Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chimaera ❯ Chapter 103 ( Chapter 103 )

Please see previous chapters for disclaimer, notes, etc.

 

"Chimaera"

 

October. 2003 ShenLong

 

 

 

Chapter 103

 

Several more days passed in relative peace for Heero, Duo and Nurse Brown. The guys practiced a bit more of their 'baby training' and much to the nurse's relief, they were finally getting it right. Either that or Heero had done a swifty and removed the doll's batteries again.

 

Duo found that with his growing belly and the consequent strain it put on his back, that he wasn't moving around as much. Miracle wasn't happy about that, she missed her walks but Duo simply wasn't up to standing or walking for extended periods of time and Heero was too tired to walk the dog when he got home from work. Duo had taught Miracle to 'fetch' and tried to spend at least half an hour a day sitting outside with a rubber ball and throwing it for the dog. It wasn't the same as walks but Miracle was content enough with the exercise.

 

With Duo now entering his eighth month, Sally began to call more frequently, usually every three to four days. She was keeping a strict eye on Duo as the latter stages of his pregnancy progressed, checking his blood pressure and keeping a close watch on his internal organs as the baby grew. She was worried about the man but refused to let her concerns be known. Duo and Heero had enough on their plate with their own fears to contend with; they didn't need for her to be voicing all the negative possibilities as well.

 

With Duo's expected delivery date hovering on the horizon, Sally thought it would be best for her to sit down with the two men and have a really good talk about the upcoming delivery. Knowing that Duo wouldn't be able to give birth in the usual manner it had been agreed upon in the early stages that a C-section was the only way to go. Sally needed to explain the complete procedure to the men so that each would know exactly what was going to happen. She also had to find out what Duo intended to do about his 'unusual' make-up. Did he want to keep his female parts or would he prefer for Sally to remove them at the same time as delivering the child? Or, would Duo prefer to have them removed at a later date given that his body was already undergoing a radical event? If he decided to keep them then there were a whole new set of questions raised. Would he need some form of birth control? How often did he menstruate? Would he continue to be fertile? These were just a few of the questions that needed answers and none of them would be easy to find. Duo would need to be studied to a certain degree, something she knew the American wouldn't be happy about but if they were to adequately manage his 'condition' then studies were unavoidable.

 

Sally rubbed her fingers against her temples. She could feel one hell of a headache coming on and she hadn't even approached the guys with this yet.

 

"You look like you could do with a strong cup of coffee."

 

Sally looked up to see Nurse Brown standing in the doorway with a pair of steaming mugs in her hands.

 

"Margaret, I swear I'm going to adopt you," Sally sighed, a small smile playing over her lips as the nurse entered and placed one of the mugs on Sally's desk.

 

"Problems?" asked the nurse as she took a seat on the other side of the desk and sipped at her own drink.

 

"Sort of."

 

"Oh? Anything I can help with?"

 

"I doubt it," Sally sighed.

 

"That bad, huh?"

 

Sally smiled. "I have to sit down with Heero and Duo as soon as possible and discuss this caesarian section with them. Duo won't be able to give birth naturally so a C-section was decided upon ages ago but they don't know the full procedure as yet so they have to be informed."

 

"Ahh."

 

"Then we also need to discuss what Duo intends to do about his added 'extras'. Whether he wants to keep them or not and if not, when would be the best time to remove them. If he does wish to keep them then we need to look at how best to manage his 'condition."

 

"My advice would be for the lad to get rid of them, men just aren't cut out to be mothers," muttered the nurse.

 

"Speaking from experience are we?" Sally chuckled.

 

"Sort of. I tell you, I thought it wasn't easy teaching the new mothers in the hospital but this pair... If this baby survives the first week it will be a miracle in itself."

 

Sally couldn't help but laugh. Margaret had kept her informed of the boys' antics when practicing for the future arrival. "I'm pretty sure that once they hold that baby in their arms they will be perfect parents. It's one thing to practice on an inanimate object and a totally different thing when faced with the living child. They will do fine."

 

"I'm glad someone has confidence in them, because I don't."

 

"Trust me. Duo loves kids, he was a street rat on L2 and ran with a gang, many of whom were younger than him. He has a natural instinct to 'mother' youngsters. Heero on the other hand..."

 

"That man doesn't know his own strength!"

 

"Yes, Heero can be a little forgetful of his strength at times but you give him the 'mission' so to speak and that baby will be just fine. They may appear to all intents and purposes, tough guys, but on the inside they're just as vulnerable to a newborn as the rest of us."

 

"Hard to believe that they were responsible for the end of the war and the peace we now enjoy. They're only kids themselves," said the nurse.

 

"That they were and it was criminal what was done to them. That's another reason why I'm certain they will make good parents. That child will want for nothing. It will be showered with love and affection, given the chance at experiencing a childhood, something the guys didn't get."

 

"Why do you always have to be so damn philosophical?"

 

Sally shrugged. "Part of the training?"

 

The nurse rolled her eyes. "Best of luck to you, you're going to need it when you talk to those two."

 

"I was counting on you being there to support me and help answer questions."

 

The nurse gave an evil smirk. "Sorry, no can do. My shift doesn't finish for another three hours."

 

"Damn! You sure you don't want to finish early?"

 

"Given the choice between knocking off early to talk with those two or cleaning the bed pans, I'm afraid the bed pans win out. Not nearly as painful."

 

"Traitor."

 

"Would you like the Valium now or later?" snickered the nurse.

 

"Better hook me up to a drip, I have a feeling I'm going to need a shit load of it before I'm done."

 

The nurse laughed and left to return to her duties, Sally cradled her head in her hands wondering exactly what she had let herself in for.

 

* * *

 

"Okay, Sally. Fire away," said Duo as he relaxed back into his chair in the kitchen. Heero sat beside him whilst Sally sat opposite.

 

"We need to discuss the operation you're going to need to deliver this child, Duo. I want to go through the entire procedure with you so you know exactly what to expect."

 

"Sounds fair to me," replied Duo.

 

"Hai, I agree. The more information we have the better prepared we will be." Heero draped an arm over Duo's shoulders letting his husband know he was there for him.

 

"I take it you're going to be present for the delivery, Heero?"

 

"Yes. I fully intend to be with Duo every step of the way."

 

"Good. It is important for the mother…"

 

Duo gave Sally a glare that would have rivaled one of Heero's.

 

"...Sorry, expectant parent to have a familiar face in the delivery room. I know that Nurse Brown, G and myself will be there and are familiar to you, Duo, but having Heero there as well will be more of a comfort and soothing influence to you."

 

"It's his child too, Sally. It's only fair that he be there to see our baby born." Duo gave Heero a warm smile. "Besides, there's no chance in hell I'm going into surgery without him!"

 

Sally shook her head. Old habits died hard and she should know having been a soldier herself. It was instinct to have someone watch your back, especially when you were compromised. "That's fine. Now, I'll give you an outline of what to expect during the procedure."

 

Both men listened carefully.

 

"I will give you a sedative to start with, Duo. It won't be anything strong, just a mild dose to settle any nervousness you might have. While that takes effect we will fit you with a fetal heart monitor which will enable us to keep a track of the baby's heart rate and ensure that it doesn't suffer any effects. You will also need to be prepped for the surgery."

 

"Prepped?" asked Duo. "What exactly do you mean by prepped?"

 

"I will need to swab your belly with betadine to ensure a sterile area, unfortunately I will also need to shave you..."

 

"Pardon?" Duo's voice had gone to a whisper.

 

"Ummm... Shave you. Where we will be making the incision is usually what we call the bikini line so I will need to remove the pubic hair from the area to avoid risk of infection."

 

"I'll have you know my pubes are clean," said Duo indignantly.

 

"I'm not saying they aren't. It's standard procedure."

 

"There is no way in hell that you are going to touch me there with a razor." Duo's face was fixed into a determined look.

 

"Duo, be reasonable. I have to."

 

"No, you don't and I refuse to let you near my lower reaches."

 

"I'll shave him."

 

Sally and Duo both turned to look at Heero.

 

"What? I can understand Duo's reluctance for you to shave him, Sally. It would be more logical for me to do it, Duo trusts me after all."

 

"It isn't the shaving as in the razor bit so much as the regrowth," muttered Duo.

 

"I'll be gentle and I'll even rub some oil into the area afterwards," Heero cajoled.

 

"Oh, all right then. I'll allow the shaving but only if it's Heero that does it," conceded Duo.

 

"That will be fine with me. I'll let you know prior to the shaving how much you need to remove, Heero."

 

"Acknowledged."

 

"Once you're prepared we can then administer the epidural."

 

"What is involved with that?" questioned Duo suspiciously.

 

"An epidural is an anesthetic that we use as a nerve block in cases of caesarian delivery. It will block all pain from your waist to your knees and allow you to remain conscious throughout the delivery. Firstly we give you a local anesthetic into your back to numb you for the injection. A fine, hollow needle is then inserted into the epidural space and a thin tube known as a catheter is threaded down inside the hollow needle. We then remove the needle leaving the catheter in place and tape it to ensure it remains undisturbed. The anesthetic is syringed down the catheter which is sealed afterwards; although we can reopen it to top up the anesthetic at any time should the need arise. It should take but a few minutes to work. Any questions so far?" asked Sally.

 

"This epidural thing. You're going to stick a needle in my spine?" said Duo with an obvious shudder.

 

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Heero added to his husband's words.

 

"If it isn't done correctly then yes, it can be dangerous. However, I've done several of them and not had a problem, although there are risks involved as there is with any form of medical treatment and you need to be aware of them which is why we are having this discussion," replied Sally.

 

"What sort of risks are involved with this epidural and what are the alternatives?" asked Heero.

 

"Basic risks are possible damage to the spinal cord if the needle isn't inserted correctly. The alternatives are a general anesthetic which I would prefer to avoid as it could affect the baby; no anesthetic, in which case I wouldn't operate to perform a C-section as the pain would be unbearable for Duo, not to mention unethical. And lastly let Duo deliver normally which would surely result in the death of Duo and probably the child as well, as his body is not capable of delivering the child by natural means." Sally eyed the pair to try and gauge their reactions. Duo looked a little green and Heero wasn't much better.

 

"I think, given the options I'd be happy to have the epidural, Sally. I have every faith in you and your medical expertise. Just promise me one thing?" said Duo.

 

"And what would that be, Duo?"

 

"You don't let G anywhere near me with anything sharp, pointy or remotely surgical instrument orientated. If he had come clean all those years ago I wouldn't be in this situation and I'm afraid I still haven't forgiven him for that yet," Duo growled.

 

"Don't worry, Duo. I will make sure he doesn't touch you with anything at all," said Heero fiercely.

 

Sally made a mental note to keep G as far away from Duo as possible during the delivery. She really didn't need a psychotic Heero running loose in the theater if G was to even so much as look like he was going to pick up anything surgical. "I'll make certain he doesn't handle any of the instruments, he will mainly be there as an advisor and backup assistant. Nurse Brown will be my main assistant for the delivery."

 

"Good."

 

"Arigato."

 

"Right. Once the anesthetic has taken effect I will place a curtain across your stomach so as to block the abdomen from your view. I'm sure you don't want to see me slicing into you."

 

"Yuk!"

 

"Didn't think so. It's a simple case of cutting through the abdominal wall and the uterus then removing the baby from inside. Heero? Do you intend to cut the cord?"

 

"Pardon?" said Heero.

 

"Do you wish to cut the umbilical cord? Most fathers nowadays cut the cord once the baby is delivered," Sally stated.

 

"Aa."

 

"Go on, Heero. I think it would be nice for you to do that," Duo said as he nudged his husband. "Might bring you a little closer to Sunshine so to speak."

 

"Aa. Okay then." Heero wasn't too sure about that but he would do anything for Duo so he thought he'd better squash his misgivings and simply agree.

 

"I'll make a note of that. Okay, once the baby is out and the cord cut, we will then remove the placenta and it's just a case of stitching you back up. Feeling will return to your lower half after a few hours and you will be given pain relief after that."

 

"Sounds pretty straight forward," replied Duo.

 

"Any questions?" asked Sally.

 

"Iie. I think you have pretty much covered it all." Heero pushed a hand through his hair as he ran the procedure through his head.

 

"Actually, I have a little more that needs to be discussed," Sally began, a little nervously.

 

"Oh? I thought you'd covered it all," replied Duo.

 

"In a sense, yes, I have, but..." Sally took a deep breath. "There is something else we need to discuss. Look, there's no easy way to put this other than to come right out and say it. Duo, I need to know what you intend to do about your female parts."

 

"My female bits?"

 

"Yes, Duo. Do you wish for me to remove them either during the C-section or maybe later? Or, are you planning on keeping them? Either way it is your decision and I will comply with your wishes. However," Sally fixed Duo with a serious look. "If you do decide to keep them we are going to need to discuss several things as well as do some tests and observations as there are many questions going to be raised."

 

"Ahh. To be honest, Sally, I hadn't really given it much thought. If I do decide to keep them what sort of problems and the like can I expect?" asked Duo.

 

"Well, to start with we will need to see if you're still fertile. There will be several tests you will need to undergo to determine this. Then there is the case of you menstruating. How often does it happen? How long does it last for and what sort of sanitary measures do we need to put into place? Next we will need to look at birth control measures. Another pregnancy may not be advisable after such as this one, that will remain to be seen though after you deliver and we see what sort of condition your internal workings are left in."

 

"Fuck!" muttered Duo.

 

"I second that motion," said Heero.

 

"There are a lot of issues involved which is why I want you and Heero to discuss them thoroughly between you before coming to any decision. You need to make a well informed and honest decision, one that will be best suited to your health and future, Duo. Don't rush into it and don't make it lightly. If you do decide to have the parts removed then they cannot be put back once we take them out. You will have to weigh up the fors and againsts, will keeping the organs compromise the lifestyle you wish to enjoy? Do you want another child? These are just a couple of the questions you will need to ask yourself when deciding what you want to do." Sally looked at the pair, trying to determine from their faces if they understood the complexities and seriousness of the decision they would need to make.

 

Duo was thinking hard. He'd known in the back of his mind he would have to come to some resolution in regards to his unusual internal workings but now that he was faced with making that decision he found he wasn't sure he could. He looked at Heero for some sort of guidance only to find his partner's face was looking as thoughtful and as lost as his own. "Sally?"

 

"Yes, Duo?"

 

"I think Heero and I have a lot to figure out. Thank you for all your advice and help, it has been of great assistance. If you don't mind though, I think I would like to go and lie down for a bit and then talk with Heero about all this."

 

"Of course, Duo. Take your time making your decision and if you need any further help, or have any questions at all, no matter how trivial they may seem to you, please, call me and I'll be happy to give you all the information I can." Sally stood up and smiled at the pair.

 

"Hn. I'll see you out," said Heero as he stood and moved to the door.

 

"Thank you, Heero. I'll see you both later, and Duo?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Rest as much as you can. Any questions or problems, you know where to find me." Sally turned and left, escorted by Heero to the front door.

 

The Japanese man stood on the door step and waved the doctor off before returning to where Duo still sat in the kitchen. Purple eyes greeted him as he walked back in. "Are you okay?"

 

"Yeah, I'm fine, Heero. Mind's going a mile a minute though," replied Duo as he passed a weary hand over his forehead. "There's so much to think about, so much to consider."

 

"Hai, there is," replied Heero as he crouched beside his lover's chair. "You don't have to make this decision alone though, Duo. I will be here to support you whatever you decide and I'll help you all I can with your decision."

 

"But ultimately it's still my decision, isn't it." It was a statement, not a question.

 

"Hai, it is, Duo. It's your body and as you say the final word lies with you. All I can suggest is that you follow Sally's advice, think carefully about it, we will discuss it as much as you want and then decide what it is you want to do. Now, come on, I'm taking you up to bed to rest, little mother." Heero stood up and assisted his pregnant partner to rise. With an arm around his husband's waist, Heero helped Duo upstairs and saw him safely to bed.

 

"You rest now and give me a call when you wake up and I'll help you back down."

 

"Thanks, Heero." Duo gave his lover a warm smile and proceeded to get comfortable. "Do I get a kiss?"

 

Heero chuckled and planted a kiss to Duo's lips. "That better?"

 

"Mmmm... Much. Thanks."

 

"You're welcome. Sleep, I'll be back to check on you shortly." Heero left his partner to rest, slipping out of the room and going quietly back down the stairs to the office where he booted up the computer. While the computer ran through its pre-operation checks, Heero made himself a cup of coffee then sat down in front of the machine and cracked his knuckles before beginning to type.

 

"Let's see what we can find out about pregnancy, hermaphrodites and anything else of relevance."

 

~ * ~

 

tbc.........

 

Again, all info in this chapter comes from the book: “Conception, Pregnancy and Birth” by Dr Miriam Stoppard.