Sam & Max In - Baby Blues

Chapter 1

(Author's Note - Welcome to the first chapter of my fanfic. I've spent hours writing and rewriting it, so if you're reading this then I've finally reached a version I am satisfied with! I appreciate everyone bearing with me while I figure out this whole fanfiction thing. A TON of research goes into my stories as well as throwing in some lived experience. As stated in the description, this story will contain a few OCS which I hope are not too intrusive. I feel it relevant to note, Sam & Max are written as being about 32 years old in this universe, just to fit my personal timeline. There will be some anachronisms and vagueness as to the years things are set in, but I figure, 'just repeat to yourself its just a fic, I should really just relax'. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day 3)

Chapter 1

Finally announcing the 'big news' seemed to have provided some relief. After that messy breakdown, the pair were able to clean up a little and then finally sleep. So, sleep they did, together like they used to, not with Max as far away on the opposite side as possible and some excuse as to why. The best Sam could guess for the reasoning behind this behavior, was to hide physical changes he was perceiving in his body due to the 'pregnancy'. Now that it was out in the open it didn't matter to him anymore. The lagomorph slept rather fitfully, which was not entirely unusual, mostly random kicking and grumbling. It was a refreshingly standard experience in a very strange situation. The next morning however, is when things would get interesting.

Since deciding he was with child about two weeks ago, Max had adopted a pretty strange secret lifestyle. Stranger than usual that is. He'd developed some pretty strong and specific cravings, explaining all of the sneaking off and the disappearance of most of the office's petty cash. So far 'the baby's' favorite food was an obscure brand of spicy pork rinds from the nearest corner bodega. This was supplemented by pickled sausages and about half of the box of 120 crayons Max kept in his small, childlike desk. As to the latter, he'd originally wanted his sidewalk chalk that had disappeared a few months ago, 'for calcium'. Unable to find them, they'd secretly been thrown out due to complaints over inappropriate, publicly viewable drawings, he had substituted the crayons. They had been eaten 'peeled' of course, his stomach being unable to handle all that roughage otherwise. This was all washed down with the usual, cheap sugary soda and juice that amounted to little more than vaguely fruity liquid chemicals. During this period he also admitted to going off his medication, just as suspected, deciding it was 'bad for the baby' and 'would go back on them after it was born', a day that would never come. This was a sensitive case, with one half of the Freelance Police's very sanity and well being hanging in the balance. They'd require a very special type of consultation.

In the nearly three years since Sam had met Darla 'the Geek' Gugenheek, he'd become convinced she'd saved them rather than the other way around. Just a few months ago they'd had some renovations done on the 'Sub Basement of Solitude' to convert a portion into a sterile medical center. It was a great idea, as often as one of them had to come to the young girl for a few stitches or a dislocated something or other. Currently Sam sat outside this ersatz private clinic in a slightly undersized chair. Involuntarily he found himself emitting a small, puppylike whine, as he worried about his partner being examined inside. The Geek had asked to see Max alone to 'better assess his mental state', whatever that meant, and run a few tests. Its not that Sam doubted her abilities, but sitting out here alone for the past hour fretting, was taking a toll. All he could think about was when Max first had gotten 'sick', almost twenty years ago. It was the summer he turned twelve and the lowest point of either of their lives.

That evening was odd in the fact Max had declined staying the night at his best friends house, and as they would find out the following morning, failed to return to his own. Since he'd never done anything like this before, there was little clue as to where he could have gone. The police quickly became involved and a search dragged on for three anxious days. On the morning of the fourth he was finally found, filthy and incoherent in a wooded area several miles from home. Taken to a local hospital, it was determined the boy had suffered a psychotic break, and was admitted to the pediatric psychiatry unit. When later asked he had no recollection of what had actually happened, so no one would ever really know. Confusing and scary as the situation was, this was a turning point in their relationship. Sam remembered this being the moment he decided he would care for Max for the rest of their lives, no matter what condition he returned to him in. Friendship was rapidly blossoming into feelings, though neither was sure exactly what that entailed. One thing was certain however, there was no way around it, whatever hardships they faced, now and in the future, they would be together forever.