Disclaimer: still concocting a plan, still haven't thought of anything, still not mine.

Yersi Fanel That would indeed be a perfect way of putting it. Glad to know you don't think mine was.

Shadow-Spider I would wallop you on the head too...:) It was rather sweet, wasn't it?

Ishandahalf Define period. I think twenty minutes tops and maybe more, but only when he's sleeping.

Willa. j Remy will only do minor damage. For now.

Ima Super Mute Ant A mini-van? Assuming I have a driver's license and you can afford the shipping costs...what would I want with a mini-van? Unless you put Remy in it, that is...;)

Miya Reino True. I totally agree. This was his Oprah moment. He has that sometimes...He's back to normal now and it won't happen again. Not in this story. He is rational though. Always.

Streetwise Girl Ehhhhhh.....Yeah, I forgive you. I washed my hands and now I'm back to less mushiness and more cockiness.

T. Rogue would kill you if she heard you saying 'touchy'...that might be an idea...

Abaiisiia (review from chapter 1) I update, you read and review. That's the deal. Have fun!

Star-of-Chaos I won't. Based solely on this review, because I agree it doesn't hurt.

SassyGrl024 I wonder too...Together, together. They shared a moment, more that anything. Blame it on the concrete brick wall in front of both their faces.

Leann Yes, I understand you want action, and I want it too, and I promise, I really, really, promise that next chapter will have some action. But not this one yet. You see, I want to do something...nah I can't tell you...

Rogue14 No sap, but an intro to some serious developments...

Lily That's a great idea. You read, I write, it's a circle of life...stop me before I start singing ;)

serpentine013x (review from chap 4, 7) I had to kill it was bugging me and I kill bugs. :) On the Rogue/Rouge issue: I'm slightly dyslectic, well I must be, cos I just don't see that.... I'll change it, thanks for pointing it out.

Epona04 You make me feel all nice and fuzzy saying that, in a good healthy way that is. Hope you like this too.

Lladyred01 Yes. You understood. Remy was overconfident and oversexed in the end and not some mushy guy. Thank you. I needed that.

Emma The end of 'If you can't beat them' was like that to make it easier to fit in a sequel. Sorry to hear you didn't like it. Hope you like this chappie.

A/N Before I start: I know that last chapter was mushy. And that Gambit not a talker (although the charm works best when he's blabbing everyone's ears off and he can't stop talking during battle, but he call it 'tactics'). But that was his Oprah moment. And those happen once in a lifetime. Like that speech he gave in a comic somewhere about how he chooses to laugh... He has his moments and this was one of them. So no repost and on with the show.

This chapter is short but a necessary introduction to the next. I tried to make it longer but I miserably failed.

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I'm the man who stays home and does the dishes

Fissie

Remy sat back, resting his back on the foot of the tree he was sitting at. From here he could see the entire estate. The Xavier school for the Gifted was a very beautiful mansion. Remy enjoyed walking around the corridors, taking in the architecture, the columns, the windows. Every room and every hall was very beautiful and very well secured.

It was a natural reaction for him to seek and find the wiring and the camera's in and around the estate. He had already counted the number of ways he could get out unseen. It was a pretty pointless action, because he wasn't planning on sneaking out, but still he had counted and categorized the numerous ways. He knew every corner of the upper-mansion and leaving unseen with some of the valuables of the house was easy. But he wouldn't do it.

The vast mansion had some architectural anomalies that proved a large underground facility. The lower-mansion, where the med lab and the danger room were situated. It was restricted area for him. They did not allow him to tread it alone. They had explained what it was, more or less. The underground part of the mansion bore all facilities they needed to be able to spot and help mutants around the country. He didn't really mind not being able to go there. There was nothing of interest there for him.

Remy smiled to himself and sighed. He had been sitting in the shade of that tree next to the lake of the estate all afternoon. Bourbon in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The book he had not been trying to read lay face down next to him. 'Middlemarch'.

What on earth possessed him to even take that book from the library in the first place? He hadn't even looked at the title when he took it. He just wanted an excuse for staying outside doing nothing all afternoon. He took the book and examined it. It looked old, probably one of the first editions. It had most likely been in Xavier's family's possession for quite some time. Worth pretty much.

He thought about this for a bit. What were those escape routes again? But, no, Remy knew he couldn't do that. And he wouldn't. One of these days, he'd just go to that auction house and steel those jewels, as part of his total and personal rehabilitation program. Someday.

''What are you reading?'' A voice spoke. Remy smiled to himself. Rogue sounded friendly. Maybe she had learned something yesterday. 

''Nothin' really. Jus' grabbed a book, wasn' really readin' it. Y' gon' sit down?'' Rogue nodded and sat down next to him in the shade of the tree. ''Wan' some?'' He offered her the bottle of bourbon.

''No thanks.'' Were the words she said. 'Duh' was the mentally added message. Remy shrugged and took another sip.

Rogue took a deep breath. She had to say this. ''Ah...eh...about yesterday...what you did...''

''What I do?'' Remy feigned ignorance and Rogue ignored it.

''Thanks. It meant a lot to me.''

''Y'r welcome. Maybe y' can find a nice way t' thank me, non?'' He gave her a suggestive wink.

Rogue smiled.

''Rogue!'' A voice shouted from inside the mansion. ''We have to, like, finish this project!''

''Coming!'' Rogue stood up. ''Well, the thanking will have to wait. Gotta go.''

''What kind o' project?''

''Biology. We have to simulate a well functioning ecosystem.''

''Sounds real interestin'.'' Remy said sarcastically. He checked his watch. It was almost five. ''Was gon' go inside myself anyway.'' He gulped down the last of his bourbon, flicked his cigarette in the lake, received an angry look from Rogue, smiled apologetically and joined her to the house.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The kitchen was somehow a gathering of people, always. There was always someone there. Xavier was preparing that speech of his and Evan and Bobby were playing some sort of game that involved Twinkies. Loads of Twinkies.

At the same point Remy and Rogue came in from one door, Beast came through the other. This was his fist visit to the outside world since a few days and he looked very tired.

''Ah, Remy. I meant to have a word with you.'' Rogue left to finish her project as Remy sat down opposite to Beast.

''What's up?'' He asked.

''I haven't succeeded in fixing that device yet. It's much harder than I initially thought. But I will, soon. It's just a matter of time. I'm sorry.''

''Don' worry. I can wait.'' Remy sighed. Xavier looked up to him. That sigh sounded like it carried more weight than it should, but as he looked at Remy, he saw the kid's thoughts were completely somewhere else, so he decided to let it go. He didn't want to play the all knowing psychiatrist all the time.

Remy looked at the professor. He saw the man was going to ask something Remy didn't feel like answering and decided to change the topic. ''You've been lettin' me stay here f'r pretty long, now. 'S dere anythin' I can do in return?''

''No. It's quite all right.'' Xavier assured him.

''Nothin' y' need? Nothin' y' want?''

''No, really. Thank you.''

''Don' matter what.'' Remy insisted while looking around. Xavier shook his head. ''I could cook f'r y' tonight.''

''Cool!'' Bobby shouted.

''Bring it on!'' Evan agreed. This was the moment he was waiting for.

Remy smiled. ''That would be a very nice idea.'' Xavier admitted.

''It's settled den.'' He walked to the door that led to the corridor and opened it. ''Out.'' He said with a wide smile on his face. 

''What?'' Evan asked confused.

''Out.'' Remy repeated, while motioning everyone out.  '''M gonna cook, get out o' de kitchen. Now.'' The smile didn't disappear from his face, but his voice didn't sound like he was joking.

''Geez.'' Bobby nagged disappointed.

''Out.'' He laughed but meant every word he said, very seriously. ''Cookin' is serious business. Don' wan' no one messin' it up.''

Bobby and Evan left first followed by Hank. Xavier was the last to leave. ''If you need anything...''

''Y'll be de first to hear. Out.''

They left, leaving Remy in charge of making the spiciest dinner he could come up with.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Much later, in an all too familiar lair.

''D'you have all the info you need, mate?'' Pyro said as he marched in to Magneto's office. Magneto glared at the Australian. ''I mean sir.'' Pyro refused any other name for that man. 

''Almost.'' He clicked some keys on his computer and smiled his evil smile. ''Almost.''

''You're still not gonna tell us what that thing...''

''No.''

''Thougth so.''

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A/N You think this could qualify as a problem?

Yes, I agree this is a messy chapter, hope it's not too bad. I'm getting on the next one asap and it'll be grand. This was just a bit of necessary mess before the real thing. Hate to do this to you and the next one will be much and much better.

Review to see what delightful wonders might happen.