"A month, a month!" Jubilee exclaimed over and over again, looking at the magazines in front of her.
"Yeah yeah, and I still haven't found my dress!" Steph groaned. "I'm such a loser!" Jubilee blew a sympathetic gum bubble and shrugged.
"We'll find it, don't worry chika!" she said. "We have, what, four weeks?"
"Three and a half, and so far the only good one can't be flown in until four weeks," Steph sighed. "Whatever! That's ridiculous."
"I know... you know what we need to help our search?" Jubilee asked. Steph groaned again.
"If you say pizza-"
"Pizza!" Jubilee exclaimed. "I'll go get it!"
"Jubes, any more pizza and I won't be able to fit into any dress, good looking or not!" Steph said.
"I'll get you a veggie half then," Jubilee replied, standing up and grabbing her purse.
"Oh no you don't," Steph said, arching an eyebrow. "But light- pepperoni and cheese."
"No, pepperoni and sauce," Jubilee rolled her eyes as she headed towards the door, cell phone in hand. "Be back in a few chika, keep looking but don't find anything good until I get back, won't ya?"
"I'll be lucky to find anything good any time," Steph sighed as Jubilee left, looking back down at the piles of magazines that covered the rec-room table.
"Steph?" Bobby's voice said at a distance. Steph ignored it, but heard him shout again and looked up grumpily.
"WHAT?" she shouted back. Bobby suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking both worried, excited, and disbelieving at once.
"Steph!" he panted, obviously having run far in his search for her.
"Bobby," Steph groaned, "Whatever's up, can't it wait? I'm still looking for a decent dress-"
"Little Steph's murmuring," Bobby cut her off. Steph's eyes bulged and she jumped up.
"What?" she said, pulling him behind her as she hurried down the hall.
"Dunno, I was playing football with Hank and all of a suddenly her life support machines started going haywire. Hank checked them- and all the sudden the scrapes and burns started to heal, right in front of us, and she was sort of muttering and moving about, I don't think she's woken up yet though-"
"Oh man," Steph said, breaking into a run.
Hank looked up from the counsel board as Steph burst through the doors. He shrugged at her and shook his head.
"I do not understand," he said softly, looking at the small girl. "Her injuries are closing, then opening again, then closing, and her consciousness is equivalently unstable-"
"Has she opened her eyes yet?" Steph asked.
"No, sweet Stephanie," Hank said regretfully. "She has not yet woken-" he was cut off by Steph again.
"Why are her wounds doing that?" she said, pointing through the bubble at the slowly closing scrapes that only reappeared a moment later.
"I can only give you a guess, but I have reason to believe that at least one of her mutations would be an ability to heal, but only if concentrating on healing something specifically, the process does not happen as automatically as it does with young Ruhko."
"When she wakes, she can heal herself, right?" Steph said, but Hank was again cut off, this time by a small gasp from Little Steph.
"Ma-" she said, squirming slightly. Steph went rigid and bent down beside her sister, getting as close to the protective bubble as she dared.
"Steph? Steph, are you-" but the girl had gone slack again, and Steph rose shakily, looking at Hank, who put his hand on her shoulder.
"She's done that a few times," he said softly. "But so far is unresponsive to our efforts to communicate."
"She- she's going to wake up soon though, right?" Steph said.
"Perhaps, Charles is on his way down though, to see if her mind is as active as it appears."
"I'm here," Xavier said shortly as he came through, nodding his head in greeting at Hank, Steph, and Bobby, who was looking uncertain as to whether he actually belonged there or not.
"Chuck!" Steph said, brightening slightly. Xavier nodded.
"I'll do what I can," he promised her, and Steph nodded, moving over so Xavier could get closer. Hank put one arm around her waist and continued checking the consul as he and his companions also kept and eye keenly on the professor, whose eyes had closed in concentration.
After a moment Little Steph went rigid and her breathing slowed. Steph, who had been holding Hank's hand suddenly tightened her grip unwittingly, and felt him rub the only thing he could reach with her death grip comfortingly; her stomach.
"Don't worry," Hank said in her ear. "I see nothing wrong with her at this point, if fact I believe she may be regaining consciousness as I speak, and the slowing of her repertory system may actually be helping calm her quickened heartbeat."
"So she's doing good?" Steph breathed. Hank smiled.
"Yes, she's doing good," he said, just as Little Steph started to groan and speak again.
"Mom? Mom... daddy-" suddenly Xavier's eyes opened.
"I think she's coming to," he said in a low voice.
"Mommy?" Little Steph started to breath quickly again, and Steph pulled away from Hank to approach her again, trying to remember how her birth mother used to sound and imitating the distant memory.
"Steph? Steph- come here girl, you're scarin' your mama," she said. Hank arched an eyebrow at her, but Xavier shook his head as Little Steph started to relax.
"Mommy?" she said again. Pain flashed across Steph's face as she looked down at the waking child.
"No girl, I'm not your ma," she said, the impersonation faltering slightly. Suddenly Little Steph's eyes burst open and she looked around for a moment before she shivered, looking from Steph to Xavier to Hank fearfully.
"Who are ya?" she said. "Where's my mama? Where's daddy? And Brandon?" Steph's face hardened slightly and she avoided Little Steph's eyes.
"You were in a car crash kid," she said. "Your family- didn't make it as well as you."
"They're gone?" Little Steph said, eyes filling with tears as she stared at her unknown guardian. Steph couldn't bear to watch the realization sink in and she turned away, looking at Xavier.
"Chuck-" she said.
"I'll watch her," Xavier said, both to Steph and Hank, giving the scientist a pointed look that he didn't need. Steph turned away and hurried out of the medbay, a tear slipping down her own cheek. Suddenly Hank's arms were wrapped around her, pulling her into his protective embrace.
"Ach, Stephanie," he said.
"She's jus' like me, huh?" Steph sobbed. "Jus' like me, lost her family n' she doesn't even have a teddy bear or anyone else-"
"She has you," Hank soothed. Feeling her tears through his shirt and fur. "And soon I am sure she'll be a full member of our family, like you she is not alone right now, and now both of you have one more person to love in their lives."
"But what if she doesn't even like me?" Steph said, looking up at Hank tearfully, her head on his shoulder. Hank smiled at her.
"My sweet Stephanie, you are entirely impossible to dislike," Hank said. "Even a few of our foes are obviously impressed by the likeability that radiates from you-"
"Oh give it a rest," Steph sniffed. "I'm not that pathetic yet." Hank smiled and wiped away her tears gently.
"And that is my point," he said. "Your eloquent, soothing ways of speech and movement are so calming that to be near you is to feel better."
"Will ya shut up already?" Steph sighed as Hank chuckled and gestured with one hand grandly.
"It is like being in the presence of a guardian angel, your wisdom and-" he was cut off and Steph firmly grabbed the sides of his head and gave him a long kiss. Breaking away with their faces still only an inch apart Steph looked into Hank's eyes, her own sparkling with love.
"You're turnin' into Bobby, spouting off dumb stuff like that," she teased in a low voice. Hank kissed her again in response and they heard a laughing voice behind them, making them part.
"I should've known when I couldn't find ya in the rec room you'd be down here with your lover boy chika," Jubilee said, grinning as she balanced a small stack of pizzas. "You miss him already?"
"No, actually I came down because Little Steph jus' woke up," Steph said simply. Jubilee gasped and dropped the pizzas as Hank dived forward, catching them a split second before they hit the floor, skidding into Jubilee on his stomach as she fell over on his back and slid with him down the smooth floor. Hank let out a sigh of relief as he opened on of the boxes and peeked in, steam coming out of the box.
"Safe," he reported. Steph rolled her eyes and flew over to them, landing neatly on top of Jubilee.
"Little Steph woke up?" Jubilee said. "Really?"
"Really really," Steph said dryly, taking the pizzas from Hank and arching her eyebrow at him. "Should have known if you could catch anythin' it would be pizza," she said. Hank gave her a toothy grin as she and Jubilee climbed off his back.
"Of course," he said. "Pizza, Twinkies, and my love, should she take any kind of dive." Steph patted his cheek and then stroked it affectionately as he got up.
"Same here, only I'd have to say Jolt cola instead of Twinkies," she smiled, and Hank chuckled.
"We all have our poisons," he said.
"C'mon, let's go see how Little Steph's doing," Steph said, sighing and sniffing. Jubilee blinked.
"I thought that you knew when I told ya not to find the perfect dress while I was gone that also meant nothing else interesting happen," she said.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to clearly define that next time," Steph said, rolling her eyes.
"Obviously," Jubilee muttered.
Steph came down into the medbay, yawning slightly. "Hey- there a Little Steph in here?" she called out.
"Here," Little Steph replied meekly. Steph sighed sadly when she saw her sister sitting on the floor, knees drawn up to the sweatshirt Ruhko had leant her.
"Hey," Steph said, trying to smile. There were still tear streaks on her cheeks, and her hair was a great deal more ruffled than it had been earlier.
"Hello," Little Steph whispered. She looked up, and the twin pairs of brown eyes met and held. "You're- Bobby said you're my sister." Steph nodded.
"Can I sit with ya?" she asked. Little Steph nodded and she sat down next to her, sighing.
"Yeah, I'm your sister," she said. "Bet ya the old folks never talked 'bout me, huh?" Little Steph shook her head, biting her lip.
"No- they said I was their first little girl," she said softly. "Their star." Steph nodded, then looked down.
"Healed yourself? That why ya got out of the bubble?" she asked. Little Steph nodded, looking slightly fearful.
"Daddy- he didn't like mutants," she said. "He'd be angry if he found out."
"Maybe," Steph sighed. "That's what happened to me, I went mutant and... well I had to leave." She paused and Little Steph looked up at her curiously, obviously expecting more.
"We didn't part on... good terms," Steph said lamely. "I didn't even know about the accident for a long time." Little Steph looked down this time as another tear fell, and Steph gently wiped it away.
"Mama... I'll never see her again? Ever?"
"I'm sorry," Steph said, shaking her head. Suddenly Little Steph had leaned on her, crying into her older sister's arms as Steph hugged her.
"Daddy too? And Brandon... I'm sorry I was mean to him, I didn't want him-" she wept.
"Yeah, yeah I know," Steph said, shushing her. "You never mean it, and you always regret it. Trust me kid, I know. But you're here with me now, and I'm gonna take care of you, ok?" Little Steph nodded and Steph sighed, rubbing her back like Hank rubbed hers when she was upset.
"And," she continued. "I'm not it, you see, I was adopted into another family when dad kicked me out, and since you're still my family, you're with us now too. You have two other sisters, only a little older than you, and I'm about to get married, so you'll have another brother soon."
"Do you have another mama and daddy too?" Little Steph sniffed. Steph gulped and looked away.
"I- I did," she said, fighting back her own tears. "But, they're... not here anymore. It's jus' us."
"O-ok," Little Steph said, looking unsure about Steph's hesitant voice. "But we're still sisters? Even though we have different mama's?"
"Well she was my mama once too," Steph said, looking back at her and forcing a painful smile. "But yeah, we're sisters, now and 'till ya become a teenager and denounce me for being too old and mother-like." Little Steph smiled and hugged her sibling again, and Steph closed her eyes tightly.
After a moment Hank entered, looking slightly rushed and apparently looking for Steph. Seeing her and Little Steph he paused.
"I'm sorry, I've intruded-" he began. Steph shook her head and got up, pulling Little Steph gently with her.
"Little sister, meet Hank," she said as Little Steph's eyes lit up, seeing the blue fur.
"Who's that?" she asked. Steph smiled.
"In less than a month, your big brother," she said. Little Steph smiled shyly and Hank chuckled, bowing to her.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little flower," he said humbly, grinning. "Might I add you look as lovely as your elder sister?"
"Give it a rest Hank, she's only eight," Steph said, rolling her eyes.
"He talks funny," Little Steph whispered, making Hank laugh. "You're gonna marry him?"
"Yeah, don't worry though, pretty soon you'll be able to understand him... almost," Steph smiled for real, and suddenly both found themselves swept up in Hank's large arms as he picked them up off the ground and turned, running out the door.
"Come, fair maids, there is yet pizza still upstairs, and such sweet faces need nourishment in order to stay smiling, no?" he said. Little Steph giggled as they ran and looked over at Steph, who was snuggling into her fiancée's fur. After a moment the small girl did as well, looking relieved when Hank smiled down at her. Then she leaned over to Steph.
"What- what did he say?" she asked. Steph laughed.
"He said there's pizza upstairs that we've got to beat half the mansion to," she said. Little Steph's face lit up.
"Pizza?" she said happily.
"She will fit in fine," Hank said to Steph. "She resembles you so much in spark of life and appearance, perhaps even some of our foes will not be able to tell the difference once she grows?"
"Maybe," Steph smiled, snuggling in again.