March brought crisp mornings to New York.

  Jay stood in his District X apartment, checking his gear for the third time. Domino watched from the doorframe.

  "You know," she said, "for someone who can teleport anywhere instantly, you sure are taking your sweet time packing for this Arctic trip."

  Jay didn't look up from his medical supplies. "I'm being thorough. The Arctic isn't exactly known for its conveniences."

  "Uh-huh." Domino crossed her arms. "Or you're stalling because you're waiting for a phone call."

  He paused.

  "Jean's due any day now. I told Scott and her I'd be there for the delivery."

  "And you've been saying 'any day now' for the past week." She walked over, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Jay, Jean could go another two weeks. We can't put our lives on hold indefinitely."

  "I know, but..."

  His phone rang.

  Scott's ringtone.

  Domino sighed. "Of course. Your danger sense or my luck, which one called that?"

  Jay answered, already moving toward the center of the room. "Scott?"

  "Jay! Jean's water just broke about ten minutes ago. We need you here..."

  Blue energy rippled through the apartment.

  Jay vanished.

  Domino stood alone in the suddenly quiet room. Her fingers traced the edge of his medical kit.

  "Go save the day, hero," she whispered.

  Then, louder: "Well, guess I'm meeting the mercs solo today."

  She pulled out her phone, texting Wade. "This better be worth the story, Summers."

  The X-Mansion's main hall materialized around Jay.

  Scott was there, phone still pressed to his ear. He jumped back.

  "Jesus Christ!" Scott yelped, then immediately looked guilty. "I mean... you're here. That was fast."

  "You called." Jay looked Scott over. The man was sweating through his polo shirt, jaw tight. "Deep breath, Scott. Delivery usually takes twelve to twenty-four hours after the water breaks. We've got time."

  Scott took a shaky breath. "Right. Yeah. I know that. Hank told me that. Susan told me that. We went over this in the birthing classes. I just..." His voice cracked. "God, Jay, what if something goes wrong?"

  "That's why I'm here." Jay squeezed Scott's shoulder. "Did you call Susan like we discussed?"

  "Yeah, she should be here any..."

  The Fantasticar descended toward the mansion grounds.

  Through the tall windows, they watched the sleek vehicle land. Three figures emerged.

  Reed Richards unfolded himself from the pilot's seat. Sue Storm, now visibly five and a half months pregnant, moved more carefully. Ben Grimm's human form still looked strange to Jay.

  Johnny Storm landed last in a dramatic burst of flame.

  "Woohoo! The Human Torch has arrived!" Johnny announced.

  Reed stretched his arm impossibly long to smack the back of Johnny's head. "Keep it down! You're at a school, not to mention a pregnant woman is in labor inside!"

  "Ow! Jeez, Reed, I'm sorry!" Johnny rubbed his head. "Just trying to lighten the mood, you know?"

  Sue pulled Jay into a careful hug. "Jay! It's so good to see you! I heard you and Domino got back together at New Year's. I'm so happy for you!"

  Johnny pulled out his wallet. "Speaking of which, thanks for the hundred bucks, man."

  Jay's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

  "We had a bet going at the party about whether you two would get back together."

  Jay turned to Sue. "Sue... did you Parent Trap us?"

  Sue's expression turned sheepish. "I... well... that is..." She cleared her throat. "Oops! I got caught?"

  "As touching as this reunion is," Scott interrupted, "my wife is currently in labor. Can we maybe catch up later?"

  The jovial atmosphere evaporated.

  Reed's expression turned serious. "Of course. We should move immediately."

  Hank's medical wing looked more like a high-tech research facility than a hospital room.

  Monitors lined the walls. Specialized equipment sat ready.

  In the center, Jean Grey lay in a specialized bed, surrounded by the women of the X-Men.

  Rogue gently fed Jean ice chips. Storm stood at Jean's left side, speaking in low tones. Kitty and Jubilee hovered nearby.

  Professor Xavier sat in his wheelchair at the foot of the bed.

  Jay entered first. Behind him came the Fantastic Four and Scott, who immediately moved to Jean's side.

  "How are you feeling?" Scott asked, taking Jean's hand.

  Jean's face was flushed. "Like I'm about to push a telepathic bomb out of my body."

  A contraction hit.

  Every piece of metal in the room trembled. The monitors flickered.

  "Sorry, sorry!"

  Xavier's voice cut through. "Everyone remain calm. Jean's control is holding, but we must be careful."

  Jay approached the bed where Hank stood. The former Beast had undergone his own transformation recently thanks to Jay's intervention. Now he appeared fully human, though his long blue hair remained.

  Jay put a hand on Jean's head and used his healing aura.

  The green glow spread from his palm. Jean's breathing steadied.

  "Status?" Jay asked quietly.

  Hank adjusted his glasses. "All vitals are within normal parameters, though Jean's telepathic signature is fluctuating with each contraction. We're seeing spikes of 8.7 on the Cerebro scale. The baby's psychic presence is..." He paused. "Quite robust."

  "Robust meaning the kid's already broadcasting on multiple telepathic frequencies," Jay muttered.

  Sue stepped forward. "We've installed all the equipment we discussed. The psychic dampeners, the isolation field generators, the backup power systems. Everything's ready."

  Jay nodded.

  Then suddenly clapped his hands together.

  The sound echoed through the medical wing.

  "Alright everyone, listen up. I want you all ready for an attack on the mansion. Be prepared for multiple enemies from multiple angles."

  Kitty's hand shot up. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

  "Kitty, please," Scott pleaded. "Now is not the time for attitude. Just listen to him."

  "But I didn't..."

  "Xavier." Jay turned to the Professor. "I need you alert for any telepathic attacks."

  Xavier's face paled slightly. "You're suggesting..."

  "Think about it. A fragment of the Phoenix Force is about to give birth to a telepath with the potential to be one of the strongest in history. A baby with zero mental defenses and zero agency. Entities like the Shadow King would be salivating at this opportunity."

  The room went quiet.

  "Use Cerebro if you have to. Amplify your power. But I need you on the mental front, keeping watch for anyone trying to slip into this delivery room through the back door of someone's mind."

  Jay turned to Storm and Johnny. "Storm, Human Torch. I want you on sky watch. Anything flying, anything hovering, anything that even looks suspicious, especially any flying humanoids. Bring them down hard and fast."

  Storm nodded. "The skies will be mine to command."

  Johnny's usual cockiness sobered. "On it."

  Jay turned to Ben Grimm. "Ben, get every brawler this place has and position them on the perimeter. I want a wall of muscle between this medical wing and anyone trying to get in."

  Ben straightened. "Done."

  "Jubilee, Kurt. I need you watching for infiltration. Teleportation, phasing, invisibility, anything that could bypass the perimeter."

  Kurt's tail swished. "Ve vill not fail you, mein Freund."

  Finally, Jay's eyes landed on Kitty.

  "You stay here. I need you."

  Kitty looked flabbergasted. "Why me? I don't have any medical experience!"

  "Kitty!" Scott's composure finally cracked. "For the love of God, woman, just do what the doctor says!"

  "Battle stations, everyone." Jay's voice carried finality. "We need to be prepared for every eventuality."

  As the X-Men dispersed, Hank approached Jay quietly. "All this... just for Sinister?"

  "Not just Sinister." Jay's expression darkened. "Think about who might want this child. You've got human extremists who see powerful mutant babies as threats. You've got Sublime and whatever group he's assembled. You've got psychic entities that would love an untrained telepathic host. You've got mutant supremacists who might want to claim the child as a symbol."

  He paused.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  'Hell, we might even have time travelers showing up, given what this kid becomes.'

  Xavier wheeled closer. "Then you have our full cooperation, Jay."

  Once the others had left, Kitty turned to Jay. "Seriously, why do you need me specifically?"

  Jay didn't answer.

  Instead, he turned to Sue. "Can you prepare the incubation unit? And all the baby care we have."

  Sue's eyes widened. "Already? But she's only just started..."

  "Trust me."

  Sue moved to the specialized equipment they'd designed.

  It hummed to life.

  "Jay," Scott's voice carried warning. "What are you planning?"

  "Something unprecedented." Jay approached Kitty, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "This might feel strange."

  "Wait, what are you..."

  Kitty's eyes rolled back. Her consciousness faded.

  Jay caught her, lowering her carefully to a nearby medical chair.

  "JAY!" Scott moved forward, but Hank caught his arm.

  Jay's hands began to shimmer with Kitty's phasing ability.

  "Kitty will be up and running in a few minutes, completely fine."

  Scott's jaw dropped. "You are doing that now?"

  Jay flexed his fingers experimentally. "Hank, monitor Jean's vitals constantly. Susan, have that incubation unit ready. Scott..." He looked at the nervous father-to-be. "This is going to look strange, but I promise you, this is the safest way to deliver your son."

  "My... son?" Scott's voice cracked.

  "Yeah. Didn't I mention that?"

  Jay moved to Jean's bedside, his hands beginning to glow with his healing aura.

  But there was something different this time.

  A darker overlay.

  His null field.

  Jean looked up at him, tears forming. "Jay, I'm scared. I can feel him... he's so strong already. What if I can't..."

  "Hey," Jay interrupted gently, placing one hand on her forehead.

  Immediately the telepathic pressure in the room decreased dramatically.

  The null field expanded, specifically targeting Jean and the baby's telepathic abilities while leaving everyone else's powers intact.

  "You're Marvel Girl. You've housed the Phoenix Force. You can do this."

  Professor Xavier gasped. "Remarkable. You're suppressing only specific aspects of their abilities while leaving their physical mutations intact. The level of control required..."

  "Yeah, yeah, I'm a miracle worker." Jay's hands began to phase. "Everyone ready?"

  "Wait!" Sue called out. "You're going to... oh God, you're performing a Caesarean without cutting..."

  "Got it in one."

  Jay's hands sank into Jean's swollen belly. Phasing through skin and muscle without leaving a mark.

  Jean gasped. "It's... it's cold. Like ice water flowing through me."

  "That's normal," Jay assured her, sweat beading on his forehead. "Just breathe. Almost there."

  Scott grabbed Jean's hand, his face white. "I'm here, Jean. I'm right here."

  Jean squeezed back. "I can feel him moving... Jay's hands... they're..."

  "It's okay, it's okay," Jay murmured. "Almost there..."

  His healing aura worked simultaneously with the phasing. Microscopic light daggers of concentrated energy cutting the umbilical cord with surgical precision while immediately cauterizing and healing any damage.

  The coordination required was staggering.

  One wrong move and he could cause catastrophic internal bleeding.

  Sweat beaded on Jay's forehead.

  "Vitals holding steady," Hank reported. "Heart rate 72, blood pressure 118/76, oxygen saturation 98%. This is... extraordinary."

  Then, with a motion that looked almost casual, Jay pulled his hands out.

  In them, still glowing faintly with residual healing energy and covered in amniotic fluid but completely unharmed, was a baby boy.

  For a heartbeat, time seemed to stop.

  Jay held the infant carefully, his null field immediately wrapping around the small form. The baby's eyes, startlingly green like his mother's, met Jay's.

  For just an instant, Jay felt the raw potential of what this child would become.

  Images flashed through his mind from the comics: a scarred warrior, a time-lost soldier, a man named Cable fighting impossible odds.

  Then the moment passed.

  The infant took his first breath.

  And screamed.

  The sound was shrill, angry, and absolutely healthy.

  "Congratulations! It's a boy! Mazel tov!"

  Jean burst into tears, reaching out desperately for her child.

  Scott was crying too.

  And poor Kitty, who had just regained consciousness to see Jay suddenly pull a baby directly out of her friend's belly with his bare hands, went so pale she fainted again.

  Just then, the temporary copy of Kitty's power faded from Jay's arsenal.

  Jay handed the baby to Hank, who immediately began running diagnostics. Sue moved in, cleaning and wrapping the infant in specialized blankets.

  The baby continued to cry. But it was the healthy cry of a child angry about being displaced.

  When Sue moved to cut the umbilical cord and found none, she could only stare at Jay.

  He'd already severed and healed it during the extraction.

  "Everything looks perfect," Hank announced. "Apgar scores are excellent. 10 out of 10 across the board. He's healthy, strong, and very, very telepathic." The last part was said with careful emphasis as Jay maintained his null field around the infant.

  Sue gently placed the baby in Jean's arms.

  Jean cradled Nathan against her chest. "Hello, my beautiful boy," she whispered. "I'm your mom. I've been waiting so long to meet you."

  She pressed a kiss to his tiny forehead, breathing in his scent. That unique newborn smell mixed with something indefinably different, something that whispered of power yet to come.

  Scott wrapped his arms around both of them. "He's perfect, Jean. Look at him. He's absolutely perfect."

  "Have you decided on a name?" Jay asked.

  Scott and Jean exchanged a look. Scott nodded, unable to speak.

  Jean kissed her baby's forehead, whispering softly, "Nathan. Nathan Summers."

  Jay's eyes widened slightly.

  Sue wiped her own eyes, one hand moving instinctively to her own pregnant belly.

  Then the explosion echoed from outside.

  The distinctive sound of repulsor weapons and energy blasts shattered the peaceful moment. Screams and shouts followed, along with Storm's commanding voice calling down lightning.

  Scott's entire body went rigid. "I need to..."

  "You need to stay here," Jay interrupted firmly. "Your wife and son are vulnerable right now. Jean's still recovering, and god forbid someone takes advantage of her postpartum vulnerability. I need to maintain constant focus on suppressing Nathan's telepathic broadcasts. The others can handle whatever's out there."

  "But..."

  "Scott." Jay's voice carried steel. "Your team is out there. Storm, Wolverine, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, plus trained X-Men students. They don't need you micromanaging their fight. Your son needs you to be here when he opens his eyes."

  The words hit Scott hard.

  His jaw worked as he warred between his instincts as a field leader and his responsibilities as a new father.

  Jean's hand found his. "He's right. Stay with us."

  Outside, the battle raged.

  The X-Mansion grounds had transformed into a warzone. Armored vehicles surrounded the property, disgorging soldiers in distinctive white and red uniforms.

  U-Men.

  John Sublime's fanatic followers who believed they could steal mutant powers through surgical enhancement.

  "Targets identified!" one U-Man shouted into his comm. "Female, Caucasian, red hair, telepathic signature's off the charts! Priority one capture!"

  Storm floated above them, her eyes pure white as lightning gathered in the darkening sky.

  "You dare attack this sanctuary? You dare threaten an innocent child?"

  Thunder crashed.

  Bolts of pure electricity rained down, striking vehicles and sending U-Men scrambling for cover.

  Johnny Storm spiraled through the air, leaving trails of flame. "Hey Storm! Great Storm! Let's make it rain... fire!"

  Fireballs pelted the invading forces, igniting fuel tanks and melting weapons.

  But more vehicles kept coming.

  On the ground, Wolverine met the first wave with his claws extended. "About damn time something interesting happened around here!"

  Three U-Men tried to flank him. Their weapons were modified to fire mutant power dampeners.

  Wolverine took a dart to the shoulder. His healing factor stuttered.

  He grinned savagely.

  "That all you got?"

  He ripped the dart out and threw it back, impaling one U-Man through the chest. The other two died before they could scream, adamantium claws painting the grass red.

  Ben Grimm, now in his Thing form, grabbed a U-Man by the armor and used him as a club. "It's clobberin' time! Classic, never gets old!"

  Kurt bamfed in and out of existence, his teleportation creating confusion. Each time he appeared, another U-Man went down.

  Jubilee's plasma bursts exploded in bright flashes, blinding enemies and detonating equipment. "Woo! This is way better than algebra class!"

  "Focus, Jubilation!" Storm called down. "This is not a game!"

  But despite their best efforts, the sheer number of attackers was overwhelming.

  Vehicles continued to arrive. Some U-Men were getting dangerously close to the mansion itself.

  Then the sky darkened further.

  A massive wave of metal rose from the ground. Cars, weapons, armor, even the iron in the blood of every U-Man soldier.

  It all responded to a single commanding presence.

  Magneto descended from above, Mystique held securely in his arms.

  His face was carved from fury.

  "You dare," Magneto's voice carried across the battlefield, "threaten a newborn mutant child?"

  With a gesture, every vehicle simultaneously crumpled like tin cans. Weapons twisted into useless sculptures. U-Men armor contracted, restraining its wearers.

  The battle ended in seconds.

  Wolverine looked up at the Master of Magnetism. "What're you doing here, bub?"

  Magneto landed gracefully, setting Mystique down. "Xavier contacted me when he learned of threats against Jean's child. I've spent months searching for Sublime and Sinister without success. So I decided the best approach was to catch them red-handed when they inevitably made their move."

  Then he moved to painfully interrogate them to get their master's locations.

  Reed Richards emerged from the mansion. "That's... you can't just torture prisoners! We're at a school!"

  "Stay silent, human." Magneto's voice cut like a whip. "You defend them? They came here to steal a newborn baby! They were chanting about harvesting genetic material for their twisted experiments!"

  His hands clenched.

  Several U-Men's armor pieces tightened, breaking numerous bones.

  "Should I defend their humanity when they show none themselves?"

  Reed opened his mouth to argue, but Ben pulled him back. "Not our circus, not our monkeys, Stretch."

  A telepathic pulse washed over everyone.

  Xavier's mental voice carried both relief and grim satisfaction.

  Inside the medical wing, the telepathic battle had been just as intense.

  Xavier had felt them immediately.

  Three separate telepathic entities trying to infiltrate the mansion. Probing for weaknesses. Searching for the source of that powerful new psychic presence.

  The first was amateurish. Likely a mercenary telepath hired for the job.

  Xavier swatted it away.

  The second was more skilled. It tried to slip through Cerebro's detection by mimicking Xavier's own psychic signature.

  Clever, but not clever enough.

  Xavier isolated and locked them out, creating a mental maze they'd spend hours trying to escape.

  The third... the third was concerning.

  Old. Powerful. Patient.

  The entity probed the mansion's defenses with careful precision. It didn't push. Didn't force. Just gently tested, looking for any crack in Xavier's mental fortress.

  Xavier recognized the signature.

  The arrogance. The clinical detachment. The sheer alien nature of the consciousness.

  Xavier thought with grim satisfaction.

  He didn't try to capture or confront.

  Instead, he did something far more subtle.

  He allowed Sinister's probe to touch something. A false memory, carefully constructed, showing Jay successfully delivering the baby but the child tragically stillborn due to complications from the Phoenix fragment.

  The probe withdrew immediately.

  Xavier smiled grimly.

  Let Sinister think his prize had slipped away. It would buy them time.

  Kurt teleported into the medical wing, slightly out of breath. "Professor! Ve have contained several infiltrators. Jubilee and I stopped them before they could reach this level."

  "Well done, Kurt." Xavier's spoken voice carried satisfaction. "I too had to defend against several telepathic attacks. Most were probing, curious. But a few..." He paused. "A few had darker intentions."

  Hours passed.

  Kitty woke up confused but fine. Jean held Nathan close, her eyes never leaving his tiny face as she memorized every detail. The way his nose scrunched when he yawned. The perfect shell of his ears. The surprising strength of his grip.

  Jean fed him under Sue's guidance while Scott hovered protectively.

  The mansion gradually returned to order as the captured U-Men were secured and authorities were contacted.

  Jay maintained his null field the entire time.

  Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead.

  Finally, as evening approached, Hank placed a specialized monitoring device on Nathan's tiny wrist. "This will alert us immediately if his psychic output begins to spike. Combined with the dampening field I've installed in the nursery, he should be safe."

  Jay slowly, carefully, reduced his null field.

  Nathan stirred in Jean's arms but didn't broadcast his consciousness across half of New York.

  The precautions held.

  "Thank God," Jay muttered. "Hank, follow the protocols we discussed. Keep monitoring him for any power spikes. Call me immediately if anything changes."

  "Of course." Hank adjusted his glasses. "This has been... educational."

  Jay turned to Scott and Jean. "Congratulations to the new parents. Get some rest while you can. Trust me, you won't be getting much sleep for the next few months."

  Jean looked up at him. "Jay... I don't know how to thank you. You saved us. Both of us."

  "Just doing my job." Jay smiled, though exhaustion lined his face. "Besides, what kind of doctor would I be if I didn't help someone when they need me?"

  Scott stood, extending his hand.

  When Jay took it, Scott pulled him into a fierce hug.

  "Thank you. For everything."

  Jay returned the embrace awkwardly. "Yeah, well. Don't make it weird, Summers."

  As he turned to leave, Rogue stepped forward, opening her mouth to say something.

  But Jay's phone buzzed.

  Domino's text read: "Mercs are getting drunk without you. Wade's doing karaoke. Send help."

  Jay grinned.

  Before Rogue could speak, blue energy rippled around him.

  "Gotta go. Dom's waiting on me."

  He vanished.

  The assembled heroes stood in the suddenly quiet medical wing. Some laughed. Others just shook their heads.

  But as Jean looked down at her sleeping son, at Nathan Summers who would one day grow to become one of the world's most powerful mutants, she whispered a quiet thanks to the man who'd made it all possible.

  In the end, that's what mattered most.

  Instead of materializing at the nameless bar where Domino waited, Jay found himself standing on an unfamiliar rooftop.

  The night air was crisp. The city lights twinkled below.

  Confused, he prepared for combat. Light daggers formed in his hand.

  His danger sense tingled. But not with the sharp edge of immediate threat.

  More like the gentle warning of an approaching thunderstorm.

  Then a voice came from behind. One he knew all too well.

  "Young Jay, just what the hell did you do?"

  Jay, recognizing the voice, smiled.

  But just as he turned, his mortal enemy appeared.

  The rolled newspaper.

  It struck his head.

  Jay, unable to dodge even after all this practice, complained, "I didn't do anything, teacher. I just delivered a baby, and you smack me? This is unfair."

  The Ancient One's eye twitched. "Then would you explain why I suddenly had to stop nearly a dozen or so time-traveling attempts with my Time Stone?"

  Jay, shocked, tilted his head.

  Then his smile turned sheepish as understanding dawned.

  "I can't help it. Cable was just born, of course, this was gonna happen. Time travel and alternate timeline sons and daughters are the Scott and Jean couple's bread and butter across the multiverse."

  The Ancient One, in an irritated voice, said, "Then you should have at least warned me! After all, it was because of you that my future sight doesn't work anymore."

  Multiple newspaper rolls appeared and surrounded him from all angles.

  As Jay continued to ask for mercy, he made a mental note to make both Scott and Cable even in his grudge book.

  So yeah, the literal mutant Jesus has finally arrived.

  I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Did it hit the way you expected? Too much, too little, or just right? Your comments are what keep me motivated to keep writing and delivering new chapters every day.