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The night is silent. Rogue is walking down a road, almost at the building where she expects Henry Gyrich to be. She will have her vengeance soon, she knows.
The people who died on Genosha will be avenged.
Erik will be too.
And Gambit.
Her heart clenches, twists, breaks every time she thinks of him.
It hurts too much.
Rogue tries to steer her thoughts back to Gyrich, but this time, the pain doesn’t go away.
She doesn’t realize that she’s crying until the tears run down her cheeks. And then, Rogue breaks down, crying, her face buried in her arms and she wishes -- oh she wishes so much -- that Gambit were here with her, holding her.
“It’s gonna be alright, Chère,” she can almost hear him whisper into her ear. She closes her eyes, unable to face reality.
“Remy,” she sobs. He doesn’t answer. Of course he doesn’t.
The pain builds up in her chest, so much that Rogue can’t take it anymore. A scream escapes her lungs, loud, sharp, like the pain. Like a wounded animal.
Rogue doesn’t stop until her voice is gone, her throat aching. It doesn’t make the pain in her chest go away.
She can almost feel his hands in her hair, on her shoulders. He could be hugging her right now, she realizes.
His breath is warm, like a breeze, when his face nears her neck and he kisses her there, softly, onto the fabric of her top.
He holds her, silently and strong, like a rock in the surf. A tower of strength.
He’s here, Rogue knows. He’s here.
“I love you so much,” she whispers, her voice barely audible because of her hoarse throat.
His answer can only be heard by her. “I know. I love you, too.”
The next tear that rolls over her cheek is wiped away by one of his gloved fingers. It feels so soft on her skin.
Rogue leans against his chest, feeling his heart beating against hers.
He’s here. He’s here.
Alive.
Suddenly, Rogue is overtaken by her feelings again. This time, the pain hurts less, but the thought -- the memory -- of him dying is still too much.
“I lost you,” Rogue mumbles, her voice shaky.
“I know,” he answers again.
Rogue hesitates to ask the next question, but eventually, she does.
“Are you real?”
“Am I?” he asks back. Rogue isn’t sure. Is he really here, with her?
She doesn’t know. This doesn’t feel real. Gambit is supposed to be dead. No, he is dead.
“I can’t lose you again,” Rogue gasps. “Don’t leave me.”
Gambit just wraps his arms tighter around her. Rogue knows he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
He kisses her cheek this time, her touch not hurting him anymore. This cannot be real, Rogue thinks. But maybe it is. Maybe they can finally touch each other.
Maybe everything will be alright.
Suddenly, his presence weakens. “No!” Rogue gasps. “I love you too much to lose you twice!”
Panicked, she opens her eyes, looks around.
But Gambit isn’t here, not anymore.
Rogue starts crying again, trying to yell his name, but her voice doesn’t obey her anymore.
When she finally stands up, she sees the queen of hearts lying on the floor.
As Rogue reaches down and picks up the card, a tear drops onto the paper, wetting the heart. Staining it.
Like his death stained hers.
When she walks away, her hand firmly presses the card against her chest.