Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men.

Chapter Ten

A few months passed, Remy decided not bring up the topic of the kiss for fear that Rogue might run away again. Rogue refused to bring up the subject because a small part inside of her still feared that if she did, she'd learn that what she thought about Remy was wrong and that he really didn't have any romantic feelings for her and she didn't think she could live with the letdown. She'd rather live without knowing.

But the three months after the kiss didn't pass dully by. Wanda and John became almost as close as Siamese twins; the former acolytes are still living in the mansion and have decided to join up with Xavier and the X men after having witnessed first hand the cause that the students and instructors were fighting for. Dorian has remained at the school and he has been learning control of his negation powers. It's now possible with a little concentration and the help of a bracelet for the students to use there powers again, much to the dismay of Rogue. She had enjoyed being able to live like a normal (or as close as Rogue can be to normal) teenage girl, at least at the mansion. Rogue too had been working on controlling her power. The Professor discovered that if Rogue absorbed a little of Dorian's life essence every few days it helps her to control the voices and make them less hostile.

A fresh sheet of snow covered the ground as Valentine's Day inched closer. Due to Kitty and Jean's obsession with the holiday, the mansion was soon covered with cheesy paper cherubs, large pink hearts and various other valentine memorabilia stuck to the walls. Rogue and Wanda wretched every time they passed one and within a week began ripping the eye sores off the walls and tossing them out. Remy and John found the whole thing rather amusing. Neither had much of an opinion on the subject however. To Remy it was a day to pick up chicks that were desperate enough and John thought it was the holiday to overdose on those stupid little candy hearts with the corny messages on them.

The week progressed and it became almost unbearable to walk through the hallways of Bayville High. It seemed like everyone was coupling up. It sickened Rogue, or was it jealousy…nah…it was definitely illness.

The night before Valentine's Day Rogue was awakened by a disturbing dream that involved Remy, her and a Jacuzzi. No matter how hard she tried over the past three months, she couldn't stop herself from having the accursed dreams. Rogue, too scared to try and go back to sleep, ended up in the kitchen. She was in desperate need of the pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream that was hidden in the back of the freezer.

She plopped down in a seat at the table; her thoughts wandered back to her dream. No matter how much she tried to dissuade herself from that way of thinking she yearned for those dreams to be a reality, for her and Remy to be a reality.

So lost in the mental reliving of the dream, she didn't feel the tears begin to make paths down her cheeks. She was finally pulled from her thoughts when a glowing pink bottle cap landed in her ice cream and the ensuing burst of energy splattered her with the cold confection.

The red numbers on Remy's alarm clock ticked slowly by as the Cajun lay on his bed thinking of the Southern Belle he had almost had. His mind whirled around and around, always stopping for a few brief seconds on the kiss that was always somewhere in his mind. He soon grew frustrated with his lack of control over his own brain and sat up in bed. In his aggravation he charged the alarm clock and chucked it across the room, causing it to smash into the wall and breaking. He stood up and walked out of the room, clothed in only a pair of boxers (AN ::swoon:: ).

After wandering the hallways looking for something to do, he walked past the danger room doors and stopped, back stepping until he was directly in front of them again. 'No' a bad idea, exhaust m'self til I can finally sleep.' Remy thought as he pressed his hand on the pad that read his imprint and opened.

It took Remy a total of maybe seven minutes to realize that his idea might not pan out as he thought. He had picked a rather hard computer simulation level that had put him in a deserted back alley surrounded by ten heavily armed and rubber suited men.

The second the simulation started and Remy reached for his cards, only to remember that he was still in his boxers and hadn't brought them with him. 'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' Remy shouted in his head.

He knew escape was futile but he never went down without a fight and took out five of the ten, before the other five got him pinned to the ground.

Rogue's head snapped up, the ice cream hiding the tears that were dripping down her face. Her surprised expression turned into a glare almost immediately.

"What the hell was that for, Cajun?"

"Remy's sorry, Chere," He sighed, grabbed a napkin from next the holder next to him and walked it over to her.

"Here" He brought the napkin to her face and began to wipe the ice cream away. Rogue's cheeks darkened, she snatched the napkin away and hastily wiped away the tears.

Remy sighed and took the seat across from her, taking a swig from the frosty bottle clutched in his hand. The silence between them lengthened as he drank his beer and she ate what was left of her ice cream, the occasional sniffle escaping her.

Finally the awkwardness was too much for Remy and he spoke,

"Why ya been cryin' Chere?"

"Ah'm not crying!" she declared. Remy gave her a look over the rim of the bottle, "Ah'm not!"

"Chere, ya can' lie ta me. Ya eyes er all bloodshot, ya nose is runnin' and ya eating Chocolate Fudge Brownie, need Remy say more?"

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ah'm fahne Swamp Rat," she sighed.

The silence continued until Remy was almost done with the bottle and Rogue's pint of ice cream was down to a measly two scoops left.

"Ah got this friend," Rogue suddenly whispered. "She's in love with this guy, see? But she don't know if this guy love's her back or if he'll use her and loose her. He don't have the best track record with women and she's kinda nervous. Plus it would be her first real relationship and she don't like being in unfamiliar territory, ya know what Ah mean?"

Remy nodded, "This friend, she got a name?"

Rogue stared at him for a few seconds, not comprehending what he asked, while he looked down at his hands folded around the bottle on the table.

"Ah...ya, it's Marie, why?"

"Remy always like ta put names wit' problems, so she don't know if she can trust dis guy huh?

Rogue nodded, Remy sighed heavily and let go of the bottle, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. He looked up into Rogue's clear emerald green eyes and knew exactly what was going through her mind. It hurt him a bit that she didn't trust him, but he hadn't really given her reason to.

He stood up and walked to the seat next to her. He pulled it out and turned it to face her. He sat and took her hand in his.

"Remy's turn now Chere. Remy, no…I know what ya mean. 'e hasn' given 'er much cause ta trust him but dey've been friends fo' a while righ'?" Rogue nods. "I can guarantee ya dat he would neve' 'use her and loose her' as ya put it. 'e loves her wit' all of his soul. Not being near ya for more den a few hours leaves me feeling empty and alone."

He smiled and repeated, "I love you Rogue an' I always will. And as for the new territory, look who'll be yer guide?"

Rogue laughed and smiled weakly. Remy's eyes glowed an even brighter red in the darkness now. Rogue couldn't look away. The eyes she had always loved seemed to capture her and she didn't mind at all. Before she knew what had happened, she felt Remy's breathe on her cheeks and blushed. She knew what was coming next and beat Remy to the punch.

Their kiss was soft and sweet but full of a burning passion they had had for each other since the day they met. The moon and sun seemed to pass by as they sat in the kitchen kissing.

Eventually both needed to breathe and they broke apart, Rogue buried her face in Remy's shoulder and took in the sweet scent of him.

"Ah love you too," she whispered.

AN: As I reread the chapter, I noticed that Rogue probably had the ability to absorb people again since Dorian was getting better control, so lets just say that Dorian doesn't have complete control and his negation powers only turn off when he's working with the professor.