Remy opened his eyes when he heard the voices coming near. Slowly, he raised his head and straightened, preparing to meet them with the courage and defiance and attitude that he was known for. He would NOT let these bastards have the satisfaction of seeing him cower… He kept reminding himself, whatever these assholes threw at him, he'd had worse…

The doors opened and the five men filed in. Their laughter and conversation faded away as they stared at him. They seemed surprised to see him on his feet, glaring at them fiercely.

"Hn… you're not like the others." The leader snorted, looking almost pleased. Remy gave him a smirk.

"Ain't not'in' like no one, me…" He responded, and the leader cocked his head, his amusement growing.

"Oh… 'Zat so?" the leader asked, and Remy just gave a cocky grin. "… What's your name, mutie?"

"Why ask?" Remy shot back. "Somet'ing tells me, y' don't give a damn 'bout my name, mec."

"… You're right. I don't."

"So… whatcha want from dis Cajun?"

The leader gave a dark grin and sauntered over, looking Remy straight in the eye.

"… I want you to beg me for your life, you filthy mutant."

Remy stared back for a moment, and then his grin widened, and he let out a low chuckle.

"You think something's funny?" The leader asked, his dangerous grin still on his face, but his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, oui, monsieur…" Remy purred. "De idea dat dis Cajun beg…? Pfft! Don't beg, me. Leas', not fo' you. An' not when I ain't naked in bed wit' a gorgeous femme… or a certain handsome man… or two… But you, mec? Non… Ain't gonna beg y' fo' not'in…"

The man leaned in real close. "Oh, you will beg… They all do…"

"Dis Cajun ain't dem…" Remy smiled. The man only got a split second warning. Remy's expression hardened, his eyes flashed and then he lunged forward, head butting the man in the face. The man stumbled back with a howl, but Remy didn't stop there. Using the chains for leverage, ignoring the white hot pain that shot through his broken fingers, he leapt up into the air and snapped his legs around the man's neck, bringing him to the floor, and then began trying to get into the right position to get the man's head between his knees so he could break his neck with a quick twist of the hips…

But he didn't get the chance. A baseball bat whistled through the air and crashed into his ribs. Remy gasped, breathless at the pain that flared up as his ribs broke, strike after strike. The man was dragged away by his partners, and Remy doubled over at the cruel kick between his legs that stole his breath from his lungs, just as his stomach purged itself. Remy was in too much pain in between his legs to even register the hot vomit that now covered his front as he hung limp from his chains.

He barely heard the "Jesus… you alright Dale?"

"Get off me! Hose him down… and then… give him a drink." Remy didn't have the presence of mind to comprehend the danger there… He cried out as the freezing cold water was blasted over his body by a hose that had been dragged through the door. His entire body was soon soaking wet, and he gasped as his head was seized and tipped back.

"If you puke… you get this…" Was hissed into his ear, and then the hose was in his mouth and his nose was covered. "Drink up. You don't know when you'll get water again..." And then the water was flowing. Remy thrashed against the hands restraining him as he tried to get away from the hose that was flooding him with water… drowning him. His eyes closed and he screamed and coughed and gagged as the water rushed down his throat and into his stomach, and lungs. It was a cold, burning agony. He couldn't breathe. His struggles became desperate, a literal fight for his life. The pain in his chest was incredible, and his mind was growing foggy… his eyes were rolling back, his struggles were weakening…

The hose was gone and he just hung limp, the world going dark…

And then there was a harsh strike against his chest, and the water exploded out of his mouth and onto the floor. He heaved, bringing up another flood, and then took a weak gasp for air. His mind began to clear, allowing him to register the pain in his body and the laughter around him. But it didn't last long. As soon as his mind began to clear, he was once more sinking into darkness…

He faded in and out a few times… he had no concept of the passage of time. He could have been there minutes, or days… At one point, he woke choking on something being forced down his throat… never again would Remy LeBeau be able to stomach Spaghetti-O's.

The next time he was truly aware and not just fading out and in, he was brought into awareness by vicious kick to the genitals, and then being doused in a bucket of frigid water. Tears of pain ran down his face, hidden by the water, but he forced himself to stand on his own two feet and stared down his captors, gritting his teeth to keep them from chattering in the cold.

"You got balls, mutant…" Dale smirked. "I'll give ya that."

"Ain't afraid of y'…" Remy growled, his voice rough. "Ain't afraid t' die, neither. Do y' worst, homme. Y' ain't gon' break dis Cajun."

"There are so many things worse than death…" Dale announced, trying to scare Remy. He was visibly disappointed when the response was "Oui… No one knows dat bette' dan dis t'ief…"

But Remy's next words had his captors going still and silent. "Been t' hell an' back, mes amis. An' YOU? Y' got no idea what hell be like. I do. Hell ain't burnin' flames; it cold enough t' freeze y' to y' very soul. Hell be when de people you lived and worked wit', de people y' love an' trust, leave y' behind t' die in de snow an' ice, hundreds o' miles from any kind o' shelter. Hell be in de hands of a psychopat' scientist who uses y' like de guinea pig! Who like t' play aroun' in y' brain… in y' chest… pokin' proddin', stabbin', burnin', takin' tissue samples. All while y' be awake t' feel it… but can't scream none. Hell be when y' lose y' home, y' family, de love o' y' life, only minutes after y' marry her! Hell be when y' totally, completely, on y' own in dis world, wit' NO ONE dere b'side y, figurative or literal! Hell be when y' bein' forced t' be somet'in' dat y' ain't! Hell be when y' got mutant powers, an' y'a can't control dem… when dey get innocent folk killed cuz y' lost control! Hell be when dere's people dyin' aroun' ya… innocents… an' y' can't do not'in' to save dem… An' every time y' close y' eyes… y' see dem faces… always… fo'ever.

"So tell me, homme… y't'ink y' gon' give ol' Gambit a taste of hell?! Well… dis Cajun say bring it on…" He gave them a dark, twisted grin, his eyes glowing eerily. "Laissez les bon temp rouler…"

He watched as some of the men glanced at each other, nervously. In fact, Dale was the only one who hadn't looked nervous for a moment. He stared at Remy for a long time, then slowly approached. Soon, they were eye to eye once more.

"Think you're tough, eh, mutie?" Dale asked. And then… there was the cold, merciless sensation of the barrel of a gun pressed under his chin. Remy narrowed his eyes, but his grin never disappeared.

"T'ink dis Cajun's gon' scare dat easy? Sorry t' disappoint, mon ami… Ain't scared o' dat. B'sides… know y' ain't gon' kill me. Not yet. Y' ain't had y' fun, oui?"

"… Riiight…" Dale sneered, slowly circling the smaller man, trailing the tip of the gun over his chest, under his arm across his ribs, up his shoulder blade, pausing at his spine, in a silent threat of paralysis, then, down. Remy fought back the shiver as the gun trailed down his spine and paused once more at the hem of his pants, and then Dale jerked them down. Remy sucked in a breath and closed his eyes for a moment, steeling himself before drawing out his usual bravado and flinging it around himself like a shield.

"Didn't know y' liked me like dat, homme. If'n y' wanted t' get dis Cajun naked, all y' had t'do was ask, cher." He purred, turning his head and throwing Dale a sensual wink over his shoulder. Dale looked startled and turned red, but then glared and snarled, wrapping an arm around Remy and pulling him back, against himself, pressing the gun into his back hard enough to bruise.

"You're disgusting."

"Mais, y' be de one holdin' dis Cajun so nice an' close, oui?" Remy chuckled, his tone smooth and sexual. And then, taking a risk, he ground his backside back into Dale's groin. As he expected, Dale was VERY quick to put some distance between them. The others were watching, looking horrified and fascinated. A moment later, and Dale's red face darkened and rage overtook him. He lunged and seize Remy by the arm, twisting harshly until Remy cried out in pain… Despite the pain, Remy had no idea he had been left with a spiral fracture.

"So… you're not just a mutie… but a fag, too?"

"Well… depends on y' definition." Remy replied, catching his breath through the pain of his arm. "Guess y' can call dis Cajun Trisexual. As in, I try anyt'ing leas' once. If I like it… I go back fo' more. De bits an' pieces don' matter. All 'bout how y' use dem, non? Hommes, femmes… don't matter to dis t'ief. If it feel good, it feel good."

"So you like to take it up the ass, hm?!"

"What I jus' say, homme?!" Remy snorted, fighting back the fear when he felt the cold metal of the gun barrel tracing taunting patterns over his buttocks…

"… Fine." Dale hissed.

Morgan waited for a moment for Remy to continue. He glanced over at Reid, who was curled up in his chair and hiding his face. Logan had his arm around Reid, and was grinding his teeth.

"What happened then?" Morgan finally asked.

"Whatcha t'ink, homme?" Remy growled, and when Morgan said nothing, he gave a disgusted sigh and spat "B'lieve dat de technical term be 'sodomy', mec." Morgan was silent. But Remy could feel his emotions. Fury, sadness, guilt… and… that wasn't pity… it was… understanding?

Reid sensed it, and turned off the recorder just before Remy said "… what happened t' YOU?" Morgan looked startled. "Y' been abused b'fore…" Remy clarified. Morgan was looking alarmed and defensive, now. Remy cocked his head. "Was seventeen, me. De firs' time I was… forced. Mutant by de name o' Creed…"

"… Fourteen." Morgan finally admitted in a quiet tone. Remy nodded. Everyone was silent for a long time, an Reid finally murmured "let's get this finished."

"Right…" Remy sighed, gathering himself. "Well… de connard didn't like it much when he asked if I liked it, an' I told 'im dat I'd had better…"

"You know… I don't think I like your mouth, mutie. So I guess the question is… do I cut out your tongue and make you eat it? Or do I just break your jaw?"

Remy didn't even blink when the bloodied end of the gun pressed against his chin again. He kept that grin on his face and his eyes glittered, though he did spare a little glare for the sighting ridge on the end of the barrel of the gun… that little fucker had been sharp, and had HURT, and likely sliced him up a bit on the inside, if the trickle between his legs was anything to judge by...

Dale studied him for a moment, and then nodded with a soft "Huh." And then his fist came flying. The blow sent pain exploding through Remy's head and fireworks burst across his vision.

"Ahhnng!" He cried, staggering as he tried to keep himself from collapsing, though most of his weight was now hanging from the cuffs again. Slowly, he got his feet underneath him again. "Nnnng." He blinked his eyes open. God, the agony in his jaw… fuck. Fuck fuck fuck! He couldn't move it! Dale had made good on his threat… he had broken Remy's jaw. God, it HURT! His eyes watered from the pain, and he kept his head down, hiding his tears behind his greasy hair.

"Not so smart now, eh?" Dale gloated, then turned and nodded. Remy braced himself as the others moved in, and then howled in pain as they began to beat his already sore body… He struggled to keep on his feet and focus, and as soon as he saw an opening, he took it. He lashed out with a vicious side kick, and sent one of his assailants crashing to the floor and retching as he clutched his stomach and tried not to throw up. Never putting his foot down, Remy brought it up and around in a graceful crescent kick to another man's temple, and then he leapt into the air, delivering a powerful flying roundhouse kick straight to the solar plexus of the third man, sending him flying. He landed with a graceful agility, glared at the last man who was already stumbling back, and sent his head snapping back with a jump front kick under the chin.

All four men were now on the ground, groaning, and Remy was glaring at Dale, who was looking furious.

"… Fine." The man growled, eyes blazing as he huffed like an old steam engine. He picked up a crowbar and Remy crouched in the best fighting stance he could be in, with his arms chained up over his head. He knew this was gonna hurt… without his arms, he was very limited on his abilities to block the blows that he knew were coming…

Dale lunged and Remy jerked a leg up to block his exposed belly and—

CRACK!

"AAAAAAAAHHHNNNGG!" He screamed, collapsing and dangling pathetically when the bones in his lower leg met the crowbar… and lost. The scream was followed by another when the crowbar fell again, fracturing his femur, and with a third blow, his knee was dislocated

"Let's see you pull that flashy kung fu shit now, mutie…" Dale hissed, tapping one of his buddies on the shoulder with the crowbar when he passed. "Let him have it…"

Whimpering, the man stumbled to his feet, raised the taser, and pulled the trigger… Remy writhed uncontrollably under the electrical onslaught, sending an intense agony through his destroyed leg, over and over again until once more, he fell into the bliss of unconsciousness.

Remy was silent for a while. Morgan cocked his head. "What's the next thing you remember?" He asked, carefully.

"… Not sure." Remy admitted after a moment, staring off into space. "After dat, everyt'ing started… blurrin' t'gether. Not sure what happened next, me. Jus' remember flashes. Pain… feelin' t'ings… break. M' nose. Ribs… remember m' shoulders poppin' out. Dat was after my ankles… couldn't stand no more, me. Jus' hang. An' not in de fun, around de mall way, neither. Burns… shocks… remember screamin'… but not once… NOT ONCE… did dis Cajun beg." And he fixed his blazing hot gaze on Morgan. "Woulda died first, me. Dey weren't gon' leave me my body intact, or m' life. Was gon' keep m' pride."

Spencer silently reached out and laid a hand on Remy's arm.

"… An' I did." He took a deep, settling breath. "Next t'ing I know. I'm here."

There was a moment of silence, and then Spencer turned off the recorder.

"How ya feelin, Cajun?" Logan asked.

"… could go fo' some mush." Remy drawled, sarcasm heavy in his tone.

"I'll let the furball know." Logan smirked.

"… Spencer?" Remy called. Reid was sitting, staring at the recorder in his hands.

"Reid?" Morgan asked.

"… We have to go back now." Spencer said softly. "We have his statement." Morgan sighed and nodded.

"I'll uh… go let the Professor know." He said, and left the room. Remy looked at Spencer. Logan was frowning, and opened his mouth, but—

'Don't!' Spencer snapped at the feral in their minds. 'Don't tell him anything. He needs to heal. I don't want him to know the situation until I know what it is myself. Please, Logan…'

'… I don't like it. But alright.' Logan mentally sighed. Spencer now smiled at Remy, leaning over and gently kissing his forehead.

"We were only allowed to stay until you woke up and were able to give us your statement. Now we have to get back and wrap up the case. Make sure those bastards never see the light of day. You just get better, and I'll come visit as soon as I can."

"I'll hold ya to dat." Remy smiled, and the pair shared a gentle kiss.

"… I love you." Spencer told him.

"Oui… je sais. Je taime aussi."

"See you soon." Spencer told him, then slipped out of the room, Logan at his heels.

"… Hope ya didn't just lie ta him." The feral murmured as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"Don't tell him anything, Logan." Spencer said, glancing back. His stomach twisted when Remy smiled and waved, oblivious to the fact that Spencer might not be able to come back to visit… ever. Spencer knew perfectly well that the Bureau would not be happy. And if they had managed to dig up proof of Spencer's ties with the X-Men, well… he wouldn't be seeing the light of day for a very, very long time.

"Spencer." He turned. Xavier approached, Cyclops and Storm with him. "Are you sure about this?"

"If I don't go back, it will give them the justification they need to come after the X-Men with everything they have." Spencer said firmly. "This way, if anything happens… it will happen to me, and me only. But… I haven't done anything illegal. Not really. And I trust my team."

"We'll be by his side and have his back." Morgan announced, putting a hand on Reid's shoulder. "And now… hopefully, we can have yours, too." And he nodded to the Professor.

"Let's go." Spencer said, and they all headed to the Blackbird. "Logan… you need to stay here."

"What?!" Logan barked.

"If the Bureau arrests me, I can't have you getting protective and making things worse. Please. Stay here. With Remy." Spencer told him.

"Logan… he's right." The Professor said. Logan glared around at everyone, but then, his shoulders sagged in defeat. Spencer moved in and curled his arms around the shorter man, and Logan returned the embrace, holding his lover secure in his powerful grasp for the moment.

"If they try anything…" Logan rumbled, "ya can be damned sure I'll come after ya."

"I know…" Spencer whispered, and kissed him. "Take care of Remy."

"Ya know I will."

"Don't tell him!"

"I know." Logan nodded, reaching up and brushing his knuckles down Spencer's cheek.

"I love you." Spencer said, and Logan just gave him another nod. Slowly, reluctantly, Spencer stepped away and mounted the ramp of the Blackbird, Morgan by his side.

Then the door was closing, and the engines fired up. Spencer and Morgan sat side by side as Cyclops and Storm began to prepare for takeoff.

"Reid?" Morgan asked. "You're shaking…"

"… Am I?"

"You're scared." Morgan observed.

"I have this… horrible feeling…" Spencer breathed.

"Of what?"

"… That I'll never see them again…" Spencer whispered, and Morgan watched a solitary tear run down his friend's cheek. And as the Blackbird lifted off, Morgan reached out and took Reid's hand.

"You will." He told him. "No matter what I have to do… I'll make sure that you'll see them again. I promise."

Spencer swallowed thickly, and reached out over the telepathic link, while he was still close enough to do so.

'You know that place between sleep and awake, where you still remember dreaming?'

'That's where I'll always love ya.'

'Dat's where I'll be waitin'…'

And the Blackbird roared off into the sky.

Jean Grey and Emma Frost stood on either side of the Professor, all three of them watching Logan watch the jet take Spencer away.

'I have a bad feeling about this,' Emma announced in their minds, knowing that any verbal word, no matter how quiet, would be heard by the feral.

'So do I,' Jean agreed.

'Spencer has done what he must do,' Xavier told them both. 'and I believe that there is great conflict and strife in his path. But I also must believe that in the end, it will be worth it.'

'Perhaps,' Emma nodded, before turning a piercing gaze on the Professor. 'But for whom? Must he make a sacrifice to make things better for us all? Will he be denied his happiness? Will Gambit and Wolverine? Who will it be worth it for, Charles?' And she turned around and walked away. Jean watched her for a moment and then went to Logan, guiding him out of the hangar bay and back to Remy's bedside. Alone, Xavier sighed.

"… That remains to be seen…"

. . . E N D ?

Coming soon... Zenith