Disclaimer: I do not own Cyborg 009…
Crying. That was all 009 could think of whenever he remembered the time when everyone waited. Waited breathlessly for what was to become of their baby, Chelsea. 003 had shed so many tears. Just thinking about that time made him want to cry, to fold 003 in his loving embrace as he had back then, it was all he could do. There was no point in whispering hollow promises that everything would work out okay. There was no point in bringing false hope.
So, instead, he stood by the love of his life. He comforted her as best as he could, accompanying her to the infirmary where Chelsea hovered between life and death, letting her cry on his shoulder deep into the night until she was too weary to continue and fell into a restless slumber.
Then the day came, Dr. Gilmore summoned them into the infirmary. They were unsure of what to expect, was she going to be okay? Had Chelsea taken a turn for the worse? Will she ever get a chance to live her life?
009 remembered everything so vividly. The sound of everyone's slow, uneven breathing, 003 sniffling, the tap of their shoes on the cold, hard floor as they neared Dr. Gilmore. Then they had stopped, frozen dead in their tracks. The look that was in Dr. Gilmore's eyes had been so saddening, so helpless. 003 gasped and clutched at 009's shirt, her knees beginning to buckle beneath her.
"No…" she breathed, so softly 009 had almost been unable to hear her.
"I'm so sorry, 003." Dr. Gilmore said softly in his kindest voice, he looked older, sadder. "I did all I could…but, I'm afraid there just was no hope…Chelsea's dead…" A tear was glistening in his eye; he couldn't meet anyone's eye, his voice cracking with grief.
003 buried her face in 009's chest, her tears soaking into 009's shirt. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as her body began to shiver, her sobbing becoming louder. Faintly, almost as soft as she had spoken before, he heard her whisper.
"My baby…Chelsea…"
He had cried with her. 009's tears had fallen into her hair; he had felt her sorrow, her loss, her pain. The other Cyborgs had looked upon them, feeling sympathy for the couple, while 004 had collapsed into a nearby chair and wiped away his own tears, even if 009 would have been more of a father to Chelsea, he still loved her, she was, after all, his biological daughter.
After that, 003 had been crestfallen. The loss of her daughter had been a heavy blow to her. She seemed to be constantly in shock, never able to really grasp the simple fact that she was really, truly dead. It was many months until she did finally come to terms with it.
One day, while visiting the sad, small grave, she had looked upon it with new eyes and clutched at 009's hand, tears cascading down her warm cheeks, tears that had failed to come after the first time she had heard of her baby's death, tears long in coming. But at that moment, she was free from her curse, her sorrow, she moved on, realizing that Chelsea could now never be more than a memory, something that happened in a past life.
After that, 009 mostly remembered the many smiles that had graced 003's face, the happy times they had enjoyed. Such a different way of life to that of before Chelsea had come along.
Now, as he watched 003 sit on the beach, serenely watching the sunset, a small smile of contentment spread across her lips, you would never think that such a person had ever had a sad day in her life. Slowly, he walked towards her and sat to her left. She turned her sparkling eyes to him, reflecting the setting sun.
"Joe…" she whispered his name, so sweet, so lovingly, her hand caressing his cheek tenderly.
He smiled at her, the smile he reserved for her and her only. He took her hand in his gently, stroking the back of it, her skin smooth under his.
"Françoise…" he said, just as she had done with his.
"Joe…I have to tell you…" her voice trailed off, she seemed to be struggling with whatever it was she wanted to say, her eyes were pleading with hers now, hoping for something. "I-I'm…pregnant…"
For a moment 009 just sat there in shock. So many things were buzzing through his head, but a huge grin had spread across his face, his eyes sparkling with happiness.
"Françoise! That's wonderful!" he cried in pure joy, picking her up and hugging her close to him. "I can't believe this!"
"You're okay with this?" 003 asked carefully. "I mean…after everything that happened with Chelsea…"
"Françoise…that's all finished, this baby will be different, we'll get though it, and we'll raise the child with so much love that it'll never know anything but the kindness and love it was raised with."
"Oh Joe…"
"It is mine right…?" 009 said mischievously, interrupting the moment.
003 mock-punched him on the arm. "Of course it is, dummy."
