Author's note: Thank you to Torchwhovian, ZabuzasGirl, Cloudcity'sBookworm, Rasha007, NotMarge, musicjunkie1996, NicoleR85, Shelllee24, Luna von Rae, SA Jedi DC of Marvel, partygirl98, Jinxofthe2ndLaw, anonymouscsifan, and Bamboooozled for the reviews! Yay the babies are here! Unfortunately we won't find out what their powers are for sure until the epilogue (next chapter) because they're so little still. I couldn't even tell you their eye color last time, because their eyes were shut while they screamed their heads off! But you'll see today :-)

Today's chapter is really long, but I hope it doesn't drag or anything. Senator Kelly's actions are based on what happened in the comics- when former Brotherhood member Pyro used the last manifestation of his powers to save Kelly from the evil mutant Post, it sorta changed his mind about things. His reasoning here is a lot more self-serving and pragmatic though, haha.

I posted the first chapter of Zoey's POV! That story is called Not Unless You Try, and I hope you guys check it out. Thank you so much, dear readers! Only one more chapter left :-(

The Secretary of Mutant Affairs

"Oh, aren't they adorable?" Marceline gushed, appearing at my side after what felt like an eternity suspended in a single moment.

The older woman clapped her hands gleefully and turned towards me.

"What are their names?"

Um...

We'd never actually got around to deciding on names. In our defense, we thought we had a few more weeks to chose. And I, for one, hadn't taken the time to think about baby names during the chaos of this day.

"Hank?" Zoey called out anxiously, distracting me. "How are they?"

I rushed back to her side and kissed her again.

"They're beautiful, darling, just like you," I told her earnestly.

She laughed at my uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

"Can I hold them yet?" Zoey asked a nurse. "Please?"

The nurse looked at Dr. Stevenson, who had just finished his own final review of the newborns. He nodded and smiled warmly.

"I'd say so. They're in perfect health," he announced. "Congratulations again."

Zoey's face lit up like the Fourth of July when she saw our children for the first time. Her gasp of delight was followed quickly by happy tears pouring out of her eyes.

"You're right, Hank," she laughed. "Oh, they're perfect!"

She held her hands out eagerly to the nurses bringing them over. Within minutes both boys were laying on her chest, skin-to-skin, while I leaned in as close as I could and Marceline ran out to tell everyone that all was well.

"You're both so handsome, just like your daddy," Zoey cooed, stroking each little head of blue hair and set of chubby pink cheeks.

I chuckled and kissed her cheek, feeling rather awestruck as I watched our children quiet and calm while they lay on their mother.

Which was just as well, because my eardrums needed the break.

Our twins were just so little- if I really tried I was certain I could hold a baby in each hand. And both were incredibly alert, watching me curiously as I put my fingers into theirs to grasp with dark eyes that already held a decidedly gold tint. I was sure the color would only intensify as they got older.

Hi, babies. I'm your dad. You're a piece of your mom and myself and you're both living, breathing miracles.

"What are we going to call them?" Zoey murmured.

I considered it for a moment. "What about naming them after your dad and Billy? Edward for the older baby and William for the younger?"

"Edward Phillip and William Henry?" she proposed hesitantly, pointing to each baby in turn.

"Perfect," I agreed, kissing her again. "Absolutely perfect."

After a bit, Zoey was able to get the twins to nurse for the first time. I got to hold William while she fed Edward, and then we switched. I divided my attention between staring at the baby in my arms and observing the motherly glow my wife exuded as she fed each one, all the while trying not to explode from fatherly pride.

It was all I could do to keep myself from running out into the waiting room to show them off.

Look! Look what we made together! Aren't they amazing?

But eventually I was kicked out of the room so both mother and children could be cleaned up.

I wandered into the waiting area instead, where all of our friends- including Charles and Sean, who'd obviously arrived very recently- proceeded to bombard me with congratulations and questions after I presented them with two sets of monkey-toed baby footprints.

"I can't wait 'til they meet their Uncles Alex and Sean," Alex said smugly.

And then he punched me in my injured shoulder.

"Shit! Sorry!"

Hmm. No baby-holding for you.

"When can we see them?" Olivia asked excitedly.

"What are their names?"

"We named them Edward and William," I explained. "For Zoey's dad- and you, Mr. Rivers."

The old man immediately got so teary-eyed that he had to excuse himself for a moment, so I think he was quite touched.

I turned to Charles.

"Congratulations, Hank," Charles said warmly, giving my hand a hearty shake.

His presence instantly reminded me of the mayhem I left behind in my mad dash to get here for Zoey. I felt an odd mixture of guilt and defiance over my actions- after all, for all my efforts in the quest for mutant rights, I'd excused myself at a rather crucial moment today.

But at the same time, I knew my place was at Zoey's side while she gave birth to our sons. And I refused to apologize to anyone for that.

"What happened-?" I began.

"Hey, look!" Gwen cut in suddenly, pointing to the little television set in the waiting area. "Senator Kelly's making an announcement."

Charles gave me a knowing smile and gestured towards the television.

Sean hurriedly reached out and turned up the volume. All of us crowded around, holding our breath.

"Good evening. I'd like to address the occurrences at my presentation of the Mutant Registration Bill in Albany, New York today. Earlier this morning the mutant madman who calls himself Magneto disrupted the event by holding a crowd of both humans and mutants hostage. He then made an inflammatory speech, which would've culminated in the deaths of myself and my colleagues. I have no doubt that Magneto was going to murder us all in cold blood-"

My heart sank. It seemed that, despite everything, Kelly was going to use Erik and Raven's attempt on his life to justify the passage of his bill.

Had all our efforts been wasted?

"But Magneto and his associates did not succeed. And the only reason for their failure was thanks to the timely intervention of other mutants in the audience. One mutant, in fact, took a bullet meant for myself in his efforts to save me."

Everyone glanced at me and grinned slyly.

Meanwhile, Senator Kelly looked deeply uncomfortable. Was this the expression of a man whose worldview had just been turned on its head?

Suddenly I began to hope.

"That mutant was the well-known activist Dr. Hank McCoy, who I've received word is now recovering from his wound. To him I would like to say, 'thank you.' Thank you for both my life and the others with me today. And I would also like to thank the other mutants in the audience who did not listen to Magneto's detestable message and allow hatred into their hearts."

He paused.

"The events of today have provided a lesson for all of us, and most especially for myself. Dr. McCoy has said that there are good mutants and bad mutants, just as there are good humans and bad humans. The presence of an 'X-gene' does not change the fact that we are all simply people, equal under the eyes of God. And I thank God that this country is made up of more good people than bad."

You could've heard a pin drop in that waiting room.

Glancing around, I could see Marceline's lips moving in a silent prayer as she held onto Billy with a vice-like grip. Alex and Gwen were like statues, clutching at each other's hands while Charles and Moira did the same. Chloe was squeezing her daughter tightly, and Maeve and Sean were cradling Theresa (who had recently begun to break glass when she screamed) between them.

Humans praying for mutants. Mutants saving humans. Humans and mutants loving each other with all their hearts. Who dared to say we couldn't peacefully coexist?

"With that knowledge in mind, I formally withdraw my proposed Mutant Registration Bill from consideration. The government has no right to discriminate against its own citizens-"

Kelly might've said more, but we were no longer listening.

Instead we erupted into cheers and exultant shouts at the news that we'd won, and violence and bigotry had lost.

Oh, I didn't truly believe Kelly's change of heart was sincere. He was a politician- he knew he would never get re-elected if he pushed his already unpopular bill forward after a mutant saved his life. It would be quite a poor display of gratitude, after all.

And, more importantly, by withdrawing that hateful proposal he removed the motivation for any mutants who might've listened to Erik's poisonous words and revolted against the government in response.

Kelly was covering his own posterior, but I didn't care.

Zoey, my sons, and mutants across the nation were safe, for now. And that was all that mattered.

Zoey and the twins left the hospital a mere two days later.

Upon arriving home, my wife and I took a moment to cuddle close together on the couch with Edward and William perched carefully on my lap so we could simply marvel at our creations.

"They picked the perfect day to be born, didn't they?" Zoey teased softly. "How are you going to save mutant kind next, Hank? Put forth an equal rights bill for mutants?"

"I didn't save-"

She laughed and gave me a kiss, interrupting my protest. "You never give yourself enough credit, darling. If it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened?"

Zoey carefully leaned over and kissed each of our sons.

"Your daddy is my Prince Charming, sea monkeys," she murmured. "And now he's a hero for everyone."

My retort was cut off by the phone ringing.

"I'll get it," I said quickly, before the noise woke the babies up. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Dr. Hank McCoy?"

"Yes. Can I help you?" I asked, warily curious.

"I sure hope so," the voice on the other end chuckled. "This is the president-"

I almost dropped the phone in surprise.

"E-excuse me? 'The president,' as in President Ford?" I sputtered.

Zoey's mouth dropped open in shock.

"The very same. We've got a situation, Dr. McCoy. Mutants are starting to come out of hiding, and if we're going to be the country we claim to be, they need representation in the government," President Ford explained. "So I'm creating a new seat in my Cabinet- the Secretary for Mutant Affairs. And I think you, with your obvious integrity and intelligence, are just right for the job. What do you say?"

"I-I think I need to speak to my wife first," I replied, still flabbergasted. "Thank you for the opportunity, sir. I'll definitely be getting back to you."

We said our goodbyes, and then I turned to Zoey, who was waiting eagerly.

"He wants to appoint me to his Cabinet. The Secretary for Mutant Affairs," I told her, awestruck.

I couldn't believe it. Me, a politician? An official representative for our kind?

The old me would've rejected such an idea out-of-hand. I could never put myself out there like that.

But that was before I met Zoey and accepted myself completely. Before I had children. Before I found something worth fighting for, worth changing for.

Something worth taking a chance for.

"What do you think?"

"I think you should do it," Zoey replied, her eyes shining. "Think of all the good you could do, Hank."

"But you and the twins-?"

She shook her head. "We'll make it work," she said firmly. "Do what you think is right, darling. You know I'll support you, no matter what."

How could I have doubts in the face of such certainty and faith? Zoey believed in me, and I would do all I could to never let her down. My amazing, wonderful wife- with her beside me, I knew I could do anything.

Including winning the fight for mutant rights in our country. The fight I joined for not only her sake, but our children as well. My family.

"Ok," I agreed. "I'll do it."

Zoey smiled and snuggled up against my side.

"I'm so proud of you," she murmured. "I love you, Hank."

"I love you, Zoey," I replied, kissing her head.

And I'm never letting you- or our children- go.

I wrapped one arm around her again, cradling our twins easily with the other.

The fight for mutant rights would still be waiting for me tomorrow.

But for now, I would enjoy my family.