Leonard didn't really remember the trip to sickbay. It was mostly a swirl of concerned faces and difficulty remembering where the floor was in regards to the ceiling, or maybe it was the other way around. He was too dizzy to contemplate which was more accurate. And while it did feel good to be lying on the biobed instead of the floor, he would have preferred his own bed in his own quarters. Fortunately, whatever Doctor Geoff M'Benga had given him was making him care a little less about where he was and was also keeping the damn ceiling in its place.
"Geoff?" Leonard asked quietly as he grabbed the sleeve of his colleague's uniform. It had occurred to him that maybe the medication wasn't such a good idea. "Did anyone tell you I was pregnant?"
"Yes," the other doctor answered. "Both Christine and the Captain. It would explain why you are suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. I applied the usual treatment."
"Hyperemesis Gravidarum?" Jim questioned. He was sitting on the biobed next to Leonard's, his eyes focused on his friend. "Is that as bad as it sounds?"
"It's not going to kill him," Geoff answered. "But it doesn't exactly make pregnancy a pleasant thing. And I can't believe I just uttered those words in regard to a male colleague."
"You will need to become accustomed to such statements," Spock informed the doctor, causing the little group around Leonard to start as no one had heard him approach. Leonard was tempted to suggest they put a bell on the Vulcan, but the medication didn't quite have him so far gone that he couldn't hold his tongue. "The Abrbonians were quite clear regarding the need for the pregnancy to go to full term."
"I still can't believe they did this to him," Christine fumed. As she and Geoff had already been aware of Leonard's condition when they arrived in sickbay, Jim only needed to fill them in on what the Abrbonians had said. They were going to be the ones overseeing his care; they needed to be in the know.
"I'm still working out why they said it failed," Jim admitted, "unless they already knew about this Hyperemesis Gravidarum."
"I did suggest that it was abnormal for an individual to lose a significant amount of weight when pregnant," Spock informed them.
"That your way of telling them they screwed up?" Leonard asked as he struggled to sit up. Christine moved forward to help him better position himself on the bed. He probably should remain lying down, but she seemed to accept that it wasn't worth the argument to keep him that way.
"There is a great deal wrong with what they did," Jim stated, his irritation showing in his voice. "I'm not sure where to start."
"I concur that there are multiple issues on which the Abrbonians must be consulted," Spock said with a little nod. "However, I drew attention to those issues that were most immediate to Doctor McCoy's health."
"Did they supply any information that would be of any help?" Geoff asked, ever the doctor.
"It would seem that they include protection for the child," Spock explained. "In some species, the protection can have adverse effects on the child bearer."
"Guess they can add humans to that list," Leonard growled. Now that the world had stopped spinning, he was back to being angry at his situation. "Though where they get off pulling this type of crap is beyond me."
"M'Potbope has stated that she can assist in alleviating the impact of those protections. If, of course, Doctor McCoy will allow her to do so," Spock continued, choosing not to address the legitimate point raised by Leonard. The Vulcan kept to his assertion to speak to health issues first.
"Oh, now they ask for permission," Leonard grumbled. "Where was all that politeness a few months ago?"
"Not that I wish to defend the Abrbonians," Spock resumed, rocking slightly on the balls his feet as he spoke, "but M'Potbope did state during the meeting that she would not have sanctioned such actions. And they did come voluntarily to confess the misdeeds of the twins."
"But they are not going to put an end to the pregnancy nor will they allow us to," Geoff guessed, based on what he had been told so far.
"They will not explain how they achieved this medical feat nor will they clarify why it is impossible to terminate the pregnancy prematurely, other than to say it would be hazardous to Doctor McCoy to do so." And, with that, Spock had finished reporting what he had learnt from the Abrbonians.
"I've got to ask because that was quite a bit of information you got there." Jim had a smirk spread across his face as he spoke. "How did you manage to squeeze in the explanation of shit storm?"
"I did not," Spock answered with a slight twist of his head. "I left that in the capable hands of Nyota."
Leonard gave a snort and said, "So much for the friendly break up. Don't suppose you asked why the hell they classified this as a failure?"
"Didn't I ask that already?" Jim queried, looking at Christine, who gave a little nod.
"But Spock didn't answer," Leonard retorted as he leaned forward, putting his head against his arms, which, in turn, were folded over his propped up knees.
"They did not say," Spock admitted. "They did imply that Doctor McCoy had the answer to that, and that it was his choice whether or not to reveal it."
Leonard's head snapped back up, which brought back some slight dizziness, but he managed to snarl, "I didn't even know until earlier today that I was pregnant, and they think I have the answer to that...?"
He snapped his mouth shut as an idea skittered across his mind. He remembered how much both Te'Bora and Ge'Ha disapproved of his relationship with Spock. There was no way they would have intended this situation. The two little bastards had probably planned for him to have an Abrbonian child. He tried to stand up, muttering half formed threats under his breath, but the action brought back the dizziness full force.
"I take it you figured out what they meant, or is the round of anger just a coincidence?" Jim asked as he jumped off the biobed he was on and helped Leonard lie back down on his own.
Leonard opened his mouth to answer, but realized he couldn't. If he explained, it would lead to more questions, ones he couldn't answer over other dire threats. The Abrbonians acted like they were doing good things, but the truth of the situation was very much to the contrary. If he didn't explain, the questions would still come, but, maybe this way, he could delay most of them. In the long run, Leonard just couldn't win. "I don't know. They used the wrong genetic material, maybe?"
"So the child is not part Abrbonian?" Spock asked. "I had not anticipated that. From the information that M'Potbope and No'Tatop provided regarding the impregnation that would be a highly unusual occurrence."
"A failure," Jim added has he situated himself on the other biobed again.
"But if they were the ones implanting the uterus, how did they manage to get it wrong?" Christine found the idea quite puzzling.
"You are assuming that the pregnancy itself happened via a medical procedure of some sort," Jim stated as he turned towards Christine. Giving a suggestive waggle of the eyebrows, he said, "What if that wasn't the case?"
"But there has only an addition of a uterus. No birth canal provided to allow impregnation to occur in a more natural manner," Geoff pointed out. "Not that there is anything natural about this situation.".
"Ah, there is only a uterus now," Jim continued getting quite caught up in his idea. "What if that wasn't always the case?"
"That would be kind of disgusting considering where that would have to be connected," Christine muttered. "I mean, think about it."
"Trying hard not to," Leonard groaned. "Already not feeling all that great."
"But is it possible?" Jim demanded in a quiet tone, wanting to see if his theory was feasible without overwhelming his friend. "I mean, is the other parent even someone who has had sex with Bones?"
Leonard rolled over in an attempt to bury his head in the small pillow on the biobed. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly large enough for the effect he was hoping for. His only comment to Jim's question was a grumbled "Fuck my life" that the Captain, and everyone else present, elected to take as a yes.
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