Recap: Gambit gets back to the mansion late after a job. The bomb has been removed from the back of his neck, but it's left him in a weak state. The past two days that Rogue's been out he's been sat by her bedside, keeping an eye on her. He ends up being sent on a mission and is just sneaking back in during the night. Jean-Luc catches him sneaking in and tries to argue with Gambit, but Tante interfiers and takes Gambit to Rogue where the two embrase in a hug after seeing each other. Tante tells Henri and Merci (who are in the room) to leave and keep Jean-Luc away. Rogue tells Gambit what happened to her and the X-Men and how she doesn't know where any of them are. Rogue then starts to talk about Joseph and Gambit having been right about him. Gambit feels guilty because he knew about Joseph, but didn't do anything to protect her. Gambit begins to cry and Rogue comforts him, a little confused, but putting down to him being upset at the lose of the X-Men. Rogue then begins to tell Gambit her plan to get the X-men back and use Joseph to do it when she sees the back of his neck. Gambit promises her that he'll find the X-Men for her, then Rogue questions what the mark on his neck is. Gambit wants to tell her the truth but is scared to. Just then Jean-Luc brusts into the room. Rogue sees that Gambit's in trouble and wants to help so she speaks up, talking about what the deal will be for her silence. When marriage gets brought up into the question, Gambit stands in front of Rogue and loses it with Jean-Luc, punching him in the face and yelling at him that he won't ruin Rogue's life like he did his. The other thieves pull Gambit off Jean-luc and take him out of the room. Tante then stands in front of Rogue when Jean-Luc goes to blame Rogue for ruining his family. Tante says that the two can't help that they are in love and then Jean-Luc says Gambit's engaged to somebody else. Rogue is shocked by the news. Jean-Luc tells Rogue that she'll marry into the family. Some thing within Rogue snaps and she attacks Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc and other theives tie her to the bed and Jean-Luc puts a theif named Theoren on guard to watch her.

Chapter 21

Jean-Luc didn't bother Gambit or Rogue for the rest of that night. Tante had cleaned him up and he'd decided to take his anger and enery out on a punching bag. Gambit had a similar approach to the night and, with his brother Henri watching and ducking out of the way whenever he could, Gambit distroyed his room, smashing things and throwing them across the room. Eventually, Gambit took off out of the house and Henri followed, trying to keep up, but lost him. Gambit was hurting. He was enraged that Rogue was getting married to someone from the thieves guild who she didn't even know. He was mad at what Joseph had done to her (very mad). But he was feeling even worse that it was his actions that had led her to be so brutily ingured and hurt and so many people that she cared about dead or taken by Vampires. His whole body still hurt him due to the operation, but he pushed forwards as the physical pain didn't seem to match how shitty he was feeling. There was only one way Gambit could find release in his built up anger and guilt that night, and that was from brown liquid in a tall glass.

xxxxx

Rogue, being tied down and unable to move, couldn't express her anger that way. Besides, her body hurt too much for her to do much heavy lifting or throwing. The dark cloud in her mind though was trying to concusm her. Trying to take over her while she was vunerable and hurt. It was as if the thieve guild was torturing her without even knowing they were doing it. Just lieing there and having to face this, this thing, it scared the living hell out of her.

Rogue needed a distraction."Excuse me." Rogue asked the tall ginger haired man who stood near the corner of the room away from her. He looked at her unmoved. "Could you get Gambit for me please."

The man shuck his head. "'Friad I can't do that. He's most likely been sent to his room and I've been ordered to stay here and watch you till I'm released." Both of there heads moved to the sound of a smashing vase that case from above them. "Besides, I think Remy's busy wrecking de place."

Rogue's breathing was heavy. Too heavy. She felt like she was going to have a panic attack if she idn't get a distraction soon. "S-So your trapped here too. Who are you anyway?"

"My names Theodor. Cousin of Remy. How'd you two meet again?"

"W-We, well, he-he was working for someone I was fighting against at the time. Nearly blow off my hand within the ffirst moment I meet him."

Theodor chuckled. It was a nice sound Rogue thought. Nicer than the cloud in her head. The laughter helped lighten her mood and drive the cloud away. She wanted to here it more. "Sounds like typical Remy. Tell me, did he start flirtin' with ya before or after he tried ta blow ya up?"

"Oh, he didn't say anything at first. H-He just shocked me by coming round a corner I was turnin' and just starin' at me. Then, the next time we thought, he flirted abit before I knocked him out and put him on his arse."

"Dat so." Chuckled Therodor.

Rogue gave a little smirk at the memory. "Yeah. I wasn't in ma right mind though when I attacked him. I was under some crazy old man's control." Theodor looked confused. "A Pyschic." Rogue added.

"Psychic?"

"Yeah. They can enter your mind and read it or make you do things against your will."

Theodor's face dropped. "Hmmm, de don't seem that friendly."

"Not all of them were as bad as Mesmero."

"Mesmero?" Theodor chuckled.

There was that sound again and the cloud seemed to go now. But Rogue didn't want it to come back and, giving a small smile to Theodor, Rogue told him about the psychics she lived with, Jean and the Professor. She briefly explained the other mutants and their powers, but only a little bit as she didn't want to give too much away. Theodor had pulled up a chair besides her bed and was fasinated by what she had to say. Then Rogue breifly went over what had happened with her and the X-Men and how she'd lost all of them. Theodor seemed to empthaze.

"They'll be alright, cher. From what you've told me, these mutant friends of your are all fighters. Dey'll come out of it OK."

It was four in the morning and Rogue was feeling drawn of all her energy, but she didn't want to be rude and fall asleep on Theodor when he'd been so kind to her and listened to her.

"Yeah...I was actually, kinda hoping that you thieves might help me out in finding em. Remy said your good at that." Theodor gave a proud smug smile.

"That we are cherie."

Rogue smiled, but then it left her. "From the way things hit off before though with Jean-Luc, I don't think he'll be telling his thieves ta help find ma family any time soon... I guess I'm scared...The longer I leave it for...You know."

"Yeah, I understand." Theordor sat forwards and there was a serious look on his face. Theodor was cool, calm and colective as he spoke to her. She didn't feel as if he was just ignoring her and was actually taking it to thought about what she was saying. "But you know cher, you didn't really make it easy on yourself when you started yellin' at Jean-Luc and refusing ta even be part of dis family."

Rogue looked away. She knew she shouldn't have snapped but she was only trying to take the heat off Gambit. Theodor still felt bad for Rogue as he watched her silently lie there on the bed. "Ya know, dis family ain't so bad once you get used to it."

Rogue raised her eyebrow at that. "Remy says some people here make his day, but other than that he hates it here."

"That be because his a mutant and Jean-Luc's son and de best thief we have. It's hard on his when all he seems to do is get put on jobs, eat, sleep, train and then get put on another job again when all his friends and family are having a night out or a night in just relaxing. His gifts his own curse really."

"Oh really? And what about him being forced into marriage? That his gift as a curse too?"

"I guess not." Theodor scratched the back of his head.

"Tell me one thing." Rogue said, feeling exsoed and numb as the last breath esacped her. "Does he love her?"

Theodor was quiet and a silent tear slipped from Rogue's eye. "Dey did used to get on when they were kids. Childhood sweethearts and all. Now a days though, I don't know. It's been so long that Remy's been away. He and Jean-Luc meet with de assassins eariler today and that would have been the first time in a long time that Remy's seen and spoken to Belladonne (if they had talked)."

Rogue pushed whatever feelings she had away as the cloud began to try and take advantage of those emotions. "When's the wedding?"

"Dun't know. It's been planned for a long time, but ever since Remy's banishment and other things, the plans just seemed to be left and forgotten about. It could be next week or in the next few months or years even."

Rogue nodded her head, still not facing him as she asked another hard question. "The only way I could get Jean-Luc to help me out with finding the X-Men the fastest way possible, would be to get married wouldn't it?"

"Yes." Said Theodor.

"How long do you think it would take for me to get married."

She heard the smile before he spoke with it. "With your brains, firest attitude and beauty, not very long."

Rogue wanted to smile at that, but she just couldn't. "An arranged married." She thought out loud. "Never thought I'd have one. It's strange how fast it's all happening too... He hope I get married real soon though. I can't lose my family. Not again."

"At least you'll be gaining a new one." Tried Theodor, to make her smile.

"It wouldn't be the same. And I'm going to be trapped in a marriage with someone I don't love. SO one who could never love me either."

"Why can't you find love in an arragend marriage? The man you marry will try his hardest to make you happy."

"But I wouldn't be able to make him happy. Wouldn't be able to give him what he needs."

"What do you mean?"

"Theodor, I can't touch anyone! Not even if I wanted to." Rogue finally looked at him. "The person I marry would never be able to have sex with me and I'd never be able to give them kids. I wouldn't be suprized or upset if they had an affair and had babies with another woman."

"But that would be adultury." Said Theordor, shocked at the thought. "It goes against what we stand for."

"I would understand though. And I wouldn't tell."

Theodor was silent for a moment. He rather admired the girl that lay before him. Admired her strengh and nobility. He saw that she'd had everything taken away from her, been beaten by the world, but still wanted to put other's fates before herself. That was something rare in a person and something he admired. He had an idea of how he could help.

XXXXX

The next day, Gambit stumbled in through the back doors to the kitchens. Tante was there, yelled at him for being gone all night and coming back all dirty and smelling like trash, then made him food.

"How is she?" Gambit didn't need to say who he was talking about.

"Oh, she's doing alright." There was a pause from Tante and Gambit readied himself, knowing from that look something big and hurtful was gonna come out of Tante's mouth. "Jean-Luc's already been up to see Rogue dis mornin'. Dey talked about the weddin' plans."

"They what?" Snapped Gambit. "Dis ain't been decided-"

"It's not your desition to make-"

"I don't care." Gambit snapped, getting up from the table and storming off upstairs to Rogue's room, tante on his tail.

He came to the door and brust through it. Jean-Luc, Henri and Theodor were in the room with Rogue who was no longer strapped to the bed, but sat on it, talking to the men casually like nothing bad had happened the other night and they were all friends. "What's goin' on?" Gambit snapped.

"Remy," Henri said as he got up from his chair that was facing Rogue's bed. "How 'bout we go get breakfast and have a little talk over-"

Gambit slapped Henri's hand away and snapped, "I won't ask again. What you tellin' her Jean-Luc?"

Jean-Luc, having little patience, looked from his son to Rogue and Theodor who were sat on the bed. "It ain't what I'm sayin', it's what they're saying."

Gambit was confused. As he looked at Rogue, he saw she had her head down, refusing to meet his eyes and even Theodor looked away from him. "What's he talkin' 'bout cher?"

"He's... talking about w-what me and Theodor decided last night." Gambit raised his eyebrow, Rogue lift her eyes a little to see his confused face. "W-We've decided who I'm gonna marry Remy. And it's gonna be T-Theodor."

The look of hurt which panged all over Gambit's face was too much for Rogue to look him in the eyes. Theodor dared a look only to share Rogue's feelings and look away. "Right den." Sid Gambit in a very harsh, yet calm voice. "Guess I be leavin' you to it." And he walked away, hearing the faint sound of Rogue's voice calling after him, but it was too late. He'd already made his way to the phone.