NOTES: To all readers please remember that this story is happening in the late summer of 1991, and therefore the mentions of Nirvana, Seattle and grunge are in place, besides they are part of the story too, as next part reveals. Hope you enjoy this and the next part, after such a long break.

All of these characters belong to Marvel and are borrowed without permission with no profit made.

Who You Are

As Betsy made her way down the stairs she looked at the dazzled Gambit by the door. "So you like it then ?" she asked with a innocent smile.

"Dis Gumbo don' know what to say chere.... You... you look beautiful."

"Thank you Remy." She said. She was hoping it would make a impression on Gambit. She went picking the dress, on her own for most of the day. It was a dark shade of green, long, and it reached up to her ankles. It had splits down her legs, from the thigh down to the ground. Around the back it just had two strips, which went up to her shoulders, while most of her back was exposed. Up the front, it went all the way up to her breasts and then split to go to the shoulders, leaving most of her chest uncovered. Her hair was tied in a bun, with bits falling out here and there. She didn't wear high heels, for the fear of being higher than Remy, it went back to her childhood, she hated being taller than others, especially boys. But Remy was tall enough, so she didn't have this problem.

"Shall we go now ? De cab should be here any moment." Remy said, with his eyes still on Betsy.

"Yes." Betsy answered.

Gambit held the door for her as they walked outside. The lights of the cab were already visible on the driveway. As they waited on the stairs, a voice called out behind them. "You better watch over her Gumbo."

Gambit swirled around looking straight into the face of Wolverine. "What be de problem m'seur Wolverine ?"

"Nothin' a problem cajun boy." Logan said blowing a cloud of smoke into Remy's face. "Just want to make sure ya take care of Betss like ya have to."

"Don' worry old man I can do dat, better den anyone in dis house."

"You so sure 'bout it loudmouth ?" Wolverine moved his face closer to Remy's.

"Awww guys c'mon, I can take care of myself." said Betsy pulling Remy away. The last thing she needed was now for them to fight.

"Never said ya couldn't darlin'" Wolverine said crossing his arms over his chest and smiling wickedly at Gambit.

"Dat is not de point old man. I won't anything happen to Betss, ya can go to sleep easily." said Gambit with a twinkle in his eye as he opened the door to the cab for Psylocke. "Don't wait for us, we'll be late." Remy said slamming the door shut behind him. As the cab drove off Wolverine started after it. A smile appeared on his face and he began walking back to the mansion.

Meanwhile in the cab, they began their journey to NY. Betsy laughed when Remy mentioned Wolverine. "He's just like that, you can't help it."

"Yeah I seem to get 'im now." Remy said with a smile on his face.

"Logan has been in X-Men since, well ages, he's taken care of most of the members that came after him. Like Shadowcat, and me at some time. And now Jubilee."

"And he's not gonna let you b' hurt by some mysterious cajun." Remy finished off with a smile.

"Yeah exactly. But sometimes he's just a overprotective parent, that I really don't need."

"He'll get over it."

Later

Their conversation was interrupted by the cab driver who announced that they were there. As Remy paid the cab driver Betsy got out of the car and looked ahead of herself. Her breath stopped when she saw where she was. As Remy put his hand on her shoulder he smiled when he saw her reaction.

"I thought ya'd like it."

"Remy, this is Grand Hotel Restaurant. It's the fanciest restaurant in NY. I mean the president is sometimes seen here."

"Not tonite chere, he was busy wit de stuff goin' on de east."

Betsy laughed. "It's not like I want to see the president, I've got you for a date."

"Thank you chere, dats really nice." he said with a wicked grin. "Now allow me."

Later

Betsy stood outside looking at the stars. Remy asked her to wait few seconds, he said he had to get something from the restaurant. They were just after dinner, and what a amazing one it had been. She was mystified. Remy didn't look like a upper class man, which was more than fine with her, she hated most of the millionaire playboys who lived their life in dullness. But Remy who she was dead sure was just a middle class man, he had the table manners that matched her brothers, and that was almost impossible. Everything was so natural to him, he couldn't be just a normal man. It's like he's been thought this since he was a child, just like her. And then of course, it was his charm. He was so amazingly beautiful, she had seen many handsome men, but Remy, Remy just beat them all. He had this something about him, this something that no one else had. It was just as if he had this power, which dazzled a woman, and she would be forever lost to him. And those, mysterious eyes. They were red. On a black background. She knew he was a mutant, and to mutants things like this rarely even mattered, but for him, for him it was just something amazing. It gave him this darkness, this mysteriousness, something that always pulled a woman to a man. He was amazing, she still couldn't believe she just had a dinner with a man like that. It was marvelous.

She felt a hand touch her on the shoulder. "Ready to go chere ?"

"Yeah. Why did you go back ?"

"I had to get this." Remy said pointing at a bottle of red wine, and a couple of wine glasses.

"What.... what for ?"

"We might get thirsty on our way home chere. You never know."

Betsy laughed and they began walking down the street, holding hands. It was already dark and the traffic was beginning to easy a bit. "Remy, what do you think is our future, as mutants ?" Betsy said out of nowhere. Gambit didn't seem surprised with the question, but he thought for a while before speaking.

"Don' know chere, really. So far we've been on a bad road. And things seem to get worse. But now, with all the stuff happenin' back in Seattle, and all the talk about equality, and peace and stuff, it's almost like de sixties."

"Yeah, you mean with grunge, and that band Jubilee listens too.... damn what's their name... I can never remember."

"Nirvana."

"Oh yeah."

"They ain't the only ones chere. I've lived in Seattle before I join' X-Men. It's all the rage back dere now. I knew de people from Nirvana, not close but I've met with dem." Remy paused for a while before continuing. "The whole city is filled with bands like dat. I could tell ya names, but they wouldn't tell you anythin' yet."

"But really do you think they can make a difference ?"

"They aint' tryin to make a difference. Dey know the world is a fucked up place, and dey just show it to us. It's our choice. If we chose to listen and make a difference, den there might be somethin' dat can be done."

"Yeah you are right, but most of us, we don't even listen to this music, like well I don't. It's not that I don't like it, it's that I just don't listen to it. And people who don't listen can't make a change."

"You got dis right chere. And I can tell ya straight away, dat the old people won' change. Dey hate somethin' dats different too much. Dey have since dey were kids. And even if dey believed in Peace in de sixties den dey still hate us today. The hope is in us, people dat are still young, and can understand. People who are not yet corrupted and with de help of others can make a difference. Dis may sound dumb when I say it but de hope is in us."

A silence followed as they both thought about the issue. After few moments Remy spoke again. "Chere how was it dat you changed ?" his voice was firm and serious.

She hesitated for a while, and didn't know what to say. "Ummm.. I don't know Remy, I don't remember what happened. I mean it's in my brain somewhere, but I can't access it and my powers are not high enough. Why are you asking ?"

"No reason, just thought ya might want to talk about it."

Betsy silenced when she heard those words leave his mouth. No one except Logan has offered her this help, this understanding. They all wanted to know what happened, but that was just because they were curious, not because they wanted to make her feel better. Tears almost filled her eyes as she thought about what Remy ahd just offered her. "Actually.... actually I would."

"I thought so." Remy said with a smile. "C'mon I know just de place for it."

Later

She looked around the park. It seemed to be empty, most people were gone home by now. They sat on a bench opposite each other, as Remy poured the wine into the glasses. He handed her one and then stared straight into her eyes, for few brief moments. "So chere you want t' tell me 'bout it. I'm here t' listen."

"I... well I don't really know what to say, where to begin."

"At de start chere." he said smiling.

"Well you see, I... we were going to die in Australia. We were surrounded by the Reavers, and there was no chance we could have won. So I telepathically manipulated the rest of the team to go into the Siege Perilous, it was the only way to escape. They didn't choose for themselves, I made them. It was for their safety I suppose, but it was great responsibility. I was the last one to enter, just as the Reavers got to the hill. I said that no X-Men would die today and I disappeared too. After that I don't remember anything. It's like I fell asleep and woke up weeks later when I was about to kill Logan. It was like I just remember stepping into the Siege and then nothing, up until I broke off Matuso's telepathic control. And I have no idea how it happened. I mean it's easy to assume that Matuso brainwashed me but how did I change into this ?" she said pointing at herself.

"Dats the story I know chere, I want to know how you feel about it." Remy said pouring them more wine.

"Really ? I don't know. At some times this body is amazing. I can fight like never before, it can get to a point when I don't need my powers, my fighting skills are enough, and in a way I've always wanted that."

Remy smiled.

"What ?"

"Nothin' chere just not important memory. Keep goin'"

"But the thing is, you don't know how it feels Remy. To wake up one day in a body that's not yours. You don't know if your leg works if you lift it, you don't know if you can still crack your fingers. It's stupid things like that, but they matter. And after all this isn't your body, you don't know where you got it from. But what scares me more is, what if I find out how I got this body ? How will I react then ?"

"I can imagine chere, it must be damn hard."

"It is. It's impossible. And I liked my old body. It was wonderful, it was fit and everything. And goddamn it it was my body. Why did someone take it away ? What did I do to deserve this ?" A period of silence followed as Betsy looked at the ground and Remy, at her.

"Can't you find out somehow ?" he finally asked.

"That's the worst bit of it, Remy. It's all hidden somewhere in my brain, somewhere I don't know where and I can't access it, because my power has been cut down to such a low level. It's all there Remy, all the memories, and the big secret, it's all there but I can't get to it."

"Chere, it could be worse." he said embracing her.

"Could it ?"

"You could have lost your life."

"Sometimes I wonder if that wouldn't be a better option."

"Now, Elizabeth don' be stupid. This body, may not be your original one, but it's yours now. And if it matters anythin' I like dis one better."

Elizabeth looked up at him. "Then you're the only one. Everyone else hates' it including me."

"Don't be so pessimistic Betsy. You gotta look for something ahead of ya in life. I know it's hard since you've been through this but if you keep living in de past it will eat you away."

"The problem is Remy, that I don't have anything to live for."

"Den I can change dat."

She looked at him, speechless.

Later, in the mansion

They walked up the stairs, of the grand house, the hour was late and most of the others were asleep. Betsy, had gotten out of her bad mood already, Remy had made such a commitment to her, she was amazed. As they got to Betsy's room, it was time to depart.

Remy grabbed her around the waist and pulled close to himself. "Chere dat was a nice evening, no ?"

"Yes, very nice. You're wonderful."

"So are you." his hand began to stroke her back.

"Remy, no, I mean.... ummm I... I don't want to, not yet, not with this body, I'm still not used to it."

Remy silenced for a while as if thinking of something. He then smiled and looked down at her. "Okay chere, when you want."

"Thanks." she said looking at her feet, ashamed. Suddenly she lifted her head up and pulled Remy's head to her lips. She kissed him deeply. His eyes widened for a brief second, he was used to making those moves but the sweet taste of her lips made him realize that maybe he could get used to it. Finally she pulled away and looked in his eyes, with a smile on her face. "Good night." she turned around and opened the door. She waved to him again, as he still stood there and then closed the door. She turned around, leaned on the door and sat down on the floor. She put her head in her hands and looked at the floor for few minutes.

Then... she smiled.