Gambit rode through the night. Scythe was impressed by his stamina. They arrived in New Orleans the following afternoon. "So where do you expect to stay while we're here? With your father? Or my mother?"

"Non, chère. Remy got a place in de French Quarter we stay at." Sure enough, as hotels turned into mansions, Gambit pulled up to a wrought iron gate and typed in a code. The gate swung open and Gambit rode up a sloping driveway to a large red brick house. Three stories tall and with marble columns, Vie marveled at it.

"This is quite the place," Vie said, struck by the mini mansion. Gambit parked and got off, holding out a hand for Vie. She accepted it and let Gambit help her off the bike. Gambit gave her a grand tour. The bottom floor held a large kitchen, dining room, sitting room, and living room. The second held a billiard room, a family room, a gym, and a spare bedroom. The uppermost level held another spare bedroom, a home theatre, and the master suit. "Why the hell would you live in a metal mansion when you have this place?" Vie marveled.

"I jus' buy dis 'cause I have more money den I know what t' do wit. I always envy des places when I was a street rat."

"So what do you plan we do now? Does anyone know you live here?"

Gambit shook his head. "Non. I buy dis under a fake name. I stay here when I visit."

Vie looked out a large window in the master bedroom. "Look at that yard." The backyard was neatly trimmed and expertly landscaped with a verity of trees and bushes with a few flowers.

"Impressed, petit?" Gambit teased.

Scythe sensed his amusement and reeled in her excitement. "You could say that."

He chuckled. "I let you clean up, chère. Remy whip you up some gumbo den we hit de town."

XxxXxxX

Scythe showered in the large glass shower of the master bedroom. She let the hot water cascade over her before shutting it off and drying with a plush towel. Vie wrapped it around her lithe body and found the clothes she had been wearing to be missing. She growled and stormed out into the bedroom, expecting to find Gambit with a smirk on his face.

Instead she found a dress laid out for her on the bed. She smirked and slid into it. The dress was all black with a corset style top. Lace trimmed the bodice and spaghetti straps. The skirt part had two layers, a satin under layer with tool over the top and lace along the bottom. The dress ended just above her knees and the neckline curved flatteringly over her breasts, leaving a 'V' of cleavage. A lack silk ribbon criss-crossed at the back of the corset top. She reached back and attempted to tighten it. "Allow me, belle," came Gambit's smooth voice from the doorway. Vie bunched her waist-length navy hair out of the way. With gentle and skilled hands, Gambit laced the back swiftly, letting his fingers graze her snowy skin as he went. "Der," he said when he finished.

Scythe turned to face him. The gothic dress flattered her perfectly, accenting her breasts and hips, leaving plenty of long leg exposed. Her marble colored skin stood out against the black, but between the flowing design and the lace and tool, the sharp contrast had a soft elegance to it. Her wavy deep blue locks flowed about her slender shoulders. Large inky eyes and soft purple lips just added to her statuesque beauty. "Well?" she asked after Gambit took in the sight of her for a minute.

"Parfaite," he said with a devilish smile. She looked like a fallen angel. Gambit, too was dressed up. In a pair of black slacks and a dark grey silk shirt that her left the top few buttons hanging open on, exposing part of his sculpted, tan chest. His auburn hair was swept back in a pony-tail. The suave grin and glowing red and black eyes pulled him together in a demonic sort of handsomeness. He made a sweeping gesture for the bedroom door. "Après vous."

Vie smirked at his gentlemanliness. "Merci."

XxxXxxX

Gambit made one hell of a gumbo. Her stomach full of good cooking, Vie rode with Gambit into town. Since Vie was widely known here, the locals were used to her odd appearance. As long as they avoided tourist areas, Vie would be fine. The only problem in staying with the local hotspots was, sooner or later, they were bound to run into a Thief or a Ripper.

They parked and walked towards a Jazz club. It was dimly lit inside. Several circular tables made for four were scattered throughout. There was a semi-circle stage against the back wall and an area cleared for dancing in front. A band on sage played while the crowd sat at tables drinking and eating or dancing by the stage. "Come on, petit. I buy you a drink, non?" He held out an arm, Vie hooked her arm in his as the walked to a table. Vie and Gambit sat down and Gambit ordered them a few drinks.

They sat back and enjoyed the music and their drinks. "Thanks for bringing me, Remy. I've missed New Orleans."

"Anytime, chère," he smiled handsomely.

"I don believe m' eyes. Is dat you, Vie?" came a voice from the crowd. A man walked up to their table.

"Victor. It's been a long time. Remy this is Victor, the bartender here." Vie stood to give him a hug. Gambit stood and shook his hand.

"How do you know mon petit?" he asked the man.

"She use to work here. Waitin' tables and entertainin' de crowd. How about a song, Vie?"

Vie looked to Gambit. He smiled at her. "Alright." Gambit settled back into his chair to watch Vie. There were cat calls as she took the stage. The music slowed to a sultry tune and Vie began to slowly sway to the music and sing Bye Bye Blackbird. "Pack up all my care and woe. Here I go, singing low." Her voice was slightly rough yet beautiful. It reminded him of the jazz singers back in the old days. "Bye bye blackbird. Where someone waits for me. Sugar sweet, so is he. Bye bye blackbird." Her shining black eyes locked with his across the club as she sang. "No one here can love or understand me. Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me." She was gorgeous up there on stage. The smoky air gave him a nostalgic feeling. "Make my bed and light the light. I'll be home late tonight. Blackbird, bye bye." Remy listened entranced. When the song finished he stood with the crowd and clapped for her. She bowed slightly and made her way off stage and back over to Gambit.

"Tres belle, mon amour." He took her hand and gave it a suave kiss. "May I have dis dance?" Vie nodded and Gambit swept her out onto the floor. The music stayed slow. Vie put her arms around Gambit's neck and he placed his hands on her hips. She had to admit, the Cajun had some moves. As the song progressed, their bodies got closer. By the end, Vie was resting her head against his chest while they swayed and turned to the rhythm.

When the song was over, Vie looked up to Gambit's red and black eyes. "Come on, let's get out of here," she said seductively.

"As you wish, chère," he said. With his arm around her shoulders and her arms around his waist they left the club.

Vie's happiness quickly dissipated as she heard a familiar voice. "Ah don believe mah eyes. What de hell you doin' wit dat t'ief?" Gambit's hand tightened on Vie's shoulder. A trio of men stepped up to the pair. The lead was a tall man with short black hair and gold hoops in his ears. "What de hell you doin', Vie? He one o dem. De worst one at dat."

"And what do you plan to do about it? Drag me home? I left for a reason and I'm not going back. Come on, Remy. Let's go." Vie turned to walk away. What seemed to be innocent bystanders started coming forward. Two men grabbed Vie and four grabbed Gambit. Another man walked up behind Gambit with a bat. "Remy," Scythe called out before she heard a sharp crack and everything went black.

XxxXxxX

Scythe was only half surprised to wake in her old bedroom. It was sparsely furnished and had no photographs, posters, paintings, or anything of the sort. She leapt from her bed and ran to the door only to find it locked. Vie pounded on the door for a minute and shouted obscenities.

Deciding instead of escape, to wait for someone to come to her so she could find out where Gambit was, Vie sat back on her bed. Five minutes later, a woman in her mid-fifties opened the door. "Mother. What is going on?"

"Vie, I'm disappointed in you. First you fail your mission, the one you've spent your life preparing for. Then you run off and now you've been seen socializing with diable blanc. And to top it off you threatened your fiance," the woman chided. She had wavy blonde hair with a sparse few greys the curved around her head into a messy bun.

"I didn't fail. I chose to not kill him. I left because I was sick of being used. I've never been engaged to John. I hate him and he needs his throat slit. And I was with diable blanc because he is now my teammate and more." Vie stood and walked over to the woman. "You've lied to me. I heard the real prophecy of diable blanc. You are going to let Remy and I go."

"Why would I do that?" he mother dared.

"Because you and I both know that I can easily kill everyone here should I need to escape," Scythe warned.

"Have you lost your sense of family?" the mother demanded angrily.

Scythe smirked. "Not at all. I simply have a new family. I've found my sister, she has a brother. And I am now an Acolyte, not a Ripper."

"Insolent child. After all that I've done for you…"

"Training me and giving me the life of an assassin to kill someone that you feel threatened by. You've done so much for me, how could I ever show my gratitude?" she snapped sarcastically.

The mother glared at her a moment. "Come with me." When she saw Vie not budge, she repeated, "Come with me if you want to see le diable lanc again."

XxxXxxX

Gambit was chained to a chair in the middle of a windowless room. They had taken his trench coat and stripped him of every available weapon, including most his cards. He quickly started to take in his surroundings looking for anything useful. He saw a ventilation shaft in the furthest left corner. Directly in front of him was a wooden door. Gambit slid a card from hidden up his sleeve and charged it slightly. The mini explosion severed part of the chain and Gambit managed to break free. Careful to not let the chains jangle too much, he lay them gently on the chair he had been strapped to.

He walked over and examined the vent, it was bolted shut. He could throw his last card at it and blow it up, but that would make too much noise. Before Gambit could plan further, the door opened and three men strode in. It only took them a second to realize that Gambit was no longer chained to the chair.

Gambit grabbed the chain and wrapped it twice around his fist. The men charged. Gambit spun the chain like a whip and sent it crashing down across one man's abdomen, sending him slamming face first to the ground. Gambit grabbed the free end of the chain in his hand and flipped over the next man. He whirled around and tossed his arms over the man's shoulders and brought the chain tight across his neck. Gambit turned to face the final man with his hostage between him and the last man. Gambit charged the chain, it glowed threateningly. His eyes glowed with power and narrowed in warning. "Now, you gunna tell me where de femme is and I won blow votre ami up."

XxxXxxX

Gambit had made his way through the old French manor, fighting his way. He paused when he heard a familiar voice inside one of the rooms to his right. He stopped to listen. An unfamiliar woman's voice spoke. "Le diable blanc must be killed. He will ruin our way of life, our family. If you won't kill him, we will." Gambit threw open the door and saw Vie standing with fists clenched facing a blonde older woman.

Vie looked passed the woman to see who had entered. "Remy," she said with relief that brought a smile to Gambit's lips. She made a point to push passed the older woman and throw her arms around Gambit's neck.

"Seems I was missed, non?" he smirked.

"We've got to get you out of here," Scythe said.

Gambit released her and gestured to the door. "Ladies first, chère." Vie ran out the door with Gambit at her heels.

As they ran down the hall, Scythe heard her mother call after her. "You leave with that devil, you're no longer part of this family." Scythe spun on her heel and, while running backward, blew a kiss to her mother before rounding a corner with Gambit.

When they reached a side door in the kitchen, Gambit pulled her to a stop. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her inky eyes. "Petit, you sure you wanna do dis? Dey your family."

Vie placed a hand on Gambit's cheek and looked into his red on black eyes. She stood on her toes and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. Gambit's arms slid from her shoulders to wrap around her and Vie's slid around his neck. Scythe sensed an immense amount of emotion in Gambit. "Have your answer?" Vie asked.

Gambit looked down at her and smiled. "Let's blow dis place." Gambit kicked out the door. Vie ran outside, just before he followed, Gambit placed his last card on the kitchen countertop. A joker.

XxxXxxX