Note: "words" are telepathic communication.
9 MONTHS
THE RAIN WHISPERS SERIES
PART TWO
MONTH 4 - Closure
"Perhaps this isn’t the best idea. You need your sleep."
"I assure you I am fine, Charles. Henry says I am doing remarkably well and I have gotten plenty of rest as of late. Besides, I miss this too much. As I recall, it was your move."
Charles Xavier moved his Bishop forward, and time seemed to melt away. It was three a.m. He had been reading in his study when Ororo knocked on his door.
In the past, this was not an uncommon occurrence. He and Ororo often engaged in late, late night chess games… actually, only one game. They had played for many years but had never finished this single game. If they made three moves in one night, it was record. But that wasn’t the point. The game wasn’t important. The conversation, the time they spent together was.
The board was altered so slowly they had both memorized all of the positions. So that even though this was not the original board (Bastion had that) they were able to pick up exactly where they left off.
"I understand Forge was here today."
"Yes, he was working with Cyclops and the others on the new Blackbirds."
"I still cannot believe we actually have three teams now." He shook his head. "Did you speak with him?"
"Actually, he sought me out." Ororo adjusted her position in the chair. "He wanted to talk."
"Really? Have you two spoken much over the last few years?"
"No, not at all. We had not spoken since we broke up. This was not out of animosity, we… well, I suppose we were somewhat avoiding each other."
"Mmm. What did he want to talk to you about?"
"He felt we had some issues to deal with, things we never faced. We came to some conclusions about why the relationship failed. It was just never meant to be. We were both too different and too stubborn in the same areas. Areas which neither of us was, or is willing to give ground on.
He had said that I could never have a life outside of the X-Men. On this point we for the most part agreed upon, but for different reasons. He saw this as something negative; a type of prison. At the time he could not understand that being an X-Men is not what I do, it is what I am. You all are my family, part of my blood. I could and would never leave one family, for another. Call me selfish, but I would want both.
My main fault was in not understanding that Forge is and always has been an isolated person. He finds solace within himself and only himself. It was for this reason that he left his people and his traditional ways. The army isolated him even further. When his troops were killed, it made it harder for him to form close relationships with groups of people. Leading X-Factor was one of the hardest decisions for him to make. Forge needs someone who is willing to cut all ties and live only for their own love. I could never do that. I could never stay with someone who wanted me to do that." Ororo looked off into space then quietly added, "Rafe would never have asked me to do that."
"I have heard much about Rafe from the others. I wish I could have known him."
Still looking away, Ororo smiled. "You would have liked him, and he you."
"Of that I have little doubt. Your move."
* * * * *
An hour later, Charles opened his eyes after concentrating on a tale he’d been telling, to find he had lost his audience. Storm was sound asleep in her chair across from him. Another not uncommon instance. He picked up an afghan from the small couch in the office and covered her with it.
‘It is good to be home.’
MONTH 5 – Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Snow…
"Well, you certainly seem up-beat today, Ororo."
"Jean, it is a glorious day. I have a wonderful family. In a few months I shall be a mother. Hank says that I and my child--"
"Spudly." Bobby interjected.
"We are both healthy and strong. Why should I not be up-beat?"
"No reason. None at all." Jean, sitting on the wooden steps of the back porch, put her head between her knees.
"Should I get the bucket?" Bobby asked lightly.
"Actually Drake, gimmie that baseball cap." She mentally snatched the hat off Bobby’s head.
"No! Please no, Jean!"
"Kidding Bobby, kidding." She tossed the cap back to the grateful X-Man.
"Damn! Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!" Ororo threw her shovel down into the garden she was tending and stood up in a huff. Lightening tore though the sunny sky. A rare and beautiful sight, if it weren’t so oddly terrifying.
"What is it?"
"I planted these flowers too close to this bush. Now they will not get enough sunlight and they will die and it is all my fault!"
"Ororo, calm down! The ground isn’t set you can replant them."
"Why bother? I just mess everything up anyway!"
"Hey, Stormy. I--"
"REMYHOWMANYTIMESHAVEITOLDYOUNOTTOCALLMETHATREDICULOUSNAME!" She turned her back on her friend who had just come around the corner of the house.
Remy, his eyes wide, looked over Storm’s shoulder towards Bobby and mouthed the words ‘Mood-Swing?’. Bobby nodded.
"Uh, ‘Roro. I—found dis necklace in d’market and t’ought maybe you like t’have it."
She spun around again and he handed her the hand carved necklace.
"Oh, Remy… It is beautiful." Tears quickly formed in her eyes and started falling lightly from the sky. "I am so sorry I yelled at you like that. I do not know what is wrong with me." She threw her arms around Remy’s shoulder and hugged him tightly.
The tears disappeared a moment later and the exuberantly happy Storm returned, as did the sun.
"I am going to go an try this on right now." She kissed him on the cheek then went into the house.
Once she was clearly out of ear shot, Remy and Bobby looked at each other, then simultaneously collapsed to the ground.
"How many more months we got t’go t’rough dis?" Remy asked wearily and immediately regretted it.
"We?" Jean asked. "WE?"
‘Damn.’
"What are you going through? Either of you?!"
‘Here comes…’ Gambit winced, closing his eyes. He’d forgotten he had to be careful with the pregnancy comments.
Something small and cold touched his face. He opened his eyes again.
"Jean, Chere, maybe we could continue d’politic’ly correct speech in d’house?"
"What? Why?"
He pointed towards the sky. "It snowin’."
And indeed it was. And getting harder.
Jean stood. "Bobby get up."
"Nope. Too comfy."
"Fine. Stay out here and freeze to death. See if I care." And with that she stormed into the mansion.
Gambit stopped just before Iceman’s head, watched Jean disappear into the house, and then looked down at Bobby. Bobby was biting hard on his top lip trying to keep from laughing, but the similar look Remy was giving him, destroyed all hope. They both exploded in laughter.
"Dey’re gonna kill us." Gambit said between chuckles.
"I know." Bobby said sitting up and shaking the loose snow from his hair. "Might as well go out with a smile though."
"Even if it’s frozen on?"
More laughter.
* * *Four Hours Later* * *
"Uh, Storm?"
"What?!"
"Um, well, you see…"
"Spit it out Kitten."
"The pipes are frozen. And frankly, so are we."
"I am just now beginning to feel warm again, and you want me to raise the temperature?!"
"Ororo, I know your body temperature works in reverse, but ya gotta understand, the rest of us don’t work that was."
"…I am sorry Kitten. I should have realized. I was being selfish and letting you all suffer for it."
"Oh, Ororo, don’t. Pleas don’t cry. We’re not suffering… It’s—just a little uncomfortable. Maybe—maybe you could just—wear a sweater or something?"
This suggestion only brought more tears from Storm. Kitty was at a loss.
"Storm? What is it? What’s wrong now?"
"I do not own a sweater."
Kitty rolled her eyes behind closed eyelids. ‘This is surreal.’
"You could always borrow one."
"I could? Yes. Of course I could. Oh Goddess! What is happening to me? I am irrational; I fall apart for the most ridiculous reasons… What is wrong with me?!?"
Kitty smiled kindly and placed a hand around her shoulders. She spoke softly.
"You’re having a baby."
"…I- suppose I am." Ororo sputtered in a laugh. Kitty joined her and after a moment, Ororo leaned her head on hers.
"Oh, Kitty… This is all happening so fast. Four more months… four more months and I will be someone’s mother!"
"And you’re gonna be great."
"FLOOD!!!"
"What?"
Sam ran into the room. "Sorry t’ interrupt y’all, and we’re all real glad you warmed things up Storm… it’s just that ya did it a might too fast. We got just a bit more water than we c’n handle down there!" He braced for Ororo’s response.
"I shall take care of it." Storm said standing up. She walked past the stiffened Sam without incident.
Sam looked oddly at Kitty. "Thought she would’a blown up? What’s goin’ on?"
Kitty shrugged with a smile. "She’s having a baby."
MONTH 6 – Breakdancing
"I cannot bear this. I cannot bear just sitting here while they are off facing danger."
"I know, I know. I feel the same way Ororo."
"At least you are linked with Cyclops. You get instantaneous knowledge of what was happening. I have to wait for your re-lay."
"It doesn’t make it easier, believe me. They are all fine right now."
Jean and Ororo were sitting at a table in the rec room. The rest of the X-Men were off on a mission—The Acolytes, those of them that were left after Avalon was destroyed, plus a few new recruits were creating trouble. Aside from the two soon-to-be mothers, only Professor Xavier and Hank McCoy were present in the mansion. The former was in the communications room, monitoring the mission. Henry had strictly banned Storm and Phoenix from all areas concerned with conflict, so as not to cause them undue stress. As though being in the dark would be some comfort.
"Goddess, let them all come home safely. I do not…"
"What is it?"
"I…"
"Storm?"
"Ow… I think?"
"Huh?"
"I—I think the baby is kicking?"
"Really?"
"Either that, or breakdancing. Ow. And hard too."
"It hurts?"
"…No. Well, it is not really—pain. It is a peculiar feeling. There, again."
Ororo took Jean’s hand and placed it on the spot where the kicking was taking place. She felt the next one and smiled.
"The baby senses your worries. It’s worried about you." While Jean allowed herself to pick up the general emotions of the child, she was careful not to tap into anything to personal, such as the baby’s gender. Ororo, although she had her suspicions, did not want to know the sex of the child ahead of time. Jean didn’t feel it would be right to know this before the mother. The one in the house who did know the gender was Hank and for once he was keeping the secret.
"Jean, Ororo."
"Yes, Professor."
"The others are on their way home."
The two ladies relaxed visibly. They had been so occupied with the baby’s kicking that Jean had not mentally picked up that their family was returning. Lately, she had been having trouble concentrating on more than one telepathic situation at a time. Hank had assured her that it was nothing to worry about. Her hormones and x-factor gene were simply in conflict. It would not be permanent.
"They are all right then."
"No serious injury."
"Good."
"The kicking has stopped?"
"Yes. And I believe it is because the child is now stepping on my bladder. Excuse me."
Jean sat back down as Ororo left. She looked down at her own stomach.
"You’re not going to step on Mommy’s bladder are you?"
"…"
"That’s my boy."
To be continued…
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