Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I will explain why no one else recognized that Remy and Gambit were the same. Also, He had on a mask when he broke into the institute, so that is why Storm didn't recognize him.

Please let me know if you would like me to play up the sayain angle more or just leave it as it is. This is your chance to influence the story! Once more thank you! Have fun reading.

Chapter 7

"So your saying that this 'Mr. Sinister' hired you to come to Bayville and sow discord among my students?" the professor asked evenly, looking closely at Gambit for any hint of deception. They were all seated in the library now, listening intently to his story.

"Dat's right, mon ami. De old divide and conquer bit," he responed matter of factly. He glanced quickly around the room again, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. He had noticed when they first entered that Wolverine had placed himself between Remy and the door. He hadn't moved since, just glowered at the thief with his arms folded over his chest. Ororo had taken a seat next to Rogue, and both were staring at him in barely concealed shock.

"What was his plan for us then?" Xavier's question brought his gaze sharply back to the wheelchair bound man. He could tell that Gambit didn't trust telepaths. He probed gently at the edges of his mind, which was difficult to find even though he was sitting right in front of him. His questing thoughts encountered a black wall, and he brushed lightly against the hard, marble like surface, tracing it's contours lightly, trying to ascertain if there was a weakness.

Gambit felt the feather light touch on psychic shields and twitched involuntaritly. He glared at Xavier as he felt irrational anger begin to rise. He knew these people had no reason to trust him and every reason to fear him, but that didn't make any difference. He leaned forward in his chair and pulled his shades down with one finger, looking straight into Xaviers eyes with his own burning red pupils. Dat's far enough, he broadcast mentally, while answering out loud. "De're plan was to attack de institute and kidnap as many of de students as possible. Dey 'specially interested in Scott and Jean... and Rogue." He glanced quickly at her, feeling a stab of guilt as he saw the fear rising in her green eyes.

"I see," the professor said, surprise evident in his voice. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you telling us this? Why help us?"

Remy's eyes locked onto the floor. "I was given de job under false pretenses. Dey told me dat de're only be you and de students. I broke in because I needed to learn more 'bout de two adults I wasn' told 'bout. When I saw Stormy," he smirked at her look of exasperation. In the short time he had been speaking with them he had learned their code names and had adopted them, in his own fashion, "I knew dat dey didn' tell me 'bout her 'cause I wouldn' have taken de job." He looked up at Storm then swept his gaze back to the professor, lingering almost imperceptibly on Rogue. "She my friend. Dat's why."

"Who's they, kid?" Wolverine spoke for the first time since they had entered the room. Everyone in the room except Remy started at the unexpected sound of his voice.

Remy looked right at him as he replied. "Sinister's got a group of mutants he calls de Marauders. Got some nasty character in de're. Scalphunter, Sabertooth, Vertigo..."

"Wait a second," Wolverine interrupted him. "Sabertooth?"

"You know him, mon ami?"

"We are familiar with Sabertooth, yes." Xavier answered, again taking charge of the conversation. "Now, Gambit. You've shown remarkable control over your mutant abilities. How did you learn that?"

"Necessity," he answered shortly. "Now, if dat's all, I bettah get goin'." He got up to leave.

Wolverine uncrossed his arms with a warning growl. "I don't think so, bub."

"You are, of course, free to leave at any time," the professor said calmy into the tense silence. "In fact, I believe Ororo has the staff you left behind on your last 'visit'. Quite a fascinating device. I was hoping however that you would consider staying with us for at least a short while.

Everyone in the room stared at him in complete shock, then Gambit started laughing and all eyes turned to him. "Dat gotta be de best joke I heard in months, mon ami. Remy back in school. Non, can't see dat happenin', thanks all de same. I'll just be goin' now b'fore claw boy burst a vessel." He nodded at Wolverine, who was staring red faced at him. He picked up Storms hand and bowed low, kissing the backs of her fingers. "I see you again, chere." Then he gave a small, almost shy smile to Rogue and walked to the doors.

"Just hold it right there, bub." Logan said, reaching out and grabbing his left arm.

Gambit gave a samll gasp and quickly wrenched his arm free. He tried to act as if nothing had happened but Storm stood up and quickly walked over to him. "Remy, you're still hurt. Why didn't you get this taken care of yet?" she asked, touching his arm lightly.

"Now Stormy, it's not'in more den a scratch. B'sides, I couldn' be late for school, now could I. Den I'd miss all de belle femmes." He shot Rogue a suave smile and quickly ducked out the door.

Rogue scowled at his retreating back. Inwardly she thrilled at his compliment, while at the same time still seething at his betrayal. She had opened herself up to him, more so than she had to any other person who wasn't a student here, even more than some of them, and he had turned out to be the enemy. But it seemed that no matter how hard she tried to fight it there was a bond between them. He seemed to somehow understand her and what she was going through better than the others. Ah don't care one bit whetha' he stays or goes. That boy ain't nothin' but a swamp rat. Ah don't see how he was evah friends with Miss Munroe.

"Rogue," Xavier broke in on her musings. "I think that perhaps you should be getting back to school. It will be lunch time soon and the others are likely to wonder where you are."

"But..." she broke off, shoulders slumping in defeat. There was no mistaking the note of dismissal in the professors voice. She despondently made her way outside to the front steps of the mansion to wait for one of the adults to drive her to school.

"Well, if dat ain't de saddest face ah ever seen since Julien found out I was datin' his sister Belle."

Startled, Rouge spun around to find Gambit leaning casually against the wall of the mansion, smiling calmly at her as if her didn't have a care in the world. "What are ya still doin' here, swamp rat?" she asked harshly.

"Just waitin' to see if the belle gotta ride to de ball, chere. No harm in dat, is dere?" he asked smugly, smiling an innocent smile only slightly spoiled by the hint of a swagger as he walked toward her. When Rogue flinched back slightly he stopped, looking closely at her. "I ain' gonna hurt ya chere. I'm on your side now, 'member?

"Ah don't trust ya." she said flatly, looking him straight in the eyes, or where she thought his eyes would be, covered by his sunglasses.

He looked at her for a moment, then smiled sardonically. "Dat's a good ting, chere. You don' trust someone, den dey can' let you down." He turned and started down the steps, heading for his bike.

Rogue hadn't missed the bitterness in his voice, and it struck a cord in her. She followed him down the steps, irrationally angry at him for it. "Why don't you evah take off those stupid glasses? It's not like we don't know your secret." she said, trying to goad him into a reaction.

He turned around and looked back at her, his face expressionless. "Why don' you take off dose gloves, chere?" he asked her quietly.

"If I take off mah gloves, someone could get hurt." she snarled back, her temper rising.

"Dey all know your secret. Ain't none o' dem gonna let you hurt dem. I tink you jus' scared to open yo'self up to anyone. I know all 'bout hidin', and you seem ta be pretty good at it." He threw the last comment over his shoulder as he climbed onto his bike. Any response she might have made was drowned out by the sound of his motorcycle as he revved the engine and peeled off down the driveway.

Rogue stared after him, watching the cloud of dust he kicked up trail off towards the town and trying to ignore the stinging in her eyes. What does that swamp rat know anyway. she thought as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She quickly scrubbed it away with a sleeve. He's got no right to talk to me like that. He doesn't even knows me.

"Don't listen to him, kid." she heard Logan's low voice come from behind her. "He ain't got any idea what he's talking about." Privately he thought that Gambit had a point, Rogue needed to open up more to the others, but he knew from personal experience that it was easier said than done. His thoughts drifted to a certain white haired teammate. Don't even go there, bub, he thought to himself. She's a lady if there ever was one. Ain't got nothing in common with a back woods amnesia case like you. He shook his head to clear it. "You ready to go back to school now?"

"Yeah, ah guess," she mused silently for awhile. "Logan, do ya think he was right? About if ah took of my gloves, ah mean." She looked up at him curiously, almost pleadingly.

Oh great, how come I gotta get stuck with a conversation like this. Ain't my lucky day, that's fer sure. He thought about her question for a few moments. "I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I wouldn't have a problem with it." He gave her one of his rare half smiles. "With you being able to crush marble with your hands now I don't see how it makes much difference. We all know you can be careful."

She looked up at him for a few moments longer, then returned his smile with one of her own. "Thanks," she said simply.

"No problem kid."

They rode the rest of the way to school in silence, neither of them noticing the shiny black Harley Parked next to the fence surrounding the water tower as they drove by in the distance. Gambit looked down at them as they drove past. He liked to come up here to think. It always helped to clear his head, as if somehow the clarity of a view uncluttered by trees and buildings were connected with clarity of thought. He knew he shouldn't have gotten involved with them. It was unprofessional and sloppy. But she's my friend. I can't let my friend get hurt, not 'cause o' me. In his minds eye the picture of Storm changed, the hair becoming darker, except for two streaks in the front, the eyes turning green. He sighted heavily. I tol' her true. You don' trust someone, den dey can' hurt ya. Shoulda tol' myself de same ting. He smiled bitterly, finally realizing that he truly was involved in their lives now. Not just his body, but his heart as well.