Raven and Eric arrived from Washington early afternoon the following Sunday, they only had a few hours to spare between a fundraiser on Saturday and a congressional session on Monday. So, they were flying out to find out what was so terribly important that they both must attend, then they would stay for dinner before flying back to Washington that evening. They arrived to an empty school, most of the children were off on a field trip.
"Charlie, will you finally tell us what is going on," Raven said, after they had greeted her brother and were settled down with tea. So far there was no sign of Marie.
"I was serious when I said I wasn't sure the exact nature of the issue at hand," Charles replied, "Victor came to me and said Marie needed to speak with you both on very important matters, the only thing he would say further was that both of you needed to be here to hear what she had to say, she is on her way down though so you will find out shortly I don't doubt-- In the meantime, how have things been in Washington?"
--
Marie, meanwhile, had seen her parents arrive from her bedroom window and proceeded to have a panic attack. It took both Logan and Victor, and about twenty minutes, to calm her down, but they eventually did it, and all headed downstairs to the Professor's office. As soon as they turned the corner and were in view of the door, Marie promptly spun around and tried to run back upstairs.
"Marie, stop!" Logan said, catching hold of her and hugging her to him tightly. "It's going to be okay, I've got you, and I'm never letting go, if this all turns to shit at least this will be the last time you have to see them," he added, drawing an amused huff out of Marie, before she wiped her tears away, took a deep breath, and turned back to the office.
Victor was waiting for them at the office door, and with a reassuring glance he knocked and opened the door. Walking into the room, followed by Logan, who had a firm grip on Marie's hand, as he led her in behind them.
Spotting Marie's red puffy eyes, Raven rose immediately, stepping between Logan and Marie to wrap her arms around her daughter.
"Oh, darling what's going on, we've been so worried since we got Charles's message, are you alright?" she asked, ignoring the fact that Marie didn't release Logan's hand, even as she one arm hugged her mother in return.
"We have something to tell you, you're not going to like it though," she said, just loud enough for those in the room to hear.
"Well, sit down and start talking then, I don't think my nerves can take much more of this," Raven replied, stepping back to her own seat, leaving Marie and Logan to the couch. Victor had already taken a seat, whispering a cryptic, 'you're going to need something stronger than tea', to the Professor.
Marie opened her mouth to speak, snapping it shut when nothing came out, before she dissolved into a fit of nervous giggles, blurting suddenly, "I'm pregnant."
The room was instantly silent, you could have heard a pin drop, as those who already knew, waited for a reaction from those who were just finding out. As the hall clock ticked slowly, the silence stretched.
"You're what?" Raven replied softly, after a silence of about twenty seconds.
"I am pregnant," Marie repeated, "I'm having a baby, Logan and I are having a baby, he or she is due in September."
"... No, no you are not, if this is true... an abortion will sort the problem," Raven announced. "I can't believe this, how could you do that to my poor little girl," she fumed at Logan, before turning to Charles and Victor. The look of surprise on Charles's face told her he hadn't known, Victor on the other hand was not fazed by the news. "You knew! Did you know what they were doing, how could you let this happen, you're supposed to be a teacher, you're supposed to be supervising these children. How did this happen!?" By the time she was finished her tirade she was shouting at the room.
Logan held Marie's hand reassuringly, hoping she didn't dissolve into another panic attack but surprisingly it was she who answered her mother. Standing to her own feet, though keeping a tight grip on Logan's hand, she spoke clearly and firmly, no trace of the meek, scared girl she had been upstairs.
"Yes, we are teenagers, teenagers that are old enough to do silly things that put us in less than ideal circumstances, but that is life, that's just what happens, don't you dare blame Logan, it wasn't his fault any more than mine, I was there too you know, I was just as culpable- as is the condom factory for making substandard product- As for who knew, until we told Victor earlier this week no one knew except us, we kept it a secret, we snuck out, probably broke nearly every rule of this place," she admitted, ignoring the mildly amused looks on the faces of the men in the room at her admission, "And now we have the consequence of our choices laid out in front of us, it's not ideal but we've got this. We made this baby, we are having this baby, and we are raising this baby, this is not a matter for debate, and don't you dare, ever again, suggest murdering my child!" The room fell silent again as the two women faced off against each other across the room.
Logan couldn't help but be worried for Marie, she was so upset she was shaking and it wasn't good for either her or the baby, but he had to let her say her piece. It was Charles who broke the silence, noting an unexpected sight that it seemed had slipped everyone else's recognition.
"Marie, how are you touching Logan?" he asked, eyes fixed on the teens bare hands, clutching each other.
Relaxing slightly, Marie took her seat again. "Logan helped me learn to control it, well, he gave me someone to practice touch until I could touch without sucking them in," she answered.
"May I ask what prompted you to make such a dangerous attempt?" Charles queried.
"It was expanding on an idea you had," Marie replied softly. "You suggested I might have had a bad experience with touch which made my mutation react, Logan suggested maybe it was rather that I didn't... have any good memories of touch... and if I found someone I trusted, and wanted to touch, I might be able to teach my skin that it didn't always have to react... Turns out he was right," Marie replied with a sad smile.
"I'm sure he's been able to teach you a lot about 'touching'," her mother sneered, "I do not want him near my daughter ever again, I want him expelled, or I will be removing Marie, one or other of them goes. And whether you like it or not Marie, I am your mother and I know what is best for you, there is a clinic half an hour away that can do the procedure we will..."
"That had better not have been an insinuation to murder my child," Marie interrupted, glaring at her mother again. "I am not having an abortion and Logan had better not be expelled, I will also not be leaving. Before you say anything else-" Marie continued, when it looked like her mother was going to start speaking again- "I saw a lawyer on Friday, short of a court order you cannot force me to have an abortion, if you try to get that, or try to change my school, or remove me from the State, I will apply for legal emancipation and a restraining order, and you will never see or hear from me, or my child, ever again," she stated forcefully, before she dropped Logan's hand and marched out of the room.
"You really don't want this playing out in front of the courts and media Raven, keep that in mind," Victor added, as Logan took to his feet and hurried after Marie.
A few minutes later the teens returned, Marie looking a lot calmer than when she had left. Silently they took their seats, and waited for whatever the adults had to throw at them next.
"Young man what do have to say for yourself in this situation?" Eric asked coolly of Logan.
"There isn't really anything to say that hasn't already been said, we fu-messed up, now we've got to face the consequences, I will say though, that I love your daughter, a lot, and I have no intention of going anywhere without her, and certainly not leaving her to deal with this alone, we can, and we will, make this work, it won't be easy but we'll do it, we're not asking you to like it, we're just telling you how it is," he replied. He was surprised when Eric's response was simply a nod of his head, and a look of grudging respect.
The teens were dismissed a short time later, once it was clear there were no further questions or comments for them. Ominously, the parents remained, to speak 'in private'.
--
They were both on the couch, Marie was asleep with her head resting on Logan's thigh as he combed his fingers through her hair, when Victor returned to the suite, two hours later.
"Well?" Logan asked, rousing Marie, who sat up with a sleepy yawn as she stretched.
"Come on back downstairs," he said, before leading the sombre pair back to the Professor's office. Marie's parents were still in attendance, though they both still looked annoyed, Raven in particular was a lot calmer.
"Your parents, and the school, have some further guidelines for you," Charles explained as the pair took seats opposite the group of adults.
"First, I would like to reiterate, that your father and I still feel the best course of action is for you to get an abortion, however-" Raven stated, pointedly glancing at Marie when she looked like to interrupt- "As neither of you appear willing to entertain that notion we will not mention it again except to say, it remains an option only for the next eight weeks, if you change your mind Marie we can facilitate, and that is my final say on that matter, I will not mention it again," Raven finished.
Marie didn't bother to reply that there was no way in hell she would be changing her mind, she figured the scowl on her face probably said better than her words. Logan was just relieved that was the end of that topic, no way would he ever agree to his baby being killed.
"Very well," Charles continued, "Your relationship is not to become a gossip topic, at least not one facilitated by you two, we understand a ring has been exchanged but no PDA in front of the other students, though I don't see that as being an issue for you given we understand you have so far kept your relationship under wraps for some months.
"Approaching your arrival date, and to allow both parents to adequately partake in parental duties, changes will need to be made to living arrangements, one suggestion has been for Marie to swap rooms with Victor, so that Logan and Marie, and the new baby, can share the suite, the adults are all in agreement that this can be left to you three to determine.
"While underage- relations, are frowned upon, in this instance, the damage is done, your curfew remains in place but your actions, carried out in your own room, are your business only, no more sneaking off to far corners of the grounds to 'hook up' if you please," Charles finished, watching as both teens blushed, even as they tried to smother their matching grins.
"Is that all?" Marie asked, after having nodded in agreement with each 'new rule'.
"From the school's perspective, yes, that is all, your parents have a few further comments to make I believe," Charles replied with an amused grin. Logan groaned internally, he had a feeling his dad at least was going to make this embarrassing.
"Marie, my dear," Eric started, "I would first like to apologize to you, your comments about not having good memories around physical contact, hurt me greatly, mostly because I realised my own shortcomings as your father, for that I am most truly sorry, I love you more than you will ever know, even when I don't do a very good job at showing it, I hope you can forgive me," he finished, kneeling in front of her as she began to sob, gathering her up in an embrace. They sat, holding each other for some time before her mother approached, expressing the same sentiments, and held her too.
When Marie took her seat again, she glanced over at Logan who was genuinely smiling, he hugged her too, whispering in her hair that he was happy for her. As she wiped away her tears, nothing could wipe away the brilliant smile on her face.
"Now, it is a little disconcerting that our... future son in law... didn't seek permission from us before requesting our daughters hand, however, as this is clearly what you both, at this stage, want, we will allow you your 'engagement', we will however not be giving our blessing for you to marry before Marie is eighteen, a lot can happen in two years, especially with a child added to the mix, we want you both to be fully certain of your decision before committing further to one another," Eric continued, Victor nodded in agreement.
"And we want regular updates through Marie's pregnancy, including ultrasound images, and to be notified as soon as Marie goes into labour, we can't guarantee either one of us will make it for the birth but we will come to see the child as soon as we can," Raven added.
"All I'll add to that is, no knocking her up again until after you're both finished school," Victor added, with a chuckle at the grimace Logan pulled as Marie blushed and giggled.
"I think we can all agree on that one," Charles agreed with a smirk, "If you need a birth control prescription after the baby is born Marie, Hank can provide that." Marie just blushed even brighter and nodded sheepishly.
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