Dr. McCoy had taken the baby after that to clean her, and also to finish up with Wanda. Finally cleaned and stitched up, Mother and baby were reunited. Kurt stayed at their side, and the new parents took this time to inspect the tiny babe.
"She looks just like you," Wanda mused, smiling at Kurt.
"Ja," Kurt smiled as he stroked the baby's soft cheek with his finger. "It looks better on her, though."
Wanda giggled. She kissed him gently. "Can you believe it? Here she is." She looked back to the bundle. "You were such a little acrobat in Mommy's tummy." She paused at that, her smile widening. "I'm a Mommy. I'm your Mommy, Talia." The label felt so right. She was a mother, and it made sense.
"What do you think of Josephine?" Kurt asked, out of the blue.
Wanda furrowed her brow. "I thought we agreed on Talia."
"Ja," he nodded, smiling as the baby yawned. "But for a middle name. Talia Josephine."
She smiled, looking back to the girl. "Talia Josephine Wagner," Wanda looked back to Kurt. "You haven't held her yet."
"I, uh," Kurt took a step back. "It's ok."
"No, I've been hogging her," Wanda shifted and held the baby out. "Take her."
Kurt just stared at the bundle nervously. "I don't know how."
"What do you mean?" Wanda asked, still holding the baby out. "Just put her in your arms."
Kurt took a tentative step forward, and awkwardly attempted to take the baby. After a few tries, the tiny girl was in her father's arms. "Gott, she's so tiny. So light."
Wanda nodded, smiling at the two of them.
"Hallo, mein liebling," Kurt spoke softly to her. "I'm your Daddy." Tears shone anew in his eyes. "Ich liebe dich mein madchen."
~&Q~
The rest of the evening and into the night, Wanda, Kurt and their new daughter spent in the infirmary, just the three of them. It was a sleepless night, though Kurt tried to give Wanda as much time to sleep as he could. She was adjusting to being able to feed their daughter, and after a few botched tries, she seemed to get the hang of nursing. Although it wasn't the most comfortable thing Wanda had ever done, she loved the closeness she felt to her daughter when she nursed.
The next morning, Dr. McCoy checked on the little family and decided they'd be more comfortable back in their own quarters. "This is where we live," Wanda told her daughter softly as they entered the room. "This is Mommy and Daddy's bed," she continued. "And you'll sleep there." She indicated the bassinet.
The baby simply slept, moving only minutely to adjust herself. Wanda smiled. "Are you comfy my little angel?"
"Do you want to get some rest?" Kurt asked her, sitting on the bed. "Maybe put her down in the bassinet for a while."
Wanda shook her head. "I wanna hold her." She sat on the bed, adjusting uncomfortably to a position that wasn't painful.
"Are you hungry?" Kurt asked her. Wanda looked to him and nodded. "I'll get some food, ok?"
"Ok," Wanda's eyes went right back to the baby. She was so peaceful, for the moment. Her face changed, making an odd expression, before she began to cry. "Oh, no, what's wrong my beautiful girl?"
The girl began to thrash in her arms, as Wanda rocked her gently. "You just ate," she thought for a moment. "Is it your diaper?" Wanda stood and brought the baby into the adjoining nursery, laying her down. As she unwrapped the swaddling, slowly, a tiny tail swayed out, immediately wrapping itself around her wrist. Wanda smiled brightly at her. "Little tail hug," she giggled. "Let Mommy change you." She disentangled the appendage from her and noted that the girl's diaper had come undone. "Well, you're wet," she furrowed her brow. "Why'd your diaper come off?"
She removed the soiled diaper, and placed a clean one under her. The tail whipped around, attempting again to wrap around Wanda's wrist. "One second, sweetie," Wanda sighed. The tail was in the way, as she tried to get the diaper fastened, it kept thrashing and undoing it. Talia began to sob, making Wanda nervous. "It's ok, my love, Mommy's got you." She felt panicky, unable to tend to something so basic for her daughter.
Finally, she managed to get the diaper in place and moved the tail under her, swaddling her up tight again. Talia didn't cry, but her face was frozen in an irritated expression. "I'm sorry," Wanda looked to her sadly. "Mommy'll get better at it, I promise."
She went back into her bedroom with the girl, holding her to her shoulder. Talia's little face nuzzled into the nape of her neck, making Wanda smile again. She sat on the bed, carefully.
"I made you a sandwich," Kurt told her as he entered, holding it out on a plate. "Turkey, is that ok?"
Wanda nodded as he put the plate onto the bedside table. Kurt sat beside her, smiling at Talia's sleepy face. "Everyone knows now. They all want to meet her, but I told them maybe tomorrow," he reached out and stroked her cheek. "I have to call my parents and tell them they have a granddaughter."
Wanda's mind went to her own father. They hadn't seen Magneto in over a year, Pietro gave no indication at all he'd been in contact. She hadn't really thought about him until this moment. "What about my father?" she asked Kurt.
"Magneto?" his brow lifted. "What about him?"
"He should know," Wanda shifted the baby so she could look at her. "He should know that he's a grandpa now."
"Where is he?" Kurt asked her. "I thought he's been gone for a while."
"He has," Wanda frowned. "But still. Do you think the Professor could find him?"
"Maybe," he replied. "I'll ask him."
Wanda smiled. "Thanks."
