Mortality

Chapter 6: Shared Burden

Regan rushes over and opens the door to his operating room where he fixed CLive over a year ago. He holds it open for CLive and Edith and shuts it behind them before walking over to the terminal, powering it on, and beginning to type on the keypad. He then turns and walks over to the table across from the large window and picks up a black and blue band.

He looks at CLive and hands it to him. "Here, put this on. Then we can get started," he says and returns to the terminal. CLive studies the band curiously.

"What is this?" he asks.

Regan chuckles. "Right. Should've started with that. Just put it around your head, and it will monitor your emotion levels. That's what we need to make an implant based on your emotions," he explains.

CLive nods and slips the band onto his head. He eyes Regan and crosses his arms. "Alright, now what?" he asks.

Regan keeps his eyes on the terminal. "Now, to collect enough energy for the implant, I'm going to need your emotions to spike..." he says as he keeps typing.

Edith and CLive jump and stand tense with panicked eyes trained on Regan. "What?!" Edith shudders.

Regan quickly turns around and looks at their paled faces. He gasps and shakes his head, holding up his hands. "Oh no. No that is not what I meant! I just mean I need you to have a sudden burst of emotion! I didn't mean... I'm sorry, I forgot that you... What you went through to become what you are... Please, I'm sorry." He looks away.

CLive and Edith release their breaths and relax a bit. Edith glares at Regan. "It's fine, just... Maybe word it better next time."

Regan nods and looks back to the terminal. "I... I will. Again, I'm sorry..." He clears his throat. "Now... Unfortunately, that didn't count as a burst of emotions as I hadn't started the detector yet. It's going now, so just feel something very strongly and suddenly," he says.

CLive nods. "Alright, just let me think..." He looks away. Regan shakes his head.

"No! No thinking. That would make the implant be a mental link. We need emotion. Don't think, just feel," he explains and keeps his attention on the terminal. There are a few blue bars that rise and fall as they mimic the glow from the band on CLive.

Edith watches as CLive struggles to feel a sudden emotion and purses her lips, narrowing her eyes on him as she thinks. "...Regan. Can it be just any emotion?" she asks and looks at him. Regan nods.

"Yes! So long as it is strong and sudden, it will work!"

Edith slowly nods as she looks down and bites her lip, resisting a smile. CLive stares at her.

"Doll? What is it?" he asks.

She takes a deep breath. "CLive..." She meets his eyes. "...I'm pregnant."

The blue band illuminates bright as his face completely pales. "What?!" he shouts. Regan claps and quickly types into the keypad.

"It worked! I—Wait, what?" He turns and looks back at Edith as well.

She can't resist the hysterical laugh that escapes her at seeing CLive's face. "I'm kidding! I'm sorry, CLive! But, hey, it worked!" She walks towards him and pulls him into a big hug as she sees the fear physically leave his body. Despite the small amount of guilt for scaring him, she can't stop laughing giddily.

He growls and drops back to lean against the metal bed behind him, leaving her arms. He puts his hand over his EPC and takes deep breaths. "Wait, but we've never even—"

He stares at her as she laughs more, pulling him back into her hug. "I'm sorry, CLive!" She pats him on the back.

He shakes his head and pushes her off him. "Nope. I will never forgive you for this. My God, Edith... You almost gave me a heart attack and I don't even have a heart..." He breathes heavily as he calms himself down.