Someone's Loss is Always Someone's Gain (open)

[Victor Creed]

Victor was here...slightly against his will. Granted he wanted to make sure their kid would be okay, and he also wanted to pin Phoenix to a wall. So, it was partly selfish as well. Though this recent lack of activity was making his claws itch in general. He was going to have to find something to preoccupy his time or he may just end up taking it on the other Brotherhood members. At least any that were bold enough to linger in the halls when he was in them.

"All right Doc, let's get this over with." He almost couldn't hold back that snarl of irritation on his face as he walked over to the examination table and merely stood next to it. He didn't need to sit down to get the blood out of his arm so he wasn't going to bother. As far as he was concerned he'd give the blood and leave the room just as quickly as he barged in.

Victor ignored any banter the doctor would go on with, again he didn't care. He'd ball his hand into a fist to let the blue furred man stab the needle into his arm and take the blood that he needed. Meanwhile half hoping that the doctor would try something so that he could get his claws bloody.

[The Phoenix]

Phoenix had been sleeping most of the day. She woke up in the huge bed still curled up in the blankets. Her blonde hair fell over her eyes and her hand pushed it out of her eyes as she sat up and looked around the room. Victor was no where to be in sight. She wasn't really surprised but was slightly disappointed at the same time. She had been a lot more tired lately but the doctor said he would fix it. She was too tired to argue with him about it so she just let him go. But she didn't like being this tired. She needed something to fix it.

The woman stood up stretching her legs out and made her way to the shower. The water was hot and soothing as she washed herself and soon got ready for the day. It was her usual yoga pants with an off the shoulder grey shirt that hung on her loosely. It was comfortable and she was liking it. Her hand absent mindedly ran over her stomach as she opened the door to her and Victor's quarters making her way back down to the labs again. She knew the doctor would be there and she wanted to see if he could fix how tired she was.

She walked into the room and looked up seeing Victor standing there getting his blood taken. It made her happy that he was willing to give up something so precious to help her and the baby. She knew how he felt about his blood being taken and she had only asked because she needed it. She waited until they were done and she walked over closer to him.

"Hi..."

[Hank McCoy]

Henry was surprised to see Victor so early in the morning and ready to offer his blood to the 'cause'. He had to hide the smirk as he spoke. "Well that is good. I doubt Phoenix could take much longer than nine months of those horomones. Might just end up taking out the whole base." He commented though it seemed Victor was ignoring him while he set up the needle and vial to take the blood sample he needed.

His attention was only diverted when he saw Phoenix walk into the room. His smirk faded slightly then but he was quickly distracted by the full vial of blood. Once he had that in hand he left Victor and Phoenix to themselves while he moved to his instruments. He placed the vial into the scanner, where it would analyze and show Victor's DNA and highlight the specific mutant genes in those strands.

Henry was distracted while he matched up DNA strands of Victor, Phoenix and the baby. If he could just isolate the healing factor gene, then he should be able to increase the child's development. The problem would be that the gene wasn't going to be destroyed, even if he tried he wouldn't be able to get every one of them and they would merely regenerate.

[Victor Creed]

Victor didn't even so much as flinch as the needle went into his arm. He watched as his blood filled the vial and couldn't help but to sneer a little as the needle was taken out of his arm and disappeared with the doctor. But before he seemed to realize that Phoenix was right there next to him. He already told her that he was going to do this, what more did she want?

Amber eyes glanced over to the blue furred man for a moment before he seemed to settle the tension in his muscles and looked back to Phoenix. "Hi.." What else was he going to say? She knew why he was there and he figured she was there, either to check up on him or see the doctor. He wasn't really sure what to do in this situation. He was still trying to seem like he hadn't gone soft because of her. He really hadn't. He still was the same blood thirsty man he always was but he had to admit...at least to himself he was a lot calmer recently. Perhaps that was only because of the baby, it was hard to say really.

And what could he say to her right now? The doctor was standing just over there and anything he said to her would be heard by him for certain. He didn't want to show any weakness infront of the X-man.

[The Phoenix]

She watched the doctor move over to some instruments and start working with the blood he had just taken from Victor. She figured that right now wasn't the right time to ask him about medicine for her fatigue. But maybe he would be done in time with Victor's blood to help the baby. It needed to grow and without Victor's blood that wouldn't be possible for awhile and she didn't think that she could deal with being pregnant for that much longer. She was tired and in pain and was just sick of it.

"Are you staying or do you have something to do?"

The blonde looked up at Victor as she walked over to the table and sat down. The doctor was smart and she knew it wouldn't take him long. But even if it did take a little bit longer then she would ask him about the medicine for her fatigue. She just wanted to go back to sleep though. There was slight movement in her womb and her hand laid on her stomach for a minute breathing. She was almost done. She was eight months now and she was almost done. But she felt like something was wrong. In the pit of her stomach she didn't feel right. Like something was going to happen. But she would never tel Victor that. She didn't want to seem weak. She wanted to be strong again even though right now she was at her most vulnerable. She looked back over at the doctor.

"Did you figure anything out, Doctor?"

[Hank McCoy]

Beast was in his own little world as he looked at the DNA and started to un-splice and re-splice genetic coding. He worked faster than an average human could. Not to mention that he already had quite the amount of experience in these matters. He ignored the presence of Phoenix and Victor in the room while he worked.

Excellent. Everything was working the way he wanted it to. Now the only thing to do was to see if the serum he just created would work. And the only way to figure that out was by testing it. Poor Phoenix. Of course he had an idea of what would happen, but he wasn't sure if it would do that...or not. Well here went nothing. Though while he prepared the serum he also started a recording program so that he could study the effects of this serum at work.

Turning about with a small smile he looked at the two. "Well I believe I have found an answer to your little problem. I would have just stuck it out but if you really want to do this, then I should be able to increase the child's growth to the term that it should be in."

[Victor Creed]

Victor held back a growl as he watched Beast return to the table. There was something different about him but he couldn't quite but a claw on it. There was just something off. He stayed quiet while circling about the table to allow the doctor to be closer to Phoenix. If the doctor thought that he could do such a thing then he wasn't going to stand in the way.

He looked down to Phoenix as she laid on that bed. He could see how tired she was and wanted that firey woman back in his life....even if she was a pain at times. He'd wait and see if this serum was going to work. He only hoped that it would so there wouldn't be much time left before the baby would be here. Then maybe life could go back to being normal...well as normal as possible perhaps. Babies did tend to change things after all. And the pure fact that he was actually going to be around for this kid. Well as long as she hadn't decided to leave with the kid. It wouldn't really surprise him and part of him wouldn't care. The problem was that there was that part that would be greatly angered by it.

[The Phoenix]

She laid there with her eyes drifting in and out for a couple minutes. This wasn't how she wanted it and she planned on never having another kid again if it was going to be this bad. She had never really planned on having any kids but that was before she had Victor in her life. This had all been a surprise to both of them and an even bigger surprise that they were both going through with it and still together. She often had thoughts throughout this whole ordeal of just giving up and letting Victor "take care of the little problem" as he so eloquently put it so many times. Then maybe things would be back to normal...or what they called normal. But then she would go back into mothering mode and she wanted this. She wanted to be a mother and to see her daughter grow and thrive. Sometimes she even thought that if there had been the chance that their daughter wasn't a mutant she would still love her. There was nothing like a mother's love and there was nothing like love from Phoenix. It burned so brightly and fiercely that sometimes it seemed dangerous.

She opened her eyes again and watched Victor pace around the table she was laying on. He was making her dizzy but she couldn't stop watching him. He was irritated and uneasy about something. She figured it was probably the fact that the Doctor had his blood. But there was something else. She just so desperately wished that this would be over soon and this new serum would work. Phoenix was happy and thankful that Victor had stayed with her for this. His presence was comforting in a way. That if anything went wrong he would be there and fix it and protect her.

[Hank McCoy]

Beast smirked at the lack of reaction Phoenix, but of course he had noticed the glare from Victor. He ignored it as the serum was exchanged from vial to syringe. And just as quickly he had the syringe's needle slipped into Phoenix's arm and injected the liquid. He wasn't sure hold long it would take to effect her body but it was only a matter of time.

When the serum would take effect she'd feel it first. That child growing in her body but certainly her body was not prepared for it. Unable to stretch and adapt quick enough for the child's development.

Meanwhile he simply watched and recorded what was happening before him. This was interesting...interesting indeed. He wondered how long her body would be able to handle the stress. And what would happen first? The birth of the child or the death of the mother? Or would the mighty Phoenix be able to survive such a thing? He wasn't sure but he would be sure to map each fragment of data that he would be given as this happened.

But perhaps he shouldn't be so distracted with his data.

[The Phoenix]

She had heard the Doctor speak but she didn't care at the moment and had chosen to ignore him as she continued to watch Victor with her half closed eyes. If he had found a way to fix this then he needed to do so. She wouldn't stay pregnant for longer than she needed to be. With Victor's power in her who knew how long that would take. It could take years and she doubted her or Victor could survive that. It was a miracle they had survived this long. Her eyes still followed him though. Every movement, every facial expression, every twitch of his claws.

The only time she stopped watching him was when the blue man walked up to her and took her arm. The sting from the needle entering her skin didn't effect her much but she watched it. The liquid flowed into her veins and her arm was placed back on the bed. She wondered how long this would take. If it was instant or if it was going to take a couple more days or weeks. She closed her eyes for a second almost falling asleep at the same time then she felt movement in her womb. Her hands rested around her stomach and she opened her eyes looking down at it in curiosity. She could feel the baby moving and even growing. That was fine thought but what freaked her out the most was her stomach was moving slightly from the baby growing.

Phoenix kept watching though. It wasn't painful, it was more annoying than painful really. But then her eyes widened more and she gasped as the pain suddenly set it. It started in her lower back and seeped around to her front. She clenched her fingers around her stomach and groaned. Whatever the Doctor had done was working but it seemed like it was working too fast. She had a month left to go but with this serum it seemed like that month had just passed and the baby was coming now. The pain passed for a minute and then started up again stronger than before as she groaned again exclaiming her discmfort somewhat.

"Victor...."

[Victor Creed]

Victor watched as the serum was injected into her. He wondered what was going on exactly but for the time being stayed silent. At first it seemed like it wasn't doing anything and then he could see it with his eyes just as well as Phoenix could. The child was growing...and fast. He sneered slightly as he looked over to Beast. "What have you done? What is happening to her?" His voice started to sound with a growl while he attempted to leave himself on the other side of that table rather than on the side Beast was. Otherwise he may have had his claws in the blue furred man already.

Once she spoke his name his attention diverted down to her. "Hey...Darlin'." He could sense something wasn't going right and for once seemed to decide to be rather tender with her at that moment. He moved his hand up to brush his finger over her cheek. "It'll be okay..." Though as he said those words to her his eyes turned to look at Beast with an intent and evil glare. If she wasn't going to be okay the doctor would surely pay for it.

[Hank McCoy]

Beast was still watching the whole event infront of him and mentally calculating data. He couldn't remove the mutant gene from the child so he had to manipulate it. It seemed to be working but perhaps a little too fast. Oh well. The child would certainly be back to the slow aging at some point...he just wasn't really sure when the serum's effects would wear off.

Those eyes peered over rims of his glasses as Victor sideways threatened him. He didn't even seem to flinch at it as he started to hook up a few instruments to Phoenix to keep tabs on her vitals. He also put a heart monitor around her stomach and looked at the data that came streaming over nearby monitors. Interesting. It seemed her body was adapting to the growing child but not quite quick enough. He was going to have to try something. Another syringe was taken and placed on a tray while he hooked up an IV into her arm for some fluids. The syringe then picked up again to be injected straight into that IV line. It was a drug to help enduce labor and hopefully her body would get the message quick enough.

[The Phoenix]

Phoenix could feel the child moving and growing. The pain seeped down deeper into her body and made her cry out from the intensity of it. It was too fast. This was all happening too fast. She was scared now. Scared that something was terribly wrong. Her hands stayed on her stomach that was swelling more by the minutes. It stopped after a time and the pain in her lower back and pelvis got worse. She saw the Doctor hooking her up to instruments and an IV. She didn't want anymore drugs. But she really didn't have a choice right now. He injected a drug into her IV and after some time she felt her water break and knew that there was no turning back now no matter how much she wished she could have waited now. Her heart was beating wildly as she tried to stop from crying out from the pain.

Phoenix looked up as she heard Victor's voice next to her. His voice was soothing but she could still pick up the hint of irritation and a small residue of a growl. Her eyes were wide as she looked at him. It hurt too much and she didn't know if she could do this anymore. She had been stupid for thinking that she could. She couldn't do this. She couldn't have a baby, she couldn't be a mother, she couldn't raise a child. "It'll be okay..." Her mind stopped and she grabbed Victor's hand holding on for dear life as she heard those words. She looked him in the eyes, still scared, and nodded. He would keep her safe.

"She's coming...."

[Hank McCoy]

Beast was ignoring both of them as he stared at the monitors and prepared for was was about to happen. He prepared for the worst really. This delivery was going to be far from text book and he was going to have to be prepared. Thankfully Victor seemed distracted with the woman for now while he moved into position to see how this labor was going to turn out.

And just as he predicted her body wasn't adapting fast enough. A slight sneer came over his face as he thought of what to do. With the body not adapting and the possibility that the child was still growing, a normal birth now officially out of the question. So he continued forward. Gathering supplies and instruments he injected another liquid into Phoenix's IV. This time it was a bit of a painkiller.

He thought about telling them what he was up to but instead decided just to work. It would take too long and distract him for too long to tell them about the impending C-section. And just as quickly as he had injected that painkiller he was back to work, slicing the woman's stomach open. Thankfully a few well placed surgical blankets left his drastic approach out of view from Phoenix and Victor.

[Victor Creed]

Victor didn't say anything to her comment. He really didn't know what to say. Normally he would have gladly not been around for such a thing and here he was, standing next to her and attempting to comfort her in this situation. He stayed close to her and hadn't even noticed what the doctor was up to. He assumed that he would be doing everything he could to make things go smoothly. But we all know what happens when you assume.

After that first sliced of whatever tool that doctor used Victor could smell it. Blood was one of those scents that you never forgot...and he usually reveled in it. A growl came from him before even he realized he was reacting to it. He moved away from Phoenix just long enough to see what was happening. His muscles tensed as those cold amber eyes saw the blood and the doctor..well ripping her apart. Unfortunately if the man had wanted to do damage certainly he would have come up with a better way to do it than this. Another growl sounded from him mostly due to his lack of being able to think of an adequate threat that wouldn't alarm Phoenix. So he left it at that before he returned to her side. He was still tense but he tried to seem calmer while his hand moved to grasp her own.