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Being handed that card left Rogue with mixed feelings. She should have been relieved on some level but on another level, this wasn’t what she wanted.
Or was it?
She had walked away from others, studying the ragged edges thoughtfully. The back of the card was different, so she knew it wasn’t the one that was from Genosha when she caught Gambit in a sour mood, throwing his cards in the fire.
She had tried to explain that she was conflicted and didn’t know what she really wanted. He was so achingly patient with her even though he must have been burning on the inside. That his offer of friendship would always stand even when he was clearly suffering from heartbreak.
When she thought about the offer, she wanted to tell him to forget the offer, that she wanted him. Why did it take her so long to realize what she wanted?!
Rogue almost crumpled the card in her hand but caught herself, trying to handle it as gently as she could. Tears were threatening to spill but she set her jaw.
She was responsible for the mess, wasn’t she. She would set it to rights now that she knew that he was breathing again. How the hell did Apocalypse manage to pull it off in the first place?
“Damn you.” Rogue whispered quietly underneath her breath.
She could hear Gambit warn her urgently in her head that she shouldn’t be running off all hot-head against the likes of Apocalypse. But that was her mess and she was gonna deal with it.
The warnings from other X-Men was going over her head but not before Nightcrawler who she dearly considered her brother teleported right in front of her, his hands on her shoulders begging her to be cautious.
“Ah know you’re right but… ah’m responsible for all of this. Ah have to do somethin’!”
“We’ll come with you.” Beast spoke up as well. “In our previous encounters with Apocalypse, he’s used unusual alien technology previously. Not Shi’ar, but something else.”
That ship… Rogue remembered. The time she went off on her own to help Archangel on a foolish mission to end Apocalypse’s life for good. Gambit was the one who kept trying to stop her because he understood her better than anyone else.
“That mission! Gambit was tryin’ to stop mah foolishness back then. Ah suppose should’ve ask for help this time.”
“And we will help, sister.” Nightcrawler offered her a gentle smile.
“Fortunately, we should still have the data from the mission to make it easier to track Apocalypse based on the technology he is likely to be still using.”
Waiting while Beast was working in his lab was difficult for Rogue who was left alone with her thoughts of what could have been and what should have happened and what didn’t happen. She gazed upon the damaged card in her hands, a distant memory on the edge.
Ready to relieve Gambit of his watch duty shift in the ready room, Rogue noticed him idly playing solitaire on the table while looking at the camera every other second. They were still on edge from the whole time Mr. Sinister suddenly invaded with his Nasty Boys and kidnapped Jean.
Even though the danger was long past, still didn’t mean that they had to stop being vigilant.
“What’s this all ‘bout, Remy?” Rogue said. “Bored?”
Gambit gave her a deft shrug, drawing a card from the pile. “Non. Not with you around.”
As soon as he flipped the card, he immediately grinned. His face was almost glowing with warmth as he slid the card into her hand. Rogue took a close look at the card, feeling warm and fuzzy.
“Just a little token of affection. You’re de queen of hearts for me, ma chere.”
“You’re being awfully sweet with your words.”
“’s de truth. You’re my everythin’. Keep de card, I have plenty.”
“Too much dancin’ around each other.” Rogue said to herself, returning the card to her pocket. “Remy, ah hope you’re still there.”
A little while later after the data was finished and Apocalypse’s base of operations was located. Beast also noted a rather unusual power surge and warned the others to be ready. His warning barely conveyed the sight before them, a building in the shape of Apocalypse’s tacky face with its maws opening and a surge of blinding pink light coming through and out of the roof.
Beast quickly went over to the console, trying to communicate with the computer. Nightcrawler had to fling away the approaching bad guys so Rogue could go inside, uninterrupted. She flung an arm over her eyes to shield herself from the blinding light as she struggled to walk inside.
“You light me up.”
“A little too on the nose.” She muttered to herself as she reached outwards with her right arm.
Then Death grabbed her arm, energy running along her skin like too many needles jabbing at once. She cried out in pain as the glove burned away with her skin. She quickly grabbed Death by his lapels with her left, ignoring the screaming pain and brought her lips to his mouth in a desperate act of ohgodpleaseletthiswork.
Everything turned white for a moment then the light suddenly retracted. She was still hanging onto him, desperate to just bring him back from wherever he had been.
“Please come back to me.”
Death was silent as Rogue briefly panicked, wondering if he had somehow became immune to her powers because she could still not feel him in the way she thought she could. Then she felt something different, a familiar smirk against her lips.
Rogue looked into Death’s eyes, the black flooding into the sclera.
“Ma coeur.”
“Don’t leave me like that again.” Rogue all but sobbed into Gambit’s chest. “Ah could not live without you.”
“Don’t worry. I love you too much to die twice now.”