Disclaimer: All characters (except Christina Summers) are owned by Marvel comics. I am not receiving any money for this story, it’s only purpose is for the reading enjoyment of X-men fans. So do not sue me because I do not have any money—I’m broke.:-( And now on to the story……

Rogue stared out the window from her room and looked at the scene occurring outside. Chrissy Summers and her parents Scott Summers and Jean Grey were washing their car, or at least attempting to. Laughing, Chrissy grabbed the hose and began to spray cold water on both her parents. Jean shrieked and tried to hide behind the car. Scott was trying to grab the hose away from her and was getting more soaked by the minute. Chrissy kept spraying water at Scott until finally Scott was able to get the hose away from her. When he did he turned the hose on Chrissy and soon Chrissy was dripping wet.

Scott and Jean began to laugh, "How does it feel to get a taste of your own medicine?" Scott asked.

Chrissy made at face at them, "I felt a lot better when I was spraying both of you!"

"Is that a challenge?" Scott asked as he once again was going to spray water on her.

"No!" Chrissy yelled and then laughed as she ran behind Scott and pinched the hose so no water came out. "HA! You can’t get me now!"

"Don’t bet on it!" Jean told her as she sneaked behind Chrissy and poured a bucket of water on her.

" Mom!" Chrissy yelled as she ran behind the car, "That is not fair!" Chrissy complained as she wiped some of the water off of her face.

"It is too fair!" Jean told her smiling.

"Is NOT!" Chrissy whined.

"Is too." Scott said laughing.

Rogue couldn’t help but laugh at them.

Chrissy heard her and looked up, "You want to join us, Rogue?" she said with a smirk.

"No thanks, Chris." Rogue told her, "If Ah wanna get soaked, Ah know where the pool is at."

Chrissy grinned, "But this is more fun then the pool!"

Rogue shook her head, "Ah’ll take ya word for it."

"Suit yourself." Chrissy told her. She then diverted her attention back to Scott, who was holding the hose, and ran towards him as she tried to wrestle the hose out of his grasp.

Rogue smiled at how much joy Chrissy brought to both Scott and Jean. Rogue closed the window and sat down on the bed. Today was her birthday and she was a year older. Time was flying by so fast. Wasn’t it just yesterday that Chrissy was born? And now she was 10 or actually 15 because of Sinister’s growth hormone which made Chrissy age 5 years in a one year span. Still, it was 10 years ago that Chrissy was born and Rogue couldn’t believe how those years flew by. Rogue frowned. Her life wasn’t the way that she pictured it would be ten years ago. A decade ago she thought that by this time she would have her own child and even be married. She never knew that being an X-Man would bring on so many sacrifices. Rogue got up and looked in the mirror. She was pretty attractive, Gambit has told her that many times.

Gambit. Rogue couldn’t help but smile. Sure, he was a thief and he did have a past, but that was in the past. The future is what mattered the most. Why should she keep letting his past ruin their future? Heck, she didn’t have such an ideal past either.

Rogue walked back to the window and looked outside. Chrissy, just took the car sponge and was running as Scott ran in hot pursuit of her. He finally caught her and Jean ran over and pried the sponge from Chrissy. When she did she began to tickle Chrissy and she began to laugh.

Rogue smiled and then felt the deep loneliness inside of her. When Chrissy was a baby, Rogue always volunteered to baby-sit her when Scott and Jean wanted to go out. Rogue still remembered how wonderful it felt to rock a baby, even with her gloves on, to sleep. It was such a joy to watch her start crawling and then walking. Rogue envied Scott and Jean so much that had to stop herself from crying whenever she saw how happy they were.

"Not any more." She muttered to herself as she walked away from the window. "Ah’m tired of not havin’ the happiness Ah deserve." With her mind made up she went to her door, opened it and found Gambit standing in the doorway.

"Hello, chere." He told her. He then pulled a bouquet of red roses from behind him and handed it to her. "Happy Birthday, Rogue"

Rogue felt tears form in her eyes, "Thank you." She told him as she took the flowers and smelled their delicate scent.

Remy smiled, "Dat’s not all, chere." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little wrapped box and handed it to her.

Rogue put the roses on her dresser and took the box from Remy. Her hand was shaking as she began unwraping the gift. Lifting the lid from the box she discovered a beautiful Cameo on a gold chain. Rogue sat down on her bed and looked at the gift. Turning towards Remy she whispered, "It’s somethin’ I always wanted." She looked at the gift again and took off her glove to feel it. It was nice and smooth with no flaws at all—perfect. "Thank ya, Remy." She told him as she looked at the Cameo.

"I ‘member you sayin’ your grandma had one, an how you always wan’ed it." Remy told her as he sat down beside her on the bed. "Chere, dis isn’t all ya gifts. I have de whole night planned out fo’ you."

Rogue looked at Remy, "Remy, ya really didn’t hav’ ta go all ta this trouble for me."

"Yes, I did. Rogue, you mean so much to me an dis is de only way I could tink of to show you dat."

"Remy…Ah…"

"What is it, chere?"

Rogue looked into his red eyes and could see deep into his soul, he truly meant what he said to her and Rogue felt a glimmer of hope fill her heart. "Remy, Ah’ve been thinkin’ a lot ‘bout us."

Remy took hold of her gloved hand and held it, "So have I, chere. "

Rogue gently squeezed Remy’s hand, "What have ya been thinkin’?"

"You tell me, first."

Rogue sighed, "Remy, Ah’m not gettin any younga. Ah looked at Chrissy taday an Ah realized that it’s been 10 years since she was born. 10 years, Remy. Ah still rememba her in diapers! An then Ah realized that if Ah don’t find a way to control mah powers soon then Ah probably will nevah have kids like Ah always dreamed o’ havin’."

"I’ll help you, chere. We find a way to control your powers."

Rogue looked at him, "Remy, Ah love you an Ah need you but if you don’t feel the same…."

"I do. More den you can imagine, chere." He gently kissed her gloved hand and said, "I make you dreams come true."

Rogue felt tears of joy fall from her eyes as she hugged Remy. She felt happy and she wanted to say happy—forever.

When they released each other Remy was the first to speak, "De first ting we do is get married."

Rogue felt her jaw drop, "Remy?"

Remy got down on one knee and pulled another box from his pocket, "Rogue, will you marry me?" he flipped open the lid of the box and a huge diamond ring was revealed.

"Oh, Remy! Yes!" she told him as her heart began to beat faster.

Remy smiled and took the ring out but before he could place it on Rogue’s finger there was a knock at the door.

Remy felt like kicking the person who interrupted them, but Rogue just gave him a smile and said, "Come in."

Chrissy, in a pair of dry jeans and a t-shirt, opened the door and was holding a medium sized box in her hand. When she saw Remy kneeling in front of Rogue with a engagement ring in his hand, she turned red.

"Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…. Oh, you must hate me. …"

Rogue got up and went over to her, "No, Chris, it’s all right. Ya actually got here jus’ in time. Ah’m marrin’ you’re Uncle Remy."

Chrissy smiled, "You said ‘yes’? That’s great! I’m so happy for you!" Chrissy hugged Rogue and then handed her the box. "I guess that you can consider this both a Birthday gift and an engagement gift."

"Chris, ya didn’t hav’ ta." Rogue said as she took the gift.

"Yes, I did. I know that this will give you the happiness that you deserve to have. Besides, you’ve put up with me all year long."

Remy laughed, "Oh,she definitely need a prize fo dat."

Rogue gave him a stern look.

"Oh, thanks Uncle Remy. "

"I’m kiddin’, chere." Remy told her as he got up and ruffled her hair.

"Stop it!" Chrissy told him as she lightly punched him in the ribs.

"Oh, come on Chris. You Uncle Remy teach you how to hit better den dat."

"Well, if I hit you the way you taught me you’d be on the ground unconscious." Chrissy taunted.

"I don’t think…"

"Ah!" Rogue screeched as she opened Chrissy’s gift.

Remy raced over to her and looked over her shoulder. Rogue smiled as she took out a yellow collar which was about 3 inches thick. "Chrissy this is…"

"It’s one of the Genosian collars." She took it from Rogue’s hands and showed her, "Uncle Hank helped me refine this one and we also components from another one that we can integrate into one of your necklaces and it’ll work just like this one does." Chrissy gave Rogue the collar back, "I know how much you hated these things but I thought that maybe…."

"Ah love it." Rogue told her.

Chrissy breathed a sigh of relief, "I’m glad. I was worried that you’d be mad at me."

Rogue shook her head, "No, Ah’m not. It’s a wonderful gift Chrissy. Thank you, sugar." Rogue then took the Cameo that Remy gave to her and asked Chrissy, "Ya said that ya can make one of my necklaces like this collar, will this work?"

Chrissy took the Cameo and looked at it and it’s gold chain. "I think it will. I’ll have to have Uncle Hank take a look at it."

"You go do dat, chere." Remy told her as he gently started to push her out of the room.

"Wait!" Rogue told Chrissy before Remy closed the door on her. Rogue put the collar on and walked up to Chrissy. She embraced her like her own child, "Thank you, gal. This is the best birthday Ah ever had. "

"You’re welcome." Chrissy whispered back to her. She then turned and left.

Rogue closed the door and looked at Remy. Remy smiled and took Rogue’s ungloved hand and placed the ring on her finger. He then leaned toward her and kissed her. When he released her, she was smiling.

"Ah guess Ah’m gettin my birthday wish after all." With that she took Remy again and kissed him.

So what did you think? Email me with your comments! Danneparis@hotmail.com.