Operation Rescue - The New Co-Ed; Chapter 16 free porn video

Operation Rescue: The New Co-Ed Chapter 16 - Once More Unto the Breach A young man gets in trouble and loses his scholarship. It looks like his dream of college to escape a poor future is doomed - until he sees an ad recruiting 'adoption facilitators'. Tommi's is ready for her second transfer, but she has a conflict in timing between mid-terms and her hormones being ready. Then things get really interesting. [email protected] ********************************************************************** Tommi fidgeted in the chair, waiting. She felt very nervous. She needed permission from the Dean to allow her to postpone her mid-terms. For the most part, her professors had no sympathy for her because of her scheduled medical procedure. She knew that the professors had the discretion to allow rescheduling on their own; the fact that only one had allowed it led her to believe that the Dean was still following her like a predator, waiting for an opportunity to deprive her of her dream of a college education. "Miss Wilson," the Dean's secretary announced, "the Dean will see you now." When Tommi arrived for the appointment, she had hoped that the matronly secretary would be cordial, polite, and possibly even friendly. However, when Tommi introduced herself, the woman's demeanor was distant and formal. Tommi felt a dread that her name was still on the Dean's "shit list". Tommi rose and smoothed her skirt. "Thank you," she said politely, even though she knew any response would be icy. Without prompting, she walked nervously through the open door into the Dean's office. Without turning his chair away from his computer, the Dean spoke, "Please close the door." Tommi gulped; it was standard policy to leave an open door when meeting with students. A few years ago, a co-ed had made an accusation of sexual harassment against a faculty member, and the resulting ugliness had prompted "preventative measures". She shut the door and turned back to the Dean's massive and imposing desk. "Sit down," the Dean ordered. Tommi cautiously sat in the large leather-covered chair opposite the Dean. By now, it was habit for her to smooth her skirt as she sat and to keep her legs crossed in a modest position. She'd been doing that for so long that she was no longer aware of these feminine gestures. The Dean spun his chair toward her. "Miss Wilson," he said, with undue emphasis on the word 'Miss'. "I see you have requested a delay in your mid-term exams." "Yes, sir," Tommi gulped. "I have a medical ..." "I didn't ask for your excuse," the Dean interrupted. He picked up a paper from his desk and scanned it briefly. "Your grades are acceptable, and I see your instructors rate you as diligent and studious." He smiled, a cobra staring down a mouse. "But they wouldn't grant you extra time, would they? You know the policies. Mid-terms are not to be rescheduled, except for serious problems. Failure to complete the mid-term exams on time, unless there is an approved excuse, results in failure of the course and potential dismissal from this University. You understand that, do you not?" He sounded threatening in his tone and choice of words, particularly when he emphasized the consequence of dismissal. "Yes, sir." Tommi gulped again. "I presume you are asking for approval for a legitimate reason?" Tommi nodded weakly. She felt much more intimidated by the Dean now than she had only a year ago in the earlier confrontations. For a few seconds, she considered whether being a woman _really_ made a difference in feeling weaker and more easily intimidated. "Yes, sir. I have a pre-scheduled medical procedure that I must complete. It has to be scheduled around ... certain biological timing constraints," she added, feeling herself blush slightly as she tried to euphemistically indicate her period. "Is this procedure associated with a life-threatening medical condition, or is it an elective procedure?" From the tone of his question, the Dean already knew the answer, but was enjoying his exercise of power. "I have a contract that I must fulfill," Tommi began. "I asked if it was necessary or elective," the Dean interrupted. Tommi swallowed. "It is necessary to fulfill my contract." The Dean leaned forward, steepling his hands and glaring at Tommi. "So it isn't a procedure to correct a life-threatening condition." Tommi felt her anger rising. She took a deep breath to try to stay calm. "It's life threatening to the baby who will be aborted if I don't have the procedure done," she said defensively. The Dean scowled menacingly. "But it isn't life-threatening to you, correct?" "No," Tommi admitted sheepishly, looking down at her lap, cowed by the Dean's tactics of intimidation. "Mister Thomas Wilson," the Dean began, accentuating each word. Tommi looked up sharply, surprised, but yet not completely. Even though she had hope otherwise, she realistically expected that the Dean would know who she was, and more importantly, who she _used_ to be. "Yes, Mister Wilson. I know your background as a troublemaker. I remember you _quite_ well." The Dean glowered at her. "I find nothing in your request that would merit granting a waiver." Tommi stiffened. She expected this outcome. "If I don't have the procedure during the week mid-terms, a baby may die. I will be in violation of my contract, and could lose my stipend. I know you can grant exceptions..." "Very noble, _Miss_ Wilson," the Dean said, with a mocking emphasis on the gender term. "But it is of no concern to this University whether a baby is aborted or not, and your private contractual obligations do not override this University's policies and procedures. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, sir," Tommi responded, bitter defeat in her voice. "Very well. This meeting is over. Good day." He turned back toward his computer in a display of arrogant superiority and dismissal. Tommi rose and walked out of his office, feeling her lip trembling. Whether out of anger or sadness, she wasn't quite sure; both emotions raged within her at the Dean's arrogance and unwillingness to consider her plight. As she walked past the secretary, the older woman looked up at Tommi. "I'm sorry, dear," she whispered. Tommi started - it was the first display of humanity from anyone in the Dean's office. She looked down at the older woman, her expression impassive as she struggled with containing her emotions. "Thank you," she whispered in reply before walking stiffly from the outer office. As she walked, she realized that what she'd dreaded was the truth. The Dean had made sure that every one of her professors was informed that she was to get absolutely no leeway on _anything_. She was still in his crosshairs. ********** "I'm sorry, Tommi, but we can't do that!" Rachel said emphatically. Tommi turned to Dr. Tina. "But it is possible, isn't it?" She sat in the small conference room at the clinic with both Rachel and Dr. Tina. She'd explained her predicament, and was hoping to find a solution. Dr. Tina winced and glanced uneasily at Rachel. "Well, yes," she began hesitantly, "it _is_ possible to slow things down a bit." Tommi felt a surge of hope. "Can we do it?" "I know what the medical literature says. I know it's technically possible." Dr. Tina shook her head. "It's very unorthodox, and the process has some very serious risks. I _really_ don't recommend it." Rachel nodded her agreement. "I'm sorry, Tommi." Tommi shook her head. "But I _have_ to! Don't you see? If I can't delay the transfer, I'll get kicked out of school!" Rachel sighed. "Tommi, I've told you before that the Foundation is more than willing to support a legal challenge against the University." Tommi shook her head. "Yeah, I know. But how long will that take? Months? Years?" Rachel lowered her gaze, nodding sadly. "Unfortunately, yes. Legal actions like that tend to take time." "I don't have time," Tommi countered. "I _have_ to stay in school!" She glanced back and forth between the two women. "Do you have any other alternatives?" Rachel glanced at Dr. Tina, who was frowning. Rachel sighed. "No, I don't," she replied softly. She looked at Dr. Tina again. "I know you don't want to do what Tommi's suggesting, but can we try?" Dr. Tina closed her eyes in thought for a bit. "When did your last period start?" she asked Tommi. Tommi felt a hope resurging. "Four days ago," she answered. In the back of her mind, Tommi felt like laughing. A year ago, after her first confrontation with the Dean, and later, after her surgery, she found discussion about menstruation and other woman's issues highly embarrassing. Now, these topics seemed routine. Dr. Tina nodded. "I'll have to go study up on the process, because I've never done it on a human being." She glanced at Rachel. "I'd love to have Isabel down here from the main lab to help me out on this." Rachel touched her iPad and made a note. "I'll see what I can arrange. At the very least, I'll set up some teleconferences for you with the Foundation researchers." Dr. Tina turned back to Tommi. "As soon as you're done menstruating, we're going to start a series of daily shots. The hormones will delay the start of your cycle for a few days. Following that, once we have the timing down, we'll change hormones and nudge your cycle to where we need it." She frowned. "This is going to be uncomfortable," she cautioned Tommi, and you'll be here twice a day for monitoring. We'll have to very closely monitor your endometrium to make sure everything is normal." "I understand," Tommi began. Dr. Tina shook her head. "I _really_ don't want to do this," she added. "You're going to be very uncomfortable and moody. There is a small chance of uterine hemorrhaging or other reproductive system damage. The procedure has some real dangers." Tommi gulped. The information she'd gleaned from the medical textbooks hadn't said much about the potential serious consequences. All she'd learned is that it was theoretically possible to delay her cycle, and thus avoid missing her mid-terms. "Now we've got the other problem," Rachel sighed. "I've got four potential donors that I've got to see if I can juggle to get their schedule revised. That is, _if_ we can be sure that we'll have hosts ready for an altered transfer timeline." She looked at Tommi. "No promises, understand? But I'll see if I can work things out." "I understand." "Good." Rachel tried to give Tommi a hopeful smile, but she failed. She really didn't like the idea of using this procedure and didn't want Tommi to undergo it, but she had to weigh the other concerns. "It'll be good to know how to do this for the future," she said to Dr. Tina, trying to persuade the reluctant doctor that it _was_ really a good thing. Rachel glanced back at Tommi. "Oh, and Tommi?" Rachel began. "Yes?" Tommi wasn't expecting any more discussion. "I think you looked better as a brunette," Rachel said with a smile, to which Tommi blushed. ********** "I wish they didn't run mid-terms like finals week," Tommi sighed as she leaned back and stretched. She hadn't taken a break from her books for hours. "Don't we all," Katie said the obvious. "Yeah," Tommi countered, "but you're not all cramped up!" "True. Speaking of which, don't you think you better scoot to get down to the clinic for your evening checkup?" Tommi glanced at the clock. "Oh, crap!" she muttered. "I almost forgot about that!" She leaped to her feet and grabbed her purse. "I'll be back in a few." As Tommi strode quickly through the halls, she met Sara, who was returning to her room. "What's up?" Sara asked lightly. "Gotta run. I've got my checkup, and I almost forgot about it." Sara turned abruptly. "I need a break. Can I come along?" Tommi paused and glanced at her. "I suppose," she replied, "but it's pretty boring. There's not a lot to do in the waiting room." "At least we'll have a few minutes to talk on the way there and on the way back." Sara sighed. "College tests are a lot harder than high school ones." Tommi nodded her agreement. "Yeah. And it'll get a little harder every year. The good thing is that you get used to it." "Gee, that's something to look forward to," Sara said sarcastically. When they arrived at the clinic, Tommi was sent straight back to the lab area, while Sara was kept out front because of privacy rules. Tommi noticed that Sara quickly engaged in lively conversation with Suzie. Tommi smiled; Suzie was very friendly and quick to win over people. "You're almost too late," Deb chided as Tommi stopped at the nurse's desk. "Dr. Tina was about ready to leave, and then we'd have had to call her back in, and she'd have gotten upset!" "I was studying and lost track of time," Tommi admitted sheepishly. "Sorry." "Well, no harm today. Let's get your weight, and then we'll get you back for your checkup and shot." Already familiar with the procedure, Tommi was already on the scale. "You've put on another pound," Deb reported, disapproving of Tommi's weight. "What do you expect?" Tommi retorted. "I'm retaining a ton of water! I feel like a whale!" "Room three." Tommi marched down the hall, following Deb, even though she was familiar enough with the clinic to not need directions. As soon as Deb closed the door, Tommi began to undo her blouse, so she could slip into the gown that Deb handed her. "I know - change and wait for the doctor." Deb grinned. "My job is so much easier once I get the patients trained." As soon as Deb closed the door, Tommi kicked off her shoes and pulled off her jeans and panties. Her bra came off next, and she pulled on the examination gown, not even bothering to tie it. She knew the procedure. If she tied the gown, she'd only be unfastening it in a minute or two. Lastly, she arranged her clothes neatly on one of the chairs and sat on the table, waiting. It was another gesture of femininity that she was unconsciously doing, a new habit that she'd picked up over the past year. Dr. Tina entered moments later. "You're late," she said, echoing Deb's words from minutes before. "Yeah. Studying." Dr. Tina smiled knowingly. "You don't need to say more. I had way too many years of late nights and weekends studying in college and med school." She swung out the stirrups. "Okay, let's have a look." Tommi swung her legs up on the table and into the stirrups. "You know, it's kind of funny," she commented, "a year ago, I was scared to death and felt humiliated by these exams. Now, they don't bother me." Dr. Tina laughed. "I'll take that as a sign that you're psychologically healthy and that we're doing a good job and helping you adjust." Tommi suddenly looked lost in thought, with a small frown. Dr. Tina noticed. "What?" Tommi tried to dismiss her concern. "Nothing." "Not buying it. What?" Tommi sighed. "Because I feel ... normal getting a gyno exam, does it mean that I'm losing my male self? Am I getting too comfortable being a woman?" "That's not my specialty," Dr. Tina answered honestly. "You'll have to discuss that with Rachel." She turned her attention to the exam. When she completed the intimate inspection on Tommi, she let her drop her legs, and wheeled out the ultrasound machine. Again, Tommi knew the routine and opened her gown. Tommi flinched when Dr. Tina squirted on the cold ultrasound jelly. "Sorry. I grabbed the wrong bottle," she apologized. "You did that just to get back at me for making you stay late," Tommi laughed. "No, but that's not a bad idea!" Dr. Tina joined the mirth. For several minutes, she moved the probe around Tommi's belly, watching the screen intently, and occasionally interacting with the keyboard and trackball. Eventually, she lifted the probe and wiped it. "Okay, all done." "And?" Tommi asked nervously. "Everything looks good," Dr. Tina replied. "Better than I'd hoped, actually." She pushed the cart back out of the way. "Go ahead and get dressed, and then Deb can take some blood and give you your hormone shot." "So things look good for Saturday?" Dr. Tina nodded. "Yes. In fact, if your hormones are still at the levels we saw yesterday, you'll be in better shape this time than you were for your first." "Do you want to do another check of my," Tommi glanced down at her exposed breasts, "girls?" Dr. Tina laughed. "You wouldn't have said _that_ last year, either! No, I think we can skip that today." "Okay," Tommi said nonchalantly. "I don't think they've grown much lately, so hopefully they're as big as they're going to get. But I wish they'd have gone down a little more after I stopped pumping." "It's hard to tell if they're still growing, since they were engorged for lactation, and that size is being lost. They might still be growing, and we don't know. Unfortunately, your genes have a lot more to say about your final size than I do. And your genes said you are going to be a ... healthy girl. Now get dressed, and Deb will be with you in a couple of minutes." The doctor ducked out the door, closing it behind her. Tommi slid out of the gown and paused a moment to look at herself. She marveled at the difference a year had made. Dr. Tina wasn't kidding; Tommi had very healthy breasts. She was a little bigger than a D-cup, even after losing a size. The diet and exercise had toned her stomach such that, apart from the faint stretch marks, she didn't look like she'd had a baby. Tommi's waist was nicely narrowed, but not overly so, and her hips widened enough to give her a good figure without being too "broad in the beam," as she used to say. Tommi felt mostly content with her body, but a small part of her mind found that contentment to be upsetting. Had she lost her male self? She didn't know. Even as Tommi pulled on her pants, the nagging thoughts of who she really was continued. Her panties were lacy and daring, something that she'd have been shocked by only a year ago. Her bra was similarly feminine, and as she pulled the straps over her shoulders, she couldn't help noticing how her bra did nothing to minimize her assets, but instead pushed them up and together, emphasizing her generous curves and creating a luscious valley of cleavage. Tommi had to wiggle to get into her tight jeans, with the result that they clung to her hips and rear and displayed her feminine curves. She pulled on her knit top, noticing how it stretched over her breasts but clung tightly to her waist, and how the neck scooped low to show the tops of her boobs. Tommi pulled her long hair from her neckline, flipping it out behind her in a graceful and very non-masculine motion. Even as she noted these movements and details, she didn't seem too concerned. After Deb drew the blood sample and gave her a painful injection of hormones, Tommi strode down the hall toward the reception area. She had to admit that she was feeling pretty good about how things were moving toward the procedure. True, the extra hormones made her feel extra bloated, and there was an occasional twinge that wasn't pleasant, but Dr. Tina was very satisfied with her health. She'd dodged the Dean's latest attempt to get her out of school. She was going to get her next baby on Saturday. Sara was at school with her. As she considered things, Tommi felt content with how her life was going. Sara wasn't in the waiting room. Tommi frowned, looking around again. She turned to Suzie. "Where's Sara?" Suzie looked up from her computer. "I think she's talking to Rachel. Let me page Rachel and see." She picked up the phone and pressed a button. "Is Sara with you?" There was a brief pause. "Tommi's done." Another pause. " Okay, I'll tell her." She put down the phone. "She'll be right out." "Why...?" Tommi began, concerned about why Rachel would want to talk to Sara. Suzie laughed. "You're too suspicious," she observed. "You know, your sister is very bright, and very curious. And she's a really nice kid." Tommi smiled. "She's the best sister in the world." "That's so sweet," Suzie commented. "You two are lucky you have such a good relationship. Not all families do." Tommi nodded her agreement. "Yeah, I know. My older sister doesn't get along with either of us. She's just a ... bitch." "She's probably jealous," Suzie replied quickly. "No. I think she was born that way," Tommi laughed. Sara and Rachel emerged into the waiting area, both smiling and laughing. Tommi was immediately curious, and a little suspicious, of what they found amusing. Sara noticed the expression on Tommi's face. "Don't worry," she said, still smiling. "We weren't talking about you." Rachel took Sara's hand. "It was very nice to meet you," she said warmly. "I hope you'll come by from time to time with Tommi. And I'm glad Tommi has someone else to help look after her. We've found out that she sometimes doesn't listen to us, so we're happy for all the help we can get!" Tommi scowled, but it was obviously playful. "I do _too_ pay attention!" she complained. "When you want to," Suzie added, joining in the kidding. Tommi turned to Sara. "See what I have to put up with! Let's get back to the dorm. I've got some studying to do before the test tomorrow." She turned quickly back toward Suzie. "I forgot - I've got a seven a.m. test tomorrow! Can you please tell Dr. Tina that I'll be in as soon as my test is done, but I can't make it first thing?" Suzie was already typing on her keyboard. "Consider it done. See you in the morning." Sara and Tommi walked silently back to the car. For Tommi, it seemed odd that Sara was chatting with Rachel; she knew Rachel kept close tabs on her and would love to have Sara as an extra set of eyes and ears. She hoped that Sara wasn't going to be another spy. For her part, Sara realized that Tommi was uncomfortable that she'd been visiting with the staff. After all, this was Tommi's clinic, her experiences, her friends and doctors. She understood that Tommi might think she was moving in to Tommi's territory. Despite how close they'd gotten, Sara knew that Tommi needed her own space. Once in the car, Sara could hold her tongue no longer. "Tommi," she blurted out, "I'm sorry if I was intruding on your space. I know how important the staff at the clinic is to you, and I know you have a relationship with them. I didn't mean to be pushing my way in." Tommi waited for her to finish. "It's okay. I shouldn't feel so possessive," she admitted. "I know you're curious, and you want to help take care of me, so I'll try to be less ... selfish." If Tommi hadn't been driving, Sara would have wrapped her arms around her sister in joy. "I just want to be part of your life," she explained. "I'm curious about what you're going through. Maybe I figured subconsciously that if I knew more, I'd be able to help you - you know, with emotional support." "I appreciate it," Tommi said with heartfelt conviction. "And I need to not be so closed. I need to learn to let people help me." She shook her head. "It's hard. It's not how I spent my first eighteen and a half years." She smiled. "Anyway, Suzie loves you. She said you're smart and sweet, and hopes you'll visit more." Sara blushed. "I just wanted to be nice, so they wouldn't think badly of you because of me." "But you better watch it," Tommi warned playfully. "Give them an inch, and Suzie and Rachel will be trying to persuade you of the nobility of their cause, and to get you to sign up as a volunteer host mother!" It was a good thing it was dark outside, because Tommi couldn't see the surprised expression on Sara's face. ********* "Ready?" Tommi smiled weakly as she lay on the gurney. "Is this d?j? vu? Seems like I just did this." Suzie smiled as she held Tommi's hand. "And I seem to recall that I promised that you'd do well. And I will again. I know you'll do super!" Tommi glanced to her other side. "I'll be okay," she said to Sara. Sara was fighting back tears. "I know," she sniffled. "But ... I'm scared for you. You've been through this, but I haven't." "I know. Suzie will help you understand what's happening, so you don't worry so much. I'll be fine." As Tommi squeezed Sara's hand, Rachel trudged into the pre-op suite. She glanced around quickly. "Where's Tina?" she asked, not bothering with pleasantries. Tommi glanced up, and noticed that Rachel looked haggard, like she hadn't slept for days. She'd left her suit coat somewhere, and her blouse and skirt were a bit rumpled. "She was here a minute ago." "Okay." She turned to leave, but turned back a moment. "Sorry," she apologized. "I forgot to say hi and to ask how you're doing. I've been a bit distracted." "I'm doing fine," Tommi reported. "But Sara is a nervous wreck." Rachel smiled, a tired expression on her face. "We'll help her not be nervous," she promised. She turned and spied Dr. Tina in the corridor. "Tina!" she called out as she scurried from the room. Tommi frowned as she watched Rachel leave. It wasn't like Rachel to be so stiff and formal, nor to look so worn out. She saw the two women engage in conversation in the hall. While Tommi couldn't hear, she noted that the conversation seemed quite animated. Rachel was very insistent about something, and Dr. Tina was objecting pretty strenuously. They weren't shouting at each other, but it was obviously an intense discussion. Finally, Dr. Tina dropped her head, nodding slowly, and accepted whatever Rachel had been insisting upon. Dr. Tina walked into the pre-op suite, putting on a happy face. "How are you doing?" she asked pleasantly, but her eyes betrayed that she was still a bit rattled by the conversation. "I'm ready," Tommi said warily, "but I've got a question." "Okay." "What's up?" Dr. Tina's eyes narrowed suspiciously, even though she was trying to feign innocence. "What do you mean?" Tommi shook her head. "C'mon, Dr. Tina. I saw that Rachel looked pretty tired, and then the two of you had a rather ... intense discussion. What's up? Is it something about my transfer?" Dr. Tina tried to act normal, but she wasn't an actress by any stretch of the imagination. "Nothing really." She looked at Suzie, and mouthed the words, "Get Rachel now!" so Tommi wouldn't see. Suzie walked quickly from the room, and as soon as she was in the hall, she ran to the nurse's station and the intercom there. Dr. Tina continued. "We might have to delay your procedure a bit because of the donor's readiness." In moments, Rachel was back in the room. She glanced around. "I'd like to talk with Tommi and Tina privately," she said in a commanding voice. "It won't take but a minute." Sara looked nervous, but Tommi squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'll be right outside," Sara said as she left. When Deb also left, Rachel closed the door. Tommi swallowed nervously. This was not normal. "What's going on?" Rachel sighed. "I probably look like hell. I've been in conference calls with the Foundation for the past twenty hours." She paused, contemplating how she should tell Tommi what she had to say. "We got a request. A very specific and very unusual request, and it's so far outside our guidelines that we had to run it past management." "I assume it's got something to do with me," Tommi said as he glanced back and forth between Dr. Tina and Rachel. Rachel nodded. "A girl contacted me. She's pregnant and quite afraid. That part's normal. What _isn't_ normal is that she made a very specific request that _you_ carry her baby to term." Tommi's eyes popped open in shock. She glanced at Dr. Tina, who nodded. "But ... how?" Rachel bit her lower lip. "Our policy is that we _never_ let the donor and the host know each other's identities. We do everything we can to _prevent_ what this girl asked." "Wow!" Tommi mouthed softly. "Wow is right. We had to talk to the highest levels of management on this one. The girl was quite adamant that she'd abort the baby if _you_ didn't carry it." Tommi let her head drop on her pillow. "Holy shit!" she muttered. Then a thought occurred to her. "How would she know ...?" Rachel and Dr. Tina shook their heads. "We don't know," Rachel said quietly. "So we have to rework the schedule today." "I take it management said okay?" Rachel shook her head. "Management decided that it wasn't their call. It's okay with the Foundation if _you_ decide to go along. It's your choice. It could get ... interesting for you, since the donor obviously knows you." Tommi looked up at Dr. Tina, her eyes filled with uncertainty. She wanted advice, badly. Dr. Tina shrugged. "It's your call," she said simply. Tommi closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them again, she looked up at Rachel. "Okay, let's do it." Rachel's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?" Tommi nodded. "It's a baby. It deserves to live. And some girl trusts me to take care of it and deliver it to a 'forever family'. How can I supposed to say no to her?" ********** Tommi woke up slowly. She moved her eyes to one side and then the other. She tried to smile when she saw Sara. "She's waking up," Sara called out to a nurse. Sara turned her attention back to Tommi. "You did great. Dr. Tina said everything went perfectly." Tommi nodded. "Thirsty," she croaked. Her throat was raw from the breathing tube, and she wanted something cool and wet to take the edge off the irritation. Deb hovered into view opposite Sara. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she glanced at the monitors. "Tired," Tommi croaked. "Thirsty." "You can give her some ice chips," Deb instructed Sara. "Start with a couple to see how she does, first." "Okay." Sara reached for Tommi's mouth, giving her small bits of ice. "Open up." Tommi let the ice melt in her mouth, savoring the wetness and the chill as it seeped down her tortured throat. "More," Tommi mouthed. Even whispering hurt. Sara gave her a couple more ice chips. "I got to watch," she said, excitedly. "They have a viewing gallery in the operating room, just like in the movies, and Rachel let me watch your procedure!" "Your little sister is _very_ interested in medicine, " Deb said. "It wouldn't surprise me if someday she's the doctor doing those procedures." Sara blushed. "I don't know if I want to be a doctor," she said meekly. "But it was really interesting. And it looks so complicated!" She gave Tommi a couple more ice chips. Dr. Tina appeared in Tommi's view. "Everything went well," she said with satisfaction. "The baby appears to be about ten to eleven weeks, so we're going to keep you an extra day just to be on the safe side." She looked up to Sara. "We normally prefer babies from fourteen to twenty weeks. Smaller babies are a bit more ... fragile. But Tommi's procedure went well. Her uterus is almost perfect for the transfer, so the placenta should vascularize quickly. Tommi should be up a little faster than her first procedure." Sara gave Tommi more ice. "Thanks for letting me watch," she said, sounding a bit awestruck by the experience. Dr. Tina shrugged. "Thank Rachel. I hear you were asking more questions than she could answer, and pretty detailed questions at that." She smiled. "You must have been a good student in biology." Sara blushed again. "I just pay attention." Dr. Tina smiled. "I think it's more than that." She glanced once more at Tommi's monitors. "We'll give her another half hour or so before we transfer her back to her room. Since she'll be pretty sleepy, you might want to go back and get some rest yourself." Sara shook her head. "I'm going to stay with my big sister as long as she needs me," she said as she squeezed Tommi's hand. Deb glanced at Dr. Tina. "Better put a cot in Tommi's room," Dr. Tina suggested. "I have a feeling that Sara's going to be spending the night." Sara glanced up at Dr. Tina and smiled. The doctor had practically read Sara's mind _and_ had given her permission to stay. ********** A knock interrupted Tommi's reading. She looked up and saw Rachel in the doorway. "Hi," Tommi greeted cheerfully. "Hi, Tommi," Rachel replied. "How are you doing?" Tommi shrugged. "Dr. Tina says I'm doing well. She said I might get to go back to the dorms in a couple of days." "And?" "Another week of bed rest in the dorms before I'm cleared to go back to classes," Tommi added. "Are you having any problems keeping up? Is there anything else we can do to help you?" Tommi smiled. "Thanks, but I've got everything I need. In fact, everyone is being too helpful!" "Oh?" Rachel seemed surprised. "Yeah," Tommi answered. "I don't have any excuses to not do my homework!" she laughed. "Well, you're going to all this trouble to stay in school, so we want to make sure you succeed," Rachel replied with a smile. "There is one thing that's hard, though." "What's that?" Tommi sighed. "I know Dr. Tina has to do regular checkups to make sure things are okay, and that the baby is properly settled into my uterus," she said, "but it's hard to do the internet classes when I keep getting interrupted for still another ultrasound or checkup or shot." She closed her eyes momentarily. "I wish they'd do a better job of scheduling the checkups and shots and examinations." "I'll let the staff know," Rachel said quickly. "Not all our clients are students, so we probably weren't sensitive enough to that issue. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention so we can fix the problem." Tommi grinned. "Sara would say that complaining is what I'm best at." "She's a sweet girl," Rachel offered. "You're lucky to have a sister like her." "And Katie," Tommi added quickly. "True. Katie is a good friend." Tommi shook her head. "She's more than a friend. We're like sisters. She considers me to be the little sister she never had, and I think of her as the big sister I _wish_ I had." "They're very good for you," Rachel commented. "I know, when you started, you didn't have much of a support group. Now, you've got family and friends close by to help you." "Yeah." Tommi turned to look at Rachel. "So, what's on your mind?" Rachel feigned innocence. "What? What makes you think something is on my mind?" Tommi laughed. "Because you have that look in your eyes." Rachel sighed heavily. "I must be losing it, if I can't hide my ulterior motives from you. Okay, there is something I need to talk to you about." Tommi closed the book in her lap. "You've got my attention," she said lightly. Rachel pulled up a chair and sat beside Tommi's bed. "You know that this transfer was ... irregular. The donor very specifically requested _you_ as the host." She shook her head. "That never happens. Well, at least until now, it had never happened." "Yeah," Tommi agreed. "But I'm okay with it." "The donor knows you. And you probably know her," Rachel added cautiously. "Yeah." "You've probably figured out that she _may_ want to meet with you," Rachel asked. She sounded uncertain, even nervous, about bringing the topic up with Tommi. Tommi nodded slowly. "Yeah. I already figured that might be a possibility." "I've had a lot of discussions with management," Rachel continued. "Everyone is on eggshells about this." Tommi lowered her head slightly. "I didn't mean to be such trouble." "You're not," Rachel countered quickly. "This situation would have come up someday anyway. You just drew the short straw." "Lucky me," Tommi said without enthusiasm. "What did you and the brass decide?" Rachel bit her lower lip for a moment. "They passed the buck to me. The problem is, I don't have the power to stop the donor from contacting you. Even if I did, I don't know that I have the right. It really should be your decision. Unfortunately, that's not even true. The donor can do what she wants to do." "That's what I figured," Tommi agreed. "So you're going to have to be prepared for an encounter that could be unpleasant. It could get ugly. Or it might never happen." ********** "Knock, knock!" The girl at the door called rather than rapping her knuckles. Tommi was resting on her side, her back to the door. She barely stirred at the greeting. "Hello?" the girl called again. Tommi rolled over, groggy, and looked toward the noise. "Huh?" "Maybe I should come back later when you're not napping," the girl suggested. Tommi clawed at the control and lifted her bed so she was sitting. "No, it's okay. I get plenty of naps around here. C'mon in." Jillian pulled a chair beside Tommi's bed and sat down. "I thought you might like some company." Tommi smiled. "Yeah, that'd be nice. With everyone's class schedules, I don't get a lot of visitors." "How are you doing?" Jillian asked, curious. "The nurse wouldn't tell me anything." "Yeah, it's health regulations and laws and stuff," Tommi grumbled. "I had to sign a ton of papers, so my _sister_ could get information about me. And it was worse to get my roommate, Katie, access, because she's not a relative!" "So?" Tommi smiled. "I'm doing okay. I get to go back to the dorm tomorrow." "I bet you're looking forward to that!" Jillian said. "Yeah. But I'll still be on restrictions for a week, so I won't be able to get out for a while. And I don't think the girls are too anxious to wait on me, unlike the staff around here. The staff is super. If I need anything, they'll jump to take care of me." "How's the ... baby?" Jillian asked hesitantly. Tommi smiled. "This isn't as bad as the first one, even though there were some delays and extra treatments before the surgery." "Yeah, I heard Daddy was a jackass to you again, and wouldn't let you postpone or advance your mid-terms." Jillian sounded angry about her father's interference. Tommi scowled at the memory. "Yeah, well, he doesn't like me much. But it all worked out." Jillian smiled. "I'm glad." Tommi nodded. "But I'm probably going to have another round with your dad around delivery time. They figure the baby is about nine weeks along, so if you count to when I'll be due, it's going to be right around finals week next semester." "Ten weeks." Jillian sounded very certain of herself. Tommi started. "No, Dr. Tina said it was about nine weeks." She looked at Jillian's sad expression, and Tommi's eyes widened, as she slowly realized what Jillian had said. "You're ..." Jillian nodded slowly and sadly. "Yeah. You're carrying my baby." "But ... why? How?" Jillian sighed. "I got careless. And when I got pregnant, I panicked. I couldn't tell Daddy. I was almost ready to have an abortion, even though it would have meant excommunication. But I got scared of that, too." Tommi leaned back into her pillow, staring at the ceiling, her expression sad. "So when you were being friendly ..." Jillian's eyes went wide with shock. "You think I was scoping out a host mother?" Tommi nodded sadly, unable to look at Jillian. She felt used. "Oh, no!" Jillian cried. "No! I wasn't! Even if you weren't doing this, I'd still want to be your friend!" Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "You're one person who understands what I've been going through! You care! When we started having coffee and stuff, I didn't even know I was pregnant yet! Please believe me, Tommi! I wasn't just planning to use you!" Tommi turned back to Jillian and saw how distraught she was. "Please believe me," Jillian begged. "I wouldn't do that to you!" Tommi didn't know why, but she wanted to believe Jillian. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just ..." Jillian nodded. "A little too coincidental? Yeah. But ... I _need_ you as my friend! I don't have anyone else!" "Is that why you ...?" Tommi halted, not knowing quite how to continue the question. Jillian looked down, embarrassed. "Maybe. I don't really know. I just needed someone to make me feel wanted and needed and cared for." Tommi sighed. "I know the feeling." "But since we started hanging out, I ... haven't ... " Jillian dropped her head. "I've got a reputation as a slut, don't I?" Tommi nodded. "Yeah." "I probably deserve it, too," Jillian said sadly. "But ... having someone who understands - I don't feel like I have to sleep with someone to feel wanted." Tommi looked into Jillian's eyes. Perhaps she was being naive, but she trusted Jillian. Her other friends didn't, but Tommi did. "You _are_ my friend," she said to Jillian softly. Jillian stood up, leaned over the bed, and wrapped her arms around Tommi. She was crying almost uncontrollably. "Thank you," she said over and over. "You know this might get ... interesting," Tommi said softly. "Knowing that I'm carrying _your_ baby?" Jillian nodded. "But I _also_ know that my baby will be well cared for." ********** (to be continued)