Double Helix

epilogue
~ family ~

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." --Carl Sandburg

"I have named her Tessla, after my own sister who died many years ago."

"Tessla?"

"Yes, the name is very fitting for her. My sister, Tessla, was the first like me and she," he said as he lifted the infant in his arms ever so slightly, "is the first like her."

Meryl raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she watched Knives cradle the infant closer to his chest. She had to use all of her willpower not to beg Knives to allow her to see the three-day-old child. Though she knew if she had to beg, she probably would.

"Would you like to hold her, Meryl?"

The question hung in the air and Meryl felt her throat go dry. Had she the energy, she would have gotten out of the bed and gone to the child on her own. All she ever thought about was the baby.

Knives watched her as she stared at the bundle in his arms and knew the answer to his question before she voiced it.

"Y-yes," she whispered, just before raising her eyes to look at Knives. "Yes, please."

"Sit up," Knives commanded in a strangely gentle tone. He sat down beside her and revealed the newborn to Meryl for the first time. She leaned forward to get a better look and smiled faintly when she saw the crop of fine, dark hair that crowned the infant's face and made her eyes look especially strange and bright.

She was beautiful.

Meryl's smile grew wider when white-eyes with flecks of silver widened at her ever so slightly. The recovering mother felt her heart leap at the sight, causing her to wonder if the infant knew who she was. No sooner had the thought flashed across Meryl's mind did the infant's mouth gently curve upward in what could only be a smile. Meryl's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at the child. Although the expression appeared clumsy, it was also intentional. It was impossible, she knew, for a newborn to smile... but still...

"She's smiling," Meryl murmured, feeling strangely pleased.

"Meryl."

Violet eyes glanced up at Knives and she suddenly remembered that she needed to be in a more seated position to hold the newborn. Ignoring the pain, Meryl pushed herself up as quickly as she could. She eyed Knives expectantly and he held the infant out for her to take into her arms. Long seconds ticked by as mother and infant stared at each other; both sets of eyes completely focused on the other. Finally, surrogate mother took a deep breath, lifted her hands, and reached toward the baby.

She touched the infant almost hesitantly. Tessla's mouth quirked upward again as she blinked at the woman who birthed her. Suddenly, Meryl realized that infants her age were not supposed to be able to focus. She was far too aware. It was impossible to be able to both smile and focus, and yet her baby was doing both. Meryl's grin grew and she felt strangely proud of the baby girl's abilities.

Taking the newborn into her arms, she felt overwhelmed by warmth. A feeling similar to love and relief gushed throughout Meryl's being as she held the child to her chest.

When did I fall in love with this tiny, little thing? she asked herself in wonder. She still disliked Knives and she certainly didn't trust him, but she didn't loathe him, either.

It didn't make any sense.

She knew she should hate him. Part of her felt that she should hate the infant in her arms, but she just couldn't. Guilt swept through her instead as she remembered how she had loathed the baby long before it was born. She had hated it so much that she wanted to kill it and herself in order to prevent it from ever being born. Yet, now as she held the newborn in her arms the only feeling that filled her heart was love.

Meryl lifted the infant to her face, breathed in her scent, and touched her peach-fuzz hair. The moment was not how she always imagined it would be when she gave birth to her first child, but it still moved her.

Tessla was her daughter and she loved her. Always.

"I am going to train her to exterminate humanity, Meryl."

Meryl gently stroked her finger across Tessla's cheek and smiled as the infant plant turned her head toward the sensation and began to make soft suckling sounds.

"She is just one of many yet to come," Knives continued while he watched the pair bond.

Meryl inhaled her scent once more, marveling at the sweetness of it before kissing her on top of her head.

"My brother didn't even try to rescue you, you know. He fled and left you behind. I choose to save your life because you are still useful to my plans."

Meryl looked at Knives for a brief moment at the mention of Vash before turning her attention back to her newborn. She was tempted to ask about Wolfwood and Milly, but decided to hold that question for Zazie instead. The hive would probably be less difficult to deal with when that particular topic of conversation was brought up.

"You're planning to use me again?" Meryl asked quietly, already knowing the answer to her question.

Knives smiled, "Of course, but not for a while yet."

"I refuse to cooperate."

"Predictable. If you wish to pretend to be that child's mother for any extended length of time you will behave."

Meryl ignored the 'pretend' comment. "I'll tell her about you. I'll tell her what you did to me," she replied evenly, pulling up her nightshirt as modestly as she could. She held the infant to her lactating and painfully tender breast. "I'll teach her that humans are not evil. I'm human. I'll tell her that she came from a human."

Knives scoffed as he watched Tessla eagerly drink from Meryl's breast, "I'm shocked, Meryl. Do you really plan to lie to her already?"

"I'm not the one planning to lie to her."

Knives laughed, "I'll educate her with the truth. Nothing is more damning to humanity than the truth."

Meryl looked up at Knives and smiled, "Then we actually agree on something."

"Is that so?"

"Mm-hm, I plan on educating her with the truth as well."

I told you... I will not cooperate.