cadet_amara | Surprise! for hesdead

Surprise! for hesdead_jim

Amara enjoyed the night shift, but she had to admit it made it hard to get out of bed. She wondered why her sleep cycle was so effected. Space was always dark. It shouldn't matter what the clock said. However, when she tried to get up this particular day she felt as if she hadn't slept at all. Every muscle in her body ached, and she felt... well... odd. Something was off. Her stomach felt like it was squirming... and she felt ill.

She looked down and was surprised to see her stomach looked a little bloated. "What the-?" She got up quickly and went to check her appearance in the mirror. Yes, her stomach was definitely not as flat as it usually was. There was a certain roundness... as it she were... no, not possible. She wasn't even going to entertain the thought. First of all she never missed her birth control. Second, if she were pregnant a belly wouldn't have appeared overnight. It simply didn't work that way. It must be something else.

Whatever it was, it felt like something just moved in there. That scared her, and she carefully felt her abdomen, shocked to find there appeared to be something inside her. Moving. Responding to her touch.

Frightened and trying not to panic, she dressed quickly and rushed off to Sickbay, hoping Leonard was on duty. Whatever was going on was definitely going to require his attention.

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"I know... but I can't help it. Maybe he mixed up my brain or something, but I can't stop myself. And believe me, I'm not quick to love." She didn't understand how the boy had gotten her guard down so quickly, but the maternal instincts were strong and she couldn't fight them. It was all very unnerving, and it frightened her a little, but she couldn't resist.

"I know. Jus' be careful. All right?" he had such little time to find what was wrong with the boy and he was realistic in believing he would run out of time. So he had to also consider her, and the impact this would all have on her.

"I told you, I can't help it." She sighed, looking over at the boy again. "But I'll try..."

"I know. I know," he reached out then to touch her arm, leaning in to kiss her cheek softly. He would never usually do so in public but he felt like she needed him to ignore his reluctance and dislike of PDAs in order to comfort her. "He's free ta go now, 'Mara."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright... Will you be by later?" She really hoped he would.

"I will," he had to be, to check on her wellbeing as well as the boy. He could monitor him, but no her, from medical.

"Then, I'll see you then." She gave him a weak smile then took the boy's hand. "Come on Karan." She then lead the boy out of medical, taking him back to her quarters, hoping Leonard could find a solution to all this.

"You will," he assured her of that fact before watching them both leave medical. He turned then to his readings to begin his work.

The boy continued his rapid aging the rest of the day and by the time Amara put him to bed that night he seemed to be almost twelve years old, soon to be a teenager. She wondered what she would do if she woke up to find him a grown man, and very soon an elderly man. With each moment she felt an even stronger connection to the boy, and felt that she'd known him for years rather than hours.

She felt as though if he died, her heart would break, though she knew that logically, it was a very likely outcome. Because of this likely scenario she found herself ignoring the exhaustion in her own body and sitting up with him, keeping a silent vigil over him, praying for a solution to his rapid aging.

Leonard returned to her in the evening, letting M'Benga take over because honestly, he was drawing blanks. Every theory he came up with, he found reason to fault. Another set of eyes perhaps would help. Rubbing his eyes, he made his way to the room and let himself in, trudging through to find Amara.

She rose to her feet when she heard him come in. Right now there was one thing she felt like she needed more than anything. She came straight over to him and hugged him tightly. Amara very rarely directly sought comfort like this, but tonight she needed this, and he was the one person she felt secure enough to come to. She only hoped he would understand what she needed right now, and that he wasn't still upset with her for her actions earlier in the day.

The moment he felt her in his arms, despite his earlier anger that still lingered somewhat, he wrapped his arms around her to hold her. He had a feeling she needed that; that she needed his hold and comfort. "Hey... hey, I got you."

Those were the words she needed to hear more than anything, and she stayed like that a minute, holding on to him as if her life depended on it. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she furiously blinked them back. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up to meet his eyes. "Promise?"

"I promise," he tilted his head to look down at her, nodding just so. "I... can't work it out, 'Mara. I have M'Benga, a fresh pair of eyes takin' a look."

"I don't know what to do... He talks and acts like a normal boy, and I feel like I've known him for years, not hours." She sighed, quickly wiping her eyes. "Whatever it is that made him or... whatever he really is, it's having an effect on me."

"I know, sweetheart. I know," he just tightened his hold on her then. He didn't know what else to say, or do. He just needed to comfort her.

"What should I do?" She asked, genuinely wanting some direction here. "What now?"

"I don't know. You... are already connectin' with him, aren't you?" so he couldn't tell her that she needed to not fall in love with this child.

She hesitated then nodded, knowing it would do her absolutely no good to lie. "I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help myself. It's strange... I'm not normally so quick to love."

"I know. I... don't know what ta say. It's goin' to hurt you when he dies an' honestly, unless M'Benga comes up with a miracle, he's goin' to die," he didn't know when, but he expected it to be soon. Very soon.

She nodded, knowing very well that was the likely outcome. "I know... I've been trying to prepare myself for that. I'm used to being hurt, why should this be any different?"

"I don't want you ta be hurt," he let out a breath and sighed, tugging her back tightly against him. "M' sorry. I shoulda been able ta protect you from this."

"Hurt is a part of life, Leonard. There wasn't anything you could have done to protect me." She closed her eyes and returned his tight embrace. "Just be here, alright? I think that's what I'll need more than anything."

"I will be. I promise, I will be," he would take care of her best he could do. Not that he knew how to take care of someone in a situation like this, but he was made for that. He was made for caring for people, even if his gruff exterior said otherwise.

"Thank you." She sighed and went to sit down, resting her head in her hands. "This is exactly why I stopped letting myself get close to people. It's easier to lose when you don't care."

Surprise! for hesdead_jim

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