"IMBECILES!! YOU FAILED! HOW COULD YOU HAVE FAILED!"

All the Marauders winced. They had never truly seen Sinister angry, and wished they didn't have to see it now. The volume alone was extraordinary and terrifying to the senses.

"IDIOTS!! I SEND YOU ON A FOOL'S ERRAND, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THAT RIGHT!"

All of them know better than to try and explain right now. Better to wait until Sinister quiets down before explaining that his information was wrong. Not that it would get them off the hook...

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU LET SLIP THROUGH YOUR BRAINLESS FINGERS! CAN YOU COMPREHEND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT YOU FOOLS LOST!"

The tirade continued for another hour, staying at a constantly loud volume. Finally, Sinister's voice lowered to barely tolerable as his anger cooled slightly.

"It is hoped that you can explain your dismal performance in your attack tonight. And for your sake, it had better be beyond satisfactory."

Scalphunter spoke up. "We would have had the punk, but the telepaths weren't exactly as crippled as you thought...boss."

Sinister glared. "Go on."

"They knew we were coming. Baldy sensed it. Not to mention that the two broads were there too. Not only did they know we were coming, but they knew why. The ice cube jetted out with the punk before we could even get to him." Scalphunter decided long before to omit the part where he actually lost his quarry.

Sinister sat back in his chair. He thought carefully, and waved his hand to dismiss the Marauders assembled before him. They left in earnest, all but running out of the room. Sinister continued to ponder the events that resulted in the failure to reacquire his creation. He walked slowly from the room and headed for the computers. If what he suspected was true, then his child may prove more difficult to bring back than he thought.

Difficult, but not impossible.

Bobby opened the door and dropped the bags on the inside. Though not as large as the mansion, the house he stepped into was roomy in its own right. It was two stories, with the bed and personal bathrooms on the second floor. He gave the place the once over and turned back to his traveling companion.

"A little dusty, but looks okay. Come in already."

The younger mutant walked in behind Bobby, his movements slow and sluggish. Despite the sleep on the Blackbird, Remy still hadn't fully recovered from the abrupt departure from the mansion. His eyes roamed over the room blearily. After a minute, he shuffled over to the couch and collapsed in a heap. Bobby looked at him with a feeling of concern that was uncharacteristic in his usual dealings with the Cajun. After locking the door, Bobby walked over and sat carefully on the edge of the sofa.

"Are you okay?"

"Non."

The short reply irritated Bobby. I'm ~trying~ to help you, and you're ~not~ making it easy. Bobby leaned forward and noted Gambit's flushed face. He set a casual hand on Remy's forehead, and snatched it back quickly.

"Jeez, you're burning up..."

"Dat's what dey all say."

Bobby gritted his teeth. He tried to remember that Gambit was never one to show when he needed help, nor did he ever ask for it. Why me? Storm or Jean or Rogue should be here. Why me? A voice in his head rebelled, saying he could take care of Gambit as well as any of them. Drake silenced them all and concentrated on his teammate.

Bobby stood up and looked down at the man sprawled across the couch. Without thinking, he hoisted Gambit into his arms and carried him to the nearest bedroom. The fact that the Cajun didn't have a ready retort to offer told Bobby that he was worse off than he would ever admit.

That was not good at all.

Bobby kicked open a door leading to a bedroom and laid Remy down gently on the bed. He walked into the adjoining bathroom and returned with a damp cloth, which he placed on Remy's brow. Remy mumbled something that resembled a 'thank you' before his eyes drooped and closed altogether. Bobby sat on the edge and considered calling the mansion to get some help. No, he knew that was out of the question. No doubt Sinister was monitoring the communications to and from the school. He couldn't take the chance. For better or for worse, they were on their own.

Bobby removed Gambit's shoes and shirt, keeping the flesh to flesh contact down to a minimum. A small part of him marveled at the soft feel of Remy's skin. I didn't know a guy's skin could be so soft... He lowered him back down on the bed and got up to leave. He was almost at the door when he heard a murmur from the bed.

"...bobby?"

Never hearing that tone in Remy's voice before, Bobby felt compelled to go back over to the bed. He glanced at those alien red on black eyes and experienced a feeling that anyone else would describe as tender. But Bobby wasn't accustomed with the feeling, and chalked it up to the batch of nachos he had earlier.

"What is it bud? You need anything? Water? Aspirin? I think there might be some on the Blackbird..."

"Non...don't...don't go."

Bobby didn't now how to respond. He was used to the unflappable, arrogant, 'been there, done that' attitude the Cajun was so famous for. The vulnerable man lying before him was a person Bobby had never met before. Thoughts and feelings churned inside of him as Bobby sat back on the edge of the bed. It was obvious that Gambit needed something, but for the life of him, Bobby didn't know what. Nor was he sure that he himself could give it to him.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Gambit rolled on his side. Bobby spent a second convincing himself that those were not tears sparkling in Remy's eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Bobby cocked his head. "For what?"

"For dis. I know y' don't wanna be here. Hell, I don't want t' be here. But I am, we are, an' I'm sorry f' getting y' mixed up in dis."

Bobby held back an urge to smack him. "Stupid Cajun, everything isn't always your fault you know. This isn't your fault either. So stop beating yourself up about it."

Remy didn't, couldn't believe him. "Non. Wasn't f' me, de X-men wouldn't be fighting de Marauders..."

Bobby heard enough. He straddled Gambit and pinned his arms down above his head. His face was grave as angry blue eyes met with startled red.

As his ire cooled, Bobby noticed the sheer terror surfacing in Remy's eyes. His body trembled beneath Bobby's, but he made no move to escape. A solitary tear traced a path down the side of his face, and Remy's voice held an unfamiliar quiver when he spoke.

"...please...no more..."

Confusion marked Robert's face. He let go of the Cajun's arm and sat back on his knees. Bobby stared inquisitively at the Cajun. Remy crossed his arms across his chest and seemed to pull himself in. His breath caught in his throat, and a bewildered Iceman watched on as Remy began to cry.

"Gambit?"

Remy didn't respond. He curled into a tight ball underneath Bobby and sobbed brokenly. Bobby got off the bed quickly and stood to Remy's side. His shock was put on hold as he tried to figure out a way to help.

"Gambit? Remy? Talk to me. What's wrong? Why are you cr... upset?"

Bobby reached out to touch his shoulder. Remy jerked away from the touch as if it burned. His sobs deepened.

"Please...please...stop...please."

Bobby slowly sat back down, careful not to make any movements that might send Remy further into the nightmare he was trapped in. His voice carried notes of warmth and concern as he attempted to speak through Remy's pain.

"It's okay Remy. You're safe. Nobody's going to hurt you. It's alright. Just calm down, okay?"

Whether it was the tone or the person, Remy wasn't sure. Somewhere beyond the abyss he heard a voice calling to him. After eternity passed, he was able to reply. Garnet red peeked from under long lashes and observed Bobby hesitantly.

"Bobby?"

Bobby exhaled loudly. "Yeah, it's me. You okay?"

"Non. I...I don't...want t' hurt...no more."

Bobby would never be able to remember how he wound up holding Remy in his arms. One minute the Cajun was crying wretchedly on the bed, the next minute Bobby was stroking his back and uttering words of assurance under his breath. Some time later, Remy calmed down enough to pull himself out of Bobby's arm. He sniffed and averted his eyes down, away from Bobby's face. Bobby scanned the room and found a box of tissue on a table. He handed a few to Remy, who wiped his face.

"Wanna talk about it?"

He didn't, really. Remy learned a long time ago that he had to deal with this on his own. But he couldn't not talk about it. The pain he lived with was eating him alive. After tasting freedom once, the pain did not want to be imprisoned again. It needed a voice, and Bobby was offering an ear. He fidgeted, not knowing where to begin. Bobby saved him.

"Sinister did something to you," it was more a statement than a question. Remy nodded.

"Oui."

"When?"

Remy sighed. "When I was a kid, before I joined de Guild. I was maybe 'bout 6 or 7, mebbe older. I don't really remember. He came out o' nowhere. I was workin' de street, picking pockets an' such. I had my charm power back den. I was sizin' dis one guy up, when he turned an' looked at me. I figure he was trouble an' let him be. But he followed me. I panicked an' ran. I went t' an alley I always hid in. Den I saw a weird light glow an' de guy stepped out of it."

Sounds like a terresect, Bobby thought as Remy continued.

"So he comes over, an' I'm thinkin' I'm dead. He looks at me an' starts talkin'. I couldn't understand everythin' cause he was using all dese big words. All I got was dat his name was Essex, he was some kind o' scientist, an' dat I'd be able t' help him. He offered me a place t' stay. I thought he was one o' those types. Not dat I haven't done dat before..."

Bobby's face went pale as he put two and two together. "But...but you were just a kid."

Remy shrugged, "It's no big deal, just another john. So when he asked if I wanted t' come with him, I was like yeah, sure. Even one night out o' de cold is better dan nothin'. He told me t' walk through dat weird light. I didn't really want t', but he had my arm an' dragged me into it. We were in dis room wit' lots o' big tubes. I tried t' look in them, but he was pullin' me too fast. He took me in a little room, kinda like a doctor's. I got scared again, but he said he'd take care of me, just wanted t' make sure I was okay. He looked me over an' gave me some pills wit' some water. Somethin' 'bout malnutrition. After dat, he took me t' a room. It was smaller dan de first room, but it had a bed. I thought he'd want me t' do somethin' for him now. But he just said t' get some sleep an' he'd explain everythin' later. Then he walked out an' locked the door. I'd never been in a bed, least not by myself. It was soft an' clean. I went t' sleep pretty quick, 'cause I didn't even remember goin' t' sleep at all. When I woke up, he was standing dere wit' some food. I still didn' know what he wanted, but I wasn't goin' t' complain. Compared t' what I had before, dis was heaven. He waited 'till I was finished an' told me de story. He used a lot o' big words, but he said he was workin' on somethin' important, an' dat I might be de only one who could help him. He said I would stay wit' him an' I wouldn't have t' go back t' de street. Hell, I thought anything was better dan de street. I was too stupid t' know dat y' don' get somethin' f' nothin'."

His tone grew bitter. A hand rested on his shoulder, and Remy saw Bobby gazing at him with deep sympathy.

"You were only a kid. A kid who was living on the streets. I would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes."

Remy's head dropped, a fall of hair obscuring his face. "Mebbe, mebbe not. Not goin' t' argue. I wish I could say dat I wouldn't do it again, but I can't." Remy tucked his hair behind his ear and continued.

"So he lets me stay dere. At first it was okay. Room, food, a few clothes. He'd give me a checkup every once an' awhile t' make sure I was alright. All de time he kept talkin' 'bout how I'd be his 'avatar'. I didn' know what he was talkin' 'bout, and I didn' really care. I was more worried 'bout when I was gonna have t' start payin' him back f' everythin'."

"A few months went by. By den I learned how t' get around de place. From what I could tell, de place was big. A lot o' doctors worked dere, but it was obvious dat Essex ran de place. Every time he went t' a room all de people jumped and started runnin' around. If de man said boo, I thought they'd 'ave a heart attack."

"Like I said, everythin' was okay at first. But dere was one place I couldn't go into. Didn't know if it was a room or another lab or what. Whenever I try t' ask him 'bout it, he just told me not t' bother with it, dat I didn't need t' know 'bout de people who worked in dere. Said I'd meet dem later anyway. I didn' ask again. Some t'ings y' learn quick, an' dat was one o' dem. But dat didn' stop me from tryin' t' get in de place. Wish I knew den what it really was..."

Remy shivered as the memories played in his mind. "One day I saw Essex go in de room. De door was left open, so I snuck in t' see what was really in dere. Dat's when I saw them."

"Who, the Marauders?" guessed Bobby.

"Oui. I saw dem, but dey didn't see me, not at first. But worse dan seeing dem, I could feel them. I felt how bad dey were. It's like bein' locked in a room full of skunks, only instead o' it messin' wit' your nose, it messes with your soul. Dieu, I thought I was goin' t' throw up, it was so bad. All I wanted was t' get out of dere, fast."

"I tried to sneak out, but I got caught. Harpooner grabbed me an' dragged me back to Essex. Being dat close t' dem made it worse. I felt sick, couldn't breathe, it was awful. Harpooner sat me down in front of Essex, touchin, me in a couple o' spots when he did. Made me gag. I usually never cared 'bout doin' dat before, but de thought o' doing it with any o' dem was beyond disgusting."

"So I'm sittin' on de floor, sick an' scared an' wonderin' what he's gonna do t' me. I hear him tell de others t' get out. One o' dem said somethin', Scrambler I think, and Essex blasted him. Dat was de first time I saw what he really looked liked. De others picked Scrambler off de wall an' ran out. I didn't feel so sick after dey left, but I still didn't know what Essex was gonna do. His voice was different when he spoke. Told me his real name was Sinister, an' dat he was goin' t' create a new race o' mutants. Said I would control dem, dat dey would kneel before me, an' I would kneel before him. Like I knew what he was talkin' 'bout. Den he asked if I had felt what de Marauders were like. Couldn't speak, just nodded. He said dat was what made me special. Said telepaths were a dime a dozen, but I was dee only true telempath he'd ever found."

"Telempath?"

Remy nodded. "Like a telepath, but instead of reading thoughts, I read emotions. I can control it now, but back den it use to mess with me. Especially when I came close to someone who were just rotten."

"Like the Marauders," Bobby murmured.

"Yeah."

Bobby looked at the Cajun with a new level of respect. "My God Remy, how did you deal with it. I think I would have gone insane." A dry chuckle answered him. "What?"

"What makes you think I didn't?"

"Well I mean...er...that is..." A dull red crept across Bobby's face. Remy chuckled again.

"S'okay. A couple of times I t'ink I did lose it, but I learned t' control it pretty fast." Remy's face grew dark once more. "The problem with de Marauders was dat dere was so many o' dem, each one worse dan de next. Never had t' deal wit' so much before." Remy sighed.

"Dat was what Sinister wanted, t' control my power. I didn't know how t' broadcast, but he did. Said de stronger de emotion, de more likely I would send it to others. Once I was introduced t' extreme emotions, I would be able t' control my telempathy."

"It went t' hell from dere. Suddenly he put me through test after test after test. Some made me dizzy, a few left me sick, some I don' remember. A lot of I wish I didn' remember. And de Marauders were always hidin' somewhere close by."

"Finally he said de time had come f' me t' learn my full potential. He strapped me down t' a table like he always did. I t'ought it was another test. Den he left. I didn't see de Marauders until dey were right at de table. Dey started touchin' me, takin' off my clothes. I screamed. I didn' t'ink Sinister would let dem hurt me, not like dat. Before, if anyone looked at me de wrong way, he blasted dem. He protected me. He said... he said he'd... take care..."

Bobby's heart broke along with Remy's voice. Tears of sympathy welled in his eyes, and he angrily blinked them back. It was fortunate that neither Sinister nor any of the Marauders were there, or Bobby was sure he'd kill them on sight. He looked at his friend. Remy was trying hard to contain his pain. Bobby picked up a blanket from off the bed and covered Remy's shoulders with it. Remy clutched the sides and wrapped it tightly around himself. He wouldn't look at Bobby, who sighed deeply.

"I think I understand. He was the first person who cared about you, wasn't he?" A nod. "Kinda felt like...like a father or something?"

Remy nodded again. "No one...cared...what happened to me. I know...I...I shouldn't have... been so...stupid..."

Bobby pulled the younger man back into his arms. A myriad of emotions swirled through his heart. Grief and sympathy for Remy, disgust at the life he was forced to live, hatred for the Marauders and Sinister.

Remy trembled violently in his arms. "Bobby, your feelings, I can'." The sentence trailed off. Bobby cursed himself and calmed down to keep from broadcasting what he felt to the already battered Cajun. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." Bobby could tell from the tone that Remy thought it was more his fault than Bobby's.

"And it's not yours either." He looked down at Remy's tear streaked face. "Do you want to go on? We can stop if you want."

Remy drew himself closer to Bobby, finding solace that had been absent for most of his life. He took a deep breath and went on.

"Dey hurt me. I couldn't fight dem. What made it worse was I felt how much dey enjoyed hurtin' me. My throat went raw from all de screamin' I did. Dat didn' help, dey wanted t' hear me scream. I don' know where Sinister was when dey had me. He didn' show up until he t'ought I had enough. I was confused. He let dem hurt me like dat, but he always take care of me after. He even stopped dem when dey got too rough. On one hand, I hated him f' bringin' me dere and lettin' dem do dat. On de ot'er, he still took care o' me. After awhile, I guess I just t'ought it was normal f' someone who cared 'bout y' t' let y' get hurt."

Bobby shook his head frantically. "That's not true Remy. Sinister is just a sick fuck on some trip about making bigger mutants. He didn't care about you. The X-Men care though. We wouldn't hurt you."

"Rogue did."

Bobby winced. Though he had never been close to Gambit before and considered Rogue a friend, even he had to admit that Rogue pulled a dirty move when she brought Joseph. Shoving him in Gambit's face didn't make it any better.

"Don't judge the rest of us by one person. Storm cares about you. I think Jean and Hank does too. And you know any of us would have your back." He didn't mention that he cared as well. Bobby was sure Remy would either make a joke, or worse, not believe him.

Remy smiled slightly, "I know, but it don' hurt t' hear it." He closed his eyes and carried on with the story.

"Every time dey had me, Sinister would run some test. Don' know what he was lookin' f'. He must have found it one day. I had blacked out once while dey were on me. It was just too much t' take. When I woke up, he was over me, tellin' me dat I had done well, an' dat I was stronger dan he expected. He went on 'bout some plan or another. I didn't care anymore. I just wanted t' get away. I t'ought 'bout all de pain I went t'rough. It was like feeling it all over again. Only it was different. I was a part of it, or it was a part o' me. Couldn't tell. I heard Sinister scream, an' saw him out cold. I got up an' got de hell out as fast as I could. I was scared de Marauders would find me, an' Sinister wouldn't be able t' save me if dey did. I ran as far as I could till I just dropped. Found a hiding place an' stayed dere f' a bit. When I could walk, I made my way back t' N'awlins. Didn't go back t' where I first saw him. I wasn't dat dumb. Went back t' stealing what I could. Tried t' steal Poppa's wallet before I knew him. Y' know de rest."

Remy's breath caught, and he cried tears of shame, pain, and exhaustion. He'd never told anyone what had happened before tonight. It took a lot out of him, and now he felt drained. Remy unconsciously fell deeper into Bobby's arm, where he simply cried himself to sleep.

Bobby sat reeling. He knew Gambit had a rough life, but nothing prepared him for the horror story he'd heard. But it was more than that. Bobby was shocked by the sudden closeness he felt with the Cajun. He should have been uncomfortable with it, nervous at the very least. But he found that all he wanted was to protect the man lying in his arms. Then there was his physical reaction.

Bobby lived all his life believing that the only way to being happy was to find a woman he loved and who loved him back. But none of his previous relationships ever went that way. Now he was beginning to wonder if maybe it the fault didn't lie with them like he first assumed. Maybe it had to do with himself.

Admit Drake. You couldn't make a relationship last because you never felt anything for them. And besides, you claim you were jealous of Gambit because he had Rogue, but maybe it was the other way around.

Bobby gasped as the truth smacked him in the face. How many days did he bug Gambit just to be around him. How many times did he avoid a Danger Room session so he could watch the Cajun in action. How many fights did he pick when Gambit whenever he was going out on the town, or worse, with Rogue. All the pranks, jokes, insults and conflicts made sense now. Bobby thought it was because of Rogue, but now, holding Remy in his arms, he knew better.

My God. I'm in love with him.

Laying Remy back onto the bed, Bobby got up and left the room, leaving the door open in case Gambit might need him for anything. He went to the adjoining room and began pacing back and forth. His mind jumped from one thought to another as the cold hard truth stared him in the face.

Me...in love with him. When did this happen. ~Why~ did this happen? I don't like guys...okay, maybe a little. God, if others found out. So what? I want him...no, can't be right, but nothing else makes any sense!

After fifteen minutes of steady pacing, Bobby wasn't any closer to resolving his dilemma. His brain was still going around when he heard a scream from Remy's room. Instinct kicked in and the Iceman slid into the bedroom, wondering if the Marauders had somehow found them. When he got there, he found Remy thrashing wildly in his bed. Bobby shifted back to human form and ran over to the terrified Cajun. He curbed his first instinct, which was to hold the man down and try to wake him up. After all he'd heard, that would more than likely send Gambit into greater hysterics. So Bobby instead tried coaxing Remy from his nightmare.

"Rem, you're dreaming. Wake up. It's only a nightmare. Wake up bud."

It felt like forever to Bobby before Remy came around to full consciousness. He looked at Bobby with a mixture of fear and relief on his face.

"I was dreaming."

"Yeah, I know." Bobby sat on the edge of the bed. "What was it about?"

"Dat wave, since dat what y' guys call it. I think I..." Remy bit his lip, his eyes full of shame. Bobby guessed what happened.

"Y' let it go again?"

"Not like before. Wasn't as strong as de last time. I didn't mean to, really."

"I know. Nobody's blaming you. We just want to help."

Remy closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, they shame was gone, replaced by something Bobby couldn't read. His voice was low when he spoke.

"Do y' really feel dat way Bobby?"

It took a moment for Bobby to remember what Remy had said last night about being a telempath. He'd forgotten that Gambit could read emotions better than Jean could read minds. He panicked, and opted for total ignorance as a response. "What?"

"Do you...really love me?" Remy knew the answer, but he had to hear it for himself. He needed to hear that somebody loved him, despite what Sinister had done to him.

Bobby's nerves were shot as he all but fell into those disconcerting red eyes that stared back at him, waiting for an answer. He considered lying, but that was out of the question. He'd rather take on the Marauders in nothing but a pair of Speedos than lie to Remy now. He pulled his shattered pride and courage from where ever they had ran to and spoke.

"Y…yes. Yes, I do. I...I love you."

The words stunned Bobby more than they had Gambit. Remy at least was already prepared for the other mutant's feelings, but the confession stilled surprised Bobby. Yet, there was a strange sense of relief as well. Telling Remy how he felt was almost liberating for him. It didn't last long, as shock raced back through him when Remy covered one of his hands with his own. Bobby sat still while those long, graceful fingers traced absent patterns on his skin. Then Bobby saw Remy's face. A small smile played across his lips. It was the first truly sincere smile Bobby had seen from him since Rogue had brought Joseph back to the mansion. Bobby returned the grin a bit self-consciously.

"T'ank y' Bobby. It means a lot t' know y' care, even after what Sinister did."

"Stupid Cajun. That wasn't you fault, and of course I care." Bobby exasperated.

"So do I, my child."

The jolt to Bobby's system at hearing that voice triggered his powers to react on their own. He was instantly in ice form and whirled around to find Sinister standing at the door to the bedroom. Gambit was still on the bed on the bed, frozen with fear. He couldn't make his body move even if he'd wanted to. His mind simply stopped at he looked at the man responsible for all the pain and nightmares that plagued him in his life. He couldn't help Bobby as the Iceman went on the attack and hit Sinister with everything he had. Iceman jerked Remy up by his arm and slid them both out the window before Sinister had a chance to recover. Bobby's only thought was to get to the Blackbird.

The Marauders didn't give them a chance.

Too late Bobby saw Vertigo out the corner of his eye. A wave of dizziness tossed him for six. He fell to his knees and something struck him on the back of the head. The last thing he saw was Remy being tossed to the ground by Arclight, and Scrambler all but drooling over him.

Rem, I'm sorry.

Consciousness came slowly to the Iceman, and with it the memories of what had knocked him out in the first place. He swore as he sat up slowly, the room spinning around him. Bobby saw that he had been put in a small cell. His hands were cuffed, and an inhibitor collar was locked around his neck.

He did not see Gambit.

A door on the far wall slid open. Sinister walked in, followed by Scalphunter and Vertigo. He waved the last two away as he came in full view of Iceman. Sinister was cold and aloof as always. His face held no emotion while his eyes bore into Robert Drake. Bobby glared at him, his hatred from earlier rising to the surface.

"Ah, so you are awake Mr. Drake. That is good. I told the Marauders not to cause you any undue injury during your transport."

Bobby didn't answer. He wouldn't give Sinister anything until he knew what the hell was going on. He wanted to ask how he found them, but settled for just glaring at the monster. Sinister, as is reading his mind, answered his unspoken question.

"After the initial attack, I realized that LeBeau was far stronger than I first suspected. His shields were on full strength, so I couldn't pick up his alpha signature. I knew that Xavier would have removed LeBeau from the mansion in the hopes of keeping him from me. Finally I decided to simply configure my computers to search for any energy waves similar to the first. It stood to reason that if LeBeau lost control once, however briefly, he would do so again soon. Though the wave was substantially weaker than the previous one, it was strong enough for me to fix upon its, and Gambit's location. But that is neither here nor there."

Sinister came closer to the bars separating him from Drake. Bobby prayed to whatever God might be listening to just let him punch the S.O.B. just once...

"Mr. Drake, it would appear that I am somewhat in need of your services."

That wasn't what Bobby expected to hear. It thoroughly confused him, for about two seconds. Then his rage came back with a vengeance.

"You sick fuck!! Where's Gambit?! If you've hurt him..."

"My dear Robert, harming Remy is the last thing I would ever want. He is too important to me to allow any harm to befall him."

"Oh? Then explain letting the Marauders gang rape a kid!" Bobby was furious, both at the current situation as well as for letting him and Gambit get caught in the first place. The Professor had told him to protect Gambit, and he'd failed miserably. He swore he would get Gambit out of this, even if it meant killing every single Marauder with his own hands. He continued to stare death at Sinister.

Sinister remained composed. "That was an unfortunate necessity to help Remy learn to true scope of his powers. He needed the experience to strengthen his untapped potential."

"Oh sure, I get it. Let a group of deranged sadistic fuckers get their hands on a kid so he learns how strong he really is. Gee, and here I thought you did it because they canceled your membership at the video store." Sarcasm dripped from every word.

"Your wit is ill placed, Mr. Drake. Now as I said, I'm in need of your services..."

Bobby's eyes sparked with righteous anger. "And as I'm gonna say, go to hell."

"I do not have time to discuss theology with you Drake. If you do not wish any harm to come to LeBeau, you will help me."

"Bastard! What have you done to him?"

Sinister walked over to a monitor and switched it on. Bobby could just make out what looked like an examining room. A gurney sat in the middle. Restraining straps held down a still figure with a crown of thick reddish-brown hair. Bobby's hatred and fear tripled. He gave Sinister a look colder than his own powers.

"Why am I not surprised."

Sinister ignored the comment. "As you can see, I was forced to restrain and sedate LeBeau for fear of his inflicting injury to himself. He has been extremely violent since his arrival here..."

Bobby cut him off, "Can you blame him asshole! I'd be violent too if you hadn't slapped this damn collar on my neck."

"I'm afraid you misunderstand. He hasn't been violent towards me. He's been busy trying to hurt himself."

Bobby sat very still as he thought about what Sinister told him. He remembered the anguish in his friend's eyes. If keeping the others safe meant killing himself, Bobby knew Gambit would do it in a heartbeat. Robert's own heart pounded in his chest. He willed himself to calm down and looked up at Sinister.

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"Simple. LeBeau has promised me that he would cease any future actions to harm himself if he is given an opportunity to speak with you. Furthermore, he has agreed to return to my care in exchange for your safe return to the X-Men."

Bobby froze, the blood draining from his face. After everything he'd heard that night, Bobby couldn't believe Remy would willingly turn himself back over to Sinister for any reason. Then the rest of Sinister's words sank in.

Oh God, he's doing it for me. Bobby knew he didn't have a lot of time and began to think of a way to get him and Remy out away from Sinister. He stalled for time.

"I still don't get it. What exactly do you need from me?"

Something that sounded vaguely close to a sigh emerged from Sinister's lips. "What I need is for you to speak with our Cajun friend and convince him of your health and general well being. After which time, I shall send you back to the X-Men. LeBeau will remain here under my supervision."

"Just like that? Excuse me if I find that a little hard to swallow, Sinny."

"Believe what you will Mr. Drake. While you might provide me with an interesting genetic case study, I have no real use for you. LeBeau's cooperation is essential to my work. If returning you will ensure that, then you will be returned."

Bobby shook his head. It looked liked he was going to have one shot at getting them out of this mess. He only hoped it would be enough.

"I still don't like the way this smells. Tell you what, let me talk to Gambit. If this is what he wants, then fine."

Sinister quirked an eyebrow. "You would leave LeBeau with me? Why do I find that hard to believe? Especially since the encounter in the bedroom with indicate a deep concern for your teammate."

A nonchalant shrug was Bobby's reply. "I had to say something to calm him down. The last thing I needed was a crying Cajun on my hands on top of everything else. Besides, it wasn't my idea to baby-sit him. I never really liked the guy anyway." Though he was saying it for Sinister's benefit, Bobby still hated himself for saying it at all. If given half a chance, he'd show Remy just how much he truly did care about him.

"Hmm. Very well. I will allow you to speak with LeBeau. However, I would advise you not to repeat what you have said to me. I need him sane. Such an admission might cause a mental breakdown, the likes of which I do not have time for. Understood?"

Inwardly, Bobby breathes a sigh of relief. "Yeah whatever. Can you hurry up? I'd like to get back before Playboy channel comes on."

"Patience, Mr. Drake. LeBeau is still under the effects of the sedative. It is quite strong, as LeBeau seems to have a high tolerance to most drugs of this type. I will awaken him, then you may talk." Sinister turned and walked out the room. Bobby leaned his back against the wall and forced himself to think of a way out of this madness. He knew Sinister wouldn't let them talk privately. Still, his best shot of escaping would be when he got to talk to Remy. If they could get out of the building... then what? It occurred to Bobby that he didn't have the foggiest idea where they were in relation to anything. And there was still the small problem with the Marauders.

Bobby felt himself sinking into despair as all his ideas kept hitting brick walls. Then a feeling of fear and caution washed over him. He didn't know where it came from, it just hit him...

Remy?

Bobby concentrated on the feeling. Sure enough, he could sense the Cajun's presence behind the emotions. Bobby sent back a felling of calm and warmth. It was greeted in turn with elation and relief. Bobby sighed. If only Remy could read minds as well as emotions.

~Careful what you wish for mon ami.~

Bobby's eyes bugged out of his skull. ~Remy?~

~Oui. It's me. Y' okay Bobby?~

~Uh yeah... how?~

~Don't know. I think I can only do it wit' y'.~

~Like some kind of affinity?~

~Oui.~

Remy paused, long enough to scare Bobby. ~Hey bud, you still there?~

~Yeah. Hard t' t'ink straight. Damn Sinister drugged me.~

~I know. We have to get out of here.~

~Non. Sinister let y' go if I stay here. Y' an' de others be safe as long as he got me.~

Bobby gritted his teeth. For all that he cared for Remy, the man irked the hell out of him with his grandiose self-sacrificing attitude. ~And how long do you think we'll be safe before Sinister starts using that wave thingy himself? Think about it Rem. Every telepath felt that thing for miles, and that was a small one. If he gets a hold of it, no one will be safe.~

~But...~

~No buts. We are going to get out of here. WE, as in me and you. Besides, if you think I'm just gonna pour my heart out to you and let you go, you got another thing coming.~

~...okay. What we do?~

~The bastard stuck a collar on me, so I can't use my powers. But I take it that Sinny doesn't know about you being able to talk to me?~

~Don' t'ink so. I can' really control de wave, so he didn' bother wit' a collar on me. Least not yet.~

~Good. Let him think you're too weak to charge anything. Hopefully he won't bother with one. We only got one shot at this. I need you to blow this damn collar off of me. Can you do it?~

Sheer terror cascaded through Bobby. He almost collapsed under the force of it. He knew it wasn't his, and tried to calm the Cajun down.

~Gambit, please! Your projecting!~

After a few minutes the fear subsided. Bobby gasped for air as his mind gained some semblance of order. He waited for Gambit to speak again.

~Sorry, didn' mean t' do dat.~

~What happened Rem? Why were you so scared all of a sudden?~

~Y' want me t' blow up your collar! Y' know how dangerous dat is! What if I mess up? Y' could lose your head. I could... damn it, I could lose y'. Non, won' do it. Rather stay here an' let de Marauders have me. I won't hurt y' Bobby.~

Bobby heard the pain as well as the love behind Gambit's thoughts. He had to calm his euphoria at the knowledge that Remy felt the same way and stick to the problem at hand. Bobby projected feelings of gentleness and trust as he spoke.

~I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could do it. I've seen you work. You can knock a fly out the sky if you felt like it Remy. I know you can do this. I trust you. Just trust yourself okay?~

~...y' sure?~

~Very. We're not going to get a second chance.~

~Okay, I free y', den what?~

~Then you get the hell out of dodge and let me take care of it from there.~

~Bobby...~

~I trust you Rem, and you have to trust me. Don't worry, I'm not planning any suicide runs today. I'll be fine. Just blow the collar and scram, got it?~

~Got it. You'd better not be lying t' me.~

Bobby grinned to himself. ~Never. Besides, when we get out of here, I have every intention of getting that game of strip poker you've been promising.~

~Merde. Y' just wanted t' get a look at Stormy naked.~

~And who said anybody else was invited?~

~...oh. Well den, I hope y' like losin'.~

Bobby didn't have a chance to respond as Scalphunter came into the room. Bobby forced himself quiet so his hatred wouldn't backlash on Gambit. He stared coldly at the Marauder.

"Boss says it's time to talk to your friend, Popsicle. Get up."

Slowly, Bobby got to his feet. Actually, he felt fine, but didn't want to give anything away. He and Remy would need all the advantages they could get.

Scalphunter stood to the side of the door, gun in hand. Just like earlier, he didn't really need a reason, and Bobby felt certain he was still standing only because Sinister told Scalphunter not to kill him. The thought did nothing to endear the man to him, and Bobby's mind began toying with the idea of various means of torture if he got a hold of Sinister.

The hallway Bobby was led to was large, white, and repetitious. After about a couple of turns, Bobby gave up trying to remember which way they were going.

Just one shot. Make it count Drake

Bobby was lead into the room that Gambit was kept in. The restraints on his arms were taken off, though the ones on his legs remained. Gambit sat up, wincing slightly. Bobby fought the urge to run over and rip the restraints off. Rash actions would get him killed fast.

Scalphunter sat Bobby down hard in a chair not too close to the gurney. "Ten minutes," he said, and left. Bobby looked over at the Cajun, who nodded his head off to the right. Bobby didn't have to turn his head to know that a camera was watching the whole exchange. With the collar and cuffs on, Bobby knew that Gambit was their last hope. He started talking and hoped that whatever Remy was going to do, he did it quickly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Little groggy, but fine."

"You really want to do this?" Bobby caught a flicker of movement from Gambit's hand. God, please let this work

"Don' have a lot o' choice 'bout it really. Don' do it, he'll make me, an' kill y', or worse. Don't t'ink y' want t' be another one o' his experiments."

Bobby gave him a sardonic smile. "Not really." From his viewpoint, Bobby could make out a small hair pin in Gambit's left hand. You'd better either be left-handed or ambidextrous. And where in the hell did you get a bobbypin from? Bobby decided to ask him about that when they got out of here.

"So I have t' do dis. It's best dis way." The pin glowed softly, hid safely away from the camera.

Bobby caught Remy's eyes. "I have t' do this." This was more of a question from Gambit; Bobby understood it perfectly. Do I have to do this?

"I understand." Do it.

There was no warning. The camera filmed Gambit sitting up on the gurney before a flash of light appeared. A second later, the camera was destroyed as Iceman froze it, letting it shatter into a million pieces.

Sinister knew the two X-Men would attempt an escape, but had not counted on the sheer lunacy of their actions. Gambit could have easily taken off his teammate's head. Sinister cursed himself for underestimating his child once again. He hit a button, sending a knock-out gas to flood the room. Sinister didn't wait to see if it would work, and ran for the room himself. He called the Marauders on the way. He would not lose his child again.

Sinister and the Marauders were greeted by a solid wall of ice, which Sinister blasted immediately. This had the dire effect of allowing the glacier balanced on top to collapse on of them. Sinister roared in frustration, destroying the glacier in his wake. Several Marauders scrambled out from under the ice. Prism was shattered, while Arclight suffered a snapped neck. It appeared Iceman was not above killing after all. Sinister turned to the others.

"Find them, and under no circumstances are you to harm LeBeau."

Vertigo spoke up, "What about the other one?"

If Sinister's face wasn't cold before, it was now.

"Do what you will."

Scalphunter cocked his gun. "'Bout time you let us have some fun."

//If that's your idea of fun, remind me never to invite you over for a game of Twister.//

Everyone looked around as the voice of the Iceman came from all direction. Sinister's frustration grew at the thought of his plans being delayed by this... simpleton.

"You cannot escape. Hand over LeBeau and I may spare your life."

//And who said I was trying to escape asshole?//

A large shard of ice pierced Scrambler in the chest. It went through his heart, killing him instantly. Even as Sinister watched, Vertigo, Riptide, and Harpooner were frozen in place. All three shattered as smaller shards impacted with them.

Scalphunter began firing in every direction. The X-Man was playing for keeps, and he knew it. He fired at anything, not caring who he hit. This was unfortunate for Blockbuster, who went down under the hail of gunfire. Scalphunter did not stop firing until Sinister ended his life with a single energy blast to the head. An eerie silence filled the icy lair. Sinister glared at the dead bodies lying at his feet.

//All alone now Sinny? Good. This is just between you and me anyway.//

Sinister tried to pinpoint the location of the voice, but could not. "I underestimated you Mr. Drake. I firmly believed that the only X-Men capable of murder was Wolverine."

//It's only murder if they were alive. We both know they were just a bunch of clones anyway. What number was Prism again? Six? Seven? I lost count with that guy, he bites it so much.//

"This is not amusing Mr. Drake."

Sinister felt a sharp pain in his left arm, or at least the place where his arm used to be. He saw it lying in the ice. He grabbed the wound with his left hand, falling to his knees.

//What you and the Marauders did to Remy wasn't amusing either, but they sure laughed like it was.//

"You don't understand. With LeBeau's powers, I can eradicate all pain from the world."

Another ice shard separated Sinister from his right arm. Unable to throw a blast, Sinister watched as the Iceman finally came into view.

"Can it Sinny. I know you, and peace on earth isn't your thing."

"And what do you plan to do about it? Are you going to kill me? Do you think that will endear you to LeBeau? I have seen his soul, Drake. Killing me will not bring him to you."

Bobby laughed. Sinister could no longer feel emotions, otherwise, his blood would have ran cold at the sound. It was hollow, dark, and very close to Sinister's own voice. "I don't need to kill you to get closer to Gambit. You may have seen his soul, but I've seen something more. That alone is enough reason to want to kill you. But don't worry, I have no intention of offing you Sinny, even if I'd only be doing everyone a favor if I did."

"How noble of you. You know that by sparing me, you are giving LeBeau back to me as well. He is my creation, Drake. The culmination of all my work. He carries my genetic plans in his DNA."

The tip of a shard embedded itself under Sinister's chin. "What do you mean 'your genetic plans'?"

"Simple. Though I did not have a hand in conceiving him, I was able to alter his DNA to suit my needs. Seventy-two percent of his current genetic make-up comes from my hand. In short, you may consider him my child if you will."

This nearly drove Bobby over the edge. He spent what felt like an eternity trying desperately hard not to shove the shard straight through Sinister's head. He stared into the demonic red eyes. So much like Gambit's… Of course, it made sense now. Bobby knew then what he had to do, both for Remy's sake and his own.

"Like I said, I'm not going to kill you. The Marauders were clones, not real humans, so I don't think of it as killing. But for you, I have something better in mind. A way not to kill you, and still make sure you don't bother Remy again."

Numbness seeped into Sinister's body. It traveled in slow waves across his legs, moving upward towards his chest.

"What…?"

"I'm freezing the part of your mind that controls voluntary muscle coordination, at least that's what Beast calls it. I figure by getting rid of that, you won't be able to do anything to hurt anyone again. Especially Remy."

The numbness continued its chilling climb. "You… know… I'll… heal…"

Bobby shook his head. "Not this time. Brain cells don't regenerate like the rest of the body. And we know what happens when you subject the human body to freezing temperatures. You can't heal the cells you don't have. Sorry Sinny, no 'get out of jail free' card this time. Now you go to jail, the one in your mind."

Sinister couldn't speak, the numbness having reached his mouth. He fell forward in the ice, unable to support himself. His mind flew to any contingency plan that could get him out of this. As he lost consciousness, he realized that he had none.

Gambit laid on the ground outside the lab. He had run out of the lab like Bobby told him, but refused to go further. He couldn't access the link between them anymore; Bobby had shielded his own thought and emotions from Remy once the collar had blown off. So Remy sat and waited, hoping that Bobby was okay. He didn't want to think that Bobby was not okay. That only left him feeling weak and scared, not a good thing when you were constantly holding in an ocean of pain. So he waited for Bobby to come out, and nothing else.

And he did come out, eventually. Gambit didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but it didn't matter as Bobby walked out in the moonlight. The rays bounced off of him, giving the Iceman and almost surreal look to him. A small part of Remy's mind thought 'ghostman'. He grinned to himself as Bobby approached him.

"Y' okay Bobby? What happened in dere?" Remy didn't really want to know where the Marauders where. If Bobby killed them, so be it. They weren't real, so it didn't matter.

"I'm fine. You won't have to worry about them anymore Rem. It's over."

Gambit narrowed his eyes. "What do y' mean it's over? What did y' do Bobby? Y' didn't… y' didn't… kill him… did y'?"

Bobby couldn't lie to him, nor did he try. It was the one thing that had stopped him from killing Sinister in the first place. "No, I didn't kill him. I know you feel something for him, despite everything he did to you. It doesn't make sense, but I understand."

Remy sighed in relief. Bobby didn't kill him. He wasn't sure if he was relieved because Bobby didn't kill, or if because Sinister wasn't dead. Bobby was right about feeling something for him, even though Remy knew it was crazy to feel anything. Still, some things just defied logic.

Bobby knelt down and helped Gambit to his feet. Robert shifted to human form and they made their way to the nearest pay phone. Gambit leaned heavily on Bobby, still weak from the whole ordeal. Bobby slid an arm around his waist, and heard Remy sigh softly.

"How do you feel?"

"Used. I just want t' sleep f' awhile."

Bobby grinned. "There are other relaxing things to do besides sleeping."

"Uh-huh. Get your mind out o' de gutter."

"And do what with it?"

Gambit shook his head. "Point."

The progress was slow. Gambit was worse than either of them imagined. He stumbled along the road. More than once Bobby had to catch him to keep him from falling. Finally, Gambit simply sat down.

"What's wrong Rem?" Bobby knelt down, concern in his eyes and voice.

"Dizzy. Why don't y' go ahead. I'm slowin' y' down anyway. I can wait here f' y'."

"And let some nut case from who-knows-where come and do God-knows-what? Don't think so. Come on, I know you can do this. It's just a little farther up anyway."

Remy nodded an attempted to stand. Though he himself wasn't sure if he could make it, he had to try for Bobby's sake. It was clear Bobby wouldn't leave him, and sitting there waiting wasn't a good idea. Remy got to he feet, only to lurch forward into Bobby's arms. There was a pain in his lower back, and he was limping.

Bobby looked at Remy and made a decision. He placed one arm under the Cajun's knees, the other under his shoulders, and lifted Remy into his arms. Gambit grabbed his neck at the sudden loss of contact with the ground.

"What are y' doin'?"

"What's it look like? I'm not leaving you, and we can't stay. So I'll carry you."

Remy stared at him incredulously. "Y' can't carry me all de way. Y' don't even know when we'll find a phone. Put me down, I'll walk."

"No. You can barely stand up. Besides, it faster if I just carry you. You're not that heavy anyway." In fact, Bobby was shocked and dismayed at how light Remy actually was. He hadn't really seen Gambit at the dinner table since Rogue's return. The more he thought about it, the more Bobby realized that he hadn't seen Remy eat much of anything since Rogue got back. He didn't like it, and said so.

"When's the last time you've eaten Gambit?"

The question startled him. "Huh?"

"I said when's the last time you ate? I can't remember seeing you eat since she came back. You're not starving yourself are you?"

"No. I just haven't been hungry."

Bobby snorted. "That changes when we get back, Gumbo."

"Oh? Y' planning on feeding me when we get back?"

"I plan to do a lot more than just feed you." The underline intent was obvious to anyone, including Remy.

"Big talk ice cube. Let's see if y' can put your money where your mouth is."

Luck was on their side. About fifteen minutes later they stumbled onto a run down looking motel. Bobby allowed Gambit some dignity and let him limp through the door. An elderly woman sat behind the front desk. Her white hair fell messily around her face, and Bobby placed her at around a hundred. Still, her smile was uncharacteristic as she welcomed them in.

"Hello there boys, you be needin' a room t'night?"

Bobby opened his mouth, but Remy spoke up first. "Oui, one room, two beds. An' can we use your phone? We need t' call back home an' get a lift."

"Sure thin'." She handed Remy a key that looked as old as she did. "Room 6 is free. Phone's through the right. Anythin' else?"

"Non. T'ank y' ma'am."

"Welcome. And call me Sally. You need anythin', just holler."

Bobby wanted to walk with Gambit to the room and make sure he got there without falling. But Remy told him to call the mansion and tell them what happened. He walked slowly to where the old lady had pointed. Bobby followed Remy with his eyes until he disappeared. Then he went to the phone and dialed the mansion.

"Xavier Institute."

Bobby recognized the voice. "That you 'Roro?"

"Robert! Are you okay? How is Remy? We've all been worried sick about you."

"I'm fine, but I think Hank should check Rem out."

"Why? What has happened?"

Bobby took a deep breath. "Sinister caught us. He was tracking for the wave thingy. Remy lost control, and he zeroed in on it. We're safe now," Bobby added hastily. "We managed to escape. I don't think Sinister will be bothering him anymore either. But I still want Hank to take a look at Remy. Sinister drugged him, with what I don't know. He's weak, but otherwise okay."

"Where are you Robert? We'll have the Blackbird come and get you both."

"Not real sure actually. See if you can get Cerebro to find us."

"That may take some time. Are you sure you and Remy are alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine. And bring some money when you get here. We're holed up in some hundred year-old motel."

"Very well." Storm paused. "Robert, please look after Remy for me."

"I promise Storm."

Storm sensed that Bobby wasn't just saying that either. She felt relieved, and left Remy to Bobby's care. She said goodbye and hung up the phone.

Bobby found Gambit halfway asleep when he walked into the room. He roused himself when he heard Bobby come in.

"Well?"

"They'll be here in a day or so. I asked Storm bring some cash to pay for the room."

"Hmm." Gambit sat up a bit. He and Bobby shared a glance. Bobby took a shaky gulp of air and spoke up.

"Remy…"

Remy got off the bed and sat next to Bobby. He placed his head on Bobby's lap, his arm draping over his thigh. Bobby looked down at him with a mix of shock, amusement, and affection.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Gettin' comfortable." Remy gazed up at Bobby, all his feelings showing clear in his dark eyes. "We talk 'bout everythin' later. Right now, I just want t' be here, wit' y'."

Bobby smiled softly. "Go to sleep Rem."

Remy nodded, and laid his head back down. He fell asleep quickly, his dreams quiet for once. Bobby shook his head and pulled Remy onto the bed, his arms wrapping around Gambit's waist.

"Good night, sweet prince." He murmured, before joining Remy in peaceful slumber.

{End Book one}