Remy nodded off at the side of her hospital bed, but was awoken by Jack's piercing bark.

The bark triggered a wake up call inside Anna's head. Her eyes adjusted to the bright fluorescent light above her. Her neck stiff, she called out into the light. "Hello… is anyone the-"

"I'm here."

"Remy?" Anna turned her head slightly to see Remy delicately holding her hand, Jack on his lap.

"Yes…" His voice trembled softly.

"Where… where am I?" As she spoke Remy noticed her beautiful body had thinned and her tan skin now pale.

"Lower basement… the hospital…"

"Hospital." Anna searched her mind for the meaning.

"You're very sick Anna, you should rest."

She eased herself up, leaning against the headrest of the bed. "What's wrong… with me?"

"You weren't stable for a long time. Anna… you weren't supposed to wake up."

"Well, I'm awake now."

"Yes," He kissed her hand softly. "…you are. You know Jack has been here with you for the past three days."

She smiled softly. "Oh?"

"Only got up five times, peed on Logan's shoe twice an' when Logan tried to scoot him out of the room Jack started to bite him. Animal controversy."

Anna laughed, but not for long. Her everything hurt. She winced in pain. "So…" Anna adjusted herself. "Logan was here?"

"He found you an' brought you here."

"Didn't care to stay?"

"He said… he said he wasn't strong enough."

"Huh…"

"Scott and him are talking to Jubilee now. She saw you leave with…" Remy trailed off.

"Warren?"

"Yeah chere… Are you okay?"

"Remy… I feel… empty."

"Jean said that your powers might be stripped if you ever woke up from your coma. Instead of your powers being in remission, they may be gone completely."

"How," Looking at her hand held by his, "did you know that my powers weren't active?"

"I didn't."

She glared at their hands with blank expression. Then Anna gazed at him speaking only with her eyes, calling him. When he let go of her hand, she looked away. Remy then eased himself on the small cot wrapping his arms around her cold and thin body. Surrounded by his warmth, the emptiness she felt just a few moments ago had dissolved.

Anna turned and wrapped her slender arms around him. Though crying was something she never wanted to admit to she felt like crying some tears now could only do her good. Anna finally decided that she wouldn't. She couldn't feel any better than she did now in Remy's arms. Anna kissed his arm and slightly rubbed her head against it. He no longer had his defining smell, a smell that would often remind her of where she was born and raised for a time as a young southern belle: in Mississippi; Remy now smelled of the hospital room they lay in, which said of his time with her unconscious body. She gazed up at him to see a small tear drip from the outer corner of his red eyes.

Bella watched as Anna kissed away the tear from his cheek.

…

Remy kept his chin buried in Anna's auburn hair, gently stroking her arm. Sometimes after they slept together, Anna could never actually get to sleep. She would drift off into a short slumber before waking up with a racing heartbeat and clouded mind. He would caress her arm like this and she would fall into a deep sleep. Now, the repetitive notion lulled her to sleep, as he knew it would. He looked up and through the glass walls saw Logan with arms crossed. Logan motioned for him to leave with a dagger of a glare.

Remy slid away from her cautiously, not wanting to wake her up. He turned his back from Logan as he tucked Anna in loosely. Remy snuck a kiss on her forehead and exited the room.

"Logan-"

"You should leave… now, before my claws come out and I chop your penis off. I doubt any girl would want you then."

"You know…" Remy decided this would be the only time to back down from a fight, mostly because he didn't think Logan to be a man of bluffs. "…Fine…"

Before leaving the room, Logan called out to him, "By the way, your WIFE is looking for you." Remy ducked his head down and entered the elevator. Anna watched the steel doors closed, leaving Logan the only one in the vicinity.

…

"Oh… there you are. I've been lookin' for you just about everywhere."

"Well, I'm here now…" Bella's hair was awkwardly messy; a black bra strap dropped from her shoulder; a brown Ugg boot hugged her right foot while the other one bare.

"I need you to watch Julian for me-"

"Where is the little tike?"

"Oh…" She scratched her head. "Somewhere… I just need you tah watch him OKAY!"

"Okay…"

"I can't find Jubilee or any other teenager 'round here. So I need you to watch him… I need to clear my head."

"I said okay Bell. You forget your meds or somethin'?"

"I'M FINE!" The door slammed as she left and slammed as she returned. "Actually… I'm not fine. I found you with Anna down stairs.

Remy stood stiff. "Yeah?"

She placed her hands at her hips, hoping for him to admit. "Why were you down there?"

"She was one of my students. She's injured. What a stupid-"

"Do your students always KISS you? Are you always that physically close with a student?"

"Oh…"

"Tell me Remy… how am I suppose to be feelin' right now?"

"Bella when I left you and I came to New York I met someone. We'd been together for four or five months. That women is lying on a hospital bed. The woman that I love is down there. I don't want to hurt you Bella, but-"

"You don't want to hurt me?" She rolled her eyes. "That's hard to believe."

"I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU BELL…but, I do love her."

…

"I think I may love him Logan, please try to understand."

"I think you should try acting like an adult. Take some responsibility."

"I am an adult Logan-"

"I assume you've slept with him?" Her silence was the answer. "Did you lose your virginity with him?" She was silent. "I swear to god Marie if he-"

"I came onto him Logan. And do not, DO NOT talk to me about adult responsibilities when I assume that you're still with Ororo."

"Fine, we're both fucked up, but that doesn't matter. Where did I let you slip? When did I just stop paying attention?"

"You weren't ready for me, a child Logan. You're not exactly a cuddly bunny." He laughed, hard and long. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed. "The Professor-"

"The Professor did not just dump you on me. I'm your legal guardian, I should… I should protect you-"

"Logan, you're the only father I've ever had and am glad we got a chance."

"Knock, knock?" Both Logan and Anna turned to see John at the automatic sliding door to her hospital room. "Anna! You're awake… ALIVE!" He ran to her bead side.

"I'm gonna head out and take some adult responsibilities of my own. We'll talk later kid."

"Bye Logan."

"You just woke up… I could come back later… so you can rest? I know you've got a lot on your mind-"

"Actually I think I do need the rest."

"That's …fine. I'll come back later… tomorrow."

"No, you don't have to come tomorrow."

"What?" He came to sit by her.

"No, John… don't sit. Please…"

"What's wrong…?"

"I can't… do this. I can't be with you anymore."

John's mouth gaped in astonishment. "What?"

"I cheated on you… multiple times. And I told you that and you still wanted to be with me… why?"

"Because I love you Rogue. I do-"

"You don't love me."

"YES, I DO. You're doing it again. Pushing me."

"MAYBE I AM! BUT I'M DOING IT… I'm pushing you because I don't… I don't love you."

"You don't mean that-"

"No John I do. You don't either. You don't love me. You can't even look at me without finding some way to see me naked. And I get it. I just have that affect on guys. But you do not love me. Go to Genosha. I know that's what you really want an' then maybe you'll find a girl you really like… love. But that girl ain't me."

"Are you dumping me for that other guy?"

"No! No… please I'm sorry. I am. But, I'm doing this for you. I'm saving you from more possible torment I have. And I hope after all this… we can still be oddly acquainted… friends."

…

"I ended it… with John. I don't expect you to do the same. I just… thought you would want to know."

"I do. Bella… she left. I think… we're free Anna."