Chapter Text
Everything was blinding.
It took Dylan a few seconds to blink away the light spots to find himself lying in a hospital bed, staring at the fluorescent lights overhead. His memory was... hazy. He had no clue how he ended up there, and his whole body seemed to ache. Eyes were darting around the room; he barely had time to understand what was happening before a nurse came in with a comforting smile.
"Ah, Mr. Ashbrook, you're awake! Good," the nurse responded, utterly unaware of the confusion on his face. "You had us a bit worried there, but your vitals seem to be improving!"
Dylan wanted to open his mouth to ask what was going on, but his mouth felt like cotton, and his tongue felt stuck and frozen in place as he struggled to lift himself before the nurse gently pushed him back down.
"Oh no, no, no. It would be best if you didn't get up now. It would be best if you rested up now, dearie. You did so great. They're getting her all cleaned up," the nurse stated, giving him another smile.
Dylan felt himself getting even more confused, but before he could even ask what the nurse meant by that statement, another nurse walked in, holding a small bundle of blankets as she glided(?) her way toward him. Shock ran through his body as she placed the swaddle in his arms, heart pounding in his head.
None of it made sense. He had just been injected, and he was already in the hospital? He couldn't have... he... it just couldn't have! His mind struggled to remember the past few hours, but nothing came up. He would have asked one of the nurses, but they were already gone... leaving him alone with what he had just birthed. His attention soon returned to the bundle in his arms, and a sense of morbid curiosity ran through him. He removed the first layer of blankets with a shaky hand before a sharp gasp erupted from his throat.
What he was looking at wasn't a human baby... instead, it was a large, squirmy, slimy maggot.
"AH!"
Dylan launched himself up from the bed as he struggled to catch his breath. His heart pounding, he flung the covers off his body and began taking deep breaths before he could fully calm down. Rubbing his face slowly, he swallowed as he took in the dryness in his throat before the sound of knocking garnered his attention.
"Dylan? Dylan, you up?" Terry's unmistakable voice came, and he opened the door slowly as he peeked inside.
"Terry? Yeah, I'm up, I'm up..." Dylan answered. "Am I back home? I'm still a little groggy from last night."
"Yep, we're back at your apartment, buddy," Terry responded, smiling softly as he walked in carrying a silver case and placing it on Dylan's bed. Following close behind him was Clover, who rushed past him and jumped onto Dylan's bed, settling on the covers as she looked around the room. " Philomena and I were going over how we would be watching over you from point A to point B of the experiment, and she said it would be best if we took shifts," he explained as he opened up the case and took out a thermometer. "So I'm watching you for this week, and Mena will be watching you the second week. Here, open up."
Dylan opened his mouth as Terry stuck the thermometer underneath his tongue, leaving it in. He grabbed a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Dylan's left arm before pumping.
"So, how long were you here waiting for me to wake up?" Dylan asked, watching Terry move as he noted his blood pressure and wrote it down before taking his stethoscope and putting it under Dylan's shirt.
"Oh, not too long. After our discussion, I fell asleep on your couch there. Apologies for that," Terry sheepishly admitted as he nodded and removed it before looking at Dylan's temperature, satisfied with what he was reading. "Hmm, normal. Good, everything is running smoothly."
"Oh, good... Um, hey Terry, I hate to interrupt, but I kinda have to pee," Dylan said, slightly embarrassed.
"Ah, no problem. I was going to ask you for that," Terry stated, reaching back and grabbing a urine test cup as he placed it in Dylan's hand. "Fill it up with as much as you can."
"Ahh, I see," Dylan muttered, slowly getting up and heading toward his bathroom. Terry followed as Dylan went in, closing the door behind him slightly, and turned on the light.
"So Dylan, Philomena said it would be best to take the tests sometime at 8:00 A.M. and again at 10:00 P.M. to keep a more consistent distance between times and give the drug time to adjust in your body. We also snagged a prenatal monitor and a blood screener to monitor the fetal heartbeat and confirm if we have a good presence of hCG in your system," Terry explained, peering inside the bathroom.
"Hey, can I please have some privacy?" Dylan asked, sounding slightly annoyed as Terry put his hands up in protection and moved away.
"Sorry, sorry... I'm just excited that we're getting this project up and running! Especially since Dr. Monroe will be sharing the lab with Philomena and me. We'll probably be going there today to analyze and collate the fluid sampler, which will be good!
"I have no idea what that is, but it sounds like fun," Dylan stated, coming outside with a nearly full cup and handing it over to Terry.
"Ah, thank you. That is enough," Terry acknowledged as the two returned to the bedroom. Once inside, Terry took out a small test tube and syringe, carefully sucked a sample through, and pushed the plunger down gently into the line. Still holding on to it, he quickly grabbed a small box and opened it; he took out a small strip and slowly inserted it before taking it out after a few seconds and laying it down.
"What are you doing now, Terry?" Dylan asked, tilting his head as he gave Clover a scratch on her head.
"Oh, this is just a dipstick test here that I'm conducting," Terry answered nonchalantly. "It's just to determine if you're pregnant or not. We are golden and on track if two lines are located at the control and results lines. Oh! And speaking of being on track..."
Terry took out a small wristwatch and quickly wrapped it around Dylan's right wrist, pushing a few buttons with several satisfying beeps.
"This wristwatch has been set to go off every four hours so that you can take the PotencX. Six times a day should do it," Terry explained as Dylan nodded absentmindedly.
"Right, thanks... even though I feel like I might be crazy for going through with this," Dylan muttered as Terry looked over at the strip, a smile traveling over his face as he looked back at Dylan with excitement.
"Man, I don't think you're crazy, but I can say with certainty that you're pregnant," Terry said, motioning for him to come over as he held the strip up, revealing two pink lines situated. "Congratulations, buddy."
Dylan looked at it in shock, eyes widening as he examined it before sitting silently on his bed.
"...I'm pregnant," was all that he muttered.
Four Weeks Later: NewDugWood Research Lab: 11:35 A.M.
"So, for today, we will be extracting an eight-cell cluster from the two-to-four stage of embryo three. And we will be doing so by freezing it-"
"Gack!"
"...Er, we'll then afterward induce suspension-"
"Blech!"
"A-and d-d-development arrest..."
The sounds of more retching and heaving, followed by rushing footsteps running into a nearby bathroom, made the entire group sit silently and cringe at the sound of vomiting hitting the toilet. One of the scientists, a young woman named Galina, got up and walked towards the door, gently rapping her knuckles against it.
"E-excuse me, Mr. Ashford? Can I get you anything?" She asked, twiddling her fingers as Kris and the others looked over.
"N-No... I'm 'Blech!' ok..."
"Okay... If you need anything, you l-let me know..." she said, heading back to her seat.
"Galina? Is he..." Kris started to ask.
"H-he didn't need anything at the moment," Galina explained.
"Ah, ok... that's good. Um, how about we focus on any cryogenic disruption for the DNA footprints?" Kris questioned with a pained smile, wincing as the gagging continued.
Another sound, though a bit more pleasant, caught their attention. The door from the outside opened, and in came Terry, who was holding a large banana stack in his hand and with a massive smile.
"Hey, hey! I hope I'm not intruding, but I came here to see the new mama!" he called out, closing the door behind him as she walked further in. He waved at his fellow scientists, who waved back.
"Ah! Dr. Weber, hi!" Kris exclaimed, getting up with a bright but nervous smile.
"Hey, Dr. Monroe! I thought I'd drop by to see Lilly and the new baby. I got them both a little gift here," Terry explained, holding up the bounty as cheerful hooting came from the cage. With a smile, he and Kris walked over to see Lilly and Winston nuzzling together, with a small chimp holding tightly onto his mother and staring curiously at them.
"Awww, look at him! Got his mama's eyes and his daddy's ears," Terry cooed as he passed the bananas through with Winston grabbing them. As this admittedly cute display happened, the bathroom door creaked open, revealing a slightly pale-skinned Dylan holding his stomach. Stumbling forward slightly, Dylan approached a desk and slowly lowered his head onto it, a muffled groan leaving his mouth.
Handing the bananas off to Winston, Terry excused himself and headed over to his friend with a slightly concerned look. "Dylan? Buddy? How are you doing? How are things swinging? Are you ok?"
Another groan left Dylan's mouth as he slowly moved his head to the side and looked up at Terry. "Y-yeah... kind of. I can't keep anything down right now."
"Ah... that's the morning sickness, probably due to high hCG levels. But don't worry; it'll pass after weeks 16 and 18. But for now, here," Terry explained before handing Dylan a small pack of saltine crackers. "You might be able to keep these down. Are there any other problems or complications that Philomena or I need to check?"
"O-oh... well, just one..." Dylan answered, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. "...It's... It's my nipples. They're very sensitive..."
"Sensitive? Like how? What sort of feeling do you have?" Terry asked.
"Like... l-like a tingling feeling. Almost... sore, if I could describe it."
"Could it be your detergent?" Another voice called out, causing both men to look up at the sight of a young man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes with glasses over them, wearing a red plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of washed blue jeans as he gave them a curious look.
"M-my what?" Dylan stammered.
"Your detergent. That used to happen to me when using a non-biodegradable soap, but once I switched over, the problem disappeared! Maybe you could try the same?"
"Ah... w-w-well, maybe..."
"Or maybe it's from surfing," another voice asked, this one belonging to a young woman with black hair and brown eyes wearing a long-sleeved white sweater and a black, pleated skirt. "I've heard that the wax and saltwater mixing around irritates the nipples, usually from surfing. Do you surf?"
"Ummm... n-no, I don't surf..." Dylan answered, face burning as he felt himself sink further into embarrassment, which Terry took notice of.
"Okay, okay. Thank you both for your concern, but it is best to get back to work. We don't want Harrison to get angry now," Terry warned, watching the two pale slightly before nodding and quickly walking off. Well, that was awkward..."
"Understatement of the century," Dylan replied as he sighed. "Terry, I don't know how much more I can take. It's only been a few weeks, and I already feel like I can't handle it..."
"No way, you're doing great, Dylan! Mena and I talked to the guy at Byusi, and he was ecstatic about the results from the initial data. Philomena will meet him at a convention sometime next month, so... Dylan? Dylan, are you ok?"
Terry noticed how his friend looked pained as he wrapped his hands around his pelvis, only able to give a slight, pained shake of his head.
"What's wrong? Is it cramps? Come on, get up. Let's walk around for a bit. Let's go, let's go," Terry replied, helping Dylan to his feet as he gently and quickly guided him towards the door. He did not notice a particular doctor watching them out of concern before stepping after them.
Outside
"Ok... I might have to discuss this with Philomena to see if we should reduce the hormones. However, I doubt we can, at least not without potentially jeopardizing the experiment..." Terry explained as he and Dylan took in the slightly warming air, hoping to find a place to sit.
"Dr. Weber!" Someone called them, and the source was revealed to be a concerned Kris Monroe. Kris was rushing after them with a worried look before accidentally rushing into someone running by.
"Oh geez, it's Dr. Monroe. Just who we didn't need," Terry groaned, looking for a place to run and hide. After profusely apologizing to her unintended victim, Kris quickly caught up with them with a slight stumble as he turned to face her, leaving Dylan to look away with a light blush.
"D-Dr. Weber! S-sorry for bothering you at this moment," Kris said, breathing heavily as she cleared her throat. "I-I know this is none of my business, but I couldn't help but notice Dylan's behavior."
The two froze up, gulping as they faced her with paled expressions. Tiny beads of sweat formed on their foreheads as they walked faster, Kris keeping up with them.
"B-behavior? What kind of behavior? I-I'm fine, really," Dylan stammered out, letting out a nervous chuckle as he rubbed his arm unconsciously.
"No, you're not," Kris exclaimed, balling her fists in front of her as the volume of her voice grew. "You've been lethargic and nauseous, and I even noticed the little vials you left behind in the waste basket! A-and, it made me wonder..."
"Y-yes? It made you wonder what exactly Dr. Monroe?" Terry asked with slight nervousness, praying to some unseen God that she hadn't figured out what was happening or was potentially planning to tell Harrison!
"Dylan... do you have a substance abuse problem?" Kris asked, whispering it slightly so that no one nearby could hear.
"W-what? What?!" Dylan questioned, feeling slightly offended as he and Terry looked at her incredulously. Terry looked over at her in stunned confusion. "N-no! I don't have a substance abuse problem!"
"Now, it's nothing to be ashamed of," Kris explained, trying to appease him. "I happened to have been involved in a study at my college in a categoric state, and this was the kind of situation my teacher had us look into."
"Well, I can assure you, I am not doing anything illegal! I'm fine! It's nothing to concern yourself with," Dylan exclaimed, burning up in embarrassment again.
"But it does concern me! This has been happening for nearly a month, and I think it would be best for him to see someone," Kris responded, gripping her hands into fists as she looked at them both.
"Dr. Monroe, now that's unnecessary," Terry finally spoke, getting between the two. "Y-you see, there is a logical explanation behind this and that... that... that t-there's a tragic disease currently affecting young males. A-and it's called, 'Voldak Syndrome!'"
"Voldak Syndrome?" Kris asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, that's not surprising. It is only endemic to certain places around the world." Terry responded with a solemn expression, hoping that Kris was buying what he was saying.
"I've never heard of Voldak Syndrome," Kris said, looking unsure. "What exactly are its symptoms?"
"O-oh, well..." Terry stuttered, looking over at Dylan apologetically. "It's a terrible, deliberating, relentless, you know... kind of... f-fatness." He explained, ignoring the indignant sound his friend was making behind him and the possible death look he was getting from him.
"Fatness?" Kris questioned, looking over at Dylan, who felt himself blush even harder.
"Yep, fatness. It just so happens to strike young men in their prime, turning them into... well, you know," Terry explained, about to nearly demonstrate when Dylan, having enough, grabbed him by his shoulders and pushed him off to the side.
"Ok, that's enough, Terry! Kris doesn't want to be bored with such information," Dylan stated, growling slightly before a sudden lurch came over him. "A-and neither do I... E-excuse me!"
Suddenly, Dylan covered his mouth before rushing to a bush with a heave. Terry and Kris flinched and looked away as the sound of retching and vomit emanated from the area.
"I'm going to find some more crackers for you, Dylan. Just hold on for a minute," Terry explained before rushing back towards the central lab. Only Kris and a very pale Dylan, hunched over and breathing heavily, remained, slowly sitting on the curb.
Looking over at him, Kris cautiously walked over to him. Wiping his mouth off for any residue, he took note of her shadow before turning back, not wanting to look her in the eye.
"Um, Dylan... do you have a couple of minutes? I really would like to talk to you."
"No, thank you... I don't feel like talking," Dylan said, biting his lip as he looked up at her before turning away.
"Hey, you don't have to worry," she started to say. "This can and will stay between the two of us, and no one will ever know a word, I swear."
"I... I'm sorry, I can't. I feel embarrassed talking about... well, this whole thing. It's all just so frustrating and humiliating to me." Dylan replied, slightly hesitating as he shuffled more comfortably on the curb.
"Hey, there's no need to be. People get sick all the time; there's nothing to be ashamed about," Kris said, giving him a comforting smile as Dylan watched her for a bit before looking down again.
"...Well, it just... I feel like I'm losing control over my body," he finally spoke, leaning his head into his right hand after some time.
"Really? You don't seem like someone who likes control," Kris admitted to him.
"Yeah, I know. It's a bit surprising for me to admit, but that's just how I feel. I don't like certain things out of order, and I don't like being sick... does that sound wrong to say?"
"No, no. Believe me, I can understand what you're saying, and it can be rough for pretty much anyone. Your body can be a terror to figure out sometimes," Kris stated, taking a piece of her hair and pulling at it slightly. "Like... when it gets peculiar about when your period comes, and it doesn't stop until you reach menopause, and it never STOPS! It's a lifetime of leaks, swelling, spotting, and smears! And don't even get me started on the crippling cramps, the raging hormones, and yeasts! Oh, the yeasts! And THAT'S... that's if everything's normal." Kris yelled before taking note of the people watching her before she sat down, a bit embarrassed. Dylan watched her for a bit, an unreadable expression on his face.
"...That sounds awful," he finally replied, voice emotionless as he looked down at the ground.
"Yeah, it can be at times. But hey, sometimes, you have to make the best of your circumstances because you never know when it will all be worth it in the end for others or even for yourself," Kris responded, giving him a small smile, which he returned.
"Yeah... I think I understand what you mean. Thank you, Kris; I'm starting to feel better."
"Of course. Still, staying off your feet and using an ice pack for a few minutes every hour would be wise. Call me if anything else goes wrong, and I'll help however I can."
"I will... thank you," Dylan said, giving her a small smile, which she returned before getting up.
"No problem. Bye, Dylan," Kris replied, smiling as she waved him off before walking off and back into the lab. Dylan waved back slightly as he remained seated, letting out a small breath. After a few minutes, Terry approached him, holding an unopened pack of crackers and an unreadable expression on his face.
"Oh, hey, Terry. Terry?" Dylan asked, getting up as he watched his friend's face. Tilting his head slightly, he waved his hand before Terry's face, getting the young man to jump slightly.
"Huh?! O-oh, hey Dylan... d-didn't see you there. Um, here are the crackers," Terry said, sounding despondent as he held them out. Taking them gently, Dylan stuffed them into his pocket before returning to face him.
"Terry, are you feeling okay? You look... lost," Dylan asked, concerned for his friend.
"Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm fine! I'm just... feeling a bit tired, that's all. Nothing to worry about," Terry explained, waving him off as he gave him a small smile. "A-anyway, why don't we head back inside? It's a little chilly out here, and I think we need to warm up for a bit."
Before Dylan could speak, Terry had already walked off, leaving Dylan to try and catch up. None of them could notice the pair of narrow, cold eyes belonging to Harrison, watching them from a short distance with a slight frown.
A Few Days Later- Terry's House: 6:15 P.M.
Terry was sitting on his couch, holding a soda can absentmindedly as he stared into space. Dylan was back home, so for the time being, he was alone in the living room with a deep frown.
No matter how hard he tried to distract himself, what had happened back at the research lab still played in his mind. Leaving him with a sense of impending dread and anger building up inside him... and it was all because of Harrison:
Flashback
Terry had crossed the threshold from where he left Dylan and Kris and was walking toward the lab when he felt himself accidentally bump into someone.
"Oof! Ah, s-sorry about that. I didn't mean to..." Terry was about to finish before he looked up, and his face instantly fell flat as he took in the sight of a bored-looking Harrison who was currently watching him.
"Well, hello there, Dr. Weber. Fancy running into you," Harrison replied with fake politeness, hands behind his back. "It seems like it was only yesterday that I remember your... presence. How funny."
"Yeah, funny. Amazing how you don't appreciate someone until they're gone," Terry coldly said, looking back towards the lab entrance. "Anyway, is there something you need, Harrison? I need to get something from the lab for Dylan and-"
"Why the rush? We have plenty to talk about anyway."
"About what exactly?" Terry questioned, trying to move past him.
"About your 'friend' Dylan. I noticed that Dylan has been acting odd lately. The lethargy, nausea, and the... cramping. I believe is going on," Harrison stated, making Terry freeze as he looked over at him in near panic.
"W-well... you know, Dylan is... just fighting off a stomach bug! That's all," Terry stated, waving Harrison off. "Just a part of the... the... syndrome that he has! You know, so many diseases are just popping up right about now, and it often leaves us unprepared for them, and well-"
"Dr. Weber," Harrison interrupted once more, voice cold as Terry felt himself slightly shiver from the tone. "I do hope you remember that I am not someone who can be so easily fooled. Do you take me for an idiot?"
"W-what? N-no, I don't!"
"Really? Cause it feels like you are. You don't think I noticed how you and Dylan secretly talk to one another, the way you and Dr. Hawthorne try to look over files and results for something absurdly covert? I notice everything that goes on here, and I know that you are trying to hide something from me," Harrison continued, walking closer and closer to Terry as he stepped back out of fear. "Now, I am feeling generous right now, so I am giving you one chance to admit whatever you two are doing right now, and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you off the hook. And if not, I'll just let that hang in the air."
Terry felt his breathing hitch up as he let out a gulp. "...There... there is nothing that Philomena and I are hiding! We aren't discussing anything in secrecy at all!"
"Are you sure? You're not just saying that to get me off your case? I know you, Dr. Weber, and I know Dr. Hutchins, and I know many ways to get what I want. So, I'll ask again: Are you positive that neither you nor Dr. Hawthorne are doing something behind my back? Are you sure that I can trust whatever you two say?"
"Y-Yes! Yes, I am sure! A-and, I can vouch for Philomena as well!" Terry stuttered out, desperately wishing to escape.
A thick silence hung over the two as Harrison looked at him, dissecting his every word and body language as he leaned in further. As a minute passed, he leaned back into an upright position, face blank. "...Fine. Very well. I'll hold you both to it."
Turning away, Harrison began walking away before pausing suddenly. He turned his head slightly and pierced Terry with a slight glare. "Of course... I will be watching you both. And I will find out... so, best keep your guard up. We wouldn't want you two to suffer anything that could threaten your careers, now do we?"
Turning back once more, Harrison walked away before Terry could even answer. Once gone, Terry felt his body release some tension as he struggled to calm himself down, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead as he shakily returned to the lab doors.
Pausing slightly, he took out his phone, fumbled to his contact list, and clicked on Philomena's number.
He needed to talk with her. Now.
End
Since that conversation, he and Philomena had discussed what to do now. With the idea that Harrison could potentially figure out what they were doing and the potential for Dylan to be "taken" for experimentation and out of the safety of public eyes, there was a sudden increase of worry and concern swimming between them both.
They hadn't told Dylan; god knows they both wanted to, but neither could do it in the end. This whole situation was already stressing him out, even when he didn't show it, and any more bad news could be detrimental to his health. It wasn't like they couldn't just tell him.
That would have made things even worse for everyone.
For now, they were keeping things down low. If it mostly meant limiting Dylan's visits to the lab to keep Harrison from suspecting anything else and to prevent any phone calls from being tracked by him or his equally nosy assistant, then that was what they had to do.
It was not a decision they wanted to make, considering that they needed some of the equipment, but it was a temporary solution for now as they tried to figure out the proper steps.
Terry sighed, snapping out momentarily as he placed the can off to the side. He couldn't think straight and needed to concentrate on helping Dylan and Philomena. Deciding to stop sitting around in an anxious state, Terry got up and decided to go over the research they had gathered so far... and to get another can of soda when his phone suddenly started ringing, alerting him as he turned around and went to retrieve it with slight apprehension.
"Um... hello?"
"Terry?" A nervous, feminine voice answered him, a voice that he instantly recognized. "Hey Terry, are you there?"
"Hazel, hey. You surprised me there! I wasn't expecting a call from you today," Terry answered, leaning back as he ran his fingers through his hair. A small smile danced across his face.
"Heh... sorry about that. It's just I needed to call you about... something important." Hazel said, causing Terry to pause as his smile turned into a confused and worried frown.
"Hmm? What do you want to talk about?" Terry asked, his frown deepening as Hazel remained silent. "Hazel, what's wrong? Did something happen? Are you ok?"
"Y-yes... I'm ok... Um, to answer your question, something did happen... Something completely unexpecting." Hazel spoke before taking a deep breath, causing Terry's heart to beat faster as he waited anxiously for Hazel to explain what was happening.
"Terry... I'm pregnant."
Terry froze as the words registered in his head, taking a minute to get his thoughts together before responding.
"Really? W-wow, Hazel... that's... that's wonderful," Terry finally said, a shaky smile on his face. "H-how long?"
"A-about seven weeks..." Hazel stated, her voice getting quieter. Terry paused briefly at his cousin's silent admission but ultimately shook it off, deciding not to question her.
"I see... w-when did this happen?"
"Well, let's just say that the guy was in and out of my life very quickly, but not quickly enough," Hazel answered, a sense of bitterness in her voice that Terry instantly caught.
"... He? He who? Hazel, who are you talking about?" Terry couldn't help but ask, something he regretted as he heard Hazel take in a sharp air intake, obviously reluctant to answer.
"It's... It's not important," Hazel stated, pausing before she continued. "A-anyway, that's not the only reason I'm calling you today. Terry... I was wondering, and I don't know if you'll agree... but do you think there is a slight chance that maybe, just maybe, Philomena might want to be my doctor and examine me?"
Terry froze again, his hand slightly slack as he held on to the phone. He wasn't sure how to respond to such a simple but still loaded question. It took him a moment to finally respond to her, his mind racking to devise a suitable response.
"Hazel... I-I don't know. Philomena and I have our hands full with... things, so I can't be sure if she'll be able to look over you," Terry finally answered. "What about Dr. Sanders? He's just as good as her, and I'm sure he can check you over. I can give you his information if you want..."
He could feel Hazel pause after he said that, the sound of something shuffling before she spoke, her voice much softer as if she didn't want to answer him.
"Terry, no... No offense to Dr. Sanders, but he's neither my first nor second choice. Why not Philomena? Can't you check in with her just to be sure?" Hazel said, almost pleading with him, and Terry couldn't understand why.
"Ah, come on, Hazel, just give him a chance. I am 99.9% positive that you will love him! And if you don't... I'll discuss it with Mena and see if she'll be up to being your doctor. How does that sound?"
"...' Sigh.' Yeah, it sounds good, Terry," Hazel answered with evident reluctance. "Listen, I-I gotta go. I won't hold you up, so I'll talk to you later..."
"Oh, s-sure. Talk to you lat-," Terry started to say before the dial tone came up. A bit put off by the abruptness, he slowly hung up the phone as he stood in the kitchen. With a sigh, he walked out and headed upstairs into his bedroom. Entering it, he closed the door behind him, walked over to his cluttered desk, and sat down.
He needed a distraction, and he needed time to focus on his friends, on the experiment...
On Harrison.
He wasn't about to let everything that he and Philomena worked on and everything that Dylan was sacrificing for them go in vain.
The time for being scared was done. Now it was the time to start being a scientist and think.
Dylan's Apartment- 8:00 P.M.
Dylan sat comfortably against his couch cushions, the TV playing quietly. His eyes trailed the screen tiredly, a yawn escaping his mouth before he sighed and grabbed the remote to turn the TV off. He slowly got up and entered his bedroom.
Rubbing his eyes, he passed by a full-length mirror... before stopping. Taking a few steps back, he turned and looked at his reflection more carefully. Turning slightly to the side, he looked down at his hoodie and lifted the hem and t-shirt underneath as he examined himself.
Now, Dylan didn't have a ripped physique, more on the line of being lean and toned to avoid being too sloppy. And yet, there was no denying the indiscernible bump barely jutting out above his hips. It made him look a bit softer, almost rounder, as he stroked his hand over the tiny curve of his belly. He oddly didn't feel weirded out; in fact, he felt... comfortable? It was almost like his mind was genuinely accepting the idea that there was a baby-
Freezing up slightly, Dylan let out a disgruntled scoff and forced his hand down as he turned away from the mirror. There was no baby in him. It was just an embryo, a fetus!
Hell, it's just an experiment!
It would mean nothing in the end... right?
...Right.
Dylan shuddered with anger, a slight pang of guilt running through his whole body. He clenched his jaw tightly and released a deep, disgruntled breath.
Great, now he was possibly stressing out the ba-experiment, which was the last thing he needed to do.
He was about to take another deep breath when he heard his phone start to buzz from his nightstand. Looking over at it, Dylan grabbed it, barely peeking over the caller ID before answering it as he sat on his bed.
"Hello, this is Dylan Ashford. Can I ask who is calling," Dylan answered, wincing slightly at how tense he sounded.
"Oh, hello, Dylan," Philomena's voice answered him. "I was just calling to check up on you. Are you ok? You sounded a bit... flushed."
"O-oh... hey Philomena. No, no, I'm fine. It was just me being too tired, that's all."
"Ah, I understand. I apologize if I caught you at the wrong time, Dylan. This is to inform you about some good news. We have one more week to go, and then we can get everything written to send out. The experiment will soon be over. "
"Oh... really? Wow... I thought that we had a few more weeks to go."
"No... it was only for the first trimester. And then, after all is said and done, it would be quick and over with."
'How can she make it sound easy to think about...' Dylan thought as he cleared his throat. "Right, right, I'm aware Mena. I guess... Well, I just figured the pregnancy would last a little longer..."
"Yes, that would be the case... if it was a regular pregnancy. But Dylan, as Terry elaborated beforehand, you're not pregnant pregnant. This is just an experiment, nothing more. If it were more conventional, it would be completely understandable. Still, Terry and I feel that if we ran it on much longer than initially planned, there would be... complications. That's exactly why we can't let it go on any further; neither Terry nor I would ever forgive ourselves. What we do in the name of science should never involve risking someone's own life for it... especially yours."
Dylan remained silent, rubbing the back of his neck. It wasn't like he didn't understand why Philomena emphasized the particular issues that came with this whole experiment, but it was still jarring, at least to him.
"So, you understand, Dylan?" Philomena asked, voice soft as Dylan let out a deep sigh and reluctantly nodded to himself.
"...Yeah, I get it, Mena. I understand. Listen, I'm going to turn in for the night, so I'll probably talk with you and Terry later, okay?
"...Of course. Take care, and talk to you later, Dylan. Goodnight."
"Night."
'Click!'
Once the call signaled off, Dylan returned his phone to the nightstand and allowed his body to lie back on the bed. His eyes trailed up to the ceiling, and his hand unconsciously trailed to his stomach as he stared deeply. Philomena's words kept bouncing around in his head, leaving him with a sense of... uneasiness?
Why exactly?
After all, he shouldn't care at all! This was only meant to be for the experiment, nothing more!
He just had that thought not too long before Philomena called! It didn't make sense for his mind to be zigzagging throughout this situation!
The plan was already set, and it would be done! And that shouldn't have been a problem...
Right?
It's not like he wanted to have kids at this moment... right?
"...I'm overthinking. I definitely don't want kids, and I'm not ready for that responsibility just yet. Heck, I can barely take care of Clover," he remarked, looking over at his furry companion, who stared back at him with her head tilted. "Not to mention, I can barely take care of myself. What are my chances of taking care of a kid? Practically zero, zilch, nada... I would screw everything up."
Dylan turned on to his side, heavy thoughts running through his brain as he slowly closed his eyes. Sleep was just on the horizon, and it would be much better to just-
"Sometimes, you have to make the best of your circumstances because you never know when it will all be worth it in the end for others or even for yourself."
Kris' words echoed in his head all the sudden, causing him to open his eyes suddenly as he found himself staring at his bedroom wall. And the more that he thought about them, the more he found himself starting to relate to them little by little.
Dylan turned on to his side, heavy thoughts running through his brain as he slowly closed his eyes. Sleep was just on the horizon, and it would be much better to just-
"Sometimes, you have to make the best of your circumstances because you never know when it will all be worth it in the end for others or even for yourself."
Kris' words echoed in his head all of a sudden, causing him to open his eyes suddenly as he found himself staring at his bedroom wall. And the more that he thought about them, the more he found himself starting to relate to them little by little.
And it was at this point that Dylan knew.
He knew what his mind was thinking. And what it wanted him to do. Even though it was crazy, he couldn't shake it out of his mind.
"...I just hope I don't live to regret it," Dylan muttered as he turned on his side and drifted off to sleep, knowing that when tomorrow comes, he needed to talk to Philomena.