Corresponding episode: A Night of Neglect
Mildly graphic (medical, not sexual)
xoxoxo
Kurt walked beside David into Lima Memorial. He hated this place. There were too many bad memories: his neck surgery when he was little, his mother's slow decay, his father's coma. He'd be happy if he never had to come back. Kurt followed David to a little information desk in the center of the front hall. "I'm here to see Dr. Novak. He's expecting me."
The receptionist looked through her computer, "Dr. Novak is in office 325 East."
Kurt thanked her as David headed off towards the elevator. When the doors to the elevator closed, they were alone in the small, mobile room. Kurt felt David's knuckles rub against his own. Kurt looked down and saw David intentionally brush his hand against Kurt's again. Kurt smiled and slipped his hand into David's. With a population of nearly 40,000 people in Lima, plus all the surrounding cities and towns that used Lima Memorial as their hospital, neither Kurt nor David were too concerned about running into anyone they knew. They continued holding hands when the elevator doors opened and as they walked down the hall. After going around several corners, they found 325 East and knocked on the door. A balding, sixty-ish man opened the door and smiled at them. "David?" David nodded. "I'm glad you came. Assuming Dr. Rhys assumptions are correct, I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to meet you."
David felt at a loss for words; Kurt on the other hand, "David has some sort of genetic disorder that is making him ridiculously ill, and you're happy?"
Dr. Novak lowered his head slightly, "I'm sorry if that came off rather crass. If it's what Dr. Rhys thinks, it isn't necessarily dangerous and the aspects of it causing David's symptoms are very easily taken care of. But before we jump the gun, how about I check you out?"
David nodded and he and Kurt followed Dr. Novak to an exam room. David changed into a cotton hospital outfit while Kurt sat on the other side of the privacy curtain and Dr. Novak went in search of a nurse and an ultrasound cart. "Why do you think they need to do an ultrasound?"
Kurt thought about it for a minute. "I'm pretty sure they use ultrasounds for lots of different things. Not just ob-gyn stuff. Like checking for differences in tissue density. And tumors, too, I think."
Dr. Novak wasn't gone long. After knocking, he came in, followed by a nurse and the cart. "Okay David, I'd like you to lie back and lift your shirt up."
Kurt pulled back the privacy curtain so he could watch. Part of him felt like a pervert, but at the same time, he was genuinely curious as well as concerned. He and David had become close the last month or so and Kurt hoped they'd eventually be closer.
"Okay, David, this is going to be a bit cold." David flinched as Dr. Novak squirted gel onto David's exposed abdomen before putting the ultrasound receptor thingy a few inches below David's belly button. He moved the receptor around for a few moments while watching the screen. Kurt heard a small gasp next to him. Looking over, he saw the nurse, her head cocked to the side, an eyebrow quirked and her mouth slightly agape. Whatever she saw on the ultrasound was something she had obviously never seen before, and never expected to see. Dr. Novak nodded, switched off the screen and handed the receptor to the nurse. She took the cart as well and wheeled it out of the room, throwing one last astounded look over her shoulder at David before leaving.
"What's wrong with me?" David's voice was slightly higher than usual and breaking partway through the sentence.
"Dr. Rhys was correct in her diagnosis. David, you have what is called Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome. Klinefelter's is actually pretty common disorder among males. Cohesive Klinefelter's is somewhat more rare."
"But what is it?"
"Males are born with an X chromosome from their mother, and a Y chromosome from their father. Girls are born with two X chromosomes: one from each parent. About one in five hundred males inherit an extra X chromosome. Usually it doesn't result in anything but hypogonadism and infertility."
David frowned. "I'm never gonna be able to have kids?"
Dr. Novak held up his hand. "This'll be a lot easier if you let me finish. Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome is different from typical Klinefelter's syndrome. Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome occurs when the second X chromosome cooperates with the other two chromosomes: a very rare occurrence. Generally, only one in seven hundred Klinefelter's cases are Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome. With Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome, you have a fully functioning XY combination, and a fully functioning XX combination: true hermaphroditism. You have a fully functioning set of all the male organs, but you also have a fully functioning set of all the female organs."
Dave's eyes went wide. "Oh, FUCK that! I'm a seventeen year-old dude. I am very intimately familiar with my body. Especially down there." David gestured to his crotch. "I would know if I had a cootch!" Kurt didn't even know how to react or whether he should try comforting David.
Dr. Novak waited for David to stop yelling. When he did, Dr. Novak continued, rather calmly, in Kurt's opinion. "The female organs in Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome can…present in different ways. Around two-thirds of CK patients are born with the vaginal passage located between the testes and the anus." Kurt blushed at that. "Those Klinefelter's patients generally undergo gender reassignment surgery when they're young. The other third of Cohesive Klinefelter's patients lack a vaginal passage. Instead, the cervix is located within the anus."
David paled. If Kurt wasn't already as white as a sheet, he probably would have paled as well. "I've never…had a period or anything."
"You wouldn't. Klinefelter's patients very rarely menstruate. Although a large percentage of them are capable of conceiving. Which brings me to your recent illness."
Kurt caught on to where this was going as soon as David mentioned never getting a period. Everything Amber had said, everything Dr. Novak had said so far, the nurse's reaction to the ultrasound. "Is David pregnant?"
David looked quickly to Kurt then back to Dr. Novak, his panic evident in his eyes. "Yes. Judging by the ultrasound, David is roughly 5 to 6 weeks pregnant."
Kurt had heard of male pregnancy before. It was rare, very rare. But he could remember seeing something about it in National Geographic a few years ago. "I read male pregnancy is dangerous."
"Yes. In third and second world countries, it generally has a 100% mortality rate for both the fetus and the carrier. Not only due to lack of appropriate medical attention, but societal and cultural issues as well. In a first world country, with quick access to a full-service hospital such as this, the numbers are generally around 70% mortality rate for the fetus, 40% mortality rate for the carrier. Just because some males are capable of conceiving, doesn't mean that they are supposed to. Males are far more susceptible to any and every pregnancy complication you can think of: hypertension, placental abruption, placenta accreta, placenta previa, incompetent cervix, fetal growth restriction, ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, any number of infections, you name it."
Kurt took David's hand and just held it. "So why's David's morning sickness so bad? Our friend Quinn was pregnant last year and her morning sickness wasn't nearly as bad."
Dr. Novak pulled a rolling chair over to the end of the bed so he could talk more easily to the two of them. "About one percent of women get what is called hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy. It's an extreme case of morning sickness that results in dehydration, weight loss, low blood potassium, high blood pH levels. Around a quarter of male pregnancies involve hyperemesis gravidarum. I'm strongly recommending that the two of you talk this over with your families. Many of the most common complications during male pregnancies can either be remedied or identified early so you can weigh your options. I'd like you come back in next week and we'll either abort, or run some tests to see if we want to abort."
In his shock from all he had just learned, it took Kurt a minute realize that Dr. Novak thought he was the father…the other father. He didn't bother to correct Dr. Novak, however. Whether Dave even noticed or not, Kurt didn't know, but Kurt did notice was that if David had noticed what Dr. Novak had said, he didn't correct him, either.
xoxoxo
Novak sent David home with a prescription for an antiemetic: a drug to help counteract his morning sickness. He also gave David a list of different nutritional supplements to help him with any vitamin deficiencies the nausea may cause. He suggested David stick to foods from the grain family: rice, cereals, noodles, crackers, plus Jello and lots of liquids. He also had an appointment to return in a week so they could proceed from there.
It was only two thirty when Kurt pulled into David's driveway. Kurt couldn't believe that the longest day of his life took place entirely over the course of only four and a half hours. Dave had been pensive the entire ride home; it reminded Kurt too much of the last time he had driven David home from the hospital. When Kurt turned off the engine he reached across the void between their two seats and took David's hand. They both sat in silence for a few moments, staring at the outside of the garage door. "I get it if…everything from earlier…I mean." Kurt looked over at David and saw him squeeze his eyes shut as he concentrated. David took a deep breath. "I'd understand if you want to forget everything that happened between us in Amber's office."
Kurt pulled David's hand into his lap and covered it with his free hand. "I like you Dave. And I'm still sticking by you." David looked into Kurt's eyes; they were a deeper green than usual. Kurt forced out a nervous laugh, "You'll have to come up with something better than," Kurt picked up one of the papers Novak and given them, "Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome in order to get rid of me." David smiled and pulled Kurt's hand back over to his own side and kissed the back of the knuckles one by one.
xoxoxo
David took Tuesday off from school so he could give the medications a chance to kick in. He found that, with the medication, he could keep bland foods down, but anything with any real flavor or scent wasn't affected by the medication and eventually came right back up.
Wednesday he returned to school and the glee club. Some benefit concert Mr. Schuester had mentioned the previous week was by and large the main subject of glee club for the week. When David settled down for glee, Mr. Schuester brought him up to speed by telling him that on Friday they would be having a benefit concert to raise money for the glee club's trip to New York and the Brainiacs to go to some competition. Each of the glee members was supposed to sing a song by a neglected artist. "Mr. Schu, I'm still really out of it. I don't think I'll be able to make the Night of Neglect."
"Have you been to the doctor's, Dave?"
Dave's eyes darted quickly to Kurt on the other side of the room. "Uh, yeah. They put me on some drugs and they seem to be working. But I was sick for so long that I'm kinda sapped of energy. Can I just do my song for the glee club?"
Mr. Schuester seemed to fret about it for a minute. "I'd really like you to join us David, but I'm not going to make you do anything that might make you worse. Do you know what song you want to sing for us?"
David thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, but can I do it later? I want to practice it first."
Mr. Schuester nodded.
xoxoxo
By the time Friday came, David and everyone else was sick and tired of Mercedes' diva-attitude. David didn't really care about Mercedes so much, but Kurt was so busy trying to talk some sense into her that he and Kurt didn't have much time to spend together. It was just as well, really. David had a lot of things to think over without any outside influence.
He stood in front of the New Directions. Mercedes had opted not to come to the last meeting before the benefit concert, but at least Kurt was there. Dave tried smiling at Kurt without being too obvious. He wasn't sure if anyone else saw the smile, but Kurt did. Kurt returned his own heartfelt smile at David. Kurt had been such a rock of stability to David. David had been positive Kurt would ditch him as soon as he found out he was not only a hermaphrodite, but a pregnant one. Instead, Kurt had called him every night to make sure he was doing okay; over-eating lots of carb-rich foods, getting plenty of fluids, taking his medication and his vitamins. He wasn't sure if Kurt was more interested in being his boyfriend or his mother.
Where the deep blue pearly waters
Wash upon white silver sands
There on the brink of love I kissed her
And obeyed our hearts command
Where the deep blue pearly waters
Wash upon white silver sands
We watched the sun set in the evening
In a far and distant land
So were beneath skies blue heaven
There's a place I must go
See the sun set in the evening
With the only love I know
Where the deep blue pearly waters
Wash upon white silver sands
There on the brink of love I kissed her
And obeyed our hearts command
Where the deep blue pearly waters
Wash upon white silver sands
There on the brink of love I kissed her
And obeyed our hearts command
We watched the sun set in the evening
See the moon yellow and pale
Watch the gaucho's ride the pinto's
All across the pampas trail
Where the deep blue pearly waters
Wash upon white silver sands
There on the brink of love I kissed her
And obeyed our hearts command
xoxoxo
"I can't believe how much you missed tonight Dave, but be glad you weren't there." Dave lay in bed, his phone pressed to his ear as he listened to Kurt talk. "First of all, Sunshine never bothered to show, nor did any of her twitter followers."
"Ugh, that sucks"
"Yeah, no kidding. In fact, the only people who did show, were Sue's newest school club: the hecklers."
Dave adjusted the phone. "The hecklers?"
"Yep. A club devoted to heckling, comprising Sandy Ryerson-"
"God he's such a creeper."
"Don't judge too quickly. Azimio, Jacob Ben Israel, and Becky Jackson. Poor Tina cried herself off the stage."
"I don't think I've ever heard her finish a solo."
Kurt thought about that for a second. "Yeah, I'm not sure I have either. Anyway, Rachel eventually got Mercedes under control and she finished up the show. Sandy loved her performance so much that he opted to fund both our trip and the Brainiac's, in full."
David sat up a bit faster than his stomach was happy with. He ignored the mild nausea, use to much worse by now. "That's fucking awesome, Kurt!"
"I know!"
"What the hell did she sing?"
"'Ain't No Way' by Aretha Franklin." Kurt could hear David groan on the other end of the line. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just seriously sick of the R&B. Can't she do anything else?"
"Don't you dare talk shit about my girl!" Kurt didn't sound too serious in his outrage, but David knew insulting Mercedes would be treading on thin ice with Kurt.
"Sorry! I just can't stand R&B."
"She does gospel every now and then."
"Oh yes, because that has so much audience appeal."
Kurt couldn't see David roll his eyes, but he could hear it in the tone of his voice. "Okay, you stop being mean now…See you Monday?"
"Yep. You going to the doctor's with me?"
"Four o'clock, right?"
"Right."
"Yep."
"Okay…good night."
"Night, Dave."
David heard a dial tone on Kurt's end of the line.
"I love you, Kurt."
xoxoxo
White Silver Sands by Don Rondo
Klinefelter's syndrome is real
Cohesive Klinefelter's syndrome in not
So…anyone else think Canon!David's going to join Shelby's new glee club? Or fill an absence in the New Directions?
To those of you who read lots of Kurtofsky, I used to follow a story where David posted strip-tease videos of himself on porn sites that Kurt stumbled upon. Anyone know the name/author of this fic? I want to re-read it, but can't find it. It was sex-tacular…
To anon reviewer who said the following:
"This would be much more interesting & original if you didn't make him pregnant, but sadly I can see it coming."
I should hope you could "see it coming" since it's in the first line of the first chapter.
Secondly, I'm a bit insulted you say that making David pregnant is "unoriginal." At the time I began writing this, there was only one other David MPREG out there to my knowledge, Ongakukoi's "Somehow." David's MPREG is the whole reason I'm writing this. If you don't find it interesting or original, don't read it. Ta-da?