tcnetwork | Jemma Simmons

Jemma... I think I might be in trouble. Or well, not trouble exactly, but... I didn't know who else to call.

Mercy, what’s wrong? I’ll do what I can to help.

I had a weird run in with The Doctor and then the prophet guy said...

Jemma, is there a way you can quietly, privately, check to see if I'm... well, if I'm pregnant.

I don't want to just buy a thing and have everyone know, and, hell, I haven't had sex in almost fifteen years, which is also not something I want everyone to know, so it's probably stupid to even think it, but what with the flares and the pod babies and the weirdness…

I'm kind of freaked out here.

The Doctor and the Oracle can be both vague and opaque. So don’t worry, we can check here at my home lab. It’s a quick chemical analysis to determine hormone levels, and you’ll know for sure one way or the other,

Do you want to come over right now? My basement lab’s a bit of a mess, so if you promise not to judge, we can know in less than half an hour.

Whatever the blood test show, know I’m happy to help.

Yes, please, and no judging, I promise. I'll be there in five.

***********
And she was. Mercy was no speedster, but she could still run faster than any 'normal' human could.

She took a moment to try and control her too fast breathing, but nothing could calm her racing heart.

She knocked on the door. "Jemma?"

Jemma’s opening the door as soon as she hears the knock. She might be dressed in something that looks like pyjamas, For once, she’s not holding Sasha, as the baby is asleep upstairs being watched over by his guard bunnicula.

She frowns, seeing how worried Mercy is. “Come on in. We’ll get straight to it.”

She waits for Mercy to step inside, then closes the door. The security system clicks into place, an upgrade from when Mercy was last here. “Again, excuse the lab. I’m in the middle of moving the nanomite equipment to the new outbuilding, a way to better separate work and home.” Of course, she’ll still have a basement lab, but it will be for fun only. No work.

Ushering Mercy downstairs, there’ll be some negotiating around some large pieces of machinery and wires, to get to the back, the simple biochem portion of the lab.

"I'm sure it's just me being paranoid," Mercy said. "You know, worry around the solar flare, the stress of meeting my deadline, which I did, thank heavens - sent the car out early even - but I'll just feel better if we can rule this out."

She was barely aware of maneuvering around all the stuff in the lab as she followed Jemma. "I really appreciate this and I'm sorry to bother you. I just didn't know who else could help me out that I knew and that I'd really trust to, well not say anything."

“I’m sure you’re just being cautious. The flares can make anyone uncertain about what’s real and what’s not.” Having been a flare victim before Jemma thinks Mercy’s being most practical. Those flares can do anything.

“And you’re not bothering me at all, I’m happy to help.” She’s completely genuine. “If you could just sit there?” She points to the one uncluttered chair. “I’m going to take a small amount of blood, and analyze it. Five minutes now, max.”

Mercy was feeling better now. Jemma would check her out, everything would be fine, and she could go back to thinking about what she'd do with the bonus she'd be getting.

She sat down and offered her arm to Jemma. "Thank you so much. This whole thing just has me really freaked out."

As Jemma prepares and takes the blood, she chatters to ease Mercy’s nerves, “good for you getting the car out early. You’ve earned yourself a nice break, away from all this stress.” Yes, she’s making a very unsubtle suggestion, should the test come back negative.

“I’m guessing you’re constantly busy at the garage. I’ve noticed quite an increase of cars here, all the better for you.” It’s like they’ve tripled in recent months.

She takes the blood and puts it in a machine. She doesn’t bother explaining the process, as most women understand what she’s testing for.

“I understand Steve’s at the garage a lot, you know we asked him and Bucky to be Sasha’s godparents,” now she’s making idle conversation as the machine whirrs away.

"It has been getting a lot busier," Mercy agreed. "I only have time to take an occasional shift or two at the docks, so it's nice to have that extra time. We've gotten some cool cars in lately too."

She watched the machine as it whirred away. "Who would have thought that getting an Earth car designed to your specific instructions by an "actual Earth mechanic' would carry such cachet? But hey, if they want to pay me extra for being from my home I'm not complaining."

She tried not to blush at the mention of Steve. Nobody needed to know she'd had quite the crush on him with hopes that their friendship might become more - until Bucky had arrived. It was embarrassing enough. So, she just nodded. "Not as often as he'd like. He may never get his bike done at this rate. But as you said, once things settle down some... And I think he'll make a great godfather. I haven't actually directly met Bucky, but I'm sure he's a good guy as well."

"Who would have thought indeed." Good for Mercy, Jemma thinks. Considering how some backwards people in their own time might've looked at women mechanics, even better.

"I knew I invested in the right person for the business." She's not trying to take any credit; she's just thrilled at Mercy's success.

"Oh, they'll be brilliant godparents. Plus, can you imagine Sasha's bragging rights?" She giggles at that, because really who can compete with Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes? "He'll be the best protected baby in the universe. We had them over for dinner and asked them via fortune -- oh."

There's a beep that interrupts her train of thought. That oh didn't sound worrisome, but more surprised. Turning to Mercy, she's put on her best professional grin. "Am I allowed to offer congratulations?" She's going to take her cue from Mercy as to how to react to it.

"I'm so grateful you offered me the opportunity, " Mercy said with a delighted laugh. "And, yes, he'll sure be well protected."

She turned at the sound of the beep, but the significance of Jemma's words didn't connect.

"Congratulations? " she said, looking confused.

Jemma continues with her best bedside manner smile. “You are pregnant.” She states it simply, letting it sink in.

She knows Charlie was shocked but happy, but Jemma’s not so sure how Mercy will feel.

Brushing some papers off a chair, she pulls it over to sit across from Mercy.

"I'm..." Mercy stared at her. "Oh, no. No, no, no,no,no. I can't - it's not possible. I haven't - please tell me this is a joke, Jenna."

But she knew it wasn't. The Doctor and then the prophet. But she couldn't be. All her life she'd sworn she'd never be careless enough to be a unwed mother like her mom.

Damn, it, she hadn't even had sex in almost fifteen years because she wouldn't sleep with someone she wasn't sure she was in love with and it had just been easier to be careful.

She couldn't catch her breath, she couldn't breathe, her heart was pounding so fast she was afraid it might just explode. She put her head between her knees, covering her face with her hands, praying it was all just some bad dream.

“You’re very early in your pregnancy,” Jemma reaches out to rub Mercy’s back. “I wouldn’t joke about something like this.” Comforting is what the other woman needs.

“Just breathe. It’ll be all right.” Because Mercy can make whatever decisions she wants to make it all right for her.

"Is this some kind of crazy parthenogenesis thing?" Mercy asked, head still between her knees. "I mean okay, maybe the crazy baby pod things could steal DNA or whatever, but this is inside me. And I can tell you, I haven't had sex in forever - like fifteen years, forever, so I just don't get how this could be happening."

“That’s a good way of looking at it, yes,” sadly, with regards to the solar flares, they don’t have a satisfactory explanation as to how this is possible.

“We don’t know how. We haven’t had that much of a chance to study it, but whether or not you’ve had sex has nothing to do with it. None of this is your responsibility either.” It’s a difficult subject but it needs to be broached, “And if you don’t want to go through the next six months, you don’t have to.”

Mercy's head came up at that. "It's my child, isn't it? And where would I be if my mother had decided she didn't have to go through with it?"

She shook her head. "No. If I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant and that's it. I guess I'll just have to figure it out. Leave it to me to end up - It is just my DNA, right? Pathogenesis? Not like..."

Oh no. There was some other unknown parent, wasn't there? Some potential stranger who would have rights to get child. Damn.

Jemma nods her head. "Whatever you want to do, I will support you however I can." She was waiting for some clue from Mercy as to how to react, and now she has it. "If you're going to have this baby, then I'll plan the baby shower." Jemma grins. "I'm thinking a car theme, everyone decorates little overalls."

She's not making light; she's trying to give Mercy something positive to think about.

Shaking her head. "No, there will be another parent, someone here in New Dodge. Did you know my godchild, Malina is a flare baby? Remember Charlie? She was the mother and the Nogitsune the father. It may be someone you know, but only in passing, but it might be someone you know very well." The current pod babies are examples of both types.

"I'm having the baby," Mercy said shakily. "But let's hold off on any baby shower for now."

She was a coyote and coyotes were adaptable. Sometimes it just took a little longer. And this was going to take a little while.

"Okay," she said, swallowing hard. "So how do we find who the other parent is? Do I have to wait the whole nine months and then do a test? If there was some way - I mean you already got everyone's DNA for the pod babies, right?"

She didn't want to know anymore than she really wanted to be pregnant, but she needed to do what was right.

"I will wait until you give me the go ahead." Jemma agrees. Whatever Mercy wants.

Jemma takes a minute to think to give Mercy a considered answer, "We'd have to go to the clinic for that. It's a more invasive test, not as invasive as it is during our time, but not one I can do with a simple blood test. If you want, I can clear some time with Allison to use the equipment, if you'd prefer I do it. If you'd rather have your own doctor do it, that's fine too."

"Then baby's DNA will be compared with the samples we took for the pod babies." They haven't destroyed them yet, simply because they were holding them in case one of the prospective parents wanted a retest.

"I can also, if you'd let me, put you in contact with one of the other parents of the current group of flair babies. You could have some great support there." Jemma's secretly thinking Bucky in particular, but won't say anything unless Mercy wants to be put in touch. Then she'd call Bucky.

"I'd rather have you do it," Mercy said quietly. "I trust you. But that I don't trust one of the doctors, but I know you better."

"Just, can we get it done as quickly as possible? I want to get it done and know and then have time to let it all sink in."

She considers what Jemma said, but hesitated. "I don't know," she said. "I'm not ready to talk to anybody else about it yet. At least not before I talk to the father. Or mother, I suppose."

"I'll call Allison to arrange some private time to use the equipment. How about tomorrow, if it's available." With Harry not home from work, she can't leave tonight, not without packing up Sasha.

Jemma nods again. "We'll also be able to tell how far along you are. Sometimes, flare pregnancies can be shorter." It's another important question to be answered.

"Listen, what if you were to stay here tonight. Harry won't be home until very late, and we have plenty of rooms. You can have something to eat," Harry keeps the fridge well-stocked with fine-dining level food. "Have a chance to rest, or we can talk, if you prefer."

Mercy may want to be alone, but this is a serious shock, and Jemma would like to keep an eye on her.

"Tomorrow would be great," Mercy said. Her head was spinning, this was all just too much to take in.

And while another day she might have objected to staying, right now the thought of even getting up from this chair seemed overwhelming. "All right," she said. "If you're sure it won't be an imposition."

Tomorrow. She's know tomorrow.

4/12 Night of the the town party

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