The First Candle

Expectation and Hope

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                Lucrecia Voris straightened her lab coat nervously as she walked down the halls towards the basement laboratory. In a few moments her entire future would be determined; she was going to find out if she was pregnant.

                She had just reached the laboratory door when she bumped into Professor Gast.

                "Professor!" she exclaimed.

                Professor Gast adjusted his glasses as he studied her.

                "Ms. Voris," he said slowly, obviously stalling for time as he tried to remember something. "Ah, yes! The pregnancy test." He beamed at her, making Lucrecia smile back.

                He opened the door to the lab and, flicking on the light, ushered her in.

                "Right this way, right this way." He gestured for her to sit down at a table while he scavenged through lab's mess, muttering incoherently.

                Lucrecia smiled affectionately at the distracted professor, and put a hand on her belly as if to feel if there was life within, but all she felt were butterflies.

                Please God, please let me be pregnant, she prayed silently. Please oh please oh please…

                A gentle hand on her shoulder brought Lucrecia back to the present.

                "Don't be afraid, dear," he said kindly. "Everything will work out for the best."

                Lucrecia nodded and accepted the cup he handed her.     

                "There's a bathroom over there," he continued. "Make sure you fill it up at least half-way."

                Lucrecia nodded and went to the bathroom to fulfill his order. A few minutes later she came out again, cup in hand, and handed it to him.

                "Excellent," he said. "It'll take me about an hour to test this, so just settle down, find something to do-I have some science articles, if you're interested. Or take a nap; I know the last few weeks have been stressful for you."

                Lucrecia nodded.

                "I think I'll try to sleep," she said.

                "Good, good," Gast said. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

                With a nod and a reassuring smile he went and began testing her urine. Lucrecia lay down on the laboratory bed and tried to sleep, but she was too nervous.

                What if I'm not pregnant? she thought. What will I do then?

                Or what if I am? What type of mother will I be? What kind of life will my child lead, constantly being studied? Will he feel like an outcast from other children? Will he be able to make friends?

                Trying to push such worries from her mind, she began to plan for the future.

                What will his name be? Or hers, if it's a girl? Sephiroth. Definitely Sephiroth if it's a boy, and Minerva if it's a girl.

                Hojo will probably drag us back to Midgar for better testing equiptment, but that wouldn't be for a couple years or so. He'll be able to grow up for a little bit in Nibelheim, at least, maybe make some friends among the village children. And Shinra Headquarters has a daycare center; he could meet other children there. He'll be studied, but will still have time to make friends; Vincent and I will make sure of that.

                Vincent. Lucrecia felt a sudden, desperate need for him to be there, to hold her and support her. They'd been growing apart ever since she agreed to this experiment, and Lucrecia regretted it bitterly.

                I miss him…

                "Ms. Voris," Lucrecia opened her eyes as Gast's voice pierced through her reverie. He was smiling brightly, and a faint hope blossomed in her heart. "I've finished the tested. You're pregnant."

                Lucrecia closed her eyes, heart swelling with emotion.

                Thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!

                She wanted to dance; she wanted to cry; she wanted to jump and shout and laugh. She stood quickly and hugged the professor, then raced out of the room, intent on finding Vincent.

                He was outside, sitting under a huge oak tree, looking down on the valley. She stood next to him in silence for some minutes, she panting from exertion, he not looking at her.

                "I'm pregnant," she said abruptly, as soon as she caught her breath.

                Vincent looked up and met her eyes, studying them intently.

                "I'm happy for you," he said quietly, and while he didn't sound it, Lucrecia knew that some small part of him was.

                She sat down next to him and leaned her head against his shoulder.

                Together they watched the sun set, one planning for the future, and the other fearing for it.

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Disclaimer: Lucrecia, Gast, Vincent, Hojo, and Sephiroth belong to Squaresoft.