Hey thanks for all the reviews!

-Gams

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Chapter Thirty-Six – What's an X-Man without Risks?

Rogue felt her mouth fall open for a full thirty seconds before she was able to close it consciously. As Agatha's words washed over her, she felt Remy take her hand and squeeze it. Her gazed drifted over the room absentmindedly only to catch every pair of eyes in the room was stationed on her. However it was only Agatha's that she really looked into. They were still secretive with a chilling all-knowing texture to them but the one less secret seemed to open them wide and clear. Nonetheless, the weight of the realisation still managed to weigh her down. Confusion was quick to take hold of her emotions, causing her brow to furrow as she turned to Agatha.

"But...how can ah beh the carrier? Ah've never..."

She struggled to word her confusion and disbelief as she trailed off for a minute.

"How can ah beh the carrier when ah've never shown any sign of Witch power?"

Agatha gave a helpful shrug of her shoulders as she idly began to pace the room. She replied in an unaturally calm tone as she spoke.

"There could be a variety of reasons why you show no apparent ability but it is there...your soul calls the witch power and only a witch is capable of such a demonstration- as you all saw."

Some gentle chatter began amongst the team as Agatha's words sunk in. It died down when Agatha spoke again.

"Your natural parents. You have no recollection of them? Nothing at all?"

Rogue shook her head helplessly.

"None. Why? Could they have been-?"

Agatha nodded.

"It could explain this quite easily. It is unfortunate you have no means of investigating. From what I've seen of your daughter's capabilties, both could have been carriers of the gift."

Rogue became silent as the woman's fresh words washed over. It was just so hard to believe. Her? A witch? Rogue shook her head in disbelief. She suddenly felt sympathetic for Harry Potter. However her thoughts were interrupted as Remy's voice broke the silence.

"How exactly does dis help us find mon fille? Can y' track her t'rough dis power?"

Agatha gave yet another helpful shrug as she came to a stand still before them.

"That would be the idea, yes. But I am afraid I cannot track her myself because only those of the same bloodline can track each other."

Rogue began to regain a bit of herself as she let out a sarcastic sniff. She crossed her arms irritably as her brow furrowed in frustration.

"That's helpful. Ah'm practically a Squib in Harry Potter context, how am ah supposed t' fahnd mah own daughter if ah can'te even work mah powers raght?"

She felt Kitty rest a comforting hand on her shoulder as all eyes turned to Agatha for some kind of answer. The elderly woman merely stared back with next to no indication across her face. Finally, she spoke.

"There may be a way."

Rogue's frustrated frown disappeared to a look of skepticism.

"A way for what?"

All ears were listening as the woman took a further step closer to Rogue while she continued to answer.

"It may very well be the case that your powers are simply latent, burried beneath the surface. If I am right, I may be able to jump-start your powers and you may have a way of tracking your daughter."

Hope kindled across the teams faces. However it was Rogue who gave a skeptical look as she answered quietly.

"But what if you're wrong?"

Agatha gave a deep, silent sigh. Genuine sympathy spread across her features.

"Then I am afraid that it will be too late."

It was a like a cold slap to the face. Rogue felt tears gloss over her eyes but she blinked them back. It took her less than a minute to decide what to do. With a determined look, she nodded and replied.

"Do it."

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Meanwhile...

The haggard looking room was lit only by a single candle light as Raven sat silently in one of the few chairs in the building. Everything was either broken, gone or near breaking in this house but somehow the old chair stood the strain in its frail wooden legs as the blue-skinned woman continued to ponder around her dark thoughts. Her brow furrowed in deep thought as she stared into the open darkness. The minutes seemed countless until the only door to the room creeked open. Mystique returned to the present and took a defensive stance as she turned to meet the figure in the doorway. Her expression only darkened when she realised who it was. She sheathed her raised gun as she spoke coldly.

"Will you never learn to knock first?"

A growl-like chuckle erupted from the doorway before the large figure stepped into the room and into the feeble light. His footsteps caused the floor boards to groan under pressure as he replied. There was an unatural, cold pleasantness about his voice as he spoke.

"Now really Raven. I thought you'd know me better than that."

Raven wrinkled her nose in disgust as she replied icily.

"I know better than to expect simple manners from the likes of you, Creed. Now what are you doing here?"

Victor Creed's cat-like eyes caught the light but instead of inspiring warmth, it brought out only the restrained maliciousness in him. His clawed fingers practically itched to let go of his restraint as he paced the room. Like a cat circling prey, he spoke as he stepped.

"He sent me. Said he wants you to bring the runt now. There can't be any more...stalling."

Raven's disposition faltered for a slice of a second before reverting back to its natural state of cold and harsh.

"Are you questioning my loyalty, Creed?"

The beast let out a growl of a chuckle as he came to a stand-still before the dusty mantle of the fireplace. He bared his fangs as he smirked wickedly.

"She's your granddaughter Raven. Rogue's flesh and blood. Doesn't that bother you?"

Raven's gaze narrowed to mere slits as she retorted without hesitation.

"Tell him we will be there by tomorrow at the latest. We need time for them to catch up."

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"Rogue? Are you like, sure about this? I- I mean, I know you like, really want to find Addie but- but isn't this, like, I don't know...risky? I mean, like, what if you end up-"

Kitty came to an instant stop in her words as Rogue's stare pushed the boundaries of an outburst. The look clearly said I'm-doing-this-whether-you-like-it-or-not and it was enough to silence her friend and make her step out of the girls changing room to join the others in the control room. After Rogue had agreed to have Agatha jump start her powers, Agatha had explained that in order for her to manifest them, she would need to be pumped with adrenaline. The Danger Room was the perfect tool for aquiring it. However Remy, Logan and few of the others had been wary of the idea. It didn't help that Agatha mentioned that there would be some risk to her life if the attempt failed. She could end up comatos for an unknown length of time or worse. Not that it mattered much to Rogue of course. What was that kind of risk compared to the risk of losing her daughter? The others, Logan especially, were not so convinced. Rogue was already pumped with frustration and annoyance by the time she had managed to storm out of the room and head to the change rooms to suit-up. Reaching an adrenaline high was going to be no problem at the rate things were already going.

She was in the middle of zipping up her uniform boots when she felt someone come up behind her. She barely turned an eye to Remy as she sat down to adjust the buckles around her ankles. Her tone of voice remained as firm as it had been an hour ago as she replied.

"Ah'm not gonna change mah mahnd about this Remy. So don't ask meh to."

To her surprise, he did as she asked. His voice was cool and casual but she could see he was restraining his true emotions.

"Wasn't going t' chére."

She raised her head slightly, her fingers stilled in their fiddling with the buckle around her raised boot. After a few moments of staring, she sat up to a classic seated posture and spoke.

"Really?"

He nodded mutely as he sat down. He kept her bemused gaze as she spoke again.

"No "it's too risky"?"

She shook his head without the slightest hesitation.

"Y' deal wit' dis all de time chére. What's an X-Man's life wit'out risks?"

She continued to keep a raised brow and a bemused look. Her head tilted slightly to one side as she searched his eyes. She was overwhelmed by the faith and genuinity she found kindled in those eyes. After accepting his answer, a deep-held sigh escaped her lips. Her arched leg slipped back to join the other on the floor as she spoke softly. It was as if her determination had finally run short or lapsed, at least, for the moment. Uncertainty clouded her emerald eyes as she questioned him.

"Do ya really think this is gonna work?"

A sigh slipped from between his lips as he reached out and grasped her gloved hand in his. He idly began to play with her fingers as he spoke gently.

"I t'ink y' have t' try chére. I may not like letting y' take dis kinda risk, mais I know y' have to. For Adélie."

As a gentle silence passed between them, Rogue's free hand enveloped his and squeezed it with all the reassurance she could muster. She thanked him softly with a reassuring smile. He returned the favour with a smile as he pulled out that familiar piece of sheer blue cloth from the depth of one of his pockets. His lips crashed against hers as soon as the barrier was raised and Rogue found herself practically melting into his arms within an instant. It was hard to think that not a week ago they hadn't so much as spoken let alone seen each other in years. And really, to be honest, they both knew very little about each other. They barely knew anything about each other's pasts or interests save for a few prominant patches. But all of that could come later. Right here, right now, they were just content knowing that the other wanted them.

Details could come later.

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Fifteen minutes later Rogue stood in the centre of the metal-plated room. Though she appeared stone faced and calm on the outside, inside she was full of uncertainty and anxiety. Remy had given every kind of assurance and comfort before they stepped out of the elevator but even so, she couldn't shake the nervousness that engulfed her. At his request (and her genuine relief), he had taken position on the sidelines of the danger room. Should anything go wrong, he would be there to catch her. Every now and again when she caught his eye, he would give a charming smirk and wink, causing her to blush but nevertheless smile as she stood on the spot. It wasn't long before Agatha's voice called out on the danger room speaker.

"Wolverine has devised a scenario that will build up your adrenaline to the point it needs to be. We will track your heart rate as the scenario proceeds."

Rogue nodded mutely as she stole one last glance at Remy before the scene before her shifted. The scenario began with a maze of stone walls. Rogue took off at a quick sprint while her anxieties were pushed to the back of her mind. After twenty minutes, her heart was hammering in her ears. There had been the usual half a dozen thugs to disarm, flying arrows that missed her by a mere inch, a few bullets to dodge just to pick up the pace and the oh-so-classic flame thrower to really push her on. At the vast pace the scenario was playing out, Rogue was already breaking a sweat. As she continued to run closer to the centre of the maze, she began to wonder when Agatha planned on making a move. As irony would have it, her question was answered. A round of laser blasts erupted from either side of the wall, causing her to lunge forward to get out of the way. As she landed, she tucked and rolled only to be on her feet and running once again. The laser guns continued to tail her as she ran but came to an abrupt stop when she ran and collided into something else. Something firm, clothed and reaking of cigarettes, spices and leather. Rogue raised her head only to let out a frustrated sigh as she panted short breaths.

"W-what the hell? Remy, what are ya doin' in here? Ah was perfectly-"

Gambit gave no reply as he raised a hand in one swift movement. Rogue barely had the chance to take notice of the charged playing card in his hand before he puched her square in the chest. With an explosion of gold, the force and the sheer surprise of the action had her tumbling to the ground without fail. The world before her exploded into a parade of colours, sparks and finally, green light before it went dark again.

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Even I'M getting sick of the cliff hangers. Someone slap me, I can't stop! Haha. REVIEW!

-Gams