Chapter 6 Little, Big Surprise

Ben groaned, shuddering as he threw up again for the third time that morning, trembling where he still lay in the bed, wishing that Kevin would come home from work early.

He knew that his boyfriend loved working in his car garage, almost as much as he loved Ben, but, he could really use his help right now.

He just felt so weak..

Kevin unlocked the door to his and Ben's apartment, hanging up the keys on the hook there before relocking it behind him, walking into their bedroom just as Ben's head disappeared over the side of the bed, hearing him throw up into what must have been a bucket.

Kevin was at his side in an instant, ignoring the unpleasant smell coming from the bucket as his large hand moved to rub his boyfriend's back tenderly to try to soothe him, concerned by his pale complexion as Ben looked up at him with green eyes that were slightly unfocused.

"Kevin?.. You're finally here.. I was so scared.. I don't feel well.. Can you.. Can you please take me to the hospital? Call my grandpa. He knows where I have to go.."

"Of course I will, baby," Kevin promised, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket and pressing the button to dial Max Tennyson, relieved when he answered, picking up after only the second ring.

"Kevin, what can I do for you?"

"I need directions to Ben's hospital. He's sick."

"Oh, no. Alright, do you have a pen and paper?"

"Yeah, hang on. Okay."

Max rattled off an address quickly for him.

"It's a special hospital for aliens, or those with alien DNA. It's the only place where they'll be able to tell what's wrong with him."

"Okay."

Kevin had just finished writing the information down when Ben's stomach heaved again, but nothing came up this time, and he whimpered in pain softly, his entire body trembling as Kevin picked up his flannel pajama clad form carefully to carry him out to their car, laying him down across the rear seats on his back, covering him with a warm, fuzzy owl blanket that was a favorite of his before getting into the driver's seat and starting the car, driving Ben to the hospital as quickly as he could without getting in an accident on the way.

Kevin carried a sleeping Ben into the hospital wrapped in the blanket, walking with him in his arms up to the counter to speak to the secretary.

"Excuse me, my boyfriend's sick. He needs to see a doctor."

"Is he a regular patient here?" she asked him quickly.

"Yes, he is."

"Name?"

"Benjamin Tennyson."

The secretary's eyes went wide and round at his answer, nodding rapidly.

"I'll find his file. Take him into that room there," she said, pointing to the door to the right of the counter. "I'll inform his doctor right away."

"Thank you," Kevin said gratefully, taking Ben into the room, shutting the door behind them before laying his sleeping lover down on the examination table carefully.

His doctor came in barely a minute later with Ben's file, locking the door behind himself before moving to examine Ben, loosening the blanket from around him, but leaving it lay beneath him on the table as he started to touch him, probing at his sleeping body gently in certain places to assess the cause of his sickness.

"What made you decide to bring him in?"

"He asked me to after I got home from work at noon. I think he's been throwing up all morning. He fell asleep in our car on the way here. I brought the blanket because it's his favorite one. I.. I thought it might comfort him.."

"Thoughtful.." the doctor commented, finishing his examination quickly but thoroughly. "Well, I can tell you what I think, but, it'll have to be confirmed with tests. Come here."

Kevin stepped closer with a nod, wondering what he wanted from him.

The doctor pointed to a spot on Ben's lower abdomen, instructing him what to do.

"See this spot?" he asked, continuing to speak when Kevin nodded in wordless reply. "Touch it beneath the shirt. Yes, that's it. Now, push down, but gently. Yes, exactly. Do you feel how it's hard right there?"

"Yes, Kevin answered, withdrawing his fingers after a moment. "That's what's making him sick?"

"Yes, it is."

"What is it, exactly?.."

"It's very small yet, but, it's a baby."

"What?"

"He's pregnant. I assume that you are the babe's father?, it's creating father, I mean?"

"Yes, I.. I am.." he managed to say through the rush of the blood in his ears.

Then Kevin passed out.

"Ben?.." Sandra asked him where she sat in a chair bedside his bed in the hospital.

Carl was standing behind her, and Kevin was lying in a second hospital bed behind him.

"How are you feeling?.."

"I feel fine, mom, thanks. The medicine helped. And Kevin's just sleeping. My doctor said that he'll be fine once he gets over the shock."

"The shock of what?" Carl asked in clear concern for his son, and his new boyfriend as well.

"Of finding out that he's going to be a father."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant."

Ben's father fainted.