The One I'm Dreaming Of
Chapter 2:
Restoration of Hope
By Lady Armandina
Disclaimer: I don't own Rogue, Gambit, Storm, etc. Marvel comics does.
~*~*~*~*~
"Attention, please, Flight 32 will now be boarding at Gate 11, Flight 32 at Gate 11, thank you."
'Here goes nothin,' Gambit thought as he handed over his plane ticket. As nervous as he was, somehow he knew this was the right thing to do. It was what he had wanted for so long and it was time to be happy again.
A half hour later, they were safely in the air and Gambit was on his way home. He gazed out the window at the ocean of marshmallow clouds when suddenly, she crossed his mind again. He thought of the day he had left, the last time he saw her.
It was March 20th, three years and six days ago. It had been a fairly nice day out, and most of the X-men were outside enjoying the sixty-degree weather. Gambit was looking for Rogue, trying to find her before Joseph could, but it seemed he was too late. He spotted them sitting together at a picnic table sipping iced tea. He wanted to go over so badly, but he couldn't stand Joseph. Gambit knew there was something more to him that things seemed. After all, they'd just returned from their journey to the Shi'ar and it seemed that 'Joseph' was acting a whole lot more like 'Magneto' again. It just wasn't fair. Joseph was forgiven for his sins of the past, so why wasn't Gambit forgiven? But just as Gambit was going to turn around to go inside, he heard Joseph say something to Rogue about "a kiss". Curious, Gambit listened intently to hear what they were talking about.
"Ah know," Rogue said. "Ah can't thank ya enough, Joseph! You've made mah one dream come true!"
Gambit sensed tears in her eyes. What dream was that?
"Rogue, really, I only wanted to repay you for your kindness to me."
"But don't ya know how much this means ta me? Ah can touch again, Joseph! That is the only thing ah've ever wanted. You've made me so happy!"
Gambit froze. Touch again? And she didn't even tell Gambit, didn't want to share her happiness with him? He knew he should've been happy for her, but he was so hurt. Joseph had made 'her one dream come true'. How could he, a lowlife swamp rat, ever beat that? He had nothing to offer her but himself, and Rogue obviously didn't want that. His one reason for still staying with the X-men was no more. And so, Gambit went inside, talked to Xavier, packed his bags, and left without even saying goodbye. All he'd left was a note.
Reality snapped back in and suddenly those clouds outside his window looked like gray ones. He thought he was over her, he was sure that he'd been, but then why did his heart still cling to her memory? He pulled her wrinkled picture out of his pocket and looked at it. What would he say to her when he saw her? Hello. Well, that was all he could think of. Hello. What an opening line! Surely she'll run back into his arms when he said that to her! This was Gambit, the charmer, the Ragin' Cajun, and he couldn't even think of something to say. Well, he'd see her soon enough. Looking at his watch, Gambit realized that it would only be another hour.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, do you think he will like it, Rogue?"
Storm and Rogue were observing Gambit's new room. Of course, this had been his room before he left the X-men three years ago, but was left vacant ever since. Gambit's close friend and former lover had spent the last two hours cleaning it up and adding new furniture to it as a surprise for him when he returned.
"Ah certainly hope he does, seeing as how we put so much time into it!"
"Yes. What time is it, anyway?"
"Mah God! It's 1:00! He should be here any second!"
"Actually, he was scheduled to arrive about a half hour ago, Rogue. Goddess be with him, I pray that nothing has happened."
"Oh, 'Roro, Ah'm sure he's all right! In the meantime, ah gotta get a start on cookin' dinner!"
"Dinner, Rogue?" Storm questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And just why are you making dinner tonight?"
"Ah, um, ah saw this, uh, recipe, um, an' it sounded really good!" Rogue stuttered.
"Oh? And what's on the menu, might I ask?"
"Oh, uh, for dinna, ya mean? Just turkey gumbo. Ya know, nothing special or anthing."
"Turkey Gumbo, Rogue? Gambit's favorite meal, huh? You would not be trying to impress him now, would you?"
"Me? Impressin' Gambit?" Rogue let out a nervous laugh. "Why, o' course not! Why would ya go be thinkin' that, girl?"
"Storm smiled at her, almost laughing. "Because, my friend, you cannot hide it from me, I know you both too well!"
"Hide what? What are ya talkin' about?"
Storm just smiled knowingly and walked out of the room. Rogue just stood there, speechless. Was she indeed trying to impress him? She never had to before. He had liked her just for who she was, her powers and everything. No one had ever accepted her as easily as he did. Still, she was nervous about seeing him again. Looking around the room, she imagined what it would be like to spend the night with him there. Did Gambit ever imagine the same of her? The relationship they'd had was definitely restricted, and they had always longed for one another's touch. Now, that was possible. How strange it was, the way things happened.
Ten minutes later, Rogue was in the kitchen starting the gumbo when she heard the doorbell ring.
"Mah God! It's him!" she said, panicking. She was in no way ready to see him yet. She only wore jeans and an old oversized blue flannel, the sleeves pushed up and she wore her hair up in a messy ponytail. He couldn't see her like this!
"Stormy! Don't let him in here!" Rogue yelled as Storm began to answer the door.
Storm only laughed saying: "Well, then, stay in the kitchen, Rogue! I'm letting him in our home! This is, after all, his home also!"
Rogue ran to peer around the corner as Storm opened the door. She gasped at the sight of him. He was just as she had remembered.
"Hey there, Stormy!" Gambit rushed through the door and picked Storm up, swinging her around. "How you been, girl?"
"Oh, Gambit, I've missed you so! We all have!"
The other X-men entered now: Cyclops, Jean, Beast, Wolverine, Psylocke, Angel, Iceman, and Professor Xavier himself, each taking turns hugging or shaking hands with the elated Cajun. Gambit's red-on-black eyes scanned across the group, searching for two individuals in particular. She wasn't there. Neither was he.
"Come, Remy. Ro--I mean, I have a surprise for you."
"Now, what you go and do dat for? Gambit don't need no presents!"
"Too late, my friend! It's already been done. Now, where is your luggage?"
"Oh, just this duffel bag here."
"That is all? Well, bring it up to your room. Come on."
Rogue watched him follow her fellow X-woman Storm upstairs to where Remy's room was. She wanted to follow, to run up with them so she could see the look on Gambit's face when he saw his room, or maybe just so she could see Remy at all. All the other X-men were filing behind Remy, except for Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman, who was now approaching her. He wasn't really the man she wanted to see right now, but he'd have to do.
"Hey! Roguey! Whatcha doing down here? Come on up with the rest of us!"
"Bobby! Sssshhhh! Be quiet!"
He looked confused.
"What? You don't wanna see Gambit? What's the problem, buddy?"
Bobby recognized that look Rogue had in here eyes. It was an expression of love; broken love. He knew it then without even hearing the answer come from her lips; Rogue wasn't over Gambit. It was obvious, she loved him and was just too afraid to approach him.
"Bobby, ah-ah just wanna be alone right now if that's all right."
"Sure it's all right! Hey, if you need anything, Roguey, I'm here, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks Bobby...for bein' a friend."
"Anytime."
Bobby, instead of going upstairs with the others, left the X-mansion through the front door, grabbing his jacket along the way. Rogue stood there for a moment, pondering over what she should do. She ran to look up from the bottom of the stairs and listened intently to the voices upstairs. Taking each step slowly and nervously, she made her way to the top of the stairs and crept down the hallway to Gambit's room.
There he was. He heart skipped a beat the moment she laid eyes on him. He sat calmly on the edge of his bed, bouncing softly to test the springs of the mattress. The others were gathered around him, making the room quite crowded. They all laughed at Gambit's enthusiasm for it was amusing to see him so happy and silly. Rogue shuddered with fear that Remy may not want to see her at all, being that he was already so happy with the way things were. Before anyone noticed her standing in the doorway, Rogue fled.
Gambit looked up. He could've sworn that he'd just seen a flash of white/auburn hair in the doorway. Was it true? Could Rogue be here? Or was he hoping to see her so much that he was now hallucinating?
"Gambit, I'm sure you'll want to unpack your things and get settled back in. You don't need us here bothering you all day."
"Nah, Scottie! Dat's all right!"
"Well, I say we all go downstairs and get back to our training and such."
"Scott, you still be de ol' fuddy-duddy I remember you to be! Lighten up a little!"
The others laughed, including Scott himself, who merely walked out casually, followed by Jean and Angel. Psylocke, Beast, Professor Xavier, and Wolverine, each giving Remy a warm welcome home, left shortly after the others, leaving Remy there alone with Storm. What was once a smile on his face just moments before, had faded into a look of disappointment, an expression of wandering hope, perhaps hope of someone being there. Ever an observer, Storm noted this in Remy, knowing quite well just who her friend was in search of. They said not a word to each other, for Storm knew and Remy was well aware that she knew, just by them simply glancing at one another.
"She's closer than you believe so, my friend. Not only in the physical state, but also in your hearts as well."
With that, Ororo Munroe smiled contently at her confused friend and left him to himself, alone. She knew they'd find each other. It was a big mansion, but not big enough to keep apart these two, she was sure.
Remy gazed upward at Storm as she walked out, his red-on-black eyes twinkling softly as he sat there, helpless and bewildered. Could Storm be right? Did his and Rogue's hearts still form one? He hoped so.
By Lady Armandina
Disclaimer: I don't own Rogue, Gambit, Storm, etc. Marvel comics does.
~*~*~*~*~
"Attention, please, Flight 32 will now be boarding at Gate 11, Flight 32 at Gate 11, thank you."
'Here goes nothin,' Gambit thought as he handed over his plane ticket. As nervous as he was, somehow he knew this was the right thing to do. It was what he had wanted for so long and it was time to be happy again.
A half hour later, they were safely in the air and Gambit was on his way home. He gazed out the window at the ocean of marshmallow clouds when suddenly, she crossed his mind again. He thought of the day he had left, the last time he saw her.
It was March 20th, three years and six days ago. It had been a fairly nice day out, and most of the X-men were outside enjoying the sixty-degree weather. Gambit was looking for Rogue, trying to find her before Joseph could, but it seemed he was too late. He spotted them sitting together at a picnic table sipping iced tea. He wanted to go over so badly, but he couldn't stand Joseph. Gambit knew there was something more to him that things seemed. After all, they'd just returned from their journey to the Shi'ar and it seemed that 'Joseph' was acting a whole lot more like 'Magneto' again. It just wasn't fair. Joseph was forgiven for his sins of the past, so why wasn't Gambit forgiven? But just as Gambit was going to turn around to go inside, he heard Joseph say something to Rogue about "a kiss". Curious, Gambit listened intently to hear what they were talking about.
"Ah know," Rogue said. "Ah can't thank ya enough, Joseph! You've made mah one dream come true!"
Gambit sensed tears in her eyes. What dream was that?
"Rogue, really, I only wanted to repay you for your kindness to me."
"But don't ya know how much this means ta me? Ah can touch again, Joseph! That is the only thing ah've ever wanted. You've made me so happy!"
Gambit froze. Touch again? And she didn't even tell Gambit, didn't want to share her happiness with him? He knew he should've been happy for her, but he was so hurt. Joseph had made 'her one dream come true'. How could he, a lowlife swamp rat, ever beat that? He had nothing to offer her but himself, and Rogue obviously didn't want that. His one reason for still staying with the X-men was no more. And so, Gambit went inside, talked to Xavier, packed his bags, and left without even saying goodbye. All he'd left was a note.
Reality snapped back in and suddenly those clouds outside his window looked like gray ones. He thought he was over her, he was sure that he'd been, but then why did his heart still cling to her memory? He pulled her wrinkled picture out of his pocket and looked at it. What would he say to her when he saw her? Hello. Well, that was all he could think of. Hello. What an opening line! Surely she'll run back into his arms when he said that to her! This was Gambit, the charmer, the Ragin' Cajun, and he couldn't even think of something to say. Well, he'd see her soon enough. Looking at his watch, Gambit realized that it would only be another hour.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, do you think he will like it, Rogue?"
Storm and Rogue were observing Gambit's new room. Of course, this had been his room before he left the X-men three years ago, but was left vacant ever since. Gambit's close friend and former lover had spent the last two hours cleaning it up and adding new furniture to it as a surprise for him when he returned.
"Ah certainly hope he does, seeing as how we put so much time into it!"
"Yes. What time is it, anyway?"
"Mah God! It's 1:00! He should be here any second!"
"Actually, he was scheduled to arrive about a half hour ago, Rogue. Goddess be with him, I pray that nothing has happened."
"Oh, 'Roro, Ah'm sure he's all right! In the meantime, ah gotta get a start on cookin' dinner!"
"Dinner, Rogue?" Storm questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And just why are you making dinner tonight?"
"Ah, um, ah saw this, uh, recipe, um, an' it sounded really good!" Rogue stuttered.
"Oh? And what's on the menu, might I ask?"
"Oh, uh, for dinna, ya mean? Just turkey gumbo. Ya know, nothing special or anthing."
"Turkey Gumbo, Rogue? Gambit's favorite meal, huh? You would not be trying to impress him now, would you?"
"Me? Impressin' Gambit?" Rogue let out a nervous laugh. "Why, o' course not! Why would ya go be thinkin' that, girl?"
"Storm smiled at her, almost laughing. "Because, my friend, you cannot hide it from me, I know you both too well!"
"Hide what? What are ya talkin' about?"
Storm just smiled knowingly and walked out of the room. Rogue just stood there, speechless. Was she indeed trying to impress him? She never had to before. He had liked her just for who she was, her powers and everything. No one had ever accepted her as easily as he did. Still, she was nervous about seeing him again. Looking around the room, she imagined what it would be like to spend the night with him there. Did Gambit ever imagine the same of her? The relationship they'd had was definitely restricted, and they had always longed for one another's touch. Now, that was possible. How strange it was, the way things happened.
Ten minutes later, Rogue was in the kitchen starting the gumbo when she heard the doorbell ring.
"Mah God! It's him!" she said, panicking. She was in no way ready to see him yet. She only wore jeans and an old oversized blue flannel, the sleeves pushed up and she wore her hair up in a messy ponytail. He couldn't see her like this!
"Stormy! Don't let him in here!" Rogue yelled as Storm began to answer the door.
Storm only laughed saying: "Well, then, stay in the kitchen, Rogue! I'm letting him in our home! This is, after all, his home also!"
Rogue ran to peer around the corner as Storm opened the door. She gasped at the sight of him. He was just as she had remembered.
"Hey there, Stormy!" Gambit rushed through the door and picked Storm up, swinging her around. "How you been, girl?"
"Oh, Gambit, I've missed you so! We all have!"
The other X-men entered now: Cyclops, Jean, Beast, Wolverine, Psylocke, Angel, Iceman, and Professor Xavier himself, each taking turns hugging or shaking hands with the elated Cajun. Gambit's red-on-black eyes scanned across the group, searching for two individuals in particular. She wasn't there. Neither was he.
"Come, Remy. Ro--I mean, I have a surprise for you."
"Now, what you go and do dat for? Gambit don't need no presents!"
"Too late, my friend! It's already been done. Now, where is your luggage?"
"Oh, just this duffel bag here."
"That is all? Well, bring it up to your room. Come on."
Rogue watched him follow her fellow X-woman Storm upstairs to where Remy's room was. She wanted to follow, to run up with them so she could see the look on Gambit's face when he saw his room, or maybe just so she could see Remy at all. All the other X-men were filing behind Remy, except for Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman, who was now approaching her. He wasn't really the man she wanted to see right now, but he'd have to do.
"Hey! Roguey! Whatcha doing down here? Come on up with the rest of us!"
"Bobby! Sssshhhh! Be quiet!"
He looked confused.
"What? You don't wanna see Gambit? What's the problem, buddy?"
Bobby recognized that look Rogue had in here eyes. It was an expression of love; broken love. He knew it then without even hearing the answer come from her lips; Rogue wasn't over Gambit. It was obvious, she loved him and was just too afraid to approach him.
"Bobby, ah-ah just wanna be alone right now if that's all right."
"Sure it's all right! Hey, if you need anything, Roguey, I'm here, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks Bobby...for bein' a friend."
"Anytime."
Bobby, instead of going upstairs with the others, left the X-mansion through the front door, grabbing his jacket along the way. Rogue stood there for a moment, pondering over what she should do. She ran to look up from the bottom of the stairs and listened intently to the voices upstairs. Taking each step slowly and nervously, she made her way to the top of the stairs and crept down the hallway to Gambit's room.
There he was. He heart skipped a beat the moment she laid eyes on him. He sat calmly on the edge of his bed, bouncing softly to test the springs of the mattress. The others were gathered around him, making the room quite crowded. They all laughed at Gambit's enthusiasm for it was amusing to see him so happy and silly. Rogue shuddered with fear that Remy may not want to see her at all, being that he was already so happy with the way things were. Before anyone noticed her standing in the doorway, Rogue fled.
Gambit looked up. He could've sworn that he'd just seen a flash of white/auburn hair in the doorway. Was it true? Could Rogue be here? Or was he hoping to see her so much that he was now hallucinating?
"Gambit, I'm sure you'll want to unpack your things and get settled back in. You don't need us here bothering you all day."
"Nah, Scottie! Dat's all right!"
"Well, I say we all go downstairs and get back to our training and such."
"Scott, you still be de ol' fuddy-duddy I remember you to be! Lighten up a little!"
The others laughed, including Scott himself, who merely walked out casually, followed by Jean and Angel. Psylocke, Beast, Professor Xavier, and Wolverine, each giving Remy a warm welcome home, left shortly after the others, leaving Remy there alone with Storm. What was once a smile on his face just moments before, had faded into a look of disappointment, an expression of wandering hope, perhaps hope of someone being there. Ever an observer, Storm noted this in Remy, knowing quite well just who her friend was in search of. They said not a word to each other, for Storm knew and Remy was well aware that she knew, just by them simply glancing at one another.
"She's closer than you believe so, my friend. Not only in the physical state, but also in your hearts as well."
With that, Ororo Munroe smiled contently at her confused friend and left him to himself, alone. She knew they'd find each other. It was a big mansion, but not big enough to keep apart these two, she was sure.
Remy gazed upward at Storm as she walked out, his red-on-black eyes twinkling softly as he sat there, helpless and bewildered. Could Storm be right? Did his and Rogue's hearts still form one? He hoped so.