2022-05-06 - Why Can't It Just Be One Big Happy Polycule?

Ava has been so quiet the past couple of days. Work and then going home pretty much immediately. That's very unusual for her even after she started dating Deacon. Something may be up. Eventually, Zara gets a text that they have so much to talk about and that Zee should stop by at some point when she has a chance. It's made clear in the text that she should walk in, quietly. If she rings the bell or knocks, Ava is going to slap her SO hard. Oddly aggressive for Ava, but she has been acting funny.

If the mood was more jovial, Zara would have texted back that there are people who would pay to be slapped hard by Ava. But she knows her friend has been behaving strangely and can see the seriousness even in a text. So it is that she creeps into Ava's abode early one evening after work. No knocking. No bell ringing. Not even a calling out of Ava's name. If Zara has to, she'll just roam the dwelling until she finds the medical examiner.

And Zara brought wine and ice cream.

Roam she does until she makes her way into the kitchen to find Ava standing there, finally finally seeming to get a little bundle that certainly looks like it could be a baby to sleep. At least the sleeping sounds coming from it sure sound like sleep. "Thank god," she whispers. There's a swinging chair nearby, and Ava moves to strap the little one into it. When she does, Zara can get a good look. That's. Well. That's not a human baby at all.

"This is Nimue," she whispers. "I accidentally grew her in my greenhouse."

Well...Zara certainly wasn't expecting that. She stares at the little tyke...and then to Ava...and then back to the baby. Brow furrowed as she tries to figure this out. Nope. No chance. She'll need Ava's help on this one.

"Accidentally?" she whispers before shrugging. "Of course it was accidental. What else could it be. You use protection." Weed killer? A hand to her forehead as Zara takes a deep breath. "I see why you needed to talk." No matter where the baby came from, it's still a baby and Zara is still a doctor. "Is she healthy?"

"Accidentally. She literally grew out of a pod in my greenhouse the day after Beltane. It was a whole mix of stuff that went into it, obviously, but I think that the whole fertility celebration and faeries thing was kind of the last straw in her creation." Ava ruffles a hand through her hair and gives Zara and laughing sort of stressed look.

"As healthy as our talents will lead me to believe. But nobody recognizes her race. So we don't know if there's something that may be missing in her care."

"You had a fertility celebration in your greenhouse?" Zara stares - how does she put this politely. "Umm...did anyone spread their seed over the earth? I suppose you've Googled. I'm really into horticulture but...can't say I've ever grown anything like this. Who have you talked to about her?"

As for the care of a different species. "Does she feed easily? Does she seem to be in pain at all? Have you noticed any growing weakness?" Zara laughs quietly. "How's her sleeping? How is your sleeping?" Time to open the wine. "We're not in a dream, are we?"

"No! Oh god, no. We had a neighborhood barbeque. But we did pay our respect to the faeries that take care of the yard. Extra respects because of Beltane. Nobody had better have spread any seed in my greenhouse. Ew." Ava shudders. "I did use Cryptid blood in her soil, though. That's what made her plant different than the others. "I talked to Ravn, Aidan, Itz, Deacon knows about her and has been helping. My dad."

"She feeds normally, no pain. She has a hard time sleeping. Loves the water, which I figured because she has little webs in between her fingers and toes. Wait, weakness in her or me? Do you think she could be a baby Changeling that draws energy from the mom? But don't they usually take the form of an actual baby?" Her eyes slide to the rocking swing for a moment.

"Not a dream."

"I meant the baby. Does she have a name?" Zara pours some glasses of wine and hands one over. "Well, it seems you have a child now, Ava. It's not as if you can hand her over for adoption. Let's hope Deacon doesn't run away." A sip of her wine as she considers the situation. "What is she feeding on? Milk? Water? Fish?" She looks over the child in question, cradling her glass of wine. This really is a crazy town. You have to be prepared for anything.

"You're saying she grew up out of the earth? And this cryptid blood you used..." Zara will refrain from commenting on the craziness of doing that around here. "What kind of creature was it? Did it look like her?"

"Oh! Her name is Nimue. Like the Lady of the Lake. Deacon suggested Shalott. Also Lady of the Lake. But I like Nimue better. I think it suits her." Ava takes a glass of the wine and narrows her eyes at Zara. "I have her for the moment. We're doing research to try to find out where there may be more of her kind. She needs to be raised properly and obviously that isn't going to happen here." Ava is clearly and deliberately trying desperately not to get attached.

"I've been giving her formula, which seems to be working well enough, but I also give her plenty of water time since she likes that, and outside time in the grass and the sun. I'm not sure if photosynthesis is a part of this or not and I don't want to risk anything.

"It was a Nightshade Bear. Nothing like her at all. Fire in it's blood. Not water."

"I don't think Shalott was her name. She was Lady of Shalott...if I remember correctly" Zara notes, because all doctors know Arthurian mythos. "Nimue it is then." Another sip of her wine. "She may not be human, Ava, but she grew in your garden and you are who she has bonded with, even if you don't want to return the favor. Do you think you can give her up so easily?" A deep breath. "But if that's what you've decided, then we need to figure this out as quickly as possible."

"Formula probably wouldn't be great for someone who lives by photosynthesis" Zara frowns before looking closely at the babe. "Does she have breathing issues at all? Does she even breathe?" She is looking for the rise and fall of the chest it seems. "Will you let me give her a check-up? Take some samples?"

"The Lady of Shalott was the name of the poem, yes." Ava bobs her head. "But that was his suggestion, name wise. Nimue seemed much better." There's a very long sip of wine as Zara says all the things Ava doesn't verbalize. "I know. I know that. But I don't know that she wasn't grown from somewhere else. I don't know that she wasn't stolen from some mother somewhere and delivered to my garden whose soil just happened to be just right for delivery of the baby pod. There are too many things I don't know. But I do know that she would never be safe here. Not really."

"I'm just covering all my bases with the photosynthesis. If she's a hybrid of some sort, it may be that she needs a multitude of things. According to a power scan her body seems more in line with human than plant. No breathing issues, she breaths." There's a brief smile. "You can give her a check up in the morning and do all that. I'll bring her in. If you wake her up right now, I will never speak to you again."

"Don't tempt me" Zara teases at that last threat, offering a wink to poor Ava. "Even when you know you're going to have a child, you're not really prepared for the change. You should take some time off work until this is sorted out. Who are you leaving her with all day?" She moves away from Nimue to make sure she doesn't wake the sleeping babe. "You saw her being born from a pod? But you never saw the pod itself growing, is that what you're saying? If you've been doing fertility rites with faeries, you would think it grew there. Unless the fairies decided to give you a present for being so nice to them at Beltane."

Zara gives Ava a curious look, complete with the arching of a single eyebrow. "You didn't wish for a child out in the garden or anything, did you? If nothing else, you've kept your figure very well after the birth." A playful shoulder bump follows. "Though if she is aquatic, why would garden fairies be involved? Unless they stole her. That would be worrying." Everything is worrying, Zara!

"I opened the pod and she was in there, correct. But the pod was fully grown when I found it. She also looks about two weeks old already, so either it's a very healthy pod, or she is already two weeks old." Ava holds up a finger. "Whoa whoa. I have so not been doing fertility rituals with faeries. I've never actually gotten to meet any of the faeries yet. We just leave them thank you gifts and offerings for keeping up the gardens and being good neighbors. That's all. I think this was a thank you present in return."

There's a laugh at the figure comment. "Ass. No, I did not wish for a child out in the garden. If I want a kid, I'd like it the normal way, thanks. I'd like one eventually, but not right this second. I have way too much going on in my life for that. Though, I do love those big blue eyes and tuft of black hair. I'd love that for a future kid some day. A future, human child."

"It's the stealing that has me worried. Stolen, or even found and they said 'not our problem, you deal with it' and left it for me."

"Fairies don't have the best reputations for personal belongings" Zara nods solemnly - there is a bit of a hippy to the rural raised girl. She didn't even go to a 'proper' school until high school. "You might want to stop leaving them gifts. It's not as if they could do worse to you than leave a baby pod. Hey, if it was a boy, you could have called it Hal." A beat. "That's sort of a 2001 joke. Never mind, it wasn't a good one." Just sip the wine.

"At least you still have a few years to have that child" Zara sighs. "Okay, I'll do a check-up on her tomorrow morning. But, right now, you might need some sleep. You're looking a little frazzled. Glamorously frazzled of course, but I can look after her for a few hours. Unless you want to tell me about you and that unicorn."

"You and I both know that there are plenty of women your age and older that are still having children. Don't give me that." Ava gives Zara's hip a little nudge with a frown. "But I think if we stop giving the faeries presents after having already established our relationship as it is, that might cause a bigger problem than we want to deal with. Maybe we should just be careful on fertility holidays."

There's a crinkle of eyebrows as Ava tries to figure out what Zara is talking about. Unicorn? What? Then her eyes are going wide. "Itzhak?" It's all but a squeak, her cheeks turning pink. "What about me at the unicorn? How he's a giant pain in the ass who likes to go charging down the stairs even when he's on four legs instead of two?"

"I was thinking more about how you were mooning at him like a teenager. All the delicate patting and touching" Zara teases, "And right in front of Deacon too. Shame on you, girl" she winks. "Okay, I agree it's a good thing when a guy has horse-like attributes, but there was something more than that there. You can't fool me. I know you too well. So, tell me about Itzhak."

"Like I said. Can they do much worse than dumping a stolen child on you?" Zara thinks on this. "Probably." Time for a top up.

Mooning?! Ava suddenly finds herself very thirsty for that wine, taking a very long sip. "He was freaking out with being chained. He was still panicking even after I took the bridle off. The way I panic in small spaces. I think he has problems with being chained up against his will." Yes, top up please. She holds her glass up. "I was just helping calm him down." Not even Ava sounds convinced of her own words.

"He's kind of amazing. I've had feelings for him since before Deacon and I were a thing. We almost got kidnapped together. He kept a guy from dying that I roasted and made sure I didn't accidentally kill him, so I owe him the world for that. He's genuine and funny, big heart and a big mouth. You know the type." There's a sigh. "And he's currently trying to get back together with his ex-boyfriend. Which doesn't mean that we might never be a thing. But," she shrugs.

"Ah, we always want the things we cannot have" Zara sighs, topping up the wine. "Don't forget we have ice cream too." Wasn't Ava supposed to be getting some sleep? Not with gossip around. "Does his ex-boyfriend want him back? Be careful with rebounds rebounding into rebounds. Not to mention you're dating Deacon. Does he know that you'll drop him like he's hot if this Itzhak winks at you?" Nope, didn't believe a word of Ava's 'it was nothing' spiel about how she acted in the Dream.

"I know the type? Ava, sweetheart, I haven't had a vast experience with men." Zara looks up at the ceiling as she mumbles, intending to be heard, "Not like some people." A giggle as she hip bumps Ava. "Just teasing. But, seriously, don't hoist your flag on a pole until it's in your yard. Wow...I really have no comprehension of metaphors."

"Don't I know it. I always want what I can't have. It started out as just a little, harmless crush." From the way she says it, it's certainly not just that anymore. "Yes. Kind of. Their relationship is complicated. Even if they get back together it doesn't mean I'm necessarily out of the picture." Not to mention Deacon. "Deacon." There's a sad smile. "He's the sweetest. You should have seen him get Nimue to sleep. It was the absolute cutest thing. He didn't even blink an eye. I want both. Selfishly." She looks into her glass again. But one is possessive and I don't think would be okay with it. The other would be okay with it, but doesn't see me like that."

There's a laugh as she's hip bumped, bumping right back. "Oh yeah. Me and my whole three boyfriends before Deacon. All that vast experience of mine!"

"Ah, so Itzhak is one of those people who is really into kitchen objects. Pansexual." Zara nods in understanding. "You'd be okay with being part of a trio...or more. I mean, if everyone's happy and there's no jealousy or envy, then go for it. Not that it would be acknowledged as legal by the government of this nation but, hey, who needs a piece of paper to be happy? And it sounds like it would break Deacon's heart. And then you'd have an angry cop in your life. Umm...are you sure you want to be with someone who is possessive? That's not a good basis for a relationship."

"Three? Damn, girl, I didn't know you were that much of a whore." If there is anymore hip bumping they'll bring back The Bump to discos. "So, you're dealing with all that and raising a possibly stolen child. Sheesh, Ava, you really go all in."

"I really don't want to break Deacon's heart. What I want is for him to be okay with it and for everyone to be happy dating each other. I mean, it's not like I haven't thought about him and I having a third before. Not Itz, obviously, because Deacon is very straight." The possessive question has apparently been asked before. "I think it's sweet that he cares so much. If I were that into monogamy it'd probably be sweeter."

"I know! I'm a slut," Ava laughs. "Hey, it was three relationships, that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing, okay!" Her eyes drift. "All that, and raising a possibly stolen child, dealing with Haggleford's bullshit, helping new folks in town understand their powers better, working two jobs, and dealing with the Vivisectionist whose fucking with our healing powers. Plus the occasional horrifying Dream. Yup." Bottom's up!

"A third?" Zara has to laugh - as quietly as possible. "You know, this is so unfair. I can't find one, and everyone else is trying to organise rotating relationships with as many as they can. And you never asked me? You hurt me, Ava." She's only teasing. "Don't make the mistake of confusing care with possessiveness, sweetheart. If you love something, set it free, and all that business."

"Oh, total slut. Those 'three' were probably just the ones who lasted more than a night." Zara frowns at mention of Haggleford. "You're going to have to tell me all about that too. I didn't know anything before popping up in that Dream and I don't like being ignorant. Two jobs? Honey, you're raising a child. You can't do the two jobs anymore. If you need money... Yeah, the Vivisectionist. That, I will gladly help you with."

"Oh my god, you dummy. Who do you think I would have asked to be the third?" Okay, that's probably not something Ava would have admitted if she weren't two glasses in on the wine already. Plus the shot of tequila she had a little earlier. Zara might have been teasing, but that didn't sound like joking. Whoops. The wine glass is held out again. Fill 'er up!

"Doctor and Coroner. It's not about money, I could retire if I really wanted off my trust fund. One is a job, the other is about the patients. I'll cut back on patients, though, until stuff with Nimue is sorted out. Luckily my dad has been helping out a lot. I think he misses when I was this little." There's a scowl at thoughts of Haggleford. "You got the brunt of information. But basically Haggleford has been coming over here and kidnapping a lot of people. Releasing and killing Cryptids to open portals to get him back and forth to his lands. We haven't been able to figure out why. Now we know why. Itzhak, Ravn - he was the little cat, and I were some of the people he tried to kidnap to be one of those bodies."

Probably a good idea that both glasses are topped up at this point...and drained...and topped up again. "If Deacon is possessive, he probably wouldn't be interested anyway" Zara notes, trying to treat the information leak all maturely and calmly. "Nice that you thought of me though." Always time to give thanks.

"If you keep showing this baby off to people, it will be harder to return her. Your father's probably got the grandparent buzz going. Just be careful, Ava." Zara sips her drink again before contemplating Haggleford. "That jerk has no interest in finding a cure. I've seen his type before. As you can see, I don't get to hang out with 'big heart' types, just the cockhead types. He doesn't want a cure. While there is a disease, he has control over his people. Only he can help them by stealing bodies and giving them new homes. If we got rid of the disease, I doubt he'd have much more to offer . It's all about power. The disease, if it actually exists, is but a means to an end."

"Do they take the bodies to their world to be occupied? They don't leave them here, do they?"

"I don't know how he'd feel about it. I'm going to have to talk to him eventually about all of this. It's not like I can keep it bottled up forever." Ava takes another sip of wine. "Of course I thought you," she says with a 'duh' sort of look on her face.

I can't exactly get a normal sitter, can I? Plus, I love and trust my dad. He's almost as powerful as us. So plant wise and healing wise, he is good. Plus firepower to protect her if needed. Plus he's strong in the mind as well. The whole empathic angle is helpful with her. I think it helps with Deacon getting her to sleep. Damn cheater," she offers fondly.

"Yeah. They're taking bodies from here, bringing them to their world and putting the children and probably other important people they want to save into the bodies. Taking the souls of the current occupants out and tossing them into whatever that pit actually is.

"I had a horrible thought they were replacing souls here. So there'd be all these people wandering around our world with alien children inside them. It would certainly keep them away from the disease" Zara explains, "But that makes more sense. So, in theory, there are bodies wandering around in their world that we might know. We really need to put a stop to this. Perhaps if we talked to the people themselves? Go around Haggleford."

"If money isn't an issue, Ava, then you should take some time off. Be here all the time, doing your research and getting Nimue where she should be. No need for a sitter" Zara suggests. "And, yes, your father is a wonderful man" she adds with a smile.

"The sooner you talk to Deacon about your...needs...the better. Don't live a lie and the longer you leave it, the more intertwined you become, the more it is going to hurt someone. If not both of you."

"We have to find a way to get there. Which, involves a portal. I'm working on it," Ava offers softly. "We found the last portal that he used, but if there's any truth to the plague information, they we have to go in with full hazmat. That's going to stick out a little bit in that world we saw." Ava scrubs her face. "Haggleford has to go. One way or another."

Eyes slant towards Zara, a smile quirking at her lips. "You make it all sound very easy, Zee. I wish it were all that simple."

"Being honest is always easy. Hearing it is the hard part" Zara sighs. "Why do we have to go in with full Hazmat? The reason they are using our bodies is that we are immune. At least that is the impression I got. Though, you're right, we should take precautions until we can be sure. You never know, it may frighten the hell out of people in the other world and they'll cower before us."

A nod to Nimue. "Perhaps this gift is the key to a cure? Who knows what secrets her blood may hold? At least, until tomorrow."

"They could be taking the bodies and keeping them in a quarantined area away from the sick. Dalamar said the reason they didn't want to work with us is because they didn't want to risk contaminating us and our world. Which means they do fear that it could spread here. Or it was a cop out. It's hard to tell. So much run around."

Ava leans against Zara's shoulder with a sigh. "I really hope not. I don't want them coming after her. I'll have to light every single one of them on fire. I will, too. I'll burn them all to ashes if I have to."

Zara leans her head on Ava's in turn. It seems someone, despite protestations, is getting rather attached to Nimue. "I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't want to work with us because this 'disease' is all the work of Haggleford. Gosh, when did I get so suspicious. Some people in power say whatever they need to stay in power." Zara turns her head slightly to place a comforting kiss upon the top of Ava's head. "You going to try and get some sleep?" she whispers. "Leave Aunty Z to watch over Nimue for a while? I only seem to come here these days to watch people sleep."

"You might be right. What we saw of those people could have been a lie. But if there's a grain of truth to it, I don't want to risk spreading it here." The kiss to her head makes Ava smile. "No. You've been drinking, too. You're going to stay the night and sleep as well. We'll just move her to the bassinet upstairs. Come on."