Gambit woke in the familiar atmosphere of the infirmary.  He slowly looked around him.  Bishop was standing to his right and Hank was to his left.  They both came up close to the bed when they saw he was waking up.

"Remy?"  Asked Hank.  "Can you hear me my friend?"

Gambit tried to sit up.  Sore muscles and bruised joints protested against every move he made.  "Ow!!" He groused.  "Wha' happened?"

"Easy Remy.  Nothing is broken but you are badly scarred not to mention bruised from the impact of the fall. You also have a slight concussion.  You'd better be glad you had on your uniform or it could've been a lot worse."

Gambit relaxed back down on the bed.  "My bike?"  He sat up again.  "Ow!! S_it!! ...... All I remember is rid'in her."

Bishop pulled his eye browse together.  "Don't you remember?"  He looked at Hank.  Gambit stared at both of them blankly.  Bishop turned back to Remy.  "You totaled your bike on a country road about two hours from here.  You called back here before you lost consciousness. I received your call before I went off duty."

"Awww Damn!!"  He swore.  "Where is it now?"  He slowly sat up all the way on the hospital bed.

"What's left of it, is in the back garage."  Bishop cocked his head to one side.  "What made you wreck?"

Gambit touched his hand to his aching head.  "Merdre!!"  He flinched then pulled his browse together as he ran the accident through his memory.  "I t'ink it was a cat or maybe a raccoon.  I don' know ... some'thin wit fur darted out in front of me.  I swerve ta miss it."  He scratched his head.  "Dat's all I remember."

Hank looked into Gambit's eyes, one at a time, with a small flash lighted instrument.  "Your temporary lost of memory is no doubt due to the concussion you sustained.  You are quite fortunate that you have a hard head."  Mused Hank.  He then stood back up and pointed a blue finger at him.  "You know Remy, if Rogue finds out about this, she'll lose it.  I can not stress to you enough the importants of her mental as well as physical state of  well being.  She's been asking about you all morning.  You know that this is no way for an expectant father to be acting."

"Who's act'in?"  He scratched behind his left ear.  "I can' let her find out 'bout dis.  She wan' let me have ano'ta bike or worse ..."  His eyes grew big with the realization.  "... she might even make me sell the Ghini."  He added mornfully.  "I had ta try ta clear my head so I could t'ink.  Rid'in always seems ta helps."

"Well ..."  Bishop looked over his tattered appearance.  "... did it help this time?"  Bishop asked.

"Yep.  One of de last t'ings I remember was dat if de fall killed me, I'd ne'vah get ta see my babies, my fam'ly."  He turned to Hank.  "I've made my decision on wha' ya told me last night Hank."

Henry raised both browse.  "Really?  And what is your conclusion?"

"I decided dat no matter wha' comes out, I wan' ta be able ta be wit' Chere.  So I don' care wha' it takes, schedule de training sessions wit' Jeanie."  Gambit flexed his sore arm.  "Only one condition ... I don' wan' Chere ta know 'bout it 'til de training over."

Hank nodded in agreement. "That is wise. Especially since there is no guarantee that the theropy will be successful.  We still may not be able to cut the Gene back on.  Only in theory.  There is no need in getting her hopes up."

Bishop made a face, scratched his head then he pointed at Gambit.  "What's he talking about?"

"It's a long story Pup ... a long story."

"Come in."

Storm poked her head inside the crack of the door.  "Hello Rogue,"  she came all the way in.  "How are you feeling this morning?"

Rogue was a little disappointed that it was not Remy, but she tried not to let Storm see it.  "Hello Storm.  "Where's Jean?"  She sniffed a couple of times as the aroma hit her nose.  "OOoooo breakfast!"  She sat farther up into the bed.  "Ah'm starved!  What'cha got?"

"Jean will come later.  She had something ... unexpected that needed her attention."  Storm balanced the tray in her hands as she came to stand beside Rogue's bed.  "I have scrambled  cheese/eggs, bacon, toast, apple preserves, grits and a large glass of milk."  Storm looked around, "Do you want to eat it in bed or would you like to sit in a chair for a change.  I checked with Hank before I came up and he said that you could take little short walks every few hours."

She twisted her mouth as rolled her eyes around thinking.  "Ah'll take it in bed.  Ah'll save the time that Ah can get up for later."

"All right."  Storm popped the legs on the breakfast tray then she leaned down, placing the tray across Rogue's lap.  "There you go."  She stood back up.

Rogue took a big bite of bacon then a big bite spoonful of grits, "Ummmmmm.  That's wonderful."  She pointed at a nearby chair.  "Take a load off."

Storm turned to pull one of  the chairs close to Rogue's bed side when the identical basinets caught her attention.  "Oh my Rogue. They are lovely Rogue," commented Storm as she walked over to get a closer look.  She admired the intricate details of the identical basinets.  She let one finger traced along the pure white lace of the delicate bedding.  "Remy has really spared no expense."

"Um hum."  Rogue continued eating as if she did not hear Storm.

Storm smiled as she crossed her arms then made her way back to her chair.  "I bet you were totally surprised by this.  Remy is so thoughtful."

Rogue swallowed a big gulp of milk.  She place the glass back down on the tray.  Her frustration showed as she vigorously stirred her cheese/eggs and grits together.  "Huh!  If'in he so blame 'thoughtful' ... where is he?  She exclaimed.  "It's well after ten o'clock."

Storm crossed on long leg over the other as she relaxed back down in her chair.  "What do you mean  'where is he?'  Has he not been up here today?"

Rogue scooped the eggs and grits mixture into her mouth.  She shook her head, No.  "Nope.  Ain't seen him."

A slight frown creased Storm's brow.  This is not like Remy.  Nothing would keep him from Rogue at a time like this.  "I am sure he will be up shortly."
 
"Ah don't care if he ne'vah comes back.  Ah'll raise mah children mahself."

"Now Rogue, your hormones are getting the best of you."  Storm chided her.  "You know you do not mean that."

She inwardly deflated.  "No ... yah're raht ... Ah don't."  She breathed.  "But Ah worry 'bout him when he's gone."  She played with her food, her appetite already leaving.  "Storm?"

"Yes Rogue."

"Can Ah ask yah some'thin?"

Storm leaned forward in her chair.  "Sure Rogue.  What is it?"

"How do ... how do you stop yahself from throwing fits when Bish is gone?"  She looked sternly at the other woman.  "Don't it make yah crazy?"

Storm laughed.  "Who said that it does not?"

"But ..."

"If that episode at Harry's was not a fit then I certainly do not know what is."

"Well that was different.  That woman had that com'in tah her.  But Ah'm not really talking 'bout things like that.  Ah'm talking 'bout the little things."

"I do not know about 'had it coming' Rogue.  But all I do know is that you never stop worrying about them.  You have to trust that whenever they leave that they will come back.  Besides, Remy's a big boy.  He can take care of himself."

"Ow!!  Dat hurt!"  Gambit yelped as Hank applied more antiseptic to his wounds.

"Honestly Remy. I don't see how you are going to shield the fact that you have wrecked your bike from Rogue."  Bishop commented.  "Don't you think the cuts and bruises might give it away?"

Gambit shook his head.  "Non. As long as I keep my uniform on when I around her and stay my distance.  She not know de difference.  Hank can camouflage my face.  I 'jis stay away from her while I heal completely."  He shrugged.  "Dat simple."

"Then how do you propose to keep anyone else from telling her,"  asked Hank.  "You know Remy ... a total lost $20,000.00 customized bike will attract attention."

"He's got a point."  Added Bishop.

"We get rid of de evidence before anyone else sees it." He explained as Henry applied the necessary touches to shield his wounds.  "I know a place dat take wrecked bikes toward trades on new ones.  We take it dere after I go change my clothes."  Gambit slid himself off the examining table. "Outch!"  He grumbled as he limped toward the door.  "Bring de mansion's half ton truck around back Bishop in 'bout fifteen minutes."

"O. K. Remy, but you will never pull this off."

Gambit turned back toward the two men, "Wanna bet?"

Bishop shook his head, No.  "Nope.  Don't have to."

Both men watch Remy as he hobbled out the main door.  They then looked at one another.  "O.K..." Bishop told Hank.  "Twenty dollars says that she want find it out by tonight."

Hank shook his head, No.  "No.  I think that she'll find out before you and him leave to go to the cycle shop ....... Make it twenty-five."  Laughed Hank.

Bishop rubbed his hands together.  "Let's make it interesting, shall we?  Forget about the money.  The loser will cover monitor duty for the next two weeks no matter whose shift it is."  He smiled.

Hank grimaced at the thought then he rubbed his index finger back and forward nonchalantly across his chin. "Sounds good."  He pointed at Bishop.  "You're on."