(Six)

Kimble and Aiden were taken back down to the Med-Lab, escorted by Remy, Logan and the guards that had been up there with them. While the Siskans were warming in the sun, Remy had given the Professor a quick call, getting the details on just what Kimble's new terms of confinement were going to be. It had been decided that Kimble would not be kept locked up all day, but he would be allowed to roam the Lab during the day and locked up in his cell at night. Logan would have guards there in place to make sure the Siskan complied with the rules. Kimble didn't argue, he had more freedom and a new friend to play with.

Charles and Logan agreed that Aiden was to be kept in the Lab as well, Babette needed his attention and it was simply better to keep all the Siskans in one place.

Once he was returned down below, Kimble was introduced to Babette, Aiden's companion. He was just as fascinated by her as he had been Aiden, but their meeting was subdued and brief. The conversation was short, it was clear that the girl was still deeply distressed and not in the mood for company.

Kimble did not understand the depth of Babette's misery until it was carefully explained to him that her Angel had been like his own, a living child. That child had been stolen from her and brutally murdered for the hidden power within him, a power that just might be inside Angel as well if these two children were in fact of the same ilk. The telling of this horrible act had to be done, it was inevitable that Kimble would find out. It was best to get it over with quickly and deal with whatever meltdown that was sure to follow.

As expected, the pilot's response was immediate and loud. Kimble instantly began to panic, bursting into tears of fright and shouting angry demands for his child to be brought to him immediately, his current isolation be damned. Not wanting to upset Babette any further, Remy quickly dragged him off, whispering soft reassurances in his ear to quiet him as he had done last night. "Nuthin' bad is gonna 'appen to Angel, cher. If anyt'ing, you've proven dat y'self!"

"She cain't die! Not likes that!" Kimble whimpered through a twisted snarl, his emotions running wild. He was swiftly growing out of control as he began to shout, "I won't lets Jael take her!"

Remy acted quickly, he stood behind Kimble and pulled the Siskan right up against himself, squeezing his arms around him as both a shield and restraints, ignoring the stares of Logan and his guards. Gambit was always a bit self conscious whenever Kimble went a little crazy. He was often forced to resort to strong physical contact to calm him, the vibrations of comfort he used to soothe the Siskan just seemed to work better that way. Kimble had to be touched for the maximum effect. It always looked kinda bad, like something overtly sexual to the uninitiated. Something that some humans didn't understand since they were both men. His arms were now around Kimble, squeezing him tightly and making the Siskan feel small, a tactic that usually helped calm Kimble down quickly. It didn't always look right to one who didn't understand and the offhand looks from observers sometimes made Remy uncomfortable. He was on display now as he coaxed Kimble into some semblance of calm.

One of the guards in particular made Gambit feel especially uncomfortable. Rogue had been called down for guard duty in the Lab itself today, and her green eyes seemed to bore right through him. He knew she would always blame Kimble for the death of their relationship. Remy had been forever changed by Kimble's impact on his life, so it might be true, but he had come to believe that he and Rogue had been doomed from the start. They both had issues with trust, issues that had never been resolved. Gambit turned his eyes away from his ex-girlfriend and tried to focus on the pilot shaking in his grasp.

"Nuthin's gonna 'appen to Angel. She safe 'ere. Trishnar didn' know what was comin', we do. You got over five 'undred mutants livin' 'ere. No way Jael gonna get in 'ere. It just can't 'appen."

"I wants her! I wants ta see m' Angel! I gots ta sees her right now!" Kimble shrieked, his panic not fading in the least by Remy's words. He hadn't seen his daughter in four days and simple words of comfort were not going to be anywhere near good enough.

"She in school, you know dat," Gambit explained. He was in pain, hurt by Kimble's vibrations of hysteria. It took all of his will to control both his own pain and Kimble's fright with a soothing vibration of his own. His voice was steady, betraying none of his struggle as he spoke. "You pull 'er outta class, she gonna get all scared. She already worried sick 'bout you, don't add dis to her fears already, hien? After she gets outta class, I'll bring 'er down."

"I needs ta sees her now!" Kimble demanded in a razor sharp scream, his grip so tight he was bruising Remy's arms. "Right fuckin' now! Now! Now! I means it!"

Remy did not release his tight hold on the Siskan, but continued to talk to him in a calm, level voice. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to get out of this, it was bad enough he had snuck two strange Siskans down here in the night, he doubted he would be able to conjure another miracle like getting Angel down here without a struggle against the powers that be. Remy had a strong voice, but he was not in charge here. "She in class wit five of Logan's guys up dere. She gonna be okay."

Kimble wasn't listening. Already his eyes had moved away to the doors, his mind on escape. A low growl was beginning to leak out of chest, a precursor to Zander's possible return. "Let me sees her!"

Gambit wasn't about to let Zander grab the chance to take hold. He chose a different tack and used his wits to form a compromise. "Don't even t'ink about t'rowin' a fit in 'ere, buddy. You in enough trouble already. Look, how 'bout we call her up? You talk to 'er, but don' get 'er all upset, d'accorde? Promise me!"

Remy's eyes served to Logan, demanding compliance with his promise and he got the nod he was seeking. He was relieved to see that Wolverine was backing him up on this play, relieved to see that teammates were not that heartless.

Kimble finally calmed some at Remy's proposal and wiped at his eyes. "All right. I promise."

From habit, Remy took out his cell phone, but the pilot became more agitated, not wanting to use the device. Kimble had grown used to the phone, but only the video phone. Something about being able to see who he was speaking to, it frightened him less. Remy nodded and moved Kimble to the video phone display in the lab and dialed up the extension for the school.

Kimble fidgeted nervously, now biting on a fingernail in a familiar Seth like fashion. He was painfully conscious of Aiden hovering nearby and was a little embarrassed by his outburst. He was just as self conscious as Remy, most humans found his emotional displays embarrassing and were made uncomfortable by them. It didn't stop him from acting out if he was upset enough, it just made him feel ugly and dirty afterwards. If Aiden was embarrassed, he gave no sign. In fact, the newcomer seemed unfazed by Kimble's display of emotion, he simply stayed out of the way and watched as Remy handled the pilot.

Kimble next closed his eyes and relaxed deeply as he felt a strong vibration of peace and comfort wash over him. He was grateful for it, he could think a little more clearly now. At first he thought it was coming from Gambit, but he felt the thief shift in surprise and move to look across the room. Kimble opened his eyes, realizing the vibration had come from Aiden. The newcomer was aware of Remy's struggle to keep Kimble in control and had offered some assistance of his own.

/ Thanks, Kimble sent in return, a sad smile fluttering across his lips.

/ Don' be szcared. You 'ave friendsz 'ere. More dan Babette 'ad when Jael come. No 'arm will come to your Anjel, Aiden replied, his soft green eyes smiling with sympathy.

Remy was speaking now behind the pilot, talking over Kimble's shoulder to Angel's teacher over the video phone. He was talking, but his eyes were on Aiden, his relieved smile a show of thanks for Aiden's thoughtfulness. A moment later and Angel was there on the screen, beaming her magnificent smile up at Kimble. "Daddy!"

"Hey, baby doll," he replied, doing his best not to cry. He reached out and pawed at the screen, wanting so much to be there for real. "Whatch'all doin' t'day?"

"We're making a wooden doll house in art class!" she answered happily, her enthusiasm hard to contain. "I get to paint the outside!"

"Well, then they chose the vera best girl fer the job. Yous the best painter in that whole class."

"Does this mean I can come see you?" Angel asked, her eyes hopeful as she looked over Kimble's shoulder at Remy. She'd had no visits with her father since the Mary disaster and she was hoping for something now. Still, she he knew the score, most decisions were out of her father's hands. It was up to Uncle Remy to fight for them.

"Remy's gonna come git ya after class an' bring ya down," Kimble blurted out, one hand grasping Gambit's in an unspoken threat. He had to see his child, he had to. He couldn't contain the rising tide of Zander's anger and he made sure Remy could feel it.

"For more than a couple minutes?"

"Oui, chere," Remy responded in Kimble's place, speaking boldly about it even though he hadn't gotten authorization for anything. He didn't care. He was going to make this happen. Another nod from Logan made him relax.

"I can't wait. I love you, daddy."

"I loves ya, too," Kimble replied, his voice almost breaking. He shuddered, but felt Aiden's vibration come at him again, holding him up just as Remy's hands slid back over his shoulders. "I'll sees ya in a bit. Have fun."

" 'Bye, daddy."

" 'Bye."

Kimble clicked off and covered his face with his hands, turning into Remy for comfort as he began to bawl freely. He just couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her, it was simply more than he could take. It was one thing to lose custody, she would always be right next door and within sight, it was quite another to have her gone forever, taken by the whims of a madman. Once more Gambit held Kimble tight, whispering soft Siskan and doing his best to calm him.

"Did he get permission from you?" Rogue asked Logan. Her boss had moved beside her as Kimble was being catered to and she was quick to point out the transgression.

"Nope, but I'm gonna allow it. Angel's upset. This's been real hard on her Besides, Kim ain't gonna be quiet unless he's sees her. It's only fair after what he's been told."

"Uh huh," Rogue grunted sarcastically.

Logan wasn't telepathic, but he was aware of the moods of others. He knew that Rogue wasn't really upset about Remy getting his way, it was the fact that Kimble seemed to have manipulated this whole thing. Rogue's resentment of the Siskan was strong, it would always color her judgement. It was also true that it seemed like Kimble did have a way of getting what he wanted, but in this case, Angel's need was too great for him to refuse. Having kids of your own did that to you. Logan found it hard to refuse her, especially since she didn't abuse the privilege. She wasn't spoiled.

"Keep an eye on things here, kid," Wolverine said to Rogue. "I got a crew down in New Orleans checkin' out Aiden's story. They're gonna be checkin' in soon. I've got some calls to make."

"Right, boss," she replied and folded her arms around herself.

She never saw Logan leave, her eyes were on Remy and that asshole child he called a friend.

Rogue's pain ran deep, it was on a level that none understood, simply because she kept it to herself. Her primary mutation was a real kick in the pants. She couldn't touch another living thing without absorbing their life force and memories. No skin to skin contact at all for the rest of her life. She had lived with this curse a long time, she was almost forty now. The only one who had ever gotten close to her was Remy. From the moment they'd first met, he'd pursued her relentlessly, seeing her as the ultimate prize, the ungettable get. It had been a game between them, one that had been ultimately painful on both sides.

She would never forget the first time they had been intimate. They had been playing the flirting game for weeks by then. They ended up being recruited for a very risky mission and they both wound up being taken prisoner. They were tossed into a prison cell and collared with devices that nullified their mutations, all the easier to control them. In the morning they would be executed. With no hope in sight for a rescue, they had clung to one another and chose at that moment to simply take advantage of the situation for themselves. Mutant restraining collars were rare and very valuable. While it had occurred to Remy before that a restraining collar might be used to help them in this way, he had never been able to get a hold of one. Not until now.

Their coupling had been quick but intensely passionate, they had no idea when they might get interrupted, and it was something that would never leave Rogue's mind, ever. Remy had had no time for finesse, but he was so gentle with her, so tender and loving, it hadn't mattered. He loved her completely, she knew it then. It should have been enough, but somehow, once they had been saved by another against-all-odds X-men rescue, things went back to the way they had been before. The collars had been left behind and the cat and mouse game between them resumed.

Oh, Remy was clever, he was quite the problem solver. He searched far and wide for another collar to no avail. In the meantime, he put all of his collective wits together and showed her just how crafty he was. He was young, but very sexually experienced at his early age. He'd gotten around. With the ingenious use of whatever materials and devices he could find, he showed her that just because they couldn't touch, he was more than capable of bringing her more pleasure than she could ever have imagined. At first it was huge, this release he had been able to give her, but it was doomed for failure. The gain was all one sided. He could do these things for her, but she was limited in her ability to reciprocate. He said it didn't matter, but she knew better. He hungered for her touch, for just the simple grace of her fingertips on his skin, the taste of her mouth. Things she couldn't provide.

Their frustration led to numerous loud and boisterous arguments. They were always about little things, but the truth was never spoken. He needed more from her than she could give but loved her too much to let her go. Unable to wait until another collar could be found, Remy lost patience. He was a creature of intimacy, he had to touch her, had to have her again in some small way. In an act of pure desperation, he cornered her and gambled it all with a single kiss.

She should have stopped him, really. It was just that she wanted him just as badly. Her heart had been lost to him long ago and the pain of being cut off on a physical level was too much to bear. That kiss had been the beginning of the end. She had known he had kept secrets from her, but had never fully realized the scope of them until then. They were outside, kissing under the big oak tree. Down to the grass he had fallen, tapped out from her power and in a coma that would last four days.

She couldn't even catch her lover's falling body, didn't even try. Her head was spinning, trying to deal with a much higher amount of sensory input than she was used to. Never had she been so aware of herself in the space in which she was standing, her ability to judge distance uncanny. She fled, running with an agility unlike anything she had ever imagined. She was leaping over the stone walls, fleeing into the forest surrounding the grounds. Her stride never faltered, even as she was blinded by memories of blood and carnage and a strange feeling of utter hopelessness and terror. Dey're gonna find out! was the only coherent thought out of the whole mess.

Logan had tracked her down eventually and brought her back. The memories had faded soon enough, too tenuous for her to hang on to except for that one thing, Dey're gonna find out!

When Remy finally revived, he joked about the whole thing, saying how she had packed a whopper. Rogue was not so amused. She pushed the issue in private, demanding what he was hiding. He evaded her as best he could, refusing to answer. This was the foundation of their downfall. The cat and mouse, love hate relationship continued, but the fighting that followed was more bitter, a little more heartfelt.

Antarctica should have been the end of it. The mission was a nightmare, the end result a total disaster. She learned everything about Gambit's bloody past then the hard way, the way she shouldn't have had to. She now understood the hopelessness she had picked up from his memories and acted on it, leaving him behind as he felt he had deserved. He didn't have to beg for the punishment, she gave him what he felt he deserved all along. She left him behind to die.

Oh, the team had jumped her shit for it when they had found out what she had done. It divided them. Some felt she had acted justly, others weren't so sure. They eventually went back to Antarctica where Remy had been left behind, but no sign of Gambit was ever found. He was gone. Amazingly, no punishment ever came Rogue's way for her actions. She had expected exile or worse, but it just kind of went unspoken that she was forgiven and life went on.

Perhaps the team just knew that no punishment was needed, Rogue was swamped with her own guilt. She had never realized just how painful Remy's absence would be from her life. No one had ever made her laugh like him, he was the king of a good time. He had bought her presents, left flowers on her pillow at night. He had always been there to cover her back during a fight, to offer her a shoulder when she had really needed it. Now all there was was a great big empty hole.

Gambit's return a year later had been a shock. She thought, "He's forgiven me, he's come back for me," but he was different. He spent a lot of time with the Professor, speaking quietly in his office for hours, walking out saddened, but relieved somehow. He was aloof and guarded in ways he hadn't been before. Rogue thought she didn't care. She made sure he knew he was welcome back and he accepted, holding onto her with a kind of desperation she didn't understand. But the cat and mouse game resumed just as it always had been. Remy could talk to Charles, but not to her. That level of trust never came. She had thought he would have learned by now to trust her, but it seemed nothing would ever change between them.

They had fallen into their old comfortable off again/on again routine when Kimble showed up and shattered everything, this time for good. When Remy came back from Cerise he was different, more emotional and obsessed with the Siskan, claiming they were like brothers now. It was the last straw. Kimble brought out a confidence in Gambit no one else had before and it gave Remy the strength to finally let go. Oh, sure, Remy didn't end up with Kimble, but the Siskan was still to blame for it. If not for Kimble, Remy would still be hers, Rogue reasoned. They would have worked it all out somehow, they were destined for each other, it was the only explanation for their strong magnetism no matter how much they had fought. Kimble had killed their love.

The worst news had come only just yesterday. Molly's pregnancy had finally made it around the grapevine to her. The worst insult being that she was the last to know. That should have been her baby, Rogue thought with an anger so bitter and foul, just the idea of it brought tears to her eyes. Now Remy had everything and she had nothing. There had been nobody since Remy finally let her go. No one would come near her, no one had even bothered to try, not like Gambit had. Funny how you never knew what you had until it was gone. Until it was stolen from you.

Back in the Lab, Rogue watched as Remy soothed that ugly Siskan child and gently moved him back towards Aiden. Gambit glanced back at her, those red on black eyes questioning her as if he could sense her thoughts. No words were said, but his discomfort was obvious. He was stiff as he stood and it didn't take long for him to make some excuse to leave, going back to his furry little wife no doubt.

Rogue turned her head away, not wanting to think about this anymore, all it did was continue her misery. The best she could hope for was that her duty here wouldn't last much longer. She knew that Logan trusted her too much probably for that to happen. Plus her mutation did not end with her skin problem. She could fly and had super strength. If it came down to it, she could take either one of these Siskans easily. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

(break)

Remy walked briskly down the hallway, trying to calm down. He had gained some control at blocking out the emotional vibrations of the folks around him, but sometimes they slipped through if they were strong enough - especially if they were directly aimed at him. He had felt Rogue's vibrations of pain and suffering and her resentment towards Kimble and Molly. Rogue was still in love with him in her own twisted way and it hurt him, calling to that small, insecure part of him that despised himself for his past.

He turned sharply at the doorway of the Club on this level, moving quickly to the bar. It was a bit early in the day for this, but right now he simply didn't care. He ordered and tossed back two shots of Jack rapidly before slowing down on his third, taking the time to breathe before swallowing it down. He closed his eyes, feeling the slow burn from inside. It was hard not to just charge the shotglass in his hand and toss it in an explosive expression of his frustration.

Rogue. He would always feel the pain of their failed relationship. It was so essential to who he was, it was impossible to exercise that particular demon. So many things he had done in his life - so much good, so much bad.

"Je suis de'sole, chere..." he mumbled to his favorite ghost. "Can't regret it all, c'est impossible."

Yeah, he had done some shitty things, but it was the doing of those things that had led him to the particular place he was now, and there was no place else he would rather be. He was a member of a team that fought for peace, for the freedom rights for all. He couldn't suppress the surge of pride that the thought gave him - him, working for the good guys. There was a certain nobility in that that appealed to him. He had gone a long way towards making up for his past crimes and as Molly suspected, couldn't help but see his new family as being a reward for that.

Molly. His precious sweet girl, pregnant now. The thought of it rocked him, made him shudder in his chair with the simple pleasure of it. His eyes closed, thinking of her radiant shine. He had noticed the change but hadn't wanted to get his hopes up, he had seen her shine change like that before only to have it disappear. This time, the change was going to stay. He would have his children, he had earned them through all of his pain and suffering and hard work. Just keeping Kimble sane had been a job in itself, his never giving up on the Siskan a sign that he was more than ready for fatherhood.

No more beatin' dis ol' dead 'orse to deat', he thought to himself and got up, tossing a couple of credits on the counter. No more feelin' bad fo' m'self when I don' need to. No more lettin' Rogue's bad ol' vibes get de best of me. I'm stronger dan dis. Poor Rogue was no longer his concern, no matter how deep her pain. He had moved on, she would have to as well. He had so much more to worry about.

Remy went up a level, heading towards the classrooms where Angel was, but paused to make one quick stop before he got there. The Professor was a man who believed in many things, especially freedom for all. Corresponding with this belief was a strong sense of faith and there were already five chapels in this Complex, each devoted to a different religion in an attempt to cater to as many of his flock as possible. He had also devoted equal space to a mosque and a synagogue, covering all of his bases. Remy had paused at one of those centers of worship, keeping a promise to himself.

He entered and lit a candle, saying a soft prayer of thanks for the gifts he'd been given. He had gotten into the habit of this, coming here every day since Molly had told him she was pregnant. He had always had mixed feelings about religion, seeing himself as cursed as much as blessed, but lately that was changing. Coming here had made him feel better about a lot of things and he found it had gone a long way towards boosting his level of patience with his favorite Siskan, Kimble. He said a prayer for his friend as well, hoping to find a way to get Kimble out of the mess he was in, hoping the pilot could find some strength somewhere to pull himself together.

Remy said a final prayer, crossed himself, and made to leave, but was stopped by the appearance of Nightcrawler from one of the side doors. Kurt Wagner may have been assigned to Logan as one of his new officers, but he had always been deeply religious and spent most of his downtime here, helping out the Father with church services and simply being a friendly ear. At times he volunteered at Henry's request to help out the sick and troubled, always being patient and kind, never passing judgement.

"Ah, mon freund," Nightcrawler greeted with a smile, his light German accent making his voice pleasing to hear. "It's good to see you again. You've been here a lot more lately."

Gambit grinned a bit sheepishly at that. "Got a lot to be t'ankful for."

"Ah, yes. I heard your wife vas finally pregnant. I wish the best for both of you."

"Merci."

Kurt leaned in to say, "And I also vish the best for your friend Kimble. You've been looking after him for some time now."

"Oui," Remy replied with a smile. He might normally be defensive when approached like this, but Kurt's demeanor was much too friendly and open, the teleporter wasn't being judgmental. "Been wit me fo' eight years."

"Then he is lucky to have you. Although his methods may have been a bit extreme, don't think that all of us here judge him harshly. He vas defending his daughter as any of us vould defend our own. I'll say a prayer for both of you."

"Merci, again," Remy replied, feeling truly grateful. He was always amazed at how many here supported Kimble when it had seemed to him they were very much alone.

"Anytime, mon freund. Auf Wiedersehen," Kurt said with a slight bow and vanished with a "bamf" and a small cloud of smoke.

Remy chuckled at that, always amazed by Kurt's ability to just jaunt off like that. It was one of the few mutant powers he envied. It would be so cool just "bamf" in and out whenever he wanted to. Feeling refreshed, Remy moved on, going to where the classrooms were and seeking out the class where Angel was. He was still a bit early and so stood in the doorway, just watching the children at play.

Soon, my kid will be 'ere wit dem, he could help but think, another smile warming his face.

/ Now that's more like it, Shi'ow-ri chirped, breaking her silence. She had been oddly quiet back at the bar. / Can't take the old mopey you anymore. Been there, done that. /

Je suis de'sole, chere. Just got away from me for a minute. Won't happen again.

/ See that you don't. The kids look lovely today. /

Hmmm, he grunted in agreement. Angel don't seem so 'appy, though. 'Er shine lookin' a little beat. She need 'er daddy.

/ We'll work it out with Logan. He can't keep them apart forever. Besides, no one can resist our charm if we press badly enough. /

Gambit couldn't help but smile at that. Yes, he could be very persuasive if he had to be. He knew deep inside Wolverine was conflicted over this, it was there in his shine, shown as dark swirls of grey. Logan feared what Kimble was capable of, yet couldn't ignore the fact that he had raised Angel well. In spite of all of his supposed weird perversions, never had Kimble laid a hand on his daughter, not even in punishment. Gambit had sensed Logan's doubts about the molestation charges, even though Karen seemed sure enough about it. Remy would use that doubt as ammunition and bend Logan to his will.

"Uncle Remy!" Angel cried out as soon as she saw him. She ran over, her tiny paint covered hands outstretched.

Remy embraced her heartily, no concern for his coat. "Bonjour, petite. How was yo' day?"

"Better now. Can we go see daddy now?"

He glanced up at the teacher, saw her smile and nod. "Oui, chere. But you gotta wash up a bit, non?"

"I'll be right back!" she said and kissed him before scampering off to the sink to wash her hands.

The teacher meanwhile had moved closer. "She's happier now."

"Bonjour, Sarah," he greeted with a wide smile. Angel's vibrations of happiness had added to the nice light buzz the whiskey had given him. "Gonna bring 'er up to see Kimble. She'll be right as rain."

Sarah sniffed at him, smelling the alcohol on his breath. "Rough day?"

"You 'ave no idea," he replied without elaborating. "Better now fo' bot' of us."

"I'm ready!" Angel said, coming back with a backpack haphazardly packed with loose papers and books. Remy patted her on the head and they walked hand and hand back to the Lab.

Once there, Remy was careful to guide her to one of the small conference rooms next to the Med Lab. He had already pushed Logan far enough by doing this, he wasn't about to bring Angel where she would be seen by the two new Siskans. They hadn't been properly cleared and no one could be certain what their reaction would be to her, better to be safe than sorry and keep her aside for now. He had Angel wait a moment and then returned, Kimble eagerly walking behind him.

"Daddy!" she squealed with happiness and dove into Kimble's open arms.

"Oh, my sweet darlin'!" Kimble said, squeezing her tight as tears of relief leaked out of his eyes. "M' little baby doll!"

Angel was buried in his embrace, but couldn't stop herself from glancing up into her precious Uncle Remy's face. Something's wrong, isn't it?

Remy jerked a little as the telepathic thought wormed its way inside his brain. He didn't know what was more surprising - the fact she was in his head at all, or the fact that she had sent this message without an emotional vibration to follow. She was being quite clever and stealthy, Kimble would have no idea what she was thinking. She had done to keep her father from getting upset.

We gonna take care of it, Remy replied easily. He had long practice with telepathic messaging, as an X-man, how could he not? Don't you worry about a t'ing.

Satisfied, Angel turned back to her Siskan father and went back to chatting to him happily. Remy smiled at them and then slipped out, leaving the door cracked for privacy, but still standing guard. This qualified as Kimble not being exactly alone with her and he would see to it they had their time together uninterrupted.

"You're happier now," Angel said to her father after a moment of comfortable silence.

Kimble couldn't help but smile at the question. His anxiety had evaporated now that Angel was here for him to hold and kiss. "I gots you in m'arms again. Course I'm happy."

"It's more than that, isn't it? Did something happen today?"

He was grinning as he said shyly, "I met someone new today. Someone like me."

"What do you mean, 'like you ?' "

"He's a Siskan. One Uncle Remy met a long time ago. His Master... his Master is gone now and he came here to live with us now. He has a sister, too. Her name is Babette. She's real nice."

Angel digested that. Rather than ask the question she wanted to - "Where is his Master?" - she decided to leave that one to Uncle Remy and asked instead, "Is he nice, too? This new guy?"

Kimble's face flushed a little as he said with meaning, "He kissed me."

Angel grinned. She was not so naive as to not understand what this meant. Kimble didn't have to speak, it was the vibration of happiness he shivered off. He was happy and intrigued on a level he hadn't been in a long while.

"Then you should invite him over for dinner. You know, like a date."

At first Kimble laughed at that, but some part of him, the little Lin part, grew a little wary. He hadn't thought his new attraction through. As much as he might enjoy his new friend on all levels, he had to be careful. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Aiden, some symptom of his bad luck disease. He had to hold him at arm's length. Perhaps being Siskan, Aiden would understand this, maybe even feel the same way. "Maybe. Maybe when things calm down a bit. As it is, they ain't even lettin' me back into our place just yet."

The thought of them not returning home together made Angel sad. "Can I sleep down here with you tonight?"

Kimble sighed, depressed himself with the same thought. "Probably not. Don'cha likes it at Remy's?"

"Yeah, but it's not the same as when I'm with you. It's been three days. I miss you, daddy."

"I knows," Kimble said, squeezing her tightly again and turning his head away so she wouldn't see the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. He couldn't tell her that he had already been told he wouldn't have custody of her for awhile. Even if he was released from the Lab, things would be different. He kept the bad news to himself, willing himself to have courage. He had to be brave for her, strong. It was so much easier now that he'd had a chance to charge. Things seemed clearer now, not so cloudy and gloomy like before. "We'll figger all this out soon, I promise. They ain't keepin' me away from you. Not ferever."

To be continued in Good Company.