Chapter 85: Clarke

I wake up around four the next morning, feeling sick again. I try to lie still and focus on my breathing to make the nausea go away, but it isn't working. I slowly sit up on the edge of the bed and become extremely dizzy, more so than ever before. I start to sweat, and my vision begins to blur, and I feel like I may pass out. I reach behind me to try and touch Lexa, but I can't get to her. This makes me start to panic, and I call out to her, "Lexa!" She doesn't answer. "Lexa, I need you!"

She appears in front of me within seconds, "Clarke, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I feel like I'm going to pass out."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Help me sit on the floor in front of the sliding glass door and open it so I can get some fresh air." She lifts me up and carries me over to a chair, which she then moves both the chair and me over in front of the open door. I lower my head between my legs and try to slow my breathing as Lexa strokes my back.

"What else can I do, babe?"

"Can you get me a glass of water and a snack if we have anything?"

"Sure, will you be okay while I'm gone?" I just nod yes, and she's gone and back before I think is humanly possible. She hands me a peeled banana and bottled water. I take the banana and eat it slowly, followed by drinking the water. I immediately start to feel better.

Lexa is still rubbing my back and, at some point, has gotten a cold washrag and placed it on my neck. I look up at her and say, "Thank you, I feel much better now. Why don't we go back to bed for a little while?"

She scoops me up out of the chair and gently lays me back onto the bed. "Are you sure you're okay? I can call Abby or Dalia or…."

I take her hand and say, "I'm fine now. This is normal for the first trimester."

"What caused it?"

"It could have been several things. I could have just gotten overheated, or my hormones changing could have caused my blood pressure to drop or low blood sugar or low iron. It really could have been anything, but I promise it is nothing to worry about. We still have a few hours before we need to get up, so let's go back to sleep."

Lexa

After I get Clarke settled back down, I lie in bed awake with her snuggled into my side. I pull out my phone and google what would make a pregnant woman feel like they are going to faint? The central answers are: The hormone progesterone dilates blood vessels, so blood tends to pool in the legs, and more blood is also going to the growing uterus. This can cause a drop in blood pressure, especially when changing positions, and that can make you feel dizzy. Also, if your blood sugar levels get too low, you may feel faint. Other causes could be anemia from not having enough iron and or folic acid in the body. It could also be from dehydration. You need to be drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day in early pregnancy and keep increasing throughout the pregnancy.

I think that once we get to the clinic, I will have Abby and the rest of the doctors examine Clarke before the procedure to see if they think she needs to have her iron levels checked. I finally drift off into a restless sleep, only to be woken up by the alarm going off. I quickly turn it off before it wakes up Clarke. We still have a little while before we need to be downstairs. I kiss her forehead before getting in the shower and then finish packing the last of our things.

Before waking her, I go downstairs and grab water and a banana. The bananas are one of the few things she can always eat without making her sick. I go back up and sit on the bed beside her. I move her hair away from her face and lean over, placing a kiss on her forehead, nose, then lips. Her eyes flutter open, and she looks at me with a smile. I say, "Good morning, my beautiful fiancé. How are you feeling?"

"Good morning, my gorgeous fiancé. I'm feeling much better now." She pulls me down to her and kisses me deeply. "In fact, how much time do we have before we need to be downstairs?" She says in between, trailing kisses down my jaw to my neck.

I can't help the moan that escapes, "Mmm, that's the good thing about having your own plane. They won't leave without you, but we need to be at the clinic in about an hour. Why, what did you have in mind?" I say with a chuckle.

She reaches for the bottom of my shirt, pulling it over my head. Once my shirt was off, I made quick work of Clarke's shirt and bra, freeing her breasts that seemed to be getting bigger every time I see them. I take her large nipple into my mouth. These had also begun to change due to the pregnancy. They were now browner than pink, areolas enlarged, and nipples elongated. They were also quite sensitive now from the pregnancy hormones. I have to be extra gentle, but it also means that I can elicit quite a response to my touches.

As I ever so gently roll a nipple between my teeth, I slip my hand into Clarke's panties, surprised to find her already soaking wet. "Damn baby, you're already soaking wet, and I have barely touched you yet."

"Uh, yeah. That is due to the increase in blood and hormones in my body due to the pregnancy."

"Who knew pregnant women could be so sexy?"

Clarke moans, squirming to rub herself against my fingers, and I knew I needed to act. So I knelt on the floor, encouraging Clarke to scoot to the edge of the bed. So I can slip her panties off and begin kissing my way along the inside of her soft thigh.

"Lexa, please," Clarke breaths, her hands urging my head forward as she moves her hips all the way to the edge of the bed, practically thrusting her swollen pussy into my face. I can't deny her any longer, so I begin sucking and licking away until she shudders with orgasm. I smile, pushing myself up to my feet, licking my lips before kissing Clarke's belly where I can just see the start of a baby bump.

"I'm glad you are feeling better, and I really enjoy when you wake up wanting me, but we should probably get downstairs before everyone wonders where we are."

Clarke

"I think that everyone will figure it out," I say as I unhook Lexa's bra and take it off, carelessly casting it aside. I take both her breasts in my hands, squeezing slightly, and tease the nipples with my thumbs, watching in satisfaction as they harden at my touch. Then, suddenly, I yank down Lexa's underwear and begin to caress her folds as she gazes down at me, pupils dilated with desire. Lexa's breath becomes more ragged as she puts her hands on my shoulders for support.

"You really are something else, Ya Amar," she murmurs.

"No, you are the amazing one, Cielo," I say as I casually slide two fingers inside of her. Then, I begin to slide my fingers out and back in, deeper this time, establishing a slow rhythm.

"Oh…ah…mmm…." Lexa says. I pick up the pace and thrust deeper. "Oh fuuuuck…Clarke…don't stop. How did you get so good at this…ahhh…."

I look up at her innocently and say, "You-You showed me what it feels like to be loved and cherished. You give me the confidence to be me and try things that I never thought that I would." I continue my faster pace. "I suppose the secret to being good in bed is simply feeling good about what you're doing. You need confidence; you need to trust the other person; you need to feel comfortable with the situation. You have given me all of that. You make me feel more comfortable than anyone ever has. You always let me take the lead and never expect anything from me." I move faster, deeper, enjoying Lexa's repressed cries. "Of course, it's also important to care about the other person, to listen to her cues, to be willing to focus your attention on making her feel good. You can't be selfish; you have to want the other person to enjoy the experience as much as you do."

"Mm-hm," Lexa whimpers helplessly.

"But of course, you can't ignore your own pleasure either. So if you want to be good-really good-you, have to commit yourself to an experience that is equally amazing for both of you."

"It is!" cries Lexa. I can tell she is getting awfully close.

"I know it is." Then, with one final thrust, I finally get what I am after as Lexa loses control and cries out loudly.

"Damn, woman," Lexa says as she collapses onto the bed beside me.

I happily lick Lexa's juices off my fingers, "I'm enjoying being engaged so far. How about you?"

Lexa smiles, "I think you know damn well what the answer to that is. I think it's fucking amazing being able to call you my fiancé. Now we really do need to get to the clinic so that I can make these babies truly mine."

Lexa

Once downstairs, we grab a quick breakfast before getting on the van. Ali drives the doctors, Clarke, and me to the clinic before he goes back to the hotel to drop off the rest of the group at the plane.

On the ride to the clinic, I ask again, " I know you said that I shouldn't have any issues with the procedure, but what about Clarke and the babies? Is it safe for them?"

"As I said before, it isn't any more dangerous than the test for genetic disorders. I would suggest having that test after the procedure has had time to take effect, just to make sure the fusion of the DNA didn't cause any problems." Anny says.

Ariel speaks up, "Lexa, with your unique mutations, I feel like there is a better than normal chance that this will work, and you shouldn't have any major side effects. In fact, you will probably only feel fatigued for a couple of days while your cells replenish. As far as Clarke's part, we will inject the DNA collected from your bone marrow into the placenta by using ultrasound to guide where we place the needle. The placenta will then transfer your DNA to the babies through the umbilical cord. Once in the umbilical cord, the DNA will begin to replicate and, with the help of my gene therapy serum, will overwrite Finn's DNA. I was able to take the sample of his DNA that you acquired for me and create the serum to target his specific DNA within the fetuses."

Anny speaks up, "My friend runs a fertility clinic nearby, and she has agreed to meet us at Diala's clinic to help with the procedure. She is one of the top doctors in her field. She worked alongside me in the lab at the beginning of the experiments. She was, however, smarter than I was and left before she was in too deep. Her name is Mila Prikhodko. I have spoken to her, and she has assured me that she is willing to help in any way. We will need to do an ultrasound, blood work, and a cell-free fetal DNA test. We think it is best to do these tests both before the procedure and after. This way, we know if there are any defects before the procedure so that if we find them later, it will help us to understand what caused them."

I say, "So, there is a risk that the procedure could cause some type of birth defect?"

Abby says, "It is a very slim chance. We will also run Lexa's blood work to make sure she isn't a carrier of anything, giving us a better look at what could happen. I promise honey that the likely hood of anything happening is minimal. We will take all the precautions necessary to make sure everything works as it should."

"Okay, what about recovery time? How long until Lexa recovers fully?" Clarke asks.

Ariel answers this question, "I have studied her genetic makeup extensively, and I believe that with her mutations, she should recover fully in a matter of days. After that, she will just need to make sure she eats a high protein diet following the bone marrow extraction, preferably with lots of red meat. You, on the other hand, shouldn't really feel any effects other than maybe a little fatigue."

"Alright, I know that you explained everything to Lexa, but could you explain it to me in detail so that I know exactly what is going to happen?" Clarke asks.

For the rest of the ride to the clinic, Abby and the doctors explain in detail every aspect of the procedure to Clarke in terms that I do not understand.

Clarke

We arrive at the clinic right at eight. We were just about to go back to the exam room when there was a knock on the clinic's door. When Daila answered it, it was Ash, Callie, and Octavia. I couldn't believe that they all came. I smile and look at Lexa, "Did you know they were coming?"

"No. What are you guys doing here?"

Ash replies, "Why wouldn't we be here? We are family, and families show up and support one another."

I can't help but start to cry, "You guys don't know how much this means to me, but you really don't have to stay. It could take a couple of hours, and there's no reason for you all to just sit around and wait. We can have mom call when it over, and then you can come back and see us."

Callie says, "Nope, we are staying right here."

Mom says, "In that case, come on back and make yourselves comfortable in the lounge area while we get started. Lexa, first, we will put you to sleep and then harvest your bone marrow. Then Ariel will add her gene serum to it, and then we will insert it into Clarke using the ultrasound to target the placenta. Everything will be done by the time you wake up."

Lexa says, "What? No, I want to be there with Clarke during the insertion."

Ariel speaks up, "There isn't time to wait for you to wake up. We need to do the insertion as quickly as possible for maximum effect. If we wait for your anesthesia to wear off, the rewriting of the DNA may not work completely or at all."

"Then don't put me to sleep. Just give me a local and do the extraction while I'm awake. I need to be there for Clarke."

"Babe, it's okay. Mom will be with me. If you aren't asleep when they do the extraction, it will be excruciating even with a local. There is no need to put yourself through the pain. I will be fine, I promise."

"No! I want to be there. You aren't putting me to sleep, and I can take the pain. That isn't a problem. I need to be with you while they do this, please. Remember, we walk beside one another, not behind or without, WITH." Lexa says as a tear starts to run down her cheek.

I walk over and wipe the tear with my thumb and kiss her. "Mom, if this is what she wants, let's do it her way."

Lexa

About an hour later, they had finished extracting enough bone marrow to use in overwriting Finn's DNA. While Ariel was preparing the DNA, Dalia set up the ultrasound machine while Mila did the cell-free DNA test. I have to admit that my hips are pretty sore, and I feel exhausted from the extraction, but it wasn't too bad compared to other things that I have been through.

Dalia started the ultrasound and took the measurement of the babies. "Clarke, look! They are moving." I point to one of the gummy bears and realize they look more like tiny humans now than the gummy bears. "Look, that one is sucking its thumb, and the other one is opening and closing its hand." I can feel the tears start to fall down my face as I lean in and kiss Clarke's temple.

"Lexa, it looks like it is waving to us now. Can you believe it?"

Dalia says, "They are both pretty active right now, and they look healthy. They measure 1.9 inches and 2 inches from crown to rump. That is a little on the small side for thirteen weeks, but their heartbeats are good. Everything is looking great."

Mila walks in and says, "Would you like to know the sex of your babies?"

I look at Clarke, "Babe, do you want to find out? Of course, it is up to you, but I vote for finding out so we can start buying the things we will need for them."

She shakes her head, "I thought everyone said you hated to shop, but it seems like that is all you want to do lately. Of course, I want to know the sex of our babies."

Mila says, "Well, the genetic test was clean. I didn't find anything that concerned me, but of course, you will want to repeat the test after Lexa's DNA takes effect. Now for the sex…congratulations, you are having…girls."

"Really? Both of them are girls." I say.

Clarke looks at me with concern, "Are you disappointed that they are both girls? Did you want boys?"

"What? No, I don't care what they are! Girls are great. I love girls. What about you, are you happy with girls?"

"Yes, I know it isn't logical, but this way, even if this procedure doesn't work, girls are less likely to look like him."

"Ya Amar, it's going to work. I have supercharged DNA." I say, laughing. "I have to go tell Ash and the group. I'll be right back!"

I run out to the waiting room, ignoring the excruciating pain in my hips. Ash is the first to see me, and she jumps up, "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

I can't contain my smile, "Everything is great! We're having girls! They are both girls."

Callie squeals, "That's great! How's Clarke?"

"She's fine. They are about to inject the serum now. I have to get back. I just wanted to tell you all. We're having girls!"

When I get back to the room, Ariel was there waiting. She was holding a needle full of our hope to right a wrong. I walk over to Clarke's head and lean down, kissing her deeply with all the love I had inside of me. I wanted her to feel everything that I feel for her and the little ones. When I pulled away, her cheeks were flushed, and I could see the love in her eyes.

I looked at Ariel and ask, "Can I get in the bed behind her and hold her while you insert the needle."

She nods yes, so I crawl behind Clarke so that she can lean back against me, and I wrap my arms around her while kissing the top of her head. Dalia brings up the ultrasound picture and maneuvers the wand to find the placenta. Anny speaks up, saying, "There are two placentas, not just one. So we will have to make two injection sites instead of one."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

Abby explains, "It means that the girls are fraternal twins instead of identical; therefore, they don't share a placenta, but each have their own. So it is actually better for them because they don't have to share the nutrients of the placenta between the two of them. Unfortunately for us, that means we have to inject both of the placentas with the serum, which makes it a little more difficult, but not impossible."

I hold Clarke a little tighter, but she says, "Cielo, it's okay. We've got this together. I trust our team. Everything is going to work out." She looks at the doctors and says, "Whenever you are ready."

Anny points to a spot on the screen while Dalia holds the wand in place. Ariel places the needle near the side of Clarke's belly, and Anny nods. Then, Ariel says, "Clarke, take a deep breath in and slowly blow it out as I stick the needle in."

Clarke grabs my hands and interlocks our fingers, "Okay, I'm ready."

All I can do is watch as Clarke inhales deeply and then slowly releases her breath as Ariel slowly inserts the needle into her stomach as Anny guides her watching the screen. Then, Anny suddenly says, "Hold it right there. You are in the placenta. Now inject half of the serum and slowly extract the needle. Alright, one down, one to go. How do you feel, Clarke?"

"Um…I'm alright."

They repeat the steps, and an hour later, it is all over. We stay cuddle up in the same position until Abby comes in and says it's time to go to the plane and head home. I ask, "Is she okay to walk? Should I carry her?"

Abby looks at Clarke, "How do you feel, honey? Can you stand up and walk, or do you want me to get a wheelchair?"

She glances over her shoulder at me, "I think that I'm okay. Let me try standing." She swings her legs off the bed and slowly stands up. "I feel okay. I think I can walk."

I stand up beside her and thread her arm through mine so that I can support her if I need to, and we walk out to the waiting room where everyone is waiting. "Everything went well. Okay, everyone, we have a plane to catch. Thanks for being here for us."