Note: I do not own Marvel but I do Phaedra. As always, I take liberties throughout this story.

Not knowing how much longer Phaedra had, we moved into Professor Xavier's mansion so they would have some time together. I didn't want to go back there but Phaedra wouldn't go without me so I caved. The only condition was that we were away from everyone else so the Professor agreed to let us move into the small cottage near the back of the property. That way we didn't have to deal with them 24/7.

Phaedra wouldn't let the cancer slow her down but she did promise to stop using her abilities. She wanted to teach at the Institute so she looked after the newbies that enrolled. When asked about herself, she didn't lie but never told them about the cancer – she didn't want to be treated any differently.

Jean checked her out every few of weeks. Since Phaedra wouldn't agree to any MRIs or CT scans, all they could do was blood tests. I don't know the scientific stuff behind it but Jean would look at the results and tell us with anything had changed and if everything was OK. One month Jean got Phaedra, Professor Xavier, and myself together to talk. She was concerned about what the results showed.

"There's been a large spike in the readings. It would only be from using your abilities, but you say that you're not, right?" Jean asked.

"Um…not really."

"Phaedra, what are you saying? You promised that you wouldn't use, " I said.

"I'm protecting something more important than myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm protecting the first of the first generation of mutants who will be born into a world of peace. Chris, the boy from a couple of months ago, will be having his birthday in a few days and his new ability will emerge. Then the humans and mutants will finally be at peace with each other."

"You're pregnant?" Professor Xavier questioned but not really questioning.

"Yeah. I'm three months along and I've always been using my abilities to protect him but with this being the last month of the first trimester, I wanted to give him extra protection. Hence, the spike in the readings."

"You don't like telling me stuff, do you? First, Jean tells us about the cancer and now she's made you tell us about OUR baby."

"Pyro, look at me."

I wouldn't. Here's the woman I love and she's keeping stuff from me.

"John Allerdyce, you listen to me and you listen good! This wasn't how I wanted you to find out. I had an evening all planned for 2 nights from now when I was going to tell you. I just wanted to get past the 3rd month with no complications. Do you know how it feels to be thrilled about something but you can't tell anyone in case something happens? Do you know how it affects me to know that I'm not going to be around to watch our son or daughter grow up? Do you know how sad it makes me that I'll be leaving the two of you alone? If there were anything I could do, I'd do it to stay here with you and our child. I love you too much to leave but there's nothing that can be done."

I took Phaedra into my arms and held her. She cried and I could feel my eyes getting teary. Jean and Professor Xavier left us alone.

"Phaedra, some time in the next 5 months, will you marry me? I want to make you my wife."

"Yes, of course."

When Phaedra began to show, we officially announced the pregnancy and the engagement to everyone at the Institute. When Phaedra neared her 7th month, we had the wedding. Remy was my best man and Bobby was an usher. Phaedra chose Mystique and Jean to be her maid of honor and bridesmaid, respectively. Professor Xavier walked his pregnant daughter down the aisle and gave her away.

The ceremony was amazing. Being a winter wedding, I was able to use my fire to light torches and to keep everyone warm since we had it in a tent in the garden. Phaedra, Mystique, and Jean did a glorious job at the planning. Professor Xavier was happy to pay for it all and didn't mind some of the outrageous things that Phaedra wanted. His wedding and baby shower presents to us had been a complete renovation of the cottage to make it bigger for the baby and us.

Because we couldn't really have a honeymoon, some of the students decorated the study in the mansion to look like Hawaii. They brought in sand and made us a picnic.

Shortly after the wedding, Phaedra began to have dizzy spells so I confined her to bed. I wouldn't let her up to do anything except to use the bathroom. She was getting so big that I thought she was like a balloon and was going to pop but Jean said that it was normal for a woman to get that big the first time being pregnant.

When Phaedra went into labour, we took her to the hospital. I didn't want to risk anything if any complications arose. I could sense that she was in pain but she never said anything about it. She was progressing so quickly that she couldn't have an epidural. Professor Xavier stayed with us in the room until she was ready to deliver. As he walked out, Phaedra called out to him.

"Dad, I love you."

"I love you too, Phaedra."

Within minutes, she delivered our son. He looked exactly like me with dark hair and dark eyes. He had a dimple on his left cheek but not on the right. A nurse took him to clean him up when the doctor announced that there was another one coming.

"Surprise. This was one thing that I deliberately kept from you to see that look on your face," Phaedra said, as she pushed.

Our daughter was born and looked exactly like Phaedra. She had the dimple our son was missing but on her right cheek.

"Oh, honey, aren't they so beautiful?"

"They are but you're more beautiful. I love you so much," I replied, before kissing her.

"I love you, too."

Two bracelets were put around my wrist and Phaedra's to match the ones being attached to our babies' ankles. I took our daughter and a nurse took our son out to the waiting room. Professor Xavier, Magneto, Jean, Scott, Mystique, Remy, Bobby, Rogue (who came back just after the wedding – the cure didn't work), and Storm were there.

"I'd like you all to meet Sophia and Kaden."

Everyone gushed over the babies. Jean took one and Storm took the other. Suddenly, I had an urge to see Phaedra. I looked at Professor Xavier and took off to her hospital room. We pushed our way in and stood beside the bed.

"We can't get the bleeding to stop," the doctor announced.

"She wasn't bleeding when I left. What happened?" I screamed.

"She delivered the last placenta and now she's hemorrhaging. We've tried to stop it but nothing's working. We'll take her to the OR and try there. We might have to do a hysterectomy."

"Pyro. Dad. I love you both. Take care of our children. Make sure they know how special they are and that their mother loves them," I heard telepathically.

"I love you, too. I'll protect them with my life," I thought back. I bend down and kissed my wife.

A few seconds later, the line on the monitor went flat. The doctor pronounced her and covered her up. Professor Xavier and I went back to everyone in the waiting room. Now Rogue was holding Kaden and Magneto had Sophia.

"Phaedra didn't make it," I whispered.

I looked at my children, only ten minutes old and began to cry. I sank to the floor and thought how they will never really know their mother and how wonderful she was.

Note: If you remember, Sophia was Phaedra's mother's name and means 'wisdom', and Kaden means 'fighter'. I hope you enjoyed the story. Thanks for reading and to those who reviewed.