7

It was early evening when Rogue and Merci returned back to the mansion with a large number of bags. Rogue had protested all day about all the clothes that were bought for her until Merci showed her how much was actually in just one of the bank accounts she had. Rogue still didn't feel so easy about all the shopping even after knowing how rich the LeBeau's were. Yet, Merci would pick up and buy the clothes Rogue liked no matter how much she protested.

Hours later, they were back and Rogue, surprisingly, was happy. She felt like she had made a real connection with Merci and she was just so grateful to have been able to go out shopping and just be normal. Forgetting about not knowing who she was for most of the day when you were buying a new wardrobe to recreate yourself was just an incredible sensation. Having someone to share that experience of building an identy with as well was just amazing.

Merci had a couple of people who Rogue didn't recognise carry their bags up to their rooms. As they entered the mansion, Henri appeared and came to Merci's side, kissing her cheek.

"Buyin' de store again?" he asked.

"Non! Just small bits from lots'a stores," Merci replied. "Rogue needs t' be free t' chose her clothes an' not pickin' from mine now she's decided she's stayin."

Rogue's eyes went wide at Merci's statement. Henri glanced at her, amused.

"Y' stayin put, huh? It be tante's cookin' aint it? Dat woman's dishes be too good t' pass up," Henri said.

Rogue blushed and glanced away.

"Ah…ah'd like ta stay a little longer wit' y's if y'all don't mind, that is," Rogue said.

"'course we don't mind précieuse," came the voice of Jean-Luc.

He entered from a corridor, his arms open in welcome and a toothy grin on his face.

"We be honoured t' have y' as our guest," he said, taking Rogue's gloved hand and kissing it.

Rogue pulled back her hand, blushing. She hoped Merci wouldn't mind having Jean-Luc kissing the gloves that she'd borrowed her that morning seeing as she didn't like the man.

"Really?" Rogue asked.

"Qu'il fait bon de se retrouver chez soi, non?" Jean-Luc said in response to Rogue.

Rogue raised her eyebrow and glanced at Henri and Merci.

"He's sayin' t' make yourself at home," Henri translated for her.

Rogue's face flushed another shade of red.

"T'ank ya," she said.

"There be a few house rules need discussin' though 'fford y' go rushin' off anyway," Jean-Luc said, taking Rogue's covered arm and leading her off.

Henri and Merci shared a look and soon followed after the two.

From the top of the stairs, Remy was silently fuming. What he hoped he'd be able to prevent didn't seem to be happening. He should have followed his gut last night rather than go against his better judgement and now, he believed Rogue would be paying the price for his mistake.

Xxxxx

Jean-Luc had took Rogue on a tour all around the mansion. She got to see the indoor and outdoor swimming pool, the basketball court, the tennis court, the garage full of cars and bikes, the gym area, the games area, the library, the security room, everything. Jean-Luc even explained where the mansion was located and how she no longer had to where a blindfold because he trusted her to keep their secret as one of the family. Something about the way he had indicated her being a part of the family when she'd barely even spoken to the man was a little unsettling. But kind of nice, too. He continued telling her where she could and couldn't go and at what times and when curfew was.

"Now, another t'ing y' gonna need t' know précieuse is dat nothin' comes free in dis life," Jean-Luc said as they entered a room where younger children seemed to be being taught something.

Jean-Luc's words instantly put her on edge.

"Erm, if ya mean money, ah'm sure ah can get a job an' pay ya back-"

Jean-Luc raised his hand before Rogue, silencing her.

"Y' don't need t' go worryin' yourself 'bout t'ings like dat. We thieves already have a famille business, non? Which means y' already got a job," he said.

"I do?" Rogue asked, raising her eyebrow at the man.

"Oui! It gonna take time wit' trainin' an' all, but we'll have y' up t' scratch in no time at all. Especially since y' already shown such potential," Jean-Luc said, tilting his head and letting his teeth show through a smirk.

"Erm," Rogue said, feeling uneasy. Of course it made sense that she would have to work for a living, but there were just so many questions again.

"She ain't workin' at all," came the familiar deep voice from behind them.

Rogue turned to see Remy entering the training room, irritation clear on his face.

"She ain't your puppet t' manipulate Jean-Luc," Remy said, coming to stand beside her.

Rogue's brows came together at Remy's words. What did he mean by puppet? When she glanced at Jean-Luc, she wished she hadn't. The man's gleaming mood had suddenly turned sour.

"Ain't yours either, boy. 'sides, I ain't forcin' de fille t' do anythin' she be uncomfortable wit'. She already wanted t' work for her keep, I just gave her de way in," Jean-Luc said, moving his arm out to gesturer at the young thieves behind him.

Rogue didn't much like how the two were talking about her, but her gaze did follow Jean-Luc's arm. Behind him, she saw a couple of older men stood with a group of about five or six kids. All of them had a makeshift wall in front of them and the two older thieves were timing them in their ability to unlock all of the key holes in the doors. Learning how to unlock doors didn't seem like too bad a thing to be doing for work. As long as it wasn't breaking into somewhere that really didn't deserve it.

"She never agreed t' work for y', but dat be one'a de strings y' tryna pull, non? Make it seem like she don't have a choice? Make her follow your commands like an obident-"

"Hey!" Rogue snapped, not liking the word that was about to fall out of Remy's mouth in regards to her. She glanced between the two men, her eyes hard with annoyance.

"Ah know ah don't have much of a leg ta stand on here, but ah'm no one's puppet! Ah ain't gonna be forced in ta doin' a job ah don't wanna do," Rogue said, glancing at Jean-Luc. "And ah ain't gonna let someone else dictate what ah do or don't," she said, now glancing at Remy. "If you two don't like dat, then show meh the door now!"

Both men were silent. Remy's face changed from being taken back to just plain amused with that lazy smirk on his face. Jean-Luc, however, seemed pissed.

"Ain't no one throwin' y' out précieuse. Y' can take y' time in decidin'. Got interrupted 'fore I could even tell y' dat part," Jean-Luc said, glaring at Remy. "When y' ready t' learn more 'bout what y' actually be workin', come find moi," he said, before walking passed the two and leaving.

Rogue let out go of her breath once Jean-Luc left the room. She had managed to keep it together after she lost her temper there, but honestly, she was terrified of being kicked out. She didn't even know where that temper had come from.

"Well, seems like y' makin' progress," Remy said, folding his arms and seeming to have become much cooler with his surroundings ever since she snapped up.

Rogue frowned at him, "What'd ya mean?" Rogue asked.

Remy's smirk only grew.

"The Rogue I knew, well, she didn't let anyone talk down t' her."

"Ya were doin' part'a the talkin' down," Rogue said, raising her eyebrow at him and cutting no lack.

Remy put his hands up in the air, as if to surrender.

"Just lookin' out for y'," he said, seeming to believe it. "Y' ain't got t' worry 'bout owein' dat criminal nothin'. 'sides, when we getcha home t'night, I be sure any expenses need payin' will be sorted by y' guardian."

Rogue frowned at Remy's words.

"Well," she said, reaching up and touching the back of her neck before glancing away. "The thing is, ah kinda wanna stick around for'a bit longer."

She risked looking back up at him. Remy wasn't frowning, but he certainly wasn't smiling.

"Trust me chérie, y' be feelin' much better when your-"

Remy had reached out a hand to grab hold of Rogue's arm, but she'd stepped back, her frustration taking over again.

"No, ah don't think ah will!" Rogue snapped, "Look," she said, throwing her hands up in the air as she went on. "Ah only just got here an' it's already buggin' meh that ya seem ta t'ink ya know meh bettah than ah know maself. An' maybe you're right. Maybe ya do know the other meh wit' all her memories bettah than ah do right now, but ya don't know meh right now. Ya don't know what it's like ta have t' deal with someone who tells ya what y' do an' don't like, what y' do an' don't want or knows 'bout mah past when ah can't even remember what happened 'tween-"

Rogue used her teeth to lock her mouth and threw her fists down by her sides. She had been about to refer to the memory he revealed last night which left her questioning their relationship. But, honestly, she wasn't even sure she wanted to touch upon that topic. She turned away from Remy, opening her eyes again. At one point, her eyes meet with a few kids and their instructors who were watching the two of them; listening. Rogue glanced away from them, feeling even more embarrassed at her temper tantrum than before.

"Y' right," Remy said simply. He slipped his hands into his coat pockets and just seemed to act like nothing was wrong when he admitted the facts, "I ain't ever had memory loss. Don't know what it be like. But I'm sure dat y' be wantin' people around y' who care 'bout y' an'll look out for y' best interests. Dat ain't here," he confirmed.

Rogue turned to glance at him, hurt pooling in her eyes. How could he say that? She wondered. Merci cared, didn't she? Tante cared. Henri brought her here when he didn't have to. All so she could meet someone who might be able to help her. Did Remy even think about them when he said that, or was he just talking about himself? Rogue's mind couldn't stop thinking about 'love at first sight' and what she and Remy were to each other. Had they once had a thing? Had something gone wrong between them? Didn't he want her here?

"Really?" Rogue said bitterly, "cause ah'm pretty sure Henri, Tante an' Merci stickin' their necks out for meh 'gainst Jean-Luc last night was them carin'. Henri makin' sure ah got somewhere safe, Merci makin' sure ah had clothes on mah back, Tante makin' sure ah got food in ma belly. All of em seem ta care 'bout meh Remy… Why don't ya?" Rogue asked.

Remy's mouth had formed a small O and one of his eyebrows had risen. Rogue slowly began to flush red. She had no idea what Remy's reaction meant, but she sure didn't want to stick around to find out. She stormed out of the training room with Gambit watching her go.

xxxxx

French Translations

Non - No
Précieuse - Precious
Qu'il fait bon de se retrouver chez soi - How Good it is to be Home
Famille - Family
Chérie - Darling