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Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own. Please feel free to contact me if anyone wishes to Beta for me.
Science was a necessity to understanding the universe and life itself.
Unfortunately, science was nothing without money. Microscopes and other tools of the trade were not cheap; so funding for research always went hand in hand with discovery. While there were more worth while endeavors than treating erectile dysfunction or hair loss, certain projects got more funding than others and therefore more research. Hannah had accepted that cold truth for a while and had gotten adept at working people over for money to fund her department. She felt that all branches of science should be equally explored and no question should be left unanswered.
That was not how the world worked though.
That is why she took advantage of all the Spencer had to provide and it provided a lot. She didn't know if the TaG program was that well funded to begin with or if her presence had anything to do with the state of the art facilities that would make most universities salivate but either way, she knew a good thing when she had it.
That was why she was holed up in a greenhouse, two computer screens lit up with the images of her two best friends and currently research partners for her clandestine experiments.
"Mornin' ladies," Hannah said perkily. "I feel like Hermione making polyjuice in the girl's bathroom. I'm an outlaw of science!" she said with a laugh.
They greeted her back, both looked just as eager to get started and laughed at her joke.
"Jayne, are the lines secured?" the witch asked, making sure no one would be able to come across their findings through their connection.
"Yep, secure and we are rollin.'" The computer genius replied.
"OK ladies. This is day seventeen, January 13th, 2012; experiment 42. Please state your names for the record."
"Jayne Jobb. I am of sound mind to witness the following experiments."
"Alissa Alderez. I am of sound mind and totally stoked to witness the following experiments."
Hannah satisfied that her experiment was being recorded for future posterity, she began testing her powers.
She sat on the artificially warm concrete floor, surrounded by planters filled with dirt and seed. Each contained the same amount of dirt and water but with different seeds that she was not privy to their type. She had a couple of freshmen randomly place the seeds in the planters and then fill the greenhouse. The only markings on the planters were numbers one through thirty. Only Jayne and Alissa knew what was in each plant in their assigned grouping; ten for each girl and ten as a control group.
Hannah took a deep breath and relaxed. She sent out her powers and felt a connection with the Earth, became a part of it. She felt each seed in its dark soil, pulsating with energy; pulsating with the potential of what it could be. The smallest of seeds could grow into impossibly tall redwoods or bloom with beautiful blossoms. They could grow to feed those whom needed them, perpetuating an unending cycle of death and growth.
Jayne and Alissa were amazed at the power that rippled off their friend and how plants reacted around her. At her beck and call they grew at an accelerated rate. The seedlings peeked their sprouts just above the soil, new life growing before their eyes.
"Han, before you go further; what is in each pot?"
Hannah then started to name what each planter contained. Exotic flowers and domesticated vegetables, each one she identified without an issue. Even the control group she was able to name as she forced them to grow and make sure she was correct. She had power over the very Earth and she had never felt more alive than she did right then. She continued to let the flora grow, vines and stems creeping up the side of the greenhouse; the video recorder constantly streaming to witness discovery in the making.
"So guys, I'm having another ethical conundrum."
"What? Do you have too much money now and don't know what to do with it?" Alissa asked teasingly as the last "ethical conundrum" the witch had was she had too many hot guys that wanted to sleep with her; which in the real world was not an issue so much as every girl's fantasy. Objectively Alissa could see where the issues of jealousy and other complications that came with social interaction would arise but it was hard to give Hannah any sympathy when four beautiful guys were vying for her attention.
"No, jerk. Mrs. Danvers called me the day before, inviting me to tea time."
"That's not too abnormal. Didn't Mrs. Garwin do the same?" Jayne asked.
"She did but it felt different than that. Given my reaction to Caleb and his subsequent bed rest I assumed that she knew my presence would only create a…shall we say combustible reaction."
"So it felt like it was a set up?"
"It most definitely was. I explained to her my reservations and she got pretty upset."
"Sounds like she just wants a cure for her son," Alissa commented.
"No doubt about that. The ethical quandary I find myself in is: Do I go over and possibly force the 'cure' onto him when it's obvious he's not interested? As evidence by the long and somewhat incomprehensible email he sent warning me of such a call and that he had no interest in cheating on his girlfriend or a repeat of what happened."
"Is the reaction that intense?"
"Yes, it's what I imagine Pon Farr would be like. I literally had no control over my body when we touched. It was very…intense to say the least."
"Interesting. Your body heat signature has risen on the infrared thermograph, especially in your groin area," Jayne said, reading off the thermal scan. "Now the heat signature has risen in your face."
Hannah blushed at what the data was signifying but she guessed it couldn't be helped in her condition. She vividly remembered how Caleb boiled her blood and how she tore at his clothing. The sheer need to be with him was overwhelming but manageable in his absence. She was certain that if she were to go to his house, she wouldn't make it past the foyer before they attacked each other like wild animals.
"Well besides the obvious attraction, I think the other ethical dilemma you face is that he has a girlfriend. You don't want to get into that drama," Alissa advised.
"No I do not. While I am wildly attracted to Caleb and Pogue for that matter, the simple facts are that they have girlfriends. Being the 'other woman' is not something I ever want to be."
"And it's something you shouldn't have to be forced into just because being with you happens to be a cure for his issues. I understand that Mrs. Danvers wants her son to be well but she should have known that you saying 'no' was a possibility when she lured you to Massachusetts. Your magic vagina is not a free for all with those who have powers," Jayne said adamantly.
"Thank you, I needed to hear that although referring to my genitalia as 'magic' is pushing things. I guess I feel slightly guilty because from her tone of voice it sounded like he was dying."
"I highly doubt that is the case. You said that the increased pull was probably due to his 'Ascension' and if generations before him have survived without a witch then he will too. Even if it was the case, it's still your own body and you decide what to do with it. You will not be guilted into sexually submitting purely for his own benefit. I don't think the mother's thought this plan through when they all chipped in to have you come to Spencer. Did they really expect you to just throw yourself at four guys?"
"They are very attractive…" Hannah admitted.
"They really are, aren't they? Even I almost would consider exchanging bodily fluids with the tall one. Pog?" Jayne asked.
"Pogue," Hannah replied. She didn't want to play favorites but she could admit to herself that out of all the warlocks, Pogue was the most subjectively attractive. She loved his broad shoulders, his dirty blonde hair, perfectly chiseled and masculine facial features, and glorious eight pack. She had not seen them in person but he stood out among the other swimmers in the Spencer yearbook.
"Has his mother come to pressure you to sleep with him?" Alissa asked.
"No, not yet. According to Tyler his Ascension is next so she might when that happens."
"Do you want to sleep with him?"
"Good zombie Jesus yes I do but alas, he also has a girlfriend. But Reid has told me that they break up fairly often so perhaps I would be able to have some 'fun' with him during one of those breaks," Hannah said wickedly. She wouldn't lower herself to sleep with a committed man but she was not above jumping on any opportunity that may present itself.
"You are such a slut, I'm soo jealous," Alissa said sincerely.
"Your jealously is like ambrosia," the witch teased her friend as she made the leaves on her plants fall and use her power over the wind to whirl them around the room.
"Perhaps if the experiments prove fruitful, maybe we can make more witches and Caleb wouldn't be an issue any longer," Jayne suggested.
"I can only hope. Lis, did you get my blood and hair samples?"
"Yes, they came in yesterday. We're running tests now but so far, it's all normal," she replied, slightly disappointed.
"No midi-chlorians?"
"Not even close. Do you think we could get samples of the boys?"
"Possibly, I can ask. I think Caleb is out of the question for now but the others should be doable. Not sure about Pogue."
"Why?"
"Well he has been hostile to my presence. At first I thought it was because he thought I was strange and that's still a possible theory but another, personally preferable, theory is that he's upset at the situation and not necessarily me. He loves his girlfriend and resents that his attraction to me is forced, which I can understand."
"Well hopefully if we can unlock the biology of your powers and share it, then we can give it to Sarah, Kate, and ourselves then the one female to four males issue will be resolved. And I'll be able to grow my own food and use the money I save on cons," Alissa said excitedly.
"Yeah! And we can be our own coven and possibly start a vigilante super hero group and have a comic in our likeness."
"That would be so boss. Have you been able to do anything with water or fire?"
"Yeah a whole lot of nothing; can't even get a match to light or a ripple on the pond."
"Maybe it'll develop with time. We just need to keep trying."
"Yeah. OK I got to go and need to work on my research. I'm so upset I had to send all of my crops back to DC."
"Why?" Jayne asked, knowing that Hannah's research was one of the most important things in her life.
"To make sure I don't compromise the data. I don't want to risk the corn samples growing bigger or differently because of my powers. So now I have a 24 hour camera focused on their progress and heavier into the reading. I have such a huge freaking pile of journals to go over. So a lot of grunt work is ahead in my future."
"Doesn't leave a lot of time for Tyler does it?"
"He seems to understand and I just always happen to find the time for our more…pleasurable activities."
"I bet you do," Alissa said with a smile.
"You know what's crazy?"
"What?"
"I get it now."
"Get what?"
"It. You know how we would see girls drop out of Peabody or even saw that one episode of '16 & Pregnant' and wonder what the hell they were thinking? Like how could they be so dumb as to let themselves get into that situation?"
"Yeah."
"Well now that I've experienced sex, it all makes sense now. It's like your brain literally turns off all rational thought and all you want to do is be with that person. And when I'm not with Tyler half of my thoughts are always wondering when the next time I will be. It's like this all encompassing addiction. Oxytocin is no joke chica. And honestly if I wasn't as clear headed as I am to take every precaution beforehand, I can easily see myself getting pregnant just by sheer want of his body all the time. Plus the whole sleeping with two guys things would increase my chances."
"Oh so you are going to sleep with the blonde?"
"Once he gets his tests done, yes I was planning on it. I just want to lick his tattoos…mmmm" Hannah was then lost in a lustful daydream.
"OK I really got to go. Later guys!" she said as she shook herself out of her reverie and headed back the campus. The two friends logged off the circuit and stored their findings. They had their own scholastic endeavors to attend to.
Reid was sitting on his computer, knee bouncing in nervousness. He had texted Tyler, telling him it was an emergency and to get to their dorm immediately. He was skipping class and he knew the brunette could afford to miss a day.
"Hey, what's the emergency?" Tyler asked as he got to the room, winded from dashing across campus.
"I made the appointment for the STI panel."
"OK, what the emergency?"
"I want you to come with me."
"What? Reid you said '911' come to the dorm now. This is not an emergency. Why didn't you schedule it for later?"
"I don't know if I want to sleep with Hannah because she pulled a sexy 'do as I say now' voice or possibly used her hypnotic mojo on me but I want to get this done as soon as possible."
"Alright, but why did you pull me out of class?"
"Because…I don't want to do this alone," he reluctantly admitted after a pregnant pause.
Tyler knew Reid since he was in diapers and he knew when Reid was using subtext. The blonde didn't want to go alone because he was scared of the results. He didn't rag on his friend for being afraid but he was proud of him for finally doing the responsible thing.
"Hey, you're doing the right thing here. I'll be with you the whole step of the way and we'll deal with whatever happens OK?"
Suddenly, Reid no longer wanted to get tested for Hannah. He wanted to get tested for Tyler, his best friend and lover. If anyone deserved to be safe, it was the man standing in front of him. The man who was willing to stand by him, something he had not experienced in his young life with an absent father and a loving but flaky mother.
He was beyond terrified of what the tests might reveal. Even if Tyler was willing to stand by his side, he couldn't imagine being selfish enough to hold him back; especially when he had Hannah. He was little more than a flake and probably destined to follow in his father's footsteps. He feared that one day Tyler would see that and go for someone who deserved him; if the tests came back positive then it would just be absolute proof that he wasn't good enough for Tyler.
Still he steeled his nerves and with Tyler's support he went to the clinic and he awaited the results.
Three days later Hannah was in a lab, working on a group project that involved glucose-dependent insulinotrophic polypeptides at high heat. It was below her usual course load but she felt she volunteered to help her peers understand certain scientific concepts.
The Bunsen burner's flame was heating the beaker, Hannah always keeping a watchful eye on the device as to not have it over heat.
A rapping at the lab door knocked her out of her concentration and saw that it was Reid. He still wore only a wife beater instead of his usual uniform but over it he wore a loose white lab coat and science specs. He wasn't completely dressed to approach the lab but he was a lot better than last time and had the sense to wait to be invited in.
Hannah's eyes burned over his skin, her own body heated at his gaze; his eyes as blue as the heart of the flame heating her experiment. Images of slowly taking off the white lab coat and tracing his tattoos with her tongue flooded her mind and all she could see was him.
The Bunsen burner burst to life in a geyser of flame, thoroughly ruining the experiment.
"Sorry guys," Hannah apologized as she turned off the valve feeding the gas to the flame. "The experiment is ruined. There must have been an obstruction in the line that caused the gas to build up and released. It happens sometimes. We'll try again another day."
The students merely shrugged and gathered their things to leave. As the last student left, Reid let himself in and handed Hannah a folder.
"Well Miss Takalua. I took your tests and aced with flying colors," the blonde said with the biggest smile she had seen on anyone.
"It's not a test you pass or fail, silly," she said teasingly.
"I know but I feel like I passed. You cannot believe how nerve wracking waiting for results are."
"That worried were you?" she asked knowingly.
"Yeah…what can I say? I've been a bad boy," he replied wickedly.
She didn't think that sleeping around made one good or bad but she was curious to know what his promiscuity has taught him over the years. She imagined his hands were talented in ways she couldn't fathom and couldn't wait until they were all over her.
She read the doctor's notes and his results and saw that he went above and beyond just a STI panel.
"Reid, this is a full physical exam."
"Yeah I thought that while I was there, hell; let's make sure I'm completely healthy for you."
"I really appreciate that," she said sincerely. "It says here you have a severely low vitamin B12 deficiency. Have you been feeling fatigued lately? Any swelling or tingling of your ring and/or little fingers? Itchy tongue?"
"Yeah actually…you can read that stuff?"
"Yes, it's all very simple. Here you have…" she began to explain but Reid cut her off with a kiss.
He really didn't need to hear whatever hours long explanation she had of his doctor's reports. All he knew was that he was completely healthy and couldn't resist touching her any longer. She relaxed into the kiss and responded with her own vigor. He easily picked up her slight frame and wrapped her athletic legs around his waist. He moaned into her mouth as she rubbed against his hardness. He could smell her arousal and it made his eyes darken with power, eager to enter her as she was to accept him.
As soon as he hooked his thumbs into her panties, ready to pull them down she stopped him although it pained her to do so.
"Reid, we need to stop," she panted out.
"For all that is good in the world why?" he whined, not caring he sounded desperate and needy.
"As many fantasies I've had where you've taken me upon this very work station, this lab is filled with many volatile chemicals including cesium which if disturbed could mean dire consequences for us both."
"Meaning what exactly?"
"If it hits even the slightest bit of moisture it'll explode, possibly killing us both," she said in all seriousness.
"Geez, you lab geeks are one experiment from becoming super villains. I can't believe high schoolers have access to such things. I'm going to be nicer to the TaG students."
Hannah laughed at his humor and glad that he wasn't too upset at the interruption.
"Well the good news is the labs in the gen pop wings don't have such chemicals so if we decide we still want to have coitus in a lab, which I very much do, then we can do it there."
Reid smiled at how adventurous and an exhibitionist she was turning out to be and kissed her again.
As much as she wanted to spend the rest of the day kissing and go further with Reid, they both had places they need to be.
"Reid, I have to tutor and you have a swim meet in half an hour."
"I don't want to go," he said, kissing her again.
"Yes you do," she said between kisses.
"No I don't. I quit the team…just now," he said between kisses and his hands roaming her body.
As wonderful as his hands felt upon her and as effectively he was distracting her, she was not going to let sex get in the way of their responsibilities no matter how tempting.
"No, you didn't. You will go to the meet, you will win and I will 'congratulate you' afterwards," she said in her authoritative tone that made him rock hard and unable to deny her.
"OK," he immediately obeyed which made her ache for him that much more. "You're not going to come to the meet?"
"No, the thought of multiple people in the same lukewarm water…no. It's like a dozen guys taking a bath at the same time while sweating. It's like walking into my worst nightmare. Sorry."
It was apparent to Reid that her OCD was all her own and the only thing cured by being with them was the hallucinations. She did seem a lot happier and at ease so he was glad for that.
They detangled themselves from each other and straightened themselves out. Reid was left with an obvious problem that she felt guilty for leaving him in such a state.
"No, go. There's nothing really you can do about it unless you want to blow us up sky high."
"No I don't but I will make it up to you. I'll meet you at your dorm after the meet, alright?"
"Yeah, go. I'll stay here until I calm down."
"Not to rush you or encourage you to do any public acts of lewdness but you only have ten minutes until the next lab."
"What? It's like after school hours, why is there another class?"
"It's not a class, it's a lab. A lot of the TaG student's do their own original research and they book the lab when they can. Sorry. I got to run but I'll see you tonight," she called after him as she rushed to the library.
Reid now had a choice to either imagine his hardness away or pull a Tyler and rub one out in public. He thought the story of how Hannah left his friend aching in the parking lot was hot but now that he was experiencing it, it was not the best position to be in.
Ten minutes wasn't a lot of time but with how worked up he was, he was sure he could finish before the other students got there. But he did not have the cover of fogged up windows and he really did not want to have to explain to his mother why he was expelled from school for masturbating in a chem lab.
So he had no choice but to think of unsexy things and work himself down.
"OK, think unsexy thoughts. Dead puppies, rotting fisheads…Justin Beiber," and instantaneously his erection was gone and he was decent to walk in public.
He felt energized and ready to take on any opponent.
A/N: yay another update! I know I keep teasing you guys but I promise there will be lots and lots of Reid-y goodness in the next chapter. I also promise that Caleb will be next! How? Wait and see!
Let me assure all of you that this is that type of fic where all the guys will be featured. I know it's slow in coming but I love to explore each of the guys and that takes time. Characterization takes time and I really hope that you guys think it's worth the wait.
Shout out to Knyte and Alex for the awesome reviews and to all that review!
Thanks also to those who follow and fave, I'm so glad you guys like the story enough to keep up with it.
Big thank you to Alykat14 and Knyte who do multiple reviews! I know it's not always easy to continually review and I really appreciate that you take the time to give me kudos again and again. It feeds the muse and revs me up to write, write, write! Thanks to all that have reviewed more than once!
Happy Reading!