The Call : Epilogue

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

“Ya ready Kid”

“ As I’ll ever be I guess” The two men made their way to the Danger Room. This was it, if Remy passed this danger room session he’d be reinstated to the active list. He’d worked harder than he ever had before to get back into fighting condition. His knee was as good as it would ever be again. He still had a tiny limp, but only those who knew him well would notice. The fluid, graceful, Cajun was back.

Everyone crowded into the control room and watched in shock as Remy was thrown against a wall and surrounded by FOH soldiers. “ Hank! How could ya put him there!” Logan screamed . It was an exact copy of the day all those months ago when Remy had been hurt.

“ Because if he can get through this I will be convinced that he is ready mentally as well as physically.” Hank said calmly. His eyes never left the young man being taunted below, he had his hand on the kill switch in case this was too much for the young Cajun to handle. If the memories became too real he would stop the program immediately. The same men surrounded him with the same weapons. Pepper spray, lead pipe, hidden hypodermic needle. The attack surprised everyone in the room, the pipe cut through the air with the same brutal accuracy, this time at the last second Gambit kicked out, deflecting it away. The can of spray was turned on it’s owner and anyone unlucky enough to get in the way . The needle was kicked away with such force that the hand holding it could be heard breaking in the control room. Gambit escaped the corner and ran to meet another challenge and another. For an hour he battled. He took some hard hits, he favored his knee and his shoulder sported a bloody gash from a piece of shrapnel he couldn’t avoid, but the fire was back in his eyes. The smile that infuriated any and all opponents flashed widely, he was letting loose and he was having a great time doing it. “ End session” Hank spoke into the speaker and the danger room changed back to it’s original state. Remy limped over to the door holding his bleeding shoulder. When it slid open he was greeted by eight smiling faces. He was pulled into hugs and slapped on the back. Hank pushed his way through the group and held out his hand “ Welcome back Remy.” He took Remy’s hand, shook it, and then pulled the smiling Cajun into a huge bear hug.

“ Where’s Logan?” he asked as soon as he was released. Everyone looked around but no one saw him leave. “ He watched the whole thing Remy.” Hank said, it was important that he knew Logan hadn’t walked out . “ Come on, let me have a look at you then you can find him. He may need some time alone.”

A shower, twelve stitches, and orders to take it easy the rest of the day later, Remy finally found Logan sitting in their room at his piano. “ Cher?…You okay?”

“ Hey darlin’… you did it…yer back on the team.” He was too quiet, didn’t look up at his lover.

“Cher?…”

“ Ya knew what would happen in there Remy. You were ready for that attack. You won’t know what’s comin’ when ya go on the next mission, who knows what you’ll have to deal with.”

“ We never know, none of us.” He limped into the room and sat down on the bench beside his lover. He ran his fingers over the keys. The song he played sounded a bit like the first song Logan heard what seemed like a lifetime ago. “You could lose your healing factor.” He hit a sour note and stopped to rub his sore shoulder a second. When he continued playing, the song was a little more upbeat. “ We just have to play the hand we’re dealt.”

Logan looked over at his lover for the first time. The music became a little louder, a little sweeter. “ You want to join me in this game Cher? Play it out till the end? See whether we end up winners or losers?” Now the music flowed from his fingers as they danced across the keys. Logan watched as Remy closed his eyes and played, a smile on his beautiful face. Logan thought he could almost see the notes of music in the air it sounded so heavenly.

“ Yeah Rem, I want to join you, wanna play this game forever. You don’t have to worry though” He leaned in to kiss Remy, “ We already won.”

END