Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. Or 'Glory of Love' by Peter Cetera.

Chapter Thirty Seven – Happy Holidays

December 25th 1998

It was strange how chaos changed peoples' perspectives.

Sara Grey-Alvers' house was big, but once Judy, Abigail and Alex Sr., Scott and Jean, Alex, Lorna, Eric, Chloe (who he was still dating, much to Jean and Kitty's disbelief), Lance, Kitty, Wanda, Tabby, Lucie, Todd, Pietro and Fred were all there, it was a tight fit and Sara had run out of ways to organise rooms.

So she had conceded and let Eric and Chloe share a room, as well as Lance and Kitty, which Scott wasn't happy about, but kept his mouth shut.

Actually, he'd said very little to Lance since he'd found his parents and not just because he was too busy talking to them.

Scott and Jean had been going to share a room anyway, so nothing had changed in that area, aside from the fact that there were now two cribs instead of just one.

They'd called the Institute and told them that everyone was healthy, but were keeping the fact that they'd had twins quiet until they could see people's reaction.

To the adults' amazement, all of the 'children' in the house, aside from Eric and Chloe, had slept straight through the twins' crying, with the obvious exception of their parents.

Kitty, Alex and Lorna were used to Lorelai crying at all hours.

The Brotherhood were just used to strange noises.

It was early and the house was still quiet, but Kitty was awake regardless, trying to figure out why she could never sleep in on Christmas morning when she'd never celebrated as a child.

She had a feeling it had something to do with spending two Christmases being woken up by Jamie; you needed to be awake before him or he'd give you a heart attack.

Kitty stretched sleepily, curling into Lance's side, making a mental note to call the Institute at some point.

A soft kiss landed on her forehead, causing a smile to spread across her face. "You awake?" Lance asked quietly.

"No." Kitty lied, not opening her eyes.

She heard Lance chuckle and his arms tightened around her waist, sliding over the shirt she was wearing (it wasn't technically hers; she'd stolen it from him ages ago). Despite sharing a room, and a bed, and despite knowing they were unlikely to get an opportunity like this again for a long time, they had only succumbed and taken advantage of the situation a few times.

"You're gonna have to wake up sometime, sweetheart." He murmured.

"I know." Kitty groaned, hearing her phone go off somewhere nearby. "Dammit." She leaned over the side of the bed and rooted through her jacket, which had fallen to the floor, finally extracting her cell-phone from one of the pockets. "Hello?"

"Kitty?"

"Jamie." Kitty settled back into Lance's arms and glanced at the clock. "Merry Christmas. It's only five o'clock, sweetheart."

"I know, but I wanted to talk to you."

Kitty smiled fondly. "Well, I'm here. Did you open your stocking yet?"

"Nuh uh. I wanted to wait for you." Jamie admitted.

Kitty chuckled. "Okay, hun; hang on." She covered the phone. "Jamie wants to tell me what he got for Christmas."

Lance chuckled. "I remember doing that. Mind you, it was normally my grandparents I called."

"Well, that's not an option." Kitty murmured, knowing she didn't have to elaborate, before pulling her hand away. "Go ahead, Jamie."

Jamie launched into a play-by-play of the morning and Kitty nodded, making the appropriate noises when she needed to.

As the minutes ticked by, the quiet was broken by the wailing of a baby and Jamie broke off mid-sentence.

"Was that Jean's baby? What did she have?"

Kitty laughed. "Nice try, Jamie. Jean and Scott want to tell everyone when they get home."

There was a soft knock at the door and it opened just wide enough for Sara to poke her head in. Seeing that they were both awake and fully-clothed, even if not yet really dressed, she walked in, holding her screaming grandson in her arms.

"They didn't get more than a second of sleep last night." She explained quietly.

Lance got out of bed and took his nephew, but the crying didn't decrease. "Is he hungry?"

"No." Sara shook her head. "He's not hungry, he doesn't need changing; he doesn't have wind."

"I'll call you back later, Jamie." Kitty told him, grimacing slightly. "Bye sweetie." She hung up and stood up as well. "Here."

Lance gratefully handed Joseph over and she cradled him carefully, cooing softly to him. When that didn't work, she sighed, wondering idly if telepathy would work any better.

Joey? Hey, sweetheart, it's your Auntie Kitty. Do you just want a cuddle? Because Mommy's really tired, kid, so it'd be great if you could just let her sleep.

To her surprise, Joseph's wails quietened to general fussing and she sat down, rocking him gently, still speaking softly in his head.

"Unbelievable." Lance muttered.

Sara smiled. "I haven't heard that song in years."

"Hmm?" Kitty asked absently, focusing on her thoughts.

"The song you're singing." Sara elaborated, and Kitty realised that she was humming quietly, which was more likely to be the reason for the baby settling. "I haven't heard it in years. I used to sing it to the children."

"It was in a movie, wasn't it?" Lance asked, frowning thoughtfully.

Sara nodded. "Yes, but that wasn't where I first heard it. I'd never heard it before I was pregnant with Eric and then I just started humming the tune. I thought I was going crazy until my mother-in-law told me she'd done the same thing when she was pregnant with Paul." A sad smile crossed her face at the thought of her late husband.

"I've heard of inheriting cravings." Kitty commented. "I thought you got it through your own parents though."

"Sometimes." Sara confirmed. "But it's the baby that causes the cravings, so they can bring it from their father's side of the family, which is what these three did." She ruffled her son's hair affectionately and he grinned at her, the whole scene a little bizarre, given that he was a head taller than her now.

Kitty laughed quietly. "I haven't seen the movie in ages; I just figured it was appropriate." She glanced down to see that Joseph was now fast asleep.

Sara saw this too and sighed in relief. "Oh thank God. I've had three children, but he just didn't seem to want to settle down."

"I think he's telepathic." Kitty told her quietly. "Or will be, at any rate. I think I've settled him, so he should be okay. Jean would do a better job than I did, being his mother and all. But it'll do for now."

"Thank you, dear." Sara carefully took him back. "I'll take him downstairs; I really need to get things started if I want to get lunch sorted in time."

"'Kay." Kitty bit back a yawn and stretched, running a hand through her hair.

As the door closed quietly, Lance slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Kitty put up a hand. "Honey, you know I love you, but …"

"I already brushed my teeth this morning." Lance smirked. "It's not difficult to beat you up, Kitten."

"Oh." Kitty smiled. "In that case, go ahead."

Lance kissed her softly, cupping her face in his hands. Kitty let out a soft sigh and leaned against him, her arms encircling him.

Breaking away, Lance rested his forehead on hers. "I could get used to mornings like this."

Kitty sighed sadly. "We can't, Lance; you know that. I wish we could, but I can't leave the X-Men anymore than you could leave the Brotherhood."

"Give it time." Lance suggested. "They might be open to coming with."

Kitty sniggered. "In your dreams, Shakedown."

"True." Lance agreed with a laugh. "You're probably right. What movie was that song from again?"

Kitty frowned. "Can't remember. I'm sure I watched it with you though. Probably back in Northbrook."

They had watched a lot of movies back in Northbrook and Lance dropped the query, which came as a relief to Kitty, who hadn't, and still didn't, ever having heard that song before in her life.

December 31st 1998

The New Year's Eve party was in full-swing, held in one of the large rooms on the first floor, which had been cleared of all furniture, except for a few couches, trestle tables laden with a buffet and chairs dotted around the walls, leaving a large space free for dancing.

Scott and Jean were sat on one of the couches with Joseph – since nicknamed Joey – and Monica, taking every fawning woman with good grace.

Alex and Lorna were talking to his parents; Wanda, Tabby and Lucie were keeping an eye on Todd and Fred; Eric and Chloe had disappeared off to … who knew where; and Sara was in her element as hostess.

But something, Jean realised as she scanned the room, was missing. Excusing herself from an old friend of her dad's, she stood up, cradling Monica to her body, and headed over to where Lance and Kitty were standing in a quiet corner, blocked from Scott's view more for simplicity than anything else, his arms around her waist, her head resting on his shoulder.

It took her longer than it should have to reach them, partly because of the number of people who stopped her and cooed over the child in her arms and partly because of the slow song that was playing, meaning that there were a lot of people dancing.

The couple she was aiming for, she realised, weren't dancing, just swaying in time with the music and she smiled softly, before reluctantly clearing her throat.

Lance loosened his arms enough to allow his girlfriend to turn around and settled his hands on her stomach instead.

Jean nodded towards the window, curtains still drawn allowing the moonlight to stream in, where Pietro was leaning against the wall, talking to Judy and an old family friend. "What's wrong with that picture?"

Kitty knew what she meant; for the duration of the holidays, something had been bugging her about Quicksilver, but she just couldn't put her finger on it while he was with the Brotherhood – none of them sat still long enough for them to think.

Now, though, the answer was obvious. "Lexa's not here."

Since the shooting, it had been a strange thing for the two to be out each other's company, but they had been for the last few weeks.

"Lance, how exactly does he feel about her?" Jean asked.

Lance shrugged. "He's fallen hard and fast. Given how he talks about her, I'd say he feels the same way I do about Kitty." He dropped a kiss on her head.

"And how's that?" Scott prompted, appearing behind his fiancée.

"If I could've put it into words, I would have." Lance said calmly, not rising to it.

"Kitty, why don't you go and give Lexa a call?" Jean suggested. "See if she can make it. Mom won't mind."

Kitty frowned. "Jean, she'll never make it in time …" She caught sight of the look Jean was giving her and realisation struck her. "Oh, right. I'll use the phone in the next room." She leaned up to kiss Lance's cheek – whispering a slight warning in his ear as she did – and slipped away, perfectly aware of his eyes following her out of the room.

Once she was in the next room, empty but for everyone's coats, Kitty closed the door firmly, waited for a swell in the music and teleported directly to the mansion's living room.

Lexa started at her arrival, dropping the book she was reading. "Damn, Kitty; don't you ever knock?"

"Sorry." Kitty said unapologetically. "Where is everyone? It's New Year's."

"Around." Lexa answered, going back to her book. "Wolverine went out, Beast's in NYC, Warren and Taryn took Jamie to Time Square to watch the ball drop – whatever that means – and I think Professor Xavier's in his study."

"Come on then." Kitty grabbed her hand, causing her to drop her book again, and dragged her up the stairs to her room, with a single bed now that Anna had moved in with Remy. "We were at Jean's mom's New Year party and we thought to ourselves – Lexa should be here. So here I am; tell Professor X, would you?"

"Kitty, I've got nothing to wear!" Lexa protested, sending a telepathic message as she did.

Kitty sighed wearily. "You don't think I know that? One of my dresses should fit you; we're about the same size."

"You think?" Lexa asked, eyeing Kitty's aqua-blue velvet gown. It swept up her neck leaving her back bare. "You must be driving Lance crazy."

Kitty smirked over her shoulder. "Here's hoping. Classic black should do." She decided, pulling a dress from her closet. "Here." While Lexa changed, she found a pair of curling tongs, heating them in her hand.

"How do I look?" Lexa asked.

Kitty glanced up. "Lovely. Sit here." Ushering Lexa into a chair, she quickly curled her hair for her and applied a light layer of make-up.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm being set up?" Lexa asked dryly.

"Think of it this way; you get to find out about baby Summers before anyone else." Kitty pointed out, taking her arm.

This time, she teleported them to just outside the front door, both women shivering in the snow.

Jean, we're back.

A few minutes later, Jean opened the front door with a baby in her arms. "Lexa, glad you could make it. You look stunning, by the way."

"Thank you. So do you." Lexa responded truthfully as she stepped inside; it was difficult to tell Jean had only given birth a few weeks ago. "Boy or girl?"

"This one's Monica." Jean answered, leading them into the living room. "Scott's got Joey."

"Okay, awkward question." Lexa stated. "The hospital knows you took two, right?"

Having shaken lose the family friend (he still didn't know her name), Pietro was talking to his mother in an undertone about the Brotherhood, knowing it was only a matter of time before she found out from Sara.

When she bypassed white and began paling even further, he decided it was time to change the subject. "It's a great party."

"Yes, it is." Judy agreed, grabbing a drink from nearby to steady her nerves. "But you give it another hour and everyone single will be in a panic, trying to find someone to kiss when the ball drops."

"Well, as much as I don't want to have this conversation with my mother," Pietro sighed, "I will not be one of those people."

"Oh, sweetie, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend; we could have invited her." Judy told him, sounding disappointed.

"She's not my girlfriend." Pietro admitted reluctantly. "But I've fallen in love with her and I think she feels the same way."

He hoped she felt the same way.

Neither of them had mentioned the revelation he'd made before the shooting nor the conversation they'd had in the infirmary, but they had talked about anything and everything else.

He had told her things he'd never dreamed of telling anyone else, about his father and his sister, because she knew what it was like to be treated like a weapon rather than a person, more so than he did.

In return, she had confided him about growing up with HYDRA, the constant struggle to be a perfect warrior.

He felt a connection with her, one he couldn't explain or describe, but that seemed so entwined with his very being he wondered how he'd managed without it.

"We've never really talked about it." He shrugged.

Judy kissed her son's forehead. "You'll figure it out, sweetheart." She wiped the remnants of her lipstick away. "Who's that talking to Jean?"

"Hmm?" Pietro turned to see who she was talking about and froze. Her back was to him, but it didn't matter. "Lexa …"

Jean caught his eye and said something to her companion, who looked over her shoulder, smiled at him and excused herself, before joining them. "Hi."

"Hi." Pietro glanced at his mother, who seemed to find something about the situation incredibly amusing. "Mom, this is Lexa. Lexa, this is my mom."

Judy shook her hand. "It's lovely to meet you, dear." Someone called her name from across the room and she excused herself, leaving the two looking at each other.

Pietro cleared his throat. "Lex, you look stunning."

There were no other words to describe her. Her sleeveless black dress swept the floor, hugging her hips, the neckline sweeping lower than anything he'd seen on her before. Her hair was curled and tumbled over her shoulders and neck seductively.

"Thank you." Lexa smiled almost shyly. "You don't look half-bad yourself."

Another slow song began playing and Pietro smiled to himself as he recognised the song. "Wanna dance?"

Lexa took his hand. "I'd love to."

Tonight it's very clear,

As we're both lying here,

There's so many things I want to say.

I will always love you,

I would never leave you alone.

Over Lexa's head, Pietro caught sight of Kitty whispering something to Lance, who spun her round and flashed his team-mate a wink.

Sometimes I might forget,

Say things I might regret,

It breaks my heart to see you crying.

I don't wanna lose you,

I could never make it alone.

Pietro pulled her closer, remembering the spasm of horror that had shot through him when he'd seen the gun aimed at her. The fact that she could heal from it never even entered her head; he just knew that he would never let her get hurt.

I am a man who will fight for your honour.

I'll be the hero you're dreaming of.

We'll live forever,

Knowing together,

That we did it all for the glory of love …

"Twenty seconds!"

The voice echoed through the room and people seemed to instinctively pair off as chatter ceased and everyone stared at the clock, waiting, excitement buzzing through the room.

"Ten … Nine … Eight … Seven … Six … Five … Four … Three … Two … One … Happy New Year!"

Fireworks went off outside, illuminating the room they were standing in, as the guests cheered, hugged and kissed each other.

"Here's to a perfect year." Jean whispered, kissing her fiancé softly.

Scott smiled down at her and the twins, who were sleeping soundly in their parents' arms, despite the noisy atmosphere. "It will be."

Across the room, Lexa was in Pietro's arms, her hands gripping his shoulders for support. He broke the kiss gently and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Happy New Year."

At least, that's what he'd intended to say. For some reason, the words got mixed up on the way to his mouth.

"I love you."

Lexa smiled and pressed her lips to his once more. "I love you too."

Pietro held her tightly and was about to respond when something caught his attention. Kitty was in Lance's arms, which was to be expected, but they weren't caught up in a New Year's embrace.

They were just staring at each other, gazing at each other in silence.

"I wonder what happened." Pietro murmured.

"Hmm?" Lexa turned in his arms. "No idea."

A few minutes earlier …

"Three … Two … One … Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year." Lance repeated quietly.

Before his lips could reach her, Kitty met his eyes and whispered two words.

"I'm pregnant."

AN: Yes, I know, that's number four. Last one for a while, I promise. Let's see if we can push this fic up to 200 reviews, shall we?