En Route

So far the ride had been a serine one. Light reflected off of Rogue's sunglasses as her feet swundgaimlessly out the window. The gentle music barely filled the open atmosphere between the two as Gambit drove down the quiet road.

"Let's take a break Rems, it's beautiful out."

The car slowed to a hault on the far right side of the road. Rogue jumped out, extending her arms to the sky as Gambit reclined back in the driver's seat.

"We're gonna need gas soon or we'll be pushin te car."

"What do ya mean by 'we'?" she smiled half heartedly. She couldn't be mad today. The sun was high, she was free, and with her most favorite person in the world. There was no one here to look at her as if she were some scary devil worshiper or feared her because she was a mutant. There was no school work, no Logan, and no oppressing responsibilities. Well, except for one, she thought eyeing her reclining companion.

In Rogue's mind she sometimes wondered why she bought him along. At first she thought it was because she knew he would follow her if he left anyway. Her second idea was because he is her boyfriend after all. But, truth be told she just didn't want to be alone anymore. Even before she realized she had her powers she felt nearly invisible, but after she got them they only grew worse as if God was mocking her from above.

And even after she moved into the mansion she felt distant with everyone save for two people. Logan and Kurt made her feel like she belonged and accepted her for who she was without trying to make her conform, make her blend in with everyone else. Then Gambit came into her life with such a suffocating presence that she sometimes often wished she were alone again. But something about him meant more to her in a different way than the other two. He made her feel alive, he took her from dull to vivid by just being next to her and she wanted that. She wanted to be him. Not that she'd tell him that though …

Whilst reminiscing in the woes of her life she just remembered that she never actually told Gambit where they were supposed to go, not that she already made up her mind or anything.

"Rem's where we headed?"

"My place."

"Your place?"

"We goin ta my family home fer a while. I wanted ta … properly intraduce ya. Is tat ok?"

"Sounds like a plan ta me. Where we now?"

"Pennsylvania."

"I've never been ta Pennsylvania before."

"Neither have I."

"Maybe we should stick round fer an extra day or two."

He nodded. Since they were going to stop for gas anyway they ought to as well take in the sights even though he doubted if there was more to see then lush fields, green hills, and mountains.

The next day they went to the Susquehanna and took a ferry ride to look at the picturesque city. After that they took in some old folk art and grabbed a bite to eat at the Firehouse Restaurant and Bar. When they were done eating and Rogue was tired of all Gambit's dirty pole jokes they packed up and got back on the road.

Logan

"Where's Rogue Red?"

"She left." Jean stated before going back to her medical books. Logan wasn't expecting her to leave so soon! He had to get her back. In minutes he had started his bike and was about to take off when Storm appeared before him.

"Logan what are you doing?"

"What does it look like Storm? I have to go after her. I'm not ready to let her go yet"

"But you already have Logan! We are all tired of your childish behavior. If Rogue wanted to be with you she would be and she would be here if you didn't run her off the property!"

"I didn't run her off!"

"She is gone because of you Logan or have you forgotten? Accept the consequences of your actions and move on!"

Sighing he turned off his bike to follow Storm back inside the mansion.

"Storm when do you think she'll come back?"

"When she is ready."

"And how long will that take?"

"I do not have all the answers, but with knowing Rogue, I do not expect it to be soon."

She watched as his face fell wondering if the girl was ever going to come back at all. Probably not …

Charleston, WV

"Damn we bout out of gas!"

"We wouldn't be out of gas if ya woulda filled up like I told ya to, instead ya had ta stare at tat woman's chest!"

"They were hangin' out. I couldn' help it."

"Grr, how far do ya thank we'll make it?"

"Probably a mile or two."

Rogue resisted the urge to choke him. Time seemed to pass by far to fast when they saw a lit bar coming into view contrasting against the moonless sky. Infront of the building was one lone police car and a hooptie further up.

"Pull 'longside te police car Rems." He did as told barily since the gas in the car was definatlt gone now.

"Now wat?" he asked.

"Ya 'member tat plastic hose ya used in tat beer drinking competition up north at te restauraunt we went ta?"

"Yep."

"Well use it ta siphon gas while I distract te cop." She said pointing at the outline of a man at the bar through the window.

"Wearin tat?"

"Wat's wrong wit wat I got on?" she asked I her classic purple shirt and blue jeans.

"Tat aint sexy."

"Fine then, I'll change inta sometin else." She said heading quietly for the trunk and changing into her leather outfit without the green top and instead of bots, some black high heel shoes. After that she wiped off some of her make up and turned to Gambit.

"Is tis better?" she asked him as he stared her body down intently.

"Did ya say somtin Rogue?"

"Jus get te gas!" she huffed as she walked into an old bar with an even older bartender. On one of the dusty stools sat a man who reminded her of a younger Pierce Bronson with Clark Kent blue eyes.

"Thanks Jeff, I'm about to get out of here."

"Watch yourself out there Luke, wouldn't want to lose my best customer."

Luke, the handsome cop, was about to get up when he saw Rogue and decided to stay and try his luck.

"I've never seen you around these parts before have I ?"

"I can say te same bout you, sugah."

"A southern bell hmm?"

"Georgia peach born an raised."

Gambit was doing as told, but couldn't help but spy on Rogue a little. The old man at the bar looked like he was about to have a heart attack and the guy on the school looked interested … a little too interested for his liking.

"Would you like a drink young lady?" Jeff the bartender asked.

"Are you even old enough to drink miss?" Luke asked.

"Would ya like ta see my identification?" Rogue purred.

"Please." Luke answered more than ready to take some sort of identification from her.

"Oh, I don't have it … on me. It jus … wan' fit … anywhere." She said lightly tracing the outline of her clothes. Gambit glared at Luke tracing her hands with his eyes. Luke easily forgot her identification.

"Oh well but I can assure ya I can hold my liquor."

"What do you want miss." Jeff asked

"I'll take a white cosmopolitan."

"I'm afraid I don't know how to make one miss."

"Tat's ok let me show ya." Rogue said bending over the table letting anyone behind her see her leather skirt and what was underneath it. Luke starred harder, leaning back a little to get a better view. Gambit finally finished his job and tried to not go in there and kill Luke.

Rogue leant back with her drink smiling at Luke seductively before taking a quick glance out of the window. Judging by the evil look on Gambit's face, it was time to go. Rogue finished her drink with light conversation, telling him that her name was Gina and giving him a false address and phone number.

"We'll ya be here tomorrow sugah?"

"Will you." Luke asked.

"NOOOOO!" someone shouted out of nowhere.

"What was that?" Luke asked looking at Jeff.

"I'll be here tomorrow Luke, same time?"

"Yes'm." he smiled and watched as Rogue left and entered her car. Rogue was in the driver's seat and Gambit was in the back leering at her. With a now full tank of gas they took off again.

Floyd County, KY

Finally in the blue grass state Gambit was still not talking to her… mostly.

"Gambit I didn't mean anything by it!"

"Ya were strippin fer te man!"

"I was distractin him ta get te gas tat you should had got in Virgina!"

"Oh blame me! Tat was yer stupid plan!"

"Ya told me ta change my clothes!"

"Yeah well I aint tell ya ta climb up on te bar fer 'em!"

"I had ta distract em!"

"well at least ya did tat right!"

"There's no need ta be jealous Remy! If ya stop misbehaving all te time ya might see more of me than my hands!" Rogue shouted back as Gambit grew silent. After ten more minutes of the brewing silence Gambit took a breath before calmly saying, "I am not jealous."

"Yes ya are."

"No I aint!" Calm gone.

"If ya aint jealous then wat's wit all tat wining!"

"Fine then I'm jealous. I jus didn't want anyone else ta see ya like tat 'k. I jus wan ta be te only person ta see ya like tat …"

Rogue couldn't believe he said that. He was being possessive in a sweet way. Then she slammed on the breaks.

"Damn Rogue ya tryin ta kill me!"

Rogue put her car in park before leaning over and giving him a kiss. After a few minutes he woke upin the drivers seat.

"Bout time ya woke up! Look I'm going ta sleep an when I wake up we better be in Tennessee or else!"

"Watever ya say Anna."

She nodded and closed her eyes into a restful sleep.

Knoxville, TN

Rogue awoke in a hotel room.

"Where we at?"

"The crown plaza in Knoxville, Tennessee jus like ya ordered."

"Good, so wat ya thank we should do taday?"

"Well I'm tired of drivin … but I looked at te travelers guide an theirs a national park round here, museums, a riverboat, world's fair, and or some restauraunts."

"A national park huh. Let's go there."

"Really Rogue, a park?"

"I'll wear tight clothes."

"Deal."

A few hours later they had packed a few snacks in Rogue's backpack and headed into the smoky mountain national park.

"Te view's lovely here." She noted reaching for her camera that she had used the whole trip but was never bought to your attention till now. She took a picture of Gambit who was looking at the azalea brush. After the flash he turned around and smiled at her so she took another picture. Then he took some with her by the wild flowers.

After a few more hours they had climbed up high enough to get a nice view of the smoke peeking out from bellow. She took her camera out again and took a picture of Gambit. Looking at it she noticed he moved.

"Hold still Cajun!"

"Ok ok." She took the picture. It was nice but she noticed something black in the corner of the picture that wasn't there before. Flipping back and forth she looked up and noticed something she didn't realize before.

"Wat's wrong cheri?"

"There's a bear behind ya!"

"Very funny. I aint gonna fall for tat."

"No really there IS a bear!"

"I no thank," he started when he heard a roar behind him, "I thank we should get goin!"

They ran and ran until they were free of the bear. That night they laid back and looked up at the stars while sharing some snacks and starting a fire.

"hahahaha."Rogue laughed pointing to the stary sky."

"Wats so funny Rogue?"

"See tat constellation there." She pointed.

"Yeah."

"Tat one's called Ursa Minor."

"An whys tat so funny?"

"It means 'The lesser bear.'."

"So I take it tat ya mamma aint have a good since of humor?"

"Shut up." She hit him playfully before going to bed.

Mississippi

"I aint been here in years."

"So I take it ya miss bein home?" Gambit asked. They were currently at the 2010 Summer Fair.

"No, I mean yes, I mean I'm not sure."

"So tis aint ya home anymore?"

"No it is my home Remy. I was raised here."

"I know, but is it yer home?"

"I did want it ta be, but after being wit te others I guess this aint home to me anymore."

"So ya wanta go home?"

Rogue gave him a look that clearly conveyed 'hell no' as she munched on her elephant ear.

"So is New Orleans yer home?"

"Not anymore."

"Then where's ya home Remy?"

"I'd like ta thank tat's anywhere you are Anna."

"Are ya being sincere or did ya pick tat line up from a movie?"

"Your lack of faith in me knows no bounds does it?"

"Maybe."

"While we here do ya wanna see if Mystique's here?"

"No, but I would like ta see if Destiny's here."

"Destiny?"

"I have two mamma's."

"Sounds like a great place ta grow up no?"

"An ya wonder why my lack of faith in ya is so low."

"Wat ya mad fer. I was simply statin tat I wouldn't mind …"

"Tat's enough Gumbo."

As they argued some more a girl came to them.

"Exscuse me?" the little girl said.

"Yes?" Rogue answered her.

"Is your name Rogue?"

"Yeah why?"

"A blind lady paid me this much money," she held up a twenty, "To give you this letter."

"Watt e lady look like?"

"She has short brown hair and white eyes. She also said that she was happy to see you, but if you go looking for her you wont find her cause she I dunno, she said you knew why not. Bye."

Rogue watched the girl skip away.

"What was tat bout?" Gambit asked.

"She saw Destiny an if she saw us she had ta be here. Wait a sec, she cant see me. I mean she can , but she cant …"

"Wat is she blind."

"Yes, infact she is! Is that a problem fer ya!"

"No need ta be so touchy I was jus askin."

"Well fer ya information, she's a mutant tat can see te future. So I guess she knows wat I look like, but not with the use of her eyes."

"I see, so wat does the letter say?'

"It's fa me now scoot." She pushed him away. When she saw him in line for some lemonade she walked away a little bit to open up the letter.

Rogue,

I think it is about time that you know the circumstances of your life. You meeting the Xmen was no more a coincidence than you getting put up for adoption. When I was younger and dated Mystique, before I knew she was a female shape shifter mind you, I had a vision of you. At first I kept to myself. I wanted to raise a child someday and you were perfect, but when I told Mystique of you she had other plans. Mystique kidnapped your parents and took you away to that backwater orphanage. There we adopted you and grew to love you. It was clear to me that you would play an important role in our futures since you have the possibility of someday killing Apocalypse. But Mystique wanted to control you. I knew that Charles would look for you and for all intents and purposes I let him find you. That was my way of trying to make up to you what you lost.

But the urgency of this note is that your life will drastically change if something comes to past. Something that could leave you dead and I wouldn't want that to happen. One day you will come back to the LeBeau's and Gambit will not be there. This is important Rogue. When he is kidnapped leave him be. I am sure he would place your safety above his so please DO NOT GO after him when he goes missing. If you obey me I cannot guarantee his life.

Also I will tell you that in the struggle eighteen years ago Mystique killed your biological father, but if you want your mother is alive and well. Her name is Annabelle Louisa and she lives in France. Someday you will NEED to contact her. She can teach you something that you've wanted to learn to do all your life.

Be careful, I love you

Bye

Rogue folded up the letter, put it in her pocket. Gambit bought the lemonade to her and they had a good time together.

New Orleans, LA

"Do ya thank tat they'll like me?" Rogue asked in a simple white sundress, sneakers, and her pearl necklace on.

"Course they'll love ya. Ya helped save my father right."

"Yeah but …"

"Shh, they're gonna love ya. An one more thang."

"Wat?"

"My crazy X-fiancé might pop out of te bushes an try ta kill ya so be on look out."

"Watever."

Rogue fiddled nervously with her hair outside of the white door when Gambit knocked on the door.

"Remy tat you?" his dad called as he opened the door.

"Well hello there lil miss I aint thank I was gonna hav te pleasure of seeing ya again."

….XXXXXX…

Please review thanks