Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

A/N: Bit about Vixen having a tail happened in her introductory story, Ties of Mutant Blood by Corrinth.

Scene 15

"They don't get it, do they?"

Gambit was sat on a wooden bench under the ancient trees, at the other side of the grassy lawn from the mansion. He'd waited until Blaze was in earshot before voicing is thoughts, watching her reaction as she stopped a few small steps away and met his eyes.

"So your explanation was a little outside Scott's realm of experience. He'll get over it. Probably." She smiled at him, dropping her eyes and taking a seat besides him. Sighing gloomily Gambit took his arms off the back of the seat and rested his elbows on his knees. Blaze frowned; something big was up with her friend… "Remy, what's wrong? And don't try and fob me off with some rubbish about the briefing. Normally proving you know more about something than Scott would have you smugly amused for days…"

For a minute Gambit didn't say anything. Blaze didn't press him either; she had much more respect for her former boss than that. Sitting back and watching him think, she allowed herself to enjoy the softness of the dawn. Already the birds were beginning their morning chorus, and the first rays of sunlight were creeping alluringly over the mansion's grounds. It wasn't the first time a long night had seen the two friends greeting the new day together, waiting for one or the other of them to reconfirm their trust in each other.

"I'se just…" Gambit started, and then gave up, eyes scanning the dew-touched grass, the closed curtains on the dorm windows, and the emptiness of the grounds. Blaze put a warm hand to his back, brushing his spine, not taking her worried eyes off of him. It still took a second before he'd turn his intense, soul-searching gaze on her.

"I'se worried about you with all this Apocalypse t'ing. I'se worried you gonna turn anythin' that happen into vengeance for L'Ange de Morte. I'se…"

"Being an idiot?" Blaze smiled softly, not moving her hand or taking her words back, despite his suddenly offended look. With her body twisted to face him, her eyes were gently kind. "Listen, Remy, I…" He turned away from her, not wanting to hear her lie in an attempt to ease his worries. But Blaze had other ideas, taking his hand out from where he rested his chin on his palm and forcing him to look at her. She locked her warm fingers with his, determined that he pay attention to her.

"I hate Apocalypse." Blaze stated simply enough, eyes exploring Gambit's as his worse fears were confirmed. "He's brainwashed innocent mutants, and is playing them against each other to cause chaos and hurt innocent people. It all rings a little too close to home for me Rem…" Gambit wondered why he'd never seen that link before, that link back to when Blaze had been a brainwashed agent of destruction… But Blaze didn't give him time to consider it. "I'd hate what he's doing even if I had never known anyone he's had power over. And as for Warren…" Gambit extracted his hand from Blaze's professionally as she brought up Archangel, but Blaze pressed on regardless. "Warren's dead, Remy. There's nothing of the man I knew left. Its just someone else is wearing his skin now…"

"You make it sound so simple Petite…"

"Its all that meditation mumbo-jumbo you think is a load of rubbish." Blaze teased soothingly, trying to make Gambit understand. "Not only does it help me control my powers, it also gives me chance to think… Don't worry Gambit, I won't be putting the X-Men in danger over this…"

"The X-Men look after themselves…" Gambit retorted, turning back to see Blaze smile at him and forgetting again that the two of them were X-Men. "It you I'se suppose to look after, non?"

"You do look after me." Blaze affirmed, smiling as Gambit stifled a yawn. "Getting too old for all-nighters mon Ami?"

"Oui…" Remy grumbled, not really serious, relief that he'd told his best friend his concerns a balm of easy tiredness that suddenly washed over him. "But nothin' strong coffee won't cure…"

"Don't be stupid, Remy." Blaze smiled, standing and offering her friend a hand up. "You're going to bed, a few hours sleep will do you a world of good…"

"Who you t'ink you is Petite, my mother?" Gambit groused, but accepted the hand up lazily.

"I'm just trying to look after you…" Blaze took the hand he'd offered and wound it around her shoulders, his weight there a pleasant comfort. "This works both ways you know…"

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The door slid open again finally, allowing the grey wolf to leave. Ilehana paused in the porthole, glancing back over her flank at the still form behind her, covered over with an insulating blanket.

#Five hours. # The wolf addressed the Wolverine wearily. #Five hours and she's still not entirely human. # It was true, Logan could see that whilst Wolfsbane was now more humanoid than canine, she was still covered in a fine red-grey downy fur. The hand that clutched the blanket to her as she slept, exhausted, was stubbier than normal, and each finger tipped with a black claw rather than a nail. The wolf's tail that hung out from under the covers only served to remind Logan of his first mission with Ilehana. Vixen too had once been too exhausted to complete the metamorphosis back into human form. But Ilehana had never tried to kill him…

#I'm going to let her rest for a while, try again later… # Vixen sighed wolfishly.

#You got any ideas what set her off yet? # Logan asked, absently scratching Ilehana behind the ears as they watched the sleeping child.

#Other than Iona's story of her banging her head? # Ilehana the Wolf shook her head slowly. #Wolfsbane doesn't seem to know. I need to get her human and calm to try and get an answer from her, but its not going to be easy. # Ilehana stepped back and clear of the door, allowing it to close. #Right now all I want to do is sleep. #

#You gonna change back first babe? # Logan asked, mind voice slightly amused. Again the wolf shook her head.

#Too much effort for me right now. I'll be outside. # And with that the she-wolf turned and left, prowling through the lower levels like she owned them. Logan just watched her leave.