Hey hey guess who's back! Big thanks to all you guys who are sticking with this story even though its taking me way too long to upload between chapters! There really aren't enough apologies in the world to excuse for it so I'm not gonna bother, instead I'll just let you get on with the next chapter and hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men... blah blah blah you all know the drill lol

When Logan came to he found himself lying on a hard metal bench and locked up in a dark metallic cell. He swung his legs over the side and sat upright; cracking his neck loudly he then rose to his feet and extended his claws.

"I wouldn't do dat if I were you, homme." Logan recognised the voice and scent instantly.

"Gambit; it's gonna take more than these bars to keep me from killing you, bub." Logan swiftly strode forward and took a swipe at the bars which lit up like the 4th of July as soon as he made contact. The electric jolt caused Logan to stagger backwards as his nerve endings burned with pain.

"I told you y' didn't want to do dat. You t'ink we're stupid enough to try and keep the Wolverine in a cage without upgrading it first." Gambit sat on the other side of the room behind a desk with security monitors on it. Logan growled in annoyance.

"So what now? You gonna brainwash me too." Logan began pacing back and forth in his cell out of frustration. Gambit chose to ignore the imprisoned Canadian and instead settled into a game of solitaire.

xXx

After spending two hours with the gentle giant that was Piotr Rogue decided that there was no way he would ever hurt a fly let alone herself. Gathering up the blanket he had fetched for her earlier, she got up and headed back to her room. She said goodnight to the quiet Russian and made her way solemnly through the steel corridors that made up Magnetos base. She was exhausted but not from watching TV with Piotr; honestly she wouldn't have been able to tell you what they had been watching for the last two hours to save her life. Instead she had been plotting and scheming ways to figure out the situation she had found herself in. Sadly every time she tried to think about how she'd got into this mess her head would begin hurting worse than before and the painkillers Piotr had given her had already worn off.

As she walked on auto-pilot she tried to go over things in her head once again. She was starting to notice a pattern; that thinking about certain things, certain memories, caused her headache to increase. If she focused too hard on those memories it would become unbearable and she would start to get dizzy. What Logan had said was true… they had messed with her head; or more specifically her memories. She needed to figure out how to get that reversed but she doubted Blindspot would be very forthcoming with information so for now she decided she would curl up in bed and wait for her headache to get better. Then she would get the answers she was looking for; one way or another.

xXx

"Takes a sick son-of-a-bitch to toy with a girl the way you do." Logan continued pacing his cell never taking his eyes off the Cajun sitting across the room from him. He was trying to get him riled up, to get him mad in hopes that he would be able to take advantage somehow and escape. Not that this rant and accusations were difficult; from the moment Logan had found out that Gambit had been involved in Rogue's disappearance he had wanted to tear him into little pieces. And that was the first time he'd kidnapped the girl never mind this second time around. Then add in the fact that Logan had stormed in on Gambit forcing himself on Rogue when he'd come to rescue her… It was an easy assumption to make that Gambit was not Logan's favourite person right now. The things he wanted to do to the Cajun would make even the hardest mercenary cringe in fear but that would have to wait till he was free. He would just have to settle on hurling abuse at the red-eyed devil for now. "She trusted you, God knows I don't know why but she did and how'd you repay her? By kidnapping her and handing her over to an egotistical maniac! You proud of yourself, Gumbo?"

Remy, sitting at the control desk with his feet casually balanced on a second chair, paused his game of solitaire. "Just doin' my job mon ami." He replied to the gruff man without looking up.

"I see, so long as the price is right, huh? Don't matter who gets hurt as long as Gambit gets paid!" Logan growled furiously, "what about that little scene I interrupted earlier; is that part of your job too? Or is getting to force yourself onto an innocent girl an added extra for you; maybe a bonus for a job well done? I swear Cajun when I get out of here you're gonna the regret the day your momma even…"

"Oo ye yi! Motier foux vieux!" Gambit exclaimed in anger, "I've ne'er forced myself on anyone in my entire life! Believe or not she was an equally willing participant of dat or do you t'ink that she couldn't have easily knocked me out with all dat exposed skin?" Gambit smirked at the trapped Wolverine mockingly, "Maybe you can't t'ink of her as anything but your precious little girl but she's old enough to know what she's doing." Logan growled at him again and tried to butt in except Gambit didn't allow him to. "Fait pas une esquandal? She's a big girl, she…"

"She's 17!" Logan stopped pacing and practically jumped at the bars of his electrified cell, keeping just enough distance so that he didn't get shocked for a second time but he also couldn't help notice that Gambit had paled when he realised Rogue was underage. "Yeah she's a tough kid but at the end of the day that's all she is. A kid! What the fuck makes you think you can play these games with child? She should be in school; worrying about normal things like homework, pop quizzes and what she's gonna wear to the next dance. Not getting kidnapped and mind-fucked by mutant terrorist and psychopaths! You may think its ok to take advantage 'cause she's naïve and inexperienced but it's not and whatever they did to her; whatever harm comes to her; it's on your head! You brought her here. You put her in danger. You claimed to be her friend just so you could use it against her!" Logan was all but screaming as he finished, his chest heaving with exertion as he glared at Gambit who finally lost his cool and kicked the chair his feet were balancing on across the room in anger. He stormed over to Wolverines cell, no longer caring to keep his neutral poker-face in place. He glared down at the shorter man not caring if Logan knew he'd gotten to him; part of Remy wanted Logan to see how angry he was.

"Don't you t'ink I know all dat!" he shouted. "Don't you t'ink I know what kind of danger see's in 'cause of me! M' doing everyt'ing I can to keep her safe but it ain't easy. Maybe if you X-Men didn't recruit teenagers as your foot-soldiers, 'cause that's what she is; a teenager not a child, she wouldn't be in dis mess. I ain't de one who dangled her under Magnetos nose and tempted him to take her and use her for her powers! What would y' have preferred me do? Refuse to kidnap her and let Sabertooth do it? T'ink we both know what a good idea dat would have been." Remy took a breath and met Logan's glare with his own. "M' not gonna stand here and talk to you about my relationship with her 'cause dat ain't none of your damn business. You're not her father and as far as I'm concerned she's old enough to make her own decisions. Besides I ain't done nothing in dat department dat I should be ashamed of so just drop it; we got more important t'ings to be worried about." Remy sighed and looked away suddenly feeling tired and unsure, "M' trying to protect her; to keep her safe… I t'ought I could… but I don't know anymore."

Logan studied the young man for a full minute, eventually he decided that Gambit was speaking the truth and was genuinely concerned for Rogue; while this didn't make Logan any more forgiving towards the young man he did lose some of his initial hatred.

"Let me out." he demanded quietly. "Right here, right now. We can make it look like I over-powered you. You let me out, I take Rogue and that's it. She's free. She's safe." Logan held his gaze steadily but inside he was a tornado of emotions. Above all else he prayed that he'd won the young Cajun over.

Remy thought about it for what felt like a long time. Maybe Logan was right, enough was enough; he couldn't protect Rogue here. He needed to get her out, get her to escape. But he couldn't do that. Not yet. Remy peered over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone; he was confident there were no hidden bugs in the room as he'd put in the security system himself. He finally turned back and looked Logan square in the eye; he confidence returned and he gave Logan a cocky smirk.

"All in good time mon ami, I t'ink its best if dis Cajun finds a bit more about what our telepat'ic friend did to her first, hein?"

"I don't like it, just get me out now. The Professor can figure out the damage later." Logan was eager now; he could practically taste his freedom.

"Patience Monsieur Claws, I might be able to lift more useful info dan just what dey did to Rogue. Besides you saw how she reacted to you earlier, we don't know what kind of damage's been done to her. Do you really want to test that by exposing her to all you X-Men?" Remy replied slyly.

"Point taken but, not that I care, but won't you get into trouble for that? I'm betting that even Bucket Head would notice if someone stole info from him." Logan asked with suspicious eyes. Remy merely shrugged and responded casually.

"He won't, I've been collecting info on him for years. Call it insurance. 'Sides don't matter if he does figure it out 'cause Remy's coming wit' ya when you go." Logan growled quietly at the man standing before him.

"What makes you think I'd take you with us?"

"We both know it's up to Xavier who gets in the X-Men not you; I know dere's no guarantee dat de others will accept me but you're gonna take me wit' you 'cause if y' don't give me your word dat you will, I'll leave you here t' rot and me and Rogue will take off wit'out you."

"Hmmph, guess they don't call you Gambit for nothing. Fine; do what you have to but make it quick, we don't know what kind of danger Rogues in if you wait too long."

"Your word, Wolverine."

"You got my word, I'll take you with us back to the X-Men when I bust out of here with Rogue."

"Bien, merci Monsieur Claws."

"Don't call me that, Gumbo!" Remy smiled as he walked out of the room; confident with his new found goal and shaky alliance.

xXx

Professor Xavier rolled into the war room to get an update on whether or not Logan had regained conscious yet. He was greeted by Beast, Cyclops and Forge when he entered the room.

"Is there a problem?" Xavier asked as he gazed at the monitors that were meant to be displaying Logan's thought process but were in fact showing what looked to be a very poor quality horror film.

"The images we're receiving are sketchy at best. I can only assume that it is either that we didn't do enough base programing for the computer to interpret Logan's thoughts properly, which seems most likely as the human brain would be nearly impossible to completely map out, or Magnetos metal dome is interfering with the signal more than I'd originally calculated." Forge stated as he studied the monitors in front of him. They displayed a static ridden picture of the mutant known as Gambit standing in front of Logan with only steel bars separating them. From what Forge could make out he should think Gambit very lucky to have Logan safely locked up right now; the images flashing intermittently showed that Logan's thoughts were anything but friendly towards the young mutant. In fact Forge believed Logan should get some sort of twisted maniacs medal for the creativity behind some of the things he was imagining inflicting on Gambit.

"Indeed but having looked over the footage twice now I think we can ascertain that these two have formed an unlikely alliance and have a plan to get Rogue out." Beast informed the professor.

"Well that is good news; finally things may be turning in our favour. Do we know anything of their plan at all?"

"Sadly not, it appears Logan may have wanted to be released straight away but, this is pure speculation now, we think Gambit may have talked him into waiting in order to get more information about Rogues current mental state. At least that is what we are guessing from the series and sequence of the images that showed towards the end of the conversation." Beast watched the monitors again through squinted eyes. He didn't like making speculations without more facts to go off but they had little choice at this point. Xavier leaned forward and rested his chin on his intertwined hands as he too watched the monitors.

"So for now, all we can do is watch and wait."

"That looks to be the case Professor X," Forge replied while shifting unhappily.

"The team will be ready to go on a moments noticed Professor. When Logan makes a move we'll be ready to provide back-up." Scott folded his arms in front of himself, confident in his team's abilities yet at the same time angry there was still nothing more they could.

"Thank you Scott but I have a feeling it may be a while before that happens." Xavier continued to watch the monitors solemnly. Concern for his captured team members etched all over his face.

xXx

When Rogue awoke this time she didn't feel groggy or disorientated, she felt wide awake and pretty darn good considering everything that had been spinning through her mind as she had drifted off to sleep. But then again this was the third time in roughly 36 hours that she had woken up in this room so it would be expected that there was no trace of tiredness left in her. She glanced at her new bedside clock, 8.09am, almost a respectable time for a girl her age to be up and about in the morning. She decided to take her time with her normal morning routine however as she planned what to do next while also being careful not to think about any headache causing thoughts.

She'd already decided Piotr wasn't a threat but that didn't mean she trusted him by any means. Remy was her main concern being as he was the one who apparently got her into this mess in the first place. Yet when she thought back to the conversation she over-heard between Piotr and Remy she couldn't help but remember the hopelessness in Remy's tone. Maybe he didn't want to hurt her, if that were the case maybe his feelings were real and he wasn't just playing her but she couldn't be sure. After a long shower, drying her hair and getting dressed she decided there was really only one way to find out if she could trust Remy; ask him outright. If it turned out he did care then he'd help her if not… well she could just absorb the information she needed from him then escape.

With her new resolve she set off from her room in search of the elusive thief. First she tried his room and the kitchen as this seemed to be his most frequent haunts but as it turned out he was in neither. Seeing no reason for him to be in the med bay she then tried the sitting room she was in with Piotr yesterday, only no-one was in there either. After wandering between a few more rooms she finally found Piotr who was sorting through boxes in the garage.

"Good morning Piotr." She greeted him happily but kept her distance from the tall, well-built mutant. He turned and smiled not noticing anything strange about her distance or posture.

"Ah good morning Rogue, I hope you are feeling better." He returned his attention to the boxes as he spoke to her.

"Err, yeah actually much better, thanks. Listen ya don't know where 'bouts Remy is hiding do ya?" She asked carefully trying to hide her caution as best she could, hoping he wouldn't realise anything was amiss.

"I believe he is downstairs in the gym."

"Awesome, thanks Piotr." Rogue turned to leave but then realised something, "err, where 'bouts is the gym?"

Piotr let out a little laugh and turned back to face her, "do you know where the med-bay is?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, downstairs and to the left."

"Da, the gym is across the hall from the med-bay." He replied before nodding a goodbye and returning to his work.

Rogue made quick time moving back through the base towards where Piotr had directed her. She paused only briefly outside the gym as she took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

Translations:

Cajun French! (Not strictly correct French) Big thanks to pathtales for helping get a more authentic Cajun dialect.

Oo ye yi! - (Annoyed/painful exclamation)

Motier foux vieux! - Crazy old man!

Fait pas une esquandal(sp?)- Don't make such a racket!

Sooooo hope you enjoyed! I'm not gonna tell you the next chapter will be up soon (even though I'm almost finished with it *wink wink*) 'cuz every time I do it seems to take me 3 months to put it up!

Anyway, reviews always inspire me to write faster so... R&R!

Aza xx