Title: Understand me

Author: Morgana (morganalebeau@yahoo.com)

Website: http://www.oocities.org/morganalebeau/

Rating: NC-17

Pairing / main characters: Gambit/Joseph, minor Iceman/Angel

Series/Sequel: complete

Summary: Slash, drama, alternate universe, angst. After the trial of Gambit, Remy returns to the mansion and realizes he's no longer wanted there. Desperate to get some attention, to feel again, he makes a dangerous move.

Disclaimer: Gambit and X-Men are (c)copyright of Marvel Comics. No copyright infringement is intended.

Archive/Distribution: Yes, just drop me a note telling me where you're archiving it.

Warning: This story mentions bondage, SM, emotional child abuse and is rated NC-17.

Notes: //... // depicts thought. Remy didn't escape Antarctica because the green entity helped him. I'm ignoring that part of canon. Also Remy's background in this story will differ from canon.

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Understand me

By Morgana

 

Chapter One

Remy flung himself onto the bed and burst out into tears. He couldn't stand this any longer. Since his return from Antarctica the X-Men shunned him, stared at him with apparent loathing in their eyes, and they barely talked to him. Storm left the room when he entered and Rogue... if her glares could kill he'd be long dead now. They no longer joked around him, didn't ask him to join them if they went for a drink and Remy found himself seeking out his room more and more often.

He had realized that he no longer belonged here when Scott had asked him to move into the boathouse. Scott had tried to be polite, but Remy had felt the distress, even disgust that motivated the leader of the X-Men to make this request. The empath suffered greatly, now that their emotions were reaching excessive heights. Maybe it was his own fault that he was hurting this much. Had he made a mistake by not confiding in them? //Should have told dem dat Sinister tricked me. Should have told dem dat my empat'y kicked in fully in since Antarctica.// Remy didn't want to recall how he escaped the icy cold. That was one more secret he had to keep.

Pressing his face deeper into the pillow, he sobbed softly. The telepaths in the house, Jean and the professor, had to pick up on his emotional pain, which he was probably broadcasting, but they hadn't offered to talk to him. Like the rest, they ignored him. Maybe they hoped that he would get the hint and leave, which was doubtlessly what they really wanted. Otherwise, Scott would never have asked him to move out of the mansion. It was just another way to punish him for gathering the Marauders and helping Sinister.

"If dat's what y' want, to punish me, y' can get it!" Emotionally, Remy was a wreck and he didn't think straight as he jumped up from the bed, grabbed his coat and stalked towards the door. "I won' be back," he announced and wiped away his tears before opening the door. "Y' can have de house to y'rself!" They thought of him as a traitor, who deserved some kind of punishment and the silent treatment was only the beginning. Well, he could do even better! He could punish himself far more effectively!

Remy marched out of the mansion, ignoring Bobby and Warren, whom he almost crashed into in the corridor. Warren muttered that he should pay attention to where he was going and Remy felt the stinging hate that emanated from the winged X-Man, who blamed him for the Morlocks' Massacre and for the loss of his wings. //Sinister tricked me! I didn' know dey planned to kill dem! I even tried to save dem and Sabretooth ripped me open!// But he would never speak the words aloud. No words, no apology could make up for his stupidity.

Slamming the door hard behind him, he headed for his bike. Remy threw the helmet away and started the Harley. Determinedly, he steered it away from the mansion.

///

"What's gotten into him?" Warren asked, irritated. "He's a danger to himself and the team. I wish he just left." He avoided Gambit as much as he could, not trusting his own temper. After lashing out one evening at Gambit, Warren tried to keep his distance. When it came down to the traitor, Warren had homicidal tendencies.

"He's going through a rough time," Bobby replied, thoughtfully. "But you're right. I can't figure out why he stays. It's obvious no one wants him here. I hope that he'll move into the boathouse. Gambit staying here is not fair to Storm. She's hurting really bad and he should respect that. Instead, he's in her face every day!"

The two X-Men continued to talk as they walked passed the living room. They didn't mind if someone overheard them. Gambit wasn't popular and most X-Men felt the same way.

///

Joseph's head jerked back, hearing Warren's harsh words. He stood in front of the window and saw Remy walk towards his bike. Something was wrong, didn't feel right. But maybe he was just projecting his emotions on the Cajun. Only hours ago he'd called it quits with Rogue. He'd wanted to tell her for a week now, but had lacked the necessary courage.

Joseph shook his head as he mentally replayed their last conversation. Rogue had demanded they had sex, but he hadn't been in the mood, had been troubled by the way she handled the sexual aspect of their relationship and had wanted to talk instead. Rogue had grown furious and accused him of abusing his ability to touch her. She'd flown out of bed, and in an ugly tone she'd reminded him that he was the only one who could make love to her. She'd then told him she wouldn't allow him to manipulate her by withholding sex. In the end, she'd asked him what he really wanted from her. Her tone had been spiteful and her eyes had shot fire.

He'd just stared at her, helplessly. Yes, he was new to the dating game and hardly knew a thing about making things work between them, but something struck him as intensely wrong about their relationship. The trouble was that he had nothing to compare it to. Did all couples act like this? Were there some hidden rules that he was unaware of and did Rogue expect him to know and play by them?

Joseph had felt lost and lonely when she'd pointed an accusing finger at him. Confused, he'd tried to explain that he wanted to discuss their relationship, but she'd cut him off. At that moment, Joseph wondered whether he'd ever seen the *real* Rogue, the woman hiding beneath the mask and he'd taken a step away from her. Realizing that he didn't want to be in this relationship any longer, he'd made his decision. He'd told her that it would be best for both of them if they stopped seeing each other. Staying in a relationship, while not being committed to the other, seemed wrong and he wanted to be honest with her.

Rogue had been enraged and had cursed him to Hell. After she'd flown off, he'd sat down, his head reeling. They'd fought before, but she'd never been so vicious. Hopefully ending their relationship was the right thing to do. He had feelings for her, but... things had quickly gone downhill since they'd become an item.

After confronting Rogue, he'd found himself thinking about someone, whom he'd avoided for weeks, Gambit. Rogue had told him a lot about the Cajun thief, who had been in love with her. Only her powers had kept them from becoming true lovers, at least, Rogue had told him that. He'd expected to hear a tone of lost love in her voice, but instead it had burned with venom. Once, he'd asked her what had happened in Antarctica after everyone had left. She'd only said that Remy had gotten what he deserved.

Maybe the seeds of doubt had been planted in his mind back then. Could he love a woman, who had probably abandoned her lover in his hour of need? Had she turned her back on Gambit and flown off? They'd been in love, so why would she desert him? And even worse, if she was capable of leaving Gambit behind, what would happen if Joseph ever pissed her off? Would she try to punish him as well? He didn't feel comfortable being in a relationship with a woman like that. The problem was that he couldn't *trust* her.

And now Remy LeBeau had left the mansion in an obvious hurry. Joseph made up his mind and left the living room. On his way out, he picked up his coat and then headed for the garage where he 'burrowed' Scott's bike. He'd taught himself to ride it some time ago, as his curiosity had driven him to explore more of this world, which was still awfully new to him.

After kick-starting the bike, Joseph followed Remy, determined not to let the Cajun vanish from sight. He wanted to talk to Remy LeBeau and find out what had really driven Gambit and Rogue apart.

///

Resolved, Remy entered the notorious nightclub and immediately noticed the hungry glances thrown at him. He'd been here before, but had never felt the need to completely lose himself in these sordid emotions, but tonight it was different. Remy headed for the bar and ordered Bourbon. Leaning casually against the bar, he let his eyes drift over the muscular men, their bodies adorned with piercings and tattoos. Some of them were bald, but all of them wore leather and stud belts.

Yes, he'd come to the right place to absorb his punishment. His empathy quickly located the most aggressive and possessive guy among them and he caught the man's dark eyes. Remy shivered. The man he'd chosen was dressed in black leather pants, snap vest, had pierced nipples, a goatee and wore a leather cap. Perfect. Reading this man's intense emotions let Remy to believe that this master loved to hand out punishment. The man was exactly what Remy was looking for.

But then Remy's resolve faltered briefly. The man could hurt him badly... but wasn't that why he was here? To finally absorb the punishment the X-Men thought he'd eluded and still deserved? Submissively, he lowered his eyes. He knew how to play this game, had played it many times before. Remy sensed how the man he'd selected slowly approached him, clearly taking him in and licking his lips. Keeping his eyes locked onto the floor, Remy let him make the first move.

"Are you sure you wanna be here, boy?"

The man's cold voice made Remy shiver. Yes, this man could give him what he deserved; pain and punishment. "Yes, sir." A strong hand slid down his back and found a way beneath the fabric of his shirt. It came to a rest at the small of his back. Remy kept himself perfectly still so the other man could make up his mind. His eyes remained locked on the floor.

"Someone trained you well, slave," the bulky man said, pleased. "I'm Steve, but you'll address me as master, are we clear on that?"

"Yes, master." Remy wanted this over with. He deserved the punishment; it would maybe cleanse him a little. The guilt and emotional pain that bore him down needed a way out. Steve's hand snaked beneath his jeans and Remy remained motionless as the taller man brutally pinched his buttock, leaving a bruise. Steve looked at him as if he'd passed some sort of test, which he had, and Remy forced himself to continue to stare at the floor. He had to play his role of a submissive slave perfectly if he wanted Steve to punish him. The man would only go along with this if Remy consented explicitly. By not flinching, or pulling back, he'd given permission.

"Let's take this upstairs," Steve said eventually and handed the barkeeper some money. "I'll take the black room."

The barkeeper handed Steve the key and grinned. "Make sure he cleans up afterwards!"

Steve's hand was still inside Remy's jeans, rubbing against his ass and the Cajun shivered as the other man possessively probed his cleft, dipping between his buttocks. One dry finger pushed against his entrance, sending a clear signal and Steve kept it there as they walked to the room. Pushing away any second thoughts he might have, Remy bit his lower lip. He wanted to feel the pain, wanted to feel *something*! Wanted to do penance for his crimes.

Steve opened the door and pushed Remy inside. "Don't move," he instructed and closed the door behind them. He removed his hand from Remy's ass and stood in front of his new slave. Taking in the alien eyes, he said, "You're a mutant... I don't care about that. You've got a fine ass and those lips will be busy pleasuring me later tonight. You do know how to suck cock, don't you, slave?"

Remy didn't lock out the words or the hurt they were supposed to inflict. He deserved the spiteful tone. After all, the Morlocks were dead because of him. "Yes, master, I do."

"Remove your shirt." Steve watched Remy's every move. He wanted to use his slave's body tonight and get off on it as many times as he could. Remy's fingers trembled as the young man unbuttoned his shirt and Steve grinned. He was already rock hard and could barely keep back from pinning his prize down and forcing his way inside. When his finger had pushed against his slave's entrance, he'd barely suppressed the urge to open him up.

Remy dropped the shirt onto the floor and shivered. It was cold in here. Empty eyed, he watched Steve step up to him. Icy hands explored his chest and roughly pinched his nipples. Remy couldn't repress a pain filled moan. Steve reacted and twisted the nubs of flesh harder. "Does it hurt? Do you want it to hurt?"

"Yes, master, I want it to hurt," Remy whispered as tears swam in his eyes, but he wouldn't release them in front of Steve. //I want dis. De pain... I didn' want de Morlocks to die...//

Steve pressed one fingernail deep into the pink disk and drew a droplet of blood. "Do you like the pain? Do you get off on it?"

"I want it," Remy replied, firmly. "Make me feel... de pain... master." He loathed feeling Steve's hands on his chest, marring him, but he wanted to feel the pain and that need pushed away his disgust of the man.

Steve licked his lips. This might be the best slave he'd had in years! His hands slid down the young man's abdomen and then unzipped Remy's jeans. "Step out of them."

Remy obeyed and now stood naked in front of Steve. He repressed the shivers that wanted to rock his body.

"Going commando?" Steve said approvingly at the lack of underwear. "You've got a mighty fine ass, boy," he whispered as he possessively placed his hands on Remy's ass cheeks. "I assume you've been with a man before?" He pulled the naked man closer and rubbed his leather pants against Remy's groin.

"Yes, master," Remy replied, truthfully.

"What do you want from me? You've got permission to speak, slave." Steve's fingers curled around Remy's flaccid cock.

"Tie me up... gag me... fuck me..." were all the words Remy could utter. Asking for his punishment made him flinch. Steve brutally tugged at his limp organ and Remy's stomach convulsed. His body betrayed him, like it always did, and he grew hard.

Steve gave his slave a thoughtful look, surprised by the other man's eagerness to absorb his punishment. But he'd comply and give the slave what he wanted. "Walk over to the bed and lie down on your stomach," Steve ordered and he devoured Remy's backside as the young man obeyed. "Yeah, a great ass and it won't be long before I'll stretch that tight little hole."

Remy obediently lay down in the center of the bed and buried his face in the pillows. They'd suffocate any sobs.

"Spread them," Steve instructed and used leather restraints to tie his slave's ankles to either side of the bed. Before moving to do the same thing with Remy's wrists, he ran his hands over the young man's ass, spreading the cheeks. Unable to resist temptation any longer, he inserted one digit into his slave's entrance. "Wow, you're tight... just the way I like it!"

Remy swallowed hard, trying to deny his disgust for the man. Biting into the fabric of the pillows, he managed to stay in control of his feelings.

"Open your hand."

Remy obeyed and closed his fingers over the small rubber ball that Steve placed in the palm of his hand.

"You know what that's for?" Steve asked as he tied Remy's right wrist to the bed pole.

"I'll let it fall onto de floor when I want y' to stop," Remy whispered into the pillows.

"Good boy. You *have* done this before," Steve remarked pleased and finished restraining Remy's other wrist. He moved away from the bed to get the large, red ball gag.

Remy raised his head and let Steve put the strap around his head. The red ball filled most of his mouth. In the back of his mind, Remy knew that one single kinetic charge, or dropping the rubber ball would get him out of this situation, but he didn't want to get away from Steve.

Steve unzipped his leather pants and his cock bobbed free. Quickly, he slipped on a cock ring and lazily stroked himself once. "Let's give you the punishment you deserve, slave."

///

Joseph wondered what Gambit was doing in a place like this. The stares he got made him feel dirty and he already had to fight off one man who tried to pin him against the wall. He hadn't even known that such a place existed that close to the mansion. It stank of blood, urine and alcohol and the grins he got told him to be careful. //Why did Gambit come here?//

"Can I help you?" The bartender asked, curiously. They didn't get such pretty boys in here that often.

"I'm looking for a man, auburn hair, tall, wearing a long brown coat." Joseph froze as a hand pinched his butt. "Get your hands off me," he threatened in a dark tone. He didn't want to reveal his powers yet, but wouldn't hesitate to use them in order to get Gambit out of here in one piece.

"Hey, easy there," the man scolded. "I thought you were the submissive kind."

"Submissive?" Joseph considered the word. //What the hell's going on here?//

"Your friend went upstairs with Steve. Why don't you wait until they're finished?" the barkeeper suggested. "Here, have a drink on the house," and offered Joseph a beer.

"Upstairs?" Joseph was getting seriously worried now. "Who is this Steve?"

"Steve's an experienced master. Don't worry, he won't do too much damage. Is the kid your boyfriend?" the barkeeper asked. One phone call to the cops could get him into major trouble. "The kid seemed willing and experienced... or are you angry that he wanted someone else to fuck him for a change?"

"Enough!" Joseph exclaimed and pushed the beer away from him. "What room are they in?" What kind of place was this? Why would anyone assume that he was Gambit's boyfriend and *fucking* the Cajun? Rogue was the only person he'd ever been intimate with!

"The black room," the barkeeper said quickly. "Look, I don't want any trouble. Steve didn't know you owned the kid's ass."

Joseph's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stalked up the stairs. The black room, master, damage, willing... the words made no sense! Looking at the doors, he realized that they all had different colors. He marched towards the black one and stopped in his tracks, hearing a strangled moan.

///

Feeling worried, Steve kneeled beside his new slave and tried to read some emotion on the handsome face. A blindfold covered the young man's eyes. "Are you sure you want to continue?" The younger man responded by clutching the rubber ball harder.

Steve was having second thoughts. Although Remy had eagerly taken all the punishment Steve had handed out, the older man began to feel uncomfortable. He'd already left several bite marks and scratches on Remy's body, at the younger man's own request, but he was getting wary now.

"We will take a break," Steve announced eventually. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He wanted the young slave to think things over. In the meantime, Steve would consider his next move. He wasn't so sure he wanted to continue this session.

///

Joseph heard the last sentence. Realizing that Steve was about to leave the black room, Joseph quickly hid around the corner. Steve stepped outside and descended the stairs. Something about the man gave Joseph the creeps. Steve was only wearing a leather thong and he noticed the droplets of blood on the man's lips. The worried expression in Steve's eyes seemed out of place.

"Gambit?" Joseph said softly as he opened the door. "Are you in there?" Joseph stopped dead in his tracks as he discovered Gambit's battered form in the center of the bed. "What?" he whispered upset. Remy was tied to the bed. Wrists and ankles were restrained, holding the Cajun in place. Remy's head was turned to the left, facing him, and Joseph fought back his nausea as he noticed the large gag in the Cajun's mouth. Gambit wore a silk blindfold and seemed unable to move.

"Oh no," Joseph muttered and quickly made his way over to the bed. He had to help the Cajun. But the closer he got, the more nauseous he became. Bite marks and deep scratches disfigured Gambit's back, arms and thighs, marring the once smooth skin. As he sat down on the side of the bed, Joseph recoiled at the sight of the droplets of blood between Gambit's legs.

He recalled a conversation he'd once had with the professor. He'd seen two men kissing in the shopping mall one day and the professor had told him that two men or two women could date, have a relationship and make love. He'd simply stared at Xavier, trying to figure out how two men could have sex. Later, Charles had explained the dynamics of gay sex to him, but it had remained an alien concept. //Did you have sex with him?// Joseph wondered, remembering the man who'd left the room earlier. //Did he rape you?// Had it been consensual?

Joseph bit down the anger that surfaced at the sight of Gambit's abused body and wondered what to do. "Gambit? Can you hear me?" He removed the blindfold first and saw that the Cajun's eyes were closed. It would make his work easier if Gambit was unconscious, but he had to know if the Cajun was still lucid. Cautiously, he undid the restraints and then rolled Gambit slowly onto his back. Just seeing the gag revolted Joseph and he gently removed it. This time, the Cajun released a groan. Joseph threw the gag onto the bed, his gesture mirroring his disgust.

"Gambit? Remy? Can you open your eyes?" Joseph pulled Gambit in an upright position and steadied Remy, as the Cajun threatened to fall forward. "What did you do to yourself?"

///

Remy didn't really want to open his eyes. He was hurting badly, but obeyed anyway. The pain was intense, but made him feel *again* and he refused to drop the rubber ball. He wanted Steve to continue the punishment, make him pay for his past stupidity. It didn't matter that all he felt was pain. Maybe the pain would drive away the guilt that had consumed him these past weeks.

"Gambit, open your eyes. Talk to me!"

Huh? That didn't sound like Steve. The man didn't know his code name. Slowly, Remy managed to open his right eye. He froze in horror, seeing Joseph this close. What was Joseph doing here? How had the other mutant found him? "Wh... at...?" Suddenly, he realized that the ball gag was gone and that he could talk again. His mouth had gone awfully dry during this last half hour and his jaw hurt.

"I'm going to get you out of here. You're bleeding, Gambit. You're seriously hurt! Why did you let him do this to you?" Joseph pulled up the sheet and wrapped it around Remy's shivering body. He also noticed the discarded condoms in the waste basket. A sigh escaped him. He'd been worried about Remy contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

"Go... 'way," Remy said in a hoarse tone. "Go... 'way..."

"No, I'm taking you with me," Joseph replied firmly. "And after we've taken care of your injuries, we'll talk."

"Non..." Remy objected. He wanted to stay here, wanted to feel the pain again. Joseph's voice sounded too comforting, too gentle. He didn't deserve such kindness.

Joseph was about to chide Gambit for his stubbornness when the door opened unexpectedly.

Steve entered the room, blinked his eyes and looked at the stranger sitting on the bed. When he'd arrived at the bar, they'd told him about the supposedly jealous boyfriend and he'd rushed back upstairs. He hoped that the jealous boyfriend would go easy on the slave. Plus, he wanted to talk to the white haired man.

"Do you know him?" Steve asked and pointed at Remy. He noticed that the blindfold, gag and restraints had been removed, but didn't comment on it. He had been inclined to end this session anyway.

"His name's Gambit," Joseph said worried, and lifted Remy's motionless body off the bed. "He's coming with me. You hurt him!"

"He wanted me to punish him, almost begged me to do it. I didn't know that he was your slave," Steve admitted. "You should talk to him. His behavior worries me."

"My slave?" Confused, Joseph moved towards the open window and climbed onto the ledge. "He's no one's slave," he stated determinedly and used the Earth's magnetic field to float away from the nightclub. In his arms, he gently clutched an unconscious Gambit to his chest.

///

"Wake up," Joseph gently shook Remy's shoulders. "Wake up, Gambit!"

Remy moaned, as he was dragged back to consciousness. "Go 'way!"

"Is that all you can say?" Joseph whispered softly. "Come on, Remy, open your eyes." He wanted to ask the Cajun so many questions, for example why Gambit's fingers were so tightly curled around a small rubber ball.

Giving in, Remy's eyes flashed open, surprised to find Joseph sitting close. Remaining silent, he took in his surroundings. He'd expected to find himself in the black room, not in the... "Boathouse?"

"Yes, the boathouse," Joseph confirmed. "How do you feel?" He opened the first aid kit, which he'd carried into the bedroom. "I need to disinfect those bites." Hopefully he knew enough of first aid to stop a possible infection. Seeing the marred skin made him furious. How could Gambit have allowed Steve to do this to him?

Suddenly, Remy realized what had happened. "Y' were dere?" Remy stared into Joseph's grey-blue eyes, not understanding why the other mutant was taking care of him... he was a traitor! They were hardly friends and Joseph had ignored him like the others. He couldn't really blame the other man. Rogue had probably asked Joseph to stay clear of him.

Remy vividly recalled seeing Joseph earlier in the black room and asked, "Y' followed me?" He wished that Joseph hadn't seen him tied up like that. Did Joseph consider him a freak, a pervert, now?

Joseph cleaned the bites and scratches on Remy's arms first. He felt Remy flinch and cringed himself. He didn't want to inflict this pain on his team-mate. "I saw you take off on your bike and got worried."

"Worried?" Remy echoed the word, unable to comprehend its meaning. "Worried? 'bout moi?" No one worried about him these days! Looking at Joseph's hand, he noticed the gentleness with which the other mutant cleaned his wounds. "I don' understand," Remy admitted, choking up. Intense emotions of anger and concern emanated from Joseph and their presence partly mystified Remy. He understood why Joseph felt angry. After all, Remy was responsible for getting the Morlocks killed, but why did the other mutant feel concerned?

"Can you sit up?" Joseph waited for Remy to comply. Noticing Remy's awkward movement, he wondered how much damage Steve had done.

Remy pushed himself into a sitting position and winced at the pain that cut through his lower body. He'd wanted Steve to be brutal when taking him and the older man had complied, only using spit as lubrication after Steve had put on the condom. Without properly preparing him, Steve had entered him. He'd been riding red hot waves of pain when Steve had started to thrust. Suddenly, Remy felt terribly ashamed of his earlier behavior. "See? I can sit upright." He regretted the move though as a sharp knife cut through his lower body.

"Are you sure? You're..." Joseph hesitated, feeling uncomfortable addressing this. "You're bleeding down there." He didn't know how to bring this up. "Is that normal? Is there something I can do to ease the pain?" Rogue never bled when they made love, but Joseph assumed it was different when a man was penetrated.

"Don' worry 'bout it. It'll stop." Remy forced out the words from between clenched teeth. "I can take care of m'self." He fought the urge to slap Joseph's hand away, while the other mutant determinedly continued to clean all scratches on his chest. "Y' don' have to do dat," Remy whispered. Why was Joseph still here? Why had the man followed him to the nightclub in the first place? Peeking at Joseph, Remy wondered if Rogue would throw a tantrum once she found out that her lover had tended to his wounds.

"Why did you let him hurt you?" Joseph cleaned an especially deep bite and tried to catch Remy's eyes. "I won't judge you. Please talk to me. Make me understand?" Although he was worried about the bites, he really wished he could so something to stop the bleeding. Knowing that Gambit was hurting in such a private place made him uncomfortable.

Remy shifted on the bed, trying to get more comfortable, but the pain and soreness didn't grow less. He had to lie down again, but didn't want to lose face in front of Joseph. Biting down the pain, he tried to meet Joseph's questioning glance.

Joseph noticed the slumped shoulders, the obvious pain in Remy's alien eyes and said, "I can see you're hurting. Don't try to pretend you're fine." He'd finished cleaning the bites and scratches on Remy's chest and arms, but he still had to attend to the injuries on the Cajun's back. "Maybe a bath would help?"

Listlessly, Remy nodded his head. He simply didn't have the strength to argue. All he wanted was to lie down and relive the pain in his dreams. He hadn't paid enough for his crimes. Involuntarily, he clutched the rubber ball harder.

Joseph noticed the tightening fingers, but reserved his questions for later. "Stay here, I'll start the bath." Joseph hurried into the bathroom, made sure the tub was being filled with warm water and then returned to the bedroom. During his short absence, Remy had manoeuvred himself onto his left side. Joseph stared at the raw marks on the Cajun's back. Gently, he cleaned those as well. Gambit's silence worried him and he asked, "Are you still awake?"

"Oui," Remy sighed and shivered violently. Steve had done more damage than he'd thought. "De bat'?" Although he craved the return of the pain, taking a bath sounded incredibly comforting.

"It should be ready by now." Joseph helped Remy to his feet and saw the droplets of blood that now stained the sheet. "McCoy should have a look at you. You may need stitches." Remy didn't react verbally, but Joseph felt him tense up. Supporting Remy, Joseph tried hard not to peek at the Cajun's battered body. "The water temperature should be just right," he said, trying to settle their nerves when he lowered Remy slowly into the bathtub. "Better?"

Remy closed his eyes and nodded his head once. "Oui, merci." He didn't know what to make of Joseph's concern. "Shouldn' y' be wit' Rogue?"

Finding out that she'd taken Joseph as her lover had hurt him tremendously, but not as much as the fact that she'd left him to die in Antarctica. His heart had broken when she'd flown away and he'd realized that she'd never really *loved* him. True love was unconditional and so, so damn rare that he was still looking for it. Briefly, he'd thought that he'd found it with Rogue. He'd been so wrong!

Joseph sat on his heels and used the sponge to carefully wash the Cajun's face. "I choose to be here with you now." He helped Remy lean forward and gently washed away the remnants of dried blood on the Cajun's back. "You never answered my question," he reminded Remy. "Why did you let him hurt you?" Remy's soft sobs took him completely by surprise. "Gambit? Remy?"

"Don' fuss over me like dis!" Remy exclaimed, panicking. "I don' deserve y'r kindness! I wanted him to hurt me!"

"But why?" Shocked, Joseph dropped the sponge into the water. He waited for Remy to lift his eyes and gasped, seeing the pain in them. "Why? Why did you want him to hurt you?"

"Cause I got dem killed!" Remy shook violently. "Cause I got dem killed!"

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "The Morlocks?" Joseph had noticed the way the X-Men had shut Gambit out, but he'd counted on them to rebuild the friendship eventually. They'd even taken him in when they thought that he was Magneto! Why shun Gambit for making an error in judgement?

"Oui, de Morlocks," Remy choked out. He wrapped his arms around his waist and rocked back and forth. "Didn' know he wanted dem killed. Didn' know, I swear!"

Joseph landed flat on his butt as an outside force tore into his mind. The raw pain and guilt were overwhelming. It felt like having Xavier or Jean in his mind, but this was different somehow. He didn't receive any thoughts, only emotions. "Are you an empath, Gambit?"

Shocked, Remy looked at Joseph. "Mon Dieu, didn' want it to slip. Please don' tell dem... please don'..." Clutching the rubber ball for comfort, Remy stared pleadingly at Joseph. "Don' tell dem dat I'm an empat'. Dey'll t'ink I manipulated deir emotions!"

Seeing the emotional state Remy was in, Joseph immediately reassured the Cajun. "I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"Merci, merci!" Remy rambled, relieved. "Merci, Josep'."

Joseph smiled. He couldn't help it. The tension was getting too much.

"What?" Remy whispered, apprehensively.

"My name sounds... funny, the way you say it. I never noticed it before." Joseph studied Gambit, who looked a little better and more in control. "Ready to go back to bed?" He got to his feet and gathered some large, fluffy towels.

"Like I've got a choice," Remy mumbled, trying to joke, but unable to pull it off. The pain in his lower body had retreated a little and he reckoned the bleeding had stopped. He would be sore for days though.

"Remy, can I ask you something?" Joseph unfolded the towels and watched as Gambit shakily pushed himself out of the water. He was ready to catch the Cajun, should Remy fall.

"Oui." Remy had to lean heavily on Joseph or he would have stumbled over his own two feet.

"Why are you holding onto that rubber ball?" Joseph wrapped the large towels around Remy's form and encouraged the Cajun to lean against him.

Remy flinched. "Reminds me of de pain."

Joseph gently curled his fingers around Remy's. "It's over, Remy. Give me the rubber ball."

Remy considered fighting Joseph, but realized that he didn't have the strength to resist. "Bien," he whispered eventually and raised his hand.

"Let go," Joseph repeated as Remy's fingers remained locked around it.

"I can'..." Remy mumbled, close to tears. "I can'..." His fingers refused to let go.

Gently, Joseph pried the rubber ball from Remy's fingers. In the rubber, he could see the indentations, which the Cajun's fingernails had left behind. He slipped the ball into a pocket and tried to make eye-contact with Gambit, who seemed stunned... no, more like *shocked*.

"Why are y' takin' care 'o me?" Joseph was the last person he'd thought was interested in his well being now that the other mutant was Rogue's lover.

"I told you before. I'm worried about you." Joseph felt Remy's knees buckle and quickly tightened his hold. Remy's moan told him that he'd somehow hurt the other man. "Let me do this my way," Joseph said and used his powers to magnetically carry Remy, leaving ample room between his arms and the Cajun's body, as he didn't want to put more pressure on the abused skin. But he wanted to let Remy know that he wasn't alone, so he pretended to still carry him in his arms.

"I hate it when y' do dat."

"Use my powers?"

"Non, not givin' me any warning 'fore y' do," Remy whispered, trying to lessen the tension between them. "Merci," he murmured, barely audible, as Joseph helped him to lie down in bed. "Feelin' better 'ready."

Joseph covered Remy with blankets and then straddled a chair. "Do you still hurt?"

"A lil'," Remy admitted. "Mais I can handle it." Seeing Joseph's stern expression, Remy realized that he wasn't off the hook yet. "Can' talk 'bout it now." Talking about the pain would make it go away and he clung to it like a lifeline, as it helped to lock out Joseph's feelings. He wasn't worthy to feel Joseph's concern.

Joseph detected the hint of fear in Remy's tone and decided to give the Cajun time. Remy had sought refuge in pain, and to Joseph that indicated how emotionally unstable Gambit was right now. "Do you think you can sleep?"

"Non," Remy replied honestly. Tears were building in his eyes and he fought them back ferociously. "Haven' slept bien since... de ice..."

"I understand." Joseph licked his lips. "I don't have such great memories either when it comes down to Antarctica." He'd faced his own personal hell in the fortress.

Remy blinked his eyes. "Y' got hurt too. Can y' still sleep?"

"I toss and turn a lot during the night. It irritated Rogue..."

Remy immediately noticed the past tense. "Irritated. Did de bad dreams go 'way den?"

"The nightmares are growing less," Joseph admitted and then decided to be completely honest with Remy. "Rogue and I are no longer together." Seeing the shock in Remy's eyes surprised Joseph. "We didn't work out."

"I'm sorry," Remy said truthfully. "T'oug't dat y' would be happy toget'er." He was no longer interested in getting together with Rogue. Not after she'd left him to die in Antarctica.

"You should try to sleep. You look exhausted." Joseph couldn't help fussing over Gambit. The Cajun's general condition worried him. He'd been shocked to find out how much weight Gambit had lost. When he'd tended to Gambit's injuries, he'd been able to count his ribs. "And maybe some soup when you wake up again?"

"Told y', can' sleep." Embarrassed, Remy turned onto his left side, facing away from Joseph. He couldn't bear to see the concern in those gentle eyes. He didn't deserve this kindness!

Joseph licked his lips and said, "What if I kept you company?" Feeling Rogue close had helped him sleep. Maybe having someone close would keep Remy's nightmares away as well.

Speechless, Remy remained quiet. He couldn't believe that Joseph had made that offer. "Y' don' have to stay," he said eventually, trying to reign in his emotions. Joseph's offer meant a lot to him. It was the first time since Antarctica that someone was reaching out to him.

Joseph got to his feet and sat down on the side of the bed behind Remy. Hesitantly, he raised his right hand and placed it on Remy's shoulder. The Cajun flinched at the touch. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but as an empath you've only been receiving negative emotions since your return." Remy nodded his head once and encouraged, Joseph continued. "Wouldn't experiencing some positive emotions make you feel better? I can provide those... if you let me." All Remy had felt lately was hate and loathing and Joseph felt bad for not reaching out sooner.

Remy squeezed his eyes shut. It was amazing, but true; he didn't sense any hate in Joseph's mind. Actually, now that he was focusing on the other mutant's feelings, his pain and guilt were moving into the back of his mind. It was the first time that the guilt left him alone. "Y' don' blame me for de Massacre?"

"No, I don't. I blame Sinister and the Marauders." Joseph lay down on the bed and wondered what to do next. If Remy were female he'd spoon up behind the warm body, but he wasn't sure how the Cajun would react. Also, Joseph wondered why it didn't bother him to be this close to Remy.

Remy tensed. Had Joseph just gotten into bed with him? Why would the other man do that? He was a traitor, didn't that knowledge repulse Joseph? Concentrating on the other mutant's emotions, Remy was startled to feel only concern and warmth. Joseph was really trying to send him those warm, positive emotions he'd offered. Unable to repress his tears any longer, they flowed down his cheeks and dripped from his chin.

"Are you crying?" Joseph heard the suppressed sobs and turned onto his side, towards Remy, and watched how the Cajun's body shook with emotion. He discarded any unease he felt and moved closer, spooning behind Remy. He wrapped one arm around the Cajun's waist and lifted Remy's head so his other arm could slip beneath Gambit's face.

"You can talk to me," Joseph offered, after quickly tucking the blankets in around their forms. It didn't matter that he felt slightly uncomfortable holding Gambit, what did matter was offering comfort and reassurance to the empath. No wonder that Remy was an emotional wreck after being exposed to hate and loathing these past weeks.

Remy couldn't believe that Joseph had spooned up behind him, holding him close. He'd never expected Joseph to cross that bridge. Offering comfort was one thing, actually delivering it another. "Can' find de words," Remy explained, fatigued. It felt good to be held, to be wrapped up in body heat. "Sorry... merci," he whispered, confused. Joseph's closeness and the unexpected warm feelings lured him into a sense of safety.

"Close your eyes, Gambit. Allow yourself to doze off. We'll deal with this after you rested." Joseph stared at an ugly bite just beneath Remy's neck and reigned in his anger. The empath needed calm and comfort, not anger. Involuntarily, he noticed how different a man's body felt to a woman's and he had to admit he liked holding Remy in his arms.

Remy's sobs faded as he surrendered to the warmth that Joseph's body and mind radiated. For the first time since his personal nightmare had started, he managed to fall asleep.

///

Remy stirred from a surprisingly peaceful sleep when delicious fragrances drifted into his nostrils. Did he really smell coffee and fresh croissants? No, that couldn't be. He was probably still dreaming. Stretching his body, he hissed as an unexpected pain washed over him. His back hurt and so did his stomach. His skin itched and... his eyes flashed open as his memories returned... he'd allowed Steve to hurt him and then Joseph had held him in his sleep.

This unexpected change from intense pain to incredible warmth and comfort had shattered his defenses. Joseph had battered down his carefully constructed walls. But why was Joseph so eager to look after him?

"Mon Dieu," he whispered, appalled at his own behavior. Had he really asked Steve to hurt him that badly? Yes, he had. His eyes began to water and embarrassed he hid beneath the blankets. He couldn't face Joseph, who was probably preparing breakfast right now, which would explain the delicious smells. Breakfast? How long had he slept? It had been evening when he'd driven to the nightclub. He hadn't had a night of undisturbed sleep for weeks. Had Joseph's presence made the difference? Remy knew it had.

"Remy?" Joseph leaned against the doorframe as he studied the hidden form beneath the covers. "Join me for breakfast?" Joseph felt confused, but managed to hide it. When he'd woken this morning with Remy snuggled close to him, he'd found himself fingering those auburn locks. He'd been shocked when his body had reacted to Remy's presence and he'd quickly fled the bed before Remy would wake up. Joseph had feared having to explain why his erection had pressed against the Cajun's buttocks. This was the first time that he was feeling attracted to Gambit and he was probably reacting this way because Remy needed someone to help him through this. "Have breakfast with me?" he repeated when he didn't get an answer and then headed for the bed.

Reluctantly, Remy pulled down the covers and peeked at Joseph. "Why are y' still here?" Then he remembered that Joseph and Rogue were no longer together. //Why stay wit' me?//

"We still need to talk about what happened yesterday," Joseph said resolved. "But you should eat first." He wouldn't give in until Remy had told him why he'd wanted Steve to hurt him. Joseph wanted to make sure that it would never happen again. Finding Remy in that state had shocked him.

"Why? Y' t'ink I'm too skinny?" Remy didn't know what to think about that. Yes, he'd lost weight, but it wasn't *that* bad. No one could blame him for losing his appetite after Antarctica!

"You are."

Remy flinched. Maybe Joseph was right. His appetite had disappeared with his ability to sleep properly.

Joseph placed the sweats, which he'd found in the closet earlier, on the bed. "Can you put them on yourself or do you need my help?" He'd seen Remy naked last night and was quickly losing his shyness. If Remy needed help, he'd get it.

"I can get dressed 'lone," Remy whispered, embarrassed.

"Call me when you're dressed? I'll help you down the stairs." Giving Remy some privacy, Joseph left the room and waited in the corridor. He listened closely, determined to pick up on any sounds of distress or discomfort.

Taking his time, Remy finally slipped into the sweat pants and T-shirt. "Ready." He leaned against the wall, as he felt wobbly on his feet. Getting dressed had exhausted him and he flinched at that realization. He hated to admit that he was in a bad shape.

Joseph wrapped an arm around Remy's waist and walked him slowly towards the stairs. He noticed how cautious Remy set down his feet, moving awkwardly and he realized that the Cajun still felt sore. "Careful now." However, he was relieved that Remy accepted his support and didn't push him away.

Remy chuckled softly. "Y're a mot'er hen."

"Don't tell the others," Joseph said, joking along as he helped Remy descend the stairs. He didn't really want to ask this, but he had to know. If the answer was affirmative, he'd insist they visited the medical lab where Hank could examine Gambit. "Are you still bleeding?"

Remy tensed up at once, hearing such an intimate question. Did Joseph really worry that much about him? "I..." Stammering, he looked at the floor. "Non, it stopped."

"And that's the truth?" Joseph tried to sound casual, not distrustful. "I don't want you to be in pain."

"Merci," Remy said surprised. A smile surfaced on Remy's face when he saw that Joseph had placed a pillow on the seat of his chair. Joseph had never struck him as thoughtful, but Remy had to admit that he didn't really know the man that well. It was a pity that Rogue had prevented them from becoming friends. Sometimes, Remy wondered if Rogue played them both. Sitting down carefully, he released a sigh. "Merci," he whispered again, wondering how many times he'd already thanked Joseph.

Joseph poured them some coffee and orange juice, and placed one croissant on Remy's plate. "Eat."

Remy smiled, amused. "Oui, mère." He then realized that Joseph was watching him, making sure he ate. Remy allowed himself to study Joseph closely. The long white hair reached Joseph's hips and the dreamy grey-blue eyes were strangely intense. //Oui, I understand why Rogue would want him...// Remy sipped his coffee and buttered his croissant. He'd better eat something before Joseph would start force feeding him!

"Why did you go to that nightclub?" Joseph asked when Remy least expected it.

"De nightclub?" Remy mumbled, after placing his coffee mug back on the table. "Y' wouldn' understand."

"Try me," Joseph challenged him. Remy seemed to withdraw into himself and Joseph acted on impulse as he placed his hand on Remy's. Maybe all the empath needed was some physical contact to hold onto. "You mentioned the Morlocks last night."

"I got dem killed." How many times had he told Joseph? How many more times did he have to say it before the other man turned away from him in disgust?

"The Marauders killed them." Joseph carefully considered his next words. "You were told that you're responsible for their deaths and now you believe it. You feel guilty, solely responsible for the Morlock's deaths."

Remy cringed. Joseph had gotten it right in one go. "I gat'ered de Mauraders. I got dem killed."

"Yes, you gathered the Marauders, but no, you're not responsible for their deeds." Joseph nudged Remy to take another bite of his croissant. "You didn't get the Morlocks killed. Sinister ordered them killed." He realized that he'd have to repeat this many times before Remy would believe him. "Is that why you allowed Steve to hurt you? Do you think you need to be punished?" It sounded logical, but Joseph couldn't believe that Remy had actually come to that conclusion. The tears that appeared in Remy's eyes told him that he'd been right. "Oh no."

"Mais it's true," Remy whispered, avoiding Joseph's eyes. "X-Men are punishin' me too... dey don' talk to me any longer... Cyke asked me to move into de boathouse..." and that was where he was now. "Looks like he got what he wanted."

Joseph realized he had to take more drastic measures and got to his feet. He sat on his heels next to Remy and gathered the Cajun's hands in his. "Remy? Listen to me. After we got back from Antarctica things went wrong. The X-Men forgave me, even welcomed me back and Rogue... wanted me to stay as well. When you got back you only got hate and they turned their backs on you. That wasn't right. I saw it happen, but didn't do anything to set things straight. They forgave me... they should have forgiven you too."

Joseph caught Remy in his arms as the Cajun slumped forward, too tired to keep up the pretence that he could deal with the hurt and pain. "I'll help you through this. You don't deserve to be treated like that. Don't ever again allow someone to hurt you like Steve did? My heart almost stopped beating when I found you restrained and bleeding in that room." Joseph opted for the truth, knowing that the empath would sense his sincerity.

"W-w-wanted to feel 'gain-n-n," Remy stuttered, shakily. Joseph had broken down his last defense. "Deir hate... deir disgust... couldn' take it any longer... pain was a relief." He hid deeper in Joseph's embrace, not even wondering why the other mutant was holding him this tightly. It felt good... he was finally able to *feel* again and this time the emotions that flowed into his mind were warm and caring. These feelings had been strangers to him during these last weeks.

Joseph merely held him and stroked the auburn hair. Remy's tears wet his shirt and it felt good to see the Cajun cry, knowing that Gambit was finally opening up. "It's all right. Let it go." Joseph wondered why he felt the sudden urge to kiss those tears away. Maybe it was because Remy's pain reached so deep that he wanted to heal it whatever way possible. "I understand why you went there, but promise me that you'll never hurt yourself like that again?" Joseph cupped Remy's chin in the palm of his hand and made the Cajun look up. "I'm worried about you. Please understand me as well?"

"Promise," Remy choked out and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. The expression in Joseph's eyes was warm and tender and took his breath away. Joseph's affectionate feelings wrapped him up in a cloak of warmth and security. "I ain' hungry, mais I'd like to lie down 'gain," he admitted, as his body reminded him of the punishment it had taken.

Pleased, Joseph nodded his head. "Finish your breakfast and I'll help you back to bed."

"Could y'... keep me..." Remy hesitated. He couldn't impose on Joseph like that. Just because the other man had been willing to hold him last night, didn't mean Joseph would offer it again. "Keep me company?" he begged, averting his eyes and staring at his plate. Remy quickly finished the croissant and emptied his orange juice. Last night he'd felt so warm, so protected, even wanted. The look that Joseph gave him made Remy blush.

"I'll keep you company." Joseph never considered refusing the Cajun. The dark circles beneath Remy's eyes told Joseph how little sleep Gambit had gotten lately. Joseph helped Remy to his feet and steadied him as they made their way back to the bed.

"Sit down," he instructed and lifted Remy's feet onto the bed when the Cajun lay down. Remy immediately turned onto his side and Joseph took it as a hint that the empath wanted him to spoon up behind him. Lying down, Joseph moved closer and manoeuvred them into the same position as they'd been in last night. "Warm enough?" he inquired as he pulled up the blankets. Rogue had seldom let him hold her like this. She'd liked it best when he'd stayed on his side of the bed. But he preferred sleeping snuggled up close, like this.

Remy smiled, lazily. //Mon Dieu, dis feels so bien!// Suddenly, he remembered that Joseph had asked him a question. "Oui, warm 'nough. Merci for puttin' up wit' me." His exhausted body urged him to close his eyes and catch up on his sleep. Joseph's calm and soothing emotions washed over him; assuring him he was safe and watched over.

"Go to sleep then," Joseph whispered softly. Too late did he realize that he'd just pressed a kiss on Remy's hair. Feeling nervous, he wondered how Remy would react to that. He was about to apologize when Remy's steady breathing told him that the Cajun had fallen asleep. Joseph relaxed, cuddled Remy closer and caressed the auburn locks.

 

Chapter Two

During the evening Joseph opened his eyes again. He hadn't even realized that he'd fallen asleep while holding Remy in his arms. For long hours he'd tried to decide what to do about the Cajun. It was obvious that Remy shouldn't be alone now and yet, Remy had told him that Scott wanted the Cajun to move into the boathouse and out of the mansion. That was a bad decision, in Joseph's opinion. Or maybe it wasn't? He reconsidered; being away from the spiteful feelings might be a blessing for the Cajun.

"'s cold... non, stop... 's cold..."

Remy moved about wildly in his arms and Joseph felt strangely helpless. What should he do? Hold Remy tight and make sure the Cajun couldn't hurt himself or let him thrash while nightmares tormented him? Rogue had never had nightmares and Joseph bit his lower lip.

"'s cold... don'! I don' wanna... stop!"

Joseph figured that the nightmare probably was about Antarctica and following his instincts, he rolled Remy onto his back so he could see the other man's face. The eyes were tightly clenched shut and a fine layer of sweat had appeared on the Cajun's brow. //I've got to wake him.// Joseph suddenly realized that he hated seeing Remy in such pain.

Carefully, he closed his fingers over Remy's right hand and rubbed it soothingly. "Remy, wake up. You're having a nightmare." His own nightmares had never been this bad! Joseph now gently shook the Cajun's shoulders, trying to get through to the other man. He was inclined to raise his voice, but didn't. Instead, he tried to sound gentle and concerned.

"Remy? It's okay to wake up. You're not alone. Just focus on my concern." Joseph got into a kneeling position beside Remy, hooked his arms behind the Cajun's back and pulled the other man upright, offering Gambit the safety of his arms. Acting on instinct, Remy snuggled up to Joseph. "That's it, now open your eyes and see that it was just a nightmare."

Embarrassed, Remy's eyes slowly opened. His body still shook with remembered cold and he wondered why his surroundings were warm. Making out a form in front of him, he first noticed the long white hair that was draped partially over him like a protective blanket. "Joe?" Remy whispered the name, almost afraid that saying it out loud would make the other man disappear.

"Good, you're waking up," Joseph said pleased. Quickly, his eyes scanned the Cajun's features. The tension was leaving Remy's body. "I'm going to lie you down again." As he did, he checked the time on the large clock hanging above the doorway. It was almost dinner time. They had been asleep for 6 hours. "Are you hungry?"

"Non," Remy replied truthfully as he regulated his breathing. That nightmare had been awfully realistic and he'd been certain that he was back in Antarctica.

"Stay in bed," Joseph instructed and began to untangle his arms and legs from Remy's form. "I'm going back to the mansion..." He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as the tension in Remy's body fully returned.

"'s okay," Remy mumbled and quickly averted his eyes. Staring at the ceiling, he felt grateful that Joseph had stayed this long in the first place. "I can manage." But he wasn't so sure of that. The only thing that had kept him from brooding was Joseph's company and he couldn't tell what would happen after the other man had left. //Probably curl up here and never leave de bed 'gain...// But he couldn't tell Joseph that, he had to pretend he was feeling better.

In disbelief, Joseph watched Remy clumsily climb out of bed. "What are you doing?" Remy should stay in bed and rest!

"Taking a shower," Remy replied. He still felt dirty and wanted to wash the last remnants of Steve's scent off of him. After that, he'd return to bed, hopefully fall asleep, and as far as he was concerned never wake up again. With Joseph gone, no one would be there to pull him back to reality.

Joseph's eyes narrowed dangerously, expressing his displeasure. "Let me finish my sentence. I'm going back to the mansion to get food and clean clothes."

Remy flinched at hearing those words. Merde! "Y're comin' back?" He didn't know how he felt about that. A part of him wanted Joseph to come back, to stay close and take care of him. Another part insisted that Joseph had better things to do than look after a traitor, who was bent on hurting himself in order to do penance for his crimes. Offense was sometimes the best defense and he said, "Y' should talk to Rogue and make t'ings right between y' two 'gain."

Joseph easily detected the evasive expression in Remy's eyes, which indicated that the Cajun thought it was time for him to leave the boathouse. Why was that? "Rogue and I should keep some distance right now."

Remy slowly walked into the bathroom, trying to deny that Joseph's warm concern was calling him back. Remaining silent, he began to take off his clothes. He flinched, seeing his reflection. Steve had left bite marks all over his body. Feeling ashamed, Remy wrapped his arms around his waist, hugging himself tightly. His reflection disgusted him.

Quickly, he stepped into the shower cabin and let the hot water warm his icy body. Pinching his eyes shut, he tried to hold back the tears that wanted to break free. Had he messed up again? Why did he suddenly feel bad about asking Steve to punish him? He'd wanted it at the time.

Remy startled as Joseph stepped into the bathroom. Through the steamy glass of the shower cabin he vaguely made out the other mutant's form. What did Joseph want?

"I figured you might need some towels," Joseph explained and placed them on the toilet seat. Confused, he wondered what to do next. He didn't feel like leaving the Cajun alone right now, but if Remy wanted to be alone he couldn't impose himself. "I'll be going then..." Hopefully, Remy would ask him to come back later.

"Bien," Remy said, loud enough for Joseph to hear. "Bye."

Joseph stared at the shower cabin and faintly made out Remy's form. "You can call me at the mansion in case..." Again, Remy cut him off.

"I'm bien, don' need a baby sitter." Remy tried to push Joseph out of his life, although he secretly craved the other man's company. "Y' don' have to stay at de boathouse. Scott asked *me* to move out, not y'."

Joseph turned away and walked into the bedroom, pondering Remy's words. He picked up his coat on the way out and started to walk towards the mansion. Yes, it was true; Scott had never asked him to move out, but he would always be an outsider. He figured that the X-Men only accepted him because he dated Rogue and she was one of them. Things might change now that Rogue and he were no longer together.

Looking over his shoulder, Joseph's eyes sought out Remy's bedroom window. He didn't trust the Cajun to take care of himself, not after what he'd witnessed at the nightclub. His restless hands located the small rubber ball that he'd pried from Remy's fingers. The way Remy had clung to it still unnerved Joseph. //I'll check on him later tonight,// he vowed.

///

Remy switched off the water and opened the cabin door. A cold breeze drifted inside and made him shiver. He felt grateful that Joseph had brought the towels and wrapped the soft fabric around his body. Sluggishly, he made his way back to the bed and then collapsed on it. "Ouch," he whispered, now that no one could hear him. His lower body still hurt and sitting upright was just downright painful. He lay down and curled up on his left side.

Growing cold already, he ignored the comforter, leaving it at his feet. Motionless, he stared at the window. Only moments ago Joseph's body heat had warmed him and the other mutant's concern had been protectively wrapped around his mind.

Why had he told Joseph to leave? Joseph had been willing to care for him. Joseph's feelings had told him that, but Remy had pushed him away. Feeling vulnerable, he wondered what to do. He couldn't go back to the night club, the promise of pain no longer held as much promise as it did before. What he really wanted was to pull Joseph close and bury himself against the man's warm body.

"'s wrong..." He shouldn't feel like this. Joseph was Rogue's ex-lover.

//And so are y',// the small voice in the back of his head reminded him.

"Dey'll be lovers 'gain," he stated determinedly. "Dey were happy toget'er."

//Are y' sure? Joseph ended deir relationship.//

"He'll wake up and realize she's de one for him," Remy mumbled into the pillows and closed his eyes.

//She'll be mad wit' him when she finds out he helped y'.//

"Oui, mais why? I disappeared from her life. I stay 'way from her, never approach her..." Remy knew she'd be mad as Hell, but why? He ruled out that she still loved him and would have wanted to be the one to look after him. It was more likely that she wanted him to suffer alone.

Remy pulled the other pillow closer and wrapped his arms around it, pretending it was Joseph; that the other man had never left him. Remembering the gentleness with which Joseph had cleaned his wounds, Remy swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. //Joseph cares 'bout me... mais why?//
He willed his thoughts to stop running in circles. His mind turned blank and his now expressionless eyes stared into nothingness.

///

The moment Joseph entered the mansion he halted in his tracks. Coming from the living room was Rogue's voice, asking Scott where she could find Joseph. He drew in a deep breath and stepped into the living room. One look at Rogue told him to be wary. Her eyes revealed her anger and yet, he could tell by the look on her face that she'd try to humor him.

"Ah couldn't find yuh," she said softly, batting her eyelashes and looking at him pleadingly.

The sudden change of emotions displayed on her face and in her eyes startled Joseph. Only a moment ago those eyes had been filled with rage. She was a much better actress than he'd thought.

Scott felt the tension and excused himself. This was between Rogue and Joseph and they had to talk things out.

Joseph walked over to the window and watched as the first drops of rain tapped against the glass. "I needed some time alone."

Rogue moved towards him and rested her right hand on his shoulder. "Ah wanna talk about what happened... Ah wanna be with yuh. What we have is good. We shouldn't throw it away like that."

Joseph considered her words. "Rogue, you're the first person I ever loved, made love with, but..."

Rogue removed her hand, hearing that last word. "But what?"

"I'm no longer in love with you." Joseph heard Rogue's sharp intake of breath, but didn't turn around. Looking her in the eyes would further upset her. "We did the right thing when we broke up."

"Yuh dumped me!" Rogue exclaimed infuriated. "Ah can't believe yuh are doin' this tuh me! Yuh are the only one who can touch me!"

"Rogue," Joseph said softly. "I wanted to discuss this two nights ago and you accused me of manipulating you. We can't even talk about this without you... blaming me." He was treading on very thin ice. She had an explosive disposition and Joseph never knew what reaction to expect. "You can't change my mind. It's over, Rogue. I'm sorry, but..."

"This ain't over yet, Joseph." The warning was obvious. "Yuh can't stop loving me like that! Are yuh seeing someone else? Is that it? Someone who's got more experience in bed than me?" Rogue's hands became fists.

"That isn't the reason why I can't stay in this relationship, Rogue, and you know that. Something's wrong with the way we treat each other." But Joseph thought, //Something's wrong with the way you treat *me*.// If only he had more experience in making relationships work! Then he could perhaps figure out what it was that made him so uncomfortable.

"Can't Ah convince yuh to try again, Joe? Ah love yuh. Ah don't wanna lose yuh." Rogue felt torn between begging Joseph to take her back and kicking his ass to Mars.

"No, Rogue, I'm truly sorry." Joseph shook his head to emphasize his decision. "We should stay away from each other for a while."

"Ah'm not leaving the mansion," Rogue declared and walked away from him. "Yuh betta pay attention yuh don't run into me. This is my home, not yurs. The X-Men only took yuh in because Ah'm one of them. Yuh ain't."

Joseph turned around and stared at her. "What did you say?"

"Yuh heard me!" Rogue said defensively. "Someone had to tell yuh the truth. Yuh should have figured it out by now!"

Joseph swallowed the anger that threatened to lash out at her. Marching towards her, he caught the unexpected glint of surprised fear in her eyes. He passed her by and left her standing.

Rogue bowed her head. She'd hoped that getting her anger out would make her feel better... it didn't.

///

Joseph went to his room and dropped onto his bed. It had been a while since he'd come here last. He'd moved into Rogue's room right after they'd become an item. Now that he looked around, he realized how cold and impersonal his room looked.

Rogue's words didn't surprise him. He knew she'd try to hurt him the only way she could, by reminding him of the fact that he wasn't a real X-Man and that he didn't belong with the group. It didn't matter that he wasn't Magneto, he'd always be the outsider, much like Gambit was.

"Remy..." Joseph got up from the bed and walked over to the window. In the distance he saw the outline of the boathouse. Had he done the right thing by leaving or should he have stayed to look after Remy? But the Cajun was a grown man and he shouldn't impose himself on Remy.

//But you saw that he couldn't take care of himself! He hurt himself!//

Joseph tried to shut out the nagging voice in his head. //He knows that what he did was wrong. Remy won't try hurting himself again.//

//How can you be sure?// the voice questioned.

Growing worried, Joseph had to admit that he couldn't be sure while he was at the mansion. In order to convince himself that the Cajun was fine, he had to return to the boathouse.

//Do you really think he's going to make a trip to the grocery store for food? Except for some canned foods there was nothing in the cupboards,// the persistent voice reminded him.

Yes, Remy's apparent weight loss worried Joseph, he couldn't deny that. What if Remy conveniently 'forgot' to eat? Was he willing to take that risk? After all, he was the only one who seemed worried about the Cajun.

//They kicked him out, shunned him... if things had gone differently when you came back from Antarctica you might have gotten the same treatment. Then it would have been *you* in the boathouse, deserted and abandoned, wishing someone would...//

"Shut up! Joseph exclaimed. "I understand what you're trying to do! You win! I'm going back." Joseph shook his head as he headed towards the kitchen to collect some leftovers. His conscience had never before acted up like this!

///

Several minutes later, Scott entered the kitchen and watched Joseph stuff the leftover chicken, potatoes and soup into a box. Raising an eyebrow, he wondered what Joseph was up to. "Didn't you miss dinner?" he recalled.

"Yes, I did," Joseph replied. Scott's unexpected presence irritated him a little. Seeing the unspoken question on Scott's face, Joseph said, "Rogue and I are no longer together."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Scott whispered. He didn't really know how he felt about this development. The fact that Rogue had dumped Remy to be with Joseph troubled him. Had she chosen to be with Joseph just because they could touch? Was that why she claimed she loved Joseph? Did she really love him? Or was it just the fact that he could touch her? Those were private questions, which he couldn't ask Joseph.

Joseph looked at Scott, wishing once again that he could see the man's eyes. "How much did you hear?"

"The last bit," Scott admitted. "I was on my way to the professor's study. It would be best if you tried to stay away from her. Rogue can be unpredictable."

Joseph's decision was quickly made. "I'll move into the boathouse then." He watched Scott, curious to see the man's reaction.

"The boathouse?" Scott wavered. "I asked Remy to move there."

Joseph recalled that Remy had mentioned that. "Why ban him to the boathouse?" Why forgive him and condemn Remy?

"I'm not banishing him from the mansion," Scott clarified. Asking Remy to move out had been hard on him. He respected the Cajun, who had showed many times that he was loyal to the X-Men, but the situation was becoming unbearable at the mansion. Storm, Warren, Rogue and even Bobby seemed to grow more irritated the longer Remy stayed close. Asking Remy to move out had repulsed him and Scott felt miserable for giving into the pressure. He should have taken charge earlier and now it was might be too late.

Scott had seen the shock in Remy's eyes and had wanted to explain his request, but the Cajun had fled the room before Scott could clarify his action. Scott's cowardice was inexcusable. He could only hope that Remy would figure out why Scott had asked him to leave for now.

Remembering Joseph's question, Scott added, "Maybe it would help if Remy had some company at the boathouse. Actually... I like the idea of you moving in with Remy."

Joseph studied Scott closely. As far as he could tell the man was sincere, but he'd proven himself to be a lousy judge of character so far. He'd completely misunderstood Rogue. "I'll keep an eye on Gambit," he said eventually.

"I appreciate that," Scott said softly. "I'm worried about Remy. He hasn't been the same since he returned from..."

"Antarctica, Scott," Joseph supplied helpfully. "Since the team left him to die on Antarctica. The team took me with them... while they thought that I was Magneto." Accusation flared in his tone.

"I wasn't there," was all Scott said to his defense. "The team didn't know what was happening exactly and..."

"Scott, why didn't we go back for Remy?" Joseph hadn't thought about that before.

"Rogue was the last person to see Remy and she told us that he'd died," Scott said truthfully.

"Did she leave him out there to die? Why?" Joseph couldn't believe that he'd asked that question. What if Scott said yes? That would confirm his suspicion.

"Only Rogue can answer that question," Scott said thoughtfully. "Is there anything else you'll need at the boathouse?"

"Some of Remy's clothes. I can pack mine later." Joseph returned to packing their food supply.

///

"Remy?" Joseph softly closed the front door behind him and immediately noticed how cold it was inside the boathouse. Joseph placed the box and two bags onto the kitchen table and turned up the heat first, before seeking out Remy.

"Remy?" Calling out again, Joseph ascended the stairs. A chill crept up his spine and it wasn't because of the cold. "Remy!" This time his tone was more urgent and as he entered the bedroom, Joseph flinched involuntarily.

Remy was in the center of the bed. His hair was still damp and the Cajun had dropped onto the bed with only a towel slung around his waist. Joseph distinctly noticed the tremors that tormented Remy's body. "I knew I should have stayed!" Angry with himself, Joseph quickly headed for the bed.
When he reached it, he saw that Remy's eyes were open, a blank stare in them. The Cajun had apparently managed to shut out the world. "Remy?" Joseph reacted at once and sat down on the side of the bed. The towel was soaking wet and had to go. Unfortunately, a large part of the mattress had absorbed some of the water and needed to dry.

Exasperated, Joseph shook his head. He'd so hoped that Remy had come to his senses! "I'm going to take you into the living room. You can't stay in this bed. Remy? Do you hear me?" He cocked his head, trying to capture Remy's glance, but the Cajun didn't respond.

Joseph pulled Remy into an upright position and wrapped the comforter around the other man's body. Slowly, keeping in mind that Remy was still hurting, he lifted the Cajun in his arms and started for the living room.

After descending the stairs, he placed Remy on the couch. Picking up the quilt, he draped it over the comforter. "The fireplace." Joseph suddenly realized how he could raise the temperature more quickly. He added some wood and got the fire going.

He returned to the couch and realized that Remy hadn't moved at all. "Can you hear me? Remy, don't shut me out." But the Cajun ignored him and the empty expression in those red on black eyes went straight to Joseph's heart.

//Remy's an empath...// that little voice reminded him.

Yes, he could use the empathy to his advantage! Joseph lifted Remy's motionless body so he could sit down on the couch. Then he placed the Cajun's head on his lap. Slowly, tenderly, he claimed Remy's hand and began to rub away the cold. His other hand tangled in the auburn locks. He never wondered why he was reaching out to Remy in this way. He just did because Remy needed an anchor in this endless sea of self-loathing.

"I brought chicken, soup... we can even have chocolate mousse for dessert," Joseph whispered. "And I'm moving into the boathouse too. Rogue no longer wants me in her sight and..." Joseph noticed the tiny moan that left Remy's lips, hearing her name. Good, he was getting through to the other man!

"I'm sorry that I left. I should have seen through your disguise. I'm lonely too, you know. Like you, I'm also an outsider." Joseph hoped that Remy would react to the sound of his voice, but the Cajun didn't. Maybe he was handling this wrong.

Leaning back his head, Joseph recalled how he'd felt when he'd found Remy in the black room. He concentrated on reliving the initial anger and then focused on his concern for the Cajun.

Remy groaned softly, as the glow of concern seeped through his shields. It was a good feeling that was trying to reach him, honest and pure. He reached out instinctively, cradling the warmth and pulling it closer.

Joseph looked at the man resting against him, and caught the fluttering of Remy's eyelids. "Yes, that's it. Wake up." He didn't know where Remy's mind had found sanctuary and it was obvious that the Cajun didn't want to return to the real world. "We still have to finish our conversation," Joseph said, improvising. "You never told me why you went to that club. Why were you drawn there?"

Finally, after a few long minutes, the combination of his voice and his concern did the job. Remy's eyes cleared and Joseph stared into their depths. The pain he encountered there was heart breaking and much like his own! "Where did your mind go?"

Remy shivered, suddenly aware of the fact that his head was in Joseph's lap and that the other man was caressing his hair and rubbing his knuckles. Speech eluded him and he simply stared back.

Joseph felt the Cajun tense up and took that as a sign that Remy was fully lucid again. "You're cold," he pointed out. "I brought food. Want something to eat?" When Remy didn't answer, not even nodded or shook his head, Joseph's concern increased. "You must be hungry."

Although Remy was awake, the Cajun ignored him. It should have infuriated Joseph but it didn't. Remy's behavior told him a lot about the other man's mental state. "I'll warm up some soup, which we'll eat and then I'll tell you my history."

Remy pretended not to have heard Joseph's voice, but he had. The man's history? He couldn't help growing somewhat curious, but he refused to talk to Joseph or to acknowledge the other mutant's presence. After Joseph had left, Remy had succeeded in pulling up his walls, locking out reality and now Joseph had pulled him back.

Joseph read recognition in Remy's alien eyes and knew that the other mutant had heard his words. But Remy seemed determined to ignore him. He had to be patient if he wanted to get through to the Cajun. "You're not wearing any clothes," he informed Remy. "In case you want to get up, take the quilt or comforter with you." Joseph gently raised Remy's head, slid off the couch and lowered the Cajun's head back onto the pillow. "I'll bring the soup over here."

Remy tried hard not to follow Joseph with his eyes when the other mutant walked towards the kitchen. What had happened after Joseph had left? He remembered taking a shower and collapsing on the bed. Then a terrible cold had frozen his bones and his mind until he'd felt numb. He'd still been in that state when Joseph returned.

Returned... why had Joseph returned? Remy shifted on the couch, pulled up his legs and curled up beneath the warm comforter. He couldn't help listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen, reminding him that he wasn't alone any more.

The fire emanated a welcome heat and he stared into the flames, relishing their warmth. The burning wood made comforting sounds and his eyes began to close now that he felt warm.

"Soup's ready," Joseph announced as he returned to the living area. "You should sit up." Joseph placed the bowls with steaming chicken soup on the coffee table and studied Remy closely. "Do I have to feed you?"

Remy shivered. He could tell from reading Joseph's feelings that the man was determined to make him eat. Clutching the blanket, Remy reluctantly pushed himself into a sitting position.

Joseph smiled, sat down and waited for Remy to entangle his hands from the comforter. Only then he handed Remy his soup. "It tastes great," Joseph said encouragingly. "Jean made it."

The warm bowl felt divine in his hands, but Remy made no effort to eat the soup.

Joseph placed his bowl back onto the coffee table and curled his fingers around Remy's right hand. "Come on, eat!" Slowly, he raised Remy's hand until the bowl touched the Cajun's lips. "Eat something!"

But Remy didn't budge. Joseph studied the Cajun closely and sighed. "Eat the soup? Please, Remy. I'm worried about you." Again, he concentrated on his feelings and tried to broadcast them. He noticed Remy's flinch and the lips opened.

Remy gave in and slowly emptied the bowl. He recognized Joseph's manipulation but forgave the other man, knowing that concern motivated Joseph's actions. As the warm soup slid down his throat, he feared throwing it up again.

Joseph placed the now empty bowl back onto the table and asked, "Would you like more soup?" When Remy shook his head, Joseph felt like he'd achieved a small victory. It would be extremely difficult to pull the empath out of this depressed state. His concern had to win the battle for him.

"Are you comfortable? Would you like me to get you some sweats?" Joseph waited patiently for Remy's answer, but the Cajun was retreating into his shell again. "Remy, is there another bedroom upstairs? Your mattress is soaked." Not getting an answer, Joseph realized that it was getting harder to fight his frustration, which he didn't want to surface. It would only affect the empath negatively.

"Stay here on this couch. I'm going upstairs to see if there's another bedroom you can sleep in tonight." Reluctantly, Joseph got to his feet and walked over towards the staircase. One look over his shoulder told him that Remy hadn't moved. As he climbed the stairs, he realized he was in for a rough ride.

///

When Joseph returned to the living room, he found Remy curled up on the floor in front of the fire place. The comforter was still on the couch and the Cajun had only dragged the quilt along with him. Curled up on his left side, Remy was staring into the flames.

Joseph licked his lips, wondering how to break this listlessness. He didn't know much about depression or empaths, who craved pain to forget the guilt. But every now and then Joseph had the impression that it was something completely different that Remy craved; affection and acceptance.

"What are you doing down here?" Joseph sat down behind the Cajun, pulled the comforter closer and wrapped it around Remy's body. Mirroring his earlier move, he pulled Remy onto his lap. He decided not to push Remy into talking and instead offered his own painful history.

"When I regained consciousness, Sister Maria took care of me. I didn't know who I was or what caused me to lose my memory. Sister Maria was kind. She made sure that I ate, tended to my needs and the kids... I liked them. Sister Maria ran an orphanage and I tried my best to befriend the children." Beneath his hands, he felt Remy's body twitch. Yes, the Cajun was listening and feeling what he was feeling.

Remy didn't want to listen to the hypnotic voice, but failed to lock it out. He didn't know anything about Joseph's history and had always wondered about the other mutant. Now, without asking any questions he might get his answers. At times, he hated his curiosity.

"As the days passed, I grew stronger. I still didn't know who I was, but I began to discover my powers. You've got no idea how much they scared me. I still try to hide my insecurity." Involuntarily, Joseph's hands returned to caressing Remy's hair. "I really liked it there. It was peaceful and the children... we became friends until... until these villains began to threaten Sister Maria."

Remy was listening intently, absorbing all information because he wanted to know more about the man, the only person who'd reached out to him since Antarctica.

"I was scared that the children might get hurt and in my anger I decided to take the villains out. I... killed them." Remy trembled beneath his hands and Joseph nodded his head, saddened. "There's blood on my hands."

Remy couldn't help it. He turned in Joseph's arms until he was on his back and able to see the other man's face. Tears filled Joseph's eyes and Remy instinctively reacted out to the pain, sending Joseph acceptance and forgiveness.

The feelings washed over Joseph and surprised, he stared into Remy's eyes. "Thank you," he whispered sincerely. "I don't know what's wrong with me," Joseph continued, confused. He hadn't planned on telling Remy this part as well, but now he found himself opening up to the empath. "Sometimes I lose control... I can't stop."

"Whadda y' mean?" Remy's eyes grew big, realizing he'd actually spoken those words. He'd been determined not to react, not to offer comfort, but Joseph's pain reminded him of his own.

Joseph managed not to flash a smug smile. He didn't want Remy to retreat into himself again. "When I killed those men I... couldn't stop. Some of them begged for their miserable existence, but all I could think about was ending their lives. It's the same with my other... emotions." The last word carried a hint of surprise. "Sometimes I lose control. I've got a terrible temper."

Remy considered the words. His heart ached for Joseph's pain, but all he could do was send comfort and acceptance into the other man's mind. He could hardly condemn Joseph for killing those men. Jean-Luc would have done the same if someone had threatened his family. "Y' don' feel in control," he realized.

"How can I be in control when I don't have... limits?" He searched for the right words, but couldn't find them.

Shakily, Remy curled his fingers around Joseph's hand. Words wouldn't comfort Joseph, but sending him soothing feelings might. "Merci," Remy whispered eventually.

"What for?" Joseph asked in an embittered tone.

Remy cringed, hearing that bitterness. He wasn't the only one with issues here. "For bein' dere for me." He hadn't realized how much he'd missed Joseph's presence during the hours that the other man had been gone. Maybe Joseph's absence had been the reason for sinking that deeply into depression? The darkness inside his mind seemed to flee whenever Joseph was near.

Joseph fought his own pain into submission and focused on Remy again. Taking care of the Cajun made him feel good. "I told Scott that I was moving into the boathouse."

Surprised, Remy blinked his eyes. "Why? Not 'cause of me, I hope?"

"Partly," Joseph admitted and absentmindedly fingered a stray lock of auburn hair. "I want to keep an eye on you."

"What's de ot'er reason?" Remy sensed that Joseph was holding back.

"I talked to Rogue." Soothingly, Joseph rubbed Remy's knuckles. "She told me to stay out of her sight and I completely agree with her. I need time away from her."

Remy briefly closed his eyes. "Ain' we pat'etic, mon ami? She dumped me to be wit' y' and now..."

"No, we're not pathetic," Joseph said in a firm tone. "You were mistreated and I... I realized that I made a mistake."

"So..." Remy locked eyes with Joseph for the first time since the other man had returned to the boathouse. "Y' gonna stay here? Keep me company?" That prospect thrilled him. Somehow, Joseph's presence kept the guilt and self-loathing away.

"Yes, I'm staying," Joseph replied. He felt strangely pleased with himself when he looked into Remy's eyes. Some of the old sparkle was returning, but he knew how easily it could go away again. "Do you want to stay here in front of the fire or...?"

"I'm bien here," Remy purred, as some of Joseph's contentment drifted into his mind. "Fire's warm."

//And so is your body,// Joseph thought pleased, remembering how cold Remy had been when he'd arrived here. "We do have a problem though... for tonight."

"What problem?" Remy asked, sleepily.

"There's only one bedroom and you soaked the mattress."

"We can sleep here, Joe... have slept on de floor before."

Joseph shook his head. "No, you can't be comfortable on the floor." //Not with those bites, bruises and scratches on your body.// Scanning the living room with his eyes he realized that there were two equally sized couches. If he pushed them together they would make one bed. //Why do I want to push them together? Remy can sleep on one couch and I can sleep on the other!//

But what if Remy had another bad dream? Or fell off the couch in his sleep? The Cajun's body was still healing. "Give me a moment." Using his powers, he magnetically manoeuvred the couches over the floor until they faced each other. "I'm going to get us some pillows and blankets."
"Bien," Remy whispered, dozing off.

Joseph smiled, realizing Remy was already falling asleep and quickly fetched the pillows and blankets, which he placed onto the couches. Magnetically, trying not to disturb Remy's sleep, he carried the Cajun towards the couches. He made sure that Remy was comfortable and then lay down himself. Remy was facing him. The Cajun had wrapped his arms around his waist and slept peacefully.

Wondering if he was trespassing, Joseph soothingly stroked Remy's back. He cringed, as he could count Remy's ribs. He'd never shared such exquisite silence with Rogue. Why was it different with Remy? Joseph realized that he had to find the answers to those questions.

 

Go on to Part2