Disclaimer: Only own the OCs. Been a long time since I've had to say that.

Contains violence, swearing and mild sexual themes

Summary: After Meteor, Shinra was thought to be in the past, Sephiroth is dead and all the populace have to worry about is a cure for Geostigma. Everyone has went their separate ways but Christie has now become a more infulencial force in the media and restoration of Gaia. When strange men come and start using Geostigma as a beacon to call forth the past, Avalanche must be reunited, or risk Gaia dying.

Price of Freedom

Slowly I peeled off the bandage over my eye, cringing and gagging at the horrible black pus which dripped off it. It was even worse on the actual wound, black seeping down my eyelid and onto my cheek. I kept my eye closed, it wasn't of any use to me anyway. Still, better having one eye for decoration than being a cylops.

I washed off my black pus with a damp cloth, the water streaming from the tap, turning black when I tried to clean the cloth. Groaning I finished cleaning my face, pulling my hair back and put a clean bandage on. My Geostigma was getting progressively worse, I was having to clean it two or three times a day now and was vomiting the black pus up. Thankfully that wasn't frequently put it felt like Hell.

Once I had finished I put my eyepatch back on, my cover up for the media. Now that I was Rufus' eyes and ears I spent a lot of time in the media, not to mention I helped Reeve and the WRO. And of course there was my job with Cloud's delivery service when I could, as well as helping look after Denzel and Marlene. I had to keep my eyepatch on to cover my bandages and Stigma. At least it was on my blind eye. The Stigma had spread fast and a lot of people had died. It had been two years since Sephiroth had died and he was responsible for all of this. The place had changed so much and so had the people.

I let my hair out and brushed it down with my hands before leaving the bathroom, walking down the hall to the bedroom. The house was small but I could care less, it was better than tiny inn rooms and grassy plains me and my mates used to reside in. I pulled my blue night dress over my head, mindlessly throwing it onto the bed, and heading to the drawers.

"Curtains are open," I turned to Reno, who lay in the bed, hands behind his head and the blankets only covering his lower half. I shrugged and proceeded to put on my underwear.

"No where near the window," I replied, choosing what to wear. "Aren't you getting up or did Rufus tell you to piss of for the day?"

"Yeah, me and Rude are getting Tseng and Elena," Those two had been away on some mission for some time. I put on my straight legged faded black jeans and sleeveless dark green zipper. "Be gone for a week or two, though. Don't miss me too much."

"Whatever will I do?" I said monotonely. I yawned and sat on the end of the bed, putting my shin-high boots. I could feel Reno's weight shift behind me and he leant on my back while I tied my boot laces up.

"How's the Stigma?" He asked, stroking my hair a little. I had no choice but to let him otherwise I'd elbow him away.

"Pussing even worse," I told him, lacing up my other boot and leaning forward, letting the red head lean on me. "Vomited last night too."

"Yeah you look paler," Reno gave me a kiss on the cheek and put his arm around me. "Shame I just can't stay and make you feel better."

"If this has anything to do with that weird nurse thing you have, no," I got up and took a brush and fixed my hair. "Besides, I'll be hunting down my boss most of this week."

"Rufus doesn't leave Healen."

"I'm talking about Cloud," I replied with a roll of my eyes. "Haven't seen any sign of him lately and Tifa's worrying."

"Still think we should chain him to the bar, that way we'll know where he is."

"Very funny," I rolled my eyes again and walked out of the room. "Reno get up already or I'll drag you there, and don't think I won't."

I felt really distracted that day, more than usual. It wasn't because of the increasing frustration from my Stigma. There was something else, something that was happening underneath the Stigma and the recovery of Gaia. I knew it would show itself eventually, whatever it was, but I hoped it was sooner or later.

"Sister... sister..."

"I don't think she can hear you, brother," I could see blurs. Three. I felt my wrists and ankles were constricted by straps of some sort. I struggled against them, the blurs coming into focus.

"She can us fine!" The first voice snapped. It was angry, young. The second was more calm but also young. The owner of the first voice grabbed my hair and was inches from my face. "Where's Mother, sister? We know you have her?" I couldn't say anything, no words came out of my mouth. Who was Mother? Their Mother?

"Maybe she doesn't have Mother..." A third voice, more masculine than the pervious two, said through sobs. The second one, with a roll of his eyes, pushed the other one's shoulder.

"Where is Mother? Don't you want Mother back?" I didn't know who Mother was. I said nothing, feeling fear when I looked in his eyes. The greenish-blue eyes had pupils which slit like cats eyes. I struggled harder against my restraints as he gripped harder on my hair before letting go, slamming my head against cold ground and storming away.

"Once Mother's here everything will be better, sister," The calm voice said. "We promise."

"We just want our Mother..." The most vocal one clenched his fists, a small red flame appearing on it. My eyes widened, recognising the Beta Spell I had on my own Materia. I broke free of my restraints and got up, and attacked the three men.

With a scream I shot up in the bed, breathing deeply with a cold sweat. I touched my bandage, feeling the pus drip down my fingers. It was so horrible. I turned the lamp on, pulling the Stigma stained pillow case off and taking pillows from Reno's side of the bed. Oddly my Stigma had been fine during the day ad now it had acted its worst.

I went to the bathroom and as I fixed on a new bandage I couldn't stop thinking about my nightmare. That wasn't a simple one. It was like the nightmare I had seven years ago, when Sephiroth burned down Nibelheim.

Frowning, I remembered Angie. She had been missing for ages now, and I had promised Nevina I'd find both her and Genesis. I felt odd about that man, I had seen photos of him and he did look like Angie, both of them looked like their mum. I really missed Angie. I still felt as though she wasn't coming back. I was still determined. I would find her and Genesis.

But right now... I was worried about those three men. Their Mother. Sephiroth wanted his Mother, they did look kind of like him... and... sister? How was I their sister?