Hi guys, sorry again about the lack of updates. Seriously bad things keep happening. Anyway, I'm back now.

Ah, my reviewers. I love you all!!!!

K.K.L - Must admit, I giggled when I wrote it. I got it from my mother. We were out with my best friend and her mother (my mum's best mate, if you follow) and my 'Aunty' Carol likes to dress like she's 17. My mother whispered it to me, while we were clothes shopping. My aunt was trying on a red dress, odd eh?. Loads of fluff!!! Promise!

Dark Whispers - Don't praise me, I forgot to update! I will behave (I know I've said this a thousand times).

Heather, KietroFan, Your Worshipfulness - Thanks! Hope my little fic brings some light into the gloomy winter afternoons! *Hands KietroFan a sick bag* For the love sickness.

Storm-Pietro - Well, I don't like to toot my own horn .. Who am I kidding? *Pulls out a large trumpet and blasts away*

Lilwlfy - *fans your face* I'm updating, I'm updating!!! Have some water *hands you a glass* Thanks for the comments!

Hailey - *hugs* Glad you like it! I've been doing some writing for my other stories, but I've got to fiddle around with them for a while yet!

Kessie - Kitty and Pietro sort it out already? I don't know????!!!! Few more tricks up my sleeve, I think I just don't want to stop writing this! Glad the Rogue/Lance is working. I've been trying to think of a way to control her powers, and because I can, I'm just going to make it easy for myself without the use of the silk scarf, pills, collars etc. *Does a groovy dance*

MHspdls - Sorry. I was going to update, but something really bad happened and this was the last thing on my mind. But, I am hearing your update song in the theme tune from Blackadder!!

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Lance banged against the door, "Pietro! Open this door, right now!"

Hearing no reply, he knew that the younger pair had scarpered. He stated the obvious, "We're locked in."

"Let me try." Said Rogue, almost pushing him out of the way. She didn't like the idea of being trapped in a room with Lance, especially as it was until they "sorted it out". Kitty and Pietro wouldn't be happy until they announced an engagement.

"Ah, yes. I'd forgotten about your ability to open locked doors with your mind." Said Lance sarcastically.

Rogue shot him a dangerous look, "How about mah ability tah knock ya out cold for a good six hours?" She asked.

Lance put up his hands in surrender, "OK, truce? I can't believe they did this. I'm gonna kill them when I get out."

"Get in line. What were they thinkin'?" Replied Rogue, leaning against the door.

"I don't think that they were. But, they've screwed themselves. While we're in here they have to stay together." Said Lance, sitting on his bed.

Rogue's face brightened, "That's right! All we have tah do is pretend tah be arguin' everytime they come tah check on us."

"The messer's become the messee's!" He grinned.

Rogue smiled back at him, evilly, "All we have to do is wait." She sat on Pietro's bed. A silence filled the room. Lance coughed uncomfortably and Rogue fiddled with her gloves.

"We could watch the TV while we wait." Suggested Lance trying to break the tension.

"Oh, good." Said Rogue, feeling relieved. Lance switched on the set and turned the volume down low, so they could hear if Kitty and Pietro were coming to check up on them.

The Goth girl made a silent vow to kill her best friend, as she stared at the screen. Rogue was praying that Lance wouldn't bring up the attempted kiss.

'If he does, Ah'll just tell him that ah have no idea what he's talkin' about.' She thought, determinedly.

Lance was fighting with similar demons. He was trying to pay attention to the TV, but his eyes kept moving to Rogue. She was sat stiffly against the wall, frowning slightly. He wanted to bring up the fact that they had almost kissed, but from the look on her face he didn't dare.

Looking back, he was glad, in a way, that Rogue had had enough sense to back off. He certainly hadn't been thinking straight and she could have seriously hurt him.

'If only she could control her mutation.' He thought, flicking his eyes back to the TV, as Rogue, aware she was being watched, looked at him.

********************************

Kitty was considering suicide. That or going to let Rogue out. She had a strong feeling that the second choice would end up as the first anyway. But she was close to risking it. Pietro was driving her insane.

He had only been in the cabin for half an hour and he had done nothing but annoy her. After rooting through the bathroom cabinet looking for 'something' (basically he was just being noisy), he had poked around, until he uncovered Rogue's book.

Taking his new treasure and lying on the absent girl's bed, he had began to read the sex scenes out loud.

"Blake kissed Amelia roughly. Her hands running over his taut muscles and down to his jeans. She began to unbutton them, allowing his .."

"DON'T YOU DARE, MAXIMOFF!!!!" Cried Kitty, blushing scarlet. She clapped her hands over her ears. 'How many words are there for .. THAT?" She wondered, angrily.

Pietro raised an eyebrow and closed the book, "The big, bad word's gone now. It wasn't that bad, anyway." Kitty lowered her hands and scowled at him. She snatched the book from him and stuck it under her own mattress.

"I was only going to say throbbing manhood!" He grinned, catching her off guard.

Kitty went red again, "You just don't give up, do you?"

"Depends on what I'm after." He replied, rolling onto his back, "You know, Pryde, there's nothing wrong with a healthy sexual attitude."

"I know! My attitude is fine, thank you!" She stated, still blushing. 'How the hell did we get onto this subject?' She thought.

Pietro watched Kitty getting more and more wound up. She really didn't like discussing sex. He realised that he had a new torture device for the know-it-all brunette. He smiled, and, with deliberate casualness, asked, "So you don't mind discussing sex?"

Kitty had started to take off her make up, she didn't move, but he could see her ears turning pink, "No." She almost squeaked. 'Why did he have to chose sex as a topic?" She thought, worriedly. The only thing she knew next to nothing about.

She tried to take control of the situation, "I don't mind discussing sex, but right now I don't think it's appropriate." She said, in a withering voice.

"Ohhh." Replied Pietro, in an 'I understand' tone of voice.

Kitty wiped off the last of her mascara, and felt irrational anger rise up in her. She stood up and glared at him, "Don't 'Ohhh' me. How dare you presume I'm some sort of priss."

"I never said anything like that. Have you gone mad? Or are the voices in your head finally taking over?" Shouted Pietro, standing up. "God, you must really be sensitive about your virginity to explode like that."

Kitty didn't bother answering, she walked to the door, "I'm going to check on Lance and Rogue. I may even let them out and tell them whose idea this all was." She phased through the door.

Pietro caught up with her in a second, "I'm sorry, Pryde. Please. I'll do anything, just don't let Lance out. He'll kill us." He begged, knowing what the older boy was capable of when he was angry.

Kitty stopped and smiled sweetly at Pietro, "No, he'll kill you. I'm adorable, he wouldn't hurt me. He used to like me, remember." She said in a voice dripping with honey.

"Yes, I remember." Snapped Pietro. He didn't notice that his hands had balled into fists when she had mentioned it. He tried a different tact, "What if they're kissing?"

"I highly doubt that." Replied Kitty, thinking about Rogue's mutation. Suddenly she felt really bad. She had trapped Rogue in a room with a guy that she knew her best friend was crazy about, and the poor girl couldn't even kiss him. Kitty stopped.

"Oh my God! What kind of person am I?" She said. Pietro looked at her and frowned.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked.

Kitty looked like she was about to cry. She looked at Pietro and her eyes narrowed to slits, "You!" She spat.

Pietro was confused, "Me?"

"Yes, you. You've turned me into a female version of you. I've trapped my best friend in a room with a guy that she'll kill if she touches. And it's all your fault." She turned on her heel and fled.

Pietro was torn between listening to Lance and Rogue doing whatever it was that they were doing or going and trying to calm Kitty down. He sighed.

"You owe me big time, Pryde." He muttered, following her.

Kitty was standing at a railing, staring out at the ocean. The moon was out and reflecting onto the waves. She angrily wiped the tears away. She couldn't believe she had lowered herself to his level.

'Whatever possessed me?' She thought, shivering from the cold. She wanted to go back to her cabin, but the cool night air and the sound of the waves stopped her. Kitty wrapped her arms around herself, 'I can stand it for a little longer.'

She felt herself relax for the first time aboard the ship. She could feel her anger leaving her.

"Calmed down yet?" Asked Pietro appearing at her side.

"I had until you showed up. Walking away tends to mean 'leave me alone'." Sighed Kitty, not bothering to look at him.

"When all the girls I know do it, it means 'follow and apologise to me, and then I will kiss you'." He said.

Kitty looked at him for a moment, "Sounds like you know the wrong girls."

"Maybe I do. Can you introduce me to anyone?" He smirked, leaning against the railings.

Kitty turned to him, "You never change do you? You think you're this great, wonderful person who does everyone else a favour just by acknowledging them. Well, you're not. You're mean and spiteful. You use people to meet your own ends and you know what else? You're soulless. Because nobody could be like you and not feel some sort of guilt." Spat Kitty, surprised at her own anger. Words just came out and she couldn't stop them.

She and Pietro looked at each other in shock for a second, Kitty broke it and went to dash past him.

Pietro grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, "I'm not soulless." He whispered, before kissing her.

Kitty's heart skipped a beat. Her mind went blank. She was torn between pulling away or staying in his arms. Her body betrayed her.

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. Suddenly her common sense returned and she pulled back. Breathing hard, they looked at each other for a moment.

"I . I .. Can't." She gasped, breaking away and running back to the cabin.

Pietro watched her leave. A slow smile spread across his face and he headed back to the girl's cabin.

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Rogue's ear was pressed against the door. She couldn't hear anything.

"Why haven't they been back yet?" She asked, worried.

Lance shrugged, "Maybe they've killed each other."

They smiled at each other. Lance looked thoughtful for a second, "You know what? Stuff them. We've got nothing to sort out."

"Ah know." Agreed Rogue, "They're the ones with the problem." She sat back down and pulled her knees up to her chin, "So what do we do now?"

Lance shrugged, "More TV?" Rogue shook her head. He had a flash of inspiration, "I know! I could help you practice trying to control your mutation."

Rogue looked at him, "What?"

Lance scrambled off of the bed, "Yeah! I've been thinking about it. Jean's telepathy is like your power. She just absorbs thoughts and images. The professor trained her to close off her mind to it. You just have to learn to control yours."

Rogue looked at him like he was mad, "Don't ya think the professor woulda figured it out if it was that simple?"

"I don't know. He seems more concerned with trying to get kids to fight his personal war." Replied Lance.

Rogue defended the professor, "He's been really good tah me. He took me in afta Mystique betrayed me." But the idea was in her head now, "D'ya think it'll work?"

"All we can do is try, right? I mean, have you go an elsewhere to be?" He asked, smiling.

Rogue grinned, "Ya on!"

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"Kitty? Let me in, please. I'll have to sleep in the corridor if you don't." Pleaded Pietro, banging on the door for the fifteenth time.

He was about to bang again, but Kitty's head came through the door. She glared at him for a second, "Why don't you ask Toad and Blob if you can sleep in their room?" She asked, before disappearing back inside.

'Dammit.' Thought Pietro, he considered his options.

"I want to talk about what just happened." He tried.

"No way!" Came the reply.

"I don't want to sleep on the floor."

"Tough!"

"I'll hurt my back."

Kitty put her head through the door, "Isn't sleeping on the floor supposed to be good for people's backs?"

Pietro thought fast, "Yes, but there's nothing wrong with mine and I don't want to risk it."

She rolled her eyes and disappeared again, "Suck it up."

Pietro grew cocky again, "Look, I know you're in love with me, so why not just open the door and we'll accept the inevitable."

As he expected, she came out glaring, "I am not.." She started, but hearing the lock click on Aims' door, she stopped. Not wanting to involve her aunt, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him through the door. Once inside she continued.

"I am not in love with you. I don't even like you." She spat. She grabbed her pajamas from a drawer and marched into the bathroom. Pietro stood next to the door.

"So, can I sleep in here tonight?" He asked.

Inside the bathroom, Kitty sighed, as she pulled on her shorts. She had no alternative. He was too quick to try and push out, and she knew it was stupid to ask him to leave on his own. She closed the lid on the toilet and sat down.

How dare he assume that she liked him. 'He kissed me. Not the other way round.' She thought, putting her head in her hands. The realistic part of her brain suggested that she had kissed him back, but she pushed it away.

'He's just a sex maniac. He'll go for anything in a skirt.' She mused, standing up.

Opening the door, she pushed past him and climbed into her bed. Pietro watched her for a second, then sat on Rogue's bed, kicking off his shoes.

"So are we going to talk about what just happened?" He asked, smiling at her.

"No. You can stay in here tonight, as long as you never bring that up again." She snapped, turning on to her side, facing away from him.

Pietro looked at her back. He knew that she liked him. She wouldn't have kissed him back otherwise. He had never been in this situation before. If he liked a girl they usually came running if he just smiled at them.

"I see, you think I wont be a good boyfriend." He said, pulling off his shirt.

Kitty groaned inwardly. 'Why does he have to keep bring it up?' She thought. Sitting up, she looked at him.

"No, I KNOW you wouldn't be a good boyfriend. You get girls and then dump them. I've seen you do it a thousand times this year. I'm not in to being used."

"It only takes on girl to change things. I certainly wouldn't dump the love of my life." He said, looking directly into her eyes.

Kitty shivered under his gaze, but forced herself to stare back, "Good luck meeting her in this life time, because hell is a few million miles that way." She replied, pointing down.

Pietro was unaffected by her comment, "Maybe I already have met her." He said, quietly.

Kitty blinked, 'He's just trying to freak you out.' She thought. She managed to swallow and shoot back, "Pietro, you are not a good boyfriend. Being a good kisser or good looking doesn't make a relationship." She was about to turn back to the wall, when she realised what she had said. 'Damn!' She thought, wanting to kick herself.

Pietro started smiling, "You think I'm good looking? And a good kisser?" He asked teasingly.

Kitty didn't move, but she was blushing hard, "I just said that they weren't things that made a relationship. See another point, you don't listen to anything people say."

He wouldn't let it go, "But why would you specify those two things unless you thought them about me?"

"Not another word! Or I swear I'll phase you down to the cargo hold and leave you there." She snapped, pulling the blanket over her head.

Pietro climbed into bed, still smiling, he turned the light out and looked at the ceiling. A plan was forming in his mind, 'I'll prove how good I can be.' He thought, 'I'll make it so she can't live without me.'

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"Let's try it again."

"Lance, Ah'm too tired, besides anymore an' ya'll pass out."

"No, I wont. I'm fine. Now come on. Try again."

Rogue sighed. She looked at the pen in her bare hand. She hated to admit it, but Lance's theory almost made sense. He thought that if Rogue could focus her mind enough, then she wouldn't hurt him when she touched him.

The pen was a mental aid. She knew touching wouldn't affect her or it. She picked it up confidently, without hesitation. Lance suspected that if she used that attitude towards people, it might work.

They had been trying for an hour, and all that had happened was that Rogue could now cause earthquakes and fix cars. Lance looked exhausted from being drained so much, even if it was only for a few seconds at a time.

"All right, but after this no more." She said, finally. She looked at the pen. Concentrating on the fact that it was just a useless lump of plastic, she closed her eyes and held out her right hand.

She was concentrating so hard, she thought she was going to burst a blood vessel. She gripped the pen hard and it snapped in her palm.

She felt her fingers brush against Lance's and .. Nothing.

She slowly opened her eyes and stared at her hand against his. She could feel how warm his skin was. In panic, she pulled her hand away. Tears forming behind her eyes, she asked, "Did ah just imagine that?"

Lance smiled, "No. You did it. I knew you could." He offered his hand again, "Try again."

More confident this time, Rogue held her hand to Lance's and as they touched she got a jolt of energy. She yanked her hand away.

"Ah'm sorry." She said quickly.

Lance shook his head to clear it, "It's OK. But it worked the first time. It probably wont be easy to start with."

Rogue nodded, but stayed quiet. Lance, sensing her mood, yanked a pair of shorts and a T-shirt from his drawer. He handed them to the Goth, "Here. You can't sleep in that dress."

She gave him a quick smile and went into the bathroom to get changed. Her mind was whirling.

Thankfully Lance had turned out the light and was laid in his bed, when she came out. She quietly climbed into Pietro's and lay on her side.

After a moment she said, "Good night."

"Yeah, you too." Came the reply.

Rogue put her head on the pillow, and then added, "Thank you."

"For what?" Asked Lance, turning to face the room.

"For helpin' me."

"Oh, no problem." He smiled. When she said nothing else, he turned back to the wall. He fell asleep quickly.

Rogue, on the other hand, lay looking at the ceiling. Her left hand moved to the other and started to trace where Lance's hand had touched it. She remembered how his skin felt, warm and surprisingly soft. She hadn't felt that in a long time.

But, she could now. Rogue smiled to herself, 'Ah'm gonna do this, if it kills me!' She thought, her eyes growing heavy. Within minutes she was asleep.

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This chapter was dragging on way too long. Not much Rogue/Lance fluff, but at least we're getting somewhere on the whole untouchable issue. It seemed pretty simple, but why bother making something complex?