In the time between Hank's announcement and when he gave her instructions her mind turned to Kurt, wherever he was. The ache for him to be by her side became almost unbearable. She had known that having Blue without him there would be difficult, but nothing she had done could prepare her for what she felt.

Azazel had assured her that they were close to finding him, just a few more weeks. Amanda felt like crying when he told her that. She knew he meant to be comforting but somehow it only made her sad. If it was true then in a way he was so close to her and, at the same time, so very far away.

Her eyes focused as Hank put on his gloves and quietly got ready.

"I need you to push when I tell you to, okay?" asked Hank.

Amanda nodded while her body screamed no.

"Alright, now."

Taking a deep breath she followed her instructions. It was all she could do not to scream, even with the drugs. Hank had told her earlier that it had something to do with the sulfur poisoning. She began to understand how, if not properly counteracted, a woman could die in this way. It wasn't a thought she particularly wanted to dwell on though.

She felt exhausted and yet the pain kept coming. Amanda's hair had long since become soaked with sweat, sticking to her forehead. It had never seemed like a bad idea to have such long hair before. Jean laid a cool cloth on her head, trying to wipe some of it away. Rogue was there as well as Azazel, each saying reassuring things and telling her it was going to be over soon. Hank instructed her to push again.

Amanda did so, feeling more and more pain invade. She tried a few more times, her head tilted back into her pillow.

"You're doing great. You've got to do it again," Hank told her.

Amanda tried and her muscles refused to respond. Almost desperately she tried again but all she got in response was an increase in her pain. Summoning up a small amount of strength she made a feeble push. Afterwards her head fell back against the pillow, feeling like all of her muscles were limp.

Hank repeated himself and she shook her head weakly at his words. A miserable, gnawing exhaustion was taking hold of her. It scared her out of her mind.

"You've got to push Amanda," he said.

"I can't Hank," she sobbed.

"You can do it Amanda."

"I can't."

"You have to."

"I can't!" she screamed.

Hank paused, as though actually considering her words. When he realized she was telling the truth he swallowed. Amanda knew that wasn't good.

"You're going to have to force yourself to," he said, "You're body's unbalanced and…"

He examined her and paused.

"Your baby's legs are tangled," he said, "Hooked ankles so that means she's stuck right now. I can't fix this. You need to push the baby out; you can still do it. I don't think there's time for a cesarean."

She saw Azazel's eyes dart from her to Hank.

"Nevetska," he said, his voice low, "You can do this."

"Come on Amanda," Rogue said gently.

"I don't…I can't…" she said.

Charles glanced at Hank. He put a hand to his temple and Hank nodded.

"Amanda," he said, "I need you to look into the brightest corner of your memory. Think of something."

She shook her head.

"I can't…I can't focus on anything," she said.

"Unless you want me to see this memory, then you need me to bring it up yourself," he said, "That way I can hold it in your mind without seeing it."

His words didn't quite register, but racking her memory seemed easier than pushing. He knew what he was talking about; he must. Swallowing hard she picked at a memory. It began to slide through her fingers but Charles had closed his eyes and nodded. Amanda looked at him, wondering what he was doing-

Kurt teleported her into the room. Her hair and veil flew out behind her from the motion. She laughed as he set her down on the ground of one of the guest cabins. Her wedding dress swept the floor, making her feel like the princess in a novel. Amanda corrected her veil and tsked her tongue teasingly at Kurt.

"You know you're only supposed to do that when you take me to your house," she chided, "You're doing things wrong Kurt."

He grinned.

"I could not resist," he said, "Besides, did not see before vedding. Did not see you months und months before ze vedding."

Amanda grinned back. There was a silence and, for the first time that day, Amanda realized that she was alone with him. The wedding had been a simple affair, even getting ready had been done quickly. She surmised that she had arrived at the monastery a mere hour ago, and now she was a married woman. During all that time she was with someone else, or someone had been in the room with her and Kurt.

Kurt's eyes looked at her, as though examining her after their months apart. His eyes softened into something like wonder. Then, without any warning, he wrapped his arms around her. His lips crashed into hers, his fangs nipping at her lips. Amanda returned the kiss and threw her arms around her neck. It was much less chaste than the kiss they had shared in church and she was glad that this had happened later.

He pulled away and he clutched him to her. She leaned in, resting her head in the crook of his neck. In turn he buried his face in her hair, his breath hot on her neck. Amanda swore she felt his tail wrap around his waist, as though he wanted extra security that she wouldn't slide from his grasp.

"I haf missed you liebling," he whispered, "More zan I can say."

"I missed you too Kurt," she answered, "So much."

She felt him smile in her hair, holding her close and rocking her gently.

"Zrough rain, zrough snow, zrough tempest go.'Mongst streaming caves, o'er misty waves, on, on," Kurt murmured.

"What?" asked Amanda.

"Shhhh," he said.

With a slight pause he continued on.

"Still on. Peace, rest haf flown. Sooner zrough sadness I'd wish to be slain zan all ze gladness of life to sustain all ze fond yearning zat heart feels for heart only seems burning to make zem both smart."

Kurt sighed into her hair.

"How shall I fly? Forestvards hie?" he said, "Vain vere all strife, bright crown of life, turbulent bliss, love, zou art this."

He pulled away and took in her puzzled expression.

"Goethe vrote it," Kurt whispered.

Kurt leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, pausing only for a second to say;

"He vas right."

She blinked as her reality returned to her. There was a moment of light-headedness, but it was brief. Pain pierced her body. The lights of the med-bay glared down onto her and sweat dripped down her forehead. Her eyes flickered over to Charles. Amanda realized what he had done and had to fight the tears that wanted to come. In the end she failed. Her throat was constricted, but she managed to whisper;

"Thank you."

He nodded and Amanda turned her attention to the task at hand. There was a future out there. She was going to share that future with her husband, with her newborn child. She wasn't going to lose the baby because she wasn't strong enough, because she didn't try hard enough. If Amanda had to fight for Blue then she would fight.

Amanda took a deep breath and, with renewed determination, continued pushing. A reserve of energy and strength she didn't know she had came up, pushing her into exhaustion. Prayers filled her mind that she couldn't articulate, didn't even consist of words, prayers only she knew that she was making. The pain intensified until she was screaming and sobbing, her breathing uneven.

Then, finally she felt something shift within her. It was almost as if her body was losing something but, at the same time, returning to normality. The sensation disoriented her for a moment. Then a new cry filled the room, the cry of a newborn. Amanda craned her neck but Hank shook his head.

"You have to push one more time Amanda," he said, "The afterbirth. Then everything will be fine."

Although upset that she wasn't through yet she nodded and complied. It was painful, but not as much as the baby's birth had been. When it was over she felt like her body was ready to dissolve. From far away she could see Jean doing something in the corner. Vaguely Amanda registered that she was cleaning the baby.

"The legs," Amanda managed, "nothing's…nothing's damaged…is it?"

Jean shook her head and Amanda gave a silent prayer of thanks, sealed with the last of the tears that leaked from her eyes. Blue was fine. After everything she had been through she'd managed to deliver her child safely into the world. Everything in her ached and burned, but Jean walked up beside her and placed a small bundle in her arms. Nothing mattered after that.

"It's a little girl," Jean said.

Two blue-green eyes looked at her, set in a sea of china-blue skin. A few black strands of hair dominated her head. Her ears were elfish and pointed, although she sported no tails and had the regular number of fingers. Amanda rocked the child, her old tears dripping down her face onto her daughter's.

"She's so beautiful," Amanda said, "My beautiful little girl."

Amanda tilted her head and propped the girl up. This way Azazel had a better view. An unreadable expression crossed his face.

"Your granddaughter," she said.

He closed his eyes briefly before opening them. A gentle smile crossed his features; one of the few she had ever seen. Across from him the Professor nodded quietly. Amanda moved her daughter so he could see too. He deserved it. He had done so much for the two of them. He smiled as well, an expression containing a hint of sadness.

"What's her name?" asked Rogue quietly.

Amanda touched her daughter's face, not quite hearing her words. A second later they sunk in and she looked up.

"Cerise," said Amanda.

She saw Azazel start.

"Cerise," he repeated.

She knew he knew that the child was named in his honor. Amanda thought she saw his eyes glisten for a moment. He reached out and gingerly stroked the Cerise's head. She made a soft little noise, pushing out with her hands. He withdrew his hands and Amanda shifted Cerise in her arms.

"It was Kurt's idea," she whispered, "He wanted to name…our firstborn after you. I thought…it was a good idea."

Amanda laughed slightly.

"Cerise is such a…long name though…I think I'll be calling her Blue for a while," she said, "Again…Kurt's idea."

She looked up for a moment.

"But…I…I get to pick the middle name," she said, "That was the agreement. And her…her middle name is Marie."

Rogue looked up, her lower lip trembling. Amanda leaned back, feeling almost dreamy. Emotions were running free and she allowed them to wash over her. She could feel how much they cared about her, about her child, and it was a good feeling. If Kurt were there to see their daughter then her happiness would be complete.

"I think it…works…" said Amanda, "Guess I should have mentioned it earlier...want to be godmother?"

There was a pause as her eyes grew wide.

"Are 'ya mad?" asked Rogue.

She reached out and touched Blue with a gloved hand.

"Ah'm amazed," she said, her voice lending her credibility, "There's a baby that shares mah name. Some of it anyway."

Amanda was too weak to smile anymore, but there were still a few things she had to say.

"I don't know…when we'll christen…when I should…"

Her unspoken words were that, since Kurt had been absent for the birth, he should be present for the christening. Azazel understood what she was getting at. The tears that had glistened in his eyes were pushed back, but she could still see that he was emotional. He put a comforting hand on hers.

"Do nyet worry about that," he said, "Whole month before it becomes wrong to nyet have baby christened, da? You will be able to do within time."

He was as good as vowing that she'd see Kurt within a month.

"Thank you," Amanda said.

She looked down and saw her own green-blue eyes staring back up at her. Amanda allowed herself to get lost in them before her exhaustion pulled her into unconsciousness.