(Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Marvel.)

Golden Slumbers

Chapter 3

Wolverine dove out of the way just as Sabertooth took a swing at him, narrowly missing his razor sharp claws. He quickly rolled to his feet and stabbed his adamantium claws into his chest. Sabertooth let out a cry of pain before his image changed and revealed that he was only a robot. Wolverine pulled his claws out and watched its lifeless body fall to the ground. Without warning he felt something wrap around his ankles and pull him to the ground. He hit the ground hard and looked down to see what it was and saw that a silver tentacle was wrapped around both of his ankles, holding his feet together. He let out a growl as he slashed at it and it released him. He jumped back up to his feet and got in position to fight, coming face to face with Omega Red.

"This is the Danger Room." Professor Xavier was up at the Danger Room's controls showing Alice how it worked. She was watching in amazement as Wolverine brawled with Omega Red down below.

"What if he gets hurt?" She asked as she continued to watch.

"We take precautions to ensure the safety of the team when they're training." Xavier replied. "We leave nothing to chance, we're very aware of the dangers it presents."

"Has anybody ever been?" She asked while Wolverine killed the Omega Red replica and ended the battle.

"There have been a few mishaps." Xavier reluctantly answered. "But the Danger Room is nothing to fear. It is the perfect place for you to learn how to control your abilities."

Professor Xavier pushed a button and the world surrounding Wolverine down below disappeared.

"What gives, Chuck?" Wolverine asked, looking up at them. "Why don't ya give me a challenge instead of these rookie programs? Step it up a notch."

"As you wish, Logan." Xavier replied, setting the Danger Room difficulty to a higher level.

Another world appeared around Wolverine and he got in postition, waiting for another attack. Nothing happened for a moment and he started to get impatient.

"What gives, I--" Before he could finish the ground started to shake. Apocalypse appeared right underneath him, errupting from the ground. Wolverine jumped out of the way and smiled. "Now that's more like it."

Xavier and Alice watched as the duel began.

"The Danger Room allows mutants such as yourself to freely develope their powers in an environment in which no one will be harmed." Xavier continued. "It allows us to control everything and anything you need to practice with."

"You'll learn to trust it just like the rest of us." They both turned to the door as Cyclops walked in. "We all have our doubts at first, but it doesn't take long to get used to it."

"Yes, Scott was one of the first to train in it." Xavier added. "You can begin your training tomorrow. Do you have any questions?"

"No, I think I'm ready." Alice sounded uncertain as she spoke.

"Very well." Xavier replied. They looked back down to see how Wolverine was doing with the Apocalypse simulation and watched as he continued to fight.

"How de food, Chere?" Gambit asked with a grin. He talked Rogue into going out for dinner instead of eating at the mansion to celebrate getting his eyesight back. He had even convinced her to try a new Cajun restaraunt he had found a while back. "Didn' I tell you it de best in town?"

"Yeah, it's great." Rogue's answer wasn't very convincing due to the face she was making as she tasted it.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he took another bite. "You don' like it?"

"It's not that ah don't like it..." Rogue's eyes were begining to water. "It's just a little too spicy."

"No such t'ing, Chere." He replied. "But Gambit t'ink maybe dis not your food of choice, eh?"

"Ah might like it if Ah could taste it." She said, taking a drink of water.

"You take away de spice and it not Cajun anymore." Gambit smiled as he continued to eat his dinner. "I make it up to you, Chere. Next time we eat wherever you want."

When the headlights of a car passing by flashed in Gambit's eyes he quickly closed them. They were still sensitive and the bright light caused a sharp pain.

"You okay, Remy?" Rogue got concerned when she noticed his reaction. "Do your eyes hurt?"

"Course not, Chere." He said, ignoring the burning he now felt in them. "Car lights be too bright for anybody, non?"

Rogue was getting ready to say something else when she was interrupted by a beeping noise. She looked down at the communicator she had hooked on her belt and realized somebody from the mansion was trying to contact them.

"Can't we ever get one night of peace and quiet?" She asked out loud to herself as she answered the call.

It was Jean and she had good news. Storm was awake. They both rushed back to Rogue's car as fast as they could, putting their dinner on hold.

"How does your head feel?" Beast asked as he looked over Storm.

"I feel fine, Hank." She answered with a smile before rubbing her head. "Just a slight headache."

Beast continued checking her to make sure she was alright while she talked with Jean and Cyclops.

"Three days?" She was shocked to hear how long she had been uncontious.

"We were getting worried." Jean replied. "It's good to see you're back with us again."

"Thank you, Jean." She said as Beast finished inspecting her. "It's good to be back."

"All signs are looking good." Beast sounded positive. "Are you feeling any pain in your ribs?"

"Some." Storm answered. "But it is nothing I can't bare."

"And your arm?" He asked.

"It is a little soar." She replied, looking down at the sling supporting her arm. "Though right now I am more hungry than anything else."

"Of course..." Cyclops turned around to leave the room. "I'll get you something to eat."

"Thank you, Scott." Storm smiled as he walked out. She was starving. She didn't even care what he got her, she just needed something to eat.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Jean asked.

"I remember the fight with the Friends Of Humanity." Storm thought to herself. She tried to remember exactly what happened, but couldn't recall the details. "The last thing I remember is helping Wolverine and Gambit keep them at bay while you escaped with the prisoners."

"A fragment grenade exploded near you." Beast spoke up. "You and Gambit were both hit by it."

"Gambit?" Storm looked worried. "Is he alright?"

"Oh, yes, he's fine." He answered. "His injuries have already been attended to."

"Good." She looked satisfied by his answer. "And what of the hostages?"

"All safe and well." Jean replied with a smile. "One of them is even staying with us for awhile."

"That is good news." Storm leaned back in her bed to relax.

Just then Rogue and Gambit came through the door and hurried into the room. The moment Gambit saw her awake a great weight was lifted from his shoulders and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah can't believe it!" Rogue exclaimed as she rushed up to her bed. "We got here as fast as we could. You know, you put us through quite a scare, sugah."

"I'm sorry for having worried you, Rogue." Storm replied. Then she looked over at Gambit as he approached her bed. "I'm glad to see you are well, my friend."

"Don' worry 'bout me, Stormy." He smiled, trying to cover up the guilt he was still feeling from failing to save her from the attack that led to her current situation. The strain of his worrying had eased after seeing her awake, but in his head he was still blaming himself. "You worry 'bout yourself, hear? How you feel?"

"I feel fine, Gambit." She could tell there was something bothering him by the look in his eyes. "You look as if something is troubling you..."

"Jus' glad you're back is all." He said, putting on his best poker face.

"We've all missed you around here." Jean added.

"Yes, we have." Professor Xavier said as he entered the room. "I'm glad we have you back. Do you need anything?"

"Scott is getting me something to eat as we speak." Storm answered.

They all talked amongst themselves until Scott returned with a sandwich and then ended their conversations, leaving Storm to eat and get some much needed rest.

It was finally time. She got nervous as the time for her first training session grew near. She didn't quite know what to expect from the training or from her new teacher. He saved her life and they had a brief introduction to eachother, but she still had no clue as to what kind of person he was. Not to mention when she was introduced to him he was blind, so meeting him now would actually be like meeting him for the first time again. He seemed like a nice enough guy, she thought to herself, but she still didn't know anything about him. She tried to stop thinking about it and relax, but couldn't and was on edge the entire time she stood in the Danger Room with the Professor.

"Alice, relax..." Professor Xavier assured her, picking up on her thoughts. "There is no reason to be nervous."

She gave him a forced smile through her nerves and continued to wait. Time passed and soon it was nearly ten minutes passed the time the session was scheduled to begin. Xavier tapped his fingers on his chair and was begining to get impatient while Alice got even more nervous and tense, thinking that perhaps something might be wrong. She was just begining to get used to being at the mansion and still felt like she was a burden at times.

Just as Professor Xavier was getting ready to send a telepathic message to fetch her teacher the doors to the Danger Room slid open. They both looked over towards them as the man they were waiting for casually drifted in with a smile.

"Sorry I late, Professor." Gambit said, looking at Xavier and then at Alice. "Afternoon, p'tite."

She instantly remembered his red on black eyes as they glanced over at her. Xavier noticed from her shy expression that she was still nervous and wasn't going to say anything back and decided to break the silence before she got too uncomfortable.

"I believe the two of you have still not been properly introduced..." Xavier spoke up. "Alice this is Gambit, Gambit this is Alice."

"Nice ta see you again, p'tite." Gambit smiled as he offered his hand and Alice shyly smiled back, reaching out to shake it.

They were finally getting introduced when they could both see eachother. She was caught off guard when he bowed his head and kissed the back of her hand, his grin widening at her look of surprise. Then he turned to the Professor.

"So what you got in mind today?" He asked, not knowing exactly what Xavier had planned for the lesson.

"I believe it would be best to start off with a simple power evaluation." Xavier answered. "You must get familiar with Alice's abilities before you will be able to help her with them. If that's alright with you, of course?"

He directed the question towards Alice and she agreed. After informing them that he would be observing from the control room he left them alone to begin. Gambit didn't exactly know where to start and decided to break the ice with some casual conversation.

"Gambit t'ink you never have a teacher like him before, non?" He said with a smug smile. "Don' worry, it not gonna be so bad. You trust Gambit, he teach you some t'ings."

Alice was surprised at how relaxed he seemed to be. She didn't have any idea what to expect, but it certantly wasn't this. He wasn't at all intense like the Professor. He was very casual and she didn't suspect he would be that strict of a teacher. Her thoughts were interrupted when a loud voice filled the room.

"We'll begin with a simulated environment that will be safe to test your powers in." Xavier's voice came through the speakers as he watched over them from the Danger Room controls. Alice was startled until she looked up and saw him sitting at the window. "You may begin whenever you're ready."

Suddenly trees and bushes appeared out of nowhere and the large, empty room became a jungle. Alice looked around in amazement. She had been shown the Danger Room from above, but this was the first time she was actually inside to see it for herself and it was a completely different experience.

"Maybe you show Gambit what you can do, eh?" Gambit smiled as he watched her look around in awe.

She snapped out of her deep focus on the surrounding jungle and looked over at him. He crossed his arms and shifted his weight, casually leaning against a tree while he continued to smile and patiently wait.

"I don't..." Alice didn't know what to say or do and looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I get you started." Gambit moved away from the tree and pulled a card out. "You charge t'ings, right?"

Alice just nodded and waited for him to continue. He held the card up in front of him and charged it, tossing it towards the tree and blowing it in half. Alice watched in shock as the top half of it fell to the ground and landed with a loud crash. Gambit walked over to her as he pulled out another card.

"Now you try." He said, holding it out for her to take. She looked at the now destroyed tree for another moment before turning back to him.

"I can't do that." She finally answered.

"Never know if you don' try." He said, still offering the card. She hesitated before she took it. "Relax, p'tite. Not'in ta worry 'bout in here. Now you jus' give dat a charge an' let it go."

"I can't control it." She replied, reluctant to try. "I can't keep it from blowing up when I don't want it to."

"Hmm..." Gambit tapped a finger on his chin as he thought to himself. He didn't know where to go from here and wasn't coming up with any ideas.

"Alice's powers are not exact to yours, Gambit." They heard Xavier's voice explain over the speakers. "She doesn't have to hold an object to charge it. She can do so just by focusing her mind. If she gives an object her full attention she can create a kinetic charge with just a look."

"No kiddin'?" Gambit sounded interested as he turned back to Alice. "Dat one convenient power ta have, non?"

"Maybe if I knew how to use it." Alice replied.

Gambit could detect frustration in her voice and gave her a curious look. She was in fact frustrated. She was angry with herself because she had not yet learned how to control them herself.

"Be patient, p'tite." Gambit smiled as he took the card back from her and tossed it on the ground a short distance away. He didn't charge it, but dropped it there for her. "Try now. No harm when it dat far away."

She looked down at the card and then back at Gambit. He urged her to charge it so she turned back, looking down and focusing on it. Professor Xavier and Gambit both watched with interest as the card began to glow. Xavier was especially fastenated, looking on from the Danger Room controls. He noticed Alice was having to focus a great deal to create the charge. The card slowly grew brighter until it finally exploded and blew a large hole in the ground. Alice grabbed her head as the room began to spin and felt her legs give out. Then she felt something catch her before she hit the ground and her eyes shot open.

"What?!" She snapped back into reality and realized what had happened.

She was now looking up at Gambit, who had caught her and was helping her back to her feet. Then she saw that his duster was begining to glow and he looked down, realizing the same thing. She quickly pushed away from him and got free from his grasp, tripping and stumbling back to the ground. Gambit felt the heat against him that was coming from his duster and quickly pulled it off, throwing it as fast as he could. A few feet away in the air it exploded. The force from the explosion nearly knocked him off balance, but he managed to stay standing.

"What happened?!" Xavier's voice exclaimed from the speakers as the jungle around them vanished and they were once again in a large, empty room. "Are you both alright?!"

"I'm sorry!" Alice cried out as she held her head.

As the pain started to fade she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face Gambit. He helped her get back to her feet and she looked over at the Danger Room doors just as Professor Xavier rushed in, which told her she had been on the ground long enough for him to get down there from the control room.

"Is anybody injured?" Xavier asked as he approached them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Alice was still a little dizzy and Gambit was helping her keep her balance.

"What happened?" Xavier asked after he saw neither of them had been hurt by the explosion.

"I couldn't help it, I couldn't control..." Alice trailed off.

"Alice, what happened?" Xavier repeated himself.

"My mind, I couldn't control my powers." She replied, still feeling a slight pain in her head.

Gambit cautiously let go of her as she regained her balance, carefully making sure she wouldn't lose it again and fall over.

"Perhaps we should continue tomorrow." Xavier suggested, noticing Alice was obviously shaken by the incident.

The cold air felt good when it hit his face. He had stepped out to have a cigar, seeing as how he could never get away with smoking inside. He stuck it in his mouth and felt around his jacket pockets for his lighter. He let out an aggravated growl when he didn't find it and realized he must have left it inside. Just as he turned around to head back in he caught a familiar scent.

"Climbin' trees, Cajun?" Logan looked up at the tree the scent was coming from and spotted the source. Gambit was sitting in it, casually leaning back and relaxing.

"Jus' enjoyin' de night, mon ami." Gambit replied, not looking away from the sky to acknowledge Logan's presence.

"Heard your first day a trainin' the girl didn't go over all that well." Logan had a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he stuck the cigar back in his mouth and leaned against the wall of the mansion.

"Coulda' gone better." Gambit answered.

Logan turned around when the door to the mansion opened and Jean stepped out.

"Hey, Red." He said, still holding the cigar between his teeth.

"Hi, Logan." She greeted him with a warm smile. "Have you seen Remy around?"

"Right here, Chere." Gambit answered before Logan had a chance to and dropped down from the tree.

"The Professor wants to see you." She replied.

"Guessed as much." He said as he walked over to join them. "Figure he'd call before de night through."

"Have fun." Logan's remark was full of sarcasm. Gambit shot him a smug smile as he walked passed him to go inside.

"You gonna smoke dat t'ing or you jus' like how you look wit' it in your mouth?" He said, pointing at the cigar and giving the tip of it a quick charge with his finger.

"Thanks for the light, Gumbo." Logan replied as he took a puff from his now burning cigar and proceeded to have a conversation with Jean.

Gambit was heading down the hall to find Professor Xavier. He knew the Professor would want to schedule the session for the next day in advance, which was why he didn't venture up to the roof and stayed where he would be easy to find. Not like Xavier or Jean couldn't just send him a telepathic message, but why bother with the hastle. He didn't like people snooping around in his head anyway.

"Come in." He heard Xavier's voice call from the other side of the door after he knocked. Gambit stepped into his office, where the Professor was waiting for him. "I assume you know why I've called you in?"

"Qui." Gambit answered, taking a seat in front of his desk.

"Todays events were less than encouraging, I'm afraid." Xavier continued. "Alice seems to have very little control over her powers. I had anticipated we might encounter some problems, but not to this degree. She put you both at risk today, her powers are highly unstable."

"Don' sweat it, Professor." Gambit assured him. "I get her all figured out in no time. Jus' had a rough first day, dat's all."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Xavier agreed. "Perhaps tomorrow we will have more luck."

"Don' worry." Gambit replied with a smug smile as he tapped his head. "Gambit got himself an idea."