Disclaimer: Gambit and the X-Men are copyright and property of Marvel Comics. I am making no money from this. Besides getting money out of me would be like getting blood out of turnip, it isn't gonna happen so don't even try to sue me. Any other characters you don't recognize and the plot in this story are owned by Tammy Zuleger. Anyone wishing to use them must get permission from me first.


Recovery
Part Six
Tammy

“Now imagine puttin’ up a wall,” Austin said.

“Aroun’ de bad dreams?” Remy asked, his eyes still closed.

“Right and make it the strongest ya can imagine,” Austin coached.

“Like adamantium?”

“If that’s the strongest ya can imagine. I usually add reinforcements myself, just ta be sure,” he smiled.

“Right, bra,” Remy replied concentrating again. “Got it,” he said after several minutes of silence.

“Now the thing is ta keep it up when you’re sleepin’,” Austin said.

“An’ how do I do dat?” the Cajun asked.

“You’ve got ta learn ta make it automatic, just like you do with your psi-shields,” he answered.

“An’ how’s dat?”

“Here, I’ll show ya,” he said kneeling behind Gambit.

“What’re you gonna do?” Remy asked apprehensively.

“Shh, just relax,” Austin said and put his hands on Remy’s shoulders. Then he reached out and let his own feelings of relaxation flow into the younger man. He felt Remy’s shoulders relax under his hands and he heard his breathing slow to the rhythm of a sleeping man.

Then, ever so gently he let a partial image of the Cajun’s latest nightmare slip from himself into Gambit.

Austin waited for Remy’s wall to fall into place. For several very long seconds nothing happened. Suddenly Remy tensed. Austin looked down and saw the rock that Remy was leaning on begin to glow a bright pinkish color. “Shit,” he cursed and pulled the Cajun away while empathically yelling at him to wake up.

Gambit woke up as Austin fell on top of him, shielding him from the blast. He squeezed his eyes shut at the bright flash of the blast and hoped that nothing important was destroyed.

“Damn,” Austin muttered at the dust settled around them, “glad that wasn’t my fav’rite fishin’ hole. Ya okay Remy?”

“Yeah, I t’ink so,” he nodded opening his eyes a bit.

“Guess we have ta try sumthin’ different,” the Texan said getting up off Remy.

“Uh-huh, dat kinda back-fired on you,” he agreed getting up also.

Austin’s eyes narrowed. He sent the image to Remy again. This time the wall flew up immediately. “So far so good,” he smiled.

“Yeah, but I’m awake,” he replied.

“Are ya really?” the Texan asked.

“What you mean?” Remy said puzzled.

“Close your eyes and open them again,” Austin instructed.

Remy did as he was told. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Several seconds later he opened them again. Much to his surprise he was sitting on the couch. He glanced toward the television and saw the end credits of ‘High Plains Drifter’ playing. The Cajun looked over at Austin and gave him a puzzled and confused look.

“Ya fell asleep and I influenced your dream,” he explained.

“But we were out dere f’r hours,” he said confused.

“No, ya were alseep for an hour an’ half. I was here watching Clint Eastwood,” Austin replied.

“But how?”

“I’m also slightly telepathic, empathy and telepathy usually go together from what I’ve read. Anyway, I can send ideas as well as emotions,” he explained.

“Uh-huh,” Remy nodded. “But you were dere, you showed me how t’ put up shields.”

“Ya already have very strong psi-shields, I just suggested that ya build on what ya already had,” Austin continued. “I was never actually in your dream, ya put me there.”

“I see, so now what happens t’night?” the Cajun asked.

“I don’t know, that’s up ta ya,” he said.

******

That night as he got ready for bed, Remy was very apprehensive. He wasn’t sure the shields would keep out the nightmares. Ice came up to him and laid her head on the bed, waiting to be invited onto it. “Hey girl,” he smiled, reassured by the dog’s presence. “Come on, get up ‘ere.” The dog leaped up and sat waiting for Remy to make himself comfortable first. He lay down and Ice curled up next to him.

******
Austin woke at midnight, the time when the Cajun’s dreams usually started. He reached out empathically and could detect no feelings of fear or helplessness from Remy. He slipped on his boxers and padded down the hall to Remy’s room. The Texan slowly opened the door and saw Remy and Ice sleeping peacefully. He smiled and went back to bed himself.

******

“Good morning Remy,” Tammy smiled. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a baby chere, like a baby,” he grinned and sat down at the table. “What’s f’r breakfast?”

“Steak and eggs,” Austin said from his place at the stove. “How do ya like your steak?”

“Medium rare. I ever tell you how much I love Montana?” he asked leaning back in his chair.

“My brother’ll be mortified,” Austin said from the stove.

“De state, not de singer. Did you say Montana was your brother?” Remy asked surprised.

“Yeah, he’s my baby brother,” Austin said proudly.

“So you talented too or did it skip you?” Remy teased.

“Depends on what you consider talent,” he replied cryptically.

“Austin’s being modest. He’s written most of Montana’s hit songs and quite a few for other country artists,” Tammy said looking up from her appointment book.

“Like what?” Remy asked pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“I wrote ‘Rodeo’ for Garth Brooks,” Austin replied flipping an egg.

“Don’t forget to kill it,” Tammy said making a notation in her book.

Austin rolled his eyes and hit the yolk with the spatula to brake it. “I also wrote ‘Dream on Texas Ladies,” he said. “You play anything?”

Tammy snorted from behind the magazine she’d picked up.

“Yeah, I play violin,” Remy answered while giving Tammy a funny look.

“There’s a few of us cowboys that get t’gether and play, but we don’t have a fiddle player. You play ‘Orange Blossom Special’?” the Texan asked.

“Does Charlie Daniels have a gold fiddle?” Remy smiled.

******

Note: 'Dream On Texas Ladies' was really written by Steve Dan Mills (John Michael Montgomery performs it, not Montana Blake) and Rodeo was really written by Larry Bastian. And as I said earlier I'm not making any money from their use, so please don't sue me.