Jasmine stood on the roof of her penthouse apartment, gazing into the sky. Now that it was after one in the morning, the majority of the businesses had shut down and which meant that there was way less light pollution.

She placed one foot on the ledge, hesitating to take another step. She knew what would happen if she got too close.

She chuckled, a smile looking out of place on her tear-streaked face.

Jasmine had already gone over the edge a long time ago.

Despite the cool wind Jasmine's full attention and concern seemed to be on skies up above and the city down below. Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out a single, dying, scarlet red rose. Her bloodshot eyes latched onto the flower and she ran her fingers along the stem, skimming over the thorns oh so carefully.

"You can't leave me," she breathed, eyes watering. "You can't do this to me..."

Jasmine closed her eyes, picturing the one most precious to her in the entire world as well as going over the meaning of a deep red rose. She inhaled and fully stepped onto the ledge at this time, making sure that all her weight was shifted to her heels. Jasmine had never experienced an adrenaline rush like this one before. Literally, she was on the edge and her next dictated her future…or lack thereof.

She felt a slight stinging sensation and glanced down at her fingers. Because she had been carelessly stroking the stem, she hadn't realized until now that she had pricked her index and middle fingers on thorns, causing them to bleed.

"Valentine!"

Jasmine's eyes hardened. She instantly recognized this voice as her partner's.

His footsteps were slow and cautious. Noctis was concerned that if he were to startle her Jasmine would take another step. "What are you doing?" Noctis asked quietly.

Jasmine inhaled and cracked her neck loudly.

"This is the first time…" she began distantly, "that I've ever actually had control of my life." Jasmine paused, feeling her pulse quicken as her eyes shifted to the ground below. "It feels amazing."

Noctis stopped before he got too close. One more step and she'd be gone forever.

"He's recovering in the hospital now," Noctis assured her. "Everything is going to be fine."

"No it won't!" Jasmine's scream was shrill and startling, almost exactly as it was when she was in Tifa's house and had just finished looking over her parents' bodies. "I can't fix things to go back to how they used to be! I've ruined their lives!"

Noctis was at a loss. He'd never dealt with this sort of thing before. Sure he'd heard talk of other members of SOLDIER contemplating this, but he'd never seen it up close and personal, so close to home…

"But you and I both know that you aren't willing to go through with this," Noctis challenged, deciding to take a chance to see if the Jasmine he knew was still there.

She huffed in annoyance.

"Think about it, you're not looking for an escape," Noctis continued to step forward as quietly as possible so that he wouldn't startle the girl. "You're looking for a chance to be saved."

Jasmine gritted her teeth. "How can I be saved out of everyone? I don't deserve it!"

Noctis held out his hand even though he knew she couldn't see it. "How are you going to be the one to judge if you deserve to be saved?"

Jasmine looked over her shoulder then and glared at Noctis, holding the rose close to her heart.

"From what I can see," he started, his face softening, "You're just someone who got caught up in a feud who didn't deserve to be there, who got the short end of the stick. And despite all your problems and impossible odds, you're still doing all you can to protect the ones you love and care about." Noctis took a chance with this one. "Jasmine," he tested, her name sounding foreign even to him, "you're the only member of SOLDIER who has never killed anyone. You don't believe in taking lives, not even your own. If that's not admirable, I don't know what it. I'm not some higher power, but that's a person who deserves every opportunity to pursue happiness. You're still standing which means that you're supposed to be here. Don't waste this opportunity."

Jasmine froze briefly before turning her attention back to the sky. As strange as it was, Vanitas' face flashed through her mind.

She parted her lips.

Everything suddenly became so clear.

Jasmine stood there for at least three minutes, her mind working in overdrive. Finally she looked at the rose and wrapped her hand around the petals, crushing them. She tore the stem off and let it fall to the ground, keeping her fist holding the rose petals tight.

"I just want to be free," her voice was greatly strained and screamed of exhaustion. Noctis' eyes widened though. She did not have that harsh edge that she usually had when she was on assignment with him, or the same cold tone that took place after she discovered her parents' bodies. This voice sounded slightly older, wiser and a lot calmer. Was this another one of her personalities?

"Then fight for it," Noctis said sternly.

Jasmine could feel the tears pouring down her face but for some reason beyond her understanding, she was a great deal calmer, more relaxed, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulder. Could it be that she was finally realizing the importance of the people placed in her life?

One was the key to her happiness.

One was the key to her sanity.

One was the key to her freedom.

One was the key to the absolution of her sins.

Jasmine held her hand close to her face and when she opened it, blew the petals softly into the wind. Having released them all, she turned around and reached for Noctis' hand.

Perhaps there was a lot more to this thing called life than what was placed before her.

Author's Note: I can't express how sorry I am that this has taken SO long to put out. Literally, my life is almost as complex as Jasmine's (if that's possible to believe).

In any case I want to thank everyone for the reads, faves, alerts and all the reviews. Once again, with every review you guys will get a snippet of the latest chapter of Sins and an Absolution. I want to thank Larissa Gates, Sookdeo, animechick247, LouFF13KH2, OmraxXV, Sayonara Yasashii Akumu, UnwrittenMemory and Sarah K.R. Thank you guys so much for all the support. I hope you all like this little snippet and I'll PM you as soon as I can!