Late that night, Rogue woke up to a strange sound. Her mind was still groggy, and she felt a rumbling underneath her cheek. As the fog around her brain began to fade, she realized she was lying with her cheek on Wolverine's bare chest and he was growling.
"What did Ah do now?" Rogue demanded, sitting up and looking down at his face. Wolverine's eyes were squeezed shut, and he just continued to growl. Startled, Rogue realized he was still asleep. Looking closer, she tried to determine whether he was having a nightmare. He wasn't sweating or thrashing around. Nor was he shouting. Nope, Rogue decided. He's just having a run of the mill Wolverine dream. Probably hunting his prey through a jungle or something. She smiled softly. He was too cute.
Standing up carefully, Rogue slipped on a pair of boxers to go with Wolverine's flannel. He'd finally given in and bought a few pairs of boxers when Rogue had complained that she didn't like having to put her jeans or a bodysuit on when she wanted to get up in the middle of the night. She had known Wolverine wouldn't want her wandering around in just a flannel. At first, she'd just intended to buy some for herself, but Wolverine had insisted that she just let him buy some boxers and she could wear them whenever she wanted to. Secretly, Rogue thought Wolverine just wanted her to wear something that would remind people that she was with him, and to stay the hell away.
Giggling a little as she left the room and went downstairs, Rogue shook her head at the thought. Who else but Wolverine would want her anyway? Immediately, Rogue thought of the stranger she'd met in the gym and she blushed slightly. Kicking herself for the thought, Rogue headed for the kitchen. The last thing she needed right now was to be thinking about some Cajun charmer who was probably just a flake anyway. 'Chere' indeed. Who did he think he was fooling?
Entering the kitchen, Rogue headed straight for the fridge. She groped around the back for the beer Wolverine had stashed back there. It hissed as she twisted off the cap and Rogue walked over to the sliding glass door. Stepping out onto the porch, she sighed as she took a sip of beer and let the wind rustle her hair.
As she sat down on the swing, she let her mind wander back to the stranger with the red on black eyes. There was something about him that was perturbing her. She thought back to his smooth words and genteel movements. He certainly had been attractive. A man like that knew how to sweep a girl off her feet.
Rogue frowned as she took another sip of beer. When Gambit had leaned down to kiss her hand, she had stopped him. Why? Sure, she'd said it was her skin, but she was able to control that now. With Sabretooth's added enhanced senses, she could feel the pull before it started and stop it just as quickly. So why the warning to the Cajun?
Now that she thought about it, she should have let him kiss her hand. For one thing, why give him warning about her powers when she didn't know him well enough to be sure she'd never need to use them on him? Second, why didn't she just use them on him a little, just to make sure he was on the up and up? She swore to herself. Mystique would be furious with her for passing up a perfect opportunity for subtle reconnaissance.
Rogue tilted the bottle back, finishing it in one go. She knew why she hadn't let him kiss her hand. She'd been afraid she'd like it. Until she'd met Wolverine, Rogue had never had any kind of romantic contact with anyone. Her mother had poisoned her mind against anyone who tried to seduce her, saying they only wanted to use her. Men who went after your body were not to be trusted. Now that Rogue knew what it was like to be desired, she'd found she liked it. Hell, she was twenty years old, wasn't she entitled to live a little? Still, she couldn't let her guard down with this Cajun anymore than she could with anyone else. Letting him kiss her hand would have gotten her nothing.
Of course, then there was Wolverine. Rogue knew they hadn't actually said it in so many words, but she knew they were together. Every since what had happened with Sabretooth, Wolverine had stayed right with her. He didn't leave her for anything now, not even a job. In some primal way, Rogue knew he considered her his mate. His mate. A delicious chill ran through Rogue at the sound of that. It sounded so bestial, just like Wolverine. Particularly as of late.
That thought sobered Rogue up. Wolverine had been getting edgier and edgier lately. He was starting to get more physical, not just with her, but also in the Danger Room. She knew while she was in sessions with the Professor, Wolverine often went to the Danger Room to work out his aggressions. She'd noticed that he was working in there longer and longer, too. The last time, she had actually had to wait on him to be done, instead of the other way around. She worried that what he'd said earlier may be true. Maybe he did need his jobs to keep him focused.
Before Rogue could ponder the matter further, her nose twitched. A scent had wafted to her on the wind. It was familiar, and Rogue instantly recognized it as Gambit's. Along with Sabretooth's enhanced senses, she'd gotten his ironclad memory. He had a hunter's recall of scents. Carefully setting down her bottle, Rogue got up. Allowing her body to move with the stealth she had trained her whole life to get, as well as that which she'd stolen from Sabretooth, she reentered the house and followed the hallway in the direction the light had come from. Up ahead, she spotted a light under a door. Adrenaline ran through her system as she crept towards it.
* * *
*Mon Dieu* Gambit thought. His fingers flipped through Rogue's file again. He had been stupid. If Rogue had been so inclined, she could have ruined his whole plan before he even had one. He looked down at the Professor's words. "Has the power to absorb the memories, strength, and abilities of any mutant or human with the slightest skin to skin contact." If he'd kissed her hand in the gym, she could have taken all the information she needed to spoil his plot. He had been a fool not to discover the nature of her powers before meeting her. Obviously, Wolverine had taken up his concentration and he had neglected the more dangerous of the two.
Gambit stopped reading and looked off into space. Rogue had turned out to be quite a challenge. Not only had she not swooned at his attentions in the gym, she apparently had the power to get whatever information she wanted from him with a touch. A very worthy adversary. And a very big challenge. The corners of Gambit's mouth pulled up into a smile. He could practically hear his brother Henri chastising him. *Gambit, mon frere, you gotta be more careful. Y' can't make every 'ting a game or you'll get caught.*
Gambit smiled bigger now. He loved a challenge, and they certainly didn't come any more beautiful than Rogue. If she wasn't involved with the abominable Wolverine, Gambit may have considered laying a claim to her himself. Perhaps, he would have a little fun before leading them to Kroker.
Suddenly, Gambit's kinetic senses picked up movement in the hallway. It was so slight, he almost missed it, and Gambit cursed himself for getting wrapped up in his thoughts. Quickly, he replaced the folder. Standing in front of the door, he charged one of his cards. Turning off the lights, he waited for the sound to get close enough, before flinging the door open. He just barely caught sight of a pair of feline eyes glowing at him from the dark before his card found its target and exploded.
Rogue's body was flung backwards, knocking her into the far wall. For a moment, her body lay still. Quickly, Gambit closed the door to the Professor's office. He approached Rogue carefully. Hopefully, she wouldn't remember seeing the light in the Professor's office, and he could just pretend he couldn't sleep and had found her unconscious.
As he stepped closer to the body, there was a growl. Gambit's eyes widened as Rogue suddenly leapt up at him. Her momentum carried them both to the floor, and Gambit found himself staring up into a pair of wild feline eyes. There was no trace of recognition in them as Rogue growled at him. She clutched a hand around his throat, the other one rising and swiping downwards at him. He fingernails dragged across his face like talons, tracing angry red lines in their wake. The fingers of the hand around his throat dug painfully into his skin with bruising force. Instinctively, Gambit pulled his legs up and kicked out against her chest. The air whooshed out of her lungs and her grip slackened. The force of the kick pushed her into the air, but still she landed gracefully on her feet. Gambit stood up quickly, taking stock of the situation. There was something different about Rogue's stance, the way she moved.
"Rogue?"
She didn't answer. Instead, with a fury that belied the lithe body that contained it, Rogue leapt at Gambit. This time Gambit was ready and he stepped aside. Withdrawing another card, he charged it and held it ready.
"Chere, I don want to hurt you," he warned.
She roared at him and again launched herself at him. The way she continually attacked him reminded Gambit of people who relied on their bulk to bring down their opponent and confusion washed over him. Grimly, he threw the card.
* * *
Rogue groaned in pain. Her eyes fluttered open and for a moment she couldn't remember where she was. As her head cleared, she saw Gambit standing a few feet away. His face had angry red scratches on it and his red on black eyes were regarding her warily.
"Gambit?" Rogue asked, confused.
"Chere?" Gambit took a cautious step towards her and Rogue felt a heavy sense of dread in her stomach.
"What happened?" she asked hesitantly.
"'Y went a little crazy, Chere." He stepped closer. "'Y okay?"
Rogue closed her eyes against the realization.
"Yeah." She took a deep breath. "Gambit, Ah'm so sorry."
Gambit's face relaxed slightly. "No permanent damage." He reached a hand down and Rogue let him pull her to her feet. "'Y wanna talk about it?"
Rogue moved to shake her head, but stopped. She did kind of owe him an explanation. She nodded sadly.
"Ah guess Ah owe ya that much. Come on in the kitchen. This calls for a beer."
* * *
Gambit tried not to wince as the beer hit his throat. He had never really been a beer person. In New Orleans, liquor and fine wine were his preferred choices. Still, he knew as he watched Rogue toss back another beer, he'd made the right decision in joining her. Her shoulders were a little more relaxed and the tension was leaving her face.
"So," he said carefully, sipping his beer. "You wan tell Gambit what happened?"
Rogue giggled. "Do you always refer to yourself in the third person?"
Gambit arched an eyebrow. "Non."
Rogue nodded. She got a little more serious as she set her beer down. She owed him an explanation for what happened, but she still didn't trust him enough to tell him too much.
"All right. Mah powers threw me for a bit of a loop, not too long ago. Normally, Ah kin absorb someone's memories, strength, and powers just by touchin' them. It wears off after a while and leaves a little bit of psychic residue in mah mind. Well, one night Ah touched a mutant named Sabretooth. Ah don't know if it was just the fact that Ah touched him in the middle of violence or what, but every once in a while his psyche gets a little out of hand and he takes over for a bit." She tried to keep her tone light, but her hands shook slightly when she raised her beer to her lips again.
Gambit watched her with an unwavering gaze. She'd rushed through that explanation awfully quick and he had the distinct impression she wasn't telling him the whole story. He could sense a deep seated fear underneath her bravado and couldn't help but wonder just what kind of "violence" had been in progress when she touched Sabretooth.
"So, it was dis Sabretooth dat attacked me, non?"
Rogue smiled ruefully. "Yeah."
Gambit looked at her for a long moment before nodding. He could let it go for now. Later, he would get another look at Xavier's files. If this Sabretooth was strong enough to take over Rogue's mind, and violent enough to attack him, he was certain the Professor would know about it.
"Gambit?" Rogue asked.
Gambit started, realizing he had let his mind wander. He flashed Rogue a smile that had melted more than one woman on the spot.
"Sorry, Chere, Gambit jus admirin' de view."
Rogue raised her eyebrows, but didn't make a sarcastic comment. She had just attacked him, so she could let the come-ons go. Still, he would only get so far on that dime.
"So," she said, changing the subject. "Are you really Cajun, or you just fake it for the ladies?"
Gambit chuckled. "Really Cajun. Born and raised in New Orleans, actually."
Rogue looked interested. "New Orleans? Ah'll bet that must have made for a pretty exciting childhood."
Gambit got a faraway look in his eyes. "Oui," he said softly.
For a second, Rogue thought he was going to say more, but suddenly there was a low growl from the kitchen doorway. Rogue and Gambit spun around to find Wolverine sulking in the doorway. He was leaning against the doorway, but his muscles were tight and he looked ready to snap. Rogue smiled as his rough exterior and Gambit turned slightly in Wolverine's direction. Wolverine looked ready to fight and he didn't want to be caught off guard. He tensed as Wolverine stood up from his relaxed position and walked into the kitchen.
Rogue stood up and was about to walk around to greet him when Wolverine snarled and leapt at Gambit. Rogue jumped back in shock and Gambit grunted as the smaller man's body crashed into him. Even Gambit hadn't expected Wolverine's rash move.
Rogue stood there staring in disbelief as Wolverine roughly wrestled Gambit to the ground underneath him. Straddling the thief's waist, he raised his hand, releasing his claws.
"Wolverine, NO!" Rogue yelled.
Wolverine's head jerked towards her and Rogue gasped. His eyes were wild and there was no sign of recognition in them. He turned back to Gambit, who was desperately trying to free his hands enough to charge something. He hadn't anticipated this feral side of Wolverine to come out so quickly and was overwhelmed by the ferocious violence inherent in every move. With a growing feeling of dread, Gambit realized he had only one option. Grimly, he let his hands press outwards against where Wolverine's sweatpants covered thighs held his arms down. A slight pink glow began to emanate from his hands, spreading to Wolverine's clothing.
Suddenly, Rogue leapt forward and pressed her hand to Wolverine's face. The other man's face froze and his eyes widened. Roaring in fury, he fell off Gambit and turned, as if to strike out at Rogue. In one heart-stopping moment, time seemed to stand still as Rogue stared into Wolverine's unseeing eyes. Then it was over and Wolverine's body slumped to the floor.
Gambit reversed the flow of his power and let the energy fizzle out. He stood up quickly and moved to where Rogue had fallen to her knees, clutching her head.
"Chere, are you—?"
"Get back," Rogue ground out.
Gambit looked confused. "Chere . . .?"
Rogue head whipped up and Gambit jumped backwards. Her feline eyes were as wild as Wolverine's had been seconds before. She bared her teeth and snarled at him, before launching herself past Gambit. Barely able to get the door open, she tore off down the porch and into the woods. Gambit went to the door and listened as she crashed through the brush. Soon the sounds got fainter.
"Mon dieu," Gambit whispered.
He shook his head and closed the door. Kroker had in no way prepared him for any of this. Wolverine, he had expected. He knew from the man's past crimes that Wolverine was a wild man, capable of anything. But Rogue . . . He had seen Kroker's tapes, seen what she'd done. But he'd had no idea she'd be like this.
"She and de Wolverine be two peas in a pod," Gambit muttered.
"What was that, bub?"
Gambit spun around and watched in surprise as a groggy Wolverine rubbed the back of his head before getting unsteadily to his feet.
"Wolverine, you back from de dead."
Wolverine snarled at him. "Back off, Gumbo. Where'd she go?"
Gambit gave up. He pointed out the door to the forest.
Wolverine nodded and moved to the door. As he opened it, he looked back at Gambit.
"Later," he promised, menacingly.
Gambit just nodded. Hell if he was going to argue.
* * *
Wolverine swore as he made his way through the trees. Branches whipped at him from every direction, but he didn't slow down. He could smell Rogue up ahead. Cursing himself again, he made his way towards her. He'd really done it this time. His control had snapped and, as usual, Rogue was paying the price. She couldn't have known what she was getting herself into when she touched him. Wolverine couldn't even remember getting out of bed, so he knew the animal had to had been at the very surface. Hell, it'd only been a few minutes since she touched him and he was already up and running. His heart pounded in his chest. He wondered how much of his beast she had taken.
Breaking into a clearing, Wolverine froze. Rogue was on her knees on the ground. Her flannel was torn and her whole body was trembling. Trails of white streaked brown hair fell around her as she clutched her hands to the sides of her head and rocked back and forth.
Slowly, Wolverine approached her.
"Rogue . . ."
Rogue head jerked up and Wolverine winced. Her eyes were dilated and glassy. He could practically see her struggling to come back to herself. The familiarity of it all was striking, and yet it was strange to be seeing it from this perspective. Wolverine sighed. There would be no reaching her this way.
With a sigh he sat down at the base of a tree, stretching his legs out in front of him and leaving himself open. He watched her easily, letting her get used to his presence. Her nose twitched and she tilted her head, letting Wolverine know that part of her recognized his scent. After watching him for a long time, she slowly rose up and began to creep towards him. There was hesitation in her movements, but she gained ground quickly.
Wolverine held perfectly still as she brought her face closer to him, taking in his scent. He took a deep breath to steady himself and gently began to speak to her.
"I'm sorry, darlin'. I never meant for this to happen. I thought I could keep the animal in me under control, but it just got outta hand." He watched as Rogue tilted her head and looked at him. "Course, you can't really blame me too much," Wolverine continued. "I mean, what did you think would happen when I found you and that prissy Cajun boy drinking my beer? Our beer, I mean," he amended automatically. "I lost it. How was I supposed to know you would step in and absorb me?" He held his breath as Rogue sidled up closer to him and laid her head in his lap. When he continued, he kept his voice low and soothing. "I wouldn't really have killed the pretty-boy. Just rough him up a little." Rogue snorted at that and Wolverine smiled. Just a little more. "I mean, seriously, I don't even like Cajun food. Too much damn spice and not enough red meat." Rogue snuggled farther into him and Wolverine reached down carefully, stroking her hair. A warm feeling filled him as Rogue started purring. He chuckled. "I gotta say darlin', this is a little strange. Usually, I'm the one who loses myself and has to be calmed down. This is a rather unique situation." Rogue's breathing evened out and her face relaxed. "I think it's the voice that does it. Just about any animal responds to it, including mine. Just soothes the mind, lets you come back to yourself." Rogue yawned. "Don't you agree, Rogue?"
She rolled over a bit and looked up at him. "Absolutely, shugah."
Wolverine smiled in relief as Rogue sat up. She smiled back and reached a hand out to stroke his cheek.
"Why, Wolvie, who knew you could be so gentle?"
He snorted. "You did."
Rogue laughed. "Yeah, guess so." She leaned in and kissed him gently, slowly. Pulling back, she looked him in the eyes for a long moment. "Sorry, Ah had to do that, Logan." Again, using his real name.
Wolverine shook his head. "I know why you did it. It's all right, Rogue. I'm just sorry it had to come down to that. I feel like I should have been able to control it better."
Rogue shook her head, adamantly. "Trust me, shugah, Ah know what it's like first hand now and Ah don't blame you a bit for not being able to keep it locked down."
Wolverine grinned. "You know, I think you know what's it's like to be me even better than I do, by now." They both laughed and Wolverine stretched. "Come on, let's get back to bed."
* * *
Gambit whistled softly to himself and he read the papers in his hands. He'd taken advantage of Rogue and Wolverine's absence to go back to the Professor's office and make copies of the files he'd needed. Now, in the safety of the room the Professor had been so kind as to provide for him, he was stretched out on the window seat, reading over the desired information.
"Violence of the situation," he said softly, repeating the words Rogue had said earlier. "Violence is right."
What Rogue had failed to mention to him was that she had absorbed Sabretooth when he raped her. Apparently, at that time Rogue had no control over her powers and when Sabretooth had violated her, her powers had flared to new highs and drained him, nearly to death. The Professor was unsure as to what happened to Sabretooth's body, or if he was still alive. Gambit turned a page.
"Mon dieu, she's only twenty."
He stared at her statistics in shock. He'd noticed she was young, but twenty? Gambit had be an empath since puberty and he knew how to tell the difference between the ages. The younger a person is the more nervous energy they have around them, and the more dramatized their emotions are. Rogue had the quiet patience that came with age. Gambit wondered if it was the rape that had made her grow up so quick.
Maybe not. Gambit rolled his eyes as he turned another page. Just when he thought things couldn't get more complicated than they already were. Apparently, Rogue was the foster daughter of Mystique, leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Gambit almost threw the file up into the air.
"She's a terrorist turned superhero," he muttered helplessly. He glared up at the ceiling. "Someone up dere be laughin' at Gambit right about now."
Gambit sighed and leaned back against the wall. This was not going like he'd planned at all. All he wanted when he came into this job was to get revenge on Wolverine. To make someone finally pay for the hole in his heart that had been created when Alexandra died. The girl was originally just a name, just another mutant who didn't deserve a second thought. Now he found himself in the uncomfortable position of dealing with a rape victim.
He sat up suddenly, as he looked out the window and spotted Wolverine and Rogue approaching the mansion again. Wolverine had his arm around her and seemed to be trying to keep her warm as they headed for the door. Rogue's shirt was ripped in a few places, but she was looking up at Wolverine like he was the sun, moon, and stars. Gambit sat back and stared.
"You be no 'ting but a murderer, Wolverine. Gambit don know what game you be playin' wit Rogue," he murmured, standing up and drawing his curtains closed. Turning around he hid the files and shrugged out of his trench coat. "But you not gon get away from me again." With that last though, Gambit got into bed. Firmly setting his goal in his mind, he drifted off to sleep, determined to have the nightmares that Wolverine was responsible for to remind him of what he'd cost him.