"You mustn't overdo it, Darling."

He opened his eyes, or rather is mind finally comprehended what he had been looking at for the past two and a half minutes. He could barely make out the face of the person who was leaning over him. A girl, whose hair was pulled back in a loose bun, peered at him through large, pale purple eyes. A light shone brightly behind her forming what he believed to be a halo.

"Am I," he hesitated, feeling rather light headed, "in heaven?" he asked.

She brought a long finger to her lips, "Shh. Don't speak for the time being. Not until we know the extent of -"

"Are you an angel?"

She cocked her head to the side with a calming smile immediately before clicking on a flashlight and shining it into his eyes. "Dilation; a good sign. You'd been unresponsive up until now." She gripped his arm rather roughly and stared at her watch for a few seconds. "Stop struggling, sweetie," she warned and picked up a chart. She than spun around.

"How is he?"

"Oh," the girl sounded arrantly shocked, "Angeal! I didn't see you. How does a man of your stature manage to have such stealth?"

Angeal awarded her with a stern glance.

"Don't give me that look. He'll be fine. So worried about the puppy?" She turned back to her patient, and read his chart. "Mr. Fair, I suggest you take it easy for a while. I have never seen a SOLDIER participate in so many strenuous activities so recently after their initiation surgery. That was the source of your negative reaction." She set the chart down. "I'll speak with Lazard and have him reassign your missions for the next . . ." she bit her lip, "sixteen days."

"Reassign!?" Zack sat up, but instantly wished that he had not. "Oh, god!" he groaned, slapping a palm to his head.

She placed two hands on his chest and forced him to lie back down.

He did not fight her. His strength was too depleted.

"Maybe I should call it an even three weeks. . . ."

"No," he groaned feebly, "please."

She shook her head. "You want me to let you kill yourself? Sweetie, that goes against everything I've ever believed."

He didn't say anything, but he stared into her eyes pleadingly.

She closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose. "Very well. Come back in sixteen days. It'll be up to someone else to clear you at that time. Until then, you're on medical leave." She folded her hands. "If you'll excuse me, I now need to file your paper work. Stay here as long as you feel is necessary, Mr. Fair." She spun on her heel and exited.

"What happened?" Zack moaned, rolling over. Unfortunately for him, there was much less to the slab's width than he had imagined and he toppled to the ground. "God," he growled.

Angeal took Zack's arm and pulled him to his feet.

He suddenly felt very worn out. "I've never seen that girl before."

"And you'll hopefully never see her again. She works exclusively in the emergency room."

"This is the emergency . . . ?"

"Yeah, I -" Angeal's phone beeped, signifying the receipt of a message. He flipped open his phone and frowned. "I'm needed elsewhere." He was about to leave, but stopped abruptly. "Zack."

"Yeah?"

"What she said about taking it easy . . . . Just take her advice."

"Uh, okay, I guess."

Zack checked out of the hospital wing only to be summoned to the briefing room. He couldn't afford to waste time. There was little leniency for a recently instated third class SOLDIER. A man whom Zack had never met, but who must have had some authority stood before a computer, skimming over a file that occupied the screen. "Have a seat," he ordered without looking up.

"All right." Zack did as he was told. "So, uh, what's up?"

"Please don't speak to me." The man held up a hand.

Zack obeyed. The way he saw it, his career could possibly be in peril.

"Zack Fair, SOLDIER, third class."

"That's me."

"The doctor who treated you . . ."

"I didn't catch her name."

"I wasn't asking for her name. I have that information."

"Sorry. I assumed that you had paused because you didn't know."

"I am quickly losing my patience with you."

'Stupid, stupid, stupid,' Zack thought, furious with himself.

"She suggested a leave of just over two weeks, up to three if deemed necessary."

He nodded. "But I don't need -"

"We are required by law to follow a doctor's orders and when I said that she suggested, I meant that she ordered. This meeting is simply to inform you that for the next sixteen days, you are off duty. You're dismissed."

Zack had expected the meeting to last much longer, but who was he to argue? He headed to the door and paused. "This won't affect my standing in SOLDIER, will it?"

The man scowled. "Of course not. We can hardly blame you for your doctor's decision."

"Good."