Disclaimer: I don't own Zell, I wish I did but Squaresoft does. Jade is my character though.
A/N: This fic is based on my best friends story, she asked me to put her ideas in my first fic so here it is.
Friend or Foe
CH1: Jade's News
Zell sat at the oak bar of 'The Ice Queen' pub, drinking down his second pint. He had been in Dollet for six weeks now and that pub had become his second home. His mission ended a few days ago and he was leaving for Balamb the next morning. Part of him was aching to get back to Garden so he could see him friend again and, most of all, he wanted to get back to his own bed. But he did have his reservations towards going home, one inparticular, the black-haired beauty who owned this bar.
He got up and went round the other side of the bar to get another drink which he was used to doing. He always served himself, the best part was he didn't have to pay.
Jade came out of the toilet, her long, black hair waved and the door shut behind her. She had closed early today, as she did every Christmas, and now she was going to spend her day with the blonde teen, only a year older than herself.
She took a seat opposite Zell who was pulling down on the beer pump. "Zell." She didn't look nervous but it was apparent in her voice that she was.
"What's up baby?" he asked leaning over the bar to talk to his beautiful girlfriend. The smile on his face was as bright as ever, he never seemed to be anything but happy around Jade.
"Exactly that." Zell looked confused, he really had no idea what was going on. "Zell, I-I'm kinda…" she trailed off.
"Just tell me love." He was getting worried, it wasn't like Jade to be so, well, worried.
Jade sighed and raced the words "I'm pregnant," hoping he wouldn't be able to work out what she had said.
"Y-you're…" Zell was in a state of shock. He had been dating Jade for just over a month, that's all. He walked round to the other side of the bar and slumped onto the stool next to Jade. "You're pregnant, with my kid?" he eventually asked.
"Yeah." As she said that he downed his beer and smacked his head on the wooden top.
"I-it… this can't be happening." He sat up. "I need another drink." He walked to the pumps again but this time he opened a bottle of brandy and poured two glasses. He offered on to Jade but she shook her head.
"I can't drink."
"Oh yeah." He was still in shock, the news hadn't really sunk in yet, "The baby." He drank his brandy and set Jade's down in front of him while he talked to her. "Jade, darling, this…" the words he wanted just wouldn't come so he had to improvise, "we… I know you never wanted a serious relationship with me, you're only 16 I doubt you want a serious relationship with anyone. I've known you six weeks, how the hell did… you're…" he struggled to say the word 'pregnant'.
"I'm what? Why can't you say it?" Jade was getting annoyed with the fact that Zell seemed so cold about her pregnancy.
"I can say it." He fought back.
"Then why don't you?" She shouted at him, jumping from her seat. She may have sounded angry but really she was scared. Scared for herself and for her child. "If you can't admit that you've got me pregnant what's gonna happen to my baby?"
"It's my baby as well you know." Zell was so confused now, he had no control over what he was doing or saying anymore.
"No, I thought it was the delivery man's." she said, sarcasm in her still raised voice. "At least he'd be able to say it was his without being pushed into it."
Zell's brain had given up, his heart had taken command of his words and he knew exactly what it would lead to. Trouble. All his feelings about the baby and its mother were about to be reviled and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "I can say it! You're pregnant with my child! There, happy now!" he stopped for breath and began again, "You wanna know why I didn't wanna say it! Because I was scared that, if I did and got excited about it, that you'd have a miscarriage or leave me or somet! I want you to have my kid, I want you to have all my kids, I wanna marry you and spend my whole life with you!" he blurted out, half with anger, half with relief that he'd let out his feelings. One thing was for sure, it had all come from the heart.
Jade's jaw had dropped so far that it was nearly on the floor. 'Did he just say that? Did he mean it? Why the hell haven't I said anything?' She asked herself mentally. Then came her stuttering reply, "Y-you wanna m-marry me? W-what the hell?" she didn't want to lose him and she did want to be with him but marriage, that was a whole different matter. She hoped to god that he wasn't proposing, well not yet anyway, and defiantly not like that.
Zell's brain was finally functioning again and he began thinking straight but he was glad that he'd said all that, just to get it off his chest. "Y-yeah, I wanna marry you. Not now like, but one day I wanna propose to you. I-I love you Jade."
Jade could tell all of this wasn't triggered by her sudden announcement. There was something in his eyes that made her believe him. He truly did love her and the feeling was defiantly mutual. "And one day I wanna say yes. I love you too Zell." She kissed him over the bar.
After a minuet or two they stopped kissing, Zell stared into her eyes lovingly and whispered "Come to Balamb with me." Jade was shocked by his offer, erm, demand, but she didn't want to refuse. She wanted her baby to grow up with its dad and she didn't want to take the chance that he might meet someone else so she just said "Okay."
"Merry Christmas Jade."
"Merry Christmas Zell."
A/N: So what do you think? Please R+R, criticize if you want I need all the criticism I can get and if you have any ideas please let me know.
