THE NEGATIVE

It started as a normal Saturday for Luna. She sat at her desk, surrounded by an array of textbooks, sticky notes, and colorful palm cards spread out before her. She arranged each laminated pastel card in a neat row—each one filled with her arguments for the upcoming debate.

She picked up a card, biting her lip, "The topic of climate change and its impact on biodiversity is crucial," She murmured, tapping her pencil against her cheek. "Yes, that makes sense. Definitely worth discussing." She nodded to herself, rewarding her hard work with a gummy bear.

As she flipped through her notes, a slight flutter in her stomach caught her attention. She paused. This wasn't the usual pre-debate nerves; this felt different. Placing a hand on her stomach, she tried to ease the swirl inside, "Probably just too much candy,"  She assured herself, shaking her head.

But when Luna glanced at her calendar, her heart sank. The color drained from her face, "Oh, no, no, no," She muttered, flipping the calendar back and forth as if it would magically change the dates. "My period is late? This cannot be happening right now! I have a debate to prepare for!"

She dropped her head into her hands, "Okay, Luna, think. It's probably just stress. Or... maybe I miscalculated? Yes, that's it! I'm sure it's just stress from debating climate change. Who wouldn't be stressed about the fate of the planet?" She whispered to herself.

Yet the little voice in the back of her head grew louder, "What if it's not just stress? What if it's something else?" She swallowed hard, a knot tightening in her stomach.

"What am I even saying?" She blurted out, springing from her chair and pacing the room. "Pregnant? That's ridiculous!" She shook her head vigorously. "Am I getting hot?" She asked, fanning herself and glancing around her now too-warm room. "Ugh, why is it so warm in here? Damn you, climate change!"

~

Meanwhile Luna's thoughts spiraled in circles. Across city at the Nine-Nine, Y/N and Charles nestled into their seats in the briefing room as Terry stood at the front.

"—And that is the conclusion of the robbery at 'Soup's Ahoy,'" Terry finished as he glanced back at the squad.

Y/N's hand shot up, nearly toppling her coffee cup in the process, "Who in their right mind would want to steal soup?"

"Y/N/N, When you've tried their potato and leek soup, you'd understand!" Charles chimed in from behind her. "It's like a warm hug in a bowl that wraps around your taste buds and sings sweet lullabies to your soul!" His explanation was way too joyful.

"Alright—" Y/N grimaced.

"Okay, focus up, squad!" Terry interjected.  "I've got some exciting news. Please welcome two new members to our squad who have just transferred from the Nine-Eight: my daughters, Cagney and Lacey!" He gestured toward the back, where two young women sat.

In the back row, Cagney leaned back, one arm slung across the back of her chair, "What's up, everyone?" She called.

Next to her, Lacey sat up straighter, she raised a hand in a friendly wave, "Hi! We're really excited to be here," She added.

Terry's chest puffed as he continued, "Cagney is a fantastic detective with a real knack for undercover work, while Lacey has an incredible talent for forensics. They're going to bring a lot to the Nine-Nine!"

He clapped his hands together, breaking the moment, and turned back to his notes, "Alright, let's get back to business. We have cases to solve, and I expect you all to give Detectives Cagney and Lacey a warm welcome. Now, who wants to hear about our next case?"

~

With Cagney and Lacey now at the Nine-Nine, a few streets away, Mac stood at the bus stop, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, kicking at the ground while glancing down the street. He missed the bus. Again.

"Come on!" Mac sighed, pulling out his phone to send a quick message to his tutor, Sadie—the one Luna set him up with because, apparently, failing every class was frowned upon.

'Hey, due to unforeseen circumstances well within my control, I will be late.'

Mac pressed send, then slumped against the bus stop with a groan, "Why does this always happen to me?"

His speech was cut off by the screech of the bus pulling up, "Finally!" He muttered as he climbed on, swiping his card before flopping into a seat near the back.

~

As Mac made his way across Brooklyn to Sadie's house, Tyler and Nat sat side by side at Tyler's desk, their eyes glued to the computer screen as they watched the final cut of their spring fling dance announcement video.

"This looks pretty groovy!" Nat exclaimed, leaning forward, signaling at herself on-screen, twirling in a homemade 'Midsommar' flower dress, "We nailed it! I mean, how could anyone not love it? It's practically a masterpiece."

Tyler glanced over with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she watched Nat's excitement, "It is well-crafted. However, we should take into account our classmates' preferences. Their opinions tend to diverge significantly."

Nat rolled her eyes, "Yikes, men having opinions doesn't sit right with me," She sighed, crossing her arms. But her lips twitched into a grin, and as she looked over at Tyler, she noticed a loose strand of her braid falling in front of her face. Without thinking, Nat reached out and gently tucked it behind Tyler's ear.

Nat's fingers brushed against Tyler's skin, and a warmth spread through her. She felt her heart skip a beat, the kind of rush that made her want to say something—Instead, she hesitated, her hand lingering for just a moment longer. Their eyes met, and the weight of everything unsaid hung in the air.

Tyler's breath caught when Nat's fingers grazed her cheek. She felt a familiar flutter in her chest. She wanted to lean in, to close the gap between them, but doubt held her back. It was easier to stay quiet, to keep the feelings buried, even as they threatened to spill over.

The air between them tightened, both of them barely breathing in the silence— until Luna burst into the room.

"Guys, I need to talk to you!" Luna's voice cut through the air. Nat and Tyler jumped and their heads snapped toward her.

Luna took a deep breath, her fingers nervously twisting together in front of her, "I think I might be pregnant." The words tumbled out.

Nat's jaw dropped, "With a human baby?" She leaned forward as if she could peer into Luna's soul to confirm it wasn't a joke.

"Yes!" Luna replied, running her fingers through her hair.

Tyler shook her head, "Oh, no..."

~

With the revelation that Luna might be pregnant, the three of them sat in stunned silence.

"I mean, how could this have happened?" Luna finally whispered, glancing between her friends.

Nat raised an eyebrow, her gaze flickering to Tyler, then tilted her head toward Luna, "Dude, I think you know how,"

Luna let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging as she plopped down onto the edge of the bed.

Just then, Tyler broke the tension with a question, "Are your bosoms tender?" She gestured toward her chest.

Luna blinked, completely caught off guard, "What? No— I mean, I don't know!" Her face flushed as her hands crossing defensively over her chest.

Tyler continuer, undeterred, "Have your senses heightened?"

Nat snorted, "Ty, she thinks she might be pregnant, not bitten by a radioactive spider." She grinned, but the smile faded as she noticed Luna's anxious expression. She leaned in, more serious now. "Okay, but seriously, how late are you?"

"Two weeks and I'm never late. Not for anything—school, debate, S.T.E.M., Mathletics, yearbook, nothing!" Luna blurted. "What should I do?"

"We should get you a pregnancy test." Tyler decided before Luna could spiral further.

"Wow," Nat murmured. "You're so smart." She let her shoulder linger against Tyler's, holding Tyler's gaze, before finally looking over at Luna.

Luna's gaze darted nervously between the two of them as she bit her lip, "Okay..." She nodded.

~

Now back with Mac, he knocked on Sadie's front door, adjusting the straps of his backpack as the door swung open to reveal her.

"Hey, Mac," She stepped back to let him in.

"Blame the bus, not me," Mac quipped, raising his hands, surrendering. "Missed it by, like, a minute. But here I am, so clearly it's not my fault!"

Sadie's laugh came out quietly, "Well, better late than never, right?" She gestured toward the inside with a tilt of her head. "We'll start with science today."

Mac stepped inside, his backpack slipping off his shoulder and hitting the floor with a thud, "Science, huh?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Yep." Sadie bobbed her head in confirmation before walking over to the kitchen counter where two pairs of science goggles sat neatly side by side. She picked one up and handed it to him. "Here, safety first."

Mac took the goggles, sliding them over his eyes, "Wow, I feel like a real science person!"

Sadie paused, one eyebrow inching up as she watched him, "A science person?"

"Sciencer?" Mac offered, eyes darting up like he was searching for the right word. Then his face lit up, and he snapped his fingers. "Wait—scientist! Nailed it!"

"Yeah... you really do need a lot of help."

~

While Mac and Sadie were off being 'sciencers,' Luna, Tyler, and Nat walked up the sidewalk to a pharmacy.

Luna's pace quickened as her eyes darted between Tyler and Nat, "If I'm actually pregnant, what happens to my life?"

Tyler's lips pressed together as Nat's hand found Luna's shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze.

As they entered the pharmacy, Luna threw her arms wide, "I mean, I've been preparing for Harvard my whole life! Without a baby!" The words spilled out, and she halted, taking a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as if she were trying to steady herself against the weight of her worries. "I had everything planned, and now it feels like it's all just—whoosh—falling apart."

"Luna, you don't know for sure you're pregnant," Nat said as they wandered into the Personal Care aisle. "And look, I get it. This is a huge deal, but in the... midst of a crisis...we... we tend to—"

"I believe I have located the pregnancy tests," Tyler interjected, holding up the box.

"Oh, thank you! I really didn't know where I was going with that," Nat exclaimed, relief flooding to her face. "Sometimes I'll start a sentence and I don't even know where it's going. I just hope I find it along the way."

Tyler raised an eyebrow, "Fascinating approach."

Luna took the box from Tyler, "Alright, let's go pee on a stick," She forced a smile that barely masked her panic.

~

Back at the Holts' house, Luna was in the bathroom as Tyler and Nat waited outside. Tyler stood with her arms crossed, glancing at Nat.

"Nat, please read the instructions," She extended the box towards her.

Nat accepted the box, squinting at the small print, "No inserte la prueba en la vagina," She read aloud, the Spanish rolling off her tongue.

Tyler lifted a small smile, amused by Nat, "English, please."

"Oh!" Nat realized and she quickly rifled through the box until her fingers landed on the translated version. "Do not insert the test into the vagina," She corrected,

"Thanks you, Nat." Luna's voice echoed with sarcasm.

As they waited, a silence covered them, broken only by the sound of Luna unwrapping the pregnancy test. Nat shifted her weight, casting a sideways glance at the bathroom door, "So... who's the lucky dude?" She asked.

There was a pause before Luna responded, "Cameron Vega." Her voice came muffled through the door.

Nat and Tyler exchanged a look. Tyler leaned forward, her interest sparking, "So... when, precisely, did you two meet?"

Another silence passed before Luna replied, "Nat's party."

Nat leaned against the wall, a grin breaking across her face, "Oooh, and--"

"Okay, no more questions!" Luna called out from the bathroom. "I can't concentrate on peeing when you're talking to me!" She rattled the wrapper of the pregnancy test for emphasis.

Nat held her hands up, "Alright, alright! We'll be quiet, Juno!" She leaned against the wall, suppressing laughter.

~

It was a few minutes later, and the three of them stood around the bathroom sink, all eyes fixed on the pregnancy test lying on the counter.

"This is officially the longest five minutes of my entire life!" Luna announced, her voice rising with every word. "I swear, the actual sex took less time than this!"

"Hold your horses, Luna. The timer will go off shortly," Tyler delivered, reassuringly

Nat stood by the sink, arms crossed, "Yeah, sure, we'll deal with whatever," She soothed. "I mean, it's fine. You've handled way worse stuff, right?" She gave a quick, overconfident nod.

"True." Luna paused her pacing, staring at the test, willing it to reveal its results. "But what if—"

The sharp beep of Tyler's watch cut Luna off. All three of them froze, eyes snapping toward the test. Luna stepped closer, her heart pounding in her chest.

Tyler calmly stepped beside her, reaching out to check the test. A moment of silence filled the room as they all waited.

Tyler's face remained unreadable as she looked down at the test. She turned it toward the others, "Negative."

Luna blinked, her mouth dropping open, "Negative! Oh, thank God. I'm not pregnant!" She grabbed the test from Tyler. "I've never been so happy about something being negative!"

Nat smiled, clearly relieved, "See? Told you, no baby. You're all good." She pulled Luna into a quick, tight hug.

Luna sighed, leaning into the hug briefly before pulling back, "Oh, I'm never doing this again. Ever." She shook her head, relief entering her body.

Luna chuckled before adding, "Now, can we please get some ice cream to celebrate this momentous occasion?"

Tyler chuckled, a smile breaking through as she turned to Nat, who was nodding vigorously, "I suppose we could do that."

"Great, I'm getting coffee flavor!" Luna exclaimed.

Nat raised an eyebrow, "Coffee?"

"What? I'm fancy!"

~

Note:

HAPPY LATE HALLOWEEN!!
I miss b99 heist episodes :(

Also, has anyone seen the last episodes of Agatha all along?

Published: 2/11/24