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Lucrecia sat back in the chair and closed her eyes. It was the third day she had felt the strong and often overwhelming nausea that she woke up with and sporadically reappeared throughout the day and into the evening. She knew it was not influenza, as that would normally have a different range of symptoms. 'Just give a moment and it will go away and I can get back to work.' However, the wave did not subside, but only grew strong. Her stomach gurgled and flopped in response. Knowing what would only be unavoidable, she slowly came to her feet and with as much dignity as she could muster, left the lab and began to climb the stairs using the guide rail to steady her shaking knees.
'What else could this be? It's not a stomach bug, that much I know. It wasn't bad food, everyone else would be suffering similar symptoms.' Lucrecia paused in mid-step as her nausea was changing into something more. Swallowing, she could feel her throat tighten and a cold sweat formed on her brow. She knew her time was short and she had not reached the other set of stairs.
'I need to keep my mind off my stomach. How about Jenova? What do I need to do next?' Lucrecia finally reached the bedroom where Gast use to sleep and she stepped out into the hallway and took a deep breath. It seemed for a moment the nausea faded. Lucrecia almost smiled. Suddenly her stomach lurched. Running as fast as she could, Lucrecia flew down the staircase and toward the only bathroom in the mansion. She did not give any thought of the possibility that it might be in use.
Vincent stepped out of the bathroom just as Lucrecia stumbled past him and slammed the door behind her. He blinked and first looked from where she had come from and then to the shut door. Concerned, he leaned against the door and winced at what he heard inside. He knocked on the door.
"Are you alright, Doctor?"
He only heard her retching in response. Vincent sighed and walked away. 'I suppose that nixes coffee this morning and perhaps lunch.'
After a while, Lucrecia entered the lab seeming a little pallid. Vincent gave a quick look of concern. She only gave him a brief hand signal not to press the question and disappeared behind the books.
"Are you sure you are up to it?" Vincent questioned as they walked over to the pub to catch some dinner. Lucrecia sighed.
"What makes you think otherwise?"
Vincent toyed with the thought of retelling what she sounded like in the bathroom and thought it better not to say anything. Once there, he opened the door and ushered her inside. Lucrecia froze as she was bombarded by the heavy smells of cigarette smoke, sweat, grease and cooking meat. Overwhelmed and nauseated, she turned around and went back outside. Puzzled, he followed her.
Lucrecia forced herself to take several deep breaths.
"Had that place always smell that bad?" She finally asked.
Vincent rubbed at his jaw. "Somewhat, but it never seemed to bother you before."
Lucrecia remained silent as she slipped her hands into her pockets trying not to shiver in the cold evening air. "I think there might be a Mako leak in the mansion."
Vincent blinked. "Mako leak? What do you mean by that?"
Lucrecia kicked at the ground. "I cannot make any other sensible explanation of my sickness then Mako. Once one has been exposed before, they are more sensitive to it from there after."
"You were exposed before?"
Lucrecia shook her head. "It is built up. Several experiments here, Jenova there, it all adds up over time, Vincent."
He folded his arms and leaned closer to her. "So what are you going to do about it? Has Hojo mentioned any symptoms?"
Lucrecia snorted. "That little miserable rat of a man would not admit symptoms of the black plague until he his dying breath. I doubt he would give any heed to slight Mako exposure." Lucrecia fell silent for a moment. "The work I am doing now does not require me to work in the lab or the mansion for that matter. Just for the sake of my general health, I am going to relocate my living arrangements here at the inn."
Vincent's eyes drifted up at the cloud-covered sky. "If that is what will make you happy."
Lucrecia grinned. "Are you afraid that you will be left all alone with Hojo?"
The Turk glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "I fear nothing."
Lucrecia almost laughed.
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Vincent held end of the gun barrel to Lucrecia's forehead. Her blue eyes focused on his face ignoring his gun. She made no attempt to plead or beg, nor were there tears She was just stood there staring at him. Her lips moved and at first he could not understand what she was saying. Though the second time, it became painfully clear.
"Do it." He heard her words and as she closed her eyes, he pulled the trigger.
Vincent shot upright from a sound sleep, his pulse racing and cold sweat beading at the bottom of his lip. He reached up and rubbed his face and raked his dark hair away from his face. He initially felt terrified and then it faded into nausea. It was not the first time he had that dream, nor he figured it would be the last.
The Turk knew he had a serious dilemma on his hands. Normally those he disposed off he never knew or even saw their faces. And if by chance he did, those faces were locked permanently away in the little white box in the back of his mind. The thought of locking Lucrecia in that box created that sense of an almost stifling fear. He did not want to lock her away and forget everything. And yet if he kept her, it would be worse then to forget.
His worse fear had come into blaring reality; he had become too attached to the scientist. So much that he fought hard to keep his personal interest separate from business. There was only one thing that he could do and he knew it would cause him a great deal of pain to do, but it had to be done. 'I care for her too much to let this continue.'
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"Doctor, here are the reports you requested." Vincent held the stack of lab reports and waited for her response.
Lucrecia hurriedly shoved a small long purple box underneath several papers. There was no need for him to know about her current problem. She turned around and stood up.
"Lucrecia, is everything well? You look a little... off."
Lucrecia's eyes shifted away from his face for a moment before returning again. "I'm fine. I just stayed up a little too late last night, that is all." Lucrecia thumbed through the papers.
Vincent watched her as she began to turn away and for a brief moment, he saw her bite her lip.
It had been several hours since the Vincent had been by to drop off the reports. Despite the quiet, she found it hard to focus. Her mind kept reeling about the red plus sign she saw several mornings ago.
Lucrecia paused writing when she heard someone knocking on her door. Getting up, she opened the door and peeked around. 'Why would Vincent be coming now?' Instead of seeing the Turk, she found Hojo standing infront of her. 'Oh shi...'
"Dr. Hojo?"
He held a small file under one arm while he looked at her. "Hope I am not disturbing anything." Though his tone was far from being kind.
"I was just finishing up a report I will be sending to Gast."
"Good, I need to meet with you about a few things." He walked past her and entered the inn room within giving Lucrecia a chance to decline. Sighing, she shut the door. He approached the table and set the file down.
"We need to make a decision about Jenova."
Lucrecia hung back and looked at the man. 'I am sure you meant "I" when you said that. Why are you here anyways? If you want to do something, you normally do it behind my back.'
Sensing her skepticism, he bowed his head briefly. "I thought I would try to be courteous and involve you as Gast would insist." Hojo almost spat when he ever mentioned Gast. "I am going to begin replication of Jenova's DNA." Hojo was not keen on sharing his work with her, but if he wanted to gain her trust, he had to make a sacrifice. After briefly going over some of the details, she seemed to relax a little. 'Good, good my little mouse, I am not going to hurt you.'
While she read over the work, he excused himself and went into her bathroom. Once inside, he looked around for anything that would tell him of the status of his specimen. He opened the door underneath the sink and the medicine cabinet, but found nothing that would indicate a pregnancy. That is when he found a towel and something underneath it. There was a small purple box with an image of a white stick and a plus and minus sign. He found the box was empty. 'Excellent.' Tucking the box into his lab coat pocket, he flushed the toilet and turned on the facet briefly before leaving.
He paused in the doorway and watched Lucrecia for a moment. He had to abide his words with caution.
"Is everything well, Honestas?"
She looked up and frowned. "Why does everyone keep on asking me this? I am fine, Doctor."
He walked closer holding a grave expression on his face. She watched him with reserved suspicion.
"I am sure this is none of my business, but it could concern the productivity of this project." He reached into his pocket and produced the purple box. Lucrecia's eyes went wide in shock. She snatched it from him and removed it from his sight. "It was sitting on the counter. Is there something going on between you and the Turk...?"
Lucrecia's jaw was locked in both fear and anger. "You are right, this is no of your business." She stated in defense.
Hojo crossed his arms. "Then it is the Turk. Do you think he will take you news lightly?"
Lucrecia crumbled in the box in her hand. "We did no such thing!" She fought the tears that threaten to fall. Lucrecia could not avoid anymore she was terrified and pregnant. It was not the conception itself, but how it came to be that scared her. She not had any sexual relation with a man, especially not now.
Hojo pulled up a chair and sat down. "Honestas?"
She kept her eyes on the floor. "I believe this will not interfere with the project. So don't worry about that."
Hojo tried to look at her face. "I doubt that. You know what could happen if you were exposed to any amount of Mako? Jenova is stored in the reactor."
Lucrecia almost felt insulted by his tone, but he did have a point. Hojo sensed he had to keep moving.
"It seems this rather awkward, so I would not worry too much about how this happened, but what you are going to do now, Honestas. Now I am willing to help you and work around your…situation. However, I fear the Turk may not be so forgiving."
Lucrecia's eyes shot up. "And what are you implying?"
Hojo rested his arms on his knees. "Come now, I know you are more intelligent then that, or at least I would hope. Turks are Turks. They are simply trained to be subordinate machines that follow orders without question. He would see you pregnancy as a hindrance to the project. I hold a measure of caution when he finds out, and he will in time."
Lucrecia's eyes drifted down as she swallowed. 'Why am I listening to this man?' Her mind reeled until she finally came to a logical conclusion and she did not like much. ' Because you know that what he says is true.'
"So? What are you going to do, Honestas?"
"I don't know, Doctor. Maybe when Gast returns, I will see about taking some leave time or something."
Hojo kept the frown on his face. "If you think that will help?"
Lucrecia snarled. "Well, do you have any better ideas?"
Hojo looked around acting unsure. "I have known some to consider abortion."
Lucrerica swallowed feeling the blood rushing from her face. "Do you think Mr. Valentine would suggest that?"
Hojo shrugged and stood up. "I will leave the report here for you to review. I will expect a response in a day, Honestas." The scientist turned and left Lucrecia. She still clenched the box in her hand.