Hank closed the door to his office and motioned Logan to sit down.

“ Well? Is the kid okay? I gotta tell ya Blue, when he locked himself in the bathroom I was afraid he lost it.”

Hank took off his glasses and started cleaning them. “ He did in a way but it’s a good sign.” He saw the confusion on the Canadian’s face and continued, “ He’s letting the feelings out. He’s not holding it all inside like when he was a child. Your love for him has allowed him to do that. He feels secure enough now to let the pain and fear out.”

“Not to me!” Logan said in frustration. “ I wanna help him Hank but he won’t let me.” He stood and started pacing around the small room. “ I let him down. I didn’t protect him when he needed me the most. I told him he was safe here!” He stopped and looked at Hank with such regret, “ You heard him. He was callin’ out for help. I was in the same room and I just watched that bastard…I guess I don’t blame him for turning to you.”

Hank couldn’t listen to Wolverine any longer. “ Get over yourself! You know damn well that there was nothing any of us could do! Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Remy is as bad as you! He was sitting on that bathroom floor the other night scrubbing himself raw because he let Creed do it! My Dear God, he had no control over the situation, none of us did!” Hank stopped his ranting and took a few deep breaths.
“ It happened. We were all forced to witness it. He’s going to recover, mentally and physically. We cannot let this break him. We will help him to move on.”

Logan stood silently listening to his friend. He was right. There was nothing any of them could do.“ Wings really did save our butts didn’t he?” God he hated to say that. Thinking it was positively painful.

“He did. If he hadn’t freed us when he did things could have been a lot worse. I think it proves what the Professor said was right. He has healed mentally.” Hank watched Logan’s face as he digested that information. It was clear that in his head he still hated to admit it but in his heart he knew it was true.

“ I guess I better go”…GOD …“ thank him then.” The thought made him shudder. “ Call that guy; tell him I promise not to bite his head off this time. I gotta get back to the kid. He might need something and he’s not too steady on his feet yet.”

“ I’ll call your room and let you know when he’ll be here.” Hank said as he reached for the phone.

“ Blue…” Logan said quietly from the doorway.

“ Yes Logan?”

“ Thanks for the kick in the ass. I needed it.”

Hank smiled and shook his head as he started punching numbers into the phone.

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

Warren was standing at the foot of the huge staircase as Logan exited the underground level of the mansion. Both men looked at each other and started speaking at the same time.

“Wings-”

“ Logan-”

Warren continued he was determined to finish this. “ I want to see Remy. I want to apologize.”

Logan saw the determination on the man’s face and cursed under his breath. “ He doesn’t even know yer back. I gotta find out if he’s okay with this.”

 “He knows!” Warren’s ego got the better of him and he spoke before thinking. “ I saved him. I saved all of you!”

Logan closed the distance between them in a heartbeat and grabbed the front of his shirt.
“ He was being raped you selfish prick! He was tied to a fuckin’ table under that filthy bastard! He can’t see! He can barely move! You may have stopped the bastard but you sure as hell didn’t save Remy!” The claws came out without conscious thought, the need to see his blood run was so strong it was frightening.
He wanted to gut the man again! How fuckin’ dare he try to say he saved the kid when it was his damn fault he was in that position in the first place! He tightened his grip on Warren’s shirt and placed the tips of his claws against the man’s throat before he shoved him away from the steps. “ I’m going up to Remy. I don’t even wanna catch your scent near that room until I say it’s okay or I‘ll follow my gut instincts next time.”

Warren held onto the railing of the steps and tried to catch his breath; his bruised ribs screaming from the rough treatment. In his head he cursed himself again.

 Logan was right. Damn.

 It was his fault Remy was hurt but being the head of a multi-million dollar company made it second nature to demand respect and appreciation. He may have saved the others but he let Logan and especially Remy down again. “ Damn animal. ” he whispered as he watched the man climb the stairs. He may have let them down but he did his best as far as he was concerned. He was Warren Worthington III by God. He turned and made his way to the med lab. Hank was a close friend, surely he would agree with him.

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

Logan silently entered the darkened room. Remy was lying in bed facing the window. What if he couldn’t see again? How would that affect their relationship? Logan didn’t care. He would love the kid if he were purple with orange spots. Remy would feel like a burden though. He knew as sure as he needed air to breathe he would try to force Logan away. “Ain’t gonna happen darlin’.” He sat carefully on the edge of the bed and let his fingers run through the silky strands of cinnamon hair. “ I love ya Rem.” he bent and kissed the boy softly.

“ Logan?” a sleepy voice rose from the pile of covers.

“ Go back to sleep Rem” he let his big hand run carefully over the heavy cast on his lover’s broken arm. “ I didn’t mean to wake ya.”

“ Wasn’ sleepin’.” Remy slowly rolled to his back. He felt for his lover’s hand and smiled a little when Logan grabbed his. “ I can’ wait to see you ‘gain.” He gently pulled his hand free and lifted it toward Logan’s face. Logan leaned down into the searching hand and kissed the cool palm.

“ Yeah I know what ya mean. I miss looking into your eyes too. Hank should be callin any minute to let us know when that Doctor’s comin’.”

Remy sighed and sat up slowly. Logan could smell the pain and frustration his lover felt at being so clumsy in his movements. “ I wanna sit in de chair awhile. Maybe if I move ‘round more I won‘ be so stiff.”

Logan took his good arm and helped his lover stand. He was still so shaky, like a man five times his age. When Remy was comfortable Logan sat beside him. “ Do ya need anything darlin’?”

“ Yeah, I need m’ eyes an’…an’ I need to stop feelin scared.”

Logan was stunned as he watched his lover slowly stand. Remy walked toward the window as if he knew right where it was, his hand out, feeling his way. He stopped suddenly when he felt the cool glass. His voice was soft as he started to speak. “ I could hear y’ fightin’. I could smell his stench and hear you growlin’ at him. I heard Stormy’s muffled cries. I’m sorry I didn’ fight him harder Cher! I couldn’ move! I’m sorry I didn’ help y’!”

Logan heard a choked sob. Finally Remy was opening up to him. He remembered Hank saying it would be hard and painful but Remy needed to do it to heal so he sat and let his young lover speak. “ I’m still here Rem. I’m listenin’.”

“ I was awake when he shot Henri wit’ dat gun. I heard it go off. I heard him tyin’ ev’body to de table. I heard him say he was waitin for you t’ come so he could start de show.” Logan listened to more heart wrenching sobs. “ He…he opened my clothes. He
t-touched me ’gain…He…he t-tied m-me down…”

Logan was going crazy listening to his young lover describe what he felt, what he heard. He was still unable to move or speak at the time. He was blind and understandably scared. “ Rem…”
 

Remy was lost in the memories. It was almost as if his mind and body had to purge the dark and evil touches and sounds. “ I h-heard de gun again when he shot you and it got so quiet. I was cryin’ Cher. I’m sorry, I was scared!” He turned back toward where he felt Logan was sitting. “ I could hear de ot’ers den, dey were tryin t’ scream. I heard him pull you over to dem. I f-felt h-him push my l-legs up an’ out…I couldn‘ fight ‘im off…” Remy slid to the floor and Logan stood to go to him but he froze in place. As bad as this hurt to watch and hear he had to let the boy finish. He had to let him get it out. “ I couldn’ stop him Cher I wanted to but I couldn’! He was rubbin on me an’ laughin’… T’ought I was gonna be sick… I wanted him to stop! I wanted you to make him stop… ‘m sorry.”

Logan squatted down to his lover’s level just feet away from him, his voice shaking a little with emotion. “ I couldn’t help ya darlin’” he whispered. “ I let ya down. He…he collared me too. I -”

“ Non!” Remy screamed, “ not y’r fault…mine! All mine…”

Logan walked the three feet that separated him from his young lover and got down on his knees. “ Shhh… It’s all right now darlin, it’s all right. I’m sorry I didn’t help ya kid. I wanted to but when the healin power kicked in-”

Remy fell against the older man and held on tight, letting Logan rub his back and tell him it would all be okay. He calmed down eventually and allowed Logan to help him to his feet. When he swayed he found himself swept up into Logan’s strong arms. “ So sorry…” He found that keeping his eyes open at the moment was going to be impossible and just let himself sink into the darkness that wanted to swallow him.

 Logan put him back in the bed and pulled the covers up. He ran his hand over the silky hair once more and sighed, it had been hard to watch but at least now his lover was talking. The phone rang once and Logan grabbed it quickly not wanting it to disturb his lover’s sleep. “ Hello?”

“ Logan, James will be here at four o’clock. Could you escort Remy down?”

“ Sure Blue.” He paused then continued, “He finally started talking about what happened.” He heard Hank’s chair creak as he sat up straight.

“ Is he all right?”

“ He had a total melt-down Hank, it wasn’t pretty. He cried himself t’ sleep.” He was quiet a moment before he continued, “ Will he be okay now? Yer the big expert, when he wakes up will he be himself?”

Hank thought a moment. “ He’s been traumatized Logan. It’s going to take more than one episode to make it all right.” He quickly added “ But the fact that he opened up at all is a very good sign.”

Logan nodded and was about to hang up the phone when he added “ I kinda lost it with Wings earlier. He’s probably gonna come cryin’ that I assaulted him or something.”

Hank chuckled, “ He was already here. He told me what happened.” When he didn’t get a response from Logan he went on. “ He said it was his own fault but that he tried to make it right.” He heard Logan mumble something to himself, “ What was that Logan, I didn’t hear you.”

Logan cleared his throat “ Nothin Blue, I didn’t say anything. I’ll have the kid down there by four.” he said as he hung up the phone. He glanced at his sleeping lover and said quietly, “ Make it right my ass.”

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

“ Alright Mr. LeBeau, I’m going to start removing these bandages now.” The Doctor said softly.

“ Remy, I-I’m Remy.”

“ Alright, Remy. I want you to keep your eyes closed until I ask you to open them, okay?”

A slightly shaky “ Oui” was the quiet reply. “ Cher?”

“ I’m right here kid. I wanted my ugly mug to be the first thing ya see but I might hurt your eyes more than those drugs Sin-Essex put in yer eyes.” Logan couldn’t believe he said something that lame!

Hank watched from the corner of the room. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. In the next few minutes they would know if Remy’s ordeal was finally over. He felt bad for his friends and prayed never to be in their position.

“ Henry, would you turn off the lights please? Remy, since I can guess from your eye structure you are very light sensitive this may hurt even though the rest of us, well… I can hardly see.”

Remy swallowed hard and nodded.

“Okay, I’m going to remove the last of the bandages. Remember, keep your eyes closed.”

Logan growled and Hank couldn’t stop the nervous laugh that followed. “ Logan…”

“ All right Remy, very slowly, open your eyes.”

Everyone in the room held their breath as the young Cajun slowly opened his eyes. He stared straight ahead then slowly blinked, once…twice…

“ Rem?” Logan quietly asked.

“ I can’ tell Cher, I t’ink I see somet’in but…”

Hank was getting nervous and moved forward a step, “ James?”

The doctor sat forward in his chair, “ Remy I’m going to add just a tiny bit of light to the room. Are you ready?”

 Remy’s eyes were squeezed tightly shut. “ Dey hurt Doc. Burn.”

“ I’m sure they do. Henry, could you light the candle that I asked you to bring into the room? I want you to stay where you are with it, don‘t move toward Remy.”

Hank lit the small candle and held it out in front of himself.

“ Remy, I understand that they hurt but would you open your eyes again?” the doctor asked quietly.

Once again Remy opened his eyes and as soon as he did he lifted a hand to shield them.
“ It’s too bright.”

Logan laughed and stepped in front of his lover. “ Does that mean what I think it means?”

Remy’s gaze turned toward his lover, “ Oui Cher, I can see you…sorta.”

Logan pulled him forward in his chair and hugged him carefully. “ Way t’ go darlin. I knew that bastard wouldn’t beat you!”

Remy wiggled free and slowly looked around the room. “ Ev’ryt’ing looks weird, all shadowy and dark. Feel like I‘m caught in a dream.”

“ Your eyesight will improve over the next week or two. You should stay out of direct light for the next few days. After that gradually increase the light but if you’re awake you need to be wearing dark glasses. I need to know immediately if you experience headaches, bright flashes or dark spots in your vision.” The young doctor was very serious so Remy and Logan both nodded.

“ I’ll tell Hank if anything comes up.” Logan looked at Remy then the doctor.

“ Good. Now I need everyone to leave so I can examine his eyes more thoroughly.”

Hank walked forward and shook Remy’s good hand “ I am very happy for you my friend. I’ll be back when James is finished to do my exam. Right now, there are people out in the hallway biting their nails down to the quick waiting to hear you’re all right.” Hank smiled at his young friend and started guiding Logan toward the door.
“ Come Logan, I plan on hiding behind you when Storm hears the good news. I fear her excitement will be more than I can handle.”

Logan chuckled and turned to Remy, “ I’ll be right outside darlin’, will ya be okay?”

“ I’m fine Cher jus’ don’ go too far, Oui?”

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

Logan and Hank weren’t two steps out the door before Storm, Jean, Bobby and Rogue descended on them. Scott had been in with the Professor all day and Warren was very visibly absent from the group. “ Well? Can he?”…

The smile on their faces was enough to send the ladies into squeals of happiness. Hank quickly sidestepped and Logan found himself trapped in Storm’s grip. He caught the large doctor’s eye over her shoulder and rolled his eyes at Hank‘s huge smile. “ Ro, yer gonna kill me here!” He choked out.

“ My apologies Logan.” she said as she let him out of her death grip. “ I am just so relieved to hear my brother is getting better.”

He could see the unshed tears hiding in the corner of her eyes. “ I know what ya mean Ro,” he said quietly and without warning he tickled her ribs.

She laughed and hugged him tightly again. “ I see my brother likes to talk,” she whispered in his ear, “but if you ever try that again both of you will pay dearly.” She released him with a smile and set her sights on Hank. “ Please, may I go see my brother?”

Hank smiled, he was waiting for this. “ James asked us to wait out here so he could do a thorough exam and then I need to finish mine but after that, if Remy is up to it, I think seeing you would definitely brighten his day.”

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

The exam seemed to take forever. Jean had raced off to tell Scott and the Professor the good news and Rogue quietly faded out of the room. Her former boyfriend may have forgiven her past mistakes but the cold stares she received from his lover made her shiver. Logan never said a word because that would upset the young Cajun but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if she so much as breathed wrong around Remy she would have to fight off six lethal adamantium claws and as much as Logan seemed to love the Cajun she wasn’t sure she would win. Storm watched her brother’s lover for a while and smiled, he couldn’t sit still. His need to be with Remy was stronger than hers so she and Bobby left him to pace alone. They would have many more chances to see their young friend.

Logan paced outside the heavy metal door waiting to return to his lover’s side. He was worried that Remy would suddenly be overcome with flashbacks like earlier in the morning and he was determined to be the one to help the young man through them. Hank was turning into a wonderful friend to his lover but he wanted it to be his shoulder the boy sought out when he needed to release his doubts and fears. As far as he was concerned he was now and would forever be Remy’s lover. It was his job to be the boy’s rock.

The door opened finally and the two doctors emerged. “ He’s going to be fine.” Dr. Small said as soon as he saw the man. “ He needs to build up the amount of light he can stand gradually. It won’t happen over night. If he’s uncomfortable then it’s too much too soon. Let him decide. He’s going to need corrective lenses for a while too. That should be only temporary though. I’m guessing by the time his broken arm heals his eyes will be fine too. I’m getting the impression that he tends to push himself. Don’t let him. This will have to be a long slow recovery if he wants to heal totally.”

Hank shook his hand, “ We will keep reminding him. Thank you James, you’ve been wonderful.”

Logan shook his hand too, “ Yeah, thanks Doc, from me and Remy.”

The doctor smiled at the short man. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. “ I’m glad I could help. Henry, I’ll see you in two weeks.” He shook Hank’s hand again and left.
“ How did your check-up with him go?” Logan asked after the man left.

“ He’s doing much better. His reflex responses are getting stronger each time. The other injuries are healing cleanly. I will continue to administer the medication for another week, by then he should be pain free.”

 Hank stopped Logan before he entered the lab. “ This may take time. He may not be able to handle being…touched…for a while.” This was a very sensitive subject and Hank didn’t want to offend Logan but he would not stand by and let the boy suffer just because he was afraid he’d lose Logan’s love either. Hank felt he knew the young man well enough to guess his thoughts on the subject.

“Don’t worry Blue. Even if he never wants to be touched again I’ll still be there. The boy can make me fly, that mouth of his leads straight to Heaven but if he never wants sex again I’ll still love him.”

Hank shook his head, “ Too Much Information my friend.”

Logan smiled wickedly “ And the things he can do with his tongue and hand…”

“Logan!”

Logan chuckled, he hadn’t felt this good about things for weeks. “ I’m telling ya Blue, before the kid I woulda never guessed how good it could feel to stick my c-”

“STOP!”

Logan let out a full belly laugh as he hit the button that opened the main lab doors and walked inside. Damn it felt good to laugh like that again.

He was still chuckling when he came to the door of the darkened room. He knocked lightly, “ Darlin I’m gonna open the door, shut yer eyes okay?” He didn’t want the lights from the main lab to hurt his lover’s sensitive eyes.

“’K Cher.” came the quiet reply.

When the door was fully closed Logan walked to the bed. “ You ready to get outta here?”

“ You know it Cher. De Doc gave me dese new shades. Dey’re even darker dan m’ old shades,” he smiled “ I may still need an arm to guide me. Got a feelin ’m gonna be walkin’ ’round wit’ m’ eyes shut anyway.”

“ Ain’t a problem kid, I got ya.” He waited for his lover to stand and get his balance; his fuzzy, dark vision was murder on that. Once he was sure his lover wouldn’t fall he took his arm and helped him back up to the main level of the mansion. “ Are ya hungry? Do ya wanna stop by the kitchen and raid the fridge?”

“ Oui. Sounds good Cher.” Logan felt a tremor wash through the boy. Once they were in the elevator he stopped it between floors. “ Rem?”

Remy was quiet a moment. “ Dey’re all gonna stare at me now Cher. Dey all saw-” He looked down toward his feet.

Logan hated when he did that. It was a sign of weakness and Remy LeBeau was anything but weak. He refused to encourage those feelings but he also knew his young lover was feeling very unstable now. “ How ’bout this, I’ll get ya up to our room and get us something to eat. We can work on getting you back into the swing of things when the light doesn’t bother you so much.”

Remy visibly relaxed, “ Oui, I’d like dat.” He smiled and leaned into his lover. “ T’ank you Cher, I know it’s stupid to t’ink I can hide but…”

Logan smoothed his hair back away from his face. “ I won’t let you feel responsible for this. This is your home, I won’t let them take it away from you and turn you into a hermit again.” He was staring into the dark glasses letting Remy know that he wouldn’t be challenged on this.

“ I don’ wanna cause no trouble.”

“ The only trouble that will come will be if anyone bothers you. Until you’re back on your feet one hundred percent get used to me bein’ yer guard dog. Twenty-four/ seven. And don’t try to fight it kid…I protect the people I care about and I care about you more than you‘ll ever know.” His young lover smiled and blushed and Logan pulled him in close for a kiss as the elevator door slid open.

He guided the Cajun to their room and made sure the heavy drapes were drawn. “ You should be okay in here it’s so dark I can barely see!”

Remy carefully opened his eyes and blinked. Fuzzy shapes and colors swam before him and he had to grab hold of the thick post at the foot of the bed to keep his balance. “ I t’ink I like it bettah when I couldn’ see at all.” He sat on the bed and waited for the room to stop spinning. “ I be fine Cher,” He knew the blur on it’s knees beside him was his over protective lover. “ I really am hungry. Please?”

Logan watched as color returned to Remy’s cheeks. This was going to be harder than he thought. “ You sure you’re okay now?”

“ Oui, go. It’ll jus’ take some gettin used too. I’m fine now, I’ll jus sit right here an’ no’ move.”
Logan didn’t feel right about leaving him but he said he was hungry. It was a project to get the boy to eat half the time so he wasn’t going to pass up the chance when the kid actually asked for food. He kissed his temple and went to retrieve food.

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

Scott and the Professor had spent the better part of the day locked in the Professor’s office. They were deep in the middle of a heated debate about Angel. Charles wanted him to be re-instated as an active team member and Scott wanted him reprimanded for his part in the whole drug fiasco.

“ He knows he was wrong Scott. I’m not asking you to pair him with Logan or Remy when he is well. I’m asking you to let him know that we trust him enough to have him on the team again.”

Scott wanted to walk to the wall and bang his head against it. He already had a splitting headache it surely couldn’t hurt anymore! “ Sir, I don’t think I do trust him!  He says he’s sorry and we’re all supposed to forget everything he did! He nearly killed Wolverine! He’s been targeting Remy since he came here! I think it would be wise to send him back to work with one of the other teams for a while. Please sir, I think we owe it to Gambit and Wolverine to show them we’re taking their side on this one. It doesn’t have to be forever, but it has to be done for the sake of everyone else on this team. We’ve all taken the time since the building incident to make it clear to Remy that we were wrong before and that we will do whatever is necessary to make it up to him. Warren says what you want him to say and you’re willing to just accept it and go on. I’m sorry Sir, I won’t do it.”

“ But he came home and saved the team Scott. Not just Storm, Henry, and Jean. He saved Wolverine and Gambit too.”

“ It was his fault they were in that mess in the first place! Charles you may have the strongest mind on the planet but you’re as blind as a bat to what’s going on right under your nose!”

Scott realized what he said and was about to apologize when Charles raised his hand to stop him. “ Don’t ever apologize for saying what you truly mean. All right, I will call the Academy and let them know that they will have a new instructor for a while.” He wheeled himself over to where Scott stood and looked up into his visor. “ I’m sorry you think I am blind to what goes on under this roof. I just find it difficult to believe that a handful of young mutants can make me feel like an old fool when I believe without any doubt that given half a chance I can change the perceptions of the entire planet.”

“ Your dream of equality is something I would die for Charles but I won’t get so lost in it that I lose sight of other things, like the welfare of a new friend.”

Charles smiled up at his first student. “ It seems I should be taking lessons from you. Thank you Scott. Would you like to join me? I want to go up and talk to Logan and Remy. It’s something I should have done long ago.”

Scott walked to the door and opened it with a smile. “ I want to see Logan’s face when you tell him Warren is leaving.”

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

Remy managed to get to the large chair by the fireplace and sat as still as a stone. The doctor explained that his vision would be bad but he never expected it to stay like this! He thought that within a few minutes everything would settle down and just be fuzzy. Right now every move he made sent the blurs in the room spinning. He felt totally out of control and he didn’t like it one bit. He heard the door start to open and slowly opened his eyes, glad that the room stayed still this time. “ Cher?”

Warren stood in the doorway and stared at the young man in front of him. “ It’s me, Warren. I thought they said you could see?”

Remy’s eyes tried to focus on the figure in the doorway and the room went crazy. He moaned as he slowly bent forward to place his head between his knees. He was certain that the nausea would win this time. The light behind Angel seemed so bright, Remy was sure it would scorch his brain. “ De door…shut de door. De light…”

Warren shook his head slightly before he stepped fully into the room and shut the door.
“ What’s wrong with you?” He sighed; he wanted to get this over with before Logan came back. “ I came to say I’m sorry for giving you and Logan the drug. I was ill at the time and I made a mistake. OH, and that it wasn’t your fault that I lost my wings.” There. He did it. Now everyone would stop looking at him as if he was dirt. His mind flashed briefly to the mental picture he created while he was on Muir of a young boy eating out of a dumpster. That wasn’t his problem he told himself quickly and abruptly walked back and opened the door. He heard Remy cry out in pain at the same time he found himself staring into Scott’s visor.  “ Hey Slim, I was just-”

Scott brushed past him and knelt by Remy. “ Shut the door! He can’t stand the light yet you idiot!”

Warren was practically pushed back into the room by the Professor. “ Is he all right Scott?” Charles asked when he finally saw the young Cajun for the first time. Remy was hunched over and as pale as a sheet. “ Should I send for Hank?”

“ Non.” Remy said quietly. “ Jus wasn’ ready for de light.” He was breathing heavily as he slowly sat back up. “ Ange? I didn’ even know y’ where back.”

“He was told to stay away until I got the chance to tell ya darlin.” Logan’s voice was all but a growl. “ Are ya okay kiddo? Do ya need Blue?”

Scott stood and stepped away as Logan came forward. He sat a tray of food on the bed and knelt in the spot Cyclops had vacated. He saw the tremors running through his lover and growled quietly under his breath. “ Why ’re ya all in here? The kid doesn’t need all this excitement.” He was petting back the long hair, trying to comfort his lover.

“Scott and I came up to discuss the meeting we had in my office. Actually Warren, it’s a good thing that we found you here. It concerns you too.” Charles looked at each man in the room. Warren had a smirk on his face. He was so sure that everything would go back to the way it used to be Charles read in his mind. Remy was feeling ill and overwhelmed, expecting to be sent away for being too big a disturbance at the mansion. Logan was completely devoted to calming the young man. His touch was gentle and his mind was full of loving thoughts. Scott? Scott’s mind felt like a ten year olds’ just before pulling off a great prank. Charles smiled at his team leader, there was still a bit of a wild streak left in the serious young man. “ Logan, why don’t you help Remy get comfortable. He seems very upset.”

“ Non, ’m fine right here. Say what y’ came t’ say.” His grip tightened and Logan looked at him concerned.

“ No. Everybody out. This is too much. Remy, they can come back later when you’ve had time t’ rest and eat-”

“ Non! Go on professor.” Remy was determined. He felt sick and the room refused to stay still so he just closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable, to be thrown away again…

“ We came up here to tell you that Warren will be leaving. He will be living at the Massachusetts Academy until further notice.” Charles turned to the stunned Angel,
“ Congratulations Warren, they are expecting you the day after tomorrow.”

“ What? You have to be joking. I apologized! Everything is okay now right Gambit?”

Logan stood in front of his lover and smiled. “ You heard the man. You better get packin’…Warren.”

Warren stood with his mouth hanging open for a few more seconds before he spun and threw open the door. Logan made sure he blocked his lover from the light as Scott walked to the door and pushed it closed. He was chuckling when he turned around. “ That was great Sir. Thank you for letting me watch.” He took the few steps to close the space between him and the lovers. He stared into Logan’s eyes and rested a hand on Remy’s shoulder, “ It was the right thing to do.” Then he turned and quickly left without saying another word.

Charles moved over beside the two men.  He looked up at Logan, “ I’ve been accused of being blind to what goes on in this house. I hope this proves that even I make mistakes. I was given a second chance to make things right and I plan on doing just that. When you two feel like talking just let me know. Right now I think that you have more important things to do than listen to an old man.” He smiled and moved to the door. “Good day gentlemen.”

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

When they were finally alone Logan knelt down beside his lover. “ Well kid, I bet that wasn’t what you were expectin’ t’ happen was it?”

“ Non Cher. Was getting myself ready for de big ‘get out’ scene. Dey chose me over Ange, why?”

Logan kissed him gently, “ Cause they finally see you like I see you. Come on, you need to get into bed and get comfortable. I’m gonna feed ya then I’m gonna sit right here until you fall asleep.” He helped his lover to bed and fed him bites of soup and a sandwich. The boy was asleep before he finished even half. Logan moved the dishes and pulled the heavy chair close to the bed. “ Until you ask me to sleep with you again I’ll be right here darlin.” He grabbed an extra blanket and fell asleep curled in the chair.

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

As the days passed Remy slowly became stronger. The room stopped spinning every time he opened his eyes and the fuzzy blurs started to take shapes. The light that once caused searing pain was just a minor annoyance now. The ladies loved the idea of the candlelit dinners every night and the men loved the mood it put the ladies in. Even Storm relaxed and laughed during meals and the Professor joked that Logan should have suggested doing this long ago. He understood that it was Logan’s way of getting Remy to rejoin the group and he applauded the idea. Remy was still very wary of the others and Charles was impressed by the way Logan was helping the young man. Logan was showing a side of himself he usually kept locked away. It was truly a gift to watch how they complemented each other. Where one had a weakness the other had strength. They formed a perfect whole.

No one ever mentioned what happened in the lab to Remy but each of them, in his or her own way, showed the young Cajun that it didn’t change the way they saw him now. When Bobby’s trick cigar blew up in Logan’s face he wanted to pound the kid until he heard Remy laugh for the first time in a long time. He wanted to hug the Icecube after that. Storm left a new plant by their door every morning. She selected plants that were normally found in her brother’s home state. They would need to live in her greenhouse and she knew it would draw him from his room to visit her there. Rogue made his favorite meal when her turn to cook came up and Scott stopped scheduling Wolverine for early danger room sessions.

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

A week and a half had passed without incident. Hank stood from his desk when Remy emerged from the treatment room. “ You, my young friend, are fine. I am officially releasing you from my care as of today.” Hank couldn’t help smiling at the happy expression on the boy’s face. “ You still need to be careful of that arm even with the cast,” he warned.

“ Oui pere.” Remy said as he rolled his eyes behind the dark glasses. “ Pere Logan tells me dat all de time too.”

“ It’s true Remy. The bones have been severely broken several times now. You will heal completely but it won’t be as fast as the last time. Don’t-”

“Rush it!” Remy finished for him. I’ll be good. Logan’ll make me.”

Hank motioned for Remy to sit and joined him on the couch. “ Do you have any questions or concerns before you go?”

Remy started to open his mouth to speak then shut it again “Non.”

 Hank reached out and tipped his chin up gently. “ What is it?”

“ When can…I think I‘m ready…” he took a deep breath, “ Logan don’ touch me no more. He don’ even try.” He looked at his friend. “ I ain’ ready yet for…I jus’ wan’ him to touch me.”

“ You don’t want to be penetrated but you want to be stimulated?”

Hank saw the blush and the tiny nod. “ I don’ know if he wan’ t’ anymore.”

“ Have you said anything to him?” He saw the slight shake meaning no.

“ If he said yes but he didn’ mean it…” Remy sighed, “ Logan a very physical man. He needs to… be in charge.” Remy blushed, he wasn’t used to talking about such private things. Hank was his friend though and because of Remy’s fear of bring on flashbacks, Hank had been doing rather personal things for him. “ I wan’ de touches to be gentle, he likes it rough.”

“ He won’t mind Remy. He told me that if you never wanted to be touched again he’d still love you.”

Remy smiled, “ He said dat?”

“ Yes. He’s waiting for you to tell him it’s okay. Tell him exactly what you just told me, I am willing to bet the two of you will be able to work something out that will satisfy both of you.”

Remy stood and walked to the door, “ Merci Henri, for everything. You been de big brot’er I always wanted.”

“ Thank you Remy” Hank smiled, “ you just made my day. Go talk to Logan, it’ll be okay,” he smiled again, “your big brother promises.”

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

Remy waited until after dinner to talk to Logan and the soul deep kiss he received for being brave enough to talk about it made him weak in the knees. Logan’s touches were feather light; his kisses warm and wet and in exactly the right spots. Remy was nervous when he felt his release approach, what if it started the flashbacks again? Logan sensed the fear and backed him off carefully. “ Do ya wanna wait a while longer darlin?”  He would have never guessed he could get so aroused by being so gentle. He barely touched Remy’s softening cock but the sharply drawn in breath the caress brought made his own hard shaft leak with need.

 They did this over and over through the night Logan would take him close to the edge of release and then bring him back until finally Remy started moving with him, touching him shyly back, begging without saying a word for Logan to take him just a little bit closer to that edge.

Remy wept when he finally achieved orgasm. It was the most impossibly perfect moment he could ever remember. Logan by some miracle held on. He didn’t needed Remy to help him, he was so painfully close, but the young man needed the control. If his young lover could find the courage to touch him back intimately then he would know for sure he was okay.

“ Darlin? Rem, I want you to make me come too.” he whispered when he finally gained control of his body.

Remy looked terrified and Logan’s heart broke for the boy. Remy’s eyes shyly moved to the tight jeans Logan still wore. His mind flashed back to Creed and he suddenly felt ill.
“ I d-don’ know if I can Cher.”  He looked at his lover begging him to understand. “ I know you ain’ him but…”

Logan slowly moved his hand to the button of his jeans and opened it. “ Please kid, don’t let the bastard hurt us. This is what he wants, he wants you to be afraid.”

Remy’s eyes flashed up and met his. This was Logan. This man saved his sanity and his life when everybody else turned their backs and walked away. This was the one other soul in the universe that he would sell his own soul to save.

 His hand slowly moved to the zipper pull and blazing red on black eyes watched fascinated as it slowly started to descend. The heat rising from Logan’s body was like a furnace. Logan had to place himself in a mild state of meditation to keep from crying out. Everything happened in slow motion.

Remy’s hand slowly pushed down the tight denim pants.

He stared at his lover as if for the very first time. He closed his eyes and breathed in the familiar scent.

 Logan watched as desire to touch and taste were reborn in his radiant eyes.

The lightest caress of the thief’s talented fingers set every nerve ending on fire.

The lips that teased with kisses then finally engulfed him sent him to a place he’d never been before.

The feeling was deliciously unbearable.
The need for release at that point was beyond anything he‘d ever felt before.
The release when it mercifully came left the man breathless and somewhere beyond Heaven.

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

Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. Logan sat on the Blackbird chewing his unlit cigar. He should be home right now; the kid was getting that damn cast off his arm finally. “ Can’t ya make this tin can go any faster Cyke?” he shouted.

Scott looked over his shoulder, “ Remy will still be there no matter what time it is when we arrive.”

“ I know he’s there,” Logan laughed,” that’s why I’m in such a hurry. It’s been a week since I saw him. I need a fix bad.”

Scott put the jet into autopilot and went back to the cabin. The men had been on a fact-finding mission for the past week. “ I never would’ve guessed it Logan. You’ve finally settled down. So what did the Cajun have to do to achieve the one thing no one else that‘s ever met you could?”

Logan ignored the question but his smile told Scott that he was thinking about the answer. “ Don’t ya miss yer wife? Get up there and put this thing into warp drive or what ever the hell ya gotta do to get us home!”

Scott laughed and walked back to the front of the jet.

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

Logan dropped his bags inside the door that led to the upper levels of the mansion and took the steps three at a time. He ignored what ever the person he passed said.

He had one goal in mind.

 He found his intended target waiting in the bedroom. His soft hair still wet from the shower he just stepped out of. His smile was soft and the invitation in his eyes was what Logan had been dreaming of all week.
 
With the first heartbeat he was across the room. Clothes falling from him with ever step.

 The second had those soft warm lips pressed hard against his and, although one was very weak, two arms came into play as his lover pulled him close.

The third….
 
 

END