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

Scene 21

It was over all too quickly. With the book destroyed, all the minions that had been brainwashed since the girls discovered it in the Xavier library and began using it to enhance Apocalypse's power reverted back to normal. Those that he'd had a hold on before, including the Horsemen and Mercury, had responded to his outrage with a bloodthirsty attack. But there simply were not enough of them, especially not as the S.H.I.E.L.D. marines joined forces with the X-Men, their combined strength a force to be reckoned with. But somehow, in the chaos, and even as the Horsemen fell one by one, Apocalypse himself had sneaked away…

"It me, or was the Vixen jus' on top of Gambit?" The jaguar gave the Cajun, who was now sat up, a playful cuff, making him smile. "It not my fault you find me irresistible Cherie…" Ilehana growled at that, though not as much as Logan, but both Remy's friends dropped it as Gambit stood up, frowning, putting his hand to his head. A shudder ran through him involuntarily, all humour gone as the images, memories Apocalypse had used on him surfaced again. His mouth was dry, his stomach lurching, and he knew he had to get away, be alone…

Blaze watched, cradling her injury as she sat on the ground, seeing Remy turn away from them all and walking off, shoulders slumped, his usual swagger gone. His staff he slung over his back, like a child clutching a precious toy against some threatening nightmare. Laura only had to think the word #Up# and Ilehana was at her friend's side, resisting the doctor within her to let Blaze use the jaguar as a lever to get to her feet.

Hobbling, still clutching her side, Blaze followed Gambit away from the rest of the team. From the girls that Nightcrawler had teleported down from the plateau, and Cyclops trying to take charge. From Ilehana and Logan trying to sort through the remainders of Apocalypse's army. From Iceman, Storm and the rest searching for any further sign of Apocalypse, though it appeared the Lord of Chaos had, in the chaos, truly disappeared. She found Gambit deep in the forest, stood at the edge of a steep slope, below which a suspiciously green glade suggested a swamp. Trust the Cajun… She stood off from him, letting him think, knowing without needing to make it obvious that he knew she was there.

"Did I ever…" He started, voice deep and croaky, for once in his life unsure. Blaze said nothing as his voice died away again. Indeed she was so silent that eventually he turned back from the brink, metaphorically and otherwise, to look at her. "Did I ever hurt you? I'se bin tryin' to t'ink, I'se not remember…" Blaze still said nothing, not quite understanding his question as the bruising to her ribs throbbed and pounded. Gambit took a step towards her, but the stopped, as if still afraid of something. He tried again to explain, the angst in his voice more painful than the bruising to Blaze. "Did I ever hit you for not doin' somethin' right when I'se trainin' you?"

"Oh." Blaze suddenly grasped what he meant, and shook her head forcefully. "No, of course not, Rem! How could you even think that you could?" And then it hit her; he thought he might have because the same thing had happened to him. One of those childhood things he'd never talk to anyone about… Her heart wept for him, for the child he had been, and she staggered stubbornly to his side. "Remy, you never once put a hand on me, as your apprentice or otherwise. At least, not in a way any right-minded woman would complain about…"

It took him a moment, but then a small smile crept into the corner of his mouth, and he nodded. Dropping the staff from his shoulder he turned to hug Blaze, but she squirmed away painfully. "What's wrong?" He asked frantically, red-on-black eyes searching her face. Blaze shook her head and clutched her side, concentrating on her breathing for a moment. Only when the pain had subsided did she meet his worried eyes.

"Mercury pelted me pretty bad…" Blaze lied; a white lie to keep him sane. Remy only looked at her, and she couldn't tell if he'd seen through it or not. "Come on, let's get back, before they start thinking one of Ilehana's jungle friends has eaten us…"

"Wanna borrow this, Chere?" Remy offered the staff as a walking stick, concerned at Blaze's wordless nod and the grim determination on her pretty face, as she looked back over the uneven terrain that separated them from the jet. "Maybe I'se better off jus' carryin' you, Petite?"

"What, with Logan back there, no thanks." Blaze smiled, but let him take her other arm as they began the painful walk back. "I'd never live it down…"

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Wolfsbane wasn't entirely sure that Nightcrawler wasn't telepathic, gratefully wrapping the thick blanket that he brought around her as she began to slip easily back into a fully human form. The blue elf nodded once at the four girls, before leaving them to it on a corner of the pavement and going back to work. All four students of the Xavier school were shaking, in shock, but back to themselves once more. Or at least they would be, if ever they could truly forget the images and evil Apocalypse had poisoned their all too willing minds with. As they surveyed the battlefield and tried to comprehend how far their actions had spread, it was Sam who broke the uneasy silence first.

"I guess we screwed up again…"

"Looks that way." Vertigo agreed, meeting Sam's eyes nervously, both comprehending how Apocalypse had been playing them off of each other, trying to destroy their friendship. Of course none of them would ever admit how close he had got…

"I think we could make a career out of it." Wolfsbane sighed, rubbing her hands together, enjoying the feel of soft skin and the shape of her long human fingers once more. She ached all over, but she knew now she'd be okay, and it was a satisfying relief.

"We could write the book." Iona offered, voice neutral. The other three turned on their smallest friend, expressions ranging from Sam's scowl to Vertigo's fear and Wolfsbane's confusion. Slowly, the little strawberry blonde's face cracked into a smile, as she explained. "Joking!"

Sam was the first to match Iona's grin with one of her own, but by that small action the tension was gone, and the other two joined them. Grins gave way to giggles of stupid relief, they were going to be okay, and as the four friends linked arms they knew with certainty it would take more than evil brainwashing to ruin a friendship as solid as theirs...

#The End #