Summary : Gambit keeps his promise. Part 11 of my Kimble series.

Notes : Rated M for language, violence, and sexual situations.

AU but only because I chose to change a few things in my dear friends' histories for simplification, nothing drastic so please forgive. I wrote this for a friend who didn't read the comics so there is a bit of back history and explanation on who everyone is and what their powers are. I've been working on this story for years so I do ask that you don't use any of my non-Marvel universe characters without my permission. I love my Siskans as I do my children.

Art is up for Through the Looking Glass on my site if anyone is interested.

ColossusR, I am always glad to hear from you. In regards to Rogue and Genosha our conversation reminds me that I really should go back and read some of the oldie comics again. It's been a very long time since I've read through the whole thing tho I have them all from #94. The last time I went through them (about three years ago) my focus was mainly on Gambit and Wolvie, my two faves.

Pinklittlewitch, I am afraid I am going to disappoint you on a couple of counts. Astonishing X-men is my favorite X-book right now and a lot of that is due to Joss Whedon's minimalist approach. His cast is quite small. Even he admits that the idea of making a movie with a cast as big as X3 promises to have would be a nightmare. The same goes for me. My story will primarily focus around the Blue squad with emphasis on Gambit, Wolverine and Beast. To go any larger would fry me.

I am also sorry to have altered Angel so much but the fact is I didn't want to get into Apocalypse and I was never terribly fond of Archangel (except for The Fallen), nor was I the least bit satisfied when Angel 'spontaneously' got his feathered wings back again for no apparent reason. That was lamer than anything I could have come up with, a true cop out. So, yeah, I fumbled through the brief explanation about Angel because I needed his anger for reasons that will come up later. I also have at least one reader who has never read any X-men comics so to go too deeply into tangents would drag this thing out even more than I already have. I hope you can forgive me.

Also Kimble doesn't have as many powers as you might think. In my opinion, he really only has two - telekinesis and empathy. You see, phasing in my view is really the ability to telekinetically manipulate one's own atoms at will (even as it applies to Kitty Pryde). The spikes are the telekinetic manipulation of atoms in the air. Kimble's ability to shapeshift is computer driven, not a mutation, and pretty much limited to whatever skins he has on hand.

I will apologize now if my next few postings are late, I just got X-men Legends2 for my birthday. - Sq.

Updated 10-14-13 to add (break)s as needed and to fix lingering spelling and punctuation errors. Amazing how many remain when you consider how heavily I went over all of these stories before posting them in the first place. Goes to show you can never edit enough!

(One)

Henry sat in the Institute's vast cafeteria, surrounded by students and faculty, quietly munching on his lunch while pawing through a science journal. He had been very busy these past days, sharing his crowded schedule with Fallen and his classes as well. He was here now, taking some time off in the company of his friends. He was seated near the Blue Squad who usually sat together at lunch after they had a workout session. Most of the squad was there – Bobby, Jean, Kurt, Rogue and Wolverine. They had been joined by some members of the Green squad as well, a full table.

Henry looked up from his magazine when Neal Sharra came up to him with a stack of notes. Neal was a good lad, a sturdy Indian about twenty-five or so in age. Neal was a rarity in this place of oddities, he was a bio-plasma producer and highly valuable. He was currently working on a team that was adapting one of the devices Fallen had drawn up for use in the Institute, a Dognan water purification system she was sharing.

"Afternoon, Henry. Have you seen these latest diagrams?" Neal was asking with some excitement. "This water purifier Fallen drew up for us is doing well. We won't have to worry about where our emergency water supply will be coming from the next time someone decides to lay siege to this place. Fallen has been a real asset to the team."

Fallen had been given an honorary position here at the Institute. She wasn't active on a squad, but she was supplying Xavier's crew with blueprints for water and energy saving devices to help out the Institute and was helping Henry to implement them. She hadn't been here long but already there was some excited buzzing amongst the science and technology teams about what she had provided them with so far. She had earned her room and board and then some.

"Yes, I am happy with what she has had to offer," Beast replied, looking over the papers Neal had given him. It was true that some of Fallen's gifts would prove to be very useful.

"I've got to run," Neal said. "I just wanted to deliver these before my workout."

Neal, on top of being in charge of some of Fallen's implementations, was a member of the Blue squad. They were comprised mostly of newer members and had a rigorous training schedule. Neal would be busy.

"Thanks," Henry said to him before the young man turned and left. "Have a good session."

"Too bad Kimble had to come with the package deal," Bobby grumbled. He was poking at his chicken, not sure if it was edible. He didn't much care for cafeteria food, even if it was decently prepared. "We would have been better off without him."

Kitty Pryde, visiting member of the Green squad and a young cutie, was sitting next to him. Dark haired and vivacious, she was one of the youngest mutants to make it onto a squad. There was an age minimum of eighteen, but she was a young go getter and had been practicing hard long before that. She had qualified early in the physical trials and had only just made the age requirement a couple of days ago. Her squad placement had been the best birthday present she could have asked for. Her primary mutation was the ability to become intangible and walk through walls, she was a champion phaser. She was, however, quite solid when she laughed softly, smiling mischievously as she asked Bobby, "Is it true Kimble actually made a pass at you?"

He shifted uncomfortably, squirming a little. "Not exactly."

"Yes, it's true," Jean replied to that, always eager a little payback for Bobby's endless pranks. It was a rare opportunity to get back at him a little so she took it. "I saw them kissing. It was quite charming."

Kitty laughed. "So, Bobby. What was it like?"

"It wasn't my fault. He had that girl skin on!" Bobby protested lamely, his hands up in the air. He was blushing now and trying not to laugh at his own silliness.

Jean grinned playfully and continued to tease, "I think it was the tight black dress that did it. Bobby's such a fool for the skanks."

"No, I'm not!"

"Oh, yes you are!" Jean laughed, warming up. "Don't you remember that time at Harry's? The brunette with that outrageous cowboy hat? She was so drunk she could hardly speak."

"Didn't she have buck teeth?" Nightcrawler threw in for good measure, his yellow eyes gleaming.

"No, that was the blonde from the week before," Logan grunted with a half smile. He was eating his steak with relish, it looked friendlier than the chicken Bobby was poking at.

Bobby sputtered more protests. "Hey! I'm not that bad! Besides, they should have Fallen's little toy register as a sex offender. At least I've never pawed up a fourteen year old girl!"

"That we know about," Kitty chuckled softly.

Henry chose to intervene by saying, "It's not that serious. Kimble is on probation. That should be sufficient."

"The poor guy's hiding out," Jean offered, a tone of genuine sadness in her voice. "Today I went to the hanger to give him a private telekinetic lesson at the Professor's suggestion and he didn't show up. Fallen and I spent twenty minutes looking for him and he was a no show."

"Oh, yeah?" Logan asked, his ire rising. "Hope he's not sneaking around again."

"Fallen didn't think so and neither did Seth. She had just given him some chores to do only a minute before that. He must have gone hiding when he heard me coming. They both think he's so humiliated he can't even look at us right now. The poor thing."

Wolverine grunted again. "Serves him right after getting his ass chewed out yesterday. He had no business breaking his probation like that."

"See? Sex offender," Bobby chirped, trying to regain some of his dignity. "Probation is too good for him."

Henry disagreed and he said so. "He has a good heart and that's what counts. He hasn't been given much opportunity to show it."

Kitty nodded and couldn't help but add, "I think he's kinda cute."

"Who? Kimble? When did you see him?" Logan gruffly asked. The roughness of his voice wasn't fake, his protection gears had whirled into swift action. Kitty Pryde was indeed young and a while back Logan had taken her under his wing and looked after her much in the same way that Henry had cared for Bobby. Kitty was as good as Logan's daughter.

"He was in the Lab getting something for Henry. I don't think he saw me."

"Yeah, well, stay away from him. He's bad news," Logan advised, giving her a stern look that brooked no argument.

"That's not so," Henry protested. "You still judge him way too harshly."

"I don't want her anywhere near him and that's final."

"I'm not a young kid anymore, Wolvie," Kitty protested, her face flushing a bit red. She wondered if he would ever see her as grown up.

"I know, all the more reason," he replied with a serious look. He glanced over at Rogue who had been sitting across of him, strangely quiet this whole time, picking at her food. He could see that she had that strange twitch at the corner of her mouth. He'd seen that twitch before when she had watched Gambit flirt with someone once, he had also seen it that night Gambit and Kimble were dancing. It had begun at the first mention of Kimble's name and he wondered if she was still jealous of Kimble in some way. He couldn't imagine why, he seriously doubted Gambit had crossed the line with Kimble in any way.

"Maybe he'd be better off if we got him away from Gambit," Angel grumbled, speaking for the first time and interrupting Logan's thoughts.

There was a slight hush at the table at that. They all knew of Warren's serious hatred for the thief. While not everyone here thought Remy was the greatest guy, Angel's continued discrimination made them all a little uncomfortable.

Kurt dared to break the momentary silence. "There is power in forgiveness, my fruend."

Another uncomfortable hush followed that. That sometimes happened when Kurt would throw out something particularly religious, especially if it was a little confrontational like this. While most Americans were Christian in some way, it was a rarity to hear it spoken so boldly.

"Yeah, well. Some people still get more than they deserve!" Warren snarled and grabbed his plate. He left in a feathery huff.

There was another silence as they watched Warren stalk off. When he was a safe distance away, Kurt couldn't stop himself from adding, "Maybe Kimble would benefit from a little religious instruction."

Logan snorted rudely at that, showing a little bit of fang as he sneered, "Sorry, elf. Remy was right on one score, that kid was made to be nothing more than a whore."

Kurt just smiled benevolently in his all knowing way. "I know of a shining example where Jesus redeemed a prostitute. Perhaps He can again."

"Nice one, Kurt!" Bobby said with a cheer, giving him a high five. He just loved it when someone got a good burn on Logan, it didn't happen often.

Rogue wasn't laughing much at that. She poked her food around a bit, frowned and asked, "Where is Remy anyway, shouldn't he be back by now?"

Logan shrugged, looked at his watch and scowled. He hadn't realized how much time had passed. "Yeah. I'll go to the radio room, see if he's checked in."

"Wonder what he's up to?" Bobby asked, poking at his chicken again. It didn't answer.