Standing on a cliff in Isreal, Rogue contemplated the end of the world. Not even most of the people she loved were aware that the world was about to be destroyed, and how she wished she had them with her right now. Mystique, the mother she had never wanted, members of the other X-teams, and most of all Remy all stood out in her mind as she wished she had a chance to give them one last good-bye. Almost as if her thoughts had brought him, Gambit appeared behind her, watching the sky over her shoulder. "What y' t'ink it's gonna look like, chere?" He whispered into her ear, and she turned suddenly to find his arms encircling her waist.

Resting her forehead against his chest she let out a sigh. "Ah haven't the slightest idea, Remy." She looked up into his eyes, and noticed for the first time the fear lurking back there somewhere. "Ah'm scared." She admitted simply, and he held her closer wishing with all his might that he could protect her from this.

"Me too, chere." Remy whispered into her hair. "Y' know dat speech da Prof gave made me t'ink." He looked down at her, and used one gloved finger to tilt her chin up towards him. "Dis is de time t' spend wit de people y' love." He sighed and looked away from her for a second, then back. The power in his eyes almost made her gasp. "Remy always been afraid he'd die alone on some street corner, and nobody'd care. If I had t' choose one person t' die wit, it wouldn' be you, chere." The last comment made her gasp, but he shushed her with a finger and looked deeper into her eyes. "I'd want ya t' live. But since I ain't got a choice, y' de only person here I'd want t' die wit. I love you, ma belle cherie."

Rogue's eyes smiled up at him in answer, and as the crystal wave appeared over the horizon Remy kissed her as passionately as he could.

* * * * *

It was after this that the memories got rough, lost that happy feeling that most of the former ones held. By now the sobs were ripping through her body, and it was only through sheer forced of will that she hadn't walked back toward the mansion yet. It was Bobby's voice that broke her out of her reverie. "C'mon Rogue, it's time to go."

"I can't." she whispered, clawing desperately at the iron rungs to the gate. "There's so much here."

"Child." Storm said softly, kneeling down next to her. "Those things you remember happened here, but they are forever stored in your heart. Being here does not change that."

"I know that Storm." Rogue cried. "My head knows that, but it's so hard."

"Chere." The word floated through her, and the voice speaking it wrapped her up in a warm blanket of love. "Dere's nothin' to go back to dere." She hadn't seen him earlier, but now he stood in front of the whole team: Scott, Jean, Logan, Bobby, Warren, Hank, Storm, Betsy, Kurt, Kitty, Piotr, and even the Professor and Ilyana. "Most of us are here, chere. And dose dat aren't, dey'll come soon enough." He knelt down in front of her, wiping the tears off her face. "Come with us Rogue, de living world ain' no place for de dead. An', corny as it may sound, dere's a mansion in de sky waitin' for ya."

Without a word she took his hand, and as a family they turned away and faded into the night.

* * * * *

"Sam!" Jubilee called from the mansion steps, get inside, it's late, and like, your fav show is on!" Peering through the gate once more, Sam was sure he'd seen them. All in their colors, proudly watching over the mansion. It had only been three days since they'd buried Rogue. Probably one of the hardest things he'd ever done. The thought tickled at the back of his mind, *Maybe they came to take her home.*