Take My Hand
Chapter 1
(In Icicle Inn, 7 years after the birth of Aeris)
"Oh Ifalna! She's beautiful! Can I hold her?" Gast Faremis gushed, now the proud papa of not one beautiful girl but two. "Sure hon. Here" Ifalna Faremis said, giggling quietly. "What's so funny? Was it something I said?" Gast asked, confused. "No. it was nothing. Forget it." Ifalna replied quietly so as not to wake her daughter, as she was now standing next to her husband.
"So what are we going to name her?" Gast asked quietly. "How about Stephanie?" Ifalna suggested. "Sounds good to me" Gast agreed, smiling. Gast was now cooing to the little pink bundle in his arms. "Daddy's going to take real good care of you, don't you worry".
Just then, little Stephanie Faremis opened her eyes and started to suck her fingers, a really irritated expression on her face. Gast looked over at his wife, shock crossing his face "Ifalna! Is there something wrong with her?" Gast asked anxiously. Ifalna came over to investigate. She sighed in annoyance "no. she's just hungry. Here, hand me that blanket would you?"
After Gast handed his wife the blanket, he walked away mentally kicking himself for not realizing Stephanie was hungry. "So much for daddy's going to take care of you." Gast sighed mumbling to himself "I'm a failure as a father. Maybe it'd be better if she had someone else to take care of her." Little did Professor Gast know, he was about to get his wish.
As Ifalna was feeding her daughter, she had an almost angry expression on her face. "Little brat. I can't stand her. She reminds me too much of my son". Ifalna thought. At that precise moment, Stephanie lifted her little head, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mama hates me. I wish I could just go away and not be a burden on her anymore" Stephanie thought. Ifalna heard her daughter's thought and grinned wickedly. "I may as well take her to Shin-Ra, see if they want her because I certainly don't. Besides, Hojo needs a new "sample". Plus, she's a Cetra. This is perfect!"
"Ifalna dear, what's so funny?" Gast asked when he heard his wife's laughter. "Nothing. Hey is it alright with you if I go alone on a trip to Midgar?" Ifalna asked innocently. "That's fine. Just make sure to stay away from the Shin-ra. I don't want you anywhere near them." Gast said sternly "okay. I'm gonna go pack. Thanks hon" Ifalna said, feigning sweetness.
(That night…)
"shin-ra at last!" Ifalna was almost giddy as she walked to the front desk. "Hello. May I help you?" said the receptionist. "Yes. I have a "sample" for Hojo and I'm just wondering where I should take it." "I'll take her" a woman's voice answered. "Thank you. Bye now!" Ifalna replied as she raced out of the Shin-ra building.
Professor Amanda looked at the baby in her arms. " I can't let Hojo anywhere near this poor girl. I'll take her to the hospital wing and ask Sephiroth about it, since she reminds me so much of him." With that the professor who had been assigned Gast's position turned and walked away.
(Back in Icicle Inn, a few days later)
"I'm so sorry hon. Stephanie's gone" Ifalna said quietly. "Gone?! What do you mean gone?!" Gast asked very close to grief. "She's gone back to the Planet" "NO! How could this have happened?!" "I'm so sorry but it just looks like she was only meant to live a little while" Ifalna said soothingly.