The two women hugged one another. "I've missed you, daughter."

"Ah've missed you too mama."

Mystique held Marie at arms length. "Why has it taken you so long to come and see me? I've sent you letters every time I switch hotels, yet I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Ah know mama," Marie said, wincing at the hurt look in Mystique's eyes. "Things have been really crazy though, Ah just couldn't get away."

"It's all right, honey. Come in and make yourself comfortable. Would you like some tea?" Marie grinned at the harmless offer coming from a mutant terrorist.

"No thanks, Mama." She bit her lip, wondering how to proceed. "Mama?"

"Yes?" Mystiques asked as she went into the kitchen to put the tea on the stove.

"There's something Ah need to ask you. A favor."

Mystique stopped what she was doing as she heard the serious tone in her daughter's voice. Slowly, she walked out of the kitchen and sat down next to Marie. Marie took a deep breath and told Mystique everything. She told her about the battle, about Ms. Marvel in her head, and finally about Carol's idea about her powers. Mystique remained silent as Marie talked, but inside, her mind was spinning with ideas. She knew Marie was asking her if she would let her practice on her. Mystique was touched that Marie had come to her for help. She was almost moved to tears that Marie would tell her all these things that not even one of the X-Men knew about. If she were to admit the truth, there was also a small part of her that hoped that, during the practice, Marie would absorb some of Mystique's personality. She always secretly hoped Marie would leave the X-Men and join her for good. Maybe . . . No, Mystique thought sadly. Even though she wanted Marie to join her she would never break the obvious trust her daughter put in her.

As Marie finished her story, Mystique smiled and gave her a hug. "Of course I'll help you, daughter."

Marie almost laughed with relief as she hugged her back. "Thank you, Mama," she whispered.

"Now," Mystiques said, sitting back and slipping into business mode. "How shall we begin?"

* * *

Two Weeks Later:

Marie woke up the next morning with a huge smile on her face. Stretching lazily, she rolled over to look at the bright sunlight streaming in through her window. She'd done it. Last night she and Mystique had been up till two in the morning, working on her control and she had finally mastered it. She could touch. Marie leapt out of bed and began to get dressed. This was going to be the best day of her life.

* * *

Gambit groaned as the sunlight shone through his window. Red on black eyes squinted in the bright light as his mind struggled to shake off the last vestiges of sleep. He hadn't gotten in until nearly five o' clock in the morning last night. Still it would all be worth it when he got his information.

Two weeks ago he had followed Marie on one of her secret rendezvous. To his dismay, he had found she was sneaking out to visit a known mutant terrorist called Mystique. His heart had wrenched at his discovery. Against his better judgment he had grown very attached to the young woman with the poisonous skin. His daily flirtations with her had become something to look forward to and he was always amused with her shy reactions to his advances. For as long as he could remember, Gambit had always been a lady's man and he knew he could have any woman he wanted. Marie had presented him with a new challenge and he'd rose to it eagerly. The knowledge that she had killed a fellow mutant and was even now cavorting with a terrorist, pained him deeper than he liked to contemplate.

Still, despite his growing fondness for Rogue, he had forced himself to face reality. Turning to connections he'd thought he'd left behind for good, he had called up one of his sources to get information about the girl. For two weeks he had turned up nothing, all the while continuing to get closer to Rogue. Finally, last night, he turned to his last remaining source. He hadn't wanted to have to take it that far, but he had to know everything he could. Tonight he would have all the information he could get about Marie. In the meantime he resigned himself to his game of cat and mouse. Though he was beginning to doubt he would enjoy winning.

* * *

Marie gave herself a final once over in the mirror in her bedroom. Short jean shorts with a clingy red halter-top showed off all of her curves as well as more skin than she had ever dreamed of showing. With an approving look at her reflection Marie headed out into the hallway.

As she stepped out of her room, she noticed Gambit heading her way. She grinned at the double take he did as he noticed her outfit. In the short time he'd been here Gambit had gotten to know Marie's paranoia about her skin better than anyone. As he came closer, she leaned back against the wall.

"Hey, Shugah."

"Bonjour, Chere." He raised a questioning eyebrow at her ensemble. Marie smiled wider. Slowly understanding seemed to dawn on Gambit's face. "You know somethin' Gambit don' chere?"

Marie began to wonder if her smile was going to split her face. She was so happy and so excited she couldn't even speak. Finally, she let the moment carry her away. Reaching a bare hand up she lightly ran her finger down Gambit's cheek. Gambit's eyes widened as he realized nothing was happening.

"What's dis supposed to mean to me, Chere?" He looked down at her with a suggestive look in his eyes. Marie felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed up at him. He was staring at her so intently. Suddenly flustered, Marie looked down and began to lower her hand from his face, but Gambit took her hand in his. Slowly he entwined his fingers around hers, his other arm drawing her body closer to his. His eyes shone with amusement as Marie gasped a little. Her pulse began to race as his face tilted down towards hers.

"Gambit would be honored to be the first to congratulate you Mademoiselle," he whispered, with his lips a hair's breadth away from her own. Before Marie could react his mouth claimed hers in a gentle kiss that brought memories of their first day together crashing through Marie's mind. Her head spun in dizzying circles. Nothing she had ever experienced could have prepared her for this. It had been so long since she had felt another's skin without her fear permeating her mind. She'd forgotten how wonderful it felt. His lips were so soft against hers, and Marie moaned and leaned into the kiss, unconsciously pressing her body closer to Gambit's. Feverishly she tried to concentrate on the feel of his lips sliding against hers, committing it to memory. Her reaction spurred Gambit on and his arms tightened around her as he backed her up against the wall. Her hands reached up to tangle in his hair and her mouth parted to allow him better access. Gambit groaned as his body began to heat up from the kiss. He accepted her invitation to deepen it, and slid his tongue in to caress hers. Marie's knees felt weak and if it weren't for Gambit's body pressing her to the wall she thought she would slide to the ground. Her body felt warm and a pleasant buzzing sensation overwhelmed her senses. Some part of Marie's brain told her that there was more but she had no idea what. Before she could think on it anymore, she felt Gambit freeze just as she heard a gasp from a few feet away. Breaking away from the kiss, Gambit and Marie both looked up to see Jean standing in the hallway. Smoothly Gambit stepped back from Marie as they both turned to face Jean.

With an excited gleam in her eyes, the telepathic doctor suddenly rushed forward to hug Marie. Despite her disappointment at the interruption, Marie relished the hug, dwelling in the fact that she no longer had to be constantly on her guard for any accidental skin-to-skin contact. It was a full minute before either woman broke from the hug. When they did Jean just looked at Marie, too happy to speak. Marie found herself in the same position, and Gambit had to smile too at the joy on both their faces. Finally Jean couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing Marie by the arm she raced down the stairs with her. Gambit ambled along behind them as they rushed to tell the rest of the team the news.

* * *

It wasn't long until Jubilee and Kitty came bursting into the mansion. Rogue had called them with the news, and the two friends had wasted no time in getting there to congratulate her. Now all three of them were sitting on her bed in Rogue's room, deep in conversation.

"Oh Rogue, we're so proud of you!" Kitty gushed.

"Yeah, Roguie, it's about time! I guess all you needed was the right motivation." Jubilee waggled her eyebrows at Rogue. Marie laughed.

"Ah take it ya'll saw Remy?"

Jubilee elbowed Kitty. "Here that? Remy, she calls him."

"Oh stop it!" Rogue laughed. She smiled and looked at them both for a minute. "Dang, Ah've missed ya'll so much. Ya'll won't believe everything that's happened." Quickly, Marie caught her friends up on everything that had happened, with Logan leaving, and her increasingly intimate relationship with Remy. Guiltily, Marie left out everything about Carol Danvers. She still wasn't ready to talk about that with anyone.

Kitty and Jubilee were both sympathetic when they heard about Logan's second leaving. Marie saw the look they exchanged when she told them about how she and Gambit had grown so close. She suspected they were more than a little surprised to hear her say anything romantic about anyone besides Logan. They'll get used to it, she told herself, Ah know Ah sure am. With a smile, she tuned back in to her friends as they each took turns catching her up on their own lives. As Jubilee grabbed her arm to whisper something in her ear, Marie almost cried tears of happiness. As she felt Jubilee's bare hand on her own bare arm, a warm feeling rushed through her. For the first time in her life, she felt she belonged.

* * *

"Master, you wished to see me?" Lucien bowed his head as he kneeled beside the ominous throne in the center of the room. On the seat of the throne a caped figure sat, still as death. Around the room large tanks scattered the floor. Lucien shuddered as he tried to keep his eyes averted from the giant test tubes. Inside each one, bodies floated in some sort of liquid - experiments for the menacing man who sat on the throne.

Slowly the figure turned to face him and Lucien fought back a gasp. No matter how many times he saw him, Lucien's heart refused to acknowledge that this thing was human.

No, not human he corrected himself. A mutant. Still even for a mutant he was an imposing figure. His face was a stark pasty white. Black lips outlined a mouth filled with tiny razor sharp teeth. A red diamond in the center of his forehead was the only color in his face, matched by the glowing red of his pupil-less eyes. His hair was the same jet black as his lips, cut short around his ghostly face. His body was encased in a thick black rubber material with a cape of black ribbons spilling over broad shoulders and down his back. Lucien noticed he resembled nothing so much as Transylvania's infamous Count Dracula.

As his servant cowered beside him, the man known as Mr. Sinister smiled grimly. Lucien was a member of the Assassin's Guild in New Orleans. He was one of the many guild members who reported to Sinister.

"I believe you have news for me, Lucien. Something about my lost lamb?"

Lucien shook slightly. "Yes, Master. The thief has joined the ranks of the X-Men. My people have been watching him in accordance with your orders."

"And?" Mr. Sinister urged impatiently.

"When he first joined the team he severed all his old ties. Then after only a short time, he began to communicate with old contacts. He's been asking around about a woman. Apparently he's searching her background for some sort of wrong she committed."

"What kind of wrong?"

"I don't know Master. All my spies were able to discern was that he suspects her of the murder of one of the X-Men's comrades. We do not know whom, nor do we know what possible motive he could suspect her of having. The woman has been with the X-Men for a little more than four years."

"What is the name of this woman?"

"I believe she goes by 'Rogue', Master."

"Rogue?" Mr. Sinister thought for a moment. Suddenly a spark lit his hellish eyes. He turned a steady look on Lucien. "Would this woman by any chance be around the age of twenty with the power to drain another's life force with a mere touch of skin to skin?"

"Yes, Master. That agrees with our information." Lucien could not hold back a shudder at the look of delight that crossed his master's features.

"Hear me well, Lucien. You are to find out when the thief expects his information to arrive and intercept it. Instead, I want the following information given to him in its place. Listen carefully."

* * *

That night Gambit waited for Rogue to leave with Jubilee and Kitty. Her two friends were returning to college tomorrow, and the three had decided to go out to celebrate Rogue had wanted Gambit to come to, but he had declined saying he wanted them to have their girls' night out. The touched smile on Rogue's face had sent prickles of guilt running all over Gambit. Still, he had to know.

Tonight he would get his information. He had made a promise to himself that if this last attempt turned up no negative information on Rogue, he was going to be completely honest with her and just ask her about the glove and Ms. Marvel. He ignored the voice in his head that said that's what he should have done from the start. Leaving the mansion, Gambit jumped on his bike and rode to the rendezvous.

When he arrived at the seedy out-of-the-way bar, he slipped into a booth in a dark corner of the room. From this vantage point he could see the whole bar without being seen himself. He allowed his empathic sense to scan the bar, searching for any high range emotions that may signify danger. As a thief his empathic sense had been invaluable. It had allowed him to tell when someone was alert or tired, clumsy enough to make a mistake or pissed enough to do something stupid. Now he simply used it to remain aware of any danger that may be near. Suddenly, a man entered the bar. Nonchalantly looking around he sauntered back and slipped into the booth beside Gambit. Gambit remained quiet, waiting for the other man to begin. Finally, the man turned to face him and smiled.

"Rob! How've y' been y' old dog!"

Playing along, Gambit laughed. "Fine, Luke. How's y' wife?"

"She's fine. Actually, she asked me to give you these to give to Theresa. They're pictures she took at you kids' wedding." Gambit smiled easily as he accepted the large manila envelope.

"'Tanks."

"Well, buddy, I got t' be goin'. Monique warned me not t' stay out all night like we did last time. Y' know how she gets." They both laughed and said their good-byes. Gambit waited five minutes for the other man to leave before getting up and heading home. He had to fight his urge to open the envelope right away. This was not the place to open sensitive information.

* * *

Wolverine took a hit off of his cigar. As he exhaled, he watch the aromatic smoke curl upwards toward the sky. When did life get so damn complicated? His brows knitted together as the same question he'd been asking himself since he left the mansion a second time paraded around in his head. What was he going to do about Marie? A muffled noise floated out to the balcony he was standing on as his latest conquest stirred in her sleep in the bedroom behind him. Wolverine waited until her breathing was even once again before gathering his things and making a stealthy exit.

As he rode his motorcycle off into the distance he thought back on the young woman waiting for him back at the mansion. How do I feel about her?

It seemed like such a stupid question. If someone had asked him how he felt about Marie a month ago he would have had an easy answer for them. She was a good kid and he liked her a lot. When he'd come home they had gotten real close, what with him in her head and all, and life was good. If you really tortured him he might even have said he loved her. But never in a million years would he have meant romantic love. Romance and Marie just never meshed in his head. So one could imagine what effect his little Marie grinding herself against him in the Danger Room was having on his mind. Had he missed something? Had something changed somewhere? He didn't know, but he sure as hell was going to find out.

Making up his mind Logan turned onto the highway leading toward the mansion. He was going to go back, and dammit, he was going to straighten this whole mess out. Because regardless of how he or Marie might feel, he did care about her and he wanted to be there for her. After all, who knows what kind of trouble she could get into in his absence?

* * *

"Eeep!" Marie squealed as she almost fell out of the cab. Kitty giggled hysterically as she rolled around the back seat. Marie laughed and reached in to pull her out. As they held on to each other and teetered unsteadily in the driveway, Jubilee stumbled out and began to talk to the amused cab driver.

"Thank you shur," she slurred. "We are mush obliged. Keep the tip." She punctuated the end of her spiel with a drunken hiccup. The cabbie chuckled and drove off, leaving the three mutants to slowly make their way up to the door.

"Ah'm sho happy y' two are 'ere." Marie mumbled. "Tonight was the besh night of mah life! Y' no afraid t' touch me any more!"

"Touch, touch, touch!" Kitty chanted poking Marie's bare cheek. They all abruptly dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"N-no," Jubilee held up a wavering hand. "Ony Gammit ken toush her! She likesh that!" Marie nodded empathically.

"Heesh very good." She agreed.

Finally they all got into the mansion. They said their goodnights and each of them stumbled to their own rooms.

As Marie meandered down the hallway, she noticed the light was on in Gambit's room. Grinning, she made her way over to his door and opened it, almost falling over in the process. As she hung on to the door, snickering at her own clumsiness, she saw Gambit sitting on his bed surrounded by documents. The laughter died on her lips as he looked up and caught her eyes in his.

"Whass wrong?" Marie asked, trying to think past the alcoholic haze in her mind.

"Is dere some 'ting you'd like t' tell me, Chere?" Gambit asked severely. He had just received all the information he had been waiting for and his worst suspicions had been confirmed. The knowledge he now possessed caused a dull ache in his chest and if he had been a more emotional man he would be fighting off tears. As it was, his hurt was turning into anger with her for deceiving him. He wanted nothing more than to confront her now. However, he realized it would probably be best to wait until Rogue sobered up.

"Ah don't think so, Shugah. Why?" Marie was having a hard time concentrating with the buzz still muddling her mind, but at least her language was less slurred. In a far corner of her consciousness Marie noted that those unusual eyes of his, which she usually found so sexy, could also be quite unsettling when an unfriendly look rested in their depths. Her answer did not seem to please him and she fought the urge to fidget as his jaw tightened. He couldn't possibly know.

Gambit let out a breath he'd been holding. Gathering up his papers, he put them in a knapsack and stood up. "Gambit got t' go into de city, Chere. See y' in de mornin'." As much as he was hurting, Gambit didn't want Marie to become too suspicious. Still, he couldn't bear to be around her now. Forcing himself to give her a kiss on his way out, he made his way out of the mansion.

Marie watched him go. For a moment she considered going after him but her head was beginning to spin again. Stumbling back to her own room she collapsed on her bed and fell into an alcohol-induced slumber.

NOTE: I am now accepting votes for who you all want to see Rogue end up with. Preference will be given to people who include a helpful review with their vote. Helpful meaning: hints on how to improve story, pointing out logic or character flaws, or complimenting specific things in the story.