Title: Turning Point

Summary: When things get too much in the Acolytes, Gambit is forced to run. But can the past be dealt with, and how do you stop a powerful supervillian?

Warnings: Abuse, implied rape, child abandonment, violence.

Pairings: Remy/Rogue, John/OFC, hinted Scott/Jean and Kitty/Lance, Kitty/Kurt

AN and Disclaimer in Part 1.

Chapter VIII

When Remy found the note on the table his first instinct had been to get back to the base as soon as possible, knowing what Sabertooth was capable of and worrying about both his friends. But that wouldn't help either of them. It could've been a trap. Magneto could've injured Pyro knowing that he would call Remy, a ploy to get him back to the hell hole he'd managed to escape. But then, it could be that John was in real danger, that Sabertooth had grown bored. Gambit shuddered, remembering all too well what happened then.

In the end, Remy had gone with his second notion - seeking out Professor X. This had been the only time Remy had actually gone to the telepath, the only time Remy had really thought he needed to since being there. Now it was really important. John and Zaire were at stake here.

"Remy, come in, tell me what has you so distressed." Charles said, he'd clearly picked up on a few errant thoughts from Remy.

"It's Zaire, and John." Remy handed the Professor the note he'd found. It had been brief; Zaire informing Remy, in French, that she was going to Magneto's in order to help John who'd been attacked by Sabertooth. "I dunno why she went alone, but it could be trouble." Remy said, gazing at the man in front of him. He was calm, despite the fact that one of his pupils was in danger. It was a calmness that didn't happen with Magneto. If one of the Acolytes were in danger Magneto was usually mad, mainly because it meant his team wasn't strong enough.

"This may well be a trap, but I sense that you have doubts." There was a raised eyebrow in Remy's direction and the Cajun knew he'd have to explain things now.

"John wanted out of the Acolytes, once Piotr's sister was better. We met him while we were at the library, we talked a little while. I t'ink that maybe Sabertooth found out, like he smelled one of us." Remy knew it was likely that Sabertooth had caught Zaire's scent from John; it was probably the reason why Zaire had rushed off like she did. Even if Zaire protested that she didn't really like John, she still wouldn't have left him in that place if he was in trouble.

"Well this is indeed a difficult situation. Most of the team are at school right now, but this matter cannot wait. Logan and Ororo will go with you to the Acolyte's home," just as Charles had said it, both Wolverine and Storm walked in the room, suited up and ready. "You will need to be careful and hurry. If this is a trap Zaire's life could be in danger. If it is not, then both Zaire and Pyro are in trouble." Remy nodded his head, understanding everything and hoping that John hadn't set them up for the big downfall. Gambit checked his pocket for his compressed bo staff before nodding once more and following Storm and Wolverine downstairs to the hanger.

- - -

Zaire wasn't sure which part of it was worse. Trying to hide from Sabertooth - who could no doubt smell both Zaire's fear and John's blood, or her attempts at using her powers down here. The air was stale, everything around them was metal of some sort and Zaire was sure she could feel the charges in the rooms. The creaking around them didn't help ease any of her misgivings, she was fairly certain that she and John were due to die there, John needed medical treatment, and soon, and she didn't stand a chance against Sabertooth.

John was stumbling along, most of his weight - which was painstakingly light - was on Zaire, and although she wasn't weak she also wasn't very strong. They had been turning down halls and through rooms blindly, John wasn't conscious enough to tell Zaire where to go and the girl had no idea where she should go. They just had to make it back upstairs and out of the manor, Zaire knew, reckless driving or not, she'd be able to get somewhere public and safe fast. She could still hear the distant growling echoing through the large metallic chambers which made up the rooms in the underground maze she was stuck in, clinging to John, hauling him along with her. She had no chance of doubling back, she didn't even know where the rooms led to let alone where she'd been. One hidden elevator and a rabbit maze of wrong turns would be the end of the line for her, she could practically feel the claustrophobia building up.

"John, c'mon, you have to help, where the hell do I go?" Trying to keep her voice low while remaining loud enough that John - in his near unconscious state - could hear her was both difficult and an accomplishment, keeping her voice steady instead of giving in to the utter terror she felt while still keeping a little bit of calm she knew she'd need was even more challenging. "Please, we need to get out of here, I don't know where to go. John, God John just freakin' answer me!"

"No need to shout, Shelia." His voice was low and rough, his breathing laboured. Zaire placed a hand over his forehead, feeling at the heat radiating from his skin. "We're a little while away from the stairs,"

"John you won't make it up the stairs." Zaire hissed, pulling John along yet another corridor and through a metal door. She gave in to the need to rest, leaning John against the door while standing in front of him. "You're burning up, you're barely conscious, what makes you think you can walk up God knows how many stairs?"

"Wasn't really thinking, was I?" John managed, slightly breathless and a little sleepy. "But you could get up them, run for the hills and all that. Save you're skinny little hide."

"I haven't left you yet, I'm not about to." Zaire was determined, they would stick together. Even if they did end up dead, they'd stick together till the end. "C'mon, we should keep moving. Maybe we can double back and get to the little elevator thing." Zaire was more talking out loud than really expecting an answer of any kind.

"He'll smell us." John's voice was getting softer, the underlying sound of pain showing in a small tremble with his words. Zaire understood that it really wasn't too much of an option, they'd literally be walking into their deaths if they went back now. The only real option was to keep going. They'd made it this far, surely they'd make it just a little further now. John's arm was around Zaire's shoulder, her arm around his waist, mostly pulling him now rather than supporting his walk. She would be quicker on her own, if she left him, if she stashed him someplace down here maybe she'd be able to get help and come back for him. But with the amount of blood he was losing, with the trail they were leaving, she highly doubted that there would be anything left of him to save if she left him down here.

Her heart pounding in her throat, Zaire pressed on, almost dragging John through the underground compound and praying to Gods she didn't even believe in that they'd be able to see daylight again.

- - -

Remy held tight to the grip bar above his head, worried that they wouldn't make it to the Acolyte's base in one piece to save Zaire or John from anything. They had taken what Remy figured was the X-Men's mode of transport on land - the jet being a little too conspicuous for this. But with Wolverine breaking almost every law ever thought off and cutting off traffic left, right and centre, there was the distinct possibility that this was a little bit conspicuous too.

"Wolverine, if we crash before we reach the Acolytes base, we will be the ones needing rescued." Storm's voice was calm and composed, much like Remy had always seen her, but the way she was bracing herself against the dash and her tense position in the passenger seat showed she was as uncomfortable as Remy.

"And if we don't get there soon there might not be anything to rescue." Wolverine seemed to push the vehicle to go faster, although Remy wasn't sure just how much faster the thing could go without breaking the sound barrier. "Gambit, where would they be?"

"Depends, dey could'a gone down t' the underground compound." Remy answered, trying not to grit his teeth while he did so. "Might still be above ground though, if they ain't getting chased."

"We shall find out soon enough." Storm said, pointing to the building. The Wolverine's jeep was sitting in the main drive, engine still running and practically abandoned. The front door to the house was wide open and the three mutants made their way inside slowly, Wolverine taking the lead.

"There's no one upstairs, but the place stinks of blood." Wolverine unsheathed his claws, growling low in his throat.

"Can you tell whose blood it is?" Storm asked, Gambit unable to think about one of his friends bleeding out. If Sabertooth got a hold of John and Zaire…A shiver ran through Gambit's body.

"Pyro's." Wolverine stated. "How do we get into this compound then?" Gambit moved ahead of Wolverine, leading the two X-Men to the access panel for the downstairs base.

"Dey codes been changed." It made sense, if he'd needed the leverage Gambit would've given all the access codes and data to the X-Men in exchange for help to get away from the Acolytes. But Magneto clearly wasn't taking the chance. Gambit glared at the panel before pressing his hand against it, letting the charge travel through him and into the set molecules of the metal and frying the computer circuits. There was a light bang before the circuit board popped open and the lower floor by the wall rescinded into the wall. Wolverine gave a snort of distaste while Gambit just smirked.

"Let's go." Gambit took the stairs three at a time, Wolverine leaping ahead of them while Storm gracefully floated to the bottom of the stairwell. When a loud growl echoed in the room from Wolverine both Storm and Gambit searched around for the threat. "Sabertooth's down here. Pyro and Zaire aren't far away either." The only way was forward, so the three moved as quickly and silently as possible, despite the fact that Sabertooth could no doubt smell them too. They still had the element of surprise if they could evade detection until just the right moment.

They rounded a corner to find a half unconscious John on the floor while Zaire was backing into a corner with Sabertooth stalking forward. There were two split seconds when both Sabertooth and Wolverine reacted almost in tandem. Sabertooth leapt at Zaire, claws out and aiming for her throat, while Wolverine fired himself towards Sabertooth's body, his adamantuim claws in front and looking for the leverage to propel the beast away from Zaire. Wolverine barrelled into Sabertooth just as the larger mans claws reached Zaire, the weight of Wolverine rolling them both and Sabertooth's claws missed Zaire's throat but dragged along her shoulder as they passed.

Crying out the girl fell to the ground, her hand instinctively moving to her shoulder. Storm approached Zaire quickly, pulling the girl to her feet and herding her away from the two brawling ferals. Gambit knelt next to John, relieved to find a pulse but worried by the number of cuts and the severe damage already dealt to the mutant.

"Can you carry him?" Storm asked, keeping Zaire close to her side while the elementalist watched Wolverine and Sabertooth fighting a few yards away. Gambit nodded once and carefully lifted Pyro onto his shoulder in a fireman's lift. "Come, Zaire, Wolverine can handle Sabertooth for now."

"What if Magneto comes back?" Zaire asked, even as she was led by Storm towards the stairs and into the upper mansion. They made it to the van where John was gently laid out on the back seat before Gambit and Zaire climbed into the back with him, Zaire sitting with John's head in her lap while Gambit took the seat facing Zaire. Storm instructed them to buckle up and sent a message to Wolverine over the comm system to tell him to pull back.

The journal back to the mansion was less adventurous but no less tense. Gambit used some material he found in the backseat to put pressure on the wound on Zaire's shoulder while the girl tried to tend to John's worst wounds one handed.

"We are almost there; Hank and the Professor have been alerted and shall meet us in the hanger." Storm told them, the rest of the journey blessedly quiet.

- - -

There was a flurry of commotion when Storm pulled into the hanger under the mansion, Hank already prepared for the casualties and the Professor waiting for them. John was swiftly loaded onto a stretcher and moved to the medical bay with Hank. Zaire swayed on her feet as she watched Hank take John away, her own blood loss making her light-headed and the adrenaline rush finally wearing off.

"Gambit, would you take Zaire to the medical bay and wait with her until Dr McCoy can tend to her?" Remy nodded to the Professor, an arm going around Zaire's shoulders as he directed her towards the lab. Zaire offered no resistance, only just overhearing Storm's soft spoken words of worry over Wolverine having remained with Sabertooth. Even Remy's soothing accent rolled right off her, the daze she was left in letting nothing through. She just wanted to sleep, to curl up in a ball and sleep for a week or two.

The last few run ins with Sabertooth always left her rattled like this. He seemed to embody every fear she had over her own mutation. What if, like Sabertooth, she didn't control it? What if it controlled her? She knew she'd never be as cruel as Sabertooth, she couldn't be, but at the same time Magneto wasn't necessarily evil or cruel. He had too much power, and that power corrupted. While Zaire didn't have the power to stave off Sabertooth and protect herself or John. John would've at least been able to do something to protect them, wouldn't he?

"Come on, petite. Stop t'inking whatever it is y' t'inking and talk to me." Gambit had managed to get her into the medical lab and sitting up on one of the beds before he had broke her internal musings. "Y' need anyt'ing?" Remy sort of hovered before her, worry evident in his abnormal eyes.

"How's John?" Zaire asked, her voice weak and low with a slight tremble.

"He'll be okay. Dr McCoy's takin' care of him." Remy assured. He had a gauze pad on Zaire's shoulder, the bleeding having stopped and the pain simply numbing now. Zaire didn't have the strength to fight the exhaustion anymore.

"Will you tell me when you know? How he's gonna be. I'm tired." Remy nodded and looped some of her dark hair behind her ear.

"Y' rest, petite. I'll let you know when I do." Zaire nodded tiredly and let Remy help her lay back on the bed, her eyes falling closed before her head even hit the soft pillow.

- - -

Apologies for the delay. Thanks for getting this far. Feel free to review.

Next update is Thursday due to work commitments.