Unchained Instinct ( Complete)

Chapter 10

Kurt watched Rogue walk across the field back towards Gambit, concern still at the corners of his mind. But then Rogue was a capable woman, one that he personally wouldn’t want to mess with. Hopefully, Gambit had learned his lesson with her...and hopefully, the man had good intentions towards Rogue.

“Was that who I think it was?” Scott asked to no one in particular.

“Yes,” the Professor replied. “Gambit seems to be at loose ends without Magneto’s influence.”

“And you’re just letting Rogue go off with him?” Scott shot back. “You think that’s a good idea, Professor?”

A little smile pulled at Professor Xavier’s mouth and Kurt thought the man knew more than he was letting on. “I think letting Rogue make her own decisions about whom she wishes to spend time with is an excellent idea. Don’t worry, Scott. Gambit has no more ulterior motives than his interest in us as X-men. Otherwise, his interest is in Rogue. I’ll expect everyone to be polite when they arrive at the party.”

“Party?” Scott exclaimed. “He’s coming to the mansion?”

The Professor nodded. “An invitation has been requested, offered and accepted. Gambit has potential. We’ll see if his interest in Rogue turns him towards a different path than the one he’s been on.”

Scott grumbled something under his breath and turned to Jean who patted his arm comfortingly. “I agree with the Professor, Scott. I did a cursory scan of Gambit’s mind and he has great potential. He could be one of us.”

Scott just flung his hands up and walked away, shaking his head as he went.

Kurt had his own doubts, yet he trusted the Professor’s and Jean’s ability to see inside a person’s mind and find true motivation. He’d trust them now when it came to Gambit.

With a quick glance up to the stands, Kurt saw Logan still standing several rows up, scanning the thinning crowd. Mystique had fooled all of them at one time or another, her ability to become a perfect replica of anyone still making them all edgy. Hopefully, Logan’s diligence would pay off and they’d get back to the Institute without a run in with Mystique.

Logan’s fierce gaze met Kurt’s and softened. A smile pulled at Kurt’s mouth, but he pushed back his desire to touch and kiss and simply raised an eyebrow in inquiry. Logan shook his head, indicating no Mystique in sight then offered him a wink.

He let out an audible sigh and felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“Is everything all right?” his mother asked in German.

Kurt turned to look at her, this woman who had been the only mother he’d ever known...the only mother he needed. “Everything’s fine, Momma,” he replied in German. Wrapping his arms around her, Kurt hugged his mother close. “Have I told you lately how much I love you and Papa? How grateful I am that you have taken such good care of me?”

She let out a self deprecating laugh and pulled back to meet her son’s gaze. “Kurt...my little foundling...my son. Of course we know you love us. And we love you so much. You filled an emptiness in our lives that I thank God for every day.”

Reaching up, Kurt touched his mother’s face and forced a smile.

I hope you think so tomorrow, Momma.

“I think it’s time for a celebration.” Professor Xavier’s voice rose above the many conversations. “A catered buffet awaits us back at the Institute, my friends.”

“Shall we go, Momma...Papa?” Kurt asked with a wave towards the parking lot. He gave one last glance around, searching for his “real” mother then sighed again and hoped her lack of appearing was a good sign for the evening to come.

*******************

Gambit’s black Roadster convertible raced along the highway, sending a thrill through Rogue. Her pulse soared and her heart hammered hard in her chest. She stole a glance sideways at her companion and what she saw she reluctantly liked.

Gambit...or Remy had such an easy way about him, relaxed...confident. Rogue envied that confidence, her own coming and going at the whim of some capricious god. Yet he was also cocky, his tongue sharp as honed steel or soft as whipped butter, depending on the situation.

He slid an arm across the back of her seat and Rogue shifted, careful of him accidentally touching her skin with a bare hand. “Ya’d better watch that, Cajun,” she turned to him and shouted into the wind. “This’d be a bad time for ya ta go into a coma.”

Pulling back, Gambit turned a smile on her. “Rogue right, of course. Windin’ up in a ditch might just get me into a world of trouble with your family.”

“Ah wouldn’t much appreciate it either.”

“Point taken, mon cherie.”

They rode a while longer until Gambit slowed, turned the car onto a narrow road where a sign said “Starlight Lake.”

“Ya ever been here?” Gambit asked. “It’s a beautiful place...particularly at night.”

Rogue glanced around at the scenery. She’d heard of the place, but had never been herself. “Nah, seems nice enough though.”

A parking area came into view overlooking a tranquil setting and Gambit pulled in and stopped the car. A few other vehicles were parked as well and off in the distance, picnic tables spotted the lakeside. A young couple with a small boy were sitting on a blanket enjoying the good weather and the late afternoon sun. At a table not far away an older man and woman had food spread out and were making sandwiches.

“Nice place, huh?” Gambit asked. “Wanna take a walk? There’s a path around the lake.”

Rogue glanced down at her shoes. She’d dressed for graduation and the party not for hikes in the woods.

“Another time,” she replied. “Ah’m not really dressed for it.”

Gambit nodded. “Well, how ‘bout just sittin’ on the picnic table?”

“That Ah can manage.”

In a flash, Gambit was out of the car and around to her side, opening the door and offering her a hand.

“Ah’m not helpless,” she muttered, but still a wave of pleasure at Gambit’s gentlemanly attention swept down her nerves and tingled in her groin. “You’d better not be playin’ me, Cajun. A’ll dump ya in the lake if ya are.”

Again, Gambit put a hand to his heart. “Mon amie, Gambit know better than to pull the same punch twice. This strictly pleasure. No ulterior motives.”

Rogue settled onto a picnic table, using the seat as a footstool. “So whatya think yer gonna get outta this? We can’t touch each other. That’ll get old real fast with a guy like you.”

“You break Gambit’s heart talkin’ like that, Rogue.” He reached for her gloved hand and put it to his lips. With a glance up of scarlet eyes, he said, “your beauty is enough to satisfy ma every desire. You, mon cherie, are like a goddess, untouchable yet so easily worshipped.”

Rogue felt her knees go weak with Gambit’s eloquent words, glad to be sitting. His eyes seemed to drink her in and Rogue’s thoughts grew fuzzy around the edges. With effort, she shook off the Cajun’s spell and jerked her hand back, but couldn’t hide a pleased smile. “You are so full a shit.”

To Rogue’s surprise, Gambit laughed, a sound both amusing and annoying. “You don’t cut this Cajun no slack, do ya, Rogue?”

“None what so ever.” She crossed her arms against her chest and looked out over the lake. A blue heron came sailing in, landing lightly on the water. A quartet of geese soon followed, their calls echoing across the watery expanse.

Neither said a word for a long time and Gambit leaned back across the table and rested on his elbows, one leg slid over the other, his long body relaxed.

“What do you want, Gambit?” Rogue finally said without looking at the man. “Outta life? Ya happy bein’ one of Magneto’s lackeys?”

Gambit pushed up to sit again and out of the corner of her eye, Rogue saw him shake his head. “Ah’m done with him, Rogue. Ah kinda knew he wasn’t quite all there. Ya know?” He pointed to the side of his own head and swirled a finger around. “The only reason he fought against Apocalypse was because he didn’t want anyone but hisself to rule over the world. Ah don’t know where he stands now. He’s holed hisself up and left us to fend for ourselves. That no way to treat people who worked hard for you. And, Ah found out he was forcin’ Piortr to work for him by holdin’ somethin’ over on him...his family, Ah think. Ah don’t like that. Don’t get me wrong, Ah’m no angel and Ah know that, but Magneto’s not ma idea of a role model anymore.”

“You lookin’ for one? A role model?”

Gambit turned his scarlet gaze on her and a smirk of a smile touched his lips, making her wish she could touch his lips with her own.

“Maybe Ah am. Maybe Ah just like maself a pretty southern girl named Rogue. That okay?”

Rogue shrugged. “Nothin’ Ah can do ‘bout it either way. ‘Cept maybe introduce ya to Professor Xavier. He’s a good man, Remy. He’s the kinda man ya can be proud of callin’ a role model. And there’s Ororo and Hank and Logan. They’re all good role models.”

“Logan? A good role model?”

Rogue felt her defenses shoot up as if Logan needed her to protect him. “Whatdya mean by that? Logan’s protected us kids, cared about us, has gone outta his way to teach us how to take care of ourselves.”

“Okay,” Gambit said, putting up his hands in defense. “Ah spoke outta line. It’s just...Ah’ve heard some things about him. His past ain’t as pure as the driven snow is all.”

“Whatdya know about Logan’s past? He can’t remember much of nothin’ about his past...just bits and pieces. And somebody bad messed with his mind...did stuff to his body. That’s how he got those claws and his adamantium skeleton. He didn’t ask for that to be done to him. Somebody just did it without his permission.” She gave him a dark look, eyes narrowing. “How did you hear about Logan’s past? Who from?”

Gambit gave a shrug. “Magneto knows a lot of it. But Sabertooth had some stories.”

Rogue shot up from her seat and put some distance between her and Gambit. “That lowlife piece of shit!” she said, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Ya listened to what that scumbag had to say and you believed him?”

“Hey! Okay. Calm down, chere. What’s got ya inta such a tizzy all a sudden?”

“Don’t ya talk about that piece of filth in ma hearin’, Cajun! If it was up to me, he’d be dead right now! Ya hear me?!”

Gambit scanned the area, obviously hoping this turn in the conversation wasn’t making a scene with the other occupants of the park. But Rogue didn’t care. Her vision darkened and the unspent rage she hadn’t had the chance to release on Sabertooth rose to the surface like lava from a spewing volcano.

“Chere,” Gambit said, rising from the table and reaching towards her in a supplicating gesture. “Relax a little. Ah didn’t mean ta set ya off like that. Ah don’t even know why ya’s so upset. Ya wanna clue Gambit in?”

Rogue glared at him for not knowing or understanding her pain. Putting her hands to her face, Rogue tried to get control of her anger...at the impotent rage over what Sabertooth had done to her adoptive brother.

Looking up again, Rogue stared hard at Gambit. “Have ya seen Sabertooth since Christmas?” she asked, her tone accusatory. “Have ya talked to ‘im?”

“Christmas?” Gambit replied. “Ah haven’t seen him since Magneto got hisself caught up in that Apocalypse mess. Sabertooth disappeared after that. He’s one ta get bored real easy if somethin’s not goin’ on.”

Rogue let her anger seep out, letting it go for the moment for it had no purpose any longer. With a huff of a sigh she returned to sit on the table and stared out across the lake once more.

“Rogue?” Gambit said in as tentative a voice as she had ever heard from him. “It all right ta sit next ta ya? Or ya gonna knock Gambit upside the head for somethin’ he don’t rightly understand?”

“Sit,” she said, patting the bench next to her. “Ah won’t bitecha. At least, not for this.”

“What goin’ on?” he asked, settling down beside her. “What that son-of-a-bitch done ta rile ya up so much? Ah’ll hunt ‘im down myself and set it right for ya.”

“It can’t be set right, Gambit. It’s too late to set right. Damage been done and people gotta live with what Sabertooth did. Anyway, he’s already been hunted down. Sabertooth’s in prison for his crimes and if it’s up to me, they’ll never let that psychopath out.”

“Woah, who did he kill?” Gambit’s remark wasn’t philosophical. Rogue sensed he meant the comment literally.

“He didn’t kill anybody Ah know of...but there’s sometimes worse things than death.”

Gambit grabbed her arm and turned her. “What did he do ta ya?”

Rogue gazed into scarlet eyes and saw anger there and a desire to make Sabertooth pay for Rogue’s pain. “He hurt ma brother. That’s what he did. He hurt Kurt real bad.”

“Nightcrawler?” Gambit’s gaze turned inward. “Ah heard something ‘bout him and Logan. Ah guess it true. They lovers?”

“Yeah. Ya better not want to make somethin’ of it either.”

Gambit released his hold on her arm and put his hands up again in defense. “Not ma place to be anybody’s moral compass. They wanna bang each other, not ma business.”

She gave him a slap on the arm. “Stop bein’ crass. They love each other and Sabertooth used Kurt against Logan, kidnapped him for that Trask lunatic and...hurt him.”

“What ya mean...hurt him, chere? Beat him? Tortured him? What?”

Rogue look away, suddenly uncomfortable. She had no right to tell Gambit what Sabertooth did to Kurt. Why was she telling him this?

“Just..hurt him. That’s all Ah can say.” She glanced back to him to see if he’d accept her answer.

Gambit’s eyebrows rose. “That’s about all the answer Ah need. When somebody unwillin’ to say what...it usually mean somethin’ real ugly...like maybe rape? Sexual torture?”

“Stop it! Ah can’t tell ya. Kurt’s been hurt enough without everybody in the whole frickin’ world knowin’ what happened to ‘im.”

After a moment, Gambit nodded. “Don’t ya worry your pretty head, Rogue. Gambit can keep a secret. The boy been hurt enough. Ah understand. Does Mystique know...about what Sabertooth did ta Nightcrawler?”

“What does anybody care what Mystique knows? She’s back and causing Kurt and Logan trouble already. But Ah don’t see how she’d know. And why would it matter?”

“It might. She and Sabertooth have a bit of a past together as Ah heard it.”

“Ya hear an awful lot, Cajun,” Rogue said with suspicion.

“Gambit keeps ‘is ears and eyes open. Always listenin’. Always watchin’. Ya should know that by now, chere.”

Rogue turned a shocked expression on Gambit. “You don’t mean Mystique and Sabertooth were...lovers, do ya?”

Gambit gave a shrug. “Just rumors flyin’.”

“This is all just too disgustin’ for words.” She picked up a rock from the ground and tossed it into the lake with frustration. “Ah don’t wanna think about this anymore. And don’t be bringin’ it up to Kurt neither...or Logan. Hear?”

“Fine by me,” Gambit replied. “Ah had enough already. How ‘bout we head on over to the Institute and see what’s cookin’ there? Ma presence ought to add some spice ta the evenin’.”

“Careful ya don’t get a big head,” Rogue stated, pushing up from the bench and heading back towards the car. “Somebody might be tempted to knock it off.”

Gambit moved beside her, his stride full of that cocky confidence. “They can try, chere, but Gambit don’t go down easy.”

Rogue gave Gambit a speculative glance. “Neither do Ah, Cajun. Neither do Ah.”