Something has come to my attention recently and I felt that I should discuss it with you.

One reviewer asked for e-mail updates. Normally I wouldn't do that, but I'm going to make an exception for this story. If you want to receive an e-mail when the story is updated you must do the following things:

1) leave a review asking for an e-mail update

2) be sure to include your e-mail address in the review. I am not going to go look for it.

That's it. Two simple steps for e-mail updates.

Thanks go out to the lovely spiffythefaery for volunteering her time to beta read this story and the many others that tumble about in my warped mind.

Ev1ta – Thank you for the praise and I hope that my version of the Phantom will be what you are hoping for. Romyness will come in moderation throughout the rest of the story, absent in only a few chapters.

Winter Fire – You'll find out the answers to your questions soon enough. Soon.

Terminatrix T-X – Like the name. Angel definitely is pissed. Nasty temper he's got. Can you guess who it is?

Yumiko – Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. Only time, and more chapters, will tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Who is this new tutor?"

- Meg Giry

          Rogue had returned to her room after her unpleasant parting with Angel. Confused as to the cause of such a violent reaction, Rogue thought about her training session for over an hour.

          Each time she thought about it, she could only pinpoint her mention of Remy as the trigger for Angel's explosion. That led to the more interesting question of why Angel didn't like Remy.

          Lying on her bed, Rogue pondered this question. Lost in her thoughts she was unaware when Kitty opened the door, clutching an icepack to her forehead.

          "Oh hi Rogue," Kitty squeaked.

          "Hi," Rogue absentmindedly answered. Kitty paused in the door way, unsure of whether or not to go in.

          "It's your room too," Rogue said, answering the brunette's unasked question. Shrugging in agreement Kitty moved into the room, falling flat on her bed.

          Her hand shot up to her forehead and gingerly touched the bruise that had grown since the Danger Room. Wincing in pain, Kitty quickly removed her hand and replaced the ice pack. Turning her head slightly to look at Rogue, she gave a weak grin.

          "You really did a number on us today." Rogue grunted in response, her mind trying to unravel Angel's mysterious behavior. Concerned at her lack of response, Kitty frowned.

          "You ok?"

          "Yeah," Rogue answered, although it was clear she wasn't focusing on Kitty's question. Propping herself up on her arm, Kitty turned to fully face Rogue. The southern girl gave no response, keeping her gaze on the ceiling.

          "Are you sure?"

          "Yeah."

          "Then can I ask you something?" Rogue's silence was Kitty's answer. Having lived long enough with Creed and Logan, Kitty knew very well that silence was an invitation to continue.

          "How did you pound us today?"

          "Luck." Kitty shook her head doubtfully.

          "No way. I've, like, seen luck in battle and that wasn't luck. Besides even luck wouldn't have had you take down Jean."

          "Speaking of which how is Ms. Perfect taking it?" Rogue asked as a grin wormed its way onto her face, despite her intent not to reveal her emotions on the subject. Kitty grinned in response.

          "She's so livid. Wouldn't shut up about losing to you. Finally Scott had to tell her to be quiet." Rogue snorted in delight.

          "Serves her right," she said snidely as Kitty nodded in agreement.

          "Yeah. For years she's never lost a battle simulation. About time someone besides an instructor taught her a lesson." Rogue gave no reply to this, once again lapsing into silence. Kitty chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment before blurting out her next question, the one that had been eating at her since the session.

          "Rogue, how'd you get so good?" Rogue's head twisted around as she looked at Kitty for the first time since the brunette had entered the room.

          "What do ya mean?" Rogue replied with a stone face.

          "I mean that you've only been here, like, a couple of weeks and now you're able to beat us all. I've been here for years and I still can't do that. So how'd you get so good?"

          "Ah just spent extra time with Logan in training," the auburn haired girl replied. Kitty could tell a lie when she heard one. She frowned and shook her head at Rogue's response.

          "No way. I heard Mr. Logan talking about you and he has no idea how you did it. So you didn't spend extra time training. I want to know what happened." Rouge hesitated for a moment, thinking over her answer.

          "Well, Ah wasn't really lying. Ah mean Ah have been doing extra training." Kitty's eyes slightly widened.

          "Extra training? The training with Mr. Logan isn't enough?" Rogue shook her head.

          "It is but then again it isn't."

          "Huh?"

          "Forget about it alright?"

          "No. So who are you training with?" Rogue eyebrows furrowed as she thought of an appropriate answer.

          "A tutor. A very good tutor."

          "A very good tutor that has no name?"

Rogue shrugged. "He hasn't given one."

Kitty tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Weird. What's this guy look like?"

Rogue shook her head. "Haven't seen him."

          "Let me get this straight. You're getting tutored by a nameless, faceless guy?" Kitty asked, her eyebrow rising with each word.

          "Basically."

          "Are you stupid?" Kitty exclaimed. Rogue looked at her friend in shock.

          "Do you have any idea what you could be getting into?"

          "Ah'm not stupid Kitty! Ah know exactly what Ah'm doing."

          "Do you?" Kitty shot back. Rogue felt her patience snap.

          "Yes! In case you hadn't noticed Kitty Ah kicked your, and everybody else's, asses today. So obliviously this training is working!" Rogue snapped. Kitty frowned again.

          "But why do you need to train with him? What can he offer that Logan can't?" Kitty asked solemnly. Rogue turned her head so that she could look at the ceiling once more.

          "Control," she whispered her voice barely audible. Kitty, who had spent years straining her ears for gossip, heard Rogue's statement. Her face lost its fire and she became sullen. She knew that Rogue wanted nothing more in life than to be able to control her powers, to be able to make contact with others.

          Kitty knew that whenever Rogue witnessed people touching, it pained her. She knew that it hurt Rogue to watch Kitty and Lance hang all over each other. Kitty couldn't help but hope that Rogue would be able to touch someone someday.

          "Just be careful alright?"

          "Ah will."

***

          Several days had passed since Angel's outburst. True to his word there had been no training. Rogue had gone to the room each night and knocked three times. Each time the door remained shut.

          As she was deprived of the training, and thus was no closer to being able to touch, Rogue's mood became irritable. She began snapping at everyone for the slightest irritation.

          The only person who was immune to her lousy mood was Remy, who was able to charm his way into her good graces. Truth be told the two were becoming quite close, spending as much time with each other as they could. A fact which did not escape the many observant eyes roaming the mansion.

          With her growing relationship with Remy, Rogue's desire to touch became more powerful. Because of her inability, she was extremely short-tempered and rude whenever she saw anyone touching, especially in an intimate manner.

          Desperate to resume her training, to move closer to touching, Rogue decided that it was time to swallow her pride and apologize to Angel.

Marching down the vacant corridor leading to her training room she balled her hand into a fist and bashed her hand against the door.

          "You there, you stuck up bastard?" Rogue called out, her voice carrying through the hallway.

          "Ah'm sorry. That's what you wanted to hear wasn't it? Ah'm sorry!" Rogue shouted, continuing to pound the closed door. Shrieking in anger Rogue began to kick the door.

          "Let me in. Ah'll do whatever you want, just help me! Please!" The door remained shut.

          "Fine!" Rogue cried out as she began to leave. Fuming, she was about to run when she heard a soft squeak. Turning to look at the door she saw that it had opened ever so slightly. Sighing in relief Rogue threw the door open.

          The room was had not changed since her last session and Angel was nowhere to be seen. Everything was like it was before. Nodding to herself in satisfaction Rogue marched in, the door quietly closing behind her.

          A few moments after the door closed Remy stepped into the hall. He could have sworn that he had heard Rogue's voice bouncing through the corridor. She sounded mad but she wasn't there. Frowning in confusing, Remy's burning eyes scoured the hall.

          Seeing no sign of the southern girl he turned and left the corridor. There was something suspicious about the noise and the lack of Rogue's presence, something that Remy would get to the bottom of. However, first he had promised Bobby and Kurt to "help" with a project they were working on.

          Casting one last glance down the darkened corridor Remy left, leaving Rogue to her training.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know a short chapter. I'm sorry about that but that's the way things go. I believe I can offer some consolation about the length of this chapter however.

Next chapter: enter the Phantom!!