AN: I'm sorry I've been such a bad little updater… the wait was too long. But thanks to everyone who reviews, I love them all!

Part IV

Remy and Zaire were both ordered away from the Infirmary. Although Sabertooth had only really come for Gambit, Scott had made sure that Zaire was under permanent care. She was asked to remain in the upper Institute, where there were more cameras and security set in place. Remy was asked to stay in a guarded area of the house, with Logan constantly close by. Zaire was quickly getting tired with all the surveillance, she couldn't ever feel comfortable anymore, not even when she was alone because she always figured that there was someone watching her, even if she couldn't see them.

Luckily she had an escape. She was still taking care of Remy, so that meant she could leave her room without the entourage of Kitty or Rogue. Not that she didn't like the two girls; it was just that she wasn't partial to the constant watch, or the constant presence of other people. They made her feel unsure about herself. When people were watching her she remembered back to when she lived with her parents, back to when she still had to attend a public school, back to all the staring and gossiping.

Sighing, Zaire picked up her medical equipment that Logan had retrieved from the Infirmary when she asked him, and headed towards the room that Remy was being kept in. Even though it was for his own safety Zaire couldn't help but think they were treating him like an animal, locked in one room for days. Rogue had already brought it up with Ororo, but the weather witch had reasoned that it was only until further security could be added to the Infirmary, and then Remy would be back there until his wounds completely healed.

"Hey Logan, still playing watch dog?" Zaire asked as she approached the room. Logan was siting outside, looking thoroughly bored.

"Hey there kid," Logan said, looking up at her, "what you doing here?" Wolverine asked, standing up and clearing sniffing her for some reason.

"I do have to visit my patient ya know, Logan." She told him, mildly annoyed at his use of the word 'kid'. "Is that a problem?" Zaire challenged, knowing full well that Logan would roll his eyes and turn away from her. Which he did. Zaire sighed, pushing the door open to Remy's room. The Cajun looked up as she entered and a brief smile graced his lips.

"Dis Cajun be going crazy soon chere, Remy been kept in dis room too long." He told her, moving to sit on the bed as she had motioned.

"I know, sorry but there ain't nothing I can do. They're doing to me too. Think I'll end up with Cabin Fever." Remy laughed slightly, pulling up the top of his shirt to allow Zaire to check his ribs, after she had finished he dropped his top and she took his broken wrist in her hand.

"This doesn't hurt?" Zaire asked, turning the cast on the arm over in her hand. Remy shook his head, his face a mask.

"Did he hurt you?" Remy asked suddenly, his eyes not meeting Zaire's. Absentmindedly the elementalist put a hand on her hip where Sabertooth's claws had cut into her skin. Remy clearly noticed this. "Remy sorry, maybe Remy should just go back to the Acolytes. Stop anyone else from getting hurt." Zaire pulled his chin up so that she could look him in the eye.

"If he did that to me, and I don't even know the guy, he's done worse to you. There is no way ya going back there, Gambit." She told him, using is alias for the first time. Zaire removed some of the stitches from Remy's face and arms, her fingers trailing across the scar on his wrist. "What made ya do it?" She asked quietly. Remy looked at the scar, his face becoming expressionless.

"It was a while ago. Before Remy join the Acolytes." He told her, his eyes trailing along all the cuts on his arms. "Remy just see it as a way out back then." Zaire frowned; she didn't know anything about Remy's past, all she knew was what she had been told while she had been treating him. Remy had been a thief in New Orleans, she had heard about the time he 'kidnapped' Rouge and taken her there during the Mardi Gras.

"So, Magneto isn't the first to do this?" Zaire asked tentatively. Remy seemed shocked at her words, she figured he was wondering how she knew it was Magneto when everything pointed to Sabertooth. "We found some of the metallic toxins." She explained simply.

"Well, Remy been through dis before, it not exactly somet'ing Remy can't handle." Zaire sighed, kneeling on the floor in front of the Cajun.

"This is something ya shouldn't have to go through. It's not right and no one deserves this." Zaire smiled slightly at him, hoping that maybe she could get him to open up. "Why does it happen?" Remy looked at her, biting his lower lip slightly, without the façade of being something he wasn't, without the carefree attitude, he seemed almost helpless.

"Remy be a thief, and with de thieves if somet'ing go wrong, and you be to blame, then der is a penalty. But through the years dis no longer happen, but Jean-Luc, Remy's père, he be one of de older thieves, he believe dat the old ways be de better ways. Remy be the one that Jean-Luc blame for t'ings. So, Remy get used to it." Remy's eyes had dulled, the memories of the past returning to the French mutant. "Fighting it don't help, so, Remy just take it now." Zaire couldn't help but feel her heart break for this male; he had to go through this his whole life? Never knowing what it was like to feel safe at home?

"You're staying here now Cajun," Zaire said with a firmness that told Remy not to argue. "The professor will be back today, I'll talk to him. But you should be healed in a few more days. Except for that knee, it'll hurt for a while and we'll just leave the cast on your wrist for a week or two." Remy smiled at her, a spark returning to his haunting red on black eyes.

"You're an angel, petite. Remy be very grateful." Zaire smiled at him.

"What're friends for?" With a ruffle of his hair and a laugh from the Cajun, Zaire left, hoping that Logan wouldn't talk to her. Thankfully he had his eyes closed, opening one when she left and then closing it.

- - -

When Professor Xavier and Dr McCoy returned, both were bombarded with information about the events of the past two or three days which stunned both to think so much could happen in so little time. Hank had gone down to the Infirmary to check over the damage and assist in the repairs which were being made along with security upgrades, while Charles headed for his own office, where Zaire, Rogue and Scott were waiting for him.

"Scott, Zaire, Rogue, what can I do for you?" Charles asked, entering the room and going to his desk while the three young mutants rushed into talking. "One at a time please. Zaire how is Gambit?"

"He'll be fine, as long as he never has to deal with Sabertooth or Magneto getting their grubby paws on him. His injuries will heal but," Zaire paused, thinking over her next words, "well, I ain't no psychiatrist but the emotional and psychological damage might not heal." Charles nodded, he had expected that there would be after effects of Gambit abuse, and he had also hoped that perhaps one of his students would pick up on the problem.

"Professor, both Zaire and ah think that Gambit should stay. Here, for good." Rogue said, looking at Scott with a glare. "Some people are opposed to that idea though." Charles raised an eyebrow at Scott.

"Sabertooth attacked the Institute, and hurt Zaire in the process. It was like he'd do anything to get Gambit back to the Acolytes; I just think we should discuss this before jumping into anything." Scott said, trying to sound reasonable.

"What is there to discuss?" Zaire asked, turning on Scott. "If we send him back they'll probably kill him!"

"You heard what Colossus said Scott; if Remy goes back there it will be the death of him. How could you even suggest that?" Rogue asked, just as angry as Zaire. Scott raised both hands in defence.

"I didn't say anything about sending him back the Acolytes, just that we shouldn't make rash decisions. What about him going back to New Orleans?" Scott asked.

"You think that Magneto and Sabertooth wouldn't be able to work that one out? They'd still get him." Rogue answered, Charles watched as the two female students argued with Scott, surprised at how quick both Rogue and Zaire were to protect their former enemy, and very pleased at it.

"Something tells me he'd be just as bad off there too." Zaire muttered, turning her back on Scott. Charles looked at Zaire, taking in her unusual state, the bags under her eyes and the concern on her face.

"Scott, Rogue, would you please leave Zaire and I for a moment." Scott nodded, Rogue leaving quietly. "Rogue, before you leave, would you have one of the guest rooms on the lower level of the house made up. I think it's time we moved Gambit to a more comfortable room. And tell Logan we won't be needing him to stand guard on the room. Gambit is free to move around the building." Rogue smiled, pleased with the Professor's decision while Scott clearly wanted to argue.

"Right away Professor." Rogue said, moving past Scott and running down the hallway. Zaire smiled slightly before Charles closed the door telepathically and asked Zaire to take a seat in front of the desk.

"What is troubling you Zaire?" Charles asked, not wanting to push at the runaway but wanting to help.

"Nothing, I was just wanting to talk ya into letting Remy stay. That was all really." Zaire said with a shrug.

"Have you been having difficulties sleeping?"

"No, just last night. But that was because of Sabertooth." Zaire answered, Charles raised an eyebrow encouraging her to continue. "It was the wound, the stitches I put in burst so I had to re-do them." She told him, not meeting his gaze.

"Zaire, I understand that you have a distressing past, and I am fully aware at how well you are coping with it. Perhaps your interaction with Gambit has brought old memories to the surface." Charles said, mainly to himself.

"It's not that. I've dealt with my past and I'm not gonna go all Carrie on ya but," Zaire stood up and moved so that her back was facing the Professor, "it's what Gambit went through. I just have trouble understanding why someone would do that to a person. And I almost was one of them." Zaire spat out with contempt.

"Zaire, Magneto offered you a place within the Acolytes, it was your choice to turn him down. It is our own decisions that make us stronger, and for that you are stronger for realising that your place was not in the Acolytes." Charles tried to comfort her, remembering the conversation that had a few weeks previous, when Zaire first arrived at the Institute.

"What if I told ya the only reason I wasn't one of them was because I was scared? Because they expected me to use my powers a lot, and I wasn't ready to admit that I was a mutant?" Zaire said, looking at the ground. "Before he came to me I had been doing things to take away the attention from my powers, changing habits and doing rebellious teenage things to make me think I was normal. I was close to joining the Acolytes, cause then maybe someone would accept me, but I wasn't ready to use my powers, I hadn't got used to them back then." Zaire said, her voice shaking slightly, but she continued none the less. "Even now, I don't know how powerful I could be, I don't really want to find out. Burning down one house is enough." Zaire turned back to the Professor. "I know that your trying to teach us to be proud of who we are but, I don't think I can just yet."

"Acceptance comes in time, and you will eventually accept who and what you are. Until then you shall continue to grow as a person and learn from experience. That is the way of things, and not even I can change that." Zaire smiled slightly at the Professor.

"If it's alright with you, I think I'm gonna go help Rogue get the room set up for Remy." Charles nodded and Zaire left the room, heading to the lower level where the newly decorated guestrooms were.

- - -

Red on black eyes snapped open, the mutant sitting up quickly and looking around the room. Swallowing hard, Remy forced himself to take steady deep breaths, slowing his thumping heart to a speed that was closer to normal. There was a damp sheen of sweat covering his torso and face, his hands shaking from the memory of the dream. Remy tossed his legs over the side of the bed, his head resting in his hands.

He hated the memories that came back to him at night; he hated reliving the moments in his mind, with no escape from the emotions. Sometimes it all just felt too real; this was one of those times. He ran a hand over his now healing side, feeling the bones that were once more knitting themselves together. It had to have been the fourth break of his ribs in as many months.

Sighing the Cajun got out of bed, grabbing an over sized T-shirt he had been given after being moved to the downstairs room. Professor Xavier had been adamant about Remy being treated as a guest and not a prisoner, and so the French mutant was now able to walk around the Institute. Which suited him just fine, the same four walls would get rather dull after a while. Gambit went into the kitchen, opening the fridge he looked for something to get the dry feeling out of his throat. At the bottom of the fridge there were three bottles of cool beer, smiling Remy took one out, twisting the cap off and downing half of the cool liquid. It had been a while since he had drank a beer.

"If Logan finds out you've been drinking his beer, he ain't gonna be happy." Remy turned to see Rogue standing in the doorway to the kitchen, her black sweatpants hanging from her slim waist and her small T-shirt running up, exposing a small amount of her smooth looking skin. Remy smiled at her, shrugging slightly.

"Remy just buy him more," he said with a drawl, "be sure and remind me." Rogue smiled at him, walking into the kitchen. Remy moved away from the fridge, leaning against the counter top. Rogue reached into one of the cupboard above her, pulling her shirt up at the back, exposing yet more skin. Gambit just watched her stretch out, getting a glass before running the tap for some water.

"What's up Cajun, ya having trouble sleepin'?" Rogue asked, her back still facing Remy. He grunted in response, not giving more than that and taking another drink of the beer in his hand. "Ah couldn't sleep either. Kitty's been listening to that damn stereo, every two or three minutes she starts to mumble some words. It's grating on m'ah nerves now." Rogue said, jumping up to sit on the counter. "So, what's keeping you up?" She asked, her usually dark purple lined eyes no longer lined. Remy could see the dark brown that was almost black of her eyes, the purple tint in them gleaming when she moved her head.

"Memories." He said simply, wondering if she would push the subject or let it lie. She smiled a little, her white streaked hair falling across her face as she tilted her head.

"You wanna talk about it or just hole it up inside?" She said, okay, so this wasn't pushing, but it wasn't exactly letting it lie either. That was when the Wolverine decided to make his appearance. Logan entered and stopped when he saw the two younger mutants in the kitchen. Then he spotted the beer in Gambit's hand.

"How old are you, Cajun?" He asked; walking past and retrieving his own beer, pulling off the cap and drinking most of the yellow liquid in one go.

"Twenty." Remy stated, he frowned for a moment. "What month is it?" Rogue thought for a second.

"July. It's the 24th of July. Why?" Remy shook his head, taking another drink of beer.

"Remy lie, he be twenty-one now." Logan looked at him, one eyebrow raised, bottle just lowering from his mouth. Sniffing he moved to leave the kitchen.

"Just don't go finishing it on me. And you can buy the next lot." Were his last words before he left Rogue and Remy in the kitchen, alone once more.

"When'd ya turn twenty-one?" Rogue asked, finishing her water and putting the glass in the sink.

"June 30th." Remy replied.

"Listen, Cajun, ah'm not going back to bed for a while so," Rogue paused, biting her lip slightly, "do you wanna come and watch a movie or something? Until you think you could sleep again." It was clear she was trying to be as casual as possible and Remy smiled at the slight tint in her cheeks.

"Remy would like that, chere." He said, dropping the empty bottle in the bin and following the goth girl through to the sitting room. "But Remy not be watching now chick flick." He added as an after thought.

"Like ah would wanna watch one of those."

- - -

AN: Okay, finally starting with the Rouge/Remy goodness. There will be more, and a little light shed on Remy's troubled past. No worries, our little goth will be there to smooth out the tears.

Right, review and I update. Update and you review. That's the circle of life here so, please keep it going.