Chapter 0

Epilogue

Rogue ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the playing card that Gambit had slipped into her hand. The whole situation had left her with much to think about. The plane ride home was almost a blur. She recalled Kurt with his arm around her offering the loving protection only a brother could, all the while Kurt glared back at the scoundrel that had stolen away his "sister" and put her in harm's way. Though, she did vividly remember the last fleeting glance she shared with Gambit before boarding the blackbird, even through the fog she was able to make out his glowing garnet eyes.

"You're sure you're alright, Rogue?" Kurt asked again as he settled into the seat next to her. "I really don't care what he was trying to do, or who he was trying to help. In the end he will always have his own selfish reasons." Kurt was too protective, and too upset to understand any other point of view.

"He might'a done it the wrong way Kurt, but family has a way a'turnin' you inside out. We know that better'n most." Kurt couldn't really argue with that, even though he wanted to try, but she had been through a lot, and having her here, safe, and away from that criminal low-life was good enough. Rogue slumped in her seat, listening to the quiet hum of the plane's engine.

She needed to come up with answers to the questions that Logan was undoubtedly going to ask, but she was only half sure of her motivations. Why had she helped Gambit, despite misleading and kidnapping her? Was it the horrid guilt of how she made Kurt feel or what she had done to Mystique? She was, after all, having a harder time then she was willing to admit dealing with her "mother's" betrayal. She remembered a time not so terribly long ago when Mystique her "mom" would brush her hair, and tell about how having a daughter was her greatest joy. No matter who's face she had been emulating, Rogue never got tired of seeing her mother's eyes light up with outstretched arms for her to run into. Was it really all a lie? What about her other "mom" Irene, were her warm and loving words a lie too? Did the guilt of destroying her mother hurt so much that she would try to find retribution in helping an enemy? Rogue wasn't entirely sure.

Rogue had just got done recounting the whole story in her mind about the hundredth time before they landed. The lights in the mansion, though warm, paled in comparison to the glowing lanterns along the Mississippi river. You don't miss it until it's gone.

"C'mon Rogue." Logan beckoned her away from the main staircase leading to the bedrooms, there was no escaping his interrogation. "Time you tell me what happened." Logan ushered her into kitchen, and pulled them both something to drink from the fridge. "You talk straight with me, and I'll try to do my best to understand. Deal?" Logan wanted every detail, he considered himself a guardian to this girl, and he trusted Gambit as far as he could throw him.

"Okay Logan..." She took a deep breath, and went through everything- the kidnapping, the train, the jazz club, all the way up to retrieval of Gambit's father.

"Sounds like that kid was caught between a'rock n'a'hard place." Logan was doing his best not to criticize Gambit, not because he understood the thief's motivations, but because he couldn't handle Rogue defending him. If she did, Logan would lose it, and become the stereotypical screaming father. He downed a long swig of root beer before Rogue had any time to answer. "Him I get, you on the other hand, I don't. Why stick around? You didn't call us, you could'a told us, n'yeah we would'a griped about it, but we would'a helped. Hero's do that."

"Ah know, but it had ta be me. Just me." She explained her guilt about how she hurt Kurt and about how pushing Mystique's solidified body off the high stone cliff was eating away at her, and how Gambit felt like her chance at redemption. It felt as though it would make a difference in her life if she could help Gambit and she needed to prove it to herself. Once she was done pouring out her confession, it was silent for a moment. Rogue shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"That ain't it, is it? What else?" Logan could see only what she had just realized.

"Well, um... ah don't-"

"C'mon Rogue. We have a deal."

"It's just...Ah was thinkin' about leavin' the institution before Gambit showed up... but Ah would've never had the guts to leave on mah own. Ah mean, where would Ah have gone? Even though he was doin' it for his own selfish reasons...without even meanin' to Gambit had given me something Ah didn' think Ah had…he-he gave me a choice."

"That's bull, girl. You always had'a choice."

"Did Ah, Logan? First it was Irene & Mystique, then the Brotherhood, and Risty, now its you guys. Ah was always desperately lookin' for somewhere ta belong because Ah didn' think Ah could'a done it on mah own, Ah thought Ah needed y'all. But after Ah was able to do this for Gambit without any of you, Ah still felt like the X-men were mah family 'cause Ah wanted y'all with me, not because Ah couldn't make it without you guys. Ah want ta be apart o' this, Ah wanna be an X-man more than anything." Rogue hung her head, she cleared her throat, but had nothing else to say.

"Well, yer shaping up to be a great one. Go to bed, you got homework to make up, and school in the morning." That being said Logan left the kitchen.

"Oh yeah, right, school."