Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zip. Blaze owns me

07

"I do not believe this," griped Angel as he and Blaze clambered out of the car. He opened the bonnet to release a cloud of steam, giving a token glance to the engine, but it was dark now and Angel was no mechanic. A sigh from Blaze indicated he aught t turn his attentions to her, which he did. "Lousy date huh?"

"Just a touch," Blaze managed a weak smile, wrapping her arms around herself comfortingly. "I am having the worst day ever. First the crash, then fighting with Rem, and now this…"

"I'll fly you home," Angel offered, taking off his jacket and unfastening the buckles that kept his magnificent white wings hidden. As his wings unfurled to their full size, feathers ruffling as he straightened primaries and flexed muscle, Blaze had to smile. Angel just couldn't see how beautiful his wings were, how glorious. He extended a hand out to Blaze, who went willingly to him as he said, "I'll get someone to pick the car up tomorrow. You're not scared of heights are you?" The redhead shook her head mutely and wrapped her arms around Angel's neck. She looked coyly up at him with her big brown eyes as he scooped her up around her tiny waist. Angel's wings started to beat, stirring up dust on the sidewalk and producing a breeze that battered Blaze's ankles. Then they were airborne, floating on a cushion of air as Angel took them to the stars.

"Can you believe those two?" griped Rogue in awe. She and Gambit left the bike and walked to the railing at the left-hand-end of the bridge. Below them the streetlights shimmered orange on the gently rippling water. The place was deserted apart from the two ground-pounding mutant saboteurs, and the airborne couple. Blaze and Angel landed delicately on one of the uprights of the suspension bridge, and were now watching the last throws of the sunset. Angel's arm was around Blaze's waist whilst she clung to his shirtfront, hair lifting slightly in the breeze at elevation. Rogue couldn't keep the envy from her voice, "After everythin', they're still tryin'."

Gambit sighed, leaning on the railing next to Rogue and looking out over the dark water. "Maybe," he ceded, "Maybe there somet'ing to this tryin' t'ing. I wouldn't know; if the goin' gets rough I'm the first one outta there."

"Remy," Rogue began hesitantly after a moment's silence. "Why d'you think it didn't work with us?"

"I hate to break it to you," Remy risked a sideways smile at her, "But you dumped me for Mystique."

"Ah didn't know it was her," Rogue protested vehemently. Then she realised she didn't have a leg to stand on, and fell quiet. Smoothly Remy reached sideways and took her gloved hand in his, interlocking their fingers. Rogue held her breath, but Remy didn't say anything. He just looked right out over the twinkling water, to where the last strands of sunset on the distant horizon were being enveloped by the enclosing night.

Up on the pinnacle of the turret of the bridge, Angel unwittingly looked out at the same sunset as Gambit. The wind toyed with his feathers playfully as he put his chin on top of Blaze's head. "Its beautiful," he commented quietly. "Isn't it?"

"I suppose so," Blaze admitted grudgingly, as something caught her eye down below on the bridge. Under the arc of Angel's wing she spotted Remy and Rogue, recognising them instantly. Immediately her suspicious mind made a giant leap, sabotage! Her insides did a dainty back flip as her eyes dilated, her mouth fell open and she made a little gasp. Gambit had sabotaged her date tonight, with Rogue's help. It was the single sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her! He must really not want her to be with Angel, to go to all this trouble to make her date a disaster! Blaze radiated a tiny smile down on the Cajun's head, her twisted psyche more than delighted with this turn of events.

"What's that?" Angel suddenly asked, pointing away to the left and the bank of the river. Blaze turned to look, seeing darkness like a thick mist clouding the road that ran alongside the river. As she and Angel watched, the streetlights were swallowed up by the blackness. The dark patch was creeping along the riverside, and each light it put out went with a pop, flaring then dying abruptly. Angel felt the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. The stench of cold, black nothingness flared his nostrils. He pulled Blaze closer to him, saying, "We're getting outta here."

"Wait!" Blaze decreed as the black mass turned onto the bridge. "Gambit and Rogue are down there, and they haven't seen it, whatever it is."

"Rogue?" Angel started, "Where?"

"Down there," Blaze pointed, "C'mon!" With that they took off and soared majestically down to the bridge, a few paces away from a startled Cajun and Southern belle. "Behind you!" Blaze pointed past the couple at the rapidly approaching black void. The X-Men span on the spot, and Gambit drew a playing card. He charged it with his powers, then threw it at the void in the same time as it took Blaze to summon and lob a projectile fireball. Their attacks were simultaneously swallowed up, as though they had never been.

"Run!" Rogue demanded, scarpering down the bridge with Blaze and Gambit in hot pursuit. Angel launched upwards, trying to get over the top of the blackness. It swallowed him up and continued onwards. Silently it sucked in Gambit, then Blaze, and finally overwhelmed Rogue. All went black.

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How long the blackness lasted, Rogue couldn't guess. It may have been over in a heartbeat or have dragged on for a lifetime. Gradually it became lighter again, though it was still night at least the stars shimmered overhead. Rogue could feel the road surface under her fingertips and digging into her knees as she rolled onto all fours. There was a groan to her left as Gambit likewise started to get up. Blaze was already standing, brushing her clothes down and pulling a hand through her long tangled hair.

"Oh man," moaned Angel, rocking back onto his heels as he knelt on the floor. "Everyone okay?"

"Oui," replied Gambit, as Rogue said, "Ah think so."

"Um, Angel," Blaze gulped, looking quizzically at her boyfriend and turning a funny shade of white.

"What?" Angel asked her. The suddenly he knew. He reached a hand over his shoulder and found…nothing. Gasping he turned his head sideways and was confronted with the horrible truth. His wings had gone. He was human.

"Oh no!" breathed Rogue. Blaze wasted no time, going straight to Gambit's side. She crouched next to him and turned his chin to face her. Biting her lip she gave an infinitesimal shake of her head, taking her hand away from his face. My eyes, Remy thought, and panic gripped him. Sure enough the red-on-black pigmentation had vanished, leaving Gambit's eyes a normal brown colour. "Try charging something," Blaze suggested hopefully, but it was no good. The card Remy chose stayed boring and normal, instead of glowing and dangerous. He gave up and threw it away in disgust. All eyes turned to Rogue.