Gambit was pulling on his coat when he heard a car pull up outside. Curious, he glanced out the window and saw a car he recongised very well. He practically wrenched open the door, and pulled the rest of his coat on as he raced down to the driveway.
Rogue was getting out of the car. She grinned broadly when she saw Gambit, and rushed to meet him. They enveloped each other in a huge hug and Gambit kissed her thoroughly.
"I missed yo' cherie," he said softly.
"Ah missed you too," Rogue replied.
They released each other.
"Last we spoke you were in Ireland?"
"Yeah. Ah got a job offer with some mutant rights agency called the Caretakahs, but Ah tol' 'em Ah wasn't int'rested. Soon as Ah could Ah got back ta Houston where Ah'd left the car, and came back home."
"You were offered a job?"
"Yeah... But if Ah wanted to save the world Ah'd return to the X-men," Rogue considered. "Ah'm thinking of doin' that anyway."
Gambit nodded.
"So, you haven' yet decided, huh?"
Rogue shrugged.
"Everytime Ah thought Ah had come to a conlusion, something would happen. The last time was the worst."
"Oh?"
Rogue was silent.
"Ah absorbed someone else. Permanently."
"Oh."
"She worked for the Caretakahs. She was found badly hurt - dyin' even. They couldn't save her. They couldn't even talk to her. So they asked me to absorb her so that they could get the information that she had died to bring them."
"Ahh."
"They were right in sayin' that that's what she would have wanted - rather died soonah and pass on the information, than die latah and not. But it doesn't make it any easiah."
"No. No it wouldn't."
"She was a mutant too."
"Oh? So what power did she have?"
"Super strength. Flight. Invulnerability. And a danger sense."
Gambit stared. Rogue nodded pitifully.
"Well... she sure won the lottery of mutant powers!"
A grin broke out on Rogue's solomn face.
"Yeah... she did, huh? Except Ah'm rather concerned that someone who has invulnerability could still be injured to the point of dyin'! Mick - the guy in charge - said something about still being able to get the flu, and it was probably a poison or something."
"Hmm - oh darn."
"What?"
"I'm sorry cherie... I have ta go. Work."
"Oh."
"Hey," and Gambit lifted her chin and kissed her soundly. "I love you cherie. I'm glad you're back. I have a spare room, if you wanted to stay here? Or were you planning on returning to the mansion?"
"Ah have to admit I hadn't thought that far," Rogue admitted ruefully. "But Ah was planning on going back to the mansion and sayin' hi to everyone. If they have a place or job for me, then it would make sense for me to stay there."
Gambit nodded.
"Makes sense," he agreed.
He dearly hoped that Rogue would come to stay with him, but he understood her desire to find a job. He wished he felt comfortable offering her one at his work, but he wanted Rogue to stay out of his line of work.
The two said a fond farewell, Rogue promising to return that evening. Then the two departed, one to work, the other to Xavier's.