Page 65 of Jared

Steve stepped out into the hall once more and took out his phone. After three rings, he got the doctor's answering service.

“Hi, yeah, it's Steve Chang. I'm calling about Jared. Yes, I'll hold.”

A brief moment, then he heard the line pick up once more.

“Steve? How bad is he?”

To the point. Steve explained his concerns, relieved to be taken so seriously.

“I'll be right over.”

“I've been going over what we found on male pregnancy and I think I have the answer.From what I've read, the magic on the other side that make this possible, also help with the healing. I think the magic is too thin on this side for that to occur and his body is too weak to handle the changes.”

Steve frowned. “If the magic is too weak, how did he manage to carry the baby at all, while on this side?”

“The spell was in motion already. This is the aftermath of that spell and closeness to our magical origins strengthen us when we need healing the most. His body is basically now in freak out mode trying to deal with it doesn't know what, as the spell has finished but he's left trying to re-absorb the temporary womb and heal from the natural incisions his body made.”

Steve nodded. It made a sort of sense, he guessed. “So what do we do? Take him back across?”

“It'd probably be best. He just needs to stay until he's healed. No more than eight weeks or so.”

Steve rubbed a hand over his face. “We'll have to move the baby's stuff too.”

“I suggest just taking the essentials. A travel bassinet, change mat, et cetera.”

Steve sighed. “I best call my Mom. She can help get things set up while I notify the betas that we'll be traveling back and forth for a few weeks.”

“I advise making arrangements for friends and family to sit with him when you have to be here. He should be on bed rest for at least the next week, longer if improvement is slow. Help looking after Galen would be good, so that he can get as much rest as possible once he is able to get up and about.”

Steve nodded. “Thanks, doc.”

“Let me know when you've got it all arranged. I'll travel with you to get him settled. And don't hesitate to call me if he gets any worse. Just get him there as soon as possible.”

“I'm ringing Mom very next thing.”

“I'll let myself out, then.”

Steve watched him go. He heard the front door shut even as he scrolled through his contact list.

“Hello, Mom?”

Jared awoke feeling like shit. He hadn't felt this bad since the first time he'd drank alcohol. He'd been 14 and sleeping over at his best friend's house, up in the treehouse. Tom had produced a bottle of Blue Nun he'd snuck out of the house and they drank it diluted with grape juice. They'd gotten spectacularly drunk and Jared didn't recall anything other than drinking, giggling, and waking up with a killer headache and generally feeling like he'd gotten run over by a bus.

He squinted through the fog of his head ache. Wait. What? He was in their bedroom across the Veil. A vintage wheeled bassinet sat by the foot of the bed. How the hell did I get here? He struggled to get up. I should check on the baby. He made it his feet, clutching his head as a sharp twinge shot through it. He shuffled closer. The bassinet was empty. No, no, no!

The door to the room opened.

“Babe, what are you doing out of bed?”

Steve's here.

“Galen?” he managed to croak out.

Steve laid a reassuring hand on Jared's shoulder. “Easy. You've been out of it a couple of days. Mom's got Galen. He's in his swing downstairs. You should get back into bed. I bet you could use a cold drink.”

Jared nodded and let himself be guided back into bed and propped up though beneath the covers. His throat was parched and now that he thought about it, his stomach gnawed at him. “Hungry too. And my head hurts.”

“Probably from not having anything to eat or drink, really. You were so out of it, we could only get you take sips.”