Chapter 4! Yippee!

And just for those of you that actually read these authors notes, I got an A on that essay I procrastinated on :)

Please R&R!

Explosions of Every Kind Chapter 4: I Did It for You

Sabertooth lay unconscious on the ground. Gambit looked down on him, eyes burning with anger and agony.

"Okay," Xavier accepted, "Let's begin."

Gambit nodded. Leaning down, he lifted Sabertooth up into a slumped position and thought to himself, 'she's gonna hate me for doin' this.' Rogue tossed and turned in her hospital bed, uneasily dreaming. Gambit would never know it, but he was part of her dream. At first, she and he were fighting Sentinels, but then he turned on her and the reason for Rogue's tossing and turning was her and Gambit combating each other within her nightmare. The thought of betrayal scared her horribly, and it came out through her dreams.

Gambit took each of Sabertooth's hands and leaned them over to Rogue. Then a dreadful thought dawned upon him. He turned and asked the Professor, "What if it doesn't work?"

"Don't say that."

"But we don't have anoth'r option."

"This is why this must work."

Gambit nodded once more. But as he propped Sabertooth up he awoke. Unexpectedly to Gambit, he was boot kicked into Rogue's bed. Storm blocked Sabertooth and was flung into the adjacent wall, however she caught herself before she impacted and hovered in the air. "Lightening," she called, "Aid us!" Her eyes became an electric blue and from her hand blots of lightening were sent into Sabertooth's torso. This slowed him down, but not for long. He was able to withstand the lightening enough to get close to Storm, he grabbed her, whizzed her around and sent her flying into the Professor. Both soaring back and shattering the glass doors.

Gambit stood back up, hunching over with his hand resting on his now broken rib from where he collided with the bed frame. Sabertooth glared at Gambit, and Gambit returned the glare with all the spite that it was given. He growled, "You'd do all this for a girl? You've gone soft, LeBeau. What happened to all those late nights? You never gave a damn about them the next morning."

"She's different."

"Because you can't sleep with her. Ha!"

His crimson eyes blazed on their charcoal backgrounds. Without warning, he grabbed the IV that was no longer attached to Rogue's arm, charged it and sent it flying through the air at Sabertooth's head. He jumped out of the way and taunted Gambit again, "I bet you'd give anything to hold her. Eh, LeBeau?"

Gambit lunged for him, but was blindsided by his own anger and didn't predict Sabertooth's next move like he usually would. For a second time, Sabertooth boot kicked Gambit in the chest, much harder this time. He went flying into the wall on the other side of the room, breaking it and knocking him unconscious.

The Professor, just barely cognizant, tried to contact Rogue's mind. "Rogue wake up. Wake up. Gambit is hurt."

No response.

He tried again, "Rogue, Gambit needs you. Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open and she hazily made out the scene of the room. She saw Sabertooth's nose crinkle in a blood-curdling growl. Then her head made a one-eighty and she distinguished Gambit's unconscious form lying in the busted wall's rubble. "No," she breathed.

Sabertooth had his back turned to her and she pounced. Her headache raging within her skull, she held on tight. Knowing she'd regret it, she raised her hands and took hold of each side of Sabertooth's face, draining him into unconsciousness. He fell to his knees and she rolled off his back with a grunt. She was still very weak, and didn't have the energy to stand. But she could feel herself changing. Rogue stared at her hands to see her nails grow into menacing claws, her hair grow down to her midsection and finally experienced her teeth transforming into fangs inside her mouth. When the final transformation took place her hospital gown was ripped and torn as she growled at the sky.

Rogue shakily stood up, using the wall to balance herself. She made her way back to her bed and plopped down, her head in her paw-like hands. The Professor was able to wheel himself over to her side. "Are you okay?" he asked concernedly.

She lifted her head and growled at him.

"Rogue, with his mutation your blood clots will heal and you will live."

"Ah know," she snarled.

He looked over at Gambit, "You'd be amazed what he went through for you."

Her nose crinkled and she bared her fangs, "He made me use mah powers. Now ah got anoth'r person inside mah head t'deal wit'."

"He did it to save you."

A low growl settled in throat, "Ah know."

Just then, Sabertooth started to stir. He slowly got to his feet and went after Rogue. She barrel rolled off the side of her bed as he smashed it. "Come here!" he shouted. She ran out of his way and found herself looming over Gambit.

From the opposite side of the room the Professor yelled, "You must absorb him."

"No!"

"You have no choice, he'll kill you!"

"Ah won't do it again!"

"Think of Gambit, he was willing to risk his life for you. You need to do this for him!"

"Ah won't!" she yelled while Sabertooth cornered her.

"He cares for you! And I know you care for him! You have no other option!"

"Noooooo," she shrieked as she gritted her teeth, lunging at Sabertooth and wrapping her bare hands around his neck. Rogue cried in agony as she absorbed every last bit of Sabertooth's consciousness. Her claws grew longer, her hair grew down past to her waist, and her cries turned into growls so deep even Wolverine would have sworn they had come from the real Sabertooth. She let go and slumped to the floor next to her victim.

Xavier rolled over and offered her a hand up. "Is he dead?" she asked worriedly.

He leaned down and checked his pulse, "No," he answered. Hearing that one word a rush of relief washed over Rogue, but it was short lived. The guilt of knowing she could permanently comatose someone came flooding back to her and she felt sick. To change the subject she asked the Professor if Gambit and Storm were going to be alright. "I'm not sure," he responded, "and seeing as the medical beds are shot lets lay them down in the living room, all the students should be asleep by now." She nodded and placed a sheet on top of her shoulder before resting Gambit over it. The Professor leaned down and carried Storm in his lap. Rogue could already feel Sabertooth's healing factor working within her, she felt herself regaining more strength every minute.

They laid each down on a separate couch and the Professor checked their injuries. Storm would have some cuts and bruises but be alright, but Gambit had a concussion and three broken ribs. Rogue pulled up a chair and sat with him for hours, at four in the morning he sluggishly awoke and peered up into the face of a Sabertooth-transformed Rogue. When he realized that she had taken the healing powers of his fellow Acolyte he smiled. "You're okay," he whispered hoarsely.

"Because of you. Y'fought your own team, y'coulda died."

"Y'were going to die, and I couldn' lose you Rogue," he sounded serious; "I'd do anyt'ing f'r you."

Hope that was enough hurt on Gambit for you, winchestergirl27.

NO idea when I'll work on chapter 5!

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN XMEN/XMEN EVOLUTION