Chapter Text
The past month has been a hard time for the x-men. All of us had been able to find a way back to the present thanks to Bishop and Forge, and we were able to stop apocalypse who spread us across time in the first place, but that fight was easy compared to their fight with Death. Apocalypse had somehow brought Remy Lebeau’s bodies back but replaced his mind with Death. They had to fight like hell to get Remy back, Death had advanced Remys mutation causing Remys Kinetic charges to do more damage and allowed him to create poisonous gas that almost killed them. That wasn’t even the worst part, the whole fight Death was yelling at all of us about how Death was doing Remy a favor by taking his body because it’s clear the X-Men didn’t care about him and how they all deserved death because they weren’t there in Remy’s final moments.
Storm thought about what Death said to her during their fight, she as charging up a lightning bolt when Death stared her right in they eyes.
“A shame how he was always there for you but you couldn’t be there for him when he needed you the most”
In that moment she froze because it was true, Remy was the one that saved her when she had been transformed into a child by nanny and he was the one that got her back to the X-Men safely, and when Remy was dying in Genosha she was off getting her powers back. The logical part of her brain told her that there was nothing she could have done, she was powerless and had no idea what was going on, but her heart still hurt knowing he was in so much pain and she wasn’t there for her brother.
She was knocked out of the sky with a charged card after that and blacked out when she hit the ground. She woke up to see Rogue cradling Remy, not Death, Remy in her arms. Remy has been unconscious in the med bay since the fight a month ago. His body didn’t have any major injuries he just looked so exhausted.
Everyone comes and visits Remy in their own different ways. Hank and Forged have been trying and failing to wake him up. Jean and Charles try to talk to him telepathically but they have never gotten a response. Jubilee ecstatically tells Remy about everything that happened while he was gone and everything that happens in the mansion, while Roberto sits next to her quietly and holds her hand. Morph and Logan don’t talk to Remy but talk to each other about different things, but sometimes they talk about how it’s going to be rough for Remy when he wakes up. Bishop and Scott rarely talk and act more like body guards. Kurt silently praise for Remy to wake up, or will recount funny stories from different missions. Rogue doesn’t visit much, when she does she sheds a few tears and mumbles many apologies and pleas then rushes out.
Storm visits the most, she often doesn’t have much to say except reliving the good old days when they would do their thieving together, besides that she just holds his hand hoping one day she will feel the shock of his kinetic charge.
This night storm decided to visit after failing to find something to eat for dinner, she was wearing a dark purple sweater and black sweatpants along with her black head piece to keep her long hair back. She was looking down at Remy who was under sheets ,she was holding Remy’s hand and recounting the aftermath of her favorite heist.
“I remember I had fallen when we were running and instead of leaving me or even waiting for me to get up you thought the best course of action was was to pick me up and sling me over your shoulder. I knew I should have been terrified of getting caught in that moment but I couldn’t stop laughing as you bounced me around and threw your jokes around. We spent some of the reward money on ice cream that night and in that moment I was truly glad that I could call you brother.”
A few moments of silence passed. Remy’s face remained motionless , Storm gently squeezed Remy’s hand.
“Brother I’m truly sorry for not being there but I- the team really needs you back now.”
More silence, and more disappointment grew in Storms heart and tears began to well up.
“I see our Arcadian friends is still asleep.”
Storm jumped and quickly tried to brush away any evidence of tears as she turned around to see Hank standing in the doorway with his medical coat on and papers in hand.
“Oh hello Hank do you need to need to check his vitals, I can leave”
“No I checked on him earlier this evening, I actually came to tell you Jean has made some dinner and is requesting we eat together upstairs as the team has been distant since our fight with-“
Hank stops himself unable to finish the sentence as he looks down at Remy and he seems to zone out.
Ororo stand up after few seconds of silences and puts a hand on Hanks shoulder to try to break him out of any spiraling thought he may be having.
“That sounds wonderful Hank, come, let’s go eat.”
She tries to pull him away but he doesn’t budge. Hank just sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I’m sorry Ororo I just, he should be awake by now, there’s nothing physically wrong with and and I’m just afraid that-“
Storm stares down at her brother and it’s true, all his vitals are fine, he is breathing fine, and all wounds have been healed besides some scars from his fight with the monster sentinel on Genosha. He should be awake, he should be with us.
Storm pushes those thoughts to the sides, she is second in command of the X-Men she needs to be there for her team.
Storm puts her arm around Hanks larger arm. “Hank he will wake up soon you are the best doctors I know, but for now let’s eat, let’s be with our family.
Storm takes Hanks large hand and guides him out of the med lab, he sighs one last time and then smiles.
“Thank you Ororo, let’s go eat.”
………………………..
Remy has been confused and terrified for a long time, maybe 10 months now but he has no idea if that’s accurate. When he was charging that mega sentinel he knew he was going to die but didn’t think about what would come after. For a little bit it was just darkness, he didn’t quite know where he was he just knew he was in an in between area than he was suddenly thrown into what feels like hell.
Every few hours the environment changes, and some dark version of himself who claims to be Death makes some dramatic speech than sends shit after him.
They started out as strange shadows whose voiced resembled people he knew, they would try to attack him and he fought back for a while. It got harder to fight back when the shadows took the forms of people he loved. They would taunt him and sometimes try to convince him they were real just so he could get close enough for them to strike and that worked a few times.
Sometimes everything faded away for a second and he heard the voices of the X-Men asking for him to come back, asking for him to hear them. Whenever he heard those voices he would run like hell to try to reach them, break out of this hell, sometimes he breached the barrier and sometimes he didn’t. He didn’t know what exactly he was doing when he reached out to his friends pleas but it helped put his mind at ease so he kept trying.
Today had been a rough day and he was a mess, his hair was tangled and unkempt, this trench coat and armor were falling apart, and he had multiple bruises and cuts that have been slowing him down. It looked like he was in some city alleyway that were very similar to the ones he grew up in and the first thing he see’s is a thing that looks like Jubilee, she on the ground injured and crying for Gambit to help her. It hurt like hell to turn away from her but right now he can’t risk taking any hits because he isn’t sure if he could get up physically and mentally. He gets away and after walking a few blocks away he shoves his back against a wall and tries not to break down. He’s just so tired and wants this to end, he starts to tear up. “I know I’ve don a lot to deserve this but I’m just so tired please just let me rest” Remy doesn’t even know who he is talking to he just needs to talk to keep himself from going insane.
“Brother I’m truly sorry for not being there but I- the team really needs you back now.”
Storms voice cut through the city so sharp it has to be real, oh god please be real. Remy pushed away from the wall and started running towards the sound of his sister’s voice. After running through a maze of alleyways Remy see’s the out of place double doors of the mansion, he starts running faster but stops dead in his tracks when Death appears from the shadows and steps in front of the doors.
Death looked like Gambit it a lot of ways but was still very different. He had ashy skin, stark white hair that lose and long, and somehow has eyes that looked more devilish than his own as Deaths were fully red. He wore a long black trench coat and had spikes on everything.
They just stared at each other for a second then Gambit took a step forward. “I suggest you step out of de way mon ami.” Gambit pulled three cards out from his trench coat and charged them, he wasn’t sure how he had them in this hell but they got him out of some tough spots.
Death just looks down a sign. “Well I guess it is time to change strategies as we both appear to be stuck.” He steps to the side and holds out his arm inviting him to pass.
Remy approached the door with caution, he has no idea what Death was talking about and he knew this was probably a trick but he was just so tired. He got up to the door handle and put his hand on it expecting something to happen but Death just kept staring. He opened the door and was preparing to step through when he heard Deaths parting words. “I’ll see you later Remy Lebeau”
He watched as Death moved his hand a sent Remy flying through the door. His eyes flew open and he jumped out of the medical bed he was laying on and now he was terrified out of his god damn mind, what the hell did he mean “see you later” was this just another trick? Remy starts to shake.
……………….
They get to the end of the hallway and are about to turn the corner when all of a sudden every surface and object around them starts glowing a bright purple. Hank and Ororo stop dead in their tracks and look at each other. They both know what this purple glow means, it’s a sign that Remy is charging something up with kinetic energy, which he can only do if he is awake.
“Hank gather the others.”
Storm summons winds to push her down the hallway back the med lab before Hank can get a word out.
She stops at the doorway and looks in to see Remy, her brother is awake and holding himself up against the end bed. He is shaking in his medical gown and has ripped the IV out of his arm. He has terrified eyes as he looks up at Ororo.
Ororo takes a gentle step forward, he has the whole mansion charged up right now and can blow it to bits if he wants to.
“Remy thank goodness you are a wake you have no idea how happy this makes me, but I need you to pull back the charge you could hurt-“
“You ain’t real, you ain’t Stormy”
His voice is rough and he is slightly hyperventilating at this point as he let go of the bed to step back against the wall.
“No brother it is me really, I’ve missed you so much just please pull back the charge.”
“Non Stormy left, she- she lost her powers, and she has short hair, just stop playing these games Death.”
Remy spits out that last part with venom and gives her a death stare. Storm is shocked and just looks at him as the purple glow around the room gets brighter.
With tears in her eyes she takes a deep breath and looks him in the eyes,
“Remy I got my powers back with the help of a mutant called Forge, he is truly brilliant and I love for you to meet him, and my hair grew when my mutation came back. Remy I swear you are safe here I just need you to pull back the charge.”
She takes another gentle step forward and holds out her hand as a sign of peace.
Remy’s eyes start forming tears as he keeps staring at Storm.
“I really want ta believe ya Stormy but I’m just so tired of the tricks.”
The purple glow intensifies and Storm can hear people making their way towards the med bay, she needs to calm him down before he gets overwhelmed and lets the charge go. She needs to prove to him she’s real.
“Remember the night I brought you to the mansion for the first time, you wanted to leave because you felt like a thief didn’t belong with the X-Men but I wouldn’t let you leave that fast. I told you that you did belong because you saved me and that I wanted to do the same or you, well brother that still stands.”
She takes another step forward. ”I might’ve not been there for Genosha but I’m here now, the X-Men are here now and we are real. I just need you to pull back the charge so we can help you.”
There is silence that feels like it last an eternity as they just stare at each other, Remy’s hyperventilating has slowed down and now he just silent. The purple glow fades after a few seconds and Remy just falls to the floor from emotional and physical exhaustion.
Storm bolts to the other side of the room, gets down to the floor and wraps her arm around him, Remy grabs onto one of her arms and they just fall apart in each other’s arms. Storm doesn’t often like when this side of her is shown, she feels as a leader and one of the strongest X-Men she should keep her emotions in check but she can’t bring her self to care right now. Storm also knows there are people behind her but she can’t bring herself to acknowledge them, she cries and Remy sobs.
Storm hears Remy mumbling multiple things in confusion trying to figure out what’s going on. “It’s you it’s really you. How is it you I should be dead, how am I alive, how am I here?”
Storm pulls away and cups Remy’s face and brings her forehead forward to connect with his. “I will be honest Remy we don’t have all the answers but we are just happy to have you back.” Storm turns around to look back at the group of X-Men that have collected at the door. Hank is at the front with Scott next to him both of them have gentle faces on trying to cover up concern and panic. Jean is just behind Scott with her hands over her mouth with tears welling up in her eyes. Morph, Logan, and Bishop are in the back smiling. Jubilee appears in the back with Roberto behind her and pushes through to the front.
Remy is now looking up at the group as Jubilee charges at the and throw her self at Remy. She is now crying with a big smile on her face.
“Oh my god your back, you’re actually back, you had me scared you were never going to wake up.”
Remy ruffles her hair and smiles. “Aw petite you should know Gambit ain’t leaving with out sayin goodbye.”
Jubilee just laughs and gives him one more squeeze before looking back to see Hank and Scott are there waiting. Jubilees scoots out of the way so Hank can kneel down in from of Remy.
“I am very glad to see you awake my friend, how are you faring? Are you feeling any pain?”
Remy who is still holding onto Storm with one arm looks around quickly absorbing everything and everyone in the rooms.
“Everything feels a lil sore including my throat” he says in a raspy voice, “I also feel a lil shaky and tired, but besides that I’m feeling fine.”
Hank looks at him and smiles, “Wonderful, morph could you get a glass of water and Scott could you him me get him up? I just need to check you over and hopefully we can get you out of this gown.”
Storm lets go of Remy to give Hank and Scott room to get him up and Storm sees a second of Panic on Remy’s face before he tries to hide it.
“It’s good to have you back Gambit” Scott says as he helps him up to his feet. Remy doesn’t have time to respond as he is lifted up which causes him to grunt. He’s not used to moving him body so they take there time. Scott and Hank are able to get him back onto the medical bed.
……………………
Once Gambit is settled he looks around the room one more time and his face falls. “wait what about Genosha is everyone alright, where are Rogue and Kurt they were there before I-“ He grabs his lower stomach as he remembers it all again, the destroyed buildings, the bodies, the death of the morlocks, the death of magneto, and he remembers lighting the sentinel up while being impaled.
The room grows deathly silent as everyone makes the same realization, he doesn’t remember being Death. Storm open her mouth but she struggles to even find words for what happened these past few months.
Remy looks around at the concerned faces and he grows terrified, did he fail to save them? Did he survive and everyone else died? How did he survive that? Who the fuck was Death and why was he in his head?
Remy looks at Storm, “Stormy please tell me what’s going on, what happened?” Remy then pressed where he had been stabbed by the sentinel and he feels a shock go through his system that caused him to gasp and sit up straight.
He see’s quick visions machinery and metal that he was strapped into, he felt pain as he was prodded and cut, saw flashes of gray skin, white hair, and red eyes looking at him through a mirror. He saw as he stood next to Apocalypse and prepared to attack his friends.
He was on the ground now and he couldn’t breathe, none of it made sense. He was Death this whole time and Death used that hell to keep him locked out of his own body. What the hell did Death do with his body, did he kill someone? Did he kill one of the X-Men?
“Oh don’t worry LeBeau they escaped me, but I’ll get out soon, Death is inevitable.” Deaths low stern voice cuts through Remy’s Brain.”
Remy felt his heart drop, Death is still here and now he is promising to kill his friends. Remy just sinks into the floor further and uses the palm of his hands to press into his ears and to try to block out Deaths voice while using his fingers to pull on his hair, trying to distract him self from this fucking mess.
His eyes are completely shut and even with his ears covered he can hear muffled voices trying to reach him. He needs to get away from them he’s not safe to be around, Death might hurt them.
He feels a hand grab his wrist and pull it away from his ear and the hair he was about to rip off.
“Gumbo you gotta-“
Remy used his free hand to find the chest of who ever was holding him and tried to push them away, no one should be near him right now he could-
Remy feels the hand that was holding onto him shoot away from him and hears many crashing sounds. Remy opens his eyes and sees that Logan was the one holding onto him and has now crashed through the wall of the med lab. He looks down at his hands and sees crackling kinetic energy. He did that, but how? He always controlled his kinetic energy well and now he shot his teammate through a wall without even realizing.
Storm comes into his field of view with her hands out and is saying something he just refuses to hear it, he just pushes him self away from her and gets into the corner in between the bed and the wall. “Non non non I’m sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t mean ta hurt em.”
“I know Remy, I know this is a lot but we are here to help you, we are your family.”
“Non he’s gonna hurt ya or he’s gonna make Remy hurt ya, I need ta leave now.”
He’s whispering at this point, he’s so terrified of himself and what he can do he feels like he’s losing control of his body as he shakes and hyperventilates.
With all this chaos going on inside and out of his head he barely feels the touch of a telepath entering his brain, it’s Jean.
“Remy I’m going to help you breathe alright, than we can-“
Remy and Jean both fold over in pain and grunt as Death shuts her out violently. “Oh no no no you are mine can’t have anyone else getting in the way, now why don’t you just blow them all up, would make my job a lot easier.”
Remy goes into a full fetal position so he can’t see the X-Men, they probably worked so hard to get him back and now he's fucking it all up.
“They all hate you, look down at you, let me take over and I end all of this suffering.”
Remy has a chilling realization, this is why Death let him out, Death wants to use him to finish Apocalypse work. Remy isn’t even able to finish his spiraling thought as he feels a poke go into his arm.
He looks up and see’s Bishop who is absorbing Kinetic energy he didn’t even realize he was releasing, he also see a syringe in his arm that just released something into his arm. He feels the world around him start to get blurry.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry”
“It’s alright man just rest, we will figure this out”
Before he fades off Gambit remembers he never learned what happens to Rogue. “Rogue, where is she? She okay-“ He looses all feeling and the world goes black.
…………..
Storm looked around the medlab which decended into chaos in a matter of seconds. There is a Logan sized hole in the wall, exploded pieces of glass and paper that Remy accidentally blew up, Scott is helping Jean up who has a bloody nose from her attempt at going into Remys mind, and Hank is helping Bishop get an unconscious Remy onto the bed again.
Storm keeps thinking about what Remy said to her,“Non he’s gonna hurt ya or he’s gonna make Remy hurt ya, I need ta leave now.” Storm thinks she has an idea of who “he” is but she doesn’t even want to confront that fear.
Morph who is now helping Logan back into the room speak up, “okay sooo what the hell just happened.”
Hank who is looking over Remy for any injuries responds in a somber voice. “It appears our Cajun friend had a panic attack that caused him to lose control of his powers.”
Scott walks Jean over to a chair and walks to stand next to Storm who’s back at Remy’s bedside. “Yes but Gambit always had a good control over his powers even in stressful situations, and it always took a lot of time and energy to charge up large things and he charged up the whole mansion in a matter of seconds.”
“Gambits death and resurrection might have unlocked a new level of his mutation, we will have to see how much has changed when he wakes up in a few hours.” Hanks says as he inserts an IV back into his arm.
“In the meantime we should get the professor to do a scan of him mind, get an idea of what-“
“Scott no!” Jean speaks up. Everyone just stares in shock.
“When I went in there to try to calm him down, something else was in there to push me out and it’s hurt me and Remy, for now let’s just wait for Remy to wake up and talk to us”
“What do you mean “something else was there”” Wolverine responds in a gruff, and annoyed voice. He’s healed from getting shot through the wall but parts of his shirt have been destroyed.
Jean look up at Storm who hasn’t spoken a word, Jean could see on her sisters face that her is terrified of what she’s about to say.
“When I went to calm Remy down he said something about how “he” will hurt us” Storm admits than squeezes Remy’s hand.
The room is deathly silent, everyone is afraid to say what they are all thinking.
Death lives within Remy LeBeau.