Warren rose out of bed.  In one steady motion he raised his hands over his head, his wings up and out to the side, and let out a healthy yawn as he stretched his entire body.

He yawned again as he walked through his home on the city's outskirts.  Removing the paper from the delivery chute next to his door and flipped through the pages as he made his way to the kitchen.

Still scanning the business section for any story that peaked his interest he removed the container of Columbian coffee from the cabinet and scooped some into a filter.

"Johnson resigned from the board at Dinatec."  He spoke to himself, still reading the paper, while he reached for the pot to fill with water.  Only, his hand did not come into contact with the plastic and glass 'Mr. Coffee' pot.

"What the hell?"  He looked down at the coffee maker, but more importantly at the 18th century vase that was supposed to be securely on its stand in his main viewing area.  However, the priceless artifact failed to divert his eyes from traveling to the joker card leaned against it.

Flipping the card over, Warren looked at the words inscribed across the back.  'Still not cutting it Mon Ami.'

~~~:*:~~~

"They're what!"  Scott's voice reverberated off the walls of the Professor's office.

"Well, dating."  Jean explained again.

"No way."  Scott stood.  "No way, he's the enemy!"  He spoke, pacing around the office.  "There is no way Rogue is getting involved with one of Magneto's henchmen!"

"Please calm down Scott."  The Professor spoke from behind his desk.  "The only reason I am telling you Scott is so you are informed of anything that may present itself on a mission.  You are the team's leader."

"Your acting like it's a big secret Professor."  Jean dismissed.  "Rogue has been walking around like she's on cloud nine for the past couple of days.  I think we are all happy for her." 

"Why didn't anyone tell me!!"  Scott exclaimed, obviously the only one seeing the seriousness of the situation.

"We just thought you would figure it out for yourself."  Jean stood and took Scott's hands in hers, obviously calming him down a little.  "Besides, you didn't seem to mind all that much when Kitty was with Lance?"

"That's different."  Scott replied, earning a different look from his girlfriend as she dropped his hands.  "Lance was never a right hand man directly to Magnito.  And well, it was Kitty, this is Rogue."

"Sounds like you might be jealous."  She offered, crossing her arms.

"What?"  Scott questioned looking at his girlfriend, not seeing the hidden smile from the Professor.  "Jealous?"

"It's okay."  Jean dismissed.  "I must confess, infuriating and arrogant as Gambit can be... those eyes, that grin, the body."  Jean closed her eyes and sighed.  "It takes a girl's breath away."

Scott deadpanned.  "When next the opportunity presents itself... remind me to blast a truck on top of him."

"Cyclops."  The Professor chided.

"A big truck."

"Cyclops!"  The Professor repeated.

"A really big truck."

~~~~~

"Rogue, you have a phone call."  Bobby said as he stuck his head in through the open door of her room.

Rogue looked up from her book she was reading.  "Who is it?"

Bobby rolled his head to the side and shrugged his shoulders.

"What kind of answering machine are you?"  She sat down the book on her nightstand as he disappeared back into the hall and crossed to the phone sitting on her desk.  "Hello?"

"Rogue?"  A voice she never thought she would hear again came onto the other end.  "Um, hey.  It's Cody."

~~~~~

"So where are we going tonight?"  Kitty asked as Piotr entered the living room.

Piotr paused and looked at the girl reclining on the couch.  "We are going somewhere?"

"Well yeah."  She smiled; she was going to have fun with this one.  "You were going to take me out tonight."

Piotr's brow wrinkled in confusion.  "I thought that was just to get Lance to quit bothering you."

"It was."  She pouted, Rogue may be the Queen of Death Glares, but Kitty firmly had the title for Puppy Dog Eyes.  "But you did agree to it."

"Why do I have the feeling that you will not let me out of this?"  He asked.

She dropped the Puppy Dog Eyes, their mission now accomplished, and smiled triumphantly.  "Because I won't."

~~~:*:~~~

She saw him, and there was no doubt that it was him.  He was sitting at a table in the small airport café, bags under his feet, looking around like a kid in a candy store. 

"Hey."  She said as she walked up to the table.

He jumped back, oblivious to the girl who had walked up when he wasn't watching the entrance.  As he looked at her he smiled.  "Hey."  He stood up and gave her a hug.  Rogue tensed, but did not pull away or push him off.  "God, how've you been?"  He asked breaking the hug and holding her at arms length.

"Cody."  She said taking his hand in her gloved one and sitting him back down at the table.  "How did you find me?  And what are you doing in New York?"  She looked at him, and admitted the months hadn't changed him a bit.

He smiled, and indicated the crest on his burgundy shirt.  "I was up at Boston College, got to layover here for before heading back home."  His dark blue eyes stared back into her pale ones.  "Got a football scholarship."

"And they flew you up here?"  She asked.

"Yeah, told the scout that I wanted to see the campus before I made a decision and he pulled out a ticket right then and there."  He rubbed his napkin in-between his fingers.  "Really freaked me out."

"So how did you find me?"

"The news."  He nodded towards one of the TV's hanging on the wall, tuned into one of those 24hr news stations.  "Talking about mutants, mentioned the Xavier institute."

So he knew, if not back then, he new now.  "Cody, listen… about what happened."

"It's okay."  He smiled again.  "I've known for a while."

"What?"

"Yeah, you didn't come to school after that… well, what happed at the docks.  Eventually I got Miss. Irene to spill and tell me that you were one."

She looked down at her covered hands.  "So I guess she told you my powers."

"Yeah."  He looked down at them too.   "I'm sorry." 

"You… you aren't mad?"  She looked up at him.

"Naw, it was an accident Rogue."  He leaned back in his seat.  "Am a little mad you took off like that." 

"Well, things got real confusing for a while."  She remembered everything with Mystique.  "Your not even a little freaked that I'm a mutant?"

"Why would I be, after all, I'm one too."  He said, his voice quieted as not to broadcast their conversation to the rest of the airport.

"What?"   She asked, her eyes going wide.

"Yeah, figured it out after you ran off.  Miss. Irene was able to see it and tell me.  I owe her a lot; she was able to help me with it." 

"What are your powers?"

"Nothing glamorous."  He held his arm out and flexed it.  "Just strength.  Remember that block you broke out on Ty when I was unconscious?"

"That was you?"  She asked, remembering sending his football player friend to the floor after she had knocked him unconscious.

"Yep."  He shrugged.  "Cant complain, they got me a scholarship."

"And you are using it during games?"  She asked.

"Yeah."  He backtracked.  "Well, not fully.  Really toned down thanks to Miss. Irene, don't want to hurt anybody."  He looked back up at her.  "It wasn't out of your way to get here was it?"  He asked, changing the subject.

"No."  Actually it was.  It involved taking two busses and a taxi to the airport, which took all her current pocket money.  Rogue pushed the thoughts out of her head; she would worry about getting back to the Institute later.  "I can't believe your Mama's letting you go to college in Boston."

He smiled and chuckled.  "Me either, she has called me every night I've been up here already.  But Dad says it's an opportunity I can't afford to pass up."  He swigged the last bit of Coke in his drink.  "Got any tips for living up here?"

"Don't order sweet tea, they look at you like your crazy.  Get used to the sun during the summer, because it's gone for the 8 months of winter.  And bring your own spices from back home; everything up here is nothing but bland carb's."  She recited automatically.

"So, what you're saying is that I will be living in hell for the next 4 years."  He deadpanned.  "That's all you had to say."  They both laughed.

As their laughter died down, the tone came over the airport speakers.  "Delta flight 505 to Biloxi will begin boarding at gate 9A."

"That's my flight."  He said, looking up at the speaker off to their side.

"When are you coming back up here?"  She asked as they both stood up, Cody picking up his bags.

"Be back sometime in July for training.  I'll give you a call now that I got the institute's number."  He smiled again.  "It was nice seeing you again Rogue."

"You too Cody."

He stepped forward to hug her again, but she pulled back noticing his bare forearms sticking out of the short sleeved polo shirt.  He smiled sadly at her, and Rogue found yet another reason to hate her powers.  "Sorry."  She said.

"That's okay."  His smile picked back up.  "Goodbye Rogue."

"By Cody."  She said watching him glance back and walk to the terminal.  Watching a boy she couldn't even hug walk away. 

Rogue collected herself as best she could and trudged through the crowd back to the entrance.  *He's fine.*  She told herself.  But then why did she feel so bad?  He was fine, had a scholarship, and didn't even blame her for what happened.  But why did she feel so empty inside. 

"Need a ride?"

She looked to her side to see a familiar face walking along side her, complete with brown trench coat.  "You been spying on me?"

"Just watching after ya."  He explained as they exited the terminal.  "Not real considerate to run off without a word."

"Sorry."  She mumbled automatically.  "Yeah, I'd love a ride."

Remy put an arm around her shoulder, never asking a question or demanding an explanation, and lead her to his bike.

~~~:*:~~~

"Where are we going?"  Kitty asked as she clung to Piotr's hand, her lifeline.

"Just a little further."  Came the Russian accented voice.  "And no phasing through the blindfold."

"Awww…"

"Here."  He said as they stopped, and he lifted the blindfold from her face.

"Wow."  Kitty looked out at the pond in the woods by the Mansion.  They were standing on the east bank by the dock, looking over the water as the orange sun sank into the reflection of itself.

Piotr watched her expression.  "I am sure you have been here before."

"I have, but not at this time of day." 

"I hope you were not expecting a picnic or anything, but this is the best I could do on such short notice."  He apologized.

"It's fine."  She looked up at him from the water.  "You didn't have to do this.  I mean I was just teasing you earlier."

"Good."  He exhaled in relief.  "Then I can leave."  He stated as he turned and started to walk away.

"Piotr!"  She exclaimed and he turned back to her, a rare smile on his face.  "You know, you do have a mean streak in you."  She said as she put her hands on her hips.  It was good to see him smile though, it looked good on him.

"Tell me about you."  He asked as he took a seat beside her on the grassy bank of the pond.

"What?"  She questioned.

"I told you about me the other day.  What is your story?  What brought you to the X Men?"  He asked, not making eye contact with her but watching the orange water twinkle in the fleeting light.

"Aw, you probably don't want to hear it."  She dismissed, taking a seat beside him and crossing her legs Indian style.  "Its nothing like your story."

"I am glad."  He stretched out beside her, leaning up on his elbows.  "But, I do want to hear it."

"Well, wow, now that I think about it, it's only been about a year."  She absently plucked some blades of grass and began fiddling with them as she talked.  "At first it was pretty scary.  The first time I got my powers I was having this dream where I was, like, flying.  Ever had one of those?"

Piotr nodded.

"Well, I was flying around a city.  Laughing, pretty much just having a good dream.  That is until I started to fall.  I knew it was a dream, but you still get scared when that happens, just falling with no control."  She continued to braid the blades of grass as she spoke.  "Ever had a falling dream?"

Piotr nodded.

"So I'm falling right, and I wake up.  Problem is, I wake up in the basement, and my room is on the second floor of our house.  So my mom and dad rush downstairs after hearing me scream.  And I'm thinking that I've been sleepwalking but my dad looks up and sees my blankets and pillow fused in with the basement ceiling."

"Then things got really messed up.  Next day I get locked into my locker by these two bitc… girls at my old school."  Piotr smiled at her choice of words.  "And as I'm banging trying to get out I just fall through the door.  That's when I met Lance.  Well not met as in for the first time, I had seen him around my school before, but I guess it was the first time we met face to face.  Well he told me that he was a mutant to."

"I ran away from him; think I even called him a freak."  She stared intently at the braded blades of grass in her hand.  "Well, the X-men showed up too, and I like ran from them too, well mostly from Kurt.  Face it, when a kid turns into a pointy-eared, pointy-tail, three fingered, blue dude in front of your eyes it can freak you out." 

She paused for a moment, looking up at that magic moment when the sun appears whole even thought half of it is just a reflection.  "I'm glad I came to the X Men.  I wouldn't have met Kurt, or Rogue.  The Professor has really helped me with my powers, and I'm getting better at controlling them.  I can even phase something as big as the Blackbird now."

They sat there on the bank in silence, watching the sun slowly disappear.

"You talk a lot."  Piotr finally offered.

"I know."  Kitty smiled and looked over at him.  "You listen well."

"I like to."

~~~~~

Rogue opened the door to her room and walked in, leaving it open for Remy who followed.

"You okay?"  He asked as she looked out her window.  "Don't think you said a word on the way back, usually you screaming at me for my drivin."  He offered.

"Yeah."  She continued to look out into the darkness.  "It's just, well nothing."

That was about the third time Remy had presented her with an opportunity to say something sarcastic, smart-assed, or even punch him in the arm.  *Okay Chere, you asked for It.*  He thought before asking the question the he knew would get a response.

"You love him?"

"What?"  Rogue snapped out of her thoughts, turning and looking at Remy who was leaning against the wall of her room, intently watching her by the window with those demon eyes.  "No!"  She finally forced herself to say.  "It's just; he was the first person that I ever absorbed."

"And?"  Remy pressed on, knowing that their had to be more to cause Rogue to act this way.

"Well, I kind of had a crush on him.  My first real crush that is."  She turned back to the window.  "It just got me to do a lot of thinking."

"What about?"

"Why me?"  She answered.

"Chere?"  He asked, not quite following her.

"Why me, why are you wasting your time with me?"  She turned from the window to look at him.  And he felt the wind get knocked out of him seeing the tears forming in her eyes.  Rogue wasn't ever supposed to cry, she was just too strong for that.  "I can't love you back Remy."

He smiled warmly, something that did not help the feelings that plagued her.  "You love Remy back plenty Chere."  He said as he walked over to her.

"No, I don't.  You deserve better."

"Stop."  He halted the argument she was about to present and put his arms around her.  "I love you Rogue.  I have never felt this way about anyone before.  When I'm with you nothing else maters, not your powers, not my powers, not the humans, not Magneto, nothing.  When I'm with you I am at peace chere."

She sniffed.  "Remy, I love you so much."  She said, pressing the side of her face into his chest, listening to his heartbeat. 

"Remy loves you too Rogue, Remy loves you too."  He ran his fingers through her hair.  "Remy hope you not be mad Chere."

"I'm not anymore."  She sighed.  "I was never really mad, I was just scared."

"Wasn't talkin about that."  He pushed her off his chest slightly and looked into her emerald eyes.  "Talkin about dis."  He finished leaning in and pressing his bare lips to hers.  She was too stunned to do anything but kiss him back.

She felt the pull.  But unlike before it didn't burn, it just seemed to take the kiss so much deeper, like Remy was pouring his entire being into it.  After a few seconds he pulled away, breaking the kiss.

He faltered a little in her arms, and she helped him lay down on her bed.

"Chere…"  He stated weakly, cracking his eyes open and looking up at her, his Rogue.  "God it was worth it…" 

…been drinking waaaay too much coffee

Why did I bring Cody in?  It resolves a conflict in Rogue, and because I just started writing it.

Hoped you liked the Romyness and Kiotrness (I made up a word).

The scene with Scott, Jean and the Professor is from an old X Men comic book, I just thought it went great there.

No answered reviews today, but I promise I will answer some at least by Thursday.  Thank ya'll for all the reviews!!!