Gut Punch

Secure and curled up in your kennel you soon find yourself drifting off to sleep. While you had just woken up a bit ago you still weren't fully recovered and last night had really taken it out of you. More rest was just what you needed right now. Did Fiona know that when she put you in here? You suspected so. You smile and curl up tighter, your right hand grasping the ring of your collar. Thankfully the room was warm and the house was quiet. It is not long until you are fast asleep.

You sleep like a baby. Your submission and commitment to your sister had washed the thoughts and worries that used to keep you up at night from your soul. Your mind was at peace.

You are awoken gently by a hand touching your cheek. In an instant you knew whose hand it was. The size and feel were unmistakable.

You smile and nuzzle into the palm of your master. "Mmmm. Hello Mistress."

Fiona's calm voice replies. "Hello my pet. Sleep well?"

"Mmm hmm." You open your eyes. "I thought Miss Elsie..."

"Aunt Peg is down at her lab right now. She says we can go see her there. Now that you're out of the hospital she's going to fix those wounds up, good as new." Fiona says. "She wasn't going to but I convinced her. My sweet boy shouldn't have scars on his beautiful body."

"Huh?" You blink and try to make sense of what was just said.

Fiona smiles warmly. "You're a Bailey Jesse, you've got the gift and Peg knows how to unlock it. It's foolish not to take advantage of our blessing. Besides, we have that other thing to talk to her about."

Your groggy mind still didn't know what she was talking about. She opens your kennel and helps you out. You don't even have time to stand before she crouches down and scoops you up in her arms. You look at her like Lois Lane saved by Superman as she carries you from the room.

She smirks at your love drunk expression. "You are a silly boy."

You giggle. "Yeah."

She sets you down in the bedroom. "Get dressed. Just sweats and a t shirt." Then she turns to go lock up the dungeon. You hurry about at the business of getting dressed. You then head down to the kitchen to get a much needed big drink of water. Fiona tells you not to eat in case of "tests".

It is only a few short minutes later the two of you are in her car and driving to your Aunt's lab. Fiona looks over at you. "Okay Jesse, this shit is top secret. Peg works for this company but she does all her real work after hours. The company doesn't pry because she makes them millions but this is seriously hush, hush. You understand?"

You nod.

"Seriously Jesse. We would seriously fuck Peggy if any of this got out. Hell, just me being...me..." She looks down at her own body. "Is a hell of a risk for her. The sooner we move and get our new identities the better it will be for everyone. The sooner you're at one hundred percent the faster we can get that all going."

You are quiet as Fiona drives before you finally say. "They were just like us. Peggy and Mom."

Fiona looks over at you, simultaneously annoyed and amused. "Are you even listening?"

You nod. "Yes Mistress. Sorry, it's just...that's sweet. Don't you think? Mom and Peg?"

Fiona shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, sure, I guess. Let's just focus on the present, hmmm?"

"Yes Mistress."

You watch the world go by outside and fiddle with your ring. What a wonderful day it was. It is not too long before you are pulling up to the plain looking five story gleaming glass building. Besides the street address there wasn't any sign or indication of what building housed. It wasn't that far from the university you attended...or used to attend...so you knew the neighborhood well. You could see college aged men and women walking the sidewalks heading to or from the school, a gorgeous slender red head in a stunning yet old fashioned dress catches your eye a moment as she drifts by. You grip your ring and you happily remind yourself that you were permanently off the market.

Fiona parks on the street despite the fact the parking lot behind the building was empty. There you saw your aunt's silver luxury car parked along with two other vehicles. Fiona gets out and hurries around to help you from the car. Putting her arm around you she leads you to the back of the building toward a plain metal windowless door. She is dialing her phone as she walked. Putting it to her ear she says. "We're here." Then she hangs up.

You titter. This all seemed so cloak and dagger. You think back to the last time you were here at this very spot. The day you had come to collect a tiny and terrified Fiona. Looking up at your Goddess now you could hardly believe this was the same person.

It is not long before Peg's assistant Lucy opens the door from the other side. There are some hellos said and you are lead up to the lab via the stairs. From the main hall where the elevator and stairs opened into there is only as single glass security door. Lucy gets you through it with her pass card and leads you in. You move quickly through a reception area of sorts and back into the laboratory proper. There were other side rooms but you were in a big central room that looked like something from a science fiction movie. Instruments and equipment and computers lined the walls. Lucy leads you through here and down a bit to your Aunt's office. There you see Peggy looking at something on her computer screen that may as well have been Klingon for all the sense it made to you.

"Hi Auntie." You say softly.

"Hey Peg." Fiona echos.

Peggy spins in her chair and looks up. "There they are." With stern yet teasing raise of her eyebrow she peers over her glasses at the pair of you. "Have a good night last night?" She directs you both to sit down on some chairs at the side of the room, which you do.

Lucy seemed to have heard enough, she turns and leaves the crazy family to its crazy business.

"Yes." You smile. "The best night ever." Fiona's hand was on your back.

"Good." Is all she says to that. She then gets serious. "You guys used protection, yeah?"

Your smile grows. "No."

Her already fading smile turns to a scowl. "Oh Jesus, come on guys. You're smarter than this. I understand you are in love..."

"We're having kids." Fiona says flat out.

"Fiona..."

"We're having kids." You say with equal conviction.

"Guys..."

"I hope you'll help us out with...things. But we're having them either way." Fiona states.

Peggy sighs and removes her glasses to rub her eyes. "You guys are out of control."

You and Fiona are quiet. Mistress lovingly rubs your back.

Finally you speak. "Chloe turned out okay."

"Yeah, with a lot of work and by the grace of God!" Your aunt shoots back. "Guys..."

Fiona straightens up, seemingly ready for this. "Luckily we won't have to rely on God...will we Aunt Peg?"

A strangely dark and intense look comes to your Aunt's face. She puts her glasses back on. "Fiona, I'm a researcher not a drive thru gene shifter."

Fiona leans forward. "Peg, look at what you did for me!" She holds out her long arms. "We've got the gift Peg and you got the keys. Why shouldn't we use it? Why shouldn't you help us? Don't you want to see our children thrive and be healthy?"

"That's a low blow." Peg holds out a finger. "You know I love you guys."

Fiona holds up her hands. "You're right, I'm sorry. But it's true. Our mutation puts us above those plebs out there."

Peg shakes her head. "I don't like when you talk like this Fiona." She sighs sadly and shakes her head. "Listen, I'll fix Jesse up so he's healed. But please, PLEASE, reconsider the children thing. You are being so rash, so foolish. You guys are moving so fast." Seeing she wasn't changing any minds she adds. "But...if you absolutely insist..." She shakes her head again. "...come back and see me next week. We'll see if your pregnant and...ohhh geez...I'll see what I can do." She then mutters. "I can't believe you two."

The whole time she had been talking to your sister. You and Fiona pull together, both excited about the secret you were about to reveal.

"Um...Aunt Peg." You say.

"Yes dear?"

You could not hide your beaming happiness. "It's not Fiona that may be pregnant." Fiona's strong hand grips your shoulder and she kisses the side of your head.

There is a long moment of silence as Peg just stares at the pair of you and lets the words sink in.

...

She leans back and lets out a huge breath of relief. "Ohhh thank goodness. Okay, we still have time then. Jesse, please use protection when having sex with Fiona. Let's just take our time here, okay kids? There is no rush here."

You blink in confusion. "Peg, didn't you hear me? I might be pregnant."

Peg looks at you with a sort of gentle loving patience. "Oh sweetie. If my models are correct, and I am fairly confident in them from what I've heard, you've got the equipment alright but you don't have the space. You've got a man's body still my boy."

"W-What!?"

Peggy is taken aback at the looks of dismay staring her in the face. "Uhhh...yeah. Guys, Jesse's a boy. Did you actually think...?" She lets out a breath. "Oh my god. Listen, maybe an egg was fertilized...and MAYBE it will get to the uterus...but it will abort itself sooner or later. More likely sooner. You just don't have the room. You're not equipped for...for heaven's sake. You're...you're a boy Jesse, what were you...?"

The egg might be fertilized!!! It might be inside you right now! But you couldn't...you couldn't... Ohhhhh no! An icy terror grips you to your very core. Peg seemed oblivious to the horror she had just unleashed on you.

As if in slow motion the world begins falling to pieces around you. The walls tumble, the ceiling and floor tear away, the desk and computers and chairs fade into nothingness, until all that is left is the three of you. "No...no...that's not true!" You say in a pained gasp. Tears rolled down your cheeks in open torrents. "No...no, don't say that!"

Fiona is at your side, holding you tight. "Ohh my boy." She hugs you.

You were inconsolable. Your body heaves with a sob. "Unnhhh...don't listen to her Fiona. It's not truuue!"

For all the joy you had experienced this last week...this was an agony unlike anything you had ever experienced. The stab of the knife a pin prick compared to this soul scarring devastation. You crumble into your sister's arms and weep openly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

You couldn't give your love what she truly wanted. You wouldn't get what you truly wanted. You'd never bring a life into the world. The pain was too much. It was too much.

"Shhhhhh." Fiona strokes you and holds you close.

Peg is all shades of baffled. "Jesse...YOU wanted to have kids!? What...? How...? What...?" She tries to comfort you but it was all for naught. "My dear, don't worry. It should be very early term. No brain function, probably not even a heart beat, you'll just notice a bit of blood..."

You wail! Your Aunt was hurting you more deeply and more severely than you ever thought possible. You grip both hands to your stomach protectively...though you knew you were powerless to truly protect your child. Your body quakes with heavy sobs.

Your sister's encompassing embrace was the only thing keeping you going. She kisses you and strokes you and holds you. "Shhhhh, we'll be okay baby. Shhhhhh, it's okay." She says softly. "I love you Jesse, shhhhhh. It's okay."

It wasn't okay. Not even a little.