Reader's Note: Thank you so much for reading this story. Sorry for the massive delay on updating it. It got to the point where I was past 15 when I realized that I hadn't posted any chapters since 8. So here they are. Please enjoy.

Chapter 10

Gem and Sly were looking after the new additions to the Terminal City Infirmary under the watchful eye of Joshua. He began to pace back and forth, not really knowing what else to do. Gem and Sly were doing their best to take care of the kids. "Josh, sit down," Gem barked softly, causing the big guy to jump slightly. "I'm sorry Josh, but you're pacing isn't helping my nerves."

"Touche today, Miss Gem," a cheerful male voice called out, causing both Gem and Sly to stop what they were doing. Gem shot a quick glance over at Sly to see that her face had turned white. "Guys, what no cheery hello today?" Zane's quirky smile fell away the moment he saw the bodies on the cots. His eyes shot to Sly's face. "What?"

"Sit," Sly ordered, ushering Zane to an empty chair. "There's not a lot of time to explain what really happened. It's nothing really…" She bit down on the inside of her lip to keep from saying anymore, not really knowing what there was to say.

"Something big though," Zane replied back. He motioned to his fallen companions. "I think this is really important. I get the feeling I missed out on something really big." He then ran a hand over his face. "So what's the damage?"

"We're lost a few and we've still got some missing in action." Sly picked up the squirming toddler and handed him over to Zane. "Plus a few new additions." She shot Gem a look. "We haven't really gotten around to naming them yet."

"Thought thinking up names was a Max thing," Zane replied, as he looked down at the kid in his lap. "So who's missing?" Joshua shot Zane a harsh look. "I'm guessing from that look, Pip for sure." He looked at the others. "Biggs?" They shook their head no, before motioning toward one of the beds. "Alec?" They nodded. "Bet Max isn't happy. So the third has to be…"

"Max…" Joshua called out.

"No, Max wouldn't be that stupid," Zane muttered only to look up to see Max. "Oh, hey Max…" The sound of a slap was heard throughout the infirmary. Zane rubbed the side of his face. "Ah, Max, what did I do to deserve that?"

"You…" Max started only to turn to face the others. "You lied to me." She took a step back shaking her head. "That is unacceptable. We're in such a hardship we can't have lies flying about." She let out a sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair. She shot a harsh glance over at Zane. "If you weren't with them, where were you?"

"Taking a shift with Cecile," Zane replied with out blinking. Max's face fell softly as took a second to remember what had happened. Cecile had been one of the few X5s that they had rescued from White's care. She had been tortured by Psy-Ops, those trained to manipulate brains. She wasn't the solider she had been when the ones who knew her knew her. She was a shell now. So some of the others had taken to helping her get back into normal life. It as an on going job that made it hard for everyone.

"How is she?" Max asked. "I didn't have time to see her today." Max wrapped her arms around her waist. She hadn't had time to see a lot of any of the wounded. She had been so worried about Alec and Pip, among some other things.

"Why not ask her yourself," Zane replied softly motioning behind Max. She turned to come face to face with the X5 commonly known to the world as Cecile. Her black hair was thin and her eyes sunken in. She wore clothes that seemed to be a few sizes too big. "Hey C, how you doing today?"

"I heard a baby cry, sir," she replied looking up at Max. "I was confused." She shifted her weight, causing Max to look more at her. "There are no infants in the barracks."

A soft smile crossed Max's face. "No, you were not confused." She motioned toward the baby and the toddler in Zane's arms. "See, for yourself. You were not confused." She watched as Cecile walked toward Zane. "Maybe you want to help us name them?"

Cecile grabbed the back of the toddlers head and pushed it down harshly. The toddler cried out in fear, causing Zane to tighten his hold on him. "Hush!" Cecile ordered, causing the X5s to look at her. She roughly shoved the toddler's head from side to side. "Where is their…"

"Cecile stop!" both Max and Gem ordered. Max shot her friend a look which she simply ignored. Gem reached out to stop Cecile's movement only to have the X5 to react without thinking. Gem soon found herself on the floor at Max's feet. Zane quickly was on his feet, handing the infant off to Sly, as he moved to stop Cecile. "Cecile stand down."

"You are not my CO!" Cecile yelled back. "I will only answer to him." Then she was gone in a blur.

"And they thought you were a bitch," Zane replied softly, as he came up to help Gem to her feet. "Sorry, Max, we all thought she was doing better. We know that you don't need anything more on your plate then what you have."

"That's about right," Max replied with a soft sigh. Her eyes drifted over to the new members of Terminal City. "So now comes the main question?" A look of fear flashed through Gem's eyes for a second. "Is what do we name these guys?" She moved forward and took the toddler from Sly. He shot her a look with eyes as clear as the sky. She ruffled his blondish hair. "Any ideas?"

"We were thinking about Thatch for this little guy," Gem stated as she took up the infant. "Since he has a thing for fire." Max smiled then as she nodded before coming up to look at him. "If that's okay with you? We all know how you like to name."

"It's perfect," she mouthed. "Now what do we name you?" The toddler looked at her before muttering a single world. The others stopped in their actions and looked back at the toddler. "Then I guess he has spoken."

"We can only hope he doesn't turn out like his name sake," Zane muttered, causing Max to look up at him. "I mean I understand why he did it, but I'm not proud of his actions."

"We're not all proud of our actions." Max shot a glance down at the toddler in her arms and smirked. "Alec is his twin. What if he takes after him?"

"Dear God!" was the only thing heard echoed by more then three X5s. Max chuckled as she ruffled the toddler's hair once more.

"Welcome to the family, Ben," she whispered to him. "Hope this life is worth doing again."

She turned to go when the baby started crying. She paused and shot a glance over at the baby. Her changed for a second, growing softer. "So how's he doing?"

"He's doing good," Gem replied. "Strong little fellow." She shot Max a sour look. "I'm sorry that I lied to you about Zane." Max reached out and took the baby from her. "We didn't want to stress you out anymore than you were."

"Kind of late for that."

More to Come....