Coincides with Moira going to the hospital in A Normal Life.

~&Q~

He stared into his hands, unsettled by their color. He hated this contraption, but he needed it and found himself thanking Xavier for the first time ever. It came in handy in this situation, but this was a situation he never wanted.

"Mr. Wagner?"

He barely knew the name. It wasn't his, it wasn't anyone's. It was a façade created to keep his family safe. Looking up finally, a doctor met his eye.

"Yes, is me," he stood and rushed over. He hated this, needing the help of humans. Being at their mercy. But what could he do? His wife had been admitted. He just needed to be sure she was safe and get her out. "Is she ok? Can I take her?"

"I'm afraid not," the doctor gave him a grim look. "We have a serious situation on our hands."

Azazel's heart sank. "Serious? What is serious?"

Talking a breath, the doctor continued. "The baby is dying. We're doing what we can to save it, but the harder we work to save the baby, the more we lose your wife." The man paused.

"What you mean you lose my wife?" Azazel's lips drew back. "You save her. Your job is save her and baby!"

"We can only do what we can, Mr. Wagner. There are other forces at play here," the doctor let out a breath. "Right now we've stabilized them, but it's very temporary. They're both in dire straits. We may be able to save the baby, and that's a very minute chance, but it would be at the expense of your wife."

Azazel shook his head, moving backward until he fell into the chair. "Nyet."

"I'm here, Mr. Wagner, because I can't make this decision. You have to. We can save your baby or we can save your wife. You need to tell me what you want us to do."

Azazel's head snapped to the man. Could he possibly be asking him to choose? Between the life of his child and the life of his wife? How could he do that? The doctor's face was kind, seemed to understand the war Azazel had inside him now. He thought about what Moira would want. She'd want the baby to live, Azazel was sure of it. But then, he thought of his other children. He thought of having to raise them without their mother. He was horrified by the simple thought of waking up in an empty bed. Never seeing his soul mate again.

But he was this child's father. Could he let them go? Could he sentence his own baby to death to save his wife? Was that selfish?

He chose his words carefully. "If baby is saved, will all be ok?"

"We don't know," the doctor responded.

"What if wife is saved?"

The doctor shook his head. "We are not certain. We think she can pull through. The baby is early. Even if we save it, there's a long road of recovery. It won't be out of the woods for a long time."

"But there is chance?" Azazel's expression turned desperate.

"Mr. Wagner, there is always a chance."

His heart broke. This was an impossible situation to be in. But as much as he wanted this baby, as much as he loved this baby, he couldn't do it. He couldn't let his wife die for it. He couldn't let his children lose their mother. Turning his eyes away from the doctor, feeling shame and cowardice and even selfishness in his decision, he said, "Save my wife."

The doctor nodded and turned away, back to the operating room. Azazel put his face in his hands and cried for his child