A/N: and here it is. The moment you've all been waiting for. The baby! Yes, the baby is gonna be born. I'm very excited actually. So, let's not sit here listening to me, let's get on with the show.
Another scream tore through what had previously been a quiet mansion. It was loud enough to rival Siryn, and very obviously pain filled, a horrible sound that made most of the occupants of the mansion either cringe in sympathy or rush to their doors to see what the matter was. Most peeked out just in time to see Logan speed by, arms full of Kurt, who was the one making the racket. He'd gone into labor.
Logan kicked open the infirmary door where Hank, Storm, and Charles were waiting to take over. They got Kurt settled on one of the beds, where Logan took up post beside him and tried not to wince as Kurt latched onto his hand and squeezed. He brushed Kurt's curls from his face with his free hand. Kurt's head snapped towards him, and his yellow eyes narrowed into a glare. At once, he started to curse at Logan in rapid German.
"Dieses ist alles you' Restörung! Sie taten dies mich an!"
By that point, Logan had learned enough to know that Kurt was saying it was his entire fault, his being in labor. He didn't take him too seriously; he was in quite a lot of pain after all, and he was the one that had gotten him pregnant. At least, he wasn't taking him seriously until Kurt's tail latched around his neck and started to squeeze.
"Kurt…elf!...Can't breathe…"
Kurt screamed again, head flung back and eyes screwed shut. Logan's grip on his hand was slackening, and he was starting to fall limp. Storm glanced over, slightly worried at the blue cast to Logan's face. It shouldn't kill him, but perhaps she should get Kurt's tail from around his neck all the same. Just in case.
"Kurt, honey, shh, listen, you're cutting off the oxygen to Logan's brain," she said gently. "I know it hurts, but you need to let him go now. We want him to be around to see your baby, right?" He looked up at her, eyes wide with tears clinging to his lashes. They spilled over as he nodded and pulled his tail from Logan, who took a great gasping breath and fell to his knees.
"Perhaps it'd be better if you waited in the hall," Hank suggested, pulling Logan to his feet. Logan looked back at Kurt, who was gasping the sheet on the mattress. "Don't worry," Hank said soothingly, we'll treat him and the baby like gold, you'll be able to see them both soon enough."
"Fine, but if you need me, if he calls for me, I'm not hesitating," Logan replied shortly, shoving through the door.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Hank murmured wryly and returned to Kurt.
Logan found himself joined by Kitty, Angel, Bobby, Johnny, and Remy, all of whom looked exhausted, with sleep tousled hair and bags under their eyes, it having been night time when Logan had made his mad dash down the hall.
"How's he doin'?" Kitty asked sleepily, rubbing at her eyes.
"Almost just choked me with his tail."
"So good then?" Johnny quipped, earning him an elbow to the ribs from Bobby. Another cry from beyond the doors, and they all jumped. Logan almost gave himself whiplash turning to see if he needed to go.
"Relax mon ami. 'E is in good hands, no? They will care for your elfe amoureux very well, you know that," Remy added from where he slouched against the wall. Logan scowled in his direction.
"Wish everyone'd quit tellin' me to relax. I think I've got the right to worry if I so choose at the fact that this is the first male mutant pregnancy we're dealing with, and it happens to be my Kurt and so much could go wrong in there while I'm stuck out here entertaining you lot!"
Kitty took exception to that last remark, and nearly leapt to her feet to defend herself. "Hey, we're just here 'cause-''She was cut off by Angel's hand closing around her arm, the look he gave her clearly telling her to lay off Logan. He was worried, they all were. She slumped back down, arms crossed over her chest, sulking.
They dozed off and on for hours, waiting for something, some scrap of news that Kurt and the baby were ok. Finally, hours later, on April 20th at 12:34 am, a new voice was heard in the hall, tiny and crying, but growing stronger with each second. Kitty, who had been leaning on Angel's shoulder, jerked up and got tangled in his wings. Johnny, who was curled up next to Bobby, rolled over and stretched, reaching immediately for the comforting weight of his gold lighter in his pocket. Remy looked up as Logan got hurriedly to his feet, standing by the door, waiting for word that he could go in. They all waited with bated breath, starting almost in sync when the door swung out to reveal Storm, who beamed at them.
"It's a girl."
Logan sagged with relief.
"Can I see her?"
"Do you expect me to stop you? Besides, Kurt's asking for you. Come in, but you five wait out here."
There was a chorus of disappointed groans behind Logan as he followed Storm past the doors and into the infirmary to the bed where Kurt was cradling a tiny bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. He gazed softly up at Logan, and pushed back the blanket so he could see her face. She had beautiful hazel eyes fringed with dark lashes, and she blinked up at him. The halo of fuzz crowning her head was dark brown, but there were streaks of blue, the same shade as Kurt's curls, mixed in with it. Her ears curled up into a delicate point at the top, a softer version of Kurt's own pointed ears.
"She doesn't have a tail, in case you were wondering," Kurt said laughingly.
"I wasn't, but that's interesting to note. Any knives coming out of those little hands darlin'?" Logan tickled her fisted hand, and she at once wrapped her fingers around his and stuck them in her mouth, drooling happily. "I'm gonna say no. Got your ears though."
"Your eyes. She's perfect," Kurt kissed her forehead.
"What's her name?" Storm asked.
"Name?" Logan and Kurt looked at each other. "Uhhhh…"
"You never settled on one, did you?"
"…No. We didn't. Fu-''
"Logan! Not in front of our baby!"
"Alright! Sorry. But Kurt, she doesn't have a name."
"For now, until we settle on one, she can simply be our reizender kleiner Engel."
"Which means?" Storm asked.
"Lovely little angel," Kurt replied softy, gently pulling Logan's fingers from her mouth. He wiped them on his jeans uncaringly. The baby continued to suckle where they'd been for a second more, until she realized they were gone. Her face scrunched up, and Logan had a second to think "Oh crap" before she let out a wail that made them all wince.
"She's hungry I bet. Being born is hungry work," Hank said over the sound.
"So's giving birth," Kurt added.
A bottle appeared through the door, held aloft by a familiar looking hand. "Not that I was listening in or anything, but…" Kitty stuck her head in.
"But that's exactly what you were doing?" Charles said, sounding only a little stern.
"Sort of. I had Johnny help warm it up, should be perfect now," she tossed it to Logan, who held it out to the baby. She at once latched on, and the crying ceased. Kurt took over holding it, and glanced up at Logan. "Could you perhaps get me something to eat?"
"Oh, I suppose. What would ya like?"
"Peanut butter and banana sandwich? Please?"
"I'll get it for him Logan. You should stay, get to know your daughter. Maybe think of a name?" Storm suggested lightheartedly, sauntering out of the infirmary. As the door swung shut, they could hear her murmuring to the kids, who shortly shoved their way through the door and over to the bed.
"She's so tiny," Johnny said wonderingly. "Like a little person thing."
"That's generally what a baby is. A person done small," Bobby replied.
They crowded closer, watching as she finished her bottle, gave a hiccupping burp, and turned onto her side, pressing up against Kurt. She was asleep within seconds, thumb in her mouth.
"Rumor is you two didn't pick a name out yet," Kitty whispered, gently touching the baby's curls.
"You say that like it's this big debacle," Logan retorted.
"Most parents pick a name before the birth."
"Dey aren't most parents though, are dey?" Remy said, idly shuffling his cards. "And she is unique. She needs the perfect name. One cannot simply pluck a name from the air and expect it to fit. It takes time." He pulled a card out, shook his head and put it back in the deck. "Dey will find one in their own time." He stuffed his cards back in his pocket and strolled out just as Storm came back with Kurt's sandwich.
"I hate when he goes all cryptic like that. It's annoying," Kitty groused.
"Even more annoying is when he's right," Johnny added, tossing his lighter from hand to hand. He daren't light it up while in the infirmary and so close to the baby. Logan would see him turned into Pyro-kebabs, which really was not an appealing prospect at all. He stepped out of the way as Logan scooped up the baby and cradled her as Kurt enjoyed his sandwich. Which of course set off the others wanting to hold her and cuddle her and generally act like idiots. But she was pretty cute, he could admit to himself. He grinned slightly as she was passed to Bobby and started sucking on his shirt sleeve, getting it soaked in drool. Bobby looked at him, rolling his eyes.
"You want to hold her?"
"Nah, you've got her, she seems happy with you," Johnny stepped closer, looking down at the infant. She blinked up at him. "Hey there, little baby person," he waggled his fingers at her. She continued mouthing Bobby's sleeve, staring at him.
"Sure you don't want to hold her? She seems to like you," Bobby said cajolingly.
"Oh fine, give her here," Johnny took the baby, holding her up, and glaring at Bobby as he sighed in relief.
"Sorry, my arms were going numb. She does seem to like you though."
Indeed, she had grasped his hand and was sucking his fingers, her eyes almost closed.
"She's slobbering all over my hand," Johnny whined.
"Deal with it firebug," Logan called from his perch on the edge of Kurt's bed. He munched on the crust of Kurt's sandwich. "Little drool never hurt anyone."
"It's disgusting and slimy and…" Johnny glanced down at the now sleeping baby. "And she's asleep. Wonderful."
"I'll take her back now Johnny," Kurt sat up straighter, and they eased her into his arms. She barely stirred as he tucked her blanket around her while she curled up on his chest, his tail wrapping around her to hold her steady. Johnny wiped his hand on the back of Bobby's shirt, smirking at the glare he received. Behind them, Kitty rolled her eyes and wondered to herself when they'd get it over with and start dating. The whole thing was getting really tiresome.
Soon enough, the visitors filed out, jostled along by Storm, leaving Logan and Kurt to enjoy time to themselves with their daughter. Until, that is, Logan recalled someone else who had yet to meet her.
"Wait here darlin', I'll be back in a sec," he said as he jogged out the door.
"Vhere does he think I'll go?" Kurt murmured to the dozing infant. "It's not like I can exactly take you sky diving or some such thing." He stroked her downy hair and the pointed tip of her ear. She snuffled in her sleep and wrapped her tiny fingers around his, pulling his hand close. Logan was back not long after, shouldering open the door and pulling a stool over towards the bed. He placed the laptop he'd fetched from their room on it and booted it up, turning on the webcam as he did so. Kurt had no question as to who Logan was going to introduce the baby to; there was only one person they reached by way of webcam.
Within seconds, Rogue's face cleared on the screen, and she beamed at them. "So it's a girl then?"
"Yeah, here," Logan adjusted the camera to show her sleeping.
"Awww, sugar, she's just adorable. Look at her little pointy ears! What's her name?" Rogue looked up at Logan and Kurt.
"She…she doesn't have one just yet," Logan admitted.
Rogue shook her head. "Honestly, what would you do without me? Gimme two seconds." She disappeared from view and they could hear her muttering to herself as she searched for something. Kurt glanced at Logan, who shrugged, as confused as he was. She popped back on screen, a scrap of paper in hand. "I had a feeling you two wouldn't be able to settle on a name, so I took the liberty of coming up with some. Let's see," she scanned the paper. "Ooh! This one's my favorite. Charlotte Oleander. You can call her Charlie for short. What d'ya think?"
"Charlotte Oleander?" Logan asked.
"Yeah, see Charlotte, like the spider in Charlotte's Web. It's an essential book for kids to read, though I'd wait 'til she's a little older, y'know got the whole death at the end. And oleanders are really pretty flowers, and depending on where you come from they can mean either beauty or danger. I think it fits."
"What d'you think?" Logan looked towards Kurt.
"It sounds nice. Charlotte. Charlie. Charlotte Oleander Wagner. Yes, zhat will be perfect. Danke Rogue. I think…since you named her it's only fitting, well, vould you like to be named her godmother?" Kurt met Logan's eye to see if he agreed, and got a small nod in response.
"Would I? I'd be honored, no doubt about it. Thanks you guys. I mean it. Now, I'll let you go, and catch some z's. M'sure you're exhausted. Gimme a call for her birthday next year, and I'll come up for a visit."
"Will do kid. G'night," Logan signed off and slid the laptop to the floor. "Charlie," he whispered, tracing the line of her chubby jaw. "I like it."
"Me too. We'll have to get that book and read it to her when she's older, so she can know the story of her name."
"Eventually elf. For now, I say we follow the kid's advice, and get some shut eye. I'm beat."
"You're beat? You try performing a medical miracle and see how bright eyed and bushy tailed you are afterwards."
"Worth it though, right?" Logan scooted Kurt over, stretching out next to him on the bed.
"Oh absolutely. She's our daughter liebchen. Yours and mine. Of course she's worth a little…ex…haust…ion," Kurt let out a massive yawn and slid down the bed, his head coming to rest on Logan's chest. His eyes started to slide shut, and Logan chuckled softly at how he was already almost asleep. He pressed a kiss to Kurt's temple, one hand slipping down to intertwine with Kurt's around Charlie while they slept.
Come morning, Kurt was allowed to leave the infirmary. However, he was putting up something of a struggle, as he wasn't allowed to bring Charlie.
"Hank just wants to give her a check up, see how she's doing now that's she's had her first night with us," Storm assured him.
"Zhen he can do them with me here!"
"Kurt, you need to get out and stretch, have something proper to eat. Trust me, she's in good hands. I sincerely doubt Hank is going to run off with Charlie."
Eventually, Logan managed to coerce Kurt out of the infirmary with the promise of a hot bath and a chocolate chip muffin. They were in the middle of said bath when Storm knocked on the door, and they could both hear her snickering and trying not to. Kurt knotted a towel tightly about his waist and stepped out, steam curling around him from the bathroom where Logan still lounged in the tub.
"Vhat? Is she-'' he started to panic just a little bit, because that hadn't taken long at all, and Storm was failing so much at trying to contain her laughter. And Charlie in her arms looked…well, to be perfectly honest, she looked smug. In fact, if Kurt had to guess, he'd say that was the exact same smirk Logan wore when he was full of self satisfied glee. It was unnerving.
"She's fine. Perfectly healthy. It's just, well, Hank wanted to end the exam a little quicker than usual."
"Vhy?" Kurt took Charlie from her.
"She growled at him. I kid you not. She growled at him the moment he tried to give her the first of the shots infants usually get. You know, antibiotics, things like that. As soon as he brought out the needle, she growled. Almost scared the fur right off him," Storm chortled. "I guess that clears up who she takes after as far as temperament goes."
Kurt looked in awe down at the baby in his arms. She blinked back and gurgled, giving him a toothless drooly smile. "Oh, aren't you going to be fun." He thanked Storm for bringing her back, and toted her into the bathroom where Logan had pulled on a pair of sweat pants and was drying his hair.
"What was that all about?"
"Oh just that our little Charlie nearly scared the fur off of Hank," Kurt passed her to Logan and finished drying off himself.
"And how did she do that?" Logan lifted her up, touching his nose to hers.
"She growled at him. She didn't want to get a shot, so she growled at him."
Logan threw back his head laughing. "Wonder where she gets that from?"
"That'd be you, liebchen."
"Oh now, elf, I seem to recall it was you who had a fear of needles."
"But I never growled. That's all you."
"No, you never growled, you just whined, and pouted, and tried to escape."
"Until you pulled my tail. I'm still mad at you for zhat, by the way."
"Of course you are. And to make it up to you, I'll make it two chocolate chip muffins. Will you accept that as an apology?"
Kurt plucked Charlie from his grasp and leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, "It's a start."
A/N: well, that's it then. Kinda on the short side, but at least it's got the baby right? I'd like to send thanks to everyone who offered names up and gave their opinion. And a super big thanks to SillyLesbianPanda and Ralyena Starrling for helping in deciding on the final name. Cheers^^