psinex@yahoo.com Inverse Polarity: Facing Tomorrow by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're all Marvel's, except for Aidan, who's mine. Please don't sue. WARNING: Langauge, frank discussion of sexual matters. CONTINUITY NOTE: This falls between Strange Attractors and Fires of Tomorrow ... -------------------------------------------------------- X-Mansion: 12/15/2003: 09:00 hrs EST: Medlab: -------------------------------------------------------- "Oh my God." Cecilia forced down a look of horror as Scott burst into the waiting room, Jean behind him and Rachel in his arms. The girl was pale, wrapped in a sheet, and looked swollen. "What happened ?" Cecilia demanded as Scott set the teen on a bed. Scott shuddered, and Jean took a deep breath before Rachel growled. "Frank and I were forced to have sex to save Banshee's life, and Sinister accelerated the resulting fetus' growth," Ray said in a sing-song tone. "I've now got an Omega-class psionic baby boy waiting to be born, and I'm PISSED OFF !" The nearest tray of instruments danced telekinetically for an instant, and a tiny mental squeak made Cecilia's eyes widen. ~?~ the voice asked. "Mother of God," Cecilia whispered as she removed the sheet from Ray's naked body. The girl's abdomen was swollen, with two red circles on either side. "Well, how bad is it ?" Scott muttered. "My GOD - if Magneto hadn't killed Sinister -" "MAGNETO !? I thought he was - that's it, I'm turning in my LICENSE when this is over - where's Hank ?" Cecilia demanded. Beast entered the room, followed by an ashen Franklin, a pensive Storm, and a silent Xavier. "Ceccy, could you handle the exam ?" Hank asked his wife. Cecilia just nodded, then turned to Frank and said, "Strip and get on that table there. Xavier, Ororo, Logan - out." "WHAT ?" Frank gasped, blushing as Jean and Ororo eyed him. "Dr. Reyes - " "You've both just been through forced sexual trauma, damnit !" Cecilia exclaimed. "Both of you need physical exams, and we need to get this TALKED about. Believe me, I know ..." "We can talk after you've finished examining Frank," Jean said. She looked at the boy, who seemed to relax a little, and smiled gently. "No, we're NOT pressing charges - this isn't right, but that doesn't make you a criminal," Jean told him gently. "Right, Scott ?" "Of course," Scott said. "Franklin - you're going to be here, correct ?' "Yessir," Frank nodded. The adults left, except for Hank and Cecilia, and Frank disrobed quickly. "God ... I'm going to be a father ..." he whispered, letting Hank draw a curtain between them and Ray. "Dr. McCoy, I swear, if there'd been any other way -" "Frank, I believe you," Hank replied. "Now, does anything hurt ?" "Besides my stomach ?" Frank muttered. "I - I raped her - maybe she said yes, but -" "BULLSHIT !" Ray shouted. The curtain was dragged back telekinetically, and the girl rolled over gingerly to look at Frank with tearful eyes. "Listen. To. Me," she demanded. "Do you THINK you'd be breathing if you'd raped me ? Do you think I'd let anyone take me like that ? Damnit, Frank, you're my first and my last ! Mom was right - it was too soon - b-but ..." She sobbed, letting Cecilia hold her, and sent, ~I love you, Frank. Don't you forget that, you hear me ?~ ~I won't. I love you too, Ray,~ Frank sent as Hank drew the curtain back. The boy's eyes filled with tears, and he whispered as Hank finished examining him, "I - she cried out - oh GOD, Dr. McCoy - I never - I didn't want it to be like that - we were going to get married -" He dressed, and stood, letting Hank pat his shoulder. "Franklin, whatever the circumstances which led to this, you're not a monster," Hank said. "You're going to be there for Rachel, right ?" "Of course - it's our child, my responsibility as much as hers," Frank said. "I ... I never ... God, all this power and we were helpless ..." "Not now," Hank said as Cecilia drew the curtain back. Ray, dressed in a hospital gown leaned on her and hugged Frank as he held her gently. "Now, have we angsted enough yet ?" Ray tried to laugh. "Come on. We have a few rude adults to talk back to." -------------------------------------------------------- "My God," Scott whispered as he and Jean sat in Xavier's office. "We're going to be grandparents." ~Just remember, we need to be there for them,~ Jean replied, squeezing Scott's hand. They looked up and nodded as Reed and Sue Richards entered with aghast faces. "My GOD - what happened ?" Sue demanded. Xavier explained as the Richards sat down, and Reed looked both furious and ill. "Great Scott," he finally muttered. "Children having children - this is the kind of security we entrusted our son to !?" "DAD ! Blaming the Professor won't help !" Frank demanded, entering with Ray on his arm. They sat in a love seat in the corner, Ray having dressed in a simple blue maternity dress. "I'm going to be here for Ray," Frank nodded. "And we want to keep the baby." "He's already psionically bonded with us - our mental signatures are the ones he recognizes," Ray continued, squeezing Frank's hand. "We'll stay here, raise him at the mansion, where we can get help ... anything, just -" "We're not about to take him from you !" Jean exclaimed. "Honey, we know this wasn't your fault. We just want to help." "God knows you two have been through hell enough already," Sue agreed. "No child should be taken from his parents, especially if they have a support system like the one here - or at the Baxter Building." "We will help you," Reed nodded. "Whatever you need ..." A slightly goofy smile crossed his face, and he said, "I'm going to be a grandpa." The others looked at him with small smiles, and Jean looked at Scott with a sideways stare. "What ? Of course they should keep the baby !" Scott yelped. "I just want to make sure Franklin understands the commitment he's getting into." "Whatever it takes, sir. I'll stop swimming, I'll study later at night - or earlier - I'm going to be here," Frank said. "You seem to be forgetting one tiny detail - we're here too," Ray smiled at him. They looked in each other's eyes until she grunted and said, "Medlab." "Medla - HE'S COMING !?" Frank gasped. "No, Frank, that breakfast burrito's backing up on me - OF COURSE HE'S COMING !" Ray yelled, the Phoenix manifesting around her. -------------------------------------------------------- 15:23 hrs: Medlab: -------------------------------------------------------- "OOH ... if I EVER let you between my legs again - GAAAGH ..." Frank blushed behind his surgical mask, muttering soothing words of encouragement (or what he hoped were soothing words) as Ray pushed. "Almost there, Rache," Hank called from the foot of the birthing bed. "One word - CAESARIAN," Ray growled. "I don't care -" "In your condition, at your age ?" Cecilia replied. "Not likely - PUSH !" Ray screamed, pushing, and the doors were crushed under a TK-fist. #Take him OUT take HIM OUT -# ~MAA!~ the baby cried. Ray reached out mentally, trying to soothe his pain - - and then she heard a verbal squall. "He's perfect, Red," Frank whispered as they watched Hank cut the cord and Cecilia wash the baby clean, dressing him in a diaper and wrapping him in a blanket. Ray cradled the sniffling baby, smiling as tiny green eyes met hers from beneath tufts of red hair. "Look at him ... ! Oh, Scrap, he's beautiful," Ray whispered. She let the baby nurse, and sent, ~Hi there ! It's Mama ...~ ~Ma,~ the baby sent contentedly. ~Da ... ?~ ~Yeah -! Hi there, pal,~ Frank sent, wiping a tear from his eye. "We're parents, Ray ... y'know, we never thought of a name," he told Rachel. "Not 'Todd,'" Ray sighed. "That was one future I hope we don't face. Maybe ... Aidan. Gaelic for 'little fire'." "Aidan it is," Frank smiled, stroking his son's head. "Aidan - we need a middle name - " "John," Ray suggested. "Aidan John Richards." The baby just burped and cooed, nuzzling into Ray's chest, as Cecilia and Hank left the family alone for a moment. -------------------------------------------------------- TBC IN: Fires of Tomorrow ... -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com