Remy LeBeau, thief, gambler, Mutant and up to a few months ago he was an X-men. That is what hurt the most when he thought about the past few months. He used to be an X-men... when did they become so important to him that he felt insignificant and useless unless he was in the fight. Their fight for a peaceful world... their struggle to better the human and mutant race... at first it had just been a game... a place to stay, until he started to truly care. Until he met Rogue and fell in love with her.

'Well I guess dat what I get for gambling wit de truth.' Remy thought to himself.

He had been back in New York City for the past three months... it had been a total of 13 months since he had been left behind by the one woman he loved. Ironic that it was she who had left him there to die... he always thought that when his number came up it would be a quick finish. Just his luck that his death would be something along the line of nearly being frozen to death. He had walked for days trying to keep his body warm and it was blind luck that he found an abandon storage facility where he found food and clothes. It was only a matter of time before he hitched a ride on a plane back to America but he still hadn't set foot near Salem center. He felt he had no right to go back there.

"De made dere choice... now I got t'live wit it." Remy whispered to himself. After all what right did a devil have to walk along the side of angels.

His faded jeans and his torn shirt helped served as a reminder to him of what had taken place. He huddled deeper into his large black overcoat... the one he wore in replace for his familiar brown one but Remy still felt a small chill run up his spine. He wasn't sure weather it was from the rain that started to fall from the night sky or the fact that his mind was fixed on the past. He quickly turned down a corner and walked deeper into the alleys that he had called home for the past week. Just another part of his self-punishment... another part of his exile. He didn't want to live the good life... his one chance at redemption was taken away from him. So now he would have to try to appease whichever saints were in control of his fates.

A group of homeless people moved away from him as he slowly walked past and he almost felt a stab of pity for himself but he quickly squelched it. He knew why he was here... it was his fate... the cards had been dealt and he had lost to the house. It was just that whenever he was on the streets for long periods of times he would start to think about his childhood... well, what he could remember, most of it was a blur until Jean-Luc had come and adopted him.

Just as he was about to lean against the wall he heard an inhuman scream... followed by a series of explosions. Remy quickly ran towards the sound his mutant gift operating in full capacity. Remy was able to feel the people around him and he instantly knew that there was a body about twenty feet from him and that a group of men started to walk away. He stayed in the shadows and then silently walked towards the body that was lying crookedly on the street. Remy relaxed his hands and then paused to look into the face of man he had not seen in ages.

"Mon Dieu, Kyle is dat you?" Remy asked slightly dazed as he dropped to his knees and moved closer so he could hear what he had to say.

"Protect... Protect the children... they will be in great danger... promise me."

"Easy, mon ami just lie still and let yourself heal." Remy said.

"Young fool... you know that my powers don’t work that way, only can heal others." Kyle said.

"Shush... try t'rest." Remy beseeched him.

"Promise me... Please tell me you will protect them. She will need your help in teaching her control... Promise me." Kyle said with his dying breath and then he stared out at a vast void that he could never quite see.

"Oui my friend I promise you dis on my life." Remy said and then quickly brushed one of his gloved hands over his eyes. He quickly said a prayer that was taught to him as a young child but he was interrupted before he finished.

Remy's mutant gift kicked into high gear and he felt someone trying to sneak away. He grabbed a loose piece of wood that was near by and then quickly ran over to where he felt the person moving. He focused in on his entire surrounding and almost had to say another small prayer as he felt his body finally begin to respond like it had before he was left in Antarctica. Remy jumped up and grabbed the lower half of a fire escape with his free hand and then proceeded to swing over a fence... bouncing off a wall he landed in front of the person who was trying to get away.

A small figure darted out from behind a package of crates and Remy grabbed a small piece of debris and threw it in front of the figure. He charged it just enough to shed off some light when it exploded but not enough to do damage. He heard a small cry of pain and then he grabbed the figure by the collar of its shirt. Remy focused in and saw that what he was holding was a young girl probably no more than seven or eight. He dragged her over towards one of the can that had a fire burning in it and it was at this time when he saw who was holding in his iron grip.

"Sweet saints, Mel is dat you honey?"