Disclaimer: I do not own any of the X-Men/marvel characters, some of these lines are not even mine but taken or paraphrased from various cartoons and comics I've read. What can I say, but I suck with dialogue. I mention some music groups and songs here, don't own them either. I made up a name for the store, have no idea whether there is a place with the same name or not, if so sorry. Just have some story in my head that won't go away so I'm writing it down.


NINE TO FIVE: Chapter Four - You smell like Gumbo

Two weeks passed since Jamal had offered Rogue a job at his used CD store, Vinyl Vintage. The past few weeks she had been in training, working with and meeting the other employees. It was now Monday afternoon, 2:50pm, and Rogue entered the doors to her first solo day of work.

"Hey ya, Sly," Rogue greeted the punk guy with the spiked hair, multiple piercings, wearing the Green Day shirt, a loose tie, and brown corduroys who was working behind the counter.

"Hey, Rogue, right?" Sly replied and looked at one of his three watches. "Little early today; your first day alone, no more training?" Rogue nodded. "Don't worry, your punctual enthusiasm will fade in time and then you will become one of us." And with that strange comment, he grabbed his bag and went into the back room and punched out. "Later, Rogue."

Whoa, 'kay. At least he didn' go on talkin' 'bout mullets today. And with that thought, Rogue punched in and set her stuff down behind the counter.

She pulled a Queen CD out of her backpack and popped the classic in and pressed play. Rogue sat down on the bar stool behind the register and looked around. There were two customers in the store, one at a listening station, the other browsing, both regulars.

"Hey hon," Rogue addressed the browsing customer, a boy about eleven years old, "ya need any help findin' anythin'?"

The boy replied, "Nope, just trying to decide the best way to blow ten dollars: Lucky Boys Confusion or Mustard Plug?"

"Your right, ah can't help ya there. Ah'm not big inta ska. But if there's anythin' ah can help ya with, ya know where ah'll be." Rogue walked back to the counter and grabbed a crate of unpriced CD's and a price gun.

Three house later, Rogue laid her head and arms on the counter and tried to distract herself from boredom, Why da Monday's havta be so slow, anyways. It was rushed from about 4:30 to 5:30, but now the store was dead. Rogue already priced and shelved her crate of CD's for the day, done her French homework, and read ahead in Ernest Hemingway's Farewell to Arms until she felt like throwing up from the horrid "romantic" dialogue. She had some trig problems to do, but instead of doing them she hoped that if she ignored them long enough that they would do themselves, or at least some trigonometry fairies would take up the cause.

She looked at the door and concentrated hard. Please someone, anyone, come in an' give me somethin' ta do! She waited a few minutes, sighed and started to pull her math book out of her bag, doubting that trigonometry fairies would do it. When bells above the door rang, Rogue practically fell off her stool from excitement. Until she saw who it was. Why did ah say "anyone?"

"Hello, mon chere," Remy said as he strolled in. "Your prayers have been answered: Gambit has arrived."

Rogue glared at him. "Yah, that so? Well Gambit better turn around an' leave, 'cause this place ain't big enough for me, Gambit, an' his ego."

"Hold on dere, chere," Gambit said defensively. "I'm just here to look around and see if dere be anythin' here I like."

Rogue watched him wander through the store for a few minutes, wondering what he was up to. Occasionally he glanced up and caught Rogue watching him. He smiled playfully at her. Remy foolishly expected Rogue to look away and blush or giggle like other girls, but Rogue wasn't like any other girl. She crossed her arms and glared at him; she was not ashamed or embarrassed that she was looking at him, she had every right to be. He might try an' steal somethin', she rationalized, but the truth was that she enjoyed watching him move about. He was very graceful, like a cat. After a few minutes he came to the register empty handed, put his elbows on the counter, set his chin in his hands, and smiled.

Noticing his lack of CDs or music related paraphernalia, Rogue asked, "Watcha doin', swamp rat? Ah thought ya said ya'd leave if ya didn't find anythin' ya liked."

"Oui."

"Well....did ya find somethin' ya like then?"

"Oui."

"Really?" Rogue said in disbelief.

"Oui."

"What is it, Cajun?" Rogue exclaimed. "Tell meh so ah can hurry up an' check ya out."

"You can check me out anytime, chere. I don't mind."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "That's not what ah meant an' ya know it. So ah'm gonna ask ya again, what did ya find ya liked?"

Remy didn't say anything. He lifted one of his hands out from under his chin and pointed to Rogue. "You, chere." Then he put his million dollar smile on.

Rogue rolled her eyes, then turned her face away so he didn't see her blush. "Whateveh, swamp rat." She pretended to busy herself with something on the wall behind her. Damn him! Damn him for making meh blush...why am ah blushin' anyway? His just an annoyin' playeh who doesn' know when ta quit. Ah bet he read that line outta a book...no, ah doubt he'd even pick up a book, he probably found it on the internet o' somethin'. The Rogue, Independent Gothic, does NOT fall for cheesy pick-up lines found on the internet, even if the person who says it happens ta be hot...did ah just think that the swamp rat was cute? DAMN HIM! Ah must be sick, o' hangin' 'round Kitty to much.

Remy didn't know what to do then. Most girls would have giggled and given him their number. He stood up and leaned up against the counter. Silence ensued. Remy decided to play with her a bit and asked, "What is dis your listenin' to, chere?"

Rogue looked at him in disbelief. "Ya can't tell me ya neveh heard o' Queen before?"

Remy knew very well who Queen was, even owned three albums, but he shook his head no.

"Ah can't believe ya've neveh heard o' Queen before." Rogue tries to refresh his memory, "Queen, from the seventies? 'Anotheh one bites the dust?' 'We will Rock ya?' 'The Champions?'" Remy shook his head again. "Ya musta had one deprived childhood," declared the Goth.

"'I'm justa poor boy, nobody loves me,'" Remy quoted a line from Bohemian Rhapsody.

"Ya lying..." Rogue growled. "Why in the world did ya lead meh on like that? Ah was almost feelin' sorry for ya."

"Don't be angry, beb, alt'ough you are tres beau when you're angry," Remy said, which pissed her off even more. "Remy just loves da sound of your voice."

An evil thought popped into Rogue's head as she glared at Remy. "Ya know what sound ah'd love ta hear, Cajun?"

"My silence?" Remy guessed.

"Nooo, although that would be nice." Rogue continued, "The sound of mah fist hittin' that smug smile o' yours right off your face."

Remy saw the look in her eyes and realized she wasn't kidding. He jumped back and grabbed a CD out of the nearest box. "You wouldn' hurt a payin' customer now would you, chere?"

Rogue raised an eyebrow, "If ya think that a CD from the bargain dollah crate is gonna save ya, ya've got another thing comin'."

"How 'bout Remy take de la femme la plus belle* in town out dis Saturday?" Remy proposed.

"An' who might she be?" Rogue asked, "Wait, don't tell meh..Jean Grey, right? Ya promise ta get that annoyin' Miss Perfect outta mah hair for one night."

"Jean?? Who's Jean, chere?" Remy was taken aback and took another look at Rogue. "Non, doesn' matter, 'cause dere isn' anyone dat could possibly be more beautiful den you."

Rogue was completely bewildered. Is this guy insane? Ah was just gonna punch 'em an' now he's askin' me out? He's gotta be kiddin' himself if he thinks Ah'll ever go anywhere with him, or anyone else for that matter. Doesn't he know Ah can kill 'em with a single touch? 'Sides who would wanna touch him, that slimy liar's probably been with half the girls in Bayville already.

She had to make sure she understood him right. "Ya wanna take meh out?"

"Oui, chere." Remy took her gloved hand and kissed it. "Non other."

Rogue wrenched her hand out of his. "Sorry ta disappoint ya, sugah, but ah don't date."

Again she surprised Gambit. Dis girl always keeps me guessin'.

"I was prepared for a number of brush offs," Remy said eventually, "but an ultimatum, chere? Non. How come you don't date?"

"Ah guess it just goes ta show, ah'm not as predicable as ya thought," Rogue replied.

Remy was not going to give up, "An' dats what makes ya so intriguing, an' this Cajun likes mysteries. 'Specially da one where you avoid my question."

"What question, swamp rat?" Rogue sighed.

"Why you don' date?" he repeated.

Rogue just looked at him. She was so thankful when she heard the bells above the door ring. Two college age women walked in the store laughing. "Excuse meh, Gambit, but ah got ta wait on some real customers." Rogue came out from behind the register, starting toward her saviors.

Gambit waved his dollar CD. "I'm a real customer."

Rogue glanced at him and raised her eyebrow. "Do ya even know any song," she snatched the CD from Remy's hand, "'Electrasy' have?"

Gambit looked around the store and nodded to the browsing customers. "I t'ink maybe they need to be waited on more den me."

"Cosmic Castaway," Rogue said without looking at the back of the CD. "Though the only reason ah know that is 'cause it's on the Titan A.E. soundtrack with Powerman 5000 and Wailing Souls." She handed the CD back to Remy and walked over to the girls.

"Hallo, Ah'm Rogue. Do ya need any help findin' anythin'?" she asked the two women. They both looked up: One girl had a surprised look on her face, but the other looked at her, disgusted.

The woman with the disgusted look sneered. "I didn't realize she was working here today." She grabbed her friend's arm. "I refuse to shop here when she's working." Hurt filled Rogue's face. The rude one tried to drag her friend out of the store, but the other one put on the breaks before exiting.

"Whoa, what's the deal, Suzy?" the rude one's friend asked.

"She's a mutie, Nina," Suzy said. Nina stood there waiting for a continued explanation.

When she didn't get one Nina asked, "Is that it?"

Suzy responded, "Isn't that enough?!" Rogue solemnly walked back to Remy.

He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don' you pay any attention to dem girls." He whispered, "Dey don' know nothing."

Rogue brushed him off. "Don't touch meh," she hissed and walked back behind the counter.

Meanwhile, Nina planted her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought I knew you, Suzy." Nina shook her head. "To think, all this semester I've been living with a racist, intolerant...."

Suzy interrupted, "WHAT?! You're a fricken' mutie lover?! Wait...you're not one of them are you?! I can't believe I let you borrow my clothes and everything!"

"No, Suzy, I'm not a mutant," Nina started furiously, "but do you remember my high school sweetheart I was telling you about? The one I cried about the first month after I moved in? Well, he was, not an amazing power, his hair just changed colors depending on how he felt, I sometimes called him Moody 'cause it reminded me of a mood ring..." Nina brought herself back to the present. "He was the sweetest guy I've ever met and do you know why we broke up?" Nina paused. "'Cause ignorant, mutant haters like you decided it would be fun to beat the shit outta us one night. Broke my arm, and nearly killed him -"

Suzy interrupted again. "Too bad they didn't."

Nina shot her former friend and roommate a death glare. "Screw you!! You can find your own way back to school!! And you'd better start looking for a new roommate!!" Nina stormed out of the school toward her car, leaving Suzy stranded.

Suzy shifted awkwardly and look at the two mutants left in the store. Rogue felt a crazy mix of emotions: anger, self-resentment, ashamed. Rogue decided to pity her but she didn't know why. Maybe because of Xaivor's dream, maybe because she thought that if this one girl realized she wasn't a monster, she could convince herself that the hatred towards mutants, toward herself, would not last forever. "If ya want, ah can give ya a ride home after ah get off work at seven."

The student stared angrily at Rogue. "I'd rather die then accept help from someone like you!" And with that she stomped out of the store and started a long, cold, windy walk. Rogue knew she should let it get to her but it did, although she does do a good job at pretending it doesn't.

"I hope it rains," Remy said after she left.

While Remy was imagining the girl "Suzy" soaked like a wet dog trudging thought puddles and getting splashed by passing vehicles, Rogue had already rung up his CD, put it in a bag and handed it to him. "That'll be one 'o five."

"Huh," he responded.

"One dollah an' five cents, sugah," Rogue repeated quietly. "For the CD."

"Oh," Remy said pulling out some change from his pocket and clunking it on the counter. "I better be pickin' up Petey at da park, gotten kinda dark for 'em to be drawin' anymore. So I'll be seein' ya Saturday night, den?"

"No, Remy, ya won't," Rogue replied in an exhausted and serious tone.

Remy was about to leave, defeated for that day but she never answered his one question. "Why, chere?"

Rogue sighed. "It'll neveh work out, sugah. Ah can't touch anyone 'cause o' mah powers an' a totally Platonic relationship is unrealistic, don't ya think?"

"Non, I don'," and with that she watched Gambit exit without making another sound.

It was seven o'clock before another person entered the store. Jamal, who was closing that night, called to her, "You're working Tuesday, Friday, three to seven and Saturday ten to seven, right?"

"Yeah," Rogue answered quietly, her mind somewhere else. Ah'm right, ah Platonic relationship is ridiculous, especially with someone like that stupid Cajun. He's wrong. He just said that to get undeh my skin, not literally o' course. He just wants ta see if he can get meh ta swoon, an' he won't. It's not like he's that hot with his slight muscular build, that friendly southern accent, an' that perfect smile... GRRR. Rogue, why are ya thinkin' like this? He's nobody. Though he did keep ya entertained today... Maybe it won't be so bad if he came back ta talk later this week... She grinned despite of herself.

"You okay, Rogue?" Jamal asked.

"Yeah, ah'm fine," Rogue replied. "It's just been a long day. See ya Tuesday." Rogue left the store. Logan was already waiting for her out front in the X-Jeep.

"How was your day, Stripes?" Logan asked as she hopped in.

"Fine," was all she said. He realized that she didn't want to talk anymore, so he started up the Jeep and pulled out. Then he smelt something. "Kid, did you eat at a Creole restaurant today?"

Rogue gave him a funny look. "No, why?"

"You smell like gumbo tonight, that's all."

*The most beautiful woman, translated by babelfish. I don't know French so sorry if I wrote it in the wrong form or anything.