SOOOO SORRY! I meant to update Saturday but some friends stopped by and I ended up in Michigan! I'm still not sure how it happened. One minute I'm playing Living Arcanas and the next I'm in a car heading to Michigan.

Then I went home for the weekend and just got back to school earlier today. Then I had to work.. . .

I give up. Here's the next chapter.

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The Drive didn't seem so long to anyone in that SUV. No one really even spoke. NO one had seen a mobilization of this magnitude since the trip to see the president after Alkali Lake.

If the whole team is out then it means the recruits are guarding the mansion. They were thinking of when the soldiers came for the children. Many of those children never returned.

When they arrived at the destination, every one got out of the car. This gave Gambit his first look at the girls. They all wore black leather uniforms marked with X's.

When Gambit saw Rogue, his breath caught. She was stunning. The Leather clung like a second skin and damn was that sexy. Her hair was up so not to be in the way and a cape was draped across her back. Besides the cape all the uniforms seemed the same. Kitty and Jubilee's looked different. He wasn't sure if it was cut different or if they just lacked the commanding presence Rogue used to fill her's out.

Kitty spoke

"What if they can't find us? Maybe we should fire a flare?"

"No." Rouge Answered. Not sharply, just with authority. "Tha SUV is from tha institute. It has a locator Scott can track with tha BlackBird. Plus a flare would attract tha wrong kinda attention."

Gambit crept out of the SUV and moved through the shadows to get closer to Rogue.

That's when he heard something.

A Plane?

The jet landed roughly beside the trees that sheltered the SUV and the awaiting members.

The hatch lowered to the ground as some of the team stepped out to greet the three girls.

"Wolvie!" Jubilee and Kitty yelled

'so dis be Logan. Da man Rouge claim to be like a Father.'

Gambit could see he was an intimidating man. And it was not at all hampered by two teenage girls hanging on him and calling him Wolvie. In fact he almost looked furious, except for the small glint in his eyes.

"Jubilation and ShadowCat take your seats! And it's Wolverine on missions!"

He came over to Rogue and gave her a quick hug.

"Missed ya kid. Sorry. I meant Marie. . . Rogue."

"Ah missed ya too Logan. " she smirked.

"Rogue!"

A blue man appeared outta no where and wrapped himself around Rouge.

"I miss you much, sister"

"Hi Kurt. Can ya help me with tha gear?"

"O' course, Rogue."

The three walked back to grab the bags.

"Wait. What's that smell?"

Logan began to walk around.

Before Gambit knew it, Logan lunged at him and the fell to the ground. Both came up quick and began to circle one another.

"Logan stop! That's Gambit! Tha one Ah told ya 'bout!"

"what's he dong here Marie?"

"Ah don' know. Ah though' we ditched 'em."

"Logan" Scott yelled. Seeing the situation he continued, "We don't have time for this. Professor said to just bring him along."

"What!"

"you heard da man, home. Professor say Gambit goes."

He strutted up the walk to the Jet.

Wolverine wanting just a little bit of n edge declared, "well if he's going he has to wear a uniform."

Gambit grimaced and Rogue smiled.

"well Cajun don' just stand there all day. Ge' a move on."

Gambit went below and reemerged wearing a uniform and his brown leather duster.

Wolverine wanting to pick a fight yells, "That isn't standard issue, Bub. Take it off."

"dis uniform have no place for Gambit ta put 'is cards."

"We won't have time for playing solitaire. Leave them."

"Non, Wolverine son' seem ta understand. Dese not be toys. Dey be dangerous. Dey be weapons."

He held up the Ace of Spades and it began to glow red. The disappeared in a puff of smoke as it exploded quietly.

"I hope you can do better than that. Follow me."

He led Gambit past a row of JR Member, strapped into their seats looking nervous.

He ended up in front of a large computer. Rogue was there with two women. One with white hair and one with red. From their descriptions they had to be Storm and Jean. Rogue was pointing out places on the map and showing routes they should take. She seemed to be so confident.

Gambit could easily see why he liked her so much. If only she would open up. So far she's resisted all his efforts to make her open up.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Gambit. She gave him the once over and smiled. 'Damn he's hot!'

"Scott yelled back. "Seats everyone. We'll be landing soon"

When they landed every one filed outside. Gambit finally asked, "well now, how we be doin' dis?"

Jubilee answered like she was reading out of a text book.

"First the fliers will scope out everything and report back. We will send in two waves. Logan and Scott's. Where they go depends on what the fliers report."

Rogue smiled. "Gambit, ya gonna be with Wolverine. Ah gotta go."

"Why. . ."

"Fliers!"

Rogue turned an took two steps before leaping in to the air.

"How we know Rogue be OK?"

"Rogue's a big girl. She can take care of herself. She's been doing this a long time."

"Like da way she took care o' herself wit Mystique?"

"That's different. She was alone and she and mystique have a history."

Wolverine handing Gambit a head set. "Here. With this you'll be connected with the rest of the team."

Gambit put on the head set and listened.

"The north side is impenetrable. As is the south" Storm declared.

"We'll have ta go in tha east Ah think. . . SHIT! AH'm hit! Ground teams one and two move in!"

Rogue was reporting in when a man appeared in a window and blasted her with some sort of energy ball. She was hit in the side and almost went down. Ororo will be here in a moment and the other teams will head in next.

Rogue landed in the brush surround the entrance. The open area ahead leads into the building. From there it would be for the teams to lead.

"I was wondering when you would show up." That strange multi tone voice said.

Mystique.

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I was planning on leaving it at that but since you waited so patiently I'll go on.

8 8 8

She jumped at Rogue and grabbed her head.

"Mystique is . . ."

"Tsk Tsk. No crying now. I taught you better then that!"

She crushed the com. Link in her hand.

"no!" Rogue punched her hard in the gut and mystique stumbled.

"you fell into my trap effortlessly. It's just you and me."

"Soon it'll only be me!"

Rogue followed with a kick to mystique's head. She fell back face first in the dirt

She looked back at Rouge as Rogue took a step closer.

Outta no where Mystique came up and slammed into Rogue.

The world exploded into pain.

Rogue had learned a little about controlling her power. With professors help.

For some reason when Rogue absorbs some one she draws in painful memories. That's why it's so hard for her to do. She was able to learn how to funnel the memories behind a block so that she can deal with them.

When Mystique slammed into her she buried a knife under her ribs and pressed her forehead to Rogue's.

The pain distracted her at the worst moment. So she had no chance to prepare for the contact.

The first memory that hit her was Mystique talking to her when she was held by Mystique a few years back.

"You're not even worthy of being my daughter. Why else do you think I'm trying to rid the world of you?"

The whole world was reduced to one single feeling.

Pain.

Normally the memories are pulled in slowly. This time was not normal. It was as if the memories were being pushed as fast as possible until all the barriers broke into splintered pieces of glass cutting into Rogue's head. Rogue did the only thing she could.

She screamed.

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First off sorry about the spelling. Its kinda sucks but I don't have time to proof read it again. I'll proof read tomorrow and repost but for now I just wanted to get this to you

Gotta go cause words are low.

Rogue obsessed.