AN: Suppose this should be posted now; I finished it a while ago but was too lazy to upload it. Sorry it's a bit shorter; there's an epilogue to be posted after this as well, which is my excuse for the length.

A warm, gentle hand ran over my stomach. My optics flickered open, and I was met with nothing more than blurry shapes. Groaning in pain, I shook my head, attempting to reorient myself.

Where was I, what was happening, and whose voice was that murmuring gentle words of comfort?

As my vision began to clear, I sat up, grunting in pain at a dull ache in my back, followed by aches all over the rest of my body. I set a hand on my back and lightly rubbed at it, optics tightly closing in discomfort.

Warm arms slid lovingly around my torso; instinctively, I tensed, until recognizing the feeling of burlap on my canvas skin. My optics clicked open, and I whirled, unable to believe the sight in front of me.

There, behind me, looking as sweet as ever, was my love. 9. He was alive. He was alive. Or was I dead?

I didn't care which it was; all I cared about was the fact 9 was back. My arms wrapped around his body as I squirmed around to face him, tightly embracing him, burying my head into his fabric like I'd longed to do for days.

Unable to contain my joy, I began to speak, my words tumbling out faster than ever. "9! You.. You're back! Creator, I'm so glad to see you, I can't believe it, but I'm still happier than ever to see you! I missed you so much… I thought you were dead… No, you were dead, how're you alive? What happened? …No, actually, I don't care, I just want to hear your voice more, I need to-"

"Shhh." His signature smile appeared on his face, and my optics widened, locked on his eyes. I could see more love than ever in them; a sense of comfort, pure happiness, complete and utter bliss fell over me. My optics fluttered closed as I laid my head down on his shoulder. I clung to him rather tightly, refusing to let go, almost afraid that if I did, he'd disappear, and I'd be left alone again.

"You've been through so much lately, 7.. Just relax." As he spoke, he began to gently rock me back and forth. I hadn't realized I'd been trembling; the stress and sadness and denial and all those emotions I'd held inside of me for the last few days having been finally released. But his actions soothed me, and I allowed myself to fall quite relaxed for the first time in days.

"How…how are you alive, 9? Are you alive? Am I dead? ..What...what about our child?"

"It's a long story, my love… But.. I'll start at the beginning."

He was right; it was a pretty long story.

It turned out, he hadn't ever been truly dead; his body had sent him into a sort of hibernation, or perhaps a comatose state, where all processes were shut down indefinitely. He told me this with some uncertainty. He didn't actually know, but from how he described it, added to what I'd seen, it seemed accurate enough.

Supposedly, when I had brought him back to the hotel, his body had started to reawaken. He'd gained a limited amount of consciousness, and his body had started working a bit more, but he'd still been in the hibernating state, thus why he hadn't been able to do anything.

When he finally had woken up, probably just minutes after I'd left to avenge him, he'd very quickly discovered the dozens of notes and drawings and diagrams I'd drawn out in desperate attempts to give myself something to do, and to figure out my plan for revenge.

Because his body had recharged quite a bit while he'd been in the hibernation state, and because I had repaired all his wounds(which he'd figured out by the numerous patches and stitches covering his body), he was easily able to set out and find me.

And, he said, it wasn't that hard to do. The machine's roar could be heard for miles, and as soon as he'd figured out I was nowhere to be seen, he'd followed them. Just in time, too.

"When I got there, I was so happy to see you, 7... But then I realized, you put yourself in danger while carrying our child, and… Creator, 7, I've never been so scared."

I dipped my head in a show of apology and of slight shame. "I know.. I regret it now, but.. I just couldn't help it, 9. When I saw your body, ravaged so horribly, and so lifeless, something just took over and all I wanted was revenge. I hide my grief with anger, and I guess that turned into a desire for revenge.." Leaning up, I slid my cheek against his, turning my head a little to gently peck him on the cheek.

"But I'm so grateful you came back, and…" I hesitated, uncomfortable with admitting this. "…You saved me, 9."

A look of surprise flicked on his face for a moment before it turned into a look of love and forgiveness.

"I guess we're even now then, huh?" His smile turned into a bit of a playful smirk, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Honestly, 7, I was just doing what any good soulmate…and any good father would do. Protecting my love while she's…less able to, as she's working so hard to create new life. And protecting our little one's future.."

He set a hand on my stomach, beginning to stroke it in circular motions. Underneath his hand, I felt a soft fluttery sensation, more pleasant than the squirming that'd been my first true feel of our child's existence. It almost tickled, and I couldn't help but softly giggle, my smile growing wider as I saw his do the same.