Chapter 13

The official who had introduced them the day before was a man by the name of Wilson, and it was in his office as mutant resources coordinator that Rogue found herself.

"Ah can't control muh power," Rogue was saying. "So that means Ah can't touch anyone without hurtin' them. Re- Gambit was just y'know, tryin' ta steal a kiss before our powers got turned on again. Ya can see how ill-timed that was. And then Ah got his powers and my gloves got charged and Ah'm sorry about all the fuss."

Wilson sat back in his chair.

"And now you want to defect?"

"You can turn muh powers off. Ya have no idea... no idea at all just what Ah would do ta touch someone without riskin' killin' them. Ah'll do whatever ya want if Ah can just have Gambit in muh room at night."

If Trans was allowed to take slaves back to his bed, why couldn't she? Wilson snorted as he appraised her.

"You've been here barely a day, hardly long enough to prove your loyalty. We don't make deals lightly."

"What do ya want me ta do?"

He considered carefully.

"This power borrowing ability of yours. How long does it last?"

"It depends on how long Ah hold on, and how powerful the mutant is. General rule of thumb is a minute for every second Ah hold on."

"Interesting," he said, tapping his fingers on the desk.

Abruptly he made his decision and pressed the intercom.

"Send in Trans," he said, before pulling out pen and paper and beginning to write.

It only took a minute for the mutant to teleport into the office and by then Wilson was done with the letter.

"Deliver this to Major Crossland immediately, and don't come back without Ms Marvel."

Trans glanced over at Rogue speculatively.

"Yes sir," he said and disappeared.

About an hour later, Rogue swallowed as she looked down at the sedated woman in front of her.

"Her name is Ms Marvel," said Wilson. "Her powers are flight, invulnerability and super strength. Were she more co-operative this project would be finished by now. Unfortunately, the collar does not effect her invulnerability, so we keep her under gas sedation and use her for experimentation in improving the collar design. If not for that purpose we'd be using poison gas. Borrow her powers. You're going to be doing some heavy lifting today."

"Ah may have ta come back multiple times," Rogue said nervously. "If Ah hold on too long Ah may kill her and then there would be no powers left for me ta absorb."

"Come back as often as you need to. You will be given clearance. If there is significant improvement in our schedule today, we'll upgrade your collar to level two, and you may have the partner of your choice in your own quarters. Bear in mind, mutant, we don't hand out such things lightly. We expect your full co-operation. Remember that both the pain setting and the explosive is higher, and we will not hesitate to reward you with such should you ever try to betray us."

"Why would Ah do that, when you're givin' me muh life back?"

Wilson snorted and Rogue reached forward to touch the blonde-haired woman.

"Forgive me," she thought to herself.

Bobby looked up as the shadow passed them over.

"Is that Rogue?" he gaped.

Gambit and Jubilee looked up.

"Since when can she fly?"

"More t' the point petite," Gambit said slowly. "Since when can she lift those kinds o' weights?"

All three of them were give a brief zap of pain by the foreman.

"Stop staring and get back to work."

They bristled, but did what they were told.

"Guess they have Rogue absorbing people," Bobby said grimly.

"Oui," Gambit murmured.

"Good work today, Rogue," said Wilson as he approached her, his hands gloved. "You've earned this."

He put the key into the lock of her collar, and it released easily. The old collar was removed and a new plain blue collar was put in its place. He put the key back into his pocket.

"And now, to show you to your new quarters. I'm sure you'll find them far more comfortable than the cell you had last night."

"Thank ya," Rogue replied.

The collar was activated, turning her powers off and Wilson walked beside her out of the office and towards another trailer. As they walked, they passed the rest of the mutant slaves who were being directed to their cells.

Jubilee grabbed at Bobby as they walked past.

"Bobby," she hissed, pointing. "Rogue."

Bobby looked up and frowned.

"Is that a blue collar?"

They looked at each other.

"She wouldn't... would she?" Jubilee swallowed.

Bobby shook his head.

"It must mean something else," he decided. "Rogue would never betray us."

"Gambit?" called one of the slavers.

Gambit jerked his head up.

"Oui?" he answered tersely.

A guard moved to his side and grabbed his arm.

"This be your lucky night," he smirked. "The girl asked especially for you."

Gambit said nothing as they led him toward the trailer that Wilson had just escorted Rogue to. Bobby and Jubilee looked at each other.

"You were saying?" Jubliee said.

"I don't believe it," Bobby replied shaking his head. "I don't believe it."

The door was shut behind Gambit as he stepped inside. He raised his eyebrows, noting the comparative luxury of the room, given the tiny, cold little cell he'd slept in the night before. Rogue was sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. Her jacket was slung over the back of a nearby chair and her gloves on the table.

"Well, dey certainly know how t' treat their collaborators right, huh chérie?"

Rogue looked up at him and a nervous smile crossed her face.

"Gambit," she said cheerfully.

She raced across and he enveloped her in his arms as she kissed him thoroughly.

"Chére -" Gambit began but Rogue put one finger on his lips.

"Trans took a great deal of pleasure in informin' me that the walls have eyes," she told him, scratching behind her ear.

Gambit decided to interpret that as meaning the walls had ears as well.

"I see."

"Perverted bastard," Rogue wanted to say, but instead asked: "How's everyone doing?"

"They're fine."

"Okay good."

She really wanted to make sure that Jubilee hadn't been harassed by Trans, but was afraid of mentioning her name out loud in case he was watching and got ideas. Rogue did have the misfortune to have to interact with him but fortunately was now 'immune' to his unwanted advances. She did not, however, want him to take it out on Jubilee.

"We have dinner," Rogue went on.

"So I see. Certainly smells better dan the slop dey gave us in the cells last night, no?"

"Ha, yeah."

They sat down at the table. As Gambit picked up his fork he studied Rogue cautiously. Despite her chipper demeanour he could tell she was a nervous wreck.

"Saw yo' flying t'day."

"Yeah. That was kinda fun."

"And lifting and hauling loads I didn't t'ink Pete could manage."

"Yep. They uhh, they had me absorb this mutant. Car- Ms Marvel," Rogue explained.

If they didn't know she could siphon information she wasn't going to volunteer it. That meant no referring to Ms Marvel by her real name, and no chatter about what she'd seen in either Ms Marvel's or Gambit's heads that day.

"So she's a flier and got super strength?"

"Yeah. And she's invulnerable to boot."

Gambit reached over, took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it. It was actually kind of strange to touch her bare hand. Even stranger was the fact that it was he who was the one wearing gloves. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but whatever the cause of her anxiety (and he thought he knew what it might be, or part of it anyway) it was probably not something they should discuss here.

"Sounds like someone hit the mother load, no?"

Rogue smiled faintly.

"Powers haven't worn off from the last time Ah absorbed her. So Ah'm still invulnerable at the moment."

"Wait... your powers aren't turned off?" Gambit frowned.

"Oh... no the collar just doesn't work on that particular power, is all. Not fool proof apparently, although, Ah don't think Ah'm supposed ta be tellin' ya that."

"It'll be our little secret, no?"

"Yeah."

They finished dinner, which Gambit decided was substandard at best (although he didn't say that aloud). Rogue pushed her plate aside and took a deep breath before standing up. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. It was cheesy and unsettling, but she didn't have Gambit's gift for sleight of hand and could think of no other way to do it. Besides, after the speech she gave Wilson earlier that day she had pretty much committed herself.

"So..." Gambit began.

Rogue silenced him by kissing him and straddled his lap. Gambit wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her tremble beneath his hands.

"Gotcha something," she said as she pulled away slightly.

She hesitated for a moment before lifting off her shirt, and without meeting his eyes leaned in and kissed his cheek repeatedly. As her lips neared his ear she whispered:

"Don't try with the pain on," she told him, making a conscious effort not to use the letter 's', which she knew was easiest to overhear when you whisper. "It'll kill ya both."

Gambit looked down, and didn't bother to hide his smile as he saw the key nestled in her bra. He slipped his hands in and palmed the key before hiding it in his trench coat. Gambit lingered a moment before moving his hands back to her waist and held her while he stood up, then removed his trench coat, letting it fall to the ground. The kissing didn't stop as they led each other to the bed. Shoes were moved first, then Gambit's shirt and gloves, and they slipped under the covers. What was done under covers the cameras - wherever exactly they were - couldn't see. With any luck the covers and the low voices should keep their conversation from being overheard too much.

With the sheet pulled over their heads, Gambit pulled Rogue close. It felt so good to hold her, but these weren't exactly the conditions he had in mind and he knew Rogue was in a rare state.

"So, chérie," he said quietly as he kissed her nose. "What now?"

Rogue paused, having not expected him to ask her that.

"Ah don't know," she admitted.

"We don't have t' do anyt'ing," he assured her. "Just lie together in partial nakedness."

She giggled softly, resting her head on his upper arm.

"It's up to yo'. Yo' summoned me, remember?" he added, feeling her relax.

"Mmm... what if you had summoned me?"

"Never make yo' do anyt'ing you're not comfortable wit', ma chére."

Rogue was silent for a time and lifted her hand to lightly touch his chest.

"Ah think that... Ah had an opportunity like this once before, and nothing ever came of it," she said slowly. "Ah don't want to waste my chance this time, but Ah don't..."

She bit her bottom lip, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Gambit kissed her tenderly.

"Not the time or the place, chérie. Not for dat. Should be done properly, and dis ain't it."

Rogue smiled, although the smile faded quickly.

"Things have changed between us, haven't they?"

"Oui."

"Ah'm sorry."

"I'm not."

"This can't last. Not when Ah'm untouchable."

"Dis is just the bonus round, chére," Gambit replied. "All the good stuff happens outside o' the bedroom."

"Bonus round?" Rogue repeated.

"Oui. And speaking as an authority on the subject, relationships centred on the bonus round don't work out. Not in the long run. Love is an adventure, chérie. It's full o' risks and dangerous territory. Never knowing how you're going t' survive the next obstacle. Yo' need each other t' get through and yo' keep going because at the end of the day it's worth the climb."

"Love?"

Gambit smiled, and caressed her cheek.

"So, I'll just take the next big risk, shall I? I love yo'."

Rogue closed her eyes, turned her head and kissed his fingers.

"Ah love you too," she said finally. "Ah wish Ah didn't. Ah liked being friends. Ah liked not being afraid of hurtin' or getting hurt."

"Dat's all part o' the adventure too, ma chére. Just being friends is easy. But dis? When you've got your heart on the line you've got everyt'ing t' lose. The stakes are higher but the rewards greater. I t'ink it'll be worth it."

"Always the gambler, huh?"

"Low stakes might be safer, but dey aren't nearly as much fun. What say yo' chérie? Care t' join me in the adventure o' a lifetime?"

"Y'know, with us half dressed under the covers like this, the whole night ahead of us, this could get really awkward if Ah say 'no'."

"Yo' have dis bad habit o' toying wit' me, chére. I've shown yo' my hand, I think it's time yo' showed me yours."

Rogue lifted her head, pressed her lips to his and kissed him passionately.

"I can take dat as a yes?"

"Yes, yes you can. But Remy?"

"Oui Roguey?"

"Do you really have ta make the poker analogies?"

"Oui. Yo' should hear the one I've got about havin' an ace in the hole."