"And when it comes down to it, I'm Pain. And your Death."
The words rang through his head over and over again. Pain? Death? Running through their conversation in his head, he remembered every detail. Mainly because every detail was driving him insane. She had to be psychotic! And yet...he trusted her. He couldn't brush that feeling aside like she was right. Like he knew her and he could trust her. She said they knew each other and that Sinister had merely altered his memories...but if that were true, just exactly how much time had passed? Was he still supposed to be a Morlock? Remy now felt foolish for running out on Erin when she could give him all these answers. Groaning in frustration, he hit the wall next to him, rattling his whole room before a knock came from the door.
"Oui?"
"I...Can I come in?" The familiar sound of Erin's voice made Remy outwardly tense up yet inwardly relax. What was happening to him? Standing up, he walked to the door and reached for the knob only for a sharp pain to enter his head. Grimacing, he clutched the back of his head and felt the stitches from where Sinister had cut him open. It was white hot pain; like being thrown into a pool of water only to find out electric eels awaited your arrival. Closing his eyes, he struggled to block out what little amount of pain he could.
"C-Come i-" Remy didn't need to finish his sentence before Erin quickly opened the door, hearing the pain in his voice. Shutting the door behind her, she moved his arm around her shoulders and propped him up, leading him over to the bed.
"It's okay. It's okay, Gambit." she whispered, setting him on the edge of the bed as she brushed his hair away from his forehead. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, she smiled sympathetically. "The pain will fade. I promise." she whispered soothingly.
Remy opened his ruby eyes and stared at the women in front of him, for the first time in his life feeling ice cold. "What's happenin' to dis 'ere Cajun, chere?" he asked weakly.
"Your memories...your powers...who you are is fighting against the faulty chip I gave Sinister. See, I couldn't give him a completely dull chip. You would never be able to hide the truth. Now you'll just have to fight through the spells until they're gone or we remove the chip. So now-"
"How did Gambit even get here?" he interrupted her. Silence. A pin drop could be heard throughout the room as Remy stared intently at the silver haired girl who knew more about him than he did. She stood up and turned away from Remy, biting her lip. It seemed she could never get out of trouble with Remy. Ever. Raising an eyebrow, Remy stood up and walked over to her, grabbing her arm and turning her towards him. "Voltaic. Erin. How did Gambit get here?"
Tears formed in her eyes and she looked at the ground. "If I told you, you wouldn't trust me."
"Y' act like y' be de only one wit' skeletons in deir closet, chere." he said, tilting her chin up. Her skin was soft and warm against his icy fingers and as he stepped closer to her, he felt like she was pulling him to her. Why was this girl so intriguing when he knew she caused so much trouble? Remy knew the answer.
Because she was a trouble maker. And Remy could never resist a trouble maker.
"My skeletons have hurt you more than you realize, Gambit. So much more than you realize."
"Den tell dem to dis 'ere Cajun."
She looked up at him, bright eyes shining and she opened her mouth to speak when-
"Voltaic!" The sound of Sinister's voice made Erin nearly jump out of her skin as she immediately pulled out of Remy's arms.
"Now's not the time, Gambit. Okay? I'm sorry, but you have to act like you know nothing." she pleaded with him before turning to leave. Remy caught her arm, turning her back to him.
"Just answer Remy une question. 'Ow long has Remy known y'?" A weak smile formed on her dark lips, bringing the tiniest bit of color to her pale face. Stepping closer to him, she pulled his hand away from her arm, clutching it tightly in her frail hand. Standing on her tip toes, she traced his jaw with her free fingertips and bit her lip slightly. Immediately, her mind went to the memory of their kiss in the X-mansion. A dark blush formed on her cheeks and traveled down her neck as she looked at her fingers oh-so-delicately tracing his jaw. Tired of lying to him, she answered in the best way she could.
"Honestly? Far too long, Gambit."
And with that answer, she was out the door, closing it behind her as Remy stood there. He was utterly dumbfounded and yearned to learn more about this girl and just how long he had known her. And what better way to do that than by getting a hold of her file? Finally, a time to put his thieving skills to use once more. A smirk lifted his features as his body started to warm up due to his powers strengthening. Scarlet eyes glowing, he nodded. He would definitely be getting to know her before the day was through.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Emma stormed up to Rogue's bedroom door, looking for the Southern Belle. She hadn't trusted this Erin character from the start, and thanks to her connections, she finally understood why. But with neither Erin or Remy having returned to the mansion, she needed to share her suspicions with the closest person to Remy other than Erin.
Rogue.
"Sugah, can Ah help ya?" Rogue asked, having opened the door since she heard the Gossip Ice Queen's heels clicking annoyingly on the floor.
"I need to talk to you, Rogue. Privately." she said, a cold, sharp tone to her voice. Rogue raised an eyebrow before noticing the file in Emma's hands.
"...This better be important, Sugah." she said, opening the door wider and allowing the cold woman in her room. Emma made a beeline for the chair at Rogue's desk, taking a seat and crossing her legs while Rogue leaned against the post at the foot of her bed. "So what's goin' on?"
"I decided to do a little research on our guest." Emma said, sneering at the word 'guest'. Rogue thought back to her conversation with Erin, understanding now why Erin didn't trust easily or share her history with many. Too many people snooped.
"Now, Emma, she mahght not be the mos' favorable person but-"
"Have you noticed how she and Remy have not returned, Rogue? Isn't that odd? Isn't it odd how Erin keeps so many secrets?"
"Do remember everehone at this school has their secrets, Ms. Frost." Rogue said through clenched teeth, trying to control her temper. "Ah can assure ya, Erin means no harm to Remy."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Come now, Rogue, you may be from the South, but you aren't that naive, daft, or stupid. They've been gone for a week now and not even Charles-"
"Professor Xavier, Ms. Frost. Don't push mah patience with ya."
"Fine. Not even Professor Charles knows where they are. None of this has been adding up and I, seeming to be the only smart person in this mansion, decided to look into it."
"Ms. Frost, please leave mah room." she said, crossing her arms as her emerald eyes flashed with irritation. A small frown forming on her blue lips, Emma stood and nodded.
"As you wish, Rogue. But I encourage you to just take a look at this information I discovered about Miss Erin." Emma said curtly, pulling out a few sheets of paper from the file and setting them on the desk. She then stepped out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The Southern Belle ran a hand through her auburn and white streaked hair before taking a hesitant step towards the desk. She saw black and white photos of Erin using her powers with Morlocks by her side. A small gasp escaping her parted lips, she picked up the photos and set the similar ones aside before noticing one of Erin in a long, emerald and silver dress, escorted by an all to familiar face at an auction.
Essex. Sinister.
"She...She's a Morlock."
"I told you. She's not a friend, Rogue." Looking up, she saw Emma standing by the open door, having returned to rub her facts in Rogue's face.
"Where did ya get this?"
"Like you said, we all have our secrets. This is one of mine."
"And it could cost an X-man his lahfe!"
"I warned you in the beginning, Rogue. But no one listens to me-"
"Because ya lie! Ya full o' lies, and Ah wouldn' even believe ya NOW if it weren't for these photos." she said, setting the three photos down to see one of Erin at a funeral in New Orleans. "...How far back do these pictures go?"
"Five years."
"And...ya just...felt lahke prying?"
"I felt like helping."
"Who? Yaself? Ta prove a point?" Rogue stormed over to Emma, pushing her out of the room and slamming the door. Closing her eyes tightly, she shook with anger before opening her eyes and turning her attention to the photos. Throwing the fourth photo on the ground, she saw another of Erin with Scalphunter and Vertigo attacking both humans and mutants. It couldn't be true. Erin couldn't be that much of a monster...could she?
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Erin stood in Sinister's office, staring ahead as he looked over her file. "Voltaic, your powers are evolving. There is nothing I can do to fix this. It's happening naturally."
"Just put another chip in my brain. It's simple. Just like last time." she said, her voice wavering slightly as she looked down at the papers. "You said you would have me fixed."
"For a short period of time. Do not put words in my mouth, my dear." he said, closing her file and standing. Walking towards her, his cold demeanor sent a shiver down her spine. "Tell me, Voltaic. How does it feel? Your powers are returning with a vengeance. This just means you can help our plan advance even further."
Clenching her jaw, Erin looked up at Sinister's solid, blood red eyes. "To kill."
"To bring pain." he corrected, bringing up an ice cold hand to trace her scarred cheek down her neck to her shoulder. Looking down at her revealing costume, his eyes held an all to familiar emotion as she felt him trace the fabric along her cleavage. Looking away, she listened to his words, feeling sick. "To bring so much...glorious pain. You are quite a beautiful mutant."
"A replacement just the same, correct? Since you couldn't get Jean and Scott?" she asked, looking back at him. Sinister scowled, looking at her as he brought a hand to her hip and dug his nails into her back.
"Remember whom you talk to, my dear. Remember that." he said, pulling her slightly closer.
"Of course, Sinister. Now, if you can't help me any further, I'd like to go back to work." she said, keeping any emotion out of her voice as he finally released her.
"Of course. Make sure our Death is ready." Nodding her head, she took a step away from him and quickly left the room, biting her lip to refrain from clutching her fists in his sight.
Chuckling, Sinister returned to his seat, pulling up the video cameras linked to the training room. Rewinding a specific one, he watched Remy and Erin interact before playing the video.
"Sinister performed a surgery on you that altered your memory while also slowly changing you. In your real memories, I know you as Remy, not Gambit. And you know me as Erin, not Voltaic."
Tsking, Sinister leaned forward, tracing Erin's image on the screen. "Such a beautiful, deadly...foolish mutant you are, Miss Erin Boudreux." His dark laughter filled the empty room as a smirk lifted his features. How his plan was working perfectly...