VIII

(I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter, I had it done and ready to up load when the disk went wonky on me and I lost the file. So I had to start over from scratch. I don't think this chappie is very good, but I promise the next one will be better if you all just hang in there. Thank you for being so patient, I really appreciate it)

"How can she just be gone?" Remy thundered as he paced back and forth across Xavier's office and ran his fingers through his hair. "And just where the hell could she have gone in this weather?"

"We don't know." Jean admitted. "And we don't know." She shrugged in confusion" She's just gone." She sighed at his sarcastic look. "I've got storm out Storm and Kurt out checking Salem Center as we speak but we just found out she's gone, we don't know where yet."

" Maybe she went home." Remy suggested. " To Mississippi?"

" Her car's here." Jubilee put in, from where she was leaning against the wall. " And Logan's bike, and your bike, and her bike." She shook her head. " If she left on purpose, she didn't take anything with her and she didn't take any type of transportation."

" She couldn't have driven in this weather anyways." Beast put in. " You can barely see out there, the snow is driving so hard."

" She could fly." Kitty grumbled from her seat on the couch.

" I doubt it." Jean said. " Rogue's good but she's not that good, she couldn't see to fly in that storm, not far any ways."

" She wouldn't leave on purpose." Remy said. "That's not my girl's style."

" She's not your girl right now." Kitty reminded him. " You screwed up, remember?"

" How could I forget." Remy said through gritted teeth. " When you keep reminding me."

" Guys." Scott said in a warning tone. " Let's focus on our priority's right now, finding Rogue, and finding out where she left on her own or she was taken against her will."

" She wouldn't just leave." Remy said " I know she wouldn't."

" Oh yes." Kitty said argumentatively. " Because abandoning her post, her friends, her life and her responsibilities is so unlike Rogue."

" What's that supposed to mean?" Remy asked, eyes narrowing.

" It means this isn't the first time Rogue has taken a walk." Kitty said, seeing Remy's shocked expression. " Oh didn't nobody tell you, she's done this before, when she and Bobby split up."

Remy tossed a glance at Jean, watching as she nodded. " After the split, she did leave." Jean said " But just for two or three days and then she came back and she let us know before she left."

" Where did she go?" Remy asked, noting the glances everyone was passing around.

" Look." Jean cut in after a moment of silence. " Rogue's got a loft in the city, on the upper West side of Manhattan. She could be there for all we know."

" We've spent tons of time in the city together.' Remy said. " She never mentioned no loft to me."

" She wouldn't have." Jean said sadly. " It's her place, a place that she uses to get away from everything. She used to go there when she and Bobby where fighting, to wallow, to heal or just have time to think."

"She spent a lot of time there then?" Remy asked.

" You have no idea." Jean said sadly. "She wouldn't have said anything to you because, she had rarely mentioned it to anyone since you two got together. In fact, up until last week I think she was planning to put it on the market and get rid of it."

" Merde." Remy said feeling, lower and lower.

" I sent Logan and Sam to check it out." Jean said. " If she's there, they'll bring her back."

" At this point I'd like to protest the fact, my boyfriend is out looking for Ms. Emotionally Unstable 2004." Kitty said " And bring up a valid point."

" What?" Scott said.

" You're all talking like Rogue is in some sort of danger or crisis." Kitty said. " But I think the real question should be, what if Rogue doesn't want to be found at all?"

" Then heaven help us all." Remy said in a deadly tone. " Cause hell is coming ta town."

Sam winced as Logan took a curve and gripped the dashboard. " Logan, take it easy okay?' He said nervously, as he watched the road fly by at an amazing pace. " You're freaking me out."

" Stop whining." Logan said in a good natured tone as he passed a freak in a hummer and belted out a loud expletive. " You'll be fine."

" You do realize it's snowing out there right?" Sam said. "And that there's ice on the road?"

" Of course." Logan said as the Hummer tried to pass him again and he flipped the driver the bird, damn blue haired old ladies. He glanced over at Sam. " I'll get us to the city don't worry kid."

" Yeah but in pieces isn't an option Logan." Sam said as he gripped the dash again. " Oh man, if something happens to me Kitty's gonna find a way to kick my ass from beyond the grave, I know it."

Logan rolled his eyes and cracked the window a bit more as he lit a fresh cigar.

" How are you driving anyways?" Sam said as he squinted out the window. " I can barely see out there."

" So can I." Logan said. ' But what I lack in eyesight, I'm making up in smell.

" Your driving by smell?" Sam said aghast as he looked at the whiteout in front of them.

" Yeah." Logan said with a laugh. " Why do you think the window's open kid? It sure ain't for my health or yours."

"I don't believe this." Sam said with a laugh. "You can't even see the road Logan."

"No." Logan said "But I can smell the asphalt, the salt the plows leave on the road, plus I can hear if any cars are coming." He snorted. 'It's actually better driving then if I could see everything.'

As if on cue a car whizzed by them, causing Logan to jam on the brakes and swerved around it. "Woops." Logan said mildly as he brought the car under control. "Missed that one."

" We're gonna die." Sam wailed loudly. " Some of us aren't impervious to injures you know."

" Look." Logan said after a moment. " I've driven like this dozen's of times and I've never gotten anything more then minor injures."

" And minor injures for you are what?" Sam said

" Cuts." Logan said. " Bruises, the occasional broken neck or ribs, don't worry we'll be fine. I promise, now let me concentrate okay?."

For a few moments nether spoke and then Sam glanced out of the corner of his eye at the short hair man sitting beside him and offered him a tentative smile. " So you think she left on purpose?"

" No."

" Do you think she should forgive him?"

" No."

" Do you think she should take him back?"

" No.

" Then why the hell are we out here?' Sam cried. " Now, don't get me wrong, I like Rogue and Remy. I want to see them happy but come on?"

Logan sighed and took a puff on his Stogie. " Look kid, do you want to know the truth?" he asked.

" Please." Sam said. " It'd be nice for a change."

" I don't like the Cajun right now." Logan said thoughtfully. " I doubt I ever really will again, I'm doing this for her sake. Because she loves him, and if she walks away she'll regret it for the rest of her life. I don't want Rogue to make that mistake, and trust me, if theirs anyone who knows about making mistakes in life and living to regret them, it's me." He shook his head. "She deserves to be happy, and as much as I hate to admit it, that seems to be with him. She just has to realize it before it's too late, that's why I'm here, to talk some sense into her, to stop her from making a huge mistake she'll live to regret someday."

Sam looked out of the corner of his eye at Logan and then spoke softly, almost to himself. "Being with Jubilee's made you smarter, better, you know that."

Logan said, and glanced up at the picture of Jubilee taped to his driver's side visor. " I tell myself that all the time." He said as he drove on, letting the lights of the city get closer and closer.

Meanwhile back at the mansion, the meeting concerning Rogue's where abouts was coming to a close and Remy was not pleased about it's out comes. They'd made little headway into finding out where Rogue had gone and the frustration was killing him. "We'll find her." Jean assured with a reassuring squeeze of his shoulder. "Xavier's trying Cerebro as we speak. Just give him some time."

Remy nodded, and watched her walk from the room in the direction of Xavier before leaving himself. Once in the hallway he suddenly had an idea. "Jubilee." He called, seeing her down the hall. "Wait up a moment."

"Hey, what's up?" She said as they walked. "Besides the obvious."

"I want to talk to you." He said as they reached her office. "About Rogue."

"What about her?" Jubilee asked as she ushered him inside and shut the door behind them.

"You're her best friend." He said. "You talked to her last night, how did she seem?"

"You know technically I can't talk to you about this." Jubilee reminded him gently. "It's a breach of the trust she puts in me as her best friend."

"Please." He said. "I need to know how she was."

"Officially?" Jubilee said with a sigh. "Angry, hurt, scared but not scared enough to leave. She was healing, she was better then I'd seen her in awhile but she still had along way to go. I don't think she'd have just up and left, she didn't seem like that at all."

Remy sunk onto one of the couches, lining the office and laid his head in his hands, feeling relief like he never had before. "Hey." Jubilee said, sitting down beside him and laying a hand on his shoulder. "We will find her I promise you. She's never given up on me, and I'm not going to give up on her, not in an instant.

" She's lucky to have you as a friend." Remy said with a soft laugh.

" And she's lucky to have you." Jubilee said. "She'll realize it, don't worry."

" Remy just don't want to think of her not being here," He said brokenly

" I know." Jubilee said. "But we'll find her; she can't have gotten far in this weather."

Remy nodded, still looking at the ground. "Hey." Jubilee said, turning his face so he looked at her. "You want to know what I learned last night."

"What?" he asked.

"She loves you." Jubilee said honestly. "She may not want to admit it right now but she does. Just give her time to come around and you'll see it's for the best."

"Thank you." Remy said as he rose to leave. He cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go out and look for her, I can't sit here anymore."

"No." Jubilee said as she walked him to the door. "Let Logan talk to her, bring her back. It'll be better for every one, trust me."

"Yeah, probably." Remy said as he headed down the hall. "But I'm going anyways."

Jubilee sighed as she twirled his car keys on her finger, amazed she'd been able to lift them off him. That alone showed how distracted Remy was "Oh Gambit, no your not." She said with a sigh as she returned to her desk and tossed them on it. "You should have trusted me."

Sitting down, she glanced at a picture of her and Rogue, taken a few months back and shook her head. "Chica." She said. "If you've done this on purpose I hope you're having fun, because Remy sure isn't."

Rogue was in hell, she was sure of it.

In her life time, she'd been to a lot of places she'd thought were hellish but now she knew for a fact she'd been wrong before. Everything around her was dark, and harsh like a morgue. She curled inward on herself but found her way blocked by pain and cold. She was cold, she'd never been that cold in her life. It was an bleak icy cold that seemed to permeate every fiber of her being right down to her very bones. Vaguely her mind began too flit through images, almost like a picture show as she remembered what had happened to her, as she fought for consciousness.

She'd been heading back to her room, ( Disappointed at not seeing Remy on her travels.) and she'd been passing the winter garden when she noticed the doors had been left open, and it was growing colder in the mansion. An icy breeze had been blowing through the hall that housed the smallest children and she'd wanted to stop it as soon as possible. When she'd approached the doors, she decided to step outside for a moment, the cold never bothered her. Rogue had been seated in the garden when she'd heard foot steps behind her, she's turned quickly to see if it was Remy and… " Bobby." She whispered through cracked lips, as she remembered him hitting her with something and knocking her out.

"Wake up." A strong voice commanded, jolting her with cold again.

Rogue groaned, and tried to curl inward again as her eyes forced themselves open, …and up into a familiar face. " Bobby?" She whispered again as she recognized her surroundings. "What are you doing, why am Ah at my apartment?"

" Isn't it great? I thought it would be the perfect place to talk" he said with a laugh, and she knew sadly he wasn't right in the head. " You thought I never knew about it right?" He shook his head. " It's alright, I didn't mind, everyone needs a place alone after all."

"What are you doing Bobby?" Rogue said evenly as she tried to twist out of her bindings. " You kidnapped me?"

" Just to talk." He pleaded.

" About what?" Rogue asked warily.

"About us, of course." He said in no nonsense tone.

" There is no us." She said " You left me Sugah."

" I made a mistake." He said. "Everyone makes mistakes, I want to make things right now."

" Bobby." You need to let me go.' She pleaded. " And move on, Ah have."

" This is about the Cajun?" Bobby said with a nod. " Don't worry about him."

"Why?" Rogue asked. "Did you hurt him." Her voice lowered a notch. " Kill him?"

" No." Bobby said in a bewildered tone. " I wouldn't do that, he means something to you. Okay, so it's something you'll have to get over but still, I don't want to see you in pain."

"What do you want Bobby?" She asked.

" Us." He said simply. " I want us to get back together."

" No." Rogue said. " Bobby we're done, you said that yourself."

" I didn't mean it." He said. " I want you back Rogue."

" Well you can't have me." She spat. " Ah'm not a piece of property to be owned, or stolen Bobby." Her voice cracked. "Are you going to kill me?"

" Kill you, I love you, I want you." He said. " I'd never dream of hurting you on purpose.'

" You want control." She said angrily. "And that's not something I'm willing to ever give you, you're crazy, you Son of Bitch."

" What a foul mouth you have." Bobby said in a venous tone. " I don't care for swearing in women." He leaned in close. " Unless it's in bed, of course."

" I'm not going to sleep with you." She said.

" Oh, you will in time." He said in an assured tone.

" No I won't." She said. "Ever."

" You will." He said as he grabbed her and held her up, so they were faced to face. "Or I'll kill you."

" I thought you said you'd never dream of hurting me." Rogue grunted.

" I said I'd never dream of it." Bobby said with a laugh as he back handed her, and knocked her out again. " But dreams and reality are two very different things."

" So." Sam said as Logan drove. "Would you ever take someone back, if they hurt you like he hurt her?"

"What do you mean?" Logan asked.

"Well, like if they cheated on you or lied to you" Sam said, "Say if it was Jubil"-

" If you don't want to be thrown from a moving car you'll change that sentence Bub." Logan interrupted in a deadly tone.

Sam gulped. " Okay." He said after a moment. " Kitty, Say it was Kitty,-"

" Yeah that sounds like something Kitty would do." Logan said in a pensive tone.

"What?" Sam said cried. "Hey, that is my girl you're talking about there."

"You brought her up" Logan said. "You got a thing about guys with your girl Sam?"

"No!" Sam said "It's just an example. Say Kitty cheated on you, would you take her back."

" No." Logan said with a nod.

"Why?" Sam asked.

" Because I have no feelings like that at all for Kitty." Logan said simply as he gazed out the windows at the snow. "Why would I want Kitty if I've got Jubilee?"

"It's an example Wolverine." Sam said in exasperation as he plowed his fingers through his hair. "Do you know what an example is?"

"Like if you don't change the subject I'm going to stop this car and kick your ass?" Logan said around his cigar. "Is that the type of example you're looking for?"

"Point taken." Sam said. "I'm just saying, how would you manage if that happened to you? Would you be able to take them back?"

" I don't know." Wolverine said.

"What about in your past?" Sam said then winced. "Sorry."

Logan chuckled. "Don't worry about it kid."

He tossed the cigar butt out of the window, much to Sam's relief and thought for a moment. " I really don't know what I'd do Sam, you never really do until you're in the situation. It's like saying you know what you'd do if lost someone or if you were stuck in some disastrous situation. You don't know that's why I empathize but I never say I know what you're going through."

"That's ether really smart… or really callous." Sam observed.

"I agree." Logan said with a sigh. "But it keeps me from ever sticking my foot in my mouth."

"No but from time to time it may result in Jubilee's foot up your ass." Sam said with a snort.

"True." Logan said mildly with an acknowledging nod.

"And with those heels she wears it can never be a good experience." Sam said jokingly as he took a sip of his coffee from a traveler's mug.

"Actually it kind of turns me on." Logan said seriously.

Sam coughed and sputtered as he burned his tongue on the hot drink. "I can never tell when you're serious or when you're joking." He said as he wiped the coffee off of his face.

"It's all in the mystic." Logan said " I'll teach it to you sometime so you can impress Kitty, get her attention away from all those other guys your picturing her with. By the way, do those fantasy come with pictures? cause that might be interesting to see."

"Very funny Wolverine." Sam said through gritted teeth as the drove on into the swirling snow. "Very funny."

When Rogue woke again, she opened her eyes carefully, almost afraid of what she would see and then seeing to her surprise she was alone, tried gingerly to move. She winced, feeling pain spread up her ribs and then across her face where he had hit her.

Quickly she tested her bindings and cursed as she realized she couldn't break free of them. Bobby had bound her tightly with a thin type razor sharp band of snare wire, highly effective if she wanted to cut her wrists in the process of trying to escape but not in the manor of escaping in general. It would have been fine if Logan had been around to give her a boost of his healing ability but since he was noticeably absent and not likely to show up any time soon, she knew she was stuck fast. "Damn him." She muttered as she struggled, stuck on the floor between the couch and the coffee table.

A plan of escape quickly began to form in her mind, as she glanced around wildly. She didn't know why Bobby had left her alone, but she knew she had to make the most of what little leeway he had given her, whether it was intentional or not. Her mind was racing a mile a minute as well as her heart, so she forced herself to stop (even if she couldn't afford to waste the time.) and calm down. After a moment she decided that flying was one viable option, if she could make it to the kitchen she might be able to find something to cut the wire with or at least to use as a weapon when he came back.

She'd die before she let him rape her, and as much as she hated to even think of ether process, she had a feeling if she didn't think of something soon it was going to come to that.

After several attempts to fly, one of which caused her to fall and knocked the wind out of herself harshly, causing her to lay on the floor for several moments while the room spun around her and nausea clawed at her throat. It was no use, without the control of her arms, she couldn't balance herself and she would quickly spiral out of control and meet the floor at a very personal level, normally face first.

She lay defeated and broken, until suddenly she remembered something. When she'd moved in, Jean and Xavier had insisted she install an alarm sensor in the wall beside the fireplace. Jean had insisted it was for her own safety, in case she'd ever needed the team in a hurry while Rogue had jokingly laughed, saying it was in case she got too drunk to remember to phone home for a ride, they could send Logan to get her.

Boy was she feeling that now.

Rogue struggled up onto her elbows, and glanced at the wall beside the fireplace, to where a secret panel hide the senor panel. It was so sensitive, just breathing on it should have been enough to alert the mansion to where she was, so hopefully they could figure out she hadn't left on purpose, and they could send help.

Wheezing, feeling faint but not willing to give up a new chance of escape, Rogue somehow managed to haul herself to her feet, and then half hopped half fell over to the fireplace, pressing her face to the stone reassuringly as she tried to catch her breath. Unable to hit the panel with her bound hands, she quickly hit it was her shoulder, sending more pain through her already throbbing body. Unsuccessful on her first and second try, she pulled back and hit it again and again. Finally just when she was about to give up, the panel slid back revealing the senor trigger beneath it as she let out a through whoop-

…And Bobby walked into the apartment, carrying bags of food in his arms. "Honey I'm home." He called jokingly. "I went to that little fish place, I know you like so much, would you believe that guy still remembers the orders you like?" He stepped fully into the living room, his eyes going dark as he took in the scene around him. " What the hell is going on?" he yelled as Rogue franticly tried to set the sensor off first with her breathe and then with her shoulder but it was no good, it needed more pressure to work.

Before she could try again, he'd dropped the bags and crossed the room, grabbing her clothed shoulder and tossing her back to the floor as he looked at the open panel. "Well, We can't have this at all." He said gently as she lay at his feet dazed. "You almost let our friends know we were here honey.

Before she could speak he'd turned the full onslaught of his powers on the sensor, successfully turning it into one hell of a slushy as she watched. "I don't have to let them know anything." She finally when she was able to speak, knowing that the ice would set the alarm off as well as anything. She finished her sentence silently, knowing he knew exactly what she was saying, even if she wasn't saying it aloud "You just let my friends know exactly where we are far better then Ah ever could."

Sure enough, a hundred miles away at the mansion, Scott and Jean were walking down the underground hall from the med lab when suddenly an alarm went off, causing them both to stop and look. "What the hell is that?" Scott asked.

"It's the alarm from Rogue's loft." Jean said recognizing it immediately.

"What alarm?" Scott asked

"The one we installed." Jean said in disbelief. "The emergency switch?"

"Oh." Scott said, and then his eyes widened "Oh."

"Exactly." Jean said as they hurried down the hall to the war room.

"Is that what I think it is?" Jubilee asked as she flew from the elevator to meet them as they walked.

"Yup." Jean said. "Are the others on their way?"

"Most of them." Jubilee said. "Storm and Kurt are still out, though."

"We'll fill them in later." Jean said. "For now all we can afford to concentrate on is making sure Rogue is safe."

"So this is a good thing right?" Jubilee said as they entered the conference room. "It means she didn't leave her of her own accord, someone's got her right?"

"Maybe." Jean said as the others began to file into the room. "All we know for now is that Rogue's alarm has gone off, it could mean anything."

"Yeah, like she's trying to create a scene." Kitty said with a sigh. "Little miss drama queen, all over again."

"Dat's enough!" Remy said menacingly as he stepped up to face her as close as he dared. "Remy's sick of hearing you, bad mouth Rogue! she supposed ta be your friend."

"I never said that." Kitty said. "And I don't take mental cases as friends, if I wanted to do that, I'd become a shrink."

"That's enough Kitty." Xavier said sharply as he came up behind her.

Kitty opened her mouth as if to contradicted him but then thought better of it, flouncing to a chair instead to sit down and sulk, glaring at Remy as she did so.

"What do we know so far?" Xavier as Jean.

"Just that Rogue is in the city, in her loft." Jean said with a shrug. "And she'd activated the call alarm."

"This means she was taken, she didn't leave on her own." Scott said quietly.

"Remy knew it!" Remy said, shooting a glance at Kitty through blazing eyes.

"Alright, so we need to go get her." Scott said " Right?"

" Yes." Xavier said as he turned his wheelchair to face his young team leader." We can't afford to take any chances with Rogue, she's too valuable both a s a person and as a member of the team."

"Right, so we saddle up." Scott said with a sigh. " Everyone go get changed, we'll meet as soon as possible at the jet."

" I'll be in Cerebro, trying to get a lock on Rogue should she start moving." Xavier said, turning and leave the room, praying that he wouldn't fail to find her like he had in his last futile attempts.

The team assembled in record time, meeting in the jet hanger less then half an hour after Scott had dismissed them. Knowing this was a mission of high priority there had been no joking around in the locker room like there would have been normally, instead it had been as solemn as the grave, aside from Kitty's inane chattering.

"I swear if she doesn't quit soon I'm going to silence her." Storm muttered to Jean as they walked.

"Now, now, now be nice." Jean said through gritted teeth, watching as Storm raised an eyebrow. "Oh who am I kidding, fry her ass. Maybe it'll teach her a lesson."

"Quite possibly." Storm said. "Or at least it'll make that frizz mop of hair on her head stand up for a week!"

"I'd pay good money to see that." Jean said with a giggle as they reached the jet.

"See what?" Scott asked sternly.

"Rogue home safely." Jean said innocently as she kissed him on the cheek. "That's all."

Even as she spoke she was sending him a mental image(a cartoon if you will) of Kitty, hair standing on end, smoke rolling from her in waves as she was jolted head to toe from one of Ororo's pet lightening bolts. Jean could see Scott's eyes widen in amusement from behind his visor as he laughed and then tried to cover it with a cough. "Very well." He said at last. "Let's load up then shall we?"

"Wait!" Jubilee said, stopping short. "What about Logan and Sam?"

"What about them?" Scott asked.

"Their in the city, their closet to Rogue." Jubilee said. "Shouldn't someone contact them? They can get to her to her first."

"No we can't darlin." Drawled a voice from behind them. They all turned to see Sam and Logan limping towards them, clearly injured and in pain. "No we can't."

Rogue had a plan.

It wasn't a good plan. In fact in the grand scheme of things it was probably a very stupid plan, that would get her killed but she was going to try it anyways. It held her last chance of escape and she knew it, he'd never let her live long enough for the team to get to her and rescue her.

It was what he planned to do with her in the interim that sacred the hell out of her.

"You bitch." Bobby said shaking her again and again as she cried out in pain. "You've ruined everything!"

"Ah ruined everything?" Rogue said. "Ah tried to escape, Bobby you've got me here against mah will, you had to know Ah'd try at least."

"No!" Bobby said. "I never thought you'd leave me again."

"Bobby you need to get over this." Rogue said with a sigh. "You need to move on, Ah did. Ah love Remy now."

"No you don't." Bobby said as he slapped her, causing her to wince as pain spread across her already bruised face. "You never will, you love me!"

"Ah don't!" Rogue yelled. "How could Ah, look at you. Your not even man enough to come and talk to me openly; you had to kidnap me, just so you could face me!"

"Shut up!" Bobby cried.

"Ah love Remy." Rogue said. "And when he finds me here, he's gonna kick your ass and let me watch, because he knows how much it'll mean to me."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up.' Bobby cried tossing her down again, and it was then she realized just how mad he'd gone. Until then some part of her had hoped a rational part of him remained, but now she knew it was truly gone. " This is all your fault, you cost me everything, my friends, my home, my job, everything I held dear and then you flaunt yourself with that Louisiana hillbilly!"

"So you're punishing me because I got over you." She said, looking up at him from under her hair, her plan was working; he was getting angrier and angrier. "You are one crazy SOB, you know that!" She laughed "Any minute now, the team'll be here and then what are you going to do? You can't fight them all, they know you, you'll lose and Ah'll laugh."

"Laugh all you want Rogue." Bobby said in a crazed tone. "But don't think I'll ever let you go." He reached down to grab her and she thought that was it, she was done for but instead he merely laughed at her. "I have another place we can go to be alone." He leaned in close and breathed in the heady scent of her hair. "And when we get there you and I am gonna have lots of fun, if you get my drift."

This hadn't been part of her plan, Rogue thought in panic. She'd thought to make him angry so he'd make a mistake but he clearly wasn't falling for it, and now she was in deeper then ever.

So she decided to take things another way.

As he set her on her feet so they could leave a few moments later, she gasped and collapsed back into his arms. "What is it?" he asked as he stared at her.

"Ah can't walk like this Bobby." She said meekly. "Ah need you to take the bindings off mah legs, so the blood starts flowing again."

"I can carry you." He said, moving to pick her up.

"No!" Rogue said sharply then gentled her tone. "Ah need circulation, honey or Ah'll be in agony by the time we get home."

Bobby looked at her for along time, then sighed and leaning over, carefully cut the bindings on her legs with a ready pocket knife… at which point Rogue made her move at last, kicking him hard in the head as she scrambled away. "You are one stupid man.' She sneered as she turned to run towards the bay window, if she could get through it with out shredding herself she could fly home and Logan could heal her.

She'd just abut made it when Bobby struggled to his feet and pulled a tranquilizer gun from his coat, darting her quickly, sending her crashing to the hard wood floor and back into darkness and oblivion.

"What happened?" Jubilee asked as she rushed towards Logan in concern.

"Ask your boyfriend, it's his fault." Sam gasped as he pushed away from Logan and slid down the hanger wall, until he was seated safely on the ground. He reached up and touched a hand to his bleed forehead. "I think I need to go to Med Lab."

"In a minute." Logan said with a wave of his hand. 'What do you mean it's my fault?"

"You're the reason I have this dent in my head." Sam said with a jerk of his thumb as Jean began to look him over.

"What happened?" Jubilee asked again, miffed when as usual both men ignored her to argue.

"You're supposed to be invincible." Logan taunted. "How was I supposed to know your head would crack against the dashboard like a hard boiled egg?"

"Gee it wouldn't naturally occur to you as you're traveling at about, oh I don't know, two hundred down the freeway!!"

"What happened damn it!!" Jubilee yelled again, this time shoot sparks at both men, causing them to jump in surprise.

"Sorry." Sam muttered as he shook his head to clear it. "Your boyfriend deiced to try and drive by smell, that's what happened!"

"It didn't work I take it?" Jean asked as she checked his pupils.

"Oh it worked!" Sam exclaimed. "Well enology, so that he smelled us right off the road and into a grove of pine trees!"

"We totaled the car." Logan admitted sheepishly. "Sam had to fly us back."

"Well then you can't be that badly injured." Jean said straightening up. 'But you do need stitches for that cut." She helped him up. "Let's head for the lab."

"No." Scott said abruptly. " I need you with me."

He turned to Jubilee. "You have nursing skills, your going to be working in the lab when you're on maternity leave. You take care of him and Logan okay?"

"Sure." Jubilee said with a sigh as she helped Sam along. "What ever you say."

"The rest of you load up." Scott said as he headed for the jet. "Let's get moving. Who ever had Rogue isn't going to stay put after he realizes we're on the trail."

"So she was in the loft all along?" Logan said in disbelief as he stared at his wife. "Sonofabotich!"

"I know, I know." Jubilee said with a sigh as she probed Sam's head wound gently and watched Logan pace the length of the exam room in anger.

"Ouch!" Sam muttered.

"Sorry." Jubilee said sympathicly as she washed the gash out gently.

"Not that." Sam said, watching along with Jubilee as Logan slammed out of the room in anger. "Well yeah, that but still. We were so damn close, and if he hadn't crashed we'd have been there to help her by now."

"Assuming she needs help." Jubilee said with a sigh. "Rogue's pretty independent."

"Everyone needs help once and awhile." Sam said with a sigh, watching as Jubes carefully began to thread the needle she was going to stitch him up with.

"Yeah I suppose." Jubilee said as she began her task.

"So, this hurts Logan huh?" Sam asked gently. "I don't think I've ever seen him that angry or upset about anyone but you."

"I know." Jubilee said with a sigh as she worked. "It really does Sam."

She stopped for a moment and then spoke softly. "I think it's because, with the exception of me, he thinks of her as the only real family he has. She's like a sister or daughter to Logan, their that close. He protects her, even when she thinks she doesn't need it. Logan's always been there for her when she needs it. You know, and don't tell him I said this, but he'd do anything for her, any time she asked. All he wants is for her to be happy."

"Doesn't that bother you?" Sam asked. "That he's that close, to another women?"

"It did at first." Jubilee admitted sheepishly as she tied off the stitches and cut the string neatly. "But Logan and I talked, and then Rogue and I talked. It tool me awhile to understand, their alike because of all the pain they've suffered in their lives, that's what brings them together but there's no romance there. It's just a likeness, they each know what the other is going through, and I can accept that."

Sam was beginning to see why Logan had fallen in love with Jubilee. There was more to the girl then meets the eye. Logan was a damned lucky man, Sam thought with envy as he watched Jubilee prepared a bandage for his forehead.

"You know." Jubilee after a moment of silence. "When Logan I got together, nobody thought it wasn't a good idea, not even Logan at first I think. Rogue was adamant that both Logan and I would get hurt, she didn't support us at all, none of the team did." Jubes laughed and continued. "She kept saying that Logan was all wrong for me, he was way too old, he was tough and I wasn't, he was rough, and I wasn't. He likes rock music and I like rap, and just how was I going to get him to go shopping with me like I had my other boyfriends? It was an impossible mess in her eyes."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"I don't really know." Jubilee admitted. "I think it started when I got hurt, in training and she saw how he took care of me or maybe she saw how Logan would help me study for my college classes. You know, even when he was frustrated as hell because I couldn't get the work, he wouldn't give up on me." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyways one day, she said she had these concert tickets and did we want to go with the rest of the team to Dazzler's, as a couple."

"I bet that went over well." Sam said with a laugh.

"It didn't." Jubilee said with a laugh. "I can still remember, Scott asking if she was out of her mind. She proceeded to give him a earful on how it wasn't up to them if Logan and I decided to date, and how they'd all better get used to us because she didn't think we were going any where anytime soon. I think she's the reason that the team accepted us, if it weren't for her. I don't know where we'd be."

"She's an amazing women." Sam said gently.

"Yeah." Jubilee said as she started to cry. "She is."

"Shit! Are you crying?' Sam asked in a panicky tone. Logan would kill him if he thought he'd made Jubilee cry. He glanced around, wishing he weren't the only one in the room with her suddenly. "Oh hell," He said at last as he bellowed to the ceiling. "LOGAN! I didn't do it I swear!"

"Okay." Scott said as he steered the jet through the night sky. "There's the apartment building." He took in the skyline as he brought the jet down closer. "Does everyone know the plan?"

"Yes." Everyone responded instantly in union.

"We've got to get in as quick as possible." Scott said with a sigh. "And no heroics. We need to get Rogue out as quickly and safely as possible. She's two valuable an asset to risk losing."

Kitty snorted in response.

"Don't worry honey." Jean said as she turned in her chair to glare at Kitty. "Everyone knows what their supposed to do." She glared at Kitty. And if you step out of line Pride, I will hurt you and it will worse then anything you could ever imagine, is that clear?

Kitty's response was to snort loudly again, drawing a look from Beast as Jean helped Scott steered the jet down onto the top of the apartment building and everyone began to file to the jet's hatch. "Don't worry I'll watch her." Jean assured Scott as she patted his hand reassuringly.

"If you say so." Scott said with a sigh as they moved to join the others.

As a unit they moved to rooftop's door and waited while jean filled them in on the specifics of the rescue. "How are we gonna know which apartment it is?" Beast inquired politely.

"There are four apartments in this building." Jean explained. "Each one takes up a floor, Rogue's in on the third."

"Okay." Remy said. "So let's go get my girl, shall we?"

"Your girl would probably rather have her ass pasted all over Fifth Avenue then have you rescue her." Kitty reminded him. "Don't forget that Cajun."

Remy was about to respond when all of a sudden Beast bumped into Kitty, sending her sprawling face first into a grimy mud puddle for all to see. "I'm sorry Katharine." He said as he immediately helped her up. "Sometimes these big blue feet of mine, just get the best of me."

Kitty didn't say anything, just moved closer to Scott and glared at Beast as she pushed her sodden hair out of her eyes." I owe you a bottle of wine." Remy whispered to Beast as he caught up with him, catching the glint in Hank's eyes.

Better make that a case Jean thought back, causing both Remy and Hank to snigger. Hell, Scott and I'll even chip in and make it a good vintage.

Beast just smiled and then said low so only Remy and Jean could hear. "Sometimes a dose of humility is needed in the most trying of our times."

"Humiliation is more like." Remy said quietly.

"Exactly my friend, exactly."

"Right." Scott said as they grouped closely at the door and he adjusted his visor and prepared to blow it open. "Here we go, everyone stick close."

With that they moved inside, slipping in quietly as a unit and heading in the direction of Rogue's loft.

"I should be out there with them." Logan said as he paced back and forth across the media room. "I should be helping them find her."

"Calm down." Jubilee admonished gently as she watched him. "You're still healing from your accident."

"I'll heal fin there, it's not like it could kill me or anything." He growled savagely. "I just feel so useless, sitting here." As he spoke he extended his claw and raked them across the coffee table, sending things flying every which way. "What good are claws if I'm stuck here?"

"Okay, Logan you're scaring me now." Jubilee said honestly.

"I'm sorry baby." Logan said contritely as he went to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I didn't mean too, it's just I hate this... this waiting."

"I know baby." Jubilee said with a sigh as she kissed his chin. "She's your friend, you want to help in anyway you can but we just have to wait this time. She's my best friend and I don't like it any more then you do."

"I'm just worried about her." he admitted as they sat down on the couch." That poor kid's seen and felt enough pain in her life; she shouldn't keep having to go through it like this."

"You're a softie, has any one ever told you that?" Jubilee asked as she cuddled against him.

"Not and lived to tell the tale." Logan said gruffly. "But in your case I'll make an acceptation I suppose."

"You suppose, huh?" Jubilee said as she leaned her head against his shoulder and spoke seriously for a moment. "She'll be okay Logan, I know it."

"I hope so." He said with a sigh. "I really do."

"They should be back soon and then we'll know." Jubilee said, trying to be comforting in some way. 'Why don't I make us something to eat? I'm sure Sam and the Prof could use something as well."

"I'm not hungry darlin." He said with a sigh. "But if you want something I'll make it for you."

"You'll cook for me?" Jubilee asked, with a raised eyebrow. "No I know you're worried."

"No, I just don't want our kid's first taste of food poisoning to be in utero." He jokingly, knowing she couldn't cook worth a damn.

It was all meaningless chatter to keep their minds off of Rogue but in a way it help to alleviate some of the tension in the mansion for those who had been left behind to wonder what was going on with their team mates.

Logan turned to leave the room, only almost fall over Xavier, who had just entered the room silently.

"What's the news?" Jubilee asked, seeing her mentor's face.

"Not good I'm afraid." Xavier said with a sigh.

"No Rogue." Jubilee said with a sigh.

"No." Xavier said. "And it appears the apartment was in shambles."

"That's good right?" Jubilee said. '" In a way, it means she was there and we can track her right?"

"I don't know yet." Xavier said. "Scott and the team are on their way back, we'll know more then."

Jubilee jumped as Logan punched at a wall, sending bits flaying as he stalked from the room and she could feel the anger and frustration pouring from him. "Logan!" She called but it was too late, he was already gone, leaving her and the professor to wait for the others to return.

An hour later, Remy slammed through the doors to the mansion, so mad and worried he knew if he touched anything he'd blow it up. "Damn it." He muttered in French as he stalked by the Professor and Jubilee.

"Yeah, that's going around." Jubilee called after him but he ignored her and stalked down the hallway to his room, tossing open the door and throwing his trench coat onto the end of his bed.

He glanced over the dresser, to where his only picture of her lay and felt worse, remembering the state the apartment had been in. Dishes trashed, furniture smashed. She had to have out up one hell of a fight.

And the security system…

It had been totaled smashed by from what Jean could tell, blunt force. There had been water all over the place too, so Scott had surmised that was their assailant's powers to control water.

Or ice…

An absurd idea began to forming Remy's mind as he paced the length of the room, and he stopped for a moment. He tried in vain to remember what Rogue and the others had told him about Bobby Drake and his powers, about how they hadn't parted on good terms. He thought about brining the idea to Scott's attention and then quickly decided against it. Scooter had way too much on his plate and since he'd been Drake's friend, he was less inclined to think Bobby had taken Rogue.

With a grunt of frustration, Remy stalked to his desk and pulled out his little black book of names and numbers.

The good thing about being a first-rate thief was, their was always someone who owed you a favor. People were willing to pay millions to someone who could get the job done quietly, and keep the skeletons in their closes safely subdued. For someone with the right skills, who knew the right people, a favor was as good as cash in hand.

And Remy was the best there was.

So he had quite a few dockets he could call in.

He flipped through the book, wondering who it would be best to call to put a bead out on Rogue or possibly Bobby. A name and number caught his eye and he smiled. He knew just the man to call first; LeRue knew everything about everyone and in a hurry. If someone had Rogue, he could find out who and why, as fast as possible. That's why the Thieves Guild used him, even if he could be brutal at times.

It wouldn't be the most… honorable way to go about finding out information but Remy didn't have any qualms about using his guild connections to help find her and bring her home.

Not if it meant she was safe and in his arms again.

With a sigh Remy sat down, and picked up the phone.

He had calls to make.

Meanwhile outside, obvious to the ice and snow swirling around him, Bobby watched from the northern balcony as his former team mates scurried around the mansion like mice, caught in a maze, trying to find out where Rogue was. Angrily he pushed a branch of leaves away from his face with an idle hand as he spied and smiled at he saw how panicked they where. He wanted to shout that he had, she was his and they'd never get her back now but he knew he had to be cautious. He didn't want Xavier knowing he was there and that meant he had to be very careful with what he did. Hear approaching foot steps Bobby deiced it was time for him to make his exit and turning faded into the snow night… leaving a single glistening branch of iced leaves behind him as he went.

By luck of the draw, (Or Bobby's own rotten luck, you pick) twenty minutes later Logan was heading downstairs from his and Jubilee's rooms to get Jubilee a drink of milk from the staff kitchen because she wasn't feeling well. Rogue's disappearance had affected her more then Logan had realized and he was trying his damnedst to calm her down; a miscarriage wouldn't do anything to help the situation they were currently in.

"And this passes for normal, around here." He muttered with a shake of his shaggy head. He and Jubes were going to need another vacation by the time this was done. Maybe he could convince her to go to Canada with him. B.C was nice in the winter, almost like California. They could use the rest before the baby came anyways.

It was an enterprising thought.

He made a mental note to have a take with Jubilee once she was in a more stable mood, and as prone to throwing small pieces of furniture at his head.

A cold blast of air sideswiped his thoughts, causing him to stop in his tracks as he noticed the north balcony doors were open again. Could nobody ever shut doors in this place? It's not like they lived in Las Vegas, where it was warm all the time. Winter was a harsh reality in New York State and the sooner everyone realized it the better.

Logan stalked over to the doors, and was about to pull them closed when a scent caught his nose. It was coming from the balcony, and immediately caught his attention.

Logan knew that scent.

You don't live with in close quarters with someone for years, and not pick up on their own personal scent and with Logan's acute senses a scent was as good as a finger print.

He just couldn't figure out why that scent was all over when its owner had been gone for almost a year.

Unless…

Stepping outside, Logan squinted against the snow and sniffed again with a nod, the scent was faint but there and it was definitely one recognized well. As if to prove his thoughts a branch of icy leaves caught his eye. He could have disregarded them, it was winter after all but it was the detailed way they were frozen that caught his attention. Right down to the fine lines in the leaves was distinct in everyway.

"Drake." Logan muttered fiercely as comprehension began to dawn on him. "I'll kill him!"

He turned and hurried in the direction of Xavier's office, cue ball needed to be updated on this latest turn of events right way.

Remy hurried into Rogue's room and began to look around in desperation. He needed to know what Drake looked like, so he'd know just whom he was supposed to be beating the hell out of when he found him." I'm sorry chere." He said as he rifled through her dresser drawers. "I'll atone later." Rogue had told him once she'd kept a box of stuff from when she and Bobby were together. He just didn't know where she'd stashed it.

He flung open her closet door and looked around, pushing cloths aside until he found a sealed cardboard box at the back. Quickly he unsealed it and rifled through it, tossing aside random items in haste. A journal, a lace teddy even he found ugly (Drake apparently had bad taste in everything but his women) a scrapbook until t the very bottom he found what he was looking for. A picture of Rogue and Bobby.

It had been taken at Christmas time, two years before and nether looked very happy in it. Rogue looked tired and haggard and Bobby just looked mean, like he didn't have a pleasant thing in the world to be happy about. His face was twisted in a grimace that could only be described as unhappy and Rogue just looked sad, although most of it was held in her eyes. It was clearly when the problems in their relationship had started, and everything had begun to go down hill.

It was on closer inspection, however, that something finally occurred to Remy. "Son of a bitch." He exclaimed as he realized he was talking to the young man he's met when he and Rogue where on vacation. It suddenly made sense why they'd seemed like they were being attacked, because they had been. Rogue's ex-boyfriend was getting back at them in everyway he could.

Suddenly Bella didn't seem that evil.

Suddenly his cell phone rang, causing his to sit down on the end of Rouge's bed. "Hello." He said. "LeRue is that you?" His eyebrows shot up. "You've got information on them? Where?" He quickly wrote down the address, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder as he did so. 'What do you mean, what am I going ta do when if I find him, what the hell would you do if it was Clarissa?" Remy chuckled. "Exactly. Thanks LeRue I own you one."

As he moved to hang up, a scream tore through the background on LeRue's end and Remy winced knowing the information he'd requested was coming at a high and painful price for somebody.

Like he'd thought before, he'd atonement later.

Right now, all he cared about was getting Rogue back.

He rose, and bolted from the room as fast as his legs could carry him, down to the garage, to where his car was waiting for him.

"So we're sure it's Bobby who's taken Rogue?" Scott said.

"Definitely." Logan said. "His scent is all over the Northern balcony, he's been here watching us while we looked for her."

'Why?" Jean asked.

"I don't know." Logan said with a sigh. "But I know we need to get to her soon, I have a feeling this isn't going to end well if we don't."

"I agree." Beast put in. "If he's taken Rogue against her will, he's obviously mentally unstable."

"Have we gotten a beat on him yet?" Jubilee asked from her position on the couch.

"Xavier's in Cerebro now." Jean said with a sigh." Because of his extreme emotions, he should be able to get a good fix on Bobby's location."

"And then Bobby can lead us to Rogue." Logan said.

"Hopefully." Jean said with a sigh.

Suddenly Sam burst into the room, his face was red and flushed and he was out of breath, clearly having run from somewhere in the mansion at a rapid rate.

"Sam, what is it?" Jean asked, jumping up.

"It's Remy." Sam said. "I was in the garage, waiting for the car to be towed in when all of a sudden. He came tearing into the garage like the house was on fire. I asked him what was happening but he didn't answer, just jumped into his SUV and took off like a shot. I've never seen him look so panicky or angry."

"How long ago was that?" Scott asked.

"Twenty minutes ago, if even." Sam said.

"He must know about Bobby and where they are." Jean said.

"But how?" Logan asked. "We don't even know that yet."

"He must have used his contacts to find out." Scott said. "This means he's probably run off to confront Bobby himself."

"Just like him to fun off half-cocked." Kitty muttered as she inspected her nails.

"Not necessarily." Jean said. "If he can get to her before we can, that might be a good thing."

"Why didn't he just come to us in the first place, why would he not include us?" Jubilee asked. "We are a team after all."

"Because." Jean said. "This goes far beyond us now, far beyond Bobby taking Rogue even. Bobby is Rogue's ex and Remy's, well he's Remy, and it's personal now."

"I wouldn't want to be in Bobby's shoes for anything in the world." Logan said with a wince as Jean's words sunk in.

"There may be nothing left of Bobby by the time we get there." Sam said with a low whistle.

"Nope." Jean agreed. "But at this point do any of us really care?"

"Not really." Jubilee said with a sigh as Xavier rolled into the room with a triumphant look on his face.

They were on their way.

Remy was so mad, he was shaking.

He gripped the steering wheel as hard as he dared without charging it, knowing he was running off cocked and yet not caring. He should have waited he knew, informed the team of what was happening but that would have taken too long and by then Rogue could have been hurt or worse.

He wasn't willing to take that chance.

He just hoped Xavier would find the information and fill the team in as soon as possible, because he was probably going to need them. Hell, he didn't even know if Rogue or Bobby were going to be at the place LeRue had told him about, it was just a hunch (a very good hunch) but a hunch none the less. He was just praying they were or at least that he'd find a clue to lead him to them.

"Come on, come on" he muttered as he drove on through the ice and snow, slowly. No offense to Storm but God, he hated weather when he was driving. He slid across a patch of ice, and winced as he brought the SUV under control and back onto the road.

LeRue had given him the name of a storage company just outside of the city that had reported rented a locker to a man matching Drake's description. The description Remy had called and given him after he'd seen the picture of Bobby and Rogue. The only way to find out if it was really him to go there and poke around, and hopefully run into Drake himself.

Remy had a charged card with his name on it, and when he got to him he was going to personally stuff it down Bobby's throat. Whether Rogue wanted him to save her or not, he was on his way and nothing short of a disaster was going stop him.

He knew Rogue was strong, and most times capable with her strength of getting herself out of anything, it was the most this time that got to him. Obviously she couldn't get out of it this time and she needed help' ell it was on its way, he just hoped he got there in time.

Rogue opened her eyes cautiously, letting them adjust to the darkness and tried to move, again finding her movements restricted by binding and this time even a gag so she couldn't scream. Abandoning any type of restraint she struggled against them but only succeeded in hurting herself further as the wire he'd used to bind her dug into her wrists and ankles sharply.

She fought back a wave of nausea and wondered what he had drugged her with in the first place that could have left her unconscious for so long. Her head was spinning, and her mouth was dry as she tried to sit up and failed. She didn't know where she was and that scared her more then anything, and this time she couldn't even scream or try to get away.

Bobby was in a better mood then he'd been in along time. He had Rogue, nobody knew where she was, and (from his little trip to the mansion) he'd seen how panicked and scared everyone was.

Served them right for taking her side over his anyways.

He looked around, making sure he was alone, and then started for the storage locker with a bag of food for Rogue. Wouldn't do any good to let his little prize wilt away before he got to have any fun with her that would just means that everything he'd worked for had been a waste.

After his little trip home (and he said that in a mocking tone) he'd stopped by the grocery store and picked up some of her favorite foods. It would do better to keep her happy so he wouldn't have to hurt her again

Everything was going just as he'd planned it, now if he could just keep it that way he'd be happy.

No such luck!

He rounded a corner a moment later, and came face to face with a familiar face and a pair of the angriest red eyes he'd ever seen… and he knew he was royally screwed.

Remy had reached the storage buildings, and stashed the SUV where he thought nobody would see it then he'd crept towards the storage buildings. LeRue hadn't been able to give him a number, so he was on his own there. He snuck along, sticking close to the walls and making sure nobody was following him while he looked around to see if he saw any clues as to where Bobby or his chere might be.

The place seemed deserted, much to his chagrin, and he was about to give up when he rounded a corner and… face to face with the Ice rat himself.

From the look on Drake's face, there was no need for instructions as he turned to run and Remy tackled him. "You!" He yelled as Bobby fight against him. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Bobby asked with a laugh as he drove a kick into Remy's side and scrambled way from him.

"You know who." Remy roared as he dodged an ice spear that bobby had tossed at him and came right black up on his feet. "Where is Rogue?"

"I don't know." Drake sneered. "Why don't you look for her? Of course since these lockers are air tight, you might not have time to check them all, so I suggest you pick carefully."

"You son of a bitch!" Remy said as he threw a punch that connected with Drake's jaw solidly. "Tell me where she is1"

"Make me." Drake said with a crazy laugh.

"You don't want ta fight me boy." Gambit growled as he unsheathed his 'Bo staff and delivered a blow that sent Bobby to his knees.

"Why not this is really all about you!" Bobby cried.

Remy looked at him. "You really are Kuku for Coco Puffs, you know dat? How is dis about me?"

"Because if it hadn't been for you, she'd have taken me back." Bobby cried as he dove for Remy and missed.

"After the way you treated her?" Remy said with a laugh. "Not likely." He punched Bobby as hard as he could in the face and felt the crunch of bone as he broke his nose. : By the way, that's for all da hurt you caused her."

"I even sent that bitch Bella in to spy on you, to cause trouble." Bobby's face twisted. "But she liked you and Rogue together after she saw you, so she wouldn't help me anymore. I made short work of her the next time we met, trust me."

Remy felt sick as he realized what had happened to Bella and what might happen to Rogue if he didn't hurry things up soon. He made a grab for Bobby, and hit him again as he knocked the wind out of him. "Remy's had enough." He growled as he stared down at the younger man, holding him by the front of his shirt, off the ground. "You're going to tell me where Rogue is, now!"

"Or what?" Bobby asked with another sneer.

At that moment, the team arrived to join the fray with Scott and Wolverine in the lead and Remy had an idea. "Or else I'll turn you over to Logan and let him deal with you, anyway he wants."

Bobby turned his head, seeing Logan approaching and the look on his face, and paled visibly. "She's in locker 14B." He said quickly with an audible gulp.

"Thanks." Remy said as he hit him again as hard as he could, knocking him out as his head bounced hard off the floor. He turned to Wolverine ad he reached him. "He's all yours."

Without waiting for an answer he took off in the direction he thought the locker was in. "Rogue!" he called as he ran, "Rogue!! Can you hear me chere?"

A muffled noise came from his left, and he headed for it, calling her name as he did so. He could hear her muffled calls as he pounded on the door as hard as he could, feeling relived at least he knew she was alive. "Stand back." He ordered as he pulled a playing card out of his pocket and charged it, sticking it between the lock and the doorframe and then stepping back as it exploded and the door fell outward in a cloud of smoke.

Before it had even cleared he was in the door way, feeling like his chest would burst as he saw her safe and alive, and then he rushed forward to help her as fast as he could. Kneeling and pulling the gag from her mouth as she cried out his name in a choked voice and he wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her against him.

"Remy." She whispered as he held her. "Ah'm sorry."

"Shhh!" he said as he cut her bindings and helped her gently to her feet and out of the locker. "It's gonna be alright Amour, its gonna be alright. Trust me, okay?"

Rogue leaned against him tiredly and spoke through a shaking voice. "Always Remy." She said as she kissed his neck and they started for the rest of the team. "Always, Ah promise from now on."

It was hours later, safe and back at the mansion that the reality of what her words meant finally sunk into Remy's mind and he knew finally luck was on his side.

To Be Continued…