Hey guys! Thanks for being so patient w/ me lately. I've had a ton going on, and then Christmas came and we were gone for two weeks, so I couldn't sit down and type up the next post for you- but here it is at last! Hope you all enjoy it!


Chapter Thirty-Six:


"Remy, where are you takin' me?" Rogue asked, annoyed with the blindfold that he had secured over her eyes.

She heard him chuckle before replying, "Jus' wait an' see, p'tite. We almost dere."

"Jus' don't run me in t' anythin', alright?" Rogue grumbled.

"Y' have my word on dat, chere," Remy promised, and Rogue grunted in submission, allowing him to lead her through the halls by the hand, trusting that he wouldn't let her run into anything.

Even he's not that stupid, she thought with a snicker.

"Somet'ing funny, chere?" Remy asked, and Rogue heard a door opening somewhere in front of them. "Or are y' jus' enjoyin' dis li'l game?"

"Somethin' like that, swamp rat," she drawled.

"Well, den, brace y'self, p'tite," Remy whispered close to her ear, his fingers caressing the side of her blindfold, and Rogue's sixth sense told her that they were not alone. "'Cause de fun, she's jus' startin'."

Rogue bit her lip, uneasy with being blinded to her surroundings, even though she knew she wasn't in any danger. Remy would walk over a river of fire to protect her, so there was no doubt in her mind that whatever his surprise was, it was perfectly safe.

She felt him untying the blindfold, and he pulled the cloth away from her eyes, letting bright light bath across her face. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change of light.

"Surprise!" a dozen voices shouted.

Rogue gaped, too stunned to even attempt to find words as she gazed from the people in front of her, all of whom were grinning, to the streamers and balloons trimming the room. She moved her mouth, but no sound came out.

"Happy Birthday, chere," Remy whispered huskily in her ear.

Rogue turned to face him in shock. "How did ya...?"

Remy smirked, obviously pleased with himself. "Was in dose files of Magneto's. I peeked when we were back on de island."

"An' ya remembered all this time?" Rogue asked in disbelief.

Remy nodded.

Tears stinging her eyes, Rogue leaned forward and pressed her lips against his passionately, willing all of the love she felt for him at the moment into that one kiss.

Emil let out a loud whistle, and Rogue pulled back, blushing, but she cast Remy a tender glance before turning to smile at the others. Mercy came forward to hug her, flashing a brilliant smile. "Happy birthday, Rogue."

"Thanks," Rogue replied, her voice thick with emotion.

"Y' look merveilleux," Henri told her, moving to her side and placing a kiss on her cheek.

Rogue blushed. "Ya too kind, sugah."

"Non," Emil insisted, fawning over her dramatically. "It's true! Y' truly are de fairest beauty in all de lands! Dose eyes! Dose lips! Dat hair! Mon Dieu! Yo' a goddess!"

Theo rolled his eyes. "An' yo' a fool, Lapin."

Rogue tuned out their playful bickering as Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie approached her. Jean-Luc took her hands and squeezed them tightly. "Happy birthday, chere. How does it feel t' be an adult?"

Mattie elbowed him. "De girl's been an adult, LeBeau. Women mature faster dan men. Wit' dis one, I'd say dat she's been an adult fo' quite a few years now."

Rogue smiled. "Glad someone noticed."

"Belive me, Rogue," Remy said, giving her an intense look. "It only takes on look at you t' see dat."

Jean-Luc chuckled, and, catching the meaning behind his words, Rogue smacked Remy playfully. "Watch it, swamp rat," she warned with a smirk.

"Dis is fo' you, Rogue," Jean-Luc said, holding out a neatly wrapped present to her. Rogue took it, her chest about to burst with emotion. Not only had they thrown her a party, but they'd gotten her presents. The only thing that could make this day any better was if...

No, she ordered herself sharply. Don't ya dare start thinkin' like that. They wouldn't want ya t' be depressed on ya brithday. Lord knows, they've always tried to make it a special day fo' ya. They'd want ya t' be happy.

As if picking up on her thoughts, Remy placed a comforting hand on the small of her back, nodding his head for her to open her present. She did so, and what she found beneath the wrapping paper brought a broad smile to her face.

"Thank ya, Jean-Luc," she said, holding the necklace out so Mercy could admire it. "It's beautiful."

"It belonged t' my wife," Jean-Luc explained, a sad smile gracing his lips. "She'd intended t' give it t' our daughter one day if we ever had one. I can't t'ink of anyone who I would rather give it t' dan you."

Overcome by emotion, Rogue did something that surprised them all, and threw her arms around the older man, hugging him tightly. "Thank ya," she whispered. "Thank ya so much."

Jean-Luc returned the embrace with a smile. "Yo' welcome, ma chere."

"Y' have more presents over here, by de way," Mercy told her, gesturing to the table along the wall that was covered in festively wrapped gifts.

"Ya'll shouldn't have," Rogue said.

"O' course we should have," Mattie rebuted indignantly. "S'not every day dat a young lady turns eighteen."

"Exactly," Remy nodded, tugging on her hand and leading her towards the presents.

As they passed Emil and Claude, who were busy having a compettion to see who could blow their noise maker the loudest, Claude winked at her. "Gettin' up dere now, Rogue, non?"

Rogue grinned at Remy's best friend. "Look who's talkin', Potier. B'fore ya know it yo' gonna be able t' drink legally." She put an emphasis on the word legally, eyeing the drink in his hand with a smirk.

"It's t' celebrate," Claude insisted with a lopside grin, lifting his glass in salute.

Rogue rolled her eyes as she let Remy guide her to the table of presents. She smiled when she saw who was standing by the table. "Ah like ya hair, Tessa."

Tessa smiled back at her. "Thank you, Rogue. My congrats on turning eighteen. You must be excited."

"Eighteen was a rather boring birthday for me," Lucas mused, and Rogue grinned at the dark skinned thief who was two years her elder. He was also a mutant, gifted with the power of energy absorption and energy blasts.

"What are y' talkin' 'bout, Lucas?" Remy scoffed. "We threw you a big bash. Lots o' music, lots o' dancin'." He gave his friend a significant look. "Lots o' drinkin'."

Lucas tilted his head thoughfully. "Perhaps that's why I don't have much recollection of it."

"Perhaps," Tessa replied dryly.

Opening presents from the Thieves Guild turned out to be as much fun, and just as interesting, as opening presents from the X-men. Henri and Mercy gave her a pair of black silk pajama pants with a matching long-sleeved top, to which Remy had complained wasn't revealing enough, earning him a smack form both Rogue and Mercy. Mattie had gotten her a bottle of perfume that reminded Rogue of the one Ororo used to wear, and Emil had been unable to pass up the oppurtunity to snicker that Mattie must think Rogue smelled. Not surprisingly, he was smacked, as well.

Lucas had gotten her the entire set of the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles books, which was a delightful surprise, since she had been meaning to buy the others but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Tessa had somehow managed to find a dragon statue identical to one that Rogue had kept on her bedside back at the Institute. Shocked, she had turned to Tessa, who only smiled and said she'd seen it in Rogue's memories and thought she might like it. Rogue assured her that she did.

Theo had presented her with two presents; a black duster similar to Remy's own brown one, and a simple but elegant little dove music box, which he had explained was from Bella, a symbol of the peace, and perhaps one day camaraderie, between the two women.

But it was Emil's present that caused the biggest stir, and Rogue would never forget the look on Remy's face when she pulled out the skimpy piece of lingerie from the box. Rogue had been laughing too hard at Remy's gaping expression to remember to smack Emil for his inappropriate gift, but Tante Mattie had been more than happy to do it for her. Emil had just grinned ruefully and insisted that it was for the future, but no one had missed the sly smirk he'd thrown Remy's way.

That boy is a regular clown if Ah ever saw one, Rogue mused to herself. If he didn't have a prosperous career as a thief ahead o' him, Ah'd suggest he join the circus.

The past hour had been full of dancing and singing and more laughter than Rogue had heard in a long time. She had danced briefly with Claude, Theo and Lucas, the latter being surprisingly good at the waltz, before being swept away by Emil, who had kept her for several songs. During a dance with Henri, she found the two of them competing against Remy and Mercy to see who could do the steps the fastest.

"Penny fo' yo' thoughts."

Rogue raised an eyebrow wryly. "Is that all they're worth t' ya, sugah?"

Jean-Luc chuckled, his hand on her hip as they twirled to the music. "Je suppose que je pourrais soulever l'offre, si je dois."

Rogue grinned. "Nah, that's okay. Ah was jus' thinkin' that it was really nice o' ya'll t' do this fo' me."

"It was Remy's idea," Jean-Luc replied. "An' we were happy t' do it." He smiled down at her, and her stomach fluttered slightly, overwhelmed by the fatherly tenderness he favored her with. "After all, we are hopin' t' make you an official member o' dis family one o' dese days, non?"

"Dat would be de plan," Remy's voice met her ears and she turned to see him standing behind her, smiling broadly. "Mind if Remy cuts in, Papa?"

Jean-Luc took a step back, motioning his son forward. "Not at all. Jus' try not t' step on her toes dis time, hahn?"

"I'll try not t'," Remy replied, stepping forward and taking his father's place in front of Rogue, placing one hand possessively on her hip, the other intertwining with her free hand. "Y' look radiant, y' know dat, chere?" he asked softly as they danced.

"Mmm," Rogue said, smiling up at him. "Ah feel it, too, swamp rat."

"Bon," Remy responded with a grin. "Dat makes Remy happy."

"Ah'm glad," Rogue told him, pressing her forehead to his. "Because ya make me happier than Ah've ever been in mah entire life." She kissed his lips softly, and smiled at him lovingly. "Jus' bein' with ya is the best birthday present Ah could ever get."

"Dat so?" Remy retorted, raising an eyebrow and touching a hand to his duster pocket. "Den I s'pose dat means y' don' want de present dat's in here?"

Rogue was silent as he pulled out the thin box and held it out to her. She took it eagerly, flashing him a grin, before tearing open the paper and opening the top of the box. Inside was a picture frame, and when she pulled it out to examine it, her eyes widened in shock, and her breath caught in her throat.

There was already a picture in it.

"Y' like it?" Remy asked quietly.

Throat tight with emotion, Rogue could only nod as her fingers traced over the glass covering six familiar faces. One was her own, but the other five belonged to her teammates, her friends. The original six X-men.

"How?" she rasped, not understanding how he had been able to get this picture.

Remy glanced down, shuffling his feet a little. "When we were at de base, an' I snuck in t' Magneto's files t' find yo' birthday, dis fell out o' de file on de Professor. Was 'bout t' put it back when I heard footsteps comin', so I stuck it in my pocket an' hurried out o' dere fast. Didn' remember it until later, an' I decide t' keep it an' give it t' y' when de time was right."

Rogue's gaze trailed over the picture, tears welling in her eyes. She remembered this day- it was just after the crazy dance catastrophe. They had all been disappointed with the failed dance, so Mr. McCoy had suggested they go for a picnic by the lake. Rogue had been pessimistic about it at first, but had ended up having a lot of fun, which was obvious by the rare grin on her face in the photo as she slung one well-covered arm over Kitty's shoulder, and the other over Kurt's.

She paused on her brother's face, her heart constricting with an emptiness beyond anything she had ever felt before, but she couldn't help smiling faintly at the comical grin on his face.

Evan was balancing on his skateboard, making faces at Jean and Scott, who were standing close and oblivious to the mocking looks that they were receiving.

It had been a good day.

It had been a really, really good day.

A tear slid down her cheek, falling onto the picture frame. Remy placed a finger under her chin, lifting her tear-streaked face. "Je suis desole, Rogue," he whispered, an apologetic look on his face. "I didn' mean fo' it t' make y' cry."

Rogue shook her head, smiling weakly. "Don't be. It's wonderful. It's..." she trailed off, overcome with emotion. "It means the world t' me. Ah can't tell ya how much Ah appreciate ya doin' this for me."

Satisfied that she wasn't crying out of sorrow, Remy waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Y' could always show me."

Placing the photo down on the table, Rogue wrapped her arms around his neck and proceeded to do just that.


Translations:
merveilleux- wonderful
Je suppose que je pourrais soulever l'offre, si je dois- I suppose I could raise the offer, if I must