AN: Hey guys hope everyone's enjoying this story and I know I'm not the only one eagerly awaiting the next season of x-men 97 (especially after the last episode! lol I was glued to the tv like a kid all de way until the credits which then allowed me to breath a sigh of relief.) So I hope this story will satisfy you in the meantime 😉
-X-
"Waitwaitwait, so you're telling us that you're from the past?" Kitty wanted to clarify again as she sat forward in her seat, eyes glued to a very indifferent Remy as he continued to shuffled a deck of cards in his hands.
"Oui, petite."
"And how come we're just finding out about this now?" She now diverted her attention to the teacher and the Professor.
"We thought it would be best given the circumstances that you would be now working alongside Gambit." The professor answered. "For how long, we can't be sure."
"So, all of you knew about this?" Bobby questioned, making it a point to stare at all the teachers in the room.
"We're still trying to figure it out ourselves." Ororo could see the betrayal in some of their eyes and could understand why.
"So how old are you?" Jubilee curiously frowned. "Are you older than Logan?"
"As if." Logan scoffed, receiving a small glare from the red eyed mutant as he continued to absently shuffled a deck of playing cards that briefly turned a familiar red purple color before returning to normal.
"How long will you be staying here?" Kitty asked next turning to Remy.
"Hopefully not long." He mumbled and uneasily shifting his weight to his other foot.
Frowning Rogue remained silently listening, but her eyes continued to stay glued to the table in the middle of the room, wondering what he was thinking and why they didn't know about this. The fact that she didn't made her stomach turn in anger and the thought of him leaving didn't seem right to her for some reason.
"We're still trying to gather the information we do have…" Ororo made it a point to stare in Remy's direction. "So, we can help him get back home."
"Woah wait so do you know Marty McFly?" Jubilee's eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity now.
"Come again?" he asked confusingly which made him now push off the wait to stare at the girl as he tugged his cards away.
"Jubes." Kitty gave a small smile as she shook her head.
"You know…back to the future." She waved her hand like it was the most obvious thing. "Timecop, Terminator-"
"Terminator?" Logan quirked a curious brow.
"He did travel back in time." Bobby explained.
"Oh yeah."
"-wouldn't surprise me if they eventually made a movie about superheroes going back in time either." Jubilee finished off saying before exhaustingly glancing at Remy again. "Seriously dude how do you not know Marty McFly?"
"Does he go to dis school?" he carefully asked trying to figure out who this guy was.
"It's from a movie." Kitty quickly explained.
"Oh."
"I don't think that movie was out when he left." Ororo put in.
"Ahem…" Clearing his throat Hank managed to draw everyone attention back to them. "I believe we need to discuss the important matter at hand."
"Yes." The professor agreed. "Perhaps it would be best if we let Gambit explain."
"D'accord." He slowly nodded aware of all eyes on him now as he kept his eyes averted. He had given it some thought, and it wouldn't do anyone any good if he didn't at least explain the reason for how he came to be here so long as he managed to avert the question as to why. "Back in my day we didn't have de tech y'all have now. So whatever machinery brought me here, I honestly couldn't tell you." He admitted. "However, I do know dat de people who build it brought it into de lab I was in."
"Lab?"
Sensing Logans skepticism he shook his head. "Non, nothin' like dat Logan."
"Remy what were you even doing there?" Ororo quietly asked hoping it wasn't what she thought it was.
"Work." He casually shrugged. "You know how it is Stormy."
"And what work would that be?" Warren asked the question everyone seemed to have on their minds. "Didn't you say you were a collector?"
"Dat I am." His mouth slowly raised. "Collector of many things."
'Oh no...' Pressing her lips together Ororo quickly made to move over to him. "Remy-"
"I'm a thief." He quickly looked up with a proud grin, but his tone was stone cold knowing that it was going to come out regardless sooner or later and knew the backlash this usually would have on him like it always did.
"Wait, what? You're kidding right?" Scott frowned in disdain. "You're a thief?"
"Oh not just any thief mon ami. But de best one dere is."
Scoffing at the carefree tone Scott immediately turned to the Professor. "Professor-"
Raising his hand to stop him, Professor Xavier kept his eyes fixated on the young mutant. "Go on Gambit."
Clenching his jaw, he was careful to choose his next words. "Did some work for a guy, went to get paid, next thing I know I wind up here."
"Just like that?" Logan narrowed his eyes, finding it hard to believe that that's actually what happened.
"Oui." Remy meet his eyes with a firm one of his own. "Just like dat."
"Doesn't match with you winding up bleeding all over the front door now does it."
"Logan-"
"Guess dem people somehow found a way to get to me. Didn't like dis one using deir new toy an' all. I s'pose."
"Alright well at least that's a start. I suggest we get on this as soon as we can since we're still unsure how your presence here could affect the flow of time." Hank eagerly clapped his hands trying to cut them off before things got out of hand. He had been thinking about this ever since they got their visitor and the more he did, the more he became worried about the repercussions this would have on the timeline. After all, time traveling was a very sensitive subject and not something to mess with. "I believe I know someone who might be able to help us. He's a genius when it comes to inventions and all things machinery."
"Well get in contact with him right away." The professor nodded in agreement. "Gambit if you don't mind, we would appreciate it if you could give us more information about this machine you remember?"
Nodding, Remy blacked out anything else that was being discussed when his eyes finally landed on an unusually quiet Rogue who had her eyes still fixated on the table with a far away look. He may not have been here long, but he could see that she wasn't her usual self with the way she did everything she could not to even look his way when she finally looked elsewhere. He had dreaded this conversation. Why? He wasn't sure but perhaps it had to do with the reaction she was giving him now. He didn't even have to tap into his empathy to know that she was pissed.
"Sounds like a plan." Ororo cut through his thoughts when he realized everyone was already filtering out of the room one by one.
"Well get on it. Don't worry." Hank placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before exiting the room.
-X-
"I can't believe this." Bobby angrily pressed the button of the elevator as the rest of the young x-men stepped inside. "Why didn't they tell us earlier?"
"Maybe they didn't know how we'd take it." Piotr shrugged his shoulder.
"What difference does that make? I mean aren't we X-men?" He looked around at them. "Haven't we proven that we can take just as much as they can."
"Bobby, I don't think that's it." Kitty spoke. "This isn't something any of us have dealt with before. I mean time travel, really?"
"You gotta admit that does sound pretty neat." Jubilee began to think out loud where she would want to go if she had the chance to travel to time.
"Point in case is that they didn't trust us enough to tell us about him. That's it." Bobby stepped out of the elevators once the doors opened allowing them access to the main floor.
"Or maybe it wasn't their secret to tell." Rogue's voice suddenly made him stop and turn to face her. "What I mean is that none of us know how we would react in this situation. Now I agree this is something we should all have known-"
"Exactly-"
"-but." She quickly continued to speak. "They're still trying to put the pieces together themselves Bobby. They knew we would have questions, questions to answers they don't even have right now."
"Yeah, and who's fault is that?" he furrowed his brows. "Not like that guy seems trustworthy to begin with."
"Bobby."
"He's a thief Rogue. He said it himself and I can't believe the professor would even allow someone like that in here."
"Just because Remy's- "
"Remy?" Bobby instantly frowned in disdain.
"Gambit." Rogue corrected keeping her eyes on Bobby's furious ones.
"Maybe the professor didn't know." Kitty quickly chimed in.
"And even if he did Bobby. Weren't you the one just the other day that tried to convince me to let him hang out with us again?"
"Rogue-"
"-Just because someone may have done something you don't necessarily like is no reason to shut them out completely." Her voice hardened and could see he was watching her closely. "Now I'm not saying that I trust him-"
"Good. Because I sure as hell don't and you shouldn't either." He swiftly turned before she could say anything else, leaving the rest of them to ponder over what had just happened.
"I agree." Jubilee hummed after a while, starring in the same direction as Rogue where Bobby had just left. "We've all done some messed up things we're not proud of. But that's no reason not to still be friends with the guy. He seems pretty nice to me."
"You just want the gossip about time traveling." Kitty gave a faint smile as she linked her arms with her before going to the girls' wing of the mansion.
"Well come on that's pretty cool!"
-X-
"When were you going to tell us that?" Logan brows shot up in anger as he glared at Ororo who was silently sitting in one of the seats in the conference room after most have left.
"I didn't think I needed to."
"Well good job Storm." He huffed with sarcasm as he began slowly pacing the room.
"Logan do not take that tone with me." She narrowed her eyes dangerously before addressing the rest of the room. "Who here hasn't done something we're all ashamed of?"
"He's a criminal Storm." Scott enunciated carefully. "We let someone as dangerous as that in here, we're asking for trouble."
"He hasn't done anyone no harm here."
"That we know of."
"Logan you seriously don't think-"
"I don't know what to think Storm." Logan raised his hands on either side. "We've been harboring a thief."
"He is my friend. Surely you cannot think that I would just leave him."
"Is this really the place to talk about this?" Warren glanced between the trio knowing that it's only been a few minutes since the students had left the meeting.
"Who knows maybe he's already looking to leave because he got what he came for." Logan eyed Warren next. "Have any of you checked to make sure nothing valuable is missing?"
Parting his mouth to speak Warren took a minute to think when the last time was he had checked everything in his room. "Crap."
"Don't listen to him Warren, he's just being melodramatic." Ororo rolled her eyes at the fuming Canadian.
"Melodramatic?!"
"Yes!" Ororo raised her voice. "He wouldn't steal from us Logan."
"Are you sure? How well do you know this kid 'Ro?" Logan eyed her warily. "Because to me if his lips are moving, he's lying."
"Why would you even defend a…"
"A thief?" Ororo finished for Scott as abruptly stood from her seat. "Why would I help out a thief right? Because I was one too."
"What?"
"What?"
"What?!" All three men stared back at her in utter shock.
"I…" parting her lips she felt them tremble at the memory as her eyes lowered to the floor.
"It's alright Storm." The professor's gentle voice calmed her somewhat knowing he was always there for her too.
Inhaling deeply to calm her shaking hands she thought back to the days of struggle…the days of survival. "Back in my younger days…after my parents were killed, I found myself wandering the streets of Cairo alone, starving with no place to call home until I came upon a group of people who taught me how to pickpocket." With a shaky breath she continued telling them the story of how she came across Remy by chance and how he decided to take her in. "I was lost, alone and he helped me. Taught me how to take care of myself and how to survive. He took me in with his family when he didn't have to." Her eyes remained on her hands trying to force them still. "Now I know they might not seem like the best examples, but without Remy I wouldn't be here." She looked up and they were surprised to find tears in her blue eyes. "I know I should have said something sooner and you may not look at me the same. But I owe him this, I owe him…" she then looked at the Professor. "And you, my life."
Silently leaning against the wall outside the conference room Remy kept his eyes on the ground as he listened to every word being said. He never wanted to put her in this position, never expected her to mention any of that. Part of him was touched that she would go out of her way to defend him like that, but a bigger part made him think that all he was doing since he's been here was ruin the life she had worked so hard to build. With that thought he silently made his way down the corridor until the voices became too faint to hear.
-X-
For the next few days as he quietly sat in class listening in to one of the professor's lessons, he couldn't stop taking small glances at Rogue who continued to evade him nor look in his direction. It wasn't like he wasn't expecting that by all means he knew it would happen, so why the hell did it still bother him this much. He would be leaving soon anyways and put this whole ordeal behind him. He shifted in his seat as he continued to absently draw in his notebook.
"So, the question we're faced is whether or not it would be beneficial for humankind to advance with the gifts mutation has given us or whether we should allow the human race to evolve on its own like it has for so many years before." Professor Xavier leaned back in his wheelchair as a few hands began to raise. "Yes Kitty?"
"Well professor given the circumstance it would be logical that either answer could be right or wrong in this situation." Kitty frowned.
"Precisely." The professor agreed. "Despite whichever way you choose to go there would always be a pro and a con to the decision we make whether it be in one's personal life or humanity as a whole."
"But if given the choice, wouldn't it be more feasible to allow humans without powers to get the help they can get?" Another student asked. "I mean it'll help in the long run and help advance society too."
"But if you chose to do it dat way, what would happen to everyone else?"
"Everyone else?" The same student confusingly frowned.
Silently staring at him from the corner of her eyes, Rogue could see Remy staring straight ahead as he spoke.
"De little man I mean. If we just allowed humankind to allow us to help dem with everythin' in order to progress, what would happen to everyone else? Ordinary hard-working people would just lose deir jobs, lose a way to keep a roof over deir heads or even afford food. Humankind in general would evolve sure but leavin' people behind is not really my style." He lowly said before glancing back down at his notebook. "But dat's just one opinion."
Swiftly glancing away Rogue caught Bobby staring in his direction just as surprised.
Smiling, the professor nodded before hearing the bell. "I believe that is all for today. Make sure you all turn in your work tomorrow morning on this topic."
"Hey Rogue, I'll meet you later ok." Bobby spoke as he briefly placed his hand on her arm before following Piotr out the door.
"Ok." Nodding, she quickly began piling her books in her arms before getting up.
Slamming his notebook shut, Remy jumped to his feet the minute he saw her leave and ran to catch up to her. "Wait Chere can we talk?" When he saw her continue walking without so much as turning, he stopped himself from following after her, watching as her white and brown hair disappeared withing the crowd. "Rogue!"
Clutching her books closer to her chest she forced herself to keep walking.
-X-
Tiredly groaning he leaned back in his chair in the computer lab next to Katherine Pryde who was busy explaining the new security system she wanted to eventually install on the computers as well as new upgrades that were being ordered for the mansion grounds. "Petite, is it really necessary to go over all dis again?"
"Well yeah." She replied like it was the obvious answer. "This way if anyone even comes fifty feet from the gate-"
"Ça c'est bon." He suddenly shook his head in an attempt to wake himself up before letting his feet touch the floor. "What else we got?"
"You don't wanna know." She failed to hide her yawn. Even Kitty could admit that they'd been at this for a few hours already and needed a break.
"Mais don' s'pose you wantin' to show dis dashin' fool how to work dis thing?"
"What you mean the computer?" she saw him half shrug. "You don't know how to use a computer?!" she gave an energetic bounce in her seat.
"Not common knowledge where dis one's from petite." He chuckled, making her instantly blush.
"Oh, right forgot about that." She cringed. "Wait just how old are you?"
"Ole enough." He frustratingly exhaled already getting pretty tired of that question. "So how 'bout it Kitty?"
"Ok I guess could spare some time. I don't have to meet Jubilee and Rogue for another hour." She eagerly began explaining the bare basics but was startled to learn that he was a quick learner and picked up what she said quite easily.
He on the other hand could tell that she was just as excited to talk computers as she seemed to be about fashion, making him wonder if maybe she didn't get to talk about it with others that often. "What else?"
"Um…" she thought for a minute before going over different programs and website to use before another though hit her which made her cautiously glance sideways at him. "Wait…you're not going to use this to like steal new age technology or anything right?"
"Petite I'm hurt you'd t'ink dat 'bout me." He clutched his chest.
"Sorry." She sheepishly grinned unaware of the hidden sly smile growing on his face since that was one of the few things that had passed his mind. It would make things easier if it ever came down to it.
After a few minutes he found his mind wandering over the last few days and the constant question that's been on his mind. "Hey petite?"
"Yeah?"
"Your friends don't like dis one much do dey?"
"Course they do." She frowned at him before reiterated her answer. "I mean we all do; it'll just take Bobby some time to calm down and Rogue…"
"Rogue." He half chuckled while briefly letting his eyes drop before lazily leaning back in the chair and placed his hands behind his head. "What's her story?"
"Who Rogue?" When she looked back at him, she found his expression had changed into genuine interest. "W-well what do you want to know?"
"Has she always been…?"
"Rogue?" she raised an amused brow before reverting her eyes to the screen. "Yeah, but if you want to know about her so much why don't you ask her?"
"Afraid de fille won't talk to me."
"Well, this all took us by surprise, so don't worry she'll come around."
"Hmm." Lightly tapping his foot, he thought about another question that's been bothering him and at first was hesitant to ask but thought that Kitty probably knew the answer to his question even if he didn't want to hear it. "What about that Iceman?"
"Bobby?" She stopped typing to smile back at him.
"Yeah. Are he and Rogue a thing?"
"Well yeah he's her boyfriend if that's what you're asking." Profusely blinking at the person next to her she found it hilarious how this suave guy suddenly found it difficult to word his question. "Why the sudden interest?"
"Just wondering is all." He began lazily letting his eyes roam around the room. He'd thought about as much but that didn't mean he liked hearing those words, secretly hoping he was wrong and remembering that night he wandered outside for a smoke to see both Bobby and Kitty sneaking off towards the water fountain. "Seems to me dat dey not as close as dey should if dat be de case."
"Its…complicated." She carefully worded and a sad expression crossed her face.
It told him more than her words did and he could sense that there was something more to it but decided it was none of his business, so he'd drop it for now. "So does dis program here allow you to find information about anyone?"
"Well yeah if you know what you're doing." Her smile quickly returned as she sat up and hesitantly hovered the mouse over a highly secure program. "This will allow you to gather information about anyone here as well as around the world for that matter. Even information that is highly classified and off limits to use for us regular mutants. Curtesy of Nick Fury of course."
"I won't tell if you won't tell." He mischievously smirked down at her.
"Deal." She bit her lip as she opened the program. "Luckily for you I already know my way around." As soon as those words left her mouth, she quickly turned to see him eyeing her warily. "Not that I do that all the time or anything, snooping around really isn't my thing."
"Course not."
"So, who'd you have in mind?" When she didn't get a respond, she turned in her seat. "Hang on you want to find out information on yourself?"
"Oui."
"Why?"
"Call it curiosity Petite. Given my bein' here…can't help but want to know what de history books say 'bout dis one."
"I guess that makes sense." She began typing in his name. "As long as we don't mess anything up, I guess it couldn't hurt." When she came up empty, she frowned and tried again. "That's odd."
Piquing his interest, he moved closer to the computer. "What is it?"
"There doesn't seem to be any information on you, not even a criminal record." She briefly winced at the wording. "Sorry."
"It's fine and it wouldn't surprise me." He smugly grinned. This wasn't the first time he came up empty handed whenever he tried to find out information even on himself. That was one of the first things he learned growing up as a thief. You never leave any trace of yourself behind.
"No Gambit-"
"Remy's fine." He cut in.
Shaking her head she continued on. "What I'm saying is that there's no records of you anywhere. Not in this database, nor anywhere else. And this thing can find any person."
"Hold on…"
"There's nothing on you, no family history, no medical records not even a birth certificate."
"Dat would be hard all on its own." He quietly mumbled before he gestured back over to the screen. "So what are you sayin'?"
"It's almost like you don't even EXIST."
Slowly blinking back, he tried to mask his shock. "A little easy on de words Petite."
Grimacing with the way it came out, Kitty quickly tried to apologize. "Sorry, that came out a little too harsh."
"Quite alright." He quickly saw her making some space as he began typing his name again. He tried to shove the panic and instant thought that he might be dead aside and tried to find any information that could point him in the right direction so that he at least could find out if he made it back or not. Given his profession it was no secret that along with it came the risk of possibly losing his life on the job. Any wrong move or any run-ins with people you didn't want to be on the bad side of could cost you your life. And let's face it he had quite a list of possible reasons why he wasn't around now, so that shock only lasted so long.
Especially when he was being target by sinisters men, which brought him to a new question. "Kitty is dere a way to find out if deres been any odd occurrences around dese parts?" When he didn't get a reply, he glanced sideways to see her still startled over what they discovered. "Hey now it's alright. No need to worry 'bout dis one." He lightly tilted her chin up to give her a reassuring smile.
Hearing a faint knock on the door they both whipped their heads in the direction of the doorway.
"Rogue." Kitty blinked away the shock when she saw her friend standing there with an unreadable expression.
"Sorry to interrupt, we just thought we'd get a head start on our homework." Rogues' eyes darted between the two as he removed his hand from Kittys chin.
"WE? What we?!" Jubilee could be heard coming down the hall as the girl came to stand next to her. "Woah what's with all this uncomfortable tension…did we miss anything?"
"No!" Kitty quickly replied.
"Not at all." He casually leaned back hoping they wouldn't prod further about what they were doing on the computer. "We were just 'bout done here."
"Are you sure?" Kitty now turned to him again with an unspoken question on her face. "I could try and find out more later if you want?"
"Much appreciated." He gave a small smile while nodding.
"Alright, let's go." Rogues hard tone made everyone turn to her as she prepared to leave.
Swiftly getting to his feet he abruptly grabbed Kitty's arm before she could take another step, making sure to keep his voice low enough so no one but her could hear. "Keep dis between us oui?"
"No problem." She firmly nodded before walking over to the two girls who eyed them both suspiciously before leaving.
Draping himself back on the chair after they left, he drummed his fingers against the keyboard before beginning to search for various names in hopes of finding anything.
'Jean-Luc LeBeau…last known address: New Orleans, Louisiana…current statues: deceased….'
'Henri LeBeau…last known address: New Orleans, Louisiana …Wife: Mercy LeBeau…current statues deceased…' Swallowing down the lump in his throat he continued to skim through the information listed.
"Mercy LeBeau…last known address: New Orleans, Louisiana …Husband: Henri LeBeau… Kids: Eveline LeBeau… current Status: Missing…' "Kids?" Frowning he re-read the information again and again before searching another name.
'Emil Lapin…last known address: New Orleans, Louisiana…current statues: Unknown'
He continued to go down his list feeling more and more frustrated by the second until he stopped, hovering the mouse over another name.
'Jacques…last known address: New Orleans, Louisiana…current Statues….' Quickly pulling out a pen he jotted down the information that was in front of him before looking up the location. "Jacques you ole bastard." He smirked when he came upon the picture of the familiar man who always worked the bar back home.
He was about to log off the way Kitty told him to but momentarily stopped when another thought occurred to him. Looking around to make sure he was still alone he slowly sat himself back down and began looking up another name. "Bein' extra thorough never hurt nobody."