Chapter 11

To say that there was a huge party on Gambit's first night back in New Orleans was putting it mildly. There were many people there whom Gambit hadn't seen in years and Rogue was feeling rather overwhelmed by all the people she was being introduced to. The looks that many people were initially giving her weren't entirely flattering either; evidentially Gambit's reputation was still in rare form in his home town. Nevertheless, she got a certain amount of gratification when those who found out they'd been together for over a year gave her a second look.

"Emil, dis is Rogue. Roguey, dis is my cousin, Emil," Gambit said, introducing her to a red-headed man.

"Ahh so you're the infamous Rogue," Emil said, taking her hand with a grandiose gesture and kissing it. "The legends of your infinite beauty and charm have not been exaggerated."

Rogue laughed and Gambit swatted him over the shoulder.

"What?" Emil asked. "It's a rare woman that cam tame yo'! Although I do have t' wonder about your wisdom, chérie. After all, you're choosing t' be wit' him..."

"No one's perfect," Rogue replied good-naturedly.

Emil laughed.

Not long thereafter Gambit caught up with Theoren and his new gum-chewing girlfriend, Caitlyn. Caitlyn and Rogue looked at each other while their men caught up.

"I like your hair," Caitlyn said.

"Oh, thanks," Rogue replied, paused and then said: "Ah like your earrings."

"Merci," she said, lifting a hand to fiddle with one of her earrings. "Theo bought them for me."

"They suit ya."

"I know."

An awkward silence fell, and wanting to fill the void, Rogue asked her what she did.

"Cocktail waitress."

"Oh. Ah'm a mechanic and auto shop teacher," Rogue replied, mentally adding "X-man" to the list.

"A mechanic," the blonde said, sounding amused. "Oookay."

Fortunately, Gambit and Theoren didn't talk long and Rogue was sure that Caitlin was just as happy as she was to be out of the other's presence.

"What's dat look fo' chére?" Gambit asked.

"Nothing important," Rogue replied with a shrug. "Ah just can't see Caitlin and Ah gettin' along... ever."

Gambit chuckled.

It wouldn't have been much of a reunion party either if Tante Mattie hadn't been there.

"Well," Gambit said as he pulled away from hugging her, "yo' haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have yo'," Tante Mattie replied with a slight smile. "And dis must be Rogue."

"Nice ta meet you," Rogue said.

"And yo'," Tante Mattie said. "It's about time Remy found someone."

Rogue grinned. "Ah've been hearing that a lot, actually."

"Hmm, dere's a reason fo' dat fille," Tante Mattie said. "Have yo' seen Bella yet?"

"Non... she's here?" Gambit asked.

"Oui. Out the back."

"Ahh," Gambit said and took Rogue's hand. "Désolé, ma chére. I should go pay my respects t' the woman who made dis day possible."

"Of course," Rogue replied with a nod.

"We'll talk again later, Tante," Gambit said, and then hurried off.

"I'm holding yo' t' dat," Tante Mattie informed him and turned back to Rogue. "So, chérie, why don't yo' tell me all about yourself?"

"Belle?"

Bella Donna looked up as Gambit entered the room and smiled.

"Long time, no see," she said. "Is it just me, or have yo' put on weight?"

"Funny, I was just about t' ask yo' the same question."

"I gave birth t' twins deux years ago. What's your excuse?"

"I've stayed in the same place fo' over a year and had free reign o' the kitchen."

They looked at each other and started laughing.

"Dieu," Gambit said. "It's good t' see yo' again, chére."

"And yourself," she replied. "I'm sorry I couldn't get the exile lifted sooner."

Gambit took her hand and kissed it gently.

"I'm sorry yo' had t' lose your père before yo' could," he said sincerely.

"I appreciate yo' saying dat."

There was a moment's silence.

"So," Gambit said. "Twins, hein? I heard about dat. What does your husband t'ink?"

"Donyell..." Bella Donna paused and smiled slyly. "Donyell is not quite having the marriage he thought he was going to have, and the twins are not having the effect on me he was hoping for."

"Oh? What's dat?"

"Distraction. I think it rather irks him that he doesn't have nearly as much control of the Guild as he thought he was going t' have."

"Oh, like dat is it?" Gambit asked, amused. "Yo' go for the power-hungry types now, chérie?"

"He amuses me. And he's been one o' the few men brave enough t' try and seduce me since... well, since yo', actually," Bella Donna replied. "Speaking of which, I hear you've finally got yourself a steady girlfriend."

"Rogue," Gambit said with a nod. "She's inside if yo' –"

"Did yo' buy yourself a jetski too?" Bella Donna interrupted with a smirk.

"So," Gambit said dryly, "are your twins natural or did yo' have t' use fertility treatment?"

"Do yo' have t' have your girlfriend back by curfew?"

"Oh, look at the time, eight o'clock. Up late t'night, Maman?"

"We should have a play date sometime; my twins and your girlfriend."

"Have yo' gotten rid o' the stretch marks yet?"

"Oh sorry, my bad, your girlfriend's probably had plenty of play dates already with all those illegitimate children yo' have."

"Does Donyell know how yo' got dat scar on your left butt cheek?"

"Wait... your girlfriend isn't actually one of your illegitimate daughters is she?"

"If she is, den you're her mother."

Bella Donna laughed and Gambit grinned at her.

"I'm glad you're doing well, chére," he said softly.

"And I, yo'," she replied. "I should go. Good night, Remy, and welcome home."

"Good night, Belle," Gambit replied as he watched her leave.

It was quite late by the time the party was over, and Rogue was past beyond caring if people saw her yawning. She lost no time getting ready for bed as soon and she and Remy were in their room.

"Remy?" Rogue said as she climbed into bed.

"Oui, ma chére?"

"Today was a good day."

"I thought so too," he replied with a smile.

"You know what Ah wish?" she asked while she got comfortable under the covers.

"Dat we had more o' dat body chocolate?"

Rogue giggled as Gambit joined her in bed.

"Well, that too," she said. "But Ah also wish that muh family was as accepting of me as yours is of you. Ah mean... everyone tonight, they all couldn't wait to welcome ya home and catch up. Mine couldn't wait ta see the back of me."

Gambit wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Their loss," he said firmly. "Yo' are a beautiful, loving, caring, generous person, Roguey, and I'm sorry dat dey couldn't look past your mutation t' see what a wonderful young woman they'd raised."

Rogue lifted her head and kissed his nose.

"Thanks sugah," she said softly. "Still hurts though."

"I don't doubt dat."

Gambit pulled away just long enough to turn off the light. Silence followed and just when Gambit thought Rogue had fallen asleep, she spoke up again:

"Emil said Ah was choosin' ta be with ya."

"Deux t'ings, chérie. One, you're t'inking about somet'ing Emil said?"

Rogue giggled.

"And deux," he went on, "why wouldn't yo' choose t' be wit' moi?"

"Well," Rogue said sleepily. "Just 'cause ya love someone doesn't automatically mean ya choose ta be with them. At the end of the day, Ah still love muh parents, even if we're choosin' not ta be with each other any more."

"Dat's true."

She sighed and nestled her head in the crook of his arm.

"'Night sugah."

"'Night ma chére."

Gambit spent the next few days taking Rogue around the city. Then it was the day of the big ceremony wherein Jean-Luc would officially retire (his sons were still in shock) and pass over the leadership to Henri.

"It's Guild-only though, chére," Gambit said. "I'm afraid dat -"

"Ah can't come?" she asked with a smile. "That's okay. Ah kinda figured that would be the case. Ah'm sure Ah can manage on muh own just fine for a day."

"Bon."

So while the Thieves were having their thing, Rogue decided to do a bit of shopping. She wandered lazily from store to store, having no real purchases in mind. Sometimes it was fun just to window shop.

After coming out of a book shop, her eyes landed on a bridal store just a stone's throw away. She ambled over, her eyes tracing across the beautiful white gown in the window and she chewed her bottom lip.

"Ah'm really thinking about this," she said to herself.

It had been only a week since Gambit proposed, and she had debated with herself endlessly whether she was ready or not. The more she thought about it - really thought about it - the more the idea seemed to grow on her. She laughed softly to herself as visions of a future with Gambit ran across her mind and she shook her head.

It was equal parts flattering and frustrating that Gambit's friends and family made a big deal about him dating the one woman for so long. Rogue could understand why they were convinced - or acted like they were convinced - that she was the one for him. What Rogue really wanted to know, however, was if Gambit was the one for her.

Her romantic relationship with David ended as soon as it began. She and Bobby dated for a year and that ended in one messy disaster too. She did love Bobby dearly, but she also knew that her feelings for Bobby paled in comparison to how she felt about Gambit. She didn't believe that she could feel any stronger about anyone, but then she had thought the same thing when she was with Bobby.

Rogue smiled wryly to herself as she walked away from the bridal shop, knowing the question was purely hypothetical. She didn't want anyone other than Gambit. Gambit was the one who had been with her all this time. Gambit was the one who made her feel this way. Gambit was the one who had connected with her on a mental, spiritual and emotional level when a true physical connection was impossible, the fact of which was a deterrent to many suitors.

Gambit was the thief who had stolen her heart a long time ago, and she had no intention of asking for it back.

She took a deep breath. They'd only talked briefly the last couple of days about marriage, the topic having come up tentatively as if both parties were afraid of where it might go. Perhaps they were. She would have to pursue it again, preferably soon, and get everything out in the open.

The following day, Gambit walked into a jewellery store, finding it incredible that he was more nervous buying things in jewellery stores than he was stealing from them. Rogue had been shanghaied into shopping by Gigi.

He and Rogue hadn't really talked all that much about marriage since his ill-fated proposal only a week ago, for all they had said they were going to. For her sake, they were going to have to sit down and really talk about it, preferably soon, but for his sake, he already knew what he wanted.

There was no price he wouldn't pay to have her for his wife.

He didn't know what it was about Rogue, but there was definitely something about her that had him captivated where so many other women had failed. The idea of not having her in his life was abhorrent to him. Even though she had him in her head, she wasn't turned off or repulsed by him or the things he'd done in his life. She still loved him, and he knew he would always love her.

Gambit had his arm around Rogue's waist as they wandered through the estate gardens a couple of days later.

"Wow," he said.

"What?" Rogue asked.

"See dat tree over dere?" Gambit said, pointing to a rather large tree which provided quite a significant amount of shade.

"Yeah?"

"I remember when we planted dat," he said and put his hand to about knee height. "It was only dis big at the time."

Rogue giggled.

Further into the gardens they came across a stone fountain with a low, wide base and only the slightest spill of water from the tall, narrow three-tiered bowl. There was a bench nearby and it was here that they sat.

"I always liked it here," said Gambit as he looked around. "And I liked that tree too."

Rogue giggled as she looked up.

"Do ya remember when that one was planted too?" she asked.

"Non, but I did like climbing in it," Gambit replied with a grin.

"Well, go ahead," Rogue said with a gesture towards the tree. "Ah'm not stopping ya."

"All right then," Gambit replied.

Rogue laughed as Gambit grabbed the first branch and hauled himself up.

"Ah should have known you'd actually do it," she said.

Gambit grinned at her and held out his hand. "Come up wit' moi."

Rogue laughed again, but let Gambit help her climb up the tree. Not that she couldn't have climbed it on her own, or flown up for that matter. The pair continued up as far into the tree as the branches would support their weight and Gambit sighed as he looked out at the view.

"Missed dis view," he said as he sat down on the branch with his back against the trunk. "Ahh, chérie, I must have spent hours up here as a kid."

"Feel the need ta relive your childhood, sugah?"

"You're the one who told me t' climb up here. Speaking o' which," he went on, pulling her closer to him so he could kiss her neck, "how do yo' feel about sex in a tree?"

"So, Remy, are you plannin' on asking me about sex in every weird, confined, public or otherwise precarious place we come across?" Rogue asked.

"Probably," he replied cheerfully. "Our sex life will never be boring."

"It isn't boring at all."

"See?"

Rogue elbowed him lightly. With her back to his front, she took his hands and pulled them around her and sighed happily.

"Roguey?" Gambit said after a moment's silence.

"Mmm?"

"I've been t'inking about," he began, paused to take a breath and continued: "About us getting married."

Rogue leaned back and rested her head against his shoulder.

"So have Ah," she admitted.

Silence promptly followed.

"Dis is stupid," Gambit said. "Every time one o' us says 'the M-word' t'ings get awkward."

Rogue giggled.

"Yeah, they do, huh?" she agreed ruefully.

"Rogue," Gambit said firmly, turning her head so he could look her in the eye. "I want t' marry yo'. I want t' spend the rest o' my life wit' yo' and I don't want t' hear yo' ask me if I've thought dis through."

"Remy -"

"Non, chére, let me finish. I know you're worried about... I don't know, the 'seven year itch' or whatever, but we've already been through good and bad times together. We've dealt wit' Pulse and Jessica, Overdrive, my history wit' women, controlling your powers, Genosha and now Purifiers, but through all dat I know my feelings fo' yo' have only gotten stronger. I can't imagine anyt'ing dat could possibly be bad enough to outweigh all the good."

"Doesn't need ta be anything big, Remy," Rogue pointed out quietly. "It's all the little things accumulating. Things we find cute about each other now, turning out to be irritants later. Minor acts of selfishness. Fighting over crap that doesn't matter and letting things blow out of proportion."

"So we don't let t'ings blow out of proportion. We don't go t' bed angry, even if it means we stay up all night trying t' sort t'ings out. We make sure dat we always take the time t' get away from life and just be wit' each other. I'll do whatever it takes t' make dis work, chére."

A big smile appeared on Rogue's face and she lifted her head to kiss him sweetly.

"Now that's what Ah want ta hear," she said. "As much as Ah would love the classic fairy tale endin', 'and they lived happily ever after' doesn't happen all that often. No relationship does, marriage or otherwise. And Ah think that's one of the things that's supposed ta make marriage so special: It's sayin' to that one person that ya want ta share all of life's joys and cares with them; ta be together through thick and thin and know that no matter what happens - good or bad - you'll always be there for each other."

It wasn't until after they'd finally gotten everything off their chests that Rogue and Gambit realised just how tense things had been between them. The LeBeaus seemed to notice that things were more relaxed between them now too.

Unfortunately, they couldn't stay in New Orleans as long as Gambit would have liked - they both had responsibilities back at the school. Nevertheless, plans were made for an extended stay in the summer.

A couple of days later, Rogue and Gambit departed late afternoon. They could have liked to have left earlier but somehow they kept getting delayed. They stayed overnight in a hotel and continued travelling the next day. At about five in the afternoon, they checked into another hotel which Rogue found familiar.

"Say," she said. "Didn't we stay in this hotel before? In fact... Ah'm pretty sure this is the hotel we checked into after that gunfight on the highway."

"Hmm," Gambit considered. "Yo' might be right, chére."

Rogue suspicion that Gambit had picked his hotel deliberately was only confirmed when she realised they were being checked into the exact same room that they had the first time.

"I couldn't resist," he said.

"Mmmhmm," she replied, smirking.

"By the way, chérie," Gambit said with a sly smile. "I believe dat dis was when the subject o' a naked moonlight swim first came up..."

Rogue laughed.

"Not in a hotel pool, Remy," she said. "Ah would definitely prefer somewhere a little more private for such things."

"Pity," he replied, giving her a wink. "How about dinner?"

"Sure."

She was subsequently not surprised when Gambit took them to the restaurant they had eaten in the last time as well.

"Now, wait right here," he said. "I'll be right back."

Rogue laughed softly when Gambit returned with a single red rose.

"Fo' yo'," Gambit said as he presented the rose to her.

"Thanks sugah," Rogue replied. "In the mood to recreate our first 'date', huh?"

Gambit shrugged nonchalantly. "It was on our way."

"Uh huh. Well, in that case, you forgot the part where you checked out every woman who walked by."

"I did not," Gambit replied after a confused pause.

"Yeah you did," Rogue said with a grin. "I distinctly remember being highly amused by it."

"I refuse t' believe I had eyes fo' anyone but yo'."

Rogue laughed.

They went inside the restaurant and ordered. In addition to their meal, Gambit also got champagne just as he had last time.

"First time Ah drank champagne," Rogue mused as she took her glass."Ah remember you were quite insistent Ah only drank one glass."

"Dere, yo' see? Can't say I don't look out fo' yo'."

Partway through the meal, Gambit's fork dropped off the side of the table. Rogue raised her eyebrows as Gambit got off his chair to pick it up. She knew perfectly well it was the first time that Gambit's cutlery had ever fallen off the table while they were out, and when he was on the floor on his knee she swallowed hard. Of course, it all made sense, he was recreating their first date (unofficial date, anyway) and now he was...

Going to sit back on his chair...

Rogue blinked and Gambit grinned at her.

"Yo' thought I was going t' pop the question, didn't yo'?" he asked, grinning.

"The thought did cross muh mind," she admitted.

Gambit chuckled and Rogue pulled a face at him. With all the talk about marriage lately, she felt completely justified in drawing that conclusion.

"Like I'd ever do somet'ing dat cheesy and obvious," Gambit said. "Knocking my fork off the table deliberately, just fo' and excuse t' get on one knee wit'out yo' suspecting. O' course, yo' would suspect, so dat part o' the plan would be an automatic failure."

Rogue giggled. "Exactly."

There was a part of Rogue that was a little disappointed that Gambit didn't propose over dinner. The whole evening was very sweet and romantic; a perfect set up for a proposal. But then, Gambit had done other romantic things for her before and no doubt would continue to do so. Rogue hoped that she wasn't going to spend all of them from now on wondering if there was a proposal coming.

Being in no particular rush after dinner, Gambit suggested they take the scenic route back tot he hotel. Along the way they went by a city park, the kind with fountains, the odd sculpture, concrete everywhere and the occasional tree behind a fence and flowerbed. Rogue stepped up on one of the fountain basins and began walking along the edge.

Gambit pulled out a handful of playing cards, charged them up and tossed them a foot or so above Rogue's head. Rogue gave a cry of alarm as the bang that followed startled her, but her momentary fright turned to amusement as she was showered in playing card fragments in the shape of hearts. She caught one and turned around to speak to him, only to be silenced by his lips on hers.

"Dere are so many t'ings I wanted t' say t' yo'," he said softly, his hands encircling hers. "Yo' are my heart, my love, my everything. Wit'out yo' life is just dis dull, bleak place wit' no meaning, no sense o' purpose. I don't know what the future has in store fo' us, but I do know dat I want yo' wit' me all the way as my lover, my confidant, my best friend and -"

Still holding one of Rogue's hands, Gambit knelt down on one knee and pulled out a small jewellery box. He flipped it open with the one hand and presented the engagement ring to her.

"- my wife," Gambit said. "Rogue, will yo' marry me?"

"Yes," Rogue replied, nodding and grinning with tears shining in her eyes. "Yes, Ah'd love to marry you."

End!

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope you guys enjoyed the story more than I did writing it. I'm sorry but I ended up rewriting all the Purifier stuff three or four times before I was happy with it, hehehe. Although Jean-Luc more than made up for it, to say nothing of finally getting our stars engaged, heh.

Anyway, for those of you who're eager to know my next project, I'm in the mood to continue work on my serieses (I know 'serieses' isn't a real word, but 'series' is both singular and plural and thus fails to convey my meaning to my satisfaction). So, expect more Don't Ruin the Upholstery and Thieves Guild.