"Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel"
Huey Lewis "Power of Love"

"Let's give them something to talk about,
A little mystery to figure out"
"Something To Talk About"

Part 4: Something To Talk About

New York City

Rogue immediately noticed that she felt no hint of her powers. "Remy ah think that thing temporarily neutralizes our powers when we go through it. Ah don't feel mah powers."

Remy tried to charge up a card and wasn't surprised when nothing happened. "You wanna try it again?"

Rogue smiled encouragingly and Remy kissed her passionately. She pressed her whole body against his.

Rogue broke off the kiss this time with a laugh. "We bettah have our date first, this ain't exactly the place ah imagined tah make love." She blushed a little at her audaciousness but smiled at the same time.

Remy laughed back. "I be rubbin' off on y' already, chere, `fore long y' be havin' a mind as `dirty' as mine."

"No one else could ever have a mind as dirty as yoah's!" She teased back.

Then they walked out of the alley. When Rogue saw the headline:"`MUTANT MENACE' DISCUSSED", Rogue whirled around and hugged Remy, "We are back home!" That headline, as disturbing as it was, told them they were indeed back where they belonged.

After dinner they were relaxing and talking in the restaurant. Rogue had never felt so comfortable but attracted to any man. She watched Remy's eyes as he talked, realizing how deep the intimate bond she felt towards him.

Remy saw the look in Rogue's eyes. Now was the time. "Chere, more dan ever I'm sure dat I want t' be wit' you f' de rest of my life. Je t'aime." Then taking her left hand he laid a small box in it. "Will y' marry me, ma cherie?"

Rogue gasped in surprise, "Yah want tah marry me?"

"Oui! More dan anyt'ing, ma amour!"

Rogue began to cry, "Ah nevah thought this would happen tah me. Yes, ah'll marry yah!"

Rogue clutched the box in her hand and threw her other arm around his shoulders. Remy gave her a quick kiss, then said softly, "Aren't y' gonna open it?"

Rogue laughed, "Ah'm so silly." She sat back in her seat and opened the box. Remy had picked a very well crafted ring, with diamond that was neither tiny nor ostentatious. It looked exactly right. Remy lifted the ring out the box and slid it on Rogue's ring finger. It was then that she realized she still had on the fake wedding ring she had worn while they were in the past. It had been a playful gift from Remy to reciprocate her playful gift, and to throw her off a bit about the real gift he had planned to give her that night.

After she bought the glasses, he had teased her by going up to one of those 50 cent machines that had toy rings in them. He came back with one that had a plastic ruby on it. It was just a cheap piece of gold colored aluminum and plastic. Rogue had laughed and put it on when he mock solemnly handed it to her. After a few seconds she took it off and put it into her duster pocket. It had been a simple matter to make it look like a plain wedding band, she snapped off the plastic ruby. Remy didn't have to have a ring, double ring ceremonies were just becoming common around then. So it wouldn't have been that unusual that he didn't have one too.

Rogue thought that perhaps she should take off the aluminum ring. After all it was just strip of aluminum that one could adjust to fit by the amount by the amount the band overlapped. Because Rogue had such narrow, delicate looking fingers, the child's ring fit her finger. She thought about all they had gone through the past two weeks though, and kept it on. She would wear there until she had her real wedding ring. Even then she would keep it in her jewelry box. Lordy, she thought, I'm gettin' as sentimental and romantic as Remy.

What she wanted right now was to go somewhere with Remy and make love. She waited until they got back in the car, then she said, "Remy, yah said if it was safe an' ah still wanted tah, we would make love. Well, ah want tah."

Remy didn't argue, instead he said, "De Plaza has excellent room service, we can go dere. If we're lucky maybe someone cancel dere reservation in a nice suite."

As it turned out they were in luck. It wasn't the most expensive suite, but it was one of the nicer ones. As soon as they got in the room Remy went to take a shower and Rogue called the mansion. She left a brief message with Logan, who answered the phone this time. "Something's come up, we'll be back in two weeks. Nothin' serious, we just need tah be away for the next two weeks." Then she hung up quickly, not wanting to answer any questions yet.

Logan stood there for a few seconds, dumbstruck. Then he hung up the phone. everyone in the room looked at him with curiosity. "It was Rogue, she said that `somethin' came up." Logan raised his eyebrows at Rogue's choice of words, "It wasn't no thin' to worry about, but they'd be gone the next two weeks."

Sam whistled in surprise.

Logan concurred. "One night? The Cajun's even better than I thought! Well McCoy, it looks like were both wrong.

"I was correct, however." Storm smiled and walked over to the jar that held the money.

On the side was taped a paper, with everyone's bet on the time it would take marked on it by their name. Storm had put down one night. Betsy, Warren and Scott had not participated. Jean had however. When she put the money in Scott had objected, that this was a stupid, childish activity. Jean just laughed, and said it would hurt to be silly and childish every so often. She had bet on three days, considering the man's charm, she didn't think it would take long. Sam had said one month, because Rogue could be pretty stubborn when she wanted to be. Bobby had said a year, for the same reason. Jubilee, who was visiting had laughed and said two days, Rogue couldn't resist Gambit's sexy bod' and charm. That made several of them laugh and nod. That seemed to spur even Bishop to join in the bet, he said from what little he knew of their relationship, he could not really judge but decided to go somewhere in the middle, so they put him down for six months. Storm had looked approvingly at Bishop, he was gradually beginning to loosen up, attempting to be a real friend and making efforts at humor.

As Storm walked out of the room with the jar, rampant speculation was flying about just what Rogue and Gambit would be doing the next two weeks. Logan commented, "There's things they could do without their skin actually touchin'."

Jubilee shot back, "Oh that's gross, romantic, but gross, but the Cajun is one smooth mover."

The objects of their friends' speculation were getting ready for bed. Rogue took a quick shower after Remy was done. Then shyly, with only a towel wrapped around her, she walked back into the bedroom. Remy was already in bed under the covers.

Rogue knew he was naked. She felt a little silly for still feeling shy about this, after all they had done everything but make love, and he had seen her naked every night this past week, and she had seen him naked last night. This, though, was the night...

"It be alright ma amour, I won' bite." Then he laughed, "Well at least not hard!" Remy leered at her.

"Stop it." Rogue said, but smiled back at him.

"Stop what, chere?" Remy said mock innocently.

"Uhrr...yah!" Rogue jumped onto the bed and tackled Remy, they playfully wrestled, then quickly becoming aroused. With their naked bodies in intimate contact it wasn't difficult; Remy had tossed off her towel almost immediately. They began to kiss and touch each other. Each others noises of pleasure further stimulated them. Remy waited until she had several orgasms from his hands and mouth before he moved over her. She moaned and arched her lower body towards his. As gently as he could Remy entered Rogue. She gasped, she had heard the first time hurt, but not in what way or how much, it hadn't so far, been as painful as she feared, but it was more painful than she had hoped.

Remy abruptly stilled when she gasped, and he said softly, "Cherie, Remy be really sorry, I wish it not hurt at all, but.."

"It's alright, Remy. Ah'm okay. Ah knew it was supposed tah hurt. It didn't hurt as bad as ah was afraid it would. In fact it's not now. It just feels..." She was surprise to feel herself grin, and said,"...kinda full." She giggled and blushed.

Remy laughed. "Oh chere, you surprise Remy!" Then he gently moved again, and Rogue moaned, it hardly hurt at all, but oh god, it felt good!

The more Remy moved the better it felt. It spurred her erotic thoughts, and Remy's until they orgasmed. Afterward they slowly relaxed, holding each other.

Remy gently kissed Rogue on the eyelids and on the bridge of her nose. She sighed with contentment, and kissed him back. This aroused Remy again and when Rogue felt him get hard again, still inside her she moaned and pushed her hips up against his. They made love again.

"Sorry cherie, didn't mean t' do it again tonight, y' bein' a virgin."

Rogue giggled, "Was a virgin. Ah liked it, hardly hurt at all this time."

"You feel differently in the morning, ma amour."

Rogue blushed. She had read romance novels, being too shy and embarrassed to dare ask any of other X-women what it was like, really. Even the books mentioned about feeling sore down there the next morning. She wondered, how sore? When she got up the next day, she felt like she had done a major workout. Then she smirked as she took her shower, she had!

After nearly two weeks of mostly making love, Rogue woke up that morning and could tell that her powers were returning. She quietly got dressed in one the new outfits Remy had bought her. She, in turn, had bought Remy some clothes.

Remy was still asleep. She looked in the mirror as she dressed, she silently told her reflection, If there's anythin' out there, ah hope yah made me pregnant. She had managed to persuade Remy the first night not to wear a condom, she hoped that night would be all it took. She knew with her powers that there might not be another chance. She didn't know if it could ever be controled without wearing a collar. She thought about that as she watched Remy get dressed and finally decided that she was willing to wear one if that was the only way that they could touch and have a family.

"Time t' go home?"

"Yeah." Rogue's voice had a blend of happiness and regret in it.

"Chere, I wouldn't of suggested it t' you before, because y' weren't ready f' it yet, and it be your choice anyways..."

"Ah could wear one o' those little neutralizin' collars. Ah already thought o' that," She smiled at him. "Ah'm goin' tah, ah realized wearin' one ain't givin' up, it's takin' control, same as Scott wearin' his ruby quartz glasses."

"Dat's right chere." Remy was glad to see Rogue taking control of her life now. Even if it could only be by this external measure.

He hadn't been kidding when he had said shortly after he and Rogue met that he liked strong women. That meant in all senses of the word. Rogue's emotional vulnerability had spurred his desire to protect her, out of concern for her. He was surprised that someone as bad as he was could have any kind of good effect on anyone. He always made his own choices about what he did, and took the consequences, good or bad, blaming no one but himself if the choice was bad.

Rogue had that in her already, it was deep down what had led her to the X-Men after all.

Most of the time, though, that he had known her, she was afraid to make the big decisions. Afraid of making a bad mistake, he guessed. Now though she had made one, and it was big indeed, she had decided to make herself vulnerable to him. It blew him away that she trusted him so completely now. Scared him too, being so truthful. He didn't know if he was worthy of so much trust.

Almost as if she had been reading his thoughts, she said, "Ah trust yah Remy, with all mah heart! Don't be thinkin' yah not worthy o' me! Ah know how yah think! There's no one more worthy than yah, Remy LeBeau! Yah gotta stop sellin' yoahself so short!" She hugged him, carefully avoiding any bare skin. "Now, let's go home."

Won' dey be surprised, chere...Logan's gonna know what we've been doin'."

Rogue blushed. That was true, his ol' sniffer would pick up there scents, people probably smelled different after they...made love.

"An' Betsy be nosy, she try makin' little trips in our heads..."

Rogue blushed redder, if anything, that was worse, she'd know exactly what they'd done... Rogue wished she still had that barrier she had when Carol's psyche shared her body. She knew that Remy had some sort of strong psychic barrier, lucky him!

As soon as they walked in the door, Logan looked at Remy sharply, and blurted out, "How'd you do it Gumbo?"

Rogue blushed as red as her Miata. Remy just grinned and put his arm around Rogue, and said, "De usual way, mon ami."

Betsy looked bored and said, "Spare us the details."

Remy shot back, "Why, `cause y' already pick `em up from Roguie's head? Was it good for y' too?"

Betsy blushed visibly, making it obvious that she had invaded Rogue's thoughts.

Jean looked at Betsy disapprovingly. Rogue glared at Betsy.

Betsy said defensively, "Well it's not like I had to try, she's practically broadcasting it!" Rogue stiffened in anger and her eyes narrowed. Ororo decided it was time to end this before violence erupted.

"Rogue, I have something I would like to show you."

"What?" Rogue asked, distracted. Ororo touched her sleeve. Rogue relaxed and followed Ororo to her room. When they got to the room Ororo said, "I do not know why I did not tell you this story before. I know you are interested in history..." Ororo proceeded to tell Rogue the life story of Judith. Rogue felt odd, especially when Ororo told her about Judith's escape from the south and showed her the ivory handled knife. It had been passed down in the family the generations. All Ororo knew was a strange looking couple had helped her. The man had given Judith money and the woman had given her the knife for protection.

Rogue was relieved that the story had become so vague through the generations.

Then Ororo said, "I am glad you and Remy have found your love for each other."

"Me too."

Rogue went back to her Miata then, and took her things back to her room. While she was putting the clothes away Logan came to the room and stood in the doorway.

"He treat you right?"

Rogue grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, "None o' yoah business." She smiled though.

Logan easily dodged the pillow and grinned back at her. Then he said, "The look on your face, darlin', tells me everything I need to know."

"Out!" She grabbed her other pillow and threw it more forcefully. Logan just laughed and walked away from her door. He went to Remy's room and leaned against the open door.

"Well Cajun, looks like you've got what you wanted." Then he smirked.

"Dat's right mon ami. Roguie get what she wanted too, neh?"

"Just how did it happen, Gambit?"

"We fight some people, beat dem, but dere be a device dat temporary take our powers away. Rogue want to, so we did."

"Just one more question LeBeau, you plannin' on makin' this a permanent relationship?"

"Oui!" Remy said emphatically.

"That's what thought you'd say, glad to know I was right. Now how about going out for the beer you turned down last time?"

Remy shrugged, "Why not. Let me tell ma cherie where I be goin'."

Logan burst out laughing then, "She's already got you trained!"

Remy just grinned and said, "Dat's how y' win dere hearts, neh?"