Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, they are the property of Marvel Comics.

Rating: T

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Mr Rogue and Mrs Gambit

Prologue

'Just breathe… Don't think about any o' this, jus' breathe…'

Rogue exhaled a deep, silent breath and tried her best to remain calm and unfazed by the mess of white around her. She tried not to think about the white silk-clad corset that was slowly cutting into her ribs. She tried not to think about the train of white silk material that trailed around her like the end of a snake's tail. She tried to ignore the fact that since the crack of dawn, she had not eaten, she had not sat or spoken a word as Remy's countless Aunts, cousins and honorary-mother gibbered, poked and prodded at her like a rag doll; a rag doll in a wedding dress. A small, almost-sob of a sigh escaped her as the dressmaker asked her to turn around on the small platform so she could continue to pin down the silk at a rapid, inhuman rate. Rogue was half convinced the woman was a mutant at the speedy rate the dress had forged itself upon her body. But then again, things had gone awfully fast in the two week since she agreed to this deceptive ploy. A silent groan hung on her lips as her brow creased in a frown.

"Ah am in way over mah head here."

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Chapter One – Masks

Two weeks previous…

"No."

"Please mon chére? It wouldn't be for long, jus' une semaine?" (one week)

"That is too long."

"Mais it wouldn't be real!"

"Ah'm still not gonna do it!"

"Pourquoi pas?" (Why not?)

Rogue let out an indignant snort of ironic amusement.

"Well, t' name a few. Ah don't even lahke ya. It's not mah problem an' ah'm not exactly wife material anyhow!"

She could practically feel that grin spread across his face as she continued to ignore him. His voice was far too close for her liking as he rested his nose over the brim of her book.

"Remy believes y' like Remy more den y' let on chére."

Rogue gave a disbelieving snort but he continued nonetheless.

"It's not y' problem, mais Remy t'inks y' would miss him if he had t' go all de way back t' N'Orleans. Et…" (And)

Rogue dared to raise her gaze from the page to catch him grinning mischievously at her through the book. She didn't need to actually see him grinning to know that he was. Tell-tale wrinkles formed at the sides of his unusual colour eyes as he replied huskily.

"Y' would be trés bon for de part chére. An' dat's all it is, a part. Not'ing legal or binding, jus' a petite lie t' get Remy out o' a fate worse den death, non?"

Rogue let out a sigh of irritation as he raised his brows in a suggestive manner. She turned her back on him as she shifted in her seat. She had been perfectly comfortable until he decided to show his face and disrupt her solitude in the near-empty library. Was a couple of hours of reading without certain, pesky Cajuns around so much to ask for? She rolled her eyes. 'A moment without this Swamp Rat in mah face is a rarity anyhow.' Unfazed by Remy's pitiful, pleading expression, Rogue turned around in her seat and returned her attention back to her book. However, 'taking-the-hint' was just as much as a rarity as a moment without the Cajun. He was leaning over her with that pitiful, pleading expression written firmly across his chiselled features. She was completely trapped with his arms resting on either side of the sofa arms. After a few moments of silence (and Remy's insistent staring), Rogue let out a frustrated growl and kicked him off. He stumbled back, but as expected, he did not hit the floor. Being a thief, balance and vigilance was second nature. She maintained a severe glare as she exclaimed irritably.

"Ah told ya ah'm not gonna do it! Now would ya go already?"

Remy didn't budge, much to her surprise. However the pitiful, pleading expression was replaced with something much more…serious? Rogue had to blink a couple of times before she could believe he was actually trying to be serious with her. However, it was his seriousness that was the trap. Once she was locked in that severe look, he revealed the second part of the trap and unleashed a look that was genuinely pleading. She knew he was being earnest. Those unusual eyes tended to glow when he felt intense emotions. She had avoided those intense looks best she could since he began hanging around her after rocking up at the Mansion gates some six months ago. Having absorbed him in the past, she could read his emotions like book pages. Knowing what he really felt was unsettling if not surprising. She came back to the present when he spoke again, causing her to blink for the first time in too long. She realised too late that her anger had diminished completely.

"Please Rogue?"

A couple of moments of stilled silence passed before a gentle near-silent sigh of defeat escaped her. She nodded in agreement.

"Okay."

A genuinely thankful smile had spread across his lips before he leant forward and kisses her bare forehead. Stunned, she daftly wondered if he knew that his powers had left a sort of residual mutation on her. Her eyes became a little brighter and glowed whenever she felt an intense emotion. Whenever she stared at him. As he thanked her gently and slipped out of the room to tell Logan and the Professor of her answer, she hoped that he hadn't noticed.

'Don't let this fake-marriage go to your head. It'll only make things crazier than they already are.'

She nodded at her own reassurance as she turned back to her book. After five minutes, she found she couldn't concentrate on the plot let alone the printed words. That morning, the Professor had called Logan, Ororo, Remy and herself into his office. Much to her confusion, Remy had taken the place that Logan usually took beside the Professor's desk. It was the 'second-in-command' spot and it had been since as along as any of them could remember. Thus, it was a curious surprise to find Remy standing in 'second-in-command' while Logan retired to the sofa. However, that was the most trivial of the surprises to be revealed. While Remy stood passive and without so much as a usual smirk across his lips, the Professor took it upon himself to explain the situation; Remy's situation that is. To sum it all up, Remy's family had called him back from his exile but at a price. He had to marry Belladonna, the daughter of the Assassins Guild. Their marriage would end the feud between the two Guilds. However, the 'call back' was more of a direct order than an actual 'offer.' Given the fact that he had been in exile for two years, if he was already married, then his obligations to the Guild and to his other-wise-annulled engagement could be over written. A marriage could be arranged between another Thief and Assassin. However, it was notthese new revelations that left the three of them between bemused looks and inquisitive frowns. The team had barely had time to mull over the load of information before Remy continued after the Professor. With an unusually severe look on his face, Remy suggested that they fool his family and the Assassins into believing he is already married; to Rogue. They would return to New Orleans, Rogue acting as his newly-wedded wife while Logan and Ororo would act as her father and step-mother. The idea had not sat well with Rogue. That was the understatement. Fake marriage or not, the idea was not likeable. She had been stunned at first but was quick to deny Remy's seriousness on the idea. She took it as a completely bad-humoured joke. But when Remy's severe look didn't waver, her anger spurred. She had stood calmly, locked a stern glare across her face and gave a firm 'no' before storming out of the room like a silent hurricane.

Rogue flung the book onto the ground with a frustrated, defeated sigh.

"What the hell am ah doing?"

She honestly didn't know.

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A week later….

Rogue let out a silent sigh as she slipped further into the comfort of the red first-class seat. With her eyes closed off from the bright cabin, bulky earphones rested comfortably over her ears. An Indie-rock track from her ipod blared into her ears and took her away from the bland scene of the cabin. Her thoughts were contentedly mixed into the lyrics and base of the guitar when she suddenly felt someone drop into the seat beside her. A slight frown spread across her face as she recognised the scent of cigarettes, aftershave and spices. A small chortle of amusement escaped her husband's lips for an all too close distance. That was one thing Rogue knew they had to work on; close distances. Being untouchable until recently left her nervous of close distances. Being married, that would have to change. That didn't stop her from pulling back slightly when Remy pulled back one of her ear phones to whisper in a husky tone.

"Remy t'inks de people at de back o' de plane can't hear demselves t'ink, chérie."

Rogue rolled her eyes under her closed eye-lids as she replied coldy.

"Sorry, can't hear ya."

He chuckled amusedly before replying.

"Y' know y' damaging y' hearing wit' y' music turned up so loud. Non?"

"Ah'm willin' t' take that risk."

"Remy's not so willing chére."

Rogue suppressed an indignant snort.

"And why would that be?"

He moved a slight closer, which was all he could do since he was already a hair's worth away from her ear. Rogue felt a small chill run down from her ear to her neck as his breath tickled her skin. She tried not to shudder as he whispered in a tone only she could hear.

"Remy took y' in sickness et in health, chérie. He'd prefer his belle wife in de best health possible."

At those words, Rogue opened her eyes slightly to form a warning glare. The last time he made a joke at their being married it had earned him a sharp elbow to the ribs that had caused the attendant at the boarding checkout to snigger. When she was sure her warning was clearly made (despite his that consistent smirk across his lips) Rogue adjusted her earphones and turned her closed gaze to the shut window.

However, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she could still feel that smug, condescending smile across his lips. As subtly as possible, she reached into her coat pocket and turned it down a little. The smug smile remained but it was not as superior and righteous as it had been.

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That Night…

Remy blew out a deep breath as he stepped out into the corridor leading to the arrival gates. Despite the cool demeanour he had maintained up until this point, he was nervous. He was nervous that this ploy wouldn't fall through. That his family and the Assassins Guild would see through their lie and he would end up standing at the altar awaiting Belladonna as she walked down the isle. He had silently reassured himself with every fact that stood in his favour. He had a very authentic looking marriage certificate in his bag, a very expensive diamond ring on Rogue's finger accompanied by a solid gold wedding band that matched the one he wore. They had cut the wedding story down to a simple ceremony in a New York legal office with only John, his best man, and Rogue's parents acting as witnesses to the match. They didn't have any photos of the ceremony or the small reception at Rogue's family home because John had tragically misplaced the twelve disposable cameras while he was in a drunken state at the reception. Hell, they had even put together a small collection of photos in which they both stood together, holding hands, cuddling on the sofa, kissing and smiling like any couple in love. He had everything organised. No detail had been left untouched. They were wearing flawless masks of wedded bliss. What could honestly go wrong?

Remy gulped silently as he smiled and waved to the waiting welcoming party on the other side of the glass doors.

"Everyt'ing. Everyt'ing could go wrong."

He took Rogue's un-gloved hand in his as he led them towards his waiting family. He hoped he could pull this off.

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Okay so this isn't finished. This will probably be a three chapter short-story!

REVIEW!

-Gams