Henry McCoy was a brilliant man. He could accomplish anything he wanted given time. He was running out of time now. He sat by his young patient idly readjusting the oxygen mask, checking the drip of the IV and watching the monitors tell him that he had failed. Remy’s young, nearly perfect body was slowly shutting down right in front of his eyes. There was nothing more he could think of to stop it. He lifted the broken right hand, “ I’m so sorry Remy… I’ve failed you again. “ Antarctica would always be his greatest shame. He truly could not recall what possessed  him to leave his young team mate behind.  Remy was as low emotionally as he had ever been. Trapped and helpless, his new family listening as his worst sin was ripped from him. Rogue had started the story but somehow the young Cajun, barely more than a boy, had found the courage somewhere inside to take over and tell them all himself. What Remy had done was no worse than anything any other X-man had done, was considerably less than some others. Hank replaced the broken hand to the pillow that supported it and started to stand, a tiny noise from the bed made him look down.
   “logan…”
Hank sat again and placed his hand on Remy’s burning brow, “ I’m sorry Remy, it’s Hank. “
   “need…him…”
“I’m sure he’s coming. “
   “…cold…”
Hank rose from the chair and got another blanket from the closet. He carefully placed it over the shivering boy. “ Does this help? “
   “…mer…ci,…stor…my? “
“ Would you like to visit with her? She’s been so worried about you. “ Hank brushed back long hair as he’d seen Logan do.
   “ oui.” It took so much effort to form the small word.
“ I’ll get her for you. “ Henry stood and left the room. Remy tried to concentrate on the sound of his retreating footsteps but found that for some reason, he needed to concentrate on drawing his next breath. What had happened ? He heard a noise near the foot of his bed. Soft footsteps and a cool hand on his burning cheek. “ Remy? “
   “you…’k? “
“I am fine brother. Do not talk. “ She brushed her fingers through his long bangs in a calming motion. “ I did not get a chance to thank you. You saved me again it seems “she said softly. A tear slide down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She started softly humming a song she remembered from her youth. It always made her feel safe as a child. She continued playing with his hair as she watched the man she loved unlike any other fight just to take a breath. This man had saved her more times and in more ways than she could ever tell. Not only from the Shadow King when she was regressed to a child ,or in the countless fights since. He saved her when she was sure she would die from the broken heart Forge left her with when he ended their relationship. Remy was ALWAYS there for her and she would do anything in her power to give him peace now.
   “ lo…gan…” God where was he? It was getting so hard to talk…to think…to breathe.
“ I will find him for you brother. “ she bent and kissed him “ I love you Remy.” her voice broke as she spoke. As she left the room Hank pulled her into his strong arms and held her as she cried against his large chest.
Outside, the heavens cried with her.
 

Down the hall the elevator doors slid open “they’re coming! “ Bobby yelled as he ran toward Hank “ They ‘ve got some sorta stuff that will help Remy! “ He was panting slightly as he stopped beside his best friend. “ It’s not too late…is it? “ He looked from Hank to Ororo and back. “ Come on Hank… it’s not is it? “
   “ I hope not Bobby. “ he said quietly. “ I will do all I can…”
Storm turned into his chest again and he held her close trying to comfort his friend. The frantic search for Logan began an hour ago when Remy’s heart finally stopped . He was hanging on though, it was as if he couldn’t leave, couldn’t let go until Logan was there with him.  “ They better hurry “ Hank said quietly, I don’t know what’s keeping him alive. “
   Just then the door burst open , Rogue dropped Wolverine who shoved the case at Hank and ran to his lover. When he entered the room the crash cart was a glaring reminder of how close he was to losing his angel. “ Remy?… Remy, come on darling’ …talk to me . “
 
   “ lo…gan” muffled by the oxygen mask, so quiet only Logan’s  sensitive ears could hear.
Out in the hall everyone’s attention was on Rogue.  “ It’s in there Hank, along with everything else that was in the safe. “
   “ How much do I give him!” he held up one of the vials “ Quickly, everyone look through these papers for anything about the drug or antidote! “  Everyone present grabbed a pile of papers and searched for any mention of  either.
   “ I’ve got it! “ Storm said as she shoved the papers at Henry who ran for his lab in a flurry of lab coat and fur.
“ Now we wait again I guess “ Bobby said as he sat down on one of the hard metal chairs in the hall.
 

Logan watched from the corner as Henry injected the mystery cure into one of the IV’s that surrounded his lover. Nothing happened at first, then Remy took a deep breath and relaxed back into the bed. “ Let’s go to my office to talk. “ The two men sat in the small office “ his breathing has eased, but the fever hasn’t broken and his heartbeat is still erratic. While you were gone he went into full cardiac arrest, I was forced to hook him up to a Shi’ar device after I got him back to stabilize him. It is the equivalent  to an external pace maker. “
Logan couldn’t say anything past the lump in his throat, couldn’t feel anything past the fear in his gut. While he stood in there watching Hank he thought about how much he cared for the kid. He could be a real spoiled brat, could probably drive a saint to murder. He was also the only being alive who made Logan feel completely human. There was no need to be Wolverine. He wanted nothing from Logan but to be loved and cared for and to return the same. The conversation ended when an alarm sounded from Remy’s room. The two men looked at each other then rushed to the small room. Remy was soaked in sweat and shaking violently in the bed. “ Remy… it’s gonna be okay now ,Remy? “ Logan couldn’t help himself, he pulled the shaking body to his chest and hugged him.
“ Logan! Release him…Logan! “
“ He’s okay… he’s gonna be okay… ” Logan was talking into the sweat soaked hair of his lover. He tried to let him go, he really did , but he was sure if he did that this time Remy would die.
“ Logan, you’ll hurt him. “ Hank said gently, he was worried about Remy, but he was more so about Wolverine at the moment.
“ NO, I’ll NEVER hurt him, NEVER. “  Logan was shaking as he kissed Remy’s hair and lay him gently back on the mattress. His heart monitor beat out an irregular beat, long pauses then racing fast. Hank readjusted the Shi’ar device over his chest and waited long moments for the beats to become regular again.
   “ He said my name, he was awake, I heard him. “ Logan was brushing back  the sweaty hair over and over again. Hank didn’t know what to do, what was he supposed to say to the man. He was clearly losing it.
“ Logan… Logan,  Remy didn’t speak to you. You imagined it my friend. The stress…”
“ He said my name, you just didn’t hear him. “ Logan was caressing Remy’s arms. Hank sighed deeply and walked to the door, “ I’m going to give you some time alone. I need to update the rest of the team. “ There was a strange, sad, quality to his voice.
“ You do that. “ Logan said but his eyes never left Remy.
 

   “ Well?… come on Hank. “ Bobby asked when the door opened.
“ There has been no significant change. His breathing has eased a bit but I’ve been forced to attach a Shi’ar device to him to regulate his heart. I hope that in time that too will prove to be unnecessary.”
“ What is wrong Henry? “ Storm asked as she walked up to the large blue doctor and placed a hand on his arm.
“ I fear we may be losing Logan too. “ Everyone’s attention  grew. “ He is showing signs of extreme stress. He is so connected to our young Acadian friend that I fear if Remy doesn’t make it he won’t be able to handle the loss. He swears he heard Remy say his name. It never happened. I fear he will go insane.
“ Then Remy cannot die. “ Storm said. She could not bear the thought of losing her brother or Logan who was a dear friend.
“ Can’t ya just give Remy more of that stuff ? “ Bobby asked.
“ I don’t even know what’s in it! Remy’s reaction could change . I need to study it, break it down, That way I could counter any reaction he has. He’s not strong enough to handle a bad reaction, it would most likely kill him. “
   “ Then study it. “  Scott said as he and Jean joined the small group. “ Jean and Storm can watch Remy, and you’d be right there if anything came up that they couldn’t handle. “
“ True, I am just watching him right now. Alright, if you don’t  mind ladies? “
“ Of course not Hank, “ Jean kissed Scott and followed Hank and Ororo  into the Lab.

Jean and Ororo looked at each other as they watched Logan carefully give Remy a sponge bath. He handled his lover like he was precious china. He gently wiped his face and arms, he kissed each hand as he replaced it to the bed. “ Hey Jeannie, Ro,” he never took his eyes off Remy, never stopped the gentle strokes of the sponge. “ He’s all sweaty from the fever. He doesn’t like to be dirty, I can hear him now  ’spent ’nough time bein’ dirty when I was a pup’ he’d say. When he wakes up the first thing he’s gonna wanna do is wash his hair , you watch. “ He stroked the stringy hair back, feeling the bump from the beating just days ago. “ Gonna have to tie him to this bed too. He hates the lab, don’t ya darlin’. “
  Jean and Ororo exchanged a glance. Hank was right, Logan had lost it.
“ Would you like us to wash his hair? “ Jean asked as she came into the room.
“ Nah, I’m gonna do it when he wakes up. Yer bein’ yer usual lazy self aren’t ya darlin’. Hates getting’ up. He’s a nocturnal animal. “ Logan smiled softly as he replaced the sponge in the basin and covered his lover with the warm blankets. “ Hates to be cold too. Don’t think any of ya notice how he shivers all the time.” He never looked up, never looked away from his lover. He smoothed the blankets over Remy’s chest, cringing a bit when he felt the small device that was keeping his heart beating; keeping him alive.
“Logan, may I sit with him a while. “ Jean asked “ I haven’t had a chance yet. “ Logan started to reply when the heart monitor paused, beeped three times fast then paused again, too long. Henry entered the room, he readjusted the small device on Remy’s chest then waited long moments for a regular beat again.

   The next week passed painfully slow for Logan as he watched Hank battle time and again to keep his lover alive.
“ His temp came down a bit. “ Hank said . It had been a long week with many ups and downs. Every one on the team had, at one time or another, been down to sit with Remy. He  seemed to improve one day and worsen the next. Every time Hank was sure he was losing the young man Logan would hold his hand, whisper in his ear, beg him not to go. Every time Remy would respond. Hank looked down at Logan where he sat beside his patient and smiled a little. Logan squeezed Remy’s hand returned the small smile.
   “ I’m going to give him a shot of a Shi’ar compound that I’ve been working on all week. I can only hope he doesn’t have a bad reaction to it. “ The message behind the words was clear. They needed to be prepared in case they lost him again.
   “ He won’t. “ Logan said “ Do it Hank, something’s gotta work, right? “
Hank injected the green fluid into one of the many IV’s that hung around the thin body. Nothing happened at first, Logan rose from the chair and sat carefully on the edge of the bed. He watched as Remy tensed and took a deep breath. His fingers weakly curled around Logan’s hand. “ That’s it kiddo, Fight… Are ya comin’ back to me? “
“ Remy… it’s Hank, you’ve been very ill. “
Remy’s hand relaxed again. “ He’s out again. “ Hank sighed.
“ But he woke up. That’s good…right? “
Hank heard desperation in Logan’s voice. How much more could he take. How many more times could he watch as his lover died and was brought back. How many more times would he be lucky enough to bring him back? How much more time before Remy’s poor heart couldn’t take anymore. Too many questions. Too many hard answers.” I suppose so, I wish he’d stayed awake longer.” Hank finally answered.
   “ He will, he’s comin’ back from the dead Blue, give him a break. “
“ Of course my friend, I’m going to update his chart. Call me if you need me.” Hank walked to his office and dropped into his chair. He took off his glasses and lay his head on his arms on the desk. He was so tired. Had he missed something? Was there anything more he could do? He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer as he drifted off to sleep.
 

TBC