Title: Counting Perfection By 2x2 Rating: PG Spoilers: None Word Count: 137 Author's Note: I don't know where this came from. I was in a very strange mood, full of dark images.

She touches his hand, wraps the tiny fingers around her own. Counts the digits, five perfect little fingers, twenty-seven bones, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges. His other hand is the same in its mirrored perfection.

Two hands, ten fingers. Two arms, two legs, ten perfect little toes, ten little piggies waiting to go to market.

She traces a finger down the sole of a foot so small it fits in the palm of one hand.

Two eyes, blue, blue, blue eyes.

Two ears. One nose. One mouth. One heart.

She counts the perfection in her arms. All these numbers are right, they all add up to the flawless child they have created.

She wants to stop counting there, but other numbers come, unwanted.

Twelve heartbeats. Five little breaths. One weak cry…One long, terrible, droning alarm.

Two lives, shattered.