Logan sat at the back table of Harry's with several of the X-men on a rare night out. He was glad to finally be out with the group, lately the family seemed to be breaking down and a night out drinking seemed to give the illusion of friendship. He looked over next to him at the Cajun he drug out of the house with him. He has worried about Remy ever since he wondered back from the ice. Everyone was giving him a really hard time and it was making the once lively Cajun a very quiet recluse. The only time Remy left his room seemed to be when he wondered up to Ororo's room to sleep at night or during a mission. Even tonight he seemed quiet, he just sat in the corner drinking scotch, only talking when someone ask him a question. Logan couldn't blame him though, the only people that joined them were Warren, Betsy, Hank, and Bobby. Hank had left early and ever since Remy stuck close to Logan away from the others. Logan was tempted to leave a while ago, but was afraid to leave the young man with the three people that had given him the most grief, especially seeing how toasted Bobby was getting. Logan leaned over towards Remy so he could hear him over the music. "Hey, I'm going up for a last beer before Harry closes up, want anything?"

Remy looked up from his glass. "Huh? Oh, non, Merci." He looked back down into his half empty glass of scotch, drowning out the world again.

Logan shook his head and headed over to the bar. Ya would think I dragged him to a god damn funeral not out drinking. He leaned himself up against the bar and waited for Harry to saunter down his way.

"Just need one for yourself Logan, our does the kid need another scotch too?" Harry asked with a grin.

Logan rolled his eyes. "I think he has had enough, the more he drinks the quieter the kid gets. He gets any quieter he's going to be a damn mute." Logan looked over his shoulder at Remy, who was slumped over in his seat ignoring everything around him. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him, I thought getting him out might help, but it looks like it's depressing him more."

"He has been down in the dumps lately. Have you just tried talking to the boy?" Harry handed Logan his last bottle of beer.

Logan snorted and took the bottle. "You don't know Gumbo, he doesn't talk. The only things we know about him are things other people told us."

"If Warren and Bobby say half the things they say here, around the kid, I can understand why he's depressed. I hate to see him like this, when he first started hanging around the mansion he loved the place, I could tell he was happy, he would go on and on about it. Now he seems to never want to discuss anything about his life." Harry shrugged. "But hey what do I know, I'm just the bartender." Harry smiled over Logan's shoulder at Warren who was making his way over to the bar behind Logan. "Would you like another drink? Last call."

"No thank you Harry." Warren waved his hand then looked at Logan. "Betsy and I are going on ahead to my apartment, do you think you can get Bobby home?"

"Yea Wings, I'll get Ice Cube home. Where is he?" Logan looked around at the dance floor that was slowly clearing out as people left.

Warren pointed to the corner booth. "I sent him back over to the table, so he will sober up a bit. Thanks for getting him home. I'll talk to you later." Warren waved at Bobby who was now sitting at the table across from Remy.

Logan grabbed his beer and quickly walked over to the booth. He could see that smile on Bobby's face and knew he was messing with Remy. As he got closer he could hear the conversation Bobby was starting and growled, pushing through the crowd a little faster.

"Hey Remy, better pick up a girl or a guy, you like them don't you? You know you can't sleep alone, and your 'Stormy' is gone all week. Why do you do that anyway? I think its because you're a baby, Warren says its because you're a whore." Bobby grinned and began to start his slurred bantering again when his shoulder was grabbed tightly from behind. "Ow, what you doing Wolvie?"

"Bobby why don't you go up to the bar and get yourself another drink, its last call?" Logan squeezed Bobby shoulder harder, then let go.

"Hey! That hurt." Bobby rubbed his now sore shoulder."Warren told me not to drink no more. You're on your bike and I have to hold on."

"I don't care if you fall off the bike, so go ahead, have another drink." Logan snarled.

"Ok. I'll drink another." Bobby smiled and got up, walking clumsily to the bar.

Logan took his old seat next to Remy and leaned on the table looking at Remy who was staring at the wall. "Gumbo? Hey! Come on look at me." Logan put his hand on Remy's shoulder trying to get his attention, only to have it shrugged off. Logan could smell the salt of tears. He leaned back in his seat and sighed. "Don't listen to him kid, he's an idiot, especially when he's drunk. You're not a baby, and you're defiantly not a whore." Logan reached over to put his hand on Remy's shoulder again, slightly smiling when it was excepted. He started to rub Remy's upper back in small circles, not really noticing what he was doing, just going on instinct. "Are you ready to head out? I have to get Bobby home, he may not get there in one piece, but I have to get him there none the less."

Remy chuckled. He looked down at his glass. "Non, I'll finish this up and head on home."

"Ya going to be alright driving?" Logan asked out of habit more then really needing an answer, he knew Remy's wasn't phased that bad by liquor.

Remy nodded. "Oui, Logan, I'll be fine."

"Ok, I'm going to go pry Bobby off the bar." Logan stood and started to walk away, then stopped and turned back to Remy. "Kid, ya know ya can talk to me don't ya? I'm always around for ya." As soon as the words came out of his mouth they surprised him as much as they did Remy.

Remy recovered from his shock and smiled at Logan. "Merci Logan, that means a lot to me."

Logan nodded and turned back on his original path to the bar. What the hell kid, ya are messing with my head. I need to get ya out of this funk you're in so I can stop worrying about ya.

Remy smirked as he watched Logan wrestle Bobby out of the bar roughly. Over the next half an hour he sat in the corner booth and watched the patrons clear out one by one, leaving the nightly mess of glasses and trash behind for Harry to pick up. Finally he downed the last of his scotch and stood to leave. He passed the bar and stopped when Harry called his name.

"Remy! Hey, there are some guys hanging out by the dumpster that don't look like the most nicest group in the world. I told them to take off, but just in case they didn't leave, watch it. Logan will kill me if I let you get in a fight after he has already left."

Remy laughed. "I'll watch it Harry, I'm not going to start anything."

"Good, see you later kid, and cheer up!" Harry yelled as he headed back to the kitchen.

Remy walked out the doors to his bike. He heard the small group of guys in the alley by the dumpster and rolled his eyes. He quietly walked to his bike, not looking over at the men as he passed, hoping to avoid an incident. From the corner of his eye he could see the men looking at him in silence, as if waiting for something to happen. Just then he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, which dropped him to the ground in a dizzy haze. He shook his head trying to relieve his blurred vision when he felt someone pick him up from the ground, and drag him. His back was slammed against the wall which made him close his eyes in pain, when he opened them again he could see a man standing in front of him smiling. He looked from side to side noticing he was being held against the wall by two other men, both holding his wrists and shoulders, making it impossible to move in his dazed and slightly tipsy state.

The larger man walked up closer and dragged his finger down Remy's face. "Noticed the guy you were with in the bar left with a pretty boy blonde, so we figured we would wait for you, see if you wanted to have a good time with us instead."

Remy started to struggle, not able to move his hands, or grab anything to charge. He tried kicking the man in front of him, but his legs were easily blocked due the state he was in. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to have fun with y'."

The large man laughed at the young man's attempts of escape. "Well pretty boy, we ain't giving you much of a choice. Turn him around."

Remy thrashed and kicked trying to get away, he knew what would happen if he didn't. He tried to charge anything and everything, but with the grip on his wrist the only thing he could touch was the other men's skin, which he couldn't charge. Oh god, this can't be happening, not again, please God no. He was shoved against the wall on his stomach, his face scraping against the brick wall. The two smaller men continued holding Remy's arms. "Help me! Harry, someone...." His mouth was quickly covered by the larger man's hand when he started screaming. He felt a hand unbutton and unzip his jeans and heard the sound of another zipper behind him.

"Hold him still." The larger man ordered as he pulled down the back of Remy's jean's and forced his cock deep into Remy with one thrust, causing Remy to scream loudly in his hand. "Oh fuck yea, you're tight you little freak. I would have figured a pretty boy like you would be worn out by now." The larger man continued to thrust and spit out slurs until he finished deep in Remy. He quickly pulled out of Remy, causing him more pain, his hand still over Remy's mouth to cover the cries and screams. "Who's next?"

In his shook filled daze Remy heard the two holding his arms arguing. One of the men loosened his grip slightly allowing Remy to grab a small trash can lid and charge it. The lid began to glow, lighting the alley with an red eerie glow frightening those around him. The two men holding him let go and backed away.

"I'm out of here, I'm not fucking the damn mutie." The man ran for his motorcycle at the end of the alley, followed by the others.

After he heard the bikes loudly roar from the bar, Remy threw the lid into the air, causing a explosion, but hurting nothing. He weakly pulled up his jeans and zipped them, not having the strength or coordination to button them. The shock of everything that just happened hit him, he slowly slid down the wall hitting the ground, wiping the tears from his face. He looked down at his hands and noticed the blood causing him to sob harder. He wrapped his arms around his waist and rocked slightly, causing pain in his lower body. He jerked up when he heard the back door of the bar fly open. Harry came out the door with a shotgun. Remy's first reaction was to call out to him, ask him for help, but then a voice in the back of his head stopped him. If he finds out what happened he will tell the others, they will call y' a whore, they will hate y'. Remy tried to stand up slowly, if he had his normal grace he would be able to escape the alley without Harry seeing him, but the movement caused a sharp pain to shoot through his back, making him drop back to the ground with a moan.

Harry heard the noise of pain and slowly walked over to the side of the dumpster, shotgun aimed. He saw the crumpled body on the ground, and edged closer, seeing the auburn hair and the familiar features under the light he dropped to his knees. "Remy? Kid? Oh God, are you alright? Please talk to me." He reached out to help him up and was startled when Remy flinched violently.

"Non, don't touch me. I'm fine, leave me alone." Remy tried to stand again, losing his balance and almost hitting the ground. He was caught by Harry.

"Listen kid, you're not alright, I can see the blood. Lets go back into the bar and I will call the mansion..." Harry was thrown back when Remy pushed him away with the little strength he had left.

"Non, I can make it home myself, I'm alright." Remy grabbed the edge of the dumpster before he toppled over again.

"Stop being difficult, just come inside so I can make sure you're not bleeding to death. If you're alright then you can leave. I just want to make sure you're ok kid." Harry wrapped one arm around Remy's shoulders and the other around his chest walking the Cajun towards the back door of the bar. When they entered into the light he finally got a good look at Remy, his face and head were covered in blood, along with his hands and there were spots of blood on his jeans. "Remy, you're not going to be able to drive like this. At least let me call Logan." Harry thought they had compromised since Remy didn't argue with the suggestion. He walked Remy towards his office, passing one of the waitresses that had not left yet. "Gabbie, could you get me the first aid kit and some wet towels?" She gasp when she saw Remy and hurried to fill the order. He pushed open the office door with his foot and help Remy down on the leather couch against the wall. Soon after Gabbie came with the first aid kit and the towels. "Thanks, you can go on home, I can handle him." She nodded and left, giving Remy a worried look on the way out. "Let me see that face of yours." Harry gentle wiped the blood from Remy's face and neck uncovering the scrapes from rubbing against the wall. "Well nothing that needs stitches, you have quite a goose egg on your head, they must have hit you pretty hard. I am assuming this was that group of guys in the alley?" Harry didn't get an answer and noticed Remy's eyes were drifting shut. "Remy stay awake for me, you may have a concussion. Now let me see those hands." Harry washed off the blood and noticed no cuts, just dark bruises around each wrist. He pulled back the Cajun's trenchcoat and noticed the blood stains on his jeans. "Remy?" Harry patted the kid on the face lightly to wake him up again. "Remy, you have blood on your jeans, is your leg bleeding."

Remy shook his head in a panic. "Non, really I'm fine. I just need to go home and get some sleep."

"Alright, let me call Logan and he will come get you." Harry stood to use the phone behind his desk.

"Non, don't call Logan. Please, don't call the mansion." Remy tried to sit up, it caused him a great deal of pain, but knew if he didn't show Harry he was alright he would call.

Harry sighed. "Fine, I will take you home. But I want you to go straight to the Doc, he needs to have a look at you. That knot on your head is pretty bad." Harry waited for the reluctant nod from the young man and then grabbed his keys. He walked over and helped Remy up the way he had before and helped him to his car, laying him in the back seat. "I'll have you home in a few minutes, try to stay awake."

--------------------

After Remy got Harry to leave he made his way slowly up the stairs, cursing the third floor room all the way. He told Harry he would talk to Hank, but he wasn't about to go see him now. All he wanted to do was to get to his room and take a shower, to try and wash it all away. In the back of his head he knew it would not be that easy, it never was, but he knew it would make him feel better. He stumbled into his room and removed his clothes, piling them in the corner away from the other dirty laundry. He would burn them tomorrow so no one would find them in the hamper and question him. He turned on the shower, hotter then his skin should be exposed to, and stepped in with a hiss as the water burned him. He leaned his head against the wall of the shower cabin, watching the blood wash from his skin and pour down the drain in a swirl. He closed his eyes to teh sight and began to cry, his knees gaving out bringing him to the floor. After almost an hour he turned off the tap, he didn't feel any cleaner, but fatigue had caught up with him. He wrapped a towel tightly around his nude body and held onto it like a safety blanket as he walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom. Normally he would go to sleep naked, but tonight he felt too exposed and vulnerable to wear nothing. He shuffled over to the dresser pulling out clean boxers, sweats, and a t-shirt, struggling to put them on. He finally pulled himself into the bed and curled up in the covers, instantly aware of the silence in the room. A silence that told him how alone he was, how easy it would be to prey on him again with no one there to protect him. He began to hear noises, he kept telling himself that they were in his head, but they still haunted him. I can't sleep like this, I can't be alone. Bobby was right I am a baby. He sat up on the edge of the bed, biting his lip at the pain, taking a minute for it to calm. He grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around him, ready to make his nightly trek upstairs to the loft. Half way down the hall he remembered that Ororo was gone and he stopped. He stood there pondering what to do, he couldn't go back in his room alone, not after tonight. Staying awake was not an option, he was about to collapse where he stood. He turned to walk back to his room and glanced over at a small plaque that in Jubilee's handwriting said 'Logan'. I could sleep in Logan's room, he said he would always be there. He started walking over to the door without a second thought until his hand was in a fist about to knock on the door. What the hell are y' thinking Remy, he is not going to let y' sleep in his bed. He said he would talk to y', not sleep with y'"

"Kid? Ya can come on in, doors unlocked." Logan yelled from inside the room.

Well y' will look more like an idiot if y' run now, so y' might as well go in and ask. Worst he can do is beat the shit out of y' Remy slowly turned the door knob and pushed open the door, thankful the lights were out. He silently stood in the doorway, not sure what to say.

Logan could tell Remy was nervous about something. "What's wrong Gumbo?"

"Logan..Um...I was wondering. Can I sleep in here?" Even in the darkness Remy could see the look of shook on Logan's face and quickly covered his tracks with plans to leave. "It's alright, it was a stupid idea. It's just Stormy's gone, and I can't sleep alone or I'll have nightmares, but I need to stop being a baby..."

"Shut up kid. Ya can sleep in here, it's not a problem. Come on." Logan scooted over giving Remy room to lay down.

"Logan it's alright, I can sleep on the floor. I just need to know someone is in the room." Remy started to take his spot on the rug next to the bed when Logan protested.

"Cajun get your boney butt in the bed, I'm not going to make ya sleep on the floor. Christ kid, this bed is big enough for three people, and you're no where near the size of a normal person, so get up here." Logan patted the empty spot on the bed.

Remy walked over slowly and curled up on the edge of the bed, facing away from Logan and taking up as little room as he could. "Merci Logan, y' really don't have to let me stay here."

"Remy, I know what it's like to have nightmares, being alone just makes them worse. There's no reason ya can't stay here. Now get some rest." Logan turned on his side facing opposite to Remy.

"Night Logan, and Merci." Remy closed his eyes and concentrated on Logan's breathing, forgetting everything else, until he drifted into sleep.

TBC