A/N: It's official (unless something goes wrong). There will be 4 more chapters after this one (36, 37, 38, 39) and then there will be an epilogue (which I have already written, don't you love me?). Please review this chapter! The next chapter is already written but I'm thinking of putting it up in a weeks time unless I get a lot of reviews hehe XD

Thanks so much for reading, guys! I am keeping a secret from you about this story... and I will tell you what it is at the end of the next chapter.

Enjoy!

Rex stared at the clock on the wall and watched as the second hand ticked around in a circle at an agonisingly slow pace. He was standing up and anxiously walking from one side of the room to the other, all the while keeping his eyes on the clock.

The doctor had told him it would be a good idea to get used to walking again now that his body weight was unevenly spread and after the first few times it had become natural. But now he was nervous because the doctor was coming to see him in a few minutes. Normally Rex would just be annoyed by all the visits he was getting from medical staff, but this time he was nervous because he actually had an important question he wanted to ask.

The minutes seemed to take years to go by and when it had reached the time that the doctor had told Rex to expect him, Rex sat down on his bed and tried to relax. The answer didn't really matter, anyway. Why was he getting so worked up? Wasn't he okay with his situation? He'd had so much time to think about it and get used to it. Was he really having second thoughts?

Of course he was. Who would want to go through their entire life with only one arm? It had been awkward enough talking to Gemma before and seeing the pity in her eyes every time he tried to do something which normally needed two hands. She'd helped him, of course, but he didn't want to always be helped.

What if he got up the guts to ask her out one day? What if they went on a date and he tried to hug her? That would be so unromantic Rex didn't even want to think about it. With only one arm it would be like a side-hug that didn't have much heart-felt emotion in it.

Sitting there, alone, Rex finally admitted to himself what he had feared.

He couldn't handle only having one arm.

"It's okay, I've got him," Gemma had said when he'd tried to get Pup off the bed earlier. She'd pulled the dog off with both her arms and then given him a hug before standing up again and smiling at Rex. The conversation had been slightly awkward at first after Kayli left, but soon they were able to talk about anything and have a laugh together.

To his surprise, Rex had found himself asking her if she'd ever had a boyfriend before and if she was currently involved with someone – even though he'd asked Kayli and been told that Gemma was single. That part of the conversation had been full of shy smiles and a few winks from Rex as he did his best to continue being his normal, flirty self.

The door suddenly opened and Rex looked up, shaking his head slightly to clear it and seeing the doctor walk in.

"Hello Rex," the doctor said, sitting down on the chair as he always did. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine," Rex said with a small shrug. How was he going to ask?

"That's good. Have you been doing some walking again today?" the doctor asked, reaching over carefully to check the bandages which were still wrapped around Rex's shoulder.

"Yeah," Rex nodded. "It feels normal now."

"That's good to hear," the doctor said with a nod. "You should be out of here soon, just as soon as the wound closes properly."

"Thanks," Rex mumbled. He clenched his right hand into a fist and mentally gave himself a pep-talk, trying to get himself ready to ask his question.

"Is there something on your mind?" the doctor asked suddenly frowning and leaning back in his chair as he studied Rex's face. "You look like you're really thinking hard about something."

Rex swallowed and shifted on the bed. "I've um, I've got a question."

"About whether you can still be a Turk?" the doctor asked sadly. "I'm sorry, but like I said before I don't know. You'd have to talk to someone else about that."

"No, it's not that." Rex quickly shook his head and the doctor nodded for him to continue. "I was actually wondering if... is it possible for me to get some sort of..." Rex sighed and realised he was sweating. Was it really that hard to ask? Of course, it was a sensitive question for him, but the doctor probably wouldn't think much of it. He just needed to know so badly! "Is it possible for me to get a prosthetic arm?"

The doctor sat up a bit straighter and his face turned incredibly serious. Rex inwardly prepared himself for disappointment, just knowing he was asking for too much.

"Prosthetics are very expensive," the doctor began slowly. "They also take a lot of getting used to."

"But it's possible?" Rex asked, eyebrows raising.

"Like I said, they're very expensive! ShinRa wouldn't cover any of the cost since you're only an Infantryman..." With a sigh, the doctor ran a hand through his short hair. "It is possible, but you'd have to pay for it all yourself and if it malfunctions it costs even more to get it fixed up again."

"So basically," Rex said with a sigh. "You're advising against it."

"Rex, you have incredible potential! I believe you are capable of getting used to this and learning how to live a normal life again against all odds," the doctor said honestly. "Why pay so much money on something you can do without?"

"But what if I can't?" Rex shot back angrily. "I want so badly to be a Turk, but they keep telling me they have to assess my situation and get back to me on whether I can or not. Don't you think if I got a prosthetic arm there'd be no problem anymore?"

"I don't know about that," the doctor admitted. "But maybe, if that's what they're saying, you should work harder at adapting to having no arm."

"I don't want to live like this! I want to be normal again!" Rex yelled, standing up so that he could tower over the doctor. However, the doctor simply stood as well and quickly pushed Rex back down.

"Don't work yourself up," he ordered. "It'll only be bad for you in the long run."

Rex didn't reply, simply glaring angrily and allowing the doctor to push him down on the pillow again.

"When's your next appointment with the counsellor?"

"I don't care." Rex spat.

"Well whenever you see him," the doctor said, cautiously sitting back in the chair now that Rex was lying down. "Could you please try and cooperate with him? I heard he's been having some difficulties getting you to work with him."

"Everyone thinks I've lost it!" Rex complained, turning his head to shoot daggers at his doctor with his eyes. "The more I talk to that counsellor the more people are going to think it's true."

"Rex, you've just lost an arm! I assure you people will be shocked if you don't talk to a counsellor! Anyone in your situation would have suffered some mental trauma."

"Oh great," Rex said sarcastically. "So I have lost it."

"Rex, I didn't-"

"How will I ever be able to talk to my friends again? Maybe you should lock me up in a mental institute so the only harm I can do is to myself and not others." Rex instinctively moved his arm as if to fold it, but as it draped sadly across his chest without another to accompany it, Rex fell silent.

"Rex," the doctor said quietly. "Please talk to the counsellor. You are not insane, you just need help figuring out how to deal with your situation."

"Isn't it obvious? I'll go home a civilian and start working to earn money. I'll only just manage to get by with the money I make and..." He trailed off and closed his eyes. Why was he saying all this? He was meant to be a happy, carefree guy that worried the most about how he was going to get the girl of his dreams to go out with him.

There was silence in the room for a few minutes as no one spoke and Rex hoped the doctor would leave. But then, one last time, the doctor spoke up.

"I'll have a look into the prosthetics and see if I can find anything else out for you."

Rex was surprised and opened his eyes, looking over to see the man standing and heading for the door. Remaining silent, Rex watched him leave and then let out a breath. He wished Davis was with him.

There was silence in the room as everyone tried to take in what had just been said. Finally, it was broken as someone spoke.

"R-really?" Jinx stuttered. That answer from Davis had not been what he was expecting at all. He had been expecting denial – a lot of it – and lots of opportunities to tease them both. But there they were, looking much calmer than he would have been in the same situation.

"Yeah, really," Davis nodded. "Got a problem?"

Kayli lowered her head to look down at her lap, trying to hide the smile on her face. She was amazed that Davis had been brave enough to tell the truth when it was obvious people would think things about him that weren't true. However, she also couldn't help but find it amusing. Jinx looked so stumped!

"Why would I have a problem with it?" Jinx asked defensively. "I never said I had a problem with it."

"Good." Davis shrugged.

"...Are you serious?"

Cloud promptly fell face-first into his pillow as he did his best to smother his laughs. Jinx looked around at him in annoyance and then back at Davis, folding his arms.

"You are kidding, aren't you? You're joking around to make me look like a fool." Jinx accused.

"I'm not!" Davis said seriously. "Roy, tell him!"

"Davis and I are officially going out," Kayli said, lifting her head up again, hoping she had good enough control over herself. "And I really like him."

Jinx involuntarily took a step backwards, his eyebrows raised. His arms were still folded and the way he'd tensed made it look as though he was hugging himself. Kayli fought not to smile and even shifted slightly closer to Davis just to freak him out a bit more – although, she was already sitting really close to Davis and found it hard to move even closer without sitting on his lap.

"'Kay." Jinx said finally. "I'm gonna go see if... if Jensen knows whether we were in the first seven yet."

"So Jensen accepted it too?" Kayli asked, deciding to help Jinx change the subject.

"Yeah, he did," Jinx nodded. "But I've got a feeling he'll have to do quite a bit of grovelling to actually be allowed. Remember, he can only see out of one eye."

"That'll definitely make it harder," Alec agreed. "Tell him good luck convincing them to let him go if he did get in the first seven."

"I hope he was in the first seven," Kayli spoke up. "If he wasn't then I've definitely got no chance of being counted as well. I just wonder why I didn't feel the vibration when the message was sent."

"I didn't either," Jinx said. "Maybe they somehow fixed it that way so the few who regularly check for messages got first choice."

"Guess that makes you a PHS addict," Kayli joked with a grin.

"Nah, Jensen told me 'bout it!" Jinx explained. "Apparently he was playing games on it and noticed the message symbol flashing at the top of the screen."

"It'll suck if he's not allowed to go on the mission, then," Kayli said thoughtfully. "If you need to get a petition signed, you can add my name." Grinning up at him, she watched as he rolled his eyes.

"You're so strange Roy," he sighed. "Anyway, I'll see you later." Frowning at Kayli and Davis one last time, Jinx disappeared out the door and down the corridor quickly.

The occupants of the room burst into laughter and Kayli covered her face with her hands, feeling tears beginning to leak out from her eyes. Cloud looked as though he was suffocating in his pillow, only making the situation funnier for the other three who looked over at him.

"His face!" Alec gasped out. "He was so not expecting that! Neither was I, for that matter, but oh my gosh you got him so good!"

"Why thank you, I know I'm brilliant!" Davis laughed.

"Gosh," Kayli breathed heavily, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Will he ever be able to look at us the same way again?"

"Probably not," Davis grinned at her.

"Are you sure you're okay with it? I mean... he's probably not going to keep it quiet." Kayli said, calming down a lot and waiting for Davis' response. If he wasn't sure about it she was determined to go find Jinx and tell him she was a girl, swearing him to secrecy.

"It's fine," Davis said. "People will find out when you become a SOLDIER, right? Since you wanna prove that girls can do it and you'll have to reveal your gender in order for that to happen."

"Yeah, definitely." Kayli nodded. Proving that girls could be SOLDIERs was not the top of her priority list since she had only ever joined ShinRa in the first place to fulfill Roy's own dream, but it still seemed like a pretty good idea. There shouldn't even be a stupid rule like that! Honestly, there were female Turks so why couldn't there be female SOLDIERs?

"So you've already accepted the mission, right?" Alec asked and Kayli looked up at him.

"Yeah, I have. Have you?"

"I'm not gonna go," Alec told her. "I don't think I know enough yet to be going on a mission. I'd like a lot more training before that happens."

"Fair enough," Kayli nodded. "Spiky?"

Cloud sat up on his bed and looked over at her. If she hadn't seen him dying with laughter before she never would have thought he'd found anything funny. His facial expression was as normal as it ever was.

"I accepted it," he said.

"Great! I hope we made it into the first seven," Kayli chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Oh, did anyone check when it is?" Pulling out her PHS again, Kayli navigated to the message and read it over. Apparently they'd be setting out on the mission in a weeks time.

"Is the time significant?" Davis asked, raising an eyebrow at Kayli.

"Huh?" she asked, looking up at him cluelessly.

"You were staring at it pretty intently. Is there something significant or distressing about when the mission is?" Davis went on.

"Oh, well..." Kayli trailed off and looked back down at the PHS, mumbling something under her breath as she did some calculations. Looking back up at him, she grinned. "Two days after the mission ends I turn fifteen."

"No way!" Davis exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "That's awesome! Are you gonna ask for time off to go back to your parents and have a birthday party or something?"

Laughing almost hysterically, Kayli shook her head harshly at him. "No way! Can you imagine ShinRa ever passing something like that even if I did ask for it? They'd tell me to suck it up and move on with my life, or invite my parents here."

"Ha, I don't know about that," Davis winked at her. "You do seem to have Sephiroth pretty well wrapped around your finger."

"Believe me, Davis," Kayli sighed. "He's only keeping my secret because he finds it amusing. What fun is it for him if I'm not at ShinRa?"

"What, Sephiroth knows?" Alec gasped in alarm. Kayli frowned up at him and tilted her head slightly to the side.

"You didn't know that?" she asked.

"I know practically nothing!" Alec exclaimed. "This is so not fair. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you knew! Everyone knows." Kayli shrugged.

"So the President knows that Sephiroth knows your secret?" Alec asked flatly, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't be stupid!" Kayli laughed and threw her pillow at him. He caught it and grinned before throwing it back.

"Whatever," he said. "Just try to keep me a bit more up-to-date in the future, okay? Seriously, Sephiroth knowing your secret but not telling anyone is awesome. I can't believe he'd do that."

"I'm just too cool, aren't I?" Kayli asked with a snicker. Alec rolled his eyes and she grinned at him.

"Kayli," Cloud said, standing up. "Do you wanna go find out if we got in the first seven? The sooner the better, I think."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Kayli agreed, also standing and pocketing her PHS. She and Cloud left the room and headed through the corridors towards Lazard's office. As the director for SOLDIER, he should know.

When they got there the room already occupied three other people besides Lazard. Zack, Jensen and Jinx were standing in front of the directors desk and the last two appeared desperate.

"Please, Sir!" Jinx was saying. "I'll look out for him!"

"Have you ever tried to go through an entire training session with one eye closed?" Lazard asked him. "You lose your entire depth perception."

"Yes, Sir! I understand Sir, but if I'm there for him it won't matter! I'll be able to help him if he can't tell the distance to something or starts walking in circles. Come on, Sir! Look! Together," Jinx pulled Jensen slightly closer to himself and waved his arms around the front of both their faces wildly. "We're the three-eyed-monster! He'll be fine!"

Lazard did not look impressed.

"Do you think you are capable of going on this mission, Bailey?" he asked. Jensen nodded quickly.

"Yes, Sir."

Leaning his chin on one hand, Lazard stared at them silently for a while. He seemed to be thinking it over and over in his head, weighing the pros and cons to try and determine what he should do.

"You two are dismissed," he said finally. "I will contact you later with an answer as to whether or not you can go, Bailey."

"Thank you Sir!" Jensen said, saluting and then turning to leave. Jinx beamed, saluted and ran after Jensen.

Seeing Kayli and Cloud, Jinx actually squeaked and side-stepped a few paces before fixing his eyes straight ahead and walking out the door calmly. Kayli and Cloud shared an amused smile before stepping forward and saluting Lazard.

"Yes, Cadets? How can I help you?" he asked.

"Sir," Kayli began. "We were curious to find out whether we made it into the first seven going on the mission in a week."

"Of course," Lazard said, shifting some of his papers and looking down at a particular one. "Yes. Strife was the seventh to accept."

"Thank you, Sir," Kayli said with a small smile. "Will there be a meeting before we head out?"

"Yes," Lazard confirmed. "You will be sent messages on your PHS's giving you the date and time of the meeting and if you do not attend your position on the mission will be given to someone else."

Kayli and Cloud both nodded to show they understood and then waited patiently. Lazard said "You are dismissed", they saluted a second time and then turned to leave.

Outside in the corridor, they were five steps away when Zack bounded out and jumped in front of them.

"Hey! Guess what," he said excitedly. "I'm overseeing the mission you're going on!"

"Really?" Kayli asked.

"Yeah! It's gonna be so awesome," he grinned. "Those monsters won't know what hit them, and they'll all be wishing as they die that they'd never met the-"

"-Zackinator." Kayli and Cloud both finished for him. Zack laughed and nodded.

"Exactly!"

"So do you know any secret information about the mission, then?" Kayli asked. "Or is it really just a boring mission to deal with some monsters?"

"Sorry," Zack chuckled. "That's what it is. But hey, we'll have fun together! Anything boring can be made fun if you've got friends around."

"Yeah, I guess," Kayli agreed.

"And you know what's exciting?" Zack asked with an excited gleam in his eyes. Kayli and Cloud shrugged for him to continue as they obviously had no idea what it was he was thinking this time. "Angeal told me that if I do really well on this mission he'll recommend me for 1st Class SOLDIER! Isn't that awesome?"

"Wow, yeah!" Kayli nodded. Zack had been a 2nd Class for a very long time, in her opinion, and she thought that despite his occasional lapses in concentration and tendency to get overexcited, he'd make a really good 1st Class SOLDIER.

"I hope you make it," Cloud said with a smile.

"Thanks! Me too." Zack sighed happily.

"So, what's in Corel anyway?" Cloud then asked curiously. Kayli thought that was a very good question and looked up at Zack expectantly.

"Well," Zack began. "It's a bit similar to my hometown in one aspect, although it's a lot bigger than Gongaga."

"Wait, Gongaga?" Cloud asked, shocked. "What kind of a place is that?"

"Excuse me!" Zack said, putting his hands on his hips and pretending to be offended. "Gongaga is a lovely little country town. I suppose you've grown up in Midgar your whole life?"

"Are you kidding? I'm from a country town too," Cloud said. "Nibelheim."

Zack burst out laughing before saying, "And you thought Gongaga was funny!"

Kayli watched the two of them in amusement, eyebrows raised. As they continued to tease each other, they quickly got onto the topic of how their country homes had a Mako Reactor and nothing else.

"And that brings me back to what I was saying before!" Zack said suddenly. "Corel's got a Mako Reactor too!"

"That would explain the monster problem."

Sighing, Kayli decided to head back to the room. Since Cloud and Zack had gone back to talking about their hometowns again they didn't even notice when she tried to say goodbye, so she just gave up and left.

Reaching the room, she walked in to find Alec and Davis doing squats. Folding her arms, she waited for them to notice her.

When they did, she shook her head at them and said simply, "I should have known that leaving you two together wouldn't be a good idea."