Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or X Men. Evie is my character.

Troubles of the Past

Personal thoughts

telepathic communications

Chapter 1

May in the school is always the same, very busy and very loud. School is almost over. The weather is too warm and inviting to allow anyone to really concentrate on text books and essays and math calculations. The teachers here have long been aware of this distraction from the time they themselves sat in those very desks. They plan the schedule accordingly and usually have all the real work done by the end of April.

There is added excitement to this year's summer break. Logan and Ororo are getting married. They decided to have the wedding the first week of June so that the students who would normally go home for the summer would still be there. Ororo is one of the most loved teachers and she, in turn loves all her students. A wedding in her village is an affair for...well...the whole village. All the students make up her village now and she would not have it any other way.

As Ororo walked through the halls to the dining room she thought about details. There were so many to deal with. There have now been 4 weddings of her family in the mansion. Evie's and the double wedding were planned on short notice. Though they were both exceptionally beautiful events, they were put together quickly with little time spent worrying over details.

She remembered Jean's wedding; the first she had been so involved in. She helped Jean with everything, of course. She was, after all, Jean's best friend and Maid of Honor. She remembered all the work in planning and shopping. She even remembered wondering why, when everything was planned and supervised so well, Jean was up so many nights worrying about the details. Now she understood.

Her wedding was two weeks away. Everyone was very helpful. All the details were set and arranged for. There were of course the last minute things to be done. None of which was particularly daunting.

School was out in a week and then her family was to arrive from Africa. She couldn't wait to see her sister again. She had spoken to her often in the last few months about the wedding but had not actually seen her in about 2 years. That visit was a pleasant one; much different from the one 2 years before when events led to their loosing the younger of their two brothers. As she entered the dining room she got herself lunch and pushed those memories away as she began to again go over the long list of details in her head.

Logan and Gambit were in the locker room after their last self defense class of the year. Routine warm ups and exercise schedules were already posted for everyone who was staying in the mansion for the summer. Gambit knew that at least for the first month, they would be his to oversee as Logan would be away on his honeymoon. "Dere's still time to back out, no? Remy sure dat Ro won' take it too personal if you jus' admit you lose your nerve." He smiled and easily dodged the wet towel Logan threw in his direction.

"Shut up, Cajun. You keep this up and I'll add some programs to your danger room sessions for the summer." Logan growled at him.

"We havin' company, too. Lots." Remy continued unshaken by the hollow threats. Not enough guest rooms. Ro told Remy to move in wid mon chere. Brennan and Shalimar get Remy's room."

"I'm sure you'll find it very annoying having to share a bed. Watch out Rogue doesn't have a nightmare and throw you out the window," Logan teased as they walked out.

Sanctuary had changed in the last 9 months. Nadene was crawling around and getting into everything. Jesse had to come up with safety devices to keep her from opening panels under consoles. Because she was so quick he had to add signals to the computer to alert them when she tried to get in to places that were too dangerous for her to be on her own. He even had to make her a bracelet for her little wrist that acted as a tracker, much the same as their rings. She got away from daddy once, crawled under the sofa in the rec. room and fell asleep. The men had looked for her with no success for a half hour when they finally called the girls back from a trip to the mall.

Shalimar walked into the main hall and stopped. She let her eyes turn golden as her senses, on high alert reached out around her. Everyone quickly followed her as she entered the rec. room.

"This is where we were when she left," a very frazzled Adam informed them.

"She's still here," Shalimar whispered as she bent down. Standing upright she carefully moved the sofa away from the wall and there in the newly illumined shadows was a very angelic looking sleeping baby. Work began that minute on her bracelet.

This morning was a good one. No missing baby, no catastrophic mission and for Kitty, no morning sickness. She walked into the training room and went to a weight machine. As she was adjusting the settings, she heard a now all too familiar clearing of the throat. With out turning around she answered the unasked question. "I'm fine, Jess. Adam said I could go back to training as long as I kept it light." She finished her settings and turned to face her overprotective husband.

Jesse walked in and sat on the bench at her side. "You've only just begun to feel better. Why don't you give it some more time?"

"Jesse, I've been lounging around here too sick to move forever now. I can't stand it anymore. I feel so much better and I really want to look good for the wedding."

"You look more beautiful than ever." He leaned in and kissed her gently.

Pushing him away with mock indignance, she scowled, "You only say that because you feel you have to. I'm already showing and have to wear loose clothing."

"I say that because it's true and all I see every time I look at you now, is that handsome son you're going to give me." He took her hand and wouldn't let it go when she pulled away.

"We've already changed the timeline, Jess. Shalimar never got sick after her honeymoon. How do you know that everything else will stay the same?"

"I don't; but Shalimar getting sick had nothing to do with Bryan's birth. There's no reason to not believe that some things will really be the same."

"We could change his name," she offered in jest.

He tilted his head and gave her the 'come on, now' look that she loved so much. "Can you honestly say that you would be able to look at him and call him anything else?"

"Not really, I was just pushing the issue. Now leave and let me at least try to look good in the dress I ordered."

Brennan had indeed changed the timeline he was exposed to. He could only hope that nothing else would get in his way as he planned to spend his life making his wife and family as happy as they could be. They were out shopping for the trip to the mansion. Nadene slept in the stroller as they walked along checking off items as they went. Living in the house with a baby made them all 'parents.'

Evie and Adam worked on getting projects wrapped up so they would be free to enjoy their time away. The mansion was truly becoming their home away from home. Tomorrow they would lock down and go off to enjoy the planned wedding festivities.

TBC