The girl walked slowly along the empty corridor, pushing a trolley laden with food trays ahead of her as she went. The staff and residents had taken to calling her Nienna, after the local fable of a woman doomed to wander the Earth forever in search of her lost mate. Although she had accepted the name, she was hoping not to share the same fate as the legendary girl. Some of the residents found it hopelessly romantic that she could remember the name of the man from her dreams but not her own. Others thought her foolish, holding onto the memory of someone who hadn't come looking for her in the six weeks since she had shown up outside the hospital. She still held hope that he was out there somewhere looking for her. He just hadn't found her yet.

Once she had awakened and her vitals had proven strong, the hospital staff had taken pity on her and allowed her to stay on as a nurse's assistant. At night she stayed with the sisters in the neighboring church. They thought her story a miracle, and proof of God's divination in her life. She had obviously been astray and now God was leading her down her path. While she wasn't so sure she believed the sisters, they were kind to her and she was grateful for their hospitality.

She enjoyed her routine at the hospital. It gave her a sense of normalcy at a time when her life had been thrown off balance. Three times a day she delivered meals to the patients of the hospital. She enjoyed her rounds, talking with the residents, learning their names and their stories. Over the past few weeks she had come to realize she was well suited to hospital life. Often she would know the cause of a patients suffering, sometimes before the doctors would. It was almost as if she could hear what the patients were thinking and knew the exact source of each problem. She wasn't allowed to actually help, as she was lacking the proper training, but she had begun to wonder if maybe she had been a nurse before she had come to this place.

As she pushed the cart along her mind drifted to him again. Scott. The man she couldn't get out of her dreams. He was calling to her, searching desperately. But what was it he was calling? What was her name? Why could she hear his voice in her mind, but not the word he called over and over. She was so lost in her musings that she almost ran into the figure who had stepped directly into her path. She ducked her head and murmured a weak "Excuse me" as she went to steer around them.

"Jean" the familiar voice was filled with incredulous hope. That voice. It wasn't in her head this time, it was aloud. Jean. That was her. That was her name. She looked up and there he was, standing before her exactly as he had appeared in her mind.

"Scott?" she questioned, unsure.

His face broke out into an exalted grin as he ran to her and scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around in wide circles. Setting her down he cupped her face in his two large hands

"They told me you couldn't remember anything. I was so afraid you wouldn't know me"

She raised a hand to his smooth cheek "I forgot everything but you. I couldn't remember my own name but I always knew yours. Oh Scott" She threw her arms around him and pulled him tight. She still couldn't remember, but at least he'd found her and they were together again. It felt strange to have her arms around him, strange to see him real and in front of her. Finally tangible, his face so achingly familiar and yet, unfamiliar at the same time. It was the oddest sensation. As if something in the back of her mind was disagreeing with the image before her. She prayed it wasn't just a dream.

He leaned slightly back from her, taking his glasses off to reveal deep chocolate brown eyes that gazed at her with concern. Despite all that had happened in the past weeks it was those brown eyes that seemed the most unsettling to her. She reasoned that it was because whenever she had seen him in her mind he had been wearing the ruby glasses. Gazing at him now she wondered how could she have forgotten such warm eyes.

Whatever he had been searching for in her face he must have found because he smiled and put the glasses back on before taking her arm and leading her down the hall and away from the hospital. Finally she was going home.

Behind the ruby lenses, yellow eyes flickered.

(*)

Gambit was miles from the house when a small group surrounded him. He was thankful for the moonlight that illuminated him. He knew the only reason he was still alive was because someone in the crowd had recognized him. A lone figure broke free from the others and approached him.

"Are you braque?" raged the man in front of him.

His cocky grin in place, he appraised the smaller man slowly "It's good to see you too Lapin, Put on a little weight non. Told you all that bread pudding wasn't good for you"

Lapin ignored the jibe, taking a step closer to the estranged heir of the Thieves guild "You're damn lucky it weren't de assassins dat find you first"

"Come on Lapin, I knew you never let those greasy assassins out sneak you" he complimented lazily

Lapin merely rolled his eyes." Don't flatter me. You in a lot of trouble Remy. John Luc not gonna be happy bout you bein back in town"

"I don't have time for dis rahdoht Lapin. Let me worry about mon Pere." his harsh tone at the mention of his father kept Lapin from badgering him further. He signaled to the remaining thieves and they began the long walk back to the Thieves guild house with Lapin muttering the whole way why he had to be the one to find the estranged son. Upon arrival Remy was searched before being escorted to a waiting room that was generally reserved for less important clientele. He raised an eyebrow at Lapin's choice in rooms, but the smaller man merely shrugged and sat to wait for the guilds patriarch. Minutes passed and Remy grew more and more agitated, tapping his foot impatiently against the polished floor. He didn't have time for this. Mystique and Sabretooth could be doing God only knew what to Rogue right now. His imagination taunted him viciously as precious seconds ticked away.

When Jean Luc finally arrived he was flanked with Henri on one side and Mercy on the other. Henri tried to keep up the pretense of a professional meeting, but Mercy was instantly at Remy's side, hugging him fiercely and demanding to know how he had been so badly injured. She cast accusing glances in Lapin's direction, who merely held up his hands in mock defense."Don't look at me, he showed up like dat"

"I thought I told you to stay out of N'Awlins boy" his father's voice cut cruelly across the silent room.

His devil may care attitude vanished as he rose to face his father. "You did" he agreed solemnly.

Jean Luc appraised his younger son carefully, noting the severity of his features, the rigid way he stood before him. This was not the man who had left them three years ago in a fit of rebellion. He was willing to wager this was not the same man who had called him a month ago looking to get out of Rome. This was a man who was willing to do anything to get what he needed.

"They took your girl. Creed and the blue skinned one"

Remy's fist clenched into a tight knot but he kept his voice neutral.

"They did"

Jean Luc looked down his nose at him "Co faire êtes-vous ici Remy. Tell me what it is that you want so I can say 'no' and you can be on your way?" sarcasm bit sharply beneath the sweetness of his tone.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. Jean Luc was stunned to notice it. Remy never gave a tell. No matter what the circumstance. The man before him was tense, as tense as he had ever seen him. He seemed to be weighing his words carefully before he spoke. "I need your .. help." the words came out slowly as if he was unfamiliar with their meaning even as he spoke them. "Please ... I have to find her"

Jean Luc had been prepared to deny Remy's request, the bad blood between them ran deep. It was the please that made him pause. In all the years he had known and argued with his son, that word had never passed his lips. He sighed heavily and glanced at Henri. He didn't need to ask to know that Henri was more than willing to help out his brother. Looking back at Remy he saw desperation in his eyes. Whatever had happened in the past there would be no turning back from this moment. If he refused Remy now, he was certain he would never see his son again. "Mercy get in contact with Pierre. Find out exactly where dey took de fille. Henri, Lapin, you two go with Remy. Take him as close to his fille as you can. Then I want you back here, and I'll expect a full report." with that the guild leader turned and headed towards the door.

"Jean Luc...Pere...Merci"

Jean Luc looked back at his youngest son casually "Stay out of N'Awlins Remy" his harsh words were tempered by the small smile on his lips.

(*)

Despite the circumstances, Remy was still happy to see his family again. He had barely made it through the double doors of the study when he was engulfed in the arms of a large woman. She smelled of a unique mixture of cloves and spices that reminded him of lazy summer days and home cooked meals.

"Allo Tante. You're looking belle as ever."

"Don't you go turnin that snake charmin tongue on me. Why haven't you called?"She didn't give him a chance to respond before continuing on" Would you look at you, so handsome. Ah can still remember when you was nothing but knees and elbows causin all sorts of mischief." her eyes teared up as she stood back to take him all in "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes"

He kissed her cheek chastely and took both of her hands in his "Can't stay Tante. Dey took my girl. Gotta go get her back"

Her eyes widened in surprise before narrowing with evident suspicion.

"Your girl huh. You are gonna go chasin after some girl. How much she worth?"

His brow furrowed indignantly "Rogue don't have no money"

Her features softened "Didn't ask how much money she had chile. I asked how much she was worth"

he paused for only a moment before saying with conviction "Everything. She means everything to me"

"Does a heart good to hear you say that. Now scat you gotta go find your girl"

He kissed her cheek once more and with a smile and a wink, he dashed off after his brother and cousin.

"Just like old times eh Remy" Henri smiled at his younger brother as they ran down the steps and out into the night.

"Yeah. Except this time try to keep up old man" he grinned and shot forward leaving a grumbling Henri to catch up while Lapin laughed hysterically.

(*)

All right, I used a mixture of regular French and some Cajun slang. Here are the translations

Braque- Crazy

Rahdoht- boring/never ending conversation

Co faire êtes-vous ici Remy- Why are you here Remy

chile- child

~Nicci