[Excimer: a molecular complex of two, usually identical, molecules that is stable only when one of them is in an excited state]

"Think you were too hard on Logan?" Wally asked Shine, as they were exploring downtown.

"Honestly? No," Shine said emphatically. "Do you?"

"No...but I do think it might make him kind of mad," Wally said.

"Something new and different, then," Shine said sarcastically. "Let's not worry about it, okay? He'll cool off, and if he doesn't, I'll sort it out later. For now, we're having fun."

"Well, you don't have to tell me twice," Wally said. "Hope the others are having a good time. Sometimes I think they're allergic to it."

***

Rogue and Gambit got lunch after a movie--and ran out of ideas after that.

"I need to get out more," Rogue said, bored. "I can't even think of what to do.... Just wander around and look for something fun? Eh, riding was more fun yesterday. Shoulda stuck with that."

"Nothing wrong with taking it easy." Gambit did not share that sentiment.

"I guess not." Rogue still seemed bored. "I wonder if Storm's doing okay..."

"Eh, forget it," Gambit said. "She volunteer. Let her handle it."

Rogue frowned a little, but then shrugged. "Mind if I ask you somethin'?"

"Shoot." Gambit didn't expect a hard question.

"I've just been wonderin'--why'd you agree to come on this?" Rogue asked. "I mean, you don't like them at all, and they're calling the shots. Don't you hate that?"

Gambit almost choked.

This was her idea of a subtle way to ask this? That was Rogue.

[She's almost being a little too obtuse here, isn't she?]

"Gambit figure if everyone else going, he going," was the safe answer.

Rogue probably guessed the real reason, but she wouldn't say it.

"Sure," she said dryly. Then she leaned on her hands. "I dunno...I mean...now that they helped me, I kind of thought everyone might finally warm up to them."

Gambit really hoped she wasn't about to make this some kind of demand on her behalf, because that was not gonna sit well.

Rogue might have been thinking it but lacked the confidence to say something like that anyway.

She just knew his constant scrutiny annoyed her, but she wasn't sure what bothered her so much. Things had been quieter, and Shine and Wally seemed immune to his jabs. She had no reason to really be worried about it. But it ticked her off.

Maybe it was because, deep down, she was drawn to things like this...and Gambit was so dead set against it. It didn't seem right.

[And this is a huge problem in a relationship, for the record. Can't lie about that.]

Since she wasn't saying anything else, Gambit spoke. "It don't matter."

Wrong thing to say.

"What do you mean it don't matter?" Rogue sat bolt upright. "That was a huge thing they did for me, and I ain't never gonna forget it. That matters!"

"Dat not what Gambit meant--" Gambit began, but Rogue kept going, as she was wont to do.

"That does it!" she said. "I just...I can't.... Er!" She left.

"Chere?" Gambit called. "Where you going?"

No answer.

Gambit was put out.

He followed her, and she'd just gone a little ways, till she found a bench to sit on and think.

Rogue was shaking her head.

That's just it, she thought to herself, it mattered to me.... What if I'm starting to believe all this is real? I don't even know what to do about that. I know what Kurt thinks, maybe even Logan. I don't know what I think. If this works, if it doesn't, all I know is I thought I was always going to have that woman in my head, and now I don't. Am I supposed to act like nothin' happened? The others just don't seem to understand.

"Chere?" Gambit finally caught up. "Now don't be like dat. Gambit didn't mean any harm."

Rogue frowned and looked up. 

"It's just dat power like dat can be deceivin'," Gambit explained. "Can't let it sway you, one way or t'other."

Rogue frowned further. "So we should just discard it? Is that it? "

"Maybe not, but it ain't always what it seem either," Gambit said.

"So what is it, then?" Rogue demanded.

Gambit didn't know.

"Come on, Chere. You really think dat dere's a God just giving people power like dat and not asking for anything back?" Gambit said. "Power don't work dat way."

"But I didn't give them anythin' back," Rogue said. "Nothin'. Heck, I would have if they asked, but no one said a word about it."

"Just what I afraid of." Gambit accidentally said what he was thinking.

Rogue's expression became...almost suspicious.

"What does that mean?" she said.

Gambit didn't have a better way to put it.

"You don't get it," Rogue accused him now, angry. "You know what? It's just too easy for you!"

She was mad enough to spit out what she really thought...or at least, what she felt like she thought. "But maybe some of us ain't got it that easy."

"Easy?!" Gambit sputtered. Now he was angry too.

"Yeah, so it don't matter what it's like for the rest of us," Rogue said. "Maybe I don't want the answer to be I have to forget about it!" She clenched her fists. "Is that really all there is? Nothing? Everything is random? We're what we are, and we're not any more than that? Maybe I want more than that, huh?"

"Why do you need more dan dat?" Gambit said. "We enough as we are."

"Maybe you can say that." Rogue was practically in tears now. "But I can't!" She turned around, now too upset to want to talk about it. "I gotta go."

"Chere!"

But she flew away.

Gambit was left alone...again.

He flipped a card, annoyed.

This was all their doing!

https://youtu.be/aQHMiDa6P_s

* * *

It was perhaps just bad luck that Gambit ran into Shine and Wally not 10 minutes after that fight. They were enjoying themselves...and that just make him angrier.

"You done it now!" he said furiously.

"Huh?" Wally said.

"Couldn't let well enough alone!" Gambit said.

Shine's cheerful mood now evaporated, but her calm didn't.

"What happened?" she said soberly.

Gambit wasn't 'bout to tell 'em.

"Nothin'," he said.

"You walk up to us and say we did it, but 'nothing'?" Wally said. "Dude, if you want to ruin someone's day, at least do it right."

He got a scowl in answer.

"So what did Rogue say?" Shine said. 

"Nothin'," Gambit lied.

"Fine," Shine said. "I'll ask her later. Someone will have to. Goodness knows you won't." She hurled the last at him a bit angrily.

She then turned.

But Gambit was not just taking that.

"Where do you get off, woman?" he said. "You stir up trouble, and you turn friends against each other."

"We didn't do that," Wally said. "You guys fought on your own. Neither of us ever did a thing to make that happen except trying to do what we do. You're the ones who're taking sides over it."

Gambit wasn't in the mood for facts.

"You done upset, Rogue," he said. "Rogue was find de way she is. Now she ain't happy with it. Put weird ideas in her head."

Shine turned back now.

"This is not the first time this has happened to her, is it?" she said. "How many times has Rogue rushed into something? I think it's a lot, don't you?"

"Your point?" Gambit said. 

"That she does this," Shine said, "regardless...and she's not rushing into this as it is. She's actually holding back a surprising amount. You know why that is?" Her eyes suddenly flashed "Mostly because of you, you idiot!"

Gambit's mouth dropped open.

"Whoa..." Wally said, in a tone that implied he didn't think Shine would go that hard...but he wasn't about to stop her.

"Didn't we talk before?" Shine said. "Now you've seen for yourself just how much Rogue has been hiding from you all. I'm not surprised it pisses you off! But that is not my problem, is it? Is it my fault if you don't talk? You can resent it all you want that we got it out of her, but try this idea on for size, Swamp Boy--maybe she talked to us because she saw we had something that would help her, and we tend to tell people problems if we think they can help us."

That cut to the quick.

Gambit was so stung, he was no longer angry...

Shine seemed to regret her words instantly.

"I...don't mean that none of you ever help her," she said slowly. "I just...we're a novelty. She's rushing to that. But the thing is, it worked. We changed something. Isn't that enough? She's happier. Isn't that for the best?"

"Gambit ain't sayin' it not for the best," Gambit said, "but now you create expectations. You can't fix it all."

"No, we can't," Shine said. "But so what? Whatever we can do, it's only benefiting them in the long run. What is your problem, Remy? Seriously...what have we done to you?"

Silence now.

Wally sighed.

Then Shine looked up and then back down..

"You're not really mad at us," she said finally.

"Don't try dat on Gambit," Gambit said. "Gambit on to you." He flicked a card.

"Oh, go ahead and throw that!" Shine snapped. "See what happens."

Gambit frowned.

They stared at him.

But he didn't throw it.

"We really can't settle this if you aren't gonna tell us what's up," Wally said. "Sorry if you're having a problem, but we can't help it if you aren't asking for it."

"Gambit not want your help."

"Yes, we're aware," Shine said. "These trips are always so lovely for bringing out what people really think, aren't they? Something about freedom from familiarity...but regardless...you know, lashing out at us like a child is not helping anything. And neither is playing games with this. Now you're in, now you're not. Now you're nice, now you aren't. Remy, I really don't believe you're a cruel person, so I think you're not out to really hurt us. So what do you want? Despite what you think, some of your remarks do sting, but we have overlooked because I didn't believe that. Are we we wrong?"

Gambit stared at them.

"Don't try to talk me 'round," he said.

Shine and Wally both rolled their eyes.

Something about such a normal gesture actually kind of made this whole thing seem stupid.

"I can't even with this guy," Wally said, gesturing upward. "And now I'm using phrases like that. I mean, come on, how pathetic."

"So stubborn," Shine agreed. "It's impressive. What's a mission without that one holdout, right? You want this straight, Remy? Fine. I think you're immature."

"Immature!" Gambit spat.

"Yes," Shine said. "And selfish. There now, I said it. You want to keep everything the same--don't think we didn't catch on to that right away. Well, you believe we bring changes, and the more we bring the worse it is? This is not about skepticism anymore. You're skeptical, all right--you're skeptical that there's any such thing as benevolence in this world, at least from people outside your circle. A nice thought. Probably left over from your days as part of a gang."

That smarted, and Gambit started to answer her, but Shine didn't give him the chance.

"Isn't that just too bad!" she went on, fiery. "Because we don't actually care what you think is possible, and newsflash: I don't care if you don't believe in God, because I already know He's real. And you can make all the jabs you want and trying to convince the others we're out of our minds, but we're darn well going to keep believing that, and we're going to darn well help them, whether you approve or not. So either you accept that, like an adult, or you can keep throwing a tantrum about it!"

"Shine..." Wally said.

"Reeling it in." Shine rubbed her temples and drew a deep breath. "Right...playing nice... He asked for it."

"I know but don't do too much damage," Wally said. "Not sure he can take it."

That remark did more damage than her temper. Gambit glared at Wally.

"We have seen things you cannot imagine," Shine went on, a little more levelly, "from your small experience and narrow worldview that you call realism. Realism would be being open to more possibilities than just what you yourself have seen, but that's not safe for you, is it? Yes, we understand that. And all of us start off there. We don't hate you for that. Much as you clearly wish we'd take offense to what you're trying to do and leave, we won't. You know what does hurt, though? Just a little? Is that I have seen you be compassionate to complete strangers before and so understanding of other people's difficulties, despite being clueless about helping them, that I am surprised you're willing to make us feel so unwelcome just to prove a point."

Gambit's angry retort died on his lips...because that...kind of hit hard.

"That's real talk." Shine crossed her arms. "You don't believe I'm sincere? I don't know what else to do to prove I am. So far we have not lied. I think you're awfully quick to cast doubt on us, for someone who has had it done enough times to you to know how much that hurts. Think about it. We're not invulnerable here. Do you realize that the reason we let you off the hook is because God in His mercy has told us not to take offense when people are unkind to us for just trying to do what's right? And I am not telling you all this to control you. I think you need to wake up, now, before it's too late. Think about what you're actually doing."

She shook her head. "Besides, it's not us who's making this disagreeable, okay? We could disagree and be at peace even so... You'd still be wrong, but we have no hatred for skeptics and no scorn for people who lack faith. It is hard to have faith. You think we're kidding ourselves? I have asked myself that every day during certain times of my life. I don't know anyone who hasn't. What's kidding ourselves is to disregard years of faith and experience and study just on our feelings about it. That's what I think, but that's not what this is about."

She looked at Wally, who tilted his head--some kind of signal, obviously.

Shine looked back at Gambit. "Well, I think it's be better to talk about that more later.... Look, we'd be happy to help you figure this out, with Rogue, but we're not about to take the blame for it. Rogue has her own problems; they aren't about us. Don't put it on us, that's not fair. Like I said, she's holding back because you keep pulling at her. You and some of the others. I don't think that will stop her forever. You might want to ask if you still want to be a part of it when she makes her decision, because...at this rate, you won't be." She was now calm. "You can hate me for saying it, but it's true, and someone ought to say it. I hate it when people fight with each other for stupid reasons."

"Yeah...you know," Wally said, "it might be the wrong time to say this, but if you love something, set it free.... I mean...you can't keep fighting someone who trying to find out what they want.... It's just like our holding them back for our own reasons. Is that what you want?"

"What is it you want?" Gambit finally said.

"Not to own her," Shine said, "O\or any of you. Come on, we're messengers...ambassadors on someone else's behalf. We can go and come, and all we gain is just the satisfaction of having done what we came to do. Nothing more. Just...it breaks my heart when the two of you fight each other." She hugged her sides. "If you were willing to work with us, this would be so much easier for Rogue...and better too. She needs you."

This remark shocked Gambit into total silence.

Wally nodded too.

Shine looked down then back up. "But here's the thing...she might need us too. Not for the same reason. But...she's got her demons. One, we've dealt with...but there's more, things she's going to need professional help with. Xavier is not cutting it. Don't you get it? We just want her to be free of all that and not be burdened down by it anymore. God promises freedom. Oh, you don't feel you need that. And you think she's fine the way she is. But does she think that? If she doesn't, it won't matter what anyone else thinks."

Wally nodded. "It really doesn't," he said. "Been there. I mean, we've all been there."

Gambit was still quiet.

"But you kind of knew this," Shine said slowly. "You let us help her before...just don't want it to keep needing to be us, right? But there's nothing to worry about there. We'll hit our limit soon enough. And it'll not be fun for anyone. But when it happens, I don't want Rogue to be alone. Do you see that? I think she's been alone too much. There is more to healing someone than just the technical problems."

She was so serious.

Gambit felt this conversation had been about something different...but that he might not want to miss this. 

"Gambit let you help, sure," he said. "Dere weren't no other option."

"What if there isn't another option?" Shine said quietly. "What if this is it?"

Uncomfortable pause.

"Gambit don't believe dat," Gambit said.

"Then you have more faith than we do, bro," Wally said.

"Of course," Shine said gently, "we'd love it to help you also, Remy. But if you are adamant about that, then we're at least likely to not be enemies. Our intentions are clear by now. And I can't ask you what it would take to convince you, because it's just not about that. You decide, all right? Of course, you think things can't change, which is sad...but we think they can. So, if you want to put this feud aside, we'll pretend it never happened. If you're too proud to take that option...well, this will continue this way, and trust me, you're not gonna win this one." She shrugged. "So think about it. No questions asked if you drop it later."

She motioned at Wally and started walking. "We can still talk to Rogue," she called back. "But I'd advise you to do it first. Mean more that way."

They walked off.

Gambit didn't think he'd won that fight...in fact...the whole thing in had just taken the fight right out of him.

What was he even doing? he thought moodily. They were right...frustratingly right. He was scoring no points with anyone on the team by opposing them, least of all Rogue. They had the ball in their corner the whole time.

He didn't even really believe they were lying, and that bothered him. If they were serious about all this, they were going to keep at it until they either succeeded or failed enough to go home.

If they let Rogue down...Rogue might never be the same.... She might never be the same anyway. This was the first thing to hope in she must have had in ages. But if she lost it now...what would she do?

Gambit pondered the matter for at least another two hours, wandering around alone.

Finally he decided that Shine and Wally must have figured out he'd think this--they'd figured the rest out too. They were tricky. Shine especially.

Gambit couldn't outsmart her, he reasoned. She was too clever. He'd realized that some time ago...and he couldn't fight them. 

Maybe the only option really was a sort of truce.

Uncomfortably, he realized that Shine had never told the others about their little chat of everyone, and they probably wouldn't mention this fight either...but if they did, he'd really have been in hot water.

In fact, Shine had defended him in the past...

So it didn't actually sit well with him that he'd repaid that the way he had.... He'd eased up a little, but fighting them was just something he couldn't seem to help, even if he'd wanted to. They drove him crazy with all that talk...and they knew it.

That being the case...maybe that was all there was to it. They liked straight talk. He'd give them straight talk.

* * *

The outcome of this was he talked to them later at the rendezvous hotel that they'd all found successfully this day.

They were just drinking coffee and chatting when they saw him.

They looked at him expectantly. They knew he'd never approach without a good reason.

"Gambit been doing some thinking," Gambit said.

They waited.

"Gambit don't need to make dis personal," Gambit said. "I don't like what you're preaching, and I don't agree. But you try to play fair enough, so Gambit respect dat. I still will say I don't agree, and I don't aim to stop. But if you can live with dat, I don't see us as direct enemies."

Wally looked surprised at that.

Shine nodded. "This is a good offer compared to what we've been getting," she said. "Let's just say, you can express openly that you don't agree...but do it respectfully, and we won't have a problem. Question us, for all we care. Try to trip us up. But don't call us dishonest or anything anymore, and we have a deal."

"Fair," Gambit said, "not great...but you not going anywhere, clearly, so dis is best I get."

"This seems a little too easy," Wally said. "Is there a catch?"

"The catch is not with us," Shine said.

"Ohhh..." Wally winced. "Right...that..."

"Rogue did come in," Shine added. "We didn't talk to her, though. You want to beat us to it, you'll have to hurry. I offer you a fair shot."

She took another sip.

Gambit was still annoyed by her cockiness...but he understood what she was saying. They were going to keep being at odds, and she knew it. But they could fight dirty, or they could fight fair. She was putting it up to him.

And if he fought dirty, he was going to pay for it, because they would only act more mature by sidestepping it.

So he had no real choice.

Perhaps it should have been obvious ages ago, but Gambit was too stubborn to admit that.

He went off to find Rogue.

Storm had already tried to talk to her and not gotten anywhere, and she'd guessed Gambit had been the reason.

"I don't know what you said," she said, "and it's none of my business...but please, fix it." She walked away from the door.

Mystique, who was of course hanging around, just smirked rather smugly like she was enjoying the drama in a sick sort of way, but she didn't say anything.

Gambit sighed.

"Rogue." He knocked on the door.

No response, so he knocked again.

"Go away." Rogue sounded upset still.

"Gambit not going anywhere," Gambit said stubbornly. "Either open de door, or I stand out here. Making a scene..."

Rogue angrily yanked the door open.

"I really don't want to talk about it," she said.

"Den listen," Gambit said. "Dis gone on long enough. Gambit talk to dem. We come to understandin'."

Rogue could not have been more shocked. "What?"

"Just asked me." Gambit would not have dreamed he'd have said this earlier today. "We work it out..."

Rogue blinked.

"Really?"

"Yes."

A long pause while Rogue seemed to be trying to wrap her mind around how this had happened in 4 hours.

"Well..." she said slowly, "I guess that's good.... I...uh...maybe got a little carried away earlier..." She shrugged. "I should have been more patient."

"Gambit don't care," Gambit lied, because that whole thing had been quite upsetting, but he just wanted it to be over now.

Rogue didn't seem like she believed that anyway, but she bit her lip and shrugged. "All right then...I'mma just head down to the dinin' room, then."

She shut the door.

* * *

After that incident, no one was quite sure what had happened.

There was not a huge change in Gambit's treatment of Shine and Wally for the rest of the day; they all avoided each other.

But the others thought someone was different.

Storm asked, and Shine told her that it was kind of personal, but she thought they might have finally settled their differences a little. At least, enough to improve their interactions.

Storm thought if this was true, they could work miracles in more areas than one.

Logan had his own things to settle with them, after talking to Morph.

He didn't really want to talk about it at all, actually...but by now he kind of knew that they expected people to talk. To admit things...or to show some kind of acknowledgement in some way. Or they'd just treat you like they treated Scott...which was like someone who just didn't get it.

So he came up to them while they were eating and said, "So ya want me to play nice with the witch?"

Shine and Wally really didn't think they could take more surprises today.

"Can you not call her that?" Wally said. "I mean...it's kind of messed up."

"Yer precious little prisoner, then," Logan said.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Shine looked up. "Just for the record. But, yes, it'd be great if you could stop ragging on her. If not for her sake, then for ours, because it hurts me every time I hear it."

"Me too," Wally said. "I don't even like her, but people making jabs like that just bugs me... I...kind of have a friend who went through hell over a mistake she made once, for years... It was really rough to see that happen to her. I don't like it now."

"And I feel the same about it," Shine said. "It's just not right. I hope it's clear why we think that. Those of us who believe we're forgiven should be kind to those who have yet to even ask for it. Once, we had not asked either."

Logan wished they'd be meaner about his. He might have felt less like dirt.

"You two can really live by that," he said, in some amazement, "you and the Preacher.... I just don't get how. Ya think I don't wish I was like that? But I'm not. I want to sink my claws into people who hurt my friends."

"Not all of them, Logan," Shine said. "Morph, Jean...Rogue...people who've hurt them for reasons you think don't make them villains."

"So what?" Logan said.

"Learn to see everyone the way we do," Shine said, "and it'd be a step forward. Learning to see them as God does would be perfection, and we're not there yet, but we try."

"You should stop saying you're not like that," Wally suggested. "That self talk isn't going to help anything. Maybe you're just not like that yet. Takes a while. But, you know, you seem like a pretty cool guy, Logan. You're a kind sort of dude, so it's not like you can't be that way. You just gotta be that way to everyone."

"Yeah, that's the trick," Shine said. "If we can be nice to one person, we can learn to be nice to everyone else."

"What about yer prisoner?" Logan said. "She's just as cruel to everyone."

"That's not true," Shine said. "And if not for her, Kurt might have been shot once, a fact she's never once used to defend herself." She narrowed her gaze. "And Rogue would not be an X-men, really, if she'd not been with Mystique first. In a strange way, she has given you all something, even if she didn't intend to. If you can't like her without having some redeeming quality, consider that one. I think there's more to her than that, but my opinion won't matter to you if you're not open-minded. Just a little. What did Kurt tell you? Different eyes.... Ah, I know he'd be agreeing with us if he was here. I miss him."

"I hope he's enjoying his break," Wally said. "I think I got a little more than I bargained for with this one."

"You can't vacation away from drama," Shine said. "You take it with you. Personally, I'm just glad Scott's not at the center of it for once."

"Ya really don't like Scott," Logan said.

"It's not that so much," Shine said. "It's that he winds all of you up. Makes you on edge. You feel like it's difficult to be natural with us when he's around to watch and disapprove, so it's nice to not have that and to just be able to talk normally with all of you. I guess that's why we invited you, really, for a little freedom."

She went back to eating her dessert.

"This cake is really good, by the way," Wally said. "You should try it. I love the buffet too. Totally makes up for camping last night."

Logan didn't see why that was something to get so excited about, but he figured maybe it was because the guy had to eat constantly. Good food must be a plus.

[I should say so.

I think Wolverine really has warmed up to these oddballs. It's adorable.

But, of course, I have wondered what you readers think about Mystique. Is she sympathetic? Do you think she's done enough good things to justify hoping she'll change, or is she too stuck on being an antagonist?

IRL, I think most of us would write her off, but what's always interesting about writing a story is looking at character from all different angles I possibly can and then judging.

Well, I won't say what I think will happen just yet, but sit tight.]