Disclaimer: I sadly don't own the X-Men.

V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V

Breathing heavily, Etienne awoke and flipped his bedside light on. It had been another nightmare. It had been a week, and it was the same thing every night. He was in a dark alleyway, surrounded, trying to fight off a group of guys. To calm himself, he reached in a drawer and grabbed a pack of cigarettes. He knew with his heart that he shouldn't be smoking, but he needed the relaxation it would bring him.

It had all gone wacky the day he had touched Brooke in the kitchen. After that, some part of his mind sensed everything she felt. He hadn't told even the Professor because he wasn't quite sure if it upset him or not. Since he had met her, he felt a connection with her that he had felt with no other person. He didn't know if he should tell her or not. It would probably freak her out and she wouldn't talk to him again. He sighed, wishing for the simple life he had led back in New Orleans up until seven months ago.

He stepped out on his balcony and lit up, looking up into the sky at the quarter moon. A sound to his left had him looking over and he saw Brooke's door was open. On a whim, he scrambled on top of the railing and jumped over to her balcony, landing a little rougher than he would have liked.

"Who's there?"

He stuck his head in her room and looked around. "Jus' me. Couldn't sleep?"

She nodded. "You know you shouldn't be here."

He shrugged. "You going t' tell on me?"

She smirked at him. "I think I'll wait to blackmail you later."

He grinned at her. "Den I better watch out an' not get y' upset wit me."

She laughed and then looked serious.

"What's wrong wit you?"

She looked down at the floor and sighed. "I keep having nightmares."

He felt his heart start to pound, and he opened his mouth before he thought better of it. "Y' in an alley trying t' fight off a bunch o' guys an' jus when y' fall down y' wake up."

They looked at each other in shock. "How did you know that?" She was up on her feet, backing away from him, a look of fear in her eyes.

He ran his hand through his hair. "I have de same nightmare every night. Dat why I was out on de balcony." He sat in her desk chair and looked at her.

She swallowed, trying to think. "How long?"

"Bout a week, every since I touched y' hand." He couldn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, I t'ink it's m' powers dat are causin' it."

She looked at him. "But I thought you're an empath so you should only sense strong emotion. How are you doing that?"

He bowed his head and looked at his feet. "Normally I have t' touch someone t' sense what de feelin 'less dey have a really strong emotion." He looked up at her. "Since I touched y' dat day in de kitchen, I can sense anythin y' feel. It might have t' do wit' dat."

She didn't know whether to be mortified or angry. "This has been going on for a week and you didn't tell me?"

He held up his hands. "Chere, I'm sorry but what was I supposed t' tell you? I've liked y' from de minute I met y' an since I did, m' powers seem t' have formed some kind o' bond wit you?" You'd t'ink I was crazy.

She realized her mouth had dropped open. "Are you serious?"

He looked hurt. "Bout what?"

"About liking me? About the whole you can sense whatever I'm feeling thing."

He looked embarrassed again. "Yeah, I'm serious."

"Then what am I feeling now?" She concentrated.

He pondered it a minute, trying to decipher the feelings. Then he cracked a grin. "Y' t'ink I'm sexy."

She rolled her eyes, getting upset. "I knew you were joking with me."

He looked serious. "Non, y' are a little frightened, curious, and excited?" He said the last as a question, looking at her for confirmation.

She nodded slowly, sitting on the side of her bed. "You weren't kidding."

"Now y' nervous."

She shot him a look. "Well wouldn't you be?"

He nodded and then sighed. "It's not like somethin I can control. I've tried blockin y' out, but it don't work fo' very long, it gives me a headache." He wondered what she was thinking.

She stared at him, not saying a word. "Would you like to do something tomorrow night?"

That was NOT what he expected her to say, and he surprised her by looking momentarily stunned. "Oui. What would y' like t' do?"

She shrugged. "We could go see a movie or something."

He grinned. "I would like dat chere."

Just then they both heard a knock on the door. They both looked at each other in horror knowing only one person would be up in the mansion at this hour. She motioned for him to shoo, both of them hoping Logan's nose wouldn't give them away. When she thought he'd had enough time she opened the door. "Aren't you a little old to be running around the mansion this time of the morning Logan?"

He sniffed and looked at her. "I didn't know you smoked."

She grinned at him. "There's a lot of stuff you don't know about me."

He grunted and studied her again. "Little late to be up."

She sighed. "Nightmares."

He nodded. "Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I was just about to try and go back to bed."

"Okay. I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

She had to smile at the thought of big, gruff Wolverine offering to listen to her describe her nightmares.

He turned to continue down the hallway before turning back to her. "Oh, and tell the younger Cajun he shouldn't be smoking with his heart problems." Her mouth dropped open, her eyes wide as saucers. He chuckled the entire way down the stairs.