This story is based on Alex's life, and the difficult challenges she has to endure. The love story in my story is between Alex and Gambit. I decided that Gambit is going to talk normal (without an accent). I'm sorry if that bugs people, but I don't like his accent, and sometimes it's hard to understand what he's trying to say. So, he has no accent, but he looks the same. Hot!!!!! LOL.

Chapter three

They had been walking for about three hours when the night stretched to the point of pitch black. Traveling would be even more difficult for neither had a flashlight. They needed to stop soon too, because the constant rumbling and yawning noises erupting from each one of them signalled they were hungry and tired.

With every minute passing the night seemed to get chillier, and the constant whining and complaining from Brain wasn't helping neither. "Come on, Alexxxxxxx. I'm hungry and tired and my feet hurt!."

Alex sighed and turned around to face the two boys. So far, she about heard every English word considered babble come from Brian, but Gambit had been silent since they had left, occasionally taking the position in the front to ensure they were going the right way. "Brian, would you do me a favor and turn yourself off?" joked Alex.

Brian glared at her and crossed his arms in front of his chest and continued to walk leaving Alex behind now with Gambit. She wouldn't talk to Brian for a while because he was on a short leash and she didn't want a grumpy Brian on her hands. That always resulted in Brian blowing a short fuse, and not talking to her for about ten minutes, but she didn't like Brian being mad at her.

"We need to stop somewhere to get something to eat and stay." replied Gambit. Alex turned to him, surprised. That was about the most she's heard him say for about the three hours they've been walking. "Do you know of a place to stay?"

Alex knew of a little motel up ahead about a half hour walk away. It wasn't the best place in the world but it was suitable for a night's rest and at least a shower and some food.

The time walking was spent in complete silence. Every home they passed was either barred to keep mutants out or broken and left wide open from their home being raided. Brian walked with his head bowed along with Gambit. Alex basically felt like she was in her own world, alone and tired, walking around aimlessly while her companions completely ignored her.

The rain began to pelt down really hard when a bend loomed ahead of them. Alex walked shivering, her arms wrapped as much as possible around herself to keep warm. Finally going around the bend, they could spot the tiny motel up ahead. They ran the rest of the way trying to make it inside before they got to wet. They were completely oblivious to the fact that they were splashing into puddles as they ran.

Once upon reaching the motel, they piled inside the lobby to get a room. With the shortage of money they could only afford a room with only one bed. The owner of the motel turned out to be a perverted 40 year-old man who continuelly stared at Alex. Brian was away standing on the stairs ready to bound up them any moment, completely void of the fact that the owner was hitting on Alex, but Gambit upon seeing what the man was up to, placed his arm around her shoulders and turned her around to start walking up the stairs to their room. The owner went obediently, passing Brian on the way, who looked very confused about Gambit's actions. Alex shrugged and if she didn't know better, she could've sworn that she was blushing.

The sleeping arrangements were made when they entered the room. Gambit claimed before they even started to argue that he would take the chair by window. The room was small, with a desk to the right of the door and bed facing it. The window was just a double pane with a pale, stained, white curtain barely covering it. The chair was like a large, non-rockable, rotten lazyboy. Then in the corner of the room stood the door to the bathroom, which Alex called first.

Alex and Brian settled their sleeping arrangements with a game of rock, paper, scissors. Gambit found this quite funny, especially since Brian continued to ask for a rematch but still lost every time. The end result was Alex sleeping in the bed and Brian on the floor.

The shower Alex took had never felt so good. The warm water was bringing the chill from her body. No matter how bad she wanted to stay in there forever she gave herself a time limit so Gambit had some warm water when he came in after her. Brian had immediately fallen asleep when he hit the floor and was still sleeping solid when she had left to take a shower.

Stepping out of the shower, she quickly wrapped a large towel around herself to keep the heat from escaping. Putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she walked out of the bathroom with a trail of steam following her.

"Have a warm shower?" asked Gambit. Alex turned around to find that Gambit was already making his way to the bathroom, his shirt off and in his hands. Alex knew she was blushing. He had the best body she had ever seen. He had large hands and muscular arms and chest to occupy his six pack, which had Alex absolutely mismerized. Finally bowing her head to hide her flaming cheeks, she asked him the question that had been burning at her.

"Gambit, why did you help me back there?" Gambit stopped, placed his hand of the doorframe and turned around.

"I don't know." he replied before turning into the bathroom and closing the door.

The time Gambit spent in the shower, Alex spent thinking about him. Sometimes it frustrated her to the point of blowing up for the fact that Gambit didn't know what he made her feel like. He always seemed to remind her of Josh Hartnett with his hair. It was short, just fallen below his eyes, but redish brown color. But of course, a much more bigger and nicer body. Oh, jeez there she was thinking of his body, but then right before he went into the bathroom the steam had caused particles of water to collect in his hair and chest. She swore if she didn't look away at that moment, she would do something she would regret later. Thank goodness Brian was there.

Alex had fallen asleep by the time Gambit came out of the shower. Stepping into the room, he glanced her way. With her hair sprayed across the pillow and the light from the moon shining on her face, she looked angelic.

The morning rolled more quickly than either of them wanted it to. They had all gotten up early to get a head start on the day's journey. In their hearts they all knew it was going to be another long day's walk with little to no chance of eating. Clad in warmer clothes than the other day, they stated out with the first sign of light.

The morning sun shone bright through the fog, but it still made it difficult to see through the ghostlike mist. The temperature was predicted to drop dramatically throughout the day, which didn't really mean anything for Gambit and Brian who both had on a jacket, but Alex clad in a tee shirt was in for trouble. She had never had thought to pack a sweatshirt when they were leaving her house, she just wanted to get her brother.

By noon a dark cloud had slithered it's way across the sky and deciding to pour buckets of water on them. Alex began to wonder if it was sign telling them to go back and forget about her brother. No force on earth could stop her from her purpose.

Their feet began to throb through the soles of their shoes, while their hunger returned. Alex now draped in Gambit's cloak, which he had given to her when it started to rain, decided it would be best to hide amongst the trees in the forest to try and get away from the rain as much as possible.

"I think we should rest here for a while and maybe take a small nap so we're ready for the second leg of this journey." Gambit said.

The three of them found a dry clearing underneath an old evergreen tree, Alex stuck between the two boys and sharing Gambit's cloak with him as a blanket. They must of been asleep for at least five hours because by the time they woke the sun was seeping beneath the mountains.

Walking at night meant that it was going to be colder but easier means of walking because fewer cars drove at night which meant they could walk on the road instead of the undergrowth on the side of the road. By Gambit's calculations they should reach the camp they were keeping the mutants hostage at tomorrow about evening time.

Now they were resting on the side of the road for a quick break. Brian had made this an opportunity to take a nap leaving Gambit and Alex time to talk.

"Why were you here? You just happened to be there, when this happened?" asked Alex.

Gambit smirked and thought to himself whether he should tell her about his mission. "I go to this special school, and the headmaster told me of problem he thought was going to erupt down here. So, I came down to take a look and I happened to be in your neighborhood when this all happened."

"What type of school would do that?"

"Like I said a special school. A school for mutants, where we can all get along without being discriminated for being different. Xaviers Institution for Mutants. We're also known as the X-Men." laughed Gambit.

Alex seemed intrigued about this school. She had never heard of a school for mutants. If it's what he says it is, then maybe she should go and bring Gabe with her to take care of him.

"So, where's this school located?"

"New York"

"You came all the way from New York to Oregon? That's amazing!"

Gambit laughed once again but remained silent. Alex decided to strike a conversation with him again.

"So, what's you mutant power?" asked Alex. Gambit couldn't believe she wanted to know what he could do. He was pretty surprised earlier when she saw his eyes and she didn't freak out. Most people once they see his eyes, don't want anything to do with him.

"I can charge atoms by rubbing my fingers together. It's like when you rub your feet on a carpet and you touch a door knob and you feel a spark. Expept when I charge something they blow up."

"So, what do you charge?" asked Alex, who was even more interested in his gift. Gambit reached in his cloak pocket and pulled out a card.

"I charge these. Cards are easier to throw at people if neccessary, but enough about me. What's your power?" asked Gambit.

Alex was kinda skeptical if whether she should tell him of her powers. Sure, he was a mutant too, but she had two powers whilst he had only one. "I'm able to manifest fire and I, well, am telekinetic."

Gambit seemed really interested himself and requested a demonstration. Alex placed her hand away from herself, still a little unsure of her powers. Slowly she willed for the fire to come forth, when a spark started. For five minutes Alex intrigued Gambit by forming balls of flame and changing the colors of the flames. When he wanted to see her telepathic abilities Brian stirred and woke from his sleep.

"I guess It'll have to wait for a another time. Come on, we have to get going."

Please review my story. I haven't gotten reviews yet, and I would really like to know if you enjoy my story, and if you have any tips or pointers for me. In the future I plan to write a lot more stories, ranging from anime to movies and books.