A/N: It's my birthday! I must be really sad if I'm doing this on my birthday. 19! 19 I'm getting old! Oh well I am pretty much home alone and feeling a bit bored so I guess it's not that sad. Anyway that's enough about me, read, enjoy and review!


Rogue shoved the heal of her palm against her forehead trying to banish the noise going off inside her head. Memories had surfaced that even her knight in shinning armour dared not chase away.

"If you have a headache I can offer you some painkillers for it." Rogue smiled weakly at the beast's offer.

"Trust meh, painkillers ain't gonna stop this." Hank shrugged as he glanced over the beeping equipment hooked up to Remy. Rogue glanced to his paled features. "How is he?"

"Surprisingly he's made quite a lot of progress over the night." She smiled weakly as she tended to a few stray stands of his auburn hair. "What about you?"

"All better." She rubbed her hand over the skin of her torso where Creed's claws had penetrated. She bit hard on her bottom lip as a wave of intense grief hit her, knowing that Remy had not bounced back as easily as herself. She pushed her palm into her forehead again and banished the emotion.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" Hank looked at her with worry but she smiled and shook her head.

"No ah'll be fine, ya'll just look after him." She nodded to Remy as she stood from the seat and rubbed some of her knotted muscles; it hadn't been the most pleasant nights sleep, curled up in a plastic arm chair.

She walked over to the desk at which Hank was seated; he studied the screen with a furrowed brow. "Hank, ca ah . . . ask ya a question?" Her voice was lowered to a hushed whisper and while she knew Remy was deep in slumber she did not want the discussion to reach his ears. Hank made a humming noise as he tore his eyes from the screen.

"I am here to help." Rogue nodded and then looked ashamed as she stared at the floor. The words seemed to refuse to leave her mouth.

"Would . . . if . . ." She paused and tightened her jaw before glancing into Hank's baby blue eyes, "If he'd asked you to let him die would you have done it?" Hank's eyes widened at the question. Quickly his expression returned to its normal thoughtful frown.

"I take it we are referring to Mr. LeBeau." Rogue nodded a quick movement through which none of her emotions could be read. "I also take it that he said something to you last night." Another nod. For a moment he looked more thoughtful than normal. "No. Remy and I are friends, I know he has experienced much pain in his life and though he has never told me much about his past I am aware that even now he is still trying to run from it. Perhaps he believes a hero's death will save him from his past."

"Maybe." She muttered as she glanced back at Remy. He stirred in and out of a deep sleep as quickly as his chest rose and fell with each breathe. "Look after him for meh, ah'll be back in a few hours." She informed Hank as she walked to the exit.

"No strenuous exercise, you're probably still a little tender." She waved her hand in dismissal of the warning and left the room without daring to look back for fear of breaking what little was left of her heart.


Rogue stepped out of the on suite bathroom and quickly moved to the bed where she changed into a pair of grey denim jeans and a loose jumper that she had put out to wear. She glanced at the attire and wondered if Betsy actually owned a normal coloured pair of jeans or if they were all made of greys, blacks and dark blues. The cream jumper did as most of the ones she had been given did and left one shoulder bare as it slide down her arm. She pulled on the black gloves that Remy had given her the day before and shoved the memory of the smile on his face from her mind, ashamed that she had been the reason she no longer got to see that smile. She sighed heavily at her actions and walked to the dresser. As she reached for the brush sat on top the polished mahogany surface she hesitated. She didn't want to see her reflection. Because she knew when she saw it she would not see what had caused Remy to risk his life saving her. No matter how hard or long she looked. Her head dropped and she took the brush, not once glancing to the mirror. She walked over to the bed again and seated herself on the edge as she began to idly brush her hair. Memories plagued her mind and she stared at nothing while she started the laborious task of sorting through the new memories and locking them in the most suited part of her mind. Her body shuddered as a reaction to some of the memories and the brush dropped from her hand as a voice whispered in her ear, the air tickling her bare skin as if the person was stood right behind her.

"I own you now." She exhaled the breath she was unaware she had been holding in as she jumped at every dancing shadow of the room.

"Ya bein' silly petite, jumpin' at every shadow." Her eyes widened as she realised the Cajun accent had come from her lips. Forgetting her earlier refusal to see her reflection she rushed to the mirror and stared wide eyed as the white of her eyes filled with deep, never ending black while red washed away from the emerald of her own eyes. Eventually she was left staring at a pair of emeralds shining out through the darkness of the night's sky. She shook her head trying to force them to return to normal as she locked away the last few memories. She glanced back but still they had not vanished.

Her eyes widened in panic and she ran to the door, ignoring the closed object as she ran through it and straight into the hallway. Wood splintered around her form like a shower of rain.

"He's dead, he's dead, he's dead." She whispered over and over as she forced her body harder as she ran down the various levels of the mansion. As she reached the bottom of the grand stair way that took her to the entrance of the mansion she ran straight into a running Logan, the force of their combined speeds forcing them both to the floor. Logan growled as he picked himself up off the floor, but she was already up on her feet running towards the entrance to the basement levels of the mansion. Logan chassed after her.

"I've been looking for you." Logan panted as he tried to keep pace with her.

"What's wrong?" She asked with panic as they ran down yet another set of stairs, she glanced to him and his eyes widened at the sight of hers.

"Your eyes . . . "Logan mumbled as he slipped behind a little at the sight. He quickly forced himself to catch up as she neared the next set of stairs.

"Something's wrong with Remy but with how fast ya running ya probably already know." She grunted at she hit the bottom of the stair way after leaping from the top. "Woah." Logan whispered as she set off again and left him attempting to catch up.


Rogue crashed through the infirmary doors and was greeted with a collection of faces she did and didn't recognise. Betsy, the red head from the day before and a bald man were all settled around the top of the bed, each with strained looks of concentration and their hands raised to their temples. The chocolate skinned woman with snowy white hair glared at her as the noise of the door swinging off its hinges alerted her to Rogue's presence. A small teenage girl followed the other woman's lead and glared at her as she blew out a pink bubble of gum. Hank was fussing over the tubes that had been pulled from Remy's body as the man with ruby glasses and Warren held Remy back from leaping from the end of the bed. Remy was reaching for the doorway, fighting desperately to force his body through the two men's hold. Rogue was cautious as she approached, unsure if her presence would be tolerated by both the people in the room and the patient in the bed. She walked up to Warren and rested a gloved had on his lower arm as she gently removed him from Remy's side. The man with Ruby glasses too removed his hands from Remy as Rogue took Remy's upper arms, careful not to get too close to his gun shot wound.

"Remy?" She whispered as she easily held him firmly in place. His eyes seemed different, unfocused, almost glazed over. She glanced behind her to the broken door where she could find nothing that would terrify Remy to such an extent. He let out a cry, it sounded like he was in pain and he probably was but she knew better. She could sense the psychic probes Betsy and the others were using to intrude into Remy's mind. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened.

"Leave me alone, why can't you just leave me alone?" Remy asked his voice fading to a whisper as he shook his head and tried to back up to the top of the bed. Rogue held him in place as gently as she could, already aware she didn't need to glance behind her to know that there was nothing there. She already knew what was wrong, her powers had pulled locked away memories to the surface of his mind and he was battling to put them back, while some played like a video in his mind. She had experience this so many times herself it was like a second nature but her mutation meant that her mind was designed to cope with such events, compartments within which to hide the collected memories. And as far as she was aware, aside from his powerful mental shields, Remy's mind was just like any other, vulnerable to memories that the owner desired to remain hidden.

She brushed back his hair from his eyes as he continued to fight against her strong hold. She loosened her hands from his arms and cupped them around his cheeks. She lent in and rested her forehead against his. At first he tried to back away from her but then he reached up and placed his hands on her cheeks, one slipping into her hair where he clung desperately to it.

"Remy its meh, its Rogue. Let meh help." His body shook as he fought the memories plaguing his mind. "Shhh ah'm here its ok."

"Make them get out, get them out." He whispered as his brow dipped into a deep frown. She could feel him battling the intrusion into his mind and glanced back to see the three psychics still probing deeper into his mind. She smiled softly as she looked back to Remy, their foreheads still touching.

"Ok, ah'll make it stop." She kept his cheeks cupped in her hands as she glanced up from their embrace and Remy dropped his hold, one of his hands finding its way to hers. "Ah may not be a telepath but ah know there's one thing no telepath likes an' that's crowds. Well, ah've got the worlds noisiest crowd stuffed away in mah mind, an' ya welcome t' it." As she spoke the female telepaths staggered back and gripped their heads in pain. The man in the wheelchair was still fighting to keep a hold on Remy's mind as the projected psyches in Rogue's mind went into overdrive. Each one screamed louder than it ever had before as Rogue pushed them all to the front of her mind, the battle for control would be hard. But as far as she was concerned the man in her arms had asked it and she wouldn't fail him. Thousands of screaming voices threatened to take over and soon even the bald man had to withdraw his telepathic hold as the voices consumed his concentration. Quickly the majority of the voices disappeared into nothing as they were trapped back in their prisons. Only the strongest minds still battled with her, reminding her why she never let them out before now. She was breathing heavily from the strain as she returned back to Remy. "Probin' into a shut off mind won't help him." Rogue warned through laboured breaths. The bald man spoke for the first time.

"Young lady I don't believe you quite understand."

"You should listen to her chuck; she's smarter than she looks." Logan backed up Rogue as she kept her attention focused on the man with her. He lifted himself from the wall where he had been observing. "He's focusing on her, not the images in his head, you lot couldn't even manage that. She's had a lot of experience with memories, far more than any telepath. She knows what she's doing."

"Remy is my responsibility I should be-" Storm cut in and stopped the professor.

"Logan is right. She is helping his state and I will not ignore this. I will not see him struggle and hurt himself more by fighting these memories and your intrusion."

"They're right, his stats are returning to normal." Hank informed as everyone glanced to the southern couple intertwined in each others hold. Storm glanced to them with doubt but fought to remove negative thoughts of the southern woman, after all Logan trusted her.

"I advise that we try not to crowd them too much. I'm sure there will be ample time for us to visit later." Storm led the way for most of the others to follow. Logan hovered at the doorway as he glanced back to see Betsy and Jean reasoning with the professor.

"Pretty sure 'Ro meant you too chuck. Rogue can take care of things for now and 'Ro's right, there'll be time to check up on him later." The man looked thoughtful before nodding his head and allowing Jean to push him out of the infirmary.

"Unusual name Rouge." The professor began speaking with Logan as they left the infirmary and the entangled couple.


"Mmm." The moan escaped Rogue's lips as she stirred and sleepily woke herself from the peaceful slumber inflicted by her earlier actions.

"Remy been wonderin' when ya gonna wake up." A Cajun voice greeted her as she lifted her head from the beds edge and sat up in the plastic chair. His hand fell from playing with her twin coloured curls. Her eyelids battered as she woke herself and she smiled softly.

"Ah've been wonderin' the same about ya'll t'." She mumbled as she leant back and stretched out her arms. "How ya feelin' sugah?"

"Been better." He admitted as he stared down at his bandaged stomach. Rogue stood from the chair to give her muscles a chance to stretch as she stood at the bed side and smiled tenderly. Her eyes drifted to Remy's bare chest, his toned muscles flexing as he fought the surge of pain than came with pushing himself into a seated position. Instantly she reached out and helped him shift his body weight, still mesmerized by his bare flesh. She realised she was beginning to stare and tore her eyes from the sight. "Thanks, for earlier." Rogue nodded. "An' for not listenin' last night." He almost whispered. Rogue gave a small smile in response.

" . . ." She glanced away and rubbed the back of her neck.

"It upset ya, non?" Remy asked as he lent over and took the hand she was resting on the bed's rail. She looked into Remy's eyes as she looked back, still remaining silent. Remy leant closer as he stared into her eyes. "Ya eyes . . ." He whispered as he reached for her cheek and she pulled away.

"Don't." she whispered as she tightly shut her eyes and removed them from his line of sight.

"Non, Cherie come here. Let me see dem." She shook her head and stared at the floor as her eyes began to water.

"No." She whispered as she continued to refuse to meet his gaze. She didn't want him to know that she was the reason he had been forced to relive his most haunting memories. That she only seemed to be making his life ever more unbearable. "Ah'm sorry." She whispered as she took her hand from his.

"Sorry for what? I don' understand, Rogue what's wrong?"

"Gal used her powers on ya." Logan spoke and Remy glanced at her questioningly. "Ain't no reason to hate her though." Logan warned as he neared the pair with Ororo. Rogue fought with her internal emotions and for the first time since meeting her Ororo felt guilty of her untrusting attitude towards the younger woman. She could see it now, how this girl felt for Remy and how she beat herself up from the inside out for both getting him hurt and using her mutation on yet another person she had not wished to. Rogue glanced back to Remy tears falling from the shinning emeralds in deep pools of black.

"Ah'm so sorry." She whispered before fleeing from the room. Remy sat silently, still in shock of her eyes, finally beginning to understand the full impact his own had on people.

"I shall go after her." Ororo informed the men as she turned to leave.

"She used her powers on me." Remy's voice sounded bitter and Ororo closed her eyes praying that he would not begrudge the girl for her actions. She turned back as she neared the door, gripping the broken frame.

"We all do things we regret. Remy, do not forget how you really feel, rash decisions will only hurt the situation more." With those warning words she left the pair alone.

"I don' wanna talk t' ya Logan, go away." Remy glared at him but Logan refused to so much as budge an inch let alone exit the room.

"You angry with her?" Remy's glare deepened.

"What kinda question is dat?" He asked as he reached for a pack of cards and began to arrange them before him in a game of solitaire.

"Pretending to ignore me won't work." Logan warned in a low growl but Remy continued to concentrate of the playing cards. "You angry with her?" He asked again with more force than the last time.

"What is it dey say, 'ask a stupid question . . ." Remy raised an eyebrow to imply that Logan already knew the rest of the saying.

"Get a stupid answer." Logan mumbled. "Just a shame I ain't askin' a stupid question then."

"Think de answer t' ya question is pretty obvious." Remy muttered as he continued with his card game. Logan raised an eyebrow.

"Ya think? Cause I don't, ya care for her I can smell it on ya and she cares for ya too. I don't think it's as simple as just shutting her out do you?"

"She don' belong here." Logan snorted a laugh knowing that Remy wanted her to stay more than even himself.

"Then it's a shame chuck wants to offer her a home here. If she doesn't stay with us where can she go, huh? Back to Weapon X, is that what ya want?"

"Non." Remy spoke like a child that had just been told off and that was how he felt with Logan speaking down to him.

"Gal's touched me a few times before, starts off like a small electric shock and then builds and builds. The longer she holds on the closer it feels like you're getting to death. 'Course most of the time she was forced to 'absorb' me to save herself from death." Remy glanced up from his game for the first time without glaring at the man in his presence. Logan smirked. "You barely felt it." He snorted a laugh. "So she actually didn't want to hurt you."

"I was dying she probably jus' felt sorry for me." Logan looked doubtfully at the younger man.

"I ain't gonna waste my time tryin' to talk ya round. No matter how much I think I should, for Rogue's sake. Do what ya want but if I ever catch ya causin' the girl grief again I ain't gonna be so nice about it, especially when all she was doin' was savin' ya sorry ass. Got it?" Remy ignored the man's question as he felt his glare resting firmly on him.

"Whatever." He finally mumbled as Logan stormed out of the room. He shook his head free of Logan's words and returned to his game. His hand hesitated over the next card, the Queen of Hearts.


"Child are you alright?" Ororo yelled as she chased after Rogue as she threw open the mansion's doors. She followed her out and called a strong wind to carry her to the flying girl. She quickly caught up with the hovering woman as she hugged herself tightly. "Are you alright?" she asked again as she reached for her.

"Don't touch meh." The younger woman warned as she drifted away from Ororo's outstretched hand. She stared at the bright green orbs staring out at her through the darkness of both Rogue's eyes and the night's sky. Slowly she withdrew her hand and glanced at the young woman.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." She informed the young woman

"Then who should ah blame?" She whispered sorrowfully as she glanced to the weather witch. "Ah wish ah didn't have this stupid curse, it only destroys everything an' everyone ah get close t'." Storm sympathised with the woman. Logan had told her as much as he could about Rogue's original power and how it was that she seemed to have so many. She may not have had a small world full of people in her head or thousands of powers to beckon at her every whim, but she did control one of the most unpredictable things on the planet and in that sense she understood what it was like to never feel fully in control, even if you looked it.

"You know I still don't have full control of my powers." Ororo smiled as she spoke. "If I get angry or upset my control slips and anything can happen to the weather. Torrential rain, thunder storms, hurricanes, anything that fits my mood." Rogue glanced at her the tears no longer falling. "I have been blamed for many things in my life, both those within and out of my control. Remy is just feeling confused right now. You shouldn't trust any rash things he says or does."

"Ah can't blame him for bein' angry." Rogue informed her as she glided through the air at a gentle pace.

"Maybe not, but still, Remy is a very passionate young man and more often than not his emotions take over. Sometimes he forgets to think with his head and not his heart." Ororo offered a small smile. "He needs a someone, even if he won't admit it. He's scared Rogue, terrified by what he feels for you. I haven't seen him look at any other woman in quite the same way he looks at you." Rogue paused and glanced back in confusion. Her brow was furrowed as she tried to determine if she had been told the truth. Did Remy feel for her? She hadn't thought so and yet here was one of his closest friends telling her that he did. Ororo saw the doubt in her eyes. "I would not gain anything from lying to you about this." She informed hoping that the girl would believe her words.

"Ah . . . ah need t' be alone. Ah need time t' think." Ororo nodded and allowed the southern bell to flying away without her in pursuit. Maybe she had been wrong after all, maybe she had thought the worst of the girl when she should have been expecting much better than she could have hoped to expect. Maybe she was exactly what Remy needed after all.


Rogue sat on the peak of the roof; she had been there for a few hours since her conversation with Ororo. This was quickly becoming a common occurrence, just sitting there thinking and allowing the breeze to wrap her in a protective layer of ignorance. She was grateful for nature's 'silence' as the gentle sound of the breeze carried the noise of cricket and song birds to her ears. It was early morning now, a whole day had passed since the restaurant incident and yet she still could not shake herself free of the emotions eating her insides. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the breeze that caressed her skin. Her eyes gently fluttered open as the intoxicating scent of a familiar figure was carried to her on the breeze.

"You should be resting." She whispered wondering how he could have possibly managed to get himself onto the roof in his current state.

"Hank said I was well enough t' leave de infirmary. Said," He paused and she furrowed her brow afraid of the onslaught of anger she was expecting. "He said dat ya did somethin' t' me, somethin' dat be healin' me. Said I shouldn't have even made it back t' de mansion de other day." His voice was calm and she was sure she could sense his gratitude towards her, but his emotions were hard to read and she didn't fully understand them. She tugged on the sleeve of the jumper she wore and kept her eyes facing the tiles of the roof.

"Ah'd understand, if ya wanted meh t' leave." She told him as she released the jumper sleeve and just wrapped her arms around her body, encasing it in a solitary hug. Remy shook his head.

"Non, don' want ya leavin' jus' cause ya tried t' help." He shifted awkwardly. What could be so hard for him? She didn't understand why he couldn't say what he obviously wanted to and it only scared her more. He shuffled along the roof, not bothering to lift his feet properly as his shoes scuffed against the tiles. He made it to her side and steadily lowered himself to her side. She went to glance at him but remembering her eyes she quickly turned away again. "Been thinkin', 'fore I came up here." He tilted his head to one side as he tried to study her face but she just pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them while continuing to stare at the tiled roof. He remained quiet for a moment as he too glanced at the tiles. "Here." He whispered after what felt like an eternity of silence between them. His hand lay extended to her, pinched between his thumb and index finger was a playing card, the back facing her. She glanced at it hesitantly from the corner of her eye. "Promise it ain't gonna go boom." He joked as she gave him a quick one sided smile and took the card from his hand.

"Ah don't understand." She whispered as she turned over the card and studied the image of the queen of hearts.

"Always leave dat card for last, she be my lucky lady." As he spoke he waved his hand around as if what he had said was perfectly normal and made complete sense. She thought to the night before and recalled him using explosive cards to take out the soldiers. Was that what he meant? She was the last card he'd ever charge when using a deck. She wondered how he'd have time to fish her out of a deck during battle but she'd seen him so easily manipulate a deck of cards in his hand that it wouldn't surprise her if he could. "I guess dat ya were kinda dat card de other night." He muttered as if unsure that he knew how to get across what he was trying to say.

"Ah'm sorry." She whispered her apology, dragging her eyes from his view again as she slipped the card into a pocket on her jeans.

"No don' be." She forgot all about hiding her eyes as her head quickly turned to face him in confusion. Had she heard him right? Had he really said what she thought he had?

"What?"

"Don' be sorry." He offered her a gentle smile and she couldn't help but smile back. "Thinkin' 'bout it I never got round t' using dat card de other night. Didn't seem t' matter none though, maybe lady luck was dere fightin' wit' me."

"But ah-" Remy shook his head.

"None o' dat matters now." His eyes were so genuine and she let a smile spread onto her lips, accompanied by a few stray tears.

"Thank you." She whispered as she covered her mouth with her hand. Remy smiled as he reached for her cheek. She didn't back away she just let him run his thumb over her soft skin.

"Think ya pulled of Remy's eyes beautifully Cherie but he glad t' see ya gone back t' de old ones." Her mouth parted slightly as she reached up to run her fingers over the skin atop her high cheek bones.

"Really?" Remy nodded and caught the hand she had run over the same cheek as he held cupped in his own hand. Her eyes quickly felt to his lips where she forced them back to his eyes. She noticed him do the same. A strange surge of emotions ran through her body and she could swear they were all coming from the gloved hand Remy was touching.

He leant closer and raised his other hand into her curls. His breath tickled her cheek where it glided over it, she licked her lips and swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how dry her mouth and throat felt. Her lips parted of their own accord almost inviting him to her. She could feel butterflies swarming on her inside but they weren't in her stomach, they were in her chest fluttering about her heart. He dipped his lips down to hers they touched so briefly at first that she wasn't sure if she had just imagined the contact. But regardless of whether they had or not she knew she desired more. He'd backed out again just close enough for his breath to tickle the same place on her cheek that it had before. After a brief moment of being entranced by his lips and the stubble surrounding them she realised he was offering her the chance to decide if she wanted out. Her heavy lids fluttered up as she stared into his eyes, burn embers that she could feel etching themselves onto her very soul. Instantly her eyes drifted shut as she leant in and invited him to kiss her again. He did, gently and softly at first, each time their lips touched slowly getting longer before he seemed unable to hold back his feelings. His kisses became much deeper and long and she tried to fight the need to press her upper body against his knowing he was till tender. It wasn't long before she did give into the temptation and he moaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain. She instantly backed away, afraid she had hurt him.

He tugged on the hand in his hold as she backed away from him.

"Ah don't want t' hurt ya." She told him as his eyes begged her to return, she was sure if they could speak they would be whispering lustful wishes but she ignored if for fear of hurting him more.

"Ya won'." He informed her as he leant towards her again. Her breathing was deep from her lustful emotions. She could feel his lips nearly on hers and her breathing sped up in expectation but she backed away as he lent in. She smiled apologetically.

"You should be resting." She reminded him for the second time.

"Remy can take de pain, I ain't like de others." He told her. She swallowed again. Her breaths were still rushed and she couldn't stand it any longer, she needed to feel his skin on hers, she needed to feel his touch as it consumed her. She slipped one of her hands up into his auburn curls and pushed their bodies together. Again he moaned pleasure and pain no longer indistinguishable and she hesitated. "Ya won' hurt me." He reassured her as he pulled her against him. Both her arms hooked around his neck as his travelled through her hair. Their mouths moved with perfect timing, each touch inviting another as they knelt on the roof entangled in one another's embrace.


That's all for now folks! Please leave a review I do read them all and appreciate them more than words can describe.