Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I making any money from, the X-Men
characters. Thanks also to my good friend Corrinth for the use of the
character Ilehana Xavier.
A/N: Okay, last chapter. Just to say thanks again to Corrinth, and to all my reviewers, thanks for your input, feedback and encouragement. I hope that you have all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it? Bye for now- Lamby**
Scene Nineteen
"Much as I would love to let you stay here, Gambit, this is a school and you are still an escaped criminal..."
"I know, Professor. I know. Just gimme one more day..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The basketball rattled through the hoop yet again and Wolverine scowled heavily at his opponent.
"What you grinnin' at, Cajun?"
"Maybe this not your game eh Wolverine? A little too short..." Gambit smiled amicably at Logan. The sun shone down hazily on the Xavier mansion, a last brief taste of summer before autumn turned stormy and cold. On a low wall by the basketball court Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee sat giggling as they watched Logan, Scott, Bobby and Gambit play basketball. Gambit and Cyclops were winning comfortably and Logan didn't like it.
"We'll see about that, Cajun..."
"What? Now you threaten Gambit?"
"Hey guys, are we playing here or what?" Bobby called out from down the court.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the doorway of the mansion, Storm and Blaze emerged casually. Ororo's wounded arm lay fast in a sling, it was healing well according to Ilehana, but still it caused her much pain. Never complaining she bore it well, but Blaze's blooming telepathy meant she felt much of her friend's weariness.
For a moment they stood in silence, watching as Gambit stopped playing to chat flirtatiously with the girls sat on the wall. All three were looking up at him with big girly eyes and Bobby was fuming. Impatiently he hurled the basketball at the back of Gambit's head.
**Duck! ** Blaze ordered her old friend. He did so, and the ball went bouncing off into the distance. Wolverine cackled with laughter and even Scott was grinning, even if Bobby didn't seem too amused. **Stop flirting Remy, or Bobby'll explode. **
** Sorry Petite. ** He was laughing too. A child threw the ball back and Gambit caught it, returning to the game.
"Sometimes..." Blaze sighed. Storm spoke musically.
"He doesn't mean to hurt you Blaze, he cares for you."
"What, now everyone's a telepath?" Blaze returned her friend's smile. "Nah, I know. He's just a flirt, and a joker, and a damn good friend. I wouldn't want him to change, not ever."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She walked towards him then, long grey-black skirt brushing the ground at the back, opening in a split to above her knees at the front. The grey strappy vest she wore had black lace trim, and her hair was loose like golden mist around her shoulders. She looked stunning, and more than that she looked happy here. At the back of his mind Gambit felt dark clouds gathering. He pushed them away; he would deal with them later. Instead he left the basketball court, feeling kinda scruffy in a pair of Cyclops' worn blue jeans and white t-shirt.
**You look good little one, but I think I prefer the black uniform...** He put a picture in her head that would have made Wolverine blush, but she only laughed out loud.
** You're impossible! ** He shrugged, grinning.
They walked together away from the mansion and the X-Men who were exchanging knowing glances. They made their way side by side to the gazebo, and past it to the hidden lawn where Blaze had first met Nightcrawler.
"You speak with the Professor?" She asked him aloud.
"Yeah." She knew the verdict before he spoke. "He won't hide me here, an' I understand why. Too many problems, too many people to protect." He touched her chin with a finger, before wiping away a single glistening tear from her cheek.
"Where will you go then?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from breaking.
"The Professor's called the prison. I go back tonight. Somehow he convinced them to ignore this lil' episode. Five months, one week and three days and I'm a free man for good."
They spoke no more of the inevitable, instead sharing opinions and memories and laughter like they had never been apart...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The police car appeared at the end of the drive as the sun was setting behind the mansion. Cyclops went to meet it with a bottle of soda in his hand. Somehow since the mission yesterday he hadn't felt like drinking. He still missed Jean with an ache that was crippling, but somewhere inside him he knew that it wasn't the end. He still had his job to do, his job as an X- Man.
"Five months little one, that's all." Gambit hugged Blaze close.
"I know, and what's five months compared to the seventeen you've been away already?"
"Exactly." He released her and smiled. **You keep in touch though too, Amie? **
** Of course. ** She hesitated a moment. **But I don't know if I can work this long distance. **
** But its not far from here to...**
**I'm going home, Remy. Back to England. I realised I don't even know where my parents are buried. I want to show them all I've learnt, and to say goodbye. **
He hugged her again, knowing how difficult she had found that decision.
**Just you make sure you are back to meet Gambit when he comes out, okay? ** Remy smiled, and Blaze smiled right back.
**It's a date. **
He left her then, walking down to the waiting policemen. One of them put their hand on Remy's head, pushing him into the back of the vehicle. The other thanked Cyclops for the school's help, though he appeared quite vacant. Cyclops returned the thanks, knowing the Professor was working overtime in Cerebro to pull this off for Gambit. No questions asked, no extended sentence, like all this never happened. Cyclops smiled to himself, the Professor really was one of a kind. It made him proud to be an X-Man.
**Blaze? ** The car began to pull away as Gambit called out to her one last time.
**Remy. **
**I got one question, Amie. What's your real name?"
For a moment Blaze wanted to refuse to tell him. She hadn't used her real name since she left home all those years ago. But then if she was to go back...
** I'd really like to know Blaze. ** He didn't force her, just showed her a little of how much it would mean to him that she trust him that much...Trust is such a powerful word.....
** It's Laura. Just Laura...**
She felt his gratitude, but already the link was fading a little. She couldn't sustain it for long consciously yet. Still, there was plenty of time to learn. Silently Scott came to walk next to Blaze as she headed back to the mansion. Five months, plenty of time to expand her powers, become a hero, and to join the ranks of the X-Men.
**The End**
A/N: Okay, last chapter. Just to say thanks again to Corrinth, and to all my reviewers, thanks for your input, feedback and encouragement. I hope that you have all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it? Bye for now- Lamby**
Scene Nineteen
"Much as I would love to let you stay here, Gambit, this is a school and you are still an escaped criminal..."
"I know, Professor. I know. Just gimme one more day..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The basketball rattled through the hoop yet again and Wolverine scowled heavily at his opponent.
"What you grinnin' at, Cajun?"
"Maybe this not your game eh Wolverine? A little too short..." Gambit smiled amicably at Logan. The sun shone down hazily on the Xavier mansion, a last brief taste of summer before autumn turned stormy and cold. On a low wall by the basketball court Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee sat giggling as they watched Logan, Scott, Bobby and Gambit play basketball. Gambit and Cyclops were winning comfortably and Logan didn't like it.
"We'll see about that, Cajun..."
"What? Now you threaten Gambit?"
"Hey guys, are we playing here or what?" Bobby called out from down the court.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the doorway of the mansion, Storm and Blaze emerged casually. Ororo's wounded arm lay fast in a sling, it was healing well according to Ilehana, but still it caused her much pain. Never complaining she bore it well, but Blaze's blooming telepathy meant she felt much of her friend's weariness.
For a moment they stood in silence, watching as Gambit stopped playing to chat flirtatiously with the girls sat on the wall. All three were looking up at him with big girly eyes and Bobby was fuming. Impatiently he hurled the basketball at the back of Gambit's head.
**Duck! ** Blaze ordered her old friend. He did so, and the ball went bouncing off into the distance. Wolverine cackled with laughter and even Scott was grinning, even if Bobby didn't seem too amused. **Stop flirting Remy, or Bobby'll explode. **
** Sorry Petite. ** He was laughing too. A child threw the ball back and Gambit caught it, returning to the game.
"Sometimes..." Blaze sighed. Storm spoke musically.
"He doesn't mean to hurt you Blaze, he cares for you."
"What, now everyone's a telepath?" Blaze returned her friend's smile. "Nah, I know. He's just a flirt, and a joker, and a damn good friend. I wouldn't want him to change, not ever."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She walked towards him then, long grey-black skirt brushing the ground at the back, opening in a split to above her knees at the front. The grey strappy vest she wore had black lace trim, and her hair was loose like golden mist around her shoulders. She looked stunning, and more than that she looked happy here. At the back of his mind Gambit felt dark clouds gathering. He pushed them away; he would deal with them later. Instead he left the basketball court, feeling kinda scruffy in a pair of Cyclops' worn blue jeans and white t-shirt.
**You look good little one, but I think I prefer the black uniform...** He put a picture in her head that would have made Wolverine blush, but she only laughed out loud.
** You're impossible! ** He shrugged, grinning.
They walked together away from the mansion and the X-Men who were exchanging knowing glances. They made their way side by side to the gazebo, and past it to the hidden lawn where Blaze had first met Nightcrawler.
"You speak with the Professor?" She asked him aloud.
"Yeah." She knew the verdict before he spoke. "He won't hide me here, an' I understand why. Too many problems, too many people to protect." He touched her chin with a finger, before wiping away a single glistening tear from her cheek.
"Where will you go then?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from breaking.
"The Professor's called the prison. I go back tonight. Somehow he convinced them to ignore this lil' episode. Five months, one week and three days and I'm a free man for good."
They spoke no more of the inevitable, instead sharing opinions and memories and laughter like they had never been apart...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The police car appeared at the end of the drive as the sun was setting behind the mansion. Cyclops went to meet it with a bottle of soda in his hand. Somehow since the mission yesterday he hadn't felt like drinking. He still missed Jean with an ache that was crippling, but somewhere inside him he knew that it wasn't the end. He still had his job to do, his job as an X- Man.
"Five months little one, that's all." Gambit hugged Blaze close.
"I know, and what's five months compared to the seventeen you've been away already?"
"Exactly." He released her and smiled. **You keep in touch though too, Amie? **
** Of course. ** She hesitated a moment. **But I don't know if I can work this long distance. **
** But its not far from here to...**
**I'm going home, Remy. Back to England. I realised I don't even know where my parents are buried. I want to show them all I've learnt, and to say goodbye. **
He hugged her again, knowing how difficult she had found that decision.
**Just you make sure you are back to meet Gambit when he comes out, okay? ** Remy smiled, and Blaze smiled right back.
**It's a date. **
He left her then, walking down to the waiting policemen. One of them put their hand on Remy's head, pushing him into the back of the vehicle. The other thanked Cyclops for the school's help, though he appeared quite vacant. Cyclops returned the thanks, knowing the Professor was working overtime in Cerebro to pull this off for Gambit. No questions asked, no extended sentence, like all this never happened. Cyclops smiled to himself, the Professor really was one of a kind. It made him proud to be an X-Man.
**Blaze? ** The car began to pull away as Gambit called out to her one last time.
**Remy. **
**I got one question, Amie. What's your real name?"
For a moment Blaze wanted to refuse to tell him. She hadn't used her real name since she left home all those years ago. But then if she was to go back...
** I'd really like to know Blaze. ** He didn't force her, just showed her a little of how much it would mean to him that she trust him that much...Trust is such a powerful word.....
** It's Laura. Just Laura...**
She felt his gratitude, but already the link was fading a little. She couldn't sustain it for long consciously yet. Still, there was plenty of time to learn. Silently Scott came to walk next to Blaze as she headed back to the mansion. Five months, plenty of time to expand her powers, become a hero, and to join the ranks of the X-Men.
**The End**