A/N: Again thank you all for the wonderful reviews! They make me very happy. Sorry for the very long update. I was promoted and have taken on more than I can chew lol. Let's just say the last person who had my new position kept everything in their noggin instead of on paper. So finding stuff has been extremely difficult. But today I am taking the time to sit back and collect my thoughts. And for me collecting my thoughts normally includes writing or reading Fan-Fiction. Lucky for you today its writing!
Chapter 9: Mutant Casanova
"Does your Mother have any idea that you're here?" Wanda asks me as we walk through the metal hallways of her Father's secret lair. Okay maybe not so much as a lair as a giant metal castle but it is dark and gloomy and that is what Wanda calls it.
"Do I look like I am that crazy Wanda?" I ask her with a shocked expression that causes her normally dark frown to turn into a small, yet barely noticeable grin.
"Never in a million years would I think that you were crazy Rogue," She replies with deep sarcasm. But I know different, there's a truth in those words. Because if I was crazy then what would that make her?
"So what do you think your Father is doing to Gambit right now?" I ask as we turn a corner sharply passing a greenish looking man. I take a double look; I had thought he had died along with Victor at the Statue of Liberty. But I guess fried Toad's recover faster than skewered cats. I don't think about it again as we continue our trek across the compound.
"Probably put him back into our services," she says with a shrug, "you know he really isn't into to torture. He's more into the whole I will hold this little mishap over your head until the day you die type of man."
"You know I never really got that vibe from him when I was strapped into a metal, swirling machine that sucked the life out of me," I dead pan with disbelief at Magneto's supposed sense of humanity.
"You know how sorry I am about that Rogue," Wanda reminds me with a pitiful look. I know it's not her fault. But sometimes old wounds never really heal over. Especially for me, I carry a grudge until the day that person dies and then some.
"It's fine really. But when my Mother decides your going to help her save the world from persecution I don't want to hear a word about it," I quip and she laughs lightly at my joke. But we both know, knowing our parent's that is something that could possibly happen one day.
"But really Wanda, your Father can't have Gambit back. He's an X-Man now. I can't have him deflecting to the other side mid stream you know. We need all the help we can get. Especially after everything that's happened," I state mournfully. Wanda nods her head in agreement. Death unfortunately follows us around like a lost puppy. It is always waiting for us, always there to remind us that we are never really safe.
Fighting this war against humanity has to be a give and take from both parties. We lost our figure head, our leader and half our team in a matter of days. And it was all because of a single deflection, all because of Jean Grey.
"Just pull your trump card on him and he'll back off," she says to me and I look at her in confusion. "You know, the you tried to kill me and failed card. My Father owes you huge on that one."
"You're right. Maybe I can get both you and Gambit?" I ask with a laugh. Wanda laughs along with me. She'll never leave her Father's side. He's family and he needs her. There was nothing anyone could say on the matter. It just is what it is.
"Come on, let's go save the mutant Casanova from himself okay?"
--
I wasn't really paying much attention to what bucket head was telling me. I filtered the information through one ear and right out the other. I've heard this line of conversation before. I've heard it from a hundred fathers and a handle full of mother's as well. It's all the same. Same lines, same attitude, different day, different set of parents.
But what had me moving from practical boredom to rapt attention was when the conversation moved from lecture to payment. Now many men and a few women too had cursed me through and through. Some yelling behind my heels as I ran with my pants down around my knees. All screaming at me about the day I would pay for ruining their daughters. But not a soul had ever caught me, sat me down and finally gave the devil his due.
Until now that is.
"I think five years of service should be efficient payment for the stress you have caused my Brotherhood Mr. LeBeau," Magneto's calm voice echoed to me across the metal expanse of his office. I felt my body go ridged at that. Five years was a long time for my aging soul.
I straightened my back, pulled a card from my pocket, twirled it between my fingers and grinned like he had just told me the greatest news I have ever heard. I opened my mouth to speak, ready to dig my self out of yet another hole. Until she walked in and made my problem go away.
It was in that moment I realized that my debt to society lay now in the hands of the mysterious and willful Rogue.
--
"Rogue for the hundredth time you can not go in there!" Pyro yelled behind me as I pushed my way into what I assumed was Magnet-head's private office.
"And like I told you, I don't give a damn," I replied as I slammed the metal door against the wall as I strolled in as if I owned the place. John was right on my heels as I transgressed the distance between Magneto and myself. Wanda followed close behind at the tail end.
"Eric so good to see you," I said as I finally made my way to his desk.
"Rogue," he states simply looking at me with an almost fearful and unknowing expression.
"I think five years in your service is a little much," I affirm. My hands press the cold metal of his desk and I feel an almost pleasurable feeling spread over me. A lingering side of affect of Magneto I assure myself.
"Oh?" He asks with a raised eyebrow that beckons me to continue.
"Yes, Gambit is under my charge. He is an X-Man and under Storm's employment," I reminded him. I looked straight into his eyes, those harsh grey eyes of his, the eyes of my almost murder.
"I don't see how that would affect the arrangements made between Mr. LeBeau and my self," Magneto reasoned.
"We need him Eric, you know that. We can't have another person deflect to the other side. You know that," I pressed and saw only for a moment a shadow drift across those eyes of his. "We can't lose someone else."
"Again my dear your argument is only slightly appealing. What can you offer me that Mr. LeBeau hasn't already offered willingly?" He asks and I can see the wheels turning in his head. I was a great prize to be won; his strained relationship with my Mother only solidifies my train of thought.
"You owe me Eric," I state as I pull my self up to my full height, "a life for a life. You tried to take mine and failed. Now it's my turn."
I pulled off my glove. My white pallid fingers nearly glowed against the darkness of the room. I never took my eyes off of Eric's. I watched as those eyes dilated at what I was proposing. I was a fox in his hen house and I was starving.
"So whose life is it going to be Eric?" I asked as I slipped off my other glove. "Will you give me Gambit or are you willing to sacrifice another person you love for your pride?"
I pulled at what I had, his memories, and his pain. Another person lost, another brick built against his cold, cold heart. I turned away from him and faced Wanda. She knew the plan already, knew she was only playing a part in something bigger than her self. I walked towards her somewhat menacingly. My colorless hand stretched out towards her like deaths beckoning embrace.
I could see a real fear in her eyes. The dilation of her pupils sold her out in the end. But I continued my path towards her. She stood stalk still, her shocking blue eyes shifting from my hand to her father's similar blue ones.
"You take one more step Roguey and I light you up like a California Wildfire," Pyro threatened as his wrist flicked and small twisting loops of fire circled his wrists in a seductive yet menacingly manner.
My eyes flickered over to him as I allowed a very unimpressed look to cross my features. If he only knew how foolish that attempt would really be.
"Go ahead Johnny. It won't be the first time someone close to me tried to kill me. You'll just be another notch on the belt," I looked him straight in the eye and saw the hesitation there. I could almost feel it across the distance between us how that one small comment meant more to him than just simple implication. We were family once, him and I, or as close to a real family as either of us are ever going to get. We've seen and experienced more pain than anyone else at Xavier's. And it was all done by the hands of our parents. The people who were sworn to protect us. The people who promised to love us.
"Times up Eric," I finally say as my fingers slowly begin their decent on their prey. I can feel the surge of panic from my soon-to-be-victim as my fingers dance only centimeters away from Wanda's bare neck.
"Wait!" Magneto begins in an uncommonly hurried half shout. I pull my hand back like it was slapped. I turn to look at him. I can see for only a second the dreadful fear of losing another child as it crosses his features before he quickly pulls on his mask of leadership.
"I said you could deal with him. Not kill him or hurt him and especially not force him into your service. Because if I remember correctly Eric the last time someone put a group of people under one mans service it didn't turn out so well. And you and I both know how well History has a tendency to repeat itself," I state as I move another step away from Wanda, I can hear the sigh of relief leave her as I do so.
"Yes well that particular man was deluded and a tyrant if memory serves me," he replies to me in that cool tone of his.
"Kind of calling the kettle black there aren't we Eric?" I ask him with a semi-sweet smile that didn't really reach my eyes.
"Let's not continue with petty bantering hmm?" Eric threw in and my smile fell to a thin line.
"Yes of course we wouldn't want to waste precious time," I say to him and he looks at me curiously but decides to dismiss it.
"Gambit is a criminal to the Brotherhood of Mutants," he began and I quickly interrupted.
"Gambit is a criminal to the entire world everyone knows that. It is not his fault that you can't control your children Eric. If you had even some semblance of control over them she would have known better than to go off with the biggest mutant Casanova in existence," I ranted.
He looked at me through hooded eyes, masking what he was really thinking. I stood my ground, not moving an inch as I waited for what he was going to say next.
"Gambit will be placed under your charge from here on out. If a member of the Brotherhood ever finds him not within your presence then it will be my duty as a father and the duty of my people to wipe that ridiculous smile off of his face," Magneto explained to me. I nodded my head in acceptance and the deal was sealed. Gambit was mine in the eyes of the Brotherhood. No harm could come to him when I was around. However if he is ever caught without me God help him.
--
I couldn't take my eyes off of her as I watched her display of dominance in the room. She captivated her audience and manipulated them easier than I obviously could. It was astounding to watch this once thought of naïve and shy girl negotiating my life like it was an everyday occurrence. It was mind boggling to witness the shy Rogue battle it out, toe to toe, with Magneto, the greatest and probably the most powerful mutant on this planet.
I was humbled at her passionate nature over the ends she battled to give me my freedom. Even if the only assault she ever used was her tongue and the sweet lyrical voice that was her own.
"Come on Gambit let's go put you somewhere were you won't cause a problem," she said to me with a fast click of her tongue. I jumped from my seat a little too hurriedly but paid no attention as I followed Rogue like a hound. Maybe the mutant Casanova had finally met his match. And sadly I wasn't put off by at it at all.
A/N: Finally an update by me… who would have thought. Now be a good reviewer and push that little button at the bottom of the page. Let's see how awesome it makes my day.
