Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.

A half-gloved hand hesitated a moment before descending to knock on the reinforced door of the Institute. The figure shifted his weight impatiently waiting for an answer. Notorious for his skill both as a fighter and thief it amused him that arriving at his girlfriend's house still caused him anxiety. Of course, most girlfriends didn't live in a house full of mutants that would rather slit his throat than say hello.

The door swung open quickly and the Acolyte known as Gambit straightened at the sight that greeted him. With the extensive surveillance equipment that the mansion had and by Remy being generous enough to not try and avoid it, it usually gave Rogue plenty of time to greet him at the door. So the vision of a blue-plaid shirted Wolverine opening the door surprised him.

"Sometin' wrong wit' Rogue?" Gambit asked eyebrows rising expectantly.

"Nah, she's in practice Gumbo," replied Logan readily. Gambit backed up a few steps from the door.

"Guess Gambit talk t' her later den," he spoke jovially trying to hide his disappointment.

"She's almost done, ya can wait for her if ya want Cajun," said Wolverine magnanimously waiving the dumbfounded teen in.

"Eh, merci Wolverine," Gambit managed as he was escorted to the electronics-laden den to wait. Spotting Jean and Scott relaxing on the pumice-green sofa Remy paused long enough for Wolverine to enjoy catching him off guard and push him not-so-gently into the room. Gambit righted himself with a few quick steps, turning back to give Logan a mild glare which was ignored.

Remy uncomfortably chose a straight backed chair in the corner of the room, closest to the exit and as far away as he could be from the pair of X-Men without being obvious about it. A disgruntled look passed over his face as he realized Wolverine intended on staying as well, leaning against the doorjamb, his thick body almost blocking it entirely. Thieving instincts throbbed at the loss of the exit, but he had promised Rogue to try and get along with the other X-Men so he pursed his lips and averted his gaze. He'd rather face all three of them in battle than attempt to broker any type of conversation with them, an idea he seriously contemplated, seeing Scott sit up trying to get his attention.

Both Scott and Remy cared a great deal about Rogue and after a few near misses the pair had made a grudging peace for her sake. Remy was fine with that arrangement, however Scott had Jean and the professor prodding him to make friends. The professor didn't keep it a secret very well that he expected Remy to eventually become one of the X-Men.

And with him, bringing the secrets of Magneto's base no doubt.

"Hey Remy," said Scott with forced enthusiasm that Jean echoed. A flitting glance told Gambit that Wolverine planned on enjoying watching the two enemies' rather pathetic attempts at light conversation. It had been disastrous the few times they had tried. Given Cyclops didn't really know all that much about Gambit he sometimes stumbled onto sore subjects without knowledge. Gambit however, had thick files on all the X-Men that he had memorized, and retorted with equal venom. Eventually their conversation descended into one or two word phrases, three at tops. Their word choices had sent Kitty running cheeks flaming, too disgusted to gather enough concentration to phase away. And that particular incident had incurred in the short span of time when Rogue had gone to grab a soda. Hoping her session would be short Gambit tuned back into the fledgling conversation.

Yep, Remy thought, didn't miss much, the pair were blathering on about the school's basketball team again. Forcing himself not to roll his eyes he nodded methodically through the unenlightening litany, somehow they continued to forget he didn't go to Bayville High like the rest of them.

Scott watched as the long tressed acolyte nodded sympathetically to Jean's description of the dismal basketball game the weekend before. He didn't really know Remy well enough to be sure, but Scott had a feeling that Remy wasn't actually listening. Armed with the knowledge that Rogue wasn't due out of her session for another twenty minutes Scott decided to have some fun. Contrary to popular belief he was pretty perceptive, but he found if he pretended he wasn't, other people tended to slip up around him more. Grinning internally Cyclops spoke up a little louder than necessary, feeling a swirl of satisfaction watching the Acolyte snap his brown eyed gaze in his direction.

"So, Gambit, what have you been up to lately?" he asked innocently sounding. The Acolyte hadn't missed the switch from his given name to his code name and responded in kind.

"Not much dat Gambit c'n be tellin' y' bout Cyclops," he answered eyes narrowing.

"You guys…" Jean warned gesturing emphatically towards Wolverine who had yet to leave his post.

"No, no, you kids go ahead, I'd like ta hear this conversation too," smirked Wolverine moving farther into the room and dropping into a cushioned chair heavily, crossing his booted feet. Jean, who had her personal fill of compromising and mediation for the week, held up her hands in defeat leaving the room without saying goodbye. The gazes of the two teens never moved from their locked position as the red-head swept between them.

"So illegal stuff mostly, right?" continued Cyclops.

"Dat's what Gambit does non? Y' suddenly have a problem wit it?" he demanded, "Not all of us got rescued by a rich homme an' put up in his mansion…" he sneered, "some of us actually had t' learn skills."

"You call breaking and entering a skill, others…" Scott left that statement hanging. "Besides you know as well as I do that you could be living here the moment you said you wanted to," responded Cyclops.

"Just for y' own, personal knowledge, it's called liberation an' relocation of goods mon ami. An' not all of us want t' be kept like a trick pony, Cyke," Gambit retorted waspishly. He was about to speak again when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Years of training surfaced abruptly and he bolted upright grabbing the offending hand at the wrist and using his upward force to flip the person over his shoulder. His assailant was half-way to the ground before Gambit realized his attacker was a lot lighter than they should have been.

Diving, his worn jeans sliding on the carpet, Remy caught the boy before he could fall completely, force still jarring the small body. Gambit's eyes blinked abruptly when he was suddenly cradling two small forms.

"What de hell?" he said confusedly.

"Whoops," said the Jaimes, "Sorry about that, Rogue told us not to do it, but we thought she was just trying to scare us." Remy's records on the younger mutants weren't nearly complete compared to the senior students and generally avoiding the numerous mini X-Men, Remy hadn't been prepared for the sudden show of powers.

Scott stood up with Logan each grabbing a Jamie, "Chill out Gumbo," Wolverine said, "He's supposed to do that, though I'd say yer just a bit tense," said Logan with a rare bout of humor.

"I, He…he…ain't broken?" asked Gambit still kneeling on the carpet. Scott rolled his eyes invisible under his sunglasses.

"Jamie duplicates himself when he encounters force," Scott explained. Remy still shaken by nearly harming a child wobbled up to his feet, surprised when he saw Rogue come up behind him hair still damp from a shower.

"He'll be okay?" Remy asked again. Rogue spied the two Jamie's as they jumped off the floor.

"Didn't I tell you not ta sneak up on him?" she inquired of the younger boys foot tapping angrily.

"Well, yeah," they said in unison, totally unrepentant, "but we didn't think you were serious."

A/N: Points to Aethena for noting this is written a tad differently than I usually do. Most of my stories are written in a day 1, day 2, format. The 'feel' of this story is hopefully a little different as the time breaks between chapters won't be that concrete: some could be a few days, or even a few weeks. But I will try to make sure I don't speed through the fun stuff.

Much thanks to: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf3, Puppybaddog, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Streetwise Girl, and X-Storm.