Cross Country Escape

Chapter 14: Mardi Gras and Ex-Girlfriends pt.1

All she could really ear was her heart beating her ears, but she did not fail to hear Gambit gasp as she stepped into the room.

"Mon Dieu." she heard him whisper almost in audibly. Suddenly feeling very confident she smirked, stepping out from the threshold of the bathroom.

"What do yah think?" she asked.

"Remy t'ink he got good taste." Gambit replied. Rogue sashayed up to him.

"Anna t'ink so too." she mocked straddling his waist. He smirked.

"Yo' t'inkin' what Remy t'inkin' petite?" Gambit questioned.

"Depends sugah, are yah thinkin' of finishin' what we started in the dressin' room?" Rogue asked, putting her hands on his chest and puching him to lay back. He smirked.

"Guess great minds…." Rogue cut him off putting a finger to his lips.

"Enough talkin' darlin' time fa' action." she whispered moving her lips to hover over his. She could feel his warm breath against her lips and it drove her wild. Just as she was about to close the distance between them, Gambit wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him, then flipped her over so she was beneath him. She gasped surprised, before Gambit crushed his lips to hers. She moaned into their kiss, loving the feel of his hands rubbing up and down her sides.

They pulled away the need fro air growing strong and looked into each other's eyes. She had always loved his eyes, they were so different and unique, just like he was. They always seemed to have a special glow when they looked at her that always made her feel special. Although everything he did made her feel special. No matter how much she rejected him or how dangerous she was to be close to, he never let that stop him. He proved to her time and time again that he wasn't afraid of her or her powers and that he would do anything for her.

"Thank yah." she whispered. He looked at her confused.

"Fo' what petite?" he questioned. She smiled lightly.

"Fa' always bein' there." she replied. Gambit smiled back.

"Anyt'in' fo' yo' mon amour." he whispered, leaning down and pecking her on the lips. "Yo' mo' special t' moi 'den yo' know." he continued. " 'Dere's never been no one like yo' Anna, don' eva' let no one tell yo' different."

Before she could say anything, a knock came at the door, startling them both. Gambit jumped up and walked to the door while Rogue dashed back into the bathroom and closed the door. When he was sure she was out of sight, Gambit opened the door to reveal Etienne. The older man looked at Gambit surprised.

"What yo' doin' 'ere?" he asked. Gambit sensing the true surprise in his voice smirked.

"What, a man non allowed t' be in 'is femme's room?" Gambit asked cockily. Etienne watched him curiously.

"I t'ought yo' said she non yo' girlfirend?" Etienne replied. Gambit's smirk widened.

"T'ings change." he added. "What yo' doin' 'ere?" he continued. Etienne blushed.

"Jus' came t' get 'er fo' dinner." he covered quickly.

"D'accord, Remy'll tell 'er." he replied smirking. Etienne watched him for a moment, knowing Gambit knew he was there to hit on her. He gulped inwardly, hoping that he wouldn't erect one his elaborate pranks to get back at him. "We'll be down in un minute." Gambit said pulling Etienne out of his thoughts.

"Uh, right." he replied turning on his heels and walking away, a little faster then normal.

"Remy?" Gambit heard behind him. He turned to see Rogue standing there re dressed in her clothes from before. "Who was that?" she asked as she walked over to him. He smiled at her.

"Jus' Etienne, tellin' us it time fo' dinner." he explained. Rogue smiled.

"Good Ah'm starvin'." she replied.

"Well 'den after yo'." he said stepping aside so she could exit the room, she did and he followed close behind.

The door opened soundlessly, allowing the once thief with the demon eyes to slip in undetected. The room was dark, but nothing was ever to dark for Remy LeBeau. He knew this house inside and out (as part of his training as a kid) and he knew he had to step over the fourth floor board from the door, step only at the end of the sixth from the window, and if at all possible avoid walking near the closet.

Quickly and almost daintily Gambit tip toed across the floor stopping next to the bed. He smiled lightly, looking down at the peaceful figure lying in the bed. Her two toned hair was messy and all around her head, her make up was gone, and her porcelain skin glowed.

Her small body was tucked to one side of the bed, the fluffy comforter wrapped around her. She looked so sweet and innocent and yet he knew that wasn't the case. Carefully Gambit lifted the covers and slid into bed next to her, laying his front against her back. He wrapped his arm around her waist, burying his face in her hair and taking in her strawberry scent.

"Remy." she sighed softly in her sleep, pressing herself back into him. He smiled lightly, closing his eyes and preparing for sleep.

The sun shone through the curtains, lighting the face of the lone Cajun lying in bed. He stirred, his sensitive eyes bothered by the intruder even through his eye lids. He groaned groping the bed for the absent figure beside him. He felt and groped until finally he gave up, falling over on his stomach in defeat.

"Damn it woman." He groaned sleepily, burying his face in the pillow.

"Ooo, Oncle Remy said a bad word." He heard from behind him in the door way. He slowly turned around onto his back. He opened his eyes to see Cassie with her gift from Rogue in her arms and of course Rogue smiling at him amusedly. "Look what aunt Rogue got for me." Cassie said excitedly, running up to the bed and jumping up next to Gambit.

"Pretty cool petite." He said, rubbing his eyes of sleep. He felt a shift on the opposite side of him and looked up to see Rogue sit next to him. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Aren't they so cute?" Cassie interrupted. Gambit nodded. The young girl seemed in her own little happy world and Gambit could help but feel grateful to Rogue for giving her that. He felt Rogue cuddle into his side and he wrapped his arm around her waist letting her lean into him.

"Yo' excited 'bout tonight petite?" Gambit asked, feeling just as light hearted. Cassie looked up with the widest and brightest smile he'd ever seen on her.

"Yea, mommy said we're going to go to my favorite restaurant and then go watch the parade on Bourbon street." She explained. Rogue smiled.

"Sounds like fun sugah." She said. Cassie nodded. Just then Henri appeared in the door way.

" 'Dere yo' are mon amour." Henri said, smiling at how happy his daughter looked. "What yo' doin' in 'ere petite?" he asked.

"I was showin' Oncle Remy what Aunt Rogue got me." She explained. Henri looked confused, and it became obvious to them that Merci had not told him. He walked up to the end of the bed as Cassie help up the basket and stuffed dogs. Henri smiled recognizing them.

"I hope yo' said t'ank yo' petite." He replied.

"She did, several times." Rogue explained. Henri smiled at her.

"Good." He started. "I hate t' cut 'da fun short, but 's time fo' breakfast." He explained picking Cassie up in his arms. She clung to his happily her original dog in her arms. Rogue and Gambit watched them leave then Rogue stood from the bed. She walked over to her suit case and pulled out and outfit and her toiletries, then turned around only to come face to face with her favorite pair of red on black eyes.

"Good morning." He said, his voice low. She smiled up at him

"Mornin' sugah." She replied a sly smile on her face.

" 'Ow are yo' 'dis fine mornin'?" he asked, the smirk evident in his voice as well as on his face.

"Ah' fine, why do yah ask?" she replied smiling.

"Remy t'ink yo' know why." He added stepping closer to her.

"No Ah don' think Ah do." She teased. Gambit scowled.

"Yo' a damn tease Anna." He replied, wrapping his arms around her waist she smirked.

"Ah know." She answered. "Thought yah would have learned that last night."

Flashback

It had been some hours since Gambit had crept into Rogue's bed, and both were sleeping soundly. The air was cool and comfortable despite the muggy heat outside. In her sleep Rogue had turned onto her back, her arm resting over Gambit's as if to hold him there. Her nose crinkled in disgust, her dream escalating into a nightmare.

"He'll never love you Rogue, never. He's a player, a ladies man. All he wants is what you can give him between the sheets. Nothing you ever do can change him. Despite what he says he will always be Remy LeBeau, the prince of thieves." Mystique's voice rang clearly all around her in this dark blank space. She tried to cover her ears, but her voice penetrated with little effort.

"Don't let him fool you Rogue, don't let him get what he wants. This is all just an elaborate plan. Nothing he does for you means anything. He just wants into your pants."

"Shut up!" Rogue screamed. "Shut up! You're lying, you're the one who uses meh, who betrayed me. You're the problem, not Remy!"

"No Rogue, I love you. I love you more then my own son, you're my favorite." Mystique told her, but Rogue just shook her head. "Please Rogue."

"ANNA!" Rogue screamed at the top of her lungs. "Mah name is Anna! Anna Marie!" tears began to fall from her eyes. "And Kurt is better family then you ever were. You're a monster, and Ah hate yah an' everything yah ever done tah meh. Ah hope yah burn in hell."

"You little brat!" Mystique exclaimed. Rogue's anger grew, she stepped forward swinging her fist and connecting with something hard. A muffled 'oof' sounded, but it sounded to masculine to be Mystique. She was blinded in the dark of her sub consciousness.

"Rogue." She heard in a deep pained voice. "Rogue wake up." It was Gambit, but why was he gasping.

Rogue's eyes snapped open, her chest heaving. She soon became aware of her surroundings, and the wheezing next to her unsettled her. She leaned over to the table next to the bed and flipped on the bed side lamp. She then looked over to her other side to see Gambit curled up on the bed his face buried in the mattress seemingly in pain.

"Remy?" she questioned worried. "What's wrong sugah?" she asked.

"Mmmffmmm." he replied into the mattress.

"Ah didn't quite catch that, hun." she said. Gambit moved his face a little, his face full of pain.

"Yo' punched moi, chere." he wheezed. Rogue looked down at him confused, studying his person. She noticed where he was holding himself. She gasped.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, leaning over him and hugging him. "Ah'm sorry, Ah'm sorry, Ah'm sorry." she cried. After a few minutes, Gambit shifted out of the feedle position, letting go of his groin. He let out a shallow breath, shaking slightly.

"What 'da hell 'appened?" he asked. She looked at him worried.

"Ah'm so sorry. Ah was havin' a bad dream. Ah guess the thing Ah swung at was your thing." she explained. The look on her face was a mix of sympathy and pain. "Are yah ok?" she asked worried.

"Remy be ok." he replied. "Non so sure 'da little guy be ok, mais we'll see." he continued. She rolled her eyes catching the suggestiveness in his voice. A thought suddenly hit her.

"The "little" guy?" she asked. Gambit looked at her wide eyed.

"Well, yo' see what Remy meant was…" Rogue cut off his explanation with a loud laugh. He scowled at her.

"Oui petite, yo' hilarious." he grumbled annoyed. She stopped laughing a short time after and looked at him sympathetically.

"Are yah sure yah ok, sugah?" she asked again.

"Remy should be askin' yo' 'dat. 'Dat was a hard punch, must a been some dream." Gambit said.

"Oh yea, well yah know." She evaded. Gambit sighed.

"Come on Anna. Tell Remy what happened." He said. She starred over at him, looking him over. She wasn't sure when, but somewhere along the time line of their friendship she had fallen for him. She looked at how comfortable he seemed around her and realized he didn't look any different. Even back when she didn't have control over her powers he was always this relaxed around her, despite the constant threat to his safety. She owed him so much.

"Mystique." She finally said. Gambit looked at her confused. "She's in mah head. Every time Ah close mah eyes, she's there tellin' meh things."

"What t'ings chere?" he asked. She watched him worried, debating with herself whether or not to tell him.

"Well," she began. "Things about….yah." Gambit looked at her surprised.

"An' let moi guess, not'in' good." He replied. She nodded. "Remy non surprised, he not exactly the take 'ome t' mama type." He continued.

"She not mah mother." She retorted annoyed. "That's why it bother's meh so much. She has no say in mah life, her opinion is the furthest thing from mah mind and yet here she is messin' wit' mah head."

Gambit watched her as her expression went from annoyed to angry. He would never tell her, but he always loved the way she looked when she was mad. The way her cheeks flushed, the way her eyes glowed, she was beautiful. Watching her now he found himself loosing control.

Gambit leaned forward slowly as she ranted, silencing her words. They moved slowly as Gambit captured her lips in a deep kiss. He waisted no time in asking for entrance and she granted it without hesitation, their tongues battling for dominance.

Gently, Gambit pushed her back so she was lying back on her pillow again. Her heart raced, nervousness the only thing she could feel. His hands were so gentle, despite how rough the were, and she loved how they felt against the skin exposed on her arms. She was in awe of him, of his caring and attentiveness.

The need for air pulled them apart, but that did not stop Gambit from bringing his attention to her neck. She squirmed and moaned at the wonderful feeling. She gasped when his hands found her breasts and even through the cloth of her shirt the way he touched her still sent sparks up and down her spine.

Gambit was faintly aware of how nervous Rogue was, but he knew she was ready for this too, at least to some extent.

Despite how strong she was, Gambit knew she was extremely innocent. Her heart had always been shielded from other people and he knew from the personal struggle that it was not easy to get through her walls.

Upon thinking this, a thought suddenly occurred to him. If he broke through her walls, and she was hurt because of him, she would never let herself out again, not even for him. He had the power to ruin her or love her for the rest of his life.

Gambit lifted his head and moved to kiss her one last time. He then pulled away, moving to her side and pulling her into him. She watched him confused.

"What's wrong? Did Ah do something'?" she asked worried. Gambit smiled finding her innocence very cute.

"Non, Anna. Remy jus' don' want to rush." he explained. She smiled back at him.

"Ok." she replied, turning one her side and cuddling into his chest. Gambit smiled down at her.

It may take awhile, but he knew that no matter what, he'd prove his love to her.

End Flashback

Rogue smiled as she relaxed in the shower. The warm water soothed away any remaining tension from the long car ride. While it did, she took the time to think about the other night.

Despite what Mystique said, Gambit was there for her, he always was and he always would be. She trusted him completely and fully willing to give him her heart.

No one and nothing could come between them.

A/N: Chapter 14 done….15 up soon!

-RED