A/N: I'm really hoping the speedy update today is making up for the unforgivably lateness of my previous updates! Have to say, I'm having so much fun writing this again! Yay!

Please read and review.

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, I own only Ben. Very sad but true.

WLB – Chap 13

It wasn't the best time to be pounced on by his best friend's wife, Remy thought morosely. The ice pack was doing very little to dull the throbbing pain in his head. Mon Dieu! Who would have thought that Rogue had that kind of strength? She must have been hyped up on something. But did she have to throw him that hard?

"…but apparently this Carol person was also a mutant. So…"

He was trying to remember what had happened, but that voice was distracting him from his focus.

"…she couldn't help it, Remy! That woman drugged her so she couldn't…"

The woman who had tried to kiss him wasn't really Rogue, he knew. It must have been one of her psyches acting up. Funny, he'd have thought that she would have gotten it all under control now.

"…Rogue, I mean, Angela told me how much she loved Ben. He was everything to her in LA. They even lived together…"

His head snapped up. Rogue (Angela??) had a lover? Someone she lived with? Did that mean she'd learned how to touch? And she hadn't come back, but had shacked up with some loser named Ben?

So much for love, Remy thought.

"So where's dis wonderful Ben now?" he asked disgustedly.

Kitty sighed, exasperated. "Weren't you listening at all?" she asked. "He died. Carol Danvers, the woman who's sharing Rogue's, I mean, Angela's body, killed him. In front of her."

"Why do you keep callin' her Angela, petite?" he asked, curiously, disregarding for the moment the rest of the things Kitty had told him. "Who's dis Angela?"

"You weren't listening!" Kitty complained. "Rogue is Angela. She changed her name and looks when she went to LA. To start fresh. She doesn't like to be called Rogue now."

"Why not? Y' don' change your name jus'' like dat," he snapped his fingers together.

"She did," Kitty pointed out. "And she was doing great too, until this happened." When Gambit just continued to glare at nothing, she sighed. "She was broken, Remy." She touched his tense shoulder. "That's why she left. To fix herself."

"She don' look fixed to Remy."

**************************************************************

"You want us to do what?" for once, both women sharing the same body agreed on something.

"Until I can ascertain if I can safely move Ms Danvers back to her body, I suggest you both alternate your identities," Charles explained patiently. "It's become very clear to me that forcing each other out of the way is taking a toll on your mental stability."

"Dude," Carol snorted. "I could tell you stories."

"Shut up," Angela snapped. "How long do we have to do this?" she asked the Professor.

"A few weeks at the very least," he said.

"So what, I take Monday, and life-stealer here takes Tuesday?" Carol asked.

"I'm sure you can both come to an agreement without calling each other names," he responded evenly. "And I can provide a mental block so you don't influence each others' actions. It will renew every 24 hours, giving the other personality to come to the fore."

Angela pressed her hands into her eyes. "Fine, we'll do that. Alternate days. Carol can take today. Thanks, Professor. You will let the rest know?" At his nod, she stopped struggling for control and faded into the recesses of her mind.

**************************************************************

"Jubilee," Jamie called, spotting Jubilee round the corner. "Hey, Jubilee, wait up!"

"What's up, Jamie?" she asked, not looking at him.

"Nothing," he blushed. "Just thought I'd say hello."

"Oh," she looked up, flushed, and looked quickly back down. "Hello."

There was an awkward silence, both not knowing what to say.

"I guess I should go," she finally said, her gum popping loudly.

"Uh, yeah.

She turned to leave when he caught her arm. "Hey Jubes," he said. "I'm sorry about your mom's coat."

She shrugged, although she'd shed bitter tears over the loss of that coat. It had been unsalvageable. "Don't worry about it," she said lightly.

"No," he said it firmly. "It was something important to you, and we-I ruined it. Although," he continued frowning, "it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't constantly been on my case."

She flushed scarlet. "What are you talking about?"

"You're everywhere, Jubilee!" he exclaimed, exasperated. "You're always around. It drove me crazy. Why do you like bugging me? What did I ever - mmph!"

She'd kissed him. Then she pulled away, not quite believing she'd done that.

"That's why," she whispered and hurried away

He stared after her, mouth agape.

**************************************************************

"Hey Glasses," Carol called out to Scott, as she passed him in the hallway. "You seen Hottie Wolvie?"

Scott choked. "Hottie Wolvie?"

"Yeah, you know. Sexy mofo, scares people, metal claws, likes to growl?"

Who is currently hiding out in mine and Jean's room, Scott thought to himself. "I think he's out in the garage."

"Thanks."

Watching her, Scott shook his head. It was amazing to hear phrases like 'Hottie Wolvie' come out of Rogue's mouth. He couldn't wait for the Danvers personality to be rid off. Maybe then Logan would stop sleeping in his room and he and his wife could actually do more than sleep in their bed.

**************************************************************

One week into their new truce, Angela walked listlessly to her room. It had been another pointless session that left her feeling angry and frustrated with the need to do something. She closed her eyes, remembering what the Professor had said.

You need to let go of Angela, Rogue. She is one part of you, not all of you. And until you are ready to become Rogue again, I cannot help either you, Angela or Ms Danvers.

She knew he was right. In her head, she knew that letting Angela go didn't mean that she was letting her life in LA go, that she wasn't letting Ben go. But it was difficult to be Rogue again, to accept that had always been Rogue, deep inside. And she was afraid of what being Rogue again would do to her.

She opened the door to her room, and stared at one of the main reasons she'd decided to stop being Rogue to begin with.

"What are you doing here, Gambit?" she asked wearily. She'd managed to avoid all contact with him since their last encounter. But here he was, looking very at ease on her bed.

"Gambit just want t' talk, chere."

"Well, I don't want to talk. Go away and leave me alone."

"Well, dat's too bad, then, cause Gambit's not going anywhere." As if to illustrate his point, he shifted slightly, making himself more comfortable on the bed.

"Fine," she stepped out of the room and shut the door. Maybe Logan would let her bunk in his room tonight.

"Rogue, wait," he called, the door to her room flying open.

She whirled around, furious. "My name," she strode forward, her finger stabbing his chest, "is Angela. Angela Logan. Not Rogue."

He winced, but didn't protest. Instead, he wrapped his hand around her gloved one. "Always Rogue t' Gambit, chere. Not'ing ever gonna change dat."

She brutally pushed away the emotions that churned inside. "I'm not that Rogue anymore, Gambit," she said firmly. "It's best if you remember that."

"Gambit let y' leave him once, chere. Not gonna happen again." He pressed a fleeting kiss on her lips and moved back before the pull could begin. Shocked, she stared at him. "Je taime," he whispered, before walking back to her room and closing the door gently in her face.

She stared at the closed door, let out a silent scream and went to find Logan.

**************************************************************