************************************
“ MOVE!” Hank screamed as alarms went off one after another. “ He’s crashing!” The doctor was moving at a fevered pace trying to figure out just how things turned so terribly wrong. He thought as loud as he could JEAN! I need you! Quickly! There was no time to stop and use the intercom it would waste precious seconds. “ Logan, get out!”

“ Hell no! I’m not going anywhere! What’s happening Hank? What’s wrong?”

“ I don’t have time to explain!” He turned as the door slid open and Jean rushed in. “ Get him out then help me!”

Jean winced at the chaotic scene in front of her. Alarms were beeping, Hank was screaming and Logan was stuck in the middle of it all. He desperately wanted to stay; Remy would be terrified, but he knew he would be in the way. Jean found all this and a paralyzing fear in his mind. “ Come on Logan, we need room to move. We’ll come for you as soon as we can.” She led him to the door as he struggled to catch every glimpse he could of his young lover.

“ I don’t get it, he was fine… He was fine! Jeannie, what’s happenin’ to him?”

“ I need to get back there and help Hank figure that out.” She silently summoned Storm to come and take care of Logan. “ Sit here and stay out of the way, it’s the best way for you to help Remy.”

Storm rushed in and took Logan’s arm. “ Come my friend, I need some company while I wait.”

Logan looked between the two women and nodded nervously.

“ Jean!” Hank called from the lab and Jean turned and hurried in. The large metal door slid shut with an almost evil hiss.

“ He’s gonna be fine…he’s gonna be fine…” over and over Logan repeated the words.

                                  ***********************************
I’m dyin…don’ feel like it did in de Arctic. It’s so loud! Feel like m’ insides are on fire. Every muscle pulled beyond its limits! Hurts! Henri, it hurts! Never got t’ tell Logan I love him. Wanted… to tell him… one…last…

“ We’re losing him!” Hank started pounding on the young man’s chest as the heart monitor went into a flat line. “ Come on Remy! Come on! Damn it I’m not going to tell Logan you’re gone!”

“ He’s back!” Jean yelled as she watched the line on the monitor jump erratically.

Hank watched as the line started to even out into a more normal pattern. When it looked like the crisis had passed he slumped to a chair and covered his face with his large blue hands. “ Oh my stars…” he slowly moved his hands away from his face and stared at them as they shook.

“ Are you alright Hank?” Jean quietly asked. She’d never seen Hank fall apart like that. He’d been taking care of sick and wounded X-Men for years.

“I’m sorry Jean” his voice shook like his hands. “ It was so unexpected. Remy was doing so well.” He stood slowly and checked his young patient. “ Everything happened so fast.”

“ Do you have any idea what happened?”
 
“ None. Warren was on the phone. Logan was letting go of some of his anger. He was rather sedate, you would have been proud. Remy cried out and all his readings began to drop.” Hank adjusted the oxygen Remy was receiving.

“ Can I go get him? He’s so scared Hank.”

Hank looked up from his young friend. That was too close. “ Yes, of course. Tell him he can come back in.” As Jean left to get Logan Hank ran his huge hand over Remy’s hair.
 “ That was quite enough of that young man. It seems it was your turn to scare me.” Hank rechecked the monitors, as a frantic Logan wasted no time returning to his lover’s side.

“ Is he all right? Remy?”

Hank placed a slightly shaky hand on Logan’s shoulder, “ The crisis has passed. He seems to be fine now. I’m going to leave the oxygen on for a while, until I can figure out what exactly just happened here. He will be sore, I‘m afraid I may have bruised some ribs in my haste to help him.”

Logan nodded but never turned from his lover. “ At least he’s still breathin’. Was that from one of the drugs that’re still in him?”

“ I hope so, that would be the easiest explanation. Now that you’re back I’m going to do another blood work up.” Hank hesitated for a moment just watching Remy. “ I was afraid I’d lost you young man. I believe I have become as attached to you as Logan and Storm.” He smiled a little and patted the unconscious boy’s shoulder gently before leaving to run the blood he’d drawn.

“ See darlin, you got more friends than you know around here.” Logan carefully kissed the boy then sat in his favorite chair. Hopefully that was the last crisis and his lover would wake again soon.

                                 **************************************

Warren couldn’t get the image from the screen out of his head. It was Logan, not Wolverine, not some wild animal. It was the man named Logan in that room holding the boy called Remys’ hand. It was Logan he gave the drugged food to. It was Logan who ate the drug; fed the drug to Remy. Somehow in the course of a few short minutes these people had become more real to him.

They had names and lives.

They were a couple.

 They were in love.

“ Isn’t it wrong?” He whispered to himself. He really needed to talk to someone but it was the wee hours of the morning and there was no one around. “ Am I wrong?” He got up and shivered from the early morning chill. Throwing on his robe he silently made his way back to the conference room and hit rewind again.

                                 ************************************

Remy moaned quietly and Logan was suddenly fully alert. “ Rem? Hey kiddo, can ya hear me?”

Remy wanted to open his eyes but for some reason he couldn’t. He took as deep a breath as he could and tried to speak. His chest ached. It took him a while to make even a soft sound, forming words was going to have to wait. He wanted to talk to Logan! He wanted to hear his lover’s voice but if he thought Remy was sleeping he would remain quiet. He dug deep inside himself; he could feel Logan holding his hand; if he could squeeze it Logan would talk.

It hurt.
 
From the top of his head all the way down to his feet every muscle ached but he needed to hear that deep, gravely voice. He was safe when that voice filled the air.

Logan saw the movement more than felt it. The kid was as weak as a kitten He tightened his grip a bit. “ I saw that darlin. So you are awake. I’ll be so damn glad when you can talk to me again. I miss that sound. How ‘bout this, I’ll talk and you keep squeezing my hand ‘til ya find yer voice again. Okay?”

A slight movement made Logan smile. “ There! Ya see! We can talk. Are ya hurtin? You scared the shit outta Hank an’ me earlier today. Guess that shit ain’t quite out of your system yet. Hank says there are only traces of it now. In another day it’ll all be gone. Then we just gotta get ya on yer feet again. Do ya realize you been here for almost a week? That eye doctor will be back to check ya again soon. I sure miss those eyes.” To prove the point he bent and kissed each one lightly. He felt a squeeze and smiled. “ Don’t worry, by the time that arm heals again this’ll be just another memory.” Logan watched as Remy opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell him to be quiet; to save his strength but Remy seemed determined. “ Take yer time darlin. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

Remy concentrated on the task at hand and finally managed to whisper “ you… ‘k?”

Logan gently squeezed his lover’s hand. “ I’m fine kid. You should know by now nothing can stop me fer long” though silently he thought unless I lose you.

“ bon…sinister…s-said…”

“ Forget what that lyin’ bastard said. I’m fine kid, don’t ya worry ‘bout me. If ya wanna worry, worry ‘bout Wings and Creed-” The words left his mouth before he thought about them and he knew his mistake as soon as the first shiver started to pass through the boy on the bed. “ Fuck! Damn it I’m sorry darlin! I’ didn’t mean to mention the monster’s name!

“ h-he…h-he…”

“ I know darlin. Hank found…”

“ n-non…h-he said…” Remy swallowed hard and tried to find the strength inside him to continue. “ get…y-you… n-next…”

His lover was scared. He never stuttered. He never shook like this! “ It’s all right Rem. I’m safe, you’re safe, no one can hurt us here. I promise to watch for him, okay? I promise to be careful.” As I tear him to pieces he finished in his mind.

Remy knew it would be impossible to speak more so he squeezed the warm hand that held his and drifted to sleep.

                               *************************************

Logan knew his young lover was sleeping again. The feather light grip was gone. He brushed through Remy’s hair. It needed to be washed. He’d ask Hank if he could do that tomorrow. He hoped that he hadn’t planted any nightmares by mentioning Creed’s name. He wanted to know exactly what the monster did to his lover but he was too afraid to ask. It wasn’t like the kid was up to answering him anyway.

 He knew it would come to him later when they weren’t expecting it. It would slip into his sleeping mind and yet another nightmare would be born. Remy had more than his share of the evil things. Even after all this time the boy would cry in his sleep. Logan slid into the bed beside his lover and carefully worked the exhausted boy into his arms.

 He would protect his injured lover from the dreams. He would keep him safe.

                                  ***************************************

Charles found Warren asleep in the conference room, his head on his arm the tape paused at the same spot that Warren found so interesting the day before. Logan had surprised him. He stayed mostly calm and just let the anger and frustration flow naturally from him. He wasn’t the berserk animal Charles expected. Remy was such a good influence on him. He could just imagine the shocked look he’d get from the young Cajun if he ever heard those words. The boy really didn’t understand the impact he had on the people he met. He was so young and he’d survived so much in that small amount of time. Charles shook his head and gently placed a hand on Warren’s shoulder. “ Warren? Wake up its morning. Have you been here all night?”

Warren sat up quickly, startled out of a dream. A dream. Not a nightmare. “ Charles?”

“ I found you here asleep in front of the monitor. Care to tell me what’s going on?”

He stood and stretched. “ They wouldn’t let me sleep. I had to come down here and…” He turned to the monitor, “ I had to look at them together. Really look at them.” He sat down and stared at the screen. “ Betsy never looked at me like that” he looked down at the table, “ and I know I never looked at her that way…”
He sighed and turned to Charles, “ I understand now.”

“ What do you understand?” Charles silently prayed that Warren would say the right thing.

“ That they have something most of us can only dream of.
 That even though they’re men they really are meant to be together.”

Charles silently cheered his student. “ You do understand.”

“ I was thinking about when we were trapped in that building. He was hurt bad, I knew it, but he was…LeBeau! I remember I told him not to leave me… He stood up and walked toward me, not a trace of a limp, not a hint of pain on his face…but there was fear. He was afraid for Wolverine. I just realized how bad he had to be hurting but the only thing I saw was that fear that he’d lost Logan. I followed him; he crawled into holes a child would have trouble getting into to check for Wolverine. His arm busted up, his leg and head bleeding…he made it halfway down the hall before he just…collapsed. He sat against the wall and cried, begging whatever it is he believes in for Logan to be okay.”

“ You have to understand Warren, Remy hasn’t had many people he could trust not to hurt him. At the time you, Bobby and Rogue made sure it was clear to him that he was unwanted and despised.” Charles saw a flash of pain wash across the man’s face. He saw in his mind as he remembered, he saw the embarrassment and shame he felt for acting so childishly.

“ It makes me feel ill to think I was ever that cruel” Warren whispered. “ Charles, can I go home now? There are a couple of friends I need to talk to.”

“  I would love to send you home but I think it would be wise to talk from here until I have a chance to sit down with Logan. He is still understandably upset.”

Warren rolled his eyes, “ You think?” He sighed and sat down, “ All right, but could you do it soon? I’m not sure how long this new improved personality will last and I’d like them to see it.” He pointed to the monitor.

Charles smiled and patted his shoulder; “ I’ll do it today. Come on, its breakfast time and all of a sudden I am famished.”

Warren looked at him and smiled as he realized he was starving too. Examining your soul and realizing past mistakes and how to fix them was great for the appetite.

                                 **************************************

Outside the mansion, beyond all sensors, yellow eyes watched and waited. Sabretooth wanted more. The taste he got only made the hunger worse. His cock stirred as he remembered how tight the Cajun was. It stirred again when he realized how much pain it would cause Wolverine if he could get to the kid. Sinister wanted the Cajun alive after he was through; it was the only thing that stopped him from taking the kid the last time. He had to be content finger-fucking him while he jerked off. He licked the kid’s blood from his finger; it was so spicy and sweet. Like chips; one taste is never enough.

Well Sinister wasn’t around anymore. He was off creating a new mutant or something. Creed undid his pants; he pulled his long, hard cock out and started stroking it. “ This time kid… your sweet tight ass is mine!”  It didn’t take long to make himself come and the huge mutant looked to the sky and screamed as his seed hit the ground.

                                   *************************************

Logan sat up and looked around. He blew out a long breath and ran his hands through his hair. Must have been a dream. He could have sworn he heard a scream. He looked over at his sleeping lover and walked silently from the room. Remy was doing much better. The crash the day before was the last of the drugs leaving his system, a final Gift from Sinister. Hank removed the oxygen and the last of the IV’s earlier this morning. As he did his morning check up the young Cajun finally showed reflex responses in his legs. He was still incredibly weak but all signs pointed to a full recovery, probably even getting up and moving around in the next few days. Certainly sitting up at the very least by the afternoon. Logan wandered into Hank’s office and sat down.

“ I’m gonna go have a smoke Blue. Watch the kid for me ‘til I get back?”

 “ Of course. What did the Professor want earlier?”

“ Chuck wants me to make nice with Wings. Says he’s healed mentally, that he respects our love. I don’t know Hank, I can’t stand the thought of him back here anywhere near Remy.”

“ Charles is the strongest telepath in the world Logan, I think you can trust his judgment.”

“ Well I told him it was up to Remy. If he’s okay with it then I will be too. The kid’s too eager to forgive sometimes though.”

“ Sometimes? That boy would forgive the devil himself if he asked.”

“ Will you help me with that Blue? We gotta make him understand that it’s okay to get angry with people who hurt you. He’s like a man possessed when he’s in battle fighting but when it comes to the personal stuff…he needs to get it through his thick skull that he is not to blame for the world’s problems.”

“ You’re hoping for a lot Logan but I will help you, I really like Remy. He is a fascinating person.”

“ Finally someone else opens their eyes!” Logan proclaimed with a laugh.

Hank smiled and walked him to the exit so he could enjoy his smoke, “ I think it is safe to say that we have all finally seen the light that is our young friend Remy LeBeau. Take your time Logan. If he wakes we are going to get started on a little PT to strengthen his muscles again.”

“ Thanks Hank… for everything. I love that kid and it means a lot to me that you took the time to reach out to him too. That you’re willing to give him the chance to show you how damn special he is.”

“ I always saw it Logan, it was Remy who was afraid but we will get him past that. He’s going to be amazed at all the friends he has but was too afraid to see.”

Logan’s heart ached a little at that statement. It was Remy’s final hurdle. In four days they would know if he would see his friends or not. “ Talk to ya in a bit Blue.” he said as he pushed out of the door. He wandered to his favorite spot and lit a cigar. It almost made him start coughing. He hadn’t even left Remy for a smoke in the last week. That had to be some kind of record for him. He took a deep breath and was about to take another puff when a scent hit his nose like a sledgehammer.

“ Creed” he growled.

 With a last puff and a predator’s look around he re-entered the mansion and hit the alarm.

                                     ************************************

“ Warren, there is a problem at the mansion.” Charles hoped his student was ready for the challenge that was ahead of him.

“ What’s the problem?”

“ Logan scented Sabretooh outside the Mansion. Remy told Logan he was coming for him next.  He absolutely refuses to let Logan leave his side. Scott, Bobby and Rogue are away on a mission and can’t be reached. I don’t think there is immediate danger but I need you there at the mansion to help. Can I count on you?”

Warren swallowed hard and turned to the Professor, “ Get me on a plane sir; I won’t let him hurt them. I have a debt to repay.”

                                    ***********************************

Logan sat by Remy’s bed brushing back his hair. He needed to be outside! He could scout around and find the dirty bastard. His stench was easy to track. Remy had nearly gone into shock when he found out the bastard was outside. The only way to get him to calm down was to have Logan at his side.

Jean entered the lab and motioned for Logan to join her. He bent and whispered something in his lover’s ear, kissing him gently before releasing his hand and walking out to Jean.

“ You find anything?”

“ No, there’s no sign of him. With Scott, Bobby and Rogue gone and out of communication range the only thing I could do was leave them a message and hope they get it soon. Storm has been flying all afternoon keeping watch. We need you out there.”

Hank cleared his throat. “ No. My patient nearly went into shock earlier when he found out that monster was out there. He’s just barely hanging on to decent readings now. Logan needs to take care of Remy. Are we even sure he’s still out there?”

“ I heard him earlier” Logan said sharply, “ Thought I was dreamin’. He won’t leave until he gets what he came for and I’m guessin’ for some stupid reason that’s me.” Logan spoke quietly “ Hank can’t ya give him something’ to make him sleep? I could get rid of Creed before he woke up.”

“ Not with his readings as shaky as they are. He will be fine as long as he knows you are fine. If it’s that simple to keep my patient safe then that is what will happen. Is it really worth risking Remy’s health to go out there?”

“ Of course not.” Jean replied. “ We’ll be okay. Hank’s right, he may be gone already.”

Logan was torn. He wanted blood for what the bastard did to his lover but he wanted to stay and protect his lover at the same time. “ I’ll stay. I won’t cause Remy any worry or pain.”

“ Thank you Logan.” Hank said, “ The Professor is sending Warren back from Muir.” He caught Logan’s worried gaze. “ I will not let him hurt Remy…or you.”

“ Keep him away from us ‘til I have time to talk to the kid. If he has a problem with Wings bein’ here then he goes. He’s not driving Remy out of his home ever again!”

                                *************************************

Sabretooth laughed quietly. “ This is sweet! There are only five of ’em here and the kid, the runt and the Beast are all in the same place already!” He watched as Storm flew across the sky and entered her loft. “ Time to start droppin’ the number to one.” He sat a small device on the ground and hit a button. It silently disabled the sensors in a small space. He slipped inside and picked up the device. It was so quick that it wouldn’t register that anything was disturbed. “ Damn I love the perks of workin for Sinister.” He smiled as a plan played through his mind. He wasn’t even going to kill anybody! He was gonna pick ’em off one by one. Then they could all join Wolverine to watch as he and the Cajun put on a show. It took him a full day to finally rid himself of Sinister’s drugs. The kid didn’t have a healing factor and the Doc gave him four times the drugs! He would be as docile as a lamb while he was fucked…over and over… His cock began to wake up and he silently adjusted himself. “ Down boy, gotta gather our audience first.”  He felt in his pocket, yep, still had the new collars the boss made. No thicker than a shoestring, these new collars would get rid of all those nasty powers and make his audience much easier to control.

                                    ***********************************

Storm had no idea what hit her. She was about to leave her loft when she suddenly felt weak. She remembered feeling a sting and feeling dizzy now she was lying on the floor in the med lab? She tried to rise but found she was bound to a heavy metal lab table that was bolted to the floor. Her hands and feet were tied and tape was across her mouth. She tried to use her powers to free herself and nothing happened! Looking around she saw Hank and Jean in exactly the same position.

Sabretooth!

She was the first to wake it seemed so the only one witnessing the chaos in the lab. Wolverine and Sabretooth were in a battle to the death! Both men were covered in blood the lab was destroyed. Tables and carts were overturned, test tubes and beakers broken or leaking. Her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of Remy on the far side of the lab. He was lying strapped to a table even though he could barely move. The medical gown he wore was open, exposing him for all to see. She could hear him weakly crying out for help. She pulled desperately on her bindings but they wouldn’t budge! Logan had a scalpel poking out of his chest. Sabretooth’s right arm was nearly severed at the elbow and his stomach was a gapping wound trying to mend itself.

Goddess! Please help us!

                                   *************************************

Warren heard the commotion as he moved through the lower levels of the mansion.
“ Damn, I’m too late!” He rushed to the med lab and was shocked by the scene. Jean, Hank and Storm were already trapped. Gagged and bound. Storm was the only one conscious and frantically pulling on her ropes and screaming behind the tape. They all had strange glowing strings around their necks. He snuck in and made his presence known to Ro. He went to the nearest cabinet and pulled out the first bottle he found. He filled the biggest syringe he could find and prayed for just one chance to use it.

 Logan and Creed were still going at it. Remy was trying to move. From out of nowhere Creed pulled out what looked like a tranquilizer gun and aimed it at Logan’s throat. “ Say goodnight Runt!” He pulled the trigger and Logan fell to the ground. Creed used the chance to wrap a collar around his neck.
 
It was over.
 
The kid was his.
 
 After he pulled Logan’s bloody body over with the others he mounted the table and shoved Remy’s legs apart. “ Time for the show kiddies!”

Warren watched as the maniac turned his back and knew this would be his only chance. With a mad cry he ran up behind Creed as he started to rub against the young Cajun and plunged the needle into the back of the monster’s neck.

                                **************************************

Creed screamed and knocked someone off his back. Damn, someone had gotten loose! He felt the sedative try to work; he felt the healing factor push it back. With a scream of victory he pushed inside the Cajun and was rewarded with a loud wail of fear and pain.

                                    *********************************

Logan watched as the scene before him played out in slow motion. His healing power wasn’t working and he could feel the numerous wounds that covered his body. He heard Remy cry out in pain and looked on in horror as the monster start to move on top of him. The whole team was awake now screaming as best they could and pulling on their ropes. Tears streamed from their eyes as they watched unable to help. Logan’s vision clouded with tears and pain as Remy called out his name.

 Suddenly Warren was beside them again. He was holding his ribs and there was a nasty cut on the side of his head from the table he hit when Creed pushed him away but he had a scalpel and he cut the ropes. Hank was the first free and he started working on Logan’s collar. If he could remove it the man’s natural healing power would save him from the lethal injuries he sustained. It felt like a lifetime passed before the hated thing fell to the floor. Logan moaned and fell to his side as his body fought to repair the severe wounds. Warren freed Jean and Ro and in moments the last of the collars fell away.

                                  ******************************************

Creed made the nearly fatal mistake of forgetting about his captives. He was so lost in the sensation of being inside the thief that he forgot everything else. When the lightning bolt hit him and he was shoved off the terrified boy he was so surprised he couldn’t react. All of a sudden he was falling toward Logan. With a cry of pain Logan’s claws appeared and just missed piercing the monster’s skull. He twisted at the last moment and ran for the door.

                                 ***************************************
Logan’s last conscious vision was of his lover sobbing silently in Hank’s huge embrace.

                                 ***************************************

Charles made his way down to the medical wing of the Mansion. He arrived in the very early hours of the morning after catching the first flight he could back to New York. Hank called him after the fight in the lab. He explained how Creed managed to get in; a small jamming device that they found in the wreckage of the lab. He also told Charles about some kind of variation of the Genoshan slave collars. It seemed to be designed for only one use. It only had a ten-hour power supply. Charles had waited as long as he could to see his injured students. He heard Hank talking to someone as he entered the lab.

“ Charles! When did you get home?” Hank asked

“ Very early. I was anxious to see my students.” He smiled at the man before him.
 “ Warren.”

Warren returned the smile then winced in pain. “ I started to repay that debt Charles, I feel ten years younger.”

“ Warren saved us Professor. Sabretooth…” Hank sighed. “ We owe him our lives.”

“ No Hank, I’ve only just begun to repay a long overdue debt. I haven’t been able to think this clearly in years. It feels good to be part of the team again.”

“Bobby will be down soon with some clothes. You are free to leave at your leisure. I’m going to see my other patient, care to come along Charles?”

“ I’ll visit with them a bit later.” He waited for Hank to leave before he moved to Warren’s bed.

Warren winced as he swung his feet over the edge of the bed. “ You know it’s strange Charles; when I got down here and saw what was going on…everyone was bound and gagged except Logan and Remy. Logan was a bloody mess and Remy… I just followed my heart. They weren’t my gay teammates. They were just teammates.
I helped them and it felt so good.”

“ Welcome back Angel.” Charles said with a smile, “ Welcome home.”

                                 ************************************

Hank tapped gently on the door and waited.

“ Oui?” came the quiet reply.

Hank entered and smiled at the scene. Remy was sitting in a large overstuffed chair under a thick quilt. “ It’s just me Remy, I wanted to see how you were feeling this morning?”

Remy smiled in the general direction of the door and with slow, deliberate movements he pushed himself up from the chair.

“ Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Sit back down! Hank would you please tell this mule of a kid he needs to wait for me to help him! He’s gonna hurt himself.”

“ Henri, would y’ please tell m’ lover dat I ain’ a chile no more?”

Logan walked over and slowly pulled the young man into his arms. “ Maybe it wasn’t so bad when you couldn’t talk.” He kissed his lover’s temple, “ At least you couldn’t talk back to me!”

Remy huffed and let Logan help him back to bed. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone but the bed was his favorite place to be right now. Every joint in his body ached horribly and the heavy cast on his arm felt like an anchor dragging him down.

Logan fussed with the cover and pillows until Remy playfully slapped his hand away only to grab it and pull it back.

Hank sighed, “ If you two are done now, I’d like to get on with this exam.” He smiled as he checked Remy’s pulse and pressure. “Any pain?”

Logan answered before Remy could open his mouth. “Yeah, his joints still ache.”

“ Cher! I can’ see but I c’n still hear an’ talk! When dat eye guy comin’ back? M’ eyes burn somet’in fierce.”

“ Why didn’t you tell me? Hank, get that guy here today.”

“ I’ll call him from my office.” He paused a moment before he asked “any other pain?”

Remy shivered. He knew what Hank was asking. He hated this! He refused to talk about it in front of his lover. “ Cher, could y’ go get dat blue comforter from de ot’er room? I’m kinda chilly.”

 It took Logan the better part of a day to completely heal from his battle with Creed. Remy was asleep by the time he saw him again. He was fighting everyone and very vocal they told him. He was determined to go to Logan’s aide and getting stronger by the minute. Logan refused to have his lover wake up again in the lab or in their old room, too many bad memories he said. He picked a new room on the second floor; it had a fireplace and large comfortable furniture. It would be a new beginning for them.

Logan knew the real reason Remy wanted him out of the room. He’d asked his lover repeatedly about what Creed did to him originally and later in the lab but his lover refused to say a word to him. He felt a little jealous that he would talk to Hank but not him.

 Hank explained that it was Remy’s way of protecting himself. Hank was a doctor. Logan was his lover and the most important person in his life. If he said anything to his lover and he became upset it would be proof that it really happened to him. His mind would know when he was strong enough to accept what happened then it would all come spilling out. It would be a very hard, painful experience but one Logan would have to allow happening. It was the only way Remy would heal.

Logan bent close to his lover’s ear and whispered “ I’m gonna go out for a smoke.” He looked at Hank, “ Come find me as soon as yer done.” He reluctantly let go of Remy’s hand and left the room.

As soon as he was gone Hank sat slowly on the edge of the bed. He could tell by the way Remy was sitting what the young man was thinking. He pulled the boy close in a one armed hug. “ You didn’t do anything wrong. It wasn‘t your fault.”

Remy wanted to cry but his eyes already hurt so he just took a deep breath. “ I know. You need to check dere again?” he whispered.

“ I hope that this will be the last time.” He helped Remy get comfortable and checked him as quickly as possible. “ The area still looks tender. Have you been using the cream-”?

“ Non! I tol’ y’ I don’ need to! He didn’… not’in happened! ... Not’in happened,” he repeated in a whisper.

Hank sighed, “ Perhaps Logan could-”

“Non!” Remy hated this! He hated thinking about it and he hated talking about it! But most of all he hated that they all witnessed it! He hadn’t actually been raped; the bastard had just pushed in when they knocked him away but Remy felt so dirty! No matter what he did he still felt dirty.
 

Hank pulled him close and started rocking side to side. He was the only one Remy would open up to at the moment. Logan called him the night before frantic because Remy had locked himself in the bathroom. The boy had somehow stumbled into the small room as soon as he could get to his feet and stay there. Hank convinced Logan to leave the room and opened the door. He found Remy sitting on the floor crying and rubbing himself raw. He sat down beside his young friend and held him as he sobbed.

Hank sighed again. He couldn’t force the boy. “ It will heal eventually without the cream. I applied it just now, would you like me to do it as part of your exams?”

Remy looked like a small child as he nodded yes. It hurt less after Hank applied the cream he had to admit but every time he tried to do it he felt Creed’s weight on top of him again. He decided he would rather deal with the pain than of the flashbacks.

Hank understood Remy’s reluctance to touch himself. It would be painful and probably stir up memories he wasn’t ready to deal with just yet. He let Remy go and helped him lie down. “ I’ll go get Logan and call James. Maybe he will be able to see you today.”

Remy sunk farther under the blanket and nodded again.

“ Remy…”

“ Would y’ mind leavin Henri. I’m kinda tired,” he whispered.
He didn’t want to think…He didn’t want to remember.

                                  *************************************

Logan stood outside and finished his cigar. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even hear Warren approach.

“ Logan.” Warren called out tentatively.

Logan spun around slowly and stared at the man, “ Wings.”

This would get him nowhere Warren decided so he took a deep breath and plunged into the conversation he knew he had to have. “ I was wondering how you were? Last time I saw you I wasn’t sure you were going to make it.”

Logan laughed, “ Last time ya saw me you weren’t very concerned. I’m fine playboy…again.”

Warren cringed; the man isn’t going to make this easy.  “ How is Remy?”

Logan threw his cigar away and sneered at the man. “ How’s Remy? Remy is upstairs in our new room because he’s too weak to come downstairs. We have a new room because he still remembers Sinister taking him from the old one. Oh yeah, even if he could get down here he’d need help because he’s blind at the moment. He can only sit up for short periods of time because he’s sore from nearly being raped. He won’t talk to me about it though because he’s embarrassed that everyone watched!  You wanna know how Remy is? I think maybe you and I should go ask him together. Just understand; if you ever hurt him again, in any way, you’ll never get the chance to hurt anyone else ever again.”

Hank chose that moment to join the two men. “ Don’t go up there right now, Remy is resting.”

“ Logan turned to the Beast, ignoring Warren for now. “ Is he okay?”

“ Come to my office a minute. We need to talk.”

Warren felt invisible as the man brushed past him to follow Hank. He wasn’t used to being ignored, he was a very important person. He was struck again by the power of the love Logan felt for the injured boy upstairs, injuries that I am personally responsible for he thought to himself and cringed. Logan had just walked past him as if he was no more than an insect. It suddenly put into perspective where he actually fit into the scheme of things. Compared to the magnitude of that love he was insignificant.
“ Damn” he whispered.

TBC

Notes: This was supposed to be the last chapter but Creed wrote himself back into the story. Damn Villains…you just can’t trust ‘em! Next one will wrap it up.