Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When they left for the mission, Rogue already knew things were going to go south as soon as they got there. Hell, they all knew.

The plan was discussed thoroughly, calls and choices were made.

They all agreed that their mission was not to defeat Apocalypse, or even destroy his base-of-operation. Logan's team (they called it Logan's, despite Scott being in it) was all about just distracting the bastard, for that matter. Not killing, not putting down, not depowering him. Distracting.

After long talks about what was right and what was wrong, what they desperately needed and wanted to do, it was Cyclops who put an end to the debate.

"We take him and go. No fighting more than necessary."

No one objected. Even Wolverine kept his silence, no witty commentary about Cyke's fear of battle. He was more than okay with the opportunity to stick his claws in Apocalypse's ass. Rogue was a bit jealous at that, but they had a much more important task at hand.

Jean's team was in charge of securing Gambit. She, Storm and Rogue were to find and grab him, sending signal to the others so they all could make their escape. One of the biggest problem was the fact that they had no idea what state Gambit was in. After Rogue was able to get through to him via telepathy, Death was off the radars, not showing up alongside his "master" - who was very much pissed at the X-men for ruining his plans - or other Horsemen. Last time they clashed, Famine was beaten up good, War had new scars from adamantium claws and lightning strikes, and Rogue personally broke a couple of Pestilence's ribs when the bitch had the nerve saying they "corrupted their leader". It was all good signs - signs of Gambit still fighting on their side, despite being all monochrome.

What was worse were Apocalypse's words as he threatened Xavier during their brief mental battle to "make Death skin them raw once his son was in his mind again". Professor was furious enough for the mutant calling Gambit his son, but the promise of Death's return was something far worse. They had to move and quick.

Using the info, given them by Gambit, they figured out a course of action. The mission was daring, dangerous and nearly impossible to accomplish. Everyone was ready to improvise. And all of them agreed on one condition - not leaving anyone behind, just like they did right before being pulled apart by the time-travels. This time they hoped Bishop's services as a mutant-lost-in-the-timestream-collector were not necessary.

So here they were, flying through the Apocalypse's base, while others were busy kicking the bastard's ass, sounds of battle shaking the whole damn complex.

"Damn it, Scott, don't let this place collapse yet!" Rogue huffed, Jean's telepathic connection tying them all together to communicate.

"Sorry, Rogue," even Cyclops' inner voice sounded breathless. "Doing our best."

"Kinda busy up here!" they heard Wolverine grunt as another crash shook the walls.

"We're close," Jean declared, slowing her flight to let others catch up to her. Rogue looked around, frowning on her face, in search of doors or gateways, while Storm watched Jean focus. Red-head opened her eyes, pointing to one of the walls.

"Here. It's the closest I can get to him. The door is hidden, but Gambit must be somewhere behind it. We have to find how to open it-"

"Oh, Ah'll show'ya," Rogue growled, her smile a mix of cold fury and gamble. One solid punch, backed up by a rage cry and a swing of her body to give it more impulse, and the wall crumbled in front of them, dust and debris flying everywhere.

"Rogue!" Jubilee's voice squeaked into her ears, as Rogue shook her hand off, breathing heavily, Storm and Jean watching her in respectful surprise. "I thought you said no collapsing!"

"Sorry, sugah," she answered, as Storm summoned some wind to clear the view. "Had to."

They moved in slowly, cautious to repel any possible attack, but the room greeted them quietly. If not for still falling debris, of course.

It was some kind of laboratory, screens, scrolls and pages written in unknown language scattered all over the dark metallic floor. Rogue felt nausea build up inside her, feeling that the sight was familiar, but she shoved the feeling back down. Not now.

"You must've broken some kind of secret bookcase door," Jean muttered, looking over piles of books covered in dust. Storm moved further, to the other wall covered in shadows, while Rogue looked at the screens on the undamaged walls. She could not understand what was written on them, language far from any she's ever seen. But one of the pages pinned up to the wall suddenly caught her attention. It was a mix of English, French, Latin, and some other languages, completed with images from old books.

Scenes were gruesome, with people depicted in unnatural poses as if their bones were all broken, their mouths gaped open in fear and screams. Above all that, there were four horses, each one carrying a horseman. Hooves of one of the horses were dripping with blood and mouth with foam, the other one had its ribs all but sticking out through skin, and the third one had pustules all over its body. The fourth one was black as the night, no other peculiarities in sight. Its horseman, though, had shining red eyes, catching Rogue's attention as if the picture was staring right at her. Rogue felt shiver down her spine and stepped back, realizing it was from some old version of the Bible, so twisted it would've given Kurt nightmares for the rest of his life.

"What the-" she murmured under her breath, trying to shake the feeling of being watched off, when she heard a quiet groan from the other side of the room. Both Jean and Storm turned their heads at the sound as quickly as she did, and women glanced at each other briefly before bolting straight to its source.

There was another part of the laboratory, connected with the little library nook they used to enter through a giant round archway, similar to what they've seen in other corridors. It was a big room, full of machinery and cables, all connecting to some kind of metal pillar in the center. The eerie dim reddish light was shining right at it, highlighting the form of a mutant confined to it.

His upper half and his feet were bare, skin dustish gray, and his arms and waist were cuffed up to the pillar. His white hair was sticking to his face, as droplets of sweat flew down his body slowly. Something was sticking out from the pillar, hitting him on the base of his neck, right into his spine, yet he was able to turn his face towards them, his red eyes glowing in the semi darkness they were surrounded by, a glimpse of darkness in them.

"Bonjour, mesdames," he smiled, his bloodied teeth showing in process, as his voice, no louder than a whisper, broke the silence.

"Gambit!" Storm was the first to move, breaking out from the shock of the view. He followed her movement, his eyes lingering on Rogue for a bit, before he turned his head back to its original position. Storm took his face in her hands gently, eyeing the smudges of blood and sweat all over it. Gambit winced at the contact, even the smallest of movement hurting him, but let her. "What happened to you, brother?.."

"We have to get him out," Jean rasped, her throat tight as she struggled to breathe, trying to pull herself together and not lose control. She still needed to manage the telepathic connection.

"We found Gambit," Jean announced, her hands shaking as she put her fingers to the temples to focus. Image of Gambit cuffed to the metal pillar shot through all psyches connected, and the next second there was another explosion shaking the building. Now, that they've seen what Apocalypse's done to their friend, X-men were going on a rampage. Jean gulped, trying to keep a cool head, but it was hard. Almost impossible.

"Should we break the machine?" Storm suggested, looking around. Rogue, still blank-faced, moved forward ready to follow the idea through, but the sound of Gambit's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Non, der's... Der's a button..." he struggled to speak as much as he struggled to breathe, his eyelids sliding shut from exhaustion, but he was still trying. Storm nodded and moved to the side, where something of a control panel was. Rogue, still in shock, took a couple of steps in their direction, stopping in front of Gambit still hanging on the machine. She looked down, recognizing suddenly familiar metallic floors she saw in the fragment of his memories he gave her through his parting kiss. It was covered in dark blotches, most likely blood and sweat. Rogue felt an immediate need to lift off of the ground, to not touch the same floors Apocalypse walked on. So she flew up, hovering just inches from the ground, her face now on the same level as Gambit's. It was only now she looked up at his half-closed eyes, fully unaware of hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Mais, mon cœur..." Rogue was on the brink of fully breaking down, especially now, when she could see his face. Remy was smiling. He even chuckled, God bless his heart, and Rogue knew that laughing must've hurt him like hell. She felt her brows moving, her body finally recognising the source of enormous pain tearing it apart from inside. Her lips started to quiver, no matter how tight she pressed them together. "Lighten up... Tears don' suit you..."

There was a sudden sharp metallic noise and Gambit's shackles gave up, releasing his body, making it drop. Before he could reach the ground, Rogue caught him, her arms wrapped around his torso, firmly setting him against her chest. Remy just grunted before releasing a relieved breath. He dropped his head to the side, pressing his bloodied cheek to Rogue's shoulder. He could feel her tears drip from her chin to his arm and back, but had no strength to move and wipe them away. The thought of not-being-able-to-touch-her didn't even cross his mind.

"Ah'll kill him..." Rogue whispered right above his ear, her voice a mix of wrath and pain.

"We have to leave," Jean said coming up to Rogue and Gambit, her voice full of unease. Storm looked around the room, as another loud bang shook the walls and dust started falling from the ceiling. "This place is about to come down."

Rogue nodded, carefully shifting Remy in her arms to hold him bridal-style. Gambit groaned at the movement, a light chuckle in his voice slipping into a growl.

"Careful, chère," he breathed out, half-joke and half-plea. Rogue shot him a painful gaze as the Cajun let out another sigh, his head dropping on her shoulder again, and his eyes slid shut. He barely weighed anything.

"Let's go," Storm led them through the dust and debris of the building (there was significantly more of the latter than when they first got there), Rogue holding Gambit right behind her and Jean in the back.

They were close to getting out, getting away - and then the wall next to them shattered to pieces in another explosion. Jean covered them with a force field as Rogue pressed Gambit to her chest, hiding him from any threat. She bared her teeth, rage burning in her green eyes. Storm casted winds to clear the dust, and lounged upwards into the newly made hole. Jean and Rogue glanced at each other and followed, hearing familiar voices struggling in battle.

When they finally saw the others, it became quite clear they all needed to go. Jubilee was holding her bloodied arm, panting heavily, her shades shattered on the floor. Logan dropped from above, probably after riding War who just smashed into another wall, making the whole structure shake and make threatening noises. Morph was by Cyclops' side, helping him get up. Scott had his eyes shut, his visor broken in half, and from what it seemed Morph acted as his navigator, giving him directions to shoot.

"Cyke!" Rogue yelled, regretting it immediately, as Remy whined in her arms. Jean already bolted into the fight, stopping Famine's attack with her telekinesis and sending him in a flight to another hole in the walls. Storm rose even higher, her winds picking up as she flew above the battle, forming tornadoes to hold back remaining Horsemen. "We gotta go!"

"Rogue?!" Cyclops shouted back. He turned his face in their direction, and for a second Rogue feared he might look at them. The walls were crumbling, burying the War in the debris, as Pestilence, her legs broken, screamed in blind rage trying to crawl to Rogue's direction, making her fly up higher. She couldn't see Famine, him probably knocked out after Jean and Storm's interference, but somehow she felt like it wasn't the biggest problem right now. They needed to leave while there still was a chance. And they promised not to leave anyone behind.

"We got'em!" Rogue screamed over the winds, Gambit in her arms wincing at the loud sounds. She saw Scott nodding to her, telling something to Morph, getting on his unsteady legs and moving them all to retreat. Logan grabbed Jubilee, Storm came down to them to help, Jean moved to others to cover their escape. Suddenly, Rogue felt a barely there tug on her jacket, and looked down. Remy was grabbing it, his hand shaking violently, his eyes opened wide, staring nowhere.

"He's here."

And then all hell broke loose.

Rogue didn't know how Apocalypse managed to appear right behind her, but the next second she felt Remy being snatched from her arms with a pained scream, and she was tossed across the room with the force of a cannonball.

Gambit gasped for air, Apocalypse's hand grabbing him by the neck. Fresh blood streamed down his spine right from under the mutant's palm, where the wound left by the machine still was.

"STOP," his voice rumbled across the room as thunder, stopping them all in their tracks. X-men froze, watching in horror as Apocalypse made Gambit look at him, latter weakly trying to scratch his way out of the enemy's grasp with his bloodied fingers. Remy's face twitched as he was drowning in fear, anger and pain. Apocalypse, on the other hand, looked terrifyingly calm. "I SEE YOU STILL RESIST, MY SON."

"An' I see... You still need..." Gambit gasped for air once more, his eyes rolled back for a second, before his hands grasped on giant's fingers a bit steadier, letting him breathe. "Fuckin' breath mint."

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!" Rogue's rage cry made Apocalypse turn his head right in time to see the green-eyed fury punch him straight in the face, making him stumble back and drop Gambit. Storm caught him right before the wounded man hit the ground, taking him back to the others while Rogue beated the living shit out of Apocalypse, who was still stunned by her first strike.

"We can't go past him," Morph muttered, breathing heavily, when Storm lowered next to them, helping Gambit to sit on the ground. Jean quickly kneeled by his side, inspecting the wound on his neck. "How do we escape then?"

"Like this," Logan growled, letting his claws out. Scott frowned, but only put his hand on Wolverine's shoulder in silent agreement.

"Tell me where to look," Cyclops growled. Logan smirked.

"Just follow the sound of me dicing the bastard," he said before launching forward to help Rogue. Apocalypse had already recovered the shellshock she put him through and now was making her fly frantically just to not get caught. Morph took another deep breath before turning into Quicksilver and following Wolverine into the battle. Storm flew up high, her winds already picking up.

"Scott!" Jean called, making Cyclops stop and turn his head slightly. "Be careful."

Cyclops smiled at her voice and ran off to help the others. Jean looked back at Gambit, who was still hunched in front of her, his whole body shaking and paler than before. Despite thinking that him losing all that grayness was a good sign, Jean couldn't help but fear if it was a sign of exsanguination as well.

"Gambit?" Jubilee crawled closer to them, hesitantly staying an arm-length away. Gambit turned his head, giving her a tired smile that brought tears to her eyes.

"Hey, petite," he managed to whisper, as a loud bang shook the walls once again, making Jean cover them all with force field in case any debris started falling down. Gambit gulped, his throat dry as a desert, yet taste of blood and copper still on his tongue. They watched the battle unfold in front of them, and the feeling of helplessness was choking Remy far worse than Apocalypse ever could. "Jean. Help me."

"What?" Jean turned her face to him swiftly, eyeing his weak form, as Gambit sucked in the air through his teeth, moving to stand up. "Remy, don't! You lost lots of blood, you need to stay down!"

"Dey can't beat him on der own," Gambit hissed, his body shaking from the strain. Jean grabbed him by the shoulders, helping him stand, his bare feet scratching over broken metal and glass, leaving bloody smudges.

"What do you want to do?" she asked him in an alarmed voice, her eyes still watching him carefully. She felt the skin on her back crawl when Gambit's lips stretched into a wicked grin and he raised his hand. There, between his fingers, was the Queen of Hearts that Rogue would carry in the inside pocket of her jacket.

"Mais," he breathed out, his eyes flickering. "Play dem cards, 'a course."

Jean widened her eyes, seeing the card slowly lighting up in familiar pinkish purple she hadn't seen in ages. They saw his powers being corrupted by whatever Apocalypse has done to him, how his once bright energy pulsed with darkness during their fights, curling through the air like thick smoke. Stunned, she followed Remy's line of sight, realizing he was aiming straight at Apocalypse.

"I can charge it," Gambit choked on air, making Jubilee twitch and reach out to him, but he only shook his head, steading himself on his feet, Jean's hands still holding his shoulders. "But you need to help me send it. Can ya do it, chère?"

He looked at her, and in his eyes Jean suddenly saw something that shook her to the core. He wasn't only fighting with his body and exhaustion. Death was still there.

"Remy, your mind," Jean whispered in horror, looking into barren wasteland, where only rare flashes of memories were present, everything covered in gray ashes, winds knocking her down to her knees and trying to bury her along everything else. His mind was damaged, he barely clung to reality. There was a cold touch of Apocalypse, Jean could feel it all over herself, shackles they got him out of in the lab were nothing more than a shell of what was really happening. And good Lord, he was still fighting. She heard him. She heard them both.

"Can you do it, Jean?!" Gambit's voice pulled her out of his mind. She gasped for a moment, trying to understand where she was. The world suddenly felt brighter and louder than it did a moment before. Then Jean caught Jubilee's gaze, frightened, and Remy's, pleading.

"Yes. Yes, I-" she took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. Jean nodded once more, summoning her telekinetic abilities to steady Gambit's body, stop it from shaking and pulled away, letting him do his thing, while she merely supported him.

With Jean's powers steading him, aiming was far easier, but not as easy as he was used to. Not that he really remembered what exactly it felt to throw charged cards at opponents, but it felt... not exactly the same way. Yet, Gambit was willing to make it work. He just needed to wait for the perfect shot.

His eyes were shutting down alongside his lungs. His trembling breath somehow still was able to fill his chest with oxygen, but the scar - the only scar Gambit knew was on his body - burned like hell. Apocalypse built him anew, piece by piece, replacing his old broken parts with something of better use for his purposes, but he never replaced all of him. And that old part was fighting fiercely, clinging to the remnants of life still burning inside of him. Death was patient. He didn't mind. Apocalypse, on the other hand, did. It made him angry, made him try again and again.

Every new attempt at transformation had no effect other than a new blood pool under the machine. Gambit smiled at that. Apocalypse didn't know he'd already succeeded.

Because Death never liked taking orders. Never wished to be someone's slave. Random and unstoppable, as force of nature and deal of cards. Death was patient, just and inevitable.

So was Remy LeBeau.

The world slowed down. Gambit watched Apocalypse raise his giant hand, trying to grab Rogue in the air. He watched as Cyclops released the laser beam, striking their opponent's arm, pulling his attention from Rogue and Storm in the air, but it had little effect. He watched Wolverine and Morph getting closer to Apocalypse, prepared to attack, blood streaming down Logan's bare face. They were exhausted, hurting. There was so little fight in them left, their anger barely keeping them awake. Gambit watched Apocalypse stretch his lips in a blood freezing smile, as he simply waved his hand, sending Storm stumbling in the air. He watched him catching Wolverine halfway through his jump and squeezing his body, Logan's hoarse scream shaking the walls.

"No!" Rogue's voice pierced his ears.

Gambit took a breath - slow, so agonizingly slow - and moved. From the heart, right where the scar was, down through the shoulder, forearm, fingers... Tuned hum of energy screamed in his head as Gambit let it pour into the small form of a card he was holding. He let it go, impulse from the charge strong enough to make it bolt even without him throwing it. For a moment he couldn't hear a thing, only the sound of humming as the Queen of Hearts cut through the air, leaving a small pinkish trail of light behind.

Then it hit.

Blast was strong enough to send Apocalypse flying backwards, breaking the last wall that was holding the place together. The building shook one last time before it started crumbling, metal and stone raining down on them.

"Out!" Storm shouted, her winds picking Jubilee, Gambit and Jean up, as others stared at the hole in shock. "Now!"

Rogue shook her head before grabbing Cyclops and Wolverine and flying out, Morph right at her heels. The building collapsed behind them as soon as they hit the ground. They fell down one by one, panting and looking for each other in the dark and rumble of the night.

"WHAT..." Rogue turned her head sharply, her vision blurry, but she managed to spot the giant body of Apocalypse lying on the ground. Blood oozed from the hole in his chest, and Rogue wondered in horror, how the hell was he even able to speak. She pushed herself up when she suddenly realized there was someone standing next to Apocalypse.

Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the white hair and blood streaks on the light-gray skin of his back. Rogue stumbled over herself, getting to her feet, desperately trying to stop him in time. She couldn't find her voice to scream, just like in Genosha, as she watched him die the first time. The same wave of helplessness washed over her, as Apocalypse tried to grab him by his leg but grasped on air as he took a step to the side.

"MY SON..." Apocalypse watched him in terror, as Death slowly raised his hand, his open palm right above the giant's face.

"Call me son one more time," he gritted through his teeth and the deadly darkness seeped out from his skin like smoke, the air itself getting cold and dark and empty. Apocalypse took a gasp, inhaling it all. Death didn't move as the giant's body suddenly started to shudder, his skin glowing and darkening from the inside. A violent shake ran through him as Death's powers wracked him, energy tearing apart one who made it wrong, burning and biting and corrupting his very being. It didn't last longer than a moment. Then there was silence.

Gambit stumbled back, his legs giving in, and fell to his knees, his hands helplessly hitting the ground. He was shaking, his breathing ragged.

"Remy!" Rogue finally found her voice, falling on her knees right in front of him. Gambit's eyes were closed shut, as he pressed his hands to his head, his fingers curling into his still white hair. "Remy, please-"

Before her hands could reach him, his voice, raspy and growling, stopped her.

"Don't touch me!"

Rogue froze, her eyes wide opened in shock, as her mind repeated those words over and over again, new fuel to her worst nightmares.

Even worse, Gambit opened his eyes and they were glowing magenta so bright it was almost white, as his body started to light up as well.

"Remy?.." Rogue whispered, watching in horror as tears streamed down his face. It felt like he looked at her before Logan snatched her away, grabbing by the shoulder and pulling her behind him.

"Talk to us, Gumbo," Wolverine asked, an alarm in his voice covered by calmness. "What's happening?"

"Get me in de air," Gambit managed, his arms moving to curl around his torso. The light was spreading throughout his whole body, shining brighter with every moment.

"What?" Rogue heard someone's voice, half-sure it was her own.

"Step away!" Storm called out to them, Logan instantly pulling Rogue even further. The ground beneath their feet was starting to light up too.

"Get me in de air, dammit!" Gambit pleaded angrily, his body violently shaking. Jean lifted her head, reaching for his mind telepathically - and it was in crumbles. Fine sand of memories cut her skin in a raging tornado, as one thought pulsed in Gambit's head as an inflamed wound.

"Move!" Jean yelled, grabbing Gambit with her telekinesis and lifting him from the ground. Rogue yelped, her hand outstretched towards him, but Logan grabbed her by the shoulders, not letting her move.

The sound of a scream deafened them all, as the bright flash lit up the night sky, making them turn away.

It all ended in a moment. Silence fell down on them, as the light burned away, leaving them breathless, half-blinded, terrified.

Morph turned into themselves, previously covering Jubilee and Scott as Juggernaut, and panted heavily, as others slowly moved towards the source of the explosion.

Jean was standing there, still holding Gambit in the air with her powers. Rogue pushed Wolverine aside and flew straight up to him, tears in her eyes, her voice choked as she cried out his name.

"Remy!"

He was unconscious. His auburn hair waved slowly as if he was underwater. His skin, paler than usual, was normal color, covered in blood smudges. Rogue felt her face twitch in pain, when she carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him close.

"Don't do this, Cajun," she pleaded under her breath. "Not again, Remy, please..."

"Is he?.." Cyclops still couldn't see, but the sounds were enough to keep him aware and alarmed. Logan, grunting, walked towards them, letting Jubilee grab him by the arm and hide her face in his shoulder.

"No," Jean answered flatly, lonely tears sliding down her cheeks, as she watched Rogue slowly sink to the ground, Gambit in her arms, no longer held by telekinesis. Storm slowly walked towards them, kneeling beside them and covering Gambit with her cape, his last clothing gone in the explosion. "No, he is alive. But his mind..."

"What about it?" Logan asked, watching women taking care of the Cajun, Jubilee quietly sobbing in his shoulder. Wolverine raised his hand and patted the girl's back, trying to give her some form of comfort in this chaos.

"It's broken, Logan," Jean sobbed, tears finally reaching the point of breaking the dam. Scott, unsteady on his legs, gently took her hand into his, and Jean threw herself against him. "His memories, control over his powers, his mind. It's just so... Broken..."

"He is alive and that is what matters," Storm stated, walking back towards the other. She kept her hand on Rogue's back, as the latter carried Gambit, him still in her arms. "Remy did not let even Death stop him. We will help him restore everything else. Of that I am sure."

Rogue kept her silence, her lips pressed to Gambit's hair, as she nodded. Scott let out a tired sigh.

"Alright. Let's go home."