Just the facts.

[shimmerandsing]

Two weeks later, as arranged, Alison and Longshot were back in Dr. Crusher's office in the Nexus. Alison was anxious to hear what the doctor's scans and tests had concluded. She was hoping with the technology Dr. Crusher had that the doctor would be able to tell them definitively whether or not her previous miscarriage had just been a tragic combination of stress and environment as she had always thought. Or if the situation was much worse and her DNA was not compatible with her husband's. Alison would be inconsolable if that were the case.

Now, she waited -- as patiently as possible -- as Dr. Crusher set up her medical files and gathered her information for their visit. She sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Longshot was beside her in the other chair and she had a tight hold on his hand. Her thumb rubbed restlessly against the back of his hand.

There had to be good news. She needed good news.

Comments

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

Beverly settled down in her chair and almost frowned at how cushy and bouncy her seat was. That ... was not very comfortable. She shifted a bit. She had spent any spare time she had in the past two weeks going over the scans she had of both Alison and Longshot. Both were fascinating. Alison's more for the gene that Beverly surmised gave her those powers; Longshot's was so perfectly foreign and ordered Beverly could understand why they had said he was created. Though the brain damage she had seen on his scans did give her some worry. But right now, it was time for babies. Because both of the anxious parents on the other side of her weren't thinking of much else Bev wagered.

"I've gone over all the data I collected on your last visit, trying to determine compatibility as well as if Alison is in any danger of miscarrying again." She calmly folded her hands on top of the desk. "Longshot's DNA resembles a sort of mixture of different types of DNA I have run into. Klingon, Romulan, and so on. All of those races are compatible with human DNA, which is what Alison has by and large. I've compared and run simulations. I've come to find Longshot's DNA is as compatible to yours, Alison, as any other human's would be."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison's relief was visible in the huge smile that broke out on her face. She grinned at her husband and relaxed her nervous grip on his hand.

"Thank you," was all she could think to say to the doctor. Her eyes were misty and her throat felt a little tight, but at leas that worry was behind them.

Her posture eased and she relaxed into her seat. Anything that came now was something she and Longshot could handle. She was sure of it.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding since walking into the office. He closed his eyes for a moment and grinned. If he wasn't a bad match, they had everything going for them. They had to.

He opened his eyes and looked at Alison. He saw her eyes start to get damp. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "We can do it, buttercup," he murmured in her ear before pulling away.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"I know it." She smiled at Longshot and then turned back to the doctor, still smiling.

"So, what about the baby? Its health and such? Growing okay? Tell us everything." She grinned. She was only half teasing. Absolutely any information the doctor could give would be appreciated.

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

Beverly chuckled a little. She remembered being that excited about Wesley in those quiet moments. Too long ago. "Well, everything I saw on last visit was encouraging. Whenever you're ready, I can do some more scans. I'll need to check that hormone levels are doing fine and other things. I even brought some equipment so you can see the gestational sac that will feed your baby until the placenta is fully functional."

She gestured behind her o some of the new machines she had set up. "I also have a shot I've managed to formulate for your unique body chemistry that should also help knock the chance of miscarrying down to nil. Provided you do not do anything strenuous like help lead a rebellion again."

Beverly gave them both a level look that said she would brook no rebellions while trying to get this baby born.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

The more that Dr. Crusher talked, the more relaxed and then delighted Alison became. Everything sounded good and her worries were melting away.

Particularly the part about reducing her chances of miscarrying. She'd take ten shots a day if that was what it took. Just one sounded even better.

She raised her right hand and grinned at the doctor. "I solemnly swear not to lead or join any rebellions for at leas the next year. And I would very much like to see the gestational sac and things. We never got to see them before."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot shook his head in agreement. "No rebellions! That's all done."

He had no idea about this swearing thing, but his promises were good.

"Though... uh, is vigorous... sex too much of a strain?" He flushed a little. He didn't want Alison to get th idea he wasn't enjoying what they were currently doing, but he kinda liked some of the fast and hard stuff. He had always been careful about making sure it wouldn't hurt Ali at all.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison blinked in surprise and looked over at her husband. Although, his blush may have surprised her more than the questions. He wasn't usually one to get flustered. Then again, they usually didn't discuss their sex life with anyone else, either.

It was a fair question, though. They had only assumed they had to be slow and gentle. Knowing for sure would be better.

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

Beverly looked entirely unflapped by the question. Like she handled it everyday. She didn't, but at least she looked like she did.

"Well, as long as you're not hurting Alison at all, I don't see why it would be. Your baby is fully protected by the amniotic sac, a thin-walled bag that holds the fetus and surrounding fluid, and the strong muscles of the uterus. There's also a thick mucus plug that seals the cervix and helps guard against infection. The penis does not come into contact with the fetus during sex." She steepled her fingers in front of her a bit. "As Alison gets farther along in the pregnancy, you may have to consider new positions, but there shouldn't be any problems with any type of sex."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"We weren't sure if it would stress the baby. The, um, exertion." She blushed a little, too. "I'm glad to know for sure. I don't want to be uncertain about anything that might injure the baby."

She gave her husband's hand a squeeze. She could guess how happy he was with this news.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot was definitely all grins now. A quick one in the fourth floor broom closet was a possibility again. Woohoo!

"Thanks, Doctor Beverly! Now, how about those scans and pictures?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Pictures, definitely." Alison smiled. She wanted to see her baby! Or, what would become her baby. It was still too many to be recognizable as a fetus, but she still wanted to see whatever she could.

"Need me to lay down again?" She hiked a thumb back at the exam table.

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

Beverly nodded. "That will probably be more comfortable for you and be a little easier for me."

As she stood up, she pulled the tricorder out of her pocket. She gestured over to the table. "Well, get the preliminary scans out of the way, and then let you see what's going on inside."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot stared at the schematic of his brain. The dots that were flashing were the most troublesome to him. He had Alison beside him, but he felt so alone. It was his head that was messed up. "These ... blocks..."

He was hesitant. The doctor didn't look like someone who would steal anything from him, but he had been messed with too much. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"These blocks that you found... if I... what you said was healing naturally... would it be stopped by them?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

She wanted to stay silent. She really did. But, above all things -- beyond what he had already asked and the obvious question of whether it would do any more damage -- what she really wanted to know was:

"Would the procedures be painful?"

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

"Some already has," Beverly replied to Longshot. She pointed to a spot to the left and two spots below that one. "Here, here, and here. I'm not too sure what was used to stop those pathways, which is why I want to do more in depth scans before attempting anything. I'm quite familiar with the human brain, and yours is kind of similar. But not close enough to make me comfortable."

The doctor then regarded Alison. "With the medical technology at my disposal, it won't be. And you don't need to decide now. I'm concerned because it looks like progress was being made, but it's being halted by whatever these blocks are."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison looked back at Longshot and kissed his cheek softly. "Nothing has to be decided right now. We can go home and talk about it. Think about it."

"He is healing, right?" She looked back at the doctor. "Just more slowly than he has to? So there's time to think it over. Not an immediate urgency..."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Later then," Longshot decided after a long quiet moment. "It's a lot. To consider and all."

He looked at Alison with a faint smile. "We should be celebrating two babies."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"You know I'll support you with whatever decision you make." She kissed him again, very softly.

An answering smile crossed her face and she nodded. "Twins. We kind of hit the jackpot on our honeymoon, huh?"

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

"He is healing," Beverly confirmed. "He's got plenty of time to think. It's not going to harm him at all, but I can't help wanting to try to heal someone so he can heal without restrictions."

She smiled. "I can print out some images if you want. I think Geordi explained to me how to do it."

This printed paper concept was weird. If only Jean-Luc had authorized a data padd...

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"I'd like that. I know there isn't much to really see yet, but still..." She smiled and shrugged. As goofy as it sounded, she really wanted baby scrapbooks. A picture of the first moment they discovered they were having twins would be a perfect beginning.

"And next week we should be able to hear their hearts beating?" She couldn't help the hopeful tone of voice. That was something she was really looking forward to.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot smiled now that the attention was off him and his messed up brain. Their babies wouldn't have that problem; Longshot would protect them from that to his dying breath. He slipped an arm around Alison.

"Well, they're our little special magical beans. It is something to see."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

She giggled and smiled back at Longshot. "That's what we can tell them when they're old enough to understand the pictures. This was when you were Mommy and Daddy's very special, magical beans."

Babies. Wow. She still was having a difficult time believing there were two. But, she had seen them herself. Soon, she would be holding them. Nine months wasn't all that long.She could wait. Maybe...

[bcrusher-md.livejournal.com]

"Yes, next week their hearts start beating." Beverly turned to the printer and paused. First she needed ... ah! Power button. She pressed the red button and the machine hummed to life. Remembering Geordi's lesson, she printed up a couple of the images.

She watched the photo paper feed through before turning back to the happy couple. "Also, next week, we'll decide if and when you want to find out the genders of your babies. Though the sooner its done before the ninth week, the more medical equipment I have to trot out to confirm the results. So more blinking lights."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison wriggled excitedly beside Longshot as she imagined the sound of their babies heartbeats. They would be able to hear it for real, soon.

Hmmm. Did they want to know the babies genders ahead of time. She looked over at her husband thoughtfully.

"Think we should find out if they're boys or girls? Or wait and be surprised when they get here?"

She was leaning toward wanting to know. They could pick names ahead of time and it would making buying baby stuff easier. Also, she knew how he enjoyed the blinky lights on the machines.