Chapter 2 Awakening

That night Remy grumbled as he followed the group down the wooded trail as they continued to laugh and chat amongst themselves as they walked towards the boathouse.

Charles had decided that Remy needed to get to know the students a bit better and figured a gathering around a bonfire was a good idea.

Wanting to be alone as always Remy walked passed the camp site and made his way down to the lake as the others began to set up the chairs and stack the wood for the fire.

Several minutes later Charles sighed as he noticed that Remy was nowhere in sight he frowned as he sensed sadness and depression, looking towards the lake he narrowed his eyes a bit as he looked to the Wolverine, "Logan I believe Remy is in need of companionship at the moment…"

Logan quirked an eye as he looked around, "Oh yeah how do ya figure he usually hides in his own little corner somewhere and…"

"Just go sit with him, he's by the lake…" Charles answered.

Logan dropped the chair he was putting together and made his way to his backpack, "Alright…" he shrugged as he digged through the pack in search of a sacred little object which he placed in his shirt pocket.

Remy sighed as he looked to the water, sitting beside a dead tree he picked up a few small rocks and skipped them across the water, closing his eyes for a moment he growled out softly and picked up a bigger rock and threw it in the lake watching as the ripples spread out over the calm waters he took a deep breath as he lifted his sleeve to wipe at the few stray tears that rolled down his cheeks.

XxXxX

Jean gasped as she sensed the same emotions that Charles had sensed, instead of controlling them she accidentally sent them to Scott whom immediately took action. Running to the lake Scott's eyes widened as he spotted the ripples in the water with no Remy in sight.

XxXxX

Remy sat down as he took a breath then frowned when he spotted Scott run in the water and dive in. Blinking a few times Remy looked to his right where the whole group was rushing towards the shore, waiting until Scott surfaced, when he did he dived back in the water.

Logan sighed a tiny chuckle escaping his lips as he walked up to Remy, "You alright kiddo?" he asked sitting beside him and reaching into his shirt pocket taking out a cigar he smirked as he placed it in his mouth and lit it. Remy didn't answer as he waited to see if Scott was going to drown himself or not. When he resurfaced he looked to the shore.

"I can't find him…" Scott called out.

"Of course you can't cause you're looking in the wrong place Cyke…" Logan informed with a chuckle.

Scott frowned when he turned his head and spotted Logan sitting beside one auburn haired red on black eyed mutant whom seemed confused as to why he would go for a swim at this hour. Scott grumbled as he trudged back to shore and glared at Jean, "I'm sorry Scott I misinterpreted what I sensed." She winced.

Scott sighed as he walked up to his mentor, "Is he alright Professor?"

"Remy's a bit depressed and I sense sadness within but I don't think he wants to kill himself it's also a bit difficult to interpret what he's projecting from one moment to the next I'm afraid…" he answered trying desperately to hide a smile.

"That could have been useful to know a few minutes ago…" he mumbled as he walked up to their camp to get changed.

After about half an hour of sitting and not saying a word, Logan sniffed the air and smirked as he slapped his neck to kill one of the thousand mosquitoes in the area, "Well smells like chow's cooking…c'mon kiddo let's get somethin' to eat…" he spoke nudging Remy to stand as well. Remy released an irritated sigh as he slowly walked around the dead tree and made his way up the hill. Logan sighed as he made his way towards the Professor whom watched as Remy shyly made his way towards the bonfire and sat away from the other students. "Doesn't seem like he's enjoying himself Chuck…" Logan sighed as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"No it doesn't…" Charles answered glancing at their young charge as he stared at the fire.

"So you have any ideas on what's bothering him?" he asked sitting down beside the Professor.

"No…and I don't understand why he still refuses to talk…" he sighed.

"Yes it appears he's not interested in making friends either…" Hank pointed out as he joined in on the conversation.

"So what's the problem?" Logan asked.

"It surely isn't physical." Hank sighed.

"Whatever he saw or went through must have been traumatic…" Charles whispered.

"Hn…I doubt that little knife fight at the orphanage scared him…it has to be something else…" Logan cut in.

"Yes perhaps, before he was brought to St. Catherine's…he wasn't in the orphanage for that long when they contacted me…" Charles answered.

"Perhaps he's frightened…" Storm suggested.

"Of what?"

"Well he is still a boy perhaps he's afraid of why he is with us of what purpose we have for him."

"But how could that be, we have explained it to him that we simply want to help him and give him a proper education." Hank looked up.

"You know maybe your all complicating this… maybe he doesn't speak any English." Bobby smirked as he walked past the adults with a dozen long sticks and a bag of marshmallows in hand.

Logan quirked an eye as he looked to the frigid teen then at Remy, "You know the kid might have a point there…"

"Now this would be very awkward if that were true." Hank chuckled.

"That it would…" Charles smiled as they made their way to the bonfire where all the students sat. "Although I don't see how this could be, he understands English I know this for sure."

"Well you never know…perhaps he just nods his head whenever someone stops speaking." Hank chuckled.

"I suppose it's worth a try." Charles sighed, "Piotr you speak Russian?"

"Yes…"

"And Kitty you speak Spanish I believe?" he asked.

"Yes why?"

"There may be reason to believe that perhaps Remy doesn't speak English…" Hank smiled.

Bobby chuckled softly, "Logan you're Canadian right…you should know French."

"Hey just cause I'm from the north doesn't mean I speak French ice pick."

"I know a little French…" Storm smiled.

Now after asking every student each one took their turns to talk to Remy in different languages but with no such luck Remy still refused to answer. "Well that was fun…" Logan chuckled, "Alright next suggestion?" he sighed.

Bobby shrugged again, "He's mute?"

"Now that can't be I've heard him curse and grumble out a few times, thought I've no idea what he said…" Scott informed looking to Remy whom didn't seem to be paying attention to the whole conversation.

"Yeah so have I…" Logan chuckled, "HEY KIDDO…" he called out getting Remy's attention, "How come you don't want to talk to us?" he asked eyeing the red on black eyed teen.

Remy simply shrugged and stared at the fire. "Look we know something bad happened to you and all but if you don't talk about it we can't help you…" Scott whispered sitting beside him.

Remy narrowed his eyes as he glanced beside him at the one-eyed wonder then looked back at the fire, frowning he stood up and began walking disappearing within the forest.

Charles sighed as he kept his gaze fixed on where Remy had disappeared, his eyes widened a bit as he sensed tremendous sadness, Jean immediately stood up as she sensed the same thing, Stay where you are Jean…I believe Remy wants to be alone at the moment… he sighed keeping his concentration on the teen. And for once we will let him. he continued.

Not knowing that at this very moment Remy was starring at several little white pills sitting in his hand.

XxXxX

Later that night Charles had decided that this little interaction was too much for Remy to handle and had asked that everyone return to the mansion, wheeling himself to his office Charles frowned as he picked up the phone and dialed the St. Catherine's orphanage in New Orleans.

"I'm sorry to disturb you at this late hour Miss Harding but I would like a little information on how Remy came to be in your care." Charles sighed.

"Please call me Janice…" the nun chuckled softly then thought for a moment, "Well the police found him wandering the streets he was covered in soot and smelt of charred wood…" she answered.

"Was there any emergency call about a fire?"

"No not that I've known, the police never contacted me after I had asked."

"What about family?"

"He never spoke of them…have you managed to get him to speak yet?"

"No…how did you know his name?"

"He wore a small pendant of a compass around his neck it was engraved on the back with the words Remy Etienne LeBeau…yet there's no record of the name anywhere, I've even called every LeBeau in the phone book and no one has a missing boy." She sighed.

"Did he have anything else on him?"

"Everything he had I gave to that man that came to pick him up, ah Mr. Logan I believe it was…"

"Yes of course thank you…" Charles sighed, "If there is anything else would you be so kind as to give me a call?"

"Yes of course…oh um…Remy was also extremely protective of the pendant around his neck and a pocket watch he always keeps with him…" she answered Charles could hear a commotion as the woman spoke again, "Oh dear I'm sorry a few of my kids are arguing again I'm terribly sorry to cut this little talk short…"

"It's quite alright…thank you again Miss Harding…" Charles frowned a bit as he hung up, then closed his eyes and concentrated telling Logan to come to his office with Remy's things.

Fifteen minutes later, Logan entered the office with a backpack containing Remy's affects, "Well this is it Chuck." He sighed taking out everything within, "A t-shirt, jeans, jacket, gum, pack of cards, this metal stick thing, iPod and seventy-eight bucks in cash…" he answered placing every single object on the desk before Xavier, "Think he was running away from something?"

"If he was he would have brought more clothes then what he had on his back."

"Maybe he didn't have time to pack."

"But he had time to take his music player?" Charles frowned, "No I don't think he's running." He whispered looking at the objects strewn about on the desk. "That metal rod looks awfully familiar Logan wouldn't you say?"

Logan quirked an eye as he picked it up and looked at it curiously, "Holy shit this is adamantium…"

"Yes I believe it is…" Charles sighed not liking giving this order but if someone was after the Cajun he wanted to make sure of whom he would be dealing with even if his newest student refused to speak about it, "Very well check everything thoroughly including his room, perhaps Remy is hiding something from us and I would like to know what…"

"Yeah sure…" Logan answered rolling the rod in his hands, "Thought you were all for everyone having their privacy?"

"I am…but Remy refuses to talk and I fear for his safety…whatever he's hiding from us might harm him later…"

"Alright…you're the boss…" Logan sighed as he left the Professor's office.

An hour later Logan arrived back into Xavier's office as he was talking to Scott and Storm about their newest silent student, Scott sighed as he twirled the adamantium rod in his hands then turned to the door as it opened and Logan entered, "Alright if he's hiding something it ain't in there."

Charles thought for a moment, "Hank and Ms.Harding did mention that he was awfully protective of a pendant around his neck…perhaps what he is hiding is on his person?"

"Yeah I was there when that happened…I'm positive he won't let anyone take a look at it, and I don't think you want to force him to give it up." Logan drawled rolling his unlit cigar between his fingers.

"What if he didn't know?" Scott spoke up.

"Meaning?" Storm asked.

"We could get Hank to sedate him…"

"And?"

"Well I don't know take the pendant to a jewelry store or a pawn shop or something?"

Logan shrugged, "Worth a shot Chuck…might find out a little more about the kid."

"Wait, I want to ask him about it first…"

"Right…what makes you think he'll answer?"

"Perhaps he will…" Charles answered with a smile.

Scott chuckled softly as he handed the metal rod back to the Professor whom placed it in his drawer, then left the room to go get Remy.

Scott sighed as he had looked in the rec-room, the kitchen as well as the Cajun's room and not finding him he released an irritated sigh, "Has anyone seen Remy?" he asked.

"Last I saw him he was in the library…" Bobby spoke up from his video game.

Scott quickly made his way to the library spotting Remy sitting in front of one of the computers. Scott frowned Remy was disheveled, looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, Remy stared at the screen before him biting his thumbnail, "Remy?" he whispered slowly approaching the pale teen, Scott quirked an eye as he looked at the screen noticing that Remy was on an e-mail site apparently it was his e-mail it seemed as if he was waiting for a message from somebody, "Eh…Remy…the Professor wants to see you…" he whispered.

Remy slowly looked up and turned off the computer slowly standing up Remy left the library and headed for the Professor's office.

XxXxX

Noticing his manner of dress Charles gave a weak smile as he gestured for Remy to sit in one of the leather chairs in the room, Remy looked around and slowly walked over to one, Charles frowned as Remy seemed as if he was about to crash to the floor, "I suppose it's time you and I had another small talk wouldn't you agree?" Charles asked as he wheeled himself forward to face the Cajun.

Remy only shrugged as he looked around the room, Charles quirked and eye when he noticed the silver chain and the small pendant outside of the thief's shirt.

"My that is beautiful…Remy may I see your pendant?" Charles asked, Remy looked down and quickly lifted his hand to his neck and shook his head no as he tucked the pendant underneath his shirt to hide it from view.

"I will not take it I just want to see it…" Charles specified.

Again Remy shook his head no, "Very well now calm down…" he whispered, "Now concerning your mutation I'm still not quite sure of your powers, can you tell me what they are?" Remy frowned a bit as he rubbed at his eyes then shrugged and looked away, Charles sighed a bit heavily as he was beginning to get frustrated with the Cajun, "Remy you do know that we are here to help you don't you…why won't you speak?" he continued, "What happened to you that you refuse to talk about it?" Charles frowned a bit as he sensed sadness coming from within the teen sitting before him. "Whatever happened I will help you in any way I can…"

Remy still refused to answer, "Very well perhaps if you wrote down what you can't say?"

Remy looked at the Professor and frowned, "No…Then speak to me using your thoughts, you have done it before when you first arrived here…I believe you wanted to try and run off somewhere…" Charles continued as Remy rolled his eyes, "Now you don't have an excuse to not be able to speak…now what is bothering you?"

Remy took a deep breath as he pretended to think for a moment. Charles sighed, "Remy look at me…" he spoke up waiting until the teen did as asked, "Have you seen yourself… you look ill and it's as if you don't care about anything…" Charles frowned a bit as Remy suddenly started hyperventilating. "Remy?"

Remy blinked a few times as he looked forward suddenly feeling dizzy his eyes slowly closing as he passed out.

XxXxX

Charles, Scott, Logan, Storm and Jean were now in med lab waiting for news on the teen as Hank looked him over, seeing the blue furry beast enter his lab he sighed as he opened his locked medicine cabinet and looked through a few bottles, "Hank?"

"Oh dear…somehow Remy managed to come down here without my knowledge…" he answered in a frown as he opened the bottle noticing half the pills were gone, "He overdosed…"

"On what?" Charles asked.

"Luvox…it's an antidepressant…"

"Will he be alright?" Jean asked.

"With the proper treatment he will but I'm afraid what's going on in his head I can't fix…" he sighed taking out the teen's pendant and pocket watch from his lab coat pocket, "You have I'd say about six hours to return this to him before he wakes up…"

"Hank you little thief you…" Logan chuckled softly, "Alright c'mon Cyke let's hurry up, last thing I want is this kid thinking we stole from him." Logan sighed as he walked out the door followed by Scott.

"Logan…take the adamantium rod as well…" Charles spoke up Logan nodded and left the room with Scott. The others looked to the Professor wanting to know what was going on, Charles sighed as he explained that Remy refused to talk because he was either afraid or hiding something and that it had something to do with the pendant around his neck and asked that everyone say nothing about this.

XxXxX

Arriving at the nearest pawn shop Logan sighed as he knew the owner well, the man looked at the items carefully, "Whoa these are extremely expensive…I'll give you four thousand for em…"

Logan quirked an eye, "I ain't selling them I just want some information…"

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure…" Logan sighed as he watched the man carefully turn the compass in his hand, pushing on a tiny clip the compass opened revealing a French inscription within.

"À mon petit frère de sorte que vous puissiez toujours trouver votre chemin à la maison." He quoted.

"What?" both x-men asked.

The man shrugged, "It's inscribed inside see…" he showed the man the small squiggly words hidden within, "Roughly translated it says, 'To my little brother, so you can always find your way back home.'"

Logan quirked an eye as he and Scott looked at each other, "And this?" Logan asked lifting the pocket watch, the man opened it and smirked.

"Wow…these are real gems…and it's inscribed too…"

"What's it say?" Scott asked.

The man shrugged as he read the inscription aloud. "À mon petit voleur, Bonne Fête Remy." He quirked an eye, "Where'd you get this?"

"Just translate will ya?"

"To my little thief, Happy Birthday Remy."

"Thief?" Scott asked leaning against the counter.

"That's what it says…" the man shrugged, carefully placing the watch on the cloth bag.

"What about this?" Scott asked taking out the metal rod thingy and handing it to the man.

The owner of the shop frowned a bit as he turned it around looking at it carefully he narrowed his eyes a bit as he accidentally pushed on a tiny button, doing so made all three men jump as the rod extended to reveal a six foot staff, "Sh-damn what the hell…"

Logan sighed as he looked to Scott, "Who the hell is this kid?" he asked taking the staff out of the man's hand and pushing on the button again retracting the staff back to the way it was.

"I don't know but like you said we better get these back to him before he wakes up." Scott informed as Logan placed the pendant and the watch in his coat pocket along with the retractable staff and left the shop with Scott.

XxXxX

The next day Remy's eyes slowly fluttered open as he looked around, immediately noticing where he was he quickly searched for his sacred little treasures, finding them safe on his person he breathed a small sigh of relief as he slowly closed his eyes holding onto the pocket watch tightly.

A few hours later Hank looked the Cajun over, taking a blood sample and checking his vitals, he sighed, "I know this might be hard for you Remy but I agree with the Professor and we are going to talk about this alright, whatever it is that happened we will help you get through it…" he assured with a small smile.

Remy sighed as he looked to the door spotting the telepath as he wheeled himself forward, "Come along Remy…" he gestured for the teen to step forward and follow him upstairs. Everyone sat in the rec room watching as Remy was led to one of the chairs. Charles faced the Cajun giving the teen his complete attention. "Now Remy we are going to have a talk and I want you to try and answer every question that I will ask alright?"

Remy didn't give any sort of gesture as he hid his hands within his sleeves and wrapped his arms around himself and stared at the coffee table.

"Your pocket watch has an inscription in it, I believe it says that you are a thief is that true?" Charles asked.

Remy narrowed his eyes a bit wondering how the hell they knew that, looking up he glared at the Professor, "Your watch and pendant were returned to you Remy you know this…" he reminded since the moment he had woken up the first thing he did was check to make sure his valued possessions were where he had left them. Bowing his head a bit Remy sighed as he slowly nodded his head.

Rogue narrowed her eyes a bit, "I can't believe you're nothing but a thief and a drug addict…" she mumbled, Charles narrowed his eyes as he looked to the goth silently telling her to keep quiet then returned his attention back to Remy. Charles' eyes widened at Remy's reaction.

Remy chuckled softly, "Course I be a thief it's how I was raised…" he whispered his voice a bit hoarse from lack of use, "What ya expect I be a farmer…" he growled.

Everyone's eyes widened as this was the first time they had heard the Cajun speak, "Why did you take the drugs Remy?" Scott asked.

"Why…ya wanna know why?" he whispered running his hands through his hair. "He wants ta know why…" he breathed standing up and slowly turning away from the group and walking towards the window he began mumbling to himself.

Charles frowned at the emotions coursing throughout the teen at the moment, Remy calm yourself… Charles whispered in the boy's mind.

Hearing this Remy's eyes widened as he tried to push the Professor out of his head, "Non…get out…" he hissed grasping his head.

Charles immediately did so and approached the teen, "What happened Remy?" he asked.

Remy bit his bottom lip as he leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor everyone jumped a bit as Remy violently slammed the back of his head against the wall, "Non…I don' want to remember…I didn't mean to…" he breathed a single tear rolled down his cheek as he jerked his head back again.

"What happened Remy…" Charles asked again.

Everyone held their breath as a few more tears rolled down the Cajun's cheeks. Storm and Jean quickly stood up and walked towards the teen. "What didn't you mean to do?" Charles asked in a whisper gesturing for the girls to stay where they were.

"I killed dem…" he breathed.

"Who?"

"Mon père, frère, Tante…everyone…" he breathed bowing his head.

"How?"

"Couldn't control my powers…" he whispered as he bowed his head and closed his eyes tightly.

"What are your powers?" Charles asked. "How did it happen?"

Remy kept his eyes shut as he shook his head no, he didn't want to remember, he could still hear the screams and feel the heat of the flames as everything burned.

Suddenly the floor and the walls began to glow hearing a gasp Remy quickly looked up as the entire room was now glowing, "Non…non not again…" he breathed yelling at everyone to get out.

XxXxX

Remy suddenly woke up in a start covered in sweat as he looked around, "You alright petit frère?" he heard. "Ya had us all worried…"

Remy gasped a few times as he noticed where he was and recognized everyone in the room, "Remy you were screamin' chile you alright?" another voice called out sounding worried.

Remy blinked a few times as he noticed his father sitting beside him, Tante and Henri stood nearby, "I told you to take it easy Remy…" Jean-Luc frowned as he leaned down beside his son and grasped his head tilting it up to look at the bruise on his forehead.

"What happened?" Remy asked his voice a bit hoarse as he looked around at the familiar room which was his father's office within the guild training hall.

"You were training and ya fell off da twenty foot ledge…" Jean-Luc whispered waving Alex over, "Ya alright petite?" he asked brushing away Remy's hair to look at the wound again.

"It seemed fucken real…" Remy breathed shaking violently as he looked around and grasped his father's arm to make sure he was indeed there, while Alex examined him in silence.

"What was?" Henri asked.

"I lost control of my powers and killed ya all..." he breathed heavily.

Jean-Luc frowned a bit as he still felt his son shaking, slowly pulling him forward he rested his son's forehead against his right shoulder. "It's alright Remy calm down…see we be alright…" Jean-Luc assured in a whisper as he helped his son to sit up, "What ya tink Alex?" he asked.

"Well he seems fine but I'd like ta take a few x-rays ta be sure…" he answered.

"Alright give us a few minutes…" he smirked as he helped Remy to stand. "Come on tink ya need a little air petite ya need ta walk this off you went through a nasty drop…"

"Yeah thankfully ya head broke ya fall…" Henri chuckled nervously as he patted his brother's arm.

Remy narrowed his eyes at the teasing, "It did not…did it?" he asked confused.

Jean-Luc smiled as he kept a hand on Remy's arm and led him out of the room, "Non, ya lost ya grip smacked ya head against da banister and landed on da padded floor…"

"Least dat's better then what I just went through…" he whispered. "Papa I don' wanna go to dat Xavier school yet…"

Jean-Luc quirked an eye as they walked down the hall towards one of the doors that led outside, "Why not…ya know they there ta help mutants, might help ya ta control ya powers better non…we been keeping an eye on them da last few months, ya practically know who everyone is."

"Can't it wait a while?" Remy asked in a whisper.

Seeing a small hint of fear in the young thief's eyes, Jean-Luc frowned as he led him out of the building, he sighed as he led his son towards a small enclosure and sat him down in a chair. "Alright…what exactly ya dream about that's got you so freaked out petite?" he asked sitting before him locking eyes with the teen.

Remy released a shaky breath as he took out a cigarette and told his father of his recent little experience in dreamland. After the little story Jean-Luc looked to the ground spying several cigarette buds he eyed his son as he dropped the eight one and held his head in his hands, then rubbed at his throat, "Seemed so damn real, it's like I could actually feel it…" he frowned.

"Tink maybe its better if ya went to Xavier's Remy…might give ya piece of mind knowing ya got better control non…plus I don't want ya chain smoking two packs a day…"

Remy blinked a few times then looked down and cringed, "Yeah maybe…" he whispered with a heavy sigh.

Jean-Luc quirked an eye, "Maybe…since when did ya start second guessin' ya père petite?" he asked with a smirk, "Maybe ya got a concussion or something hun…we need ta get ya to da hospital right now?" he asked gently grasping Remy's head and running his hands through the teen's hair to feel for any lumps. Remy chuckled softly as he pulled back from his father's grasp. "You alright now?" he asked with a tiny smirk.

"Yeah…" he chuckled softly, "I just hope they ready for da likes of me…" he grinned.

"They'll never know what hit em petite…" Jean-Luc chuckled softly.

The end…

Sorry took so long and that this story be short…stupid brain anyways thanks for the reviews :)