Ironic Siblings
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I don't own the X-Men. I don't make money by writing these stories.
A few years ago it looked it Cable and Storm were becoming an item, but it never happened.
**-thought
""-verbal
It is a rare thing for me not to be writing about J and Wolvie, I only hope you enjoy this story.
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Xavier's Institute, one week before Christmas...
Storm sat across from Jean in the kitchen daydreaming, Jean's giggle brought her back to reality. "I am sorry Jean, it would seem that my mind is else where today," she said slightly blushing.
"Understandable, it's not everyday you find...."
"Mail call," Jubilee's rather loud announcement cut Jean off in mid-sentance. The girl danced around the kitchen floor on rollerblades. She laid a small pile of brightly colored Christmas card envelopes in front of Jean and Storm. Just as she was about to exit the kitchen, Jubilee backpedaled and sat another envelope in front of Storm. Logan looked up from the fridge, Jubilee had not noticed him there when she came in. The girl's eyes bugged out her head and she double timed it out of the kitchen. Logan narrowed his eyes, slammed the door and took off after her.
"What was that all about," Storm asked Jean?
"They're just being J and Wolvie," Jean returned shaking her head and snickering. Storm turned her attention to the small white envelope in front of her. She noticed their was no return address, but the post mark was from New York City. Opening it Ororo withdrew a photograph of herself as a child, her father, and her pregnant mother. Jean noticed Storm's immediate mood change.
"What's wrong Ororo," Jean asked? Storm turned the picture around so her friend could get a look. "Your folks and you, who sent it?"
"I do not know, but I am confused. My mother had no other children," Ororo tapped a slinder finger on her mother's round belly. Both women looked at each other in complete silence. Cable entered the kitchen with Scott. Their rather light conversation came to an end when Cable saw an upset look on his wife's face.
" Ro, what's wrong, you want me to call Beast," his normally calm voice was boarderline nervous?
"Yes please," she returened. He raised a concerned eyebrow and made his way to her quickly. She looked at his face, he had misunderstood what she meant, "No Nathan I am fine, but I do need to talk to Hank about this photo," she said. Cable calmed down, he took a quick look at the picture.
"Who sent this," he asked with concern still in his voice?
"I have not the slightest idea my Love."
The Bronx....
Nate Grey entered his apartment feeling that someone was there. The psi-signiture was weak, but familiar to him all the same. He pushed the door open and flipped on the light switch. Scanning the apartment, he could feel her on the sofa. He reached out with his mind, finding a mixture of pain and anger swirling around in a battered soul, Threnody had returned to him.
"Threnody," he called while approaching her. She did not respond only continued to lay in a tight ball on the sofa with her back to him. He gently rolled her over, pure white eyes turned to him, her irises had vanished. Her soul was torn apart, desperately trying to fix itself. "Sweety what happened," she said nothing only buried her head into his chest and began to cry.
Xavier's, The Livingroom, much later that night....
Paige, Monet and Jubilee finished off the tree while everyone else looked on,"Okay, who has star duty," Jubilee asked the small group of gathered X-Men. "How about you Artie, Leech did it last year?" Artie jumped off the sofa while Leech pouted slightly. Jubilee handed him the silver star and kissed him on the cheek, which caused the boy to giggle and blush. Monet picked him up then slowly lifted off the ground, once they reached the top, Artie put the star in place, a roar of cheers erupted from the crowd below.
Artie returned to Leech's side and poked his tongue out at him. Leech hit him and they ran off towards the den. Jubilee, Monet and Paige giggled until Paige saw Logan in the doorway, "Run Jubes, run," Paige yelled to her team mate! Jubilee turned without even looking at Logan and bolted off in the same direction that Artie and Leech ran with Logan hot on her heals.
Everyone just looked at each other and more laughter erupted. Punch and egg nog were circulated within the group. Logan finally caught up with Jubilee and tickled her until she turned blue for replacing his shaving cream with whipped cream. As the evening went on everyone retired to their rooms or to the den to watch the 'Grench that Stole Christmas', leaving Storm alone with Cable in the livingroom.
"This is nice," she commented while snuggling up next to him. He pulled her close with his metal arm and exhailed, he was at peace ...maybe for the first time ever. His future was lost to him, whipped out with the distruction of Apocalypse, he was married, and happy. He raised a thoughtful eyebrow, *I wonder how long this peace will last,*he pondered?
He rubbed Ororo's stomach, while watching her drift off to sleep. He felt something, *No, it's too early to start feeling that,* he reminded himself. The feeling was an old one he had experienced before, it was Nate Grey. He lowered Storm slowly onto the sofa, tucking a pillow under her head. He went to the window, the blizzard that had started earlier showed no signs of letting up, still he could feel Nate Grey approaching, quickly. Something was wrong, he went to the den where Jean and Scott were snuggled up watching t.v.
"Scott, we have trouble," Cyclops turned quickly nodding to his son. Jean looked at Cable with a deep concern. "I'll call you if we need you Jean," Cable told her and both men disappeared down the hall.
"What's wrong Nathan," Scott asked, all business?
"I am not sure that anything is really wrong, but Nate Grey is coming, never a good sign." Scott nodded in agreement. By the time they had arrived in the foyer, a sleepy eyed Storm was walking over to the door to answer the violent knocking. Nathan jogged ahead of her. "Let me," he ordered. She glanced at him strangely but remained still allowing him to open the door.
Nate Grey stood in the doorway with a bundle wrapped in three blankets. He was red faced from the cold he had just raced through to get here. "I need your help," he announced bulldosing his way into the foyer. Cable shut the door and watched as Nate placed his bundle on the floor, the blankets fell away relieving Threnody's face.
"By the Goddess, what happened to her," Storm asked running over to them?
"I don't know, her soul has been displaced, somehow it's finding it's way back to her," Nate looked up at Cable, Scott had already left to get Beast.
Once in MedLab, Beast quickly stripped Threnody of her blankets and examined her. Her heartbeat was dangerouly slow and her blood pressure had bottomed out. Still she was alive, somehow. Beast placed her in an obervation bed, as soon as she was flattened against the mattress the monitors hummed to life. Her heart rate, blood pressure and other vital signs were diplayed on the monitors above. Most notable was her brain activity, from moment to moment she went from fully active to flatline, like she was dead.
"Like I said, her soul was displaced, she was worse when I found her," Nate whispered to Hank.
"I thick I can give her something to regulate her heartbeat, but there is...." Threnody reached up grabbing Hank's hand sternly.
"NO...you..you'll kill her," she yelled with all the strength she could muster. Hank looked over at Nate who was left dumbfounded by the outburst. Hank looked down into Threnody's eyes, her irises bounced from brown to white, finally settling on brown. She looked at him desperately, then passed out.
"She pregnant," Hank announced while facing the monitor. He had ran a quick scan of all her organs for damage, while he found none her early pregnancy was discovered. As Threnody had said it was a girl. "She is two months along." Nate sat down next to her on the bed. The baby was his, a rush of panic and joy over took him, he tried hard not to let it show. In one night he not only had Threnody return to him, but now he was going to be a father.
"When is she due," Nate asked repressing a smile?
"July 10 of next year, provided..." Hank looked at Nate, both men knew she was not out of the woods yet, she could easily slip away in the night.
The next morning, someplace else.....
"Boss it's me, I found'em."
"It is about time."
"....."
"Well..."
"You'll never believe this."
"Try me."
"They're at Xavier's, all of'em."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Medlab, same time....
"Well good morning young lady, you gave us all a real scare," Hank quietly spoke to his patient as she fought to open her eyes.
"Where am I," Threnody weakly asked?
"You are amongst friends,"he tossed a glance at Nate," and loved ones. Do you remember anything?"
"I remember going to the store, the cemetary...MADELINE!" She sprang up from the bed, scaring Hank half to death. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder as the dizzying effects of her speedy motion set in. He lowered her back down and covered her up.
"She's not here, it's December," she looked at him confused," You've been missing a little over two months. Yesterday morning you showed up at Nate's place, he brought you here... Threnody did you know you where pregnant?" She looked at him with shock at first, but it quickly faded, somehow she did remember that.
"A girl, it's a girl," she murmered. She looked over at Nate, peacefully sleeping in the chair, exhailing she closed her eyes. "Does he know?"
"Yes, my dear and he is happy as apple pie about it too," Hank smiled at her. Her face lite up with a bright grin.
"Are you hungry," a chipper voice asked from behind Hank? Paige and Jubilee stood there with two trays of fruit, cereal, milk and juice. Threnody nodded and the girls sat the food next to her while Hank adjusted a tray across Threnody's lap.
Nate awake to Threnody wolfing down her breakfast. She seemed fine, her eyes were normal and she was alert. Paige was combing her hair while Jubilee held up clothes 'modeling' them for the starving mother to be.
"Good morning, Sweety," Nate said while hugging Threnody. Paige and Jubilee giggle when Nate kissed his girlfriend. He looked up at them with a playful anger.
"Don't piss HIM off, Paige," Jubilee quipped while nudging the blonde. Paige shot her a disgusted look and they began giggling again. "Is this outfit okay, or do you like the first one?"
Threnody took one look at the lime green sweater and cut-up jeans then nodded her approval. Jubilee poked her tongue out at Paige who only rolled her eyes.
The girls walked to the door to leave MedLab when Logan appeared, "Uh oh," Paige giggled, as Logan slung Jubilee, kicking and screaming, over his right shoulder. Paige could only wonder what Jubilee had done to him this time. Paige looked at the couple who were watching all this with strange expressions, "Don't look at me, they started acting silly way before I came along."
Someplace else....
"Boss, we have a problem."
"No you have a problem where are my ladies?"
"See, it's compliated."
"Well considering you I.Q., I would assume for you tieing your shoes is complicated."
"....."
"Try to explain the situation."
"The place is crawling with X-Men."
"Of course, it's their base you idiot."
"No, not just the normal bunch of losers, Generation X and X-Force are here too."
"And..."
"Are you serious!?!"
"If I do not have what I paid you so handsomely to recover for me by the end of the week, you will be spending Christmas strapped to an examination table. What I will do to you will make the Weapon X project look like a day at Disney, clear."
"Crystal."
Friday morning, at Xavier's...
"Nate you are welcome here, why leave," Scott asked?
"I thank you for your help with Threnody, but we should really go, " he returned.
"She still needs care, at least stay through Christmas," Scott offered. Nate looked at Scott knowing his offer was geniune, also realizing that it would be best if Threnody was looked after for awhile longer, he agreed to stay.
Threnody sat sandwiched between a tearful Monet, Rogue, Meltdown, and Jean watching 'As the World Turns'. "I don't believe he left her like that and for that witch," Monet bitterly said while brushing away a tear.
"Oh for pity sake," Logan barked from the door,"it ain't real." He rolled his eyes, but the women ignored him continuing to watch the screen.
"I'm going to the Mall, anybody game," Jubilee gleefully asked as she entered the room? Only Jean and Threnody looked up. Threnody looked sadly over at Jean, the girl was sick of being in the house.
"I guess Hank would clear you to go, you've been okay over the past few days," Jean said. Storm entered the den with Cable and Scott.
"Is anyone else accompanying us Jubilation," Storm asked? Jean and Threnody got off the sofa and left to go talk to Hank, with Jubilee and Ororo in tow.
"The girls are going to the mall," Cable asked Logan and Scott? Both men nodded a mournful yes.
"And I just got the credit card bill down from Jubes' last trip," Logan barked. The other two men looked at him knowing his pain.
Jumping into the Expedition, Storm, Jean, Threnody, and Jubilee began to plot their day. First, they'd go to Macy's for the Christmas sale, then a quick walk through the mall itself with manditory stops at Old Navy, the Gap, and Victoria's Secret. Afterwards, lunch at the Safari Cafe. The mall was packed as they expected, Threnody eyeballed a few things that Jubilee offered to pay for with Logan's American Express card. The girls was on schedule when they entered Victoria's Secret.
Threnody stuck close to Jubilee since they both seemed to have the same taste in clothing. While picking through a rack of bras Jean looked up startled by a feeling of extreme rage coming towards them. She pulled Storm out of line and the four women left the store. "What's up Jeanie," Jubilee asked?
"I think Creed is around here," Jubilee looked over at Storm and Jean with fearful eyes. She made a beeline for the exit while fumbling with her cell phone in order to call the house.
"Xavier's."
"Bobby it's Jubilee, we got a Creed problem."
"We're on our way." Bobby hung up the phone and ran into the kitchen finding Scott, Nate, Cable and Wolverine sitting around playing a mean game of Spades. "Guys, games over, the girls have Creed trouble." All four men exited the kitchen making their way down to the landing pad. Traffic would be heavy this close to Christmas, the minijet was the fastest way to get there.
As they passed over the mall pure pandamonium had broken out, the lot was packed with people trying to get away, two ambulances raced over the grass in an attempt to bypass the gridlock, some people just ran on foot trying to escape. They landed on the roof and entered via the glass skylights. The place was a ghost town, something had seriously gone wrong. Logan caught a scent that drove him to jet off down the hall.
Nate, Cable, and Scott struggled to keep up with him. As they rounded the corner to the food court, they saw Logan about to assualt a police officer. Behind him Jean and Jubilee lay in small pools of thier own blood. The sounds of the ambulance was still far away. Nate telekentically snatched the officer out of Logan's hands placing the terrorified man in a seat in the food court. Cable grabbed Logan wrestling him to the floor until he calmed down.
Scott picked up Jean who looked worse than she actually was, Jubilee was not so lucky. A bone clearly was sticking out of her right arm, blood gushed out her nose, and her breathing was shallow. "Jean what happened," Scott whispered the question to his wife?
"Sabertooth, he... Storm and Threnody, he took them, drugged them," he shhed his wife, he had enough details to work with. The ambulance was still fighting the traffic, considering the seriousness of the injuries, they decided to take the girls home for Hank to help them.
Upon entering the Mansion Scott and Logan turned their loved ones over to Hank and beat a path to the Ready Room. "Gentlemen I found them," Bishop announced as they entered the room. "I started the trace right after we got the call from Jubilee." A slow grawl rumbled in Logan's chest upon hearing the girl's name. "Sabertooth is transporting them by air to towards Albany." Bishop looked at the screen, the flashing beckon of light from Storm's tracker instantly vanished.
"What, WHAT HAPPENED BISHOP," Cable yelled?!?
"It was deactivated, Creed most have found it," Bishop began typing, trying to figure a possible flight plan. Nate knew a better way, closing his eyes he reached out to Threnody.
*Thren, can you hear, me?*
*Ahh, Nate, wha..?*
*Don't move, let him think you're still knocked out.*
* 'Kay, that'll ...be..easy.*
*Is Storm with you?*
*Yeah, she's out cold.*
*Can you tell where you are?*
*No but we are landing, I hate landings.*
"They're landing," Nate blurted out. The men looked at him somewhat shocked,"Thren." Their faces straightened when he cleared up how he knew.
*Stay with me Nate, I'm scared, this Psycho is crazy.*
*I am coming, Sweety, bank on it.*
"I think I know where they are," Bishop said," there is a field outside Albany, with an abandoned chemical plant," Bishop was not allowed to say anymore, the men disappeared out the door heading for the Blackbird.
"What the hell did you say," Logan grawled at Bobby!?
"The Blackbird is gone, remember Xavier had a conference in Hong Kong today," Bobby returned.
"Minijet'll do," Cable said.
"Sorry, you won't get beyond the forest, it has to be refueled," Bobby returned praying that the four very clearly angry men in front of him would not take their frustration out on him. The group held their anger in check.
"How long," Cable spat?
"Ten minutes, to fuel her enough to get there and back with a little to spare," Bobby answered. It would have to do.
Albany, New York...
Creed finished landing the chopper, parking it near the old chemical factory's loading dock. He checked his victims who were still sleeping, thanks to the knock out drugs he shot them with in the mall. Looking down at his arm the burn mark was still there from the kid trying to stop him. He smiled, "I bet she won't try that again."
On the loading dock were five men in white lab coats with two rolling beds with a ton of medical equipment on them. He cringled, he hated them, they reminded him of Weapon X. They boarded the chopper gathering up the girls.
He waited for them to leave before getting out. On the floor of the dock, the doctors hastily removed the women's clothing, strapped them down and fastened equipment to their legs and arms. Threnody fought them tooth and nail but after recieving another heavy dose of knockout drugs she slipped into a coma like state. The men taped Threnody's regulators tightly to her face. Finally, oxygen masks were placed over their mouths and noses then secured with tape. After the prep work was complete they rolled them away.
Creed followed in silence, this was funny to him, he hated the X-Men, especially the Runt. In one day he had gutted one of the Runt's best friend and kidnapped another one. Entering the first of two rooms, one of the doctors ordered him to sit in a chair and stay out of the way. Snarling he did as he was told. The men rolled the beds into an airlock and backed out. A thick white gas filled the airlock, then the doors on the other side slide open, four men in decontamination suits rolled the unconscience women into a room. Creed was happy he had a ringside seat for this.
The men in the suits placed the beds near the center of the empty room. A control panel rose up from the floor near the door. One man typed slowly, retarded by the bulky gloves. In the center of the room two massive tubes filled with a clear green liquid slowly lifted upwards then stopped. One of the suited doctors lifted the lids off the top of both containers, while the other two men slide Ororo into one tube and Threnody into the other.
After locking the lids, the three men ran over to the control panel joining the fourth doctor. Soon, the tubes lefted another four feet out of the ground before coming to a stop. Creed smirked, he only hoped he got a chance to have a little fun with the pair after Sinister was done with them.
"Well, it would appear I have finally gotten what I paid for," Mr. Sinister's voice coldly greeted Creed.
"I always deliver," Creed returned, "now what?"
"Stay and enjoy the show," Sinister said. The pale faced madman pressed the comlink button just to the right of Sabertooth," You may begin," he ordered. The men in the room with Storm and Threnody sprang to life once more. They slowly typed in commands and flipped through charts. The lights in the room dimmed, except the ones in the tanks that illuminated Sinister's lab rats.
Nothing happened for a seond, both woman floated in the middle of the tubes like ebony angels surrounded by the medical equipment that had been secured to them while in the loading dock after their arrival. Finally, Creed could hear a loud swirling noise, followed by the cracking of electricity. To his shock, the woman's stomachs began to slowly expand.
"What the hell, you knocked'em up," Creed asked puzzled by Sinister's motives?
"I did no such thing the Sisters Monroe were already pregnant," Sinister clearified.
"They're sisters," Creed asked wide eyed!?!
"Yes my dear man, Ororo the elder, Dolcenia the younger."
"How the hell did that happen," Creed asked?
"Well, they had the same Mommy and Daddy, you fool," Sinister scolded. Creed just snarled. Sinister smirked at his own genius and good fortune. Ororo Monroe's parents had been killed in Cairo after a plane crashed into their house but not before Mrs. Monroe gave birth to a sickly baby girl named Dolcenia three months before the accident. At three months old her parents left her in the care of Johns Hopkins Children Hospital when they needed to go to Africa on emergency business. When they did not return to claim their child she was listed as abandoned and turned over to the state once she was well enough.
He smiled, he had finally gotten his prize, the sisters were carrying the children of 'brothers', Cable and Nate. Though they are from different planes of reality those two men were identical on the genetic level. This was too good for Sinister to let slip through his fingers. The icing on the cake was that Ororo was carrying a boy and Threnody was carrying a girl. Sinister was sure God himself had smiled on him this day, not that the scientist believed in a God.
"So you mean to tell me that Threnody's real name is Dolcenia Monroe, the weather witch's long lost sister, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH," Creed almost fell out his chair laughing.
"For the fifth time yes, you idiot, now be quiet," Sinister watched with an evil grin as the monitor in front of him read how far along in the pregnancy they were being pushed. Then something went wrong, as the monitor read nine months, cracks began to form in the glass that encased both Ororo and Threnody. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces spraying everywhere.
Sinister recoiled in rage, until he noticed that both women still hung motionless in the air. There was a moment of silence, he watched them in awe, not sure what to make of this. Suddenly, their eyes opened, both women's irises were white as snow. They seemed to be looking directly at Sinister. Both their right index fingers twitched and the machinery that was strapped to them flew across the room, crushing the four doctors in the room with them. Without warning the glass window in front of Sinister exploded and the glass blow back into the observation room. Before the men could recover, both women floated gracefully over to them. Hovering, both Storm and Threnody extented their right arms and the wall across the room exploded.
As they floated towards their newly created door, Creed jumped and grabbed Ororo, Threnody turned in midair. She leaned her head slightly to the right and Creed began screaming in pain, releasing Storm. Threnody watched as Creed burst into flames then tumbled out of the window they had just shattered. Sinister rose off the floor, terror filled his eyes.
"Please. No. I beg you. NOOOOOOO," Sinister's hands flamed red hot followed by the rest of his body. He screamed in agony for several seconds, then he was silent. Rejoining Threnody's side, Storm lead the way out of the Chemical Plant. When they were only a few feet outside, the massive building exploded. Bricks and glass bounced off the woman as if they were pillows. They looked at one another still in a state flux, Threnody took Storm's hand happy in the knowledge that she and her sister were safe.
In the air, a mile or so away...
"You still can't contact Threnody," Cable yelled to Nate?!?
"No, I..." The sound of a nearby explosion silenced Nate's answer. Both men jumped forward to look out the plane's windshield. "Oh My God," Nate knew that it was the Chemical Plant. He ran for the exit door, opening it he jumped out. He raced through the sky twice as fast as the minijet could every hope to. When he approached the smoking ruins of the plant he could feel nothing of his beloved Threnody.
He reached out, still nothing. Soon, a essence reached into his mind, wordlessly telling him to go to the end of the field near the tree line. He followed the directions, upon landing he found Ororo and Threnody huddled together and passed out. The spirit that lead him there was close by but silent. The minijet soon landed in the field behind him.
*Cable bring blankets.*
That night...
"It'll be okay, Sweety, just push one more time," Nate sweety whispered to Threnody.
"YOU PUSH ONE MORE...AHHHHHHH," she was angry and in pain! Nate looked across the room at Cable, who was having about the same luck with Storm who had stopped talking to him an hour ago and only grunted angry breaths when Cable attempted to speak to her.
Jean and Jubilee, still in MedLab recovering from the injuries they recieved at the mall looked in trying to surpress the laughter welling up in them. Jean listened to the painful wails and considered rethinking her own desire to have children.
Hank ran between Ororo and Threnody with Kitty assisting him. "Hank the baby's coming," Kitty nervously announced while standing by Storm.
"Sorry my lovely assistant you are on your own, Threnody's child is a second away from.." The baby slide gracefully out into Hank's gloved arms. When he looked over at Kitty, she too was holding another little bundle, a boy.
"Well now, who was born first, " Hank joked?
"THEY WERE BORN AT THE SAMETIME," Jean and Jubilee yelled from their beds!
The next morning....
Hank marvelled at the little ones laying quietly next to their respective parents, their powers were already active. Somehow the babies had taken control of their mothers while Sinister held them, but returned control after they escaped. Still, the little ones had shown no desire to use their gifts since they had been born. Even more interesting was the newly discovered fact that both Threnody and Ororo were sisters. Stll none of this answered his questions of how Threnody made it to Nate's or who sent Storm the picture. Hank just shock his head, this would a Christmas Eve he was sure never to forget.
"Have y'all decided on names, yet," Rogue asked while making faces at the baby girl next to Threnody?
"Well, considering that the children were not due for months we had no time to pick names," Storm responded.
"How' 'bout Remy for duh boy and Remiette for duh girl," Remy said, garnishing angry eyes, "What Remy say wrong?"
"Well we had an idea," Jean said from her bed, " How about Grey Summers for Storm and Cable's boy and Summer Grey for Threnody and Nate's little girl?" All present looked at Jean and the half asleep Jubilee with wary glances.
"Remy think you two need some sleep."
"Now what a minute, I like that, " Threnody said looking over at her sister smiling.
"I agree," Storm added. Nate and Cable looked at each other and shrugged, as long as the kids were healthy and their Ladies were talking to them again they didn't care what names were picked.
"Then it's settled, Grey Summers and Summer Grey," Hank announced proudly.
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I don't own the X-Men. I don't make money by writing these stories.
A few years ago it looked it Cable and Storm were becoming an item, but it never happened.
**-thought
""-verbal
It is a rare thing for me not to be writing about J and Wolvie, I only hope you enjoy this story.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Xavier's Institute, one week before Christmas...
Storm sat across from Jean in the kitchen daydreaming, Jean's giggle brought her back to reality. "I am sorry Jean, it would seem that my mind is else where today," she said slightly blushing.
"Understandable, it's not everyday you find...."
"Mail call," Jubilee's rather loud announcement cut Jean off in mid-sentance. The girl danced around the kitchen floor on rollerblades. She laid a small pile of brightly colored Christmas card envelopes in front of Jean and Storm. Just as she was about to exit the kitchen, Jubilee backpedaled and sat another envelope in front of Storm. Logan looked up from the fridge, Jubilee had not noticed him there when she came in. The girl's eyes bugged out her head and she double timed it out of the kitchen. Logan narrowed his eyes, slammed the door and took off after her.
"What was that all about," Storm asked Jean?
"They're just being J and Wolvie," Jean returned shaking her head and snickering. Storm turned her attention to the small white envelope in front of her. She noticed their was no return address, but the post mark was from New York City. Opening it Ororo withdrew a photograph of herself as a child, her father, and her pregnant mother. Jean noticed Storm's immediate mood change.
"What's wrong Ororo," Jean asked? Storm turned the picture around so her friend could get a look. "Your folks and you, who sent it?"
"I do not know, but I am confused. My mother had no other children," Ororo tapped a slinder finger on her mother's round belly. Both women looked at each other in complete silence. Cable entered the kitchen with Scott. Their rather light conversation came to an end when Cable saw an upset look on his wife's face.
" Ro, what's wrong, you want me to call Beast," his normally calm voice was boarderline nervous?
"Yes please," she returened. He raised a concerned eyebrow and made his way to her quickly. She looked at his face, he had misunderstood what she meant, "No Nathan I am fine, but I do need to talk to Hank about this photo," she said. Cable calmed down, he took a quick look at the picture.
"Who sent this," he asked with concern still in his voice?
"I have not the slightest idea my Love."
The Bronx....
Nate Grey entered his apartment feeling that someone was there. The psi-signiture was weak, but familiar to him all the same. He pushed the door open and flipped on the light switch. Scanning the apartment, he could feel her on the sofa. He reached out with his mind, finding a mixture of pain and anger swirling around in a battered soul, Threnody had returned to him.
"Threnody," he called while approaching her. She did not respond only continued to lay in a tight ball on the sofa with her back to him. He gently rolled her over, pure white eyes turned to him, her irises had vanished. Her soul was torn apart, desperately trying to fix itself. "Sweety what happened," she said nothing only buried her head into his chest and began to cry.
Xavier's, The Livingroom, much later that night....
Paige, Monet and Jubilee finished off the tree while everyone else looked on,"Okay, who has star duty," Jubilee asked the small group of gathered X-Men. "How about you Artie, Leech did it last year?" Artie jumped off the sofa while Leech pouted slightly. Jubilee handed him the silver star and kissed him on the cheek, which caused the boy to giggle and blush. Monet picked him up then slowly lifted off the ground, once they reached the top, Artie put the star in place, a roar of cheers erupted from the crowd below.
Artie returned to Leech's side and poked his tongue out at him. Leech hit him and they ran off towards the den. Jubilee, Monet and Paige giggled until Paige saw Logan in the doorway, "Run Jubes, run," Paige yelled to her team mate! Jubilee turned without even looking at Logan and bolted off in the same direction that Artie and Leech ran with Logan hot on her heals.
Everyone just looked at each other and more laughter erupted. Punch and egg nog were circulated within the group. Logan finally caught up with Jubilee and tickled her until she turned blue for replacing his shaving cream with whipped cream. As the evening went on everyone retired to their rooms or to the den to watch the 'Grench that Stole Christmas', leaving Storm alone with Cable in the livingroom.
"This is nice," she commented while snuggling up next to him. He pulled her close with his metal arm and exhailed, he was at peace ...maybe for the first time ever. His future was lost to him, whipped out with the distruction of Apocalypse, he was married, and happy. He raised a thoughtful eyebrow, *I wonder how long this peace will last,*he pondered?
He rubbed Ororo's stomach, while watching her drift off to sleep. He felt something, *No, it's too early to start feeling that,* he reminded himself. The feeling was an old one he had experienced before, it was Nate Grey. He lowered Storm slowly onto the sofa, tucking a pillow under her head. He went to the window, the blizzard that had started earlier showed no signs of letting up, still he could feel Nate Grey approaching, quickly. Something was wrong, he went to the den where Jean and Scott were snuggled up watching t.v.
"Scott, we have trouble," Cyclops turned quickly nodding to his son. Jean looked at Cable with a deep concern. "I'll call you if we need you Jean," Cable told her and both men disappeared down the hall.
"What's wrong Nathan," Scott asked, all business?
"I am not sure that anything is really wrong, but Nate Grey is coming, never a good sign." Scott nodded in agreement. By the time they had arrived in the foyer, a sleepy eyed Storm was walking over to the door to answer the violent knocking. Nathan jogged ahead of her. "Let me," he ordered. She glanced at him strangely but remained still allowing him to open the door.
Nate Grey stood in the doorway with a bundle wrapped in three blankets. He was red faced from the cold he had just raced through to get here. "I need your help," he announced bulldosing his way into the foyer. Cable shut the door and watched as Nate placed his bundle on the floor, the blankets fell away relieving Threnody's face.
"By the Goddess, what happened to her," Storm asked running over to them?
"I don't know, her soul has been displaced, somehow it's finding it's way back to her," Nate looked up at Cable, Scott had already left to get Beast.
Once in MedLab, Beast quickly stripped Threnody of her blankets and examined her. Her heartbeat was dangerouly slow and her blood pressure had bottomed out. Still she was alive, somehow. Beast placed her in an obervation bed, as soon as she was flattened against the mattress the monitors hummed to life. Her heart rate, blood pressure and other vital signs were diplayed on the monitors above. Most notable was her brain activity, from moment to moment she went from fully active to flatline, like she was dead.
"Like I said, her soul was displaced, she was worse when I found her," Nate whispered to Hank.
"I thick I can give her something to regulate her heartbeat, but there is...." Threnody reached up grabbing Hank's hand sternly.
"NO...you..you'll kill her," she yelled with all the strength she could muster. Hank looked over at Nate who was left dumbfounded by the outburst. Hank looked down into Threnody's eyes, her irises bounced from brown to white, finally settling on brown. She looked at him desperately, then passed out.
"She pregnant," Hank announced while facing the monitor. He had ran a quick scan of all her organs for damage, while he found none her early pregnancy was discovered. As Threnody had said it was a girl. "She is two months along." Nate sat down next to her on the bed. The baby was his, a rush of panic and joy over took him, he tried hard not to let it show. In one night he not only had Threnody return to him, but now he was going to be a father.
"When is she due," Nate asked repressing a smile?
"July 10 of next year, provided..." Hank looked at Nate, both men knew she was not out of the woods yet, she could easily slip away in the night.
The next morning, someplace else.....
"Boss it's me, I found'em."
"It is about time."
"....."
"Well..."
"You'll never believe this."
"Try me."
"They're at Xavier's, all of'em."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Medlab, same time....
"Well good morning young lady, you gave us all a real scare," Hank quietly spoke to his patient as she fought to open her eyes.
"Where am I," Threnody weakly asked?
"You are amongst friends,"he tossed a glance at Nate," and loved ones. Do you remember anything?"
"I remember going to the store, the cemetary...MADELINE!" She sprang up from the bed, scaring Hank half to death. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder as the dizzying effects of her speedy motion set in. He lowered her back down and covered her up.
"She's not here, it's December," she looked at him confused," You've been missing a little over two months. Yesterday morning you showed up at Nate's place, he brought you here... Threnody did you know you where pregnant?" She looked at him with shock at first, but it quickly faded, somehow she did remember that.
"A girl, it's a girl," she murmered. She looked over at Nate, peacefully sleeping in the chair, exhailing she closed her eyes. "Does he know?"
"Yes, my dear and he is happy as apple pie about it too," Hank smiled at her. Her face lite up with a bright grin.
"Are you hungry," a chipper voice asked from behind Hank? Paige and Jubilee stood there with two trays of fruit, cereal, milk and juice. Threnody nodded and the girls sat the food next to her while Hank adjusted a tray across Threnody's lap.
Nate awake to Threnody wolfing down her breakfast. She seemed fine, her eyes were normal and she was alert. Paige was combing her hair while Jubilee held up clothes 'modeling' them for the starving mother to be.
"Good morning, Sweety," Nate said while hugging Threnody. Paige and Jubilee giggle when Nate kissed his girlfriend. He looked up at them with a playful anger.
"Don't piss HIM off, Paige," Jubilee quipped while nudging the blonde. Paige shot her a disgusted look and they began giggling again. "Is this outfit okay, or do you like the first one?"
Threnody took one look at the lime green sweater and cut-up jeans then nodded her approval. Jubilee poked her tongue out at Paige who only rolled her eyes.
The girls walked to the door to leave MedLab when Logan appeared, "Uh oh," Paige giggled, as Logan slung Jubilee, kicking and screaming, over his right shoulder. Paige could only wonder what Jubilee had done to him this time. Paige looked at the couple who were watching all this with strange expressions, "Don't look at me, they started acting silly way before I came along."
Someplace else....
"Boss, we have a problem."
"No you have a problem where are my ladies?"
"See, it's compliated."
"Well considering you I.Q., I would assume for you tieing your shoes is complicated."
"....."
"Try to explain the situation."
"The place is crawling with X-Men."
"Of course, it's their base you idiot."
"No, not just the normal bunch of losers, Generation X and X-Force are here too."
"And..."
"Are you serious!?!"
"If I do not have what I paid you so handsomely to recover for me by the end of the week, you will be spending Christmas strapped to an examination table. What I will do to you will make the Weapon X project look like a day at Disney, clear."
"Crystal."
Friday morning, at Xavier's...
"Nate you are welcome here, why leave," Scott asked?
"I thank you for your help with Threnody, but we should really go, " he returned.
"She still needs care, at least stay through Christmas," Scott offered. Nate looked at Scott knowing his offer was geniune, also realizing that it would be best if Threnody was looked after for awhile longer, he agreed to stay.
Threnody sat sandwiched between a tearful Monet, Rogue, Meltdown, and Jean watching 'As the World Turns'. "I don't believe he left her like that and for that witch," Monet bitterly said while brushing away a tear.
"Oh for pity sake," Logan barked from the door,"it ain't real." He rolled his eyes, but the women ignored him continuing to watch the screen.
"I'm going to the Mall, anybody game," Jubilee gleefully asked as she entered the room? Only Jean and Threnody looked up. Threnody looked sadly over at Jean, the girl was sick of being in the house.
"I guess Hank would clear you to go, you've been okay over the past few days," Jean said. Storm entered the den with Cable and Scott.
"Is anyone else accompanying us Jubilation," Storm asked? Jean and Threnody got off the sofa and left to go talk to Hank, with Jubilee and Ororo in tow.
"The girls are going to the mall," Cable asked Logan and Scott? Both men nodded a mournful yes.
"And I just got the credit card bill down from Jubes' last trip," Logan barked. The other two men looked at him knowing his pain.
Jumping into the Expedition, Storm, Jean, Threnody, and Jubilee began to plot their day. First, they'd go to Macy's for the Christmas sale, then a quick walk through the mall itself with manditory stops at Old Navy, the Gap, and Victoria's Secret. Afterwards, lunch at the Safari Cafe. The mall was packed as they expected, Threnody eyeballed a few things that Jubilee offered to pay for with Logan's American Express card. The girls was on schedule when they entered Victoria's Secret.
Threnody stuck close to Jubilee since they both seemed to have the same taste in clothing. While picking through a rack of bras Jean looked up startled by a feeling of extreme rage coming towards them. She pulled Storm out of line and the four women left the store. "What's up Jeanie," Jubilee asked?
"I think Creed is around here," Jubilee looked over at Storm and Jean with fearful eyes. She made a beeline for the exit while fumbling with her cell phone in order to call the house.
"Xavier's."
"Bobby it's Jubilee, we got a Creed problem."
"We're on our way." Bobby hung up the phone and ran into the kitchen finding Scott, Nate, Cable and Wolverine sitting around playing a mean game of Spades. "Guys, games over, the girls have Creed trouble." All four men exited the kitchen making their way down to the landing pad. Traffic would be heavy this close to Christmas, the minijet was the fastest way to get there.
As they passed over the mall pure pandamonium had broken out, the lot was packed with people trying to get away, two ambulances raced over the grass in an attempt to bypass the gridlock, some people just ran on foot trying to escape. They landed on the roof and entered via the glass skylights. The place was a ghost town, something had seriously gone wrong. Logan caught a scent that drove him to jet off down the hall.
Nate, Cable, and Scott struggled to keep up with him. As they rounded the corner to the food court, they saw Logan about to assualt a police officer. Behind him Jean and Jubilee lay in small pools of thier own blood. The sounds of the ambulance was still far away. Nate telekentically snatched the officer out of Logan's hands placing the terrorified man in a seat in the food court. Cable grabbed Logan wrestling him to the floor until he calmed down.
Scott picked up Jean who looked worse than she actually was, Jubilee was not so lucky. A bone clearly was sticking out of her right arm, blood gushed out her nose, and her breathing was shallow. "Jean what happened," Scott whispered the question to his wife?
"Sabertooth, he... Storm and Threnody, he took them, drugged them," he shhed his wife, he had enough details to work with. The ambulance was still fighting the traffic, considering the seriousness of the injuries, they decided to take the girls home for Hank to help them.
Upon entering the Mansion Scott and Logan turned their loved ones over to Hank and beat a path to the Ready Room. "Gentlemen I found them," Bishop announced as they entered the room. "I started the trace right after we got the call from Jubilee." A slow grawl rumbled in Logan's chest upon hearing the girl's name. "Sabertooth is transporting them by air to towards Albany." Bishop looked at the screen, the flashing beckon of light from Storm's tracker instantly vanished.
"What, WHAT HAPPENED BISHOP," Cable yelled?!?
"It was deactivated, Creed most have found it," Bishop began typing, trying to figure a possible flight plan. Nate knew a better way, closing his eyes he reached out to Threnody.
*Thren, can you hear, me?*
*Ahh, Nate, wha..?*
*Don't move, let him think you're still knocked out.*
* 'Kay, that'll ...be..easy.*
*Is Storm with you?*
*Yeah, she's out cold.*
*Can you tell where you are?*
*No but we are landing, I hate landings.*
"They're landing," Nate blurted out. The men looked at him somewhat shocked,"Thren." Their faces straightened when he cleared up how he knew.
*Stay with me Nate, I'm scared, this Psycho is crazy.*
*I am coming, Sweety, bank on it.*
"I think I know where they are," Bishop said," there is a field outside Albany, with an abandoned chemical plant," Bishop was not allowed to say anymore, the men disappeared out the door heading for the Blackbird.
"What the hell did you say," Logan grawled at Bobby!?
"The Blackbird is gone, remember Xavier had a conference in Hong Kong today," Bobby returned.
"Minijet'll do," Cable said.
"Sorry, you won't get beyond the forest, it has to be refueled," Bobby returned praying that the four very clearly angry men in front of him would not take their frustration out on him. The group held their anger in check.
"How long," Cable spat?
"Ten minutes, to fuel her enough to get there and back with a little to spare," Bobby answered. It would have to do.
Albany, New York...
Creed finished landing the chopper, parking it near the old chemical factory's loading dock. He checked his victims who were still sleeping, thanks to the knock out drugs he shot them with in the mall. Looking down at his arm the burn mark was still there from the kid trying to stop him. He smiled, "I bet she won't try that again."
On the loading dock were five men in white lab coats with two rolling beds with a ton of medical equipment on them. He cringled, he hated them, they reminded him of Weapon X. They boarded the chopper gathering up the girls.
He waited for them to leave before getting out. On the floor of the dock, the doctors hastily removed the women's clothing, strapped them down and fastened equipment to their legs and arms. Threnody fought them tooth and nail but after recieving another heavy dose of knockout drugs she slipped into a coma like state. The men taped Threnody's regulators tightly to her face. Finally, oxygen masks were placed over their mouths and noses then secured with tape. After the prep work was complete they rolled them away.
Creed followed in silence, this was funny to him, he hated the X-Men, especially the Runt. In one day he had gutted one of the Runt's best friend and kidnapped another one. Entering the first of two rooms, one of the doctors ordered him to sit in a chair and stay out of the way. Snarling he did as he was told. The men rolled the beds into an airlock and backed out. A thick white gas filled the airlock, then the doors on the other side slide open, four men in decontamination suits rolled the unconscience women into a room. Creed was happy he had a ringside seat for this.
The men in the suits placed the beds near the center of the empty room. A control panel rose up from the floor near the door. One man typed slowly, retarded by the bulky gloves. In the center of the room two massive tubes filled with a clear green liquid slowly lifted upwards then stopped. One of the suited doctors lifted the lids off the top of both containers, while the other two men slide Ororo into one tube and Threnody into the other.
After locking the lids, the three men ran over to the control panel joining the fourth doctor. Soon, the tubes lefted another four feet out of the ground before coming to a stop. Creed smirked, he only hoped he got a chance to have a little fun with the pair after Sinister was done with them.
"Well, it would appear I have finally gotten what I paid for," Mr. Sinister's voice coldly greeted Creed.
"I always deliver," Creed returned, "now what?"
"Stay and enjoy the show," Sinister said. The pale faced madman pressed the comlink button just to the right of Sabertooth," You may begin," he ordered. The men in the room with Storm and Threnody sprang to life once more. They slowly typed in commands and flipped through charts. The lights in the room dimmed, except the ones in the tanks that illuminated Sinister's lab rats.
Nothing happened for a seond, both woman floated in the middle of the tubes like ebony angels surrounded by the medical equipment that had been secured to them while in the loading dock after their arrival. Finally, Creed could hear a loud swirling noise, followed by the cracking of electricity. To his shock, the woman's stomachs began to slowly expand.
"What the hell, you knocked'em up," Creed asked puzzled by Sinister's motives?
"I did no such thing the Sisters Monroe were already pregnant," Sinister clearified.
"They're sisters," Creed asked wide eyed!?!
"Yes my dear man, Ororo the elder, Dolcenia the younger."
"How the hell did that happen," Creed asked?
"Well, they had the same Mommy and Daddy, you fool," Sinister scolded. Creed just snarled. Sinister smirked at his own genius and good fortune. Ororo Monroe's parents had been killed in Cairo after a plane crashed into their house but not before Mrs. Monroe gave birth to a sickly baby girl named Dolcenia three months before the accident. At three months old her parents left her in the care of Johns Hopkins Children Hospital when they needed to go to Africa on emergency business. When they did not return to claim their child she was listed as abandoned and turned over to the state once she was well enough.
He smiled, he had finally gotten his prize, the sisters were carrying the children of 'brothers', Cable and Nate. Though they are from different planes of reality those two men were identical on the genetic level. This was too good for Sinister to let slip through his fingers. The icing on the cake was that Ororo was carrying a boy and Threnody was carrying a girl. Sinister was sure God himself had smiled on him this day, not that the scientist believed in a God.
"So you mean to tell me that Threnody's real name is Dolcenia Monroe, the weather witch's long lost sister, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH," Creed almost fell out his chair laughing.
"For the fifth time yes, you idiot, now be quiet," Sinister watched with an evil grin as the monitor in front of him read how far along in the pregnancy they were being pushed. Then something went wrong, as the monitor read nine months, cracks began to form in the glass that encased both Ororo and Threnody. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces spraying everywhere.
Sinister recoiled in rage, until he noticed that both women still hung motionless in the air. There was a moment of silence, he watched them in awe, not sure what to make of this. Suddenly, their eyes opened, both women's irises were white as snow. They seemed to be looking directly at Sinister. Both their right index fingers twitched and the machinery that was strapped to them flew across the room, crushing the four doctors in the room with them. Without warning the glass window in front of Sinister exploded and the glass blow back into the observation room. Before the men could recover, both women floated gracefully over to them. Hovering, both Storm and Threnody extented their right arms and the wall across the room exploded.
As they floated towards their newly created door, Creed jumped and grabbed Ororo, Threnody turned in midair. She leaned her head slightly to the right and Creed began screaming in pain, releasing Storm. Threnody watched as Creed burst into flames then tumbled out of the window they had just shattered. Sinister rose off the floor, terror filled his eyes.
"Please. No. I beg you. NOOOOOOO," Sinister's hands flamed red hot followed by the rest of his body. He screamed in agony for several seconds, then he was silent. Rejoining Threnody's side, Storm lead the way out of the Chemical Plant. When they were only a few feet outside, the massive building exploded. Bricks and glass bounced off the woman as if they were pillows. They looked at one another still in a state flux, Threnody took Storm's hand happy in the knowledge that she and her sister were safe.
In the air, a mile or so away...
"You still can't contact Threnody," Cable yelled to Nate?!?
"No, I..." The sound of a nearby explosion silenced Nate's answer. Both men jumped forward to look out the plane's windshield. "Oh My God," Nate knew that it was the Chemical Plant. He ran for the exit door, opening it he jumped out. He raced through the sky twice as fast as the minijet could every hope to. When he approached the smoking ruins of the plant he could feel nothing of his beloved Threnody.
He reached out, still nothing. Soon, a essence reached into his mind, wordlessly telling him to go to the end of the field near the tree line. He followed the directions, upon landing he found Ororo and Threnody huddled together and passed out. The spirit that lead him there was close by but silent. The minijet soon landed in the field behind him.
*Cable bring blankets.*
That night...
"It'll be okay, Sweety, just push one more time," Nate sweety whispered to Threnody.
"YOU PUSH ONE MORE...AHHHHHHH," she was angry and in pain! Nate looked across the room at Cable, who was having about the same luck with Storm who had stopped talking to him an hour ago and only grunted angry breaths when Cable attempted to speak to her.
Jean and Jubilee, still in MedLab recovering from the injuries they recieved at the mall looked in trying to surpress the laughter welling up in them. Jean listened to the painful wails and considered rethinking her own desire to have children.
Hank ran between Ororo and Threnody with Kitty assisting him. "Hank the baby's coming," Kitty nervously announced while standing by Storm.
"Sorry my lovely assistant you are on your own, Threnody's child is a second away from.." The baby slide gracefully out into Hank's gloved arms. When he looked over at Kitty, she too was holding another little bundle, a boy.
"Well now, who was born first, " Hank joked?
"THEY WERE BORN AT THE SAMETIME," Jean and Jubilee yelled from their beds!
The next morning....
Hank marvelled at the little ones laying quietly next to their respective parents, their powers were already active. Somehow the babies had taken control of their mothers while Sinister held them, but returned control after they escaped. Still, the little ones had shown no desire to use their gifts since they had been born. Even more interesting was the newly discovered fact that both Threnody and Ororo were sisters. Stll none of this answered his questions of how Threnody made it to Nate's or who sent Storm the picture. Hank just shock his head, this would a Christmas Eve he was sure never to forget.
"Have y'all decided on names, yet," Rogue asked while making faces at the baby girl next to Threnody?
"Well, considering that the children were not due for months we had no time to pick names," Storm responded.
"How' 'bout Remy for duh boy and Remiette for duh girl," Remy said, garnishing angry eyes, "What Remy say wrong?"
"Well we had an idea," Jean said from her bed, " How about Grey Summers for Storm and Cable's boy and Summer Grey for Threnody and Nate's little girl?" All present looked at Jean and the half asleep Jubilee with wary glances.
"Remy think you two need some sleep."
"Now what a minute, I like that, " Threnody said looking over at her sister smiling.
"I agree," Storm added. Nate and Cable looked at each other and shrugged, as long as the kids were healthy and their Ladies were talking to them again they didn't care what names were picked.
"Then it's settled, Grey Summers and Summer Grey," Hank announced proudly.