A Little Hitch

Summary: A routine mission gone wrong for Genesis throws a hitch in Hollander's plans for his two experiments. Pre-CC AU.

Disclaimer: Don't own FFVII.

"Sephiroth?"

He held the PHS to his ear using his shoulder as a support, taking his right glove from the coffee table and slipping it back on with his gloved left hand. A phone call from Lazard would, at the very least, mean a venture down to the director's office.

"Yes?" he spoke into the phone.

"Go to the Medbay. Your presence was requested by the in-charge."

Surprising. Sephiroth was rarely needed there, and even if he was, he was not informed, regardless. The fact that he was called now probably had to do with the head of the medical department, Hollander, being away on some sort of doctor's conference. Sephiroth was not particularly popular with the man, a feeling that was entirely mutual.

"What brought this on?" he asked as he opened the door of his apartment.

"As far as I know, Genesis was brought back wounded."

Sephiroth lifted a hand to grip the PHS. His voice, when he spoke, came out harsher than usual. "What happened?"

"An ambush. Genesis had no backup. He did not believe it would be needed. The nearest troop was ten miles away. By the time they got there, he was already down."

"Severity?"

"I was not informed of the details, but it's serious."

"On my way." Sephiroth hung up the phone and quickened his pace.

The last time Sephiroth had come to the Medbay, it was for Genesis, too. A wound on his shoulder had not been healing. Hollander had asked for a blood donor. Sephiroth had been willing, but Hollander had refused him, choosing Angeal instead.

He still didn't know why. His blood type matched Genesis', he knew that much. And speaking of Angeal...

Lazard himself was standing at the front desk of the medical wing. Sephiroth made a beeline for him. "Where is Angeal?" he demanded.

"He's on a top priority mission. We'll notify him as soon as he finishes it."

"You'll notify him now, or I will." Sephiroth said coolly. "He needs to know. He is the only one viable for a blood transfusion for Genesis."

Surprise flitted across Lazard's face. "I was... not aware of that. Neither, it seems, are the doctors." he nodded towards the man in a doctor's apron who was hurrying towards them.

"Sephiroth." the man greeted the First. "We need you inside, please. Genesis has lost a lot of blood. You are the only one at Headquarters now who matches his blood type."

"I am not viable." Sephiroth said immediately. "Hollander said-"

He trailed off at the look on the doctor's face.

"We have no choice." said the man. The sheer urgency in his tone was enough to send a flash of fear surging through Sephiroth.

Just how badly was Genesis hurt?

He turned to Lazard. "How far away is Angeal?"

Lazard was glancing in between the doctor and Sephiroth with apprehension. At Sephiroth's words, his gaze fixed on his best SOLDIER, and Sephiroth could see the worry in his eyes. "200 miles. More than an hour away."

"He will not survive that long." the doctor said hurriedly. "He's not healing. He continues to lose blood. Every second we delay-"

Sephiroth made up his mind with all the speed and efficiency that he was famous for in the field. "Lead the way." he said.

Surgeons were crowded around Genesis. Sephiroth saw a flash of bloodstained red hair before it was hidden from sight.

He sat down on the other bed that had been set up, rolling up his right sleeve above his elbow. He had never done this before, but he knew the protocol.

"How much should we take?" the doctor asked.

"As much as he needs." Sephiroth said firmly.

The man opened his mouth, and closed it again at the look Sephiroth was giving him. He gave a wordless nod.

Sephiroth waited for the IV to be attached. When it was connected to a blood bag, he reached out and sped up the drip to maximum speed.

He couldn't say he particularly cared for the draining sensation, but he'd had worse. He sat back against the bed railing and waited for the bag to fill up.

"He's healing!" someone exclaimed.

There was a sudden shift in the room's atmosphere. Genesis had just been given the fourth bag of blood, and it appeared that the mako in the blood had finally begun to work on Genesis' healing.

Sephiroth, feeling more than a little weary, lifted his head.

He could see little from his angle. Only a flash of red hair. "How is he?" he asked the nurse standing beside him.

"The blood has stopped leaking out." she said. "The wounds are all closing. I think he will be fine, thanks to you, sir."

All closing? Even Angeal's blood was not enough to close Genesis' wound properly. Had Hollander made a mistake when he dismissed Sephiroth as a donor?

Or had he lied?

"He still doesn't have enough blood!" one surgeon snapped at the nurse. "Why are you stopping? He needs one more pint, at least."

Then the man winced when Sephiroth's eyes met his. "If...if that's alright with you." he said lamely.

Sephiroth eyed him for a moment longer, just for the fun of it. "It's fine." he said, releasing the man from his stare. The surgeon looked immensely relieved.

The nurse objected. "Five pints is too much to lose, sir, even for a First. We cannot possibly-"

"I said it's fine." Sephiroth turned his gaze on her and she wilted.

It was just as well, Sephiroth thought as she began preparing the fifth blood bag, that Angeal was not here. Sephiroth himself was the strongest of the Firsts in many ways, and physical endurance was one of them. It was most likely that, if any of them were able to survive with 50% blood loss, that would be him. And if Angeal was here, no one would have risked taking Sephiroth's blood, and Genesis would not have healed.

The fact that his blood had healed Genesis brought him a relieved sort of satisfaction. It also amused him to wonder how Genesis would react once he learned this.

He could feel sleep tugging at his eyelids midway through the last transfusion. He knew he couldn't go to sleep now - he didn't want to slip into a coma- so he busied himself with watching the surgeons work. When they at last moved back, Sephiroth saw something that startled him out of his drowsiness.

The old wound on Genesis' shoulder had faded. He now looked perfectly healthy; with only the palor of his skin communicating the lack of blood in his body.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Sephiroth's lips.

"It's done, sir." the nurse was speaking to him. Sephiroth nodded to her, rolled down his sleeve with a shaky hand, and stood. If the doctors noticed his condition, they would try to admit him here along with Genesis. He didn't care for that.

He made it as far as the drawing room of his apartment before his knees gave out.

Thoughts? Should I continue this or not?