Marvel owns the characters that you recognize, the others...Jacques and Frances Benoit, Vincent St. James, Constance Alicante, Sebastian Renault, Therese Chastine belong to Missy Red and Kaleidopy. If you wish to use them, just ask. We are nice people when we want to be.

Continuity: This takes place six months after Devil Days. If you haven't read the story, Why?

Growing Pains
Part Six
MissyRed & Kaleidopy

Lapin was the first to notice the car following behind them. Remy's mind was on where he was. He was back in familiar territory, the place he use to call home before he was adopted. Stopping his bicycle in front of a fruit stand, he smiles at the old man selling the merchandise. " Allô, M'sieu DuPree!"

" Well, how ya been, boy?" The old man asks as he tosses an apple to the boy. He notices Lapin. " And who is your friend?"

" My cousin, Lapin." Remy glances at his cousin. " Lapin, dis is M'sieu DuPree, if it wasn't for him, I would have starved."

" Your cousin is giving me too much credit. He took care of himself. And you just call me Jerome." Jerome tells Lapin as he throws him an apple. " This child can steal you blind and smile so innocently while he is doing it." He notices that Remy had an orange in his hand. " See what I mean." He starts laughing as he watches the boy peeling the fruit. " Word on the street is that you got adopted. I am happy to see that rumor was true." He walks around the stands to inspect the boys bicycles. " They treat ya good, I see." Jerome pats Remy on top of the head. " What do they call ya?"

" Remy, an' he's a pain in de butt." Lapin laughs as he finishes eating the apple. He throw the core into the nearest garbage can. He turns to his cousin after glancing back at the parked sedan " Remy dat car is followin' us. We better get outta here."

" Dere ain't no car followin' us, it's just your imagination." His cousin tells him before turning back to the man. " We gotta go, M'sieu DuPree." Remy says good bye to his friend and rides down an alley. He notices that Lapin was still watching behind them convinced that someone was following them. " If dat car is followin' us, we can lose dem down de alleys." He quickly speeds his bike down the narrow passages between buildings forcing people to get out of his and Lapin's way. When the car was well out of sight did Remy slow the bike down to catch his breath. " T'erese's gonna kill me. Tante should have already called de house by now an' Henri's probably out lookin' for us."

" I wish Henri was here now, I got a bad feelin' 'bout dis place." Lapin follows behind his cousin hoping that Remy knows where he is going. They came out behind several old buildings to find the place deserted except for dumpsters and cardboard boxes. Lapin looks down the end of the street to see the same blue sedan waiting for them. It's engine turns on and speeds down towards the two boys. Too late to turn around, they were trapped. " Remy!"

" Dis way!" Remy screams as he pedals in the only direction that is open for them. He and Lapin just make it to the other end of the street just as a blurred black object cuts the car off. Slamming on the brakes the sedan comes to a screeching stop as Remy and Lapin turn around to see who had saved them. He recognized the black sports car.

Henri and Bernard jump out of the Lamborghini so fast that the driver didn't have time to put the sedan in reverse before they drag the two men out of the car and slam them down to the ground. " Runnin' down kids is low even for you, DuBosè." Henri yanks the man off the ground and throws him against the side of the car. " Julian must be mad to try an' do somethin' like dis."

Bernard glances over at the two boys to see two relieved faces. He opens the passenger door of the sedan and throws his man inside. " Get out an' let me finish what I started." He dares the man to move before he slams the door shut.

" If I ever see or hear dat you tried t' hurt a child DuBosè, I'll make sure you know what a thief can do when he wants t' make a body disappear. Now get outta here." Henri tells the man who gets into his car and drives off. As soon as the car had disappeared he turns to the two boys. " Get in de car!"

" What 'bout our bikes?" Remy asks. He didn't have to wait long for an answer as his brother walks over and yanks him off the bike, forcing him into the car. Lapin decides he wasn't going to ask questions, he drops his bike and gets in the car.

The ride home was silent, Remy afraid to say another word for fear of making Henri even madder than he already was, and Lapin, who knew better than anyone the trouble they were in. Once the car was safely in the garage did Bernard speak. " You're worried dat you t'ink Jean-Luc knew these two were missing when he called don' you?"

" Papa?" Remy's throat suddenly went dry. If he wasn't worried about being in trouble before, he sure was now. Henri ignores his brother as he gets out of the car, the other three pile out of the car as the door swings open. Therese walks into the garage and sees her younger brother. It was clear to Remy that she was not going to be so easily won over this time. The look on her face made him suddenly felt guilty. " T'erese, we had no idea dat we was gone dis long." He watches as his sister turns around and goes back inside the house after the phone started ringing.

" Père told you not t' leave de property petite frère an' you decided dat you would anyway. T'erese was worried out of her mind b'cause you have been missin' for over four hours, so she calls me forcin' me t' leave de Guild meetin' t' come home. An' if dat wasn't bad enough, Père calls an' wants t' speak t' you. We had t' lie t' him an' tell him dat you were upstairs takin' a nap." Henri glares at his brother. He picks him up and sits him on top of the hood of the car. " T' make t'ings worse Tante calls de house t' say you an' Lapin are in Assassin territory. A place dat is off limits t' everyone an' you know it." He looks over at Lapin who lowers his head before turning back to Remy. " You two can forget 'bout dat fishin' trip tomorrow, you both are sayin' in de house."

" You promised t' take us fishin'!" Remy screams out.

" Get up t' your room Remy." Henri yanks him off the car and drags him to the door. " You don' come down until I say you can." Turning his attention to Lapin. " You too."

Lapin ran out of the garage and up to his room in record time. He had no desire to make the situation worse than it already was. He could hear Remy slamming his bedroom door and the sound of heavy feet not far behind. Henri was angry and Remy was on the receiving end of that anger. He held his breath hoping his older cousin would not punish him like he was doing to his younger cousin.

" Where did you find them?" Therese asks as she paces back and forth glancing once upstairs waiting for Henri to come back downstairs and then back at Bernard, who she had asked the question.

" Julien's daily underlin' was tryin' t' run dem down wit' his car. Henri taught de man a lessen he will not soon forget." Bernard takes her hand and holds it. " De boys are safe an' unharmed T'erese, calm down."

" Uncle Jean trusted me and I let him down. He's only been gone for a little while and look what has happened." She fights hard to keep her emotions from showing. " Remy runs off and almost gets killed by the Assassins."

" Soiur, dis isn't your fault, it's petite frère's an' you are not goin' t' cover for him dis time." Henri walks down the stairs.

" What did you do to him, Henri?" Therese looks up at her brother.

" Nothin', didn't have t' say hardly a word t' him." Henri says. " Remy's more afraid of what Père is gonna do t' him when he gets home."

Upstairs Lapin sneaks into Remy's bedroom to see his cousin laying on his bed. As soon as Remy sees Lapin, his anger flairs. " You an' your stupid ideas, if we hadn' went t' dat junk yard we wouldn't be in dis mess."

" Don' blame dis on me, Cousin, you de one who wanted t' know what was on dat side road. I tried t' warn you but you t' stubborn t' listen." Lapin argues back as he sits down on the bed. " You t'ink Uncle Jean's gonna be angry wit' you?" Lapin asks his cousin, but the look that creeps across Remy's face gives him his answer. " Mebbe Henri won't say anythin' an' he will not find out."

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Remy sneaks out of his room to sit down on the balcony. He sticks both of his legs in between two railings. Glancing down on his brother, he finally got the courage to ask the question he wanted answered. " Henri, are you goin' t' tell Papa dat where you found us?"

Henri glances upwards. " Remy, Père is goin' t' find out even if I don't say anythin'. De Guild members will tell him dat I had to leave de meetin' an' de reason why." He shakes his head. " Sorry petite frère but dis is outta my hands."

Remy slowly gets to his feet and goes back to his room. His cousin eyes him waiting for him to say something. Waiting long enough, Lapin finally had enough. " You ain't t' good at dis are you?" He states. " Watch an' learn from de master lil cousin." Lapin walks out of the room and down the steps with Remy following behind him.

Henri and Bernard were out back working on Bernard's car. The hood up and the engine running neither heard or noticed the two boys. " Turn if off!" Henri shouts as he slams the hood down.

Lapin glances into the car as Bernard turns the engine off and gets out of the car. " We been upstairs talkin', me an' Remy want t' do somethin' t' make up for what we done today. We wanna wash de car, can we?" Lapin asks as he tries his best to look sincere and remorseful. " Or do anythin' else you want us t' do."

Henri studies the boy for a second and then glances over at his friend. " It's your car, what you say?"

" Alright," Bernard agrees. " I got a ton of paper work t' finish anyway." He goes inside the house with both him and Henri laughing.

" Wash de car! Anythin' else we can do for you!" Remy was in Lapin's face once he knew the two were alone in the back yard. " What are you tryin' t' do Lapin? Show me how much de master can suck up?"

" You see how well it worked didn't you?" Lapin announces proudly as he grabs a huge bucket and starts filling it with water. " C'mon Remy I know you are not dis stupid, all we have t' do is act like we are sorry an' Henri an' Bernard will be eatin' out of our hands by de end of de week. They will even stick up for us when Uncle Jean gets home." He sighs and rolls his eyes. " You got a lot t' learn Cousin, an' I am goin' t' teach you everythin' you need t' know."

" Dat's what I'm afraid of," Remy pulls the hose as far as he can. Turning around he realizes the garden hose was several feet away from reaching the car. " Go tell Bernard dat he needs t' move de car closer t' de house."

" I can do it!" Lapin replies after he notices that the keys were still in the ignition. Against Remy's protest, he turns the key and the engine cranks up. Leaving the car door open, he yells over at his cousin. " Ok, I am going t' put it in drive an' you let me know when I am close enough."

" Lapin!"

" I know what I'm doin' so stop actin' like a baby." Lapin shifts the gears and takes his foot off the break shoe. He grins at his cousin. " Watch dis!" He hits the accelerator and to his horror the car goes in reverse. He didn't have time to hit the brake as the car runs trunk first into the swimming pool.

The noise bought out Henri, Bernard and Therese were stood in disbelief as Lapin half heartedly smiles at them. The car was in the shallow end of the pool so he was in no danger as the water only came up to the top of the back tires.

" MY CAR!!!!" Bernard screams as he grabs both of his hands full of his hair. " Henri, I'm gonna kill 'em."