Note: This is a companion piece to my previous story, "Despair," and takes place approximately two months after it. Mystique is slowly recovering from her malnutrition, numerous infections, and anemia. But what will the X-men do with her? Accept her? Reject her? Will the team split again over her? And what will her "family," Rogue and Kurt, do then? Read on…
Rogue danced through the falling leaves, flying around the trees, and Gambit chased her. "Come on back, chere. We got things to talk about."
She landed on a tree stump and pretended to pout. "I don't know if I want to," she teased.
He dropped to the ground beside her and laid back, looking up at the leaves. "Ol' Mystique's doin' better. It's about time we answer Beast's question. What we gonna do wit' her?"
She sighed. "I don't know, Remy," she said, defeated. "I love her, and I want to have her stay with me, but I don't know if that's possible. I don't think she could join the X-men, and I don't want to leave them."
"Whatever you want, chere, Remy'll do," he responded. "You want her here, Gambit beat up anyone who say she can't stay with you."
She looked down into his burning eyes. "Remy, what do you think about her? What do you think we should do?"
He sat up and swept a leaf out of the air into his hand and looked at it for a moment. "Whatever you want's fine with Gambit."
"That's not what I asked. I asked what you think about her." She moved to the ground and tilted his chin up, locking gazes with him.
"You don't want easy answers, do you, chere?" He thought for a moment, then spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I think three things. One is, I'm a criminal too, chere. Maybe not as bad as Mystique …"
"Definitely not," Rogue agreed, eyes shining into his.
He stopped for a moment, smiling, and then continued, "… but still a thief. Maybe havin' another criminal around is okay." He extended two fingers. "You love her, she loves you. Gambit love you. Gambit support you. Gambit think people who love you got good taste. Gambit support them."
"You sure?" Rogue reached out to take his hand, and he preened a little.
"These pretty eyes of Gambit's aren't just so he look good, chere. They're so he can see things." He winked, and she rolled her own at his cockiness. He then said, "Three. Mystique decided ol' Gambit hate her, not give her a fair chance. Gambit see that as a challenge." He grinned. "Give her every chance I got, I will."
"Well." Rogue leaned back against him and looked up at the trees. "Maybe we should talk to Kurt later about it too."
"Sure." Gambit held her and tossed the leaf onto her chest. "Tonight. Her room. Till then …"
Gambit's eyes gleamed, and Rogue felt a pleasant flutter of anticipation in her stomach. "Remy, what are you doin'?"
"You go on running like before, chere. Then you find out." He rose to his feet, eyes still alight with mischief and something deeper. She broke and ran, but she made sure not to fly this time. He pursued her through the falling leaves and maple trees, laughing in joyous anticipation.