A/N – O.k., I admit it. I am getting a bit addicted to this. Anyway, I finished this chapter in some in between's I had available around here. Geez, things are just hectic this semester. Anyway, since I got the chapter definitely prepared, I just thought Why not and send the damn chapter, people are waiting. :)

Of course I have my thank you's directed to Detta-san, my faithful reader and her alter-ego (LOL) Kam; fetherhd, your comments are simply powerful; Kit, I can only expect this chapter is of your liking; Ikuni, your premonition, your premonition… what can I say? I can only hope not to ruin this story for you, with the plot I have in mind. Merlinshore, what happened? I missed your review!...

Thank you all very much for reading. It makes me extremely happy.

[PS to Ikuni Hattori - And no, I didn't rush this! LOL]

Disclaimer: As always.

Last chapter:

And with that, he left towards his own room. Finally, I was able to breathe a little better, without the scrutiny of his intense stare. I let out a loud sigh, remembering how could it be possible for him to ask me something like this… and I, how did I even stand his stare on mine the whole time we spoke.

Chapter 8.

I did make the call to my supervisor after lunch.

I did not know what I wanted to hear… if there was someone of the maintenance team scheduled for today, if the reactor had been closed for good… I honestly didn't know. Either way I had to tell him eventually the point of the situation. After all, Mr. Weirdo himself was waiting.

The phone call proceeded faster than I thought and I staggered shamelessly whilst explaining myself. I was terrible at lying – I always had been, although lately I had been improving the technique; now I was – more or like – able of lying in a more credible way. Although this wasn't a standard situation, this was the General's request. This was the General's wish.

This was… shitty, for me, actually. Not only the General remained freaking scary, but now he was inducing the loss of my calm and peace of mind.

Anyway, no one was going to check on the reactor today. Apparently, it had been yesterday.

Hum. That information left me with a huge interrogation in my mind. Should I tell him today the place was vacant? Well maybe I should… if that meant he would leave soon.

Yes, that's it.

It was a valid possibility. As soon as he got to see… whatever he wanted to, maybe he would leave. Maybe he just needed to see the place to decide what to do and… O.k., I was definitely going to help the General, sir with that. Yes, we both wanted distance from each other; we both wanted our old life back… or so I though.

Only considering the possibility of me, alone in my apartment again, was… overwhelming.

O.k, General, I will acquiesce your request.

And with that, I left my own room. It didn't take me much to realize he was still in his room. The kitchen was empty, and the plate with his food still rested next to the counter, untouched. I wondered if he wasn't hungry or if, simply, he had some strange food habits. Nothing about this man would surprise me, at this point.

I knocked vaguely at his door. Not one second passed and I heard his voice directed to me, obviously.

"Yes."

"A… May I?" I asked, with the door still closed.

"It's your house." He answered me. I felt both my eyebrows rising, considering his words. My God, who the hell did he think I was? A punch-bag? Oh, no. He was going to listen to me, oh yes he would.

With a firm movement, I did open the door and I stood next to it, not entering the room. Mr. Weirdo General, sir! was standing next to the window, his back to me. Well maybe the spectacle through the half-closed blinds was extremely interesting, to justify his manners.

How rude, for Gods 'sake… standing there all-mighty with his back to the insignificant human… My mind was extremely angry with his attitude. Come on, he was the one asking me for something and he was playing the I'm-in-charge-here. And not to mention that that comment had really pissed me off.

"Just because this is my house, it doesn't mean I have the right to invade your privacy. That would be rude." I said, my voice hard.

"I don't remember you inviting me."

And that was it. I felt myself shocked with such answer. What a nerve! O.k, you're asking for it.

"You were unconscient." I declared, as if I was stating something very obvious.

"So?"

"So what?"

What the-?

"When do we leave?"

His words startled me. I didn't know what to think. What, was he omnipresent, like… God? How was this even possible?

"How do you-" I started, but he didn't let me finish.

"My hearing is very accurate."

Accurate. Nice way to put it.

"You listened to my phone call?" I said, words exiting my mouth extremely slowly. I could not believe the General himself would get that low for a freaking phone call.

"I was standing in this exact place. I did not spy on you, if that's what you're implying."

Oh my God! And now he was playing the victim here! This wasn't happening, really.

"I didn't mean that. I just… find it weird that-"

"Weird." He interrupted me, suddenly, with a slight mocking tone. "Right." He whispered, finally. His tone was simply nostalgic. It almost made me feel sorry for him, if he hadn't been such a moron before. O.k, maybe I should go straight to the point that had brought me here in first place.

"Maybe…" I started, not knowing exactly how to put it. "… we should go when the night falls. It will be easier to get there and back again without… prying eyes."

"If you say so."

If I say so? What the hell?

"I am asking your opinion." I said right after. I was so angry with his behavior I felt really capable of slapping him. That bastard. Oh, you're gonna get it... you're gonna get it right now. "After all, you're a war criminal."

I felt myself triumphant. I had attacked low, I knew it. But hey, he deserved it, and more. He was being extremely unpleasant with me. To me, the one who had saved him and… fed him and… bought him clothes. I wasn't worthy of such manners, for Christ 'sake.

However my victory was short-timed. His answer was as fast as caustic.

"And you were my accomplice... because saving a sociopath isn't the greatest of deeds, right?"

Son of a motherf… O.k, I had to stop with this… inciting game. He wasn't going to let me win, anyway. He was the General, how could I stand a chance with him? And, besides, I wouldn't taint my mental speech with swearing… only because of him. No way. He wasn't worthy of it.

"How about 9 p.m.?" I said, after a long sigh, pretending I hadn't heard his last words.

"Fine." He said, maintaining his previous position.

"Great."

And, with that, I closed the door and I went to my own bedroom, fuming.

"What a freaking idiot…" I mouthed, while I arranged the bed cover, which was undone since this morning.

During the whole afternoon, I realized there was some movement in his room. In and out a couple of times, one of those to eat. Man, he was really an anti-social being…the man ate with the kitchen door closed. I wondered what he would do if I just invaded the kitchen out of nothing. Wait, what would I see? The General, sir, eating with his hands or something?

The thought of him eating like a pre-historic man made me laugh slightly. That was a silly image… not to mention completely misplaced. No, the sociopath would never eat like that. I suspected he would eat as he did everything in life. I imagined he must be very rigorous with his subordinates. Come on, if I – only a simple woman - freaked out with his usual stare, I did not want to image him gazing, mad at someone.

The result shouldn't be nice. Besides, I didn't have to think much to conclude exactly that. What he had done at Nibelheim… was proof enough he wasn't to play around with.

Eventually I fell asleep that afternoon. I was somehow sleep deprived given the bad dreams I had had last night. Far away, in between sleep, I heard silent footsteps, a still haste that was far unhuman to my feeble earing.

There was five past 9 p.m. when I left my own room, to find a standing black statue waiting outside, in the hall that geographically separated us and our premises. I could only stare in awe at his figure and I couldn't help but to shiver at the sight of… him.

All about him screamed "General". He was dressed with his original clothing, those leather trousers and coat I had found him with, gloves included. I remembered immediately those terrible moments I had lived at the reactor, before and after I had found him. It was impossible not to feel disturbed with such… view. However, his sleeping self was slightly bearable than… this. His green, strange eyes were the most distinctive mark of his… seriousness. His grey hair, falling anarchically, but so elegantly… was something I could only classify as mesmerizing.

"You are late." He declared, his voice neutral.

Of course.

"Are you going dressed like that?" I said, disguising my unease with a very direct question. Probably he wouldn't get it.

"Is there a problem?"

Bingo.

"No… I guess." I lied, averting my eyes from him. Yes, there was a problem: him and this whole mess I was in because I had listened to a specter' words.

Sighing, I made my way to the door. He followed me silently during the whole process. When my hands rested in the keys, hanging in the door lock, I stopped, remembering something extremely important. He wasn't someone random. He was supposed to be dead. And… we were about to leave the safety of my own apartment to an obvious exposure. Truth be said, those kind of problems started right just a floor below.

"We have to be discreet." I said, suddenly, looking at the door. I felt his presence right behind me. What was with this guy and my back? "I happen to have this neighbor who-"

"I know." He interrupted me, earning my attention. I turned, facing his stare, neutral as always, as he was saying extremely very simple, like "good morning" or "have a nice day". Nonetheless, he continued with his speech, as if he had read the surprise in my face. "But do not worry, your inconvenient neighbor is busy right now."

Excuse me?

"How do you know that?" O.k, it was inevitable that I would ask something this obvious. Yes, how could he know that the old hag was busy with… whatever? Come on.

However his answer to my question did not implied words, but gestures. Locking his gaze in mine, I felt – again – trapped in that strange dimension he transported me to, when he looked at me like that; that strange intensity, so appealing and so unnatural, at the same time. His complexion did not move, not an inch. My own didn't, as well.

Then I saw him raise his hand. He could have tricked me, I was having the sensation he was going to hold my hand or… my face… but – of course – he didn't. He did gesture with his index finger to his right ear, tilting oh so slightly his head in the same direction. His hair moved in consonance with his discreet movements… honestly, it looked like it was somehow… alive, dancing around his face and into his shoulders, obeying the master's order.

Freaking weird…, my mind said, reflexively. I had to take my time processing his answer, though. It was somehow difficult for me, a mere female, to get rid of the effect his eyes had on me… literally. It worked like a freaking anesthetic of some sort. Finally, I was able to think: Ok, fine, he heard the old hag doing her thing. Right, his audition was accurate, as he so well said lately. Whatever.

"O.k. Let's go through the stairs to sublevel 1. My car is there. Garage number 6."

And with that, I opened the door and we left.

In less than five seconds we were inside my garage. The place was exactly as I had left it, some days ago, with no sign of intrusions. I started roaming around, trying to get the huge door open and starting the car. Meantime my static guest remained near the wall, scrutinizing my car in the worst way possible. O.k., it wasn't too much – it was rented – but it was fine. I understand that a car like mine isn't the same military had access to but hey… there was no need of such killing gaze.

"Is this your car?" His voice finally was heard, his tone matching his face.

Man, what an idiot.

"Yes." I answered, not bothering to look at him. Really, how was I going to put up with this?

"And may I ask you how did my sword ended up there?"

Outch. And now what?

"Oh… I… brought it from… you know."

It was the truth, even if the staggering made it sound like a blunt lie.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Oh, of course. How could I forget his demanding manners? Even if I wanted, he would remind me certainly of how much of an arrogant bastard he was capable of being, only by opening his sweet little mouth to claim something of me.

"You didn't ask." I answered, matching his tone. "Besides, considering your actions of late I thought it would be better not letting you know of where it was."

"You thought?"

He quoted, with a slight deviant tone. He was, undoubtedly, annoying me. I didn't know what was worse: if his reference to my thinking towards him or… my ability of thinking, in general.

Either way, it was impolite. It was unfair and cruel to the person who had done so much for a simple stranger.

However, I wasn't going to play along with his little provocation. It didn't matter, anyway. Certainly, he would leave soon and I wouldn't have to put up with him and his nasty manners. Focusing in something else, I stood next to the car and said, in his direction:

"Do you want to get inside the car or what? It's half an hour to Neibelheim."

After a minimal hesitation, he did get inside the car. He sat next to me, and did not say a word until we reached our destination.

The trip had been calm and – luckily – the night was moonless. The dark was a good alley for this particular night, considering I was driving with the supposed-dead-general-all-mighty right by my side.

However I was able to feel his discomfort when we passed by the little village he had ravaged not too many time ago. The marks of fire and blood were still there, and his eyes shifted from place to place, probably analyzing, thinking… scoring his own actions.

Finally we reached the reactor.

"We're here." I said, although I knew he was well aware this was the place. His face was serious and only by looking at him, a mere glimpse, I was able to catch, in a fragment of a second, a breath of pain and hurt exhaling from him. This place brought him bad memories.

Leaving the car and heading to the maintenance entrance, I felt him following me, in silence. None of us spoke while I entered the place, popped up the lights and made my way into the door – that door, to that place where that specter had guided me… to find him.

I opened the door, only to face darkness ahead of me.

"I found you here. But the place was illuminated, I-"

"There is no moonlight tonight." He said. "That's why."

I eased myself out of his way and watched him get inside that somber place. I could hear his footsteps, calmly walking around.

"Sora."

I heard him call my name. My head turned immediately in his direction. Now, with my eyes more accustomed to darkness, I was able to discern what he was doing, where he was standing.

"Yes?"

I had a feeling he wanted me to tell him something. I didn't know what it was, but… I was willing to bet it had something to do with the "thing" he was holding on to when I found him laid there.

I walked in his direction, only to find him staring at the ground, where a distorted mass of grey substance was shattered all over. It was still there after all, that strange thing that reminded me of sand or some kind of thick ash.

"Was this the place?" He asked, his tone low.

"Yes. You were grabbing… that." I said, pointing to it, hoping my information could be of any help.

Catching - again – another glimpse at his complexion, I almost felt pity of the man standing there, close to me. In there was hurt, sorrow and… sadness. His eyes held a shine that made him almost glow in the dark that surrounded us.

Suddenly, I saw him crouch, his stare never leaving the strange grey mass. His gloved hand reached for that thing, touching it. The grey mass lost all its initial form and then, it was resumed to a thin layer covering the ground. Nothing more, nothing less.

His stare was frozen, his body static. The silence was crushing.

I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to do.

"Leave me alone for a minute."

When I heard his words I simply left, with some relief I must say. I had that strange feeling he was talking to something, or someone, with his eyes, with his mind. I didn't know why I felt that. I only knew that something really unusual had happened here, and-

I heard the door opening, startling me. I was already outside, waiting for him to come back, after the said minute. And, indeed, a minute after, he was there.

"We may leave."

He passed by me, heading to the car.

After a long second, my legs moved. O.k, I was somehow… worried. What the hell did just happen?

A/N – Yeah, man, what the hell did just happen?

Did you like it? I hope so. Review, people… review and you'll get sweet surprises. :)

Next chapter:

…

He didn't give me time to say anything, or look at him, because his harsh words hit me faster than I could ever predict.

"You are lying to me."

I felt a pang in my chest when I processed his words. How did he know I was lying? How was this even possible? I couldn't tell him about the specter. I just… couldn't.

"What?" I said, my voice failing shamelessly.

"You heard me." He said, with a low tone. His eyes were gazing into my own, and I didn't know what to do, what to say to calm his obvious misbelieve in me. And I had to admit – my body reactions weren't helping. I was shivering, cold sweat covering my forehead, and the iron grip he kept, holding my arm… definitely, it didn't help at all.

"I…"

"What are you hiding? Who sent you to find me?"

…