Forgive me - I'm a little fuzzy.

But - I'm alive.

My pain is being managed, but occasionally it breaks through the medication and when that happens I have to press a button which pumps a high strength pain killer, called morphine into me. It makes me feel a little drugged up and trippy.

Kade's with me. So when I press the morphine button, he'll take over. But, I'm hoping I won't have to do that, I'd rather the pain instead of the trippy feeling.

......

Kade received a message from Dr Olav immediately after my operation.

It read: Tanya has survived the extraction of the foreign body. However, I'm deeply concerned; in over thirty years of surgical practice, I have never come across such an atrocity. I need to speak with you both, as a matter of urgency, once Tanya has recovered from her anesthesia.

......

Kade and I are currently waiting for him. We're both filled with anxiety, wondering what they've put in me. We also have the added burden of having to lie about how much we know, and how the foreign body got inside me - we have to back-track on what Kade told the nurse about it being implanted.

Our Secret Service Team have said we must do all we can to keep the truth from Dr Olav.

But when we don't know what Dr Olav is going to present us with, it's difficult to know how to react.

......

"Tell me Kade, I can take it," I say, as he squeezes my hand.

"One thing at a time, Tan. Let's get Dr Olav out of the way first. I don't want too many surprises hindering your recovery."

I laugh, "Kade, don't forget, my body's fairly used to surgery, I'll recover pretty damn quick. So, tell me, what was in the box?"

He shakes his head, not like he's saying 'no' more like he's trying to clear out something that's bothering him.

He lets out a huge sigh, "I've not looked through all its contents, Dr Olav's message pulled me away." He brushes the hair from my face and leans in a little closer, "On top there was an old photograph, of three kids: Kelly, me, and you."

My head shoots up and I'm hit with a jolt of pain - "WHAT?"

Kade reacts with concern, "See, I told you, we don't need to discuss this right now," he says, gently pushing my head back down onto the pillow.

When the pain passes, I think out loud, "That's not possible, Kade. It's probably some kid that looks like me."

"No, it's you."

"We met, as kids?"

"It would appear so."

"Did you bring the picture?"

"No."

"Do you remember when it was taken?"

"Neither Kelly nor I have any memory of it. All we recognize is that it's taken on the Chicago site, before my parents bought it."

My mind starts whirring.

"What you thinking about?" Asks Kade.

"I'm thinking back, trying to find some memory of being introduced to a little boy and girl on waste ground."

"Anything spring to mind?"

"Not immediately, no."

BUT - something suddenly springs up. A hazy, half forgotten memory. A heated conversation by the adults in my life: The Surgeon and Loopy Logan.

I recall the fear; causing my hands to cover my ears. I was no more than four, five at the most. I remember Logan shouting my name - AND - The Surgeon shouting out another boys name...

..."What are you thinking Tan? Tell me, I see something in your face," pleads Kade.

I sit up, "Yes - something's - coming back to - me...

...Dr Olav's booming voice interrupts my thoughts, "We need to talk about this." A female nurse who is carefully carrying a large metal bowl, follows him.

She places the bowl on a table, just out of my view.

Kade sits up; I can feel he's tensed; his tone is defensive, "What is the - 'this' we need to talk about?" He asks, with a hard emphasis on the word, this!

The nurse steps back from the table and bowl as Dr Olav approaches it.

With his back to us, he plunges his hand into the bowl and we hear a slurping sound as he pulls something out of it.

Slowly he turns, holding it aloft - "This!"

Kade flinches and looks away.

I don't.

I look closely at my blood that drips from it, down the Drs plastic white apron, splatting persistently on the cold grey floor, forming a considerable pool, "That thing came out of me?" I ask, incredulously.

Dr Olav looks at the thing he holds up, by its neck, then back to me, "Thing? It's not a thing. Surely you can both see it's a perfectly formed baby," he says.

His attention turns to Kade, "Young man, why do you look away, do you not have something to do with this?" He asks, looking closely at the things face, he continues, "It has your large eyes and Tanya's pert nose."

Kade looks at Dr Olav, "I had nothing to do with it. Can you please put it back in the bowl, I find it quite disturbing to look at," he says.

The Dr drops it back into the bowl, causing a further splash of my blood to hit the walls and floor - it's beginning to resemble a messy murder scene in here.

I'm less concerned about the thing, instead my mind races to find an excuse for how it got inside me, so we can be released from this regular hospital, without suspicion.

But once again my thinking is interrupted, or this time should I say - invaded!

Kade and I sit up at the sudden, invasive sound of that jingle - 'SIDE BY SIDE, OR EVEN APART, AN IMP IS FOREVER CLOSE TO YOUR HEART.'

Dr Olav begins to desperately grapple in his pocket, eventually retrieving his cell phone. He looks at it, a mild panic in his face and demeanor, "I'm so sorry, I'm not supposed to have my phone on while on duty, but do you mind if I take this call?" He asks, suddenly sounding less professional, and more friendly and familiar.

"Sure," I answer.

Kade looks at me, astonished and mouths, "That's his freaking ring tone?"

I shrug my shoulders, smile and put my finger to my mouth to indicate quiet while we listen to him.

His face lights up: "Absolutely splendid, marvelous news. Can I confirm that you have two allocated for me?"

His face explodes with a wide smile: "Wonderful. I shall have my wife pick them up at the end of the week. And may I say that you have made our Christmas, you really have."

He hastily puts his phone away, "I do apologize. But I'm sure you've seen the advertisements for this years must have Christmas Toy, The Imps. Well, I've just managed to secure two for my gorgeous granddaughter and grandson. Our Christmas would not be Christmas if I didn't get them." He literally shakes with joy, "I'm so, so happy."

Kade and I exchange knowing glances. We now know that Dr Olav's an innocent. Unaware of what he's inviting into his home on Christmas morning.

His professional demeanor suddenly returns, "Anyway, back to business, but still on the subject of toys, how did this one get inside you?" He says, tapping the blood soaked things head.

Kade and I spill the exact same question, "That thing's a toy?"

Dr Olav is perfectly professional, "Yes. It's what is known as an 'Expandable Water Toy' or 'Grow-in-water-Toy' often marketed as 'Grow Monsters' like, 'Grow your own Boyfriend' type of thing.' Are you familiar with the novelties I speak of?"

I nod my head, "Ah yes, I know the things," I say, hopeful we may have ourselves a get out clause here, a reason for how it got inside me.

The Doc continues, "They're made from super absorbent polymers," he sits on my bed, a caring, fatherly look on his face, "And you my dear girl are very lucky indeed. This one was soaking up your blood and expanding inside you at an alarming rate, we got you just in time."

He looks over at the nurse, "You may take it away, now."

I jump in, "Erm no, can I keep it. It's like a talking point, something to tell our grandkids about," I say.

He laughs, "Yes, of course, I understand." He waves at the nurse, "You may go."

Turning back to us, he says, "This is my first time to deal with such a case. Although you're not unique, there's been quite a few cases in the United States, where children have swallowed the toys, thinking they were sweets and have had to have them surgically removed." He looks at the thing in the bowl, "Many countries have banned these toys, I think the UK should, too. it's an absolute atrocity that these things are still marketed to children and young adults," he says.

I seize the moment and surreptitiously wink at Kade, "I agree completely Dr Olav. I thought it was a sweet and ate it without a second thought. Thank goodness for your timely intervention."

He smiles, "You're welcome my dear. And I'm wholly satisfied; one of my nurses suggested it may have been implanted inside you, which is beyond ludicrous. Now, I must make my ward rounds. You are doing splendid and should be able to leave in a few days, with your baby," he says, getting off the bed, winking at us, and laughing uproariously.

He stops and looks at the thing on his way out, "It's astonishing how lifelike this one is - I suppose the technology is improving." He pauses, looks up, and says, "What kind of brain would dream up such a toy?"

When we don't answer, he leaves the room, satisfied his job is done.

I whisper, "I feel sorry for him."

"Me too." Says Kade, kissing my forehead. "Which is why we must thwart their plans once and for all, to save Dr Olav and all the other innocents," he says, with a steely determination.

But, Dr Olav's question about the brain is teasing my head with a possible answer. And I know Kade is thinking the same.

......

I'm filled with a renewed confidence, "We need to have our medics examine us both. I'm guessing that thing was put inside me with some sort of remote release mechanism, I saw The Lady make a pregnant gesture to Brutal Bertie, and coincidentally, that's when the thing began absorbing my blood and growing," I explain to Kade, who's pacing the room.

He stops by the baby, turns his nose up and says, "Sure thing. But right now, back to mom and that photograph. You said you remembered something, what was it?"

"Ahhh, yes, a thought that Dr Olav interrupted," I cast my mind back to where my thoughts were. "Yes, I recall..."

...The door slams open - "HELLO!" Shout Troy and Kelly in unison.

They both bound in, brimming with a positive energy that brings a welcome vibe into the blood splattered room.

Kelly stops dead when she sees the carnage, "Holy smoke, are you two ok?"

"Yes, mother and baby are doing real good, and daddy's bursting with pride, " jests Kade.

Kelly throws a stare at me, "BABY - get outta here?" She says, alarmed.

Feeling mischievous, I say, "No, it's in here - in that bowl of blood, over there. Go take a look aunty Kelly."

Troy catches her in his arms as she yelps and jumps back at the sight of it. "Seriously you guys, what is that thing, it looks real?" She asks, looking at it through her barely open fingers.

Kade explains through his mirth, as he takes a bunch of towels and begins to clean up.

......

I feel surprisingly good and pain free as Kade, Kelly and Troy sit on my bed, chatting and discussing things animatedly and with a positive passion.

"We had to put Helga in our bedroom, she's bound to the bed. So we're sleeping in the living area," explains Troy.

Kelly laughs, "She wouldn't stop talking dirty around the guys, even when she was half sedated, no wonder they call her Horny Helga."

"Don't be so crude and vulgar," says Troy, a disapproving look on his face.

"I'm not, I'm telling it like it is," smiles Kelly, walking towards the thing, that's now wrapped in several towels. She picks it up, and pulls back the towel from around its head.

"What about Marko and Bertie?" Asks Kade.

"They're well secured in the basement, ready for interrogation when we get back," says Troy, with a strong assertion.

Kade looks over at Kelly, who's cradling the thing as though it were a real baby, "Is mom still powered down?" He asks.

"Sure she is. But hey, I brought the photo to show Tanya," she says, pulling it from her back pocket and handing it to me.

When I look at it, I immediately recognize myself: tiny, frail and frightened.

"Do you remember that day?" Asks Kelly. I remain focused on the image but in my peripheral vision, I'm aware of Kelly's face peering closely into the face of the thing - and that bothers me!

Gradually, feelings, long forgotten feelings begin to crawl hesitantly back into the corners of my mind.

I look up, "Yes...I think I do remember this day...we really need to look at what else is in that box... then talk with mom..."