Lyrissa's Sparkles II

Lyrissa sat in the War Room with the X-Men, Andrew, Jazz, and Jubilee, for a meeting Scott had called about Logan’s behavior. “I confronted him about not picking up after himself, and doing his part around here, and he got very defensive over it and left. I don’t know what’s going on with him, he was acting more agitated than usual.” He explained. They had been in the meeting for half an hour already, and no one had told him, Storm, Jazz, Jubilee, or Andrew what was really wrong. Jubilee and Andrew at first thought they knew what Lyrissa had said before Gambit kicked them out of the room, but after a short discussion decided it wasn’t true; there was no way Lyrissa was pregnant.

“What exactly did you say to him?” Hank asked. “Nothing, my exact words were ‘You need to take responsibility for this family’ before he punched me and left.” He answered. Rogue sighed at his answer, Hank put his head down, Jean looked at Lyrissa sadly, and Gambit held her hand under the table to comfort her, while Xavier offered his comfort from across the room telepathically.

“What?” he asked blankly, confused by everyone’s reactions. Jazz, Storm, Andrew, and Jubilee were just as confused, and waited patiently for their answer. “Scott, he got mad at you because you mentioned ‘family’.” Jean explained softly. “Well, we are a family.” He frowned. “It isn’t that family that set him off. It’s his.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Was he having more flashbacks?” Storm asked, thinking that was the family they were referring to. “No,” Lyrissa muttered as a few tears slid down her face.

“Will someone please just tell us what’s going on!” Andrew demanded. “I’m pregnant!” She shouted before burying her face in her hands. “With, with Logan,” Scott stuttered blankly. “With his baby?” Andrew asked dumbly. “No, with his pet elephant.” She spat sarcastically. “Okay, everyone calm down. This… this is… wow.” Scott sighed; resting his forehead in his hands for a minute while the news sank in.

“Lyrissa,” Jazz said calmly as she walked from her chair to stand beside her, “It’s okay. Things like this happen.” She smiled, hugging her tightly as she started to cry a little more. “He doesn’t want it,” she sighed. “No… I think he’s scared by it. He isn’t really the one to jump in and take care of kids, you know? With us it’s easy to just leave and not help us out, or play with the kids, but this is different. This is his baby; he’s going to be a father. That’s a scary thing.” Andrew nodded. “He’ll be back, Lyrissa.” Jazz smiled.

“So what are you going to do?” Scott asked with a deep frown; there wasn’t a thing about the situation he liked. “She? What are we gonna do.” Rogue corrected, “She ain’t doin’ this alone.”

“Thanks, Rogue… but I don’t know.” Lyrissa sighed. “Well, I think step one is deciding if you’re going to keep it or not.” Scott pointed out. “Of course I’m keeping it!” she replied at the same time as Jean, Andrew, Jazz, and Rogue replied, “Of course she’s keeping it!”

“Okay, sorry.” He sighed.

“Ugh! How am I going to tell Max, Kiera, Box, Jamie, Dante, Allie, and Marvin?” she asked with a stressed sigh. “Easy. ‘Guys, I’m going to have a baby.’ That’s how my parents told me that my mom was pregnant with my brother.” Jazz shrugged. “You have a brother?” Andrew and Lyrissa asked together. “Well, yes and no. See, it wasn’t dad’s, and he didn’t want it. Especially since he was born with pink skin. A nurse took him before dad could decide what to do with him, and I haven’t seen him since.” She shrugged, “But this isn’t about me, this is about Lyrissa, and her baby.” She reminded. “I can’t tell them like that. There’s going to be questions, especially since Allie thinks you have to be married to have a baby. We obviously aren’t married, and we probably aren’t going to be. He might not even come back.” She sighed, tearing up at the thought of Logan leaving forever.

“We will help you, Lyrissa. Don’t worry about that. I believe this meeting has covered all that needs covered… do you know when you want to tell them?” Xavier asked. “Will you help me now? I want to get this part over with.” She answered timidly. “Of course, Lyrissa.” He smiled as the other X-Men stood from their seats. Instead of just walking out the door though, they each hugged Lyrissa and congratulated/comforted her before leaving.

“This is an unexpected turn of events.” Storm commented as she and Xavier walked up to the front room where the kids were waiting. Lyrissa teleported away because she was going to be sick, and promised to be down in a minute, when her stomach settled. “Yes, but it is all part of life’s cycle.” He nodded.

“Do you think she is prepared for it?”

“Not at all, no woman is prepared for her first child. But then again, she is full of surprises and determination.” He smiled as Lyrissa teleported beside them. “Are you feeling all right?” Storm asked. “Better, for now.” She sighed and followed them into the front room.

“What’s going on?” Box demanded as soon as he saw them. “Yeah, you were crying, Wolverine left, and now no one is telling us what happened. Did you two break up?” Kiera asked. “No,” she answered honestly, since they hadn’t actually come to a decision on that, they weren’t together, or apart. “Then what happened?” Jamie pushed as she sat down in one of the chairs that faced all of them.

She sat quietly for a while before taking a breath and starting her explanation. “Logan left because something happened, that none of us expected.” She started, “It turns out, I’m going to have a baby,”

“What?” Box interrupted flatly. “A baby?” Kiera asked. “Yes, a baby.” She sighed. “But how?” Jamie asked, “You two aren’t married yet.”

“Uncle Chawie said you are married when babies come.” Allie frowned. “Usually, you are.” Box frowned. “But he said you two really loved each other, and that’s what you were doing in his room was showing each other how much you love each other, why did he leave if a baby is coming to live here?” Allie asked in pure confusion. Lyrissa was at a loss to answer that.

“Sometimes babies are accidentally made, like Dante.” Max teased. “Hey, shut up!” he retorted. “Don’t hate if it’s true.” Box giggled. “Guys!” Lyrissa shouted, ending the fight before it could start. “You accidentally made a baby?” Jamie asked curiously. “Yeah,” she sighed awkwardly. “Can we see it?” Allie asked. “Not yet, child. It has not been born yet.” Storm laughed lightly. “Well where is it?” she asked. “Inside Lyrissa’s belly.” Kiera answered. Allie’s eyes went wide, as well as Jamie’s. “Babies grow inside their mommy’s belly.” Xavier explained. “Cyclops told us that a bird brings them and drops them off when their mom and dad are ready to have them.” Jamie replied flatly.

“Uhm, Lyrissa… so is he coming back?” Marvin asked nervously. “I hope so,” she muttered quietly, hiding the tear that fell behind her hair. “Sparkles,” Allie frowned as she climbed off the couch and hugged her tightly. Her arms started to glow as they hugged, taking away Lyrissa’s sadness and seeing everything that she saw when Logan left.

“Okay,” Box nodded after taking a deep breath. “Okay.” Max and Kiera nodded together. “Okay?” Storm questioned. “Okay.” Allie smiled. “Okay we’re going to get through this. Remember the code.” Jazz smiled from the doorway. “The code says we are a family. We stay together, we take care of each other, and no one ever is alone. ‘Okay’ means we’re agreeing to take care of her.” She explained. “Okay.” Jamie and Dante grinned as Andrew and Scott walked up to stand with Jazz. “Thank you,” Lyrissa laughed as her family hugged her all at once. “It’s our turn, Sparkles. You took care of us for four years, now we finally get to pay you back.” Kiera smiled.

No one seemed to think less of Lyrissa for what happened, although it was clear Scott didn’t approve. The younger kids were still trying to wrap their heads around the situation, while the older ones were helping Lyrissa with everything she did, and the adults consoled and tried to cheer her up, while trying to locate Logan. Every time Scott had ever been angry with him before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now.

“I’m not even showing yet. I can carry a laundry basket up to my room Marvin.” Lyrissa sighed as he took her clean clothes and insisted on getting them to her room for her. “Studies have shown that women who take it slow earlier in their pregnancy have an easier time later on. Plus it’s better for the baby. Did you know that even now if you were to ride a roller coaster, it could damage the fetus?” he replied. “You’re too smart for your own good, Marvin.” She sighed as the lights around them flickered and a few blowing out as they passed. “Dr. McCoy says the same thing. But this isn’t studying, it’s experience. A few years ago my mom got pregnant, and she insisted on doing everything like normal, carrying laundry, cooking, lifting at work and it all led to a miscarriage. I don’t want to see that happen to you. You’re one of the few people who have been nice to me since the day I came here.” He explained. “I’m sorry.” She muttered, not expecting to hear that. “Don’t be, she didn’t know what could happen. Now I do, and can help you so it doesn’t happen to someone else that I know. See? It isn’t for nothing.” He smiled and set the clothes on her bed. “Miss Grey says she wants you downstairs tonight for ice cream and movies. She says it’s time to start back up on your weekly tradition.” He informed. She thanked him and used her wisps to close the door behind him when he left so she could put her clothes away.

“Mom, I don’t know if you’re here, but I need help… I don’t know what to do now.” She muttered tearfully, holding the picture of her and her parents that was left in her chest for her. “I’m not ready for this,” she whispered as her tears fell onto the glass protecting their image.

“Lyrissa Marie Anette Jennings, this is your Granny Rose. We will be at the mansion in half an hour. Your mother has already come to me and informed me of your situation. No, Professor Xavier doesn’t know we are coming. He will find out when we get there.” Granny Rose said telepathically, making Lyrissa’s tears cease almost instantly.

“When you say ‘we’, who all do you mean?” she asked almost nervously.

“Myself, your grandmother Anette, your brother Stephen, your sister Eliza, and your aunts Caroline and Rose.”

“That’s a lot of people.”

“Not quite. I had to tell about twenty other women they couldn’t come, and about sixteen men. Not to mention every child you had met.”

“Why do they want to come?”

“You are pregnant, and he has left. They care about you and want to help and comfort you. For many years the women came to the House when they were expecting, so that everyone could help them through the pregnancy, but now things have changed and we travel to them in smaller groups.”

“I’m not sure we have room though.”

“We are staying in a hotel.”

“Oh,”

“I can’t keep our conversation going dear, because I’m driving and Eliza is worried we will crash, but I will see you soon.” With that their conversation ended, but true to her word the Carson family members arrived exactly thirty minutes from when she first contacted Lyrissa. Eliza was furious with Logan, and wanted to go after him and fight him probably more than Sabertooth did. Stephen just wanted to comfort his sister, and didn’t let go of her since they were reunited, meaning she sat with his arm around her, Allie in her lap, Kiera on the floor leaned up against her legs, and Scott, Gambit, or both nearby at all times. Granny Rose just went off with Xavier to talk about the situation, and demand to know how he could allow such a thing to happen in his house. Caroline and Rose both got the tour, and then helped by keeping the kids occupied and under control. To everyone in the mansion’s surprise, neither woman had a problem controlling them; they were instantly in control just by being related to Lyrissa.

She was the center of attention for the rest of the night. The only person, who wasn’t focused on her and the pregnancy, was she. The only person she wanted beside her through this, was Logan. Her thoughts, fears, and emotions were exhausting her on top of the energy used since she received the news, so she retired to her room early under that excuse. Which everyone understood and used that time to get to know each other better.

That night she cried herself to sleep, feeling more alone than ever before. She wanted to run away again, to escape. She wanted to wake up and have this all be a dream, and Logan would be beside her, and she not be carrying his child. But deep down she knew none of that could happen. She just hoped he would come home; he said he needed to think, he didn’t say he was done and never coming back.

When she finally succumbed to sleep’s spell, she dreamt of something she hadn’t thought of in a very long time: The Garden.

~

The air was warm, and smelled sweet in the golden glow of the sun as she sat on a small stone bench between two fountains. One was of a young woman in a long flowing dress, smiling down at the small infant in her arms. The other was of a man and a woman, locked in an eternal embrace. Both statues seemed to radiate love and happiness, but instead of admiring the finely detailed works of art, she wept, knowing that she would never have what they had.

“Why are you crying?” a woman wearing the same white dress as she was, asked softly. She had light brown sparkling hair, and purple eyes, and Lyrissa knew her to be the same woman she had dreamt about before.

“Nothing,” she sniffled quickly. “You know, this garden is created by the minds of your family?” the woman mused, now ignoring her tears, “Each statue is of an event in our lives. Some are history, some are present and soon to become history, and some are future predictions.”

“I don’t understand.” Lyrissa frowned.

“Every so often a very powerful psychic is born into the bloodline. This garden has become a new realm, created by their psychic energy. Every member of the family has a small part of this gift, enough to occasionally come here, but only the strong ones can alter, and remain in this place. Your Granny Rose is the most recently born with this gift.” She explained while walking her through the garden.

Lyrissa froze as they came to a statue of a young woman with her features, holding a baby, standing face to face with Sabertooth, who was ready to attack. “Is that,”

“No. This isn’t Karma’s fight.”

“Is that me?”

“And your child.”

“Does it live? Is the baby okay after the fight?” she demanded quickly.

“I don’t know. I tend the garden I don’t build the statues.”

“I wouldn’t be able to fight with the baby in my arms like that… all I could do would be to take the beating for it, maybe shielding it with my wisps.”

“And that is exactly what you would do. And you would meet the same fate as your mother. Death by his hand, to protect your child.” The woman sighed.

Suddenly Granny Rose appeared in front of them. “You two need to leave now, it is time for Lyrissa to wake up.” She informed. “Why didn’t anyone tell me what this place was?” she demanded. “Because we don’t talk about the Garden. We just don’t. We once took others here; the women who were born with this gift, but those women were killed for it. Long, long ago, when Witches were the most feared. The Burning Times were a terrible time for mutants as well as pagans. Our bloodline has existed for thousands of years.” She explained, “Now wake up, and don’t speak of this in the waking world.”

~

Lyrissa’s eyes shot open as she sat up in bed, unsure if what she saw was real, or not. She wanted to ask Granny Rose about it, but was afraid to. She was overwhelmed by everything, the dream, Logan, their baby, her family fighting with each other… the only thing she could do was cry. Wrapping her blanket tightly around herself and hiding in her closet, she cried to release all the emotions she had been holding back, imagining that he was there to hold her again.