Chapter 2: Plot
Later on that day, Rogue found herself heading into the Library, finding Kitty Pryde. Kitty was sitting on a winged armchair near the unlit fireplace reading 'Pride and Prejudice'. Rogue walked in. "Hi…" she said quietly.
Kitty raised her eyes from the book, glancing at Rogue who was near the doorway, standing with her hands together clad in a purple off the shoulder sweater, and a pair of black jeans ripped at the knees. "Calmed down any since earlier?" Kitty asked.
Rogue gave a nonchalant shrug, "Does it matter," she queried, she looked at Kitty.
"Y'know, Remy IS trying to get along with you," Kitty put the book down.
"I really couldn't care less. I'll get along with him when he starts being honest with us all about why he's here," Rogue walked over and sat down on the chair opposite Kitty. "I have a question…" she stated.
"Shoot…" Kitty put a bookmark in the book and put it on a nearby table, she sat primly, with one leg crossed over the other and hands on her lap.
"You're my friend right?" Rogue asked carefully.
"Duh," Kitty rolled her eyes, "I'm your roommate and your friend, Rogue, how can you even ask that question?" Kitty demanded.
"Okay, and as my friend, you'd help me with something if I needed help, right?" Rogue looked at her hopefully, she clenched her teeth hoping the answer would be yes.
"Sure," Kitty nodded.
"Kitty, I need your help finding out why Gambit is on the X-Men's side now. Please, will you help me, please please please," Rogue asked quietly.
Kitty chewed her lip, "Rogue, you KNOW Remy and Professor Xavier don't want any of us knowing why he joined us, right now we just have to be left in the dark. And even if I did, like, want to help you, you know that even trying to do something like that could get us both into some serious trouble…"
"So what?" Rogue shrugged, "Like you've never been in trouble before for doin' something bad?" She asked, "Can I count on your or not?" Rogue asked.
"I don't know, Rogue…" Kitty looked away, "I don't wanna get in trouble…"
"Kitty, you're like the best friend I have – who's a girl – in this whole world," Rogue stated, she couldn't believe she'd said those words, "ugh, I can't believe I said that," she muttered, then looked at Kitty, "if I can't trust you to help me, who can I trust?"
"Kurt?" Kitty tried to block out the fact that Rogue was winning her over with all that best friend talk.
"Kurt is like a brother, and doesn't agree with me wanting to find out," Rogue gave a shrug, "I know you're as curious as I am…"
"Well, yeah, I'm curious, but like…I'm not gonna go sneaking around trying to find out why…what did you have in mind anyway?" Kitty asked.
"Breaking into Xavier's office," Rogue answered.
"Oh my god," Kitty looked at her, "we can't do that, he'd know!" Kitty looked at her, "the man is a friggin' telepath for crying out loud, the minute he notices something is moved or the door has been tampered with he'd know it was us…"
"I was thinking that you could maybe phase us through the door," Rogue looked at her hopefully.
Kitty looked at her, it was an interesting idea and the thought of finding out about Remy's secret did slightly intrigue her, but still, she didn't want to get in trouble. Plans like that were doomed for failure. "What are you gonna do when you're in there, Rogue?"
"Look through Xavier's files, on the computer, or wherever…" Rogue shrugged.
"That computer will be passworded," Kitty pointed out, "Unless you know how to encrypt passwords then that plan is probably down the toilet…and he keeps his files in a locked cabinet…"
"You could phase through it," Rogue suggested.
"First of all, the cabinet has an alarm on it, if I phase through that cabinet it'll short circuit the alarm and in the morning the Professor would KNOW who did it," Kitty stated, "I'm not taking the rap for you, Rogue. You know his punishments are severe, and I don't want to end up having to scrub the whole hanger from top to bottom with a toothbrush."
Rogue sighed, "What am I gonna do, Kitty?"
"You could ask Jean," Kitty shrugged, "she's a mind reader, she'd be able to find out."
"Little miss goodie-two shoes?" Rogue raised an eyebrow, "There's more chance of Logan wearing a frilly pink apron and vacuuming the grand hall whilst singing the show tunes from 'West Side Story', than there is of Jean reading the Cajun's mind."
"Wouldn't hurt to ask…" Kitty shrugged. "What have you got to lose?" she asked.
"Knowing her, she'd probably tell the professor, and I'd get in trouble," Rogue sighed, "I need a really good plan, Kitty."
"Absorb his powers," Kitty shrugged, "Then you'll be able to see his thoughts in your head, like you do with other people when you absorb their powers…"
Rogue looked away, "I'm scared to…last time I absorbed anyone's powers was with Miss Marvel…and when I did…" Rogue recalled the event in her head, "when I did that my hands felt like they were stuck to her…I couldn't pull my hands away…and I don't think I can chance that happening again, Kitty."
"Maybe you need to try…" Kitty shrugged, "here…" she reached out her hand to Rogue, "try with me."
Rogue backed into her chair, "No…I don't want to risk it…"
Kitty rolled her eyes and stood up, "don't be scared, you've done it to me before," she reminded, she pressed her finger against Rogue's bare face for a few seconds.
Rogue gasped as a flow of memories and raw energy rushed through her, she flinched away from Kitty's hand, "Kitty!" she cried at her.
"Sorry," Kitty shrugged, "But look, you managed to pull away from me with no probs," She pointed out.
Rogue tried to block out Kitty's thoughts from her head, "Kitty, you could have ended up in a coma, don't do that again," Rogue stood up, "Jeez, your thoughts are erratic," She rubbed her head, frowning, the thoughts of Kitty Pryde swimming around her own head.
"I know," Kitty giggled, "Hey…I just thought of something…" Kitty became all serious.
"What?" Rogue looked at her.
Kitty sat on the arm of Rogue's chair, "Okay, so like, you know that if you only tap someone lightly with your finger for a split second they don't get completely drained, and don't even feel it…" Kitty shrugged.
"Yeah, so?" Rogue asked.
"So…why not do it when he's sleeping…"
"When who is sleeping?" Rogue asked.
"Remy," Kitty stated, "that way you can find out his secret without him even knowing…"
"Oh my god, that is SUCH a good idea…" Rogue looked at her, "Why didn't I think of that before?!"
"Because you're not as smart as me," Kitty smacked her sleeved arm playfully.
"But how will I know if something like that will work?" Rogue asked.
"Can only learn by trying," Kitty advised.
Rogue tucked her hair behind her ear, "But I can't just go trying on Remy without knowing if it would work first…"
"Then…try it on me, when I'm asleep," Kitty shrugged.
"Aren't you bothered that I might accidentally absorb all your powers and memories or something?" Rogue queried.
"I trust you," Kitty admitted, "I know you have some degree of control…"
"Sometimes I wonder," Rogue hugged herself.
"Stop being so negative, it will work out," Kitty stated, "And if you want to find out what's going on in Remy's head, this is the only way you're gonna be able to do it."
Rogue leaned back against the seat, and accidentally phased right through the back, rolling backwards onto the hardwood floor, "ow."
Kitty laughed, "you okay?" she grabbed a hold of Rogue's gloved hand and pulled her up.
"I'm fine…" Rogue blushed.
Kitty hooped her arm with Rogue's, "c'mon, lets go see a movie."
