Author's note: So I may be re-writing chapter one soon. I don't know, both of Amelia and Doppler seemed very OOC to me…what do you guys think?
Anyways, here's Chapter Two: What Now?
Doppler sat up in his bed. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. How did he get himself into this predicament? He thought when the Captain summoned him to her stateroom that it was going to be to punish him for some minor infraction. Instead, she told him she was pregnant, a direct result of their passionate liaison one month ago.
Pregnant. It sounded so foreign, like some bizarre language he knew nothing about. Children had never even been on his radar before. He thought that he could never have them, not only because of all of the tests he had taken (which were obviously wrong!) but also because he never seemed to attract any women for any sort of relationship that was more than platonic.
Which was why, when Amelia invited him to her stateroom for supper, he had thought nothing of it. It was going to be a friendly dinner; that was all. He paid no attention to how much wine either of them were drinking, and when Amelia leaned over the table so he could see directly down her shirt to whisper in his ear sexual offers, he obliged. Had he been sober, he would have immediately deduced that this sudden sexual pursuit was merely a side effect of the Felinid female reproductive cycle, and he would have declined politely. But, the alcohol had inhibited all better judgments on his part, including the use of contraceptive devices.
But the real question now was what they were going to do. Hopefully, Amelia would come up with something. His sleep-deprived brain would be of no help.
The whistle blew from above deck for roll call. Doppler groaned as he forced himself to his feet, down the hallway, out onto the deck, and to his spot in line in between Misters Crex and Flayvoon. After roll, he would request private conference with the Captain.
No sooner had he arrived in line, Mr. Arrow and Amelia walked out in front of the crew. "Stand ready, gentlemen!" Arrow commanded.
Amelia walked silently down the roll, Mr. Arrow following behind. She looked surprisingly composed. What do you expect? She's not just going to shut down with a voyage and crew to look after. Doppler watched her as she went down the line, inspecting each crew member for any flaw. Her face bore no hint of what she was thinking and what she was going through.
Finally, she ended role at Mister Thornbuckle and dismissed the crew. Doppler followed her.
"Captain, if I may, may I speak with you in your stateroom?"
"Yes, Doctor, you may. Arrow, oversee the morning routine."
"Aye Captain." Arrow saluted and yelled for the crew to continue on with their morning chores.
Amelia walked silently down the hallway and into her stateroom. Doppler followed a few paces behind. As he watched her walk, he noticed a difference in her stance. Usually she walked with a controlled gait, but now she walked even more so. As if through her stance she could deny what was happening inside her.
Doppler closed the door. They looked at each other in silence.
"Well, Doctor? What did you want?" Amelia asked after a few moments of quiet.
Confused, Doppler replied, "We need to talk about…our…litter." The words staggered out of his mouth. His tongue had trouble finding and forming the correct phrasing.
Amelia looked down at her desk. "Oh. Yes. Right. That."
Doppler scoffed in disbelief. "What do you mean 'that'? Amelia, you are going to have a baby! Probably more than one, as is the tendency of our two species! No matter how much you trivialize that fact it isn't going away. So I suggest we be honest with each other while we figure this out. Because pretending isn't going to solve anything."
She looked at him with wide eyes. "Very perceptive of you, Doctor. You are correct, I have been wrong to attempt to imagine this away. But if I do that, it is only because I have absolutely no idea what direction to go in. I've never been anywhere close to this situation before."
"That makes two of us, Captain."
Amelia smiled. Doppler smiled back.
"What do you think we should do?" Amelia asked.
"Honestly, Captain, I was too distressed trying to comprehend whether or not this was actually happening last night that I didn't think of anything, much less sleep."
"I barely slept myself, between the nausea and trying to understand the situation."
"Have you been ill for long?"
"No, not until recently."
"Ah. Well. That's good," Doppler murmured. Without thinking, he went to Amelia and placed one arm around her back and laid the other hand on her stomach. Within one second he could tell. Yes, she's pregnant. And it's mine. Her stomach was slightly firmer then before and, he may have been imagining it, but he could have sworn he felt her womb flutter against his hand.
Within another second, Amelia pulled away. "Doctor. What are you doing?"
Doppler blushed a shade to match his coat. "I'm sorry, Captain, I don't know what came over me. I won't do that again."
"Thank you. Now, the way I see it, we have a lot of different options. I prefer one, two are less desirable, and the last is impossible."
"I see. What do you prefer?"
"I would prefer to carry this littering to term, then put up however many there wind up being for adoption."
Doppler blinked in surprise. "Adoption?"
"Yes, adoption. It seems to be the most humane thing to do."
"You…you don't want to keep your own litter?"
Amelia laughed. "Of course not! We'd be miserable! I would have to retire, and I can't stay tied down for long, I would go insane!"
"I could help you."
"Doctor, that is a very sweet offer, but I'm afraid that you would be miserable too."
Doppler's ear twitched. Miserable is the last thing I would be. Not if I was with you. "What about aborting the pregnancy?"
The color drained from Amelia's face. "Excuse me for a moment please." She went back into her bathroom.
That was odd…what could she be… The sound of vomiting interrupted his thoughts.
Oh…
Amelia returned, wiping her mouth with a paper towel. She threw the towel down the incinerator. "Forgive me. I can't seem to keep any amount of food down."
"I understand."
"But as I was going to say before I felt so nauseated, aborting the pregnancy is impossible. For one, we won't return home in time to be legally able to have one done, and also, I don't want to risk my life on a botched operation on deck."
"Of course, of course. I understand completely. Does anyone else know about your pregnancy?"
"No, and I want to keep it that way. If this crew found out about this, I wouldn't hear the end of it. They would show the lewdest and most profane sides of their personalities in front of me, rather than behind my back like I know that they do. If you even hint anything to anyone, including Mr. Hawkins, I will personally make sure that this can't happen again."
Doppler nodded. "I won't tell. But you will begin to show around the fourth month of your pregnancy, depending on how many are there."
"We will cross that bridge when we get there. Until then, I want you to treat me as you would normally."
"Yes. But what should we do in the way of prenatal care?"
"I believe there are natural supplements among Mr. Silver's cookware. Leave that to me. Now, I believe we should return to the deck. People may begin to become suspicious."
"I agree. If you need anything, please, let me know. Good morning."
"Good morning, Doctor."
Doppler kissed his hand and held it towards Amelia's stomach. "Goodbye."
"Don't do that."
"Why not?"
"It will be harder to give them up if we bond with them."
"Understood." Doppler nodded to her, and walked out. He began walking down the hall.
Well. That was rather reductive…productive! At least now we have a basic plan of what to do. Doppler looked down at the hand he touched her stomach with. It was still warm. These babies, however many there are, are mine. They know my touch. This is the least logical thing in the world. It flies in the face of all proven science.
Doppler arrived at the door to the deck.
But they love me. And I love them. I only wish Amelia loved us too.
Poor Dr. Doppler. Any suggestions?
Please review!