Hank smiled widely as he bounced from the office. He was concerned to be told that Remy had already awoke, but after running several test he found why. "I have wonderful news!"

Logan looked up from his perch at the happy doctor with relief. It was nice to hear good news for a change. He had to admit that Remy looked pretty damn good for someone that had almost died a few days before. He didn't expect bad news, but he was surprised at Hank's enthusiasm. "So what's the good news?"

"Looks as though the healing factor that was introduced to Remy's system is still active. It is helping his injuries heal most rapidly. The bruising and infection to his lungs and back have all but disappeared. The ribs are minding nicely as well."

Warren smiled down at Remy. That was defiantly good news. It did leave some questions though. "I don't get it Hank, why didn't it work in the lab? Why now?"

"Seems that it was always there. He only has a fraction of Logan's healing abilities, it must have been burned out, so to say. Now that Remy is stable it has regained it's strength and is healing the wounds that it can."

"That means I can leave? I can go to my room?" Remy didn't feel all that much better, but he was going to take any chance he could to get out of this lab. He wanted to be in his room where he felt safe. This place just reminded him of Sinister's lab with a nicer doctor.

"No, my friend, you will not be leaving tonight. As I said, the healing factor is only at a fraction of the strength. It would take a normal person up to two months to heal from such injuries. Even with the healing factor, I estimate it will take you at least two to three weeks before your body is healed completely. This also brings up a question of what medications I should give you, and at what dosage. Your body will filter through them faster now that the healing has increased. I want to get you on another oral pain medication and wean you off the Meperidine. Though it has worked wonders for you, my friend, it is very addictive. Once I have done that we will see about moving you to your quarters, with constant supervision of course." Hank patted Warren on the shoulder knowing full well he would take on the job without question.

"I'll watch him." Warren declared with a smile. "I'm sure Logan will help out."

Remy rolled his eyes playfully. "Merde! It was bad enough havin' Logan hoverin' over me all the time, now I got another mother hen in the coop."

"Having just one has obviously done no good. Maybe between the two they can straighten you out." Hank laughed. It was good to see Remy acting himself again. It was even better to have Warren in on it now. Maybe Logan was right, this may be good for both of them. Hank's attention was suddenly pulled from the bantering when Jean mentally nudged him.

~ Hank, can you send Warren up? He has a call on the incoming line. ~

~Not a problem.~

"Jean has informed me that you have an incoming call upstairs Warren. While you are there can you fetch this poor boy something to eat. I would like to get something solid in his stomach before he starts taking the new medication. Something bland and easy for him to eat since he won't be sitting up anytime soon."

"Ok, will do." Warren squeezed Remy's hand. "I'll be right back."

All three men watched silently as Warren exited the room. Both Hank and Logan could tell that Remy was a little uncomfortable with the way Warren was acting and they were sure the kid was going to burst if he didn't get it out into the open. Logan mentally counted in his head and got to three before Remy began ranting about Warren's behavior.

"What is goin' on with that homme? He has been hoverin' over me worse then y' and Stormy! He keeps tellin' me that he's sorry and he wants to help. I think he's gone nuts! A few weeks ago he's yellin' at me, now he's actin' like he's my best friend! Did Essex mess with his head?"

Logan tried to wait for Remy to get it all out, but after awhile he couldn't help but laugh. "Kid, there ain't nothin' wrong with Warren. He's just changed a little. I thought of all people you would be happy about it. At least he isn't tryin' to kill ya."

"That don't mean he won't try later. There has to be somethin' goin' on. Somebody don't go from hatin' someone to likin' em in a few days time. Especially not Warren. I would like to believe he means it, but I just can't."

Hank had been friends with Warren longer then either man and knew the younger man never really hated Remy, it was just his nature. Explaining that to Remy, he knew, would be deficult. The Cajun had been the butt of the winged mutants mock hatred for so long. "I do not believe Warren ever hated you. He has a strange habit of bullying people because he thinks it is what people expect from him. He is also one to easily sway to peer pressure, afraid that people will reject him. You are not the first person he has taking to tormenting. Scott got a good taste of it, then Logan, and now he has moved on to you. Usually he will lose interest in the bickering and strike up a friendship or at least a truce, but for some reason he has continued his fighting with you much longer then normal."

"It's cause the kid don't fight back! I told ya Gumbo, you should've said somethin' to him."

"Logan is right, that may have a lot to do with it. I believe he craves your attention and you refuse to give it to him, so he tries harder the only way he knows how. Unfortunately he is doing it the wrong way, or he was. I know this change in Warren has to be very strange for you, but I believe he is being sincere. I am guessing these are the true feelings that he has been wanting to convey to you the whole time, but just didn't know how to show them."

Remy sighed. This was just way too confusing. He felt like he had entered the twilight zone. "I don't know, it's just wierd."

"Just give him a chance, kid. He wants to watch over ya, so let him. He knows more about this situation then any of us anyway. I'll be there to kick his ass if he pulls one of his old stunts."

Hank rolled his eyes. "Logan!"

"What?" Logan replied innocently.

-----------

Jean glanced over her shoulder when she heard the kitchen door swing open. She tried not to bring any attention to herself, hoping that Warren would ignore her presence and carry on with his phone conversation. She was the one to answer the phone, so she knew who it was, and the curiosity was driving her mad. She was a very nosey person by nature, and would be the first to admit she was the mansion gossip. Since she was forbidden by morals and guidelines not to use her powers without permission she had to get her secrets anyway she could. Eavesdropping was one of those ways. She slowed her chopping of vegetables to almost a halt when he picked up the phone and greeted the person on the other end. She would kill for Logan's hearing right now since all she could hear was Warren, but that was enough.

"Betsy?...Yes, I'm fine...No...I can't right now...Because...There are some things going on here and I can't leave...Yes it's more important then running off to England with you!...It's none of your business!...I'm not doing this over the phone!...Fuck you too!"

Jean turned when the receiver was slammed down hard, ending the conversation abruptly. "Warren!"

"I'm sorry Jean. She thinks I'm just going to drop everything and run off to England with her. I know what she's doing and that just pisses me off. She's going to visit her family and wants me to go so she can show off. After the trip she'll turn on me again. I just don't want to go through it anymore. I have more important things to do."

Jean smiled knowing exactly what those, or more exact, who that important thing was. "Alright, I will forgive you for cursing in my kitchen then."

Warren walked over to the near by cupboard and began rummaging through the can goods. "Alright, if this is your kitchen, where is the broth?"

"Broth?"

"It's the only thing I can think of for Remy to eat. Hank said it has to be something his stomach can take, but something easy for him to eat too."

Jean smiled hearing Warren use Remy's given name, she never heard him say it often, especially not so casually. She walked over and pushed Warren away from the cupboard and pointed at the table across the room. "Sit, I will make it." She saw the disappointed look on his face and giggled. "You can take full credit if you like." She found a can of chicken broth and poured it's contents into a small saucepan, placing it on the stove to heat. "So is he doing ok? I am assuming he is at least awake if he is eating."

"Yes, he is actually doing real well. Logan's healing factor kicked back in and is helping him heal a lot faster. I'll be happy to see him out of the lab, I can tell it bothers him."

"You seemed to be getting pretty close to him. How's Logan taking that?"

Warren snickered. "Well, he has already given me the 'you hurt him you die' speech a few times, but he seems to be ok with it."

"That's good. Just make sure you watch it. You have been lucky up until now that Logan hasn't hurt you. Some of the things you said to Remy I wanted to pound you for. You always have to remember that if you mess with Remy, you mess with Logan too."

"What's up with that anyway? I know they are friends and all, but he is a little too overprotective. It's almost as bad as when Jubilee is around. Heck, I remember back when Remy first got here they about killed each other a few times. Now they are best friends."

"Sounds like a familar situation doesn't it?" Jean poured the hot liquid into a bowl and placed it on the tray with saltines and handed it to Warren. "Just think, someone might be sitting here saying the same thing about you five years from now."

"Yea, maybe." Warren took the tray with a smile. "Thanks Jean."

"Anytime."

-------

"Yes! I will allow you to go to your room." Hank finally broke under the constant begging and complaints he had received over the last several days. He regretted ever telling Remy about the healing factor and his speedy recovery, the boy had not given up his campaign to get out of the lab since. There really was no excuse to keep him there, other then fearing the boy was in more pain then he was showing. The Cajun had been weaned off the Meperidine and put on a less hazardous pain medication and his body was mending nicely. Maybe a new environment would help the healing process. "I do have some stipulations I must run by you three first."

"Fine, anythin' just let me lay in my bed, in my room." Remy begged for the millionth time. Over the past few days he had begun to feel much better, there was still the pain, but the drugs the doctor had given him helped with that. He had been eating solid foods and even been sitting up for short bouts of time. The drugs made him feel like a zombie, but he could live with that if he was in his room. He knew that Hank was going to demand supervision and most likely that meant Warren, but it didn't seem to bother him.

At first the attention that he was getting from Warren was strange and made him uncomfortable, but once he let his guard down he found that he wasn't all that bad. They had spent long hours talking about their lives and subjects like art and the money market. They had even played a game of twenty questions where Warren had learned silly things like his middle name was Etienne and that his favorite ice cream was peppermint. He was surprised how curious the winged man was about him. It seemed everytime Warren turned around he would come up with another question to ask, and surprisingly he never hesitated to answer. He had even thrown in a few things that he knew would have usually started an argument, with the old Warren anyway, and not once had tempers flared or any fight broke out. He had to hope that this was a sign that things were really going to change between the two of them. Maybe now that he was being transferred to his room he could get to know him a little better. "So, what do I gotta do to get outta here?"

Hank sighed with a thick coating of mock pity. "I swear no one loves me and my beautiful laboratory. Everyone just seems to use me and leave."

"Can it Blue. Tell us how to get out of here. I personally don't like it in this lab either. Nothin' against you personally, maybe if you painted the walls or somethin'."

Hank laughed. He really understood a person's haste to leave the lab. If he were a patient he would be acting the same. It was different when you were on the other side of the bed, so to say. "Alright, here are the rules. I will allow you to go to your room as long as these guidelines are followed precisely. If they are not I will bring you back here until your are completely healed. Needless to say, I do not want that to happen either, I could only imagine the amount of whining you would subject me to. First, I want 24 hour a day watch over you. You are not able to stand on your own yet and should not be getting up unless it is necessary, and with help only. Secondly there is the medication. You are generally painfree, but that is only because of the medication. If you were to stop taking them you would regret it. So take one pill every 4 hours. I do not expect you to wake him to take them, but one before he goes to sleep and one immediately after he wakes. Lastly, you will eat three times a day. There are no excuses to this. You are underweight and this healing factor has only sped up your already fast metabolism. I will check on you daily and make sure your progress is satisfactory. Everyone understand?"

"Understood. I will take first watch." Warren looked over at Logan who had snorted at his comment.

"That's alright kid, I got first watch, I slept last."

"It's ok Logan. I can nap in his room."

"No, you need to get some sleep in your own room, so I will stay with him until morning."

Remy looked over to Hank, shaking his head lightly. "See what I have to put up with? Now that I'm sick they are fightin' over who's gonna watch me sleep. The second I'm well I won't see either of them for weeks!"

"He is right you two, it does not matter which of you are with him, he will only be sleeping. I am going to sedate him for the move, it will be less stressful on him and us. I suggest that Logan watch over him through the night. That will give you a fresh start in the morning, Warren."

Warren pouted, but Hank was right. This way Remy would be awake the majority of his watch and they could talk some more. "Alright, I will take the morning watch then." He glared at Logan when the older man grinned victoriously at him. He half expected to see Logan stick his tongue out at him.

"Now with that decided. I will sedate Remy and Logan can help me get him to his room. Warren, if you could go upstairs and make sure everything is ready in his room? Make sure the bed is turned down and everything he will need is bedside."

"Um...okay." Warren felt a little uncomfortable with the task. He realized that he had never been in Remy's room, and it felt wrong to be going up there alone. Almost like he would be entruding. He looked down at Remy with a questioning look.

Remy saw the dicomfort on Warren face and knew exactly what was bothering his new friend. He would have probably felt the same way if he had to go into Warren's room alone. "It's bein, go on."

Warren smiled, feeling a little better, now that he had permission. "Alright, I will see you in the morning then."

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

Warren pushed the door open to Remy's room slowly, as if some unknown person was waiting to catch him entering a domain that he was once forbidden, or at least he believed to be. Not once had he ever thought about entering Remy's room, with him there or not. Never even saw through the window while flying around the mansion, due to the thick blinds that were always pulled. Once he was in he was amazed by what he saw. He had never seen any of the rooms in the mansion look this nice. There were beautiful paintings on the walls in nice gold frames and various ornamental items scatter on an old antique desk and dresser. His eye was quickly pulled to the tall four poster bed and his jaw hit the floor. Even in his rich upbringing he had never seen something so gorgeous. The tall mahogany posts almost reached the ceiling and the silk wrapped canopy was breathtaking. The room had a charm to it that could make anyone instantly feel at home and cozy by just being inside.

He slowly made his way around the room, his discomfort quickly fading. He felt like he had entered a small museum as he examined the objects of the room. He reached the mantle over the small gas burning fireplace and looked over a collection of framed pictures, only recognizing a few. Ororo and Jubilee he knew, and a small handdrawn picture of Marrow, done by Peter no doubt. Working his way down the shelf he found a small cluster of people he didn't recognize, family maybe, he would have to ask later. He picked up a gold frame and stared at a beautiful blonde woman with eyes of amethyst, wondering exactly who she was, she looked slightly familiar. The photo was held in an expensive gold frame making it stand out from the rest. She was obviously important to Remy.

Turning to place the frame in its place he found a few items that had once been hidden behind it. He found a photo of the entire team, even had several members of the outer teams that seldomly came to the mansion. He recognized the day and suddenly his heart fell into his stomach. It was a picnic that the teams had shared the summer before. One of the few times the whole make-shift family had been together in years. All but one. Remy wasn't there, and that had been his fault. It wasn't the first time he had bad mouthed the Cajun to his face, but it was one of the few times he had said something back.

He remembered stopping Remy in the hall on the way to the event and telling him he didn't deserve to go to the picnic, that he wasn't part of the family, that no one wanted him there. Typical speech for him, but Remy had been hurt by it, and he had showed his pain, which was something he had seldomly done. He remembered vividly the single tear rolling down his pale face and the single question that fled the younger man's trembling lips. The one question that he couldn't answer. 'Why do y' have to be so cruel?' Remembering his words tore at his heart. Even then they had pierced him like a knife in his gut. Of course, being the bastard he was, he didn't apologize, didn't go to Remy and ask him to join him at the picnic. No, he turned to Betsy, who congratulated him for the scene and went to the party without a second thought.

He placed the photo back in it's place, not wanting to think of what he had done to Remy in the past. That was behind them, he hoped. He felt like a new person and his new self was appalled by what he had done. If he had only listened to his heart and not the people around him, maybe things would have been different. Sitting the picture face down on the mantle he felt something familiar brush his finger. He stood on his tiptoes and glanced behind the group of picture to find a single feather. Pulling it out from its hiding place, he instantly recognized it as one of his. It wasn't uncommon for his feathers to be found scattered around the mansion, but he didn't expect to find one in Remy's room.

"Hey you."

Warren turned to the soft greeting and found Jean at the door with a smile. "Hi Jean."

"What are you doing in here?" Jean walked across the room and joined her friend at the mantle, noticing the feather in his hand.

"I'm suppose to be getting the room ready for Remy, but I guess I'm snooping more then anything." He smiled and lifted the feather up for her to see. "I found this behind the picture frame. Just surprised to find it here."

"It was the one Betsy found on the floor when your wings returned."

"Really? How did he get it?"

Jean sighed and sat on the edge of the beautiful bed. "Betsy had thrown it in the trash. I caught Remy pulling it out after everyone had left the room. He said that it shouldn't just be thrown out like that. It was an important day to him, so I guess he wanted a souvenir." She saw Warren's forehead furrow, not understanding how it could have effected Remy in any way. She leaned back on the bed and looked at the silk embrodery that made stars across the canopy, allowing the guilt to soak into the young man's head. She thought he deserved feeling it after all he did. "He blames himself for you losing your wings, but I guess that is understandable since you made sure to blame him for the loss everyday. He was so happy to find out that you got them back. I think he believed you would stop fighting with him when you got your feathered wings back."

"Oh, that makes me feel better." Warren whispered as he placed the feather back behind the photo.

Jean leaned forward again and patted the seat on the edge of the bed. "Listen, you were a total jerk to him in the past, but Remy is a very forgiving person. Look at Logan and Bishop. They both tried to kill him numerous times when they first met and he is now good friends with both of them. Joseph too. For goodness sake, he was dating Rogue and he still managed to be friends with him in the end. Just show him you are true to your word, that you really want to be his friend, and he will forgive and forget everything you ever did. That is one of the beautiful things about Remy." Jean flopped backwards on the bed, her red hair fanned behind her. "And this is another beautiful thing of his. God I would kill for this bed!"

Warren laughed. He knew what she was doing. She had a good way of socking you in the gut and then trying to cheer you up. He welcomed the change of subject anyway. He took the bait and fell back on the bed next to the redhead. "Your right, this bed is gorgeous."

"If you two wouldn't mind, I believe my patient has more right to that beautifully crafted bed then either of you." Hank stood at the door with Remy silently sleeping against his chest.

Jean laughed as she stood and shooed Warren away, so she could pull back the covers. "We were just admiring it while we could, or at least I was. I will never have a chance of sleeping in it, like some people." Jean winked at Warren and giggled at the growing blush on his cheeks.

"Jean!" Warren yelled as his face lit up in embarrassment. He hated when she did stuff like that. He wasn't even ready to admit such feelings to himself, he didn't need the mansion gossip to pass it around.

"Come on loverboy, I will walk you to your room on the way to mine. As I hear, Logan has first watch." She reached her hand out to her long time friend and smiled when he took it.

Warren sighed and took one last look at Remy as Hank walked by, letting his finger lightly brush against the Cajun's arm in passing. "Tell Logan I will be here in the morning."

"I don't doubt that for a moment, my friend." Hank noticed Warren's hesitation to leave, even though Jean was pulling on his arm. "He will be fine, go on, and get some rest."

Jean pulled Warren out and walked him silently to his room. She was amused enough with the occasional broadcast of thoughts, she didn't need his conversation. She was happy to see this change of heart in Warren. It was good for him, and lifesaving for Remy. Though she thought he deserved to feel a little guilt for what he had done, she would never let him know just how far he pushed Remy to the edge. She had to pull the Cajun back from the ledge many times, and she knew Ororo and Logan had been his savior countless times as well. Everytime she thought things would calm down, Warren would start another arguement pushing Remy back into depression.

She always knew there were hidden feelings behind the fights, in both parties case, but the last thing she ever wanted to do was to say anything, when neither person was admitting it. That would only have drove them further apart. Now that Warren was openly broadcasting his feelings she was going to have a lot of fun! She stopped in front of Warren's door and was almost ran over when he kept walking.

"Sorry Jean, just lost in thought, I guess."

"I noticed. Get some rest so you can go see Remy later." She pulled Warren's forehead down and kissed him gently before walking away.

Warren silently opened the door to his room, but stopped before entering. "Jean, do you think I really have a chance with..."

She turned and smiled at the thoughts he absentmindedly threw out. "Yes, if you play your cards right." She answered and winked.

TBC