EPILOGUE II
***
As the X-men gradually begin to file out of the meeting room, Remy tracks down Hank and asks if they can speak in private. Hank suggests his laboratory, and he then lets Carly know his whereabouts and that he will be back with her soon.
The two men make their way towards the small, white-walled room.
"What is on your mind, my friend?" Hank asks. He gestures for Remy to sit in a chair beside him.
"I noticed somethin' dat not many folks would see," Remy begins. He sounds a bit pleased with the fact that he is so perceptive. "When you an' me and Rogue talk in here earlier today, a few t'ings gave away dat you were nervous. Which Remy t'ink is odd because you weren't nervous las' time the three of us talk 'bout dis same subject. An' you didn't say much in the team meeting we just have, which not be like you either." He pauses. "Remy t'ink somethin' on your mind and you need someone to talk to."
Hank smiles. Remy has hit the target exactly.
"Your powers of observation are indeed as acute as ever." Hank considers his next few words and then admits, "I was considering whether or not to seek your advice."
Remy gently slaps a hand to Hank's shoulder. "Hank McCoy, dat's why I be here! Is about you and your femme, no?"
"Once again, I commend your powers of observation."
"Jus' logic in dis case."
Hank settles back into his chair. Although the seat is slightly too small for him, he feels at ease. Remy has that effect on people. Hank appreciates the fact that he did not even need to approach Remy or bring up the topic himself.
"Is dere somet'in' specific you want advice on?" Remy asks.
Hank looks at his hands. "No," he says. "Well, I mean, yes. I – uh – I do not know what is standard and typical when it comes to this type of situation. Is Carly expecting that we will, uh, get intimate tonight? Or is she expecting that we will wait? My understanding is that some couples engage in this right away, and that others might wait a short while. But how am I to know what she expects?"
Remy smiles. "Hank, my man, no way of knowing unless you talk 'bout it. You just gotta ask. You ever discuss this topic before wit' her?"
"We have only broached it. She said that in some ways she is traditional, and in other ways she is not. I said that I felt that reflected my state as well. However, in thinking back to our previous conversation, I fear it was too vague to provide sufficient guidance."
Remy listens and nods. "Here's what I t'ink you should do. Sit down wit' her, take her hand, tell her dat you ain't got a lot of experience in matters of the heart and that you don't know what her expectations are. Den tell her that you want to hear what she wants, and den share wit' her what you yourself want."
Hank considers this for a moment. "I follow you up until your last point. However, I realize that I am uncertain as to what I want. Part of me would love to get intimate with her right away. However, at the same time I believe there is a benefit to waiting."
"Perfect. Tell her jus' exactly what you tell me. An' listen for what she say too. Only you two can decide what be right." He pauses. "If there be doubt, no harm in waiting."
Hank exhales and smiles. "Remy, I feel as if you have assisted me quite a bit. Thank you. There is, however, one more area in which I am feeling nervous. Assuming that Carly and I do, at some point, decide that the time is right….I know nothing of technique, having had no first-hand experience."
Remy is trying to keep from breaking out a delighted grin. He loves the fact that he is being acknowledged as an expert in this area. He has always wished that others would come to him for this type of advice. Many men eschew this type of intimate conversation and few will candidly admit their lack of knowledge in this area. Remy practically wants to shout with joy.
Hank continues. "I have, of course, done some reading on the subject. I know that in order for her to climax, I am going to need to stimulate her clitoris. From what I understand, women vary quite a bit in terms of how exactly they might wish for one to go about this."
"I give you a few tips," Remy happily says.
***
Most of the team gather in the mess hall for dinner. Topics of conversation are split. Because Carly is new to the team, many of the X-men eagerly engage her in conversation, enjoying getting to know her better. Many want to discuss happy matters in general, and thus several conversations take place with the two expectant couples, having to do with all aspects of babies and parenthood. Charles, in particular, is glad to see Scott looking well and enjoying talking about the baby's arrival. The imprisonment and separation from Jean were very hard on him, but Scott already appears back to his old self.
Having been imprisoned for so long, team members are enjoying this dinner. They are relieved that, for the moment, they don't have to worry about whether the Stryke will taunt and fight them, or that if they defend themselves they will be beaten with nightsticks and placed in solitary. The fact that they have much more choice in what to eat at their meal also provides some happiness.
Others, however, are more focused on the upcoming battle and spend time discussing it. Logan and Ororo have been involved in both conversations around their pregnancy as well as the battle.
After dinner, Ororo says she wants to spend time in the recreation room, but Logan asks if instead they can go to his quarters.
Ororo raises an eyebrow. She is thinking how nice it is that Logan wants her again, and how much she will enjoy it as well. However, when they reach his room, Logan does not pull her into a passionate embrace.
"What is on your mind?" Ororo asks, realizing that this is not going to be the amorous encounter she had begun to prepare for.
"The mission to the mansion," Logan says directly. "You ain't gonna go on it, are you?"
Ororo is taken aback by his tone. He sounds very firm and his eyes are worried.
"I do not know," Ororo responds. "It depends on what the team plans tomorrow. We may very well need a large team for this mission. But I can sense from looking at you and what you have just said that you are dead-set against my going."
"I am. It's safer here, darlin'. I don't want you to put the baby at risk. God forbid you get captured again and Sinister get his hands on our baby."
Ororo literally takes a step back as she tries to take a deep breath. "I do not care for your tone, Logan. I am second-in-command of the team. And this is a critical mission."
"But you're expectin' a baby. Things are different now, darlin'." He has softened his voice a degree but his words are still firm.
"The pregnancy is not too far along and I feel well and healthy. I usually do not engage in hand-to-hand combat as it is. My powers are so strong that rarely can any weapons get near me."
"I remember one time when you got shot and ended up in the hospital," Logan points out, referring to an incident from several years ago which was the result of a Sinister-influenced Morph wreaking havoc on the X-men.
His words sting her. She remembers the incident well. Being defeated and hospitalized was demoralizing, and Ororo does not appreciate the reminder.
"So because I am pregnant you expect me to remain inside this boat – for how long? Forever? I will not, Logan," she states. She speaks her last sentence loudly and slowly, obviously very determined.
"You gotta think now 'bout what's best for our baby," he insists. "It ain't just what you or I want anymore. Besides, we got a lot of good fighters on this team. We don't need everyone. Jean probably ain't gonna go."
"Might I remind you that I am not Jean! Or is that a fact for which you do not need a reminder?'
Just as his words earlier struck a nerve, now Ororo's last remark has hit Logan. When they first began their relationship, he tried so hard to subtly let her know that it was Ororo he was interested in, that he cared about her, that he was over Jean.
Then again, Logan thinks, he never actually spoke those words to her.
The two stand inside the small room, looking at each other and silent.
Ororo finally speaks. "Perhaps we should discuss this later, when our emotions have cooled off." She turns for the door.
But then he opens his mouth and says, "You ain't goin' on that mission, Ro!"
Ororo's eyes pop open. "Do not tell me what to do!" she demands, and then exits.
***
Dinner has begun to wind down, and most of the team members are dispersing for either the rec room or their quarters. The Professor wheels his way over towards Bishop.
"Bishop," he begins, when he observes that no one else is within earshot. "I was wondering if you wanted to speak with me."
Bishop shrugs, though his words carry a tone of slight surprise. "I don't have anything in particular to talk about with you."
The Professor lowers his voice a bit. "I thought that perhaps it wouldn't hurt if you had someone to talk to."
"Really?"
Bishop's tone is either one of surprise or distaste; Charles is uncertain which. When he asked him to join the X-men, Charles knew that Bishop might present problems, but Charles has never been afraid of that. Several other members of the team, before Bishop, had brought their own serious issues and challenges with them. Charles has never avoided dealing with those situations; in fact he takes great satisfaction in seeing an X-man improve their life.
The Professor spreads his hands. "It is something I offer to all of my X-men, though perhaps I could have done more of it in the prison. We live the kind of lives where we are constantly under stress. Being so disdained by society at large does not help things. We've just come from spending months in captivity and are now living inside a submarine, a vast improvement for sure but still confining. Many people would find the circumstances stressful, and so I wanted to offer you my listening ear if you ever need it."
Bishop remembers that Charles once, months before they were captured, made the same offer to him. He had immediately turned it down then. Bishop waits a moment or two before replying.
"Lemme think about it." He turns towards the rec room and pauses. He adds, sounding sincere, "Thanks."
***
Ororo fluffs and re-fluffs her pillow, and she shifts her position on the bed. She has never had too difficult of a time dealing with changing circumstances, however the last few days have been full of action and change. She was in jail, after a daring escape is now free and living inside a submarine. She and Logan agreed to raise their baby together – certainly a life-altering decision --, and then had the most serious altercation they have ever experienced. Now she is going to bed alone. They have not spoken since their argument.
She thinks about the brief amount of time they were together before the X-men's capture, how their relationship was just getting off the ground. They have years of friendship behind them but their relationship now is on a whole different level. She does not know what the results of such a quarrel will be.
`He is in the wrong,' Ororo says to herself. `I certainly am not going to apologize.'
She tries to turn her thoughts to the team and its upcoming mission. She thinks over questions to ask at the meeting and possible approaches to the raid. Eventually she succumbs to a fitful sleep.
***
"I once said that I could listen to you read all day, but Hank, even you must need a break," Carly says, smiling. Her voice has a slight twinge of fatigue to it. She's had a series of very long days.
"Ah, yes. Yes of course," Hank says, putting the copy of "Fahrenheit 451" aside. He is uncertain how long he has been reading to Carly inside their room, but he has been cognizant of the fact that it has been for a long time.
"Thank you, Hank," Carly says, moving closer to Hank on the bed. "I do love listening to your voice."
"I – I love reading to you," Hank manages. "I will gladly do it at any time."
He is pondering how Carly's embrace can feel simultaneously so alien and so comforting. He knows why this type of touch is so foreign to him; Hank is, of course, close friends with most of the X-men, several of whom (Jubilee and Jean, for instance) are at least a little physically affectionate with him. But he is still totally unused to an amorous touch from a woman.
Hank replays some words of advice given to him by Remy. He decides to share this thought with Carly. He explains to her the fact that he is unused to this type of physical affection
"I mention this only because I don't want you to develop the incorrect impression of my feelings for you," Hank concludes.
"Thank you for explaining that," Carly says. "I know this stuff is new for you. It's okay to feel nervous about it all."
"I am very glad that you understand," Hank says, and a measure of relief is apparent in his voice. However he is not – nor does he sound – fully relieved either.
He looks at Carly. She is resting her head against his body. One of her hands holds one of his. Many times over the months, Hank has had the thought that verbal communication is far more important for a couple in which one member is blind. The thought is obvious, but Hank is now experiencing the reality of it.
"How are you feeling?" Hank asks. "You have undertaken quite a lot in the past few days. I still marvel at the role you played in the escapes."
Carly chuckles. "I never saw myself as a heroine either. But I didn't have a choice – I wanted to get you and the others free, and I was going to do whatever it took." She pauses. "I'm fine. Tired, but fine. I went through a few days before the rescue where I was really nervous, and then during the rescue I was full of adrenaline. Now it's gone, which is I guess why I'm a little tired. What about you?"
"I am well."
"Good."
Carly reaches for him and they begin to kiss. Hank has never before engaged in a "making out" session before. He follows Carly's lead, eagerly returning her kisses.
"Mmmm," Carly says after a while, stroking Hank's torso. "I love this fur. Touching you is such a sensual experience."
"Why, thank you," Hank says. Due to the work of Carly's hands, he is starting to feel less nervous and more aroused. "I also greatly enjoy touching you."
They continue to kiss and caress for many enjoyable moments. Hank replays Remy's words and knows that he must muster some control and have a much-needed conversation with Carly.
He takes her hands and gently kisses them. "Carly," he says, and then adds in a term of endearment, "my sweet. I – I must ask you…is it your desire that we get intimate tonight? Or would you prefer to wait?"
Carly gently laughs. "Hank, I've been waiting for months! If you are willing, I would love to make love with you tonight. It's okay if you're nervous. We'll figure it out together."
"I appreciate your candor. I am, however, somewhat nervous. Would it perhaps be better if we waited?" Hank can only speak from his heart and do the best he can; he has no idea how his words are coming across.
"If you want to, I can wait longer," Carly says. "I mean, I don't want to rush you. Even though I really want you."
Hank nearly wants to exclaim in happiness. A beautiful woman who he adores wants him. It is more exhilarating and arousing than it is nerve-wracking.
Carly continues, "Of course, there is that mission to the mansion coming up. What if something happens to you? I would sure hate it if we lost our chance…" she lets her voice trail off.
Carly's last few sentences have made up Hank's mind for him. He feels something shift inside and knows what he wants. "You are right," he says. "And we have waited months for this opportunity. If you do not mind my inexperience, I would love nothing more than to make love with you."
Carly reaches for Hank's lips and kisses him passionately.
***
Rogue and Remy are inside their room, preparing for bed. They have again eschewed the room's bright lights for one of Remy's charged cards instead. Rogue watches him undress and would be content to gaze at the sight of him shirtless all day. She is overcome with a desire to touch him. This time, it's not sexual. She just wants to put her arms around him and feel his skin against hers. She just wants to be able to embrace him.
"Maybe we jus' hug each other real quick," Remy says.
Rogue has sometimes wondered about Remy's ability to sense her thoughts.
"No, Remy," Rogue says. Her voice is soft and sad, with none of its trademark sass. "I ain't gonna hug you even for a second – don't wanna risk hurtin' you."
"I understand," he says, finishing undressing and slipping under the covers. Rogue will sleep fully clothed to avoid the risk of her skin touching his. "Remy talk to Hank tomorrow. Maybe during the mission to the mansion he can take his lab equipment."
"I hope so," Rogue says. She is weary, and eager to get into bed. She lifts the covers and lays on her back.
Sleep evades Rogue for several minutes. Judging from Remy's breathing – and his lack of snoring, though that often occurs later in the night - she guesses that he is awake too.
"Damn it, Remy – you're all naked! How am I supposed to share a bed with you and not get all turned on?! Why can't you sleep with some clothes on??"
Remy bursts out laughing at Rogue's candid outburst. He also quite appreciates the acknowledgement of his sex appeal.
"Stop your laughin'!" Rogue exclaims, though she is now laughing as well, even as she tries to keep some sternness in her voice.
Remy reaches for one of Rogue's gloved hands and amorously kisses it, purposefully making loud smacking noises. She playfully swats him with a pillow. The two continue this way, laughing and playing, for a long time.
***
More guards than ever before are stationed at the Xavier Institute, and they are on high-alert. They are also nervous. They know that the X-men have escaped, and there are rumors that the telepathic mutant who had been working with the government has been incapacitated. They know that they might be helpless against a group of angry and powerful mutants who want their home base back.
But their government has outfitted the guards as best as it can. The guards wear upgraded armor, are never alone, and have the most deadly weaponry available. Heavily artillery such as tanks and helicopters patrol the mansion as well. And their best weapon is, of course, the one given to them by Sinister: the equipment which neutralizes mutant power within a given radius. None of the guards, of course, know who Sinister is or who is behind this effort, though rumors abound.
In the end, none of these speculations matter. The guards' minds are all swiftly entered and examined, unbeknownst to the guards themselves. Charles and Jean – who are still aboard their submarine and far from the equipment which could neutralize their powers -- soon learn the location of the nearby mutant-controlling devices. They also discover that Cerebro is still inside the mansion and more or less in one piece. Apparently the mysterious device does not hold much interest for the government, and Sinister is preoccupied with other plans.
A powerful psychic blast knocks out most of the guards. Those who are operating helicopters carefully land them at Xavier's "suggestion" – and then fall asleep peacefully once they are safe. Those guards who are not wiped out telepathically are having their minds taken over. Charles and Jean compel them to turn their weaponry on the devices from Sinister that control mutant powers. They blast them to pieces.
Once Charles and Jean are certain that there are no functioning mutant-controlling devices anywhere near the mansion, it is now time for the larger team to act, and act swiftly. Kurt teleports a small team consisting of Scott, Ororo, Bishop, and Hank. Cerebro is in its usual location. Kurt quickly teleports it to the X-men's submarine.
Hank has one detour to make, to his laboratory. The others swiftly accompany him. Hank immediately points out which pieces of equipment need to be brought with the X-men.
Meanwhile, Charles is not struggling to hold off the guards. He is a master, with complete control of his powers; he easily performs mental scans of the area, detects if there are any reinforcements who have not been knocked out, and he gently incapacitates any newcomers.
Jean, however, is struggling. A few years ago, she reached a point where Xavier had said she was nearly as skilled a telepath as he - and it had been true. But Jean's powers are rusty with months of disuse, she is more worried for Scott than she can ever recall being during previous missions, and she is allowing distractions to hinder her. A few reinforcements slip by her notice and close in on the X-men.
The X-men spot them in time, and Scott stuns a few of them with his optic blasts. But he doesn't get them all, and one of them shoots Scott. The weapon is discharged and hits its target a split second before Kurt teleports the X-men and their equipment back to the submarine.
***
The infirmary inside the submarine is small, a far cry from the spacious one at the mansion. But it is well-stocked and Hank is able to tend to Scott with his usual skill.
Jean usually assists Hank with medical situations but tacitly Kurt, who is as adept at the nurse role as Jean, fills in. Jean watches them from a corner of the infirmary, and most of the rest of the X-men crowd the hallway outside. Jean is trying to remain calm and to breathe deeply.
"How is he?" Jubilee asks. She, like most of the rest of the team, is unable to see into the infirmary and unaware of exactly what has just occurred.
Knowing that he needs to leave Hank and Kurt alone to tend to Scott, Charles gently and unobtrusively enters Hank's mind to ascertain the scope of the damage.
"I believe Scott will make it," Charles says after he completes his probe. As he verbalizes the words, he feels a sense of incredible relief. He has never been the distant headmaster, and especially not towards Scott. "The wound is near his hip. Provided that Hank fixes him up with his abundant skill, Scott should be fine -- although he will have difficulty walking for a while."
Upon seeing his own sense of relief mirrored in the other X-men's faces, Charles adds a bit of humor. "I can personally attest to the fact that a lack of mobility does not mean the end of things."
His comment elicits the desired laughs from a few X-men. Xavier continues, "Given that Scott will be safe, I believe we have not a moment to waste. Our mission was a success and we have Cerebro. Sinister will surely realize why we took it. I will immediately begin work to locate Sinister, and we must begin preparations for our attack on him right away."
***
Jean stands numbly in the corner of the infirmary. Scott is unconscious due to the anesthetic, and any probing of his mind would simply find his subconscious "asleep".
As Charles did a moment earlier, Jean also gently enters Hank's mind with the sole purpose of confirming that Scott will, as Jean suspects, pull through. However, as Jean exists Hank's mind, she picks up a hint of another emotion.
Guilt. Hank is feeling that he was somewhat distracted during the mission, and if he had not been, then perhaps Scott would not be wounded. Jean detects enough to realize that Hank was distracted due to his amorous evening with Carly.
Jean's face blushes and she herself is awash in a new wave of guilt. 'I'm the one who should be feeling guilty! It's bad enough that I learned more than I should've when inside Hank's mind, but it was my bungling of the mission in the first place that allowed the soldiers to slip through!'
Jean vows to apologize to Hank later. And more importantly, she promises to never allow her powers to grow rusty again. She had little choice while in prison, of course, but she does know that she could have worked harder on reacquainting herself with telepathy since her release. The Professor had always taught them the importance of rigorous training.
Jean loses track of time as she watches Hank and Kurt tend to Scott. At one point, Kurt turns around and faces Jean. "Relax, Jean," he says softly. "Scott's life is not in danger."
Jean nods and thinks about how soothing Kurt's voice does sound. She knows she is truly lucky.
***
"Antarctica," Charles tells the X-men assembled around the meeting room's table. "Sinister is holed up in one of his old labs in Antarctica."
"The place we been to before?" Logan asks.
"Yes. I thought we had destroyed it but apparently Sinister has done some rebuilding."
"I'm glad he's at a place we have been to before," Ororo says. "That will make teleporting there easier for Kurt."
The X-men discuss the upcoming confrontation and their ideas for beating Sinister. Their comments are brief and there is a strong sense of urgency around the table. Xavier reiterates that Sinister surely knows they will be attacking soon. Sinister is powerful and the clock is ticking.
The team decide that Hank, Jean, and of course Scott will remain behind on the submarine. In order to defeat Sinister, they are going to need to hit him with everything they have.
***
Rogue and Remy grab a minute together before it is time to teleport on their mission. They stand in a corridor.
"Is it our fault Scott's injured?" Rogue whispers with a sense of urgency. "They were in the lab when he got shot."
Remy takes her gloved hands in his. "Dere was other stuff Hank needed in dere. He get an ultrasound machine too." Remy pauses. "But Remy don't feel too good 'bout dis. It could've been worse."
Rogue nods. "No sense in feelin' guilty, I guess," she says. Then she adds, "But I do feel it, a little."
"Remy too." He pauses. "T'ank goodness Scott gonna be okay."
They embrace quickly, and then follow the others.
***
Despite the flurry of activity underway since the team returned to the submarine with an injured Scott, there are two X-men who have been unable to keep their eyes off of each other. After the meeting, Ororo and Logan duck into a room.
"We need to talk," she begins, not knowing precisely where the words are flowing from.
"I know," he says. "Scott got injured...it couldda been you. Dammit, Ro, I ain't tryin' to tell you what to do but…". His voice softens, "I worry about you, and the baby."
"I know," she admits. "I understand. But I had a different reaction to Scott's injury. It helped me realize how much…how much I care about you," Ororo says. She comes very close to using the "L" word but it eludes her.
"It also," she begins again, "reinforced for me that if we don't bring down Sinister and make a better world for mutants, there will be no future for our child. Not one worth living in anyway. In order to put a halt to Sinister's plans, we are going to need each and every one of us." She pauses. "I know you care about me deeply, Logan, and I know you have only my best interests in heart. But with Scott injured, I am field commander and I need to lead this mission."
He nods, a gesture of reluctant acceptance. "I ain't gonna tell you I like it or that I ain't worried. But I know I ain't gonna change your mind either."
Xavier's voice sounds outside their door. "About two minutes, Storm," he calls.
"I will be there right away, Professor," she answers.
Ororo and Logan look at each other again. If there are injuries during this mission, the wounded may not be as lucky as Scott. They both realize this.
"I love you, Logan," she says finally.
"Love you too," he replies, fervently.
***
ADDENDUM
The X-men's raid on Sinister's headquarters was a success, and the team was fortunate that they had no casualties. Not only were they able to incapacitate Sinister and destroy his equipment, but they also obtained ample evidence of his plans. Sinister not only planned to experiment on babies born of two mutant parents, but to ultimately clone a powerful army.
When the US government's intelligence was satisfied that the X-men had not fabricated the evidence, they gave Professor Xavier an audience. After several months of discussion, negotiation, and compromise, most mutant prisoners were released and the X-men permitted to return to their mansion. Several anti-mutant laws, however, remain on the books and the X-men work to overturn them.
During the raid on Sinister's lab, Remy managed to procure a Genoshan collar. He and Rogue regularly put it to good use and could not be happier.
One member of the Stryke sought out the X-men, apologized for his behavior, and asked if he could be taken in. The X-men agreed. The rest of the Stryke have more or less vanished, though some X-men have suspected that they haven't seen the last of that group.
Scott was on crutches for a while but eventually made a full recovery from his injury. He and Jean welcomed the birth of their daughter, a healthy and strong mutant.
And several months later, Ororo and Logan welcomed a baby boy. He, too, was healthy and strong. A few X-men asked the couple when they planned to wed. Once when Ororo was in the right mood, she responded that they had no immediate plans to do so but no one knew what the future might bring.
The future did bring happiness to many other couples as well. Jean Paul and Bobby have stayed together and are doing well, though they are not without occasional arguments. Bobby's French has improved. Jean Paul talks about taking a trip to Canada to find his sister, especially now that the atmosphere for mutants is not as bleak as it once was. Carly and Hank became engaged shortly after the X-men moved back into the mansion. Many of the X-men have enjoyed joining in and helping with their wedding preparations.
With Sinister defeated and the situation in Washington under control, the X-men are in a bit of a lull. Many of their traditional foes such as Magneto and Apocalypse have not been heard from in years. But the team trains diligently and continues to work with the country's leaders and influencers to improve life for mutants.
THE END
Once again, I would like to acknowledge and thank Jo the Phoenix for beta testing, and Slickboy for encouraging me to keep writing.