The Accident

Logan lay on his bed, still in the tux he had rented. His shoes were off and on the floor, beside the bed. The white shirt had been unbuttoned but tucked into the pants while the thin black tie lay in a pile on the nightstand, to his left. He lay in the dark with only the living room light illuminating a small portion of his bedroom entryway. The smoke from his stub of a cigar created a faint mist that danced and did its best to entertain the sullen medic. Logan was numb and exhausted from crying tears that- hours earlier- showed no signs of stopping. His arms, heavy with ache from holding a shivering, grieving mother, now rest limply beside him.

From the darkness of the bedroom, a figure in a long, black cloak and hood emerged and came to a stop at the end of Logan's bed, blocking the doorway to the living room. The figure only stood there in silence and watched the man on the bed. A faint pulsing emanated from within the cloak to sound more of a heartbeat, calm and steady as the air slowly thickened.

"I ain't done yet." Logan had been thrown off guard by the manifestation of the cloaked figure though he had been waiting for it. He continued to puff on his cigar and paid little attention to the bony hands that raised to the hood and removed it. "Didn't need to get all dolled up for me. Or, are you just tryin' to impress me so I'll come quietly?"

Remy didn't answer. His calm gaze admired Logan from the edge. The ruby irises burned into desire for the man on the bed. He had missed Logan so much and now that his last assignment was nearing an end, he wanted nothing but to touch Logan one final time. The thickness of the heavy cloak seemed to weigh him down and kept him anchored from climbing up and topping Logan, tossing the cigar aside.

An eyebrow raised as Logan heard nothing from his unwanted visitor. "Graduation gown? Two in one day must be a new goal for ya."

"No." Calm, cool sigh of a word that barely shut out the hunger Remy felt. "I do not graduate from this."

Logan reclined on his elbows and squinted to get a better look at the younger man before him. "Then, why the monkey suit?"

Remy looked about his dress and sighed heavily. He didn't want to meet the true reason of his formalwear. "After completion, I will die." Clearing his throat, Remy changed the subject. "Have you finished your chapter?"

Logan sat up fully and gave the man a quizzical look. "Finished my 'chapter'? What am I? A book?" He laughed smokily. "Hope it's a good chuckle for ya."

"I wish to ease your transition. If you'll let me?" Remy pressed on.

Logan listened, intrigued.

With a flick of his finger at his collar, the heavy black robe opened and gracefully slid silently to the floor, revealing a youthful, naked and pale body before Logan. "We were lovers once, mon cher."

"I think I'd remember fuckin' Death." Logan was unamused at the flirt.

Swallowing and climbing up to perch at Logan's feet, Remy bent and softly kissed the top of Logan's left socked foot. He looked up from his bent position, feeling the weight of Logan's stare. "I love you, Logan. I chose this assignment because I wanted to be with you, one last time. I've waited a thousand years for you."

Logan's gaze hardened. "You take my son, you give little time to recoup from his death and now you tell me that you've had a hard-on for so long and have been looking to fuck to death?" Logan laughed outright. "Put yer clothes on. I ain't screwin' anybody that kills my son and makes a joke of it."

Remy sat up and downcast his gaze as he slid backwards off the bed. Reaching for his cloak, he choked back the flood of sweet memories they had shared and were now being callously tossed aside like a wet towel. "This is no joke, Logan."

Taking the cigar and stamping it out in the ashtray, on the nightstand, Logan moved to stand up and stepped toward the bathroom. "You have yer job. Do it." He heard movement behind him and quickly turned to grab Remy by a raised white wrist, crushing it in his right hand. His left bore three razor sharp claws that came within milimetres of Remy's thin throat.

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Evengentia was a Pharaoh's daughter. It was said that she was the great great grandcousin to Snefru. She had spent her childhood growing up in the palace of the Pharaoh of Giza and spent her youth spinning lover after lover around her little fingers. With a child's face and a warm glow about her, she was soon her father's pride and joy. Long black hair that was board straight with beaded braids mingled in, she was the epitome of beauty and lavish style that rivaled even her mother's. Her soft bronze body constantly bathed in fresh white linens or bright colours of her father's conquests to Thebes. Elegant jewels dazzled and adorned her slender arms, neck and ears in fashions that neared Pharaoh's own stylings.

Fancying trinket after trinket and story after story, Evengentia soon fascinated her time with the many guards throughout the palace. She had been worshipped as a princess but was often regarded as Queen.

Kahten, Captain of the Royal Guard, had been promised the hand of the beautiful princess but she did not love him. He had sealed her destiny just as he laid the blood of Pharaoh's enemies before his ruler.

Begging her father to change his mind and failing, Evengentia set about herself to find a more suitable husband. Her efforts were less than fruitful but struck an idea that she wasted little time enacting. If she could not have another husband, she would prove the older captain beneath her. Against Pharaoh's blessing, Evengentia challenged the 27-year-old to a chariot race. If he beat her in the first of two games, he would win her hand. But, if she beat him in both the race and hand-to-hand combat, she would then be free to choose her mate.

"This will bring you nowhere, Princess." Kahten warned his opponent as they stood side by side at the starting line.

Evengentia smiled and coyly glanced to the captain. "Best me and we shall see." The order from the Pharaoh was given and with another brilliant smile, Evengentia slapped the reins and her two horses soared out into the arena. Two fresh Egyptian horses had been latched to a golden, one-person chariot that had been her father's personal coach. With another firm tug on the reins and a loud yell, the princess had pulled to three chariot lengths ahead of her opponent.

Kahten gained ground in short time and soon was pulling ahead of the golden coach. He laughed loudly and whipped his imported Arabians twice more and soared a length in front. "Give up, highness! I am Pharaoh's chosen captain!" Bare bronze chest tightened and heaved as sweat beaded from every pore. Kahten was winning his prize and how he would relish that prize in victory. He closed his eyes as the roar of the crowd grew louder but snapped them open by the sound of a passing hoofbeat. "No!"

The corner was sharp and bumpy but the princess hung on with all her might, mussing her horses faster and faster back to the finish. Black hair danced in the wind and caped a glance back at her competitor. A throaty laugh as Kahten was a horse behind but closing on her heels. By the end of the line, Kahten had caught up to her but failed to be the first back, giving Evengentia her first victory.

Pharaoh had granted the second game, letting the captain gain back his credit and possibly claim his title. Though he was anxious to see who would win and stop his daughter's pride from displacing herself, Pharaoh waved his hand and announced that the continuation of the games would wait for the next day. He called for his daughter and captain to be given a royal feast that night and waved the crowd away as he retired to his chambers and servants.

As night fell, Evengentia sat next to her father, bathed in turquoise and gold jewelry. Lavender dress did little to conceal the petite figure of its owner. Her hair had taken several hours to secure in elegant braids and twists, long and shiny turquoise beads had been woven in into designs that gave her resemblance to Goddess Isis. Her smile illuminated the evening's festivities. Holding herself as a living statue, she enjoyed herself with dancers and musicians that played while the court of hundreds dined at long tables filled with meats, breads and fruits.

With the feast nearing an end, both competitors retired to their chambers and awaited dawn.

When dawn came, Evengentia adorned her armor and weapon of choice and proceeded to the throne room, her servant entourage following closely behind. She felt nervous and excited while keeping her wits about her as she spotted her opponent across from her. Standing before her father, alongside Kahten, she was asked if she had really wanted to go through with the contest. "I am."

"As am I, Great Pharaoh," Kahten replied when asked.

Pharaoh nodded and the match began.

With spears in hand, the two rivals took position and clashed weapons. Kahten treated the match as he would if he had been fighting another man but kept in mind that this opponent was to remain alive and unblemished. It was a complement he was not about to have returned. He found himself lunging and dodging just as much as the recipient was, if not more. The clatter of the two spears had become loud and unbearable as many onlookers covered their ears. Finally, his anger stirred and the young captain lunged at her with the precision of hunting a wild beast.

Evengentia drew her spear close to her body and spun in place, letting Kahten's spear barely graze her waist until their left shoulders met. Quickly placing the end of her spear behind his knees, she spun the opposite direction and tripped her attacker, letting him fall to the floor. She turned again and stopped, her spear tip hovering only centimetres from Kahten's face.

Kahten sat there a moment before retaliating with a kick to the back of her ankles, tripping her. With the rest of his body, he pulled himself up and lay her flat, on the floor, covering her with him. "End this foolishness, Highness. You are already destined to be my bride," he whispered low into her ear as she fought to remove him.

Sapphire orbs blinked and hardened. She hadn't wanted to subside her agenda, nor become a useless wife for the Captain of the Guards instead of a Queen. "NO!" A scream that silenced the whispering crowd before a final move. Wrapping one leg around his and rolling both, revealing she on top, Evengentia's final assault came with both triumph and horror. Spinning the spear around and piercing his leather armour and then his bronze chest, she did not breathe or let it sink in that she had killed the Captain of the Guards with his own spear. She sat atop him and stared at her own bloodied hands as if removed from the horrible act and then placed back to take the punishment.

Her mother screamed loudly as all eyes fell on what the princess had done. Both parents had faces of shock and terror as the Pharaoh sorrowfully waved his hand and had his only daughter taken away. The charge was murder and that charge was immediately incorporated with conspiracy; which meant the punishment was death, swift and eternal.

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Logan paused and looked at his surroundings as he held Remy by the pale tunic. His bedroom and apartment had fallen away and left an old stone and mortar hut with a straw roof. "What the Hell--? Where's my apartment?" Logan shook the man that had been responsible for turning Logan's world upside down in a blink and not thought twice.

Breathing in and releasing, Remy closed his eyes as he answered, "this was your home, Logan. You and I were lovers, here." Remy all but pleaded with Logan to remember. He now wore a pale peach tunic and maroon pants instead of the black cloak and hood. "It was a thousand years ago. You were burned at the stake by the townspeople and I was--"

Logan held up a hand to cut him off. "Don't tell me, you were whisked away to the land of Nod." He let go and paused a moment to make sure it was no illusion and walked over to the straw and wood bed, in the corner.

"No," Remy corrected. "I was sacrificed and forced to become what I am. Every hundred years or so, we are reconnected to try and right our wrongs. If there is no connection, we try again. This, however, is the final try."

Logan turned back from staring at the bed, looking at Remy and blinking. "Then what happens?"

Remy took a deep breath, "you die."

"You go on bein' Death, I bet."

Remy shook his head. "If this does not correct itself, I will be banished forever."

Logan rubbed a hand over his face in attempt to make sense of what was happening. "So, when is this?" He waved a hand at the scenery.

"The year is 774 A.D."

"Hm." Logan moved to the door and reached for the rope handle but paused again. "What happens if you 'correct' it? I mean, I'm still dead, yer dead... and Sharon loses her sanity because everyone's gone."

Sighing with exhaustion of explaining things, Remy forced the agitation out of his voice. "What history has shown was not supposed to happen at all. We were meant to be together, Logan. Because it was taken from us, time has been trying to rectify things. In every lifetime, you have had dreams of different places and times, correct?"

No answer.

"You are not the man to bow down and accept things. You have a temper and part of that comes from losing me, in this time. You find yourself unable to hold a love interest for more than a few months because that is how long it took for us to be together and then separated. When we made love in your apartment, you felt the heat of it, didn't you? You belonged with me and I, you. You cannot die if we are together, Logan." Remy's head ached. Inside, he felt the flutter of his own time running short and swallowed nervously.

Logan's stare was even but flickered as he caught the twinge of anxiety in Remy. "What will happen to Sharon? I ain't agreein' until I know she'll be okay."

"You will die, no matter what. However, to ease your mind, if you correct this with me, future events will alter to how it should have been. In all of our future lives, we will be together, completely. Born, live, die as humans. Sharon and her son will be happy and healthy and live long, happy lives." Another flutter hit Remy's stomach, causing his body to tense and the scenery to change back to Logan's apartment in present day.

Evengentia stood before them and waited for answer. "The time has ended. There will be no more delaying. I have stopped time to this spot."

Anger rose inside of Logan. He despised ultimatums. "Who'll find me?"

"What will it matter?" Her voice monotoned.

"Not Sharon."

Evengentia smiled sweetly at the sentiment. "It will be written that your companion, Ezekiel, will discover your remains."

Logan finally nodded. "So, if I die, what happens to the Cajun?" A nod in Remy's direction.

"Everything will be as it should."

A sigh as Logan bit the right corner of his mouth. Another sigh as he gave in and placed himself back on the bed, in the position he had been in when Remy appeared. Taking one last long, deep breath, Logan closed his eyes and waited. Within an instant, he was still.

Evengentia looked from Logan's body to Remy. "And now...." She waited for Remy to retrieve the vial from his robes and uncork it, drinking the contents. "You were always my favourite, Thete. I will look for you when your time fully comes to an end. I Loved you, my friend." A tear slid down her pale cheek as Remy smiled to her and then climbed onto the bed to lay beside Logan.

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Logan opened his eyes to the sound of morning birds chirping happily outside his tiny window, beside the door. He lie on his back, naked under the covers, a stray arm draped over his chest. Turning his head and smiling at the young carpenter, who also awoke, Logan kissed his lips and welcomed the new day.

"G' mornin' to you, cher." Thete smiled. "What were ya dreamin' about? You were restless, last night."

Another smile only this time, it was mixed with confusion. "I don't remember." Another kiss. "Breakfast?"

"Oui." Thete sat up but instead of climbing out of the small bed, he leaned over Logan and kissed him more passionately than any kisses they shared the night prior. "We have de time for dat later."

Finished.