TM 176: Tell the story of one of your past scars.
ooc: House of TM-verse. I wanted to write something happy.
Billy and Tommy were born one month, two weeks and five days early. But nothing in our lives is ever predictable.
Sally had been with us for just over a year when we asked; she was three and a half years old. When they'd first brought her home, I was the logical choice to take care of her, set up her nursery, calm her when the nightmares woke her up in the middle of the night. But Steve felt responsible for her; I think, really, he fell in love with that little girl the moment he picked her up out of the rubble. He was the one who decided we should keep her at the mansion instead of sending her to a home. He said it was because Kang might come after her, but the truth was he couldn't let go. None of us could. Anyway, Steve took over all the duties of raising her and when Tony - who, I'm pretty sure, had been in love with Steve since they'd first teamed up, so many years before - saw him going into Mr. Mom mode, he jumped in with both feet to help. Any outside observer could tell Sally was going to finally bring them together, though it took another few years for it all to be official. Jean and I were happy for them, but it was hard to watch them with Sally and not want a child of our own. So, when Sally had been with us for over a year, Jean and I approached the boys with the request that would change all our lives: we wanted a baby.
Jean and I had been together since we were at Xavier's. We'd been best friends and falling in love was just the natural progression of things. I'd always assumed we'd have children eventually - when our lives settled down a bit, when the time was right. But I don't think Jean really considered it until Sally came into our lives. She was more practical than me, and more shy about living a life outside being a super hero. Sally changed a lot of things.
We discussed all our options - adoption, anonymous donor - and when we decided on asking for a donor, we made a list of all the men we'd known and admired over the years. But the decision was obvious from the beginning; Steve and Tony had been a part of our lives for years, they were our closest friends. This would finally make us all family.
I'll remember that conversation forever. Jean and I sat the boys down and explained we wanted a baby of our own - and we wanted their help. Steve had blushed, matters of the heart always made him shy. But Tony had immediately agreed and then Steve stammered something like "of course, of course!" We all laughed and opened a bottle of wine to toast our crazy, complicated family-to-be.
The fertility specialist was amazed at how easily everything went for us, especially considering how difficult it seemed on paper. My one regret is that none of Jean's eggs were viable. It was almost like something was interfering with it. But we got twins - one mine and Steve's and one mine and Tony's. It was perfect.
I enjoyed being pregnant. There was never a question of who would carry the twins; Jean had no desire to be "the baby oven" as she put it. She was perfectly happy to be the supportive partner in charge of getting late night snacks and massaging swollen feet. Jean was at every appointment and the whole family came to the ultrasound where we found out the twins were boys. Tony was so thrilled with the idea of a son, even if he was a Maximoff-Grey.
The pregnancy was a dream, so the premature birth was a surprise. I blame Tommy myself - he's always running ahead of things. Everyone was out when I went into labor, it was just me and Sally. I'd been off the roster starting with the second trimester but I'd convinced the others I could be left alone since there hadn't been any complications. So, they were somewhat surprised when I called to say I was having contractions. Jean was a bit frantic but the guys were on top of things. Tony apparently had a plan set up, I'm not sure why we were surprised at that actually. Anyway, they came home and Dr. Strange showed up within the hour. We'd planned to have the babies at the mansion and even though it was early I wanted to try and stick with that plan. Stephen said premature labor was normal with twins.
But the hours went on and things weren't going well. I got stuck at about 8 centimeters dilated and labor wasn't progressing. I'd desperately wanted to have the twins naturally but something was wrong. Stephen and Jean discussed the options while Tony kept me calm. I'm not sure where Steve was, probably with Sally. I wasn't really in pain, but I was frightened - we'd been waiting for this moment for over a year and nothing had gone wrong in all that time. But now, all of a sudden, there were complications that threatened the twins' lives.
They decided on an emergency cesarean section. Stephen explained he thought the lead twin was face down and blocking the birth canal and in order to safely deliver them he needed to operate. He didn't feel comfortable performing the procedure in the mansion so Tony called the hospital to set it all up and Stephen teleported all five of us directly to Labor and Delivery. Steve left Sally with the Howletts next door. It was really rather comical, Jean, Steve and Tony all crowded around me; I don't think anyone had told the anesthesiologist who to expect when they'd called her in. She was a bit shocked to find Iron Man, Captain America, Phoenix, Dr. Strange and the Scarlet Witch but her professionalism took over and everything went smoothly.
William Anthony Maximoff-Grey was born at 9:07 PM and Thomas Steven was born four minutes later. Despite the prematurity they were only a bit smaller than full-term babies and there were surprisingly no issues with the maturity of their lungs. The hospital required us to stay eight days in the NICU but the twins were in good health and we all got to go home together sooner than most premies. Jean and I stayed at the hospital the whole time and the rest of the family came and went constantly. Steve and Tony brought Sally; and Pietro, never very far away, brought his daughter the second day. I sometimes wish the kids had grandparents to dote on them but I guess having four parents makes up for it. The rest of our friends and family waited until we were home to come see the twins. Lorna was predictably nearly the last to show up, but she's become almost Billy's favorite person in the world so I'm not complaining.
Anyway, I have a thin scar low on my belly where Stephen cut me open to deliver my babies. I could very easily magic it away but I never would. That scar represents everything I have ever wanted - a wife, two children, the closest and best family in the world. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Billy and Tommy were born one month, two weeks and five days early. But nothing in our lives is ever predictable.
Sally had been with us for just over a year when we asked; she was three and a half years old. When they'd first brought her home, I was the logical choice to take care of her, set up her nursery, calm her when the nightmares woke her up in the middle of the night. But Steve felt responsible for her; I think, really, he fell in love with that little girl the moment he picked her up out of the rubble. He was the one who decided we should keep her at the mansion instead of sending her to a home. He said it was because Kang might come after her, but the truth was he couldn't let go. None of us could. Anyway, Steve took over all the duties of raising her and when Tony - who, I'm pretty sure, had been in love with Steve since they'd first teamed up, so many years before - saw him going into Mr. Mom mode, he jumped in with both feet to help. Any outside observer could tell Sally was going to finally bring them together, though it took another few years for it all to be official. Jean and I were happy for them, but it was hard to watch them with Sally and not want a child of our own. So, when Sally had been with us for over a year, Jean and I approached the boys with the request that would change all our lives: we wanted a baby.
Jean and I had been together since we were at Xavier's. We'd been best friends and falling in love was just the natural progression of things. I'd always assumed we'd have children eventually - when our lives settled down a bit, when the time was right. But I don't think Jean really considered it until Sally came into our lives. She was more practical than me, and more shy about living a life outside being a super hero. Sally changed a lot of things.
We discussed all our options - adoption, anonymous donor - and when we decided on asking for a donor, we made a list of all the men we'd known and admired over the years. But the decision was obvious from the beginning; Steve and Tony had been a part of our lives for years, they were our closest friends. This would finally make us all family.
I'll remember that conversation forever. Jean and I sat the boys down and explained we wanted a baby of our own - and we wanted their help. Steve had blushed, matters of the heart always made him shy. But Tony had immediately agreed and then Steve stammered something like "of course, of course!" We all laughed and opened a bottle of wine to toast our crazy, complicated family-to-be.
The fertility specialist was amazed at how easily everything went for us, especially considering how difficult it seemed on paper. My one regret is that none of Jean's eggs were viable. It was almost like something was interfering with it. But we got twins - one mine and Steve's and one mine and Tony's. It was perfect.
I enjoyed being pregnant. There was never a question of who would carry the twins; Jean had no desire to be "the baby oven" as she put it. She was perfectly happy to be the supportive partner in charge of getting late night snacks and massaging swollen feet. Jean was at every appointment and the whole family came to the ultrasound where we found out the twins were boys. Tony was so thrilled with the idea of a son, even if he was a Maximoff-Grey.
The pregnancy was a dream, so the premature birth was a surprise. I blame Tommy myself - he's always running ahead of things. Everyone was out when I went into labor, it was just me and Sally. I'd been off the roster starting with the second trimester but I'd convinced the others I could be left alone since there hadn't been any complications. So, they were somewhat surprised when I called to say I was having contractions. Jean was a bit frantic but the guys were on top of things. Tony apparently had a plan set up, I'm not sure why we were surprised at that actually. Anyway, they came home and Dr. Strange showed up within the hour. We'd planned to have the babies at the mansion and even though it was early I wanted to try and stick with that plan. Stephen said premature labor was normal with twins.
But the hours went on and things weren't going well. I got stuck at about 8 centimeters dilated and labor wasn't progressing. I'd desperately wanted to have the twins naturally but something was wrong. Stephen and Jean discussed the options while Tony kept me calm. I'm not sure where Steve was, probably with Sally. I wasn't really in pain, but I was frightened - we'd been waiting for this moment for over a year and nothing had gone wrong in all that time. But now, all of a sudden, there were complications that threatened the twins' lives.
They decided on an emergency cesarean section. Stephen explained he thought the lead twin was face down and blocking the birth canal and in order to safely deliver them he needed to operate. He didn't feel comfortable performing the procedure in the mansion so Tony called the hospital to set it all up and Stephen teleported all five of us directly to Labor and Delivery. Steve left Sally with the Howletts next door. It was really rather comical, Jean, Steve and Tony all crowded around me; I don't think anyone had told the anesthesiologist who to expect when they'd called her in. She was a bit shocked to find Iron Man, Captain America, Phoenix, Dr. Strange and the Scarlet Witch but her professionalism took over and everything went smoothly.
William Anthony Maximoff-Grey was born at 9:07 PM and Thomas Steven was born four minutes later. Despite the prematurity they were only a bit smaller than full-term babies and there were surprisingly no issues with the maturity of their lungs. The hospital required us to stay eight days in the NICU but the twins were in good health and we all got to go home together sooner than most premies. Jean and I stayed at the hospital the whole time and the rest of the family came and went constantly. Steve and Tony brought Sally; and Pietro, never very far away, brought his daughter the second day. I sometimes wish the kids had grandparents to dote on them but I guess having four parents makes up for it. The rest of our friends and family waited until we were home to come see the twins. Lorna was predictably nearly the last to show up, but she's become almost Billy's favorite person in the world so I'm not complaining.
Anyway, I have a thin scar low on my belly where Stephen cut me open to deliver my babies. I could very easily magic it away but I never would. That scar represents everything I have ever wanted - a wife, two children, the closest and best family in the world. I wouldn't trade it for anything.