The air felt chilly against her skin confusion filtered through her mind. The softness underneath and around her was strange, as did the strong smells. Was she in the infirmary? Why? What had happened? Opening her eyes, she looked around; flowers on the far table were the only splash of colour in the white and wood décor around her. In a chair on her right, Craig lay slumped in sleep. Frowning, she wondered why he was here. Pushing into a sitting position, she reached for a drink of water.

"Here," Craig murmured, "I've got it."

Gasping in fright, Tina clung to the bed's frame, steadying herself, "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," Craig nodded, pouring water into a glass and handing it to her, "but I've learnt to wake suddenly in the past few hours."

"I don't understand why you'd need to," Tina said, shaking her head.

"It would seem the offspring have taken it upon themselves to ..." he cleared his throat, "communicate with me."

"What?" Tina froze, staring at him blankly.

"I know, it sounds strange," Craig nodded, "but they required a chat with their father, so ..." he sighed, "what is the last thing you remember?"

Tina frowned in thought, "Talking to Alexis," she looked up, "when I saw her memories, she panicked and ran. I went looking for her and ...." her voice trailed off.

"And?" Craig prompted, "what then."

"I felt a little shaky," she whispered.

"Anything else?" Craig asked.

Tina shook her head before looking around, "Waking up here."

Craig nodded, remaining quiet as he watched her, "Is that all you remember?"

"Am I supposed to remember anything else?" Tina looked at him, a strange feeling creeping through her, "I blacked out, didn't I?"

"In a manner of speaking," Craig leaned his elbows on his knees, "babe, your body was ... commandeered."

"What are you talking about?" Tina chuckled, "you, that cannot happen. This is real life, not a sci-fi movie."

"Rose was worried you'd say that," he picked up a remote lying on the table next to the bed and pointed it at a screen on the wall, "it's still taping, but this is what has happened in the last few hours."

"Few hours," Tina frowned, "how long have I been out?"

"About ..." Craig looked at his watch, "five hours."

"How?" Tina asked.

Craig nodded towards the screen, increasing the volume for Tina to hear, but kept his eyes on Tina as she turned to the screen.

Tina didn't understand what she was looking at; her sisters were around her, attaching something to her ribs and stomach. Her hand gently ran over the areas; circular stickers were still connected with slender wires running from them. Were the babies being monitored?

Craig and Jenkins stood to one side while everyone worked. A screen above the bed flickered to life, and a face appeared.

Tina gasped, leaning forward, "Is that...?"

"It's one of our offspring," Craig confirmed as they watched him move toward the bed and take her hand, "I sat like that for nearly two hours, making sure they settled. The camera has a motion sensor and activates when there is movement in the room."

Craig fast-forwarded to a section where Tina was sitting in bed. He put the remote on the table and leaned back in the chair, watching Tina intently.

Tina frowned as she watched her hands form a cup in front of her, and she looked at Craig standing at the end of the bed.

"What are you doing?" they heard Craig ask.

No answer came vocally, but an extended hand and the vase of flowers floated toward the bed and stayed above the area where they were drawn. Tina gasped, her hand quickly covering her lips. Then the other hand extended, touching Craig, who inhaled sharply before moving out of reach and groaning.

"What happened there?" Tina asked, glancing at Craig, who shook his head and indicated she continued watching.

The hand that had touched him moved to the right and flicked the palm open. Tina blinked and frowned as the camera picked up flickering memories forming in a bubble in the air above her hand.

"I'm a living Sci-Fi movie," Tina whispered, watching the memories flicker on the screen. She stilled, staring at the visions appearing, "what are those?"

"My memories," Craig sighed, "the worst of the memories I allowed to be read."

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"Read?" Tina's brow puckered a little, "by?"

"One of our offspring," Craig said.

"We're having twins," Tina shrugged, "that isn't too bad ... I guess..." she glanced at Craig's shaking head, "we're not having twins."

"Those two are the more powerful of the four," Craig sighed, "or so they tell me. Also, they have abilities that won't hurt anyone."

Tina stared at Craig blankly before she blinked quickly, looking away. Her breathing increased, her heart began to pound, and she swallowed hard and dryly.

"Drink," Craig murmured, handing her a glass of water.

Silently she took it, stared at it and slowly drank deeply. The focus helped to settle her frayed nerves, and confused whirling thoughts were distracted slightly as the screen flickered off again. She was carrying four. Two had communicated through her, but what of the other two? Staring at the wall, her mind blanked as she gently touched the soft, growing mound at her midriff.

"Tina," Craig spoke softly from her side, "are you okay?"

Blindly Tina nodded, unable to form any words. How did one process what she had heard or seen? How did anyone move past or forward or ... simply move? Closing her eyes, she swallowed the emotion clogging her throat. Somehow she needed to be strong and move forward in life. She had babies to bring to term, and somehow she would do it.

"There is something else," Craig sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Tina slowly turned to meet his cautious gaze, "What?"

"Their growth rate is rapid," Craig cleared his throat, looking at his hands before meeting her gaze again. "If they continue using their abilities and your body to practise with ..." he looked at the ceiling before swallowing hard and meeting her gaze again. "It is uncertain if you'll survive. I have explained this to them, and for now, they have agreed not to ... endanger you."

"You ... explained ...." Tina stuttered the words shaking her head and looking away, "I really am living in another world."

"What do you mean by that?" Craig frowned at her, "you know what and who we are."

"I do," Tina sighed, rubbing her forehead, "I've never disputed that ..." she shook her head again, "I'm glad they'll give me time to rest."

"Tina, you know I'll do anything to keep you safe and alive," Craig murmured, holding her hand, "I promise I will protect you as long as I breathe."

"Thank you," Tina smiled, gently squeezing his hand. "I know you will do everything you can, but it's a promise you may be unable to keep. Look around us, what you do, what I do," she shrugged, "all we can promise is to do our best."

Craig nodded and gently kissed her lips, "I promise I will do my best. I'm needed in the tech room."

Tina nodded, "Whatever you do today, be safe."

"That depends," Craig smiled and winked, "Michael has Phoenix covering the night patrols to ensure everything is as it should be, which means I can be here for you."

"Is that what you want?" Tina asked, tilting her head a little, frowning at Craig.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Craig stopped at the door turning to her, "you and our offspring are everything to me."

Nodding, Tina smiled slightly, "As you are to us."

Craig smiled, winked and left the room. Tina sat staring at the space he left, a slow frown forming, "I carry four ... two, I know what they can do. What do the other two do?"

Absently she lay against the pillows wondering how to communicate with her offspring, "Craig explained it to them ..." she sighed, "perhaps I should try."

"They hear you all the time," Rose said from the doorway, "and answer you as well. Craig's attention is easy to get but yours ..."

"Mine what?" Tina asked, "too much, not enough ... am I just not hearing them?"

Rose stood in the doorway, "You're carrying them and should be able to intuitively hear them and ... or understand them."

"Yes, I carry them, but I'm struggling to understand what is happening to me," Tina nodded, "But I should hear them. I know. I'm confused and scared. I thought I was carrying two or three, but now I find out it's four."

"Do you want to see the other two?" Rose asked, moving toward the bed.

"See them?" Tina propped herself on her elbows, "yes."

"Lie back," Rose smiled, gently coming into the room. Clicking the remote until a blank screen appeared and gently running a handheld sensor over her midriff, images began to flicker on the screen across from them, "watch the screen."

Tina watched as images flickered on the screen. Four forms moved as though they were sleeping, and someone shone a light over them. Tina murmured gently to the shuffling forms, a frowning face pressed against where Rose ran the ultrasound camera.

"Hey there," Tina whispered, "sorry to wake you, but I've never seen you all ... wow..." the face disappeared, and the other forms came into view.

"That is one of the stronger of the four," Rose whispered, "whomever it is protective toward the others."

Tina nodded, "Is that the other one who likes to practise through me?"

Rose nodded, "The other two forms move but do not engage. See if you can get anything from them."

Tina focused her gaze on the two shadows near the back of the screen, "It's really wonderful to see you all," she whispered, "I've met two so far. Who are the other two?"

Rose and Tina gasped as the two moved in unison, turning their heads toward the camera, "Are you, twins? What can you do?"

The two forms moved a little as though uncomfortable and continued to ignore Tina, who sighed, "I guess you'll show me when you arrive. One can draw memories and display them, one can levitate items, and I'm sure somewhere in their future other things as well, but these two seem to be shy."

"Perhaps," Rose said, "but they responded to you."

"I guess they respond to everyone," Tina sighed as the screen went black again, and Rose turned from the bed to put away the equipment.

"Actually, it's the first time they have responded to anyone," Rose said, looking over her shoulder. "Craig hasn't even gotten them to look at him that way."

"Huh," Tina said, pushing into a sitting position, "how long am I going to be here?"

"You've been okay for a few hours," Rose smiled, "we just needed you to wake up and realise that there is more going on than we realised. Eat regularly, light exercise and try not to stress about anything ... its triggers their desire to survive."

"Is that a good thing?" Tina asked.

"Very good," Rose smiled, hugging Tina, "it means you'll all make it. Even Jenkins smiled when he heard that."

"Then it must be a good thing," Tina hugged Rose back, "thank you, sis. Can we get these things off me, and can I get some coffee and something to eat?"

"Absolutely," Rose grinned, "let's get you out of here."