Numb.

That was the only way to describe how she felt. When Hank showed up at the mansion unexpectedly with obvious battle injuries, Rogue knew something was wrong. She had just never expected this.

There was absolutely no way Logan could be dead.

Yet, here Hank was telling them the awful news. Logan was dead, and group of mutants known as Marauders were coming for them. Her first instinct was to phone Remy, except there was something very familiar about the word 'Marauder'. She was sure Remy had never used the word before, but in her mind it described the people in Remy's apartment perfectly. Suspicion laced through her mind and she held off phoning. If Remy's organization was responsible for this… did that mean Remy was involved?

Something wasn't right. She felt 'off'. Marie needed answers, and Hank wasn't doing a very good job remembering the exact details or what the mutant who killed her friend, her mentor, her family even looked liked. It was suspicious. If Hank had fought the mutant face to face as well, how come he didn't get a good look at him?

Something was going on around here. Hank was hiding something, she could just feel it.

She should have been crumpled up on the floor in a sobbing mess like Jubilee and Kitty were. Even Colossus had tears streaming down his face.

Rogue was the only one not crying.

Storm would attribute it to shock. Of course, Logan's death would affect Marie the most. And it did in a way, but Marie knew one thing. Crying wouldn't bring Logan back.

Neither would revenge, but revenge would make her feel a hell of a lot better than crying. Whoever killed Logan was going to pay for it. She opted to phone Remy, find out what he knew. If he was a Marauder, surely he'd know something about the attacker, something she could get a lead on.

Only Remy didn't answer his phone.

Warning bells were going off in her head. Her gut now confirming to her that something was wrong, something was very wrong. How could one mutant take down both Hank and Logan? Better yet, why was Hank still alive, and Logan not? It didn't make sense.

"Rogue? Are you okay?" Storm was asking as she gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't reach Remy," she answered vaguely, still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. There was a connection between these events. She just knew there was.

She just had to find it.

Had she blinked she would have missed it, but Hank had a worried expression on his face at her mentioning that she couldn't reach Remy.

A look like something had gone wrong…

She shook her head. She was being paranoid. Hank had never met Remy. She was just overreacting and upset. Logan was gone, she couldn't reach Remy… and Hank looked way too concerned as to why her boyfriend was unreachable. As much as she tried to pretend that nothing was connected, her mind kept wandering back, flipping the pieces around and trying to make them fit.

"Perhaps you should try dialing him again," Hank replied cautiously after a few silent minutes.

Marie narrowed her eyes. The flicker of concern in Hank's eyes was unmistakable now. He did know Remy and he was worried about him.

She dialed Remy's number again. Still no answer. Hank watched her too intently. Marie hung up the phone, keeping her eyes on Hank.

There was no way Logan was dead. Hank knew something that he wasn't telling.

She had enough common sense to investigate further when only Hank and Storm remained in the room. If it turned out she was wrong, which she thought was highly unlikely, she didn't want to upset the rest of the mansion any further.

"Hank," She began quietly while slipping off her glove, "what's really going on?"

"I don't—" Hank stammered.

"Marie! What are you doing?" Storm shouted too late as Marie reached out, grabbing the palm of Hank's hand.

The absorption was quick, Marie grabbed the memories she was hoping for right off the bat. They were the closest to the surface. She let go of Hank's hand and he stumbled backwards, off balance and into the wall.

It was all there circling her brain.

Remy looking pale…

"I always pictured Rogue choosing someone more… robust."

"Naw, the kid's fine, just a little nervous that he's actually going to hurt me."

Logan and Hank joking about Logan's death…

Remy attacking both men…

Hank purposely falling…

Explosions.

Marie's jaw dropped in shock as she stared at Hank, the final pieces falling neatly into place.

"You faked his death," she accused in the barest whisper. "Why would you do that?"

Hank tore his eyes away guiltily. "I don't know all the details. I received an urgent phone call from Logan earlier. I know someone has put hits out on the X-men, and that Remy was assigned Logan's hit."

"Where are they?" she asked angrily. She couldn't believe that the two most important men in her life were even capable of pulling off such an incredibly horrific stunt and deliberately not telling her, not involving her.

"Logan's in the morgue right now, playing dead at the hospital until he hears from Remy."

"And where's Remy, Hank?" she asked again.

"I don't know. He was supposed to be meeting with another Marauder who would know the rest of hits once Logan was dead."

"So you were supposed to hear from him, and you haven't yet?"

"That's correct."

"Then something's gone wrong," Marie answered automatically, her body vibrating in anger.

So Remy was a Marauder and he and Logan had cooked up an absolutely despicable plan. She could understand the faking of Logan's death, but why would they have to lie to the inhabitants of the mansion? Why weren't Remy's colleagues the only ones meant to believe Logan was dead? She knew that Hank had no answers to her questions, from Hank's own thoughts she could see that Remy and Logan had discussed all the details well before Hank had even arrived.

Everyone jumped when Marie's phone rang. She looked at the number, relief sweeping over her.

"It's him." She sighed.

Hank let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Remy?" Marie answered right away.

"Is this Rogue?"

Marie recognized the voice instantly. It was the voice she'd heard on his message machine weeks ago. The same voice she heard coming from the barely dressed blonde in his apartment… the one who told Remy that illusions didn't come cheap.

She had saved Marie from the rest of the Marauders in his apartment. Had the hits already been placed then? The woman had helped her, created an illusion, pretending that she wasn't there. Marie remembered the mothering tone to her voice. She was a friend of Remy's.

"Yes," Marie answered carefully.

The woman's voice went low and hushed, as if she didn't want to be heard by anyone else. "He's been discovered as a traitor. I don't know how much time I've got to keep him alive. I need your help."

"Where are you?" Rogue asked urgently.

"You have to come alone. If Sinister sees anyone here, Remy's dead. Less chance of being seen when it's just you."

"Okay. Okay," Marie hastily agreed. She could call for back up once she'd gotten to Remy.

Marie hastily scribbled down the directions the woman had given her on her hand before hanging up the phone. Within seconds she was heading towards the garage.

"Marie! What is going on!" Storm bellowed after her.

"Hank," Marie yelled to the big, blue man, ignoring Storm all together. "Get Logan from the morgue now!"

"Yes, but what are you doing?" Hank asked, confused by Rogue's apparent takeover of the situation.

"I'm going to get Remy, he's been caught."

"Logan insisted I keep everyone here. It's safer in numbers. We fight as a team, Rogue."

"Oh yeah, because Logan's always been about team work." Marie scoffed angrily, the sting of being left to believe he died, and left out of a plan was still very fresh in her mind.

"Rogue, I must implore that you stay here!" Beast answered his voice rising.

Rogue slipped off her other glove. "You gonna try and stop me, Hank?"

Nobody made any movement towards her. She wasn't sure if it was because she looked like she'd come unhinged, or if it was because no one knew what was going on. She turned quick on her heels and ran down the hall to the garage. No one stopped her.

"Damn it, Hank! What the hell is going on?" Storm yelled in frustration.

"I don't really know, but someone wants the X-men the dead," Hank answered.

It was an odd choice of a place to keep Remy. It looked like a nice, normal house in suburbia. As Rogue cautiously approached the door, it opened quickly revealing the same woman with the corset and big, Barbie doll hair. The woman ushered her inside quietly.

Past the hallway from the porch she could see Remy. His back was to her and he was sitting on the couch. It didn't seem right. Marie kept low and peaked around the corner into the living room. Remy sat motionless in an empty room. Marie frowned, new suspicions arising.

"Welcome to my parlor said the spider to fly." The woman behind her spoke and Marie knew it was a trap.

She turned to face the woman, backing slowly into the empty living room. Remy still didn't move, other than the slow rise and fall of his chest, proving to Marie that at least he was still alive.

"What did you do to him?" Rogue asked, finding her voice.

"Who? Remy?" the woman answered. "He's fine, better than fine really. He's living an illusion tailored just for him."

"I thought you guys were friends."

"Marauders don't have friends. Remy forgot that," the woman answered bitterly. "He also forgot that Marauders don't choose when to leave."

Marie had no idea what this crazy woman was talking about. It must have shown on her face, because the woman looked genuinely surprised, then pleased.

"Oh, I get it. He never told you."

"Told me what?" Marie asked, inching closer to Remy.

"That Remy was number one. Sinister's pride and joy, and do you know why? It's not because he's the best or the most ruthless, it's because Remy has a fatal flaw! Remy is actually the only Marauder with a conscience, the only one of us who feels any remorse for anything he does, and he still does it! Still does exactly what he's told, because he honestly believes that when he's paid his dues, Sinister will just let him go. Walk freely away with you." The woman laughed. "Poor, masochistic Remy, always in constant torture about the things he's done and what he's become. He really thinks that that sadistic, son of bitch Sinister will uphold their bargain. Remy, still thinks he's with the Thieves Guild and that honour means something."

"Let Remy go," Marie answered in low voice.

"What, you think just because you've told me to, that I'll just do it? Do you have any idea how hard it is to catch the elusive Gambit in an illusion? I've been trying for years! His mind is too sharp, too aware of things. He understands fear too well. I had to tailor this illusion especially for him. You think I'll just release him?" More laughter. "I never would have caught him at all if it wasn't for you."

"What?" Marie asked caught off guard, and alarmed.

The woman grinned. "Remy can't be caught in an illusion for very long because he knows it's not real, he always manages to wake himself up. No matter what it is, it's never tempting enough to keep him. So, this time I gave him something he couldn't possibly refuse or want wake up from. I gave him the best illusion of all—a completely touchable you. In fact, I've given him a completely touchable you willing to do everything and anything he could ever possibly want."

Marie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Why would you even do that?" Marie gasped.

"Because it came down to him or me. He was going to kill me, you know. All for the sake of protecting you."

"Why would I need protection from you?" Marie asked coolly, trying to keep the mad woman talking so she could think of some sort of plan.

"Because I've been given the contract for your life." The woman smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a better one, since you ruined everything between us. Contracts aren't supposed to be personal, but I must admit that this one is."

Marie backed up closer to Remy, the back of her legs bumping into his knees.

Still no movement from him.

"Don't expect any help from him, he's not even awake."

"You're insane," Marie answered, straightening up and easing her body into a fighting stance. "I'm not giving you another chance, let him go, or you an' I are gonna have this dance."

"You think you can take me? The Mistress of Illusions? I am Lady Mastermind, and you're only Rogue, a girl who can't even use her mutation unless I'm within reach."

"I don't need to use just my mutation." Rogue growled, gently reaching her hand behind her to graze Remy's face. She felt the immediate pull from Remy and her fingertips tingled slightly. It's easy, she told herself. Just throw things before they explode, preferably in the direction of Lady Mastermind.

Rogue snapped into action charging and flinging objects at the deranged woman. She had no idea how illusions worked, but she figured the woman would have to concentrate to form one, and she couldn't concentrate if she had to keep dodging explosives.

She was doing well enough until she ran out of things to throw. Lady Mastermind gave her a sickeningly sweet grin before Rogue was thrown back without even being touched.

Shit. The woman was also a psychic.

The impact of the hit knocked Rogue backwards tumbling onto Remy, to her surprise, he snapped into action and quickly rolled her to the ground, shielding her with his body.

"You alright, Chere?" he asked point blank.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but we've got to stop, Lady Mastermind!" Rogue answered while trying to get up from under Remy.

He let her up with a confused look on his face. "You sure you didn't hit your head in the fall?" he asked concerned, gently stroking her hair.

"Yes, I'm—" Marie began to answer when she looked around the room, taking in her surroundings.

She was in Remy's bedroom sitting on his hardwood floor beside the bed, tangled up with Remy in bed sheets. She could have sworn she had just been somewhere else.

"This isn't right," she whispered in a daze, she had been fighting someone… or something… and Remy was in trouble… everything she had so clear in her mind moments ago was rapidly fading.

Like a dream.

"You had a nightmare, Chere. That's all." Remy was saying, lifting her up from the floor and into his arms. "Come back to bed."

Remy had no shirt on, and was wearing soft, drawstring pajama pants. Still confused, she looked to her own attire. She was wearing a muted pink, satin nightie with tiny, delicate straps. She didn't remember buying it. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something seemed off.

Unnatural.

She sighed softly as she felt Remy's lips trail delicately down her neck, it was a heavenly sensation… and completely impossible. Her mutation should have been kicking in. Remy wasn't supposed to be able to touch her skin. Yet, his bare arms were holding her tightly, his lips grazing her skin… she jerked away from him, shoving him backwards.

"This is all wrong!" she exclaimed, backing away from him. "You're not supposed to be able to touch me!"

He made a soft clicking noise with his tongue, and advanced towards her calmly. "Must have been some nightmare, ma cherie, to work you up so. We've gotten past that, remember?" His voice was hypnotic and soothing all at the same time.

Marie was severely confused. She didn't remember, and she thought for sure the control of her mutation would be an easy thing to remember. She fidgeted nervously with her hands only to realize she had a huge diamond rock and wedding band on her left ring finger. She glanced nervously at Remy's hands, a shiny, silver band wrapped around his ring finger on his left hand.

They were married? Why couldn't she remember her wedding day? She slowly glanced around the room, evidence of their life together scattered everywhere. On his night stand stood a glossy black frame with a wedding photo of the two of them, on the wall hung a collage of pictures with them on some warm beach…

She slowly walked from the bedroom and out into the living area, Remy's calendar had her writing scribbled on it with appointments and dates. She even found a grocery list in her writing.

Remy walked behind her cautiously, concern etched on his face.

She lived here. Her CD's were neatly alphabetized with his. Even her favourite books were mingled in with his. She had just had a bad dream. She could vaguely recall her wedding now, Logan was there, he'd given her away…

She went back to Remy's bedroom. No, their bedroom and climbed back into bed. She even remembered which side she slept on. Remy followed, snuggling in close to her.

"What an awful dream," she murmured as his lips began trailing along her neck again. "It's funny. I can't seem to remember anything about it, except that it was awful."

His lips silenced hers. They were warm, comforting lips. Remy could chase all the shadows of doubt in her mind away. Of course they were married and living together, she thought dimly, it had been stupid of her to think otherwise. Everything became clearer and more familiar. She leaned her body closer to his, reveling in the sensation of his touch. No matter how many times he'd touched her it always felt like the first time. She shivered in delight as his hands slid up under the frail, pink fabric of her nightie, slowly peeling it off over her head.

She gasped in pleasure, arching her back up closer to him as his lips trailed to her breasts where his hands now played. He used slow deliberate movements, purposely teasing her flesh. He knew exactly what she wanted and what she liked most, as if he could read her mind. Obviously they had been together for a long time for Remy to be that in tune to what her body called for from him.

She was pulling the string on his pajama pants, loosening the knot with hurried fingers. It was so easy to want him, to feel that needy sensation that drove her wild. She tugged his pants off roughly, her hands frantically searching him out.

He gave her a low, throaty laugh as his eyes met hers. "Whenever I want to be romantic." He sighed.

She giggled. "I know, I know," she answered with such familiarity, like it was conversation they had all the time. "But I want you now!"

She tugged his face back up to hers, kissing him roughly. He willingly obliged, forcefully kissing her back, his tongue twirling quickly around hers. Her favourite part was always when he let his full weight crush down on her, pressing her into the mattress. She loved nothing more than to feel him hard up against her.

He was tearing her underwear off with years of experience, flinging it carelessly across the room. She giggled with anticipation as he gave her the same devilish grin he always gave her before he entered her in one swift motion. It was a sharp, instant pain that faded quickly into the most inexplicable, divine pleasure she'd ever known, her hips moving eagerly up to meet his. He sighed in satisfaction when she picked up his quick, easy rhythm.

One of her favourite things to do when it was fast like this was to watch his face and witness the circus of emotions that danced across his features. From the angle he tipped his head, to the silent moans escaping his lips, right down to his often closed eyes, she could see clearly just exactly it was she did to this man who held her heart. From his face she could always gage the exact moment he came. His eyes would shoot open in an absolute, perfect wonder as he cried out only once in ecstasy between a half smile when his eyes met hers.

When it was over, instinctively he'd collapse, breathless on top of her, and softly nuzzle his head into the crook of her neck moaning the sweetest, exhausted I love you's into her skin.

Marie lay blissfully with her husband, absently stroking his hair when a woman's scream shrieked through their silent bedroom.

Marie jolted up quickly and alarmed. "Did you hear that?" she asked Remy, who yawned slightly.

"No, Chere." He moaned softly, gently pulling her back into his arms.

She hesitated, fighting to stay sitting up. How could he not have heard that piercing scream?

"Rogue? Rogue! C'mon girl, snap out of it!"

This time Marie bolted upright in the bed, with Remy trying to pull her back down. She'd clearly heard Logan's voice, as if he was in their very room. She struggled to get out of Remy's reach, snapping her bedside lamp on.

"Logan?" she called out hesitantly.

"What's gotten into you, cherie?" Remy was saying.

"Marie, wake up! Damn it, girl!" Logan's voice cried more urgently than before.

"It's Logan," she answered dimly. "He's calling me."

The room was spinning as Marie struggled to stand up. She managed to escape the bed and Remy's grasp.

"Stay with me, ma cherie." She heard Remy call as she stumbled from the bedroom, intent on discovering where Logan's voice was coming from.

She made it to the living room, only it didn't look at all like their living room, it was someone else's house entirely, like she'd stepped into another dimension. She screamed when she saw Remy sitting like a statue on the familiar, yet unfamiliar couch. He had just been in their room, now he was dressed and sitting like a mannequin, she ran to him to shake him, see if he was real…

Marie's eyes snapped open. She'd been sleeping or something in Remy's lap. Remy didn't acknowledge that she was even there. Someone grabbed her firmly from behind and she screamed as she was pulled into a brisk, gruff hug.

"Thank God," Logan's voice murmured, "I thought I'd lost you."

"Logan?" she asked stupidly, as everything came sailing back to her memory. She had been fighting with Lady Mastermind.

"It's alright, kid, I'm here."

"Lady Mastermind! It was all an illusion, she—"

"She's over there."

Marie turned her head to see the blonde woman lying and rasping for breath in a pool of blood. Obviously Marie had missed something in the time she'd been caught in one of the illusions. For one, Logan was here, and she certainly didn't remember him arriving, and two, Lady Mastermind had not been bleeding all over her carpet.

"Remy!" Marie cried in alarm, turning to see him unchanged sitting on the couch.

"I tried to wake him, but he won't snap out of it, I'd almost given up on you too. What happened?"

Marie turned to Logan and briefly explained the situation, how she knew he wasn't really dead, how Lady Mastermind had phoned her, how she came alone, everything, well, everything except the illusion she'd been placed under. Logan didn't need to know all the details.

Logan filled in his own gaps. He'd tracked her scent immediately when Hank phoned his communicator, explaining that Remy had been caught and that Rogue went after him, alone. Logan's timing was impeccable, showing up mere seconds after Marie fell under Lady Mastermind's illusion, in time to save her from her impending death. He managed to get the drop on Regan and ultimately took the woman down.

"Hell of a fighter, that girl," Logan finally commented. "Too bad for her, Hank and I got a quick lesson earlier in how a Marauder fights."

"You should have told me what you were planning," Marie answered darkly, alluding to his fake death.

"He didn't want you knowing anything that might put you in more danger," Logan answered nodding to Remy. "Didn't really matter though, seems our boy got played despite all his careful planning anyway."

"She was supposed to be his friend, Logan. Even I thought she was," she answered glumly, feeling stupid for falling into the woman's trap. She should have known, should have suspected. "She fooled us both."

"Well, I think she's gonna be our new friend, unless of course she doesn't want to give us the answers we're looking for."

"I don't need to be her friend to get answers, Logan," Marie answered tensely still looking at Remy in a trance. "I don't trust her at all, but I'll trust her own memories."

Marie was up from the couch and moving towards the injured woman. She knelt down and touched Lady Mastermind's bare shoulder with her hand. Even if the woman knew nothing, perhaps with this woman's power she could undo whatever hold she'd put on Remy.

Marie held on longer than she normally would have, tearing desperately through the woman's mind, it was Logan who pulled her away.

Marie looked up at Logan triumphantly.

"I know what they're planning, and I know how to break her illusion on Remy."