February 23, 1974
"We have a guest," Emma said.
Her words were acidic. For a moment Sean panicked, wondering if somehow Emma had known that Black Tom had been on the grounds. However, when she opened the door and Hank walked through, Sean couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Hank was complicating things, but not as much as if Emma had somehow detected Black Tom.
Sean got up and walked over to Hank, forcing a smile on his face. Magneto scowled in the back, his fingers tapping on the table.
"I came as soon as I heard," Hank said.
"That was good of you," Magneto said.
Hank frowned at him, shifting what looked like a giant case.
"I brought as much equipment as I can," he said, "I doubt that Black Tom will observe the Geneva Convention in this battle, but I feel that my services are needed, at least from the support side."
There was a slight pause. Even Magneto looked vaguely confused.
"Could you repeat that?" Sean asked.
Hank's frown deepened.
"The fact that the two of you are teaming up for this means that there will be a rather great threat level," Hank said, "Both teams seem to have come out in full force. From what it sounds like Black Tom has an army at his disposal."
He put his case down on the floor and folded his arms.
"Marvel Girl is talented for her age, but after the attack on Cyclops last year I believe that it wouldn't be wrong to say that she still has some learning to do," Hank said, "Last I checked the Brotherhood does not have anyone who is learned enough to doctor serious trauma. Now I may be wrong, but I felt that you two were going into this battle at a distinct disadvantage."
Sean blinked. He could tell that Magneto was surprised too.
"So, to balance the two groups out, I felt that I should come," Hank said, "I understand the situation, which is why I have entered as a non-combatant. You don't need me in the arena. What is needed is someone who is concentrated on treating wounds, and I have treated Black Tom's burns before, as well as various other types. The last thing you need is people bleeding to death or suffering burns."
He cleared his throat.
"I have taken the Hippocratic oath," he said, "Which means that I am obliged to treat both teams equally when it comes to injuries. I believe you both know my personal views, but those will not be playing a role."
He cleared his throat again.
"Besides, you know Havok. It's likely he'll end up with a bellyful of shrapnel before the day is out."
Sean closed his eyes for a minute.
"That's very well thought out," he said.
"Thank you Sean," Hank said.
"And here I thought we would be dealing with Beast," Magneto said, "Not Dr. McCoy."
Amusement laced his tone. Sean was irritated, but at the same time he was glad. Magneto didn't feel threatened by the addition of Hank onto their team. He might even be grateful for his medical expertise. It was possible that he only saw him as a doctor, the political activist that he was trying to become.
Then again, he hadn't seen Hank fight the Friends of Humanity.
"Beast is currently retired," Hank said.
"Currently?" Magneto said.
"He may be needed one day," Hank said, "But I don't believe it's for this particular occasion. There are quite a few of you, and I don't think that anyone thought about medical attention so far from Westchester."
Sean rubbed the back of his neck.
"You always were the practical one," he said.
"I think we all have traces of that practicality," Hank said.
Sean smiled and patted Hank on the back.
"There's a room down the hall," he said, "I think you can get set-up there. Have Marvel Girl help you. She won't go on watch for another shift or so. Did you run into her when you came in?"
"I did, yes," Hank said.
"Glad to have you here Hank," Sean said.
"Glad to be here," Hank said.
He walked out of the room. Emma followed his movements with a raised eyebrow.
"The X-men are quite peculiar," she said.
"We just care about each other," Sean said, the words bitter, "That's all."
Emma cocked her head. Magneto made a dismissive gesture with his hand.
"You can leave us now Emma," he said.
She rolled her eyes before walking out of the room. Magneto turned to Sean, his expression contemplative.
"He never ceases to surprise," Magneto said.
Sean shrugged. Magneto tapped his fingers on the table again.
"What would have happened if he hadn't come here in a medical capacity?" Magneto said, "What would you have done?"
Sean gave him an even look.
"I'd have tried to persuade him to leave," he said.
"Really," Magneto said.
"Yes, really," Sean said.
He felt tired, tired of the game that Magneto was trying to play, of all of the frustrations that came with it.
"Listen, you wouldn't be with us if you didn't think that you needed us," Sean said, "And we wouldn't be with you if we didn't think we needed you. Both our teams don't like each other, and we're both trying to get them to at least cooperate. I care about Havok and you care about Magnetrix. If we do this right we'll be able to get our people safely out."
Sean gripped the edge of the table.
"That's what we're all fighting for, the only reason that we're together," he said, "And, for once, I really, really wish that you would understand that we need to work together and stop making it all so damn hard."
Magneto's expression hardened and he clenched his fist. Sean worried that he'd gone too far. Then Magneto relaxed slightly and nodded.
"Perhaps you can be trusted," he said.
"You know we can," Sean said.
Magneto sighed.
"I suppose so."
Hank unloaded his equipment. He'd brought everything he'd thought he'd need, including defibrillators. He wasn't sure if some of it would do any good, but it made him feel better. His stop at Westchester had been brief enough to collect some more things before heading down to South Dakota.
He rubbed his temples. The cool metal of his wedding ring touched his skin, even through all his fur. Carly hadn't wanted him to go, but she'd understood why he'd had to. Hank hadn't been able to leave her in Jasper though, not with the X-men embroiled in such a fight. She would be better off in Westchester where she could be guarded. She always liked it there.
"Do you want the splints on the left or the right?" Jean asked.
"Right," Hank said.
He glanced back at his case.
"Under normal circumstances I'd see if I could get some blood drawn before the fight," he said, "But everyone here needs it. I only have a few bags that I brought from Westchester. I couldn't keep more cooler for longer. If someone is gravely injured than someone else will have to donate."
"Maybe the Brotherhood has a type 'O' on their team," Jean suggested.
Hank laughed slightly.
"It would be too good to be true," he said.
He hesitated. The type 'O' comment sparked a memory.
"You know that Carly actually tried to give blood for the project before I left?" he said.
"But she can't!" Jean said.
She looked surprised, but at the same time he knew that she was secretly pleased. Jean had liked Carly ever since her blood had saved Scott's life nearly a year before. He supposed that Carly's offer elevated her even more in her eyes, always thinking of the team. However, he couldn't let Jean think that she had been willing to risk their unborn daughter.
"Well, she didn't know that," Hank said, "Although, in the heat of the moment, she might have forgotten that she was pregnant."
"So it is true."
Both of them turned towards the doorway. Mystique stood there, her eyes curious but at the same time somewhat dead. Hank put down the tools that he was using and struggled to find some sort of polite greeting. The two of them had made their peace a long time ago but, as with any member of the Brotherhood who had betrayed the X-men, things were still strange.
"I knew you got married," Mystique said, "No one ever told me you were going to be a father. Congratulations."
Jean licked her lips nervously. Hank nodded, making sure that his tone was calm.
"Thank you," he said, "We believe the child is a girl."
Mystique smirked, although Hank could still see the dead look in her eyes.
"Best of luck to this Carly then," she said, "She's going to need it."
Hank frowned.
"What are you talking about?" he said.
"Well, let's think here," Mystique said, "If the new little McCoy is anything like her daddy, well, that's going to make for one uncomfortable delivery. And Carly looked so delicate on the news."
Hank gritted his teeth. He wished that Mystique wasn't talking, that he could find a way to shut her up without disrupting the tentative peace between the Brotherhood and the X-men. He didn't want her to talk about Carly like that, didn't want to think of the possible complications that might occur during birth.
The fact of the matter was that it had crossed his mind. Carly really was delicate, her features soft. Her light injuries from the night when Graydon Creed had taken it into his head to hold her as a hostage were still healing when, for others, they would already be gone. After the initial joy of knowing he was going to be a father, he had started to worry that his mutation would cause complications in the birth.
Hank was passed caring of the child was a mutant or not. He intended to give his daughter the love and acceptance that he'd never had in his childhood. She would be raised amongst others of her kind, taught about loyalty, acceptance, and love in ways that most mutant children could only dream of.
If she was born with claws though, with elongated limbs, than that was different. He worried that Carly was going to have trouble with the delivery even if the pregnancy was fairly standard. Hank still knew that what he had, a wonderful woman who loved him and a daughter on the way, was too good to be true. He didn't want to lose either of them.
The ultrasound hadn't shown any irregularities, but he didn't want to get too comfortable. Ultrasounds were not as definite as he would like. Hank had never shared his worries with Carly, unwilling to intrude on her happiness over their child, but he was worried about his daughter's delivery.
Mystique throwing it in his face just made him angry.
"You need to leave."
Hank looked over at Jean, whose eyes were narrowed. Mystique raised her eyebrows.
"Feeling a little righteous are we?"
"You need to leave right now," Jean said.
"Or what, you'll make me little telepath?" Mystique said.
"No," Jean said, her voice calm, "I'm not controlling Brotherhood members and Emma isn't controlling X-men. But you need to leave before you ruin everything the rest of your team is working for. For some reason I don't think Magneto would be too happy that you're endangering his daughter because you felt like being cruel."
Her words were sharp and commanding, more so than he expected from Jean. Perhaps they had overlooked a force in her. Mystique shook her head and looked over at Hank.
"Send my wishes for good luck to Carly," she said.
"I'm with Marvel Girl," Hank said, "Get out."
Mystique walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Jean looked over at Hank.
"Everything's going to be fine," she said, "Your wife and your baby."
He laughed slightly and fiddled with the tools in front of him.
"How do you know I was worried?" he asked.
"I just do," Jean said.
She smiled.
"But it's going to be fine," she said.
Hank forced himself to smile in turn.
"I hope so," he said, "I hope so."