Hey everybody :)

Hope your summer is going as good as mine

So in this chapter she has another breakdown, but i think you'll like the ending :)

Thanks for reading and reviewing and as always enjoy!

Explosions of Every Kind Chapter 22: It's Peaceful Here

The world buzzed outside her window as her body trembled beneath the olive sheets of her bed and her sweat drenched their matching pillow. It had been almost a week without any incidents, the voices were gone, the specter was gone, the nightmare was gone…that is until this previous night. It all hit Rogue in a single giant crashing wave. First she heard him; voices bombarded her from every direction as she just about clawed at her ears to stop them. Then she saw him, everywhere. Everywhere she turned he was there ready to lunge himself at her and finish the job. She peeled back the curtain to her shower and had to duck from make-believe metal shards being flung at her; she closed the mirror cabinet and almost screamed as his reflection appeared instead of her own. And lastly, when she laid her head down onto her silky jade pillow cover she was submerged in the very same terrifying nightmare as before which had the very same outcome as last time.

So now she lay, clinging onto her comforter that had also been soaked in sweat, and listened to the outside world. Rogue heard the muffled sounds of her fellow mutants laughing and playing and planning to see movies after danger room sessions. She heard happiness, she heard sadness. She heard it all. Then she heard footsteps approaching her room, assuming she knew who they belonged to and wanting to be alone, Rogue leapt out her window and started sprinting toward her favorite park.

As Gambit turned the brass doorknob and peeked his unusual eyes inside Rogue's room, he noticed his girlfriend's bed in complete disarray and as he walked up to investigate the cool fabric he felt the dampness of it and immediately knew what had happened. Letting the muggy summer breeze smack against his rigid face, Gambit leaned out the window and distinguished Rogue's figure running north.

Rogue found the winding dirt pathway that led through the soaring oaks of the uptown park. With the humidity so high hardly any children were out to play, therefore the swings did not swing, the slide was not slid, the monkey bars were not climbed, and the merry-go-round creaked in circles as the wind pushed and pulled it how it willed. None of this bothered Rogue however, she simply followed the path around and around and around, watching leaves float to the ground as she clung her arms tightly about her and attempted to clear her head.

Gambit knew exactly where she was headed and wasted no time hopping on his motorcycle and following. He had designed the paint job of his bike to match his eyes: onyx with ruby pin-stripping. Revving into the playground's parking lot, Gambit thought it best to stay where he was until Rogue revealed herself.

She never did, at least not intentionally. A breeze had picked up slightly and whipped Rogue's hair past the thick tree trunks and into Gambit's view momentarily. Unfortunately for her, it had also gotten her hair successfully trapped in a low hanging branch and as Rogue turned to free herself Gambit could clearly perceive the glistening of tears running down her face. That was enough motivation to get together with her whether she wanted him to or not.

Bobbing under pokey branches and stepping over protruding roots, Gambit eventually found Rogue and placed a hand on her shoulder. She silently gazed at his strapping hand for several minutes before abrasively shoving it off and turning away from him. He tried once more. Once again placing his strong hand on her shoulder, but this time he caressed her with the tender stroking of his thumb over the transparent emerald cotton of her shirt. When she made no reaction he placed his other hand onto her open shoulder and did the same thing.

Rogue whispered something that was barely audible.

Staring off at a nearby spotted deer she whispered it a bit louder, "please leave." Then without warning she walked away.

He had no intentions of leaving her.

Yet again he pursued her through the woodlands and her trail led out of them and towards the abandoned play area. Rogue sat on the faded cherry and yellow paint of the merry-go-round as she slowly turned it with her bare feet, not noticing the piercing creak it appeared to be making. Upon seeing this, Gambit took off his shoes as if he was a child playing and immersed his feet into the sand next to hers.

"Would yo' like a'push?"

Her head tilted up to him, tears still visible, and then she nodded. Gambit ran around and around in the sand until he decided the metal contraption was spinning at a sufficient speed when he jumped on like any ten year old would have. As the merry-go-round slowed to a stop, Gambit took a seat next to Rogue and picked at aged baby blue paint saying, "Hi, I'm Remy."

She peered into his eyes and responded, "Rogue."

Smiling he crooned, "Well Rogue a femme as beautiful as yo' shouldn't hav'a t'ing in d'world t'cry about."

Leaning her head onto his shoulder she whispered, "It happened again, Ah'm losin' control."

"Shhhh," he whispered cupping her head while at the same time stroking her hair, "It was only one time. It's okay, t'ings happens."

"No!" Breaking the mood, Rogue shot up and away from him, "Y'don't get t'say that to meh. Y'don't know what it's like t'have people constantly in your head, talkin' t'ya, whisperin' t'ya. Ah've got t'fight everyday to stay in control! An' now Ah've got one tryin' t'kill meh! An' it's not even the one in mah head, it IS mah head. Mah guilt is eatin' meh alive, Remy." She paused and wept into her gloves, repeating, "Y'don't get t'say that to meh. Y'don't get t'say that to meh."

"I bet yo' t'ink a thief has no guilt," Gambit started, staring into the sand speaking in a sullen tone, "But you'd be wrong." Rogue's head rose from her hands and peered at Gambit. "Jean Luke, d'man dat took me in, we were in d'middle of a'heist, very, very rich couple in d'French Quarter, and d'woman woke up…" He peeled his eyes off of the sand and locked them on Rogue's. "I was d'only mutant and Jean Luke promised me it wouldn't kill her…" his voice began to choke, "Anyways, he screamed at me t'charge an' throw somet'ing at d'stairs she was standin' on. I…I argued, but he threatened t'throw me out if I didn't. So I picked up a'book end an' hurled it at her feet. D'blast took out most'a d'livin' room an' I can still hear her scream, still see her body burn…" For the first time ever Rogue saw a tear escape Gambit's remarkable eyes.

The two sat in silence for almost ten minutes, each remarking on their and the other's personal hells. When suddenly Rogue took Gambit's hand and asked, "Do y'know why Ah come here?"

He shrugged.

"It's peaceful here. An' beautiful. Quiet at times an' loud at others when kids come t'play. White in winter. Red an' yellow in fall. Bright green in summer. An' buddin' in spring. It's a place where all the voices in mah head will slow down and marvel at the same things Ah do. It's an escape an' Ah love it."

Gambit gazed at Rogue's face lighting up as she wondered at her park, and he knew this place was something special to her. Squeezing her hand, Gambit assured Rogue, "We're goin' t'make it through this; we can make it through anyt'ing."

"Y'can't promise that," Sorrow flowed throughout her words, "no one can. Gambit," she placed her hand on his rigid cheekbone, "y'may not always be able t'protect meh, t'save meh."

"As long as I'm breathin'," he affectionately leaned his face into her hand, "I'm goin' t'do my best to."

Gambit began to lean in for a kiss but just as their lips were centimeters apart she stopped, "Gambit?"

"Yeah?" he answered. Both of their lips were already puckered for a kiss and their eyes that had gradually shut themselves were forced back open.

"Ah want to. More, more than anything…but…"

"Y'won't hurt me…" he whispered while approaching her lips again.

"Wait!" The shock from her raised voiced stopped him in his tracks. "There, there is a way…"

Before Gambit could protest Rogue closed her eyes and was lost within her mind for a few moments. "No! Damn it Rogue. Don't do dis!"

She opened her eyes and smiled. "Once won't hurt meh an' Remy Ah love you. Please, Ah want this too." Waving her arms through the summer air above her head she used Leech's powers to neutralize her own. "There."

Without hesitation she let Gambit approach her. He took hold of each side of her soft face and planted his lips on hers repeatedly. Ecstatically, she returned each kiss with the same amount of passion and force until she fell onto her back with the weight of Gambit on top of her. They continued to kiss as the merry-go-round squeaked in uneven circles. When suddenly Gambit moved from Rogue's lips to her nape as he left a trail of kisses on his way down, never having experienced this before Rogue let out a noise new to her and very pleasurable to Gambit as he decided to once again close the gap between their lips in humid elation and love. Breaking away, Rogue endeavored to mimic Gambit's previous move, only after she was done with his neckline Rogue pulled down his shirt and continued her journey, which stayed in the range of his upper chest. Again, they went back to kissing as it was the one thing they had always desired to do and now that they could they never wanted to stop even to breathe.

All of the sudden Gambit's whole body began to tingle and Rogue's mind was ambushed with memories of her, both realized what was happening and ripped apart from each other before Gambit became unconscious. Breathing heavily, Rogue began to close her eyes again when Gambit seized her arm and yanked her back to him saying, "No. Once, only once."

Trying to break free of his grip she argued, "But Ah can do it a second time an' be fine, Ah know it! Don't y'want t'do that again?"

"There's not'ing I want more—"

"Then let meh—"

"No! I love y'to much t'see y'go through them rampagin' through yo' head again. Jus' once…"

Rogue nodded, knowing he was right, and nestled into his chest as they watched the day go by spinning on their worn-out, squeaking merry-go-round.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Yes, sadly all stories must come to an end, HOWEVER,

I may write another chapter, IDK! Tell me if you think i should keep this story going a little longer

Happy Summer Everyone :)

Much love,

Bye

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN XMEN/XMEN EVOLUTION