A/N: I do not own X Men Evolution

It had been no surprise when he popped up in her window- she could smell him when he was a half a block away.

When he snuck in the window she'd been waiting in a black arm chair, facing the opposite direction, reading East of Eden under a tiny, dim lamp.

"Hello Gambit," She casually said at his noiseless entry.

"Charli," He said, a tiny smile playing at his lips.

"Charleze," She said curtly. "No one has called me Charli in a long time,"

"Well," he smirked. "Remy's not 'no one'" He ambled around the tiny loft, skimming skillful fingers over varied objects of interest as he went: a silver music box, a black leather bound copy of the bible, and a silver picture frame, with a weathered old picture in it- a boy between two blond girls; Belladonna, himself, and Charli. He smiled, so she did remember. He looked back at her. "Dis is nice. Willy set you up wit dese digs?"

"Mr. Fisk did, yes," she said coolly. "I assure you, there's nothing of value here Gambit."

"Gave up thievery a while ago belle," he shrugged. "Why don't you use Remy's real name- it's da least you could do after you ran off last time; and wit 'out even saying hello." He gave her a pompous grin. Her eyes narrowed, some things never change. "You kept dis?" he said. She glared at him, covering her inability to speak with a scowl. "And Remy thought you forgot." Her jaw tightened.

"Dis is real nice belle," He picked up her plum mask from a locked drawer in her black desk. "A tribute to your days in da bayou?" He smiled wistfully in spite of the unfeeling blankness on her angelic face. "Dis looks like da one Remy gave you for your first masquerade ball."

Her scarlet lips twitched- just slightly. "I didn't want to forget where I came from." She said. She watched for a moment more as he tinkered around her things. He swaggered easily through her little home. He looked at her, a youthful glint in his eye. "Well Miss Charli Boudreaux,"

"It's Charleze. And it's no longer Boudreaux." She said.

He raised his brows at her. "You took Fisk's name?"

"No. It's Knite. I went back to my real name," she said, careful about the information she handed over to him. He nodded and sat down on the black leather sofa. "How did you find me, and what do you want?" She said, done with the nonsense and ready to extinguish all traces of painful memories.

He shrugged. "Comes wit being in da business belle- you know dat- it's Gambit's business to know how to find people." He edged closer to the one time friend. "I came to see how you've been."

She didn't know what to say to that.

"I have been doing fine by myself, thank you."

He held up the newspaper. "What's wit da vigilante maneuvers?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Don't preach at me Gambit." She said in an even voice. "At least I have some kind of moral compass now- and you're one to talk."

"The X- Men are different mon belle petite." He shrugged. "Dey seek real ' justice' as you call it, and dey work as a team. New mutants are always welcome, no matter what past or present dey are coming from."

She glared and stood up. Her fingers rolled into fists.

"Notice that you still call them they," she said, not letting the emotion seep into her face. "I've been used by enough people who want me on there "team". I won't be used by your little band of do gooders too."

He stood, more easily than she did. He looked at her with a relaxed compassion she didn't understand.

"I'm just trying to help an old friend," he said "If you keep doing dis, eventually, da X- Men will catch you. And then dere will be no chance for you to get da closure you're longing for." He stared deep into her dark blue eyes. "We can help you."

"I can do this myself." She snapped.

"You don't have to." He said, clutching the brass handle on the front door. "Think about it Charli."

And like that, he was gone again.

Elsewhere

Mystique played the recording back over, and over, in silence, several times before murmuring, "Well she is crafty, isn't she?" She scanned the girl's motions, technique, and style.

"She's perfect,"

"Shall I recruit her?"

The shady figure gave her a nod. "Persuade her; show her our views are not so unlike her own."

Mystique stood, transforming into a tall red-head in a grey power suit. She sauntered out the door, ready for the pursuit.

A/N: The chapter is kind of short, I know! But it was a necessary evil. Please review=)