***

Back at the boathouse, I stood numbly in the living room, vaguely aware of
Jean heading into the kitchen. Logan gathered a blanket from the floor and
settled himself on the sofa.

"Get over here, darlin'. You heard Jeannie tell us to cuddle, and cuddle we
will."

More than his words, my own desire to be held and comforted got me moving. I
sat next to him, moving into his waiting arms and reveling in the way he
draped the blanket around my shivering form. Leaning into him with a shaky
sigh, I concentrated on the steady beat of his heart under my ear. Small
noises from the kitchen sounded for a few minutes, then stopped.

"Thanks, Jean," Logan rumbled.

"No problem, Logan. We'll talk later - after the meeting."

Eyes firmly closed, I ignored them. I couldn't even begin to deal with
thinking about what kind of backlash this 'meeting' might cause. Besides,
something else - something Jean had said - was uppermost in my mind right
then. I didn't look at her, much less speak, before she left us alone.

"Cher?" I asked after I'd warmed up a bit.

"Yeah, Rem?"

"'Bout what Jeannie said-"

"The L-word, ya mean? What about it?"

"I...I t'ought y'd be upset. Sayin' dat in front of *him*."

"Nah. I don't give a flyin' fuck what he thinks."

"What you t'ink, cher? D' y'..."

"Love ya? Dunno, Rem, it's too soon to tell. This is happening so fast,
darlin'. Love and trust don't come easy ta me. We're friends. I do care
fer ya - but I've been a loner fer years."

I started to pull away. Space. I needed space. To think.

"No," he said, tightening his hold on me. "I ain't saying it ain't possible.
I just... Let me show ya how I feel. Wanna make love ta ya - an' wake up
with ya in bed, come mornin'."

"Mais, Logan, I t'ink-"

"No more talk, Cajun. Not now, anyway. I'm starved an' ya need ta get
somethin' in yer stomach. Sit here an' rest while I fix us a meal."

Disengaging himself from me, Logan headed off to the kitchen. Wrapped in my
blanket, I quietly considered his words, the possibilities. Was it
conceivable that he might grow to love me? What was love anyway? I'd never
loved or been loved. Could this warmth, this trust, these butterflies in my
stomach, mean love? Or, was it as he said, too soon to tell?

Lost in thought, I started when he yelled to me from the kitchen. "Get off
yer ass, Gambit. Make yerself useful."

"Bossy, ain' y'?"

"I'm doing the cooking, least ya can do is set the table."

Relieved to be back on more familiar footing with Logan, I grumbled as I set
the table. Together, we carried our plates into the dining area.

"What y' tryin' t' do, poison Remy?" I asked, poking suspiciously at the
bland meal he'd prepared for me. "What is dis, anyway?"

"Food, idiot."

"Mais... chicken an' rice? And what's *dis*?" I asked, viewing the protein
drink at my place with disdain. "I ain' drinkin' dis."

"Ya want me ta call Hank? Or Jean? Tell 'em yer giving me trouble?"

Sighing, I tested the food. Surprised to find that it was actually edible, I
ate with more enthusiasm. Then, I tasted the protein drink. Awful didn't
even begin to describe it. Nothing could possibly taste so bad and be good
for a person. Grimacing, I pushed the glass to one side.

"Drink it. All of it, bub."

"Tastes like chalk. Chocolate flavored chalk." I frowned and pushed the
offending liquid further away.

He shoved it back. "I said, drink it. Hank says ya need the stuff."

"Non."

"No drinkie, no nookie."

"I hate y', Wolvie."

He just smiled at me. "Drink."

No fool, I, my plate was clean in record time. I even managed to choke down
that nasty, chalky, supposedly good for me, protein drink. "Dere," I
announced proudly. "All done."

"Good job, kid," he said, rising from his seat and starting to clear the
table.

I made a move to help, but he shook his head. "I got it, Rem."

"But... wanna get dis done fast so we c'n... Y' promised m', cher. Y' said
that if I ate, we'd-"

He snickered. "Yep, I sure did. And we will. But first, I want ya ta get
naked, wash up, and lay down fer a bit. Upstairs. No floor this time,
darlin'. There's a big, soft bed just callin' our names."

"Mais..." I protested, shivering at the thought.

"Remy, I won't be long," he reassured me. "It'll be fine - ya'll see."

I looked away, not wanting to argue the matter and not wanting to disappoint
him by being a baby about it. He felt my fear and hesitation, though.

"Tell ya what, go and take a hot shower, then dress in warm clothes and wrap
yerself up in a heavy blanket. That'll keep ya warm until I get upstairs."
Grinning, he wriggled his eyebrows teasingly. "I'll enjoy unwrapping and
undressing ya."

"'Kay," I agreed doubtfully. "Remy'll try."

"Good. And, Rem, will ya *please* quit that third person shit? I know ya do
it outa fear, but this is me. Ya can read my emotions; can't ya feel how
much I care, that I'd never hurt ya?"

"Oui, Logan. I can feel dat y'care. It's just... it's a habit, I s'pose.
I'll work on dat. Promise."

"Thanks. Now," he waved me towards the stairs, "go on up and take that
shower."

***

I stood under the warm shower, relishing the heat as I wondered at the inner
warmth Logan's care provided me. Logan. An unexpectedly complex man, I'd
discovered. As Wolverine, he was capable of extreme violence. And, as Logan
he was surprisingly gentle with the kids, particularly Jubilee and Kitty.
Gruff, yes. But kind.

I found it almost impossible to believe that his gentleness was offered to
me, too. Outwardly gruff, he couldn't hide his softer side, not now that
he'd let me establish an empathic link between us.

I think he was as surprised by his feelings as I was.

Lost in thought, I didn't even hear the bathroom door open. I jumped when
Logan pushed the shower curtain aside - then blushed as he viewed my naked
body with approval.

"Whatcha trying ta do, drown yerself?" Reaching in, he turned off the water.
"Come outa there, 'fore yer skin gets any more wrinkled. Ya look like a
prune already."

He turned and grabbed a towel, unfolding it and holding it open invitingly.
"C'mon, kid. Lemme dry ya off."

"C'n dry m'self, Logan. Ain' no bebe, me."

"I know that, Rem. Jest wanna touch ya. I'm gonna get ya dried off and into
bed." He grinned lasciviously. "Then I'm gonna touch ya some more."

A little embarrassed and a lot eager, I allowed him to do as he wished. With
utmost care, he dried every inch of my body. I'd never experienced anything
of the like. The rising lust in him, humming across our link and resounding
through my body, eased my reticence about standing there naked while he ran a
towel over me. When he lingered over my private parts, I surprised myself by
moaning aloud with pleasure and anticipation.

"Wan' y', Logan."

"Ya got me, darlin'."

Grinning, he guided me into the bedroom. "Lay down, Rem."

"Wanna undress y'," I argued.

Shaking his head, he said, "Not this time. Ya'll get a chill if ya don't get
under the blanket."

I pouted but did as he asked. Once settled, I folded my hands behind my head
and smiled. "Gonna give m' a show, cher?"

A slow tide of red colored his cheeks. "I ain't no stripper, kid," he
grumped. Efficiently, he disrobed and climbed in beside me.

Turning onto my side, I reached out for him.

"Uh uh," he said, pushing me down to lie flat. "This time we do things
differently. Gonna show ya how good a lover's hands can make ya feel. Gonna
touch ya, taste ya... make ya come fer me."

I knew that he recognized my fears and wouldn't push me past my limits;
still, old memories nudged at me. Memories of being used, of submission
being forced on me.

"Hey," Logan said quietly, turning my face towards his with a gentle touch.
"Ya know I won't hurt ya. I ain't like them other men, Remy. Just gimme a
chance, okay? If ya can't handle it yet, we got plenty of other options."

"I... Logan, it ain' y', cher. Jus' dat de past sometimes..."

"I know that, kid. An' I'll be careful." He stroked my jawline with his
fingertips. "Don't ya want me ta touch ya? Taste ya? Suck ya?"

Oh, God. That voice of his. The low purr of his words sent butterflies
dancing in my stomach. Even if his desire for me hadn't been singing through
our link, that voice would have convinced me of his sincerity.

Suddenly restless, I shifted against the sheets. "Please," I whispered.
"Show me."

And he did. Oh, how he did.

Moving closer, he pressed his mouth to mine. "Ya've got the softest lips,"
he murmured. "Open up fer me, Rem. Let me in."

We kissed for what seemed forever. I couldn't get enough - was completely
lost in the way his mobile tongue explored my mouth, the way he invited me to
return the favor, the way he nibbled and sucked on my lower lip. My fear
slipped away as if it had never been.

When his hand started to lightly move down my neck to my chest, I arched up
into the touch and whimpered faintly. Warm, soft fingers traveled past my
clavicle and circled gently around one nipple.

"Oh!" I gasped. "C'est bon, Logan. Do dat 'gain."

Continuing his attentions to my sensitive nipples, his mouth moved up to my
neck. The way he kissed, nibbled and sucked the skin there had me humming
with dazed approval.

"More?" he asked, lifting his head to look at me.

"Stop now an' I'll be forced t' hurt y', cher."

Chuckling at my words, he pushed the blanket down to my waist. Still softly
caressing my chest, he slid lower on the bed and followed the random trails
of his fingers with his lips. I nearly went through the roof when his tongue
wetted one nipple then pulled back just enough to blow a stream of air across
it.

I'd never known, never imagined, that such a simple touch could affect me so
drastically. It did, though. My cock was harder than it had ever been, and
I was so close to coming that I seriously doubted my ability to last until he
even got below my waist.

Breathing deeply, I concentrated on control. I wanted more. I wanted him to
keep touching me until the end of time.

Logan glanced up at me, a little concerned at the way my muscles had
tightened. "Ya doin' okay there, kid?"

"Jus' need a minute, cher. Don' wanna come too soon."

Relieved, he nuzzled at my chest while I conjugated Latin verbs in my head.
Eventually, I calmed a little. Drawing in a deep breath, I said, "'M 'kay
now."

One quick twitch of his hand, and the blanket was thrown to the bottom of the
bed. "We don't need that now. Ya feel plenty warm ta me."

A brief but thorough oral examination of my lower abdomen and navel soon had
me gasping, right back on that edge once more. Teasingly, he bypassed the
part of me that was screaming for attention, scooting down further to taste
my knee. Then my thigh. Pausing at the join of thigh and hip, he smirked up
at me and moved over to give my other leg the same attention.

Evil, *wonderful*, bastard.

He was killing me by slow degrees with pleasure. Ever so slowly, he made his
way to the apex of my thighs, grinned up at me briefly, and licked my balls.

"Logan," I pleaded, hands clenched in his hair. "Y're makin' me crazy. 'M
gonna die if y' don'-"

With a swift move, he closed his warm, wet mouth around my erection. And -
God almighty - what a talented mouth he has. Writhing at the sensations of
his tongue licking me, of the way he sucked on me, then lightly scraped his
teeth along the length of my cock, I lost it.

In a big way.

"Jesus! Oh, God, *Logan*! Don't stop. Please don't stop. That's so good.
Never felt... I can't... I'm going to-"

With a scream that was probably heard all the way up at the mansion, I came.
My heart pounded; my toes tingled; my entire body shuddered and curled up
around him as the strongest orgasm I'd ever had was torn from me.

When I opened my eyes again, somehow I was lying flat, the pillow I'd shoved
to the floor back under my head, and Logan was beside me again, holding me
close.

"Remy?"

I cleared my throat, surprised at how sore it felt. Must've been one hell of
a scream... "Gimme a minute, cher. Y' jus' 'bout did poor ole Remy in wit'
dat'. Soon as I c'n move, I'll see what I c'n do for y'."

A wave of amusement came to me via the link. "I came when ya did, darlin'.
That empathy of yers... I felt every moment of yer orgasm."

"Y' did?" Concerned, I frowned. "Is dat a good thing?"

"The best, Rem. Can't wait ta do it again."

"Mmmm. Sounds good t' m'." I yawned. "Mebbe after a li'l nap?"

"Sure, kid. Ya wore me out, too."

I snuggled closer to him and prepared to drift off into sleep.

"Oh, Remy?" Uh oh. He sounded entirely too pleased with himself there. My
name, following an innocent little 'Oh' shouldn't set off any alarms - even
if it was delivered in an unimaginable kind of a sing-song cadence. If I
hadn't heard it with my own ears, I'd never have believed it possible.

"Oui?" I asked cautiously.

"Ya blew yer cover, bub. Ya may be a Cajun, but I heard clear, concise,
unaccented English comin' outa yer mouth."

Well, damn.

"Logan... I, um, I might be a little smarter than I've let on."

"No shit!"

"I've been to college. A couple of colleges, actually."

"Go on..."

"I have a bachelors degree in art history from The Art Institute of Chicago."

"And?"

"Ah, an MBA from Yale."

"Uh huh. That all?"

"I studied world history at Cambridge for a year or two."

"Remy... exactly how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"So, you started college when you were, what? Five?"

"Was fifteen when Pere sent m' t' Chicago," I admitted reluctantly. He'd ask
more questions - questions that would bring those bad old memories back to
haunt me.

"Hey, take it easy, kid. Yer gettin' all upset over this. I ain't gonna go
tellin' anyone yer secrets."

"Not that, Logan. I know you wouldn't do that. It's just that the whole
subject brings up... things I don't like to think about."

"Don't worry about it, darlin'. I ain't gonna force ya ta talk about
anything."

"I never told anyone about most of it... might be good for me."

"Probably so. If ya do wanna talk, I'm here to listen. Anytime."

"Some of it is... not nice," I warned.

"Look, Rem, I care 'bout ya. Won't pass judgement or anything." He snorted.
"Hell, what little I know of my own past ain't exactly pretty."

"You've been alone most of the time, right?"

"Yeah. Seemed safer that way. But this place, Xavier's, it's almost like a
home ta me. Took some time ta adjust, being in one place, around so many
people. But, I kinda got used ta it - and it's nice being accepted. Some of
'em even like me a little, I think."

Without conscious decision, I lapsed back into my normal speech pattern. "I
know y' don' 'member much from 'fore Weapon X..." I began hesitantly.

He sighed, "Go ahead and ask, Rem. Yer curiosity is making my head hurt."

"Was jus' wonderin' if you 'member anythin' 'bout y'r childhood."

"I have... dreams sometimes. Never remember anything concrete - more of a
feeling of home, ya know? An' I have an impression of being loved and
protected by a woman. Those dreams leave me with a peace of mind and a
longing ta know more. I always think that if I could've dreamed for another
moment, I'd have a picture of her in my mind."

"Mebbe... mebbe y' could tell me more 'bout dem one day?"

"I might." He chuckled. "If ya catch me in the right mood."

"Logan?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Does dat mean... are we gonna..." Afraid I was pushing his boundaries, I
let my words trail off.

To my amazement, he not only knew what I was trying to ask, he responded.
"Think so, darlin'. I know this is happening fast, but it feels right." He
pressed a light kiss to my cheek. "Now, quit yer jabbering and let me get
some shuteye."

Secure in the knowledge that he'd be there when I woke, I smiled and agreed.
"'Kay, cher. Sleep well."

"Mmmm," he hummed. Then gave a rumbling purr and started to snore.

***

I will serenade you
All along the way
I will serenade you
Any way you say

Let Me Serenade You
J. Finley