Author Note: Hey guys hope you like the chapter!

Disclaimer: Don't know anything about no X-men.

Bobby stood on the door watching the whole fiasco. How the older man drove Rogue to the front of the mansion, how he ran after Rogue, and even smiled at her. Bobby just didn't understand why Rogue didn't just punch him or kick him in the balls. She looked so angry but held back, Bobby was so close to run out and kicking him on her behalf. Bobby frowned; maybe this whole Road to Bad-ass-a-tude was a bad idea.

Rogue walked into the mansion and threw her book to one of the chairs. She rubbed her face in frustration. That Prof. Todd was persistent; she needed to keep watch on him. A part of her, no matter how much as she wanted to trust people couldn't. Too much bad blood she figured.

"Rogue welcome home!" Bobby ran up to her smiling.

"Ugh, Bobby what did ya do? Ya have that guilty look in her face…" Rogue frowned

"What look? I was smiling…"

"Yeah that's the look…" Rogue said sitting down on one of the couches. "It has been a long day ya know."

"How was your debate team." Bobby sat down next to Rogue slipping into the warm comfort she radiated.

"It has been one meeting Bobby. The president is a little nuts…" Rogue sighed "Ah already have to think of a debate…"

Bobby laughed seeing the frustration lining Rogue's face. "About?"

"Romance…" Rogue sunk further into the couch. "Something Ah know nothing about." She rolled her eyes and faced Bobby. "Guess Ah have to ask Kitty for her romance novels…"

"The ones with the rippled chest and ocean scenery?" Bobby casually put his hand against the head rest of the couch.

Rogue watched him carefully making sure he didn't mistakenly touch skin. "Yeah, the ones ya ruined for her when ya glued your face on each cover."

Bobby laughed "I thought it will help her imagination…"

Rogue punched him lightly on the ribs "That's what the picture of the guy was for Bobby." She gave a slight smile to her trickster friend. "Ah think she was horrified that her big strong man she always dreamed about turned inta an annoying blonde kid from Boston…"

"Hey! I resent that statement…" He leaned a little closer pointing his finger at Rogue's face." I don't know if you noticed but I am all man now…"

Rogue snapped her teeth at his finger and Bobby quickly pulled away. "One chest hair doesn't make ya a man Bobby…."

Bobby gently placed his arm around Rogue. He was nervous for some reason, for a motion that he always did. Yet knowing Rogue was trying to get use to physical contact made him weary. What happened if someone else did this? He kept talking to keep Rogue too occupied to notice his hand. He knew Rogue's earlier threat on his arm was still valid.

"Hey, one day I will be in the X-men just you wait." Bobby puffed his chest out "You will be like, oh Iceman please save me from these big bad mutant haters!" He raised his voice and octave to try to mimic Rogue. He smiled at her "Of course Rogue I will do anything for a damsel in distress! Iceman to the rescue…"

Rogue laughed giving him a slight pinch. "Yeah right Bobby, Ah seen you danger room sessions. Ah think Ah will be saving ya butt not the other way around…Ah probably kick your ass too."

"I always liked a woman that can kick my butt…" Iceman said touching the silky brown strand behind Rogue's head. He needed her to keep talking so she wouldn't notice.

"Yeah Ah noticed from the women ya date."

Bobby stopped touching her hair. "Huh?"

Rogue raised an eyebrow "Jubilee and Amara….both some version of fire "

Bobby grimaced, he never really thought about that. He did date Jubilee and Amara once. Jubilee was spunky, was always hyper and enjoyed his trickster ways. They got along really well and he thought he was being a good boyfriend until out of the blue Jubilee dumped him. The reason was that his attention wasn't always on her. How could he when he had training and school all the time? Then a couple months later he dated Amara. Amara was a sweet girl, strong headed and a little bit like Jean in personality. She was the opposite of Jubilee. He tried to be more dotting and supportive boyfriend. Treated her like a princess, since well she sort of was one, he thinks. Yet again the same problem, except she stated that his priorities were skewed towards a certain southern belle.

He looked at Rogue. Rogue was someone he always looked up too. She was strong, tough and made sure no one got to her. She was an X-men even when she barely used her powers. She can probably knock any mutant down just by using her wit and the fighting skills she honed thanks to Wolverine. So when some vulnerability surfaced, he ran to her. How could he not? She was someone who needed a friend during the rough times. When Scott accident happened he dropped the date with Amara and ran to her side. Rogue needed him more than Amara at that point. Yet Amara thought it was more than a friend mentality. How would she know?

"Gosh your right I hate it when you are right." He pinched her lightly on her arm.

Rogue laughed and moved slightly away. When she did she noticed something tugging her back in place. Her eyes skimmed over to Bobby's hand that was on her shoulder. Why the hell did Bobby need to put his arm around her shoulder all the time? She would normally shrug it away and ignore it with a long strain of threats to his manhood. That didn't stop him and now that she was trying to get use to human contact he did it a lot more often.

"Bobby what Ah say about acting fresh?" She shrugged his arm off but he didn't budge.

"Something about ripping my arm off and popsicles…" Bobby joked and pulled Rogue a little closer to him. He needed to make an excuse quick. "You said you wanted to get closer to people, learn not to be so distant. This is just a friendly gesture Rogue. Think it as exercise."

"What makes ya think Ah won't rip ya a new one an'how?"

"Cause you secretly like it…" Bobby smiled. Oh, I am so dead he thought. That comment could bury him six feet under the mansion still alive. Rogue probably bat her eyelashes towards Wolverine and make him convince the Professor it was for the good of the team.

Rogue stiffened. She couldn't deny it and Bobby knew that. As much as she wanted to keep people away the feeling of warmth pressed against you was almost intoxicating. Yes, she liked it every time someone had the courage to hug her. She wanted someone to shake her hand or give her a high five, because it made her feel normal. Bobby was right, even if he had sneakily touched her; she needed to get use to human contact. If she pushed away all physical contact, she would be pushing everyone away again.

"Fine, but ya better watch the skin. If ya faint on me, Ah'll to ya leg to a rock and through ya into a lake. Wolverine and the Professor won't find ya, Ah will make sure of that…"

Bobby smiled, happy that his little lie made Rogue open up. In reality he just wanted to touch her. He didn't know why the urge was so strong ever since she declared her plan to get close to people. He wanted to run his fingers through her brown and white locks that passed her shoulders. He wanted to touch her arm gently and pull her against his chest. He wanted the little simple physical interactions; he wanted to be the first person to give her the simple interaction.

And those feeling Bobby can only sum it up as bad.

So very bad, bad, bad.

But he couldn't help himself.

"So Kitty came home an hour ago, want to ask her about the books?" Bobby smirked rubbing Rogue's arm gently.

Rogue smiled back "If we can find one that doesn't have your face on it."

The next couple of days where filled with homework, dirty dishes and reading Kitty's romance books for the debate. Oh yeah, and four danger room sessions with Jean a day. Logan thought it be a good idea to stick them together alone in a danger room to show them team work. As much as Rogue hated to admit, they worked really well as a team.

The romance novels were a little hard to swallow. They were cheesy and had bad pickup lines. If anyone used them on her, she would probably punch the guy out in a heartbeat. They were just so awful with awful titles like "Love me Harder" and "Lover in my bathtub". How can anyone read this junk, as especially like lines like this:

"His chiseled chest as man dew glistened down his abs. He was ready for night of danger, fatigue and love"

"Beth, my beautiful white quesadilla, I killed Alejandro for us to be together. Let's live alone in this dessert island." Rips open his shirt and drops dramatically on his knees "I love you!"

Or her favorite beginning

"It was a dark and horny night…"

She could some up the genre in four words: lots of exclamation points. She sighed dropping the latest read "He came one morning" which Rogue was sure was a disgusting pun. She laid on her bed in a huff, just coming back from classes and too tired to do homework. She rolled to the side facing her desk. On the corner of the desk she saw something white. That alone was off, she didn't' have a single piece of white anything. She stood up and looked at the desk again.

On top of the desk was a white envelope. There was no address, but instead said in very girly script the name Rogue. Rogue frowned, who did she know had such girly handwriting? Her handwriting was very straight lined almost like typewriter. Her script on the other hand was chicken scratch. Kitty handwriting was girly but she never looped her G's. Rogue touched the envelope feeling that something small was inside.

Rogue opened the letter carefully, not knowing what it had in store. She peeked inside and found a note and a small rectangle card. She picked up the card and let out a small gasp followed by a scowl. King of Hearts, Rogue could just punch Gambit in the throat right about now. She swallowed the urge to rip up the letter and set the card on fire. She needed to know why the hell Swamp Rat would send her a god damn card. She opened the letter.

I thought the queen would get lonely. So I sent her a companion.

…..

It won't be soon

-Gambit

Rogue scrunched up the letter and threw it on the other corner of her room. What the hell was wrong with Gambit? What the hell was the meaning of the King of Hearts and what the hell meant It won't be soon? If he was planning to kidnap her again he is surely mistaking. This time she wouldn't hesitate to drain him dry. That low life, swamp rat, good for nothing selfish, selfish man.

Rogue dropped down to her bed. It had been a year and nine months. Not a single word from the guy. Once apocalypse business ended he just packed his things and left. He never even said good bye or kept in contact. Rogue frowned feeling foolish, a man like him would never keep in contact unless he wanted something. With Gambit, he ended up always taking more than you were ever willing to give.

Why would he think she was still the naive Rogue of two years ago who thought he did the wrong thing for all the right reasons? Would he think she would be happy to contact her after two years? No, Rogue had few friends, but she didn't want one who couldn't keep in contact with her. She wanted loyal friends, and Gambit didn't have a loyal bone in his body.

Rogue got back up deciding she was hungry. Once downstairs she saw the kitchen a complete disaster. The pots were open and had burned stuff caked around the edges. There was what she presumed as food splattered on the walls. It only meant one thing, Kitty was on dinner duty.

Logan walked into the kitchen and took a one-eighty turn straight out of the kitchen murmuring "Abandon ship…"

Rogue sighed and walked out only to bump straight to Bobby. She had been doing a lot of bumping into people lately.

"Woah, what's the rush…" Bobby smiled down at Rogue. Rogue hated that he grown taller than her.

"Kitty, some of the pots are half phased into the stove…." Rogue muttered. "Logan said abandon ship."

Bobby looked around the corner and grimaced. "Ugh, maybe we should get dinner…"

"Good idea…" Rogue rubbed her forehead "I think I got some Chinese menus in my room…"

Bobby held his breath this was his only opportunity. "What about we go out instead, you know get out of the chaos we call a mansion…"

Rogue looked at Bobby. It was true, the last few days the mansion hadn't been quite. Well, it not like the mansion was ever quite filled with super powered teenagers. She sighed, getting out of here was a good idea. It would get her mind of Gambit's annoying letter and how the hell he got in the mansion to deliver it without Wolverine ripping him a new one.

"That sounds…." Rogue smirked "Good actually, what ya thinking?" Rogue said grabbing the car keys.

Bobby smiled "I was thinking Thai food you love so much…"

"Deal" Rogue said walking out the door.

Author Note: So I wrote this chapter with Rogue's paranoia in mind. It's funny how some of you guess elements of what I have already writing before it's posted! Like how I wrote this chapter the same time as chapter 5 and everyone got paranoid about Prof. Todd! Was Rogue's paranoia well expressed in the previous chapter? I wrote it more clearly here, but darn you guys are good. I don't know if it's bad writing skills or good writing skills but Pro. Todd is suppose to come off...creepy.

tx peppa/Dreamer: I am happy I got you both guessing and wondering! That's why I asked how everyone liked him. He suppose to be writing as a nice guy who comes of a little...creepy. There is reason for that later. I know I keep saying later but remember this is only chapter 6! For reference Rogue signed herself in school as Rogue Alder, taking Destiny's last name and keeping her codename. This is because Rogue doesn't want anyone to know her name. In Season 4 people in Bayville HighSchool found out they were mutants, so I am pretty sure the Xavier Institute became a common name later. So it wasn't hard for Prof. Todd to put two and two together.

The bolded Rogue in Chapter 3 is from someone in Rogue's head yelling out to her and breaking her mental shields.

You guys have been nothing but supportive! Thank you so much and if you like please Review!