"Mother, what have you done?" My son grabbed my arm and leaped to my side, leaning precariously on the bed frame.
I turned to speak with him. "What I should have done a long time ago."
"Asking us to work with criminals?" He shook his head, agitated. "Are you out of your mind?"
That angered me. I took his chin and pulled myself within six inches of him. "Never insult my intelligence, boy. I have led more teams than you ever will and I know what I am proposing here. Do not insult your sister or her lover, either. They are as much 'criminals' as I, or St. John, or even … " I paused. I had to come up with a shorter name for Logan somehow. "Logan. Besides, I am not proposing a criminal enterprise!"
He flinched as I spoke. He looked down at his hand on my arm, then pulled away. "I am sorry for insulting you. I just do not see the value in working with them."
I took his hand back, holding it in mine. "Kurt, can you do something for me?"
"Was?" He glanced back at me.
This would take all my persuasive powers. I gathered my courage and put my other hand on top of his. "Could you listen to what I have to say about Dominic and St. John and trust that, at least, I am telling you what I believe to be true about them?"
He nodded slowly. "Ja." He perched beside me comfortably.
"Dominic does not usually play by the rules, it is true. He does enjoy using his power to destroy things as well. But when he agrees to be part of a team, he will do whatever it takes to help his teammates. For example, he took a bullet for me once, when I was already down and probably would have died. St. John is not quite as self-sacrificing as is Dominic, but he is quite gallant in his own way. I know he will do what I ask, because I have earned his trust and respect. I am certain both of them will gladly work with me on the right side of the law if they give their word."
I could not hear his response, so I pulled him closer. He repeated, "Easy for you to say, Mother."
I turned and said, forcefully, into his ear, "Would you believe Rogue?"
His eyes widened. "I … that I do not know. I would have to think about it."
"Good. Do so. I should like to have the opportunity to work with you, son."
*****************************
"Are you out of your bleedin' mind?" Pyro threw his arms wide. "We aren't X-men. We're criminals. We get hunted by the X-men!"
"Wait a minute, John." Avalanche tugged at his suit. "Misty might have a point, here."
The man's wild blue eyes stared into his brown ones. "You're crazy too, aren't you, Dom? Jesus, what kind of disease does Misty have? I think you've got it." His eyes lit up. "I think this is the first time I've been the only sane one of the two of us!"
"But wait. Listen." He crouched down and tugged Pyro closer to the floor as well. "The X-men have always ruined our plans. Hell, Py, you realized that once and helped them keep us from taking out that bastard, Kelly. They're usually right like that. Think about it."
Pyro sat back on his heels. His face calmed and he put his chin in his left hand. "Go on. Explain how we're going to work with people who think we're murderin' psychos."
"Well, why not try to be on their side for once? Rogue did it. They seem to trust her all right."
"We aren't cute girls, you know. She was." He stroked his chin. "Though I do like the idea of the X-boys having to take us in."
Avalanche's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Yeah, even though we'd be working for Misty, we'd still be technically part of their group."
Pyro's face came back to life. With Mystique in charge... "Imagine, too, having all this available to us." His hand swept the room, indicating the expensive medical equipment and the general quality of the items furnishing it. "The possibilities are endless."
"Yeah. Imagine that." He rose to his feet in one quick, feline movement. Pyro stood with him and watched the squabbling groups. "There are a few down sides, but otherwise, I think we could get real comfy here."
******************************
"I knew it! I knew she was trying to bring us down all along!" Scott exulted. He was right. Mystique was trying to subvert the X-men. Imagine trying to split the team like that!
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rogue advanced on him, Remy at her side, and Hank murmured, "Scott is not entirely correct, but he may have a point."
Rogue and Scott rounded on him. "May have a point? I'm right!"
"Scott doesn't know what he's sayin'! Mama's got a good idea!"
Remy hung back a little, smiling, trying to hold back his laughter. Hank tried to soothe the two angry mutants confronting him. "I merely meant that Mystique has indeed tried to split us up before. Scott speaks from experience, though I also meant that having worked with the lady in question for some time, she may well have good motivations."
"Good motivations? From a murderer and terrorist?"
"Oh, shut the hell up, Scott. Like you know what it like, bein' on the wrong side but doin' right." Remy stepped between Scott and Rogue, who was glaring daggers at the man and had risen a few inches into the air.
"I'm not talking to you, Remy." Scott glowered at him.
"Good. You talk to me instead. She's MY mother." Rogue pushed at Remy.
"Rogue, perhaps you should desist. Your powers …"
"Don't you try anything on me, Hank. I'm not lettin' this stuck up jerk talk gibberish about my mama, no matter what!" She turned back to Scott and stabbed a finger at him. "All this time, all these years, and you still can't accept 'criminals' who reform, huh? Fine. I quit the X-men. I was a criminal, too, as bad as she was."
Scott's mouth dropped open. "You can't quit! We need you!"
"No, ya don't. I'm an evil person." She turned her back on him.
"Perhaps we should not make rash decisions?" Hank tried again to calm things down, feeling the situation spinning out of control.
"Exactly. Stop this folly, Rogue. You're an X-man."
"Remy quittin' too." He ruffled up his brown hair and put his arm around Rogue. "If y'don't want criminals around, you don't want Remy here."
"Damn it all, cut it out! You two are behaving irresponsibly!" Scott slammed a hand into the wall, then tried to keep from screaming as the pain hit.
"Please. Remy. Rogue. Do not let Scott's ill-chosen verbiage drive you away from our home together." Hank, distressed, walked around the pair so he could meet them eye to eye.
"This is different!" Scott also tried to meet Rogue's eyes, but she turned away from him and looked at Hank warmly.
"Thanks for YOUR support, Hank. I appreciate it."
"Try to understand. Mystique's a murderer! She has no morals, no values. She'll do anything! We've seen it!" He couldn't believe it. Mystique had corrupted two of his team under his nose. "We know and trust you guys. You've proven your loyalty."
"So you won't give anyone else a chance, homme? Seem pretty stupid to Remy."
He stopped, unable to speak. Hank's eyes met his. "Touche, no, Mr. Summers?"