AN: Okay, a lot of stuff said and done in this chapter are things Samie inspired or does herself. Enjoy! (because we all know I'm such an interesting person… -Samie)

Disclaimer: I own nothing… no need to rub it in!

When I next awoke, I didn't want to move. I was still in my little 'nest' but now I had a black-velvet comforter draped over me. I was so comfortable I became drowsy again.

And then I smelled the waffles.

And of course I had an instant craving for them.

But I still didn't want to move.

/…damnit./

Finally getting up I wondered over to my door. Opening it, I came face-to-face with an annoyed Seifer and a plate of waffles—chocolate-chip waffles. It seemed as though he had been trying to figure out how to open the door with full hands.

"Um… hungry?"

"Yes." He walked past me and sat on the bed.

"Come 'ere." Selphie's coming over in a while. She called." I nodded and moved to sit beside him… just to be pulled down into his lap with his head in the crook of my neck. "Go ahead and eat."

/Why's he getting all touchy-feely all of a sudden/

Even after I finished eating, Seifer refused to let me up.

Finally the doorbell rang… followed by the slamming-open and then slamming-closed of the front door; pounding steps up the stairs and lastly, my room door slamming open to reveal Selphie.

"Shit. For a second there, I thought Rinoa and James had broken in or something."

Selphie sent a disgusted look at Seifer. "Those two dumbasses? I'd like to see them try!" Then she produced a camera out of nowhere and took a candid photo of us—me still in Seifer's lap.

"Alright! Oh, and I brought you a present, Squall!" She tossed The Phantom of the Opera into my lap. "Let's go watch it!"

Seifer picked me up, and carried me downstairs, laying me gently on another small 'nest' in front of the couch and then settled down behind me.

Selphie was 'cooing' in the corner.

I was getting really annoyed, really fast.

"Well, that wasn't so bad. What's with you two?" Seifer said at the end of the movie.

I glared at the rolling credits. That bitch."

"I just wanna… unh!" To finish her sentence, Selphie kicked her leg out stiffly.

"…Ooooookay…"

"Oh! Squall, Edea wants to check you tonight. She said you can come too, Seifer."

Seifer looked concerned. "Why at night? Isn't it more dangerous?"

"That's why I said you can come! Also, I will be there along with Zell and Irvine."

"What time is it?" They both just kind of looked at me before Seifer said it was 7:30 pm.

"Let's go."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Is something wrong?"

"I want to get it over with." That didn't seem to calm Seifer's worrying any. But he nodded anyway.

After getting down to the cove, Selphie and I changed before I changed Seifer.

"Why're you still wearing that sweatshirt?"

"Because I feel like wearing it!" Selphie giggled.

"Nuh-uh! He's embarrassed 'cuz he's gotta bulge!" To prove her point, she poked my stomach.

"No, I'm not!" I snapped. "The fewer creatures who know I'm bearing, the better." Selphie sobered at that.

"What's going on?" Seifer sounded lost.

"Many want Squall as their bearer, if they get word of this, many will try something against you or find ways to cause Squall to have a miscarriage. It is safer that few know."

During Irvine's speech, Seifer pulled me towards him. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Well, we better get going."

"Way to ruin the mood, Zell." Selphie grumbled a tad bit viciously.

Needless to say, Zell started to swim a tad bit faster.

"That's a strange look for you, Squall."

I hate being leered at, or stared at, and reviving suggestive comments is not hot or high on my list of 'how-to-get-me.'

"Really?" The mer continued to leer at me. /This is starting to piss me off./

"Why don't you come with me?" I felt the others stiffen and move closer to me. "I can rid you of… that thing you're wearing."

"I'm afraid I have an appointment to keep, Yura. So if you would please move?"

Yura made a move to grab me but Irvine moved in front of me. "I believe Squall said he had somewhere to be, so you'll have to excuse us."

"What was that all about?" Seifer asked when we were a safe distance away.

"He is one of the mers who want Squall as their bearer. He would do very bad things to get Squall to miscarry in a heartbeat."

"Ah, there you are, Squall. Please come in. The rest of you will need to stay in the waiting room."

"If you say so, matron."

I entered the exam 'room' and laid on the rock and seaweed/sponge bed/table.

"Could you please remove that. um. thing?" I rolled my eyes and took off my hoodie, or the 'thing.' "Well, I see that you've started showing. How have you been feeling?"

"I wake up sick, but I sleep most of the time."

"Have you experienced any pain yet?"

"No."

She frowned. "I see." She started casting spells on me.

"Is something wrong?"

"You should feel pain if you're starting to show… but then, you are part human." She finished casting on me. "Well, nothing seems to be wrong. You may go; I'll be in touch with you for your next appointment. Take care."

"You as well." I pulled on my hoodie and went to meet the others.

Seifer rushed at me as soon as he saw me.

"Well? What did she say? Are you okay? Tell me you're okay." He looked and sounded on the verge of hysteria.

/Why's he acting like this/

"I'm fine. I'll tell you the whole story later." He still looked… I don't know, worried, I guess, but nodded anyway. I closed my eyes and simply floated in place.

Then Seifer hugged me from behind. "You look tired."

"I always look tired."

"Hum. Come on. Let's go take a nap." I leaned back into him.

"That sounds good."

We lay, curled together in our nest of a bed. Covered in a black velvet comforter at twilight. I listened as Seifer hummed to me.

"How many mers wanted you, anyway?"

"Umh?" I was almost gone. "The same amount that wants me now, I guess. Give or take of course."

"Well that makes me feel better."

"Wha—?"

"Nothing. Sleep."

I sighed. /What now/ I sat up and looked down at him.

"No. What? Tell me." He wound his arms around my 'bulge' and pulled me down on top of him.

"I've just been thinking. It's nothing. Go to sleep."

"I would love to sleep and I will as soon as you explain what you've been 'thinking.'"

"Just. what… um… Irvine said about some of your… suitors." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm worried, okay?"

"Why?" He clutched me tighter.

"I'm worried about what Irvine said about some of them, like that Yura guy, making you miscarry."

"Sigh. Don't worry about it. Most mers can't come on land."

"Keyword being 'most.'"

"Look. Even if one does surface with the intent of killing our child and claiming me for himself, I can protect myself."

"You forget, I'll protect you as well."

"Well, there you go, so stop worrying, shut up and go to sleep." I rolled off of him, onto my side.

"Squall—,"

"Seifer, please. Shut up."

"Sigh."

"Thanks."

Look, I can make Kirby dance!

( '' ) , ( '' ) , ( '' ) , ( '' ) , ( '' )

I saw that on a fic. I thought it was funny.