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 Eight
Tammy

Remy awoke well after 8 o'clock that morning. His hand strayed to where Ice usually slept and he found that she was gone already. He yawned and squinted at his clock. Then he heard music coming from Tammy's home office. What de? he thought. Shouldn' she be at work?

"Hey Tam," he called, not wanting to leave the comfort of his bed, "what you doin' here chere?"

"Reading my email," she yelled back. "What are you doing in bed yet?"

"Sleepin' 'till 'bout five minutes ago," he shouted back.

"You don't have to yell, I'm right here," she smiled from the door.

"So what you doin' here? I thought you were s'posed t' be workin' by now," he asked sitting up.

"The wing where my office is located is being torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. So until they're done destructing, I get to telecommute," she smiled.

"You mean you stay home an' fool aroun' an' dey mail you checks?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's basically the idea. So you wanna go into Butte?" Tammy asked.

"An' do what?"

"Screw around," she grinned.

"What 'bout Austin?" he asked.

"He left really early to help a friend saddle-break a new horse, him and Ice won't be back till late tonight," she explained.

"Jus' you an' me chere?" Remy grinned.

"Kill that thought before it comes out," she frowned. "So you gonna get yer butt out of bed and come along or what?"

"Yeah, I'll come wit'," he said moving to the edge of the bed.

"So what're you waiting for?" she asked.

"You t' leave," he answered.

"Why?"

"'Cause I'm naked under here."

"So? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before," Tammy shrugged.

"I would like some privacy please," he insisted.

"Gee and to think that less than a year ago it would never have bothered you to be naked in front of me," she smiled closing the door.

"Yeah, well you didn' have a boyfriend dat was an empat' den chere," he answered sliding out of bed. "An' I don' wan' t' be on de bad side o' any empat'."

"Meet me in the garage when you're ready, I've got to unload my office from my car," she said and left.

******

"All dat come from your office?" Remy asked when he walked into the open garage.

"Well, not all of it," Tammy replied. "So you ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he said opening the car door. "Hey chere, when you get de new wheels?"

"Bout five weeks ago. You like?" she smiled.

"Yeah, dis one don' smoke like de last, does it?"

"No, this one does not smoke mosquitoes."

******

"So," Tammy asked, "what have you been doing since we last talked face to face?"

"Oh, not much. Mostly goin' from one town t' de next," Remy replied pouring the rest of his Coke into the glass.

"And getting your ass kicked by the looks of it," she observed.

"Non, dat was a fluke," he sighed. "By de looks o' de ranch, looks like you been busy."

"Yeah, I met Austin shortly after you left," she smiled.

"An'?" he pressed.

"We hit it off. I was looking for a handy man and he was looking for a place to live," she told him.

"Do ya love him?" Remy asked.

"I don't know. I do care for him and the sex is incredible," she admitted.

"You care f'r me, t'."

"And the sex wasn't bad," she smiled slyly.

"What you mean 'not bad'?"

"Just that, not bad."

"Oh, so you had bedder?"

"I've also had worse."

"Who was worse?"

"My first boyfriend. He really showed me what Mick Jagger meant when he sang 'Can't get no satisfaction.'" she laughed.

"Any ot'ers?"

"Nope."

"Any dat compare t' me?"

"Nosy, ain't cha?"

"Oui, now talk," he grinned.

"Well, McSwain was pretty good, but then I've always had a thing for a man in a uniform," she sighed.

"De only time McSwain ever wore a uniform was when he was walkin' de streets," Remy pointed out.

"Hey just because he didn't wear it, doesn't mean he doesn't have one."

"I never saw him in it," Remy frowned.

"You never slept with him."

"T'ank God f'r dat. So what 'bout de bedder ones?"

"Austin, definitely," she sighed again.

"What's he got dat I don'?" Remy demanded.

"A cowboy's butt," she smiled licking her lips.

"Hehn, good t'ing I'm not a telepat'. So does he love you?" he asked.

"I don't know that either. He's never said it to me and I've never said it to him."

"Well, I hope dat t'ings work out f'r you two," he said finishing his Coke.

"Yeah, me too. So you got any plans for the future?" Tammy asked.

"Besides dat weddin'. Non, ain' been lookin' dat far 'head," Remy sighed leaning back in the booth. "Jus' tryin' t' get back up t' speed."

"Ever thought of going back to your family in New Orleans?"

"Oui, but de Guild banished me from de Big Easy."

"That never stopped you before," she smiled knowingly.

"Done lot t'ings since den, some were pretty bad too," Remy said, his eyes downcast.

"You don't have to talk about them if you don't want to," Tammy said reaching across the table and grasping his hand.

"T'anks chere," he choked, holding back tears.

"Hey, what're sisters for?" she smiled giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"T'ought we were friends. When you 'dopt me?" Remy asked looking up at her again.

"'Bout a year ago," she replied. "I decided that you needed a sister to take care of you."

"T'anks chere, you de best friend I coul' ask f'r," he smiled covering her hand with his.

"Pardon me, but here's your order," the waitress interrupted with a fake smile plastered on her face.

******

"So, you still haven't said what your plans for the future are," Tammy smiled as they sat back after their meal.

"Haven't got any chere," he sighed. "Y' don' min' if I stay wit' you yet, do y'?"

"No, you can stay as long as you want. You just gotta help out around the place, same deal as before," she replied taking a sip of her soda.

"Would you like desert?" the waitress asked coming up to their table.

"Non, jus' de bill," Remy smiled at her.

"I'll be right back," she smiled.

"You don't have to," Tammy said.

"Your money no good wit' me chere, my treat," he smiled taking out his wallet. "'Sides you cooked f'r me 'nough."

"Okay, I'll let you get away with it this time," she laughed. "Where d'you want to go next?"

"How 'bout de mall? I need some new clothes," Remy replied as the waitress brought the check. "Here you are Mam'soille."

"Thank you sir," she said taking the credit card.