Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.

Thanks to SweetRevenge151, Ms. Rogue LeBeau, ali-cat333, Chica De Los Ojos Café, ishandahalf, Totally Obsessed47, enchantedlight, Episodic, fudje, allie, TheRealMai and Ciara for reviewing the last chapter; I really appreciated them and the new readers now reviewing. Thanks for waiting for my next update.

Quick questions/comments:

Chica De Los Ojos Café: What I meant by that last sentence was that, they connected perfectly at night, but they were asleep and therefore couldn't see it. But they don't need to see it yet; their relationship is still young and new. It's sorta cheesy, ha.

Ishandahalf: Just as a side note, I was up in your home land of Canada this past week, and I must say, sitting on the double decker bus and listening to everyone behind me say 'Eh' in every sentence was wonderful. I didn't realize just how true a saying it was. I wish I had an interesting accent…

Episodic: Thanks for the beautiful review, but, fanfiction is the only writing I do. In everyday life I'm just a fine arts major.

…………………

"I promise."

Rogue jumped up immediately, hitting her head hard against the car hood, denting it slightly.

"Shit!"

She felt Remy stir beside her, his arm touching her thigh, grazing accidentally.

"Y'ok chere?"

In the midst of rubbing her head, that wasn't even sore due to her invulnerability, and trying to concentrate on Remy's words, she realized just how close the two were laying.

But she had instigated it. Still, it scared her. Scooting back and lifting herself onto the passenger seat in the front, Rogue felt herself begin to breath again.

"Yeah, Ah'm fine."

"You got up pretty quick, y'sure?" Remy pulled himself up and out of the cramped trunk, joining her side in his driver's seat.

Rogue hugged her knees to her chest, feeling very uncomfortable in her clothes. She wanted to change, or just sit there in her underwear. If only she were alone.

"Ah'm just ready to leave." Rogue glanced over to the fogged up windows, raising a finger to the glass. Slowly she began to trace patterns, the tips of her fingers becoming wet. "It's cold in here."

"Well, it's up to you chere." Remy leaned back, stretching and yawning, one hand grasping the steering wheel. "You're de one who has to fly us both."

Rogue nodded vaguely, the back of her head facing Remy as she played with the condensation. She tried focusing in on the tiny droplets rolling down the window wherever her finger struck. She swallowed slowly. She couldn't fall back asleep or ignore the fact that she wasn't alone now. She would just have to pretend.

She opened her door, a chilly breeze greeting her. She wouldn't feel it as much as Remy would. Turning, she watched him step out as well.

"Ya might want to wear somethin' around your face and neck while we fly sugah. It's cold out."

He nodded as he shrugged his trench coat on. Pulling a red handkerchief from his pocket he wrapped it around his face. "Dis is all I got."

"That'll work. Ah'm sure we'll find a place soon enough." Rogue stared forward, blinking, but not moving. Finally she realized she would need to walk over to his side of the car to pick him up. They both began walking towards the front of the car at the same time.

"Ready sugah?"

"Always am chere."

…………………………………………………………

They flew about thirty miles in complete silence before they came upon a town. Rogue caught sight of blinking red lights spelling out the word motel through the fog. She wouldn't have minded flying further, as the silence almost made her feel still. But she landed down on the roof, letting Remy shake out his muscles.

"Ya sure are a quiet passenger."

Remy chuckled, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it.

"Where'd ya learn to stay so silent? Ya didn't even stir once."

"I'm a thief, remember?"

Rogue put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, Ah remember. But Ah also remember ya saying ya weren't the best thief."

She only had a side profile of Remy, but she could see his lip curl up slightly, smirking. He blew smoke out, and it spiraled up around him, blocking his expression for one solid moment. And then the smirk was gone.

"So, you landed us on a motel chere. Shouldn't you have landed us on a car lot?"

"Ah need a shower sugah. Maybe even a long hot bath. Think you can handle that?"

Remy stubbed his cigarette out on the cement guardrail. "Sure. I could use de same."

"Remy, ya ain't tricking me, are you?"

She could see him tense up at the question. One eyebrow raised at her sudden curiosity.

"Whats dat mean Rogue?"

Rogue took a few steps forward towards the railing.

"It means Remy, that Ah've been pretty trusting so far. And if Apocalypse is rounding up mutants, how do Ah know you ain't a recruiter?"

Remy laughed, a sudden breeze waltzing through his hair.

He turned, looking her straight in the eye.

"I promise. I ain't a recruiter."

Rogue's eyes went wide at his first sentence, watching as he raised one hand up as if to pledge.

"Don't say that."

Remy's forehead scruched up. "Don't say what?"

"Promises mean nothing Remy. Not to me."

Remy tapped the railing. "Oh I see chere. You have been hurt."

"Ah didn't say that-

Remy stepped closer. "You didn't have to chere."

"Let's go find a room."

Remy twitched an eyebrow again, smirking.

Rogue punched his arm and spun around. She felt him grab her wrist surprisingly hard.

"Dere's no point in carrying it around with you now Rogue. Whatever it is."

Rogue paused, her body tense with anger, while a second shiver caused her to go weak, wishing she could collapse right there. Of course there was no point. There never was. She let her hair whip her cheeks harshly for a few seconds more before she continued forward.

"Alright chere, we'll play it your way for now. But let me just tell you a story. Maybe it will make you feel better."

Rogue walked to another ledge, her eyes darting down to the windows below. She marked a few that had no lights on. She felt her eyes swell up with water, and she wondered if it was the weather or his words. Quickly she darted her hand up and brushed away the threatening tears, her finger carrying one lone eyelash down with her. Remy stepped up beside her then.

"When I was 18, I got married."

His first sentence caused a sideways glance from Rogue, and that was his first cue.

"It was an arranged marriage, to Belladonna, de girl I mentioned before. To make a long story short chere, Bella was in love wit' someone else." Remy rested his elbows on the railing. "So, she hired her brother Julien to kill me."

Remy paused, lighting up another cigarette. Rogue was still staring forward, her eyes darting back to him in awkward glances, as if trying to keep them hidden.

"De service ended, and all de guests were piling out o'de church to their cars. Bella and I were heading for de limo, our fake smiles of happiness in place. Julien jumped forward den, sword in hand, and like de coward his was, dived forward."

Rogue swallowed, opting not to say anything, letting the smoke clouds billow past her through the wind.

"He grazed my side, shedding blood, but now much. I'm pretty fast. But I didn't want to kill him. I was marrying into his family to stop the feud between my clan and his. Anyway, I battled him for a few minutes with my hands, my anger steadily growing."

Remy scooted closer, hoping to see some sort of response from Rogue. "I don't know how well you understand your powers Rogue, but I never had anyone around to teach me bout' mine. And so, when my anger reached it's peak, and my hands were pink wit' de rage, I bent down and picked up a few stones from the ground. I didn't even notice that it wasn't them I was charging. I let my power go, like I would normally and threw de stones."

Remy cleared his throat, and Rogue tensed, holding her breath.

"What I had really charged were a few cars around me, and de sword in Julien's hand. Dey blew up at de same time, a series of explosions just ringing around me. One o'de cars behind Julien exploded a large amount of metal in his direction, pretty much mutilating him."

"Sounds like he deserved it." Rogue whispered.

"And I would have felt de same way too, if he had been de only one I had killed."

Finally, Rogue turned to Remy, looking at his eyes, just as sad as hers, and perhaps he had all the reasons she wished to have.

"One of de families had already gotten into their car, and it just happened to be one of de cars I exploded. Not only did I kill Julien, but I killed three of my own relatives. And one chere, was only five years old."

Rogue opened her mouth, because she had been taught that this was where you speak your words of comfort, or apologize. But she hadn't caused anything. Nothing could come out.

Remy left her gaze, turning back to his cigarette. He laughed.

"Dat's when I started smokin' dese." Weakly he lifted his hand up, but when he dropped it, he let the cigarette drop as well, falling down the nine stories.

"Did you go to jail?"

Those were her words of comfort.

"No, I was banished from home. I spent de next month in a dirty hotel in Georgia, lying in bed, smoking. Not my proudest moment."

Rogue pursed her lips.

"Why'd you tell me then?"

"So you would understand Rogue."

"What, that other people have it worse than Ah do? That Ah'm spoiled?"

Remy laughed, but it was hoarse, almost angry. He raised his head, his red eyes bleeding into hers with a fierceness that scared her.

"Dat others can understand and see sadness and confusion de same way as you Rogue. It doesn't matter what you go through in life."

It took all her strength not to cry, but she felt her chest heave and shudder. She lowered her eyes, trying to concentrate on the building below them.

"My power made everything much more complicated Remy."
"Which power?"

Rogue began to hover above the ground, her eyes lifting up quickly, not sure why she should answer.

"The only power Ah was born with Remy. Meh power to absorb life."

She was fairly certain that he may have understood her position then. His eyes calmed, but then hardened, as if feeling her predicament. He nodded.

Rogue nodded too, stumbling behind him and lifting him up. She flew the few feet below into the first darkened window.

The rooms were spacious; large, long curtains billowing out from the windows. Rogue took in the smooth darkness and stood there, thankful for the lack of light. Thankful for the clouds outside.

She didn't hear Remy's footsteps, so when she turned around to face him and didn't see him she jumped. Scanning the room she found him on the bed, sitting on the edge, watching her with his dark eyes.

Rogue hugged her arms tighter to her body, afraid more words would come out of her mouth and he would know her better. She could already feel her lips parting.

"Don't be so afraid chere."

His words were breathless, and everything she needed.

"Ah have a hundred voices Remy. All stolen." Rogue breathed in deeply. "What sadness Ah understand, what anger, or confusion or happiness, might belong to someone else. Ah have no idea what is mine."

Rogue clenched a fist and let it drop to her side. A breath escaped her lips. Maybe it was relief.

"Ah'm going to take a shower."

Remy nodded.

Rogue headed to the other side of the room, peering in through a series of doors. She walked in and closed one gently. As her door creaked shut, Remy fell back on the bed, arms stretched out, eyes wide open.

He could feel a nagging feeling in his chest, one that continually reminded him of a place that made more sense. One that Rogue could smile in.

………………………………………………

Rogue stepped out of the bath, reaching for a white towel. Without even drying herself, she wrapped the towel around her and stood in the center of the bathroom, water dripping into a small puddle on the floor.

She was looking through the mirror, shaded by steam, her hair drawn up. Taking a deep breath she sat down on the toilet seat, pulling her legs up to her chest, the large towel enveloping her like a blanket.

A light knock interrupted her moment. She reached one delicate hand over and turned the lock, letting the door pop open.

Remy walked in, but made no comment of her near naked form. Instead he sat at the edge of the tub, and reaching in, he pulled the plug. A humming, sucking sound began as the water and bubbles began to drain.

"Leave any hot water for me chere?"

Rogue nodded, jutting her chin on her arms, her eyes distant.

"You look good wit' your hair pulled back like dat." Remy gestured with one hand to her hair.

Rogue nodded again. "How old are ya Remy?"

"I'm 26."

"Oh. You're older than Ah thought."

"I age gracefully."

"But you said you left your family five years ago. That would put you at 21. But you were kicked out at 18."

Remy scratched the side of his chin, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Very observant chere. Mon pere, de loving man dat he was, needed me back for a couple heists. I agreed to come back home, but it didn't last long."

"Oh."

"See chere, it's easy to talk about your past."

"Somehow Ah doubt you're telling me the worst parts."

Remy's eyes darkened and he crossed his arms.

"But at least I'm telling you somethin'." Remy stood up, heading for the door. "I'll let you get dressed chere."

After he had left Rogue slowly rose, twisting the rubber band from her hair. She stared at her reflection once more, an amused expression on her face. Was this man more than he said he was? Words left her mouth without her permission. She was normally more guarded than this.

And then she laughed. It sounded so foreign. She watched her mouth curve up into the smile. She pulled the towel closer to her body, nearly confused by what she was feeling.

But more importantly, she felt certain this was her own. It belonged to no other voice. So she laughed again, because it was hers and she could, and it was right.

And on the other side of the door as Remy had exited, he leaned back against the wood door, his eyes closed, exhaling a breath.

And he heard her laugh and suddenly he felt a strange sensation rise into his chest. Relief. For her. It choked Remy, sitting right heavy against his chest. He blinked, hearing her laugh again.

It was beautiful. Remy smiled. He wanted nothing more than to open the door and rush inside, just to laugh with her, by her side. But this was for her. It was hers.

Perhaps his dreams and incessant nagging were wrong.

Maybe Rogue could laugh just fine in this life.