Parenthood'z Nightmare

Chapter II - The Decision

Zack awoke to the sound of hail smashing on the window. Sephiroth was stood in front of it with his hand on the glass. "Where's Alice?" Zack yawned, stretching his arms.

Sephiroth pointed to his bed where she was sleeping soundly, curled up and sucking on the knuckles of her curled fists. "She climbed into my bed this morning." He replied, remembering how he had returned from the bathroom to find a lump in his covers, not that it bothered him much as he'd refused sleep, obvious by the tired, stressed rings beneath his eyes.

"I don't know why you would want to put a kid like her in care."

Sephiroth glanced at the clock on the wall. "We should eat and leave." He responded, shaking Alice awake by her shoulder. "Alice, get up." He struggled to speak gently, remembering his 'conversation' from that night. When she didn't respond he pulled the covers off her. She curled further into herself and whined loudly. Sephiroth frowned. "Get up" He pulled her off the bed and began tidying it, both noticing and ignoring the dark smudges her body had stained the bed sheets with and he hadn't failed to notice the wet patch in her own bed.

"Having second thoughts?" Zack asked, hopeful as he noticed Sephiroth's sudden personality adjustment. He was calmer and lenient. Zack climbed out of bed and lifted Alice off the floor to sit her on his hip.

Sephiroth glared at him as he pulled the cover over the pillow. "I am entitled to change my mind on occasion."

Zack's eyes lit up as he let out a laugh and ran to Sephiroth, hugging him tightly, Alice squashed between them as Sephiroth turned rigid. "Dop' Skising 'm!" (Stop squashing me!)

"Sephiroth! That's great man! More than great!"

"Zack!" Sephiroth attempted to push the elated fifteen-year-old off him. Zack was so overcome with happiness he didn't even realise he'd dropped Alice until he almost trod on her as she sat at their feet, bewildered.

"Me 'n Angeal'll help you look after her! This is gonna be so sweet!" Sephiroth pushed him away and finished placing the pillows on the bed. "You should make an arrangement with Shinra and ask for a few days off. You know, to celebrate and get some things together!"

"The day that obese man will let me have a day off will be the day hell freezes over." He looked around for Alice who was now in the bathroom trying to reach the sink.

"Do you think that's a hint she wants a wash?" Zack asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

Sephiroth walked into the bathroom, grabbed her hand and walked out with her. "I'll have Cissnei wash her when we get back." He took the pink cover off the end of Alice's bed, wrapped her up in it then left the room. Zack followed them and locked the door.

"Why Cissnei?" He hurried down the stairs to catch up with them.

Sephiroth walked to the dinning room, tables and chairs scattered the area. The door was held open by a small fat chef statue (a little taller than Alice) holding a tray of menus, mesmerizing her. Sephiroth pulled her away as she reached out for it. "I don't think it would be appropriate for me to bathe her." He took a menu and scanned through it.

Zack rubbed the back of his head and grunted, not sure whether to agree. "Where should we sit?" He enthusiastically asked Alice crouching down and resting his on his ankles. Alice pointed to a table in the corner with two chairs. "We can't sit there."

"D'y?" (Why?) Alice questioned him.

"Well how many of us are there?" Zack didn't expect Alice to scream frightened sobs. He'd even used his nicest voice! "Don't cry! Don't cry!" Zack shouted, hugging her tightly.