Alright, I'm AWARE we aren't at 20 reviews :( But I know PeppermintLove personally, and she said she would have my head if I didn't update tonight (and no, I don't tell her anything extra about the story...that wouldn't be fair to you guys). So think of it as an early holiday gift to all! Yay!

Now down to business.
Remy'sRose, I specifically picked out a nice, big, brown boot for this monumentous occasion. And if I weren't going to tease, then how would I keep you coming back for more? evil laugh. And I sincerely hope that RogueishLeia remains a regular reviewer because kiddo, your review sent me into a fit of laughter. I'm soo glad that you like my story! Now, I don't think that Remy is the type to push someone off a cliff...Hmm, should I call in the Assasins Guild? hint! Hint! HINT! PeppermintLove, are you ready for this?!?! Hawaiichick, no worries, he's on his way. Also, I always love to see newcomers my dear inTHEgrid. Yes, Rogue really is a pill in this, but I promise that once all this Joseph nonsense is over with, she'll find her way back to the sweet and confident woman we all know and love (but not too sweet...). She sure stands her ground, though. Ahh, Roguechere, you are going to hate me. No answers to the bruises just yet... ya gotta keep reading and reviewing for that.

So I'll shut up now and give you all what you came here to read. WOOHOO! Onward and out.
Prof. H.H.

DISCLAIMER: You know the drill, it all pretty much belongs to Marvel ...I'm just the pupeteer (dance puppets, dance!)
"Listen, Rogue, If I knew you weren't going to like the gift, believe me, I wouldn't have gotten it for you!" Joseph was trying to yell over Rogue with his arms raised in the air, becoming more and more irritated by the argument they were having. About two hours ago, he had given her what he considered to be a more than generous gift (it was extremely expensive), and all she had done was storm out of the room! He had pursued her in hopes of righting his wrong, but as time progressed he felt more indignant than apologetic. Now they were standing on the mansion's porch, knee-deep in a fervent battle with a firing squad on either end.

"Yah just don' GET IT, JOE!" Rogue hollered back in frustration. "It ain't just THIS present, IT'S EVERYTHING! Yah don' KNOW me, an' yah don' even TRY tah figure me out! And tah top it off, you're insensitive about mah feelin's!"

"I beg your pardon?!" Joseph began defensively. Rogue lifted her sleeve to reveal several brand new bruises. He quickly diverted his eyes to the floor and shifted on his feet nervously, realizing how claustrophobic he began to feel, and just how much his shirt collar was scratching his neck. His reply was saturated with shame. "I said I was sorry. I never ever meant to hurt you."

"Ah know…" Rogue eased her anger and calmed down to a stern sentence or two. "…but it hurt jus' the same." She sighed and let herself plop down on the entrance steps, wearing a look of defeat. She patted the stone ground next to her, motioning for Joseph to come join her. He slowly made his way to sit next to her, keeping his distance for precautionary measures (you never knew when Rogue would decide to get physical, and with her power…!).

"Listen, I gotta talk to yah, sugah. This ain't raght. We ain't supposed tah be this unhappy." Joseph's eyes bulged, finally understanding where the conversation was heading. All he could do was protest as his relationship derailed before his eyes.

"But it will pass, darling. We will make it through!" He was practically pleading with her, as if he couldn't accept the worst that was to come. "And I'm definitely not unhappy! Well, excluding right now, but –"

"Well Ah am. Ah'm so sorry, but mah heart isn't there. Ah was selfish tah put you through all a' this. Ah shouldn'tah lead yah tah believe that we were somethin' close tah perfect, when we weren't. Ah just wanted tah be normal so bad…" She watched his face fall in a heart-wrenching manner as she twisted her engagement ring off of her finger, laying it in the palm of his hand. "An' Ah guess that ring came with a bracelet, too." She leaned over and kissed his cheek for the last time, and then turned her focus down to her wrist where the Genoshan-style bracelet blinked steadily. She pressed a button, and with a single 'click', her wrist was free. Careful not to touch her bare fingers to his, she placed it over the ring in his palm.

Joseph stared at the jewelry. They felt as if they weighed a ton. After emitting a sardonic and painful scoff, he asked "If I hadn't gotten you the pen, then do …do you think it all would have ended like this?"

"Yeah." Rogue smiled softly out of sympathy. She understood the pain she was causing him at the moment, and knew it was going to hurt for a while, but it was most definitely one of the more accurate decisions she had made for months. "If we didn't do it t'naht, then it just would've been some other naht."

He forced a weak smile, and then extended the bracelet out to her, offering it as a gift. "You can still use this…with whomever you feel the need." His voice was slightly squeaky with emotion and he looked directly into her emerald eyes, knowing that she already had him in mind. "Think of it as a peace offering."

Blushing, she grinned earnestly and extended out her hand that held her birthday pen. "Here. Take it, as mah gift t'you. Ah sure as hell owe yah one." He smiled for the first time in hours, and took it willingly. It placed closure on their doomed relationship, but a new friendship dawned in its wake.

SNEAK PEEK:

In a moment of sheer adrenalin, she curtly knocked on the door, with absolutely no clue as to how she would ever begin. But there was no answer.
She knocked again.
Nothing.

"Gambit, I know yoah in there. Open the door."