A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones, but I just wanted this bit to be on its own instead of going between people.
"You've been told?"
Demyx nodded slowly, still not tearing his eyes away from the floor as Tyler continued to stitch his shoulder - it hurt, hurt like hell - but his mind wasn't really with it. The same set of questions were echoing in his head - how was Zack suddenly sitting in the room he had just left? And why had everyone just nodded and went home? They were all in for a shock in the morning and realised it was actually real. A small smile flitted across his face as he thought of what Cloud's reaction would be, when he woke in the morning to discover Aerith in the spare room.
"Don't smirk - it's nothing to smirk about!"
"Ah - c'mon - what is it with you lot?"
Demyx winced as Tyler hit him into the back of his shoulder, why did people have to do that when it obviously hurt enough as it was? He honestly wondered if people enjoyed causing him pain. Tyler simply shook his head, refusing to apologise for his actions. He actually had not meant to hit the youngster as hard as he did, but it had gotten his point across. He was oddly protective over Danni, he'd seen her grow from an infant into a little girl, and now he had seen her as a young woman - if Demyx thought for one second he could play her around, he'd be answering to a lot of people. Especially now that Zack was back…that was another thing; Zack. Factually speaking from his science-based beliefs, it wasn't possible. Simple as that. But he'd had to swallow his beliefs when faced with a certain black-haired SOLDIER. What about the group Demyx and the others had come from? Were any of those capable of changing their appearance? But then what about Aerith?
"Is it possible for any of the Organi-"
Demyx shook his head, already knowing what Tyler was going to ask. He had already considered that; Zexion was the only one he was aware of who would be anywhere near capable of utilizing the abilities necessary for passing an illusion like that. Larxene could use clones during battle, but only of herself. He himself could use water clones, but they definitely couldn't pass as actual people.
"No, I wasn't sure before but I am now. Angeal seems to trust him…"
Tyler nodded, he guessed as much. Though at least that was something to lean on. Angeal wouldn't trust someone unless he was sure. At times he could be a pain in the butt because of his ways and how he held some people at arms length, refusing to trust them fully. But at the heel of hunt, he held the man's opinion of someone in high regards because of that. The doctor stood as a buzzing told him his beeper had received a message. A second or two of staring down at the small screen and then Tyler turned on his heels, calling back to Demyx as he walked through a door.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
He just nodded, still partially pissed off as his shoulder continued to ache rhythmically. At the moment in time, he was splitting the blame between Tyler and Xaldin - he was also blaming Xaldin for Danni getting hurt, he'd seen her watching them, he'd wanted to shout at her to never mind him, but a lance in his shoulder had been distracting him. Demyx sighed, looking out the window to his left, staring out idly at the sparkling stars upon their pitch hued backdrop. It was always the same. In every world he had ever been to. The same intricate patterns. The same clusters and constellations of Orion and all the rest. So if it always stayed the same, how could things change so quickly? Scrap that - how had things changed so quickly?
What had he done so bad that Xemnas suddenly hated him to such an extent? Was it because of what Zexion had said - because he had simply stood up to him? If so, then how come it was just him? He could barely last long against the Superior, that had been proven two months ago - how was he supposed to protect Danni or the baby if Xemnas came here? He would have to stop him regardless though, he had to. Danni made him feel like he had a heart, she gave him something he had been without for so long.
She made him feel real - take her away and he honestly did not trust himself. He had surprised himself with Larxene, he hadn't been aware of what he'd been doing until she had left. That had frightened him somewhat, but it had been to protect someone he loved and he would do it all over again. He would go back to the Stronghold if it only meant that Danni and the baby would be safe from harm.
"She's pretty tired, but she's awake. I haven't told her, I'll leave that to you. Make her get some rest, please?"
Why was he suddenly nervous? What was the best way to tell someone they were pregnant? Was there even a good or easy way of breaking that kind of news to someone? Screw that - how did he tell her that her dead brother was sitting in a room at the end of the corridor? That his dead girlfriend was currently asleep in her old bedroom at Seventh Heaven? She would think he banged his head too hard against something during the fight or something. For only he knew better, he would be agreeing with that too. How did he tell her that his old boss would hurt her if he found out she was pregnant? And cue the guilt…
"I want to go home…I really don't like staying in these places…"
Nervousness was gone out the window, replaced by staggering relief. He smiled as he shook his head, sitting on the edge of her bed. He spent a minute or two trying to figure out how exactly he was going to approach the situation at hand. She looked like hell, bruises, scratches, cuts, the bags beneath her eyes.
"Danni, we need to talk…"
She didn't like those words, she didn't like his tone of voice - those kind of words never bode well in a relationship. Had she done something wrong? She didn't think she had, but she was tired and wasn't completely sure. His face was serious and he wasn't meeting her gaze.
"Tyler found out why your Mako levels were off…I love you, you know that."
"What happened - I don't like where this is going…"
Great - that little voice that had been prompting him all along had run off, leaving him on his own, with Danni looking hurt - why did she look hurt? He wasn't doing great at the whole explaining thing. He didn't mean to hurt her, the opposite actually. But the longer he was taking to get around to the main factor, the more she was getting hurt. Now he felt guilty.
"Danni, you're four weeks pregnant."
Her hands shot to her stomach out of reflex. She bit back a cry as she unintentionally hit her stitches. It hurt so much, she never thought something could pain her so bad, it burned and stung at the same time. How could there be a baby in there? How could it still be alive after Sephiroth's blade - how had the steel missed it? How after all the kicks and blows? She couldn't look after a baby though, she couldn't. She was only nineteen, trying to prevent Sephiroth from resurrecting his twisted idea of a mother.
And Demyx? His Superior was trying to kill him - they couldn't bring a baby into the middle of it all. Danni took a shaky breath, thoughts and questions still revolving and echoing in her head, her mind was racing, a baby? If her parents were alive they would be angry, but they would still help her look after it once they calmed down - but they weren't here anymore…what was she going to do?
"Hey, Danni…c'mere babe…things will be okay, I promise."
He moved up on her bed, sitting alongside her as his one of his legs rested on the bed and the other over the side. Wrapping one arm around her, he tucked her head under his chin, talking softly as she tears made tracks down her cheeks. He really wasn't good at this whole explaining thing. But he meant what he'd said. Things would be okay, they'd work out - somehow, despite everything, they always did - so they would this time.
He'd do his best to make sure they did. He just didn't want her to be upset or hurt…they would be okay, him, her and the baby. They were his responsibility now, and he would do all within his power to protect them. Life at the Organization had been a hell of a lot easier, that went without saying. He'd stayed firmly under the radar there, being sent on missions he no more wanted than the man in the moon, but he'd went, he'd fought, he'd been defeated. This was so different though, he was actually fighting to protect something this time.
Demyx glanced down quickly, noticing that Danni had fallen asleep in his arms. He lay back slightly, so as she wasn't in a sitting position, taking care not to move too fast in case he hurt her shoulders by accident. She needed some sleep, she was exhausted and sore, and had also just had a bombshell landed upon her already painful shoulders.
Zack could wait, he didn't want to be a jerk over it, but surely if the man had been made to wait for as long as he said he had because of the Ancients, a few hours would be nothing, right?
A/N: I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, if not tomorrow or the day after, then the weekend - I have a day exam in Engineering on Friday - gonna be stuck in a work room for six hours trying to make something they tell me to - fun :P Thanks for reading huns!
