AN: Hey guys, thanks for the support the R&R has been great keep it up, and never fear this is not the last chapter.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

"Ok everyone into the middle of the room, while we work out how to take these guys out." Wolverine commanded.

Gambit and Jubilee started firing off projectiles at them but they didn't even chip the stone.

"These things must be like 100 years old!" Jubilee said in frustration.

"I'll get em!" Rogue called as she flew up to their height. Dodging a swipe by a large stone arm, Rogue grabbed hold of it, trying to pull it from the base. The arm didn't budge; they were too heavy even for Rogue.

"Omph," she mumbled as she was struck by the statue sending her flying through the air. The water was almost knee deep now and rising fast.

"Rogue, you hold the gate, I'm going to take these apart piece by piece." Logan growled. "Everyone else head for the exit."

Rogue flew over to the gate and pushed it back up to the top of the archway while Wolverine got to work removing the legs from the statues. The stone proved no match for the adamantium and the first statue crumbled to the ground. Jubilee, Jean and Beast scrambled past Rogue and back out into the hallway. By now the statues had all turned on Wolverine so Gambit jumped in to distract them. The water was waist high when Wolverine took down the last statue.

Gambit panicked when he saw that the statue was going to fall into the gate, crushing Rogue. He jumped in front, pushing her out of the way back into the hall way.

She clambered up out of the water and yelled "Remy!" She couldn't see him. Rogue flew back through the gate, which was now closing again. She saw the large mound of rubble that would have crushed her. Remy's head came up out of the water gasping for breath. He was trapped by the stone, pinning his foot to the floor. Rogue tried to lift it, but she couldn't.

"Remy come on, you gotta find a way to slide your foot out, please." She begged.

"Chere, there's no time, the gate's closing." He grasped her hand.

"I'm not leaving you here!" She looked around for Logan who made his way over to them. "Logan please, help me get him out."

He dove under the water looking where Gambit was trapped. He surfaced a moment later.

"I'm sorry, the only way you're getting out of here is if I amputate the foot, but I can't even get to it."

Gambit grimaced, not in pain but in despair. "Go. Both of you please GO. Get out of here." He pleaded, looking into his wife's eyes.

She started crying, shaking her head, "No, Remy I can't, please, I need you."

Gambit kissed his wife one last time. "Anna, I need you to live, I need you to be with Oli every day for me, I need you to hug him and tell him everything's ok. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Rogue shook with her sobs, still clasping his hand. The water was up to their necks now.

Gambit looked at Logan who was trying to put on a brave face. "Logan, take her."

He nodded, grabbing Rogue round the middle and dragging her away from Gambit's hand.

"I'll always be watchin over you, Chere." Gambit managed before taking a deep breath as the water rose over his head.

Rogue kicked and screamed as Logan swam with her back through the gate. She quickly found she had no fight left in her as Wolverine made her grasp the rope at the exit. He too took hold and yelled at Cyclops to pull them up.

Rogue collapsed on the firm ground as soon as her feet stood on it. Her tear streaked face and shaking sobs told the story, no one needed to ask where their missing team-mate was. Jubilee shook her head, not accepting what was obvious. No one spoke. There were no words. Wolverine took Rogue in his arms and carried her into the blackbird. Jubilee buried her head in Hank's furry chest, while Jean cried in Scott's embrace.

The somber flight back to the mansion was silent for nearly an hour when Rogue broke it. She was huddled on a seat her head in Logan's lap. "We need to go back."

"Rogue, darlin' there's just no way he could have gotten out, even if he freed his leg, the water was too high." He ran his hand through her hair comfortingly.

"We need to bring him home. He doesn't deserve to rest in a watery grave." Her voice held no emotion, she'd gone into shock.

Rogue didn't cry; she'd need all her strength to get through the days ahead. She knew the hardest part was still to come, telling a 3 year old his father was never coming home.