CHAPTER 7: RETURN TO HOME
It had been over a month since Emma and Vince left on their honeymoon and things had settled down more at the mansion. Those that were enrolled were back in school and life at the mansion was going on normally again. They got packages from the married couple and postcards at least once or twice a week, some were gifts others were things that they sent home that were placed in their room for them later.
But by now they were to be coming home, in fact they had called while on the plane and Betsy was taking Emma's car to take them back home. Everyone was excited to have the couple back that was for sure as they wanted to hear all about their honeymoon.
It wasn't until after three in the afternoon when Betsy drove up to the mansion with the newly weds and thankfully most of the mansion's people were still in school. So they had about half an hour to themselves. Both Emma and Vince looked at the mansion and it felt nice like they were coming home again.
"God it's good to be back," Emma said to herself out loud. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt that was still somewhat sexy although now her stomach was hidden under it.
"Yeah it sure is," Vince smiled at her as he put an arm around her waist then looked over at the purple haired telepath, "Thanks for the lift by the way."
Psylocke just waved it off, "Not a problem I had the day off classes and so I figured why not plus it was fun talking to Emma and getting all the details first," She smirked at the two of them.
Vince blinked and looked a little confused, they had talked on the way but he didn't remember them talking about his honeymoon. Then he mentally kicked himself remembering that these women were telepaths and could talk without him knowing. He gave a look to Emma who only smiled giving him an innocent look.
"You can't fool me what did you tell her?" Vince said to his wife who only laughed a bit and he didn't take it as a good sign.
"Don't worry luv she painted you in the best light," Betsy smiled at him as she started to walk inside. "Plus she gave me a few ideas to try with Warren," She winked at him and walked off.
"Emma," Vince nearly whined at what she must have talked about.
Emma rolled her eyes, "She was just joking." He just crossed his arms not sure about that, after all he knew her all too well. Emma then looked over her shoulder, "Oh and be a dear and get the luggage thanks darling."
Vince opened his mouth to say something but it's not like he could ask her to help him out and what's worse was that she knew it. He just let it drop as he went to pick up the suitcases and sighed to himself. Sometimes he thought people liked to take advantage of his strength. Sure opening up any can was helpful but he hated the pack mule part of it at times.
"Oh well…at least with sending most of that stuff back here I got less to carry," He said to himself taking out all of the luggage out of the car, hoping that he could maybe get a few of the others to help out or this could take a few trips.
Emma and Betsy were walking into the mansion they were met by those few that where still in the mansion. Mainly it was just Xavier, Logan, Ororo, Laura, Wanda, Hank, Sage, August, Rogue, and Remy. Even Mystique was there as she had been having more quality time with Rogue and Wanda. Warren still had a few classes at the college as did Jean and Scott so they would be back later. Emma smiled as she was greeted by everyone never having such a warm welcome before and it was touching although she tried not to show it other then her smile.
"Well you look well rested," Rogue said seeing how relaxed she looked and the slight tan she still had.
"Yeah and you seem to have this glow about you as well I should think," August smirked at her.
"Yes well blame the little one on that," Emma rolled her eyes as she placed a hand on her stomach.
Hank nodded, "Yes and have you had any issues or problems so far?"
Emma sighed, "Just the usually although I'm glad we went to the places with beaches first."
"Why is that?" Wanda asked her and then Emma lifted the bottom of her shirt to show that slight bulge there growing. "Oh I see."
Emma smiled as the others took a look she guess she saw the attraction she was over two months along the way and she was only just going to get bigger as time went on. Vincent also had this thing where he would sleep with a hand on her belly although she didn't mind that so much. "Well I can't wear any of my usual clothing and I still get strange cravings but so far it's okay."
"Hey can I get a hand here?" Vince called carrying in a few of the cases, "This will take several trips by myself."
"Sure thing, I got ya." Logan said picking up a few of them as Vince went back to get the final ones. Logan hefted the bags and looked at Emma, "Damn Frosty what the hell did you pack in these? Didn't ya get enough crap sent back here as it was?"
Emma crossed her arms with a deadly serious look on her face, "Logan I am a woman with high standards and pedigree. Besides when do you think I'll ever have the time to do this again? Most likely the only time I'll get to visit other countries after the baby is born is on missions."
"You still want to go on missions?" Xavier asked her surprised at that. He wasn't sure that she would want to leave on them and leave her child alone.
Emma had actually been thinking of this, "Well not at first, but I still want to pull my weight around here…and the first one to make a fat joke will die," She glared in a few directions, "Anyways I will take it easy but I still want to go out there."
"In fact I will go out there and there is no room for discussion, you think I'll let my husband go out there without me to keep an eye on him then you're nuts. Also I'm sure there would be a few left behind that would be able to baby sit as well. So I do fully plan to get back into things, I am a member of this team and I want to ensure my child can grow up in a decent world." She said to them all very seriously. When Emma got like this they knew that once she made up her mind about something there was no way to change it.
Xavier didn't like the prospect of what would happen if the child lost one of both parents but with the look on her face he knew that there was no way he could change her mind. But he thought about talking about this later on.
Vincent finally came back in with the last of the luggage, "Great that's got it all I think. Thanks for the assist Logan."
"No problem bub but let's get this in your room before I pull something." He grumbled hauling the heavy things up the stairs.
"Sounds nice, we got a lot of unpacking to do as well." Emma said as she was hoping there was enough space for everything.
"Oh and we have a surprise for you as well," Betsy smiled at the them as they went up to the second floor. Emma and Vince shared a look wondering what was going on. The coupled walked to their room wondering what was going on, Emma was tempted to take a peek with her mind but she might as well keep the surprise.
They entered their room and it looked normal enough although there were still packages here that they had sent ahead of them up against the wall. But then Vince noticed a new door, "What's with the door?" Emma now noticed it too and looked at the few that were gathering but they only had on smiles.
Vince gave his wife a shrug and put down their luggage as he went to open it. Emma was right behind him as they found that they walked into the room next to them but this was completely bare with white paint. There were a few things a baby changing table on one of the walls, a large dresser, but what caught their eyes that in the middle of the room was a cradle.
Both of them were at a loss for words, as they walked around what they knew now was their own nursery for their baby. Emma rang her hand along the white wood that would house her baby when it was born. There was one of those little toys hanging over it, she was just so over come with emotion at this. She could just picture her perfect little child sleeping in that crib and she felt her eyes water.
Vincent put an arm around her as his other hand was on the crib as well feeling it. It was kind of unreal and yet it really hit home that he was soon to be a family man now. But also strangely he was looking forward to it. Plus he was glad to have friends that would do this kind of thing for them as well.
'I won't cry, don't cry damn it,' Emma thought as she tried to get her composure. She hated crying and she wouldn't do it but her hormones were making it tough since ever since she became pregnant they were getting more and more out of control. 'Come on pull it together.'
It took her a minute she still was teary eyed but she was sure they wouldn't fall before she turned around to see the gathering of people. She was never more touched by an act of kindness like this before, she had never had true friends until she lived here all her life she had pretty much spend isolated but now not anymore. "Thank you…Thank you all for this."
Vince nodded his head as well this was just something extremely nice for the two of them and he finally felt like this place would be his new home for his new life and family as he looked at the faces there were not only his friends but his new 'extended' family as well.
-Later-
After everyone got home and of course went to see Emma and Vince as they talked about their trip Kurt had been thinking lately. It was strange but nice having Mystique live with them now and over time he had grown to start trusting his biological mother. There were a few questions that he had always wanted to know about and now he wanted to know them. It had just been a question of getting the nerve to ask her since he wasn't sure if the subject was a touchy one for her.
He had been looking for her and had finally found her outside. She was actually in the gazebo looking over the bay. She was actually dressed a bit differently lately she had forgone the black leather top and skirt. She still wore black though and he guessed it was partially in morning still.
She now liked to wear a long skirt that went down to her knees with slits on each side, and a buttoned up top with no sleeves. She looked to be drinking as she was looking out over the water seemingly lost in through. "mozher?"
She hadn't noticed her son there she had been rethinking her life at that moment. All the decisions and doing all of the could a, would a, and should have things in her life. She knew that she had made many mistakes in her life and couldn't change things but still she didn't want to remake anymore mistakes.
"Yes Kurt what is it?" She asked him, he seemed a bit apprehensive about something and she was wondering where this would go.
He sat down next her ringing his hands as his tail twitched nervously. He couldn't look her in the eyes at first but eventually gathered up his courage. "Mozher zhere is somzhing zhat I alvays vonted to know and I hope you can tell me…"
'Uh oh…' She thought as she had a guess where this would lead to.
"Mozher…Who is mien Fazher?"
Kurt's father, she knew sooner or later he would ask that and to tell the truth she had hoped she never did have to talk about it. But looking on the pleading face of her son she didn't have the heart not to tell him. She sighed as she looked at him, "Are you sure you want to know? It's not exactly…Pleasant story."
Kurt nodded his head he really wanted to know all about his family especially where he came from.
She took a breath and got ready to talk to him about this, "Well…It all began after I left Irene in Austria and yes the same Irene that I had raise Rogue. She was my first close friend in my life growing up."
"Viat you're Austrian?" He asked her since he never knew where she was from.
She smiled at him, "I know neither myself or Irene have accents we worked on getting rid of them it wasn't easy at first but I haven't spoken in my native tongue for so long it kind of feels like I never was. But anyway back then I was doing a little…Special work."
Kurt knew what she meant by that, he knew his mother was no saint.
"Anyway I wanted to get out of it, so I took the form of a nice looking woman and tried to actually live a normal life. Well I eventually caught the eye of a wealthy Baron in Germany and well he wasn't too bad but I decided to go with it. Flirting and seducing him, I got a job at the castle and later…well let's just say our relationship took a more intimate step."
Kurt winced not knowing his mother was that type of woman but he was thinking that maybe he was the son of a baron that would be interesting. "So zhat vas my fazher?"
"No," She simply said taking another drink, "You see I liked him but I never loved him. Then one day I met a man who was visiting, he was tall, handsome, charming man and when he looked at you it was like he was looking into you. I know this sounds silly from me but when he talked to me, touched my hand and brought it to his lips to a kiss my heart fluttered."
She shook her head at her younger self, "I was acting like some blushing school girl around him. Well skip ahead a week and we started to see more and more of each other. Eventually he wanted to see me in private. We met in the castle chapel of all places and he told me that he knew what I was."
Kurt was surprised but not as surprised as she had been, "Yes imagine my shock but then again he smiled at me and told me that he understood me. You see he too was a mutant, he shifted his form and for the first time I met."
"Vhat did he look like?" Kurt asked her and she hesitated for a bit.
"Actually…A lot like you only he was red…with two horns on his head." She explained and Kurt's jaw dropped. By that description this man sounded like he looked like the devil himself and that was kind of hard to swallow given his religious background.
"His real name was Azazel and he was a mutant too but because of his looks he was demonized for them," She told him remembering that day, "But he was also the first man that wanted to see me for who I really was. When I shifted into my true form she smiled at me and told me how beautiful I was…There have only been three people in my life son that have ever said those words to me."
"He was the second and my second great love of my life…We made love right there and at every time I could I would sneak off to see him. I couldn't get him out of my system I was truly in love with him."
"Vhat happened?" Kurt asked her wanting to know all the years of wondering and he was so close to knowing the truth of his birth.
"You happened, I became pregnant with you," She looked at her son, "You see when I found out I knew it was Azazel's it had to be but when I went to see him and when I wanted for us to run off together…He broke my heart. You see I loved him but he never truly loved me, it's his way. To love women and then leave them but I didn't find out until it was too late."
Kurt heard the bitterness in her voice and to know that his father just left his mother and him just at the drop of a hat…His heart just sank in his chest feeling like someone had just kicked him in the gut.
Mystique continued on, "So I tried to pass you off as the Baron's son…But what no one but he knew was that he couldn't have children. He had an old injury and kept it quiet from everyone, but he knew he wasn't the father and he told me it all."
"All my hopes were gone and I was cast out of the castle, so there I was alone, very little money and pregnant. I have nowhere to turn to but then Magneto found me…Well you know what happened from there on and why I was so loyal to him for so long…" She finally finished the story. She looked to Kurt but he was just silent there and she wished she knew what was going through his head.
For Kurt he was thinking on all he had learned and it was awhile before he spoke, "So…I'm an accident zhen?"
Mystique placed a hand on his, "Kurt that doesn't matter, look at Emma and Vincent's child. That wasn't planned either and they both love that child as I love you."
Kurt gave a small smile at that, he knew that she meant it although she had trouble with expressing it. He stood up, "Thanks…I Zhink I need to zhink on zhis…"
"I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted to hear."
"I know…It may not be vhat I vanted to hear but I zhink it vas vhat I needed to hear," He then bent over and kissed her on the cheek. "Zhank you for telling me."
She smiled that was actually the first kiss between them since he was actually born, "Sure thing son."
-Emma and Vince's Room-
After over an hour they had finally managed to unpack everything although now Vincent was helping her put away some of her clothing that she couldn't wear with her stomach that was starting to bulge out. He was neatly folding some of them up in a box that she had sent here with maternity clothing she bought while in Paris. If she was going to be pregnant she was going to look damn good doing it as she had stated.
Emma sighed seeing a few of the clothing she couldn't wear, although she vowed that as soon as the baby was born she was going to work hard to get her old figure back. She was still young enough to get rid of stretch marks and get her stomach nice and flat again.
Vincent had just finished with packing up one of the boxes and went to the baby's room to place it in the closet in there since there was more room. He took a small look around it and grinned wondering how they would fix it up when they found out what the sex of the baby would be.
He placed the box in the closet before going back into their room seeing his wife there looking through more clothing and looking a little frustrated. He smiled as he walked up behind her and placed his arms around her, "Hey don't worry. Knowing you you'll fit into those in no time."
"Thank you darling but that still doesn't help me with placing these maternity clothing in the place of my other clothing. I spent months getting this wardrobe and now I have to rearrange everything." She let out a frustrated sigh looking at her clothing that she was replacing. Then she felt his strong hands on her shoulders rubbing them slightly.
"Careful you know you shouldn't get too stressed," He told her and she knew he was right. She had to be careful remembering how she had fainted on that mission at the museum had been kind of a wake up call on just how fragile her body was now. She had worries about all sorts of things now and she wondered if she would ever stop.
Vince eased the tension in her shoulders, "We'll get through this trust me," he said feeling what she was feeling through their bond. He moved some of her hair aside and kissed her neck, she smiled as he did so. He continued on placing light kisses on her neck as he rubbed.
She had to admit he knew how to take the stress out of her life, "You really still find me attractive? I mean even with this?" She rubbed her stomach that was slowly growing.
"Honey I'll love you no matter what," He said to her, she knew that but she just needed to actually hear the words now and then just to put her at ease.
"Vincent we can't," She said knowing where this would lead to.
"Why? You know that I love you and that if we're careful…"
"No not that," She cut him off, "We're about to have company." With that the a certain brown haired girl phased through the door.
"Hey you're back!" Kitty squealed happily as she ran towards then not noticing that she might have been interrupting something. She was just so glad to see them back here. "Sorry I wasn't here I like just totally got back from school with Kurt and the others."
In fact Kurt had ported right back to the mansion as if he had been in a hurry so she had wait for one of the others since they had the keys. It kind of wasn't fair that they still didn't let her drive all that much she had improved at least she thought so.
The couple pulled apart and Kitty hugged the taller blond, "Oh and I so totally have to thank you for the presents! The clothing from Paris is just to die for! You should see all the jealous looks I get when they find out where the clothing came from. You are like on of the best friends ever and it's just so cool that I got so much great clothing. You have got great taste too I mean they fit great and I love those pink ones you pick out."
"Kitty," Vince said cutting through the younger girl's chatter, "Breath."
Kitty blushed at how she had been going on, "Oops sorry about that."
Emma had on an amused smirk on her face, "It's no problem nice to know you loved them so much. It's always nice to give gifts to those that I know will appreciate them."
"Oh trust me all the girls totally do," She beamed and then she felt something on Emma's stomach and took a step back. "Hey are you like…um, showing now?"
Emma sighed and pulled up her top a bit, "Oh cool…Can I touch?"
"Well you can't feel the baby or anything," Vince told her a bit amused at this.
'Doesn't stop you at night,' Emma sent to him through their mental bond feeling Kitty touch her slightly swollen stomach.
'Hey I'm the proud father I have a right to do that,' He said back smiling at her.
"Oh my god this is going to be so great, I mean I bet the baby will just be the cutest little thing in the world," Kitty was giddy with joy for the two of them. It was pretty special to have the first baby here at the mansion.
At this Emma was proud of her baby and placed her hands there, "Of course it is, with the pedigree of his parents how could he not be?" That caused an amused laugh from Vince and Kitty went into giggles. Emma had been serious but then again she was still happy to just be home. And this place now felt like her true home for the first time in her life she was truly happy and maybe even at peace.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 8: GUESTS