The whole world around you was shutting down. After things had been rosy for a while, the planet finally spoke up.

Of course, you took no part in helping ShinRa. Honestly, you didn't think they were the reason this was happening either. Not at the moment, anyway.

They had been buddy-buddy with you in hopes you'd come back, but even if you wanted to (which you didn't), you couldn't.

Why?

Because right now you were laying in bed half asleep. A cool wet rag was strewn across your forehead to soothe your headache and soak up the sweat as you stared at the ceiling, breathing heavily. Water, mixed with purple droplets of Geo-stigma soaked into the ends of the rag before it could drip down the sides of your face.

"The stigma hasn't shown any signs of slowing down and she's been gaining weight too, despite not eating much," the doctor said. "When did she first come down with it?"

"A few weeks ago," Jessie said. "Maybe almost a month? Well... That's when we found it anyway."

"Geo-stigma does take its toll on some individuals quicker and easier than others," the doctor speculated. "However, I've never heard of weight gain. Much less the sickness spreading on a strong, developed adult this quick. Judging by how you all live, her immune system should have been able to stop this much from happening so fast."

A knock on the door came and it opened without an answer. Reno and Rude walked in uninvited and looked around the living room. You scoffed slightly.

"What happened here?" Reno asked.

"What's it look like, Goggles?" Jessie sneered.

The doctor bowed and ducked through the door as the two came in.

"That's enough of that already," you said. Before either of them could come up with a rebuttal, Biggs left the kitchen with a tray in his hands. He sat next to the mattress you were laying on. You slept there all day now and refused to be around him unless he was helping from a safe distance.

Biggs nodded "calmly" at the Turks, knowing they wouldn't do anything. "Welcome," he said, setting the tray down. There were medicine packets and a new damp rag, as well as water and a tea bag if you wanted tea instead.

Reno sat next to him.

"Don't get comfortable," Rude said. "We won't be long."

Reno just shrugged and looked over at what Biggs had for you.

When Biggs went to help you sit up, you swatted his hands away and forced yourself into a sitting position with a slight sickly groan. He let out a small sigh and caught the rag as it fell off your face before quickly discarding it.

He would do this every day as if it were his job. You hated being catered to as a sick child and would often get into small squabbles with him. Though you would always apologize later, no matter how much it hurt your pride.

"Looks like the missus is getting a little snarky with you as of late," Reno pointed out. You glared at him subtly.

"She won't let me do anything," Biggs replied. As he reached for the water, you took the tray from him and set it on your lap, taking the cup of hot water and putting the tea bag in. In the other cup of cold water, a medicinal powder.

Biggs gave a wild gesture to your actions and sat back, letting out a deep sigh as you guzzled the water.

You put the cup back down with a slight attitude and glared at both of them, but mainly Biggs. "Happy now?"

With a slight frown, he just nodded. "Yes I am, thank you." You nodded and set the tray down on the floor next to you.

Reno nudged Biggs with his elbow. "Y'know, just because she's sick doesn't mean she should be able to push you around like this. You are helping her after all."

"It's because she's sick that I'm not retaliating," Biggs said. "You and I both know this isn't like her. Arguing will only make her feel worse. And as far as helping her goes, I don't need a reward for that. It's my obligation since I married her."

"Though, till death do us part may happen a bit early," you muttered. He shot you a look that was a mix of shock and a bit of a glare.

"Don't talk like that!" Jessie was the first to snap. "You don't get to scare him like that." Biggs shook his head at her and just looked down. You ignored both of them and looked at Rude with an expectant face.

"Right," Rude cleared his throat. "We're only here to ask if you know the whereabouts of Cloud."

"Why do you want to know? What do you need--" Jessie started.

"On the shelf over there is a business card for Seventh Heaven and the Strife Delivery Service. Take one and get out," you hissed coldly.

Reno got up and obliged, taking a business card. "Thanks for your time, I guess."

"Uh huh."

"I should probably go too," Jessie said. "Give you two some privacy. Let Miss Cranky over here calm herself." She picked up the stigma covered rag with a grocery bag and tossed it in the trash.

"Alright," Biggs said. "Thanks, Jessie."

"No problem," she said. "I'll be in town if you need me." She then left you and Biggs alone. You laid back down, facing the wall. You felt weight shift on the mattress, causing you to growl a little.

"Didn't I tell you not to get too close?" You scolded.

"Yeah," Biggs said. "I just need to watch where I touch. Hopefully, anyway. I just want to lay with you again. It's been over a month."
You could feel his warm hands on your stomach, aside from the coldness of the iron on his wedding ring. His fingers were slightly pruned from earlier as they grazed your stomach.

You closed your eyes as he went quiet, resting his head against the back of yours. You almost gave in to sleep right away.

"You feel kinda bloated," he discerned suddenly. "Are you on your...?"

"I already checked this morning," you said. "I haven't been for a couple..." You trailed off, your voice turning into a mutter.

"A couple what?" He asked.

"A couple months," you said, trying to raise your voice through the tiredness that was taking over.

"Oh," he said, a slight choke in his voice. "Have you... Been eating right?"

"Not any more or less since I got sick," you mumbled. "Figured you'd know, since you've been bringing me everything. Woulda told you if I had my period." 

He just nodded slightly. "Right..."

It didn't take long at all for you to fall back to sleep. When you did, Biggs got up and threw his jacket on before running out the door. The doctor had left not to long ago. Maybe he could still catch up.

Sure enough, the doctor was stopped on the side of the road talking to another man who looked about his age.

"Doc!"

"You again? Is everything okay?" the doctor asked.

"I gotta ask you something..."

*
*
*

"Yeah, there's a fetal heartbeat," the doctor said. All the jaws in the room dropped to the floor, except yours since you were fast asleep. "She's probably three or four months in already."

Biggs nearly fainted. Jessie and Tifa prepared to catch him, should that happen. "Look at you, Dad!" Jessie cheered, patting him aggressively on the back.

"[F/N]'s having a baby?" Marlene asked.

"That's right," Tifa said with a halfway shocked expression. She had a hand on Marlene's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

"Considering the stigma doesn't affect the baby," the doctor said. "It's very likely with how much it's spread by now."

"What's with all the ruckus?" you moaned.

"You're having a baby, [F/N]!" Marlene said.

"Yeah, I know. What about it...?" you asked. Everyone lost their jaws to the floor again.

"You knew and you didn't tell me?" Biggs exclaimed.

"Marlene, Denzel," Tifa started, "why don't you two go play?" The atmosphere was beginning to get heated.

"Aww, but I wanna stay and talk to [F/N]!" Marlene pleaded. Denzel just kept wearing his neutral face and shrugged.

"This here is grown-up talk," Barret said. "Let's go outside. And stay where I can see you." The kids both nodded finally and Barret followed them outside.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Biggs asked.

"Because neither of us are going to make it," you admitted, putting a hand on your stomach. A few gasps could be heard from behind you.

"How can you say that??" Jessie barked. "Don't you care how Biggs feels?"

"Of course I do!" you snapped, trying to yell loud enough to cover your shaking voice. "Why do you think I kept it from him? So he wouldn't have to deal with two losses at once, but now he knows because he was being nosy!"

Everyone went quiet at your outburst. You let out a shaky sigh and closes your eyes, wiping your tears with your shirt. You clutched your stomach and curled up into a ball.

"Let's talk in the kitchen or something," Jessie said to Biggs. "Make sure you're doing okay."

".... Yeah," Biggs replied, still dazed and hurt at the same time. The four of them went to the kitchen and talked amongst themselves.

*
*
*

"You can't go out there," you growled. "Don't try to be a hero again, you're going to die."

"And just not help Cloud and the others?" Biggs snapped. He was looking past the curtain and out the window. The room was dim and the house was almost lifeless. A monster raged in the world outside. "What's it with you and death?"

"Because we don't have the resources anymore to fend off something like that!" you argued. "Do you think a gun is going to make a huge impact on that monster and those so-called remnants?" You groaned and put a hand on your head, laying back down.

"Fighting isn't the only thing I can do to help," he said. "I can help the others save people. Get them to safety."

You sighed and buried your face in the pillow. "Whatever. Go."

"I'll be back," he said. "Please don't go anywhere."

"Do I seem like I'm in the position to run off somewhere?" He only sighed in response to your comment. He grabbed his pistol off an end table and put a jacket, quickly loading his gun before heading out and locking the door behind him.

You rubbed your aching stomach and arched your back a bit, trying to crack it and get comfortable. You closed your eyes, letting a few tears slip before your dizziness caused you to sleep once again.

*
*
*

"She won't wake up!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Does that mean...?"

Tifa put her ear against your chest and listened before looking up in horror.

~~~~~~~
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