Carol stepped through the door, the little girl in her arms. Could this possibly be Remy's daughter? She certainly had his charm and looks, but Carol didn't think Rogue could control her powers. Thinking back to when she'd first seen Remy, what he'd told her about Rogue, she decided she would definately have to have a few words with her. She looked up, and in the shadows, saw a gleam of metal.
"Hello, Logan. Long time." She smiled as he stepped out of the shadows, a cigar in his mouth, hair wild, smile kind.
"Too long, Carol." He reached out and tousled the little girls hair. "Thought I smelled ya. Someone else, too." A bushy eyebrow raised, Carol answered his unspoken qustion with a nod. "Didn't think dying was his style."
"Can I go play with Chaz?" Asked Xavia, and struggled to be put down. When Logan gave a nod of approval, she was put down, and ran to a door, which was opened to reveal Ororo Munroe. She was as beautiful as Carol remembered, tall, with a mane of long white hair, cafe-au-lait skin and blue cats-eyes. She smiled down at the child, and put her hands on her hips.
"Now, Xavia, I do not think you are supposed to open that present, now, hm?"
"No, Auntie 'Ro." She handed the present over to the woman, who stroked her hair and let her pass. Ororo looked up at Logan, and her blue eyes widened, her hand flew to her mouth.
"Carol!" She walkd swiftly over, white skirt flapping between her legs, and embraced her old friend. "It is good to see you!" A small frown crossed her face. "But why? Where is Rogue?"
"Rogue's in the car park. An' I'm here because Lilandra needs help. But I'll let my commander tell you about that. He should be here in a few minutes. How've you been, 'Ro?"
A smile came to Ororo's face, though it was touched with sadness. "We have not been too bad, my friend. Although, as ever, there have been some-" She was interrupted by the door opening. Ororo looked up to see who it was, then stared in shock, her eyes wide. "Remy?!" As Carol turned to see her Commander, she smiled at him, looking almost sheepish. He was clutching Rogue's hand, and looking guilty but hopeful. Ororo ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She then looked at him seriously. In that look, everything was said. Whatever feelings had washed over her at first, Remy was forgiven, and she was overjoyed that he was alright. Then Ororo looked at him closely, and touched his star-mark. "What..?"
"I t'ink dis is gon' happen a lot, so can y' just call a meetin', I'll explain all den?" Ororo nodded, and went to a side panal, calling over the intercom to meet in the war room in ten minutes.
Logan chuckled, and everyone loked at him expectantly. "It's nothin'. Jus' that the Cajun here smells like a bird."
Remy gave a Shi'ar curse, and looked wide-eyed when the X-Men looked at him, startled at the bird-like sound. "Guess I speak Shi'ar better'n I t'ought, non?" Carol laughed and slapped him on the back.
"I'm sure you've a few more surprises up your sleeve for them, huh?" Remy looked at her sideways, and brought a communicator from the pocket, and put it too his ear.
"How t'ings goin', Bish?"
"Everything is fine here, Remy. Where are you?"
"We found de X-Men, an' are meetin' wit' dem now. I'll be in touch wit' y' when we have an answer f' Lil."
"Indeed." With that, Bishop signed off, and Remy returmed the communicator to his pocket.
"Bish is as talkative as ever," he said by way of explanation. "Y' wanna lead de way, Stormy?"
She lead into the next room, which turned out to be a living room. She then lead them into a very polished, metallic corridor. "We thought Bishop was dead also," Storm said. "It seems today is a fortituous day indeed." The next door they went in was to the war room. Remy took a deep breath as he looked around. Psylocke opened her eyes slightly wider, her face still splashed with the mark of the Crimson Dawn. Next to her sat Jubilee, eyes wide and mouth open.
"I do not beleive this! They told me you were dead, Swamp Rat! I mean, I was never ya biggest fan, but sheesh, that was a nasty thing ta do. Glad ya not." She gave him a thumbs up, and Remy smiled. She must be about eighteen, and looked good, in what must have been her uniform - low slung blue trousers held up by a black belt, and tight red three-quarter sleeved top. If truth be known, Remy had missed her, brat though she was. Next to Jubilee was Shadowcat, who was frowning. Remy had never known Kitty all that well, and he knew she'd been hurt badly in the massacre. Waves of guilt passed over him as he looked at her. He doubted she could forgive him. To his surprise, she smiled.
"I'm glad you're alright, Remy."
"But y' got hurt 'cause o' me." The words blurted out without his permission, and he clamped his mouth tightly shut after he'd said it. He didn't want to bring bad memories to anyone, least of all him.
"That was in the past. I know people can change,and I think you have." She shrugged at that, and Remy smiled gratefully. Bobby Drake was sat next to her, and he refused to meet Remy's eyes. No big surprise there. Iceman hadn't liked him much anyway. The Professor nodded at him, a small gesture, but one that meant everything. Remy respected him, even more so now he was so close to Lilandra, and he was glad of the Professor's acceptance of him. Cyclops was talking agitatedly to Nightcrawler, and neither of them noticed their presence. The door swished open behind them, and Remy turned to see Jean Grey and Hank McCoy. Jean smiled in delight, and hugged Remy.
*I'm so glad you're alright! I knew you would be,* that last came with a smile. "It's good to see you, Remy," she said aloud. Remy doubted Hank's greeting would be as friendly as Jean's, though had no doubt whatsoever that he would be very interested in his genome.
"Indeed it is, my good Cajun friend!" Hank agreed, showing a toothy smile. "Or should that be Shi'ar?" He looked at Remy curiously, taking in the star mark, and pulling a feather from his head. "If you don't mind, I would be interested in doing a few tests?"
"I still don' like labs, Hank. If its an'where but a lab, sure t'ing."
Hank looked at him curiously, then nodded. Whatever he was going to ask was interrupted by the Professor.
"I beleive Carol and Remy have come here for a reason, am I right?"
Remy nodded, and walked around to where the Professor was sat. Seeing that in front of him was a Shi'ar panal, he immediately felt much more at home. "Dat's right, Professor. De Majestrix needs y' help. De Empire has been attacked by Deathbird, and Lil fears a second wave o' attack. She asked me t' ask f' y' help."
Charles Xavier nodded. "I think that we'll be able to help with that. Does anybody disagree?" There were no objections, and the Professor smiled at Remy. "Would you like to tell us your story?"
Remy nodded, and after a pause, started his story. "I was down in Antarctica. I was freezin', I knew dat. I never been too good in col' weather in de first place. I 'member I collapsed, an' when I woke up, I was on a Shi'ar ship. Turns out m' momma was a Shi'ar warrior, and she asked that when she died, I was looked f'. Turns out dey was jus' in time." He shrugged. "I been on Chandilar f' de past t'ree or so years, helpin' dem rebuild. But it ain't been goin' too well, and Deathbird 'ttacked us when we be vulnerable."
"The Shi'ar were basically going to fail, utterly. If it wasn't for Remy here. He came up with a plan that won the battle for us. And he's a damn fine Commander."
Sure he was blushing, Remy glared at Carol. "But de war is not yet begun," he muttered. "So we need y' help if y'll give it." Remy watched as Scott stood and slapped the table in front of him.
"Suit up, X-Men. We've got a job to do."