"Henley?" someone calls.
Blinking open my eyes, I realize that I had fallen asleep at work. My head quickly jerks up, and standing right in front of me is Dr. Greene, who has a concerned look on her face.
"Are you feeling alright?" she asks me, leaning against the nurses' station as her eyes take me in.
Taking a deep breath, I try to force my tiredness away, but it doesn't seem to help. Nothing I have been doing has been helping with this tiredness. Graduation was two weeks ago, meaning that I have been able to sleep in every morning. And my nightmares have died down a little bit with no recent mutant activity. So, I'm averaging ten hours a night, and yet I still feel as if I am only getting three.
Braeden has been worried sick, wanting me to go to the doctor, but I have been telling him it is nothing to worry about. But I have never been so tired that I have fallen asleep at work before. Maybe there is something terribly wrong with me.
"I- I'm not quite sure anymore," I say, slumping back against my seat and raking my hand through my hair.
Dr. Greene purses her lips, looking worried and making me feel even worse. She is an amazing doctor, and if she is worried about something, then I should definitely be worried as well.
"I'm going to order a blood test for you," she says, standing up and motioning for me to follow her. Together we walk into one of the small patient rooms next to her office, where she has me sit on the table as she snaps on some gloves. "I want to make sure that the Kava isn't having any ill effects on you, which can happen from time to time, that's why we like to monitor it."
She doesn't hesitate to put a wrap on my arm and start feeling around for a blood vessel. All I feel is a small prick when she eases the needle into me, and my blood is collected into a small vial that she is holding.
"Have you been having any other symptoms besides the exhaustion?" she asks after she is done getting a blood sample and putting a band aid on my arm. "Nausea, dizziness, or anything along those lines?"
Shaking my head, I watch as she places the blood vials onto a small tray, which has my name printed on it. "No, not really," I say. "Just exhaustion, and I guess I have been eating a little bit more than usual but nothing that I was too worried about."
Dr. Greene nods her head, typing everything I say into her computer. "All right, well, I am going to get these samples to the lab. Why don't you lay down in here until the results are back? I'd rather have you sleeping in here than nodding off at the nurses' station." She gives me a small smile before standing up and diming the lights as she walks out the door.
Taking her advice, I lay back on the bed, wrapping my arms around myself to get comfortable. Honestly, I could probably sleep on the floor, I am that tired. It is only a matter of seconds before I manage to fall asleep, my mind drifting off into another unremarkable dream.
A knock sounds from the door, causing me to wake up. Slowly, I push myself up from my reclined position, so that I am sitting by the time Dr. Greene comes back into the room. She has an odd look on her face, and my heart starts to pound.
"What is it? Is something seriously wrong with me?" I quickly ask, wringing my hands together in my lap.
Dr. Greene sits down in her chair, setting my file down on the counter. "No, nothing is wrong, but there is definitely something to blame for your exhaustion and heavy eating. Or, I guess I should say someone,"
My eyebrows crinkle in confusion. "What?"
"You're pregnant, Henley, probably around ten weeks going by your hormone levels."
"Pregnant?" I whisper, my eyes widening.
Dr. Greene nods her head, not laughing at my shocked expression, but instead giving a sympathetic one. "I know that the whole point of the Partnering Ceremony is to be paired with someone compatible and to have healthy children as soon as possible, but it always is a shock when one finds out they are pregnant for the first time. I know I was."
My eyes flick over to her, looking over the woman I have been shadowing for a little over a year now. "You have a child? I didn't know that."
She nods her head. "Not many people do. After his dad passed away, I sent him to live with his aunt, who is better able to take care of him."
"What am I supposed to do?" I whisper. "This isn't the right time to be having a baby."
For the first time in weeks, a look of pride comes over Dr. Greene's face, but I have no idea why the hell she is proud of me. "Yes, these are dangerous times," she says, sitting back in her seat. "And that is why you must be careful, Henley."
"Careful of what?" I question, trying to clear up my confusion. Because the way she is acting right now makes me think she knows that I know what has been going on around here.
"Of what might be coming."
Before I can ask anything else, Dr. Greene stands up and opens the door, waiting for me to join her. "Now, why don't you head home? Your shift is almost done anyways. Call me if you have any questions or concerns, alright?"
"What about my exhaustion?" I ask her before she can walk away. "Should I really be sleeping this much?"
She gives me an understanding smile. "It is perfectly normal during pregnancy, especially the first trimester. Just make sure to get as much sleep as possible and don't strain yourself too much." With that, she turns around and walks into her office, leaving me on my own.
The nurses wave me goodbye when I walk by their station, wishing me a goodnight, and I hope for that as well. With everything going on, I find it a little worrying to be pregnant. Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised about being pregnant. It isn't as if either Braeden or I were using any type of contraceptive. Mainly because it is nearly impossible to get ahold of the stuff without a prescription from your doctor, and you can't get one of those until you have had at least one child.
The drive home is pretty uneventful, which means that I am able to make it home earlier than usual. Almost everyone is gone from the house, too, when I get there. The only person home being Alex, who I find watching television in the upstairs sitting room, munching on some cookies that Lena had made yesterday.
"Mind if I join you?" I ask, sitting down on the couch and snatching my own cookie off of the plate on his lap.
Alex just shakes his head while giving me a worried look. "Are you all right, Henley? You don't look so good."
"Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" I mumble, and Alex just shoots me another questioning look. Shaking my head, I lean back on the couch, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around myself. "I'm fine, just tired is all."
The pregnancy isn't something I can share with him right now, seeing as Braeden should know first since he is the other parent.
Alex doesn't push me at all, instead just mimics me in laying back on the couch. A movie plays on the television, but I don't pay attention, instead just closing my eyes and letting myself drift. I never truly fall asleep, mostly just staying in that in between stage, so I wake up as soon as I feel someone pick me up.
"It's alright, I've got you," a familiar voice says. Braeden gives me a kiss when I tilt my head back and carries me into our bedroom. "You can take a quick nap in our room but not too long or else you won't sleep at all tonight."
Rolling my eyes, I don't even bother to argue, knowing that he won't give on this one. He is too much of a worrier for his own good.
When he settles me onto the bed, I don't let him slip away, instead pulling on his hand until he lets out an amused huff and joins me in bed.
"I talked to Dr. Greene today," I say once I am settled in bed, Braeden's arms wrapped around me.
Braeden perks up at my words. "Oh really, what did she say?"
Licking my lips, I grab my mate's hand and slowly pull it over to my stomach, settling it over the non-existent swell. "I'm pregnant," I whisper.
Braeden doesn't say anything for a few seconds, and immediately doubt starts flowing through my mind. We both knew this was a possibility, but like Dr. Greene said, it is still shocking to hear.
"Really?" Braeden asks, his voice slightly rough.
My worry peaks at the tone of his voice, and I turn around. Braeden lets out a grumble of protest when his hand slips away from my middle, instead having to settle it on my back. His face is an open book, and it is easy to see the excitement hidden behind all the worry.
"Really."
Braeden pulls me closer to him, burying his face in my hair. "Whatever happens, I'll keep you safe. Both of you."
And with those simple words, my body releases its tension, because I know he is right. There is something big that is going to happen in the near future, and even if the thought of having a baby during such times is a scary thought, as long as we are together we will get through this.
My hand settles on my stomach, and I let my eyes drift closed.
We all will get through this.
*****
Wow, this is the first time I have written for this story in a while, and it was somewhat odd to be Henley's voice at first. But, it all went well.