Disclaimer: Aki and EmeraldDragon own none of the traditional X-Men characters, their timelines, universes, or other affiliated property. We do however, own any OCs.

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Chapter 2 written by, EmeraldDragon

It wasn't long before we were all in the hideout. Our place wasn't beautiful or anything; it was hardly the X-Mansion, but it had been my home for a while and I'd grown used to its…unique charm. The lair was underground, mostly, with exits coming out of several buildings throughout the city. We made use of a lot of the old subway tunnels: it made smuggling goods in easier. Yes, I said smuggling. It's not easy to make a life in a basically post-apocalyptic world, alright? We stole to survive and we made no apologies for it.

The main part of our home was actually in and underneath the old Citizen's Bank Park, where the baseball team used to play. It doesn't sound that great, but working together we'd managed to make it fairly comfortable. It was better than most of the other hell holes we'd seen people living in. Gambit's contacts in the criminal underworld made getting what we needed a whole lot easier and whatever they couldn't get us we found on our own. There was plenty of room within that it was easy to put the X Men in places where my family wouldn't have to be bothered with them. Mystique hadn't been happy about our visitors, at all. Lucky for them, she wasn't in charge.

"This isn't going to end well, Aimi, and you know it," she hissed at me as I climbed down into our main lounge. I grunted a non-committal response, not really wanting to have the conversation with her at the moment. My brain was too full of old memories I had managed to keep locked away until I had seen Logan. I couldn't have given Mystique a decent answer, even if I had wanted to.

The shapeshifter threw her hands up in the air in frustration, angry that I had basically ignored her. It wasn't the first time I had ignored her, however and it wouldn't be the last. I knew she would get over it, eventually. As I entered the lounge, I realized I wouldn't find any peace and quiet there, either. Wolverine, Nightcrawler and the new girl were there, eating some of the non-perishables we kept. I was intent on keeping the fresh stuff for my family. We worked hard to get that and I wasn't about to let these people live off of our hard work.

"I remember you from somewhere," Nightcrawler was saying to the new girl. "Have we met before?"

"Yes, I think we have Kurt. I believe you were with Shadow when she found me. I'm Mia Hart, the girl who was being kept by the humans."

"In the secret complex," I said coolly. "Yes, that's where I remember you from."

It seemed that they hadn't noticed me until I had spoken, as they all turned to look at me in surprise. I decided to stay leaning in the doorway, hoping that it would make a quick exit easier if I felt too confined. With Wolverine sitting there looking at me, I had no doubt that feeling would come soon.

"I see why they call you Shadow," Mia said. "I didn't hear you come down."

"You should try finding her in a dark room," Wolverine said with a smirk, the kind that used to make my blood run hot. Now it just made me want to throw up. "She has a talent for being incredibly terrifying, when she wants to be."

"I do what I have to in order to survive," I said shortly in an attempt to keep my dinner in my stomach. I knew what he was referencing and I desperately hoped that I was the only one that understood it. "If I need to be terrifying to do so, then so be it."

I could feel Nightcrawler watching me in concern; he knows me well enough to know when there's something wrong. I was sure he'd be able to figure it out fairly easily, too. I shifted my weight uneasily, wishing Gambit would appear and pull me out of my dilemma again. I knew I was probably on my own this time.

"Survival of the fittest?" Mia asked with her eyebrows raised. "Don't you think that's a bit extreme, considering that's what Magneto believes and he caused this war in the first place?"

"You can say that, if you wish, but Magneto was only half of the problem. Plus, you may not agree with my methods, but you don't see me wandering around aimlessly with no home like you, do you? There's something to be said for fighting ruthlessly for what's yours." I said roughly, far beyond being civil. Civility isn't one of my strong points in the first place, let alone when I'm feeling sick and depressed. I watched the other woman's eyes narrow. It didn't look like she was one for putting up with bullshit either. Great. I glanced at Wolverine, who looked at me with one eyebrow arched, and just knew I had to leave before things got worse.

"If you'll excuse me," I said quickly. "I have things to attend to. Food has to be replaced, after all, and that can't happen without a game plan."

I turned and left without another word, moving as quickly as I could without looking desperate. Once I was out of sight and out of ear shot I went from a quick walk to a full out run. I needed fresh air, and badly.

I found myself where I always ended up when I was stressed out, up on bleachers. Humans would have considered them the 'nose bleed section' but I thought of it as my personal little oasis. With all the unnatural shadows and hanging structures, it was very shaded and I felt safe there. It would be hard to see me from up above, and nobody generally expected me to be there. Well, almost nobody.

"Something wrong, ma petite?" Gambit asked quietly. I looked up to find him climbing the bleachers towards me. He posed it as a question, but he already knew the answer. It was obvious. He wanted me to tell him about it. I looked away from him as he sat beside me, instead looking out across the deserted, unkempt baseball field.

"What gave it away?"

"Kurt was concerned about you."

"When isn't he concerned about me?"

"Chère," he said gently, leaning forward so he could look at me. "Talk to me. What's on your mind?"

"You know damn well what's on my mind, Remy," I growled, pulling my fingers roughly through my hair, hoping that maybe a bit of physical pain would dull its emotional counterpart. Gambit was silent for a long moment before he spoke again.

"The Wolverine, then?" He said tightly. "Aimi, I thought you put this to rest years ago. He shouldn't have any hold over you that would make you uncomfortable in your home."

"I thought I had, but seeing him here…"

"You still feel for him."

"No! Hell, no, it's not that at all. My heart has…moved on," I said, stumbling ridiculously over my words and hoping I wasn't making a complete fool of myself. "Every time I'm around him I feel like throwing up. I feel the rage, and the pain and the betrayal that I felt then. He made a promise that he'd always be there but…he wasn't."

"No, Aimi, he wasn't, but let me tell you something. You've never been alone, ma chérie. You never have been and you never will be. Don't let him break your trust when there are those who would keep it. Those who would cherish it."

"Like who, Remy?"

"Like me?" He answered gently, reaching out and pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I looked over at him, my heart beginning to race in my chest. I hadn't expected to hear him say that…though I'd thought about it for a long time. His red eyes burned into mine as he looked at me. "I love you, Shadow. I know Logan hurt you, and I know it won't be easy, but give me a chance chère. Give me a chance to prove myself."

As if he hadn't already proven himself over and over. When Wolverine wasn't there for me, Gambit always had been. It was impossible for me to know how long he'd felt that way and said nothing. The fact that I hadn't seen it before was, frankly, sad. Beneath my pain over Logan's betrayal, I knew I felt the same for the Cajun, but I was afraid of being hurt again. Remy had been helping me deal with my issues for years; letting him know how I felt, and that I was ready to give him that chance, was the least I could do. Sliding my arm through his, I closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Chère?"

"I'm ready to try again."

"Très bon," he answered softly, squeezing my hand. "I'm glad."