Chapter 2: Exploring

            After an extensive tour of the whole of the Mutant Research Centre, which Rogue found all too boring – as did Remy – the X-Men were given the freedom to do as they wished for the rest of the day.  Rogue retired up to her room, and closed the door.  She'd done half of her unpacking but quickly grew bored of it and had nothing else to do for the night. 

            She went looking for Kitty, or Kurt, who were nowhere to be found, she could only assume they'd gone off together to do some exploring.  Despairing, Rogue realised there was only one thing to do, she went looking for Remy LeBeau.  She headed towards his door and knocked.

            "c'mon in," she heard his very casual reply, it was almost as if he had expected someone to be knocking at his door and coming to see him.

            Rogue stepped in.  Remy was stretched out on his bed, with a book in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, "what'cha reading?" she asked casually.

            Remy held the book up for her to see, "Interview With the Vampire, huh?" she closed the door behind herself and she leaned against the wall, keeping a distance from him, "good book."

            "I know," Remy said, "I own most of Anne Rice's books."

            "Me too," Rogue admitted, "she's my favourite author…"

            Remy took a long drag of his cigarette, and then flicked the ash into an astray that was resting on his belly, "here for a reason?" he asked curiously.

            "Yeah, I was just wondering if you've seen Kurt or Kitty?  I can't find them."

            "Saw them leavin'," Remy stated, "they went with Hank to a supermarket about five miles away, gone to pick up something for dinner," Remy scratched his head skilfully, the cigarette still lodged between two fingers.

            "When are you going to quit smokin'?" Rogue asked, she looked for a place to sit, and there was none, no other chairs, just Remy's bed, and the little dresser, just like in the room she'd been put in.

            "Never," Remy looked at her, "why's it bother you anyway?  No one's askin' you to be in my room…" he reminded.

            "I know," Rogue looked at him, "I guess…I'll go then," She was about to leave.

            "Wait…" Remy sighed, he put the cigarette out in the ashtray and then placed the ashtray on the dresser, he put his book down, sitting up, he stretched, "What do you wanna do?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well, there's fuck all to do in the centre, their TV doesn't even have cable," he remarked bitterly, "so…do you wanna go exploring?"

            Rogue paused for a moment to think, "well…maybe…"

            "Maybe or yes?" Remy stood up, he grabbed his leather coat, which had been hanging from a peg on the wall, he pulled it on.

            "Yes,"  Rogue replied, "Hold on, I'll go get my jacket…" she said, she left his room and went into her own, Remy followed her into hers.

            "You ain't finished your unpacking," he pointed out.

            "I know," Rogue stated, "I'll do it later…"

            Remy picked up a pair of black lace underwear that had been lying on the bed, "kinky."

            "Hey!" Rogue smacked him roughly and grabbed the underwear from him.

            "Black undies, huh?" he laughed, stumbling a little from her rough smacking.

            "My underwear is my business," she threw the underwear into a drawer and slammed it shut.

            He laughed, "alright, alright, I was just playin'."

            "Yeah, I know, that's what worries me…"

            Remy and Rogue headed downstairs after Rogue got her jacket, and they found some keys to a guest jeep, and went to the parking lot behind the centre. 

            "Maybe we should check with someone first?" Rogue queried, "we can't just take a guest jeep, that's stealing."

            "No its not, its borrowing," Remy unlocked the jeep doors, he looked inside, "oh great…" he made a face.

            "What?"

            "European cars, typical," he motioned to the drivers side being on the opposite side of where it should have been.

            They climbed into the car, Remy looked around, "This is going to feel a bit awkward…" he admitted.

            "You do know that they also drive on the other side of the road, right?" Rogue asked.

            "Yeah, I know, I saw James Bond enough times," he added, he pulled on his seatbelt, Rogue did the same.

            The jeep started up with a soft purr, and soon they were driving.  They drove for a while, the island was quiet, there was barely any homes on the island at all, one supermarket, and a public house, there was also a very cottage like restaurant near the edge of the island. 

            "I don't believe how bare this island is," Rogue stated, "one bar, a restaurant and a supermarket, hardly makes it even a town, does it?"

            Remy reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, and whilst driving, skilfully lit himself a cigarette.

            "Remy, please, I have to breathe that smoke in!" Rogue made a face.

            "I have an addiction," Remy shrugged, "one of many," he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, still driving, he turned on the radio of the jeep, there seemed to only be one radio station the jeep was able to receive on the Island.

            "How many addictions are we talking here," Rogue looked at him.

            Remy began singing along to the radio, the song being Robert Palmers 'Addicted to Love'.  Rogue could only laugh.

            "You're such a goof," she giggled, she tapped her fingers idly on the dashboard.

            Remy parked the jeep near a Cliffside, and leaned back in his seat, "look at that view…"

            It was getting dark but the view was pretty amazing, across a stretch of water they could see city lights on the mainland.  Rogue got out and walked to the front of the jeep and climbed onto the hood, she sat there, looking out.  Remy followed.

            Remy sat beside her, "ain't nothing to do on this island chere…" he sighed, he continued to smoke his cigarette, he remained in silence from then on.

            Rogue kept her eyes on him, the last remnants of daylight flattered his chiselled features, his hair, which was now past his ears, was stirring in the wind.  He breathed smoke through his nose, and watched the view seemingly deep in thought.  Rogue continued to watch him, she wanted to kiss him right then, but the fact that she couldn't plagued her like disease.

            "You okay?" Rogue queried softly. 

            "Of course," he tossed his cigarette butt over the Cliffside, and turned towards her, "why, you worried about me?" he smirked.

            "Never," Rogue made a face, she looked off into the distance again, and shivered, "Its so much colder here than it is at home," She hugged herself against the cool air.

            "Yeah," Remy slung his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder briskly, "nothin' like the heat in the south, huh?"

            Rogue shrugged, and moved away, "don't touch me, please?  I don't want any more of you in my head," she looked away.

            "I was barely touchin' you…nowhere even near your skin.  Chere, you gotta stop with this, damn you're so hard to get close to!"

            "I told you there's no way me and you are GETTING close, remember?" Rogue looked at him pointedly.  She'd have given anything right then to kiss him, she could feel the urge to throw herself on him right then and there building up like an electrical charge that would turn into a bolt of lightning.  She got up and walked away abruptly, hating herself at that very moment. 

            "Marie?" Remy got up and followed her, "what's wrong?" he asked worriedly, he could tell she was upset, even when her back was turned to him. 

            "Nothing is wrong," Rogue lied, she kept walking.

            Remy stopped her, both hands placed upon her shoulders, he turned her towards him, "no, something IS wrong," he looked at her, "I'd rather you just tell me instead of making up bullshit about nothing being wrong," he added.

            Rogue looked at him, "You are driving me crazy, that's what's wrong…" she sighed.

            "C'mere…" Remy murmured, and pulled her to him, he held her close to his body, her cheek against his chest, Rogue closed her eyes, she could hear his heart beating, erratic and fast.  She wrapped her arms around him gingerly, and held onto him.  "I know things are tough," he murmured, "It'll get better…I know I drive you crazy, I can't help it…" he rubbed her back soothingly.  "I'll try harder not to."

            Rogue sighed, "Remy, we shouldn't," she moved back from him, leaving the warmth of his arms, "remember what we agreed…"

            "No…we didn't agree, I disagreed, remember?" He looked at her, "why not just give me a chance.  You know bein' in a relationship isn't all about kissin' and havin' sex you know," he looked at her.

            "Funny, I was under the impression that's what it was to you," Rogue stated, moving further back from him, she headed towards the car.

            "Its about companionship…" Remy admitted, "and in that, we got lots to offer each other…and, there are ways to get around anything else," he shrugged.

            "No, there aren't…" Rogue opened the door of the jeep, and was about to get in.

            Remy followed her to her side of the car, and he pushed the door closed again, he turned her towards him, and looked at her, "will you at least reconsider what you spoke of three weeks ago."

            Rogue faltered with her answer, then sighed, "fine…I'll…think about it…"