A.N. Well, here we are at the end of this story. What started out as a one-shot to purge a fun scene from head turned into this 36 chapter tale through your encouragement, ideas, and enthusiastic support. Thank you!! This wouldn't have happened without y'all.

Disclaimer: They belong to Marvel and the fact that I can't get enough of them just shows Stan Lee's brilliance.

The professor's meeting with Rogue was coming to an end when they were joined by another concerned party who wanted to add their voice to the plans being laid. After both team members had gone, he lifted his phone to call Jean-Luc LeBeau with their answer. The news was taken much as Charles had expected it to be received.

Though he'd not shared the information regarding Mr. LeBeau's suggestion, the news had spread like wildfire through the Institute. No matter how quiet he tried to keep things, secrets were virtually impossible in a mansion teeming with teenaged mutants. It was a losing battle not worth fighting.

Jubilee bounded unannounced into Sam's room, startling the Kentucky native who actually yelped at her appearance. Her narrow black brows hiked up as she assessed him, scanning his body up and down. "Wow! You've been holding out, Mr. Hotbody!" Same rolled his eyes, but was blushing as he grabbed at a shirt tossed atop his dresser and jerked it over his head covering his bare torso as quickly as possible. Before he could figure out why Jubilee had barged in on him, Tabitha was sitting on his bed, Roberto and Rahne were in the floor and Kurt had arrived in all his sulfuric-clouded glory.

"What are y'all doin' in here anyway?" Sam finally demanded.

"We're here to talk about whether or not Rogue should move out with Remy," Jubilee told im in a voice that indicated she didn't think he was the brightest crayon in the box.

Before he could ask what she was talking about, Tabitha interjected with apparent glee, "And to place bets on how long it takes her to talk Wolverine out of shish-ka-bobbing Remy."

"I don't have aneh idea what y'all are talking about, but I'd sure like to know just how my room was chosen for this little get together."

Roberto spoke up then, distracted from his preoccupation with Rahne's hand that he was holding in his. "That's easy… you weren't there to say no."

"Well, next time give a guy some warning, would ya'? I wasn't even dressed when the firecracker came in without even knocking first!"

Tabitha and, to his horror even Rahne, turned to Jubilee with grins that rivaled his little sister's on Christmas morning. "Girl! You saw Sammy in the buff?" was overlapped by, "I'm thinkin' he's no wee little man, am I right?"

Sam's outrage was matched only by Roberto's as he glowered at his girlfriend. "Hey now!" Rahne kissed him lightly and assured him that he was the only guy for her before shooting the other girls a wicked little wink. Sam shook his head to clear it deciding he was going to pretend he didn't notice the exchange.

"So, seriously, what are y'all talking about?"

Jubilee quickly told him all she'd overheard while eavesdropping from an undisclosed location. Sam was soon brought up to speed and was frankly dumbfounded. As the others all began debating different aspects to consider he sank into his desk chair quietly and really thought it all through. He slipped out of his crowded room and made his way towards the hall that housed Rogue's room. He heard movement inside and gave a quiet rap on her door. It swung open to reveal his close friend and he slipped inside needing to get a few things out in the open before anything was final. Little did he know it was too late. The professor had already notified Remy's father of the decisions made.

Sam stated his feelings and thoughts very clearly and without brooking any interruptions or arguments. He couldn't have been more up-front. When he left he knew he'd been completely understood and that there were no misunderstandings muddying up the waters. Hanging his head, Sam was deep in thought as he trod the halls back to his own room which was now empty again. Apparently they'd finally noticed his absence. He sank onto his bed and just sat there for a few minutes. Knowing he wouldn't relax until he'd spoken with the professor himself, Sam went down to the professor's office, which had been rather busy that day already. Charles was a bit surprised, but understood and even agreed once he knew more about Sam's circumstances. The professor soon had things arranged.

Dinner time arrived and still no one knew what had been decided, at least no one who was talking. Rogue arrived and went to sit with Remy, Sam, Roberto, and Rahne just like she had before the whole mess with High Evolutionary had rocked the boat so much. She was quiet, but not showing that edgy, almost surly brooding that had been so typical for the majority of her time here. This was more contemplative than anything else. Many of the residents shot looks at their table and whispered their speculations to one another. Finally Kitty decided she'd heard enough rumors and simply wanted the truth.

She stood and walked calmly across the crowded room. Most turned to watch her progress. Even Remy and Sam began watching her come closer. The only one oblivious to the tension filling the room was, ironically enough, Rogue. She even gave a little jerk as her friend reached forward to place one hand on Rogue's shoulder. Turning her attention away from her own thoughts and the mundane tabletop she'd been studying, she looked up at Kitty with brows raised in question.

"So, Rogue… I don't want to, like, be all nosy or rude or anything, but I was wondering," she hesitated, unsure of her friend's reaction to her asking about something that they weren't even really supposed to know about but decided Rogue wasn't stupid enough to think anything was going to be a secret very long and forged ahead. "Well, are you staying or going?"

"Kitty, what do ya' mean?" she asked, her eyes shining with their teasing glint giving her away.

Kitty rolled her eyes, but still giggled at Rogue's coy attitude. "Oh come on, Rogue! I'm like dying here!"

Rogue's smile dimmed slightly as she answered. "Ah really will tell ya' soon, Kit. Ah just want ta' make sure everything's gonna work out lahke Ah think it will before sayin' much about it, ya' know?"

Reluctantly Kitty shrugged one shoulder. "Sure. That makes sense I guess. I just-," she almost didn't finish but knew she needed to say it. "Well, I just want you to know that I'll miss you if you go."

"Thanks for sayin' that, Kit. Really." Rogue watched Kitty return to her usual seat with a gentle expression.

"Dat was real nice, eh chere?"

Rogue looked up at Remy and smiled. "Yeah, it really was Rems."

The next day started with the posting of testing schedules which had many students scrambling for their old notes to study. For no real reason they'd thought they'd have a week or two to prepare, but the tests would start the very next day. Charles did this intentionally, wanting an accurate representation of what they'd retained rather than testing them on how well they could cram for an exam. He and Ororo stifled chuckles at their earnest attempts.

Rogue and Remy both offered to help with things such as gathering the old textbooks to return to each respective school and preparing the new materials to be given out next Monday as classes commenced. They figured they either knew it or they didn't. Racing around tonight would only stress them out. Mid-morning a commercial truck pulled up in front of the impressive front doors of the mansion with a delivery. Ororo signed for it, thanked the driver, and made her graceful way to where she'd last seen the recipient.

Rogue and Remy were laughing with Jamie, who'd come to hang out with and help them as they sorted the new supplies into piles for each class. "Rogue, you have a package," Ororo's cultured tones informed.

Turning to look at her, Rogue's surprise showed clearly. "Me? Who'd be sendin' me anything?" she wondered aloud.

"There is no return address, so the only way to find out is to open it." Ororo held the brown-wrapped box out to her with the same gracious composure that marked all her actions.

Reaching tentatively for the innocuous package she set it on the table they'd been using and began opening it slowly. Rogue truly had no idea what this could be, but either it was something positive and she wanted to savor the novelty of it or it was something terrible in which case why rush it? Jamie was bouncing on the balls of his feet as the anticipation built while Remy tamped down on the urge to snatch the thing and rip into it for her.

At last she was lifting the flaps up and peering inside with curiosity etched on her intensely focused features. She nibbled on her lower lip and her brows scrunched with concentration. First she lifted the sheet of linen stationary with the elegant cursive covering it, glancing down to see what lay underneath before she began reading. Her breath caught and a wide array of expressions chased one another rapidly across her face. Hope, dismay, excitement, fear, melancholy, and joy all flitted over her for any observer to see. Turning slowly to meet Remy's eyes she nodded once, looking like she was in shock as the implications settled over her. She read carefully through the entire missive twice before noting more scrawls on the back of the page. This handwriting was entirely different, but filled her eyes with tears and left the most amazing curve of her lips in its wake.

"Ah can't believe it." There was a stunned pause and then she added, "It's realleh happenin', Rems."

He lifted his hand to glide down her cheek and cup her jaw tenderly. "Ouais, it is, Boo."

Before dinner that night Rogue lurked in a shadowed corner near a potted tree in the hallway. Waylaying her friend discreetly, she told Kitty the news followed by the girls exchanging a brief, but tight hug. Soon Rogue had gotten her food and sat down beside Remy who immediately reached for her hand and held it in his, resting them on his thigh. Sam winked at her before returning to his conversation with Roberto and Rahne. For some reason Kitty decided to keep Rogue's news to herself for the moment. That was more than okay with Rogue. She was famished and eating her meal in peace was incredibly appealing tonight.

Telling Remy she'd see him in a little while, she closed her bedroom door behind herself, effective shutting out the world for just a bit. Rogue crossed to the box sitting conspicuously in the middle of the bed. She pulled out the contents and spread them across her comforter. The sat phone was familiar to her yet was personalized in the stickers placed on it by some of the little ones she'd played with and read to. Rogue picked it up, still slightly awed at the gesture they'd made in sending it. Next she picked up the narrow, braided leather wrist strap from which hung a symbol with which she was already familiar. Draping it over her narrow wrist, she tilted her head to study both its appearance on her and her reaction to it. Slowly a grin spread over her face, keeping pace with the warm feeling spreading outwards from her heart.

Her attention then fell on something that made her laugh just a little bit. The scrap of paper was a good representation of those who'd given it to her. Remy's voice came to her from the other side of her door. "C'mon in, sugah," she encouraged him.

Settling behind her with one leg on the floor and his chin on her shoulder to study the odd collection scattered before them, he told her, "Y' don' need t' use dat, y' know. Dey were just bein' deir usual imbecilic selves," he joked.

"Ah know," she assured. Looking back at him with a wicked twinkle in her eye she smirked, "But wouldn't it just kill them if Ah did? It'd be worth it just ta' see their faces." They laughed together at the idea. "Besahdes," she softly admitted, "Ah know just what Ah wanna get."

He turned to see her profile and correctly assumed, "Y' not goin' t' tell me, are y'?"

"Nope." She looked down and took it all in. She really was going to do this. She was entering a whole new stage in her life. The people who really cared about her would be in her life whether she was in New York or Louisiana, right? If she and Remy were meant to be, they would be fine either way and if not… well, if not then she was honest enough to admit it would irreparably destroy something in her but it was too late to worry about that now. The damage was already done. She was way too far gone now.

What really made her feel like she'd made the right call, the final deciding factor in it all, had been knowing she still needed Logan in her life and she'd stay with him.

I'm not THAT mean! Here's the rest…

That was why when he'd come to her out in the gazebo and they'd talked, she'd finally been able to make up her mind. Letting her know that he was planning to take Professor Xavier up on the offer to head up the new school along with Ororo while Jean and Scott returned to the Institute to be groomed for leadership more intensely, Logan had made the decision a no-brainer. She'd wanted desperately to go with Remy. It had felt more than 'right'; being with Tante Mattie, Mercy, the cousins, the younger kids, even Jean-Luc (though she still found him a bit intimidating) filled her with such a rush of excitement and contentment combined that she was having a horrible time resisting. Growing up and moving on was all good and well, but she also knew she wasn't quite ready to walk away from the security and comfort Logan brought into her life every day. She needed him just a bit longer. Now she could enjoy the best of both worlds.

The news that Sam would also be coming down south with them was like the cherry to top it all off. It was more convenient for him to go home from there and he would be able to finish any schooling under tutors, much like the students in New York. In fact, his little sister would be one of the first students at the new institute. Her mutation had just started showing up and Sam really wanted to be with her as she learned more about it and how to work with it. Rogue had Remy work the key the safe house the guild was providing for her to stay in onto her keychain. She folded the letter carefully, pausing long enough to study Jo-jo's note and the picture drawn by Amie before slipping it into her nightstand.

According to Jean-Luc they would be leaving just as soon as the test results were confirmed and they could get packed. Logan would be going down the day after tomorrow to check out some properties Jean-Luc had recommended as possibilities for the New Orleans campus while Rogue and Remy sat through the testing and some coaching from Xavier regarding what would be expected of them. Ororo would be lining some things up and also talking with several families of residents who may prefer transferring their children next year as the newer campus would be closer for them. The new teachers for Xavier's were already at the Institute and would begin teaching next week. Most were mutants who'd begun finding they were no longer welcomed at the schools they'd previously worked at or those who'd been unable to work in their fields due to having more physically obvious mutations.

All Rogue cared about was that she was going back to the homiest place she's been in years and would have both Logan and Remy with her, plus Sam to boot and for her… well, life had never been better. If she was more like Kitty she'd be laughing and carrying on. Being who she was, Rogue simply grinned. Kurt came to talk to her after awhile and she knew he was upset when he knocked on her door rather than just teleporting in.

The two talked for more than an hour, Remy having left under the guise of calling home to allow them some privacy. By the time Kurt left he felt better knowing Rogue was fully confident she was doing the best thing for herself and had her promise that they would visit frequently and had passed on a message from someone that very much wanted to see her before she left town. She called the number he'd given her and made plans to meet with them on Saturday afternoon.

The tests were very comprehensive, but they were broken up by hour-long breaks in between. It really wasn't that bad. Rogue had tests for two and a half days, but she maintained her calm demeanor the entire time. Actually, the change in her general behavior and attitude had garnered a good bit of attention from the mansion's general populace. It was Tabitha who finally broke the ice this time.

"Rogue, babe, you're kind of freakin' me out. I mean, the," here she raised her hands to make air quotes while winking, "new and improved nice Rogue is great and all, but what's the deal?"

The kids nearby who'd overheard the question were holding their breaths to see if Rogue would go off on Tabby now, but she only smirked. "Ah don't really know, Tabby, but if it'd make ya' feel better Ah could always kick ya'r butt."

Tabby laughed and nudged her arm. "Later. You know, I ought to be mad at you for taking Remy and Sam away."

"Ah'd feel worse if Ah didn't know ya' had a date with Pietro tomorrow night," came Rogue's droll reply.

Tabby looked a bit sly. "Yeah, well… ," was all she said. She even blushed a little bit.

"Ah'm sure ya' can handle him!"

Testing over, plans made, and bags packed as much as possible until she finished her laundry, Rogue climbed onto Remy's motorcycle (which had been replaced after the Wyndham fiasco) to ride to Bayville's park. Climbing off, Remy removed his helmet turning to find Rogue still sitting where he'd left her. "Y' a'right dere, Boo?"

Rogue tugged off her helmet and handed it to him absentmindedly while shaking her hair out and trying to convince him, "Yeah, Ah'm good."

Remy tucked some of the longer-than-ever locks of hair behind her ear, trailing his fingers along her jaw. "Uh-huh… now y' wanna tell me de trut'?"

Running her sweaty hands down her thighs she confessed softly, "Ah'm a little bit nervous, Ah guess."

Remy leaned down a bit and made sure her attention was centered on him as his hands cupped her face, something he'd been doing more and more. "Ma amoureux, I know y' can do dis. Y' got dis po' ol' Cajun jus' 'bout convinced y' can do anyt'in' y' set y' mind to. Go talk to 'er an' den we'll get somet'in' t' eat, okay?"

"That would be real nahce, Rems," she said, her twang making itself known a bit more under the stress and Remy's influence. She was sure to sound like the sassy, full-blown southern wildcat she was within just a couple of weeks after arriving back home. And home was what Remy was determined it would become for her. He would do everything in his power to make it a place she'd love.

Remy hung back, sitting on a convenient bench as she, with some trepidation, approached the slender, Raven-haired woman. "This better not be some kinda trick, Myst-y," she corrected herself before using Mystique's code name.

"I told you it wasn't," the woman replied with a tiny bit of frustration.

"Well, excuse meh for not considerin' ya' a trustwortheh person," Rogue shot right back with her old fire.

Dropping her head, Rogue's former adoptive mother accepted the validity of the censure she knew she deserved.

The odd pair stood in awkward silence for a few minutes. Not able to take the ill-at-ease quiet any longer, Rogue spoke first. "So, what did ya' want?"

"I want," Mystique started to answer in her usual confrontational way only to stop and start again with a very different, humbler tone, "I want to be able to remain in contact with you."

Rogue's gaze narrowed, suspicious of her 'momma's' motives. "Whah?"

"Look, I don't expect you to believe me. I wouldn't if I were you. But there was more to my taking you in than you think. It wasn't just the desire to access and mold you and your abilities. Well, not later anyway. You were so different as a child, Rogue. You were filled with laughter and joy and you brought something into mine and Destiny's life that… well, that I hadn't known for a very long time. I just want to know that you're okay… what you're doing and what's happening in your life."

"Ya' lost that rahght," Rogue retorted, a little less feisty now.

"I know." Denial was pointless now and Mystique knew it. She was simply hoping for some small bit of give from Rogue.

"Ah'll have ta' think about it, Mys – ty. That's all Ah can prahmise rahght now. Will tha' number Ah called before work?"

"I'll make sure it does."

Rogue nodded. "Rahght. Ah'll call ya' when ah've figured somethin' out, okay?"

Mystique drew a deep breath, thankful for this concession when she hadn't been sure of getting anything from this meeting but insults. "I'll be waiting."

Rogue nodded again and turned to go. "Rogue?" Mystique called out, needing to say one more thing before possibly losing this girl forever. When Rogue looked back Mystique made sure she knew, "He's a good man. I've known more than my fair share of bad ones and I can see… he cares."

"Yeah, he is and he does." Rogue looked at the ground. Mumbling, "Thanks, Momma," she turned and hurried away not even knowing if Mystique heard her or not. The sheen of tears that were blinked away almost immediately showed that she heard and treasured those two words.

xxxXXXxxx Six Years Later xxxXXXxxx

Remy entered the doors of his family home on a gust of wind that scattered the leaves and pine needles littering the wide front steps behind him. Hanging his coat to avoid Tante getting upset with him again, Remy went to check in with those manning the security center. After being updated by the pair on duty, he made his way towards the kitchen which was a busy place today. Noise sounded down the hall letting him hear scraps of conversations, mostly teasing, and lots of laughter. Mercy was there putting the finishing touches on a dish while smacking away Emil's hand which was reaching for a sample. Mattie was hefting a huge pot to deposit its contents in a serving dish so Remy went to hold it for her. "Dere's m' boy. I was b'ginin' t' t'ink you weren' gonna come by afte' all."

"I tol' y' I'd be here, Tante; when y' gonna learn t' trust dis man?" he chastened lightly.

She paused and pressed her aged hand to his cheek, affection shining on her face, "I'm awful proud o' y', boy. Proud o' what y've b'come. An' dat wife o' yours, too. Y' doin' good t'ings, Remy LeBeau."

Remy, having freely admitted a long time ago that Rogue had made him soft, put the pot down and gathered his Tante Mattie close for a hug. "Part o' dat's t'anks t' y', Tante."

"Well, unless y' gonna braid 'is hair now, Tante, can we go already? I gotta date t' keep," Etienne commented.

Coming in behind Remy, Henri went to wrap his arms around Mercy's rounded belly, kissing her cheek while stroking one hand over her stomach and murmuring to the baby inside. Jean-Luc, who'd entered with his eldest son, commented, "If y' wan' t' get dere faster, maybe y' oughtta help 'stead of jus' standin' dere wastin' space."

Theo came through the back door and put the lid over the dish Remy had helped Tante with then carried it outside to the waiting car. It was a sunny, but cool day out; perfect Thanksgiving Day weather. Putting the rest of the numerous dishes the two women had prepared with help from young Lelia, who was now one of the guild's best thieves and was becoming romantically involved with Louis and still gave the two who'd been so rude to her years ago a hard time, into the cars they were all soon loaded up and ready to depart.

In mere minutes, they'd arrived at a large, rambling building that was unique and beautiful. Rogue stood on the front steps trying to control the wriggling toddler in her arms. Only once Remy was standing did she released the little one who tottered excitedly over to Remy giggling and ecstatic the entire way. Remy swept the boy up in his arms and gave him a toss in the air before cuddling him close. "Jean-Paul, y' bein' good fo' y' mere?"

The little boy just grinned a lopsided smile that was all-too familiar. That, coupled with his unusual striped hair and glowing eyes, had helped him charm more than a few people. Remy plonked him down on the drive and went to help Tante get out of the car. The cold, damp weather had a tendency to make her joints ache though she'd never admit it. As soon as she was bossing everyone on what to take inside and directing things as she saw fit, he swept his boy back up and strode to Rogue's side. Bending to kiss her deeply he lost himself in his wife, not an unusual occurrence. Little Jean-Paul jerked in Remy's hold breaking them from the spell that fell over the couple every time they kissed. "All righ', y' petit possede (rascal)… off y' go."

As soon as his little feet hit the ground, Jean-Paul toddled off to find Emil so they could play. Arms wrapped around one another, Rogue and Remy made their way into the somewhat controlled chaos of Xavier Institute's New Orleans campus. The teachers had things well in hand and Tante was issuing orders as though she was a general on the battlefield. Guild members and mutants mingled, doing as they were told or wisely slipping away quietly to find a place to hide.

Theo held the hand of a woman who'd joined the Institute as an instructor two years ago. Sam was in town for the holiday, though he'd be leaving tonight to rejoin the tour. He was traveling with a mutant rock band as their security coordinator, though they all knew the real reason was his romantic involvement with the lead singer. The day was busy and loud and great fun for everyone. Now that things were winding down, most of the Guild was leaving for home. Remy and Rogue strapped Jean-Paul in his car seat and headed out just behind the others.

Lifting the sleeping child in her arms, Rogue hurried inside to keep the chill from waking her exhausted boy. Once he was settled in his crib, she went back out to sit with Remy. He pulled her onto his lap and nuzzled his face in her hair. He brushed his lips across the tiny playing card tattoed just behind her ear. That gift certificate from Emil and Etienne had gotten used after all. When Remy had first seen that in the box Jean-Luc sent Rogue, he'd laughed at the thought of her getting inked. Something about the way she'd responded, though, had him wondering. Once she'd gotten full control over her skin, she'd gone out for a while and when she came back this was what she'd had to show for her time out. The tattoo had been the perfect way, in her mind, to celebrate being able to handle people's touch. It was something she hadn't been able to even consider before. That she'd had them mark her with something that she thought of as 'his' only made it more precious.

Remy led her across the plush Persian rug in the wide room where he'd been waiting for her while she settled Jean-Paul. Their new quarters, in the same wing as Jean-Luc, were even more spacious than their old rooms. The sitting room was part of their private space and they used it a lot to just enjoy some time together away from Guild business and the pressure of advising at the Institute.

"Mm… That's nahce, Rems." She stifled a yawn. "For some reason Ah'm just worn out," Rogue commented. Remy's eyes were glowing with knowledge, but she couldn't see them so Rogue was none the wiser.

"Ma Boo, I got y' somet'in'. It's in de bat'room. Why don' y' go check 't out?"

He smiled as he watched her brows scrunch together in the same way that he'd always found so cute. Listening to the rustle of the bag and then the tell-tale thunk of the package hitting the floor as she realized what he was implying with the purchase, he waited patiently for fifteen more minutes before a very stunned, beautiful, tired Rogue slowly walked out to stand before him holding two plastic sticks in her hand. "But-," she stammered before finding some words that made sense, "but, how'd ya' know?"

Remy rose to his feet and wrapped her in his arms, holding her as close as possible while leaning down to say against her ear, "B'cause I know ma cœur et ma femme. Mon Dieu, je t'aime tellement, Rogue (My God, I love you so much, Rogue)."

"Ah love you even more, mah Rems. Ya're so good ta' meh an' one o' tha' few truleh exceptional people Ah've evah known. Ah'm so proud o' mah husband, sugah," she sighed. They'd been married three years now and he loved her more all the time. As he'd watched the thieves earlier, he'd known once again that his chère deserved so much better than him. Yeah, no one would ever love her like he did and he was highly regarded in his Guild, but at the end of the day what it all came down was that he was thief… a thief who helped fight for mutant rights and protection, who fought alongside the X-Men, but a thief all the same. She somehow always knew when those concerns, those feelings of inadequacy rose up in him and she inevitably knew the right thing to say.

Wanting to lighten the mood, he reminded her, "I'm t'inkin' Logan's not gonna let it go 'f y' don' tell 'im first, amoureux."

Knowing he was right, she was soon sharing the news of the newest LeBeau with Logan who was in parts unknown on yet another mission for Xavier. They kept it brief, as always, but she could hear his excitement and pride all the same when she made a point of informing him no one else knew yet. Logan had stayed one year in New Orleans making sure things were up and running before returning to New York to set up and lead a special team he hand-picked that would take care of 'special' missions. He wasn't the type to comment on it, but everyone could see how much enjoyed being back in the action.

She sent an email to Mystique with whom she kept in touch in a distant and somewhat detached way. Other than updates on big changes, she didn't share much with her adoptive mother. Too much had happened to destroy her trust in Mystique for her to be ready to let the woman in too deeply.

Next they called Ororo, who'd left two years ago. She had volunteered to start the newest campus for the Institute, one on the west coast. The truth was, she and Jean-Luc had been dancing around their feelings for one another almost since her arrival in Louisiana but she'd been unable to accept his illicit career and he'd been unwilling to betray his commitment to the Guild. Knowing they had no real future together, she'd decided the new campus was the perfect opportunity to distance herself from this painful situation.

Emails to Kurt, Kitty, Roberto, and Wanda followed with the rest being left for another day.

Stretching alongside her husband a while later, Rogue rested her cheek against his heated chest practically purring with contentment. Who would have thought that angry Goth that couldn't touch another soul who'd told off a smarmy Cajun in a busy high school hallway would end up being one of the happiest, luckiest women on Earth?