Of Thieves and Martyrs: Chapter Ten

Transitions

Previously

She took a good look at the old and dusty room and back at him. It would be another sleepless night for her again filled with haunting memories of John. She thought about the situation more seriously and thought about what he could and could not do to her, she was after all untouchable. Rogue then turned to look at him with almost welcoming eyes.

"Ok," she sighed, "come on in," she opened the door wide for him and he happily made his way through. The blonde in the other room crept into his mind momentarily but he brushed it aside, he'll deal with it in the morning.

X~X~X~X

Logan was not sure exactly what had transpired between him and Rogue but regardless he was worried. She had been missing for almost a year now and when she finally does come home her grief or hysteria prompted her to leave again. Taking a deep inhale of his cigar, the only linger words that echoed in his mind was that she hated him. There had been times when she was angry with him before but she never hated him and that gutted the wolverine.

"Storm's going to be pissed at you," a strong male voice interrupted his thoughts. Logan turned to see Robert Drake walking casually by him to the refrigerator. The ice man's old habit that he had developed as a child of late night ice cream cravings had seen its way into his adult years.

"Pull out two bowls, popsicle," Logan said as he saw Bobby did what he was instructed to do.

"You know you're not allowed to smoke inside the school," laying out the second bowl of chocolate ice cream and a spoon in front of Logan, Bobby pulled up a kitchen bar stool and helped himself. The worry and tension in Logan did not escape him as he satisfied his late night craving.

"What is she going to do? Kick me out?" While his words were a rebuttal, Logan tossed the cigar into the sink and listened as it sizzled out. He grabbed the spoon and was hoping to be able to find what little comfort he can in sweets but the sugar and chocolate did not cover up the bitterness of his exchange with Rogue.

He couldn't find solace in sweets like most people can, in fact what he really wanted was a bottle of hard liquor but his new occupation of teacher prevented him from enjoying that. He could almost hear Storm's nagging voice of how he had to set an example for the students.

"I guess this is where all the alpha males hang out," Lorna Dane stated as she entered the room. Her presence instantly made Robert Drake's eyes light up and the corners of his mouth creased into a smile. She walked over to the cabinet but not without giving Bobby a caress on the shoulders, a light touch and simple gesture that was small but significant and told a secret about the lovers.

"You up too?" Logan stated sternly as he moved the spoon in his bowl around, watching the ice cream melt, "does no one sleep around here anymore?"

"Sorry, Bobby got me in the habit of waking up in the middle of the night," the mistress of magnetism said as she unwrapped a candy bar and took a big chunk out of it. "Besides," she said while chewing, "I had to show Rogue to her room and whatnot."

"Rogue's back?" Bobby's head jerked so quickly that it looked like a spring had come loose inside his neck and forced the motion.
"Mmm..hmm," Lorna nodded and noticed how uneasy Logan became at the mention of Rogue. "She's probably asleep right now in her room. You were right Logan, she did come back."

Logan didn't say anything at the comment referenced to him and simply took another big heaping spoon full of ice cream.

"Is she ok?" Bobby asked, his eyes still wide at the realization that one of his best friends, his former lover, a girl that shared many significant moments in his life good and bad, was finally returning home.

"I think she's ok," Lorna answered him, concentrating hard on replaying her conversations with Rogue, trying to decipher if she was really ok or was still broken. "We didn't talk much, she said she was tired."

"Did she say anything about..." Bobby trailed off, the subject still opened up old wounds and not just about the person they lost but about the heinous crime of the labor camps. It was especially a sensitive subject for Lorna Dane who was subject to its torture and paralyzing atrocities.

"Like I said," she interjected him quickly. "We didn't talk much but she seemed ok."

"She's not ok," Logan answered quickly, very quickly that the two younger mutants noticed how his demeanor changed right away. "She's not ok, there is no way she is ok," he said with such authority.

"I get that it's harder on her than anyone else but it has been about a year," Lorna stated, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Rogue was still so broken up over some guy, especially at such a young age.

"It's different for everyone," Bobby added, silently reminding Lorna of how tumultuous their relationship was due to his lost of Kitty. "We have no idea where she was all this time so we can't exactly speak for her."

"We have no idea where she is now," Logan said it casually as the two younger mutants quickly shot him a concerned look. He brushed them off slightly and casually followed his statement, hiding any emotions or pain of having her leave again. "She left again, I saw her in Pyro's room and she left."

"Is that…normal?" Lorna asked, expressing concern for Rogue.

"For anyone else, no, for Rogue, well, I wouldn't associate normal with her," Logan stated, "look at the guy she's hung up on," he did not try to mask his disapproval of Pyro, nor did he ever.

"But in any case," he shoved the bowl away from him as he stood up from his bar stool, "we should find her. No telling what kind of trouble she can get into or have gotten into."

"Logan, you can't," Bobby interrupted his march towards the door. "You have classes to teach. Storm is going to freak out."

Just as quickly as he had gotten up, Lorna and Bobby can see him quickly stop and his head lowered. He had responsibilities now; he had people that depended on him. He didn't just have one charge that was Rogue anymore; he had a classroom of them who looked up to him. He was torn between his responsibilities to the institution and his responsibilities to Rogue. He was always going to be her surrogate father and responsible for her regardless of whether or not she was sixteen or sixty.

"We can't just do nothing," he said turning to them, hoping for a solution or at the very least, understanding.

"I'll look for her," Lorna interjected. She was hoping for this. While she enjoyed life on the campus and cared for Bobby, she needed a change, she needed adventure. Similar to Logan, she had a nomadic life before the X-Men and her mind craved for the same freedom if only momentarily.

Logan nodded, not exactly satisfied because in the back of his mind he was worried that not only would Rogue be exposed to danger and harm but now he was allowing Lorna to endure that same danger.

"Then I'm coming with you," the young man stated as he wrapped a protective arm around her. Lorna was surprised at how quick he was to volunteer, no not volunteer, but demand that he escort her.

"Just be careful out there you two and keep me informed," Logan gave them his approval to go and like little soldiers they marched upstairs to prepare themselves for such an unknown trip.

X~X~X~X

She was not sure why she did what she did but it was too late now. He was in the other room, undoubtedly getting comfortable. Eventually she would have to go out there, it was getting late and the bathroom tub did not make for a good mattress. The minute she invited him in her mind cluttered with doubts and second guesses that she flew to the bathroom and locked herself in.

She wondered why she did such a reckless and irresponsible thing as she sat in the floor of the bathroom, holding onto the duffle bag and using it as a sort of pillow. She knew why she did what she did and there was no point in trying to tell her that it was any other reason other than trying to soothe the sting of feeling completely alone and abandoned. She had turned her back on her last remaining family and at least for tonight, she did not want to feel completely and absolutely alone in the world.

She was impulsive and impetuous and it reminded her of him. Pulling the bag from under her arm she opened the zipper and searched its contents, pulling out the stacks and stacks of cash. She needed something to keep her mind from thinking about him and from thinking about the uncomfortable situation that was in the next room. Just a little under ten thousand dollars, John really did plan a way out for them. While the monetary amount seemed like a lot at the time she had to think about just how long it had to last her, a month, a year, maybe even longer. However long it took for her to either find him or find some peace with herself.

"Chere, you ok?" He rapped at her door that triggered her quick response in frantically shoving all of the bills back into her bag.

"Fine," she responded quickly and wiped at her eyes. "Just changing, can I please have some privacy?"

"You can have whatever you want, just say the word." Marie could also see the mischievous smile on his lips as he said this through closed door. At the very least, he made her feel comfortable enough and that was all she could possibly ask for at the moment.

She knew she had to come out from hiding eventually and the more she waited the longer it took her to get out of her mind and the feeling of despair, heartbreak, and grief. Her legs found the courage that her soul could not as she steady herself up and walked out the bathroom, cautiously carrying the bag low behind her.

Rogue wasn't sure what to expect from Remy, he was new, he was arrogant, but he was so sure of things and his life, a certainty that she wished she felt sometimes. She thought maybe after waiting for her for so long that he would leave. She half expected him to think that she would give herself to him all because he threw a few exploding cards at someone. She was not as vulnerable as he thinks and he was definitely not the savior she needed or was looking for but here they are.

"Look what wandered into our room," he said from his position on the chair. His legs were propped on the table with his hands behind his head, she could also feel his eyes on every inch of her body that was barely covered at all with her night shorts and a large oversized t-shirt, one of the few treasures of John's that she took with her.

"I'm not sure I follow?" She responded and let the bag drop to her feet as she inched closer to him but ever so cautiously.

"Something to lighten the mood no," he swung his lungs from the table and grabbed two glasses of what looked like red wine from the nightstand and closed the distance between the two. He held one glass to her and without waiting took a sip from his.

If she were a normal girl she would not have taken it the glass. He was a stranger and every newspaper headlines, books, and movies warned girls of laced drinks from strangers. But Rogue was not a normal girl. She was untouchable, infallible to some degree, and now she felt a sense of recklessness.

"Where did you get this?" She asked him as she reached with her bare finger tips for the glass.

"I have my ways," he said noticed how her hands were slightly trembling. He tried to steady them by placing his hands on top of hers and without warning; she pulled away, tipping the glass in the progress.

"Geez, petite, Remy was only making sure you didn't drop the glass, too late for that." The glass shattered into pieces and the color of the wine against the dull carpets made it almost homogenous to blood.

Rogue stayed frozen where she was as she watched the frustrated young man bend down to pick up the larger pieces of glass. "You ok?" He said as he reached for the pieces between her foot and watched as she backed away from him very quickly, almost too quickly that the ball of her foot smashed against one of the smaller shards of glass.

She felt the blood seeping out of her foot and into the carpet, it stung but he was dangerously close to her exposed skin that she refused to move. Marie focused on him and awaited his next move so that she can counter it.

"You're hurt," he said and tried to grab her foot but she kept backing away regardless of how much further the glass dug into her foot with every step she took.

He could sense her uneasiness and her slight fear of him. He was getting frustrated with her but at the same time her apprehension only made him crave her that much more. "What's the matter with you girl? Think Gambit going to hurt you?" He said it as he stood himself up, towering above her, almost challenging her to explain herself.

She backed away until the back of her foot touched the bed and sat down, relieving the pressure from her wound. Rogue noticed the genuine concern in his eyes and she wasn't sure why she did what she did but a part of her convinced her that if he really wanted to hurt her he would have done it already.

"I'm not afraid of you hurting me," she said as she turned her attention to the lamb, the bed, the kitschy painting on the wall, as long as her attention was away from him. "It's just I'm afraid of me hurting you. When people touch my skin something happens to them, they just get hurt." She said with all the seriousness in the world and expected to be taken seriously which was why it was all the more shocking that she heard laughter coming from him.

She heard laughter; Rogue heard a sharp comical laugh and felt his presence seat itself across from her in the adjacent bed.

"You and me Rogue, we not so different," he said with a warm smile that made her feel reassured that he was not someone who would try to harm her.

"This," he continued as he pulled out a playing card from his jacket pocket. He put it directly in front of her and she watched as it glowed with a pink and yellow energy that was almost hypnotizing. "Think this was something that I knew how to do from day one?" He concentrated a little bit harder and she saw the card floating out of his hands and self combusted into small flakes of paper. "Takes work, Cher. For a long time I was afraid of touching anything for fear it will go boom. So just like you I was afraid of touching people, of hurting people, only difference is you're only afraid of people, I was afraid of everything."

"How many years," she asked him, refusing to take her eyes off of him. He was mesmerizing her, the passion in his words charmed her soul and she wanted to learn, she wanted him to teach her the same control that he had.

"Years, in fact, Gambit still learning, no one ever stops learning Cher. No one ever stops growing."

"I want to learn," she said it as more of a command than an invitation.

"Well," he smiled and got up, opening his gloved hand to her, "You've found the right person then, Remy make an excellent teacher," he waited for her to put her hand in his and accept his offer. While she hesitated he could feel her slowly letting her guard down as she placed her hand into his.

X~X~X~X~

Someone had sold him out, he just knew it. When John stepped outside of the mansion and saw that he was on the dangerous and sacred ground of the Assassin's Guild he knew that someone had brought him there and set him up. He had heard the stories about many Thieves that had tried to set foot in their territory and the consequences of breaking such an unwritten law. Assassins and Thieves are to never cross territories.

While he didn't know who exactly was responsible, he knew who was involved, and it hurt it even more to think that his own brother would set him up.

He knew he was getting closer to the Thieves Guild territory when he saw the large palatial mansion and without thinking, just reacting he marched himself into the house and stormed into the grand meeting room.

"Henri," he said as he grabbed his brother and pushed him up against the wall, letting his wrist igniter flare up, the flame dangerously close to Henri's face.

John was so angry and betrayed that his young and irrational nature did not take in startled eyes of other gentlemen in the room, one in particular was not too happy to see his reaction.

"JOHN!" Jean Luc's voice echoed in the room as he tried to get the attention of the angry young mutant. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Why don't you ask your son," John emphasized the word son with such disgust. Henri was unfazed by everything and didn't even twitch as his face warmed and droplets of sweat start to drip off his forehead.

"Relax, John," Henri said as he pulled a ring out of his pocket. There was a proud smile that spread across Henri's face as he opened his hand to reveal a rather large gold ring that was encrusted with diamonds around a coat of arms that looked almost like a seal.

When Henri revealed the ring to the room, John could almost feel the atmosphere change in the room and out of the corner of his eyes saw the various men lift their glasses in the air at John. He extinguished the flame and relaxed his hand around Henri's shirt color, letting him go.

Turning around, John saw that he was surrounded by the powers of the Thieves Guild, territory leaders, decision makers, the very people that controlled half of New Orleans. They not only seemed pleased with him but raised their glasses of bourbon and liquid as almost a toast to John.

"I don't understand," John questioned as he looked to Jean Luc for some answers.

"You did it," Jean Luc said and came up to John to pull him into a proud hug. "My boy, you did it." He said and took the ring from Henri and raised it up to John's face.

"Did what?" John asked him as he looked closer at the ring and the distinct details of the coat of arms. It was the mark of the Guild.

"You passed, John," Henri said proudly behind him. "You passed your rite of passage."

"My what," he still did not know what was going on.

"You made it out of the Assassin's house, that was your test and you passed." Henri explained, "No Thief has ever escaped that dreaded place in as little time as you."

"That was it? That was the test?" John felt a little sense of accomplishment as Jean Luc placed the ring in his hand, gesturing for him to put it on.

"That was it, son, you're truly a Thief now," Jean Luc said proudly as he watched John slip the ring on his right ring finger.

X~X~X

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the long wait. I've been busy with life but it has given me a lot of time to formulate and see where the characters will take this story. I am still up in the air about who Rogue truly belongs with. Any opinions? Please review, the more reviews I get the more encouraged I am to write.

Leah