Chapter Six: Bunbenji
9 Months, 10 Days: Birthing Date.
Jesna was still particularly sleepy as the first cramp squeezed her tummy lightly. The child was kicking again, she thought. She stroked her water-covered stomach lightly to soothe the restless baby inside of her, finding she had become very attached to the child that had miraculously grown. The Carrier, as she had found the green-eyed monster called her, was conflicted on the baby. It's conception was an abomination, accident, and completely unwanted. She hated the thing inside her with all her heart and prayed another miscarriage would take it back to the deep pit it had come from. But as the months had worn on, her companion with the kind brown eyes had come to convince her it could be good.
'I will kill it myself.' She hissed, her hands fisting over her naked stomach. The woman knelt before her with compassion and pity in her eyes, running one delicate pale hand overher stomach.
'Jesna, you must see the child isn't evil. Has it committed anything against you?'
'It exhists.' She spat angrily. The womans sighed and patted her kicking tummy lightly.
'That child exists because of something that was forced on you. Nothing could stop Sephiroth from taking from you what he has, but think of what he's given you!' She stopped, spreading her arms wide. 'When He comes and saves you, you can raise that child to be good. Influence it with all that is truthful in the world, and when Sephiroth comes to reclaim it, the baby will be grown and know the difference between good and evil.'
Jesna frowned, unconvinced, then squeezed her eyes shut. The baby had done nothing to her. And she could find nothing to condemn the child, only the father.
'I suppose you're right… But that doesn't make me like where I'm at any more, and I can't promise you I'll love the child as it were mine and Leon's.' she cautioned.
The woman smiled sadly.
'Fair enough.'
Since then, Jesna had tried her best to grow to hate the miracle, but couldn't. Even she was amazed her body was capable of housing such a wonder, and she couldn't help but come to love the baby. Glancing around the tube to see if anyone was in the lab, she looked down on her bare stomach and allowed her hands to wrap around the baby protectively. She would guard him or her with her life now, and she couldn't understand why. It was then another cramp clenched her stomach. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp as the pain lasted longer than it should have. Eyes widening in fear, she realized it was time. The monitors were beginning to show signs of alarm and differences in body temperature.
Chikara Ko was soundly asleep on her keyboard with letters and numbers tattooing themselves on her face when the life support beeped an inconsistency. She started quickly, readjusted her hair and glasses and squinted at the monitor sleepily. The heart rate had climbed. Her body's core temperature was beginning to rise and there were increases in the adrenaline gland. Jumping up she quickly slammed her knees and palms into the other doctors, rousing them quickly.
"You, drain the tube. You, set up a high futon with stirrups." She barked, running for the closet for fresh towels to lay over the futon. It was time. For a moment, she wondered if Sephiroth wanted to be present for the births, but when she heard the monitor blurp and noted the girl twitch in pain through the suppressants, she forwent Sephiroth and hurried to get the birthing table ready.
xXx
Dull blue glowing, the soothing of cool medicated waters swarming around to warm his body. It was pleasant, peaceful, but inside his mind was the settling of an uneasiness, fear of something to come. Suddenly, the blue substance was drained away and a stabbing pain replaced the once calm atmosphere. A woman moaned, escalating in a loud cry of pain. He felt it and writhed in agony.
Cloud's muscles tensed and snapped him out of his sleep. He panted, his dream shaking him deep inside, wondering why and even what he'd been dreaming. Things had all kinds of ways of presenting themselves to him. Beside him, Tifa slept peacefully, her slow, gentle breaths brushing his hand. Sighing, Cloud ran a hand through his sleep-tousled bed head and carefully threw the covers off himself, as not to wake Tifa. He stumbled out of the room and down the stairs, rubbing his sore shoulder as he tried to shake off the feelings that accompanied his latest dreamscapes.
Lately, he'd dreamt of a blue haze that swirled around him, which normally helped him sleep until he had begun to see Him through the mist. Sephiroth. Cloud grunted his malcontent and sat heavily at one of the chairs around the table. Sephiroth had glared at him through the blue waters that Cloud had been drifting in, eyes never meeting his but looking at him nevertheless with the startings of a smirk on his face. Him smirking never meant anything good.
But there was a problem.
Sephiroth, was supposed to be dead, which should end the dreams without the tensions that he'd experienced the past few weeks. A whimper caught his ears. 'Marlene?' He quickly went to girl's room. Marlene and Denzel had shared a room since Kadaj had attacked them. She offered the older boy some comfort, and he a playmate. Cloud peered into the room to find Marlene laying restlessly in bed. She tossed once and another frigthened moan could be heard. Shaking his head, he quietly walked in and sat beside her. He stroked her hair carefully, trying to ease away the nightmare she was lost in.
"Marlene?" he whispered softly. Marlene tossed her little head as she panted and her eyes clenched.
"Marlene." He repeated softly.
xXx
Jensa hadn't felt the water drain, the pain had come strong and fast. The pain between her belly clenching in fear and labor was unbearable. Jesna was tensed all over, shaking as she voiced her body's anguish.She couldn't even stand in the tube, bruising her shins as she hit the glass casing. It wasn't long before the water cleared from her eyes and she could see the lab. Their were three people rushing around the room, two male scientists and a woman. A woman with flaming red hair. She recognized her as the woman that had been staring at her not too long ago, the one who Sephiroth had been talking to and left in tears. The blonde scientist quickly checked the monitors one last time and went to the tube, deftly sliding the case's door open from behind. His fingers shook with tension as he attempted to slide the needles and patches off her. She screamed when a needle was dragged roughly out of her wrist, causing blood to wash down her hand.
The man was quickly pushed aside and Jesna trembled beneath Sephiroth's lush green glare. He eyed the wound and glanced back at the idiot scientist, whom was shying away beneath the control panels.
"Get me some bandages, you incompetent fool." he growled. His hand snatched it away and he quickly went about gently wrapping her wounds. When he was satisfied, he removed the rest of the needles and picked her up bridal style.
X
Chikara was not only tense because of the screaming woman in labor, but also because of Sephiroth's all-consuming presence. He had set the girl down with a gentleness that was almost impossible for a man of his stature and power, but then quickly made up for it when he gave Chikara a rough backhand.
"When were you going to tell me Ninsoku was in labor?" He asked stoically. His face was blank, but the undertones of anger were unmistakable.
"I-I was busy preparing her for the birth." she stammered, gathering courage. "But she's screaming so loud that you would've heard, so I saw no need to leave her."
Sephiroth gave her another icy glare but quickly looked back at the girl with a stunned expression in his eyes. Chikara was even surprised when she noted why. The young woman had had a particularly intense contraction and grabbed his hand. Her back was arched, and she let out a another agonized scream of pain, squeezing the life out of Sephiroth's hand. She nearly laughed when she heard the loud pop of his fingers as two broke from the strength in her grip. Sephiroth took the girl's wrist in one hand, squeezing the sides and releasing his hand. With that he stepped back and allowed Chikara to take his place as he snapped his fingers back into place.
"Breath, sweetheart. I need you to breathe like this, okay?" she called over the girl. She gave her a quick sample of lamaze and did so until the Ninsoku picked up. "Keep breathing, okay?"
She nodded, face scrunching. Her hand looked for Sephiroth again, and when it found nothing she cried out and clenched the sheets.
xXx
Cloud gave Marlene a rough shake to wake her when she gave a loud squeal. She sat up quickly and grabbed his arm in surprise.
"Marlene, what's wrong?" He asked, pulling the little girl back into him. She blinked a few times, then sighed.
"I'm sorry Cloud, I didn't mean to worry you. It was a bad dream." She answered softly, shuddering. "There was a girl. She was hurting really badly. She was screaming."
Cloud frowned.
"Well its alright now, okay? You're safe, okay?" He said, patting her head gently and easing her back down onto the pillow as he brushed a strand of her dark hair back behind her ear. Marlene nodded and closed her sleepy eyes. Once she was sound asleep, Cloud quickly went and dressed. He was careful to avoid the planks that squeaked when he stepped on them as not to wake Tifa.
"Where are you headed now?" Came the voice of his sleeping angel. He turned with a grin.
"How did you even know I was leaving?" He asked with a raise brow. She smiled softly as she yawned and stretched.
"If you get up and step on the fourth board," she said, pointing to the one he'd missed by inches, "I'd know you were just walking around or checking on the kids or something. But when it's quiet.." She stopped and leaned against the frame, scrutinizing the floor board.
"So where are you off to this time." she finished quietly.
Cloud came forward, the floor squeaking loudly beneath his foot as he tilted her face into his and gave her a soothing kiss, fingering a few locks of her black hair.
"I'm just going out for a quick ride." He answered. "I'll be back in the morning before the kids even know I'm gone." He turned and went for the door.
"Is something wrong, Cloud? Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" Tifa crossed her arms and gave him an uneasy look that quickly infected his face. She was worried about him, he knew. She'd been afraid for a long time that what they'd been building would quickly fall apart the moment he'd had any discomfort.
His demeanor instantly softened. He turned and strided back with a purpose, taking her delicately in his arms and folding her into his chest. One hand brushed the nape of her neck and the other brought her closer to him. His mouth met hers in a gentle assured kiss that deepened quickly. Before long he nudged her mouth gently and pulled away.
"Don't worry. I'm fine." He said softly, giving both her temples and forhead a quick kiss. "I promise, I'll be back soon. I just need to see something, okay?"
Finally Tifa nodded and turned to go to the room. Cloud watched for a moment, then went for the door but didn't miss her soft voice.
"Be careful, Cloud."
xXx
A/N: BWWA HA HA HA!! I'm evil with an overused pairing! WHOO! Well, this is the first REALLY good fluff I've ever done. Hope you likes, 'cause thats the best your gonna suck outta me. Well, updates are slow, my schedule is being a pain and work is long. I'm sooooo sorry it takes me so long to whip these out, but as Volpa, author of This Mess We're In so wisely put it on her homepage... Go read it, too lazy to type it out. Well, I'll get back to typing this up, seeing as I'm just begginning to get inspiration back! Thanks to kyle556 on youtube. com!!
Which BTW, I wrote this to his improve of Batja- FMA Piano as well as Those Who we Fight.. Linkage? Of course!
h t t p / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v f w C m S q j 2 0 U 4
All one space between. But listen to his stuff, its fantastic.
With love,
GS!!
Bunbenji- Time of Childbirth