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Thanks so much for the feedback (and yes, it was an evil place to stop, I couldn't help it :) a scene like that so close to the end of my average chapter lenght...): raniatlw, Ice Princess, IceBlueRose, UnknownSource, T. Riddle, Naela, porcelain, LadyTrunks, Eboni, Dusty, Psyc, Zil, Tainz, Goofn1.
//X-Men, I've detected Gambit's mutant signature.// Xavier projected.
"You understand the exercise?" McCoy asked Lance.
"Yeah, it doesn't look so hard," Lance replied.
Hank sighed. "It never does, then * they * get involved. Just remember Moira and Charles are on call for any emergencies. Under no circumstances are you to actually enter the danger room, simply shut down the simulations if things get out of hand. Remember while Jamie is a wonderful assistant in the control room do not leave him unattended. If Bobby has any quote, unquote 'Good Ideas' stop him, immediately. Keep an eye on Rahne, she's showing a tendency toward day dreaming recently. Now let's see about the others…"
"I can handle it," Lance said, sounding amused. "They're waiting for you."
"So they are. Best of luck, try to keep the building standing."
****** ****** ******
Gambit stepped through the shattered door feeling like he was stepping back in time. "Silver-kid?" he called already knowing the boy wouldn't respond.
The bloody scrawled across the mirror was no surprise either, Bayville didn't have a Notre Dame Cathedral, but the roof of the new sports drink factory that had just opened was more than high enough to do the job.
Gambit pealed out of the hotel's parking lot, the tires of his motorcycle leaving long black skid marks as he slid through the corner and began weaving through the early morning traffic.
He scrambled up the fire escape at the designated building. Sabretooth was waiting for him on the roof. Silhouetted against the rising sun he dangled Pietro and Rogue over the edge of the roof. The pair were bound up in ropes, gagged and strung up by their ankles. Pietro hung limp and silent, his eyes were closed, his body swayed slightly in the breeze. The gag held back a stream of curses from Rogue as the girl glared at Sabretooth her eyes narrowed with hate. "Just like old times, eh LeBeau?" the big mutant asked grinning.
"I got nothing you want," Gambit said.
"The look on your face when I let them fall was worth more than the stone," Sabretooth laughed. "So which one are you going to save, the girl or the kid? Or is it going to be like last time? Are you going to watch them both go splat 'cause you couldn't make up your mind fast enough? I'll be generous this time, I'll give you a minute to think about it before I let go."
To Sabretooth's shock Gambit smiled, a wild light dancing in his eyes as he drew three cards from his coat and charged them.
Rogue's eyes widened fearfully and she began to wriggle in an attempt to escape, unsure if this grinning lunatic meant to save them or speed them to the grave.
Gambit threw, the first two cards sheared through the ropes Sabretooth held, the third exploded in precisely the right place for the shock wave to knock both captives back onto the roof.
With a yell Gambit attacked Sabretooth, throwing himself at the Mountain Man even as Rogue and Pietro crashed to the roof and relative safety.
The pair exchanged blows then broke apart. Sabretooth spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned. "How long ya been practicing that little maneuver?" he asked.
"Years," Gambit admitted throwing a handful of cards aimed at blowing Sabretooth off the roof.
Sabretooth sprung over the blast and launched himself at Gambit. His claws tore strips out of the Cajun's trenchcoat but did no other damage. "All that work and yer cousin and the broad are still dead," he laughed.
****** ****** ******
"So Mr. McCoy is gone," Bobby was saying as he herded Amara, Ray and Sam into the danger room. "No one canceled practice, they must want us to handle it ourselves."
Lance hit the intercom button. "Not quite, Popsicle. They want the place still standing when they get back. I'm in charge."
"I'm helping Lance," Jamie piped up and the New Mutants went pale remembering the last time Jamie had run a danger room session for them.
Entering late Todd and Rahne were nearly run down as the other students ran for the door. Cackling evilly Jamie sealed them inside.
"Todd what are you doing?" Lance asked. "I thought you practiced with the senior team."
Todd blushed. "These guys can benefit from my experience, yo," he said. "I been going to both team practices."
"Well whatever rocks your world," Lance said with a shrug. "Mr. McCoy wanted you guys to do an obstacle course."
****** ****** ******
Gambit rolled under Sabretooth's lung, twisting to plant his bo staff in the other mutant's gut, angling it to seek out the feral's heart.
Sabretooth's own mass and momentum drove the staff deep into his body. Gambit started charging his staff. As the pink glow crept up it's length Sabretooth slashed through the staff, cutting it in half. He dropped heavily onto the lithe Cajun, driving his claws into Gambit's torso before the explosion from the charged fragment of the staff blew them apart.
Gambit climbed slowly to his feet, the hand that had been holding his staff scorched beyond usability, the other wrapped around his torn open stomach. Sabretooth brushed away the burned remnants of his shirt showing off freshly healed flesh. "Ya already pulled that stunt on me Cajun," he said.
"What about this one?" Wolverine snarled leaping from the X-Men's helicopter, claws extended. Jean floated herself and Cyclops to the roof. Cautiously they approached Gambit. "Which side are you on?" Cyclops yelled.
"Not his," Gambit replied groaning in pain as he moved to gesture toward Sabretooth.
Beast leapt from the helicopter and went to Rogue and Pietro's aid. As soon as her bonds where released Rogue darted to Pietro's side moving in a blur of speed.
Nightcrawler bamfed Shadowkat and Spyke to the roof. The trio watched Wolverine and Sabretooth battle back and forth across the limited battlefield, each trying to force the other over the edge.
"Shouldn't we, like, help?" Kitty asked.
"He von't appreciate it," Kurt warned.
"You want to explain what's going on?" Cyclops demanded of Gambit.
The Cajun dropped into a crouch, groaning as he leaned back against the retaining wall around the edge of the roof, blood from his wounds stained his trenchcoat a deep red. "Silver and me defected," he said. "Chat got de pleasure of dealin' wit' us."
"Why drag Rogue into it?" Cyclops asked suspiciously.
Gambit stared past Cyclops to Wolverine and Sabretooth's battle. When the larger mutant crashed to the roof, briefly stunned, Gambit launched himself across the space separating them. For a brief moment a glowing card appeared in his good hand then he forced the explosive deep into Sabretooth's body through one of the healing slashes Wolverine's claws had left behind.
"Let's see yo' heal dat," Gambit snarled lodging the card behind Sabretooth's heart then threw himself backward before he could be caught in the blast.
The X-Men stared in shock as the explosion eviscerated Sabretooth, spraying gore across the roof.
Gambit looked down at the corpse in satisfaction for a few moments then calmly asked, "How's Silver?" Before passing out from blood loss.
****** ****** ******
The six students in the danger room headed for the starting mark as Jamie entered some preliminary obstacles into the computer.
"Everyone ready?" Lance called. Rahne changed to wolf-form while the others waved. "On my mark, three, two, one… Go!"
The six quickly divided. Toad and Wolfsbane sprung into the lead, trusting their agility to let them evade the lasers, tentacles and pendulums that barred their path. The other four took a slower route, methodically destroying the obstacles they faced with blasts of heat, cold, electricity or the invulnerable battering ram Cannonball became while his blasting field was active.
Lance concentrated his efforts on Toad and Wolfsbane, leaving the other four to Jamie's questionable mercy. Lance sent a barrage of lasers after the pair, hoping to remind them of why you didn't run off and leave all your ranged fighters behind.
Jamie made a face as Iceman and Magma combined heat and cold to shatter the huge steel ball he'd sent after them.
Toad's tongue shot out wrapping around a bolo for a second, long enough to deflect it away from Wolfsbane, but he was smart enough not to try to stop it cold. Lance watched his friend throw a few extra twists into his gymnastics and grinned. "Showing off for a girl," he said to himself. "Good for you."
Jamie opened a crevasse in the floor to block the foursome from their goal. A fox-like smile appeared on his face as Iceman sought to use his powers to bridge the gap. At Jamie's command intense flames shot up from the depths.
Iceman quickly arced his bridge upward into a ramp that allowed him to vault safely to the other side, totally forgetting that the other three would have no luck climbing the frictionless incline.
Lance reached across the control panel to hit the cut off button, dousing Jamie's flames a second before the ice bridge crumbled. The younger boy gave him a sulky look. "You're no fun."
Inside the room Cannonball grabbed Magma and Berserker and blasted them back toward solid ground as the ice bridge lost integrity. His burden made the sandy haired teen's flight even more erratic than was normal for him. They bounced off a wall into the ceiling then made a spectacular crash-landing near the starting line.
"Focus on Bobby," Lance told Jamie. "I've got an idea to tie up Toad and Rahne then I'll be free to keep the other three antagonized.
I can handle both," Jamie said. "Just give me a tap."
"Oh, right," Lance said slapping Jamie on the shoulder and finding himself surrounded two more identical twelve year olds. "But cut Cannonball and co. some slack."
"And pour the grief on for Bobby?" Jamie asked eyes gleaming. "My pleasure!"
Toad dove at Wolfsbane, knocking her clear of a barrage of projectiles. For a moment he wondered why she was being singled out as a target, then realized she'd switched back to girl-form and they were still tangled together. Blushing he pulled away and offered her a hand up, stammering out an apology. As he pulled her to her feet a tentacle shot out, wrapping them both in it's grasp. Wolfsbane and Toad started struggling to squirm free only to realize just how much close proximity they were in. Both of them took on a distinctly red cast to their faces and went still trying to recreate personal space.
"I know this is Lance's idea," Todd muttered. "Payback for every time I teased him about liking Kitty."
"So you like me?" Rahne asked then ducked her head trying to hide a fire engine red face while Todd stammered.
Iceman used his powers to create a cave to shelter in as the danger room threw everything but the kitchen sink at him.
"Hey Bobby, use a hand?" Cannonball called out as he, Magma and Berserker caught up with the beleaguered Iceman.
Bobby ignored the slightly gleeful tone and accepted the assistance.
A few moments later the foursome detoured to free Wolfsbane and Toad from their awkward predicament. Together the six finished out the course with ease.
Lance and Jamie met them at the door after the session ended. "You're evil, you know that don't you?" Todd said falling into step beside Lance.
"Aww, I thought you were enjoying yourself," Lance teased, resting a hand on Todd's shoulder.
"Yo, come on, Rahne ain't a normal girl like Wanda, she actually likes me or something," Todd said.
"Hey guys!" Fred exclaimed thundering down the hall. "They found Rogue… and Pietro. From the way Dr. MacTaggart sounds something bad happened."
****** ****** ******
An instant before the helicopter landed Beast leapt to the hanger with a limp russet haired form in his arms. "Blood volume is critically low!" he yelled to Moira. "He's in shock."
Lance, Todd and Fred pressed themselves against the wall as the pair raced their patient toward the infirmary then continued into the hanger.
Like Dr. MacTaggart, Professor Xavier had also been waiting to meet the returning rescue team. He and Jean conferred silently, a blanket wrapped body floating in the air between them, Rogue hovered at the edge of the group, wringing her hands, her every move a blur of impossible speed.
"Pietro!" Todd gasped catching sight of a crown of silver hair in the cocoon of blankets.
"What happened?" Lance demanded starting toward them.
"Not now Lance!" Xavier ordered brusquestly.
Scott put a restraining hand on Lance's shoulder. "I know some of the story," he offered. "The 'paths need to concentrate right now."
"Okay," Lance acquiesced, his eyes following Pietro as Jean floated the unconscious boy to the elevator and Rogue trailed after the Professor, obviously distraught.
Kitty hopped out of the helicopter, her complexion had greenish overcast and one hand was pressed to her mouth. "Shower, shower now," she mumbled. Lance's heart leapt into his throat as he realized the dark splotches on her uniform were blood.
"It's okay," Scott told him, guessing Lance's thoughts from his expression. "None of it's hers."
Lance sighed in relief.
Evan and Kurt followed Kitty toward the locker rooms; Kurt's face was twisted with disgust as he picked unidentifiable bits of Sabretooth out of his fur. Lance swallowed back bile as he noticed that each of the X-Men was followed by a trail of bloody footprints leading back to the helicopter. He turned back to Scott, noticing for the first time that the X-Men's field leader was also heavily blood spattered. "Who's is it?" Lance asked.
"The blood's mostly Gambit. We couldn't get all of his wounds staunched. The other stuff…" Scott paused fighting down the urge to gag. "Is what's left of Sabretooth. Look I'll tell you what happened, as soon as I get a shower."
Lance stepped back and Scott hurried after the other three X-Men.
The sound of a thunder burst drew Lance Fred and Todd's attention back to the helicopter. A rain cloud was visible through the open door and a puddle of reddish water began forming in the hanger beneath it.
"Yo lets split 'fore someone recruits us to help with the clean up." Todd suggested.
"Where do you think they took Quickie?" Lance asked.
"The Prof's office?" Todd suggested and without another word the trio headed in that direction to wait for news.
****** ****** ******
Jean and Xavier stood in the midnight forest in the depths of Rogue's mind where the psyches she stole came to reside. Like shades they haunted the woods.
The two telepaths searched for Pietro, wandering through the woods, peering into the gloom, calling his name. Every touch, every use of Rogue's powers appeared to create a shadow of the person within her mind. Most were insubstantial, a shell of the person, a snap shot faded with time, but each one added to the mental chaos which made it impossible for Jean or Xavier to pick out Pietro's mind. Even if they had been able to differentiate between Pietro and the others Rogue had touched they would still have had their work cut out for them. The couple had touched so many times, fleeting moments stolen from fate, but still so many. A veritable hoard of silver-haired ghosts flitted about the dark, overgrown woods, but there was only one they needed, there was only one who was complete.
Jean heard a small whimper and turned to see a tiny boy with distinctive silver hair huddled in a hollow beneath one of the trees. She stared in confusion at the seven or eight year-old. "Rogue didn't know Pietro as a child," she said frowning.
Xavier briefly touched a hand to his temple, "It's him, the shock caused him to revert to a child-state."
Jean knelt down just outside the tree-cave so she was on eye level with the small child. "Hi, I'm Jean," she said softly, extending a hand to the boy. "You're lost aren't you? We'll take you home."
The little boy cringed away from her. "No," he cried. "Daddy, sister, friends, won't choose. Won't go home," the boy sniffled. "It's not fair, I'm staying here till they get along." Despite this ultimatum the boy's huge blue eyes were fearful as he looked around the creepy, moss draped forest where he found himself.
"It's alright Pietro. You can come with us, you won't have to choose between them," Xavier promised.
The little boy stared at Xavier for a long time then an uncertain smile crossed his face. "Uncle Charles, you been gone forever," he said.
Jean just about passed out from shock.
"Yes Pietro, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit your family in such a long time." Xavier said.
Pietro crawled out of the tree trunk. "I hate them fighting. They always fight," he said.
A moment later a pair of Sabretooths crashed through the glade, engaged in an epic battle. As they watched the less faded of the two gutted the other. The survivor's nostrils flared as he turned toward them. With a terrified yelp Pietro scrambled back into his hiding spot.
"Cut it out!" Rogue yelled materializing between Sabretooth and the others.
At the sight of her Pietro reverted to his teenage self. In a flash he was standing beside Rogue, reaching for her hand.
Jean and Xavier rallied from their surprise and banished both Sabretooths from Rogue's subconscious then turned to see Rogue and Pietro merging as their hands touched. "Rogue no!" Xavier exclaimed using his powers to separate them.
"Stop!" Pietro protested reaching for Rogue again. Jean restrained him.
"Rogue, I know you only want to help, but you must stay away from him," Xavier insisted drawing the girl away.
With a regretful glance back at Pietro Rogue allowed Xavier to displace them to another region of her mind, leaving Jean behind to deal with the speed demon.
"No! You can't take her away!" Pietro yelled struggling against Jean's restraining powers.
"We're trying to help both of you, idiot!" she yelled back.
"She'll hate me!" Pietro cried and his memories hit Jean like a sledge hammer: Wanda being drug away, the twins facing one another across a knife forged of her hatred. "Kill father, then I'll help." "If he loved you…"
"This is for your own good," Jean insisted through gritted teeth. "You have to stay away from Rogue."
Pietro reverted back to his eight-year-old form and before Jean could stop him, darted back into his hiding spot. The tree closed up around the boy, sealing him inside. Jean tried to pry it back open but the gnarled oak resisted everything she through at it.
****** ****** ******
As the hours lengthened the Institute's various inhabitants all wandered in and out of the sitting room across from Xavier's study, where Lance, Todd and Fred were camping out, waiting for news on Pietro.
After a few hours Moira came up from the med lab and went in, Lance assumed it was a good sign that she'd taken the time to clean up after operating on Gambit before checking in on Pietro and Rogue.
Rahne and Amara brought up sandwiches for them at dinner.
Six hours after the X-Men's return to the Institute Scott appeared in the doorway waiting outside of Xavier's study as if he'd been summoned. Lance, Todd and Fred clustered in the sitting room door, hoping for news. A moment later the door opened and Jean stumbled out. The redhead was still dressed in her X-Man uniform she apparently hadn't had a moment free since the mission. She was rubbing her temples tiredly. Scott slipped a supporting arm around her.
"How is he?" Lance asked.
"Shower, sleep, wake me up in four hours," Jean mumbled to Scott then she seemed to register Lance's question. "Gotta get his mind back where it belongs," she said. "They've touched so often, it's like looking for someone in a house of mirrors. When we do find him… he's scared, Rogue's mind protects him, even though we're just trying to help. The Professor says we can do it, but I'm too tired. Gotta sleep first."
Taking in the glassy, exhausted look in Jean's eyes Lance bit back the flood of questions he wanted to ask and let Scott lead her away.
A little while later Ororo, Kitty and Kurt arrived baring piles of blankets and pillows.
The next morning Hank stood hesitantly in the doorway. "Lance, if you want to skip therapy today…"
"No," Lance replied getting up to follow McCoy to the danger room. As they passed the med lab, Lance detoured toward the door.
Moira was hovering at the outskirts of the room, exchanging glares with Tante Mattie as the two watched over their newest patient. The russet haired Cajun was still sleeping, his torso and left hand swathed in bandages.
"You saw Pietro, how is he?" Lance asked Moira, his subdued voice drawing her out into the hall to talk.
"I'm afraid that's a question for Charles," Moira replied. "Physically he's healthy, a tad under-weight but nothing too worrisome. As for the rest, it's outside of my understanding."
"Thanks," Lance said. "This guy was looking out for Quickie right? How's he doing?"
"He's a tough one," Moira said. "He lost a lot of blood, got burned and sliced up, but the surgery went well and he's pulling through, not that I'm being allowed to monitor him properly… Those sorts of injuries are most effectively treated with my type of medicine."
"That's good," Lance said. "Um… I'll see you later."
"I reviewed the tapes, you did a good job with the kids," Hank said as they went into the danger room. "I'll have to ask you to fill in for me again."
Lance smiled a little. "So what are we doing today?"
"Balance," McCoy said and Lance's face fell. "I don't know why this aspect of your recovery is proving so troublesome."
"It's getting better," Lance insisted.
"You had a hand on the wall the whole trip down here," Hank pointed out. "I'm not sure you're even conscious of it anymore, but when you walk with your friends you keep a hand on one of their shoulders to provide stability."
"I don't need to," Lance insisted. "Watch."
Lance fixed his eyes on a spot on the opposite wall, he didn't really notice raising his arms slightly as if he were on a tightrope after the first few steps. A quarter of the way across the danger room he was biting his lip, fighting to ignore the feeling of vertigo. If he could touch something, some sort of reference point. His eyes told him the room was stationary but his inner ear was saying something entirely different and if he just had a third opinion.
Lance made it halfway across the room before dizziness overcame him. Hank caught him before he could fall. Lance clung to Hank's arm, the floor was beneath his feet, Hank was perpendicular to the floor, the additional information helped him sort out which sense was lying to him and the sensation of vertigo faded.
"It's not getting any better," Lance conceded.
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