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Chapter 8


Beast woke up early to check on Storm. She was still sleeping and, much to Beast’s surprise was alone. “For sure I thought Logan would have stayed with her?” he said aloud to himself. He checked her blood pressure and heart-rate on the monitor before wheeling an ultrasound machine towards the bed.


Storm blinked several times before sitting up.


“I am sorry if I disturbed you Ororo.” He said plugging the machine in.


“No Beast, I’m actually feeling quite rested.” She glanced at him before turning to the empty chair on the other side of her bed.


“He must have stepped out for a moment.” He said, answering her question for her before she asked it.
“I am not concerned for Logan right now.” She tried to shrug his absence off. “How is my child Beast?”


“Ah, I was just about to find out. I am going to give you your first ultrasound today. Would you like to wait for Logan to return?”


“He ain’t here!” Cyclops moved towards the bed, Jean was behind him. “He left last night; no one knows where he went.”


“Scott! Please.” Jean turned to Storm. “Storm , don’t worry…” Jean held her hand. “I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”


“I am fine, thank you.” She tried to ignore the pain she felt. She turned to Beast. “I am very anxious to see how
my child is doing Beast.”


“Of course Ororo.” Beast started hooking the wires together and turned the machine on.


“We’ll wait outside for you Storm.” Jean turned to leave.


“No, you are free to stay if you like?”


“We don’t want to intrude Storm, this is very private.”


“Jean, you are like my sister. I want to share this with all of you.”


“Thank you Storm.” Jean looked as giddy as a child at Christmas. “You know me too well.”


Storm just smiled.


“Ready Ororo? You will have to lift gown up above your naval, but can keep the sheet at your waist.”


“Of course Beast.” Storm went to grab the bottom of her gown from beneath the sheet.


“I’ll wait outside, this is a personal girl thing.” Scott lifted up his hands as he backed away towards the med-lab door.


Jean smiled. “He is still shy about some things.”


Storm nodded. She lifted her gown up to show her abdomen and Beast squirted some gel on her. Storm flinched.


“I forgot to warn you that it is cold.” He maneuvered the apparatus until a fast-paced dot appeared on the screen. He pointed towards it. “That is your baby, Ororo. Magnificent, simply magnificent.” He whispered to himself.


“Beast, it is beautiful.” Her eyes started to tear. She moved her finger to stroke the image on the screen. “Is…it alright?”


“It seems to be perfectly healthy Ororo.” Beast let out a laugh, then smiled. “You are quite lucky. There’s seems to be no remnants of the other baby or pieces of placenta left behind. Your partial miscarriage seems not to have had an effect on your remaining, and very healthy, child Ororo.”


“Oh, thank goodness.” Jean squealed. “I am so excited…Storm, are you okay?”


Storm had an upset look on her face. “Why did I loose the other one Hank? Perhaps if I was more observant…”


“There was nothing you could do.” Beast put down the ultrasound and grabbed her hand. “Partial miscarriages happen all the time my dear friend. Many women do not even know they had twins or know they had a miscarriage at times. Your chance of miscarriage is still high until the tenth week, so be careful until then. Trust me, there would have been nothing you could do, even if you knew you were pregnant.”


Storm shook her head in understanding. “I will be more careful. I do not want to jeopardize my pregnancy anymore then I have.”


“Also, I want you to limit your exercise and use of your powers, for the sake of the child.”


“Beast…You know Storm must be in full control, she just can’t ignore her powers!” Jean exclaimed.


“I do not mean ignore.” Beast held out his hand. “I mean, do not fly, command lightening… do as little as possible. Mutant pregnancy and the effects of their powers have not been documented well, and I do not want to take any unnecessary chances.” He glanced back at Storm “It is just precautionary Storm.”


“I understand.” She pointed back towards the ultrasound. “Can you make a tape for Logan?”


“Of course.” He inserted a tape into the machine and put the apparatus back on her stomach. They all heard and saw the rapid beating on the screen again.


The med-lab doors opened and Jubilee came running up, her yellow jacket waving behind her knees. “What’s goin’ on Storm? How are ya…” she stopped short and her mouth dropped. She pointed towards the ultrasound screen.


“Jubilee, it is not polite to barge into a medical room like that.” Jean scolded.


“It is okay Jean. I am fine Jubilee. Thank you for coming to see me.”


“You’re…you’re…”


“I believe pregnant is the word you’re looking for Jubilee” Beast chimed.


“Oh…my…God! This is like….totally major! Storm, how did this happen? Am I like, an aunt now?” She was thinking of questions faster then she can speak, even shocking to Jubilee herself.


“Slow down child. Of course you can be an aunt, I’m sure you are old enough for the responsibilities.” She smiled towards Jean.


“Responsibilities? I just wanna play with it. Does everyone else know? Who’s is it? Is it that Arkon dweeb?” Jubilee crossed her arms.


“You ask too many questions Jubilee. I have not told the others yet, and Logan is the father.”


Jubilee’s mouth dropped. Jean got up and moved towards her.


“I will answer the questions I can for you…outside Jubilee.” Jean grabbed her arm and led her out.


“Thank you.” Storm mouthed towards Jean without Jubilee seeing.


*It was the least I could do*


“Well, I believe your ultrasound is done Ororo.” He ejected the tape and handed it to her. “I’m sure you will be happy to hear that you can leave this place and rest in the comfort of your own room.”


“Thank you Beast.” She pulled her gown down and threw the sheet over the side of the bed to swing her feet over. Beast helped her stand.


“And please Ororo, do truly rest.”


“Of course Beast” she smiled and patted his hand.




Cyclops and Professor Xavier were talking on the front lawn when they heard a motorcycle a few blocks away. Within minutes the mansion gates were opening and Logan was cruising back in. He stopped in front of them, near the mansion’s entrance. Logan turned off the bike and swung his leg around to get off it. He had a backpack hanging off one shoulder.


“We’ll I guess I was wrong.” Scott stared at him. “You did decide to turn around and do the right thing.”


Wolverine unleashed his claws in front of Cyclops’ face. “Outta my way Cyke!”


“Wolverine, please!” Charles commanded.


“What, you gonna take his side again.” He turned towards Charles and retracted his claws.


“No, actually I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday and congratulate both you and Storm.”
“Thanks Professor, that means a lot…to the both of us.” Wolverine’s faced softened a little.


“Apologize? He’s the one that needs to apologize for almost abandoning Storm!” Cyclops pointed towards Wolverine.


Wolverine through his backpack down. Parenting and baby books fell all over the pavement behind him, along with some baby clothes. “Wada ya’ mean abandon?” Wolverine was face to face with him.


“Scott, you are out of line.”


Scott glanced behind Logan to see the books everywhere. “I…I guess I came to the wrong conclusion Wolverine.” A shocked look appeared on Scott’s face.


Wolverine backed away. He turned around and started putting the items back in his backpack.


“I’m sorry Logan.” Scott sighed “Just, when I saw you leave last night and didn’t come home…”


“What I do ain’t none of your business, and I don’t abandon my own.” He picked up the knapsack and head up the steps.


“I was wrong Logan, I just want what’s best for Storm and the baby.”


“And I guess you think I ain’t it.” He opened the door and went inside.


“Scott, I know you are concerned for Storm, but please, watch your choice of words in front of Logan.”


“I’m sorry Professor, it’s just…”


“Your opinion of Logan does not matter in this instance, this is not a mission for you to lead. This is Storm’s life and we must keep mind of that.” Charles turned towards the door. “I am calling the others to go over our mission yesterday. Meet me in the war room in twenty minutes Scott.”



Wolverine was running towards the elevator to get to down to the med-lab. Was Storm upset? Did she really think he would leave because she was carrying his child? He never thought about it, before last night anyway, but he was excited about a child, especially with Ororo. She was warm and comforting; He actually felt at peace and thought he could really settle down as a family with her. He just needed some air and space to think things through; After all, he didn’t even remember his parents, or a real home, other than the mansion. He wasn’t sure he could be a parent, or where to start. He drove around all night to clear his head. Towards the morning he drove down Main Street and saw a baby store. After seeing one baby outfit, he actually knew he wanted this. He only feared now that he may have lost his chance over taking one night to think. He didn’t even think Storm would have woken until later, which is the only reason he thought it okay to leave in the first place.


He was panting as he entered the med-lab. She wasn’t there. He looked around frantically, catching her scent, as well as Beast’s. She was gone, Beast wasn’t.


“HANK!” he yelled frantically.


“Yes Logan? Are you alright?” Beast appeared from behind a curtain in the med-lab.


“Where is she?”


“I’ve released her to recuperate in her room. We
missed you this morning Logan.”


“Is she alright? How’s the baby?”


“She and the baby are fine Logan.” Beast put his furry blue arm around Logan as he walked him back out the med-lab towards the elevator. “I’ve advised Ororo to limit her physical activity as well as using her powers. She’s taking vitamins. The child looks strong and healthy.”


“Thanks Hank.” Wolverine shook Beast’s hand. The elevator doors opened and he got on, still carrying his knapsack.


“And Logan…”


“Yeah?”


“Here is a tape of Storm’s ultrasound from this morning.”


Wolverine looked down at the tape, almost puzzled by it. “You’re tellin’ me my kid is on this tape?”


“We’ll, it does not look like a typical fetus yet, but the heartbeat is strong and evident.” Beast said with a smile.


Wolverine nodded. “Thanks furball.”


The elevator doors closed in front of his face.



The team was gathered in the war room, all except for Wolverine and Storm when the Professor started.


“Now that we are all here, I’d like to go over the events of yesterday.”


“Hold on Professor.” Rogue stood up. “Logan and Storm aren’t here yet.”


“Duh,” Jubilee interrupted. “Storm’s like, pregnant, she can’t be here.”


“JUBILEE!” The Professor scolded.


Rogue and Gambit gasped.


“Oops.” Jubilee covered her mouth with her hand.


Jean gave her a dirty look.


*We need to have another discussion, Jubilee* Jean telekinetically told her.


Charles put his hands up. “I believe it is appropriate for Storm and Logan to answer any questions you may have. Now, we must go over the events of yesterday.”


“What you mean by Logan?” Gambit interrupted.


“Logan and Storm…Logan’s the father.” Scott replied, unenthusiastically.


“I knew he had a thing for her.” Rogue smirked.


“At least Stormy get some fun, no?” Gambit smiled at Scott. Scott was pissed at the remark.


“Please, this is not the time to discuss this.” Charles sighed “I fear the files that were taken puts other mutants at great danger, and because the rest were destroyed, we don’t know whose files they have and do not have.”


“Can’t we just wait until we hear of an attack?” Jubilee asked.


“They had your file though, no?” Gambit looked from Jubilee to Charles.


“Exactly Gambit; for all we know they could have Jubilee’s file and plan on attacking her…again”


“I don’t understand. I thought President Kelly stopped the mutant registration act. It intrudes on mutant rights.” Scott pounded his fist on the table. “We’ve already destroyed these files in the past!”


“I do not believe whoever is behind this had the President’s permission. I will contact President Kelly myself to know for sure, but I believe many mutants will be in great danger in the near future.” Professor Xavier said. “Someone had a reason for keeping copies in another location.”


“Professor, weren’t those files used by sentinels to help locate and destroy mutants in the past.” Jean asked, very concerned.


“Oh no, I hate those things, I thought we like, got rid of all of them.” Jubilee interrupted.


“Yeah, well if the files are still around, who knows what else be goin’ on wit’ out us knowin’!” Rogue stood up, anger starting to fill her.


“We must remain calm. I will contact the President to see what he knows. But for now, I want everybody to remain on high alert. The Friends of Humanity may strike again at anytime. I believe extra training in the war room is necessary. You should all start your training immediately.”


“Of course, Professor.” Scott stood up to walk out, the rest of the X-men followed.





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