Chapter 14:

Sienna was bored, bored out of her brain. Staring out the window into the mist that came from the river nearby, she cupped her hands on the windowsill and followed the raindrops down the glass silently. Then, she smiled and turned her face to the door as her husband walked in and switched off the image inducer. Walking over, the now-revealed mutant put his arms around his love and kissed her cheek softly as she touched his stubbled face in love. Then, she turned in his embrace and kissed him on the lips as he chuckled softly.

Sienna sighed and leant against his chest wearily. "Kurt, I have something to tell you..."

Kurt's teeth gleamed in the light as he grinned and kissed her on the neck. "Vhat do you vant to tell me, mine own sweet Liebchen?"

Sienna smiled and pressed his hand to her stomach. "What do you feel?"

Kurt looked down and frowned as he moved his hand over the stomach area. "I feel..." Then, he looked at her in silence. "Vhas is dast?"

"We, my dear Kurt Wagner, are going to have a baby." She laughed as his expression changed to one of shock and he dropped his hand like it was burning.

"We are going to have a baby?" he parroted softly and she nodded. Kurt then began to whoop in German and spurt from place to place as Sienna laughed and tried to keep track of the exited mutant. Then, he stopped mid-air and twisted back to his youthful wife. "How long? How long have you known?"

Sienna kissed him tenderly. "Since the night after Magneto's attack. In effect, the baby is three months old today, I'm sure of it."

Kurt smiled and caressed her slightly protruding stomach in awe. "Does anyone else know? Have you told anyone?"

Sienna shook her head carefully. "Xavier might have an inkling but nobody else has any idea and I intend to keep it that way. There are too many dangers to my child out there, so I will keep it secret until I can't avoid it. Already I'm growing larger, I went from a size 8 to a size 11 in three months but I've hidden it well. Do not worry, my sweet husband."

Kurt looked at his wife's face and saw it glowing with beauty. This was a large shock. "You must sleep then, my liebchen. Sleep is gutt for the baby, you vill need it to keep your strength up."

Sienna nodded and lay back against the pillows on their double bed. Then, she looked up at her husband with creased brow. "Kurt, are you happy to have this baby?"

The blue-skinned mutant nodded. "Of course, how could I not? Dis is vhat I have always vanted for my entire life. Now, sleep..."

Sienna nodded back and snuggled up against her pillow as she drifted off to sleep. Whispering a German lullaby and stroking her hair, Kurt pulled the blankets out from under her and covered her frame with them. Tucking them around her body, he stood and moved to the window as his lips moved in silent thanks to God.

---

Turning, he looked at the form of his wife and fingered his wedding ring as he sensed a presence in the room. Xavier's mind drifted into his and spoke in an amused tone as Kurt started in shock and then relaxed.

:::Kurt, you sound exceptionally amused tonight. May I come in and talk to both you and Sienna?:::

:::Certainly, Herr Xavier::: came Kurt's reply. :::However, Sienna is asleep, she is very tired tonight. Vhould you like to speak with just me?:::

:::Certainly, Kurt:::. With that, the tell-tale squeak of Xavier's wheelchair sounded in the still air as he poked his head in the door. Looking at the form of Sienna with creased brows, he beckoned Kurt out of the door.

Starting down the deserted halls, the two walked in silence until Charles spoke tactfully to the German mutant.

"Kurt, what in the world got you so excited? I could hear you in my room down the hall, you were so loud."

Kurt looked away for a few seconds and smiled a mysterious smile. "Just a little surprise, Professor. Something I did not anticipate came up tonight and I lost control. I am sorry..."

Xavier waved away his apology. "Does this have anything to do with Sienna, my friend?"

Kurt nodded slowly. "She is pregnant, Professor and I just found out about it."

Charles started in shock as the words registered in his brain. This was one thing he did not anticipate Kurt saying to him. Looking at the smiling German shrewdly, his voice quavered as his face flushed slightly.

"You are sure of this, Kurt? Congratulations, I am delighted for you both. Fully delighted."

Kurt laughed. "Danke, Herr Xavier. Please do not tell the others about this yet. We must keep it a secret for safety's sake; otherwise the whole Institute will be talking about it and nothing else. For the baby's safety, we cannot let anyone else know until it is too noticeable to hide."

He lowered his voice slightly as he looked around. "You know what Magneto and Weapon X would do if they found out that Sienna was pregnant, they would attack the Mansion again and kill her. This child is a legacy, one they would like to stifle as soon as they hear about it. I won't risk the life of my family, the life of my child..."

Xavier frowned and then assented. "Your secret is safe with me, Kurt. How along is she?"

Kurt shrugged. "I think Sienna mentioned three months at best."

The Principal and mentor smiled. "It will be good to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet along the halls and the childish laughter in the Mansion. This baby will be welcome from the very start, Kurt."

Kurt only nodded before looking up rapidly and disappearing in a cloud of sulphur as Xavier smiled to himself and then made his way back to his personal chambers.

---

Sienna was bending over her work desk a few weeks later as she rubbed her stomach thoughtfully and adjusted the large top to hide the bulge in her stomach. She could feel the womb expand and decrease in size as she breathed in and out deeply to regulate her breathing. Then, she gasped as a wave of nausea flooded over her. It wasn't morning sickness or anything like that; instead it was painful and burning.

Feeling the protruding abdomen harder, she gritted her teeth and shook her head in fear as she spoke. "No, my baby! Where is my baby?!"

Gasping, she fell onto her side as the pain increased and clutched her body. Sending an ear-shattering scream along the astral plane, she tried to grasp the sides of the desk to stand again but fell back down as she felt blood spurt out onto the floor. As Jean came rushing in, alerted by the scream, Sienna kept murmuring the same thing over and over as she slowly lost consciousness.

"Save my baby..."

Upstairs, Xavier frowned as the backlash of Sienna's scream split the air and made the occupants look up quizzically. Kurt yelled in pain at the sudden jar to his mind and blanched white. "My Liebchen..."

Logan and Scott had been cleaning the Blackbird when the scream had come and looked at each other before sprinted up the stairs. Reaching the medical lab at the same time Kurt teleported there, the three looked at each other. Jean had run with Sienna in her arms to the medical lab and shut the door in Kurt's face firmly. All the others could do now was wait as the screams of Sienna rent the air and then ominous silence fell in the Mansion...