Author's Note: I've been super invested in this story lately and have a ton of it written on paper. Chapters 11-13 are done. I'd say this is 50% finished, if not more.

*** This is a scene I used that came right out of X-Men Evolution. It's my favorite Rogue/Gambit scene. It is meant to be an homage to the series and my favorite couple. I hope it is done tastefully and I don't get a lot of hate for using it.

This story does not have a beta, and the beginning chapters DESPERATELY need one. Eventually I plan to go back and rewrite those first 10 chapters to reflect my evolving writing style, but for now I'd rather focus on what HASN'T been written.

Please review. I'm feeling very self-conscious about posting again after being away for so long. I don't know if I should even be posting this at all, or if I should just do it once the entire story is done. This is also posted on an adult version of a similar web place that shares a similar name to this one. You can just do a search for it since I cannot list it here.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I make nothing, I'm twisted and weird and nothing has changed in any of those respects over the last 20 years since I first started writing.

Love and Light,

Wiccamage

~X~X~X~X~X~

The sound of hushed, strained voices stirred Gambit from his drug induced slumber, and he slowly reached for the cards in his pocket. He tried to remember where he was and what he was doing there without opening his eyes or revealing his awakened state. He felt sluggish and woozy and wasn't sure if the voices he could hear were friendly or not.

"Ah don't CARE Logan!" A female voice hissed from his right. "Ah know who he is and what he's done, but Hank said he ain't in no state to be off on his own yet."

Through the morphine haze, Remy slowly began to piece together the events of the last 24 hours. He'd saved that girl, Rogue, from Magneto and his goons, taking a pretty serious hit in the process. From the sound of it, someone wanted him gone, but Rogue wasn't having it.

He could tell there were at least three other people in the room, and nearly cringed when he heard a low, familiar growl.

"I don't like it. Could be a setup t' get inside again and steal something else. You weren't around the last time that sneak thief got in here. He's trouble. He has to go."

"Absolutely not!" He heard Rogue snarl at Wolverine again. "He has t' have time t' heal properly! Mah god, Logan, he nearly DIED savin' me from Magneto. What d' ya think would happen to him if that bucket head found him like this?!"

"Probably the same thing that nearly happened to you," another voice, soft and feminine, yet commanding, spoke from somewhere near the foot of Rogue's hospital bed.

The Southerner was quiet for a moment.

"Jesus, Rogue, what were you thinking?" Gambit could discern a second male voice standing near Wolverine. It was stiff, a little harsh, and full of judgment. Definitely Cyclops. Remy continued to control his breathing as he pretended to be asleep. He was also curious about why the southern spitfire had been out at the train station so late at night - not to mention why she suddenly had no powers.

Rogue huffed, momentarily silent. Gambit could just imagine that she was folding her arms defiantly and he had to suppress a smile. She certainly had a Southern temper.

"Ya'll read the note ah left. You KNOW what ah was thinkin'. This pointless manhunt has to stop. Ya'll aren't any closer to finding those guys and we have a mission. I'm not gonna sit around here and distract everyone from what's important. If it means I have t' leave again for you to understand that, Logan, then ah will."

Still feigning sleep, Gambit couldn't see anyone's faces, but he could certainly feel the tension and gravity of the young southerner's words on her teammates.

"You want me to stay, Logan? Then you have t' promise to forget about this manhunt and get back to being an X-Man. At least until we can save the future from this 'Apocalypse' character the Professor warned us about."

"We aren't going to STOP looking, Rogue," Cyclops spoke again, more gently this time. "What they did to you - they nearly beat you to death AND took your powers somehow. They NEED to be found and dealt with."

Even amidst feigned sleep, Remy could feel Rogue's emotions shift from anger to an intense anxiety that bordered on desperation.

"I…" she stuttered and Gambit could almost hear her breath quicken. "I know that. Of course ah want 'em caught…"

Gambit almost gave himself away - he was barely able to keep his breathing low and steady as he heard the lie leave her lips. So the girl had been attacked by someone, badly beaten, and stripped of her powers, yet she DIDN'T want the culprit found and prosecuted? Her words said she did, but her body's reaction gave an emphatic "no."

Which begged the question - Why? Gambit's intense desire to escape the X-Men's hospital wing and explore the treasures of the mansion was suddenly overshadowed by intense curiosity.

"But we have bigger fish t' fry right now. Ah know Hank ain't gonna let me back on active duty 'til ah'm healed, but ah can still help with research and flyin' the jet."

"The only thing you're 'helping' with for now," Wolverine growled, "is getting better and keeping an eye on Gumbo while he's here."

Gambit could practically hear Wolverine's eyes narrow. And he could definitely FEEL the gruff Canadian watching him intently.

"Seriously?" Rogue asked, her voice raising an octave. "You're gonna let him stay?"

"For now," Wolverine agreed. "But ONLY until Hank gives him the green light to leave the infirmary. Then he's gone."

Gambit could feel Rogue's excitement sink just a little, and he couldn't help but smile at the girl's reaction.

So, it seemed the southern spitfire didn't find his company COMPLETELY detestable after all…

~X~X~

***(see author's note)

"What is it with you and cards, anyway?" Rogue watched intently as Gambit shuffled and reshuffled his deck for the thousandth time that afternoon. The man practically had a nervous tick about him when it came to his precious playing cards.

It was clear they were both bored out of their skulls. Neither of them were much for watching T.V., and their options for approved activities were somewhat limited by their injuries. A stack of puzzles, books, crosswords, and the like were stacked on the bedside table between Rogue and Gambit, but nothing currently appealed to either patient. That, and Rogue couldn't actually REACH any of the items her teammates had brought down without asking for help. She wasn't about to page Hank with her call button just so he could hand her a book, and asking Gambit to grab "Romance on the 7 Seas" for her was absolutely out of the question. So Rogue had settled on watching him mess with his stupid cards. After three days of sleeping, trying to ignore the cajun, and flicking through channels aimlessly, she was going out of her mind with boredom.

Gambit gave her a tilted smile as he reclined in his hospital bed a few feet away from hers.

"It's like havin' 52 explosives in one little pocket…" The cajun stopped shuffling abruptly and pulled a single card from the middle of his deck with his right hand, holding it up for Rogue to examine. "I always save her for last."

The southern girl lifted an eyebrow. "The Queen of Hearts?" she asked dubiously.

"My lucky lady," he smirked, giving the card a quick kiss. "She's gotten me outta a whole lotta jams."

The X-Man scoffed, blowing a piece of her white locks out of her face. "Then ah need a deck of those." Her sarcastic tone was laced with a hint of sadness as she looked toward the I.V.'s and monitors. (***)

"You?" Gambit asked, smirking. "Nah." He grinned knowingly at her and swung his legs over the side of the bed nearest to Rogue. "Gettin' in fights with Magento and Quicksilver, multiple broken bones, standin' up f'r dis Cajun against Wolverine…"

Rogue blushed slightly and ducked her head as she realized he had heard her conversation with the others yesterday when he was SUPPOSEDLY asleep.

"You need TWO decks, chere. Mebbe three." A playful grin tugged at his mouth and Rogue couldn't help chuckling along with him.

"Ow," she immediately winced, the sudden jerking of her broken ribs sent a pinch of pain through her chest. Coughing a few times, she flopped her head back on her inclined hospital bed. "Ugh, ah HATE bein' stuck here. Ah ain't made for sittin' and watchin' soap operas."

Gambit chuckled as he stood and stretched his good arm over his head. After three days locked away in the medical bay of the mansion's basement, he was also well beyond his tolerance for idleness.

"How 'bout we go for a walk, chere?" He asked mischievously. He had spied her almost jealous reaction to him easily getting out of bed and knew how she must feel. At least Gambit had been allowed to leave the room several times for 'walks' with Wolverine whenever Rogue needed privacy or help getting to the bathroom.

His 'walks' were brief, but it gave him the ability to stretch his legs. Rogue, on the other hand, hadn't left the medical bay at all. With a strained shoulder, broken ribs, and a fractured, casted leg, she couldn't exactly go for a stroll in the gardens. He knew she was going absolutely stir-crazy, though, regardless of how badly she needed to rest and recover.

Still, Rogue's teammates came down to check on her frequently, and Beast was annoyingly attentive to both his patients. Every time Rogue and Gambit finally started to get into a meaningful conversation - every time he thought she MIGHT tell him what really happened - one of the X-Men interrupted as if on cue. It was starting to get mighty annoying since his curiosity was driving him crazy.

The only moments he had any significant 'alone' time with Rogue was at night, but she didn't have the same issues with insomnia that he did. Or maybe she did, considering how little sleep she actually got. The girl had woken with nightmares no less than four times a night for the last three nights. He'd said nothing to her - or her teammates - about the occurrences, but if the things she muttered in her sleep were any indication, the girl had been through MUCH worse than a few broken bones and that spat with Quicksilver and Magneto.

Gambit was so certain that Rogue's battered condition went beyond her visible wounds, in fact, that he had purposefully held back on his typical suggestive flirting and touching with her. Not turned off, of course, just … toned down.

Looking down at her now, he smiled as Rogue's eyes lit up with excitement for exactly one second before she pouted, lifting her head to stare at the ceiling again.

"Beast is out getting us more drugs, and the others are all in a Danger Room session for another hour or two," Rogue practically pouted, another small cough escaping her lips. "Besides, they wouldn't let me outta here anyhow. They barely let me outta bed to use the BATHROOM." She muttered the last sentence between gritted teeth, clearly not trying to be heard, but not trying to hide her irritation either.

"HA!" Gambit laughed loudly at his roommate's sour tone and protruding lower lip. "Tu est un peu chaude quand tu es en colère." (you're kinda hot when you're angry)

"Huh?" Rogue asked, one eyebrow raised as she turned her sour mood on him, instead. Her arms were crossed over her chest in the same sassy pose she tended to fall back on anytime someone came down to check on her. He wondered if she even realized that she kept her guard up nearly all the time - at least around her teammates.

"I said," Gambit covered quickly, his flirtatious smirk back on his face as he quickly grabbed Rogue's wheelchair from the wall near the bathroom. "What makes y' think we need t' ask permission, eh?" He pulled the wheelchair along the left side of Rogue's bed - right between both beds - so she could slide to the edge like he'd seen her do when Storm or Beast helped her.

Typically Jean would use her telekinesis to simply LIFT Rogue out of bed, but yesterday the southern spitfire had gotten so annoyed with her teammates doing everything for her, that Gambit had heard Rogue yelling from clear down the hallway. He was pretty certain she had even thrown something at the others from the way Beast and Jean had quickly ducked out of the room.

Now, however, Rogue grinned from ear to ear as she slowly started scooting toward the edge of the bed. She paused for a moment, looking to the door and biting her lip as she seemed to reconsider.

"You KNOW Logan'll blame this on you, right?" Rogue deadpanned, looking the cajun in the eyes. She figured there was no way this rough and tumble thief would risk a confrontation with Wolverine just so SHE could get some fresh air.

"Gambit's tussled wit' M'sieur Claws b'fore, chere. Don't worry y'r pretty head over dat. You just leave 'im t' me."

With an amused, almost incredulous look, Rogue shook her head and placed her left hand on the armrest of the wheelchair. The seat was only slightly lower than the bed, so Rogue swung her left foot off and placed it carefully on the floor, wincing slightly when she put pressure on it.

"You got it?" He kept his tone light and amused, as if teasing her. "Yes, or no?" Gambit didn't want to push her too hard or let her further injure herself, but he knew that she needed to feel some sense of accomplishment and autonomy after being patronized for the last few days - probably longer.

"Y-yes." Rogue hesitated just a moment, but quickly squared her jaw and narrowed her eyes as she slid closer to the chair. If she could just ease into it slowly and control her movements, she knew she could finally conquer the blasted thing on her own. It was a seemingly insignificant achievement, but one that was of utmost importance to her independent nature. It was also something that had been continuously denied to her for over two weeks now, and her stubbornness MIGHT have subverted her sense of reason.

As she moved her broken, cast covered right leg toward the edge of the bed, she felt her weight start to shift slightly more than she wanted.

"Still got it, chere?" Gambit asked again. This time his low, dulcet patois was laced with uncertainty. He could sense her rising panic as she seemed to slide faster than intended. If she'd been able to spare a glance at his face, Rogue would have marveled at the compassion and concern in his red on black eyes.

"Yes," she gritted out right before her pelvis started to slide off the bed.

"No!" she suddenly yelped, cringing as her abdominal muscles tried to keep her upright and spasmed painfully.

In an instant, Remy's right arm was around her waist, his face a hair's breadth from hers as he wedged himself along her left side to give her the support she needed to slowly and carefully lower herself into the wheelchair.

With a muted cough, she sat gingerly, thankful that Storm had insisted on attaching a pillow to the seat, and took a few calming breaths. Once her racing heart, burning ribs, and aching pelvis had settled, she smiled enthusiastically at Gambit. Somehow he had managed to anticipate her precarious situation and provide minimal assistance - best yet, she hadn't flinched away from his touch the way she constantly did with Beast and the others.

"Thanks." Rogue tried to reign in her bright smile as she caught her breath. After all, she hadn't accomplished the task alone - if Gambit hadn't been there to catch her, she probably would have hurt herself… again. But, it was more sovereignty than she'd been allowed for days. Weeks even.

She'd had a catheter for the first few days of her initial recovery, and then been forced to use a bedpan afterward since Beast didn't want to run the risk of her tearing open the 50 something stitches he and Ororo had placed.

Of course, she'd reopened a few of them anyhow during her scuffle with Quicksilver and Toad, but she'd refused to go back to using a bedpan - especially since she was sharing the med bay with Gambit now. Still, Ororo had threatened to revisit the possibility of the catheter if Rogue tore open any more stitches.

And, unlike Beast, Ororo would most DEFINITELY make good on her threats.

"Quoi?" Gambit asked sarcastically as he moved around behind Rogue to push the wheelchair into the hall. "No lecture dis time?" His left shoulder was still wrapped and in a sling, but he used his hip and right hand to maneuver the chair.

"Oh, you'll get a lecture all right, Swamp Boy," Rogue grinned up at him impishly. "Just not from me. That is, IF you can manage t' sneak me outside without getting caught."

"Challenge accepted ma petite," Remy smirked as he headed toward the elevators. He'd memorized the layout of the entire basement last year when he ran the heist on the X-Men's power dampener, and his frequent 'walks' with Wolverine were great for mapping out all the cameras and new high-tech security.

"How 'bout a walk in de gardens?" he suggested. "De fresh air'll do you good, n'est pas?"

Rogue nodded lightly. "Anywhere's better than here. But ah'm still bettin' we're gonna get caught b'fore we even get outside."

"Oh chere," Remy chuckled deviously, grinning from ear to ear as he leaned down to whisper next to hers. "NEVER bet against a gamblin' man."

~X~

A few minutes later, Rogue was luxuriating in the gardens, the warmth of the sun feeling heavenly on her bare arms and legs. She was still wearing the light green hospital nightgown (which thankfully buttoned up the sides) while Gambit wore a baby blue hospital tunic with a pair of gray jogging pants. Both patients had short sleeves and no gloves. Gambit wore a pair of hospital slippers and Rogue went barefoot since her right leg was in a cast and she wouldn't be getting out of the wheelchair anyhow.

Remy had suggested the gardens because he thought it would be a quiet, secluded place to get Rogue to open up more and tell him what had happened to her. After all, if she were relaxed and happy, she'd probably be more willing to talk.

Now, however, as he felt a peaceful calm wash over the Mississippi girl, he couldn't bring himself to take that away from her. For the first time since they'd met at the train station, he felt Rogue truly relax and let go of whatever it was that had been gnawing at her 24/7.

Although it wasn't a power he divulged to others, Remy's gift of empathy let him 'feel' other people's emotions. And Rogue? Well, her emotions were like riding the biggest, baddest roller coaster of them all. She shifted from gratitude to self-pity, amusement to disdain, bravery to terror, and tenderness to disgust, all in the space of a few minutes.

Yet, through it all she never said a word. She put on a poker face that rivaled his own and no one was the wiser. She spoke to Logan with the affection of a daughter even though Remy knew she couldn't even be in the same room with him without shuddering in revulsion. She joked lightheartedly with Bobby and Kitty when he could practically feel her trembling with regret and self-loathing. She smiled appreciatively at Ororo and Jean when the shame and frustration he could feel from her made him want to scream and cry, too.

And the way she reacted to Gambit's advances and innuendos, her body shivering with both desire and terror, was probably the most intense …and inexplicable.

Unless, of course, he was RIGHT about the bits and pieces he'd gleaned from her frequent nightmares.

Gambit finally opened his mouth, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.

"Rogue!" The voice of a small child squealed in delight, and Remy turned the wheelchair around to see a young girl come running down the path towards them. She had reddish brown curls set in a high ponytail and wore a pink tank top and light blue capri pants.

The child looked as if she were going to launch herself into Rogue's arms, so Gambit stepped in front of the crippled X-Man and dropped into a crouch, balancing on the balls of his feet as he extended his hand to the little girl.

"Bonjour, mignon." (hello cutey) The cajun flashed her a charmed smile and the girl stopped short.

"H-hi."

"Name's Remy - Remy LeBeau. Enchante madamoiselle." The young girl placed her hand in Gambit's, who took it gently and kissed her knuckles with a wink.

The child blushed and giggled, instantly infatuated with the handsome man.

"An' who might you be, fille?" He certainly hadn't tried to charm the little girl, but it seemed his 'nice guy' routine was a little too charming, regardless.

"I… I…"

"This is Tildy," Rogue supplied from slightly behind Remy. "Tildy, this is Gambit. He's…" She coughed lightly. "...sort of a friend of mine."

The girl bit her lip as she stepped closer to Rogue. Tildy had calmed down significantly after meeting Gambit, however, and finally gave the southern X-Man a good once over. The girl's eyes widened as she took in the bruises and bandages, cast, and the I.V. line stuck on the long pole attached to the wheelchair.

"Are - are you okay?" the little girl asked, biting her lip. She looked at Gambit who was still crouched, then back to Rogue. "Kitty said you got hurt bad, and they - they wouldn't let me see you. I was afraid you were gonna die." Tears welled up in Tildy's eyes and Gambit was touched by the depth of her adoration for Rogue. The child truly looked up to Rogue like she was her own personal savior.

"Nah, not gonna die, sugah." Rogue reassured the little girl. "Just hurtin' a bit." When Tildy didn't seem reassured, the X-Man reached forward with her bare hand. "It ain't all bad, hun. Ah can touch ya f'r now, see?"

The girl hesitated, clearly not convinced, and not keen on being absorbed again.

Sensing the child's trepidation, Gambit pivoted slightly in his crouch and took Rogue' bare hand in his. He smiled cheekily at the little girl as he slowly brought Rogue's knuckles to his lips and kissed them just as chastly as he had with Tildy just moments ago.

With the X-Man, however, he took his time, savoring the way he could feel her pulse quicken under his fingers. He relished the way her breath hitched as he slowly raked his lips across her bare flesh, marveled at the way she kept her face unreadable even as she swallowed hard.

Gambit looked up to meet Rogue's eyes as he gradually released her hand, and his own heart quivered at the flurry of emotions contained in her brilliant green eyes. Fear and hope, disdain and desire, grief and indulgence all bled out of those expressive emerald orbs.

Finally, he had to tear his eyes away from hers, certain she was indeed absorbing him with her haunted gaze.

"See, petite," Gambit grinned at Tildy again as he came back to himself and Rogue cleared her throat with a small cough. "No harm done. Just be gentle wit' her, eh? D' cherie and I got in a fight wit' big bad Magneto and got a few breaks n' bruises."

The girl's eyes widened as she stared between Rogue and Gambit again. "You did, really? Did you win?"

The color in Rogue's cheeks rose slightly and the cajun simply chuckled. "Hey, we're still here, ain't we? Y'r Rogue's a scrappy little thing. Dey knocked her down and she kept gettin' right back up."

Tildy's eyes shone brightly, her hero worship restored, as Gambit placed Rogue's bare hand in the little girl's. Carefully, Tildy leaned around the side of Rogue's wheelchair and gave the X-Man a huge, but gentle, hug.

With a shuddering breath, Rogue wrapped her arms around the child's shoulders and squeezed, holding on perhaps slightly longer than would be considered 'normal.' When the girl pulled back, Rogue dropped her chin and turned away as if examining something on the far end of the gardens.

"Hey ma petite soeur?" (my little sister) Still crouched, Gambit caught the child's attention before she could notice the tears in Rogue's eyes.

"You t'ink you could be m' secret agent for a while? Rogue an' me - we been cooped up in dat hospital so long, we jus' wanna stay out here an' enjoy d' sunshine, hein? But, d' other X-Men - well, dey'll be lookin' for us toute suite. (right away) D'en dey'll make us go back t' dat awful prison dey call a hospital." He gave Tildy the most beseeching puppy dog eyes he could muster, and practically felt Rogue roll her eyes at his antics.

"D' ya think you could manage y'r very own mission and keep 'em off our tail as long as possible? Especially dat Wolverine. He don' much like Gambit. Must think I'm a …" his red eyes flared a moment, but his wide smile reassured Tildy, "SCOUNDREL… or somethin'."

He winked first at the girl, who giggled, then at Rogue, who blushed lightly, coughed to cover her flushed cheeks, and turned away again.

Tildy nodded enthusiastically and Gambit reached out to shake her hand before putting his finger to his lips. "Now remember, you never saw us, d'accord?"

"Nope! Bye Gambit, bye Rogue!" Tildy waved over her shoulder as she ran down the path toward the house.

Gambit chuckled and began pushing the wheelchair deeper into the gardens where they could hopefully sit somewhere in the shade and out of sight.

"I do believe dat'll buy us a FEW extra minutes." Gambit declared with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Ya know Jean can just read her mind, or Wolverine'll smell us all over her?" Rogue asked, her melancholy mood settling back over her like a dark cloud.

Gambit shrugged as he maneuvered the wheelchair beneath a vine covered pergola. A white metal table and two matching chairs were nestled beneath the foliage, providing the perfect place for them to sit and talk, or just enjoy the freedom of being outside without any hovering 'nurses'.

"Ain't worried. Beast'll be back any time now and'll raise d' alarm regardless. I give us 10 minutes, tops, wit'out d' girl's help. Maybe 20 if she's a good liar. Dat was mostly f'r you, anyhow. Could tell ya needed a minute. Ain't used t' hugs, I take it." Gambit pulled his deck of cards out of the pocket of his jogging pants and shuffled them expertly in one hand as he sat in the seat next to her wheelchair.

Rogue bristled, folding her arms over her chest. The corner of Gambit's mouth turned up in amusement as she fell back on the defensive gesture. She WAS cute when she was angry.

"And what makes y' think that?" The X-Man tried to keep her tone harsh, but there was an uneasy edge to her voice that bordered on desperation.

"Gambit's a t'ief, chere. Been trained t' read people - d'eir tells, tone, body language, even d'eir LIES." He stopped shuffling abruptly and fixed her with a soul-piercing stare.

Rogue's breath quickened and she swallowed hard, but to her credit she didn't break eye contact with him.

"So, why'd y' lie t' y'r friends, cherie? You told 'em y' wanted the men who hurt you caught, but … c'etait un mensonge." (that was a lie)

Rogue's arms, which had been crossed angrily over her chest, now wrapped around her ribs and waist in a protective gesture. "I … I DO want 'em caught." She blinked, but her eyes dropped back to her lap, unable to keep Gambit's gaze.

"Told y' petite," Gambit purred, leaning closer to whisper in her ear, "I KNOW y'r lyin'. Y're SCARED, Rogue. I just don't know why."

"Ah AIN'T scared! An' what d' YOU care anyways?!" She barked at him, fury clouding her eyes as she inhaled rapidly. Despite her wrath, he didn't flinch or move away. His nose was mere inches from hers as she glared daggers. "Or are you tryin' t' con ME, too? Logan was right, ah never shoulda…"

Gambit held his hands up in mock surrender and finally backed off a little. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Relax chere! Gambit ain't tryin' t' blackmail ya or nothin'. Just …makin' observations. Guessin', ya know who it was, too, n'est-ce pas?"

"No. Ah never saw their faces. They - they knocked me out cold from the get go."

Gambit scrubbed a hand across his chin, raising his eyebrows as he regarded her carefully.

"Better - much better. Y' ain't a bad liar, chere. Pretty good one in fact, which is prob'ly why de X-Men haven't caught on yet. Someone like one-eye or Beast, dey'd be fooled easy. Even d' telepath if'n you can keep y'r mental blocks up. Might could be Wolverine would, too. But a t'ief - a t'ief still knows."

Rogue's stomach dropped as she tried to mask her sudden fear and shallow breathing. "How? How could you POSSIBLY know if ah'm tellin' the truth or not? Y'r the only person who's EVER accused me of lyin', so what makes YOU such an expert?!"

Her anger rose until she was practically spitting as she watched Gambit casually shuffle and reshuffle his cards.

"Told ya, chere, a t'ief knows. Y'r heart quickens - y'r pulse is rapid. Can tell by the way dat vein on y'r throat flutters. Y' always blink twice, like y'r calculatin'. Y'r answers ain't automatic. Y'r pausin' t' compose y'rself like y've gotta force it outta y'r mind. And d' despair? It's ROLLIN' off ya like a storm cloud."

He didn't raise his eyes at all while he spoke, focusing instead on the elaborate tricks and flourishes of his cards. Rogue watched the cards movements all throughout, unaware that while he mesmerized her with his movements, her body language and emotions were giving him all the confirmation he needed.

Rogue's breath hitched and she had to bite her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. She wanted to yell at him, scream and throw things and beat him to a bloody pulp for doubting her, but a scene like that would draw attention, and if the X-Men came running, well, it would be game over.

"You just keep y'r nose outta mah business, alright?" Rogue hissed after she had composed herself some. "Y're only here 'til Hank says you've healed up enough t' take care of yourself. Don't need you stirrin' up trouble in the meantime." She half huffed, half coughed in frustration.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Gambit gave her another disarming smile as he sat back in his chair, finally looking up at her. "Ya clearly got enough of y'r own troubles wit'out dis one addin' to 'em. And since y' got no one else t' talk to 'bout it…"

"What? YOU volunteer? Listen t' all mah dirty secrets? Ah mean, why not? Maybe y'all can get me t' trust ya enough that ah tell ya about the X-Men's secrets, too, right?" She narrowed her eyes at the cajun thief, positive he had some other agenda.

"How else y' gonna learn t' deal with it, eh? Secrets like dis, dey have a way a clawin' dere way out, Rogue - sometimes right t'rough y'r soul." He pulled a single card from the middle of the deck without even looking at at, flourishing the Joker in his hand before flicking it into her lap.

"Face it, Rogue. Y' need someone in y'r corner. Kitty, Iceman, Cyclops - dey don't even know d' HALF of it, am I right? Beast makes y' nervous, Jean and Storm just irritate ya wit' d'ere patronizing, and y' can't even stand t' be in de same ROOM with Wolverine. Prob'ly 'cause it has somethin' t' do with him."

She clenched the card in her fist almost involuntarily, anger and fear flashing across her face briefly.

Gambit smirked, knowing he had struck a chord.

All at once, her face fell, her walls crumbling as she turned her face away from the cajun. "Ah - it don't matter. They don't know, and ah can't ever tell 'em. It - it would ruin everything."

Concern replaced smugness as Gambit leaned in, trying to get her to meet his eyes. "Wasn't a friend dat did dis to ya, right, chere? Not someone you or de X-Men work with?"

Red eyes flashed for a brief second as his own anger rose. He immediately quelled it, however, grateful she hadn't seen his sudden flicker of protectiveness.

Confused, Rogue finally looked up at him, her brows furrowed. "What? No - no, it ain't like that. They -" she swallowed hard, debating on how much to tell him. Her voice dropped an octave along with her stomach. "Let's just say they had an agenda."

Gambit was careful to keep his poker face from wavering. He knew what she meant, and what's more, he finally understood why. Someone had used Rogue to get even with the X-Men, presumably Wolverine, specifically. The pieces were starting to fall into place at last. The only problem was that even though his curiosity was sated, he almost wished he'd remained oblivious. Now he was responsible for keeping her secret, too. At least for as long as he wanted to retain her trust.

But he'd already known, or at least suspected, most of what she was finally confessing. Now he just had confirmation.

"You can't tell them, Remy." Rogue's eyes searched his with desperation. "Ah ain't gonna play games. If y'r really out t' blackmail me or run a con…" She gave him a dark, suspicious look, but he could feel the fear behind it.

"I promise, Rogue," Gambit said, taking her hand that was clenched around the playing card. She flinched, but didn't pull away. "Ain't like that."

"Then why?" Her eyes were so emotive, the cajun thought he might get lost in the depths of her green orbs. He could read the dispondency, the loss and isolation, and the smidgen of hope she had as he held her gaze. "Why do you even care?"

"Guessin' 'cause hurt knows hurt; and misery - she loves company, n'est ce pas?" His smooth, melodic patois soothed her as he tried to make light of the situation, and Rogue swallowed hard.

Her heart was hammering so fast she felt like she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. She searched his eyes, trying to find any hint of falsity or ulterior motive.

Gambit conceded, showing a little more of his proverbial 'hand' as he rubbed his thumb across her bare fingers.

"Gambit, he had a friend when he was a pup - Cerisse," he dropped his eyes, sighing, but still held tight to her clenched fist. "Gorgeous girl - full 'o life and this kind of contagious, bubbly energy." He smiled lightly at the memory. "One day she just shut down. Wouldn't talk t' no one, wouldn't leave d' house or go out. I tried t' get her t' talk t' me, but she said she didn't have nothin' t' say. Refused t' see me. Few weeks later she hung herself. Come t' find out, she'd been raped and she couldn't … Didn't want no one t' know. It ate her up inside 'til dere was nothin' left."

He looked up at Rogue again, who had turned her head away from him with tears in her eyes. Gradually, Remy lifted his other hand to lightly touch her chin and turn her face towards him.

"Don't want de same t'ing t' happen t' you, Rogue."

The young woman gasped, her eyes wide and full of tears. "How did you..."

He released her chin, reaching up to tuck a piece of her white bangs behind her ear, instead. "Like I said, secrets like dat have a way of comin' out - 'specially while y'r sleepin'." He gave her a tilted, understanding smile as tears finally spilled over her cheeks.

She pulled her hands away from his, scrubbing her face desperately as she started hyperventilating. "You can't - you don't… You're a BAD GUY!" She railed on him, fury substituting grief. "You're a thief, and a liar, and … What the hell kind of game do you think you're playing, Gambit!?"

Rogue threw the crumpled Joker back at him and took a swing, trying to hit him in the face. He dodged easily, but she leaned forward, trying to land more blows. He turned slightly so she could reach his uninjured right shoulder, silently allowing her to use him as a punching bag.

Rogue was exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally; in every way possible. She wanted to scream and cry and sob until her body gave up the sorry tatters of her life and she could sleep the final sleep. But the part of her that was an X-Man - the southern spitfire who'd run away from home and was later raised by Mystique and Irene - SHE wouldn't give up. Even though Remy had managed to uncover her darkest secrets in a matter of DAYS, she wouldn't just throw in the towel. She was determined to take back SOME sort of control over her life. So she did the only feasible thing she could think of - worked through her emotions with as much violence as her battered body could muster.

How dare Gambit come to her rescue in the first place? How dare he make himself at home as he recovered from wounds he got by helping HER? How dare he shun her typical defenses and flirt so unabashedly with her over the last three days? How dare he figure out all the secrets she'd been so carefully hiding, and how DARE he make her drop her guard - make her feel all the emotions she'd refused to acknowledge since the attack.

Her fists were small but powerful as she took out all her fears and frustrations on him, and Gambit flinched a few times, knowing he was going to have more than a few bruises.

Finally, her wild blows turned sloppy and feeble, and Gambit leaned into her space, running a hand over the back of her hair and coaxing her forward just enough to press her cheek to his injured shoulder. She resisted a moment, refusing to admit that he'd wormed his way past her carefully erected defenses.

With a few wracking coughs and deep, shuddering breaths, Rogue slowly relaxed into his pseudo-embrace.

She suppressed several sobs as she tried to contain her volatile emotions. She was NOT going to cry. Especially in front of someone she'd known less than a week. Especially not in front of someone who seemed to see right through her; someone who made her feel vulnerable and unsteady.

But she did not pull away from the comfort of his touch.

Somehow the slow, even motions of his hand over her hair, and the quiet, understanding strength of his presence didn't seem to evoke the same tension and unease she felt whenever her teammates tried to touch or comfort her. Instead she felt warm, and safe, and validated. There was no sense of pity, grief, or sympathy, just simple understanding.

Rogue sniffled lightly, her left cheek still resting on Gambit's shoulder as she stared out at the gardens. She kept her hands in her lap as she leaned on him from her wheelchair. Bent over at an awkward angle, Gambit kept his right hand on her head as he half crouched, half stood.

Finally, the southern girl pulled back, lifting her I.V. adorned left hand to wipe away any rogue tears.

The X-Man refused to meet Gambit's gaze as a blush rose to her cheeks. "You uh, you SURE you ain't a telepath?"

The Cajun snorted lightly as he stood up and walked behind the wheelchair, releasing the brakes. "Nah, just observant. And tres habile avec les filles," he teased flirtatiously. (very skilled with the ladies)

Clearing her throat, Rogue snorted derisively as she put her feet back on the small plates. "Uh huh. Must be why Storm looks like she's gonna hit you with a lightning bolt every time she sees ya."

He chuckled at her joke, but could still feel a sense of dread and fear coming off her. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and came around the side of the wheelchair, crouching low once more to look her in the eyes.

"Y' don't need t' worry, none, chere. Y'r secret's safe wit' me. Won't tell no one. Je te promet." (I promise you).

Still she was weary, her brows furrowed and mouth turned down in the slightest frown. He knew she doubted him, perhaps always would, but the anxiety in her eyes lessened.

"Well, all ah can do now is hope y'r a man of y'r word, Remy LeBeau." She gave him a tilted half smile. "And, well, if ya ain't… Logan'll skewer ya, any road."

"Ha!" Standing, Remy tipped his head back and laughed loudly. "De Wolverine don't scare Gambit."

Rogue shook her head, amused yet unconvinced.

Knowing intuitively that they both required movement, Gambit returned to his position behind the wheelchair and began pushing it down the path again.

"You say that now, Cajun, but you just wait 'til you have t' take him on in the Danger Room."

Gambit grinned widely as he spied the entire team pouring out of the school all at once, their heads darting around frantically in what he could only presume was a search for the two wayward patients. "Tell y' what, chere. If'n Gambit don't get kicked out by then, you have m' permission t' say, 'I told ya so.' Deal?"

She turned sideways to glance up at him, extending her right hand across and slightly behind her body. "Deal."

He shook her hand once, then kissed the back of her bare knuckles before they were interrupted by a bellowing roar.

"GAMBIT!"

~X~