Brenna sat in one of the lawn chairs on the beach, watching students and staff alike swimming and playing in the lake a few yards away. She was hot, made all the worse by the t-shirt and shorts she was wearing over the bikini she'd donned that morning. Further up the lawn behind her, she could hear loud music blaring from a stereo, kids yelling and laughing, could smell the meat cooking on the grills and she sighed to herself.
The night before the Labor Day picnic, she'd been in the cafeteria helping with the prep for the picnic. The conversation had turned to the activities that were planned for the day, swimming in the lake being one. Brenna had remarked to Sophie that where she came from, boys and girls alike often swam in the nude, adding that they did not, however, swim together. Sophie had taken her aside and told her to come to her room before bed that evening.
Upon arrival, Sophie had presented her with one of her bikinis. At first, Brenna had thought it was a lingerie set. When she had first been shown a brasserie by Miss Munro, of all people, she had been perplexed, explaining that in Asgard, the bodice of a dress uplifted a woman's breasts. Miss Munro had pointed out that she was wearing T-shirts and blouses nowadays and she was too amply endowed to go without, explaining that it was proper etiquette to wear a bra.
Sophie had told her it was swimwear and she had practically dropped to the floor. Sophie had told her that boys and girls swam together here, and were at least partially clothed, begged her to try it on. She had relented, later standing in front of her full length mirror admiring her reflection, how much she had filled out, how much older she now looked. She had then told Sophie that the bikini was almost worse than being nude. With the bikini on, she felt as if she were only partially dressed, it was much worse than going out naked. In the end, though, she had thanked her for the use of the swimwear and taken it to her room with her.
So there she sat, toes fiddling with the towel before her on the sand, watching as Chase trotted up to her from the lake dressed in a pair of cutoffs.
"Bren, come on." He pleaded with her, "Come swimming with me. I'm telling you, no one is going to give you a second glance, at least not because you're wearing a bikini...well I mean they might because you're wearing a bikini but not for the reasons you think...come on...please? Don't be so shy."
She sunk further into the chair. "I feel embarrassed. It's like being caught half dressed."
Chase dropped onto the towel in front of her. "Alright, okay, I'll sit here with you."
"I did not say you must," She muttered. She felt guilty for being so reluctant and her guilt only made her sullen. She wanted to have fun with her friends, she wanted to swim and dance and try barbecued spare ribs.
She glanced down at Chase who sat there, arms wrapped around his knees, squinting at the sun's glare and took a deep breath. When she stood up, Chase turned and jumped to his feet.
"Stand in front of me so that I may take my...gods...clothes off."
Chase grinned and picked up the towel, curving it around his shoulders so that she was mostly hidden from view. "Anything for you, sweetheart. Trust me, you'll have fun."
She folded her shorts and shirt and put them on the chair then peeked over his shoulder at the people in the water.
"You will not leave me? You will stay right by my side?"
He nodded, "Of course." as he slowly let the towel back down to the sand. "I will hold your hand every step of the way."
She frowned, "I am not a child, honestly. Just stay close."
Nevertheless, she took his hand as he led her away from the chair, keeping her head down, sure that everyone was now staring at her. She could see the water's edge approach and she was ankle deep when she heard a yell and looked up.
"Heeey! Well looka who done got they behind outta that chair." Brian came splashing towards them as Brenna flushed crimson.
"Jesus Bri," Chase muttered, "You maybe want to throw up a neon sign or something? Girl's trying to ease into this."
Brian stopped short and hunched over, putting a finger to his lips. "Gonna put a Elmer Fudd spin on it for y'all. I'll be vewwy vewwy quiet."
Brenna giggled, they could always make her laugh. There had been times she had regretted her decision to stay on Midgard when her homework got too hard or she failed to understand something that had been said, or merely when she became homesick. Those were the times they had lifted her spirits, made her happy she'd remained, stuck it out, as Chase had said.
Brian dropped back into the water to float on his back. "Well c'mon. Y'all gonna stand there getting your ankles all wrinkly?"
She inched further into the water, shivering as the water rose up her legs.
"So" Brian swam about them, "Don't y'all swim in Asgard?"
"Of course we do, though the boys have more opportunity to do so than the girls. We're usually the ones keeping house, doing chores, making meals."
"Well then what you scared of? This must be paradise for you."
She looked at the people swimming about.
"It is this small bathing suit." She was nearly waist deep now, "It is as if I were going swimming in my clothes."
"Brian stood and put his hands on his hips. "Well what you wear back home to go swimming, girl?"
"Nothing."
Brian slapped his hands atop his head, "Oh man, straight up? That is sick...where do I sign up for that tour of duty?"
"You know what?" Chase splashed him, "You are depraved."
Brian splashed him back, kicking water at Brenna as well, who squealed. "Naw, don't go lying. You just playing mister nice guy. You be there in a heartbeat otherwise."
Pretty soon Brenna joined in, splashing them until she was soaked, then they heard the whistle of the lifeguard and a yell. "Enough horseplay."
Brenna ducked under the water and came up shoulder deep. She felt much better in deeper water, not as self conscious as before. Sophie swam up to her with Dylan who nodded and smiled shyly.
"Finally, I thought you would never get in the water."
"Chase convinced me to try it." Brenna dove under and came back up.
"Yeah she'd be okay if we was all swimming in our birthday suits." Brian laughed.
Sophie glared at him and looked at Brenna, "Don't forget what I told you about men..."
Brenna gave a nod, "They are pigs."
Kurt felt a presence at his elbow and he gripped the wine cooler in his hand a bit tighter.
"Hey blue boy, you said you didn't imbibe." Logan took a gulp of his beer.
"I did not say I didn't indulge once in a while, I said I did not get falling down drunk every weekend." He poked Logan in the side with his tail, expecting retaliation but Logan grunted.
"What I do in the privacy of my rooms is my business...besides things hurt less when you can't see straight."
They watched the students playing in the water for a bit, "I see your charge is fitting right in now. She a good student?"
Kurt considered his answer, "She is smart, ja. She comprehends things but she still struggles vith der culture, history is a challenge."
"How so?"
Kurt turned his head to glance at him and he saw his image, unshaven, rough reflected in Kurt's sunglasses. "When you have grown up with der history of a completely different land, you have a twofold problem. Den you are learning geography and history at der same time." he sighed, "Vat about you?"
A smile played about Logan's lips, "She's a tough cookie. She learns the moves pretty quick. I wonder if it's genetic. Maybe her dad taught her a bit too. She managed to throw me pretty hard last week."
"Genetics, indeed it may be..." he paused, pursed his lips, then took a sip of the wine cooler.
"Don't hold back on me, chum. Spill your guts." Logan tapped Kurt's bottle to his own.
Kurt pulled the wine cooler closer, "Have you searched der database for her father?"
"Should I?" Logan drained his beer.
"Lets just say I wouldn't vant to be der one to have him to a conference where bad news vas going to be passed along."
"Well we know who the hell he is...didn't you?"
"Ja, I just dug a little deeper is all. It is better to be prepared is it not?"
"Prepared for what?" Logan lifted the lid of the small cooler at his feet, dropped the empty inside and pulled out a full one as Kurt shook his head.
"Temper tantrums..."
"From him?" He dropped the cap into the open cooler and took a swig.
"Perhaps, maybe from her...ve haven't really taken a good look at her mutation yet. I vill suggest that to Ororo soon."
"What are you going to suggest to me?" Came the voice behind him and he whipped around, nearly losing his footing on the sloping ground.
Ororo stood there in black shorts and a yellow v-neck shirt with an apron tied around her waist, a long three pronged fork in her hand. Kurt was glad of his sunglasses, she was breathtaking and he couldn't help staring at her.
"I vas saying ve should maybe look at Brenna's mutation a little closer."
"Oh?" She cocked her head. "Thinking she might take after her papa?"
He nodded, "Haven't you thought der same thing?"
She looked past them to where Chase was trying to teach Brenna to float on her back. "I've thought plenty of things, that being one of them. Fine, make it so. Explain to her that we would like to look at her genetic makeup. Ask her if she'll let us draw her blood for analysis this week."
"Another lab rat huh?" Logan quipped and Ororo pointed at his beer with the fork, "Don't overdo it today Logan or I'm going to cut your rations."
He snickered at first, then mumbled, "Yeah, yeah."
From out of nowhere, the Darth Vader theme began to play and Ororo fumbled in her pocket while Kurt and Logan exchanged smiles.
She tapped the screen of her cell phone, "Yes?" Her mouth dropped open, "Yes she is but we're down by the lake at our annual picnic." She looked at Kurt and Logan, "Oh?...oh my...um, okay give me ten minutes and call my office phone, we'll be there...yes...alright, bye."
Ororo stuffed the phone in her pocket and started at a trot for the lake as Kurt called to her, "Vat is wrong? Bad news?"
"No," She called over her shoulder, "Not really, I'll fill you in later."
They watched her run to the water's edge and call Brenna's name, saw Brenna come out of the water and Ororo say something as she pointed towards the mansion behind them. When Chase made to follow them, Ororo put her hand out and he stopped, a look of shock on his face. As they passed her chair, she grabbed the towel draped over it and put it over her shoulders, following Ororo at a quick trot. As they headed up the lawn, Logan took another swig of his beer, "Be prepared huh?"
"Ja," Kurt nodded, "For everything."
Brenna sat shivering in Ororo's office. A phone call? She was going to get a phone call? And Ororo had no idea from whom...she wondered if possibly something was wrong at home, if someone was sick. She was pondering the myriad reasons when the phone on her desk rang and they jumped. Ororo answered it, "Hello?...this is Miss Munro, headmistress of Xavier's school, who is this?"
Brenna saw her eyes widen, "Yes she is.." Ororo waved for Brenna to take the phone and she retreated to the other side of the room as Brenna sat down in Ororo's chair and held the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Brenna, is that you?"
"Mama? MAMA!" Brenna cried, felt the tears immediately come to her eyes. "Where are you? How can you be calling me?"
"Oh Bren, I am in the city called New York."
"You're in New York? Why, is something wrong?" She sat up in the chair.
"I had the baby too early. She arrived yesterday."
"But why did you come here then? Is the baby alright?"
She could hear the squeaking cry in the background and her father's voice muffled but distinct, "She needs to be changed." And her mother's voice faint as she turned her head away from the phone. "I shall be right there unless you wish to try again?"
"Father is there too? Why? Where are you?"
"We are in a place called Bellevue, it is a hospital. When we came to New York to find you, I spoke with an agent who told me that Midgardians could perform miracles when babies were born early so when I found my water had broken, I begged your father to bring me here." She could hear her mother's voice start to break and she hugged the phone, wishing she could feel it on the other end, "If we had not done so, we would have lost her like we did Silas."
"Her, I have another sister?"
"Yes, we named her Cait, the name we had orignally chosen for you but fate changed for us. Do you like it?"
"Well yes, of course. So she is well?"
There was a long pause on the other end and her mother's voice wavered, "We spoke to the physician this morning. She is weak, her lungs are undeveloped and she has a problem with her heart. The physician called it Hypo..plastic.." She heard her father finish for her in the background, "Left heart. They think that perhaps that was why she was born early, because she was sick."
"What does that mean? Will she be alright?"
Her mother sniffed and Brenna knew she was crying, "Without an operation to fix her heart, she will die."
Brenna had looked at numerous medical journals in the library, reading about heart and organ transplants, diseases, setting broken bones, trauma, surgery. She had devoured the books eagerly, and Kurt had teased that she should maybe study to become a doctor.
"Mama, no. Are they going to perform it for her?" Brenna jumped up from the chair and ran to the window, looking down at the barbecue by the lake, searching for Chase.
"They said they would do this operation on the morrow."
"I wish I could be there with you for it, I miss you Mama."
"We miss you too, my precious one." Brenna heard her father in the background again, "How did I do?" And her mother's answer, "Very well, my love."
"I must go now, the nurse is here and I must feed Cait. I will ask them to let me call you again after Cait's operation."
"Promise you will. Promise you will call me, Mama."
"I will beg them if need be. Are you being a good girl there at this school?"
"Yes Mama...Mama? I love you."
"I love you too, poppet."
When she hung up the phone, she looked to see Ororo walking towards the desk.
"Your mama had her baby? Here in New York?"
"Yes..." She put her hands over her mouth as she dropped in Ororo's chair. "It seems like a dream."
"Do you want to go to your room, lie down? You look pale." Ororo put her hand on Brenna's shoulder.
"I think I'll return to the picnic...I want to talk to Chase." Brenna stood up, heading for the door but Ororo stopped her. "Be careful what you tell him, or anyone else. Do you understand?"
Brenna nodded, "I only wish to talk to Chase, to tell him that I have a new sister."
Ororo took her shoulders in her hands and looked into her eyes, "Alright," She released her then, "Congratulations on the new addition to the family."
Ororo watched her run out of the office then looked to her phone, wondering if she should call Fury back and get more details about what had happened but her pager went off. It was Scott, "Probably getting backed up at the grill." She shook her head and took off behind Brenna to return to the picnic.
Brenna's mind was working all the way down to the lake and by the time she had reached Chase who met her halfway up the beach, she could barely contain herself.
"What happened, who called?" Chase whispered and Brenna was surprised at his astute judgment of secrecy.
"My mother, she is here in New York."
"Here? In the city or the state?"
Brenna shaded her eyes, searching for Sophie and Brian in the water. "City, she said she was in a place called Bellevue. She had my sister there."
Chase smiled and hugged her, "That's great, what'd they name her?"
Brenna saw Brian look up and she waved to him to come to her. "Cait. It was to be my name but they had to change it. The story is long, I shall tell you someday." Brian was trotting up the beach towards them.
"Is everything okay?" Chase took note of Brenna's worried expression.
"No, the baby is very ill. They are going to perform an operation on her heart on the morrow."
Brian slowed to a halt beside them as Chase put his hand behind his neck and rubbed it.
"What's up, y'all? Everything straight?"
"It will be. I need your help later tonight, yours and Chase's."
"Tonight? What for. What's going down, dude?" Brian glanced at Chase who looked thoroughly confused.
"We cannot talk here, " Brenna's eyes shifted over to where Kurt and Logan stood, still talking. "Follow me." She started back up the slope to the mansion and they fell in step beside her.
"Brenna, what are you up to?" Chase took her arm.
"My little sister is sick and I intend to help her."
"Brenna..."
Brian leaned over and caught her eye, "Little sister? Yo mama had dat baby? Isn't it early?"
"Yes she had it here, in New York." They had reached the tennis courts where there were a couple of nets occupied.
"In the city? Dayum, your parents relocate or something? Still don't explain why you need me."
"We have to go to this place called Bellevue tonight, the morrow will be too late." Chase stopped along with Brian and Brenna turned to face them, "I am going to heal my sister."