The Five Times Pyro Babysat

Chapter Two: She Doesn't Like Me

"She's glaring at me."

"Don't be silly!" Bobby laughed. "She's just curious! She doesn't know who you are."

John arched an eyebrow, staring back at the baby lying in the bouncer.

"Hi, I'm John," still the baby stared. "No. She just doesn't like me."

Bobby shook his head and rolled his eyes, sitting up away from the other mutant, laughing quietly as he turned to face him.

"You're being paranoid," he smirked, standing up quickly. "I'm going for a shower."

"No you're not!" John made a grab for Bobby's arm. "You remember last time you left me alone with her."

"You'll be fine," Bobby assured him, pulling his arm away just in time. He smiled and leant forward, cupping his hands either side of the fire mutant's face. "She's a baby. You're a big bad Brotherhood mutant. What'ya scared of?"

"I'm not scared," John scowled.

"Good!" Bobby planted a quick kiss on his boyfriend's lips. "I'll be ten minutes."

John opened his mouth to protest but just frowned heavily as he knew it was a waste of time. The fire mutant just watched as Abi grinned at her father, her eyes following him as he left the room. Her smile faded as he disappeared from sight and did not return.

"Oh don't even think about it," John muttered as she turned back to him, her eyes widening and her bottom lip quivering. A quiet whimper escaped her lips as the fire mutant pulled a face. "He'll be back soon!"

Another whimper led to a sob. John cringed and buried his face in his hands as the little sobs broke out into a full blown scream.

"Agh!" he growled, rolling off the sofa, kneeling down in front of the bouncer, rocking it up and down. Still Abi screamed. "Oh come on! This works for Drake..." the screams broke only for the baby to catch her breath. "Please..." the fire mutant varied the force of the rocking from gentle to frantic but nothing worked. "Your mother put you up to this didn't she," John muttered. "Did she tell you it's all my fault that your father doesn't live with you and you have to make my life hell?"

Abi just gasped as she struggled to get enough air into her tiny lungs to scream some more. By the time Bobby returned she had been reduced to quiet, gasping sobs, the fire mutant reduced to lying on his back in front of her clutching his head.

"Oh, was she crying again?" the ice mutant frowned, kneeling down beside his daughter and his lover. John wearily opened his eyes as Bobby reached out and rubbed Abi's stomach, his other hand gently running down the fire mutant's chest.

"Screaming," he replied bluntly as Bobby bit his lip guiltily. John sighed heavily and pushed himself up. "I should be going anyway."

"John wait!" Bobby moved to stand up but the pyrokinetic pushed him back down.

"Really, I have stuff to do," he gave the ice mutant a quick kiss, completely ignoring the baby watching them both intently. "I'll call you."

Bobby just sighed heavily and watched as John left the room. A quiet whimper brought his attention quickly back to the room. Reaching over he scooped his daughter up into his arms, bouncing her up and down, laughing quietly as the little girl finally smiled.

"He's not that bad you know," Bobby said softly, smiling as a pair of little blue eyes just looked back up at him. "You just have to give each other a chance..."