"Rogue? Rogue, please come out. Rogue, I know you've been through a lot, but you have to eat." When she received no answer, Jean sighed and rested her head on the door. When they'd gotten back to the mansion, the Professor had tried to scan Rogue's mind for signs of Carol Danvers. He had been unable to sense the other woman's presence and even with the static caused by the Kree heritage, that was unusual. Rogue had told the Professor that Mr. Sinister had removed Ms. Marvel's manifestation. Jean moaned inwardly. Neither she nor the Professor had ever heard of removing psychic manifestations from someone's mind. Xavier had been quick to say that it was entirely possible that Mr. Sinister had managed to invent such a device, but Jean had seen the look on Rogue's face. It made the telepathic woman very sad to see the hurt in Rogue's eyes. She knew Rogue felt like they didn't believe her, but she didn't know what to say.
"Rogue, I just want you to know that if you need to talk to someone, my door is always open." Jean waited a moment and when she still received no response, she sighed and slowly walked away. As she made her way down the hall, she ran into Wolverine.
Wolverine gave her a half hearted once over and she smiled. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." For a moment they both just stood there. "How is she?" he asked finally.
Jean looked sad. "She won't come out, Logan. I can't imagine what she must feel like right now."
"Can't blame her."
Jean nodded. "I know. She needs you right now, Logan. She always listened to you."
Logan smiled softly and started walking towards Marie's room. "I always knew how to ask."
* * *
Marie listened to the sound of Jean's receding footsteps as she left. Normally she would feel bad for being so difficult, but at the moment she was having a difficult time feeling anything.
Mystique had left a while ago, and Marie had been in her room since. Hugging her knees tighter to her chest, Marie sighed as she sat on the window ledge, looking out into the night sky. It seemed like ages ago that she and Kitty and Jubilee had been drunk and giggling in the driveway. Ages since she had stumbled into Gambit's room and seen him sitting there surrounded by those innocent looking papers. Those papers that had turned out to be so much less than innocent. Tears threatened to fill her eyes as Marie began to feel like her budding relationship with Gambit had been not that of two equals, but more like that of a parole officer and a convicted felon.
Suddenly, Marie heard a *snikt* and tree claws sliced through the lock on her door. It swung open to reveal Logan standing in the hallway. He casually retracted his claws and went to sit on the windowsill with Marie, gently closing the door behind him.
He sat down next to her and took her hands in his. Looking into her eyes, he sighed. "I owe you a new door."
Though she tried not to, Marie laughed. Logan smiled and she pulled her hands out of his grip to slap him lightly on the shoulder.
"Dammit, Logan. Ah don't wanna laugh right now."
"I know, Marie. But sometimes, if you don't laugh you cry." He looked into her eyes. "And I'd much rather see you laugh."
Despite his words, Marie felt the beginnings of tears burn her eyes. For a second neither one said anything.
"Logan, Ah just wanna apologize." Marie said finally.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "What for?"
She shrugged, and a hint of a blush colored her cheeks. "For throwing mahself at you, Ah guess. Not that anyone could really blame me."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked warily.
"Logan, for cryin' out loud, Ah love you. Ah had you in mah head for four years, you're the only constant companion Ah've ever managed to keep for that long. When you came back after bein' gone all that time and still called me 'kid' Ah just wanted to make you see me as a woman." She smiled. "Ah guess maybe Ah should have talked to you about it first."
Logan took a deep breath. "No Marie, you're right. I kinda knew you had a crush on me." Marie winced involuntarily at the use of the word 'crush'. Logan noticed and hurried on. "And I guess I should have had more sense than to keep callin' you 'kid'. I was gone for four years and when I came back, you weren't the fifteen year old girl I left. You're a twenty year old woman and I should have treated you with more respect than actin' like you were still a teenager." He took another deep breath. "And Marie, I'm sorry for running away from you like I did. Both times. I just didn't know what the Hell was goin' on!" She giggled a little at that. "I mean, shit Marie, you were getting to be the best friend I ever had. Then all of a sudden you're acting like a . . . well a . . . shit. Like a woman!" Marie laughed outright at that one.
"Ah'm so sorry to have shocked you!" She teased.
"That's all right," Logan assured her graciously. He smiled and gave her a hug. "So," he laughed. "What have you been doing since I left? Besides controlling your powers and gaining some new ones. That Cajun better not have been giving you any trouble."
Marie thought about running into Remy when he'd come out of the shower in just a towel. The way his lips had felt on hers. She laughed nervously.
* * *
Gambit was silent as he quietly made his way out of the Med Bay. He'd just woken up and he felt like he'd just gone one on one with Sabretooth. Still, he couldn't just lie there, no matter how much he hurt. He had to talk to Rogue.
"What are your intentions for my daughter, Cajun?"
Gambit turned slowly. Mystique was leaning against the wall beside the Med Bay door. She'd stayed perfectly still, and he hadn't even noticed her. He sighed.
"What do y' mean ?"
"You heard me LeBeau. What are your intentions for my daughter?" Mystique took another step forward, forcing Gambit back a step.
Gambit swallowed. Wolverine he could handle, but he was not one to relish having conversations with the mothers of the women he . . . dated.
"Madame, m' intentions for y' daughter be plenty honorable."
"How honorable? I don't want my daughter getting involved with someone who's going to treat her like a criminal. I-"
"Gambit's fallin' in love wit her."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth both Gambit and Mystique looked taken aback.
"In love with her? How could you possibly be in love with her? You only met her weeks ago." Mystique demanded.
"Non, Madame. Gambit did not say he was in love wit her. I'm fallin' in love wit her."
"Gambit-- I assume that's you?-" Gambit nodded somewhat sheepishly. He never had completely shaken the habit of referring to himself in the third person. "Well, Gambit, forgive me if I find it hard to believe you're falling in love with her. Not that I don't see why a man would fall in love with my daughter. Rogue is a beautiful and intelligent young woman. But you made some pretty ugly accusations about her. Is that your idea of showing your love?"
Gambit remained quiet for a few moments, thinking his answer over carefully before responding. "Madame, Gambit done a lot of 'tings dat he's not proud of. Joinin' de X-Men was my way of repayin' a debt t' society. When I met y' daughter I was taken wit her. Den de stuff wit Ms. Marvel happened an it just seemed like maybe she wasn't what everyone thought she was. Gambit was just bein' careful wit his heart."
"And what do you think now?"
"I 'tink I made a big mistake dat may have cost me a chance at findin' m' compagnon d'âme."
Mystique searched his face. Suddenly, she morphed into Rogue. Gambit's eyes widened and for a brief moment pain reflected in his red on black orbs, vanishing almost as quickly as it had arrived. Morphing back into herself, Mystique nodded.
"Eyes are windows to the soul. You seem to mean what you say, Cajun."
"Gambit mean every word, Madame."
Mystique nodded. "Thief, you may have a chance yet. But if there's one thing that may damage your chances it's your secret."
"My secret?" Gambit's face grew noticeably pale.
"Yes. I haven't said anything so don't look so worried." Gambit visibly relaxed. "I saw some of Sinister's file, Cajun. I know you worked for him."
Gambit opened his mouth, but the look in Mystique's eyes changed what he was going to say. He sighed and nodded. "Oui. A long time ago."
"I trust that has ceased?"
"Oui."
Mystique looked him in the eyes for a long time. "I trust you will take care of my daughter. I would not want to be you if you don't. I'm not the only one you would have to deal with, you know."
The image of an angry Wolverine floated into Gambit's mind and he nodded again.
"Gambit will try t' make her happy, if Rogue allows it."
"There is no 'try' when it comes to my daughter, LeBeau. You will come clean with her and you make her happy or I will personally see that you pay very dearly for it. Rogue likes you, I'm sorry to say, and whether I agree with her choices or not I will never allow you to do my daughter harm. You will fix the damage you've done and make her happy or so help me the next time you see me you won't see me. Understand?"
Gambit nodded wordlessly.
"Good. Now I'm leaving things in your hands."
Gambit watched her turn to leave.
"Aren't y' gonna say goodbye to y' daughter?"
Mystique didn't turn around. "She thinks I left some time ago. Remember what I said."
* * *
Rogue was getting dressed for bed when she heard a noise outside. Quickly she grabbed a t-shirt and slipped it on. When she turned around she gasped at the sight that greeted her. Gambit stood inside her open widow, his arms hanging at his sides. A dull glow of red watched her out of black eyes. His chest was bare and the white bandages stood out starkly in the moonlight.
"Chere." he choked out.
"Remy." Rogue whispered. She ran over and threw her arms around his neck. She tried to hold him lightly because of his bandages, but he tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer. For a while they stood there holding each other. Then Rogue seemed to remember herself. Remy watched her back away, pain in his eyes.
She looked away from his gaze. "Ah'm glad you're all right, Remy."
"Chere, I'm sorry I didn't trust you."
"Straight and to the point, huh?"
Gambit nodded solemnly. "No secrets, Chere. Gambit can't take back de past. Learned that a long time ago. But I want you in m' life, Rogue. If you'll let me."
Rogue drew a shaky breath. "No secrets?"
Gambit nodded slowly. "Ask any'ting, Chere."
Rogue walked over and sat on the bed. Gambit sat next to her. His body was tense as he waited for the inevitable.
"Sinister said you'd helped him before. What did he mean?"
Gambit closed his eyes. When he opened them, Rogue saw resignation in his eyes. "Remember when I told you I swore t' do any'ting to control m' powers?" Rogue nodded. "Dey were out of control. Nothing like dey are now. I was chargin' 'tings witout touchin' dem. One night I blew up a theater. Dat's where Sinister found me. He said he could help me control m' powers. I didn't know de price would be so high."
"What did he make you do?"
A faraway look appeared in the Cajun's demonic eyes. "Steal. Nothing I hadn't done before."
"That's not so horrible." Rogue said carefully. She knew there was more.
"It turned horrible. On 'ting he wanted was the L'Etroile du Tricherie. Only 'ting was . . . it had already been stolen." He swallowed visibly. "Her name was Genevieve Darceneaux."
"You stole it from her."
Pain etched itself across Gambit's face. "Non. I was t' be married soon. I decided t' have a little fun." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I romanced her. I was jus havin' fun. Den one night, I went t' meet her-- t' steal de pendant." His eyes were haunted when he opened them. "Sabretooth. He was holdin' m' brother, Henri, and Genevieve off the edge of a building. De man Genevieve had stolen the pendant from hired him to get it back. Sabretooth demanded de L'Etroile du Tricherie, or he'd drop dem both."
"And then?" Rogue asked breathlessly.
Gambit looked into her eyes. "I gave him de pendant. He dropped dem both anyway." He choked on the last sentence. "I could only save one. Genevieve died."
Rogue watched him closely. His body was practically trembling. Unsure of what to do, she reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder. He collapsed against her, and Rogue's arms slid up to hold him to her.
"Shhhh," she whispered soothingly.
Gambit held onto her for dear life. His heart felt like it would break as he remembered past wrongs, and the effect they would have on his future. He'd never wanted to think about Genevieve again, but the image of her terrified face still haunted his memory. He'd failed her. He did not want to fail Rogue.
Rogue laughed softly. "This almost reminds me of the day I first met you. Remember when we sat on the roof?"
Gambit nodded, sitting up to face her once again. "Oui, Chere. Gambit not soon forgettin' dat."
"Then Ah guess it mah turn to explain things to you."
Gambit shook his head vehemently. "Non, Chere. I know Sinister sent de information."
"But you don't know why it's not true." Despite Gambit's protests that she didn't owe him an explanation, Rogue told him about her mother's connection with Sinister, and about the clone Sinister had made of her. Then she explained about the battle, and absorbing Ms. Marvel.
"Ah don't know if the others believe me. Ah mean Ah know Logan does, but Ah'm not sure about the others. Sinister removed Carol's manifestation from mah mind, so neither Xavier nor Jean could find her in mah head and ask her."
"Gambit believe you, Chere. Always from now on."
Rogue laughed. "Don't take mah word as law, Remy. Ah'm human too."
Gambit smiled. "Non, Chere, y' mus be more dan dat. Perhaps an angel?"
Rogue leaned forward and hugged him. He hugged her back, before pulling away slightly. Looking into his eyes, Rogue felt her breath hitch in her throat. In a timeless moment, he leaned forward and presses his lips to hers. She sighed into his mouth as she felt his body press against hers. It seemed like the kiss could have lasted forever.
When they finally parted, Rogue's eyes shined with happiness.
"Well, we may have had a rocky start, but it looks like smooth sailing from her." she murmured. She got a playful sparkle in her eyes. "Now if only you could endear yourself as much to Logan."
Gambit pulled her into another embrace. He rolled his eyes at the thought of what the cranky Canadian would think about his precious Marie dating a Cajun thief.
"Oui, Chere. If only."