Selene couldn't sleep. Under the blankets was too hot, over the blankets was too cold, and there was no one on the other side of the bed to keep her company. Not surprisingly, Logan was out again with Scott, chasing down one hint or another about James. Deciding she would never fall asleep, Selene huffed with frustration and slowly pulled herself out of bed- a job that was distinctly more difficult with the heavy swell of her belly weighing her down. She brought her hand briefly over the life growing within her, remembering the astonishing revelation about how it came into being.
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(Flashback)
"Okay, Doc, what the hell?" Logan asked as Selene slid onto the now-familiar examination table in the Med Bay. In the two weeks since their amorous encounter, Selene and Logan had spent much of their time here trying to figure out how the episode had occurred now that the chips had been removed.
Hank, whose gaunt features and tired voice clearly showed the many hours he had devoted to the strange situation, groaned as he admitted, "Honestly, I have no idea," Selene's shoulders slumped and Logan's brows knitted in confusion as the tired doctor continued, "but, I do have a theory. From what I have gathered since your first arrival here, it was not only the implantation of a chip that you endured during your internment, but your very physiology has been changed. Every cell, every molecule, everything having to do with what they wanted has changed forever, and it won't change back simply by removing a chip." Hank rubbed his hands over his tired face as he brought up the courage to continue, "Truth be told, I don't think I can ever totally reverse what they did to you."
"I don't understand," Selene stammered, dumbstruck, "I mean, what could they have done that would make this happen?"
"Let me see if I can explain," Hank began, "Imagine, if you will, a slot machine. Most couples will hit a match a few times in their lives, three cherries is a boy, three oranges is twin girls, what have you." The couple in font of him stared blankly, so he continued, "now, imagine that some rotten fellow tampers with one machine, making it so that it only comes up with three lemons, Class 5 feral males, by the looks of it, and even that only comes up once every year or so. Now, we've removed the timer, but the slot machine will still only ever produce three lemons. That's why, when you tried to have a child before, nothing happened, but, suddenly, the slot machine comes up with three lemons, you both go into heat, and, if my guess is right, we have another Class 5 feral on the way."
At that point, a faint beeping noise sounded from across the Lab. Hank, realizing that the couple needed a moment alone, went off to check the machine's results.
"It's just going to keep happening, going off randomly and setting us off like animals." Logan rumbled, eyes wide in astonishment and frustration. Suddenly, he felt Selene's small hand weave into his.
"It'll be okay, babe. I like lemons." She smiled softly.
Logan stared at his lover blankly for a moment before smiling and admitting, "Me too, Darlin'."
(End Flashback)
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After that, the revelation that Selene was carrying twin boys came as no real surprise. Although it did come as a bit of a burden to the lower back, Selene mused as she checked on her Wolf Pack (all sleeping soundly) before she headed for the kitchen. From her substantial appetite, and the twins' already substantial size, even though she was only about six months along, Selene often joked that she was carrying around a couple of bears instead of boys.
Selene rounded the corner and was surprised to hear a television flickering in the nearly silent halls of the mansion. It was nearly midnight, and Artie was awake again.
"Can't sleep, kiddo?" She asked as she leaned on the doorframe of the rec room.
"Nope." Artie mumbled.
"Come on," Selene motioned to him," you can keep me company over a peanut butter sandwich. My treat." Selene joked.
Artie blinked, switching off the TV, and smiled as he followed her into the kitchen.
Selene was somewhat more surprised to see that the light was already on as she reached the breakfast room, Bobby Drake was sitting there, nursing a Dr. Pepper.
"The caffeine is only going to keep you up, you know." Selene smiled at the student, "And besides, your bones are still growing. You should be drinking milk, Mister."
"Yes, M'am," Bobby smiled. He liked Selene. She was always a calming influence on the sometimes-hectic mansion. She was a good listener, and, he had to admit, even though she wasn't even ten years older than he, he saw her as a mother figure. Frankly, most of the students did, and she was more than happy to fill the role- especially since a majority of the students were alienated from their families because of their mutations.
Selene was just reaching up to bring the peanut butter out of the pantry when she heard a door squeak on its hinge in the hallway. She wanted to brush it off as another insomniac student coming to join their late night picnic, but something felt off.
"Bobby," she warned, the tension clear in her voice, "stay here with Artie. I'm going to go check on something."
Selene slowly padded down the hall, not even noticing that she was headed back towards her room, when everything seemed to hit at once.
Windows were shattering on the upper levels, doors were blasted in on the ground floor, and everywhere the stomping feet of soldiers seemed to echo through the halls. Siren's wail screeched through the mansion, and the mansion almost started to shake as one mutant power after another came alive to defend the school.
Through the commotion, Selene could register only one thought. 'I need to get to my boys." As fast as her pregnant belly would allow, she threw herself up a side staircase towards her apartment, her heart nearly stopped beating when she arrived there.
"No. Oh, God, noooo!" Selene wailed at the top of her lungs at the sight of the three empty beds. Her sons were gone. Selene fell to her knees as her perception shut down at the thought. She would never have noticed the guard that snuck up behind her, had not a six foot seven inch tall steel-encased force blasted through a nearby wall, destroying everything (including the soldier) in its path.
"Selene," Colossus said, rushing to his fallen friend, "we need to get out of here, the mansion is under attack."
"They took my sons, Pete," Selene whimpered, not moving.
Glancing at the empty room, Colossus felt a surge of sorrow, but snapped himself back as he reached down and picked Selene up in his arms, "No time to argue. We need to leave." With Selene safely secured in his grasp, Colossus made off to the lower levels, both to find an escape route, and to help ensure the other children could escape safely.
The lower levels were in complete chaos. Fire and ice flew around the hallways, sparks rebounded off attacking soldiers, and sleep-inducing darts took aim, rapidly diminishing the mutant ranks as more and more fell into unconsciousness. In a momentary lull, Colossus heard a shout, "Selene!" Rogue came into view, cut and bruised, as she reached for her closest friend.
"She's alright, she's just in shock," Colossus explained, "The boys are gone."
"Selene's boys?" Rogue asked, barely able to register the situation.
Colossus nodded, "These guys must have taken them. You stay with her, I have to go out and make sure the rest of the kids get out."
Rogue nodded as her metal-encased friend bounded away towards the sounds of fighting.
"We're gonna get them back, Sugah, don't you worry 'bout a thing." Rogue murmured to her broken friend.
Suddenly, flashing playing cards started exploding all around them as Gambit raced onto the scene.
"They comin' this way, Mon Petites, we gotta keep movin', non?" Gambit yelled as he released more exploding cards to buy time for the trio.
"Sugah, you gotta get up! I can't carry you away. You don't want them getting their hands on these boys, too, do ya?" Rogue yelled, trying to drag Selene to her feet.
At the new threat to her unborn children, fire awoke in Selene. Her protective instincts took hold, and she raced to her feet, away from the attacking threat.
Even with Gambit holding them off, the soldiers were gaining on them. Without a moment to lose, they reached a secret passage. Pressing on the wall, Gambit opened the way. He and Rogue stepped through to the hidden passage, with Selene a step behind, when the door suddenly malfunctioned, trapping Selene on the wrong side.
Hitting and even attempting to explode the door did no good. The reinforced passage would not budge, leaving Selene stranded, defeated, as the flashlights of a dozen soldiers centered on her.
Selene squinted her eyes, turning to protect her belly from as much damage as she could, when the cry, "Wait!" sounded from the back line of ranks.
Eyes adjusting slowly in the dim light, Selene tried to see the figure that walked toward her in the darkness. As he came into view, she wished she hadn't.
The man that came before her was one of the most hideous sights she'd ever seen. Dressed in a dark blue suit, his hair was black enough to almost reflect blue in the dim light. His face, though, was terrifying. It wasn't that his skin was an unearthly white, the color usually reserved for corpses that have washed up after several days at sea, nor was it the fact that every one of his teeth was viciously pointed like a shark's. It was his eyes, ruby red at the iris, and glowing with a fire that chilled Selene to her bones. This man, if he was a man, and not a demon, knew no remorse. She knew, somehow, that he was there to cause her pain, and that he would relish every moment of it.
"Selene, is that really you?" A cold, smooth voice asked, "You haven't aged a day. Although, I must say, I'm happy to see you in a family way. You're positively glowing." He smiled cruelly.
"You don't remember me, do you?" He asked as she continued to stare in terror, "My name is Nathaniel Essex, though some like to call me Sinister. But, of course you wouldn't know that. No, you might recognize me more like this," Suddenly, his features shifted. His eyes, teeth, and skin morphed into a normal human face. "Of course, you would not have seen me, per say, but I dare say you should recognize my voice." He grinned.
Selene froze. She knew that voice. She had tried to forget it, but it haunted her still. He was the doctor from the facility. Her lips trembled and tears formed in her eyes as she knew her worst fear had come to pass. They had found them. These men had taken her children, like they had taken James. They were going to take the children that now slept beneath her heart. Worst of all, there was nothing she could do to stop them.
Selene did not notice the hand signal that Sinister gave, she barely even noticed as a trio of darts buried themselves in her neck. She only fell to the floor, blackness consuming her, apologizing to Logan for failing him and their family, and wondering if she would ever see them again.
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AN: Goodness, I've been gone a while. Sorry. New job, new apartment, school, theater, writer's block, the list goes on. With holidays and finals coming up, I'm going to try to write, but I might not get to it. Also, I'll be abroad all of January, so don't expect any updates then. Anyway, here we are, kicking off Arc 3. We'll follow a lot of X2's outline, adjusted to fit my story (we're going to have fun with this!) Hope y'all enjoyed the update, and thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, etc. Happy Thanksgiving! :)
Masanya, UchihaAkia, Carlypso, NagainaFier, Bridgette Potter, Fire Black Dragon, x XRoweenaJAugustineX x, and stand out – SHOUT OUT: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and kind support. Reviewers like you are so much more than I deserve with my abysmal update schedule. Thanks again!
