She turned her head to look at her benefactor.  He was resting slightly above her now.  His profile barely recognizable in the dim light.  Reddish-brown hair splayed all about his pillow.  His chest raised then lowered beneath where her head rested on him.

She could not resist the urge to cuddle closer up to him.  He reacted immediately by pulling her closer in his arms before he settled down against the mattress again.

"Remy?"  She said softly.

"Hum?"  He barely moaned back.

"Ah luv yah."  She could make out the slight smile that spread across his lips.

Remy chuckled, "I luv ya too Chere."  He adjusted himself in the bed.  I guess she wan' ta talk, better wake up.  He yawned then stretched his hands above his head, letting them come down behind his head.  "Wha' ya wan' Chere?  I wiped from all de dancing I had ta do.  Ya wan' ta talk?"

She shrugged her shoulders.  "Ah don't know, maybe."

He yawned again, "O. K ..." he stretched again "... so talk."

"Ah never thought y'all and mahself would e'vah get tah this point."  She flexed her left hand above her to show him the sparkle of the ring.  "This is wonderful.  Ah ne'vah expected anything like this."

Remy laughed, "T'rew ya for de loop, Eh?"

"Ah'll say."

"Good.  Gambit like supri'zin ya."

"Well yah certainly accomplished that."  She turned her head, placing her lips at the center of his chest.  She kissed him lingerly on the base of his breast bone.

I don't t'ink she wan'na talk.  Gambit let out a long breath.  "Chere, ya know wha' dat does ta me..."  he brought his hands down to grab her under her arms.  With one pull she was on top of him at eye level.  "... I t'ought ya wan'na talk?"

"Maybe later,"  she smiled as she let her mouth drop to his.

Gambit immediately encircled her with his arms.  Stroking her back threw the pajama top she wore, the hem raised upward.  He didn't let the notice of that escape him.  Pushing his hands inside her under garment,  "Chere,"  he gasped at the softness and round firmness of her skin.

Rogue shivered then sighed as she began to  undulate her mouth and head to gain more access to his seeking tongue.

Dis beats talk'in any day, Was his last thought before she showed him just how happy he'd made her.

They were late down to breakfast the next morning.  By the time they'd both showered and dressed, the other X-Crew were already sitting down to eat.

Rogue secretly wondered how long would it take for someone to notice her new balbal.  She played with the thought of openly flashing it in Betsy's face, but there was no need for that.  Besides, Elizabeth looked like pure Hell after the wild night they'd all had.  It'll be noticed soon enough.

Gambit pulled her chair out from the table for her to sit down, before he joined her.

"Morn'in,"  he told everyone.  They all either nodded or returned his sentiment.

"Hi y'all,"  said Rogue as she raised her hand to take a bite of toast.

Wolverine was sitting directly across from her. He paused in mid motion of bringing a piece of bacon to his mouth.  Holy Shi_!  Letting the bacon drop back to his plate, he sat up in his chair,  "Get a load of Fort Knox!"  He pointed at her hand.  All heads turned immediately in the direction of which he was still pointing.

Gambit waited as everyone stared blankly at Rogue's hand.  He knew what was coming next, Too late!  Before he knew what hit him, Rogue was besieged by all the females at the table.  They nearly knocked him over in his chair trying to get to her hand.  Thank goodness Sam was there to catch him.

Jean, Storm and even Betsy, although she looked like the cat had just dragged her in, squealed with jubilation and gasped with 'Awe' over the magnificent ring on Rogues left hand.

"Oh my!  Rogue it is beautiful!  Exclaimed Ororo.  She grabbed Rogue's hand, turning it slightly so the light could catch it.

With breakfast momentarily forgotten, Gambit was literally yanked from his chair by Bishop and the other male members of the X-Men team.

"Father, you never said anything about this last night?" Asked Bishop surprisingly.

"Congratulations my boy,"  said Hank as he slapped Gambit hard on his back.

Gambit smiled and nodded back to him as he tried to work the feeling back into his shoulder.

Scott came up in front of Gambit.  With the extended hand he offered, they shook hands.  "Congratulations Remy.  I hope you and Rogue are a tenth of the happy Jean and I are."  He smiled to where his beautiful red haired wife stood holding Rogue's hand.  She instantly looked back over to him and smiled.

"T'anks Scott."

Bobby, Warren and Sam seiged him next.  Each of them shaking his hand and joking with him on finally getting Rogue to marry him therefore making him an honest man.

Next to come forward was Joseph.  Since their fight almost over a year ago,  the two men still did not like each other, but they respected each other's space and place on the team.  Joseph had to concede defeat in the play for Rogue's affections.  He never tried to approach her again.  Eventually, he had started dating other women, but still kept a warm place in his heart for Rogue.  "Gambit."

Remy turned from talking to Bobby, Warren and Sam.  "Yeah."  He regarded Joseph evenly.  "Wha' ya wan' Joe?"

Joseph walked up to him.  "Congratulations..."  he extended his hand  "... the better man won."

Gambit surveyed his hand before taking it in his.  He shook Joseph's hand firmly.  "T'anks Joe.  Dat means a lot com'in from ya."  Gambit laid on him his best smile, then winked.

Last to come forward was Wolverine.  He had hung back in the background behind the others.  "Cajun?  Do you know what'cha done?"

"Yeah."  He smiled.  "I engaged ta de most beautiful women in de world."

Wolverine shook his head from side to side.  "Nope.  Not talk'in about that."

"Wolverine, what are you talking about?"  Asked Bishop as he came to stand beside Gambit.

"Yeah, you'd better asked that."  Then he pointed at Warren, "You too Money Bags."

Warren came forward, "What are you talking about?"

Wolverine could not believe the naivety that surrounded him.  "Cajun here done beat both of you to giv'in your women a ring."

Bishop and Warren looked at him dumbstruck, "So?"  They said in unison.

"Do I have to spell'it out?  Guess so.  "The pressure is on now ........... get it?"

Both men looked at Gambit.  They now knew exactly what Wolverine meant.   Since Rogue had gotten a ring, Storm and Betsy would want one too.  Bishop didn't mind the prospect of marrying Storm but they had not been dating that long.  His strategy was to put her off until a proper amount of time had passed, then pop the question.  Warren, on the other hand, did not want marriage at all, well at least not in the near future.  He was committed to Betsy but there was something confining and definite to him about a ring.

Both men now gave him odd looks like they were trying to figure something out.  Remy just grinned as hard as he could back at them.  "Shorty don' know wha' he talk'in 'bout,"  with a wave of his hand toward Wolverine.

He narrowed his eyes at Gambit, "Call me 'Shorty' again Swamp Boy and you'll be pick'in up dose pearly whites of yours off the floor."  To stress his point, Wolverine popped one claw from the back of his hand.  He smiled, then tapped the claw on his own teeth.

Cyclops interjected before Gambit could reply.  "That's enough you two."

"What go'in on over here?"  Said Rogue as she came up beside Gambit.  She grabbed Gambit by his arm.  His bantering with Wolverine pushed to the back of his mind for now, he smile down to the enchanting woman that had a hold of his coat sleeve.  "Wolvie, not gon'na  try'in tah kill yah before I marry yah, is he?"  She purred.

"Nope Darl'in.  Your marrying him will do that soon enough."

Everyone fell silent at Wolverine's comment.  Wolverine looked around the room at all the deadpan faces.  Gotcha!    He erupted into what could have been considered laughter, but no one was sure because he hardly ever even smiled.  "Gotcha!"  He laughed some more.

Gambit started laughing first, then the others joined in.  All Gambit could figure is that Wolverine was really happy for them because he could not ever recall him even trying to make a joke.

"Congratulations Gumbo."  He slapped Gambit on the other shoulder.  "Let's just hope this mean you two will be moving out soon."  He winked at Gambit as he turned to Rogue, "Do you know I have not gotten a decent night's sleep since Hank invented that blasted bracelet of yours?"

"Wolverine!"  Rogue blushed as she looked around at the others in the crowd who may have heard him.

Gambit thought it was hilarious.  "Sorry 'bout dat homme."

"Nah ya not, because I wouldn't be."  He winked at Rogue before he left them to go talk to Jean.

"What was that all about?"  Asked Storm as she came to stand near Bishop.

"I'm not sure but I think Wolverine is happy about the engagement."  Stated Bishop with a large smile.

"Well Rogue, when is the big day?"  Asked Betsy as she rubbed her blood shot eyes.

"We have not discussed that yet, but y'all will be the first to know."

Betsy turned to Gambit, "What'cha waiting on Gambit?  Hoping Rogue will come to her senses before to long and dump you?"

Now here's an opportunity he just could not pass up.  "Now Betsy,"  he smiled.  "Don' ya go try'in ta play 'Cupid' for no one but ya'self."  He purposely stressed the word 'Cupid.'  The cheap look on her face was priceless.  It more than made up for the zinger she was throwing at him.

She turned white as a sheet as she hurriedly pulled Warren out of earshot of Gambit's comment.  How did he know about that?

The comment was lost to everyone but Bishop, Rogue and Storm because they were the only ones who knew what happened at the club the night before and what part Gambit had played in it.  The women smiled but Bishop out right laughed.

"Remy.  Shame on you,"  scolded Storm.

"Wha' Stormy?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean.  And do not call me that."

 It was going to be hard getting use to seeing it on her hand especially since the only time she could ware it was when her powers were off.  After everyone had congratulated them earlier at breakfast, she'd came back up to put her gloves on for the day.  It took her taring up three pairs of gloves before she had to concede that the set was just too big for gloves to fit comfortably over.  It had made her mad at first, but then she realized that it was not practical to wear something like this eye catcher in their line of work on a twenty-four hour basis.

Rogue smiled at her reflection in her vanity mirror in front of her.  With every brush of her hair, her ring flashed brilliant colors.  Mah, ain't yah something all raht? "That boy is full of sahprizes.  I wonder what's next?"

Speaking of Remy, it was getting late.  Rogue had not seen much of him since that morning.  It was not uncommon for Cyclops to schedule unusually long sessions in the Danger Room and in the Gym for each mini team and regular teams, during lull periods between missions.  Today was no exception.  However, this sometimes meant that she was in one place while he was in another.  Surely he is finish by now?  She pulled her brow together as she tried to figure out where he was.

Just then, the door opened allowing Gambit to walk into their room.  Rogue watched him in the mirror.  He looks tired.  Not only that, there was about an inch long cut over his right eye.  "Hi Remy."

He smile slightly, "Even'in Chere."

Rogue watched him unsnap his body armour then he peeled out of his body suit.  He stretched and flexed the muscles in his chest, abdomen, back, thighs and calves before he turned his attention fully to her.  "How many do dat make?"

Rogue had forgotten what she was doing, "What? Oh. Uhhhh. seventy ... top side."  She guiltily started back  brushing her hair.

Gambit knew that part of Rogue's nightly regiment was to brush the top one hundred strokes then she'd flip it all over her head, then brush the underneath one hundred more strokes.  "Good.  I have time ta go shower before ya start on de under side, eh?"  He gathered his discarded clothing from the floor.

She smiled, "Yes Remy."  Rogue watched as he came to stand directly behind her.  "Y'all do look tired.  What happened tah ya eye Remy?"

He automatically put a finger on the cut.  Gambit chuckled, "Ya know it's not so easy ta judge fifty of dose fettice arrows when dey com'in straight at'cha."  He bend down low enough to kiss her on the back of her head before he left to go into the bathroom.

"Oh."

She could hear him moving around in the bathroom.  "Rogue!"  He called out.

"Yeah Remy?"

"I 'jis curious.  Ya know anyt'ing 'bout anyone t'rowing up in Warren's car de other night?"

Oh No!  "Don't tell me Betts didn't clean it out before he saw it?"  She cringed as she the scene replayed in her head.

Gambit stuck his head out the door.  "As de mat'ta of fact, she didn't.  He was madder dan a wet hen a minute ago."  He chuckled.  "Ne'vah knew he knowed so many four letter words. De funny t'ing is dat he was not so mad dat it happened as he was mad dat it stayed in de car, wit' de windows up, all day long."

"Yuck!"

Gambit laughed.  "Dat's wha' I said 'jis before he screamed ta de top of his lungs for her ta come ta de garage."  He pulled his head back into bathroom.

Rogue could hear the sound of the shower running.  Poor Betsy.  Her and Warren do have their fair shares of ups and downs, but some how they always seemed tah work it out all right.  She just hope that her and Remy's relationship was as strong or stronger.  The ring flashed hard as she brought the brush to the other side of her head.  It reminded her theirs was.

Part Two
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