Thanks to all once again! I appreciate the good reviews!
January
The next month passed much more quickly then the previous four and a half, Ororo noted, and they were certainly the happiest and easiest so far. Remy kept his promise, and as far as she could tell, he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol. For the first few weeks, he looked more jitterly and acted more nervous than Storm had ever seen him, but she knew that when he was determined to do something, he would. It would probably take a lot to knock him off the wagon now.
It seemed unfathomable that she could really be six months pregnant, but the growing bulge in her stomach certainly was a helpful reminder. Besides the fact that Logan was still no where to be found, the only thing that she really had to be concerned with now was the ever growing threat of the F.O.H. Everyone, particularly the professor, were all concerned that something would happen any day now, but they enjoyed a temporary haven that Ororo in particular hoped would not end. It could have simply been due to the holiday season, but everyone hoped that was not the case.
It was on an unseasonably warm day in early January that Storm was enjoying relaxing in the den, writing in the journal she was keeping for her baby. Usually, she preferred to take advantage of days such as these and spend time working in her garden or just enjoying nature, but she hadn't been feeling well all that week, and she hoped that a quiet afternoon relaxing would help her get well sooner.
Remy sat with her on the sofa, with the TV on, channel surfing. She had no idea what he was watching, nor did she care, but she did enjoy his company, and for the most part as well as everyone else. Now that it was apparent she was going to keep the baby, everyone had been a lot more open in discussing it. It seemed that everyday someone would come up to her with name suggestions, advice that they had heard from so-and-so, or with small presents that they "just happened to see and couldn't resist." That was usually Remy, who came home almost everyday with something else, despite Ororo's insistence that he didn't have too, and despite the fact that he had spent a fortune on her already at Christmas which had only been two weeks ago. She may as well have been talking to a brick wall.
As much as she was enjoying the silence that afternoon, living where she did, it was not something that was to be enjoyed very often. For some reason, she was almost relieved when Bobby came into the den. "There you guys are," he said, plopping into an easy chair, "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"Well, you found us." Remy mumbled, not looking up from the TV. He and Bobby were not exactly the best of friends, and obviously did not share in Ororo's happiness to see him.
She jabbed her friend in the ribs. "What did you want to see us about, Robert?" She asked, ignoring the pained look that her friend gave her.
"The baby poll." Bobby replied, holding up a notebook. "You two are the last ones to get in it."
Ororo and Remy glanced at each other, and then at Bobby. "The what?" They both asked in sync.
Bobby grinned. "The baby poll. I made everyone guess the baby's sex, weight, and what day they think it will be born, and then the one that comes the closest wins the pot."
"Pot?" Remy asked. "You better not let Xavier catch you wit' that stuff, Drake."
Bobby gave him a look. "No, stupid. Not pot as in marijuana. The money pot. Everyone puts in twenty bucks and the winner keeps it all."
"Really?" Remy replied, looking mildly interested. "Sound pretty good to me. I'm in." Of course he loved anything that was in any remotely related to gambling. Both he and Bobby turned to Ororo.
She sighed. "Oh, all right. I guess if everyone else is doing it. Although I don't see the point in it."
Bobby shrugged, and took out a pen. "Chill, Ro, it's just for fun. And anyway, you've got an advantage over all of us. You should be the most willing." He turned to Remy. "Okay, LeBeau, shoot."
"Wait a second," he said, "I wanna hear what everyone else picked 'fore I decide."
"As do I," Ororo interjected. "I am curious as to what sex everyone decided on."
Bobby glanced over the paper, and grinned. "Hey, I just realized that there's a tie. Scott, Rogue, Betsy, Bishop, and the prof said it was gonna be a boy. Jean, Hank, Warren, Kurt and I all said it was gonna be a girl."
"Well, put me down for a girl," Remy decided. "If Hank think it's a girl, that good 'nough for me."
"Hank said that he couldn't tell," Ororo reminded him. "They baby was facing the wrong way in the ultrasound. Well, I suppose I'll say that it will be a boy just to keep everything even."
"Gotcha," Bobby said, writing. "Now, how about the weight? I got everything from six pounds even, that's me, to thirteen and a half pounds. That would be Bishop."
"Thirteen and a half pounds!" She exclaimed. "I should electrocute the man for even suggesting something like that."
Remy grinned. "Now that something I'd not mind seeing. Put me down for a nice, even eight pounds, Drake."
"I will say seven pounds, eight ounces. I certainly hope that it's no where near thirteen pounds."
"Well, if it is, you know who to blame."
The three of them discussed the weight and when they thought the baby would born for several more minutes. Bobby laughed when he told them that four people, including himself, had picked April 1st, April Fools Day, as the day they thought it would be born on. Her actually due date, Hank had determined, was April 7th, so it was possible.
They were still talking when all of a sudden they heard the professor's voice psychically. "X-Men, come to Cerebro immediately."
The trio gave each other confused looks. "What do you think this is all about?" Bobby asked.
They both shrugged, and stood up, heading for the huge room below them where the super computer was housed. "Who knows?" Remy said.
Within a few minutes, the three of them, along with everyone else, was standing in Cerebro, waiting for the professor to tell them what was going on. When everyone was there, Charles wordlessly flipped on a monitor and motioned for all of them to watch.
On it was a live report from Salem Center, the nearest town, where apparently there was some kind of demonstration going on. A young journalist was commenting on it, and soon the camera switched to a man wearing a suit, addressing a large crowd of people. The vast majority of the crowd seemed to agree with what he was saying, as they cheered whenever he stopped talking. It was clear who this man was, or least who he represented: the Friends of Humanity.
After a few minutes, Charles hit the mute button, and turned to his team. "Comments?" He asked.
Cyclops, of course, was the first to speak up. "What's going on, professor? I mean with the F.O.H."
"Uh...duh," Bobby mumbled. "Isn't is obvious, Cyke? They're just trying to cause problems. That's all they know how to do."
"But this doesn't make sense, professor," Jean asserted. "Why stage a rally like this so soon after being responsible for the death of three people? Why would they risk it?"
"'Cause they idiots, chere," Remy said. "These kinda people don't have to make sense."
Charles held up a hand, and immediately the room fell silent. "I am not sure exactly what their motive is for staging this rally. I agree, Jean, that it doesn't make sense. But as Gambit just stated, these people do not make sense. However, what they are trying to do is not my concern. What I am concerned with are all the innocent people there, both mutants and non-mutants that could be hurt if violence erupted."
"We're on it, sir," Cyclops said. "Team, assemble at the Blackbird."
"Wait, Scott," Charles said, stopped him. "I want this handled as low key as possible. I don't want to raise any unnecessary suspicions. I think it would be best if you took the X-van and wore civilian clothes. I want you there as observers, and with any luck, that's all you'll have to be. I don't want any aggressive moves unless it is they who start it. Understood?"
There was a murmur through the various X-Men, and Scott began to bark out orders. Ororo stood by, feeling, once again, slightly guilty that she would be left behind. With Logan gone, they would already be shorthanded if anything happened. Charles sensed this, and smiled at her. "You can prepare the medic lab, just in case, while I monitor the situation from here." She nodded, glad that she help out, at least a little.
"Alright team," Scott said. "I want to reassemble in the garage in five minutes for assignments. Okay, move out."
Bobby rolled his eyes, and headed back upstairs after everyone else, making little mimicking movements with his hands. Remy caught Storm's eye, and smiled. "Sometimes I don't think ol' Cyke know how stupid he really sounds."
Secretly, she agreed with him, but she felt it wasn't her place to say so. "Remy," she said, grabbing his arm before he could take off. "Promise me you'll be careful. I don't have a very good feeling about this whole thing. The professor told me something about a retaliation before. I don't know exactly what that means, but..."
He flashed her his trademark grin, obviously not worried in the least. Overconfidence was one of his biggest downfalls, and nobody knew that better than Ororo. "Don't worry, Stormy. Nothin' gonna happen to me. I be back in time for supper."
January
The next month passed much more quickly then the previous four and a half, Ororo noted, and they were certainly the happiest and easiest so far. Remy kept his promise, and as far as she could tell, he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol. For the first few weeks, he looked more jitterly and acted more nervous than Storm had ever seen him, but she knew that when he was determined to do something, he would. It would probably take a lot to knock him off the wagon now.
It seemed unfathomable that she could really be six months pregnant, but the growing bulge in her stomach certainly was a helpful reminder. Besides the fact that Logan was still no where to be found, the only thing that she really had to be concerned with now was the ever growing threat of the F.O.H. Everyone, particularly the professor, were all concerned that something would happen any day now, but they enjoyed a temporary haven that Ororo in particular hoped would not end. It could have simply been due to the holiday season, but everyone hoped that was not the case.
It was on an unseasonably warm day in early January that Storm was enjoying relaxing in the den, writing in the journal she was keeping for her baby. Usually, she preferred to take advantage of days such as these and spend time working in her garden or just enjoying nature, but she hadn't been feeling well all that week, and she hoped that a quiet afternoon relaxing would help her get well sooner.
Remy sat with her on the sofa, with the TV on, channel surfing. She had no idea what he was watching, nor did she care, but she did enjoy his company, and for the most part as well as everyone else. Now that it was apparent she was going to keep the baby, everyone had been a lot more open in discussing it. It seemed that everyday someone would come up to her with name suggestions, advice that they had heard from so-and-so, or with small presents that they "just happened to see and couldn't resist." That was usually Remy, who came home almost everyday with something else, despite Ororo's insistence that he didn't have too, and despite the fact that he had spent a fortune on her already at Christmas which had only been two weeks ago. She may as well have been talking to a brick wall.
As much as she was enjoying the silence that afternoon, living where she did, it was not something that was to be enjoyed very often. For some reason, she was almost relieved when Bobby came into the den. "There you guys are," he said, plopping into an easy chair, "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"Well, you found us." Remy mumbled, not looking up from the TV. He and Bobby were not exactly the best of friends, and obviously did not share in Ororo's happiness to see him.
She jabbed her friend in the ribs. "What did you want to see us about, Robert?" She asked, ignoring the pained look that her friend gave her.
"The baby poll." Bobby replied, holding up a notebook. "You two are the last ones to get in it."
Ororo and Remy glanced at each other, and then at Bobby. "The what?" They both asked in sync.
Bobby grinned. "The baby poll. I made everyone guess the baby's sex, weight, and what day they think it will be born, and then the one that comes the closest wins the pot."
"Pot?" Remy asked. "You better not let Xavier catch you wit' that stuff, Drake."
Bobby gave him a look. "No, stupid. Not pot as in marijuana. The money pot. Everyone puts in twenty bucks and the winner keeps it all."
"Really?" Remy replied, looking mildly interested. "Sound pretty good to me. I'm in." Of course he loved anything that was in any remotely related to gambling. Both he and Bobby turned to Ororo.
She sighed. "Oh, all right. I guess if everyone else is doing it. Although I don't see the point in it."
Bobby shrugged, and took out a pen. "Chill, Ro, it's just for fun. And anyway, you've got an advantage over all of us. You should be the most willing." He turned to Remy. "Okay, LeBeau, shoot."
"Wait a second," he said, "I wanna hear what everyone else picked 'fore I decide."
"As do I," Ororo interjected. "I am curious as to what sex everyone decided on."
Bobby glanced over the paper, and grinned. "Hey, I just realized that there's a tie. Scott, Rogue, Betsy, Bishop, and the prof said it was gonna be a boy. Jean, Hank, Warren, Kurt and I all said it was gonna be a girl."
"Well, put me down for a girl," Remy decided. "If Hank think it's a girl, that good 'nough for me."
"Hank said that he couldn't tell," Ororo reminded him. "They baby was facing the wrong way in the ultrasound. Well, I suppose I'll say that it will be a boy just to keep everything even."
"Gotcha," Bobby said, writing. "Now, how about the weight? I got everything from six pounds even, that's me, to thirteen and a half pounds. That would be Bishop."
"Thirteen and a half pounds!" She exclaimed. "I should electrocute the man for even suggesting something like that."
Remy grinned. "Now that something I'd not mind seeing. Put me down for a nice, even eight pounds, Drake."
"I will say seven pounds, eight ounces. I certainly hope that it's no where near thirteen pounds."
"Well, if it is, you know who to blame."
The three of them discussed the weight and when they thought the baby would born for several more minutes. Bobby laughed when he told them that four people, including himself, had picked April 1st, April Fools Day, as the day they thought it would be born on. Her actually due date, Hank had determined, was April 7th, so it was possible.
They were still talking when all of a sudden they heard the professor's voice psychically. "X-Men, come to Cerebro immediately."
The trio gave each other confused looks. "What do you think this is all about?" Bobby asked.
They both shrugged, and stood up, heading for the huge room below them where the super computer was housed. "Who knows?" Remy said.
Within a few minutes, the three of them, along with everyone else, was standing in Cerebro, waiting for the professor to tell them what was going on. When everyone was there, Charles wordlessly flipped on a monitor and motioned for all of them to watch.
On it was a live report from Salem Center, the nearest town, where apparently there was some kind of demonstration going on. A young journalist was commenting on it, and soon the camera switched to a man wearing a suit, addressing a large crowd of people. The vast majority of the crowd seemed to agree with what he was saying, as they cheered whenever he stopped talking. It was clear who this man was, or least who he represented: the Friends of Humanity.
After a few minutes, Charles hit the mute button, and turned to his team. "Comments?" He asked.
Cyclops, of course, was the first to speak up. "What's going on, professor? I mean with the F.O.H."
"Uh...duh," Bobby mumbled. "Isn't is obvious, Cyke? They're just trying to cause problems. That's all they know how to do."
"But this doesn't make sense, professor," Jean asserted. "Why stage a rally like this so soon after being responsible for the death of three people? Why would they risk it?"
"'Cause they idiots, chere," Remy said. "These kinda people don't have to make sense."
Charles held up a hand, and immediately the room fell silent. "I am not sure exactly what their motive is for staging this rally. I agree, Jean, that it doesn't make sense. But as Gambit just stated, these people do not make sense. However, what they are trying to do is not my concern. What I am concerned with are all the innocent people there, both mutants and non-mutants that could be hurt if violence erupted."
"We're on it, sir," Cyclops said. "Team, assemble at the Blackbird."
"Wait, Scott," Charles said, stopped him. "I want this handled as low key as possible. I don't want to raise any unnecessary suspicions. I think it would be best if you took the X-van and wore civilian clothes. I want you there as observers, and with any luck, that's all you'll have to be. I don't want any aggressive moves unless it is they who start it. Understood?"
There was a murmur through the various X-Men, and Scott began to bark out orders. Ororo stood by, feeling, once again, slightly guilty that she would be left behind. With Logan gone, they would already be shorthanded if anything happened. Charles sensed this, and smiled at her. "You can prepare the medic lab, just in case, while I monitor the situation from here." She nodded, glad that she help out, at least a little.
"Alright team," Scott said. "I want to reassemble in the garage in five minutes for assignments. Okay, move out."
Bobby rolled his eyes, and headed back upstairs after everyone else, making little mimicking movements with his hands. Remy caught Storm's eye, and smiled. "Sometimes I don't think ol' Cyke know how stupid he really sounds."
Secretly, she agreed with him, but she felt it wasn't her place to say so. "Remy," she said, grabbing his arm before he could take off. "Promise me you'll be careful. I don't have a very good feeling about this whole thing. The professor told me something about a retaliation before. I don't know exactly what that means, but..."
He flashed her his trademark grin, obviously not worried in the least. Overconfidence was one of his biggest downfalls, and nobody knew that better than Ororo. "Don't worry, Stormy. Nothin' gonna happen to me. I be back in time for supper."