Gambit hung up the phone and rest his face in his hands. He sighed as he rubbed his eyes and then his neck and took another gulp of coffee. He looked down at the cup thoughtfully, then reached in his pocket to grab his flask. Mon Dui! Mais when it rains it pours, non? He smirked again with a bitter twist of his lips as he emptied the whiskey into his coffee. Remy rose to his feet and headed toward his former apartment whistling the tune, Do you know what it means to Miss New Orleans?
He opened the door to Godiva's room slowly, his thoughtful expression lightening to a broad grin as a familiar voice filled his ears. Tanti Manti was humming and whispering a hushed prayer, her eyes where rolled back in her head, one old, wrinkled hand rested on Godiva's sweat glistened brow, the other clutched a voodoo doll wrapped in rosary beads. Blinds where drawn shut and the room was lit by twenty different candles with both catholic saints and voodoo lwa's. As Remy entered the room he was silent and carefully sat down in the corner of the room so as not to disturb the healing ritual. He waited patiently as he let his cluttered mind relax and closed his eyes, head back resting against the wall. He invited the spirits in, just as Tanti Manti had taught him to do as a child. As he breathed slowly, her hushed words and humming became more rhythmic as the faint sound of drums and chanting echoed in his mind. The light from the candles flickered as in his mind's eye, a fire was burning and there was dancing all around it. There was a great deal of energy and the pace of the movement and sound of the music grew faster. Then a face appeared, painted as a skull with eyes black and hollow. The head tilted to the side as if asking, What are you doing here? Then suddenly Remy was pushed out, his demonic eyes flew open and he was gasping for air, a chill went down his spine as sweat coated his trembling body. Across the room Tanti sat perfectly still, her eyes still white but her face pointed at him, cooked to the side like the face in his vision. Her mouth opened and a voice not her own spoke deep into his soul.
"They wait for you here Diable Blanc….. Your time is not yet!" Then laughter echoed loudly as Tantie's body began to shake as one by one the candles went out. Gambit's heart seized as the face came toward him with the laughing grin, younger now, just a boy with a man's deep laugh. He could feel icy cold hands on his throat and burning in his chest. Just as the pain became too intense Remy cried out both hands around his throat. The room went pitch black then just as suddenly the blinds flew up on their own and the balcony doors opened, a rush of wind carried the laughing spirits out of the room and into the morning sky. Tanti was on her feet with a broom madly sweeping the rest of the taunting sprits out the door as she fussed at them like naughty children. She turned to face Remy panting on the floor.
"I call in Papa Legba askin' fo' a safe passage through de crossroads for yo' angel and you show up at de fire tryin tah dance wit dat mischievous little Elleuga!... I swear Remy, sometime's I t'ink you got yo' self a death wish!" She mumbled as she knelt down in front of him. "Oh, dere dere my baby!... Mainti Won't let dem take you yet!" She cooed as she stroked his face then stopped and looked down at his chest where three long blood stains stood out on his white button down shirt. Remy's breath had calmed and his heart rate decreased despite the wide eyes that fallowed her gaze down to his old scars from Sabretooth, that burned and bleed fresh as the night he was clawed in the tunnels. "Well my, my!... Looks like de spirits of dem who died aint letting you come visit de cross roads wit out a little reminder of de blood you owe, heh?" She clucked her tongue and in the blink of an eye was back on her feet and using more strength then any 5 foot, ancient woman should have to lift him up standing on his own two feet. "Common child,…lets close dat wound up and seal em' good."
Gambit stumbled in a daze, following his voodoo healer into the bathroom. She sat him down and took off his shirt then proceeded to pull out some herbs and a small silver bowl. She filled it up with water, herbs, some holy water then with a few thoughtful words she spit in it and mixed it up with her crooked pointer finger. Gambit watched her with mild interest. His thoughts were consumed by the taunts of the spirits that reminded him that one day he too would be met at the cross roads by all those angry souls that he owed a debt of blood too. Papa Legba was not his tormentor nor his friend, simply the guardian, and Elleuga, well,… he was a trickster by nature and surly delighted in the prospect of revengeful souls demanding Remy's blood.
"Will dey deny her soul… cuz of me?" Remy's voice was small, almost broken sounding, more like a child then a sly, cunning thief and battle wary X-Man. Tainti Mainti, used a clean cloth dipped in the mixture to wash the blood away from the scars that had already resealed. She paused and pursed her lips, his fire eyes locked with her deep, wise and kind, dark eyes. She wore her long thin brads pulled back, her head wrapped in a vibrant scarf that matched her long tunic, decorated with snakes. From her neck hung an assortment of beads, crosses, gator teeth and protection amulets. Her left hand touched her long wooden rosary then touched the side of his face, brushing the hair out of his uncertain gaze.
"No baby… Papa Legba won't put none of ya sins on Godiva's wary soul… But she's got her own to account fo',… but he said she ain't got no debts to owe, just got tah make her peace wit de good lord and den he be ready fo' her." She smiled reassuringly as he closed his eyes and nodded, wrapping his arms around the small woman's torso, as if he was still the scrawny street child only recently brought home. No matter how long he was away, all he needed to do was stare into her loving eyes and he was instantly ten years old again, desperate for her comfort and reassurance. It was a side of himself he kept most hidden from others, but no masks held up against his Tanti Mainti and her all knowing gaze straight into his heart. "Don't you worry none Remy, he got a chariot of gold waitin' fo' your angle,… she will be well received intah de kingdom of heaven!" Tanti spoke with certainty and stroked his bare back with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair with the other.
After a moment or two, Gambit reluctantly broke the embrace and rose to his feet, looking into the bathroom mirror as he touched the faded scars that had just been spiritually ripped open and just as miraculously re-healed in a matter of moments.
"And for me Mainti?... What 'bout dis po' boy?" His voice was solemn, his eyes downcast as she patted his back.
"You are blessed Remy LeBeau!... Blessed wit' more second chances and lives den any cat, magic or non!... You got time to make amends fo' all dem po' souls you helped send to dere deaths!... Papa Legba spoke to you child!... He said it ain't yo' time yet…. Me," she sighed and gathered her belongings as she walked back into Godiva's room, watching the woman moan in her sleep. Gambit stood beside her leaning in the door way. "I t'ink you got important work to do!... You a powerful man Remy, and you got de potential to change dis world fo' de betta!... Now quite yo' poutin' and lets go sit outside for a spell." She sighed again. "Callin' dem spirits always take it outta yo' Tanti!... And fix me up sometin' strong tah drink!... Ya heard me?!" She called back from her seat on the balcony.
"Oui Mainti,… Remy Heard ya." He smiled and shook his head wondering if he was going to be able to continue doing important work if he couldn't find a way to talk himself out of a S.H.I.E.L.D prison cell come next week.
… Rogue walked hesitantly into Scotts office fidgeting with her gloves. Cyclops was leaning back in his chair with his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his noise as Jean stood behind him lovingly rubbing his temples. She offered Rogue a warm smile and reached down on the desk for her husband's glasses, placing them back on his face.
"Yes Rogue?... What is it?" Jean asked half sitting on the desk as Cyclops sat forward, hands folded in front of him.
"I just talked with Gambit." She stated looking at her two team mates nervously. Both Jean and Scott shifted up right, eager to hear what she had to say.
"Did you tell him to get his god damn ass back here!?" Cyclops asked through gritted teeth.
"Well,…. Ah told him he was in a whole heap of trouble and had to come back to enplane himself or else Stark was gonna hunt him down… He said he will be back by Tuesday night." She concluded, emerald eyes pleading for Remy's case as she bit her lip and shifted her hips.
"BULLSHIT!" Cyclops said angrily with out raising his voice as he stood up from his desk.
"Honey,…" Jean stood and put a hand on his shoulder.
"No Jean!... He KNOWS how bad this is for our team, for the reputation of the X-Men, Professor Xavier, the School!... We are about to lose the fragile alliance we have fought for within the superhero community, not to mention the respect of our friends!... But he just doesn't give a FUCK!" Cyclops's voice had been steadily rising as he paced behind his desk, ending his tirade with an emphatic fist on the desk. He leaned over, both hands clenched white knuckled as he continued to swear under his breath.
"Guessin' you heard back from the Cajun?" Wolverine snickered as he leaned up against the door to the office, rolling a cigar in his fingertips. Rogue turned toward him with a look of appeal, as if Logan's defense of Gambit might buy him sometime.
"Ah told him what's going on and he said he will come home as soon as he can." Rouge amended her phrasing.
"Oh? And TUSDAY NIGHT is the earliest he can convenience himself to join us in defending the honor of our team because of his illegal behavior?!" Cyclops was becoming livid, marching toward Rogue with a demanding tone.
"Scott!... Do not take out your frustration on Rogue!" Jean quickly grabbed his arm, standing in front of the team leader as she rest her hands on his shoulders. "I am sure he has a good reason…"
"NO!... Jean there is NO EXCUSE for his blatant disregard for the welfare of this team!" Cyclops turned away and continued pacing the room, arms crossed and face in a scowl as the others intently watched him. "He doesn't give a rats ass about anyone but himself and now everything we have fought for is on the line because he is a dishonest, underhanded, criminal that should have never been allowed to become an X-Man!" Cyclops turned to face his team mates, hands on his hips.
"Now just you wait a minute Cyclops!" Rogue stomped her foot and pointed at her team leader with a hurt and defiant expression. "Remy has risked his life time and time again just like the rest of us and has been there for this team more often then not!... We all make mistakes Scott!... It wasn't like he did this while he was an X-Man, this was before he even knew us!... Or are you gonna kick out all of us that use to run on the wrong side of the tracks?" Rogue huffed as she stood defiantly with a sassy lean, hands on her hips. There was a moment of silence as the two locked their jaws.
"She's got a point Summers." Logan's gruff voice broke the silence as his icy blue eyes stared pointedly at Cyclops.
"Scott,…." Jeans soft voice further broke the tension of the room. She again rest a hand on his face, green eyes poignant, gaze fixed. "Charles wanted this school to be more than a place where mutants could learn to control their powers and fight the good fight for the goal of peaceful coexistence…. He wanted the X-Mansion, our home, to be a sanctuary. A place where the lost can be found and given a new purpose, a way to help make a difference." She turned and smiled at Rouge and Logan who both stood up strait with their eyes steadfast on Scott. "Just like Gambit, Wolverine and Rogue have done things in their past that they wish to make amends for. I sense the turmoil they both face every time something from their pasts casts a shadow on the brilliance of their achievements here as X-Men. I do not doubt that Gambit has similar struggles with reconciling who he is with who he was and who he wants to be… In times of adversity, we must stand together as a team, and support one another." She smiled at her husband and stroked his cheek as she watched the tension leave his jaw line. He sighed and shook his head, looking down for a moment then back up to face them all.
"The difference is,… Rogue and Wolverine have always been honest with us." Cyclops left the rest of his comment unsaid as he sighed and walked back toward his desk. The others watched him sit down in the chair as if the gravity of his weight was too heavy to stand. He leaned forward and ran his hand through his hair. Then with a sigh he looked up to Rogue. "Tell him either he explains what is going on,….. or we are coming to get him the day after next…. There is just too much at stake to let him stroll back in here the night before we head to the Avenger's base….. We need to know what to expect,… and how to keep this situation from blowing up in our faces….. But most of all,…." He paused as if his next words were hard to admit out loud. "I don't trust him to show up… And it is our asses on the line if he doesn't." With that Rogue huffed shaking her head and stormed out. Jean sighed and looked at Logan who just nodded at the two and took his leave, silently agreeing with Cyclops even if in the back of his mind he knew it made him a hypocrite.
