A/N: As always we own nothing but our own characters; it all belongs to Marvel. Co-written by Sky Sholtz. Enjoy!

Darkness Gathers

Part One of the Darkness Trilogy

Chapter Five

Kat had managed to avoid both Renegade and Gambit since she'd talked with Renegade the previous night. She had spent most of the morning in the stables and had taken the time to take her favorite gelding for a long trail ride simply to avoid the mansion. There was no doubt in her mind that Renegade had gone and found Gambit the night before for the same conversation. Now she had no idea as to what she was going to do when she ran into Gambit again.

Groaning at the situation, Kat took some extra time in looking after her horse just to remain away from everyone for a little while longer. Once she finally finished up in the sables she headed back into the mansion deciding that she really needed to eat. She passed Renegade on her way to the kitchen, ignoring the smirk and snicker that the other woman sent her way. After a quick meal thrown together with leftovers Kat decided she may as well hide out in her room with some movies for the night but only made it to the base of the stairs before she ran into Gambit who immediately flashed her his most charming grin.

"Have a good day with the horses, Cher?" he questioned even as Kat recovered enough from his grin to realize he was dressed to head out for the night.

"Yeah," she muttered well aware that his gaze never shifted from her face. "You heading out again?"

"Yeah, dere's a game in town dat I gotta hit tonight," he grinned again as he brushed some dust off her shoulder.

"Well…have fun," Kat half growled and shrugged his hand from her shoulder before moving to brush past him.

"You might wanna shower and change if you're comin'."

That caused Kat to pause, one foot on the stairs and she glanced over at him, "Renegade talked to you last night, didn't she?"

Gambit nodded, "Yeah, she did. What's dat got to do wit' anything?"

Kat only growled, "Look…I appreciate the offer but I don't need to go just because you feel bad for me or some damn thing."

Gambit frowned and shook his head, "Dis is more dan pity, Kat. If you don't believe me den you can read me."

She was tempted to do just that but she didn't need a deep read to tell he was telling her the truth. It didn't matter if she was open empathically or not; she was a constant human lie detector so she killed the temptation as quickly as it hit her. Besides that the fact that he was willing to let her spoke volumes about the truth in his words as well as his trust in her. He'd always been one of the very few people that she couldn't read with ease like the rest of the people she found herself around, both mutant and mundane.

Finally she nodded slightly, "Alright, give me about three quarters of an hour or so to get cleaned up then." She started up the stairs again knowing full well that Gambit's gaze followed her and she paused again at a sudden thought. "Uh…any particular dress code I need to know about?"

Gambit shook his head and smiled, "Maybe dat dress dat Renegade talked you into buying. Dat should work nicely."

"I'm going to kill Jubilee," she growled as she jogged up the stairs followed by Gambit's laughter.

After a quick shower, Kat dug through her closed wrapped in a towel. Renegade had bought her a lot of clothes so there was no real way to know which dress Gambit had been referring to. In frustration she ran her hands through damp hair and growled at herself. She didn't get flustered and nervous, she wasn't that kind of girl; the one who worried about hair and makeup and wearing heels and painting nails.

Finally she had to admit that she needed help. Sighing she dropped her head and padded over to her door before leaning out of it just far enough to check the hall for people and hoping that Renegade was in her room. With no one in sight, Kat bolted across the hall still wrapped in her fluffy, oversized black towel and rapped her knuckles on the door.

"Door's open," Renegade called.

Kat ducked inside quickly and closed the door again, leaning back against it, "I has an issue."

"Is it that you don't have any clothes on?"

"Kind of…" she muttered sheepishly.

"What do you want me to do exactly?"

"Well…Remy kind of…invited me out…"

"First off…I told you so," she smirked. "Second of all, I'll help you get ready for your date."

"It's not a date!" Kat growled.

"Or is it?"

"Not. A. Date."

"Hold on, I need a second opinion on that one; I'll go ask Gumbo…who, by the way, probably wouldn't mind if you wore that."

"Funny. Are you going to help or not?"

"Fine, fine. Let's go get you dressed."

At that Kat ducked back across the hall and into her room. Renegade followed still laughing. While Kat paced her room, Renegade moved to the closet and started sorting through clothes finally pulling out a long, matte satin, ruby red, fit and flare dress and handed to the pacing feral.

"Put that on."

Kat eyed the dress up and shook her head, "Uh…no."

"Don't argue. Just trust me."

"Damn it. Why do I have to want to wear high heels and perfume for him?" she grumbled even as she slipped into the dress.

Renegade just shook her head and turned to find some shoes that would work for the dress. Kat managed to get the dress done up herself and resumed her pacing. Finally Renegade tossed a pair of matching red, three inch stiletto heels in front of Kat.

"You may want to wait to put those on until you're ready to leave."

Kat nodded and resumed her pacing trying to work off her nerves, "Okay."

Renegade got to her feet and sighed, "You're going to have to stop that if you want hair and makeup done and since I doubt you have much for either…come with me."

Kat followed her back to her room, snagging the heels in one hand as she passed them, "I have some."

Renegade shook her head and motioned for Kat to step into her bathroom, "Welcome to my parlour said the spider to the fly."

"Why am I starting to regret this?" Kat muttered as she stepped past Renegade and into the bathroom.

She only received a chuckle at her question and she dropped onto the stool in front of the mirror and was faced with a veritable mountain of makeup and hair styling tools and products. Renegade wasted no time in getting to work, starting on her hair which she twisted up into an elegant knot leaving a few pieces loose to frame her face. Makeup she decided to keep simple since this was Kat, opting for greens to accent the hazel eyes and just enough color for a little bit of a dramatic effect for a night on the town with the charismatic Cajun.

"Alright…done."

"Thanks, Renegade," Kat smiled a little shocked at the way she looked but tried to shake it off as she slid the shoes on.

"No problem. Now don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Kat rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the room, wondering if there was anything the other woman wouldn't do and started down the hall. With a slow, deep breath she made her way to the stairs, thankful for the balance that came with her feral abilities as she navigated her way to the main floor in the heels. It had taken nearly the forty five minutes she'd told Gambit and he was still waiting for her, lounging in the study just off the left of the staircase which was where Kat found him tracking his movements from earlier by scent.

"Alright, ready when you are," she informed him lightly from the doorway.

Immediately Gambit's eyes snapped open and he turned back towards the door a grin lighting his features when his gaze landed upon her, "I was born ready, Cher."

He led her down to the underground parking garage where his red Corvette was waiting. Rather than heading for the driver's door, he moved to the passenger side pulling the door open for her with another smile. Kat rolled her eyes at him, even though that smile made her think that she was going to end up a little puddle of goo on the floor, and slid into the car. He closed her door and jogged around the car to his own before they headed out of the grounds with Gambit behind the wheel. It was late enough in the year that he kept the top up to avoid the slight chill that was beginning to settle in over New York but they still rode in relative silence.

When Gambit parked outside a club, Kat didn't give him the opportunity to be chivalrous and open her door again as she slid out and waited for him to join her, "So…what are we doing tonight?"

"Well you were always curious about what I do when I go out, Cher; didn't see a reason to change things up too much. After dat…I have a few ideas," he grinned.

Kat could only smile a little at that and try to ignore the heat in her cheeks as he wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into the club. It was obvious the Cajun frequented the place as he was greeted the instant they walked inside. However the entire staff they met and anyone that Kat could only assume were regulars seemed entirely surprised that he wasn't alone. Hesitantly, Kat leaned in against his side, not used to having that kind of attention directed at her.

She let Gambit lead her through the club and to his usual poker table, "You wanna play, Cher?"

Kat only shook her head, "No…I'm just along for the ride."

Gambit smirked and snagged an extra chair that he pulled up beside and slightly behind his own for her before he settled into his spot and finally surveyed his competition. There was only one of the five other players that could play to his level and who was also currently eyeing up Kat. Knowing the usual repercussions, Gambit leaned back in his chair casually laying his hand on her knee hoping she wouldn't react in her usual way; with at least a little violence. Thankfully she only jerked slightly and shot him a confused look to which he only grinned and leaned in towards her.

"Just run with it, Cher," he muttered pitching his voice low enough that only Kat would catch it.

Finally Kat caught the slightly leering look from the other player and played along with Gambit as well as she could manage while fighting back the butterflies that swarmed her stomach; she flashed him a smile and leaned in towards him, "Yeah, finally noticed Mr. Creepy. Kick his ass, would ya?"

Once again he gave her his most charming grin before tuning into his game though occasionally his hand returned to her knee as he gradually defeated each opponent until only he and the leering man remained. Gambit's opponent was on his last stack of chips and he threw the remainder in the pot on the next hand, glaring hard at Gambit as Kat shifted and draped an arm around his shoulders, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Let's see what you have, Cajun."

Gambit only grinned, "You first mon ami."

With a confident smirk, he laid out a straight, "So what do you have?"

"Dat's a nice hand," Gambit sighed shaking his head and his opponent grinned reaching for the chips as Gambit showed his own hand; a royal flush, "but mine better."

Gambit chuckled as the last of his opponents stormed off in a flurry of curses and Gambit gathered his winnings. Kat leaned back in her chair again with a grin as she brushed the few strands of hair from her eyes.

"Okay, so what was the rest of the night because that only took about two hours?"

"Dat's just because you my Lady Luck, Cher. But its good ta know you got some stamina," he grinned to her stuffing his winning into his trench coat after changing the chips in for cash.

Kat attempted to ignore the heat that once again rushed to her cheeks and shook her head, "You didn't answer the question."

Once again Gambit chuckled at her as he pushed to his feet and offered a hand to help her to hers, "Well…you hungry?"

"Silly question," she responded as she took his hand and found her mouth suddenly dry for no real reason while he guided her back through the club releasing her hand only to wrap his arm around her hips again.

Gambit pulled open the door only to be met with a blast of cold air so he felt her shiver as they stepped outside. Still she didn't say anything about it but as they cleared the doorway he slipped out of his coat and draped it over her shoulders, grinning when he realized just how big the coat was on her, though he was rewarded with a smile as they made their way to his car.

Fifteen minutes later, Gambit was parking in front of one of the few French restaurants in the area. Once inside, he pulled his coat from her shoulders feeling the cold himself but he shook it off since he had more clothes on…by far. Kat ended up letting Gambit order for her. For once she finally managed to carry on a conversation without falling over her tongue and found herself starting to relax in the Cajun's company.

He didn't even bother asking if she wanted dessert, he just ordered when the waiter returned. When the chocolate cake arrived, Kat quirked a brow at him realizing there was only one dessert and two forks. Gambit only grinned, snagging his own fork and digging in.

Finally Kat shook her head at herself and followed Gambit's lead. It wasn't long before they'd completed the dessert and drinks though it was well past closing time by then. Gambit generously tipped their waiter for keeping him past the end of his shift.

"It's getting kinda late. Unless you up for da bar, I don't think dere much else to be done."

"Not really; besides I have a class to teach in the morning. Can't have you rubbing off on me."

Gambit only chuckled as he headed back towards the school but couldn't completely curb his tongue, "I think I can do more den dat."

Kat fell silent at that as he drove but he caught the blush that had turned her face and neck almost the same intense red as her dress and he shook his head at himself letting the silence filter over the vehicle again as he contemplated just how badly he'd messed up his chances of actually getting to figure out how a relationship with this woman would go but he was who and what he was; some things were never going to change. He finally parked in his parking spot once they arrived back at the school and Kat climbed out before slipping out of his coat and handing it back to him when he rounded the front of the vehicle.

"Can't have the coat spending the night in my room…" she grinned slightly referring to their conversation in the bar way back when they'd first met Renegade.

Gambit chuckled and as he had at the club he wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked into the silent mansion. Lights out for the students had been around two hours earlier so they moved unhindered upstairs.

"You have a good night, Cher," Gambit muttered when they reached her door, his own room a ways down the hall from her own.

"You too…and this was fun…tonight," Kat replied her typical nerves suddenly flaring up as he leaned down towards her still standing exceedingly close.

"Dats good though, no?" he questioned his voice dropping lower causing a quiver in the pit of her stomach.

"Uh…yeah…it is. Well…um…night," she sputtered before spinning away and ducking into her room not hearing Gambit's sigh before he moved down the hall to his own room.

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Renegade was relaxing in her room after helping Kat get ready and the feral had disappeared on their 'not date' when there was a light knock on her door, "Come in."

Scott strode into her room carrying a two piece leather body armour suit with blue details and a cloth ninja style mask, "I think it's time to start you're team training in the Danger Room."

"Alright."

"We start in fifteen minutes. Suit up," he handed the uniform before walking back out of her room so she could change.

She changed quickly and headed to the Danger Room taking as much time as she figured she could get away with. The rest of the group, aside from Kat and Gambit, were already there and Scott was pacing the room with an annoyed expression. The rest of the group were all wearing varying versions of uniforms and Renegade sighed deciding that if she was going to have to deal with all this crap and had to wear a uniform she was going to have to design her own eventually.

"Renegade," Scott stopped her thoughts on the uniform dilemma, "you're room is right across from Kat's. Have seen her…or Gambit for that matter?"

Renegade worded her answer carefully not wanting to give away what may be developing between the other two members of the X-Men, "I haven't seen them for a while now. I'm not sure where they went. Did you check the stables for Kat?"

"Of course I did! Do you have any idea where they are?" he demanded his annoyance growing at her casual answer.

"No, I don't know where they are."

That seemed to satisfy Scott though Logan was sure she knew more than she was saying. Still he kept that thought to himself for the moment; he'd deal with her later in his own way. Moments later the Danger Room fired to life with Sentinels appearing throughout the room that had been transformed into city streets. Renegade pulled the Sai she kept in her boots and with perfect accuracy hurled one through the eye of the nearest Sentinel. As she raced to retrieve her weapon she could see Logan had already climbed on top of one of the others and was decapitating it with his claws. Storm was frying others with lightning bolts which Renegade had to admit was pretty cool considering they were technically inside still, even as she took down as many of the giant robots as she could. While she fought she couldn't help but marvel just a little at the true awesome power of her new team but all too quickly the scene faded.

"Okay everyone that was good though Renegade and Logan, you both need to remember there is no 'I' in 'team'. We're stronger when we work together," Scott pointed out before everyone filtered out, heading their separate ways for the remainder of the evening.

Logan caught up with Renegade just outside the doors of the Danger Room, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him, "I need to talk to you…now!"

He drug her to the nearest exit that would take them outside the mansion and she followed along in silence. Once they were outside he finally released her arm and rounded on her, blue eyes sparking in annoyance and a hint of anger.

"So…what's up?" she asked.

"Where's Kat?" he growled angrily.

"She headed out with the Cajun earlier tonight. I just didn't want Boy Scout to ruin her night out. That girl needs to get out more."

"You better not have just said that she's out with Gumbo," he snarled nostrils flaring and the flames of anger in his eyes growing as he clenched his fists at his sides.

"Why not? They like each other. It's sweet…in a painfully obvious sort of way," she shrugged.

"The problem with the Cajun is he never likes a girl for more than a night."

"Maybe there is more to it than that."

Logan glared at her not even seeming to realize he was extending his claws at his sides though Renegade was completely aware of it, "I swear if he hurts her I'm holding you directly responsible."

"Well…obviously you're pissed so if you want to blow off some steam we could always fight about it," she offered casually.

"Are you kidding right now? I'd be too damn tempted to gut you."

"Go ahead."

"What?"

"It's fine. Observe," Renegade sighed before calmly pulling her Sai from her boot once again, setting her hand against the center of the three blades and driving the point of it through her hand.

"Are you nuts?!" he cried out in disbelief, claws re-sheathing as he snatched her hand.

"Probably but just watch," she replied before pulling the Sai from her hand and he watched as the wound sealed and then was completely gone. "See? If you stab me, gut me…whatever…it won't kill me."

Logan thought about the offer feeling a little strange about it though he wasn't entirely sure why…only that it had more to do with the fact that her healing ability rivaled his own. Ultimately though, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to fight someone and not have to worry about hurting them. Sure he enjoyed sparring with Kat, her agility definitely kept him on his toes and he had to work most of the time but he always held back terrified he was going to seriously injure his fellow feral that he'd come to see as a kid sister.

"Alright," he finally spoke again and bared his teeth, "let's fight about it."

"Just one favor."

"What's that?"

"Don't hold back," she grinned before flying at him and landing a hard right hook to his jaw. "Ouch!" Almost every bone in her hand had snapped upon colliding with his face. She wiggled her fingers as the bones healed and she shook her head at him. "What the hell man! I've punched rocks with more give than your face."

Extending his claws again he held them up for her to see up close again, "That's adamantium and it runs through my entire skeleton. It's not too late to back out now, no hard feelings."

"Oh no, you're not getting off that easy," she snapped charging at him again this time landing a flying kick to his chest staggering him back a couple of steps.

He came at her, fists flying and she managed to dodge the first blow but the second caught her square in the eye, knocking her backwards. By the time she hit the ground she had already healed from the blow and sprang back to her feet. Attacking him with a few light punches followed by a hard kick to his kidney she thought she had the upper hand until he tackled her, pinning her to the ground. She kicked out hard and managed to dislodge him, rolling over him and pinning him briefly noticing a strong attraction to the man. Not for the last time in their battle he shoved her off of him and sprang to his feet again before charging her. They battled for a while coming at each other more and more aggressively tough neither managed to ain much advantage over the other as neither stayed down for long.

While Logan and Renegade seemed to be locked in an eternal battle Scott was in the mansion and starting to seethe, "They've been at it for hours! When is Wolverine going to get his temper under control? Hell he was the one who taught Kat to control her own feral side!"

"Maybe this is what those two need. I've never seen Logan act like this," Jean replied trying to calm the leader of the X-Men.

"Oh come on, Jean! He acts like this all the time."

"Think about it Scott," she sighed moving to stand behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. "They act almost like they hate each other but are practically inseparable. They run together every morning and they go rock climbing together. If I didn't know better I would almost guess they were married."

She giggled and Scott sighed knowing she was right, "Either way, I'm going to tell them to break it up. It's getting late and no one can sleep with that racket." Jean released him and Scott headed outside standing on the steps into the mansion. "Logan! Renegade! That's enough for tonight!"

His words fell on deaf ears as they two continued to pound on one another, by this point both were sweaty and panting but neither would relent. Scott tried calling out to them again but again he was ignored. Getting annoyed he shot a quick optic blast between them and the two combatants spun as one to glare at him.

"Now that I have your attention," Scott snapped, "would you two mind picking this up tomorrow. It's late and there are classes tomorrow."

"Yes, Dad," Logan growled.

"Careful," Renegade warned Wolverine, "if you piss him off he might take away your merit badge."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Scott demanded as the two combatants headed towards him to go inside.

"It means you're a boy scout," Renegade told him even as she patted him on the shoulder as she passed him on the stairs and disappeared into the mansion.

"That girl might be trouble," Scott muttered not at all amused.

"You said a mouthful, Summers," Wolverine muttered as he followed the other man into the mansion and up the stairs.

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A/N: And there's another chapter for you all! Some reviews would be great…but as long as y'all are reading I guess we can't be too choosy. Still…come on people! Review! Favorite! Follow!