Disclaimer: I couldn't have twisted the story if Marvel hadn't written it first.

________________________________________________________________________

"Your mom...your dad...your family...not gone, Frank...you know dat...never gone...dey wit' you, son...inside you always..."

~Gambit to Franklin Richards; X-MEN UNLIMITED #14

________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 1: THE BOY LEFT BEHIND

It all began with Onslaught. The terrifying entity had sensed some sort of greatness in the child known as Franklin Richards. True, it had also been interested in the mutant known as Nate Grey, but that had been for a different purpose. It was the young son of the famous Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic that he had sought out for means of warping reality.

It had done Onslaught no good. He eventually fell with his threat towards the world obliterated...but not before taking several of Earth's heroes-- including the Fantastic Four--down with him. All of this had left one scared boy all alone in the world.

The X-men, in their ever-trying task of helping the world, took pity on the child. Franklin was then whisked away to a small farm owned by the parents of world-renowned geneticist and former Avenger, Henry McCoy. He was not alone there. He had not been opposed to making friends. Artie and Leach had been quite entertaining and those two other grown-ups, Mr. Gambit and Ms. Storm had been very nice, too. But there was still the loss.

He wanted them back. Mommy, Dad, Unca' Ben, Unca' Johnny...he wanted all of them back. And so help him, he would get them back.

He had concentrated on his own mindscape and Onslaughts. His child mind had concentrated on beginnings, trying to find out who was responsible for his hurting. Who had started it. He had found the imprint of two minds. The first was Charles Xavier. Mr. Xavier was supposed to be a good man, the leader of the X-men, so he couldn't have been the one who had taken the boy's mommy and dad away. But the second...Magneto. Or Joseph--it didn't really matter what the man called himself. Whoever he was, he *had* to be the one who knew the top-secret superspecial trick to getting everyone back. The thought clear in his mind, the young reality-warper wished the man to be there...and it was so.

But Joseph did not feel guilty. He wouldn't--couldn't--fix it and make everything better. The boy's small understanding would not allow this. So he attacked the magnetic mutant, whipping his mind and surroundings into a relentless frenzy. That was when Gambit came.

He watched the boy carefully, watching events unfold, but desperately hoping he would not have to get involved. Mostly because if he did, he would most surely get his clock cleaned. But Joseph was getting torn to pieces out there, and the boy was hurting so much...

He stepped in.

"I won't jus' stand by, lettin' you take on de very same burden of murder dad Joey here ain't even up t'. Let 'im go, Franklin."

The boy was crying now, with tears streaming down his face.

"G-go 'way, Gam'it...leave me 'lone--I don't want you here--I JUS' WAN' MY MOMMY AND DADDY!"

At first, Remy LeBeau felt as though he would be split in two by the distortion of all that was real, as Franklin began attacking him too. But he knew what the boy had been through, and some how forced the words out--

"Your mom...your dad...your family...not gone, Frank...you know dat...never gone...dey wit' you, son...inside you always...dat's why you can't do dis."

The youth continued to cry...but this time, began trying to eliminate the build-up of energy that he had gathered. It was too much for his small frame, and the Beast arrived, bounding up to him, and whisking him away from the explosion.

Somehow, Franklin Richards began to heal after that. No longer blaming Joseph for his predicament, Franklin continued his sabbatical on the farm. The X-men, however, were called away to fight the terrors of the world, and when done, returned to their mansion, once again leaving a little boy behind.

But the child's healing, it seemed, was unnecessary. The Fantastic Four, apparently, did not die easy, and were soon reunited with the tiny mutant. The boy put his trauma in the past, and reveled in the future, even convincing himself that the story of their deaths had never been believed.

But Reed Richards, Susan Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grim had a tendency to live dangerous lives. And they had one of the deadliest enemies imaginable. His name was Doctor Doom. The man seemed to have their every move planned. Before the heroes knew what had become of them, they had been stripped of their abilities and sent on a one-way ticket into the past with not specific date given and no hope of ever returning. Once again, leaving a little boy behind.

The Avengers investigated their allies disappearances, and decided to run a search to see if there had ever been someone stuck in such a situation that had made it back. They asked their former member, Hank McCoy to run the search. But the doctor didn't need to look any further than across the X- mansion's hallway. Gambit had managed to return from such a mission with his friend, Jacob Gavin.**

But when Remy LeBeau was called to the scene, there was very little he could tell them. The Fantastic Four did not have the amplified bio-kinetic energies that he had possessed at the time. And he could not for the life of him describe the science of how he had returned. So he prepared to leave. He grabbed for his trench-coat, turning to see young Franklin sitting on the floor. He formed an expression of sympathy on his face and ruffled the boy's hair. He then walked out the door...only to find himself back inside.

His head felt dizzy. Reality warp. Franklin did not want him to leave.

Wanda Maximoff watched them. The boy seemed attached to the cajun. And there was no one else to take care of him. She whispered her concerns to Captain America. The Avenger's leader confirmed that young Richards had spent time with the X-men after his ordeal with Onslaught. He knew that Gambit had been one of them. Iron Man then spoke up;

"I have Franklin's custody papers right here...I was ready to arrange for him to go to a well-run orphanage that I often finance...but it would probably be kinder to send him home with someone he knows."

So before Remy LeBeau's hand even knew what it was doing, it had taken up a pen, scrawled it's owners name on the gardianship document, and taken the hand the hand of the small child who warped them all to the Garden District of New Orleans.

It was only then that the Cajun thought to himself...'What de heck am I gon' tell de X-men?!'

_______________________________________________________________________

**If you want the details, it happened it the Gambit ongoing series.

Author's Note: Whew! Don't know 'bout the rest of ya'll, but for me, that was a pretty long chapter! The next chapters won't be as long, but they'll only exist if you think it's worth continuing! So please tell me if I ought to do so!