Late Night Snack for Three

Posted on Fri Jan 24th, 2025 @ 11:14am by Drew Williams & Aurora Summers

2,856 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 5: Days of Fortune Past
Location: Kitchen
Timeline: November 22nd, 1990-11:45pm

Drew wore a pensive expression as he stood with the refrigerator door open and looked for something to eat. He couldn't decide if he was in the mood for a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich or one or more of the delicious looking pies. He was so engrossed in trying to figure out what he wanted that he didn't even register the arrival of the pregnant, yet still petite young woman next to him. He turned, momentarily startled when the young woman spoke up.

“Peckish?” Aurora offered an apologetic smile as she stood alongside Drew. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you, I was feeling peckish myself, so I thought I’d come down for something to eat.” She pointed to the pies. “The pies are very good if you fancy one of those?”

Drew tried to regain his composure as he turned his head to the lovely young woman who had been able to come up next to him without his noticing. He noticed her pregnant condition and, for no apparent reason, blushed. 'Why are all the female students and faculty so gorgeous', he thought to himself. He looked back into the refrigerator at the pies, partially due to his desire for food, but also to distract himself from the young woman standing next to him. "Um. Yeah. I'm feeling kind of hungry." He reached in to the refrigerator and pulled out several pies, an apple, a lemon merengue, and a pumpkin. He turned and placed all three pies on the kitchen island. He turned back to close the door to the refrigerator and inadvertently placed his hand over hers on the door handle.

Aurora didn’t want to say she’d picked up on Drew’s thoughts, they were practically screaming at her and the hormonal effect of her pregnancy wasn’t helping with control of her telepathy. She blushed as she moved her hand offering a warm smile. “That err... merengue looks delicious, I think I’ll have some of that. How’s about you?”

Drew locked eyes with Aurora as she moved her hand. The light coming from the open refrigerator revealed her blushing face and the expression on it before she turned to look at the pies. He closed the refrigerator door and stood there for a moment. He spotted a tall stool by the counter and crossed to grab it for her to sit down on. He looked at the dozen or so drawers. He didn't really trust himself to speak, but he had to if they were going to have pie. "Do you know where the forks and plates and a knife to cut the pie are kept?"

“Oh allow me” Aurora waved her hand the cutlery draw and plate cupboard both opening for Drew. “So much easier when you don’t have to get up and get things.” She grinned. “I daren’t get the plates or cutlery, my control is a little iffy at the moment and I wouldn’t want to injure you, or drop any plates.”

Drew returned to the island with plates, forks and a knife to cut pie. He cut a slice of the lemon merengue pie for Aurora and slid the plate in front of her. He handed her a fork and then set to getting himself some pie. He cut a slice of each pie and placed all three on a large dinner plate. He glanced at Aurora as he put the pie tins back in the refrigerator. "How's your pie?"

Having taken the seat Drew put out for her Aurora offered a polite smile. “It’s delicious, how are yours? I guess super speed must work up quite an appetite?”

"Yeah. Kind of." He looked at Aurora. "More often or faster I run, the more calories I burn and the more I need to replace. I still generally eat a lot when not using my super speed too."

Aurora grinned. “Well you don’t have to worry about the calories. Me, I’m eating for two that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.”

Drew smiled at Aurora’s comment. A genuine smile and not one of his recent smiles that occurred in deflecting embarrassment or meant to mask some of the sorrow he felt. He was, for the first time since his arrival, enjoying the company of someone other than his sister and not feeling insecure about it. "I won't argue with you on that point. You look great as is." It took him only a second to realize what he had just said. Once again his face flared to a crimson hue.

“Please don’t feel embarrassed, I appreciate the compliment” Aurora smiled warmly as she picked up some more pie and ate it.

Drew focused on his first piece of pie and ate quickly. He looked at the apple pie and frowned. He stepped over to the refrigerator and opened the freezer door and pulled out a container of vanilla ice cream. He dug around in one of the drawers and found the ice cream scoop. A moment later he had a large helping of pie a la mode ready to eat.

Aurora couldn’t help but smile as she watched. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who raids the fridge or freezer later at night, I can’t sleep if I’m hungry, plus it’s quieter when everyone else is asleep. It’s easier on my telepathy as well, dozing minds are so much quieter.”

Drew had just taken a bite of pie and ice cream when she said the word telepathy. His face froze in mid chew and he swallowed hard. He recalled her expression when he thought how gorgeous she was. "What I said earlier, what I...thought earlier. I didn't mean to...what I mean to say is I...." He paused for a long moment. "Perhaps I shouldn't say anything...or think anything either."

“Ohh...no, I didn’t...I wouldn’t” Aurora offered an apologetic look. “I don’t read minds without permission, it’s just my pregnancy is messing with my abilities. Your thoughts were...loud. Hence why I picked up on them. I’m honoured, I really am.”

Drew gave a forlorn sigh and shook his head. "It's okay. It's just...I have been a little upset about the circumstances that brought Angela and myself here." He told Aurora about the drunk driver that had almost run down his sister. How a few high students were filming around town that night for a project with the AV (audio visual) club and caught him using his super speed to grab Angela and carry her out of the way. He hadn't even known and probably wouldn't have, except the father of one of the teenagers was an more wrapped up in investigative news reporter for one of the television stations. The reporter had followed up on what his child had filmed and was able to narrow down who the unknown speedster and girl who was rescued was. Then aerial footage of a speedster was captured that followed Drew running for nearly 50 miles across the countryside around Cambridge, Massachusetts all under a half hour. The news clip was released on the evening news showing Drew going into his house after his morning jog. "I should have been more careful, made sure that my secret was safe...but I didn't. I was so wrapped up in taking the Panthers to the state cross country championship in the spring, locking in to a full ride scholarship at MIT. Now, I've been outed as a mutant, blown any chance for college and getting a degree in the sciences. Put my own sister on the run from the police and the government. It's the reason why I haven't left my dorm room since Monday night for anything other than orientation and midnight raids to the kitchen."

Aurora nodded. “I understand. I spent years living in the sewers with the mutant population too afraid to be seen. It was easier for me to come and go, because I looked like everyone else. I can’t imagine how it must have felt for you to be on the run, especially having to protect your sister as well. You’re here now though, you’ll both be safe here amongst others who understand what it’s like to be mutants. I’m not just telepathic & telekinetic” she held up her hand a ball of orange flame filling her palm. “I can control fire too.” She closed her hand the fire simply disappearing.

Drew was amazed at Aurora’s powers and even more so listening to her story. He gestured at her belly. "Is that why you left the sewers and found this place? For the baby."

“Ohh..no, I wasn’t pregnant then. I wanted to be a student here, but I didn’t get to be one until I was kidnapped. The X-men rescued me, and Bobby too. That’s when this place became my home. The rest, as they say, is history.” She tucked into some more of her pie.

Drew finished his second slice of pie and had begun on his third piece as Aurora spoke. He had mistakenly made the assumption that Bobby was the father. "Well, I wish nothing but the best for you, Bobby and the baby."

“Bobby?” Aurora looked at Drew curiously before realising what he meant. “Ohh you think that Bobby and I...” She smiled and shook her head. “Bobby isn’t the father of my baby, we’re just friends. I was briefly married to Scott Summers, but we’re not...” she didn’t finish the sentence. “It’s just me, and my son now.”

Drew looked at Aurora with an expression of deep concern. "Sorry, I didn't know your situation. If there's anything I can do to help you out. Don't hesitate to ask."

Aurora offered a polite nod of her head. “Thank you for your offer, it’s very kind. It’s going to be a learning curve, but I’m not going to let my son down, he’s all I have now.”

Drew wanted to reach out and put a reassuring hand on hers. His shyness and social awkwardness prevented him though. "That's not true. I am sure that most folks around here will be here for you when you need it." He looked Aurora in the eyes and wondered if she picked up his next thought. 'I will be here for you...no matter what.'

Aurora hadn’t picked up on Drew’s thoughts this time, but then she was forcing herself to block out any stray thoughts. “Thank you Drew” she offered a smile, but the old saying ‘once bitten, twice shy’ was holding true for Aurora. She’d been hurt once, she wasn’t willing to let it happen again.

Drew nodded as he chewed on a bite of his final piece of pumpkin pie. He looked at Aurora and realized that he didn't know the young woman's name despite her knowing his. "You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours."

“Oh...I’m sorry, it’s Aurora Summers.” She offered a warm smile. “This is, or will be, my son Christopher.” She rested her hand on her rounded stomach, before finishing the last of her pie.

"Pleased to meet you Aurora." Drew glanced at Aurora's belly. "You too Christopher." He became a blur for a moment as he used his super speed to clean up plates and forks and get them into the dishwasher. He stopped next to Aurora and offered a hand to help her up. "I can't go in, but would you like me to walk with you back to the entrance to the Girls Dormitory? "

Aurora nodded. “Sure, I’d like that. Thank you Drew. Ohh and it’s been nice talking with you.”

Drew smiled as he released Aurora’s hand after helping her to her feet. He gestured to the door. "After you." He opened the door for Aurora. He glanced at her as they started the walk to the Girls Dormitory. "So when is the baby due? If you don't mind me asking."

“That’s a good question” Aurora offered a smile. “My pregnancy isn’t a normal one in any respect, it seems my mutation has somehow sped up the gestation period. I’ll be going to Muir Island again soon for further scans, it’ll give a better idea. All I can guess is...within the next month or two.” She shrugged her shoulders.

Drew's eyes went wide with amazement. "Wow!" He couldn't help but wonder if the accelerated pregnancy was dangerous for Aurora. He glanced at her with a genuine look of concern. "How's that affecting you? Are you safe? My dad is a scientist at Harvard Medical, but he is also a medical doctor. I can give you his phone number. If you want?"

“That’s very kind, but Dr McCoy is taking care of me here, and I have to go to Muir Island soon for more scans and tests. My son will be born at Muir under Moira McTaggart’s care.” Aurora offered a warm smile. “It’s been strange, somewhat of an energy zapping experience, plus my abilities have been a little off too. I doubt I’ll be allowed out much from here on out anyway.”

Drew nodded as he gazed sidelong at Aurora. He was relieved to hear that she was under a doctor's care and that there was a special facility for her to go to when the time came. "Well, if you need anything from town. Prenatal vitamins, pickles and peanut butter...," his face took on a faint grimace as he remembered his dad telling him and Angela about their mother's strange cravings. "...don't hesitate to ask. I can run into town and get whatever you need." He gave a sigh as they reached the stairs leading up to the Girls Dormitory so quickly. He, again, gazed back at Aurora. "Um...do you want help getting up the steps or are you good?" He half hoped for the former, but expected her to decline help from a virtual stranger.

"Actually, some help getting up the stairs would be nice." Aurora smiled. "I would levitate myself, but if my powers should glitch then it could end up being messy." she offered a wry smile, she thought Drew was a nice person and she could use all the friends she could get.

Drew returned her smile with one of his own. He took her right hand in his and wrapped his left arm around her waist. "Hold on to the rail and if you need to rest a moment, go ahead. I got you." He felt a sense of protectiveness for Aurora. It was unlike anything he'd felt before.

Aurora offered a polite smile and nod of her head. “I usually take these stairs slowly anyway. Although I don’t think any harm would come to me if I fell. I’ve already almost been blown up, I barely had a scratch on me. It’s still something of a mystery how that happened.”

Drew considered Aurora’s words as they slowly moved up the stairs. "You think it's some sort instinctive response with your telekinetic abilities due to your pregnancy?" Another thought came to mind. "Or could the baby be doing it?"

“They didn’t seem to think it was my son, the Professor suspected it was just my instincts to protect myself. It hasn’t happened since so I don’t really know.” Aurora shrugged her shoulders, and kept going once they reached the top she paused. “Thank you for helping me Drew, I appreciate it. I would invite you along, but you’d get into trouble being on the girls floor.”

Drew nodded. He remembered Kennedy’s words when he had tried to talk to his sister and ended up talking to her instead. "I know. I just wanted to make sure you got up the stairs safely." He pulled his arm away from around here waist and released her hand as he took a step back down the stairs. The girl...young woman...before him had a strength about her, but also a vulnerability. He was glad to have been there to help. "You ever need anything, just let me know what I can do. Deal?"

Aurora nodded. “Deal.” With that she smiled and headed off to her room happy to have made such a kind and caring new friend.

Drew turned and started down the stairs. He paused at the bottom and looked up. He pondered what he had heard that night regarding the upcoming wedding between Scott and Jean. He knew there was nothing he could do to help resolve that situation. He didn't want Aurora to be the victim in the whole affair though either. He would do the only thing he could think to do. Be a good friend and help the best he could.

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