Trapped In a Bottle

Chapter Three

Enjoy

X-_X-_X

"Shhh! She'll, like, hear us!" whispered Kitty Pride furiously. She didn't bother with trying to be nice when she grabbed her companions' shoulders roughly to get her point across.

"Then what are we even here for?" demanded a frustrated Jubilation Lee. She shook Kitty's hand off with a glare.

"We've got to find out what's up with Rogue! You're the one that volunteered the plan, so why are you, like, complaining!" Kitty replied, pushing Jubilee slightly.

"Hey! Don't push me!" demanded, quietly, an, again, frustrated Jubilee.

Then she pushed back.

X-_X-_X

Rogue half hummed as she added two eggs to the deliciously smelling cake batter that she was stirring,

It felt so unnatural!

She couldn't help it…she felt giddy. She felt an uncontrollable giddiness that was leading her to want to do something for her fellow X-Men, something considered normal.

It was still so unnatural to her. Gambit wanted her! The untouchable, uncontrollable, unconceivable Rogue and she had the Professors permission! These things were monumental; they were things that she never, ever thought would matter in her life.

That's why she was doing what she is right now. Baking a cake and it happened to be for the professor, a 'thank you' of sorts. Ororo always baked one for him every now and then, and the simple task seemed like the right thing to do. She had so much energy she needed to keep her hands busy, and she didn't need Logan suggesting that she go that through DR.

Though every now and then she could hear the whispers of her fellow peers, she abruptly cut herself off from letting it bother her. They would stand by the door, peak in through the window, and some daring fool had cracked open the door an inch.

She enjoyed fully what she was doing to them! She got a certain amount of sadistic pride out of seeing them seeing her abnormality. They could wonder and gossip about it all they want.

Though, the next moment the whole ordeal did seem a bit much as the kitchen door went flying open, sending two teenage girls into the table, and sending the bowl of fruit that adorned it to a quick meeting with the floor.

Appkes went all over the floor as a shaken Jubilee and Kitty rolled out into the kitchen floor. They stared at each other, at her, and then back to each other. Jubilee picked up an apple from next to her and the stared at it as if she couldn't believe what happened.

Rogue put the cake into the stove and sat down at the table, Pepsi in hand, looking directly down at the two eavesdroppers on the floor. She took a slow draw from her soda, and then raised a brow expectantly.

Kitty and Jubilee stared up from the floor, guilty expressions marring their features, deer caught in the headlights. Kitty tried to hurry and get up, brushing of her shirt, but Jubilee snatched the edge of her blouse and pulled her back down, as if she were afraid of being left.

After several moments of staring at each other Rogue got up from the table and made for the door.

"Ah'm sure ya'll wouldn't mind cleanin' this all up, now would ya'?" questioned Rogue as she walked gracefully out the doorway. She sashayed slightly, the grin on her face matching the swagger in her step.

Kitty and Jubilee nodded their heads numbly.

"Oh and girls?" Rogue popped her head back through the door. "Ya'll wouldn't mind takin' mah cake out in about an hour? Would ya'?"

"Like, sure Rogue," answered Kitty as she finally regained the use of her vocal cords. She crawled quickly on hands and needs checking to make sure that Rogue was really clear of the door. Then she sat back on her heels, heaving a sigh before glaring at the trench coat wearing girl.

Rogue was barely able to contain her laughter as she strolled back down the hallway, still sipping her Pepsi. Yes, it was good to be able to feel 'normal' some times.

X-_X-_X

For the next week and a half Rogue managed to tune down the 'abnormal' behavior of hers and regain her 'normal' attitude. Still she was happier that she had ever been in the years before. She met her training with more ferocity, and she put an effort into conversation with her peers.

Also, the professor was getting quite a sweet tooth from Rogue's 'thank you.'

Kitty was also fully enjoying the cheerier attitude of Rogue, she was able to play her music more, talk about boys more, ask fashion advice more, and all around, be Kitty more. If the rest of the X-Men noticed any more of a more tangible difference, they didn't bother saying anything.

All and all it seemed a brighter side of life.

X-_X-_X

"Chuck what is wrong with her?" demanded a frustrated and irate Wolverine the next morning. "She's bonding with half-pint, helping the new recruits, and for God's sake she's baking!"

"Yes, I have noticed," said the professor a somewhat cheeky expression on his face. "But it seems she has finally been able to achieve the help that she has never really ever been able to grasp form us."

"What?" asked Wolverine a furious expression was still on his face but it seemed to be more mixed with curiosity and worry now. "What the hell do you mean by help?"

The Professor's smile subdued itself in luminosity after a moment. "Rogue's feelings her powers have been long ingrained in her mind, and her feelings towards us are long ingrained as well."

Logan drew himself away from the doorway, taking once of the seats in front of the Professor's desk, and crossing his arms. "What feelings towards us?"

Wolverine may have thought that the Professor meant she had resentment towards them, for always being the good guys, for always trying to help and having nothing to show for it, but the Professor tried to put his mind at ease. "Just that she has always seen us as a wall of optimism, and nothing more," he soothed.

"So where's Stripe's getting this other help from?" demanded the man, running a hand across his chin. His protective attitude for the children of the Institute, especially Rogue, was always appreciated in these moments.

"Let me put it this way Logan, Rogue's sick," said the Professor. He uncurled a hand, knowing he'd have to explain further.

"Come again?"

"Logan, Rogue is sick of being sick," the Professor continued "The association between her and the," he coughed slightly "other gentleman has convinced her that she's not infirm, that she can gain normalcy, something that she can't quite gather from just being here."

"This other gentleman, huh?" snorted Wolverine, shaking his head some. "That's a way to put it."

The professor grinned.

X-_X-_X

"Bye Kit!" Rogue yelled out to Kitty as she bounded out the front door for a date, she had refused to tell anyone who it was with. They all cheekily suggested that she was back together with Lance.

Rogue sighed as she lay back down on her bed, putting a CD in her player, and closing her eyes, it was odd but she was slightly discontented without the steady flow of words coming from the other side of her room.

However she was truly content to simply be able to lie there, and listen to music. Thank God that she didn't have any DR Sessions that night, she didn't feel like activity at the moment, she wanted to sit and feel like she was relaxing during a nice evening in the south, the way she used to.

Though another bright thing to look up to, probably the best thing of all; Remy was expected back in town any day now. He really had never told her what it was he was doing, and Rogue half heartedly told herself that she really didn't want to know.

Then, soon, they would have the chance to go on a second date!

While Rogue was still excited about this, she didn't forget that she was still the resident Goth-glare manufacturer. She was convinced that she wanted to really give the mansion at chance again, to force out bad memories, however, that this fact made her grin, it didn't have to necessarily be easy on the other inhabitants.

"-That's where I wa-"

Her CD player stopped mid-phrase.

Rogue raised an annoyed eyebrow at the CD player as she realized that it had quit because her batteries were dead.

"Damn it!" she cursed silently.

She stood up and stretched, prepared to steal Kitty's own batteries when she noticed that something was sending a disturbing, albeit quite delightful, scent into the room. It smelled familiar too. She realized what it was the next moment.

There was a small path of rose petals leading from the bottom of her bed to the doorway of the balcony. The setting was utterly ridiculous of course, at least to her, but worth investigation nonetheless.

Rogue let her curiosity direct her feet as she started to walk somewhat cautiously towards the balcony, though she began to let her guard down when she realized what this probably was, and who was probably responsible for it.

After all, not many people had the abilities to sneak into her room and set a trail of fragrant rose petals without her noticing. They were special abilities, you had to learn them, and they were especially helpful in certain career paths.

Boy did she hope she was right!

Rogue reached the balcony door and rested her hand on the door's handle, and in one simultaneous movement she opened the door and threw back the curtain, barely hesitating.

And if she was right then on the balcony in front of her, waiting for her should be none other than –

"Gambit!" Rogue rushed forward and threw herself at the grinning man who had been waiting on the balcony before her. She didn't let the fact that she had willingly thrown herself diminish her instantaneous happiness. She could act out a bit if she wanted to.

Oh she was so happy! He came back for her. He came back for her! She wasn't sure what she had been thinking but for some reason she felt he wouldn't come back for her. It had been a hope, a semi conscious dream, and now it was reality.

She was very, very happy that she was wrong.

"Why chere, Remy t'ink somebody b'en missin' Remy, non?" he grinned cheekily down at her.

"Ah hate you!" she said but buried her head in his chest to hide her smile.

She knew he could feel it.

"Remy don' understand dis femme," Remy said feigning an exasperated voice. He glanced cautiously at either side of Rogue's balcony, but either resident didn't seem to in their rooms, if their darkened quarters were any indication.

"Ya' do not that rose petals are highly cliché don't ya'?" said Rogue snidely.

Gambit chuckled; trust the gal in his arms to have that as an opening statement. They remained in that position for a least a few minutes more. He standing there, she wrapped up in his arms. Content.

"Guess who Remy saw on his way up?"

"Who?" Rogue mumbled against his chest. She was clearly less interested in the conversation and more interested in the semi physical contact.

"La petite chat."

"Yeah, she has a date," Rogue mumbled vaguely wondering if this was supposed to be "small talk" or something.

"But y' know what, chere?" Remy said, bending down so that he could talk directly into her ear.

"What?" said Rogue, slightly annoyed. Why were they talking about Kitty?

"Remy know who she be havin' da date wit'."

"Who?" said Rogue incredulously, moving her head to look up at him. "An' how the hell did ya' find out?"

"Because da homme that she be going out wit' tonight happens t' live wit' Remy," he grinned down at her, he was clearly waiting to pull this on her.

"What?" said Rogue, looking in –no other words to describe it- flabbergasted. Kitty was on a date with an Acolyte? Was that really some new fashionable trend or what?

Remy chucked, oh yeah, he had been waiting a long time to inform her of this one.

"Ya' cannot be serious! Which one is it?" Rogue asked, secretly pleased. She wasn't the only one dating a 'bad' guy now.

"Piotr. He's da one called Colossus," Remy answered her. "Remy couldn't believe it when he found out to, Cherie."

"It's definitely unbelievable, Ah wonda' where they met?" Rogue looked up at him questioningly. She and Gambit had only ever been in contact with one another because for the longest amount of time he had a stalker complex, but she didn't see the same thing flying with Kitty.

"Remy don' know, Cherie, he t'aught he'd leave dat job up to y'."

"Ah'm thrilled," said Rogue. "It'll be so hard to get information out of Kitty about a guy."

Remy let out a bark-like laughter.

"An' what's so funny, swamp rat?" demanded Rogue, of course she was still grinning.

"Jus' you Cherie, y' brighten Remy's day ev'rytime he sees y'."

Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Well you certainly haven't lost your silver tongue while you were away," she turned to that she was leaning her back into him, and he leaning into the balcony rail. It was exposed, but who didn't enjoy some danger at being discovered?

Remy grinned. "Dat reminds Remy!"

"Of what?" questioned Rogue saucily; she let a hand go to her hip, reflecting on the woman who raised her.

"Remy owes you a date, Cherie," Remy leaned down towards her again. But she resisted his advance, smiling.

"An' where might we be going'?" Rogue asked, leaning against the sliding glass door that lead back to her and Kitty's room.

"It's a surprise, chere," Remy replied. "Let me work my…magic."

Rogue snorted, but before she could press Remy any further they heard the distinct shutting of a car door, and Kitty's bubbling laughter.

Remy leaned off the railing and mock bowed before Rogue. "That sounds like Remy's ride, Cherie."

"What?"

"Remy's got to try and hop a ride back wit' Piotr," Remy replied. Be braced both hands on the railing.

"You mean he was your ride over hear?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"Naturally y' tink Remy'd waste the chance to annoy Piotr about his hot date, non?"

"Shoulda' known, swamp rat, shoulda' known," Rogue laughed. She was disappointed that the meeting could only last as long as Kitty's date, but, it really was logical that that would be the course of actions. She was an X-Man, she had responsibilities.

"Au Revoir, ma belle Cherie," Remy said, smiling softly as he kissed her satin gloved hand.

"See ya' later…Remy," Rogue said softly, almost shyly. Of course when she realized she was acting shy she donned a defiant expression.

Remy looked, in no other choice of words, touched.

Right well, this was getting just a touch bit too sappy for Rogue.

"Right…well—bye."

Rogue hurriedly turned and slid the door open, stepping over the threshold and clicking the door shut behind her, and the drawing curtain.

Rogue turned around with a slightly disgusted expression on her face.

"That was…Romantic!"

X-_X-_X

Remy watched as Rogue snapped the Terrace door shut, a slight blush remaining on her features.

He grinned, there was nothing else in the world he could do.

He was complete, at least for the night. He knew that completion was never a permanent gift, you could fight for it, but in his experience, you could also lose it too.

It was in that instance that he realized Rogue was, at least impressionably, the girl.

He silently vaulted over the railing and landed deftly on the ground, not jarred at all.

It was time to see how Piotr's date went.

Then he did the only thing he could do; he grinned.

X-_X-_X

This time Rogue was waiting on Kitty's bed when kitty came home from her date.

So when Kitty phased through the door to their room, expecting Rogue to be asleep, it came to her as quite a shock to see Rogue sitting on her bed (all leaned back and relaxed too) with a smirk in her face that looked like it belonged on a certain Cajun's face instead.

Kitty finished phasing through the door and stood uncertainly before Rogue, her purse clutched to her chest.

"Hey Rogue, did you, like, need something?" Kitty asked, shifting from side to side in her nervousness. She cocked her head to the side, smiling in what she hoped was an innocent manner.

"Yeah Kit, I was just wondering how your date went?" replied Rogue, sitting up. She leaned forward and stared at Kitty in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"Oh it was, like, great Rogue," said Kitty plastering on an even faker smile. She put her hand behind her head trying to wave off everything but in the end it just made her look sheepish. Why was her roommate acting like she was?

"Who did ya' say ya' were with?" asked Rogue, standing up nonchalantly. She even brushed off her shirt, resisting the urge to grin and twirl around to gloat at the girl about how she already knew.

"I-I didn't," said Kitty. Now Kitty was full blown nervous, Rogue would only do this if she knew something was up.

"Oh," was all Rogue said. She arranged her face so that no emotions of hers were showing and walked over to her bed, brushing past Kitty.

Kitty had to try hard from sighing audibly, but managed to hold her relief in. She wasn't prepared to deflect answers quite yet; she thought that she'd have all night to come up with a good story for the girls, when they asked in the morning.

And then…Rogue smirked, the Cajun smirk again.

"Now where did ya' say ya' and Piotr went again?"

Kitty shrieked.

"Like oh my God! How did you, like, find out, Rogue? Everyone doesn't know do they? Oh my God! Is the Professor, like, mad!" Kitty was flipping out, majorly. She whirled around to look at the door as if she expected someone to burst through it any moment.

"Relax, Kit, relax!" said Rogue throwing her hand out in a stop motion. "I'm the only one that knows!"

"How did you, like, find out?" said Kitty, looking at Rogue fearfully. "It isn't that obvious is it? Oh, please Rogue, don't tell anyone."

"No, Kit," said Rogue rolling her eyes. "The only person that knows besides me is the Professor; no one really pays attention anyway."

Kitty looked slightly hurt at that.

"Ah didn't mean it like that. Ah mean you have a date with a guy ev'ry week. Ya' wouldn't tell no one so they just left it alone," said Rogue.

Kitty giggled. "I guess I do, like, go out with a lot of guys sometimes," said Kitty "But what can I say?"

They were silent for a moment before Kitty spoke again.

"You never did tell me where you, like, heard about Piotr and me?"

Kitty went and threw her purse and coat on the bed before looking back up at Rogue for the answer to her question. Her stomach was flip flopping more nervously that it had the morning of her SAT's.

"Well Ah, ah…Ah was told," said Rogue finally. She was slightly hesitant to tell Kitty about Gambit and her. She supposed in retrospect it was fairly obvious.

"By who?" asked Kitty grinning. This was probably the only conversation that she had ever had with Rogue that wasn't negative in some way, by a comment or feeling. It was a good feeling. This was a true, honest to God, girl talk conversation.

Rogue thought for a moment. Finally she figured she should tell Kitty, because after all wasn't Kitty being straight with her?

"By my…boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" Kitty stared at her incredulously.

"Yeah…Gambit."

"Oh my God!" Kitty exclaimed before jumping up from her seat on the bed. She raised her hands up as if it were too much for her "No way!"

"So that's who you went on a date with?" Kitty demanded questioningly. She grinned, and felt a comfortable warmth pool in her stomach. Rogue was in the same boat she was.

"Yeah."

"I have, like, so many questions for you!" said Kitty ecstatically, jumping to the ground and then flinging herself onto Rogue's bed.

"Nuh uh!" Rogue exclaimed, glaring. "Ah had questions first so you're answering mine 'fore you get your answered!"

"Deal!"

X-_X-_X

"So both half-pint and stripes are dating them now?" Logan asked a subdued and somewhat resigned expression on his face. His posture also followed his attitude; he was rigid but still somehow slouched as he stared out the window in the Professor's office.

"Yes," replied the Professor, bringing a cup of tea to his lips. He was probably supposed to elaborate, but he's wait to see what Logan wanted from him.

"And your O.K. with this?" said Wolverine a slight growl being just held back. If he had had his way he'd be half way to tracking down both of the Acolytes and showing them just what exactly he thought about them making a move on two of his little girls.

"Yes," said the Professor looking directly at Wolverine. "I have talked to Rogue and I will talk to Kitty."

Wolverine rose from the wall and walked over so that he was directly in front of the Professor. He leaned on the desk and looked him straight in the eye. "It's been a long time since I was their age and had to put up with this, so I have only one question."

Charles nodded understandingly.

"Are they going to be safe? That's all I want to know, Chuck," asked Wolverine. He let his voice dip low "Are they really going to be safe?"

"I am certain of it, at least when it comes to the Acolytes I believe I can promise that much to you," said the Professor. "I indeed do believe they will be safe."

Logan grunted a sigh, and the Professor set down his tea with a soft chink of noise.

X-_X-_X

This chapter's been edited now too, I hadn't realized that so much of this story was a mess! I really had thought that I'd gone back and edited things a few chapters ago. Hopefully this chapter is up to par with you readers, I'm really looking forward to your feedback, and hearing what you have to think about it so far. I'm going to try hard to bring this story up to my current expectations, I know the next chapter specifically has some work that needs to be done on it. Though I do say not all of it was my immature self's fault. I had uploaded that chapter during the time that was redoing their formatting and it screwed it up something fierce!

I hope you've enjoyed.

-AnimeSiren