Lost And Found, Chapter Two: Gambit's Most Recent Screw-Up

Author: Blimey The Toad



Jeremy sat there, stunned, for several minutes. He wanted to cry, but for some reason, he couldn't. Maybe because he didn't want to believe that really happened; his brother, his only living relative (besides the aunt who had made it clear he wasn't welcome anymore), his reason for coming to New York, had just left him, without a word of explanation.

A while later, he heard someone enter the room. He slowly turned his head towards the doorway to look at who it was, and it was the furry blue guy from earlier. They looked at each other, Blue Guy looking fairly uncomfortable, while Jeremy sat there expressionless, quietly waiting for Blue Guy to say whatever it was he had come into the room to say. He finally did.

"Uh, hello Jeremy. I just came to inform that your comrades appear to be on the road to recovery from the injuries they received from Logan. However, I would like to keep them here, at least overnight, until their injuries are completely healed." He paused, looking puzzled. "I thought that Gambit would be in here with you."

That broke the dam of tears, and Jeremy began sobbing. Hank looked at him, unsure at what to do, then he tentatively patted his shoulder. "It's alright, Jeremy. Uh, it'll be okay." Jeremy then flung both arms around Blue Guy and continued to bawl.

"It's not fair, dammit!" He cried. "I came all this way, and that. that. asshole just leaves! I can't believe I was looking forward to meeting him! How could I be so stupid. I shoulda listened to William and Sammy when they told me to forget 'im."

Blue Guy patted Jeremy's back, then told him not to worry about it, that Gambit was probably just in shock and to give him time. Finally, Jeremy stopped crying, and slumped back into the couch.

"I feel like a freakin' baby. I can't believe it. I just cried my eyes out. I haven't done that for years." He looked up towards Blue Guy and noticed his soaked, bare chest, the wet fur sticking out at odd angles, and laughed, odd considering his disposition just moments before.

"Sorry, man. Didn't mean to get your fur wet."

"Call me Hank, and don't worry about it. It isn't the first time."

"So William and Sammy are okay? I feel selfish now, worrying about Joseph when they were seriously hurt. Can I see 'em?"

"Of course, just follow me." Hank led Jeremy to the direction of the Med Lab.

**********



"So, how're ya'll doin'?" Questioned Jeremy, smirking at William and Sammy, both bandaged and drugged up on painkillers.

'Poor guys' thought Jeremy. 'William looks like he has a broken jaw, and Sammy got two of his ribs broken from Logan's knees hitting his side.' He felt bad for them, but couldn't help but smile at William, with his mouth forced shut from the bandages around his head and jaw, and Sammy trying to talk despite the drugs.

"Man, Jere, we got hit. We got hit bad. And then a blue guy. man, it was weird. This dude, with bald hair, and came, and said something. I don't know, man. You find Ja. Jee. Jo. your brother?"

"Yeah, I found him." He didn't elaborate; he didn't want to burden them just yet, and they probably wouldn't remember what he told them the next morning anyways.

"That's real good, bud. I'm real glad of it." Sammy grinned awkwardly, and William nodded his agreement.

Jeremy smiled at them. "Thanks, you guys. Why don't ya'll get some rest, 'kay? I'll see you both in the morning." They nodded, and fell asleep almost immediately.

Jeremy began to walk out of the lab, but was stopped by Hank.

"Jeremy, where are you going? Have you been assigned a room?"

"No, but I. I don't think I can stay here tonight."

"Don't be ridiculous! There is plenty of space. If you're worried about running into Gambit, I'll make sure you get a room in the women's wing, so you won't be anywhere near him. Deal?"

Hmm. stay the night in a mansion in the women's wing, or walk to the nearest motel, and pay to much for a roach infested room? "Alright, deal."

"Good, now why don't I take you up to see Xavier before bed. Your friends" he motioned towards their beds "have already met him, although I doubt they will remember any of it by morning. But I'm sure he would like to meet you."

Jeremy agreed, and was led to Xavier's office.

**********

Meanwhile, upon the mansion roof.



Gambit sat, knees drawn up to his chest, chin resting upon his knees, staring at the stars. He did this whenever he needed to think, or whenever the tension got as thick as winter morning fog (alright, I know it sounds dorky, but I didn't want to use the cliché 'thick enough to cut with a knife'). Normally, he came up here to ponder his relationship with Rogue, or think about his past. Once again, he was up here about his past, but this time it wasn't one of his many follies, or a wrong he committed. This time, it was a past he had no control over. His real family.

He'd lived his whole life believing he was abandoned because of his eyes, and was mercifully taken in by the thieves guild. However, judging by the pictures, and the boy he'd left in the room, that wasn't the case. He was 'taken' from his birth parents. 'Taken', as in stolen. Stolen by a thief in the night. A thief.

He couldn't believe it. It had to be a lie. But there was proof; a picture of him as a baby, his name written on the back. A picture, perfect, like it'd been taken care of, however, the corners slightly bent, implying it hadn't been sealed away forever. He wasn't Remy Etienne LeBeau. He was Joseph Allen Hoffman.

"Who de hell am I? Why can't you jus' leave me alone, God? Huh?"

Gambit stood up, charged up a card, flung it into the air as high as it could go, then watched it explode. 'Fool', he thought, as the ashes fluttered down towards the roof. 'You'll never get a break.' He felt a tear slide down his cheek, then sat back down.

Rogue, unseen until this point, floated down beside him. She didn't know why this sudden outburst had occurred, but she assumed it was his past again. That seemed to be the usual reason. She touched his shoulder, and he whirled around to look at her.

"Rogue, please jus' leave me alone." He said softly.

"No, Remy. Ah always leave ya alone, and ya always come up heah to pout. Ah won't leave 'till ya talk ta me 'bout what's botherin' you."

Remy tried to ignore her, but true to her word she didn't move a muscle. He finally decided to get it off his chest. He felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get it out soon, and Rogue was the only person he trusted with his feelings, anyways, so.

"I guess you ain' heard 'bout de whole Joseph t'ing yet, have you?"

"What, you mean you an' him got into it again? Seriously, Remy."

"Non, chere, I me. de t'ing wit' me."

Rogue looked at him oddly, then asked him what the heck he meant.

"Rogue, my brother came by t'day-"

"Henry's alive?"

"Non, my. my real brother."

Rogue's jaw dropped, and she sat there, gaping at him. "Ya. real brotha?"

He nodded, then explained to her what had transpired between them. After he was finished, she slapped him upside the head.

"Ow! What de hell dat be for?" He cried, angrily.

"Ya brother came all this way t' find you, and what do you do? Ya up and leave him! Can you imagine what he's goin' through right now? Ah can't believe you did that, Remy. I really can't." She looked disappointed.

"You s'posed t' be on *my* side, Rogue."

"Not when ya go and do something so downright knuckle-headed as that! Ah think you should go right in there, an' appologize to 'im!"

"I don't hafta do nothin'. He jus' came here t'day an' ruined my life, what little life I had left. I grew up wit' not'ing but lies. Ever'one dere in N'Awlins, my whole family, de whole guild, dey lie to me. Dey *kidnapped* me."

Rogue felt bad for yelling at him, but he deserved it. "That boy didn't have nothin' t' do with that. He just wanted t' find his brotha his all. An' he probably thought you wanted t' see him too. You probably broke his heart, Remy. Ya own flesh an' blood. I admit, mah own blood don' mean much t' me, but they made the decision to send me away. Now you gone an' done that yourself. You sent away the only real family ya know."

Remy just set his jaw and stared ahead. He didn't feel like explaining to her what he felt, and he definitely wasn't in the mood for an argument. For Rogue, the silent treatment worked best. And it didn't fail this time.

"Fine, Remy, just be like that. But this time, ya losin' ya family, and you're the one in control of it. Just don't come complainin' ta me in the future when you feelin' like an idiot for screwin' up again, 'cause this time it's yo' own damn fault." He didn't move a muscle, so she just sighed and floated back up, making her way towards the mansion. He had tried desperately to ignore her, but failed. Now he was forced to think about his most current mistake, and what he was going to do about it. ''Dis' gon' be a long night,'

**********

A/N: Ya'll dig? Anywho, I just wanted everyone to know what my New Years resolution is to finish all of my stories before I start a new one, and to finish them before February. Yes, that's right, folks. Probably the most hated writer in all of fanficdom (as far as incomplete stories go) will try to redeem herself. Please forgive me. With God as mah winess, Ah'll nevah leave ya'll hanging again! Peesh out, Merry Chrishmas, and a Happy New Year!