Disclaimer: I don't own either of these characters, they belong to Marvel. I don't know when this takes place in relation with the comic books.
The only sound in the room was her breathing and the slow, but thankfully steady beep of the heart monitor. She looked down at him, he looked so...peaceful. His handsome face set in the grim, blank mask of a coma, his strong arms limp and lifeless at his sides. The rise and fall of his chest so small, so dangerously minuscule as almost not to be noticed.
How could she have done this? Lying before her was the man she loved beyond all others, beyond life itself. Because of her, he lay here, comatose, almost dead.
Jean had said that there was nothing more to be done for him. Hope and pray. Praying had never gotten her very far in her lifetime so she clung to what little hope she had. She would not be able to face anything ever again if he were gone, life would be too overwhelming, the guilt would be too overwhelming. He was her stronghold, her protection. It was in the safe circle of his arms that she could crawl when life and all others rejected her.
He loved her. She couldn't even understand why. She was the untouchable one, the one woman he couldn't ever fully have yet he loved her. His love kept her alive, that was for sure, yet it still puzzled her. It was unfair to him, she knew, cruelly unfair. She wished that he would go live his life, though it would break her if he ever did, had even pushed him away at times. But he was relentless. He wouldn't leave her, ever, he'd promised her that countless times.
This was the one thing that could take him from her that he could not have foreseen. Death. It was like a cloud, hovering over him, seeping into every corner of the room. She didn't want to believe it, that he was almost lost to her forever. All because of her.
The tears she could not control spilled down her cheeks. He'd always been there before, to dry her tears, assure her that it would be all right in the end. Not this time. There was no comfort for her now, no reassurance that it would all turn out okay.
The beeping of the heart monitor slowed, showing that his heartbeat grew fainter, was fading away.
Hesitantly, she took his hand in her gloved one, holding it tightly, almost as if with this grip, she could hold him to life.
The black void was peaceful, soothing. He floated downward, always downward. Memories were fading, life was fading. All that mattered was the calm, welcoming promise of oblivion. Nothing mattered now, nothing should have mattered now. Except there was a small, nagging presence at the back of his mind, trying to remind him of something, trying to make him aware that he was going to break a promise.
There was a feather light touch on his hand. It should not have even registered, yet he felt it. Suddenly, as of the touch had opened a floodgate in his mind, it all came to him. She was there, with him at the very last. It was almost as though with this touch, she was trying to get him to stay. He realised then, suddenly, that he was leaving her, breaking his promise, abandoning her to the cruel, harsh world. She was the woman he loved, he couldn't do that, he had to get back.
He couldn't move, the void that had seemed peaceful before now closed in on him, trying to crush him. Desperately, he tried to fight it, tried to return to her, but he could feel himself fading. No, this could not be happening, he wouldn't let it. With a last surge of strength, he pushed himself upward, trying to get back to her.
She wasn't hearing the long beep of the heart monitor, she refused to believe that he'd finally left her. Clutching his hand in both her own, she wept uncontrollably, as the reality did finally reach her.
He was gone, totally and completely gone. No more would she laugh with him, feel his arms around her, see his smile. It was too much, she could not take it.
The tears that she cried were also all will to live she had leaking out of her. It wasn't worth it, now that he was gone, life to her would be empty, worthless.
What was that? It couldn't have been. She'd felt his fingers tighten, ever so slightly, on her own. She raised her head. The heart monitor was no longer one long beep, but had returned to a regular, slow pattern. It sped up, almost as though his heartbeat was returning completely to normal. Almost not able to believe it, but wanting to with all her heart, she saw his head move, felt his grip tighten even more.
With growing joy she watched as he slowly, ever so slowly, opened his eyes.
" Marie..."
It was barely a whisper, but her heart leaped at the sound.
" Ah'm here."
A faint, ghost of a smile appeared on his face.
Now, tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. He was back, here to stay, with her forever.
" Remy, ah'm so sorry, ah didn't mean, ah thought ya' were gone, ya'd left me. Ah love ya' so much."
The words spilled out of her, like the tears. He needed to hear this, she needed him to know.
" Shh. I'll never leave ya', chere, never."
Those whispered words meant more to her then anything else ever had or would. Grateful to hear him speak again, ever so grateful that he was alive, more tears came.
" Ah love ya', Remy, I love ya' so much."