Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.

Thanks to Sweety8587, fudje, TheRealMai, ishandahalf, Chica De Los Ojos Café, Whothehelltookmyscreennam, Green Bird 2071, enchantedlight, Episodic and Rynn Abhorsen for reviewing the last chapter!

Questions/Comments:

Fudje: ha ha. Yeah…..I did mean addition not edition. Sometimes I don't proof read too well. Thanks!

TheRealMai: Thanks for the advice on the rating. I'm not too worried about it right now, since there's hardly any cussing, violence or sex. But if it gets more heated I will definitely take your suggestion!

Whothehelltookmyscreennam: Rogue isn't fully invulnerable, but she is pretty damn close. I am fairly sure that she can withstand incredibly cold temperatures and not be affected, as she has the ability to survive in space for some time. She can withstand bullets, poisons, and actually, I'm not too sure what would kill her. I know she can get hurt, but writing 'almost invulnerable' every time would just hinder the flow. Ha, if I have a flow. Thanks for reviewing and informing though!

Happy Holidays…

…………………………………………

Rogue awoke to find Remy standing at the kitchen counter, his eyes roaming a piece of paper below him. He had changed his outfit, still wearing a uniform, but this one had lines of red cascading down the side. Black stripes of fabric wrapped around his head, covering the sides of his face. His hair was tousled out at the top.

She swallowed, remembering the night before and took a step forward. That was when she noticed Scott sitting on a chair in the living room, his visor making it impossible to discern the direction he was looking.

Rogue cleared her throat, but didn't take another step forward. Remy looked up, a serious expression back on his face, but he gave way to one smirk. She wanted to think it was just for her.

"Mornin' Rogue."

"Nice outfit Cajun," Rogue stated, pointing a lazy finger in his direction, trying to force a smile.

Remy patted his stomach, but didn't laugh. "Oui. It's old. I have one for you too petit. Figured you could use a change of clothin'." He reached down the counter a ways to a small pile of clothing Rogue hadn't noticed before. He threw it in her direction, and Rogue unfolded the smooth fabric.

It was green, like her eyes, with yellow strips. A brown jacket was folded up with it.

"Guess Ah'll go change then."

She felt like she was speaking to a brick wall, as neither man responded. She kept waiting for Scott to speak up, say something else that would cause the nausea to return. But when no one spoke she stepped into the bathroom down the hall.

It did feel good to strip from her old clothes; she had been wearing them for several days now. As she stepped into the spandex outfit and zipped it up the back, she looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked like she belonged to something. Like a superhero. Like something she was not. Yet-

No. It was only temporary. Grabbing the jacket she shrugged it over her shoulders. It was leather, comfortable. Everything fit just right.

She decided not to think about it much, and unlocking the door she walked back out to the living room area where both man stood waiting now.

"You fit right in with that outfit Rogue," Scott stated, his arms crossed.

"Fit right into what?" Her voice came out bitter.

"Don't listen to him chere. It's just an old thing we found lying around the base. Never belonged to anybody." Remy paused. "But it does look good on ya chere."

"Uh-huh," Rogue nodded, but didn't continue the conversation.

"Well, we better head off to that airfield. I have work to do around here later."

As the three stepped outside and into the car Remy and Rogue had been using, Rogue concentrated on the light sprinkle, hitting the cracked, brown leather of her coat.

"What makes you think dis airfield will be intact when we get dere Scott?" Remy asked, sliding into the front passenger seat, letting Scott take over the driving position.

"Huh?" Scott faltered, securing his seatbelt. "Oh, I checked it out a couple days ago, right after the attacks. Essex needed a plane for something."

Rogue watched Remy's eyes, carefully evaluating Scott. But he said nothing in response, merely sat back in his seat.

The trip felt short, something that surprised Rogue due to the tension that swarmed in the vehicle. The two men didn't even exchange words, past events, an aspect that scared Rogue even more. She wondered just how good of friends they really had been.

When they had reached a large hanger, Scott drove directly inside, and the three stepped out. Scott directed them towards a small white plane, the closest one to the front of the hanger.

Rogue followed slightly behind the two men, hardly listening to Scott as he handed Remy a few maps and gave directions.

Suddenly, right before her, Remy attacked Scott, bending his arm back and shoving him into a nearby wall, his eyes blazing, the papers the two held fluttered to the ground.

"Watch it there Gambit," Scott seethed. "I could shoot you into oblivion right now." A flash of red shone from Scott's visor in warning.

"Oui, you could," Remy said between clenched teeth. "But you would be blown to de same place mon ami." Scott followed Remy's eyes downward, to the pink glowing belt around Scott's waist.

Scott let out a loud laugh, and Remy held his position. Rogue stood guarded behind Remy, nervously clenching her fists.

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy with you Gambit."

Remy shoved Scott harder, his hand holding on tight to Scott's collar, the other straining Scott's arm behind his back.

"You heading us into a trap Cyke?"

"What makes you think that Gambit?" His voice remained calm, steady.

"I found de tracing bug in Rogue's jacket dis morning, when you gave me de uniform. What you need wit' that?"

Scott grimaced as Remy pulled tighter on his arm.

"You know Essex is always looking for someone new."

"Well he ain't getting Rogue!"

"Maybe. But he has you Remy." Scott's voice grew low, and from Rogue's position she couldn't make out his words. "And as long as you are with her, he will have her too."

Remy shoved Scott one more time and released the kinetic charge.

Scott straightened his collar, his expression grim.

"Remy, I don't want him to find you. But you know how he is with orders. I have to obey him." Scott's tone had actually grown soft, his features now appearing human, rather than robotic.

"Is he sending us to Muir Island den?" Remy's eyes narrowed, and he stepped back towards Rogue, grabbing her hand.

"No," Scott stated firmly. "I know someone there. A good friend, someone I would never want to hurt. It is a safe place Gambit."

"You could walk away Summers, same as I did. Come with us."

"And be forever on the run?" Scott shook his head. "No. Besides, I have no where else to go, Essex has been like a father to me and Alex ever since the plane crash."

Remy nodded. "I hope for your sake Scott, dat you're telling de truth."

Scott nodded as well, and bending down he picked up the discarded maps. He lifted one arm forward towards Remy, the maps in hand.

Remy accepted them, but made no move to thank him. The two stared at one another briefly before Scott let his head hang down, eyes on the ground, and then returned to the car.

Rogue could still feel the strength of Remy's hand against hers as he led her up to the plane. Rogue kept her eyes behind her as they ascended the loading ramp, watching Scott drive off.

When they stepped inside, Rogue decided it was more of a mini jet than a plane. But she couldn't get herself to worry about the details of the interior.

"Remy, what just happened?"

Remy climbed into the front drivers seat, flipping on a few switches. After a few moments he paused, and let his hand rub across his eyes. Rogue slipped into the seat at his side.

"De thing is Rogue, I didn't trust Scott for a second either. I just had to make sure."

"Sure o'what sugah?"

Remy sighed, and Rogue watched the hanger door open, slowly letting light leak in.

"The friend he mentioned, de one who is on Muir Island. I'm almost sure dat's de woman he loves. A woman he's mentioned so many times. I don't think he would do anything to harm her."

"Scott loves somebody?"

Remy laughed, and leaned his head to the side.

"Loves a funny thing, huh chere?"

Rogue held his gaze briefly, until he looked away concentrating on the runway now before them.

"You can drive this thing Remy?"

Remy's hand lay on one lever, his eyes focused ahead.

"Oui chere. I've flown it before."

Rogue spent the next few seconds watching Remy, confused and curious by all his actions. She raised a hand to a strand of hair, playing with it absentmindedly until Remy glanced in her direction. And like a giddy high school girl, she blushed and darted her head to the side, afraid to be caught looking at him.

She wasn't sure if she was ready for the complications again just yet. There had been a time, a year, maybe only worth one day, when she had given her life to love.

The question, gnawing at the place before her eyes, reminding her of the past, was; could she do it again?

…………………………………………….

The Pacific Ocean was spread below them, vast and overwhelming. Rogue lay half asleep, her eyes gazing down below. Remy was humming a quiet tune at her side, one that calmed her, urged her towards sleep.

In her tired state, she could imagine a trip like this, taken in a nice little black convertible, roaring down the highway. When she felt a hand reach out and clasp hers, she remembered that day, and like clock work she was back.

Back to that terrible place. It wasn't even real anymore. She wanted to reach inside her brain and shred it up. She only seemed to remember the worst of things. And this day had been hell.

But at the moment it was pleasant, and his hand felt warm and comforting against hers, made more so by the fact that she could actually touch now.

She would make it back to her apartment and realize her book bag had been forgotten and jumping into her own beat up Toyota, she would head back to his place. Only there would everything end. And begin. And-

Her eyes blinked. The hand squeezing hers was someone else. The ocean was still below them. Remy had pulled her away from another awful reminder.

"Remy?"

"Oui chere?"

"When that accident happened," Rogue swallowed, choosing her words carefully, the spit caught in her throat as she thought. "How did you deal with the murder?"

His posture stayed the same. His hand didn't grip the controls harder. His muscles didn't stiffen. But his eyes froze, blinked, analyzed, finally collapsing as his mouth parted open, a sigh escaping his lips.

"I didn't deal with it." Silence. His hand moved, running through his hair. "I never got over it. I did a lot o'bad things, made a lot of awful mistakes, just trying to forget about it. I wanted to do things that would effect my heart more, take away the pain of murdering my own family."

"Remy?"

She watched him nod in response, as if he were afraid to say another word.

"Ah killed someone once too." Rogue licked her lips. "On accident."

Remy turned to face her. It didn't look like he was breathing.

"Ah absorbed her. Completely."

"What do you mean chere?" Every word was formed slowly, one by one.

"Ah mean she's inside me. Ah have her memories, her feelings." Her heart skipped a beat, her breathing stopped. "Her powers."

"Your super strength, invulnerability-

"Flying, all o'it. She went into a coma, and never woke up."

"When did that happen?"

"When Ah was in college. Ah left for New York right after. Tried to fix everything, the voices, the numbing loss of my own feelings, everything by myself."

"You didn't finish your degree den?"

Rogue nodded side to side. She could see the memory playing over again across her inner vision. But these images showed the truth, the things and details she wasn't telling Remy. Things she couldn't say just yet.

"In a city it's just so easy to blend in. To be forgotten."

She could feel his eyes burning into her side.

"I'm sorry Rogue."

"Don't be. You were right. Ah have more o'a past than Ah may o'originally made it seem."

When Remy didn't respond, Rogue continued. She wasn't sure if it was the calm hum of the jet's engine, or the water below. Maybe she was just tired. But she wanted Remy to understand. She wanted him to absorb her, just to have someone understand her for once.

"Sometimes ya just fight all these battles, most o'them petty, and you wonder why. Ah never wanted to fight Remy. Everyone thought Ah was this strong, capable woman. But my power isolated me. Ah just wanted to be alone."

"Well, you may get your wish Rogue. Dis world's about to get a hell o'a lot more lonely. You might just find yourself fighting to be around someone instead."

Rogue looked to Remy, watching his lips form the words, and thinking maybe, just maybe he was right. Looking back out the window she watched land shoot below them, flashing by in greens and browns.

"Have you ever been to Europe chere?"

"No, never."

Remy smiled.

……………………………………………………………….

They landed on a runway Scott had directed them to. In the distance they could see a large white complex, and as they approached it further, a large hanger door began to open, allowing their jet access.

A woman with long, flowing, purple hair stood at the edge of their platform, a foot away from where their jet finally stopped. She didn't flinch or move; she didn't even blink.

Turning off the engine, Remy and Rogue glanced quickly at one another and stepped out of their seats, off and on to the platform outside.

The woman stood straight in a full dark violet body suit, and as Rogue glanced at herself and Remy, she figured they would fit right in with their spandex.

The woman shot one hand out with amazing speed and grace. "Scott informed me you would be arriving soon. My name's Psylocke."

Remy extended one hand, shaking hers. "So you be de femme Scott turned soft for. Can't say I blame him."

The woman rolled her eyes and ripped her hand away. "He also informed me of your style Mr. LeBeau."

Remy put a hand to his heart. "You know my name chere. Now what about yours?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders, removing her perfect posture for one brief second. "I'm Betsy. Betsy Braddock. "

"And-

"I already know your names. I'm not much for introductions, so why don't I show you to your rooms?"

Rogue nodded, and the two followed her inside. Rogue tried to ignore Remy's harmless flirting with the woman, but it was hard considering Betsy's beauty. Biting her lip and hugging her arms tight, she began to roam through hazardous waters, her mind, her voices reminding her of the danger of being close.

"So, want to tell us a bit about dis place Betsy? Why are we being welcomed so openly?"

"This is a mutant haven Mr. LeBeau. There are several developing teams on the island, working and plotting a way to stop Apocalypse."

"Wouldn't this be a prime target for Apocalypse to attack then?" Remy questioned.

"It would be, if Apocalypse knew our location. This entire island is blocked from any psychic interference, and every person who comes here is interviewed and mind scanned."

"We haven't been yet."

Psylocke looked back at the two, a small smile on her lips.

"I trust Scott's judgment." She turned forwards again. "And besides, I've already done a mind scan on you."

"You're a telepath then?" Rogue asked.

"Isn't that fairly obvious dear?" Betsy turned then, one hand extended as she led them into a rather large bedroom.

"So who gets dis room?"

"You both do." Rogue and Remy turned to face her immediately.

"This facility has become crowded over the last few days. We don't have much room. You two are lucky you're even in this section of the base."

"Why's that?" Rogue's eyes narrowed, hands on her hips.

"You two rank in at least the Alpha class level."

"What the blazes does that mean?"

"It means chere, dat we're important."

Betsy's eyes darkened. "And potentially powerful."

Rogue sunk down onto the bed. "Great. Scott really picked a good place Remy."

Betsy cleared her throat. "I'm leaving you two here, but another woman, Ororo, will be up here shortly to show you around."

Betsy melted into the shadows by the door, and disappeared quietly.

Rogue stretched out on the bed, her limbs tired and aching, her mind racing. Remy climbed up next to her, lying on his side.

"Belladonna wasn't a mutant?"

Remy gave Rogue a confused look, but her hand rested against her eyes, blocking his reaction.

"Non, I was de only mutant in either o'de clans."

"So you won't be seeing her here then."

Remy rested his head down on one of the pillows. Rogue felt his arms snake under her lower back, and then she was being pulled towards him, her legs curling over his, her arm outstretched across his stomach. His hand began to roam through her hair.

"Maybe it won't be so bad here chere."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"I want to help you forget Rogue."

Rogue lifted her chin, eyes watching him from the awkward angle.

"You do?"

Remy pressed into her back, and underneath her chin, cajoling her closer. His mouth lowered, and he kissed her gently.

"Yes."

Rogue lay the side of her face against his neck.

"Even without knowing everything?"

"Especially because I don't chere."

Rogue smiled and gently squeezed Remy closer. She no longer wanted the dreams. She knew now that she had to fight.

It no longer suited her to sit still and alone.