ᴡᴀɴᴅᴀ (scarletwitch) wrote in avengers_logs, @ 2019-07-01 09:11:00 |
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This was a first. Not the gynecology piece -- any doctor worth their salt could do a decent pap. No, the whole 'demonic entity' was odd, and Christine wondered if she should have worn her mother's silver earrings for the whole thing. Maybe bathed in saltwater. Or perhaps asked a priest for a blessing. In short, she had no idea what she should do other than be a damn good doctor. So she was. Taking Stephen's words at heart, Christine had spent the hour before Wanda's appointment prepping. The clinic could be a sterile and unforgiving place, and for someone who had prior medical trauma? That would not be good. She wanted Wanda to feel comfortable -- and comforted -- and to do that, the space would have to change. Christine lowered the lights to a softer hue, put a soft sheet on the examining table instead of the crinkly paper, and tried her best to make it a welcoming space. It wasn't perfect, and there was no way to avoid the clinical side, but she hoped Wanda would be okay. She also hoped Wanda had a full bladder, because the pee test was first. Wanda had gotten up early and drank a cup or two of tea, hands spread like starfish around the mug she clutched like a lifeline. Ginger tea, because of her nausea - which also wasn’t helped by the nerves that flooded in whenever she thought about going to this doctor’s appointment. It wasn’t anything against Christine, since she knew the woman and was friendly with her - but she just had flashbacks of the other test subjects dying in HYDRA’s cells, from various afflictions. Coronaries, embolisms, brain aneurysms. Some even simply stopped breathing, never to start again. When it became apparent that her and Pietro were the only survivors, the doctors did what they could to keep the twins alive - a special diet (though they were still underfed), keeping them in the same room, monitoring all their vitals. As if that would prevent the inevitable. She was at the clinic now, so there was no turning back. Her bladder full and ready to burst, she knocked on the door softly. Despite being friendly with Dr. Palmer, she still wasn’t sure what to call her - so her greeting came out as, “Dr. Christine?” and somewhat hesitant. Stephen and Vision were right outside. She’d be okay. Instead of calling out, Christine went right to the door and saw Wanda there, looking absolutely terrified. "Hey, you're on time, awesome! Love it when that happens. Come on in." She stepped aside and motioned for Wanda to enter the clinic room. Peeking out the door, she smiled at Stephen and gave a nod at the blond man waiting. This must be the partner. Christine didn't think she'd ever met him before, but she thought it was sweet he was there. "It'll be about an hour," she informed them before stepping back in. First things first. "I want you to be as relaxed as possible. This is a basic well check, just want to make sure you're physically okay since, well, demonic possession or something." She gave a little laugh. "So how about you pee in a cup, since I know you're dying to do that." She motioned to the tray near a bathroom where an innocuous blue cup sat. "Mid-stream, k? And then we'll start with you telling me how you're feeling. That'll help me figure out what we're going to do ...but I have to warn you: blood work is probably a given, so if you want your man to come in and hold your hand during that time, let me know. But yes, shoo -- go pee." “Yes, demon possession,” Wanda smiled wryly, a bit shy. She was impressed that Christine seemed to take everything in stride - and she knew Stephen had explained the situation, but still. Most doctors probably would have been very reluctant to help a girl who was tainted by something otherworldly and obviously malignant. “But thank you, I appreciate the setup.” Because she’d certainly noticed the warm lightning, the cozy atmosphere. It wasn’t so sterile-looking, and that also helped to relax her. Peeing in a cup was actually somewhat familiar, so she took the container and nodded. “I will be right back.” True to her word, and following instructions, she filled the cup to the correct line. Then returned to rejoin Christine. “My symptoms? Well - I mostly feel fine, just....I’ve been a little nauseated lately. And tired. I also - “ She didn’t know why she was mentioning this, but in every medical exam she’d had the doctor always asked when the date of her last menstrual cycle was. “My period is a few weeks late.” Doctoring 101 said never react to what a patient said, never show in your face what you're thinking. Inside she was groaning. Demonic entity? Only Stephen would call a pregnancy that. Even if technically a fetus was a parasite. Instead, she took the cup and smiled gratefully as she walked over to the equipment. "Is that normal for you or are you generally pretty regular?" Opening up the litmus papers, she inserted one and waited for a moment. Not surprising, the HcG was barely lit up, but barely was more than nothing. She'd confirm with the blood work in a few moments. "And when you say tired, what do you mean? Actually, how about you tell me how you were before this ...thing happened, and then tell me how things have changed. We never really have had a chance to properly talk, other than brunch that one time." “I am normally very regular,” Wanda nodded. She hadn’t been when she was under the ‘care’ of HYDRA (malnutrition and stress, that threw off periods) but now things were a lot different and she was healthy, with a healthy menstrual cycle. Honestly, pregnancy had never occurred to her. The person she was having sex with was an android - why would she ever think she’d be able to get pregnant? So currently, she was trying to remain calm and would just do whatever Christine said. “Before it happened, I was fine with getting six, seven hours of sleep a night. Now I just feel like I need much more - I feel like I need to nap during the day.” She was honestly kind of exhausted, but didn’t want to let it slow her down, so she kept working and kept studying. It wasn’t until Stephen mentioned tiredness as some kind of side effect of a demonic presence that she began to get concerned it was sucking out her soul or something. “The nausea is new too. It’s been...pretty much everyday now, not at any specific time. Just always there.” "Uh huh," Christine answered. Yup. Pregnant. Or cancer. She was really hoping for the pregnancy though. "Crackers are good for the nausea. Same as toast. Bland, boring food. If it turns into throwing up, and like all the time? Then we'll worry about that." "Now have a seat, and let's get this show on the road, shall we?" ~*~* The last bloodwork confirmed exactly what Christine thought. And from the information Wanda had volunteered earlier, she would have to say that she was still early stages: 6-7 weeks, tops. Throughout the exams, they'd been chatting, keeping things light and simple while she took a baseline check and updated all her medical records. From the conversation, there didn't seem to be anything to suggest this was a strange pregnancy, and considering Christine had never spoken to Vision, let alone talked to him, she had no inkling that there was something odd afoot. With all the tests completed, she encouraged Wanda to take a seat on one of the armchairs, while Christine sat across on her stool. There were papers and forms on her lap, which she'd get through in due time. What she wanted most of all was for Wanda not to faint. The woman had a fragility to her, and Christine didn't want anything bad to happen. "So. I have the results of some of these tests," she said. "I mean, for all intents and purposes, you're a very healthy young woman and there doesn't seem to be anything on that front. We went over your family history, we took some bloodwork to make sure your hormones, and everything are on the up and up.... but I have to admit. From the moment we started talking, I had an idea of what was going on. After all, you brought up a few very key symptoms, so I think you probably already must have an idea of why you're not feeling great. So I'm just going to say it, and," she added quickly, "if you're happy about this, we can talk options. Don't feel like you have to make a decision today, we still have time, but Wanda -- you're pregnant." Pregnant. That was the word used, but Wanda was having trouble comprehending. She was sure she must have turned a myriad of colors just then - red, pink, finally white as all the blood seemed to drain from her face and turn cold. Ice ran through her veins. There was a whole circus of acrobats in her stomach right now. “That - “ Her hands gripped the armrests of the chair she was sitting in so tightly, she was surprised the furniture didn’t crack. The tips of her fingers were white too - and even so, she had to remember everything she’d studied with Stephen about breathing, control, and meditation to not pull the ceiling down on their heads. “That can’t be possible. It should not - I, what I mean is...my partner? He has all of the equipment but - “ She wasn’t certain how to describe it, because words were failing her. “He isn’t biologically human. He’s an android.” "Oh honey," Christine said, looking at Wanda sympathetically. "They're all robots." Although Christine had slowly started to understand this new reality she was in, she absolutely completely did not know that androids were even an option. Later on, she would probably be cursing Stephen for not giving her full information. For now, she was just going to console a young woman who was clearly going into shock at the huge statement she'd just heard. At least she hadn't tried to say this was a virginal birth -- Christine heard that excuse at least once a week. It was amazing how many potential baby Jesuses were walking around. "You're going to need monthly pre-natals, and in about six weeks, we can do the first dating ultrasound, maybe find out gender if the baby is so inclined. But you look kind of pale, and now I'm worried you're going to throw up. Are you okay? Do you need something?" “No, that’s - “ But Wanda cut herself off. She didn’t know how to explain that Vision really was an android. Her thoughts were too jumbled, too convoluted. All she knew was that this demonic presence tainting her had somehow...got her pregnant? Ensured she became pregnant, thanks in part to its dark magic? She needed to talk to Stephen - he would know more about this, he had to. And she hoped he had some ideas about what to do because she, admittedly, was not going to be much assistance in that regard. Logic would say to have an abortion - because whatever this was, it couldn’t be good. But then again, hadn’t she and Vision just discussed how much they both wanted children and were disappointed it wouldn’t ever happen? Maybe there was a way the baby could be saved, and the presence banished... Well, anyway. “I won’t throw up,” she promised Christine. Actually, maybe she would, just not in the office. “I’m fine, but I...I should go. Thank you for the help.” Then she gathered her things to leave, still dazed and on autopilot. Because that was certainly not how she envisioned the appointment to go. |