darted behind Rogue's shoulder just before he asked with a jerk of his head, "And who's he?"

Remy held his hands aloft to show he meant no harm while Rogue answered. "We're tryin' ta help, Pietro." His mouth opened to begin arguing with her, but Toad had hopped around the door to see what was going on.

"We didn't do nothin' this time," came his whiny voice.

Rogue reached out to touch Toad's arm reassuringly while never taking her eyes from Pietro's challenging stare. "We know that. This wasn't y'all's fault an' we really are just here ta try an' help end it without anyone gettin' hurt unnecessarily. Ah prahmise."

Pietro only jerked a nod and that was enough to have Rogue straightening. Adopting a more militaristic stance, she wanted to know what happened, but knew time was short. Turning to Pietro she asked, "So what's the status?"

Knowing what she wanted, he rattled off the most important facts at his naturally rapid pace. She was able to figure out the gist of things from the words that ran together so quickly and checked in with the other team of X-men to learn their current positions.

Soon Scott had suggested a plan that they thought would work well. Kurt was standing nearby, hearing everything also while Tabby flirted with Pietro. She was basically keeping up with events as they unfolded, but her main focus was the cute boy in front of her. One of his brows hiked up and he was soon leaning over her against the wall, his lips curled in a flirtatious smirk. Kurt rolled his glowing eyes at the pair, "Oh brother!"

Logan's voice came rumbling through their earpieces with the warning, "Things are getting outta hand out here, Stripes. If we're gonna do this then let's go on with it." Kitty, meanwhile was outside phasing through the ground right behind Lance. Everyone was in place. "Right," Rogue responded to her mentor.

She looked at the Brotherhood members standing with her. "It's tahme." Pietro immediately adopted his game face while Toad was nodding at Remy who was making sure the boy, who didn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer, knew what he needed to do. Remy started to clap a friendly hand over Todd's shoulder, but seeing the layer of filth there, settled for an amiable grin.

"Hey," Rogue asked quickly, "how mad is Freddie?"

Todd winced. "He's pretty ticked, Rogue. He was in the middle of fixing his afternoon snack when they hit us." Shaking her head, she wished Tabby and Todd luck while she and Pietro went towards Wanda's position at the foot of the front steps. Kitty was awaiting Remy's arrival before rising up behind Lance. The team members outside were simply waiting until they'd gotten the Brotherhood out of there before moving in on the mysterious mutants who'd initiated this unexpected attack.

Remy grabbed Rogue's hand as she started past to join the others, everyone having moved ahead of them. "I know dis isn't a big fight for us, but t'ings can still happen. Ya' be careful out dere, cherie, y' hear?"

Rogue was ready to roll her eyes at his protective side shining through, but then he shocked her by leaning forward and brushing a soft, quick kiss over her lips. She stared at him, not knowing what to say or how to feel. Once she'd settled on anger, he gave her his most mischievous grin and pointed above them to where a sad, withered sprig of mistletoe dangled. "It's tradition," was all he said before moving through the front door.