A/N: This story is in the theme of Hans Christian Anderson's story 'The Little Mermaid' (his story is sad, Disney made it happy). In that story the mermaid fell in love at first sight and sold her voice in exchange to be with the man she loved. Here is my version of that story with Rogue and Gambit. I thought it would be fun to explain why things are the way they are with them. If you don't like sweet, fairy tale type stuff please don't read this. Oh and no accents in this one, you'll see why.

Gambit strolled along the vast green landscape. The vibrant color was in every direction and was framed by the blue sky dotted with little fluffy white clouds. As he crested the hill to view the expansive scenery below, he spotted a young woman sitting near a thicket of trees. She was sitting with a sketchbook in her lap, sketching the beautiful terrain all around.

Gambit stopped to drink in this exquisite sight. She was the loveliest thing he had ever seen. Her perfect skin, flawless features and long auburn hair flowing and dancing in the gentle breeze.

He ran his hand through his own thick hair that hung slightly in his face as he wondered, 'Should I approach?' She seemed to be so involved in what she was doing, so at peace. Gambit waited and watched, wondering why his feelings were so extreme towards this stranger. Yes, she was beautiful but so was everyone else around here, why was she different.

Finally he decided that time was too short to worry about such strange feelings. 'What do I have to lose?' he thought to himself, while summoning up the courage that he couldn't understand needing in the first place. He went down to where the young lady was sitting; he was just going to say hi.

She didn't even notice he was there until he spoke. "What are you drawing?" he asked while standing behind her.

She didn't flinch or act surprised. All she did was look up at the vastness before her and in an awed voice said, "I'm trying to capture this, but I can't even come close." Then looked over her shoulder to see the handsome stranger standing behind her.

He smiled at the sight of her face. 'They must have broke the mold after designing her' he mused. She returned his expression in kind. He took her smile as an invitation to join her and found a spot on the grass to sit where he could look into her eyes.

"Hi," she said still beaming.

"Hi," he answered with his own smile that could have melted the iceberg that sank the Titanic.

"Have you been here very long?" he asked.

"I have always been here," she said.

"Always? You mean you've never been down there?" Gambit asked, his voice full of surprise.

She smiled and blushed a little, "No, not in the sense you mean. I have watched out for people though."

"Really?" Gambit answered, more than a little intrigued with the prospect of a guardian angel, "Who?"

"You." She answered without hesitation or inflection.

"You're kidding right?' he couldn't believe that she knew him when he was last there, in his last incarnation.

"Nope, I helped you that time you were being chased by those guards and you jumped out of the tower. Who do you think made sure there was a hay wagon beneath to cushion your fall?" she said with a wink.

Gambit sat in shocked silence. It was true; he should have died that day but didn't. Instead he had lived to a ripe old age.

"Are you staying or going back right away?" she asked hoping beyond hope that he would be staying.

"I'm going back today actually." He said, feeling a sudden and deep disappointment in that fact.

"Oh," she replied and looked away. Her disappointment clearly showing too.

The mood had become down right somber at the realization that they had only a short time to be together and get to know each other. She had watched him for such a long time now during his life on Earth and had come to love him. She knew there was a bond between them, and that he would find her in the hereafter, but she had no idea he had made arrangements to go back so soon. Rather than dwell on that she felt it best to make the most of the time they did have, short as it was.

"So have you decided on how you will look when you go back?" she asked

He smiled at her and his playful personality rose to the occasion, "You decide for me." He said

She now smiled, realizing he was underestimating her playful side in that challenge and she would make him sorry, "I think you should keep your looks that you have right now,"

"Done!" he said with a sharp nod that made his long bangs bounce into his face.

"But the eyes need to be different…"She added with a thoughtful pout as she examined his face.

"Anything you want, Chere." He added and leaned back on his arms stretched out behind him.

Her smile widened at that invitation to be very bad and she said, "I think red on black might suit you."

He didn't even react, he just said, "Done!" as if it was the most normal eye color there was.

She sat stunned for a moment, "You're kidding now right?" she asked hoping it wasn't her that had underestimated him.

"Nope, that's what they will be then, just for you." He said without any concern for the consequences.

She sat back completely in awe of this remarkable man. Feeling like she needed to give a little something in return for this compliment she said, "Well I am not scheduled to be born for about 25 years yet but when I am you can decide how I will look."

He looked her over carefully, "I like you the way you look now."

She smiled, "and my eye color?" she said expecting the worst.

Gambit looked around him at the gorgeous landscape then returned his eyes to her, "I love this green color."

She again was surprised by this young man and was silent for a moment as she realized that he had chosen her favorite color. "Green it is then." She said softly.

They sat together just enjoying each other's company in silence for a few moments, realizing that there was a great deal more here between them than either of them had initially suspected. Enough that both were a little scared to go further since their time together was so short.

Finally Gambit spoke, "What's your name?"

She smiled and said, "Rogue"

"Rogue? Why Rogue?" Gambit asked, more than a little shocked by such a strange name.

She looked down as if a little embarrassed, "I was given that name because I like to break the rules around here."

Gambit laughed and said, "I like that! You and I will get along great!" Then they both looked down again as sadness filled their hearts, since they would not even have the opportunity to get along. He was leaving to be born soon and she not for twenty odd more years. It wasn't going to happen for them.

Gambit looked down at his hands and noticed that they had started to glow with a pure white light. The light began to spread up his arms and he turned to Rogue, "This is it Rogue, I'm leaving now." He said with a voice full of regret and disappointment, "Maybe in the life after this we can time it better." He said and Rogue knew then that he felt for her exactly the way she felt for him and she started to cry with joy and sadness mixed together.

"I love you Gambit." She said as she reached for his disappearing form.

He held her close as the light enveloped him, and before he vanished altogether he kiss her forehead and she felt his love for her wash over her. The light from his lips spreading over her, changing her auburn hair in the front of her head to a pure white. Then he was gone.

She stood alone in the vast green scene and screamed at the top of her lungs, "I want to go now! I want to be with him!"

After a moment of nothing, but the sound of a soft breeze, a resounding voice filled the air, "No Rogue, It is not you time. You will meet him again but not in this next life."

She whirled around looking at the sky, trying to pinpoint exactly where the voice was coming from, "I can't wait! I want to go now! Send me now! Can't you see we love each other?" she demanded.

The voice returned, "I see all but there are things you must learn first. If you go before your time there is a heavy price to pay."

She thought for a moment about that. There wasn't any point going if she was never going to meet up with him on Earth, "Will I be able to find him there?" she asked.

"Yes. Nothing can keep souls who love each other apart even if they don't remember their past lives." The voice answered

She saw the ray of hope, there was a chance she could go and nothing was going to stop her, "I'll pay it then! Any price, I'll pay it!" she yelled.

As she spoke the last word, her wish was granted and she looked down to see her form start to glow with the same white light that had engulfed Gambit. She smiled, as she knew she would see him again soon. 'Nothing can keep our two souls apart,' she thought as she went from spiritual form to that of the physical.

Little did she know that the price was she could never touch him.