Disclaimer: I do not own the x-men

Bayville was probably the most boring city in all of America. At least that was how one, Remy LeBeau, felt towards the place. It was not his glorious beloved New Orleans . . . no comparison. New Orleans was a crazy city that spun you around with a carousel of color and experiences. It was life and all things sinfully wonderful. Bayville on the other hand was like the last hour in High School right before the bell rang, but that bell would never ring.

It was an honest and decent town . . . the kind of place where you raised closed minded cookie cutter children. Even the fact that there was a school full of mutant students did nothing to shake this city into life. It had done its small trembling over the fact long ago. Most of its citizen turned the other way pretended that they were not in their quiet city. Certainly, they passed their laws trying to ban mutants from their school . . . wouldn't want little Jimmy and Sarah to actually have their views and beliefs challenged no would we?

Remy had no real idea why he was in Bayville . . . maybe it was the fact that people were not too fond of him back in his femme of a city New Orleans. It felt odd to be back in the sleepy town of Bayville after so many years. If fact, the last time he set foot in the city was right before he stole a belle femme from her home for a joyride.

Thinking about her brought a smile to Remy's lips. His fiery and sassy chere . . . she was sin incarnate with those gorgeous pools of emerald for eyes and those sweet curves. Her temptation was only heightened by the fact that she was forbidden fruit . . . untouchable. The concept was enough to make his thieving fingers itch like a cocaine addict.

Two years since he had seen his firecracker. There was no doubt that she would be blossoming in early womanhood. If she was mouthwatering before . . . well Remy was not certain his poor eyes could take it now. He planned to check in on her as soon as he was situated. Maybe he would even get a little show watching her outside her bedroom window. Remy sighed his eyes leisurely scanned the parking lot ahead.

"Hello, Gambit," a coarse voice of a woman greeted behind him. Remy twirled with a face full of smiles. The woman before was unrecognizable, but then again . . . that happened to him a lot. It was the girl's use of his code name that had his on edge. She was a tall leggy blonde in a plain woman's dress suit.

"Oui, petite," he said putting on his charm. The woman before him frowned, which was not his usual response from a femme.

"I have some things I would like to discuss with you, Mr. LeBeau." She said slowly.

"D'accord . . . Remy's all ears," he said. His mind was trying to recall this woman since she apparently knew him. She did not look like an x-men. She pursued her lips at him and did a quick scan of their surroundings. The next instant her body changed. Smooth white skin turned scaly and blue. Her hair transformed into a deep blood red color. The previously blue eyes were now amber. "Mystique," Remy said in acknowledgement intent of leaving as soon as possible. He wanted nothing to do with this crazy femme. He turned to leave, but the blue skinned woman reached out and latched onto his shoulder. Remy twirled on her and made a half-hearted swing he knew she would dodge.

"Please, it's about Rogue." Mystique said with no real plea in her voice. Her statement had the desired effect because Remy straightened and gave the femme a look over trying to measure her up to try and see a giveaway in her posture.

"What about chere?" he asked. Mystique smiled like a cat about to swallow a carnie whole, but Remy did not back down.

"Her life is in danger . . . you are the only one who can save her . . . my daughter." She said. Remy scoffed at the word "daughter" he knew all about this woman's relationship to the stripped haired southern belle.

"How can Remy be the only one able t' help. Ya claim ta be da girl's mère, why don't ya do somethin'?" he demanded. Mystique snarled at him and raised her fists as if to attempt to strike him.

"Perhaps I can explain," a soft voice said from inside a parked black car. Remy watched as the door opened and an aging woman emerged. She had pepper colored hair and a thick pair of sunglasses covered her eyes. In her hand was a walking stick for the blind. Remy knew who she was instantly; after all he had read all of Magneto's files. She was certain in her steps and came close to Remy with a small smile on her lips.

"Remy LeBeau . . . I know you know who I am so let's just get straight to the point. Rogue's powers are evolving and spinning out of her control. If you do not intervene she will be dead within a year and a half. The x-men can do nothing to help her, but you can." She explained slowly. Remy took a minute to soak everything she said in. He knew Destiny saw many futures and paths that a person's life could take, but was she telling the truth?

"Remy think you are lying. Dis is just a plot ta control de femme right?" he demanded. He reached into his trench and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and with a spark of his finger light the end. He inhaled deeply, and instantly his tense muscles relaxed.

"I can show you. You have the capability of precognition . . . you have used it yourself a time or two. It's an uncontrolled power, but there nonetheless. I can show you how she will die if you do not step in to save her. Don't you owe her something? A life for a life . . . isn't that your code? She endangered herself to help you and your father . . . and she did it knowing the truth." The blind woman pressed. Remy scowled with doubt.

"How?" he asked. He at least owed that much to his chere . . . to see for himself. The woman before him held out her hand with a comforting smile.

"Take my hand . . . please, I do not want what I have seen come to pass." She said. Remy cautiously reached out and placed his hand on top of hers.

She was everyone and everything all at once. Voices . . . so many voices all screamed in one disjoint and unharmonious symphony. She was tired . . . oh so tired as her head threatened to explode. If only she could find a moment of peace . . . quiet. She had to endure . . . she was mother, daughter, sister, son, father, murderer, sinner and so many things more all at once. Yes, that was who she was . . . everyone that had even had the misfortune to brush against her skin.

Her body just could not take anymore. She hardly remembered who she was anymore . . . her own personality and memories where overshadowed by the others. All that was left of her was them, and the only thing that remained was a name. She was the Rogue even while dying, but that was a given. Even when she forgot who she was . . . she was still the Rogue.

No one had to tell her she was dying . . . her bones felt it. She wanted to scream and cry . . . to break down. But that would be against the person she was . . . a dishonor to the memory of a life before all this. A gargled chock escaped her lips as she rocked on the tiled floor. The room was blindingly white . . . like fresh snow.

She would not cry . . . that was the control over the only thing that still remained hers, her tears. It was her final middle finger to the world. She would not force her loved ones to listen to the sounds of anguish that would surely escape her lips if only she would allow it. No, it was difficult enough for them to watch her die.

A tremble worked from her head to her toes and then extreme heat. It had been a while had it not? A distant laugh emitted from her throat . . . it was a hollow sound. Suddenly her body burst into flames. They licked at her skin burning without leaving a mark. Pain engulfed her whole being as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her mouth was open, but no scream came out. No, they could not take that.

"Rogue," a voice said urgently on the intercom. It was funny that the girl who could not ever touch was now exiled to a room by herself. Now she could not even look at what she could never have. It took a while for the voice to register. Perhaps if he had used the nickname it would have registered quicker.

She could not answer him. She hoped Logan was the only person in the observatory room. Then the flames extinguished as if they were never there leaving behind unblemished skin and intact clothes. The girl collapsed to the floor and took comfort in the cool tile against her cheek. Her breath came out in raspy pants . . . like a dog.

"Stripes," the intercom voice pressed. She could not respond . . . too many languages . . . voices. Instead of answering she slowly turned her face towards the camera in the corner. She offered no facial expression, just an unwavering stare. He would get it. Rogue rolled over onto her back and stared up at the white ceiling.

It would not be long . . . there was a constant parade of people in the room safely away from her. They were people that once mattered, saying goodbye. The voices . . . why could they just stop and give her one second? That would be an eternity to her.

Then searing hot pain coursed through her whole body as large spikes ripped through her flesh. Red blood spurted everywhere painting the white room with red. Rogue arched off the floor gasping for air as her body became wet and slick with warm red blood.

The doors flung open as a short older man and a blue fuzzy man came running in like madmen. They were racing against an hourglass. The girl sniffed the air as the man known as Wolverine approached.

"Shit! Kid . . . I'm going to touch you so that you can absorb my healing powers," Logan said.

"Rogue . . . Schwester," Kurt said as he cautiously approached. A woman with red hair entered the room as Logan slowly edged towards the bleeding girl. Rogue's teeth turned to sharp points as her green eyes turned amber.

"Logan . . . Rogue is not in control . . ." Jean cautioned. Rogue leapt to her feet before the Canadian man could offer her a lifesaving touch.

"Wolverine," the girl growled as her eyes narrowed in on the man. "Fight me!" she snarled with a voice that was not her own.

"Kurt . . . can you get me closer?" Logan asked. The blue mutant nodded mutely with large eyes full of fear. Before they could do anything, Rogue used a power stolen from the redhead and slammed her brother against the wall. Her eyes glowed white as she lifted the man full of metal into the air.

"Red . . . do something!" Logan called. Jean placed one hand to her head while the other extended to Rogue.

"You want in my head? Well . . . Red . . . come on in sugah . . . like you could like handle . . . mon tête! (my head)" Rogue screamed in unison with many voices. Jean cried out as her face crumbled into pain and she collapsed into a heap on the floor. Kurt managed to wake up from his momentary loss of consciousness.

"Stripes get a hold of yourself! Elf . . . go get Hank. Bring some blood for Rogue, she's going to bleed out," Logan said still in the air. A second later Kurt teleported away for reinforcements. "Kid . . . please let me touch you and heal yourself. You're going to die!" The next minute he screamed as Rogue used Magneto's power shoot his claws out of his hand and apart from each other.

Rogue smiled and licked her lips that were spattered with blood . . . her blood. Her eyes were solid black . . . too many colors and hues mixed together. So many of them . . . voices. She felt joy at seeing the red . . . like a shark. She smiled as the floor began to shake and rip apart. Destruction . . . was beautiful. That was when Kurt popped back into the room with Hank in tow.

"Hank . . . she's bleeding out," Logan gasped through his pain. Kurt teleported over to his sister only to fall right through her body and onto the floor.

"Rogue . . . you are not being yourself. Please, child let us help you. Do you want to die?" Hank demanded while setting up the blood. Yes, that was what she wanted . . . peace. But, the pain of those in the room hit her as another power coursed through her body, empathy. It was enough to shock her back. Her head was light . . . and the voices were muted. The ape like man approached the brunette as calmly as possible. However, when he got close he was thrown back with a burst of wind. The equipment he was caring scatters across the room.

"Rogue! Please!" Kurt begged crouched to lunge at her.

"Ah can't! There's too many and I'm too tired," she whispered. The voice was finally her own if only for a moment.

"Stripes let me go. You have to absorb me!" Logan growled. Panic was laced in his voice. Rogue panted . . . they wanted too much. They would take away everything if she let them. She concentrated and dropped the Canadian to the floor. In that moment she collapsed to the ground. Her heart was racing . . . pounding wildly. Logan was at her side instantly as was her brother. His fingers touched her skin . . . and . . . nothing.

"Why isn't it working?" Kurt screamed. Logan picked the girl up into his arms while his whole palm resting on her cheek.

"Absorb me kid!" he commanded. A small groan escaped her lips. She was slipping . . . darkness threatened to swallow her whole. "Hank!"

"Logan, do something!" Kurt demanded tears pouring down his face.

"Don't cry, it's okay," Rogue mumbled. Then her body went slack in Logan's arms and her breath rushed out of her lungs.

"No! You can't die!" Logan cried out. He yanked her still body to him and pressed her cheek against her face. She could not be gone . . . she was still a baby . . . a child who never saw the world. Hank crawled over to the three of them. His hands reached for her wrist checking for a pulse that was not there.

"Oh God . . . please tell me she isn't . . . Rogue isn't," Jean stuttered tears rolling freely down her cheeks.

"Rogue," Logan cried out. Never before had the strong and invincible Canadian cried. But this small frail girl moved him to tears. She was like a daughter . . . no she was his daughter in his heart. He pulled back and placed a tender kiss on her forehead while his body shook. No sooner had he gently placed her on the floor did her brother collapse onto her while his arms wrapping around her shoulders.

"Meine Schwester," he cried. Never before had he ever been able to hold her until now. There was no life so her mutation that kept her away from people was quiet.

"She's no longer in pain," Hank whispered fighting back his own tears. He looked at the miss mashed family the girl was leaving behind. She was family to all of them, but no one would suffer more at her loss than the two men before him.

"I'll . . . I'll get the . . . Professor . . . he'll . . ." Jean said standing in the doorway without moving. There was nothing anyone could do . . . it would not bring her back, Rogue.

Remy gasped for breath on the ground at Destiny's feet. He gingerly reached up touch the wetness pouring down his cheeks. He would not let what he just saw come to pass. He would do whatever was needed to keep her alive. His eyes shot upwards to the seer.

"Difficult to watch is it not? Rogue's life is at a crossroad right now. One path leads to what you have seen. If you help her she will have many paths ahead to choose from . . . she will have life. I beg you not to let my daughter die." Destiny pleaded. If Remy was not so upset by what he saw he would have cracked a joke about Rogue having two mommies.

"What do I need to do?" he asked. He stayed seated on the ground unsure if his legs could hold him up at the moment.

"You need to get her away from the x-men," she replied. Mystique shuffled on her feet not far away. She looked anxious.

"Dat simple? Where do I take chere?" he demanded.

"To New Orleans, of course. Your family is suffering there. Asking Rouge for help will be the only way she will agree to go with you. The x-men will figure out that she is with you fast, but only one of them will think you have taken her back there. We will distract them from pursuing you. Keep Rogue away from them and with you. Everything else will fall into place." Destiny explained.

"So, no pressure?" Remy said with a chuckle. He reached into his coat for another cigarette.

I know its been a really long time since I touched this story. I'm going through and editing all the chapters. Then I will staart posting again. I have a lot going on and this story just sort pf got away from me. But I'm pick it back up now. The newest chapter will be up after I edit what has already been posted.