"I hope you two are ready." Jean said, looking uncomfortably over at the kids laying on the tables in front of her. They both nodded, and Jean took a deep breath before reaching over and tapping her comm badge. "I'm ready when you are Scott."

"Go ahead Jean, we're waiting." His voice came back over the link. "Be careful." He added mentally to her before she once again plunged into the boy's psyche.

* * * *

In the War Room, the team sat restlessly around the table, most glancing over in Gambit's direction occasionally, while the cajun attempted to burn holes through the projection screen with his stare. Calmly Rogue placed a hand on his knee, but he glared at her as he shook it off. It was at that point that the images began on the screen. The first was the original picture of the children in New Orleans. Most let out surprised gasps at the sight of a fourteen year old Bishop. Then Jean's voice came over the system, telling them she was going to try and regress from this point, but Remy stopped her. "Let it play!" He shouted almost desperately. "I wanna know what happen to Jean-Luc."

"I'm sorry Remy," Jean replied. "But they're the ones guiding me, they're pulling me backwards." Remy slammed his fist on the table, but continued to stare unblinking at the screen before him.

* * * *

"Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as y' can." The chubby toddler grinned while she clapped along to the rhyme.

"Papa!" The little boy in the picture shouted, his long auburn hair hanging in his face. "Make 'em stop! Dey been doin' dis all day long." He sighed melodramatically, looking over to the man sitting in the overstuffed chair by the television.

"Not now Luc." Remy's distinct voice answered. "If it be botherin' y' dat much go play in y' room. Not like y' don' have enough toys in dere t' keep ya busy." Remy turned around and looked at the boy over the back of the chair. "Jus' let me finish watchin' dis, den maybe I'll take ya out to test drive dat new go-cart, eh?" Remy's eyes flashed mischeivously, and the boy's mirrored his.

"Yay!" He shouted as he ran off to his room, while hearing his mother shout in the background.

"You bought him a what?!" Her voice even reached his room. "I swear Remy, yer gonna spoil these kids."

Luc could almost hear his father's smile when he answered. "Rogue, chere, de boy's almost five. I t'ink he can handle a go-cart. Sides' it's an early birthday present."

"Uh-huh." He heard his mother say as she walked out of the room. "An' on his birthday he'll be gettin' an early Christmas present I spose."

Remy laughed back. "Course, chere. He's gotta have somethin' ta open on his birthday."

* * * *

"Mama?" The red haired girl asked the tall woman next to her. "Why is the aminals all in cages?" She pouted as she watched the monkeys swing around in what she thought was a too small space.

"Cuz sweetie, if they weren't in cages they'd probably hurt themselves. This way the zoo-keeper can make sure they're not hurt or sick." The woman, who was obviously Rogue, smiled down at the little girl.

"Oh." She stated, watching the monkeys continue to jump and hoot. "Mama, why don't we put Uncle Hank in a cage?"

Rogue visibly tried not to laugh, her face turned bright red and tears actually started leaking down the sides of her face. "'Ello dere lovely ladies." Fortunately Rogue was saved from coming up with an answer.

"Papa," the little girl tried again, looking almost directly up to see his face. "Why don't we put Uncle Hank in a cage?"

Remy was not as good as Rogue at restraining himself, and started laughing hysterically. This caused Rogue to lose all control and start laughing herself. "I don't get it." The girl exclaimed, dramatically huffing and putting her chubby three-year old hands on her hips. "Uncle Hank looks jus' like those guys." By the time she turned back around, both her parents had collapsed onto the park bench across the walkway, heaving from the violent attack of laughing. "You people don' look too good. I think you need nap time." She said shaking her head at them, then grabbing them each by the arm and dragging them out of the zoo.

* * * *

The screen blacked out for a moment, while Jean caught her breath. "Got some cute kids there Gumbo." Logan laughed, reaching over and slapping Remy on the back, before pulling out a cigar and chomping on the end.

"T'anks." Remy muttered, still staring intently at the screen, waiting for the next scene of events.

"That's an idea, Hank!" Bobby shouted across the table. "Put you in cage!" The thought even made Ororo laugh, looking at Hank and imagining him surrounded by bars.

"Just like an ape!" Warren added, turning an odd shade of purple while he laughed. "Ow!" He added when Betsy reached over and slapped him.

"Absolutely hysterical gentlemen." Beast replied from the back of the room. "Now if you don't mind, this ape would like to pay attention to Mrs. Summers' show."

"Come now, Henry." Storm choked, cutting off a laugh. "You know they don't mean it."

"Shhhh!" Rogue hissed to everybody in the room. "Something's being shown."

* * * *

The room the children were in seemed to be covered in a gray palor, even though it was obvious that the colors in it were supposed to be bright and cheery. The little girl looked around in panic, until her eyes went to the door, and the source of the gray sheen became apparent. Black smoke crept in under the doorway, filling the room and making it difficult to breathe. Looking around the room she saw Bishop, laying on the floor, protectively holding a baby under him. Another little girl, probably still a baby herself, with blonde hair sat in the middle of the floor crying. Luc was standing by a window with his shoe, trying desperately to smash the glass. "Luc!" the little girl shouted to her brother. "Luc hurry!"

Luc was the only one still standing in the room, his head barely visible through the black smoke. He coughed violently as his attempts at shattering the window became more and more feeble. Suddenly a blast sounded and blew the door to the room wide open. Smoke poured into the room, trying to strangle everybody inside. "Luc, duck!" She heard before she heard the sound of the glass shattering and felt somebody pick her up by the back of her overalls and fling her over a shoulder. "Bishop, grab Rachel!" Before she knew what was going on they were standing outside watching the mansion burn down to the foundation. The youngest girls were crying in the background, and a pair of red on black eyes were staring her in the face while strong hands shook her gently. "Gabby! Gabby, look at me."

She finally woke out of the smoke induced trance and actually looked at her rescuer. "Papa." She squeaked. "Papa!" She shouted, hugging him desperately tight, as tight as her chubby little arms would allow.

Warm tears fell on her head, and strong familiar arms surrounded her, lifting her off the ground and cradling her gently. "Y' safe, petite, y' safe. Thank you God, ma chere, ma petite fille. Ma beautiful little girl, y' safe. I'm here. Papa's here, an' I promise t' never let you go again."

* * * *

Hank blinked the tears out of his eyes and looked around at his fellow teammates. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was like watching an extremely touching movie with them all. The emotional ones like Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Bobby, and Sam were on their ninth or tenth kleenex already. The shock was seeing tears in Betsy's eyes, and even seeing Logan borrow a tissue off of Storm to blow his nose with. The only person in the room who didn't seem at all moved was Remy.

Beast was about to go over to him, offer to talk later if he wanted. But before he could say boo, Remy was up and out of the room. "That's it folks." A choked up Jean Summers spoke over the comm-link. "That's the last thought I'm finding that includes anybody but...Remy? What are you doing in here?" The transmission cut off.