Betrayal - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Valerie Jones
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 39

Scott rolled the dice and moved his piece forward six places, landing on St. James Place. He groaned. Not again.

"Pay up, mister." Bobby stuck out his hand, grinning.

Scott counted out the appropriate rent. "This is the third time, Bobby."

"Well, if you'd quit rolling doubles and landing yourself in jail, you wouldn't have this problem." Jean eyed him slyly.

"Tell me you haven't been telekinetically controlling the dice," Scott said with a laugh.

Jean put a hand to her breast in mock surprise. "Who, me?" Then she smiled. "Of course not. Bishop, it's your turn."

Bishop made his role and landed on Water Works.

"Oooh. Buy it, Bish!" Bobby patted the giant man on the shoulder.

"What? Water Works? Don't waste your money."

Bishop glanced at Scott. "Why not?"

"It's a waste."

"Are you kidding?" Bobby leaned conspiritorily toward Bishop and whispered somthing. Bishop betrayed no reaction except a small flicker of one eyebrow.

"I do not think I will buy the Water Works," he said after a moment.

"Hey!"

At Bobby's expression of outrage, Jean burst out laughing. After a bit, Bobby subsided and picked up the dice. His role landed him on Kentucky.

"Buy it," he said immediately, and counted out the last of his hundreds. He gave them to Bishop, who in return held out his other hand. The square white card with its red label materialized in his fingers and he handed it to Bobby.

The smooth sleight of hand wasn't lost on Scott. "I see Gambit's been teaching you card tricks," he commented.

Bishop lowered his gaze. "When I was a kid." There was a thoughtful quality to the statement that Scott hadn't heard before. He wondered how recent events had affected Bishop's opinion of the man.

Bobby threw his hands up. "Geez, can't anybody have a conversation without talking about him?"

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Jean picked up the dice.

Scott could tell Bobby was angry by the set of his jaw. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just sick and tired of talking about Gambit."

Scott shrugged. "There's been a lot to talk about." He had tried to keep his own opinions quiet for the most part. It was his place, as team leader, to help everyone work together. He had been doing his best to minimize the negative reactions to Gambit's past, which meant that he had to keep his own negative opinions to himself. And, keeping his mouth shut meant he didn't have to argue with Jean's adamant support for the young man.

Bobby wasn't ready to give up the topic. "If you ask me, there's nothing to talk about. We should have just tossed him out on his butt and good riddance."

Scott sighed to himself. Not again. He could already feel Jean's anger growing through their mind link. The fur was going to be flying in a few minutes if he didn't do something to stop it.

"That's not an option, and you know it," he said calmly. "Gambit is staying. Complaining about it isn't going to change anything."

The stubborn set of Bobby's jaw didn't change. Bishop looked from him to Scott and back again. His expression was closed, unreadable as always. Then, without warning, he reached across the table and grabbed the front of Bobby's shirt, pulling him close, until their faces were only inches apart.

"Do you know *why* Gambit let the Professor scan his mind?"

Bishop's voice was a menacing snarl.

"Huh? Uh, well, of course." Bobby stumbled after a reply. Bishop stared at him with cold intensity. "He, uh, he wanted to know who the traitor was."

"Indeed." The single word was ice cold. Scott held his breath. Bishop had said absolutely nothing about his feelings since learning the truth about Gambit and the X-traitor. He had the feeling that was about to change.

"In other words," Bishop continued, "he risked everything he had-- us, Rogue, even his sanity-- to find out who killed the X-men. All of that, just to save your pitiful hide. And all you can do is complain!" He released Bobby abruptly, and sent him sprawing back into his chair. Then he straightened and stared down at the stunned mutant.

"Maybe you should try showing a little gratitude instead." Then he turned on his heel and left. They could hear Bishop's heavy footsteps diminishing as he moved away from the house. Scott and Jean stared at each other, speechless.

After a long pause, Scott told Jean, *Maybe I should go talk to him.*

She smiled and nodded fractionally. *I'll make sure Bobby stays out of trouble.* There was just a hint humor in her mental voice. She seemed inordinately pleased by Bishop's reaction.

Scott rose from the table. Bobby watched him, but for once was without comment. As he was closing the front door behind him, he heard Jean say, "Bishop is just full of surprises, isn't he?" and wondered if leaving the two of them together was a wise idea.