4.

The Present

Chapter Theme Song: Back In Time - Huey Lewis & The News

"Guess who's gonna be a dad!" Wade burst into the mansion kitchen where Nina and Domino were cooling off after a workout and Russell was doing homework. They gave a collective gasp.

"Yup, we're pregnant! Well, Vanessa is, I'm not."

"Congratulations, Wade. That's so exciting!" commented Nina.

"Thanks! And I know, right?! And, to celebrate, we'd like to have you all over for dinner to spread the exciting news!"

"To people who already know?" said Domino.

"Well you three will already know. But Al will be there, and also Weasel. And of course, Colossus, and Vanessa insisted that I invite his sassy trainee cause they helped save her when Francis abducted her. Which means I'll also have to invite Yukio, but I don't have a problem with that cause she's great! And of course Dopinder will be there, and the whole X-Force team. And Russell, I know you're still technically a trainee, but you're invited too as part of the team."

"Yes!" Russell cheered.

"So you all come on over to our apartment at six-thirty tomorrow for dinner and the grand reveal."

"Try to keep it a secret till then," Domino advised him.

"Sounds great. Would you like us to bring anything?" asked Nina.

"Naw, just your lovely selves!"

"That's doable." Doms grinned.

Wade then turned to Nina. "Hey, you haven't seen Future Hubby around, have you? Got to invite him too - can't invite the rest of the team and not him, that would just be crappy of me! Plus Ness wants to meet him, after he saved me and all."

"I really wish you wouldn't call him that."

"Why not? It's the truth, isn't it?"

"I know, but-"

Doms slung an arm around Nina's shoulders. "Someone's still a little embarrassed about what happened during the mission the other day."

"More like mortified," Nina corrected.

"Why would you be embarrassed, or 'mortified'? It's not like you were the one who got all aroused in the middle of the mission and called out for it."

"I didn't call him out, I panicked!"

"Why?"

"Because I barely know him, and I wasn't expecting that during a mission! How would you feel if a guy you barely knew got 'all aroused in the middle of the mission' because of you?"

Wade lay a hand on his chest. "I would be honoured!"

She sighed. "I don't know why I try talking to you about this stuff."

Wade chuckled, coming around to her other side and putting an arm around her shoulders too. "Here's a little piece of advice: It can only get better from here." He placed a quick kiss to her temple. "Now, I gotta run - got some illegal drug deals to stop. So long!" He jumped and clicked his heels and was gone.

"Yay, the rest of the ladies are here!" cheered Vanessa when Nina and Domino arrived. "Hi Nina! And you must be Domino, the lucky one. Wade's told me all about you."

"I bet he has."

"Come on in!" After hugging them both, Vanessa waved them inside where they found Al, Weasel, Dopinder, Colossus, Ellie, and Yukio already present.

Pop! A bottle cork shot right in front of their faces across the room, striking the wall. "My bad!" called Wade.

"It's good to see you, Ness, alive and well." Nina hugged Vanessa again.

"Thanks. Yeah Wade's told me about what happened. Sounds pretty crazy."

"Yeah, it was. Is. Still is."

"Yeah. He also told me that your super hot cyber-soldier husband from the future showed up. What's with that?"

Nina blew her bangs out of her eyes. Unbelievable. "Of course he did."

"Well I can't wait to meet him! You think he'll be here tonight?"

"I'm not sure. It doesn't really seem like his kind of thing, he's not very social. But Wade invited the whole team, so who knows?" She shrugged. "Congratulations, by the way," she added, nodding to Vanessa's belly, and happy to change the subject.

"Thanks!" The other woman grinned and lay a hand on her stomach. "Wade was too excited to keep it quiet until tonight. Hopefully there's still at least someone here who doesn't know yet for the 'grand reveal'."

"It's very exciting."

"Yeah, it is."

Shortly after, once dinner was ready, everyone gathered around the table. Nina's seat was between Doms and Russell. Wade had made name cards for the place settings, hers reading, Which Witch is Which? making her chuckle. Oh Wade, so creative.

An empty place was set across from her. Reaching over she plucked the name card and read it:

Back-to-the-Future Man.

So she and Nathan 'just happened' to be sitting across from each other. This was Wade's doing, it had his name written all over it, though it sounded like Vanessa was in full support too.

But Nathan still wasn't here, so she didn't worry about it.

The food was brought out and everyone helped themselves.

Ding, ding! Everyone turned to the head of the table where Wade had tapped his glass.

"Did he just tap his glass with his knife?" Doms whispered to Nina.

"Of course he did."

"If I could have your attention, please. Thank you. First of all, thank you all for being here tonight-" Nina eyed the empty chair across from her. "-Before we start eating - although I see most of you have already dug in - Ness and I have an exciting announcement to make." Wade reached for Vanessa's hand and gave it a squeeze, and her a smile.

Just as he opened his mouth to continue, there came a knock at the door.

"Oh, well now who could that be?" He went over to the door. "As if on cue-"

He opened the door to reveal none other than Nathan Summers.

Wade gave an excited gasp. "Lover-boy, you're here! Oh, we missed you! Now the gang's all here!"

"Get out of the way, Wade, and let him inside," laughed Vanessa, also going over to greet their guest. "You must be Nathan, from the future, right? I've heard all about you."

"Uh, yeah, yeah, that's me." Nathan looked down. He appeared shy. "You must be Vanessa."

"I am! Thank you, for everything that you did to save Wade." She gave him a hug. He looked startled for a moment before returning it.

"No problem. Don't regret it yet - too much." He glanced at Wade before turning back to her. "Sorry I'm late."

"Oh, no worries, we were just starting."

"I brought you this." Nathan held out the bottle of wine that had been tucked under his arm.

"Oooo, you've got good taste!" exclaimed Wade, examining the label. "I'll get some glasses."

"Come, have a seat with the others," Vanessa offered.

"Yes, perfect timing, my friend," Wade added. "We were just about to make our announcement, the whole point of this dinner thing. And to see all of you lovely folks of course." There were some chuckles. Ellie rolled her eyes while Yukio waved. "Go on, have a seat. You're right across from Future Wifey."

"Uh, thanks, but I can't stay. I just wanted to drop that off and meet the woman Wade nearly died for." Nathan nodded. "He loves you a lot."

Vanessa looked surprised but touched by his words. "Yeah, he does."

"You risk the most for those you love."

Everyone seemed a little surprised by such tender words falling from the lips of one of the top scariest X-Force members.

"But you at least gotta stay for our announcement! Don't want to be out of the circle of gossip!" Wade and Vanessa grasped hands again, and paused for dramatic effect while they faced their guests. "We're having a baby!"

Excited cries erupted around the table - Colossus looked choked up, Yukio thrilled, while Ellie looked shocked. Nina and Doms shared a smile.

"Thank you, thank you," said Wade, soaking up the congratulations. "That's right, we are officially parents-to-be!" He raised his glass. "So a toast, to us. Here here." He raised his glass and then downed it in one gulp.

Nathan now had his back turned and was already heading for the door.

"Hey, Future-boy, where are you going?" called Wade. "The party's just starting!"

"I can't stay," Nathan repeated, the words sounding like they were spoken through gritted teeth this time. "Congratulations." On that note, he was gone.

A slightly awkward silence followed.

"What was that about?" mumbled Doms. Nina could only shake her head, eyes glued to the door where Nathan had just stormed out.

"Who knows. The guy's a mysterious figure," said Wade as he and Vanessa took their seats again. "Anyway, on the bright side, more food for us! Everybody dig in!"

I'm excited for 'Dark Phoenix' to see how it will influence this story! :) hopefully we get another trailer soon!

Flashbacks in the next chapter! ;D Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!