Among the Strong
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marysuevirusTitle: Among the Strong
Chapter Twenty Nine: Complications
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs todazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar .
Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
The bright blue numbers on the clock by her bed said it was two thirty in the morning. Of course it would have to be the middle of the night. A time when the whole school would be in their beds. Any other time, she loved the sleepy quiet that pervaded the school in the wee hours of the morning. Tonight, though, it was not her friend. It meant she was going to have to wake people up. Haley groaned as the muscles across her belly contracted. They weren't sharp enough to hint at late stage labor. But they were strong enough to let her know that this was no false alarm. Slowly, carefully, she made it out of the bed and to her feet.
The lamp came on with a click, light flooding the room so that she could find her way to the door without kicking into any of the extra furniture. It hadn't been that long since she and Dare had moved into the room and already Roxxy's words were coming back to haunt her. The room was a little too cozy and Haley was honestly starting to feel a little claustrophobic.
Slowly, with great care, she made her way to the bed Dare slept in. Haley barely saw her anymore, so it was a relief that she was there, in bed and asleep. That was one question answered. She'd be glad of it later. For now, Haley was just glad that Dare was actually there. She was sure she was going to need someone's help getting down to the medlab without ending up on her knees. And she was pretty sure, despite the growing tension between them, that the other woman would help her. She put a hand on her friend's shoulder and shook it. "Dare. Wake up. I need your help."
Oddly, there was no response.
Haley frowned and shook her again. Again, no response. That was worrying. Or it would be, if Haley's uterus wasn't presently engaged in guerilla warfare tactics in an effort to kill her. The contraction that hit was enough to nearly knock her off her feet. As it was, it left her breathless and leaning heavily on the edge of the bed. She hadn't felt contractions like this since... Spencer. Most of her children had been delivered through easy births. Spencer had not wanted to come out, no matter how hard her body tried to make him. Hank had been on the verge of performing a Caesarean when he'd finally decided to cooperate.
When her limbs felt like obeying the commands her brain was sending them, Haley straightened and turned for the door. She'd mentioned her concerns about Dare to someone at a later time. For now, she needed to get out the door and to the wing that housed the staff so she could bang on Hank's door and drag him out of his bed at this ungodly hour. None of her other children had decided they were tired of the womb in the dead of night. They'd all been polite and waited for daylight hours. She stepped out of the room and into the hallway, her mind offering her the uncharitable idea that the blame for this lay squarely at Scott's feet.
The thought of him saw a pang run through her. One filled with longing and loneliness. She'd been prepared to give birth under Sinister's care and she'd expected that Scott wouldn't be there. She'd kind of resolved herself to that. And then she'd woken up in the medlab and realized she was still pregnant. There had been a part of her, a small part, that had envisioned Scott being at her side when the baby came. She knew, from their time spent in that room, that he would be encouraging and helpful during labor and delivery. And she'd longed for that to happen, to hear him whisper words of encouragement and pride in her ear while he held her from behind and eased the pain of delivery with his mere presence.
Of course that dream had been shattered. She'd known that would happen, of course. Scott's obligations to Jean came before any he had to Haley. But it had still stung to realize he'd chosen Jean over herself. And now, his daughter was about to make her appearance in the world and he wouldn't get to be part of it. There was no way Jean would let him be a part of the birth.
Haley pushed such depressing thoughts aside and focused her attention on her trip up the hallway. It was slow going because every contraction left her legs weak. So she stopped more often than she liked in order to lean against the wall. Catch her breath. Wait for her legs to be capable of holding her up. Of carrying her closer and closer to Henry's door.
Frustration settled over her like a cloak. It had never been this hard before. Because Johnny had carried her to the car every time she'd gone into labor and... Well. He hated her now. She'd done the unthinkable and fallen in love with someone else. Gotten pregnant by someone else. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Stubbornly blamed them on the pain of her contractions. Stubbornly blamed them on the slow pace and a thousand other tiny little things.
It seemed an age had passed by the time she reached Hank's door. Relief saw her wanting to cry again. She held the tears back because she was not going to cry yet. She'd save that for when she saw her daughter. Haley took a moment to catch her breath, her back against the wall next to the door, before she lifted a hand and pounded her palm against the wooden panel. After a few seconds of silence, she pounded again. This time, she heard what sounded like a thump followed by someone cursing softly under their breath. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a very ruffled looking Henry.
It was the worst case of bed head Haley had ever seen. There were cowlicks... everywhere. He wore shorts for modesty's sake, of course. But his fur stuck out everywhere. Haley had to bite off the laugh that wanted to come out. And then she was groaning in pain because a contraction chose that moment to build. Her soft groan of pain saw Hank's eyes widening in understanding. "Did you come all this way on your own, Haley?" he asked as he stepped out of the opened door and reached for her.
"Didn't have a choice," she told him, teeth clamped together against the pain. "I couldn't get Dare up."
"I'll check on her, then I'll meet you downstairs," Roxxy said, slipping past Hank in order to trace Haley's steps back to her room.
"Thank you, Rosemary," Hank responded. Then Haley found herself cradled in his arms. For a moment, she considered reminding him that she could walk. But the moment passed and she allowed herself to relax into his hold. Hank was carrying her to make the trip down to the medlab quicker. It was easier for them both and less tiring for Haley. Something told her she was going to need her energy later.
"When did your contractions start, Haley?" Hank asked, already on his way down the stairs. She took a few moments to consider it. She wasn't exactly certain.
"Labor must have started some time after I fell asleep. Because I didn't feel anything before I went to bed," she told him.
"And when was that?" They'd made it to the first floor and were headed to the elevator. It had been a good decision to let him carry her.
"I got into bed about... ten?" she guessed. She didn't know for certain. She'd spent much of her day visiting with Logan. Okay, so she hadn't been visiting him. She'd been sitting watch on him, hoping against hope that Dare might show up so she could talk to her friend. She hadn't seen her since after the thing with Roxxy and it bothered her.
"So it started in the last four hours or so," Hank replied, mostly to himself. The door to the elevator slid open after he pushed the button and he stepped into the car. A few seconds later, Roxxy joined them. There was a look on her face that suggested she was slightly concerned. "Where do you rank your contractions on a scale from one to ten, Haley? And what troubles you, Rosemary?"
The elevator doors slid shut and the elevator started on its way down to the sub-levels of the basement.
Roxxy shook her head, as if she didn't quite understand something. "I checked on Dare. She didn't wake when I shook her or called her name. Her pulse is slower than it should be, as is her breathing. Also, she was cold. I pulled the blankets over her before I left. I'll check in on her again after Haley delivers her baby."
"That may well be some time from now, my dear," Hank responded.
"I suppose I could send Remy to check on her," Roxxy mused.
"You'll start World War III if you do that, Rox," Haley told her.
"You're assuming she'll be awake when it happens," Roxxy replied. "And she needs to start talking to him before their baby is born. He's going to want to be there for that. And she's probably going to need him."
"Which reminds me," Hank said. "Is there anyone we should call for you, Haley? So that there's someone here to hold your hand?"
"No," Haley replied quietly.
"Haley," Roxxy began, the tone of her voice making it clear she was worried about her friend and thought she was making a mistake.
"No. I don't need either one of them. I can do this by myself," she insisted. "I've known all along that I was going to have to do it alone, anyway."
Roxxy put her hand on Haley's arm. Her eyes were filled with understanding. And sympathy. Haley steeled herself against the desire to give in that her friend's look brought to life. "Haley. You don't have to do this alone. You shouldn't do it alone. Its a long, complicated process and it would be good for you to have someone to lean on. I don't mind calling either one of them and asking them to come sit with you."
"I won't be alone. You'll be there. You're all the help I need," Haley told Roxxy.
"I'm going to be assisting Henry. You need someone who can assist you. Sadly, I can't do both," Roxxy said gently.
"I can't, Rox. I just... Leave it alone. I'll be fine. I don't need them." The slight hitch at the end of her statement called her a liar. She told the hitch to go fuck itself and reminded herself that they'd both walked away from her. That Johnny had decided he couldn't be with her because she'd fucked around on him and Scott had chosen to go back to Jean. It was fine. She was fine. She'd manage.
"Now that we have that settled," Hank began, a touch of disgust painting his words. Haley heard it plain as day and was good enough not to take him to task about it. "Perhaps you would be willing to tell me how strong your contractions are. On a scale from one to ten."
"I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, they're strong enough that they woke me up out of a dead sleep. And they made it hard for me to get up the hall on my own. But they're not final stage labor contractions. My water hasn't even broken yet."
Hank shot her the hairy eyeball and heaved a sigh. No doubt he was tired and he'd thought he was done delivering their children. Not like she'd planned on having anymore kids after TJ. She hadn't had 'Get kidnapped by Sinister in order to be impregnated by a man who is not my husband' on her bingo card or anything. And here she was, not making things any easier on him. She'd apologize later. Maybe. When her uterus wasn't trying to kill her.
The sound of the doors sliding open pulled her away from her thoughts. Roxxy allowed Hank to exit before her, one hand holding the door so that it, and is mate, stayed open while Hank carried her out of the car. As soon as he was a step past the doors, Roxxy slipped past them and went ahead in order to open the door to the medlab for them.
Hank had to turn sideways to get through the door. He went so that Haley was left to stare at the hallway. She was so over this damsel in distress thing. "We're here," she said, some of her anger filling her voice. Hank had made it through the door and started to turn to face the room. "You can put me down... "
Haley's voice trailed off a moment as she stared.
"...Now?"
~*~
"What's bugging you, Dee?" Duke asked. The girl had been pushing her ice cream around the bowl for the past ten minutes. It was damn near soup. She sighed and put the spoon down, then looked up at him with a frown on her face and confusion in her eyes.
"I'm worried about Mum," she said quietly. He watched as her gaze slid away to the window on her left. For a time, it remained focused on whatever it was she saw through the glass. Then her gaze, her eyes a stormy grey that came straight from her mother, came back to his face.
"Your mom's got a lot going on right now, kiddo. Give her some time to sort it all out," he replied. Of course she was worried about her mother. A person would have to be blind not to notice that Dare was having a hard time of things. Duke took a breath to keep himself from getting all pissed off at Logan and Remy again. He still wanted to beat the shit out of them. With extreme prejudice. On purpose.
Dee frowned and shook her head at him. She took a moment to scoop up some of her ice cream, then put the spoon back in the bowl and gave him a look that was far too old for her face. "I know. There's the baby. And her feelings for Uncle Remy. And her feelings for Da. And her feelings for Aunt Morgan. And... " She paused and blinked, then glanced around as if making sure no one was listening to them. "But that isn't what worries me."
"What are you worried about, if not all that?" Duke kind of figured that was more than enough to be worried about. He hoped that Dee wasn't borrowing trouble or anything of the like. There was far too much to keep track of at the moment. He didn't want to think about adding anything more to the list.
"Something's draining her," Dee said. The look on her face suggested that she wasn't sure that was correct. Like she didn't know the right words to use and chose the first ones that came to her. Duke blinked at her a moment as he thought about it.
"I've been told that a pregnancy will do that to a person?" he responded slowly.
Dee frowned at his answer, then shook her head and heaved what amounted to a long-suffering sigh. Like she was tired of dealing with idiots. "I'm not talking about the baby. I'm talking about... There's something else. I don't know what it is. But its taking all her energy and... " Dee stopped. When she looked up at Duke, he didn't like what he saw in her eyes. "There isn't much time left. She doesn't have much time left."
That last sentence sounded ominous and it gave Duke a bad feeling. Hell, it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up on end. He wanted to get up and go find Dare right away, wanted to make sure that she wasn't in any kind of danger. But he'd brought Dee to the ice cream shop in town so that she could get away from her siblings and all of the weird bullshit that seemed to happen daily at the school. He had no doubt that this whole mess had her confused and anxious. And there was the fact that she seemed to be tasked with caring for her siblings at the moment. She deserved a little time away.
"Dee?" he asked, hoping she could provide him with an answer.
She frowned. "I don't know. I can't give you more. Its just a feeling I've been getting," the girl told him. One hand tapped her chest, close to her heart. "Here. Its almost like a pain. But it doesn't last long. And it doesn't give me anything other than time is running out. And I can't go up to Mum and just ask her because I know she won't answer. She's so caught up in trying to hide that I can't get a straight answer from her."
Duke lifted a hand and ran it through his hair. What the hell was going on in a place that was supposed to be a school? "Why is she hiding?"
Dee was silent for a moment, then lifted a shoulder and shrugged. "I don't know."
Well, that wasn't helpful. Time to try a new tactic. "What's your mom hiding from? Surely you know what if not why."
Dee shot him a look that suggested she thought he was being annoying. He wanted to smile at that, but he held it back. Dee was at an age when adults were annoying and stupid. No doubt she had moments like that where her parents were concerned. And every one else, too. "Everything Mum has ever wanted is within her grasp. Everything. And she won't put her hand out to take it."
Ah. He thought he got it now. He took a sip of his water before asking his next question. "Are you maybe talking about how she feels about Remy?"
"Duh!" Dee shot back. Again, Duke wanted to smile at her reaction. It was a normal reaction from a girl who wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, in a normal situation. It was the reaction of teenaged girls all over the world. And that was more than enough to make him want to smile. His lips even twitched a little bit. But he held the smile back and watched the girl expectantly. She leaned back against the bench seat and crossed her arms over her chest. For just a second, she was the spitting image of Dare. Then the illusion was shattered when her annoyance was replaced with confusion. "Mum loves Remy. And he's right there. She just... won't take his hand."
"Your mom won't reach out and take what she wants because she's scared," he informed her.
"Bullshit!" Dee snapped, quite vehemently, shooting a glare his way. "Mum's not afraid of anything!"
Duke lifted his hands in surrender. "Your mom is pretty fearless in a fight. I've seen her face down Doom without batting an eyelash. And she stood up to the horsemen without flinching. But sometimes, that kind of thing is easier than facing your own feelings."
He watched her face screw up a little as the tried to figure out what he meant. Duke wondered if he was the right person to explain this to her, but he didn't think Logan would be able to put it into words. If he'd even bother. And Dare would change the subject. "I don't understand," she admitted, though it sounded like she really didn't want to. "I don't understand how Mum and Aunt Haley could be afraid of their own feelings."
"Okay," Duke replied, a sigh slipping out. He needed to find some way to explain this to her that she would understand. "Your mom loves your dad, right?"
"Yeah. And Da loves Mum," Dee confirmed. "They've been together forever."
"What about Remy and Morgan? They love each other, right?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"And Haley. She loves Johnny, right?"
"Yeah. They've been married forever," Dee informed him.
"So doesn't it stand to reason that maybe your mom and your Aunt Haley are conflicted by what they want and what they have?"
"But they could have everything they want. They just need to take it for themselves," Dee insisted.
Stubborn like her mother. Duke could tell this was going to be a little harder than he'd expected. "But is it right that they take what they want when what they want belongs to someone else? Didn't your mom and dad teach you as a little kid that it was wrong to take other people's things?
That question seemed to grab her attention, because she made a face that was equal parts frustration and consideration. Duke watched as she mulled what he'd said over. Finally, almost reluctantly, she gave a faint nod of her head. "There was one time, when Liam was still really young, that he had this toy I wanted. It was a stuffed Thing. Uncle Ben gave it to him. And I wanted it because I didn't have one. I had a stuffed Torch because Uncle Johnny loves to annoy Mum. Liam was playing with his Thing doll and I took it because I wanted it. Liam started crying. A lot. And Mum came to see what was wrong, then she explained to me that it wasn't nice to take Liam's toys just because I wanted them."
Duke had to bite back the smile again, because Dee's tale made it sound like she still wanted that stuffed Thing toy.
"Mum made my give it back. Worse, Da made me apologize to Liam." Here, Dee made a face that told Duke just how terrible the experience had been. It was so hard not to laugh. But the face slid away as realization slipped in. "You mean Mum and Aunt Haley won't go to Uncle Remy and Uncle Scott because of Aunt Morgan and Ms. Grey. That's why they're scared?"
Duke made note of the distinction Dee made where Jean Grey was concerned. A last name. Not her first name. Which said something about how she viewed the woman. He found it interesting, but she was waiting on his answer. "Sort of. They don't want to hurt people and take someone they love from them. At the same time, they don't want to hurt the people already in their lives. Plus... Do you remember how you felt when you started school?"
Dee huffed a sigh. It was obvious she was getting tired of the questions. But he saw that she gave it serious thought. Then she gave him a look that suggested maybe he'd found a way to make her understand. "It was scary. It meant being away from Mum and Da for hours every day. I didn't like it for a while."
"Because it was something new. Something different. But you got over it after you tried it. Right?" Duke asked her.
Dee gave a slow nod, like she was still working things out as she did so. "But I saw it. That they'll be together and they'll be happy. Its all right there. I can see it!"
Duke heaved a sigh. It had to be horrible to know something and not be able to do anything with it. He couldn't imagine how much worse this would get for her. "Honey, I don't know what it is you see, but right now, no one else is seeing it."
She looked at him and he could see there was an idea there. It was in her eyes, lightening the grey of them with eager hope. "Should I tell them?"
It was an honest question. A legitimate question. But given the situation and the people involved, he knew it would be a waste of time if she tried. "Do you think they'll listen?"
Dee considered that a moment, then the hopeful look on her face fell. Obviously, she was thinking about just how stubborn her mom and Haley could be. "Oh. Good point." Her words were filled with dejection. He watched as she pushed the ice cream soup away with one hand. Apparently, her appetite for it was gone. "I just want them to be happy. They deserve it. They've both given up so much for everyone else. I wish Mum would reach out and take Uncle Remy's hand. Maybe, if she did, it would stop the drain. Maybe then, she'd... "
Her words faded, but she didn't have to finish what she was saying. Duke knew what was meant to come next. It was in the way her shoulders sagged. And it was in the way her voice had gone tight. And it was in the tears that glimmered in her eyes, making them dark and dreary. He didn't need to think about what came out of his mouth next. He motioned toward the car in the lot. "How about we go back to the school and find your mom? Check on her and make sure she's okay."
"I"d like that, Uncle Duke," she replied. She offered him a smile, but it was subdued. The smile of a child filled with uncertainty and fear. He wondered, for a moment, what coming into her powers was doing to her. And then he decided it didn't matter. She obviously needed a shoulder and she wasn't getting it.
Frowning, Duke slid from the booth and held his big hand out for her little one. Looked like he was going to have to bust a few skulls after all. But he had something he had to do first.
Dee put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her out the door. First, they were going to go see Dare.
~*~
The lines of pain had smoothed from Haley's face when she'd finally drifted off for a nap. Henry had told them, not long ago, that the baby had decided to take her own sweet time in making her appearance. Almost like her labor had decided to take a break in the middle of things. The news had left Haley slightly grumpy and Scott more than a little confused. He hadn't been aware that a woman's labor could do something like that.
It had been hours since he'd been woken from a sound sleep by the faint sense that something was wrong. It had been confusing at first, because the bedroom had been silent and Jean had been curled up beside him. But then it had hit him. The faint sense of distress lingering at the back of his brain. Touches of fear and pain mingled with it. And he'd known, without understanding how, that Haley had gone into labor. And she'd needed him. That thought had seen him bolting out of bed and going for his clothes without a second thought.
Such actions had woken Jean, who had wanted to know what was happening. He'd offered her a brief explanation, saying that Haley needed him, before he'd been out the door. He'd been in such a rush that he was still working on the fly of his jeans when he'd hurried out into the hallway.
He'd gotten to the medlab in record time, only to find that it was empty. That had been the case for only a handful of moments because, soon after, the door had opened to allow Henry into the room. He'd been carrying Haley and Roxxy had been bringing up the rear. . "We're here," Haley had said with, perhaps, a touch of anger in her voice. It left little doubt as to whether she'd liked being carried. "You can put me down... " Henry had chosen that moment to turn, allowing Haley's eyes to fall on Scott. "...Now?"
"Scott. You're here. Good. That's good. Haley is in labor and is going to need a helping hand," Henry had said, his tone suggesting he'd been pleased by the turn of events. Haley, on the other hand, had looked less than pleased.
She'd proven it, too, by spending the next several hours trying to ignore him. Trying to send him away. Trying to pretend that she hadn't wanted him anywhere near her. But he'd known it for the lie it was. He'd been able to feel that it was a lie. There was a part of her that had been happy to see him. That had wanted him there. So he'd stayed. Because he'd known she was going to need him. And because this was their baby. There was nothing in the world that was going to tear him away from Haley's side and the birth of his baby.
The chair he was sitting in was hard and uncomfortable. But he refused to move. Haley had used that as an excuse to tell him to go the one time he'd complained to Henry about it. Scott had told her that he would endure as long as he needed to. Because he wanted to be there. He wanted to hold her hand and help encourage her. He wanted to see their daughter being born. He wanted to share that first moment of life with her.
Hell, if he was being honest with himself, he wanted Haley. Since their return, Jean had been cold and distant one moment and warm and loving the next. The emotional whiplash was enough to give him a headache. And, through it all, he'd tried. Tried to be the man she needed him to be. Tried to repent for sins beyond his control. Tried to put his feelings for Haley aside. And he'd failed at all of it. Miserably. The longer he spent with Jean, the more he realized that Sinister's cruelest trick of all was showing him what could have been. If only he hadn't been so afraid of speaking to her in the aftermath of Harper's death. If only he'd manned up and asked her to go on a date with him. If only...
Scott shook his head and sighed. It was too late for regrets and 'if only' at this point. Nothing was going to change the fact that his own cowardice had kept him from the happiness he'd found with Haley while they'd been held captive. The happiness he thought he'd found with Jean. The happiness that, it turned out, hadn't been as happy as he'd believed it to be.
"You should take this opportunity to go get something to eat." Roxxy's voice, soft and hesitant, cut into his thoughts. Scott brought his attention to her face to find that she looked contrite. And very apologetic.
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry. And, with my luck, Haley would wake up while I'm out and assume I left her again." Scott managed a chagrinned look at that. Roxxy nodded and glanced at her friend before returning her attention to him.
"What happened the other night... " she began, then trailed off. He could see that she looked uncomfortable and he lifted a hand to wave her off. But Roxxy was having none of it. "Please, Scott. Let me. I need to. I don't know what happened. I don't really remember anything beyond rage. So much rage. And when I saw you, it focused on you. You hurt Haley. And the rage just... I'm sorry. I tried to kill you and I don't even have a good excuse. I'd take it back if I could. All of it."
Roxxy looked so mournful. She looked like she'd die if he didn't forgive her. And, honestly, that bothered him. Because he'd known, looking at her that night, that she hadn't really known what she was doing. "Its water under the bridge, Roxxy. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to apologize for. I understand that you weren't fully cognizant of what was going on. Try not to worry about it anymore. I'm fine. Henry says that the scratches shouldn't even scar."
She didn't look convinced. If anything, she looked even more upset than when he'd started speaking. Scott spared a glance for Haley, taking a moment to enjoy the soft look on her face. He'd spent months watching her sleep and he still loved it. When he glanced back toward Roxxy, she was eyeing him with what could only be described as distrust. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Look. I get it, Roxxy," Scott said quietly. With sincerity. "You and Haley have been best friends for a very long time. And I know that those bonds run deep. I know you don't like that I hurt her. I know you feel protective of Haley. I know you wanted me to know how much I hurt her. I don't blame you or fault you at all."
She regarded him a moment or two, then frowned and let her gaze slide to where Haley slept. She studied her friend for a short time, her body tense as if she fought with herself. Maybe there was a part her that felt he'd gotten off lightly. Maybe she wished she'd gotten a chance to finish what she'd started. Or maybe she felt like she'd failed Haley. He didn't know and he wasn't going to intrude. But when she turned back to face him, there was no answer to be found in her eyes. Only more confusion. Her deep love for her friend. And a touch of sadness. "She deserves better, Scott. So much better than what she's gotten."
Those words were like a punch to the chest. His heart clenched in pain as he took another moment to glance at Haley. God, she was beautiful. And he'd fucked everything up. All of it. "You're right. She absolutely does. Better than someone who tells her he won't leave, then goes ahead and breaks his promise right away. Why would she want better from me after that?"
She stared at him a moment or two, then nodded. "I'm glad you're going to be okay. And that there won't be scar." She didn't look entirely happy about that. She still looked upset. Her attention slid to Haley once more before she finally turned away. Not fast enough, though, because Scott saw the tears that glittered in her gaze. The events of that evening must have been haunting her. He'd have to check in with her once the baby came and make an effort to reinforce the idea that it wasn't her fault and he didn't blame her. And he'd have to check in with Logan to ensure he was healing. Surely his healing factor would have kicked in by now. Why hadn't it started as soon as he'd received the injury?
"Better not scar," Haley murmured, her voice low and filled with sleep. Under that, he heard pain and exhaustion. Scott offered her a faint smile.
"I didn't know you cared," he teased. There was a touch of softness in her eyes for a moment before she seemed to remember who she was talking to. After that, the look was gone and she frowned at him.
"I don't. I just don't want to have to punch my best friend," she returned gruffly. He watched as she struggled to sit up and, despite the death glare she shot him, Scott helped her into an upright position. He even ensured that her pillows were plumped and supported her back. "Why are you still here? I thought you'd have left by now."
"And miss our daughter's birth?" he responded. He made sure he sounded affronted by that. In all honesty, he was. She had to think the worst of him if she thought he'd skip out on their child's birth. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I can do this on my own, you know. I've had more babies than you have," she said. He didn't miss the way she practically begged him to leave. Before it became too difficult for her to let him go. He could feel that at the back of his head. Where he'd felt other emotions that he knew to be hers. Where he felt her exhaustion and the pain that radiated outward from her belly every time she had a contraction.
He understood now that it was some kind of link. Most likely the same kind of link that she had with her husband. Part of him felt a bitter sense of jealousy about that. Another part of him was actually thrilled. He wasn't sure when the link had happened. Or why. Most likely when they were being held by Sinister. But he was sure that he wasn't upset by it. Because that link told him that she really didn't want him to leave. It told him that she wanted him there. With her. It also told him that she felt guilt, but he couldn't imagine why. Not that any of that mattered.
All that mattered to him was that their baby would be born soon. And he didn't plan on missing any of it.
"Ow. Fuck."
Speaking of their child. Scott reached out and took Haley's hand. "That was the strongest one yet, wasn't it?" he asked her.
She stared at him with wide eyes for a moment. Eyes he knew to be the same shade as the finest emeralds. He'd seen it in one of the books Sinister had put on their shelf, when he'd been bored and needed something to take his mind off the way her scent and the softness of her skin had burrowed to get under his. Then she blinked and dropped her head into her hands. "Shit. Shit. Shit."
"Haley?" he asked. She was suddenly loaded with regret.
"Its nothing," she denied. Then nearly pulled his arm out of its socket when another contraction came. Almost on top of the last one. "Get Hank. I think she's ready to join us in the world," she panted softly.
He watched her intently for a moment or two, then nodded and left the chair in which he'd been sitting for hours. It was a short trip across the medlab to Henry's office and his long legs ate up the distance in no time. A pair of knuckles on the closed door announced his arrival and Henry was just looking up when Scott opened the door. "Haley says she thinks its time."
"It is abso-fucking-lutely time. My uterus is rebelling!" she spat from across the room. Scott couldn't hold back the smile. Nor could Henry hold on to the answer one. They took a moment to school their expressions, then turned to face her. She was staring at them as if she knew what was going on. "If you two are done laughing..." she said, one eyebrow lifting in silent invitation.
"Of course, Haley. Forgive us. We are on our way," Henry responded. He sounded more composed than Scott felt, a sudden case of nerves making his knees a little weak. He followed behind his friend slowly, the realization that he was about to become a father in the fullest sense of the word leaving him slightly stunned. By the time he'd gotten back to Haley's bed, Henry was already in the middle of another examination. After a few moments of doing... whatever it was he was doing, Henry lifted his head to stare at Haley. "You are correct, my dear. Your daughter is indeed ready to make her appearance."
"Fucking finally," Haley said on a sigh of relief.
"If you'll be so good, Scott," Henry said and motioned toward Haley with one hand. "Climb into the bed with Haley and sit behind her. She's going to need your support. Both physically and emotionally."
Those words helped Scott get his head on straight. Haley needed him and he could do this. He moved closer to the bed, fully expecting her to protest. And he could see it in her eyes. But then another contraction hit and one of her hands was suddenly flailing out toward him. Scott took hold of it and let her squeeze. When the pressure eased some, he did as he'd been told and slid in behind her.
It felt good to have her in his arms again, even if it was because she was getting ready to deliver his baby. And, if what he felt through that link was anything to go by, she was glad to have him there. Slowly, she relaxed back against his chest. Warmth spread through his chest. When he slid his arms around her and settled his hands on her belly, he heard her soft sigh. And he enjoyed the way she seemed to simply melt into his embrace.
She honestly felt like she'd been made for him. And he'd fucked it all up.
Henry's head popped up from between her knees. "You are correct, Haley. She is finally ready. With the next contraction, you can push." Henry's blue gaze turned Scott's way and there was a curious look on his face. Then it was gone, replaced by the expression he wore when he was busy being the team's doctor. "When she pushes, Scott, make sure to brace her body with your own. Offer encouragement when it seems as if she may falter. There is no reason to believe that this one will be any less stubborn than Spencer was."
"Hank!" Haley snapped, embarrassment evident in her voice. He felt it, too.
"I can't imagine our daughter being any more stubborn than Spencer," Scott replied, speaking the words right next to her ear. He felt her shiver, ever so slightly. It was a good thing she couldn't see the smile on his face.
"I swear to god, Scott. I am going to kill you..." Her words trailed off on a squeal and every single muscle tensed against the contraction that came. He watched, fascinated, as Haley's hands went to her knees and she kind of curled forward. He felt the way her entire body tensed and stayed that way for several moments. And then she was limp against his chest, trying to catch her breath while she had the chance.
"You're beautiful when you're angry. You know that, right?" he whispered in her ear.
"Liar," she panted. Then she was tensing again. This time, he held her while she pushed and whispered words of encouragement in her ear. When the contraction eased, he held her against him and praised her over and over.
Time ticked on silently around them as Haley fell into the eternal game of push and wait. Push and wait. Scott held her through each contraction. He whispered softly in her ear. And he watched as patiently as possible as she labored to bring their child into the world.
He was in awe of her strength and her determination. She was sweaty. Her face had gone red. She was tired. She was cranky. And she was beautiful. So beautiful. The entire experience was something of dreams. Nothing he'd ever done before in his life would be as important and as amazing as this. Watching his daughter come into the world with a woman he loved and cherished.
He hoped she knew that he felt that way. He wanted her to understand that he meant it. That he'd meant to stay at her side when they'd returned. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with her. To help her nurture and raise their baby. Together. Somehow... some way. He'd find a way for them to be together. If it was the last thing he ever did.
"I see her head, Haley. One last big push and your daughter will be here." Henry's voice interrupted Scott's thoughts. He glanced from Henry's face to Haley's. She looked done in. It was plain to see the exhaustion in her eyes. But there was something else there, too. He didn't dare try and put a name to it. So he held her close and offered her his strength. "On three."
"Right," she said. The determination rang in that word. She was as ready as she'd ever get.
"One," Henry called out.
"You can do this, Haley. You're amazing," Scott whispered.
"Two."
"You're amazing and beautiful and she's lucky to have you as her mother," Scott added.
"Three. Push!"
Scott helped her sit up. He put his hands over hers where they rested on her knees. His chest supported her back. And the whole time Haley pushed, he whispered into her ear. He repeated how beautiful she was. How amazing she was. How proud of her he was. And finally, after a single moment that seemed to have been held for eternity, all of the tension slid from her body and she leaned heavily against him.
"And here she is!" Henry announced, holding up the tiniest thing Scott had ever seen. Roxxy was there suddenly with a blanket and some other supplies. Scott watched, eyes wide with disbelief, as Henry clamped and cut the umbilical cord. Roxxy used an aspirator to clean out the baby's nose and mouth. And then she wrapped the child in the blanket she'd brought, until the tiny baby was a tiny bundle. Finally, she placed the baby in Haley's arms.
"Congratulations," Roxxy said, a smile touching her lips.
Scott stared over Haley's shoulder at the small human being in her arms. The blanket obscured a good portion of her, save her face and head. Her eyes were closed as if in sleep. Which he supposed made sense, seeing as she'd just gone through the indignity of being born. He could see traces of Haley in the shape of her nose and mouth. The hair on her head, what little of it there was, looked dark through his glasses. He cursed the need for them.
"What do you plan on naming her?" Roxxy asked, looking from Haley's face to Scott's and then back again. Haley glanced up at him, a silent question in her eyes. He gave a smile and a nod. She turned her attention back to Roxxy.
"Emilia," she replied quietly. He heard the awe in her voice. The disbelief. Staring down into his daughter's face, he felt those things himself. He felt more. He reached out with one hand and gently touched the curve of her cheek. Stroked his thumb against the softness of that tiny face.
Holy shit, he was in love.
He inched closer to Haley, hugged her more tightly against his chest. She might have squirmed if not for the baby she held. As it was, she leaned into him and gave him a better view of his daughter. "She's beautiful, Haley," he told her softly, taking a moment to press a kiss to Haley's cheek. "Just like her mother."
"Scott..."
"She is, Haley. She's beautiful. You're beautiful," he told her quietly. Conviction filled his voice. He felt her still in his arms, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. "You're so beautiful. Thank you for giving me an amazing and perfect daughter."
"Scott, please." Her voice was hoarse, as if she was holding on to tears. He knew what she wanted. But he couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. Not anymore.
He put his lips right against her ear, pressed a soft kiss to the delicate outer curve of it. And then he whispered into it. "I love you, Haley."
Chapter Twenty Nine: Complications
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs to
dazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar . Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
The bright blue numbers on the clock by her bed said it was two thirty in the morning. Of course it would have to be the middle of the night. A time when the whole school would be in their beds. Any other time, she loved the sleepy quiet that pervaded the school in the wee hours of the morning. Tonight, though, it was not her friend. It meant she was going to have to wake people up. Haley groaned as the muscles across her belly contracted. They weren't sharp enough to hint at late stage labor. But they were strong enough to let her know that this was no false alarm. Slowly, carefully, she made it out of the bed and to her feet.
The lamp came on with a click, light flooding the room so that she could find her way to the door without kicking into any of the extra furniture. It hadn't been that long since she and Dare had moved into the room and already Roxxy's words were coming back to haunt her. The room was a little too cozy and Haley was honestly starting to feel a little claustrophobic.
Slowly, with great care, she made her way to the bed Dare slept in. Haley barely saw her anymore, so it was a relief that she was there, in bed and asleep. That was one question answered. She'd be glad of it later. For now, Haley was just glad that Dare was actually there. She was sure she was going to need someone's help getting down to the medlab without ending up on her knees. And she was pretty sure, despite the growing tension between them, that the other woman would help her. She put a hand on her friend's shoulder and shook it. "Dare. Wake up. I need your help."
Oddly, there was no response.
Haley frowned and shook her again. Again, no response. That was worrying. Or it would be, if Haley's uterus wasn't presently engaged in guerilla warfare tactics in an effort to kill her. The contraction that hit was enough to nearly knock her off her feet. As it was, it left her breathless and leaning heavily on the edge of the bed. She hadn't felt contractions like this since... Spencer. Most of her children had been delivered through easy births. Spencer had not wanted to come out, no matter how hard her body tried to make him. Hank had been on the verge of performing a Caesarean when he'd finally decided to cooperate.
When her limbs felt like obeying the commands her brain was sending them, Haley straightened and turned for the door. She'd mentioned her concerns about Dare to someone at a later time. For now, she needed to get out the door and to the wing that housed the staff so she could bang on Hank's door and drag him out of his bed at this ungodly hour. None of her other children had decided they were tired of the womb in the dead of night. They'd all been polite and waited for daylight hours. She stepped out of the room and into the hallway, her mind offering her the uncharitable idea that the blame for this lay squarely at Scott's feet.
The thought of him saw a pang run through her. One filled with longing and loneliness. She'd been prepared to give birth under Sinister's care and she'd expected that Scott wouldn't be there. She'd kind of resolved herself to that. And then she'd woken up in the medlab and realized she was still pregnant. There had been a part of her, a small part, that had envisioned Scott being at her side when the baby came. She knew, from their time spent in that room, that he would be encouraging and helpful during labor and delivery. And she'd longed for that to happen, to hear him whisper words of encouragement and pride in her ear while he held her from behind and eased the pain of delivery with his mere presence.
Of course that dream had been shattered. She'd known that would happen, of course. Scott's obligations to Jean came before any he had to Haley. But it had still stung to realize he'd chosen Jean over herself. And now, his daughter was about to make her appearance in the world and he wouldn't get to be part of it. There was no way Jean would let him be a part of the birth.
Haley pushed such depressing thoughts aside and focused her attention on her trip up the hallway. It was slow going because every contraction left her legs weak. So she stopped more often than she liked in order to lean against the wall. Catch her breath. Wait for her legs to be capable of holding her up. Of carrying her closer and closer to Henry's door.
Frustration settled over her like a cloak. It had never been this hard before. Because Johnny had carried her to the car every time she'd gone into labor and... Well. He hated her now. She'd done the unthinkable and fallen in love with someone else. Gotten pregnant by someone else. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Stubbornly blamed them on the pain of her contractions. Stubbornly blamed them on the slow pace and a thousand other tiny little things.
It seemed an age had passed by the time she reached Hank's door. Relief saw her wanting to cry again. She held the tears back because she was not going to cry yet. She'd save that for when she saw her daughter. Haley took a moment to catch her breath, her back against the wall next to the door, before she lifted a hand and pounded her palm against the wooden panel. After a few seconds of silence, she pounded again. This time, she heard what sounded like a thump followed by someone cursing softly under their breath. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a very ruffled looking Henry.
It was the worst case of bed head Haley had ever seen. There were cowlicks... everywhere. He wore shorts for modesty's sake, of course. But his fur stuck out everywhere. Haley had to bite off the laugh that wanted to come out. And then she was groaning in pain because a contraction chose that moment to build. Her soft groan of pain saw Hank's eyes widening in understanding. "Did you come all this way on your own, Haley?" he asked as he stepped out of the opened door and reached for her.
"Didn't have a choice," she told him, teeth clamped together against the pain. "I couldn't get Dare up."
"I'll check on her, then I'll meet you downstairs," Roxxy said, slipping past Hank in order to trace Haley's steps back to her room.
"Thank you, Rosemary," Hank responded. Then Haley found herself cradled in his arms. For a moment, she considered reminding him that she could walk. But the moment passed and she allowed herself to relax into his hold. Hank was carrying her to make the trip down to the medlab quicker. It was easier for them both and less tiring for Haley. Something told her she was going to need her energy later.
"When did your contractions start, Haley?" Hank asked, already on his way down the stairs. She took a few moments to consider it. She wasn't exactly certain.
"Labor must have started some time after I fell asleep. Because I didn't feel anything before I went to bed," she told him.
"And when was that?" They'd made it to the first floor and were headed to the elevator. It had been a good decision to let him carry her.
"I got into bed about... ten?" she guessed. She didn't know for certain. She'd spent much of her day visiting with Logan. Okay, so she hadn't been visiting him. She'd been sitting watch on him, hoping against hope that Dare might show up so she could talk to her friend. She hadn't seen her since after the thing with Roxxy and it bothered her.
"So it started in the last four hours or so," Hank replied, mostly to himself. The door to the elevator slid open after he pushed the button and he stepped into the car. A few seconds later, Roxxy joined them. There was a look on her face that suggested she was slightly concerned. "Where do you rank your contractions on a scale from one to ten, Haley? And what troubles you, Rosemary?"
The elevator doors slid shut and the elevator started on its way down to the sub-levels of the basement.
Roxxy shook her head, as if she didn't quite understand something. "I checked on Dare. She didn't wake when I shook her or called her name. Her pulse is slower than it should be, as is her breathing. Also, she was cold. I pulled the blankets over her before I left. I'll check in on her again after Haley delivers her baby."
"That may well be some time from now, my dear," Hank responded.
"I suppose I could send Remy to check on her," Roxxy mused.
"You'll start World War III if you do that, Rox," Haley told her.
"You're assuming she'll be awake when it happens," Roxxy replied. "And she needs to start talking to him before their baby is born. He's going to want to be there for that. And she's probably going to need him."
"Which reminds me," Hank said. "Is there anyone we should call for you, Haley? So that there's someone here to hold your hand?"
"No," Haley replied quietly.
"Haley," Roxxy began, the tone of her voice making it clear she was worried about her friend and thought she was making a mistake.
"No. I don't need either one of them. I can do this by myself," she insisted. "I've known all along that I was going to have to do it alone, anyway."
Roxxy put her hand on Haley's arm. Her eyes were filled with understanding. And sympathy. Haley steeled herself against the desire to give in that her friend's look brought to life. "Haley. You don't have to do this alone. You shouldn't do it alone. Its a long, complicated process and it would be good for you to have someone to lean on. I don't mind calling either one of them and asking them to come sit with you."
"I won't be alone. You'll be there. You're all the help I need," Haley told Roxxy.
"I'm going to be assisting Henry. You need someone who can assist you. Sadly, I can't do both," Roxxy said gently.
"I can't, Rox. I just... Leave it alone. I'll be fine. I don't need them." The slight hitch at the end of her statement called her a liar. She told the hitch to go fuck itself and reminded herself that they'd both walked away from her. That Johnny had decided he couldn't be with her because she'd fucked around on him and Scott had chosen to go back to Jean. It was fine. She was fine. She'd manage.
"Now that we have that settled," Hank began, a touch of disgust painting his words. Haley heard it plain as day and was good enough not to take him to task about it. "Perhaps you would be willing to tell me how strong your contractions are. On a scale from one to ten."
"I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, they're strong enough that they woke me up out of a dead sleep. And they made it hard for me to get up the hall on my own. But they're not final stage labor contractions. My water hasn't even broken yet."
Hank shot her the hairy eyeball and heaved a sigh. No doubt he was tired and he'd thought he was done delivering their children. Not like she'd planned on having anymore kids after TJ. She hadn't had 'Get kidnapped by Sinister in order to be impregnated by a man who is not my husband' on her bingo card or anything. And here she was, not making things any easier on him. She'd apologize later. Maybe. When her uterus wasn't trying to kill her.
The sound of the doors sliding open pulled her away from her thoughts. Roxxy allowed Hank to exit before her, one hand holding the door so that it, and is mate, stayed open while Hank carried her out of the car. As soon as he was a step past the doors, Roxxy slipped past them and went ahead in order to open the door to the medlab for them.
Hank had to turn sideways to get through the door. He went so that Haley was left to stare at the hallway. She was so over this damsel in distress thing. "We're here," she said, some of her anger filling her voice. Hank had made it through the door and started to turn to face the room. "You can put me down... "
Haley's voice trailed off a moment as she stared.
"...Now?"
~*~
"What's bugging you, Dee?" Duke asked. The girl had been pushing her ice cream around the bowl for the past ten minutes. It was damn near soup. She sighed and put the spoon down, then looked up at him with a frown on her face and confusion in her eyes.
"I'm worried about Mum," she said quietly. He watched as her gaze slid away to the window on her left. For a time, it remained focused on whatever it was she saw through the glass. Then her gaze, her eyes a stormy grey that came straight from her mother, came back to his face.
"Your mom's got a lot going on right now, kiddo. Give her some time to sort it all out," he replied. Of course she was worried about her mother. A person would have to be blind not to notice that Dare was having a hard time of things. Duke took a breath to keep himself from getting all pissed off at Logan and Remy again. He still wanted to beat the shit out of them. With extreme prejudice. On purpose.
Dee frowned and shook her head at him. She took a moment to scoop up some of her ice cream, then put the spoon back in the bowl and gave him a look that was far too old for her face. "I know. There's the baby. And her feelings for Uncle Remy. And her feelings for Da. And her feelings for Aunt Morgan. And... " She paused and blinked, then glanced around as if making sure no one was listening to them. "But that isn't what worries me."
"What are you worried about, if not all that?" Duke kind of figured that was more than enough to be worried about. He hoped that Dee wasn't borrowing trouble or anything of the like. There was far too much to keep track of at the moment. He didn't want to think about adding anything more to the list.
"Something's draining her," Dee said. The look on her face suggested that she wasn't sure that was correct. Like she didn't know the right words to use and chose the first ones that came to her. Duke blinked at her a moment as he thought about it.
"I've been told that a pregnancy will do that to a person?" he responded slowly.
Dee frowned at his answer, then shook her head and heaved what amounted to a long-suffering sigh. Like she was tired of dealing with idiots. "I'm not talking about the baby. I'm talking about... There's something else. I don't know what it is. But its taking all her energy and... " Dee stopped. When she looked up at Duke, he didn't like what he saw in her eyes. "There isn't much time left. She doesn't have much time left."
That last sentence sounded ominous and it gave Duke a bad feeling. Hell, it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up on end. He wanted to get up and go find Dare right away, wanted to make sure that she wasn't in any kind of danger. But he'd brought Dee to the ice cream shop in town so that she could get away from her siblings and all of the weird bullshit that seemed to happen daily at the school. He had no doubt that this whole mess had her confused and anxious. And there was the fact that she seemed to be tasked with caring for her siblings at the moment. She deserved a little time away.
"Dee?" he asked, hoping she could provide him with an answer.
She frowned. "I don't know. I can't give you more. Its just a feeling I've been getting," the girl told him. One hand tapped her chest, close to her heart. "Here. Its almost like a pain. But it doesn't last long. And it doesn't give me anything other than time is running out. And I can't go up to Mum and just ask her because I know she won't answer. She's so caught up in trying to hide that I can't get a straight answer from her."
Duke lifted a hand and ran it through his hair. What the hell was going on in a place that was supposed to be a school? "Why is she hiding?"
Dee was silent for a moment, then lifted a shoulder and shrugged. "I don't know."
Well, that wasn't helpful. Time to try a new tactic. "What's your mom hiding from? Surely you know what if not why."
Dee shot him a look that suggested she thought he was being annoying. He wanted to smile at that, but he held it back. Dee was at an age when adults were annoying and stupid. No doubt she had moments like that where her parents were concerned. And every one else, too. "Everything Mum has ever wanted is within her grasp. Everything. And she won't put her hand out to take it."
Ah. He thought he got it now. He took a sip of his water before asking his next question. "Are you maybe talking about how she feels about Remy?"
"Duh!" Dee shot back. Again, Duke wanted to smile at her reaction. It was a normal reaction from a girl who wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, in a normal situation. It was the reaction of teenaged girls all over the world. And that was more than enough to make him want to smile. His lips even twitched a little bit. But he held the smile back and watched the girl expectantly. She leaned back against the bench seat and crossed her arms over her chest. For just a second, she was the spitting image of Dare. Then the illusion was shattered when her annoyance was replaced with confusion. "Mum loves Remy. And he's right there. She just... won't take his hand."
"Your mom won't reach out and take what she wants because she's scared," he informed her.
"Bullshit!" Dee snapped, quite vehemently, shooting a glare his way. "Mum's not afraid of anything!"
Duke lifted his hands in surrender. "Your mom is pretty fearless in a fight. I've seen her face down Doom without batting an eyelash. And she stood up to the horsemen without flinching. But sometimes, that kind of thing is easier than facing your own feelings."
He watched her face screw up a little as the tried to figure out what he meant. Duke wondered if he was the right person to explain this to her, but he didn't think Logan would be able to put it into words. If he'd even bother. And Dare would change the subject. "I don't understand," she admitted, though it sounded like she really didn't want to. "I don't understand how Mum and Aunt Haley could be afraid of their own feelings."
"Okay," Duke replied, a sigh slipping out. He needed to find some way to explain this to her that she would understand. "Your mom loves your dad, right?"
"Yeah. And Da loves Mum," Dee confirmed. "They've been together forever."
"What about Remy and Morgan? They love each other, right?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"And Haley. She loves Johnny, right?"
"Yeah. They've been married forever," Dee informed him.
"So doesn't it stand to reason that maybe your mom and your Aunt Haley are conflicted by what they want and what they have?"
"But they could have everything they want. They just need to take it for themselves," Dee insisted.
Stubborn like her mother. Duke could tell this was going to be a little harder than he'd expected. "But is it right that they take what they want when what they want belongs to someone else? Didn't your mom and dad teach you as a little kid that it was wrong to take other people's things?
That question seemed to grab her attention, because she made a face that was equal parts frustration and consideration. Duke watched as she mulled what he'd said over. Finally, almost reluctantly, she gave a faint nod of her head. "There was one time, when Liam was still really young, that he had this toy I wanted. It was a stuffed Thing. Uncle Ben gave it to him. And I wanted it because I didn't have one. I had a stuffed Torch because Uncle Johnny loves to annoy Mum. Liam was playing with his Thing doll and I took it because I wanted it. Liam started crying. A lot. And Mum came to see what was wrong, then she explained to me that it wasn't nice to take Liam's toys just because I wanted them."
Duke had to bite back the smile again, because Dee's tale made it sound like she still wanted that stuffed Thing toy.
"Mum made my give it back. Worse, Da made me apologize to Liam." Here, Dee made a face that told Duke just how terrible the experience had been. It was so hard not to laugh. But the face slid away as realization slipped in. "You mean Mum and Aunt Haley won't go to Uncle Remy and Uncle Scott because of Aunt Morgan and Ms. Grey. That's why they're scared?"
Duke made note of the distinction Dee made where Jean Grey was concerned. A last name. Not her first name. Which said something about how she viewed the woman. He found it interesting, but she was waiting on his answer. "Sort of. They don't want to hurt people and take someone they love from them. At the same time, they don't want to hurt the people already in their lives. Plus... Do you remember how you felt when you started school?"
Dee huffed a sigh. It was obvious she was getting tired of the questions. But he saw that she gave it serious thought. Then she gave him a look that suggested maybe he'd found a way to make her understand. "It was scary. It meant being away from Mum and Da for hours every day. I didn't like it for a while."
"Because it was something new. Something different. But you got over it after you tried it. Right?" Duke asked her.
Dee gave a slow nod, like she was still working things out as she did so. "But I saw it. That they'll be together and they'll be happy. Its all right there. I can see it!"
Duke heaved a sigh. It had to be horrible to know something and not be able to do anything with it. He couldn't imagine how much worse this would get for her. "Honey, I don't know what it is you see, but right now, no one else is seeing it."
She looked at him and he could see there was an idea there. It was in her eyes, lightening the grey of them with eager hope. "Should I tell them?"
It was an honest question. A legitimate question. But given the situation and the people involved, he knew it would be a waste of time if she tried. "Do you think they'll listen?"
Dee considered that a moment, then the hopeful look on her face fell. Obviously, she was thinking about just how stubborn her mom and Haley could be. "Oh. Good point." Her words were filled with dejection. He watched as she pushed the ice cream soup away with one hand. Apparently, her appetite for it was gone. "I just want them to be happy. They deserve it. They've both given up so much for everyone else. I wish Mum would reach out and take Uncle Remy's hand. Maybe, if she did, it would stop the drain. Maybe then, she'd... "
Her words faded, but she didn't have to finish what she was saying. Duke knew what was meant to come next. It was in the way her shoulders sagged. And it was in the way her voice had gone tight. And it was in the tears that glimmered in her eyes, making them dark and dreary. He didn't need to think about what came out of his mouth next. He motioned toward the car in the lot. "How about we go back to the school and find your mom? Check on her and make sure she's okay."
"I"d like that, Uncle Duke," she replied. She offered him a smile, but it was subdued. The smile of a child filled with uncertainty and fear. He wondered, for a moment, what coming into her powers was doing to her. And then he decided it didn't matter. She obviously needed a shoulder and she wasn't getting it.
Frowning, Duke slid from the booth and held his big hand out for her little one. Looked like he was going to have to bust a few skulls after all. But he had something he had to do first.
Dee put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her out the door. First, they were going to go see Dare.
~*~
The lines of pain had smoothed from Haley's face when she'd finally drifted off for a nap. Henry had told them, not long ago, that the baby had decided to take her own sweet time in making her appearance. Almost like her labor had decided to take a break in the middle of things. The news had left Haley slightly grumpy and Scott more than a little confused. He hadn't been aware that a woman's labor could do something like that.
It had been hours since he'd been woken from a sound sleep by the faint sense that something was wrong. It had been confusing at first, because the bedroom had been silent and Jean had been curled up beside him. But then it had hit him. The faint sense of distress lingering at the back of his brain. Touches of fear and pain mingled with it. And he'd known, without understanding how, that Haley had gone into labor. And she'd needed him. That thought had seen him bolting out of bed and going for his clothes without a second thought.
Such actions had woken Jean, who had wanted to know what was happening. He'd offered her a brief explanation, saying that Haley needed him, before he'd been out the door. He'd been in such a rush that he was still working on the fly of his jeans when he'd hurried out into the hallway.
He'd gotten to the medlab in record time, only to find that it was empty. That had been the case for only a handful of moments because, soon after, the door had opened to allow Henry into the room. He'd been carrying Haley and Roxxy had been bringing up the rear. . "We're here," Haley had said with, perhaps, a touch of anger in her voice. It left little doubt as to whether she'd liked being carried. "You can put me down... " Henry had chosen that moment to turn, allowing Haley's eyes to fall on Scott. "...Now?"
"Scott. You're here. Good. That's good. Haley is in labor and is going to need a helping hand," Henry had said, his tone suggesting he'd been pleased by the turn of events. Haley, on the other hand, had looked less than pleased.
She'd proven it, too, by spending the next several hours trying to ignore him. Trying to send him away. Trying to pretend that she hadn't wanted him anywhere near her. But he'd known it for the lie it was. He'd been able to feel that it was a lie. There was a part of her that had been happy to see him. That had wanted him there. So he'd stayed. Because he'd known she was going to need him. And because this was their baby. There was nothing in the world that was going to tear him away from Haley's side and the birth of his baby.
The chair he was sitting in was hard and uncomfortable. But he refused to move. Haley had used that as an excuse to tell him to go the one time he'd complained to Henry about it. Scott had told her that he would endure as long as he needed to. Because he wanted to be there. He wanted to hold her hand and help encourage her. He wanted to see their daughter being born. He wanted to share that first moment of life with her.
Hell, if he was being honest with himself, he wanted Haley. Since their return, Jean had been cold and distant one moment and warm and loving the next. The emotional whiplash was enough to give him a headache. And, through it all, he'd tried. Tried to be the man she needed him to be. Tried to repent for sins beyond his control. Tried to put his feelings for Haley aside. And he'd failed at all of it. Miserably. The longer he spent with Jean, the more he realized that Sinister's cruelest trick of all was showing him what could have been. If only he hadn't been so afraid of speaking to her in the aftermath of Harper's death. If only he'd manned up and asked her to go on a date with him. If only...
Scott shook his head and sighed. It was too late for regrets and 'if only' at this point. Nothing was going to change the fact that his own cowardice had kept him from the happiness he'd found with Haley while they'd been held captive. The happiness he thought he'd found with Jean. The happiness that, it turned out, hadn't been as happy as he'd believed it to be.
"You should take this opportunity to go get something to eat." Roxxy's voice, soft and hesitant, cut into his thoughts. Scott brought his attention to her face to find that she looked contrite. And very apologetic.
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry. And, with my luck, Haley would wake up while I'm out and assume I left her again." Scott managed a chagrinned look at that. Roxxy nodded and glanced at her friend before returning her attention to him.
"What happened the other night... " she began, then trailed off. He could see that she looked uncomfortable and he lifted a hand to wave her off. But Roxxy was having none of it. "Please, Scott. Let me. I need to. I don't know what happened. I don't really remember anything beyond rage. So much rage. And when I saw you, it focused on you. You hurt Haley. And the rage just... I'm sorry. I tried to kill you and I don't even have a good excuse. I'd take it back if I could. All of it."
Roxxy looked so mournful. She looked like she'd die if he didn't forgive her. And, honestly, that bothered him. Because he'd known, looking at her that night, that she hadn't really known what she was doing. "Its water under the bridge, Roxxy. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to apologize for. I understand that you weren't fully cognizant of what was going on. Try not to worry about it anymore. I'm fine. Henry says that the scratches shouldn't even scar."
She didn't look convinced. If anything, she looked even more upset than when he'd started speaking. Scott spared a glance for Haley, taking a moment to enjoy the soft look on her face. He'd spent months watching her sleep and he still loved it. When he glanced back toward Roxxy, she was eyeing him with what could only be described as distrust. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Look. I get it, Roxxy," Scott said quietly. With sincerity. "You and Haley have been best friends for a very long time. And I know that those bonds run deep. I know you don't like that I hurt her. I know you feel protective of Haley. I know you wanted me to know how much I hurt her. I don't blame you or fault you at all."
She regarded him a moment or two, then frowned and let her gaze slide to where Haley slept. She studied her friend for a short time, her body tense as if she fought with herself. Maybe there was a part her that felt he'd gotten off lightly. Maybe she wished she'd gotten a chance to finish what she'd started. Or maybe she felt like she'd failed Haley. He didn't know and he wasn't going to intrude. But when she turned back to face him, there was no answer to be found in her eyes. Only more confusion. Her deep love for her friend. And a touch of sadness. "She deserves better, Scott. So much better than what she's gotten."
Those words were like a punch to the chest. His heart clenched in pain as he took another moment to glance at Haley. God, she was beautiful. And he'd fucked everything up. All of it. "You're right. She absolutely does. Better than someone who tells her he won't leave, then goes ahead and breaks his promise right away. Why would she want better from me after that?"
She stared at him a moment or two, then nodded. "I'm glad you're going to be okay. And that there won't be scar." She didn't look entirely happy about that. She still looked upset. Her attention slid to Haley once more before she finally turned away. Not fast enough, though, because Scott saw the tears that glittered in her gaze. The events of that evening must have been haunting her. He'd have to check in with her once the baby came and make an effort to reinforce the idea that it wasn't her fault and he didn't blame her. And he'd have to check in with Logan to ensure he was healing. Surely his healing factor would have kicked in by now. Why hadn't it started as soon as he'd received the injury?
"Better not scar," Haley murmured, her voice low and filled with sleep. Under that, he heard pain and exhaustion. Scott offered her a faint smile.
"I didn't know you cared," he teased. There was a touch of softness in her eyes for a moment before she seemed to remember who she was talking to. After that, the look was gone and she frowned at him.
"I don't. I just don't want to have to punch my best friend," she returned gruffly. He watched as she struggled to sit up and, despite the death glare she shot him, Scott helped her into an upright position. He even ensured that her pillows were plumped and supported her back. "Why are you still here? I thought you'd have left by now."
"And miss our daughter's birth?" he responded. He made sure he sounded affronted by that. In all honesty, he was. She had to think the worst of him if she thought he'd skip out on their child's birth. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I can do this on my own, you know. I've had more babies than you have," she said. He didn't miss the way she practically begged him to leave. Before it became too difficult for her to let him go. He could feel that at the back of his head. Where he'd felt other emotions that he knew to be hers. Where he felt her exhaustion and the pain that radiated outward from her belly every time she had a contraction.
He understood now that it was some kind of link. Most likely the same kind of link that she had with her husband. Part of him felt a bitter sense of jealousy about that. Another part of him was actually thrilled. He wasn't sure when the link had happened. Or why. Most likely when they were being held by Sinister. But he was sure that he wasn't upset by it. Because that link told him that she really didn't want him to leave. It told him that she wanted him there. With her. It also told him that she felt guilt, but he couldn't imagine why. Not that any of that mattered.
All that mattered to him was that their baby would be born soon. And he didn't plan on missing any of it.
"Ow. Fuck."
Speaking of their child. Scott reached out and took Haley's hand. "That was the strongest one yet, wasn't it?" he asked her.
She stared at him with wide eyes for a moment. Eyes he knew to be the same shade as the finest emeralds. He'd seen it in one of the books Sinister had put on their shelf, when he'd been bored and needed something to take his mind off the way her scent and the softness of her skin had burrowed to get under his. Then she blinked and dropped her head into her hands. "Shit. Shit. Shit."
"Haley?" he asked. She was suddenly loaded with regret.
"Its nothing," she denied. Then nearly pulled his arm out of its socket when another contraction came. Almost on top of the last one. "Get Hank. I think she's ready to join us in the world," she panted softly.
He watched her intently for a moment or two, then nodded and left the chair in which he'd been sitting for hours. It was a short trip across the medlab to Henry's office and his long legs ate up the distance in no time. A pair of knuckles on the closed door announced his arrival and Henry was just looking up when Scott opened the door. "Haley says she thinks its time."
"It is abso-fucking-lutely time. My uterus is rebelling!" she spat from across the room. Scott couldn't hold back the smile. Nor could Henry hold on to the answer one. They took a moment to school their expressions, then turned to face her. She was staring at them as if she knew what was going on. "If you two are done laughing..." she said, one eyebrow lifting in silent invitation.
"Of course, Haley. Forgive us. We are on our way," Henry responded. He sounded more composed than Scott felt, a sudden case of nerves making his knees a little weak. He followed behind his friend slowly, the realization that he was about to become a father in the fullest sense of the word leaving him slightly stunned. By the time he'd gotten back to Haley's bed, Henry was already in the middle of another examination. After a few moments of doing... whatever it was he was doing, Henry lifted his head to stare at Haley. "You are correct, my dear. Your daughter is indeed ready to make her appearance."
"Fucking finally," Haley said on a sigh of relief.
"If you'll be so good, Scott," Henry said and motioned toward Haley with one hand. "Climb into the bed with Haley and sit behind her. She's going to need your support. Both physically and emotionally."
Those words helped Scott get his head on straight. Haley needed him and he could do this. He moved closer to the bed, fully expecting her to protest. And he could see it in her eyes. But then another contraction hit and one of her hands was suddenly flailing out toward him. Scott took hold of it and let her squeeze. When the pressure eased some, he did as he'd been told and slid in behind her.
It felt good to have her in his arms again, even if it was because she was getting ready to deliver his baby. And, if what he felt through that link was anything to go by, she was glad to have him there. Slowly, she relaxed back against his chest. Warmth spread through his chest. When he slid his arms around her and settled his hands on her belly, he heard her soft sigh. And he enjoyed the way she seemed to simply melt into his embrace.
She honestly felt like she'd been made for him. And he'd fucked it all up.
Henry's head popped up from between her knees. "You are correct, Haley. She is finally ready. With the next contraction, you can push." Henry's blue gaze turned Scott's way and there was a curious look on his face. Then it was gone, replaced by the expression he wore when he was busy being the team's doctor. "When she pushes, Scott, make sure to brace her body with your own. Offer encouragement when it seems as if she may falter. There is no reason to believe that this one will be any less stubborn than Spencer was."
"Hank!" Haley snapped, embarrassment evident in her voice. He felt it, too.
"I can't imagine our daughter being any more stubborn than Spencer," Scott replied, speaking the words right next to her ear. He felt her shiver, ever so slightly. It was a good thing she couldn't see the smile on his face.
"I swear to god, Scott. I am going to kill you..." Her words trailed off on a squeal and every single muscle tensed against the contraction that came. He watched, fascinated, as Haley's hands went to her knees and she kind of curled forward. He felt the way her entire body tensed and stayed that way for several moments. And then she was limp against his chest, trying to catch her breath while she had the chance.
"You're beautiful when you're angry. You know that, right?" he whispered in her ear.
"Liar," she panted. Then she was tensing again. This time, he held her while she pushed and whispered words of encouragement in her ear. When the contraction eased, he held her against him and praised her over and over.
Time ticked on silently around them as Haley fell into the eternal game of push and wait. Push and wait. Scott held her through each contraction. He whispered softly in her ear. And he watched as patiently as possible as she labored to bring their child into the world.
He was in awe of her strength and her determination. She was sweaty. Her face had gone red. She was tired. She was cranky. And she was beautiful. So beautiful. The entire experience was something of dreams. Nothing he'd ever done before in his life would be as important and as amazing as this. Watching his daughter come into the world with a woman he loved and cherished.
He hoped she knew that he felt that way. He wanted her to understand that he meant it. That he'd meant to stay at her side when they'd returned. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with her. To help her nurture and raise their baby. Together. Somehow... some way. He'd find a way for them to be together. If it was the last thing he ever did.
"I see her head, Haley. One last big push and your daughter will be here." Henry's voice interrupted Scott's thoughts. He glanced from Henry's face to Haley's. She looked done in. It was plain to see the exhaustion in her eyes. But there was something else there, too. He didn't dare try and put a name to it. So he held her close and offered her his strength. "On three."
"Right," she said. The determination rang in that word. She was as ready as she'd ever get.
"One," Henry called out.
"You can do this, Haley. You're amazing," Scott whispered.
"Two."
"You're amazing and beautiful and she's lucky to have you as her mother," Scott added.
"Three. Push!"
Scott helped her sit up. He put his hands over hers where they rested on her knees. His chest supported her back. And the whole time Haley pushed, he whispered into her ear. He repeated how beautiful she was. How amazing she was. How proud of her he was. And finally, after a single moment that seemed to have been held for eternity, all of the tension slid from her body and she leaned heavily against him.
"And here she is!" Henry announced, holding up the tiniest thing Scott had ever seen. Roxxy was there suddenly with a blanket and some other supplies. Scott watched, eyes wide with disbelief, as Henry clamped and cut the umbilical cord. Roxxy used an aspirator to clean out the baby's nose and mouth. And then she wrapped the child in the blanket she'd brought, until the tiny baby was a tiny bundle. Finally, she placed the baby in Haley's arms.
"Congratulations," Roxxy said, a smile touching her lips.
Scott stared over Haley's shoulder at the small human being in her arms. The blanket obscured a good portion of her, save her face and head. Her eyes were closed as if in sleep. Which he supposed made sense, seeing as she'd just gone through the indignity of being born. He could see traces of Haley in the shape of her nose and mouth. The hair on her head, what little of it there was, looked dark through his glasses. He cursed the need for them.
"What do you plan on naming her?" Roxxy asked, looking from Haley's face to Scott's and then back again. Haley glanced up at him, a silent question in her eyes. He gave a smile and a nod. She turned her attention back to Roxxy.
"Emilia," she replied quietly. He heard the awe in her voice. The disbelief. Staring down into his daughter's face, he felt those things himself. He felt more. He reached out with one hand and gently touched the curve of her cheek. Stroked his thumb against the softness of that tiny face.
Holy shit, he was in love.
He inched closer to Haley, hugged her more tightly against his chest. She might have squirmed if not for the baby she held. As it was, she leaned into him and gave him a better view of his daughter. "She's beautiful, Haley," he told her softly, taking a moment to press a kiss to Haley's cheek. "Just like her mother."
"Scott..."
"She is, Haley. She's beautiful. You're beautiful," he told her quietly. Conviction filled his voice. He felt her still in his arms, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. "You're so beautiful. Thank you for giving me an amazing and perfect daughter."
"Scott, please." Her voice was hoarse, as if she was holding on to tears. He knew what she wanted. But he couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. Not anymore.
He put his lips right against her ear, pressed a soft kiss to the delicate outer curve of it. And then he whispered into it. "I love you, Haley."
