Chapter Two-
A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers, especially ishandahalf. I'm still not sure if the story will turn out ant good but something wanted it written, so here it is- quick like a bunny on crack ;^) Hope you like it.
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An hour later, after her shower, she made her way down to the general kitchen area with her walkman and headphones on and found everyone still gathered there. Carefully avoiding their eyes, she sat down with her bagel. It wasn't until a couple minutes later when the group as a whole got up that she realized something was wrong. "What's happening?" she asked a silent Kitty, removing the headphones.
"There's some kind of trouble downtown with the Acolytes. Xavier just finished filling us in." Rogue squeaked. The Acolytes!?! "Okay team, let's go!" Scott called, dispersing everyone. Rogue just sat there. She was, for some reason, the only one who could take Gambit down so they always matched up. Usually she enjoyed the fight, the challenge, but what was she going to do now?
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Rogue rounded the corner with the rest of her team but stopped short for a second, the sight of Gambit there leaving her oddly breathless. "Hold up, home. We got company," she heard him say to Pyro as he set down a large box. His trench coat was slung over the top of another box and he leaned against it now, watching them with gleaming eyes as he folded his arms. The crazy fire starter turned around and grinned as his eyes lit on the group and Colossus, in metal form, came out of the warehouse with another box. Her small team caught up to theirs; her facing the Cajun, Scott and Jean getting Pyro, and Kurt and Kitty fighting Colossus.
Trying to ignore the pounding of her heart, she slowly walked forward, eyes locked onto his. It had been two weeks to the day since she last saw him face to face. "Bonjour chérie," Gambit said with a cocky grin. 'Too long,' echoed the voice in the back of her mind. Her eyes widened just a fraction. Where did that voice come from? It certainly wasn't hers… As he stepped to her side, she shifted, brushing it away and trying not to focus too much on the hard lines of his body or the planes of his face. 'Stop it!' she ordered herself. If anything, the Cajun's smirk broadened. "Not long enough, Swamp Rat," Rogue growled, the heat inside her belying her words. How could he make her feel this way?
"Oh, dat hurts chére. You don' really mean that, do you?" he replied silkily. "We'll see how much I mean it when I drop you," Rogue snarled. He just chuckled softly, "We'll see." The electricity between them crackled in the early afternoon air, but not only from animosity. The two exchanged quips as they circled each other, slowly (unknowingly) edging away from the group. Taking a breath, she advanced on him, every muscle coiled tightly and poised to spring. She needed this fight, this release. And the tension only intensified in them as they watched each other. Without warning, Rogue spun suddenly, catching him in the chest with a perfectly timed kick.
He fell back but recovered quickly, blocking the punch that followed. Grabbing her wrist, Gambit tried to pull her close, but she twisted out of his grasp and dropped to the ground, sweeping at his legs. He fluidly moved out of the way and they faced off again, sizing each other up for their next move. Then they came together in a flurry of kicks and punches, neither using their powers but neither holding anything back otherwise. She tried desperately to use this as an outlet for what she hated to admit she felt (leftovers from a dream that shouldn't have happened, surely), but the fight only served to fan the flames.
Each blow was like an electric shock wherever they touched, searing through their clothes, and Rogue tried not to notice that his eyes burned brighter, that she could practically feel his heart beating faster- like he was part of her. The blows didn't seem to touch them, barely registering as they caught and blocked and dodged each others' moves- as if they knew the other intimately, knew what they thought and what was coming next. It was like a furious dance; and their bodies unconsciously sought out closer contact, until their fighting was only a little more than a wrestling matched.
Almost out of control, she felt him sweep his legs out from under her and slam her to the ground, landing just above her as she took him down with her. "Looks like Remy dropped you, petite," he breathed. Rogue, panting slightly, smirked. "I got you off your feet, didn't I?" A bit out of breath himself, he said, "An' look where Remy ended up. How d'you know dis isn't de way he wanted it?" He pinned her arms over her head, face hovering over hers as she lay beneath him- almost spellbound. He could feel everything that she did and Rogue could somehow sense what he felt, like it was taken in and amplified. It was an odd sensation. Was this how he felt all of the time?
She became all too aware of how they were, of her body trapped so tightly under his, but somehow didn't think of changing their positions until the sounds of battle intruded again and his words registered in her sluggish mind. Her face transforming from bedazzled to angry, Rogue hooked her legs under his and heaved with her lower body, throwing him off of her. "Where you're gonna end up is in a coma, Swamp Rat," she hissed, standing over his grounded form. He looked almost confused at her actions before the look changed into his usual smooth, arrogant look as he came to be mere inches from her, leaping to his feet with catlike grace.
"Maybe it'd be worth it to feel yo' hands on me, chére," he whispered, eyes getting darker, if possible. She felt a flash of desire, then fury, and shoved him as hard as she could, hands sparking- landing him on the ground again. Then she ran off, joining her teammates as they finished whatever they were doing. Her head was whirling with images and feelings- most of which conflicted with each other. And she fought through a storm of useless longings as they left the ruined scene of battle. What was going on with her? 'Why can't he just leave me alone?' she whispered in her mind.
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Remy picked himself back up off the ground silently, still staring off in the direction that Rogue had gone. He fought the urge to go after her and ran a hand through his already mussed auburn hair. This fight had been…different, more electrically charged somehow, more…intense. His heart clenched at the words that ran through his mind and he shook his head to clear the unsettling feeling that had gripped him. It went beyond even his empathic abilities, like he could hear her thoughts in his head- and like she knew his by her reaction when they first faced off minutes ago.
Then he thought of how her hands had sparked when she pushed him, and the heat he had felt from them. Somethin' was goin' on with that fille. He sighed as he started out of the boxed off area him and Rogue had edged into. 'Merde, between these moments and those dreams, she's goin' to drive me mad.' What was this obsession he had with the untouchable girl? And when did it become more than a challenge…? "You okay, mate?" St. John asked as he passed him. "Oui, jus' a little… disoriented." He grinned to cover his real feelings, "Dat fille packs quite a punch."
The flame-haired mutant just raised a brow like he didn't buy his friends' act but followed him over to the warehouse. He swore softly when he saw the damage. "De boss ain't gonna like dis,' Remy said. St. John, or Pyro, nodded. "They sure managed to put a kink in the plans." They saw Piotr trying to salvage some of their work. "We better start helpin', dis is gonna take a while." It would help take his mind off of Rogue for a bit- and whatever it was that was happening.
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That's all for now, folks. The next chapter will likely be out soon (lots of free time); another encounter with the Cajun. For those reviewers who read my last fic, Destiny Always Finds A Way, I just wanted to add that you caught the typo on chapter eight before I did (my comp. was kinda busted, the keys sticking so I never noticed that the changes didn't register) and I fixed it. Plus, if you want a sequel and got any ideas, please send them in because I'm stumped. Thanks, Cajunbelle.