Perfect Match: The Pinocchio Project

Afterglow

Kai was awakened by a soft, gentle kiss.

"Good morning, baby," Hayden whispered in his ear.

Kai opened his eyes slowly. "Hayden..." he whispered back. "You're glowing."

"Last night was just..." Hayden sighed. "Incredible."

"Really?" Kai asked.

"Definitely," Hayden said. "I've never had sex quite like that before."

"You felt so much better than ever before," Kai replied.

"So did you, dear," Hayden said, kissing him softly.

Kai returned her kiss and let their emotions pass between them, let their kiss exchange feelings which couldn't be expressed with mere, inferior words.

As much as neither of them wanted the kiss to end, eventually it did. They smiled at each other lovingly.

"So what do you feel like doing today?" Hayden asked.

"Staying in bed with you, of course!" Kai said teasingly.

Hayden couldn't help but giggle. Then, suddenly, she clutched her stomach and groaned in discomfort.

"H-Hayden?" Kai asked, worried. "Are you all right?"

"G-go get help," Hayden moaned. "Hurry!"

Kai clambered out of bed and out of their room in a jiffy. The first person he ran into was Sloane.

"Good morning, Kai!" Sloane said brightly. Then, seeing Kai's worried face, she asked, "Kai? Is Hayden okay?"

"I don't know," Kai said, tense. "She looked nauseated all of a sudden!"

"Nauseated?" Sloane asked. "Kai, you don't think she's—?"

"I don't know," Kai said again. "She just told me to go get help."

He and Sloane entered the bedroom where Hayden was still moaning, threatening to vomit.

"Oh my god! Let's get her to the bathroom quickly!" Sloane shouted.

Kai was already by Hayden's side, helping her to the bathroom. Sloane got a pregnancy test ready for Hayden.

"What is that?" Hayden asked.

"It's a pregnancy test," Sloane answered. "You go to the bathroom and urinate on this, and it'll tell you whether or not you're going to have a baby."

"Pregnancy?!" Hayden exclaimed in a blind panic. "But... I can't be pregnant... can I?"

"If our operation worked," Sloane responded, "it's possible that you might be."

That would explain why she was glowing earlier! Kai thought. My Hayden... could finally become a mommy...

* * *

Everyone except Keegan and Steve were gathered in the hotel room. Following the apparent success of Hayden's operation, Steve had volunteered to undergo a similar procedure, with Keegan as his overseer.

"What's all the excitement about?" Khaan asked, confused.

"Hayden and I have something to tell you all," Kai said.

"What is it, what is it?" Nadia was bouncing up and down in excited anticipation.

Hayden simply smiled, her glow returning. "I'm also going to have a baby."

"OH... MY... GOD!" Nadia screamed as she jumped up and hugged Hayden.

"Now, Nadia, take it easy!" Khaan said. "Don't forget, you're pregnant too! Putting too much stress on your bodies like that could cause you both to lose the little ones!"

"Sorry!" Nadia gasped, pulling away from Hayden as they both went pink in the face.