Chapter 26

The next time gambit and rogue woke up was by Tante Mattie banging on their door, yelling at them to come down for breakfast. Both stired, and as rogue loosened her grip, gambit only tightened it. He buried his head down into rogues chest, bit wanting to wake up just yet. Rogue, somehow used to being waken up like this began sitting up, or trying to, and ended up leaning on her elbows. She smiled at how much like a child Remy acted. And she still didn't believe she deserved him. It was so hard to believe that this man had rushed through god knows what to get to her and save her life. Rogue wondered if she was or had even been worth it. Well, apparently for the guild she had, but was she enough for him? Well from the other night, he thought so. How did she get so luckily all of a sudden? How did she mange to end up with this beautiful, sexy, kind, charming man who loved her and Jo knew else? She didn't know. But she loved him so much too. "Remy." She nodded him lightly on his shoulder with her arm. "Come on Rems. It's time ta get up." She said in a light voice. She didn't want to wake him up since he had looked shattered all day yesterday, but she didn't want him getting in trouble with Tante.

But gambit just seemed to bury himself more into her chest, which made rogue feel... Strange. It was strange having him rest his head on her breasts. Having him so close. But she kinda liked it. Gambit only buried his head deeper into the darkness that was moving. Then felt the urge to turn over, but not lose his comfortable darkness, his strong arms wrapped around rogues back and chest more and he pulled her over, on too of him. Rogue grasped then said, "Remy. We need ta get up. Your a Tante Mattie's callin us."

"Non, I'm comfy. She can wait." He muttered into her chest. It made rogue giggle as it tickled a little.

"Come on sugar. Pretty please. Ah don't want er mad at meh cause ya not gettin up."

Gambit growned, then lifted his head up so his eyes could met rogues. For a moment they just lay there staring into each other's deep beautiful eyes. Both happy and both treasuring what they had. Both were lost in utter love. Rogues eyes fell to gambits lips, as did his. She really wished she could just kiss those lips without hurting him. She really wanted to show him how much she loved him without hurting him. She really wanted to kiss him. Rogue tried to find her self control, but slowly, she found herself falling more and more closer to gambit, until their lips met. Gambit had wanted it to happen. At first he thought it was a dream,but the kiss felt too real as he melted into the kiss. The most perfect kiss he had ever had. Then suddenly those pieces of heaven were gone. He opened his eyes to see a very shocked rogue.

Rogue jolted up. She didn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. She had just kissed gambit and he was ok. He was blinking up at her. What did this mean? Gambit sat up with rogue, realising what had just happened himself. Gambit searched rogues face for anything different about her, while rogue searched his face to see if he was hurt. Gambit raised his hands, one wrapping around rogues waist where she sat in his lap, and the other reaching up to stroke her face with his bare hand. A breath rogue didn't know she'd been holding escaped her and gambit moved a piece of her hair behind her ear. She really wanted his touch. She craved it. It felt like her skin was burning and tingling under his touch. It scared her, but it felt so good. Rogue reopened her eyes and looked deep into gambits lustful eyes. Both didn't understand, but both didn't care at that moment. Both fell into a deeper kiss. A longing kiss. The perfect kiss... Until rogue felt something hard against her. She pulled away and took a quick look down at where she was sat. Gambit chuckled, and moved his head to lean on hers. "It's a natural reaction, especially for you cher." Gambit started kissing her again.

"Remy, ya lazy rascal, I won't tell ya again. Get down here n bring dat poor starved girl with ya."

Both of them laughed. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of Tante Mattie. "Come on, we betta get up fore she comes up here."

"Awww." Gambit pouted. "But I'm enjoyin dis little surprised." Gambit said, twirling her white curls around his fingered. Gambit stared at her lips again, tempted to feel their softness again.

Rogue blushed as she still felt how hard he was. Her hands traveled down from holding his jaw to his shoulders, down his wonderfully hard muscly chest. She found it hard to do what she was going to do knowing that now she could slip her hands under his shirt and feel those wonderfully perfect abs. But instead, she pushed him away. Only he was in a playful mood this morning. As he lay back down on the bed, he brought rogue down on with him. "Remy." Rogue moaned. Then gambit started to tug lightly at her ear as she turned ep her face away from him so he wouldn't kiss her again. Rogue giggled, then tried pushing him away again, only those arms were strong around her. He kept her to his chest and dropped butterfly kisses all down her neck while she giggled away. "Remy, stop. We've gotta go."

Then there was loud banging on their door again. "Remy LeBeau, ya got ten seconds ta be descent fore I come in der, n drag ya out by ya ear." Yelled Tante Mattie.

Gambit finally stopped what he was doing, looking past rogue to the door. "Merde." He muttered. "Yes really mad. Cher, cover for moi?" He asked.

Rogue raised her eyebrow at him. "Why woulda do that when ah told ya she was gettin mad? Ya didn't listen."

"Oui, I'm sorry. N you'll keep er busy cause ya love me?" Gambit grinned.

Rogue rolled her eyes then looked down at the still madly grinning gambit. He planted a quick kiss on her lips, before sitting them both up, putting her to the side, then hurrying off into the bathroom. Then the bedroom door opened and an angry tante stepped in. She gave a small smile to rogue. "Good mornin honey child, now where be dat radical?"

"Oh he's gone to the toilet. Sorrah, ah woulda come down ta tell ya, but ah wanted ta wait for Remy."

Tante Mattie gave rogue a proper heartily smile. "Dat boy got ya liein for em? Ya don't haveta be nervous child. No one in dis house is gonna hurt ya."

"yeah, ah know."

Tante raised her eyebrow at rogue, closed the door then came to sit on the bed. "Child, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Rogue." Tante Mattie said in a slightly dangerous tone which made rogue know she better answer now.

"It's just... Ah ain't that good with crowds."

Tante smiled. "Is dat all. Child, dat boy in der will fight dem off for ya. De way dat boy looks at ya is full of love. He ain't gonna let the woman he loves be wooed by any other man. N if he can't get de job done, then me n Merci will step in n help. Ya just give a signal if ya feelin uncomfortable, Oui."

"Oui." Rogue said. Tante gave a final large smile then left.

A few moments later gambit came out of the bathroom. Rogue looked at him, waiting for so sort of instructions on how to service in the LeBeau house hold.

XXXXX

Well, breakfast with a load of egar thieves who wanted to met the externals favourtive person was eventful. Tante Mattie was right about gambit fighting them off. They had come down in their pyjamas, or in rogues and gambits case, an white under skirt dress and the same clothes from the hospital gambit borrowed. Gambit kept hold of rogues hand all the time, while going downstairs, to holding it under the table till even after that. He just wouldn't let her go again and squeezed it, proving to her that he was there for her. Gambit led rogue downstairs, pulling out her chair for her next to the head of the table Where Jean Luc sat. He took the seat next to her, glaring at the thieves who started to get up and move towards rogue. His red glare scared them though and they sat back down. Rogue didn't see this though as she felt uncomfortable anyway. She looked down at her hands, not meting anyone's eyes.

"Well, good mornin treasure." Said Jean-Luc, putting down his drink. Rogue looked at him. She remembered that she'd framed him and that he still had to have his trial. Well she thought she did.

"Hi." Rogue muttered. It made his smile to into a grin.

"So, how's de life offa celebrity treatin ya? Not every day ya go from bein inchies ta havin ya head cut off, ta being the externals prized treasure."

"pere." Both gambit and Henri, sat oposite Gambit hissed at him.

"What? It be de truth, non?" He said winking at rogue while taking another drink. Rogue just watched him. His tone was mocking and light, but she gathered he was still mad at her. Rogues inner goth seemed to come out as she straighten up. she wasn't going to be the victim to this bad man.

"Hmmm, its been a strange forty eight hours or so hasn't it. So, do you still have to attend your trial for attempted murder on ya son n the assassins son?" Rogue said, raising her eyebrow at him.

All was quiet at the breakfast table. Jean Luc eyed rogue before he chuckled deeply. "Looks like ma boys found a spit fire. Ya sharp with ya tongue petite. But non. Since de hole feud was discoved ta be a fix by Malcolm, I was let off. But de higher courts still keepin a close eye on moi." Jean Luc said eyeing Tante Mattie, who gave his a raised eyebrow of her own. Then she smiled as she came up behind rogue and Gambit and placed a plate each of her freshly baked goods.

Rogue smiled back up to the woman, "Thank ya Tante." She said. Gambit repeated her thanks along with many others.

"Why, it's nice ta finally hear some manners." Tante said, laying firm hands on rogues shoulders."Now you be nice ta de fillie Jean-Luc. Remember-"

"I know tante, I know. She's de externals treasure." Jean Luc said eyeing rogue again. "A most previous and delicatly rare treasure. I do apologise for moi rudeness dis mornin Cherie." Jean-Luc said as he took rogues free hand, closest to him, and kissed it. "Forgive me."

Gambit was turning red with furry and jealously. Everyone seen this apart from rogue who just blushed at the strange gesture. "Dat be enough then pere." Gambit said, taking rogues hand out if his fathers.

His father chuckled a deep chuckle. "What's wrong boy. Scared of a little competition?"

"What competition?" Rogue asked, only now just clicking on to what was happening. The other thieves chuckled and laughted at what she'd just said. Jean Luc studied rogue still with his smile. Gambit himself chuckled and proudly wrapped an arm around rogues shoulder. Rogue leaned into it and looked up at him. Gambit was smiling down at her and she smiled back at him, happy to see the pride in his eyes.

"Now ya leave dat girl alone Jean-Luc! I won't tell ya again. Ya ain't got no chance comin tween dos two. Look at em. Remys found his otha half, n he ain't gonna lose it ta some light flirting."

"Is dat so tante? Guess I'll just have to do some hard flirtin then" Jean-Luc said winkin at rogue as he said that.

"Errr, not otha hopeless flirt. Ahd had enough of ya when you were like dat." Rogue said frowning, looking from JeanLuc up to Gambit. The others chuckled again And a checky grin spread on gambits beautiful kissable lips.

"Why cher." He put a hand to his heart. "Ya wound moi. Ya weren't complain before when ah was romancin ya."

"Errr, hopeless. Yes, ah was. Ya were just too thick headed ta hear it. That or ya ears were full of swamp water."

"Nope, ma hearin was n is fine cher. N if I was thick headed den it probably turned out bein a good thing, non? Ya here in ma arms aren't ya?"

Rogue rolled her eyes at him muttering, "stupid swamp rat." She then moved out of his arms and began eating Tantes wonderful breakfast. "Emmmm this is really good Tante."

Tante chuckled with modiesty. "Why thank ya honey child. Now ya eat dat all up. You gotta put some meat on ya bones, n ya gonna need the energy for today."

Rogue swallowed the piece of pancake down then looked over her shoulder at Tante. She was sure there was more to what tante was sayin then met the ears. "What you mean Tante?"

"I mean honey child that ya got a busy day a head of ya. Ya don't t'ink ya could just become de externals favourite treasure, get ya life back n not haveta do anythin do ya?"

"Errr, no, ah didn't t'ink it was that simple... Whatve ah gotta do?"

Jean-Luc chucked, "exsacly what de external wanted ya ta do what you didn't want to do."

"N that is?"

"Lead de guilds. Go inbetween em all, checkin up on em n makin sure everything's alright It'll be very simple really. Ya just gonna be tha go between n go to person. Keepin all de guilds in check. N like de external said, you'll be a walkin reminder of the reason for our existence."

"Oh." Rogue said and the table seemed to go quiet. Gambit squeezed her hand under the table and she looked to him. He gave an encouraging smile which she returned before facing jean Luc.

"So, after breakfast you'll be startin ya work. Well be havin a metin bout de thieves guilds performance n your gonna haveta sit n listen ta it till the end, n if ya have any opinions dat ya wanna put in then ya put em in. Den de next day y'all most likely be visitin de assassins n doin the same t'ings."

"Wait, do ah have ta leave straight away?" Rogue said, turning to gambit painicing. This couldn't be there last day together could it? She knew he had responsiblities as he was a thief, but they wouldn't be split up so fast as they only just got back toget her.

"Non. Ya can stay here as long as ya like, but it is bested dat ya leave sometime soon so de assassins can move on with der business. You'll sit thought one of der meetins. Of course ya can't tell em what de thieves r up ta n ditto for de assassins. All dis is in confidence. The assassins will home ya for de night n feed ya, then youll have ta move on to the next guild most likely bein de ones in California. They'll home ya too n treat ya like de princess ya r. You'll simply end up travelin de world n spreadmin ya wised n peace. N if there is any emergancy with a certain guild, like all der money's been stole." Jean Luc looked at her with a smug grin. "Then ya gotta go ta em so they can report what's happened n ya can see if ya can help out."

"But... What would ah be able ta do if there was some disaster? Ah only know what ah absorbed from Gambit, Julian n Malcolm. Ah ain't even been brought up in ya guilds. what-" rogue asked panic rising in her voice.

"Honey Child, ya don't have ta have all de answers. No one expects dat of ya. Ya just a child. N de external knows dat. All de guilds know dat. They'll most likely take control over any bad situation, but you'll just be there as something comforting." said tante.

"Yeah, like you'll be the externals spirt or presence or sumthin. You'll be fine." added Merci.

Rogue felt her hands go itchy "will they make meh absorb people?"

Everyone went quite. "Possibly. If theres anyone who's suspicious. You'll most likely be asked ta see if der liein or not." Said Henri honestly.

"Oh."

"It won't be all de time cher. Ya won't haveta absorb anyone ya don't want to." Gambit winked at her. Rogue caught on to what he meant. She'd touched him this morning with out absorbing him. She frowned shortly after that though, not sure why her powers hadn't worked that morning. Shed have to get them checked. Then she thought of the X-Men.

"So, ah'm gonna be runnin round the world to every single guild, then what? Will ah get ta go home? Get ta see mah family?"

Tante raised her eyebrow. "I thought ya told de court ya didn't hava family."

"Ah don't. Ah was talkin bout the X-Men. Ah might a run away from em, but ah guess almost gettin ya head chopped off reminded ya of all the good things in life ya got." Rogue squeezed gambits hand at that point. "Logan didnt deserve bein put throw ma death. Neither did ah of the Othas. sides, ah think ah owe them an explanation of why ah ran away. So, can ah see them?"

"course ya can see ya family honey child. Ya have more control over ya job then what Jean Luc makes out. If ya ever feelin homesick or gettin sick of travelin then ya can always go home, or come here. Ya can rest as long as ya want. No guild will want an ill or upset treasure of the external. They'll most likely send ya home if they even t'ink ya look a little home sick."

This made Rogue happy. well, she was dredging the lectures and stuff she'd get, but still, she hadn't realised how much she really did miss them. Kitty and her noseyness. Kurt and his annoying times to intrupt her. Scott and his orders. Jean and her perfect ways. Storm and her calmness. Logan either workin them to death or fixing cars and the professor trying to create peace and reach out for people all over the world. All over the world, rogue thought. Rogue looked up from her plate to tante and thought of an idea. A way she could pay the professor back. A way she could be an x-men and the treasure or whatever her job was now called. But that's only if the xmen and higher courts agreed. "Tante."

"yes honey child."

"The X-Men. Ma family. Well they're not all related in the sense of blood, but more mutants. We all getta long n look afta each other cause were mutants. Is there any guild made for helpin mutants?"

"Why no. i don't t'ink there is."

"Well, ah was just t'inkin that the professor. The man who took us all in n helped us learn ta control our powers, well he's limtied ta just havin a home in Bayvillie. Ah was wonderin, since theirs guildes all over the world n stuff n cause the professors always tryin ta reach out to all mutants, like for example, ma brothers German N he's now livin in Bayvillie with everyone. Well ah was t'ink could they like or could the guilds like help out the X-Men. Ah mean with like helpin mutants all over tha world hava home or learn ta use their powers-"

"absolutely not" interrupted JeanLuc as he slammed down his glass. "ya might be the externals treasure but ya can't just come inta de guildes n start creatom, or changin der jobs or Nuthin-"

"Jean-Luc, that is not for you to say or decided is it?" Said tante glaring at JeanLuc. The glare was lost and replaced with something kind as she turned to face rogue."a Don't worry bout him child. He just don't want Otha guilds havin what he has n dats power of a mutant son. but Jeanluc really shouldn't be t'ink like dat as the feud has been resolved now. Ha gonna be sharin Remy with Otha guilds ta do jobs, so ya betta get rid of dat attitude ya got. And as for ya question honey child, well well have ta call a court meetin. Afta breakfast, Ill show ya how ta call a meetin n how ta get in contact with all de court members. As for yours assessment Jean-Luc de thieves will haveta wait der turn while de higher court members r still in town." Jean Luc frowned Like a child who'd just been told he can't have a toy from the shop.

Rogue felt reassured by this. So she could decided where she traveled and when she traveled. And she might be able to help the X-Men spreed their message of peace around the world. And she could go home any time she wanted... But then she thought about missing home while she was working And traveling to far and completely different places. That made her feel uncomfortable. "Ah'm ah travelin alone?" Rogue asked quietly.

"non, course not. i just got ya back. Ya really t'ink I'm gonna let ya go now." Gambit said squeezing her shoulder. Gambit was getting quite annoyed at how much work rogue already had to do. He knew she was special from the first moment he met her but not this special. He could see tante and JeanLuc trying to dig their nails into rogue already and make her do their work. He didn't like it. He didn't like that hed only just saved her and now they were taking her away from him again. He wanted to spend time with her again like they had before. He wanted to figure out how she could touch then do a whole lot of things to her. He wanted to hold her and tell her he loved her. He wanted her to hold him and be with him and want her to say she loved him too. They both just wanted time together.

Rogue smiled. "Non." She said, glad that gambit was coming with her. Yes, gambit was coming with her. Her Remy was going to travel the world with her like she wanted. She couldn't control the smile on her lips. Gambit seemed to grow closer to her than she noticed. And then he pecked a kiss on her lips. Rogue hadn't been expecting it. But she had wanted it.

Tante then wiped his head with her tea towel and said, "now there'll be none of that at my table." She snapped. All of the theives laughted as gambit rubbed the back of his head, even rogue had to laugh. Tante was firest and you did not want to get on the wrong side of her. Rogue turned back to eating her breakfast, feeling so much more relaxed and settled now that she knew what her future was. What her new life was. And she loved every part of it. Especially the part were Remy was right there by her side every step of the way.