Hey! Sorry it took so long to update. I had a friend, from a far away state, over for a week so I only went near the computer to clear out my e-mail. I hate getting that junk e-mail. **twitches** Anyway, I hope that this clears up some confusion.



Fading Love



Rogue stood on her balcony in the rain. Gaia had scared her. She needed time to think. But during that time her thoughts drifted back to the memories.

Flashback

"Yes, but that is the past. Now we worry for the future." Blade rolled her eyes at the remark.

"What, praytell, did Frank say this time?" Smokescreen looked off. Blade slowly turned her glare to Smokescreen.

"That Rogue and Gambit are in danger." Blade's eyes flashed with anger for a second.

"What do you mean?"

"That Faye Ma'at had tampered with the feelings. Rogue was suppose to die afterward. Hell, Rogue was just suppose to be a vessel, never to truly feel or cause these feelings for someone else. But they were there, now they just have to work on keeping it."

Blade fought to stay in control of her emotions.

"So your telling me that it was just another one of her sick little ideas for Rogue?" Smokescreen sighed.

"No. She only made it so there would be no problems between the two that might have made Rogue resist the thought of touch. She wanted Rogue to want to be able to touch more so she would agree. Now, since she is dead and gone, along with all the magic she used, the effects are wearing off." Blade saw her glance at Rogue as Rogue sat down.

"So you're saying that they won't feel that way soon enough?"

"Only if they stay away from each other. Though it may be harder for them, unless . . ." Blade raised and eyebrow and looked at Smokescreen from the corner of her eye.

"Unless what?" Smokescreen thought hard for a moment.

"For starters, Gambit needs to cut off the connections with Magneto." Blade rolled her eyes.

"I already knew that. It's kinda common sense." Smokescreen ignored her comment.

"Because right now, everything is very fragile, thanks to Faye Ma'at. She herself was unsure in that area of life so she damaged it somewhat when she gave it that jump-start. So they need a tie to each other. Something strong. Something that couldn't be broken, even if they get in a fight. It should show their love. So that when they see it they are reminded of it and their fight won't break them apart." Blade stared at Smokescreen for a minute then it clicked. She glared at her.

"That's pretty sick, ya know that?" Smokescreen sighed.

"How so?"

"To except them to be able to figure that out all on their own. They are only kids. The thought wouldn't cross their minds." Smokescreen raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you so against it all?"

"They are supposed to grow up as normal as they can. But if they can only keep their love like that?" Smokescreen shook her head.

"They can still have it. But it will be very delicate." Blade sighed and crossed her arms.

"How delicate?"

"Their love is unique. It was somewhat forced. True, it was there to begin with but it had to be given a jump start. It never got a chance to form and grow strong and become undying."

"She came back for him." Smokescreen nodded.

"Yes, proving that it is there. And that if given a chance it is true love, but it more fragile than true love. They will have to fight it keep it. Things will be much harder. It might be easier if they do as I suggested."

"Why do you care some much Smokescreen?" Smokescreen sighed.

"I care for Rogue." Blade was quiet and accepted this. "Artemis . . ." Blade looked up. Smokescreen rarely used her code name now that she was no longer a Fury. "Frank . . . he also foretold another thing. Strange figures in the future. One has a great darkness that surrounds them. This figure only appeared after Rogue was brought back. He could not tell when or where this figure will appear. But . . . Lady Hawk has decided to take measures in order to prepare for any threat there might be."

Blade smirked.

"I get it. We're the pawns while you all play God."

End Flashback

Rogue thought of this. She didn't get enough of the memory to understand what the tie was.

"Rogue! What are you, like, doing?!" Rogue turned and saw Kitty.

"What?" Kitty sighed and pulled Rogue back into the room.

"Rogue, you're totally gonna catch a cold!" Rogue stared at her for a few minutes then smiled. Kitty was caught off guard by this. "Are you ok?" Rogue sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, Ah'm fine. Just thinking." Kitty nodded.

"Well, why don't you, like, change into some dry clothes." Rogue watched Kitty leave. After a minute she sighed.

"How long ya been here swamp rat?" Rogue turned around and saw Remy smiling as he looked around.

"Long enough." Rogue rolled her eyes. Remy watched her for a minute. "Somethin' wrong?" Rogue turned her back to him.

"Aren't Ah enough?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why are ya still Magneto?" Remy sighed.

"T'ings . . . de be real complicated."

"Try meh." Remy thought for a minute.

"Chère . . . dis is not somet'ing you want t' know."

"Why not?" Remy shook his head.

"Don't do dis."

"Aren't Ah enough?"

"Chère, dis is somet'ing that-" Rogue cut him off.

"Look at meh. Ah . . . Ah don't have what it takes anymore." She sounded tired. She turned to face him. "Remy, every day . . . Ah feel lahke part of meh is dying. The other day, Ah felt it. Ah felt an emptiness that Ah don't lahke. Ah feel those people, the ones Ah had absorbed, Ah feel them again. They were suppose ta die with Faye Ma'at. But they didn't. Somehow . . . somehow they found a way ta stay with meh. Ah don't hear their voices . . . Ah don't remember their memories . . . but Ah feel them. Ah feel them trying ta claw their way back up. Ah feel them rippin' at meh. Ah am tired of it all. Ah don't want ta fight things anymore. Ah want ta rest. But Ah can't. And Ah know that, and Ah won't rest. But dammit Remy, Ah am not gonna fight ya! Ah'm too tired for it. If Ah'm not worth it . . . then just leave 'cause Ah don't have the strength ta fight you." Remy walked over to her and held her. Rogue welcomed the embrace. She felt tears run down her cheeks. Remy wiped them away. He moved so the two sat on the bed. Rogue held his shirt, fearful that if she let go then he would disappear forever.

"Alright. Rogue, you're more den worth it. I'm de one not worth caring for. Been busy praying dat you don' figure it out though." He joked. "I'll find a way t' leave Magneto. It's gonna take some time t'ough." Rogue nodded. She sat there, enjoying his embrace. Remy smiled and kissed her quietly. After a moment he stood up and walked to the balcony. "I have t' go Chère. I won't wait a few months t' see you again." With a slight bow Remy was gone. Rogue brushed away any tears that were leave and walked over to her dresser to get some dry clothes. Felling better than she had in a long time.



Blade rolled over and pulled the blankets closer to her. She still hadn't left her bed. Every now and then she would eat something. Blade fell into another one of her dreamless sleeps. She didn't notice Dixie come in. Dixie sat by her bed. She watched Blade. She reached out and pulled her blanket back up, it had been tossed off a few minutes ago in her sleep. She brushed some hair out of Blade's face. The woman's skin was extremely pale. Dixie held back some tears as she rested her head in her arms on the side of Blade's bed.

"What . . . . what happened?" With that said she felt herself drift off to sleep.



Lady Hawk stared at the angelic demon mutant that sat next to her.

"What?!" Was all she could say. Angelic Demon sighed and nodded. "What does he mean that there was another figure?"

"From what Frank could tell . . . there is someone that would have not been a problem if Rogue had died. Apparently they had always been somewhere close to her but never close enough to cause Frank to be concerned. He shrugged it off. Now, they seem to have gotten closer and of what Frank could figure, Rogue is terrified." Lady Hawk shook her head. She went over to the phone. They were in the base of the Furies.

"I have had it with Smokescreen's disappearing act! I'm calling in a few favors. I want to know where the hell she is!"



Smokescreen sat up in bed. She was staring at the soup in front of her. There was a pile of pillows behind her, holding her up. With a defeated sigh she started to eat her soup. She didn't like this. One thing she hated was being dependent. She had seen too many die from that over the years. Smokescreen winced slightly as she remember that.

"Something wrong?" Smokescreen looked up to see Warren.

"Have you no idea of privacy? I wear only bandages, I think that you would be more respectful of my privacy."

"True, but I don't think you would be removing those bandages anytime soon so there shouldn't be any worry over that." Smokescreen rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I brought you some clothes." Warren placed some clothes beside her. "And they shouldn't be too hard to get on." With that said he left. Smokescreen looked around. She should call the Furies. By now she could only imagine Lady Hawk's temper. A smile crept onto her face. She could just see Lady Hawk pacing back and forth, ranting while Angelic Demon either yelled at her to stop before she went insane, or tried to calm her down before she destroyed something. Smokescreen reached over to the clothes and looked at them. She stared at the long black skirt and light blue turtle neck sweat. With a sigh she pulled the sweater over her head. It was alittle big but that made it easier to get on. She pulled out her silver hair. She tugged on the skirt too. That alone took up most of her energy. Smokescreen got up and walked to the mirror.

'Guess . . . Smokescreen is gonna have to take a break for a bit.' Smokescreen, no, Crystal sighed. She couldn't be a Fury and finish her mission until she was better. She stared at the phone on the night stand. She couldn't help it. Part of her wanted to call but then, part of her wanted this brake. She never had a brake, not since she became immortal like Angelic Demon and Lady Hawk. Not when she became mortal again a few months ago. Crystal thought over her life.

"Damn . . . my life seems like a soap opera."