Act 3: Somethings to Talk About

Illya breathed out as he walked into the room, unsure of what he would find or say in this situation. Truth be told, he had never actually dealt with a pregnant woman before, and certainly not with a person who was pregnant with his--

The thought both comforted him and put him on edge. How would he deal with a child, if Celeste stayed behind? How would he if he lived to see her in the future? What if she didn't want the child? What if--?

"Hi Illya," the voice came up, causing himself to look over and see Celeste sitting in front of her computer, a bowl of something red and green as well as a large one of tortilla chips that was halfway gone.

"Hello."

"I take it Elaine found you?"

"In a manner of speaking. She said I needed to take care of you."

Celeste sighed. "Understatement, I suppose. Do you want some? It's guacamole and salsa." She snorted as she ate a chip filled with it. "I hated guacamole and avocados before this. Couldn't stand them...blamed my dad for it."

"Oh?"

"He told me it was 'elephant snot' when I was younger, and I never could stand it after that."

Illya gave her a smile. "Ah. Well," he took a chip, taking only a small amount and trying it, noting the lime flavoring as well. "It's okay."

"Yeah, well, at least it's not pickles and ice cream or chow mein and ketchup," Celeste muttered, leaning back against the couch. "Did Elaine put you up to this?"

"If by that you mean storm in and push me out the door while shouting about how emotional you were and how it was my fault, then yes."

Celeste giggled briefly then put her head back. "I don't know what to do, Illya."

"Neither do I."

"If we have to stay here...can we be happy together?"

"I don't know," he told her truthfully, "but you will be in danger anyway."

Celeste paused and looked over at him, "But I'm in more danger here then home, aren't I?"

"A fact I've been trying to tell the dear doctor, but to no avail. Hopefully Napoleon and Elaine got through to him."

The two paused at that, then shook their heads.

"It was a good thought, though," Celeste told him as she leaned against him, glaring at the avocado and salsa. "Though if you don't come to help me in the future, I'm pretty sure that Elaine will hurt you for leaving her alone with me being all hormonal and weird."

Illya smiled at that, but sighed before saying, "And if I don't appear? If I--."

"I am not above crying."

"How much?"

"A lot."

"Even now?"

"A whole hell of a lot. Hormonal and ready to tell Elaine."

"Ah..." Illya put his arm around her instead. "I can't think of what will help us, though. I wish I could."

"I wish I could too."

Napoleon and Elaine had just arrived at the door when it open, a fuming and guacamole-covered Illya storming past them as something close to another item being thrown and broken was heard in the room. The two blinked at the closed door, then the way Illya had gone, then each other.

"I vote for lunch," Elaine said.

"We should find out what's wrong," Napoleon countered.

"Do we have to?"

"Elaine..."

"I claim the hormonal one, then, you get the pregnant lady."

Napoleon motioned to the door, Elaine sighing before heading into the room she shared with her friend, Napoleon heading off to find Illya.

An hour later, the two met up again at the same door.

"We should have done lunch," Napoleon told her with a sigh. "This isn't good."

"Nope," she said, "this certainly isn't."

"Are you all so sure about this?" Waverly asked.

"Sir, she threw guacamole and salsa at him. That's hardly the start of a happy marriage," Elaine pointed out, wishing that Doctor Fisher hadn't called this meeting and forced Illya to confess that he had slept with Celeste, and could be the father of her child.

The wording had caused both Elaine and Napoleon to look over at Illya, obviously worried about it, before they both jumped in with what they knew, which was that it hadn't been either of their friend's faults: miscommunication, tension, and hormones had caused the fight, and the fact that Doctor Fisher wasn't backing down, and that Illya had mentioned without being able to clarify why 'Fisher could be right' had been the final straw for an already upset Celeste.

"I don't see--."

Doctor Allerman came in, looking over at the group then saying, "Sorry for the interruption, but I have news."

Waverly blinked at that. "Oh?"

"I've reviewed the notes, as well as the effects it's had on the two girls and...um...addition."

"You--." Celeste started, but Doctor Allerman waved his hand. "Hold on, let me finish. The review states that they're saturated with a type of molecule from their own time, not ours, and it's concentrated within the room. Despite spending a good amount of time there, Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin are fine, though. And yet none of the electronics they have work outside of the room, at least to the same degree as normal. My point being...if they are attached to that time, and they were stretched back to this one like a rubber band, they have to return to that time. Being as Miss Lancaster's child is within her, it's also a part of that time, despite what time the father was in."

"In other words," Illya said, catching on, "they can't stay."

"They can't. I can't reverse what they are, and if I tried it would have too many unknown or ill effects. So far I would guess it's dangerous enough that, should I try to keep Miss Lancaster here, she would either die or be put into a coma due to the physical stress of it."

The room was silent before Doctor Fisher said, "Who put you up to this?"

Doctor Allerman favored the man with a glare before holding up his folder, allowing the head of UNCLE North America to see it. "It's all there. This is the only chance those two have of returning, and after this the machine won't work again, even if I built another one."

"Sir, you can't--!" Fisher was once more stopped, this time by Waverly himself, after he skimmed the document then sighed.

"I believe this means you are free from any commitment to the young lady, Mr. Kuryakin," Waverly told him, "and you both are to return home in two days time."

Elaine looked surprised, while Celeste looked down at the table and fidgeted with the edge of it.

"Sir, the--."
"There's nothing that can be done, Doctor Fisher. No matter what, the two are going to return to their own time, and deal with what they must there."

Celeste gave a ghost of a smile before Elaine stood. "Well then, we have people to say goodbye to, things to pack...or not...that sort of thing. I'm sure you don't need us. Come on, Celeste."

Celeste nodded, standing and heading out with her while Doctor Fisher, after another moment, stormed out as well, brushing rudely past Allerman in the process. Napoleon cast a look at Illya, then said, "I'd like to have a talk with you in my office in a few minutes, Illya."

"I have--."

"It won't take up too much of your time."

Illya finally nodded before heading out and leaving Napoleon alone with Waverly, who looked at the CEA with an unreadable expression.

"Mr. Solo, do you believe Mr. Kuryakin doesn't wish to have this child?"

"It's not that, sir," Napoleon told him, "but I do think he needs someone to talk to about what he fears for the child."