He was in the kitchen with Rogue, setting dishes on the table.
"Hey darlin'. Feel better?" He held out a chair for her.
"Yes, thank you. What are we having for dinner?"
"Meatloaf. Mah own special recipe." Rogue told her. "It's good ta have ya back sugah."
The other X-Men drifted into the kitchen and took seats around the table. Some of them looked at her suspiciously, others curiously. Remy sat in the chair next to hers.
"How old're you, ch�re?" He asked softly.
"Isn't that's the question. I don't know." She told him.
"I'd say 19 or 20." He guessed.
"When I was kidnapped, I was 9. I've been away for 3 years."
"Dat makes y' 12." He looked her over playfully. "Y' don' look like no 12 year old t' me chere."
Hank spoke up. "From what Jean has told me and what I could discern from the tests, the Hand somehow aged Ashby several years over a matter of days. I did run a DNA test on a blood sample I took from you and it was a perfect match with the sample in our database. If you'll allow me, I would like to run some more tests to try and uncover the cause of your aging."
She looked a little uncertain but agreed. "I guess so."
"If it wouldn't be too great an inconvenience, we can start after dinner." He suggested.
Ashby shrugged. "Whenever."
After she finished in the med lab with Hank, Ashby went in search of Logan. She found him sitting in the rec room watching a football game. "Hello, Logan."
Without looking at her he smiled. "Hi, darlin'." She sat down next to him and let him pull her against his chest. "Didn't grow much, didja? Jean said the Hand did something to ya." She nodded in agreement.
"Worked some strange magic. I lost eleven years. My name is, was Tenshi."
"Angel." Logan translated gruffly.
"Yes. My Honored Jonin, Matsuo sent me here to kill you." She stopped, listening to the sound of his heart. "I am glad I failed."
"Me too." He said quietly.
"I know what it is like now." She whispered.
Logan looked down at her. "What what's like?"
"The killing. I liked it. I didn't want to but I did." Her voice was so quiet his enhanced hearing barely picked up the words. Tears wet his T-shirt.
"That doesn't make you any less than you were before." He whispered to her. She nodded.
"Doesn't make it any better."
"I know darlin'. I know."