Disclaimer: I am making no money from this, just enjoying a sense of escapism from an ordinary life

A/N: Thank you so much to my reviewers. Just to clear up any confusion, yes this is number 7 in my Evo fics. Ilehana Xavier, the Prof.'s grown up daughter, is missing presumed dead. Blaze is a troublemaker Ilehana collected in Europe and brought back to Bayville. Gambit changed sides after he got sick of Magneto and Mystique screwing him over. That's about everything, though if you'd like to go back and read the previous stories feel free, the timeline is on my bio page. Luv Lamby

Scene Two

Beep, beep, beep…

"What the?" Rogue lifted her head away from the white feather pillow slightly and eyed her alarm clock wearily. "Oh no! I'm late!" She slammed her hand down on the alarm as in the same motion she jumped out of bed. Grabbing a green fluffy towel from the back of her door she sprinted towards the bathroom, only to find the hallway already queued up.

"Don't tell me y'all overslept?" Rogue demanded impatiently, flinging her towel over her shoulder as she joined the back of the line.

"Ya." Nightcrawler grumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Storm and Beast took off during the night. Gambit and Blaze are supposed to be in charge of getting us all to school on time."

The bathroom door opened, and Nightcrawler pushed past the exiting Iceman to take his turn. That left Kitty and Rogue the last ones in the hallway.

"That, like, totally makes sense." Kitty grumbled. "Gambit and Blaze are hardly gonna care if we all get tardy marks, and on our first day back too."

"You're tellin' me." Rogue commiserated, when one of the causes of their communal bad mood appeared around a corner at the other end of the hallway. Shadowcat covered a grin with her hand whilst Rogue scowled. It looked like some of the other kids had already been taking their frustration out on Remy. His shirtfront was splattered with freshly squeezed orange juice and milk. He proceeded directly to Blaze's bedroom door and banged on it hard with both fists.

"Blaze wake up! You ain't leavin' me wit' les enfants terrible!" There was no answer from inside the door. A wicked look crossed the Cajun's face and he put a finger to the lock. It dissolved on a small cloud of pretty orange sparks. Unfortunately for Gambit, Blaze had thought ahead that he might be tempted to use lock-picking tactics. As soon as he opened the door, a bucketful of water sloshed down on his head, drenching him. Swearing under his breath, Remy stepped backwards and stripped off the soaking shirt, trying to wring some of the liquid from it. Kitty wolf-whistled, laughing. Rogue was quick to point out that she was not impressed.

"Eugh, Gambit please! Its enough to put a gal off her breakfast!"

"Well this is a sight a girl could get used to in the morning." Blaze joked cheerfully, emerging from her room fully dressed, made-up and wide awake. She wore her usual combination of heeled shoes, boot-cut blue hipster jeans, chunky leather belt and tight black vest top. Earrings hung in pairs from each earlobe; she had a chain round her neck, bracelets and rings on her hands. Her whole image was still choreographed to produce the ideal of success and desirability, something she'd had to do as a thief. She looked Gambit over professionally, making him smile a crooked grin. At the same moment, Nightcrawler left the bathroom and let Kitty in. Rogue thought it about time to make her complaints heard.

"You two do realise we're all gonna be late for school on our first day back 'cause of you, doncha?"

"No problem Rogue," Blaze chirruped brightly, tossing her long red curls back over her pale shoulder. "Get everyone to meet me in the hangar five minutes before your bell rings, I'll get you there on time."

"Alright! We're taking the X-Jet school bus!" Kurt jumped into the air exuberantly and then ported off to tell the others. Rogue waved the poof of grey smoke he left away with a hand, and then griped again at Blaze.

"The Professor'd flip of he were here an' you know it."

"'If' being the operative word, Rogue." There's gotta be some perks to this job." Blaze flippantly replied. She turned flirtatiously to Remy. "Then I guess we grown-ups will have the mansion to ourselves…"

With that the pretty redhead stalked off, fully knowing that Gambit was watching her with a lecherous look in his unique eyes. It was harmless banter really, Blaze had long ago given up hope of anything more passionate developing between her and the Cajun charmer. Not least because she suspected that Gambit still harboured some secret feelings for his ex-girlfriend Rogue.

"I ain' takin' the X-Jet to school." Rogue complained, "It's a bad idea on way too many levels."

"Don't you worry Cherie," Gambit promised, "I'll get you to school on time, an' no jet engines involved I swear." He flashed her a winning smile, knocking the girl a little. Rogue was saved from having to make a grateful reply as Kitty left the bathroom. Rogue dived in and shut the door behind her with a clunk. Ride from Gambit or not, she was still running late.