Rogue denies the pain she is enduring and pulls the knife out of her shoulder. Bella Donna notices and quickly attacks Rogue again. Rogue says that they don’t have to fight, but Bella Donna is desperate to make Rogue pay for the stolen memories. Bella Donna says that she also doesn’t care that she doesn’t have her special powers anymore, because she has been taught to fight ever since she was a kid.
Rogue tells Bella Donna that she has to stop blaming her, as the absorption only went by accident and that she doesn’t control her powers. Rogue says that Bella Donna has involved innocents in this affair, and she will end it now. Rogue still feels the pain in her shoulder. She punches Bella Donna to the back and runs away, in the hope to buy some time.
Bella Donna gets up, telling Candra that she has enough of her game. Candra asks for an explanation. Bella Donna answers that she was apparently wrong to think that they were allies, and both wanted the same thing. Bella Donna tries to strike Candra with her knife, but she telekinetically draws it out of her hand. Candra calls Bella Donna foolish, because she is an External and Bella Donna’s life doesn’t even last a fraction compared to hers. Candra threatens Bella Donna that she can draw all of her life force out of her, and that the Thieves and Assassins are only important to her when she can profit from it. Candra has enough of the Thieves and Assassins being so full of themselves lately, and doubts if she shouldn’t kill them all.
Candra releases Bella Donna, telling her that she best “plays” along and kill Rogue for her, and make things back the way they were. Bella Donna agrees, but only because she is now patriarch of the Guild and wants revenge for what has been taken from her. As Bella Donna leaves, Candra warns that, though she withdrew their powers from them, they shall return, and Candra doesn’t know which one will get their powers back first. Bella Donna takes off.
Candra wakes the unconscious Gambit up, wanting to make him see all the “fun.” Rogue is still running and almost faints from the pain. She hates to find out what it’s like to be human in such a way. Rogue finds a bedroom and rips the sheet apart, using the pieces to stop her bleeding.
Gambit wakes up and begs Candra to stop the insanity. He can understand that Candra has issues with him, but begs her to at least let Cody go. He is dying. Candra says that they all will, human or mutant, one day, except she and the other Externals. They life forever. Candra faces Gambit, telling him that she had such high plans with him, shouldn’t he have betrayed her. Gambit says that’s her fault, because he saw what happened to the people who agreed to help her out. Gambit keeps Candra busy, and she doesn’t notice that Gambit takes out a lock to free himself.
Bella Donna searches for Rogue, knowing that she’ll deal with Candra some day, but Rogue goes first. Rogue again tries to reason with Bella Donna, trying to explain that they are not enemies and everything went by accident. Bella Donna takes out her knife and cuts Rogue’s glove open. Rogue holds her back, asking if Bella Donna wants her to absorb her. Perhaps, Bella Donna answers, because she doesn’t know any joy anymore, just hatred and pain. Rogue doesn’t buy that, because she knows her powers don’t work that way. Rogue believes that Bella Donna chose for herself to only keep the bad memories. Rogue has had enough and knocks Bella Donna down.
Meanwhile, Gambit still keeps Candra busy, while he tries to set himself free. Tante Mattie warns Gambit that Cody’s heart is getting weaker. Gambit again tries to beg Candra to let Cody go, but she doesn’t want to. Gambit has had enough and releases himself and attacks Candra. Candra uses her powers on Gambit and wants to kill him. Gambit screams it out from the pain, but Rogue steps forward, holding Bella Donna in her grip. Rogue is angry and commands Candra to release Gambit this instant. Candra does, and threatens that, if she can’t kill Gambit, she’ll have to do that thing to Cody! Candra smashes Cody through the roof of the house. Rogue tries to catch him, but still can’t fly and has to hold herself back.
Candra makes Rogue chose between the life and death of either Gambit or Cody. Candra says not to bother about Cody, because he is going to die anyway. Rogue feels her powers coming back and fights Candra with everything she’s got! Candra can’t understand how this is happening and drops Cody and faints. Gambit warns Rogue, who flies to Cody and catches him, saying that she won’t let him down this time. Rogue tries to reach him, but Mattie says that Cody is dying and that she has to let him go. But there is one final thing Mattie can let Rogue do: say goodbye.
Mattie brings Rogue into Cody’s mind and sees him as a young boy. Cody comforts Rogue that nothing was her fault, as neither of them can do something. Cody tells Rogue to let the past be and to move on. Cody follows the bright light and disappears, heading to heaven. Rogue lands back into the real world and holds the dead Cody in her arms. She cries and can’t believe that he’s really gone. Mattie comforts Rogue that it isn’t her fault. Rogue gives Cody one final kiss on his mouth, and promises him that she will never forget him. He is the best thing that ever happened to her.
