I've promised a fic involving Peter's illness for some time now. I just now had the inspiration to write it. It is an AU timeline piece taking place after the machine has been activated. This is a tear-jerker, for sure! Also, there will be quite a discussion of fetal stem cell research, which I am researching specifically for this story. It will be a story of several chapters, and I'm excited. I hope that it is enjoyed.
September, 2012
It starts with extreme tiredness. No matter how much Peter sleeps, he just doesn't seem to have enough energy any more. He blames it on any number of things - too much coffee, an excess of greasy food, stress from the universal decay, or just plain getting old.
As weeks pass by, Peter starts to experience earth-shattering migraines. He used to have migraines as a teenager, but nothing on the scale of the whoppers plaguing him lately. The first one that he experiences in a long while causes him to snap on Astrid, of all people. He retreats into the cool, darkened recesses of Olivia's office after causing Astrid to cry. His brain feels like it is exploding with cluster bombs from a tormenting Hell.
Fuck! Astrid of all people doesn't deserve taking shit from me...
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Peter has been keeping it all secret….
The bruises that won't heal… he's kept them concealed from Olivia. It's been especially difficult to hide the marks and bruises where he has had blood drawn for testing.
His appetite has gone away - even bacon makes him nauseous - but he takes the food that Walter offers him, and he quietly discards it. But he's losing weight, and he won't be able to hide that fact for much longer. He's already not a large guy, and his frame is starting to take on the appearance of a scarecrow. His belt has been tightened to the point of there being no more holes available, so he buys a smaller one. His shirts start to droop as they become more oversized.
Peter, normally so horny that he and Olivia were previously making love nearly every night, now feigns interest in sex every so often just so she won't question. She had to be dissatisfied, because his recent performance has been lackluster compared to his normal orgasm-inducing repertoire. But Olivia says nothing for now, maybe thinking they've gone past the "honeymoon phase" of their relationship.
The doctors that he has visited can not tell him what is wrong. It's annoying the tar out him, and he is also frightened.
What the Hell is wrong with me? Peter wonders as he looks into the bathroom vanity mirror. Then another terrible and throbbing pain strikes his head. It feels like all of the lobes of his brain are being stabbed repeatedly with jagged little pieces of glass. Peter ruffles through the medicine cabinet, trying to assemble his usual migraine defense. But this is not a normal migraine.
Peter's heart's tempo has increased to a dangerous cadence. His muscles start quivering, and he shivers uncontrollably as he loses control of his bladder. He can no longer stand up, and falls down to the floor. Then he sees no more.
TBC...
