Wednesday, May 23, 2018 5:30 AM:
Paige woke up feeling somewhat nauseous. Her thoughts, like normal, were immediately whirling in a blaze of interconnecting mathematical expressions. Well normal since she was first awakened to find she was now part of Walter. Normally it would take two cups of coffee to get her mind moving. And still be nowhere near as fast as her mind now moved upon waking up.
Paige sighed but sat up on the side of the bed and slipped on Walter's slippers. She turned on Walter's phone and pulled up her favorite news source and let it play. She started working through the exercises for Walter's right arm and hand. The pain was still intense and there seemed to be no improvement in mobility. She kept getting annoyed by the news people as they talked, they were so much slower than normal. Why were they dragging the stories out so much? Halfway through the exercises she had enough and switched to another website. It was even worse.
The number of times of having to take care of biological needs and with Walter's reassurance she'd finally come to terms with taking care of them. While using the toilet Paige flipped over to her favorite cooking influencer. She saw she had a number of new videos. She smiled as she pulled up one for chicken cordon bleu and watched for thirteen-point-two seconds before it became so annoying she had to switch.
"Why was everyone changing their format lately?" She thought. She went to a new video her musician friend had posted. She smiled seeing her and she enjoyed the strumming of her guitar. But not even to the chorus, it became annoying and she had to tune it out and was looking at the tech page that was on Walter's favorite list.
"Was it always like this for you Walter?" Paige said out loud as she got ready for their shower. She sighed as silence reigned. She felt she understood Walter so much better now, he wasn't trying to be mean or dismissive, his thoughts were just so fast. And it wasn't that he wanted instant gratification, he just couldn't deal with the normal pace and cadence that emotive people used. She really wished she had known how his mind worked before she'd gotten so mad.
As the water warmed up she ran an experiment. She considered her pancakes she'd made for Walter and how that turned out. She was shocked as she felt Walter's memory of them. She could actually taste how they tasted to Walter and she nearly gagged. She instantly calculated what she could do to improve the pancakes based on the new information. She was going to try and make them again.
After getting out of the shower she saw her bath salts and oils just as she reached for the towel to dry off. She smiled as she thought she needed a slight pick me up. And maybe it would help soothe her thoughts. She turned away from the towel and began running the water again. After spraying down the surface of the tub she plugged and began filling the tub. She grabbed the container of salts and poured a liberal amount into the flowing water. When the water reached about half capacity she poured in her favorite oils.
She smiled at the aroma created as she stirred the water, mixing everything together. Turning off the water she stepped into the tub and laid down. She sighed as the water covered their combined form up to their chin. Walter would just have to deal with smelling flowery if he takes over their body before their next shower.
Paige closed their eyes as she just relaxed in the water, enjoying the warmth and scents.
"Good morning Grandma." Ralph said as he came out into the dining room.
"Good morning my little heart." Louise smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
"Not too bad." Ralph told her before he hugged her. "Has Dad been out here yet?"
"I heard one of them running water about an hour ago but I haven't heard or seen either yet." Louise smiled. "Did you have a preference for breakfast?"
"Pancakes?" Ralph asked hopefully.
Louise nodded as she turned to prepare them.
Paige stood staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were wide as she couldn't believe what she saw.
"How is this possible?" She said even as she pinched herself. The twinge of pain didn't break the illusion. She cupped her breasts as she stood there in her own body.
"Walter?" She thought loudly. "Walter, please answer me…" She sighed as no thought came to her.
"Has all of this been a dream?" Paige asked out loud. But she shook her head knowing there was no way it was a dream. Far too many things had happened for it to be a dream. She pulled Walter's robe on and opened the door to his bedroom.
She peeked out and looked about the room. Everything seemed to be exactly as she remembered it before walking into the bathroom.
Paige stepped to Walter's closet and found several outfits she had left in the Loft still hanging in it. She pulled a blouse and skirt out before turning to his chest of drawers. She reached in and pulled her panties and bra out of the drawer that he'd set aside for her. She quickly got dressed.
"This is going to blow everyone's mind." Paige thought looking at herself in the mirror after combing her hair and putting on a touch of makeup.
Toby looked at his phone after he got an alert and saw he had a message from the blood test facility. He quickly opened it and smiled with a nod.
"See my precious lotus blossom? Walter isn't pregnant." Toby told her.
Happy sighed in relief as she drove.
"Good, that's something we didn't need complicating this." Happy said as Toby nodded.
"Good morning." Paige said tentatively as she stopped at the edge of the wall by the dining room.
Everyone jumped at the unexpected voice.
"Mom?!" Ralph said, unbelieving what he saw.
Paige nodded slightly and Ralph flew off his chair and into her arms.
"Dad?" Ralph asked as they hugged.
"I don't know, baby. He hasn't said anything yet today." Paige told him as they stood there still hugging.
"I've really missed you." Ralph said. "Physically I mean, mentally I've known you were with us."
"I understand sweetie." Paige told him.
"How is this even possible?" Sean asked as he stood.
"I don't know." Paige said as she continued hugging Ralph.
"Somehow the molecules of their bodies have reversed positions." Ralph explained as simply as he could.
Veronica moved over after giving them a few minutes. She threw her arms around them both as she cried happily. Relieved that now she was sure her daughter was still alive, she'd worried that Walter had been somehow playing a joke or something.
"Paige?!" Happy nearly screamed as she saw Paige sitting at the dining table in the Loft. She ran over and almost knocked Paige out of the chair as she impacted against her. She threw her arms about Paige, hugging her tightly to her.
"What? How?" Toby stood there stunned as he looked at the scene before him.
"Mom doesn't know. She said she woke up in control of Dad's body like any other time. After taking a shower she decided she wanted to take a bath using her salts and oils. She said she kind of dozed off in the bath and when she woke again, her body was back." Ralph explained.
"That doesn't make sense." Toby shook his head. "Is Walter conscious?" Toby moved up as Happy moved back from Paige.
"No, he hasn't communicated with me." Paige told him.
Happy wiped at the tears but hadn't stopped smiling.
"Can I take your vitals?" Toby asked.
"Sure." Paige told him.
"You don't seem to be in any pain." Toby said as he began.
"I'm not, it's like nothing happened to me." Paige told him. "Well that's not completely true. I had a bout of nausea, it's what made me wake up."
"Just the feeling of being sick or actually throwing up?" Toby asked as he continued.
"Just the feeling." Paige confirmed.
"Your arm doesn't seem to be affected either like Walter's." Toby pulled out an EKG monitor he had picked up to help track their combined heart function.
"No, it seems to be functioning normally." Paige told him as she moved it about.
"Would you like for Happy to assist you by putting the leads on?" Toby asked.
"I'd feel more comfortable with that." Happy told him.
Paige smiled but turned in her seat away from everyone and opened her blouse.
Happy quickly got the pads in place and then connected the wires. She ran them up out of Paige's blouse while Paige buttoned it back up.
Toby watched the read out after hooking the leads to the monitor. He slowly nodded as the read out showed the same wave functions that were detected by the hospital.
"Well good, from this we can assume Walter is okay within you as well." Toby told Paige. "How are your thoughts since your body has emerged?"
"A little more normal?" Paige said warily. "But they're still racing a good bit and I'm still getting distracted by things."
"Such as?" Toby asked.
"Every time someone speaks, I'm expecting, and calculating a certain cadence or flow to their words. And sometimes certain words create offshoots of thought based on the word. It can be very distracting." Paige tried to explain.
"That sounds like my mind." Ralph explained.
"It definitely suggests to me that Walter's still alive and well within you now. His mind is probably going to express itself like that no matter what. Just because of how fast he always thought." Toby told her.
"Well that is somewhat reassuring." Paige smiled. "What about you trying to bring him out to speak with me?"
"I'd rather give this a little time." Toby told her and held up his hands as she started to protest. "I get it Paige. You guys don't have a lot of time together, you can't experience each other physically now. I promise you, I get it. But I still want to be cautious about this, even more now that your body has emerged. Speaking of which, I need to run to the pharmacy. I'll be back in a bit."
Paige's mouth dropped open as Toby stood up.
"Can you drop me off at school? Save Cabe a trip?" Ralph asked.
"Sure thing." Toby smiled.
"Thanks." Ralph said as he jumped up. He gave his Grandmothers a hug and then stopped and hugged his Mom tightly. "Here's some work I was doing on the project for Richard last night. I was able to use your algorithm to make some changes to some of the other work."
"Thanks Ralphy." Paige smiled as she took the memory card from him.
"Paige?" Cabe gaped as he stopped when he came into the Garage and saw her sitting at Walter's desk.
"It's me Cabe." Paige smiled. "Somehow, my body's molecules have switched positions with Walter's. At least that's what Ralph said and it feels right."
"What about Walter?" Cabe asked, walking over.
"Toby said the heart monitor is still showing our combined heart functions and I definitely feel heavy. Halfway down the stairs I almost turned around and went back up them." Paige grinned. My thoughts are still racing and I'm calculating so many things all the time.
"Well, at least you got a sense of humor." Cabe smiled. "What's on the docket today?"
"I've been going over this project Walter has." Paige pointed. "I think the problem is a missed variable and I'm trying to find it."
Cabe laughed as he shook his head as he started walking to the kitchen.
"I'm back!" Toby cried out as he entered the Garage.
"So much for a good day." Cabe said as he disappeared around the wall.
"Whatever old man, I know you love me." Toby called out as he walked towards Paige.
"Don't bet on it." Cabe laughed.
"He better not be betting on anything." Happy growled.
"How are you feeling boss?" Toby asked Paige.
"Pretty good for right now. Why?" Paige asked cautiously.
"Well, based on a worry that Happy has, I'd like for you to take one more test for now." Toby smiled.
Paige frowned as she looked at Happy working on the other side of the Garage.
"Such as?" Paige asked just before Toby held out a sack from CVS.
"A pregnancy test?" Paige stared at the small package inside the bag. "Happy?" Paige called out.
"Yeah?" Happy looked up.
"Why do you want me to take a pregnancy test?" Paige asked as she stood up.
"I didn't?" Happy said, confused.
"You were worried that they were pregnant the other night." Toby reminded her.
"You said the test said they weren't." Happy said as she walked over.
"No, I said it said Walter wasn't. But now that Paige's body has manifested, it is worth checking again." Toby told them.
"Toby, I haven't had sex in almost two months. I was negative just before the accident." Paige sighed.
"But with the smell sensitivities, food cravings and now the nausea, it is worth checking again, wouldn't you say? You'd rather know for sure, right?" Toby asked.
Paige rolled her eyes as she grabbed the sack.
"Fine." She said and walked off towards the back of the Garage.
"What the F…! Damn it, there is no way." Paige thought as she glared at the test strip. "It has to be a false positive…has to be."
Paige felt her head spin and she grasped the vanity in the bathroom and just held it for a moment. "Walter, I need you." Paige thought. "How is this possible?"
"P-Paige?" Walter's thought came to her softly.
"Walter!" Paige thought in relief. "Thank God, Walter, I need you."
"What's wrong?" Walter thought as he woke up more.
"Oh, nothing much, except I'm in my body now and according to the test, I'm pregnant." Paige thought.
"Wait, what? In your body? And pregnant?" Walter thought.
"Yes." Paige said and opened her eyes to look at the mirror.
"What the…how did our bodies switch places?" Walter marveled.
"Walter, I'm pregnant, is my body being here really the most important thing?" Paige asked.
"I-I, I don't know about most important, but significantly important for sure. Pregnancy we have time to deal with, but our bodies swapping places and yours still being viable means there is a chance we can be separated and you won't die." Walter explained. "Don't get me wrong, I don't regret being combined with you like this, but what a pleasure it would be to have you in my arms again."
Paige loved the passion she felt from his feelings over that.
"Walter, I took a test just a few days before the accident. It was negative, how could I be pregnant now?" Paige asked.
"Pregnant…" Walter's thought was slightly dreamy. "Am I the Father? I mean, I think I would be, but…"
"Walter, you're the only man I've been with in a long time." Paige thought a bit plaintively. Had he not added the question, she'd have loved how suddenly the thought of being a Father hit him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like you cheated on me or something, I mean you broke up with me, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility you had sex with someone after?" Walter thought and then felt the icy cold of her feelings.
"Do you honestly think I could have just jumped into some other guy's bed within a month of our break up?" Paige demanded.
"Paige, I don't know emotions that well. I've heard of people doing revenge sex and stuff before. You certainly were mad at me. I just have no experience with this to guide me." Walter tried to explain. "I'm sorry."
Paige could feel his feelings and sighed.
"So, knowing what we know, how can I be pregnant?" Paige asked again.
"Well, the first thought is that the first test was a false negative." Walter told her.
Paige felt a swarm of heat in the form of embarrassment from Walter.
"Walter? What are you embarrassed about?" Paige asked.
"W-what? W-who said I was e-embarrassed?" Walter stuttered.
"Walter, I know you and I can feel your emotions. Talk to me, love." Paige encouraged him.
Walter sighed.
"Well, one possible explanation, if the other test wasn't a false negative. Um, well, you see…" Walter struggled.
"Walter, come on." Paige smiled at his vulnerability.
"Okay…remember that first shower you took in control of my body?" Walter asked.
"Of course." Paige smiled again.
"Well, we don't know what mechanism bridges the gap between us, metabolically speaking." Walter paused for a moment. "What if, when my body ejaculated, some of the semen passed through to you?"
"Oh you have to be kidding me!" Paige exclaimed quite loudly.
"Is it true? You're pregnant?" Toby called out from outside the bathroom.
"Damn it Toby! Give me some privacy!" Paige complained.
Toby snickered and took off running to the front of the Garage.
Greetings and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays! I hope this finds you all well! As well as shocked. lol
Had a rather interesting shock the other day. I've been slowly working on a story for the Harry Potter fandom and I went to send the latest chapter to my friend, "they've" been helping me keep it sounding less American and closer to something British. And I had the thought, did I send the 4th chapter? So I go to my old emails and looking back through I found I'd sent the 3rd chapter of another story to friends who double check me on my Scorpion stories, but I couldn't remember the name of the story or the fact it was on chapter 3. So I opened the email and read it and as I read it, I remembered I had written it, but was drawing a complete blank on chapters 1 and 2. So then I had to go dig through all my story chapters looking for the story. Finally found them and read them and as I read them, I remembered them. I have never forgotten a story like that, it is so weird. And then I doubled checked this story and found in chapter 7 I had actually mentioned the story, "4th Highest IQ". So now I got another re-origination story to finish. *laugh*
Railman - So glad you got a new computer and are getting it figured out! Woohoo! No, she doesn't have a higher IQ, it is just in how she uses it compared to how Walter does. We'll see more about that next chapter. Well as you can see, the blood test didn't show a positive from Walter's side...lol I am updating the Knight stories as I edit and post them to AO3. Right now the story from the first chapter "A Knight's Tale" through the first 3 chapters of "A Knight Among Monsters" has been re-edited and posted. Originally I wasn't going to alter the stories here but I changed me mind. lol
LouBe - So glad you enjoyed and were pleased with Paige's ability! That's not a bad idea actually, provided Toby doesn't irritate Walter enough that Walter breaks the suggestion...lol Right? Yeah, I'm very glad of that too! lol LOL eww...no, that just wouldn't be a good thing at all! lol But now you see she had another idea about them...
Lucy - hehe Glad you enjoyed it! Yep, Paige is doing a great job!
Pearliegirl - As long as they are good nerves...lol Yeah, "Ducky" passing was a hard one. Between him and Paulette's leaving the show (not to mention I am boycotting CBS) that show totally became unrecognizable or enjoyable for me. Star Trek was, I believe, the first show that embraced FF and allowed the various writers to publish the stories. Back in 2019 I had actually been hoping that Nick Santora had maybe written a book to bring closure to the show but I couldn't find one and the librarian I asked about it searched, but couldn't find one. She suggested I check out fanfiction, and I was like, duh, why didn't I think about that. It might not be official but there have been a lot of wonderful stories. Anyway, the writer would have to find out who actually owns the rights to the source material (specifically written) and get permission from them to publish it. Otherwise no publisher would touch the story and if you tried to self publish you'd receive C&D paperwork, maybe even a formal lawsuit for violating their copy right. The only story of mine I would consider publishing is the Knight stories. They are so vastly different they should qualify under the transformative works exception, but probably would still have to have a judge's ruling to be sure. Glad you are enjoying both stories.
DaToad - Well, hope it is still interesting and now you know what is next! hehe Ralph's part for now is kind of reduced to more background, as it begins to center more and more around Paige and Walter. Chapter 21 time jumps a good bit, chapter 22 or 23 might resolve this dilemma at least for now, depending on how they go.
James - Good question, well at the moment it is her figuring it out based on Walter's talent/knowledge...whether she actually learns it so that if they do get separated she can retain the information or not is yet to be known. Of course if they get separated and she does retain the knowledge, she won't think as fast or recall the information as fast as Walter...unless somehow both of their brains expand to mimic each other, Walter's limbic system growing so he is more emotional without her and her brain speeding up and adapting to an eidetic memory. Ralph is working on it, but it is more background as the story focuses more on Waige. Paige both present and through Walter will definitely keep him working on his schooling. Walter is very happy Paige is adapting so well, his ego though...He's thinking it should be this big blaring neon sign for him, he doesn't see the understated changes of his emotions right now. The extra emotions are definitely hindering his progress in that sense! lol Well now we know they are pregnant...lol As for how, more on that next chapter! So far they've only explored the edges of what they could feel in their combined form. Probably won't go too far into that territory as this site has a history of purging stories that go too far in that realm. Glad you enjoyed it, hope you enjoyed this one as well!
To the Adventure! -Tim