Want

     Title: The Thief
               By Peachy
               kkeene@bradley.edu
              Teaser: Things go missing at the school and Scott solves the mystery.
              Rating: PG-13
              Genre: drama
                  Archivist's Note: This story takes place after A Connection, Flashbacks, and The Accident.

              About five months after Aaron's death another new face graces the school ground. Rogue was nervous
              about him. His name was Gambit. His gift was energy. He could transfer energy to objects; his favorite
              was playing cards though. Always kept a deck on hand. He was sweet, kind, and treated her no different
              then anyone else. Just after Aaron, she was more cautious.
              Storm was teaching her how to fly and use this new power that she had developed. She could float
              upwards and used her ability to defy gravity by walking on walls. She thought it was kind of fun. Bobby
              even would joke around when she was hanging from the ceiling and call her the living piñata.
              Logan wrote more letters telling her about a military base he found and a few documents in relation to
              mutant experiments, one in which his name was associated. He had not much more then names, but was
              on the search. He hated coming up empty-handed and more questions arose. He was getting frustrated
              and desperate. Life seemed to get more confusing without her. He said he was looking for a purpose in
              life as well, what, he didn't know. He told her his inner thoughts and wishes. Hoping to find where his
              life was heading. The road, he wrote, I can only see about fifty yards ahead. The rest is all black. He
              always wished Rogue well and said he'd hope to be back soon. She didn't believe him though. She
              would love for him to find answers but longed for him to stop dwelling in a past he can't recall but live
              for the now and the future. He was needed, she needed him, the X-Men needed him here. She still wore
              the dog tags. They were her most prized procession. Call her a little obsessive, but they meant a lot to
              her.
              She was getting ready for class when Katherine came in. She looked about her dresser and bed.
              "Rogue, have you seen my Goo Goo Dolls CD? It's missing from my case.'
              Rogue replied, "No. Maybe someone borrowed it."
              "If they did, it was without asking."
              The Goo Goo Dolls was Katherine's favorite group -- she had all the albums and a poster hanging over
              her bed of the lead singer. Rogue tried to sound reassuring: "I'm sure it's around. I'll help you after class,
              we've got to get going."
              They grabbed their stuff and headed to Biology. It was dull and no one in class was paying much
              attention despite Jean's attempt to make is sound fascinating. Professor Xavier had hired on a new
              teacher as well. His name was Johnathan Parks but he also was given an X-Men codename: Felix. He
              could stretch himself out and make his arms and legs grow longer. He was the human Gumby and that's
              what the kids called him. Flex was too girly a name for a guy, so it became Felix. At least that is what
              Rogue and the other students thought.
              Lunch was good for a change; the whole group, including the new guy Gambit, planned to sneak out
              one Friday and spend the night out on the town. Lunchtime was their time to plan. It was still in the
              works, but they won't give up until the full proof plan would work. An exact date was for this great
              adventure is up in the air.
              Gambit, who sat across from Rogue, was kind of a trouble-maker and he was the Friday night leader. He
              never told how he wound up here and Professor Xavier wouldn't tell the kids either. Bobby asked once
              and got no answer.
              While dinning on tuna casserole and ham sandwiches...Katherine continued her search. "Did any of
              you borrow my new Goo Goo Dolls CD? I can't find it."
              No's went around the table.
              "You'll find it. Did you look in your CD player?" St. John asked sarcastically. She just glared a
              do-you-think-I'm-that-stupid look.
              "Which of one of your albums?" a fellow student asked.
              "Dizzy Up The Girl. It has my favorite song, Broadway."
              Gambit answered, "I'll keep my eyes peeled and if I see it I'll let you know."
              The rest of the afternoon flew by and everyone was engrossed in homework. Suddenly, Katherine flew
              into the common area. "Did you hear the news?!" she said, asking yet exclaiming at the same time. That
              got everyone's attention.
              "What?" a younger student asked.
              She ran to the TV and turned on CNN. It gave a report of Congress passing a mutant segregation law
              and the reporter was comparing it to the old Jim Crow laws from the past. The reporter was pro-mutant
              and another reporter began debating her on the topic. Everyone gathered around to listen. After it was
              over the noise in the room shot up. Complaints and other arguments were flying.
              Rogue remained silent. She thought to herself, They did it...I can't believe it. After all the debating and
              lobbying Prof. Xavier and Dr. Grey did, plus lots of other mutant advocates. I don't understand how
              people can't just see us as normal people. I guess my brain just thinks too simplistically. It scared her.
              She'd have to talk to the professor about this. I can't just sit around and do nothing while the debate
              moves to the Senate. It looks like it will pass there just as well.
              Storm came flying into the room, not literally. "Please keep it down, I can hear you from my room. Some
              of us would like to go to bed early..."
              She saw CNN and realized what that they saw the reports too. She didn't know what to say to ease their
              fears. "Don't worry about what they say. It won't pass, we won't let it. Just don't go doing anything rash
              either. It won't solve anything."
              She felt like she had to speak a word of warning. She didn't want the student to do what other mutants
              were doing: rioting in protest. Mob violence never solved anything. It only makes mutants look worse.

              That evening Rogue went to talk with Professor Xavier in private. She didn't know why she was so
              active about this. I guess going to those hearings and watching lobbying in action, she thought.
              Maybe she could help in some way.
              The Professor thanked her for her support and efforts to help. She was turning into a younger, more
              political Jean Grey. He knew it would be people like her in the future that would help bring about
              equal rights for mutants and be their voice in a world that would try and silence them. He helped ease
              her fears a bit and she was uncertain for her future; it lay in the hands of other people, and to her that
              was not right. Xavier and Rogue talked for an hour or so till it was past 11 at night.

              The next morning Bobby looked like he hadn't slept all night and passed out in every class. The
              teachers were not happy.
              "Bobby," Rogue whispered. She nudged him. His head jumped up and he instinctively went for his
              extra large mug of coffee.
              After class she asked him what had happened. "I was going to go to bed, I look around for the term
              paper due today. Nowhere. Nowhere to be found. I went to the computer -- it was gone, erased ,
              deleted, I don't know. I had to do it all over again starting at midnight. It took me three days to do it
              the first time. I haven't slept all night. When I find out who did it, I'm gonna kill him...or her."
              "Yuck, tough break. Go...sleep..." Rogue urged him forward for a nap.

              Over the next few days, odds and ends of people's things wound up missing. A pair of earring, a
              jewelry box, baseball glove, and a textbook.
              Finally Rogue woke up one morning and something didn't feel right. She couldn't explain what it
              was. She went to take a shower and then in the middle of her shower it hit her. The dog tags. She felt
              around her neck -- they were gone. She never took them off, she couldn't have misplaced them, and she
              had them when she went to bed, didn't she?
              She ran out of the shower and got dressed. She tore apart the room checking everything, the bed, her
              sheets, under the bed, closet, and dresser as if a hurricane was hitting the room. She thought to
              herself, I can't lose it. He wants it back. I have to give it back to him. It's not mine to lose. She knew
              she sounded silly but he could be back tomorrow and then what. She lost them-- no! She didn't. Tears
              started to flow down her eyes. That was her link to Logan. That was one part of him that could touch
              her. It was odd but she felt like Logan was gone and not with her with those tags missing.
              She was in such a fury that she couldn't stop crying and mumbling about how important they were
              and she just has to find them. When Katherine came in, she was shocked. Rogue had torn up her side
              of the room too. Then, realizing what she had done after Katherine came back...
              "What happened?" She saw Rogue crying and hyperventilating. "Sit down, calm down." She forced
              Rogue to sit on the bed and breathe. "What happened?"
              "They're gone, I didn't take them off, they didn't fall off, I was wearing it when I went to bed. It's gone.
              They can't be gone. I need them." Rogue talked in hyperspeed. Her hands wouldn't stop touching and
              rubbing her neck in hope that some miracle it was still there.
              Katherine saw this and knew. "Oh no... It will be okay. You got me to find it with you." She knew those
              dog tags were a part of Rogue like an arm; she wouldn't function without it, or unless she had the real
              Wolverine.
              Katherine said, "I'm going down the hall to see if the guys have seen it and get them to help."
              "I have to go outside. I was outside yesterday but I didn't drop it out side. It didn't come off outside but
              I have to look." She spoke so fast Katherine didn't comprehend one word but said okay and left.
              Rogue went about retracing her steps the entire day yesterday.

              Katherine entered the guys' living area. "Hey!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. One student
              turned off the stereo. "Any of you seen Rogue's dog tags?"
              "No, she always has them on," St. John commented.
              "Not anymore, they're missing," Katherine informed them.
              "Great." Bobby and St. John glared at each other.
              "What's the big deal over some stupid dog tags?" Gambit replied.
              St. John said, "You don't understand -- those dog tags are everything to her. They're like a link to her
              best friend. Wolverine gave them to her to hold on to. They mean the world to her. They're the only
              thing she really has of his."
              "How is she?" Bobby asked.
              "Flipping out into hysterics. I doubt she's going to be in class today."
              "The profs won't like that," Gambit said.
              "They won't have a choice."
              "Where is she now?" Bobby asked worriedly.
              "Retracing her entire steps from yesterday?" Katherine explained.
              "Of the one thing to go missing, that should not have been it," Bobby said. "Let's see if we can find
              them."
              They hunted around few classrooms but to no avail. Finally they packed up for class. As suspected,
              Rogue wasn't there and Dr. Felix wanted to know why.
              "She lost something, sir, and she's desperately trying to find it," said a student.
              Felix thought that was no excuse and would talk to Professor Summers about it. Jean and Xavier were
              out of town in Washington, DC with many other mutant influentials during the hot debate of the
              mutant laws.
              Scott was out for his morning jog when he was startled by this black lump that seem to creep along
              the grass. He watched for a while as it moved slowly in one direction, change and go the other way.
              He ran up to get a more detailed look and to his surprise it was Rogue. Her face was flushed as if she
              had been crying but all the tears were gone.
              "Rogue, what are you doing?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be in class?"
              "I have to find them, Scott." That was odd; she never called him Scott before. It was always Professor
              Summers, but he didn't mind.
              "What do you have to find?"
              "Wolverine's dog tags. They're missing. I didn't take them off, but they're missing."
              So she was searching every inch of the yard for them. Scott could care less about those dog tags but
              he knew they meant a lot to her. Logan was her friend, even if he wasn't thrilled with the guy. He got
              down to help. Rogue was startled and looked up at him with confusion. She thought he would punish
              her for missing class or tell her to go inside.
              "The more eyes the better, right?" Scott smiled and that brought a smile to Rogue's face, the first one
              of today. Time passed and finally Scott had to teach class. They had searched most of the yard.
              "Rogue, they're not out here. Come on, let's go inside."
              "Are you sure they're not out here? They're not in my room, or the library or the dinning hall, or the
              common room." She was getting frustrated -- what happened to them? "I went to bed with them and
              then I woke up and they were gone."
              "Then why did we just check the entire back yard?" he wondered
              "Because they aren't in my room -- they have to be somewhere else." Her eyes were beginning to get
              red and teary again. Scott didn't want to say anything to Rogue but it sounded like they were taken
              from her. He didn't know who, though.

              Scott was teaching class in his sweat pants and jogging shirt. He hadn't had time to shower after
              crawling in the grass. He saw Rogue sitting there taping her pencil and fidgeting. It was killing her to
              sit there when she should be looking for the necklace. Scott finally said something.
              "Okay, I don't know who did it, but I believe it is the only explanation of the disappearance of
              Rogue's necklace. Someone took it. I don't know who, but give it back. Please."
              Katherine added in her own ten cents. "Yeah, and if anyone borrowed by Goo Goo Dolls CD, I'd like
              that back as well."
              That started a downpour. Everyone was missing stuff. Scott didn't know what he'd gotten himself into.
              "Okay, that's enough!" he shouted. "Back to lessons, and after class I'll try and deal with this."
              He finished class and everyone was in mystery as to where their stuff had gone.

              Not till the next morning did the mystery unravel.
              Everyone else awoke in grumpy moods, especially Rogue. She hardly slept all night. She never said
              much but just always reached for the necklace that wasn't there. The guys' dorm was empty; it was
              guys' basketball game tournament today.
              Everyone was there but Gambit.
              He snuck back into the dorm and reached for a box hidden under his bed. Upon opening it, the
              contents contained a Goo Goo Dolls CD, music box, earrings, a term paper, and a few other
              trinkets...including the dog tags.
              He looked over them, wondering why they were so special. Why did he take them? He didn't want
              them or need them for anything. He thought to himself, I guessed I took them because I'm so used to
              taking, stealing.
              He was going to give it all back while no one was looking but upon turning around there stood Scott.
              "I think you'd better come with me."
              Busted. Gambit followed Scott to his office, bringing with him the box of stolen goods.
              "Spill it. Why did you take all this stuff."
              Silence. Gambit decided to play tough. He didn't respond.
              "I can sit here all day. It is a nice day outside -- everyone enjoying their Saturday. I hear a trip into
              town is planned later for ice cream and a movie later on in the commons."
              Gambit didn't care. Okay, he did. He didn't want to be sitting here. But how could he explain his
              actions when he didn't even know the answers? He wasn't going to be weak.
              "So you take the items and do what, put them in a box? I don't get it."
              Gambit sat defiant. A knock came at the door. Scott slid the box under the table and went to the door.
              "Come in."
              It was Rogue. She saw Gambit sitting at the desk. "Sorry, I'll come back later. I didn't know you were
              busy."
              Scott eased her mind: "No, please, come in what can I help you with?"
              "I was just curious if you found it yet," she asked with tired, saddened eyes. "I know this may sound
              ridiculous but I'm scared. I feel alone with out them."
              "It doesn't sound stupid. I know how much Wolverine means to you. It will turn up, soon."
              Scott escorted Rogue from the room and watched her as she floated herself down the hall, feet
              dragging. This made Scott more determined.
              "Okay," he settled back into his chair, "give me the dog tags and tell me why you took this stuff or no
              outside privileges."
              Gambit thought this was a joke. "I can easily leave. Nothing binds me here. If you want to treat me
              like this then I'm out of here." He got up to go and started out.
              "No. Nothing binds you here, but we want to help you, provide opportunities for you and teach you.
              We care about you. But it is a two-way street. You have to trust us and help us as well. You can go, but
              where to? What will you do?"
              Gambit stood for a moment, thinking.
              "Please talk to me," Scott said sincerely. "Let me understand you."
              Gambit knew he was right, he didn't like it but he was right. Professor Xavier knew about him and
              took him in anyway. These guys had become his friends. He didn't want to hurt them. Plus, Scott
              could've ratted him out. Instead he'd shielded him and given him the opportunity to make the first
              move.
              So he made it.
              "I have a problem."
              "You want to sit and talk about it?"
              Gambit sat back down and talked to Professor Summers telling him what he'd told Xavier. He'd lived
              on the streets. To survive there he'd steal: money, jewelry, whatever, especially good at picking
              pockets. Not for the items...well, not all the time...but for the challenge and fun of it. He was a partial
              kleptomaniac. He couldn't help it. He didn't mean to hurt anyone by it.
              "Can I make a suggestion to you?" Scott advised. Gambit nodded and he continued, "Tell your
              friends what you told me and give them their stuff back. I recommend starting with Rogue."
              Rogue was someone he didn't want to hurt. How could he tell her he took her most valuable
              possession? What would they think of him then?
              "I don't think I can do it."
              "Trust me: these kids more than anyone else know what it means to make mistakes, to forgive and to
              accept, even with minor faults."
              That was true, he had seen it in them. Gambit finally agreed.

              All the students were gathered that night with the movie rental and before the show began Scott had
              to go get Rogue. She was depressed and chose to sit on the roof alone under the starts. It was her
              favorite hangout.
              "You sure make it hard to find you," Scott said.
              "I try to go where I can't be found."
              "Listen: I may not be your best friend, but I'd like to still think I am your friend."
              She smiled a bit. "You are."
              "Can I give you some advice? I seem to be dishing out a lot of it today." With her nod, he proceeded.
              "First, I know you care a lot about Wolverine. I don't know if he is ever coming back but just because
              you lose those dog tags doesn't mean you lose him in here." He points to her heart. "I know you,
              Rogue...he's deep in there and up here." He points to her head. "You hold on to that, you've lost
              nothing."
              Tears came to her eyes. He was right. "But I feel like I let him down. He will be back, he promised. He
              told me to hold on to those for him. He'll want them back, and I didn't keep my promise."
              Scott gathered her in a hug. "He'd understand, and I think he'd rather want you more than those dog
              tags back anyway."
              She smiled.
              "Beside," he added, "I found them."
              Her eyes lit up like the skyline of New York. She was so excited.
              "Come on, the mystery will be explained in the movie room, and you don't want to miss the movie do
              ya? You want to help me down?" he added with his suave smile.
              Rogue flew Scott and herself off the roof and they made their way to the movie room. Scott gathered
              everyone's attention and made sure the guest speaker was present.
              "Hey, listen up. I have solved our little mystery and found your stuff. And now I will let someone else
              take over..."
              Scott sat down and Gambit stood up.
              "I just want to apologize. I took you stuff. "
              Everyone seemed to go into shock and rage at the same time.
              "Let me explain, please..." This was going to be one of the hardest moments of his life. He took a deep
              breath and went on to tell them about his life on the streets, how he'd become a pickpocket and thief.
              He didn't steal their items for themselves, but for the challenge or out of habit.
              "I again am sorry. I'm trying to break the habit but it's hard. If something goes missing again, come to
              me first. I'll probably have it. I hope not to do it again. I hope you guys can forgive me. I'm sorry and I
              didn't mean to hurt anyone," he said, looking towards Rogue. "Here 's all your stuff." He handed it all
              back and gave the dog tags back to Rogue. "I am sorry."
              She made a surprise move. She hugged him and thanked him for giving it back to her and said all was
              forgiven. Everyone else followed suit. They knew how hard it was to fit in and they all made mistakes,
              Rogue's probably the worst of all. Forgiveness is a powerful thing and she was willing to give it out.
              After all, if her friends could forgive her for the accident with Aaron, she could easily forgive her
              friend for this. It paled in comparison.

                                             The End