This choice: There is a knock on the door and Dr. Saunders appears. • Go Back...Chapter #5There is a knock on the door and Dr. Saunders a... by: Wassel   Just then you heard a knock on the door. Followed by a voice. One you recognized from the last time you'd awoken. The elder doctor who'd told you about the accident, your mother and the transplant.
"Hello...? Tim, are you there?" he called out. "It's Dr. Saunders."
Your attention quickly moving away from your mother's face, as well as the imagined conversation that had been going on inside your head. Thinking instead, Oh shit. Not being at all prepared to face anyone just yet. Not looking like you now did.
Though you were also aware that you couldn't exactly hide away in this tiny bathroom for the rest of your life. Especially not from one of the doctor's who actually did this to you. Knowing full well who and what you were. Your 'mother's' voice again assuring you that, "It's okay, Tim. There's nothing to be afraid of. He just wants to help you." Having always been very respectful and trusting of authority figures such as doctors, policemen and the like. Leading you to push past your own nervousness and embarrassment and do the same. Clearing your throat as you shuffled out the door. Catching sight of the tall, pale faced doctor standing in the doorway, holding a clipboard in his hand.
"Ah. There you are," he smiled, turning then and closing the door behind him. Before telling your that, "It's good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"
"Okay. ...I guess," was your answer. Which was simplifying things to a rather dramatic degree, but you figured it was easier just to tell him this.
"Well, it's understandable that you might feel a little out of sorts," The doctor said, moving towards you and gesturing for you to take a seat on the bed. Which you did. "You've just been through quite the dramatic experience."
It feeling extremely disconcerting to have someone else look at you like this. Being overly aware of the differences between your mother's body and your old. Your enormous chest and smooth hairless legs being the most noticeable. As was speaking to someone else with her soft, lilting voice.
This feeling compounding even more as he continued, "And once again, you have my deepest sympathies for the loss of your mother. As well as how things turned out. If... If their had been any other way at all..."
"I know. It's... It's okay," you replied. "You just did what you had to." Being a lot more accepting of this now after your talk with your 'mom'. Hardly being able to blame the doctors for saving your life.
Changing the subject then, so not to get overwhelmed by the fact that your mother was indeed now gone (your real mother at least), you asked him, "How, uhm... How long have I been out?" Having no idea what time or even what day it was.
"Oh, about 18 hours," he told you. "We just wanted to make sure that you were fully recovered from the surgery."
The next question being, "And... Am I... Am I okay... Like this? Medically speaking." Not knowing if there had been any developments in those past 18 hours.
Being relieved when he replied, "Yes. Perfectly. As Dr. Kerry already explained the transplant procedure was a resounding success." His voice wavering slightly and his expression turning a little more uncomfortable. "...Though obviously there may be a few things you'll need to get used to. Physical aspects of being your mom."
Fully aware of what he meant. Having just been discussing some of these 'aspects' yourself.
And rather than engage in a conversation about this with a dude you barely knew, you instead inquired, "What about mental?" Wanting to know if inhabiting your mother's body was indeed the reason you felt her inside your head. Being able to conjure up her persona with frightening ease.
To which Saunders replied, "Mental?"
"Yeah. You said that part of my brain was attached to hers. Will that effect anything?" Or was it simply the shock of it all that had made you go crazy? Experiencing something that simply was not there.
He thought on this for a moment before answering. "That is a slightly more difficult question to answer and only time will tell I suppose. Though judging from the CAT scans we performed and the symbiotic nature of your brains coexisting as one, it is quite possible... and Dr. Kerry theorizes this himself... that you may be able to access your mother's subconscious mind. Memories and the like. Seeing how all that information is still in there somewhere. Information that should help you acclimatize to your new form."
This indeed making sense. Having not experienced any of her memories per say, but the picture you'd painted of her in your mind and the feelings that had accompanied it was definitely more than just your doing. The things that made up her thoughts and personality still, from the sounds of it, very much being in there. Within you now. Just as 'she' herself had said. With you always.
This putting to mind the other members of your family. Who you'd yet to hear anything about at all. Whether they were alright after the accident and, if they were, what they made of you now being Mom.
The doctor's response to this inquiry being that, "They're all fine." Having suffered little more than a few bumps and bruises, and were currently waiting for you outside. "Myself and Dr. Kerry have already explained the nature of the operation to them. And while it was obviously a shock at first, they've taken the news as well as anyone could do. They're anxious to see you in fact."
As were you. Anxious and terrified. Facing a doctor being one thing, but facing your father, brother and sister in this body was really going to be rough. Fearing their reaction.
"But first I, uh... I have a few things to discuss with you," Saunders continued, looking rather uncomfortable again. "How exactly things are going to proceed from here. With you now looking like that. Things are... Well they're obviously going to be different."
Yeah. No shit, you thought. Imagining that you were going to be spending most of your time hiding away. Not exactly sure how you could possibly resume your life inside your own mother's body. You'd be seen as a freak. And rightly so.
Dr. Saunders taking a seat beside you then. His expression and the long pause before he resumed speaking putting you even more on edge. Getting the feeling that whatever it was he was about to say wasn't exactly good news.
"We didn't want to overburden you with the details when you first woke up. You were already so upset, and rightly so. But, as was previously mentioned, the procedure that saved your life was highly experimental. So experimental in fact that it wasn't officially sanctioned to be performed on humans yet. Never mind in a hospital. Dr. Kerry and I... Well, we had to choose between breaking the law to save your life, or letting you die. So obviously we chose the former."
Which, despite the many complicated feelings you had about the method they'd chosen, you really were grateful for. Owing the two doctors everything.
"...Unfortunately this means that there will be some consequences that you and your family are going to have to deal with. Consequences that I truly am sorry for."
Watching then as he removed a stack of papers from the clipboard he was carrying and passed them to you. His face now a picture of guilt.
"What's this?" you asked, before even looking at what they were.
"It's a non-disclosure agreement," he explained. "In the interest of protecting ourselves, the assets of this hospital, as well as you and your family, you are going to have to assume the identity of Jennifer Connors, your mother."
His words hitting you like a ton of bricks. Feeling your jaw drop. Assume her identity?! Like... pretend I'm actually her?
"Now I realize this is the last thing any 16 year old boy wants to hear, but I assure you, it really is the only option going forward. For you as well as us." The doctor going on tell you how the media would react to finding out that a teenager was now in control of his own mother's body. How you'd be hounded day and night. Your entire life would become a freak show. As well as the complicated legal issues that would arise. Which was an avenue that he didn't want to even consider.
"And before you get too worked up," he continued, "it would only be publicly. Behind closed doors it will be entirely up to you and your family as to how you choose to handle things."
That being something you supposed. But still, hearing this, it really was one shock after another. Needing to take a moment to let what he was proposing sink in. This is nuts.
"In return, you will of course receive some monetary compensation for taking part in the ruse. You won't be a millionaire by any means, but it should make things a little easier on your family. Financially speaking."
Not that the financial aspect really interested you right now. It was more the having to act like your mother that you were currently focused on. It meaning that, if you agreed, Tim Connors as you knew him was for all intensive purposes dead. Which was a horrifying thought in itself. I can't. There's no way I can.
Asking the doctor then, "What did everybody else say about this? What about my dad?"
"They've already agreed. That it is in everyone's best interest."
"Oh," you whispered softly. Feeling rather hurt that they'd decided this without you. The one person who's life it was going to effect the most. Suddenly feeling very alone.
Until that was... a voice inside your head reminded you that you weren't. Your 'mom' piping up once again to assure you, "You won't be alone, sweetheart. I'll help you through this. Every step of the way. Trust me, we can make this work."
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