Chapter Nineteen:


"This is the best part, mates! Neo really kicks some ass in this scene!"

Rogue ignored St. John's excited babbling, sighing deeply as strong, gloved fingers wove their way through her hair, and tilted her head up to smile at Remy, who was sitting on the couch behind her. He winked down at her, then turned his attention back to the movie playing on the television screen.

Leaning back against his legs, Rogue rested her head against his knees. After hearing the kids complaining so much about having nothing good to watch on television, Hank and Harmony had somehow convinced Magneto that they needed to go into town and find some movies for the teenagers to watch. Rogue had a feeling Magneto had only consented to keep them from bothering him.

Not that she minded. After all, it got her a couple of movies to watch.

Currently, they were on their third one of the morning.

The day had started rather early, when St. John had woken her up by banging on her door at dawn, urging her to come downstairs so they could watch movies. Yawning, she had complied, even though she was still a little tired. After all, it wasn't like she could exactly yell back that she was too tired since she'd been out dancing on the beach all night.

She'd followed him downstairs in her pajamas only to find the others were already waiting, sprawled out around the room. Fred had been dozing in the large arm chair, and Evan and Piotr had been sitting on the floor, watching some show while they waited for her to join them. Remy had taken over the couch, and the grin he'd flashed her as she entered the room had made her heart skip a beat. He'd gestured for her to sit near him, so she'd taken the spot on the floor at his feet, letting St. John have the other side of the couch.

It had not gone unnoticed when Remy reached down and took her gloved hand in his. St. John had grinned, Piotr had actually smiled, and Evan had waggled his eyebrows at her comically. Only Fred didn't seem to care, but Rogue had a feeling that was because his attention was focused solely on the bag of miniature powdered donuts at his feet.

"This movie rocks!" Fred cried, munching on his snacks, as Neo launched himself off a roof. "I wish I could that."

"Oh please," Rogue scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Ah can do that, sugar. An' ya can lift a semi, remember? Mutants? That ring a bell?"

"Hush up, chere," Remy retorted, using his fingers to tilt her head back to look at him. He grinned down at her, his eyes warm and teasing. "Let de big boy have his dreams, hahn?"

Rogue stuck out her tongue at him before turning back to the television.

Remy chuckled, a rich, deep sound that made her smile to herself.

"You think maybe Keanu Reeves is a mutant?" Fred pondered aloud.

Rogue had to laugh softly at that. It was good to see Fred in a good mood today, particularly considering what had happened earlier this morning.

With Pietro.

She glanced towards the door, as if she could see past it, but of course she couldn't, so she resigned herself to biting her lip anxiously. Pietro had come in a while back and quietly asked to speak to Fred alone. The larger boy had agreed and gone off with him for a while. When they'd returned, they hadn't said anything, but Rogue had sensed that they had at least gotten some things straight between the two of them. That wasn't much of a surprise, since Pietro had told her that he would talk with Fred at some point.

What was a surprise, though, was when he'd shifted uneasily and mumbled a request to see Evan outside for a bit.

The two of them had been gone for about half an hour, and Rogue was starting to get a little worried. After all, with those two, for all she knew they might have killed each other by now.

Ah don't know whether t' be glad that Pietro seems t' want t' apologize t' Evan, too, or worried that he's tryin' t' get in t' our good graces fo' his Daddy's purposes, she thought, sighing. Things with Pietro, though better than they had been, were still so complicated.

But if they could at least get to the point where they could all be in the same room together without the tension, then she supposed it didn't matter what his motives were.

As long as he doesn't betray you again, Carol said bitterly.

Ah doubt he will, Rogue replied.

How can you be sure?

Rogue offered a mental shrug. Ah can't. But Ah know Pietro, an' he knows me. An' he knows what Ah'll do t' him if he does.

What we'll do, you mean, Carol corrected.

Despite that fact that she silently, conceded the point, Rogue couldn't help the way her stomach tightened at those words. It was just yet another reminder that her life would never be normal again, that she would never be normal again. Trask had forced her to steal Carol's life, maybe even her soul, and it was her penance that she would forever be two people trapped in one body.

Ah swear t' God, she growled to herself. If Ah ever get mah hands on Trask, Ah'm gonna kill him.

I'll help, Carol offered darkly.

Rogue smiled faintly. We could trap him in one o' those cages o' his, lock him in with all the mutants he's got trapped in there.

Carol snickered. He wouldn't last five minutes in there.

No, Rogue agreed. He probably wouldn't.

The sound of the door opening caught her attention and she looked up to see Evan walking back into the room, his face expressionless. Behind him was Pietro, and the speed demon's features conveyed a slight uneasiness as he stepped into the room.

Piotr and St. John glanced up at him, then went back to watching the movie, not at all bothered by his presence. Remy titled his head to watch Rogue, waiting for her reaction. Likewise, it seemed, Fred and Evan both glanced towards her expectantly.

Pietro shifted uncomfortably in the doorway.

Guess it's up t' me, then, Rogue thought with a sigh. She flashed Pietro a weak smile. "They got "The Matrix". Ah figure Lance would be thrilled that Ah finally agreed t' watch the damn thing."

Pietro flinched slightly at the mention of his former leader, his former friend, then smiled faintly at her. "It drove him crazy that you said it was a stupid movie."

"Ya can watch it with us if ya want..." she offered flatly/

Pietro shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm, uh, tired. I'm gonna get some sleep, I think. You know, stuff to do and all."

He doesn't feel comfortable around you any more than you do around him, Carol commented. Thank goodness for that.

Rogue didn't reply. Part of her was glad he'd declined, Carol was right, she didn't feel completely comfortable around him yet. But the rest of her was a bit chaffed that Pietro obviously didn't want to be around her, either.

Oh, he wants to, alright, Carol said with a snort. He just doesn't want to be where he isn't wanted. Can't you tell?

Licking her lips slightly, Rogue studied Pietro intently. Now that she was looking for it, she could tell. His gaze kept darting towards the door, and he looked almost skittish, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Maybe tomorrow, then?" Rogue replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yeah, maybe," Pietro said, nodding absently. He lifted his head and for a moment their eyes met. And, as had happened so many times over the years that she had known him, Rogue felt as if she could see into the very depths of his soul.

Pietro's eyes were the most brilliant blue that she had ever seen. She'd always thought his eyes looked like two intense chips of sapphire. But what was most striking about them was the way that they conveyed emotions, the way that she could look into them and know exactly what it was he wanted to say without him ever having to even open his mouth.

She swallowed hard at what she saw there, suddenly aware of just how close she was sitting to Remy, and that his fingers were still tangled in her hair.

Oh my God, Carol groaned. What is wrong with these guys?! Are all of the men in your life like this?

Not now, Carol, Rogue rasped in reply.

Surprisingly enough, Carol fell silent.

Rogue leaned forward, and away from Remy, not tearing away her gaze from Pietro's. "I hope you'll join us sometime, then," she said quietly, meaning more than just to watch a movie.

His eyes told her that he knew what she meant. "I might," he said softly.

Rogue nodded. "Okay, then."

"Yeah, okay, then," Pietro agreed.

She watched him slip out of the room, then sighed, leaning back against Remy's legs, closing her eyes. Things really were just too complicated. She was living in the base of her greatest enemy, making nice with his henchmen, falling for one of his henchmen, the human race had exiled her and her kind, she had no family anymore, and she had absolutely no idea how she felt about Pietro anymore.

Or how she wanted to feel about him.

God, her life was really screwed up as of late.

"Tout bien avec vous, girl?" Remy asked quietly, his fingers resuming their soft caresses of her hair. Rogue sighed, leaning into his touch.

"Ah dunno, Remy," she admitted softly. "Ah jus' dunno."


Translations:

Tout bien avec vous?- Everything okay with you?