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Chapter 69 - The McCallister children - Caoimhe

It was a school day, but Caoimhe was still at home. The heat was long gone, and physically nothing was wrong with her, but her fathers thought it was best for her to stay home all week. Finian and Dorian figured that Caoimhe would be ready to go back to school after that, and Dorian was the one who would talk to her. He and Caoimhe had been sitting by the kitchen table, having breakfast. And the red-haired girl stared at her dad and dropped the sandwich on the table.

"You're joking, right?"

Her voice was filled with confusion like she couldn't figure out whether Dorian was serious or not. What he said was so absurd that it had to be a joke. Caoimhe didn't know that the principal had called her fathers earlier and wanted to talk about her. They had talked for a while about the incident, and the principal asked when Caoimhe would return to school. Dorian and Finian didn't want to put too much pressure on the girl, but they also didn't want her to miss too much. After being talking about it for a while, they decided that Caoimhe would go back to school again next week. That's what Dorian had just told her, and that's why Caoimhe had stared at her father in shock.

"Honey, you have to go to school," Dorian said, realising immediately that this would turn into a fight. A fight he really didn't want to have.

"No, I won't go back there. The whole school saw me turning into some kind of monster. There's no way I'm going."

"I get it. I really do. I've been through almost the same thing, and I know how awkward it feels, but the quicker you go back, the better. The longer you wait, the harder it will be."

"No!"

"But Sweetheart..."

"I said no, and you can't fucking make me."

Caoimhe ran into her room and left her shocked father behind. Before she slammed the door shut, she heard Dorian yelling, "What the hell did you just say!"

She threw herself on the bed and hit the pillow several times with her fists until she had enough and hugged her Gojo plush hard. Dad just didn't get it. He didn't understand how it felt to make a fool herself in front of the whole school. It was so awkward that Caoimhe felt like she would rather die than go back there. The girl had concluded that she had to change school. There was no other choice. Of course, she understood that it wasn't possible to just change schools two months before the summer break. But she could study from home and then change schools the next semester. They had money, and her family had lots of contacts. She figured that it wouldn't be a problem for her to be admitted to a new school, and Ikumi would attend the new school with her. Because Caoimhe knew that Ikumi didn't like her new school very much. For starters, she had only been there for a short time, and she had no friends. Ikumi was so shy, and the rich kids in her class were, according to Caoimhe, nasty bastards. Even though Shiro was a famous singer and Ikumi was part of the McCallister family, Ikumis classmates excluded her. The bastards talked about Ikumi behind her back, saying awful things about her being Asian and saying that Shiro was a homewrecker. Caoimhe tried to stay by Ikumi's side as much as possible in school, but it wasn't easy. She had to attend her classes, and their breaks weren't at the same time. Caoimhe had meant to talk to her parents and Shiro about it, but so much had happened that it somehow just slipped her mind. So Caoimhe was sure that Ikumi wouldn't mind starting a new school. It would be good for both of them. Two hours after the fight, Caoimhe and her daídai were going to the hospital. Caoimhe waited until Dorian had left for work before she stepped out of her room. The girl was soo full of regret that it made her stomach hurt. She wished she hadn't said that word to her dad. She wished that she hadn't let him leave without apologising to him. But when Finian tried to talk with her, Caoimhe ignored him. She was so ashamed that she didn't want to talk to him either. She just didn't know what to say.

The bodyguard Alex had been the one to drive them, and it had been so embarrassing that she just wanted to sink through the ground. Alex had been his usual cheerful self, and he didn't have the large compress over the wound anymore, but a skin-coloured band-aid instead. It was supposed to be more discreet, but it didn't help. Caoimhe had stared at it and just wanted to cry. She knew that he would have a scar for the rest of his life, and she hated herself for what she had done. But the young bodyguard kept smiling at her anyway, and even though she was devastated, the smile made her stomach tingle, and her cheeks felt warmer. To her dread, Caoihe knew that she was blushing. She looked down at the ground, got into the car and hoped that Alex didn't notice. But both the young man and Finian had seen it, which made Alex's smile get even bigger and Finian to raise his eyebrow, turn his gaze, full of suspicion, towards Alex.

"Teenagers," Alex chuckled and got behind the driver's wheel before the frowning Finian could say anything.

The ride to the hospital was thirty minutes of awkwardness for Caoimhe. Alex talked about the latest Champions League game and Finian, who didn't care one bit about football, did his best to seem interested, just to ease the tense atmosphere in the car. Caoimhe, on the other hand, didn't say a word. She just nodded when Finian asked her if she was feeling alright and then continued to look out the window.

Caoimhe didn't want to go to the hospital. She didn't want to undergo a physical examination. She just wanted everybody to forget that the whole thing ever happened and pretend that everything was fine. At first, Caoimhe refused, but her fathers kept begging her to go, and when even Eamon asked her, she had no other choice but to agree to it. She really didn't want them to worry anymore.

But if the ride to the hospital was mentally exhausting, it was nothing compared to the hospital visit itself. Caoimhe had felt a bit more relaxed when she earlier was told that Joy would examine her, but as soon as the girl was inside the examination room, she was far from relaxed. She became terrified as she stared in horror at a chair that looked like some grotesque torture tool from one of Eamon's horror films. And when Joy told her that the place Joy was going to examine her was 'down there', the girl became so pale in the face that Finian was afraid that she would faint, and he kept his arm around her shoulders. Caoimhe's whole being told her to run away, but her daídai's soothing presence and Joy's kind gaze made her stay.

"It won't hurt, and I promise that I will do this as quickly as possible," Joy tried to assure her. Caoimhe didn't believe her at all, but she didn't say anything.

"Do you want me to stay?" Finian asked.

Caoimhe turned to her father and glared at him with wide eyes and an expression that said, 'Are you serious right now?'

"I'll be right outside," Finian quickly said and almost ran out the door. Well, not really ran but walked as fast as he could with that giant belly of his.

Joy looked after her dear friend, and she shook her head.

"Men," she mumbled and turned to the girl.

"This will only take a few minutes. It may feel uncomfortable, but it won't hurt at all."

"Do I really have to?" Caoimhe asked, and her voice was so small. So vulnerable. Joy hated seeing that little girl so sad, she wanted to comfort her, but she had to do this.

"Because your second gender manifested so suddenly and at such a young age, we have to check just to be sure that everything is okay. And I'm with you all the way."

Caoimhe nodded, but she still couldn't relax. She was frightened, which was no wonder. Caoimhe was a twelve-year-old girl that suddenly was thrown into a world she knew nothing about. The only thing that made her agree to the examination was that Joy would do it. Caoimhe really liked Joy, and she trusted her, so she felt safe.

The red-haired girl was in the chair for just a few minutes. It was awkward to show that part of her body to someone else, and it felt weird, but as Joy had promised her, it didn't hurt. Afterwards, Joy went to get Finian, who immediately walked up to his daughter and hugged her tightly. In her beloved daídais arm, Caoimhe felt safe. Like she always did.

The examination continued with Joy checking Caoimhe's height, weight and took blood samples. Caoimhe wasn't afraid of needles, so she barely reacted to the sting. Then they had to wait for the test result. First, Caoimhe and Finian went to the cafeteria to have lunch. Finian tried to talk to her, but Caoimhe didn't respond. She barely gave him any attention at all, so Finian stopped talking and let the girl be. He figured that the girl needed to process what had happened alone.

Caoimhe took out her phone from her bag and looked through all the social media accounts she followed. Her friends had published the usual things, such as new clothes, things about their favourite singers or various competitions they would participate in. Everybody of her friends either rode horses, danced or played some sport. Just like Caoimhe did. But after the heat ended, Caoimhe realised that she missed the tennis cup she had trained for, and now it felt like she had wasted so many months for nothing. It hurt. The girl didn't even want to watch the celebrities she followed. Caoimhe realised that the things they all posted were actually trivial. Nothing more than a waste of space.

After they finished their lunch, father and daughter took a stroll around the neighbourhood in complete silence. Both Finian and Caoimhe wished that time would pass faster. Caoimhe just wanted to go home, and Finian regretted rejecting Dorian's offer to go with them. They needed Dorians nervous talking. The man couldn't stand awkward silence, so he talked. Continuously. Usually, Finian could get a bit annoyed at his husband, but now he missed it.

Caoimhe was fully aware that she was completely unfair towards her daídai. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, but she was so angry, sad and confused that she just couldn't even try to act like normal. It all just sucked.

Two hours later, Finian got a text from Joy telling them that the results from the examination were complete. So they went back to the hospital. Caoimhe was so nervous she thought she would pass out. Finian noticed it, and he quickly took the girls hand in his and clenched it. Caoimhe squeezed his hand back. Now she needed her father more than anything.

This time they were in a different room, with a desk and chairs in front of it. Joy was sitting behind her desk, and her expression was serious.

"So the test results got back, and it's as we already suspected. There is no doubt that Caoimhe is a prime alpha."

Joy stood up, went to a whiteboard and took a pencil in her hand, then she looked at Caoimhe. She drew a simple stick figure with dots around it.

"This is a typical alpha, like your daídai. As you know, all alphas and omegas have pheromones. But alpha pheromones aren't so strong that they usually affect any other than omegas and, in some rare cases, other alphas. Dorian probably only reacts to Finian's pheromones because they have been together for so many years. Dorian hasn't felt any other alpha pheromones except your daídais."

Joy drew another stick figure with more and larger dots. It looked like huge flies that were swarming around the figure.

"But this is a prime-alpha. This is how it is for you and Dorian. Prime-alphas has more pheromones that also has a stronger effect on others. They affect not only omegas but also other alphas. But it is only in rare cases betas are strongly affected, as in your case. We don't know if it was because it was the first time you had your heat or if it's permanent. That's why it's very important that we find the right dose for your suppressant."

Joy sat down and now looked towards Finian.

"Caoimhe must also start with contraception from today."

"What!" Caoimhe burst out.

"Why?" Finian asked.

"Her clitoris is fully developed, and Caoimhe can now impregnate an omega."

Caoimhe stared at Joy. It was as if the woman was speaking in a strange language. Caoimhe had only a basic knowledge of the differences between the second gender. But she hadn't had sex educations in class yet, and it was a subject that Finian and Dorian had completely missed. They still thought Caoimhe was too young to learn stuff like that. So Caoimhe didn't know how a female alpha could get others pregnant, and she had never even thought about it. Women didn't have that 'thing' that men had, after all! So, Caoimhe had no idea that her clitoris could grow to the size of a penis. But unlike male alphas, females could only fertilise omegas. Their semen wasn't strong enough to make an alpha or a beta pregnant.

"Because her pheromones are unusually strong, it's important that Caoimhe eats contraceptives and always carries suppressants with her. This is to protect not only Caoimhe but others."

It was completely silent in the room. Finian was speechless, Joy looked serious, and Caoimhe was shocked.

"Can't we remove it," Caoimhe asked in a tiny voice.

"Remove what?" Finian asked, looking anxiously at her daughter.

"The things down there. I don't want it. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"It's not that easy, Honey. And you might want to have children when you get older. You can't make that decision yet. You're only twelve years old," Finian said, hugging his daughter.

Caoimhe didn't say anything, but all she could think of when the two adults talked about her medication, was that she didn't care if she had kids. Just as long there wasn't a risk of being a potential rapist. She didn't want to hurt anyone. Never again.

On the way home, Finian talked to her about what they had decided and what would happen from now on. Caoimhe just nodded without really listening. Even Alex seemed to notice that something serious had happened, and he didn't say anything. He just kept on driving.

Finally, at home, Caoimhe said with an empty voice that she was going to her room and that she wanted to be alone.

Caoimhe didn't know how long she just laid on the bed, hugging her plushies and thinking that everything was completely unfair. She was so occupied by her thoughts that she didn't hear the first knock on the door. She would probably not have heared the second one if Dorian hadn't also talked to her.

"Caoimhe, can I come in?"

As soon as the girl heard her dads voice, tears filled her eyes, and her lower lip trembled.

"Caoimhe?"

When the girl didn't respond, her dad opened the door, and he didn't even manage to take one step inside the room before his little girl was in his arms, crying her eyes out.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy!"

Dorian held Caoimhe in his arms. He kissed the top of her head, telling her that everything was alright. That he loved her, that he was proud of her, and she had done nothing wrong. She was absolutely perfect.