Rogue let her thoughts wander as they started washing the dishes from the picnic earlier. They had used mostly paper and plastic utensils but there were some stubborn people who liked to use metal and glass, not to mention the cooking pans they used. Scrubbing furiously at the pan she was washing she sighed as she recalled Logan's outburst earlier after the picnic.

Flashback

"Marie! That no good Cajun is a pain in tha ass! Not ta mention he's just tryin' ta getcha inta his bed!" Logan roared. She flinched at his harsh words.

"Oh and lahke YOU'Re any bettah?" She screamed back at him. His eyes narrowed.

"Well it's different when I do it 'cause we've been goin' out fer four an' a half years!" He leaned towards her when he said it.

"But didja evah think that maybe that's not what ah wanted?" Rogue whispered softly. Logan's expression immediately softened.

"Marie, ya know I love ya, it's just some times I feel like we could be closer." His voice was as soft as her's, as if they didn't want to break the growing silence. "Ever since Hank gotcha that bracelet that turns off yer powers, I've been hopin' that maybe ya'd want our relationship to be a bit more physical." His eyes held a hope she hadn't seen in a long time. It was the hope in his eyes that so easily resembled the look he'd had in his eyes when he'd kissed Jean for the first time. Anger boiled in her blood.

"Logan, ah don't wanna rely on sex for our relationship ta thrive, if ya really loved me, ya wouldn't need that ta stay with meh. Maybe ah wanna wait 'til ah'm married ta get that close to a man." The thought apparently hadn't occured to Logan and it showed in his eyes just like the hope had. "See Logan, ya're not thinkin'! Ah love ya ah do, but if all ya want is sex, then go get yaself some hooker from a bar!" Rogue'd had the last straw and turned away from him as she stormed towards the house. "Ah can't do this anymore Logan, ah'm sorry, ah love ya, ah do, ah just don't love ya that way."

"No! Don't go Marie! Please, I love you too much to let you go." His blue eyes were filled with uncharacteristic tears. She paused in her steps and turned back to him.

"Ah hate doin' this to ya Logan, trust me ah do!" A sob choked her as she tried to speak, "But ah can't keep tryin' t' live a lie. Ah love you, but ah don't love you the right way." She hugged him tightly, her arms pulling him close. The moment ended and she stepped back.

"I don't wanna let you go." He was crying. The fact burned a hole in Rogue's heart that she didn't think could heal.

"Ah'm sorry Logan, ya gotta lemme go."

End Flashback

A drop of water fell onto the counter and stunned Rogue. Taking off a glove she gently touched her face under her eyes and found that she was crying. As if her single tear caused a chain reaction her flood gates opened and the tears fell now with fervor. Dripping down her cheeks they splattered in both the water and on the counter. Standing now became an impossible task for Rogue, so she dropped to her knees, washing gloves still covering one hand while the other was wet from her tears. Collapsing into herself she cried her heart out, for everything and everyone. For Logan breaking her heart, for her not being able to love him back, and for her falling in love with the man who hurt her the most.

Her thoughts were vicious and relentless. She hated herself for continuing with her relationship with Logan. She knew that she should have let him go years ago, before it ever became serious. Her heart was desperate for love however, and he was more than willing to offer her his love. Her sobs grew in power until she could hardly breathe. She had really messed up this time, and she wasn't sure she wanted to be forgiven.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Remy was playing cards with himself when he felt the strong emotional pain coming from Rogue. He really began to treasure his slight empathy as he realized that no one else had reacted to her pain yet. He wondered how long it would be before some one noticed her if he hadn't been here. Running down the halls to where he felt the pain centering from, he arrived in the kitchen. Seeing Rogue collapsed on the floor sobbing, he went over to her and pulled her into his arms, careful to avoid any bare skin.

"Oh ma belle, wha's wrong chere?" He whispered in her ear as her sobbing increased. "Wha's wrong?"

"Logan asked me ta marry him." Her voice was low as she struggled to answer through her sobbing. Remy was shocked that Logan would propose tonight, but not surprised that he would do it. "Ah told him no 'cause ah don't love him the right way. Ah'm so confused Remy!"

"Das okay chere, 'cause now Remy gotcha, and he ain't gon' let go dat easily." She lifted her green eyes to his red on black ones and gave him a small, hopeful, smile.

"Promise?" Her voice was softer than before and her tears had stopped as she stared at him so trustingly.

"I hurt you once, it ain' gon' eva happen 'gain chere." He whispered in her ear. "I love ya Marie, Remy promises to neva eva hurt you again."