Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men: Evolution or any of its characters.

Title: Kissing Frogs

Summary: Fed up with Kitty's choices in men, Rogue decides to play matchmaker. The only problem is that she isn't exactly an expert herself. So, she decides to go to the one person who might be able to help. But, she may have just gotten herself into more than she bargained for.

Author's Note: So the time has come, sad to say. This will be the final chapter in Kissing Frogs. I just want to thank everyone for their comments and their follows and views. I hope that this ending is satisfactory. I don't know that I could see it really going any other way. It kind of brings everyone's parts in full circle. Well…except for Kitty's cliffhanger. I intentionally did not have her make her "final" choice. I suppose that could be left up to the imagination. With Rogue's mutant ability, the kiss seemed a bit tricky. I hope what I have come up with will suffice. So, please, enjoy the final installment.

Chapter 10 – The Kiss

Remy strolled through the park, his hands buried deep in his pockets. It was a lovely day, and there were many people taking advantage of it about the park. Normally he would enjoy himself. He would smile at those passersby, even wink at the single young ladies. He would use his usual tactics to seduce one or more of them. He had his fun with it—like a game for his enjoyment. However, that particular day found Remy in a very pensive and rather sullen mood. He hardly noticed those he passed. He didn't keep track of the solitary women, as usual. He really found no interest in performing any of his typical stunts.

He was drawn back to the park, nonetheless. Unlike the other times, though, he found himself deep in contemplation. It had been a week since he had last seen Rogue—since she had revealed her true intentions in the middle of the restaurant to a crowd of gawkers.

He had actually been hurt by her deception, despite being in on the ultimate plan to trick Kitty. Needless to say, she certainly was not happy. He had felt a sense of betrayal. Hell, he still felt it. He had realized when he had given his terms that Rogue would be completely against it. He knew she would do everything in her power to get out of it. But, finding out about her intentions had still stung. She simply did not understand. And, perhaps it was that lack of understanding that she still possessed that upset him the most.

On that note, he pondered whether or not she would ever truly understand. He hadn't offered up the kiss because he wanted to hurt her or punish her. He had figured that if he helped with her scheme, as well, perhaps she would start to come around to him. And, for a moment there, he had thought that she was. Then that scene in the restaurant dashed all of his hopes.

Remy came upon his usual bench beneath the tree and eased down. He was supposed to be meeting Lance, of all people, in just a matter of minutes. Lance had kept his explanation for seeing him vague, which warned and intrigued Remy. He was certain, though, that it was something silly and stupid. Usually the Brotherhood only contacted him when they had female issues or needed somebody to be the tie breaker in one of their many arguments.

He gasped softly with sudden understanding. The only reason Lance could want to speak to Remy in person and in private would be to discuss Kitty. Of course Remy knew all about the situation. He was part of it! He definitely couldn't tell Lance that, though. Unless the miscreant already knew. The idea of Lance making a scene displeased Remy, but he felt too defeated to really care about a confrontation. In fact, a little part of him welcomed it. At least that would take his mind off of Rogue.

Mindlessly, he extracted his trusty deck of cards out of his leather trench coat and began shuffling them. Shuffling the deck of cards also organized his thoughts. His mind felt a little less messy. Even so, it was still solely focused on Rogue.

So much so that he believed he heard her voice ask, "Can you show me a trick?"

In fact, it was so convincing that he turned to see if she was actually there. And she was.

Rogue was leaning over the back of the bench, quietly watching him. His heart skipped a beat, but he still managed to keep his composure. He stopped shuffling and placed his cards back into his inner pocket. "Yeah," he replied, coldly, standing up. "How about the disappearing man?"

Remy began to walk away, but Rogue was quick to react. She came around to the front of the bench and called out to him. "Remy, wait, please."

He stopped and turned with a deep sigh. "Shouldn't I be getting back to my bimbos, Rogue?"

"If you'd like," she allowed with a shrug. "Or you could hear me out."

"Listen," he explained moving in closer, "I actually have to meet with Lance. So just make this quick."

"Lance isn't coming," she disclosed.

"What? Why not?"

"I had him arrange a meeting with you, so that I could see you," she informed solidly, calmly. "Otherwise, I don't think you would have ever agreed to see me. So, he's not coming."

"Well, you are right. I would have never agreed otherwise." He sighed, defeated, and sat back on the bench. Rogue sat next to him.

"I suppose just saying sorry won't cut it," Rogue initiated quietly. The mere look he gave her answered in the negative. "Remy, let me explain-"

"No, Rogue," Remy interrupted, getting to his feet again. "I don't want to hear it."

"But you don't understand-" she insisted.

"No, you don't understand," he interrupted again. "Rogue, it's not about the kiss—it was never about the kiss. That was all you were concerned with, not me. I had hoped you would see past that, but I was wrong. Maybe I was wrong about you."

She heard the disappointment in his voice and was hurt. "Will you let me say something, Remy?" she asked after a momentary pause.

"If you must," he allowed, sitting back on the bench gingerly.

"You're such an idiot!" she bellowed, hitting him in the shoulder.

It hardly impacted Remy, but he was more surprised by what she had said. "What?"

"You heard me! You are such an idiot!" she repeated.

"Oh, I'm the idiot in this situation?" Remy questioned. To him it was quite absurd.

"Yes. If you would have just let me explain from the beginning, I would have covered that!"

"What do you mean?"

Rogue sighed, calming down. "Listen, I'm sorry, okay? But you have to know that you caught me off guard when all you wanted in return was a kiss. I mean, I know you're you, but really? You know who I am. You know what I can do…and what I can't do. Why would you even ask for that?"

Remy shook his head. "You even have to ask that, Rogue?"

Despite the blush crossing her cheeks, she told, "What was the first thing I told you when we started this, Remy? I don't know about any of this sort of thing."

"And what did I tell you, Rogue?"

She shook her head, unsure. She was concerned that he would not understand, or that he would be too upset with her to even take anything she said into consideration. She didn't know what to say. Or in the very least, she didn't know how to say it. Her hope was dropping by the minute. But then he did something unexpected. He smirked and reached over and held her head in between his hands. It caused the blush on her cheeks to spread and the butterflies in her stomach to flutter.

"I'm not afraid of you or your powers, mon cher," he explained once more in a silken voice.

Then he leaned in, closing the distance between them. His lips were on hers in a moment of excitement, surprise, and pure joy.

xXx

Remy blinked groggily, groaning as he tried to move. Every inch of his body felt heavy and sore.

"Don't get up too quickly," a voice next to him said. "You have to move slow."

Two arms snaked around him and assisted him into a sitting position. It was from there that his vision adjusted and he recognized Rogue. He smiled at her and she actually returned the gesture.

"Welcome back," Rogue greeted. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Glancing at the sky behind her, Remy could see the sun beginning to set. He had been out for hours. Though his head was still spinning, he remembered what had caused him to black out. He had finally gotten his kiss. He began to recall every second of it: the anticipation as he had leaned in close; her unsteady and unsure breath on his skin; the softness of her lips on his, and the tingling sensation that followed almost immediately.

"The best I ever had," he answered.

Rogue shook her head. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"I've been called worse."

Rogue eased down next to him on the grass with a small laugh. "So, there's just one question left."

"Let me guess. You want to ask me out." Faking, almost mockingly, he continued, "Well, Rogue, I don't know. I think you might be moving a little fast."

She shoved him playfully. "Not even close."

"So, what is it then?"

She paused dramatically. "Was it worth it?"

She didn't have to elaborate. He knew precisely what she was referring to. She was asking him about their time together and also about his request for a kiss from her—the untouchable girl. There was a lapse of a moment or two, as if he were truly weighing the answers available to him.

Despite everything, it was still Rogue. There was nobody else like Rogue, and there never would be. He had accepted that a long time ago. He had accepted her and everything that that entailed.

Remy grinned. "Absolutely."