Professor Xavier waited in patient silence while Remy spoke to his friends. Only moments before, the professor had suggested the idea that either he or Jean go into Emil's mind in an attempt to bring him back from the dark place he was in.

Xavier had expected Remy, as Guild leader, would be the one to address him, but he was wrong. After a few minutes of discussion, it was Theoren Marceaux who spoke to the professor, his tone quiet and serious.

"Professor, we appreciate de offer, but I don' t'ink we can let you. We know what Emil's problems is, an' makin' a certain assassin stop hurtin' him is de way to make dat problem go away."

Xavier nodded. "That is true enough, perhaps, Theoren, but how do you get the emotional problem already caused by the physical problem to go away?" he asked in equal seriousness.

Zoe frowned. "I'm not sure I follow you, Professor." She said. "What do you mean?"

The professor moved from behind his desk and joined the assembled thieves in front of it before responding to Zoe's question.

"Emil is emotionally unstable at this time, do you agree on that?" he asked. They nodded. "This instability was caused by the problems he's had with another member of his unified guild of yours, correct?"

"Professor, what are you getting at?" Remy asked, although he had a pretty good idea.

"If you stop this other person from hurting Emil, there will be no reason for this instability to get worse, but you won't be correcting the problem already there." Xavier replied. "That's what I'm getting at."

"We never t'ought of dat…" Mercy said contemplatively. "But it shouldn' be our choice to make."

"Non," Claude agreed. "It should be Emil's. An' it should wait 'til mornin'." He finished, trying to stifle a yawn and not quite succeeding.

"It is indeed late, and you have all had a rough few days." The professor conceded, smiling warmly at the tired thieves. "I asked Ororo to get the guest rooms ready, Remy, if you'd like to show your friends where they are."

"T'ank you, Professor." Zoe said, not even attempting to hide her yawn. She was really tired, why hide it?

"If it's all de same to you, Professor, an' if Dr. McCoy is okay wit' it," Theoren commented. "Until Genard an' Emil are usin' dose guest rooms too, I'd like to stay wit' dem in de MedLab."

"Are you sure, Theoren?" Xavier asked.

"Oui."

"Then it is fine by me, and I'm sure Hank won't object to it. Would you like me to show you the way back to the MedLab?"

"Non, merci. I know de way." Theoren replied, leaving the office.

'Remy…' Professor Xavier questioned in Remy's head, not wanting to share this question with the others. 'Why…?'

Remy smiled. 'He's de oldest, Professor.' He thought in return. 'Makes 'im act like a father from time to time. He's very protective of dem, especially Emil b'cause he's de youngest.'

'I thought Zoe was the youngest.' Xavier replied.

'She is, but I meant of de five of dem. Theo don' like me much, so he don' worry 'bout me too often. An' Zoe can take care of herself, prob'ly better den Theo can. Don' worry, he won' get in Hank's way. He jus' wants to keep an eye on dem, until dey're better.' Remy explained.

'All right.'

Hank and Jean both smiled with Theoren entered the MedLab. Genard had fallen asleep and was lying peacefully on one bed, but Emil was still awake, but was obviously very tired. Theoren joined him, standing beside the bed, his brown eyes filled with an unspoken worry.

"How you doin' kid?"

Emil sighed deeply. "Don' feel as sick." He replied vaguely.

Theoren frowned. Genard must have been telling him the things that had happened in New Orleans. "Dat's not a bad t'ing…it's strange, you bein' so quiet." He joked. "Maybe you should get some more rest."

"Oui." Emil yawned, closing his eyes briefly, then opening them again when he thought of something. "You stayin' here?" he asked, hope in his eyes and voice. He felt much safer now that his family was there.

Theoren nodded towards Hank and Jean. "Oui, if dey'll let me."

Professor Xavier had contacted Jean and Hank both shortly before Theoren made it back to the MedLab, and has informed them of the thief's desire to stay with Genard and Emil. Neither one of them could see any problem with it.

Hank gestured at a third bed, neatly made. "You could use this if you'd like Theoren," he said, noting that Emil's eyes were closed again. He smiled as Theoren tried to hide a yawn. "That way you don't have to sleep on the floor or in a chair, and you'll be close if they need you."

A grateful smile crossed Theoren's features. "T'ank you." He replied. He couldn't help thinking, as he realized the Professor had told them he was coming, that he'd never understand telepaths. Suddenly, Jean's voice was in his head, startling him slightly.

'We're not that hard to understand.'

Theoren stared at her, his eyes wide. Professor Xavier had done that as well, after he and Remy had explained the whole telepathic ability and how it worked. Theoren didn't view it as an invasion of privacy, because he understood they weren't probing his mind for information; they were just talking to him. But it was slightly unnerving all the same.

'I need to get some sleep…' he thought, half-forgetting that Jean could hear him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" Jean said aloud.

"Non! No, it's okay, I don' mind you talkin' to me like dat. I'm jus' really tired right now an'…" Theoren replied hastily.

'An' you're concerned about your friends." Jean finished in his mind.

Theoren nodded, a frown on his face as he lightly touched Emil's cheek. "Oui." He whispered softly. He then turned away, letting his young cousin get some much-needed rest. "Are you both gon' be here all night as well?" he asked.

Hank chuckled. "Oh my stars and garters no!" he said. "In fact, now that our two patients are asleep, we will be retiring to our rooms shortly."

"Okay…how do I…?" Theoren began.

"Hank showed him a communication device on the wall. "If you need us during the night, or rather, if they do, the green button is a direct link to my room, the yellow one is to Jean's."

"Or you could always just think something to me or the professor." Jean said. "If you can't get over here or some reason."

Theoren nodded again and Jean left the room.

"Do you have any other questions before I go as well?" Hank asked.

Theoren walked silently over and stood beside Genard, concern for his friend radiating off him in waves. "How bad are his injuries?" he asked quietly.

Hank stood across from him, on the other side of the bed. "It's not as bad as it looks, my friend. The swelling in his face should go down by morning. There is a great deal of bruising, but it will heal in time. He also has two broken ribs, but they, too, will heal."

"T'ank you, Dr. McCoy." Theoren said.

"Whatever for, Theoren?" Hank asked in surprise.

"For takin' care of dem."

Hank smiled and headed for the door after checking the monitors one last time. "Well, aside from doing my job," he said, dimming the lights. "I am more than happy to help friends of Remy."

Theoren chuckled somewhat bitterly. "Ain' heard dat one often." He commented. "G'night Doc."

"Good night Theoren. Sleep well."

Theoren lay down on the bed Hank had given him and found himself watching Emil and Genard sleep. As hurt as they were, they were both content in sleep, he noticed, like they knew they were safe and found peace in the knowledge.

Theoren smiled as this realization hit him, and he whispered,

"I haven' been doin' my job dat well, mes amis, but I promise you from now on I'll do whatever it takes to keep you an' de others as safe from harm as it's possible for us to be."

He then rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes, letting the low steady hum of the monitors lull him to sleep.