Lament sat patiently on the bed as Beast hooked various monitoring devices to her. Then he did the same to Logan.

The beds were side by side. Both patients lay down. They clasped hands. Logan felt Lament tremble and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Hank set up an IV drip to Logan¡¦s other arm.

Lament closed her eyes and opened herself to the very edge of either enhancing or synching. In that state, she was aware of Logan¡¦s x-factor. She would feel the exact second that his healing factor attacked Legacy. When she felt it weaken just a tiny bit, she would give it enough gestalt to continue the fight.

Logan lay quietly as his long time friend injected him with the deadly Legacy Virus. Jubilee and Remy waited silently just outside the lab.

His mind strayed to the woman beside him. Lamentation Lee. His Jubilee¡¦s sister. Thoughts of Lament led to her comment about his relationship with Jubilee. She called them partners. Logan always tried to put Jubilee in the role of the protected, like he did with Kitty. But, unlike Shadowcat, Jubilee had always been able to take care of herself. She had saved his hide several times. When all he did for her was put her in more danger and give her no credit. She handled herself well, but he never saw that.

Logan suddenly wondered if Jubilee wanted a full time true partnership when she graduated from the Academy.

Outside the medlab, the entire X-Team waited tensely. Scott and Jean sat side by side in plastic chairs dragged down from the attic. Kitty was pacing the hall, walking through walls that got in her way. Ororo sat in the lotus position, meditating, but she projected an aura of concern. Betsy and Warren sat opposite Jean and Scott, in a mirror of the married couple. Rouge was perched on the ceiling. Colossus shifted forms, pacing perpendicular to Kitty, to avoid walking through walls.

Remy watched Jubilee pace for three hours before he snapped.

"Sit down, chére!" Everyone froze, staring. Remy tried not to blush.

Jubilee raised an eyebrow.

"You makin¡¦ Gambit tired jest watchin¡¦ ya!" Remy and Jubilee scowled at each other. Ororo went back to her meditation. Others followed suit.

Jubilee flopped down in a chair.

Ten minutes later, Remy stood and began to pace. Rogue smiled wryly.

Hank¡¦s eyes swung between the monitors. Lament¡¦s metabolism was up, but that was normal. Logan was nearing the end of stage two. Soon blisters would form on Logan¡¦s skin, but his vital signs were steady and strong.

Things looked good.

Lament pushed a little harder when she felt a slight weakening. Her body was pushed farther than she had imagined possible. She knew she could manage more, but the virus was close on her heels.

Lament hoped she could out last it.

Five hours later . . ..

"Hallelujah!" Hank¡¦s cry echoed through the mansion. Remy and Jubilee burst through the door. Jubilee ran straight to Logan¡¦s side and took his hand in hers. The rest of the team lingered in the doorway. Then Remy slowly made his way to Lament¡¦s side.

Wolverine opened his eyes and stared up at Jubilee. "Hey, Jubilee, been meanin¡¦ ta ask ya," he began.

Then one of Hank¡¦s monitors went off and Wolverine felt Lament¡¦s hand, so firmly gripping his in the last hours, go limp in his. Wolverine let out a strangled cry, but his body was too weak to help. A single cry of "NO!" escaped Jubilee.

"She¡¦s gone into respiratory arrest!" Beast yelled.

Remy leapt out of Beast¡¦s way as the blue doctor pushed in to begin artificial respiration.

No one but Beast breathed as each waited tensely. Remy prayed silently.

Just as Beast lowered his head again, Lament¡¦s body arched and she gasped a long gulp of air. Her blue eyes popped open and she grasped Wolverine¡¦s hand tightly. Remy closed his eyes and reached out to smooth her hair away from her face. Beast checked her vitals signs, catching his breath.

"D¡¦at¡¦s good, chére, just you keep breathin¡¦."

Lament glared down the spoon at Remy. She still had trouble talking, but the sparks shooting from her eyes clearly conveyed her message. In the week since the miraculous cure of Legacy, Wolverine was up and about, sparring with Jubilee, frequently getting knocked on his @$$. His main excuse was surprise. Meanwhile, Lament lacked the strength to feed herself. Sometimes, she could talk.

"Eider you eat, or Gambit pour it down your troat." Gambit presented a glare of his own. Lament opened her mouth and chewed the nutritious, tasteless mush.

"What now?" She asked before he fed her another spoonful.

Remy took a few minutes to answer. "When Jubilee graduate, she an¡¦ Logan gonna team up and rejoin de X-Men. Hand out sendin¡¦ de cure t¡¦everyone he know. Frost an¡¦ Banshee thinkin¡¦ ¡¦bout hirin¡¦ teachers."

Lament brought one pale hand up to point to herself. What about me?

Gambit sighed. "Whatever you want, chére. You always have a place wit¡¦ de X-Men. Dey c¡¦sure use you teachin¡¦ language o¡¦er at the academy. Or, you cou¡¦ disappear, jes¡¦ like you appear, but," Remy dropped the spoon into the bowl and took Lament¡¦s hand. "Please don¡¦ disappear, chére." He gently brought her hand up to his lips and put it back at her side. He picked the spoon back up.

Outside, hiding, waiting, cold eyes looked through the window at his cousin. She had betrayed him. She had turned to the other side. She was now in the same category as the runt . . .

 Finis?