Hello! Due to popular demand, I have created chapter 2. This is also a birthday present for the wonderful BrownEyedHeretic on dA aka Countcainn here. Happy Birthday baby!

The characters do not belong to me.

Chapter 2

"Pregnant? The mako caused you to develop a child?" Angeal's mako highlighted eyes flashed curiously in the dim light of his apartment. He immediately caught hold of Zack's chin and brought his gaze back up when the boy tried to avert his eyes to the interestingly colored carpet. Zack's eyes rested on Angeal's as he gulped slightly, a warm lump caught in his throat.

"Th-the mako isn't what caused the pregnancy, Angeal; it reformed my inner reproductive system in a way that would create the ability to get pregnant. By b-both messing with the structures and the hormones it gave me female equipment, but it wasn't the mako that actually initiated the pregnancy." With that, bright cerulean orbs fell shut.

"Which means…?"

"You're the father." Zack said it calmly, but in such a way that made Angeal feel slightly sick. The fear in the back of the boy's voice is what drove his heart in the ground. 'Is Zack really concerned that I might be angry or change because of this new revelation?' With that, the larger man wrapped his arms around his loyal student and brought him into a close embrace, nuzzling the top of his head. Zack's shock at the character break for Angeal was apparent when he simply didn't react for a moment before returning the hold, nuzzling his mentor's shoulder.

"We'll work through this, and we'll find a solution." The raven-haired first said with a bit more confidence than he knew he had.

"Thank you…" Zack whispered softly, staying close to Angeal. The first gently shifted, pulling Zack up bridal style – much to his small whines of protest - taking him into their bedroom and laying him down before resting next to him.

"You're quite welcome." Angeal slid under the blankets and sheets, Zack joining him quickly. The 2nd turned his back to the older man, who took it as a clue and for that night he wrapped his arm around the younger's waist, holding him close to his chest. "Good night Zack."

"G'night Angeal." He murmured back, snuggling into his mentor's strong arms a bit more.

Early that morning, around five is what Zack had guessed, is when a movement stirred up in the bed and Angeal silently cleaned up and left. The older man had a mission that morning to get to a certain crooked-spine scientist and ask a few questions, which no doubt had some perfectly reasonable answers for him to forfeit.

Hojo was alerted to the raven-haired man's presence when he heard the large steel door to the testing facility slam shut, turning around he smirked in his normal scheming manner. The scientist made a point to approach his guest, actually greeting him.

"Hello Angeal, it's been a while, hasn't it? Hmm. How have you been eating? The boys say you passed your physical health test several times with no let-down, I'm happy to hear this and very impressed."

"Fix him, fix him now." The man demanded, glaring down at the scientist with an unrivaled spite. "How do you expect him to continue his SOLDIER training if he is to bear a child?"

"Your child, Angeal?" The old man cackled a bit, his eyes shifting from the 1st in front of him to his clipboard. "Don't worry; I've already started on how to revert the boy back to normal. We've stopped the treatments and with the increase on normal mako doses he should start to reshape again in a very short amount of time. The boy will be back to training in no time at all. There will, however, be consequences."

"Consequences?" Angeal raised a furrowed eyebrow slightly, his glower not shifting from the man.

"Yes… well, you'll see." A sadistic sort of grin formed on the edges of his lips as his glasses flashed in the harsh overhead lights. "Send the boy here, I need to start his new treatment and get to work on his first surgery."

"Surgery? You're actually operating on him?" Angeal looked a bit taken aback at first, thinking that the only thing needed was going to be some mako treatments. "Just don't let me find out you've hurt him, Hojo."

"Of course, Angeal. Now hurry so that I may – help the boy – then move back to my other projects. I am a very busy man." With that the old scientist turned around and started to study some notes that were near a control panel. Angeal left the laboratory and set off for his apartment.

Upon opening the door, Angeal first noticed a soft music playing. The second thing he noticed was a set of messy black spiked over the end of the couch. Zack was lying on his back with his eyes closed and his head on the end armrest of the couch, a soft orchestrated classical song playing from the nearby stereo. Angeal approached him quietly, gently laying a gloved hand on the boy's right cheek, stirring him from a light dream-like trance. Zack gave him a smile that could make the world melt away, his eyes still half closed, but bright cerulean orbs gazing up at him fondly.

"You're back." His voice was soft and sweet and his lips were still pulled into that small, delicate smile; Angeal had never seen the boy this relaxed or this calm before. His puppy, his bundle of energy had been subdued into a comfortable lull that made the 1st's heart warm slightly.

"I'm back. We need to go though; Hojo needs you in the lab. He said he's already figured out a simple way to revert your insides to how they're supposed to be." The man didn't keep his voice low or try to make it sound soft or sweet, but there was still that undertone of feeling that he had when talking to Zack about more personal matters.

"I see. Alright, let's get going then." Zack paused for a moment after he sat up and ran a hand through his hair, shuffling his spikes a bit. What came next from his lips made the raven-haired 1st's heart sink. "What about our child?" It made Angeal stop and think, he hadn't really expected that from Zack, nor had he prepared an answer. It struck a chord, the way the younger boy had said it, our child, not the child, ours.

"I—I don't know." He admitted slowly.

"I see…" Zack's eyes downcast, a hand gently resting on his stomach. "We should get going." The young boy flashed his mentor one of his trademark smiles as he stood up, trying to mask his worry with his normal enthusiasm.

The walk to the laboratories was a bit of a longer one. Angeal was relieved to find out another 1st had volunteered to take care of the first two classes he was going to be overseeing that day, wanting to accompany his puppy. Zack would start talking in his normal animated way several times during the trip, smiling and laughing, giving his mentor some comfort. Once they reached the doors to the labs, Angeal looked at Zack who had just finished a story about Kunsel falling into a small water feature. The younger boy smiled to his mentor and gently took a gloved hand into his, he leaned up and pressed a small sweet kiss to Angeal's lips, he accepted it, kissing back before the boy pulled away.

"Everything will be just fine." Zack said with a confident smile before waving to Angeal and walking into the labs.

'Gaia, I hope you're right Puppy.' The 1st thought before turning around, checking the time before walking to the class he was supposed to monitor. A series of beeps came from his pocket and he picked up swiftly. "Hello?"

"This is Director Lazard; I need to see you in my office, now." The voice on the other end said curtly.

"Yes sir, I'll be right there." Angeal received a small "good" and then shut his phone, pocketing it before going to the elevator, taking it to the office. Upon stepping in he was greeted with Genesis and Sephiroth taking their leave, Genesis giving him a sort of sympathetic look. "Hello Lazard."

"Angeal, thank you for getting here so quickly. I'm afraid I need to send you on a brief mission to Wutai, we're having a little bit of trouble and it seems that you are required. I know that you're a bit tied up at the moment with your student's new treatments, but it will only take you the day." Lazard gave him a soft smile and quickly spouted the details of the mission, shifting his sleeves a bit as he spoke.

"Understood, sir. You have received the most recent update on Fair's status, have you not?"

"I have, and I'm sorry that this mission is being put on you at such a stressful time." Lazard caught a brief bit of worry that flashed over Angeal's face for a moment. "Do not worry, I haven't informed Genesis or Sephiroth, I believe that is a matter you will go over with Zack and decide whether or not to make public."

"Thank you sir." Angeal responded, a bit relieved. He said his goodbyes quickly, wanting to get the mission over with so that he might return and be ready for when Zack was released from Hojo's lab. Upon exiting the labs he spotted Genesis waiting for him down by the elevator. The red haired man wore an expression of guilt, his eyes having a sad tint to them.

"I'm really sorry, Angeal. Whatever is going on with Zack, I'm sure he'll come out of it fine, he's a strong boy. I pray the Goddess bless you both."

"Thank you, Genesis. He is undergoing treatment for the symptoms now." As the dark haired first finished both sets of eyes were turned to the elevator. A very twitchy Kunsel had stepped out, worry evident in the way he was moving. The 2nd class practically stumbled over himself to get to the two 1sts.

"Angeal? Zack isn't in the labs right now is he?" Concern wafted into the boy's voice, his hands shaking as he put his mobile back into his pocket. His gaze shifted back and forth between the two, giving Genesis a nod of recognition, but he was obviously a bit preoccupied with anxiety over his friend.

"He is. Why? What's bothering you Kunsel?" At that moment Angeal saw the panic and fear rise exponentially in Zack's friend.

"There've been ear-shattering screams coming from there. So bad that I've seen scientists leaving their separate facilities for a while, trying not to get sick. Someone said it has to do with an up-and-coming 1st class… I immediately thought Zack because of his sporadic condition changes… Angeal what's going on there?" Kunsel's bottom lip was trembling slightly, the kid was a wreck, and the raven haired first before him wouldn't be doing much better soon after his report. Genesis put a hand over his mouth, his brows drawn together in a sort of sympathetic sickness as he looked to his friend.

"I'll check on things Angeal, you go take care of your mission. There are lives at stake on your end. Hurry back though." Genesis spoke quickly and then hurried off down towards the labs. Angeal looked to Kunsel who hurried off in another direction, muttering something about hating having all of the information and not being able to use it. Angeal stopped the boy, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you." With that he set off on his mission, desperate to return in good time. Hojo was going to be dead if Zack wasn't in perfect condition, and there was no one who could stop him. His honor, his dreams, they were in his student and lover, he would not have the scientist harm him.

Genesis hurried down the corridor, not paying attention to the 'hello's and 'sir's he was receiving as he passed SOLDIERs, just trying to get the labs. He quickly slid into an elevator before it closed, going to the correct level. As he stepped out and turned to go right down the hall he ran right into a mess of beautiful silver. Sephiroth turned around, gazing at his friend with first a look of contempt before realizing who it was that had run into his back.

"Genesis." The man gave the faintest of smiles before it turned downward a bit. "What's wrong?" Sephiroth was not adept to seeing his friend in such a state of distress.

"It's Zack, something bad may be happening to him in Hojo's lab. Kunsel came by Angeal and me with reports of screaming so bad even the scientists in nearby departments were leaving to get away from the noise." Genesis started moving forward again, Sephiroth taking the cue and fell right into step with him. "I'm worried, Seph, there's only so much both of them can take. Angeal looked like he was ready to break by the time he left for his mission."

Sephiroth's gaze continued forward, his expression in a slight frown that looked dangerously close to turning to anger. The two started to hear what was happening behind the doors before they reached them. Genesis visibly cringing from the sound of what was defiantly Zack's voice, rising and falling in immense pain. Both SOLDIERs picked up the pace and got to the lab entrance, upon trying to go in they were met with a locked door.

Both men exchanged glances before forcibly opening the door. Genesis and Sephiroth both summoned their strengths and crashed through, creating quite the noise and disturbing the work of the crooked scientist who was leering over at the two. The sight before the two men was horrific. Zack was strapped to the metal table, fully awake and alert in only his boxers and a gown around his waist, his eyes had a light pink stain around them and his stomach ripped slightly open where a wound had been stitched together and then reopened. The scientist slowly went to greet his guests half way as both stepped closer.

"Genesis. Sephiroth. It's good to see you two, perhaps you can help me. The boy won't stop thrashing around, even in restraints, I cannot put him under, and he keeps ripping his stitching open. Could you calm him down please?" With that, Hojo pressed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose with a scrawny finger. The two he spoke to exchanged looks before both approaching the screaming Zack, whose voice was cracking and breaking and fading out by then.

"Zack, Zack calm down. You're okay." Genesis murmured to the boy and smiled gently though it was still an obvious look of worry, placing a hand on his forehead. The redhead wasn't accustomed to being so close with the boy, but he was Angeal's boy, and he wouldn't have him hurt. Under his touch, the boy's struggles increased before slowly halting, reducing his screams to sobs as his eyes closed against the harsh overhead light.

"Why? Why did he have to kill it?" Zack continued to sob, his head rolling from one side to the other a few times. "Why…?" Tears streamed down his flush face, his hands clenching into fists and then releasing. Slowly Sephiroth reacted, feeling quite a few pings in his chest from the current state of the normally exuberantly happy teen, his lips turning down to a saddened expression for a moment as he reached out to gently hold the boy's hand.

"Fair, you'll be okay, just let Hojo sew your stomach back up and drink a potion." The silver haired general spoke softly. Genesis looking up at his friend with a bit of shock that he was not only making physical contact but trying to reassure the boy. Zack slowly turned his head, looking at Sephiroth with tearful eyes and expression of utter depression.

"He killed it… it was part of me, part of Angeal too… we were… we were…" Zack was cut off sharply by a very arrogant scientist.

"You were what? Going to settle down on the country side after abandoning Shin-Ra and raise the little abomination. It was bound to have birth-defects even if it had fully developed, and it's more than possible that you or it would have died during the birthing process, as yours would be a most unique of circumstance. Even in normal birth there is a risk of that, it was amplified greatly with this situation and I will not have Shin-Ra coming down on me because a mako experiment gone wrong killed one of the SOLDIERs with greatest potential. It's a logical choice, now please stop blubbering." With a sharp inhale Hojo gave a disgusted look and went over to the table with a prepared set of equipment. "Keep him still."

Sephiroth and Genesis were both awestruck, Genesis carrying his look of surprise much longer then the former. Zack had Angeal's child, key word being had. Reluctantly they held Zack still, Genesis coaxing the boy into just relaxing with sweet words. All of what Hojo had said was true, it was reasonable, but at the moment, it was hurtful, uncalled for, and something that obviously only upset the boy even further. The scientist could have used more grace in talking to the boy about his child that would now never be.

Hojo went to work sewing the boy up, letting him sit for a while until he had Sephiroth and Genesis slowly sit the boy up and fed him a potion which he refused to drink at first. Both the red-haired and silver-haired man grew uncomfortable with the pain of sympathy they were feeling. Zack turned to the side, facing neither of them, staring at a small container sitting on the far side of the lab.

It was a silver container with an orange and red label that had black writing on it and a symbol indicating biohazard. The light refracted off the side of it softly and only in a small point on the lid. Hojo had wandered off to a different lab after instructing the general and 1st class to stay and monitor the boy until he returned, releasing Zack's restraints. Sephiroth slowly went over to the container, his eyes being attracted immediately to the narrow strip of yellow caution tape over the top and down the back side of the object. Kneeling down he picked up the container and skimmed the side of it looking under the biohazard sign.

EXP. FA0001 – FAILED

Following down he continued to read the short "dispose of immediately" instructions, his eyes trailing back up to the bold face print though. Something more than discomfort washed over the silver-haired general as he stared at the small label. The child was probably yet not even close to starting to look like a human in the small bin, yet there it was. He was holding the dead child of his friends. It hurt to know that it was something so delicate that was never going to develop. It hurt to know that the pain he felt paled in comparison to what Zack was feeling and what Angeal would be feeling. The next feeling that came was rage. How could that monster fool with the life of his friends? What right did he have to make an experiment project out of Zack?

Getting up, he slowly put the container down and walked back over to Zack and Genesis. Zack was lying on his side, completely still, eyes directed at the wall in front of him but he seemed to be staring straight through it. The light, the joy, it had all but diminished from those beautiful cerulean orbs. Hojo returned shortly after Sephiroth had approached the two and simply told them to move out. Zack could rest in the 1st class medical ward or his barracks, the scientist simply didn't care. Gently Genesis lifted the boy when he didn't respond to move on his own and swung Zack's arm around his shoulder.

"I need to speak with Hojo. I trust you can get the boy to the medical ward safely." Genesis gave him an affirmative nod and continued off through the busted doors of the lab. Sephiroth then turned to the scientist with a steely glare that Hojo would not forget for quite a while. The red-haired man made his way to the medical ward for 1st class SOLDIERs, having confidence that they would gladly take care of Zack even though he was still a 2nd class. Smiling softly down at the boy in his arms he told him that it would be alright, trying to still comfort him.

"At least you will have your health, Zack. You will be able to continue training normally and Angeal will still take care of you." Genesis spoke softly to the boy, gently shifting him a bit to pull him slightly closer to his chest. "We all care about you, and you'll work through this. We'll help, I promise." Genesis walked through the automatic doors, going to the small counter where an astute looking woman in glasses was standing.

"First Class Rapsodos, we were informed you and the general were to bring Fair here, please follow me." With that the woman took him to a good sized room where she instructed Genesis to lay Zack on the bed before she put a blanket over the boy. "Thank you, if you would like you may wait here, if not please exit the same way you came in, the side exit is currently blocked due to expansion construction to accommodate the 2nd class clinic."

Genesis looked to Zack with a bit of a smile and put a hand on his. "Angeal will be back soon, Zack, and then you can talk to him. I'm sure he'll stay with you any time he can here."

"How can I tell him, Genesis?" Zack muttered softly. "Gaia, how do I tell him our child is dead?" Zack's eyes began to water again, his ducts seeming to have refilled since he had cried them empty earlier. Genesis's smile dropped and he looked down at the white speckled floor tiles before back at the young man.

"Zack… I can tell him if you want."

"No, no you can't. I have to tell him. I just don't know how." Zack gave a clearly desperate look. Genesis paused for a moment before answering the boy.

"The same way you told him you had the child." The young raven-haired 2nd stared for a while. There was no connection to how he could tell him the same way, Genesis shortly continued though. "You called him up and told it to him face-to-face. I don't know what you said exactly, but he seemed to be fine aside from worrying about you. He loves you with or without child. He cares about you. You should know that most of all, Zack. Trust in Angeal, just… tell him."

Zack nodded a little, the tears still going down his cheeks; Genesis got a tissue from the counter and wiped the boy's eyes gently before sitting back down. The 1st class stayed with the boy, patiently waiting on the small red chair that was sitting in the room, lining it up with the bed so he was right there with his friend the entire time. At one point a medic came in, dispensing a good sized unit of mako into Zack, saying it was for his treatment and they had received orders from Hojo to do this, and then leaving.

About five hours after they had arrived to the room, Angeal walked in. His eyes were so far broken from his normally calm and collected state that it nearly frightened Genesis. He walked over to Zack, pulled off his glove and placed a warm hand on his student's cheek. His tear-stained eyes gazed up at his mentor as those deeper blues stared back. Both of them silently recognized how much they needed one another at that moment and then Zack finally started to speak.

"I… I'm sorry about all of this, Angeal." He placed a hand on his mentor's nuzzling his face into the palm of that calloused hand gently. His eyes closed and it felt like several safety pins had been shoved through his windpipe, his heart bounding out of his chest. "The child… Our child is dead… Hojo removed it today after the first two mako treatments." A shiver raced down Angeal's spine and he looked to the side a bit before letting his gaze go back to Zack.

"I'm sorry, Zack. I should have been here. I should have refused the mission and just stayed with you, please forgive me." Angeal's heart had sunk to the floor, his eyes glistening slightly. How could he love a child he never knew? He didn't know the answer, but he knew it hurt. Gently he pulled his student up and into his arms, the boy starting to quake a bit, but not crying this time. He wouldn't allow himself to.

Early the next morning, Angeal awoke next to Zack's medical bed, the side of his face resting against the boy's cupped hand. The older man gave a roar of a yawn that made him strain to keep quiet. Looking at his student he noted that he was still fast asleep, sad reminisces of the previous day still waxing his features. Angeal brushed a hand against his lover's cheek and smiled softly to him. A small noise behind him alerted his attention.

Sephiroth was standing in the doorway with a beautiful plant in one hand, its white petals splotched with pinks and greens, a most romantic of red coating each tip. This was a bit of an odd sight for Angeal but he recognized the gesture and smiled slightly, getting up and going to his friend he accepted it kindly.

"It's for the both of you, I'm sure you'll be able to raise it well, the woman told me that it will bare seeds at the end of winter that will need to be split and planted in mid-spring." The astute man paused for just a moment. "I hope that it will help both of you in some way."

"Thank you, my dear friend."

"I brought you this." Another voice called softly from behind the silver-haired general. Genesis stepped out from behind him with pie and a small smile. "Dumbapple Pie."

Angeal didn't know what to do aside from chuckle slightly. He thanked his friend and then looked to Zack whose head turned, his eyes slowly starting to open.

"Something smells heavenly."

"The gift of the Goddess, my young friend," Genesis smiled as he walked over, brushing past Sephiroth gently, "For all of us to share." Zack smiled back a bit, attempting to sit up on his own, and succeeding. He ran a hand through his hair, and though he smiled the events that had passed were still stamped on his face. He looked over to Sephiroth and his smile spread a bit, infecting the normally stoic man and caused his lips to tug up at the edges.

"ZACK!" A squeal that died at the end came from the doorway and the silver-haired general and Angeal were both shoved to the side as a very excited Kunsel ran passed them both, swinging both arms around Zack's neck and pulled him in to a spine crushing hug. "Oh man, I was so worried about you, you don't even know. It took forever to get some dirt on one of the workers here so I could get in and see you, I can't wait until you get out though, I'm so going to take you out and we're going to party with Reno. I know you're not doing well right now but don't worry I'll be su…" Kunsel was cut off by choking sounds in his arms which had tentatively been getting tighter and tighter around Zack's neck. "Oh, sorry man."

The other three in the room couldn't help but laughing, Sephiroth even giving a chuckle at the antics before him. Angeal went over, patting Kunsel on the shoulder, smiling to the young boy who grinned sheepishly before looking back at Zack.

"Before you start getting all extra enthused on me again, I'd like to thank someone." Zack said through a chuckle. "Sephiroth, thank you very much." With a smile he looked over at the general who returned it slightly, walking over and placing the plant on the bed-side table-tray.

"I thought you both could use it." The man stepped back a bit, looking to Angeal before returning his gaze to the raven-haired 2nd class.

"Thank you."

"You should thank him, have you seen what happened to Hojo's lab? That place is a mess." Kunsel looked from Zack to Sephiroth. "Did you really Berserk the entire place? I obtained a few confidential photographs of the scene but they were kind of blurry, and the information sources weren't as reliable as my normal ones." Sephiroth cleared his throat a bit before turning swiftly, his hair fluttering gracefully behind him.

"I have to attend to a mission, I'm sure you can understand. Genesis, come, we don't want to be late." With that the silver-haired general exited the room and Genesis followed shortly after, setting his pie down and giving Zack a brief hug before waving to the other two and walking out.

Kunsel smiled and waved back, Angeal waving back to his friend as well. The three left in the room exchanged looks for a moment, first Zack and Angeal, coming to some sort of silent need with each other and then Zack and Kunsel, Kunsel taking a while to realize before a short "oh" escaped him.

"I'll see you two later, I'm really glad to see you're okay Zack, I'll e-mail." With that the helmeted SOLDIER strode out of the room, making sure to wave on his way out, refraining from hugging his friend for fear of breaking something. Angeal then walked back up to the bedside and sat down next to his student.

"Is there something going on I don't know about?" The older man chuckled lightly as Zack shook his head to negate the question immediately. He knew there was nothing romantic between the two, but that moment was too opportune to pass up for the older man to pick on the boy. His boy. Angeal ruffled Zack's hair a bit and gained a smile from him. "I want to take you somewhere, when I'm allowed to, that is."

"You're allowed to now." Zack said quickly.

"I mean when the doctor allows me to, Puppy." Angeal corrected himself. "We can put Sephiroth's gift there."

"And when they get back we can put The Goddess's gift in our stomachs." Zack replied with a small smile.

"Yes, yes we can." Angeal pulled his puppy to his chest, holding him for a few moments, just enjoying the feeling of closeness with the boy once again, enjoying being able to comfort him. "Zack, I want you to know that we can still create life together, in a way that I have balanced for quite a while now. We can create life through nature, nurture this flower and continually help it to grow. Together, we can raise it." Zack felt himself start to tremble a bit in his mentor's arms before he snuggled closer to him, smiling at the thought. "And Puppy?"

"Yeah Angeal?"

"I love you." Those words filled Zack, he knew that in time the wounds would heal, and even though they would scar, Angeal would still be there, his friends would still be there. Even if more things went wrong, they would always have each other. In life, in death; in present, in future; each would be there for the other.

"I love you too."

The end, for real this time. Reviews are loved.