-one month later-

The night was crisp and cold. A thin layer of frost coated everything, making
the whole world seem to sparkle and shimmer under the starlight. The
cloudless sky appeared to be black velvet sprinkled with glittering diamonds.
Elegant and beautiful. A light breeze rustled the last tenacious leaves still
clinging to their branches and a peaceful stillness held the forest in it's
gentle grip.

A small cloud of frost forming with every breath he took, Remy leaned his
chest tight against Logan's back. Warmth blossomed across his body wherever
they touched and a soft smile stretched his face.

"Tres magnifique, non?"

Remy wrapped his arms around Logan and his lover's thick fingers laced
together with his own.

"Yeah. It's beautiful out tonight. Reminds me of Canada, right before the
first big snowfall."

Remy's smile grew a little wistful and he tightened his hold around his
lover. Tilting his head to rest his cheek against Logan's wild mane of hair,
Remy basked in the bittersweet feelings of contentment and love that flowed
to him along their empathic link.

"Homesick, mon couer?"

Logan's shoulders shrugged lightly and he grunted.

"A little. I miss some things, like my beer and my cigars. There are other
things that I don't miss at all."

They both grew quiet for a long moment, just watching the stars sparkle in
the sky and listening to the quiet sounds of the slumbering forest around
them. Finally, Remy pressed a soft kiss to Logan's temple and whispered in a
voice slightly rusty from disuse.

"Cher?"

Logan grunted and pressed back against Remy, his head tilted slightly in
inquiry.

"Gambit is glad dat you are here wit' him. Vraiment, you keep dis Cajun sane.
De empat'y, it is not an easy t'ing to live wit'. Dis world, she is so empty
of thoughts and feelin's. Don' know what Gambit do wit'out you, mon amour."

Logan patted his hands softly and flooded their link with the warmth of
compassion and love.

"Keep the faith, Gumbo. The X-Men will find a way to get us home and then
you'll be bitching and moaning about so many people pressing in on your
shields and driving you nuts in the process."

Remy didn't even try to contain the chuckle of pure delight that bubbled up
out of him.

"Oui, mon couer. You mos' likely right. Gambit gonna be fightin' to get his
psi-shields back up when de ot'ers bring us home. Mais, you be dere to help,
so Remy not worried."

At that, Logan gently squeezed Remy's hands and turned his face up for a
kiss. Remy tipped his own head down and their lips met in a brief gentle
brush of skin against skin. Then Logan pulled back and twisted slightly so
that they were gazing into each other's eyes.

"I promise ya right now I'll be there for ya, whatever ya need. Us going home
won't change that and it won't change how I feel about ya."

Remy felt his eyes mist up and he blinked them rapidly to keep from crying,
but a single tear escaped down his cheek. Logan reached up and brushed it
away with one thick finger.

"Je t'aime, Logan."

"I love ya too, Remy. Forever."

Remy smiled and pressed himself deeper into his lover's embrace. His empathy
let him *feel* Logan's love and sincerity as it surrounding and filled him.
Whispering his own promise to his lover, the trees and the stars above, Remy
finally knew true happiness.

"Forever, mon amour. Forever."