DISCLAIMER: I do not own Wolverine and the X-men

Thank you to Song of a Free Heart for Beta Reading this story

A/N: updates will be slow

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thoughts: italics

flashbacks: bold

telepathic message/talking:underlined

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Epilogue

As they heard an engine approaching, Hank, Wanda, and Tante Mattie went to stand on the lawn to help. They watched with dread as a single car pulled through the gate, as it closed behind them. Still they waited another few minutes. The occupants of the sole car continued to sit inside of it, not willing to move any more than the people on the lawn.

The full impact of the battle had yet to sink in for anyone, really. Because the loss of over two hundred men was such an impossible idea. There were no injured to triage. There were no bodies to view either, lost in the ruble of the tunnels as they were.

Finally, the spell was broken inside the car, when Logan, who had been watching the couple in the backseat, cleared his throat.

"We need ta get out there and tell em somethin. That kid needs ta be looked over too." Logan states when they look up.

They nod, though Rogue clutches the child closer to her at the idea of taking him down to the lab, and move to climb out of the car.

" Wha am I t' tell de families… de wives. Dey are m' sisters." Remy stated as they stood next to the car. " I tell dem, ' Desole, dey all be dead. Mais I got m' son back so it fine.' Non. Tis not fine, never will be gain."

" Look Gumbo, I know this is hard. I doubt it'll ever get easy, trust me. " Logan began, clamping his shoulder. " But everyone knew goin in that they might not come back from this. Those women are yer sisters, and they love that child. I ain't gonna promise it'll be okay, cause it won't. Not ever again. I know, I have hadda do this before, but no matter what happened in there, this wasn't your fault."

" … I appreciate the effort, Logan. I really do. Fact remain, if not for me an my problems, dey would have their husbands tonigh. Dere children would have their peres. Can't take dat back." Remy said as he walked slowly to the growing crowd.

" *sigh* C'mon kid. He's gonna need us." Logan said to Rogue as he walked after Remy.

Rogue caught up to the others quickly, but she still looked shocked. So far, Remy hadn't tried to take the baby from her, and she was still really in flight mode. As they reached the crowd on the lawn, she held the baby closer to her, with no intention of surrendering him. Not to anyone except his father.

The murmur grew as they approached, Mercy and Collette in the front of the group of wives. Before anyone could ask any questions, the sound of a motorcycle reached the front gate. A moment later, Wade was beside them, as the crowd surrounded the children, pushing Rogue and baby into the circle.

Everyone relaxed slightly when they realized Wade was the only one coming. As they then started to ask questions, Logan cut everyone off, telling them to head in and he would explain everything after they had the baby checked out. The crowd quickly dispersed, heading toward the mansion as Remy looked curiously at Logan.

" I ain't lettin ya shoulder this one, kid. Ya didn't wanna bring em in. I gave the orders. This one. It's all on me." Logan replied. " Let's get in there and have Hank make sure the baby's al'ight."

~o~O~o~

" Rogue." Hank began.

" No." She replied, clutching the baby to her as she sat on an exam table. It had taken thirty minutes to talk her into the lab.

" Rogue, I just need to look at him."

" No. I ain't handin him over."

" I'm not trying to take him from you, I just want to be sure he is alright after everything that happened."

" NO! I can't hand him over. What if something happens. What if Sinister and those never ending monsters bust in?"

" They ain't comin back Darlin, least not today." Logan said from the doorway. He had come down to see Ororo, and find out what was keeping Rogue.

Remy sat silently in the corner, as he had since Hank started trying, helping neither side of the argument. Though if pressed, he would have admitted he was on Rogue side.

With a heavy sigh, Hank tried again. " Allow me to examine the child while he remains in your arms then, please."

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Rogue silently nodded, and unwrapped the baby. Hank sighed, in relief and frustration. He wouldn't be able to do a full exam while she held the child, however, he could actually see him.

A few minutes later, he gave the baby a hesitant bill of health, and the couple walked out of the lab, up to their room. Neither was in the mood to deal with the crowd waiting for answers right now. Logan followed, heading to the waiting families, ready to give them a report.

~o~O~o~

This was the part he had always hated the most. Talking to the families after the battle. It always seemed so hollow, that these brave men died heroes. It felt so shallow in the face of their loss. Yet here he stood again, about to give the same report, only this time it wasn't one wife and her kids, it was dozens. Whose lives had been torn apart by the actions of an evil man. To be fair, it was always evil men who made this mess, just normally…he dealt with smaller groups of survivors. Because despite what he told Remy, no one was ever ready to hear the news. Even when they thought they expected it. He just hoped the shock didn't throw any of the pregnant ones into labor. He'd seen that happen before as well.

Yet he told them anyway. He told them their husbands, brothers and sons died heroes. He told them they had defeated, or beat back an evil foe, and rescued the innocent baby. Then he stood there and listened. He listened as mothers screamed, and wives cried. While children questioned and young men, who had been left behind that morning, raved about how they may have turned the tide. No one asked to see Remy. Most because in the face of their grief they had forgotten, but some, the wives of the leaders, his sisters, because they feared Remy would refuse.

~o~O~o~

Logan's fear came to be that evening when Juliana Maria Boudreaux was born. Though Collette assured them that labor had started the night before. She had refused to admit it, or show pain in fear her husband would insist on staying home. Despite the loss, she felt it was the right choice. After all Julien had died a hero, but he lived a bitter man. Consumed by the need to avenge his sister. Today he had, so perhaps it had brought him peace.

Mercy and Mattie stayed with her the entire time. Mercy's children left in the care of one of the other wives. When the baby arrived, Remy finally made an appearance downstairs. He stood in the doorway of the medlab, watching silently as the other women gathered around the newborn, and mother. A minute later, Collette spotted him and smiled.

" Do y' want to hold yer new niece?" Collette asked, as the other women gestured him in.

" Y' sure ya want me to, after evert'ing?" Remy asked, as he stepped closer.

" None in dis room blame ya Remy, sides yourself. None in de mansion do, neither." Collette replied, handing him the newborn.

Remy gently takes the girl in his arms, smiling down at her.

~o~O~o~

Remy was finally ready now, he had somehow forgiven himself, just a little when Collette spoke with him. He was still the cause of their suffering, this he was sure of, however, he was ready now to hold his son.

He had yet to hold the babe. Fearing the awful guilt of his actions, would somehow stain the child. After all, Sinister had taken him simply because he was Remy's. Remy made his way back to his and Rogue's room, briefly wondering if Logan still intended to move him out of there. He watched for a moment from the doorway as Rogue sang his son a lullaby.

A few minutes later, she noticed him in the door, and startled slightly before smiling. " Didja wanna hold him?"

" Oui, Merci."

Rogue gently handed the half asleep child to Remy before turning to the trunk in the corner of the room.

" I know ya neva unpacked, so I thought I would for ya." She stated as she began pulling out Jean-Luc's things and putting them away, blending them well with her own and Remy's things. Remy decided not to worry about Logan until Logan brought it up. Because for now, being together, just the three of them, seemed to have a relaxing effect of them all.

Remy held the baby for a long while, simply swaying back and forth as he stared into the baby's face, even after he had fallen asleep. Finally, Remy set the baby down, just long enough to help Rogue put together the travel crib Tante had packed, so he wouldn't have to go shopping for supplies.

The three of them were sound asleep when Logan came up to check on them later, he watched the exhausted Trio sleep, he decided for the time being their current arrangements were what would cause the least hassle. He'd talk to them tomorrow however, if they weren't rearranging the rooms, he'd feel better if they'd at least add another bed.

~o~O~o~

Wade sat in the kitchen, happily munching on a bag of chips, and waiting for Logan to get around to him. Logan had told him to wait in the kitchen so that they could talk about the mission. Logan had sent him to the kitchen mostly because he thought the food would keep Wade occupied for a while, and because he didn't want to leave Wade unattended in his office.

Logan, however, hadn't meant to take the majority of the evening getting back to Wade. He was actually kind of concerned that Wade would have already left, or destroyed the kitchen in boredom. Neither had happened however, so Logan was grateful as he walked in.

" Wade. Enjoying the food?" Logan began, as slid onto a barstool.

" Sorta, but you got to get a better chip variety. Seriously, you have literally only three kinds of chips, and none of them are cheese favored." Wade replied, as he ate another chip.

" We had a kinda hectic week. The usual shopping got reassigned and fast tracked."

" I see. At least you ain't permanently deprived. So I assume ya wanna know bout the bombs."

" It's why I asked you to stay, yes."

" I snuck in last night, checked out the cells, they were still empty, planted a bomb, rewired the ones already there and left."

"….Why?"

" Because. You said the objective was A. Get the kid out safe, Then B. takes out as many as possible. I arranged the bombs, double checked the cells, and rewired the trip wire in the silent alarm, all so both objectives could be reached. "

Wade then left , whistling happily as he walked away, Logan shaking his head after him. All in all it was probably the most normal he'd ever seen Wade behave.

~o~O~o~

In the days and weeks that followed the battle of the tunnels, they tried to return to their lives the best they could.

Shortly after the funerals for Scott and Forge, as well as the countless others who had passed away that day, Kurt announced that he would be moving to Genosha. He wanted to help Wanda rebuild her home, in which she now ruled thanks to the loss of her father.

Wanda invited them all to join her. She welcomed them all, however, No one, except Emma wanted to go. Emma herself agreed, without being asked, to stay until Rogue had gained control, at least for the most part.

The day after Wanda and Kurt left with Lorna, Kitty awoke. Bobby had been gently talking to her, as he had every day, and she groaned in response. This actually shocked Bobby enough that it was his alarms that alerted Hank to the medlab.

A few days later, Hank allowed Bobby into a chair for the first time. Bobby found it painful at first, to be upright and sitting,

About six weeks after the battle, Remy and Rogue finally relax enough to go out on their first date. A recently released Ororo and Logan watching the baby.

The End

The sequel, Abandonner l'enfant (Forsake the Child) is currently being posted, it is rated 'M' for violence to be safe.