Disclaimer: The X-Men and all other Marvel Characters and related material are copyrighted by Marvel Comics, and are used without permission. This is a non-profit piece of work (I'm not making a dime, it's all done for fun). This piece of work and the character of Tina Marlow is copyrighted by Allen Sumner 1996.
After going through all the E-mail I got on this story, I have went back and made a few changes, most of which do not change the over all story, but help clarify some of the questions that I was asked. I hope you enjoy it again.
Send comments\messages to: ASumner@Highland.Net
Here we go, enjoy:

(Author's Cut)
by Allen Sumner

"What have ya done t' him, ya MONSTER!" Rogue screamed as the rest of the X-Men tried in vain to hold her back.

The young mutant, who was the focus of Rogue's outrage, was on her knees, crying. She couldn't of been over 14 years old. Rogue! Calm down. Professor X's telepathic voice echoed in her mind.

Moments before, she and Gambit had came to Xaiver's study along with the rest of the X-Men to welcome a new student. When they arrived the young girl had suddenly drop to her knees in pain, crying out in agony. Gambit rushed to her and reached out to help and then vanished in a brief flash of azure as he touched the young girl's shoulder..

Rogue rushed over to the girl and grabbed her, lifting her into the air with one arm, the other drawn back ready to punch. Jean Grey-Summers, better known as the Phoenix, reached out with her telekinesis and grabbed Rogue's arm holding it back, while all around her the X-Men watched, some breathlessly, some ready to try and take Rogue down.

"I.... I don't kn... know." she whimpered. "Pl...Please don't hurt me.""

Rogue!! this time Professor X's voice boomed in her mind, Put her down, Now! Gambit is okay. "Where is he?" Rogue said, a slight bit calmer this time, but still holding the girl.

"Rogue," this time the Professor spoke, "This is Tina Marlow, she has the ability to shift objects through time."

"What, are ya tryin' t' tell me that Remy's in another time." she lifted the girl a little higher and looked deeply into her eyes, "Bring him back, now!" she demanded.

"I.. I.. can't." Tina stuttered. "Rogue. She can only send objects." Jean interrupted as her telekinic grip on Rogue's arm strained as Rogue fought it.

"Why ah ought t'." Rogue said as she strained against Jean's bond, but couldn't break it.

"Calm down, Gambit will return shortly. Tina's timeshift only lasts around an hour." Professer X said.

Rogue finally calmed down and sat Tina down who was now shaking like a leaf. Taking a deep breath to calm herself as Jean released her telekinic hold. Rogue walked over to a chair and dropped down into it with her face buried in her hands, as the rest of the X-Men breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ah.... Ah'm sorry, Tina..." Rogue said, her voice full of shame for the way she had just acted, "Ah jus'...." her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out what else to say. Professor X telepathically asked to other X-men to leave. They quietly filed out the door leaving Rogue alone with the Professor and Tina.

Tina got up and walked over to Rogue, her hands behind her back and head hung low. She stood there a moment and shuffled her feet. "Th..That's okay lady, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Hearing those words, Rogue thought back to a time when she herself had used similiar words. Back to when her mutant powers first appeared. Back to when a boy name Cody kissed her and never woke up. *Ah'm so sorry Cody.* Then slowly she raised her head and looked at Tina.

"Ah know shugah, Ah know."

The past:

"Awe, but momma," the little girl complained as she fiddged with the collar of the new dress her mother had just put on her, "Ah don't like this dress. Can't ah just wear my regular clothes to the fair?"

"Now Amanda child, stop fiddging, why does a pretty girl like ya not like this dress?" Her mother questioned as she stepped back to admire her lovely daughter. "Oh child, you are beautiful, why ya goin' to be a regular heartbreker when ya gets grown. Yeah ya goin' steal all the boys hearts, ya goin' be a regular ol' rogue of hearts, child."

The little girl looked up at her mother and smiled. "Ah like that word momma."

"What word, child?"

"Rogue."

Later, Gambit fell back, very unagile like, flat on his butt.

Hope nobody saw dat. he thought as he looked around, the study was gone, as was everybody else.

Dis not be good for Gambit. Not good 't all. Getting to his feet he brushed the the dirt off of him. Not good 't all.

He was standing between a wore down wooden fence and a semi-trailer. On the side of the trailer, painted in faded red letters, was : Grambenee's Carnival of Wonders. From beyond the trailer he heard the sound of a pipe organ and the sounds of people laughing and enjoying themselves.

Hmm... Gambit always did like th' carney.

Then he heard it, a soft crying sound, a little girl's cry. Peering around the back of the truck he saw a fair ground full of people, tent's and rides. Then he spotted her,a little girl huddled behind a nearby tent, holding a stuffed bear . As Gambit neared, something about the girl looked familiar.

No.. it can't be. But then again how many brown-haired girls had a streak of white down the middle of their hair. Ho' dis be? Looking around he noticed everybody was dress like it was the early to mid seventies. Then the little girl's cry caught his attention again.

He stepped up to the little girl and noticed that the bear's head was hanging from the body by a few threads,as well as a leg, white stuffing bulged out of the rips. The little girl sniffled and looked up at him tears still welling up in her eyes.

"Are y' okay, petite?" he asked as her looked into her eyes, no doubt about it this was Rogue, but she only appeared to be about six years old. He must have been sent back in time.

"Some mean ol' boys stole Mis'tah bear an' hurt 'em," she gasped for a breath, "then they ran off." she continued to cry. "Now ah lost my momma."

Gambit squatted down besides her and looked at her, cautiously her reached out and touched her forehead with his bare finger, nothing. Then he brushed back a lock of brown hair.

"Everyt'ing gonna be okay, petite. Gambit help y' find y're momma."

She stared at him a moment. "Mis'tah Gambit, are ya a clown? Ya sur' do dress funny." she said as she stopped crying. She took Gambit's hand and stood up still clutching the torn bear next to her chest.

"No, petite...", he said. He flick his free hand and card appeared out of nowhere, "Gambit be better dan a clown." He watched as the young Rogue's eye widened in amazement as the card started to glow and hum. He flipped the card into the air and it vanished with a small pop and puff of smoke.

Rogue was entranced, "WOW.... ya a magic man."

"Close enough, petite, close enough. Now let's go find y're momma." with that he lead her out into the crowd. "Do you have a name petite?"

"Mah name's Amanda," she paused a moment, "but ah want a fun name like yours." she told him with a smile across her face. "Well den, petite, What you want Gambit to call you?"

"Hows 'bout... um... Rogue?" she said with a giggle.

Gambit smiled, "Den Rogue it be."

They walked for several minutes, Gambit hadn't realized how big this carnival was or how many people were here. They stopped for a moment.

"Do y' see y're momma?" he asked as Rogue suddenly grabbed hold of his waist and inched around behind him. "What's a matter petite?"

"That's them. The mean boys that took Mis'tah bear." she said as she pointed over toward three boys that looked to be about 15.

"Is dat so."

Gambit started to follow the boys but Rogue held tight to his waist. Lifting her up and balancing her on his waist he continued after them. They followed them as the boys wandered around the carnival causing general trouble where ever they happened to stop.

The boys ended up at a small water tower nearby the carnival. Standing beneath it they starting to smoke, laughing and joking about taking the little girl's bear. Gambit and Rogue was standing next to a nearby tuck . Hearing this really got to Gambit.

"Rogue, petite, y' stay here, Gambit be back in a moment." he said as he sat her down on the hood of the truck.

Gambit walked up to the boys. "Pardon, I couldn't help over hearing y' boys. What y' did to the young lady wasn't very nice."

The boys looked at each other and laughted, then the one with the pack of cigarettes spoke. "Yeah whats it to ya, ol' man."

"Well, the young lady is a friend o' mine."

"So" "So," Gambit said as he reached out as snatched the cigarettes for the oldest boy's hand, before the teenager knew it Gambit had pulled two cigarettes out. He put one in is mouth and held the other where they could all see it. "I'm here t' tell y' to leave her an' everyone else alone. N'cest-ce pas?." With that he charged the cigarette, the boys stared in awe as he tossed it up at the water tower. As they watched the glowing cigarette, Gambit leaped away as it hit the tower and discharged, blowing a hole in the bottom and drowning the boys with several hundred gallons of water.

Gambit walked over to Rogue who was standing on the hood of the truck laughing at the now mud covered boys as they scrambled around trying to stand.

"Way to go Mis'tah Gambit!" she said as he helped her down.

They walked by one of the game booths, one of the one where you throw the baseball and try to knock down the milk bottles. They had a big pink giraffe almost as tall as Rogue. "Come here petite ." Gambit said as he lead her over to the booth. "How much?" he asked the proprietor of the booth.

"Fifty cents for three balls."

"Gimme three an' keep th' change." he said as he hand the man a dollar, making sure the date on it was older than 1970.

Rogue watched as Gambit picked up the balls and in fast succession threw them, knocking over three stands of milk bottles.

"We Have A Winner!" the man in the stand shouted. "What'll it be."

"Th' pink giraffe over ther, Mon ami." He remembered that Rogue had always loved giraffes.

Gambit handed the stuffed giraffe to Rogue, who handed him the bear and then huged the giraffe tightly, she then motioned for him to come closer. He knelt down in front of her. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank ya Mis'tah Gambit. Thank ya, ah'll keep it forever."

Just then they both heard a woman's voice shouting Rogue's name. Rogue turned and saw her momma and took off running for her. The woman scooped the little girl up in her arms and hugged her.

Gambit put the bear in his jacket pocket as he watched the woman hug Rogue. "I love y', Petite." Then he vainshed in a brief glow of azure colored light..

"Amanda, darlin' ya no ideal how worried ah've been. Where have ya been girl."

"With Mis'tah Gambit, the magic man." little Rogue said as she turned in her mothers arms, but Gambit was nowhere to be found.

Gambit fell back, very unagile like and landed on his butt.

Mon dieu, not again.

This time he was infront of the mansion. He was back, or so he hoped .

Leaping to his feet he rushed to the main door and knocked.

Rogue answered the door with a gasp and then hugged the cajun, careful not to touch her skin to his.

"Remy, ah was so worried."

"Chere, dat's nice, Gambit missed y' to." Rogue blushed. "So, hows 'bout a little kiss fo' Gambit, t' show 'im how much y' missed 'im." Remy said as he puckered his lips and closed his eyes. The next thing he felt was Rogue's gloved hand slap his cheek, firmly but not inflicting too much pain.

"Remy, ya know better than t' ask tha'." Rogue snapped. "Do ya'll want t' end up in a coma or what?"

"Dat's alrigh' Chere. Gambit dun got his kiss." He said and walked on in pass her.

What did Remy mean by tha'?

They walked in to Professor X's study where Jean and the Professor was talking to Tina. Gambit could tell she was scared.

"I'm sorry I timeshifted you, mister Gambit." she said as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Dat's okay, petite. y' like magic?"

She nodded her head a little. Then Gambit flicked his hand and a card appeared and started to glow and hum. Her eyes grew wide with amazement, as did Rogue's. Then he flipped the card into the air and it vanished with a pop and a puff smoke. Gambit smiled as the little girl cheered up, he turned to Rogue, who looked like she had seen a ghost, and winked.

"WOW" Tina said.

Later that evening Gambit was laying in his room when Rogue appeared in the door way. In her arms was a worn pink giraffe. Gambit watched as she entered the room and sat on the edge of his bed.

After a moment she spoke. "That was ya, wasn' t it?"

Gambit didn't answer, he just reached under his pillow and pulled out a stuffed bear, who had recently had minor surgery performed on it to close up the rips in its neck and leg. The bear also had a new collar with a shiny gold tag stamped "MAGIC MAN" around it's neck. He handed it her and smiled.

Tears swelled in Rogues eyes, she was speachless, then she hugged the cajun.

THE END????

Well, I hope that answered two of the three main questions I received. As for the third, read on.
1) Why did Rogue say her name was "Rogue" In my first draft I just assumed that "Rogue" was a nickname she had since she was little. 2) Have you every tried to lift a nine year old on your hip and carry them? I decided to change her age, for 1) the question listed above, a nine year old is pretty good sized, and 2) I believe that would be more accurate with the comics (I have always had trouble keeping track of years in comics : ) ) 3) Why hasn't Rogue confronted Remy before about "Magic Man"? Well, time travel is a tricky thing, even in theory.
See ya -Allen

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