[OP: "True Love"-- P!NK]

Gambit and Rogue had a fun time together, also. Though Gambit seemed somber at times.

Rogue figured it was thinking about the Professor.... That did put a damper on things.

She tried to tell herself that they'd get him back and it would all be right as rain...but there was plenty of lingering doubts about it.

Towards the end of the outing, Gambit broached a more serious subject, without a lot of warning.

"Gambit been thinkin', Chere, is we or is we not together?"

"Together?" Rogue repeated.

"Committed," Gambit said.

"Oh..." Rogue has not been ready for that. "Well...uh, y'know it's always been kinda complicated..."

"Is not dat complicated," Gambit said.

Rogue hesitated. "Remy, look, maybe someday, but I don't think I'm ready yet. With my powers..."

"Your power ain't de problem," Gambit said, with sudden frustration. "Is you're afraid."

"Maybe I am." Rogue swallowed. "But I need more time."

"Years ain't enough time?" Gambit said.

"It ain't been that long," Rogue hedged. "I'll have to think a lot more 'bout it. It's not that I don't like ya, but...y'know how it is."

"Gambit wonder--maybe you think he no good enough." Gambit had probably been wanting to say that for years but, till now, never had the nerve.

Even so, Rogue was shocked.

"Y'think that?" she said. "When did I ever say that?"

"When did you not?"

"Well, that's ridiculous," Rogue said. "That would have nothin' to do with it."

"No?" Gambit was not convinced.

He'd had this in his head for some time, and, frankly, the religion thing had only doubled down on it.

Maybe he just thought it was true himself.

But being as he was inclined to just take things and stew over them, he didn't discuss it further with Rogue. Instead he moodily walked back towards the cars.

"Remy!" Rogue called, but, not getting an answer, she got mad. "Well, fine then! Be that way! Stubborn mule!"

She was all upset now.

She didn't talk much when the others rejoined them to get dinner at a restaurant.

Morph and Mystique seemed to have had fun, and Storm and Logan had no doubt passed the time doing what they did best--simply talking calmly to each other about mutual interests. It worked for them.

If they noticed Gambit's mood, they put it down to worry.

Rogue didn't eat much.

Mystique kept looking at her strangely, like she could tell something was off.

They all went back to the house, and Mystique actually asked her, awkwardly, like she expected Rogue to brush her off.

But Rogue was in a temper and willing to burst out at anyone.

"Durn stupid Cajun, he done got this idea, and now he won't talk about it," she said. "He's as stubborn as a mule, and I ain't never said nothin' like that."

"You're not making sense," Mystique stated. "Explain."

Rogue explained in a few sentences, punctuated with more exclamations about it.

"I see," Mystique said.

"I guess I'll just have to wait till he gets over it," Rogue said.

"And you think he will?" Mystique said.

"Sure, doesn't he always?" Rogue said.

"I haven't had a whole lot of worries with men who were interested in commitment, but, the few times I did, I can't say them getting impatient would have been a good sign," Mystique said flatly. "Now, what he said, I don't understand, but it sounds like he's taken your...hesitation personally."

"It ain't personal," Rogue said. "You of all people know why I can't...y'know...be that to someone. Even if I get my power more under control...I'd always wonder."

"I haven't had that problem," Mystique said. "But it seems solvable, if you're willing to...rely on less conventional methods."

"On what?" Rogue said.

"The technology exists," Mystique said, "to inhibit mutation...not remove it, granted, but you only need to inhibit it."

"Momma!" Rogue was shocked. "Ain't you ashamed to say somethin' like that?"

"If you're not ashamed to be letting it stop you, why shouldn't I say it? Mystique said. "If that's really your only problem, I think it could have been solved ages ago. Not that I see why you'd want to... Life is simpler without men, but if you can't be satisfied..."

"Stop it!" Rogue said. "And you're one to talk!"

"Yes, but I don't like simple," Mystique said. "It doesn't suit me, too restless. But if it suits you, shouldn't you just decide that? "

"I don't understand," Rogue said. "We never talked about this before."

"You never asked," Mystique said. "I told you not to let people look down on your power. But I could never make you not look down on it yourself. If you hate it so much, do something about it, but otherwise, it could be you prefer it this way."

"But I hate it. I hate bein' alone," Rogue said.

"That doesn't mean you don't prefer it," Mystique said. "One thing I understand perfectly well: Risk is often what we hate the most."

She shrugged.

Rogue stared at her.

"Dang...that almost sounds right," she said. "What's happenin' to you?"

That kind of stung. Mystique frowned at her. "You know, I do know some things, Rogue."

"'Course," Rogue said. "So...uh, you and Morph...how is that goin?"

"Well, if all of three or four days is enough to tell...I have no idea," Mystique said. "If we could go more than 48 hours without a crisis happening, I might be able to answer."

"What...uh, what made ya decide that...y'know?" Rogue was dying to ask this since she found out.

"I'm not really sure," Mystique said. "Pity, maybe?"

"Pity?" Rogue said.

"Yes, he gave me quite the speech about needing me," Mystique said. "It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. But it made me feel sorry for him."

Rogue stared at her. "You're pullin' my leg. That ain't the reason."

"You catch on faster," Mystique said. "Perhaps being here has taught you a few things. Back in the day, that would have fooled you."

"So what is the reason?" Rogue said.

"Perhaps I'm just tired of the same old thing over and over again," Mystique said. "I have no idea what I'm doing now, or if it will last, but I like the uncertainty in one way: If I knew what would happen, it wouldn't be remarkable. I still don't know if I'll change my mind."

"What, ya don't like 'im?" Rogue said.

"Liking has very little to do with relationships in my history," Mystique said. "In fact, it could be why it won't work. But I haven't quit yet... That's 3 days longer than I expected."

"I ain't never heard ya talk about men like that," Rogue said. "Hmm...maybe it's the real deal, then? Ya never know. Be funny, wouldn't it? With Morph, he's so goofy."

"Not always," Mystique said oddly. "There may be things you don't know about him."

"And you do?" Rogue said.

Shrug.

"Well, ya sure work fast," Rogue said. "Ain't no one know anythin' about Morph for years... Go figure."

She frowned. "I'll have to think about it, with Gambit, I mean. Funny, I didn't think ya liked him."

"I don't," Mystique said. "But, if you do, what can I do about it? Just know what you want, that's all I think."

She walked away.

That was almost like parental advice, Rogue thought.

* * *

The day after that, Scott finally joined the others again.

He tried to apologize to Mystique, which she brushed off by telling him not to be a fool.

Which was her way of attempting to smooth it over.

Everyone seemed recovered enough to talk about what to do next.

Wanda and Pietro, now that they had the chance, still said they wanted to try talking to Magneto.

Shine, Wally, and Storm were called upon to decide.

"Without the Professor or Scott here, Storm, you're in charge of the X-men," Logan said.

"This is not something I ever wanted," Storm said.

"But it's happened," Shine said. "And we have to decide. Selene's threat could have been a lie--I'd believe it of her. But the trouble is that we can't be sure they are not spying on us. In fact, I'm almost certain they are. They can look out of that place they are hiding, I think, we just cannot look in. Very inconvenient, but we have to think. If we go to that camp, and they know, they may hurt our friends. But can we afford to do nothing?"

"We can't afford either one," Gambit said. "We have ta choose."

"If I may," Emma said. "I know I'm not an X-man, but this choice seems obvious to me. We do nothing, and they win anyway. We do something, and they may hurt a few people, but they can't risk hurting them too much. Whatever damage they do, we might be able to repair. We have to press on."

"But don't ya care at all that they could scramble around Warren or...anyone?" Rogue said. "Maybe they have even more hostages.... We don't know."

"Tough s--- for them," Cable said. "I've had enough of wasting time. I'd have left already, if I could...but I can't time travel. I take it that's for the same reason you all can't. So either we bust in on this Magneto, or I'm going out on my own."

"Well, at least we'll know where you are, then," Shine said. "They'll snap you up within one hour. Take the suspense out of it for us, why don't you?"

Cable glowered at her but had no response.

"I think Emma may be right," Scott said. "There's...really nothing we're going to change by not doing anything. Also, I don't like the idea of doing what Selene said."

Shine and Wally laughed. 

"Right on there," Wally said. "But then...do we all go? Can we risk leaving anyone?"

"We're fairly certain they don't want the Morlocks," Emma said. "Why don't you just send them back to their own place?"

"Because Callisto would never allow it," Shine said. "They turned on her...and it's the middle of winter. We cannot cast them out onto the streets. They should be safe enough here. The other kids will have to come with us. We can't risk them being left behind. As it is, we can't risk anyone, but we have to."

"I guess the plus side is, they're all doomed anyway if we don't pull this off, so we're not leaving them any the worse off," Morph said.

No one laughed.

"Well, then, finally we get to do somethin'," Logan said.

"I wonder if dear old dad will be glad to see us," Quicksilver commented.

"Is it a compliment if he is?" Emma asked him.

He shrugged. "He's not that bad."

"I keep forgetting that he's less of a churlish cad here," Emma said.

"He better be, Emma," Shine said. "Because we have to convince him to help people he hates. Your chances might be better if we sat this out...but we really can't...not if those Tears come after you."

"So let us do the talkin'," Rogue said.

"Yes...well," Storm said, "I do believe their negotiation skills may be better than most of ours."

"Let Emma do it," Mystique said. "She's probably distracting enough for the camp."

"Whatever do you mean by that?" Emma asked.

"I'd consider toning it down a little," Mystique said.

"Coming from you?" Emma scoffed. "I think I can handle myself."

"What are they talking about?" Scott asked Wolverine.

"I don't want to know, and neither do you," Logan said.

"Let's suit up." Shine stood. "Uh...if that's your wish, Storm."

"Shine, at this point, I do not care who says it," Storm said. "Let's just go."

* * *

The plane ride was anxious.

"Why did I even have to come?" Ryan whined. "I can't fight that much."

"You just remember your training," Mystique said.

"I hope you didn't torment poor Ryan too much," Shine said. "I've heard your training can be kind of intense."

"Oh, please," Emma said. "You should have seen my school's training. You wouldn't allow me to do some of what we did."

"Good thing," Gambit said. "Considerin' how one of 'em turned out."

"That was..." Emma paused. "He's being controlled."

"Yeah, but how much?" Gambit said.

"There's no point blaming her," Scott spoke up. He was touchy after what Selene had said about it had devastated Emma so much--not to mention the rest of them. "They're evil people."

Gambit shrugged.

Emma glanced at Scott with some surprise.

"Well," Hank said, "we will be there in about half an hour... I hope we have a plan for what we're going to say to him."

"Start with Xavier's going missing," Shine said. "That'll do more for us than sweet talking will."

"So, how exactly do you know our father again?" Wanda asked her, in her thick accent.

"Oh...you could say we've just crossed paths a few times and made quite the impression on each other," Shine said. "He wants us dead, I want him to repent of his evil ways, the typical stuff."

"That doesn't sound typical to me," Quicksilver said. "But at least the Flash and I can finally test who's really faster."

"Sorry, but Wally is. There's no competition," Shine said. "He has a speed force, you only have mutation. It's just science."

"You heard her." Wally was way smug. "I'm like the Jedi master, and you're like a Padawan."

"That's not accurate at all," Quicksilver said.

"Yeah, he'd be more like a Storm Trooper, no access to the force," Shine said.

"What?!" Quicksilver said.

"What a stupid thing to argue about," Kitty complained.

"You're a stupid thing to argue about!" Ryan said.

Kitty ignored him and glanced at Colossus. "Are you okay?"

"Colossus will make sure he find sister," Colossus said. "Be okay with that."

Kitty sighed.

"I almost feel like Trinity should be here, after everything," Jubilee commented. "Weird, right? She's got some skills, though."

"I don't want to go to the camp," Kevin said. "They tried to kidnap me before."

"Just stick close to us, kid," Logan said. "And if they try anythin', bury 'em."

"Logan!" Storm said.

"Up to their necks," Logan amended.

"Wouldn't you two make great parents," Shine laughed at them. "That sounded just like... Uh, never mind, that might not be a great example actually."

"I can say hi to all my old friends," Mystique remarked. "They'll shoot me on sight."

"Not if they don't know it's you," Morph said.

"At the same time, I want to see the look on Magneto's face when he realizes he's going to be relying on these humans he can't stand," Mystique said. "And I'd like him to know it was me, then, just for the irony."

"Valid. Guess it's a coin toss," Morph said.

* * *

The camp looked the same as always, being as it was, not a part of the world's usual weather cycles.

It might have expanded since they visited before.

It didn't seem to have any counterpart in the other dimension, according to Scott and Emma, so at least they didn't expect to have any memory problems.

Problems with walking up to the entrance, on the other hand...

Some Mutates were watching the entrance, and they glared at them.

"The X-men? You have some gall to come crawling back here!" they called.

Wanda stepped forward.

"Listen," she said, "I am Magneto's daughter. We have urgent business with him."

"Yeah," Quicksilver called. "So before you freaks attack us, you might just want to ask him if he'd like to talk to us first."

"You expect me to believe that story?" the Mutate scoffed.

"Your funeral," Emma said, crossing her arms and looking like this was a waste of her time.

The Mutate hesitated.

"All right, go get him," he said to a different one. "And send reinforcements."

The other Mutate flew away.

"No funny business," the Mutate said.

"We ought to just bust in there. They definitely don't believe us," Logan said.

"Patience, Logan," Storm said. "While I do think Cyclops might agree to that plan if Jean was missing and he was here, I do not think it's wise. We might as well wait. Anyway, he is not our enemy, for once."

"For once," Logan echoed.

"She meant their Scott, right?" Scott asked.

"Of course," Emma said.

"I might do that also," Scott said.

"Yes, Scott, but she doesn't know that," Emma said.

Scott recalled that Shine had said he might start seeing Jean again. So far he hadn't, but he was thinking of her more and more...wondering if she was caught between worlds and if she was okay.

If any of them were.

"I'm sure she's all right," Emma said.

"Did I say that out loud?" Scott asked.

"No, but you think it so loudly..." Emma said. "Jean is too powerful for them to risk hurting. If anyone is fine, it's probably her."

She frowned to herself, like she didn't like thinking of how useless she was. Too weak to be worth taking, Selene had basically said.

Was that a good thing or a bad one?

Several minutes ticked by.

Shine sang a song. She seemed to be singing it in another language, however:

"Yevarechecha Adonai, VeYishmerecha (The LORD bless you and keep you) 

Ya'er Adonai Panav Eleycha ViChuneka (Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you)

 Yisa Adonai Panav Eleycha, VeYasem Lecha Shalom (The LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace) 

(repeat)

 Yehi chasdo aleicha le'alfei dorot (May His favor be upon you to a thousand generations)

 Mishpachtecha viladecha (Your family and your children)

 Dorotecha achareicha (Your generations after you,) 

Rucho telech lefaneicha (May His presence go before you.)

 Letsidecha achareicha (Beside you and behind you.)

 Misvivecha belibecha (All around you and within you.)

Hu itcha (He is with you) 

 Baboker uvaerev( In the morning in the evening)

 Betzetecha uvoecha( In your going and your coming.)

B'sivlotecha beoshrecha (In your weeping and rejoicing.) 

Hu itcha (He is for you. )Hu itanu im kulanu (He is for us, He is with us ) Hu itcha (He is for you) Shalom (Peace)"

https://youtu.be/kzqrWae5lK4

[The Blessing (Ha Bracha)--Joshua Aaron. Love Hebrew Music.]

"What is she saying, Hank?" Jubilee asked.

"I believe it's a passage from the Torah, but my Hebrew is not very good," Hank said.

"It's a little older sounding," Mystique remarked.

"It's a blessing," Kitty commented.

"You speak Hebrew also?" Morph said to Mystique.

"It pays to know a lot of major languages," Mystique said. "Not that much of it, but..."

"Why is she singing that now?" Scott asked. "We're supposed to look serious."

The Mutates were giving them bizarre looks.

"Who cares?" Logan said. "It's her thing."

"I remember when you'd have said the same thing." Storm was amused. "How things have changed."

"Indeed," Magneto's voice cut in as he hovered over them. "I never thought I'd see you here again."

"Whoa...he sounds different," Scott said.

"He looks different also." Emma put a finger to her chin. "That helmet...I don't think it's blocking telepathy like the other is. At least not very well..."

[Lol, in the 90s show, it didn't. Either it was an error on the writers, or that power hadn't been established in the comics yet. But on the newer show, it does block it.]

"Was your choice of language supposed to distract me from the fact that you're here?" Magneto said to Shine, with a glare. "We have left you alone. And yet I see, you have brought my children after all. Do you think I am someone to toy with--?"

"Father!" Wanda interrupted.

"It's not like that," Pietro said.

"We are here to warn you," Wanda went on. "Grave Danger approaches all of us. They bring us because we could talk to you without as much fear. Unless that has changed."

Magneto paused.

"Also, Xavier is missing," Hank said helpfully.

"And we're all going to die if we don't do something!" Jubilee said.

Magneto stared at them.

"That about summed it up," Shine said coolly. "If you don't want to talk to us now, your fate and all your followers' is on your own head."

Magneto glared at her.

"All of you may come in, but the humans stay outside the camp," he said.

Wally made a face.

"That's not fair," Kitty cried.

"Hush," Colossus said. "Let Storm decide."

Storm gave Magneto a look he'd have done well to be wary of.

"If they don't come in," Logan said, "we don't either. Our survival pretty much depends on 'em."

"Wolverine is correct," Storm said. "You may play with your safety, but we will not. They either come with us, or we go home now. And I would not trust your Mutates not to exact petty revenge on them if we left them out here alone."

"Not that we couldn't handle it..." Wally said.

"Babe, let them be cool," Shine said.

Magneto saw the entire group was going to back them up.

Even Emma and Scott looked annoyed.

"You have a problem with them?" Scott said.

"Have you been under a rock?" One of the Mutates said.

"Well, they must have made one interesting impression if he's this afraid to let them inside," Emma said airily.

Magneto scowled more. "Fine. All of you. But if you use your power at all, you'll be taken down. Is that clear?"

"And if you're lucky, we'll have no need of them," Shine said. "But we'll see. We're not safe even here."

"If you're coming to me, it must be desperate," Magneto said. "Come."

* * *

Inside the camp, people gave them strange looks, but no one stopped them from following Magneto to his cave where they could speak more privately.

There, Wanda and Pietro did their best to explain what they knew--of Wanda's memory visions...and even Pietro had had some, though they confused him and were even hazier than hers.

Magneto didn't buy the story that they were visitors from a parallel dimension.

"That is ludicrous," he said. "How can there be two versions of the same person?"

"It's like an orange," Morph said.

"Oh please, not that metaphor again," Mystique said.

"A mirror, then?" Emma said.

"Or a zipper," Scott said.

Magneto just looked at them like they were crazy.

"Well, you ought to believe it," Emma said. "Scott and I are from that dimension. Can't you tell we're not the same?"

"I did think he looked a little strange but not enough to suspect he's from another dimension," Magneto said. "And as for you, I've never met Emma Frost, though I hear she's as mad as those other Circle members are."

"So grasping at power like that is mad, but trying to wipe humanity out is not?" Shine said flatly.

"Not now," Gambit hissed at her.

"Well, believe you us, she ain't the same," Rogue said. "Other one was way, way different lookin'. Why would we make this story up?"

"Even if you believe it," Magneto said, "that doesn't mean it's true. Perhaps you have been deceived. I see no evidence of this parallel dimension."

"Is that true?" Emma said. "Because I get the impression you're thinking of something much like what your two children here have experienced. Could it be you're afraid we're right?"

"You just poke into people's heads without permission?" Magneto said. "You are certainly no replacement for Charles. I am sorry to hear he's gone. And you think he's in another dimension. I would believe that. But one that is just like this one? I don't see how it's possible."

"No one does," Shine said. "But it is, and you will end up either there, or caught between soon enough, if we don't find who's behind this. So anything that you have seen or heard, or remembered, we need to know."

"You shouldn't ask me for anything," Magneto said. "For Charles' sake, I might cooperate, not for yours."

"Father," Wanda said, sternly, "this is no time for grudge. Our very identities are in danger. I have no wish to be merged with another self. Especially one who apparently has a liking for Nightcrawler."

"Vhat?" Kurt had been silent until now, but that made him give her a strange look.

"That's weird," Pietro said.

"You think so? Imagine how I feel," Wanda said. "I not want to be changed. No offense, small, blue man."

"None taken. As a monk, that vould be a tragedy for me to be compromised," Kurt said.

"You ever find it ironic that your son is a monk?" Emma asked Mystique. "Given your...lifestyle?"

"Do you find Empath's fate ironic, given yours?" Mystique asked.

Emma winced. "That was a little unduly harsh."

"I have less control over Kurt than you did over Empath," Mystique said. "Don't blame me for it."

"I wasn't." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Hush," Storm said to them. "Do not bicker right now. We must look professional if we want to get our way."

They were quiet.

"And how do you two humans fit into this?" Magneto asked Shine and Wally condescendingly.

Shine frowned at him. "It's not the kind of thing we'd tell you, not normally...except that it can't really matter anymore. How could it make it worse? We're from another dimension."

"Wow...I almost forgot that was true," Wally said. "Sure, we travel them, but..."

"Yeah, so do I," Morph said. "Time and realities, that is."

"You?" Magneto said. "I barely even know who you are. And you expect me to believe two humans travel dimensions?"

"I seem to remember I sent you packing once," Shine said. "Do you think ordinary humans could do that? I suppose they could, but it looks worse for you that way. Why not accept this explanation? Save your dignity a little."

"Why, you impudent, little--" Magneto came towards her.

"Hey, back off," Logan said.

"Well, look at you," Magneto said. "You adopted humans into the X-men. Is there any standard anymore?"

"The humans are worth more as X-men than you'd be," Emma said testily. "At least they actually help their own people."

Magneto looked at her oddly. "What does that mean?"

"I forgot which one you were," Emma said.

"Believe me, give him a chance, and it'll apply to him too," Shine said.

"But that is beside the point," Storm said. "Magneto, you need to tell us--have you lost any telepaths or teleports from your camp? Do you have any memory? Anything might be important."

"Even if I did, why would I trust you to amend this situation?" Magneto said. "I would like to see this culprit try to steal someone from my camp. We are too well defended."

It was so odd that he said that, because not one second afterward, Kitty suddenly screamed.

"Look!"

The air around some of them was fuzzy.

"What in the--?" Cable said.

Wraith, who had been lurking in the background, suddenly snatched the teens and vanished into thin air with them, then he appeared several feet away.

"So he can teleport," Logan said.

"What was that?" Kitty gasped. "That felt weird."

"Move," Cable was yelling at the others. They all were stepping back.

"What is that?" Magneto said.

"It's the Tear, you moron!" Logan said. "What we were just tryin' to tell ya about. They found us here. They want more of us. Ya better get back."

"Not that far to get." Cable reached the mouth of the cave.

He shot at the Tear. It had no effect.

Shine stepped forward, sword out.

"Get away from them," she said.

The Tear, rather than back off, seemed to contort towards her and shuddered, almost like it was laughing.

It almost had a shape this time...like a face...or a human form.

"Am I the only one who sees that?" Morph asked.

"No," Mystique said.

"It's stronger," Wally said. "Isn't it?"

"Yes...the telepaths they are using to fuel it," Shine said. "It must be."

"Maybe I can reach out to them, then," Emma said.

"Emma, don't!" Scott warned.

Emma had already tried.

Fire burned her mind. "Ah!" she screamed and fell to the ground.

"Get her back," Gambit yelled at them.

He threw some cards at the Tear. It just swallowed them.

"Gambit, don't stand too close," Shine called. "All of you, get back."

"Tryin'!" Gambit said.

They tried to get outside the cave.

The Tear appeared in front...or maybe it was a different one.

"It trapped us," Kitty said.

Wally got in front of them. "Hey, you spooky crime against Reality, get out of here!" he said, electricity sizzling over him from friction.

The Tear in front of them shuddered and closed.

"Oh, thank goodness," Jubilee said.

The other Tear, behind them, seemed to slow.

Shine turned to it.

"If Charles is in there, why not just go in after him--?" Magneto moved forward.

"Don't be a food, Erik!" Shine turned to block him.

The Tear opened wider, like a mouth.

"Get down!" Gambit rushed at them and shoved them aside, throwing another card at it. Which did nothing.

"Gambit!" Rogue said. "Watch out for it!"

But almost before she was done speaking, the Tear lunged, like a living being, and not only snatched the card out of Gambit's hand, but snagged him by it also.

Gambit tried to yank free, but it was like it had a suction effect on him. It snapped him up like a rubber band would snap.

Shine jumped up and sliced her sword at it.

"Let him go!" she said.

"No!" an actual voice answered...but it was not like a human voice.

"Not one of yours..." the voice said like a taunt.

 Shine tried to cut into it. "Stop this, now!"

But instead it closed, taking Gambit with it, so fast and smooth you almost couldn't believe it had happened.

But he was gone.

"What...just happened?" Pietro was spooked.

"Remy!" Rogue flew at the space where he'd been, frantically. "No! No!"

She shook her fist. "Give him back, you freaky, no good, reality-warpin' hooligans!"

No answer.

Shine had fallen onto her backside, but she sat up.

"Shine?" Wally said. "What happened?"

"It..." Shine said. "It's... The thing, it's not just a hole anymore, it's become conscious..." She shivered. "I think...I think it's the telepaths--they're using them to make it more agile... And because they are human, I didn't have the same effect on it as when it was just a Tear... They are making it into a weapon in of itself."

"And that means what?" Emma said. "That you can't stop it?"

"I think I still could have, with more time," Shine said. "But it ran away. That's the trick...they run. I'm sorry. I was not fast enough." She looked distraught. "Rogue, I'm sorry."

"He's gone." Rogue covered her face and started sobbing. "I can't believe it. Why? He weren't no telepath or teleport."

"Just to make a point?" Emma said. "Well, now do you believe us?" She turned to give Magneto a savage look.

Magneto was gaping at them.

"Good," Emma said. "It only took losing another member, but better late than never, Magneto. Now, will you tell us what we need, or shall we wait of that thing to come back and snatch a few more of us while you deliberate about it?"

She was cutting...and with her accent, it was even worse.

Magneto closed his mouth. "Very well," he said.