Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zip. Blaze owns me

Scene 03

It might have looked a badly matched battle, the tall and wiry Cajun against the dainty English girl. Yet Blaze was tenacious and athletic, and Logan was sure that even without powers Blaze would give Gambit a run for his money. Logan watched them square up against each other, circling slowly, as Blaze sized up the freedom with which Gambit moved with his injury. Wolverine saw what Blaze did. The Cajun was moving fluidly and with little of the caution he had had when he first started training with them. Gambit might not know it himself yet, but he was almost back to health.

The first few punches that flew in were only testing the other's defences. All of them were blocked before they could hit home. Slowly, the speed of the battle began to accelerate, Blaze dancing left and right as she tried to push Gambit into making a mistake. The Cajun concentrated, ducking and diving, using his longer reach to land a quick succession of punches to Blaze's midriff. Blaze dropped, lashing out with her leg as she spun round, trying to take Gambit's legs out from under him. Gambit leapt over her sweeping legs, turning and kicking her in the back. Blaze splayed forwards, reaching out with her hands to break her fall.

"That'll do!" Logan called out from the control room. "Point proven Gumbo, that's all for today."

"You okay Cherie?" Gambit asked, offering Blaze a hand up. She rolled onto her back, spluttered a little before she could get her breath back.

"Yeah," Blaze gasped in the end, taking his hand and letting him left her back to her feet. Once stood up she smiled brightly, stepping forward eagerly to give Remy an affectionate hug. "Well done, I think you've even stunned Logan," she whispered in his ear, her breath warm against his neck. Gambit folded his arms around his friend tightly, breathing in the ash-and-embers smell of her hair. She was right; he was feeling better. Everything was coming good.

"Break it up," Logan grouched from the control room. Blaze backed out of Gambit's arms, though less than willingly. Wolverine spoke again before Gambit could question the girl on her hesitancy, "The Professor just called. We're wanted in a briefing, now."

"Be right there," called Blaze, starting for the door. Gambit took a breath and grabbed her trailing arm. There was something that had been hanging over them for far too long now. Like a dark cloud, it was never spoken of but always there. He pulled her back to face him, knowing that today was a day for new beginnings.

"One t'ing first," he told her gently. "There somet'ing we should've done a long time ago, Chere."

Blaze looked up at her tall friend and found herself speechless. He took hold of her other hand, locking his fingers with hers. Her heart did a little leap and her mouth went suddenly dry as he started to lower his face to hers. This was it. Finally, once and for all they were going to take back something that had been stolen from them. Blaze's eye flickered closed as she raised her lips to his. Gambit looked at her for only a second longer, then closed his eyes…

"What part of 'now' don't you two understand?" Logan growled over the speakers. "Get up here, that's an order."

Blaze sighed and pulled away sadly from Remy. Gambit let his shoulders slump, trying to think of something to say to the girl. There was nothing that sprang to mind. She left the room without waiting for him, letting him trail afterwards like a lost puppy. It had been like this between them for far too long, unrequited and inexpressible. Ever since a touch by Rogue had stolen something that was undeniably Blaze's.

Perhaps it would not have been so bad if a child named Stifle had not been there to quash Rogue's power, and so allow her to touch Remy without draining him. On the spur of the moment, possessed by Blaze's spontaneity, Rogue had kissed him. But the kiss had been Blaze's and not Rogue's at all to give. Now that absent first kiss was like a wall between the two thieves. No matter what they did or how good friends they became, Blaze and Gambit couldn't break the chains that Rogue's chance actions had left them with. Would they ever get past this? Or would it always hang around their necks like a lead weight, dragging them down. Gambit didn't know, and he doubted Blaze did either.

Gambit traipsed dejectedly back up to the upper levels of the mansion, following Logan and Blaze who were just in front of him. The briefing was taking place in the Professor's office. On entering the room Wolverine peeled off to the left to stand by Storm in the back of the room. Beast stood to the right, by the Professor's wheelchair. Blaze crossed the room to take a position by the fireplace. Gambit entered last, closing the door behind him and staying near the exit. On a comfy-looking ornate chaise longue in the middle of the room, a grey-looking Angel looked up as the last X-Man arrived. His eyes fell on the former Acolyte, and a protest formed on his lips.

"What is he doing here?" Angel glowered in Gambit's direction. "He's one of Magneto's men."

"He was," the Professor explained calmly. "Gambit is an X-Man now." Remy puffed out his chest proudly to have Xavier stake his claim to the Cajun.

"A leopard can't change its spots," argued Angel. "That two-bit thief robbed me."

"I was under mind-control," protested Gambit, scowling.

"I don't care," Angel continued, shaking his head. "I don't trust him, and I don't want the help of any thief."

"You're walking on thin ice Angel," Blaze warned, taking a few steps forward and coming to sit gracefully by Warren's side. She looked Angel in the eye with her big liquid brown orbs pleading with him from under a fringe of long lashes. "Gambit's not the only one here who has roots as a thief. We all trust him, you can too."

"You?" Angel asked her. "You were a thief too?" Blaze nodded, lowering her eyes coyly. Angel didn't look like he quite believed her. Gambit folded his arms and leant back against the wall. Nice as it was that Blaze was fighting his corner, he wished that she hadn't done it by flirting with Warren. It would give Angel ideas he'd better not try. Storm spoke for the first time, drawing a close to the argument against Remy's presence.

"The X-Men always try to pursue the philosophy that people can change, Angel. Gambit is one of us now. If you want our help, you would do better to get on with telling us the problem."

"Alright Storm," Angel agreed reluctantly, looking up at Ororo. "It all happened last night…"