Sunlight poured out from the sky above, blocking her vision in a torrent of intense white rays. It was almost as blinding as the darkness that she had escaped through not seconds before. But neither was as blinding as the pain.
All she had needed was to taste fresh clean air before she allowed her body to stumble and fall down towards the dew-drenched ground below, where it stayed down.
It could have been minutes later, it could have been hours, but nothing happened for what felt for an eternity after that desperate, close cut escape.
Smoke drifted down from a breeze into her nostrils and distant explosions dominated over the sounds around her. She didn't know what they were, what was happening; to be brutally honest she didn't really care. If given the chance she would have quite happily stayed where she lay and rested on the cold damp grass in the cooling breeze that carried the smoke for hours to come. But someone stopped her from enjoying that blissful tranquillity.
Another body fell to her left with a heavy thud and she finally brought forth the will to lift her head up and cast her eyes over to her side to take in her surroundings and now her company. It was not who she was expecting.
"So, this is 'she' then?"
She felt the sun fade away as his shadow cast itself over her fallen body.
"Dat is she oui. She bein' Sage."
Storm laughed, then choked and coughed. She tried forcing herself up with her arms, managing to lift her torso but her legs felt numb beneath her, lifeless almost. Gambit helped her up the rest of the way and held her under his arm closely.
She rivalled him in height, only missing the top of his head with her own by a few centimetres. This allowed almost unavoidable eye contact.
"What you said earlier…"
He managed to break the contact, if only for a second, and faltered in his reply.
"It' true you know, it be why ah was so desperate to find you, jus' never told anyone else. Well Rogue knows, but she aint told anyone either, ah made her promise."
He smiled sadly and she back, lowering her head almost shyly. At their feet the one he dubbed Sage stirred.
"Didn't you eva wonder 'bout you' mother?"
Storm shook her head, sighing a little. "She's the one that dumped me with my dad, why would I look for her?"
Remy shrugged then dug at Sage's side with his toe. "Looks like we might be getting' some answers dis time…"
He froze; she could feel him tensing in his hold on her.
"What dat?"
Storm lifted her eyes from Remy's toe and felt across her hot face a sudden breeze, an unnatural one with a low humming of engines to accompany it in sound. The breeze became a strong wind and the strong wind a near full-blown gale in just seconds.
They clung to each other now, the only anchors they could find in the sudden violent outburst of wind. Above the roar Storm bellowed to Gambit but her questioning words fell on deaf ears as he squeezed his eyes shut and swore at the hurricane.
The Patrol was making their exit.
From behind their position at the base of the hill that dwarfed the mansion a black beast of an aircraft began to ascend into the wind swept sky dominating the blue wash with its inky black metallic gleam.
The downdraught forced both to their knees as they shielded themselves from flying derbies and dirt that skimmed their skin all the same.
With a fiery blast from the twin engines, the heat prickling their skin, the ship shot away and not seconds later was gone and with it the gales.
Slowly, shakily, Storm and Gambit uncoiled from their huddled ball together and gazed upwards. The sky was once again clear and the air still.
"Nice hair."
Storm frowned then touched on her waist length hair, which was now elaborately decorated with tangles and twigs, amongst other things. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged, pulling out a couple of clumps of mud.
"Can't look any worse than after an all-nighter on the job."
He shrugged back in fairness then stood up, extending his hand for her to take.
"Ah jus' hope de others faired up as well 'gainst de enemy."
One week later
The silky black sky that had descended over the heavens of New York cast with it a refreshingly cool night, something that could be felt even through the sturdy walls of the old Victorian mansion.
A spread of dusty purple bed sheets lay hanging loose across the torsos' of two nestling women, not quite asleep, but hardly wide-awake either.
Phoenix rested her weary head on Storm's naked shoulder, running her long, perfectly shaped red nails across the tight bandages that still protected the gash wounds of her only true friend. Apart from her black briefs, it was all Storm wore across her body under the sheets.
She entwined her fingers in Phoenix's blaze of vibrant orangey red hair, smiling contently to herself as she did.
"So…I guess this is where I swallow my enormous ass pride and say in all sincerity, you were right."
Phoenix tilted her head up, taunting Storm with mock shock in her intelligent green eyes. "Say what now? Well, that's a first from you."
"Well maybe that's the first time you've ever been right."
She shook her head, resting it back on her partner's shoulder. "Always ready with an answer, eh?"
"Too true."
For a long while they were quiet, basking peacefully in the warmth of their close bodies and the coolness of the breeze that past in through the large bay window. For the first time in a long time their stomachs didn't ache with starvation and their nerves didn't jump every time they heard a noise. They felt security and ease and not just in each other's hold.
But the decision to stay was by far not definite. Last week had given them a scare and even Storm was not ashamed to admit that. Still had they been on their own would they still have been found by the Patrol? If that was a yes then they would surly have been following the same fate Rogue endured for six months of her young life.
If it had been a no then their lives would be carrying on as normal, not that normal was anything fancy compared to this.
"Have you said much more to Gambit?"
Storm stopped twirling the head of red hair in her fingers and rested her hand on Phoenix's shoulder.
"I tried, again, but Logan was there, again."
"Never seems to be the right time, does it?"
"No, never is. If Logan's not there with that sick boy grin on his face every time he clasps eyes on me then Rogue's there, and I don't know what it is, but she's off putting when she's around Remy."
Phoenix was silent for a second after this; Storm knew she was thinking.
"It's never safe when you think. Go on, what you gotta say about me and Remy?"
Slowly her lips stretched into a devil-like smirk. "You're afraid. You, of all people, are afraid." Then her tone sobers somewhat. "Why? Is it 'cause of your mum and dad? I'm sure he's nothing like them."
She shook her head. "He can't be like my dad for a start, he's only half blood, same mum is all."
"Is all? Storm, don't tell me you're at least a tiny bit excited about having a brother? Go on… What is it?"
"Jean…"
Storm got up and Phoenix shied, knowing she had pushed it. Pulling on a silky lavender nightgown the tempered African beauty sighed, went to say something, then reconsidered and left out the oak door.
Between the two a pack of cards rested on the creased black bed sheets of a double bed. A game of Switch was in full swing. It was the only card game Rogue was better at that Gambit. Triumphantly she laid down a black king and successfully caused Remy to swear.
"Ah guess you'll be pickin' up five then?
He smirked and put down his own black king. "Ah guess you be pickin' up ten."
She threw down a red king. "Nope."
He smirked and went on to play a three. "So, you turn up at ma bedroom door, it be what, half one in de mornin', wit' a pack o' cards an' a want to play Switch. Sounds like you got you'self some issues fille."
She threw down a two, and in turn he was forced to pick up two. "When have ah neva got issues Remy?"
"Anything particular you wanna share?"
She was silent for a second, fingering her cards and musing over the several choices she had to play. She played a Jack, and he signalled for her to play again, to which she threw down a seven, four and six, all spades.
"How are things goin' between you an' Storm?"
He sighed deeply, his eyes hindering the slight edge of despair. "Ah t'ink ah scared her off." He picked up a card and she went again. This time she played a two, he one back and she was forced to pick up four from the deck.
"Why'd she be scared?"
He shrugged as he laid down a queen. "Guess all de family she knew till now let her down. To her why would ah be any different?"
"But you are." She tossed down her own queen.
"Ah saved you from you' death, course you'd say that." He placed an ace down. "Change it to diamonds, an' last card."
It was her turn to smirk. Again she placed down a seven of diamonds, and on top of that an eight of diamonds. "Game set an' match, wanna deal again?"
He shrugged and smiled. "Sure."
She gathered up the cards and began to shuffle. "So you have to prove your worth to her by savin' her life first, is that how ya see it?"
He watched her wrist flick as she dealt seven each. "Ah don' know, probably not, but… Ah wan' her to like me, that's all. But she won' even look at me sometimes, so what do ah do?"
They bother gathered their cards and Rogue set the remaining deck for the new game. "Why don' you show her the grave?"
He considered this for a second as he placed down a nine on top of the over turned top card of the deck, another nine. "Don' know if she'd 'ppreciate dat. Says her, our, mere was never worth lookin' for."
"Still, worth a shot, non?"
"Suppose."
For a few concentrated minutes they hushed themselves, as they tossed their cards and rushed through the game expertly. Rogue won again.
"What time is it?"
"Nearly two."
Rogue nodded. "Sage's been awfully quiet…"
"Yeah. Maybe she finally be seein' sense, eh?"
"Maybe. Ah still hate havin' her here. If they come back for her—"
"They won'. She'll be an outcast now, fo' bein' caught by de enemy, if you like."
She sighed deeply, laying herself down on the bed, resting her head in her hands. The breeze that constantly passed through the tiny cracks and holes of the mansion kept her more awake than anything. Still, she savoured its freshness on her pale cheeks.
"That be winter comin' den."
She nodded and sat back up again as Remy moved off the bed and stood at the door, attentive now.
"What?"
"Someone's out der."
"In the corridor?"
He never answered. Instead he slowly opened the door then with a small 'hello' shut it again, abandoning Rogue.
She frowned, then shrugged and then went to sleep in his bed.
"Hey der Storm."
She started a little as Gambit came up from behind her, emerging from his room silently. Quietly, to herself, she noted the tone in his intriguing red eyes, one of hope and wariness.
"Hey."
"What ya doin' up so late?"
There was shyness in his voice, one that made her smile inwardly. This was it, they were finally alone, and as timid as he appeared he seemed his most genuine self yet.
"Couldn't sleep. Phoenix has cold feet."
He laughed quietly. "Get her to wear socks den."
She nodded thoughtfully. "That's…an idea. What you doing up?"
"Playin' Switch."
"Oh…"
He laughed again and began to move to the top of the stairs. "Hey, em, do you feel like a walk? Ah wanna show you somethin'."
She raised one snowy eyebrow and tugged her nightgown tighter around her naked body underneath. She had heard that line more than a few times in her work before, it made her edgy sometimes. "Show me something where?"
"Outside, in de gardens."
She looked unsure and he dropped his shoulders. "You can change you know, aint no time to be goin' out in your nities anyway."
She bit her lower lip then smiled despite herself. "Okay then, give me five minutes and I'll see you on the porch."
He nodded and almost sighed in great relief, but waited until she has gone back into the bedroom to do so.
If anything the ancient grounds of Xavier's mansion were more breathtakingly stunning under the light of the midnight moon. To their left the pool shimmered and rippled, a peaceful sea of navy blue with a white streak of reflection. The trees swayed and cast long enigmatic shadows over their moving bodies and the grass under foot crunched and sagged slightly. The breeze was fresher on the face outside and the nightlife provided them with a sweet, natural music. Against all her wary nerves Storm found it hard not to relax and appreciate what she was surrounded by, as well as the company she kept in walking in.
"So, what's so special that you're dragging me out of bed at two in the morning?"
She smiled, a daring flash passing in his menacing red eyes. "You were de one up chere, ah just thought now we alone, we can talk…brother to sista if you like…"
Her breath paused in her throat; just hearing it was a strange and foreign idea to her, one she still felt uncomfortable with.
"Are you sure about that, really?"
He nodded, almost immediately after she said it, and she duly noted his certainty. "Why?"
"So full o' questions. C'mon, over 'ere."
He gestured for her to follow as he banked left and headed for an over growth of bushes. In the dark it was almost impossible to make out anything beyond the outlines of grey smudged shadows and small patches of moonlit land. The bushes were hardly moonlit and hardly cast in clear outlines.
With a flick of his wrist he came to hold in his hand a single playing card, it was too dark to see which one. With another flick of his wrist the card was set alight, glowing vividly with a burst of crimsons and oranges and yellow licks of flame. Storm backed away from it on reflex but he just gestured again as he parted some bushes with his other hand.
"If it wasn't for dis, ah wouldn't be certain."
Curious now Storm leant forward on his bidding and peering into the red light cast bushes with him. Beyond it was a large slab of grey chipped stone.
"That's it, that's what you wanted to show me, a rock? A rock tells you all the secrets to your family? Does the rock have a name by any chance?"
He smiled and told her to look again. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"I'm not amused, in fact I'm cold."
"Come on Stormy, just look."
"What did you call me?"
"Stormy. Now look."
The eyebrow dropped to a frown as she leant forward again and peered in through the bushes, again. His fingers began to pass over the smooth face of the grey canvas, underlining some black markings, too dully lit for she herself to see.
"Here, see, it says; "In memory of N'Dare Munroe, mother to Remy LeBeau an' Ororo Munroe." Ororo's your name right, your real name ah mean?"
She straightened up, again, sharply, the frown a scared one. "Why?"
"Dat's what you' mum called you, Ororo. She tol' me it meant 'beauty'. She tol' me on her deathbed that ah was to find you, bring you back home. An' ah did."
The card extinguished itself and his face was thrown into the eerie shadows of the night. Hers went with it, but her blue eyes remained clear. They began to shed tears.
"Why did she tell you to find me?"
"'Cause she loved ya."
"No she didn't! If she had then she wouldn't have left me, why would she leave me if she loved me?"
He quite simply shrugged. "A lot of it had to do wit' you' dad, she never tol' me de details, just, go find you, was all she really said. She did love you though."
Angrily, confused, she turned again and began to stalk through the dark back to the warmth of the mansion. His shoulders dropped as he followed suit.
"Wait, please. It wasn't jus' her who wanted to find you, ah wanted to find you maself an' not jus' 'cause she said ah had to. Please, don' run again."
"I'm not running, I'm, just…walking very fast."
He allowed himself a small smile and at that she stopped and turned slowly.
"Why's your name LeBeau then, and not Munroe?"
"Different dad. She loved ma dad, married 'im an' all, but he's gone now, wit' her. Went when as was no more'n a pup. You all ah got left chere, an' ah intent to keep it."
She tilted her head to the side a little, her eyes shimmering, still with salty tears lingering in them. "You look nothing like me you know. You sure we're not very, very distant cousins, married in or something."
His smile was wider this time. "With that tongue, you gotta be ma sister."
"Is that were I get it from then? Didn't think I got it from Phoenix's side anyway, they were all too shy about their insults."
He stepped closer and as she began to walk so did he.
"So, here is a good place to start bein' a family again?"
"Here is good, we can go from here."
He nodded slowly, smiling slowly. "Good."