GEN III: Chapter 6

Hayden started the morning off with an urge to do some inventing. He figured it wouldn't upset Isabel that much, since he hadn't done anything of the sort in many, many months. He missed it sometimes, today was one of those days. When he got down to his workbench he realized that he had used up the last of his scrap material. He sighed and rethought the whole idea, but the urge to do it was stronger, so he left for the dump to go through trash piles for half a day. He planned to pick up tons of scraps.

Charlie and Daphne woke up later than usual, due to staying up so late the previous night. Both of them still just wanted to spent some more time alone together, so Charlie challenged Daphne to a game of darts.

James's old room was slowly turning into a small game room, starting with a new dartboard.

Only two shots into the game, Daphne got extremely nauseous and had to run out. She heard Charlie call something behind her, but didn't really hear what it was.


She managed to make it all the way to the bathroom before her stomach released it's contents. When she finished she brushed her teeth. Daphne wondered what brought it on, she had no warning, or any other signs of illness.

When she came out of the bathroom Charlie was sitting at the computer.

"Game over I guess?" Asked Daphne. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"It's cool, actually I have a lot of writing to do for work anyway. Since I'm off today, I have to take advantage of the available time." Charlie explained.

"Oh okay, well I'm going to read a book." She pulled from the shelf just a random book for reading.



Isabel came upstairs and greeted Charlie, then Daphne. When she glanced at Daphne she noticed the book her daughter in law was reading.

"Are you pregnant?" Her question was full of shock, and undeniably - joy.

Daphne's head jerked up at the question, "NO. No, I'm not, I just happened to choose this book to read, that's all. No biggie."

Charlie had been startled by his mother's question as well, and turned to hear Daphne's answer. When she said no, he let out a small sigh. He halfway wanted her to have said yes.

Isabel said "Oh... okay. Well, enjoy the book." She walked off to her room to clean the bathroom and make her bed.

Daphne's gaze followed Isabel. Her mind started to work. 'I'm not pregnant. I can't be. Right? Charlie and I have been careful about that.' Then she remembered their wedding night. 'Oh, well I guess we haven't always been so careful. Oh no.' The thought in itself made the nausea resurface and within twenty seconds she was back in the bathroom. Then she noticed that she was already tired, nearly exhausted. She hadn't been up that long, why would she be tired?

That realisation made her pick up her phone and make an appointment with the doctor. She had just read about that being a symptom of pregnancy. The nurse accepted her emergency and got her in right away.

Daphne was at the hospital within ten minutes. She didn't think anyone saw her actually leave the house. Inside the waiting room she signed the admittance sheet and sat down. The wait wasn't long before she heard her name called. Daphne smiled when the nurse called "Daphne Fuller", it made her realize again that she was married to Charlie.

Daphne took a breath and followed the nurse into that little room. She had her blood pressure taken, and was told to pee in a cup. They were doing the simple five minute pregnancy test. While they were waiting, the nurse assured Daphne that her blood pressure was fine and she was sure everything would be alright. Daphne received some pamphlets about safe sex, and also some about the first trimester of pregnancy. By the time they were finished talking about the papers the test was complete.

It was positive.

Daphne's mind was blank. She couldn't tell if she was happy, or if she wasn't. She hadn't thought about children, not once. Before she knew it, she was out in the car. Just sitting there, trying to absorb the new information. She drove home. What she going to say to her new family? Was she even going to tell them?

When Daphne walked in the door, she still had not figured out what to do and ended up just standing there.

Isabel was making dinner for everyone and walked out of the kitchen with her own plate. She noticed Daphne, and also her expression.

"Daph, honey are you okay? You seem a little pale." Isabel noted that Daphne also looked confused and worried. Her question remained unanswered. "Daphne?"


















"Huh? Oh, oh yeah. Um Yes, I'm fine." Daphne muttered, then she saw what Isabel had on her plate. Sushi. "Oh no!" Daphne's stomach turned over and she felt the urge to vomit yet again and ran to the bathroom.

This action was not missed by Isabel. She would have to watch her daughter in law a little more carefully.

Daphne came out of the bathroom after rinsing her mouth, then went to the kitchen. She came out with a simple piece of toast with jelly on it. Isabel scrunched up her face at Daphne's choice of meal. By this time everyone else had finally made their way down to get dinner. No one had their eye on Daphne like Isabel did.



When she was almost finished with her toast, Daphne looked at Charlie. 'Do I tell him tonight? maybe I should wait until tomorrow, when he is fully energized and aware. No. Maybe tonight would be better.' She thought to herself.

She decided it would be better to tell him as soon as possible, after all it was his baby too. After dinner the family went to bed. Daphne suggested her and Charlie talk for a minute.










Daphne and Charlie relaxed in the bed. Daphne was still slightly unsure about how to proceed. Maybe directness was the best way.

"Charlie." She took a big breath, then let it out. "I'm pregnant."

Charlie looked at her, shock written all over his face. That shock was very quickly replaced with pleasure, and he was out of the bed and pulling her into a tight hug before she knew it. She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.

"Oh gosh, really? WOW, when did you find out? This is AWESOME! How.." Charlie started on the questions but Daphne quieted him before he went too far.

She giggled just a little bit and told him how she had gotten sick when they were playing darts, and when she read her book. Also the incident with the sushi.

"I guess I will have to get used to wearing these.."

Daphne changed into some maternity clothes. Charlie's smile was so big, Daphne thought his face was about to break. Suddenly he wrapped his arms around her in another very tight embrace and kissed her. Then he whispered, "Thank you. Thank you, Daphne."

She wasn't positive why he was thanking her, but she had a pretty good idea. She knew he had thought about children before, even if she hadn't.



Just outside the door, Isabel happened to be walking by as Daphne and Charlie's conversation started. She had heard that Daphne was expecting. Isabel couldn't be happier. She and Hayden were about to have a grandchild! This was amazing news and she couldn't wait to tell Hayden.

"Wait, maybe I should leave that to the mother to be." Isabel said - very softly - to herself. "I would want people to be surprised." She decided not to tattle, and went to bed instead. She dreamt that night of babies, little clothes, and cuddling a new infant.

Daphne and Charlie went to bed as well. Daphne fell asleep pretty quickly because she was so tired, but Charlie laid in bed with his eyes wide open for over an hour before drifting off. His dreams were more like nightmares. He dreamed of the baby coming out with one eye only, and in the middle of it's forehead. He dreamt of problems with the delivery and neither one of his new loves making it out. Charlie woke up many times that night in a cold sweat.