Mr Rogue and Mrs Gambit

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-Gams

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Chapter Two – Lies Will Take You so Far

Rogue gulped what little air she could manage as Tante Mattie's great arms practically crushed her windpipe between her ribs in a deadly embrace. Upon meeting Remy's family at the airport, their had been quick introductions and warm welcomes from Remy's brother and cousins before they were all loaded into a pair of cars and driven directly to the LeBeau estate. The estate lay just outside the city's boarders where it was concealed most artfully by the surrounding swamp lands and its rough terrains. Rogue considered a tour of the wild plantation grounds a walk in the park compared to the walk from the car to the front door. Her father-in-law and Tante Mattie stood at the front door with their gazes set intently upon her. Though she wasn't actually Remy's wife, she felt like she was for that elongated, nerve-wrecking, quick walk from the car to the front porch. Their stares had made her nervous and though she would never admit it, she did care what they thought. Tante Mattie had smiled graciously with genuine warmth and tenderness that only a mother could muster. Jean-Luc on the other hand, had raised a sceptical brow and looked her over like a butcher would a fresh stock of meat on his table. However, before Rogue could crumble under his discerning gaze, she was swept into Tante Mattie's embrace. The elderly woman had welcomed her enthusiastically and professed how pleased she was to 'finally meet her' even though she had only discovered her existence not a week before. Rogue would have believed the woman, had she not known this was all a lie no matter how honest Tante Mattie's words were. She was exceedingly grateful when Tante Mattie spotted Remy, for she released her immediately to grab him in a similar bone-crushing embrace. New tears streamed down the elderly woman's face as she practically brawled about how glad she was to see her boy again. There was no lie in that, however, not a moment later the woman was slapping Remy up the back of his head and scolding him for not telling her he got married in any of his letters. Rogue had barely managed to suppress a chuckle when she felt a warm hand rest on her shoulder. Jean-Luc had appeared as if out of no where and embraced her just as soon as he introduced himself as Remy's father. Rogue had been taken aback by the action to say the least. When he pulled back, he surprised her further by planting a small, gentle kiss on her forehead. Rogue blushed pink as he spoke in a tender voice.

"Welcome to our home fille. It's a pleasure t' finally meet y' Marie." (daughter/girl)

To save themselves trouble, Remy had told his family her real name as calling her Rogue was likely to cause suspicion in a household of Thieves. The team wasn't keen on drawing unwanted attention. However, seeing as Remy and Rogue were 'the newlyweds' they would receive nothing but attention.

The LeBeaus pulled them into the house with a graciousness that astounded even Ororo. After a half hour of Ororo and Logan settling in one of the guest rooms, and Rogue and Remy negotiating a sleeping arrangement in Remy's, they all gathered in the main dining room for supper. Here was where their masks were put to the test.

"So, where did y' meet Marie ma boy?"

Rogue and Remy grew silent and still almost instantly for a moment before a round of forced, nervous laughter erupted from both of them. They had decided that telling them the truth about how they met was safe. Considering the family's line of business, meeting on a battlefield on opposing sides was like meeting at the same café or running into each other on the street. Henri, Remy's elder brother, clapped his brother's shoulder when they finished retelling the abbreviated version of the story. The fact that Remy had nearly blown her hand off with a charged playing card was left out.

"I t'ink mon petite frére here's finally met his match, non?"

There was a round of approving sniggers and smiles amongst the table. Though there was a hint more colour in Remy's face as he brushed it off, he tenderly took Rogue's hand. His eyes never left hers as he gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and spoke.

"Dat Remy has."

Rogue couldn't help but believe the lie as a gentle pink painted her cheeks. She was quickly teased for her reaction by Mercy, Henri's wife, causing Remy's grin to broaden across his lips. She had blushed a little harder but maintained her role as she squeezed his hand. From there onward, Mercy began to reveal old childhood stories of embarrassment and mischief at Remy's expense. While Remy grinned sheepishly and tried not to let any colour flush his face in embarrassment, Rogue genuinely found herself laughing and smiling along with the rest of the family. They talked about the old days, tortured Remy about being 'such a terror' as a boy and on various occasions asked Rogue about her childhood. Rogue admitted, in accordance to their ploy, that she hadn't known Logan was her father until she was sixteen and Ororo and Logan had married a year beforehand. To make matters easier, Logan and Ororo's marriage was the authentic part of the lie. However, it was on the subject of marriage that Tante Mattie broke their composure.

"Now, what I can't understand Remy Etienne LeBeau, is why y' didn't want y' own famille t' attend y' own weddin'! Y' may have been exiled dese two years chil', mais y' still a part o' dis famille! Et y' didn't even introduce her as y' fiancée before de weddin'!"

"He probably wanted t' marry her b'fore she found out what a crazy famille he has, non?"

Henri's teasing remark was met with a deadly glare from his wife that left him passive and silent. Rogue shifted her gaze to Remy with an anxious glance. Clearly, the elderly woman was still a little sore about not attending her own surrogate-son's wedding. She noticed as all eyes turned to Remy for answers that it was clear that the feeling was somewhat mutual amongst his family. Remy however, gave no indication of anxiety or lack of composure. Instead, he took a sip of his wine glass and set it down again before he replied.

"Je suis désolé Tante, mais Remy didn't want de hassle of a wedding-"

At the word 'hassle' the table of LeBeaus erupted into an outcry of mutual disappointment. Both Tante Mattie and Mercy erupted into a state of defensive indignation in a mix of French and English. Remy was between smirking and backing away from the two women while Rogue was left completely bewildered. The two women were either very strong feminists or just plain wedding crazed. They insisted that it was not Remy's choice on whether to have a proper wedding or not and that 'a proper wedding is not a hassle.' As they drew to that last conclusion, Mercy abruptly turned her gaze from her brother-in-law to Rogue. She replaced her indignant scowl with a calm, gentle smile across her petite features as she spoke.

"How did y' want t' get married Marie? I'm certain y' were bullied into a small civil ceremony by dis fou!" (fool) She indicated blatantly towards Remy with a subjective finger raised.

Rogue dropped her fork abruptly. It was like dropping a hammer in a silent room. As soon as she dropped the fork, everyone at the table sat rooted on the spot, Silent; they stared at her as they waited for her answer. She gulped silently. 'Come on! Think of somethin'!' However, before she could think let alone speak, Tante Mattie smacked her hand against the table. The action caused Rogue to jump while the others just turned their attention from her to Tante. The hint of a broad grin peeked from the left corner of her mouth as she spoke.

"I have de parfait (perfect) idea."

Rogue and Remy froze on the spot.

"What Tante?"

The elderly woman was evidently proud of herself as she spoke.

"Y' can get married here! At de church! –Oh Mercy chil', we could get Louisa t' make de weddin' gown! Et we can get Jean-Paul t' help wit' de reception party preparations, -of course we will have t' have it here. Dat only be fitting…"

And just like that, Tante Mattie and Mercy were planning a wedding like they had rehearsed it countless times before. After the initial shock wore off, Rogue abruptly turned to Remy with a bewildered expression clear across her face. She motioned with her eyes as if to say 'Do-something!!' but it was useless even if Remy did (and he did) try to dissuade his Tante and sister-in-law from the idea. As their attempts to dissuade failed, Jean-Luc joined the Wedding Planning Committee by insisting upon paying for everything and to spare no costs. Squeals of delight and excitement erupted from the two women before they practically swept Rogue out of the room to talk about wedding gowns. There was honestly nothing that could be done to stop this ship from sailing. There was going to be a wedding, a legal and religion binding wedding and neither Remy nor Rogue could stop it without breaking some hearts and quite literally risking their own lives.

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Later that night…

Rogue sat on her bed- no, Remy's bed, with her arms draped over her bent knees and her earphones over her ears. After a much-needed bath, she dried her hair, put on her favourite pair of pyjamas and grabbed her ipod. However, despite her three, usually successful attempts at comfort and relaxation, she was tense and anxious for Remy to return. 'Never thought that could happen.' After finally being allowed to retire for the night, Rogue had slipped into Remy's room and screamed her lungs out into the closest pillow. Remy had appeared not long after her. At her intolerant glower (and the flying pillow that slapped him in the face), he began to apologise with a franticness that she had never thought him capable of. He promised that this crazy wedding would not be happening and he left the room in sought of his father. With nothing more to do but worry and hope that he succeeded, Rogue sat intently on the bed and waited for her husband to return.

"Ah knew this was a bad idea. Ah knew somethin' would go wrong an' look what's happened!"

An indignant sigh-turned-groan escaped her lips as she flopped back onto the bed. What would happen if Remy wasn't successful? She couldn't really marry Remy. Could she? Rogue shook herself at the thought. She couldn't. She shouldn't. This was all a huge lie to get him out of trouble. The lie had grown and festered to the point of being a lie too good and then some. Rogue let out an irritable groan as she raked her fingers down her face. She massaged the bridge of her nose. "Ah can'te do this. Ah can't do this. Ah won't do this." Not only was it a total sham, she couldn't see herself married, period. Not that it wasn't an ambition she held for herself later in life. It was just that she didn't see herself getting married now. She was only just twenty years-old. She had only just gained control of her powers not six months ago. And besides, it would feel wrong. They were not in love and she was certain she couldn't bring herself to fall in love with him. Not after a week of fake-marriage. She could barely tolerate him on a regular basis let alone take his name and share her life with him for the rest of their time on this Earth. To the best of her knowledge, Remy was an inexorable womaniser and a flirt that couldn't commit let alone bind himself legally and religiously to another human being. She wondered how he could bring himself to agree to a marriage that was based on lies let alone based on love.

"Remy LeBeau ain't the marrying kind..."

Rogue's mixed emotions and troubled thoughts were suddenly interrupted the vague sound of the bedroom door opening and closing. She slipped off her earphones and opened her eyes again as she sat up to faced him.

"Well...?"

Rogue had never seen Remy look so blatantly guilty or remorseful. However, she barely lingered on that daft thought as she read the answer in his expression. "Oh shit..." Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she let out an indignant groan. Her head dropped to her knees as she raked her hands through her white fringe. This was just not her week... Before she could begin asking for specific details as to why he failed, she felt Remy sit beside her.

"So de idea o' marrying Remy is dat bad?"

She raised her head only to shoot him down with her best glower.

"Well considerin' how bein' married to ya worked out. YES! It's that bad!"

To Rogue's vexation, Remy had the nerve to smirk as he let out a light chortle. He ran a hand through the hair at the back of his head as he spoke.

"Remy might have an idea dat can get us out o' dis. Well, not de wedding mais de whole marrying for real ting."

Rogue raised a sceptical brow. A moment later, it was replaced with a harsh scowl.

"Ah'm not marchin' down that isle Gambit."

Remy grinned smugly.

"If y' want t' get out o' dis marriage, den y' gonna have to. Rogue."

As a response to his retort, Rogue slipped off the bed and marched straight to the wardrobe where her suitcase stood, packed and ready to motor as soon as she wished. However, before she was even a foot away from the bedroom door, Remy grasped her hand and pulled the suitcase handle from her grasp. With an irritated grunt, Rogue reached back for the handle only for Remy to swiftly shift the case behind him and out of her grasp. She gave him another death-glare as she rested her hands on her hips in defiance to his pleading expression. He raised a hand to calm her mood as he spoke.

"Jus' hear moi out? Please chére?"

There it was; that intense glow that set his scarlet eyes aflame. Rogue found herself softening under pressure more quickly than she had the last time he asked her to do something. What was wrong with her? She would've accused him of using empathy on her if her conscience hadn't cut her short. It wasn't his empathy ability playing tricks with her head. With a half-defeated sigh, she nodded and Remy set the suitcase down again. He led her back to the bed and got her to sit while he stood before her to explain his plan. After he was done explaining, he waited a few moments as she mulled over the idea. When she had mulled enough, she gave him a sceptical look. The notion of 'Are you crazy?' was fully intended in her expression.

"Are ya serious?"

He nodded gravely.

"Completely, chére."

"This is a crazy idea."

He grinned.

"Oui mais a crazy idea dat jus' might work, non?"

Though Rogue took a few moments, she gave a half-hearted shrug as her scepticism diminished.

"Ah guess it's worth a shot but..."

Remy raised a brow at her.

"But?"

Rogue let out a disbelieving sigh.

"Where the hell are we gonna fahnd an actor that can perform a traditional Catholic marriage ceremony?"

Remy gave a classic debonair smile and winked at her.

"Y' leave dat t' y' mari, Madame LeBeau." (husband)

Rogue rolled her eyes. Her tone of voice was cold and sarcastic as she replied irritably.

"In case ya forgot, Gambit. Technically, ah'm not your real wife."

He let out a low chuckle as he fell back against the bed and tucked his hands behind his head. Rogue rolled her eyes at him as she made toward the bathroom to clean her teeth.

"Fine den, Madame Gambit."

Rogue turned and gave him a puzzled look. He grinned from ear to ear as he explained.

"Technically, dat's not Remy's real name. So it be more fitting non?"

Rogue rolled her eyes as she slipped on her earphones once more. Gently she replied back, more to herself than him.

"Whatever, Mister Rogue."

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