Chapter 14

So now Sage was in town. Exactly what we needed, more annoyances. So anyway, it's not like we don't like Sage, it's just that sometimes she can get a little too annoying. I think she does it on purpose most of the time. Sage could be a loveable person. Right now just wasn't one of those times. All we had to do was ignore her though, right? Besides, she didn't even stick around the institute. She had somewhere else she was staying. As for our other problems… we put them on hold for a little while. I was tired of thinking.

Gambit stood outside of Xavier's Institute for Mutants. Everyone here looked happy and free. It was almost like they didn't have a worry in the world. He searched the grounds, hoping to maybe find Talya. Even is he did find her though, what could he say to her? 'Oh, I know we're enemies, but can we still date?' Yeah right. He shook his head clear and sighed.

It was just his luck. He finds someone he actually really liked, loved even, and he couldn't be with her. What's even worse is he was ordered to kill her. How could he do that?

"Gambit?"

Gambit jumped away from the gate and turned to face Tal who had been standing right behind him. For a moment Tal looked confused but then she smiled, jumping for joy.

"I knew it. Gambit, what are you doing here?" Tal stepped toward him, but he stepped back away from her.

Tal cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Gambit?" She tried to reach out for him, but he only pulled away. "What's wrong? Do you hate me?"

"No. Remy could never hate you. Remy just… sorry Tal." He turned and ran away, leaving Tal to stand there confused and alone. She fought back tears and made her way inside the institute.

Tal threw her bag onto her bed and laid down, staring up at her ceiling where she had placed a poster of Marilyn Monroe, outlined with pictures of Gambit. She wanted to tear them down and rid herself of those memories, but she didn't have the courage to do so. She still held faith in Gambit and prayed each day that he would return to her.

"Admiring your shrine again?" Kitty asked and she walked into their room. "Here's lunch." Kitty threw a sandwich at Tal. "I know you haven't eaten yet today and if Lily finds out she'll kill you, so save yourself the trouble and just eat it." Tal sighed and opened the poorly wrapped sandwich, taking a small bite into it.

Kitty looked at her friend, blinking. "Tal, is everything okay? You look a little down." She sat next to her friend and placed her hand against her forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever." Kitty stared at Tal, waiting for a response.

It took a while for Tal to say anything. It's not that she didn't want to. It was just hard to explain what she had just gone through. It had hurt worse than not finding Gambit at the club. "I ran into Gambit today."

"Really? Where?" Kitty asked.

"Out in front of the gates."

"That's great. So he didn't forget about you Tal."

Tal sighed. "I don't think he likes me anymore."

"Tal…"

"He ran away after he saw me." Tal took a deep breath. "But it's okay." She forced a smile and it hurt Kitty to see it. "I'll be alright. I don't need him in my life." She pushed herself off her bed and twirled around to face Kitty. "And to prove it, we're going to the club tonight."

"But Tal…" Kitty was alarmed now. What if Gambit actually showed up this time? What was Tal playing at here? Kitty knew how much Tal loved Gambit, so why would she do something as stupid as that? She could get over a guy in just five minutes… could she?

Micki was walking around the institute garden. It was a beautiful sight. This was her favorite location. Ever since she first came across it, she's visited it everyday, and found a seat somewhere, just meditating. Today though, as she reached the garden, she had run into Logan.

"You're Mikala, right?" Logan had asked her. Micki only nodded and continued walking. "Who sent you to find Lily and her friends?"

"I'm sorry. That information is confidential."

Logan only shrugged. "If you say so. I'd usually try and get an answer I really want, but you don't seem like the type to break easily." Micki nodded.

"Glad you established that."

"So what are your abilities?" Logan questioned her.

"Strength."

"Really? So how strong are you then?"

Micki shrugged. "Never tested. Never really mattered to me as long as I was strong enough."

"Strong enough for what?"

"To protect my friends," Micki answered truthfully. Really, that's all that mattered to her. As long as she could protect those she loved, she didn't need anymore.

"Xavier want you to join me on a mission to find a mutant named Pietro."

"Who else is going?"

"You, me and Amara"

Micki thought for a moment before finally deciding, "Okay, I'll go."

Lily was down in the TV room, music blaring and she danced around the small room with Rogue. Sakura and Jubilee were just sitting around, watching the two and laughing. Lily took Rogue's hand and twirled around, laughing as Rogue pulled her in and then threw her back out.

Jen walked in, Lily bumping into her. Lily spun around and pulled her cousin into the dance. Jen's eyes widened, and she let out a squeal as Lily twirled her around. Finally Jen started laughing and joined in on her own. After awhile, Lily sunk into a chair, Jen and Rogue following suit.

"Hey, Jen, aren't you going to the fair with Kurt tonight?" Lily asked her cousin, all the while still catching her breath. Jen only nodded, not able to speak at the moment. Sakura only laughed at her friends.

"That's what you get for dancing around like mad people."

Lily only laughed and threw a pillow at Sakura. "You're about as mad as we are."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Does anyone know where Micki is?" Jen asked.

"Probably getting ready for her new mission," Lily answered. "Logan came looking for her and I pointed him towards the garden. She's going to go help look for a new recruit."

"More X-Men?" Sakura asked.

"There's always more X-Men," Jubilee explained. "I guess really there can't possibly be too many X-Men. We could always use more people on our side."

Sakura nodded. "I guess."

"Hey, we could have thought the same when the Professor recruited you," said Rogue matter of fact.

"True." Sakura shrugged. "Anyway, as a dedicated Marauder, I have mischief to manage." Lily and Jen laughed, shooing Sakura and Jubilee away.

"And you Jen," Lily started, turning to her cousin, "should get ready for your date tonight." Jen laughed nervously and retreated to her room. "What are your plans today Rogue?"

"Well, me and Bobby are going to try and work things out, so we're going to go see a movie."

"Oh, that's great. I hope things work out between the two of you." She waved bye as Rogue ran off. She let out a deep sigh. Lily was now all by herself. She didn't want to admit it, but she actually envied everyone who had someone to be with, though she didn't regret giving up on Bobby. She could never ruin her friendship with Rogue.

"Why all alone?" Morion took a seat next to Lily.

"Felt like it." Lily turned away from Morion, and turned on the TV. After flipping through the channels, she settled for Cartoon Network, which had the Teen Titans playing."

"Who's your favorite?" Morion had asked her.

Lily shrugged. "I don't really have a favorite." She turned to face him. "And you?"

"I don't even watch the show."

Lily blinked. Then why was he watching it now? He could be off doing something better than watching some stupid cartoon with her… well stupid for him. Really, Lily loved Teen Titans. So then, why was he still here?

"I thought you could use the company," Morion said, basically just reading the expressions on her face.

"I don't need your company," Lily proclaimed, but was actually grateful for it.

"Then I suppose you plan on watching cartoons by yourself all night?"

"Maybe."

"So would it bother you if I sat here watching them too?"

"Of course it would."

"But you can't make me go away, can you?"

"Unfortunately."

Morion felt that he was starting to annoy her, but kept on anyway. It was actually amusing watching her get frustrated. "So then, I'm just going to sit right here, okay?"

"Whatever." She wanted to move away, but she didn't because she wasn't ready to admit that Morion was getting to her. He was doing it on purpose. It was like a game to him now.

"You like cartoons, huh?" he asked.

"I love cartoons." Lily was once again flipping through the channels. Morion almost laughed. He could barely hear Lily growling, but she definitely was. Lily looked over and saw the smirk on Morion's face as he wasn't watching the TV. He had his eyes closed, and was leaning back comfortably. "GAH! THAT'S IT!" Lily stood from her seat, glaring at Morion. She threw the remote down next to him. "What is it with you and always trying to piss me off?"

Morion grinned and stared up at her. "Really? I was pissing you off? I didn't know."

This time Lily just screamed and stormed up to her room. Bobby, who had been walking by with Rogue, saw the whole thing and glared at Morion as Rogue pulled him along. Morion only shrugged, stood and went outside. Morion knew that Bobby still liked Lily, but even so, this was a battle Bobby would never win.

Mara looked around, amazed at how big the place was. She took John's hand, and allowed him to lead her through his home. He brought her to a large room that had two other people in it.

"Who are they?" Mara asked.

"Mara, this is Magneto and Mystic," John introduced the two people sitting next to the window.

"Nice to meet you Mara." Magneto walked over and placed his hand out.

Mara hesitated to take it. She had heard about Magneto at the institute from Xavier. From what she heard, Magneto was not a person to be trifled with. "Mara is happy to meet you, Magneto sir." Mara took his hand.

"John speaks very highly of you Mara," Magneto explained. "He's taken quite a liking to you."

"Mara is really happy with John." This was the first she had ever heard of John being with Magneto. She really liked him, but this side of him frightened her. Magneto was their enemy, which meant, wasn't John also her enemy? She was confused.

"Would you like to see my room?" Mara shook her head and looked up at John. She grinned. She knew what was on his mind.

"Mara would love to see your room." And so it was, John brought Mara up to his room, where they stayed all night long. She had forgotten all about her worries, for there was something much more important on her mind.