Chapter one

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

"You haven't heard about the new guy?" Katherine Pryde looked as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Rogue shook her head as the two girls made their way down the halls of school.

"Oh my God!" Kitty squealed. "He's, like, the hottest thing in the institute. Seriously. Lance is so, like, jealous."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "I bet he's full of himself." She muttered and Kitty gawked at her.

"Who cares? He's hot. He can have, like, any attitude he wants." Rogue rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure he's hot, Kitty. But I ain't interested."

"Ain't interested in what?" Jubilation Lee rounded the corner, along with her tag along boyfriend, Bobby Drake…Rogue's ex-boyfriend.

"Rogue thinks the new guy is, like, stuck up." Jubilee's eyebrows shot up in outrage.

"Have you even met him?" she squealed and Bobby huffed.

"No." Rogue confessed and Jubilee stopped mid step.

"Then how can you say he's stuck up?" Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Because most guys that get as much attention as I'm sure you've both given him get hot headed. If he's really as hot as ya'll say he is then he probably knows it and is probably a jerk about it."

"You're stereotyping." Bobby put in and Rogue glared at him. "Just saying." He mumbled.

"Anyway," Kitty continued, tapping her foot in impatience. "Logan says that the new guy is gona train with us today. Isn't that, like, great?" Jubilee gushed over it with Kitty while Rogue rolled her eyes. Great. She thought to herself. Just what she needed.

The rest of the day Rogue spent trying hard to ignore the girls that lived in the institute. It would appear that the new boy had created quite a stir with the girls. The girl everyone called Boom Boom already had a date with him. Apparently, the girls weren't the only ones talking about the new boy. Some of they guys were guessing what his powers were, and talking about different sports they could pull him into. Rogue sighed. Before long that poor boy would be in with the popular crowd and have his own letterman's jacket. Good for him. She thought bitterly.

By the time Rogue made it to the Danger Room for her afternoon session, half the school had turned out to watch the new recruit. Rogue rolled her eyes as she moved up next to one of her only true friends in the entire institute. Elizabeth Braddock. Betty smiled at Rogue and pulled her toward the door.

"You'd think the President was in there." She joked. Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Apparently this is better than the President."

The doors opened and Logan ushered everyone in. Already in the middle of the room was the new recruit. He was tall, much older than Rogue had expected, with choppy brown hair and shocking red on black eyes. He looked lean, yet muscular in the black X-man uniform he was wearing. Almost rebelliously he wore a dark brown coat over the outfit, his left hand resting in the jacket's left deep pocket.

"Bonjour" he greeted everyone. "Names, Remy LeBeau."

Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history.

Logan went through the motions of introducing everyone and then split the X-men up into pairs. Kurt Wagner was put with Remy, who apparently called himself Gambit, and Betty and Rogue were up against each other for the sparring lesson. Rogue rolled her eyes as she glanced at Kurt and Remy who seemed to be playing around instead of actually fighting.

"Logan's gona yell at him." Rogue mumbled. Betty rolled her eyes.

"Good. The boy could use someone to knock him a few inches off of that pedestal. I heard he's quite the heartbreaker."

Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me.

"Nothin to worry 'bout." Rogue promised. Betty raised an eyebrow after ducking one of Rogue's kicks. "He ain't my type."

Logan blew the whistle and just as Rogue had predicted, he yelled and Remy. What she hadn't predicted was Logan's next move.

"Rogue, you and Kurt switch." Betty grinned and whispered, "Good luck" as Rogue, reluctantly, joined Remy.

"Bonjour, chere." He greeted. She rolled her eyes.

"You gona hit me or you gona talk?"

He grinned. "Remy was always told not to hit de femmes." She rolled her eyes. He was using third person. That was going to get irritating.

That's okay.

"Then pretend I'm not a girl" she mumbled and swung at him.

Let's see how you do it.

He ducked and dodged her fist just in the nick of time.

Put up your dukes, lets get down to it.

"Come on." She called and he spun, connecting his fist with her jaw. She stumbled back and grinned. Now this was getting somewhere.

Hit me with your best shot.

"That all you got, Swamp rat?" she goaded. He grinned.

"Ah, how sweet, chere's already thought of a pet name for Remy. Let's see if Remy can return the favor." He caught her foot in midair and flipped her, but she was quicker, catching herself and spinning to send her foot crashing into his knee. He lurched forward and caught himself before he hit the ground.

Why don't you hit me with your best shot!

She grinned at him and called, "Why don't you stay down there, Swamp rat. You'll be right back down there in a minute." He leapt to his feet and grinned.

"Dat's not nice, River rat."

She gawked. "River rat?" she demanded.

"Mississippi." He answered and swung. She ducked but still stared at him.

"You gona hit moi or what?" he mocked.

Hit me with your best shot.

She glared at him and launched herself at him. He dodged out of the way and she slid to a halt. He was right behind her and before he could grab her she brought her elbow back into his stomach. She grinned when he doubled over.

"You gona pay for dat, chere." He promised, still grinning.

"Come on" she goaded.

Fire away.

He was on his feet in and instant. He dodged another of her kicks but missed one of her punches that connected with his jaw. "Chere, if you keep hittin on moi, Remy might have to ask you out." Startled she lowered her guard and he connected his foot with her stomach, sending her back a few steps.

"Cheater!"

"Remy thought he was swamp rat." He toyed. "Make up your mind, chere."

You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair.

Her fist connected with the side of his head and he stumbled back. "Dat hurt, chere" he complained and she rolled her eyes.

"Baby."

"Again wit de name callin."

But that's ok see if I care.

She spun and kicked him so hard he fell to the ground. Before she could react he swiped her legs out from under her. She winced when she landed on her back.

Knock me down, it's all in vain.

"See, now who's on de ground, chere?" she leapt to her feet and swung, but he dodged each hit she threw.

I'll get right back on me feet again!

Neither of them noticed, but most of the institute was watching the two now, especially Logan. Rogue ducked anther of Remy's punches and then did a back hand spring to miss his foot. He huffed.

Hit me with your best shot!

Then slowly he grinned when she landed and ushered him to come get her. "Be right dere" he promised and, slipping his hand into his pocket he drew out a card and flicked it at her. Confused she stared at it until she realized it was glowing. She leapt out of the way just as it exploded.

Why don't you hit me with your best shot.

"Hey!" she yelled. "No powers!"

"Aw.." he complained. "What's de matter chere? Not up for a good fight?" she glared at him and then shrugged.

"Suit yourself." She said grinning.

Hit me with you best shot!

He sent another line of cards at her but she dodged each of them, flipping and spinning and moving closer to him all the while. He sent three more that, this time, connected with her. She winced but he was still grinning.

"Come on, chere." He goaded.

Fire away!

Before he realized what had happened she was standing right in front of him. Her fist connected with his face so hard it sent him stumbling back. He slipped and landed on his back. Rogue leapt without any hesitation and was crouching over him, smiling.

"Give up?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Remy never give up, chere. Specially when he's interested in something."

She rolled her eyes.

Well you're the real touch cookie with the long history, of breaking little hearts like the one in me.

"To bad, sugar. I'm not interested." Remy raised an eyebrow, glancing at the position they were both currently in.

"Remy begs to differ, chere."

A grin played over her face and she lowered her head so that she was inches from his lips. "You sure you're interested, swamp rat?"

"Rogue…"Logan warned but she ignored him.

"Positive." He assured her and Rogue grinned.

Before I put another notch in my lipstick case, you better make sure you put me in my place.

She lowered her head so that their lips met briefly and then grinned. His eyes widened and then he passed out. "Sweet dreams." She called and, standing up, turned to Logan.

"Just couldn't help yourself, could you kid?"

Rogue smiled. "He deserved it." She promised. "Sides, I asked him first." Logan shook his head and pointed to two boys.

"Take him down to the bed bay. He'll be alright."

Rogue had only touched him long enough to get his memories from the fight. But she also got all the thoughts that had been running through his head while they were fighting. "Ew" she mumbled and shrugged it off. Betty was grinning from ear to ear. Rogue raised an eyebrow and said, "What?"

Becky pointed to a mirror and Rogue glanced in it only to have red on black eyes glance back at her. "That son of a…" Rogue started and then huffed. It all came with the gifts she supposed. She glanced at the boys who were carting Remy's body away and then smiled at Betty.

"He had to learn his lesson someway." Betty laughed.

"And I think you're just the person to teach it to him." Rogue rolled her eyes. But before she left Betty called.

"Hey Rogue," Rogue turned back and Betty grinned. "Fire away!"

& & &

Review! Disclaimer: I don't own X-men or anything having to do with Marvel and X-men. All Right go to Marvel.