"You have 2am cravings, too?" Ally asks as she enters the kitchen, seeing Sierra boiling two eggs.
"Yeah, but all I crave is eggs, applesauce, and fried fish," Sierra chuckles, smiling at her friend as she went to the fridge. "You still like cantaloupe?"
"Mmm, I liked it in my first trimester but now it's disgusting," she chuckles, grabbing a container of fresh pineapples. "We've switched to pineapples."
Sierra gapes and grins at her. "Oh my goodness, speaking of pineapples, you should've told me that when I first started craving I wouldn't know what I had a taste for. I was literally up all night looking for something sweet and sour. I tried pineapples, lemons with sugar, sour grapes, and nothing was satisfying."
Ally giggles and opens the top, plopping one in her month. "Me too! With the girls, and this one. For my first pregnancy, I ate a lot and I guess it was because there were two, so I tried almost everything. That made it easier to understand what I'm craving now, though."
"You know, you eating more fruits is actually more healthier for the baby," Sierra smiles, going over to the stove to turn it off. "I eat a bag of cherries or grapes everyday to make sure I'm on that track too."
"You never actually told us how the pregnancy effects your knowledge."
Sierra sighs and leans against the stove. "Well, studies show that 96% of humans use only 10% of their brain power. I use 28% of it, which is why I'm able to remember most facts and situations and look into things easier. But that wasn't just because i was born into intelligence; I had to work and gain those percentiles. I had to be on a healthy diet, I had to exercise to keep my body healthy, I even had to challenge myself on daily bases. But right now, I'm not able to keep that consistent balance of those."
Ally frowns and comes closer to her, rubbing her back. "I don't want to make you feel worse, but what happens if you can't get your percentile back? What happens if this is permanent?"
"I've thought about that," Sierra sighs, shaking her head. "My percentile has drop to 22%. A little more and I won't be considered a genius anymore. I'll just be considered smarter than the average being. The thing is, if I wanted that brain power back, it would take a hundred percent dedication and, with a child, there's no way I'm getting that back in even a five year mark."
"Where does that leave you on the team?"
"You've never seen a genius with a baby, right? This is probably why," she sighs, reaching over the counter and grabbing a spoon to take out her eggs. "I told Matt I felt like coming here would completely destroy me and I know it will. He says that's not true, but back at headquarters, I had a purpose and people needed me. I was put under stress and in very hard situations. It wasn't good for the baby, no, but it was good for me. Here, I get to put my feet up, talk with you and let out everything I'm feeling, and the worse problem I have is picking blue paint from yellow." Sierra sniffs, dropping her eggs in the bowl.
She wipes her eyes and Ally goes to the other counter to give her a paper towel, which Sierra gladly accepts. "I'm sorry. I'm losing myself. I'm losing my intelligence that made me. Everyone likes to joke about 'wow, Sierra doesn't know something' but it's not funny and no one realizes that. I only left headquarters for my baby. Had I not been pregnant, my almost murderer would've been caught. But I've came to the acceptance that when I left, I-I left a life behind there. I might be smarter than everyone in a local area, but I'm almost last in line of the geniuses I ranked above just a few months ago. And that's not good enough and they'll have to find another genius because I'm not gonna be her by the year's over."
Ally is embracing a crying Sierra by time she finishes speaking. There's nothing Ally can do to comfort her, because quite frankly, her spot on the team is being a genius but if she can't figure out who tried to kill her without a blink of an eye than some serious damage has been done.
//
"Anybody know what's up with Sierra?" Matt asks as he comes into the kitchen, specifically eyeing Ally as she made breakfast for the two girls that were calm at the table walking videos on their tablet. "She was so hyped about going baby shopping and stuff yesterday but now she won't get out of bed."
Austin opens his mouth to say he doesn't know, but he watches Matt give Ally this look and raises an eyebrow. "What's up?"
"Ally knows what's wrong with her," Matt says and his voice sounds cold. So cold the girls look up from their videos and Austin stands up straight, crossing his arms. "Ally, what the hell's wrong with her?"
"Your girlfriend, you ask."
This is when Matt unexpectedly comes rushing toward Ally, only for Austin grabs him by his neck and promptly slams him down. "The hell is your problem?!"
Kya screams and jumps off her chair to hug her sister, to which Kayla protectively embraces her.
"I need to know what's wrong with her! Ally always knows but she never tells but somehow it always backfires on me! I'm starting to think she's putting lies in Sierra's ear!"
"So it's my fault you two don't have good communication skills?" Ally asks, leaning on her hip. "If you want the answer, go ask your girlfriend. Next time you charge at me or scare my kids, you will be kicked out from this house and not welcomed back. I'm six months pregnant; I don't have time to be dealing with you."
Ally returns back to making eggs with barely a shake in her bones. Austin lets go of his friend and gives him a rough push on his shoulders. "Go talk to Sierra instead of trying to attack my wife."
"What the hell's happening down here?" Sierra asks, stretching as she enter the kitchen. Ally hands her a place of eggs and Sierra smiles gratefully.
"Uncle Matt tried to hit mom," Kayla snitches, glaring at the man. "For no reason."
Sierra raises an eyebrow as she chews in her eyes and looks at him, squinting her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"Excuse you what? I didn't hit you, did I? This doesn't concern you."
"This doesn't concern me? How the fu-"
Austin places a hand of her shoulder to stop her from speaking any further, then glares at Matt himself. "Okay, first you try to attack my wife, then you push away your spouse. Your communication skills are shit . This does concern her; she's the reason it started and she's an adult, so treat her like one. I don't know what the hell happened to you guys since you left this house five months ago, but it's toxic. So talk it out or cut it off."
"It's fine; we don't have to. It won't ruin the team because I singlehandedly did that myself," she says in response to Austin, but is look straight at Matt. "The damage is done before the process is even finished. You're welcome, babe. It's what you wanted."
"What are you talking about?" Austin asks, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not even talking about you guys' relationship ruining the team; I just want what's best, but what are you talking about?"
Sierra shrugs and clasps her hands together. "Basically, by time I give birth, I won't be a genius anymore. I am technically ranked number 23 in the world's charted geniuses now. I dropped 21 markings from where I stood. Five more and I'll be the last and a little more brain power lost, I will be the average human. It's fine. Everything is fine."
"Why didn't you tell me? How do we stop it?" Matt asks, gripping her hand, only for her to yank it back.
"I didn't tell you?" She questions, chuckling lightly. "'Matthew, this place is literally the only place I feel like I'm sane. If I leave, I know it'll hurt me. Like, seriously. You understand that, right?' You don't remember that? I told you. I shouldn't have to give you details for you to figure what the hell is wrong with me. You said you loved me for my intelligence? Then why the hell haven't you of all people realized I've lost 5% of it?"
Sierra storms out of the house with the plate in her hands and Ally sighs. "It's probably a good thing you guys aren't married," she speaks up, looking at Matt. "Until you guys can commmicate, marriage should be the last option."
Matt rolls his eyes and goes after his girlfriend out the door, leaving the family of four. Austin goes to pick up and embrace a scared Kya while ruffling Kayla's hair. "I'm sorry that happened, munchkins. Your uncle and auntie are just going through something."
"He can't hit mom," Kayla says, staring up at him. "If he ever tries that again, then I haves to defend her like I defend Kya."
Austin smiles and ruffles her hair once more. "Aye, if someome is gonna protect her, I'm glad it's you two."
Ally glares as she puts the plates on the table. "Do not promote violence in my house. I can defend myself."
"First of all, unless you paid the mortgage of $150,000, this is my house," he smirks, making her glare at him. "Second of all-" he stops mid sentence to push her back, then come behind her and position her into a light headlock. "You might can defend yourself, but it's nice to have someone looking out for you."
Austin lets her go, and he raises an eyebrow at her slight smirk. "You're absolutely correct," she agrees, then turning to look at her eating daughters. "Girls, attack you dad."
Both of the girls laugh in their spot but willingly jump down from their chairs to stand in a fighting position. Austin stands there amused, then smirks down at his wife. "What happened to 'my babies aren't gonna growup to be spies no matter what'?"
"Oh, they're not. But I think abusing their fighting on their dad is appropriate."
The two girls jump towards their dad at the same pace and seemingly, they get him to fall.