There was recognition in... Eve's face. If she still had her powers, her whispers must have been working, putting information together with the scary speed and accuracy her older self was known for. If she had been turned into a kid the same way Megan did, then she was a past version of herself, someone who had not met Mirror yet. The thought made Maya's head spin. She saw the moment in Eve's face when information fell into place.

>>”I didn’t realize I was bisexual. Then again, that wouldn’t have been listed on my public record.”

Blink.

>>”Not that I am really of age to decide such things now. Whatever this, shall we call it, age reversal is, I’m afraid it has overrun what information my playbacks could have provided. But really, I can’t imagine why I would have chosen you anyway. You seem a bit mundane to me.”

...
Ouch.

"That's not... just... wha..." Maya stammered, her feelings way too confused to make a complete sentence. She shook her head, running both of her hands through her hair "You know what? We need to... talk about this... later. Like, what the... nevermind. Not now. Right now, my girlfriend has turned into a bird, and that's... that's weird, and it's a priority. So. Uh." she took a deep breath, walking over to where Becca was being examined. "So... how re you holding up?... Is she okay?"

Evelyn was a weapon in a very small body, word fired at random with no regard. In her adult life, there had been the influence of Jensen to teach her self-control and compassion. On her current form, there was no one to regulate that. She saw facts: numbers, items, people and relationships filed into different slots until they had order. She never cared who she put where. But watching the complex emotions on Maya’s face felt...strange. Like she had hurt someone. Like the numbers were not enough to convey what she had really done.

Why should it matter? She was a child now. She was smarter, and tired of adults regarding her as less because if it. If she tore one or two of them down to her level, was it so bad? Her eyes were sharp as Maya moved away, the words jumping free before she had sense to regret them, ”You know, for someone expecting a child, your ability to parent already sucks.”

“Evelyn! I thought I told you—oh.” DocProf stopped, blinking as her snarky comment registered.

Evelyn crosses her arms, and looked at Becca. Doc turned, and looked at Becca.

Oh.

Becca only had a loose idea of what was going on with Maya and the young girl. She heard the name Evelyn and a few context cues. Maya had talked about her previous relationships, and the name Evelyn came up. The X-Men were getting reports of people returning to a younger age and lacking their older memories, so it could be...

Yeah, she would mentally deal with that later. For now, she was focused on her exam and what happened to her body, so much so that she failed to register Evelyn's hypothesis until DocProf stopped and considered it. "Well... I've heard of stranger stories related to mutant pregnancies..."

"Ah'm sorry, mutant what noo?"

"I'm sorry, Rebecca, could you come with me for a moment?" Still stunned by the comment, the redhead followed into the next room to take a different kind of test.

It only took a few awkward, anxious minutes for Rebecca to step into the doorway of the office again. "Sae Maya... um, we need tae hae a chat."

Focus on Becca. That was the most important part. She could deal with her baby ex later on, but for now, someone had unexpectedly turned into a harpy, and they needed support. Especially because DocProf seemed to be at a loss. Maya decided to let Evenlyn be for now - but of course she had never been the kind of person to just be ignored.

>>”You know, for someone expecting a child, your ability to parent already sucks.”

Maya froze, looking between Eve, Doc and Becca.

"Exp... what now?"

This day was turning into a surreal fever dream. She would wake up any minute now.

>>"Well... I've heard of stranger stories related to mutant pregnancies..."

>>"Ah'm sorry, mutant what noo?"

Becca looked just as bewildered. Maya sat heavily into another chair as she went with Doc into another room. Staring into space, she tried to piece together what just happened in the past five minutes. Mutant... pregnancy? Was she... was this for real? And why would even a pregnancy turn her into a bird?

>>"Sae Maya... um, we need tae hae a chat."

"Uh... okay?" at this point, she was just going along with whatever was happening. She sighed, looking at Doc and then back ad Becca "Should we... um, go back to the room?" she glanced at Tiny Eve, wondering how all that was going to play out "Eve, I... can we talk later, maybe? I would like to, if that's ok. I just... need to..." she gestured at Becca and Doc and the invisible mutant child "first."

Boy there was a lot of talking to be done.

Rebecca was... well, there were a lot of feelings. She came in hoping to explain why she had some kind of new avian mutation, but now she barely registered how different her limbs felt. Her head was in her stomach so to speak. It was undeniable she had been feeling the desire to start a family in the near future, so there was excitement. She was also aware Maya was apprehensive of having a kid just yet. She had valid reasons to not want to rush into things, but now that was not an easy option. Becca worried how she might take this.

"Yeah, I think mebbe gonnae th' room is a guid idea. Sorry, DocProf. Sorry, um, Evelyn." Not the easiest moment to meet her if she was who Becca thought she was. There was a lot on her mind, and she would have to compartmentalize the mini-ex issue until she had a serious talk with Maya.

The walk back to the room was quiet, which only ramped up Becca's anxiety. She wanted to talk about this right away, but this was too early to have the rumor of her pregnancy running rampant through the Mansion. She did offer her hand to Maya for the walk back, because this was a big moment, for better or worse, and she needed to feel Maya here with her, even if they were both dazed and processing.

They got back to their suite and Becca checked the living room, Kalos's room, and their own room for good measure. Kalos was up and out somewhere with her friends, it seemed. Perfect; that would be its own very challenging conversation. As it stood, she had one of those to handle right now.

"Sae... a baby," she finally said. "Ah guess whatever mutation thes wee one has, it's manifestin' early. Clearly got 'at frae ye," she added with a week chuckle.

They walked back to their apartment in silence, holding hands. Maya tried to push her thoughts about Evely's return to the back of her mind; she would deal with that later. For now, they had much more important, much more life-changing news.

Becca was pregnant.

It's not like they had not talked about it. Becca told her repeatedly that she thought they were in a good place to have a baby, and Maya tended to agree, in theory. But from Becca's reaction, this was still very much unexpected. As they walked, and checked for Kalos, Maya tried to do the math in her head.

>>"Sae... a baby. Ah guess whatever mutation thes wee one has, it's manifestin' early. Clearly got 'at frae ye,"

They were alone in the room now. Maya walked over to Becca and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug, trying to not crush any of the feathers. She was not really sure what she was supposed to say.

"I love you."

It took a few moments before she managed to get her bearings, and peeled off enough to look at Becca.

"Um... but... how?" she sighed "I mean, when...? And what's with the feathers? Did Doc say?"

This was something massive. Whatever way things went, this would change her life. Their lives. Rebecca felt the nerves as she hoped she was ready for this talk.

The nerves were calmed by the tight embrace of her girlfriend. Becca was lucky to have Maya, because in that moment, a big hug and an "I love you" were exactly what she needed. They just stood there for some time, holding one another and appreciating that, whatever they did, they were in this together. They were a team, and that was always when they were at their best.

Eventually, they returned to the news at hand and Maya asked very valid questions about how they got here. "Sae Ah was thikin' abit it on th' walk over. Ah've obviously been oan th' pill, bit there was 'at bit where Ah had tae switch prescriptions. Ah was still less than a week back oan them when we went tae Budapest and... weel, ye remember hoo 'at ended." The rest of that week focused on recovery, but Rebecca recalled how they celebrated still having one another alive after that whole mess.

"DocProf'll need tae run mair tests when Ah'm further alang, but he's fairly certain thes has tae dae wi' th' baby's mutation. It micht gae away, ur if nae... weel, Ah'll learn tae live wi' it." Suddenly, the prospect of living life with wings seemed less daunting than new looming challenges.

Sighing, Becca took a seat on the couch. "Sae... Ah'm pregnant. With our baby. Please, tell me hoo yer feelin' coz Ah'm feelin' jist abit everything."

Maya was still trying to do the math in her head, but since she was not sure how far along Becca was, it was hard to have any guesses. These things happened sometimes. Maybe it was a hormone thing. Maybe it was a mutant thing. Maybe it was just dumb luck...

>>"Sae Ah was thikin' abit it on th' walk over. Ah've obviously been oan th' pill, bit there was 'at bit where Ah had tae switch prescriptions. Ah was still less than a week back oan them when we went tae Budapest and... weel, ye remember hoo 'at ended."

Maybe it was a Budapest thing.

>>"DocProf'll need tae run mair tests when Ah'm further alang, but he's fairly certain thes has tae dae wi' th' baby's mutation. It micht gae away, ur if nae... weel, Ah'll learn tae live wi' it."

Would she have to? What... kind of a mutation would do this? Were they going to have a bird baby?

Maya sat down on the couch next to Becca, wrapping an arm around her.

>>"Sae... Ah'm pregnant. With our baby. Please, tell me hoo yer feelin' coz Ah'm feelin' jist abit everything."

"Yeah. Me too." Maya admitted with a sigh "I mean... uh. Surprised?... I'm definitely surprised. And... terrified? I mean, we talked about it, but I didn't expect all this just like... um. You know. I'm just gonna blame Budapest."

Rebecca could hardly blame Maya for being surprised and terrified. She was not alone; for all Becca's talk of wanting children, now that it was a reality, this was uncharted territory. They were doing well growing into proper den mothers to the kids of the Mansion, but was that preparing them for a child of their own.

Holy hell, she was having a child with Maya. That realization was still hitting her in waves.

Becca wrapped her wings around her waist and nuzzled her head into Maya's shoulder, trying not to tickle her neck with the feathers grouped around her ear. "Blamin' Budapest seems tae be a runnin' theme with us," she joked, "bit this was always gonna come eventually, richt? Ah'm sorry it wasnae a mair planned thing." She did not want Maya feeling like Becca set everything up to spring a kid on him. This was just as much of a shock to her. Considering pregnancy had already turned her into a harpy, probably more so.

"Weel. Ye think we can dae this? Ah loove ye. Yer th' ain Ah want a family with. Jist... Ah hope we're as ready as Ah thought we were." Rebecca thought about the baby she would be meeting in less than nine months. Who would they be? What exactly was their mutation and why did it make her a bird? "Aw Ah know is Ah'm gonna loove this baby sae much. Ah want them tae grow up safe and looved and if they hae feathers, Ah hope they grow in nice and neat." The conversation was heavy, so a little levity seemed appropriate.

>>"Blamin' Budapest seems tae be a runnin' theme with us,"

"It really is" Maya chuckled. That city had thrown them onto some unexpected paths. She did not want to go back any time soon, but she was not exactly angry about the results either.

She was definitely not angry about the results.

>>"bit this was always gonna come eventually, richt? Ah'm sorry it wasnae a mair planned thing."

"You mean, a mutant kid unexpectedly dropping into our lap?" Maya smirked. It had never been their own biological kid before, but it was not like they had not been thrown random kids to take care of before.

>>"Weel. Ye think we can dae this? Ah loove ye. Yer th' ain Ah want a family with. Jist... Ah hope we're as ready as Ah thought we were. Aw Ah know is Ah'm gonna loove this baby sae much. Ah want them tae grow up safe and looved and if they hae feathers, Ah hope they grow in nice and neat."

"We can definitely do this." Maya hugged Becca closer "It's gonna be an adventure, but we have done worse... Probably." she grinned "Weee are gonna have a baby... you know, I'm okay with feathers. I'm okay with anything, really. Scales, fur, gills... I mean, I'll try to help you deal with it, obviously, since I'm not the one with the... things. But yes. Definitely yes."

Knowing she had Maya's support made the future less scary. Becca was still terrified, but she loved seeing parenthood as another adventure to share with Maya. Whoever this baby was, they would have two loving parents. "This baby is worth bein' a bird for," she decided, grinning as she cuddled up to her partner.


Becca cancelled any plans she had for the day and spent the day in the apartment, watching Binge with Maya. She did not want to do anything today besides cuddle, mentally adjust to the idea of being a mom, and preening as she smoothed out her feathers constantly.

"Ye know, nae tae brag, bit mah feathers are a very pretty shade ay magenta," Becca proclaimed playfully as she navigated removing her shirt now that bedtime was approaching. It had grown late once they got way too invested in a historical drama, Sovereignty, and midnight was approaching. Becca felt bad, because she knew being awake during a shift was weird for Mirror, but she could not help but find the process fascinating.

"Hey Maya... thanks for makin' in easy tae be excited for th' future." She planted a kiss on Maya's soft, feminine lips while they were still around and eyed the clock. 11:59. When a person went through a massive physical change every midnight, you tended to make sure the clocks were set accurately. "Noo hurry up and change; Ah wanna tell Gawain he's gonna be a dad," she teased.

As far as Maya was concerned, the day was over. All they had to do was stay in, cuddle, and try to wrap their head around the whole idea of being parents. Actual parents, not make-believe parents or other universe versions of parents. That process definitely took up most of the day, along with snacks and binge-watching TV shows. Maya was already dozing off on the couch, with Becca on top of her, when midnight approached.

>>"Hey Maya... thanks for makin' in easy tae be excited for th' future. Noo hurry up and change; Ah wanna tell Gawain he's gonna be a dad,"

Maya smiled into the kiss, and then sleepily untangled herself from the couch and from Becca's feathers.

"I guess I'm gonna be a mom and a dad, huh" she chuckled, walking over to the closet for Gawain'd clothes. She could already feel the shivers down her spine; shifting awake was not her favorite experience.

A few minutes later Gawain emerged from the bathroom, walking back to the couch.

"Soo..."

Maya went into the bathroom, likely to do the typical tasks of a bedtime ritual and shift while she was already in there. Becca pouted because the shifting of one body to another was a sight to behold, but they lived together now. It was hard to whine when she could watch the shift any given night by staying up an extra hour or two.

Ready for bed herself, Becca lifted the covers with her wing and saw the clock switch to midnight in the corner of her eye.

And that was when she felt an odd tingling in her stomach. Was tingling supposed to be a part of pregnancy? The sensation spread to her chest and out to her extremities. Her body shuddered and she winced as this wave of unusual sensation rippled across her skin.

She felt the light pop and grinding in her wings as, to her mystification, they turned back to arms. Standard human arms. Speechless, she saw the shift cascade out to her feet as they turned back as well Checking herself in the mirror, for a brief moment, her body was back to how she left it before going to sleep the night before.

And then the a second wave of tingling pulsed out from her core. Still watching herself, Becca could see her skin change in real-time. A glow overtook her, inch by inch, until she was left with a soft, shimmery glow from head to toe. "Wicked..."

Gawain stepped into the room, but Becca was already running over to the light switch. "Gawain, check this it!" She flicked off the light, leaving the room dark with the exception of the soft light coming off all the exposed skin not convcealed by her cotton shorts. "Also. Hi. Ah'm nae a bird anymair and ye're gonna be a dad."

>>"Gawain, check this it!"

Still dizzy from the shifting and the day's events, Gawain walked out of the bathroom to Becca's excited voice. The light was switched off, and for a moment he was very confused... until he noticed the glow. Becca was definitely not a bird anymore.

>>"Also. Hi. Ah'm nae a bird anymair and ye're gonna be a dad."

Gawain stared, unblinking, for a long moment.

"Did ya jus..." blink "... did you just shift at midnight?"

It was definitely a sight to behold. Okay, half-naked Becca was a sight to behold any day, but glowing like this... well. Gawain walked over to her, admiring the spectacle, and chuckled softly.

"So... is this what people mean when they talk about pregnant women glowing? How does it feel?"

Rebecca was still wrapping her head around this change. A literal minute ago, she was ready to modify her wardrobe to accommodate for wings and tailfeathers. Now she was standing in her bedroom like a topless nightlight. This baby was becoming a bundle full of mysteries and they were not even born yet. Becca thought about Impact and her multi-powered baby. She did not want to be presumptuous, but she was betting her baby could potentially match Alex in terms of parental challenge level.

> "Did ya jus... did you just shift at midnight?"

"Ah swear, this kid better hae my freckles coz they seem tae keep haeing th' same traits as ye and they're nae e'en here yet." Mutation at (and before) birth, changing at midnight. This was definitely Gawain's kid.

> "So... is this what people mean when they talk about pregnant women glowing? How does it feel?"

Rolling her eyes, Becca took brisk steps toward Gawain and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Gawain Morris, Ah think ye jist tauld yer first official dad joke." She kissed his cheek and chuckled at the corniness of it. "Ah'm gonna need ye tae keep those comin' for nine months if thes baby is gonnae keep throwin' us surprises loch thes. Becca was certain DocProf would be fascinated by this development when she came to see him next. For now, she would just appreciate the ability to wiggle her fingers and interlock them at the small of Gawain's back. The future was weird and exciting. Holding the father of her child, she could not wait.