"What do you mean, you can't find him?" she asked the child but looked up at Hank as he entered the room. Ororo stood to her full height while cradling Artie to her.
"What he means is," Hank began.
"He probably ran to hide in Ororo's cottage," Warren spoke up quickly.
"Really?" the child asked, looking up at Ororo, his face wet with his tears.
"Yes, sweetheart. We will go and look for him and bring him back as soon as we can," she said playing along, her voice breaking as she reassured the boy. Looking up at Warren as he approached them, she told him, "Now go with Warren back to the Danger Room so we can go and find him."
"You promise you'll find him, Ms. Ro?" Artie asked, his eyes sad.
Unable to speak right away, Ororo wiped the tears from the boy's face before taking him into her arms and whispering, "I promise. Now go with Warren."
"Okay," Artie replied, returning her hug, "Thank you, Ms. Ro." He pulled away and took Warren's outstretched hand, allowing him to lead him away.
Ororo's head lowered as she continued kneeling, unable to get to her feet. After a moment, Logan stood behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She immediately covered his hand with her own and allowed him to help her to her feet and into a chest to back embrace. He whispered into her ear and she nodded in response.
Logan turned and spoke to Scott.
"Now would be a good time to let Ro know what happened," Logan said, his gaze going from one teammate to the next, landing on Scott.
"Why are you staring at me?" Scott asked Logan, his dislike of the man on display.
For whatever reason, the men had a mutual dislike for the other that no one has been able to figure out. And typically, their feelings bubbled to the surface in high stress situations, just like this one.
"Tell 'er what ya told me, boyscout," Logan told him.
"Man, fuck you, Logan," Scott exploded, the events of the evening getting the best of him. A red line crossed his beige goggles, a signal to most of the team that his patience was wearing thin.
Logan responded with a low growl, taking a step toward the upset leader.
Her patience shot, Ororo snapped. "Stop it, both of you. A child's missing and you two are having a pissing match," Ororo said loudly, thunder emphasizing her words, "Logan, not another word, growl or snarl. Scott, talk."
Both men's gaze fell on her, slightly embarrassed by their actions. When Scott didn't speak fast enough, Ororo said, "Dammit, Scott, tell me what happened."
"The kids were all in the recreation room, watching a movie. Micah asked us if he could head to the bathroom and we told him to hurry back. After a few minutes, when he hadn't returned, I asked Jean to see what was keeping him but before she could respond, something exploded. We got the kids out and part of the team went to investigate. I asked Jean to do a head count and that's when she told me she couldn't find Micah."
After hearing his side of the story, Ororo fired off questions, her rising panic warring with her calm demeanor.
"Has the Professor scanned the mansion and the surrounding area?" she asked, "Have you checked Artie's room, my office, Logan's office, and the cottage?"
"Yes to all of the above. He's not here, Ororo," Scott told her.
"No, that can't be," she replied, walking toward the stairs, only to be stopped by Logan's soft but firm grip.
He could sense her internal struggle to understand and make sense of what was going on. In the time he had known her, despite the situation, she was always able to keep a cool head but he could tell that this situation was one with the potential to break her.
Hell, he was struggling to keep a cool head but his desire to be strong for her overshadowed the panic that welled up within him. He knew he would have to rely on a strength he didn't think he had to help them get through this.
"Logan, please," Ororo whispered, struggling against his hold, "I need to find him."
"What Scott didn't tell ya was that Micah's not just missing," Logan growled softly, his control slipping, "They think that someone kidnapped him."
"What? Who? Why?" she asked, turning to face him, her eyes searching his, hoping against all hope that he was mistaken.
"Ororo," Hank began and received a thunderclap in response, her patience slipping quickly.
"Don't Ororo, me Hank," she told him, her anger replacing her panic, "Where in the hell is my son? All of the children are outfitted with a tracking device. Have you tried locating Micah's?"
"That's one of the issues," Hank began, slightly taken off guard by the snappy response. He chalked it up to her worry and took a deep breath as the Professor joined them, "The detection system has been disabled remotely, leaving us with no way to locate him."
"Professor," Ororo turned to him, her eyes pleading, Can you not locate him?
I'm sorry, my daughter. Somehow, he is shielded and even with the assistance of Cerebro, I have not been able to locate him.
"No," she muttered as her legs gave out from under her and Logan pulled her to him in a tight embrace. After a moment, she pulled away.
"I need to go," she replied before taking flight and rushing from the room on the swift wind that knocked most of them off their feet. Before Logan could go after her, Jubilee rushed upstairs. They could hear her calls before she turned the corner.
"Hank, we need you downstairs," she said breathlessly, pulling at his arm.
"Jubilation, what is it?"
"It's Rogue. She's in labor," she replied, causing Hank and Scott to rush from the room with the Professor contacting Jean, asking her to assist Hank with the pending birth.
Logan looked at the Professor who sensed his dilemma.
"Go after her. We'll assist Remy and Anna," the Professor replied and got a nod in response.
Logan took off after Ororo, following the stormy trail she left in her wake.
His mind was in total disarray, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. He knew his first priority was to get to Ro and calm her down before she caused more damage than she already had. He followed the evidence of the strong wind that blew a path toward her cottage. Benches and trashcans were overturned. Some branches from the trees that lined the walkway littered the ground. He hurried past it all, trying his best to keep it together, knowing that he needed to be strong for the both of them, if not all of them since Rogue was in labor.
The shared promised they made to Remy about being by his and Rogue's side during that time came to mind as he entered the cottage, the door barely hanging on. His gaze landed on the door leading to Micah's room. The door, normally closed, was gaping open and inside the dark room, Logan could make out Ororo as she knelt on the floor, holding what looked to be Micah's oversized Batman plush toy.
He slowly approached and cautiously entered the room.
Ororo's head lowered as she continued kneeling, unable to get to her feet. She had heard the door open to the cottage but hadn't had the strength to look up to see who it was. She figured it would be the only person brave enough or maybe foolish enough to follow her in the state of mind she was in.
"Ro," Logan called to her gently and he heard her sigh in response. He went to her, standing behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder.
After a moment, she covered his hand with her own. "Baby, I need you to get up," he said softly and she nodded in response, allowing him to help her to her feet and into a chest to back embrace. He nuzzled her neck, his way of comforting her.
She embraced it, needing the normalcy it provided.
"We'll get him back, Ro," Logan told her simply.
Still unable to speak, she nodded, knowing that he meant what he said.
After a few minutes, he felt the Professor reach out to him.
Logan, are you with Ororo?
Yes.
Rogue is asking for her. She refuses to push until Ororo arrives and Remy is beside himself. Will you make her aware of the situation?
Will do.
"Babe," he said softly, turning her to face him, unprepared to see the hollowness in her eyes, "I know this may not be the right time but Rogue needs her sister right now."
Ororo's eyes focused and met his. "The babies?" her voice cracked at the words.
"Yes and she's refusing to push until you get there."
"Then let's not keep her waiting," she replied defiantly, taking his hand and leading him through her bedroom and out her patio door. Without a word, she whisked them over to the mansion, hovering over the opening of the tunnel that led to the underground hangar.
"Ro, what in the hell are ya doing?" Logan said loudly to be heard over the rushing wind.
"This is the fastest way to the medlab," she replied, hitting a button on her comlink, opening the door just enough for them to enter before closing behind them. Their rapid descent caused Logan to tighten his hold on the weather goddess and close his eyes.
As they neared the ground, she slowed their momentum, placing them gently at the door, leading into the hallway.
"You can open your eyes now," she replied with a slight smile.
He heard the laughter in her tone and opened one eye before opening the other.
"That wasn't funny," he replied, taking a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"You're cute when you're scared," she replied.
"And that stays our secret," he told her, happy that she had a moment of levity, "Come on."
"Dammitt, I tole ya I ain't pushin' til she comes," Rogue lashed out at the furry doctor.
"Rogue, you must," he began only to be cut off by a growl, sounding much like the resident feral mutant.
"Not another word Blue boy," she growled before laying back heavily, trying to control her breathing.
"Remy," Ororo called to him as she and Logan entered the room.
He looked up and smiled, rushing over to them.
"Aww, 'chere, ya made it," he said, hugging her quickly and nodding his greeting to Logan, "Nice outfit."
"Nevermind that. How is she?" Ororo asked.
"Refusin' to do anyting til ya get heah," he replied, gently taking her elbow and escorting her to the room, "She needs ya now."
Ororo glanced back at Logan and returned his nod before turning back and entering in the operating room. She made her way over to the struggling woman, ignoring the oppressive heat and smell of the room. Glancing at Hank, he gave her a nod before looking back at his patient.
"Who told you to start without me?" Ororo said in way of a greeting.
"Bout damn time ya made it," Anna told her, panting, "I can't keep 'em in foreva."
"And you don't have too," Ororo replied, taking her sister's hand in hers and wiping her sweaty brow, "Now, let's see those gorgeous babies."
Hearing his cue, Hank instructed Anna to give him a big push on three and thankfully she did.