The new guys have cozied up to their favorite X-girls, but that kind of turn will romance take for these two almost couples? Read and find out.

Chapter Four: Settling In

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. This was a fun one the write. In the next chapter Remy makes nice with Kitty and learns a secret about Rogue. The game of romance is on. Will Rogue stand a chance? Be here next time to find out.

"Rogue, Kitty," Professor Xavier said. "I would be pleased if you two would show our new recruits to the guest rooms."

"Like sure," Kitty said, heading straight for Piotr. He took her hand as she led the way. Rogue was still so stunned that she just stood there.

"Rogue," the professor called out. "Rogue?"

"What?" she questioned, and then after a few moment came back to earth. "Oh, yeah, Professor."

She looked up to see Remy staring at her. She suddenly became uneasy as she very slowly approached him. He was about to hold out his hand, but Logan stopped him.

"Hey, Gumbo, just and warning," Logan said staring him down. "You keep your hands to yourself."

"Whatever you say, mon ami," he said and reached out for Rogue's hand. She just walked passed him with a scowl on her face. "This way, Swamp Rat."

Logan had a smiled of satisfaction on his face. "Good girl," he said quietly.

As Rogue walked down the hallway, she had a feeling that Gambit wasn't following her. Why did she have to play welcome wagon, especially to that annoying, conceited low life like Remy Lebeau? How she loved that name. It was the rest of him that sent her into a fury. She turned back and saw that he was leaning against the wall casually in the corridor shuffling his cards and staring at her from the corner of his eye.

"Are ya comin'?" she asked in an abrupt voice.

"Sure, chere," he said approaching her slowly. "Lead de way."

She grabbed his hand without thinking and dragged him down the hall to one of the guest rooms. She heard Kitty's voice coming from the room that she guessed she gave to Piotr. She was laughing at something, although she couldn't hear the conversation. Leave it to Kitty to get the nice accommodating one, while she was stuck with the annoying overbearing guy.

"Ah guess you can stay in this one," Rogue said and opened the door for him. She stood in the hall while he stepped inside.

"It's nice," he said in his deep Cajun voice. It was a spacious room with a full bed, dresser and another door that he supposed led to a closet. Suddenly she felt her palms sweating and her knees shaking. She couldn't move and just stood there in the doorway. He noticed it and came over to her. "Come on in."

"No, ah don't think so," she said, but before she could react Remy took her hands and led her inside. She felt like a glob of clay, and he was the artist molding her into what he wanted her to be. Even though her hands were gloved she didn't want him touching her and snatched her hands away.

"Hey, what's de matter?" Remy said and took back one of her hands. This time she didn't take it back as he brought it up to his lips and kissed it. She could feel his warmth and wondered what it would be like to touch his skin. "Beautiful femmes like you should be kissed and often." His other hand made its way up to her face, but she jerked away before he could touch her.

He let go of her hand as she slowly backed up into the doorway. "Ah gotta go," she said with a trembling voice.

"Later den, chere," he said and gave her a quick bow.

She just rolled her eyes at his overblown gesture. "Lunch is at noon," she said and sprinted down the hall. Remy just laughed as he stood in to doorway. Yes, he had definitely made the right decision coming here.

He peeked down the hallway in the hopes that she might come back, but there was no sign of her, but he could hear his friend conversing with that petite little X-girl. If he remembered she was Rogue's best friend and could definitely use her as an ally. He walked down the hall to Piotr's room to see that girl sitting on his bed. She was talking, but he didn't hear a word she was saying.

"So, Tin Man, Remy see you do have a way with the ladies," Remy said teasingly, while standing in the doorway.

Piotr became sheepish and stood up and away from Kitty like they had just gotten caught doing something questionable. "Hi, Gambit," she said. "Pete was just offering to draw my picture. Isn't that sweet?"

Kitty threw Piotr a smile, while Remy just grinned. "Well, well, de big man waste no time," Remy said as he walked into the room. "An' Chaton, it's Remy."

Kitty just giggled at the name he called her. "Okay, Remy," she said and then turn to Colossus. "Pete, remember tomorrow afternoon, okay?"

"Yes, that is be fine," he said politely yet nervously.

"See you then," she said and gave a little wave before running down the hall.

Remy watched as the enthusiastic girl ran like lightening, then go through a wall and disappear. "Well, well, my friend, nice work."

"What do you mean?" Piotr asked confused.

"I never heard anyone call you Pete before," Remy said with a laugh. "Dat girl already got a pet name for you."

"Not like that at all," Piotr said defensively. "Miss Pride, she could not pronounce my name, so that is what she calls me."

"Oh, come on, drawin' her picture. Dat just an excuse. You like dat little Chaton." Piotr blushed at Remy's words. It's true he was shy around women, but Kitty seemed to make him more relaxed. "Come on and admit it."

"Yes, I do, but..."

"But not'ing, my friend," Remy said. "Girl like dat jus' what you need."

"And Miss Rogue?" Piotr asked.

"Gonna be a challenge, but Remy like a challenge," he said and gave his friend a playful punch in the arm. "I'll see you later, my friend."

"Yes, Remy, soon it will be time to eat." Remy made it back to his own room and made a point of settling in. Lunch time was upon them, and he wanted to look good for Rogue.

She had walked back to her room soon after leaving Remy in his room and couldn't believe how close he came to actually touching her. The truth was is that she wanted him to, but something inside her was not allowing that to happen. She reasoned that it had something to do with him and not her, but then again she was still hiding the fact that she did have a handle on her powers, so why not make the big announcement. Why not stop hiding behind all her layers of clothing and take a chance? What was she afraid of? She wondered. She knew what it was, even if she couldn't admit it to herself. She was afraid of getting hurt. After what she went through with Mystique, she was simply afraid of getting close to anyone. No one truly understood how badly Mystique hurt her. The woman was her mother after all, and mothers weren't supposed to treat her children like bargaining chips, using them and their so-called gifts to gain power for herself. For her it was just better to keep the world at a distance.

She sat on her bed and took out the latest novel she was reading. It was another romance, one that Kitty had bought her for Christmas. It was already summer and she had just got around to reading it. She would rather lose herself in her books, then have to deal with anything in her real life. Facing villains was easy, just kick ass and then go home, but friends and her adopted family, that was much more difficult.

She opened the book and was going to go right to reading but then she remembered what she was using as a bookmark. It was the Queen of Hearts, the card Remy gave her down in New Orleans during that bad business with his father. Why did she still have that thing? She couldn't understand it, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to throw it away.

She set it down on her nightstand and tried to concentrate on her book, but Kitty came phasing through the door at lightning speed. Her roommate and best friend paid her no attention. She just headed straight for her closet and rifled through the many clothes she had hanging up. Kitty pulled down several outfits which confused Rogue. Kitty didn't usually have a fashion crisis this early in the day.

"Kitty, what are ya doin'?" Rogue asked as she put her book down on her bed. She set it face down so she didn't lose her place.

"Looking for the perfect outfit," Kitty said.

"For what?" Rogue asked.

"For tomorrow," she said excitedly. "Pete is drawing my picture, and I have to look perfect."

"Pete?" Rogue questioned. She knew who she was talking about, but she didn't ever remember anyone calling him that before, not that she knew the Russian mutant all that well.

"He offered to draw my picture," she said with a slight squeal in her voice. "Oh, he is so sweet."

Rogue just rolled her eyes. "Well, ah hope he don't want to draw you in the buff," Rogue said, walking back over to her bed and sitting down.

"Actually, I suggested that, and he got all tongued tied and nervous," Kitty said with a laugh. "He was so cute."

"Oh, god, Kitty, don't tell me you got another crush," Rogue said, lying flat on her back and staring up at the ceiling.

"Oh, come on, Rogue," Kitty said looking over at Rogue, while still rifling through her clothes. "He is so hot. How can anyone not like him, and besides..." She put down the outfit she was holding and walked over to Rogue's nightstand. She saw the card lying out in the open and picked it up. "I'm not the only one with a..." She stopped for a minute and cleared her throat. "Crush."

She waved the card in the air as Rogue jumped up and attempted to snatch it away from her. "Kitty, give that back," she demanded.

"No, way," she said and hid it behind her back. "Not until you admit it. You like Remy."

"Ah will not," she said and stomped her foot on the floor. "The guy is conceited and annoying, and ah hate him."

Kitty waved the card in front of Rogue, and she finally had a chance to take back the card. "No, you don't, Rogue," Kitty said, pointing out what she already knew in her heart. "I saw the way you were looking at him in the Professor's office. You want him so bad..."

"Shut up!" Rogue shouted, but she didn't flat out deny it. "Ah don't want anybody... can't have anybody."

"That's not true," Kitty said and looked over at the clock. "Hey, it's lunch time. We better get downstairs before the boys hog all the good stuff."

"Ah ain't hungry," Rogue said and sat ack down on her bed. "You go on. Ah'll just sit up here and get caught up on my readin'."

"Well, okay," Kitty said and headed for the door. "I'll bring you some leftovers... if there is any."

"Sure," Rogue said, picking up her book once again. Kitty noticed she was still holding that card.

She gave her one last look before phasing through the door and leaving Rogue alone with her own thoughts.

Next Up... Kitty... the Matchmaker