(Five)
Seth trailed the group down the hall. Logan was half walking, half carrying an uncooperative Gambit down to Med Bay. The thief was wasted but was too heavy to carried all the way from the hanger, their progress was slow but still faster than if Henry had called for a wheelchair. Fallen didn't know Seth was tagging along, she had assumed he had followed her back inside the Lucky Dragon, but the young Siskan was much too worried about his hero to just walk away.
Seth was quiet as a mouse, odorless and easily overlooked in a crowd. He wasn't noticed and so didn't call any attention to himself. He still didn't consider himself part of the working team and didn't feel he had the status to question what was going on. Right now he was terribly worried about Gambit. He didn't know exactly what had happened that morning, but knew only that it had to do with Kimble. It was enough to make him boldly tag along.
The vibrations from the fight had been terrible. He had never seen anyone so angry as Gambit had been. The thief had been reduced to a snarling ball of rage and it broke Seth's heart. It told him that he wasn't the only one who missed Kimble deeply.
The group stopped outside of the Med Bay and Beast took over Gambit duty and took him inside to be examined. Seth paused next to the soda machine, not exactly hiding but merely being inconspicuous. He would wait here until the verdict came out on Remy's condition. The Professor, Logan and Karen were outside the door talking. Seth wasn't noticed, no one shushed him away. He leaned against the wall and chewed on a nail, a nervous habit that had come with him from the system. He would wait.
(break)
Henry brought Remy inside the lab and placed him on an examining table. He received the injured thief with his usual aplomb, but soon became irritated himself. He took one big sniff at Remy and frowned. "You've been very bad, my friend. I may not have Wolverine's nose but I know a marijuana cigarette when I smell one. What did I say about that? It won't help you."
"If I wanted yo' 'elp I would've asked fo' it!" Remy snarled rudely. "Fuck off!"
Henry growled, a sound he did not make frequently, but when he did, most people took notice. "I'm going to forget you said that. I know you've been bent all out of sorts lately. You haven't been taking the medications I gave you, haven't you?"
"Dey don't 'elp me," Gambit complained, still grumpy. He hadn't meant to be so cross, but he now had a blinding headache and his hands ached horribly. He wanted to be drugged so he could pass out and forget this nightmare.
"They don't help you because you don't take them."
"Dey ain't 'elpin' me, all right! Nuthin' does!"
Henry took a step back, sighing once more in frustration. This one had never been a good patient on a good day, never mind when he was so clearly trashed. "Have you spoken to the Professor about it?"
"Non."
"Karen?"
Remy shook his head with a grunt, swaying slightly. He felt horrible.
"How can you expect to fix this problem you're having if you don't get help? If the meds I gave you didn't help, I've got plenty of others to try. Sometimes you have to try more than one."
"No more drugs," Gambit insisted, his red eyes deadly serious. "De only t'ing you givin' me is sumptin' so Gambit can pass out and stop bein' a pain in yo' ass. Dat's it, comprenez?"
Beast glared at him. "I am the doctor here. I will decide what's best for you."
Gambit snarled and rose, intending to walk away. He hadn't even been X-rayed for his hands yet but right now, he didn't care. He still had the rest of the Jack Daniels up in his room. That would do just fine. He was stopped by a large blue hand on his shoulder.
"Not so fast, young man. I swear, you are even more stubborn than Logan, and that's only because he can heal and isn't in here as often. Sit your butt back down on that table, now!"
There was no mistaking the authority nor the strength of the paw that held him in place. Remy allowed himself to be maneuvered back to the table and sat back down, his head hung low. "Je suis de'sole... Gambit's so tired... so tired."
Henry tipped his chin up to look at him. "I know. Stop fighting me and let me help you."
Remy looked into his eyes, not sure of what to say. There was little Henry could do to help him, he believed that to be true. What pill was going to stop all these vibrations from tormenting him? The dreams, the fear of killing someone? No pill could fix that. He had lost a good measure of his self confidence, something that would be difficult to overcome. That and he was angry almost all the time now. The memories he had of Kimble were fading, his friend had been gone so long, it was becoming as if he'd never been here at all. The only thing constant was this great big empty hole inside of him. Nothing Henry could prescribe was going to fill it.
Beast saw the hopelessness on Gambit's face and stopped arguing with his difficult patient. He ruffed his head, still the tried and true method of making the kid smile. It worked and the doctor relaxed. He examined Gambit's poor battered hands and took some X-rays. Two fingers on his right hand were fractured and he sprained his wrist from the hard impact on Logan's metal covered bones. His left wrist fared much worse, it was broken in two places. It was a testament to Gambit's anger, he'd been too enraged to stop before he'd injured himself. The exam was painful and Gambit's smile faded quickly. He lay down on the examining table, curled up and grumpy, while Henry taped up his fingers and bandaged his wrists, keeping his gloom and doom to himself.
Henry worked, his eyes straying down to the thief's tortured face while he put a cast on the wrist that was broken. He could see Remy's spirits had tanked again. What did Kimble do to you? he couldn't help but wonder. He knew Gambit hadn't been right ever since that bizarre file sharing with the holographic pilot. Rogue's breaking up with him hadn't helped at all and now Kimble was gone. Remy was breaking down, slowly and surely and something had to be done about it. He would have to put the Professor and Karen on notice. Gambit needed a break.
(break)
Out in the hall, Seth was eavesdropping. It wasn't a deliberate act, it was more like he had blended so well into the background, no one seemed to realize he was there. The Professor appeared to be having many of the same thoughts as Henry and wanted to know exactly what was going on. He listened as Karen gave him the details of the tape and Remy's violent reaction, his brow crinkled with concern.
Seth heard it all. He shivered and sank back into the wall, willing himself not to cry. Kimble had been beaten, raped, covered in shit. What had his brother gotten into? It was a firm reminder that it wasn't safe out here in this great big world. What happened to Kimble could just as easily happen to him. He had no defenses, he didn't have any of the powers of a pilot no matter what he looked like. Kimble was speaking in voices now, the three selves rolling around, in and out. The concept of it frightened him badly. Could this happen to him as well? He slid his arms around himself, trying to reassure. Fallen would keep him safe, yes. All he had to do was never leave here. Her power and these walls would protect him. He had to believe that or go crazy with fear.
Wolverine leaned against the wall behind Karen, saying nothing as she spoke. He was free from injury now, the only sign of the battle were some blood stains on his shirt. He had no idea Seth was so close, if he had he would have silenced her to protect the young Siskan from knowing. He would never have wanted Seth to hear all this, Seth was worried enough as it was. Logan wasn't blind, he knew Seth missed his brother and was fretful and worried. He had no desire to add to the young pilot's woes.
"How did you two know to go looking for this tape?" Charles wanted to know, his question directed at Wolverine. "Tell me again."
Logan explained about Kimble's phone call and their trip to Creed's lair. He also filled him in on finding Leon and what the boy had told them. The Professor nodded, his eyes tired now. "This information must be shared. I want a meeting called for this evening, everyone will attend. This will be an update meeting so we can get all these things squared away. Get some sleep and prepare, I want all these facts laid out to everyone so we can plan our next move. Understood?"
"Yes, Professor," Wolverine said and shuffled off to bed.
The Professor regarded Karen with his steel blue eyes. "What's happening to my thief, Karen?"
"I don't really know, sir. He's not been very co-operative. He knows an awful lot about Kimble he's not saying and that worries me. I wonder just how deep the link is between them. Everyone keeps telling me they didn't know each other for that long so I don't understand why he's so distressed. I'm concerned about this sharing of files. Maybe... Maybe Kimble got imprinted on Gambit's brain or something, I don't know. I'm reaching here."
"Maybe it's true," Beast replied coming out from Med Bay. He looked with surprise past the Professor and Karen to where Seth was loitering next to the soda machine. The young pilot had been very quiet all this time, ignored by everyone, and looked up at the sound of Henry's voice. Beast nodded at him and said, "You can go and see him, Seth. Just let him sleep."
Seth nodded and slipped past them all, saying nothing. He ignored the looks of stunned wonder, no one had known he was there. The Professor was instantly on guard. How much had Seth heard? He looked tired and ragged, in pain. He had heard it all. Damn. So much for trying to protect the boy. Seth's aversion to violence and his frailty was well known.
"That's interesting," Karen noted, her voice full of curiosity. "Seth followed us here without us knowing. Without Logan knowing. Doesn't that strike you as odd? I thought Logan could sniff out anybody."
"Seth is not organic, he carries no scent. That and Wolverine is tired and upset. He's probably a bit off of his game. I myself can't pick up his mental presence at all. It was the same with Kimble."
"Does Seth know anything about the file sharing? Maybe he should be questioned."
"If he does know anything, he's said nothing," Beast replied. "He's had ample opportunity to offer any insights he may have had. On the other hand, it's clear Remy has made something of adopting these lost Siskans. He's closer to the two of them than anyone else right now."
"I find all of this disturbing," Charles commented. "Something's going on here that we don't understand. We need to know more about the file sharing. Remy should be tested."
"What he needs is a long vacation," Henry said. "He's breaking down."
"He won't leave until Kimble is found," Karen replied. "If he feels responsible for Kimble he won't go. Not without some kind of incentive."
"Then maybe he needs to be assigned to something that will take his mind off of this. Of course I have no idea what, but he needs help."
"I'll see what I can come up with," the Professor said. He cocked his head when he heard Seth's voice trickling softly from the Med Bay.
(break)
Seth crept quietly into the recovery room, finding Remy's bed easily. The curtain was half drawn to give the thief some privacy as he slept. Seth pulled a chair to the bedside and removed his glasses. The room was dimly lit, easy on his eyes. He wanted to assure himself that all was well with his friend so he lay his head lightly against Remy's chest and listened to him breathing. Gambit was out cold asleep, drugged heavily and now resting peacefully, the young pilot's presence did not wake him. Seth closed his eyes and relaxed, feeling better with Gambit so close. He was happy now that Remy seemed okay, his injuries were not that bad.
Seth softly spoke to the sleeping thief. "I'm sorry you got so angry. I'll try harder, I will. Logan gave me some of the stuff you guys found and I've already started working on it. I'll get Kimble back. I'll get him back for both of us. Then it will all be better."
"Mon petite fils..." Remy slurred affectionately in his sleep, not fully awake. He had sensed Seth's vibrations of love and concern and was dreaming. He wasn't one to speak out in sleep, but the young pilot's vibrations of love and happiness had reached him, even in the depths of sleep. He reached out with one bandaged hand and found Seth's head, petting him gently.
Seth smiled. Remy's vibrations were always so powerful and strong. Always they held so much love, as if Seth was his adopted brother now as well as Kimble. These two had no idea just how much they had in common now, Kimble had touched them both and left his mark, bonding them together as strong as blood.
"Henry says to let you rest so I'll go," Seth said, slipping away gently and smoothing out Gambit's blankets with care. "I'll come back in a while." He gave Remy a soft kiss on his forehead and walked out. He kept his eyes low as he came into the hallway, always shy around the Professor.
"How is he?" Charles asked just to make conversation.
"He's better now," Seth replied, frowning a little when he saw Fallen come for him. She never left him alone for long and now he could tell she was here to bring him back, the protective mother hen. He enjoyed her looking after him, but sometimes he felt a little smothered.
"There you are," she said, keeping her voice level. Her eyes betrayed her, she didn't like it when he wandered off. She hadn't known he had followed Remy down here.
"I had to see that Remy was okay," he offered as an excuse.
"Then let him rest," she said, taking his hand. "We've got a lot of work to do today."
"I've got to crunch the stuff Logan gave me," Seth protested like a kid trying to get out of homework.
She gave him a small pained smile, the poor deluded dear. She didn't think a credit card number from one of Creed's people would have much to offer. It was sure to be under a false name and untraceable. She silently cursed Logan for raising up his hopes like that. "We promised Henry a cloak for the Blackbird."
"It can wait," Beast said, sensing the tension.
"There's time enough for both. Let's go," Fallen ordered, claiming her Siskan by taking his hands and taking a step towards the tramway.
"I'll let you know when he wakes up," Beast promised to Seth, who nodded at him as he was towed away.
"Fallen's protective of him," Karen observed.
"Probably because of what happened to the other one. Excuse me, I've got some more tests to run," Henry said, going back to his lab.
Charles watched the two pilots go. Seth's head was down, ever obedient. He couldn't fault Fallen's protectiveness, what had happened to Kimble was certainly inspiring. Seth would be sheltered, protected. No way would his brother's fate befall him, not if any of the X-men had something to say about it. It did make him a bit nervous to see Fallen boss Seth around though, it was as if he were less than a man. Like a servant. The thought wormed its way into his brain and bore fruit. Yes, he had a few ideas himself to bring out at the meeting tonight. It should prove to be interesting indeed.
(break)
Seth wasn't the only one to visit Remy that morning. Rogue slipped in when the hallway had cleared. Henry was busy elsewhere, satisfied Gambit would be out for at least a couple more hours. The young girl slipped in quietly and sat beside the thief, frowning when she saw his poor bandaged hands. She didn't know the details of what had happened but wasn't surprised Remy had lashed out at Logan. Really, Wolverine was such an arrogant bastard, the only surprise was that it didn't happen more often. She loved the guy dearly, but was well aware of the man he was.
She took Gambit's hand, careful not to grip it too tightly. She had done a lot of thinking lately, especially now that Manny had left her. Manny had returned back to the Mansion, but not to her. He was content to teach, loving his vocation too much to leave it because of her. They hadn't been going out all that long. He was civil to her, not one to carry a grudge, but was sure to keep their conversations short.
Rogue was lonely now on her own and at these times, her thoughts often traveled back to this poor wronged thief. The whole house knew he was having problems, he wasn't his usual cheery self and was grumpy and sullen. Of course she knew what it was, the poor boy missed her so. He was pining away without her love.
What she ignored was the large framed picture Remy had put on his wall. He had them all framed, the three pictures of Kimble's fractured selves. The Quitter and the Punisher were there, but not given the same deference as the Lover. That one had been framed in expensive wood and glass, immortalized and kept safe, on display in spite the sexual nature of the picture. Kimble's ghostly self embracing him was Remy's reminder of what had been lost. It was an incentive to keep pushing and seeking. Rogue saw none of that. She avoided his room and those pictures, it was easier for her to believe this was all a case of Remy missing her deeply.
She still loved him, this damnable thief. He had stolen her heart and she didn't think she would ever love anyone else as much. It was hard to love him, true. He kept his secrets and dangerous past hidden, but she missed his laughter, the way he made her feel. He had always gone out of his way to please her, bringing her small gifts all the time and taking her out. She was spending far too much time alone now. She had to win him back, she resolved. He had always taken her back before, why wouldn't he now?
Remy laughed in his sleep, still dreaming. As with Seth, he had felt her vibrations of love and it seeped into his dreams. The difference was, his response to Seth had been dead on accurate, he knew who it was he was speaking to. This now, was all together different.
Gambit was stretched out on a large checkered blanket under the large oak tree in the flower field. It wasn't winter as it was now. No, it was the middle of summer, a nice fresh day. His eyes were closed and he was almost asleep. He was at that point where his eyes wouldn't open even if he wanted them to, but he was aware of everything else around him. There were birds all around and the buzzing of bees, a delightful happy sound. He could hear the laughter of two small children nearby, his kids. They were twins, a boy and a girl, Jean Luc for his father and Matilda, or Mattie after his Tante. He loved the sound of them as they romped and played, they were chasing a ball about, sending clouds of sweet smelling petals up into the air.
The thief himself was being embraced gently as he lay on the blanket, he could feel the soft rise and fall of his wife's breasts against his head as she breathed. Every now and again, he would be jostled a bit as she laughed, but didn't care. Her belly was a little round. If he was patient, he would feel a soft kick against his hand that rested there. She was pregnant again, just one this time. Another boy. Kimble this one would be named, no doubt. The decision had already been made. Gambit was in heaven and knew no greater bliss. His wife's hands stroked his face gently, her bare hands. This was not Rogue who held him although it was her vibrations in the real world influencing his dream.
He smiled, whispering out loud in both worlds, "Je t'amie, mon chere..."
In the Med Lab, Rogue laughed softly. It had been so long since she'd heard those words. "I love you, too, Remy."
Gambit laughed and twitched on his blanket under the tree when he heard his kids squeal sharply with happiness. "Uncle Kimble! Uncle Kimble's here!"
There was the crunch of flowers being crushed underfoot from his kids as they ran and more laughter. "Easy there, kiddos!" Kimble chuckled happily. There was a breeze and Remy knew he was swinging them around, they just loved it when Kimble when did that.
"Uncle-! Uncle -'s here, too!"
Of course Kimble wouldn't come alone, not in this dream of Heaven. No, Kimble had found himself a lover, a true soulmate to fix all of his ills. The name was garbled, lost, but of course it was a man, it would have to be.
There was more crunching and then Kimble was there, there beside him. "Lazy bastard," Kimble joked affectionately and brushed his face. "Sleep tight, ya crazy thief."
"Mon amoureux..." Remy breathed.
In the Med Bay, Rogue froze. Mon amoureux, My Lover in the masculine. It chilled her. No, she had heard it wrong. No, she would not allow that soft phrase to interfere with her denial. Remy was hers, he would not be shared. Not with a strange alien creature impossible to understand.
Remy shivered and a tear leaked out of one eye. "Where you been?"
Kimble laughed. "Got lost on the way over, go figger."
"Don' do dat again..." Gambit spoke, again vocalizing in both worlds. "So tired...so tired from lookin'..."
"No worries, I'm here now," Kimble replied, leaning past him to kiss his wife. "Hey darlin'. Ya looks so pretty. Gots the brightest shine of all, you with that little'un in yer belly."
Gambit laughed happily and Rogue took her hand away, sobbing quietly now. She knew the dream wasn't of her and it hurt. How could she compete with that asshole Kimble? That's who was there, Remy's face was so peaceful now and his words slurred off into nothing as the dream faded and he slipped into restful blackness.
She would win her Remy back. Yes, that was the only way to end the pain for both of them. Rogue took his hand again and spoke. "Remy? Can ya hear me?"
He didn't answer, he was somewhere else.
"You just rest, Sugah. I'm gonna fix this, just you wait an' see. I'll take his poison from your mind and bring ya back ta me. He won't hurt you anymore." She gave his bandaged hand a gentle kiss and placed it back on his chest. She retreated and went back the way she had come.