Note: thanks guys for the ideas. And sorry the last thing was just a question and no story. Sorry about that.
Warning - it's got triggers of sucide, but very much doubt it'll come in it again. It's just to show how far, well, you'll see. But yeah, this is not going to be a depressing thing. It'll get better and positive as soon as those two bang their heads together. Promise there won't be any more scenes like this.
Chapter 4
Rogue couldn't believe what she had just heard. Gambit had said he wanted to marry her because he liked her. Sure, he got on with her and she guessed other girls, but she was certain when looking into those eyes of his that he had meant like her in a completely different way than just a friend. Like, like liked her. And now she was starting to sound like Kitty with all the likes, so she let it go and examined the room, although she couldn't help but feel up lighted by this new revelation.
The resort room was stunning. They had their own private spar and living room with a large flat screen tv. Because the resort was just on the outside of New Orleans they had a perfectly beautiful view of the city. But one thing that turned Rogue off though was the king sized bed. She stared at it for a while. She hadn't thought about daily life being married to Gambit would mean. He was making himself at home already by opening a wine bottle and pouring them a glass each. Rogue really didn't want to start an arguement again. She had agreed with Gambit before. She was sick of arguing. But she really had to push this thing with the bed. But Gambit had other ideas.
"So, I t'ink we best go over de job roles now. If were gonna fool the guilde inta thinkin' we've been datin' and seein' each other for a long time, and our marriage is 'cause we fell in love with each other instead of 'cause I found out mon pére wants ta marry me off ta some crazy assassin, then were gonna have ta know about each other. And we're gonna have ta be comfortable round each other. So... Guess we start now." Gambit had handed her a glass of white wine. Rogue was about to ask where they started and protest about having to sleep in the same bed when Gambit took her hand in his. She looked at him bewildered as he brought her over to the bed. Before Rogue could even object to what she thought Gambit was doing, he took her glove off. Rogue thought for the freedom of her hand, but he didn't let go.
"What are ya doin'?"
" Ya gonna absorb moi."
"Like hell ah will." Dropping her glass and angerly snatching her hand back out of his grip she stumbled back a few steps away from him.
"Chére-"
"Don't cher me. What the hell are ya thinkin?"
"Dat it'd be the fastest way for you ta know bout me. I know from followin' ya in Bayvillie dat the longer you hold on the more ya know of dat person, and the shorter the less. Rogue the weddin's in three days."
"What?-"
"There was a cancellation and I took it. It'd be perfect. We got 'bout a day for me ta learn all 'bout you and show ya round New Orleans. It also gives us a day ta get things like your wedding dress and my suit and stuff. But we ain't got time for ya ta learn all bout me. I've been watching ya for a long while now and know a few t'ings bout ya. Like you like readin gothic novels, ya like de beetles even though they aren't ya favourite, ya secretly like walkin in de rain. Quite a few t'ings, but ya hardly know anythin' bout me. So ya need ta absorb me. Then y'all know lots bout me and details bout de wedding and de family."
"But... What if ah don't wanna absorb ya?"
"I know ya hate absorbin people Rogue, but ya agreed ta dis."
"Ah didn't agree ta absorbin ya. Ah agreed ta marry ya. Ah don't want ya inside ma head." She said trying to hold back her anger and hurt.
"It's the fastest way, and if we can't convince de guilde that we're a couple then there'd be no point of us gettin married in de first place." He practacly yelled.
"Why is there only one bed?"
"What?" Gambit asked confused.
"Why is there only one bed? Ya right we're gonna have ta be convincin and ah know sharin' a room, but we can't share a bed. Skin Gambit. My skin."
"Chére, what...? Stop tryin ta distract me, it ain't gonna work Rogue. Ya gonna have ta absorb me, and yes, ya gonna have ta sleep in de same bed as me. When we go back ta the thieves do ya really think we'll have seprate beds? Best get used ta this, cause it's how ya gonna be livin for a while."
Rogue was silent, staring at the bed in a way Gambit couldn't figure out what she was thinking. He couldn't even tell what she was thinking through his empathy. She seemed cold and distant and then she swallowed down a lump in her throat, before moving slowly to the door and walking out. Gambit ran his hands through his hair, cursing under his breath at how frustrating this was. He felt bad for just coming onto her and trying to make her touch him. He should have known from the start that she'd be uneasy about it. She didn't want to touch him last time and she hesitated whenever she went to touch someone. He kicked the draws and took a swig of drink from the wine bottle. He tried calming himself down before he ran after her. He'd been an idiot yelling at her about something obviously sensitive to her. This situation was just so frustrating. He was going to have to apologise for being so forwards, but not for trying to use her powers. There was logic behind why, and she'd agreed to this, so she was going to have to do this. Or else he was screwed.
Rogue sat upon the roof, not knowing where else in New Orlenas to go. She could problely find her way around and back to the hotel, but she thought there was a reason why Gambit had gotten a hotel outside of New Orleans. So she had feld to the roof, where all was quiet and the sun was setting. She sat down on the edge of the building with her legs dangling over the wall. It might have seemed like she was going to commit suicide, but she really wasn't. Although that wasn't to say she hadn't thought of it.
Her thoughts wondered to Gambit. She should have know it was her powers he wanted and not her. Her powers were the reason why he had wanted to marry her. Not because they had that little bonding time last time, but because of her powers. It always came down to her powers. She really did hate them. They were the reason she so despertly wanted to jump off this roof...were they... No the reason she wanted to jump was because of others wanting her power. She didn't care much about having a mutation. She hated that hers effected her social life, but she wouldn't care about it that much if people weren't trying to use it she didn't think. It would still bother her, but it'd be less painful. If she wasn't as powerful. If she just took energy and not powers or memories or anything, then she'd be fine. No one would want her because she'd have a weak, or weaker power. She hated it. She hated that now she realised that people, all the people in her life just wanted her for her powers. Mystique raised her for her powers along with Destiny. The Brotherhood wanted her for her powers and she was sure Magneto would have had her if he could. Mesmero and Apocolypse had used her for her powers. Gambit had too. Hell, even the X-Men used her for her powers. The Professor had been tracking her for months before her powers manifested and was just waiting for them...there was only one person who ever made a move on her just to get to know her for her without knowing her powers. But he were in a coma now.
That made everything stop. Rogue had forgotten all about Cody. The last time she asked the Professor about him, he was still in a coma. Rogue hated that her mutation developed on that night. She felt so bad and guilty. From what she knew, Cody was in a coma and dying and she'd killed him. A tear rolled down her eye as she thought of the memories the Professor ripped out of her head. Cody was one of them. She knew the Professor had messed up her head a lot by taking out the psyches, but she hadn't realised how much when she found it hard to remember what Cody looked like. She knew he was blonde and had blue eyes, but that was it. She couldn't actual come up with a face for him anymore. But she tried remembering him. She'd forgotten all about him for a year or three and now she felt it her job to at least remember his memories so that they could live on threw her.
She remembered a boy who grew up with a proud mother and father, but they'd always leave him. Always be off on some sort of adventure on their own, wrapped up too much in their own world to really pay attention to him. So Cody made himself known at school. It was why Rogue was kinda shocked he'd asked her to dance. She remembered Cody being kind and hot. He was a typical, but nice jock who was brilliant at football. He would have gone on to be a couch and biology professor if it wasn't for her. He wanted to have two or three kids, secretly wanting a boy so he could teach him how to play game. She saw that Cody wanted a strong wife who was kind and caring. What surprised her though was that Cody thought he'd get that from her. He was so nervous at asking her out, he was glad his friend pushed him into dancing with her. Then it all went wrong... She knew Cody would hate her now if he was awake from his coma. Rogue felt so bad for him. Even when he first asked her to dance and she didn't know what he was thinking. She wanted to smile at how awkward and scared she felt having such a sweet kind hearted guy like Cody asking her to dance out of all the other gorgeous girls. She loved that he'd chosen her. She didn't know if it was a prank of something, but she just went with it and embarrassed herself dancing for him. It was fun. She missed him...he was nothing like Gambit. Gambit had been fun the first time, but now she knew that he was using her for her powers again, all the colour seemed to fade from the world. Only the thought of a sweet boy who may have accepted and loved her for who she was gave her little hope that maybe someone else would feel the same. She hoped she could find that happiness she felt with him with some one else. She hoped she could make peace with him in the future and try to help him out some how. He deserved it... And he was only a pond away...
Rogue heard the door to the roof open and close and she knew who was with her. She wasn't quite sure what to do with him. He was right, she'd agreed to marry him and save him, but she'd never agreed to absorb him. It did seem logical that she absorb him, but still, he could have said something earlier. Could have explained more. That was if she hadn't run away then suddenly made up her mind without asking questions. This was so stupid. She didn't want to be around him. She didn't want to know his deepest darkest secrets. She didn't want to feel the pull of his energy entering her; she didn't want to feel him pull away from her and look at her with the same discusting and hurt she saw in everyone else's faces or felt in their psyches as she absorbed them. It was a natural reaction for them to hate and fear her and she hated those deep feelings. She hated the whole process of her mutantion...but he wanted it. He most likely didn't want to be absorbed and have all his memories stolen... That must take a whole lot of trust Rogue thought. Once she touched him for as long as she fought he wanted her to hold on, then she'd know all his dirty little secrets and she was sure he had loads of them he didn't want anyone to know about. But was questionable trust in her enough?
"Why didn't you bring Jean? Or some other psychic?"
"Jean's too wrapped up in dat summers Boy Scout and dunt know any others."
"Your lyin'"
"...psychics can't get through my shields."
"Mesmero could."
"His power was different and worked on my consisousness, not the dephs of my mind."
"So my power is the only power that can get deep inside."
"...Oui."
"And you really want meh ta know every dirty secret?"
"Non, not really."
"You think ah can control what ah take?"
"Non."
"Ya only want me ta hold on long enough ta get a little bit of info."
"As long as you think you need."
"Ah won't know when ta stop. What you won't want me ta absorb. Ya sure ya wanna put your trust in me?"
"Oui."
"Why?"
"Cause ya saved mine and mon péres life."
"That was different. That was sumthin' ah had control over."
"It's still you chére... Ah know you don't like absorbin people but-"
"Don't!"
He was silent. Rogue openned her eyes to look out at the city. Right then and there she really just felt like letting go and letting the wild ruffle her up wildly before she hit the ground. He had to go back to his selfish reasons of the guilde and wedding instead of staying on him just simply trusting her. She really didn't want to be inside that head now. All Gambit was thinking about was this wedding and the guilde. He wasn't thinking of anything or anyone else and she didn't need to be in his head to know that he had a goal in mind and just like last time, he wouldn't stop till he got what he wanted.
Gambit had been a little, well, very worried when and where he found Rogue. He was trying to stay calm and not antagonize her. If she jumped or slipped there was no way he could catch her in time and he was sure if he got any closer any faster she might have jumped. She looked so down and upset. He wondered if what he had said had really hurt her that badly. But relief came over him as Rogue moved her legs back around the edge and stood up. She didn't meet his eyes.
"Ah'll think bout it. For now... Ah'm kinda tired from the trip... Besides, absorbin' ya now means the X-Men will know where we are and'll be able ta stop tha weddin. Maybe after, but defently not now. So keep your distance.."
Gambit wasn't sure what he could do or say. But he learned from his mistakes and seeing Rogue sat on the edge of the building, looking ready to jump made him feel like he defiantly needed to back off a little and watch where he stepped. He couldn't, for the life of him, understand why Rogue suddenly felt that suicide was an answer. Her life couldn't be that bad could it? Did she really want to marry him? Probably not. But she was already heading past him and back to their room.
When they got back, Rogue pulled out a t-shirt and pants to change into for bed. She locked herself in the bathroom and Gambit listened to the shower. While she was in there he turned on the tv and watched some of the news, but wasn't paying much attention. He tried summing up Rogue's situation in his own head. He knew she'd lost her education and possibly a job. He knew she was unhappy with the X-Men and didn't want to go home to get yelled at by them. So she made going back to the X-Men a no no. Then there was the Brotherhood, but Mystique controlled them and she hated her mother. Then there was Magnetos, but he doubted she wanted to be paid for absorbing people or working against the X-Men. So that left her out of any and all mutant groups. She didn't have any friends she could go live with and no family to run to. She could always fully become a Rogue, but then he and she both knew Logan would track her down and because she wouldn't have had a plane ticket or perfume bombs then she would have got caught, dragged back to the mansion and been in even more trouble. Gambit could see why she really did want to get away from that place. It was almost as if she was doomed there, and Gambit was the only exit she ever got. So she took it to get away. Not to marry him and save his life. For some reason that hurt. He'd guessed and seen that Rogue was actually some form of nice under that bitter harsh attitude she had to scare people away. He was forcing her into marriage for the cost of her freedom away from the X-Men and Bayvillie. So either she had pride and honour to stay and complete her deal, or she'd run. But she was still here. She was a good person, but maybe she really didn't want to get married. Maybe he should just let her go and get married to Bella Donna or a complete stranger. At least that way he wouldn't have to worry that he was driving Rogue to suicide.
No, she'd agreed to this and she wouldn't kill herself. Definetly not while he was around, Gambit thought. He tried convincing himself that he was going to marry Rogue and he succeed, but there was one catch. Something that kinda scared him into this choice. He was going to have to lay off herand let her call the shots so that she felt free or else he might just lose her. When it was his entire life on the line, that was scary.
