Gambit and Rogue’s reconciliation in Uncanny X-Men #385 was anything but a tender moment. A cartel of interdimensional slavers were capturing people and, in order to destroy them, Gambit and his group pretended to become their allies. Rogue and her X-Men got word of their apparent betrayal and sought them out in order to stop them. A massive fight ensued between the two teams, and, in particular, between Gambit and Rogue. After a hard-fought battle between the two, Rogue managed to pin him to the ground . . .

ROGUE: Enough of this foolishness, Cajun! Mah gloves are off! One touch o’ my bare skin t’yours and you’re outta this fight. Better yet, Ah’ll have your powers t’use as my own.

GAMBIT: Don’ do dat, chere. You’re makin’ a big mistake.

ROGUE: Newsflash, Sugah, how’re you gonna stop me.

GAMBIT: Wit’ two words, chere. Trust me.

ROGUE: Always, Remy.

From that moment, from the declaration of her unconditional trust in him, their relationship seemed to blossom. Her doubts about his essential decency, his bitterness over her lack of trust in the past, seemed to disappear and they developed what could only be described as a mutually supportive relationship. There was ample evidence of this when he comforted her when she killed the man in charge of the slaving ring, the Goth, at the end of the issue:

ROGUE: Ah shoulda found another way.

GAMBIT: So maybe next time, you will. But, as far as I’m concerned, you did right. You wan’ feel bad about dat, your privilege. Jus’ like it’s mine t’hold you close an’ give you comfort for as long as you need. For as long as you want.

Almost more importantly, they seemed to have fun together again. Along with the remainder of the team, they went dancing at a club in the following issue. They flirted and teased each other, sought each other out for all the slow dances, and genuinely seemed to have a wonderful time in each other’s company.

However, the real test of their commitment to each other was to come when Rogue began to have difficulties with her powers . . .