Recap: The X-Men talk over Joseph knowing about the bomb. Logan thinks it's surspious and that Joseph planted it, the others think he died a hero in the explotion. They then try rebuilding the underground area they have left of the mansion for cover from the Vampires. Rogue wakes up two days later after arriving at the LeBeau mansion. Tante comes into the room as Rogue wakes up and begins talking to Rogue. They end up talking about leaving with a house full of boy's that makes Rogue remember the mansion and having lost the X-Men. She questions if the thieves maybe able to find something for her, but Tante says that they're already complications at the moment for Rogue and the guilde. Tante says Rogue knows too much about the guilde and now there's three options, 1, go through tests to become a thief, 2, murdered, 3, marry into the guilde. Rogue and Tante talk about the current situation and the best move for Rogue to make. Rogue would like to do number 1 and train up as a theif, but because she needs to find her friends as soon as possible, Tante and Rogue know that it's going to have to be number 3, marrying into the guilde. Rogue is left in shock.

Chapter 20

Much later that day, Gambit sneaked back inside the thieves mansion. He was weak and limping as he climbed the stairs being as quiet as possible. Two days ago, the two professional thieves had finally got the explotion out of Gambit's neck somehow by using the remote to make sure the bomb didn't go off. But something went wrong in the surgury. Not as bad as it would have been if they didn't have the remote, but Gambit had been passed out and getting dizzy spells a lot. Slowly, he was getting his strengh back, but only slowly.

The day after they got it out, he'd spent all day sat besides Rogue, watching her as she went through nightmare after nightmare, only to calm down when he stroked her with his gloved hand.

But then the life of a thief had called for him and today he had had to face one hell of a challenge.

The lights flashed on. Remy felt tempory blinded. "Remy, there you are." Said Jean-Luc as he was coming down the stairs. "What you run off for today?"

Gambit rubs his eyes. Of all things, he didn't need this. He just wanted to make sure Rogue was alright and not having anymore nightmares then sleep himself. "You know why. Now let me pass."

But Jean-Luc grabbed Gambit's arm tightly. "You listen to me boy! You embarrised us thieves today out der. If you t'ink-"

"Remy, child, come here!" Yelled Tante Mattie from the very top of the stairs. Both Jean-Luc and Gambit looked up to her.

"He's busy." Jean-Luc shot back.

"But this is important. Remy she's awake." Tante said.

Gambit's eyes widened and he felt a sudden burst of energy which he managed to knock Jean-Luc off his arm and push past him to get to Tante, leaving Jean-Luc in the dust. On the way towards Rogue's room though, Gambit became nervious. He didn't know what had happened to Rogue and he didn't know what she knew. He didn't know what to expect or what to say or do. But his Tante didn't lighten her grip on his arm as she pushed him inside of the room where Merci and Henri were already besides Rogue's bed. All three looked up to Gambit as he entered. And she looked too.

All Gambit's painic left him as he saw those deep grey eyes. He noticed they were cold and dull again, but that was to be expected. It was still a shock which hit him hard though. But what also hit him hard and made his chest lighter was that when she saw him, something in her eyes eased and her eyes began to gain a little bit more of that green colour he liked and more warmth. Gambit moved forwards as Rogue sat up more in the bed, leaning towards the side where Gambit was coming from. The two embrassed each other in a close hug.

"Cher." Gambit mutter to her as he breathed in her scent.

"Remy." Rogue muttered back to him as she hid her head more in his shoulder as tears began to run down her eyes. Both were tired and both were safe and feeling more secure having the other in their arms.

"Merci. Henri. You two best leave them be now." Said Tante from the door. Merci and Henri did as Tante told them to and left with Tante's final words to Henri being "You've got to keep your pere away from dem for de time being." Befoer closing the door.

Gambit and Rogue just stayed like that for a while, until, finally Gambit's curiousity got the better of him. He moved away from Rogue, but still held her. "Cher, what happened?"

Tears ran freely down Rogue's face now. "T-They're..." Rogue looked away, not being able to cope with hearing the truth. Gambit saw her distress and began rubbing her arms to smooth her. "They're gone." She finally got out. "All of em."

Gambit's movements stilled. "All de X-Men?" Rogue said nothing. "How's that even possible?"

Rogue began shaking her head. She closed her eyes tightly as she breathed heavily. "It was ma fault."

Gambit was suprized by this. Then felt guilty. He couldn't meet her eyes as he put his head down in defeat. "No chere. It's not your fault."

"But it is! Ah confinced Kurt to teleport me and him to the Brotherhood's house when we shoulda stayed with the others back at the Morlock tunnels. Th- They came out of nowhere. Th-The Vampires. They came and they attacked us. Kurt got took out and ah barely managed to get us outta there alive. Ah went back to the tunnels with em, using his powers, but ah couldn't find the X-Men. Then ah teleported us back to the mansion, only to watch it blow up right in front of meh." Rogue cried some more and tried to find the courage to continue. "You...You were right about Joseph."

At this Gambit's head shot up to look at Rogue. She was still looking away from him, lost in a deep depression. This was something Gambit had feared. Rogue finding out the truth about Joseph. He wasn't just worried about her finding out his secret from Joseph, but he was also worried for her life, which looking at her now, she'd managed just to escape. He knew this was one of the risks of leaving her behind, but he prayed to God that she'd be safe. How could he have been so stupid as to just leave her and the X-Men alone like that? Why had he been so selfish?

"Ah figured out something was up with him when he found me and Kurt so easily where we were hidden. Then ah caught him out with the drinks and... And he's been puttin' something in ma coffee. He'd been puttin' stuff in ma coffee all along. He tried to make me drink some water; tried to drug me. But when ah said no, he snapped and attacked me. Started saying crazy things, like he was trying to help me." Rogue shuck her head. "Ah don't know what's goin' on with Joseph, but he ain't the guy ah thought he was. Ah ain't sure about anything with him anymore. Ah don't wanna even hear his reasons to why he's been druggin' meh... Ah've lost everyone Remy. He said the X-Men that were in the tunnels had been taken by Vampires. Ah don't know if ah can believe that or not and ah looked in the tunnels maself. And the rest of the X-Men... They were blown up long with the mansion... They're gone. They're all gone. It feels like ah've lost everyone Remy..."

Gambit looked back down to the floor, feeling very much above horrible and feeling sinister. Gambit felt like it was him who had set up all the X-Men and he would have lost Rogue too, if she hadn't managed to wiggle her way out of her attack. Gambit's hands moved down Rogue's shoulders to tightly squeeze her hands. "I'm so sorry ma cher." Gambit brought his head down towards her hands, tears of his own were forming. "I'm so sorry."

Rogue watched him, slightly bewildered, but she understood the pain. He shared her pain. Rogue took one of her hands back and began running her fingers through Gambit's hair. "They're all gone Remy. But the thing is, ah don't think they're dead." Gambit took in a sharp breath. "Ah'm gonna find em Remy. As soon as ah can, ah'm gonna do everything and anything ah can to find them all and protect them. Then ah'm goin' after Joseph to find out the truth of what he knows. That magnetic barrier thing can't keep me out forev-" Rogue stopped her talking as she'd brushed hair away from the back of Gambit's neck and there she saw it. A large red scar with cross stitchings to keep the long deep scar together. Rogue's eyes grew larger. The back of his neck was all red and looked painful. "Remy." Rogue gasped.

Gambit lifted his head up to meet her eyes. Rogue looked into them and was confused as she not only saw tears in his eyes but anger and determined passion. Gambit took both of Rogue's hands back into his, squeezing them tight as he looked her in the eye and said, "I promise you cher dat I'm gonna do all I can to help you and de other X-Men. And when I find that good for nothing, low life, scum I'm gonna rip his throat out and feed it to the pigs."

Rogue was shocked by what Gambit had said but was still a little more curious as to how he had gotten a very resent deep scar on his neck. Rogue remembered the last time she saw Gambit was when he left the Morlock, Sarah behind then dissapeared. Rogue was confused as to what could have happened to him from that time to now and why hadn't he told anyone where or what he was doing? "Remy, what's that scar at the back of your neck?"

Gambit's face dropped. A look of fear shone on those black orbs. Why was he so scared? "Remy?" Rogue took Gambit's head in her hands, protecting him from her skin by using his hair to block their skin to skin contact, and tilted his head towards her chest so she could see the scar again. "What's happened?"

Gambit was frozen. He felt Rogue's fingers inchies away from his neck. He felt her hand tazel his hair. He felt himself finally breaking from his numbness. Slowly, giving warning, he lift his head up so he was looking into Rogue's eyes. She looked down at him with worry in her eyes. Worry and fear for him. Gambit was scared. He was so scared to tell her. He didn't think he could tell her. But he knew she'd want to know. But what if she disowned him? What would he have left? He couldn't face losing her again. Not when she'd finally come to him. Not when she needed him and his family to keep her safe. Gambit's bottom lip shuck as he tried to think of something to say, when there was yelling outside the doors and the doors burst open. In stepped an angry Jean-Luc.

"Remy, ya don't walk away when I'm talkin' to ya!" Yelled Jean-Luc.

Both Gambit and Rogue just stared at Jean-Luc who had steam coming out from his ears.

"Jean-Luc-" Said Tante Mattie in a low hiss. They saw that Tante, Merci and Henri were stood behind Jean-Luc at the door.

"Don't Tante! Just don't! I want a word with moi filise and I'm gonna teach em he don't disrespect me in front of de assassins again!"

"Jean-Luc!" Tante gasped.

"No Tante! You mother de boy too much. It's why he's so much trouble. De boy's gotta learn to do what he's told!" Jean-Luc turned to move towards the bed where Rogue and Gambit were sat.

Rogue looked inbetween Jean-Luc and Gambit and saw Gambit's half irritated, half annoied, half upset face. Jean-Luc was getting to him again, she knew. Rogue turned back to Jean-Luc who now grabbed Gambit's coat, yanking him up. "Come on boy!"

"Jean-Luc." Rogue said. Jean-Luc sent her a look of hate and in that look was a warning to stay quiet. But Rogue only sat up straighter. "Jean-Luc, ah think it's time we had a talk."

"We'll talk when I say we're gonna talk." Jean-Luc snapped.

Rogue quickly reached out, grabbing Jean-Luc's arm before he could drag Gambit out the room. "But don't ya wanna know how I'm gonna keep your secrets?"

Jean-Luc's hold on Gambit got looser as he glared at Rogue. Gambit turned to face Rogue, painic rising within him. He hoped she wasn't bringing up the subject he was going to try and make her avoid. "I know how ya gonna keep our secrets. Ya gonna be shot through de flamin' head. Now come on Remy!-"

"You'd really go to all this trouble of keepin' meh alive just ta kill meh? Oh no Jean-Luc, ah know ya want meh workin' for ya. Ah seen your face when ya first saw me and saw what ah could do. You've been wantin' meh ta be part of your family for a long time now. You ain't gonna kill meh. Not unless ah refuse ya-"

"Cher, shut up!" Gambit hissed at Rogue. He didn't know how she knew all of this, but he knew that he needed to get the subject back onto him so he could bid Rogue time to escape from here. "Ya got moi attention Jean-Luc. What is it ya wanna say to me?"

Jean-Luc looked from Rogue to his son.

"Ya wanna know if ah'll become a thief don't ya?" Rogue tortented. Jean-Luc looked back to her, a rise of growing anger in his face.

"Hunn child, keep quiet-"

"All of you shut up!" Snapped Jean-Luc. The room went silent. Jean-Luc looked from Tante Mattie to Rogue. "Oui, I do wanna know if your gonna become a thief or not, but right now Rogue, I'm handlin' moi fillise. Ya've caused enough problems for us here, don't create anymore. Just do what your told and speak when ya spoke to girl! I'll be back for ya later."

Rogue glared right back at Jean-Luc. "This ain't the eighth centery, ya know." Rogue threw back her covers and kicked her legs over the bed. The pain showed on her face.

"Cher, don't." Gambit said, but he was unable to get out of Jea-Luc's hold.

Rogue stood up fully, putting on a face as she came face to face with Jean-Luc. "Ah ain't one of those girls ya can boss around and not give a damn about. Ah ain't even one of your thieves ta boss about. Ya ain't got no control over meh."

"Ya livin' in my home girl. Ya in debt and ya gonna do what ya told."

"No, ah ain't in debt. Me comin' here when ma life was in danger evens us out now. Ah saved yours and Remy's life. You thieves saved mine. We're equal. Ah don't owe you nothin' and you ain't got no control over what ah say or do. All ya can do is kill meh ta keep ya precious thieves guilde secrets."

Jean-Luc pushed Gambit aside as he turned his full attention to Rogue. "You got yourself a silver tongue there cher. Best be careful it dun't get you inta trouble."

"Ah'm already in trouble. Trouble worse than you and your thieves. Now, don't ya gotta chose what ya gonna do with meh? Figure out if ah'm a keeper or not. Well we both know the answer to that. But how ya gonna stop meh from spillin' ya secrets?"

Jean-Luc's eyes grew into small glaring orbs as he turned his head slowly towards Tante. "You already told de girl 'bout her options, haven't you?"

Tante nodded her head. Gambit didn't know if to be thankful to Tante for warning Rogue or resentful that she told her. Now Rogue was getting herself in deep mess just to save him from his pere's beating. "Well den, I don't have to explain t'ings to ya then." Said Jean-Luc to Rogue. They were still glaring at each other. "So girl, you up for the challenge of becoming a member of dis family?"

"Ah ain't and won't ever will be a member of your family Jean-Luc. Ah already got maself a family and you know that, don'tcha. Ah'm loyal to them. They come first. Even if that means spillin' the guildes secrets to protect them."

Gambit wondered what Rogue was doing. She was putting herself in a position where if she kept refusing then Jean-Luc would kill her. "Rogue." Gambit tried, but Jean-Luc just spoke over him.

"Well then, theres a problem. But I'm guessin' ya already know a way around dis, huh. You and Tante come up with de plan all by yourselves, non?"

Gambit was confused as to what Jean-Luc was saying. When he looked at Rogue and saw a twitch of hurt, he knew something was wrong. "If ya ain't gonna be a thief and give ya full loyality to dis family then ya gonna be forced ta care for dis family and it's secrets by marryin' inta de family and givin' tha guilde a child."

Gambit's eyes widened. "What?" He yelled, getting everyone's attention in the room, except Rogue's and Jean-Luc's who were both still glaring at each other feristly. Gambit, in his anger and utter betreyal of his father, moved to stand in front of Rogue, as if by standing between the two he was somehow protecting her. "Ya ain't got no right ta force Rogue ta marry anyone! She ain't no thief and has no bound dat says she's gonna marry someone. She ain't marryin' no one!"

There was silence as Gambit glared flames at Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc stood unfaced as he folded his arms and looked down on his son. His eyes then moved passed Gambit to the smaller figure behind him. "She's gonna marry inta the thieves guilde and produce an heir or she's gonna have her neck broken."

Gambit went for his father, grabbing him by his shirt and screaming in his face. "She ain't marryin' noone! Ya not ruinin' her life like ya ruinin' mine!" Jean-Luc thought against Gambit, but in the end both men ended up on the floor, with Gambit on top of Jean-Luc punching him madly. Rogue was horror struck as she watched this along with Merci. Henri rushed forwards to try and pull the two part. Tante was shouting for help down the corridor. Soon more thieves came into the room and helped Henri pull Gambit off Jean-Luc and drag him out the room. "Don't you dare t'ink ya gotta do a t'ing dat monster says cher! Ya ain't gotta do anything! Don't listen to em cher! Don't-" But Gambit was gone.

Jean-Luc pushed away the thieves trying to help him up. There was blood running down his face and he was breathing heavily. He wasn't in the best of moods either. As he stood up his anger eyes turned to Rogue. "You! You did dis! Your tearing dis family apart!"

Tante Mattie was buy Rogue's side, touching her shoulder and pushing her back behind her. "She ain't the one to blame here Jean-Luc. She's a vitcom!"

"Her, a victom? That girls too thick headed and sharp tongued to be a vitcom! She's de one messin' with Remy's head!" Jean-Luc yelled at them both.

"It ain't her fault!-"

"Yes, it is-"

"Dey can't help it if they're in love, Jean-Luc!"

Rogue looked to Tante with confused wide eyes. Rogue was unsure what to think to that statement. It couldn't be true. Wasn't true. But then, she didn't know. It confused her and embarresed her. Rogue became pale with red checks. Jean-Luc's anger seemed to leave him too and was replaced with a stomped confusion. He looked to Rogue seeing her reaction and realising what Tante was saying was right. Then he looked back to the firest looking woman. Jean-Luc let out somewhat of an irritated sigh. "Dey can't be together Tante and you know dat! Remy's already engaged to Bella Donna.I'm doin' the two a favour, the best I can. I'm tryna keep de girl alive but noone's makin' this easy."

Rogue turned to look at Jean-Luc then. Gambit was engaged? Rogue suddenly felt as if an arrow (a very large one) had hit her in the chest and now she was sinking. Rogue felt dizzy and sick as her stomach rolled. Gambit was engagged? He was going to get married? He was going to be forced to marry someone? But what if it wasn't a forced marriage? What if he actually loved this woman? Rogue felt small and alone as she pictured Gambit going off with some beautiful, kind, lovely woman and having babies and laughing and flirting and treating her as if she didn't exsist. All in that second, Rogue had gone through all those thoughts. Jean-Luc's eyes moved to look at her. They were still harsh, but, when they saw her, they softened and he looked down to her feet with somewhat of a sad frown picking at his lips.

"Rogue? Rogue, hunny child can ya hear me?" Tante said, taking Rogue's arm in her hands and gently shaking the girl. "Rogue?" Tante clicked her fingers in front of Rogue. Rogue blinked and lost her train of thought of how this might all be Jean-Luc's fault which was why he looked so guilty. Rogue looked at Tante who looked utterly devistated for Rogue. Tante took Rogue's checks in her palms and said. "Hunny child, I'm so sorry." With all thought out of Rogue's mind, Rogue didn't know what was happening. All she knew now was that in her mind she felt the cloud. She sensed it had grown stronger from her emotions. It was consuming her again. "Rogue, say somethin'?"

"Huh?" Rogue said in reply.

Tante looked close to tears. "Oh child." Rogue was then brought into an air crushing hug by Tante. Rogue looked down confused at the woman, then to Merci who looked just as upset as Tante whom stood by the door, then to Jean-Luc who leaned on one leg and just looked down to the floor with a ticked off look on his face. For some reason, when looking at him, although she couldn't remember anything, she felt her anger return. Rogue glared at Jean-Luc. Glared with looks that could kill.

"Oh, hunny child." Said Tante, coming out of the hug. Tante looked up at Rogue and saw her glaring murderously at Jean-Luc. Tante felt a sudden strange and dark auro. And it was coming from Rogue. Looking between Rogue and Jean-Luc, Tante mutter, "Leave us Jean-Luc."

Jean-Luc looked up at the woman, glaring. "Non, ya don't tell me what to do old woman." Jean-Luc stood up tall. "I'm in charge 'round here and I'm sick of people t'inkin' they can talk down to moi and not do what I say. She will marry into de family and, if needed, she'll be dragged there bound and gagged and she will marry who I chose for her. Till then," Jean-Luc moved to the inside of his trench coat's pocket, pulling out a thin, but long and strong rope which He approached Rogue with. Jean-Luc shoved Tante to one side and grabbed at Rogue's wrists. When he grabbed her wrists with his gloved hands something inside Rogue snapped. Rogue head butted Jean-Luc and just like Gambit, jumped on top of Jean-Luc only punching him harder than Gambit ever did. There was a scream from Merci and soon Rogue was dragged up off Jean-Luc by a large group of thieves and pinned to the bed. Jean-Luc got up off the floor and quickly moved to wrap the rope tightly around her wrists which a thief held her hands above her head, then tighted her to the bed frame. Rogue kicked and scream out her anger as she let her rage go. Rogue took out a lot of thieves and seriously injuried them. Jean-Luc called for more rope and even metal cuffs which he tied down Rogue's wrists and ankles to the bed frame.

"There!" Jean-Luc said, panting as he looked down at Rogue. "She ain't goin' no where." Jean-Luc turned to face the other thieves. "Do ya hear me? Dis fillie ain't goin' no where! No one is to untie her unless I give permission. Who ever disobeys me will face my wrath. Now get out all of you! Except you Theoren. Your on watch duty. The rest of you out!" Jean-Luc yelled, throwing everyone out, slamming the door closed and locking it behind him.

Theoren stood near the far end of the room, dumbfounded as he watched Jean-Luc lock the door. Finally he turned around to face the panting Rogue. She looked extremly angry and murderous towards the door. Theoren swolled down hard, moving to hold his side where she had kicked him. She had a powerful kick.