Chapter 6 NAT AND REX ARE BORN

Barely a month after that, Mark and Zaynab got married in private and their love grew stronger and stronger for one another. Having realized being pregnant meant Zaynab couldn't do house chores, Steve and Mark built a bot-droid called KG-13 to help with the house chores while both men continued their plan to start their own company.

"So, with the success and money we made from the bot-droids. How about we make plans to form our new company?" Steve said to Mark.

"I don't want us to sell the bot-droids. I want us to use them. Particularly when we start our company." Mark replied.

"I agree with you, but how do we make money not just for capital but for staff payments, land, and others?" Steve asked.

"We sell weapons!" Mark said. "Weapons to Libyans and Syrians!" He added.

"Wait. We're gonna start supplying terrorists now?" Steve asked with discomfort.

"No, not terrorists. We'll be supplying the army and air force!" Mark said.

"But if we fund war, we go against everything we're known for? Which is creating new devices to help people in their everyday life." Steve said, scratching his head in a dilemma.

"War is hot in Syria and Libya and that means they will pay big money for us to produce and supply them with nuclear bombs, particularly the ones made with uranium," Mark said. "All we have to do is profit from this war and we can give up selling weapons because we will have our own company." He said. "Nobody hates war as much as me. That's why my dad left me. But if there's a way to profit. We must take it." Mark said to Steve, who nodded in agreement.

"One more question. What do we call it? The company?" Steve asked Mark, whose face Lit up.

"I was thinking something like Steve and Mark industries or SM industries," Mark said, smiling.

"SM? As in soccer manager?" Steve said as both laughed. "How about the Fleming and Toney industries? After all, we would like our children to continue the legacy." He added.

"So, FT industries? Love it." Mark said, and they both shook hands. "On this day, December 12th, 2002. FT industries becomes canon." Mark said.

"So, you're going to become a father soon. How does that feel?" Steve asked.

"Honestly, I've never felt more afraid in my entire life and I'm very nervous," Mark said. "Although Zaynab has become really calm since this. KG-13 is helping," he said.

"So why are you afraid?" Steve asked.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to give the child the life he deserves and I don't want to be like my father," Mark said

"You won't be!" Steve said. "And you'll be a wonderful father," he added.

"You think so?" Mark asked.

"I know so!" Steve said, and they continued to talk about different topics.

It's the 29th of May 2003 in Mayo Clinic, Phoenix. Zaynab lay on a bed in the maternity ward of the hospital. In that ward were her mother, Mark, Steve, and Sylvie, alongside a midwife and a doctor. The room was very sterile and clean. Laying in the bed, the pain was clear on her face. She screamed every five seconds, hoping the baby would shoot out easily. Though that wasn't the case. Zaynab tried breathing exercises as the midwife suggested, yet, still, the contractions continued to wear her down. Then it came. A gush of water came out of her body, causing Zaynab, and her husband Mark, to shriek.

"It's time," the doctor said. "Zaynab, I'm going to need you to push." And she listened... She pushed and pushed long and hard. An hour passed before they made progress. The head finally showed. To Zaynab, the pain resembled a watermelon being pushed through a hole the size of a lemon. Good thing she wasn't having twins.

"I have to throw up," Zaynab said. Her body was hot, heavy, and in pain. She felt like this nightmare would never end. It was as if she had gone to hell and back. The fire continued to burn. Yes, this moment was supposed to be sweet and memorable, except it wasn't. Zaynab wanted all the agonizing to end. Right here. Right now. Everyone hovered around her like wild animals. She needed space. She needed air. "Get this thing out of me!" she shouted, squeezing her husband's hand tightly. If the baby didn't leave her body soon, she might faint.

"Do you need water?" Mark asked.

"Is the position comfy enough for you?" the midwife asked for the eightieth time.

"Keep pushing. You're almost there," the doctor reminded her. No one was helping. All Zaynab wanted was for them to....

"Shut up!!" she screamed, still heaving and pressing. Then, standing up, was Zaynab's mother. She went by the bed and held up one of her daughter's legs to help. "Mom," Zaynab said, feeling relieved. If anyone could brighten her day, it would be her mom.

"It's fine. All you need to do is keep breathing." Her Mom said.

"Please come out, baby girl." Zaynab thought to herself. "I held you warm in me long enough. It's time to come out and see the world." The baby didn't seem like she wanted to come out, anyway. Her head popped back into her mother's body so quickly. Because of the blood being slippery, the doctor couldn't get a good grip on the head. It wasn't until the next long push that got the job done. Half the baby excited Zaynab's body, and the doctor could pull out the rest of the body. Immediately after the doctor cut the cord from around her neck, they put the crying baby girl on Zaynab's chest. Mark stood close, smiling.

"What a beautiful baby girl you have." The doctor said,

"I love you," Zaynab said, looking deep into the baby's eyes. And with that, the baby went silent. No more crying, just silent.

A minute later, the midwife took the baby to clean her up and do a few tests. Meanwhile, Zaynab and Mark shared a beautiful kiss as Steve and Sylvie took pictures, while Zaynab's mother smiled in the room.

"Take care of my daughter and my granddaughter." Her mother said, pointing at Mark.

The Doctor and the nurse brought the daughter back to Zaynab and Mark, who held her in their arms. She was beautiful and both of them lit up with Joy.

"What would you like to name our angel?" Zaynab asked Mark while resting her head on his shoulder

"I give her a name, you give her one too," Mark replied

*Okay, how about Lily?" Zaynab said.

"Okay, and I'll name her Natasha," Mark said while the baby giggled.

"Natasha Lily Toney." Zaynab said, smiling at her husband. "That's beautiful." They shared another kiss before Zaynab laid back on the bed to rest after she used much of her strength delivering the child. Steve walked up to mark and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Congratulations Mark, you're a father!" Steve said.

"Thank you, brother. I'll make sure I do the most for my daughter," Mark said to Steve as both men hugged each other.

"I have one more surprise for you, man. Care for us to go see it while your wife is resting?" Steve asked.

"Woah, after all that. I'm not sure I'm in the mood for surprises!" Mark said.

"Relax man, it's going to be a welcome surprise," Steve said and Mark nodded while they left their ward. "Honey, please stay with Zaynab till I get back," Steve said as he left with Mark. Both men entered Steve's car, and he drove them over to a ditch, where he blindfolded Mark and took him, to the surprise.

"Do I have to wear this blindfold?" Mark asked rather uncomfortably.

"Relax mate, we're almost there," Steve said.

"You know this isn't even going to be something much. My wife just gave birth and I doubt anything can be as great," Mark said, but Steve ignored his words until they got there.

"Take it off," Steve said and Mark immediately took off the blindfold and once he saw it. He froze. It was a large plot of land with a sign at the center which read "PROPERTY OF FT INDUSTRIES."

"How? When?" Mark asked, still in shock.

"Do you like it?" Steve asked, smiling.

"Like? I fucking love it!" He exclaimed. "Where'd you get the money to get a land this huge?" Mark asked

"I got the money from the Libyans we sold weapons to," Steve said. "I kept it from you because I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh... I love you, man!" Mark said, and both men shared a tight hug.

"Love you too man... Now let's get down to business." Steve said.

When Zaynab woke up from sleep, Sylvie was sitting right next to her. Zaynab sat up and smiled at Sylvie, who held her hand.

"You're a strong woman, Zaynab," Sylvie said while holding Zaynab's hand tight.

"For someone who's an overachiever, it says a lot that you're calling me strong," Zaynab replied. "Saudi Arabia would be more fortunate if we had someone like you."

"I'm a public figure. You're a mother. You're a different strength to me." Sylvie said to Zaynab whose baby lay right next to her.

"You know. All this changed my life. Mark, this pregnancy, this child. It changed my point of view in life." Zaynab said.

"Before that, all I wanted to do was just drink and party my way through life and before I knew it, I ended up with a husband and a kid." She added, this time chuckling.

"Why did you come to America, anyway?"

"I was tired of my country's treatment of women. I wanted freedom. I didn't want to be controlled."

"Will you ever go back?"

"No. I have a purpose right here."

"Sometimes Fate has a way of making things happen," Sylvie said. "Back in Uni, my only focus was school and my future. I closed out all suitors and one day I met a man that made me open my heart to love."

"Well... That's lovely to hear." Zaynab said. "Someday, you'll become a mother. I'm confident of that."

"I know Zaynab, I know," Sylvie said with confidence. "You know if you need a job, I've always wanted a secretary at the office?" she asked.

"As tempting as the offer could be, Mrs. Fleming. I think I'd much rather stay home and raise my child so she can get all the love she needs, especially as her father could be out for work most of the time." Zaynab said.

"I respect your decision, Zaynab!" Sylvie said, and both ladies continued to discuss.

Over a year later, On July 24th, 2004, Sylvie who was pregnant for Steve gave birth to a son who they named Rex and the first thing Steve did was create a separate vault in the bank for his heir for when he was good enough and setting a percentage of shares of FT industries for him for when he would be old enough to inherit it.

Later that year, Steve and Mark were at the FT Industries administrative building lab and continued to test a gadget they had been working on for a long time.

"Time console experiment 3, which we definitely shouldn't be doing right now!" Mark said as he plugged the device into the television and on the screen, he selected the year 2003 and the location to Phoenix, but once they clicked the button, a portal-like hole appeared and immediately disappeared.

"It almost worked! It almost worked!" Steve said to Mark.

"How many times does this have to fail before you realize the fact that's staring you in the face? TIME TRAVEL ISN'T POSSIBLE!" Mark said to Steve.

"You saw the wormhole," Steve said, countering back.

"Yeah, and it didn't suck us in like it normally should!" Mark said to Steve. "I think it's time we just abandon this okay, there are a lot of better things we can use to skyrocket this company," Mark said and Steve sighed feeling disappointed as he took the time console, threw it in a box, and kept it away in the cellar in FT industries. Once he had dropped it, he discussed with Mark.

"How's your wife?" Steve asked Mark

"She's very well. In fact, she's doing great as a stay-at-home mother." Mark replied.

"And the girl?" Steve asked again.

"She's wonderful and Natasha is already a year old," Mark replied with a smile on his face. "I already plan on putting her in school next year."

"That's great. Best to put them in early." Steve said.

"How about you? How's your wife?" he asked Steve.

"Oh, she's doing well, took maternity leave after giving birth to Rex, so she's at home now resting." Steve replied.

"Is it true that she plans to contest for mayor of Phoenix?" Mark asked in curiosity. "It would be a really lovely thing if she won"

"Well, my wife's had an interest in moving to a higher position, but I doubt the mayor is the one. She'll most likely stick with women's affairs and activism for now," Steve said.

"Wait? Sylvie's not wanting to be bigger than where she is? That's new." Mark said while chuckling.

"Yeah, it turns out she loves her job right now and doesn't see any real reason to move from it." He said to Mark.

"No biggie. That's some genuine change in character she's gone through." Mark said.

"Didn't we all?" Steve asked while smiling.

"I think so," Mark said. "Considering all we wanted to do was to explore, to have adventures and to do impossible things before, but right now we want to take care of our families."

"Especially with Rex, I want to raise him properly not only as my heir but as my son and as a scientist," Steve said to mark.

"Same path I want Natasha to go through. I want her to be smart and successful and I'll do everything I can to make sure it happens," Mark said.

"All we want as fathers is to live long enough to see our kids excel," Steve said, looking towards Mark.

"Don't worry, we will not just be alive to see our kids being successful, but we will see them grow families and create new legacies," Mark said.

"I hope so, Mark, I hope so," Steve said as both men rested their hands on each other's shoulders.