"Beep…beep…beep… beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep." The sound still burned Gambit's ears. He'd relived those last moments every night for the past month. Seeing her pain. Feeling it in a way he'd never thought possible. Hank could do nothing for her, no one could. She was supposed to be invulnerable, it shouldn't have even happened.

As Remy Le Beau sat on the ledge of the mansion's roof, he couldn't help but remember. Remember the pain in her green eyes, filled with tears like he'd never seen them before. Her strength had probably been the double-edged sword that killed her… a virus, so simple, so weak. No one knew how she got it, but once it was in, there was no way to get it out. He remembered holding her gloved hand, sitting beside her, praying constantly to whatever entity had helped him survive his rough childhood in New Orleans. Remembered how startled he'd been as she gently squeezed his hand, and he searched her face for some sign to the answer of his prayers. Eyes clenched tightly in pain, her lips moved, repeating some inaudible prayer, or perhaps a curse. Leaning in he had pressed his ears close to hear the words, broken, gasped between shudders of pain.

"Sorry…. Time.. wasted. Secrets… Love… Remy… Love… you…"

His heart had stopped, his blood frozen in his veins. She what?

"Chere, Chere, please what you tryin ta tell Gambit?"

He had stroked her hair urgently, needing to know if he had heard her right.. needing desperately to know before it was too late. She was shivering now; her lips tinged blue as her condition worsened. As the disease had progressed, she had relived every mutant power, ever memory, every feeling she had absorbed throughout her brief life. Gambit charged his hands, running them several inches above her face, trying to thaw the ice that had begun to clot her blood, freezing her from the inside out. His attempt seemed to help as the blue slowly faded. She seemed to ease for a few moments before her body tensed, eyes shooting open to reveal dilated pupils and irises that glowed yellow as those of Mystique. She began gasping sharply, a scream escaping her tortured throat.

"Chere! Please, Chere, everything gonna be all right, Gambit here…"

He took her spasmming body in his arms, mentally crying out for any telepath in range to come to his rescue.

"Chere, everything gonna be ok… what you need to tell Gambit?"

He looked into her wild eyes, stroking her red hair, brushing white strands from her eyes. He could feel her physically gather the last of her strength, her eyes returned to their natural green and she tilted her head toward his ear, whispering

"I love ya, Sugah… I always have. I… I'm so sorry its gotta end…"

She began to choke, her body reaching its final breaking point. Remy stared in horror, jaw hanging open, his mind screamed for help, from anyone, anywhere. Her gloved hands found his and fingers intertwined. Lifting herself so close he could feel her breath against his neck she managed to speak.

"Gotta end… fore it began. The rest… they love you too… different… but love.. don't lock em out… they care.. for ya. They care.. but.. I love…"

She collapsed against the pillows, taking a few final sharp breaths… her body quivering. She opened her eyes one final time, meeting his gaze. This time, demon eyes, glowing red on black met his own red gaze.

"Chere, non!"

He pulled her close and kissed her. Their lips glowing from the combined kinetic energy that flowed between them. Cradling her face in his hands, he opened himself, poured into her everything he'd always wanted to say… he loved her, the others, they meant nothing. It had always been her. She saw everything, his pain, his misery, his struggles, and his past. Sinister, the Morlocks, Storm, Professor Xavier, and finally, her… his love, his passion. He fell to the floor, nearly unconscious. The last sound he heard before he blacked out was the "beep… beep…. Beeeeeeeeep" as he lost his precious Rogue forever.

Jean had woken with a cry, feeling Gambits plea for help. Waking Scott, they ran towards the infirmary, Jean contacting Professor Xavier, Scott stooping to bang on Hank's door, not bothering to explain what was happening. That was how the others had found them; one dead, the other nearly so. Of course, he had not learned this until much later.

The memories were so real, the pain so vivid, Gambit screamed in pain, tears streaming down his face. He couldn't take the pain. Life before her had been so dark, but life without… it was like having had a glimpse of heaven, then being sent to hell.

"Dats it… Gambit can take dis no more"

He stood shakily, wiping his tears bitterly on the sleeve of his brown trench coat.

"Gambit comin wit you, Chere…"

He stood on the ledge of the roof, looking towards the sky… sunset. She had always loved to watch it…watch the first stars shimmer. Now he would watch them with her, at last. Spreading his arms open he embraced the night, falling forward into oblivion….