Chapter 4

Everything's new

For the second time that week Rogue woke up in Remy's arms. She moved closer to him, carefully not waking him up. She was becoming addicted to this warmth. With her mutation, Rogue never dreamt about being so close to other human being. At the same time, she didn't want to put his life at stake just because of her selfishness. With this thought she got up from the couch and went to shower and dress.

Remy woke up and place next to him, where he expected to see sleeping Rogue, was getting cold. He went to the kitchen and found a cup of warm coffee. When he picked it up to his lips, he noticed a small memo. "I'm giving a lift to school to kids. And since you drank my coffee, you have to make me breakfast, sugar."

"Dat's my girl." Remy was grinning from ear to ear. After a quick shower he left the apartment with Rogue's cup in hand.

X

Remy entered the kitchen humming some random song. Everybody was already eating. Storm and Jean looked at him in surprise.

"Are you all right, Gambit?" Gingerly asked Storm as Remy danced in front of the cooker.

"Sure, Stormy. Why are you asking?"

The Girls exchanged confused looks. Kitty, who was watching the scene started to choke with laughter.

Rogue returned to the mansion shortly before Gambit was finished with making breakfast. He was already seated and eating his cheese omelette. "So, where's my portion, sugah?"

"It'll be finished in a while, chère. "

"But Ah'm starving." Rogue exclaimed in baby-voice. To everybody's astonishment she sat on Remy's, stole his fork and began eating his omelette. Once again there was a cocky smirk on Remy's face. "No need to eat Remy's food if y' wanted t' be close to Remy y' could just ask." He takes the fork from her hand and eats a piece of the omelette.

"But Ah'm really hungry!"

"Dere's another on the pan. Serve yourself." Rogue stood up, took her portion of the omelette and left.

X

"Like, what was that?" Kitty was screeching.

"Nothing, petite, just friends eating breakfast."

"No! It was couple eating breakfast!" Her voice was high-pitched and few people at the table had to cover their ears for a while, so she would realize she was screaming. When she calmed, Remy spoke.

"Y' know, just because her skin is dangerous it doesn't mean dat y' can't touch her clothes. Mebbe y' don't realize it, but her mutation robbed her from normal touch so why y' people rob her from casual touches even if though clothes?! She always wears gloves, no need to be scared." Now he was yelling. Storm gave him a reproachful look. He pushed away his half-finished omelette and left.

In the hallway Remy bumped into Logan. Both were glaring at each other.

"Want a little re-mach for yesterday, bub?"

"Thanks, mon ami, but Remy saves energy for Sinister."

"So what made ya so angry?" Logan didn't like the Cajun, but since they both cared for Rogue they were in silent agreement not to kill each other, at least not outside the Danger Room.

"Y' won't like it either Mon ami. But if y' have to know, Rogue was eating Mon breakfast and oders were acting as if we were a couple."

"Ya hurt her, bub and ya can never again please a woman, got it?" With a shick his claws rose from his knuckles.

"Remy understands," he exclaimed with hands in the air, "Remy would never hurt Rogue. Mais they all are acting as if she was going to hurt them." He clenched his fits angrily.

X

Rogue was eating her breakfast in the library. She wanted some time alone. Ever since Gambit has moved into her apartment she didn't have time to sort her thoughts and thus all the psyches were going crazy. They only fell quiet when he was hugging her. Rogue didn't want to depend on his presence. And even if he was the worst guy she ever met, he still didn't deserve her to fall in love with. Not with the untouchable.

"Kid?"

What was left from Rogue's omelette fell on the rug as she was startled by Logan's voice. She picked up the fortunately not broken plate from the ground and put it on a small table in from of her.

"I'm going to the city, ya want something?"

"No, but thanks Logan, Ah think Ah'll just go to the DR for a little warm up before the mission."

They both left the room, each headed different direction.

Later that day, the team was seated in the X-Jet and Scott was giving last orders before departing. "So, when we arrive we are going to act in small groups. We'll be asking about the missing mutants as if we were searching for missing friend or relatives. Bobby and Colossus, here you go, you'll be looking for these." Their leader handed them a dozen of photos. "Storm and Logan, these are yours, next Gambit and Rogue and the last pair will be Jean and me. First two pairs will be staying at a small hotel; the others will be at different one. Don't forget to act as if we didn't know each other."

"Yeah, and accidentally we all checked in at the same time." Cut in Bobby. The jet was already in the air, but nobody noticed. Jean and Rogue were at the wheel; paying only little attention to what was Scott saying.

"No, of course not, we'll decide by drawing the short straw. Losers will have to spend one night in the jet. Remember to use your power only in case of emergency. Now, since there aren't any questions, let's draw."

From somewhere Scott took a box of matches out and broke two into smaller ones. Bobby took one, not showing it to the others, so did Storm.

"Chère, do you believe in Remy?" Rogue didn't answer, just airily waved her hand in the air.

"So, in the plane are staying…" Scott said, with a little thrill rising drumming from Bobby, "Jean and me and Logan with Storm." Even though he tried to cover his disappointment, they still could hear it. Then he gave coordinates of the hotel to Gambit and Colossus. For the rest of the flight was Scott unusually quiet.

They landed the X-jet in the woods and took bikes and a small van that was in the back of the Jet.

"Scott, it's our first day here, you're sure, you want us to begin investigating. Shouldn't we just get to know the town and stuff?" Bobby asked gingerly. He knew, as the rest of the team that when it came to missions Scott was like a soldier. Thank goodness they had Jean, who always put her hand on his back and made him to come to his senses.

"Ok, we meet again at the jet in four hours. Meanwhile, you guys go check in and we'll look around the town." Scott sounded defeated but he tried to keep his leadership.

Gambit took his and Rogue's bags and walked away.

"Remy told y' to believe in him," he whispered in her ear as they were walking.

"Ya didn't cheat back there, did ya, Swamp Rat?" She looked at him, one brow raised. He was grinning from ear to ear, but didn't answer. She sighed, "Of course ya did."

They entered a cheap hotel and stopped in front of the front desk.

"Mr and Mrs Black, we should have a reservation here." Rogue wanted to kick the professor for booking a room for them as a married couple, but she knew that a honeymoon was the best cover. She silently sighed and held on Remy's arm, acting her part as s newlywed.

"Yes, the room is paid for a week, but you can prolong it, if you want. Here are the keys, and one signature here." The hotel manager was a small man, dressed in blue-red hotel uniform with a silly square hat. He sent a young boy, in the same uniform, to show them to their room.

It was a plain, single-bed room. They had their own bathroom and a balcony.

"Remy still t'inks dat de professor should let him to buy a room. We would have a penthouse!"

"Yeah, an' that would be inconspicuous. What world do you live in, Cajun?" Rogue sat on their bed, to her surprise, it was quite comfortable.

"One dat worships y', Mon chérie." He sat on the other side of the bed and crawled to her. He hugged her from behind. "Y' played mon wife great, mebbe it was training for future?"

Rogue rested her head on his muscled sleeve-covered arm. It was calming, suddenly the voices in her head faded away and she was enjoying the sudden silence.

Remy was surprised, he expected her to push him away with some stinging comment, instead, she moved closer to him. Possessively he wrapped his second arm around her and she lifted her legs from the ground, laying them on the bed. They both could stay this way forever, forgetting their mission, friends and the world.

"Rogue?" He gently asked. No answer. Remy looked down at her, Rogue was sleeping.

"It breaks Remy's heart to wake y', chère, but if we don't go to find somewhere good to eat, it might be too late."

Rogue didn't answer, but her emerald eyes were looking at his. Unwillingly she stood up and took a quick shower. After half an hour, they were ready to go. Rogue was wearing tight jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. When she wanted to take her gloves, Remy stopped her.

"Chère, low profile, remember? Who wears gloves in dis neck of the woods?"

"Those who have lethal skin."

"Don't worry, Remy will take care of y'. So leave those at home, for once." Despite his words, Remy was wearing his gloves and a trench coat. Underneath he had a pair of jeans and a black short-sleeve t-shirt.

A little distrustfully, she took his hand and they went out. Rogue was in heaven, even though she would never admit it to Remy, she wanted to jump when he told her not to wear gloves.

After a short walk they found a small family pizza restaurant. They were seated opposite each other. They ordered, each their favourite kind of pizza and talked. Both wanted to catch up on the time they've lost.

"Gambit –" Rogue was cut off before she even began.

"It's Remy, chère."

"Raght. Remy," she said carefully, but his name came out of her mouth so naturally. "So, how did ya get to mah room? Ah made sure it was Cajun-proofed." She said, looking deadpan.

Across the table Remy chocked on his glass of wine; with a bemused look he glanced at her. Rogue was death-serious, drinking her wine.

"Cajun-proof?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Yup, Ah had movement detectors installed, which activated low-voltage something that's somehow shot the intruder. Ah'm not sure how it works mahself. Ah admit Ah asked Bobby to help meh. Ah told him it was to get rid of rats." A small smile graced her face. She didn't want to admit how silly of her was to make those precautions.

"Oui, Remy noticed. But Remy's a t'ief, chère, don't forget dat. An' for the future, at least set the voltage higher, actually it tickled quite pleasantly."

Now they were both laughing.

Meanwhile Jean and Scott were on a proper date. He was objecting at first, but Jean knew what would work on her boyfriend. So they were sitting in a prestigious restaurant, silent, holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. Well, more like Scott was staring into hers and she was looking at his sunglasses.

At the same time, Storm was with Logan. They've been wandering around the city, for a few hours so Logan could get to know with the city's darkest corners. Storm was mapping the city from the sky.

And while everybody was busy at least pretending to work, Bobby persuaded Colossus to check out girls at the nearest club. So far he had zero success but few girls wanted Piotr's number. Defeated Bobby was standing with beer and at the bar glaring at his friend.

Few hours later they all were on their way to the jet. Jean and Scoot already rejoined with Storm. Logan went back to take care of Bobby, who was, according to Colossus, drank from some lemonade. Logan just growled at their lame excuse.

Rogue and Remy were just few steps behind them, whispering.

"Chère, what are y' doin' dis Friday?" Remy softly breathed into her ear making a shiver to run down her spine. Rogue tried to cover her blush and looked at the sky.

"Except the fact that we have a mission here," she pretended she was thinking, "nothing much." She looked again at him as wide smile spread across her face.

"Remy's celebratin' 'is birt'day an' invites his chère t' accompany him at a small birt'day dinner."

Rogue stopped, staring at Remy's back, not believing his words. It took him couple of seconds to realize that she was no longer walking by his side. He turned and looked back. Rogue was standing her hands were covering her mouth.

"Ah totally forgot, Remy, Ah'm sorry." She started to apologize as he moved closer.

"It's all right, Roguey, just y' being with Remy is de best present y' can give him." He took her hands into his gloved and locked onto her eyes.

"Ya're too close, bub."

Rogue and Remy jumped from each other as they heard Logan clear his throat. He was carrying a sleeping, drooling Bobby. Obviously it wasn't very wise to mess with him at the moment. None of them spoke as they continued their way into the jet.