The Other Tiny Hawkeye

Chapter 9: It's About to Get Very Busy Around Here

Word traveled fast around the institute, and it was clear that everyone was taking the news of the multiple little ones on the way exceedingly well. Jubilee and Kitty were practically falling over themselves with excitement to see Logan and K have a baby, and Jean, for her part, was stuck somewhere between happy she wouldn't be the only pregnant woman on the team ... and insanely jealous that Logan and K had managed to wrangle even more kids, somehow.

Scott teased her about it, of course, reminding her that it wasn't a race and that the Bartons and Bishops had needed someone to get them out of trouble — but Jean felt like she was allowed to be a little irrational and jealous when she was as miserable as she was.

And she was very miserable.

With Rachel, she had a little morning sickness, a little discomfort, a little moodiness... but this second pregnancy seemed much worse, on a scale that Jean was half worried meant something had gone wrong.

It had gotten to the point that she couldn't keep anything down at all, and when she started dry heaving that morning, Scott waited until she had her breath back before he let her know, in no uncertain terms, that they were going to go see Hank.

Not that Jean would argue with him when she was as miserable as she was.

Scott was exceedingly gentle as he picked her up and let her lean on him as he carried her down. She was still very dizzy, and she didn't want to move around too much, so she appreciated the strong center.

Thankfully, Rachel was still asleep, so she didn't see how sick her mom looked, but that didn't mean Jean was without an audience when they got down to the labs.

"Oh. If I'd known you were coming down, I'd have left earlier," K said when she saw Jean and Scott.

"We're not trying to muscle in," Jean said. "I'm just... not feeling very..."

"No, I know," K said. "We just got some pictures ..." She held up her arm. "And I got stuck. Something about 'dehydration' whatever. He's making things up."

Jean smirked at that. "I've heard that one before myself," she admitted as Scott, one hand on her elbow, helped her get comfortable.

"I knew it. He just likes poking people," K muttered, giving Hank a little glare that had no heat at all. "Would you rather we left?"

"No, it's alright," Jean said. "I was just hoping Hank could... I already have pictures; I'm just..."

"A lot dizzier than last time," Scott told Hank as the good doctor came to examine her. And it was obvious Scott was concerned by how much he was hovering.

"Every one's different," K said. "Or ... that's just his way of saying he has no idea what he's doing."

"It's simply a statement of fact," Hank said, shaking his head at her.

"And a sly admission that he doesn't know," Logan agreed, smirking as he settled in next to K.

Hank gave him a dry look and hit the back of Logan's head as he passed to check on Jean. "Standard protocols, my dear old friend," Hank said, setting down the blood draw kit. "We'll check your levels, give you some fluids, and if you're concerned, we can listen for the heartbeat."

"Please," Jean said with a smile.

Hank smiled warmly at her as he got down to work, and in short order, she too had an IV line running saline for her as Hank pulled out the little device that would let them hear the heartbeat.

But it wasn't as easy as it had been in the past. And the heartbeat ... simply didn't sound clear at all. Stuttering, fast, and muddled. And it was something that Hank couldn't quite prevent Jean and Scott from hearing. "Perhaps we should move on to images."