Muir Island, the day after Christmas

[x-cable.livejournal.com]

Moira and Nathan have a very important request for Bridge. The impression that Rachel gives is that she's very much in agreement with her parents on the matter. GW is startled, and informs his friends that they're crazy, but agrees that yes, he will be Rachel's godfather.


"You," GW said severely to the baby, "are a messy, messy thing." Rachel just giggled and flung another block at his head. Telekinetically. There wasn't much force behind the throw and GW just shifted out of the way, grinning at the little girl on the floor as she shrieked joyfully at him. "Almost," he teased her. "Your aim's just a little bit off."

"HEE! HEE!" There was pure adoration in Rachel's big blue-gray eyes as she gazed up at him, and GW wondered if it was physically possible for him to turn into a puddle. Maybe he was developing a late-life mutation?

Moira stifled a laugh from the doorway, having far too much fun watching to interrupt the exchange between the two. Rachel took to people fast but this was unbelievable. The second GW had entered into her life, she'd had him wrapped around her little finger. Almost as fast as she had her beloved father.

Rachel promptly floated up off the floor and at GW, who held out his arms to catch her just in time. She cuddled shamelessly, cooing, and GW sighed, smiling. "It's going to be a pain in the ass getting you to actually walk, isn't it?"

"Oooooo," was the smug little reply.

Nathan joined Moira at the doorway, resting his hands on her shoulders from behind and smiling at the scene before him. #She's so got him eating out of the palm of her hand. Not that I should talk.#

Leaning back against him, she grinned up at him. #Aye, yer a complete softy when it comes ta her,# she said, her smile widening. #An' 'tis completely adorable. Think we're goin' ta be able ta get her back any time soon?# Not that she minded, this was so cute.

#I may have to wrestle him for her,# was Nathan's answer. GW finally realized that he was being watched and looked up with a sheepish smile. Rachel giggled and waved a hand at her parents. "Hey, sweetie," Nathan said.

"Are you talking to me or the baby?" GW asked with a grin.

"Oh please. I have other pet names for you, remember."

"Lovely, I'll 'ave disturbin' mental images for weeks ta come," Moira groused, sending gentle thoughts down to Rachel through their link. The littler redhead squealed and waved her arms again. "She's quite taken wit' ye."

"The feeling's mutual. I can't believe this is the same baby I was afraid to hold when she was born... okay, so she's a little sturdier-looking than she was," GW said, bouncing Rachel in his arms for a moment. She giggled happily. "You know," he said, almost casually, "I suspect very strongly she's going to have a 'cousin' about a year younger than her."

Nathan stared. "Mina?" was all he could say.

Later on, Moira would staunchly defend against the accusations that she screamed loudly. She'd also deny that she nearly bowled GW over and that it was a good thing her baby knew how to float.

Nathan stared some more at the spectacle of wife, baby, and best friend in a pile on the floor. Rachel levitated, cackling gleefully, and Nathan bit his lip, then came over and sat down beside the two of them.

"Did you just spoil someone else's surprise?" he asked GW very patiently, reaching out and detaching his wife.

"I think it's likely to be a surprise to her, as well. But I watch them all like hawks, you know. Always have," GW said cheerfully. "I spot things before they see them themselves. And Mina is throwing up in the mornings and biting David's head off at regular intervals, which isn't like her at all." He looked at Moira, grinning broadly. "Don't suppose you'd chase her down and make her find out for sure, would you? I think she's in denial."

Moira laughed cheerfully, bouncing on her tip toes for a second. "Verra glad ta do tha'," she said, grinning evilly. "She'll need a lot more rest than what she's gettin' now. Besides, I want ta see th' look on her face when I give her the results."

She shot GW a sly look. "Feelin' th' need ta add ta th' family?"

He raised both hands defensively as Rachel floated up and bounced off the ceiling. "Thankfully, I don't think Lien's the maternal type," he said. "Besides, if Mina is pregnant, I'll have two babies to spoil and then hand back when their diapers need changing. I consider that a good arrangement."

Mina, pregnant. Well, he'd suspected that would be coming before too long; she'd been entirely too taken by Rachel, and at her age, her biological clock would be ticking. Still, it was going to be extremely entertaining to see how David handled it. Smiling to himself, Nathan levitated upwards to Rachel's level. "I am terrified," he told her sternly, "of the day you figure out locks."

"Mwahaha!"

"Get her down before she starts puttin' marks on th' ceilin'." Moira sighed at GW. "When did I become this easy goin' 'bout me child floatin' around th' ceilin'?"

"You're a highly tolerant woman?" GW teased, and watched as Nathan coaxed Rachel into his arms and then floated back down to the floor. "You'd have to be, married to Mr. High Maintenance there..."

"You tell Uncle GW that he has a big mouth." Nathan told his daughter.

"Bwah! Ba-ha! Gwa!"

"Nathan? 'igh maintenance?" Moira feigned a shocked look. "Yer pullin' me leg." Rachel giggled and burbled at the face Nathan pulled at her and Moira grinned, taking the chirping baby out of his arms. "'ello, luv. Our men are completely crazy."

"EEE!"

"It's a good thing she's going to have plenty of good strong female role models to counterbalance the crazy men," GW said cheerfully, leaning back on his elbows and watching Moira and Rachel.

Nathan gave Moira a Significant Look. "Speaking of role models..." he murmured.

She smiled and nodded her head. "Aye, 'bout time we asked him," she responded, laughing when GW gave them a worried, troubled look. "Stop tha', we're nay goin' ta ask ye ta do anythin' dangerous."

They exchanged looks and Moira looked down at Rachel again. "We...well, we want ta know if ye'd be Rachel's godfather."

GW nearly fell over. Rachel cooed and waved a hand at him, and he stared at her, wide-eyed. "Her... me? Moira? I'm, um, a mercenary. Or I was... I don't know what you'd call me these days."

Moira smirked and looked over at Nathan. "Look who I married."

"That's different!" GW protested weakly.

Nathan raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"You... gah, you know what I mean. Why not ask Xavier?"

Nathan answered that one. "I think Moira and I both know that Charles would do everything that he could do and that needed doing for Rachel if anything ever happened to both of us," he said, with a quick glance at Moira, who nodded. "So would Billie. But honestly, GW, when we stopped to think of who could raise her, if it came to that... who could be her parents... we wanted you and Anna." He smiled a bit tentatively. "We figured that between the two of you, you could teach her everything she needed to know."

"God 'elp her," Moira muttered under her breath and then laughed as GW buried his head in his hands. "Nay, really. Ye two 'ave th' most screwed on heads out o' everyone we know. And Cain thinks she'll take over th' world one day. Ye probably do as well but ye'll 'elp her instead o' swingin' a broom at her."

"Hee hee!"

"Plus it'll give Moira's grandmother apoplexy," Nathan said helpfully. "Which is a definite plus!"

GW was laughing. His head was still in his hands, but he was very definitely laughing. "You two are crazy. And I love you both. You and your evil little spawn," he said, looking up at Rachel, who squealed at him. "If you're determined to do this, how do I say no?"

After elbowing her husband, Moira grinned. "Ye really couldnae. I would sat on ye until ye said yes. Or gotten Lien ta help, ye know she would 'ave. She's evil like tha'."

"Yes, I know. She got me into a kilt for your wedding, remember?" GW shook his head at Rachel. "So. You and me, kiddo?"

"Mwah," Rachel said happily and slipped out of her mother's arms, floating back to land in GW's lap. "Bwa-ma gaa maa?"

"A little lengthy for a yes," Nathan said with a chuckle, "but I think we can take it that way."

"Ooooo," Rachel cooed and started plucking at GW's shirt.

"And now I think she's flirting."

Moira giggled at that and pulled out a camera from one of the places she had stashed one. After all, with a baby there was no way to know exactly when you were going to need one. And Nathan's memory only went so far. The flash had Rachel blinking and then squealing as GW mock-glared at her.

Nathan shook his head slowly. #Right choice,# he sent to Moira. #Absolutely the right choice.#

#As if we 'ad any doubts,# she responded, cuddling up under his arm with a content smile. #Never any doubts.#