(Five)

Logan strode into Security. He was bored and making the rounds just to kill time. He crossed his arms and scowled when he saw Bobby out cold at the desk. The beep from the door alarm as he had entered hadn't even made Bobby flinch. Wolverine was about to say something nasty but checked himself. Everyone had been working hard, pulling an above normal level of patrol duty outside the Mansion. Things were quiet here in this room, too quiet actually. He next noticed that Kimble's cell had been unlocked and he was nowhere in sight. Instantly, his irritation jumped up several notches. He slammed his hand down on the desk. "Iceman!"

Bobby jerked awake violently. He had been leaning back in the chair, his legs up on the desk. His sudden action jolted the chair back, almost spilling him from his seat. "What the hell!" he snarled, pinwheeling his arms to save himself if not his dignity.

"Where the fuck is Kimble!"

Iceman regained his feet, still shaking from his rude awakening. The chair had clattered to the floor and he picked it up, dusting off the seat. "Henry took him to Med Bay. He crashed," he answered irritably. He wasn't happy with Logan now at all.

"What do you mean he crashed?"

"I don't know exactly," Bobby replied, smoothing his hair back to calm down. The Security wing was now empty but someone still had to be here at all times in case something happened and someone was brought in. The fact that he was still here meant nothing. "He stopped breathing or something, I don't know. Seth called Henry and they took him down to Med Bay."

Logan nodded at him and started to go. He paused and looked back. "I understand we're all tired, son, but we still gotta be on the ball. Got it, Iceboy?"

"Yeah."

"Call Rogue ta come down and cover ya. Get some sleep."

"Thanks."

Wolverine nodded at him again and walked out, going swiftly down to the lab. He wasn't one to show his emotions, so in spite of his concern and worry, looked stoic as always as he entered. He could hear voices as soon as he came in, there was a group of people gathered deep in the lab. He could hear Seth sobbing loudly and Fallen trying to soothe him. He followed their noise until he entered the lab proper.

Seth and Fallen were sitting in the waiting room just outside the main trauma bay. Seth was sobbing with the unrestrained grief of a child, held tightly by his Mistress. She was speaking to him in soft yet rapid Siskan, her attentions focused solely on him as she petted him. Wolverine said nothing to them, not wanting to interrupt, and entered the trauma bay, not prepared for what he saw.

Kimble was stretched out on a Shi'ar medical table, the scanning machine whirring above him as Henry attempted to help him. The Siskan was quite still, his eyes mere slits as tears leaked out down the sides of his face. He wasn't crying, he was in shock. An oxygen mask over his mouth showed no frost, he wasn't breathing. Henry whipped a silver warming blanket over him, moving quickly to plug it in.

"What's goin' on?" Logan asked, keeping his tone down respectfully.

"He stopped breathing. I think he might have finally run out of power. He's too cold," Henry replied, his voice even but his eyes full of fear. "We're losing him."

Logan cleared his voice and shifted on his feet as he said the first thought that had crossed his mind. He kept his voice down, conscious that Seth was still close by. "Why ya even botherin', Blue? It's just a machine. A program. Let him go."

Henry's eyes snapped to him, locked him in place a moment, then softened marginally as he answered the question. "Whatever he may be to you, he is sentient and all sentient life demands that we care for it."

"Even if that life kills?"

Again Henry looked at him hard. With a twitch of his furry mouth, he replied. "Yes. Even if it kills. Kimble can be reoriented. Zander can be reoriented. All it takes is patience and kindness and more than a little compassion. Don't you think Kimble's own guilt and remorse speaks for the quality of his heart?"

Logan shifted again, uncomfortable under Henry's persuasion. He was forced to admit that Kimble's remorse and regret for his own actions carried a significant amount of weight towards his personal value. The argument had been given for Gambit's own disasters and Wolverine had been one of the first to embrace the wayward thief's return. It would be hypocritical for him to offer grace to one man and not the other. "Can I do anything?"

Henry smiled then, seeing Wolverine's inner capitulation. There was hope for the man yet. "Rub his arms, heat him up."

Logan moved instantly to help. He knew that Fallen would have been there to assist, but she was busy trying to keep Seth from falling apart. Henry needed help and he was the only one here.

Wolverine began rubbing Kimble's arms. His skin was ice cold, but warming up now from the blanket which was glowing slightly red from the warming coils inside. His body was also slightly mushy, not quite solid. It reminded Wolverine of that time Kimble had phased right through him on the Lucky Dragon. He had been low on power that first time and not quite solid as he was now. His core had been cold, just as his outside was now. Clearly Kimble was freezing from the inside out. Wolverine could also see two round lights glowing from within Kimble's body, swirling about like strange fish, and guessed those might be his stars, the ones he had heard about. Those were Kimble's drives, his hardware.

Wolverine startled when Kimble gasped and took a shuddering breath, his body convulsing. His pilot skin flickered wildly from white to solid grey, a frightening display of his unreality. "He's freakin' out!" Logan snarled, holding him down.

"No," Henry replied, coming to assist him. "He's been doing that every other minute or so. Thank God he doesn't have an organic brain. He would be damaged for sure. He's stuttering now."

"Ya coulda warned me!" Logan grumbled, more worried than angry.

"Hold him down, I've got some hot tea. I've got to make him drink it."

"What's tea gonna do?"

"Warm him up on the inside, hopefully. I've got Maylee starting up the hot tub in the gym, this will do until that's ready. Here, hold his head."

Logan did as he was told, keeping Kimble still while Beast removed the oxygen mask and poured some warm liquid into his mouth. It wasn't scalding hot, but hopefully warm enough to revive the poor Siskan. Kimble didn't have a throat in the real sense, he didn't choke. The liquid poured inside of him and disappeared. Kimble swallowed reflexively and jerked again. "Whaz goin' on...?" he grumbled with Zander's voice. "S'... why's fuckin' cold...?"

Logan froze up, instantly defensive at the sound of the Punisher's voice, but the big blue doctor merely heaved a sigh of relief at any sign of life. "Easy there, my friend," Henry soothed, wiping away the involuntary tears that were still dribbling down the Siskan's cheeks.

Zander feebly reached out into the fog around him. "P-plasma...gotsa...charge..."

"I know, I know," Henry replied. "I've been trying everything I can to find someone to help. You have to hang on. Remy's going to be back soon."

"Whaz he goan do? Needs p-plas...plasma..." Zander's little protest trailed off as his eyes slid shut and he passed out. He didn't stop breathing, he was warmer now, but was too low on power to remain conscious.

"More tea," Henry insisted, not letting this stop his efforts. Logan did his best to keep Kimble somewhat upright as Beast slowly drained the cup into the limp and lifeless Siskan. Kimble did not revive, he just kept taking even mechanical breaths. Henry would have to accept this as it was for now.

They lay Kimble back down and Henry smoothed the warming blanket over him. The doctor knew it was more the blanket than the tea that was helping, but he would continue to use both for as long as he had to. He replaced the oxygen mask over Kimble's mouth, happy when it continued to frost at regular intervals. "He seems stable now at least."

"Where's Remy? He's going to need to be here," Wolverine said. He didn't think Kimble was going to last much longer, not like this.

"I've left umpteen messages on his service. He's not checking in," Henry replied, his irritation at the missing thief plain.

"Yeah, he ain't called Molly neither."

Molly had done her own disappearing act. She spent most of her time up on the widow's peak now, isolating herself away. She was still trying to recover from her bad scare with Sabretooth, he reasoned, and didn't push the issue. It was common for feral mutants to withdraw at times like this, lord knows he had done it many times himself. He would come out to visit her from time to time just to see if she needed anything. He didn't know about the conversation she'd had with Rogue, he only knew she was upset and Remy wasn't helping things by taking off like this. He should at least have checked his service by now. It wasn't like him to just disappear.

"Mr. McCoy?"

Henry looked up, smiling when he saw Maylee standing in the doorway. "Yes, dear?"

"The hot tub is ready when you are."

Henry was happy to see her. He had been keeping his word about continuing to instruct her and here she was, being very helpful here in this tiny emergency room. He was grateful to have her and let her know with a smile as he replied, "Very good. I'll be there shortly. Thank you."

Maylee turned to leave, but was stopped when Rogue came to the door. "Ah hate to bug ya, Henry. But one of the kids in Warren's flight class took a tumble. His arm is broke. He's cut up some, too. He's gonna need some stitches."

Henry sighed, his plate now a little too full. He looked at Maylee but there was no way she would be able to handle Kimble for the trip down to the gym. Fallen was busy with Seth, there was no one he could ask for help.

Logan growled softly, reading all of that in Henry's face. "I'll take him."

Beast glanced at him, a bit surprised at the offer. While normally he would have jumped at it, he was reluctant to turn Kimble over to someone who had only moments before suggested he be left to die. He wasn't going to say yes in haste.

"Jeez, Blue," Logan protested, seeing that, too. "I ain't gonna do nuthin' to him. Let me take him for ya."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Do what ya gotta do, I ain't busy right now."

"Very well."

Logan gathered Kimble up into his arms, careful with the warming blanket, being electric it would have to be left behind. Kimble was lighter now than he had ever been and that mushy, less than solid way Kimble felt in his arms was just too weird, but Logan managed the Siskan easily enough. He left the room, feeling Rogue's eyes on his back. She had looked at Kimble oddly as they had passed, an unreadable look on her face. It wasn't quite compassion, but it wasn't hatred either.

Just the same, Logan wasn't going to waste any time waiting to see what was on her mind. He moved quickly, walking the short distance to the men's locker room for the gym. It didn't take long for the heat from the warming blanket to dissipate. By the time they reached the gym, Logan could feel the chill of Kimble's skin radiating cold from the inside out. Inside the locker room there was a small metal hot tub used for treating sports injuries. It was bubbling merrily, some towels laid aside.

It was easy enough for Wolverine to figure this out. Kimble was ice cold in his arms and the hot water should warm him better than the warming blanket. Logan eased the Siskan down into the water, his burden a bit awkward with all of those limbs and wings. Kimble's body reacted to the heat, he had roused some as if he could sense the coming warmth and was now reaching out for it as if it could hold him as well as Logan's arms. He made a gasping noise of desperation but then cried out in pain the moment his poor battered feet touched the water. They hadn't healed one bit in all this time and were extremely sensitive to anything they touched.

"Easy, kid. Easy," Logan soothed, misunderstanding and wincing a little as the pilot thrashed and grabbed at him to keep from falling. "I ain't gonna drop ya."

Kimble squirmed a little harder, digging in with his nails, but was too weak to do more than ultimately surrender. "Uhh...hurts!" he sobbed, releasing a vibration of pain that Logan was too close to to ignore.

Wolverine grunted, feeling it. It wasn't telepathy, it wasn't Jean sending him her secrets with her soft and secret inner voice, it was an inexperienced empath in agony and the vibration wasn't gentle. /I don't wants to hurts no more, he was saying, /Please...please... makes it stop or just lets me go.../

"Relax," Logan said, easing Kimble's body down into the water with greater care, the hot tub wasn't very deep, the water would only come up to Kimble's mid chest. Kimble moaned with real pain and shuddered as Wolverine shifted his legs, trying to make it so Kimble could sit deeper. The hot tub was narrow and it was hard for Logan not to hit the sides with Kimble's feet. He was being as careful as he could be and let Kimble gouge him with his nails without complaint.

Kimble finally was situated and Logan paused, waiting for the Siskan to let him go, but Kimble still held him, his hands fisted in his shirt as he trembled with pain. "I'm sorry," Logan stammered, it was the only thing he could say.

Kimble startled a little and let go, not realizing he was holding on so tightly. It was better now that he was no longer being moved. His voice was a breathless gasp as he whispered, " 'S okay...I knows...ya didn't means it..."

"You okay now?"

"Yeah...yeah..." Kimble answered, but his eyes were closing, tears dripping out the sides again. He shuddered but then settled, growing quiet in the warm bubbles and water.

Logan withdrew and sat back on a nearby bench, keeping close. Now that Kimble was settled in, there wasn't much for him to do. Mindful of the fact that they were now alone, he lit a cigarette and leaned back, comfortable. He sat for a moment lost in his own thoughts but grinned just slightly when he realized Kimble's eyes were now half open and that he was looking at him with the oddest expression on his face. "What."

"Gots... another?" Zander growled, gesturing for the cigarette.

Logan quirked an eyebrow at the voice change. It shouldn't have been a surprise, Zander had been speaking only moments before in the Lab, but it was creepy since Kimble had only just been there. The question itself was also somewhat perplexing. Only minutes ago, this creature hadn't even been breathing and under normal circumstances, a cigarette would have been the last thing he would think of to offer a dying man.

Zander just snorted at him, almost a cough. The heat from this marvelous water filled device had revived him and once the pain had receded, he had taken over and let Kimble slip away. He hadn't regained much strength however in spite of being at a better temperature, his eyes were only half open as he drawled a bit breathlessly, "What's it...gonna do? Kills...me..?"

Logan looked down at that, at the semi-seriousness of the question. If what Henry had said was true, Kimble was dying one degree at a time and not having a cigarette wasn't going to stop it. He reached for his pack of smokes. "Sure thing, kid."

Zander was still as Logan shook out another cigarette and lit it. He took it when it was offered and slowly brought it to his lips, moving with all the vigor of a geriatric, taking a nice deep drag with a sigh of happiness. His eyes closed all the way as he tasted the smoke with real pleasure, these American cigarettes were far superior than anything the Clan had ever made.

Logan observed him carefully, noting that while Kimble held his cigarettes as most people did, Zander held them under a curled hand, the way most criminals did when they didn't want the glow to be seen. It was more aggressive, more masculine, and the same way Logan held his own. It was so odd to be sitting here, not with Kimble, but with Zander, a fully fledged and individual personality. Of course, he was mindful that the last time he and the Punisher had really faced each other, it had been at the bank while Zander had blown him away without a shred of remorse.

Well, that threat was clearly neutralized. Zander smoked and grew more still, his arm crooked over the edge of the tub so all he had to do was turn his head to take a drag. As much as he was enjoying this, he was exhausted from the move and from the pain. The heat was good though... The cigarette was half gone when he finally lost consciousness and began to softly snore. He never moved as Logan carefully removed it from his pale, white fingers and crushed it out.

Logan sat back as he had been, silent as he watched the water bubble around the stricken Siskan, sending little droplets that caught in his long black hair. Kimble might look merely bruised to an outsider, but to Logan's well trained eye, he knew Beast was right – Kimble was on his way out. Logan was above all else a man of honor, he had promised Gambit he would look out for Kimble and he wasn't going to back out on that, even if all it meant was making him as comfortable as possible in his last moments.

He casually wondered if Kimble would make the night...and how Remy was going to take it when Kimble was gone. Logan understood some of what Karen was saying, that Gambit suffered from a hero complex and that he thought that saving Kimble was some kind of redemption. Gambit didn't have many real friends, not like Kimble had turned out to be. It wasn't going to be pretty when Kimble finally passed on and Logan just hoped Remy didn't use it as an excuse to take off.

Speaking of which, it wasn't like Gambit to just pull a fade like had. No one had been able to reach him for days. It must be something really important for him to have walked away from his dying friend. Wolverine just hoped it was worth it.