~news and notes, thanks to Fleur for being the ONLY person to review..I really appreciate it, haha. And I don't wish to sound like a bitch, but really...there are HORRIBLE fics out there that get reviews, and I am just here...with nothing. It sucks, it really does.

But as a wise person once advised me.......I'm not doing it for you! I'm doing it for me.

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L'homme de la mort

Part 3.

ReBirth

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She was freezing. Her body was raw, and quivering in pain. What happened? Where was she? Those were questions Aimée did not know the answer to; all she knew right then was pain. Her eyes flashed open. She was in a room, it was dark, dim candles lighting every corner, and her body was lying on some sort of table. Her hands and feet were bound.

"I wouldn't move if I were you," A man stepped in front of her, he had a gun aiming down at her forehead, "After what you've been through, its gonna hurt." He was older than her, but not by much. His face was long and structured, as if it was chiseled from stone, the only flaw being a long scar along his cheekbone. His hair was a dark brown to match hers, his eyes an icy gray with hints of blue. A goatee had formed on the end of his chin. The man had a look of wildness about him, though his hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Aimée felt her heart wrench, he reminded her of Didier.

"Just gonna stare darlin'?" "What else is there to do? Glare down the barrel of your gun perhaps?"

He smirked at that last one.

"Feisty one aren't we? Well, I quite like that in a girl."

"Where am I? Why did you take me from my team?"

"Team!? Now here I was expetin' a thank you, and ye' all ready t'leave without a second thought, manners woman, you should learn some."

Aimée sneered at him; she could feel the rage boil up inside of her.

"Bastard! I have nothing to thank you for!"

"Bah! I wouldn't speak with such a sharp tongue, m'lady. I could kill you now if I wished."

"You would have already, your waiting for someone. Who?"

"I work for myself, and myself alone."

"Then what was the point of capturing me?" "Why do you ask so many questions?"

"Why don't you answer?"

He snorted and sat back in his chair, kicking his feet up and resting the gun on the table.

"Please my friends will be worried, just tell me what you want."

"I need your help." "Ha, coming from the man with a gun to my head!"

"It was the only way I could reach ye!, besides, I did rescue you. You'd still be dead if it weren't for me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nevermind it." Aimée stared at him for a moment, she was confused, and not exactly comfortable.

"I think I need to go to a hospital, my neck, it hurts real bad." "I think you should wait until you get back to your friends."

"So you're letting me go?"

"No, I told you, I need your help"

"With what?"

"Protecting my life."

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"Ah got down here as soon as ah could! What's the emergency?" Rogue yelled upon landing, Cyclops had called her and Logan down.

"Rogue, Aimée's been captured, Gambit's already on the move, I'm sure you and Logan will find him."

"captured!?"

"Well, we're not sure, but Jubilee and I will return Gabrielle to the mansion, give us a call if you need help." "Yes, come on Wolverine!" She yelled, picking him up and taking flight again.

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"He wants t'make me part of his 'team'" Gabriel sighed, "I just ran, I didn't know what he was talking about . . . but the last time people found out what I could to, well, it wasn't pretty." He had undone her bindings, and tossed away the gun, explaining that he only did it so she wouldn't run away. Gabriel was looking for help, and when he saw Cyclops and the others in action, he knew that they were like him . . . mutants.

"That's why we came here today, we have to protect another mutant named Gabrielle, she's a time turner."

"I never knew there were people out there like me." Aimée smiled, he was sweet, and even with the gun, ridiculously attractive.

"There are lots."

"Are you a mutant?"

"Yeah, but if I showed you what I could do, it might put you in a coma." He looked confused, "My mother, she drains life forces, uhhh, she makes them unconscious, takes their memories, and in mutant's cases, their powers."

"How?"

"When she touches them." Gabriel gently ran his finger across her cheek.

"I can touch you."

"Yeah, but that's because my mutation, is more evolved, I can touch skin to skin."

"That's a good thing." He whispered, leaning in closer.

"Yeah" She breathily replied, feeling his hot breath on her cheek. They both leaned in close, their lips barely an inch apart, their eyes locked together . . . "BAM!" There was an explosion, and before the pair knew what had happened, 3 people had flooded the room.

"Aimée!" Her head shot up at her mother's voice. Yes, it was Rogue, and Gambit, and Wolverine.

"Who the hell are you?" Gabriel snarled, jumping to his feet.

"I'd like to ask you the same thing, bub." "Why don' y'jus' step away from de daughter an' we can discuss dis like men." Remy sneered, pulling out his bo-staff as Wolverine unleashed his claws.

"Gladly" he replied, reaching for the gun.

"Oh no ya'h don't! This 'll be a fair fight!" Rogue yelled, kicking the gun out of his hand.

"Yeah 3 against one, that's real fair."

"Hey don't you worry shugah! ah could take ya'h by ma'hself!"

"STOP!" Aimée yelled, her hands balled up into fists as she stood in front of Gabriel.

"What are you doing? We can take 'em." "No Gabriel, I'm afraid we can't, people with active powers are dangerous."

"Move kid! I'm gonna cut this bum into ribbons."

"sure midget! I'd like t'see ye' try!" Rogue put her hand out to silence them, and frowned at her daughter. "Aimée, do ya'h know this man?"

"Yes, I mean no, well, kinda."

"Not well enuff' f'me." Gambit shouted, reaching for his deck.

"Papa, please."

"These are you're parents?" "Yeah, except for the short one, that's Logan, Gabe listen."

"Hey! I may be small but I got a lot pent up anger, an' I'm just waitin' fer to let it out." Aimée raised her hands to her temples and took a deep breath, then turned to face Gabriel. "They're a part of the Xmen, the team I told you about? Professor Xavier is the leader, he's the one who can help you."

"Help him with what?"

"His powers, mama, Mr. Sinister wants him too."

"Yeah well a kidnapper would fit right in wit Sinister's crowd."

"Papa please! Let me just show you." A cockroach scurried by Aimée's boot, smiling she smashed it under her heel, "Gabriel, show them."

Gabe smiled his cocky grin and smoothed back his hair. He outstretched his hand painfully and place it over the cockroaches body, and his eyes rolled back into his head. The trio watched in amazement as silvery whisps floated out fro his fingertips, and into the insect's body. After about a minute, the smashed bug began to move, it was alive. "Oh!" Rogue yelled, clapping loudly while her husband just stared, he almost looked frightened. "Dat's not natural"

"Yeah mate, but I could say the same thing about you no?" Gabriel smirked, noting the eyes. Gambit just snarled in response, reaching for Rogue's arm to move her away from the mutant.

"He needs to see the professor."

"Then we'll take him, all mutants ah accepted at Xavier's" Rogue returned Aimée's smile, and turned to her husband, he was still staring at the bug.

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Jean came with the jet to pick them up, and the Xmen piled in.

"Picking up hitchhikers Logan?" She giggled.

"He's gotta see the prof'" he simply replied, taking the seat beside her. Rogue and Gambit sat down in another pair of seats while Aimée and Gabe went to the back hull (Evo Jet, you know that back room thing?).

"SO this mutant, Gabrielle? She's already at the mansion."

"Should be, why?"

"Curious, I guess." Gabe replied, smoothing his hair.

"I'm sorry about my family, they're just really protective, I hope they didn't scare you."

"Scare me? psh! I once dated one of the Czar's daughters."

"The Romonav sisters? But that's nearly a century ago."

Suddenly looking skittish, Gabe let out a nervous laugh.

"Did I say Czar? I meant president."

"Oh, gotchya, but Gabriel, who said anything about dating?"

"Well . . ."

"You kidnap me and now your asking me out!?"

"Ye' a very attractive girl Aimée, its hard not to resist." She blushed. It was something she heard often, but the way he said it made her heart beat a little faster. "Aimée? Can I see ye'h fo' a moment?" Gambit stuck his head in the door.

"Sure papa"

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"I got a present fo' you." "ooh!" she smiled, looking for a box or a bag.

"Non, here close y'eyes." Aimée did as she was told, suddenly something heavy was placed on her shoulders.

"Open 'em" Gambit's signature trench coat was placed on her shoulders.

"Papa?"

"Dat t'ing got me through a lot, ah got another one back at de mansion, but dis one, dis one's special. M'first one actually, ah figured y'might like it." Aimée looked down at the tattered brown jacket and smiled.

"Its great! merci beacoup, I love it." She replied, pecking him on the cheek and leaning into a strong embrace.

"Well, it needs a little fixin' up, but I'm sure y'can do that. Jubes said y'were complainin bout' not havin' a costume. See d' sleeve got slashed by one o' dem Marauders." He spoke into the soft waves of her hair.

"Why do you flinch when you say that word?" She asked, withdrawing from the hug and folding the trench coat across her arm.

"Aimée I don' want t'talk about dat right now."

"You never wanna talk about it."

"You just be careful, I don' want y'dealing with dem no more." Aimée looked towards the ground, she had a feeling that her father's ties to Mr. Sinister ran deeper than she knew. "Aimée . . ."

"What?" "I'm concerned about dis boy."

"What are you talking about?"

"He sounds-I just"

"Please don't tell me this is when you go all protective on me, you know I don't like that."

"Non, just listen t'me," He looked panicked now, and Aimée could see the beads of sweat on his forehead, "People who control de dead aren' natural! Dere's something very wrong wit dat boy, he's fuckin' wit fate, An' y'juss' ain't supposed t'do dat." "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don' trust him and ah don' want y'hangin' around him when we get back to de mansion."

"I can't believe this! Do you think that you have ANY right to decide whom I spend my time with? I'm having this conversation, I'm nearly 19, and I trust him, whether you do or not. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone to attend to." Spinning on her heel, Aimée retreated into the backroom, leaving Gambit with a worried expression on his face.

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"Yes, yes m'lady, okay" Gabriel clicked off the cellphone and laid back on the stowaway couch. He was just getting comfortable when the door opened.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I was just waiting for you to come back."

She blushed again.

"What was all that about?"

"My father, he was acting strange." "Is that a Cajun accent?"

"Yeah, New Orleans."

"I used to date a Cajun girl, wild she was."

"You seem to have a lot of girls." She laughed, "Got a girlfriend now?"

"Are you takin' me up on my offer?" Aimée just smiled wider, "I don't have a girl right now, my last relationship didn't work out so well." "oh,"

"So this place? It's a school?"

"Institute."

"No offense, but it sounds kinda dull."

"I guess it is, but don't worry. I'll show you a good time."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I'd expect nothing less."

and then she kissed him.

~ Aimée gets ALL the guys! -Foo