cerrenous – Yes I am a horrible, horrible person who is deeply ashamed of myself.

I've actually had most of this written since I last updated, sorry.

Get Rogue,

Chapter Nine

The room where Xavier "slept" was quiet, not like Logan really expected much else. Kitty had attempted to brighten up the dark room with pictures of the team posted randomly on the plain, silver walls. It looked more like a chaotic mess, but she meant well and it was kind of nice to see the various snapshots of the X-Men. There were pictures that ranged from the original team when Magneto was still working with Xavier, to current ones that included Tildie. When Charles had first seen them he hadn't said a thing, but merely smiled and Wolverine swore he saw a tear slide down the telepath's face.

Logan wasn't waiting long. Charles Xavier appeared before him in seconds with the same, transparent image he had since Xavier first contacted him. His face looked less worn than the last time he had seen him, but the eyes looked tired as usual. And Wolverine wondered if there would ever be the day that the X-Men were no longer needed, when humanity could accept mutants and they could finally rest.

"Alright Chuck, what the hell is going on now," Wolverine demanded.

"It's good to see you too Logan," Professor X politely greeted with a kind smile at his brutish friend before answering his question. "I take it Rogue has been kidnapped already."

"You knew! You knew this was going to happen! Why the hell didn't you warn me," Logan roared, his fists clenched tightly at his side.

"I'm sorry Logan, but those events had to transpire. I couldn't let that change. The outcome would be too dangerous if Gambit hadn't kidnapped her," Charles calmly replied, his mind thinking about the chaotic events that would lead to the future he was currently in. It wasn't as horrifying as when the Sentinels ruled, but it wasn't necessary very ideal, especially with Sinister in charge.

"I don't like this. What does that bastard want with Rogue? What do they all want with Rogue," Logan growled, and began to stalk around feeling very much like a caged animal.

"The Brotherhood just seeks revenge; they are not the ones you need to worry about. Deathstrike's grudge will help lead you to the answers you seek. And Gambit is merely another pawn; it's who he is working for that should concern you."

"And just who does he work for?"

"Mr. Sinister is Gambit's employer. And he's after what she knows, or rather what's in her mind," came his ominous reply, which lead to more questions than answers.

"I know this going to be hard for you my friend, but trust Mystique she does care for the girl. If you don't Rogue may very well die."

"What the hell is going on Chuck?"

Xavier sighed. He really wished he could tell them more, but then revealing too much could do more harm than good.

"I'm sorry Logan. I would tell you more if I could. I will be in touch with you when I can reveal more."

And with that Charles Xavier was gone.

Kurt pushed the door closed behind him. Mystique was across the room, tightly locked behind the glass containment cell that Rogue herself had once occupied when she had defected to the Brotherhood. She was sitting on a couch they had put in there to replace the one squashed by the Blob, staring intently at the ceiling. She hadn't noticed his presence yet.

He wondered if the human form she was in now was how she really looked and she stayed blue to make a statement. It did seem like something she would do. Mystique was really proud to be a mutant. Or if that was the first time she had seen that face as well.

Slowly he approached the cell without making a sound. As if sensing his presence, she looked up and pinned him with her gaze. Her eyes were a startling green, and he was sure he had seen them before. Her gaze was intense and slowly her lip curled.

Kurt had to look away. This was the woman who had given birth to him, his biological mother. He didn't know what to feel towards this woman and he was conflicted. Part of him just wanted to forget their relation. She had never bought it up, and it was like he didn't exist towards her. But she was still his mother, and that meant something to him.

"Kurt," she acknowledged him, though his name sounded more like a curse coming out of her mouth.

"Mystique," he curtly replied.

"Don't tell me they got you to do the interrogation," she mockingly spoke.

He wouldn't let her get to him. When dealing with her, one needed to keep a level head. She enjoyed rattling nerves and messing with people's minds.

"Hmmm…you were able to get to one of daddy's little girls, so maybe you're not a complete lost cause after all. She is a step up from that human girl you dated before."

Kurt's eyes flashed but he didn't take the bait, though part of him was curious as to how she knew that. Maybe she hadn't completely forgotten all about him like he previously thought.

"What do you want with Rogue, Mystique?"

She casually shrugged her shoulders, and indifferently replied, "What makes you think I was after Rogue?"

"Cut the bull shit Mystique. That isn't going to fly by me," Logan barked as he stalked into the room.

Mystique glared at him while she rose from the couch. Slowly she walked right up to the glass wall. She stood tall as she let one hand rest on her hip, and left the other balled into a fist at her side. Kurt was sure he was experiencing déjà vu.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, James. Especially after everything you've already let fly by you," she sneered.

Snarling, Logan remembered Xavier's words. "What is Rogue to you Raven?"

For a second, her eyes widened before they narrowed back into slits.

Nightcrawler looked the between the two feeling as if he was in a standoff when something seemed to click in his mind. He suddenly knew why Mystique's mannerisms seemed familiar now. He had seen them before from someone else, someone else in the mansion. He instantly ported.

Logan and Mystique didn't even notice he was gone.

"What makes you think she means anything to me," she tried to cover up, but Logan had already caught her slip. He'd have his answers.

"You told her that you were there to help her," Logan shot back. "Why did you want to help her so bad? You're an acolyte, one of Mageneto's most trusted lackeys."

Mystique continued to leer at him, but nonetheless she answered, "I am no one's lackey. The Brotherhood took a hit out on her. They hired that insane fool Deadpool to do their dirty work."

Logan raised an eyebrow. He had expected more resistance.

"Why her? Why would they bother with her and not someone like me or Cyclops? Hell even why not Nightcrawler, he's the one seeing his daughter," Logan replied. He hadn't meant to sound egotistical, but what made Rogue stick out when compared to him or Jean or even Storm.

"She's far more of a nuisance to them than Cyclops," she stated, saying the word nuisance with what sounded like pride.

"They can easily block a telepath, but Rogue, Rogue is much more problematic. They really can't do much about her mutation either. How many times has it been now since she foiled one of their plans. And Eric never really did like how easily she took him out with merely a touch."

If Logan had any doubts about Mystique sounding proud of Rogue, they were all gone by the end of her little speech.

"What is the kid to you Raven," Logan repeated his earlier question.

"What is she to you James?"

It was nothing more of a hunch, but Kurt had a strong feeling of dread as he approached Hank. It was probably a million to one chance, but it wasn't totally impossible either and he had to be certain. Besides they had, had stranger things happen at the mansion. In fact they probably should've expected something like this sooner or later with the way their lives went. It was like they were in some never ending soap opera or something.

Kurt found Hank in the kitchen shuffling around in the cabinets, muttering crossly. Kurt could caught the words, Twinkies, Bobby, and maiming. If it had been any other day Nightcrawler probably would've laughed.

"Hank," Kurt waited for the resident's doctor to look up before making his request.

"I need a favor."

New Orleans was exactly as she remembered it to be. She had never allowed herself to really think about this part of the south where she had grown up. By not thinking about it at all she had gotten rid of the unwanted memories, but by doing so she had allowed herself to forget about the good memories she had also.

The southern humidity hummed at her skin, and she felt her hair already begin to be affected by the moist heat. Others were daunted by the warm atmosphere whereas she reveled in it. And she wasn't completely covered up either like she had been the last time she was down there.

Gambit was thrown off when he saw her smile, but it didn't take him long to understand the mood change this time. He had read the file Sinister had on the Rogue many times and though it had only been generic facts it had told him that she was born in Mississippi, and spent her childhood between there and Louisiana. And that she had not been to either state since she was fourteen.

"C'mon let's go get something to eat mon chere," Gambit spoke pulling her in the opposite direction than they had been walking

"Damn it Cajun quit calling me that," Rogue grumbled, but otherwise she willingly let the thief pull her in the other direction.

"Hmm, so my mignonne wants her own special nickname." Rogue scowled.

"Stupid swamp rat."

Gambit laughed as he led her into a small diner. It wasn't anything fancy, or anywhere he would normally take a girl. But he knew that the place served decent food despite the dingy look of it, and they would not look too suspicious, considering she was wearing a trench coat and they were handcuffed together.

He found them a booth in the corner of the diner, away from the windows, a perfect view of the entrance, and close to the back door in case of a quick escape. He slid into the booth first, closely followed by Rogue. They were the only ones in the diner, and so it didn't take long for the waitress to arrive with two, decrepit looking menus in hand.

"What can I get y' to drink," she asked in her own Cajun accented voice. She was an older looking woman, probably older than both Gambit and Rogue's ages combined.

"Sweat tea," the two mutants answered at the same time. Rogue ignored the smirk Gambit threw her way. The waitress took that down along with the rest of their orders and left the two to themselves.

It was an awkward situation for Rogue. She was not used to anyone being so close to her, and she hated the fact that off all the people who was getting this chance to be close to her, it was Gambit of all people. She would've preferred Forge over the thief. (Or so she kept telling herself.)

Gambit was about to speak when he heard the entrance bell ring. By instinct he looked over to see who had walked in. He let a few choice words slip under his breath. Julian Bourdreaux stood right in front of the glass door with other Assassin Guild members flanked at his side. The blond assassin heir smirked Gambit's way.

"Remy LeBeau," he slowly drawled, pulling out a gun. "C'mon boys there's a rat that needs exterminating!"

Gun fire started blazing on around the two as they dashed under the table, hoping to avoid the shots aimed at them. Swearing under his breath in his mixed Cajun French and English, Gambit reached into his coat which was still being worn by Rogue and threw a few smoke bombs randomly into the air.

Sputtering a few coughs as the smoke filled her own lungs, Rogue felt herself being dragged out of the diner where they had been attempting to have breakfast only minutes before. The people who had been shooting at them momentarily distracted, for how long she didn't know but hopefully long enough for them to escape.

"C'mon Cherie," Gambit yelled over the chaos as he continued to drag her down a few alleyways of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"What'd ah tell yah about callin meh that Cajun?" Rogue glowered darkly as she grudgingly let herself be dragged. It wasn't like she had much of a choice in the matter.

"Sorry mon river rat, forgot for a second that you were special," He smoothly replied, sending her a wink without missing a beat.

"Uhh." Rogue let out a disgusted grunt as she rolled her eyes. "Who were those people anyway? They weren't after me for once."

"I know." came Gambit's only reply.

Sighing dejectedly Rogue, tried to match Gambit's long stride but it was hard when she had no idea where they were going. They weaved their way past countless people, buildings, alleyways, and streets at what seemed like some random pattern, but she had the distinct feeling he knew exactly where he was going. This was his territory after all.

He looked over his back several times to make sure he lost the guys who were shooting at them. And it wasn't until a good twenty minutes later, and a few more twists and turns until they reached a flashy looking club. It was closed since it was morning, and Gambit led her to the back entrance.

Tests like those normally took a good few days before the results would come in. But like most things in the X-Mansion, it was more advanced. And so what should've taken days took only an hour for Hank to have the results. And it was nothing Nightcrawler wanted to see. It had only been a hunch, a hunch he wanted to be wrong about but as the Americans say, the proof was in the pudding.

Kurt had a half sister.

TBC