"Logan!", Jean cried as she knew instantly that something was very wrong. "Logan, I can't feel her!", she screamed.
Logan widened his eyes in horror and shock, "Is she still in the womb or close to getting out?!", and Jean sobbed, "I don't know! Logan, please, save her! One of your claws! Do a C-section!".
"Are you-", Logan started. "NO TIME TO ARGUE, LOGAN! WE'RE GOING TO LOSE HER!", Jean shouted as loud as she could as Logan took a deep breath and brought out his claws. At the same time, Jean was frantically sending messages telepathically to Beast and others about the emergency involving her daughter.
Luckily, Mo and the other boys were still in the basement, playing round after round of poker when they heard Jean's frantic messages. They ran upstairs, hearing Jean's screams through the door, though she has been trying to stifle them, with Bucky shouting, "Jean!".
Jean barely managed to telepathically unlock the door as she closed her eyes in pain and grief and so many other emotions as Logan was extremely careful in cutting into her with his smallest claw, feeling so sick, guilty, terrified yet so determined, focused.
Successfully doing a C-Section correctly, after putting his claws back in, Logan searched for their daughter, gods, his own daughter, finding her, his eyes widening in horror as he saw the cord wrapped around her neck, and heard Bucky's voice, "Shit!", running to them, shifting his hand into claws as they were smaller and less dangerous than Logan's claws, cutting the cord from the neck.
Logan prayed as he laid his daughter down, doing infant CPR, relieved that Beast taught him not too long ago, muttering, "Come on, come on, you can't do this to me, not to your momma.".
"Logan... is she...?", Jean panted as Bucky looked over to her. "Jean, take it easy, you need to calm down, save your strength...", Bucky told her as he was trying to at least help her recover from the impromptu C-section.
Mo nodded as he joined them, "You can't move right now, Jean. Don't worry, Beast is coming like the others.", hating the fact that they didn't have medical stuff to stitch Jean up and all right now, barely noticing that Link had fainted at the doorway, probably because of the blood.
Jean sobbed, half realizing that Bucky and Mo are right, and she cannot afford to move otherwise she'd lose blood, staring at Logan as he covered himself and their baby girl from sight, her heart breaking and hurting so much, barely breathing when suddenly, a loud wail pierced the air.
"Oh...", Logan took a deep breath as their daughter began to cry and Jean could touch with her mind once more. "Oh, my girl...", Jean started to tear up with tears of joy at hearing her daughter crying.
Logan cradled the squirming, crying, shivering, bloody baby girl in his arms, kissing her on the forehead, "You're okay, you're okay...", his heart pounding in relief and joy, the blood rubbing off into his clothes, cleaning her somewhat.
"Poppa's here...Look at you...", Logan whispered softly as the baby kept crying, having curls of black hair, tanned skin, seeing that she got Jean's nose and lips, shushing her softly, "You're safe now, you're safe now.", seeing that her eyes are still closed.
"Logan, let me see her!", Jean called out with a sob, and Logan turned around, barely managing to ignore the cut in Jean's belly, stepping closer, "Isn't she perfect?", smiling tearfully at Jean, kneeling down to show their daughter to Jean.
Jean exhaled with a gasp of happiness and love, "Oh, Logan, she looks like you!", and Logan shook his head slightly, "No, she looks like both of us...", barely hearing other voices, until Beast came in with his medicine bag and briefcase.
"Good lord...", Beast sighed as he saw the sight. "The baby's alright; we lost her there for a moment, but I think she's fine now.", Logan told him as Beast nodded.
"Well, let's hope it stays that way, but I wish you called me in sooner.", Beast replied sternly. Jean spoke softly, "It happened so fast, and Logan was the only one that made it possible...", before sobbing lightly as she realized that she nearly lost their daughter, and she should have investigated sooner into what was happening to her...
Logan sat next to her, shushing as he kissed Jean, "It's not your fault, Red. We saved our daughter in time. You saved her. No other woman would have known as you...", and Jean realized that she was broadcasting her thoughts.
Beast nodded, "That's right. Look at your daughter, Jean. She's alive and breathing. Think of those moments you saved with her; feeding her, playing with her, cuddling with her, singing to her.", as he went to work, grabbing all the tools for cleaning up and fixing up after a C-section.
Jean looked at her daughter, and tears fell as she reached out a hand to caress her daughter's head, feeling her breath and cry, and she realized that she's a mother, a mother to an alive child, her and Logan's child. She spoke, "Momma's here...You're safe with us...".
Their daughter calmed down at her mother's voice, feeling the familiar link between mother and daughter, cries quieting down to sniffles and gurgles, opening her eyes to reveal warm hazel eyes.
Jean smiled softly, "Look at you...You are truly like both of us...You are a miracle...Diana...Diana Jennifer Grey-Howlett.", having liked the name from Peggy who was glad to give it to Jean to use, and Jennifer was one of the names that Scott broadcasted unintentionally when thinking of Jean as a mother, and well, Scott indirectly brought Jean and Logan together...
If it wasn't for him and the others, she wouldn't have been here in the first place or even reuniting with Logan either, or she wouldn't have her daughter then...
"Certainly fits her perfectly.", Logan whispered as he gently brushed his finger along her head that was lightly dusted with hair. "She seems so small...".
"Well, she obviously doesn't have really tall parents, need I remind you?", Jean chuckled as Logan rolled his eyes.
"I get it, I get it. Just really does kinda suck when half the folks here are all almost 9 or 10 feet tall on most days.", Logan said. "How are you holding up?", he asked her.
"Alright; hurt pretty bad since I got cut up to save her, but... well, I'm still awake.", Jean said. "Yeah, you might want to change that; get some rest to heal up and recover, you clearly need it and even Diana can tell... can she?", Logan asked her in terms of what her mental link with their daughter would say.
Jean glanced at Diana who blinked, cooing as her belly grumbled, and Jean glanced at Beast, "Can I feed her while you stitch me up and all?".
Beast nodded, "Of course, but first, I have to inject a pain-numbing medicine into your back so your belly wouldn't hurt while I stitch you up.".
"Okay.", Jean nodded, and Beast went to inject the medicine into Jean's back, soon numbing her lower body including her belly, leaving the rest of her upper body intact, with Logan adjusting Diana into Jean's arms, with Diana latching immediately.
Beast took out the afterbirth, putting a clip-on Diana's little cord, and went to clean, close, and stitch right up for the next half hour, "The stitches will stay for a couple of weeks, and gradually dissolve within time. You're going to have to live with the scar for the rest of your life...", with a reassuring smile, knowing that Jean wouldn't care for the scar too much as long as her daughter's alive in front of her.
"Fine with me... if I have to choose between not having a scar and not having my daughter; I would pick having the scar to save my daughter every time.", Jean smiled as she held Diana in her arms.
"So would I... personally, I'd rather be the one to have the scar for you...", Logan said as Jean chuckled and leaned against him.
Beast smiled softly, "Plenty of rest, no stress, and don't exercise too much. And Diana looks very healthy and well to me. Stay close to her so she wouldn't worry about losing you two. If she has nightmares, perhaps stay in the nursery for a while.".
"At least I can probably guess what her nightmares are thanks to my powers.", Jean said. "My guess probably right now might be what had happened to her; she might not understand the concept of death right now, but she certainly understands pain.".
Logan exhaled as he gently caressed Diana who's still feeding, "Don't worry, Jean, we'll be there to get rid of her nightmares. Right now, just rest and feed her...Beast, thank you...", smiling gratefully at Beast.
Beast nodded, "Naturally. And guys, the Professor will be so proud of you two...You are truly heroes to your daughter.", and Jean smiled softly, "Once a X-Men, always a X-Men.".
"Indeed. I'll be around.", Beast chuckled as he's glad that he's a neighbor, and he left the newfound family, closing the door behind him, with plenty of other voices asking in concern and all before hearing cheers and shouts of relief.
"She certainly gave us quite the scare...", Logan said as he looked back to their daughter.
"Not her fault, obviously... something just went wrong, I think, when she was trying to get out... accidentally wrapped herself around her cord...", Jean sighed as she brushed Diana's cheek.
Logan kissed Jean on the temple, "Thank god she's alive...I think it's fair to say that she will be our only child...I don't want to go through another scare again...".
"I'm not fully sure if we could, but as long as we have her, I'm fine.", Jean sighed as she leaned to kiss Logan on the cheek. "You certainly got your wish though, about not having a son.".
Logan smiled lightly, "Biological, no, but someday, one day I'll be meeting the boy who will have my daughter's heart.", with a sharp nod.
Jean giggled, "Diana got you wrapped around her finger.", and Logan nodded, "She gotcha be as I'm her Poppa.", and Jean knew that Logan is going to be a great father all around as she smiled, realizing that her daydreams will come true within time.
Feeling Diana slow down, she looked down at her daughter as she finished drinking, and gave a little adorable yawn, and she kissed her daughter on the forehead as she rubbed her back, soon getting a burp, and she passed Diana into Logan's arms as she yawned herself, exhausted after all the labor and the chaos of the emergency C-Section.
Jean kissed Logan on the lips, "I love you, Logan, and I love you, my little miracle.", before sighing deeply as she turned into the pillows, falling asleep, and Logan murmured, "I love you too, Jean Grey.", before smiling softly at his slumbering daughter in his arms, "I love you, Diana.".
He was half planning to propose to Jean a few hours after the entire birth, but with the whole scare still seared in his mind, with the birth having been nearly gone wrong, he decided to give it a rest until Jean is all better, with the nightmares soon expected to vanish within time, and honestly, he's willing to wait for the right moment to propose, but not now...
Libra Haven was so full of celebration in joy and relief over the miraculous news of Diana and her life, and they didn't blame the new parents for sticking close to their daughter for the next few months before they slowly relaxed.
Steve and Peggy were the most relieved for the newfound parents as it was half similar to their situation with Susan. One night, Steve and Peggy were relaxing in their bed, reading their books as Peggy sighed deeply, and Steve looked at her, "What is it, my queen?".
"Jean...She carried longer than me, but she literally nearly lost her daughter...No wonder why I had the feeling to give that name for Jean...Diana...I wouldn't have wished that on my worst enemy...", Peggy replied.
"Yeah; with all the children that have come along that we know in this crazy family we've created... we really haven't had any issues like that. Close calls with alien conquerors and vengeful exes... but certainly nothing like that.", Steve sighed.
"Really is insane to think that things can obviously go wrong like that... and if not for Jean's powers, Diana wouldn't have made it...", Peggy said.
Steve nodded, "Or Logan to be there to do the emergency C-Section...It was so fortunate...I would never forget how Jean sounded in her telepathic messages...It scared me...along with Henry and Tony...especially Tony...".
Peggy nodded, "Yeah...Good thing that the nightmares never reached beyond the household of theirs...Those first few days were literally something else for Jean and Logan...".
"You could have practically cut the air with a knife...with all that tension and stress...", Steve replied in agreement before a knock at the door grabbed their attention, "Daddy, Mom?", recognizing Henry's voice.
Peggy called out, "Come in, darling!", and 4-year-old Henry walked in, holding a stuffed animal to his chest, in his pajamas, "Daddy, Mom, Tony out on the porch, looking at stars. He got bad dream.".
Steve nodded as he walked over to Henry and rubbed his head, "Thanks, little guy, for telling us that. Mom and Daddy will take care of it, don't you worry.". He kissed his forehead before looking over to Peggy. "You want me to take care of it or stay here with Henry?".
Peggy smiled softly, "You go check on Tony. I think Henry wants to sleep in the big grown-up bed.", and Henry brightened up, sprinting up and jumped into the bed, crawling up to Peggy, "Thanks, Mom!", smiling happily.
"Of course, darling.", Peggy kissed Henry's forehead as Steve chuckled warmly, and left the bedroom, heading through the house to the back porch, looking through the screen door, and sighed softly as he saw 5-year-old Tony looking depressed, tired as he looked at the stars.
Steve came out, taking a seat next to Tony, "Henry told us that you got a bad dream, Tony.", and Tony sighed, "Zombies again...But this time...it was Diana...She was really scared, Steve.".
"Oh, Tony, you don't have to call me Steve...I promise I'd never replace your father...We promised him that we'd raise you...And how many times did you have bad dreams of this happening? You know you'd always talk to us anytime about that sort of things.", Steve sighed softly.
"A few...", Tony admitted. "It... it's scary...", he said. "I know. In this world, you bring up zombies and everyone talks about just how it's a ridiculous fake monster, but sadly... you and a few others... it wasn't ridiculous or fake...", Stave muttered.
Tony spoke, "I don't remember a whole lot since it was happening so fast back there, but I remember them...They were so scared...Mama saved me in the house...Dad got me out of there...I saw people running for their lives...screaming...gunshots...The car had windows...I saw a lot...Lots of shouting, living, eating on scraps...I saw the bite on Dad...He refused to say how it happened...He worked on the machine...Then that pill...I didn't say goodbye...Why put me to sleep with that pill?".
"Because...", Steve took a deep breath. "I think maybe he would think that you wanted to stay with him a bit longer, or not leave without him... and he was afraid of becoming one of them and hurting you.".
Tony exhaled before looking up at the stars, "He always told me that you guys were in the stars, in another Earth somewhere across the universe. Do you think he's in the stars now?".
Steve reached to rub his shoulder, holding him close, "Your dad, Howard...he would always be looking over you. He made the ultimate sacrifice to save all of you and the others...He knew that the zombies would have somehow made their way here if he had turned, and we had no way to turn it off on this side of the portal...So, yes, he's always in the stars, in your memories, your heart, and most of all, you are his legacy, the best invention of his life.".
Tony whispered, "He wouldn't be upset if I call you Papa?", and Steve kissed his forehead, "He wouldn't be upset about that as long as you are safe and happy and alive, just like he wanted...".
"Papa!", Tony sobbed as he wrapped his small arms around Steve, and he rubbed his back, holding him, "It's gonna be okay, Tony, it's gonna be alright. I'm right here, son.".
Steve looked up and sighed once again; somewhat still pained about the world that they left behind and wondered what may have been different had Susan never been taken in the first place... if Erskine wasn't killed... would things have been prevented?
Maybe they would have prevented things there, but...they would have never started this crazy, huge family, with Bucky unable to be with Tara, or heck, saved the others from Gallaxhar's ship, or reunited many people...And if their old world is devastated with zombies all over, it would have taken lots of hard work to put it back to normal as much as possible after destroying the zombies, but it's hard to tell...Sure, mutants, size-changing giants, and modern technology would perhaps decimate the zombies...Is it possible to build another portal again?