17

The next day was like clockwork. Rogue and Gambit both didn't sleep well. Rogue got up and went to school while Gambit stayed at the mansion and helped train the new mutants. Jubilee didn't get in the car with Rogue that day. Again, neither she, Kurt nor Kitty could focus properly at school.

When they got home, Rogue headed straight for her room, using her studies for her exams as a way to escape everything for the time she waited for the mission to begin.

Gambit, on the other hand, had been pulled over by Logan. He was panting and had a rip in his own supplied uniform.

"Hey," Logan said, gripping him by the shoulder, stopping Gambit from going anywhere, "You tryna get yourself killed?"

Gambit eyed the man with his devilish eyes. Due to his bad night's sleep and the nightmares he endured I'd developed a lot of rage. Rage that he'd been slowly getting rid of in the danger room to the point where Logan had to step in and stop the session as Gambit was making the other kids work for too long.

Gambit pulled his shoulder away from Logan's grip.

"Keep this up and it's off." Logan said.

Now Gambit turned to glare at Logan.

Logan folded his arms. He'd watched the Cajun almost all day. Something was eating at him and it was causing him to take greater risks than the avenge person.

"Take a break, clean yourself up and sort whatever issues you got goin' on in that thick head of yours. Or else consider your arse off the team." Logan said, walking away.

Logan couldn't speak too much about the mission they had planned that night, but Gambit understood somehow what the wolf man had been driving at.

He snorted, "Never pictured de X-Men for thieves." Gambit said, referring to his mission and the plan he'd made.

Logan looked over his shoulder, "The X-Men help mutants who need it. Especially those in desperate situations. But, if one of our owns looking to do something stupid on the battlefield when it's those mutants in need and, possible, our own at risk. Well, they ain't getting anywhere close so long as I can help it. Clean up your act Gumbo before you do something you'll regret."

Logan left the danger room.

Xxxxx

Much later that night, Rogue, dressed in her full uniform and slipped out of her room. She saw Kitty do the same. Jean had already made a move and was down in Cerebro, keeping them all contacted and aware of who was where. That was how they knew it was time. Rogue nodded at Kitty as they made their way towards the hanger.

The two meet the rest of their team already starting to bored the jet. When Rogue did get a board, she noticed Gambit had already taken a window seat and was staring out the window, playing with cards. Rogue took a seat over and behind him, watching him.

When she had gone to the kitchen to get food earlier, she'd overheard some of the kids complaining about how tough Gambit had been in that session. They were even comparing him to Logan, wondering if he was worse since Logan stepped in to stop the training exercise. Rogue noticed that he looked tense. She felt… somewhat bad for him.

She could see him charging and unchanging his cards as well. She wondered if he wanted a cigarette, but couldn't. Not just because he'd given up, but because he was in the jet.

The jet took off with Scott re-explaining everything. Rogue zoomed out, half listening. When they arrived, everyone stayed silent. Kitty, Gambit and Logan left first, disabling all the cameras that Gambit knew about and what they could find. Logan was also taking out the guards as he went.

"They're in." Psylocke had said once they entered. After what felt like a long pause, Psylocke huffed and said, "They don't have their mutations. There's a device that's shutting it off."

"That's not good!" Kurt said, now eyeing Scott.

"We stick to the plan." Logan said in everyone's heads this time after telling Psylocke to open a link for them. "Elf, Stripes, get in here and help us lead these mutants out."

"But, I don't have my powers. I can't, like, phase them out!" Kitty said.

"You'll just have to guide them out on foot. The Cajun and I will cover you. Make sure you don't run into any conscious guards." Logan said.

He eyed Gambit as he said it. To any other eye, no one would have noticed how stiff and uneasy he looked.

Rogue stood up with Kurt where they were hidden in the bushes. Scott wished them luck and Kurt teleported them as close to the base as he could. They found the entrance that Logan had made by slicing the wall open.

"Which way?" Kurt asked.

"This way." Rogue said having looked at the blue prints and remembered the map more than Kurt. As Rogue led the way they came across more bodies.

Eventually, Kurt and Rogue caught up to Logan, Kitty and Gambit who had just taken down the guards who were situated along the holding cells. Logan was telling the prisoned mutants to shut up and calm down.

Rogue's eyes were shifting everywhere, taking in the whole prison. Then her eyes fell on Gambit as she roamed. She noticed he was staring at one mutant who was in a lot of chains. Rogue almost didn't want to look at that mutant he was looking at. She was scared, when she did, she'd see some beautiful woman who Gambit was actually interested in. But she did look.

It was a man in chains. The man seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness. He had long brown hair, like Gambit's and kind of a similar build to him. Rogue wondered if he actually swung that way, but, when she looked back at him, she really took in what he was looking at. He was staring just at the chains on the man. There was something in those eyes. The rest of him, besides just being stood there, gave nothing away. His eyes, Rogue could see…hurt in them. Fear, maybe. He looked almost like a child. Vulnerable.

Rogue felt her heart flop. Before she realised what she was doing, she'd walked closer to Gambit and placed a hand on his shoulder. He shuck a little, as he turned to eye her. That was unlike him too. He never jumped in surprise. Although it had been small, Rogue had still noticed it.

"Alright, time to go. Half Pint, Stripes, take the first lot. See how far it takes them till their mutations come back on. Stripes, you know what to do if worst comes. Stay out there until we've got all of them out." Logan said.

Gambit had almost been grateful Rogue had brought him out of his thoughts. The man locked in chains before him, the smell of feces, sweat and other things were bringing back some really hard memories for him to face. Being stood there was worse than the nightmares he'd been suffering from.

Then, Rogue had come. When she shocked him and brought him out of that dream, he felt two emotions. The first being very strong shame. He'd escaped this prison. He shouldn't let it bother him. He was annoyed, angry even, that she might have saw his emotions. His fear. His terrors playing on his face.

But, he did feel grateful. Grateful that she was there and brought him out of it. Those soft, pitying green emeralds… he'd take them any day over what it was he was seeing. He even thought he could look in them forever and be happy.

Then Logan had spoken, giving him a way to break free.

Gambit and Rogue listened to Logan and were brought back to what was happening around them. Rogue squeezed Gambit's shoulder lightly, before removing her hand. Logan had already freed some mutants and Kitty was leading them. Kitty was holding one little boy in her arms and supporting another who was limping. A lot of the mutants in the small group they had were supporting each other. Rogue went to the back of the group and followed them out.

The plan was going alright. As soon as they got outside the main building, the mutant's powers were activated, but non lost their control. Rogue walked them to the fence, Kitty still leading the way, Cyclopes covering their back. When none of the mutants showed signs of losing control, Rogue ran back into the base and back to the prison.

Logan had had to try and keep calm a lot of mutants that were panicking that they were going to be left behind and be trapped. Kurt was ready with the next lot though and he and Rogue set off. There were not many mutants left after this. So, when Rogue got Kurt and the other mutants to the fence with none of their mutations going haywire, she told Kurt to stay with them and help bandage them up and to also pass the message onto Kitty. Kurt nodded and went on.

Rogue turned back to the base, finding Logan ready with the last lot of mutants.

"Where's Half Pint? Elf?" Logan asked.

"I told em ta stay with the others. I can take care of the rest." Rogue said.

Logan got up in her face and growled. "That's not for you to decide!" He snapped.

Rogue stayed strong where she was, hands on her hips as she snapped back, "They needed medical assistance more than a guide. We'll be fine!"

But Logan went to the front of the group of mutants, he began to lead them out. "Gumbo, start gettin' that evidence!" Logan yelled back before disappearing around the corner, the other mutants following him.

Rogue spared a glance at Gambit. She was going to yell back that he couldn't just leave him all alone in the base. But then she saw that Gambit was deep in thought like he was before. Only this time, he looked worse.

Rogue stepped up to Gambit, noticing he was also shaking.

"Hey," She said, touching his shoulder.

This did not get his attention.

"Hey!" Rogue said more firmly, taking both his arms in her hands and stepping right in front of her.

Rogue glance up at him, scared. She was scared and he looked horrified.

"Remy!" Rogue snapped.

Gambit blinked his eyes, jumping slightly again. His eyes saw her, then darted from side to side before he stood back and shoved her off.

"I'm fine." He muttered.

Rogue huffed, a bit annoyed that he'd taken that tone with her. But at the same time, she kept it gentle. She could see he wasn't in a good place. But she couldn't stop the sarcasm from falling out her mouth.

"Yeah, I can see that." Rogue said.

"Go Rogue. You ain't supposed to be here." Gambit said.

"And leave you alone?" Rogue snored, "Fat chance. You're not coping as it is." She said folding her arms.

Gambit turned to look her in the eye now. They sparked dangerously. Rogue was confused as to what was going on, but she knew, whatever it was, Gambit wasn't ok. And she couldn't just leave him. Rogue's face eased. She stepped closer to Gambit. She might not have known what was wrong, but she could tell, that glare, he was just trying to hide his fear. But she'd seen it. She knew he was scared and was trying to hide it so he didn't come across as weak. If he didn't look weak, it might stop any more pain. She'd played that exact roll so many times.

She stood before him now. So close to him. Closer than she'd ever stepped up to anyone really, unless she was trying to get in their face and intimidate them. But this was different. This was the kind of closeness Gambit would step into when flirting with her. Not the other way around.

But she did step close to him. Look up into those red and black eyes that seemed to be losing the dangerous look the closer she got. Or maybe it was still there, but it just didn't affect her anymore. He was looking away from her. All Rogue could see was the sadness in him.

Rogue reached out and took hold of his cheek with her gloved hand

"Hey," she said. His eyes turned to meet her slightly. He saw concern written all over her face. "What's wrong?" She said.

Gambit looked away again.

Rogue swallowed. "We're you… looking for someone? Some one here?" Rogue asked.

No answer. Rogue felt her heart sink. Was that a yes? Had the MRD captured someone he loved? Was that why he was doing this?

"We'll find her, Remy. Him. Whoever it is you're looking for. We can save-"

"I ain't lookin' for anyone." Gambit said, meeting her eyes full on.

He wasn't too sure where she'd got the idea that he was trying to find someone from. He guessed she was fishing for the reason why he was doing this. But he wasn't going to tell her. He wouldn't. Couldn't.

He found himself leaning into her gloved hand. It was a comforting gesture. He needed comfort right then.

Rogue eyed him. He wasn't looking for someone? Then the woman he loved wasn't locked up in a cell? Did that mean that there could still possibly be a chance?

"I just… don't like it here." Gambit muttered out.

It took Rogue a moment to take in what he was saying. Then she looked around. There was blood stains everywhere. The cells looked cold and uninviting. It wasn't a nice place. Not one bit.

"Rogue, where are you!" Logan snapped in their minds.

Rogue winced, "I'm back at the cells." Rogue said back in her mind. "Remy-"

She felt Gambit's hand grab her wrist that had risen to the side of her head. His grip was tight. She stared into his eyes. She saw… a desperate man. He didn't want her to tell Logan that he was freaking out in the cells. And she couldn't break that desperate plea he was sending her.

"I couldn't just leave Gambit behind. We don't abandon our own!" Rogue said back to Logan.

"We're going to be having words later." Logan snarled at her.

Rogue dropped her hand and just let Logan fade away. Her attention was back to being fully on Gambit. He looked grateful, but still uneasy.

"Hey," Rogue said, taking both of his hands and squeezing.

"Cajun, are you heading towards the computer base or not? We've got files to steal." Logan said in their mind.

Gambit didn't reply. His look was still of dreed as he began to head towards the exit. Rogue stopped him by pulling him back by his wrist.

"Hey, you don't have to do this." Rogue said, her jaw opening and closing. She knew the mission had to go on, but she couldn't see Gambit like this. He was more in danger than anything else at this moment in time like this. "I could do it. I could take your place. You could get out of here."

"You don't have the experience. Don't know what you're doing." Gambit said, eyeing her questioningly. Why was she offering to take his place.

"I'll have Logan. Look, you're not up ta this. Ya can just go back to the jet. I'll get the stuff we need. You don't have ta do this." Rogue said, squeezing at his wrists.

Gambit stood dumbfounded. He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to be here, yes. But he didn't want her to take his place. She didn't know what she was doing. She could get hurt, or captured. He'd struggle to live with himself for just cowarding out and letting her get hurt.

Gambit was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the men that came at the door. Rogue did as she yelled "Watch out!" and shoved him back. Gambit fell into one of the empty cells and Rogue leap the other way.

She pushed them both out of the way from a bullet hitting them. Rogue grabbed some small capsules from around her belt and threw them at the men that were stood near the entrance. It was the only way in and out, or else she would have ran with Gambit. So, instead, she thought. She ran at the men.

When the first came out of the smoke, coughing, she grabbed his arm that held his gun, kicked his leg out and then hit him in the head with his own gun she'd snatched from his hand.

She ducked the next swinging fist that was sent her way and hit the man in the stomach with the soldier's gun. The last one standing, she hit over the head with the gun she held.

Rogue made sure all three men were down before turning to eye Gambit who was coming to his feet.

Rogue walked towards him. He was so out of it that he wasn't even paying attention to his surroundings. He had to leave. Rogue grabbed his arm, gun still in her other.

"Come on, you have to go!" Rogue snapped.

Gambit pulled his arm out from hers.

"Non!" He snapped back at her, shaking his head.

Rogue watched anger begin to take over Gambit. She wasn't sure what he was angry at, but it looked like he was starting to come back to himself and he shuck his head.

"Non, you need to leave. Wolvie needs you out there encase any of those mutant's lose it." He took out his bo staff, as if, preparing himself. He grabbed her arm and began dragging her towards the exit. He'd just witnessed what he feared would happen if he left it to her. If she'd made one wrong move, he would have lost her. He couldn't do it. He had to snap out of it and get the job done. They were almost there. They're job was almost done. He was verbally slapping himself upside the head as he tried pulling Rogue out to the jet where she'd be safe.

But she pulled back her arm. Gambit never let go of her so stumbled back into her slightly. Her eyes were wide and firering angry daggers at him.

"You ain't up for this! If you go ta the computer room, ya might never make it back!" Rogue snapped, not letting "to me." Fall from her lips.

Gambit pulled Rogue to his chest, firmly. He wasn't completely in control of his actions. He just knew he had to make this girl see that he was going to do this and make it out of here alive. There was no way he'd let himself be captured again. None.

"I promise you, Rogue, I'll come back to you." He said.

He knew his promises might have been seen as next to nothing by some. He knew he always thought his promises through and didn't make such a big one little that without adding in some sort of way out for himself. But, at that moment, he truly meant what he said to the point where he didn't regret a single word that fell out of his mouth.

Rogue's eyes were searching. Searching his eyes. Searching his face. She was looking for any tell. Any. If he was lieing to her. If there was any fear. Any doubt. Anything. She struggled to see one. He just looked so determined. So fired up. It was… hot. He was hot against her. The way he glazed at her.

She was so worked up. He was so worked up. She wanted him, desperately to leave. To be safe. His words, his promise, she didn't know if to believe it. She knew who he was. What he was like. But that promise, she so wanted to believe it. It felt so real. So true. She couldn't stop looking at those eyes. Those lips. She could feel the muscles in his arm that was wrapped around her. All she wanted, most of all, in that one moment. The words that ran around her head. She wanted to kiss him.

She held back a moment. Thinking she need to back away. She didn't want to hurt him. But then… their powers were down.

Rogue's lips were on his.

Gambit had felt the intensity of the moment too. How determined and desperate he was to make her see, to make her realise, that he would make it back to her. That he wanted her to leave. To be safe. That he would hunt down and murder who ever took her away from him. Her eyes were such amazing gems. Her lips looked so soft and untouched. Desperate themselves for something.

He leaned down and kissed her. Kissed this beautiful, brilliant woman who'd put fire back into him with her care for his safety and who he wanted to keep safe.

The kiss deepened, neither knowing who deepened it. It just happened.

Both pulled away as they heard a grunt and growl come from the door, ready to fight.

"Come on!" Logan snapped at them both.

Gambit and Rogue glanced at each other quickly, then ran towards Logan.

"Stripes, back to the jet."

"But-" Rogue began to say,

"Now!" Logan snapped, taking off down the hallway.

Rogue glanced from Logan to Gambit. His hand was on her check before she even meet his eyes.

"I'll come back." Gambit said to her, looking as serious as when he'd promised her the same thing.

Rogue's hand touched his arm, firmly, but not too tight.

"You better!" She said, nodding her head and deciding to trust him.

She began to turn the other way and so did Gambit. Rogue hand slid down Gambit's, their hands almost gripping each other before their fingers slipped from the others.

Rogue ran off towards the exit. She came across a few men who were starting to get up as she did head out. She hit them over the head as she as did.

"Rogue, where are you?" Came Scott's voice through the link.

At that moment, Rogue was wrestling one of the men who had gotten up and tried to tackle her.

"I'm on ma way out!" Rogue called back, grunting through the link as she did.

"Do you need back up?" Scott asked, hearing the struggling in her voice.

"No!" Rogue screamed as she hit the man in the head with the end of the gun she still had. "I'm good." Rogue breathed more easily without the strain.

"Then you best get movin', Cherie." Came Gambit's voice.

Rogue huffed at that. Hadn't she just been the one to get him to pull his act together?

Rogue didn't argue back though, getting that, if she replied back with that, she'd embarrassed him.

Just as Rogue was about to step out into the open, a gunshot almost hit her. Rogue backed away, yelping.

"Scott, some cover over here would be nice." Rogue called out.

"On it!" Scott said and, just as he said, he was shooting at the men aiming to take Rogue down. An alarm had begun to sound though in the building.

"Shit!" Rogue muttered under her breath.

"Ya both need ta get outta there." Rogue called into the group chat, but was aiming mostly for Logan and Gambit.

"We're almost done. Worry about yourself stripes!" Logan called back.

He made Rogue want to argue, but Scott got her attention,

"Now Rogue!" Scott called, "Make a run for it!"

Rogue began to run. She was terrified as she ran the short distance from the building to the fence, but she was also full of adrenaline. She made it to outside the fence when Kurt appeared and teleported her back to the jet.

Rogue began to help settle in the new mutants, not wanting to stand around doing nothing while she waited for Gambit and Logan to come back. If she did that, she'd probably end up running back inside. She was wrapping a new, fresh bandage around some lady's arm when she heard Scott say:

"Wolverine, Gambit, come in. Where are you?"

There was no reply. Scott repeated his question. Rogue felt the blood in her veins begin to get thick with ice. She stopped what she was doing, moving towards the front of the jet to look out over the base. Just as she reached the front, she saw a part of the being explode.

Rogue gasped and held her hand over her face.

"Wolverine, Gambit, come in!" Scott snapped.

"Quit your yapin', would ya?!" Logan demanded. "The Cajun and I are fine. We're headin' out now. Keep your eyes peeled one eye. Might need to crave a new path."

"Where are you?" Scott asked.

Gambit then began to speak and Rogue let go of a breath she didn't realise she was holding. He was alive. And so was Logan. And they were getting out of there. But they weren't out of the woods yet. Rogue watched as Scott and Gambit worked together to destroy some of the building to get them out of there. Logan jumped out, taking many ground based guards out to clear them a path as they ran.

"Start up the jet!" One of the men called out.

Rogue glanced to her side. She slipped into the piolet's seat and began flicking buttons.

"Wait, you're going to fly?" Kurt asked Rogue.

"Yep, now buckle in!" Rogue demanded.

Kurt and Kitty looked at each other and them scrabbled.

"Everyone, buckle in now and hang on!" Kitty shouted, double checking that everyone was actually buckled in.

Scott and Psylocke entered the jet first.

"They're coming!" Psylocke shouted.

"Rogue, I can-" Scott began to say.

"No time. Strap in!" Rogue yelled, back.

She could see Gambit and Logan running to their jet. She began to hover, but not too far off the ground.

Gambit felt fearful when he saw the jet was hovering. He thought it was about to take off and leave them. But Logan didn't seem worried. Instead, he seemed used to this as he turned around, grabbed the back of his coat and throw him onto the stairs of the jet while saying, "Come on gumbo!"

Logan soon jumped up onto the ramp of stairs that was beginning to close as the jet was taken higher.

"Logan, Rogue's flying." Kitty squeezed.

"What?!" Logan shot back, "Stripes, get out-"

"Ya better sit ya back sit down and strape in else ya wanna be sayin' that from the back of the jet?" Rogue snapped.

Gambit heard the conversation, wasn't too sure what was meant by that, but slipped into the nearest seat and strapped in anyway.

Logan grunted and followed.

Rogue took off, dashing into the sky quickly. Gambit could kind of guess why the others were a bit unsettled about Rogue flying now. It did feel like she was a little rough around the edges.

But, they had done it.

As Rogue flew the jet as quickly as she could, making everyone fearful for their lives at her almost wreckless gliding, they left the prison on were on their way back to Bayville.