FYI:

~Personal thoughts~

ESP

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

{Musical Lyrics}

This is just catching up with what's going on and sort of explaining the predicament so bear with me.

Miss Independent--Kelly Clarkson

ROGUE

{Miss Independent, Miss Self-Sufficient, Miss Keep Your Distance

Miss Unafraid, Miss Out Of My Way, Miss Don't Let A Man Interfere

Miss On Her Own, Miss Almost Grown, Miss Never Let A Man Help Her Off Her Throne

So, By Keeping Her Heart Protected, She'll Never, Ever Feel Rejected}

~What is up with Kitty playin' that stupid Kelly Clarkson song. Grrr…Although, Ah gotta admit it sounds a lot like me she's describin'.~

{ Little Misapprehensive , Say Oohh, She Fell In Love}

~Well, so much for bein' right on the money.~

{What Is This Feeling Taking Over, Thinking No One Could Open The Door

Surprise, In Time, To Feel What's Real, What Ever Happened To Miss Independent's

No Longer Need To Be Defensive, Goodbye, Old You, When Love, Is True}

~Ya gotta be kiddin'. Me love someone, as if. Ah can't even touch a guy, let alone kiss him.~

{Misguided Heart, Miss Play It Smart, Miss If You Wanna Use That Line, You Better Not Start

But She Miscalculated, She Didn't Wanna End Up Jaded

And This Miss Decided Not To Miss Out On True Love

So, By Changing A Misconception, She Went In A New Direction

And Found Inside, She Felt A Connection, She Fell In Love}

~Well, it ain't like mah powers are gonna change just so Ah can find love. To bad it's just wishful thinkin' that they would.

{What Is This Feeling Taking Over, Thinking No One Could Open The Door

Surprise, It's Time, To Feel What's Real, What Happened To Miss Independent's

No Longer Need To Be Defensive, Goodbye, Old You, When Love, Is True}

~Yea, Ah had a crush once. That was a total waste, Scott is completely head over heels for Jean so Ah'd just be wastin' mah time waitin' for him.~

{When Miss Independent Walked Away, No Time For Love That Came Her Way

She Looked In The Mirror And Thought Today, What Happened To Miss No Longer Afraid

It Took Some Time For Her To See, How Beautiful Love Could Truly Be

No More Talk Of Why Can't That Be Me, I'm So Glad I've Finally Seen}

~See what, that Ah'll be spendin' the rest of my life alone. No one's ever gonna love me, the untouchable. That's the whole reason it can't be me.~

{What Is This Feeling Taking Over? Thinking No One Could Open The Door

Surprise, It's Time, To Feel What's Real, What Happened To Miss Independent's

No Longer Need To Be Defensive, Goodbye, Old You, When Love, Is True}

~What about that guy? The Cajun that works for Magneto. He didn't seem too worried about my powers. Nah, he wouldn't like me, Ah've only seen him a couple times an' the last time he just blew me off.~ Ever since we'd been exposed to the world as a bunch of freaks by Magneto, Ah'd been havin' a tough time keepin' mah thoughts from veering off to the Cajun. He had the most beautiful expressive red on black eyes, but never in a hundred years would Ah admit that to anybody. ~It just seemed weird; he'd had the opportunity to hurt me, but didn't take it. Then he went with Logan an' Sabertooth to help track me down. Why in the world would he do all that? All Ah know about him is that his codename was Gambit, he works for Magneto, an' that he might be a Cajun…an' that was just a hunch. That an' what Logan had told me from when they were chasing me to Tibet. Even from Logan's one-sided view of the whole thing, this guy seemed to really care. Nothing seems to make sense here. Ah mean, Ah couldn't possibly have a crush on the enemy, could Ah?~

It was just another day at the institute, another day where all Ah wanted was to be alone. It wasn't that hard either; nobody liked to hang around the girl who was responsible for releasing Apocalypse. Besides it was kinda nice to just sit out on the balcony an' look out over the bay. Ah just knew that Ah could count on Kitty or Kurt popping in an' breakin' up mah silence before to long though.

The smell of brimstone an' the sound of Kurt sayin', "Hey sis!" from right behind me brought me out of mah thoughts.

"Do ya always have to be poppin' in like that! Haven't ya ever heard of knockin'?"

"Sorry, the proff vants to see you pronto!"

~Ah, man. Now what did Ah do?~ "What does he want me for?"

"He didn't say, just that it vas important. Come on!" Pop! we were inside Professor Xavier's office before Ah could even tell Kurt that Ah had better things to be doing. At times Ah could swear he was more annoying than any other little brother on earth!

"You wanted me Professor?"

"Yes, I was wondering if maybe you could help me out a little bit. I've been using Cerebro to find out more information about Magneto's new team of mutants. I've learned that their names are Remy LeBeau of New Orleans, Piotr…~screw the rest of 'em. So his name is Remy, kinda cute, an' he really is a Cajun. Finally someone else who would know a good gumbo when he tasted one. Now what was the proff sayin'~…All of them are approximately the same age as the students here, but their powers seem to be very well developed."

"Ah don't understand what that's got to do with me though."

"I was wondering if you still had any of their memories. If so, they might lead us to Magneto."

"Oh," ~Oh, shit! Don't start thinkin' about him, 'cause then the professor will know about everything Ah've been trying so hard to keep him from knowing!~

Is there something you would like to tell me, Rogue?

~Damn telepaths always gettin' inside mah head.~ Nope.

~Oh, here we go again with the look of disappointment when he knows Ah'm lyin'. Oh, well, Ah'll just have to deal with the guilt later, 'cause if Ah don't get out of here now he's gonna really start diggin' into my head.~ "I gotta go, Professor," an' Ah nearly mowed Kurt down as Ah ran out the office.

"Hey, hold up there Stripes. Where do you think you're going?"

Just mah luck, Ah had to run into Logan. "To take a walk. Can Ah go now?"

"Sure, but I'm gonna come with you." Grrr…Ah knew that was comin', ever since mah little identity crisis, Logan barely let me outta his sight. At first it was kinda nice, but now, now it was just plain annoyin'.

"Ah really just need be alone right now," an' Ah did need to be alone. If Ah didn't get mah thoughts straightened out soon, the professor or stupid Jean would finally figure out that Ah had a crush on the enemy. Ah tried to pass Logan but he was bein' difficult today.

"Look, I can't let you go wandering around the grounds by yourself. You're an easy target for Magneto, or any other mutant hater at that."

"What are ya sayin', Ah can't look after myself?" What was it with everybody treatin' me like some kinda baby lately. "Look, nobody treated Jean like this after her little breakdown. Why do Ah get the special treatment? An' stop acting like you're mah father or something."

"We're just concerned, that's all," he said in depressed voice. ~Ah, shit, Ah've gone an' hurt his feelings now.~ "Besides, Jean wasn't the one used to release Apocalypse." ~Who cares about his feelings. Why'd he have to go an' bring that up!~

"Look, Ah'm fine. Ah just don't feel like bein' cooped up inside any longer. Ya know how Ah feel about crowds." That usually did the trick an' this time was no different 'cause he just stepped aside an' let me go.

Outside it was beautiful, the breeze comin' off the bay swept mah white streaks into mah face, but Ah didn't care. Before Ah knew it Ah had passed through Ororo's gardens an' was at the edge of the forest. Here it was shaded an' Ah could just sit up in a tree an' think for a while…about the Cajun.

GAMBIT

~Damn Egypt, damn Apocalypse, and damn Magneto for making us go to Egypt to find Apocalypse. But non, I'd never damn Cherie for releasing Apocalypse, it wasn't her fault. She's too goddamned beautiful to be at blame. Da Cajun must be losing his touch, if I'm a fallin' for that sweet redhead. Back in New Orleans it had driven Bella nuts when da girls just lined up to talk to me. But who could blame them for lovin' de Gambit. Hmm…wonder what de Cherie is a doin' now? What the hell…I need some air after bein' trapped in t'is metal rattrap for so long. Besides I won't get another chance till Magneto decides we're done looking for Apocalypse.~

"Where do you think you're going, Mate? We're supposed to packing equipment for in Egypt"

"Out."

Rogue

~What, it's dark already. Ah must a fallen asleep or somethin' up in this tree.~ "Oomph," Ah jumped down from the tree with Logan's agility. His powers always seemed to stick. Ah think he plans it that way…it's his way of protectin' me, but Ah don't know how he stands the whole super hearing an' scent thing. ~Well, if Logan was worried before, Ah'm surprised he ain't huntin' me down yet.~ *Crack. ~What was that? Ok, calm down just a twig breakin'. Why's a twig breakin' out here when Ah'm all alone?!?! Ok, don't panic, Rogue, just a squirrel or somthin'.~ "Who's out there? Wolverine is that you? Come on, this ain't funny." ~It's to damn dark to see who…or what…is out there. Ah man…are those eyes over there. Can't be…it's just my imagination that Ah'm seein' glowin' eyes right? Well, Ah ain't takin' any chances.~ With that decided, Ah turned an' ran the entire way back to the mansion.

Not until Ah'd locked the door an' set the alarm did Ah turn an' look back to the edge of the forest. There leanin' against a tree was the Cajun fiddlin' with his deck of cards. He looked just as handsome as when Ah first saw him. He had on a blue an' red silk shirt an' brown trench coat, his brown hair was mussed up, an' he wore a cocky grin just like always. Ah was too shocked to do anythin' but watch him turn an' walk back into the darkness of the trees. ~He must a been the one in the woods that scared me, but how'd he find the institute, an' why's he alone?

Gambit

~Damn fool, why'd ya go an' scare her like that. Shoulda' known your eyes would spook her being so dark and all. Great, the maniacs are all here—Pyro is so obnoxious, Piotr would be alright if he actually talked, and Sabertooth, well Sabertooth is just a freak.~

"Well mates, what do you know, the Cajun finally returns. The sheila must be some looker for you to go sneaking down under without telling Magneto. You're a dead man walking, Mate."

"It's none of your business, Pyro. But for your information, I was doing some work on the side. Some of us can actually pull some jobs on our own."

"Yea, well lets see your great haul. What do you have this time…a few measly wallets that you managed to swipe."

Shit that's all I did have, "Ya t'ink I'm stupid. Non, I stashed the stuff. I'll get it later after we're done cleaning up t'is Apocalypse crap."

"It won't be that easy, my friend." ~Woah, the Russian really could talk.~ "I believe that even Magneto fears him, so this shall be no easy task."

"Who is it that I fear? I'll tell you now if you have any doubts left in your mind. As a higher evolutionary, I fear no one. Not Apocalypse, not Charles Xavier, not even the X-Men as a whole. They are nothing compared to me." ~Boy, does Magneto have an ego problem that needs dealing with. Then again a lot would say the same for me.~ "I suggest you all get a good nights sleep because we're leaving first thing in the morning for Egypt. We will find Apocalypse, and we will stop him, is that understood."

"Yea, whatever messiur. So long as we can take a vacation when we get back.." With that I left. I had t'inking to do and could of cared less that Magneto was now pissed at me.

I walked along the bleak metal halls till I found my room. Everything here was metal so not even the master t'ief couldn't sneak along; a damn clanging echo followed every step. I collapsed onto my bed, it had been a long bike ride back from Bayville, but then it was not'ing compared to the distance across the Atlantic Ocean. ~ Damn Apocalypse, Magneto, and Egypt. Why do they have to take me so far away from the beautiful cheri? She seemed like an angel sitting aloft in that tree. I was afraid that when she stared straight at me for that moment she would recognize me and call for Wolverine. What is it about that girl that's driving me insane…that little miss independent isn't anything special, or is she?