Disclaimer: Several new characters are mine, including the plot. X-Men belongs to Marvel and Fox.

Blix: I've played around with Rogue and Bobby for a while now, and their goody goody relationship gets a little drab in my opinion. In this story it's getting a change :D Rogue is quite unhappy anyway, it's bound to put a strain on their relationship.

I'm quick with these chapters at the moment because I've previously wrote them. Get reviewing and I'll get posting =P

Chapter 21

Gambit's attention had quickly zoned in on Siren when he heard his name being called. His arm shifted to hold Rogue gently as he looked over to his sister over the lowered head of the younger mutant. Siren quickly found her brother through the different faces and studied the pair from a distance before she began to walk up to them, "Is everything all right?" she asked curiously, accent bringing her sentence alive.

Gambit shook his head quietly, looking down at an ashen-faced Rogue who turned her tearful eyes up to the woman. Rogue had never really come in close proximity with the French mutant. She'd only viewed her passing in the corridor, their eyes had never met and words had never been exchanged.

"I'll be alright," muttered Rogue, sitting up a freeing her face of running tears, "I've been like this a lot recently.."

Siren watched the young woman before her, eyes surveying her attire, or more so the style of attire. She heard about someone in school with deadly skin.. other than herself. Siren however dropped down to sit in Gambit's old chair, studying the female across from her, "I'm Siren, hun."

Rogue nodded slowly, "I know.. I remember you from England. I'm Rogue."

"This is my brother," said Siren softly, gesturing to Gambit.

"I know.." Rogue repeated quietly, eyes looking down at her knees.

"Perhaps Siren can 'elp you too, chere?" Gambit then spoke up quietly, "You both have the troubles o' the skin."

Siren looked slowly to Gambit then her eyes settled upon Rogue, "You're the girl, like me, that can't touch anyone?"

A small and unhappy nod came from Rogue.

"Is that what this be all about?" Asked Siren, gesturing to the sorrowful face.

"Yes.." answered Rogue quietly, watching Siren in a new light. This was someone else who couldn't touch others without hurting them. Why hadn't she been told that she had someone, an adult, who could understand her frustration? She gave Gambit a small glance, a smile managing to appear, "So.. you have the same problems as me? Rogue asked, looking intently to Siren.

"I did, Rogue." Siren answered softly with a nod.

"Did?"

"You won't be like this forever, every mutant manages to get some form of control on their powers. Some it takes weeks, some it can take years. This is a very powerful mutation of yours, to absorb other people's power. It will take you a while to be able to administer control over it," said Siren softly, looking at the girl with a nod, "Even now Siren does not have complete control over her powers. The gloves are still necessary, just in case."

Rogue was watching Siren with a new respect as she spoke, "How old were you when found out about your mutation?"

"I was 16.. it's been five years.."

"I've only had this about four years.."

"You see? There's still hope, chere!" Gambit announced with a wide smile, giving her a small hug, "Wi' the Lebeau siblings 'ere.. everythin' will be just fine. Remy is gonna 'elp ya."

"So will Siren," Added the French mutant with a smile. She then lifted from the seat, looking to the doors before back to Rogue, "Perhaps we should get back down to the infirmary and see how Charles is doing.

A nod came from Gambit as he heard his sisters words, "All right.. ya gonna come, chere?" he asked to Rogue.

"I be sure the X-Men won't mind," said Siren gently.

Rogue made a soft laugh shaking her head as she rose between the two, "It's not the X-Men who will have a problem," her eyes pointedly lifted to glare across at Bobby, who immediately straightened and looked wary when he saw three pairs of eyes turn upon him. Rogue quickly turned her eyes away and began to leave the room, Siren by her side and Gambit following amiably behind with his hands in his pockets.

Bobby remained glaring at the closed door for a good while after.

Logan couldn't find it in him to go back to the underground levels just yet. It meant facing the rest of the team, who will have by now undoubtedly been informed of the disappearance of Roxanne, and of how Scott had become suddenly injured. When he saw Siren pass by earlier he didn't bother to draw her attention to him. He was quite content at how he was now. Alone, sulking against the wall of an empty corridor. Logan had so much rage bubbling around his blood at the moment he needed to find some way to calm himself. A stroll through picturesque white woodland usually did it, armed with a cigar. But he only had the latter. He made a wearied sigh, a sound that often came from him these days, and he began to pat his various pockets in search of a beloved Corona. He lifted it out of his inside coat pocket and then began the task of finding his lighter. Once he had both, the cigar was placed gently into his lips and he flicked the lighter.

All of a sudden he paused, the cigar hanging a little from his change of expression. Perhaps it was rather disrespectful to smoke within the mansion when he knew fairly well that in the next few minutes there would be no sound of Charles' wheels arriving to give him a scolding. Logan took his cigar out of his mouth and looked down at it fondly. "Ah.. Who cares? It ain't harmin' him when he's out," Logan muttered rather harshly, jabbing his cigar back between his lips and lighting it before his guilt had chance to resurface. As he drew in from his cigar, all doubts were erased by the soothing sensation he received from his treasured Coronas.

Now leaning back on the wall, equipped with a satisfying cigar, Logan could feel that rush of the beast taming. He pondered over Roxanne and where she could possibly be now. He sincerely hoped she would find her way back all right. The next city was a good number of miles from the mansion. With another draw Logan found that his nerves were now completely at rest. He thought he could probably be able to put tolerate a smug Scott walking past this very instant. Maybe.. With the silence around him Logan soon found his thoughts back on the conversation he had had with Roxanne. He still had yet to figure out what was wrong with her, and what it was she seemed to be so scared of. Perhaps a walk in the forest would calm her down too, contemplated Logan a moment, thoughts being awarded by memories of a sudden woodland at it's best in the glorious rays of spring sunshine. He was walking beside Roxanne, younger, but no more beautiful than he found her now. Logan snapped out of that thought pretty roughly. He found her beautiful now? Since when did he allow himself to think that?

Damn subconsciousness.

A sound at the end of the corridor quickly levitated him out of his mental conversation and thoughts. A small group was heading his way; the first person he spotted was Gambit. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful for being snapped out of his thoughts about Roxanne or not. But even that contemplation was quickly forgotten as he glared at Gambit with resolute venom. He did not like the particular company the newcomer had established.

"Hey Logan," said Rogue in a decidedly cheerful tone as she came up to him, "Why are you up here all alone? Shouldn't you be with Charles?"

"Shouldn't you be with the other students?" Logan replied suddenly. He knew instantly he had been too sharp, for he saw her features relax in surprise to his retort. A frown appeared on his brow and he quickly looked from her, feeling ashamed.

"Logan, I have officially past studentship with qualifications, in case you hadn't noticed." Rogue replied frigidly with her arms folding.

Logan peered at her, "Of course I'd noticed."

"Really? It seems yer so busy these days, you actually forgot just who is your best friend."

Siren and Gambit had politely remained quiet whilst Rogue and Logan conversed, and Logan was just about to defend himself when Gambit gave an amused smile, "What? Ya friends with de Wolverine?"

"You got a problem with that, Cajun?" snarled Logan defensively as he glowered over at Gambit.

"Remy," empathised Rogue after Logan's choice of name, "has no problem with who I'm fr –"

"Ah but he does, chere. You want to avoid de bad crowds."

"There's only one guy with the bad crowd 'round 'ere!" growled Logan in reply, then looking to Rogue, "Do you realise where this guy is from, kid?"

Rogue didn't manage to reply. For Gambit broke in with a sneer, "Kid? Wolvie, I thought we 'ad established that Rogue 'ere is past her student life? With qualifications, might I add."

Logan felt the once lost tension inside him suddenly be set into a spin, "What's that supposed to mean?" he barked.

"Whilst you've just proved me point, I be explaining that you got no qualifications 'ave ya?"

"You know nothin' about me.." snarled Logan, his eyes viciously narrowed now.

"Hm, well, if ya did pass any exams, what were they? Being an imprudent asshole?" Gambit asked with a serious tone, "I'm assuming ya failed the hair and beauty course." Gambit had initially felt quite unclean from the lack of a shave and change of clothing over the past day. But when confronted with this wild specimen he felt very well groomed indeed.

To begin with Rogue was feeling rather smug to have the male pair arguing over her. But now she was finding that Gambit's comments were too personal to the Wolverine. She passed a nervous glance to Siren who too had originally been surveying the dispute with amusement and now looked a little worried herself. She knew that the Wolverine had tendencies to be rash and irritable. Rogue however, feeling her forgotten admiration for Logan resurface, turned to glare at Gambit, "Now that was just way below the belt!" she exclaimed with a snarl. Inside her mind had reasoned her small dilemma with Logan with the fact that he was a solid and old friend, whereas Gambit had only been on the scene for a few minutes!

"Oh come on belle, it wer' only a bit o' fun!"

Logan just wordlessly turned from the trio slowly and walked stiffly round the corner of the corridor with his cigar in place. He'd already struck Scott; he didn't need any more trouble. As he disappeared off down another corridor, Rogue was continuing to defend Logan, "A bit of fun? Those comments were so uncalled for! I do believe you actually hurt his feelings! An almost impossible task!"

"Oh, so da brute does have emotions then? Funny, acts as though he lost 'em all through surgery." Gambit rolled his eyes arrogantly, his cockiness slipping as he frowned down at the frozen expression of shock on Rogue's face. He raised a brow, unbeknown to him at how tactless he had accidentally been.

"I can't believe you!" she cried, turning from him to storm away with the curse of, "Insensitive swamp rat!"

How is Gambit's name pronounced by the way? Just interested. Is it Ree-mey, Rem - ey, Re- mey, or what? Hm.. Anyway, lemme know in a review? (:

A lot of the character interactions, Rogue/Gambit, Logan/Gambit, here are done similarly to the comics (that I've researched anyway) To me they seem to be getting across well. I like the interactions so far.

www(dot)freewebs(dot)com/tpftp