Part Two By Rhona Highet
DISCLAIMER: * * = thought/telepathy Distribute freely without asking me because the answer is yes anyway. Make changes if you like just point out that the original text is mine! Make fun of it if you like BUT you have to e-mail me first. Don't change the title of this 'cause I happen to like it. Be happy!
It was about 4 am when Emma Frost arrived home. Everyone had gone to their beds apart from Paige Guthrie. She had been pining the loss of Jonothan Starsmore for the past 3 weeks. He was back in London for his father's funeral and had stayed on to take care of his mother. Most nights Paige would sit and wait for Jono to call but he hadn't called at all. Emma had asked her why she did this and Paige said she didn't know why. Tonight she saw her student in her usual place but instead of the phone she was holding a letter. "I take it Mr Starsmore has bothered himself long enough to write." "Miss Frost, Ah didn't here you come in." Paige replied as she turned to face her teacher. "So, is it from Jonothan?" "Yes." "And?" "He's going to stay in England for a couple more weeks. He says his mother really needs him an' that maybe Ah should join him." For a moment Emma can't understand why Paige isn't jumping up and down for joy but the young student soon clears her confusion. "Ah hate him. One minute it's 'I've got to go gel, my parents need me.' Then it's 'Hey Paige, why don't you come an' join me.' Well Ah'm not goin' to run every time he snaps his fingers. Ah'm not his servant an' Ah ain't his wife. He can find a ........" "You're drunk." "Not really Miss Frost. If Ah was drunk, Ah'd be saying things Ah'd regret later." "Go to bed Paige." "Night Miss Frost." "Good morning would be more accurate." Emma whispered under her breath as Paige Guthrie, the mutant known as Husk, left the room, dropping the letter in the wastepaper basket as she went out the door. Emma stood up from where she had been kneeling and retrieved the discarded piece of paper. Gently, she unfolded it and began to read it.
Dear Paige,"You're so lucky Paige. I just wish you'd realise it." Emma sighed to herself. She folded the letter carefully and placed it in the nearest drawer. After a while she went up stairs to her room, stopping in the girls' dorm to check on Paige and the rest of the students. All were asleep. She went up another flight of stairs and walked along the corridor to her room. Opening the door and flicking on the lights, she took off her jacket and placed it carefully on the chair at her dressing table. She took off her clothes until she was in her underwear and looked at herself in the mirror. The baby was not large enough to be visible yet but in 3 or 4 months time, the child would begin to expand her waist. Emma giggled at the thought of having her belly sticking out. Another thought of her actually holding the infant made her cry. To have her own son or daughter to take care of was a surprising comfort to Emma. Five years ago the child would have been an inconvenience but now it would be a welcome addition to her life. With the students getting on with their own lives and Sean spending more time with Moira and Theresa, Emma had found herself more and more alone. Children seemed to be a bigger issue for her now. Maybe, subconsciously, she was looking for an available man to give her what she wanted and with Bobby gone she went for the next available man, Hank McCoy. She respected Hank and had found that she actually cared for the Beast as much as she cared for the other X-Men but she didn't think she actually loved him enough to have a family with him. *But he has got beautiful fur and such a perfect smile.* She looked down at her belly. *I hope you have your father's intelligence, wit and smile. I wouldn't wish my temper on anyone or my great personality. I'm going to make sure you have a happy childhood and that you grow up never wanting for anything. I'll make sure that no one ever hurts you.* She stopped and looked at her reflection for a minute. *Trish is going to kill me.* She thought suddenly. With a sigh, Emma turned the light off and slipped in to the king-sized bed that dominated her main sleeping area. Tucking herself underneath the quilt, she allowed herself to think about what the baby was going to look. The thought gently lulled her to sleep and into her dreams. It was midday when she woke up. She scanned the estate for the others and found them out in the biosphere having a picnic. Rising out of bed, she walked into her bathroom and cleaned herself up. As she dried off her face, she walked into her closet to find a dress to wear. It was late August but it was a warm day and Emma felt like wearing something that wasn't white. A floral dress would suit her just now or something in summer colours. Finding nothing like that, Emma put on a pair of jogging pants and a sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror and was almost on the ground laughing her head off. She took off the sweater and pants and put on one of her suits. This looked far more acceptable and so she went to join the others in the biosphere. Today was going to be the day she told the team. It would probably destroy any respect they had for her but she didn't mind. Most of the team were sitting by the stream with two exceptions, Paige and Jubilee. The first did not surprise Emma at all as Paige had grown more and more unsocial since Jono's departure and she had been drinking too. It was a problem that Emma was going to have to talk to Mrs. Guthrie about or maybe Sam before it got out of hand. However, Jubilee not being at a social gathering was like a kid's party without a clown. She was always there, entertaining her classmates. For her not to be there was unusual. "Hello Em, dinnae expect to see you here." Sean chirped as he offered her a seat and a glass of fruit juice. She took the seat and the juice and looked around at the pupils. Penance was watching a butterfly, Skin was trying to get Monet soaking wet and Synch was watching Penance. She then looked at Sean. "Where are Jubilee and Paige?" "They went for a walk. Paige wanted to ask Jubilee something." "Hmm, sounds serious." "Ach, y'know Paige, she tries to act like an adult but she's still just a kid." "How did you reach that conclusion?" She asked. To her, what Sean just said seemed to make sense. She just didn't know why. "Look at it this way, she's always wanted to be her brother, from the moment he became a mutant and she's been forcing herself to grow up so fast that she's forgotten she's still a child." "How did you know she wanted to be her brother?" "I talked to Sam about it once when I was picking up equipment from the mansion." "And?" "What?" "What else did you find out?" "He's not your biggest fan." "I meant about Paige." "That was it basically. Except, she hates moths." "Most people hate moths." "I don't." "I do. I hate insects. Creepy crawly things. Yuck." "Anyway, what's with the interest in Paige?" "I think she has a serious problem." "Jono." "Yes, I think we should do something." "Em, they're in love. Let them sort it out themselves." "I suppose you're right." "Can I have that in writing!" Sean joked. "Is that the only reason ye're interested in Paige?" "I just don't want to see her hurt. I kind of see her as a daughter." "And?" Sean asks as he raises an eyebrow. "This stays between us alright. Paige got a letter from the boy wonder. He wants her to go to London. She doesn't want to go and she hates him." "Ah, to be young again!" Now it was Emma's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Sean?" "Don't you miss the innocence of love? Believing that there's someone out there meant for you?" "I must have missed that. I was in the nut house during most of adolescence." "Sorry Em." "Sean, there's something that I have to tell you." "You're really a man." "I'm being serious. I'm pregnant." Sean fell off his chair. "My hearing must be going 'cause I swear I heard you say you were pregnant." "I did." "Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhkay." Sean replied, pulling himself up. "So, who's the father?" "Tall, blue and handsome." "HANK?!" "Don't sound so shocked." "Hank is the father. Oh, Emma, if this was April 1st I'd know this was a joke." Sean laughed. "Oh, haha. Look, we were drunk." "Drunk? You?" "Yes, I was upset. Everyone was having a child with the love of their life and I was jealous." "Ye've never seemed the type who'd want to settle down and have a child." "I've got news for you Sean me boy, all women want to have children." "Does Hank know?" "Yes, I told him yesterday and most of the X-Men know." "And now I know. Are you going to tell the kids?" "How do you think they'll take it?" Sean sat for a moment thinking about it. A smile appeared on his face. "Well, Jubilee will probably organise a baby shower for you, Monet will be Monet, Paige'll give you lots of advice, Angelo will make yer life a living hell, Synch won't be phased by it, Penance probably won't be affected and if he gets back, Jono'll be with Angelo." "So basically, it won't affect them." "Well at least not 'til the mood swings kick in." "Mood swings?" "Ach, one minute ye'll love being pregnant and then ye'll hate yer body and be cursing Hank fer getting ye into this mess." Emma giggled. She couldn't imagine hating Hank for what he did. *Kids, I have something I need to tell you.* Emma said telepathically. "Can't it wait?" Jubilee protested. "Chill chica, it could be interesting." Angelo aka Skin replied as he nudged the young girl in the ribs. "As if. She only calls us when we've done something wrong." "Well for once, Angelo is right." Emma interrupted as the class assembled around her. All eyes were focused on her. "I'm going to have a baby." All of their jaws dropped open, including Monet's. It was, after all, the last thing anyone expected the White Queen to say.
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