Know Your Neighbours

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply. sisterwine75@hotmail.com The X-Men and their likenesses belong solely to Marvel and 20th Century Fox. No harm meant. No money exchange. Just an idea on my part.


Remy woke three days later and found himself in a shadowed hospital room. The overhead lights were off so only the thin light on the wall, behind him, was on. He was lying on his back with his arms to either side and tubes going from his wrists, nose, private areas, and heart to machines that beeped and breathed from all around him. His clothes had been replaced with a light gray hospital gown and his hair had been down, leaving it to rest on the pillow around his face. Opening his eyes, he stared at the window to his right, oblivious to the other side of the room.

Jean-Luc sat in a small arm chair and dozed. He sat just past the end of the bed and next to the window, with a blanket draped over him. Clearing his throat and stirring, he opened his eyes and immediately looked to where Remy lay. As he caught Remy's eye, he moved the blanket and slowly stood up to stand next to the bed and meet Remy's glazed eyes. "Evening. You're finally awake. How do you feel?" He smiled and placed a hand gently over his son's right hand.

A long sigh and two slow blinks before Remy mustered up enough strength to close his eyes and turn his head away from his father. "Go away." When he did open his eyes, he stared at the door in waiting to see his father walk through it and leave him in peace.

"Doctor Kent says you can go home as soon as tomorrow afternoon, assuming your tests come back clean." Jean-Luc pretended he didn't hear the half-hearted reply, and went on with what he was told. "He said you were clean for drugs, and drinks but found something else that we should be worried about." His expression dimmed and hinted at his growing concern at the real problem with his son. "What happened that night, Remy? Did that boy you were with stir things up, again?"

Remy continued to stare at the door. "He didn' do nothin, poppa. Leave me alone." He wasn't about to tell his father that the pains in his chest were back. It was a working goal that when Remy did get to go home, his father wouldn't get to play nurse to his like Jean-Luc always had. The medication tubes he was hooked to numbed the pain and made it less painful to breathe.

There was a long silence in the room that followed with the ever-present nurse on the intercom, in the hallway, asking for a doctor this or that to report to other stations of the hospital. But it was the silence between father and son that left a dull hum in the room like the air around an old, decrepit cemetary. It was thick and bore away at all possible hope of pure, free air. Neither of them had wanted to speak yet neither could stand to listen to their ears ringing, screaming for them to communicate their problems.

A short, dark haired nurse came in to take Remy's vitals for the two hour point and only smiled at Jean-Luc as she stood on the other side of the bed. She busied herself with her clipboard, writing numbers and short descriptions of Remy's state before leaving as quietly and wordlessly as she came in. Both men had paused to watch her and wait for her to leave before forcing the other through the rest of the conversation.

"Well, I suppose I'll go back to the house and get some clothes ready for you for tomorrow. Anything in particular you want me to bring?" Jean-Luc felt that if he changed the subject, perhaps Remy would turn and look at him. Lightly squeezing Remy's hand, he finally had the reaction he wished. He asked again as his eyes met Remy's.

Remy thought for a minute and answered in his usual shrug of whatever was brought. "Jus' jeans an' a T-shirt." As his choice was said, he turned his head back to face the door, and yawned lazily.

Jean-Luc nodded and silently agreed that Remy needed rest. "Then I'll be back in de mornin." He leaned over and kissed the top of Remy's head in a fatherly fashion, reverting back to the days when Remy was a little boy and going to bed at night. "Bon nuit, an' I'll see you tomorrow." He stood there a moment and watched Remy's expression shrug before releasing his hand and walking to the door. As he was just about to leave, he turned and added, "I'll have the nurse bring you some food in case you're hungry. Je t'aime, mon fils."

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The elevator doors opened on the first level parking area, letting Jean-Luc and two other people off before continuing down to the second level. He turned right and headed down the long corridor of cars before coming to a stop at the trunk of a shiny black BMW. The car to the left was an old tan station wagon and the car to the right was a white Envoy and Logan was leaning against the driver's side passengar door, in his work clothes.

"Shift ended, I came straight here to find out how he is. Figured you and him needed family time so, I didn't go up. He okay?" Logan remained leaning against the door with his arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles.

Jean-Luc sighed quietly and nodded. "He's awake but they aren't releasing him just yet. He was clean for drugs and drinks and whatever else his generation amuses themselves with." He paused for a moment to say a silent prayer of gratitude before continuing. "Thank you very much for checking on him, Logan. I also understand that you live across de street from him...?"

Logan pushed off of the door and straightened his position. "Yea, he came over for dinner a few nights ago and met my kids. We talked a bit and had a beer before his friend arrived, and then he left." He thought it best if he didn't ask anything personal. "Anything I can do? He need anything?"

"Just clothes. I can take care of that. Listen, why don't you go up an' see him, room 312. I'm sure he'd like to see a friendly face, no?" Jean-Luc smiled and removed his car keys from his left pants pocket. He had taken the rest of the workday off from lunch on and was still in his business suit. A nice pressed tan suit with a white shirt and brown tie with a shiny pair of black loafers to complete the ensemble.

Nodding in agreement of a good idea, Logan cleared his throat and took a step forward. "I have my daughter lookin after the house, and gettin the mail so, you just might have a 12 year old venturin over to meet ya." He smiled politely and felt less guilty about taking charge of the situation when Jean-Luc smiled back.

"Very dangerous for her, I have alot of enemies dat are also after my son."

Logan let a short laugh escape. "My wife was a very-- 'special' woman. She taught them more than one way to defend themselves and I don't worry as much as I really should. Since my wife isn't here, anymore, that worry tends to lean more to panic of little things. Stephanie- my daughter- tells me to 'chill out'. I figure, I'm about even with them on the verge of bein teenagers an' all."

This time it was Jean-Luc who laughed out right. "Just wait til deir teenagers. Remy was one so terrible, you couldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. Well, go on up, I'm sure you'd make him smile." He smiled with a hint of sadness. "You must treasure your kids, Logan. That's a very good quality. If ya leave them alone, they resent you for it with every breath they take."

Logan nodded but said nothing more on the subject. "See you tomorrow, sir." He waited and watched for Jean-Luc to back out of the spot and drive out of the garage level before walking to the elevator and going up to see Remy, who was back to staring at the window.

They had moved Remy to his own room at Jean-Luc's wishes due to his son's safety of his father's enemies. The LeBeau Industries was in its 14th year of top sales and product line, and had therefore made some very expensive enemies who would no doubt sink to the level of using Remy for barter. The guard outside of the door and limited visitors was nearly enough to strike curiosity but, the guards who watched him were very good at their jobs.

After making it past the guard on duty, Logan sat down on a stool to Remy's left. "Heard you were awake. Figured I'd stop in and say hi. Doin okay?" The room was still dark and only illuminated by the same small light on the wall, behind Remy. For three days he had worried about the young man and managed to ask to see him, the day before. His worry relaxed a bit as he saw Remy inhale deeply and then blink before turning to look at who spoke to him.

The light behind Remy's head created a small bubble of light that gave him a haloed look. He was pale and seemed to be thinner in the face. His red on black eyes stared widely at the man beside him and he sighed when he noticed it was Logan. "Naw, jus' a vicious rumour." The food Jean-Luc had ordered sat untouched on the table to his right. Small bowls of fruit, a cup of green jello, and some toast on a plate had been looked at like a child refusing to eat lima beans and spinach.

A nod and a laugh as Logan looked over the tray of food. "After three days o' bein unconscious, you aren't hungry at all, huh?"

Remy only shook his head and refused to look at the tray. "Poppa send you all se way up here ta make me eat dat slop? Tell him 'no t'anks' not hungry."

"He wouldn't send it for ya if he didn't care about ya. And, no, I'm just here to see how you've been doin. I hear you get to go home tomorrow, good." A smile was simple but seemed appropriate.

Smiling tiredly, Remy nodded. "Get outta dese damned tubes an' wires an' inta a nice warm bed." Snapping himself quiet and thinking, he asked Logan what he couldn't bring himself to ask his father. "Alex. Alex been here?"

Logan was hesitant in answering and took well over a minute and a half to form the words. "You mean that kid you were with, last week after dinner? I don't know about here to see you but, I think your dad told him to 'busy himself elsewhere.' He seemed pretty shook up while waitin for the ambulance, sayin 'please don't let him be dead' over and over." A frightened expression passed over Remy's face and gave Logan a cold shiver down his back.

"Knowin poppa, he put him on de first plane to Tibet."

"If he means that much to ya, I spose I could give him a ring and let him know yer okay....?" Either by choice or by just being so tired and needing sleep, the connection eluded Logan of Remy and Alex.

Remy thought a moment, staring into Logan's blue eyes. "Non." He sighed. "I call him tomorrow an' tell him Remy's okay. Merci."

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Jean-Luc sat in the waiting room for well over 3 hours. He waited for any news on Remy and when he was allowed to take him home. Sitting patiently, he read a magazine of world events and occasional interviews of the top important people in business. Glancing up every now and then to watch doctors and/or nurses pass by, he began to worry if he'd be able to take Remy home at all.

Finally, Doctor Kent walked up to him and smiled. "He's ready to go home now. We've changed the oils, rotated the tires, checked pressure levels and put in a 'new car' scent." A young man in his late thirties, with blondish brown hair and a moderate humour to his nature, stopped 3 feet in front of Jean-Luc and held a clipboard to his side. "The only thing that worries me, is his very high mileage he's put on himself." Waiting for Jean-Luc to close the magazine and place it on the table to his right before standing up, he continued. "The boy is too young to have bipass surgery, or a heart attack but, if his condition goes untreated properly, he will end up 2 floors down, in the morgue. But, for now, he is ready and adamant about leaving whether or not he has clothes on." He laughed quietly and added. "He is changing now, so if you'll come with me, we can begin the painstaking process of getting your autograph in a few fanbooks."

"Mais oui." Exhaustion filled Jean-Luc's voice as he stood up straightly and brushed the wrinkles out of his slacks. He followed the young doctor to the nurses station and began paperwork to sign him out and get perscriptions for Remy. Eventhough, he was tired, Jean-Luc was willing to take the rest of the day off to stay with Remy at home and was about to stay for the rest of the week.

Kent stood behind the counter and handed Jean-Luc packet after packet for him to sign and told him instructions for the next few days what Remy was allowed to do and shouldn't try. "Make sure he has plenty of rest and doesn't overexert himself in any way. And, tell him to give up smoking. Are you staying with him, or checking on him randomly?"

Jean-Luc finished signing the last packet or papers before he looked up to answer. "He'd like to tell me to leave him alone, and I think I might ease up on him but, he's young and foolish. He has a friend that might take presidence over his father but, we shall see." As he finished his statement, an orderly wheeled an impatient looking Remy up to the counter. "Ready?"

Remy nodded.

"Merci Doctor. Hope to see you a long time from now." Smiling curtly, Jean-Luc pointed the direction to the elevators and followed behind the orderly as Remy was wheeled down the corridor.

The elevator ride was long and quiet one and all three seemed to sigh in relief as the doors opened to their floor on the parking levels. The orderly followed Jean-Luc to the car and waited as Jean-Luc opened the front passengar door before picking Remy up out of the chair and helping him to sit down in the car. He was thanked and told goodbye by both men before turning around and wheeling the empty chair back upstairs.

Closing the door on Remy's side and walking around the back to the driver's side, Jean-Luc exhaled and unlocked his door before opening it and getting in. "I have a meeting with your brother in the morning as he's flying up to do some work here. You have a choice, put up with me for the next week, or Henri can watch you."

The motion of the car backing out of the spot and moving towards the exit made Remy slighlty dizzy. "You say dat like I'm a child, poppa. I ain't dyin or dat inept enough to need a babysitter. Merde, you'd prolly have Remy move back in wit' you forever if he was." It was slurred with medication and mainly said underbreath but he really didn't care if his father heard or understood him at all. He stared out the passengar window for most of the way back to his house and only perked at people he thought were Alex, on little blue Yamahas, in traffic.

"You are my child, Remy, and when you refuse to deal with your condition..... someone has to step up and take care of you, for you. Having that boy around to pretend he's your mother, is not what I mean. I'm doing this to help you live longer, not kill yourself faster." Eyes never leaving the road, Jean-Luc spoke with a tone that demanded Remy listen to what he had to say. "Ignoring it killed your momma, and I refuse to let my son follow in her thinkin."

"I'm not momma, poppa. I jus' don't see why I have to live in fear of dis stupid problem when dere's much more to life den hospitals. I don' want you, or Henri treatin me like a baby. Ya never did when I was growin up so, stop doin it now!" Remy turned his head to look at his father, who didn't look at him. Turning back to the window, he rest his right elbow on the armrest on the door and rest his chin in his hand.

Jean-Luc left it alone and remained quiet for the rest of the drive to Remy's house.

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The front door was unlocked and opened by Jean-Luc but it was Remy who walked in first. He was pushed away but stayed close to Remy, with his hands flinching to catch Remy in case the young man waivered in step. His chance to help came a moment later as Remy stepped inside and immediately swooned and fell back against his father. "You alright, mon fils?" Remy's back hit his chest with a thud as his arms wrapped around him.

Remy pushed away from his father. "I'm fine." He huffed. Continuing over to the sofa, in the livingroom, to the right of the door, Remy delicately lowered himself to lie down on the long piece of furniture. The sofa was pushed against the far left wall and faced the window that let him see Logan's front yard and driveway. "Joy. Logan's home." He smiled as he watched the white Envoy pull into the driveway.

Jean-Luc shut the front door and walked into the livingroom. "Can I get you anythin?"

"Non. Just tired, poppa. Go home." He hadn't meant for it to sound rude but, it was the truth. Remy was exhausted form riding and straining to walk upright without falling over or needing help. He was rather looking forward to sleeping and possibly watching TV later.

As Jean-Luc was about to protest leaving his son, a blue Yamaha pulled into the driveway and parked beside Jean-Luc's BMW.

A young man with a helmet in his hands, hurried into the house and ran to Remy's side. Stopping a foot from Remy, his eyes caught Jean-Luc's uneasy expression. "Remy! Glad you're okay. You had me so worried." Alex smiled, relieved but didn't approach as Jean-Luc watched them intently. His blond hair was matted to his head, in sweat, and his green T-shirt heaved with every breath he puffed from running.

After a long moment of silence passed, Jean-Luc moved. "Since dere's someone else here, I should get back to work. Will stop back by later to check up on you, Remy." He leaned forward and kissed Remy's forehead before gruffly telling Alex "bye" as he turned to leave.

When the door shut, Alex lunged forward and planted a kiss on Remy's lips. "I've missed you so much." He hugged him and then pulled back to talk to him. "I tried to come see you but, your dad said no, and had a guard. Your neighbour told me you were okay. He said you wanted to tell me yourself but, I dragged it out of him." Kneeling beside him, Alex smiled and kissed his lover again.

Remy smiled back and ran a hand through Alex's hair. "I'm fine, cher."

"Good." Said curtly before starting another thought. "Now, what the Hell happened? I was shit scared out of my mind that I killed you after I punched you!"

Remy shook his head and sighed. It was time to come clean, not just to Alex but to Logan, and his father. "Wasn't you, or no one else. Had dis problem for a long time. Have dis murmur, an' sometimes it gets de better of me."

"This happened before?" Alex sat back on his haunches in disbelief.

Remy nodded.

Alex was slightly hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?! I wouldn'ta punched you!"

Shaking his head, Remy reached out to draw Alex near. "Ya don' need ta worry 'bout ol Remy. Been t'rough dis before an' survived." He reclined with his back against the armrest and hugged the younger man before stifling a yawn.

Wiping a tear away, Alex sat back and asked. "You want me to help you upstairs, or you just gonna stay there?"

Remy hunkered down into the soft, brown material of the sofa and rolled onto his left side, facing Alex. "Stayin here. Mebbe watch some TV, later. Ya don' have to stay to watch me sleep." He smiled as he stared at the young man's face.

"I know. But, I'll go get you a blanket and pillow, and then cover the window up. Took them down to wash them, just had that one left to put up." Standing up, he leaned over and kissed Remy again as he told him he'd be right back. Hurrying about his task and grabbing extra blankets and pillows from the upstairs closet, he came back to find Remy sound asleep. Dropping the items to the floor, he picked up a thin blanket and opened it to drape it over Remy before making himself a pallet on the floor. With his head pointed towards Remy, and having it made to look like a bed, he covered the window to darken the room with the cloth it had.

Laying down on the carpeted floor, Alex took one last look at Remy's sleeping face before snuggling down into a nap, himself.


TBC...