*Knock-knock~!*

“Damn it, I’m trying to sleep! Who’s sick this time?!”

Klein got out of bed and looked at his wife’s beautiful but slightly aged face. Then he looked down at her belly and smirked. Putting the covers back over her and looking out the open window. Well, the awning over the porch was in the way, so he couldn’t really see anyone.

“Uncle Klein, it’s me! Can I come in?!”

Then a cute, chubby face peeked out from the side and waved up at him. Breathing out a long sigh, Klein went downstairs and conjured up a Plague Doctor outfit before opening the door.

“Aaah!”

“Shhh! Don’t scream! Why are you brats so afraid of this costume?!”

“Ah, I’m sorry! Urp~! Blech~!”

Klein quickly conjured up a stainless steel bedpan and covered her face. Avoiding getting sprayed. He was obviously very experienced. Then he grumbled, “Come on. Get inside. I’ll give you a check up and see what’s wrong.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s not a big deal. I’m a Doctor. This is my life.”

“Uh, sorry… *Sniffle* Thanks…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix whatever’s wrong with you.” 

He closed the door behind her and followed the girl into the renovated guest room downstairs. What was once Greenstone’s bedroom, had turned into a simple Doctor’s Office. The outfit he was wearing suddenly transformed from a horror-style Plague Doctor to a white lab coat and a simple surgical mask, with latex gloves on his hands.

“Is it just nausea and vomiting? Any dizziness? Trouble breathing? Does your abdomen hurt anywhere?”

“Uh-um-uh-sorry, I… I don’t know, I just feel really sick lately.”

“Your blood pressure is a little high. No fever. Does this hurt?”

“Ow!” She reacted when he pressed her abdomen near her stomach, “Umm, a little-wait!”

Klein unbuttoned the girl’s blouse and looked at her abdomen directly. She trembled and started crying as he asked, “When did this happen? These wounds look older, a few weeks maybe? This scar is older…”

“Please, Uncle Klein, please don’t tell Mommy!”

“I need to do an x-ray and maybe an ultrasound. I’ll do some blood tests as well.”

“Uncle Klein, please!”

“Stop yelling, Emy is trying to sleep upstairs.” Klein glared at the little girl and she shivered, then started crying quietly, “Although I don’t think any organs are ruptured, it’s too dangerous to risk it.”

He took out a large metal frame from the wall and placed it near her chest, suspended in the air by a metal apparatus. After turning off the lights, he turned it on and the screen on the center lit up. The light-brown skin and a lot of surface tissues became transparent, allowing him to see the bones and deeper tissues.

“I don’t see any damage to your bones or organs, but a sonogram will make sure.”

“Uncle Klein…”

“Lay down on the bed. I’ll be done soon, don’t worry.”

She got up from the chair a little unsteadily and he helped her over to the bed as the lights turned back on. Then he took out a small handheld device from a metal vault nearby. Compared to the x-ray machine, this thing was clearly much more valuable and easy to steal. On one end was a small monitor with some buttons under it, while the other was a little black grip, attached by a wire, with a small, round white nub on the end.

“What… What is that thing?”

“It’s an ultrasound device.” Klein turned the screen on and put some cold gel on the white nub. Myrtle yelped as it touched her belly, but at least she was distracted from the pain and discomfort by the interesting pictures that were being displayed. She couldn’t understand what she was looking at for the most part though. But when she looked at the man’s face, she trembled even more… Even with the surgical mask, she could still tell that he was scowling.

“What’s wrong? Am I dying?”

“No… Myrtle, who hit you?”

“It’s not his fault!”

“So ‘he’ accidentally gave you these bruises?” He pushed up her sleeves and looked at the large dark purple-black finger marks on her arms, then he checked her neck and legs…

“I love him! Please, Uncle, don’t tell anyone!”

“Who?” Klein looked at the size of the finger marks and frowned, “Myrtle, aren’t you dating Irving?”

“No, it wasn’t Irvi! Please, please, you can’t tell him either!”

“You’re pregnant.”

“What?!”

“You’re about a month pregnant.” Klein looked into those teary and panicked gray eyes, “Myrtle-”

“No! I can’t! I’m not-I’m not ready!”

“Myrtle, stop yelling.” He conjured up some ointment and started rubbing it onto her bruises, causing them to vanish within a few seconds. He also got rid of the older scars just as easily.

“Whether you’re ready or not, you’re gonna be a mother. Unless Rufus ‘accidentally’ kills your child-”

“He wouldn’t! No, wait, Uncle Klein! Please!”

“Emi…” As he stood up, he looked over at the woman in the purple nightgown that was standing in the doorway to his right, “I need to make a quick house visit. I need you to watch after this brat.”

“Aunt Emi! No! No please! Uncle, Daddy didn’t mean it! He didn’t, he never did anything!”

“It’s okay, Honey, it’s okay.” Emerald hugged the hysterical little girl against her chest, “I know… I know, it’s not Rufus’ fault. He’s just sick. Your Uncle Klein is gonna go make sure he gets better, okay?”