Countdown to the ending: 2

boo hoo. boo hoo! Boo Hoo! BOO HOO HOOOOOOOOO! CRY WITH ME DAMMIT! haha im just kidding. but im really going to miss this tale. writing a full blown story is like finishing up a tub of Rum&Raisin. you wish at the second last scoop that you took everything slower, savoured each spoonful or in this case, chapter. ehh on the other hand, if i updated this story any slower nobody would care to read it, now would they? alright, i eat my words. writing fanfic is not like eating icecream. its like doing something you wanna do without being told to do it and putting aside what you have to do to do what you really want to do because doing what you want to do makes you happiest. its an addiction. a drug. psychologically and emotionally unhealthy. you get fat easily by sitting by the computer all day typing. so you stop eating junk. but fruits are annoying. they are not as sweet as you want them because they're not ripe yet or they're too sticky and crumbly because they are too ripe. then there are the seeds you gotta spit out after every bite. only bananas dont give trouble.

writing is just so damn good. xD i hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it!

Living the X-Men Life 34

The rest of the night was consumed in a frenzy of lovemaking. Remy couldn't have enough of making her cry out into his mouth over and over and over again. When he took her from behind, that was his personal favourite moment; she muffled her exceptionally loud orgasm into the fluffy pillow. At the same time, a small resentment stirred within him that they weren't free to completely enjoy each other.

Damn him if he had ever thought of leaving her.

As dawn came through the slit between the curtains, he knew their time was up. But she wasn't quite done with him. It was the battle of his life to fight her hands off each piece of clothing he struggled to put on. Jokingly, he unsheathed his bo staff and held it out in mock defence when he finally made it to zip up his jeans. He almost stripped himself down all over again when she licked the end of his staff in a teasing impulse.

Almost.

The footsteps outside reminded him that he wasn't an eligible lover to Anna Marie, student of the Xavier Institute for the Gifted, just yet.

He planted a lingering kiss on her dark lips, concocted a plan of dramatic proportions with her and hopped out the window, drawing the thick curtains behind him. Better not give any wandering eyes a sight that belonged to him and him alone. To hell with anyone who saw him.

He said he loves her, and he does.

He sidewalked the narrow length of plaster that lined the outer wall of the main building to get to a particularly large window. The latches were simple enough to pry and he pulled himself through without difficulty. Picking himself up without much ado, he flopped himself into the sitting chair next to Professor Xavier's desk. All he had to do now was wait for the Professor himself. His blood still thrummed from that last kiss. But entertaining himself by reaching into his pants in a spick-and-span office was not an option.

...

Anna eventually managed the strength to wobble back into her pyjamas, then outside to end of the line that had already formed outside the bathroom. Apparently the other girls of the house found the thin towel and toothbrush she carried to be the most formidable weapons in the world; she could tell by the way their eyes darted to and fro her. Amara shuffled closer to Jubilee as soon as Rogue stood behind her. That would have hurt. But nothing could take away the completeness she felt that morning – had been feeling since the early hours of the morning. Right now, she figured, he must be resting his much exercised body in the Professor's office. Probably in that single couch. Or maybe the double-seater. Meanwhile, she began to feel the numbing after-effects of strenuous exertion standing on her two legs. She wondered what it would be like to do it on a couch...

"Mornin' Rogue." yawned Kitty, rubbing her eyes with both hands then peering at her friend. The same way she peered at Anna and Remy just a handful of hours ago. "You look...happy this morning."

"Define happ'eh." Anna drawled in her usual morning tone.

Kitty shrugged. "If you aren't grumpy, it's gotta be happy. Oh!"

Suddenly she broke into a fit of giggles. Anna kept her eyes levelled with the small brunette, knowing every other girl had their curiosity on high over their conversation.

Kitty's eyes glittered traitorously from her laughing. "Wanna know what's so funny?"

"Not reall'eh." Anna replied, knowing what was so damn funny. It took immense effort on her part not to smile or blush, otherwise the game was over.

Kitty's expression would have been more appropriate at a break-up than at a response of disinterest. Anna felt sorry for her. She was full bursting with excitement. Any moment she wanted to explode and tell the world Rogue could wear micro-shorts and spaghetti-straps now! This very instant, she could nudge her friend's bare arm and Kitty will be left totally conscious to gawk. In a matter of minutes made of the gleeful squealing of her friend, the whole mansion will be aware that she finally has her powers under control. At long last.

Not yet. That's not how they planned it. Yeah, that notion was dramatic enough on her part, but they had something crazier in mind. Something that had to do with breakfast and the whole team watching.

In the bathroom, Anna stood before the huge mirror that made up the entire upper half of one wall. She stared at her reflected self. Stark naked. Pale skinned. She ran a hand toward the purplish bruises on the areas previously covered by her pyjamas. Clever of him not to nibble on her neck, otherwise people would be beyond suspicious.

He had marked her, she realised with both a lingering thrill and a nameless emotion she couldn't put her finger on. He marked her here – on her collarbone – and here – the crest of her right breast – and there – her hand travelled lower. She smiled. Her arms encircled her the way his did. She never felt more wholesome than when she was stripped down for eyes to see.

She missed him already.

He had marked her. The words rang clearly in her mind. He had marked her in wild, searing moments of passion. He marked her as his. His to see, his to love, his to touch. He marked her again and again until she was sure she belonged to no one else. Until she was sure no one else could own her, no matter what trick came out of their sleeves. It's almost as if he made sure she remembers him.

She couldn't look at herself now without being reminded of the man who smelt of sin and hope. That's it. All these years of deception, half-truths, surface comfort, powerlessness, she could never crawl out of the hole. No number of psychic therapies, mind-digging sessions or Danger Room courses could give her the rope she needed to climb out of that pit. Not a rope, she corrected herself, more like a staircase and a pair of stronger arms to carry her out of it. That's hope.

He said he loves her, and she believed it.

Now, she had better get under the shower or Kitty will phase in without permission.

She never took very long in the bathroom, but when she made it down to the kitchen, she felt she was late for a party. And she was uninvited. Conversation went on, so it wasn't as bad as she thought. The only persons willing to sit next to her at the table was her dear brother Kurt and sullen Kitty. As she dished out the eggs and sausages for the three of them, she counted down the minutes before Remy would walk through that open doorframe and –

"You feeling okay, Rogue?" Kurt interrupted her thoughts with a worried question.

"Yeah," she answered. "Why not?"

"You're putting food on my plate. You never put food on my plate." He took the food anyway. "And you're not angry Evan finished all the milk."

"Hey, Ray took the last drop." Dinosaur Evan protested from his snug corner near the window.

Ray suddenly turned sheepish over his full bowl of Honey Stars. He was there when Anna knuckled Tabitha upside down. "Sorry Rogue. Erm, I could – uhh..."

"Thanks. Ah don't need the milk." She had more than enough of the white stuff, coming from another source entirely.

"There's juice!" Bobby randomly announced to nobody in particular.

Laura and Jamie started bickering for the last clean drinking glass. Laura managed to convince the weaker mutant specimen that ladies like her ought to be given this privilege. Jamie had to wash a used cup from the sink. Turning to the juice Bobby promised was still in stock, Jamie whined when he watched the last drops go down Laura's throat.

"You make that sound again..." she growled.

Jamie zipped his lips tight and went for plain water. Bobby was sympathetic enough to ice it for him.

But Laura wasn't done. "When are you going to grow up, Jamie?"

"Hey," he squeaked. "I'm thirteen!"

"So am I" she scoffed. Was Laura the only one who wasn't intimidated by Rogue's most recent tantrum? That was the unspoken question between the regular students. "You're annoying, short and your voice hasn't broken yet. Just like that boy singer that sounds like a girl."

"Beiber?" Bobby suggested.

The whole room sniggered. Sam started rapping after Ludacris, mimicking the awkwardly deep voice matched with the sentimental lyrics. "When I was thirteen, I had my first love..." He nudged Jamie.

"Beiber's awesome, okay?" yelled Jubilee.

"Paedophile!" Someone accused Jubilee immediately. Anna turned her head around looking.

Jean frowned, "Now that wasn't nice, Amara."

"Who is this Beiber?" asked Piotr.

"A sixteen-year-old singer turned superstar. His voice is unique for his age." Jean answered.

"I still got a chance!" chirped Jamie above the racket caused by Amara and Jubilee's argument over Beiber's awesomeness. "He's sixteen. I'm thirteen!"

"How long are you gonna stay thirteen?" Ray teased.

At that, Jamie snapped. His eyes started watering. He was always at the end of their short jokes just because he was the youngest. He thought that when Laura joined he had someone his own age to talk to. Just his luck she was made of the same stuff Wolverine was – tough, grown-up and demanding.

He sniffed and tried to stand tall as he hastily rubbed his eye. Conversation went on. Nobody cared. He went his way out of the kitchen with his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Unbeknownst to him, someone was tailing him.

Tabitha remained quiet on the opposite end of the table from Anna. To Anna, the whole kitchen spun with life and normality, a sight she usually dreaded in the mornings. The combination of nightmare-filled sleep and dormitory chaos sent her much abused mind into severe aching. The only ache today was between her legs. A beautiful memory.

"I need ketchup!" yelled Kitty. "Who's hogging it?"

"Not me." said Evan.

"Mustard?" Kurt offered.

"No!" frowned Kitty.

"Pepper." Anna shook the powder over her eggs.

Kurt scratched his head. "Huh?"

"My bad." Scott held up the ketchup bottle and tossed it. "Here."

His eyesight must have worsened or his aim was just plain terrible, because the half-empty bottle was heading straight for the queen of unruly anger fits: Rogue.

The whole room froze. Some gasped. Some said silent prayers for Scott Summers, teen leader of the X-Men, for however short a period. Some was just waiting to see what other sadistic feats Rogue was capable of.

Anna disappointed them all with a deft catch before the bottle met her face. "Here Kitty."

"Ohhh-kay." Kitty said in puzzled gratitude.

Everyone was staring at her. This would be the third time this week! Remy, where the hell are you? She glanced at the kitchen doorframe in panic.

The sight she beheld was long-awaited for. And worth it by all accounts. Clad in a black body-hugging suit made of a reinforced material, the familiar 'X' emblem on his belt buckle, it was specifically designed with dark pink highlights that proclaimed his gorgeous figure to the world. When the Professor said he was ready to recruit Gambit, he really wasn't jesting. A turtleneck compared to his previous costume, his floppy hazel hair dropped above his shoulders instead of being restrained in a laughable bowl-cut. Standing casual, striking and undeniably action-ready (be it for battle or other activities), was Remy Lebeau.

Her gaze toward him must have been of intensely infectious proportion because all eyeballs rotated to the same doorframe she was staring at. Even with that kind of attention, he only had eyes and words for her.

"Ah donno if it's a joke on the Professor's part with the colours." He drawled. Anna smiled uncontrollably, knowing he was referring to the suit's similarity with his drawers.

The kitchen exploded with cheers, gasps and "Holy mother of –". Even Jean's jaw went slack at the sight of this delicious buffet.

"You're back." Tabitha, nearest to the doorframe, made her move.

Anna kept her hands under the table. She couldn't believe Tabitha actually had enough uninjured guts left to play this game. The urge to pull that girl by her collar remained, but she had promised Remy not to do anything. He had a better idea.

Anna watched in silent contempt as Tabby walked up to Remy. Since he didn't flinch; in fact, he spread his arms in a welcoming gesture; she laid a hand on his chest. The room didn't go as dramatically quiet as they thought. Everyone was either putting extra focus on their food or talking to Remy, who replied them amiably.

"Where'd you go, man?" called Ray.

"Your sister's house."

That was a close one, thought Anna. Ray was an orphan. If Remy mentioned his mother's house instead, there will be blood. And flying bolts of electricity.

"We thought we were gonna have McCoy to give us French lessons." Bobby shivered.

"He's not a bad teach." added Jubilee. "But still."

"No shit." smiled Remy. "Don't send nobody t'do a Cajun's job."

He gave that brief, mistakable wink in her direction and Anna braced herself for what's to come.

"What kinds of jobs do Cajuns do." said Tabitha, her hand travelling dangerously down Remy's upper body.

He grinned, "This kind." Taking her itchy fingers, he laid a jiffy-second lip contact on them before releasing her.

Anna exhaled in some resentment. It's all part of the plan, she reminded herself. Her hand massaged the place where he had marked her collarbone.

"And this kind."

Before she knew it, he was behind her. He had removed his new gloves as he walked and now touched her clothed upper arms. That reassuring grip, the warmth of his fingers... She stood up and away from the chair. She raised her head to meet his that was coming down on hers with all tenderness. And rehearsal.

He kissed her. Lip on lip. Full on skin to skin contact. And to their shared delight, everyone gasped. Except Kitty. Kitty squealed.

The sight they must be making, she thought. Priceless.

His tongue plunged itself into her mouth without invitation. She almost pulled back in surprise. That wasn't part of the plan! But her body wasn't going to argue with the immense pleasure that came with this kind of kiss. She opened her mouth wider to him, abrading her own tongue against his. Her hands reached up and combed through his smooth hair when he released her arms to pull her body flush against his. She let herself moan aloud. Oh, what a release! To finally sound out the bottled cries of ecstasy she and him kept back all night long. She wanted everyone to know. Let them see for themselves that he loves her. He sent a deep, strident growl into her throat and she shivered in delight. She could barely hear the noise made by everyone else.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" "Wheeeeeeeeew. Wait till Logan sees that!" "Oh yeah, add some tongue. That's right!" "Ow, Ow, baby!" "Yummy..."

They even knew when to break apart. Heaving breath in unison with her, he listened to the X-Men's response.

"What!" That was Tabitha.

"My... My sister!" cried Kurt Wagner.

"Oh my God!" Please, Jean Grey! You've done worse. Remy chuckled. So have we. In fact, we've probably done it better.

He stroked her hair gently. Not that there were any strands on her face, he just wanted to touch her. It still stirred him to touch her porcelain skin whichever part of her body it belonged. Of course, certain parts were more arousing than others. His hand started crawling down toward said parts but she stopped him. With her hands on his and that breathtaking look that said, "Enough is enough, you greedy pig. We've shocked them already." He relented to her wish. That is, until tonight.

"Wait a minute," cried Kitty from beside him.

He glanced at her. The small face flitted between Anna's and his, her eyes widening in comprehension.

"So...so..." she continued. "Oh. My. God."

Remy blinked in exaggerated innocence and she squealed some more.

He fingered his damaged ear. "Ouch."

"Kitty, stop it." Anna muttered. "Show's over."

"No, it's not!" Kitty was smiling from ear to ear. "Rogue!"

She flew onto Anna with a cry of utter joy. Remy had his Anna wrenched from him into an embrace that forced the air out of her lungs and threatened to squeeze her eyeballs from their sockets.

"C'mon Kurt!" called Kitty. "Group hug!"

Anna's eyes enlarged in despair as her blue brother further reduced her breathing space. Remy stood back and grinned. Yeah, this was her family, he thought. She belongs here. He caught the aggrieved glance Kurt threw at him and his grin broadened. And I'm a part of this now.

A hand came on his shoulder. Remy turned to see Evan the Dinosaur nodding in high approval.

"Well done, man." he complimented. "I donno what you did, but well done anyway. Welcome to the X-Men."

He offered his hand and Remy shook it. Evan gave his shoulder a hard and friendly shake before stepping aside. That's when Remy noticed Piotr shaking his head in his direction, a smile growing on his big face. Remy shrugged nonchalantly. Piotr discreetly gave him a thumbs-up.

A series of resounding footsteps echoed in the corridor outside before the last remaining characters of the Institute walked in, no doubt summoned by Kitty's insistent squealing. You name them: Ororo, McCoy, Logan and the Professor himself.

Logan, much to Remy's satisfaction, spoke first. "What's goin' on in here?" He saw Kitty and Kurt all over Anna and he shot Remy a look of suspicion. "Cajun, what did you do?"

"Ah kissed her." he replied simply and honestly.

hello. to all beiber fans, im sorry im not apologetic about that jibe about him being physically immature. im a johnny depp girl.

thanks for making it to the end, dear reader! =D