Disclaimer: I do not hold any rights to anything within the Final Fantasy VII Compilation.
A/N: So they are no longer irritated with each other, but we do get to see Genesis being his wonderful self. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think, good, bad or ugly :) thanks!
Chapter 4Once they reached his office Sephiroth indicated for Eve to take one of the seats in front of his desk. She sat and watched him warily as he moved to the seat behind it. Once he was seated he looked at her for a few moments before he leaned forward and steepled his fingers together before speaking. "I have quite a few questions, but the most important all deal with why you reacted the way you did when you saw Midgar. You said you didn't believe in the city or me; why is that?"
At his question she had to bite back a curse. Of course, he had to start with the hardest question to answer. At least she had an answer, of sorts anyway. Hopefully it would be enough. "My father used to share stories with me, about Shinra and Soldier, as well as you, Commander Rhapsodos, and Commander Hewley. There were a lot of things he said and most of them were pretty fantastic so I assumed they were nothing but tales meant to entertain. I never thought they could be real."
He sat back with a contemplative look and took a moment before he responded. "And who was your father to know all these tales? How did he come by his knowledge?"
Her face drew into a blank mask before she answered him. "He was a simple carpenter. He built cabinetry mostly, although he would occasionally help build homes. Honestly, he was no one special if that is what you think, at least not special in the way you are insinuating."
He watched her eyes for a moment before he spoke. His voice was softer. "He was special to you though. And he's gone now?"
She looked away from him before she spoke. "Yes, he's been dead for some time now."
He gave her a few moments. He could tell that talking about her father had upset her. When she finally looked back to him again he spoke. "I apologize for bringing up a painful subject. I can understand how you might think he was only sharing stories if it was something he shared with you in that context. That doesn't really explain why you were surprised by the sight of Midgar. This is essentially the capital of the world. Surely you learned about it as you grew up?"
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep in a curse at his question. She didn't have a good answer, but she had to tell him something. She knew she couldn't take too much longer either or he would get suspicious. She needed to remember that most of the people in Shinra were not stupid by a long shot. She finally blurted out the first thing that she could think of. "Of course, I have heard of it, but I never expected to come here. Not knowing how I ended up in the snow and then seeing Midgar was more than a little bit of a shock, especially as I had been at the beach. It's a lot to take in all at once."
He didn't answer right away. Instead he sat back and looked at her intently for several moments. She had a hard time not showing how nervous she was under his intent gaze. Whatever he was thinking was interrupted by a knock on the door. He looked up and she barely caught a look of irritation before it cleared, and he called out. "Come in."
The look of irritation returned when it was Genesis that walked in. Sephiroth wore a slight scowl as he spoke. "I wasn't expecting you for another half hour."
Genesis had already noticed Eve however and he ignored Sephiroth's sharp remark in favor of addressing Eve. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. It seems as though the Goddess is smiling on me today. It is a pleasure to see you again so soon."
Eve had to work hard not to match Sephiroth's scowl at the red-head's schmoozing. She managed to give him a level look as she responded. "I'm certain it was no coincidence as General Sephiroth did ask for your presence."
She only realized how condescending her response must have sounded when Genesis frowned slightly. He wasn't given the opportunity to reply however as Sephiroth spoke up. "Genesis, that's enough. I suppose it won't hurt that you are early. Eve does have something to do with why I asked you to come."
Genesis looked at Eve with a raised brow before taking the seat next to her. He gave Sephiroth a curious glance before speaking. "While I would enjoy any opportunity to get to know the pretty Doctor, I don't see why you would need my presence."
Eve rolled her eyes at his comment but bit back a remark. Sephiroth only scowled at him before answering. "Eve is here for medical observation, but while she is here I thought to ask your opinion on something. While we were still in Modeoheim we had the opportunity to observe a natural mako spring. She accidentally touched one of the natural materia and it instantly activated. She was able to hold the flame in her hand for several minutes and did not get burnt. Since you are the only person I know to have similar control with materia, I thought to ask your opinion."
Genesis' turned wide eyes back to Eve before Sephiroth was even finished speaking. "Beautiful and talented, and intelligent if you are a doctor as well. It makes me wonder if it was not fate that allowed us to meet."
Eve didn't bother hiding her scowl at his remarks, although she did manage to keep a civil tone when she responded. "Commander Rhapsodos, whether we meet again after today or not, I would like to kindly ask that you stop trying to hit on me. I will tell you right now I am not interested."
Genesis's gaze dropped into a scowl, but it ended up being turned to Sephiroth as there had been a suspicious sound from his direction. When Eve looked at him, she found that he was barely able to contain a smile. She nearly rolled her eyes at the sight although she managed to hold it in. It didn't take the General long to bring himself back under control. "I will second Eve's request. Now is not the time for that type of behavior anyway. Do you have any input on this situation?"
Genesis was still scowling slightly, but when he turned back to Eve it was with an evaluating gaze. When he took the time to pay attention to her eyes for the first time his own widened slightly. His tone was surprised when he spoke. "You have been enhanced!?"
Her brows drew down at his question. It took her a moment to understand what he might be referencing. When she did her eyes widened in surprise as well, but she didn't get a chance to respond before Sephiroth stepped in. "She hasn't been enhanced in the way you are thinking, but she has been exposed to mako. She nearly drowned in the pool I spoke of earlier and then fell into it a second time. Against all odds she is still alive. That is the reason she is here for observation."
When Genesis looked back to her again, it was with open curiosity. He looked over her again before he sat back and turned his wrist over. He pulled a small green orb from a slot she hadn't noticed in his bangle and started to reach out to her with it. His action was stopped by Sephiroth. "Don't. Genesis that is your mastered firaga. If you want to test it, I'll let her use one of mine."
At his words he flipped his wrist over and pulled a different green orb from the bangle on his wrist instead. Genesis scowled slightly at the motion. "That is your mastered ice. If your worried about the reaction, that one won't be any better."
Sephiroth shook his head before he stepped around to the front of his desk and moved to stand between them. He turned to Genesis first. "At least it won't blow my office up before we could interfere. Unless you have one that isn't mastered this is the better option."
Genesis' scowl only deepened. "You know I don't carry any that aren't mastered." He glared for another moment before waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Fine, if we are going to do this than let's get it done."
Eve could tell that even though his tone was dismissive, his eyes still held excitement as Sephiroth turned toward her and held the tiny orb out for her to take. She hesitated. Now that she knew that she had actually been casting fire when they were in Modeoheim, she wasn't sure she wanted to touch another materia. She hadn't done it on purpose which made this prospect unpredictable. She understood the fact that at least Sephiroth was expecting some kind of reaction, but she wasn't sure how to take the fact that she could make 'magic'.
Finally, she decided they weren't going to let her not touch it anyway, so she tentatively held out her hand, and he dropped the materia into her palm. She wasn't sure what to expect but whatever ideas she might have had, it was not what actually happened. As soon as it hit her skin, she instantly started hearing several voices all at once. She immediately remembered the same thing had happened back in Modeoheim, but they were much louder and clearer this time. Almost as soon as the voices started, she began to understand that they were explaining how to channel the forces of the planet, most of the voices anyway. There were a few that whispered about their experiences with the one that normally held the materia. Not only was she inundated with the things he learned and then passed on through his experience, she was forced to feel his state of mind through the years he held it, as they all tried to inundate her at the same time. It was a harsh mix of pain and dragging loneliness with a drive to prove his worth, all held under tight reins of willpower and determination.
She had lost all sense of the room around her, so she didn't realize that she had nearly doubled over. She had a death grip on the edge of Sephiroth's desk to hold herself up but from that point a rime of ice had started to spread. It happened so quickly that neither of the Soldiers had been able to stop it. When Sephiroth finally moved to take it back, Genesis grabbed his arm and stopped him. Sephiroth looked back to see Genesis watching her with rapt attention as the ice quickly spread to cover the desk, the floor around them, and started up the walls. Sephiroth was glad to note that at least the warrior mage had enough sense to cast something to keep the ice from them as well.
It didn't take long for the ice to make its way up the walls. When it started to cross the ceiling Sephiroth pulled his arm from Genesis' grasp. "Enough!" He didn't hesitate to reach out and grab the hand that held the materia. He had to bite back a curse as the cold bit into his fingers. He had to fight the cold and her tight grasp, but still managed to pull the orb from her fingers. As soon as it was out of her hand the ice started to retreat. He barely noted that however as he had to catch Eve. When he finally got the materia away from her, she started to collapse.
He helped her to sit back as she was fighting to catch her breath. Once she finally had her breathing under control she opened her eyes and looked into his with a pained look. She started to reach out to him but stopped short and clasped her hand into a fist. She started trembling as she tried to stand and get away from him. She stumbled and nearly fell before Genesis was able to catch her. She scowled at him and tried to wrench away, but she nearly fell again, and he didn't let her out of his grasp. He was watching her with tempered enthusiasm, even though she had tears streaming down her face.
She didn't lose her scowl until he finally spoke. "You heard them, didn't you?"
She looked to him with surprise. "I heard… something. It was like the voices were telling me how to use the forces of the planet, and…" She stopped and looked back to Sephiroth again, but she shook her head and didn't bother continuing.
She didn't need to as Sephiroth spoke up with a confused voice. "You heard voices? Genesis, what are the two of you talking about?"
By that time Genesis had guided Eve back to her seat and helped her steady herself. Once she was seated he turned to Sephiroth with an excited smile. "As you know, materia is the condensed knowledge of the Ancients. There isn't magic in the orbs, they just allow you to tap into the forces of the planet. I have discerned through the years that most people hear the instructions on a subconscious level. They can use the knowledge, but they can't hear the instructions. I can, and it seems as if Dr. Marx can as well. I have never seen another reaction like hers."
Sephiroth showed open shock before his brows drew down. "Why have you never mentioned this before?"
Genesis waved off his concern. "It isn't something I have ever shared with anyone as it seemed irrelevant. If no one else would understand what I spoke of there was no point in discussing it."
Sephiroth shook his head at the arrogant statement but didn't bother asking for further elaboration. He knew there was no point. Instead he looked to the woman in front of him. Her mystery continued to grow, and it made him glad that he had decided to bring her back to Midgar, despite his initial misgivings. He wondered briefly at what she had stopped herself from saying, but he didn't press her. He could tell that handling the mastered materia had taken a toll on her mana reserves.
She was still avoiding looking at him, which was another thing he wondered at, since she had not shown any fear or aversion for him since her initial reaction. It did bother him slightly, but it didn't show when he turned to Genesis. He noticed his friend was still looking at their guest with excitement, but he was glad to see even Genesis could tell now was not a good time to keep bothering her. His voice was low when he spoke. "I need to speak to Director Lazard, but I am sure we will have another opportunity to speak about this further. For now, if you can think of anything else that might be relevant please send me a report. I will set up another meeting with you tomorrow."
Genesis frowned slightly at the obvious dismissal, but he didn't argue. The red-head paused before walking out the door. He gave Eve a slight bow before he spoke. "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess. It will be my pleasure to speak more about this on the morrow. For tonight, I wish you a good rest." He gave Sephiroth a nod as well before he swept from the room.
Once he was gone Sephiroth sat again. "I can tell you were drained by that. Allow me to contact the Director and we will have a place for you shortly."
Eve didn't bother responding. He had been correct in that she was drained. It wasn't just the fact that she was tired, but she also felt like her emotions were raw. She hadn't felt so emotionally destroyed since she had been in high school. She still had a hard time looking at Sephiroth. She had no doubt the things she had felt had been from him. The fact that they all struck her at once had her trembling still, although she was able to control it mostly. She hoped she was allowed to be alone soon; she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it together. She still felt tears on her cheeks even though she was trying to focus on her happy thoughts. She vowed that she would never accept a mastered materia from another person. She had a feeling she wasn't going to get away from this easily and if she stayed then handling materia might be necessary, but she never wanted to feel another person so completely. Even being a therapist was hard at times. She had no desire to have everything confirmed in that way.
She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation Sephiroth had been having with Lazard, but her attention was drawn back to him when he called out to her. He was scowling slightly, but it faded when his eyes caught hers. She hoped he didn't ask, as she never wanted to explain it to him. It was a violation as far as she was concerned, and she hoped he never found out. She tried to focus on what he was saying. "I apologize. I have been told we cannot allow you to stay on your own anywhere in the building since you are not a Shinra employee. I can see if there are beds in the infirmary where you can stay until you are cleared."
Normally she would not have reacted so violently to his words, but with her emotions still so raw, her terror at being left anywhere near Hojo was visceral and immediately apparent on her face. Sephiroth paused and gave her a quizzical look before he asked. "Is there some reason you would not like to stay in the infirmary?"
She shook her head, but he didn't look convinced. Finally, she had to speak up and tell him at least part of the reason. "I am uncomfortable around strangers, especially if there is no way to even ensure my privacy. Staying in a place like we were earlier would mean I would not be able to rest while I was there."
He nodded slowly and leaned back with a contemplative look for a moment. Finally, he nodded slightly before leaning forward again. "I can understand. However, we are limited in options. I can offer to let you stay at my apartment for the two days you will need to stay for observation." She started to object but he cut her off before she could. "Please listen before you give me an answer. I cannot allow you to leave yet, so the options are the infirmary or my apartment. I can allow you the bedroom where you would have some privacy. Those are currently the only options."
She paused and gave him a hard look, but she didn't answer right away. Finally, she nodded. "Fine. I would rather stay with you than in the infirmary. I at least trust that you have no ulterior motives. You don't have to give up your bed though. As long as the outer door locks I will be fine."
He gave her a curious look at her words. He seemed to be fighting his curiosity, but he finally spoke. "I am glad to have that settled, but what makes you trust me over the doctors in the infirmary?"
She almost bit her tongue at his question. She really didn't want to explain why she trusted him as it was a mix of things she remembered from his personality from Crisis Core as well as the things she had felt about him. Neither of those was a good thing to share. She finally managed an answer. "So far you have shown me nothing but respect, even when I was being a total pain in the ass. If I'm going to be stuck with strangers for now, I would rather it be the stranger I am familiar with and am pretty sure won't attack me in my sleep."
He smiled slightly at her snarky response. "You don't modulate your feelings, do you? Nonetheless, you can trust that I will not 'attack' you in the night. If that is your decision, why don't I go ahead and show you the room, so you can rest. I am sure you need it."
She stood without waiting for another prompt. He stood and opened the door before leading her down the hall. It didn't take them long to make it to a long hallway full of numbered doors. He walked all the way to the end before opening the last door on the right. Once it was open he stepped back and allowed her to enter. She walked in far enough to allow him to enter behind her before she turned to him. "If you have any extra blankets, I would be fine taking the couch."
She hadn't bothered even looking at it, but she wanted to make as little trouble as possible, but that thought was scrapped when he spoke again. "I am not sure how you are still standing after that display earlier, but I know you need rest. The day is still early for me and I would rather not interrupt you. Take the bed for now, it would be easier for me as well."
She bit her tongue to stop her snarky reply. She knew what he said made sense, even if she didn't like kicking him out of his bed. Finally, she nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate everything you have done for me."
He paused before he nodded back. "I took responsibility when I decided to assist you. It is the least I can do."
She gave him a small smile before she answered. "Still, not everyone would go as far as you have. You do have my thanks."
He paused at the smile. He had seen it only once before, but he only just realized how it softened her features. He had no problem believing she was a doctor, despite what he said to her, as she projected the confidence and air that every doctor he had ever known had possessed. However, when she smiled, he realized that she was not just a doctor, or a mystery; she was beautiful. He suddenly understood why Genesis had made such an ass of himself and he only hoped that she never thought of him in the same light. He wasn't sure why exactly, but he didn't want her to think of him as the jerk that kept pressing his own agenda.
He was brought out of his internal review by her question. "Is the bedroom down the hall?"
He gave himself an internal shake and a reprimand before answering. He had no reason to care what she thought, as long as she was taken care of and not a threat, that was his only concern. He couldn't stop his gaze from drawing into the look he normally reserved for misbehaving cadets. It softened slightly when she took a step back, but his voice was still level when he answered. "There are only two doors. The one on the right is the bathroom if you need it, the other is the bedroom. You can use the phone here to call me if you need anything. All you have to do is press 1. I will need to lock the outer door when I am not here, so please do not hesitate to call. Otherwise I will see you in the morning and we can discuss our next steps."
Eve gave him a nod. She didn't particularly care for being locked in, but it was better than it being unlocked so anyone could walk in. "Thank you again. I doubt I will need anything, but I appreciate everything." She paused and waited for him to move. When he didn't she turned to the short hall. She resisted the urge to look back over her shoulder. She was relieved when she shut the bedroom door and listened for him to leave. Once she heard the door click she made sure the door could lock before throwing herself on the bed. Now that she was alone she finally let out the tears she had been holding in. She found that it wasn't just for the emotions she had been inundated with, but she had been forced to think of her father again and everything else that went with his death. She had no idea how long she laid there sobbing, but she ended up crying herself to sleep.