Mommy Mystique (cont.)

The kids were home when the two of them came in the door.

"What's up?" said Toad.

"I'm afraid Mystique's not feeling well. She'll need to get lots of rest."

"You're kidding!"

"That means you idiots will have to keep the noise DOWN," Mystique told them.
"Hey, don't worry, I got it covered," said Toad. "Just think of me as Nurse Toad. Anything you want, I'll get you . . ."

"Toad?"

"Yeah?"
"Why don't you start now?"

"Okay...."

A few minutes later, she was safely tucked in bed.
Magneto tossed her a phone. "My number's on speed dial," he said. "If those pains come back, call me."
"Are you leaving?"

"Only for the moment..."

She looked panic-stricken. "Please don't leave me . . ."

Magneto hesitated . . . "I'll be back later," he reassured her. "In the meantime, the boys will look after you . . ."
There was a BANG! from downstairs.

"What was that?"

Toad came running into the room. "Whatever those guys tell you, I didn't do it!"
"Do what?" Mystique asked suspiciously. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Pietro came in right behind him.  "You blew up my tea!"
"I did not!"

"Yeah you did!!!"

Mystique threw a pillow at them. "Will you both just shut UP?"
"But he--"
"I don't care! I can't rest with all this racket! Whatever it is, settle it quietly!"

"Nice going, Speedy!" Toad snapped at Pietro.

"Oh yeah? Like it was my fault?"

"Yeah, it was, loser!"

"SHUT UP!"
Oh, no. Screaming was NOT a good idea right now . . .

A leaden silence hung over the room.

"I'll just go make some more tea," Pietro said hastily.
"Yeah, I'll . . . get you another pillow," Toad said. Both boys disappeared downstairs.
Mystique collapsed back onto the bed, completely exhausted. How was she supposed to get through the next five days, let alone five months, like this?

The next day was, if anything, worse.

Magneto scowled in disgust at the quarrelling mutants. "Behave yourselves!" he ordered. "Is this how the future rulers of the world act?"

There was only one response they could make...

"Sorry."

"I should hope so."

"You don't have to stay here," Mystique said.

She felt another jolt . . . and then she started coughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"Quick, call 911!" Toad blurted.

"Knock it off!" Mystique rasped, when she had finally caught her breath.

Toad hung his head. "I was just tryin' to help..."

"What made you think running around like an idiot was helping?"

Toad was cowering in abject fear now. "But--but--" he stammered.

"WHAT?!"

"Nothing," he squeaked. He slinked out of the room.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Magneto asked.
Mystique sighed. "I'm as all right as anyone in my situation could be right now. Hand me my diary?"
"Diary?" He looked puzzled.
"The blue book on the dresser."

He looked. "I don't see any blue book."
"Try the top drawer. Sometimes it falls in there."
Sure enough, there it was. JOURNAL was inscribed on the cover in black magic marker ink.

"Thank you."
She flipped to the last entry--almost a week ago--and on the blank page following, began to write.

"A very tense day."she jotted down . . .

I'm beginning to have second thoughts about all of this. I can't control the kids I have--how am I going to manage two more? It would be nice if SOMEONE helped out a bit more than he does. He tries, I think, but then he always has something more important to do and leaves.

She hesitated . . . then continued.
Rogue has been spending a lot of time with her brother. It's nice to see them getting along. I sometimes wish I could have both my children in one place . . . but we can't always have what we want . . .

The page started blurring in front of her. She looked up. The room was wavering in and out of focus. That wasn't good.

I don't need this now....

As if sensing something wrong, the babies started kicking frantically.

She cried out in pain, but no one heard her . . . "HELP!"

Moaning, she tried to steady herself, but she fell sideways and her head hit the floor. There was a moment of disorientation, and then she blacked out.

"Raven?"
She heard someone calling her name, from far away. Why couldn't she see? Oh, right, her eyes were closed.
She opened them to see the last person she'd expected.
"Logan?"

"I heard the 911..."

"What are you doing here?"
"I took Rogue home. Then, like I said, I heard you, and I came running. Are you okay?"
"I don't think so," she said. "It hurts. Everything hurts."
"I should take you to get looked at."
"Who's going to watch the boys while I'm gone?"
"They're old enough to look after themselves."
"No. No, no, no." She twisted around to face him, which made her head feel like it was about to come off. "I can't leave them here alone. They destroy things. They don't mean to, but--"

"Why do I not like the sound of that?"

"Trust me, if you leave them in the house alone, there won't be a house when we get back! They started a fire last month--just a small one, but it nearly burned out the kitchen . . ."

Logan nodded. "I get the picture."

"I'll be fine here, really," she said . . . just before she threw up.

"That's it." Logan picked her up and, despite her protests, slung her over one shoulder and carried her out to the car.