Anyone who can find it in their hearts to forgive me for not putting a chapter up in a long time please read on. There is really no excuse, other than school, and laziness, although writers black may explain about a month of that…

Disclaimer: *pulls up shirt sleeve. See tattooed there:* Any and all characters in this story exclusively belong to marvel comics. I own none of them. Aw, look. "I love mum…"

On with the show:

Chapter 12

Red eyes glared out of the darkness in Marrow's dream… the red eyes which had haunted her forever without her being fully conscious of them. They matched the redness of the fire which was currently searing the flesh of her family. Heat brought blisters bubbling to the surface of her skin, large rings of them around the bones which erupted from deep within her. These bones were black as pitch, charred to a useless coal. Callisto stood in front of the little girl, surveying in sadness the horror… right before a marauder impaled her on a bayonet.

"No… nononono…"

Red eyes attached to strong arms… Ahhh… not him… it can't be… friend… NO!

"Wake up, mutant of Xavier. You are needed." A deep voice intoned, the words burning into Sarah's dream world with the force of a giant blow. It jolted her awake, as if she had been electrocuted.

He smiled contemptuously.

"Good morning wench."

"What the f…"

"That is enough. You will not speak to me, disgusting genetic defect."

Marrow spat full in his face, while the sentry raised an outraged hand to strike her. 

The blow struck hard.

Of course, Marrow would not show pain. Besides, how in the world could THAT have been any worse than pulling out her femur?

Raising her chin in a way that rivaled the sentry's own contempt for her, she jutted her jaw, although her blood flowed freely  down her face from many anonymous wounds. He struck her again, and again, trying to purge the information that he needed from her. Her eyes assumed a glass-like quality, like the safety eyes that one might find on stuffed toys for very small children, as she made believe that she did not even hear him. Bruises snuck up along her cheekbones, one eye turned a dangerous purple and began to swell shut, while blood flowed freely from a dozen different cuts and gashes, which were arranged quite artfully over her face neck and chest. No matter. They always heal.

"Screw this." He picked up a two way radio.

"The mutie whore is refusing to talk. Requesting permission to return to marauder base. Over."

"Roger that, sentry. Permission granted. Over."

  Marrow's mouth dropped open, and the sentry grinned a cold, hard grin. Marrow thought aimlessly, while trying to control her jaw, that grin would be worthy of the devil himself.

"So, you've heard of the marauders, have you, girl?"

He laughed grimly before turning and heading for an exit that was dimly visible through the dimness of the small room in which she was being kept.

The door was thrown open, and Marrow's pupils dilated painfully, and just as slowly as they had adjusted to the newfound light in the room, was she forced to make yet another change, as the light was snatched away in a whirlwind of movement.

Back at the mansion:

Two pairs of glowing eyes, red and gold pierced the dark of the rec. room, along with the many normal ones. The only light came from the TV, to which everyone's eyes belonged. Pale light illuminated faces, and caused strange, moving shadows to circle and dance around the area.

{Shunk}

"Like, oh my God!"

Kitty was suddenly clasping a blue furry hand in fright, as badly-portrayed fake blood poured inside the small electronic universe. Kurt just smiled.

Although Gambit's eyes did belong to the silver screen, his mind was anywhere but. Sarah's hateful words filled his mind with shame, self-hatred, and the guilt which had been haunting him for all of these many years tore at his heartstrings. Had Remy not been taught from an early age not to show emotion, he would have buried his face within his arms, and wept for all that he was worth. Which right now, he decided, was not much.

Clearing the haze which clouded his senses, (and also enabled him to think whilst men with axes ran around killing people within the box in front of him) Remy rose heavily from his seat, and walked out of the door, tails of his trench coat flapping loosely behind him. Rogue glanced after him, and then on an after thought stood up and ran after him.

"Remy, where y'all goin'?"

"Remy goin' to find Sarah, chere. He need to talk wid' her."

"Can ah come."

Silence swirled palpably between the two for a moment, before Remy reached out and grasped her gloved hand. Rogue drew back on instinct, but Remy held on, desperate for someone to talk to.

"Chere…  listen. Promise not to breathe a word of dis to anyone else."

"Remy…"

"PROMISE."

"Fine—if  it means so much to ya… what?"

"Remy hurt Sarah bad chere."

This time Rogue really did draw back.

"What?"

"Remy kill her family.  Dat was de only family she had ever known… and Remy destroy dat for a price. He destroy so many lives, chere…. So much blood on his hands.  Sarah is a mental mess because of Remy, and he ain't ever going to forget dat."

"You… killed…"

"It was Gambit who led de marauders down into the tunnels where de morlocks lived. He din' know dat de marauders were gonna KILL the morlocks when he consented to be their guide, but dats's no break for his conscience. He as good as killed them chere, and he gonna do anything to make it right."

Assemble the x-men. Marrow's missing.

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Please stay tuned for the next installment, coming next week! Please reward my muse for blasting away that nasty writer's black by reviewing me! Please…