(Five)
The black Explorer pulled up at the Mansion and came to a stop. Jean was the first one out, she was best to manhandle the now limp and unresisting Gambit from out of the back seat. She paused when the front door of the house opened and Henry came out carrying a portable medical kit. Henry McCoy, codename Beast, was the Xavier Institute's chief doctor. He was very much a mutant — he was covered in bright blue fur and had the face only a mother could love. He looked like a large hairy troll with the fangs and pointy ears to match. He was however a very gentle man and intelligent beyond measure. He had designed many of the X-men's special machines and hardware, most notably their medical equipment. With the arrival of Kimble from the beyond, he'd had an opportunity to combine some Siskan technology with his own, making the Xavier Institute one of the best kept technological secrets around.
Behind him was a bristling and snarling Molly. She had gone a bit feral at the news that someone had been injured. When she learned it was in fact her husband, she was even more agitated. "Easy, Molly," Beast tried to soothe. "I'm sure he's okay. Relax."
She didn't listen, but shoved past him and bullied her way over to the car, wanting to see for herself. She was growling and grunting, making more noise than she usually did. Molly had a bit of a temper when roused and it was best to give her some space. She was stronger than a normal human of her size and had sharp claws and fangs. She was in a mode to protect right now and teetering on the edge of violence. Jean had acted quickly and now had Remy down to the grass where Molly could reach him easily. She could control Molly telepathically just as she had Remy but thought it would be better to just let Molly inspect the damage for herself and calm down. Gambit wasn't injured so severely that he couldn't wait.
Molly came to Remy's side and made a soft questioning noise, a gentle lion's cough.
Remy's eyes fluttered open, Jean had released him enough to wake. He was in pain, in a fog of agony, but yet managed a smile for his wife. Her presence had warmed him and he was able to put all of his misery aside for her. "Bonjour, my Molly girl," he rasped, reaching out for her. "Vous estes mon ange manifique, le voleur de mon coeur. So glad you 'ere."
Molly sobbed once and hugged him tightly. When he grunted in pain, she backed off at once and sniffed at him. She coughed again and began searching him with her hands, checking him out. She grimaced and showed her teeth in anger when she smelled his blood.
"It's my leg," he explained quickly, not wanting to be jostled any more than he needed to be. " 'Enry will take care of it. You come down wit me, make sure 'e do a good job, d'accorde?"
She nodded her assent and retreated to one side, letting Henry come closer.
"Just tell me where it hurts," Beast said with a grin.
"C'est mauvais. All over, twice around," Gambit replied, sounding far more cheerful than he felt. It was only because Molly was there and he didn't want her to know just how bad he really felt. "Fuckers busted up m' leg sumptin' awful."
"Choice of weapon?"
"Fuckin' golf club."
"Oh? Did he make par?"
"Oh, you some comedian, mon ami."
"All right," Henry said, his hands moving over Remy's leg with a confident swiftness. His fingers found the cut that was causing the bleeding, but he soon saw it was minor. A couple of stitches would put it right. He was more concerned about the bones, he could feel that the breaking was severe. "That's it? Anything else?"
"It enough," Remy replied, his voice growing soft from shock. His hands were trembling and things were going fuzzy again.
"Let's get him inside," Henry commanded, not liking this one bit.
Jean used her power once more to raise her poor wounded teammate and bring him up into the house. They were joined by more of the X-men crew as they made their way through the large Mansion to the elevator that would take them below ground where the medical center was located. This was a place for mutants to live, but it didn't mean anyone living here had full access. Each member was given a plastic badge like a credit card. It had to be swiped though various security boxes located throughout the facility in order to move about freely. The lower levels were particularly secure. Here was where all that yummy technology was hidden carefully away.
Remy groaned softly as he was swiftly carried down into the medical bay and placed carefully on a bed. Henry took a minute to grab a phone and buzz the Lucky Dragon, a spaceship parked in the hanger bay not far from here. A sleepy voiced Seth answered the phone. "Yello?"
"Seth. Could you please wake Maylee and have her come down? I need her assistance. Remy's been injured."
"Oh!" Seth squeaked in surprise. "Is he okay? It's not serious is it? Should I come, too?"
Henry chuckled softly, amused by Seth's concern. Remy was one of Seth's closest friends. "Come if you like, I'm sure Fallen couldn't keep you away. Just make sure Maylee's on her way."
"I'll get her right away!" Seth said and hung up, not bothering to say goodbye.
Henry returned to the task at hand and got Remy situated while he waited for Maylee. Maylee was his chief nurse and one of the best on his staff. He had trained her himself and they worked best together. She knew the machines well and would help him get Remy X-rayed. For the moment, he was more concerned with stabilizing his patient. He worked swiftly, getting Gambit undressed and an IV in place. It was hard working around Molly, she was being very possessive and wasn't letting go of Remy's hand.
Maylee arrived a minute later, dressed in hospital greens and looking a bit sleepy herself. She had just ended a late shift down here, helping Henry update his medical files. The school was growing all the time and it was hard to keep everyone logged properly in the computer. Maylee was an interesting creature. She was half Dognan herself, not unlike Jael in her appearance. Her body was covered in soft brown fur and her face was like that of a lioness, her eyes green and slitted like a cat. She was very intelligent and had learned her craft at a young age. She knew her place here and went right to work, warming up the diagnostic machines without having to be asked.
Behind her were the other two occupants of the Lucky Dragon, Fallen and Seth. Fallen was a Dognan pilot, the only real one here. Kimble may have looked the part, but she was one in the flesh. She was a small woman, bleached out white all over from her terrible changing. She had once been a normal human but was kidnapped by Dognan slavers and converted into this new form. She was an accomplished telekinetic and could produce a powerful form of bio-kinetic energy called Ristle. She had the wings of a bat and the crooked hind legs of a cat, showing she was human no longer. She was lightly dressed, a small bikini top showed her brilliant green tattoo - The Honor Sword of the Clan.
Fallen had been living among the Clan when the X-men crossed paths with her. The X-men had been kidnapped by Dognan slavers and taken to Cerise, a port stop for the Dognan and home of the Clan. The X-men wanted desperately to get home. She was currently First Pilot of the Clan and the most powerful pilot of all the ones living there. She alone possessed enough Ristle capability to jump dimensions on her own. She was responsible for returning the X-men back to their home and in return they let her stay with them as a member of the team. The Lucky Dragon was her ship and she had used it bring them home. She lived in the hanger bay and was sometimes visited by her foster daughter, Maylee.
Maylee had come along with Fallen from Cerise, but she wasn't the only one. Kimble had been there and his brother Seth. Kimble was a living hologram but he hadn't always been that way. Years ago, Fallen had found him on a shelf in an dusty corner of a Clan storeroom. He had been severely damaged, nothing more than a personality stored on a battery, and Fallen, being unusually clever for a pilot, thought to save him. Most pilots were little more than well trained dogs, but Fallen was in full control of her mind. She was brilliant when it came to machinery and a Siskan Courtesan hologram was nothing more than a machine to her. She was a lonely creature and thought that a Siskan personality installed into the computer systems of her ship might provide her with some company. She worked on the Kimble hologram, but found that his personality had been corroded beyond her ability to repair. In an anything goes move, Fallen built a secondary personality to breach the gaps and Seth was created. The two Siskans bonded and became twins, joined by the program codes that bound them together. Kimble wasn't just an ordinary hologram, but Fallen hadn't known that at the time. He was Lushna-esk, an empathic 'gram and gifted. He was sentient beyond normal Siskan Courtesans and some of that was passed on to Seth.
Seth had inherited an incredible intelligence, especially when it came to computer systems. He began working on the codes he shared with his brother, the end goal being total separation. In the meantime, he was fast falling in love with his Mistress, something Kimble could see. He thought it was a hoot and encouraged it, prompting Seth to continue working on their codes. Seth desired only to be freed from her ship's computer system and live with his Mistress always. Fallen wasn't opposed to the idea. She had loved them both, enjoying their companionship. She gave them both fine pilot skins, modifying the female skins to male and creating two creatures unique from any other in the world. She did give them some differences from each other. Seth was all white like she was, but Kimble was given long black hair. As an added bonus, Fallen also gave them her Mark.
Fallen was First Pilot of the Clan and as such, she had earned the right to have their finest tattoo. A large emerald woman spread along the length a long black sword was tattooed on her chest. Like the rest of the Clan, she had no idea that this Mark had in fact been stolen from the Game. It was the Mark of a Channeler, of a special Siskan that could channel plasma energy through a sword with explosive results. She had unknowingly Marked both of her Siskans as tokens of the Game. Time and circumstance finally allowed the brothers to be separated from her computer system and both now walked free. It was later learned that Kimble was in fact part of the Game, but as a Rogue and not a Channeler. Kimble's Mark had been changed to its proper purple, but Seth's remained intact. Seth hadn't wanted to give it up. He saw it as a Mark not of the Game, but of his Mistress' possession of him. To him it was better than any wedding ring, a large permanent reminder of his love for his Mistress. Their Marks were the same, it was a bold statement of belonging as far as he was concerned and he refused to give it up in spite of the potential danger. There was always a concern that Seth might get nabbed by mistake as part of the Game, but he felt that his powerful pilot Mistress would keep him safe.
Back in the Medical Bay, a fearful Seth stood behind his Mistress, hiding his concern by holding her in his arms and resting his chin on her shoulder. He was timid and shy, not outgoing like Kimble. He was content to isolate himself down here and play with Henry's wonderful machines. He had integrated much of his Siskan knowledge with Beast's computers, boosting their capabilities. His separation from Fallen's ship hadn't come without cost. He was easily swamped by too much sensory output and had to wear tinted glasses to dim the bright lights around him. He was easily frightened by noise and violence and the sight of Remy's poor battered body made him shiver.
"He'll be okay," Fallen said, leaning back against him.
On the table, Remy was quieting, laying back still as he was being worked on. He was aware of Molly next to him, but he was also aware of Seth's distress. Seth might not be empathic as his brother was, but he had a shimmer, one Remy could see and read. He could see the distress but also the love for him there, love with a heavy dose of hero worship that had not faded over the years. Seth would always feel this way, Remy had been the one who saved his brother from the terrible outside world, had taken him from the clutches of the madman Sabretooth. Gambit had even gone and brought the Games Master here, Kimble had been fixed. None of that would have been accomplished without Remy's undying faith that Kimble was worth saving, a person of high value. There weren't many here who felt that way about Kimble, not many at all.
Gambit knew these were Seth's thoughts, just as he was somewhat embarrassed by them. He had done what he felt was right, he would have done it for anyone. Remy felt that Seth's feelings were a result of his lack of exposure to the world. Fallen kept him isolated and removed from almost everything, to the point of smothering, Remy believed. Seth pretty much stayed on the Dragon or worked in Henry's lab, that was it. He didn't go outside, he had never once left the grounds. Gambit thought Seth should be allowed out more to explore but Fallen wouldn't have it. That was what had gotten Kimble into so much trouble. The same mistakes would not be made with Seth. They had argued briefly over it, Remy and Fallen, but he backed down for Seth's sake. The shy Siskan was easily rattled, just as he was now.
"Je suis bien, fils," Remy whispered, looking Seth in the eyes. "Gonna be jus' fine."
"D'accorde," Seth returned, using soft French to tease. He and Remy were close friends and he'd heard more French than he could ever decipher over the years.
Molly heard his words and looked up at him, smiling at him for comfort. She had grown to love this one as much as Kimble, seeing how both had stolen Gambit's heart. She wasn't book smart and would never understand just what it was about these Courtesans that had enchanted him so. To her they were real people, as real as anyone else around her. She wasn't aware of how just that simple acceptance made her different from others here. Not everyone saw them as more than lively holograms.
"Let's get Remy in X-ray," Henry barked, wanting to get this done. Gambit was stable and out shock, a good time to get him analyzed and his leg set.
It was several hours later when Remy opened his eyes from a deep sleep. Henry had wrapped his poor broken bones into temporary casts and had given him something to sleep. Both the big bone in his thigh and his tibia down below had been fractured from Marcus' cruel treatment. He had required emergency surgery. Henry was a decent surgeon, but he was more of a "patch 'em back up and get 'em going" kind of hack, he was no specialist. He had been forced to call in a favor from a doctor friend of his and the guy came down to help out. Remy now had two metal stainless steel plates and an assortment of screws in his leg, one for each big break, to hold all the shattered pieces together. He would have weeks of grueling physical therapy to look forward to as well.
Gambit had been damaged on the job before - it came with the territory - but it was going to take him some time to recover from this one. He could see a small shimmer dissipating from beside him and he knew that Molly had just left him. The spot next to him on the bed was still warm from where she had been lying beside him. It was afternoon now the following day and she had chores to do. He rubbed his hand over the spot, letting the last few sparkles of her shimmer of love slip into his skin, warming him.
"She loves ya."
Remy quirked an eyebrow at the voice and turned his head to see Kimble sitting in a chair behind him. " 'S dat so?"
"Yup. I gots it on good authority," the Siskan teased with a small smile. It didn't hide the worry in his eyes nor the vibrations of concern he was letting off. He had only just arrived here, trading places with Molly so that the daycare center was still covered. He hadn't liked what he was seeing now, not one bit. Gambit was suffering.
"Den I guess it must be true," Remy replied, not missing a beat.
"She ain't the only one."
"Oui. Gambit a popular fella."
"So popular he keeps gitten busted up? This is the third time this year."
"Yeah well, Gambit just gotta choose 'is enemies a little better, n'est ce pas?"
Kimble's mouth was still smiling, but his pale blue eyes were weary and pained. His voice was tired as he said, "They done this ta git ta me."
"Non, it was on account dat Gambit 'ad to turn down another fille barkin' up 'is tree, is all. Too bad de femmes out dere, dey jus' can't accept dis po' boy's 'eart is taken," Remy teased, his red eyes merry. He was hoping a joke would lighten Kimble's mood.
It didn't work. "Joke all ya wants, it don't hide the truth. Someday Jael's gonna come an' burn y'all outta here ta git ta me. Yer blood is on my hands."
Remy squinted in growing agitation at Kimble's words. It was so typical of Kimble to turn this around on himself. Kimble was highly emotional and prone to melodrama. He took everything personally no matter how many times he had been told that it wasn't his fault. The problem was, Gambit felt responsible for this poor demented Siskan problem child and no amount of time was going to change that. Many long conversations he'd had with Karen about this, hoping her expertise in psychiatry would help him. She gave him lots of warm hugs that begged for patience. Think of him as a mental patient, it's the only way to cope. He was fractured and repaired, he just doesn't think clearly sometimes, she offered. I'll try to help you as best I can, but what he needs most is understanding and patience...and a lot of love, of course.
The love wasn't a problem, Gambit had plenty of that. Since the file sharing that changed his life and Kimble's forever, he was bonded to Kimble as close as brothers, even more than that with their shared intimacy. What Remy sometimes struggled with was patience. They had just gone through this a little over a month ago when some of Jael's people stopped by for the usual dance and he'd gotten cut. It wasn't bad, it just took a stitch or two, but Kimble had gotten upset. It had taken a few days to get the pilot straight and Remy had been hoping for some peace for a while. It didn't look like it was going to happen, he could see the guilty gleam in Kimble's eyes and the despondent slump of his wings. The thought of having to go through another "Don't blame yourself" conversation right now wasn't the least bit appealing to the stricken thief. He could feel his head start to ache at the thought of it. Still, he offered in his best soothing voice, "No blood's been spilt yet, fils. We all still 'ere lookin' after you."
"I should leave."
"Don' be an ass. Dere ain't nowhere fo' you to go. You an' Angel gonna stay put, dat's an order."
"You ain't m' Master no more, Remy. Yer words ain't got no sway over me," Kimble said softly, a shadow of regret and jealousy passing over his shine. He was still in love with Remy and always would be. It was this love that made him give Remy up. He knew his love would never be enough to keep Gambit at his side and so let him go when it was asked of him. He never spoke of his feelings at the loss, it was just that once in a while a vibration would stray and betray him. Especially so when his friend was suffering, especially when the attack had been so personal.
Remy's headache was increasing at the same rate as his frustration. "You want so 'ard to take de blame fo' dis, but I ain't gonna let you. You do it every time one of Jael's crews comes around, breakin' t'ings. Dere ain't no blame to be taken so just quit it already. God damn, m' 'ead is poundin'!" Remy complained, his impatience with Kimble more than he could bear at the moment.
Kimble stood quickly and poured a glass of water from a nearby pitcher. "I'm sorry," he apologized automatically as he passed the glass. It was his natural tendency to take the blame for any and all accidents caused by Jael's people, whether it was perpetrated against the X-men or not. He knew Jael was looking for a way to steal him away and resented the damage it caused. He had inherited a large chunk of money from his former Master, Sabretooth, and often forced the Professor to accept some of it as payment for the repairs. Charles had learned early it was easier to accept the money than to fight against this emotionally charged creature, so he just went along with it, hoping Kimble would learn sooner or later not to take these things so seriously. It was five or six times a year that some mutant faction would come smashing the door in to get at them, not just Jael's people. It went with the territory of fighting for peace.
"S'all right, cher. Just you gotta stop beatin' y'self up over it. Y' don' see Logan gitten' all bent whenever Lady Deat'strike come knockin'? He just clean up de mess an' move on. You got to do de same. It just part of de way t'ings are. You gotta learn to relax, d'accorde?"
Kimble didn't respond, but kept his eyes low. Their hands brushed as Remy took the glass and Kimble shivered slightly, enjoying the pleasure of Remy's touch. All Siskans thrived on close physical contact. It was as important to them as eating or breathing. When Kimble was low like this, a simple gesture alone could ease his suffering. He smiled slightly and let a small ripple of Kundatesh pass between them. Not much, just enough to boost Remy's endorphins and take the hard edge off of his headache.
Gambit took the pop of Kundatesh with a shiver, gasping softly in sudden relief as his pain left him. It wasn't often that Kimble would do this and it was still a shock every time. Kimble wasn't one to display his more subtle abilities with the Kundatesh openly, he was much too shy. It was his feelings for this former Master that had prompted him. He hated to see Remy suffer and had done it to help him. Unfortunately, it was also sexually arousing to the recipient and very dangerous to Remy's loyalties. Too much had passed between them for it not to be.
Kimble knew this and stepped back, retreating to show that he had no intention of crossing any of Remy's boundaries — certainly not with the Cajun in his present condition. "Better now?"
"Oui. Merci beaucoup, cher," Remy replied, slightly buzzed now. This power they shared, it was better than any of Henry's drugs. He was always easily aroused by Kimble when their power connected like this, but he had gotten a handle on it long ago. All it did for him now was give him a nice warm flush and made him relax. It wasn't a problem and he let Kimble know by simply not acknowledging that he had been affected that way.
"I loves ya, Remy. Please don' be mad at me."
"Gambit's never mad at you. 'E just don' want you hurtin' y'self when dere ain't no need. You a good person, Kim. None of dis is anybody's fault. Gambit's just gonna be out of it a few days den all will be right as rain, comprenez? Gambit jus' got dat vacation he was askin' for, no problem."
Kimble didn't believe, but he was through arguing so he just nodded slightly and said, "I gots ta go now. Angel's gonna be gittin' outta school soon. Git some rest. Seth'll be here in a minute case ya wants anathin'."
"Merci. Give Angel my love."
"I'll bring her by after sos you kin tell her yerself. She's worried 'boutcha."
"All right," Remy said, his eyes growing droopy. He was warm and comfortable, his anger gone. Kimble's little pop of Kundatesh had gone right to his head, just as Kimble intended, and he was at peace. He closed his eyes and dozed, his Kundatesh dulled senses never seeing Kimble as he hesitated in the doorway, his eyes so terribly sad. No words could ever take away the pain Kimble felt when he believed someone had been injured on his behalf. It had happened way too many times. So much pain and death, how could it not slowly rip him apart? None of the humans here fully understood what it was like being a pawn or a trinket that was so highly sought after. A trinket wanted not for love, but for its simple value. One forced to watch the destruction all around it, helpless to stop any of it. Forced to watch as the ones it loved suffered just because he was near. He bowed his head with a weary sigh and slipped away.
Kimble walked through the lower levels and up to the Mansion, making his way to where the classrooms were. He paused outside of the room where Angel was, smiling slightly as he leaned in the door. There weren't that many small children here at Xavier's, mostly just those who belonged to the residents. Most mutations revealed themselves at puberty, something these children wouldn't see for some time yet. This room was being shared and Kindergarten through Second Grade were being taught in the same room by the same teacher. Seven kids were in this class, a teacher's dream.
Angel looked up when she noticed her Siskan in the doorway and beamed her magnificent smile on him. It warmed him and dissipated some of his melancholy. There were no words to describe how much he loved this child of his, his Angel. If it hadn't been for her, he would be even more of an emotional wreck than he already was. She was his world, his everything. She was his Mistress and he would die without her.
Angel gathered her papers as the class was dismissed and rushed out to eagerly greet her father. He listened attentively as she told him about her day and glanced over her schoolwork as they walked down to the daycare center where Kimble and Molly worked. Most of the kids were making their way down there as well. They would stay there after class until their folks were ready to come and collect them.
Molly was at the center working when they entered. Kimble gave her a quick kiss and whispered in her ear, "Remy's up. You jus' missed him. Y'all should go back down an' see him. I kin takes care of things here."
Thanks, I won't be long, she signed, her eyes betraying her eagerness to see her husband awake.
"Take yer time," he replied and watched her go, happy that she was gone. They were close friends and he didn't want her to see his lingering guilt over the attack. He got the kids situated with some art projects and didn't notice Angel watching him closely until she gently tugged on him.
"You okay, Daddy?"
"Shure. Jus' gots a lot on m' mind is all."
"Come sit by the window with me."
"I gots ta git the paints out."
"There's lots of paints out already. Daddy, please?"
"All right."
He allowed her to tug him over to the big bay window that overlooked the grounds. It had a lovely bench seat with thick pillows and it was his favorite place to sit. The sun streamed in this time of day and it would warm him. He sat there and offered no resistance as his Angel climbed up into his lap and put her arms around him, silently asking him to rock her.
Kimble's smile grew wider as he held her tight. This he had needed. Angel was no ordinary child. She was wise beyond her age and naturally intuitive about what others were feeling, especially this strange creature she called her father. She'd sensed his hurt and pain and knew that this was just what he needed to feel better. He stroked her hair and let some of his vibrations of happiness leave him to be felt by her, a silent thanks.
"I love you, Daddy," she whispered.
"I loves ya too, baby doll."
"Is Uncle Remy gonna be all right?"
"Yeah. I'll takes ya down to see him after. Coupla days an' he'll be back up at the house. We'll hafta helps him out around, he ain't gonna be walkin' too good fer a while."
"No problem. I'm a good helper."
"That ya are, kiddo." Kimble closed his eyes and rocked his child, content for the now. He was still worried about Remy. This hadn't been a good year and it was only half gone. This was the fourth time Jael had pulled something, the third time Remy had been injured. The first two attacks had been minor, the thief got a black eye and some heavy bruises. The last one, he had been badly cut. It wasn't taking a rocket scientist to see that the attacks were being directed at someone that Kimble cared for deeply. They couldn't reach his Angel, she was much too protected, so they went for his former Master instead. Really, as far as the outside was concerned, Gambit still was his owner. It was ripping Kimble apart, these attacks. He could feel the screaming building up inside of him. No amount of "It's not your fault" vibrations was going to soothe. Tonight, he would find himself out in the flower field. It would be the second time in three months, a significant increase in his pattern of self-destructive behavior, but it couldn't be helped. The worse the attacks were becoming, the more he needed what had to be done. It was the only way to calm the growing quake inside of him. Tonight, yes. He would be out there under the tree.