Part Two: The Talk
When TJ had gone to bed, she had her parents sitting at the couch and Bob, too. She explained to them how she was patrolling the city and came across Doctor Two-Brains and Lady Redundant Woman's predicament. She then explained how she tried suggesting things to them and how a surrogate was the best choice, but it was a matter of who wanted to be a surrogate to two ex-villains of the city. She finally said that she would be that surrogate.
The three sat there gapping for the longest time until Bob gave out a screech practically asking if she was crazy.
"Two-Brains said that too, Huggy."
Sally shook her head, "But… Becky… You're still in high school. What would the other students think or the teachers?"
"It's not like I'll be pregnant with my actual kid, Mom! And it's not unheard of for a teenager to be pregnant while she's in school."
"Honey, you'd be taking on a very huge responsibility." motioned her father.
"A responsibility as big as taking care of the city?" she pointed out.
"That is true…" the district attorney took note, "You have saved this city on many occasions, and we will always be proud of that fact. But can you handle it, I mean really handle it? When I was pregnant with TJ, things were very difficult to do. Why, I almost threw up while I was in court!"
"I'm sure I can. I know it's the right thing to do. Doc was once my good friend before he had that mouse brain stuck on his head. Even as a villain, we could confide in each other. I want to do this for him…"
"If that is your decision…" Tim gestured.
"It is."
"Then there's no stopping you from now on." her mother said.
"Huggy?" she turned to her sidekick, "Think you can take over crime fighting for the next nine months?"
He shrugged, squeaking, 'I'm sure I can. It's your life, so it's your call.'
She went to him and picked him up to hug him, "Thanks… that means a lot."
"We'll be with you throughout this process." said Sally.
"You have our upmost support in this." said Tim as both parents hugged their daughter.
"We're just so grateful you came to us first before actually going through with it."
"Of course, it'll be a huge change for all of us, and I wouldn't be able to keep it a secret anyway."
"That is a very good point." her father patted her belly.
They had snickered to that statement.
"Well, you're all set, but now I have to tell someone else…"
"He certainly has the right to know what you're up to." her mother agreed.
"Which will be tomorrow…" she gulped.
Moments later, she lied in her bed hardly being able to sleep. Telling her friends would be easy, with Scoops knowing along with Violet and Victoria and Eileen, but with Tobey… It was not going to be easy…
The next day at school, Becky had a serious face on as she saw Scoops and Violet coming to over hand in hand.
"Becky!" her best friend greeted, but then saw her face, "Is something wrong?"
"Not yet, but there might be… There's something you two should know…" and then she told them of her big decision.
Their eyes were widening in surprise. Finally, Scoops spoke, "Whoa, I knew Word Girl was noble, but wow, for you to do that for two of your villains…"
"Doc is one of my oldest villains, but he's also a dear friend, and Beatrice is like an older sister. I'd be upset, too, if I couldn't have kids either."
"But are you really going to go through with it?" Violet asked.
"I already talked to my parents and Huggy. They're with me, so I can do this."
Violet went into a hug with her, whispering, "This is the sweetest thing I have ever heard… If you need anything, let me know."
"Thanks, Vi…" she returned the embrace and looked over to Scoops, who said,
"Same goes for me."
"You two are the best… and actually, there is something you can do."
"Name it." said Violet.
"I need to tell Victoria and Eileen first before Tobey. Can you distract him until I'm ready to tell him?"
"You got it." Scoops did a thumbs-up.
"Do you think he'll be upset by this?" Violet questioned.
"I… don't know… Doc told me he will be, and Mom said I should tell him. It's uncertain of what his reaction will be…"
Scoops noticed around the corner, "Uh-oh, speaking of which, here he comes."
"You go on ahead, Becky. We got this." Violet assured her.
"Thanks again, you two." she gave them both a quick hug and made a dash for it.
Tobey saw Becky running and tried to go after her until Scoops and Violet blocked his path.
"Hey, Tobes!" Scoops said, "I got some new pictures for the yearbook, wanna look at them?"
"Later, Scoops, right now, I want to see Becky."
"Oh, but they're really good. You should see them." said Violet as they both grabbed onto his arms and dragged him back.
"But, but, but…" he sputtered, but it was no use as they took him away.
Becky decided to skip lunch since she knew Tobey would be waiting for her as usual since they always sat together during the lunch period with the rest of their friends. She was outside of the cafeteria using her super hearing to overhear them.
"This is worrisome; I haven't seen Becky at all since this morning." Tobey's voice said.
"Oh, she's around," said Violet's voice, "she has some projects to finish. That's why she's not here."
"I hope that's all that is… I miss her."
"Not as much as she misses you…" Becky breathed. Fortunately, it wouldn't be long now, because she had next two classes with Victoria and Eileen, so she could tell them and finally could tell Tobey.
Becky and Victoria sat across each other in the library and when the timing was right, she brought her over to a secluded area of books.
"What's this all about?" Victoria demanded.
"Victoria… a couple of years ago, when you learned my secret identity, you kept your promise, and so I need you keep this one as well." She retold the events of what happened with Dr. Two-Brains and his wife and what she decided overall.
Victoria gawked and then cleared her throat, "So… you're going to be a surrogate? An actual surrogate?"
"Right."
"While you're in high school?"
"Right again."
"You do realize the rumors and gossip that's going to cause, don't you?"
"It's nobody's business of what I do."
"Well, it's certainly Tobey's business, with everyone thinking he's the father."
"Which is why I'm going to tell him before this day is up, but I wanted to talk to you first and then Eileen. I already told Violet and Scoops."
"That explains why they've been keeping McCallister on his toes and keeping him away from you."
"I don't like doing it. But at least this way, I got rid of the people who will understand right away versus the person who will have a harder time understanding it."
"Well, thanks for telling me, because with me, I probably would jump to conclusions if you didn't."
"All the more reason you were vital to tell."
Victoria gave her a hug before they returned to their studies.
The next class was gym and Becky got her chance to tell Eileen in a quiet corner of the locker room.
"Ohh!" Eileen awed, "That is so sweet of you!"
"I can see you're not being overly concerned like others have."
"I think it's a beautiful thing you're doing, and for Doctor Two-Brains and Lady Redundant Woman besides. I think it's terrible they can't have kids, but with you helping them, now they can!"
"Thanks for the support, Eileen. I'm going to need it." they hugged.
The hour was at hand, the final bell was going to ring, and she knew exactly where she was going to tell him. Scoops sat across from her and handed her a note, saying, Do we need to stop Tobey after school?
She quickly wrote, No, I'm ready. She gave it back to him, in which he gave a thumbs-up.
When the bell rang, Becky got to her locker and at that point heard the rushing footsteps. She turned to see her boyfriend coming to her.
"Becky! Wait!" he called out, and when he reached her, he said while panting, "All day… you've been avoiding me… and I demand to know why."
"Of course, Tobey."
"And I won't take no for an answer- Wha… you are going to tell me?"
"I have to tell you…" she took his hand and moved him to outside of the school and out onto one of the school's sports' fields.
Violet and Scoops, along with Victoria and Eileen, saw them and quickly took a seat in the stands while watching from afar.
"Five bucks says he loses it." Victoria bet.
"Ten bucks says he faints." pointed Scoops.
"Really, you two, this is serious." motioned Violet as they went back to watching the field.
"What's going on?" Tobey asked.
"Tobey… I've made this huge decision to help a couple who needs this more than anything… but I want your approval first. I already have the support of my folks, Huggy, and the friends who know my secret of being a superhero. But I know this will affect you the most. Not only will people say things behind my back, but they will too with you."
"Why?" he raised his eyebrow, "What can be so big that it'll affect me if you're just helping someone else? And why the big support group? What is it you're trying to do?"
She took a deep breath, thinking Here goes nothing… and said without hesitation, "Getting pregnant…"
He stared at her with a blank expression and didn't move a muscle.
She waved her hand in front of him, "Tobey? Are you there?"
Without warning, Tobey wobbled, blacked out, and fainted.
"Tobey?!" she kneeled down and shook him.
Back at the stands, Victoria grunted while Scoops said, "Called it!" She gave him the ten bucks.
She moved his head between her legs and gently smacking his cheeks for him to wake up. When he did, she gave out a sigh of relief, "Tobey…"
"Oh, Becky, I just had the most awful dream. I thought you said you wanted to get pregnant."
"You weren't dreaming; I really said that."
And he fainted once again.
"Tobey!" she had to smack him again and once he woke up, "Now, you listen to what I have to say…"
"But, Becky, be rational about this! You're too young to get pregnant! And you want to have sex now? While we're still in school?! I'm all for having it later with you, but maybe after we graduate?"
"What are you…? Oh, for Pete's sakes, Tobey! I don't mean us! I'm planning on being a surrogate for someone else!"
"Surr… Surrogate?"
"Yes… What in the world made you assume I wanted to have sex?"
"Well, you said you wanted to get pregnant… it seem obvious. Now, what's this about being a surrogate?"
She took a breath, "It was like this…" She told him all about Doc and Beatrice wanting a child and how having a surrogate was the best choice, but it was a matter of who could be their surrogate. So she made the big decision of her being the surrogate. She waited to see his reaction.
Tobey showed no emotion and then said, "So… you'll be carrying someone else's child…"
"Right, and you know Doc and Lady Redundant Woman, so it's not like I'm doing it for someone I don't know."
"Still… it'd be as if…" he couldn't finish.
"As if it weren't our own?"
"It's not fair…"
"Oh, Tobey… just because it'll be my first pregnancy doesn't mean it'll be my first kid."
"I'd rather enjoy it if you're pregnant with our kid."
"Not one second ago, you didn't want have sex at a young age, now you changed your mind?"
"It's different now; I have to share you to carry someone else's kid. And Two-Brains of all people! I know he's one of the best villains you've faced and that he was an old friend before he turned into a supervillain. But still… it stings…"
"Don't tell me you're jealous?"
"Well, how else am I suppose to feel?! You confide in him as you do to me! I know we were your smartest villains, so how else am I supposed to compete with that?"
"You're forgetting that he's married and I'm going steady with you. I love you and Doc is a dear friend. I ask you to put yourself in his place… A retired villain who's married, but can't have a child with the woman he loves. What else can you do when someone offers the chance to what you want…? Do you understand now?"
There was silence for a moment before he answered, "Yes… But are you sure this is what you want?"
"I wouldn't be doing it if wasn't right. I feel it is."
"But having the baby during school… A lot of people will be questioning…"
"I thought you didn't care what people say."
"I don't, but this is a big thing that will stay on the gossip chain for months."
"They can say want they want about me, but you will be okay. With everyone knowing us as a couple, you know what they'll say."
"You know if this was our actual kid, I wouldn't care. I'd be proud, in fact."
"And since it isn't…"
"Hey, we have to pretend it's ours, anyway. Nobody can know you're carrying villain spawn, right?"
"That's putting it bluntly, but yes."
"If you're completely sure about this, then I'm with you all the way…"
"You still want me to change my mind, don't you?"
"If that's possible, but when Word Girl sets her mind to something, then she sets to it…" he wrapped his hands around her waist.
She wrapped her hands around his neck with small tears coming down her face, "Thank you… I don't think I'll get through this without you…"
They moved into a long and passionate kiss.
Violet let out a sniffle of joy while Eileen was holding in her joy. Scoops wiped his brow. Victoria merely stated, "I knew he would give in… Eventually."