California. Los Angeles. Apartment.
"Adam said it's mostly for you," Teddy teased, pushing the gift box toward Spencer with a playful huff as the phone's busy tone buzzed in her ear.
"Well, what's mine is yours, right?" Spencer quipped, though his grin widened noticeably. He eagerly grabbed the box and started tearing into it, clearly thrilled. 😊
"Anything from Adam's gotta be good…"
But when he finally got it open, his smile froze.
What the heck was this?
Inside the box sat a single VHS tape.
…A "spring exam" tutorial, maybe? Hmm?
Spencer's stiff grin twitched back to life.
They were alumni, after all, and he'd heard all the wild rumors about Adam. Plus, Adam was a legit doctor now—maybe he did have some killer techniques to pass down.
And just look at the Duncan family!
They've got enough kids to field a volleyball team. His future father-in-law and mother-in-law, both pushing fifty, were still going at it like newlyweds. That lovey-dovey energy? Way more intense than most youngsters.
A secret family "love handbook" wouldn't be out of the question, right?
Guys are always curious about that stuff—same way Aunt May or Dr. Hu light up at "Up, up, crazy bear workout!" Sure, they don't need it… but a tiny spark of interest? Oh yeah.
Just a little. 😏
"Wanna watch it together?" Spencer shot Teddy his signature puppy-dog look.
"What are you thinking?!" Teddy instantly clocked his vibe and guessed what her fiancé suspected Adam's gift might be. "No way Adam would send something like that," she scolded.
"Why not?" Spencer wiggled his brows. "It'd just be him wishing us well, you know?"
"Alright, fine…"
Teddy caved. Spencer's logic got her curious, and honestly, they were engaged—why play coy now?
It was broad daylight, but they quickly yanked the apartment curtains shut, flipped on some dim mood lighting, and plopped onto the couch together. Spencer slid the tape into the VCR.
"Wait!"
Teddy jumped up, dashed to the bedroom, and came back with a box of "magical trick items," setting it on the coffee table before snuggling into her fiancé. "Okay, now we're good to go."
They were engaged, sure, but no wedding date was set yet. In this TV world, engagements could drag on for years—sometimes long enough you'd have to re-propose. Teddy wasn't about to risk a surprise pregnancy and miss out on her dream wedding dress.
The VCR whirred to life.
"Hey, Teddy, Spencer—it's Adam!"
On the screen, Adam popped up, mimicking the way Teddy filmed video diaries for Charlie. He waved at his little sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law with a grin.
"First off, congrats on the engagement! I've always rooted for you two."
"Aww!" Teddy clutched her chest, beaming with happiness.
Adam's nod to her video diary style hit her right in the feels, reminding her of everything she'd done for their little sis, Charlie. That warm, fuzzy family vibe washed over her instantly.
Spencer, though? His lips twitched.
I've got my pants off, and this is what you show me?
"…Even though you didn't give me a heads-up—or, Spencer, ask Dad for his blessing first…"
Adam's tone shifted. The smile on the screen stayed the same, but to Spencer, it suddenly felt… off.
He instinctively started pulling his pants back on.
Yup, you heard that right—not a figure of speech! He'd actually ditched them earlier. But now, sensing this tape wasn't what he'd hoped, he wasn't about to watch it half-dressed.
"You didn't ask my dad first?" Teddy hit pause, staring at Spencer in disbelief.
"Uh… no…" Spencer mumbled, sheepish. "You know how it was—I was so caught up in the moment, all I could see was you. Who thinks about anyone else?"
"Fair enough. Dad wouldn't care anyway," Teddy said, breaking into a smile. She nestled closer to him and hit play again.
"I get it," Adam continued on-screen, still smiling. "It's my fault, really—I've been too busy…"
The footage cut away.
Now it was Adam in a white coat, scalpel in hand—clips of him at work.
It started normal enough, but then came flashes of stuff definitely not meant for public viewing. They zipped by so fast Spencer's eyelids started twitching.
The final clip? That recent mess with Soldier War God storming the OR—Adam snapping the guy's arm like a twig, one-handed.
After every brutal flash, there was Adam's smiling face.
"Ahh!" Spencer yelped, clutching his right arm in phantom pain.
That raw, fierce energy? Insanely intense. Especially since Spencer now realized this was Adam's way of flexing on him—it hit way too close to home.
"…I've been swamped with all this work and haven't checked in on you guys enough. That's on me. I'll step it up from now on."
Adam reappeared on-screen, back in his white coat, standing outside the hospital. He toyed with two walnuts in his hand as he spoke. "Starting now, Spencer, you're part of the Duncan family.
Teddy's my little sister—the most spoiled girl in the house, always has been.
So, as her big brother, I've got one simple wish: take good care of her. Look out for her, love her, keep her happy, and don't let her get hurt. Live every day together in peace and joy.
If you can do that, then on behalf of the Duncan family, I welcome you aboard.
Here's to you thriving in our happy little clan.
Good luck, Spencer Walsh!"
At the end, Adam flashed that same classic grin from the flashes, arms spread wide like he was welcoming Spencer into the fold.
But what made Spencer's heart sink—and his stomach drop—was the sight of those rock-hard walnuts in Adam's right hand, now crushed to dust.
Right before the frame froze, a breeze kicked up. The walnut powder swirled in the air above Adam's hands, drifting like it was tracing the curve of his smile. That brilliant, iconic grin stretched into something downright eerie.
Spencer felt a chill down there and gave Teddy a weak, bitter smile. "Teddy, is it too late to back out?"
This kind of "big brother love"? He wasn't sure he could handle it.
"Of course it's not too late," Teddy replied, glowing from Adam's caring gesture. Even her fiancé threatening to call off the engagement couldn't dim her family feels.
"I don't care either way. Just clear it with Adam first. Can't let his gift—and his excitement—go to waste, right?"
"…"
Spencer had no comeback.
He couldn't shake the feeling his Teddy had changed.
---
(End of Chapter)