Still, she couldn't keep her thoughts from some of the other events that had taken place in the compound.
~Flashback~
She had been sleeping, something had woken her. Through the haze created by the drugs pumped into her veins Rogue tried to work out what was going on. Slowly, she began to analyse the information her nerves were screaming at her: An explosion sent shudders through the building. Shouts, gunfire, yells, the tortured scream of warping metal. Another explosion, closer this time. Not for the first time, Rogue's thoughts formed prayer. Let it be them, please let it be them. She wasn't even sure who 'they' were anymore. She remembered knowing they were good, that they were her friends, that they would help her, but their identities, names, faces, were no more than shadows in her memory. It had been days, weeks, months? since she had been captured and the world outside seemed like a distant dream, constantly fading no matter how hard she tried to cling onto it. Don't matter, even if it ain't them, the one certainty at that point in her life drowned any doubts or fear, two things she had long ago learned to ignore, nowhere can poss'bly be worse 'n here…then the drugs in her system began to reclaim her and the world around sank into darkness.
~End~
Rogue frowned at the memories following these events. She knew there were a few things that didn't fit, that things had happened, but they were fragmented, unreliable. Thinking back, she thought she remembered arms holding her, carrying her if their movements were any indication. Explosions of varying strengths and proximities were also jumbled in there, punctuating the sounds of screams and running footsteps. Pushing deeper into the memory, she vaguely recalled a laugh, soft and reassuring, and maybe a voice, then nothing. The next thing she new she was waking up in the rather battered med lab, in fact this med lab, situated underneath the X-men's mansion. Or what was left of it. In fact, now that she thought about it, there was a definite sense of déja vu.
~Flashback~
Waking up in a lab had not had the greatest effect on her, but the moment Beast walked in she had inexplicably relaxed. Why the presence of a huge beast-like man covered in blue fur and bandages should be reassuring, she didn't know, but soon the memories came flooding back and all became clear.
Almost all the X-men were present to welcome her back, including Logan and Evan as they had woken before her, but Fred had returned to the Brotherhood a few days previously. This meant that the only X-man currently missing was Professor Xavier himself. For some reason they all seemed relieved to have her back, especially surprising considering how they had treated her before the kidnapping. No, that ain't fair. They were always kind to meh, they just didn't understand. In fact, Kitty had been so relieved she had rushed in for a hug without a second thought about Rogue's powers. That had touched Rogue more than she would like to admit, and since then she had always been a little more open to the freshman.
After the reunions were complete she asked them what had happened. Apparently she had been in the compound nearly two months before they could locate them. They said they had infiltrated the base and freed as many of the prisoners as they could, including Fred and Logan. Beast had already been freed from a smaller compound specialising in adult mutations. Unfortunately, before they could reach her block, the self-destruct sequence was enabled and they were forced to retreat. When the explosions had ceased and the dust had cleared, they returned to search the ruins. After harbouring no real hope that they would find her alive, it had seemed like a miracle when they had discovered her a few hundred metres away from the debris, passed out on the grass, and had reasonably assumed that she had escaped while they were creating a distraction. Rogue said nothing to deny this, but she never confirmed it either. She decided that as she wasn't even sure herself, they really didn't need to know and it would only worry them.
~End~
Looking again at the sleeping Gambit before her, Rogue wondered. The first time he had laughed she had done a double take, sure she had heard it somewhere before. She had confronted the teen about the events during her escape a while after he had joined their team, but all he had said was "Gambit always protect de valuable beb" Well that was a cryptic answer, even if it was in third person. Rogue smirked slightly, that had always pissed her off.
Scowling again, Rogue watched the enigma that was Remy LeBeau. What, really, was he doing here? She didn't think he had joined the team as a chance to spy on them or anything like that, although she wouldn't put it past him, it was just that he didn't exactly fit in with the other X-Men. Huh, this comin' from a bitchy goth who keeps everyone at arms length an' can kill with a touch. Ok, so she couldn't really talk, but still. She had her uncontrollable powers as an excuse, what was his? Was it Storm? They had seemed quite close when she had supported his request to join the X-Men and when she had introduced him to the rest of the team. She was fairly sure none of the other members of the team could call the weather goddess 'Stormy' and walk away unscathed.
~Flashback~
Everyone was gathered in the newly built rec, room in response the Professor's request to meet him for an introduction. There was an underlying sense of anticipation as the mutants awaited the appearance of their mentor. It was only a week since they had finally managed to make contact with Professor Xavier, four days since his return, and three days since his great sacrifice to preserve the safety of his students. He had seemed very old and tired after his efforts to wipe the memories of mutants from the minds of the inhabitants of Bayville and this would be his first appearance since that event.
Desperately trying to ignore…something distracting, Rogue looked around the room at her friends, her (as much as she hated to admit it) family. Kurt and Evan were playing on the Playstation, probably jumping around more than their characters in their enthusiasm, Jubilee yelling encouragement from behind. Jamie, Bobby and Rahne were huddled on the sofa gossiping about the meeting, Beast was in a corner discussing computers with Kitty, Scott and Jean talking quietly in another corner while Roberto tried unsuccessfully to seduce Amara beside the pool table. Logan was leaning on the doorjamb wearing his customary scowl and a look of mild disgust at being stuck in a room full of teenagers, and Storm was nowhere to be seen.
The…distraction, was intensifying and Rogue wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it off unnoticed. Jean was already giving her slightly odd looks despite the icy glares being sent her way. Rogue's brow furrowed in concentration and a silent plea for Jean to leave well alone and let her deal with this. The last thing she wanted was to bother their mentor with a problem which seemed insignificant when compared to the service he had performed for them, giving up not only a great deal of mental energy, but also his ideals to protect them.
Thankfully, everyone was interrupted at that moment by the arrival of the Professor. Everyone immediately turned to face him, and for a moment an expectant silence settled over the room.
A small proud smile appeared on the Xavier's lips as he surveyed his students. The mind wipe had cost him dearly, both physically and morally, but although he regretted the act itself, he knew he would carry it out again. The recent events had clearly shown what Magneto had obviously been trying to tell them: that the world was not yet ready for mutants.
The students, meanwhile, were all waiting for the reason for calling the meeting. They did not have to wait long, as the Professor was soon followed by Storm and, Rogue bit back a gasp, a familiar face. What th' hell does he think he's doin' here? Apparently everyone else recognised him as the silence their entrance had caused was shattered by at least ten voices all speaking at once, a few comments standing out.
"Hey, doesn't he work for Magneto"
"Like, what is he doing here?"
"Professor he's the enemy!" Xavier held up his hand for silence, waiting for everyone to stop before talking himself.
"X-Men, I would like to introduce our newest member, this is Remy LeBeau, or you may know him as Gambit. He came to me recently requesting a place on the team."
"Professor, you aren't seriously letting him join the X-Men after what happened with the Sentinel," Rogue caught a few glances thrown her way following Bobby's statement and pointedly ignored or out-glared them.
"If Gambit may say somet'ing", Remy spoke before the Professor could answer, "My allegiance to Magneto was never completely… voluntary. I never had a quarrel wit' you, I jus' followed de orders an' kept m' head down. 'Sides, dat fight wasn't meant t' get y' captured…" for an instant Gambit's eyes flicked to Rogue "…jus' t' show y' how mankind 'll react t' us." Huh, guess they did that successfully.
"If you didn't want to work for him then why did you fight us?" The Professor watched as Remy shrugged, letting him answer the questions. He knew his students wouldn't blindly accept a former enemy with open arms, and it would probably be best if they started getting to know the young man themselves rather than listening to Xavier answering their questions for him. He studied their reactions as Remy answered calmly.
"Gambit value his life." There was silence to this statement. All of the X-Men knew of Magneto, either through their tangles with him or by reputation, and nobody could really fault the Cajun's logic. Magneto could be ruthless.
"Even so, how do we know we can trust you?" Scott wasn't completely convinced by his little story. Rogue had to go with him on this one; there was something very smooth, slippery about him that she didn't like. Even if he wasn't intending to betray them, she had seen his moves before and doubted he couldn't have gotten away from Magneto if he really wanted to. There was truth in there, he was too clever to omit all of it, but he wasn't telling them everything. Rogue's scowl intensified as she awaited his reply. Surprisingly though, it was Storm who offered an answer this time.
"I will vouch for him," she said simply. Everyone looked shocked, especially Evan.
"Why would you trust him Auntie O?"
"Because he once paid me a great service, with no thought of payment or personal gain, merely because I was in need," Storm paused to smile warmly at Remy before continuing, " I trust him with my life." The stunned looks worn by pretty much everyone in the room were priceless, even Logan had raised an eyebrow. Hearing that the regal weather-witch would place her life into the hands of a demon-eyed teenager was not what they were expecting to hear.
"Well, I think that about covers it," a quiet smile touched Xavier's lips as he scanned the room. Most seemed wary of their new recruit, especially Scott. To a certain extent that was good, a team leader should always be alert to possible threats, no matter what form they took. Rogue too seemed uncomfortable, though some of the other girls seemed less worried about his presence. Well, that could also be beneficial; Gambit shouldn't feel too threatened or alienated when introduced to a new situation. Deciding that he was no longer needed, Xavier made a parting request, "Please make sure Remy is welcomed into his new home. Now if you will excuse me…"
Slightly surprised that he hadn't stayed to make the introductions, Rogue watched as the Professor turned and left the room. She then turned her attention back to their latest recruit, starting a little to find him studying her in return. A bit put out, she raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'something you wanted?' His response was an almost undetectable smirk and a certain glint in his eye. Rogue replied with her patented 'Death Glare', as named by Evan; if he thought he was just going to waltz in her and play her like he had on the battlefield he had another thing coming to him. To her surprise, his only response was to widen his smirk and incline his head ever so slightly before turning his attention back to 'Stormy'. Rogue narrowed her eyes; if this was how he returned her bitchy behaviour she was going to teach him what happened when people didn't to keep their distance. She needed a little payback for events during and following a certain fight. A distinctly evil smirk touched Rogue's lips as she watched him flirt outrageously with Jean, much to Scott's disapproval; life in the institute was certainly going to be interesting from now on.
~End~
OK, not end end, but you know what I mean. Please review!
~vagabond~