Cannonball paced the cockpit of the Blackbird. Someone had to stay with the plane to keep it airborne and he knew
it had to be him. He had wanted to go with the others, but if he came within range of Kavik then their Quickenings
would overlap and neither of them would be able to use their powers.

Phoenix telepathically scanned the complex for Gambit and Kavik. She hadn't been able to sense anything from the
building while they where outside the perimeter defences, but now they were inside there was nothing blocking her
telepathy. She located them just as the Marauders came around a corner.

Gambit and Kavik both looked up as they heard Phoenix in their heads.

**Are you two all right?** She asked.

**We're fine,** sent Kavik. At that moment both she and Remy 'saw' the Marauders through Jean's mind.

**Jean, take out Vertigo,** Gambit sent quickly, **Sinister's done som't'in' to her powers, dey stronger den dey should be.**

Jean heard the message from Gambit just as Vertigo was about to trigger her powers. Quickly, Phoenix reached out
with her telepathy and tried to shut of Vertigo's power, but found herself being repelled from the other woman's mind.
Without missing a beat, Phoenix telekinetically
grabbed Scrambler and launched him at his fellow Marauder. As soon as Scrambler's skin touched Vertigo,
the female Marauder's powers were shut off and she collapsed. **Thanks, Remy,** the telepath sent to her
team-mate.

**'Sa pleasure, chere,** she heard in reply.

**Where are you?** Kavik asked Jean as she and Gambit ran around a corner.

In response to the question Jean sent out a telepathic beacon to them. **Just follow this and you'll find us.**

The beacon was like a blazing trail within their minds as they ran through the bowels of Sinister's base.
"They're above us," panted Kavik as she ran, "we need to find some way to get to the upper levels."

"Remy skidded to a halt and grabbed Kavik's arm, pulling her in the direction they had just come.

"What-?"

"Dere was an elevator back dere. We can get into de haft an' fly up."

Kavik grinned. "What are we waiting for?"

It took a few minutes for them to find the lift shaft. After punching the buttons on the control panel Remy grimaced
and pulled a card out of his pocket. "Stand back," he said as he charged the card and threw it at the doors of the lift.
Pushing the smoke out of the way with her powers, Kavik looked up and down the dark shaft. "I can't see a
bloody thing." She sighed. "If we go up there we could end up crashing head first into the lift."

"Move out de way." Remy held a charged card into the shaft, but it didn't give off enough light to see whether the lift
was above or below them.

"Have you got any matches on you?" As soon as she asked the question, Kavik shrugged apologetically, remembering that Remy always lit his cigarettes with his powers. "Sorry, stupid question."

"You need a fire?"

"Just a small one'll do."

Fishing yet another card out of his pocket, Remy charged it gently until it started smoking. Within seconds it had burst
into flames. Kavik quickly took the small fire and encouraged it to grow and intensify. Sending it into the lift shaft, she sent it downwards. After a minute she smiled.

"The lift's below us, and there's nothing else blocking the way up. Come on." Kavik held out her hand to Remy. As
soon as she felt him take it, she pulled him closer to him.

"Hold on."

"Trust me, chere, I intend to do jus' dat." Remy felt the rumbling chuckle in Kavik's body as they flew into the
shaft.

Kavik kept the small ball of fire ahead of them, so they could see where they were going. Remy counted five sets
of doors before Jean's telepathic beacon told them they were on the right level.

"Remy, would you like to do the honours?"

After waiting until Kavik had surrounded them with air molecules to protect them from the blast, Remy threw a
charged card at the doors. Flying through the hole which had previously been the doors to the lift shaft, Kavik gently
placed them back on the ground. The sounds of shouting and fighting were audible.

"Sounds like we're missing the party," remarked Kavik.

"Oh no," came a voice, "*you're* the guests of honour."

Remy and Kavik both watched as Sinister stepped out from around the corner, followed by Sabretooth.

"It's over, Sinister, jus' let us go." Remy took a step forward, mirrored by Sabretooth.

Sinister laid a hand on Sabretooth's arm. "I had no intention of keeping you here. You're free to go." Sinister held his arm out for them to pass.

The two X-Men looked at each other, not sure whether or not to trust Sinister at his word. A noise from behind Sinister signalled the arrival of the other X-Men.

"We're leavin'," said Remy as he walked forward.

Remy and Kavik walked towards the others. Without warning, Sabretooth jumped in front of Kavik and slashed his claws across her stomach. Gasping, she dropped to her knees, the blood pouring freely from the wound.

"Non!" Gambit cried as he spun and threw a card at Sabretooth, who dodged it as it hit a wall behind him. When the smoke cleared Sinister and Sabretooth were nowhere to be seen.

Beast ran forward and knelt next to Kavik. "Let me see," he said, trying to move her hands from her stomach.

"It'll be okay," she said from gritted teeth. "Just give it a few minutes to heal."

Hank was adamant and pulled her hands away from the wound. He watched as what looked like small blue sparks
of electricity danced across the gash, and it closed before his eyes. He had never seen a healing factor like it before,
but what other explanation was there? "Can you walk?" He asked, when the wound was fully closed.

Kavik nodded and, with Hank's help, got to her feet. She staggered slightly and Hank's arm came around her to help
her. Kavik smiled at him and leant in to him until she was strong enough to walk on her own.

Sam felt the Presence of another Immortal as the hatch to the Blackbird opened and the rest of the X-Men walked in.
He gaped at the torn and bloody shirt that Kavik was wearing.

Kavik caught his gaze and followed it to the remnants of the front of the shirt. "Sorry," she said, grinning lopsidedly,
"didn't have time to change."

"Are ya all right?" Sam asked, worry marring his face.

"I'm fine," replied Kavik softly. "Trust me, it takes a hell of a lot more than a little kidnapping to put a crimp in my
style." She flopped into a chair. "Gods, I could sleep for a week," she murmured, her eyes closing.

Hank walked over to where Kavik was sitting and took the chair next to her. "I want to examine you when we get
back to the mansion. You too, Gambit." He added when Remy sat in the chair opposite them.

Kavik opened one eye and peered at the furry, blue doctor next to her. "Hank, I'm fine."

Beast looked at her intently. "I'm the doctor." He smiled slightly at Kavik's sigh. "Kavik, healing factor or no, I want
to check no damage was done when Sabretooth attacked you."

"Okay, doc, whatever you say." Kavik closed her eyes again. "Wake me when we get to Westchester."

Scott heard Kavik sighing at Hank as he walked into the cockpit. Jean had already set course for Westchester, and Scott smiled at her as he slid into the co-pilot's seat.

"I contacted Charles and told him we're on our way back. He's going to call Sean and tell him that Gambit and
Kavik are okay."

"Are they?" Scott asked as he glanced back to where the other X-Men were smiling at the fact that Kavik had fluffed
up Hank's fur and was now using his shoulder as a pillow.

"What do you mean?"

**What I mean,** replied Scott, switching to the telepathic link he and his wife had in order to avoid the conversation being overheard by the others, **is that we don't know why Sinister took them. And you can't read them so we don't know if he's messed with their heads somehow. They could be walking timebombs.**

Jean frowned at her husband. **Scott, *if* something happened to them when they were with Sinister, then, even if Betsy or myself couldn't pick it up, Logan would have sensed something different about them. And Hank is going to examine them both when we get back, so stop worrying.**

Without the need to push the Blackbird to its limits, the flight back to Westchester took longer than the flight out, and by the time the plane landed in the grounds of the Xavier Institute the sun had already started to rise. Charles was waiting for them at the door, watching as the rest of the X-Men left the plane before Scott piloted it into the hanger.

"What happened?" He asked as he saw Kavik's bloodied shirt.

"Sabretooth," came the succinct reply.

"Are you both all right?" Charles looked from Kavik to Remy.

"Like we keep tellin' Henri, we fine," answered Gambit.

"We won't know that for sure until I examine the two of you." Hank came up behind them and began steering them
to the medlab.

Charles Shi'ar hoverchair stopped just inside the door to the medlab. "What did Sinister want with you?" He asked.Remy and Kavik glanced at each other. They knew that they couldn't tell Xavier exactly what Sinister had said without revealing Kavik to be an Immortal.

"De same he always want," remarked Remy. "To remind us dat no matter where we are he can always get to us."

"Genetic experiments," answered Kavik. "He thought our genes would add to his collection."

Charles sighed and nodded. "I thought so when I heard who it was who had taken you. Sinister seems preoccupied with the genetic structure of certain members of this team."

"At least he's branched out from just the Summers," commented Hank as he drew a vial of blood from Remy.

"I'll check this to see if they gave you anything," he said as he placed the tube of blood in a rack and went over to Kavik. "Can you undo your shirt, I want to check the area Sabretooth wounded you."

Kavik opened the shirt and took it off, dropping it on the bed next to her.

Hank checked the area. "It's healed perfectly," he told her.

Kavik smiled.

"I'll just take some blood from you and then you'll be free to go." Hank picked up a syringe and started drawing
blood.

"I'll schedule a briefing for tomorrow afternoon," said Charles as Hank placed the vial of Kavik's blood next to the one of Remy's. "You can tell us exactly what happened then. Until then, I suggest you get some rest." Charles smiled at them. "After all, you've had a busy night."

Kavik smiled back as she watched Charles leave the medlab. Hoping off the bed, she looked back at the shirt, not wanting to put it back on, but knowing modesty demanded she not walked around the house in her underwear.

"Here," said Remy, holding out his leather jacket.

"Thanks." Kavik slipped on the jacket and fastened it.

"I should have the results of the blood tests in time for the briefing," Hank told them.

"T'anks, Henri," said Gambit, flashing a grin.

Wolverine was waiting for the two of them as the left the medlab. "Nice outfit, darlin'," he commented as Kavik
walked over to him.

Kavik looked down and realised what she must look like in bloody jeans and a leather jacket that was too big for her, with nothing on underneath. "Thanks, it's all the rage in Paris."

"I thought I should tell ya, I rang David Mitchell when we heard what happened."

"Hell, I'll have to ring him and tell him everything's okay."

Kavik had asked Logan to ring her Watcher if anything happened to her. She knew that if she had been challenged by another Immortal, then the other Watchers would have told David. However, if anything else had happened, then he would have had no way of knowing. She explained this to Logan, and told him that David knew about the X-Men, and if anything happened to her, then to ring him and tell him. "Thanks, Logan."

Going over to the phone near the stairs, Kavik picked it up and punched in David and Michael's number. The ringing was answered almost instantly.

"Hello?"

"David, it's me."

"Kavik?! Where are you? Are you okay? What happened? Who-"

"David," Kavik said softly, cutting off her Watchers ramblings, "I'm back at the mansion."

"Are you all right?" A third voice joined the conversation.

"I'm fine, just tired." Kavik answered Michael's question, realising he had picked up the extension in their flat.

"What happened? Who was it?"

Kavik smiled at the rapid questions fired off by her Watcher. Waiting for David to take a breath, she explained
what had happened.

"You're sure you're all right?" Michael asked.

"Yeah. I promise I'll tell you all about it when I see you."

"Okay," replied David. "Just promised never to do anything like that again, I didn't know what to think when I
heard what had happened."

Kavik laughed softly. "Hey, it's like I told you, you'll never get bored Watching a MacLeod."

"Yeah, but they never said anything about rampaging mutants and aliens, so I think they need to update the Watcher recruiting speech," David muttered.

"Come off it, David, you wouldn't have it any other way."

Kavik heard Michael laugh.

David snorted. "My first assignment and I get given one of the half dozen Immortals who are talked about most at headquarters. My karma must be screwed."

"Thanks, it nice to know who your friends are," Kavik said, mock sarcastically.

Michael sighed. "I swear, you two are like a couple of kids."

"Yes, dad!" Kavik and David both said.

"As long as you're all right," Michael said, ignoring the laughing coming from his lover.

"I'm fine, honest."

"Okay, that's all that matters."

Kavik smiled. Michael was always the voice of reason, especially the times her and David really were acting like a couple of kids. "Listen, I'll speak to you soon, okay?"

"You'd better," said David. "I want the *full* story." He had realised from her words that what had happened had more to do with her being an Immortal than she had let on.

"You'll get it, don't worry," promised Kavik. "I'll see you later," she said before she put the phone done.

Kavik headed back over to where Logan was standing. Remy wasn't with him. "Where's Remy?"

"Headed outside," Logan nodded towards the door, "said he needed some air. He told me what Sinister really wanted while ya were talkin' on the phone. If Sinister knows about what ya are, you'll have ta be careful."

"I know," agreed Kavik, glancing over at the door.

"I'm off ta get some sleep, I'll see ya later." Logan walked up the stairs, leaving Kavik alone.

She stared at the door for a few seconds before heading outside.

Remy was leaning against a tree watching the last of the sunrise. He sensed Kavik approach him, even though she
was walking quietly.

"Hey," she said, as she sat next to him.

"Hey y'self," he replied.

The sun crept higher in the sky.

"Pound for 'em," Kavik said, breaking the silence.

"Wha'?"

"Your thoughts," she explained.

"I t'ought it was a penny."

Kavik shrugged. "Inflation."

Remy couldn't stop the small smile that came to his lips.

"Although," continued Kavik, "since we're in the States, I guess it should be a dollar for your thoughts."

"Dey aren't wort' dat much."

Kavik wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. "It doesn't take a genius for figure out
Sinister has something on you."

Remy snorted. "Y' could say dat." He turned and looked at Kavik. "I did som't'ing in de past dat I'm not proud of."

"Who hasn't?"

"Dis is different. People..." Remy's voice trailed off. He turned his head and looked out over the lake. "People died because o' de choice

"Everyone's done something they regret, Remy. *Everyone.*"

"But everyone else's decisions don' kill innocent people." His voice became so quiet that if Kavik hadn't been sitting
next to him, she wouldn't have heard him. "Som'times, de guilt is so bad dat it's like a physical pain. An' som'times, I
forget about wha' I did an' who I was. Dat's worse."

"How?"

"Because I have no right t' forget. Because I should feel de pain an' de guilt. Because... just *because*." Remy
sighed ...

"Because if you don't punish yourself, then who will?"

Kavik's words had a flat tone, like she wasn't answering Remy, but rather continuing his thoughts.

"Som't'ing like dat," Remy admitted. "An' people can't find out."

"Because they wouldn't understand that who were then is so different to who you are now."

Remy looked at Kavik. She sat hugging her knees, watching the sun making its way above the trees. "An' dey'd never be able t' forgive y'."

Kavik continued the train of thought. "How could they, when you can't forgive yourself?" She met Remy's eyes. "Believe me, I understand."

Remy studied the deceptively young looking woman sitting next to him. "I som'times wish dat I� could go back an' change de decisions dat I made," he admitted softly.

Kavik gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "But then you wouldn't be who you are."

Remy turned and looked at her, confused.

"Our past defines our present. For better or worse, who you *were* makes you who you *are*."

"I don' like who I am, chere."

Kavik lowered her head. "I do," she whispered.

Remy felt her hand still on his shoulder, and brought his up to join it, threading their fingers together. They sat together, touching, but in silence, until the sun was high overhead.

"We should go in," Kavik said, ending the silence.

"Why?"

"Because I need a coffee," she replied. "And a shirt. But mostly, because if I sit here any longer I think my backside
will turn to stone."

Remy grinned and got to his feet. Holding his hands out, he pulled Kavik up and they started walking back to the
mansion. "'Vik?"

"Yeah?"

"T'anks."

Kavik looked at Remy and smiled. "Hey, what are friends for?"

"Non, I mean it. T'anks."

"All of us have made mistakes, Remy. They're part of who we are, we just have to accept that. Now come on, I can hear the insistent bubbling of a pot of coffee that has my name on it."

"Jus' as long as it's got mine right underneat'."

"It's a deal."

"Den wha' are we waitin' for?" Remy asked, as he pulled a laughing Kavik into the mansion and towards the kitchen.

Mr Sinister looked at the two DNA samples in front of him. Remy's had been extracted while he was unconscious
and the mark that had been left had disappeared by the time he left. He had thought that he would have to try again
to get some of Kavik's DNA until he had seen the blood on Sabretooth's claws. It had had to be purified, but the
sample he obtained would suit his purposes. Picking up the samples, he smiled.