Coffee with Jean was exactly what she needed. Just getting out of the house for a bit, feeling human again. By the time she got home, Talia was napping, and the silence was heaven sent.

Thanksgiving wasn't much of anything for them. The institute celebrated, and they attended. Wanda was far more interested in documenting the holiday with her baby than actually celebrating anything. The best part of it, though, was the time Kurt had off from school. She loved when they could spend time together as a family unit.

He'd been working at finding someone to baptize their daughter, but to no avail. He was frustrated, which in turn made Wanda angry. The anti-mutant sentiment was heavy, and many churches turned them away. She could see how much it effected Kurt, to be rejected by those who should be most accepting.

"How can these people claim to speak for God?" his frown was deep, as he climbed into bed beside her.

"They don't," Wanda turned toward him. "They don't at all."

"But they are priests. They've taken vows, they know the Lord's word." His expression was heartbreaking.

She reached her hand out, placing it on his cheek. "God made you, right? He made you, and me, and Talia, and he made us perfectly. Those people do not speak for him."

He shook his head. "What will we do? Talia needs to be baptized."

In her mind, her daughter really didn't, but it was so important to Kurt. The fact that these people were standing in their way made her want it all the more. Who the hell was going to tell them they couldn't have their daughter baptized?! "I'm sure we can find someone," she offered.

"Well," he paused. "One priest agreed. But his church will not let it happen there. She has to be baptized in a church."

She lifted a brow. "Any church?"

"Well, a Catholic church," he replied.

She sat up a bit, leaning on her elbow. "What about our church? The one we met in?"

He lifted his brow now. "It's abandoned," he said. "It hasn't been used in years…"

"Yeah, but you went there. You told me, it's still God's house," she cuddled into him. "And the symbolism. She is baptized in the church where we met? It's romantic."

He smiled, a very small smile. "I didn't think of it like that," he replied, then looked to her. "You are a genius, leibchen."

She smiled back. "I know," she put her arms around him. "You're lucky."

He scoffed, but then kissed her. "I know I am."

~&Q~

The next morning, Kurt had gone early to see the priest who had offered to do the baptism. That left her alone with their little lovely. "Good morning!" Wanda chirped at the baby as she plucked her from her crib. Talia whined and cried against her. "What's wrong, little girl?" Wanda frowned at her.

The girl just cried. Yeah, teething. Right. Wanda bounced her a bit, and brought her to find a teething toy in the freezer of the kitchen. No one was around, so it was in and out and back to their room. "There, my baby girl," Wanda held the ring to her mouth, the girl immediately gnawing on it. Her hands came up to grasp it as well, and there was silence. "I wish I could take your pain away."

Talia was calmer, and Wanda placed her on a play mat, just to go brush her teeth. When she returned, she noted the baby wasn't laying as she'd left her, instead she was sitting up, rather unsteadily, the teething ring hanging from her mouth. "Talia!" she rushed to her daughter's side. "Did you sit up all by yourself?!"

The girl beamed at her, proudly. Wanda sat beside her, her hands on either side, in case the baby fell one way or the other. Talia turned to her, leaning toward her until she fell forward, her hands landing in Wanda's lap. Wanda scooped her up, giving her little kisses. "Mommy's so proud of you!"

Talia giggled as Wanda pulled her close. Here, this was the baby she loved! Happy and smiley, and giggly. After a few moments of cuddling, the girl began to whine again, so Wanda set her on the play mat with her teething ring. "You'll appreciate your teeth one day, I promise."

"Hey!" A redhead peeked in the open door of the nursery. "What're you up to?"

Wanda smiled at Jean. "Just enjoying our morning so far."

"I see that," she moved to sit with them. As she did, Talia's eyes widened and she reached to her mother, crying.

"Oh, noooo, Talia," Wanda frowned. "That's Jean. She's our friend." She lifted the girl into her lap, and the infant clutched tightly to her.

"It's ok," Jean said. "I'm not offended. She just doesn't know me." She leaned in a bit to stroke the girls back lightly with her finger. "But I know you so well Miss Talia Josephine. I met you when you were itty bitty."

"You did," Wanda said, then looked to the girl. "No need to be scared. Mommy's right here."

The girl seemed to loosen her grip, minutely, but she still eyed Jean warily. It was a relatively new reaction, and Wanda filed it in the back of her head to read up. Was this normal, or something they needed to be worried about?

"Where's Kurt?" Jean asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"He went to arrange a baptism for Talia," she told her. "He's been trying to work it out all week."

"Ahh," Jean replied, smiling at the girl. Talia, slowly, tentatively, reached out and poked Jean's arm with her tail, before withdrawing it quickly. "Ow! Hey!" Jean furrowed her brow in jest at the girl. "Don't go poking me!"

Talia smiled a bit, and reached out again with her tail. "Ow!" Jean said again. "I said stop it!" The baby giggled this time, and repeated her actions. "Ow!" Jean kept her reaction consistent and Talia laughed.

"See?" Wanda smiled at her girl. "Jean's a friend, lovely."

"I'm a great friend to such a cutie pie like you," Jean told the girl. She looked to Wanda. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to the mall with me? I have to pick up a few things before I head back to school."

"I'd love to," Wanda frowned. "But I have her. I'm not sure when Kurt will be back."

"Bring her," Jean suggested. "You have a stroller, right?"

Wanda's eyes widened. "Bring her? How can I bring her?" she looked to the girl. "It's one thing when she was tiny and slept all the time, but how could I possibly keep her hidden now?"

Jean frowned as well. "True," she replied. "Has the Professor not issued her an image inducer yet?"

Wanda shook her head, her eye sliding to Jean. "Like what Kurt has? No," she said.

"Why not ask?" Jean said. "I'm sure he can get one."

Wanda let out a breath. "I don't think I like the idea of it…"

Jean furrowed her brow. "Why not?"

"Because what am I teaching her, to hide?" Wanda replied. "She's absolutely perfect as she is. It's not her who has a problem, it's the world. If I train her to hide who she is, all she'll think is that she has to change in order to be accepted and she shouldn't."

Jean nodded. "What does Kurt think?"

"I dunno," Wanda shrugged. "We've never spoken about it."

"I guess that's for you guys to decide," Jean shrugged.

Wanda nodded, looking down at her daughter. She was such a beautiful child, the most perfect baby Wanda had ever seen. She despised the idea that she might want to hide her from the world. "I don't think we'll do the mall today, Jean," she said. Maybe one day… but not today.

~&Q~

I love all the ideas that have been shared so far! Some are coming, some I think I will incorporate. Keep them coming :)