A few notes before I continue the story:

This is an AU story with no powers. It is also my first fic.

Ages are as follows:

Joseph, Remy, Warren – 25

Betsy, John, Piotr – 24

Rogue, Lexa, Wanda, Pietro, Amanda – 22

Kitty, Kurt, Jubilee, Amara, Bobby, Roberto – 21

Ororo – 32

Wolverine – 40

Chapter 2

Rogue was the first one to the studio the next morning. Her first lesson was a private one with Pietro to help him brush up his skills before his company's annual ball. The party was an excuse for all the higher ups in New York to get together and brag to each other while trying to create new alliances for the coming year. After her lesson with Pietro she had another private lesson and then some free time where she planned to get some paper work for 'Ro done that she had been putting off.

Remy showed up a little early to get himself used to the studio and to get his schedule for the day. As he arrived he was able to watch Rogue work with one of the newer students. He couldn't help but think about the dance they shared last night and how good it felt to dance with her. He had hoped to get a chance to talk to her last night afterwards but she had been busy talking to her brother and other friends. It was too bad she wouldn't let him take her home but there was always today and he knew that women always fell for his charms.

As her class finished the student thanked her and left. She started to clean up a bit and turned to head to her office. She was startled to see that she was being watched. "Bonjour chere, you looked good out there." Remy commented as she approached her. "You know we worked really well together last night, how about we give it another go?" He gave her his most charming grin and expected for her to at least blush and smile back. However Rogue just rolled her eyes as she pushed past him, "Actually swamp rat ah have practice with Joe in a couple of hours and until then ah have some paper work to finish for 'Ro."

Remy couldn't believe that she had just turned him down after that dance last night but he didn't have much time to think about it as a prospective new student walked through the door. Seeing as how nobody else was free to take on a new student right now Remy got her. As he talked to her to find out what kind of dancing she was interested in everybody else showed up for work. The rest of the day went by quickly for everyone. When it was closing time everybody agreed to once again go to The Wolverine's Den and enjoy some rest, good music and, of course, some drinks.

Rogue was tired but she agreed to join everyone a little later. She still had some paperwork to finish up for Ororo. As everyone left she didn't notice that Joseph had stayed behind. However, Remy noticed and decided to see what the man was up to. Joseph approached Rogue and the two seemed to get into a rather lengthy conversation. Thinking that it had something to do with their routine Remy decided to head out and catch her at the bar. As he started to walk away he looked back in time to see Rogue slap Joe across the face. As he watched she gathered her coat, yelled something at him, and then stormed towards the door. Remy didn't have a chance to get out of the way before she crashed right into him. "What are you doing here swamp rat?" Rogue raged at him.

"Remy t'ought that he forgot someting but it turned out he didn't," Remy lied. "Would the beautiful femme like some company walking to the bar?"

Rogue actually smiled at that and replied, "Sure that sounds good."

Remy was curious about what had happened between her and Joe but decided not to press his luck just now. They walked to the bar in silence and as they walked in they saw Kitty and Peter dancing a waltz out on the dance floor. "Would you care to dance, chere?" Remy asked Rogue.

Rogue sighed and said, "Sure why not but ah do have a name you know. You really should call me by it."

Remy just smirked at her and led her out on the dance floor. They danced the next couple of dances before joining the others at the table. They were all sitting around talking about the competitions coming up when Joe walked in. Everybody looked confused as to why he had a red hand print across his face but nobody said anything. He walked up to the table and asked Rogue if he could talk to her for a second. Rogue scowled at the man and Remy decided to put his two cents in. "I tink that the femme doesn't want to talk to you right now homme so why don't you just leave."

Joseph glared at the red-eyed Cajun and then turned to Rogue once more. "We really need to talk about what happened earlier tonight. You really don't want to get rid of our partnership over some stupid squabble do you?"

Rogue glared at the white haired man and replied, "That wasn't just a stupid squabble and ah have already found a replacement for you." Rogue hoped that her lie would work so that she wouldn't have to actually find someone that she might not be happy with but she just couldn't face Joseph and his persistent pushing and trying to get her to go out with him.

Joseph looked skeptical and then decided to push the issue some. "Who did you get to dance with you already? You just fired me not even two hours ago. There is no way you could have replaced me that quickly." Joe smirked as he thought that he had her cornered. He was in for a surprise though when Remy spoke up.

"She asked me and I agreed to dance with her." Rogue looked shocked. She hadn't expected to find a way out of the mess and here was a way out, but did she really want to dance with the persistent Cajun? She decided that he couldn't be as bad as Joe, as soon as another woman walked into the studio he would forget about her. Rogue smiled a thank you to Remy and then turned to Joseph. "You heard the man, you've been replaced now get out of here. Ah don't want to see you again."

Joseph glared at Remy and Rogue and then turned around and headed out the door. Everybody at the table had a bewildered look on their faces and was starting to question the two as to what had happened and when the change of partners had occurred. Rogue pushed their questions off telling them that she would explain at the staff meeting tomorrow morning. She turned to Betsy and told her that she would see her and Lexa when they got home but she wasn't in the mood for fun anymore. With that she turned around and headed for the door. Remy decided to follow to talk to her about what had just happened. As he followed her out he thought that he heard her quietly crying. As he walked up behind her she startled and spun around to face him. Glaring at him she asked, "What do you want swamp rat?"

"Remy just wanted to make sure that you were alright after that little encounter back there. Do you want some company on your way home?"

"Actually that sounds like a good idea after the night I just had." Rogue turned around and started walking off. Remy hurried to catch up with her and then decided to push his luck a little.

"Since we are going to be partners now Remy tinks dat we should work out a practice schedule and you might want to fill Remy in on the competitions you and Joe were signed up for."

Rogue stopped suddenly and turned to face him. "Ah didn't think about that. What am ah going to do? We have a competition coming up in about three weeks and we have to qualify for the nationals at that competition. There is no way that you can learn all of our routines by that time. Ah guess ah will have to skip the competitions." Rogue looked so depressed by the thought of not getting to compete that Remy thought his heart was going to break.

"Chere you know as well as I do that we work really well together and even though we've only known each other for two days I think that we have a chance of winning all the competitions that we enter." Remy wasn't sure where his conviction came from or even why he was so set to make her happy but he did know that he meant every word of what he just said.

Rogue looked a little skeptical and then smiled at him. "That means that we will have to work really hard and often in the next few weeks. Are you sure that you are up to it? That means its going to cut into your flirting time at the bar."

Remy smiled at the teasing as they resumed walking. "Chere, for you this Cajun can give it up for three weeks." He was feeling brave and decided to try putting his arm around her shoulder. As he expected she shrugged it off but didn't tell him to get lost. He decided to take that as a sign that he was beginning to get to her. He dropped her off at her apartment and then headed towards his. As he did he noticed that he was being followed. He turned around to see who it was and was startled to see Joseph standing behind him. "What do you want homme?" Remy glared at the other man.

"I want you to stay away from Rogue. I am going to be with her anyway that I can and if you don't want to get hurt I think that you should change your mind about dancing with her."

That comment made Remy glare harder at the other man. "Remy don't scare easily and he doesn't believe in pushing himself on a beautiful femme if she has made it clear that she isn't interested. If I was you I would stay away from Roguey or you are going to be the one who is sorry." With that Remy turned around and walked into his building.