This is my second fanfiction I wrote and the first “long” one I ever did.  When my first one got good reviews, it motivated me to write another.  Of course, I don’t own any X-men characters, although it would be nice.  I made up Cassandra and Sara, so any similarities to any other characters in any of the other thousands of stories on the three different X-men categories on the fanfiction site is purely coincidental.  The difference between Sara and Kitty’s powers is that Sara glows when she is phased.

In this story, Gambit goes back and forth between 1^st and 3^rd person, mainly because it’s difficult to write in 3^rd person all the time.  So, 1^st person is used in the more serious conversations.  For Rogue, I tried to southernize the language some, but in reading other stories I noticed that too much southernizing (new word, made up J) makes it kinda difficult to read.  So, no substituting Ah for I in this one.  You’ll have to use your imagination on the accents. 

Cities of the Dead

“Weehehehehehehee” Kitty screamed in her best witch impression.  A huge smile was plastered on her face.  “I, like, so totally love Halloween!!”   She and Jean were hanging up decorations while Rogue sat on the couch watching. 

“I dunno why y’all bother with all that junk” Rogue pretended to have a scowl on her face.  Deep inside, she was enjoying the fun her friend was having with the holidays. 

“Aw, c’mon Rogue.  Don’t you think it’s fun to dress up in costumes and give out candy to youngsters, not to mention all the candy we get to eat.”  Kitty didn’t even break stride as she hung up some fake cobwebs.

“And, it’s the one time of year when mutants can walk down the street alongside normal humans without any repercussions.”  Jean always had to turn things so serious.  Why can’t she lighten up both Rogue and Kitty thought at the same time.  Sensing this, Jean turned to each and gave an irritated look, then went back to the task at hand.

Rogue and Kitty both giggled in the pure spirit of the holiday.  In the kitchen, Logan was sipping some coffee and reading the paper.  He could hear the girls in the other room and he just rolled his eyes.  “Kids” he growled to himself as he continued reading.

Rogue, Logan, please come to my office.  I need to speak with you.  Both Rogue and Logan heard the professor’s mental message simultaneously.  Rogue excused herself from her friends, muttering something about duty calls.  Logan put down his paper, but kept his coffee in hand as he headed for Xavier’s study.

They both entered and took seats in front of his desk.  The Professor stared at them from behind his desk.  His elbows were on the table and fingers were clasped together as he waited for them both to take their seats.

“Cerebro has discovered a new mutant that is very much in need of our help.  This mutant has only just come into her powers and her mutation is growing faster than she can cope.”  He looked at both of them waiting for the questions he knew were coming.

“So it’s a female we’re looking for Professor?  Who is she and how old?”  Rogue’s first questions were pretty standard.

Logan spoke as well with the question Xavier had expected.  “More importantly, Charles, what’s her power?”

“Ah yes.  She has a phasing type of power, similar to Kitty’s.  Except that she has no control over it and she is beginning to phase completely out of existence.  We need to get to her quickly before it is too late to stabilize her molecules.  If she remains in her current state for much longer, her atoms will simply dissipate into the atmosphere.  I have only been able to get the first name, Sara.  She’s about 14 years old.”  Both Rogue and Logan gasped when they heard the Professor describe her powers and her problem. 

“Well, then, when do Rogue and I leave?” Logan finally broke in. 

“I also want Gambit to join you.” Xavier interrupted.

“Why do we need him, Charles.  Rogue and I can handle this” Wolverine protested.  He didn’t really care much for the Cajun’s constant challenging of Wolverine’s alpha male position.

“Because you will need his expertise to find her.” Logan had a look of irritation on his face at this last remark from the Professor.

“Last time I checked, I was the tracker in the group” Logan growled.

“Relax, sugah, ya take things too personal.  Besides, ya never know when a thief might come in handy” Rogue winked at Wolverine with a smile on her face.  She then turned to the Professor and started to get out of her chair.  “I’ll go get him Professor.”

“Wait, Rogue.  There’s something else.  The reason you’ll need Gambit’s expertise is because of where the girl is currently located.”  The Professor continued.

Rogue and Logan just looked at each other when the Professor told them.

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

POW! 

The laser gun blew up without much effort.  A blade came forward from the far wall and he jumped into a backwards flip to avoid it.  He smirked and threw a glowing card toward the pole holding the blade.  Gambit loved working out in the danger room.  It was the perfect way to keep his senses sharp and hone his skills.  Sometimes I amaze even myself he arrogantly mused with a grin as he initiated a few acrobatic movements to avoid another laser gun.

Suddenly, the training session shut down and the lights in the danger room came on.  It had been a hard workout and he was breathing rapidly with sweat pouring down his face.  But, he had expected it to last a while longer.  Looking around and up to the control room, he saw Rogue standing there.  She was breathtaking he thought with the light shining behind her, accenting her voluptuous form.

“Cher” he drew out in is best Cajun accent as he smiled widely at her.  She pressed her lips together and made a slight smile back to him, doing her best not to show any concern on her face.

Suddenly, he noticed that Logan had moved forward and was standing behind her.  Gambit’s smile started to fade and he looked up at both of them with some confusion on his face.  He was beginning to get the feeling that there may be a problem.  Finally, the Professor rolled forward into the booth within Gambit’s sight.  The Cajun’s smile was completely gone now, replaced with a frown and a furrow between his eyes.

“Dis can’t be good” he said aloud as he moved out of the danger room to meet up with them.  He suspected they would be waiting for him upstairs, probably in the study.  That’s where a lot of the serious conversations usually took place.  Gambit hated the study.

As if they were aware of his thoughts, the three were waiting for him in the dreaded study as Gambit strolled in.  Looking around, he caught sight of Rogue sitting in a chair beside the Professor.  Wolverine was leaning against the bookshelf.

“Aah Gambit.  Glad you could join us” the Professor tried to lighten the mood.

“Gambit get de feeling he have no choice.” Remy shifted his eyes nervously.  Then, as if he were talking with the head priest of the Catholic Church, Gambit started confessing all.  “Look Professor, Gambit didn’t mean to blow it up.  It was an accident.  When everyone had left on de field trip,  t’ru de window Rogue was sunbat’ing and I know she t’ought she was alone, but, well, see, when she took off her bikini top….” he saw the look of confusion and shock on their faces and suddenly realized it was not about the Professor’s prized porcelain vase. 

“What?  What do ya mean, swamp rat?  You spying on me?”  Rogue was quite aggravated now.

“Enough” the Professor interrupted.  “We will discuss your behavior, and your payment schedule for replacing whatever you blew up later.”

Gambit raised one eyebrow and smirked at Rogue.  “Ya dirty dog” she hissed at him.  Wolverine glared at the boy, a low growl coming out of his throat. 

“Den, what’s dis about Professor?” Remy wanted to change the subject and get the attention off of him.

“Gambit, we have a mission that we need you for.  You will join Logan and Rogue to search for a young girl whose powers of phasing are growing beyond her capabilities to keep her molecules together” the Professor explained.

“Dat’s all?  Den, let’s go.” Gambit turned around and started heading for the door. 

“Wait, Remy, there’s something else.” Rogue called after him to stop him from leaving the room. 

Slightly cursing under his breath, he rolled his eyes and slowly turned around.  He just knew he was about to get a lecture on the morality of spying on team mates.

“The girl you are looking for is currently living in New Orleans.” The Professor made no attempt to ease into the subject, rather deciding that the best approach is the direct approach.

Gambit just looked at him with his mouth slightly open.  He blinked a few times as he tried to wrap his mind around what the Professor had just said.  Rogue could almost see the conflict taking place behind his piercing red eyes.

“N’AWLINS?!  But, Professor, you know I can’t go back daer.”  The distress in Gambit’s face became quite apparent.   “No.  I won’t do it.”

“Now, sugah, calm down.  We know ya have some concerns ‘bout going back there.  But, this little girl needs us now, and it will take longer if ya don’t guide us.” Rogue pleaded with him.

“Gambit t’ought someone died when he came in here and seen da look on your faces.  But, now, I understand.  You have dat look cause you know Gambit gonna die.” He raised his hand and pointed to them as he made his accusations.

“Forget it Charles.  Can’t you see the boy’s too scared.  I can smell the fear on him and it’s making me nauseous.  We don’t need him.”  Logan’s look of disgust and announcement of smelling his fear made Remy feel ashamed. 

Gambit looked at all three of them and then lowered his head while shaking it.  He couldn’t believe they were asking him to do this.  Finally, he managed to tell them he would go.  He turned to leave the room without glancing up, looking thoroughly defeated.

“We leave in one hour, bub” Logan snarled after him.

******

“Rogue!  Rogue!” Kitty came running into Rogue’s room, almost out of breath. 

“What’s up, Kit cat?” Rogue smiled at her friend as she continued to pack for the mission.

“I, like, hear you’re going on some kind of mission to save a girl with powers like mine” she managed to blurt out as she tried to catch her breath.

“Whoa, slow down.  Of course, sugah.  We’re leaving shortly.”  Rogue replied.

“Can I come?  Who else around here, like, knows about phasing better than me?  I mean, duh, it only makes sense to take me along.”  

“Well, Kitty, I’m not the one ya should be asking.  If ya really want to go, ya need to ask the Professor.  But, ya better hurray.  We’re leaving in an hour, and ya know how Logan gets when we’re late leaving on a mission.” Rogue rolled her eyes. 

Kitty ran out of the room headed straight for the Professor.  She burst into his office like a wild animal, breathing hard from running down the stairs and through the halls.  But, he wasn’t completely surprised by this.  With her emotions so high, he had sensed her coming even before her descent down the stairs.  In fact, he was surprised she hadn’t just phased directly through the floor into his office from the upstairs.

“Professor, I want to go on this mission!  I, like, deserve to go on this mission!” she exclaimed.

“Now Kitty, I have no doubt you would be very helpful in this mission” he calmly stated.

“But, Professor, like I really think I should…” she started whining, and then a revelation came to her face stopping her cold.  “Wait, did you just say I could go?”

The Professor smiled at her and nodded.  “You have less than an hour to get your things and meet at the Blackbird”.

“That’s so totally awesome!!” Kitty screamed.  “Thank you Professor, I won’t let you down”. She turned on her heel and ran elated from the room exclaiming “WHAT am I going to wear?”

Xavier just chuckled and shook his head.

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

“Hey, Kit cat!  So the Professor gave ya the green light, huh?” Rogue smiled as she walked towards the plane shouldering a duffel bag. 

“I’m like so totally psyched!” Kitty was incredibly wired, like someone who had had too many cups of coffee.

“Oh, yeah.  This trip’s gonna be great.” Logan snarled sarcastically.  “Good thing I packed a couple extra bottles of aspirin.  Get on the plane half-pint.”

On command, Kitty picked up her suitcases and boarded the Blackbird.  Wolverine glanced around and sniffed the air.  He started growling as he realized that one person was missing. 

“Where the hell is that damn Cajun?  He knows we’re about to leave.” Logan was visibly irritated.  He was never one to hide his feelings very well.  “I guess I’ll have to go get him and drag his ass down here.”  He started to storm off towards the door.  Rogue flew up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders to stop him.

“Hold it, Logan.  We need him in one piece.  I’ll go get him.  You just get that plane ready to go” Rogue flew out of the hangar and into the mansion heading for Gambit’s room.

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

The time seemed to pass slowly for Gambit.  He lay back on his bed, closed his eyes, and listened at the ticking of the clock.   Memories of his exile from his home town, and the only family he had ever known before the X-men, flooded his mind.  So absorbed in these thoughts was he that he lost track of the time.

Rogue flew to Remy’s door.  She stopped for a moment trying to decide the best approach.  On the one hand, she could easily break down the door and fling him over her shoulder forcing him onto the plane.  After all, she was super strong and nearly invincible.  All he would really be able to do is protest, since she knew he would never physically hurt her, at least not on purpose.  Of course, he would probably have some sexual innuendo to make about it too, something she really wasn’t in the mood to hear.  She decided the best course of action was option number two.  When in doubt, turn on the feminine charm she thought as she raised her hand to gently knock on his door.

His eyes opened and he was staring at the ceiling.  “Come in.”  He didn’t even turn to look at the person entering the room.  He already knew it was her. 

“Remy, it’s time to go sugah” she gently approached him, worry in her voice.

“Cher, I don’t know if I can do dis.”  He was still staring at the ceiling.  “If any of dem see me, dey’ll kill me for sure.”

“I understand how ya feel, sugah.  It’s never easy when our past comes back to haunt us.  But, we’ll be with ya.  We won’t let nothing happen to ya” she was trying her best to convince him.  She wasn’t the most experienced person at using her softer side, but she was trying. 

“No.  I won’t go.  I’ll draw you maps, you’ll be able to get around without me” he decided.

At this point, Rogue’s anger got the better of her.  Forget about this feminine crap she thought.  “Look here, swamp rat.  We ain’t got time for your pity party.  That little girl needs us.  Now you get yourself off that bed and get to the plane before I drag ya there myself!”  Her eyes were flaming with anger.

Gambit sat up and looked at her.  Then, he started grinning.  “You know, cher, Gambit likes it when you order him.  It’d be even more exciting if you were wearing some black leather high-heel boots.”  She just rolled her eyes and grabbed a bag to stuff some of his clothes in.

She slung the bag over her shoulder and said “Let’s go, gutter brain.”  They arrived in the hangar where Wolverine was standing by the door.  He just scowled at Gambit, who was grinning back.  Without saying a word, they all boarded the plane and strapped in. 

***********

They landed in a predetermined location just outside the city.  Leaving the plane cloaked, they proceeded on foot to a nearby gas station, where a cab had been arranged to pick them up and carry them into the city. 

No sounds were made in the cab.  Kitty was too busy gawking at everything they past, Logan was trying to unwind from the flight, Rogue watched Gambit who was next to her, and Gambit just stared out the car window.  His thoughts were a million miles away. 

Wolverine couldn’t resist the opportunity to goad the Cajun.  “So, how’s it feel to be home Gumbo”.  He smiled as he said it, knowing it would push Gambit’s buttons.  But, Gambit didn’t take the bait, didn’t even flinch.  He continued to stare out the cab window at the buildings passing by.  Rogue threw Logan a threatening look and Wolverine held his hands up in a mock surrender as everything went silent again.

They arrived at the motel that the Professor had arranged for them.  It was fairly quaint, in the shadier end of the French quarter.  As they stepped out of the cab, Kitty made the first comment.  “Eewh, it’s totally low class.  Why couldn’t the Prof put us up in, like, one of the nicer hotels?”

“The key is to be inconspicuous, Kit cat” Rogue frowned at her as she unloaded the bags.

“And it’s so humid.  I’ll never be able to do anything with my hair.  Is it always this humid down here Gambit?” Kitty’s complaints continued.

“No, petit.  Sometimes its worse.” Gambit just smiled as he looked up to the balconies of the inn.  He had been apprehensive about coming back here.  But, now that he was back, taking in all the sights, all the sounds, all the smells, he realized just how much he missed it.

As they checked in, they were informed by the front desk that three rooms had been reserved.  In the Professor’s infinite wisdom, he thought it best to pay extra for Logan and Remy to have separate rooms from each other.  All their rooms were conveniently on the same floor.  They made their way upstairs and each went to their rooms.  Logan was the first to enter his.  Glad to see Charles spared no expense he thought as he sniffed the mustiness of the room and sneered.

Rogue helped Kitty bring her bags into their room.  “Geez, Kittycat, you think you packed enough clothes?”  Her exasperation was evident as she put down the luggage.  “It’s not like we have a lot of room for all your stuff.”

“I’ll unpack and put my clothes in the dresser.  Then we can put the suitcases and bags out of the way.  Besides, I like never know when I might need something.”  Kitty smiled and began opening up the bags.  Rogue rolled her eyes at her, knowing this was going to take a while, and she told Kitty she was going to check on Gambit. 

Gambit’s room was the furthest away, at the end of the hall.  He had already unpacked his stuff and was sitting in the window sill taking in the sounds of the city he had grown up in.  Rogue opened the door and quietly asked if she could come in. 

“Of course, cher.  You’re always welcome in Gambit’s room” he smiled at her.  He watched her looking around his room.  “De last occupants left some dreegailles, no?”

Rogue wrinkled her nose at what he said and started scanning everything.  “Well, is it contagious swamp rat?  Maybe you should ask for another room.  I got some spray if ya need it.” 

Gambit just looked at her, then bust out laughing.  “No cher, not what you t’ink.”  He pointed to some beads hanging from the mirror.  “Dey left dose trinkets daer.”  Rogue’s mouth formed a circular shape as understanding came to her.  She noticed that his accent seemed thicker than it had been earlier in the day. 

“How ya feeling, sugah?” she looked at him with genuine concern.

Gambit sighed and leaned his head back against the window frame.  “Feels strange being home, no lie.”  He turned his face towards her and stared at her. 

“Yeh, I reckon I know what ya mean.  Been a long time since I’ve been down south myself.”  She looked into his red on black eyes trying to read his thoughts.  She was always mesmerized by his beautiful eyes. 

“I’m worried.  Worried dey going to find me.  Scared dat because of me, dey may hurt…” he paused for a moment before continuing “…you.” 

“Aw, honey.  Don’t ya know I’m indestructible” she smiled warmly at him.  “Don’t ya worry your scruffy mop about me.”  He chuckled slightly at the proud Southern belle standing before him.  She turned to leave back to her room dreading the long night of listening to Kitty ramble on about the excitement of being here.

“Marie?” Gambit called after her.  This stopped her cold.  It had been awhile since he had called her by the name she told him was given her.  She turned to look at him with concern on her face.  “Will....will you stay wit me tonight?” his eyes pleading with her.

“Oh, well, I dunno Remy.  That might not be a good idea.”  She was biting her lower lip as she decided what to do.  He lowered his eyes away from her and she began feeling very guilty.  “Oh, alright.  But you get the chair.” she finally decided.

“Relax, cher.  Gambit won’t try not’in.”  Then he smirked, raising an eyebrow.  “Unless, of course, you want me too.”  Rogue through him a quick scowl as she headed out the door to tell Kitty.

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

Morning had come faster than they wanted.  Wolverine was already up and banging on the girls door.  Kitty answered in her nightgown.  “Like, what’s up Logan” she yawned as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. 

“Time to get going, kid.  You and Rogue almost ready to go?”  Wolverine was even less pleasant in the morning, especially when he hadn’t had his first cup of coffee yet.

“I don’t know about Rogue, but I’ll be totally ready in a minute.”  Kitty started to shut the door so she can get dressed.  Wolverine caught the door with his hand and started sniffing the room.

“What do you mean you don’t know about Rogue?  Where is she?”  He snarled.  But, it only took him a minute to realize where she must be.  “mmmmmm…..Gambit”.  He turned and stormed down the hall towards the Cajun’s room.  Kitty ran after him trying to calm him down.  As they got to the door, Wolverine’s claws extended as he prepared to slice the door down.

“Like calm down Wolverine!”  Kitty exclaimed.  “This isn’t what I would call low profile.  Besides, the Professor wouldn’t be too happy if he got a bill for a door!” 

“Then you better get me in there, kid, before I take this door out.”  Wolverine was very irritated at not being able to cut something up. 

Kitty phased them both through the door and then covered her eyes, just in case.  Gambit and Rogue were on the bed together.  Her head was lying on his chest and his arm was wrapped around her shoulder.  Despite the fact that they were both fully clothed, with no skin contact whatsoever, the sight of them lying together on the bed was enough to infuriate Logan.

“What the HELL is going on here!”  Wolverine roared.  The sudden appearance of Logan and Kitty in the room startled both sleeping X-men and they jumped out of the bed, almost ready for a fight. 

“Logan, we were just talking and..and..we fell asleep.  Nothing..” she started.  Then she came to her full senses and felt like an idiot.  She put her hands on both hips and irritation crept onto her face.  “Wait just a damn minute; I don’t need to explain anything to ya, Wolverine.  I am a grown woman and can damn well do what I please.”

This backtalk caught Wolverine off guard.  For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.  Gambit just grinned at him and Rogue.  Wolverine glared at Gambit.  “Well what do you have to say for yourself, Gumbo?”

“De belle can fight Gambit’s battles anytime” he purred while staring at Rogue.  She flashed him a slight smile and then turned her attentions back to Logan.

“Well, we’re already late getting started and time’s running out.  So, get changed and meet us downstairs.  Make it fast.”  Wolverine grumbled as he turned, grabbed Kitty, and phased out of the room. 

“Gambit t’inks dat’s de first time de old man at a loss for words” Gambit looked at Rogue and they both burst out laughing. 

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

“Alright Gambit, this is your show.  Where to first?” Wolverine snarled at the Cajun as he and Rogue came out the front door to join the rest of the team.

“Well, I say the first thing we do is get something to eat.  We won’t be going far on empty stomachs.” Rogue answered resolutely. 

“Like that sounds great!  I’ve heard this city has some great food.  I wanted to try those, oh what are they called, Big Nets?  You know, those donut things this city is famous far!” Kitty was busy looking all around at the different building styles when she chimed in her two cents.

“Dey called beignets, petit.  But, we don’t need to go down daer.  Dat area mo fo de tourists.  We won’t get no information down daer.  Besides, don’t want to take de chance of running into any members of de T’ieves guild.  Dey be mostly where de tourists are.” Gambit dismissed her request.

He turned to see the disappointed pout on Kitty’s face.  He grinned at her and said “Aw, now, don’t make such a bahbin. Some of de best places to eat in dis city not be on de main roads.  And, only de locals know about dem.”

He donned his sunshades and looked at the rest of his team, then looked at Kitty.  “Come, petit.  We get you somet’ing good to eat.  And, maybe get some information too.”

They filed in behind Gambit as he started walking down the street.  Every few intersections he would turn right or left to head down another street.  Kitty was awestruck with all of the unique architecture – so many different styles.  She was amazed at how a city could be so beautiful, so full of character, yet so dirty and run down in parts.  As they past by different residents of the neighborhoods, she couldn’t help but whisper to Rogue how scary some of them looked.  Rogue just laughed at her friend.

After walking for awhile, Wolverine was beginning to lose his patience.  “We actually going somewhere, bub, or are you just trying to walk the skin off the bottom of our feet?”

Gambit just smiled and pressed forward.  A few more blocks and they finally stopped at a little café.  They went inside and quickly found a table. 

“What a dump!” Kitty exclaimed.  Rogue flashed her a look that immediately made her apologize for what she had just said.  They looked at the menu, trying to decipher the descriptions, and each ordered an item that they recognized.  Wolverine muttered something to the waitress about hoping that his order was eggs and bacon.  She smiled at him and continued writing on her pad.  Gambit, who hadn’t even bothered to open the menu, ordered his food in French.

“I guess ya been here before, huh sugah?” Rogue purred.  He just continued smiling and scanning the restaurant. 

After a while, a scrawny looking middle-aged man entered the restaurant and Gambit’s eyes fixed on him.  Remy excused himself from the table just as the waitress brought out the food.  Logan was busy sniffing his food to make sure it was edible and Kitty dug right into hers.  But, Rogue didn’t touch her plate.  She wasn’t even aware of its presence.  She was watching Gambit too intently to make sure there was no trouble.

Remy eventually made his way back to his teammates.  As he sat back down and started eating, he looked over to Rogue’s untouched plate and frowned.  “What’s de matter, cher?  You don’t like de food?”

“Quit stalling, swamp rat, and tell us what ya found out.”  Rogue rolled her eyes at him and started emptying her plate.

“People round here scared of dis little fille.  Dey say she’s a ghost cause you can see t’ru her and she glows.”  Gambit paused to put another bite in his mouth.  It sure was good to be eating some true Southern cuisine.  “Dey say she be seen mostly in de cities of de dead.”

All three of his team mates stopped eating and looked up at him with a confused expression on their faces.  Gambit paused mid bite when he realized they were all focusing on him.  He sighed and stated “De graveyards.  Where all de dead is buried here.”

All three of them looked back and forth amongst themselves.  Logan finally leaned back in his seat and snarled “Well, this ought to be fun.” 

“Gawd, there must be, like, a thousand cemeteries in a city like this.  It’ll take forever, not to mention it’s so totally creepy!” Kitty was exasperated at the thought of searching through all the graveyards.

“Fortunately, Charles was able to narrow down that she is in this general area.  That’s why where staying in that lovely joint a few blocks back.” Wolverine answered.  “What can you do to narrow it down even more, Cajun?”

“Daer is another place we could maybe get some information.  But, Gambit won’t go.”  Seeing the look on his comrades’ faces and the obvious irritation emanating from Logan, he explained.  “It be a voodoo shop.” 

“And your point is, Gumbo?” Wolverine growled at him.

Gambit finished his meal, wiped his mouth, and stared directly into Wolverine’s eyes.  “I’ll take you to da place, but I won’t go in.  Dis conversation is done.”  With that, Gambit stood up, through his money on the table and moved to leave the restaurant.

“Well what crawled up his butt and died?” Kitty asked.

“C’mon y’all.  We better catch up to the boy before he leaves us lost.” Rogue put her money down and moved to meet up with Gambit.  Wolverine and Kitty followed.

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

As they followed him, they couldn’t help but notice they were moving into a very different part of the city.  The buildings were older, darker, and scarier looking.  Almost every dwelling they past had some kind of hangings in the windows, symbols in some cases, plants in others.  Finally, they made their way in front of a two story building with wrought iron columns across the front, the second floor containing a balcony.  It didn’t stick out right away as a store of any kind, but they could see some wares in the window. 

“Daer it is.  Gambit stays here.” He made no attempts to apologize as he leaned against one of the columns.

“Fine.  Rogue, you and I will go in and see what we can find out.  The skirt can hang outside.  Kitty can keep him company.”  Wolverine smiled as he started for the door.  Gambit cut him a sidewards glance. 

After Logan and Rogue disappeared into the building, Kitty moved to lean against another post behind Gambit.  “Like, why didn’t you want to go in there?”

“Gambit got a healt’y respect for many religions, petit.  Don’t mean I be comfortable round dem.”  He pulled out some cards and started shuffling them.

She started talking to him about everything she had seen so far, but he wasn’t really listening to her.  As his back was to her and his mind was preoccupied, Gambit was unaware of two young men approaching her from the street. 

“Well, now, who do we have here?  Aren’t you a pretty t’ing” the first one said to her with a charming smile.

Kitty blushed and thanked him for the compliment.

“What be your name, little girl?” the second one asked. 

Kitty giggled slightly before answering.  “My friends call me Kitty.”

The two boys looked at each other and started chuckling.  “Kitty, eh?  Dat’s a funny name” came the first one’s reply.  The second laughed and prodded his friend with his elbow.  He sneered at Kitty as he addressed her.  “Meenoo, meenoo”.

“Like, that’s gross.  Why don’t you two just go off and die somewhere” she wasn’t sure she understood what they said, but she didn’t like the way they said it.

“Awhhh, Boudreaux, you made her mad” they both continued laughing and moving closer to her.  One of them moved behind her and started grabbing strands of her hair in his hands and putting it up to his nose to smell.  Kitty was thoroughly disgusted now and she shoved him away from her.

“Like, get away from me you disgusting…disgusting…swamp rats.” She knew that was Remy’s pet name, but she just couldn’t think of anything else to call them.

“Passé!” Gambit had heard the exchange and was turning around to face the two unwelcome guests.  “You two really t’ink de lady be interested in a couple of peeshwanks like you?”  Gambit removed his sunshades and they were both startled by his piercing red on black eyes. 

Suddenly, one of them recognized something.  His eyes widened and he stepped back grabbing the other ones jacket.  “Let’s go” he pulled the other man with him.  Gambit watched them move a block or so away, where they stopped to talk with each other for a moment.  They both looked back at him and then one of them went running off in the other direction while the other just stood there watching them.

The expression on Gambit’s face turned from smirk to frown as he realized he had been made.  “Merde!  Come, petit.  Time to go.”  He grabbed Kitty by the arm and headed down the alley a few feet from where they were standing.  The alley seemed to extend a good distance when all of the sudden they ran into a dead end.

“Merde!  I don’t remember dis wall here.  Gambit must be slipping.”  He cursed himself as he turned to face the direction they had come.  He could hear some men starting up the alley.  “Stay behind me, Kitty” he said to the frightened girl he had dragged along with him.

“Why you dragging us way the hell down here, Pierre?” one voice called out.

“I tell you, I seen him.  I seen Remy LeBeau.  He went dis way” another voice answered.

“Looks like we in fo a party, petit.”  Gambit turned to look at Kitty, but she wasn’t there.  “Petit?”  He turned all around looking for her.  He didn’t realize that she had phased into the wall to see what was in the building on the other side. 

Gambit turned back to face the oncoming attackers.  He couldn’t see them yet, but knew they were close.  He started to charge a card and gritted his teeth.  Kitty phased partially back through the wall and reached out to grab Gambit’s shoulders.  She yanked on him, pulling him back through the wall just as the attackers were rounding the corner.  Gambit gasped as he passed through the brick and mortar to rematerialize on the other side where Kitty immediately put her hand to his mouth to quiet him.  They both listened carefully with their ears against the brick.

“Dead end.  What the hell, Pierre?  Ain’t no one here!”  The apparent leader of the group sounded pretty upset at being dragged all the way down a dead end alley.

“Ga lee!  Dey disappear!  I tell ya it was Remy LeBeau I seen.” Pierre protested.

“Dumbass.  Stop wasting our time and go get your eyes checked!”

From the other side of the wall, Gambit and Kitty could tell the men were leaving.  They both took a deep breath.  “Like, that was totally close!”  Kitty whispered.

“Yeh, de almost catch us dis time.  Dat some trick of yours.” Gambit grinned at her.   

“Oh, that’s right.  I’ve never phased you before?  Wow, so you were like a virgin at phasing.” She smiled wide at him.

He moved his faced to within an inch of hers and whispered, “Not no more, cher, t’anks to you.”  Kitty immediately lowered her eyes and blushed.

He grinned at her and then rose to a standing position.  Extending his hand to assist her up, he looked around the room they were in and said “Come, petit.  We take de long way back.”  With that, they proceeded back to the store to meet up with the rest of their team.

Back at the store, Wolverine sniffs the air to try and get an image of which direction Kitty and Remy went.  “I can’t pick up nothing.  All those scents in that shop got my sinuses screwed.” 

“Yeh.” Rogue answered holding a little bag of herbs.

“What did you get, anyway?” Logan curiously looked at the pouch in her hand.

“It’s a gris gris bag, sugah.  It’s supposed to bring me luck or something” she smiled back at him.

“Give me a break.  Don’t tell me you’re buying into all that hocus pocus like Gambit.”  A furrow developed between Wolverine’s eyes as he looked at Rogue in disbelief.

“You forget, Logan.  I grew up in Mississippi, where there are more than a few tales of the mystic.”  Rogue looked around the street searching for her teammates.  She spotted them rounding the corner and heading for them.

As they gathered together, Kitty shared their experiences while Wolverine sneered.  “Well, Gumbo, not feeling the love for you here.  The woman in the shop didn’t have nothing good to say about you neither.”  Rogue elbowed Logan and then she proceeded to tell Kitty and Gambit what they learned in the shop. 

“We’ll hit the cemetery where the girl was last seen tonight.  Let’s get back to the rooms and figure out how we’re going to approach her once we find her.”  Wolverine commanded and started walking up the street.

“Sorry, mon ami, but de rooms are dis way.”  Gambit smirked and started walking in the opposite direction.

Wolverine growled and muttered something under his breath.  Kitty caught the tail end of it and put her hand to her mouth as she giggled.  “Like, that’s not nice Wolverine.” 

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

“Well, I totally like the direct approach.” Kitty leaned back against the headboard of the bed with her arms crossed and her legs stuck out in front of her.  “I mean, like, why not?  For sure she would probably respond to it.”

Logan had a low growl in his throat as he pondered what Kitty had just said.  Rogue looked over at Wolverine who was standing with his back to the window.  “Well, I definitely don’t think Logan should try to talk to her.  He’s liable to scare her to death.”  Wolverine’s head jerked up to give her a nasty look, while Gambit chuckled from the chair he was seated in.

“No offense, sugah, but ya are a little rough around the edges” Rogue said in her sweetest southern accent.

“mmmmm….remind me to enroll in charm school when this mission’s over” was Logan’s sarcastic reply.

Kitty burst out laughing at the thought of Wolverine in charm school.  But, one look from him and she lowered her head bringing her top and bottom lips in on top of themselves. 

“Maybe we should, like, split up.  We could totally cover more ground that way.”  Kitty suggested.

“Dat’s not a good idea, petit.  We should stay together.” Gambit rejected without even glancing up from the cards he was shuffling.

“What’s the matter, Gumbo.  Afraid one of your relatives might jump out at us playing the banjo with a gap tooth grin?”  Logan snarled at the Cajun.

“Least my relatives don’t howl at de full moon.” Remy retorted.

*Snifkt*

Wolverine extended both blades and moved closer to Gambit.  “Want to say that again, bub?”

“Alright, alright.  Enough already.  All this testosterone’s making my hair frizz.” Rogue moved to stand between them.  “Now, ya want me to finish this, cause ya know I can take ya both at the same time.”

Logan retracted his claws and turned back toward the spot he had originally occupied, grumbling under his breath.  Gambit just looked up at Rogue, grinned and said “You can take me anytime, cher.”  She just rolled her eyes and moved back to the edge of the bed where she had been sitting.

Remy turned towards Kitty to explain his previous statement.  “De cities of de dead don’t be safe if you be by yourself.  Daer is all kinds of places to hide and a young fille like you just prime target.  Besides, it be easy to get lost wit all de turns and dead ends.”

“Ok.  We’ll stay together.  We’ll leave at dusk.  It’s going to be a late night, so we need to get some rest.  That means, everyone out of my room now!”  With that command, Logan motioned everyone toward the door. 

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

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

The sun had not yet lowered completely in the sky when they entered the gates of the cemetery.  Kitty looked around and gasped at everything she saw.  “It’s so awesome” she admitted as she glanced upward to different statues and tombs. 

“Yeh, I don’t think I’ve ever been in the graveyards of New Orleans before.  I can see why they call it a city of dead.  It’s kinda scary” Rogue admitted, staring around warily at all the little pathways that disappear between structures.

Gambit and Logan continued forward as the girls followed.  Both men were looking around cautiously.  Gambit kept his eyes open for any signs of trouble, while Wolverine sniffed the air and listened intently to all the sounds.

“So, like, why are all these people buried above the ground?”  Kitty’s eyes darted left and right taking in everything.

“It was a tradition started long time ago to keep de bodies from floating.  Don’t need to dig too deep ‘fore you strike water in dese parts”.  Gambit’s eyes moved left to right, his pupils wide in the growing dimness of the evening sun.

They moved a little farther into the cemetery rounding several corners.  A few times they turned a path that led to a dead end.  After the fourth wrong turn, Wolverine turned and growled at Gambit.  “I’m getting a little tired of this, Gumbo.”  From the sound of his voice, it was obvious that he was growing impatient in the hunt.

“Not Gambit’s fault dis place a maze” Remy protested, fighting his own frustration.

“Wow, look at this one.  It’s, like, got graffiti all over it.  I mean, what kind of moron plays tic-tac-toe on someone’s grave.  That’s just wrong.”  Kitty exclaimed as they approached a very old tomb with X marks all over it.  The tomb had flowers, coins, and other objects lying around in front of it. 

“Dat’s not tic-tac-toe, petit” Gambit chuckled.  “Dis de tomb of Marie Laveau.  People put t’ree X’s on it, knock t’ree times, and den ask her for a favor.”  Gambit had stopped in front of the tomb to explain.  Rogue thought to herself that he looked almost like he was paying homage himself.

“Who was she anyway” Kitty continued.

“She be de voodoo queen of N’Awlins.”  There was a long pause and Remy suddenly realized that his fellow teammates were staring at him with various stages of disbelief and confusion.  “Back in de day.”  With that, he moved on leaving his team mates.

The sun had gone down completely.  The cemetery had grown very dark with many long shadows cast everywhere.  Rogue and Kitty pulled out their flashlights.  Gambit didn’t need one as his sensitive eyes worked best in the dark.  With his heightened animal instincts, Wolverine, too, could see well at night.

“We’re getting nowhere here.  Rogue, can you see anything from above?”  Wolverine’s request was more of a command.  As if on queue, Rogue took flight and rose above the tombs looking all around.  She could only see as far as her flashlight would extend, which wasn’t a great distance. 

Suddenly, Wolverine stopped cold.  His teammates noticed and followed suit.  “Everyone quiet” he whispered.  They all strained to listen for whatever had caught his attention.

“Someone’s coming this way.  But, the scent is very faint.”  Logan began to crouch slightly in a defensive posture.  Rogue came down from above but continued to hover just above the ground.  Kitty moved closer to Gambit as her eyes widened and her breathing grew faster.

Coming down one of the paths was a dim glowing light.  They could see the light before they ever saw her.  It was absolutely beautiful.  It surrounded her like an aura and made her seem almost angelic, yet transparent.  She appeared in front of them with doe eyes.  Her hair hung around her face and shoulders in a matted chaos.  She wore ragged jeans and an old black t-shirt that had apparently been some kind of Mardi Gras souvenir shirt.  The shirt was covered by a dirty grey hooded jacket.  On her feet were old tennis shoes.  But all they could see of her shoes were the tops of them, which had a few holes developing in them.

At first, no one made a sound.  They all stared at her and she at them. 

“Dang, she does glow like a ghost.  And she’s partly phased through the ground” Rogue was the first to speak, shocked at the sight.

The girl frowned and started to back away from them.  Then, her expression changed and she scowled, bringing her eyebrows down to form an angry expression.  She raised both her arms, cupping her hands, fingers spread monster style, and screeched at them in her best scary voice.  All four X-men looked at each other in confusion. 

“Like, what the hell was that?” Kitty asked.  The girl looked at them with a surprised expression, then lurched forward on her front left leg and screeched again. 

Rogue started laughing, followed closely in giggles by Kitty.  Even Gambit got into the moment and began to chuckle.  Logan continued to look at his team mates and the kid in front of them.  Through gritted teeth, he growled “I still don’t know what’s so damn funny.”

“Oh Wolverine” Kitty was almost hysterical at this point.  “She’s totally trying to scare us.”

As they were all cracking up, they didn’t notice that the girl had put her hands down, lowered her head and turned to walk away from them.  She started crying and that caught the team’s attention.

“Wait, Sara.  Come back.  We didn’t mean to laugh at ya” Rogue flew to her and apologized for making fun.

The girl stopped and turned around to them with tears in her eyes. “You know my name?”  Then, she lowered her head and said “I can’t even do scary right.” 

“Oh, sweetie” Rogue’s motherly instincts coming out, “you did great trying to scare us.  If we had been regular people, we would have been scared out of our wits.  Honest.” 

The girl looked up at her.  “Regular people?  If you’re not regular people, then what are you?”

“We’re mutants, just like you.” Kitty moved closer to her with a wide smile on her face.

“Mutants?  You don’t look like mutants.  Well, maybe he does” she said pointing to Wolverine.

“Thanks kid” Logan snorted.  She looked at all of them, and then noticed Gambit’s eyes.  “You definitely look like a mutant with those eyes.”  He pretended mock hurt as he placed his hand to his chest, and then flashed a charming grin.

“You’re not like me.  I’m….I’m…” she looked down at herself before continuing, “I’m see through.  Almost everyone’s afraid of me.  They think I’m a ghost or spirit or something.  My foster parents kicked me out.”  She was beginning to tear up again.

“Hey, like, I’m like you.  Watch this.”  Kitty got up and moved over to one of the nearby tombs.  She phased through the front wall and reappeared out of the side.  “See?  Although, that was kind of icky.”

Sara’s eyes widened.  “But, you went through and then you’re solid again.”  Understanding crept onto her facial expression and she excitedly asked “Can you show me how to do that?”

“Totally.  We have a school where special kids like us can go to learn how to control and use our gifts.” Kitty replied with a big smile.

“Gifts?  More like a curse” the girl replied.

“I know what ya mean, sugah.”  Rogue turned to look on Gambit with a deep sadness in her eyes.  He moved closer to Rogue and put is arm around her waist.  Then, he turned his attention back to Sara.

“So, petit.  You t’ink you might like to come wit us?  We give you a good home, no strings.” Gambit bent down to look in the girl’s eyes.

She stared into those beautiful red eyes and started to smile.  “Ok.  Not like I have much of a life here, anyway.” 

“So, like, what was with the monster mash performance?” Kitty asked starting to giggle again at the memory of her standing there screaming at them. 

“It’s how I keep people from messing with me.  Everyone pretty much leaves you alone when you look like a ghost and screech at them like a banshee.  Shoot, I’ve even been able to walk right into some restaurant kitchens and take food without any hassle at all.”  She grinned as she told them. 

Gambit’s eyebrows arched.  “Dat’s clever, petit” he chuckled as he praised the girl.

“Yeh, only..” she paused for a moment before continuing, “lately I haven’t eaten much.  It’s getting really hard and painful to become solid long enough to pick up anything and eat it.  I have to constantly concentrate just to stay above ground.  And….” a sadness showed in her eyes and she frowned slightly “and it’s so lonely.”

Just then, Wolverine’s head twitched.  He commanded everyone to hush while he listened.  Everyone started looking around, Rogue and Kitty straining to see anything in the darkness.  Sara’s expression showed that she was really scared.  She knew what was stalking them and it terrified her.  “They’re here” she whispered.

Suddenly, Sara turned on her heel and ran as fast as she could away from the group.  Startled, Kitty called after her and started running too.  Wolverine heard more noise coming from his left.  He extended his blades and moved rapidly in the direction of the noise.  

“You go after de girls, cher.  Wolverine may need Gambit.”  Remy let go of Rogue and watched her fly in the direction of Kitty and Sara.  He turned back to where he had seen Logan disappear.  He strained to listen.  He could hear Wolverine making contact with something or someone.  He pulled out a card and went running towards the conflict.

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

Sara continued running with Kitty close behind.  Sara was running a straight line, passing easily through everything in her path.  Kitty was having a little more difficulty as she had to concentrate on phasing, solidifying, phasing, and solidifying over and over trying to keep up with the girl.

“Sara, wait.  Like, slow down” Kitty cried out to her.  They continued running awhile when Sara finally stopped in a little building.  Kitty phased in after her, causing her to jump slightly.  Breathing hard between each word, Kitty exclaimed “Like…what...are….we….running….from”.  She was bent over with her hands on both her knees, gasping for breath.

Sara was shaking as she told Kitty to be quiet.  “They might hear us” she whispered harshly. 

“Who?”  Kitty whispered back.

“Her dead squad.”  Sara said this as if Kitty should know what she’s talking about.

“Death squad.  Who’s death squad”  Kitty was still whispering and breathing hard.

“No, not death squad.  Dead squad” Sara whispered back.  “A bunch of zombies that wander around the graves collecting things for their mistress.”

Kitty just looked at her with a blank expression, still gasping for air.  “What the hell are you talking about?”  Looking around, Kitty continued.  “And where the hell are we?” 

“This is my place” Sara stated in a low tone.  “This is where I sleep.  It’s an abandoned maintenance shed.  It’s not used anymore.  Now, please be quiet before they hear us.”

Then, they both crouched low and looked towards the door of the little shack they had entered, waiting for some sign that the coast is clear. 

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

“Kitty, Sara” Rogue called out into the dark trying desperately to locate them.  “Where in tarnation are y’all” she questioned to herself as she hovered at an intersection of paths.  She had lost sight of the little girl’s glow and now couldn’t decide which direction to go.

In the shadows between two tombs, red eyes stared at the hovering mutant.  Yes, you will do nicely the stranger mused.  She made her way into the open, staring directly at Rogue. 

Rogue turned around when she saw the figure in a hooded cape approaching her.  “Hey!  Did you see two girls run by here?”  Rogue moved closer to the stranger and noticed the eyes.  “Remy?”  As she moved even closer, she realized it was not Gambit, but someone else.  “Who are you?”

The stranger started muttering some words under her breath and her eyes began to glow. 

“What are ya doing?” Rogue started moving back.

The stranger kept chanting.  Her eyes glowed even brighter.  Rogue felt strange.  Her head started to hurt and her ears started ringing.  She put her hands on both sides of her head, her fingers grabbing her hair, and yelled for the stranger to get out of her head.  The stranger kept chanting.  One last scream from Rogue and then her eyes closed.  Rogue’s body straightened and she raised her head toward the figure.  Her body hovered towards the stranger until she was directly facing the hooded creature.  Rogue’s eyes opened.

“What do you want me to do, mistress?”  Rogue’s eyes were solid white.

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

“Wolverine!”  Gambit had been running towards what he thought were the sounds of Logan scuffling with something.  But, he couldn’t find him.  His eyes accustomed to the dark, he was finding it difficult to see too far ahead.  All dese damn twists and turns he cursed to himself as he continued searching for the wild man.

Suddenly, he froze.  Something didn’t feel right.  His senses were screaming at him that danger was here.  He pulled his staff out of his pocket and extended it.  He looked all around him trying desperately to see anything in the shadows.  Then, he felt it pierce the side of his neck.  He hadn’t even heard it coming until it was too late.

“Aaaghh” he gasped as he grabbed at the dart sticking out of the side of his neck.  He pulled it out and staggered backwards into the arms of Rogue.  Rogue wrapped her arms around him causing him to drop his staff.  She squeezed tight so that he couldn’t move and found it difficult to breath.

“Rogue, what de..” he stopped when he saw the figure approaching from behind a tomb.  Instantly he recognized the glowing red eyes.

“C-C-Cassandra” he exclaimed as he struggled in the arms of his love.  His head started to swim and he felt dizzy.  He started losing consciousness as the woman drew closer.

“Remy!  So glad ta see ya, mon ange.  I knew you’d come back ta me.”  She reached out and moved a finger across his forehead, brushing some strands of hair backwards out of his face.  He moved his head backwards, resting it on Rogue’s shoulder.  He held his eyes on her as long as he could and then he slipped away into slumber, collapsing slightly in Rogue’s arms.  The woman looked at him a moment longer then turned and started walking away. 

“Bring him” she commanded.  Rogue reached one arm under his legs and lifted him up in her arms like a rag doll.  Then, she flew behind the woman.

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

Wolverine crouched to the ground and sniffed all around.  “mmmmmm…..Cat” he snarled and then leaped forward.  He wasn’t sure what he had followed earlier, but it had disappeared without a trace.  Now his mission was to find the rest of the team and get out of this cemetery.  He moved swiftly through the different paths, pausing every once in a while to sniff the air and get his bearings.  Finally, he stopped outside of an old shed. 

He started to grab the handle to open the door.  But, his adrenaline was flowing wildly and he needed to bust loose some of his pent up energy.  He raised his arms and he yelled as he brought both sets of blades into the metal door forming a perfect triple X.  He continued slicing into the door a few more moments, when it finally tore off completely.

Inside the two girls were hovered in a corner, frightened out of their minds and screaming bloody murder.  Logan leaped in with his blades out to the sides ready to strike.  They all stared at each other and then a look of irritation arose on Kitty’s face.

“WOLVERINE!  What the hell?  Like you totally scared the crap out of us!!”  She stood up with her hands on both hips.

“Look what you did to my place!” Sara retorted.

Logan was dumbfounded, and his expression showed it.  “Um, yeah, well, sorry kid.  I thought you two were in trouble.”  He retracted his blades as he looked around the little shack.  “So, you live here?  Nice” he grumbled.

“Hey, it’s a place.  Better than the streets” she defended.

Logan looked at both of them and decided it was time to leave.  “Let’s go kid.  You too half-pint.  We got to find Rogue and the Cajun and get back to the institute.”

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

His eyes fluttered slightly and his head started moving back and forth.  He groaned slightly and began to slowly open his eyes.  He tried to focus his vision as he looked around the room.  It was dimly lit and looked like the inside of one of the larger tombs in the cemetery.  Only, it had been changed slightly such that it resembled a makeshift temple.  And it was cold.  He no longer had his trench coat on.  He couldn’t help but shiver as his body awakened.  As he looked around, he saw Rogue standing in a corner towards the front of the building.

“Rogue” He whispered harshly to her.  She did not move, did not even look his direction.  He attempted to move his arms to lift himself up and saw that his hands and feet were tied to the altar on which he lay.  He moved his finger to touch the rope in an attempt to charge it up and cause it to break.  But, no charge came.  His face grimaced as he tried again with more resolve to charge the rope.  Nothing.  He lay his head back on the altar in despair as he realized that he no longer had his powers.

“Well, I see yore awake” she said as she sauntered through the door.  He raised his head to look at her as she approached him.  He followed her every move.  “About time, cher” she said as she moved towards him.

She had removed her hood to reveal jet black hair in multiple weaves hanging all around her face and down her back.  Her eyes were similar to Gambit’s except that her pupils were red, irises were black and her eyeballs were red, exactly reverse of his.

“Cassandra!  What you want sorciére.”  Gambit glared at her.

“Why Remy!  You wound me.”  She leaned in towards his face and brought her hand up to stroke his chin.  He flinched slightly as her hand made contact with his skin.  She smiled at him as if he were some delicious morsel she was about to consume.  “I want you, Remy.”

“Why?  Why me?”  His brow furrowed as he questioned her.

“Because you’re de only one I could neva control.  Neva once did you fall under my powers.  I knew it had to be you to stand beside me over my empire.  You’re a snake charmer, like me, de yin to my yang.”  She turned away from him and started to pour some potions into different urns.

“What empire?  What you talking ‘bout.”  Gambit struggled with the ropes around his wrists.

“All dis.  I rule de cities of de dead.  I am dey’re queen.”  She continued mixing several herbs together. 

“You ruling de dead?”  Gambit thought for a moment and then understood.  “Zombies.  You make dem slaves.” 

“Now you understand, cher.  Soon, I have enough in my army to take control.  Won’t no one be able to stop me.”  She turned back to Gambit with an evil smile on her lips.  “After all, mon ange, dey can’t kill what’s already dead.”  She turned back to the task at hand.

“Dat crazy.  You never be able to pull dat off” he argued, continuing his struggle against his bindings.

“Oh but I will.  On all hallow’s eve, my armies will rise and take N’Awlins over.  Den, we move out from daer until de whole country under my control.  Governments will pay dearly for its very survival.”  She sounded insane as she said this with a twinkle in her eye.  “And you, Remy, you will be by my side, helping me control our enemies.”

“Non!  I don’t love you.”  He realized that he sounded pathetic and he cursed himself for showing weakness.

“Ah, but you will.  You will” she said as she dropped something into the potion she was making and started to stir.

“What you done to my powers?”  He was trying to keep her occupied so that he could continue looking for some way out of this.  He hoped that Rogue would snap out of whatever spell she was under.

“I neutralize dem for a while.”  She stated clinically.

“De dart you shot me wit had poison on it?”

“You could say dat.  Only, it poisons yore mutant side, not yore human side.”  She turned to look at him and saw the concern in his face.  “Don’t worry, cher, it don’t last forever.  Yore powers come back in a while.” 

“How’d you do it?”  Gambit questioned.

“I mastered de botanicals.  Took me years to perfect it.”  He noticed a notebook beside her that she periodically glanced at prior to measuring something for her concoction. 

“Will you show Remy how you do it?” Gambit kept struggling with his bindings.

She put down the bowl she was stirring and turned around to him.  He stopped struggling and looked at her.  She moved over too him and leaned over to within an inch of his face.  She stared into his eyes trying to read his thoughts.

“Why” was all she said after a long pause.

“Maybe Remy don’t like his powers no more.  Be nice to turn dem off when I want.”  He hoped that he sounded convincing.  In any event, at least he was keeping her distracted from whatever she was making.

She continued to look on him with a skeptical eye.  Finally, she smiled.  “I was hoping to hear dat from you, mon ange.”  She moved her finger down his chee, stroking the side of his face.  “But den, you know dat don’ you?  I could never charm you Remy, but your charms never worked on me either, cher.   Don’ worry, daer will be plenty of time for you to learn my tricks later.” 

“What about her?”  Gambit asked moving his eyes to Rogue.

She turned to look at the woman under her control.  “She belongs to me.  She may be useful to me later on.”

“Let her go.” Gambit demanded without thinking.  He then mentally cursed himself for saying it, knowing he had just given her a card to play against him.

Cassandra turned back towards him with her eyebrows raised.  “So, she means somet’ing to you, eh?”

His eyes stared into Cassandra’s deeply, pleading with her.  “Please, let her go” he said almost in a whisper.

“Why should I do dat?”  She had an ominous smirk on her face as she looked on him.

“I do anyt’ing you want.”  He closed his eyes as he made this resolution to her.

She moved over to him and crawled on top, straddling his hips with her legs.  She leaned down and began stroking his hair.  She brought her lips to his and kissed him lightly.  She didn’t even notice the look of disgust on his face as she kissed him again even deeper. 

She pulled out a knife and placed it at the collar of his t-shirt.  Using her other hand to hold the shirt taut, she sliced the shirt open right down the middle.  He clenched his fists and his arms tightened against the bonds that held him.  She looked at him and smiled as she watched the muscles in his jaws flex.

“Anyt’ing?” she questioned as she moved her hands to his chest and pushed the ripped shirt aside.

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

“We’ve been walking for like an hour, Logan.  You picking up anything at all?” Kitty sighed.

Wolverine didn’t say anything, he just kept looking and sniffing and pressing on.

“Is he always like this?” Sara asked.

“No, sometimes he’s actually mean.” Kitty grinned as she answered the confused girl walking next to her.

Logan stopped.  His eyes narrowed and he moved forward a few feet, bending down to pick up the metal pole that Remy had dropped earlier in the evening.

“Gambit’s staff - well this ain’t a good sign.”  He sniffed the air around him.  “Rogue’s scent.”  He sniffed some more. “And one other smell I don’t recognize.”

Another object caught his sight.  He reached over and picked up the small dart.  Smelling the end of the needle, he could tell it contained some kind of chemical.  “Smells like some kind of poison” he said to the two girls.

Sara’s eyes widened and she started backing away from the scene.  “She….she’s got your friends.” 

“Like what are you talking about Sara?”  Kitty looked confused as she watched the expression on Sara’s face.

“The hooded lady that controls the dead squad.  That dart belongs to her.  I’ve seen her use it before on other people.”  Sara looked back and forth between Logan and Kitty.

“Who is this lady, kid, and where did she take our friends?” This came out of Logan’s mouth as more of a demand than a question.

“I-I-I…” she began.  “No, I need to get out of here.”  She turned away from them and started walking fast. 

Wolverine growled and was about to take up chase after the girl when Kitty caught his arm and told him to let her try first.

“Wait Sara” she called after the girl.  Sara stopped moving but kept her back to both of them.  “Please, you have to help us find our friends.”

“Why should I?  I didn’t even know you until a few hours ago.”  She shrugged and bowed her head.

“Because you know it’s the right thing to do.  We came here to find you and help you.  We’re, like, offering you a whole new life full of possibilities.  Can’t you, at least, tell us where our friends have been taken?”  Kitty beseeched the girl.

Sara thought this over for a good long while.  Logan began pacing back and forth, his agitation growing by the minute.  Kitty just stood there beside the girl waiting for her answer.  Sara thought about everything she had already gone through, and everything that was happening to her.  Life had turned rough for her, and was only getting worse.  If she couldn’t learn to control her powers, she may not be able to hold anything ever again.  And then, like a miracle from the sky, these people had come into her life offering to help her and give her a real home.  She hadn’t wanted to believe them, but her senses told her that they were being truthful and they didn’t mean her any harm.  Why am I such a coward she thought as she punished herself with guilt. 

“You must think I’m the worst person that ever existed” she said as she turned to look at Kitty with tears in her eyes. 

“Oh no, Sara.  You’re just scared.  Trust me, we’ve all been totally there.  But, you like have an opportunity right now to show what you’re made of.  Help us save our friends.”  Kitty smiled warmly at her.

Sara looked at her and back at Wolverine.  “You’re right.  You’ve been straight with me.  I can feel it.  It’s the least I can do for all you offer me.” 

“Great.  Now that we’ve all held hands and sang Kumbahyah, can we go already?”  Logan snarled. 

Sara nodded and started running away from them, motioning them to follow. 

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

“You remember de day we met?  You were running from dat assassin girl’s family and decided to hide out in my cemetery?”  She continued tracing her fingers along the muscular definitions of his chest, admiring his toned body.  His eyes never left hers as he searched for something to say, anything to convince her to let him go. 

“When our eyes met and I saw you were like me, I just knew we were meant to be together.  I let you stay for a few days until t’ings quieted down a little.  And, remember when you finally left dat last day…” her voice trailed off and her eyes looked up as she reflected on the day in her head.  “I tried to charm you to stay, but you resist.  It impressed me dat someone could resist me.” 

Gambit blinked a few times as he desperately tried to recall the memory.  It was obvious to him that it wasn’t nearly as grand a thing as she was recalling, and in fact was fairly inconsequential to him.  “I don’ know what you’re talking ‘bout, Cassandra.  Not’ing happen ot’er dan I left to go back to my pere’s home.”  His brow furrowed in confusion as he watched the expressions on her face.

She looked down at him and frowned slightly when he said this.  “Oh, mon ange.  Why you teasing me so?  You know what you did, de connection we made.”  When she saw that he was still confused, she rolled her eyes in exasperation.  “You kissed me on de cheek and told me you’d always be grateful to me.  I knew right den you would come back to me one day, dat I’d make you mine.” 

She moved her eyes over his body appreciatively and then brought her gaze back to his face.  She leaned in and brushed her lips lightly against his before rising back up with a twisted smile.

“Now, this may hurt just a little, cher” she said as she placed a cloth in his mouth and gagged him. 

She still sat on top of him, his chest exposed to her.  She reached to the table on her left and grasped the bowl containing the potion she had mixed together, bringing it to rest on his stomach.  She picked up the knife and held it high in the air above him and started chanting.  His eyes widened as he watched her bring the knife down to his chest.  She began slicing patterns into his skin.  “mmmmpppphhhhh” was the only noise he could make.  He shut his eyes and his face was full of pain.  He struggled under her, his head thrashing left to right.  She held firm her position and stared at him with an evil grin as she watched him writhe in pain.

“And now, for the final touch.”  She raised the bowl in the air and continued chanting.  He stopped struggling and breathed heavily.  Beads of sweat had formed all over him.  He looked up at the witch waiting for whatever she was about to put him through, blood running down the sides of his chest.

Suddenly, the door to the tomb flew open and Wolverine leaped in with claws extended.  He was followed closely by Kitty and Sara.  Wolverine glanced around quickly to assess the situation.  He saw Rogue standing in the corner with no sign of life in her completely white eyes.  Then, he turned to see Gambit strapped to some concrete table and a woman on top of him holding some kind of bowl in her hands.

Wolverine could smell the blood.  He gritted his teeth and brought both sets of blades to each side of him, clenching his fists.  “What is it with you and crazy chicks, Gumbo?  You attract ‘em like flies.”  Crouching in attack mode, he snarled “Get off him bitch.”

“How dare you interrupt this ceremony!”  She leapt off the altar and reached for some darts on her table.  She shot one at Wolverine, but he swiped it away with his blades before it reached him. 

“You’ll have to do better than that sister” he snarled at her. 

Cassandra saw she was outnumbered three to one.  She closed her eyes and mumbled something under her breath.  Suddenly, Rogue came to life and flew at Wolverine, knocking him to the side.  Kitty shouted “NO” and ran towards Cassandra to tackle her.  Cassandra looked at Kitty and began chanting even louder.  Kitty stopped cold and grabbed her head.  She fell to her knees and screamed.  Sara stood by helplessly, not knowing what to do and scared out of her wits. 

Wolverine got up from where Rogue had beaten him down.  She was directly in front of him.  He could see that she wasn’t in control of herself.

“I don’t want to hurt ya darlin’” he said as they both started circling each other.  She lurched forward and he brought his left fist forward and hit her hard against the chin, knocking her backwards against the wall.  “Don’t mean I won’t.”
 

Rogue leaped up and flew at him, sending them both against the opposite wall.  The fight ensued.  Equally matched, the indestructible woman and the quick healer exchanged blow for blow.   Meanwhile, Kitty was franticly fighting against herself as Cassandra attempted to take control of her mind. 

Sara started crying as she watched everything unfold before her.  She could see Wolverine and Rogue battling it out on the far side of the tomb.  She could see her friend being tormented in her mind by the witch.  And laying on a concrete structure in the center of the room was Gambit, blood flowing from all the cuts in his chest.  He was staring at Sara.  Unable to communicate verbally because of the gag, he desperately tried to reach her through his eyes.  Gambit always knew that he had some kind of power of suggestion, but it was never anything that he worked at to develop fully.  It was always something he had just taken for granted.  And now, more than ever he needed to focus on it in order to help his friends.  But, without his voice, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to do it.  He continued to stare at Sara. 

She looked in his eyes from across the room and choked back her tears.  She cocked her head to one side as she continued gazing in his eyes and, suddenly, she realized what she needed to do.  She remembered the staff that they had found earlier.  Logan had given it to Kitty, who had hung it off her belt.  Sara ran over to Kitty and tried to grab the metal instrument.  But, her hands went right through it.  She concentrated hard and winced loudly as she managed to finally solidify her hand, allowing her to grab the staff and extend it to its full length.  No sooner was it in her hands than she phased again, along with the staff. 

Kitty stopped screaming.  Her eyes turned solid white and she stood up to face Cassandra.  “What do you want me to do, mistress” was her statement.  

“Kill the girl” Cassandra ordered as she pointed to Sara.  Kitty turned to face her friend and started moving toward her.  Sara’s eyes widened and she backed away. 

Suddenly, all the things that had happened to her and all the people that had hurt her came into her mind.  She stopped, and her expression changed to determination.  Tears were flowing freely as she thought back over all the times she had just run away instead of facing her demons.  Not this time she thought to herself.  She was not going to let this witch hurt her new friends. 

She let out a wail and ran forward with all her strength.  She phased right through Kitty and headed for Cassandra.  Cassandra’s eyes widened as the little ghost approached her.  Sara closed her eyes and concentrated very hard as she ran.  She phased through Cassandra and let go of the staff at the same time.  She came out of the other side of the witch and fell to the floor, phasing partially through it.  Cassandra let out a blood curdling scream and looked down to see the staff sticking out of her chest.  She grabbed the staff with both hands and fell to her knees.  She turned to look in Remy’s eyes as the blood flowed freely from the openings on both sides of her body where the staff entered and exited.  A single tear rolled from her eye and she fell over onto her side, letting out a final gasp.

Logan was on the verge of collapsing from the pounding he had been taking.  Rogue was about to hit Logan again, when she grabbed both sides of her head and screamed, sending her to one knee.  She then shook her head and looked up at Wolverine, her eyes returned to normal.

“Logan…..what…..happened?” She was confused as she rubbed her temples. 

“It’s a long story, darlin’.” Wolverine stated as he bent over putting one hand on his knee and the other across his stomach.  He worked to calm his breathing as he body healed from the wounds he had received.

She looked around the room and saw Gambit laying in the middle of the room, strapped to a concrete structure.  “REMY” she exclaimed as she flew to him to inspect his cuts and untie him.

From the other side of the room, Kitty had also awakened from her hypnotized state and turned to find her friend kneeling at the witch.  She moved over beside Sara and kneeled with her.

“I….I killed her” Sara said almost shocked at what she had done.  She started crying as the realization of what had happened sunk in.  Kitty wrapped her arms around Sara’s shoulders and hugged her.

“You had no choice.  It was us or her.  You totally saved our lives” Kitty said as she consoled her.

Sara looked up to her friend and smiled slightly, tears still flowing.  “I know.  And I’d do it again.  But, it doesn’t make me feel any better about taking her life.”  Kitty nodded in understanding.  It would take time for Sara to get over this.

Rogue removed the gag from Gambit’s mouth.  He let out a gasp and coughed.  He was mentally and physically exhausted from the ordeal.  She reached her arm under his neck and gently lifted him up into a sitting position. 

“Aw, sugah.  What is it with you and crazy women?” she asked.  Wolverine looked up and snarled “De ja vu.”

Gambit grinned at her and looked over to Wolverine, who was moving closer to them.  “Gambit can’t help if he drives de femmes mad” he joked. 

She rolled her eyes and helped him off the table.  He could barely stand and she put his arm around her neck, making sure that her hair was a boundary between his exposed skin and hers.  Remy used his free hand to gather the edges of the torn shirt and hold them together in the middle of his chest, covering the wounds. Wolverine walked over to the two girls and the dead body on the floor.  He turned to Gambit and said “You could have at least helped us out, instead of just laying there taking it easy.”

“Sorry, mon ami, she took my powers, but I can feel dey startin to come back” Remy replied.

Sara wiped her cheeks and looked up at him with a confused expression.  “The feelings that came over me when I looked in your eyes, that was you wasn’t it?” Sara commented.

“Oui.  Some me, mostly you.  You did well, petit.”  He grinned slightly at the girl in his attempts to make her feel better.

Gambit motioned over to the side table where the book containing Cassandra’s notes lay.  Rogue looked at him with questioning eyes.  Remy flipped through the notebook and then closed it to pick it up.  “We should get dis back to Hank, no?” 

They retrieved Gambit’s coat and pulled the staff from Cassandra’s body.  They sealed the tomb doors and slowly made their way out of the cemetery.  The sun was starting to come up as they headed back to the motel.

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

“Well, Hank?  What’s the verdict” Rogue was sitting in a chair in the lab, watching her furry blue friend with great interest as he poured something in a flask.  It had been a week since they had returned.  Not much had been said on the news other than the authorities were at a loss to explain a rash of previously buried bodies turning up throughout various cemeteries.  The authorities had chalked it up to pranksters getting their sick kicks for Halloween.  All the bodies had been reinterred.   Nothing had been said about Cassandra.  But, not one of them was surprised by this.  Gambit had told them she was an outcast even among mutants because of the black magic’s she practiced, so no one would miss her.

“In the words of Sherlock Holmes, ‘elementary my dear Watson’” Hank smiled as the reaction in the flask did exactly what he hoped it would.

“Is that a good thing, sugah?” She leaned forward in anticipation.

“Why, yes, my dear Rogue.  Mixing together the ingredients per the recipe in Cassandra’s books was the easy part.  Figuring out how to remove the negative side effects, the dizziness and loss of strength that Gambit experienced, was a little trickier.  Now, I have a few more tests to run before I can insure that it is safe for you to take.”  Dr. McCoy replied with a wide grin on his face.  “You know, for someone who had crossed the line of insanity, I have to admire her detailed documentation.”

In the Professor’s office, Sara sat on a couch with the Professor directly in front of her.  His hands were on his head and his eyes were closed in concentration.  Hers were closed as well.  She let out a slight wince and solidified completely.  She opened her eyes and gasped, covering her hand with her mouth.  The Professor opened his eyes and looked on her with a warm smile. 

“I can’t believe it.  It barely hurt this time.  And, I’m whole again, and staying that way!”  She became very excited as she jumped up and started picking up different objects around his office. 

“Yes, Sara.  With a little more work, you’ll be able to completely control your powers so that you phase only when you want to, like Kitty.”  He sat back in his wheelchair to rest after the mental exertion he had just put forth. 

“Oh Professor Xavier.  How can I ever thank you for what you’ve done for me?”  She ran over to him and put both her arms around his neck, giving him a big hug and relishing in the fact that she was touching him, not phasing through him.

“Your efforts to save my X-men are all the thanks I need.” He closed his eyes and hugged her back.

“Like, I’m totally dying out here.  Can I come in already?”  Kitty had been waiting outside the office door and had heard the excitement in Sara’s voice.

“I imagine I couldn’t keep you out if I tried” the Professor exclaimed as he raised one hand and caused the office door to open.

“Kitty!  Look, I’m completely solid like you!!”  Sara was beaming with joy.

“Awesome!!!!  Professor, can she go out now.  I have a lot of stores I’d love to show her.”  Kitty’s eyes were full of excitement as she pleaded with Xavier.

Xavier looked at Kitty, and then he looked over at Sara.  “Well, alright.  I think she’s ready to go out in public.  But just a few hours.  We don’t want you to overdo it so soon into your training.”

“Yes father” Kitty rolled her eyes at the parental tone the Professor took with them.  Then she grabbed Sara’s hands and they both went running and giggling from his office.  The Professor just sighed and turned to other matters.

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

Rogue strolled into the kitchen with a smile on her face.  Wolverine was sitting at the table drinking some coffee and reading his paper, as usual. 

“Hey, Logan.  Has Gambit come out of his room today?”  She asked him.

“No.  He’s still up there nursing his wounds.  I don’t know what she did to him, but it hurt him pretty bad.  Hank said that mojo she carved in his chest probably won’t leave scars.  At least not physical ones.”  He took another sip of coffee and didn’t look up from his paper in replying to her.

“I guess I better go check on him.”  Rogue moved towards the door, but stopped at the threshold and turned back slightly to look at Wolverine.

“Logan, I don’t think I ever apologized for…..” she started.

“Don’t worry about it darlin’.  It wasn’t your fault” he interrupted.  Then he put his paper down and stood up.  “Besides, the day you kick my ass…” he walked over to her, put his hand on her shoulder and smirked before heading out of the kitchen.  She watched him head towards the front door and sighed.

She made her way upstairs to Gambit’s room.  She knocked on the door and waited for him to invite her in.  She heard him tell her to come in from the other side of the door.  She walked into his room and saw him lying on his bed.  He wasn’t wearing a shirt and she could see that the cuts on his chest had scabbed over, part of the healing process. She moved over to sit on the side of his bed.  He pushed himself up, wincing a little as he did.

“Cher, you come to help Gambit feel better?” he said to her with a grin on his face.

“Maybe, swamp rat.  Or maybe I just came in to make sure you were suffering like you should” she pretended to be angry with him.

Gambit looked confused and wounded by what she said.  “Why you mad?”

“You have more women in your past than I care to think about.  And they all seem to want you hurt or dead” she sighed.

“Marie, I don’t know what to say.  I told you I couldn’t go back home, but I did for the team, for the little girl, for you.”  Gambit moved his right hand to his chest to check his wounds.  “What more you want from me?”

Rogue stood and grabbed the ends of his pant legs, pulling him back into a lying position.  She climbed onto of the bed and started crawling towards him seductively, her legs straddling his.  This movement was not lost on Gambit and he watched her intently.  “What you doing, cher?”

Her thighs rested on each side of his hips and she reached for both of his wrists.  In one swift movement, she raised his arms above his head and held them down.  She lowered her body onto him, her nose almost touching his, and stared into his piercing eyes.

“What more do I want from ya, swamp rat?”  There was fire in her eyes as she let her hair fall down provocatively around his face.  She leaned in close to his ear and purred “Guess”, her breath tickling is lobe.

“Dis not funny, Rogue.  You tease Gambit.  It torture, cher.”  He started to move as if to free himself from her. 

She held firm her grip.  “Don’t test me Cajun. I don’t want ta break ya arm or something” she said with a smirk.  “Now, tell me what all these women mean to you and where I fit in.”  The smirk gone now, she looked serious as she waited for him to answer. 

He could feel her breath on his skin and the longing was killing him.  He loved her so much, and to not be able to completely show his love, to touch her without barriers because of her mutant ability, had always been a strain on their relationship.

“Daer be no one but you, cher.  You de only one I ever truly loved” he whispered.

“Well, I guess there’s only one way to see if you’re telling the truth.” She smiled and leaned in.  His eyes widened as she kissed him deeply.  But, the drain never came.  She rose up from the kiss and laughed at his shocked expression.

“Merde” he exclaimed.  “What happened?”

“Hank’s a genius.  He was able to recreate Cassandra’s potion for temporarily neutralizing mutant powers, only he made it better so there’s no side effects.”  She smiled and kissed him again, taking his breath away. 

She rose up and let go of his wrists.  “Now ya hurry up and get better.  We got some lost time to make up, sugah.”  She started to climb off of him to leave his room. 

He reached up, grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.  “Gambit be better already.”  She giggled and they held each other tight.

The End. 

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