Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or the X Men. I own Evie and all the subsequent children.

Notes: Katknits00, Stick around and thanks. Bohemianbabe, As I said before, I haven't even finished writing this one yet. I'm not sure where it will end. Mxfan214, Loveconquers, Courtney, Xfan, Thank you all. Brigitta1, He is Jesse's son. Strength would not be in question and thank you.

Chapter 5

A buzzing, shimmering wall appeared, separating Brennan, Ro and Bryan from the rest in the lab. "Containment field in place and stable," reported Bobby.

"Evie," Adam looked for her report.

"Delivery complete. No complications." She smiled up at Kitty and pat her leg. "You did a good job."

"Hank?" Adam continued as he saw Hank run a scanner over Kitty's body.

"Aside from fatigue and elevated adrenaline at the moment, Kitty is in perfect health. All systems reading normal for post partum." He leaned down and kissed her head.

Adam smiled, "Good, that's what I want to hear."

"But Bryan? What's going on?" Kitty pushed away from her husband.

"Kitty, listen to me." Jesse turned her slightly to look into her eyes for the first time since she awoke.

"Jesse, you've been…" she reached out and touched his tear streaked face. "Bryan…he's…," she choked as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"No, listen," Jesse tried to hold onto his strength for both of them. "We had to…"

Kitty, Evie sent.

Kitty turned her head quickly to face her.

don't panic. It's not over yet. Just wait. Adam and Hank are doing everything they can.

Jesse knew Evie had sent something when Kitty reclined against his chest. He felt her pull his arms more securely around her. She laced her fingers with his and squeezed. They held each other and watched as they prayed for their son.

"Shalimar, keep your eyes on Brennan's scans. I'm fresh out of bio beds." Adam smiled as he passed her and went on. "Bobby, don't release the containment field until I give the signal. Too soon and we risk Ro knocking out the whole place. Logan, readings should stay stable but if they begin to drop, we're not critical until 30. At 70, increase containment energy for Bobby." He came around and stood beside Hank. "Alright. Let's do this. Brennan go."

Brennan took a deep breath and looked at Ro. Her eyes were white as she opened her arms to the air around them. He could feel the electricity in his system react to her call. When she nodded, he turned. Looking to his wife, he saw the confidence her eyes held for him. Encouraged by her support he nodded and pointed one finger at Bryan's chest. Trying to dial down as much as he could, he released. Everyone jumped when the tiny body jerked under the shock. Nothing happened.

"Again, Brennan," Adam urged.

Again, everyone jumped but nothing happened.

"Increase the voltage," Hank boomed from the computer readouts he'd moved to observe.

Another shot and again…stillness.

"Shalimar?" Adam asked.

"He's fine. Only minor fluctuations," she answered quickly.

"Brennan," he turned back to him. "Put your hand on his chest," Adam ordered.

"No, Adam, I can't regulate that," Brennan warned with fear in his eyes as he looked from Adam to Shalimar. He turned suddenly when he felt Ro take his other hand.

"I can," she stated calmly, still white-eyed and holding Brennan's hand firmly.

Brennan looked up at the doctors and saw them both nod in turn. Taking a deep breath he gently laid his large hand down covering the child's whole chest. Again he released. When the tiny body shook under his hold he stopped the energy and prayed to feel something as he increased the pressure slightly.

"Adam," he called excitedly.

"Yes! You did it! We got him." Relief in the room was loud and came from every direction. Jesse and Kitty let out their breath as one and began to cry in each other's arms. Adam moved in front of the containment field. "Logan?" he called out.

"All systems fine." Logan stepped away from the console and saw his wife lower her arms and stop what she was doing.

"Field interior returning to normal…Wait…Not yet…Ok, Bobby, now," Adam ordered with a smile.

As soon as the field disappeared Adam and Hank moved in to check the infant. "Scans appear normal," Hank reported.

Brennan and Ororo stepped back to give Adam space as he lifted the child. "Come on, Bryan. Let's hear your voice," he coaxed as he gently rubbed the child's chest.

The next sound made everyone cheer again, as Adam carried a noisy infant to his parents. Joy and relief emanated from everyone. Until…

"Ro!" Logan yelled from his place at the opposite end of the lab.

Turning quickly everyone saw her shakily leaning on the bio bed the baby had been on. Brennan was still very close and reached to steady her before she could fall. When her legs finally gave way beneath her, he caught her and lifted her to the bed. Hank immediately scanned her as Logan got to her side.

"Darlin'?" There's that feeling again. It's gettin' stronger, he thought then pushed it away as he held her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just felt very weak all of a sudden." She looked around at all the concerned faces. "I am sorry. I will be fine."

"I don't think this is fine," he gently argued. "Hank, what happened?"

"It would seem that the strain was too much for her, though I don't know why." Hank's brow furrowed in concern. "This shouldn't have affected her at all." He moved to place a hand to her forehead. "All vitals' readings indicate exhaustion. I will need to run more tests but you are in no danger that I can detect."

"How's the child?" she asked, feeling foolish and trying to get everyone's attention redirected.

"He's beautiful…just like his mother," Jesse kissed Kitty's head and slid out from behind her.

"Here, Jess, hold your son." Kitty smiled as she offered her son to his father.

The breath caught in his chest. My…son…My son . He looked around the room as happy faces reflected his indescribable bliss. Tears again dripped over his cheeks as he reached out with a slight tremble. Breathing deeply when Kitty placed the bundle in his arms, a joyful sob broke free. He marveled at the feeling of the child's weight and breath as he cradled him close and raised him to place a kiss on his forehead. "My son," he whispered instantly bringing tears to the eyes of the other women in the room.

"A more joyful time I could not hope to share in. May all of Nature, herself, bless this child."

As Ororo spoke the feeling struck again but this time Logan couldn't shake it. It was like a hand that grabbed at him. Closing his eyes he let his senses reach out around him. They were all there with him. He could feel his friends. He smirked slightly to himself as he found he could even sense Bryan. He feels like Kitty, he thought as he let his senses reach further. Suddenly it was there. Logan squeezed his eyes tighter in an attempt to focus his efforts and identify that which was eluding him. A presence…yes… it was definitely a presence but… His attention was shifted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked deep into the caring eyes of his friend. He knew what she was asking but he wasn't sure he had her answers. Not wanting to frighten anyone, he smiled. "I don't know about any of you but all this tension's made me hungry. Hank, if you're going to check Ro anyway, I'm gonna raid the kitchen."

Shalimar wasn't about to be dissuaded. She had come to know this man very well and knew there was more than a hungry stomach bothering him. After only a few moments she slipped out of the lab unnoticed. As she walked into the kitchen, she found him leaning into an opened refrigerator.

"I had a feeling you'd follow me," he said without looking.

"What happened?"

He knew she had sensed him and wasn't going to let it go. So with a loud sigh, he stood straight and closed the door. "I don't know. Something isn't right. For over a week now I'd get a sense of something I couldn't place. It would come and go so fast I couldn't even try to track it. Just now in the lab it was stronger. When I tried to focus, it felt like…a presence."

"A presence?" Shalimar moved closer. "In Sanctuary?"

"I know it sounds crazy. I thought maybe it was Bryan. I reached out to everyone and found him, too, but the presence was still there, just out of my reach." Logan leaned on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "How sensitive are Sanctuary's internal scanners?"

"The scanners?"

"Yeah, do they pick up…" Logan stopped and lowered his head. "There…" he whispered.

Shalimar's eyes were immediately aglow as she reached out around her.

In only a moment Logan lifted his head again, "It's gone." He saw her and waited for the brown to return to her eyes.

"Logan, I don't sense anything." Shalimar stepped closer and put a hand on his arm. "Maybe it is Bryan. He's new for all of us. If there were anyone else in Sanctuary, I think I would have picked up on it even before…" Shalimar looked up in shock. Something happened in the lab and they both knew it. Without another word, they were running back through the halls.

With Brennan's help, Adam lifted Evie off the floor. They placed her in the scan chair and Adam moved quickly to program the appropriate scan.

Shalimar and Logan came to a stop inside the door when they saw Evie in the chair. They looked to one another then waited as the scan finished its job.

After the scan beam stopped Adam read the read out and chuckled in disbelief. "This is going to sound crazy but…she fainted."

Evie began to stir as Adam moved to her side. "Adam, what happened?"

"You fainted, Darling," his eyes smiled at her. "After Nadene, I would have thought you'd have been able to handle the excitement of another child in the house." He dodged the punch she threw as she began to sit up.

"Adam, are you sure that's all it is?" Shalimar asked then after receiving a happy nod, turned to Logan.

Logan knew she was questioning what he told her. "Hank, is Ro ok?" He moved to stand by her side as she remained seated on the bio bed.

"Well before all the excitement, Evie caused…" he turned a toothy grin to her then continued, "I ran a blood sample." Hank moved to stand in front of Ororo and took her hand. He smiled when he saw her looked to him in question. "Allow me to be the first to congratulate you, My Dear and you, My Friend." He clapped a large hand on Logan's shoulder. "You are going to make wonderful parents."

"Parents? What? You mean?" Logan stuttered in shock then locked his wife in an iron embrace, images of the dark haired beauty and her strapping twin brother floated before his closed eyes.

Everyone gathered around to congratulate the couple until…a baby began crying. Attention was suddenly back on Bryan and his new parents. Kitty smiled. "I'm not sure he wants the competition just yet."

Laughter rang as all moved on to enjoy the evening, now that danger had passed and happiness reigned once more.

In a dark corner, like the phantom in a dream, someone waited. Cassandra sat in her room over the busy night club and concentrated on her old friend. "It's been a long time. It would seem you have forgotten me. Soon you'll be able to remember me and I'll make you sorry you ever left."

TBC

OOOO…who's she talking to? What's next?