(Two)

The parties started to break up. Fallen left for the ship with Henry, Maylee, Scott and the Professor, while Kimble and Gambit and Rogue made for the doors. There was only one tram to the Institute and Logan and his crew had taken it first so Gambit's group had to wait for the tram to return. Kimble stood back while Gambit and Rogue greeted each other.

"I thought you were gone," Rogue said to Remy.

She stood very close to him, but kept a small measure of distance between them. She was dressed in what Kimble guessed to be the house uniform, pants and a jacket of black denim and leather. The rest of her was covered with a sheer body stocking, leaving no skin exposed except for her face. Under the stocking she wore a tiny red shirt and her hands were covered in matching red gloves.

It was Remy's failing that he loved a woman he could never really possess. Perhaps it appealed to the thief in him. Sooner or later he would find a way to steal more than just her heart. He smiled at her and breathed in her perfume, shamelessly not hiding his affection. "Je t'aime, cher. Nuthin' gonna keep ol' Gambit away from you, fille. C'est la ve'rite'." He moved to kiss her, or at least come closer, but she stepped back.

"We have to talk."

"D'accorde, chere. We gonna talk," Gambit said with his usual playful grin, but Kimble felt the vibration of hurt and anger that leaked out and away from his good friend's control. Kimble wasn't blind, not with his enhanced senses. When Remy had stepped off the Lucky Dragon the unease Kimble had sensed previously in his friend had lifted, but now back in the company of his beloved, Gambit's discomfort had returned and then some. Something was wrong

The truth was, Remy hadn't been sure what to expect from Rogue when they landed. When they had first contacted the Mansion he had gathered from their brief little talk across the airwaves that something was up. He had to admit he was a bit disappointed that she hadn't flung herself into his arms the moment he stepped off the ship, but he was in charge of Joseph at the time. He had tried to console himself with that fact, but his arms were empty now and she was still keeping her distance. Already he could feel a tightness in his chest, a painful constriction that was the usual warning he was about to be in for some bad news. He had fully intended to propose to her the moment he was free, but now he choked it back, already hardening up a little and protecting his most valuable asset, his heart.

Remy saw Kimble watching them from his respective distance and he could see in Kimble's eyes that the Siskan was aware of his internal suffering and confusion and was feeling bad for him. He smiled at the Siskan to ease the tension. "Dis here is Kimble," he said, introducing his new friend to what he hoped was still his girl. "Kimble, dis is Rogue."

Kimble bowed low but didn't offer his hand. Knowing of her mutation, he wasn't sure if it would trouble her. "Good morrow."

Rogue laughed at his greeting, amused by both his strange behavior and his strange accent. "How charming."

She had a heavy southern accent herself and Kimble loved the sound of her voice. Hoping to break the tension in the air, Kimble began to tease, "What's a pretty girl like you doin' with thief like him when you kin haves a pilot like me?"

"Well, he ain't a shy one, is he?" Rogue replied, winking at Remy.

"Oui, you ladies gonna have to watch out for dis one," Remy complained in playful agreement. He took some comfort in Rogue's willingness to play. " 'E gonna give Gambit a race for stolen 'earts."

"Do tell." She held out a gloved hand and Kimble took it. He bowed again and kissed it before spouting poetry in his finest Siskan, more than willing to rise to Remy's challenge.

Rogue giggled. "Oh, my!" She waved her hand. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"

Gambit gave Kimble a playful shove. "All right, dat's enough, Romeo. Let's go."

The tram had returned and they went inside for the quick ride back to the house. Kimble sat on one of the plastic benches and watched through the window as the walls of the tunnel whizzed by. It wasn't all he was seeing. Gambit and Rogue stood to one side, very close to one another and whispering quietly. She allowed Remy to put his arms around her as they spoke, but still wouldn't face him.

Kimble tried to shut out his sensitivity to allow them privacy, but he was very aware of their heat and intensity. Gambit had missed her terribly and was trying his best to let her know, hoping to break her apparent shyness with soft gestures and gentle teasing. Kimble closed his eyes and tried to ignore the fact that Remy's playful overtures and attempts to seduce this reluctant female were arousing him. At least as a hologram, he could keep it from physically showing.

The tram stopped at an open part of a long hallway. They got off and the tension was temporarily broken as Gambit gave Kimble a quick tour. The lower level of the Xavier Mansion was one long hallway with many doors that led off to other rooms. Remy didn't take Kimble into any of the rooms, the Siskan didn't have clearance just yet, he simply described what each one contained as they walked. Some were labeled "Med Lab", "Gym", and "Library." Another, labeled "Cerebro", contained a machine that amplified the Professor's telepathic ability in order to locate other mutants across great distances, a mutant homing beacon as Remy described it.

Next to that was another room was very large and high, the door labeled Danger Room. Here, Remy explained that the X-men used sophisticated Shi'ar holograms to hone their fighting skills and learn how best to utilize their mutant abilities. Kimble's interest was peaked at the mention of hologram technology, but Gambit was quick to point out that as far as self awareness went, these holograms weren't even close to Kimble's own caliber. They were solid images, nothing more. Maybe if they got a chance later, he could show Kimble for himself.

The lower level also had Henry's medical labs and personal quarters. The Labs were extensive and mostly medical in nature. They had a miniature hospital and even a surgical unit available for emergencies. All part of saving the world.

But of all these wonders and sophisticated items, what most caught Kimble's attention was a bright red Coke machine located in between the lab and the gym. It was the red, you see. He pawed at the lovely red machine, unable to figure out its purpose. Remy laughed and rapped a fist against one of the buttons, causing a can to tumble down as promised. The thief picked it up and Kimble watched closely as Remy opened it. The soda fizzed a little from being rolled and spilled over the lid, but Remy simply licked his hand with a smile and drank from the can. He was tickled by the fizz of it and laughed, enjoying this immensely, there had been nothing like this on Cerise. He then gave the can to Kimble, wanting to see what the Siskan's response to it was going to be.

Kimble sniffed at it, enchanted. The fizz tickled his nose. "What is it?"

"Soda. Don' worry, it don't bite."

"A carbonated sugar drink," Kimble recited, remembering Henry's explanation.

"Dat's right. Give it a try."

Kimble drank deeply and swallowed slowly, tasting it. "Oh! What do ya knows about that? It's sweet!" he commented, his eyes opening wide with pleasure. Like heat, sweetness was also pure enjoyment for him. "Like Rishna only not so bad!" He took another deep drink and put a hand over his flat, hard belly and burped loudly, long and hard. He laughed at himself, proud.

"Non, non non!" Remy said with a laugh, taking the can back for himself. "Like dis!" He drank deeply, burped, but said, "Oh? Really?" at the same time.

Kimble squealed with laughter, rocking back on his heels and holding his sides. He loved games, the sillier the better, and this was right up his alley. All the tension and misery from their journey was gone in an instant, burned away by the antics of this playful and merry thief.

Gambit looked at Rogue who had rolled her eyes at the both of them. "See? It don't take much to amuse dis guy, eh?" he said, enjoying Kimble's delight.

"You silly boys don't know anything," she said with real authority. She took the can and finished it. She showed them down by burping long and strong, saying the vowels of the alphabet clearly and with much greater skill than Remy.

Kimble almost collapsed from laughing so hard. He was beyond silly now.

"See you teachin' him all kinda fine tricks," Logan growled from behind them. He'd just come from a door that Remy hadn't taken Kimble through. The door was labeled 'Security' and led to the holding cells. He'd put the Clansmen to rest and was on his way up to the main house and that ice cold beer.

"Quoi? Somebody 'as to, patron," Remy responded, still laughing.

Rogue could see Kimble's smile wither quickly and his eyes become wary and haunted. The Siskan stepped back from Logan's powerful, hurtful shine, aloofly putting more space between them. Rogue had seen this before from other people who'd spent time with Logan without her always knowing the cause but it never surprised her.

"You'd best be sure to mind yer manners at the Professor's table, pup," Logan cautioned, looking at Kimble. "You hearin' me?"

"Yes, sir."

It was the first time Kimble had addressed him with so much respect. As far as Kimble was concerned, this was Logan's house and now Kimble was under his authority, not Fallen's. Kimble knew he was defenseless here on his own, away from the ship. His manner was much more submissive and deferential in this strange new environment.

Wolverine sensed the Siskan's submission and was all over it, taking another step forward to drive home his point. "You even think of pullin' that shit with the claws again an' you an' me're gonna have some words. That crap don't fly around here. You can't be makin' threats you can't back up. What would you have done if he didn't stop comin', huh? He would've kicked yer ass all up and down that hanger. You think about that some, little boy."

"Chill out, Wolvie boy," Gambit protested, stepping in between them. "We just got back. You ain't gonna start in on 'im right away, d'accorde?" He was glad his own sensitivity to Logan's vibrations had mostly faded. He could see how Kimble was already cowering and in pain from Logan's powerful shine.

Wolverine didn't move. "He's got a lot to learn about the way things work around here. He's better off learnin' things the right way the first time. Save us all some trouble later."

"Nuthin's gonna 'appen, patron. Gambit's got watch on de boy. Go 'ave a beer. Relax."

Logan paused, taking a moment to have the last word with his eyes, bearing down on the thief with his animalistic presence. He saw what he wanted in Remy's face and took a step back, smiling now. He then nodded a greeting at Rogue and walked off towards the elevator that went up to the house.

"Ah see your little trip out didn't improve his disposition none," Rogue commented. She saw that Kimble had his head down, not so happy anymore. She gave his shoulder a nudge and said, "Don't you worry 'bout him, Sugah. He's all bark and no bite."

The Siskan looked up at her, his face full of pain and resentment, and she saw in his eyes that she couldn't have been more wrong. "He hates me," he complained with a small pout.

" 'E 'ates everybody. Don't take it personal, cher," Remy said. He hooked an arm around Kimble's shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. He wanted to wash away Logan's painful vibrations with some of his happy ones, he was so overjoyed to be home. He was rewarded for his efforts with a small Kimble smile. "Dat's better now. C'mon, let's go."

They made the short distance to the elevator and went up to the Mansion. The Mansion was how most of the folks here referred to the main building of the Institute. It had been a large residence at one point in the past. No classes were held here, it was now where the dorms were kept and had large common areas for students and staff members to mingle. Kimble gasped with surprise when he first walked out into the house. The Mansion was very old and richly furnished and all the pilot could see was the finest wood trimming, brass fixtures and marvelous paintings adorning the walls. This was a far cry from the Clan caves and the dry metal of the Lucky Dragon. This was much more like the fairy castles of his home, the Siskan pleasure houses. He reached out with trembling fingers to lightly touch everything as he passed by. He lingered over the paintings and smelled the cut flowers that sat in fine glass vases on small tables along the hallway. Remy walked very slowly, content with his arm in Rogue's as he watched Kimble's child like wonder.

They went into the main hall by the front door where Kimble almost fainted with delight at a huge glass chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. It was full dark outside now and it was lit, sending small rainbows through the tiny slivers of glass. Kimble wanted to fly up and touch the sparkling glass, but Gambit held him back. Remy recalled Kimble's love of glass things and where it came from, but it wouldn't make a good first impression if Kimble were to break it by accident.

But Kimble's greatest surprise was yet to come. The front door opened and a housekeeper came in carrying bags of groceries. She smiled at Remy, recognizing him at once, and told him he had been missed. It was polite greeting, Gambit was always in and out, sometimes for long periods of time. Remy listened to her respectfully, but his eyes were on the Siskan pilot.

The housekeeper had left the door open, presuming Gambit's little party was going out, and the night air followed her in. Kimble went to the open door in a trance like state of wonder. He moved out onto the porch and down the steps to the lawn, his hands starting to tremble the moment he left the house. He now looked up at a boldly lit full moon with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Gambit left Rogue and followed him, concerned. "You okay, cher?"

Kimble raised a shaky hand to his mouth and sobbed, "It's been so long!"

Imprisoned by fate and misfortune, it had been years since he had been truly outside. He was like a captive who had been held down in a black pit for years and had now been suddenly liberated. The dark sky was cloudless and perfect. A million tiny stars winked down on him from above. Kimble spun in a slow lazy circle, trying to see them all.

He dropped down on his knees and lay his hands in the grass, running his grateful fingers through the dark green strands as he would the hair of a beautiful woman. It was late spring and the nights were still chilly, the grass was covered with a fine dew and damp. Kimble wet his hands and then pressed them to his face, breathing in the smell of the earth and plants. He wept openly, but was laughing from pure joy. It was as if he was drunk on the air itself.

Remy watched him, worried at first, but then enchanted by his innocence. He could sympathize with Kimble, but was thankful he'd never been in the same situation. He crouched down next to him. "It's beautiful, non? Gambit been many places, but dere's no place like home."

"I don' wants ta go back inside - ever!" Kimble breathed to the sky. He sniffed and wiped at his face. He was mesmerized by the distant stars.

Gambit laughed. "De outside isn't goin' anywhere, mon ami. You can't stay out here forever. It snows a lot 'ere in de winter. Too cold."

"Snow!" It snowed on Siska so very far away. He sobbed again and trembled with all the anguish of a liberated survivor.

Rogue appeared on the other side of him. "How long has it been, Sugah?"

"I don' know...I don' even know!" He wiped his face again and looked into her deep green eyes. "Kin I stays outside fer a while? I mean, til we hafta go back in?"

"Sure thing, darlin'. You just sit tight and enjoy yourself."

Kimble continued to look around him in wonder. His eyes widened when he turned around and looked back at the house he'd just come from. The Xavier Mansion was huge, almost a palace in size. It had over a hundred rooms with huge glass windows that let bright warm light out over the freshly cut lawn. It was Victorian in design with high pointed towers on the end and a large widow's walk in the center. There was the beautiful combination of wood shingle and stone face that made it appear even more magical, especially now in the moonlight. The house was quite high and Kimble felt really tiny and lost out in front of it.

Charles Xavier had come from a wealthy family and used his telepathic abilities to add to that fortune. He justified his mental intrusions by using the money to maintain this mutant sanctuary and do his best to promote peace among the human and mutant factions. The large estate also afforded him some privacy for him and the team.

There were several outbuildings around the Mansion. One was a large, open garage with a good number of vehicles parked inside. Another was a barn with a large fenced off paddock behind it. Several horses were outside, snorting and playing about in the cool evening air. He had never seen such beasts before and Kimble made a promise to himself to check out the animals later. They looked playful and fun.

The grounds immediately in front of the house seemed endless. The expanse of cut grass was broken only by scattered tall trees. The driveway led out to the darkness to a gate dimly lit almost a hundred yards away. The border of this frontage was marked by tall shrubs that provided total privacy. If Kimble could see that far, he would know there was a road out there that ran empty for a good distance before connecting to the main road of the town. The properties that bordered this one were also owned by the Professor and some of the other X-men lived there. The Xavier complex was huge and sprawling.

Remy watched as Kimble explored the area with his eyes and then lay down on the grass and looked up at the sky. Kimble asked about the different stars and they talked about the constellations and the other worlds up there. He told them some more about Siska, about the snow high up on the mountains. He repeated the story of how Sheyman had spirited him out of the castle just to see the snow. He hoped Fallen would want to stay here so he could see the change of seasons and the snow again. He had no idea that she and the Professor were discussing that very thing at the same time.