Here we go! The next chapter! (Yeah, I'm still on my way home from CA,
that's why the chapters are updated so closely together.) I hope you guys
are enjoying reading the story as much as I am writing it! Okay okay, no
more wasting time, here's the chapter.
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Rogue mentally cursed herself as she tried to see through the dust and darkness of her prison. After running off from Gambit she had entered the haunted house looking for a place to wipe away her tears and fix her make- up before anyone could see her. Luckily, or so she thought, the house had a bathroom on the first floor and she had locked herself in there to sort things out.
That's when the shaking had started. At first it was just a rumble and she had been to involved with sorting out her emotions to pay attention, but when the ground moved beneath her feet she knew something was wrong. Faster than she would have thought possible due to the queasiness of her stomach, she rushed to the door. But the earthquake had shaken something loose inside the lock and she couldn't get out. In the back of her mind she could feel the entity of Storm panicking at being in a confined space. Rogue set her jaw firmly and pushed Ororo back. She would not give in.
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Pietro scanned the crowds worriedly for some sign of the brown-haired freshman. He didn't even bother to explain his concern to himself. It didn't matter. What mattered was that she got out okay. He caught sight of Lance and rushed to meet him.
"Where's Kitty?" He demanded, surprised and terrified that she wasn't at his side.
"She-she told me she was coming." Lance's voice was a whisper. "I thought she was right behind me."
Pietro felt like a cold hand had clasped his heart and refused to let go. "She's still inside?" He gasped.
Mutely, Lance nodded. If he had anything to say, he said it to himself. The silver-haired boy was already gone.
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*Rogue* Her name echoed in his mind as he watched part of the building fall. The mutant known as Gambit felt as though his heart was being ripped from his chest. He couldn't breath. Than suddenly, with the strength of a wild animal, he began to force his way through the crowds, knocking over anyone who got in his way. The earthquake had stopped but the building was still shaking. When he reached the foot of the house he didn't hesitate, ignoring the gasps of horror from the crowd as he dashed straight inside.
"Rogue!" He glanced around frantically, looking for any sign of the strip- haired girl. From somewhere to his left he thought he heard coughing.
"Remy?"
It was her voice. With all the speed and strength he could muster, he raced towards where it was coming from. When he reached the bathroom door he found it jammed. "Chere, you in dere? Are you okay?" He couldn't hide the worry in his voice, and wasn't sure he wanted to.
"Ah'm here. Ah'm fine. But that stupid door won't open!" He could tell she was trying to sound calm and in control, but she couldn't quite keep the edge of fear out of her voice. Something other than an earthquake was getting to her.
"I'm gonna get you out chere. You gonna be okay." And for the first time in his life, Remy Lebeau made a promise he would do anything to keep.
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Faster than a person could blink Pietro reached the second floor of the building. He could barely see through the smoke but forced his eyes to stay open. He thought he heard coughing to his right.
"Kitty!" Throwing all caution aside he made his way towards that noise.
"Pietro?" There she was, huddled on the floor in a little ball. The hand clutching his heart loosened a little. He made his way over to her.
"You're a real slowpoke, Pryde." He informed her, sticking out a hand to help her up.
She shook her head. "I can't-walk." She winced, and for the first time he noticed the swelling on her ankle.
"Well I hope you haven't been loading up on the cheeseburgers, I don't know if I can carry a fatty like you." Something in his voice was reassuring in spite of the intended insult. He leaned over and placed both arms under her body.
"I don't know if you could carry anyone." She joked back. "Don't you need muscles for that Maximoff?" She coughed again as he lifted her off the ground and turned towards the exit. He was about to respond when the building began to shake again, but this time it wasn't just moving. It was coming apart. Both teens were thrown to the floor as the entire building came crashing around them.
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Gambit tried in vain to shield his eyes from the smoke as he looked for something he could kinetically charge to blow open the wall separating him and Rogue. His eyes lit up when he spotted someone's abandoned bracelet on the floor. Not wasting any time, he grabbed it, charged it, and tossed it at the door with a quick "Heads up chere!" for Rogue. The explosion that followed wasn't that loud, but it was big enough to do what he needed. Quickly he climbed through the self-made hole.
"Chere."
"Ah'm right here, Remy." She stood up and the Cajun marveled at how in control she could look surrounded by so much chaos. He knew she needed a lot of hit for her power, but he never realized just how much it had become a part of her until that moment.
"Everything's gonna be okay chere." He promised, taking a step towards her. "I promise." Just than the building began to shake again, and before either of them knew what was happening, the world fell down around them.
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"I want a refund." Pietro's voice seemed loud in the sudden silence after the building had collapsed. It was a miracle they had survived, but the X- men (and the brotherhood, it seemed) thrived on those miracles. The two teens were trapped though, until help came, since Kitty couldn't move her ankle and there wasn't enough room for Pietro to lift her and phase out with her.
"Me too." Kitty was trying desperately to think about anything other than the ankle that had now swelled to twice it's regular size. "In fact, I plan on suing."
"You always gotta try to out do me, don't you Pryde?"
"You always make it so easy." She retorted.
"I said 'try'." He reminded her. "I never said you did."
She snorted. "I definitely beat you today. Lance was the perfect date."
He snorted back. "Until he left you."
"I told him I was coming." She protested. "He had no way of knowing I hurt myself."
"He should have come back." The silver-haired boy wouldn't budge. "I did, and I'm not even your date." There was a pause.
"Why did you come back?" Kitty whispered, trying to make out his facial expression in the dark.
"What, do you think I'm a heartless monster just because I'm a part of the brotherhood?" His words were defensive, but his tone was casual. He didn't expect an answer. A minute later he continued. "I guess both of us lost the bet. I mean, we were good, but our dates weren't."
"I guess." Her voice was painfully strained. Ignoring her ankle wasn't working.
"Too bad we hate each other." His face and voice were expressionless.
Kitty looked at him sharply. "Yeah, too bad. If only you weren't so stuck up."
"And you weren't so annoying."
"And bossy."
"And whiney."
"And--" She paused.
"What's the matter Pryde, run out of insults already?" His voice was mocking but not meanly so.
She shook her head. "No I just wondered where this was going."
"What do you mean." He looked at her intently.
She met his gaze, and for the first time she didn't force herself to turn away. "I mean, if I weren't so me, and you weren't so you, than what? What would happen?"
"Probably something like this." Pietro's voice was soft, and before either of them knew what they were doing, their lips pressed against each other.
Kitty forgot about her ankle.
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"So much for my knight in shining armor." Rogue's voice was sarcastic. Neither of them had suffered any injury when the building collapsed, but their only exit was sealed shut with rubble. "Maybe Ah should have tried for Prince Charming."
"It's too late now." Gambit adjusted his position so he could get a better look at her. "You be stuck wit me chere."
"Nothin's final, Ah'm gonna get me a good lawyer." She met his gaze and turned serious. "Why'd you come back?"
He almost winced at her bluntness. But at the same time he appreciated it. It made things easier. "I saw de building fall." He answered simply. "I had to come back."
Her eyes were filled with an emotion he couldn't define. "I challenged ya ta stay away from me." She stated.
"I know." He didn't understand it himself, so how could he explain it to her? "Some things, are more important dan challenges chere."
"Like what?" Her voice was a whisper. In that whisper Remy could hear so much of himself. All his fears, longings, secrets, and insecurities that surfaced whenever he saw her face.
"Like you." His voice was as quiet as hers, and just as filled with emotion.
"This still doesn't mean Ah like ya." She warned, but he knew her well enough to know it meant just the opposite. Gambit's heart soared.
"Course not chere."
"Ah mean it Swamp Rat."
"I know, chere." He smiled to himself as he remembered the two times she had called him by his real name that day. "I know."
"Okay. Just so long as we're clear on that." She leaned forward and rested against him. "Cause I really need a pillow." She would never admit it to him, or to anyone, but being in his arms made her feel safe. Made her feel like Rogue, no one else, just Rogue.
He didn't respond, just held her tightly. And for the first time in both their lives, they were truly happy.
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Does that seem too abrupt? How they finally become couples? Cause you know what they say, there's a thin line between love and hate, so maybe it's not so abrupt. Don't worry, that's NOT the end of the story. I have one more chapter at least. I already told you I have 2 plans for sequels, but you guys have to tell me what you want. (I'm leaning towards Romy mainly first, and the one after that being Kietro mainly.) Anyway, let me know! Next chapter will come as soon as possible! ;o) And in the meantime, reviews are GREAT!!!!! ;oD
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Rogue mentally cursed herself as she tried to see through the dust and darkness of her prison. After running off from Gambit she had entered the haunted house looking for a place to wipe away her tears and fix her make- up before anyone could see her. Luckily, or so she thought, the house had a bathroom on the first floor and she had locked herself in there to sort things out.
That's when the shaking had started. At first it was just a rumble and she had been to involved with sorting out her emotions to pay attention, but when the ground moved beneath her feet she knew something was wrong. Faster than she would have thought possible due to the queasiness of her stomach, she rushed to the door. But the earthquake had shaken something loose inside the lock and she couldn't get out. In the back of her mind she could feel the entity of Storm panicking at being in a confined space. Rogue set her jaw firmly and pushed Ororo back. She would not give in.
~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~~**~*~*~*~~**~*~~**~*~~**~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*
Pietro scanned the crowds worriedly for some sign of the brown-haired freshman. He didn't even bother to explain his concern to himself. It didn't matter. What mattered was that she got out okay. He caught sight of Lance and rushed to meet him.
"Where's Kitty?" He demanded, surprised and terrified that she wasn't at his side.
"She-she told me she was coming." Lance's voice was a whisper. "I thought she was right behind me."
Pietro felt like a cold hand had clasped his heart and refused to let go. "She's still inside?" He gasped.
Mutely, Lance nodded. If he had anything to say, he said it to himself. The silver-haired boy was already gone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~
*Rogue* Her name echoed in his mind as he watched part of the building fall. The mutant known as Gambit felt as though his heart was being ripped from his chest. He couldn't breath. Than suddenly, with the strength of a wild animal, he began to force his way through the crowds, knocking over anyone who got in his way. The earthquake had stopped but the building was still shaking. When he reached the foot of the house he didn't hesitate, ignoring the gasps of horror from the crowd as he dashed straight inside.
"Rogue!" He glanced around frantically, looking for any sign of the strip- haired girl. From somewhere to his left he thought he heard coughing.
"Remy?"
It was her voice. With all the speed and strength he could muster, he raced towards where it was coming from. When he reached the bathroom door he found it jammed. "Chere, you in dere? Are you okay?" He couldn't hide the worry in his voice, and wasn't sure he wanted to.
"Ah'm here. Ah'm fine. But that stupid door won't open!" He could tell she was trying to sound calm and in control, but she couldn't quite keep the edge of fear out of her voice. Something other than an earthquake was getting to her.
"I'm gonna get you out chere. You gonna be okay." And for the first time in his life, Remy Lebeau made a promise he would do anything to keep.
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Faster than a person could blink Pietro reached the second floor of the building. He could barely see through the smoke but forced his eyes to stay open. He thought he heard coughing to his right.
"Kitty!" Throwing all caution aside he made his way towards that noise.
"Pietro?" There she was, huddled on the floor in a little ball. The hand clutching his heart loosened a little. He made his way over to her.
"You're a real slowpoke, Pryde." He informed her, sticking out a hand to help her up.
She shook her head. "I can't-walk." She winced, and for the first time he noticed the swelling on her ankle.
"Well I hope you haven't been loading up on the cheeseburgers, I don't know if I can carry a fatty like you." Something in his voice was reassuring in spite of the intended insult. He leaned over and placed both arms under her body.
"I don't know if you could carry anyone." She joked back. "Don't you need muscles for that Maximoff?" She coughed again as he lifted her off the ground and turned towards the exit. He was about to respond when the building began to shake again, but this time it wasn't just moving. It was coming apart. Both teens were thrown to the floor as the entire building came crashing around them.
*~~**~~*~**~~*~**~~**~*~~*~**~*~*~*~~**~*~~*~*~*~*~**~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~**~~**
Gambit tried in vain to shield his eyes from the smoke as he looked for something he could kinetically charge to blow open the wall separating him and Rogue. His eyes lit up when he spotted someone's abandoned bracelet on the floor. Not wasting any time, he grabbed it, charged it, and tossed it at the door with a quick "Heads up chere!" for Rogue. The explosion that followed wasn't that loud, but it was big enough to do what he needed. Quickly he climbed through the self-made hole.
"Chere."
"Ah'm right here, Remy." She stood up and the Cajun marveled at how in control she could look surrounded by so much chaos. He knew she needed a lot of hit for her power, but he never realized just how much it had become a part of her until that moment.
"Everything's gonna be okay chere." He promised, taking a step towards her. "I promise." Just than the building began to shake again, and before either of them knew what was happening, the world fell down around them.
~**~*~~**~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~~*~*~**~~*~**~~**~*~*~* ~*~*~*~
"I want a refund." Pietro's voice seemed loud in the sudden silence after the building had collapsed. It was a miracle they had survived, but the X- men (and the brotherhood, it seemed) thrived on those miracles. The two teens were trapped though, until help came, since Kitty couldn't move her ankle and there wasn't enough room for Pietro to lift her and phase out with her.
"Me too." Kitty was trying desperately to think about anything other than the ankle that had now swelled to twice it's regular size. "In fact, I plan on suing."
"You always gotta try to out do me, don't you Pryde?"
"You always make it so easy." She retorted.
"I said 'try'." He reminded her. "I never said you did."
She snorted. "I definitely beat you today. Lance was the perfect date."
He snorted back. "Until he left you."
"I told him I was coming." She protested. "He had no way of knowing I hurt myself."
"He should have come back." The silver-haired boy wouldn't budge. "I did, and I'm not even your date." There was a pause.
"Why did you come back?" Kitty whispered, trying to make out his facial expression in the dark.
"What, do you think I'm a heartless monster just because I'm a part of the brotherhood?" His words were defensive, but his tone was casual. He didn't expect an answer. A minute later he continued. "I guess both of us lost the bet. I mean, we were good, but our dates weren't."
"I guess." Her voice was painfully strained. Ignoring her ankle wasn't working.
"Too bad we hate each other." His face and voice were expressionless.
Kitty looked at him sharply. "Yeah, too bad. If only you weren't so stuck up."
"And you weren't so annoying."
"And bossy."
"And whiney."
"And--" She paused.
"What's the matter Pryde, run out of insults already?" His voice was mocking but not meanly so.
She shook her head. "No I just wondered where this was going."
"What do you mean." He looked at her intently.
She met his gaze, and for the first time she didn't force herself to turn away. "I mean, if I weren't so me, and you weren't so you, than what? What would happen?"
"Probably something like this." Pietro's voice was soft, and before either of them knew what they were doing, their lips pressed against each other.
Kitty forgot about her ankle.
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"So much for my knight in shining armor." Rogue's voice was sarcastic. Neither of them had suffered any injury when the building collapsed, but their only exit was sealed shut with rubble. "Maybe Ah should have tried for Prince Charming."
"It's too late now." Gambit adjusted his position so he could get a better look at her. "You be stuck wit me chere."
"Nothin's final, Ah'm gonna get me a good lawyer." She met his gaze and turned serious. "Why'd you come back?"
He almost winced at her bluntness. But at the same time he appreciated it. It made things easier. "I saw de building fall." He answered simply. "I had to come back."
Her eyes were filled with an emotion he couldn't define. "I challenged ya ta stay away from me." She stated.
"I know." He didn't understand it himself, so how could he explain it to her? "Some things, are more important dan challenges chere."
"Like what?" Her voice was a whisper. In that whisper Remy could hear so much of himself. All his fears, longings, secrets, and insecurities that surfaced whenever he saw her face.
"Like you." His voice was as quiet as hers, and just as filled with emotion.
"This still doesn't mean Ah like ya." She warned, but he knew her well enough to know it meant just the opposite. Gambit's heart soared.
"Course not chere."
"Ah mean it Swamp Rat."
"I know, chere." He smiled to himself as he remembered the two times she had called him by his real name that day. "I know."
"Okay. Just so long as we're clear on that." She leaned forward and rested against him. "Cause I really need a pillow." She would never admit it to him, or to anyone, but being in his arms made her feel safe. Made her feel like Rogue, no one else, just Rogue.
He didn't respond, just held her tightly. And for the first time in both their lives, they were truly happy.
*~**~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~~*~**~* ~*~*~*~
Does that seem too abrupt? How they finally become couples? Cause you know what they say, there's a thin line between love and hate, so maybe it's not so abrupt. Don't worry, that's NOT the end of the story. I have one more chapter at least. I already told you I have 2 plans for sequels, but you guys have to tell me what you want. (I'm leaning towards Romy mainly first, and the one after that being Kietro mainly.) Anyway, let me know! Next chapter will come as soon as possible! ;o) And in the meantime, reviews are GREAT!!!!! ;oD
