8/17 Instance: Pushing It

[Svartfreja]

Few hours after [Instance]Spi-dra!


<Viper> Viper sat at the desk in one of her many working labs and tapped away at the computer, inputting results and analysis from her earlier field test now that she had time to herself, though she was expecting that to end rather shortly. A glance at the clock informed her the appointment slot was drawing closer and she got up to get the relevant equipment organised.

<Shaw> Arguing would do no good, he knew, so Sebastian kept his mouth shut and held Jessica's hand as they walked through the halls of Sarkissian's stronghold. He was curious about what was going on behind the closed doors they passed, but knew he wouldn't get anywhere if he did ask.

<Jessica> Jess gave Sebastian's hand a squeeze as they reached the right location, opening the door and pulling him inside behind her. She gave Viper a smile when she saw that everything was all ready for her and headed straight over to the other woman.

<Viper> "Good afternoon, Jessica, Sebastian... I trust your first morning here has been pleasant?" She addressed him as he followed his wife toward her.

<Shaw> "It's been... interesting, at the very least." Sebastian flashed his teeth at the green-haired woman, keeping pace with Jessica and his hand on the small of her back. He looked around the room.

<Viper> "I'm sure," she replied with a smirk and gestured Jessica to take up her spot on the examination table.

<Jessica> Jess complied, throwing a smile over her shoulder at Sebastian before she lay down.

<Shaw> "So many spiders in your collection," he said, moving to Jessica's side. "For a snake's lair." Sebastian bared teeth again.

<Viper> "I'm not allowed to have hobbies? How terribly unimaginative of you." She turned on the monitor and reached for the gel.

<Jessica> Jess wrinkled her nose in anticipation of the cold stuff on her skin and moved her clothing out of the way.

<Shaw> "Oh, I can't fault you a hobby." He took Jessica's hand, helping her tuck her shirt under her bra, and desperately pretending this was all normal. "In fact, I might need to take up a new one, after meeting Dr. Farnsworth."

<Jessica> "If you say fumigation, I will end you." Jess warned, her expression serious.

<Viper> Viper laughed, squirting the gel onto Jessica's stomach before picking up the wand, "I'd rather hope it was pottery - she goes through coffee cups very fast."

<Shaw> "It would seem, after spending some time here, that controlled exposure to toxins might be an advantageous endeavor." Sebastian watched Sarkissian.

<Viper> Viper raised an eyebrow, surveying him with interest for a few moments before she turned her attention to the screen, "I would suggest, given your lack of experience with poisons, you do not embark on this task without supervision. If you overestimate your abilities, it could end very badly and very quickly."

<Shaw> "Oh, I'm sure." He smirked, but looked at the screen too. He squeezed Jessica's hand.

<Jessica> Jess frowned at him, turning her attention to Viper, "You'll make sure he doesn't over do it, won't you? You know what you're doing..."

<Viper> "If that is what you wish to set your mind at ease, I'm sure I can find the time somewhere." Viper's mouth twitched into a smirk as the image cleared on the screen, "Ah, here we are."

<Shaw> Feeling more than seeing her frown, he gave Jess a rush of reassurance through their link. The moment the woman found the baby, however, his attention was entirely on the screen.

<Jessica> "Hi tiny person!" Jess smiled at the image on the screen and waved at her bump, "You're still in there. This is good."

<Viper> Viper decided to remain silent for a moment or two to let them enjoy the sharing emotional stuff.

<Shaw> Sebastian smiled, and even though Sarkissian was there to see his weakness, he leaned in to rest his forehead against Jessica's. "Very good."

<Jessica> Jess turned her head, though her eyes were still on the screen, and nuzzled him gently.

<Viper> After a beat or two more, Viper glanced at them, "Have you given any thought to whether or not you'd like to know the gender?"

<Shaw> "I... would, I believe." Sebastian looked at Jess. "As I'm sure you know, we were to have a daughter, before the accident."

<Viper> Of course she knew but she she merely gave a nod and looked to Jessica.

<Jessica> Jess chewed her lip, looking between Sebastian and the screen. "O-okay..."

<Shaw> We needn't if you don't want to know, love. He supposed Sarkissian already knew that Jessica was his defining weakness, so he kissed the back of her hand, smiling at her.

<Viper> "You don't sound too sure," Viper observed, sending an image from the screen to the printer for them before reaching to get Jessica some paper towels, "Perhaps I could write it down for you and you can look at it when you're ready?"

<Jessica> Jess took the paper towels and gave Viper a smile, looking at Sebastian again, "That okay with you?"

<Shaw> "Yes, of course." He straightened up, surprised it was over this quickly. "Other than the gender, everything appeared normal?" Shaking his head, he huffed a dry laugh. "I'm painfully aware of the irony of asking this of you."

<Viper> "Just as it was when we did this last week, everything is fine," Viper assured them both, writing the information down on a small slip of paper before folding it and putting it into an envelope which she sealed and held out to him.

<Shaw> "As I wasn't here last week, could we humor the request?" He smirked at the woman as he took the envelope. "There are four limbs, and the proper numbers of fingers and toes? Have you attempted any sort of genetic analysis?"

<Viper> "Everything is where it should be," Viper replied, turning off the monitor when she got up to collect the printout, "All I can tell you is what I can see on the screen, Jessica has been very strict on the rules with regards to tests and I intend to follow them."

<Shaw> "I see." He turned his attention to Jessica, helping her wipe the goop from her belly.

<Jessica> Jess threw him another frown, Me telling you once wasn't enough already?

<Shaw> It's not you I'm testing, koibito. Smiling, he gave her a quick kiss and disposed of the paper towels for her.

<Jessica> Because she'd totally not lie to your face. Do you see how ridiculous that is? She wasn't letting him get away with it that easily, though her stomach was chilly so she pulled her top back down now that there was no more goo.

<Shaw> No, I know, that's why I watch her when she answers. He offered her a hand up. Although I realize lying is likely her nature so she wouldn't show the signs the rest of us do.

<Jessica> I think you need emotions to show the signs of lying... She took his hand and carefully sat up again.

<Viper> Viper brought the print out over to them and offered it out, "A souvenir."

<Shaw> I've been accused of not having emotions. He felt the need to point this out as he accepted the image. "Thank you." Not that he could tell heads from hopefully not-tails in the blurry ultrasound. Or, so he thought until he looked at it. "Oh..."

<Jessica> But I know better, Jess pointed out, cocking her head at the sound Sebastian made. "What?"

<Shaw> He turned the paper so she could see it, smiling broadly. You know better. If he wasn't careful, even Sarkissian would be able to see the tears in his eyes. In the image, the baby's profile was very visible.

<Jessica> Jess smiled too, "Definitely doesn't look like a potato anymore..."

<Shaw> "No, no he doesn't." He laughed. "Or she." The envelope was in his pocket, and he patted it unconsciously.

<Jessica> "It's a good job we have a fridge in the room... but no magnets. Do you have magnets?" She turned to look at Viper.

<Viper> "I'm sure there are some somewhere," Viper offered a smile, settling at her computer again, "I will see what I can find for you and bring it to your room later."

<Shaw> Sebastian helped Jessica from the table and passed her the print out. "I realize you likely have as much surveillance on this mission as I, but I do hope our target is quickly dispatched. Then, you won't need to worry about locating someone to deliver the child."

<Viper> "Why would I be worried?" Viper raised an eyebrow, "Don't you think I could easily do that?"

<Shaw> "Well, in this particular instance, worry is a relative statement. But, for the sake of conversation, we'll pretend I want you to have access to my wife and child at such a sensitive time." He cocked his head.

<Viper> "Why wouldn't you? Have I done anything to make you think I do not have Jessica's best interests at heart?" she crossed her legs, leaning back in her seat, "If Jessica would rather attend a hospital, she is welcome to but we are more than capable of taking care of everything here."

<Jessica> "I'm still here, you know..." Jess was a little irritated.

<Shaw> Sebastian closed his mouth on the response that came to mind, instead giving Sarkissian a smirk. "I know," he told Jess. "I'm sorry, love. You know I can be... protective."

<Viper> "Unneccessarily so," Viper assured them both, "I have no intention of doing anything to harm either of you or your child."

<Jessica> "I know you don't..." Jess gave her a small smile, "So can you drop it?" She glanced at Sebastian.

<Shaw> He gave her a slight nod and slid his arm around her.

<Jessica> "Thank you..." She leaned against him a little, hoping that was the end of it at last.

<Shaw> "If I may ask then," he started, studying Sarkissian. "What precisely is your interest in Jessica?"

<Jessica> Jess rolled her eyes, straightening up again and groaning inwardly.

<Viper> Viper's eyebrows went up at the question, "Besides the fact I promised her father I'd watch after her?"

<Shaw> "Yes, except I believe her father was hiding both her and himself from you." He felt Jessica's reaction and knew that later there'd be hell to pay for this.

<Viper> "Then perhaps you should ask your wife if you can read the letters he and I exchanged before he died. We were discussing his return to his work for Jessica's sake but he died before he could arrange a place to meet."

<Shaw> "Of course." His tone said how much he believed her.

<Viper> Viper didn't see the need to expand on this news, merely turning back to her computer to continue her work. "Whether I speak the truth or not, you would rather believe that I have some nefarious scheme in play here. I do not. But I suppose that does not matter to you either. What can I say that will satisfy you?"

<Shaw> "There is always a game afoot, in every move made in this world." He shrugged and as she'd dismissed him, he proceeded to ignore her as well. "Jessica, are you ready to go?"

<Jessica> "I suppose so...." Jess nodded, "See you later, Viper...."

<Viper> "I will find you a magnet for your picture and bring it to your room, if that's alright with Sebastian." Viper glanced up at Jessica and offered her a small smile.

<Shaw> "As you wish, love." He didn't bother to look at Sarkissian.

<Jessica> Jess smiled back at her, "Thanks..." she turned for the door then, not taking Sebastian's hand as she was still mad at him.

<Shaw> He opened the door for her nonetheless.

<Jessica> Jess' feet carried her quickly out of the lab and back towards their room. She decided she wasn't going to talk to him.

<Shaw> Since he could feel her anger, he followed her quietly, all the way to their door. There, he stopped. "Would you like me to give you some time?"

<Jessica> She opened the door and went inside, "Will time fix your attitude?"

<Shaw> He laughed, though he knew he shouldn't. "That's rather unlikely."

<Jessica> "Well then what's the point of this? You know we might have to be here for a while, Sebastian." She sat down on the end of the bed, "Why are you making it so difficult already? It's the first day for you and I've been here for months already. I think I'd have noticed if she was plotting my demise."

<Shaw> "I'm hardly a trusting soul by nature, as you're well aware, but I rather do wonder if you would notice." He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, arms crossed.

<Jessica> "I don't trust easily either, or have you forgotten? I certainly haven't forgotten what she did to my friends last year, nor have I forgotten who my father spent more than half my life protecting me from!"

<Shaw> "Yet you went to her - immediately."

<Jessica> "Because I knew she would find you! She and you are the only people that have actually given me results when they said they'd look for something and I could hardly go and ask you to find yourself, could I?"

<Shaw> "I understand why you wouldn't have contacted the imbeciles at your school, but as you could have had the President at your disposal, I don't know why you keep coming back to the woman who did kidnap you and kill your friends."

<Jessica> "Because I think the President has a lot fucking better to do than listen to an hysterical woman on the phone at some riddiculous hour of the morning! What do you think he'd have done if I'd said you'd been missing for a few hours? Hmm? Wait til you came home because you were probably off on a bender?"

<Shaw> Sebastian pushed off the door and stalked toward her as she spoke, getting angrier by the word. Then, he sucked in a surprised breath. "No, he would know better. He would know I wouldn't leave you."

<Jessica> "There was no evidence there was anything wrong at that point, Sebastian. No one would have taken me seriously on a bad feeling and a grainy security image. No one, except her." Jess' temper was rising too, as was the likelihood of her accidentally releasing pheromones.

<Shaw> "Not that you would have thought to try an alternative anyway," he said, expression sour. A flash of movement caught the corner of his eye and he swiped his foot toward it, realizing at the last moment it was Jessica's pet. The creature's surprised yip sounded entirely like a dog and he swore.

<Jessica> That was the last straw on her control and she leapt to her feet as she flooded the immediate area with pheromones while Sharky ran to cower behind her. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

<Shaw> As she stood, he crouched, calling to her frightened pet and filled with regret. "Well I didn't know it was-" The shame and anger and humiliation turned to something far more primal and he felt the blood drain from his face.

<Jessica> "What else was it going to be?!" Sharky ducked behind her again, afraid of another unsolicited attack.

<Shaw> He fell back onto his ass at her shriek and after a stunned moment scrambled back and away from his wife until his back hit the bedroom door. This made him jump again. Away! Get away!

<Jessica> His reaction made her pause, realising then what was happening with her loss of temper. "Oh, for God's sake..." she went to the air conditioning controls and put the air circulation up before heading into the bathroom (Sharky close at her heels) and slamming the door behind her; it cracked.

<Shaw> Unable to catch his breath, Sebastian made a blind reach for the door handle and used it to lever himself up. His uncontrolled strength was enough to rip it from the socket and he stared at it in his hand, struck dumb. Realizing he was trapped, he punched through the door and tore out the lock before staggering into the hall.

<Jessica> Jess heard the crash but didn't open the door to see what it was, deciding to just get into the shower fully clothed to dampen down all of the pheromones at once and maybe she'd stay there until he came back. She curled up under the water, hugging her knees to her chest with one arm and pulling Sharky to her with the other. At least he liked it there.