Chapter 9: Rogue

Storm, Morph, Bobby, Piotr, Kitty, Jubilee, and Dr Ashton departed for Florida with the students. Logan, Kurt, Gambit. Pyro, and Rogue stayed behind. They were on standby in case of emergency. Pyro questioned whether Rogue would actually be of help in an emergency, and was ignored. Rogue would've stayed regardless: she had an apprenticeship at a local mechanic.

Gambit was in the garage when Rogue returned home from work that day. When she got out of her car, he noted she had greasy hands, and a smudge on her forehead. He grinned.

"Have I ever mentioned just how sexy you look?" he said.

Rogue threw a smirk at him. "The grease monkey look works for you, eh Swamp Rat?"

"It does today."

"Good to know," she said, and sauntered towards the door. "I think I'll just file that away for future reference."

Gambit chuckled as she left and went back to his repairs. Not for the first time, he wished his power control situation didn't make dating such a huge risk.

While the school at large was away, the five that remained just used the breakfast nook for meals. Everyone pretty much got what they wanted and didn't generally bother with group meals. However, after a few days, Rogue, Logan, Kurt, and Pyro realised that if they came down for dinner about the time that Gambit was preparing his lunch, he'd share whatever he was making with them.

"I'm glad you guys are all asleep when it's my dinner time," Gambit said to them with mock-disgust. "Otherwise you'd be after that as well."

"Hey," Rogue said with her fork halfway between her plate and mouth. "You're the one who cooks up so much."

"Yes, the idea is that I cook up one big meal, and then I have leftovers for the rest of the week," Gambit replied with a smirk. "It's working really well with dinner. Lunch, no so much."

Rogue chewed thoughtfully. She swallowed and pointed her fork at him. "So, this is tomorrow night's lunch I'm eating then?"

"Yep."

"Hmm. Extra tasty."

Gambit gave her a long look, then chuckled and went back to his own eating.

Gambit put his hands on the keyboard and began to play. His eyes were on the music book on the stand in front of him.

Rogue sat by him and listened. Not for the first time, she wondered how it was she got roped into teaching piano at the school. Growing up, she wanted to learn guitar, but her pianist mother insisted otherwise. Rogue thought when she left home that her piano days were over. Apparently not.

Still, her one consolation was that she only had to teach Storm's emotional control students, the ones who were still hobby searching. That, and Eliza had concluded that music was her hobby. It was nice to know she was actually helping someone.

"Remy?"

"Yeah?"

"You haven't been practising this week, have you?"

"Maybe I'm just having a bad piano day."

"And that confirms it."

Gambit grinned winningly at her. "I've been a little busy this week."

Rogue gave him a long, cynical look. "That's no excuse, even when school is in! And what could you possibly be busy with?"

"I've been making awesome progress on the suburbia program," Gambit replied boyishly, taking his hands off the keys. "I've decided to get all this adorable stuff done to make Kitty squeal when she gets back."

Rogue laughed. "Oh? Whatcha got so far?"

"Two parks. One of them is a regular people park, the other one is a dog park," he said and grinned at Rogue's chuckle. "A church—"

"Unless your 'church' is actually a 'synagogue' I'm not sure Kitty would squeal over it," Rogue cut in. "You are aware she's Jewish right?"

"Yes, I know," Gambit replied, pulling a face at her. "It's like the church in Gilmore Girls. The one that got used for both Christian and Jewish services."

"Did you just bs that on the spot?"

"Ah ha ha ha, no, yes, kind of…"

"In other words, 'yes'."

"See, I made two settings for it," Gambit went on blithely, ignoring Rogue's smug look. "One is the generic 'every day' appearance, and the other is the 'wedding' setting."

"Oooh!"

"Ah ha! There, nearly made you squeal, and you haven't even seen it yet." Gambit rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I knew this plan would work."

He had been a little worried that programming a wedding setting might bring up too many painful memories of his own aborted wedding. Fortunately, he didn't end up having a problem. He supposed it helped that the church didn't look at all Catholic. It was very 'non-denominational' in appearance.

"Ha, ha," Rogue replied cynically. "And I suppose now you're going to create a Jewish setting?"

"I think… I'll just ask Kitty if she'd like a Jewish setting or a stand along synagogue," Gambit replied thoughtfully. "I like the Gilmore Girls approach, but she might not be into that. I'd have to rearrange my town planning is all. Oh, and right now I'm working on the neighbouring function hall. It has a wedding reception setting."

"Hmm." Rogue wagged her finger at him. "You know what else you should do? An ice skating rink."

"Already on the to-do list." Gambit gave a short, sharp nod. "That, and a ballet school."

"Ooh, great idea. Kitty would love an excuse to dress sims up in tutus," Rogue said and waved her hands excitedly. "Ooh, ooh, you know what else would be a great idea?"

"No, what?" Gambit asked, matching her excited tone.

"If you," she gestured towards the keyboard, "got back to your lesson and actually practised during the week."

He poked out his tongue at her.

"I can think of many wonderful and pleasurable uses for that tongue," Rogue replied suggestively, and Gambit chuckled, "but playing piano isn't one of them. So put it away, and start playing."

"Sure," Gambit said as he put his hands back on the keys. "And maybe after the lesson we can discuss these other uses for my tongue."

"That'll depend on how much you practice this week."

First thing in the morning a few days later, Logan, Kurt, Pyro, and Rogue headed down to the Danger Room.

"Huh," Rogue said when they reached the doors. "It's in use. Remy must be staying up late."

Without hesitation, and before anyone could suggest otherwise, she opened the doors. Before them was a wide, white building about two or three stories high, with a curved roof. On one side of the building was a parking lot, and on the other a footpath and street. The words "Ice Arena" were written in large, fancy letters across the top of the building.

"Oooh!" Rogue exclaimed and immediately went looking for the front doors. "He's started on the ice skating rink!"

The doors were automatic and opened not quite as soon as Rogue approached, so she was forced to wait a couple more seconds before she could get in. The point of entry was a spacious foyer, with a counter and store off to one side, and large windows that looked out on the ice skating rink. Rogue ran up to the windows to have a better look. There was seating surrounding the rink on three sides, and on the fourth was what appeared to be a 'staff only' area, and an eatery.

"Oh, hey," Gambit said with a frown as he looked up. "You guys are up early."

He had been in the middle of organising the store when they game in. He had a pile of pairs of skates he'd been placing on the shelves.

"Actually, you're the one up early," Logan replied with a smirk. "Been working on this all night, eh Cajun?"

Gambit looked up at the clock in the foyer. "Huh, I guess so."

"You're sure putting a lot of detail into this," Pyro said as he looked around. "I could almost believe it's the real thing."

"Yeah," Gambit said as he went back to putting the skates on the shelves. "The only thing I can't figure out how to do is make it cold. I think I'll have to leave that to the experts."

"Can you actually skate on the rink?" Kurt asked as he too looked out through the windows.

"Oh yeah," Gambit said. "And use the skates in store. Well, theoretically. I can use the skates. Might have to make adjustments for people with other shoe sizes. And shapes." He grinned at Kurt.

"Well, it looks like fun," Kurt replied. "We'll have to come back when its finished."

Gambit chuckled and placed the last pair of skates on the shelf.

"Ever think that this is your hobby?" Logan asked him.

Gambit shrugged. "Maybe. Though it might also be about the only activity I can do where I can almost guarantee I won't blow anything up if I get frustrated. Well, nothing major anyway. I save as I go just to make sure. Which reminds me: Computer: Save progress and close."

"Nooo!" Rogue objected, but it was too late, the program had such down, and they were once again standing in the bare Danger Room.

"Sorry chere, but you shouldn't be hanging out in the master file anyway," Gambit said with an unexpected yawn. "And on that note, I'm going to bed. It is way past my bed time."

Gambit stepped into the breakfast nook and found Rogue already there having her lunch.

"Why good afternoon," she greeted him as he headed over to the fridge. "Have a good morning's sleep?"

"I did actually, thanks for asking," he replied.

She turned in her seat and watched as he pulled out a pan from the fridge. She remembered seeing that earlier, clearly labelled with Gambit's name on it.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Pecan pie," he said as he cut himself a slice. "I made it last night, and it should be chilled enough by now…"

"You made pecan pie?" Rogue asked. "Wait, you're having pecan pie for breakfast?"

"Well, part of breakfast, and yeah I made it." He placed his slice on a plate.

"From scratch?" Rogue said, then immediately answered her own question: "What am I saying? If you had bought it, I would've seen it on the grocery list. And I would be eating it."

Gambit chuckled. "You can have a slice if you want, but you had better leave me at least three quarters of this." He wagged a finger at her. "I know you."

Rogue grinned at him. "You're giving me a whole quarter huh?"

"I'm feeling generous."

"Generous enough to cut me a slice now and bring it over?"

She batted her eyes at him. Gambit gave her a long look, then pulled out a second plate. Rogue beamed.

"Thank you!" she said.

"I'm a sucker. I really am a sucker."

Rogue giggled.

Gambit swung his staff and firmly struck the Reaver sim in the face. The Reaver staggered back, and Gambit took advantage to press his attack. With a few more well-placed strikes, the Reaver fell to the ground. Gambit pinned him down, being careful to lock his bladed arms in place. From his utility belt, he pulled out one of the long-chained handcuffs and cuffed the Reaver, making sure to loop the chain around a nearby sign post.

He was having a group session in the Danger Room with Logan, Rogue, and Kurt, while Pyro watched in the control room. Logan had no problems slicing and dicing the Reavers' prosthetics. Kurt teleported around and divested them of their non-attached weapons, and once they were gone, fought them hand to hand as Rogue did.

Gambit was just getting up when a large body slammed into him from behind. His staff jammed in under his throat as he hit the ground, the wind knocked out of him. As he gasped for breath, his clothes began to glow.

The body moved off his and he sucked in air like a drowning man finally reaching the surface of the water.

The charge increased, and Gambit knew his grasp on it was only tenuous. He knew he couldn't hold it for long.

"Popcorn." The word were barely audible. His throat was sore from his staff being pressed against it.

"Popcorn!" It sounded more like a grunt than a word.

Kurt appeared in a puff of blue smoke in front of him. "You okay there, Remy?"

Gambit looked at him hard in the eye and said as well as he could: "Popcorn!"

Kurt, very much relieved that he'd seen Gambit glowing and gone to check, nodded: "Gotcha."

With that word, Kurt vanished.

A moment later, the simulation switched off as he heard Pyro's voice: "Okay, Remy, it's all clear."

With relief, Gambit stopped trying to hold the charge. His clothes promptly exploded.

He gave himself a couple of minutes and a few good deep breaths before he finally emerged and dressed into the fresh clothes that had been left for him. Everyone was waiting for him when he came out from behind the privacy screen.

"You okay there, sugar?" Rogue asked.

"I'm fine," he said, but his voice came out a little croaky.

"You're fine?" Rogue asked. "What happened after that Reaver fell in your direction? Sorry about that, by the way."

Gambit shook his head as he rubbed his throat. "Fell on my staff."

Logan instantly moved in to inspect Gambit's throat.

"Really, Logan?" Gambit asked. "I'm okay. It'll pass."

Logan gave Gambit a long look. "Uh huh." He dropped his hands. "You let us know if it doesn't within 24 hours, you got that?"

Gambit saluted.

Two hours later, Rogue went looking for Gambit, and found him in the kitchen of the breakfast nook. She shook her head as she approached.

"I shoulda known I'd find you in here," she said as she slid onto the bar stool. "Whatcha cooking, good looking?"

Gambit glanced over at her. "Nothing fancy, just some fettuccine carbonara. I was in the mood for something saucy."

"Oh really?" Rogue said as she gave him a suggestive wink. "You should've called me."

His smile was weak. "Don't tempt me."

"Why not?"

"I think what happened in the Danger Room earlier should be all the reason why not."

He turned his back on her and continued with his cooking.

Rogue was silent for a moment.

"Do you regret it?" she asked finally. "Not taking the Cure when you had the chance, I mean."

Gambit pulled out a strainer and poured the pot of pasta and boiling water into it over the sink.

"I regularly almost regret it," he replied as he poured the strained pasta onto a plate. There was so much it threatened to spill over. "Damn. Want some? I clearly cooked too much again."

"Sure, I can never say no to your cooking."

"Flatterer." He set aside the strainer and pulled out a second dinner plate.

"It's true though," she replied. "So, 'almost' regret?"

"For all the incidents I've had since I've been here, no one's actually been hurt. Not seriously anyway. Not unless you count Logan, I suppose." He moved half the pasta to the second plate. "And I might not have made any progress yet, but I have direction, and a safe place to practice, and…" he sighed. "If I wasn't here? Definitely would've regretted not taking the Cure. But, if I had taken the Cure, I would've regretted that too, and spent the rest of my life wondering."

"I guess it's one of those rock and hard place situations huh?"

"Heh, yeah."

Gambit picked up the pot of sauce off the stove and gave it a final stir before pouring it on the pasta.

"Well, if you ever need help with anything," Rogue said, "I'm always here for you."

Gambit eyed her for a moment. "Right there? In that exact spot?"

"Smarty pants."

"Gotta keep my brain somewhere."

Rogue laughed and Gambit grinned at her. He took the pot to the sink to soak, then grabbed a couple of forks.

"Bon appétit," he said as he pushed her plate over and gave her a fork.

"Mmm, pasta-y goodness."

They ate in silence for a time. Talking would've just gotten in the way of eating.

"Rogue?" Gambit said when his plate was almost empty.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to worry about me taking or not taking the Cure," he said, hesitated briefly, then barrelled on with: "I may sorta kinda be a professional thief, and I might have stolen a box of vials at the clinic when you were being injected."

Rogue stared at him and chewed slowly on her pasta. She swallowed, then giggled.

"Good one," she said, pointing her fork at him. "You almost had me going."

"I'm serious."

"Uh huh."

"Storm knows. About me being a thief, that is, not about my Cure stash. And if Logan doesn't know I'm a thief, then he strongly suspects it."

Rogue shook her head as she scooped up more pasta. "Whatever you say."

Gambit chuckled. "I have the Cure in a box in the top drawer of my bedside table. You can see for yourself, if you want."

She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. "You're actually being serious?"

"Yes."

"You're not just joking around here?"

"Nope. I stole it as a kind of…insurance policy." He set his fork down on his empty plate. "You know, just in case this school of yours didn't work out. It helps, in its own way, just having it on hand. I know I have a way out."

Rogue silently ate her last mouthful of pasta.

"Well, good," she said finally, and Gambit felt oddly relieved. "I'm glad that it didn't turn out to be an either/or situation. I've been worried… I mean, at the risk of sounding like Bobby, there's been this part of me that feels a little responsible. Not because you chose to take me up on my offer - that was your choice - but because I made the offer, you know?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think I get what you're saying. But like I said, you don't have to worry. I still have both options."

Rogue smiled. "Good."

And with that, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. She kissed back. The moment was quickly spoilt by static shocking Rogue.

"Sorry," he said quietly as he pulled back.

"Don't tease me like that, Swamp Rat," she said quietly. "We both know if I asked you on a date right now, you'd say no."

He sighed. "Yeah, you're right." He leaned on his arms on the bench top.

"I like you," she said.

"I like you too."

"And I… I just want you to know, that I would date you. Right now. I would. The fact that you can't control your powers doesn't factor into how I feel about you."

"And the fact that I can't control my powers has to factor in for me," Gambit replied, his voice slightly muffled by his arms. "Because if I don't feel anything for you, then there's no point. But I do feel, and that will get you killed." He lifted his head quickly and gave her a dark look. "And don't you give me some stupid line about how you're willing to take that risk."

"I'd risk anything for you, sugar," Rogue replied, a mischievously twinkle in her eye.

Gambit gave her a long look. "Merde, is that what I sound like?"

Rogue laughed.

Gambit shook his head in disgust. "So cheesy."

Rogue laughed harder.

"Yeah. Yeah, laugh it up."

She continued to giggle as she set her plate aside. Gambit shook his head again, but he was smiling. He gathered up both plates and took them to the dishwasher.

"Wait," Rogue said as her giggles subsided. "You're a professional thief?"

"That part finally sank in, huh?" Gambit asked as he dropped the forks into the cutlery rack.

"Well, considering I thought you were just pulling my leg, yes." She watched him thoughtfully. "So, you can pick locks and break into safes and stuff?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but that's just between you and me, eh chere?"

"And Storm, and possibly Logan."

"And them, yeah."

"Hmm well, I don't plan on telling, but you live here, swamp rat," Rogue gave him a knowing look, "you can't seriously expect to keep that under your hat for long."

"Storm and Logan didn't find out until a few weeks ago, and I've been here for months. I've been here…" he thought for a moment, "nine months."

"But they did find out."

"Touche."

"And once more than one person knows a secret…" she went on teasingly.

Gambit sat back down on the bar stool next to Rogue. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

"I always enjoy myself when I'm with you."

"Well, who wouldn't?"

Rogue snapped her fingers. "Hang on, isn't that favourite sim of yours a kleptomaniac?"

Gambit's eyes shifted playfully. "Maybe."

"Oooh, it is! He's the one that goes around swiping stuff from other lots!" Rogue's face lit up with glee.

"Well, my powers being out of control means I've been forced to put my career on hold," Gambit replied with a shrug. "So, yeah, might be living vicariously through sims."

Rogue's eyes widened as she breathed in sharply. "Oooooh! Is this why you put so much freaking detail into all those houses and stuff you're building for the suburbia program? All those ice skates and stuff. You put them there for shop lifters."

Gambit chuckled and waggled his hand in the air. "Yes and no? The thought did occur to me. As a thief, I do two things when I enter a room automatically: look for exits, and stuff that might be worth stealing."

"Of course."

"So, when I walk into those generic buildings you guys have in the DR, well, they drive me nuts, really. I walk in and I know I'm not in a real place, you know? I cannot suspend my sense of disbelief."

"Because of the lack of stuff to steal?"

"Because of the lack of stuff," he clarified. "I'm just so used to doing an auto-inventory that when there's nothing to inventory, I know there's something wrong." He paused. "Or it's empty on purpose because it just got cleaned out or something. That's about the only exception."

Rogue nodded. "So, you're creating a program that feels real to you. Or at least one that isn't going to destroy your immersion."

"Yeah."

"Plus you totally want stuff to shop lift."

Gambit opened his mouth to reply, took in Rogue's big cheeky grin, and said: "Well, I need to keep in practice."

"Of course you do."

"What else have you got in there?" she asked gleefully. "Do you have an ideal home for your klepto? Is there's a secret lair in there?"

Gambit looked at her in silence. Rogue looked back at him expectantly.

"Oooh," she said when he didn't reply. "There is, isn't there?"

Gambit looked bashful. "Well, I was thinking about it but—"

Rogue chuckled.

"I just don't know if it would really fit," he said. "I mean, at the end of the day, this program is intended to be a back drop. I'm just not sure that me putting in an evil lair or something is entirely appropriate."

"No, no, you should do it," Rogue insisted, nodding for emphasis. "Kitty loves easter eggs. She'll approve."

"You don't think it would be a distraction in future suburbia based battle sims?"

"Hmmm—" Rogue thought for a moment. "Well, potentially, I suppose. But I guess you could always put in an 'evil lair' setting. You know, something that can turn access to the evil lair on and off."

"I suppose so…" he gave Rogue a fiendish grin. "It's not going to take a lot of convincing to get me to go through with this."

Rogue grinned back at him. "I suspected as much."

The school trip returned a few days later. The first thing Logan did was insist that Dr Ashton look at Gambit's throat immediately. Gambit insisted he was fine, and Dr Ashton confirmed that any damage caused by the initial injury was neither serious, nor permanent.

With that out of the way, Gambit took great pleasure in showing off his additions to the suburbia program to Kitty. Rogue came with, mostly because she wanted to see for herself.

"This is amazing!" Kitty said when they entered every single lot, and Rogue concurred.

Gambit considered his plan a huge success.

"Seriously," Kitty said as she looked around the ballet school. "I would never have put together anything this amazing. I'm so glad I asked you to do this."

Gambit shrugged. "Me too, actually. It's been fun."

"I can't wait to see this program when it's finished," Rogue said. "It's gonna be a whole world in of itself."

"Oh yeah."

AN: Next week's chapter is the last one.