MagnusXXN - Nope not the end yet. I learned my lesson from Wild Side and
will announce when I post the last chapter. Although, I will admit we are
getting near it.
girlonthem00n - Thank you.
Elizabeth Braddock-Grey - The Bemy shippers, huh? Well I guess we must work to convert more over to our way of thinking. I know you have already been working on one person.
chrmedbythecajun - Thank you! (Blushes in appreciation.)
Jade121 - It's a thought.
***************************
Chapter 26
Quite awhile later, after they had cleaned up and dinner was announced the two of them walked down to the dining room, arms wrapped around each other's waists. They received the expected mixture of greetings and glares as they walked into the room and the responded with to the greetings with smiles and ignored the rest. Remy held Betsy's chair for her, seating her next to Logan as he sat down next to Ororo.
It was a tense dinner. Most every topic had to be avoided and so the meal passed in uncomfortable silence. As uncomfortable as it was, it seemed over to soon and they made their way back to the study, although Hank, Remy, and Betsy hung back from the others.
"I do not wish to pry but have you come to a decision?" Hank's eyes were full of concern but Remy would not meet that gaze.
He kept his eyes on the ground as he nodded slightly. "Oui, you c'n tell 'em." Betsy lay her head against his shoulder, giving him silent reassurance and Remy closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek lightly over the top of her hair. His lips turned up in a slight smile. "You c'n tell 'em everyt'ing."
"Thank you, my friend. I know it is hard but I think it will finally bring peace." He turned and eagerly stepped into the study.
*Henri's an optimist.*
Betsy nodded in agreement and they finally made their way into the study, seating themselves on the couch beside Ororo once again.
Scott closed the doors once again, saying, "Ok, now that we have had time to cool down, let's try this again. Gambit..."
Hank quickly interrupted before Scott could ask whatever he had intended. "Excuse me, but I have come into information today that has a strong bearing on the entire situation."
"Hank, it can wait."
Hank's eyes were still soft but firm. "No. I do not believe it can wait and it changes everything."
Scott rubbed his brow, apparently already getting another headache and the meeting had not even started yet. "Fine, Hank, what is it?"
"Remy came to my lab yesterday and I gave him his first physical as part of the X-men." Several people looked at him quizzically. The thief had been injured many times before, surely Hank had given him a check up then. The blue mutant raised his hand as if sensing the questions. "He has never remained in my lab for longer than to get his hand bandaged. I went over his test results today and made a discovery that changes the entire situation we have been discussing and arguing about. Remy was not in control of himself during the massacre."
There were several mumers of surprise and Ororo immediately lay her hand on her brother's shoulder. Jean's eyes showed her disbelief. "Hank, if you are trying to infer that Sinister mind controlled him, well, I can verify his defenses are much too strong for that."
Hank held up his hand. "Remy was controlled but not through telepathy. Sinister implanted a device in his brain that shut down his emotions. It, in essence, took his will but left his skills. From what I can tell, it burnt out at some point long ago which seems to coincide with what we know of the story."
Warren's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
"We know that Remy led the Marauders into the tunnels and then, in glaring contradiction, almost died bringing one of the condemened safely out of the tunnels. Therefore, it can be assumed that the implant was active upon his entry into the tunnels but burnt out sometime between the Marauders discovery of the Morlocks and Remy's discovery of Marrow."
Ororo turned to the lean man beside her, wet eyes full of guilt and sorrow. "I should have guessed, how could I have believed it of you, of my brother. Remy, I am..." Words failed her as the tears escaped her eyes.
Remy responded immediately, wrapping her in a comforting hug. "Hush, Stormy, 's ok. Der nothing to forgive. Remy not believe in 'imself, 'ow could you?"
Ororo clung to the man who had become her closest family as the implications continued to dawn on the others.
Bobby's were wide with confusion as he looked from Hank to Warren and back again. Warren had a shell shocked look on his face, the foundation of his carefully built hatred cracking and failing. Scott and the Professor looked at each other with guilty expressions. Logan remained silent while Betsy lay her hand on Remy's back for which he sent her a mental thank you for her understanding.
Jean nodded very matter of factly. "Well, now that that's settled. I hope you have learned, Remy, to come to us sooner with your problems. All of this could have been avoided if you had told us everything and allowed yourself to be fully checked first."
Betsy's anger flared and she prepared to attack, although she was not sure yet if it would be physical or verbal, when Remy's voice snuck through her head, chuckling. *Dis de day for surprises, look like Remy can read de future.*
His comment caught her completely by surprise. *What?*
Amusment tinged with his concern for Ororo, washed down the link. *Didn' Remy predict he get blamed for somet'ing else now.*
Betsy immediately realized what he was trying to do and barely surpressed a smile. *Fine, I will not kill her at this moment. Maybe later?*
*Maybe, if you a good girl.*
Betsy moved her fingers into the collar of his coat, lightly scratching his neck. *Then I guess she lives because once I get you back to my room, I plan on being a bad girl, a very bad girl.* The last was sent as a low purr sending a shiver of desire through his mind.
Betsy turned her attention back to the group at large and smiled knowingly as she saw the frustration on Jean's face. She had felt the other telepath probing at the edge of her and Remy's link. However, their individual shields had always been too strong for her to break through and, combined, the red head did not have a prayer of success.
Scott quickly cleared his throat. "Well, this changes everything."
Remy's voice was hollow as he replied, "Oui, it does." *Unfortunately.* Betsy leaned her head against his upper back, sensing his need for contact. *De can forgive a victim but still not stupid mistakes.*
Bobby stood up and extended a hand toward the Cajun. "Well, I guess it's let bygones be bygones, huh?"
Remy nodded but did not let go of Ororo to take the offered hand and Bobby cleared his throat uncomfortably, sitting back down.
Warren continued to say nothing and Jean stood up, laying a hand on Ororo's shoulder. "Well, I'm glad that's settled. Ororo, are you going to be ok?"
The African mutant stood, her eyes flashing in anger. "No, Jean, I am not. I exiled my brother without reason. We should have looked into this sooner. We should have thought of it. I should have thought of it!"
Jean tried to rub her shoulder soothingly. "How were we to know when he keeps so many secrets?"
Storm's eyes flashed brighter and there was a tenseness in the air like a calm before the storm. It was into this that Logan stepped, speaking up for the first time. "Look, we fucked up. We ALL fucked up and there's more than enough blame ta go aroun'. Thing is though, I'm sick of hearing it. I'm sick of Wing's whining, Rogue's bitching, Remy's silence, and everyone else's self pity. Let's get it over with." He turned to Remy. "So, what is it Cajun, we drop it or you kick some people's asses?"
Remy stood up and looked around the room. "Drop it. People made stupid mistakes, it 'appens to everyone. 'S over."
Betsy stood up next to him, leaning against him as his arm immediately snaked around her waist. *Very nice of you, giving them forgiveness for stupid mistakes when they will not give it to others.*
*'S not easy, amour, but 's de right t'ing ta do.*
*****************************
This is not the end!!!!!
girlonthem00n - Thank you.
Elizabeth Braddock-Grey - The Bemy shippers, huh? Well I guess we must work to convert more over to our way of thinking. I know you have already been working on one person.
chrmedbythecajun - Thank you! (Blushes in appreciation.)
Jade121 - It's a thought.
***************************
Chapter 26
Quite awhile later, after they had cleaned up and dinner was announced the two of them walked down to the dining room, arms wrapped around each other's waists. They received the expected mixture of greetings and glares as they walked into the room and the responded with to the greetings with smiles and ignored the rest. Remy held Betsy's chair for her, seating her next to Logan as he sat down next to Ororo.
It was a tense dinner. Most every topic had to be avoided and so the meal passed in uncomfortable silence. As uncomfortable as it was, it seemed over to soon and they made their way back to the study, although Hank, Remy, and Betsy hung back from the others.
"I do not wish to pry but have you come to a decision?" Hank's eyes were full of concern but Remy would not meet that gaze.
He kept his eyes on the ground as he nodded slightly. "Oui, you c'n tell 'em." Betsy lay her head against his shoulder, giving him silent reassurance and Remy closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek lightly over the top of her hair. His lips turned up in a slight smile. "You c'n tell 'em everyt'ing."
"Thank you, my friend. I know it is hard but I think it will finally bring peace." He turned and eagerly stepped into the study.
*Henri's an optimist.*
Betsy nodded in agreement and they finally made their way into the study, seating themselves on the couch beside Ororo once again.
Scott closed the doors once again, saying, "Ok, now that we have had time to cool down, let's try this again. Gambit..."
Hank quickly interrupted before Scott could ask whatever he had intended. "Excuse me, but I have come into information today that has a strong bearing on the entire situation."
"Hank, it can wait."
Hank's eyes were still soft but firm. "No. I do not believe it can wait and it changes everything."
Scott rubbed his brow, apparently already getting another headache and the meeting had not even started yet. "Fine, Hank, what is it?"
"Remy came to my lab yesterday and I gave him his first physical as part of the X-men." Several people looked at him quizzically. The thief had been injured many times before, surely Hank had given him a check up then. The blue mutant raised his hand as if sensing the questions. "He has never remained in my lab for longer than to get his hand bandaged. I went over his test results today and made a discovery that changes the entire situation we have been discussing and arguing about. Remy was not in control of himself during the massacre."
There were several mumers of surprise and Ororo immediately lay her hand on her brother's shoulder. Jean's eyes showed her disbelief. "Hank, if you are trying to infer that Sinister mind controlled him, well, I can verify his defenses are much too strong for that."
Hank held up his hand. "Remy was controlled but not through telepathy. Sinister implanted a device in his brain that shut down his emotions. It, in essence, took his will but left his skills. From what I can tell, it burnt out at some point long ago which seems to coincide with what we know of the story."
Warren's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
"We know that Remy led the Marauders into the tunnels and then, in glaring contradiction, almost died bringing one of the condemened safely out of the tunnels. Therefore, it can be assumed that the implant was active upon his entry into the tunnels but burnt out sometime between the Marauders discovery of the Morlocks and Remy's discovery of Marrow."
Ororo turned to the lean man beside her, wet eyes full of guilt and sorrow. "I should have guessed, how could I have believed it of you, of my brother. Remy, I am..." Words failed her as the tears escaped her eyes.
Remy responded immediately, wrapping her in a comforting hug. "Hush, Stormy, 's ok. Der nothing to forgive. Remy not believe in 'imself, 'ow could you?"
Ororo clung to the man who had become her closest family as the implications continued to dawn on the others.
Bobby's were wide with confusion as he looked from Hank to Warren and back again. Warren had a shell shocked look on his face, the foundation of his carefully built hatred cracking and failing. Scott and the Professor looked at each other with guilty expressions. Logan remained silent while Betsy lay her hand on Remy's back for which he sent her a mental thank you for her understanding.
Jean nodded very matter of factly. "Well, now that that's settled. I hope you have learned, Remy, to come to us sooner with your problems. All of this could have been avoided if you had told us everything and allowed yourself to be fully checked first."
Betsy's anger flared and she prepared to attack, although she was not sure yet if it would be physical or verbal, when Remy's voice snuck through her head, chuckling. *Dis de day for surprises, look like Remy can read de future.*
His comment caught her completely by surprise. *What?*
Amusment tinged with his concern for Ororo, washed down the link. *Didn' Remy predict he get blamed for somet'ing else now.*
Betsy immediately realized what he was trying to do and barely surpressed a smile. *Fine, I will not kill her at this moment. Maybe later?*
*Maybe, if you a good girl.*
Betsy moved her fingers into the collar of his coat, lightly scratching his neck. *Then I guess she lives because once I get you back to my room, I plan on being a bad girl, a very bad girl.* The last was sent as a low purr sending a shiver of desire through his mind.
Betsy turned her attention back to the group at large and smiled knowingly as she saw the frustration on Jean's face. She had felt the other telepath probing at the edge of her and Remy's link. However, their individual shields had always been too strong for her to break through and, combined, the red head did not have a prayer of success.
Scott quickly cleared his throat. "Well, this changes everything."
Remy's voice was hollow as he replied, "Oui, it does." *Unfortunately.* Betsy leaned her head against his upper back, sensing his need for contact. *De can forgive a victim but still not stupid mistakes.*
Bobby stood up and extended a hand toward the Cajun. "Well, I guess it's let bygones be bygones, huh?"
Remy nodded but did not let go of Ororo to take the offered hand and Bobby cleared his throat uncomfortably, sitting back down.
Warren continued to say nothing and Jean stood up, laying a hand on Ororo's shoulder. "Well, I'm glad that's settled. Ororo, are you going to be ok?"
The African mutant stood, her eyes flashing in anger. "No, Jean, I am not. I exiled my brother without reason. We should have looked into this sooner. We should have thought of it. I should have thought of it!"
Jean tried to rub her shoulder soothingly. "How were we to know when he keeps so many secrets?"
Storm's eyes flashed brighter and there was a tenseness in the air like a calm before the storm. It was into this that Logan stepped, speaking up for the first time. "Look, we fucked up. We ALL fucked up and there's more than enough blame ta go aroun'. Thing is though, I'm sick of hearing it. I'm sick of Wing's whining, Rogue's bitching, Remy's silence, and everyone else's self pity. Let's get it over with." He turned to Remy. "So, what is it Cajun, we drop it or you kick some people's asses?"
Remy stood up and looked around the room. "Drop it. People made stupid mistakes, it 'appens to everyone. 'S over."
Betsy stood up next to him, leaning against him as his arm immediately snaked around her waist. *Very nice of you, giving them forgiveness for stupid mistakes when they will not give it to others.*
*'S not easy, amour, but 's de right t'ing ta do.*
*****************************
This is not the end!!!!!