Chapter 1: Hot and Cold
The waves were crashing heavily upon the rocks on the shore of Muir Island, splattering waters from the tides across the air like a spray of fireworks. Rogue sat folded legged upon a large boulder, looking out over the stretch of water to a land in the distance, where the sparkling lights of a city could be seen.
Rogue wished she were anywhere else on Earth rather on the confines of the small land known as Muir Island, in Scotland. These last few nights had been hellish with very little to do but sit and think.
The most exciting nightlife in Muir Island consisted of a small public house called the Two Dogs which remained at least five miles away from the Research Centre where Rogue and her fellow Mutants were currently staying for the week. Rogue had explored the Island several times on her own since coming to the Island, finding nothing but a small chapel, a supermarket, the public house, and a small housing district up the northern shore of the Island.
Apart from that, there was nothing on the Island at all.
With so much time on her hands, Rogue realised there was barely anything else to do but wallow in despair, thinking of the woes that surrounded her – and the one man who was making her life a living hell. Remy LeBeau.
Since Remy LeBeau had come into her life, nothing had ever been vaguely normal for Rogue. She spent most of her time wanting what she couldn't have, a taboo relationship with an older male – who within the next month was going to be twenty, while she herself had only become sixteen around three and a half months previous. And the age difference was not the only thing that bothered Rogue about Remy. The almost four year age span between them could have been decades for all the difference it would make, Remy LeBeau seemed to have a lifetimes more experience with romance than she did, and seemed at times, to not take love very seriously, although he'd plainly stated – seriously – that he loved her many times before.
And all the things that Rogue hated about Remy LeBeau, such as his cocky attitude, his flirtatious and somewhat occasionally rude sexual remarks, not to mention his determination to push his way into her heart…all these things could have been overlooked.
Even the fact that Rogue's mutant powers could never let them have any semblance of a normal romantic relationship could have easily been overlooked…if it were not for the fact Rogue knew she could not trust Remy LeBeau.
He'd lied to her about several things, things she didn't even like to think about, and things that would constantly weigh down her mind, giving Rogue more to add to her list of reasons why she couldn't trust the man.
The most recent addition to her list of reasons not to trust him was that two days ago, there had been a break in at the brand new Mutant Research Centre on Muir Island – it had seemed the break in had occurred when Remy and Rogue had been together on the beach that night – however, later, Rogue had begun to realise much to her horror, that it was possible Remy could have committed the crime before she'd even seen him on the beach, after all, he was a Professional Thief, and she'd seen proof of his skills more than once.
Now more than ever, she found herself desperately trying to avoid Remy LeBeau.
Sometimes however…it was thoroughly impossible.
"Aren't you cold out here?"
Rogue felt her heart jump, and she turned, hearing the voice of Kurt Wagner, her friend – and somewhat brother. "Kurt, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" she gasped.
"Sorry," Kurt teleported himself onto the rock and sat down beside Rogue, "What are you doing out here?"
"Just watchin' the water I guess," Rogue shrugged, "There's nothing to do on this Island."
"I know," Kurt admitted, "I keep reminding myself. The most interesting thing to do here is to listen to Hank's theories about mutant genetics," Kurt joked.
Rogue smirked a little, she rested her elbows on her knees and propped her face up with her hands, "time seems to be slower here than at home," she shrugged. "The only place to hang out on the Island is a bar and the only one of us who can get in is Remy."
"Don't you have to be over twenty-one to go into a public house?" Kurt queried.
"Eighteen," Rogue sighed, she picked up a small stone that had been resting on the rock, and she tossed it into the water in a frustrated fashion.
"What's going on with you and Gambit?" Kurt asked.
"What do you mean?" Rogue was taken aback with the question.
"It's like…how do you say…like a water faucet?" Kurt paused for thought, "off and on, hot and cold…"
"I don't understand," Rogue lied, she knew exactly what Kurt meant.
"One minute you are with him, the next minute you are avoiding him, the next minute you are hanging around him lookin' like you have feelings for him, and the next you can't stand him," Kurt explained, "What is going on?"
Rogue made a face, "you don't want to know."
"Yes, I do…" Kurt shrugged.
"Remy…he's…I just don't know…I thought he was alright at first, but now, he just pisses me off. I get to know him and just when it seems like I might be able to trust him, something opens my eyes to him and makes me see him for what he is," Rogue looked at Kurt, "and that's bad news."
"I don't like the way that Remy makes suggestions to you," Kurt admitted, "They're so inappropriate," Kurt admitted.
"Everything about that Cajun slime-ball is inappropriate," Rogue admitted, "I should have never asked him to come back to the X-Men…I feel so stupid."
"Why did you ask him back to the X-Men?" Kurt asked.
"Because he said he was sorry," Rogue stood up, "I'm gonna go to bed and read or something – Have an early night since there's nothin' else to do. See you tomorrow," she said, and with that, took to the sky and flew off.
Rogue entered the front doors of the Mutant Research Centre, bumping head on into Remy LeBeau. They bounced back off each other.
"Whoah, there," He grabbed a hold of her shoulders to steady her as she staggered slightly.
"Goin' out boozin', again?" Rogue asked, noticing he was all dressed up, he was wearing his best cologne and his best black shirt, his hair was actually combed, and he was wearing sunglasses.
"How'd you guess?" he smirked, letting go of her shoulders.
"You're wearing your favourite cologne – Eau de Geek," Rogue passed by him.
"That's 'Paul Smith for Men' I'll have you know," Remy stepped in front of her and leaned towards her so she could smell his neck.
"For Men?" Rogue emphasised the word 'Men' loudly. "Why are YOU wearing it then?" Rogue cracked at him cruelly.
"'Cause I'm all man, and you'd know, having seen me naked," Remy smirked.
"Yeah, and I'm still trying to get that horrifying image out of my mind," Rogue shoved past him.
"I see we're back to the verbal sparring again," Remy looked at her puzzled, "what have I done now?" he'd noticed that the last two days Rogue had been very cold with him again. This time he wasn't sure what had started this.
"Nothing, I'm just fucking with you," Rogue lied and headed towards the direction of the spiral staircase. The last thing she needed for was him to know that she suspected something. She'd play it cool for now.
"Do you want to come with me?" Remy stayed at the doors.
"Not in a million years," Rogue admitted, she lied she'd rather be anywhere rather than in the Centre, but fact was she didn't want to hang around him right now. "I can't anyway, I'm sixteen, remember? You need to be eighteen to get into the Two Dogs," She reminded.
"Since when did being underage ever stop you from going where you shouldn't?" He asked of her.
"Since now. I'm gonna give up being a bad girl," Rogue said proudly.
"Shame, I like a bad girl," Remy smirked.
"You like everything bad, including cigarettes, alcohol and goatees," Rogue made a face.
Remy gave a soft laugh and touched his chin, "You're so persistent about this," he gestured to his unsightly facial hair, "I don't know WHY it bothers you so much," he grinned.
"Because it's ugly," Rogue remarked, "and so are you," She stuck her tongue out. "How long you be gone for?" She stopped at the banister and looked over at Remy curiously.
"Dunno, maybe a couple of hours…" he shrugged, "why? You gonna wait up for me?" he asked hopefully.
"No. Anyway, when you get back it will be WAY past my curfew," Rogue reminded, "and as Hank said, me and you are not meant to be together alone at all," She smirked.
"So if you're not intent on bein' alone with me why you so interested when I'll be back?" Remy asked curiously, he raised his shades and looked at her quizzically.
"Just in case someone asks where you are and when you'll be back," Rogue remarked. "Bye."
She watched Remy leave, and stood there for a moment. She remembered that the rooms didn't have any locks on them at all – in fact, she realised she could wander in and out of Remy's room – as long as no one was lurking in the hallway that was – and scout around his room.
If he had been the one who had broken into the lab a few nights ago, surely he'd have some kind of evidence in his room maybe?
Rogue smirked to herself, "Remy LeBeau, you're going to be SO busted."
