A/N: Now you know my basic beliefs. :) I hope it wasn't too confusing to understand, the way I wrote it. That was the difficult part of writing the chapter. Trying to find the right words without sounding too 'preachy'. Hope I didn't turn y'all off from my story.

Chellerbelle: Remy always takes an opportunity whenever he can. ;) With Rogue, Remy did ask her to tell him...hehehe. :) Yeah, Mystique is up to her usual trouble, this time with a different cohort.

Roguey21: Thanks! :) I had to look your review up on the site itself, since I'm not receiving alerts again. I just don't understand why this keeps happening. It's really annoying! :P Yes, Mystique will find her, but when, and what will happen....bwahahaha.....

Monday brings Rogue's first tutoring session with Gerard. After a detailed assessment to determine where they need to pick up in her studies, they determine where to start and make up a schedule. It is decided that they will only need to meet twice a week, since there really isn't that much more that needs to be covered study-wise.

Upon completing her first session, he checks her work and is impressed. "Mademoiselle Rogue, if y' keep up de bon work, it'll take no time at all f'r y' t' finish y'r coursework. We're off t' an excellent start." Gerard nods encouragingly.

"Y'll stay f'r lunch, won' y' Monsieur Galtiere?" Tante entreats him from the doorway.

"Wouldn' dream o' missin' y'r cookin, Mattie." Gerard pats his stomach appreciatively. "Bes' cookin' I've ev'r 'ad. Jus' don' tell m' wife." He states humorously, causing the two women to laugh.

The three enter the kitchen and Rogue sets the table while Tante prepares the serving dishes. Before too much longer, Mercy and Jean-Luc join them. Henri, is out on a job for the next week.

"S' 'ow is Rogue doin' wit' 'er studies?" Jean-Luc queries.

"I tested 'er t' see exac'ly w'ere we need t' start. Dis is one smart fille, Jean-Luc! It won' take 'er long t' finish at all. We're goin' t' meet deux times a week. Dat should be all dat's needed.

"Tres bon! Befo' t' long, y'll be a graduate." Jean-Luc addresses Rogue.

"Dat's fantastiqe, Rogue!" Tante throws her arms around the girl. "I'll 'ave t' start plannin' a party f'r y'." She begins humming enthusiastically to herself.

Rogue manages to get through lunch with supreme effort. She has mixed feelings about being so close to finishing. As soon as an opportunity presents itself, she asks Tante if there's anything she needs done. At Tante's reply to the negative, she heads upstairs.

"I don' know how I feel about any a this." Rogue whispers to herself and picks up her acoustic and starts idly strumming as her thoughts wander.

Remy arrives home after taking care of some business in the city. He peeks in the library and is confused, since Rogue and Monsieur Galtiere were supposed to be in there. He makes his way to the kitchen, where Tante is getting out ingredients for tonight's dinner.

"Tante, why don' y' let me fix dinner t'nigh'? Y' deserve a nigh' off."

"Merci, Remy. I 'ppreciate it, fils." Tante smiles at him and pats his cheek.

"Why don' y' tell me w'en y' wan' a nigh' off from makin' dinner?" He questions in an exasperated tone. "Y' don' 'ave t' do ev'ryt'in' y' know. Jus' ask an' we'll 'elp y'" He finishes more gently.

"I've done ev'ryt'in' m'self since I can r'member, fils. Ain' easy f'r me t' let someone else do w'at I've always done." Tante reasons.

"I know, but y'r more dan jus' an employee t' us. Y'r one o' de famille. I know I came on de scene lat'r on, but I know Pere respects y'."

"T'ank y', mon fils. Y' an' Henri are like m' own, since I nev'r 'ad any m'self."

"Henri an' I love y' like a mere. Dat's why we wan' y' aroun' f'r a long time, Tante."

"I'll be aroun' as long as I can, Remy. I'll take y' up on y' off'r. T'nigh' 'm goin' t' spoil m'self."

Remy chuckles. "Go ahead, Tante. 'Ave fun. Befo' y' go, can y' tell me why Rogue an' Gerard ain' in de library?" He queries curiously.

"Dey finished early. Seems dat Rogue's furt'er in 'er studies dan we t'oug't. Dey're only meetin' deux days a week an' it won' be long til she graduates." Tante informs Remy.

"Dat's great! S' w'ere's Rogue now?"

"Don' t'ink she's gone anyw'ere. She would've tol' me. Prob'ly in 'er room." Tante speculates.

"I'll try dere, den I'll be back a bit lat'r t' make dinner."

"Seems like y' deux are gettin' along bett'r." Tante replies observantly.

"Oui, we are. Foun' out we 'ave some t'ings in common."

"Bon. I like dat fille."

"Y' know, I do t'. Dere's somet'in'....diff'rent 'bout 'er."

"Not'in' like w'at y'r used t', eh fils?" Tante says slyly.

"Dat's true. She def'nitely ain' like de femmes I...nev'r min'." Remy finishes suddenly, noticing Tante's upraised brow. "I t'ink I'll go fin' Rogue," He casts her a quick glance.

"Y' do dat."

At Rogues door, he hears random chords being played softly. "I didn' know she could play." He thinks to himself as he knocks on her door.

"Who is it?" Rogue asks distractedly.

"Remy, cherie. Can I come in?"

"If ya can behave, ya can." She states in a half-hearted attempt at a joke.

He catches onto her mood as soon as he steps into her room. She immediately tries to cover her feelings, but she isn't quick enough. He sits down on the bed beside her.

"I always knew y' wanted me in bed wit' y'." He teases.

Rogue rolls her eyes. "What was that I said about behavin' Swamp Rat?"

"Couldn' 'elp m'self. Been waitin' t' say dat t' y'." Remy smirks playfully.

"I'll jus' bet ya were." Rogue drily responds.

"S' I 'ear y' may be graduatin' earlier dan y' t'oug't."

"Sounds like it." Rogue looks away and stares out the window.

"T'oug't y'd be 'appy 'bout dat." Remy gives her a concerned look.

"I am." She says unconvincingly.

"Y' sure don' soun' like it." Remy persists, his worry mounting.

Rogue is silent for a few moments, then sighs when she realizes that Remy is still in the same place.

"It's jus' when I think things are startin' ta go well for me, somethin' always happens ta change that."

"W'at do y' mean, ma cherie?"

"Tha news taday jus' made me think about afta. Ya know, where will I go...stuff like that."

"Y' mean college?"

"Partly." Rogue puts down the instrument and picks up her old bear.

"Y' could stay 'ere." Remy points out.

"I don' know about that. The deal was that I'd stay til my schoolin' was done. Nothin' was said about afta." Rogue answers dully.

"Tante didn' tell us anyt'in' 'bout w'ere y' came from. Desole, if 'm pokin' m' nose in w'ere it don' b'long, but d' y' 'ave a 'ome t' go t'?"

"I have a town an' friends that I can go ta, but no, I don' have a home any more." Rogue sadly replies.

"Not gettin' along wit' y'r famille?" Remy's worry is growing to alarm.

"Tha only 'family' I could count was my momma, Mystique. If ya can call her that." Rogue snorts derisively.

"Not de bes' maternal figure, I take it?" Remy queries with slight sarcasm.

"Let's jus' say it was my powers she wanted ta nurture." Rogue replies with a spark of anger igniting.

"Den use dem f'r 'er own personal use." Remy astutely finishes for her.

"Exactly. Well, at least that was her plan." She answers angrily.

"I can see why she'd want t' use y'r powers. Could get all kinds o' info." Remy observes thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna be anybody's tool!" Rogue states wrathfully. "I feel guilty enough as it is when I do haveta use it." She adds morosely as she hugs the stuffed toy against her.

"Did she ev'r make y' use dem?" Remy inquires softly as he gazes at her, watching for any telltale signs.

"She tried ta, but I wouldn' do it." She replies quietly. Rogue resumes her stare out the window, this time turning completely away from him.

He closes his eyes, feeling her pain, both the emotional and remembered physical. When he reopens them, he hesitantly asks that question, although he's pretty sure of the answer she will give him.

"Rogue, did she...'urt y'?" He comes up behind her as she slowly nods her head in the affirmative. Slowly turning her around, he sees the silent tears streaming down her cheeks. He gently takes her in his arms and holds her close, allowing her to release the flood of pent-up emotions roiling inside her.

"I jus' don' und'rstan' 'ow someone can justify 'ittin' a chile, 'specially w'en it's a parent. Really pisses me off. If dis femme were any kin' o' mere, she wouldn' o' asked dat o' y'" Remy strokes her back as he tries to rein in his fury toward the woman who did this to Rogue.

A few moments pass and Rogue's tears begin to subside. Still looking down, she lightly presses her hands against his chest and pushes back. Remy lifts her chin. "Look at me, cherie. Don' y' worry 'bout findin' a place t' live. 'M sure bot' Pere an' Tante will agree wit' me dat y' don' 'ave t' leave w'en y' graduate, unless y' wan' t'."

"Why're ya willin' ta' do this for me?" Rogue inquires suspiciously.

"Hmm....maybe I like to'mentin' y'." He teases."

"Figures." Rogue mutters.

He chuckles warmly. "Trut' is, y'r de firs' femme t' take me seriously."

At Rogue's wary look, he defends his words. "Non, non...it's true! A lot o' femmes jus' see me as a good time." He states seriously. "Y'r de firs' who actually talks t' me wit'out flirtin'."

"I haven' heard anythin' from ya that was worth my flirtin' with ya!" She shoots back, a bit of her fiery spirit returning.

"S' w'at would it take t' get y' t' flirt wit' me?" He smirks coyly at her.

"A new personality comes ta min'." Rogue retorts with her own smirk.

"I t'oug't m' personality was jus' fine." Remy gives her a look of mock hurt.

"Ya would."

"Y' treat dis Cajun s' bad." He pouts.

"Ya'll adjust." Rogue pats his shoulder as she walks to the door with him.

"I t'ink I need a kiss t' make me feel bett'r."

"When Henri gets home, I'll make sure he gives ya one."

He grimaces. "No t'anks! I'll jus' wait f'r de day w'en I can get one from y'." Remy says in a low tone.

"Then ya'll be waitin' a long time." Rogue jests.

Remy laughs to himself as he descends the stairs.