Hey everyone! I've been trying to post this chapter for two months now! I almost moved the last third of this for the next chapter but decided that it's good enough. I really wish that I had a beta reader but I'm too impatient to wait for the beta reader's feedback. Plus, I'm having computer problems so don't go on that often and my formatting always gets messed up when I try to post on this site. I'm trying 3 x's to show scene changes.

Reminder that I am not a medical expert and I kind of made something up since my google search didn't provide what I wanted.

So, the reveal at the end of this chapter is what I have been building to for awhile, although now I'm not sure if I should do massive time jumps in order to get this finished or painstakingly try to figure out the journey along the way to my envisioned ending. I at least have half of the next chapter written and an outline for the next part.

Okay, enough rambling. Enjoy!

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"I'm sorry." Sharon mumbled as Carlton sat down next to her on the couch.

"Sorry for what?"

"Ruining your plans for today." She leaned against his shoulder and he rubbed her back.

"The horses will still be there next month."

"Yeah."

"Do you need anything?"

She sighed, "Just for my stomach to stop protesting."

"How about some pain pills?"

"Are they extra strength?"

"I believe so. I will go get them." Carlton got up and Sharon let herself fall horizontal on the couch and curl into a near-fetal position.

"How many do you want?" Carlton asked as he returned with a glass of water and a bottle of pills.

"The whole bottle."

"Not funny. The label recommends two." He set the glass of water on the coffee table.

Sharon groaned, "Then give me three."

"It also says not to take them on an empty stomach."

"Dude! My stomach feels like it is about to rip out of my body all Alien-style! And I feel super nauseous! Just give me some pain pills or hit me over the head hard enough to knock me out! I promise I won't have you arrested for domestic violence as long as I can get some damn pain relief!"

Carlton crossed his arms and glared at her for a moment. "Are you done?"

"Yeah, sorry Carlton." Sharon clenched her middle tighter as she winced in pain. "I just get really cranky when I'm in extreme pain."

"You mean you're not always cranky?"

"Haha, make fun of the poor woman lying in pain on your couch. You are so not getting any tonight."

Carlton shook his head, "That is the farthest thing from my mind right now."

"I think I have just been insulted."

"That was not my intention. Do you want these pills or not?"

"Yes, darling." Sharon sat up and took the offered pills.

"Then I will make you some toast and soup."

"Thank you, sweetie."

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"Sharon, wake up."

"Mmmm, not sleeping." Sharon turned her head away and pulled the blanket over her head.

"I have to leave."

"Kay."

"And so do you."

"Why?!" Sharon whined as she looked at him.

"Because I am going to Chicago and I can't leave you alone when you're sick."

"I'm not sick, just tired and in pain."

"You've been lying on my couch for hours."

Sharon sighed and slowly sat up. "Why Chicago?"

"There's a dead body I need to see."

"But you don't have jurisdiction in Chicago."

"It's connected to a cold case I worked on about 10 years ago. There's a flight in two hours that I would like to be on."

Sharon nodded and held a hand out, "Okay, help me up, please."
-

Gus opened the door and sighed when he saw her leaning against the opposite wall. "Sharon, what are you doing here?"

"Lassie has to go out of town to claim a body or something."

"That doesn't explain what you are doing here."

Sharon shrugged and crossed her arms. "Can't I hang out with my best friend?"

"Ordinarily yes, but I have a date tonight!" Gus smiled as he flicked his nose.

"Since when?!"

"Since last week when I told you about it!"

"Huh, I don't, I don't remember that." Sharon moaned and clutched her middle.

Gus frowned, "Are you okay?"

"Not really. Your perfume is making me nauseous."

"You mean you are feeling nauseated and that the perfume is nauseous. And it's not perfume, it's cologne!"

"I've heard it both ways."

"Only from uneducated bachelors like yourself."

"Seriously dude! Your perfume is….excuse me!" Sharon covered her mouth and rushed past Gus and into the bathroom.

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When Gus got to the bathroom door a few minutes later, Sharon was sitting against the side of the tub with her eyes closed.

"Sharon, I called your dad."

"No! Dude, why?!" Sharon whined.

"You're obviously sick and need someone to keep an eye on you. I have a date so you can't stay here."

"I'm not sick! It was just your perfume!"

"Cologne!"

"Let me just take a quick nap on your bathroom floor and then I will be on my way."

"Your dad should be here in 5 minutes."

Sharon sighed, "Fine. Wake me when he's here."

"How about you go wait in the living room so I can finish getting ready for my date."

"I thought you were ready?"

"I still need to fix my hair."

Sharon turned to squint at him. "But you're bald."

"You damn well know that I am not bald! I keep my head nicely shaved."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Man, get off my damn bathroom floor!"

"That's sexist, you know. Or maybe transphobic. I'm a bit too tired right now to think."

"Sharon, you need to get up."

"Fine, but I should probably warn you that Lassie might call to check up on me." Sharon slowly got up, leaning a hand against the wall.

"Why would he call me?"

"Because I told him that I was friends with you, that's one of the only reasons he dropped me off here."

"So he knows that you're really Shawn?"

"Hell no, man! I chickened out, but at least I told him a little something personal."

"Great, so now I just have to be careful of a jealous and possessive boyfriend everytime we are at the station or a crime scene!" Gus shook his head as he followed Sharon into the living room.

"Nah man, I told him how you are totally in the friend zone."

"The friend zone isn't real; it's actually a really unhealthy frame of mind."

*Knock knock knock*

"And that would be your dad."

Sharon groaned and covered her face. "Man, now he's gonna be all overprotective papa bear on me! I'm not sick!"

"Tell that to him! Goodbye Sharon!" Gus walked over to the door.

"Thanks a lot, ex-best friend."

"You know that's not funny, even if you are sick."

"Yeah, sorry dude." Sharon grimaced as she walked out the door and past Henry.

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"Sharon, wake up." Henry shook Sharon's shoulder as she slept in her old bed.

"Mmm."

"Come on kid, time to rise and shine."

"Go 'way!"

"Can't kid, it's almost sunrise and you need to take your medicine."

"Can't I just sleep through it?" She whined as she slowly sat up.

"With as much pain as you've been in recently, I doubt it."

"Damn it all."

"Come on, let's go downstairs where there's a rug."

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As Sharon debated lying on the couch or the floor, Henry came out of the kitchen with a glass, "Here's your meds."

"No," Sharon moaned as she turned her head away.

"Sharon!" Henry scolded as he placed the glass on the coffee table.

"No, dad! It smells disgusting!"

"It smells the same as always."

"Maybe it's gone bad." Sharon held her stomach.

"You know I get a new batch every new year."

"Maybe…. excuse me!" Sharon quickly fled for the downstairs bathroom.

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"Sharon, you can't lay on the bathroom floor all day." Henry crossed his arms as he leaned against the door frame.

"Did Gus and I get switched at birth?"

"What?! Of course not!"

"Gus said the same thing last night; about the floor, not about being switched."

"Sharon, I'm not kidding! I have plans today and…." Henry frowned as he looked towards the window.

"What?! Did your brain just freeze?"

"The sun is up but you haven't changed back yet."

"What?! That's not possible!" Sharon struggled to get up and Henry stepped forward to help.

"I can see the sun and I can see you."

"You'll go blind if you look at the sun." Sharon mumbled as she went to the nearest window and pushed aside the curtain.

"Sharon!"

Sharon shook her head and stepped back. "Okay okay. It's been 3 nights like it's always been 3 nights. So what changed?"

"You have been sick."

"I'm not sick, just a bit nauseous, nauseated. Maybe I need those meds to initiate the change." She picked up the glass and chugged it all down.

"You have changed without the meds before."

Sharon covered her mouth and focused on breathing through her nose.

"I'm going to call Erma, see if she's available to check you over."

Sharon nodded as she sat on the couch.

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"Sharon? Your phone is ringing." Henry announced as he entered the bedroom.

Sharon groaned as she held out her hand for her phone. "Who is it?"

"Carlton. Looks like he's left a few voicemails and text messages."

"Thanks." Sharon hit answer and covered her head with the blanket. "Hey Carlton."

"Hey, Sharon. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, much better."

"Really?! Because it sounds like I woke you up even though it's early afternoon there and you haven't been answering my texts. Guster says he hasn't seen you today."

"Haha, you caught me. I guess I shouldn't try lying to a detective, especially the Head Detective of the SBPD."

"Stop deflecting. Have you seen a doctor yet?"

"It's just the flu, I'll be fine in a couple of days."

"I thought the flu was only 24hrs."

"Some versions, others last as long as a regular cold. I have an appointment tomorrow morning."

"I expect a full report tomorrow afternoon."

"Carlton, are you worried about little old me?!"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be."

Sharon bit her lip as she blushed. "Thanks. So, how were your flights?"

"Horrible. Absolutely no leg room, my first neighbor reeked of weed, the second flight ran out of peanuts, and by the time I finally got to Chicago, it was almost midnight local time so I had trouble trying to catch a taxi to my hotel."

Sharon laughed, "Aww, poor baby! Did you get any dinner?"

"I grabbed some donuts and coffee between flights."

"Wow, so stereotypical cop right there. Don't tell me you had donuts for breakfast too."

"No, my hotel has a complimentary breakfast, so I grabbed an egg and cheese bagel before heading to the appropriate police station."

"And are you getting along with your fellow cops?"

"As hard as it is to not be in control, I think we are getting along well enough, at least professionally speaking."

"So being a sub is not to your liking?"

"Not at all."

"I'll keep that in mind, haha. So, when do you think you will get back to Santa Barbara?"

"Looking like the day after next. Although, the Chief says I have up to a week, barring any emergencies."

"Hopefully I will feel better before you get back and will be able to head home."

"Alright. Well, I should get back to the case. I was just taking a dinner break."

"Okay, talk later. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Sharon put the phone down and uncovered her head. "Hey Dad?"

"One second!" Henry called from downstairs.

Sharon slowly sat up and stretched.

"What's up, kid?"

"I was just making sure that you weren't eavesdropping or hogging the bathroom."

Henry crossed his arms, "Very funny."

"I was thinking of heading downstairs to eat."

"Do you need any help?"

"Nope. I don't need a babysitter or a nurse. You're welcomed to leave the house."

"I already did; I was gone for over 2 hours running errands and getting groceries."

Sharon stood up with a wince. "Ow! Well, you still don't need to stay all day. You should go fishing or something."

"It's a bit late to go fishing."

"Why, are the fish sleeping?"

"No, but by the time I get on the water, I will only have an hour or two before it gets dark."

"Then you should go tomorrow."

"I'll think about it. How's your stomach?"

"Still protesting, but at least I haven't thrown up lately." Sharon replied as she opened the closet. "Ugg, not yet anyways."

"I will make you some lunch."

"Thanks."

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*The Next Morning*

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"Hello Sharon." Erma smiled as she sat in the armchair across from Sharon.

"Hey Erma." Sharon grimaced.

"Your father tells me that you are not feeling well and that you have not changed back. Is this correct?"

"Yeah. I should have changed back over 26 hours ago and yet nothing! Also, I feel like my stomach is trying to kill me from the inside out!"

"Hmm, okay. Do I have permission to perform a physical exam?"

"If you must. Do I have to sit up?"

"Not at all. Reclining is actually preferred." Erma opened her bag and pulled out a few instruments.

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.

"Hmmm." Erma frowned as she looked at the latest results.

"What? Is that a good hmm or a bad hmmm?"

"It is more from intrigue."

"That sounds like a bad kind." Sharon gripped the edge of the couch.

"It merely depends on your perspective." Erma patted Sharon's hand. "Now I will collect some blood."

"Oh God, I can't watch!" Sharon held out one arm while covering her eyes with her other arm.

"First, I will just take a pinprick of blood to test my theory. If that is proven incorrect, then I will have to take a vial worth." Erma said as she pressed a needle to Sharon's finger.

"Okay….ow!"

"Sharon!" Henry sighed from his position on the other side of the room. "Stop acting like a baby! It was barely a prick!"

"No comments from the peanut gallery, please!"

"Hmm," Erma turned from the vial she was studying to look towards Henry, "Interesting that you chose that specific saying."

"What, Peanut gallery?" Sharon questioned as she uncovered her eyes.

"No, like a baby." Erma turned back to Sharon and took her hand. "For the quick test indicates that you are with child."

Sharon just stared at her for a moment. "….What?!"

Erma nodded, "And the reason that your body seems to be 'trying to kill you from the inside out' is because your two halves are fighting against each other over the baby."

"I, I-I, I can't have a baby! I'm a guy! Guys don't get pregnant!"

"Right now, you are a woman with woman's parts and have managed to get pregnant."

Sharon yanked her hand away from Erma and crossed her arms. "Well, I don't want it! Take it out!"

"I cannot."

"Why?!"

"Your body is already in a heated battle. Any interference from me might be too much and end up killing you."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!"

"Sharon!" Henry scolded.

"Dad! Shut up!" Sharon yelled as she sat up.

Erma raised an eyebrow and said softly, "If you would calm down, I will explain."

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Sharon took some deep breaths before nodding, "Okay, I'm sorry."

"Thank you. While this situation is not unheard of, it is rather rare. If I recall my great-grandmother's notebooks correctly, she did have one case of this happening long ago. Unfortunately, the individual did not survive."

"Why would you tell me that?!"

"I just wanted you to be aware. Although that would have been about 150 years ago. Medicine, hygiene, and technology have all changed tremendously since then. If it is alright with you, I will set up an appointment for you with my granddaughter as soon as possible. She is a doctor in family medicine and is my apprentice. She will be taking over for me within the next decade, so it will be beneficial for you both to become acquainted. She can confirm my diagnosis and offer prenatal care. Do I have your permission to give her your contact information?"

Sharon ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "Yeah, sure."

"Very good! In the meantime, I will leave you a special blend of herbs that should make it easier for you as your body continues to... figure things out, shall we say. I would suggest you stick to bed rest for the next week and eat as organically as you can. The less additional stress on your body, the better. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Excuse me while I blend the herbs for you." Erma patted Sharon's hand before standing up and entering the kitchen.

Henry moved closer and gripped the back of the armchair. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Haha, no offense Dad, but I think this is more mom's territory."

"Do you plan on calling her any time soon?"

Sharon shrugged and pulled her legs onto the couch and gripped her knees to her chest. "Can you? I should probably call Gus."

"What about Carlton?"

"Haha, he's halfway across the country right now. It's not like I'm dying, it can wait. Besides, he's not expecting to see me for another month."

"Just don't wait too long. And what about…."

"Dad! Just, just stop! This is big news and I am in shock right now! My whole life has just been upturned and I need to process it! This is not the time to be making decisions!"

"I agree with Sharon." Erma interrupted as she reentered the room. "At least partly. This is a big change. Not only is she creating a life, she will also be living as Sharon full-time for at least the next 7 months."

"It takes 9 months to make a baby, Erm."

"Correct, but you did not just get pregnant a couple of days ago. It happened at least a month ago, more likely two."

"Right, it did start hurting last month when I was changing back and forth."

"While you are on bed rest for the next week, I suggest contracting those closest to you. How much you reveal is up to you, but I have found that most people can be very accepting if you give them all the facts and some time. If you or any of your close friends have questions, I will make myself available. I have centuries worth of journals and evidence if needed. Remember that you are not alone, no matter how rocky the path may get."

"She's right, kiddo. You have help."

Sharon nodded as she tried to hide her tears.

Erma patted Sharon on the shoulder and turned towards Henry. "I left the herbs on the counter with all of my instructions and notes. You know how to reach me and I will have my granddaughter contact you as soon as possible. Her name is Jenny. I will see myself out."

"Thanks Erma," Henry whispered as he sat down next to Sharon and pulled her into a hug. "I've got you, kid."