Trigger Warning (Spoilers): Talk of miscarriages.
1971
"So what am I just supposed to smile and wave you out the door and act like everything's okay?"
Alex sighed heavily, "What do you want me to do Ives?"
"I want you to act like you're about to go off to war for who knows how long Alex."
It was late, almost two in the morning, basic training and kicked his ass more than he was willing to admit and he did not want to be having this argument again with his on one of the few nights he had left with her.
"Is this what you want?" He yelled completely out of character, and Ivy froze, "Huh? You want me to tell you that I'm terrified of going out there? Well guess what Ivory? I am?"
"It's nice to see you feel something."
"What?"
"I said it's nice to see you feel something." She yelled back matching his volume.
"The hell are you on about?"
"You tell me Alex, between basic and our baby you've completely shut me out, you barely even look at me."
"Is that what this is about?" He scoffed sounding cold even to himself, "You're mad because I'm not paying enough attention to you?"
"I didn't say that."
"But that's what you meant," he shook his head, "God Ives what do you expect? I was out there busting my ass for weeks getting ready to fight a war I wanted to part in, so I'm very sorry if on my couple of nights I got back in my home I wasn't able to take care of you." He unintentionally sneered the words coming out before he could stop them, and he regretted them the moment they were out there.
Ivy clenched her jaw so tight for a moment she thought she might break you, "Claire was right." She spat before turning and dashing out through the back door, seconds later Alex was behind her grabbing her arms.
All the anger in her had faded into sadness and hurt, and his faded into sadness and concern when he saw the tears streaming down her face.
"Look at me, babydoll, look at me" his voice was a soothing contrast to the way he shook her probably harder than he meant to but it did succeed in getting her eyes to focus on his, "Claire was absolutely wrong alright? You hear me? I would never ever leave you alone like that if I had a choice."
"It's not fair."
"I know it's not," he agreed, reaching up to cradle her cheek, "But what could we do?"
"We could leave?"
"What?"
"You don't have to report in. We could leave, go anywhere."
"You know we can't do that."
"We can," she insisted, "We're mutants. If anyone can stay off the government's radar it's us."
"You mean like Erik did?" It was a low blow and he knew it.
"You already fought in one war for this country, why should you have to do it again?"
So that's what this was about he mused to himself, "I don't have a choice this time babydoll." He sighed hugging her to him, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "They'll send cheques every month."
"I don't want money Alex," she argued sinking into his embrace, "I want you to stay."
"I know," he muttered into her hair as he began rocking them together, "I know."
Alex held her tight in his arms for a long time, in the dead of night. Before he finally untangled himself from her and took her hand leading them inside. He turned off the lights throughout the house as he went until they got their bedroom. He took both her hands in his and laid soft kisses on them both, they then fell to hold onto his waist as his came up to cup her cheeks and press his lips to hers. He turned them around and held her close as they fell onto the bed.
"I love you." he whispered into her ear as he settled between her legs.
"I love you too."
A few days later the two of them whispered those same exact words to each other, under much less intimate circumstances. Alex had his arms wrapped tight around Ivy's waist, all but crushing her to his chest and hers wrapped around his neck. His mother and father stood by their side having already said their goodbyes, as all around them families did the same.
"I'll see you soon okay?" Alex told his wife somehow managing to keep the shake out of his voice as he ran his thumb under her eyes, she nodded before he kissed her again then had to force himself to pull away.
He spared one more look as his family before steeling himself and turning around heading for the truck. Before he was even out of sight, Elaine had already wrapped an arm around Ivy's back, hugging her to her side.
"How about you come and stay with us for a few days?"
"I'd like that."
Dear Ivy,
I'm sorry this letter took so long, I meant to write as soon as we landed, but the colonel had other plans. We got dropped right in the middle of the action. Not even Cuba scared me as much as that moment did. But that's probably not what you want to hear.
I miss you babydoll, I don't know how long it's going to be before this gets to you. But as of right now it's only been a week and a half and I'm already losing my mind. I hope you're not doing the same though, I know you. Don't stay in that house all alone, please. Go visit my parents, your mother, spend time with Hank and Charles. I'll be back before you know it.
-Sincerely, Alex
Ivy smile reading over the letter, rereading the second part because of course he knew that she'd rather be home miserable without him, but she'd try her best to do as he instructed. But for right now she laid the letter on his pillow and keep her eyes on it until she fell asleep, ignoring the cramping in her lower stomach.
"Ivy?" Hank called out walking into the house using the spare key after his knocking had yielded no responses, "Ives, you here?" his eyes scanned quickly over the living room making his way towards the kitchen, "Ivy?"
"Hank?" he finally heard the response from the bathroom, "Is that you?"
"Yeah," he answered, walking closer to the door, "Are you alright?" he didn't get a response and when he checked the door handle he found it locked, "Ives?"
"I'm fine, I just-" he thought he might have heard her sniff, "Just give me a minute okay?"
"Okay." he responded skeptically, slowly backing away from the door, ignoring every one of his instincts that told him something wasn't right, he'd only just turned his back when there was a crashing sound. Without giving it a second thought he rammed his shoulder into the door bursting it open.
Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of his best friend sprawled out on a bloody floor, "Get out." she whimpered after jumping when the door flew open, "I said get out!" she roared, throwing a tube at him, before she broke down in tears. Hank slowly entered the bathroom further picking up the overturned rack that she must have knocked over, he didn't know what to say as he hovered nervously over her, "Why is there so much blood?" she whimpered weakly trying to clean it up with a small towel.
"Ivy," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Let's get you cleaned up."
"No." she muttered through her tears still trying to clean the blood, but wasn't making any real progress.
"Hey, let me do this then, okay? You go clean up, huh?" he asked in compromise and she nodded weakly so Hank carefully helped her to her feet, bearing most of her weight as he walked her down the hall and into the master bedroom easing them into the en-suite and making sure she was secure before leaving to clean up the mess.
When he returned Ivy still was in the bathroom, and for a long moment he stood outside the door debating whether or not it would be considered inappropriate to enter. In the end compassion outweighed propriety and he slowly twisted the handle and entered the bathroom, silent relief filling him when he saw curled up in the tub with her knees to her chest, her long hair covering her.
"I didn't even know this time," she confessed into the quiet after a few long moments, Hank had noticed the goosebumps rising on her shoulders but she didn't seem to notice or care, so he kneeled down beside the tub and ran the warm cloth over her, "I hardly felt any pain," She continued, but it didn't sound like she was talking to him, "It was quick, like a needle or a pinch. Then nothing, like they were never even there. How can I still feel so empty?"
He sighed heavily, "Are you gonna' tell Alex?"
"This isn't the type of thing you just write in a letter," she responded still in that calm dream-like voice that was beginning to worry him, "We had a plan you know? After we got married? I always wanted a child, something that was really mine, and I can't even have that. He's gonna be so mad at me." her voice shook before she broke down into tears again.
"Ives. Hey," Hanks said gently, "Look at me." he prodded, "Alex loves you, no matter what happens."
"What's wrong with me Hank?"
"Nothing Ivy." he said, pulling her into a hug ignoring the fact that he was getting his shirt wet, "I think you should come and stay at the mansion tonight, you shouldn't be here alone after that." he suggested and Ivy nodded into his shoulder.
Dear Alex,
How it is possible that even a million miles away you know exactly what's going through my head? I'll try to get out more, but nothing feels the same without you here. I don't know, I really don't' want to make this sad but I don't know what else to tell you.
I went to the mansion the other day, Hank's got me watching some show called Star Trek, and honestly I don't hate it. Your parents say hello, and your mom says that she'd gonna write you soon.
Yours, Ivy.
Alex smile reading and rereading the letter over and over again until he had memorized every single word. Then he went back and memorized every slant in the letter. He could practically hear his wife's voice in his head as he read, if it were a few degrees hotter he might have thought he was delirious.
For those few moments as he read, he didn't care about the hard earth he was laying on, the rock that was digging into his shoulder most uncomfortably or the fact that his was around the time the calm during the war would come to an end.
He and his platoon had just received their letters from their loved ones, after a grueling few months, so they'd bask in the small reprieve for as long as they could.
He went back and studied how she crossed her T's.
"Hank?" Ivy called out into the silent foyer, hearing nothing but her own voice echo back at her, "Charles?" she called this time taking off her coat and tossing that and her purse onto the table at the entrance, "Hello?" she tried again before sighing and setting off to find either of them.
She found Hank first, "Hank?" she called softly to the sleeping man folded uncomfortably on the couch, "Hank." she called again, sinking down to her knees in front of him, and gently shaking his shoulder to wake him, he shot up so quickly Ivy had to lean back in order to avoid getting bashed in the face by him, "Calm down, it's me." she said calmly placing a hand on his shoulder, she frowned feeling heat radiating through his shirt, "Jesus Hank," she moved her hand placing it on his cheek, "You're burning up."
"Charles," Hank rushed out trying to stand but she pushed him back down, "I gotta get Charles."
"Hank you need to rest."
"But, the professor."
"I'll take care of him, Hank please."
Hank looked at her and actually saw her this time, he blinked hard before nodding, "Just a little while."
"Thank you," Ivy stood before helping him up, "Please, just rest for a while okay?"
"Okay." Hank nodded carefully skirting past her and making his way to the stairs, eventually disappearing up them.
Ivy sighed again, "Charles?" she called again, still receiving no response, she huffed setting off to find him.
She found him, not unlike she found Hank nearly passed out on the couch in the upstairs sitting room, she huffed taking the empty glass from his hand and setting it on the ground, "Hey," she gently snapped nudging his shoulder, "You alive?" her response was a miserable sounding groan as he rolled his head blinking bleary eyes up at her. "Good."
Then she set to work peeling him up off the couch, tugging him up wrapping his arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist gripping the back of his pants to begin hauling him down the hallway towards his room.
Charles wasn't much help in that regard, all but dragging his feet alongside her and nearly taking them both down on more than one occasion as he murmured nothing that she could make sense of over her shoulder.
Finally they made it to his bedroom and she dumped him onto the bed rolling him onto his back, "Okay," she said stretching out her back, "Let me get your shoes off."
"Alright," Charles slurred from above her rolling his head to look down at her, "But that's all you're getting off of me." he muttered, giggling softly at his own joke.
"Don't worry about that." she responded, though he didn't hear her already falling asleep, Ivy sighed again gently rolling Charles onto his side before going into his bathroom and retrieving the small trash can the rested there placing it on the floor by his head, she pulled the sheet up over his shoulders before leaving the room turning off the light behind her.
A few hours later Ivy knocked on Hank's door and after hearing him called out entered the room finding him sprawled out on his bed a book in his hands. She laid next time him on the bed staring up at the ceiling until he finished the chapter he was on.
"I don't know how you do it." she admitted honestly as he set his book aside and joined her staring up the ceiling of his room.
"Years of practice." Hank scoffed.
Ivy nodded, "I got a letter from Alex the other day." She told him.
"Did you tell him?" Hank asked for what had to have been the hundredth time at least.
"No," she answered easily, "I'll tell him when he gets back. He doesn't need to be thinking about that on top of everything else he's got going on." Hank nodded by her side and they remained in comfortable silence for a while, "You wanna get outta here?"
"Can't leave the professor."
"Right."
"You know, after I met you guys. I thought for a while I would be done spending my birthday alone." He said with a slight laugh at the end, but Ivy gave a pause.
"What?" she asked leaning up on her elbow to look at her friend, "It's your birthday?" she repeated a slow smile growing on her face, Hank nodded a little unsure as to why she looked so happy, "Are you serious? Why didn't you tell me?" she squeal before leaning down and pressing a bunch of kisses to his cheeks forehead and chin, Hank blushed heavily trying to bat her away, "C'mon, get up." She snapped taking his hand and standing, pulling him up behind her.
"Wait, Ives I can't leave the mansion." Hank protested but let himself be dragged anyway.
"We're not, but we are going to celebrate your birthday."
Dear Ivy,
It happened the other day, one of my squad-mates died. That's probably the worst way to start a letter, but I can't stop thinking about it. Don't know if it's better or worse that he didn't have a family waiting for him back home.
The rest of the guys keep teasing me about you, they don't think you're real. It annoyed me at first, but honestly I kind of like the teasing, makes things feel normal. I'm sorry to have to cut this one short, but tell my mom I got her letter, I have no doubt that yours will get there first but I'll write to her soon. Tell Hank I said hello, and I'll wanna watch Star Trek with you guys when I get back.
-Yours, Alex.
Her next letter came with a care package, with things not just for him, but for his squad-mates as well, cigarettes, bandages, a couple of books, and chocolate. Just when he thought he couldn't be more in love with that woman. He didn't smoke neither did he plan on picking up the habit here, but he did have a sweet tooth so he did plan on keeping the chocolate all to himself. The others could descend on the cigarettes as they saw fit.
Dear Alex,
I'm so sorry about you man, but I guess that kind of thing is to be expected, I hope you're not letting it weigh you down too much, I don't care how it happened, it wasn't your fault. Your mom bought one of those instant camera's the other day. It's actually really cool. She wants to take pictures to remind you of home, so expect that in her next letter.
I didn't want to tell you this but Charles it getting worse, Hank figured out how to work the serum he uses to temporarily fix his legs, honestly it's kind of creepy, and scary too. He almost fell down the stairs the other day but that could just be because he was drunk. I'm spending the weekend with mother, she sends her love and her prayers to you and your squad.
-Yours, Ivy.
Sure enough there were a bunch of polaroid's wrapped up in the letter he got from his mother, he didn't give a second thought to handing them out to his brothers in arms along with the cigarettes as he read over the letter from his mother. Up until he heard a low whistle from one of the guys.
"Lookie here fellas," he called waving around one of the photos in his hand, "Guess you weren't making her up after all Summers."
At what that could imply Alex was on his feet snatching the photo out of his hand and turning it over, and there was his girl. Just as beautiful as he remember, she must have been caught off guard because she wasn't even looking at the camera in the picture, but she was smiling and that was more than enough for him.
"Yeah," Alex smiled handing the photo back over not feeling the least bit concerned when his squad passed it around to have a look for themselves, but keep a close eye on it until he could secure it somewhere on his person, "That's my wife." He bragged.
Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi: Oof indeed, like I said both those events made planning this chapters, just a little bit more difficult than I felt was necessary. But they do add shock quite nicely.
ZabuzasGirl: Thank you!
Ivana Bocanegra: Thanks! Idk Azazel just seems like such a loyal person yet go with the flow kind of person, and I really wanted to keep Ivy and Erik connected somehow. Lol, my name is neither Barbie nor Barbara babe J.
I don't even know what to say about the delays at this point guys, like just life I guess.
Also you may have noticed I made a few changes to the title and summary, idk it just felt right.
Next chapter begins DOFP which I had sooo much fun writing.
As always let me know what you think, and what you'd like to see in the future. Leave me a review too! As you can see I'll be responding to/answering the ones I can.