Chapter 14

As they came to a finish with cleaning the living room, finding beer tins, broken glasses, dirty underwear, rotten food, cockroaches and even a rat that Gambit had to chase away, Gambit crashed out on the soggy, untrusting sofa, throwing his head back. He'd done most of the work cleaning up the living room, feeling it was his responsibility as Rogue had cleaned up most of the kitchen before he got there. Rogue noticed his hard work and rewarded him by making him a cup of tea. She came back into the living room, behind the sofa with a cup of tea (made strong the way Gambit had told her he liked it while they were still learning about each other). He opened his eyes, feeling and hearing her approach. She gave a small smile to him as he smiled back and passed the cup to him. He took the cup, setting it in his lap, but didn't look away from her. Rogue didn't look away from him either and stayed close to the back of the sofa, leaning against it as she looked down into his sparking, soft red eyes. There was a moment between them.

"Mercy, mon chérie."

"Ya welcome. Least ah could do for ya for cleanin up someone else's mess."

"I'd do it any day for you," Gambit said. Rogue looked away, feeling her cheeks get red. Why was it she still felt this way when she was supposed to be mad at him? Rogue came to sit on the sofa besides him, but kept her distance. Unfortunately for her, he noticed this and wanted to get closer to her. But he kept his distance from her for now, deciding to take his time like Destiny had adviced. Gambit caught his breath and watched Rogue do the same only with her eyes closed and with her head lent back into the pillow. He watched her breathe lightly, and when she felt his eyes on her she turned to look at him. They stayed just looking into each other's eyes for a few moments longer, until Rogue shyed away from their moment. Gambit wondered what she was thinking. He knew what he was thinking of or what he wanted to do and it involved those pinky red lips of hers that were left without the gothic make-up. They looked so juicy, plum and kissable. How couldn't she see how temptingly beautiful she was without that disguise?

"Ah woulda made ya somethin ta eat, but ah had to throw all the food out before. Sorrah."

"Don't be sorry chée. How 'bout we call a take away and get in some Chinese? You're favourite's egg fried rice and curry, right?"

Rogue smiled at Gambit remembering something she liked. She looked at him through with bad news. "There ain't any take ways down here, sugah. If we want food we gotta go down town and get some. Ah think there are a few restaurants places that let ya take away, but don't deliever, and ah think that the super market hasn't closed yet. It's round eleven and it closes at twelve."

Gambit nodded. "How' bout in a bit then, I go down town and get us some food? I've got some money left."

"Oh... The thief?"

"Oui."

"Ah thought ya had ya own seperate banks set up?"

" I do, but gotta be careful with what I got left. I had ta give most of the money in it to mon family so they could keep the business goi' and stay alive while I chased after ya. It be enough though for the two of us to survive until we find the money. After all, it'd be hard ta hide all dat money in one bank account without it bein' noticed dat someone suddenly put it in there. Course, we've had thieves breakin' in banks all over de world and seeing if they noticed anything suspicious. It be hard though cause if dis thief was good enough ta break in and steal from all de thieves then they be cleaver enough ta have bank accounts set up all over de place, and split up the money... They found a led back at home. Hair and a woman's clip... They've arrested Bella Donna."

"Oh... Does that mean... You still have to marry her?"

"If she gets found guilty, then no. Pére's anger 'bout dat, but he's happy cause the higher court, which basically helps runs the guilds, will most likely disown the assassin family cause they had a peace trade happenin', but went against it. The higher courts will stop helpin' de assassins find jobs and sponsourin em. If it wasn't her then they'll still force us. At de moment though, the higher courts are searchin' through all de assassins stuff. Tryin' ta find more evidence 'gainst Bell."

There was silence between the two and Rogue looked down to her hands, awkward. "... Is... that what ya came ta tell meh?"

"Oui. Came ta apologise for ever questionin' ya. I knew it wouldn't have been you, but... The guild."

" Ah get it... Just wasn't good timin'... Ya know, ah have money. Ah could pay for the food."

"Non, it be alright chére. I'll pay. So, what would ya like then?"

"Oh... Whatever really. Sumthin' cheap. Ah don't want ya spendin' all ya money on food for meh."

"It be for us. And your pére. Help I'm get back on his feet... Do... Ya think you'll come back ta New Orleans when ya help set ya father right?"

Rogue looked away from him and shuck her head. "Ah don't know. Ah don't think it's gonna be as simple as that. And like ah said... What've ah got back in New Orleans?" Of course, even Rogue thought that wasn't true as her mind went back to Natalie. Her first non mutant friend who had looked after her and not cared or used her for being a mutant. Natalie was a good reason to go back. She was a good reason, but still, she didn't have no place to live anymore as she'd made a sacrifice to make Nat happy, giving up her room for Nat's new boyfriend, Mark. Plus she'd give up her job, meaning she had no income and she'd have to look for another job and a place to live if she wanted to go back to New Orleans. But then she thought that Nat and Tanya would help her look as Nat was her friend and Tanya didn't seem that mad at her for leaving and giving up her job. If anything, she said she'd been expecting it and was only upset she had to say goodbye to a good person. But the reason Rogue had said it was because of who else lived in New Orleans. She couldn't give signals that she would go or get back with Gambit. They maybe friendly now, but that didn't make things ok between them.

"Ya got me. Always."

"Ya know that's kinda one of the reasons why ah left. "

He knew that and it hurt to hear it, but he understood she was still hurt. "Nothin' would have ta happen 'tween us if ya didn't want it to. I just wanna make things right, and ta do that I need ta be near ya. With ya. But my job as a thief calls for me ta be with the guild... I just don't want ya ta be outta my life Rogue... I tried it, and it just felt like I was missin sumthin. Seems crazy almost. I know ya ain't been in it dat long, but I'd still prefer ya in it than out, strongly."

Rogue knew the feeling. It was strange how close they'd got in such little time. It might have been the rush of having to know each other inside and out to fool the guild or maybe it might have been those three days of having to live and be around each other all the time. But that wasn't that long. They'd argued in between that too and been miserable... But maybe under all that misery they'd still actually liked each other. But... There was one question though which came to mind when he said that.

"If ah didn't go back ta New Orleans. Instead, I went ta live somewhere else. Would ya follow meh? Even while with the guild?"

Gambit had to think of this as he saw this was a serious question. He knew the easy and pleasing answer would be yes, but that maybe lieing. So he thought about it. Duty or ... Whatever Rogue was. Well, if he just upped and left the guild then he'll be hunted and killed and they'd use Rogue to get at him. But the truth was he didn't want to go back to the guild. Not now he knew a different life. "The truth. None. I'd love ta follow ya anywhere, but doin' dat means riskin' both our life's and I've already messed ya life up enough. I'd most likely check in on ya as much as I can, but if we ain't goin' inta hidin' tagether, then I can't be with ya chére."

"... Ah'm sorrah Remy, but ah ain't gonna live ma life for sumone else... Truthfully, ah don't even know what ah'm gonna do after this... How long ya got here anyway?"

Gambit shrugged his shoulders."Dun't know. They're all be too busy with findin' the money to worry 'bout me. After they find the money, that's when they'll start callin' me back. I think it'll take 'bout three days maybe ta find out if Bell's guilty. After dat,I'll stall as much as I can."

"Oh..." Rogue said looking down at her toes. The black nail polish was chipping off them and they needed a trim. It had become a little awkward between them. Rogue looked around for anything to distract her. When she found the living room clean and the kitchen too she looked to Gambit. "So... What'd you wanna do now?" Rogue asked.

Gambit looked around and thought about leaving to get food, but he thought leaving on that upsetting note would make it more difficult for them later. Finally, spying the TV he turned to look at Rogue. "We could see if ders any movies ta watch and just relax."

Rogue gave a little smile as she remembered the last time they had cuddled and watched movies. She'd liked that and wouldn't mind doing it again, but she thought about the situation and thought about how misleading it might be to do that again. But it was something casual. Friends could watch movies together and not cuddle. couldn't they? "Sure. Ah don't know where the remote is though and ah don't think there's any good channels ta watch anythin'. Ah'm sure that there's a DVD player upstairs. Think ah could set it up, but ah don't think we have any good DVDs."

"I could see if I can find anythin' in town while I'm gettin' food."

"Yeah, ah'm sure that the super markets open. Ya should be able ta get food and DVDs. Do ya know where it is though? It's gettin' dark, and ya don't know ya way round."

Gambit stood up with a little smile. Perhaps it might have been a good idea to let things settle for abit. Give Rogue time was what Irene had said. "Don't worry chére, I'll be fine. Be back in twenty minutes or more. You be alright?"

"Yeah." Rogue said getting up and walking Gambit to the door. "Just don't go gettin' inta any trouble, and try not ta talk to the locals 'bout what's goin' on with... us, right now. Please. Ah don't want a big fuzz comin' ta the door, or gossipin'."

"My lips are sealed." Gambit said, taking Rogue's hand and kissing her covered knuckles. "Be back soon." And then he left, wondering if the kiss was too much.

Rogue blushed as she shut the door behind him. Rogue went over everything again in her mind. Gambit had tracked her down all the way to Mystique and Irene. Then all the way back to her birth place just to say he's sorry and to try and earn her forgiveness. She guessed that he must have cared about her if he was going to those sorts of lengths. Unless he thought she was still the thief. But something told her that wasn't it. Then just him staying to help her out, maybe out of pity, but he'd admitted that he would want to follow her wherever she went if it wasn't for the guild. He really did care about her and her forgiveness. From her own experience with Cody, she knew that it wasn't just out of regret, but feelings for em.

"He dun't love ya!" Said a voice from the staircase. Rogue turned around, fear rising in her as she spotted the man she was suppose to call father. He was large, with his belly hanging out from under his shirt. He'd let his hair grow out and he'd grown a beard. He looked at her with red eyes. "How could anyone love ya? Ya know ya just like her. Looks and all...mah sister was right... Shoulda hung her and drown ya when ya were still learnin' ta breath."

Rogue's father turned away from her, going into the kitchen. Rogue closed her eyes while leaning back against the front door. Slowly, she let go of a shaky breath.