Chapter 1: Preparation

             "Rogue, you've tried on like five outfits already, I don't think Remy's gonna care what you're wearing – they're ALL black, they're ALL lace, leather or velvet.  What difference is it gonna make?"

             Rogue glanced at the mirror, the reflection of Kitty Pryde who was sitting on the bed directly behind her surveying the most recent outfit Rogue had tried on, a short leather skirt and a lace blouse – the blouse being particularly low cut, and transparent enough to show the girls black pushup bra beneath.  "Of course it makes a difference," Rogue sighed, "if I wanna keep him this time, I need to keep him interested, right?  And if that means looking as good as I can—"

             "You're fruitloops, Rogue," Kitty interrupted, smirking.   "Remy's the one trying to keep YOU interested, not the other way around," she reminded, she was playing with her hair absently, "this is a first date – what you're wearing is like third date apparel," she pointed out.

             "What's that supposed to mean?" Rogue queried, she smoothed down her blouse a little.

             "Overly sexy, Rogue, this is a first date, wear something plain.  You'll give the guy a coronary when he sees you in that," Kitty joked.

             "Its his birthday," Rogue responded.

             "Oh, so you're deliberately trying to give him a view of everything as a gift?  I think you've underwrapped it just a tad…I mean, Jeez, how much more tits and ass could the guy possibly wanna see?" Kitty raised an eyebrow.

             "This is Remy LeBeau we're talking about," Rogue reminded.

             "Good point.  You could go wearing a  black thong and pasties and it probably wouldn't be enough," Kitty joked, "Seriously though, Rogue, you're gonna send the wrong signal.  If you guys are starting over, then you should start simple…no cleavage, no leg…hardly any makeup. You told me you said to him there'd be no touchin', no huggin', so why bother bein' so…provocative?" Kitty asked carefully.

             "After his birthday," Rogue confirmed.  "Then I'll be much less provocative.  Just for tonight."

             "Where are you guys going?" Kitty asked.

             "Remy wanted to see the new 'Matrix' movie, this morning when he was watchin' TV I heard him mention to Ray that he wanted to see that."

             "Ohhh," Kitty nodded.

             "So I'm splashin' out, takin' him to a movie, and then Old Orleans, this new restaurant that opened up across the street from the cinema, does some Cajun food he's probably gonna like," Rogue shrugged.

             "Nice," Kitty nodded, "what then?"
             "We come home, end of date," Rogue said.

             "Can I give you some advice?" Kitty stood up.

             "Hmm?" Rogue asked, tucking her white and black hair behind her ears.

             "Don't argue with him no matter HOW hard it gets to hold your tongue," Kitty folded her arms.

             Rogue made a face, "Believe me, Kitty, the last thing I wanna do with Remy tonight is argue."

             Kitty adjusted the laces on her sneakers, "what made you want to give him another chance, anyway?  I mean last night before you guys left to take the kids to the woods, you guys were throwin' evil looks at each other…and now everything is fine again, I don't get it."

             Rogue shrugged, "things change."

             "They sure do – and rather quickly, might I add."

             "Y'kno, I think he isn't kiddin' when he says this time he won't hurt me," Rogue looked at Kitty.

             "How so?"

             "I had to fight a knife off of him last night, he was gonna hurt himself to prove a point."

             "What point?"

             "That he'd rather hurt himself than hurt me ever again," Rogue said.

             "By cutting himself?" Kitty raised an eyebrow, "that's kind of disturbing, maybe he needs counselling…"

             "He was going to castrate himself…" Rogue admitted, her face turning red. "Said if he didn't have the organ, maybe he couldn't hurt me anymore by sleepin' with other women…" she added softly.

             Kitty gaped, "Strike 'maybe' from my previous sentence.  Jesus, he really DOES need counselling.   That's the most alarming thing I've ever heard.  But maybe he was just trying to scare you."

             "No…he was bein' honest, I had to wrestle him for the knife, you should have seen the look inhis eyes…he was gonna do it," Rogue said, "and it really did scare me…how scary is it that someone would do that to themselves out of love?"

             "It's terrifying," Kitty confessed.  "So…it was that stupid little thing that made you want to take him back?"

             "To give him another chance…" Rogue shrugged, "and I guess we start over from scratch…or at least I'm gonna try…it's gonna be hard, we have so much history."

             "That's certainly true," Kitty nodded.

             Remy LeBeau swept his hair back from his face, looking in the mirror, he hadn't shaved like he'd meant to.  No time now, he supposed, not when he was meant to be meeting with Rogue in the foyer in five minutes.  He glanced at his watch. 

             "Why did I take so long to get ready?" he asked himself almost angrily, he glanced around the empty room, he knew the answer to that was he'd spent so much time pausing to think about what he might say tonight to avoid any squabbling from occurring, that he'd hardly had time about anything else.  He rubbed his chin, the stubble rough under his hand, "will she go nuts?" he asked, knowing that Rogue had a particular dislike for facial hair.  The last thing he needed was a petty argument because he hadn't shaved.

             He told himself forget about it, and he put on cologne.  He had several bottles but he always chose the same cologne – the one he knew Rogue liked.  He'd noticed her several times breathing in the smell from the collar of his coat whenever he offered it to her against the cold.  He took this to be a good sign. 

             A sharp knocking at his door alarmed him, he glanced at his watch, was he late?  "C'mon in," he said quickly, he grabbed a comb and dragged it through his long untidy hair.

             The door didn't open, but the head of Kitty Pryde phased halfway through the door, she looked at him, "all ready for your date?"

             "Just about," he said, pulling viciously at his hair with the comb, he heard a few teeth snap off and land on the carpet, "fuck." He muttered, he realised the comb had become entangled.

             Kitty chewed her lip, "having trouble?" she stepped all the way through.

             "Not at all," he lied, tugging on the comb and trying to free it.

             "Here…" Kitty reached over, grabbing a hold of the comb, she phased it through the tangles.  "Don't use a comb when you have long hair, Remy," she said, "easily gets caught," she smirked.

             "Thanks, I'll try and remember that in future," he tried to untangle his hair with his hands, "this is not my night."

             "Nervous?"

             "Extremely.  I know if I just fuck up even once I'm gonna lose her forever, and this date has to be the starting catalyst to our relationship…if I mess up once tonight, I can kiss my love goodbye," he muttered.

             "Just relax, I'm sure everything will go fine," Kitty leaned against the wall, "Rogue is about as nervous as you are."

             "She is?" Remy asked, "Is she even talking to you, by the way?"

             "Is there a reason she shouldn't?" Kitty asked.

             "I told her me and you were just dating to make her jealous."

             "Hmmm, she didn't mention.  She seems okay with me, but maybe she'll get me back for it later…" Kitty shrugged, "Rogue's hard to figure out sometimes," she admitted.

             "Tell me about it," Remy straightened his hair, "How'd I look?"

             "Like you're about to go on a date."

             "Just the look I was going for," Remy smirked, "So…uhm…you're in here talking to me, does that mean you forgive me for the kiss?"

             Kitty made a face, "don't push your luck."

             "Awww, c'mon…everything all worked out in the end," he walked over,  and put both hands on her shoulders, "are we still friends?" he asked hopefully.

             Kitty stuck her tongue out, "I guess.  Oh and Happy Birthday, by the way."

             "Thanks for reminding me," He made a face, "I feel like I'm growing old too fast," he sighed.

             "You're only as young as you feel."

             "Well…" Remy smirked and swept his hair back from his face, "my lady awaits, I bid you fair well," he bowed in an over dramatic way, and grinned, then left the room.

             He left the hallway and went down into the foyer, Rogue was sitting upon the bottom stairs, her jacket draped over the banister.  He stepped down.  "I forgot to shave, don't hate me," he said immediately.  He watched her stand, surprised just how short her leather skirt was and how low cut her black lace blouse was, he drew his breath "hmm…you look…" he tried to find the words, he looked her up and down, her legs so exposed save fishnet stockings.  He was lost for words.

             "Enchanting?" she asked hopefully, an eyebrow slightly raised.

             "Salacious…" he murmured.

             Rogue's mouth dropped but she laughed, "are you sayin' I look slutty?"

             "I ain't complain'…" he trailed off, giving her another look over.

             Rogue smirked, "do you approve?"

             "How could I not?" he asked.  Truth, he would rather her wear something not so revealing, he didn't want to share the vision of her with every man they passed, but, he supposed if he couldn't touch her, the next best thing was to see what he couldn't touch.  "But be honest, Chere, why the sudden change, you showin' a lot more skin lately than you used to…"

             "Why shouldn't I?  I have the body for it, don't I?"

             "You have an incredible body, but…you were always so insecure about showin' skin before…" Remy gestured to her cleavage, "has the professor seen half of the outfits you parade around in lately?"

             "Oh yes, he says they're not appropriate…" Rogue shrugged, she pulled her jacket on.

             "And you still wear them?"

             Rogue looked at him, "does it bother you?"
             "Uh, no," he lied, "its…interesting…and different, but…uhm…." He looked at the clock, "hey, where are we going anyway?" he asked, changing the subject.

             "I'm taking you to a movie, and out for dinner, my treat.  It's your birthday, Remy, live it up," Rogue chewed her lip, looking at him with a devilish expression.

             Remy smiled, "fine.  Free dinner, I'm not going to complain," he laughed softly, "lets go."