FYI:

~Personal thoughts~

ESP

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

{Musical Lyrics}

2 Become 1--Jewel

GAMBIT

~I can't sleep.~ I turned over in bed to read de alarm clock--2:18 a.m. ~Stupid school, for God's sake I'm nineteen and I've lasted t'is long wit'out graduating. Besides, t'at's not what has me worried, it's t'at trainin' session t'is morning. Everybody seems nervous about it--we never had any under Magneto.~ I got out of bed wit' my normal stealth I left de room wit'out waking Piotr. "Bonsoir, mon ami."

I walked down de hall wit'out really having a purpose or a place t' go. I ended up stopping outside of Marie's room and t'ought back t' de kiss we had shared only hours earlier. I could still feel the warmth of her kiss upon my face. I don't know why I did it but I went inside.

{I Watch You While You're Sleeping, Messy Hair, Bare Chest, Moonlight On Your Skin}

She looked beautiful lying t'ere wit' her hair flared out across de pillow as her chest slowly rose and dropped wit' her breat'ing. De moonlight t'at poured t'rough de window made her look like sleeping beauty.

{I Wanna Breathe You In, In The Silence, Words Come Easy

I Can Tell You Now Just How Simple It's Been, To Let You In}

I walked over to her and sat down on de edge of the bed. I could hear her breathing soft and easy. ~Why does t'is girl make me wish I could start over--never have become a t'ief, never met Bella, done none of t'ose terrible t'ings.~

{Don't Move, This Mood Is A Painting, We'll Never Find The Same Thing}

She began t' stir and rubbed de sleep out of her eyes. "Remy, what are ya doin' in here. Logan'll kill ya if…"

{Love Do Not Make A Sound, Melt Into Me Now, Two Become One}

I placed a finger on her lips to silence her and she sat t'ere staring up at me. I bent down and kissed her lips. It was so perfect I felt t'at I must have been dreaming.

{Love Is So Close To Hurting, With A Shake We Could Wake From Our Own Dreaming

But We Must Make A Vow, 'Cause I Have Waited A Lifetime, Now Is The Right Time}

"Marie, I love you." She sat t'ere still looking at me wit' a bewildered expression on her face. "Remy…"

{Love Do Not Make A Sound, Melt Into Me Now, Two Become One}

I silenced her t'is time wit' anot'er kiss.

{Love, Let's Make Time Stand Still, Let This Moment Last Until, Two Become One}

She put her arms around my neck and I placed an arm around her waist as she pulled me down.

{Like A Bird Owns It's Wings, Like A Song Belongs to Melody, You Belong To Me}

~I've never felt t'is way before. I belong to her, heart and soul.~

{I Fold Your Arms Around Me, Let Your Flesh, Your Breath, Your Love, Surround Me

Oh, You Feel Like Home}

I laid next to her holding her until I felt her begin to breathe regularly again. I stroked de white streaks away from her face so t'at I could see her sleeping face.

{Love Do Not Make A Sound, Melt Into Me Now, Two Become One}

I slowly and carefully got up and left her. Once I returned to my own bed I fell fast asleep wit' my mind at ease.

ROGUE

*Beep. *Beep. "Uhh…mornin' already?" Ah rolled over in mah bed an' slammed the sleep button down. Surprisingly Kitty wasn't already up movin' around. ~Oh, yeah, she's sick. Ah'll have ta try an' be quiet.~ Ah crept over ta mah dresser an' pulled out mah uniform. ~Just because it's the first day of school doesn't mean it's a great day ta start trainin' as well. Damn Scott an' Jean, they're lettin' this power thin' go straight ta their heads.~ Ah crept outta the room as Kitty continued snoring an' headed towards the elevator as Ah pulled on mah leather gloves. Remy came up from behind me an' fell inta step. ~Was that a dream last night? He doesn't seem to be actin' like anythin' happened. I must have dreamt the entire thin'.~

"Bonjour, Marie." He was givin me his Cajun smile like always. Ah yawned an' gave him the evil eye. ~He's worse than Kitty about mornin's. How can either of them stand ta be this chipper at this time.~

"Hey. Ah hope they take it easy on us today. Ah'm too tired for anythin' too strenuous." He laughed. ~Of course he's gonna laugh, he ain't got a clue how tough trainin' sessions can be yet.~ "Ah forgot, this is your first danger room session, ain't it."

"T'at be correct." We had reached the elevator ta find Bobby, Omara, Tabitha, an' Ray waitin' for it ta come. Omara an' Tabitha began gigglin' like a small pack of hyenas as we walked up. Ah felt a wave of love for Remy, but it wasn't the way Ah felt about him. It was almost like havin' a crush on him. Ah shook mah head ta clear it an' the elevator came so we all crammed inside of it. Ah got pushed inta a back corner next ta Ray whose stomach was growlin' an' began ta feel hungry. ~That's weird Ah never feel hungry until after trainin' is over.~ The eleveator doors opened an' we all walked inta the danger room where everybody else was waitin'.

"You guys are late."

~Stupid Jean,~ "Like Ah really care."

"Something, you'd like to share with us Rogue?" Everybody was lookin' at me like I'd just dropped some kind of huge bomb inta the midst. As everyone continued starin' Ah began ta feel waves of astonishment, gratitude, an' so forth. ~What in the world is goin' on? Why do Ah keep feelin' all these different emotions?~ "Whatever, start program Physics-1-2-3." ~That's the name they came up with for their trainin'. Man, Ah'd heard that they're class was stupid but Ah can't believe how lame their trainin's gonna be too.~ The room began ta fade an' the lights dimmed as it began ta look like the inside of a fun house with a bunch of mirrors. Ah heard Remy gasp in astonishment from behind me. ~Bet he wasn't expectin' somethin' like this.~

Within a minute, lasers began ta fire from what seemed ta be everywhere. The mirrors reflected the lasers at unexpected angles makin' for mass chaos as students began ta run everywhere. Ah began ta feel excited, scared, an' pain all at one time. Ah musta been standin' there like a complete dope tryin' ta figure why Ah was hurtin' 'cause all of a sudden Ah felt mahself being pushed ta the ground. "Hey, what the?"

"Try and pay a little attention, mon Cherie." It had been Remy an' right where Ah'd been standin' a laser struck. ~Shit, that coulda hurt.~ Ah could see Omara on the other side of the room nursing her shoulder where she'd been hit. Tabitha decided ta try the offensive as she tossed a few of her firecrackers at what she thought was the laser gun. What she hit was just the reflection. ~Damn, this is gonna be harder than it looks. Ah don't even have any powers ta fight back with.~ Remy'd moved on a little bit an' charged a few cards an' started tossin' them up inta the air. He hit one of the laser guns which began ta sizzle an' spark but was no longer firin'. ~Why couldn't Ah luck out an' get cool powers like that?~ Ah turned around ta look an' see if there was anythin' that Ah could do other than dodge the lasers an' found mahself floatin' up inta the air. Ah looked down ta see a laser hit right underneath of me an' then Ah looked up ta see that Jean had been the one ta save me. ~Damn her, Ah'd rather fried than be saved by her.~

"All right, I think we're done for this morning." She lowered me back ta the ground an' gave me one of her 'Ah'm perfect an' ya're not' smiles. I think you owe me a thank you.

Screw you. ~God, what Ah wouldn't give ta wipe that smirk right off a her face!~

"Come on Cherie, some ot'er time. She ain't wort' it." Ah turned ta look at Remy, Ah couldn't stand it when people tried ta patronize me, even if it was him. Mah eyes felt like they were burnin' 'cause Ah was so angry. "Uh…Cherie?"

"Just leave meh alone right now." Ah stormed off leavin' behind a very bewildered an' confused Remy.

GAMBIT

~I don't t'ink she knows she has my eyes--demon eyes--right now. She must be pretty angry about Jean saving her. Maybe I just imagined it…yeah, that's it, just my ol' imagination playing tricks on me.~ "Is she going to be alright?"

"Huh, oh yeah Piotr. She's just a little upset about Jean right now." We walked back t' de elevator and waited for it t' come back down.

"If that is just a little upset, I would hate to see her angry." I laughed, I could just imagine what she'd look like if she finally got t' blow off her steam at Jean.

"I don't t'ink t'ere would be a mansion left, mon ami."

ROGUE

~Who does she think she is! Ah can't believe she actually expects meh ta thank her. Ah didn't want her help, nor did Ah need it.~ Ah wanted ta slam the door as Ah walked back inta mah room, but Kitty was still lying passed out on her bed. Ah went over ta mah dresser an' pulled the clothes out that Ah'd laid out last night--a black tank top with a see through green blouse, a pair of jeans, an' mah favorite pair of boots were layin' on the floor nearby. I picked up mah clothes an' hurried over ta the bathroom before everybody else started for it. I was in the middle of mah shower when I heard the door creak open.

"Who's there!" Ah poked mah head out from behind the shower curtain ta find a very shocked Remy standin' there with his toothbrush hangin' outta his mouth.

"I…I'll just be going mon Cherie." He had a stupid grin on his face that told meh he was tryin' ta picture what was behind the rest of the curtain.

"Get outta here!" He still wasn't movin'.

"Aww…y' wound me real bad Cherie."

"Remy, do ya mind. Ah'm tryin' ta take a shower!"

"Well, t'ere's ot'er people who need a shower as well." He tossed meh a towel which I grabbed an' wrapped around mahself. "Maybe Jean would like t' get one?" ~Oooh…he just knows how ta get meh started!~

"Like Ah care what perfect Jean wants. Can Ah at least change in peace?" He smiled at meh as he bowed his way back out the door again. He lost the affect with his toothbrush still stickin' outta his mouth.

Ah found Piotr already at the breakfast table munchin' on a doughnut. Just by lookin' at him I became worried about two things--Kitty an' startin' school. ~Did I just hear his thoughts? No, I felt his feelin's. Holy shit! I did. But how.~ Mah mind flashed back ta the warehouse where Remy had kissed meh transferring his memories ta meh. ~Oh, mah God! I've got Remy's empathetic powers. That would explain everythin' this mornin'.~ Ah left the room so quickly that Ah startled Piotr with the slammin' door as Ah rushed off ta find Remy.

Ah'd run back upstairs an' looked in his room an' found him there changin' shirts. Ah'd walked right in without even knockin'. Ah instantly began ta feel self-conscious. ~No, Remy's feelin' self-conscious 'cause Ah just barged in while he was changin'.~ "Remy, how do ya turn off ya powers!" Ah was in a state of panic. Ah wouldn't last a minute at school if Ah felt every single person's emotions. He walked over ta meh an' grabbed ahold of mah shoulders.

"What are y' talking about, Cherie?"

"Ah have ya powers--the empathetic ones. Ah keep feelin' what everybody else is feelin'." He looked at meh in astonished silence as Ah continued. "Ah don't know how or why, but Ah still have ya powers." He lifted mah chin up an' looked inta mah eyes an' Ah instantly began ta feel like Ah didn't have a care in the world. The worry slipped away as Ah continued ta look inta those red on black eyes. "What did ya just do?"

"Don't y' know, Cherie? T'at's de ot'er part of my empat'etic powers." Ah was feelin' so relaxed that mah knees gave out on meh but Remy caught meh before Ah fell.

"Thanks, Ah kinda freaked out a little." He held meh up by mah waist an' helped meh ta sit down on the ege of his bed. Ah could still feel his concern for meh though. "It hasn't stopped though."

"It never really does, Cherie. Y' gonna have t' push it t' de side." Ah looked at him bewildered an' then understood what he was sayin'. ~Ah'm gonna have ta ignore it.~

Rogue, Remy, we need to talk.

GAMBIT

Cherie was still a little weak-kneed as I led her down t' de professor's office. Her eyes were scrunched up like she was trying t' concentrate really hard on somet'ing and I'm positive that she was trying t' stop de emotions from bombarding her.

"I hope to make this quick so that neither of you miss your first day of school." I sat down in de chair next t' Marie's and continued t' hold her hand. She looked down in her lap and began playing with de Velcro on her gloves. "It seems to me that your powers are evolving Rogue, and that they have been for quite a while now."

"I'm sorry, Messieur, but what does t'is have t' do wit' me?" ~T'is whole t'ing is strange enough…I don't know why de professor is dragging me int' it.~

"Now that Rogue has your powers she's going to need special help learning to use them." De professor wasn't looking at me but behind me as he spoke. "That is why I've asked Logan and you here as well as Rogue." I turned around t' find Logan leaning against de back wall of de office quietly. I could sense his concern for Rogue.

De professor then turned his attention t' Marie but she seemed t' be much more interested in her gloves. "I believe I'm correct in saying that you have been using Logan's heightened senses for over a month now and his healing powers came in handy while you were being held captive by Mystique." De professor's attention now turned t' Logan and I as well as Marie. "At first I thought she had absorbed more of Logan than anyone else which would explain the lengthy use of his powers, but now I see that she has the capability to recall on powers that she's absorbed in the past." Rouge finally looked up from her lap wit' sudden interest in de conversation.

"Does that mean I can control mah own powers now?" Her eyes were sparkling wit' excitement at de prospect of not having t' worry anymore.

"I'm afraid not Rogue." She dropped her eyes back down t' try and hide her disappointment but t'at didn't stop me from sensing it.

"So what are y' saying Messieur?"

"I'm saying that Rogue is going to need to spend more time understanding her new powers. I'm hoping that you and Logan will help me by training her to use your powers in separate training sessions. But right now the two of you had better be going to school." I stood up and bowed t' de professor and Logan as we left. Marie was still staring down at de floor with great interest.

WOLVERINE

"Chuck are you sure she's gonna want to do this?" ~The kid's gone through enough as it is. Why are we going to push her to do more?~

"I know that you're concerned for Rogue well-being, Logan, but trust me if she's ever going to gain control over her powers we have to help her learn how to use them."

"Well, I got things to be doing." I turned to walk out of the office but Chuck didn't seem to be through with me yet.

Logan, promise me that you aren't going to take it easy on her.

When do I ever let these kids get off easy? I walked down the hall and out the back door. ~Stripes has got it rough. I'm not sure I'd be able to handle being in her shoes…I wish I knew what happened to Mystique. I'd kill her if I could only find her.~ After I'd brought Rogue and Remy out of that warehouse, I'd gone back to get Mystique but she'd disappeared. ~Damn lady has a way of showing up when and where she wants to and disappears just as easily.~

ROGUE

~Great just what Ah wanted, extra trainin' with Logan.~ Remy an' Ah walked down ta the garage an' Ah went for mah jeep keys which Ah'd put in mah bomber's pocket. "Hey, where'd mah keys go?" Ah dug through the pockets for a little while thinkin' maybe Ah'd put them in a different pocket before Ah looked up an' saw Remy holdin' them. "Give 'em back!"

"Non, I don't t'ink so." Ah tried givin' him the evil eye but it wasn't workin'.

"Come on, Remy, just give 'em back."

"Or what?" Ah thought for a moment. ~If Ah've got Remy empathetic powers than maybe Ah can still use his kinetic ones.~

"Ah'll blow up ya bike." He looked at meh for a minute tryin' ta decide what he was goin' ta do then tossed meh mah keys. "Ya not even gonna ask meh how Ah plan ta do that?"

"Non, I know. You'll use my powers. Not quite fair play if you ask me, Marie." Ah gave him the evil eye for usin' mah name an' shot back mah own retort.

"Since when did ya start carin' about fair play?"

"Since I met you, mon Cherie."