Chapter 2

What was shaping up to be a perfect day, starting out with a nice breakfast in the company of his friends and the girl of his dreams turned out to be a disaster. He hated Magneto's guts so very much. He ridiculed him in front of his team, tried to impress his girl, and the birthday party he had in mind to celebrate the birthday of his dear protégé, and secret admirer was shut down.

Remy LeBeau paced the length of the metallic corridor, his footsteps echoing sharply in the sterile silence of what was now Magneto's domain.

'Dear professor Charles Xavier, what the fuck were you thinking?' He spoke under his breath, the very same question Scott Summers asked himself on a daily basis.

Anger simmered in his red-on-black eyes, his mind replaying the conversation that had just unfolded at breakfast table.

"Jubilee will see far more birthdays should she learn to master her powers to face a world that despises her," Magneto had declared, his steely gaze unyielding. Remy was already hating on the man for mocking him in front of his friends, picking up little cock fights whenever Rogue was around. This time he had the audacity to diminish him by declaring he was the one giving orders in that house.

The older man demoralized him in front of his chére, not satisfied with that, he proceeded to deny the chance for the team to celebrate Jubilee's eighteenth birthday. He despised him so much, that man, he made everything he touched miserable, Remy concluded. Everything! Just one glance at Rogue, and anyone who knew about that truth could come to that same conclusion. He could touch her, so, she too was miserable.

The finality in Magneto's tone had been like a slap to Remy's face. Jubilee's eighteenth birthday was a milestone, a day worth celebrating, a welcome distraction to the otherwise bleak existence they endured as mutants. For Magneto to dismiss it so callously felt like a personal affront, not just to Jubilee, but to the entire team who had become her family. They saw that girl flourish. She came a long way from being the annoying little brat that she was when she first came to the mansion at the tender age of thirteen to becoming a full-fledged member of the team. The girl was a good friend, supportive, and dependable. Her enthusiasm brought joy to their lives each and every single day.

"Fucking bucket head," Remy muttered, his Cajun accent thickening with each syllable. "The man wouldn't know fun if it bit him on his ugly old ass."

He reached the end of the corridor, pausing before a large window that overlooked the gardens outside. He clenched his fists, the cards tucked in his glove crackling with kinetic energy, a tangible manifestation of his frustration.

"Jubilee deserves better than this," he said to his ears only, his voice a low growl. "She deserves a night to remember, not just another day in this war."

Turning sharply on his heel, Remy made his way to the dormitories, determination hardening his resolve with every step. He would not let Magneto's tyranny snuff out the spark of joy that Jubilee brought to their lives. No, if the Master of Magnetism wouldn't permit a party, then Gambit would take matters into his own hands.

He rapped softly on the door of Rogue's room, crossing his heart and hoping to God she was not in yet another training session with Erik. He hated it when he heard her calling him by his first name. He could be understanding, and let her have it her way, choose to be with 'Erik' or anyone else she wanted to, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Closing his eyes for a second, he took a deep breath and tried to focus on the problem at hand instead of his feelings of jealousy. He knew that if anyone could help him pull this night off, it was her. The door swung open, revealing Rogue's concerned face. Her green eyes widened as she took in Remy's tense demeanor.

"Remy, what's wrong, sugar?" she asked, stepping aside to let him in.

"We're taking Jubilee out tonight," he announced, cutting to the chase. "Magneto be damned. That girl is gonna have the best birthday of her life."

"Geez, sugar, I don't know if this is such a good idea. I mean, Magneto said that," Rogue tried to object to his idea of rebellion against their new leader, but her old time special friend wouldn't let her get another word out.

"Back there, you told the girl we had some surprises for her. So? What are they?"

She bit her lip to suppress a smile. Remy LeBeau, standing in her room with those beautiful flaming eyes of his, all focused to help someone looked so fine. All that determination and fire in his eyes had such an effect on her, he was a sight to behold. He was acting selflessly to make sure Jubilee had a happy eighteenth birthday, and he was so invested on it, that it tugged at her heart in ways she couldn't fully express. That man would be the death of her—or perhaps his own, given the circumstances.

The fear constantly consumed her, the thought that one day she might lose control, might give in to the overwhelming urge to kiss him, to feel his delicious lips on hers. She had felt them before, and she knew how insanely luscious they tasted. She was terrified that someday, it would all be too much for her and she would end up putting him in a coma. It was a dangerous dance they danced, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep resisting.

Her mind played tricks on her as she stared at him without even noticing she was doing it. The more she looked at him, the more she liked what she saw. That roguish grin that reached his eyes, she felt a warmth spreading through her, a familiar and frustratingly persistent flutter in her chest. Rogue felt her cheeks heat up, and she quickly looked away, cursing herself for the reaction. She was supposed to be listening to him, not getting lost in those hypnotic red-on-black eyes of his.

"So, chére? Care to share?" He insisted, for once not realizing the effect he had on her. She thanked all heavens and stars above for that.

"We got her a new Sony Discman. She kind of ruined her old one, yet again. Hank picked up some new CDs from the store from bands he knows she likes as well," she replied, finally focusing on his words instead of his handsome looks.

"Aw, no! Is that all? You see, that won't cut it, chére. The girl deserves more, she needs something unforgettable, like a nice party. You know she does, eh? Wouldn't you want to have a special eighteenth birthday celebration?"

For a moment, he listened to himself and thought about how he would have given anything to be in Jubilee's shoes. His eighteenth birthday had been marked by a wedding he didn't ask for, and the events that unfolded in his wedding night led to his exile from his hometown. Maybe that was why he was so invested in giving Jubilee a night to remember for good reasons. Little did he know that Rogue too didn't celebrate her eighteenth birthday like a normal girl would. Mystique's idea of a nice eighteenth celebration was to have her break into some government facility to exercise the use her powers to full extent. All those years training to be a weapon that culminated in her debut, in becoming an actual terrorist.

"You know what? You're right! Magneto be damned indeed. I was secretly hoping you'd do something about that, to challenge his orders. What's the plan?" She said with a slow smile sliding across her lips.

Remy grinned, his earlier anger morphing into sheer excitement.

"Gambit thought you'd never ask! You help me circulate the news to the team throughout the day. I'll personally go to Jube's room to share the surprise arrangement at about ten pm. We all find our ways to sneak out of the house at half past ten and hit the best disco this side of the city. I know an exclusive place that will accept me and those with me at the drop of a hat. We got access to music that hasn't even hit the radios yet. I'm sure Jubilee is going to love that."

Rogue nodded, her smile growing. She made a point of not asking how on Earth the club played songs that were not marketed yet, and how he got V.I.P. treatment in such a place, but she could well imagine what it was about… those certain affiliations he had with a notorious guild that also happened to have ramifications in New York. All that bad boy vibe of his gave her the hots.

"OK, sugar. Of course, you can count me in. Let's do this," she breathed out, causing a huge smile to split his face in two.

Rogue made a point of not skipping her training sessions with Magneto so as not to arise any suspicions on his side, but during her breaks, she would help Remy in the task of spreading the word. They quietly shared their plans with their pals. Remy's mind raced with details and contingencies throughout the day. They would need to avoid Magneto's watchful eyes, slip past the security systems, and ensure they were back before dawn. It was a tall order, but Gambit relished the challenge. For Jubilee, he would move mountains.

Morph, always the optimist, usually in the mood for fun, grinned as he clapped Remy on the shoulder when he heard his plans. "A night out sounds like just what we need. Count me in."

Logan merely grunted, a twinkle in his eye betraying his amusement. "Let's get this over with, Cajun. The girl deserves a decent celebration. Just make sure we don't end up on Magneto's hit list."

"Leave that to me, mon ami," Remy said with a wink. "Tonight, we dance."

Jean and Scott were absent, attending United Nations meetings as representatives of mutantkind. The primary topic of such meetings being Genosha entering the UN. Besides, even if they were around, they had their own conflicts and demons to deal with after they found out about the switch and a clone. Drama that would last them for a millennium, they wouldn't be in the mood.

In his quest to invite everyone, surely he couldn't miss the new kid on the block, Roberto da Costa, the Brazilian Richie rich kid. He couldn't find the new boy anywhere, though. Maybe he had left the mansion? He didn't look he was going to last anyway. He paid no mind to that, and just moved on to speak to Hank next, but it turned out Rogue had beaten him to it.

When it was around 10 pm, Rogue was making sure she oversaw Erik going to his chambers after their last training session for the day. She would have 20 minutes to get ready, oh well, that would have to do. Meanwhile, Remy headed to Jubilee's room to proudly share the news that they had something planned for her and tell her to get ready for an amazing disco night.

He knocked on the door, their secret coded knock and got no reply. It consisted of a rhythmic pattern only known to the two of them: three quick taps followed by a pause, then two slow, deliberate knocks, another pause, and finally a single, firm tap. He always used it to invite the young one to some mischief, like secretly riding Logan's motorbike without his permission, switching the contents of Jean's seasoning pots, removing the labels and replacing the salt with sugar, the pepper with cinnamon… That, or messing up Hank's lab.

He couldn't hear any movement from outside, and it was not like her. She would be playing loud video games at that time. Curiosity got the better of him, so he leaned against the door in a clear attempt to eavesdrop. Who knows, maybe she had arranged her own celebration and left the mansion before they could inform her of their plans.

"Jubes?" he called out with a whisper. "Jubes?" Then, he knocked again.

Suddenly some troubled sounds, some sort of commotion coming from inside. There was another voice but hers, as well. After a few brief moments the birthday girl rushed to the door and opened it for him. Remy took a curious peek inside and saw the person with her was no one other than Roberto. They both looked flustered, their faces puffy and glistening with sweat. Of course, Gambit jumped into conclusions.

"Damn, Petite! Never thought you would have celebrated your birthday in that sort of fashion. Hats are off to you, boy. Now anything I have for Jubes will be small by comparison," he said with a sneer.

"What? No!" Roberto exclaimed.

"One word to you, Rems: Mojo," the girl said, pointing to a busted video game console.

"Oh, okay," he said, immediately accepting that as a plausible answer.

"That easy? Esses caras são malucos,"* the young mutant whispered to himself. He watched the excited interaction between the two unlikely friends bewildered.

Remy told Jubilee about their plans and the girl jumped up and down in sheer excitement, hugging him from time to time.

"We don't have much time, Jubes. Hurry up and go get ready. We meet in 15 minutes," he told her. Jubilee nodded in agreement.

"Roberto, you are coming too, of course. Move it, mon ami."

And that he did, no way he was going to miss Jubilee's party, especially not after that breathtaking kiss they had just shared before Gambit knocked on the door and ruined the moment. So, when it was ten thirty, he was all dressed up and ready to go. When he left the room he had been staying at for the last few days, he was surprised to see all the other mutants in the house, except for Magneto, ready to go too.

"Right on time, fils. Trés bien. I like someone who can keep track of time during a heist," he said as a compliment, leaving the young man confused.

"Heist!?"

"Not like a real heist, Roberto. Chill! That's just Gambit being Gambit," Jubilee said, joining them in a trendy bodysuit, sneakers, and her trademark pink shades. Roberto couldn't help but smile appreciatively.

Just then, Rogue arrived, dressed to kill in a dark green, long-sleeved dress, dark polka dot stockings, black leather ankle boots, and leather gloves that matched her shoes. She looked unsure of herself and was deliberately avoiding people's eyes. Gambit managed to make her ease up a little, by offering his hand to her, which she was quick to accept. So simple and easy, like in good old days when everyone in the mansion saw them as one item. As soon as their eyes met, she smiled at him, a little shy at first. When he bent down, taking her hand to his lips so he could kiss her glove covered knuckles in a sign of adoration, she was completely disarmed and showed him a huge grin.

With a final, conspiratorial glance at his assembled team of sorts, Remy felt a surge of pride. They were more than just a group of mutants fighting for survival or roommates who shared their place of residence. They were a family, bound by loyalty and love. And tonight, they would celebrate like one, against their new leader's wishes. And to Remy LeBeau, that part, defying the old man's commands, was one of the best parts of it.

Rogue, on the other hand, had mixed feelings. She was thrilled to go out with her friends, and most importantly, with him, Remy LeBeay, her one true love and soulmate, but she also felt guilty and ashamed for going against Erik's explicit orders. It was hard not to feel like that when she had to spend so much time with him during the past few weeks.

Just as they were leaving the mansion, not exactly being quiet about it, Rogue and Gambit rushed to his motorcycle, hand in hand. Rogue glanced over her shoulder and felt it. He had to know, right? Lurking in the shadows, she saw him for half a second, watching from the dark through the windows. She could have sworn their eyes met briefly, and she felt dirty, judged. The feeling subsided as quickly as it came, though. Remy noticed her tension and when he looked up trying to see what had spooked her, Magneto was gone. But he knew, he just knew.

"What is he going to do, chére? Ground us? Fly to the gate and refuse to let us pass? We are grown-ups and last I checked my rights to come and go as I please have not been revoked… yet."

"I… I'm… you're right, Remy. I know," she conceded.

To her surprise, he swiftly pulled her close to him, their bodies aligning in perfect harmony. She gasped, both thrilled and terrified of his proximity. He looked so fine, that grin he was showcasing made her knees go weak. His hands rested gently on the fabric of her dress, fingers tracing the delicate contours without ever touching her skin. His breath, warm and comforting, caressed her neck as he leaned in, his lips hovering near her ear, but never touching her.

"Oh, chére, let go of the old party pooper. You're ma princesse tonight and Gambit is going to show you a night to remember," he whispered in her ear. The heat of his presence and the gentle pressure of his embrace enveloped her, creating an intimate cocoon that was as thrilling as it was tender. She could feel the buzz. Remy LeBeau was as handsome as he was right. She should forget about the rules for one night at least, break free from the hold the older man seemed to have over her. She owed him nothing, she was young and free and she knew the man in front of her loved her with a passion. He told her so in multiple occasions, never feeling defeated when he hadn't heard the same words back at him. The feeling was mutual and so strong, but she kept it all in, trying hard to protect him from her lethal touch.

And off they went. He climbed onto his bike with effortless grace, and she followed suit, slipping onto the seat behind him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body through his jacket. She lived for moments like those. In her mind, she would play scenarios, that she was just a normal girl, no life threating powers, going for a ride with her man. The intoxicating scent of him filled her senses, a blend of leather, cologne, and something uniquely his. She closed her eyes and sighed lightly, hoping he wouldn't notice the effect he had on her. As the engine roared to life and they made it past the gates, Magnus was all but forgotten. The world blurred around them, she closed her eyes and savored the exhilarating freedom and the intimate closeness they shared. It just felt so right, as if they were meant to be.

For a split second, she thought of the little to no progress she made in her sessions with the master of magnetism. Gaining control was all she wanted, so that's why she couldn't burn bridges with Erik, not now. She would keep doing whatever it took because the man she held tight inside her arms was reason enough. The love she secretly felt for him was worth fighting for. Their night was just beginning, and she just knew she was in for a whole night of that sensual dance of theirs, a dance of desire and restraint, his touch both near and far, teasing and promising better, sweeter days.

To be continued…

'Esses caras são malucos' These guys are crazy, in Brazilian Portuguese. Finally, I get to write a character that shares the same language as me and that I can confidently insert these little tidbits.

Next up, a lot of nightclub shenanigans. Because we need some relief before the dark chapters ahead.