AN: While I have a love/hate relationship with Bagoas (he shouldn't even be in the picture, but he shouldn't have had his station as a slave thrust upon him either) I know he was most likely vital to Alexander's expansion across the known world at the time. (If I have that wrong, please correct me). That said, there will be some slight Bagoas-bashing in the beginning of this chapter. Enjoy!

"Is he okay Xander?" Hephaestion, still weak from childbirth, lay in bed as Alexander came into the room, holding their precious bundle a week later.

"He is an angel, Phaistion. Cries hardly at all," Alexander smiled at his true love briefly.

"May I see him? That stupid eunuch-" Hephaestion strained to sit up, to see his son.

"Don't strain, Love," Alexander was quick to put his son in a cradle by the bed, and help Hephaestion sit up against five or six pillows.

"-that stupid eunuch didn't let me see him. Let me see him, Xander," tears were evident in the man's eyes as he begged, his voice thick with tears.

Alexander stood up from the bed and squatted near the cradle, cooing to the babe as he put him on his shoulder.

"Here he is, my Love. Mind his head," as Hephaestion cautiously held their son, Alexander went around the bed and sat down to help support the child's head.

"He looks like me..." Hephaestion stared at the wonder in his arms, "Oh, he's looking at me! He has your eyes," indeed, one of the child's eyes was a blue-gray, while the other was amber, "Hello... I'm your Momma, yes-" Hephaestion paused, a look of worry and confusion taking over his features, "He is sucking the air and smacking his lips," Hephaestion looked up at his husband for guidance.

"He is hungry. I will fetch a bottle and milk," and Alexander quickly left the room to fulfill his son's need.

"May I see you, Darling?" Hephaestion asked his newborn after his husband had left.

With a content wiggle from his babe, Hephaestion carefully unwrapped his son, gazing down at the perfect, small body in amazement. Suddenly, a small, wrinkled had made its way up from the blanket in which the babe had been wrapped.

"Oh yes," Hephaestion cooed, taking his own hand and placing it palm-to-palm with his son's, "Whatever is up there, hm?" he followed his son's gaze up into a corner of the room, "Is there something up there, Darling? Oh!" as the infant brought his hand down on the bedcovers with a smack, "Someone's impatient. Are you hungry, hm? Father will be back with your drink soon, Darling, have patience," Hephaestion rubbed the soft tummy to quell the pains he was sure his babe was feeling.

"You are amazing," a voice came from by the door, and Hephaestion looked up, startled to find his husband resting there with a fresh bottle of milk in hand.

Hephaestion immediately turned back to his son, embarrassed, "He needs his food," he tried to change the subject.

Alexander brought over the bottle, sitting down on the bed's edge, "You are, you know."

"What?" Hephaestion fumbled with the bottle for a moment, finally getting it to his son's lips. He did not look at Alexander.

"Amazing. You've fallen off horses and broken your arms, only to want to get right back on as soon as it was in a splint. You speak ten different languages fluently, and I have never seen anyone fight like you do, and now you give me this unexplainable miracle... I just- I love you so much, Phaiston."

"-!" Hephaestion's head jerked up with the oath.

"What? Are you hurt?" Alexander was alert.

"The campaign! I can't fight like this! I can't even travel! Oh no!" Hephaestion hung his head in dispair.

"Phaiston, it's okay," his lover soothed.

"But... Your dream, Xander!" Hephaestion protested.

"Right now, you and Darko are my dream. I could ask for no more."

"Really?" Hephaestion looked up at the other half of his soul.

"Truly."