Good Intentions

by Ravenclaw16

Xavier finds a dangerous mutant named Carol Danvers, he gives Rogue a chance to lead a team to apprehend her. Gambit, still an Accolite sees things have gone wrong he proves that, her side is where he belongs. Can the X-Men save her before it's too late?

Sins of the Mother

Sitting in the den, playing chess where Rogue and Kurt. Chess, normally a quiet well thought out game was now ground zero of a very active war between the two mutants. "HA!" Said Kurt swiping up Rogue's bishop with his rook "Take zat!"

"Oh yeah fur ball?" She said and preformed a castle, which relieved Kurt of his queen "Top that." She smirked and Kurt looked at the board slacked jawed. Just then Scott walked threw the den.

"Hey Rogue," He said "The Professor wants to see you in his office." Rogue's expression was blank but Kurt piped up with a whistle

"Whoa Rogue vhat did you do?"

"Ah didn't do nothin'." She said defensively

"That's a double negative Rogue. You just said you had done something." Scott replied biting into his apple

"Thanks flashlight but Ah don't need grammatical advice frum you." She said and stalked off.

"What'd I say?" Scott shrugged

"Vhen are you going to learn she bites back?" Kurt said

"What?" Scott shrugged again

Walking down the hall towards the professor's office Rogue thought if she had done anything wrong lately. She, Kurt, Bobby and Rahne had used Kitty's last batch of cookies as hockey pucks the day before (Bobby provided the ice) . . . and she'd stood guard while Rahne put Vaseline on Jean's doorknob. She was sure there was more to add to the list probably enough to get her expelled at a normal school but she had just arrived at the professor's door. She paused and took a deep breath and knocked. A muffled "Come in Rogue." Came from behind the door and she walked into Professor Xavier's office. He was a very kind and sympathetic man but still had an air about him that demanded respect.

"You wanted ta see me?"

"Yes, have a seat Rogue." He said and she sat down in one of the big squashy chairs in front of his desk. She was quite comfortable but still a little worried.

"How long have you been with us Rogue?"

"Um . . . about a year, Ah guess." Her stomach gave an uncomfortable squirm

"And do you think your time here has been beneficial?"

"Sure." She said trying to act slightly indifferent

"I try to ask very little of the students here," The professor said slowly "I try to let you all learn from your own mistakes and work out your own problems." Rogue's heart was pounding in her throat "I've hoped that each one of you have been developing the skills to take my place one day and teach other mutants control over their powers. I've hoped that one-day maybe humanity might begin to accept us. But," Rogue's stomach was now doing flip flops, she knew a few practical jokes wouldn't lead to her expulsion but she knew she had to have done something to warrant this uncomfortable speech from Xavier. "there is a mutant in the city who may jeopardize all of our work." The professor said easily and Rogue breathed such a heavy sigh of relief that it caused the professor to stop in mid sentence. "What?"

"Ah'm sorry, Ah thought Ah was going to be expelled er somethun'."

"Why would you think that?"

"Never mind please continue."

"Her name is Carol Danvers, Cebro found her a few days ago and I've been debating on what to do. She is extremely powerful but her mind is very unstable. I'm afraid she may hurt someone, especially our chances at acceptance."

"Whut do ya need me fer?"

"She has super human strength, the ability to fly and is invulnerable to injury. A few months ago a Starbucks in Paris failed to get her order correct. She almost killed the waiter and half the stores staff and customers. The police tried to stop her but she destroyed 4 squad cars and put one of the officers into a coma."

"So . . ." Rogue began "ya need me ta get close ta 'er and absorb 'er powers."

"Yes, I'd like to bring her back here to try to help her but she'd never cooperate on her own. But I am afraid that one quick touch wouldn't faze her much."

"You need me ta absorb as much of 'er power as I can?"

"As much as possible."

"What about what we talked about?"

"What's that?"

"Tha' prolonged contact may cause me ta absorb a life force permanently!"

He nodded "that is why I wanted to talk to you before I spoke to the others. You don't have to do this if you don't want to. It's your decision. You would be in full charge of the mission. I doubt you would permanently absorb her powers but I feel that the world would be much safer in your hands than hers if you did."

Rogue was silent for a moment . . . "Ah . . . You said she's dangerous . . . and she could hurt someone?" Xavier nodded but Rogue took another few moments to think "I guess I'm going to Paris then."

Xavier smiled "New York actually. When she fled from the Paris police she flew to New York." He handed her a file "Her home address is in there and some further information about her activities. You may choose who want on the mission and when. The entire institute is at your disposal. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Ah can't let her hurt anyone else." Rogue said her eyes on the file.

"You have certainly become the woman I had hoped."

"Ah have?"

"Yes, a confident young woman who cares about those around her." The professor said knowingly, Rogue forced a smile

"Is there anything else?"

"No, you may go." She stood and began to leave "and thank you Rogue; I'll not forget this." She smiled another weak smile and left.

She didn't bother returning to the chess game instead she went straight to her room and opened the file. She looked down at a young beautiful woman. She had long blond hair and soft feminine features . . . She didn't look psychotic . . . but she wasn't going to second guess the professor. She flopped down on the bed to studied the file, taking a few hours to commit everything important to memory. After she was satisfied she picked up a notebook from her bedside table. She began thinking about who would be the most useful for the mission. She wrote out a list of all the X-Men. She defiantly wanted Logan to be there but he had disappeared to Toronto a few days ago. So instead she checked Storm's name. If something went wrong she defiantly wanted an adult there. Next on the list was Scott but she couldn't imagine how optic blasts would help against someone who was invulnerable to injury. Then there was Jean . . . though they weren't the best of friends she knew Jean's powers would defiantly come in handy if Danvers's tried to fly away or something. She checked Jean's name and moved onto Kitty. As much as she liked Kitty she was in the same boat as Scott and so was Boom Boom, Magma and half of the other students were ether too young or not experienced enough to come or be of much use. So she scratched a check beside Kurt's name. He may be a goof but he was serious when it came to this sort of thing and his teleportation powers would defiantly be of use. She checked the list over a few times; happy with her choices she began devising a plan.

!!BAMF!! The sudden noise caused her to drop her notebook and scramble from the bed. A strange racket was coming from the closet. Unsure of what it was she pulled off one of her gloves and approached the door slowly. She flung the door open about to pounce on the being inside but an avalanche of clothes; shoes and blue fur attacked her. She jumped out of the way and the foray of clothes came rushing at her. And there entangled in the mess on the floor was- "KURT!" She yelled seeing him buried beneath a pile of semi-Goth clothes "what the-" Kurt jumped top his feet

"SHHH!!!" He said "Kitty iz after me!" Just then there was a knock on Rogue's door. "You must hide me!" Quickly she shoved him back in the closet just as kitty fazed her head three the door.

"Rogue? You in here?"

"Hey Kitty."

"Oh hey, have you, like, seen Kurt? He said he'd, like, try my new apple rhubarb muffins!"

"I haven't seen him."

"Awe nuts . . . Do you, like, want one?"

"Oh uh no Ah can't." Rogue said suddenly clutching her stomach "Ah, uh, Ah don't feel very good. Ah was jus' 'bout to lie down."

"Oh, well I hope you, like, feel better."

"Thanks." Rogue said as Kitty's head reversed threw the door. She turned to the closet and opened the door. Again Kurt and the rest of Rogues clothes and belongings fell out of the closet.

"Thanks freluine. I thought I vaz done for."

"She's not much of a cook."

"But her cookies make great pucks." They laughed "here let me help you." Rogue had begun to pick up her clothes.

"Thanks."

After a few moments of restocking the closet Kurt noticed Rogue seemed a little darker than usual "Are you ok?"

"It's nothin'."

"Come on Rogue, you know you can confide in zhe Fuzzy One." He said with a smile "did you get in trouble wiz the Prof?"

"No."

"Then vhat happened?"

"He asked me to do somethun." Kurt didn't seem to be taking the hint and it didn't take much of that puppy dog expression to pull the story out of his stepsister. "He's put me in charge of the next mission."

"Oh. . . but why you and not Cych?"

"Are you sayin' Ah can' handle it?" Rogue's voice rose slightly

"Nine nine! Not at all! He's just been pounding zhe whole leadership thing into Scott zat's all."

"The mutant we're goin' after is supposed ta be really powerful. Ah'm tha only one who can stop her."

"You mean-"

"Yeah."

"So who all iz going?"

"Storm, Jean, you and me."

"You vant me there?"

"Sure, Ah may need a teleport or two. So Ah think you'll be stickin' close ta me if somethin' goes wrong."

"Only four people to take down someone this powerful?"

"Ah'll be the one doin' all tha work and Ah want ta try to keep the group small to avoid or any unnecessary accidents."

Just then Rogue's room door flung open to reveal Kitty armed with a plate of singed and slightly smoking muffins "There you are!"

"Uh ho." Kurt said stunned before !!BAMF!! He disappeared into a puff of gray smoke.

"Ugh! Like, he promised!"

"Ah bet he headed fer tha kitchen," Said Rogue "That's tha las' place he'd think ya'd look."

Kitty disappeared from view and Rogue, once again closed her door. She finished tossing the last pair of boots in the bottom of the closet and turned to pick up her notebook once more. She noticed something brown underneath her bed and knelt down to pick it up. It was a brown leather jacket with cuff length sleeves. She smiled and took off her sheer green shirt and tried the jacket on over her black tank top. It still fit but the sleeves where a tad shorter. She'd grown an inch or two in the last few months since she'd bought it. She remember how much fun she, Boom Boom, Kitty, Magma and Jean had had as the Bayville Sirens. She looked back towards the closet and with a slight grin dug out the pants and boots that went with the jacket. She left the shirt, preferring the look of her tank instead. With a change of clothes behind her she felt refreshed she set back to work on the mission.

She found it hard to keep her mind on just one scenario. She kept rethinking the layout of the mission, but a few hours and a dozen diagrams later she decided she had covered all the holes and bases. Believing it was best to get it over with before Danvers's had a change to hurt anyone else she called the three other team members to the Danger Room, Jean defiantly noticed her change in clothes. Everyone but Kurt had expected Storm to have been the one to start things off but she stood back as Rogue explained what the professor had told her and laid down the plan. She didn't much like the taste of being in charge of the meeting. In her own mind she thought she sounded like Scott.

"Ah'd like ta go as soon as possible, Ah don't want to give er a chance ta hurt anyone else. And Ah think it'd be best if we didn't use our uniforms and go for more of an undercover approach."

With encouragement from Storm they went over the plan a few more times and everything went smoothly until Scott spotted them heading for the Blackbird a few hours later. "Hey guys! Where ya going?" He said jogging up to them like a stranded puppy. Rogue almost protested but Jean said "I'll catch up." As she headed Scott off at the hanger door.

"Whatcha guys doing?" He repeated

"The Professor has something he'd like us to do."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He's put Rogue in charge of this one."

"Really?"

"Yeah, there's a really powerful mutant in the city. She's a little postal so he thinks it's best if Rogue absorbs some of her powers so we bring her back here. He wants to try to help her."

"Well can I come?"

"I don't think so. I feel like Rogue's a little territorial about this one. It's her first chance to lead a mission and I think she thinks you'd try to take over."

"I do not!" Rogue said as she came around the corner

"Um, Scott was just wondering if he could come along."

"We've got everyone we need." Rogue said crossing her arms.

"Oh come on Rogue it's been so dull around here for weeks." Scott wasn't lying; he'd done nothing but burry himself in his study books for the last month.

"Ah-"

"I'm starting to grow mold! Look," He said pointing to his hair which happened to be mold free at the moment "See? I won't get in the way; I'll be a fly on the wall."

Rogue rolled her eyes "Oh all right. But stay out of tha way, go get yer visor and have Jean brief you when we get ta the plane."

"Yes! Thanks, I'll be right back, don't leave without me."

Jean looked back at Rogue with a smile "You think we can leave him if we hurry?" Rogue laughed.

Storm was done with the pre-flight check and they had been waiting for over ten minuets when Rogue finally saw Scott running towards the plane from the far end of the hanger (over 100 yards away). "Hey Kurt, why don't you save us some time?"

"Aye aye Cap'n!" Kurt said and !!BAMF!! He appeared in the hanger, took Scots shoulder and !!BAMF!! they both appeared back in the jet.

The soft buzz of the jet filled the hanger and then the plane rose from the basketball court and they sped off into the growing dusk. During the flight Jean explained the plan to Scott. He absorbed the information like a sponge and concentrated on the floating pocket change, hair pins and stray button Jean used to illustrate the lay of the street around Carol Danvers' apartment.

Perched atop the building on the other side of the street from Danvers' building the Blackbird utilized its cloaking technology to hide from prying eyes. From the roof of the building they could steak out her apartment. They where waiting for Danvers' to leave. Rogue didn't want to risk the safety of civilians by attacking Danvers' in her apartment. They would wait until she was out in the open, then with everyone in position Rogue and Kurt (in order for Kurt and Rogue to teleport if Danvers' tried to fly away) would approach Danvers', possibly striking up a conversation and upon proper introductions try to shake her hand. But . . . so far this didn't seem to be working. From the view threw the windows Carol Danvers wasn't planning on leaving during the evening. Until professor Xavier contacted Rogue on her com.

"I've just learned that Carol Danvers is in the Oak Grove cemetery." He said and proceeded to give Rogue the address

"But that's impossible, we're staking out her apartment right now, she's home." Rogue said looking threw the binoculars and into the apartment window and saw a blond woman who looked like the picture Xavier had given her. "I can see her!"

"Cerebro tells me she's in the cemetery, check the address in your file (Jean handed Rogue the file) is it the same?"

"Yes." Rogue replied

"She must have a roommate then."

"But you said she was psychotic! How-"

"Some psychopaths are rather good at hiding their true tendencies." Xavier said smartly.

Everyone stood back while Rogue and Xavier finished the conversation. They hung up and Rogue handed the file back to Jean and stood with her fists on her hips. "The professor just told me we've got the right address but she isn't home." She spoke over the pointing and "buts" from the rest of the group and said "He says she has a roommate he didn't know about. She really at a cemetery not far from here."

"What's the plan?" Jean asked

"We can ether wait for her to come home and risk her roommate getting hurt or we can corner her at the cemetery."

"I can port us there." Kirt said

"But we'll have to leave the Blackbird." Jean replied

"You guys go ahead." Scott said "I can bring the Blackbird, I'm the only extra wheel."

Two red eyes glistened in the darkness atop the building across the street, the figure spoke into a radio "Dhey took da bait."

There was a chill in the air and the leaves danced about the ground as she spoke to the monument in front of her. The epitaph read: Son, Brother, Friend. She sighed deeply, laid the roses at the stone angel's feet and stepped back to the bench across the way. But when she turned she noticed that the formerly vacant seat was occupied by a young woman with red and white hair, she seemed to be poring over a sketch pad. Just then a short boy with blue hair joined her. She was slightly abashed at the insensitivity the two teens where expressing by staring at her brother's monument. Apparently her emotions where revealed in her expression because the young girl said "Ah'm sorry, where we disturbin' you?"

"Uh . . ." The woman reflected upon her selfishness, they where only kids "No, never mind."

"It's very beautiful . . ." The girl said

"Excuse me?"

"The monument, it's very beautiful. He musta meant a lot ta his family."

"He did." She said

"Ah'm Rogue by the way and this is my brother Kurt." Rogue said standing

"I'm Carol," Carol Danvers said with a smile and held out her hand. Rogue saw her chance but paused . . . She didn't seem dangerous but she remembered what the professor had said about hiding her true nature. She slipped off her glove and gripped Danvers's hand firmly. At first nothing seemed to happen, then all of a sudden Carol felt uncomfortable and tried to let go "Please, let go."

"Ah'm sorry." Rogue said and gripped her wrist with her free hand. Feeling the strength draining from her Danvers tried to take flight, she punched Rogue so hard she forced her to let go and fall "JEAN!" Rogue yelled and Jean and Storm jumped from behind one of the stones. Storm hid the scene by wafting mist high over the cemetery but leaving the area surrounding the X-Men clear so they could see. Using a telekinetic energy field Jean stopped Danvers in flight but as she pushed against it Jean found herself loosing her grip on the invisible bubble and she was actually being pulled. She dug her heels into the gravel she slid forward slowly as Danvers pushed. Immediately Kurt took a hold of Rogue's shoulder and ported them into the air with Danvers. Again Rogue latched hold of her bare hand but also grasped her neck and chin. Kurt was knocked to the ground (his holowatch was damaged by one of Danvers well aimed fists) as Danvers tried to fight back; Scott who had just arrived tried his best to catch him. But Rogue was finding it hard to hang on, she had never remained in contact for someone this long and she could feel Danvers' powers begin to overwhelm her. A well-placed thunder storm provided by Storm drenched the mutants and drowned out Danvers's screams. Rogue fought against the urge to let go but all of a sudden time seemed to stop. Danvers suddenly dropped out of the sky and the two mutants fell to the ground. Jean was able to stop Danvers but something had snatched Rogue out of the air. She was unconscious. Storm and Jean rushed to Danvers as Kurt and Scott bared down on the figure that had caught Rogue.

"Gambit!" Scot said stunned

"She's alive." Gambit said feeling her pulse threw a red handkerchief he had lain on Rogue's neck.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt said baring his teeth and the fur on his neck standing up. But Gambit didn't answer

"Scott!" Jean yelled and Scott ran over, leaving Kurt to stand guard over his sister "She's not breathing."

"Oh no." Scott replied

"We have to get her to the hospital." Storm said, "How is Rogue?"

"She's alive but I think we need to get her back to the Institute as soon as possible."

"Jean and I will take care of Danvers;" Storm said "you get Rogue back to the Institute."

"Ok." Scot said. He headed back to the others while Jean levitated herself and Danvers's body; she followed Storm into the darkness.

"Don't you tough her!" Kurt said threw gritted teeth as Gambit brushed a strand of hair from Rogue's face."

"Listen furry one, I'm hear da help-" Just then Scott arrived

"We're taking her back to the Institute now, Jean and Storm are taking the Danvers woman to the hospital, and she's stopped breathing." Gambit had stood, with Rogue still in his arms. Scott made as if her was going to take her but Gambit made no attempt to let go. The two stood there like stone silently debating the situation. "So you're coming with us?"

"Where's da plane?" Gambit said, Scott could tell Gambit wasn't going to simply stay behind. Scott glanced at Kurt; who's fur still stood on end.

"We don't have time for this," he said "come on."

Back in the Blackbird Scott flew the jet while Kurt stood like a watchdog over Gambit and Rogue. Kurt nearly snarled as he watched Gambit softly stroke Rogue's hair out of her face. "So," Kurt said resigning himself to sit on the cabin floor opposite them "Vhat vhere you doing in the cemetery?"

"Visitin' ma momma." Gambit replied and Kurt made a muffled noise of contempt. Gambit was just about to push another strand of hair away from Rogue's eyes when suddenly she snapped awake. Gambit was wearing dealer's gloves but the fingers where open and his bare fingertips connected with her forehead. Gambit was shocked for a moment until Kurt realized what had happened and knocked his hand away. Rogue sat bolt up; she looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding car. She looked around, her eyes where wide with fright and she was clearly terrified.

"Are you ok?" Kurt said as Gambit slumped to the floor but Rogue recoiled and scooted back against the wall of the jet. Her hand still ungloved and resting on the floor of the jet began to glow with some strange pinkish aura. "Rogue . . " Kurt said seeing Rogue about to kinetically energize the plane, he had seen Gambit use his power in the past "Rogue calm down, it's me Kurt." It didn't seem to work and Rogue was acting like a wild animal that had just been thrown in a cage. The floor of the jet was glowing with the pink aura when all of a sudden Rogue took flight and burst threw the roof of the jet. The jet convulsed violently in the air and Scott tried to regain control. There was now a Rogue sized hole in the roof of the jet that was now creating a wild vacuum in the belly of the plane. Kurt, realizing than in seconds the floor of the plane could explode pulled Gambit up and slapped him hard across the face. "VAKE UP!" He slapped him again "VAKE UP!" Gambit's eyes lolled about for a moment "you've got to do zomething!" Kurt yelled but Gambit didn't seem to understand "No more Mr. Nice Nightcrawler." Kurt said then doubled up his fist and socked Gambit in the jaw. "VAKE UP!" Gambit's eyes lolled lazily but he laid his fingers on the floor of the plane and the aura began to seep into his hand. After a moment the kinetic energy had completely absorbed back into it's proper host. "YES!" Kurt said putting his hands in the air. He had let go of Gambit's coat and he fell back onto the floor with a thud. But the plane was still out of control. "No!" Kurt said realizing what was happening. The plane was in a nosedive and Scott couldn't gain control. Kurt hurriedly strapped Gambit into one of the seats and rushed to the front of the plane.

"I can teleport us to the ground!"

"I can't let it go down!"

"It's a hunk of metal! We're flesh and bone; this isn't like running over a curb!"

"I- Get Gambit and go!"

"Not without you."

"Come back for me." Scot said but Kurt paused. "HURRY!" Kurt dashed back to Gambit, unbuckled his seat (He could have transported the heavy steel seat if it hadn't been attached to the rest of the plane) and taking his hand !! BAMF!! Disappeared to the safety of the ground. Dropping the hardly conscious Cajun Kurt teleported back to the jet where Scott was struggling with his belt. "I'M STUCK!" He yelled

"Hit eject!"

"It's not working." Hearing this Kurt plunged foreword attacking the belt. Scott indeed was stuck, "Go man."

"No we can make it!" Kurt yelled over the warning sirens he was still trying to unbuckle Scott's belt. He really wished he had a few extra fingers right about now.

"We're gonna crash!"

"And you're coming with me."

"MAN JUST GO!" Kurt looked at him, somehow threw the violent shacking of the cockpit he managed to see Scott's face clearly "Just go."

"But-"

"Go!" Scott yelled but Kurt just looked at him

"No." he said simply and Scott grasped his hand firmly.

Back on the ground Gambit had recovered enough to stand and had been watching the dramatic decent of the jet. "Get out." He whispered under his breath "C'mon on." he said but the plane was still plummeting to the ground. But in the distance something had appeared out of the clouds. Gambit nearly had to rub his eyes to see if he was seeing things. He thought he saw an angel just appear out of the sky.

Back in the cockpit the two mutants braced themselves for what would be then end of their rather short lives. Kurt prayed under his breath and reached into his pocket where he always kept his rosary. Scott thought about Jean and his brother. They wished they could have said goodbye to their friends before this moment happened but it was too late now. But all of a sudden violent shaking of the jet eased to a stop as gently as if Scott had pressed the break on a car. Scot and Kurt slowly opened their tightly clinched eyes . . . "Are . . ." Kurt said quietly "Are we dead?"

"I . . . I don't know." Slowly the plane began to drop back towards the ground and landed with a soft thud. Still unsure weather they should even move the two boys looked around. Just then Gambit dropped threw the hole in the roof. He still looked a little groggy but brandishing a handy pocketknife he cut Scott free of the seat. "What happened?" Scott asked

"See fer yeself." He replied nodding to the window. At the nose of the jet Scott and Kurt saw Rogue walk away. "She caught it right out da sky."

Kurt and Scott would have kissed the ground when they got out of the Blackbird but they where too concerned about Rogue. She was milling around with her arms folded, "Are you ok?" Kurt asked approaching her. He reached out for her arm

"Don' touch me!" She barked and stepped back "Ah . . . ah need to see the Professor." She said putting both hands on her forehead. She seemed to be in pain. As if she didn't know she was doing it she began to hover 6 inches off the ground. "Ah have to see the professor . . . she won't . . . she won't shut up!"

"Rogue," Scott said "calm down, breath."

"WHY DON'T YOU BREATHE?" She yelled still clutching her head "Make it stop!" She fell to her knees. Kurt had teleported into the Blackbird to see if it would still fly as Gambit approached Rogue and knelt down in front of her.

"Here," He said softly as he handed her the glove she'd left at the cemetery "we'll get ya to him. Jus' try an stay calm." He concentrated for a moment, trying to focus his mind on easing Rogue's and touched her face briefly before Scott could object. She gasped but instantly she seemed to calm down. "I better stop that, I migh' start to like it." He said smiling; just now he noticed that Rogue's normally pale blue eyes where now a vibrant bright green.

"Is Carol Danvers's ok?" Rogue asked looking up at Scott

"Uh . . ." He glanced back from Gambit to Rogue puzzled "Uh, Jean and Storm took her to the hospital; she'd stopped breathing."

"She wasn't psychotic." Rogue said suddenly "Tha professor must have been wrong. Ah can . . . Ah can still hear her in the back of ma mind, she's confused. But Ah need ta see tha professor before this wears off."

Just then Kurt appeared "The Blackbird could fly if anyone wants to attempt that death trap."

"We have to. Come on, we need to hurry."

They all piled back into the plane. When they took off Scott was sure to fly low enough to the ground that the hole in the roof wasn't a problem. After a few minuets into the flight Rogue began showing signs of breaking down again but each time she did this Gambit simply touched her arm or cheek. He was trying to keep her calm at the cost of his own energy. When they landed at the institute Rogue immediately flew away threw the roof in search of Professor Xavier.

A sleek, black motorcycle drove threw the gates of the institute. The driver's clothes where ripped and dirty, he looked as if he'd been run over by an elephant. Parking in the garage Logan pulled off his helmet and stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air. "Great." He said rolling his eyes and ran inside in search for Professor Xavier.

Rogue first arrived at Xavier's office but he wasn't there. Flying straight threw the office she burst threw the wall and sped down the corridor and threw the door into his room. There she found him stunned that she had just destroyed the door. "PROFESSOR!" She said "You have ta help me! Ah . . . she won't get out of my head! Ah can't control it, she's trying to take over!"

"Rogue I-"

"Please! I know you can do it."

"But I- "

"PROFESSOR PLEASE!"

"Rogue O-"

"PLEASE!"

"Rogue I . . . I can't."

"What?"

"I can't I'm not-" Before he could finish Logan appeared in the doorway and sniffed the air again.

"YOU!" He snarled and with a !!SNIKT!! His claws shot from his hands. When Rogue turned back to the professor she saw only Mystique.

Rogue gasped "Where's tha Professor?"

"I did it for you." Mystique replied tenderly

"WHERE IS HE?"

"Safe." She said

"TELL ME!" She said punching Mystique so hard she flew back and bounced off the wall of the bedroom leaving a massive dent of plaster and mahogany where she had hit. Rogue walked forward and put her bare thumbs on Mystique's eyes. "Show me!" Mystique fell unconscious as Rogue absorbed Mystique's memories and the location of Professor Xavier. She released Mystique and flew out of the room past a bewildered Logan. Threw the hall she passed Scott, Kurt and Gambit. Behind them they heard her crash threw a window which meant she had flown into the night.

Logan (With Mystique in his arms) met the boys in the hall "What the heck is goin' on here?"

"What's she doing here?" Kurt asked pointing at Mystique

"She's apparently been posing as the Prof for the last week. Now tell me why Rogue is as subtle as a locomotive and what's he doin' here. " He said pointing at Gambit.

They followed Logan to the lower levels where he locked Mystique in one of the cells. Scott had recounted the story. "That's just great!" Logan said "Now Rogue's half psychotic, heading for who knows where and 60 times as powerful as a normal human."

"I may know where she's goin'." Gambit said quietly

"So you've been in on this!" Kurt snarled

"I was told she wouldn' get hurt."

"Listen river rat," Logan said nostrils flaring "if something's happened to her they'll be able to fit what's left of you in a zip-lock bag. Now where's she gone?"

"Eric why are you doing this? The X-Men will help you; you do not have to resort to trickery to sway their decisions."

"Because of you Charles, your foolish X-Men believe the only way to be accepted is with reason. When they believe that we must be cut out of the world like a cancer. Humanity must be thought who is in control. Which is why Mystique has been so kind to stand in for you. But it was a bit of a challenge to get Wolverine out of the institute. But I believe Sabertooth can take care of him."

"How long do you think Mystique can pose as me before the students begin to find out? She can mimic me, but not my abilities."

"A minor detail," Magneto said "but she has her secrets. Young Gambit has been her "Eyes in the Sky" if you will. He's rather adept at gathering information. But I believe he's been a bit taken by your Rogue."

Just then a shower of concrete and broken rebar exploded from the wall of the building. Magneto used his power to keep the rebar from hitting him and Xavior but the dust from the massive impact chocked the two mutants. The dust cleared to reveal Rogue, standing in the midst of the rubble. "What have you done to him?" She demanded seeing the professor bound to his wheel chair by several lengths of steel but Magneto didn't answer. She began to fly forward but clutching her head again she stopped in mid air. Magneto took the opportunity to fling a large piece of concrete at her. But she was only deterred for a moment; she smashed the rubble with one punch and attacked Magneto as a second shower of concrete clattered to the floor.

Professor Xavier watched in shock as Rogue began to pound Magneto into a pulp. Scanning her mind he understood what had happened to her. He had to do something before she killed Eric! Clearing his mind he concentrated and mentally took hold of Rogue. She stopped and let go of Magneto, who fell to the ground beaten and broken. Peering inside Rogue's mind he saw Carol Danvers, frightened and angry, she didn't know what had happened to her and was defending herself the only way she could, by trying to control Rogue. But the professor learned that Rogue had remained in contact with Carol Danvers for entirely too long. She had absorbed so much of her power that she was permanently gifted . . . or rather cursed with it. During their contact Rogue had absorbed not only Danvers' powers but her psyche as well. Mentally Xavier began trying to untangle Carol Danvers's psyche from Rogue's. It was a jumbled knot of brain waves and emotions but he was able to confine Danvers and burry her deep down in Rogue's mind where she would not be able to escape again. Confident that Danvers was buried and as peaceful as he could make her he released Rogue who seemed dazed but finally lucid. She looked tiered but still approached Xavier and unbound the lengths of steel around him. "Professor-" She said sadly

"It's ok now." He said calmingly. He sensed the approach of Logan and the others and once again took control of Rogue's mind causing her to sleep. She slumped to her knees and he laid her head on his knee.

The other X-Men arrived a few minuets later in the X-Wing. Xavier assured them that Rogue was fine and that he would answer all their questions back at the institute. Gambit moved forward to pick up Rogue as Scott and Logan took Magneto to the plane and Kurt teleported Xavier into the jet. Realizing that Magneto needed more medical help than the Institute could provide they rushed him to the same hospital Jean and Storm had taken Carol Danvers.

Jean and Storm had stayed with Danvers but had been trying to contact the others without success. They where relieved when they saw Logan standing outside the Emergency room entrance. Scott accompanied him. Several nurses and Doctors crowded around the gurney, which held Magneto. Joining the others outside Scott explained what had happened. Storm and Jean seemed horrified at the news but Professor Xavier (who had just joined them) assured them that everything would be fine.

Back at the institute they discovered Mystique had escaped from what was thought to have been a secure cell. No one other than the team had known she was there so the possibility of one of the other students releasing her was ruled out. Logan would investigate the matter further and rectify the problem. The security cameras would provide the answer to Mystique's escape.

Rogue slept for several more hours after their return to the institute. Kurt looked in on her every few moments to spite the fact that Xavier said she would be fine. No one said a word to Gambit, not even Professor Xavier. He merely sat outside Rogue's room door flipping playing cards into a cap Kurt had purposely dropped opposite his position in the hall. They hadn't spoken but there seemed to be an invisible line of trust between the two.

Kurt had become protective of Rogue since they had learned that his mother had adopted her when she was 4. Mystique may have discarded Kurt in order to save her own life but he still felt that some part of her was capable of love. The same love that had made her decide to adopt Rogue. Rogue may never have really known Mystique was her mother, Mystique still tried to look after her. She proved that enough when she took the form of Risty to get close to her. But Kurt had observed Gambit with Rogue and even though he walked a little straighter and acted a little tougher he believed that Gambit had not intended for Rogue to get hurt tonight. If he had, he never would have caught her as she fell from Danvers and he wouldn't have risked his own life to calm her down.

Gambit didn't move from his post until hours later when Kurt emerged from Rogue's room and announced that she was awake. "That means it's time ta go." Gambit said standing from his chair and taking his coat from the back.

"You don't want to see her?" Kurt said shocked but Gambit didn't say anything, he put his coat on and headed down the hall to leave. Rouge had changed clothes and went to gloomily stand out on her baloney when she saw Gambit striding across the manicured lawns of the institute. She wanted to speak to him before he left but she hesitated for a moment before she took flight.

"Yer leavin?" She touched down in his last footsteps.

"There's nothing left for me ta do." He turned but he didn't face her

"You helped me; no one's ever helped me like that bafore." Gambit didn't say anything "Ah'd like it if you stayed." She confessed

"And what? Do the right thing, try ta persuade people ta accept us? It's not my style cherie."

"And being one of Magneto's thugs is? It doesn't sound like the guy Ah met tanight."

"Maybe I'm more complex than you think."

"Ah don't think so."

"Maybe you're right cher."

"Then you'll stay?"

"Like you said Magneto idn't my style. I doubt I'd fit in much better here."

"You might be surprised."

"We'll see someday." He said with a sly grin. They didn't say goodbye; instead he moved close to her and looked into her eyes. Softly he kissed her, he blinked, slightly shook his head and smiled "I'm gonna have to stop dat . . . I might end up liken' it." Took her hand and kissed it gently and walked away. She watched as he disappeared into the darkness. She looked into her hand to see the red handkerchief he had laid over her neck, wrapped inside was a queen of hearts

"Someday." She said softly to herself "Someday."

Back, upon his own balcony stood Logan next to Professor Xavier.

"You think he'll come back?" Logan said softly watching Gambit jump over the gate with his staff. He perched atop it for a moment and looked back at Rogue before disappearing into the darkness beyond the institute.

"I doubt it will take long for him to decide where he belongs." The professor said "I believe we will see more of him in the future."

"If anything, it'll be so he can be near her."

"Sounds like the voice of experience."

"I know how young guys are. I watched him with her on the flight back; he's got her sent in his nose. He'd be hard pressed to get rid of that so soon. But the thing to ask now is she going to be all right?" Xavier turned and rolled back into his room

"She is in perfect physical health, but emotionally those scars are most likely permanently."

"At least it wasn't her fault."

"She'll keep telling herself that, whether or not she believes it I don't know. She'll have to deal with it on her own."

"Why did Mystique do it? She already had control of the X-Men from the inside."

"Magneto wanted to control the X-Men in order to force humanity to accept us . . . With secret military group hunting us I believe Mystique wanted to protect Rogue, I'm sure she believed that if she possessed Carol Danvers abilities she would have a better chance at survival."

"Ya gotta admit the kid's got an upper hand now."

"Yes, but she's also paid a terrible price for it. Carol Danvers will never come out of the coma . . . and that will plague Rogue for the rest of her life."

Standing outside, Rogue, though flooded by the sensation of Gambit's kiss (her first) she debated going back inside. After a moment's deliberation she decided to go into the city. It was a short flight on her own though flying felt natural to her she still felt that every second she spent in the air she was accosting Carol Danvers even more than she had. Even though she was in a coma she decided the best she could do would be to try and shed some of this guilt at her bed side. So flying up to her room once more she took a hooded coat from her closet to hide her appearance if she was seen and set off east, toward the city.

It was a cold night, but Rogue didn't care, she was dealing with emotions rather than physical comfort, she welcomed the cold though, perhaps it was a subconscious way of punishing herself for the theft of Carol's life. She was alive by all means, but as she slid open the window of Carol's private intensive care room she could see the motionless shell of the once beautiful woman she had met in the cemetery. Now, her face was pale gray and her hair seemed brittle. The last remains of lipstick and masquerade clouded around her eyes and smudged her lips. She looked sunken and cold laying there. Rogue moved forward and lowered her hood. Sitting down in a chair that had once held Carol's roommate. Rogue, though her hands where gloves could feel the cold clamminess of Carol's hand. As Carol had done at the foot of her brothers head stone she spoke to the deep cold vacancy of the room. Her voice broke as she spoke and tears soaked into the leather abyss of her glove. The only answer to her apologies was the whistling of the wind, singing threw the trees of the cold October night.