BlkDiamond: Yeah, I gotta hang out with my sister, she not home very often. She goes to the Naval Academy and she only got 2 weeks of leave this summer, so got to make the most of it! But she leaving soon, so I'll try to write in a little bit. Thanks for the Review:-)
eee: Really? Yay! That Makes me feel so special! This is my first X-Men FF, and I'm not really sure how to write it. But I'm really happy you like it! Thanks for the review!
Kari-Hermione: I'm not really sure, I'm literally making this up as I write it. I have absolutely no idea how everyone is going to find out. Now that I think about it, maybe Remy will show up at the mansion hurt, or magneto will find out and squeal. But I kinda like your idea, mind if I think about using it? Thanks for the review!
Random Girl: Thanks! But I kinda think that I'm screwing them up, I mean I haven't seen x-men in ages. (I netflixed season 3) So I don't really remember the ins and outs of the characters but I'm trying. Anyways I'm glad you like it! Thanks for the review!
AN: Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be responding to all the review I get. It always kind of bothered me when the ppl went on for like 3 pages responding to review. So, I'll just pick a few at random, that, however does not mean that I don't absolutely love all the reviews I get, and am eternally grateful you decided to read and review! So Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys rule!
Half Lies, Whole Nonsense
Chapter 4: Passing Time
Time seemed to fly by, and before Rogue knew it she had been back at the mansion for a month. She was very happy to finally be home with her family but she missed Remy more and more each day. Remy had visited her 3 times, each time appearing at school when she was alone. She hugged and kissed his cheek in greeting each time. Savoring the few minutes they had together before he left. They never had long together, 10 minutes, if they were lucky. She knew that he followed her, watching her from rooftops, it made her sad. He could watch her but she couldn't see him.
Her month at the mansion had allowed the Professor to finally admit that she was indeed Rogue, and had not been brainwashed in anyway, although Rogue knew that he was still wary of her. Something she thought he should have been over by now. She had pretended not to notice Logan following her, or Kitty and Kurt asking her questions that only Rogue would be able to answer, or the way all conversation stopped when she went down to breakfast every day. But she was glad that her friends trusted her again, even if the Professor didn't.
She was invited to go on missions, which she happily did, she was included in all the training session, which she eagerly joined. She still 'played dumb' in sessions, something she found very tiresome. It was annoying to get hit when she could have dodged, pretend to be exhausted when she felt like she could run a marathon, and complain loudly with the rest of the team at the intensity of the session, when she thought it should increase tenfold. She was finding it more and more difficult to workout the way she wanted. Every time she had snuck down to the gym to try and follow her usual regime, someone would be there. Her workout, which should have happened everyday, had been limited to 3 or 4 times a week. As such, she had felt some of her skill fade away. Finally deciding to take a leaf out of Remy's book, she got up every night at 2 and worked out for 2 hours before going back to sleep.
One evening in mid November Rogue lay on her bed staring at the ceiling thinking about Remy. She was so preoccupied that she didn't see Kitty phase through the door, stand there staring at her for a minute, and walk towards her.
"Rogue?" she said quietly.
Rogue jumped a foot in the air, leaped off the bed, and had her hand was half way to the knife she kept on her at all times before she realized it was Kitty. She let out a breath "Kitty, you scared me" she said sitting back down on the bed.
Kitty walked over and sat on the foot of her bed. "Rogue, what's matter?"
Rogue looked at her curiously "What?"
"What's the matter?" her roommate repeated.
"Nothing" she said puzzled
"Look I can tell something's wrong. You, like, don't show it often, but you're sad about something. You stare off into space when you think no one's watching."
Rogue got off her bed and turned her back to her roommate 'Dam' she hissed to herself 'Ah didn't realize Ah was doing that. Ah've got to be more careful" She turned back to Kitty, brought a false grin to her face, and said as sincerely as she could manage, "Nothings the matter. Ah'm fine"
Kitty stood "No you're not" she said firmly.
Rogue's mind went into over drive. 'What do Ah say' she thought desperately 'If Ah tell her nothing's wrong she'll watch me like a hawk and tell the Professor. If Ah make something up she spend the next year verifying it.' Not many people knew, but Kitty was actually through in her gossip. She always made sure the facts added up and the source reliable, before she told the entire world. And while Rogue might be her friend, Kitty knew that she was a dam good liar, and therefore anything she said needed to be treated with the proper respect. Rogue's mind continued to work, 'And what am Ah supposed to say, 'oh well Ah miss my best friend Remy LeBeau. You know Gambit, one of Magneto's' That'll go over will' Suddenly making up her mind, she decided on a half lie. Slowly she said, "Ah just miss my friend"
Kitty looked at her closely "Like, why won't you tell us who he is?"
Rogue sighed, "Ah just can't"
Rogue was spared having to explain further by Kurt teleporting into their room and saying, "Dinners ready."
"Coming" both girls replied in unison.
Rogue sat down at the table her mind ablaze. She had to be more careful next time someone asked her something like that. She couldn't believe she'd let herself get so preoccupied she'd been caught off guard. 'Always be prepared' was another tidbit Remy had drilled into her head, and yet, thoughts about Remy and distracted her enough that she'd be unable to spout off her usual lies. She determinedly ignored the looks Kitty shot her through out dinner, and concentrated on thinking up feasible lies that she could feed Kitty at a moments notice.
After dinner Rogue went up stairs claiming she wasn't feeling well. She got into bed and pretended to fall fast asleep. Two hours Kitty came up, changed and got into bed.
She waited until she heard Kitty's light snores then slipped out of bed. Silently she changed into her biking clothes and slipped out the window. She jimmied the lock to the garage and walked her bike out the door. Taking a quick look back at the mansion to make sure no one was watching, she walked her bike out through a small gap in the fence.
A couple hundred feet later Rogue hopped on her bike and sped off. She sped down a dirt road for a couple miles before pulling off the road and weaving through the forest. A minute later she came into a clearing. Stopping her bike, she looked around. He was already there, leaning against his bike in his usual black pants, long flowing trench coat and sunglasses. Her face broke into a grin as got off her bike and ran into his open arms.
"Hello, Cheri. Remy missed you." he said in his deep voice.
She hugged him tightly "Ah missed you too, swamp rat."
Remy grinned and walked to the rear of his bike. He opened the trunk and pulled out a laptop and a blanket. This was the first time they had met outside of school in over a month. It had been Rogue's idea; she said she couldn't stand getting only 10 minutes with him every couple of weeks. She'd suggested a midnight picnic, and here they were. Remy unfolded the blanket, lay in on the ground and pulled her down to sit next to him. He flipped the laptop open and started a movie.
Rogue woke up to someone shaking her shoulder. "Go away Kitty" she muttered angrily.
"Cheri must wake up. You must return to your home before your family awakens."
She jerked awake, glancing at her watch she swore loudly. The mansion would be awake in 20 minutes. She stood, hurriedly helped Remy fold the blanket and shoved it back into his small trunk. She smiled at him sadly, "Ah'll miss you."
"And Remy you" he said his eyes boring into her own. Suddenly she felt his lips on hers. He pulled back uncertainly; she smirked and grabbed his collar, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. They broke a few minutes later, Remy's smirk matching her own. She grinned and said "See you soon"
"Oui" he answered smiling.
Rogue got her bike, threw him a last look and raced home. She ran her bike into the garage and crept into her room. As she changed and got into bed she failed to notice her roommate open her eyes and watch her with a worried look on her face.
Rogue tried, and failed, to keep the grin off her face for the rest of the day. Everyone bought her excuse that she was just happy it was Saturday, that is everyone except Kitty. Kitty wondered where her friend had snuck off to; she had not been quite as asleep as Rogue thought she had been when her roommate slid out the window. No, Kitty had been kept awake pondering the mystery of her friend. 'She's a big girl' She told herself firmly 'She can take of herself' She decided to not confront Rogue again, as she clearly wasn't about to tell her, but vowed to watch her more closely.
November quickly became December, Rogue snuck out to meet Remy once a week. Rogue and Remy's relationship was 'absolutely perfect' according to both parties. They would spend their nights together kissing, watching movies, and eating extravagant dinners.
On Christmas morning Rogue was woken up, far earlier than she would have liked to, by Kitty jumping on her bed. "It's Christmas!" she giggled happily. Blinking sleepily at her clock she groaned "Its 5:30 in the morning"
"Come on everyone's wait for you" she said as you bounced out the door. Rogue groaned and got up, she threw on some clothes and went down stairs. Smiling faces greeted her, she smiled back, this was the first time she could remember that every single student had stayed at the mansion for the holidays. She was glad; 'holidays are for families' she thought smiling, 'and this is my family.' She took her seat next to Kitty. They took turns opening presents, (AN: I'm not going to bother going into what people got, use your imagination. But think things like make up/clothes for Kitty. Music for Rogue. Football for Bobby, new shades for Scott ... and so on), they stood up and were half way to the kitchen for some Christmas breakfast when Scott called them back, "Hey, there's two more" Every one turned and walked back to the living room. The peered curiously at Scott "They're for you Rogue" he said checking the tag on the set of gifts hidden at the back of the tree.
She looked at them closely, recognized Remy's witting and smiled. "Aren't you going to open them?" asked Bobby. She looked around at the expectant faces, she sighed, she would have preferred to open them in private, but since Remy had decided to put them where everyone could see, she saw no harm in it.
Scott handed her the first of two gifts, both the same size, about the size a credit card. She pulled off the wrapping paper inside lay a single playing card. A Queen of Hearts. She picked it up at laughed. Ignoring the curios looks for her friends she took the next box, lifting the top she gasped. Inside this was small god ring with small bizarre writing engraved on the band.
"What does it say?" asked Jean, looking closely at the foreign writing.
Rogue's mind worked furiously, "I'm not sure exactly." she lied simply. In truth the writing was a code, a thieves' code. It said 'Forever, For Always'. She looked at the ring for a minute before slipping it on her left pinky. Remy had told her long ago that if she was ever in need a of thief or a safe place to stay, to look for someone with a gold ring, engraved with thieves' code on his or her left pinky. 'The Code', as it was known to all elite thieves, was only known to the thief and his or her family. Any man, woman, or child who could recognize the ring for what it was, had the right to asylum.
The others questioned her for a while about the ring; she made the usual excuses, saying it was just a gift from her friend. After a while they grew bored with her vague answers and wondered off to kitchens for a spectacular Christmas breakfast.
Rogue sat fingering her ring through out breakfast, she loved it. Sighing deeply she stared mesmerized as the light bounced off the ring. It was perfect. Simple, yet elegant, not too flashy, it felt like it was made for her hand, and her hand alone. She started as a hand waved in front of her face "Hello? Rogue?"
"Yea?" she said confused
"Did you hear me?" her brother said looking at her slightly concerned.
"No sorry."
"I said, 'Do you vant to have a snowball fight?"
Remy LeBeau woke with a start, he looked around and jumped to his feet, pulling a metal stick from seemingly nowhere, it quickly expanded in his hand.
"Who's there?" he growled "This is Remy's home, Remy didn't invite anyone into his house."
A chuckled met his ears, he spun around, "You're getting rusty, brother." said an amused voice from the shadows. "I was here for almost 5 minutes."
"Yeah, well Remy was having a very good dream, it involved cards and beer." He said, the same amusement not showing on his face, as he retracted his Bo stick. "What do you want Henri?"
"We need to talk." his brother replied shortly. He was just slightly shorter than Remy, his flowing brown hair pulled elegantly back. He wore pants and trench coat of an obvious expensive material.
"Its Christmas Henri, and Remy has presents to open first." he said pointing to the two presents on the table. Ignoring his brother's scoff followed by a curious glance at the boxes, he walked to the table. Picking up the first he lifted off the top and pulled out a fine silver chain. (AN: a manly silver chain) grinning he fastened it around his neck. He laughed hysterically when he opened the next box; he slapped his knees as tears clouded his eyes. "What?" Henri demand. Still laughing he pulled a King of Hearts out the box and held it up for his brother to see.
AN: Hey guys, I know I promised I'd update like 3 days , but I got distracted. My sister came home from school, for a whapping two weeks, and I had to hang out with her. I'm sorry its so short, I couldn't think of anything to write, i'll to better next time, I promise. Oh yeah, I'm going on vacation on Friday. I'll be gone for two weeks. The place I'm staying doesn't have internet access. I'll try to update when I get back but I'm starting school like right after, but I'll try. Please review