Read Online Sanctuary by Christopher Golden - Free Book Online Page A

old nickname from their early days with the X-Men. ''I'm trying to chill out, but I'm not doing such a great job."
    "Try to focus, Warren," Scott said, still in a hush.
    "You're needed, here. You've got to make sure nothing happens to Gambit."
    "Remy?" Archangel asked. "But what else would—"
    Scott turned away from Archangel and moved to where Rogue held vigil over the unconscious Gambit. On the other medi-slab, Hepzibah was recovering well but was being kept sedated to speed her healing. But Gambit had simply never revived from the shock of his electrocution. Looking at Rogue now, Scott didn't know how he had ever failed to see the flowering of the relationship between the two.
    "Rogue," Scott began, "we need to talk."
    "No," Rogue said quickly. "No we don't."
    Scott was surprised. He was about to launch into a speech about responsibility, to make her see that they all needed her, that Gambit would die anyway if she didn't help. Then Rogue got to her feet and looked down at him. Her auburn hair flowed around her shoulders like a mane, its white streak only adding to her unique beauty. She was a relatively tall woman, but very petite. Still, the power within her was unmistakable.
    "Let's go," she said simply.
    "But I thought—" he began, stumbling in a manner that was unusual for him.
    "Seein' Remy like this is tearin' me apart, Cyclops," Rogue admitted. "I'm not gonna lie to ya about it. It kills me to leave his side. But you don't grow up as hard as I did without learnin' when it's time for action. The time is now. Just let me suit up, and I'll be with you."
    "As Scott already pointed out, we all need to suit up," Corsair said. "Anything happens to this ship, we'll need more than our uniforms to keep us alive."
    "You go on ahead," Archangel urged. "I'll keep an eye on our little sick bay until you get back."
    Rogue walked to where Archangel stood, sentinel over Gambit and Hepzibah. She squeezed his shoulder.
    "I know you've never been real fond of Remy, Warren," Rogue said. "But I really care for him. Watch over him for me, will ya?"
    "We're X-Men," Archangel said, smiling warmly, "we take care of our own."
    Scott could have hugged Warren for that endorsement. He needed Rogue completely together on their space walk, and Archangel's reassurance was more valuable than he could possibly know. After all, with Corsair keeping watch over Hepzibah and the ship's heat shields, and Jean making sure the space walk went off without a hitch, Archangel was the only one who could watch Gambit. Rogue needed to know that Warren was committed to that duty.
    The relief on her face showed very clearly how much weight had been lifted from her.
    "Y'know, Warren, they all said that when you got your new wings, your personality changed too," Rogue said. "I don't know 'bout any of that, but it seems to me that, wherever the real you, the person inside, went away to ... well, it seems like you're back now. I'm glad."
    "Me too," Archangel said slowly, brow furrowing. "I only wish everyone else could see it as clearly. Thanks, Rogue."
    "Thank you," she said, and finally turned to walk from the cabin.
    There was so much on his mind that Scott didn't really have time to digest their exchange. But somehow, some way, he felt like he'd let Warren down. He promised to himself that, if they survived this, he would try to figure out how, and rectify his mistake.
    But then, first things first. Survival.
    • • •
    He'd always thought of it as the cold expanse of space. Scott supposed that, nearly anywhere else, that would be about right. But this was different. This was death on the horizon. The irony was not lost on him. The sun was vital to all life on Earth, and the battery that powered his own optic beams. It was the symbol of life, growth, power. But move too close, and it became a voracious inferno, consuming all.
    Sweat trickled down Scott's forehead, underneath the lip of his ruby quartz visor, and he blinked it away. There was sweat on his back