a/n - Much of this chapter is made up of sections of the old 'Lost Memories' side story I had going. It's long past time that this was re-ordered and inserted into the main fic. There are major changes that I needed to do to this - the least of which was removal of a antagonist that was unnecessary. I think the story is all the better for it.

Ch. 26 - Psychic Link

Scott felt covered in warmth as he floated, though he was unable to raise his arms or even turn his head. He couldn't help but panic slightly when he realized it. The only sensation that was discernible was the way that the mask pressed hard across the bridge of his nose and the sensation of his hair standing straight up and gently drifting like seaweed. Everything else … well...

A helmet attached snugly that covered his eyes and ears - and that was enough to get his heart racing, though … the water … the water was new. His first thought of course, was Sinister. If nothing else because he couldn't see or move … and he couldn't even begin to think his way out. He had no idea where he was - only that it was bad.

Of course, when he realized that he could see a bit of light out of the bottom of the helmet, all he could do was frown to himself. It wasn't red. He could see the pale green of the saline fluid he was floating in, but try as he might, he couldn't … move. There was a muted sort of thump - that he felt more than heard - and right then, he could see the people moving outside of the tube. Not Sinister then, he thought to himself. They all look like doctors … so that can't … what the hell?

He carefully tried to track the doctors movements, though the water obscured who it was out there and Scott frowned deeper to himself when he realized that he was floating upright. Panic hit him harder when he felt an odd twinge that started at the base of his skull and tickled it's way down his spine.

After a panic stricken moment or two, the water in the tube began to drain and Scott felt the weight return to him as he sunk to the bottom in a heap. His head lolled backwards against the glass as the water drained out. When the water was gone, the tube tipped backward before it opened, making it easy for the men hauling him out of it to handle his limp and slippery body without trouble.

Scott couldn't tell what was going on beyond the sensation of an overly cold table on his back that had him right on the verge of a full blown panic attack. He still couldn't move and with the extreme change in temperature, he was shivering on the table as he felt people handling him. Somehow, the extra hands wasn't doing anything to ease his concerns about it being Sinister, though Scott was consciously trying to get a hold of himself so he could at least fight a psychic attack.

Very suddenly, the helmet was off - and he could see the far too bright room around him, which was frustrating since he knew that it wasn't red, so he knew that his abilities weren't functioning. To make matters worse, something about the total sensory deprivation had his ears ringing with how loud everything was around him.

He could hear the heart beats of the doctors near him, and he closed his eyes trying to figure out how to escape sounds.

"Burr is right, professor," a man's voice said clearly, "We have every single option in play on this woman but she simply doesn't respond as the other assets do. We thought it was a ladies issue, but after we've successfully implemented these strategies with other women, it's clear that she is where the problem lies."

Scott frowned deeper and realized as someone brushed out his hair that it was much longer than he was used to and a terrible thought hit him like a hammer. The psychic link - Jean!

Rage flooded in where panic and fear had been moments before and he was trying to find a way to figure out where she was … but what he heard next made no sense at all.

"She's already been more costly to control than the others – she's incredibly high maintenance, which I wouldn't have a problem with if it weren't for the fact that we still can't reliably get her to do as she's told."

There was a pause in the conversation and Scott could hear that the men were closer now than they'd been moments before, their tone lowered to just over a whisper and Scott wondered who it was they were trying to keep their conversation from.

"We have a newer version of the control unit we used on the original Weapon X – it's a little more invasive, but the end result should be the same. I'll have Cornelius fit her with it immediately," the Professor said. Scott could practically hear the second man smiling. "However, even that still won't deliver the results you want until you can find a way to traumatize her. Who is her handler tonight?"

"There were a couple telepaths on deck, but that can be shifted if you're willing to take a risk," the first man said.

Scott was almost holding his breath as he listened, finally seeing the room around him better, but the view was quickly obstructed when several people started jostling him - her … as he slowly started to gain feeling in his extremities. By the time that most of the feeling and control was back, he knew that he was upright and apparently prepped to go on some mission, so he simply wasn't sure what was going on when he looked into the mirror and saw K in the reflection dressed to the nines as she put on a swipe of lipstick.

Scott mentally frowned to himself, completely confused as to what she was supposed to be doing … but as she got up and started to head down a hallway, armed men on either side of her pulled her to a stop so that another lab coat clad person could come out and make sure that the monitoring equipment and earpiece was in place.

Jean, Scott called out mentally when he saw the two men at the end of the hallway waiting for K. Get me out of … whatever this is.

The echoing click-click-click of K's high heels rang in his ears as she approached Sabretooth and Silas Burr, better known as Cyber … two of the most cruel and vicious mutants in the world. The fact that one was glaring and the other was smirking left Scott wanting to do nothing more than to blast them into the next time zone. And to his dismay, both of them took up position where the two soldiers had left off along with a beady eyed slimeball that went by Psi-borg that Scott knew was a telepath. They'd only walked a few steps together before Burr took a hold of her arm and pulled her closer, halfway picking her up off the ground. Scott could feel the pinpricks along her upper arm where the needles at the end of Burr's fingertips were digging into her skin. He was dragging her along as Creed chuckled - all the way to the heavy looking doors at the end of another hallway, where Scott was fully expecting to see a chopper waiting outside - so he was that much more surprised to find that they were dragging her to a limo.

By that time, Scott had all but given up on reaching out for Jean to get him out - and he was completely interested in what was going on. There was no way he'd get this kind of insight from her on anything.

"Ready to deploy," Burr rumbled as K sat motionless prepped and ready for what Scott could only assume was a black tie affair. He could feel the swirl of whatever it was that Burr had injected her with and Scott frowned deeper at the low buzzing sensation that went from her toes up to the roots of the hair on her head. It was irritating. Distracting.

K shifted in her seat slightly as the car went around a corner and Scott wondered how exactly she was going to do anything in the dress she was wearing. He realized that he was aware of everything that had been on K's mind at that time - and the tightness of the dress was right up at the top.

"This mission is pretty straightforward," Burr said in a drawl. "All you gotta do is mingle and set bugs around the embassy. Oughta be child's play, even for a little girl like you. The only rough part'll be to see if you can get a bug on the SHIELD director."

Scott was there - a passenger getting K's view of the world as she nodded her head, and he was practically on the edge of his seat to see where this was going. Jean … where is this coming from? He thought to himself, projecting out to her in hopes that she'd clue him in. But instead of his wife's reassuring presence, the projection seemed to get more in depth.

K had slipped out of the car and was walking up the steps to the British Embassy in Washington DC when Burr's voice echoed in her ear. "Director Fury is notoriously paranoid. Don't be too obvious with him or you will be detained, and if I gotta come after you, you won't like it." She didn't respond to the voice in her ear, instead smiling mechanically at the soldiers at the entrance before slipping in and disappearing into the crowd.

She hadn't been inside even ten minutes before she caught the attention of someone at the bar. The man was too tense - and it wasn't long before she spotted the earwig the guy was wearing.

K was sure to keep her smile subdued as she slowly made her way through the party, but it didn't seem to deter several of the British brass who were in high spirits and partaking in every section of the soiree. Her response to them was appropriate, flirting just the right amount and promising to return to them later for a dance. And even with all the interruptions, Scott realized quickly that she was easily and seamlessly placing bugs all around the embassy. She'd been quick and light - and had he not been seeing it from her point of view, he was sure that he would have missed what she was up to.

The only trouble was that just now was when her nerves were ratcheting up with the second half of this mission. A half drunk general was one thing; the very sober super spy was an entirely different prospect. She'd been careful to avoid any eye contact with anyone affiliated with SHIELD. It was clear by the path she'd chosen that K had decided on a possible course of action when one of the younger British brass stepped into her line of sight with a martini in his hand for her.

"Not sure I caught your name, miss," he said, his most winning smile in place as he handed her the drink. She smiled coyly as she took it and just like that, she'd been forcibly redirected. Scott could feel the irritation and the odd sensation of a growl caught in her throat as if it was dangling on the edge of a precipice. The young man didn't take the hint though and to her irritation, she couldn't get the guy to take his hands off of her until one of his superior officers called his name - and as soon as he snapped to a more respectable stance, she took the chance to set the martini down on the bar nearby. Before she could turn to leave and get back to work, Fury approached her.

"Most people finish their drink before they get a second," Fury said in a tone that Scott recognized as a challenge. He kept eye contact as he pushed a glass of scotch her way wordlessly. The hair on the back of her neck was standing up as she held his gaze and took the glass.

"Thank you, that's very generous," she replied as smoothly as she could. Burr started to say something in her ear, but the feed went fuzzy as Fury stepped closer.

"Why don't we take this somewhere more private?" Fury said evenly, not a bit of emotion of inflection in his tone, though from the way that she started to register a whole catalogue of scents … it just added another layer to things that Scott couldn't place. But she nodded and in a bold move, Fury offered her his arm leading her off deeper into the embassy as K noticed how surrounded by SHIELD agents she was.

The sinking feeling was a direct opposition to the confident, smooth strut she was pulling off, but as they went deeper into the embassy, more agents peeled off to surround them.

They stopped in an office and as soon as the door closed all illusions of this being anything but a bust went up in smoke. And the growl was that much harder to pull back, rattling deep in her throat low enough that it was enough to feel it - but clearly the people around her hadn't heard it.

And Fury was perfectly relaxed. "I have a feeling I know what you are, lady. So which is it? You're either a spy for Weapon X or their newest pet project. Either way, I'd like to offer you an out," Fury said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." K replied automatically, doing her level best to come off as terrified at the armed men around her though in truth, she was shaking in rage at being cornered. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Oh, you're a fine little actress, but why don't you cut the bull. Silas Burr is three blocks down in a surveillance get up, my men have been watching you all night and you've got a bug in your purse, that if I'm not mistaken, is meant for me. Am I wrong?"

She narrowed her eyes and looked around the room at the men with guns drawn as Fury watched her. Minutes ticked by and Scott realized that she was picking the order on who she planned to take out in which order. But then … "No," she said clearly.

Fury nodded and put his hand out. "I'll take that bug then. Your mission is a failure without placing it and I know they won't let you off with a slap on the wrist. Give it to me and we can make a deal."

Just like that the growl returned and her hackles were up. "Why are you doing this?"

"Maybe because I can think of a better use for you than Weapon X's newest pretty little spy," Fury replied.

"I'm not their pretty little anything," she half snarled, setting Fury back a hair. Without breaking eye contact she pulled the bug from her clutch and held it out, though before he took it from her, she drew her hand back. "What do you get out of this? Really."

"To be determined later."

She tipped her head to the side and the overwhelming feeling of being boxed into a corner began to peak before she hesitatingly extended her hand, met Fury's gaze and passed him the bug, which he simply pocketed then nodded to his men.

The deep disappointment set in as a few of them did a quick, rough, and thorough pat down for weapons as she kept her hands at shoulder level. After running over her twice, the agent to her right looked up at Fury and shook his head, which only got a deeper frown from the Director.

"Where's your weapon?" Fury asked.

She shook her head and gestured to herself and though her tone was light and cajoling, the deep sensation of loathing was thick in her chest as she replied. "You're looking at it."

Fury's whole body language changed at her answer and he openly looked her over, studying her more closely before he slowly shook his head. "I know some of the people they've used as Weapons. Hell, one of em is a good friend. You don't fit the bill."

The internal scoff was enough to bring the taste of bile to her mouth. "Then I don't know why you don't just tell them that I'm not up to snuff so I can get the hell out of there. I'm sure you could arrange a black ops tea party," K half snarled back. "Don't act like you don't know who's who either. I'm not that gullible."

He smirked at her and after a moment he signaled his men to back off. He took a step forward reaching into the pocket inside his jacket to reveal a tiny metallic device. "This will track where you are for me, but not until you activate it." He demonstrated how to use it and handed it to her. "Activate it when you are back to the compound and alone. We need to know where the new complex is."

She stared at the tiny device resting in her palm for a moment then nodded her head.

"You wouldn't be the first enemy operative we've taken in and reformed. I'm sure you won't be the last."

"Right. Reform. Sounds so simple."

Fury looked positively like the cat that caught the canary as he gestured for her to go, and since the mission was over, K nervously headed for the back exit through nearly pitch blackness. She'd made it outside before she heard the static that said her earpiece was working again.

The streets on Embassy row were fairly empty considering the town, and she quickly did her best to keep to the shadows. She'd paused and tipped her head up, holding almost perfectly still as she closed her eyes and scented out the area slowly.

As she started to walk, she noticed the black car several blocks down as the engine started up. She started to move at a quicker pace, her gaze locked onto the Naval observatory almost directly ahead of her … and a moment later, she broke into a run - and immediately started cursing her dress. The tight cut almost all the way to her knees made running an impossibility. Not that she was going to get far anyhow. A revved up engine caught her attention and before the car got close, the door opened and Burr stepped out looking like the cybernetic nightmare that he was - grinning her way as if this was the best possible scenario of the night - and then rushing after her with poison and toxins dripping from his hypodermic-like fingertips.

The adrenaline rush was intense, though fear wasn't quite part of the equation as K turned and did her best to brace herself against the hit she knew was coming.

Burr hit her like a freight train, one hand over her mouth, as he tackled her to the ground. She was trying to get her legs back under her, and wriggling fiercely beneath him as he reached to get her hands away from her. The sound that escaped her when he got one of her hands and forced it under his knee was clearly outraged even through his fingers. But all it really seemed to do was get her to fight back harder. She reached up with her free hand trying and failing to reach his eyes as he chuckled, gloating over her. When she couldn't reach anything vital she went for the pressure point at his jugular notch, but he effortlessly knocked her hand back.

She arched her back, trying to throw him off almost comically especially since the dress gave her little movement or flexibility as he reached down to wrap his free hand around her neck. His eyes never left hers and she pinched the hell out of the nerve clusters on his forearm in an attempt to make him let her go. Her desperation was skyrocketing with every passing second.

She managed to finally jamb her thumb into the brachial plexus and for a moment he looked surprised at her progress as his grip involuntarily weakened, and with a tut, he simply took her hand off of his arm and then sunk his needles in. Her eyes widened a bit and she put in a last good fight while he readjusted his position over her -crossing her arms over her chest then covering them with one of his, leaning down over her, crushing the wind out of her as he shushed her. She struggled harder for a few moments, but he was sure to keep her quiet and still until something in her arm snapped - the sound of bone breaking was clear and unmistakable along with the sickening feeling that hit her stomach. She tried to scream silently for a moment as the drugs took effect and slowly she went limp. She was still awake, but that same numb sensation was creeping over her. Burr searched her before simply slinging her over his shoulder. The clutch she had carried in with her lay on the sidewalk with Fury's tracker still inside as he tossed her into the car where she stayed in a heap for the ride back to the facility.

The car came to a stop after a short drive and before she was moved, Burr was sure to tie her hands behind her back and then slung her over his shoulder. "You know how it goes, girl. You screwed up. And you don't want to listen. So … lets see if you can listen to someone else."

He tossed her into a room with smooth metal walls that seemed to go straight up - though she couldn't see all the way into the dark room. She started to get her feet under her as a low chuckle echoed around her. Her eyes widened and she turned to look up at the glass booth high above her. "You can't do this - I did what you told me to!"

She was trying to find the hidden door, keeping her back toward the wall as the laughter stopped. "You musta really screwed up for 'em to gift wrap you like this," Creed's voice echoed out and K stopped all motion as she searched for him. She heard him take an exaggerated sniff. "Smell like you've been around Fury … what'd ya do, frail?" K sidestepped from where his voice seemed to be coming from, which unfortunately was near where she thought the door was.

"You're not getting away from me, girl, but if it makes you feel better to run … by all means, I'd love to chase you down." He seemed to melt out of the shadows, a little closer to her than she'd estimated and she took a few steps backwards away from him instinctively. He laughed at the look on her face as she tried to wriggle her hands free of the ropes holding her wrists behind her back. "Bound too … this is too easy." he smiled.

"She's yours to play with, Creed – just don't kill her. She needs to learn her place." Burr's voice echoed through the chamber.

"You hear that, frail? You're mine." She was still trying to keep distance from him as he stalked up on her slowly. "Now … what's the best way to teach you a lesson," he growled out as she stepped on the back of her dress, stumbling a little.

He lunged, and she let out a little scream as he made contact, tackling her to the floor and knocking the wind out of her."You can do better than that, girl," he growled out as she struggled, beyond frustrated and feeling almost entirely helpless. "Lucky for you I'm in a good mood," he growled out as he leaned close enough that she had to turn her head to avoid him.

She glanced up at the booth, where she could see Burr observing with crossed arms as she squirmed under Creed. She was starting to panic finally as he put his hand at her hip and popped a claw to cut into the fabric.

"No!" she managed to breathe out, shaking like a leaf as he continued to slowly cut the fabric. She could feel him smiling on her neck as she trembled. She shut her eyes tightly - trying and failing to get control of her panic.

"Make me."

Pure panic and fear hit her hard - particularly when it was clear no one was going to stop him and begging him to stop seemed to have the opposite effect. When he sat back on his heels for a moment to finish tearing the dress up, K made a last ditch attempt at getting him to stop, in tears and shaking with fear, as he chuckled at her, obviously not planning to even slow down.

She was nearly petrified but when she saw the sadistic look on his face - the fact that he was enjoying her terror … that seemed to push her over the edge. She wasn't going to give up.

Not with those heels on.

She squirmed a little bit away from him as he started taking off his shirt and she pulled her knees up to her chest. Creed raised an eyebrow her way, his obnoxious smirk turning into something in an approximation of a smile. As he started to lean toward her again, she grit her teeth and jammed her heel down hard on his hip, pushing him back just enough for her to arch her back and bring her other foot down in his face, catching him in the eye on the first try. He roared with pain and tried to take a blind swipe at her as she began kicking at him with both feet, tears streaming down her face as she continued to use every bit of fear and rage in her against him, her teeth were gritted as she worked her way up to hyperventilating all the while.

She caught him time and time again with her stilettos, face, neck, chest - hands and arms when he reached for her... She was alternating high and low until she got a solid shot on him in the groin and he doubled over toward her, gasping and swearing. She quickly tried to roll out of his way, but the other heel caught on his inner thigh as he fell. She couldn't kick him anymore and he had her legs pinned under him until she wriggled her way out from under him, kicking at him again from her side once she had her legs cleared. Blood was flowing freely until he finally gathered himself up and got a hold of her leg, then dragged her closer as she panicked freshly.

With a curse, he snapped the heels off her shoes and flat out beat on her.

"If I gotta beat you half to a pulp first I will, but you won't get away with that, girlie!" he snarled out, his fist raised to bash her face in.

"CREED!" Cyber shouted out. "Stop. We've got what we needed."

Creed paused, his fist drawn all the way back and a sneer on his face as K still tried to scoot away from him. Both of them were still shaking for very different reasons when Burr dragged her away from the room leaving Creed growling in the most unsettling manner for all in attendance.

Scott woke up with a deep gasp, sitting bolt upright in bed, his eyes closed tight as he tried to get past the deep panic that had his heart hammering in his chest. He could still feel the pressure of someone so much bigger pressing down on him, the fear, the desperation. All of it.

"Oh crap, Scott!" Jean almost breathed out as she quickly joined him. "I'm so sorry! I … I didn't mean … I didn't mean to project that." She was wide-eyed as she pressed his ruby quartz glasses into his hand, and though he gripped them tightly, his free hand was covering his eyes as he caught his breath.

She truly felt awful, and it showed, but she honestly didn't know how to fix it. "Scott …"

"What was that?"

She let out a long sigh and sat back against the pillows. "Unintended result of long sessions with K," she said quietly. "She's been having flashbacks and nightmares since she got back from Creed … and I wanted to help her."

"Jean -"

"I know," she said, leaning forward again to kiss his temple. "I've been having control issues. I'm working on it, I swear -"

He shook his head at that though. "I saw ..." Scott said, and Jean's eyes widened slightly as her shoulders rose up to her ears.

"That wasn't … I didn't mean to … I'm sorry." Her tone was whisper quiet, and when Scott finally put his glasses on and turned her way, he was still pale.

"Tell me that was the worst of it with Creed at least."

Jean bit her lip and very slowly shook her head. "Between the trauma and the pregnancy … she's not sleeping very well."

"No kidding," Scott said dryly as he scrubbed his hand over his face. For a long while, Scott just sat there, his heart still racing and the fear and helplessness still right at the forefront of his mind.

What can I do? Jean projected, to which Scott let out a breath and turned her way to finally curl up and pull her tight.

Get some rest, Scott replied. Can't have you and the little one too stressed out. Besides. We have an appointment tomorrow.

Jean couldn't help but smile at that as she leaned back into him - his hand resting over the bump just as the growing little one nudged her just below her belly button.

The next morning, Logan and K made their way up to the house as usual, and when they got there for a cup of coffee with the others, Scott was obviously still bugged. He kept glancing at K - but he simply wasn't sure where to start or how to handle what he'd seen.

Logan had stolen a quick kiss with K before he headed out to teach his History class - and as soon as the kitchen had cleared of everyone but Jean, Scott, and K - Scott made his way over to sit next to K at the table. He didn't know what to say - or what to do, and it wasn't long before K took notice of the way he kept shifting in his seat and looking her way as if he wanted to say … something.

"You okay, Scott?" K asked, peeking up at him over the paper.

His head popped up and he stared at her for a moment, his lips barely parted as he looked as if he wsa going to speak - but then … "Yeah. Of course I am. Fine. I'm fine."

K narrowed her eyes slightly and tipped her head at him. "No … you're not."

Scott shook his head and pursed his lips as he quickly got to his feet. "Just … you girls … I'll meet up with you later for Hank today." He paused at the doorway and gave her a tight smile before he haltingly tipped his chin down and slipped out of the room leaving Jean and K alone and staring after him.

"No really," K said slowly as she turned toward Jean. "Is he okay?"

Jean blushed across her cheeks for just a moment before she came clean. "I accidentally tapped into your dream last night …"

"Are you okay?"

"He … and I have a psychic rapport," Jean continued, holding up one hand. "I kind of … projected it to him without meaning to? And he got a front row seat for your nightmare…"

"That wasn't a nightmare," K said, shaking her head as she lifted the mug to her lips. "My nightmares are much worse."

"I kind of assumed from the detail that was in it," Jean admitted. "But … to say he's never had Creed treat him like that is the understatement of the year. He wasn't expecting it. That's all. And I promise, I already talked to Charles, I'm going to do some more work with him to get a handle on it while my hormones are going crazy."

"As long as he's okay …"

"That's just not something that he really … he needs to process," Jean said. "I'm sure he'll be okay with a little time."

The two women settled in to the quiet of the kitchen, simply keeping each other company as the last of the students and teachers hurried off to the first class of the day which left the two of them at least the first period before Jean had to teach as well.

But just before noon, Jean went out of her way to find K and drag her along to her appointment with Hank. "Listen," Jean told her as she laced their arms together. "I know you're still adjusting to this -"

"Adjusting. Sure."

"- but I'm going to watch out for you this time around. I'm just a few months ahead of you - and K …" Jean stopped and held her gaze with a perfectly open expression. "... I would really appreciate you just … being with me for my nerves. It's taken so long to get here-"

"And you're practicing your mothering skills on me," K said before she nodded her head once. "That's fine. I'll take it. Let's go."

The two of them had gotten all the way down to the lab before they met up with Scott. "Is this a big deal today?" K had to ask.

"We're going to find out what we're having," Jean said, almost floating with how excited she was, and at that, K simply smiled lightly and nodded her head.

"Then I should leave you two alone-"

"Not a chance, Mrs. Howlett," Jean said, asserting her grip on K's arm. "You're going first so you can't slip away from your doctor."

K turned to look at her, but Jean was outright grinning, and Scott didn't look far behind her. "Fine. Let's go."

K definitely felt like a third wheel - though at least Hank tried to keep her there in a slick way by doing both of their blood tests at the same time, which had Jean all but kicking her legs over the edge of the gurney as she smiled over at K. "You're ridiculous," she said, shaking her head as Hank pulled the ultrasound over to Jean.

"No. I'm excited. And you should be excited too! We're getting our baby- finally! And you - go ahead and try to lie to your telepath friend. You were considering this anyhow," Jean said as she leaned back and pulled her shirt up to her ribcage.

"Sure - just … not piggybacked after a total screw job with Creed," K said, which had Scott pausing and swallowing hard - his smile momentarily squashed.

"Then it's a good thing that you were already knocked up," Jean said with one eyebrow raised just before Hank put the warm gel on her stomach.

K stared back at her, though Jean pointedly refused to look her way as the test started up. It was quiet in the lab - save for the clicking as Hank ran through the measurements - all the while explaining what he was doing, pausing from time to time as the little one bounced around and generally made the test hard to conduct.

But when he finally showed the couple their little one's profile, Jean's eyes went almost impossibly wide and Scott simply seemed awestruck as a smile tugged slowly at the corner of his mouth.

It was a sweet enough reaction that K was perfectly content to watch the two of them as they soaked it in, temporarily forgetting her own troubles as she watched the two of them in awe of each other and their little one.

"YES," Jean blurted out - then quickly covered her mouth. "Sorry Hank, I mean - yes. Please, I would like to know the sex."

Hank couldn't help but chuckle at her. "I hadn't asked yet," he pointed out.

"No. But you were bursting to, and I couldn't ignore you and I really really want to know so … if you can see … please."

Scott couldn't stop the little laugh that slipped out at Jean, even when she reached over to swat him. They were both holding their breath all the way up until Hank froze the picture and turned the screen- though this time, Jean didn't jump the gun on the announcement even if she had heard his thoughts.

She was too busy trying to stop crying as Hank told Scott: "You're a little over halfway to meeting your little girl."

The couple melted into each other, entirely wrapped up in a tight hug - joyful, overwhelmed tears flowing freely until they remembered they weren't alone. "Oh … thanks, Henry," Jean said, wiping her eyes. "I'm so sorry … I just …"

"Go and celebrate," Hank laughed, but that had Scott stopping when he saw K sitting on her hands and just smiling their way.

"You have more to do - we should stay and keep you company," Scott said, but K quickly shook her head.

"No. no- go on and celebrate. I feel like I've intruded enough. Hank just has to confirm that there's a heartbeat really then I'm going to head up, get Abbey from Rogue and just … head to the boathouse to take a nap."

"Are you sure?" Jean asked, obviously onto Scott's frame of mind. "We don't mind."

"Go play with Abbey if you need something to do," K said. "Hank isn't going to let me out of here without a once over - right, Henry?"

"That would be correct," Hank said as he gestured for K to take up the same position that Jean had just held.

The Summers shared a look and Scott was the one to pointedly take a seat. "Unless you don't want us around," he said.

K let out a sigh. "No. You're fine," she said, trying to be relaxed as Hank started out the same routine on her that he'd done with Jean - measurements and listening for a heart beat - blood pressure, the works … though he stopped at the heartbeat and frowned slightly before he rested a hand on K's shoulder to keep her flat.

"I think we're far enough to see a decent ultrasound," Hank said.

"You showed me one when I got back," K said, but Hank gave her a tight smile.

"Yes, and we're going to do another one today."

She let out a sigh and relaxed into the bed, biting her bottom lip as she turned toward the screen and narrowed her eyes at what she was seeing. "Hank-"

"I'm looking into it," he replied quietly.

She was staring at the screen, and though the Summers were clutching to each other tightly, K was simply focused on the screen and entirely missed the way Hank was grinning.

"Well," he said finally, leaning toward the screen with his glasses pushed up to the bridge of his nose. "I am happy to report that everything looks to be well in hand and on track..."

"Good," K said, letting out a breath.

"...and it is my supreme pleasure to inform you that both babies appear to be strong and healthy."

K let out a little 'hmm' as she started to clean up, clearly missing the grin Hank was giving her until he cleared his throat. "That is to say all three are doing well. Jean's little girl and your twins."

At that, K paused, frowned and then slowly went back to the clean up. "K, did you hear me?" Hank asked, and at that, K finally looked up at him and then over to Jean and Scott - who both looked shellshocked.

"Did ..did you say twins?" K said whisper quiet, which had Hank nodding with a huge grin. "And … you're sure both are Logan's?"

It didn't help her state of shock as he nodded, smiling broadly. "Oh my stars, yes. You are now the mother of three of Logan's children."

"Holy shit," K whispered as she stared at the screen - long after Hank printed out the picture and gently placed it in her numb hands.