Parenthood'z Nightmare

Chapter V - The Shopping Expedition

"Sephiroth, it doesn't matter how many times I run the test the results will remain positive." Hollander said after running the test a third time.

Sephiroth could hardly absorb the information. "I don't understand," he finally spoke. "How could this have happened?"

Zack snorted. "Well, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much—"

Angeal felt the burn of Sephiroth's stare and observed his body language become stern, stiff and cold. "Zack! Leave!" He demanded, attempting to defuse the stressful situation.

A hurt expression flashed through Zack's eyes. "I'm sorry!" He surrendered, holding the palms of his hands up. "Just tryn'a make light of an awkward situation."

"If it upsets you that much; leave!" Angeal stood and opened the door for the teenager. "Sephiroth will contact you tomorrow before you report to Lazard." No matter how much Zack begged; Angeal wouldn't allow him to stay, things needed to be said, things Zack was not permitted to hear.

Looking dejected and unhappy Zack left the apartment like a skulking puppy with his tail between his legs and his imaginary ears fallen back.

As Angeal closed the door Sephiroth breathed in unhappily. "What do I do now?"

"Keep her." The answer was obvious but it felt taboo to speak it aloud, yet Hollander had said it, turning the word solid as it landed on Sephiroth's shoudlers like a boulder, another weight for him to carry.

"I can't."

"It might not be so bad." Genesis mentioned. "If not you then who?"

"I had planned to leave her in Sister Maureen Cindy's care."

Angeal frowned. "The Nunnery." They all knew Sister Maureen Cindy, she was a caring woman, considerate, and they'd helped her numerous times in her scrapes with Avalanche, but a Nunnery was hardly a home.

"I should be leaving." Hollander announced, collecting his machine. "Whether you decide to keep the child or not she should be moved to a hospital immediately, a nasal tube would be the best temporary treatment for her."

Sephiroth thanked him and ignored his recommendations as the Scientist saw himself out, leaving the three men to their discussions.

Genesis closed his book and placed it on the table as though it were fragile crystal. "At least Posie didn't have an affair."

"Unless she broke in here while she was missing and raped me in my sleep she had no affair with me either!"

A crisp snap filled the room as Angeal clicked his fingers, turning heads. "The sperm samples of ninety-two!"

There were a few seconds of stunned silence as the confusing event that had seemed humorous at the time was recalled. Hojo had demanded five sperm samples from Sephiroth and Genesis, they had reluctantly given them and the event had been a running gag in their friendship ever since.

"Would he really impregnate Posie against her will?" Sephiroth wondered, he wouldn't have been surprised.

"If he did at least he used your sperm and not his own." Genesis' statement sent shivers down everyone's spine.

"But was it unwilling?" Angeal questioned.

"What?" Sephiroth hissed, offended.

"Think about it. Posie left supposedly due to a psychological break. We know she knew of the sperm samples and disagreed about how 'life shouldn't be frozen in a dish'. What if she demanded those samples from Hojo?"