One more chapter my little Darcy's and then this story will be done. Do we want

To see Victor maybe finding a little mate of his own? Or at least hints of it? Lemme know!

Chapter 15: Rockabye

The wait was agony and taking far too long. Either there was something wrong with the baby or something Hank wasn't telling them.

"You've got us all worried, calm your shit."

"Its alright, really-"

Logan continued to pace, stalking up and down the length of the room. Since they'd arrived in the wee hours of the morning, several hours had passed. It was still more than a month before Marie's due date and he was loathe to induce labor unless there was a breach. However, in the last several minutes Hank had him step out and being kept apart from his mate without a damn good reason was taking its toll.

"Sugah? Almost done in here and then- ooooh.." Another contraction has her crying out and Logan shoving the curtain aside, ignoring any instructions from Hank.

"Darlin I'm here, is it time? You okay?" She clung to his hand, trying to follow the breathing pattern suggested during their birthing classes.

"It- Sugah it hurts.. It hurts so-" She broke off at a scream that left his ears ringing and his feral in an uproar. Unfortunately, this had him turning on the Doctor as opposed to problem solving.

"Fix her, get the baby out!" He gave the blue feral a hard shake,claws back out and aimed for the jugular. Hank's own instincts had his fur bristling and teeth baring,leaving Victor to for once be the choice of reason.

"Jimmy go cool off." With a well practiced ease, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and hauled him back. "Doc, explain the situation, what needs to happen here?" Still growling uneasily, it took a moment for McCoy to pull himself back together shaking them both off and checking Marie's vitals. She squeezed Logan's hand weakly, the latest contraction leaving her limp with exhaustion.

"Sugah, just listen tah the Doctor. Please?" He nodded begrudgingly, but the succubus was already fading back into a worn out doze.

"Marie's at the point of no return essentially. I don't want to risk the infant's life but if I attempt to stop or slow down the labor process it could harm the mother." Hank murmured.

"English Cookie Monster, speak english!" He groused. Hank straightened, but his eyes stayed on a fixed point of the wall, his Beta nature keeping him as non-threatening as possible.

"I'm saying.. There may come a point where we need to asses who has the best chance for survival and give them priority care." To his credit, he managed to hold back a wince at his grim announcement but only barely.

A loud snkkt signaled the return of Logan's claws and even Victor couldn't hold back a sharp inhale.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The gold in Logan's eyes had completely etched out the brown, his fangs baring so that the words were barely above a hair rising growl. "Are you telling us we're going to have to choose between our mate and our pup?" He stalked closer, teeth gnashing and scent burning. "Because if you are, you need to rethink that statement right the fuck now blue fur." Victor gave a warning growl, moving in front of the mutant doctor who was still standing his ground.

"Runt. Back off and focus on little one. She needs you." Wolverine's reply was to kick a chair aside. Victor rolled his eyes, letting out his own claws.

"He can't take care of either of them if you skewer him. And your mate is gonna be pissed if I have to kick your ass during her delivery." He held his brother's gaze for another long minute, only letting the staring contest break off when Marie groaned.

"Logan… another contr-" She let out a wail of anguish and both brothers were there, one on either side and Hank at her feet, checking between her legs.

"M'here darlin. Human and I both, we're right here with you." Wolverine purred, mopping her brow with a damp cloth left on the bedside table. Victor was hee hee hoo-ing,hanging onto her other hand and had she not been in so much pain she might have laughed.

"Steady breaths now, gotta breathe through it little one. Come on, hee hee hoo. Hee hee hooo-" At his prompting she nodded, mimicking his breathing and all three members of the pack hooing in harmony.

"Sugah, yah listen tah meh-" She gulped down more air, hair clinging to her neck and hands clenching her boys tight. "Listen tah meh. If it comes down to it, yah save our baby. Hear meh?" Logan snarled but she growled right back.

"Save. Our. Baby. Yah have tah swear yah will. That's what ah want-"

"M'rie no, I won't-" She squeezed his hand harder still, another contraction making her sob and her mate whine.

"Logan, Wolvie. Please." She could scarcely see for the pain, nothing existed except for this moment. Hank was calling out orders to push, Victor had moved down to his side, pushing and bullying and goading and pleading. Even still, she clung to her feral.

"Marie no, you BOTH can make it, you just have to-" God she was so pale, barely hanging on but giving it her all and the baby wasn't here yet, something was wrong with their baby-

"Mate. Swear."

Maybe he was crying. Maybe something broke inside, some final barrier that they'd had yet to pass, even as close as they were. The man and the animal blended, intertwining. He whispered the words against her heart, brought them skin to skin while her defenses were down and her mutation was crackling in instinctive defense. Even as the draw tore at him, sent spikes of pain spearing into his nervous system, he hung on.

"I swear."

Baby girl Howlett came into the world with bright eyes and a barely there shrill cry that left the good doctor fretting for several hours following her birth. The infant weighed in at 4 pounds, 2 ounces and was quickly whisked away to an incubator, with irregular breathing patterns and impossibly tiny fists that refused to unclench. (Though Hank had determined it was more stubbornness on her part then anything else. Not much of a surprise, considering who the baby's father was).

In better condition was her mother, despite being ready to punch her mate at the earliest , as it turned out, was about ten minutes after they'd cut the umbilical cord and gotten their little daughter in stable condition. Anger was easier then worry, and growling better then tears.

"WHY. WOULD. YAH. MAKE. MEH. USE. MAH. SKIN?!" Each word was supplemented with a smack, warded off by Logan only because she was still recovering. In fact, he was on the mend himself, having been drained to the point of losing consciousness and hitting his head on the way down to the floor. The deep and bloody gash was quickly wrapped, Victor had dunked his head in the room's ensuite sink and he was alert enough to cheer Marie on through the delivery's final moments.

Not that she appreciated it.

"M'rie I had to, you needed my- ow! Stop hitting me dammit, my head is still healing!" Her response was a scowl and another smack.

"Yah know better! Ah might have drained yah dry if Victor didn't pull yah away-"

"Still waiting for a thank you by the way. I take cash, but you can always name the baby after me too" Victor interjected. She rolled her eyes,sagging back against the pillows.

"Still not happening." Was her grumbled reply.

"Awww come on, Victoria is a good name for a girl. Makes her a winner, like her uncle!" He looked between the couple, who stared right back and began to pout.

"Neither of you appreciate me in the least. And as your alpha, I won't-" He ducked a pillow being thrown from Marie and nimbly sidestepped a boot kick from Logan.

"Blow it out your ass Vic." The younger feral rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth fighting back any sign of amusement. Creed caught the near imperceptible twitch all the same.

"What about Sabre? It's unique, it carries power and weight-"

"It will literally have nothing to do with you." Marie sagged back against the pillows, fingers reaching out and hesitating before they reached the incubator. Hank had made an allowance, allowing the ferals to keep their newborn near but her baby was small. And there were so many tubes and wires and things, just to keep that precious little tummy moving up and down, the itty bitty chest rising and falling..

Her eyes filled and Logan's hand met her own, holding it tight.

"Hank said we could hold her in a lil' bit Kid. But we should have a name to introduce her to, right?" He prodded, hating everything about this. His daughter wasn't yet a day old and already he was failing her.

"Right- Sugah. S'not yah fault. Hear meh? said it happens, we have tah remember that." She squeezed his fingers, tears spilling over when he kissed her knuckles gently.

"So? What's it gonna be?"

"Yeah, spit it out already! I'm getting bored you saps." Victor chimed in, busy scenting his newest little packmate. Logan growled protectively but if Marie was bothered by her brother in law nosing at the little bed, she didn't comment.

"We thought she should have something from us have creole on mah side-"

Victor groaned, flailing his arms and tossing his head back and forth dramatically.

"Jimmy's from Canada, don't tell me you're gonna name her Maple."

"CREOLE Victor. French." Marie reminded him.

"So… Le Maple?"

"Ah hate yah so so much. Yah don't even know." She grimaced when his response was a healthy lick to the cheek.

"Come on and tell me!"

The mated pair shared a smile, making the impatient man-cat wait a touch longer before Marie let out a breath.

"Alright. We'll tell yah."