Combusting Hearts

Chapter 32

Once I was well enough to be out of bed, I spent most of my time with Remy when I wasn't in classes. The Professor insisted that I have someone with me at all times, especially, if I wanted to go out somewhere. There was that and also the fact if I wanted to go outside in general.

I didn't mind really. I knew that everyone was worried about me. I mean, I would be too if I were in their shoes, watching me get hurt and everything else. I can only imagine what it did to Remy and Logan. It probably put them through hell when I was kidnapped.

In all honesty, the mere thought about what happened hurt terribly. I couldn't bare to think about it, the feeling of that man's hands on me or his lips on mine. The thought itself nearly made me sick to my stomach.

"Elaine, darlin'?" Remy called, tearing me away from my thoughts.

"S-sorry Remy," I apologized, snuggling against his arm as we continued to sit there on the couch downstairs, my homework already done for the day.

"Cheri, what's wrong darlin'?" he asked, looking down at me with those eyes of his.

"It's nothing, honest," I told him, closing my eyes as I let my head rest against his shoulder.

I could hear him sigh as I sat there, feeling him take hold of me with his other arm and pull me into his lap. I looked up at him with curiosity as he did this.

"Remy?" I questioned, my brow knitting together slightly.

"Why ya gotta lie ta Remy, cheri?" he asked, a bit hurt that I wasn't telling him what was really wrong. "There ain't no point in it," he told me, pulling me against him a bit more so that I was leaning against him in his arms.

"Remy…I just don't like thinking about what happened," I whispered, not wanting to talk about it.

"I saw what he did," he started, but I didn't let him finish.

"No you didn't," I said curtly, before hiding my face.

"Elaine, darlin', what happened?" he asked slowly, placing his hand on my cheek.

Wet tears met his touch in the process, making his own brow knit together in confusion.

"Elaine?" he questioned, but I didn't answer.

No, I merely sat there in his lap not saying a single word. I knew that this worried him, but I couldn't help it. Having those thoughts running through my head, those thoughts of Victor, they made me sick. They scared me just like my bloody nightmares. They were absolutely horrid.

"Elaine?" he called softly as though afraid he'd scare me away.

I barely even made an effort to look at him until he took hold of my chin, slowly pulling it upward to make me look at him.

"Tell me what happened darlin'?" he pleaded softly, staring me in the eyes.

I could feel that charm of his slowly starting to work on me. It annoyed me in a way, but it also put me at ease like it normally did. I knew that at least with Remy, he didn't use it to his advantage like Victor did. No, Victor used his to control people. Remy used his to make me feel more comfortable and calm me down.

"You only saw part of what that man did Remy," I whispered, pulling my head back away from his hand for a moment to wipe away my tears.

I could tell that this saddened him to see me like this. It always hurt if we saw each other like this. It would never be easy, that was for sure.

"I was so afraid… afraid that he…" I couldn't even finish my sentence as tears started to fall.

It was then that I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer into an embrace, one of his hands going to the back of my head while the other rested around my waist.

"Is alright darlin', it'll all be alright, I promise. Remy promise Cheri, I promise," he cooed, petting my hair and rubbing my back as he tried to calm me.

I was so glad that he could understand what was going on without me continuing, but I still knew that eventually everything would have to come out into the open. Knowing Logan, that in itself was unavoidable. At this point, I could rarely keep anything of this sort from him. The man was like a father to me and I simply didn't feel right keeping secrets from him anymore. Although, I didn't know who would react worse to hearing exactly what Victor had done to me, Remy or Logan.

"Remy, I need some fresh air," I nearly choked out, the air around me nearly suffocating me.

Within minutes we were both outside, Remy's coat hanging on my shoulders to keep me warm. It felt so good to be outside, the cool air blowing against me and cooling my face. My palms were no longer sticky with sweat from the fire. I just felt so much better standing outside in the open. It was calming to say the least.

T

All that Remy could do was try his best to comfort Elaine, but even with that he felt useless to a degree. He could feel his blood boil at her reaction to Victor. Unfortunately, he had a very good idea of what had happened. Knowing Victor, when he wants something, he stops at nothing to get it. He knew that he likely touched Elaine, coming close to raping her. Either that or it was what the man was planning on doing. He still remembered standing there and watching as that despicable man kissed his beautiful bell, unable to do anything about it. He was ready to launch forward and attack the man if it hadn't been for Logan.

D'at reminds me, Remy gotta deal wi'd Wolverine in d'e danger room, he thought to himself, turning his attention back to Elaine.

She just stood there with her eyes closed, a few tears still dripping from her chin. It broke his heart to see her like that, but he just didn't know what to do. So with a sigh, he placed his arms around her, pulling her against him. The only thing that he could do at this point was to hold her and hope that it would be enough.

"I love you Cheri," he whispered, her back to his chest as his arms lay wrapped around her front.

She tilted her head back a bit to look at him, craning her neck slightly. She stared at him for a moment, fatigue slowly washing over her and clouding her spirit. Luckily, it didn't cloud it enough as to not allow an, "I love you," to escape her lips. After about half a hour though, that long awaited question left Remy lips.

"Cheri, ya lookin' mighty tired. Perhaps we should go back inside now?" he suggested, nudging her cheek gently with his.

"Alright Remy," she whispered quietly, a small yawn escaping her.

Then, with a quick and fluid motion she was in his arms, clinging to his neck with a start.

"Remy!" she squeaked, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

He only laughed, tossing her up a bit to get a better hold on her as he held her, calmly walking back toward the mansion. He couldn't help the smile that was on his face as he walked, trying to keep from laughing further as his dear Elaine gave him a playful glare.

"Come now Cheri, Remy jus' tryin' ta be a gentleman," Remy chuckled, before turning his head and kissing her cheek the best that he could. "Ya wouldn' deny Remy d'at one pleasure would ya?"

He then watched a smile slowly form on her face, happiness filling his heart at the sight of it, for this one was a real one. She really meant it this time when she smiled at him, truly happy.

T

Remy had asked her which room she wanted to be in, his or hers. She picked his, so he automatically obliged. It wasn't long though after that that she fell asleep, letting him place her under the covers of his bed with ease. Then just as he was getting ready to sit down on the bed, there was a knock at the door.

"Oui?" Remy responded, opening his door to be greeted by Logan. "What you want Wolverine?" Remy asked, leaning against the frame of the door.

Logan stood there for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest.

"To talk, that's all," Logan told him.

"D'en talk," Remy said, continuing to stand there against the door frame.

"Not here," Logan said, shaking his head before grabbing Remy by the collar of his shirt and pulling him along.

"Hey, easy now," Remy said defensively, pulling free of Logan's grip and straightening out his shirt.

"Just come on," Logan told him, his patience starting to ware a bit thin as he walked down the hall and down the steps to the living room.

Remy followed behind him reluctantly, combing his hand through his hair in a tired manner. Personally at the moment, he just wanted to go to bed, to lay there with Elaine in his arms and just watch her while she slept.

"Ya mind getting' d'is over wi'd?" Remy asked. "It been a long day and Gambit ready for some shuteye."

"Put a sock in it Gumbo," Logan said curtly as he pulled out a cigar and lit it by the fireplace.

Logan stood there for a minute or two, just breathing in the content of his cigar, before exhaling the smoke. The mere smell of it made Remy's nose wrinkle up in disgust.

"Ya know, ya shouldn' smoke d'ose t'ings," Remy said, turning his head to the side in an attempt at breathing in clean air.

"So?" came Logan's reply, causing Remy to let out a sigh.

"Either talk or Remy leavin'," he said, turning around to leave.

He didn't get very far though before Logan finally decided to speak.

"What'd the Professor want?" Logan asked, his cigar resting expertly between his fingers.

"He didn' want me teachin' if d'at's what ya mean," Remy said dismissively. "He wants me ta keep an eye on Elaine. Help her in d'e danger room," he said.

He then turned back toward Logan with a yawn, rolling his shoulder a bit.

"Can Remy go ta bed now?" he asked, trying his best to get Logan to let him leave.

It didn't work very well though because moments later, Logan was pulling him back by the back of his shirt and into a chair.

"I'm not done with you yet Gumbo," Logan told him.

"D'en what you want Wolverine?" Remy asked as he started getting annoyed.

"Just listen, okay?" Logan asked as he put his hand up. "I'm worried about Elaine, alright? She hasn't been herself lately, not since we got back," he said, pacing the floor a bit.

"Well, Wolverine, ya don' know Victor like Remy do," he told him, leaning his head back in the chair.

"What do you mean?" Logan questioned, finally deciding to stand still for a moment.

"Victor is a lyin', cheatin', bastard. He stops at nothin' when he wants somethin'. D'at man be down right rottin'," Remy explained.

"So basically you're telling me he's a sleaze ball then?" Logan inquired, receiving an obvious nod.

"Oui. Although, Remy could t'ink of a few more word, but I t'ink ya got it," he announced.

I apologize for taking so long in updating. I actually wrote this one at the end of January and completely forgot that I'd written it. Also, I can't remember if I was actually completely done writing the chapter, but after rereading, I came to the conclusion that I probably was. Luckily, having this chapter gives me a bit of an opening of were to continue writing, so hopefully I'll have another chapter up soon. Anyway, I hope that everyone liked this chapter? Please, remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE with your thoughts, opinions, and ideas. I can always use a bit of inspiration or ideas to help me write. Thanks everyone and keep reading. Also, please check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like. SEND ME REVIEWS OR MESSAGES WITH ANY POSSIBLE IDEAS FOR THE STORY! THANKS! :)