Tessa sat down at the shared desk that was cluttered, littered with a mix of important documents and sticky notes. She took a deep, calming breath, mentally preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have. Her heart thudded in her chest, a mix of anticipation and anxiety coursing through her veins as she clutched the phone in her hands.

'Alright, Tessa, it is just a phone call, she thought. Then she whispered to herself, attempting to rein in her thoughts, "You can do this." She glanced at Terrance, who gave a mock salute and then a double thumbs-up.

"You nerd," she said, while laughing. She had found online that Dr. Elizabeth Hart was actually on Earth-256 to help as a consultant with the multiversal authorities. Through the Council of Terrance, she had got the phone number Dr. Hart was using.

She dialed Dr. Hart's number and held the phone to her ear, listening to the rhythmic ringing. After a few moments, the line connected and Dr. Elizabeth Hart's voice came through. Tessa put it on speakerphone so Terrance could hear what was said.

"Hello, Dr. Hart speaking."

"Hi, Dr. Hart, it's Tessa Gray," she responded, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Meeting with you to discuss... well, everything, is something I'm eagerly looking forward to. We are actually both from the same Earth."

"Of course, Tessa," Dr. Hart replied warmly. "I'm happy to help in any way I can. Are you with some agency helping this Earth integrate into the multiverse?"

"Actually, I'm with the Council of Terrance and this universe's Terrance had his power awaken last night, which was almost the 10 week mark."

"Why don't you start by telling me what's been going on?"

"Right," Tessa said, taking another steadying breath. "So, Terrance nearly had a seizure when his power awakened except that he never went unconscious and he says he couldn't focus on anything but the pain, and then we found out what his power did."

"What's his power?" Dr. Hart asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"We don't actually know," Tessa explained, rubbing her temple as she recalled the incident. "Last night, he was cooking dinner, and he accidentally turned an entire casserole into crystal. I mean, it looked beautiful, but it was also kind of terrifying."

"Interesting," Dr. Hart murmured, sounding genuinely intrigued. "I've never come across a case quite like that before."

"Neither have we," Tessa admitted, her voice cracking slightly. "It's just... I don't know what to do. I want to help him, but I'm not sure how. And my own powers have been harder to control lately, too. It's all just so overwhelming."

"Try not to worry too much, Tessa," Dr. Hart reassured her. "I've been researching superhuman abilities since they first manifested, and I'm confident that together, we can figure out what's happening with you and Terrance. We'll get through this."

"Thank you, Dr. Hart," Tessa said, feeling the knot of tension in her stomach begin to loosen. "Really, thank you."

"I'm pretty busy right now, but I can call you back in a few hours. I want to help, and it sounds like an interesting case, but I do have to prioritize the societal level problems."

"I completely understand. Sorry I called you directly, but I didn't have another option for this case. Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you."

"Call you in a bit," Dr. Hart said, and then hung up.

Tessa let out a breath and looked over at Terrance. He was looking pensive.

"Thanks, Tessa," he said. "I guess I just try to not do anything that might activate my power in the meantime."

---

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Terrance was reading a slice-of-life story on his tablet, trying to avoid anything stressful while Tessa was fixing dinner. Her phone started ringing, and she looked at it, hoping it would be the call she was waiting on. The screen showed Dr. Hart's number and Tessa stepped out of the kitchen and over into the living room area where Terrance was while she answered the phone. She turned on speakerphone and sat beside Terrance on the couch.

"Hello, Dr. Hart."

"Hello, Tessa. I verified you are with the Council of Terrance, and I'm willing to help you and this world's Terrance out. I have a pretty busy schedule right now, but I'm sure we can work something out. First, though, I want to discuss your powers."

"Dr. Hart," Tessa began hesitantly, "I have to ask, do you think it's possible that my powers are becoming harder to control because I'm from the same Earth as you, but I was here for the full integration?"

"Interesting question," Dr. Hart replied thoughtfully. "It's entirely plausible that your powers could be affected by the energies present on this Earth. Of course, we'll need to conduct some tests to confirm this theory, but it's definitely worth exploring."

"Tests?" Tessa repeated with a slight frown. "What kind of tests?"

"Standard diagnostic procedures to determine the extent of your abilities and how they're influenced by Earth-256's unique energy signature," Dr. Hart explained, her voice warm and reassuring. "Don't worry, these tests are non-invasive and completely safe. They will simply provide us with a better understanding of your powers and how to manage them effectively."

Tessa's fingers drummed rhythmically against the desk, a mixture of curiosity and concern swirling in her mind. Could these tests really help her understand her own abilities better? She could never grasp the full scope of her powers, even before coming to Earth-256.

"Dr. Hart," Tessa ventured, "if my powers are indeed being affected by this Earth, is there anything we can do to... I don't know, stabilize them? Or even just make them easier to control?"

"Absolutely, if you have me helping," Dr. Hart replied confidently. "Once we have a clearer picture of what's going on, we can develop a personalized strategy to help you manage your powers. There are various techniques and tools that can enhance your control, so I'm sure we'll find something that works for you."

Tessa couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope at Dr. Hart's words. Maybe, with the scientist's help, she could finally tame the wild, unpredictable nature of her abilities. And if she could do that, maybe she could help Terrance do the same.

"Thank you, Dr. Hart," Tessa said sincerely. "It means a lot to know there's someone who can help us navigate this mess."

"Now I want to talk with Terrance. I'm sure you have him there with you," Dr. Hart said.

Tessa looked at Terrance and nodded.

"Hello Dr. Hart, my name is Terrance Gray."

"Hello, Terrance," Dr. Hart greeted him. "I understand that your powers have recently manifested in a unique way. Can you tell me more about it?"

Terrance cleared his throat nervously before answering. "Yes, um, I was cooking dinner. That's when I fell onto the floor. My whole body was wracked with pain, starting with my head. During that, I accidentally turned an entire casserole dish into crystal. It was kind of scary, actually."

"I see," Dr. Hart said thoughtfully. "And have you experienced any other unusual effects since your power awakened?"

Terrance shook his head. "No, not really. But I'm also trying to avoid doing anything that might trigger it again."

"That's probably wise for now," Dr. Hart agreed. "Tessa said this happened last night; Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"That puts you as the last power awakening on record by a few days, so far... Don't worry, Terrance. I have some experience with cases like yours, and I'm confident that we can help you learn to control your powers safely and effectively."

"Thank you, Dr. Hart," Terrance said, relief palpable in his voice.

"Now, Terrance and Tessa, I'll need you both to come to my lab for some preliminary testing," Dr. Hart said. "We'll need to get a better idea of the extent of your powers and how they're being influenced by this Earth's energy before we can move forward with developing a management plan."

"I understand," Tessa said, a hint of apprehension creeping into her voice.

"Be here tomorrow at 7 pm at the address that I am going to text you. Unfortunately, that's the soonest I can help you," Dr. Hart said conciliatorily.

"Thanks, Dr. Hart," both Terrance and Tessa said in unison. The phone call cut off. Tessa and Terrance just looked at each other with apprehension. She grabbed Terrance's hand, and he flinched.

"Tessa, I don't want to hurt you," he said, trying to escape from her grasp.

"Terrance, stop and look at me. You weren't touching the casserole when it changed, so your power doesn't specifically work on touch. I don't think you will hurt me, and you need to believe it, too. Powers often react to thoughts, so thinking you can't hurt me is probably safer for your mental state and for me than you being afraid I'm going to turn into crystal or something."

"Okay, Tessa, thanks for being there for me. I just wouldn't..." Tessa kissed Terrance to stop him from talking. She pulled back and was blushing and couldn't meet his eyes.

"Uh, that was to help you not to have unhelpful thoughts," she said, but her power broadcast that she just wanted Terrance to be safe, that she liked him but was also trying to be professional in her duty to take care of him during the integration period. Terrance was a little bewildered at how to handle that, so he did nothing except continue to hold her hand. He sat there while thinking about how to handle his own feelings, his uncontrolled power, and the meeting tomorrow night.