AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't think anyone really noticed, but the cover for this story is actually a cosplayer. No, I did not take the picture myself. I just found it floating around and Yahoo and took it. But it's Remy sitting on the throne of Asgard which I thought was funny.

Chapter 3

Remy's duster fluttered around him as he fell seventy stories down. His eyes watered when he tried to focus on the ground below, a roar in his ears from the air whipping past him. He wondered distantly when his body connected with the concrete if it would hurt. A flash of pain before complete and utter blackness. Or whether the figure he had seen coming towards the room would save him in time.

Above him there was the distant roar of Sabretooth raging over his lost quarry. Remy couldn't hide the smirk that spread across his face when he heard it. It quickly vanished as he considered how Logan may react. Would the man seek revenge for him? Or else rather curse his name and go about with his life? Just as Remy was able to make out the shocked expressions of the faces below him the ground before his body stopped with a sudden jerk and he suddenly started traveling sideways. A muscled arm wrapped around his chest as it bore him aloft once again taking him up into the air towards the skyline.

"Do you often try to commit suicide? Or is it just one of your many charms?" Thor asked, glaring at the figure of an enraged Sabretooth. Remy raised an eyebrow at the thunder god as Thor flew to the next building over, gently setting him on his feet on the roof.

"Non, Remy tries t' usually avoid such dramatic feats. But, seeing as I was trapped and dere was no door, I opted for de window. Besides, you caught me, cher. Would you like a kiss as a reward f'r yo' bravery?" Remy asked him. Thor glanced at him, alarm crossing his features as he took a step back from the thief. Remy smirked and winked at the man who frowned.

"Uh I… That is unnecessary, I assure you. I do not think either Logan or Loki would appreciate us exchanging such an intimate, um, gesture. Especially Loki." Thor said, turning to check on Sabretooth. By now the feral mutant looked as if he were either getting ready to try and make a leap for the other building or taking the safer route down in order to reach him. Remy frowned as he scanned the area for Magneto. Logan had been right; he had been drawn out and ambushed. No doubt now when he returned, no matter how much he bathed, his partner would pick up the scent of his arch nemesis on him. He would become even angrier if he knew his mate had tried to conceal the fact from him.

"Have you heard from Loki?" Remy asked Thor. Thor glanced at him, his hand resting lightly on his hammer ready for use. He knew in such a highly populated area the thunder god could not employ his weapon. Too many innocent people could get hurt.

"I did, in a manner of speaking." Thor answered, shifting his weight slightly. Remy glanced at him, narrowing his eyes when the thunder god did not elaborate.

"What did he say?" Remy asked him. Thor sighed, turning his blue eyes to gaze at him. He at least appeared sympathetic as he answered.

"It was in the form of a projection, similar to a hologram. Loki bragged to me about how he now had a new weapon he was ready to employ. One he promised would bring about my downfall and allow him to become King of Asgard. Claiming he knew secrets about father I don't." Thor said, lightly shaking his head. Remy waiting to hear more, but nothing came.

"And?" Remy pressed. Thor did his best to meet the human's gaze, but he found he could not. He looked away while his finger lightly traced the symbols etched on his hammer.

"Nothing else. I am sorry, Gambit, but I think Loki may have dismissed your time together. Knowing him, he may have decided it was nothing more than a passing fancy to him." Thor said. He didn't need to look to know the mortal had grown tense. He closed his eyes and took a breath, wishing he did not have to say it. Still, he continued because it was the right thing to do; to tell the truth even if it hurt those he swore to protect.

"Remy, Loki is insane. He has deluded himself into thinking the entire nine realms owe him a debt. To even consider for a moment such a small gesture as exchanging a few words in the mountains could have an impact on him is ridiculous. He has probably forgotten you by now. It's been a year, hasn't it? Forget him. You have someone you love already." Thor said, finally turning to look back at the thief.

Remy had grown quiet listening to the blond haired man. Sabretooth had disappeared from the window seemingly having made up his decision. Across from them Iron Man had shown up along with Spider-Man, the current superhero for the city. Remy figured Stark was searching for the information he had stolen from his company as he glanced down at the briefcase he still held in his hand.

He gave Thor the money as the thunder god gave him a puzzled look accepting it without question. On his hand, Remy felt the ring pulse with a wave of cold as he thought of the Trickster God. Had Loki forgotten him? He would not be surprised, Remy supposed, if he had. What chance did he have with holding the demi-god's attention anyway? Perhaps he had been wrong all along. The ring had been given to him as a favor, proof Loki was indebted to him. It left the thief free to ask upon it whenever he felt the need too.

"Have you ever gazed at de moon, cher?" Remy asked Thor. The thunder god frowned as he glanced at the ensuing battle across from them in the other building.

"I have before. What of it?"

"She is very lonely up dere by herself, ain't she?" Remy said with a shake of his head. He couldn't see the moon with the lights of the city. From the mansion the stars came out in a burning brilliance as if claiming they would never disappear. Always there no matter if a person could see them or not. Continuing to blaze until they died in a bright flash before fading away into the dark once more.

"Do you want me to fly you home?" Thor asked him. Remy shook his head, turning his back to the thunder god as he headed for a door. He guessed he would either be lucky enough to find an elevator or would be forced to walk all the way to the bottom.

"Non… Remy'll take a plane."

Remy spent a day at a five start hotel. He ordered room service, watched TV and whiling away the hours. Finally, he grabbed his plane ticket, fake I.D., and took his plane back home. He did not know what to make of what Thor had told him. A part of him was secretly happy. He assumed that Loki may have forgotten him. On the other hand, he felt rage at having been dismissed so easily. Remy was unsure whether he wished for Loki to care for him or not. He loved Logan, and if Gambit had anything to say about, it would remain that way. Logan seemed to share the same feelings though he closely guarded the younger man without meaning too. Instinct formed the basis of Logan's decisions and abilities. In a way, Remy thought his partner and Sabretooth were strikingly similar. While he too shared a history with the murderer he could not help but glance at Logan and wonder how his partner had managed to retain his humanity. Even in his berserk state Logan appeared to have a level control. He avoided those he protected and was even able to stand near the one he loved.

It was the middle of the night when he returned to the mansion. Exhausted from jet lag, Remy was nearly dragging his feet when he slipped in through the backdoor. He considered skipping getting something to eat, then decided he could stand to stay awake for a little while longer. Logan had apparently taken it upon himself to shove food down his throat if he didn't eat. No matter how many times he had told the older man he was perfectly fine, Logan refused to believe him. Remy had even entertained the idea of telling the older man while he consumed enough food for ten people did not mean so did the rest of the world.

Opening the refrigerator Remy peered in considering what to eat. For once in his life he just wanted to slam the door shut rather spend the next ten to fifteen minutes preparing his ingredients. For that would lead to him spending another half hour cooking the food. No doubt he would probably nod off and burn the entire mansion down. He sighed, closing the refrigerator door to open the freezer wondering if he could stomach one of those disgusting TV dinners Logan always scarfed down.

"You're back early." Said a soft voice. Remy blinked, turning to glance tiredly at the door leading to the hallway. Logan stood there dressed in a white undershirt and black sweatpants. As usual the older man looked as if he never suffered from a lack of sleep. Remy envied him for his healing factor at times, but at the same time was glad he didn't have to suffer claws ripping through his knuckles.

"Good morning, mon glutton. Can Remy have one of dese? He is too tired t' cook." Remy said glancing at the older man. Logan frowned as he came over to him to peer into the freezer as well. There had to be at least twenty different TV dinners in there for Remy to choose from. Each one, no doubt, about as healthy if he chose to resort to eating live worms.

"You don't want any of those, Rims. Come on. Sit down and I'll cook for you. You'll just throw that shit up anyway if you eat it." Logan said, reaching up to gently close the freezer door. Remy raised an eyebrow at his partner at the offer.

"What are you going t' make? A pack of noodles?" Remy snapped. He meant it as a joke but it came out sounding irritated. At this Logan frowned, shooting him a glare as he moved away from him to retrieve a pan. Remy silently cursed at himself for snapping at the older man.

"Mon glutton, Remy is sorry. He is just tired and wants t' sleep. He did not mean t' sound like dat." Remy apologized. Logan glanced at him and was relieved to see there was no anger there from his partner. He did not think he could afford to lose the only other person he cared about to a short temper.

"It's fine, Cajun. I can see the bags under your eyes. Just try not to fall out of your seat while I'm cooking." Logan grunted as he took out a few eggs. They were easy to make and fast to cook. Behind him, Remy sat down at the table with a grateful sigh, putting his head in his hands. He had seen the younger man come back tired before but Remy had never outwardly showed it. As he cracked eggs over the pan he wondered how the job this time had gone.

"You make a cute housewife, Logan. All you need is an apron dat says 'kiss me'." Remy teased as he watched the other man through his hands. He saw Logan grind his teeth and glare at him as he poked the eggs with a spatula. Reaching into another cabinet, Logan pulled out a handful of random spices. He tried not to wince as he watched the man seemingly dump each one into the pan without a second glance. They weren't going to taste any better than if he ate a pre-packaged dinner.

"Logan, are you sure you want t' cook f'r Remy? Or are you cookin' f'r yo'self?" Remy asked, raising his head to peer worriedly at the food. Logan had an intense look of concentration on his face as he poked at the raw eggs. The spices looked like nothing more than a bunch of dirt floating in snot. Even the yellow yoke looked disgusting to him as he waited for it to start simmering.

After five minutes, Remy got up from the table and went over to his partner. Going behind Logan, he rested his chin on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around the shorter man's waist as he watched. He felt Logan bristle at the unfamiliar touch, but he wasn't shrugged off roughly as he usually was. Remy didn't know why he was testing the older man's boundaries. He always respected what Logan allowed him to do with him. In bed, the older man was always still on top which Remy never complained about.

"Logan, dere's somethin' wrong wit' yo' cooking technique." Remy informed his lover. Logan frowned, still poking at the raw eggs with his spatula.

"What?"

"You forgot to turn the stove on."

Logan stood there for five seconds before he just turned his head to glare at the Cajun. Remy smiled, kissing a stubbled cheek as he turned the stove on. Reaching up, he took Logan's hand in his and manipulated the spatula around the egg. Soon, it was sizzling as he tucked in the corners and expertly flipped it. His partner made to allow him to continue cooking, but Remy persisted leaning on Logan more and visibly yawning as if he were about to fall asleep.

"Come on, Rims, move. You're cooking anyway. Why do you need me here?" Logan asked, trying to shrug the taller man off him. Remy frowned, but a part of him refused to be rejected this time as he tilted his head to the side peering down at the egg.

"Remy is too weak t' cook, Logan. He has t' use you t' finish it or else he will not be able t' eat." Remy insisted, draping his form against Logan's. Logan just gave him a narrowed glare, but sighed and decided it was better to let the Cajun get away with it rather than arguing. They both watched as the eggs began to bubble then turn white as Remy manipulated his lover's hand to flip the omelet over. After another few minutes, he turned the stove off and deposited the food onto a plate.

Logan didn't join Remy at the table rather taking out a cigar and lighting as he watched his partner tiredly begin to eat his food. He mulled over why the Cajun would be back home so early. Logan blew a stream of smoke out the window as Remy ate, inhaling the scents from outside. Freshly cut grass, a feral cat he had taken to feeding, one of the kids had stuck gum under the table again, and Sabretooth. The scent of his arch nemesis was faint mixed in with herbal soaps and cigarettes. Clenching his fist, Logan crushed his cigar which he just threw out the window onto the sidewalk below. Turning around and bristling, he saw Remy had stopped eating and was now gazing at him with a serious expression.

"You caught it, didn't you?" Remy asked him. Logan ground his teeth together, unable to make a coherent sound through the bloodlust beginning to rage through his brain. Sabretooth's scent was always a sure trigger to drive him to the brink of his berserk state save if it weren't for the one person now gazing back at him.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you bother to call?! Remy, if Sabretooth-"

"I called and told Scott. I told him not to tell you." Remy said before Logan could finish. He was alarmed when he saw the older man clench his fists, ready to either pound him or the one eyed mutant. Now wary, Remy stood up and wondered at the possibility of how much a table between the two of them could provide him protection. Logan just eyeballed him, a clear snarl on his lips nearly foaming at the mouth as he spoke.

"So you thought being quiet about it would help? Rims, it's Sabretooth. You think I tell you this because I'm planning on inviting the guy over for a fucking tea party?" Logan growled, slamming his fist onto the table. The plate and cutlery jumped as well as a large crack appearing beneath his fist in the wood. Remy glared at him from across the table, too tired to argue.

"Non, Logan. Remy meant t' tell you himself but he… He could not bring himself t' do it. He knew you would find out either way as soon as Remy got home, but he was scared of how you would react." Remy answered. He saw Logan study him, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. If they had not been lovers, he was positive the feral man would have punched him in the stomach by now. Finally, Logan got enough control of himself to gaze at his partner without thinking of several different ways he could tie him up and toss him into the bed of his truck.

"I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt here, Rims. So don't screw me over." Logan snapped, though he already knew his partner told the truth. Remy watched him carefully now, keeping his distance lest he act out. Okay, okay, he could think rationally. At least Logan hoped he could.

"I take it he's the reason you came back." Logan grunted. It wasn't a question. Remy nodded his head as he fingered his fork, his red on black eyes flickering over the congealing food as he spoke.

"Yes. You were right on dis one down t' de last detail, mon glutton. Remy had assumed it was just another client. He knew de job was too easy for the amount of money dey were offerin'." Remy explained with a shrug. Logan frowned at this last part. The older man greatly disapproved of his activities, but usually never argued.

"How much?" Logan pressed. Remy raised an eyebrow at Logan, trying not to smirk. Money and material possessions quite literally meant nothing to the man. Often when they were in bed together, smoking or drinking Logan would tell him about times he had spent living in a cave during certain times in his life. Remy had always laughed at these stories, only able to believe they were real from the way he saw how at home the man was in the wild.

"Fifty thousand dollars. Why? D'you have bills t' pay?" Remy teased. Logan shot him another piercing glare as he came around the table towards him. Slightly tense now, Remy visibly took a step back when the other man came closer to him, wary of being knocked out.

"Do you need the money?" Logan asked him, his sky blue eyes sparking with intensity. Remy was uncomfortable with the scrutiny but he held his ground. His lover could be intimidating, most of the time he was, but he would never deliberately hurt him to be cruel.

"Non, Remy does not need it. He has accounts here in de United Sates an' several others overseas. It is just he is able to get information dat others have no access to since dey don't have questionable morals." Remy said, beginning to grin at the thought. Logan growled as he eyeballed his partner. Locking him up would not be an option, but what if he drugged him…?

"Rims, listen me. I'm taking you off the X-Men until further notice." Logan said bluntly. At first Remy only stared at him, then it clicked in his tired brain.

"W-what? Mon glutton, you cannot be dat angry! Yo' Cajun only meant t-"

"Don't argue with me. You know sure as hell if I want to keep you here I can. What I'm saying is I'm releasing you from the duties of being an X-Man. Doesn't mean you're leaving the mansion or anything. I just can't have you out there with Victor on the loose."

"What about the leads? All the information?"

"We managed before without it. We'll learn to do it again." Logan said, gritting his teeth. He felt some satisfaction out of picturing driving his claws through Sabretooth's skull. Glancing at his lover scowling at him, Logan could only shake his head.

"Logan, hidin' me here ain't goin' t' stop him." Remy growled quietly, his accent growing thicker while his eyes blazed.

"No, but it might just keep you alive long enough for me to kill bastard."