Author's Notes: This chapter contains a semi-graphic love scene. However, I've decided it doesn't warrant an increased rating.

"And as I'm striving to change the world, I will be happy."
-Sam Berns

Chapter Ten: Wings and Muscle

Ithaca

The Olympus Project Campus was protected against teleportation. Gambit and Rogue arrived as near as possible – five miles down the freeway. A semi-truck barreled towards them, horn screaming. She snatched him close and shot up fast enough to break the sound barrier.

"So much for stealth," he complained, rubbing his ears.

"Quick and dirty. That's me."

He directed her to an unassuming, unmarked grey building. Evergreens lined a vacant parking lot.

"You sure this is it?" she asked. "They don't even have barbedAHHH!"

They dropped from the sky. Rogue kicked helplessly at the air, desperately trying to regain flight. They locked arms and she spun around so he was looking down at her.

"Kick me!" she said.

With both feet, he kicked her hard enough to slow his momentum while she slammed into the pavement. The fall knocked her over. He could read the bumper stickers now. She'd never get up in time! He closed his eyes and waited for the hard, unforgiving smack, but landed instead in her arms. Luckily, she'd retained her strength, and her quick thinking had saved them both.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Wish Ah knew, but we don't have time to find out." Still holding him, she sprinted across the parking lot.

"Lemme down! I can walk!" he complained.

"But you can't run."

She crashed through the bullet-proof window and dashed past the dark and dead security check-point. The lobby opened like an abandoned cathedral, every turn frustratingly unmarked. If Simon Hall had given him a set of blueprints, Gambit would've known exactly which way to go, but he was literally grasping in the dark. Worse, he didn't hear any alarms. Those cheap little security systems had obnoxiously loud alarms, which police were keen to quiet upon arrival. But a silent warning preceded a silent attack.

"Which way?"

He looked around. "This place ain't big enough. There's more underground. Gotta-"

The hairs on his neck stood. Instinctively, he dodged aside as a bolt of lightning shot overhead. Rogue, of course, didn't flinch, but stood with her arms crossed as the currents zapped around her. She recognized her attacker from the Inn in Vaduz.

"Y'all never learn, do you?"

"Chere, wait!" he shouted too late.

She sprinted to the shooter, fists ready. When he blasted another bolt, she ducked down sucker-punched his stomach. The one-eyed man collapsed with a groan, but another leapt on her back, slamming her to the floor. The insectoid assailant pelted a flurry of stingers through her skin. Her back arched sharply as a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the lobby.

Somehow, they'd found a way to negate mutant abilities. That's why she'd lost the ability to fly. Either the method required specific input – they had to know what power to suppress – or they were trying to create a false sense of security. Either way, Gambit knew he couldn't resort to blowing things up. Not while he had other options.

He tackled Rogue's attacker and they slid across the floor. Locked together, Gambit managed to avoid the stingers and lay a few good hits. He saw a cloaked man standing over Rogue, but he couldn't shake bug-man before she emitted a painful groan and curled into the fetal position.

"Rogue!"

Plasma blasts filled the lobby and someone shouted: "Shit! Avengers!"

The terrorists retreated and Gambit went to her. Trembling, she pushed him away. "Ah'm… fine…"

Cable, Human Torch, and Synapse stepped over debris to get a closer look.

"Need a medic?" Cable asked.

She shook her head, but her face was drawn tight with pain. Then the stingers fell from her back and the wounds closed. Relieved, she finally exhaled. An accelerated healing factor wasn't part of her invincible package, and she hadn't recently absorbed anyone who could. Occasionally, she'd been able to pull forward long-lost absorptions.

"Can you access old borrows?" asked Gambit. "'Cause we could really use a few more hands."

"It's not a power," she said.

"Then what is it?"

"Ah'm sorry, but we don't have time for this. We don't know what we're up against. They might be goin' for reinforcements. Nathan, how long before back-up arrives?"

"Three minutes. They're comin' for you."

She tensed. "Y'all here to take me in?"

"No," Johnny answered, "We're here because we care."

Remy cut his words with a sharp glare.

Synapse said: "You've got good instinct even under fire. Whatever you're up against, we're with you."

With pride shinning in her emerald eyes, Rogue said: "Somewhere in this building, Maria Hill is being held in stasis. Mystique assumed her identity. Ah have no idea if those terrorists were sent by her to destroy or remove Hill, but we need to secure the facility and locate Hill before re-enforcements arrive."

Raised voices and gunfire drew them down the hall. A set of double doors opened to a large, underground hanger. Oddly enough, work lights were on, but the hanger was empty. They stood level with the observation deck and through a locked plexiglass door saw a woman open fire on the one-eyed lightning shooter. Behind her, Hank slammed the insect-man into the wall. He received a face full of stingers, and ferociously slashed him through the door. Black, buggy eyes swam in blood, but Cable dragged him aside and secured his hands.

"Bless my lucky stars!" Hank said, running his hands over his raised fur. "I heard them lament that the Avengers had arrived and seized the opportunity to escape!"

"Excuse me," said his female companion, "But we need to secure these." Her gun was aimed firmly at three bleeding men.

Nil was among them: fading in and out of consciousness.

Gambit yanked him by the collar. "Karma's beaten me, I see. Gonna tell me why you're here? or make me guess? No one's gonna notice a few extra bruises."

"Gambit, stop!" said Rogue. She turned and asked Hank, "Where's Hill?"

"Beg pardon?"

Gambit called over his shoulder, "We're lookin' for a lonely, nearly inaccessible room. Possibly off the map. Any ideas?"

The doctors exchanged a look. Hank said: "The cage. I'll accompany you. Dr. Brink's needed here to re-establish our systems as quickly as possible."

Dr. Brink said: "If anyone's an electrician or engineer, I could use help with the machines."

"I can…" Nil said.

"L'enfer!"

They heard voices call out and doors were kicked open. SHIELD had arrived.

"Now, Cajun!" Rogue snapped.

Hank grabbed Gambit's arm. "Raven's life may depend upon his assistance."

Gambit threw him aside. "He'd only slow us anyway."

Exoplanet SAO 961
Day 7

The planet had turned against them. Most of the plants weren't edible and the edible ones weren't filling. Most animals were carnivores, and although some were content to scavenge, others were aggressively hunting them. Cameron had been first to realize it. He suspected they were being watched for ambush, so they changed camp locations. The next morning, they found their abandoned make-shift shelter tattered.

But they were only postponing the inevitable. He wasn't getting enough calories to withstand the stress of near-constant exposure. Every day, his body withered. Eventually, his mind would go, too.

One morning, she woke up and he was gone. A search of the area led her to the seaside cliffs, where a snapped rope dangled from an outstretched tree. He'd hanged himself. But she knew the tide was high. If the rope broke before his neck, he might've survived the fall into the sea.

The goddamn ocean.

She dove in. At the apex of sea and land, a violent joining raged day and night. She sank beneath the angry waves to the jagged, unstable rocks and felt around for his body. She couldn't see; could barely keep her bearings. Was she even searching? Or merely swaying back and forth? When she tried to emerge, her head hit rock. She crawled against the current and it suddenly changed direction, flipping and pulling her along. Again, she tried to emerge and struck against something hard. She tried the other way and hit rock again. Fighting the urge to panic, she placed a hand on each wall and followed it until she finally broke the surf.

She'd gotten sucked into a cave under the cliffs. The waves continued hammering, but worse, she was in the company of sea predators. Massive shadows circled ominously, but she could see daylight and safety. She planned to shoot off like a missile. Then she saw Cameron's limp body dancing over the rapids. She scooped him out of the jaws of the shadows and flew back to land.

While compressing his chest, she noticed how clean his neck was. Either he tied a lousy noose… or the whole thing had been a set-up.

His body coughed up handfuls of water and tremored in her protective arms.

"What the hell's going on?" she asked.

He groaned miserably. Despair resounded on every note. "You were supposed to think I'd died. You were supposed to leave!"

"But you didn't try to commit suicide."

"I couldn't…"

"How'd you wind up in the water?"

"I didn't get far before you found the rope. I saw you go in… You didn't come back out."

"You know I'm invincible."

"I knew you were frightened," he smiled weakly. "If my death scared you more than the ocean, you must really… care. I couldn't hurt you like that."

She pressed her lips to his and felt him warmly respond. Merciful Mary, none of this was supposed to happen! He was a dumbass and she was unavailable. After she learned she'd never have children of her own, she'd written off marriage and jumped into motherhood. Sam and Marie needed so much – had suffered so much – that she determined never to bring a step-anything around. Good-time Charlies like Nil were enough to slate her physical needs, but she'd steeled her heart against romance. Yet, here it was when she no longer wanted it.

"I love you," she said.

His eyes searched hers. "I've loved you since that day on the launch pad. You were furious. Barking at a half-dozen blokes like we were kids! And I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world. Time stopped. Just like in the movies. I fell for you right there."

Speechless, she kissed him again. His lips were parched; his skin, dry. When she stroked his body, bones rose through muscle, but she didn't care how ugly he appeared. She didn't even see it. Behind his wiry yellow hair were blue eyes burning with passion, and his chest held a heart that beat for her. Her soft and supple body was a gift she gladly laid over him.

"Wait!" he gasped and held her at arm's length. "Let's not… do anything… we'll regret."

She gently caressed his fingers biting her biceps. "You don't want to?"

He shut his eyes and exhaled a ragged breath. "God, I want to, but… We can't get pregnant. That'd be as good as murder."

"I'll never have a baby of my own."

His blue eyes clouded with conflict that only resolved when she kissed him again. Guilt nagged her. He had precious little energy and she was stealing it.

"Lay back and let me do the heavy lifting," she said.

His eyes flashed. "Not even if it kills me!"

His lips ran down her neck to her breasts. Long-buried euphoria erupted when his fingers parted her thighs. Others had been less clumsy, more skilled – but that physical pleasure was nothing compared to the pure, soul-shattering ecstasy of uniting two hearts. He was so touchingly eager to please her that she felt a little guilty for not climaxing sooner.

"Gonna take your pants off now?" she asked. "Or do you wanna come in your drawers?"

"Been a while since I've done this… al naturale. Dunno how long I can last."

"It's not a marathon." Her eyes were fixated on his zipper and widened when his erection finally sprang out. "Holy-! Is that gonna fit?"

If he was flattered or if he'd heard it before, he gave no indication. He simply nodded. "There's positions I've found to make it easier. Would you – er, turn around?"

"On my hands and knees?"

He nodded. "You'll need the space. Go as deep as you're comfortable and I'll know how far to go. I won't force it."

"I'm invincible."

"All the same… Nothing's worse than hurting someone who trusts you."

She thought it would be less intimate, but it wasn't. When he entered her, a bolt of pleasure shot through them and she opened like a flower for him. His mouth begged her to slow down, but his body begged for more. His knees spread hers further and further apart and his weary fingertips clung to her waist. She tried to please both. In short order, her thighs caressed his, although it felt like her stomach was being forced into her chest. As long as she moved with the excruciatingly wonderful slowness he demanded, it wasn't painful.

She wondered who'd taught him this; if he was thinking of that faceless woman now.

"Oh god, Becks," he groaned, "Where have you been all my life?"

His legs gave out and she turned around, thinking he'd finished. He was exhausted but not spent.

"Lay down," she said, crawling over him. Again, she slid down with agonizing patience. His fatigue and worry melted away, replaced by overwhelming pleasure. He couldn't close his mouth or open his eyes and whispered "slow down, slow down", which she blithely ignored. He felt too good.

"Don't wanna come yet…" he said. "Don't make me."

Drunk on her own power, she sped up. "Come for me."

Something in him snapped. He sat up, took her in his arms, and for the first time, thrust into her. At last, the overwhelming joy washed over her. Two or three strokes from his almost freakishly long member were all she needed. She finished and felt warm satisfaction flush over her when he filled her with his seed. If she didn't love him before, she certainly did now.

The Cage
Olympus Project Campus

"What is this place, Beast?" asked Rogue, carrying Gambit to keep pace while Hank sprinted on all fours.

"You must know or you wouldn't have come. A pilot lost his life recently and our program was deemed too dangerous. I hoped that if we uncovered some spectacular find, Congress would relent. But now…" He trailed off sadly.

"What about the terrorists?" she asked.

"Somehow, they're connected to Raven. We – she and I were not as vigilant as we should have been. We often discussed our work digitally. Someone was listening, stole our data, and attempted to sell it as a weapon. What they failed to know – because I myself didn't realize – was that the process requires extremely select operators. They tracked Raven's mobile phone here. As brutes often do, they sought to obtain their goal through force!"

At the lowest level, Hank led them through a dark office to a dark lab and then to a sealed door.

"Care to enlighten me?" he asked, "Or shall we all be surprised?"

"Can't ya open it?" asked Rogue.

"No. No one can. We were led to believe this area was used for storage or waste, but no one knew for certain. This is undoubtedly the place for secrets. But, Rogue, you should be able to tear it down."

"Sorry, Beast, they took my wings and muscle."

Gambit examined the hinges. "Terrorists ain't the only ones who know… Mystique found out, too. Impersonated the one person powerful enough t' shut y'all down. And honestly, I'd be happy to let her, but she also thinks Rogue would be happier with a husband in the pen. That ain't true." He charged the door and they all took cover as it exploded.

Hank's yellow eyes darted between them and a smile rose. "Glad tidings have been in such short supply lately! Congratulations, my friends."

SHIELD agents crashed through the office.

"Make haste! I'll detain them while I can." Hank ran towards their flashlights while Gambit and Rogue rushed away.

His massive, friendly frame hardly slowed the steady stream of agents. They entered the laboratory to find Gambit and Rogue waiting, holding a soaking wet Maria Hill between them. Months of stasis left her body struggling to stand and breathe, but she managed to say: "Kill… Mystique…"

Observation Deck
Olympus Project Campus

Nil used his technomancy to fly through possible coordinates at light-speed. Starting near the latest sighting, he eventually received a ping. For a heartbeat, he considered by-passing. He could've left her to the cold, empty embrace of deep space for eternity. Who would ever know?

"Located," he told Dr. Brink.

She immediately locked onto the vessel and called: "Cameron, Daumier, this is Olympus. Do you read?"

After several attempts, Raven answered: "Olympus?! Oh, it's so great to hear you! We thought you'd given up!"

"Never, dear," said Dr. Brink, "We're a team. Ready for transport?"

"Negative. Stand by."

They heard Raven rushing. She laughed and chatted happily – he'd never heard her sound like that. Almost like a child. Then he heard a man's voice and his heart dropped. They said nothing profound or profane, but he knew.

"Olympus, this is Daumier. We're ready for transport."

"Transport in-"

The double doors flew open and SHIELD agents filled the walkway.

"Proceed quickly," Nil told Dr. Brink, "I will explain in terms their simple minds can grasp." He walked onto the walkway with his hands lifted. "Ladies, gentlemen-"

"On your knees!" they barked.

"-children of all ages. Prepare to witness the likes of which you've never seen!"

"On the ground!"

"Clearance code alpha-kilo-hector-alpha-ten. The criminals are secured, I assure you."

Someone at the back called: "His code's legit."

Their eager guns were lowered to his smug satisfaction. On the hanger below, the air hummed and filled with shimmering colors which pulled together to form a spaceship as large as a submarine. Everyone turned in wonder. No one saw the one-eyed man escape from his cuffs. His shout: "Judas!" faded in the windstorm. A lightning bolt struck Nil square between the shoulders and he felt pain he'd never imagined – every nerve twisted, smashed, thrown in acid and then burned all at once. He fell over the railing to the cement floor below.

Raven and Cameron scrambled out, confused by the riot on the walkway and alarmed by the injured man.

"We need a medic!" she screamed to whoever would listen.

Kneeling, she pushed the inky curls from his face and gasped. "Nil?! What the hell are you doing here?"

If he could've moved, he would've held her hand to his cheek a little longer, but she ethereally brushed over him like the scent of his mother's perfume on her pearl necklace.

"Never seen…" he wheezed, "…you so… happy…"

"Don't talk. Just breathe. We need a medic!"

"Nice to… see… even if… not for me…"

Pain and panic peaked in crimson bubbles around his mouth, but once he reached the summit, he flew above it and left earthly pains behind. Raven saw the light leave his eyes. It was a look she knew well, although accepting the deceased person's sorrows was never an easy task. If anything, the burden grew harder to bear with each passing.

Cameron laid a lab coat over the man and helped Raven to stand. "Come on. We can't help him."

…

To Be Concluded…

…