Chapter Sixty-Seven: New Arrivals

Sephiroth was awakened in the middle of the night by Aralyn's death grip on his arms. "Sephiroth!" she called frantically.

"What is it?" he answered, instantly alert.

Her face was white, her lips clenched tightly. "The baby is coming."

Sephiroth quickly grabbed a pair of clothes and helped to dress her, as Aralyn's contractions were so strong that she couldn't even stand. The bed around her legs was sopping wet. Frantically, he wrapped her in a towel. Her eyes were closed and she was fighting to breathe deeply and remain calm.

He picked up his phone and dialed Dr. Calvin's number, hurriedly telling her that they were coming. Thankfully, she didn't ask much, only told them that she'd be waiting. Next he called Zack. Zack wouldn't have the time to come all the way to Faramir - by then the baby might have already come - but he could meet them at the highway to make the trip shorter. For once, Sephiroth was glad that Zack drove like a madman.

He rushed back to Aralyn and gathered her in his arms. "Hang on," he held her hand and squeezed. "It's going to be all right."

She nodded, biting her lip.

Cursing the timing, he spread his wing and took to the skies. He had never flown so fast. The wind whipped the both of them, but he couldn't slow down. If her grip on him was any indicator, Aralyn's pains were strengthening. Occasionally, she let out a small gasp or cry. "Hang on," he urged, over and over, fighting to keep his own panic at bay.

He remembered little of the car ride to the hospital except breathing with his wife as Dr. Calvin had taught her and rubbing her back in slow circles. Zack was frantic as well, but the two men worked to encourage Aralyn, and they somehow made it in time.

Dr. Calvin was waiting, and as soon as Sephiroth and Zack laid her on a wheeled stretcher they began to take her away.

Zack stayed behind in the lobby, but Sephiroth would not release Aralyn's hand, running alongside the doctors.

"Sephiroth, you can't be in the delivery room," a nurse said.

Aralyn was noticeably alarmed by this, and clasped his hands with frenzied strength. "Don't leave me!" she cried.

Dr. Calvin gave the couple a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry…it's against regulations."

Sephiroth kissed Aralyn. "Everything will be all right. You are strong and beautiful and I love you."

After he had consoled her further, she relaxed somewhat. They took her away, leaving Sephiroth in the hall, his hand still stretched towards her. It was several minutes before he returned to the lobby where Zack waited.

Sephiroth could barely contain his worry and his excitement. Within the next few hours, he was going to be a father.

Zack had been convinced to take a seat, but Sephiroth had been pacing since their arrival. The lush carpet was flattened where he had trod over and over again. Periodically he would stop, look at the clock, grip his head, and begin again. The receptionist looked at him sympathetically, and at his request, turned off the soothing lobby music that was only aggravating him more.

"Look man, it's not going to kill you to sit," Zack tried for the umpteenth time.

Sephiroth stopped, and Zack thought that for a moment he had caught the General's attention, but it was only to glance at the clock, and then he resumed his routine.

Zack sighed and turned again to the dull magazines that the lobby offered. "You're going to run a hole in the floor."

No answer. Zack hadn't expected one.

After a period of time that Zack hadn't managed to follow (although he would be willing to bet his paycheck that Sephiroth could recite how long it had been down to the second), a door opened and a nurse whispered something to the receptionist, who then smiled and looked at the General. "Sephiroth," she called.

"What's wrong? What happened?" he demanded.

"Are you always so pessimistic?" The receptionist put away the papers she was filing so that she could converse with the approaching Zack and Sephiroth. "You have a strong, healthy baby boy. Congratulations!"

Zack wasn't sure what he expected Sephiroth's reaction to be, but he was rewarded with seeing his General's tense form relax as he breathed out air that he probably had been holding for a while. Zack clapped his commander on the shoulder. "That's great, man!"

"Can I see them?" Sephiroth asked anxiously.

"No…not yet. Aralyn's still in labor."

Sephiroth looked at her, the pieces not quite coming together yet. "But I thought you said…"

Zack laughed as he finally understood. "Sephiroth, you're getting twins!"

The receptionist nodded. "You decided not to get an ultrasound to let it be a surprise…well, what a surprise it was!"

Sephiroth was smiling genuinely, his eyes shining as bright as they had on his wedding day. "Twins…?"

"It won't be long now," she assured him. "You've been here a while. Go get something to eat. Celebrate. We'll take good care of Aralyn and the children."

Zack grinned like a Cheshire cat as the men exited the lobby. "I can't wait to see the Sephiroth-and-Aralyn juniors! Can I call them squirt?"

"They are going to have better names than that," Sephiroth said, but he smiled at his comrade's enthusiasm.

"Got any ideas?"

"I want Aralyn to have a say in the decision."

Zack turned the opposite direction from the food court. "I want to get Aralyn one of those 'Congratulations' balloons or something. Maybe some flowers…she likes roses, right?"

"Red and white," Sephiroth confirmed. "And I'll come with you. She will probably want something in the chocolate department."

"And then we can get food?" he asked hopefully.

Sephiroth chuckled, knowing Zack's weakness. "Yes, my friend, then we can get food."