Author's Note: Apologies for the delay – yet again I blame men with guitars who are too lazy to come to my home town and who force me to drive hundreds of miles to go see them instead. And they seem to all want to tour at the same time…damn them…anyway…short and sweet. Back to Pyro and Iceman…
A Little Complication
Chapter 26: Icy Blue
"Mother and baby are both fine," the midwife continued. "She's rather on the small side but she's a little fighter – all her vital signs are perfect. We're just cleaning her up and checking her over more thoroughly – give mum a chance to rest. You can pop in for a quick visit shortly."
Storm gave a quick nod, smiling appreciatively.
"Thank you."
Logan let out an apprehensive laugh, shaking his head slightly as the midwife disappeared.
"So…the kids have a kid."
Storm too laughed quietly, sitting down again.
"Yeah…" she ran a hand through her hair. "The kids have a kid…"
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
The faintest of sighs escaped Bobby's lips as he rubbed his temples wearingly, bowing his head as he sat in the corner of Marie's room. Now the room was empty and all the commotion had died down tiredness had crept up fast on the ice mutant.
"Where were you Bobby?"
Bobby's head snapped up at the quiet, almost inaudible voice. Swallowing hard he stood slowly and made his way towards Marie's bed.
"I was at the apartment…" he began slowly. "I went to see John."
"Oh…" Marie laughed softly. "Of course, it's his birthday isn't it?"
Bobby rubbed his arms uneasily.
"Eh, yeah…" he forced a smile. "After all that's happened I figured I was at least owe him a happy birthday," the ice mutant's brow formed a frown as tears started to roll slowly down Marie's cheeks. Instinctively he sat by her side, cupping her face softly. "I'm so sorry I didn't…"
"No, its ok, I just…" the female shook her head, smiling back at Bobby through her tears. "You've just been acting a little…off lately and I just thought…" she bowed her head briefly before looking back up, her voice growing even quieter. "I thought you were with another girl."
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Pyro blinked rapidly at his own words. Mystique arched an eyebrow questioningly.
"You don't want the ice mutant anymore?"
"No, I want…" the pyrokinetic frowned heavily. "I still want him I just don't think I want a boyfriend who has a kid," he paused as Mystique nodded understandingly. "And I mean there's the fact he's an X-Man…it would never work. We'll never see eye to eye and we'll just end up butting heads again and…"
Mystique pursed her lips as the fire mutant scowled at his own words.
"Are you saying all this because you believe it or because you think he's not going to leave his girlfriend?"
The burning brown eyes dropped their gaze as Pyro sighed quietly.
"I know he won't…"
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Bobby took a sharp intake of breath, desperately trying not to choke as he breathed back out.
"Of course not," he replied almost instantly. Taking a more calm breath, the ice mutant smiled and stroked Marie's cheek softly. "There is no other girl."
Marie smiled and took Bobby's hand, closing her eyes tiredly. They opened quickly at the sound of the door, her smile widening as the nurse reappeared with a bundle of pink blankets in her arms.
"Here you go…" the nurse gently lowered the tiny baby into Marie's arms, smiling at both she and Bobby as she backed away slowly. "If you need us just press that button ok?"
Both Bobby and Marie gave only the slightest of nods, both too distracted by the tiny little face in front of them. Bobby's breath caught as his daughter's eyes fluttered open.
"Oh! She has your eyes!" Marie gushed at the icy blue eyes. Bobby couldn't help but smile, reaching out slowly to touch the baby's cheek, barely brushing her soft skin as if in fear of hurting her. For several minutes the couple just sat, looking into the little face as their daughter closed her eyes again, screwing up her face, her tiny fingers curling up. Bobby laughed softly, fitting a finger into her little grasp.
"She's beautiful…" he whispered, marvelling at the tiny fingernails on those tiny fingers. Marie continued to grin, fussing with the pink blanket.
"Are you gonna call our parents?" she asked quietly. Bobby took a deep breath but nodded. Although mostly estranged from both their families the two had decided early on to inform their parents of their impending grandparenthood, news that had been – although slightly apprehensively – warmly received.
"I'll call them soon…" he replied quietly, eyes still fixed on his daughter, all other thoughts drifting away to the back of his mind as she opened her little icy blue eyes again…
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Mystique regarded the fire mutant in front of her thoughtfully.
"So…will you stay with Jamie then?" she queried. Pyro sighed quietly and shook his head.
"I should never have been with him in the first place," he admitted. "Besides, he'd be an idiot to take me back."
Mystique arched an eyebrow.
"He would yeah. But he is crazy about you."
The fire mutant let out a groan, dropping his head down onto his crossed arms. What had he done?
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Bobby and Marie were talking quietly when there was a soft knock on the door. Both looked up and smiled as Storm eased into the room, followed closely by Logan.
"Mind a quick visit?" Storm asked. Marie shook her head and gestured for the two to come over to the bed. Bobby smiled and kissed Marie's forehead softly.
"I'll go call our parents," he said. Marie gave a small nod as Bobby moved out the way to let Storm and Logan in about, smiling to himself as Storm gushed and Logan just gave an approving nod – although Bobby could see the twinkle in his eye. Quickly the ice mutant made his way outside, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. He phoned his own parents first and then Marie's, both welcoming the news and even mentioning a possible visit. Bobby couldn't help but smile. He didn't like being apart from his family. Maybe this was the opportunity to start building bridges…
Bobby turned to head back to Marie but a little voice stopped him. A knot tightened in his stomach as suddenly the adrenaline and distraction of the birth wore off and the ice mutant remembered the preceding events. Biting down hard on his lip he looked back down at his cell phone, desperately trying to get his head straight…
x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x
Pyro shut his eyes tightly, desperately trying to ignore the immense guilt welling within him. The fire mutant jumped at the sound of his cell phone ringing in his pocket. Quickly he pulled it out, looking down at Bobby's name on the little screen with a mix of apprehension and hope. Mystique gave the pyrokinetic a small smile, although he did not look up to see it.
"I'll leave you in peace…" she said as she quickly and quietly left the room. Taking a deep breath John hit the answer button.
"Hey…"
"Hi," came the quiet reply. John closed his eyes briefly and sighed quietly as a short silence fell.
"So…did you make it in time?" he asked, trying to sound relaxed.
"Yeah…just," Bobby laughed quietly but it sounded tense. "It's a girl."
Again John closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. Of course he had known all along Bobby was about to become a father but actually hearing it…
"Congratulations," he managed to say. Again a short silence fell.
"I'm so sorry John," Bobby finally admitted. "I couldn't…I mean she'd just given birth and was so…"
"Bobby…it's ok," John interrupted, even though it wasn't. "I said I'd understand."
Another pause and a small sigh.
"Did you talk to Jamie?"
John laughed dryly.
"Didn't have to," he replied, perhaps a little bluntly. "He knew exactly where I was."
"Oh…" Bobby sighed heavily. "Oh God John I don't know what to do."
The fire mutant inhaled sharply, trying to ignore his own pain as he tried to ease the anguish evident in the other mutant's voice.
"Go back to your daughter," he said quietly. "She's your priority."
Yet another pause.
"Yeah…I…" the ice mutant inhaled deeply. "I should get back inside."
"Ok," John tried not to sound disappointed even though it had been his suggestion. There was just the briefest of silences before Bobby spoke up again.
"I'll call you tomorrow."
John closed his eyes and nodded.
"Ok," he repeated, realising Bobby wouldn't see the nod.
"Well I'll…I'll talk to you later…" Bobby's voice sounded a little strained but John barely noticed.
"Yeah," he replied as casually as he could, desperately trying to fight back the nausea building within him. "Bye Bobby…"