Disclaimer's: I don't own the X-Men. Nicoletta is a character of my imagination. This whole story is slightly out of tune to what happens in the comics. It has a surprise twist in it, maybe in Chapter 3 or 4. These will be short chapters. Please read and tell me if I should continue. Thanks!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I suppose I should give you the background for this story. We all know that when Gambit is left in Antarctica, he somehow comes back to the X-Mansion. I'm honestly not sure how, but he does. What if he didn't? What if he was... DEAD? How would it effect the X-Men, especially Rogue, who loved him and had to leave him to die? Read and find out...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It's been 20 long years since Remy LeBeau (Gambit to friends and foe alike) was left to his certain death in Antarctica. The effect it had on the X-Men was traumatic.

Rogue was the first to leave. Even though everyone knew that Remy wanted to be left out there, Storm heaped guilt onto Rogue's already tormented conscience and drove her away. Rogue also left because she wanted to. There were too many memories at the Mansion.

Jean and Scott moved out next. They stayed close and still taught at the school, though. They just wanted some more privacy. After a few years, they had a son and left the school for good.

Storm was heartbroken over the loss of her friend Remy. She left soon after Jean and Scott. She didn't tell anyone where she was going, and no one has heard from her since.

Beast left to become a practicing doctor, his dream. The Professor helped him get into a university that accepted mutants and he graduated from there to become a real doctor. He kept in touch with the Professor often.

The students slowly graduated and drifted away. The ones who stayed to be teachers didn't stay too long. Some of them returned to their native countries and some stayed in the USA. The Professor couldn't keep track of them all.

Surprisingly, Logan, the great wanderer, stayed. The Professor and he stayed at the school. They took in a few new mutants every now and then, but soon, they gave it up and closed the school. Cerebro was put away and Logan and the Professor stayed alone at the school

This is when our story begins. These were the conditions under which Nicoletta came to the school. Why was she here? Who was this young girl with the haunting power and secretive past?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cryptic, I know, but I hope it got your attention! If you read on, I think you'll like it. I hope you will, anyway. Please read!