AB: Oh, my precious Butterflies, this is the final chapter. I apologize for 1) its length and 2) its tardiness. If I start crying, don't judge; I won't judge if you cry. This has been an amazing journey for me as I've grown and changed outside of fanfiction, as well as within it. Every single one of you means the world to me, and I appreciate everything that you all have done for me, simply by reading.
Iris: AB, will there be any trigger warnings in this chapter?
AB: Good question, Iris. Yes, there are four trigger warnings. Trigger Warning: Suicide mentioned in the second part. Trigger Warning: Death of a parental figure, self harm impulses mentioned, and domestic violence in the third part.
All the characters: WHAT?!
AB: Nothing, guys. Anyways, Butterflies, towards the end, there will be a scene where reading between the lines will be what makes the story fall in place. I won't specifically say the scene, but you will know when you read it. Also, let me say this ahead of time, every one of the Secret Scientists is super smart, so they're done with college a lot faster than an average person. One last note: I won't be closing this chapter like I normally do because doing so would kill the mood. Don't forget to follow me, favorite the story and me, and review! I love you all so much! Thank you all so much! Disclaimer: The Secret Saturdays belongs to Jay Stephens and Cartoon Network. Here is Chapter 26: Blue Eyes
(Iris's POV)
Mom comes waltzing into the living room with Dr. Saturday/Dad following her. According to the note they left on the counter, they went to see their marriage counselor and would be back about right now. I suppose the session went well because Mom and Dr. Saturday/Dad are both in good moods and are getting along just fine. I'm glad because it's my fault they almost got a divorce. If I hadn't arrived, then they would not have had to work with me and put their marriage at stake. Everything that has happened if my fault, so it makes me happy to know at least one thing I've messed up is falling back into place. If only everything else could.
Dr. Saturday/Dad says that he'll make lunch in a couple of hours and tells Mom that she should rest. Gladly, Mom disappears into their bedroom for some rest and relaxation. She needs after all that has happened over these past three months. Wow. The three month anniversary of the War is coming up. Has it really been that long since Dad/Father and Argost died? It feels like a lot less time than that. Pulling me away from my thoughts, Dr. Saturday/Dad asks if I want to do another tutoring session. I nod; I might as well get caught up as soon as I can.
As Dr. Saturday/Dad and I wrap up today's lesson, Dr. Saturday/Dad asks if I want to continue into tomorrow's lesson. Why not? We finish our current lesson pretty quickly and begin the next one shortly afterwards. Dr. Saturday/Dad ensures that Zak will not bother us while we work. This makes me feel a little better, but it still doesn't change the fact that I hate tutoring sessions. If only I hadn't fallen behind.
Much to my surprise, Ulraj walks into the living room as I pack up the books and other learning materials. Ulraj exchanges a friendly handshake with Dr. Saturday/Dad before giving me a friendly hug and a quick peck on the cheek. His greeting shocks me; this is only the second time we've met. Is this how romantic interests are supposed to form? During the second encounter? I hope not because things could get awkward if that's how they're supposed to go.
Dr. Saturday/Dad glances at the time and says that he is going to start working on lunch. Has it really been three hours since Mom and Dr. Saturday/Dad came home? Wow. It seems unreal, but it makes sense considering how much time Dr. Saturday/Dad and I spent on my lessons. But still, those three hours went by quickly.
"Shall we go for a walk, Iris?" Ulraj asks. I nod, and we head outside together. The sun is very high in the sky, and its rays are warm on my skin. Funny how I was out here just yesterday, yet I did not notice these little details. I should walk outside more often.
"Tell me, Iris. What is on your mind?" Ulraj inquires in his royal manner.
"Nothing of an importance to you, Your Majesty," I reply jokingly.
"Anything you think, say, and do is of importance to me." I smile at Ulraj's comment. Perhaps I am just being naive, but I think I might be starting to form an attraction.
"I am enjoying the sunshine. And you, Ulraj? What is on your mind?"
"You, your family, and my kingdom." The two of us chat for a while longer before settling into a friendly silence as our walk continues. If and when I get married, I want my husband and I to take lots of walks together. Maybe if Argost had taken a walk or two, he wouldn't have been such a sourpuss about everything.
Ulraj and I keep walking and eventually enter the trees surrounding the house and the airship. In the privacy of the trees, Ulraj grabs my hand and kisses me on the cheek affectionately.
"I have a confession to make, Iris," he whispers. "I like you. I have a crush on you. I want you to be the next marina, the next princess of the sea." I pull back from Ulraj's grasp and stare at him. Things just escalated, but I don't think that I am okay with that. "What's wrong, Iris. Don't you love me?"
"I . . . uh, er . . . I-I don't know. I'm sorry, Ulraj, but I don't know," I stutter as I speak. What just happened? Why here? Why now? Why me?
"Of course. Perhaps I am being a bit pushy."
"More than a bit pushy, that's for sure. Let's head back inside. I'm sure lunch is ready." I pause. "And, Ulraj, let's just pretend this never happened, deal?" Ulraj agrees, so we return to the airship in an awkward silence. Neither of us wants to say something to the other, yet we both want to tell the other something. I battle with myself, wondering whether I like Ulraj or not. He likes me, that's for sure, but I don't know. I've only been incorporated back into society for just under three months now, and I still have a lot left to learn. I have to remind myself that I have the social maturity of a seven year old, and part of growing up is learning oneself and what one's likes and dislikes are. Since I don't know myself or my likes and dislikes, I don't want to rush into anything, especially a relationship. I don't know if I can trust myself not to do anything stupid. Even if I don't end up liking Ulraj the way he likes me, we can still be friends. Right?
After lunch, Ulraj says that he has to return to Kumari Kandam. He leaves with a stiff, but polite, goodbye. I hope he's not too hurt by what happened earlier. If he is, oh well; there is nothing I can do to change it. He needs to understand that I am ready for a relationship after everything I've been through. Maybe after more time has passed and all the effects are under control, will I be able to have a relationship. Maybe.
I help Dr. Saturday/Dad clean up. As we're unloading and reloading the dishwasher, he asks what Ulraj and I were talking about. I tell him just general things like the weather; Dr. Saturday/Dad does not need to know about what happened after that part of the conversation with Ulraj. Dr. Saturday/Dad doesn't ask anymore question about the conversation.
"Iris, I just want to let you know that you're not a nuisance, you're not stupid, and you're not defective. You are a joy, you're smarter than you think, and you amazing even with your history." Dr. Saturday/Dad's words make me smile.
"Thanks, Dad." Wait, if my adoptive father is Dad, and Dr. Saturday is Dad, does that mean I need to call my adoptive father "Father" again?
Trigger Warning: Suicide mentioned in this part. Skip to next bold to continue reading.
The next day, Zak is fuming at Dad (Dr. Saturday) for letting him sleep through Ulraj's visit. I'm rather glad Zak slept through it because the aftermath would have been incredibly awkward. It was awkward with only two people involved, so I can only imagine how embarrassing it would be if everybody knew. I cringe at the thought.
Suddenly, Fisk comes running in, making a ton of noise as a he trips over himself. He lands with a splat on the floor. Laughing, I help my adopted brother to his feet and ask what the hurry is. Excitedly, he proclaims that Wadi is here. Wadi?! I dart from the living room and run outside to greet her. She seems just as excited to be here as I am to see her. I race her to the airship; she beats me by a good few seconds. Then we burst into giggles at our childishness. We enter the airship, and Zak immediately tries to sweep Wadi off her feet (metaphorically). The problem is Zak is so awkward that he blunders everything he tries to say. Wadi and I start laughing, and our laughter gets harder when Wadi shows me her yo-yo, with Zak's belt attached to it.
"Give that back, Wadi!" Zak exclaims, shocked and embarrassed. Wadi hands over the belt and smiles mischievously. Zak is pulling his pants up when Mom and Dad walk in. They look at each other and shake their heads. What are they going to do with children like us?
"Zak, please at least try to keep your pants up," Dad says, trying to stifle a laugh. Zak starts to protest, but he stops and fastens his pants in silence. Wadi and I can't help but laugh at what just occurred. Zak scowls at us, so Wadi gives a quick peck on the cheek as an apology. Blushing, Zak chuckles awkwardly. Then Wadi tells Zak to catch her if she can and takes off; Zak processes the challenge and races to make up for lost time. Fisk and Zon chase after the two, thus leaving me alone in the living room. An idea pops into my head, and I return to my room to get something. I return with the picture of who Munya used to be, and then I call Mom and Dad. When they enter the living room, I ask about Dr. Grey's brother and his fiancée. Mom looks at Dad.
"Dr. Grey's brother, as you already know, Iris, was named Derek. He used to be one of the Secret Scientists; he even helped us found the organization. Derek was three years younger than Dr. Grey, but he was several years ahead of her in schooling; he and Doc graduated with their PhDs together, and both were, what seven years, eleven years ahead of people in their age groups. While Doc went back to school to earn a PhD in cryptozoology and met me, Derek began searching for jobs."
"Our university, Fernlane, offered Derek a part time job, and Derek took it. He wasn't teaching or researching; he was assisting the robotics professor," Dad explains.
"One evening, after classes, while I still lived with Jordan and Dr. Grey, Derek came to check on Dr. Grey, who was recovering from a stomach flu. Jordan answered the door, and Jordan described it as love at first sight. I can't say if that's how it really went, but the two did start dating. They continued to date until a month or so before Dr. Grey and I were to earn our doctorates. Apparently the two got engaged and planned to marry the next year, after Jordan finished her undergraduate. About that time, Doc and I went to Iraq, where we found and lost the Kur Stone."
"So you organized a team of fifty to break in."
"Yes, and Derek was on my team. I remember Dr. Grey made me swear to protect Derek, but I failed," Dad sighs. "Dr. Grey has resented me since then."
"No she doesn't. She just still hurts is all. What happened to Jordan, Mom?" I ask.
"I had been living with Doc for a while at that point in time, so I don't know everything. I went into labor three months early and had to be rushed to the hospital, so Dr. Grey found her own back to Fernlane. Based on what Dr. Grey told me, she told Jordan the news, Jordan said she was going for a walk, and Dr. Grey got a call the next morning saying Jordan's body had been found in the river. Dr. Grey was accused to killing Jordan, but there was not enough evidence, and Dr. Grey was acquitted; the case never went to trial. After Dr. Grey was acquitted, we split up the Kur Stone and went our separate ways, with only the organization to link us."
"Wow," I whisper. "Can you tell me more about Jordan?" Mom and Dad give me a look of suspicion, but they answer my question anyways.
"Jordan was a sweet girl about three years younger than both Dr. Grey and I. Her major was business, but she and Derek were a perfect match."
"Sorry to interrupt, Mom, but if Jordan was five years younger than you and was earning her undergraduate, how old were you and Dr. Grey when you got your doctorates?" I am so confused right now.
"Doc was twenty four, but he also started college at twelve. Let's see, Dr. Grey was nineteen the winter of freshman year; I was eighteen because of when my birthday falls. We both had AP credit that sufficed for the two years we were going to have to do to earn undergraduates, so we jumped straight into doctorates, earning our graduates along the way. In other words, twenty six."
"Okay. Thanks."
"Jordan dated Derek from her freshman year up to her junior year; that same year they got engaged. But Derek died shortly afterwards, and so did Jordan. You were here the day Dr. Grey came and told me that new evidence pointed to Jordan's death as suicide, but it's hard to understand why. Jordan was one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and she seemed so much older than she was. She loved life and all it had to offer; she couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with Derek. Jordan just didn't strike me as the kind of person to take her own life," Mom sighs sadly. "Am I glad the school put older students and younger students together for those years? Yes. Am I glad Jordan was in my life? Yes. Am I glad to have her death as the first memory of her I think of? No."
"What was her last name, Drew?" Dad asks.
"Beeman. Jordan Beeman." Although Dr. Grey had told me she roomed with her attacker's sister in college, the reveal of Jordan's last name is still a shock. Dad looks as if he's hearing this for the first time. Dad has to sort through the facts for a moment.
"Wait, Jordan is Arthur's sister, then?" Mom nods. "That would have made Arthur and Miranda brother- and sister-in-law." Again Mom nods, "Yikes." To this, Mom nods multiple times. "Iris, why do you suddenly want to know all this?" Dad asks.
"Here," I say as I pull out the picture from my pocket without a second thought. I hand it to the two, and they look at it. "It came in a letter," I explain. Oops; I wasn't supposed to mention the letters. "The letter was from Munya; he was asking if I could help him. Those are Derek and Jordan, right?" Mom and Dad nod. "So, Munya is Derek?" Mom and Dad have shocked expressions on their faces, and Mom pulls out her mobile phone.
"I'm calling Miranda," she says sternly.
"NO! She can't know, not now!" Dad exclaims. "If Munya isn't Derek, it'll crush her all over again." Mom puts her phone away. Is Munya really Derek?
Continue reading here if you skipped the last section.
Trigger Warning: Death of a parental figure and domestic violence in this part. Stop reading here.
I wake up in the middle of the night, or really in the twilight before the sun rises because of where we are, in the middle of an anxiety attack. Komodo is sitting with me and is doing his best to help me. The shaking is uncontrollable, and so is the crying. I'm dying. I'm dying. It's the only thing running through my mind. My heart is racing. I'm dying. I'm dying.
"Komodo," I sob. "He's back. He's coming back to get me." Komodo crawls into my lap, wraps his tail around me, and sits with me.
"Breathe, Iris. In for four and out for eight, okay?" I try breathing, but it doesn't work. "Iris, take a few more deep breaths. You're going to be just fine; trust me. That's good. Keep breathing." Slowly but surely, Komodo helps me calm down, and the anxiety attack ends. I hug Komodo as tight as I can for a long time before letting him go. I thank him for helping me, and he wraps his tail around me as usual. We sit together like this for a while as my nerves calm down even more. Then Komodo says he is going to get Mom and Dad and that he'll be right back.
I curl up into a ball and wait for Komodo to come back; when he does come back, Mom and Dad are with him. They ask if I am okay now, and I nod. Mom and Dad hug me, and in turn, I finally begin to feel safe. My body relaxes in their embrace.
"How's Doyle doing?" I suddenly ask. Mom says Doyle is much better now that he knows Ms. Grey is alright. Then Mom kisses my forehead and tells all of us, Dad included, to return to our beds and go back to sleep. Since Komodo and I don't have to go anywhere, we get back into our sleeping positions and start to dream.
When I wake up later that morning, Komodo is still asleep. Carefully, I climb out of bed and step out into the living room. Mom comes out of the kitchen and sits with me; she asks if I doing better now, and I nod. Then she asks what caused the anxiety attack this morning, so I tell her about my nightmare. After I'm done explaining my nightmare, Mom holds me and tells me that I safe now and that Argost can't hurt me anymore. Part of me trusts her, but part of me knows that Argost can still hurt me because of the marks he's left on me.
The morning and afternoon pass in a blur; before I knew it, it's evening. We have dinner as a family, which is something we have not done in a while. After dinner, everyone goes to his or her own space, but Dad and I remain in the kitchen; the two of us talk for a while. Suddenly, there is a soft but rapid knocking on the door, as if someone is trying to escape from something. Dad and I look at each other, and we answer the door. The person has a coat bundled tightly around him- or herself, and his or her face is covered by the hood of the coat. Then the person pulls back the hood; it is Dr. Grey.
"Doc, please" she whispers. Quickly, Dad lets Dr. Grey in and tells me to get Mom. I run to get her, and she is just as surprised as we are to see Dr. Grey. "Drew, we need to talk." Dr. Grey sounds anxious and scared, but she also sounds confident and determined. "In private," she adds. Mom says of course and whisks Dr. Grey off to her and Dad's bedroom. Dad shrugs and head off the computer room, but I, being very much intrigued, hurry off to my room, where I know I will be able to hear what Mom and Dr. Grey are saying.
I can't hear anything at first, so I move into the closet and press my ear to the wall. Listening very carefully, I hear Mom and Dr. Grey's conversation.
"I can't stay very long, Drew," Dr. Grey begins. "All I came to do is ask a favor."
"What is that, Miranda?"
"If anything happens to me, keep yourselves safe. Iris and Zak are in the most danger, but the rest of you aren't out of the woods."
After Dr. Grey's request is made, Mom doesn't reply. No one says anything for a while. I start to wonder if anything happened to them. Maybe I should go look.
"Drew, if you had any idea what I've done to protect you all over this past year and a half, you's do me the favor." Okay, so nothing happened to them.
"What have you done, Miranda? What have you given up?" Mom asks.
"My life. He is in charge of every aspect of me and my life."
"Miranda, you're his slave! Why? Why sell yourself to him?"
"Not sell, surrender. And I did it to protect you." There's a pause. "There's one other thing, Drew." Their voices drop to a whisper, so I can't hear what they are saying. "Being a double agent is hard, but being a triple agent is impossible," Dr. Grey sighs. Triple agent? What?
A few hours later, Mom has sent us all to bed, but I can't sleep. Instead, I am staring out the window at the overcast night, hoping it will start raining; the wind is blowing strongly through the trees. A familiar ship lands outside, next to the airship. It is not the ship of a friendly person, though. This is going south really quickly. Are Mom and Dad awake? I need to tell them.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" a bone chilling voice demands from the other side of the airship door. "I know she's in there, Saturdays! Let me in this instant!" It's Dr. Beeman.
Mom yells through her door for someone to get the door. I try to warn her that it's Dr. Beeman, but more of Dr. Beeman's yelling drowns out my voice. When I answer the door, Dr. Beeman immediately calls me "Miss saturday" and gives me the evil eye. When I correct, he brushes me off. Trailing in behind Dr. Beeman are Professor Mizuki, Dr. Cheechoo, Dr. Cheveyo, Mr. Scheef, and all the other Secret Scientists. Mister Scheef?!
"Miss Saturday, -"
"You mean 'Miss Van Rook.'"
"Miss Saturday, I know Dr. Grey is hiding out here. WHERE IS SHE?!" By the loudest part of his question, everyone is out of their rooms, including Dr. Grey, who is staying in one of the guest bedrooms.
"I'm right here, Arthur. There's no need to shout." Dr. Grey is so calm. How does she do it?
"How dare you run away!" Dr. Beeman shrieks as she slaps Dr. Grey clean across the face. "What were you hoping to accomplish, woman?! You know can find you wherever you are!" Dr. Grey doesn't answer, so Dr. Beeman strikes her once more. "Answer me!"
Still keeping her composure and her sense, Dr. Grey answers that came to check on my family. Dr. Beeman yells at her, telling that she had neither right nor reason to leave without his permission. Then Dr. Beeman gets onto Dr. Grey about her clothes, which are what she normally wears; Dr. Grey replies that her uniform is impractical and that she couldn't possibly wear it when visiting my family. Dr. Beeman screams some more, yet Dr. Grey remains calm and keeps her wits about her.
Suddenly, Dr. Beeman nods, and Dr. Cheechoo and Dr. Cheveyo seize Dr. Grey. In turn, Dr. Grey starts fighting back and attempting to free herself. Next Dr. Beeman strikes Dr. Grey several times. On the final blow, Dr. Beeman uses all of his strength; Dr. Cheechoo and Dr. Cheveyo let go as Dr. Beeman makes contact, so Dr. Grey falls to the floor, turning so that she lands on her back rather than her stomach. Yet she doesn't lose her temper or cry out. Then Dr. Beeman starts to kick Dr. Grey, and Dr. Grey is forced to twist at odd angles to avoid her stomach being hit. I wonder why she's doing that.
By now, we should have done something, but I guess that my family and I are in too much of a shock to fully process what is happening. The biggest shock for me is that Dr. Grey is not defending herself. It's not like her to just submit to abuse. She is a very protective person, especially of herself and those close to her. Why is she acting like this?
"That's enough, Arthur," Dad says firmly to Dr. Beeman; Dr. Beeman stops kicking Dr. Grey. I'm glad Dad has snapped out of his shock because I sure haven't. "You may do what you like in your own space, but under my roof, all people are to be treated with respect and dignity. Beating up our fellow scientist is unacceptable." While Dad scolds Dr. Beeman, Mom helps Dr. Grey to her feet. The two silently communicate.
"Arthur, you've no reason to be angry or violent towards Miranda." All eyes turn to Mom. "I'm the one to blame. Miranda knew I was sick recently, so she wanted to check on me and my family. If you've a bone to pick with anyone, it's I." Odd, I don't recall Mom being sick. Maybe she made it up.
Dr. Beeman thinks about Mom's words for a moment. Then he glances at the airship door. I swear, if he plans on bolting, he's going down.
"You know the truce ends today, and I do have quite the bone to pick with you, so let's handle this how we now handle all our conflicts. Let's fight, Drew."
"Only if you give me your word that it will be only you and I fighting."
"Then you have my word. Outside, Dr. Saturday?"
"Drew, NO! You won't win! He has -" two of the Secret Scientists, whom I recognize as Dr. Pachacutec and Dr. Bara from the Saturdays' database, grab Dr. Grey's arms and cover her mouth.
"Arthur," Mom says, stopping them on their way outside. "Let's make a deal. The winner runs The Secret Scientists and has to leave the loser and Miranda alone."
"Deal," Dr. Beeman says with a smirk. He acts to confident in his abilities. What is he planning?
As soon as Mom and Dr. Beeman step outside, Dr. Pachacutec and Dr. Bara release a struggling Dr. Grey; then they rejoin the other Secret Scientists.
The fight is long and unnerving. Dr. Beeman makes a lot of offensive moves while Mom make defensive move. Dr. Beeman has the upper hand throughout the fight, which is surprising because I've seen Mom practice fighting very well many times before. If she is trying to be fair, she needs to stop. Fighting fair will not keep her alive, not in this case.
One by one, Mom deflects Dr. Beeman's blaster's beams with her fire sword; I've noticed that everyone has a signature weapon, but that kind of loyalty to a specific weapon can be used against them. As if on cue, Dr. Beeman puts away his blaster and pulls out a different gun. Mom doesn't seem to notice, but she should. Dr. Beeman fires a single shot and hits Mom's fire sword. Instantly, the fire sword is vaporized, leaving Mom defenseless. Mom gasps in shock, horror, and mortal terror.
"You never mentioned using more than one weapon, Dr. Saturday." Then Dr. Beeman aims his vaporizer and pulls the trigger. Mom is gone in a second, but I don't believe it.
Zak enters the room from wherever he was, and he looks around, but he doesn't see Mom. When he asks about her, I tear from the room and lock myself in my room. I hear, through my sobs, Dr. Beeman re-enter the airship, tell the Secret Scientists to move out, and try to force Dr. Grey to leave with him. Dr. Grey refuses.
There's a knock at my door, but I don't answer it. The person keeps knocking for a while until he or she gets the message that I am not going to answer the door. He or she doesn't walk away, though.
"Iris, please open up." It's Dr. Grey.
"Leave me alone, please! She's the third parent I've lost!" I cry.
"You haven't lost Doc, and you haven't lost me. What about the family you have out here? The family that needs you?" I wipe my eyes and go unlock the door. When I see Dr. Grey, however, I break down into sobs all over again.
I turn away and sit on the floor behind my bed. Dr. Grey sits down next to me and wraps her arms around me as I cry. This is all my fault. I hate myself. The familiar impulse washes over me, and if it weren't for Dr. Grey holding me, I might be giving in to. I start shaking violently in Dr. Grey's arms. She kisses my forehead after a few minutes.
"I love you, Iris," she whispers. "So did Drew, and so did your father." I rest my head on her chest and keep crying. Then I hug Dr. Grey as tight as I can.
"I love you too."
After about five minutes of silence, Dr. Grey brushes my hair out of my face. "Let's go back into the living room to be with the others, okay?" I agree, and we head out together.
When we step out, Dr. Beeman is telling all the Secret Scientists to get back in his airship.
"And you, Miranda, I will deal with later. Get in the ship, NOW!" Dr. Beeman hisses when he spies Dr. Grey. Dr. Grey looks to me and is reminded of her job and of her promise she made years ago.
"No." Dr. Grey's response is short and strong. There is no way she is leaving with her worst nightmare, the monster he'd revealed himself to be. She is done playing his games and doing what he says. She has surrendered too much to throw away everything that remains. She has crossed the Rubicon.
Dr. Beeman walks up to Dr. Grey, looking murderous. Dr. Grey stares coldly back into Dr. Beeman's steel eyes. What I think she sees is not pure evil; it is a mix of pain and evil. But it is too late to help him. This is his path of choice. Their paths may have crossed many times before, but they will do so no longer.
In that moment, Dr. Beeman raises his hand to strike Dr. Grey, yet Dr. Grey maintains unnerving her stare. I'm half expecting Dr. Beeman to turn to ice with how cold Dr. Grey's look is. I've never seen a look so cold come from her in my entire life.
"Be gone, Arthur," Dr. Grey states solemnly.
"You have no excuse not to come. Your side lost, and you answer to me now. Now move it." There is no room for error in his command.
"I do have an excuse, actually." Dr. Grey instantly regrets the words, but she can't take them back. Her eyes read that we were bound to figure out the truth, and now she is forced to tell us.
Mustering up all her courage, Dr. Grey looks to me and takes a step closer to Dr. Beeman. "I'm pregnant."