Bruce Followed After Rebecca To The Tree, Pressing His Ear Against It And Humming Thoughtfully. "Hmm.

Bruce followed after Rebecca to the tree, pressing his ear against it and humming thoughtfully. "Hmm. Sounds like... oak?" He grinned playfully down at Rebecca, then winked at Andie.

"Oh I’m sure she could have been walking by now, she just doesn’t want to. Before you ask how I know, I asked her." Andie said, running her fingers through her hair.

Rebecca squealed with excitement, clapping her hands. She got up on all fours and started crawling to one of the trees. “Expore!”

"Is this another battle for mutant rights? Did you two have an argument? We thought you might have more information that might be able to help us."

Bruce reached up to hold onto Rebecca's ankles, tipping his head back at a severe angle to look at her. "Would you like that? Do you want to go see the house after Mommy's classes tomorrow?"

♤

"Hey Bruce, our little genius is asking for you." "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaad! The ‘sperment is waiting! Come home soon!" "Come home soon sweetie, we miss you! Love you!"

Bruce laughed to himself as he saved the voicemail, shut off his phone, and shoved it into his pocket. He looked around the subway train, trying not to feel itchy and uncomfortable with all the people. He felt as though he might not have done a great job, since he basically ran off the thing when it stopped. He hailed himself a cab, and found himself back at the school in record time.

Even though he had been living at the school for almost a week now, he still felt uncomfortable just walking right in. He hesitated on the doorstep, then pushed it open, making his way inside.

♤

"Hey Bruce, our little genius is asking for you." "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaad! The ‘sperment is waiting! Come home soon!" "Come home soon sweetie, we miss you! Love you!"

Bruce cradled Rebecca's head in his palm, letting her lean back, supporting her weight so he could look her over. He couldn't help but smile at her before he looked back up at Andie, his face turning serious again.

"I have to finish up here," Bruce informed her. "I have patients, a few people who need me right now. I just need to finish with them, wrap things up. And then I can come with you." Come home, he didn't say, afraid of the implications of a word like home.

"Bruce, I don’t care where we are. I just want us to be a family." Andie sighed. "And don’t go all brooding on me saying that we can’t be. Like I said earlier, clearly we need to try something different. Leaving doesn’t do anything."

Andie wasn’t about to back down on this, especially not with how happy Rebecca clearly was in her father’s arms.

"So, she's ahead mentally, but behind physically," Bruce commented, looking down at Rebecca. The moment she started squirming, he grinned at her, then set her down on the ground. He knelt down beside her.

"Yes, sure, I'll play now," he agreed.

"Our baby girl is certainly unique. Sharp as a tack, and quick too." Andie grinned. "She’s also started pulling herself up and is probably going to start walking soon."

Rebecca waved her arms around, squirming in Bruce’s arms. “Da play now?” She asked, her big brown eyes inquisitive and bright.