For Honor or Glory

Not a Specimen

Chapter 38 

Alex ended up spending the rest of the week mostly locked in her lab. She would not come out until it was late at night, and no one except Angeal went in. There were several times that Genesis tried to call her, but she completely ignored him. The one time he went to the science department to confront her, there had been a scene, and Angeal had been called to make him leave. That had rattled Alex, especially since that was when most of her coworkers suddenly put two and two together to realize that professor Alex was actually professor Alexandra Hewley. Not that she had expected to keep it a secret forever.

By Friday, she was at her wit's end, but at least she had a clear goal in mind when she went to Sephiroth's room. She just hoped it wouldn't be as awkward as the last time she saw him.

She had a smile on her lips when she walked in and greeted him. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

She froze when she saw him immediately sit up. He did not even attempt to hide the furrow between his brows as he looked her over once before his eyes landed back on her face. He studied her features for a moment before he finally answered. "I am in no worse condition than any other time after a booster. Though I must ask how you are? You are pale, and it is unlike you to miss work. I—I had heard there was an altercation. Are you well?"

Alex was suddenly unsure of how to react. His concern was unexpected. Yes, they had become friends, but he had never shown anything similar before. It touched her, and with her feelings already raw, tears started to well up without her permission. Despite her attempts to blink them back, Sephiroth must have noticed them because his eyes widened, and he almost looked like he was about to panic.

The sight of it served to help her get control of herself, and she grinned at him as she finally answered. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Things have been a little crazy, but nothing I can't handle. I apologize for not being here last week. I hope it wasn't too boring."

He sat back when he heard her laugh and managed a small smile of his own. "I found a rather interesting piece to read about genetic disorders and the possibilities of mitigating their influences in future generations."

Alex froze with the cuff on his arm and locked eyes with him. It wasn't until she heard the pump beep to notify that it was full that she realized they had been staring without speaking. She quickly looked away and took his pressure as she finally said, "You read my thesis? All of it?"

"Yes. It was actually quite fascinating. I have seen many things in this department that focus on building stronger humans. Always about enhancing our race, making us superior. This was the first time I have ever seen a scientist interested in helping those who have less chance to have a normal life. I find it admirable."

Alex's fingers fumbled as she took the cuff off. Her mother was the only other person that had told her something similar. Her brother was supportive, but he didn't fully understand what she was doing. Genesis, well, she didn't want to think about him. Professor Rayleigh saw the potential in her research to unlock secrets in human DNA that had previously been overlooked. That had been no secret. None of them had seen her research and admired it for what it was.

She forced a chuckle as she turned so that he could not see her face as she said, "You are bound and determined to make me emotional today, aren't you?"

She heard him sit up swiftly and realized that he probably took that the wrong way. She wiped the damp corners of her eyes and turned to him with a wry smile. "I'm sorry. You didn't say anything wrong. As a matter of fact, it made me really happy. I haven't had anyone else see it for what it was since I came to Midgar. That means a lot. Thank you."

Alex felt sorry for the man when he looked extremely uncomfortable in the presence of her emotional self. He probably never had to deal with weepy women. She chuckled to try and ease the tension. "Why don't we get this finished, and then we can set up a game. I think we left off with me ahead, right?"

He finally sat back and let his expression fall back into the slightly confused one he sometimes wore during their discussions. "I believe so, yes."

She started to put the things away, but she finally remembered there was something she kept forgetting, and his recent subject gave her the perfect opening if there ever was one. She grabbed the chess table and brought it over as she started again. "Sephiroth, I'm actually glad you brought up my research. There was something I've been meaning to ask you for some time now, and keep forgetting."

He gave her a curious look as he helped her set the pieces on the board. She took that as permission to continue. "Well, since you read my thesis, you know that I found several correlations with diseased tissue from cadavers, but I am going to start working with living tissue from volunteers going forward to see if I can find a way to either nullify the mutations or change them."

He sat back with a contemplative look. "That will not be a simple task with someone that is already mutated. Even if you could, would it be possible to reintroduce the changed DNA and have it adapt?"

Alex shrugged. "Honestly, that is the crux of my current issue. However, that is why I need both healthy and diseased donors. I am using my own, and both Angeal and—and Genesis have helped. I was hoping to ask you as well. I also have a few other healthy donors, so you are not obligated by any means, but I hoped to have a chance to possibly find a way to map the healthy DNA at best, and recreate the effects in the diseased tissue, so the mutations are reversed or at worst, find a way to at least nullify the damage done. Worst case scenario, my work will be able to help future generations be born without the current generation's mutations."

Sephiroth had frozen and was looking at her with an odd expression. "You want me to give you a tissue sample?"

Alex's eyes got wide, and the color drained from her face. "Dear lord, no! I don't want to hurt you. You've gone through enough. I just wanted to see if you would be willing to let me take a little blood, but like I said, there is no need if you don't want to. I do have a nearly unlimited supply of my own, after all. I just have to wait until it replenishes." She gave him a cheeky grin after that.

The wary expression finally left his face, and the edges of his lips lifted as he shook his head. "I am sure you could have found samples in the database if you bothered looking. I am probably the most prodded specimen in the lab."

Alex immediately frowned at his words, and her eyes flashed. She made sure he was looking at her before she said, "Sephiroth, you are not a specimen. You are a man. As such, you deserve enough respect from me to come and ask your permission to use any part of your body. If you say no, even if I could get it from the database, I would not. I—I understand that may not be what you are familiar with, but I'll be damned if I fall into the same category as those—" she cut off and had to stand and take a few steps away to keep her calm. It was several seconds before she could turn back around and face him without losing it.

When she did, she was shocked to see that he was standing right behind her. He caught her eye as his hand rose to her shoulder. His grip was soft, as was his voice. "You have my permission. No one has ever thought to ask, and you ask very little. I admire what you are doing. Why would I say no?"

They stood there like that for several seconds before Alex nodded. "Thank you."

He squeezed lightly before he let go. "It is I who should thank you."

She cleared her throat at that point and pointed back to the bed. "Why don't I get this done so we can finish at least one game—maybe."

He gave her that same small smile as he walked back to the bed and sat back while she went to get the phlebotomy kit out. It did not take long at all to get the small amount she needed. She made sure it was mixed well before she set it in her bag. Afterward, they immediately went back to the game. They were both happy to have the board in front of them after having missed the last week, and a small smile played across both their mouths as the pieces slowly made their way across the board.

A/N: So the scene I expected to end this chapter on will not actually happen until the next one, so you can breathe a sigh of relief for now. I want to say more, but I also don't want to give too much away lol, all I can say is there will be more Seph interactions. I hope you are liking it, even though it is pretty hard on them all right now.