Hope's eyes flickered open, taking a second to realize that he was no longer in his bathroom or his house for that matter. He groaned as raised a hand to his forehead, trying to relax his headache. He sat up and someone said from next to him, "Hey, you okay Hope?" He rubbed his eyes, "Errr... yeah. Thanks Serah." Serah smiled, "No problem. You fainted." He rubbed his head harder and stared down in thought, "Yeah... so that did happen then right?" She asked in an innocent tone, "What happened?"

He said with his deer-in-the-headlights face, "Light told me she was pregnant." She gasped, placing her fingers on her lips, "I was right!" She giggled and twirled in a circle, "Oh congrats Hope!" He sat back in the bed, "So it's true huh?" She cocked her head, "Well... I'm not sure, but since I was once, I can tell."

"Where am I?", Light murmured quietly, shifting in her bed, "How long was I asleep? And why is Serah here?", she squinted from the sudden abundance of bright light. Serah giggled, "In the hospital." She pawed at Light's arm, "Are you... pregnant Light?" "Errr... Um... Who told you? Wait... Hope?", Light said, while staring down her poor man-child. Hope scratched his head nervously, "Err... yeah..."

"Hope. You do realize the punishment for insubordination is DEATH, right?", she asked, reaching for her gun blade, then hissed when she couldn't find it, "I knew I left something at home." He got up off his bed, "I still can't believe it..." "You think I can?", she said, shaking her head, "I just found out today too."

He took her hand, "So what do we do now?" "Dunno.", she replied, looking rather somber. He exhaled, running a finger down his nose, "Serah can you leave the room please? Light and I have a lot to talk about." "Okay...", she left slowly, looking back a little sadly as she closed the door.

He fell back into a chair, "What are we going to do?" "We could get rid of it... him... her... We're in a hospital...", she slowly strung her sentence. "Are you saying... abortion?", he clarified. "I might be.", she replied, looking away from Hope, coincidentally staring out the window toward a large horn, which had followed them here. "You really want to kill the unborn kid.", he glared at the floor sadly.

"I just... don't know.", she sounded uncertain for once, still staring at the horn. However, the horn had no eyes, and so, quite sadly for Lightning, could not stare back... or engage in intelligent conversation. He exhaled, "What if we... at least put the kid up for adoption?" He stammered just as uncertainly, "It's just... I don't want to kill the child. I... couldn't live with that guilt."

"Neither do I, but we have to do what's best. If we decide to keep it, or give it away, I want us.", she said, returning to staring down the horn and her head tilted wistfully. "You... want us?", he stared her down.

"Yeah. That would be... nice."

"Maybe... if you're okay with it... you could move in with me?", he suggested. "Huh?", she was taken by surprise, looking down at the floor with narrowed eyebrows. "You could move in with me.", he said with more confidence. "I could.", she didn't look at him, "And?" "And...?", he asked readily. "That means we're keeping it... well, him or her?", she said. Hope stared at his hands while he said, "Well... I don't know what you think, and your opinion is the most important but... I think we should at least give him or her a chance."

"If you feel that way, then I could too.", she finally faced him. He looked up at Light as she turned to face him and he said, "Even if it doesn't work out, we can at least say we tried. But this child came about because we care for each other, and I don't want to abandon that."

"Looks like we've got a plan, then. If you'll excuse me for a minute, I think I'm gonna go find a bathroom.", she said and smiled weakly. He nodded as he watched her leave, sat back in his chair, and let out a long, deep breath.

He was drowning in thought, staring at nothing and going over all the options. If they aborted the child, Light would feel better and she wouldn't have to leave her job for a long time. And he knew she would be lost without being a sergeant. But then the kid would die... and he couldn't accept that. If they gave the child up, she would still have to carry it for around a year and she would feel terrible the whole time only to have it all be for more possible heart break. But at least the kid would live and maybe even find them one day. If they kept it, well, their entire lives would completely change and it might not be for the better. And Hope had to admit, parenting would be really hard for both him and Light. He decided that, at least for now, his two goals were to keep her and the kid happy and to find a way to fix all the problems they were bound to have.

Light returned, grimly wiping the remainders of her well-timed 'excursion' from her mouth with a handkerchief Serah had given her. "Surprise.", she said, sitting down next to him. Hope jolted back from his pondering, "Oh. Yeah, hi." "Lost in thought, are we?", she said, examining his face. "Yeah...", he murmured, eyes flicking up at her, "You too?" "Kind of. I was a bit 'busy' for that, if you catch my drift.", she sighed. "I get it... Are you feeling better for now at least?", he put a hand on her knee, offering a semblance of comfort. "Yeah. Serah says this won't last much longer, so I think I'll be fine in a month.", Light said, rolling her tongue at the end. Hope nodded, starting, "So... do you-"

"WHO CALLED FOR A HERO?"

Hope looked up at the door in the middle of his sentence as he heard, "No, Snow, wait a second-they are-!" The door was kicked open, Snow barging in anyway with Serah close behind.

Light scowled, "Snow. Just go away. Hope and I are talking." "No beating? REALLY?", Snow said, surprised. "Shut your face. I'm getting a headache.", Light put a hand to her forehead and rubbed. "Aww... someone's touchy today?", Snow taunted, grinning madly, "Tired, Sergeant?" "I'd kick your ass if I wasn't sure I'd puke all over you.", Lightning spat.

Hope stood up, "Snow, she's not feeling good. Can you please go for now?" "Not feeling good? Did the Sergeant finally become human?", Snow asked, still grinning in his annoying way. Serah pulled on his arm, "Snow, don't bug her."

Lightning was shaking from uncontrolled anger, "Hope? Hit him for me?"

Hope huffed and walked toe to toe to Snow, "Snow, Light wants you to leave. Please do." "Ooh, niiiiiice, Hope. Gonna hit me?", he taunted, sticking his tongue out in a horrible imitation of Hope. He scowled at him and said, "Light gave me permission.", and punched him.

"And you need her permission? God, you're whipped!", Snow smiled and punched him in the arm, "Be a hero! But master being a man first!" He punched harder this time, enough to take the wind out of Snow, "I am! Why don't you try to be?" "Fatality.", Light deadpanned while attempting to stop herself from heaving her guts... AGAIN.

Serah stepped in between Hope and Snow, "Come on now, don't fight!" Hope huffed as he turned and took Light by the wrist, "We're going." "Sounds good.", she said as she followed him out, shooting Snow a deprecating look as she did.

Hope was about to take Light out the door when Serah caught up, "Wait! I'll take you home." He thought for a second, "Oh yeah... you took us here huh?" "She did.", Light said, playfully slapping him upside the head, "Unless we managed to unconsciously walk or drive ourselves here." He pouted, "Sorry..." Serah giggled, "Yeah, I'll drive you back home."

"Does he know?", Light asked Serah in a lowered voice. She shook her head, "No, he's in enough trouble as it is right now. I'll avoid telling him until you're showing." "Thanks.", she said and smiled slightly. "That would be a welcome change of events, seeing as I didn't really handle telling you well, let alone him.", Light said, gesturing to Hope. He sighed, "Yeah... sorry about that Light..." "It's fine. I didn't exactly handle it well either.", she said, smiling.

He smiled back and Serah said, "Come on, let's go to the car. I'll take you home nice and quick." He asked, "What about Snow?" She giggled, "He's a little busy right now." Inside the hospital, Snow was getting some bruises looked at.

She shrugged, "I'll come get him after I drop you off." Hope nodded, realizing what she was insinuating and blinking in surprise. "Meaning?", Light asked then realized, "Wait... YOU beat him up?", she asked incredulously. (A/N: Light being Light, didn't look incredulous, or sound incredulous for that matter)

Serah smacked her lips, "Maybe...or maybe Hope's tougher than you thought." Light took one look at Hope, "Nah. I think you beat him up." He rolled his eyes, "Thanks Light." "You're welcome, Hope.", she replied as they arrived at her apartment.

Lightning got out of the car, "I can handle being by myself tonight. Hope, should we start the moving tomorrow?" Serah's eyes twinkled, "Moving?" He nodded shyly, "Yeah...Light's moving in with me. And sure Light, just rest for tonight." "Hm. I'll try.", she said with a slight smile, "This kid of yours is a real hugger already, Hope." Serah giggled, "I'll come by in the morning to help too."

Hope took Light's hands, "Call me if you get into trouble okay?" "You'll know if trouble finds me.", she said, and pecked his cheek. She softly let his hands go and drifted to her doorway, calling, "Night, Serah! Night, Hope!" He waved from the car, "See you tomorrow." Serah grinned brightly, "Good night!" They left, heading for Hope's house until tomorrow.