Progress, & how to pack a suitcase

" Genosha..." Rogue sighed. Rogue couldn't believe that she had just packed a swimsuit to go to an island resort while a war was brewing. It was surreal, she was looking forward to boogie boarding, and shopping, while mutant rights hung in the balance. It seemed so irresponsible, almost like a denial, but Jean reassured her it was work, she even called it a 'working-vacation'. She felt like hiding from the world, she wished she was stronger.

" Maybe it will help..." She looked over at Remy's coat hanging over her vanity chair, she felt like she was running away from her problem, that damn coat was a problem. She saw herself walking from ledge to ledge to get to Remy's window, and tossing his coat inside, she thought briefly about tearing it apart, but she couldn't. Destroying something never made the problem go away, not for her, it made things worse, so rather than giving herself something new to regret, she intended to return it.

" Such a stupid thing..." Rogue said picking up the coat. She pulled it close to her face, and breathed it in. She hated, and loved the smell, it wasn't stale cigarettes, cologne, and a spiced breeze, it was Remy, for a brief moment that awful coat was him. She slipped an arm into one of the sleeves, allowing the high collar to caress her cold cheek, the soft worn leather almost felt like his skin, for a moment she could trick herself so it was his skin. She slowly ran a hand around to the back of the coat, she tried to forget that she was pressing her hands against her own back, it was his back, his warmth, somehow the coat had retained his body's warm. She hated how pathetically addicted she was to body heat, the only thing that made her feel even more pathetic is that she could tell the difference between Remy's body heat, and everyone else's. Scott, Jean, Kurt, even the Professor they all seem to radiate the same warm in the same way, but Remy, he brought the imprinted warmth of the south with him, his body ran a temperature uniquely his own, comforting, exciting, irresistible. She closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to the soft leather collar, the smooth skin, his lips, lost in his unique heat. So lost that didn't notice the owner of that horrible coat coming in through her window, he stood behind her, pressing his back against the window, he watched her for a moment before speaking.

" Always said that damn coat was luckier den me." Gambit said, his smile quickly fading.

" Gambit!" Rogue shouted, dropping the coat to the ground. " You got some damn nerve! Ya'know that?!" An itemized list of everything he was doing wrong was ringing up in her mind from trespassing, to talking to her.

" Ah know yo'mad an' you got every reason in de world ta be, but needed ta say g'bye face ta face b'fore you left." Gambit spoke quickly, he figured he wouldn't have a lot of time to say his peace.

" Good bye! Now out!" Rogue ordered. In that moment Rogue had a flash of herself punching him through the wall, and landing sprawled out in the west courtyard.

" Please gimme a minute-" Gambit said, side stepping further into her room, if she punched him, he didn't want to be knocked through the window.

" If Ah wasn't willin' ta give you the time o'day before, why the hell would Ah do it now?!" Her stance became much more tense, ready to attack. Remy choose his next words very carefully.

" 'Cause Ah don' agree wit you goin' anywhere so soon after Danvers, n'-n' what jus' happened 'tween us! Despite wha' you may think, Ah care 'bout you, Cher." Remy let his body become relaxed, as unthreatening as possible, he body language did have some influence over her, she wasn't falling into his arms, but at least she stopped yelling at him.

" That's all well an' good, but Jean beat you to it, Ah'm goin' ta Genosha, sun, fun, beach, n' all o'that crap that Ah'm too angry ta enjoy. Now, get out." Rogue, was a bit surprised with him, he was being so forthcoming with his how he felt, maybe that blast had knocked something loose, or maybe a concussion, a concussion made perfect sense.

" Ah'm not okay wit you goin' ta Genosha either." Remy said in a soft, but serious tone.

" You don't get a say in what Ah do! An' why the hell not?" Rogue asked with fresh new anger, who the hell did he think he was? After hurting her, and disrespecting her wishes, now he was trying to tell her what to do? His motivations sounded sincere enough, but that was little consolation after breaking her heart.

" Ah don' like it, none o'you should be goin'. Somethin' don' feel right, mah line o'work you get pretty good at callin' in trouble before it happens." Remy slowly, and cautiously walked closer to Rogue.

" Talk ta Jean then, no reason ta come ta me." Rogue turned her back on him, and threw a number of distractions into her carry-on bag. Distractions she would need, so she didn't have to think about him, and this conversation was not helping.

" Long time ago, Ah promised you Ah'd look out fo' you, mad or no, Cher...is'a promise Ah intend ta keep." Remy didn't try to sound sincere, he simply was, this truth thing seemed like it was getting easier.

" Enough already, Remy-" Rogue was a bit taken off guard, she was hurt and angry, but she wasn't stupid it was obvious he was really trying to do right, and make good on his promises, so in return, she promised herself not to punch him.

" Please, Cher. Jus' tryin' ta stop a problem b'fore it starts." Remy said, against his better judgement he placed a hand on her shoulder. To his surprise she turned around, and didn't immediately punch him. Instead their eyes locked, they looked at each other for a moment before Rogue spoke.

" Okay, thank you, dually noted, but Ah'm pretty sure the worst Ah'm gonna have ta worry 'bout is sun burn. Now please leave." She nearly whispered, she hated how his eyes demanded her attention. She had another flash of both of them at the stream, his bare chest under the wet, thin sheet, radiating that unique heat that she had become addicted to. It took a lot of strength to stay mad at him.

" You know Ah'll follow if Ah have ta." Remy said softly, he boldly took another step closer to her.

" You just don't quit do you?" Rogue asked, annoyed, and only a few inches from being embraced by him.

" Not when it comes ta keepin' you safe. Ah know Ah hurt you, n' you mad as hell at me, but wit'out you dere ain't no point in me bein' here." Remy said with deep sincerity, and sadness.

" Remy...y-yer tryin' ta, you know, make up for...your..." Rogue was at a loss for words, his commitment to becoming transparent was impressive, even endearing, but it wasn't enough to make the hurting stop. This out pouring of emotion was still coming from a married man.

" Ah'm calling 'em 'past indiscretions' now, and Ah am, but you de the reason Ah'm here in de firs' place. Wit'out you its pointless..." Remy tried running his hand down her arm, like the first time he had back in New Orléans, but she pushed his hand away, she rubbed her arm where he had placed his hand. She remained close, she wasn't willing to push away his warmth just yet.

" Okay, listen carefully Remy, that's sweet, an' Ah appreciate that. But you gotta be here for yourself, an' nothin' is gonna happenin' ta me, an' most importantly...do NOT follow us. Stay here-" Rogue was failing at her attempt to be assertive, she was coming to find he was as stubborn as she was.

" Ah'm usually right 'bout dis type o'thin', Cher. Don' got a lot o'choice, n' its mo' den jus' carein' 'bout you dat's goin' on..." Remy said looking even more deeply into her vivid green eyes, he was amazed, it didn't matter what light they were in, her eyes always had this kind of light behind them. He tried not to get side tracked, if he didn't say this now, he would never get the courage to say it again.

" What then, Remy? What are you gettin' at?" Rogue was lost in a mix of anger, suspicion, her racing heart, and, god help her, growing lust, for this man that anyone, even Kitty, would tell her to just stay away from.

" You understand jus' as well as Ah do, Cher! Do ya really need ta ask? On de road, here at de school, through the fights on de lawn...down at de stream...don' play shy, please. " Remy chased her gaze, she was trying to unlock eyes with him, but he wouldn't allow it.

" That part's over, Remy-" Rogue closed her eyes as she turned him down again, it was the only way she could say it.

" Why? 'Cause a'Bella?" Remy tried to be as gentle as he was blunt.

" Yes! Your wife, you're married, Remy!" Rogue said sadly, nearly desperate, it hurt to even repeat.

" Dat wasn' 'bout love, n' commitment, Cher. It was 'bout survival, which blew up in mah face, remember? Wasn' you listenin' ? It was a last-ditch attempt to bring some peace to our families. Ah was young, immature, naive, thought it would work, it didn'. Was so damn stupid ta think it would... but I believed mah friend, Ah believed...so damn stupid..." Remy said shaking his head, he was being a little harder on himself then he realized.

" You believed your Daddy... No shame in that." Rogue assured him, she had made the same mistake with her own mother more than she would like to admit.

" Ah never seem ta learn, though... It was the first time Ah understood wha' mah father was all 'bout, an' how far he would go ta use me, Ah know he loves me, n' he's no 'Daddy', but..."

" ... But you wish he was. He takes care of you enough ta keep you alive, an' breathin', but it only seems like the love comes after he gets what he wants from you. An' that love feels so good, you're dumb enough ta put yourself through it again." Rogue knew for a moment what it was like to be Jean, to know perfectly well what someone one thinking. She had said the very same thing about her own mother many, many times.

"...Exactly, yeah. Mystique?" Remy said, a little taken back by Rogue describing his own feelings better then he could.

" Course. How else would Ah be such an expert?" Rogue smiled for the first time since they had started taking. Remy was happy to see it.

" You smarter den Ah was." Remy said, with a small smile of relief, that he was being understood.

"How?" Rogue said confused, and half smiling.

"Lots a'reasons. Mah father sent me away when Ah was seventeen, you ran. You found your own way nearly right away, took me longer, n' Ah needed you to show me. N' most impressive, you figured out how ta control Danvers' powers awfully quick, right?"

"Y-yes." It was a compliment Rogue couldn't really deny, he sounded reasonable, and impressed. Everything he was saying was true but he was getting at something, something that was bring back 'those feelings'.

" N' them's new, but you adapted, fast. So, don' say nothin' ta me 'bout control, Cher. You been livin' wit yo'powers, but jus' accepted ya can't control 'em. How did you figure out Danvers'?" Remy smiled, and ran a hand down her arm again,this time she let him.

" ...Well, um, A-Ah got inta mah head, n' kinda picked up on how to from Danvers' memory. Why are you askin'? Why the sudden interest?" Rogue asked nearly whispering, he began to cut to the chase.

" Ah want you happy, and Danvers knows how ta control yo'touch, Cher. She don' deserve dat right, you do. You came ta me ta help me, n' now Ah wanna try somethin'...Go back in yo'head... Pick dat control up from her, use it." Remy had thought about this ever since he realized that Danvers could control Rogue absorption ability, it had to be some sort of mental block she was putting on herself. If Remy had something to do with giving Rogue the control she, so badly, wanted than that might help make up for breaking her heart. It might be easier for her to forgive him if he was able to help her control her power.

" S-sounds dangerous." Rogue had some very mixed emotions on the proposition. What he was suggesting did make sense, but it did sound dangerous, but the chance of being able to control her powers was as appealing as Remy himself. The fear of failure was also terrifying.

" Ah'll be right here...Ah've brought you outta yo'head b'fore, remember?" Remy was referring to the few times he had transitioned in front of him, and she was able to follow his voice back, and now he was an even stronger mental tether to the waking world because she could follow his body heat, his presence home.

" Ah do...n'it worked." Rogue surprised herself, she was actually excited by the idea. Up until now the idea of controlling her power was a lost cause, and other than to be able to wearing shorts and tank tops without privation there wasn't this much need to actually try; how could you try when you had no plan? Remy was giving her a plan, a possible way out, maybe it was an answer to her prayers.

" Den step inta yo'head, but keep one side here wit me. Ah'll pull you back if Ah see its gettin' bad."

" What if it doesn't work?" Rogue pondered for a moment, he was so tenacious, so willing to put himself on the line for her, that alone made he offer enticing. No one was ever that committed to helping her, for the exception of the Professor.

" If it don' work, den we got lots o'time. Long shots are kinda mah thing." Remy smiled, he could see that he was winning her over." C'mon... Can't win big unless you bet big, Cher." He extended a hand to her.

" Okay." She said reluctantly.

" Okay. Now c'mere, let's give it a shot... together."

" This does not seem appropriate ..." Peter remarked cautiously, eyeing the two piece bathing suit, and sheer sarong she packed.

" Jeez Peter! I'm not a nun! What do you wear to the beach?" Kitty had offered to show him how to pack for a tropical destination, but it was slowly dawning on her that he had nothing to pack.

" I do not go to the beach enough to have a uniform." Peter had grown up very poor, but Mama and Papa, had done so much with so little, that he and his little sister never noticed. The only time he ever acknowledged his meager up bringing was when he came to North America. Kitty had used words like 'summer clothes', winter clothes', and 'vacation clothes'. Peter had only ever had one type of clothing for everything, give or take a sweater, depending on the weather; Kitty may as well have been speaking another language.

" Well, I do, and so will you once we get done shopping!" Kitty was over-joyed by the idea of taking Peter on his first shopping spree.

" S-shopping? Really there is no need to make big fuss over clothing." Peter was uncomfortable with such extravagance, but Kitty took such a delight in the idea of lavishing these things on him, he was having a difficult time telling her no.

" You gotta be kidding." Kitty understood Peter was trying not to be a bother, but he was being ridiculous. When Peter came to the school he only had what he was wearing, and thanks to Dr. McCoy, was wearing only a sweatshirt, and sweatpants. Kitty was so glad that she was there to guide him, because was too polite to know what he was doing.

" Is what I said funny?" Peter asked with a goofy, and somewhat nervous smile on his face.

"So funny." Kitty said over her shoulder, and rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

" Then yes, I am kidding?" Peter asked, more than he answered.

" Very good. Come on, Pete! Everyone needs a break. Why not you?" Kitty asked, hand on her hip.

" You are very kind. It is not usual to give help without work..." Peter had tried to be the best kind of person he could be, he always tried to work hard, and make his family proud. Helping others was important, but he never expected anything. Kitty was giving him more than he would ever ask for, and amazingly, making him happy made her happy. It was incredible.

" Friends, teammates help even if you don't ask." Kitty smiled warmly.

" We are friends." Peter made the statement in nearly a whispered, and cast down his eyes, he mulled over Kitty's comment. A soft warm smile grew over his face.

"Well sure...are-are you going to cry?" Kitty was a bit taken back, she hadn't seen a smile on his face that wasn't nervous, or silly, until now.

"N-no!" Peter laughed. " It is so much relief to have friends here. Kindness has never been given to me since I have left my family. To have both is such comfort, a blessing; and to be generosity with my family that you do not know... Mutants have no friends, or help; here or in Russia. I do not know how to show you thanks." Peter looked up to see a stunned Kitty, overwhelmed by his gracious words. " This place is beautiful, you, your friendship is beautiful." Peter hoped that he was expressing himself properly, he spoke as wholeheartedly as he could. He was eager to see her response.

" Oh..." Kitty was truly touched, he was so genuine, at that moment she saw how good of a person he was. It hurt to see a good person shocked by any kind of affection. Kitty knew bad things happened to good people, but it seemed particularly cruel that nothing good ever happen for Peter either. Her eyes began to tear.

" Katya, please, do not cry! I am only grateful!" Peter sounded panicky. He desperately searched his limited English for anything that may have upset her.

" I'm okay, I'm not sad, really!" Kitty quickly answered, it was almost funny to see Peter's horror at a couple of tears.

" Really?" Peter asked still alarmed.

" Yes really." Kitty assured him, she could see that he was afraid to touch her. Kitty appreciated that his was actively respecting her boundaries. Given his gentle nature, it was no suprise he was a gentleman too.

" Did I say a word to upset you?" Peter asked, not entirely sure that he didn't up set her.

" I-I'm happy." Kitty smiled even wider when she saw how low he was crouching down to look her in the eye.

" Happy?" Peter didn't understand.

" You're beautiful too, Pete." Kitty wiped away a tear, laughing. She nearly lunged forward to throw her arms around his neck, and hugged him.

" T-thank you..." Peter had clearly not planned on this. Kitty nearly jumped down, and Kitty loved that fact that he was blushing. It was getting more, and more difficult to look at him without smiling. To avoid any awkwardness, she quickly changed the subject.

" C'mon, let's find Jean. We gotta be getting close to leaving. Let's go have some fun!" Kitty said, pulling his arm, and together they went downstairs.