Authors Note: and so back I go to the miserable land of self-deprecation. Downhill from here…Enjoy you're shout outs though, sorry some of them are real quick, I'm a little short on time today….

Xmengirlzrule, Miss Ginny, Chica De Los Ojos Café: thanks so much for reviewing, it was really ace to hear from you all! Here, have a cookie…

Ishandahalf: So long as you haven't forgotten about your story I'm happy, I'm looking forward to that! I think you can actually buy bread specifically for the toaster, which is a bit smaller and called "toast bread". Does that help? Also, guess what! I'm coming to Canada! Yep, I will be in Toronto over Easter, I'm looking forward to it tons already, I've never been to Canada before!

Freak87: I think in the long run, more people (including myself) are going to end up being disappointed with this than anything else so don't worry about it. I've also put too much psychology into that only I really get; the whole thing takes some serious reading into. If you don't think so now, seriously just wait.

Sweety8587: glad to hear it. Don't worry, no southern restaurants. I refuse to write one in until I've actually seen one with my own two eyes, I'm not sure they actually exist y'know; it's all just a myth of the romy fan fiction. I'll let you know if I ever find one though!

Heartsyhawk: gosh, I thought you'd reviewed the wrong thing there for a moment! I think shoes could potentially be quite dangerous too, being fairly large blunt objects…well not the heels but you see where I'm coming from.

Dreamschemer: ok, so long as I haven't totally messed up. Already. Again. Thanks for reviewing though.

Bant: haha, so enthusiastic! I'm glad you liked it, thanks.

GothikStrawberry: happy new year to you too! That's some nice rhyming there…

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Music When The Lights Go Out
Chapter Nine (Something about dinner)

Rogue and Remy had arranged to meet a few days later at a tiny Mediterranean restaurant on the far side of Central Park. Even though Rogue had had her apprehensions about the man when they had first met, she was starting to warm to him-or at least she thought she was…

Tentatively, she pushed open the glass door of the restaurant. Her back smarted a little as she did so. The pain of the wounds had properly taken effect in the last couple of days, now all traces of the drug were out of her system. Any pressure or effort on it pulled and hurt but it was bearable. She had deliberately chosen a dress with a high back tonight to hide the bandages.

Her bright green eyes quickly scanned the tables to check for the familiar face. At last she found him, sitting near a window on the other side of the restaurant, quietly minding his own business and waiting for her to show up, she was a little late, she always was.

Rogue was finding it increasingly hard not to be attracted to the man. It had been easy at first; she had thought he was a self-assured, womanising jerk whom she wanted absolutely nothing to do with at all. Since she had wound up spending the night at his home though, she was beginning to think he really wasn't so bad at all…in fact; he was really quite good looking. Ok scratch that, the swamprat was gorgeous-not that she was ever going to air that particular opinion…

"Evenin' chére," he greeted her suavely, pulling out her chair for her. "Y' look tres belle."

"Thank ya, ya scrub up pretty well yaself." And it was true; he did look very attractive indeed, but then again, when didn't he?

They ordered. Rogue was keen to talk, Remy knew a lot about her but she knew next to nothing about him, he had been very reluctant to share anything the last time they had been out together.

"So what was it ya said ya did again?" she asked politely, feigning ignorance.

He sighed slightly. "Its very borin' chére, not sure y' wanna hear about it."

"Sure Ah do, wah wouldn't Ah?"

"I own a company dat buys an' sells t'ings…fancy t'ings fo' rich people mainly…"

"Really? What kinda fancy things?"

"Anythin' dey want really, had some business man wantin' Faberge Eggs fo' his wife de other day, old ones too, not easy t' get hold of."

"So how did ya do it?"

"Now dat would be tellin' chére, never reveal m' secrets…"

"Ya very secretive ya know that?"

"Hey Remy ain't de one wit'out a proper name."

"Rogue is a proper name!"

"But a strange name fo' a fille as belle as y'."

"Oh shush." She told him swatting him away.

"But it is a strange name. Met people wit' some weird names in my time chére, but y' toppin' de poll at de moment."

"Ah've never really though o' it as strange, mah mom jus' wanted me ta have a name that people would always remember. Ah guess it worked then."

"I could never forget y' chére, whatever y' name was."

Rogue could feel herself starting to blush and she gulped down some more of her wine. It would be easy to bite back a sarcastic retort if he was being stupid and trying to charm her again, but he seemed so genuine and heartfelt now. It really didn't help her situation.

Their dinner was nearly over. But Remy seemed intent on saying something seemingly since they had sat down, it was just a little hard for him to find the right word, he needed the sentiment without coming across as cheesy.

"Chere," he began tentatively, "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry fo' how I acted when we first met, shouldn't of made y' feel like some kinda conquest, it was wrong of me." He took her hand in his, expecting her to flinch away, but she didn't. He ran his thumb over her fingers, savouring the touch.

There was a pause as she looked into his eyes, trying to work out whether or not to take him seriously.

"Apology accepted Remy." He was pleased she didn't dwell on it more than that.

With the meal over, Rogue paid the check and they left the place together, starting the walk back through Central Park. It was a chilly night, not bitter but still unpleasant for Rogue who was wearing a dress with no sleeves. She felt the goosebumps form on her skin and she absentmindedly rubbed at her arms to warm them up. She hadn't even realised he had been watching her. Suddenly she felt his warm coat being placed over her shoulders, sheltering her slightly from the cold wind that was in the air.

"Won't ya be cold?" she asked, after all, he had a shirt underneath

"Not as cold as y' gonna be wit'out it.

"Fine then Ah'll take tha jacket."

They walked along in silence for a while. Rogue watched her feet gently kick up the few crunchy golden leaves that had fallen onto the path, still left from that winter and merrily they skitted away on the breeze, twirling round as they went. She dug her hands into the deep pockets of the jacket, a force of habit, and snuggled into it. It was nice, comforting even, with its warmth enveloping her and its scent of spices and cologne oddly reassuring.

Suddenly her hand came across something unusual in one of the pockets. Although she knew it was none of her business, she just couldn't help herself. She pulled out the mystery item. Cigarettes.

"Ya know these things'll kill ya?" she asked him very pointedly, holding up the packet and frowning.

"Oh so dats where dey went," he said, faintly surprised, "I was just wonderin' what happened t' dem…" She clearly wasn't impressed. He made a lunge for the box but she was too quick and moved them out of his reach fast, he went flying past.

"Oh no, ya ain't gettin' them!" she teased, watching as he picked himself up.

"C'mon chére, be nice."

"Nope, Ah ain't gonna let ya kill yaself."

"Y' cruel chérie…"

"Gotta be cruel ta be kind."

He made another lunge and this time she wasn't ready for him. He grabbed the cigarettes and then began tickling her mercilessly.

"Sorry Roguey, it be payback time!"

She shrieked and laughed, but didn't give up, that wouldn't be like her at all. Instead she tickled him back and gave just as good as she got. Before either of them knew it, it got a little out of hand and they had managed to wrestle each other, still protesting, onto the grass that lay next the path.

Rogue rolled on top of Remy and pinned his arms above his head. She might not have noticed the position they were in, but he certainly did. Her body was pressed right into his, her face mere inches apart from his own. She was smiling, her breathing a little heavy from their battle and her cheeks had been made pink by the chill in the air that night, her green eyes sparkling with excitement and her hair fell down in loose curls around them like a curtain. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in all his life; he didn't think he ever would.

He was about to reach up to kiss her, to do the one thing that he had been aching to do since he had first laid eyes on her, when large drops of rain started to hit them both. Rogue turned away to look up at the sky, just avoiding his kiss, of which she was completely unaware. Remy silently cursed the rain, the sky and everything else he could think of.

She released his arms and moved off of him, picking herself up from the ground. The rain was only getting worse and she had a long walk back home.

"Ah think Ah'm gonna get a cab," she told him, aware that her white bangs were now becoming plastered to her face. "Thanks for a nice evenin'."

"De pleasure was all Remy's chére," he murmured seductively, kissing her hand.

Rogue smiled and ran towards the road to hail a cab. Remy grinned and began to walk home in the rain, happier than he had been for a long, long while. He was going to have sweet dreams that night…


I nearly gave up on this story half way through this chapter, things really weren't so good then…but certain ishandahalf's are quite persuasive and very encouraging, and so it continues. Haha, though y'know, that may not be a good thing! But thanks ish where would I be without my fellow 80's fan?

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