"So where did Miss Munroe go, that she took the jet?" Kitty Pryde asked, as she dropped into the cafeteria table with Jubilee, Bobby, Rogue, Piotr, and John. The 'older kids' table.
The others all just shrugged, they seemed curious, but none of them had any answers. Except Bobby, who was looking conveniently at his plate. Which Jubilee noticed, and kicked him under the table.
"Spill, Icecube. You look way too guilty."
"Well.. I was in Miss Munroe's office, getting ripped into for not having one of my assignments done for her, when her phone rang.."
"Like who would call Miss Munroe directly? I didn't know she had friends outside of the School." Kitty sounded confused, as did all of the others who'd been at Muir while a certain visitor came to the mansion. Jubilee however, was laughing. To the point she couldn't even talk.
So Bobby got the attention, while Rogue poked at him for him to spill.
"Well.. it was that guy, I think. I didn't hear much, but Logan's name came up too. A half hour later after a meeting with the Prof she was in the Black Bird and gone.."
"Wait, wait, what guy?" Kitty demanded, echoed lightly by Rogue which got a frown from Bobby.
Fortunately, Jubilee was done laughing by that time. "Didn't I tell you... ? No? Wow. It must have slipped my mind." Her grin said it hadn't been an accident though. She'd been with holding on them, to pull it out at a time appropriate to make them all be flabbergasted. She tapped the shades that rested on top of her head.
Well, maybe, just maybe, I wanted to keep knowledge about him to myself. If Miss Munroe doesn't want him, I'd sooo take him.
"Gambit, his name is Gambit. And you would not believe what a hottie he is. I thought I was going to faint every time he looked at me, he's like a walking naughty dream." The males at the table all groaned and held their hands in their head – except Piotr who just kept stoically eating. Nothing phased him.
"So like, okay. He's hot? How hot?" That was Kitty, grinning from ear to ear. Maybe at the idea of someone who would make Jubilee swoon, or maybe just to make the guys groan more. She seemed like an air head a lot of the time, but she was the smartest one of them.
"Hot hot. Brad Pitt doesn't have anything on him. Let's put it this way, Miss Munroe was wearing short skirts and tank tops while he was around, that's how hot he is."
Everyone but Bobby at the table boggled. Miss Munroe, who was aloof and distant? Sure, she could be friendly like a mother, but the idea of her .. that way, with anyone, was boggling all their minds. More then a few young boys at the school had the hots for Storm, but it was short lived when they realized she would never be interested, even if they weren't her students.
"No way. Seriously Jubilee? Is this a lie? Bobby?"
"Uh. Yea. Short skirt. Tank top." He agreed, while freezing John's mashed potatoes.
"So he's hot.. what else? There's got to be more."
"Well, I think he might be good enough to kick Wolverine's ass."
That got a lot of blinks across the table, but Bobby was nodding. Which got him a scowl from Rogue. "Ah don't think so. He can't be that good."
"Oh, he is. First time in the danger room, he was running scenarios that Scooter designed for two people, by himself, and he was topping out at almost perfect scores, and hitting records on completion times."
That got a lot of gasps around the table, even from disbelieving Rogue.
"Oh. Oh. And he's cajun. His accent. It just made me want to purr at him."
Kitty was sputtering, clearly, the mental image Jubilee had evoked was a bit too much. An insanely hot, sexily accented, battle harded warrior? That seemed a bit too much. Someone was over-exaggerating. Something Jubilee was known for. Bobby's agreement didn't mean much, he could be in on it with Jubilee.
Jubilee just shrugged. "Hey, believe me or not.."
"So why'd he leave?"
"Dunno. Same reason Logan did?"
Rogue was scowling. She didn't like people talking about Logan unless it was praising him.
"Is that why Miss Munroe has a Mustang now?"
"Oh. I forgot.." All the eyes turned on Jubilee at that. "I did! I wasn't holding back, it just slipped my mind..."
"You like, forgot what?"
"Seriously Jubilee.. you're totally holding back on us here." Even Rogue seemed curious now.
"Well. It's just that, he's kinda sorta.."
She wasn't moving fast enough for their liking. "Kind of sort of what?" "Oh hurry up."
"He's rich." Bobby spat the words.
"Oh. How do you know that?"
"He bought the Mustang, but he gave it to Storm. When he left, he went out and bought a Harley, cash, and it was nice. Looked as good, if not better, then Scott's bike. He also bought me these shades." Jubilee tapped the glasses.
"So that's how you afforded $500 designer sunglasses?" Kitty asked blinking, and everyone at the table was looking at Jubilee with a 'what the hell' look. Which was defused, because Jubilee was just as surprised.
"Five hundred bucks? Are you serious?"
"Oh yeah. I looked them up online."
"Oh." Their discussion of Gambit fell quiet then, as John and Bobby got into it when John finally realized his mashed potatoes were totally solid as an ice cube.
"Ass! I was going to eat those, I always save the best for last!"
"As I said, welcome home Mr. LeBeau." Charles turned his wheel chair and wheeled away, Logan following talking to him about memories or something like that that Gambit didn't quite catch. Scott however was still standing there, and eying him and his Stormy.
"Don't smoke in the actual mansion, Remy. Outside, your bedroom, and anywhere in the sublevels but the infirmary or Cerebro are where you can smoke. Same rules for you as for Logan."
Remy laughed, he'd been expecting something else. "D'accord."
"Actually, you mean our room, Scott. He will be staying in the attic with me. I've already moved his things after all."
Remy had to hold his laughter down hard, Scott looked like he'd just been punched in the gut. Remy himself had to admit he was a bit surprised. His Stormy was being busy while he was gone apparently, and once she made up her mind, it appeared to be made.
"An can dis t'ief get away wit' smoking in his Stormy Goddesses attic?" His voice was teasing, and a tint of red shown on her cheeks again.
"Yes, he can. As long as he doesn't call me that silly nick name again." Remy yelped when he felt her finger tip tap against his chest, a light shock passing from him to her.
"Oui. I forget dat, seems I got a short memory." Except she liked him calling her that, but still hadn't reconciled herself to a term of endearment being used in public. Maybe some day she'd stop telling him to stop it, or putting up the mock fight. From the barely contained laughter on Scott's face, Scott had seen through it already.
Maybe the kids would be fooled by it at least?
"I'll make sure you remember. Now, what else has transpired while we were gone, Scott?"
"Not much. Jean has the flu. Now that Logan's back, I'm sure some catastrophe is just waiting around the corner though. Cafeteria is serving a potato bar today, so if you want lunch you might want to hurry before everything is picked over."
"Lunch huh? I could go for some lunch. How bout it 'Ro?" He offered his best innocent grin, to accentuate the use of her name instead of Stormy, and she nodded. He noticed her arm never left being wrapped around him though, and somewhere along the way, his hand arm had went around her, and his hand rested on her hip in a mimicry of how she claimed him.
Well, if genes could evolve, mutate, no reason their friendship couldn't. Sides.. maybe there'd be more then just sleeping happening in their bed now. Their bed. Odd word, that. He'd never considered any of his lovers beds his before, even ones he'd stayed with. First times for everything.
"Oh, Remy? Ororo? I'd suggest you change before going up. You are still in uniform." Scott was snickering as he walked past them with that statement.
Whle Remy just laughed, and Ororo sighed. "We can use the elevator up to the second floor. It comes out only a few feet from the attic entrance. Unless you'd prefer to use the locker room showers?"
The arch of her eyebrow informed him he would be insane to opt for that choice. He had no idea what she had in mind, but even if it was just kissing and a shower, he wasn't likely to complain. Sooner or later, he'd draw the fire out of her again that she'd displayed on the Black Bird, if it wasn't what was being displayed even now.
"Woah. The jets back."
"For a genius, you are such a master of the obvious, Kitty." Jubilee muttered, shaking her head. Today they were lacking the males, who were out in the back playing football still. "I think everyone in the mansion felt the windows shake at it's landing."
"Oh. Well, like, should we go meet them or something? Say welcome back?"
"No. We can wait, they'll probably come in to get a bite to eat, so if we just take our time.." Rogue murmured demurely as she sipped at her milk.
"Good idea chica. Maybe tall dark and dreamy will be with Miss Munroe, so you can all see I wasn't lying."
"Yeah whatever Jubes. You just should admit to it now." Kitty grimaced at her, and Rogue nodded.
"Fine, then we wait and see."
He very much was glad he hadn't declined Storm's invitation. The shower had been together, and while they hadn't crossed any lines yet, it was definitely just a yet. His lips still felt the warmth of hers against them, and he could still taste her on his lips.
"You're getting distracted again, Remy. Either latch my bra, or I'll do it myself. If you insist on helping me get dressed.."
"I got it Stormy, I got it." A deft motion with his fingers, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind her, nipping her earlobe. "You sure ya wanna go get food right away? Dere ot'er t'ings we could do..."
Storm laughed, not at his suggestion, but because his stomach rumbled while he made it. "Warring hungers, Remy? If you don't eat, how are you ever going to last through tonight?"
For once, He was the one who blushed. Hearing that from his Stormy just hit him in a way he wasn't used to, and he gave her stomach a last pat, as he moved to the closet, looking over what clothes he'd left behind.
"Oh, no response? It's nice to see you be the one caught off guard for once.." Her voice muffled while she pulled a shirt on. Remy settled for pulling out a pair of jeans, and tossing on the old Saints jersey over it. It'd be good enough. He cast a glance at his duster, and his shades resting over a chair.
"Leave them. Take your jacket if your cold, but leave the glasses Remy. You have nothing to hide here, not anymore."
His head tilted as he eyed her up and down. Jeans, worn but not ripped, faded at the knees. A dark grey long sleeve shirt that fit her well, and set off the white hair that spilled over her shoulders. Swiping up his coat as he slipped it on, he offered an arm.
"D'accord Stormy."
She didn't take his arm as she slipped forward, instead she stepped around in front of him, and stole one last kiss, before her arm slipped behind his coat to settle her fingers on his hip once again, and his own arm fell around her to match
"I'm going to enjoy this." She was laughing, and Remy wasn't sure what about.
Until he realized exactly what she was talking about. While in the shower he hadn't realized it, but he could feel it already. Curiosity, other emotions, stirring against his mental shields.
Oh lord have mercy, I'm in a school full of hormonal teenagers. If ya have any mercy, don't let dem all be like Jubilee..
"See? See? I told you so!" Jubilee blurted to the other two girls, when Storm and Gambit came into the cafeteria. What she hadn't been expecting was how they had their arms around each other. If they hadn't been a couple before, they definitely were now.
"Like, woah."
"Damn."
Kitty and Rogue both seemed suitably impressed by the tall lean figure, with his dark reddish-brown hair, striking profile, and his burning red on black eyes. A gaze that swept the Cafeteria, and to Jubilee it seemed almost like an audible gasp seemed to flow from wherever his eyes peered in the large room, from male or female. Even the younger girls were staring with open mouths at the roguish thief, and the males seemed to realize that there was another version of 'ultimate coal' to mimic now beyond Logan. Maybe there would be less flannel shirts worn from now on.
She could hope.
Gambit stood tall, proud where he walked with Storm, and his gaze seemed almost defiant. The initial gasps that had been for the tall figure seemed to repeat, as more gazes realized how the two were holding each other.
"Uhh. Jubilee? Like, you totally didn't say him and Miss Munroe were together."
"Wow." Rogue still seemed to be stuck on to him.
"Jeeze. Miss Munroe looks way protective of her new man too. Look how tightly she's holding him. That's like, totally over kill. I feel sorry for the girl who tries to flirt with him, if she's that claiming already"
Jubilee swallowed. Loudly, and both girls looked at her, and she flashed an innocent smile back.
"You almost tripped, Remy. Are you okay?" Storm frowned at him, and her arm tightened. No one else would've even noticed it, he caught himself so fast, but no one else was walking with him, and were able to feel how his balance was being effected. Her voice was low, but concerned.
"Shields, chere. Lot of things being broadcast right now. Curiosity, jealousy, lust, awe.. seems like dis gonna be interesting."
"Jealousy?" Storm arched an eyebrow at him. She supposed from Jubilee, but one person couldn't over come his shields.
"From both sides of de fence, chere. Not just for me, but at me cuz a you."
"Oh. Here. Sit down, I'll get our food. Some of the students might come up..."
"I be fine 'Ro. Can handle a few little kids, long as my shields hold up."
She nodded, but it was with a considering look at him. Her lips pressed together, before she slipped away from him off to prepare plates. She didn't even know, for certain, what he'd want. But she also knew he'd eat whatever it was, so she better fill his plate full. The man could pack food away like Logan.
"Hi Gambit."
Remy didn't even need to look up, to know that there were three girls arrayed on the other side of the table. Especially to know that one of them was Jubilee. That girls emotions assaulted his mental shields when she was this close, but at least hers were emotions he was used to deflecting. Oddly, it seemed to be a lot less severe then when he'd first walked into the cafeteria. It was also laced with a bit of nervous anxiety. Fear of Stormy?
She didn't strike him as the jealous type, but maybe the kids knew about an ex he didn't? He'd find out, he supposed.
"'llo petite. Petites." All three of the teenagrers seemed to squirm standing when his eyes shifted up to gaze at them. Jubilee in her yellow coat, the glasses he'd given her resting atop of her head. A mousey girl next door type, in baggy jeans and a sweater. Then a pale skinned girl who's only uncovered skin was her neck and face. Vampire? Eh. Maybe.
The mousey had emotions striking at his shields almost as much as Jubilee, while the covered one was mostly just curious, but she was definitely appreciative of his looks. It just lacked the lust of the other two, which he found himself grateful for.
"Y'can call me Remy, Jubes. De name is Remy LeBeau."
"Your accent is atrocious." The vampire told him, while the other two girls were seeming to memorize his name.
"An yours be hidden, but dere. What de point in having a southern accent if ya just gonna hide it, eh petite?"
"He's like, totally got you there Rogue. If you used your accent, you'd like totally have Bobby eating out of the palm of your hand.." The mousey one caljoned her friend, before looking back to the cajun.
"I'm Kitty Pryde, and this is Rogue. I guess you already know Jubilee?"
"Of course he does! I told you guys he gave me these glasses."
"Y'tell dem why I gave you dem, Jubes?" Remy arched an eyebrow at her.
"Uhm. Cuz you said if I was gonna do something, I should do it with style, and cuz it matched my coat?"
"Good memory. Now.."
"Blow off, girls. Teachers table, and ya ain't teachers." Logan's gruff voice came from behind them, and all three looked surprised Remy noted. Rogue seemed pleased, and the other two were just cowed, and shuffled back off.
"T'anks mon ami."
"Blow off girls, Teachers table, and ya ain't teachers." Logan almost spat the words out. Especially at Rogue. Cowing around Gambit like some prized ew. Damn cajun was going to find life here living hell at this rate. He could smell it thick in the air, emotions of so many kids, jumbled up, and far too many were fixated on Remy for their own good. For a moment, he almost felt protective of the kid.
Then he shrugged, and stalked over to get his own plate. By the time he made it back to the table, Ororo was sitting next to the cajun, so he took the seat across from them.
"Are you sure you're fine, Remy?" Storm was asking him, as if the kid had some reason to not be. She was actually concerned though, he could smell it. Then again, for that matter the kids scent felt.. pressed upon. As if he had tons of people looking at him through a magnifying glass. Only scent he could compare it to was when one of the telepathic students was having power problems.
"You a telepath, cajun?" Gambit actually looked surprised at that question, which confused Logan even more. An emphatic shake of his head.
"Non. Not a telepath. Somet'ing else. Just feeling a little pressed upon. All de kids.."
"Tell me about it. It's assaulting my nose like you wouldn't believe. You'd think they'd be better then bitches in heat." Logan avoided growling. It wasn't the kids fault he looked the way he did, and most of those girls should know better. They should know a lot better. He'd have to remind them of it before he left again, if Storm or Scott didn't.
"Dis ain't dat bad, 'Ro. De food always like dis?" Remy asked, shifting the subject as he shoveled food into his mouth. Storm laughed and told him simply "Not quite."
"Thanks, Cajun."
"For what?"
"For your hand with that Wraith business. You didn't have much reason to help out, and not sure I coulda found that piece of scum so quickly on my own. You always that useful?"
"Oh, don't let it go to his head Logan. We'll never hear the end of it, if you buff his ego up any more then it already is."
"Heh. Don't need no ego buffing. Just being in dis room doing dat just fine. But yeah, I got some pretty good connections, dat pay off now and again."
"I'll keep that in mind for the future, bub."
"Ahh, so here the happy couple is." Jean noted from a few feet away, as she dropped into the other seat next to Gambit. She looked like he figured, since they said she had the flu. Definitely worse for the wear for it.
Logan found their reactions interesting. He expected it'd be Gambit who grinned, and Storm who got embarrassed. Instead it was Gambit who just offered a shy smile and went on eating, and Storm who grinned at Jean and mouthed 'You were right' at her.
Women.
"So Logan, are you going to be staying this time?" Oh great, Scooter was back, and he sat next to Logan. Just great.
"For a little bit. Professor's going to go over another batch of sessions with me, see what we can figure out, maybe find me another lead since the one down South didn't pay off at all."
"Well Logan, while you're here you can help with Drivers Ed." Jean opined to him with a light smile, and Scott and Ororo both seemed to be on the point of laughing at him. Damn woman was taking advantage of him, and they both knew it. The cajun looked momentarily confused, and then was grinning widely between bites off his plate.
Christ, even the new guy was laughing at his misery and situation.
"Yeah, sure. I can do that. We got a jeap or some other kind of tank to do it in? I don't feel like biting it because of some sixteen year old got a need for speed. Why don't the cajun help me?"
Ororo shook her head emphatically. "No. No. Remy's driving is something better to not be passed on to the next generation." She almost sounded afraid.
Logan just sighed. Teenagers. And they wondered why he always left the school after a few weeks or a month of hanging around. Teenagers.
"You behaved yourself very well today, Mr LeBeau." Ororo opinioned at him through the bathroom door. Why she had it closed, he had no idea. It wasn't like he hadn't seen.. everything.
"Yea, well. You did tell me to behave, an wit' all de pressing at my shields, I didn't get dem solidified till de last hour or so. Had to change dem a little bit from how I was used to doing them."
"Oh, and what gave you that inspiration?"
"Well.. I was probing at de Prof's shields, and caught a couple of ideas, t'be honest."
"Did you explain what you were doing?"
"Non. Why? He had dat knowing little smile on his lips, and nodded to me when I did it though. Think he approved of my self learning. Dat or he just hast dat creepy smile all de time. Not sure which yet. He gets dat a lot when I be around."
"That's because he likes you, Remy, but he knows that it might cause discipline problems if he too openly approved of your scoundrel ways."
"Oh, dat s.." His voice floundered when she stepped out of the bathroom door. Oh, he'd seen her nude before. Every night he'd been with her damn near. He'd even seen her chocolate skin beaded with moisture and soap lather. But that hadn't prepared him for seeing her step out of the bathroom with white garger belts, thin white stockings on, and not a single thing else.
"Do you like?" She turned in a circle for his benefit, and she didn't need his nod to know his answer. Remy just shifted the blankets back for her, before she crawled into bed, and straddled him, running her hands along his face.
"I see you do. Remy.." His eyes slowly pulled up her body to her face. Peering into her eyes.
He didn't answer what she couldn't quite say out loud yet, instead he smiled at her, and let his shields down some. The distance from others helped up in the attic, and he opened a light link between them. Let her get a feel of his own emotions, as his hand raised, running a thumb along her lips.
"Mmm.." She kissed his thumb, nipped it, and then leaned down so her hair cascaded around his face, her nose to his, lips a fraction of a span from his, their chests pressed together. "You do, do you? Words, Remy. Words. I don't want to be like Scott and Jean, who spend most of their lives in their heads."
"You gonna make me say it, chere?" He asked, his other hand trailing along her spine, sending shivers through her.
"Yes, but.. I love you, Remy." His face softened at those words, and his lips brushed hers repeatedly. His answer was soft, very soft, but he knew she'd catch it, this close. "Love you too, Stormy."
Outside, lightning and thunder began to peel out of a clear sky. At an intensity that had many of the mansions residents nervously shifting in there bed as thunder shook the school, with an intensity to match the flames Remy and Storm had flaming inside of them.
"Wow."
"No kidding. I think it's safe to say they crossed the 'nothing happening' line."
"No shit. I'm glad not many of the kids are afraid of thunder."
"I'm glad Ororo's attic is sound proofed."
They both looked at each other and laughed, before they realized they could just barely make out moans between the thunder.
"Maybe we better redo the sound proofing..." Scott sounded dubious.
"Wow. I couldn't tell if that's him or her. I think it was her. Just.. wow."
"I can tell your wondering why I never make you scream like that."
"The thought may have crossed my mind, Scott."
"Our room isn't sound proofed."
"Oh. Well. Then I guess we better get both of those issues fixed, don't you think?"
Oh jesus. As if the teenagers weren't bad enough. Doesn't anyone remember I have enhanced senses?
Logan growled, throwing himself out of bed. The lightning was giving him a major headache, and he could hear.. events.. loud and clear. "Kid knows what he's doing, at least."
Shrugging, he grabbed a six pack out of his mini-fridge, pulled a shirt on, and down stairs to the tv room. A bit of distance, the television, combined with the lightning, ought to be enough to drowned out other sounds. Besides, it seemed like the good parts were over.. temporarily.. and they were making pillow talk.
Ugh.
For a week, life at the mansion slowly took on a slightly diferent shape. At least the lightning storms at night lessened, as Storm learned how to detatch herself from her powers while in.. intimate circumstances.
It was Remy's idea, with Storm's agreement, and Charles nod, that lead to the X-men being situated around the war room table. The others all looked curious as to why the Professor had called for the meeting, while Gambit sat shuffling a deck of cards.
Logan finally wandered in, grunted something they all assumed was a hello, and dropped into a seat.
"So what's up Chuck?"
"This meeting is a briefing on a threat that we were not entirely aware of previously. Now, before we begin, I want you all to understand that I have discussed all of this with Gambit previously." Confused looks crossed a number of faces, and Remy steeled himself.
"Gambit?"
"Oui. Right den. Dere quite a few bad t'ings out dere dat I ain't found any reference to at all in ya databases. But dis one.. probably rank pretty high up dere, an you ran into some of his goons already wit'out knowing it once so far."
That got curious looks around the table, at least from Scott, Jean, and Logan. Charles and Ororo just nodded at him encouragingly. With a sigh and a deep breath, he launched into it.
"Dis man be Nathaniel Essex." The war rooms holographic projector kicked on, showing the pale skinned scientist. "Dat ain't who he really be though. It his name, but.. de name he goes by be Sinister." As the holographic project shifted, there were gasps and shivers. Remy had to admit he was one of those shivering. Sinister still scared the hell out of him, that was for sure.
"He one sick puppy. He a geneticist by trade, but like his name an looks imply, it ain't for de common good. He interested in furthering mutant evolution, in understanding it, in manipulating it, wit'out any care of de consequences or de pain he inflicts t'do it."
Scott was frowning especially hard at the projection. "He looks.. familiar. I know I've never met him, but there's something tickling the back of my mind about him, or maybe the first one. I'm not sure." Xavier frowned at that, and looked concerned, while Gambit shivered.
"It possible, mon ami. Sinister.. he a telepat'. A powerful one. Fact of de matter is, I don't know for sure what he can all do. Know dat he can manipulate energy, a telepath, and he got some mind whammy to boot. He also got access to some pretty nasty technology. He got dese t'ings called Tesseracts.."
"Tesseracts? I thought that was pure science fiction fantasy? That no one had been able to get something like that to actually work. Professor?"
"It's quite possible he has them, Scott. Given what else Remy has to say, it's not such a stretch of the imagination."
Remy nodded. "Right, so he got Tesseracts. He also got a number of transports dat as good as ya Black Bird, an got even better auto-piloting features. In addition to dat, I t'ink he can clone people. Dat just speculation though, never saw nothing to indicate it but..."
The cajun just shrugged.
"Remy how do you know all of this about him?"
"I worked for him for a while, dat's how Red." That got reactions. Scott was now scowling, Jean looked unsure of what to think, but Logan. Logan was just listening. Made sense, from what he knew about Logan's past.
"Dat.. ain't de only part. I.. well. I did a lot of t'ings for him. He found me when my powers went outta control."
"Out of control? How? You seem to have perfect control of them Gambit." Scott sounded confused, and a bit envious. It made sense when Remy thought on it though. Scott would never have control, he'd just have mechanical aids like the visor.
"It like dis.. my powers, some of dem I always had."
"How? Mutant powers don't manifest until puberty, in nearly all instances." Jean sounded intrigued now.
"Dunno. Just some of dem always been dere. I never knew what my empathy was, not really, til I was almost 19. I'd used it every day a my life dat I can remember, but I never consciously used it until den. Always had a huge spatial awareness advantage, always been fast. But when I be about twenty, I had a scare. Got shot while making a pinch, fell, and when I landed de trash can I landed on took a kinetic charge, and blew."
"But dat wasn't de bad one. Dat was just de one dat scared me. De bad one.. well. I was in a theater at de time, and I got a phone call from back home. Found out dat my wife was dead."
Xavier hadn't heard that part before, and he was frowning now. Scott looked appalled, and Jean looked like she wanted to hug him. Even Logan was eying him sadly, with pity. Don't want ya pity, don't need pity. Sides, ya won't have dat pity on ya faces in a few moments.
"What happened then, Gambit?" Xavier of course, not wanting him to get sidetracked.
"I exploded. Literally. Dem powers I didn't understand just started going, and wouldn't stop. You t'ink I have control now, but.. what I do now, it ain't nothing compared t'dat day. I was charging t'ings just by looking at dem, flesh included. De entire theater, it be reduced to nothing but rubble. I barely survived de blast, an I pretty resistant to my own powers."
Shocked faces. That he didn't mention death tolls was an indication of how bad it'd been, and they all realized it. Stormy was crying. He hated to see her cry, knowing that his past troubled her as much as it did him. Yet even as he wiped at his own eyes, she gave him an encouraging smile.
Lord, how dat woman do dat? Don't know dat I ever deserve you Stormy, but t'ank god for ya.
"That's not the bad part." His own voice sounded colder to him, and the three who hadn't heard it looked startled, as if to say 'there's worse?'. Logan though nodded after a moment.
"Go on, cajun." Gruff, like a father or an uncle. Maybe the man wasn't so bad after all.
"Right. Well. Sinister, he train me. I was pretty damn good fighter before hand, but he polished it. He taught me how to use my powers. He demanded and got precision control. He taught me mental shields, to contain my empathy, because he said dat it couldn't be allowed to interfere wit' any jobs I might be doing for him. He taught me a lot of t'ings. Philsophy, politics, hacking computers. Lot of de skills I know dat didn't come from de guild, he taught me. De ones de guild taught, he managed to refine even more for de most part. An when he was done, he sent me out to recruit for him. At de time, well. I thought mebbe he wasn't up to much good, but he helped me, an he said he'd help dem."
A shrug of his shoulders. He wasn't here to defend himself. But he found his throat didn't want to work.
"Who did you recruit, Gambit?" That was Scott.
Remy tried to mouth the word, but his throat wouldn't comply. Storm answered for him, her eyes never leaving his face. He wasn't sure what she was seeing right there at the moment.
"He recruited the Marauders for Sinister, Scott. He recruited them, and helped train them."
"The Marauders?" Scott didn't get it, but he wasn't stupid enough to not understand that the name in and of itself meant bad news.
"De Marauders. First, dey.. helped me on stealing missions. But as dey got better, we got bigger missions. Covert ops. Raids on science installations, biomedicine companies, an Sinister unleashed de Marauders on mutant exploitation research centers."
He understood the confused look on Jean and Logan's face. Or maybe that wasn't confusion on Logan's face. "Places.. where mutants were being dissected. Or experimented on in bad ways. We'd sweep in and level dem. Leave nothing but ashes and rubble. Course, each time we also took all de research for Sinister as well. Pretty sure dat's all he wanted, and maybe closing down de competition. He didn't like other scientists who messed wit' mutants none to much."
Comprehension showed on Jean and Scott's faces, regarding survival practices. Logan actually looked like he approved. Given his past though.. he'd done much the same to escape such a place, Gambit guessed.
"After one of dem missions, I couldn't take it no more. As I watched de people – dey'd been a bit of bad apples to begin wit', but as time went on they sank into more an more cruelty an depravity. It was bad. I told him I wanted out, an he agreed t'let me go. But den he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He bring my wife back to life, if I went on one last mission. Ya gotta understand.. Belladonna.. I was 20 years old, I met her when I was nine.. Married her when I was 18. Her death what landed me in Sinister's hands, and well. I figured mebbe if she was back, I could become who I used ta be before Sinister, before I started walking down de dark path."
He wasn't looking at anyones face but Stormy's at this point. She knew the stories, and her eyes felt like all that was keeping him standing up.
"What was this last mission, Gambit?" Jean..
"It was de Mutant Massacre."
That got their attention. Scott looked horrified, and Jean looked ashen. Even Logan looked shaken.
"Stop it, you three. Stop it and listen." Xavier commanded them, and Remy had the feeling the bald man was holding at least one of them back from attacking him.
"I didn't know. Not until we were in de tunnels. De briefing didn't say who we were hitting. I thought it was another militant group. People who were a threat, or somehow dirty themselves. Sinister always kept things dat way, to keep me in line. Not dis time. He also had Sabretooth and de others ready to turn on me, cuz he anticipated me not being able t'handle it. Dat I'd turn on dem. It was a test of my loyalties."
".. you're the one who did that to Sabretooth?" Scott sounded almost impressed.
Logan just growled at that particular name.
"Yea. Once I realized de truth, I tried to stop him. I tried to stop de ot'ers as I ran across dem in de tunnels, an I barely survived. I got a buncha kids out of dere though. Stormy.. she said you got two packs of lil'uns, dat came in unescorted or hadn't seen none of ya? Dat was me..." He was aware his eyes were watering.
"Scalphunter, Arclight. Dey just tried to scare me off, an sheepherded me away from the real fighting. Creed though.. he was hunting me. He had orders, an he hated me from a run in we had in Paris a year or two prior. I did what I could, an almost died for it. M'powers barely kept me alive, by de time I stumbled out of de sewers. I wanted ta die, den, but if I did... how else was I gonna ever make up for what I done, dere or at de theater? Didn't have any choice, had ta live, so I could make up for dat."
His legs gave out, and he dropped into the chair, and didn't care if the others saw that he was crying.
"Storm, would you take Gambit to the infirmary so he can pull himself together?"
"Of course, Professor."
"I don't like it. His past is dark with blood." Scott mumbled, staring at the table.
"Yeah? So is mine bub. Maybe never as many at once as the cajun, but he's no worse then me. Or don't that matter, cuz ya don't like me either Scooter?"
"Logan." Xavier's voice.
"Professor.. you have to admit, it's a bit much to take in all at once. Storm has had a long time to come to terms with it, and him. We haven't."
Charles shook his head sadly. "No man or woman is beyond redemption, Jean. It's one of the tenants of this school. Gambit took a step in the right direction without any help from anyone like us. He set himself on the path to redemption, and came to us already well on his way to trying to make amends."
"Kid deserves to be here. He might be a mess, but he's our mess now, and I can't think of many people I'd rather have at my back then the cajun."
"Logan is right." Eyes turned to Storm as she walked back in. "Remy is troubled by his actions more then any of you ever will be, and unlike most of us he didn't have the advantage of someone stepping out to put him on the right path at an early age. He was kicked out of his family, told he could never return home on pain of death, he had to leave his wife behind when he was eighteen. What Remy didn't tell you, couldn't tell you, is he doesn't even know how old he is. Not with any accuracy."
"How could that be, Ororo? His birth certificate..." Jean shut up at Ororo's look.
"He doesn't have one. Anywhere. He's looked, for years for any clues. There aren't any. His earliest memory is living on the streets when he was barely more then a toddler. He lived on the streets until what he guesses was being nine years old. When he got adopted by a Master Thief, and raised as his own son. He'd only ever know love from very few people, and he was forced to leave them. To wander the world by himself. He got pulled into a lot of screw ups because of who he is."
"Oh.." Came from both Jean and Scott at once. Scott suddenly looked guilty. No doubt he'd assumed he had it bad in the orphanage, but even that was pleasant in comparison to scrounging on your own on the streets for years, without even a clean bed, and assured meals, or heat in the winter.
"Do you think I would, that I could, love a man who has evil in his heart?" Eyes looked away from her at that question, but she waited for an answer. "Do you?" She waited imperiously, until each voice at the table echoed a no.
"The kid stays then." Logan groused at them, then stood. "And I need a beer. Me and the cajun'll be at Harry's. You coming 'Ro?"
"Yes Logan, I am."
After the others had left, Charles realized Scott was still there, looking at the table top.
"Are you alright Scott?"
"Just.. troubled Professor. By two things."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"Not really, but... I have to."
"Very well.
"Gambit.. I'm not sure what to think sir."
"How so, Scott?"
"I'm horrified by his past, but.. part of me, I feel like I should respect him more. He's fallen, and fallen far, and he's picked himself back up, dusted himself off, and is climbing into the light. Part of me says that's because he was weak, another part of me says I should respect him all the more for it. Because all I've done is keep my nose clean."
"Both views could be appropriate. I won't tell you what to think Scott, but everyone deserves a second chance."
"I know. The other part is.. I think I remember Sinister, sir."
"Remember him, Scott?"
"From the Orphanage."
"I see.. would you like me to take a look?"
"I'd like that sir."
Some time later, Charles lips pressed into a firm line, and Scott was shivering in his seat.
"Those memories were repressed, Scott. Either by yourself, or by Sinister..."
"I thought that I knew him, but.. Professor, he's not going to just be one of those lurking threats, is he?"
"I don't think so Scott. With you and Gambit both here, I very much suspect we'll encounter him sooner or later."
Author's Note: Oh noes. Will it be sooner, or later? What comes next? What fell evil? Sinister? Stryker? Weapon X? Magneto? The Reavers? Remy and Ororo breaking their bed? Stay tuned. R&R.