Knocking At Your Door

Chapter 12

By Kanshisha Tenshi

READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTES!

            The students at the beach had been the first to return.  Gradually, in scattered formation, the students who'd gone home also returned.  Logan, Ororo and Evan, thankfully, had been the last to show up at the mansion's doorstep.

            Storm, we need to talk, boomed the Professor's mental voice in Ororo's mind.

            Yes, Professor?

            It's about Rogue…she had a boyfriend.

            I am truly glad for her.

            However, he is a former Acolyte.  We all fear Logan, of all residents here, may think the worst of this news.  I'll need you to distract him from any glimpses of Gambit he may have on his way to my office.  I hope to break the news…gently.

            I shall try my best, Professor.

            Then, to Logan:  I'll need to see you in my office.  Ororo will escort you.

            And, finally, he added:  Rogue, I'll need you to hide Gambit—quickly, and cover his scent.

            Ah know, Professah.  Ah sometimes smell y'all, too.

            I vaguely realized.  We don't smell too badly, do we?

            Naw.

            Well, that's good.

            Anyway, Ah'm on it.  She snatched Gambit and coaxes him up to the room she shares with Kitty, with a raised eyebrow and suggestive smirk from Remy.

            "Stuff it Gumbo, ain't got all day.  Ah'd prefer t' have ya alive, so move!"

            "Oui, oui," he said with a sigh.

            "Logan," said the Professor amiably, "I have something…important to tell you.  Please keep an open mind."

            Rogue could hear Logan's shouts even from upstairs.  Gambit looked a little surprised.

            "Dat de homme Remy's s'posed t' be afraid o'?"

            "Yep."

            "Remy sees why, now.  De Professor gonna be okay?"

            "He's a telepath.  If all else fails he'll brainwash Logan…he'd rather not have Logan going haywire or AWOL.  Anyway, school starts in a week or so.  You comin'?"

            "I'll t'ink about it."

            "Yes or no, Cajun.  No fence-sittin' on this."

            "Does de belle Rogue want de Gambit t' come?" he asked slyly.

            "Sure, why not?"

            "Den oui.  I'll come."

            A week has passed.  With much effort and a few threats, Logan's growls whenever he saw Remy were reduced to glares and harsh looks.  Remy had appeared not to notice, which just irritated Logan all the more.  Rogue often physically separated the two, glaring at both of them.  Needless to say the week went by unusually slow.

            Two days before the return to school saw the X-students back-to-school shopping.  They picked out new clothes—Kurt saw no need to, since he had not outgrown any of his and had an image inducer anyway (but the others bought him some anyway)—books, pencils, paper, and anything else the girls saw that was "cute or interesting."  The boys would give each other a knowing look and a chuckle every time this happened, which was often, first of all because it wasn't their money and secondly because girls would be girls.  Many female stereotypes ensued.

            The night before the big day brought a pizza party.  Kitty ate the plain cheese pizza, Kurt and Evan dug into any and all types of pizza, and Gambit took one or two slices.  Jean and Scott intentionally took over an entire table and stared amorously at each other throughout their dinner.  Some herded their selves into the library, where they ate without complete disgust.  Remy sat down next to Rogue, much to Kurt and Logan's distaste, and Kurt sat glaring at the two next to Kitty.  Each 'couple' was on a separate couch.  Logan stood in a corner, having eaten hours earlier, and the Professor, Beast, and Storm were nowhere to be seen.

            Remy inconspicuously, despite Logan's harsh stare, moved his right hand over to Rogue's left hand, as she was sitting to his right.  She knew what he was doing and why, and tried not to look surprised.  She turned her hand over, moving closer to him to hide their contact, and held his hand.  Logan huffed out of the room.  Gambit suppressed a small smile.

            "I, like, so do not want to go back to school," Kitty said, sounding cheery despite her depressed words.

            "Why not?  You'll be in tenth grade* this year."

            "Yeah, and you'll be a senior, Rogue."

            "I vill be a twelfth grader*," Kurt threw in.

            "I'm actually going t' school," Remy stated.  Kurt and Kitty's mouths were agape.

            "Really?" they asked in unison.  He nodded.

            "Like, cool!" Kitty said in recovery.  Gambit raised an eyebrow.

            It was now the first day of school.  The X-Men arrived at Bayville Senior High in two different vehicles.  Rogue, Remy, Kitty, Kurt, and Jean rode in Scott's convertible; the rest rode in the other car with Evan at the wheel.  They all walked in together, but not without stares and whispers from all of the human students.

            "This why you want Remy at school wit' ya, petite?" Remy whispered to Kitty.  She nodded.  Remy then took a pencil from behind Scott's ear and charged it, aiming it maliciously at the closest whispering students.

            "Say it t' our faces or shut up," he threatened.

            "Gambit!" Scott shouted.  "Put the pencil down!  Do you want to get suspended on the first day?"

            "Let 'em try, mon frére," Remy replied pleasantly.

            "Ah know ya ain't in all mah classes," Rogue whispered to Remy in her last class.  In truth, no, he wasn't in any of her classes; he'd skipped all of his to join her.

            "Guess so," he said with a shrug and a cheesy grin.  She rolled her eyes.

            "Look, Ah think some o' the othah kids need ya more'n Ah do.  Some o' them just started high school."

            "Some o' dem aren't dating Gambit," he retorted.

            "An' Ah am?  Way t' ask a girl out."

            "Only if you want t', chére, but Remy knows de answer."

            "Tell me then.  Am Ah datin' ya?"

            "Oui."

            "Then stop followin' meh all day.  Go follow Kitty or Amara.*"

            "Can't, Roguie.  Sorry."

            "Why not?"  He did not respond right away.  "Why not?" she pressed.

            "Je t'aime, Rogue."

Author's Notes:  Okay, yeah, it sucks, deal with it.  I don't have much of a plot for this story anyway…it's more situational.  I didn't plan very thoroughly when I started this, so this chapter was crappy.  But I wrote this chapter more for someone else, explained…now:

I am in an X-Men:  Evolution-based rpg.  My friend, who plays Tabitha/Boom-Boom, desperately wants a boyfriend.  She has narrowed the field down to Pyro or Pietro.  Please, for the sake of her happiness, and my sanity, help me find a Pyro or Pietro that would be willing to date her.  If you are willing, or know a guy who is, please sign up today at:

Thank you!

*I am not sure of their actual age; these ages just suited me.