Author's Note- This is for any and all Romy fans.

~*~

Flashback

~*~

Through this world I've stumbled

So many times betrayed

Trying to find an honest word to find

The truth enslaved

Oh you speak to me in riddles

And you speak to me in rhymes

My body aches to breathe your breath

Your words keep me alive

-Sarah McLachlan

~*~

Two years ago

"I'm exhausted," Kitty sighed. "We're never gonna find them."

"I thought Ah was suppose to be the pessimist," Rogue said dryly.

"I'm sorry. I'm, like, just tired and about to just, like, give up."

"Ah have an idea," Rogue said. "Let's spilt up."

"Worst plans ever created for 1000, Alex," Kitty muttered.

"Look, Ah'm serious."

Kitty crossed her arms. "Me too. Split up? Have you lost your mind? We already lost the others."

"And we're not gettin' anywhere together."

"Fine."

"Meet back here in an hour."

"Okay."

"And scream really loud if ya need anything."

"Thanks, Rogue," Kitty said narrowing her eyes. The Southerner merely smiled as she walked away. She was almost ready to turn back around when she was tackled. Her hands were suddenly pinned above her head and her body was pinned to the forest floor.

"Don' move," a very male voice said. Rogue opened her eyes to see the red on black eyes of Gambit.

"You!"

"Oui," he smirked. "Been a while."

Rogue narrowed her eyes glaring up at him. "Not long enough. Let meh up."

He shook his head at that command. "Non, not until you tell Remy what you be doin' here."

"Listen up, Cajun, Ah don't have to tell you anything."

"So, ma chére likes bein' in dis position?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Get off."

"Answer the question."

"Fahne! All Ah was doing was lookin' for my friends."

"See, that wasn't too hard." He stood helping her back to her feet. "Merci."

"Rogue!" a voice called.

"Over here!" Rogue yelled back. Kitty walked out.

"An hour was up," she said. "I was, like, starting to get worried."

"Ah was detained," she said with a pointed look at Gambit who smirked.

"Oh my God, he's an Acolyte!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Not anymore, petite," Remy said. "Jus' like de deux of you are no longer X-Men. You two look tired, come back with Remy, you can rest at Remy's cabin."

"Why are ya bein' so nice?" Rogue asked suspiciously.

"Remy is always nice, chére."

Kitty sighed. "Rogue, I'm totally exhausted. Can we just go there, sleep and worry about ulterior motives later?"

"Fahne," Rogue said. "I'm watchin' you, swamp rat."

Remy smiled at that. "Good, Remy always likes belle femmes watchin' him."

"Flirt later," Kitty said. "Bed now."

"Demanding little ting isn't she?" he asked.

"You have no idea," Rogue told him.

"And stop insulting me," Kitty said.

A week later

Somehow their small camp was growing. They were now constructing a pretty large fort around the cabin and tents; others were working on building more cabins. Kitty was working with Forge and Arcade almost all the time. Rogue worked along side of the different crews helping them build.

"Bonjour, ma chére," Remy said approaching as Rogue.

"Ah am not your chére, swamp rat," Rogue snapped.

Remy's smile merely widened at her harsh words. "Remy has somethin' for de river rat."

"River rat!"

"Oui, dat accent, it's from Mississippi, is it not?"

"Yeah."

"So ma chére est un river rat."

"Ah'm not your chére!"

"Does de river rat want to see what Remy has?"

"Fahne." He pulled out a ring.

"What's that?"

"Remy found it in Magneto's stash on last month's run." He placed it on his pinky and pulled out a card. "See? Remy can't charge des cards with de ring on."

Rogue felt her heart beating faster but tried to keep herself from getting her hopes up. "What does that mean?"

"It suppresses mutancy." Remy took the ring off and extended it towards her. "Do you want it?"

"Does it have any other effects?" Rogue took the ring and slipped it onto her finger.

"We don' know, all I can recommend is that if you feel anything weird take it off."

"Now what?" Rogue took off her gloves before slipping the ring back on. She stepped up to Remy. "May Ah?"

"Mais oui." She reached out and touched his cheek, laying her hand there for several moments.

"It's real," she murmured. "Ah can touch."

"Oui," he whispered. He felt her hand tremble as she ran her hand over his cheek then his lips. He closed his eyes briefly at the gentle touch.

"This is the first time Ah ever remember bein' able ta touch," she whispered.

"I'm glad I could help, chére," Remy told her softly. He reached out cupping her chin and leaning down softly kissing her lips. Rogue pulled back in shock. He looked down into her green eyes concerned. "Somethin' wrong?" She shook her head.

"It's just... that was mah first kiss," she admitted flushing. He lowered his head and his lips found hers again. He was delighted when she leaned towards him returning his kiss and opening her lips to him instinctively. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tightly to him. She ran her hands through his reddish-brown hair. She pulled back looking up at him dazed.

"Chére..."

"Not bad for a swamp rat," Rogue grinned up at him.

He rolled his eyes but smiled. "Merci." She stepped back still smiling at him before walking away to find Kitty and tell her the news.

A few days later

She was driving him nuts. After figuring out that the ring worked she had been avoiding him. He tried to talk to Kitty but the younger girl wouldn't answer him. Rogue had begun to wear clothing that was a lot more revealing, reveling in the fact that her skin wasn't lethal any more. Finally a full week after their kiss he found her alone sitting in the cabin he still shared with her and Kitty.

"If Remy didn't know better he'd think you were avoiding him," he said walking into the room. Rogue looked up. He registered her look as one a deer had when it looked into the headlights of a fast approaching car. "Chére?"

"Remy... Ah wasn't-" He raised a hand to cut her off.

"Every time that I saw you this week you took off." She quickly realized that he was speaking in the first person, which meant that he was very serious. "I'd like to know why."

"Why did you do this for meh?" she demanded.

"What?"

"Why did you help me?"

"What de hell kinda question is dat?!"

"A simple one."

"Rogue, I like you, I saw what de ring did and you be de only one Remy knows who wants to be rid of dere mutant powers. Now I answered your question."

"Ah'm scared."

"Scared?"

"Remy, you're a player, Ah can't get involved with you."

He chuckled. "Chére, dat is in the past. In case y'haven't noticed we be lacking in the female area here."

"What are you saying?"

"Remy is merely pointing out dat even if he wanted to play around, which he don't, he couldn't."

"So you're sayin' that-"

"Honestly, chére, I don' know what's goin' to happen. Mais, Remy knows one ding."

"What's that?"

"Remy was to be avec toi. Remy ne peut pas arrêter de penser de toi, chére. rêver de toi. M'avez consommé, m'amour."

Rogue looked up at him cocking her head to one side. "Ya know Ah have no clue as to what ya just said don't you?"

He chuckled. "Oui. Mais, Remy said it well, non?"

"Whatever, swamp rat."

"If dat is de term of endearment ma chére chooses..."

"Term of endearment?"

"Oui."

"You're full of yourself. And I am not your chére!" Further words were cut off when he lowered his head and his lips met hers.