"Aren't you warm?" Fiona asked, quirking a brow at Kate.
They sat on the sofa on board the boat, Kate in a big blue puffer jacket while Fiona fanned herself with one hand. Ingrid sat on the floor rolling a ball back and forth.
"I'm fine," Kate said plainly.
It had taken making certain *promises* to John before he had agreed to her inviting her family over--including the conditions that she hide any baby things or anything that indicated they were a couple.
The Brigadier moved silently through the Nethersphere's corridors, something in the back of his mind telling him that all was not as it seemed. Seb's boss remained elusive. Each request to speak with her was met with oh, she's in a meeting, or oh, she'll get back to you--there's a backlog at the moment-- and quite simply, he had had enough.
No, he thought. No!
A familiar voice sounded from one of the nearby rooms.
He hastened towards it, burst into the room, and blinked to see a television screen.
Summers at St. Luke’s were often quiet—his course list consisted of one seminar, the topic of which changed from year to year, though he had struggled to garner enough interest this semester, having to shift gears by covering an undergraduate physics course.
One of his students had written to ask for an extension on her assignment.
Sure—no problem, he sent back.
The small cafe he sat outside of was one from the 51st century – a frequent date spot for himself and River. Sometimes timelines became out of sync. The 15th of July here may well be the 7th of July back in the 21st century.
His student blinked, her email still half-written.
brief excerpt from chapter two of the last will and testament of dr. henry jekyll!
Gabriel knelt over the toilet for the fifth time that week, his head spinning violently. Each day he had woken, felt too nauseous to eat, and emptied his stomach of little more than bile.
“Gabe?” Henry knocked on the door. “I’ve called over Hastie--”
He turned his head and weakly called for them to enter.
“Oh,” Henry breathed. He knelt by his partner’s side, brushing hair from his face.
Hastie busied himself with his med bag. Finally, he said, “I have to ask you some questions, Gabriel.” At a nod, he continued. “How long has this been going on?”
“Every morning, now, for about a month. It starts when I wake and persists into the afternoon.”
“You don’t get periods, do you?”
He shook his head. “No. My injections keep them away, mostly. Though – a few months ago, I’d run out, and the pharmacy delayed in getting more.”
Hastie stared between his friends. “You were able to get more?”
“We had to fight for it,” Henry interjected. “There was a changeover in staff and they questioned why he needed it.”
Hastie nodded. “Now—forgive me for this—do you always use condoms?”
Henry paled.
Gabriel, meanwhile, slowly shook his head once more. “We try to. Sometimes we forget.”
“I’d like you to come with me to the clinic,” Hastie stated. “We’ll do blood tests, make sure it’s not something of concern.”
“You mean--”
Hastie met Henry’s wide eyes. “Indeed. Shall I offer congratulations now or later?”
“Later,” Henry replied, hastening to support Gabriel before he collided with the tile. “Let’s confirm this first before anything else.”