“DNA 101”

by Jo and Stacey

Kate was unusually quiet as Sid drove her home from the hospital. Her frightening ordeal with the wild dog still plagued her nightmares, but not as much as the untimely visit from Colin which had caused her to go into early labor. Her stomach knotted up just thinking about it, about what his visiting her was truly all about. She knew he still thought the baby was his, knew he must have only been worried for her because of it. Deep down inside, Kate knew there was still a good chance he could possibly be the father, but she'd never, ever voice that thought. She looked down at her bulging stomach, placed a hand on where the baby's little foot was protruding out to one side, and smiled. This had to be Sid's child, it just had to be!

Suddenly she became aware that their car had stopped moving and she looked up. "Home," she sighed, as her husband got out of the car and walked around to the passenger's side to help her out.

"Yes," Sid said, "where you belong. With me."  Taking her arm he walked with her inside, getting her settled on the white couch. "I'll get you some tea," he offered and, not waiting for her answer, went into the kitchen and on beyond to the viewport into Bar's room. Good, he was there.  Quickly he made the tea, gathered up some crackers and cheese on a little tray and took that out to Katherine. "I want you to stay here and rest yourself, my dear. You've had a hard couple of days."  He pushed a big, padded ottoman up, lifted her feet, slipped off her shoes, and settled the legs on it comfortably, even plumping a pillow for her back.

Kate went along with Sid's orders, allowing him to pamper her as usual. "Thanks, I am rather exhausted still," she told him as she watched him fluffing her pillow.

She smiled, thinking how very lucky she was to have such a wonderful husband dote on her as he did. Colin would never have treated her with such care, she mused, taking a sip of her tea. She set the cup down and closed her eyes, suddenly becoming quite sleepy. "You'll stay with me while I rest for a bit?" she asked, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Of course, darling," he said pleasantly, settling near her.  As she closed her eyes he began to think intensely. Colin wanted a blood test, did he? And they'd do it at the hospital with the umbilical cord so whatever he must do, he must do...now.  This was different from anything he'd ever done with a human before and he had to be careful so as not to damage either mother or child.  Now was when good ol' Bar would earn his keep.

Quietly he got up and went back to the viewport, pressing buttons that sent the invisible gas flooding into Bar's room. In a matter of seconds Bar had collapsed in a neat heap.  How vulnerable his level of humanness made him. But how useful.  Sid opened the door, went in and pressed more hidden controls, bringing up the large, central exam table.  He placed Bar on it then went back to the living room, leaving the door to his lab open. 

Katherine wasn't quite asleep yet, but almost.  Coming up behind the couch he studied the side of her neck then placed two fingers on it and pressed.  Instantly she slumped to the side and he scooped her up, carrying her to the lab, placing her alongside Bar.  Pushing more buttons, he smiled as Bar's dresser disappeared into the floor, replaced by a complicated table filled with equipment.  More buttons, and more items were replaced.  Lifting Katherine's blouse, he pulled down her stretchy-topped slacks, exposing her belly.  The next thing he did was take a sonogram to determine the exact position SJ was in.  He was head down, beginning to drop, and would obviously be born within the next day or so.  If it hadn't been for the timely rabid dog sending Katherine to the hospital, he might not have realized just how determined Colin was with this stupid paternity thing of his.  How very convenient there had been a rabid dog when he needed one.

He'd done enough tests on Bar to know that their creator had used the same DNA structure for both of them, only Bar had human elements added, human elements that would not match Colin's.  Sid himself would not need to be tested.  All that needed to be proven was that SJ was not Colin's child.  Then, of course, it would obviously be...his.

Working quickly, he set up a complicated system whereby Bar's blood circulated through SJ's umbilical cord.  He had no idea just what effect this might have on the child, but Colin was a threat that must be handled. If anything happened to SJ, the blame would lie at Colin's door because of his insistence on testing.  Sid, of course, was faultless.

The process of the interchange took some while during which Katherine stirred, so he pressed her neck again, this time a bit longer. The gas would keep Bar out for hours.  He pulled a tall stool up, watching the flow through the tubes. He'd arranged a filter so most of Bar's blue would not come through and what there was would be, hopefully, small enough that it might escape the notice of the medical folk.  He quite liked the idea of SJ having some blue in his veins, though.  Katherine's mounded belly was fascinating.  The new interflow was making SJ quite active and Katherine's body would rise up here and there as the baby moved, sticking out its arms and legs. It was like some cosmic dance and he found it most entertaining. 

Three hours later it was done and Sid unhooked the tubes.  Patting Katherine's belly, he pulled her slacks up, her top down, then carried her back to the couch, arranging her much as she'd been before. She was completely limp, though, and kept sliding to one side, her head flopping over, so he stuffed pillows around her.  Going back to his lab, he changed it back into the guest room, put Bar in the bed, left the door ajar, went back to the living room and put on Wagner.  Smiling, he leaned back, listening to the soar of the music.