shimmerandsing | Just the facts.

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Just the facts.

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.

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"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."

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..."

"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."

"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?"

"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...

"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.

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."

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...

"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."

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.

Longshot wondered exactly how many heartbeats they would be hearing. Which parent would all those important things be coming from? Though after today, he wished fervently that both children would have a brain like their Mommy.

"Uhm," he said thoughtfully. "I guess it depends on how much the procedure to find out makes you uncomfy. Though I do kind of want to find out..."

The Mojoworlder picked at a speck on his pant leg. Because he kind of wished for girls. He had more problems with sons than daughters. That he knew of at least.

"None of the procedures so far have been uncomfortable. I don't expect this one will be any different. And, I'd kind of like to know, too." She smiled at him. "We'll have more time to decide on names that way."

She didn't really like calling the baby 'it' before and calling them 'they' now was still too distancing. They were little lives with little futures of their own. It didn't seem right not to let them have their own identities as soon as possible.

"And buy cute little blankets and footed pajamas in pink or blue." She grinned and swung her feet a little excitedly as she looked between the doctor and her husband.

"I can have the additional equipment brought with me next week. No problem," she assured. "Though to record next week's visit, I need to know what kind of recordable media you use in your time. I know isolinear chips from my time are well outside the bounds of what you can use, but if I know, I can find something to suit your era's timeframe."

"For audio recordings? We use CD's -- um -- compact discs. Or cassette tapes if necessary. I think I could find a cassette player." Alison hummed thoughtfully.

"We appreciate all you're doing, doctor. I'm sorry you have to lug out all the extra equipment on our behalf. But, we really appreciate it."

"And disks for video, too. Uhm..." He held his hands up in to make a circle. "DVD's. So, you know, we got video stuff, too..."

He looked a little sheepish at that. Considering how much he had fought in his life to not be recorded.

"Good thinking." Alison smiled and kissed Longshot's cheek. "Digital video discs. So we can show everyone our tiny babies."

Hmmm. She was foreseeing the need for a digital camcorder in their future. Baby videos!

Beverly nodded. She could almost see Geordi's glee at having to make a faithful reproduction of the needed items. "Compact disks and digital video disks I think can be done."

She placed a hand on Alison's shoulder. "And don't worry about the equipment I have to lug in. It's part of the job. I don't think Engineers have as much equipment for doing things like I do."

"I know, but we're still grateful." She smiled.

"So, when would we be able to know for sure what the babies genders are? I know we're early in the pregnancy for all these questions. But, I just can't help myself." She smiled a little sheepishly.

"Better finding out from you than knocking myself unconscious," Longshot agreed. He needed to not damage his cranium anymore. At least until he decided if he was going to let Dr. Crusher noodle around in his brain.

"Yes, please. No knocking yourself unconscious." Alison kissed Longshot's temple softly. She hated seeing him hurt.

She wasn't sure which gender she wanted to wish for. Having a boy would make her worry that she would forget the son she lost. But, she also felt like she was meant to have a son. A sweet, little baby girl would not be at all unwelcome, though.

"Knocking yourself...? As your doctor, I'd highly advise against that." She was curious as to exactly what was entailing in knowing the gender of your children from knocking yourself unconscious, but Beverly really did not want a demonstration of it.

"I can guarantee I can get the gender by the ninth week. If going non-invasive, I can give educated guesses next week with some deeper scans. But once the genitals are definite, I can assure you of the genders."

"We can wait until the ninth week. There's mo hurry. We have nine months to come up with names." They would probably need all nine months, too. Particularly since she didn't think Longshot wanted to name the children and she didn't want to name them alone.

"We'll just keep making sure they're good and healthy until then."

Longshot definitely did not want to name the children. The last three he had named had not turned out so well. Though Alison did have time to work on that bit of stubbornness.

"Well, more like eight months now," Longshot noted. He did not want more time added onto the babies' premiers. "And I'll make sure the Mommy stays good and healthy until then. Butterscotch ice cream cravings aside..."

Alison broke into a wide, affectionate smile and leaned her head on Longshot's shoulder. She kind of liked being called 'Mommy' even if the babies hadn't arrived yet. And, she had no doubts he would take good care of her and their little ones.

"You always do."

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Just the facts.

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