[A/N]: Alright, next goal's 200 Power Stones đ let's hit it fast!
Also, our comment rank's lagging behind, so drop your thoughts, reactions, theories, or whatever stood out. I read them all, and they help a ton. Let's make some noise!
March brought crisp mornings to New York.
Jay stood in his District X apartment, checking his gear for the third time. Domino watched from the doorframe.
"You know," she said, "for someone who can teleport anywhere instantly, you sure are taking your sweet time packing for this Arctic trip."
Jay didn't look up from his medical supplies. "I'm being thorough. The Arctic isn't exactly known for its conveniences."
"Uh-huh." Domino crossed her arms. "Or you're stalling because you're waiting for a phone call."
He paused.
"Jean's due any day now. I told Scott and her I'd be there for the delivery."
"And you've been saying 'any day now' for the past week." She walked over, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Jay, Jean could go another two weeks. We can't put our lives on hold indefinitely."
"I know, but..."
His phone rang.
Scott's ringtone.
Domino sighed. "Of course. Your danger sense or my luck, which one called that?"
Jay answered, already moving toward the center of the room. "Scott?"
"Jay! Jean's water just broke about ten minutes ago. We need you here..."
Blue energy rippled through the apartment.
Jay vanished.
Domino stood alone in the suddenly quiet room. Her fingers traced the edge of his medical kit.
"Go save the day, hero," she whispered.
Then, louder: "Well, guess I'm meeting the mercs solo today."
She pulled out her phone, texting Wade. "This better be worth the story, Summers."
The X-Mansion's main hall materialized around Jay.
Scott was there, phone still pressed to his ear. He jumped back.
"Jesus Christ!" Scott yelped, then immediately looked guilty. "I mean... you're here. That was fast."
"You called." Jay looked Scott over. The man was sweating through his polo shirt, jaw tight. "Deep breath, Scott. Delivery usually takes twelve to twenty-four hours after the water breaks. We've got time."
Scott took a shaky breath. "Right. Yeah. I know that. Hank told me that. Susan told me that. We went over this in the birthing classes. I just..." His voice cracked. "God, Jay, what if something goes wrong?"
"That's why I'm here." Jay squeezed Scott's shoulder. "Did you call Susan like we discussed?"
"Yeah, she should be here any..."
The Fantasticar descended toward the mansion grounds.
Through the tall windows, they watched the sleek vehicle land. Three figures emerged.
Reed Richards unfolded himself from the pilot's seat. Sue Storm, now visibly five and a half months pregnant, moved more carefully. Ben Grimm's human form still looked strange to Jay.
Johnny Storm landed last in a dramatic burst of flame.
"Woohoo! The Human Torch has arrived!" Johnny announced.
Reed stretched his arm impossibly long to smack the back of Johnny's head. "Keep it down! You're at a school, not to mention a pregnant woman is in labor inside!"
"Ow! Jeez, Reed, I'm sorry!" Johnny rubbed his head. "Just trying to lighten the mood, you know?"
Sue pulled Jay into a careful hug. "Jay! It's so good to see you! I heard you and Domino got back together at New Year's. I'm so happy for you!"
Johnny pulled out his wallet. "Speaking of which, thanks for the hundred bucks, man."
Jay's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"We had a bet going at the party about whether you two would get back together."
Jay turned to Sue. "Sue... did you Parent Trap us?"
Sue's expression turned sheepish. "I... well... that is..." She cleared her throat. "Oops! I got caught?"
"As touching as this reunion is," Scott interrupted, "my wife is currently in labor. Can we maybe catch up later?"
The jovial atmosphere evaporated.
Reed's expression turned serious. "Of course. We should move immediately."
Hank's medical wing looked more like a high-tech research facility than a hospital room.
Monitors lined the walls. Specialized equipment sat ready.
In the center, Jean Grey lay in a specialized bed, surrounded by the women of the X-Men.
Rogue gently fed Jean ice chips. Storm stood at Jean's left side, speaking in low tones. Kitty and Jubilee hovered nearby.
Professor Xavier sat in his wheelchair at the foot of the bed.
Jay entered first. Behind him came the Fantastic Four and Scott, who immediately moved to Jean's side.
"How are you feeling?" Scott asked, taking Jean's hand.
Jean's face was flushed. "Like I'm about to push a telepathic bomb out of my body."
A contraction hit.
Every piece of metal in the room trembled. The monitors flickered.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Xavier's voice cut through. "Everyone remain calm. Jean's control is holding, but we must be careful."
Jay approached the bed where Hank stood. The former Beast had undergone his own transformation recently thanks to Jay's intervention. Now he appeared fully human, though his long blue hair remained.
Jay put a hand on Jean's head and used his healing aura.
The green glow spread from his palm. Jean's breathing steadied.
"Status?" Jay asked quietly.
Hank adjusted his glasses. "All vitals are within normal parameters, though Jean's telepathic signature is fluctuating with each contraction. We're seeing spikes of 8.7 on the Cerebro scale. The baby's psychic presence is..." He paused. "Quite robust."
"Robust meaning the kid's already broadcasting on multiple telepathic frequencies," Jay muttered.
Sue stepped forward. "We've installed all the equipment we discussed. The psychic dampeners, the isolation field generators, the backup power systems. Everything's ready."
Jay nodded.
Then suddenly clapped his hands together.
The sound echoed through the medical wing.
"Alright everyone, listen up. I want you all ready for an attack on the mansion. Be prepared for multiple enemies from multiple angles."
Kitty's hand shot up. "Wait, what are you talking about?"
"Kitty, please," Scott pleaded. "Now is not the time for attitude. Just listen to him."
"But I didn't..."
"Xavier." Jay turned to the Professor. "I need you alert for any telepathic attacks."
Xavier's face paled slightly. "You're suggesting..."
"Think about it. A fragment of the Phoenix Force is about to give birth to a telepath with the potential to be one of the strongest in history. A baby with zero mental defenses and zero agency. Entities like the Shadow King would be salivating at this opportunity."
The room went quiet.
"Use Cerebro if you have to. Amplify your power. But I need you on the mental front, keeping watch for anyone trying to slip into this delivery room through the back door of someone's mind."
Jay turned to Storm and Johnny. "Storm, Human Torch. I want you on sky watch. Anything flying, anything hovering, anything that even looks suspicious, especially any flying humanoids. Bring them down hard and fast."
Storm nodded. "The skies will be mine to command."
Johnny's usual cockiness sobered. "On it."
Jay turned to Ben Grimm. "Ben, get every brawler this place has and position them on the perimeter. I want a wall of muscle between this medical wing and anyone trying to get in."
Ben straightened. "Done."
"Jubilee, Kurt. I need you watching for infiltration. Teleportation, phasing, invisibility, anything that could bypass the perimeter."
Kurt's tail swished. "Ve vill not fail you, mein Freund."
Finally, Jay's eyes landed on Kitty.
"You stay here. I need you."
Kitty looked flabbergasted. "Why me? I don't have any medical experience!"
"Kitty!" Scott's composure finally cracked. "For the love of God, woman, just do what the doctor says!"
"Battle stations, everyone." Jay's voice carried finality. "We need to be prepared for every eventuality."
As the X-Men dispersed, Hank approached Jay quietly. "All this... just for Sinister?"
"Not just Sinister." Jay's expression darkened. "Think about who might want this child. You've got human extremists who see powerful mutant babies as threats. You've got Sublime and whatever group he's assembled. You've got psychic entities that would love an untrained telepathic host. You've got mutant supremacists who might want to claim the child as a symbol."
He paused.
'Hell, we might even have time travelers showing up, given what this kid becomes.'
Xavier wheeled closer. "Then you have our full cooperation, Jay."
Once the others had left, Kitty turned to Jay. "Seriously, why do you need me specifically?"
Jay didn't answer.
Instead, he turned to Sue. "Can you prepare the incubation unit? And all the baby care we have."
Sue's eyes widened. "Already? But she's only just started..."
"Trust me."
Sue moved to the specialized equipment they'd designed.
It hummed to life.
"Jay," Scott's voice carried warning. "What are you planning?"
"Something unprecedented." Jay approached Kitty, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "This might feel strange."
"Wait, what are you..."
Kitty's eyes rolled back. Her consciousness faded.
Jay caught her, lowering her carefully to a nearby medical chair.
"JAY!" Scott moved forward, but Hank caught his arm.
Jay's hands began to shimmer with Kitty's phasing ability.
"Kitty will be up and running in a few minutes, completely fine."
Scott's jaw dropped. "You are doing that now?"
Jay flexed his fingers experimentally. "Hank, monitor Jean's vitals constantly. Susan, have that incubation unit ready. Scott..." He looked at the nervous father-to-be. "This is going to look strange, but I promise you, this is the safest way to deliver your son."
"My... son?" Scott's voice cracked.
"Yeah. Didn't I mention that?"
Jay moved to Jean's bedside, his hands beginning to glow with his healing aura.
But there was something different this time.
A darker overlay.
His null field.
Jean looked up at him, tears forming. "Jay, I'm scared. I can feel him... he's so strong already. What if I can't..."
"Hey," Jay interrupted gently, placing one hand on her forehead.
Immediately the telepathic pressure in the room decreased dramatically.
The null field expanded, specifically targeting Jean and the baby's telepathic abilities while leaving everyone else's powers intact.
"You're Marvel Girl. You've housed the Phoenix Force. You can do this."
Professor Xavier gasped. "Remarkable. You're suppressing only specific aspects of their abilities while leaving their physical mutations intact. The level of control required..."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a miracle worker." Jay's hands began to phase. "Everyone ready?"
"Wait!" Sue called out. "You're going to... oh God, you're performing a Caesarean without cutting..."
"Got it in one."
Jay's hands sank into Jean's swollen belly. Phasing through skin and muscle without leaving a mark.
Jean gasped. "It's... it's cold. Like ice water flowing through me."
"That's normal," Jay assured her, sweat beading on his forehead. "Just breathe. Almost there."
Scott grabbed Jean's hand, his face white. "I'm here, Jean. I'm right here."
Jean squeezed back. "I can feel him moving... Jay's hands... they're..."
"It's okay, it's okay," Jay murmured. "Almost there..."
His healing aura worked simultaneously with the phasing. Microscopic light daggers of concentrated energy cutting the umbilical cord with surgical precision while immediately cauterizing and healing any damage.
The coordination required was staggering.
One wrong move and he could cause catastrophic internal bleeding.
Sweat beaded on Jay's forehead.
"Vitals holding steady," Hank reported. "Heart rate 72, blood pressure 118/76, oxygen saturation 98%. This is... extraordinary."
Then, with a motion that looked almost casual, Jay pulled his hands out.
In them, still glowing faintly with residual healing energy and covered in amniotic fluid but completely unharmed, was a baby boy.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to stop.
Jay held the infant carefully, his null field immediately wrapping around the small form. The baby's eyes, startlingly green like his mother's, met Jay's.
For just an instant, Jay felt the raw potential of what this child would become.
Images flashed through his mind from the comics: a scarred warrior, a time-lost soldier, a man named Cable fighting impossible odds.
Then the moment passed.
The infant took his first breath.
And screamed.
The sound was shrill, angry, and absolutely healthy.
"Congratulations! It's a boy! Mazel tov!"
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