Parents
Part 3: Handling
Thanks for the reviews. I hope you like this chapter. I'm hoping I got all of the canon about Alvarez and Blevins right. More to come soon! xxx
Adelle spent a long while watching Whiskey and Alpha out of the office window and on the CCTV cameras linked up to her computer. The two Dolls spent the entire time together and they looked happy, Adelle did not doubt that for a second. What she was most worried about, aside for the ramifications she'd suffer from her bosses, was how prepared and capable the two of them were to be parents. Perhaps if Whiskey carried the baby to term, it could be put into adoptive custody until her contract with the Dollhouse came to an end. Oh, it was too complicated and she needed someone to confide it but the best option appeared to be a science nerd barely out of his teens. She knew that she needed to talk to Whiskey and Alpha's handlers but it was not a task she was looking forward to.
Putting away the decanter of vodka and the tumbler, she brewed a pot of tea and put phone calls through to the two handler's, requesting they come to her office as soon as humanly possible.
Exchanging a glance made up of mutual contempt and wariness, Alvarez and Blevins stepped into DeWitt's office. They found her standing and accepted the seats she gestured to without a word. Alvarez was trying to wrack her brain to remember why Adelle would want to speak to her so urgently whereas Blevins was sure whatever was going on was down to Sophie and her troublesome Active. He didn't believe all the hype about Whiskey being the favourite 'number one' doll and wished she would stay as far away from Alpha as possible. It seemed like whoever they were imprinted with and whatever mission they were sent on, they had a frustrating ability of always finding each other.
"I'm sure you're both wondering what this is about," Adelle began, keeping her tone as frosty as possible to hide that fact she was anxious about this conversation. She was determined not to let these two, who frankly could have done a better job, see any sign of weakness on her part. "I had an illuminating conversation with Dr Saunders earlier today and that conversation concerns both of your Actives."
Blevins focused his glare on Alvarez again. "What has Whiskey done this time?" He asked, saying the Active's name as if it was something very unpleasant; to him she was.
"What Whiskey has 'done' is to get pregnant." Alvarez gasped and even Blevins looked surprised rather than scathing for a moment or two. "She is pregnant with Alpha's child."
"I knew it, I Goddamn knew that good for nothing bitch would ruin Alpha." Blevins was almost spitting with rage as he jumped to his feet. "I told you!" I was pointing his finger accusingly as Alvarez, not quite daring to be quite so insubordinate as to accuse Adelle in a similar manner.
"Mr Blevins, sit down." Adelle almost bellowed. "Whiskey cannot be blamed for this. Laying the blame is pointless anyhow and won't help us to clear up this mess."
"She must have an abortion, it's the only answer Ms DeWitt, surely you can see that. I won't have Alpha's reputation tarnished because of this."
Alvarez had said very little since Adelle had dropped the pregnancy bombshell, mainly because she hadn't had a chance. "I don't think this decision has very much to do with you, does it?" She asked Blevins coldly.
"In answer to your question, no, I will not be making Whiskey have an abortion. Yes, it may seem like the logical solution and one that will cause the least fall out, but when I took this job I wanted to ensure that basic human rights were protected. It is not our place to decide whether Whiskey should be allowed to keep her baby or not, regardless of whether she signed a contract with us."
Neither Blevins or Alvarez spoke but she could see that the former was fuming and the latter had a glazed expression, still taken by surprise at the news. She wasn't the only one, Adelle thought bitterly.
"I called the pair of you in here because I'm going to need your help when I talk to Whiskey and Alpha about this situation. They trust with their lives, so they will trust you with this but we must present a united front even though, ultimately, the decisions are up to them."
"And if they decide they want to keep the baby, what do you propose?" Blevins demanded, looking as though smoke might pour from his ears at any moment.
"Whiskey will be pulled off all assignments once her third trimester is over and will take a 'maternity leave' from being an Active but will be programmed with the necessary skills to take care of a baby. For Alpha things will remain much as they are now, but we will have to look into bringing in a new Active. As you well know Whiskey is the most popular Active we have an finding someone who will satisfy our clients' needs in the same way that she does won't be an easy challenge."
She looked at Blevins and Alvarez again, who had both been quite quiet since Blevins previous outburst. Now that it appeared that Alpha's routine would see very little disruption he didn't not seem quite so rattled by the whole fiasco.
"I suppose there's nothing left to do but tell Whiskey and Alpha."
