A/N: First of all I do not own X-men, just my OC and the plot for this story. Second, thank you all so much for the reviews, the favoriting, and alerting this story of mine! It made me very happy to read all the positive reviews. I apologize if Gambit seems OOC in this chapter but I don't really see him as a bad person, he just has a cocky and stubborn attitude. Also if there is anyone who be kind of enough to correct my French, if I typed or translated anything wrong, just let me know and I will fix it. Please Enjoy this chapter! -Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH)

Chapter 2

Roots ensnared the animal-like mutant, her eyes were narrowed as the roots from the huge tree, suddenly grew large twelve foot long thorns, that pierced the skin and dug directly into his flesh, leaving one of the enemies out of the two, trapped and roaring in pain. He was trying to escape and the young mutant of French decent knew that it would not hold him for long. Remy looked over at his weakening ally and sent the last of his cards at the gun-wielder known as Zero. He sent a wave of kinetic energy from his staff and into the street, sending Zero flying into the air and landing roughly on his back, but Remy let out a hiss of pain as he glanced at his shoulder. Red was soaking through the dark purple fabric of his shirt and a hole was now in the leather of his duster, Zero had struck him before he hit the ground.

Zero was about to pull himself back to his feet, gun in hand, when he looked down with his wide eyes, his feet were sinking into the dirt that had been unearthed by the mutant who was able to use kinetic energy, he tried to lunge for his other gun, the dirt now waist deep working like quick sand. He looked up at the thin-framed girl that him and Victor were after, she was moving the dirt that was around him like a puppeteer pulling strings, with his hands now wrapped in dark brown packed earth as tough as iron, he was unable to move. He looked over at Victor, who was finally breaking his root and thorn prison into toothpicks.

Ivy rushed to Remy with concern written clearly on her now dirt smeared face, his own face was slightly creased with pain and she quickly dug her hand into the thread-bare pocket of her thinning and hole filled jeans, pulling out a pouch. Remy looked at her with a raised eyebrow, as she smeared some green gooey liquid onto two of her fingers from a thick green slightly picky leaf of the plant.

"I don't think there is time for that now." Remy said, glancing over at Victor, whose arms were finally free from the thorny tree roots and was working on hacking away at the ones that had coiled around his legs.

Ivy glanced at her companion and smiled, as he sent kinetic energy from the tip of his diamond-headed staff to a large chunk of loose street materiel, as Ivy began to turn the dirt around them into a wave that supported the rock on top, like a surfer on a board. It collided into Victor with such speed from the moving earth wave and force from the kinetic explosion that he was knocked back into Zero, with his chest torn open and bleeding, and dirt raining down on the two of them.

"They won't stay down for long." Ivy stated softly looking worn down. Remy nodded and tried to ignore the pain in his shoulder as they took off running again, the earth-puppeteer's sneaker, making flip-flop noises since they were so broken and old, they were in halves and practically falling off her feet.

Victor snarled in frustration as the wound in his chest slowly began to heal close, and he made his way toward Zero and yanked the fellow mutant out of the hole he had been forcefully sunk into. Zero dusted the dirt from his clothes the best he could, before sheathing all his weaponry. They were going to have to back to Stryker empty-handed for the third time.

He plopped onto the bed of the hotel room he had been able to get them. The room was cheap, the bed spring's squeaked beneath the weight he pressed onto it. He did not like cheap but it was the best he could do, for now cheap was better then nothing. Remy had removed his blood-stained shirt and duster, and had lazily tossed them onto the chair that was beside the television. He looked at his wounded shoulder with narrowed eyes, so those two were after more mutants then just him. He had heard mutters and hushed whispers about an island they supposedly brought their captures to, and he no desire whatsoever to go there.

The Cajun glanced over his wounded shoulder, at the girl he decided to be what most people would call a bodyguard. She was leaning over him just a little, seeing as he was slightly hunched over, and she was on her knees the green goop once again being squeezed from the plant and onto of her fingers as she began to gently massage into the bullet abrasion. Remy was preparing for pain, but could feel a calming soothing sensation as the wound began to slowly heal, and that's when he realized that Ivy's fingers where glowing a very light white. Once the earth-puppeteer was finished she brushed the remains of the aloe on her ratty jeans, and slid off the bed.

"You need new clothes, chèri." Remy stood and pulled his shirt back on, redoing the buttons, before throwing on his duster, and grabbing his staff. "I am not gonna have us on the run with you wearing nothin' but rags."

Ivy only blinked at him with shock before looking down at her clothes, both her jeans and long-sleeved shirt looked like they belong to a homeless person as did her sneakers. But then again she had been homeless, and on the run from Zero and Victor, until Remy had come along. "I will pay you back." she said and the Cajun only waved it away as only to say that there was no need.

They walked through the clothing department store as Remy, allowed the earth-puppeteer to pick her own clothes, he maneuvered himself to the skim the magazine rack near the checkout counter, while Ivy gathered the undergarments she would need. She already had a cart full a weeks worth of jeans, long-sleeved shirts, and nightwear, plus two pairs of sneakers and a backpack to haul it all in. After this they would probably have to get food, probably dinner tonight and then breakfast very early the next morning, and at least a bagful of none perishable food items.

Being on the run sucked and he knew it. Perhaps that was why he had such a strong connection with Ivy?

The earth-puppeteer wheeled the cart toward her fellow mutant runaway and stopped directly behind him, she knew that he was very handsome when she had first glanced when she bolted down the alleyway, but she never thought he would be like this, willing to care for her and protect her, when he told her he was a thief and nothing more. Unfortunately her shopping spree was not over yet, she still needed toiletries, but she did want him to bother him for anymore money, he was already spending far too much on her as it was.

The Cajun turned to see her standing behind him and slid the magazine he had been skimming, back in the rack. "Get whatever else you need. I am in no rush, chèri." Remy smiled at her and finally saw the blush he saw appear on all the women when he did that, but suddenly he saw a scowl appear across her features.

"Je m'appelle Ivy, pas chèri. S'il vous plaît appelez-moi par ton nom - my name is Ivy, not darling. Please call me by name-."

Remy nodded and picked up a fresh pack of playing cards. "Get whatever else you need, Ivy. I will be waitin' here."

The earth-puppeteer nodded and wheeled the cart toward the aisle where shampoo and other cleansing necessities awaited her.

A/N: Please keep the reviews coming, I will update again either this weekend or sometime during the week. -Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH)