***

           Disclaimer – I don't own X-Men: Evolution

           __

           "Care to play a game of chess with me, Remy?" Charles Xavier asked the young mutant the next morning. With some hesitation, Remy sat down across from him and started to set up the other side of the board. "Have you ever played before?"

           "Oui." His red eyes looked serious as he put the final piece, the Knight in its place. "My père taught me how to play when I was a youngin'." Xavier gestured for him to make the first move. "He told me to—" He bite down on his lower lip as he tried to remember. "—to—" He repeated, "use the minor pieces first. Get 'em out of the way. That way, if they're taken away, I still have others." He sighed, barely remembering what his father had told him.

           "Gambit?" The Professor asked, not fully understanding. Remy just shrugged and stood up.

           "I got to be goin' monsieur." He gave him a polite salute. He could tell the Professor already knew where he was going.

           "Remy?" The Cajun glanced behind his shoulder as he reached for the knob on the door. "Be careful."

           ***

           Remy didn't ask anyone this time where Rogue's room was. He quietly walked to the room he had been in the day earlier and stepped in. He shut the door behind him. In the room, Rogue was still laying on the bed. I.V.s were still attached to her arm, and the heart monitor was still beeping. Hadn't the Professor said she gained consciousness? He walked over to her bed, and ran a finger down the side of her face.

           "'Ey chérie." He whispered to her. He was startled when her eyes opened. She just stared at him, a tired expression was written on her face.

           "Hiya." Her voice sounded more raspy than usual, and her voice was as low as a whisper. "Did ya get the license number of that truck that hit me?" The expression on her face was unreadable so she couldn't tell if she was kidding or not. After a minute of silence, he realized she was kidding. "Your eyes.." She blinked as she reached up and touched his face. "They're different."

           "Scared?"

           "Never.." She mumbled. Her eyes started to close as she slowly drifted off into slumber. Her hand fell limply from his face and she just laid there. Asleep. He reached down and kissed the top of her forehead.

           "You've made me into a softy, Ro'." He stroked the side of her head, running his fingers through her white fringes. He just stood there for the next hour, staring down at her; watching her sleep. It wasn't until a nurse came in and yelled at him, when he finally left.

           ***      

           Bella Donna.

           He now shuddered and cringed every time he heard that name. He did learn to never piss of a trained assassin, but he loathed her. Everyone had told him that they were fated to be together, to get married, to live a happy life together.

           Now, he laughed at that. If he married her, he knew his life would be over. He was pressured into marrying her and almost did.

           Thanks to Rogue, he didn't. She made him realize that he didn't have to be forced to marry someone he didn't love, and barely knew. He and Bella were different in so many ways.

           When he told her that he wasn't going to marry her, she just laughed and said good joke but it wasn't a joke. When she realized he was serious, she planned on making his life miserable. She had managed to turn his family against him.

           But they weren't his family. They were a family all right, but not his. Sure, they had taken him in when he was abandoned as an infant, named him, and treated him like he was truly a blood relative, but he wasn't.

           Out of nowhere, when he was about ten years old, he got a new neighbor. A blind woman and a child. He had learned the woman was a mere foster parent for the young girl, and he befriended her. Over the years, they had created a bond. A bond of friendship.

           That was one thing he never regretted.

           ***

           "I have news for you, Magneto." A blue skinned woman stood in the doorway of an office. "Professor Xavier has recruited a new mutant."

           "What is so special about this one?" He asked, as she waltzed over to his desk and slipped him a picture.

           "He has true potential. Once he learns to fully control his powers, that is."

           Magneto smirked. "If you care this much, he must have something to do with Rogue."

           She glared at him. "He won't last long with Xavier, Magnus. He'd make a good addition to your team. He is one who won't betray you."

           "How do you know that?"

           "Destiny." And with that word, everything was left said for itself.

           ***

           A smirk was spread across his face as he kicked the bag with a round kick and then did a counter. He hadn't worked out in months. His father would lynch him if he had found that out. He kicked the bag again, this time with a sidekick. He worked on a few combinations but after awhile, he slowed down the pace and just stopped all together.

           "You missed your first training session." The red head, Jean, stood in the doorway of the gym. "They're important, you know."

           "I don't need 'em."

           "I think you do."

           His smirk faded. "You goin' to make me?"

           "No." He had almost stumped her. "You're blocking me out of your thoughts."

           "Don't go in places you're not allowed, Red."

           "How?" She asked, taking a step forward. "Is it a part of your mutation?"

           "Keepin' you out of my head?" He chuckled. "That is for me to know, and for you to never find out, petite."

           "If you want to be a part of the X-Men, you have to go to the danger room meetings and training sessions."

           "I never said I wanted to be an X-Man."

           "You're just using us for a free bed and breakfast?" She asked, disgusted.

           His smirk reappeared. "See? You don't need to be in my head to know what I'm thinkin' or doin'."

           She frowned at him. "I can't believe you."

           "That, mon ami, is because you don't know me."

           "We could get to know each other." She smiled at him, not fully understanding what he had meant. "While we help you on your powers of course."

           "You're going to help me with my powers?" He almost laughed. "I don't need your help." And with those words, he left the gym.

           ***

           He hated knowing that Rogue was laying in a hospital bed, alone. Not in the ways you would think. Knowing that visitation hours were over by seven, he got there at six. When he walked into her room, she was awake.

           "How ya feelin'?" He asked but in response she held her arms out for a hug. After a tight, and short hug, he broke the embrace.

           "Pretty good. 'Cept for a headache." She gave him a small smile as she stared up and into his eyes. "You're a mutant." She reached up and gently touched the side of his face. "Irene called me." He made a face, which made her laugh. "Did ya know my birth momma was a mutant?"

           Remy just stared down at her, wondering what kind of drugs she was on. "Non, didn't know that, chérie."

           "My biological father wasn't a mutant though. Do you think your parents were mutants?" He just shrugged. "Aw, Am I makin' Mista Lebeau uncomfortable?" She retracted her hand and crossed her arms. "Rem? What did happen the other day?"

           "My powers.. they manifested." He shook his head. "I could've killed you."

           "It's not your fault." She pointed to the stitched up cut on his forehead. "You got it worse than me."

           "I wasn't in a coma for over twenty-four hours."

           "Look on the bright side."

           His brows arched up underneath his bangs. "Bright side?"

           "I got to catch up on my sleep."

           "Har har har, Roguey, har har har." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow River rat."

           "Not if I see ya first, Swampy."

           ***

           Remy walked down the street, his mind still set on the Southern belle he had just visited. She seemed so different, and so did he. "Things change." He realized, looking down at his hands.

           "Hey mate!" Before the Cajun knew it, flames surrounded him. They seemed to dance around him, in a mocking way. Laughter seemed to dance around with them. As fast as they appeared, the flames disappeared. Before Remy stood a young man, about the same age, with bright orange hair and he was wearing a red and orange body suit. A flamethrower was placed on his back. He had an orange visor on, covering his eyes. Remy was stunned. Stunned on why anyone would go out looking like that. "You're Remy, ain't ya?"

           "Who wants to know?" He asked, glaring at the other male. The weird clothed boy grinned at him; amusement was spread across his face.

           "The name is Pyro. Do ye want to know why I'm call that?" He asked, grinning widely. "O' do ye want to find out for yourself?"

           "Down boy." A much larger built man stepped out from the shadows. Remy's lower jaw dropped. The man had a slight Russian accent and was sliver. SLIVER. He had white eyes, and looked to be nearly eight feet tall. When he walked, the ground shook. "My name is Colossus."

           Suddenly, a growling noise could be heard as another man stepped out from the shadows. He wore shredded clothes and had an ugly cat appearance. Remy caught on to that.

           "Lemme guess." He pondered, quite sarcastically. "You're Fluffy?"

           "Haha! This guy is funny!" Pyro laughed, placing his hands on his stomach. "He's gonna have me in stitches soon!" His smile faded. "So you are Remy?"

           "Oui. Who wants to know?"

           Pyro frowned. "Isn't Remy a gal's name?"

           "Not in France."

           "We're not in France." His grin re-appeared. "Oi! I get it! You're French, aren't ya?"

           "He was deprived of oxygen at birth." The huge one, Colossus, explained. "We were sent here to find you."

           "Sent? By the Bald guy?"

           He blinked dumbly. "No, Magneto."

           "Who-to?"

           "You guys are doing an awful job of recruiting." A womanly figure stepped out from the shadows. "Hello Remy."

           The confused Cajun scratched the back of his head. "Who are you brutes?"

           "We're just like you, mate! We're those bloody mutants people hate for screwin' up the gene pool!"

           "We want you to join us."

           "I'm already with the crippled bald guy."

           "We can offer you more."

           "More what?"

           "Xavier will only help you control your powers. He won't allow gaining to maximum power." The blue skinned woman said, taking another step forward. "With us you shall become more powerful and with us, there are no rules. You won't stay with Xavier long. He has all his students—"

           "Whipped." Pyro finished, smirking. "With Maggie we can do whatever we want."

           "Screw this." Remy mumbled, turning around. "I'm out of here."

           "You'll come back." A familiar voice said. He slowly turned around to see Irene standing besides the mutated woman. "I, too, am a mutant."

           "Mon dieu! Who here isn't a stupid mutant!?"

           "Rogue." Irene said dryly. "At least for now."

           "What do you mean.. 'for now'?" She now had his full attention.

           "Rogue will manifest her powers some day. The only reason she hasn't is because of the connection between you too. You've always been a mutant, Remy. It was your power that made you too have such a special bond. We need to break that bond."

           "What?" He asked, cocking a brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

           "As long as you and Rogue are together, her powers will not manifest."

           "Ain't that a good thing?"

           "No. She has the genes of a mutant. If she doesn't manifest her power soon, her genes will manifest on their own and end up killing her in the process." *

           "W-what can I do about it?"

           "Join us."

           "How is that goin' to help?"

           "If you join, we leave New York. Our base is located back in Louisiana."

           "So I have to leave Rogue?" He asked in disbelief. "She needs me."

           "You're not helping her right now." The blue skinned woman said. "We'll come back, in a few months after her powers manifest." Maybe. She thought. "If you stay here, the bond will be connected. It needs to be broken."

           "So what do ya say?" Pyro asked staring at him from behind the orange tinted visor. "You in o' you out?"

           "In." Remy sighed, defeated. "But I must say good bye to Rogue."

           "Of course." Irene said. "Of course. Everything might be confusing now Remy, but some day, you will see."

           "Haha!" Pyro suddenly laughed. "See. Pun! The blind gal is a funny twit too!"

           ***

           You're gettin' yourself into a mess, Cajun. Remy said to himself as he walked into Rogue's room the next day. She was sitting up, as if she were waiting for him.

           "I looked into a mirror today." She pointed to her face. Dark circles were still slightly encircled around her eyes. "I look like hell."

           "But you look like in the hospital scrub attire." He smirked down at her. "And hey, look on the bright side, you can't get any paler."

           "Aw, you sure know how to make a girl feel loved." She said in a bored, sarcastic tone. "I have low self-esteem."

           "Always have."

           "I'm goin' to ignore that." She crossed her arms and looked up at him. "Your eyes seem so natural."

           "Are you joshin' me?"

           "I like it."

           "Almost as much as your multi-colored hair?"

           "It's natural!" She snapped in defense. "You should know that by now."

           "Ever wonder why you were born with white and brown hair?"

           She shrugged. "Screw up genes? Maybe I inherited from my biological mother."

           "Rogue?" He suddenly cut her off before she could utter another word. The expression on his face was serious. "We need to talk."

           ***

           "How does the future look?"

           "Planned out."

           "We did save her, right?"

           "From her powers yes. But there are things we cannot save her from, Mystique." Her friend looked at her, wanting to know more. "She will face rejection for being different. Her whole life is going to change. She's going to become more distant, and isolate herself from everyone."

           "Where exactly does Remy fit in with all of this?"

           "Once he leaves with us in a few hours, his part will be finished. His empathetic connection with her will dissolve, leaving her vulnerable for her powers to manifest."

           "Wouldn't that be a good time to recruit her?"

           "She's better off with the X-Men. She needs the training. They will help her with the issue on having her mutation. But in the end.. I see.. I see.."

           "You see what, Destiny?" Mystique soon became angry at the silence coming from her partner. "Tell me!"

           "The future is cloudy." She said after another minute of silence. "I will end it at that."

           ***

           He had told her everything. About the X-Men and the offer. He just left everything about her and Irene out. In the end, she just stared at him. A perfect 'O' shape was formed on her lips.

           "You're leavin'?" She asked, in disbelief. "You're leavin' me?"

           "It's for the best, Roguey."

           "Y-you can't!" She spat, almost yelling. "You told Bella--" He grimaced. "—that you would never leave me. You said that and she said it was over! Didn't you mean it?"

           "I did, but this is for the best."

           "Best for who?"

           "You. Just trust me on this one Roguey."

           "Don't call me that!" She yelled. Her face was flushed. "Just go. And don't come back." She reached behind her, grabbed her pillow and threw it at him. "I hate you."

           He clutched the pillow after he had caught it. "I'm sorry you feel that way." He wasn't sorry. The words were like a slap in the face. He suddenly felt a zapping pain through his hand and he looked down to see that he had charged the pillow up. He threw it up in the air and it exploded. Feathers went everywhere. In a single movement, he took a few feet forward, grabbed Rogue by her shoulders and kissed her. He felt her body tense up as he parted the one-way kiss. "Good bye Rogue."

           But there was no good in good bye, now was there?

           ***

           Part 3 completed: November 27, 2003


           A/N: Alright. There's still more to come and a lot more questions answered. The next segment (which will also be three chapters long) will be up sooner or later. It'll explain more about Remy, his past, how he decides to use cards and stuff like that.

           I'm not sure if I'll keep writing this fic. Even though I have many plots and ideas with it, I might take it off.

           Oh well.

           Read and review. :)

           -- Aro /3