"You know, we can always just cancel the appointment if it's something too... unexpected" Maya noted, sitting cross-legged on the bed in a t-shirt and sweatpants. Waiting up for the midnight shift had become a routine for her and Becca; since they never knew what the next random power was going to be, they both deemed it safer to stay up and see, rather than wake up to a surprise. Maya yawned and stretched, fighting the urge to go to sleep. "I mean, we probably won't get another one in the next weeks, but it's better than freaking out the entire maternity ward..."

They had an ultrasound appointment in the morning. It was hard to plan for things like that with the baby's volatile powers, so the best they could do was wait for the shift and hope for the best. DocProf did what he could in house, but he was not an OBGYN. For this, they had to go to an actual (although mutant-friendly) hospital.

"How are you feeling?"

When the shock of being pregnant wore off and it dawned on Becca that she knew nothing about being pregnant, the Scot dove hard into research. She wanted to know what to expect, what was normal, what to look out for, and what she had to plan in advance. Having a baby meant a lot of preparation and appointments, and she was lucky she kept her job as a teacher to coast off a good healthcare plan rather than cobble together something as a full-time ViewTuber.

It was a nervous time. Nervous, but exciting. Knowing what they had to look forward to in the morning, Becca was unsure of how she was expected to sleep. "We'll make it wark," she determined resolutely, before the realism kicked in. "Weel, unless Ah'm literally tay dangerous tae tak' it ay th' Mansion. Ur tay covered in fur ur feaithers ur whatever tae gie properly ultrasoonded." Which, based on some past days, was a possibility. She sighed. "Thes has bin a weird pregnancy."

She wished she could have just gone a day early. Today was something nonchalant; it was not even until mid-day when Becca realized she was feeling nourished while out in the sun. (And thus, she added photosynthesizing skin to her growing list.) She had already started getting repeated mutations, so she guessed there was a set grouping and wanted to document what to expect.

Now they had to wait for midnight to see how complicated her body was going to make things. They had a minute or two left, so Becca was standing near the foot of the bed on her cotton shorts and a t-shirt. If she was going to change into something dangerous, she did not want to ruin their bedsheets. Again. "Ah'm feelin' guid. Nervoos. That's normal, reit?" She wanted to be more confident, but Becca was prone to overthinking. "Ah jist... wi' everythin' we awreddy know, Ah jist want tae ken they're healthy."

Of course, it was not like she was going there alone. Smiling, she turned the question around. "Hoo abit ye? Excited tae meit uir first kid? Weel, first ain who's actually yours this time?" No more fake-out kids; this was the real deal.

Maya knew Becca was nervous. She had been rolling with the punches like the true X-man she was, but her new set of random powers would have freaked anyone out even if it had not been attached to carrying a baby. It was one hell of a two for one.

>>"We'll make it wark... Weel, unless Ah'm literally tay dangerous tae tak' it ay th' Mansion. Ur tay covered in fur ur feaithers ur whatever tae gie properly ultrasoonded. Thes has bin a weird pregnancy."

"You can say that again" Maya sighed, smiling at her girlfriend "You are doing great, Becca. We can always get another appointment. DOn't sweat it too much."

Asking for another day was still better than making a show out of the whole thing at the hospital. They were mutant friendly, sure, but they were not unshakable.

>>"Ah'm feelin' guid. Nervoos. That's normal, reit? Ah jist... wi' everythin' we awreddy know, Ah jist want tae ken they're healthy."

"Totally normal. I'd be worried if you weren't nervous." Becca was keeping off the bed for practical reasons, but she scooted over to hold her hand. "This kid is a power house. They are totally okay."

>>"Hoo abit ye? Excited tae meit uir first kid? Weel, first ain who's actually yours this time?"

"Oh I'm freaked the f*** out." Maya grinned. Her body was all tingly, signaling the approach of midnight "But there's no one I'd rather do this with than you... Feeling anything funny yet?"

It was nice, in such uncertain, trying times, to have Maya to lean on. Doing this on her own would have been overwhelming, but her significant other had a way of keeping her centered and, at most, whelmed. Maya reassured her that rescheduling would not be a problem, and they would make this work eventually. The nervous redhead smirked. "True, bit Ah hope we dinnae hae tae, coz Ah'm really excited tae see them for th' first time."

Accepting Maya's offer of support, Rebecca brushed her thumb along the back of the hand. She was right; this was their child, and they were going to be a fighter, just like their parents. Two freaked out fighter parents. At least they really were in this together. "Same. Ah've gie yer back, as aways," she reminded her playfully.

"Ah dinnae tend tae feel a lead-up honestly. It jist sorta hits at once." Keeping an eye on the clock, which they made sure to keep well-synced at all times, Rebecca kept her grip on Maya's fingers loose in case she was suddenly on fire and needed to release her quickly.

The time shifted, but Rebecca's hand remained normal and warm to the touch. Well, that hand, at least. Wincing, not in pain, but just at an odd tingling sensation in her shoulders and sides, Rebecca noticed growths forming under her shirt as her back muscles shifted. It took a second to piece together what she was gaining, but when she did, she laughed. Carefully, she pulled off her shirt so the extra arms trapped under it could move freely. Just two arms matching her normal, freckly human arms.

Looking down at the hand she held, then back up to its owner, now Gawain, Becca smirked. "Ah hink Ah jist becam th' world's best hugger. Ah hope yoo're ready tae snuggle." Once they figured out how to properly navigate her new limbs, of course.

>>"True, bit Ah hope we dinnae hae tae, coz Ah'm really excited tae see them for th' first time."

Maya was too. It still felt surreal, with all the surreal things going on, to be becoming a parent. A real parent, with a real baby. It would have been different if they had normal lives, without powers and vigilante jobs and rips in time and space and assassin parents and de-aged evil exes. Then all they would have had to worry about was seeing their baby for the first time.

Time shifted, and so did Mirror. A couple of deep breaths and the whole-body tingling subsided. Gawain opened his eyes, rolling his neck. Shifting awake was still not his favorite thing.

Becca made a funny face, and took her shirt off. Normally that was one of his favorite things, but...

"Yikes."

Okay, so that was probably not the best reaction to seeing your girlfriend grow an extra set of arms. But hey, he was trying his level best.

>>"Ah hink Ah jist becam th' world's best hugger. Ah hope yoo're ready tae snuggle."

"Aaaah... whoa." Gawain blinked, watching her move four arms like she was some kind of a very pale Indian deity "Okay, that's not bad... How does it feel?"

Their lives were different, and they were far from what one might consider traditional parents. Even if they were just two unmarried mutant parents, one of whom would alternate as a father or mother, they would be a special case. Instead, they were X-Men, and unusual situations constantly found them because that was who they were.

And yet, waiting for their first ultrasound, things felt surprisingly normal. Normal until Becca's new baby mutation manifested and Gawain was stunned by her multi-armed transformation. "Oy!" Thankfully for him, if he had any plans of being cuddled tonight, he walked back his initial surprise, though she still stuck her tongue out at him. Testing her new arms, she had them run her fingers through her hair, which felt as natural and calming as if she did it with her main hands. "Yeah, as far as my surprise bag mutations gae, this isnae bad. Heck, they e'en match th' rest ay me." And did not turn her red or pink, which were already options on her list.

Covering her mouth with one hand as she yawned, she let two of her other arms help her crawl onto the bed now that she was confirmed to be harmless. Oddly, she was trying to figure out what to do with her third arm, because it seemed unnecessary in getting her to bed. Lacking any better idea, she brushed her palm against Gawain's scruffy cheek. "Hoo abit ye? Feelin' th' shiftin' tiredness? Ah'm still a wee bit wired, bit Ah'm sure ye can gie me ready for bed somehow." Whether that meant snuggling or something less innocent, she could leave that up to Gawain's preference.

>>"Yeah, as far as my surprise bag mutations gae, this isnae bad. Heck, they e'en match th' rest ay me."

Well, unless her extra hands started shooting fireballs or something, they were in the clear for the night. Becca crawled into bed, which was a most unusual sight now that she had four hands to do it. Gawain shifted, making space for her as she touched his cheek.

>>"Hoo abit ye? Feelin' th' shiftin' tiredness? Ah'm still a wee bit wired, bit Ah'm sure ye can gie me ready for bed somehow."

Gawain blinked, arching an eyebrow at Becca.

"Alright, so, um. I'm not gonna lie, you got four hands and no shirt on right now so my brain is going places. But also, on the other ha..." be bit the pun back just in time "... but also. Do you realize what this is gonna look like on the ultrasound?..." he added with an amused chuckle.

This really was an adventure, but Becca was committed to Gawain as her adventuring partner. They would find their way together.

For now, Rebecca was finding her way into the covers of their bed, ready to get cozy with her partner. While Gawain and their friends may have joked that Rebecca was insatiable, that was not the whole story. Yes, when they got cozy, Rebecca felt the urge to get handsy, but she was not the only one to feel the magnetic pull of attraction. Gawain was just as much to blame, in her opinion, and his mind was already envisioning how to put Becca's four hands to good use.

Slipping behind Gawain, Rebecca's hands were already wandering. Two hands ran their fingers through Gawain's shorter hair, with her convenient new hands slipping into her boyfriend's t-shirt. "Maybe they dinnae hae wee little arms yet," she suggested, though her mind was already elsewhere. "And if they dae, Ah'm sure a look at me woods explain it. We'll worry abit it tomorrow," she murmured, her hands getting more daring.

Becca was definitely getting the hang of having an extra set of hands. One day in the near future this was going to be a useful skill for a parent. For now... it was a useful skill for something else. Gawain chuckled as she snuggled in next to him. Leave it to Becca to get distracted like that.

>>"Maybe they dinnae hae wee little arms yet. And if they dae, Ah'm sure a look at me woods explain it. We'll worry abit it tomorrow,"

"Alright, sounds like a plan" Gawain muttered, smiling as he kissed her.

***

The appointment was in the morning, so sleeping in, sadly, was not really an option. Once they disentangled themselves from the sheets (and Becca's various arms), it was a quick trip to the hospital via the mirrors. Gawain already knew the route, and deemed it easier than driving. Most of the regular doctors and nurses were not surprised anymore when someone appeared in the waiting area through a bathroom mirror...

Of all the mutations her unborn child had saddled her with, extra hands had the potential to be one of the best. Sure, she was going to draw eyes, but that was balanced out by the ability to multitask getting ready in the morning. It was also not bad at really appreciating time with her boyfriend the night before. If that meant she had to wear a tanktop with wide arm-holes to the hospital, she could live with that minor wardrobe alteration.

The trip in the morning was quick thanks to her boyfriend's ability to find a convenient shortcut through the mirror world. She felt full-stomached and it was not all baby. She was warned to drink a fair bit of something an hour ahead of the ultrasound, and while she was sure that was necessary, it also seemed like a great way to make her want to go to the washroom all throughout the exam.

Rebecca stifled a yawn with one of her hands while the other pushed open the bathroom door. (The spares just folded themselves under her chest to keep her limb-management... well, manageable. "Ye know, startin' early loch this is makin' me miss coffee awready." Some articles said she could safely have a cup of coffee a day, but Rebecca was taking pregnancy as an opportunity to break her caffiene vices for at least nine months. This was also reminding her how wonderful coffee had been to her. She could have been full of iced mocha instead of apple juice right now, and that was still disappointing.

They were definitely getting a few strange looks, but luckily they were not the only mutants in the waiting area. Becca managed to find clothes that fit her physical mutation of the day, and honestly, people waiting in hospital rooms were usually a lot more occupied with their own problems anyway.

>>"Ye know, startin' early loch this is makin' me miss coffee awready."

"Look on the bright side, at least we made it to the appointment without you being on fire or something" Gawain grinned.

The doctors were efficient, too; they only had to wait a few minutes past the given time when Becca's name was called. The doctor was a young man with a friendly smile and (apparently) a whole lot of paperwork.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grey, how have you been feeling?"

Early in the morning, everyone at a hospital was either slowly waking up or they were dragging from a long night of being awake. Almost no one was awake enough to process the woman with an extra set of arms walking into the waiting area with her boyfriend. Things in New York were getting more progressive, especially with other mutant patrons around, but she was willing to bet some of this acceptance was sleepiness.

Which... yeah, she could relate. "If Ah was on fire, Ah mighta still been in bed right noo. Or in a tub. Whatever." Life was about adapting, after all. "Though really, Ah cannae believe we're really here." She was not sure how to mentally prepare for a moment like this. Was she still just dreaming? Maybe she should ask Gawain to pinch her.

Fortunately, before she could ask a silly question in public, they were called to meet with her doctor. This was not their first meeting with Dr. Haywood, and as with everything, Becca had done her research to ensure the young doctor had plenty of experience. "Ah'm okay. Mair excited than Ah am tired, somehow." She did not correct the Missus; students called her Mrs. Grey sometimes, and there seemed to be an assumption by some that Becca and Gawain had progressed their relationship to the point where her title warranted a few extra letters.

"This is definitely a big step," he agreed empathetically. "They say this is when things start to really sink in and feel real."

Becca chuckled at the notion. "Ah think it's been pretty real sae far." Either that or morning sickness was just a spontaneous event for Becca. She eyed the paperwork and her glance shifted to her partner. "Ah'm sure ye can handle th' paperwork, richt? Ah've gotta prepare mah tummy, right Doctor?"

>>"If Ah was on fire, Ah mighta still been in bed right noo. Or in a tub. Whatever. Though really, Ah cannae believe we're really here."

Gawain squeezed Becca's hand. Now that the excitement of the midnight shift was done with for another fifteen hours or so, they could focus on the excitement of the ultrasound. The young doctor could probably tell they were both a little nervous. Becca had chosen him after careful consideration, and he was aware of their... unusual power situation. Even if not their marital status.

>>"Ah'm okay. Mair excited than Ah am tired, somehow."

>>"This is definitely a big step. They say this is when things start to really sink in and feel real."

Real was not even beginning to cover it. Apart from the constantly changing powers, the thought of being parents was sinking in fast, with all the practical things they needed to consider along with it.

>>"Ah think it's been pretty real sae far. Ah'm sure ye can handle th' paperwork, richt? Ah've gotta prepare mah tummy, right Doctor?"

Gawain took over the papers while the doctor showed Becca to the bed with the ultrasound machine, and helped her prepare for the examination. They already had a lot of their information, but there was always more stuff to fill out. He moved over to sit by the bed, keeping an eye on how Becca was doing.

"Are you ready?" the doctor asked, more of a friendly question than a professional one.

Rebecca was used to being part of an unconventional couple. She had a history of dating other women that was well-documented by now. Even now, with Gawain by her side, squeezing her hand in solidarity, they were still a very millennial pair, getting ready to have a child together before they planned out the idea of marriage. Becca was confident that would come in time; for now, she was happy to focus on deepening a relationship, relearning her own powers, and creating a space in her life for her impending arrival.

Like the dutiful boyfriend he was, Gawain took the paperwork without griping. He had not complained about being a helping hand for her, and he was not starting now. That allowed Rebecca to get herself up on the special chair and lift her shirt up past her stomach. "Oh, it's obvious, bit Ah sorta hae four arms. Ah dinnae know if that'll affect what we see today, bit... yeah."

"Noted, Mrs. Grey," the doctor said warmly, getting a tube of gel ready for her. "Are we finding out the sex of the baby today?"

Right, that was a thing this time! Looking to Gawain for input, Becca shrugged her main shoulders. "What dae ye think? For aw we know, our baby'll take after ye. It might be worth findin' it what they are right noo? Or maybe we want yet another baby surprise?" If there was one thing their baby was full of already, it was surprises.

Becca lay down and lifted her shirt to reveal her belly. She was not showing much yet, but it was a heartwarming sight anyway. Every time they had an appointment like this, the whole thing became more and more real.

>>"Oh, it's obvious, bit Ah sorta hae four arms. Ah dinnae know if that'll affect what we see today, bit... yeah."

>>"Noted, Mrs. Grey. Are we finding out the sex of the baby today?"

Gawain blinked, looking up from the paperwork. He was not all up to speed about what was supposed to happen when in a normal pregnancy, let alone a mutant one, but he had not been expecting that question today.

>>"What dae ye think? For aw we know, our baby'll take after ye. It might be worth findin' it what they are right noo? Or maybe we want yet another baby surprise?"

"I thought that was... a while off" he ventured, looking at the doctor "But sure, if you can tell? I mean, when I was... mom said my ultrasound showed up different every day, which makes sense. But at least we'd know what the baby is today, right?..."