AN: Hello, all! As you may have noticed, I have not been writing lately. I do have a reason: I was in the hospital for a month. I had an infection in my shunt. But after four surgeries and rehab, I have been home eight days now. I am taking it easy and working on a new novel about Alexander. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this chapter!

Alexander and Hephaestion avoided each other for two days before one of Alexander's servants came running to Hephaestion's rooms to say that the king was violently ill. As Hephaestion followed the servant down the corridor to Alexander's rooms, he could not help but fret for the babe and his lover, despite the heated argument they had had two days before.

"Ale-" upon reaching his lover's rooms, Hephaestion grinned, for he knew just what was making the king ill, and it put his mind at ease.

Alexander spied him briefly from being bent over a basin that was set on the floor, "What are you grinning at, you pig-faced boar!?" came with a scowl before he was bent over the basin again.

Hephaestion kept grinning as he went to his lover's side, "You are aware that you just called me a pig-faced pig, right? Not one of your best insults, Love. Besides, I have been with you so long that I am immune to them," he turned to the servant, "You may go, I can help him now," as soon as the boy was gone and the door was firmly shut, he asked, "And how is our little Alexander doing today?"

His king and lover spat, "How do you think he is?!" before starting to pant from overexertion, although the vomiting seemed to be over for the moment. However, Alexander still hung over the basin as he blindly searched for Hephaestion's hand, which was willingly given to him, "I- can't move- Help me, Phai..."

Hephaestion kissed Alexander lightly on the temple before moving to take him into his arms and stand before moving the few steps to the bed, "Of course, Love. No need to fret, I am here."

Tears stood in Alexander's mismatched eyes as he watched Hephaestion settle in next to him, "I'm so sorry I screamed at you. I'm just so unbelievely frightened... What if I don't survive, Phai? Men aren't supposed to bear children."

"Hush, don't talk so. You will survive, I promise. And if you do not, and you take the child with you, I will follow you down into the house of death, I swear it."

Alexander was sobbing outright now, "Don't swear... Oh gods, please don't swear..."

Hephaestion gathered him into his arms and held him close, rocking slightly, "Alright, alright, hush. Shh, shhh..."

"Oh gods, Phai!" Alexander buried his face in Hephaestion's warm shoulder, soaking the bedclothes under him.

Knowing that it was just fear making his Alexander act this way, Hephaestion was patient, rubbing his back in wide circles and whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Finally, Alexander's tears quieted, and he turned his head to look down at Hephaestion's free hand, reaching down to play with his fingers for a moment before curling his own fingers with the ones that he knew so well, and that knew him so well too.

"Never leave me, Phai."

"Never," and he meant it with his whole heart.

AN: I'm sure you guys noticed, but I have a line in here that is going back to the movie. Except that I have Hephaestion say it instead of Alexander. Once again, just to be safe, I do not have any affiliation with the movie, nor am I making any profit from this story and Alexander and Hephaestion belong to Oliver Stone and themselves. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!