I know the story seems to be following closely to the episodes, but I'll eventually get to the AU part. Thanks for your support. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the x-men. I do however own some ideas.
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Weeks after my unintentional assistance for the Brotherhood Boys, things had settled down. I saw Gambit a few times here and there; I had to go out of my way a few times just to avoid the inevitable meeting with him. But things were slowly going back to normal. I was getting used to the stares and jeers in the hallways. It actually wasn't all that different from what I usually get, just for the way I dress.

People like Jeannie though, she was depressing me.

The sudden change from all- star soccer player to filthy mutant cheat was a hard transition for her. I actually found that I was sorry for her. She had surrounded herself with so many shallow friends-like the bumbling idiot Duncan- that she didn't have anyone outside of the institute to fall back on for support (not including Scotty Boy).

So naturally, when Risty gave me an excuse to get out of the dreary mansion filled with woeful teenage occupants in the mist of angst, I jumped at the opportunity.

And later that night, at the concert- I became the biggest angst ridden case at the institute.

First of all I should have realized that going to a concert meant a crowd. Secondly, I should have known that a band that popular was going to have fans that would get super hyped up and stupid. So it shouldn't have come to any surprise that I would absorb somebody. I shouldn't have been surprised when it was Risty.

But it was the biggest surprise when I did. Only because it wasn't Risty.

It was Mystique.

The unbearable woman just cannot take a hint. I left the friggin Brotherhood because of her. And now, she shoves it in my face that my one real friend outside of the institute walls was a friggin decoy used to spy?

I lost it. Completely.

My mental breakdown cost a pretty penny too, if they were able to pin it on one exact person, that is. The hospital bills I caused, the damage to buildings and roads- lets just say, the Brotherhood aint got nothing on me.

But humor aside, I lost everything.

In those moments of contact with Rist… Mystique, I gained her psyche and memories. And her using me, again, was enough for me to forfeit my hold over the voices constantly echoing in my ears. I was sick and tired of being used, that I just stopped caring and let the most aggressive of the psyches take control- just so I could get away, just for a moment.

I didn't fight back until I knew the current psyche was trying to kill somebody. When I realize that the psyche was trying to make me a murderer, I had to work my way out from the bottom of my self-created pity whole. And let me tell you, that is not an easy climb. Sure getting the act together was easy, just a mental slap to the face to get me out of my funk. But fighting every single person that I had ever absorbed? That was no walk in the park.

It was brutal.

But I somehow worked my way to the forefront of my mind. When I was almost in control, I saw that I was facing Logan. Then I saw that I was trying to kill him. Must be Sabertooth that I'm wearing.

I was trying to buy Logan an opportunity to knock me one in the head, and hopefully get me down for the count when I saw him pause before launching himself into an attack and sniff the air.

Of all the times to actually think, he just had to do it then.

Well, that brief pause was enough for him to pull back those claws and realize it was me. Unfortunately it was also a long enough pause to allow Sabertooth pair up in a tag team with somebody who could handle the Wolverine.

And tag, Magnet Brain's it.

Although, I wont admit it ever, I found it hilarious when Magneto surprised Logan by making him fly. The look on Logan's face was priceless.

I attacked they psyches, trying to regain control over them, but they kept changing and kept wearing me down. It was a heaven sent- albeit painful one- act of mercy when Scott blasted me down. It surprised the psyches when that happened, and before another psyche could take over and pick my form off the ground, Xavier was there.

I don't know if he was close to my physically, but he was just there.

Me? I was too exhausted to even move. I let the Professor take over for me.

When I woke up, I was in the med lab, lying on one of the patient beds. Logan was there at my side.

"Nice seeing ya Stipes."

"Hello ta ya too, Logan"

That's the good thing about Logan. You don't have to say much to him because he understands. I don't know how much, but he understood and didn't need me to explain everything.

I spent a while down there. Kurt came down, shy and ecstatic, at having a sibling. I tried to correct him- that I wasn't really related to him- but he simply didn't acknowledge that part of the conversation. As far as he could tell, he was my brother. And thinking back on the months I've known him here at the institute, as far as I could tell, he was.

Though, I shot that familial bond to hell when I pushed Mystique over the cliff.

I'd like to say that it was an accident, that I was enthused about helping the deceitful woman getting back to her old self again and that it was my overzealousness that accidentally caused the accidental smashing to bits of what was left of her.

I didn't buy that theory in my head, and that sure has hell wasn't going to fly with Kurt. I had single handedly- well, two handedly- ruined Kurt's chance of reconnecting with his birth mother. I could say that I did it for his own good, so he wouldn't be hurt, but the lies weren't rolling off my tongue.

I did it because I wanted revenge.

I pushed her because I hated her.

I murdered her because I wanted to.

And its damn hard living with yourself knowing those reasons. And I do regret it. For Kurt. Only for Kurt. For me, I was proud that I put a stop to her abuse.

But for Kurt, I was sorry. I was so, so terribly sorry.

I walked up to Kurt just before the school bell was about to ring, and tried to talk to him. He just brushed me off and said we'd talk later.

He walked ahead of me, probably because it was unbearable to be close to me after the crime I committed against him. But that physical distance was all that was needed for my day go from crappy- to un-freaking-believable. And not for the better.

I shamefully walked slow, to give Kurt his distance when I was grabbed and forcefully pulled into the side alley.

"Bonjour, Anna."

My heart skipped a beat. And terror flooded my system for a minute, before the realization hit me. Magneto was gone. This was Just Gambit. I could handle that.

"Let mah go, you stupid Cajun!"

"Desole Chere, mais I need y' help." And that's all that he gave me before I herd a short click and a green vapor emitted from the end of his bo staff, taking my consciousness.

The first thing I heard when I came to was his annoyingly smooth voice.

"Aw, chere, I see y' awake."

"Really, ya figure that out all bah ya-self?"

His only reply was a chuckle. And had I been a morning person, I could have started to devise an escape plan then and there. As it is, I am not a morning person. Never will be. So instead of focusing on the problem at hand, I found myself focused on what an incredible laugh he had. I mean, damn. The boy had a laugh that made you want to smile and bask in the warm sound.

Luckily, I still had enough wit in me to realize that that thought direction wasn't going to get me out of this boxcar and away from Gambit. I glanced at my surroundings and saw nothing that would be helpful…

Until I realized how close Gambit was to the open door. One little push. That's all it would probably need to force him through and out of the car. With the hope of escape visible, I leapt at him.

And fell face first on the floor.

And that's when I realized the Cajun was smart enough to bind my legs and arms together.

Gambit just smiled and chuckled at me, amused at my failure. He strutted over to me and placed me back against the wooden crates.

"What's this all about, Swamp Rat?"

Again with the beautiful laughter. "Y' look like you could use a vacation. Y' had quite de pas' few weeks, haven't y'."

My eyes narrowed as they met his.

"Whats the real reason."

"Dat is de real reason."

Wait for it…

"And in return, If y' could help me out as a favor with a small problem."

And there it is!

"Ah knew it! There is an ulterior motive. And wha' would be this 'small problem' ah owe ya?"

Gambit just stared at me for a moment, probably debating how much he had to tell me. By the defeated sigh he just let out, I knew it was something I really didn't want to get mixed up again.

"I need y' help getting' moi pere."

"Huh? Lahke from an airport or somethin'?"

"Non."

"Ah'm not followin what ya mean."

"M' pere was taken hostage by a rival guild and I need y' t' help me."

And then a memory of the time I was in New Orleans with Irene came back in a flash. "Remy, de assassins aint going to be happy that y' almost blew up Julien." The memory sunk in for a moment before I turned my gaze back toward Gambit.

He was watching me closely, observing any signs that I was willing falling into his trap.

"So let me get this straight. Ya kidnapped me to get ya kidnapped dad."

"Oui."

"…From a guild of Assassins."

I think the boy was in shock. He almost fell off his crate when I announced that I knew who we were going up against. The only thing he was capable of in reply at the time was a nod of his head.

I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to laugh at how crazy he was- how crazy he thought I was. But I knew what I had to do.

I let out a long breath. "If ah get shot this time, ah'm gonna sick Wolverine on ya."

He gave me a smile then, one of those real ones. Not one of those damn smirks he has on his lips all those times I've seen him while fighting. And I gotta admit, it was a great sight. He moved to my side and charged the fibers of the rope so that they dropped from my wrists and ankles.

And I socked him one in the stomach.

Took him by surprise. He fell backwards on the floor, and I felt damn proud.

"Wha' the hell was dat for?"

I raised an eyebrow at him and put hand on my hip. "Next time, ya might try asking a gal for their help."