Chapter five: Strawberrys and deturgent.

Rogue found herself in a dream, a dream where everything was a warm orange coloure, as if the light changed everything. She looked around the park like area and saw nobody, untill she turned round and saw the woman from the picture. Her mother. She walked up to the pic-nic sheet and kneeled own on it, as the woman terned to face her and smiled.

"Happy birthday sweet heart." She said with a warm and comfortable smile as she held her hand out to stroke her hair. Stephaney was young and beutiful, she was warm and loveing. Everything Rogue had thought she wasn't. Rogue smiled and ast her a question.

"What happend to you?" Her voice echoed in her head as she was shaken awake by a concerned Kitty. Rogue opend her eyes, blinded in the morning sunlight. She had slept right through the night since yesterday lunch. It was also saterday. Her birthday, and no-one but Logan knew.

"Are you like, okay Rogue?"

Rogue sat up and rubbed her eyes, smudgeing wetness around her face.

"You were crying in yore sleep, sayin somethin about straberrys and deturgent?" Kitty said confused.

"Thats what she smelled like." Rogue smiled to herself, getting the onley real memory of her mother for the first time.

"Like, who did?"

"No-one kitty...."

Kitty smiled and walked off. It was 11am, so she got up and dressed, and wen't down to the kitchen. Where everything was as noisey and hectic as usual, and no-one knew. She liked it that way, but it would have been nice to have a birthday preasent, since its her 18th. She walked into the kitchen and picked up a banana, and sat on the counter, as if no-one could see her, no-one even said hello. Rogue just looked at her feet as she kicked the cupboard doors. She sat there for a moment and got sick of the noise so she walked out, bumping into Logan on her way.

"Mornin'." She said as cheerfull as she could sound when she was so depressed.

"Mornin kid."

Logan carried on walking into the kitchen as Rogue walked out, and then wen't after her, pulling her into the rec room.

"What!?" She growled at him.

Logan pulled out his keys from his jacket. He handed them to her and smiled.

"What?" She said cortiousley.

"Ya can have it for the day. Just don't scratch it." He said, placeing his moterbike keys in her gloved hand. Rogue smiled, as excitemeant rode up in her stomach. She could take Logans bike for the day! She couldn't help herself, she flung her arms around Logan, which caught him off guard and he began to lagh. Rogue jumped back looking at the keys and ran out the door shouting "THANK YOU!" Logan watched as she ran out the door to the garage and shook his head, feeling like he just made a huge mistake.

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Rogue spent the whole day rideing around on Logan's bike. She loved it, she loved the speed, and the danger when turning a sharp corner. It was almost sunset when she was thinking about returning to the mantion. But she decided to stop at a lake which she was fond of, before going back. The water was grey, with the reflection of the lilac sky above as the yellow clouds hung by the dying sun. The air was sweet, and warm, and the sounds of crickets started along with the last of the birds. Creating a summer melody that would always remind her of her 18th birthday. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep, letting he wind wip around her hair, cooling her skin and warming her skin at the same time.

"How did ya do dat yesterday chere?" A voice said softley beind her, makeing her smile and open her eyes.

"Are you stalkin me swamp rat?" She said amused.

"No chere, juss folowin y'."

"Aint that the same thing?"

"Non. Actually, Remy tink he is stalkin y'. Sittin iny' room at night wen y' sleepin."

"Aaah, so its you that keeps leaving mah balconey door open."

"Remy confesses. He does."

Remy walked around to face Rogue and stood up to the bike where she was sitting.

"How did y' touch M' yesterday chere?"

Rogue took off her glove and put her hand to his face.

"Like this." She said softley, and took her hand away.

Remy put his arm around Rogues back and pulled himself towards her.

"How long does it last?"

"About 2 minuets without me passing out." She said as Remy got closer,

pressing his lips on hers, and kissed her the same way he did at Magneto's base, when she thought she would never see him again.

Remy felt a sharp spark on Rogues lips and pulled away, as Rogues eyes began to fall. Remy caught her as she fell backwards, still concious but very week, and pulled her to him.

"Sorry chere."

"For what?" She said grogiley.

"F'r not gettin in touch with y'. Remy din tink y'd be wantin T' see him again."

"Ah didn't." She said as she leaned her head on his chest. "Ahm 18 today Remy."

Remy pulled her away from him and looked at her.

"What did y' get?" He said, interested.

"Nothin. Just some birth cirtificates, and Logans bike for the day. Ah didn't tell anyone."

She sighed and leaned back onto Reys chest, wraping her arms around his waist, under his trench coat.

"How old are you Remy?"

"Remy be 21 chere."

Rogue was supprised. He looked so much younger. She just pulled his warm body closer as she closed her eyes, and Remy held her too.

"Y' should get back home now chere. It's gettin dark."

Rogue moved away from him. Annoyed at his concern, but she didn't say anything. She just smiled at him, noticeing a blue blur, run behind Remy as he fell into her and fell to the ground, and there standing behind was Mystoque.

"Hows Your'e day Rogue." She said as if she didn't do what she just did to Remy. Rogue juped off the bike and kneeled down to Remy who was laying, out cold, on the grass. Rogue launched at Mysique, but she just grabbed Rogues covoured arms and slammed her to the floor, pinning her.

"Relax Rogue, Im not hear to hert you. Im trying to protect you." She said.

Rogue squrmed about as Mystique pinned her again.

"Lier!"

"No, Im not lieing." She said inocentley.

"Then what the hell did you hurt Gambit for!" She said still trieing to push Mystique off her.

Mystique stood up and away from Rogue, offering a hand to help her up. Rogue looked at it coutiousley, and then hesitated before takeing it, and being pulled swiftley to her feet.

"Well, he is an Acolyte, and he did kidnap you before."

"So,....... It was a kiss!"

"Obviousley." Mystique said roleing her eyes and then walked up to him, laying him on his back and looking at him. Rogue watched as she made him comfortable and then stood up to face her.

"How has your'e day been?"

"Okay." Rogue said still with astonishemeant and supprise in her voice, 'wha was she interested, whats her plan.' She thought.

"Relax child, I just want to know how you are, it is your'e 18th after all."

"What are you playing at Mystique!" Rogue snaped at her.

"Please Rogue, Im just trying to get to know my doughter a litle better.......and you can call me Raven...."

"No, ah think all call you Mystique! Ah don't wonna get to formal!"

Mystique looked to her feet, and then to Rogue.

"Have you read over the papers?"

"Yea."

"I have been trying to locate your father, but I can't find a trace of him, no-one knows anything about him. I think that I should go to the womans foster parents and ask.........if you don't mind me prying?"

Rogue's frown lightend and her fists relaxed by her side, as a sudden wash of nurvousness ran over her.

"Do you enjoy it at the instituit......with the x-men?"

"Yea, ah do."

"I don't know how you can stand all the curfews and rules. I wouldn't have thought that you'd have fit into all of this........"

"All of this what?"

"Heroics...." She added hesitentley.

"Maybe ah like helping people!"

"Okay, Im sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Mystique looked to the ground. "I can help you, you know."

"With what?"

"With everything. Learning about youre past, and how to controle your powers withought that dizzey spell that you get everytime you try...." She said with a warm smile.

Rogue looked at her, compleatley amazed that Mystique just wan'ted to talk. She sat back on Logans bike and watched her.

"How?"

Mistique smiled. "I can teach you controle., and patients, aswell as getting to know you better."

"Wha would ya wonna help me?"

"Do we realy need to go over this again?" Mytique said in a mock tone, as a smile edged Rogues lips. "Just trust me, I promis Ill take care of you when youre with me."

She smiled again, a worm comforting smile, that made Rogue feel safe for some strange reason, before a shiver went down her spine and she snapped back to reality. She looked down to the floor, and then looked up again, finding that Mytique was gone. She looked around for a secong, and then heard a small groan from beneath her, as Remy sat up rubbing his neck.

"Remy be tinkin' dat y' kiss' are leathal chere."

Rogue held out her hand and pulled Remy up to fece her. He was confused, and by the lucks of things, his neck was killing him. Then he smiled at her and snaked his arms around her middle again.

"Hay chere....... can Remy drive y' home?"

Rogue pushed him away shakeing her head.

"Na uh swamp rat! This is Logans bike, and ah have it for the next houre untill ah get back home so back off." She scowled playfulley.

"Please." He said softley as he looked at ther face. "plese, please, please. Remy'l give y' a present if y' do...." He smirked.

"Nope."

"Please."

"Nope."

"Pritty please." Remy held a fake pout as his head leaned in closer to hers. Rogue sighed and roled her eyes, how could she resist that?

"Fahn, but if you scratch it, YOU die, ah won't take the bame."

Remy jumped up onto the bike smileing as Rogue swong her leg over and held on around his waist as they spead off into the ever growing darkness. Rogue had to fight back the urge to fall asleep but it eventually got the better of her, and she closed her eyes as she leaned into Remys back, takeing in his scent. She had missed him so much.

(A/N: You know the drill, sorry for spellings. Review if you feel up to it. But I don't mind if you don't. Next chapter will be up tomorrow.)