"So, you've been able to control your powers for… months, and you didn't tell me?" Rogue nodded sheepishly as Kitty gaped at her. "Why?"
"Well, I'm still workin' out the kinks," Rogue explained. "Also, I didn't do it alone."
"So, who? " Kitty asked impatiently .
"Uh, well, um…" Rogue stammered. She knew her friend should understand, but she wasn't sure she would. "Gambit."
"Gambit?" Kitty took a step back.
"He's been patient," Rogue offered. "And because of his powers, mine don't affect him quite so bad."
"So, what's with…" Kitty motioned to the hickey that resided on Rogue's neck.
"It's a few days old," Rogue reached up to cover it with her hand. "I thought it had faded enough."
"Uh… so not what I was asking," Kitty frowned.
"We've become… close," Rogue admitted. "He's so gentle and patient and strong and… he doesn't care if I can control my powers or not."
"It's Gambit, Rogue. He's probably using you," Kitty said sadly.
"He wouldn't. He loves me," Rogue argued.
"He has before," Kitty countered.
"I thought ya would understand," Rogue cried. "After all, look at you and Lance."
"That's different," Kitty crossed her arms.
"Yeah, it's more complicated. Gambit loves me and I love him. It's that simple," Rogue also crossed her arms.
"So then why have you been keeping this from me?" Kitty raised an eyebrow.
"Ya've been a little busy, suga'," Rogue spat before turning and storming off. She knew it was a low blow to bring up Kitty's dilemma with Alex and Lance, but she was so frustrated. She figured her friend would be a little worried, but that she'd warm up to the idea.
"Chéri," Rogue jumped as she entered her room to find Gambit waiting for her.
"Remy, anybody coulda come in here," Rogue warned as she shut the door.
"I need to talk to ya," Rogue noted that he seemed upset. He was always so light-hearted that she couldn't help but feel worried.
"What's goin' on?" she took a seat next to him on the bed and curled her legs over his lap.
"Magneto's got a nasty plan in the works, and he wants me to be a big part of it," Gambit began to explain as he stroked Rogue's legs.
"Doin' what?" she pulled away.
"I'm not sure exactly, ya know how Magneto is. But I think he's tryin' to raise an army. All I really know is that he wants me to… leave with him for some new mutant only country that's he creatin'," Gambit scratched his head thoughtfully. "Whatever he's tryin' to do, he's being more secretive and serious than I ever seen'em. And I seen'em do some pretty darn dangerous things."
"What does this mean for…" Rogue wouldn't let herself finish that question. She couldn't even begin to think about what he might say. She was terrified about what might happen and so angry at the situation she thought perhaps her eyes were red too.
"I'm tellin' him no, mon doux," Gambit smiled. "I won't leave ya."
"Will he just let ya go?" Rogue worried.
"I'm not givin' him a choice," Gambit assured her. "I meant what I told ya."
"I love you," Rogue buried her face in his chest as she thanked her lucky stars that he was staying. She decided to not worry about what might happen right now.
"Je t'aime, mon chéri," Gambit pulled her in tight.
"Kitty's wrong," Rogue smiled into his chest. "He loves me."
"Al's finally down," Lance raked his hands through his hair with a sigh as he entered the kitchen. "It took three different stories, promising to leave the light on, and my favorite t-shirt; but he calmed down and actually closed his eyes."
"Poor kid," Pietro shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry about… dear old dad."
"You doing alright?" Lance leaned against the door frame wondering how Pietro had turned out as normal as he had.
"I'm fine, but Tabby," Pietro looked distraught. "I'm worried, man."
"What do you mean?" Lance wanted to scream. First Emma, then Magneto, they kept getting royally screwed.
"It really upset her, him just coming here like that. I can't do this to her. I mean if she marries me, there's a possibility this'll happen again and again," Pietro frowned and slumped into a kitchen chair.
"Petey, slow down," Lance moved to sit with his friend at the table.
"What if I end up like him? God, what if I screw up my kids like he did? I can't do that to her. Tabby deserves better than this," Pietro ranted.
"Woah, you are not like Magneto. If you were, you would have been jumping at the chance to go with him. And I mean, I watched you with Al just seconds before he got here. You're great with him!" Lance put an arm around Pietro comfortingly. "Don't let him do this to you."
"Am I interrupting?" a tall man with peppery gray hair stood in the doorway, his one good eye watching them with slight amusement.
"Who the hell are you?" Lance growled, sending a sizeable quake at the man.
"Quite impressive, Mr. Alvers. Though, it's rude to greet unarmed guests that way," the man chuckled. "I'm Colonel Fury, commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. the Strategic Harzard Intervention, Espionage Logistics Directorate. You might have heard of us."
"Sorry about the… greeting. We've just had enough surprise visits for the day," Lance explained. "So let's just get the sales pitch over with, okay?"
"Sales pitch? I'm here to ask some questions about Magneto," Fury pulled out a chair and sat down with the boys.
"Don't really want to talk about him," Pietro cut him off with a glare.
"I understand if it's a sore subject, you being his son and all, but this is a very serious matter," Fury insisted.
"What do you want to know?" Lance felt tired of all the mind games. He just wanted to be done with all of it.
"I just want to confirm that he came to offer you positions on his team, to… well whatever spiel he's giving now a days," Fury leaned back comfortably.
"Yeah, he offered. We refused. Now, he's gone. What's the big deal?" Lance spoke up as Pietro sat quietly. Lance was worried, it wasn't like his friend to be quiet and not even make one smart remark.
"Hm, interesting. Well, we've found out a lot about Magneto's operations from one of his former employees just recently. We're still trying to gain more intel, but it doesn't look good," Fury explained.
"What is the big deal about his stupid mutant only club?" Pietro grumbled.
"That "new world" he's creating is only part of it," Fury began. "He's looking for blood, and he's threatening the lives of several important figures. If he succeeds, he'll start an all out war. It'll be mutants vs. humans."
"Isn't that what it's always about with him?" Lance sighed. "So, how can we help?"
" Well any information you can pass on would be great, but if you really want to help…" Fury trailed off as he stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
"What?" Lance prodded.
"We're always looking for cooperative mutants to join our team. The more we work together, the more we can prevent. I've got pretty thick files on both of you, and I think we can help each other out," Fury offered. "You guys could use a clean record, maybe some extra cash. I could use a couple of gifted mutants."
"Work for you?" Pietro actually looked interested now. "Doing what?"
"There are some… delicate operations that are best handled… secretly," Fury said slowly. "I'm afraid I really can't go into details right now."
"But we'd be working to stop Magneto," Pietro smiled. "Sounds good to me."
"Wait a minute, this is all a little suspect," Lance cut in. "You just show up here. You somehow know all about us. Now, you're offering us a job?"
"I understand your reservations, being new to fatherhood will do that to you," Fury smiled suspiciously.
"How do you…?" Lance tried to rack his brain, wondering if somehow he had mentioned Al in front of Fury.
"We're very good," Fury shrugged his shoulders.
"What's going on now?" Tabitha entered. "Who is this?"
"He's from S.H.I.E.L.D.," Lance gestured to the man.
"He's offering us jobs to help stop Magneto," Pietro added with a sly smile. Lance could tell it was obvious that his friend was eager to join any group that opposed his father.
"What?" Tabitha look worried.
"I'm Colonel Fury, Miss Smith," Fury stood up and offered a hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Get out!" Tabitha demanded pointing to the door.
"Tabby, hang on," Pietro argued.
"I'm done with the surprise visits, today. Leave, now," Tabitha commanded.
"You boys can get in touch with me anytime," Fury slipped a card onto the table before he walked out.
"Tabby, what the heck?" Pietro stood up and started towards her.
"Me? You're ready to work for some nut case that just wandered in here?" Tabitha shouted back.
"If the nut case wants to fight whatever crap Magneto is pulling now, then yeah," Pietro countered.
"I cannot believe you," Tabitha turned to storm off.
"I have to do this!" Pietro yelled after her. "C'mon, Lance. You get it, right?"
"I get that you want to tick off Magneto, but… I'm not so sure about this guy," Lance admitted. He frowned as Pietro zoomed off after Tabitha. Picking up the card Fury left, he studied it and played with it in his hands.
"Can anyone that wants to fight Magneto be so bad?" Lance asked himself before he heard a noise. It sounded like someone yelling, yelling for…
"Dad?" he heard Al call again.
"Coming, buddy," Lance ran up the stairs and into his room to find Al looking scared. He pulled his son into his arms as he rocked him back and forth. "It's okay, Daddy's here."