In the medical bay of the Crescent Moon…

"Are ya gonna be alright?" Violent asked her accent still faintly audible.

"Yeah… I'll be alright, I just need some time to recover," Volt said as he rotated his arm, glad to have sensation back in the limb.

"That could have gone bettah…" she continued.

"We did what we were sent to do," he countered, "casualties were already factored in and we figured that the Colony Marines would step in at some point to try and defend their base… I'm just surprised that there were not that many marines there to begin with. You'd figure that with that base being one of their biggest operating points that they would try to have better defenses especially with them knowing that we're out here."

"Ah know… that went as well as could be expected," she concurred.

"You know that you did absolutely splendid for your first operation though Violent," he said with a smile which faded instantly as soon as he noticed that she wasn't smiling back, "What is it?"

"She tried ta stop meh…" Violent answered simply, "Rogue tried ta stop meh and tried ta possibly get both of us killed."

"Are you sure?" he asked as he leaned forward, much closer than he had ever done before and something in Violent, no it was Rogue for sure this time, cringed and tried to pull back.

"Ah could feel her Volt… Ah could feel her tryin' ta push meh back outta the way… tryin' ta get meh ta stop," Violent answered running her hand through her hair which she had down at the moment.

"Damn… she's strong isn't she?" Volt asked as he leaned back slightly though the part of Violent's mind that was still Rogue was still on edge.

"Very," she answered, her voice finally returning to normal, "When her beloved Gambit finally shows up I don't think that I'll be able to fight her back… I know for a fact that it's not a case of if but a case of when… He will find us one day of that I'm certain. I just don't think I have the strength to fight her back when he does show up."

In a sense of despair Volt moved forward again and placed his hand on her cheek before speaking again, "Don't say that Violent… you are very important to this ship, the emperor, and to…"

Violent realized what he was about to say and finished his sentence, "I'm important to you… but am I important to you just as a partner or… something else I wonder?"

Volt's eyes went wide as he realized that she knew. Violent knew his secret and he felt almost ready to die. Instead he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment and it became obvious to Violent that he was in a sense of the word blushing.

"I embarrassed you," Violent said softly as she pulled away from his touch.

"No, no, no you couldn't ever embarrass me… not in the way that you're thinking at least but I'm surprised that you figured it out," he said quickly reestablishing the touch as he quickly reassured her that he wasn't at all embarrassed by something that she had said, "I was just a bit surprised that you figured it out."

"When you're touching my face it's a fact that's kind of hard to ignore," she muttered back at he with a half smirk and a laugh.

Volt's eyes went wide; he'd never, ever heard Violent laugh. The scared him and was pleasant at the same time. He had simply assumed that she didn't laugh because she had felt no occasion to, was still brooding about Rogue's beloved Gambit, or something to that effect.

"What?" she asked, the smirk falling from her face.

"I've… never heard you laugh before… I like it," he said brokenly not sure what else to say.

This time Violent smiled, truly smiled and it sent shivers up Volt's spine. Was this what he was waiting for? That elusive time when she'd finally open up to him? Could she possibly be willing to let him into her heart now? Was she ready to put herself into a deeper commitment with him? Volt hoped so as he licked his lips. He wanted to believe that she was ready for him to take the place that Gambit held for Rogue. Volt wanted, no needed to know that this was for real.

Violent looked at him with a half confused look on her face with that beautiful smile that she had just revealed to him.

Volt didn't know what came over him; it was like he was lost in this spell that she had woven on him. Slowly he moved closer to her his mind felt like it was in a haze. What surprised him though was that she didn't stop him. He swallowed hard and gently pressed his lips against hers.

They both felt it, a tingling sensation, Violent didn't fully comprehend what it was but Rogue knew. Though far slower than any other person she had ever touched he was being drained, as was her lot. Volt pulled away, he was suddenly light headed and Violent had grown pale as she looked at him.

"What happened?" Volt asked holding his head slightly, "Why do I feel so light headed?"

"I don't know…" Violent said but was interrupted by Rogue who found the strength to come back to the forefront of her mind.

"Didn't ah tell ya?" Rogue said scaring Volt, "When ya asked what significance mah gloves have ta meh ah told ya didn't ah?"

"You…. You said that you could kill a normal person with just your touch…" Volt answered sudden understanding flooding him, "That includes me doesn't it?"

"Ah'd hazard so circuits for brains…" Rogue spat, "Ah'd be careful tryin' ta kiss meh from now on sense ya know how…. When ah punched ya when we first met our connection wasn't long enough for the effect ta become apparent."

"Right… we'll remember that," he said softly, "Now let me have Violent back."

"Don't forget, ah will keep mah promise… ah always do," Rogue said as the glint in her eyes that was clearly Rogue faded and returned to Violent's.

"What did she say?" Violent said after shaking the effects off of herself from having given control back to Rogue.

"She said that it was her power…" Volt said softly.

"Oh…" she responded.