MAGNETIC ATTRACTION

Part Nineteen

Friday had been a hard day for Rogue.

Her classes this particular day were far more brutal than usual, one of her professors had been particularly harsh regarding an essay she'd written and had demanded she re-do the entire thing.

During drama class, she'd had to finally explain her situation to her drama professor that she was unable to physically act out certain scenes in the play due to a contagious skin condition. Her professor was doubtful, and slightly irritated it'd taken several weeks for her to admit to the problem, but had agreed to consider ways for physical contact with 'Romeo' to be simulated or implied rather than absolute.

Much to Rogue's disdain she'd had to spend a few hours at the library with a group of classmates for a project that she'd rather not have participated in at all. She disliked her classmates, and she was positive they felt the same about her; spending time with them outside of college felt like torture. She'd have rather spent time with the Acolytes freely than this.

By the time she'd finally found the time to travel home, it was already dark out, and the rain had begun pouring heavily. The walk to her car could not have been more than twenty feet, but by the time she climbed into the driver's seat, she was soaked from head to foot.

During the drive, her car stalled on the hill six miles away from the Warehouse on the lonely stretch of road. The car simply refused to start once the engine had cut out and she despaired as she stood at the open hood of the car trying to determine what the issue was exactly, determining the only thing that could be wrong with it was a flat battery.

Stranded, and desperate, she found no option but to call Remy LeBeau's number. Unfortunately for her, there was no answer.

He always has his phone on him, why the hell isn't he answering? She thought unhappily as she sat in the drivers seat, her hair dripping wet, her makeup leaving dark trails down her cheeks. Terrific, the one time Ah really need that swamp rat jerk and he's not even picking up.

Although she hated having to do so, she tried more desperate measures, first Piotr's phone number, then Lance and Pietro's, none of which were answering. She didn't dare try Wanda's number. It left the number for Magneto's phone, which she'd always been taught should only ever be used for an emergency.

She sat staring at the display on her phone wondering if a flat battery would be classed as an emergency. How furious would he be?

Ah haven't even spoken to him since that incident on Wednesday, Rogue realised, her stomach churning again with the thought of it all. Although personally she realised he should have no problems with her, she couldn't help but feel that there might be hard feelings regardless.

Either way, she was stuck on a dark road in the pouring rain with barely any power left in her phone, and she had two options. She could either walk, or she could call Magneto and beg him to send someone to come help fix the car.

She opted to walk.

The rain was icy, and she was soaked to the bone as she walked along the dark road alone, hoping that her backpack was waterproof enough to ensure her rather expensive college books wouldn't be ruined.

The walk took far longer than she had anticipated; she'd worn heavy boots today and they did nothing to aid her walking speed. By the time she finally approached the warehouse, she realised she'd been walking for almost two and a half hours. It was nearly ten pm.

She could see the dim glow of lights inside, and the silence even from the outside of the building told her that everyone was gone. She pushed the heavy door open as quietly as she could and stepped inside, her boots leaving puddles upon the cement.

Peeling off her hooded sweatshirt, she gave a deep sigh; she was cold, chilled practically to the bone. She hung it on a hook on the wall (these hooks had once held hard hats once upon a time) and knelt down to untie and loosen her boot laces to slip the soaking wet things off. They would take some days to dry, she realised.

"Rogue."

She stumbled, and fell, startled that anyone had been there. She turned to see Magneto standing in the doorway of his office room, she wondered for how many moments he'd been watching her loosen the long laces of her calf-high boots. "You startled me," she admitted.

"I apologise," he responded, although she was sure he didn't mean this at all.

"Where is everyone? It's so...quiet..."

"They all went out. I believe to a movie."

Rogue wondered why it was all of them had gone to a movie yet she had not been invited, "oh."

"I believe Wanda did try to call you but could not get an answer," Magneto gestured for her to follow him into his office room.

"Ah didn't even get a call," Rogue admitted. Uneasily, still remembering the events of Wednesday, Rogue stepped into his office room, aware she was dripping rainwater all over the floor. She was genuinely surprised when he offered her a towel he retrieved from his bedroom cabinet.

"You're soaked," Magneto commented; Rogue wondered why it was he felt the need to state the obvious.

"My car broke down about five or six miles down the road. Ah had to walk the rest of the way here..." she put the towel to her hair and squeezed the water into the soft terricloth as best she could.

"You should have called," Magneto commented, "I would have come for you."

"Ah didn't want to bother you, Ah know you've been busy," Rogue glanced at the pieces of machinery and metal laid on the floor like pieces of an abstract jigsaw puzzle. Only he knew how to put the thing together.

"I would not have left you to walk six miles in the rain," he responded. "Are you cold?"

"Ah'm fine," she responded, shivering just a little.

"I'm glad I have this chance to speak with you. I'd like to...apologise about Wednesday."

Rogue was taken aback. She simply stood, staring at him. Had Remy actually provoked the mighty Magneto into saying he was sorry? It seemed quite surreal.

"I realise I was wrong to try to push you into using your powers on Piotr. I assure you, I would not ask you to do this again. We shall find a different method."

"Ah don't need a different method to work on my powers," Rogue sighed, "Ah just...need the evolution...like you promised."

"I admire that you know what it is you want, Rogue," Magneto put his hand upon her right shoulder and gave in a squeeze.

Rogue chewed her lip and turned to see where his bare hand was; it was resting against the exposed part of her off-the-shoulder shirt, just barely grazing the strap of her bra. "It...it feels so weird..."

"Pardon?"

"You...being able to do that...and you don't even...care. You're not afraid like the others are," Rogue admitted.

"I have nothing to fear," he reminded her. "You cannot hurt me."

Rogue stared at his hand still, "What if...this is the only time Ah'll ever know what it feels like to touch someone else?" she asked, "what if your machine fails?"

"It will not fail, Rogue. You will evolve."

"But you can't guarantee my evolution will let me control my powers," she sighed as she stared down at the floor unhappily. She'd been preparing herself should this occur, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow.

Magneto took her face in both hands and raised her head so she would look at him, "the only person stopping you from controlling your abilities is you. And you will find a way."

"But Ah don't know how long that could take," she said miserably, quite in awe of how very gentle and warm his hands were upon her cheeks. She'd always expected his touch to be cold, and clinical. "What if by some fluke this is it..." she put her gloved hands upon his to remove his hands from her cheeks, "what if...you're the only one who can do this?"

"There will be others," he assured her.

"What if there aren't? What if this just...blows up in my face?"

He didn't seem to have an answer for her; he looked at her with his cool blue eyes, they were so clear and bright, like glass buttons. If someone had told her months ago that there would be a day she found warmth in Magneto's eyes, she'd have never believed them. But it was there, there was an odd warmth to Magneto that few ever rarely got to see, that he kept hidden behind his cold reserved nature. Somehow, for one brief moment she forgot who he was, and the awful things he had done in the past.

Rogue didn't quite know why she thrust her hands up to grab a hold of his neck and pull herself up to his level to press her lips to his. It was a strange impulse that came from nowhere, a demand from somewhere deep inside of herself that pushed her need to know what it felt like to kiss someone, to be close and not drain them.

She felt his body tense in his surprise as she urgently opened her mouth and tried to deepen the kiss. Hastily, his hands gripped her arms as he quickly pushed her back from him, their lips parted with a soft pop.

"Rogue..." he gasped.

Her cheeks turned scarlet and burned hot with fluster, she felt her breath catch in her throat and she stepped back from him, embarrassed. "Ah...Ah..." she stammered, "Ah..."

"I think...you should go..."

"Go...?" she wondered if this was his way of telling her she'd crossed the line, that she should leave the warehouse and the Acolytes, that all deals were off.

This is it. Well done. You've fucked everything. He's throwing you out. You've ruined your chances of ever havin' a normal life because you have no self control! She thought angrily at herself.

"To your room," he responded calmly; although he was clearly embarrassed too he kept his eyes on hers the whole time, never looking away for a second.

"Ah didn't mean that to happen...it just did..." she blurted.

"Rogue..." he took a breath, "That was inappropriate..."

Her eyes dropped to the floor, "Ah'm sorry. Ah...Ah don't know what came over me..."

"I understand, Rogue. You feel vulnerable."

"Ah just...God, this is so humiliating," she put her hands to her face.

"I think for your first kiss, you could do much better," Magneto responded softly, "and with someone closer to your own age."

Rogue sighed, "the sad thing is...Ah'm not even sure that was my first kiss...at least not...technically..." she drew her breath, "maybe...maybe it's only fittin' that you were the first Ah've kissed that wasn't absorbed."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you're the one who might be able to fix me."

"Rogue..." Magneto stepped closed and placed both hands upon her shoulders, he gave her a gentle shake, "you are not a broken tinker toy, you do not need fixed. You are an...astounding...young woman, regardless of what your powers can do."

"You think Ah'm astounding because of what my powers can do, not regardless of what they can do," Rogue corrected.

"This is not true," Magneto assured, "I have been watching you. You are a survivor, Rogue. A true warrior. Not just in training, not just in battle, but inside of you. You are extraordinary."

"Ah don't feel extraordinary," Rogue responded pitifully.

"How can you not?" Magneto demanded softly, "look at you, Rogue. Look at how strong you are. You can take anything you want from anyone. You can steal their knowledge, and take their powers, their abilities, their skills, you can be anyone you wish simply by absorbing everything that they are," he explained gently. "You have the potential to be one of the most dangerous people on this Earth, and yet, you have the willpower and strength to not let the power corrupt you. You carry your powers with humility and grace. How can you not say you aren't extraordinary?"

Rogue felt tears beginning to blur her vision, and one spilled down her cheek, much to her further embarrassment.

Magneto responded by catching the tear upon the back of his finger, "some day, you will feel all the things you want to feel. And it will be when you are ready."

Clumsily, she swept at her tears, noting how the tears had mingled with her makeup and left greyish stains on her purple suedette gloves.

"You should go and dry off, before you end up with pneumonia," Magneto instructed.

Rogue nodded, and walked slowly to the door; she stopped as she was halfway out, and turned towards him to look at him, still barely able to believe that she'd kissed him, and struggling even more with the surprise of his kindness to her. "Magneto?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks," she said quietly, and as she left his room, she closed the door behind herself. Just as she'd taken her hand away from the door handle of Magneto's office room, the warehouse doors opened, and in spilled the rest of the Acolytes, home from their movie. They were chattering and bickering amongst each other about the movie.

"Oh come on," Pietro was saying as he walked in front of Piotr, "that was the worst movie he's ever starred in. He might have been good back when he was in Conan and Terminator, but he's really overdue for retirement."

"I disagree," Piotr responded, looking slightly annoyed, "He is still good actor."

"He's your idol, right?" Tabitha laughed as she stepped out from behind Piotr. "You totally follow his workout routines, don't you?"

Piotr blushed, but said nothing.

Rogue stood watching them all. Remy and Wanda were the last ones to step into the warehouse. Remy looked worn, as if he couldn't be bothered with whatever Wanda was speaking to him under her breath about. Rogue assumed they were fighting about the leadership, which had been a popular topic between the two at every training session this week.

Remy spied Rogue, and left Wanda's side to move over, "You're home," he said. "Where you been?"

"Ah had some stuff to do for college," Rogue shrugged, "my professor set these stupid study groups up for this project thing..." she shook her head, not wanting to bore him with the details.

"We tried calling you. I thought maybe you'd want to go to the movie with us."

"Ah didn't get any calls," Rogue confessed; she spotted Wanda passing by several feet away on the way to her own room. She was almost positive the girl had thrown her a very brief dirty look before disappearing into her bedroom.

"I called over and over and it just kept ringing," Remy explained, "after an hour I gave up. I got Wanda to leave a message on your answering service to meet us at the cineplex at seven if you wanted to see the movie, but...you never showed. We figured you were busy."

Rogue reached into her pocket to check her phone, the display informed her there were no text messages, voice mails, or missed calls. "Ah haven't had a single call all day..." she showed him the screen so he could see for himself.

Remy rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry..."

"Hey, no big deal. Ah was busy, Ah wouldn't have made it anyway," she shrugged. "Besides...it sounds like it was an Arnold Schwartzenegger film. And Ah've...never really been into those kind of movies."

"Me neither," Remy admitted, he paused, "we saw your car in the middle of the road on the way up here."

"It stalled, Ah couldn't get the thing started again. Ah had to walk the rest of the way," she gestured to her clothes and hair which were still soaking.

"We brought it back with us. Luckily Pete has a tow on his van. Was a bit of a struggle...the van was definitely strainin' to get up the hill with it, but we got it. I'll have a look at it in the morning."

Rogue folded her arms and looked at him pointedly.

"I know, I know, I keep making promises I don't keep. I know I was meant to see if I could fix the heaters and the window...I've been busy."

She realised he was right, it certainly seemed to her the boy never had a minutes rest. What does he get up to while I'm at college, she wondered. Probably works out.

"You look a little flushed," Remy gestured to her cheeks, which she realised were still quite hot from the embarrassment of what had happened in Magneto's office.

"Yeah, it was a hell of a walk," Rogue admitted, "Ah'm about to go get changed."

"I rented a horror movie."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It's new. One of those mockumentary paranormal whatever thingies," he reached into the pocket of his trenchcoat and retrieved a DVD case with the movie rental store's logo on it.

"Oh..." Rogue nodded.

"You maybe want to watch it?"

It had been a while since she'd seen any horror films, and the thought of it was tempting. It was, after all, a Friday night. But she was tired, and she was doubtful she would even make it through the first half hour of the film without falling asleep, much like Wednesday when she had fallen asleep at the foot of her bed while watching her Bette Davis film. Remy had fallen asleep at the other end of the bed that night too; in fact, he'd fallen asleep there long before she had, and she'd left him there intending to kick him out once the film ended. If she hadn't fallen asleep during the film, she might have.

"Ah dunno. Ah'm real tired...and training tomorrow..."

"Actually," Remy spoke up, "the obstacle course is flooded. I looked this afternoon and it's just fucked."

"Seriously?"

"I guess I should have built it further uphill. It never occurred to me it'd flood that much. Can't even get halfway across it without endin' up ankle deep in muddy water and gettin' stuck in the mud. We can't use it for a few days so...no training tomorrow. We can actually sleep in."

"Really?" Rogue asked, smiling a little. The thought of spending a Saturday morning not getting caked in mud was definitely appealing.

"So...how about it?" he shook the DVD case enthusiastically.

"Okay," Rogue finally agreed, "but Ah don't know if Ah'll be able to stay awake long enough to enjoy it."

"Don't worry, if you fall asleep during it, I won't complain."

Remy was glad that his plan of renting the horror film had worked with Rogue. As much as he'd have liked to pretend he'd rented the movie for her, in truth, it was a selfish act. Wanda was still at him about the abstinence issue, and he had the feeling tonight – much like last night – she would be coming to his room looking for some intimacy that he just wasn't interested in providing any more. At least, if he was in Rogue's room, he wouldn't have to fight off his urges and be left with the guilt later.

Turning Wanda away the night before had been excruciating. She'd come to his room in a robe, underneath she'd been wearing the white underwear she'd worn the day he'd taken her against the washing machines. He'd almost been tempted to throw the covers off and beg her to take him right then. A quick reminder of the complications had told him to hold his ground. After another lengthy argument about their agreement, she'd given up and left the room.

Remy LeBeau had always loved himself, loved his personalty, loved his looks, his toned body, his abilities, his charm. But he was starting to really hate himself, and his relationship – if it could be called that – with Wanda was beginning to amplify it even more.

He hated that he wanted to be with her sexually, yet didn't want to be her boyfriend...didn't even want to be in the same room with her any more. He hated that he'd been such a slave to sex that he'd let things get this far that now he practically had one arm twisted behind his back. He hated that for some reason, Wanda looked at him and saw the person she wanted to be with despite his mean spirited remarks to her and lack of enthusiasm. He hated even more that his proposition to her of 'getting to know each other' was nothing more than his attempt to manipulate her into growing bored of him. She was far too impatient to go through a friendship period, and he was banking on it.

It would have been simple if he could have somehow switched on feelings for her. If he cared for the girl, then it wouldn't be a problem. Everything could go on just as it was (although he'd have to nip her sadistic tendencies in the bud). He wondered if it was possible if he spent enough time with her that over time he might actually grow to care for her?

People got put into arranged marriages and fell in love much later; wasn't it the same concept? Just...learn to love?

No. Right now, even as good an actor as he was, he was positive he couldn't even simulate those feelings for Wanda let alone learn to have them for real. Remy was convinced it would be impossible for him to learn to love someone simply out of obligation. He wasn't sure someone could learn to love out of obligation when they had never felt real love to begin with. He supposed if he'd had real parents, or a real family rather than what he'd ended up with, perhaps he'd have learned what love really was and how it felt to be cared for and to care for others in return.

As Remy travelled up the fire escape at the back of the building to reach Rogue's room without chance of being spotted by Wanda, he wondered how differently his life might have turned out had he ever actually been loved by those who had brought him up. What would it feel like, to have someone genuinely worried for him? What would it feel like to be genuinely worried about his family?

He supposed it would be nerve racking to feel love for people, to have to worry about them. It was probably why life was better not loving people at all. Besides, at least he would never have to deal with the hurt and sadness when things went wrong.

He crept into the door to the third floor catwalk as quietly as he could, looking around to make sure no one spied him. He knocked quietly on Rogue's bedroom door; she opened it for him.

She stood there with her hair still damp and beginning to slightly curl, she was wearing a pair of black pyjamas with a skull design upon them. She looked almost adorable in a gothic fashion, he supposed. He felt such warmth for her that he could never feel for Wanda, and the dull ache that he wished he could feel that kind of warmth for Magneto's daughter. It would simplify everything.

"Come on in," Rogue stepped aside to let him enter.

Remy sauntered in, handing her the DVD before moving over to the bed, slipping his trench coat off and tossing it over the top of her bookcase casually. The room had a nice warm glow; she'd thrown a thin purple scarf over the lamp and the swirling patterns of it cast slightly on the painted brick wall. He watched her putting the DVD into the combination television player as he sat down upon the edge of her bed.

"Ah didn't figure you for a horror movie fan," Rogue confessed.

"I'm not," Remy responded as he swept his hand through his wet hair. "I got it for you."

"Then why do you want to see it?"

"I just thought it would be something fun for us to do together," Remy answered, forcing a dazzling smile. And it means I don't have to be in my room when Wanda comes pestering me for sex.

Rogue grabbed the remote and climbed onto the bed, her back facing him as she began skipping through the various trailers on the disc.

Slowly, he moved up behind her, "I'm sorry that you had to miss out on the movie tonight," he said to her. He genuinely wished she'd been there; although she might have not enjoyed it, being out with the entire team except from Rogue had felt quite wrong. He'd missed her presence there.

"Ah probably would have fallen asleep during it," she confessed.

Remy snorted, "I know I did. It was a bad movie. A real snooze fest."

"So Ah heard."

Tentatively, he leaned closer to smell her hair while she wasn't paying attention; she used the exact same shampoo that Wanda used. He was used to that smell. It was odd, though, that he found on Rogue the smell was sweeter, more intoxicating. He liked it more on her. Playfully, he ran a finger up her spine, which caused her to shiver in response. "You smell nice," he murmured in his best seductive tone.

She moved forward a little, "quit it," she warned.

"What is that...coconut?" he leaned in a little to smell her hair again, using his fingers to lift a lock to his nose.

"Ah don't know, it's Herbal Essences or somethin'," she shrugged. "You wanna leave my hair alone?"

He laughed softly and tugged her hair playfully, "You're tense..."

"It's been a rough day..." she responded, smacking his hand away from him absently while focusing on the television; she eventually found the main movie screen, and hit the play button.

Remy, still kneeling behind her, put his hands upon her shoulders; he could definitely feel the tension there in her flesh. He massaged her shoulders a little, not surprised when she elbowed him in the chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

"I thought I was helping with your tension," he answered, trying to sound innocent. "I didn't mean anythin' by it. Just...tryin' to help."

"Ah don't want you doin' that. You could get hurt," Rogue reminded, she stretched out across the bed on her stomach and propped her chin upon her hands, eyes set on the film.

"I can be careful. If you like."

Rogue shifted her head to turn and look at him curiously. "Are you after something?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yes," he responded, "I don't wanna go back my own room. It's freezing down there...and damp..." he pouted for her benefit.

"Ah figured," she turned her head back to the screen. "Shut up, Ah'm tryin' to hear."

"You want the massage or not?"

"Can you do it without killing yourself?"

"Yes."

"Can you be quiet while doing that?"

"Of course."

"Then do it and shut up."

Remy moved to straddle her hips, noting just how much her body tensed at the closeness. Enthusiastically, he cracked his knuckles and then set to work massaging her back through her pyjama top. The movie, he found hard to focus on. His thoughts were too full of his troubles to really be able to pay attention to anything else, but luckily, a massage didn't need a lot of focus.

Rogue lay her arms down upon the bedspread and let her cheek rest against her forearms. She sighed softly, "that feels kinda nice," she yawned.

"I've been told I've got magic fingers," he teased.

"You keep those magic fingers to my shoulders and back or Ah'll magic them into broken fingers."

He laughed softly.

"You are kinda good at this..." she murmured.

"If you like, you can do me after."

Rogue raised her head to look awkwardly over her shoulder at him, "you're not funny."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh?"

"Actually," Remy kneaded her flesh expertly despite the cotton separating their skin, "I've been...abstaining."

Rogue blinked, "You...abstaining? You've stopped having sex? Deliberately? Yeah, right. Ah've been in your head. Ah know since the day you lost your virginity, you've never gone more than three days without it."

"Well, I've broken my record then."

"How long?" Rogue asked curiously.

"Five days."

"Isn't it driving you nuts? Ah've heard it can get pretty intense for guys."

"I'm fine. It's...yeah, I'll admit, it's a bit intense. There's ways of dealing with it."

"Ah bet," Rogue responded. She seemed to be at least quite aware of what he was hinting at.

"It's...the dreams that are the worst," Remy said after a moment, he stopped what he was doing.

"The dreams, huh?"

"Sex dreams. Where...even the people you wouldn't ordinarily think of even bein' with in that way start turnin' up in your dreams. And unlike fantasy, you have absolutely no control about who appears in your dreams. Could be anyone...could be a celebrity...could be someone completely random...like...the girl at the coffee house...or even Wanda..."

He waited for her response; he'd said it to see how she would respond to the idea of him dating the girl. He supposed it would have been nice if he could perhaps discuss his horrible situation regarding Wanda with Rogue. Somehow, he doubted she'd take it seriously.

Rogue gave a sudden laugh, "you and Wanda..."

"That's funny to you?"

"Yeah. Ah can't imagine you ever goin' with that girl...she's so...obvious. Ah mean, Ah know guys like obvious and all...but...you and Wanda? That doesn't seem to go at all."

"Like I say, it's all kinds of crazy in those dreams. Maybe even you make appearances."

"Yeah, well, if Ah show up in your sex dreams, it'll be probably to turn a hose on you and Wanda doin' it."

Remy chuckled, "Okay then. If you say so."

Rogue turned awkwardly onto her side, still straddled by him, "Wait...why that sound so..." she paused, seeming to be searching for the right words, "like you meant something by it? What do you mean if Ah say so?"

"Nothin' at all, chere," he stared down at her.

"Please tell me you haven't had a dream like that about me..."

Remy considered for a moment before admitting it, "Well..." he gave a little shrug.

"You sick bastard," Rogue turned around completely and smacked her hands against his chest, "how dare you bring me into to your perverted dreams."

"Hey, I didn't bring you in, you stepped in of your own accord. I did nothin' to will you there, and I definitely did nothin' to hold you there either. As I recall, it was you doin' all the work," he teased, pressing a finger against her ribs.

"Ah did no such thing. Clearly you took advantage of me," Rogue made a face.

"As I remember it, you took advantage of me."

"How dare you, sir," Rogue wrestled him, twisted herself and after a moment, had him on the bottom, pinning his shoulders with her fists and her knee against his thighs.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how you did it," Remy smirked, "only you were wearin' a sexy lil' see through number and you had pearls in your hair. We were Romeo and Juliet..."

"You are such a liar," Rogue slapped him playfully.

"Am not..." he assured, "those lines we spoke in the diner...weren't too far off how we was talkin' to each other in the dream...and you had moves like I would have never thought you did."

"Yeah, right..."

"You mind takin' your knee off my leg? It's kind of sore."

"Not until you behave."

"You're the one bein' all...naughty," he responded, and with a quick twist and roll, he threw her off, pinning her to the edge of the mattress, her head hanging off the end of the bed, her throat exposed as if she thought she were about to be ravished by a vampire from one of those novels she liked reading so much.

If things had been different, he may have considered kissing her neck at that very moment. But it was an impossibility, she was untouchable. Perhaps it was just that very thing that made wanting her at that moment seem so very urgent.

You can't have Rogue, you need to stop this crap, he told himself sternly.

Rogue pressed her hands against his chest and gave something of a sigh. "Get off."

You have no idea how much I want to, his thoughts screamed. Reluctantly, he moved back, and pulled her up into a sitting position. He watched her sweep her hand through her still damp hair, her cheeks slightly pink. How lovely her blush looked against her snowy skin, and how lovely and pink her bare lips seemed.

"You know," said Remy after a moment of thinking, he reached over and took a lock of her hair and curled it a little around his index finger. "Cyclops is a fool for overlooking you."

"He is?" Rogue seemed quite taken aback.

"Yeah. He is. You're a great girl...and a lot of fun to hang out with. Why you think I'm here?"

"Because your room is cold and damp."

"Details," he rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't hang out with you if I didn't think you were worth hanging out with."

"Ah've got to admit," Rogue said after a moment, "Ah know you can be a jerk...and a bully," she poked his stomach playfully, "but you're okay."

Remy held his arms out, "Hug?" he asked hopefully.

Rogue grabbed her pillow from nearby and threw it at him, "that's all you're gettin' to hug. Now shut up and watch the film. Ah want to see how this ends."

End of Part Nineteen

I'm sure a few cringed at that kissing scene. Hopefully not TOO many threw up though ;)

Thanks as always for all the reviews. Hope everyone really likes this instalment. Hoping to get more up soon :D (am still 8 parts ahead, haha). Love ya all! :D