Disclaimer: As always, 'Mutant X' and its amazing cast of characters = Not mine. Alexis and Isabelle Fox-Mulwray = Mine.
Author's Note I: Sorry for the delay in updating, classes have been keeping me fairly busy and this chapter has taken longer to write than most.
Author's Note II: Regarding Shadowcat Pryde's suggestion of having Jesse and Emma have a child or five, I was planning on marrying them off in the next instalment of the series - starring Lexi and Izzy as flower girls, of course - and am considering adding a new child into the mix. Would a new child deflect too much attention from the twins or should I give Lexi and Izzy a tiny molecular lackey to instruct in the noble art of creating havoc? Sadly, I don't think that I'd be able to get away with quints, although the look on Jesse's face would be priceless. Please let me know your opinions on the subject.
Words in / / = Thoughts
Chapter 5.
Ten minutes later.
Under the stern gaze of what had to be the world's most intimidating three year olds, Adam and Nicholas had little choice but to eat and drink the appallingly foul tasting refreshments the twins had so thoughtfully prepared for them and to at least attempt to maintain a friendly demeanor.
Unfortunately for them, after about three minutes of stony silence, the twins had decided that it was not enough for them to sit at the same table without insulting or attacking each other – which was quite a feat for them, by the way - they had to, in Izzy's words 'Talk an' be nice to each other fo' once'.
In fairness, Adam was trying to cooperate with the twins' plan for harmony in Sanctuary - he had managed, employing every ounce of self restraint he possessed, to refrain from mocking Nicholas's absurd outfit and obvious discomfort.
When it came to topics of conversation, however, they were hard pressed to find a neutral topic. The only things they had in common were Shalimar and the twins and both knew better than to discuss them.
To Adam's eternal shame, he and his sworn enemy were reduced to exchanging pleasantries about the weather, the state of the economy and other such banalities.
Although they did not say anything particularly unpleasant to one another, the tension between the two men was palpable and their dislike, though not expressed in words, could be clearly seen in the poisonous glares they were exchanging.
To the twins' dismay, their carefully thought out plan seemed to be coming to nothing.
Izzy shook her head sorrowfully. "Dey no bein' nice." She complained to her sister in an undertone, frowning at her two grandfathers.
Lexi nodded her head in agreement. "Yes." Her voice held a note of solemnity entirely unsuited to the cheeky toddler she usually was. "Dey jus' pwetendin' to be nice. Dey weally still hay each other. Tea par'y no workin'." She concluded, looking disappointed.
"So what we do?" For perhaps the first time in the three years of her short life, Isabelle Emily Fox-Mulwray was at a loss for ideas.
Lexi put her thumb in her mouth and chewed carefully while she pondered the situation. "I t'ink dey hafta do mowe t'ings t'gedder." Lexi announced decidedly. "Den dey be fwiends."
"Good idee." Izzy beamed her approval. "So w'at dey hafta do?"
After a few minutes of pondering and thumb sucking, a broad smile spread across Lexi's features. "I hab a idee."
* * *
Ten minutes later.
It took Adam a few minutes to find his voice.
"You want us to what?"
From his place directly opposite him, Nicholas Fox was doing a pretty good impression of a goldfish, his eyes and his mouth wide with horror.
Lexi sighed impatiently, casting her eyes heavenward. She couldn't understand why her plan was so hard for her grandfathers to accept. /Grown ups must be very dumb! / "You an' Other Grandpa hafta put make up on each other an' do yo' haiw." She explained, her patience fast wearing thin. "Me an' Izzy'll do yo' nails." She threw up her hands in exasperation. "I tol' you two times alweady!"
"But . . .why?" Adam's expression was pained.
"So you an' Other Grandpa be fwiends, 'course." Lexi explained firmly. "Mommy an' An' Emma do it an' dey fwiends."
"Can we just go back to the tea party?" Nicholas asked hopefully, finally recovering the use of his voice. "The tea party was better than this."
Adam snorted in derision. "Anything is better than this!" He frowned reprovingly at the twins, trying to intimidate them into abandoning their plan. "You girls aren't in charge here, Nicholas and I are the adults – you have to do what we tell you to do, not the other way around!"
"I'm with Kane . . ."
"No!" Lexi held up an imperious hand, cutting her biological grandfather off before he could continue. "He name no 'Kane'!"
"Dat wight." Izzy nodded enthusiastically, backing up her sister. "You tan tall him 'Grandpa' like Lexi an' me ow you tan tall him 'Adam' like Mommy an' Daddy an' Uncie Jess an' An' Emma. You no tall him 'Kane'."
"Is dat cwear?" Lexi asked sternly, scowling in his direction, her hands on her hips.
Nicholas gulped, rather frightened by the intensity of the two toddlers. "Crystal." He managed to squeak. He cast a half pained, half angry look in Adam's direction. "Are we really going to let them get away with this?"
"Do you really think that we have a choice in the matter?" Adam asked, feeling a slight pity for the other man, who didn't seem to know that challenging the twins was not the best course of action.
"F*** this!" Nicholas shouted.
"You say bad wowd!" Lexi rebuked him.
"Mommy an' Daddy be vewy cwoss wif' you." Izzy added sagely.
Nicholas just glared at them. "I don't care!" His face was flushed with anger. "And there is no way that I am going along with this crazy scheme of yours! I can't. I won't. You can't make me!"
As one, the Fox-Mulwray sisters formed glowing blue coils of electricity in their small hands.
Lexi raised a quizzical eyebrow in her biological grandfather's direction. "Oh yeah?"
Even Nicholas knew better than to challenge the twins when they had that gleam of determination in their eyes and he and Adam allowed the girls to drag them towards Emma's room for the implementation of their new plan.
"Can I at least take off this dress?" He pleaded, hoping to be allowed that much.
"NO!"
/Just wait! / Nicholas thought murderously as he was led from the rec room like a lamb to the slaughter. /I don't care how old Shalimar is! As soon as she gets home, she's going to be grounded for a month! /
* * *
"Try to hold still, Nicholas." Adam, to do him justice, was being very careful not to get any of the mascara in the other man's eyes. "We're nearly done."
Lexi and Izzy had already painted their fingernails and toenails – which would have been bad enough without them deciding that using one colour was 'bowing' and leaving each man with rainbow manicure – and, to add insult to injury, the two little girls were rummaging though Emma's wardrobe to find an outfit that would do justice to their new makeovers.
"OW!" Nicholas bellowed in fury as some of the mascara leaked into his eyes. "Watch what you're doing, Kane!"
"Huh-hmm." Lexi coughed meaningfully.
"Sorry . . .Adam." Nicholas bit out.
Izzy smiled approvingly. "Dat bettew." She looked over at her sister. "I t'ink dey nearwy fwiends now." She said brightly.
Lexi shook her head, not sharing her sister's optimistic view. "I dunno." She said doubtfully. "I t'ink dey need to do mowe stuff t'gedder."
For the first time in the almost thirty years of their acquaintance, Adam and Nicholas's thoughts were one.
/OH, NO! /
TBC.
There will probably be only one or two chapters left in this story unless torture inspiration strikes, so please let me know if you have any requests or suggestions for the next story and please tell me your preferences regarding the introduction of a little DeLauro-Kilmartin to the series.
