Author's Notes: This chapter may make mention of procedures some might find uncomfortable. Don't worry, I was kind enough to spare you most of the details. :) And just in case you were wondering, a "cycle" is basically another word for "year".

Chapter 2: Chaos and the Aftermath (Part Two)(Day 63)


Samus felt the eyes of humans and humanoids alike all around her as she sat with Adam in the waiting room of a nearby medical building. Again. Their first trip had been to make sure Samus's hand wasn't broken. It wasn't, but she did sustain a few fractured carpals and bruising; her hand was fitted with a protective guard and Samus was given strict orders to keep it on for a few weeks to promote healing. Adam would make sure of it, knowing how stubborn the woman could be when it came to her well-being.

Sitting next to her, Adam didn't seem bothered by all the gawking and staring. Instead, he just kept on reading from the pocket-sized tablet he carried with him everywhere. He'd learned a long time ago how to block out distractions and had more or less perfected the act of doing so early on in his career.

Meanwhile, Samus could only wish she possessed such a gift. While she kept calm and indifferent during missions, she had not yet found a way to make use of it in a social setting. But she was trying any way she could. Counting the ceiling tiles, reading an outdated and weathered maganize about gardening. But counting and reading had done nothing to distract her. A sigh left her as her eyes focused on the floor, her shoes, anything but the unease of feeling so many eyes upon her, secretly judging her. Or worse, remembering her from somewhere.

"What's taking so fucking long?" she mumbled to Adam, clearly frustrated by the pace of the situation. "This makes Hell runs look like a walk in the park."

Adam looked up from his tablet, having felt the energy of his Other Half ripple with anxiety and held her hand; she only cursed this much when she was either angry or nervous. While in either of these emotional states, she had a mouth that could even make a space pirate blush, and a temper to match. "Just try to calm down, Sam. It'll be your turn soon."

Samantha "Sam" Bailey. It was the alias Samus used when confirming her appointment and filling out what little she knew of her medical history. Though she figured most only knew her infamous Power Suit rather than the woman beneath it, Samus had opted to play it safe and sign in using a pseudonym. Her only hope now was that none of the other patients happened to recognize her outside of her suit.

"Yeah...right. When Norfair freezes over, you mean." Samus replied before taking a few deep breaths to steady herself and the sudden nausea rolling through her stomach. She reached into the interior right breast pocket of her green military-style jacket and pulled out a small clear package. Biscuit rations. Though they weren't at all pleasing to her palate (and frankly tasted like death itself), she unceremoniously stuffed two in her mouth, hoping it would soothe the waves in her belly.

But her sickness would not - could not - be stalled, and Samus suddenly emptied the contents of her stomach mere inches away from her feet. The guttural sounds of sickness caused the other patients to react with surprise and to a certain extent, disgust. Adam immediately perked up upon hearing the sound of his partner retching and rubbed her back as she remained seated and bent at the waist. She could only hope with every fiber of her being that this little incident wouldn't be in the news tomorrow morning. She could almost see the tabloid headline now: Bounty Hunter Bombshell Blows Chunks – the Reason Behind her Visit to local Hospital! It was all she'd needed during this already difficult time in what was supposed to be a fresh start in her life.

A random nurse came from somewhere behind closed doors as a few of the other patients stood to approach the curdled mess on the floor, whispering amongst themselves with keen interest. "Stop gawking like it's the first time you've ever seen someone vomit; let the woman be, please! Everyone please go back to your seats." she said, making a sweeping motion with her hand.

"Adam...I'm sorry." Samus whispered, still hunched over.

Adam bent over, his hand finding the middle of her back. His voice was soft, the back rubs continuing in a slowly paced rhythm. "Don't be, Lady. It's all right." He looked up to see the nurse bent over his partner. "Could you tell me where the nearest restroom is, please?" he asked, grateful for the nurse's compassion, but also wishing she would stopping fussing over her.

"Of course, sir. If you go through the door nearest the receptions desk, you'll find the restroom a few doors down."

"Thank you."

Wrapping his arm around Samus' shoulder and gripping her upper arm with his free hand, Adam proceeded to stand as Samus leaned into his left side. As they were about to leave, however, another nurse came from the hallway with data pad in hand and loudly announced Samus's alias. Samus attempted to cover her face in spite of the continued gawking. Something in the back of her mind told her – or more like screamed at her – trying to do so was useless; somebody in here would recognize her behind the dark sunglasses, or perhaps already had. Suddenly, the waiting room erupted with whispered exchanges between the other patients:

"Hey, haven't we seen her somewhere before?"

"Honey, that gorgeous blond lady that just got sick... Isn't she that bounty hunter who took down the Space Pirates and blew up Zebes? I know I've seen her somewhere! He looks familiar, too!"

Samus heard this and more as Adam guided her back in the direction of the nurse. "Great. It's only a matter of time before those headlines come rushing in," Samus groaned to Adam, "And if I hear about it – and I will – the shit is going to hit the fan," she added, vehement in her threat. And somewhere deep down inside, Adam knew it would, too, if not for her sudden exhaustion.

The General attempted to direct her energy elsewhere. "Never mind that. Do you want me to go with you?"

"I don't care. Just get me the hell out of here, please." she replied monotonously.


After her height, weight, temperature and other vitals were recorded by the nurse - who was understandably keeping her distance from her fervent patient - Samus walked down the hall into an empty exam room and was told to strip down to nothing, pull a gown on and wait for the doctor. Samus did so with the utmost reluctance while Adam had a seat in a nearby chair. Afterward, she sat on the exam table and began to nervously play with her fingers.

"Lady, relax." Adam said calmly.

Her voice grew sharp, tense, and too big for the small room. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who may or may not be pregnant and just vomited in public!"

Of course it was easy for him to say such a thing, she was right. He wasn't the one burdened with sustaining another life within himself. So perhaps, he reasoned, he did deserve to get his head bitten off. "...You're right, I'm sorry. I deserved that."

Samus glanced up from her joined hands and sighed in frustration. "No, Adam. No you didn't. I know you're just trying to help. I'm just nervous. I just want this to be over with. You know how much I hate doctors." she replied apologetically.

"I understand, Lady. No need to apologize. It's all right."

After some agonizing minutes of waiting, the doctor made her presence known by softly knocking on the door before allowing herself inside the small exam room. The woman was an average height, somewhere between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five, curvy, with short brown hair and a slightly plump face pleasing to the eye. She had a professional, yet comfortable air about her as she outstretched her hand to Samus. "Hello, Mrs. Bailey. My name is Margaret Livingston and I will be overseeing your care. How are you today?"

Samus struggled to smile. "I've been better." she deadpanned, hands clutched at her stomach in an almost protective manner.

Dr. Livingston turned to address Adam. "Hello. It's nice to meet you. And you must be the partner, Mr. Bailey I take it?" she asked with a smile.

Adam shook her hand, deciding to play along with the ruse Samus had created. "Yes. I'm Adam. It's a pleasure to meet you as well, doctor." he replied simply before taking a seat again.

Dr. Livingston beckoned Adam with her hand as she stood in front of her new patient. "Don't be shy; you're very much welcomed to join your partner. Besides, I don't bite." she smiled.

Adam looked to Samus for confirmation. Her eyes were hinting for his presence. He got up and stood next to her for support.

Dr. Livingston simply smiled before looking over her newest patient's data file. Samantha Bailey. Human female. Twenty-eight cycles old. Six-feet, two-inches in length. Two-hundred pounds. Blood type Unknown. Date of birth Unknown. While she considered it fairly normal for a patient to be unsure of their blood type, the same could not really be said when it came to date of birth. The OB-GYN looked up at Samus, a bit confused. "You left your date of birth empty, Mrs. Bailey. Any particular reason?"

Samus immediately felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and felt like lashing out at the woman. Sensing as much, Adam quickly interjected. "My wife suffered a traumatic brain injury when she was younger that severely damaged the area of the brain responsible for long-term memory. She was born March 18th, 2053."

Samus gave him a sideways glance, wondering where the hell that excuse had come from, but was grateful for it nonetheless. The doctor gave both of them a quick nod and smile before walking over to the floating sink and washed her hands before putting on a pair of simple latex gloves and having a seat in front of Samus' closed legs. She proceeded to drape a white towel over them. "Okay, then. Perfectly understandable, thank you Adam. In concerns to the blood type, I'm going to put a call in to the lab and ask that you have them take a sample. Would you be willing to do that, Mrs. Bailey?"

Samus was hesitant. Disclosing her date of birth was one thing. Disclosing her blood type was another thing altogether. Once they analyzed her blood and discovered her genetic link to the long-forgotten Chozo it would be all over. All over the news, that was.

"...No, I wouldn't." she was finally able to say. "That information is private."

"Are you certain, Mrs. Bailey? It will be of great importance should anything arise dur-."

Samus remained firm in her decision and promptly interjected, "I said no and I mean it!"

The small room grew uncomfortably quiet and tense before the doctor finally cleared her throat and moved on. "Very well. That is your right, Mrs. Bailey. Now then, what I'd like you to do for me Samantha – may I call you Samantha? - is prop your feet into these stirrups and scoot down so that your bottom is almost hanging off the table."

Samus was wrong. So very, very wrong. Things could, and had just gotten, worse. Much worse. She tried to remain in control of her response, but was finding it difficult. "Sam is fine...and why do you want me to do that? I thought we were here to see if I'm pregnant or not?!"

The doctor, somewhat casually, addressed her patient's concerns. "Of course. And don't worry, you are, Mrs. Bailey. I would normally examine you via abdominal ultrasound, but because you may or may not be in the early stages of gestation, doing it vaginally provides a clearer look inside your uterus and is better able to determine a possible gestation and its age. Pardon me for asking but, is this the first time you've had a pelvic exam?"

The hunter immediately drew a blank, unsure of how to answer the question. Naturally, the Chozo hadn't exactly stressed the importance of the well-being of the human female reproductive system, not being human themselves. She felt herself blush under the harsh florescent lighting and averted her gaze away from the doctor to the floor tiles. "I...I don't know. What exactly is a pelvic exam?"

The doctor could only sympathize with the woman in front of her. It was clear to her that her patient was feeling very nervous and unsure about the whole procedure at the moment, and so she treated the situation accordingly. "I see. Would you like me to explain the procedure for you, Sam? That way you'll at least know what to expect?"

Samus nodded hesitantly.

After explaining the procedure and its aspects in a way that wouldn't frighten her, Dr. Livingston readied the ultrasound terminal and apparatus. "Are you ready now, Mrs. Bailey?"

Samus nodded before glancing at Adam out of the corner of her left eye and taking his hand, focusing her entire attention on the warmth of his touch. She quietly began to muse to herself while the doctor prepared the apparatus with a clear blue gel. She'd battled creatures great and small, suffered life-threatening injury, Phazon corruption and countless other tribulations...and yet, as she lay here with her legs spread before a stranger, albeit a well-meaning one, she was quite simply experiencing the most uncomfortable - and awkward - moment in her entire adult life. Words had all but escaped her, and were soon replaced by cold discomfort as the transducer slowly entered her.

Adam leaned into her grip as her entire body suddenly tensed. The woman had the strength of a behemoth, and he was almost certain she had unintentionally broken his hand. "You're tensing, Sam. You need to relax so the doctor can do her job, okay? Just relax. Try to breathe."

Samus gritted her teeth and began to breathe deep and remain focused on the ceiling. 10...11...12... she counted, wishing the pressure and cold, slimy gel would just hurry up and go away.

The doctor pushed a button on the ultrasound terminal, activating the terminal screen. "Excellent, Sam. You did great. See, that wasn't so bad, was it? If you and Adam will take a look at this screen for a moment."

Samus turned her focus away from the ceiling to the terminal screen. Adam's attention was already fixed on it. Soon, before their very eyes, a crystal-clear image appeared of what looked like a vaguely human form with stubby arms, legs, torso and an abnormally large head. To Samus, it looked much more like an alien than a human.

Dr. Livingston pointed at the screen, her crows feet crinkling beneath a smile. "Congratulations! This here is your baby," She drew a circle on the terminal screen with her finger, "And this little pulsing spot here is the heartbeat."

Samus, overcome, propped herself on her elbows as her eyes remained fixed on the monitor. She felt like the air had been sucked out of her chest. "...It...That... That's it?"

The OB-GYN smiled. "Fascinating, isn't it? This is the beginning of your baby, what we officially call a fetus at this point; you look to be around nine weeks, which means you should deliver sometime between the end of August and the beginning of September of this cycle. The fetus looks to be developing just fine, no abnormalities whatsoever. I know it might look a little strange right now but trust me, that will rapidly change. Do either of you have any questions?"

Samus, in her shock, remained silent. All she could do was stare at the screen and that little pulsating dot: Thump. Thump. Thump...

Noticing that Samus had more or less shut down inside, Adam soon spoke for the both of them, "We do, but could you excuse us for a minute, doctor?"

Dr. Livingston nodded, the exam now finished. "Yes, of course. I understand. Feel free to join me in my office when you are both ready. It's just further down this hall and to the right."

With the doctor now absent from the room, Samus silently allowed the tears to fall down her cheeks as Adam took a position beside her and started stroking her shoulder. He could only imagine what she was feeling at this very moment. He did, however, have a pretty good idea.

"Samus...? Talk to me, please." he asked gently.

Samus looked up at him, still in shock. "...What would you like me to say?" she replied in that monotone voice Adam knew to mean she had completely shut down inside. He could tell right away that she was in no mood to talk in such a public area. Perhaps the warm security of home would allow her to open up on a more personal level. He handed Samus her clothes. "We'll talk about this in private - at home - all right, Lady?"

Samus inhaled sharply as she clutched her clothes to her chest. "...Yeah."

Adam looked her over one last time before heading for the door. The way she sounded and acted concerned him. It did not, however, surprise him. After all, she had just been told she was pregnant with his child. Like him, Samus too believed she'd become sterile. So it had come as a rather big surprise to both of them that their night together had created a child. "I'll wait for you outside, Lady."

Samus was left to her thoughts and emotions. No words could explain what she was feeling at this very moment, the image of her unborn child still fresh in her mind. Her hand drifted to rest against her abdomen and stayed in that position for a few moments. Beneath her fingertips, skin and muscle there was a human being growing inside of her. Her, The Hatchling. The Chosen One. The Hunter. It somehow both terrified and excited her in ways nothing ever had before. She, legendary bounty hunter, Samus Aran, was pregnant.

When she joined him in the hallway minutes later, Adam appeared strangely relieved at the sight of her. "Is everything all right?"

Samus cocked her brow, curious. "I suppose. Why?"

Adam shook his head before putting his hands into his pockets. "No reason. I guess we shouldn't keep Dr. Livingston waiting."


Though the door was slid open a bit, Adam still knocked out of courtesy.

The doctor pushed a button on her desk to open the door. She calmly offered them to join her at her desk just as she was finishing up some documents. Samus and Adam sat next to each other and quietly watched as Dr. Livingston placed the final touches on what looked like a prescription and paperwork of some kind. Afterwards, she looked up from her papers, folded her hands atop her desk, and presented them with her full, undivided attention. "Thank you for being so patient. However, there are still matters we must discuss - this is your time to address any questions or concerns either of you may have. No question is silly or ignorant, so do not be afraid to ask me anything."

She seems approachable enough, Samus thought as she listened to the doctor speak. Open, honest, very professional. But still a stranger. I wouldn't put it past her to go to the media and give them all the juicy details about her intimate little encounter with me... Though Samus thought she'd mellowed just a bit since settling down, she was still finding it extremely difficult to trust people outside of her immediate circle and to be open with them. She'd only been "retired" from the only life she'd ever known for three months and she was still learning how to keep her past and present separate, unsure if they would ever truly exist as separate entities. But for the sake of Adam and their new baby, she would try. I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes out for anything suspicious, but try not to be a paranoid weirdo about it...

Some thirty minutes later, on the way back to their apartment, Adam couldn't help but notice that Samus was being extremely quiet. Out of respect for her space, however, he didn't bother to push the issue. Instead, he quietly kept to himself as they made their way slowly through rush hour traffic.


Once back within the private confines of their apartment, Samus quietly announced her exit to their bedroom due to fatigue and queasiness, forgetting about the chaotic mess she'd created earlier, while Adam took a seat at the small dining room table to read over the many documents and tablet books the doctor had so kindly provided to them. Strangely, he thought it to be a nice change of pace from the numerous military documents he had to read through during his lengthy workday. Intel, tactical data...or, more recently, cadet performance. There was nothing of the sort here. Just paragraphs detailing what was going to happen to Samus - both inside and out - in the coming months, how to deal with potential symptoms, and ways to strengthen their relationship during this "very exciting time" in both their lives.

But Samus was finding it anything but exciting, as a guttural sound from the bedroom suddenly brought him from the text.

The lights of their spacious bedroom had been intentionally dimmed, casting the room in a soft amber glow. Standing in the doorway, Adam could barely make out Samus laying on the bed, dressed in a simple tank top and sweats. Her limbs had taken no liberty to spare any part of the large king-sized bed. Upon closer inspection, he noticed her face looked rather flushed and clammy in appearance.

"...Samus?"

Samus placed her good hand on her mid-section, her voice weak. "...Adam? I...threw up again."

"I heard."

Samus draped her arm over her eyes, embarrassed. "Shit. You heard that?"

Adam allowed himself some room to sit next to her, his hand finding hers as it rested against her stomach. "It's no big deal, Lady. I've heard worse."

Samus moved her hand from underneath Adam's, only to switch positions so that his was now below hers; her fingers laced themselves through his. In a moment she quickly attributed to hormones, Samus felt her eyes beginning to burn with tears. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"I know, but don't worry. I won't think any less of you if that's what you mean." Adam moved to kiss her forehead.

Samus could smell the cool scent of his aftershave. She loved that smell. It damn near intoxicated her. Before she became pregnant, that is. Now, however, she found that once intoxicating smell to be nausea-inducing and promptly retched, quickly pushing Adam away from her. "Get off!"

Samus ran to the bathroom to empty her stomach for the second time in ten minutes, but only sounds of dry heaving could be heard from inside.

Some moments later, the normally hardy warrior leaned against the doorway to the bathroom, the color drained from her face. Adam approached her and brought his arms around her gently. Samus melted into his warm and welcoming embrace and snuggled against his broad chest. She could feel his soft, gentle touches upon her back, and felt as though she could stay this way the remainder of the night which, for all intents and purposes, looked as though it would be quite long and sleepless.

Adam buried his cheek into her blond hair. "I've got you, Lady. " he whispered. "Take as much time as you need."

Their embrace lasted for a few moments before Samus deemed herself ready to make the walk to their bed; with fatigue settling in heavily by this point in the still rather early night, Adam made the suggestion - against much protest from his stubborn partner - that she try to sleep.

"I'm fine, Adam. Really." she noted. She closed her eyes and sighed as the plush mattress hugged her body.

"I was merely making a suggestion. You need your rest. It's important for both of you."

Samus sat up slowly, her chest and stomach aching. "I can't, there's too much on my mind. I mean, me, pregnant? It almost feels like something out of a dream, or a nightmare. And yet, it feels too real to be anything but reality. And it scares the shit out of me."

"You're not the only one, Lady…" Adam admitted as he had a seat next to her.

Samus looked at him in surprise. "What? Don't tell me… You… You're scared too? The great General and military genius, Adam Malkovich, is scared of a little baby?" she teased.

Adam grinned, knowing that she was secretly enjoying getting her licks in. "I get the idea. Besides, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. This isn't like a mission in the military, where when you complete it, it just ends and you move on to the next one. You can't just forget about a child - there are responsibilities involved, ones that can't be overlooked. A child is a life-changing commitment. So, yes, Samus Aran, I am a bit scared." Adam drew a long breath. "But I'm also excited. To say I wasn't would also be a lie."

Her interest piqued behind curious blue-green eyes. "Oh? Well then, I'll let you carry the child in your abdomen for seven months," she grinned mockingly. "It may not have been possible way back when, but it sure as hell is now." Samus added in jest.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Adam replied with a grin. Somehow, however, something told him she may have not been kidding about that.

Samus couldn't keep a wide grin from twisting her lips, nor could she keep from chuckling despite her sore stomach. "Me? Nonsense; I mention it only in passing…" After a few moments of silence, the conversation returned to seriousness. "I'm having real doubt about this, Adam. Doubts about myself… And this baby."

"It's all right to have doubts, Samus. But… I want us to engage in discussions as often as possible. I'm serious, Samus - anytime you want to talk, I'll be here. Remember, it's my baby, too."

Samus remembered the discussion with the doctor about her choices should she decide to not keep the child: Place the child for adoption once it was born - she felt her heart ache at this scenario, knowing there was no guarantee that the child would ever have a stable home to call his or her own; and the other, more extreme option… aborting the child as soon as possible - her heart grew even more pained at this option. During her life among the Chozo, Samus had been taught that all life must be respected even as a warrior, and that the taking of another life should not be for ones own satisfaction, but for the greater good of the entire cosmos.

I've seen evil. I know full well what it looks like... And my child isn't. But does the universe really need another Samus Aran? Answer me, Grandpa...

"Lady?"

Samus was brought from her reverie. "Yes?"

"Everything all right?" Adam replied, noticing the dreamy look in her eyes.

Though it was still early in the evening, Samus could no longer hold off the need to rest. "Yes, Adam. You know, maybe I will try to sleep after all." she noted before laying down again.

Adam came to his feet. "All right," he said before heading for the door. "I'll be in the main room. Remember Samus, let me know if you need anything." As he prepared to exit, however, he gave her one last look over his shoulder and grinned. "Or should I say, Samantha Bailey?"

Samus chuckled before swinging the covers out from under her and crawling underneath them. A sigh of relaxation and impending, glorious rest escaped her. "Right…" she whispered before closing her eyes.

Back in the living room of their apartment, Adam began the cleanup of the room, making sure to keep his ears tuned for any sound or sign that he was needed in the bedroom. Later that night, with the living room back to normal and his eyes heavy with sleep, Adam finally drifted off into a much needed slumber.