Chapter 26

The next time Gambit and Rogue woke up was by Tante Mattie banging on their door, yelling at them to come down for breakfast. Both stirred, and as Rogue loosened her grip, Gambit's only tightened it. He buried his head down into Rogue's chest, not wanting to wake up just yet. Rogue, somehow used to being waken up like this began sitting up, or trying to, and ended up leaning on her elbows. She smiled at how much like a child Gambit acted. And she still didn't believe she deserved him. It was so hard to believe that this man had rushed through god knows what to get to her and save her life. Rogue wondered if she was or had ever been worth it. Well, apparently for the guild she had but was she enough for him? Well, from the other night, he thought so. How did she get so luckily all of a sudden? How did she manage to end up with this beautiful, sexy, kind, charming man who loved her and no one else? She didn't know. But she loved him so much too.

"Remy." She shuck him lightly on his shoulder with her arm. "Come on Rems. It's time ta get up." She said in a light voice. She didn't want to wake him up since he had looked shattered all day yesterday, but she didn't want him getting in trouble with Tante.

But Gambit just seemed to bury himself more into her chest, which made Rogue feel... Strange. It was strange having him rest his head on her breasts. Having him so close. But she kinda liked it. Gambit only buried his head deeper into the darkness that was moving. Then felt the urge to turn over, but not lose his comfortable pillow. His strong arms wrapped around Rogue's back and chest more and he pulled her over, on top of him. Rogue gasped then said, "Remy. We need ta get up. Your Tante Mattie's callin us."

"Non, I'm comfy. She can wait." He muttered into her chest. It made Rogue giggle as it tickled a little.

"Come on sugar. Pretty please. Ah don't want her mad at meh cause ya not gettin' up."

Gambit groaned, then lifted his head up so his eyes could meet Rogue's. For a moment they just lay there staring into each other's deep, beautiful eyes. Both happy and both treasuring what they had. Both were lost in utter love. Rogue's eyes fell to Gambit's lips, as did this. She really wished she could just kiss those lips without hurting him. She really wanted to show him how much she loved him without hurting him. She really wanted to kiss him. Rogue tried to find her self-control, but slowly, she found herself falling more and more closer to Gambit until their lips met. Gambit had wanted it to happen. At first he thought it was a dream, but the kiss felt too real as he melted into it. The most perfect kiss he had ever had. Then suddenly those pieces of heaven were gone. He opened his eyes to see a very shocked Rogue.

Rogue jolted up. She didn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. She had just kissed Gambit and he was ok. He was blinking up at her. What did this mean? Gambit sat up with Rogue, realising what had just happened himself. Gambit searched Rogue's face for anything different about her, while she searched his to see if he was hurt. Gambit raised his hands, one wrapping around Rogue's waist where she sat in his lap, and the other reaching up to stroke her face with his bare hand. A breath Rogue didn't know she'd been holding escaped her as Gambit moved a piece of her hair behind her ear, grasing his fingers along her cheek as he did. She really wanted his touch. She craved it. It felt like her skin was burning and tingling under his touch. It scared her, but it felt so good. Rogue reopened her eyes and looked deep into Gambit's lustful eyes. Both didn't understand, but both didn't care at that moment. Both fell into a deeper kiss. A longing kiss. The perfect kiss... Until Rogue felt something hard against her. She pulled away and took a quick look down at where she was sat. Gambit chuckled, and moved his head to lean on hers. "It's a natural reaction, especially when it comes ta you Chèrie." Gambit started kissing her again.

"Remy, ya lazy rascal, I won't tell ya again. Get down here and bring dat poor, starved girl with ya."

Both of them laughed. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of Tante Mattie.

"Come on, we betta get up 'fore she comes up here." Rogue said.

"Awww." Gambit pouted. "But I'm enjoyin dis little surprise." Gambit said, twirling her white curls around his fingered. Gambit stared at her lips again, tempted to feel their softness.

Rogue blushed as she still felt how hard he was. Her hands traveled down from holding his jaw to his shoulders, down his wonderfully hard chest. She found it hard to do what she was going to do knowing that now she could slip her hands under his shirt and feel those wonderfully perfect abs. But instead, she pushed him away. Only he was in a playful mood this morning. As he lay back down on the bed, he brought her down on with him.

"Remy." Rogue moaned. Then Gambit started to tug lightly at her ear withhis teeth as she turned her face away from him so he wouldn't kiss her again. Rogue giggled, then tried pushing him away again, only those arms were strong around her. He kept her to his chest and dropped butterfly kisses all down her neck while she giggled away. "Remy, stop. We've gotta go."

Then there was loud banging on their door again. "Remy LeBeau, ya got ten seconds ta be decent 'fore I come in der, and drag ya out by ya ear." Yelled Tante Mattie.

Gambit finally stopped what he was doing, looking past Rogue to the door. "Merde." He muttered. "Yes really mad. Chère, cover for moi?" He asked.

Rogue raised her eyebrow at him. "Why woulda ah do that when ah told ya she was gettin mad? Ya didn't listen."

"Oui, I'm sorry. And you'll keep her busy cause ya love me?" Gambit grinned.

Rogue rolled her eyes then looked down at the still madly grinning Gambit. He planted a quick kiss on her lips, before sitting them both up, putting her to the side, then hurrying off into the bathroom. Then the bedroom door opened and an angry tante stepped in. She gave a small smile to Rogue. "Good mornin honey child, now where be dat radical?"

"Oh he's gone to the toilet. Sorrah, ah woulda come down ta tell ya, but ah wanted ta wait for Remy."

Tante Mattie gave Rogue a proper, heartily smile.

"Dat boy got ya liein for em? Ya don't have ta be nervous child. No one in dis house is gonna hurt ya."

"Yeah, ah know."

Tante raised her eyebrow at Rogue, closed the door then came to sit on the bed.

"Child, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Rogue." Tante Mattie said in a slightly dangerous tone which made her know she better answer now.

"It's just... Ah ain't that good with crowds."

Tante smiled. "Is dat all? Child, dat boy in der will fight dem off for ya. The way dat boy looks at ya is full of love. He ain't gonna let the woman he loves be wooed by any other man. And if he can't get de job done, then me and Merci will step in to help. Ya just give a signal if ya feelin uncomfortable, Oui."

"Oui." Rogue said. Tante gave a final large smile then left.

A few moments later Gambit came out of the bathroom. Rogue looked at him, waiting for some sort of instructions on how to service in the LeBeau house hold.

XXXXX

Breakfast with a load of eager thieves who wanted to met the External's favourtive person was eventful. Tante Mattie was right about Gambit fighting them off. They had come down in their pyjamas, or in Rogue's and Gambit's case, a white under skirt dress she was forced to wear under her excerusion dress and the same clothes from the hospital Gambit had borrowed. Gambit kept hold of Rogue's hand all the time, while going downstairs, to holding it under the table till even after that. He just wouldn't let her go again and squeezed it, proving to her that he was there for her. Gambit led Rogue downstairs, pulling out her chair for her next to the head of the table where Jean Luc sat. He took the seat next to her, glaring at the thieves who started to get up and move towards Rogue His red glare scared them and they sat back down. Rogue didn't see this though as she felt uncomfortable anyway. She looked down at her hands, not meting anyone's eyes.

"Well, good mornin treasure." Said Jean-Luc, putting down his drink. Rogue looked at him. She remembered that she'd framed him and that he still had to have his trial. Well she thought she did.

"Hi." Rogue muttered. It made his smile to into a grin.

"So, how's de life offa celebrity treatin ya? Not every day ya go from bein inchies ta havin ya head cut off, ta being the External's prized posession."

"Père." Both Gambit and Henri hissed at him.

"What? It be de truth, non?" He said winking at Rogue while taking another drink. Rogue just watched him. His tone was mocking and light, but she gathered he was still mad at her. Rogue's inner goth seemed to come out as she straighten up. She wasn't going to be the victim to this bad man.

"Hmmm, its been a strange forty eight hours or so, hasn't it. Do you still have to attend your trial for attempted murder on ya son and the assassins son?" Rogue said, raising her eyebrow at him.

All was quiet at the breakfast table. Jean Luc eyed Rogue before he chuckled deeply.

"Looks like mon boys found a spit fire. Ya sharp with ya tongue petite. But non. Since de whole feud was discoved ta be a fix by Malcolm, I was let off. But de higher courts still keepin a close eye on me." Jean Luc said, eyeing Tante Mattie, who gave him a raised eyebrow of her own. Then she smiled as she came up behind Rogue and Gambit and placed a plate each of her freshly baked goods.

Rogue smiled back up to the woman, "Thank ya Tante." She said. Gambit repeated her thanks along with many others.

"Why, it's nice ta finally hear some manners." Tante said, laying firm hands on Rogue's shoulders."Now you be nice ta de fillie Jean-Luc. Remember-"

"I know tante, I know. She's de External's treasure." Jean Luc said eyeing Rogue again. "A most previous and delicatly rare treasure. I do apologise for my rudeness dis mornin Cherie." Jean-Luc said as he took Rogue's free hand, closest to him, and kissed it. "Forgive me."

Gambit was turning red with furry and jealously. Everyone seen this apart from Rogue who just blushed at the strange gesture. "Dat be enough then père." Gambit said, taking Rogue's hand out if his fathers.

His father chuckled a deep chuckle. "What's wrong boy. Scared of a little competition?"

"What competition?" Rogue asked, only now clicking on to what was happening. The other thieves chuckled and laughted at what she'd just said. Jean Luc studied Rogue still with his smile. Gambit himself chuckled and proudly wrapped an arm around Rogue's shoulder. Rogue leaned into it and looked up at him. Gambit was smiling down at her and she smiled back at him, happy to see the pride in his eyes.

"Now ya leave dat girl alone Jean-Luc! I won't tell ya again. Ya ain't got no chance comin 'tween those two. Look at em. Remy's found his otha half, and he ain't gonna lose it ta some light flirting."

"Is dat so tante? Guess I'll just have to do some hard flirtin then" Jean-Luc said winkin at Rogue as he said that.

"Errr, not another hopeless flirt. Ah had enough of ya when you were like dat." Rogue said frowning, looking from Jean-Luc up to Gambit. The others chuckled again And a checky grin spread on Gambit's beautiful, kissable lips.

"Why chère." He put a hand to his heart. "Ya wound me. Ya weren't complain before when ah was romancin ya."

"Errr, hopeless. Yes, ah was. Ya were just too thick headed ta hear it. That or ya ears were full of swamp water."

"Nope, mon hearin was and is fine . And if I was thick headed den it probably turned out bein a good thing, non? Ya here in mon arms, aren't ya?"

Rogue rolled her eyes at him muttering, "stupid swamp rat." She then moved out of his arms and began eating Tantes wonderful breakfast. "Emmmm this is really good Tante."

Tante chuckled with modiesty. "Why thank ya honey child. Now ya eat dat all up. You gotta put some meat on ya bones, and ya gonna need the energy for today."

Rogue swallowed the piece of pancake down then looked over her shoulder at Tante. She was sure there was more to what tante was sayin then met the ears. "What you mean Tante?"

"I mean honey child that ya got a busy day a head of ya. Ya don't t'ink ya could just become de External's favourite treasure, get ya life back and not have ta do anythin do ya?"

"Errr, no, ah didn't think it was that simple... What've ah gotta do?"

Jean-Luc chucked, "exactly what de External wanted ya ta do what you didn't want to do."

"And that is?"

"Lead de guilds. Go inbetween em all, checkin up on em and makin sure everything's alright. It'll be very simple really. Ya just gonna be tha go between and go to person. Keepin all de guilds in check. And like de External said, you'll be a walkin reminder of the reason for our existence."

"Oh." Rogue said and the table seemed to go quiet. Gambit squeezed her hand under the table and she looked to him. He gave an encouraging smile which she returned before facing jean Luc.

"So, after breakfast you'll be startin ya work. We'll be havin a metin bout de thieves guilds performance and your gonna haveta sit i and listen ta it till the end. if ya have any opinions dat ya wanna put in then ya put em in. Den de next day y'all most likely be visitin de assassins and doin the same t'ings."

"Wait, do ah have ta leave straight away?" Rogue said, turning to Gambit, painicing. This couldn't be there last day together could it? She knew he had responsiblities as he was a thief, but they wouldn't be split up so fast as they only just got back together.

"Non. Ya can stay here as long as ya like, but it is bested dat ya leave sometime soon so de assassins can move on with der business. You'll sit thought one of der meetins. Of course, ya can't tell em what de thieves are up ta and ditto for de assassins. All dis is in confidence. The assassins will home ya for de night and feed ya, then you'll have ta move on to the next guild most likely bein de ones in California. They'll home ya too and treat ya like de princess ya are. You'll simply end up travelin de world and spreadin' ya wised and peace. And if there is any emergancy with a certain guild, like all der money's been stole." Jean Luc looked at her with a smug grin. "Then ya gotta go ta em so they can report what's happened and ya can see if ya can help out."

"But... What would ah be able ta do if there was some disaster? Ah only know what ah absorbed from Remy, Julian and Malcolm. Ah ain't even been brought up in ya guilds. What-" Rogue asked, panic rising in her voice.

"Honey Child, ya don't have ta have all de answers. No one expects dat of ya. Ya just a child and de External knows dat. All de guilds know dat. They'll most likely take control over any bad situation, but you'll just be there as something comforting." said tante.

"Yeah, like you'll be the External's spirt or presence or sumthin. You'll be fine." added Merci.

Rogue felt her hands go itchy "Will ah be made ta absorb people?"

Everyone went quite. "Possibly. If there's anyone who's suspicious. You'll most likely be asked ta see if der liein or not." Said Henri honestly.

"Oh."

"It won't be all de time chère. Ya won't haveta absorb anyone ya don't want to." Gambit winked at her. Rogue caught on to what he meant. She'd touched him this morning with out absorbing him. She frowned shortly after that though, not sure why her powers hadn't worked that morning. She'd have to get them checked. Then she thought of the X-Men.

"So, ah'm gonna be runnin round the world to every single guild, then what? Will ah get ta go home? Get ta see mah family?"

Tante raised her eyebrow. "I thought ya told de court ya didn't hava family."

"Ah don't. Ah was talkin bout the X-Men. Ah might a run away from em, but ah guess almost gettin mah head chopped off reminded meh of all the good things in life ah've got." Rogue squeezed Gambit's hand at that point. "Logan didn't deserve bein put through mah death. Neither did ah or the Othas. 'sides, ah think ah owe them an explanation of why ah ran away. So, can ah see them?"

"'course ya can see ya family honey child. Ya have more control over ya job then what Jean Luc makes out. If ya ever feelin homesick or gettin sick of travelin then ya can always go home, or come here. Ya can rest as long as ya want. No guild will want an ill or upset treasure of the External. They'll most likely send ya home if they even t'ink ya look a little home sick." tante explained.

This made Rogue happy. Well, she was dredging the lectures and stuff she'd get, but still, she hadn't realised how much she really did miss them. Kitty and her nosiness. Kurt and his annoying times to intrupt her. Scott and his orders. Jean and her perfect ways. Storm and her calmness. Logan either workin them to death or fixing cars and the Professor trying to create peace and reach out for people all over the world. All over the world, Rogue thought. Rogue looked up from her plate to tante and thought of an idea. A way she could pay the Professor back. A way she could be an x-men and the treasure or whatever her job was now called. But that's only if the x-men and higher courts agreed. "Tante."

"Yes honey child."

"The X-Men. Mah family. Well, they're not all related in the sense of blood, but more mutants. We all getta long and look afta each other cause were mutants. Is there any guild made for helpin mutants?"

"Why no. I don't think there is." she replied.

"Well, ah was just thinkin' that the Professor, the man who took us all in and helped us learn ta control our powers, well he's limited ta just havin a home in Bayville. Ah was wonderin, since there's guilds all over the world and stuff and cause the Professor's always tryin ta reach out to all mutants, like for example, mah brothers German and he's now livin in Bayville with everyone. Well ah was thinkin' could they like...or could the guilds, like, help out the X-Men? Ah mean, with like helpin mutants all over tha world hava home or learn ta use their powers-"

"Absolutely not" interrupted Jean-Luc as he slammed down his glass. "Ya might be the External's treasure but ya can't just come inta de guilds and start customisin', or changin jobs or Nuthin-"

"Jean-Luc, that is not for you to say or decided, is it?" Said tante glaring at Jean-Luc. The glare was lost and replaced with something kind as she turned to face Rogue

"Don't worry 'bout him child. He just don't want Otha guilds havin what he has and dats power of a mutant son. But Jean-Luc really shouldn't be t'inkin' like dat as the feud has been resolved now. Ha gonna be sharin' Remy with Otha guilds ta do jobs, so ya betta get rid of dat attitude ya got. And as for ya question honey child, well we'll have ta call a court meetin'. Afta breakfast, I'll show ya how ta call a meetin' and how ta get in contact with all de court members. As for your assessment Jean-Luc, de thieves will have ta wait der turn while de higher court members are still in town." Jean Luc frowned Like a child who'd just been told he can't have a toy from the shop.

Rogue felt reassured by this. So she could decided where she travelled and when she travelled. And she might be able to help the X-Men spread their message of peace around the world. And she could go home any time she wanted... But then she thought about missing home while she was working and traveling to far and completely different places. That made her feel uncomfortable. "Ah'm ah travelin' alone?" Rogue asked quietly.

"Non, course not. I just got ya back. Ya really t'ink I'm gonna let ya go now?" Gambit said squeezing her shoulder. Gambit was getting quite annoyed at how much work Rogue already had to do. He knew she was special from the first moment he met her but not this special. He could see tante and Jean-Luc trying to dig their nails into Rogue already and make her do their work. He didn't like it. He didn't like that he'd only just saved her and now they were taking her away from him again. He wanted to spend time with her again like they had before. He wanted to figure out how she could touch then do a whole lot of things to her. He wanted to hold her and tell her he loved her. He wanted her to hold him and be with him and want her to say she loved him too. They both just wanted time together.

Rogue smiled. "Non." She said, glad that Gambit was coming with her. Yes, Gambit was coming with her. Her Remy was going to travel the world with her like she wanted. She couldn't control the smile on her lips. Gambit seemed to grow closer to her. And then he pecked a kiss on her lips. Rogue hadn't been expecting it. But she had wanted it.

Tante then whipped his head with her tea towel and said, "Now there'll be none of that at my table."

All of the thieves laughed as Gambit rubbed the back of his head. Even Rogue had to laugh. Tante was fierce and you did not want to get on the wrong side of her. Rogue turned back to eating her breakfast, feeling so much more relaxed and settled now that she knew what her future was. What her new life was. And she loved every part of it. Especially the part were Gambit was right there by her side every step of the way.