Comings and Goings

Feeling Gambit's lips upon her own again brought back so many memories. Although in this timeline it had only been a few years since they had seen each other, for her it was much longer than that. She and Gambit had been happy...very happy together. They had been talking about having a child. However, before she could become pregnant they were attacked and Gambit was killed. He had died protecting her and had taken his last breath in her arms while looking up into her eyes. Losing him was the first of a series of gut-wrenching losses for Serena. She never loved again in that timeline. Peter and Gambit would be the only two men she would ever love...no matter what timeline she was in.

Gambit knew how to kiss her in such a way that her breath was taken away and her knees went weak. It was no different today. His cologne was intoxicating, as it always was, and mixed with his natural musky scent it made her head swim for a moment. So many memories came back to her and she finally had to put her hands on his chest and push him back. She turned her head away from him to stop him from trying to kiss her again and to take a moment to collect herself. She took a few steps back from him and tried to work out what she was going to say.

"It's really good to see you again Gambit. Charles says you're beloved by the children here. I'm glad to see you are doing so well. There's actually a reason I wanted to talk to you. I need to tell you something and I want you to hear it from me before an official announcement is made to the public. Peter and I...we're getting married."

Gambit expected her to step away. She was always like that when he came on to strong or she wouldn’t be able to stop him. He felt her regret at putting the barrier up between them but this time he felt that reluctance. As if her inclination to continue was born out of lust more than love. Still what she told him removed the smile on his face and his body language right then was clear. Seeing her again had brought him hope and her words had shattered that hope as if Serena had put her hand through a glass window that was his heart.

“Married…” he said as if tasting the word. “Ah but would you still be saying that if I were to put you up onto that pool table right now and have at you?” He said. His bravado was only partly forced. His defense mechanism he raised up whenever he was dealt an emotional hurt like the one she just delivered to him. “What if I told you I still love you? What if i told you that seeing you again...makes me wish I had fought harder to keep you?” he said. “Don’t I deserve at least a chance to change your mind Serena? Is it all so set in stone in your heart that you don’t feel love for me?” he asked. There was no time for caution or protecting his feelings. He knew he had this one meeting to change her mind about this. “I would die for you Serena,” he said finally as he looked into her eyes. “That has never changed,” he said as he stepped toward her once more.

Hearing what Gambit said at the end brought tears to Serena's eyes and she looked down and closed her eyes as she fought those tears from falling. "I know that Gambit. More than anything else in this world I know that." She looked up and into his eyes so he would know that what she was about to tell him was the truth. "I do still love you Gambit and I always will, but I'm marrying Peter. I am so sorry for the pain I've put you through. I just wanted you to hear this from me."

Gambit managed to put his hands on her shoulders once more but when she looked at him. The anguish in her eyes, it was like her heart was torn into two pieces. It stopped him from doing what he said he would do. He would not do that to her. He would not force her to become angry with him and to storm out and leave him like that. She deserved her happiness. God he knew that if he knew nothing else. He had tried to keep his emotions in check. His strength was something she relied on but tears still formed into his eyes as he looked at her. Instead he just rested his forehead against hers.

“I hope he makes you happy Serena. You deserve love and happiness, as much as you can stand,” he said as he tried to hold himself together. He would not allow her to see him cry. He looked up at her. “Goodbye Cherie Mwen, you will always be that to me,” He said one last time then moved around her quickly and out. He turned down the hall and did not look back.

After Gambit left, Serena stood there in the game room and cried. Her heart was torn between two men, but Peter had a bigger piece of it. However, the other half of her heart would always belong to Gambit and she hoped he would know that. She also hoped that he would find his own happiness. Gambit, more than anyone else she knew, deserved that.

She wiped away the tears from her eyes and fixed her makeup before going to meet Peter. Even so, he would know that she had been crying. He didn't question her though. They just said goodbye to Kat before leaving the mansion and getting into the car. As Happy began to drive away, Serena glanced back over her shoulder one more time at the mansion before looking at Peter and then resting her head on his shoulder. She took his hand into her own and gave it a squeeze.