A Proud Thief/Puppybaddog
Summary: A tale on how a little thief found himself a family.
Disclaimer: Don't own don't sue
Chapter 1
Jean-Luc grumbled as he left one of the numerous meetings he had that day. Deciding to walk since every cab he hailed refused to stop, he was dead tired and just wanted to go home, enjoy a nice glass of wine while reading a book or something, but nooooo. Nothing was going right today, first for some stupid reason the car wouldn't start, then he stepped in dog shit, when he was getting coffee this morning some little red haired kid bumped in his leg spilling it all over the front of his suit and trench coat he was starting to get a migraine, and to make things worse it was starting to rain, "Ah...merde!" he groaned.
Quickly ducking in a nearby café, Jean-Luc shook off the water from his coat and sat down at a table, hopping it would stop raining soon. Giving his order to a waitress he leaned back in his chair and watched the rain, which was now pouring on the streets. Jean-Luc sighed as he took out his cell phone and called Henri his son, no answer. Jean-Luc chuckled, "Of course." He snorted looking back outside it was starting to get dark, Jean-Luc stood up and was about to pay for his coffee and realized that his wallet was gone. "What da hell?" checking his pockets, the vision of a little red haired kid popped in his head. "Son of a bitch." He grumbled thank god he knew the owner of the café, who started off a tab for him with a small chuckle.
Stepping outside Jean-Luc actually grinned the king of thieves actually had his pocket picked by some little kid, stretching his neck and back he smirked. "Must be gettin' old." He mumbled to himself shaking his head.
Jean-Luc was about to call a cab when he noticed movement to his right and what sounded like a muffled scream, following the noise he entered an alley, and saw four men advancing on someone, quietly Jean-Luc got closer to them listening to their little conversation. "Alright hand them over ya little brat."
"Don' know what ya talking bout." The boy growled holding his ground.
"My wallet and my watch, hand them over now ya little shit."
The little red haired boy couldn't be more than six years old, looking desperately for a way out the boy found himself cornered. As the man grabbed the boy's shirt and threw him to the ground kicking him, kneeling down he searched the kid but unfortunately only found one wallet on him, which wasn't his. "What'ya do with my stuff?" he growled.
"Told ya...I don' know...what ya...talking 'bout." The boy coughed gasping for breath as his arm went to his chest at the small amount of pain he felt and began shivering from being soaking wet.
"Ya lying little punk." The man seethed as he reached in his back pocket and took out a knife.
"Maurice what ya doing?" One of his friends asked when he saw the knife.
"I'm gonna teach dis little bastard a lesson." He laughed.
The boy lifted his head and gasped in fear seeing the knife and slowly pushed himself backwards until he hit a wall.
"I don know Maurice ya really gonna hurt some kid, he didn't even take ya stuff just some guy's wallet." He tried to make his friend change his mind picking up the wallet he read the ID. "Jean-Luc LeBeau...man this guy must be loaded, look at all the cash." Maurice stood up grabbed the wallet and whistled. Seeing his chance the boy slowly stood and tried to make a run for it, but Maurice grabbed him by the back of the shirt and threw him to the ground and started to hit and kick the boy.
Deciding he couldn't let this go on, Jean-Luc came out from his hiding place, "HEY, ya boys gonna be in big trouble if ya don't stop hurtin da petite."
Maurice stood up laughing. "Oh really and who's gonna stop us, why do ya care anyway he just some brat mutie?"
"I be the owner of da wallet the boy had...and I do care..." Jean-Luc answered crossing his arms to his chest.
"Really, well now if ya hadn't noticed ya be outnumbered four to one."
Jean-Luc smirked, "Your point being?"
Maurice and his friends all looked at each other and laughed, Maurice held out his knife and lunged at the man, Jean-Luc saw this coming grabbed the knife and broke Maurice's arm flipping him over, and throwing the knife in a nearby dumpster Jean-Luc looked to the three men still standing they all held up their hands and backed up to the wall. Jean-Luc sighed and stepped aside and watched them quickly pick up the injured Maurice and leave the alley, bending down Jean-Luc picked up his wallet, and approached the red haired boy who looked at him with tears in his eyes.
"Ya alright petite?" Jean-Luc asked as he kneeled down to the boy's level, the boy cringed and tried to sit up with a lot of difficulty. "Non non, don't move boy, you badly hurt I'll take ya to a hospital." Jean-Luc tried to pick the boy up.
"Non, don' touch me..." he cried "Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry I took yo wallet."
"It's alright petite, I'm not gonna hurt ya, calm down, where's ya mère and ya père?" Jean-Luc helped the boy lean against the wall quietly looking him over.
"Don got any." The boy coughed in his hand and gasped beginning to panic when he saw blood.
Jean-Luc tried to calm the boy, "Shhhh It's alright..." he answered taking out his cell phone to call an ambulance. Hearing a noise up the alley Jean-Luc looked up seeing a few people passing by, "Ya gonna be okay..." he continued then looked down at the boy, his eyes went wide as the boy was gone, looking around he spotted a small crawling space in the wall. "Merde..." he growled, the boy was hurt badly he couldn't just leave him to die out alone in the streets and in the freezing rain none the less.
Now totally determined to find the redhead, Jean-Luc took a few steps back and ran towards the wall quickly climbing it, gracefully landing on the other side, Jean-Luc looked around cursing at the rain as it continued to pour down. Walking for a few moments, he heard something crashing nearby, running into an abandoned building he kept quiet hoping to hear the sound again, after a few moments he heard a rough cough then a thump, rushing up the rickety stairs to the third floor, Jean-Luc spied in the rooms, and saw the little redheaded boy trying to crawl to an old mattress. "Mon dieu..." he whispered.
The boy quickly turned and cried out cradling his left arm trying to hide as best he could, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."
Jean-Luc's heart was about to break at the sight, as he slowly entered the room and kneeled in front of the boy, "Non, non I ain't gonna hurt ya petite, I swear please...I just wanna help ya..."
"Non...don want ya help, don wanna pay...please go away..." he cried.
"Pay?...I don want anything..." Jean-Luc shrugged off his coat, "I ain't gonna hurt ya I swear..." he whispered covering the boy with the coat, The boy started coughing again, blood trickled down his chin, "I need ta get ya to a hospital petite ya sick...I swear ta god I ain't gonna hurt ya please just let me help ya...I don' want ya ta die..." he whispered laying a gentle hand on the boy's arm. "Petite?" Jean-Luc gently lifted the boy's head, he had passed out, frowning as he checked the boy's pulse, it was extremely slow. "Ah merde..." he growled as he took out his cell and called the ambulance, carefully picking up the boy Jean-Luc cradled him to his chest as he carried him down the stairs and out of the abandoned building, waiting for the ambulance.
After about fifteen minutes it arrived and they were on their way to the hospital. After waiting almost an hour in pediatrics, Jean-Luc was beginning to get impatient; he had called Henri to tell the Guild physician to meet him here.
"Jean-Luc, pediatrics? What ya don't trust me ta be ya doctor no more?" Alexandre, the guild physician asked an amused grin plastered on his face.
"I found a boy in the alley I want him ta be put in ya care."
"Okay…May I ask why would ya want ta do that?" Alex asked curiously crossing his arms.
Jean-Luc grinned "Cause he don' got no one…and the petite was actually able ta pick my pocket."
Alex stared at him in awe...then burst out laughing.
After like three minutes Jean-Luc sighed and looked up the hall then asked, "Are you done laughing?"
"Aheh...yeah," he answered wiping away a tear from his eye. "Wait here, I'll see what I can do." He snickered, Jean-Luc rolled his eyes as he heard Alexandre chuckle. "Stole his wallet...ahehehe."
After about twenty minutes Alex came back "Alright he was badly beaten up he has two bruised ribs one cracked, his left arm is broken and his wrist is fractured, he's also a very sick boy, was malnourished and dehydrated he's stable for now."
"Can he be moved?" Jean-Luc asked.
"Well the hospital would like ta keep him overnight for observation, and I kinda agree but I can get them to release him in your care in da morning, hopefully he'll be better by then."
"Do it." The Thieves Guild leader ordered.
XxXxX
An hour later Alexandre led Jean-Luc in the boy's room, Jean-Luc frowned as the boy squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered in his sleep, "He looks like he in pain..." he whispered as he went to his side laying a hand on a bruised cheek.
Alexandre looked at the boy's chart then at his watch. "He'll get his painkillers in another two hours..." Alex looked at his leader closely, "Ya wanna stay with him da night I can arrange it..." Jean-Luc nodded "Be right back..." Jean-Luc sighed as he sat down in a nearby chair, leaning his arms on the bed resting his chin on them watching as the boy had trouble breathing.
Suddenly his eyes fluttered open. Jean-Luc gave him a small smile, "Ey petite...how ya feeling?" he asked the boy slowly blinked, then looked at his surroundings his eyes went wide when he noticed where he was, panicking he tried desperately to get off the bed, "Whoa whoa whoa…Shhhh, ya alright petite..." Jean-Luc gently grasped the boy's head looking at his eyes.
"Ey remember when I said, I ain't gonna hurt ya...I meant that an dat also mean I ain't gonna let anyone else hurt ya alright...shhhh calm down, ya safe with me..." The boy started crying softly he was so scared, being in pain and stuck in a hospital bed with all those annoying doctors with their big needles. Jean-Luc carefully lifted him up by the shoulders and sat on the bed, leaning the boy against him his arm around his shoulder and patting his arm in a calming gesture. Oddly enough the redhead actually did feel safe with the man as he whimpered and breathed heavily. "Shhhh ya safe with me...no ones gonna hurt ya..." he kept repeating, until the boy fell asleep. Alexandre entered the room and looked at the sight in confusion, "He panicked..." Jean-Luc whispered.
XxXxX
That morning Alexandre was talking to the boy's doctor, while Jean-Luc stayed with the red head, he had called home earlier to inform Mattie of there soon to be guest, as the boy was being prepared to be moved. It took them half an hour until they arrived at the LeBeau home. The boy was still unconscious in Jean-Luc's arms.
Carefully getting out of the car Jean-Luc was greeted by Mattie, "My god Jean he's just a baby...now you get that boy inside this instant." She ordered, as she said that the boy moaned in his sleep. "Poor chile, what is wrong wit that hospital dis chile is filthy. Now you take him upstairs while I run him a bath."
Jean-Luc chuckled at how protective the woman quickly became as he carried the boy to the bathroom, and carefully stripped him of the pajamas the hospital had put on him, as Mattie checked the water temperature. Jean-Luc carefully washed off the dirt and grime from the boy's body mindful of his injuries.
After being washed, dried and dressed in warm clothes Jean-Luc tucked him in the bed that Mattie had prepared and sat in the reclining chair in the room, watching as the boy took slow deep breaths.
"Jean, Alexandre told me ya stayed with dis child all night, go get some sleep I'll watch him..."
"I will Tante I just want ta stay with him for a little while..." Jean-Luc looked up.
Mattie smiled and kissed his cheek, "Alright but when I come back in here I want ya gone, dat understood?" Jean-Luc chuckled and nodded as he watched her leave the room.
XxXxX
Henri entered the house in a hurry. "Père!" he yelled out. Mattie came out of the kitchen.
"Hush chile, what's de matter with you?" Mattie scolded.
"Sorry Tante, where's père and why de hell did he want Alexandre ta meet him at da hospital?"
"He's upstairs in da guest room, and ya keep quiet we have a guest up there ya hear?"
"Oui Tante...merci." Henri made his way up the steps and slowly opened the door. "Père?" he whispered.
Jean-Luc turned to his son and motioned for him to stay quiet. Getting up Jean-Luc checked the boy who was shivering a little, after putting another blanket on him and making sure that he was comfortable Jean-Luc then left the room to talk to his son.
"Who's that?" Henri asked. "And why d'ya want Alexandre..."
Jean-Luc yawned as he quickly cut him off, "I wanted Alexandre to get the hospital to release that young boy into my care, he has no family so he says and he was badly injured..."
"So why bring him here?"
"Because the petite actually tried ta pick my pocket...and he succeeded."
Henri looked at him quite surprised, "Were ya sick?" Jean-Luc smiled and shook his head. "Ya sure ya know what you're doing?"
"Trust ya père fils." Jean-Luc answered with a grin, and entered the boy's room. He didn't want him to freak out when he woke up in a strange place.
XxXxX
When the boy woke up seven hours later he immediately felt out of place, first of all he felt like throwing up, second he was in a warm bed with clean blankets and third he listened, the room was extremely quiet which meant he wasn't in a hospital...no doctors, which also meant no needles. Slowly opening his eyes the red head gasped when he saw a woman smiling at him on the rocking chair beside the bed. "Well good mornin' chile, how ya feeling today?" she asked him sweetly.
"Where am I?" he asked fear could be seen in his eyes. Mattie quickly got up to stop him from moving too much but he was already sitting up and put weight on his left wrist. His eyes widened at the amount of pain he felt. "Owwwww..." he cried tears in his eyes.
"Shhhhh it's alright chile you're safe here, here drink this." She ordered giving him a small white pill and a glass of water. "It will stop the pain..." The boy obeys without any argument, "There now you'll feel better in a few minutes..." She sat down next to the boy and stroked his hair until he stopped whimpering. "Well now my name is Mattie ya can call me Tante, okay?" the boy nodded looking at her. "What's your name chile?"
The boy looked around the room, then back to Tante, "Don got one…" he whispered.
Tante looked at him a bit surprised, "You don' well now let's fix dat…let's see…" she smiled and tilted his head up, "Rust colored hair…rosy cheeks…oh gorgeous eyes…" At that the boy frowned a bit confused but kept his mouth shut while Tante continued, "Now ya a shy little one and I'm very sure that you sometimes get yaself inta trouble but ya still a sweetie…Hmmmm…How about we call ya Remy…ya like dat?" she asked with a smile. The boy thought for a moment then nodded and leaned his head against the woman and closed his eyes, "Ya alright?" she asked as she gently rubbed his back.
Remy shook his head no, "Feel sick." He whispered.
Mattie continued to gently stroke his hair. "Alright now ya lay back down and rest I'll make ya something special...and don' ya worry, no one in dis house will hurt ya, okay?" Remy slowly nodded and closed his eyes.
Mattie smiled and tucked the boy in, making sure he was comfortable she quietly left the room and went downstairs. Where she met Jean-Luc in the kitchen eating breakfast, lifting his head he asked. "How's the petite?"
"Feeling a bit sick...and a little scared but not a lot...he's a sweet boy…name's Remy…" she smiled.
"That he is...Remy hun?" he chuckled as he finished his coffee and stood bringing his plate to the sink.
"Mhmmm…if ya wanna see him go now I just gave him his medication he should pass out soon."
Jean-Luc slowly made his way upstairs, pausing for a moment he heard shuffling in the room smirking he stomped his feet on the steps then leaned against the door, waiting a few moments he gently knocked on the door and peeked into the room.
XxXxX
After Mattie left the room, Remy slowly got out of bed and looked around, wincing every time he took a breath he cradled his left arm that was in a splint. "Where am I?" He asked himself as he limped around the room, looking at the little knick-knacks on the shelves. Hearing footsteps Remy's eyes went wide as he looked to the door then made his way back to the bed as fast as his body would let him, he had just enough time to pull the covers over himself, when he heard a knock on the door.
Slowly opening the door Jean-Luc peeked in the room, "You awake petite?" he asked.
Remy peeked from under the covers, "Oui M'sieu..." he answered quietly. Eyeing the man who entered the room and turned on the light, Remy quickly hid his head under the covers crying out.
"What's da matter?" Jean-Luc asked now totally worried.
"Da light...hurts my eyes..." Remy whispered, he then heard a click when the light was quickly turned off, and another click as a small lamp was turned on.
"Alright it's off...I'm sorry I didn't know...ya all right?"
"Oui M'sieu..." Remy whispered as he peeked from under the covers again and looked around.
"Ya remember me?" Jean-Luc asked as he slowly sat in the recliner next to the bed so as not to frighten the boy.
"Oui M'sieu...ya da man I stole the wallet from...took me to da hospital..." Remy looked down in embarrassment as he had never been caught when he stole from others to try and survive on the streets, or ever let himself cry like he did when Jean-Luc was with him in the hospital room.
"Oui my name's Jean-Luc LeBeau, Tante tells me that yours is Remy...dat right?" he asked with a small smile as he quirked an eyebrow in question.
"Oui M'sieu...Ya gonna call da cops on me M'sieu?" Remy asked horrified.
"Why would I do dat?" Jean-Luc asked resting his chin on his fist and slowly rocking himself in the chair.
"Cause I stole from ya...please don' call da cops...dey only send me to da orphanage, dey do bad tings to ya dere...I-I'll just leave..." the boy pulled the covers away.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down boy, I ain't calling da cops...I ain't sendin ya away, you got badly hurt remember?" Jean-Luc stretched out a hand to stop the boy and covered him with the blankets again.
"Why ya bein' nice ta me...ya know I be a mutie non?" he whispered.
"Yes I know ya be a mutant and dat don' matter ta me...in my eyes ya be a little boy livin' off da streets with no one ta take care of ya...that no way ta live petite, and since ya said ya don't got no one...you're gonna stay right here...now don't ya be scared no one in dis house is gonna hurt ya, I promise you dat..."
Remy looked around the room wondering what the catch was, then looked back to the man sitting on the chair, "Who else lives here?" he whispered.
Jean-Luc chuckled, " 'xcept for me there be Tante, ya already met her...and there be mon fils Henri..."
"Henri?" Remy yawned.
Jean-Luc grinned, "You'll meet 'im in a few days, right now ya look a bit tired, I'll let ya sleep alright?" he gently pushed the boy back down on the bed lifting the blanket up to his chin then leaned back in the chair rocking himself, waiting until the little redhead's eyes fluttered closed and his breathing slowed. He frowned when he had felt Remy shiver in fright as he tried to tuck him in. 'Mon dieu what happened ta ya petite?' he asked himself as he looked at him.
Satisfied that the boy was now sound asleep, Jean-Luc slowly, stood and headed downstairs to try and get some work done, seeing Mattie off as she left to do a few errands and get the boy a few things, Jean-Luc headed in his office leaving the French doors open.
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