Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.

Thanks to allie, Antonia, fudgebrowne, Chica De Los Ojos Café, ishandahalf, Tammy, SweetRevenge151, giggleboxsam and TheRealMai for reviewing the last chapter.

I will be introducing more X-Men characters into this chapter, but just keep in mind, this is a world where the X-Men do not exist, so their personalities may be different than you would expect. The Acolytes and the Brotherhood do not exist either. But all the characters within those teams do, so you may see them intermixed into the story.

………………………………..

Rogue awoke to the smell of coffee and stretching she opened her eyes expecting bright light from the large windows to greet her. But it was still dark. Remy sat at the window, wind blowing through a partial crack, whisking his hair dramatically across his face.

"What time is it?"

Remy turned around and standing up, he shut the window.

"12:30."

"At night?"

"No, in de morning. I don't think we'll be seeing much sun anytime soon."

Rogue reached over and pulled her pants back on. Standing up she walked over to the small table by the window. Two cups of steaming coffee sat in Styrofoam cups, a bag of bagels by their side.

"Where'd ya get the food?"

Remy took a seat next to her. "De people who own de coffee shop next door live above it. I talked to dem a little while dis morning."

Rogue took a sip of her coffee. "And what'd they have ta say?"

"Well, de man in charge of all o'dis," Remy gestured around him with one swift motion, "goes by Apocalypse. Apparently he's an ancient mutant, hundreds of years old. He was a myth to the world until yesterday."

"Has the whole world been attacked?"

"Apparently so. He has what he calls four horsemen to do his bidding and an entire cloned army."

"How'd the people next door know all o'this?"

"A news channel in Canada is still running, as well as various other worldwide news sources. He hasn't stopped the entire world from functioning just yet. But he has taken out a lot of major cities."

"Yeah, the bad guys always go for those."

Remy laughed, even though the situation wasn't really funny. Rogue smiled in reply, but then sobered a little. "So, does this Apocalypse have a goal?"

"World domination chere. What else?" Remy sat back, taking another sip of his coffee. "We still have a few days before we reach my destination."

"Where is your destination?" Rogue reached for a bagel.

"Washington."

"D.C.?"

"No, Washington the state. Hope you don't mind de long drive."

"Naw. This is the most excitement Ah've ever had in mah life."

Remy smiled. "Oh come on chere, wit' mutant powers you must have had some good times."

Remy could tell he had said the wrong thing the instant his words had been spoken. Rogue went deathly pale and she set her bagel back down. Her mouth tried desperately to avoid a frown, her lips quivering slightly.

But she didn't break down, cry or scream. She sat up, composed and took another sip of her coffee. "So, do we have a nice shower in this place?"

Remy nodded, politely agreeing to avoid the conversation. "You bet chere."

Rogue stood up and began heading for the bathroom.

"We should probably leave after your shower Rogue."

Rogue nodded and closed the door, blocking Remy's view.

………………

Back on the Harley Rogue began to wonder if maybe they should find a car to use instead. Her arms were tired of gripping Remy so hard and she imagined her super strength was hurting him a little. But he didn't know she had super strength.

When Remy pulled over for gas Rogue decided she should ask.

"Remy, are ya sure ya don't want to find a car or something?"

Remy placed the gas pump handle back in place. "Getting tired o'de bike chere?"

"A little."

Remy looked ahead, to the city in the distance. They had known they were coming upon it soon. It was still burning, making it easy to see, even in the smog.

"Probably wouldn't be a good idea t'look for a car in Chicago, non?" Remy swept his glance to his side, grinning a little towards Rogue. But she wasn't smiling. In fact she looked rather disturbed.

"Meh college roommate was from Chicago. Ah hope she didn't go home for the holidays."

Remy cleared his throat and climbed back onto the Harley. "It was only three days before Christmas chere. I don't mean t'be pessimistic, but chances are good she was there."

Rogue climbed on behind him, arms tightening around his waist.

"She was Jewish."

Remy looked behind him slightly, but couldn't think of anything to say. He decided to leave the moment as it was.

"So, you want t'go to de city chere?"

"Well, Apocalypse already attacked it once, Ah doubt he'll be back so soon."

Remy smiled and started the engine.

"Den Chicago it is."

……………………

It was hard to avoid sight of dead bodies here. They lay in the streets, stuck in their cars, as well as countless caught in building debris. They didn't expect to find many survivors here, and frankly, all Remy wanted to do now was find a working car and get out.

By the increase of Rogue's strength on his stomach he imagined she felt the same.

"Whoa dere Rogue. Loosen your grip, it's like ya got super strength or somethin'."

Rogue winced at his words and nearly removed her hands altogether. A few seconds later Remy pulled over.

They both stepped off and Remy headed for a small BMW that looked in good condition. Well, it hadn't exploded yet anyway.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, both Rogue and Remy were tackled to the ground, pushed several feet away from the car. A pink globe surrounded them and their attackers as the car before them blew up.

Rogue and Remy had only a second to take in their now obvious protectors as a few robotic looking men in armor appeared, weapons in hand.

Rogue was so dumbfounded by the girl that had rescued her that she received a shot to the stomach, sending her back a few more feet. She heard both Remy and the girl who saved her yell her name, but only Remy moved back to her position. From there they watched the red headed woman who had saved Remy deflect the blows of the soldiers, removing their weapons with a telekinetic power. The other woman simply phased through the soldiers bullets.

Remy stepped forward then, picking a glass shard up and charging it. He felt Rogue following close behind him. Remy hurtled the sharp piece of glass towards one guard, watching it sink into his stomach and then explode.

For a brief moment the red head turned around and examined Remy. Tired of the battle Rogue moved to the front of the crowd. Charging the remaining two soldiers, she picked them both up by the shoulders and lifted off into the sky. When she had reached a good height she threw them both hard in opposite directions. She doubted anything human would survive the trip down. But she was fairly certain they were machine.

When she landed back down, she noticed Remy giving her a strange look, but she didn't have time to deal with that as she felt a body flung to her side, hugging her.

"Rogue! Oh my god! What are you doing here?"

Rogue peeled the girl's fingers away and took a step back.

"Look, we better find a safe place to hide before we continue with the reunion here." The red head said, a bit of a glare edging off her persona.

Rogue placed her hands on her hips and glanced over in Remy's direction.

"Fine."

…………………..

Rogue sunk into the deeply cushioned loveseat, letting out a loud exhale as she did so. Remy took a seat beside her, still not having said a word since the battle.

The other women took seats opposite them, the red head already set on playing with her nails, every few seconds darting her head to the side to look out the window, as if ever waiting another attack.

"So," the younger girl began, "This is Jean Grey," she pointed to her right at the red head. "She's a friend of the family. She was spending Christmas with us this year, since she goes, I mean went to school here in Chicago."

Rogue and Remy nodded in her direction. Rogue felt an overwhelming sense take over her as she sat in the room, exchanging information as if it were a normal day.

"Um, this is Remy LeBeau. We met trying to escape New York." She decided to leave out the part about finding each other in their last moments on top of a building. "And Remy, this is my old roommate Kitty Pryde."

Once again Remy nodded, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting up. He noticed Kitty wrinkle her nose.

"That's a habit you will have to get over quick," Jean stated, legs crossed in front of her as she watched him inhale.

Remy blew the smoke out in her direction, already feeling a dislike for the woman. "I'm resourceful chere."

"So, um," Kitty interrupted, "Jean and I are waiting here in Chicago for a meeting. We heard about a group of mutants hosting some meeting in an effort to stop Apocalypse."

Rogue shifted in her seat. Remy snorted and let his arm fall against the couches arm, dangling the cigarette over the edge.

"You guys should stay here and come to the meeting," Kitty continued.

Remy stood up then. "No thanks petit, we got places t'be."

"Don't bother Kitty, he's not interested in helping."

Remy turned to Jean, removing the sunglasses he had been wearing since he'd meet the women. It was a defense mechanism, one he couldn't seem to shake even now that the world was ending.

He could see Jean flinch a little upon seeing his true eyes. "Y'really think a few mutants are gonna stop dis mutant and his army?"

Jean straightened, her green eyes narrowing. "I think it's possible."

Remy could see by the look in her eyes that she was serious.

(And I think mutants as powerful as you and your friend could be, should reconsider attending the meeting).

Remy stood his ground, despite the voice inside his head. His mouth curved into a slight grin, but it wasn't one of amusement.

"You a telepath chere?"

The woman smiled, sitting back in her chair.

"Yes. But what exactly are you Mr. LeBeau?"

Immediately Remy rose to the defense, unsure of just how far she had gone, how much she had seen in his mind. He spun around and began to walk away.

"I don't know what dat implied Ms. Grey, but I don't need any part o'it," Remy hissed, stopping only to look back at Rogue. But she wasn't standing up and joining his side. He stayed longer than he should have, staring at her large green eyes, waiting for her to get up. But she never did. And so he pushed open the front door and left.

"Jeez Rogue, you always knew how to pick them."

Rogue stared at Kitty, suddenly feeling out of place. She listened vaguely as Jean made some snide comment and Kitty laughed. She heard them change the subject and talk about the meeting that evening. She felt herself stand up and move towards the door.

Kitty yelled at her, asking her what she was doing. Rogue waved back in response, shrugging her shoulders.

"What are you doing Anna?" Rogue hated it when people used her real name.

"Ah'm leaving Katherine."

And she did just that, she left. She had known Kitty for a long time, and they had seen each other through quite a lot. And yet, she felt more comfortable around Remy.

What was she doing?

……………………..

She found him sitting on the hood of a small Honda. He was smoking another cigarette and looking off in the distance. She took a seat beside him.

"What're you doing here Rogue?"

She was a little taken aback by the question. "Ah thought we were going ta Washington."

Remy slid off the hood, crushing his cigarette under one boot. "Alright chere. But you didn't seem so sure before. Wouldn't you rather be wit' your friends?"

Rogue stood up and began to move to the passenger side door. "Ah," Rogue struggled with the right words. "It didn't feel right ta stay with them."

Remy nodded and got in the drivers seat. Maybe that was what she enjoyed about him: his lack of questions. He never delved into her past, and for that she was grateful. But it made her wonder if he had a past he equally wished to hide.

Either way, she was happy when a few seconds later they were back on the road, the air feeling empty again. Rogue curled up in her seat, arm propped up against the window. She stayed that way for a few miles, just staring out the window, never sharing a word with Remy. He had turned the radio on to a soft setting.

"So, what were ya studying in college chere?"

Rogue felt herself stiffen slightly. But with such a long distance to go before they reached their destination it didn't seem she could hide from her history forever.

"Anthropology."

Remy looked sideways for a second. "Studying bout' de past den Rogue?"

Rogue began to feel a strange vibe from Remy, as if she would never really be able to hide anything from the man, as if he were on the same frequency as her.

'You ain't a telepath too, are ya Remy?"

Remy laughed a little. "Non. I just got kinetic capabilities and damn fine agility."

Rogue took the moment to examine him from the side. Her eyes continually drawn back to his red orbs. "And what about your eyes?"

"They're just red and black chere. Kinda just there for decoration."

"Oh." Half of her wondered if he was telling the truth.

"And what about you Rogue, got anymore powers I should know about?"

"Whaddya mean?"

Remy rolled his eyes. "Come on chere. You told me you could absorb people, fly and were invulnerable. Didn't know you had super strength too."

"Oh, that. Yeah, Ah don't like to talk about my powers much. Ah'd rather forget about them."

"You got a strange combination o'them too. I mean they don't really connect wit' each other. And you got so many. It almost don't seem fair."

"Uh-huh."

Remy continued, smiling now. "I mean look at your friend Kitty. All she can do is phase through things. That's just one power."

"Are ya saying Ah should feel lucky?"

Remy shrugged. "Feel whatever you want to Rogue."

Whenever he used her name, rather than chere, she felt a strange shudder roll up her arm like goosebumps. She felt she had done something to offend him, like a mother might use their child's full name when reprimanding them.

She decided to change the subject. She knew nothing about Remy.

"Did ya ever go to college Remy?"

"Non. My father kept me too busy doing his dirty work."

"What does that mean?"

"It means chere, dat I was brought up a thief in a house of thieves, and getting' a proper education meant nothin'. De only thing dat mattered was being a good thief."

"Were you a good thief?"

She noticed Remy's hand grip the steering wheel tighter.

"I was alright." His words came out strained, and once again she felt as if he were lying.

"Were you doing a mission for your father then? In New York Ah mean."

Remy turned his head to the side. "Nice ta see you talking so freely now petit. Seems you ain't afraid to speak when we ain't talking bout' your past."

His words weren't cold or sharp. It was merely an observation, so Rogue merely glared in response, waiting for him to answer her question.

He gave a loud sigh and returned his vision to the road.

"Non. I wasn't doing a job for my father. I left my family five years ago."

"Oh." Rogue said it with a tone of understanding, but Remy must have taken it for sympathy.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. He ain't even my real father. I was adopted."

"Oh." She said it again, like it was the only word in her vocabulary.

"So, uh, who are we meetin' in Washington?"

"Just a friend o'mine. Haven't seen him in awhile, but he would be a man to survive all o'dis shit. His name's Scott. He's a rigid bastard, takes some getting used to, but he's tough and he'll have an idea of what to do and where to go."

"How can y'be so sure we'll find him?"

"Cause chere, I know exactly where he'll go in a situation like dis."

"Is it a safe place?"

"For him maybe. But not for us chere."

Rogue sunk into her chair, suddenly feeling uneasy. Maybe she should have stayed with Kitty and Jean. But she wasn't much of a superhero. She couldn't even fight her own battles.

After Rogue had not said anything for awhile, Remy continued.

"It's just, de people Scott hangs around ain't healthy."

"Ya mean they're ill?" Rogue asked quietly.

"No, I mean dere bad people chere. People you don't wanna get involved with." She watched Remy's jaw tighten. "Believe me I know." He said it so quietly, as if he were hoping Rogue wouldn't hear it. Out of respect for his lack of interrogation, Rogue kept her mouth shut to the topic.

"I'm getting hungry sugah."

There was a long pause as she watched Remy take the next exit, answering her question with an action, rather than words.

"Rogue, have you ever been involved wit' anyone?"

The question caused Rogue to suck in a breath.

"What do ya mean?" Her voice sounded cold, removed. She hadn't meant it to.

"I mean, have you ever been in a really serious relationship?"

"You're getting personal Cajun."

"Well, I have chere. And what I don't understand, is how, in just two days since I've known ya, I've felt more comfortable wit' you than I ever did with Bella."

"Yes, Ah've noticed. You ain't even afraid to ask meh personal questions."

"What do ya have to hide from anymore, huh chere? Your past can't hunt you down now. Your past is probably dead."

Rogue froze in her seat. His words hit her heart right in the center, cutting her breath short. She felt herself stammer, her words caught, nearly choking her.

"Is Bella a loved one? Someone you're gonna try ta look for?"

Was she concerned he would say yes. She was holding her breath, but a part of her, a part that had always existed, was already telling herself that yes, he loved this Bella, that she was his soul mate. That any connection or subtle flirting that she may have shared with Remy thus far, was merely out of loneliness.

"I'm not sure I ever loved Bella."

There it was.

"It was sort of a forced relationship."

Rogue began breathing again.

"How'd it get serious if it was forced then?"

"Well, I cared about her chere, I just-

Remy paused then and slowing down he pointed out the window.

"Dere are people in dat restaurant over dere. Wanna go check it out?"

Rogue nodded vaguely, looking in the direction of Remy's finger. She watched him pull over and put the car in neutral. She heard the click of the emergency brake and Remy's car door open.

She didn't know why, but she didn't want to go into the restaurant. She didn't want to see those people. Selfishly, she wanted to be alone. Once again, she wanted to be alone.

Rogue touched the skin of her fingertips as she climbed out of the car. The feel of her skin made her think perhaps she was meant to have the need to be alone forever.

Isolated. Un-touching.

Pulling her gloves on tightly, hating her skin and what it made her feel, she followed Remy up the steps.

………………………….