"What's wrong?" Paige asked, kneeling beside her.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just my feet swelling, is all."
Jubilee, Monet, and Paige had just gotten home from an all-day shopping trip. They'd picked out clothes, toys, books, and God-only-knows-what else. "I can't believe babies need this much stuff." Jubilee wondered aloud, gazing over the bags of merchandise. Paige chuckled. "Ah have seven brother an' sisters and trust me, they do. This is only the start! Wait 'till Rowena starts walkin', an' potty-training, and goin' ta school, an' _boys_-"
"What 'boys'?!" Remy asked, with a suddenly panicked expression on his face. "Why", Paige began, "the boys she's gonna date when she's in high school--"
Logan growled and popped his claws. "No she ain't", he said gruffly, "Rowena ain't dating."
Paige and Jubilee exchanged an amused look.
"Well", Jubilee said as she stood up, "you boys ready ta help me decorate the babies room?"
Gambit nodded."Oui chere, Gambit will help, but first t'ings first, M and I have to go looking for the motorcycle, or did you forget?"
Monet stood up, flying across the room. "I had not forgotten Gambit, I mean Remy. I was hoping we could postpone the motorcycle shopping until tomorrow. You have no idea how tiring a day of shopping with Paige and Jubilee can be."
Jubilee laughed a little. "He was talking to me Monet. Anyways, I need him to help me get this stuff sorted. Oh, I just realized, why are you calling Remy, Remy and not Gambit like you normally do?"
M looked haughty for a moment. "If you must know Jubilee, I feel it is the least I could do. After all, he is going to be Papa Remy and not Papa Gambit, correct?
Jubilee sent an amused glance Remy's way. "As usual you are correct. Now let's get this stuff unloaded!"
Jubilee bent over and grabbed one of the huge sacks. This one was filled with educational toys, including a Baby's first Computer, which Hank had picked out. Jubilee wasn't sure why a newborn would need a computer, but Hank had been very adamant that it would increase Rowena's literacy skills, so she had gone along with it.
Paige, Remy, Monet, and Logan each grabbed a bag and started up the stairs. Rowena's room was right done the hall from Jubilee's so she could here her if she started to cry. Remy and Logan had painted it a light and airy shade of yellow, which reminded Jubilee of a vanilla cake. Paige had helped her pick out a blue and yellow crib to go along with the paint, and Angelo and Everett were right in the middle of pasting up the alphabet border when she walked in.
"You guys need any help?" she asked, her hands on her hips, as she grinned at the paste covered GenXers. "Huh? Oh your back chica", responded Angelo. "You know the paste is supposed to go on the border, not the people putting up the border", said Jubilee with a grin. "What'd you get Jubes", asked Ev. "I'll make a deal with you two, you finish putting up the border and get cleaned up, then I will show you all the stuff we got. To be honest, I don't remember everything we got", said Jubilee.
"Cool chica, you got yourself a deal! Angelo, Ev, ah think Ah can help you here", responded Paige, "after all, Ah have done this before when helping my mother prepare the baby's room back home."
"Thanks Paige", said Ev.
"Yeah Chica, muchas gracias", added Angelo.
"If you will excuse me, Jubilee said, I want to take a hot bath and soak my aching feet and back. Remy, Logan, and I will start organizing the merchandise we bought today."
"You go take that bath, a pregnant woman needs her muscles to be relaxed otherwise the stress can effect her and her unborn child", added Monet. With a hug to Monet, Jubilee said thanks and left. about 30 minutes later the border was finished, the gang was cleaned up, the merchandise was organized, and Jubilee was feeling a whole lot more relaxed.
"Wow chica, did you buy the entire store?"
"Nah Angelo, although, it sure looks like it, doesn't it", Jubilee said with a grin. "I don't remember buying this", said Jubilee holding up a small black leather jacket that resembled Remy's. "That 'cause I t'ought the 'tite would need it when she ride wit' her Papa on the motorcycle her Aunt Monet promised to buy her and me." Remy answered her with a grin. "And what's this?" Jubilee looked at Logan and Logan said, "Jubes, I figured the kid would be needin' a helmet to go along with the jacket. Like I say, safety first."
With that everyone started laughing and that laughing led to the emergence of more X-Men to come in and see what was going on. "Oh my stars and garters, you actually bought the computer I suggested Jubilation", exclaimed Hank. "You want me to download some software on it?" "Calm down Hank", Jubilee said, "I don't think that'll be necessary for awhile.
"Just let me know when you need it to be done and I will install them", said Hank. Jubilee hugged and thanked him.
"I think I'm gonna go take a nap." Jubilee stated awhile later. After Ev and Angelo had finally finished putting up the border (with Cyclops' help) Jubilee, Husk, M, and Jean Grey had decorated the entire room as Remy and Logan sorted through the bags.
Jubilee was beat. The hot bath had relaxed her muscles, as well as making her a bit sleepy. All during lunch she was yawning, and her eyelids felt heavy.All through lunch she'd kept on yawning. "Okay, chica." Angelo replied. He and Remy were in the process of putting together a baby swing set. Jubilee walked down the hall to her room, carrying the baby roadster's jacket.
Sitting down on the bed, she smiled. She could just see Remy cruising the road with Rowena in the sidecar, wearing matching outfits. Yawning, she flopped down on the bed, pulled the covers around herself, and drifted off to sleep.
*ImwarmandcomfybutImalittlehungryMommaareyouthere?ImhungryhungryMommawillyoufeedmeMomma?*
Jubilee's eyes shot open. Wait a second. This couldn't be right. She was dreaming, wasn't she? She could've sworn someone was talking to her in her head- No, no, she reminded herself, the only psis home today are Monet, Emma, and Jean, and they're all right down the hall. If they needed me they wouldn't telepathically call me. Jono would, but he's not here-he went gift shopping for Paige's birthday. Anyway, he wouldn't call me Momma- Jubilee sat up. Momma? Could Rowena-nah, she told herself, can't be. Jubilee had had dreams before were she could've sworn someone was talking to her in her head-but that's all they were. Dreams. Right? Jubilee rationalized. I don't even know if she's a telepath--anyway, she wouldn't know English--would she?
*MadreImhungrydeNuevo*
Jubilee stood up slowly. "Omigod." she whispered, starring at her belly. Spanish-she knows Spanish-thanks a lot Ange, she thought wryly. Okay, this was weird. Very weird. Her baby knew English and Spanish and was talking to her in the womb. Okay, extremely weird.
Jubilee started down the hall. "Oh, Hank?!"
****************
"Congratulations, Jubilee." Beast told her, studying a sheet, "You're baby is a telepath."
Jubilee's eyebrows shot up. A mutant telepath. One that could talk to her while she was pregnant. Great.
Remy's hand squeezed her shoulder. He had been worried about Rowena; the news she was a mutant was comforting.
Jubilee picked up Rowena's sonograms. (Well, she doesn't have a tail or anything) then after thinking of Nightcrawler (Not that there's anything wrong with that)
She couldn't lie to herself. She had hoped her child would be a human. The world was so dangerous for a mutant; she had wanted her daughter to have a normal childhood.
Jubilee slid off the medlab bed and walked out the door. She and Paige were going out for lunch; to a great place in New York.
*Mommayouresaddontbeplease* Jubilee smiled. Hank had said that Rowena had probably picked up her repertoire from the outside; people that Jubilee was with a lot. Jubilee wondered if Rowena was going to have a Cajun twang, or a valley girl accent. Perhaps a canuck accent-or maybe all three. Jubilee giggled.
A little later on in the day, Paige and Jubilee sat at a lovely cafe overlooking a park. They were finishing up their meal when Jubilee noticed several people setting up a podium and talking amongst themselves.
"What's going on?" she asked her friend.
Paige wrinkled her nose. "Oh them. They're part 'o' the FoH. They come down here every now and then and hold a demonstration in the park 'bout mutants. Ah wouldn't have brought you today if Ah'd known they were comin'."
Jubilee took a last bite of her sandwich and stood up. Wonderful. Her day had been going more or less fine until now. Oh well.
"Maybe we better go." Jubilee said to her friend, picking her purse.
On the way back to the mansion, Jubilee casually asked, "Sooo-whatta ya want for your birthday?"
Paige shot her an amused look.
"My birthday, huh?"
Jubilee leaned back in her seat, trying to feign disinterest. "Yeah, ya know, I figured there was something special ya wanted?"
Paige chuckled.
"Nah, nothing in particular. Jus' you don't be going into labor at my birthday party!"
Jubilee started to laugh, but that comment gave her pause. She was just about seven and a half months pregnant. (Not too much longer) a tiny voice in her head reminded her.
She was scared. She'd heard about childbirth, and knew it was painful. Not that she hadn't dealt with pain before, but-
(Oh, stop worrying) she told herself sternly (Ya won't go into labor at Paige's party)
She hoped not, anyway. ****
Suddenly Jubilee stopped and grabbed Paige by the arm.
"Umm, no, it won't be at your party, I can say that for sure."
"Why's that?" asked Paige.
"Because it's happening right now," said Jubilee doubling over.
"Oh, Omigod! What do I do?"
"Go get Remy and Logan," said Jubilee trying to stay calm.
*Don'tworrymomma.I'mjustcomingtoseeyou.*
****************
"Omigod." Paige moaned, leaping up. She bolted out of the room, calling loudly to the others.
Jubilee tried to catch her breath. This was too early--she was only seven and a half-uh uh, what was that?!
(I think its a contraction) she told herself, fighting to stay calm.
*MommawhatsgoingonthisisharderthanIthought*
"It's okay baby", Jubilee whispered out loud, in order to calm herself as well as Rowena.
Logan, Storm, and Remy ran in, followed by Paige. Logan, honest to God, looked like he was about to faint. Remy had gone pale. Only Storm seemed in control.
"It's going to be just fine child", Ororo soothed, leading her down the hall, "I promise."
"Chere, you be okay?" Remy asked in a slightly squeaky voice as Beast helped her sit down on the bed. Jubilee nodded, but tensed up as she felt another contraction hit. Gasping, her hand flailed out and grasped Logan's hand.
"Bare down hard as you like, darlin'" he whispered in her ear, "Even your grip can't bend adamantium."
Jubilee managed a weak smile. "Wanna..wanna bet on that.. Wolvie?"
After Beast checked her over he said, "Your definitely in labor, Jubilee. Don't worry--these things take hours. Do you want some pain relievers or food and drink?"
Jubilee nodded vehemently. "Yes, yes.. especially the pain relievers."
******
Jubilee moaned and buried her face in the pillows. It had been several hours, but she had not yet entered full-blown labor. Hank had dressed her in a maternity hospital gown, given her a pain reliever, and told her that she should try to rest.
Jubilee was finding that hard to do. Her body was wracked with contractions periodically causing her to writhe and twist upon the bed. Her face and hair were damp with perspiration. Logan and Remy were still in the room with her, with Hank, Storm, Paige, Jean, and Scott outside for the moment.
Remy damped a washcloth and used it to swab down her red-streaked face. Jubilee held his hand for a moment, only to accidentally clench down when another contraction hit. Remy's face twisted up in pain. "Oh chere", he said, gritting his teeth, "Y'got some grip dere."
Jubilee bit her lip. Worse than the physical pain was Rowena's panic. If this was bad on the outside, she could only imagine was it was like inside.
*MommathisissohardMomma-*
Jubilee propped herself up, with some assistance by Logan and Remy. Hank said to try different positions to ease the pain and tension; she'd asked for an epidural, but they couldn't give her that till things really started getting good.
Jubilee pressed her face against Logan's chest, as if his presence could ease the pain. Logan wished he could. He felt so useless, not being able to do anything--this was really her battle; all he could do was watch.
Jubilee stood up and tried crouching down. Paige said her mother had found that most comfortable when she was in labor-maybe it would work with Jubilee.
Another contraction hit, stronger than the others. Jubilee couldn't help crying out; this one was so intense her toes curled.
*Momma! Mommasomethingswrong-*
Logan stopped. Something was different. He could smell it.
Jubilee bore down hard on his hand and hissed through her teeth."Logan.. Remy...I think this is it...."
Remy leaped up and bolted for the door, yelling, "Beast! Get y'furry blue butt in here!"
Logan supported her to her feet, helping her back to the bed.
****
Hank rushed in and looked at the Rowena's heart rate. "Oh dear." Best whispered. "Oh dears aren't good. What's wrong? " Jubilee said." The baby's heart rate has dropped rapidly. She can't be born like this. I'm going to have to do a C-section." Hank said.
Jubilee felt her heart hit her stomach.
"You're gonna do what to my baby?!"
Hank placed his hand on her shoulder.
"If we don't, Jubilee, we may lose you both; your pregnancy has not been easy, and add to that the premature birth..."
Jubilee felt tears gather in her eyes. She could lose her baby. If she did, it would be her fault. Until now, Jubilee had never fully realized how much she wanted Rowena; being able to talk to your unborn child makes it all the more real.
*Momma--whatiswrong...*
Oh, God, the psi link was fading. "Hurry", she cried to Beast, "I'm losing her!"
It changed from one person having a baby to a team of people having a baby. Jubilee was placed in a wheelchair and taken down the hall to the operation room.
As Beast put her under, the last words Jubilee could hear was Logan whispering her name....
****
The light made her eyes hurt. "Someone turn out the lights. It's to bright in here." Jubilee groaned. "Jubes?" she heard Logan whisper. "Yeah Wolvie? How's Rowena?" she asked.
Jubilee tried to sit up, but her stomach hurt horribly. Thank goodness Hank had given her pain killers, or she would've passed out from the pain. Beast stood nearby, next to a small incubator. He looked up and smiled at her.
"Jubilee.. she's so beautiful."
Jubilee felt her breath catch in her throat. "What..? How did she...?"
Beast cleared his throat. "Well, you're not going to believe this, Jubilation, but her healing factor is repairing her heart."
Jubilee gasped. "Healing factor?!"
Logan nodded. He, Remy, and Jean were standing next to the incubator. "Hank's right, darlin'", he told her, glancing through the clear cover, "She's a tough little customer. She's also real cute, if I may say so myself."
"She's fine," Logan replied, quietly. "You're the proud mother of a five pound, eight ounce, pink-faced baby girl. And she's got a howl worse than Banshee," He smoothed the damp and matted hair away from Jubilee's exhausted face, and she felt his hand shaking. "What's wrong, Wolvie?" Jubilee asked her friend and mentor. The light shining in her eyes was finally snapped off, and there was Beast, standing on the other side of the bed. "Everything is all right Jubilee," He said, "but YOU gave us quite a scare. We almost lost you on the delivery table."
"Wha...?" Jubilee asked. Her head was starting to pound from the drugs, bright lights, and general exhaustion.
"Yeah p'tite-- y'gave us quite de scare dere." Remy said, coming to stand by her bedside.
"In the midst of the surgery you hemorrhaged again; you began bleeding internally as well. I thought we'd lost you there." Beast said, leaping off to check on Rowena.
Jubilee allowed herself to sink into the bed sheets. More time in bed. Wonderful. Oh well.
"Logan?" she called out in a somewhat weaker voice than she expected, "please let me see Rowena- please?"
"Sure darlin'." Logan smiled at her and picked the baby up.
"Logan you shouldn't." Hank started. "I want to see my baby Hank! Now!" she screamed. "Hush petite you're gonna see her." Logan brought the tiny infant over to her and laid her in Jubilee's arms. She smiled at her Rowena with tears in her eyes. *I'm gonna be the best mom I can be. I promise you that Ro.* Jubilee thought. *IknowMommaIknow.*" she 'heard' Rowena say.
Jubilee allowed a tear to drip down her face. She felt like she'd lost something important; in a way, she had. The telepathic link she and Rowena shared was still there, but was no longer as strong as it had been in the womb. She had never imagined she would feel so lonely in her own head.
*Mommathisisdifferent-whoisthebighairymanandwhoistheeven hairierman?*
Jubilee started to giggle.
She was so tiny and delicate- Jubilee was afraid that she would break her by holding her. Rowena's face was all screwed up, and her tiny fists were busily rubbing her eyes when Jubilee got her first look at her.
A black skullcap of hair cradled her head; unusual, but not unheard of. Rowena peeked at her through slightly blurry eyes that shone a deep blue, fringed in black lashes.
"I told you she was beautiful." Wolverine said gruffly.
"Of course she is. She looks like me. " she said with a smile. Logan could tell she was trying to avoid the fact she had large blue eyes that held both the look of innocents like Jubilee's and the hungry predator look like Victor Creed's. "Petite, ya did real well dis time." Remy said kissing her forehead.
Jubilee kissed Rowena's face, and gently ruffled her hair. Rowena's hand reached out, and it wrapped around Jubilee's finger with surprising strength.
"Now, you stay put, Jubilation", Beast said, moving for the door, "There are some people outside who've been dying to see you."
Jubilee felt a surge of happiness as all of her friends entered the room. She almost laughed at how uncertain some of them looked. All at once everyone suddenly began to speak.
"Are you OK?"
"Is that her? Oh she's so beautiful!"
"We were so worried."
"She looks just like you Jubes."
Jubilee felt the love in the room surround her. She looked down at her baby. She knew that she would never regret having her. She leaned down and kissed Rowena on the forehead.
**********
Some time later...
Jubilee sat up in bed, mindful of the stitches on her stomach. Standing up, she pulled on her bathrobe and walked down the hall to the nursery.
In the darkness, the yellow walls seemed almost gray, with only a small plug-in night light for illumination.
Rowena lay in her crib, blissfully asleep. She hadn't cried, but Jubilee had felt the need to check on her. Their psi-link was still there, but dimmer; Hank said it should reassert itself as Rowena got older.
Jubilee leaned over the crib, admiring her masterwork. The infant yawned, and Jubilee reached down and allowed Rowena's tiny hand to wrap about her finger. Rowena stretched in her sleep, and tightened her grip.
Jubilee winced as a minute claw sprang from her daughters finger, scratching her knuckle. She watched carefully as the claw retracted back into Rowena's digit as the baby relaxed.
Jubilee stifled an impulse to cry. It wasn't her daughters fault she'd inherited those - things - from her father...
(No, not her father) Jubilee told herself strictly, feeling her throat constrict (Logan's her father, Remy's her father, and I'm her mother.) Breathing hard for a moment, Jubilee reached down and softly kissed Rowena on the cheek.
"Isn't that right, my little Enchantress?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
After listening to her daughter's light breathing for a minute, Jubilee stood up and headed towards the door.
Rowena slept soundly.
And when Jubilee got back to her room, so did her mother.
The End
****