The man walked through dull metal corridors lined with infantryman and scientists. Flipping the pages of a chart as he walked, he peeked above the rim of his glasses. A woman smiled at him saying hello, nodding in reply he turned the corner. He stopped at a door which read 'Authorized Personnel Only', a keypad hung on the wall with an I.D. Card slot attached. He put in the code and swiped his card allowing the door to slide open. He looked around before he stepped through; another door stood in front of him. He hurried over to it and tried the pressure release, the door remaining closed. He muttered a curse under his breath before turning around and going through another doorway nearby. On the left of the wall was a window with a control panel below it; countless buttons, levers and screens lined the place. Leaning over he typed in a few codes, he heard gears shift as the plate-covering on the window rolled up. He sucked in a breath when he saw what was on the other side, his stomach clenched, "L-Lianna."
Nausea boiled in his stomach, his chest and throat tightening hard as he looked out onto her pale face. He shook as he typed in more codes, nearly missing a key before he heard the door unlock. In a moment he was there squeezing his fists anxiously as the door took its time. Only a minute gap was available but he pushed himself through, rushing to the girl's side, "I'm here baby girl, daddy's here," His gaze drifted to her temple, gauze and tape wound its way around her hair. His stomach curled tighter, rage and dread boiling through his veins. As delicately as he could he unhooked her from the machines, withdrawing the IVs and other instruments strewn across her. With each needle his hands shook more noticeably. He glared at the last one; it was sucking the blood from her veins and storing it in a cold metal box, the machine hissing with each beat. The machine had a percentage on the side of how much blood it had accumulated, he clenched his teeth tightly, "You've already taken too much!" he roared. He grabbed the machine, pulling it closer to him as he tried to reverse the process. He let out a breath of relief when the percentage went down. He pet her hair, "It's okay honey. I'm here." He smiled softly at her as he pet her face, "You look so much like your mother," he smiled, "But a bit more like me…"
Leaving one hand on her face he reached into his pockets and started texting, Giving her a blood transfusion, buy me some time. Stowing it back into his pocket he waited.
He had been pacing off and on for at least an hour. He walked over to the machine again; not complete, but enough for her to be safe. "I'm sorry sweetie, we have to go now." He tenderly withdrew the needle, pressed down a cotton ball, and applied the bandage.
His gaze softened as his eyes landed on her face, he pet her hair gently and kissed her forehead before picking her up in his arms and carrying her to safety. His heart bubbled with emotion, like he was about to break open, "Not right now," he whispered to himself.
He ducked through the hallways dodging his former 'friends' left and right. I can't let them hurt her again… He ducked into the room labeled 'Medical Supplies' and shut the door swiftly, setting her against a crate before locking the door. He stifled tears as he pet her face, before kissing her forehead once more and rummaging through the medical supplies. He grabbed the boxes, read their labels and pushed them back on the shelf. Finally he picked up a bottle and eyed it closely, twisting open the lid and examining the contents before twisting it back on and shoving it in his pocket. He did this with a few other items when he heard Lianna stirring.
He knelt down beside her, "Hey, everything's going to be okay honey. I'm here now, daddy's here."
Opening my eyes was a difficult chore; everything hurt… All I wanted to do was go back to sleep. I was actually thinking about it too before recent memories slammed into my mind. The Turks! Daddy… I struggled against my body to wake up! To move! Something! I felt something touch my face and jumped. It was like my ears weren't fully online yet; I knew someone was talking but for the life of me I just couldn't understand it! I opened my eyes, or at least, I think I did. They feel open don't they? Why can't I see anything?
I felt somebody pull me close to them, At least something's working right now, I thought. It was terrifying not being able to control anything though! But the question was who was doing it!? Is it some creep!? Did-did Danny save me? I would've blushed if my body worked, maybe I did, I don't know.
My eyes are open! I realized as the dark blurs started to take shape. My ears were getting better too, "It's okay… Shh… It'll be okay…" I- don't know that voice do I? Who's holding me? "Shh… It's okay, honey. I'm here, daddy's here…" … I'm hallucinating… My heart was breaking, Daddy… Daddy's gone… I could feel sobs force their way out of me, "No, no. Shh… It's okay honey… It's okay… It's okay… I'm here…"
"Daddy…" I croaked… I felt like my mind was snapping, "Daddy…!" I wailed. I could feel him wrap his arms around me tighter and rock me. I could feel him pet my hair and kiss it… All of this made me break even more… "Daddy! I want my daddy!"
"I'm here! I'm right here baby girl! I'm finally here!" Their body shook and I could feel dampness on my hair, "I'm here Lianna…! I'm here now and I won't let anyone hurt you anymore!"
"Daddy…! I want my daddy!"
"I'm right here, Lianna. I'm right here." They lifted up my face to theirs and I finally saw who was holding me, "It's me. I'm here," I felt his thumb stroke my cheek as he held my face, "I'm here sweetie."
I was in shock. Literally. My body had been going though cycles of this, "You're dead!" I wailed hysterically.
"No! No, I'm fine honey! I'm fine!"
"She killed you…! I'm alone! Now I'll always be alone!"
He kissed my forehead, "Shh… It's okay. I'm fine. I'm alive. I'm here. I came here to get you sweetie!" his voice was breaking further, "I came all this way. I've been looking for you. Ever since you were just a little girl- ever since you were in your mommy's tummy - I wanted to hold you... I'm so sorry Lianna...! I'm so sorry!" He kissed me again, "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry!"
I didn't know what to do or think except cry. Cry and hold on throughout the tidal waves of emotions. I felt like I was drowning, drowning in sadness, fear, and shock. I was that little girl again; alone in a field crying against a rock and wishing beyond everything that it was my dad… That he was gonna hold me and protect me from everyone who tried to hurt me…
He rocked her and shushed her, finally realizing she had fallen asleep. Even then he still whispered to her, "You're gonna be okay honey. I'm here." His stomach tightened into a knot when he realized how long they'd stayed in enemy territory. He cursed before shifting to pick her up, stopping when he felt his shirt tighten; her white knuckled hands were clenched into the fabric trembling periodically. He whispered more comforting words before checking the hall. He sighed in relief as he stepped out, closing the door softly with his foot. The stairwell was three hallways to his right, he could make it... He hurried down the hallway, stopping at the intersection he paused to look around the corner before continuing on. He heard voices and froze, looking around frantically he spied a door; Lab 3. He peeked in before entering. Slumping against the wall he sighed in relief. He looked out before taking off down the hallway again. Turning another corner he froze and backed up slowly. "Did you really think that you could just waltz right in here and take my precious specimen?" The man examined him closer, "Oh! Its you! Why this is even better now isn't? Not only one specimen now I get two!" He laughed cruelly making Gray's body swirl with a mixture of a cold bone chilling fear and muscle clenching hatred.
"I won't let you hurt her anymore."
He laughed more, "Its so comical! To think you actually believe you have a choice! No. You're both my specimens and specimens don't have the right to choose. Take them to the cells," he ordered a few SOLDIERs standing by, "Make sure its comfy," he smiled at Gray before turning his gaze to the SOLDIERs, humor leaving his voice as he said, "And with one of the newer locks, he knows how to break out of the others."
Gray held her tightly to his chest as they stepped towards him. He quickly scanned the area running through his options. Fighting would only put Lianna in danger. He turned to run but froze when he saw others behind him. He cursed, Surrounded! "Come quietly and we won't hurt the girl," a man said.
His heart sped up as the men came closer grabbing them, he only struggled a moment before the man stole Lianna from his arms and the others grabbed him, "Put her down!" Gray shouted.
The man repeated himself before walking in the direction of the cells. Gray panicked but tried to do as he was told.
His panic eased slightly when they shoved them both in the same cell. He held her close, "Daddy's here. I'm not gonna let them hurt you sweetie. I'll get us out of here I promise," he whispered into her hair.
When I woke again, I found him holding me. He's… He's still here… This is real isn't it…? "You're-you're here… You're alive…"
"I am," he smiled at me. "… I've been looking for you for so long," he paused, "My little girl…" his voice broke. "I love you so much!" he hugged me tightly, "Finally! I finally get to hold you! My sweet little girl!" He… He loves me…? My dad… Sobs bubbled up from inside again, I couldn't control them. I just kept crying and crying, spilling out so many years of pain and torture. He loves me…! My daddy loves me…! He's finally here…! I finally found him…! He loves me! I just couldn't get over that. My dad was finally holding me and telling me how much he loved me! My body just couldn't take all the stress I've been under lately and made me pass out again.
I opened my eyes and still felt him holding me… It was so surreal… Is this really happening…? This is what I've wanted for so long… And yet… I didn't know how to take it. I didn't know how to deal with all of these emotions dwelling inside me… Emotions that had been sealed tightly away in my heart finally just spilled free. The floodgates poured open, leaving me a confused mess. Everything was coming back to me. Growing up without him… How I was scared he would never love me… Mom dying… Being alone… So completely alone… And all of those days in the slums I had been contemplating ending my life… Everything came back… "I'm so sorry honey! I'm so sorry I wasn't there!" he held me tighter and kissed me, "I've always loved you honey! I've always wanted to hold you and be there for you! I love you so much! I could never hate you!" Until he said all those things I hadn't realized that I'd actually been saying them out loud. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry…! My poor baby…! I'm so sorry…!"
I said them… All of those little insecurities and fears, they all just tumbled out. Through it all he held me close to him and told me how much he loved me… I forgot what this was like… To have a parent there to care for you… To hold me when I cried… "I miss mom…!"
"I do too… God, I miss her…" He squeezed me, "I'm sorry I was late… If I had gotten there sooner…" he choked.
I wasn't really sure what to say to that… For so long I blamed him for her dying, in a way I still did, but… I know Shin-Ra well enough now to realize that everything is their fault… "… I love you…" I didn't realize I was going to say that until I did.
"I love you too sweetheart."
We talked for a little bit when we heard the door slam open. We both stood up immediately to find Jewel glaring at us, "I killed you…" she said coldly. Stalking over to us like we were her prey; backing us into the wall, Dad pushed me behind him as soon as he could. "How did you survive?" she demanded, pushing us against the wall. "How!" Dad remained silent, "No one survives a battle against me! And I aim to keep it that way," I heard her weapon click to its full length.
"Please," he begged, "Not in front of my daughter."
"No! Please!" I screeched. I just met him! I can't lose him again!
Her lips curled into a grin, "This is perfect isn't it? She gets to watch you die this time," her smile grew wider, "I think I'm actually quite glad you survived now."
"Please!" he begged, "I'm all she has…"
"Oh, I know. I was there when we killed her precious mommy! Its so sad isn't it? Her being thrown on the floor, beaten, killed, and to top it all of the house was burnt down! All because of you and your precious babies! I'm just so ashamed to say that I wasn't the one who killed her! It eats me up everyday…"
I could feel my dad shaking uncontrollably… Or maybe that was me…? "You…" he started.
"Me, what? Am I supposed to be scared?" she asked. "Scared that daddy's gonna beat me up for destroying his poor little family? Suck it up! Life isn't sunshine and rainbows… I'm sure we've proven that to you at least once already!"
I was waiting for my dad to say something but he didn't. I could tell he was holding back his anger. If I was in my right state of mind I probably would've told her off! He has a lot more self control than I do… I could tell why though; he was trying to protect me... If he moved or let his guard down an inch she could hurt me… I'm so glad to have him here but… I don't recognize myself anymore… Who am I? I felt her grab his shirt and try to pull him away from me but he wouldn't budge. He suddenly cried out, "Dad!?"
He bent over a little, "I'm okay…"
"Oh are you now?" He cried out again, and again until he was crouched on the floor, still trying to keep me behind him.
"Please stop!" I shouted.
"Aww! You can't take it anymore can you? How sad!" I gasped as electricity flooded through me, God help me…! I couldn't even think as my body shook with all the pain, I'm pretty sure I was screaming though. It felt like every cell in my body was being stabbed through with a white hot searing pain! Finally, after what seemed like forever it eased, I realized I had blacked out when I found myself slumped on my dad's back. Through his worried voice, I think I heard people pulling her out of the room.
Before I knew it my face was in my dad's hands, "Are you okay honey? Lianna! Please answer me!"
"Dad…" I croaked.
"Oh thank god," he held me tight. "Thank you so much…!"
"… What happened…?"
"They heard us screaming and pulled her out of the room… She was hurting you so much!" His voice broke, "I thought- when you stopped screaming-," he was crying again.
"… What about you?"
"I'm okay..."
"… I don't know how much more my body can take…" I was genuinely scared, over the past few days my body's been through so much that I kept thinking; One more thing and I'm going to die…!
"I know… I know…"
"… I'm tired…"
"Rest a little okay?"
"… Okay…"
A while later the door opened again making Gray jump. "Gray, time to go." He sighed in relief before stooping down and picking his daughter up in his arms. "We don't have much time," the newcomer stood tall in his black suit, his brown hair floating around his face.
"Thank you," Gray told him.
He nodded, "Here's your stuff. Take the east stairwell down to the back entrance and wait for me there."
Gray nodded, "What's this?"
"A way for us to communicate. The other one's compromised. And here," he reached into his back pocket and pulled something out, "You might need these." Gray recognized them immediately as explosives.
Gray started to head down the way the man told him, warily checking each corner and passing each door like it could explode any moment. He tried the handle to the east stairwell; locked again. He heard someone coming and ducked into a door nearby; a small utility closet. He looked around quickly, scanning the room for something, anything that could help them. A ventilation duct sat in the corner, he considered prying it open as the door opened and he froze.
"Gray?"
"B-Bethany?"
"What are you doing in here? I haven't seen you in like 15 or 16 years!" she crossed her arms, "You never showed up for my graduation party! I finally get a real position in Shin-Ra and you didn't even show up!"
"I'm sorry but now's not the time! I have to get out of here."
"Out?" she scowled at him confused, her gaze drifting to Lianna, "Who's that?"
"My daughter. Please Bethany. Do you have the key to the east stairwell?"
"What-what happened to her…?"
"Please," he looked her in the eyes pleading with her, "I have to get her out of here!"
Her eyes widened and she nodded, "Y-yeah, I just have to go back to my desk…" she grabbed the door handle shakily.
He grabbed her arm, "If you tell anyone about us they will kill us. She's only sixteen and I've finally found her after ten years. Please, please don't tell anyone," She gulped and nodded, "Please believe me."
"Y-you're my mentor… Of course I do…" With that she left. He wiped his hands over his face, She's gonna rat us out…! He wouldn't blame her though if she did. He knew all to well what happened to Shin-Ra employees and their families. He snuck a peek outside the door, he shut it and grabbed his communicator. Before he did he saw a gleam on the underside of a shelf, he pulled it off, smiling as he held up a key, "Thank you so much!" he said in relief. He unlocked the stairwell and carried his daughter down when he got a message on his device, "Sorry, I forgot to tell you where I put the key. Its -."
"Don't worry, I found it. But someone caught me in there, an old friend…"
"… You think they can keep a secret?"
"Not on your life…" He heard the man curse. "No one knows you're involved."
He sighed, "I know. Thank you. I just don't want your opportunity jeopardized. You only get so many escape attempts…"
They finished their conversation as Gray hit the bottom. He ducked out the door and to his surprise no one was there, Well what do you know? She didn't tell the first person she saw… He sighed as old memories came back. He'd had so many friends but now that all of this has happened, he realized which ones were the true friends. He saw the man waiting for him at the back entrance. "Almost out," he said opening the door, "You're lucky you're not trying to escape tomorrow. There's gonna be more military on the base for the Presidential Parade," he rolled his eyes.
"He's already celebrating is he? You'd think he'd at least mourn his father a little."
"Yeah, but with Sephiroth on the move things need to be done quickly…"
"Sephiroth?" Gray stopped. "Didn't he…?"
He nodded, "First him then Hojo."
"But I thought he died?"
"He did, now he's back."
"H—how?"
"Jenova," the man said, "That's my best guess…"
"Geez…" he said clutching Lianna tighter. "I don't want him near her…"
"Then you won't like the news that he's coming here."
"What!?"
"He may be following the president, but who knows Hojo may be right about the Jenova Reunion theory, I wouldn't doubt it."
"I wish Gast had never dug it up," Gray shivered.
"Don't we all," the man agreed. They continued down the streets until they came to a blue door with gray trim.
"Finally," Gray sighed as he set Lianna down on his bed.
"Here," He moved the blankets away for Gray to tuck her in. "… Reminds me of my youngest daughter…"
"You mentioned her before… Didn't you say that she was missing as well?"
He nodded, "Her and eight other children."
"What happened?"
"Two were kidnapped by Hojo, one disappeared the day after, and another right before the fire, the rest were unaccounted for during and after the chaos."
"God…" Gray pet Lianna's hair, "I'll help you in any way that I can. It's the least I can do for helping me find her."
He nodded, "Thank you," he allowed himself a small smile, "I did find one. Or rather she did," he nodded at Lianna.
"Lianna?"
"They all escaped Shin-Ra together... Your daughter rescued Aerith before you could," he smiled.
"They're both my daughters," Gray smiled before shaking his head and smirking, "You know, I don't know if I should be proud of her or horrified about how reckless that was."
The man laughed, "I'd say a bit of both. It comes with the job description of being a dad."
Gray laughed before growing sober again, "Do you have any leads?"
He remained silent for a moment, "… None…"
"What about your wife and the other children's parents? Do they have any idea?"
"… No. They're waiting for me to find them," he breathed in, "This is something I decided on my own… I promised my brother that I'd look after his wife and kids when he died but… I wasn't able to do much… I have to fulfill that promise…"
Gray nodded, "If you need any help, I'm here… If you give me their names and information I-."
He shook his head, "Thank you, but you wouldn't be able to find them. They're not here anymore…" he walked towards the window and looked out. "… They're not in the Lifestream… I know that… I can feel it as a Cetra. They're not in this world anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Cetra can travel to other planets to cultivate them with life. Those children though. They were too young to realize what they were doing…"
"So they're on another planet…?"
He nodded, "Probably all on different ones too, you never know."
"Then why are you still here?"
"I still needed to help you," he smiled at him, sadness showing in his eyes, his smile fading almost as quickly as it appeared, "But also. I'm getting mixed messages. Especially since I don't know what to do with the child that's here… They're an orphan now, they'll be safer with everyone yes, but I don't think they would come with me. They don't even remember me and would only see me as an enemy," his hands swept over his clothes. "If you saw a Turk wouldn't you run too?"
Gray nodded, "Maybe Lianna can help?"
He shook his head, "She has no reason to trust me either."
"You saved our lives."
"She's been traumatized too much by Shin-Ra to trust anyone," he paused, "I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this… I signed up to be a Turk so I could save the people they took, but I feel like I may have done more harm than good."
"You didn't do any harm," Gray said, "Stop being so hard on yourself."
The man looked down, "I've been searching and having to cover everyone's tracks so much that I've barely been there for my family… They're a lot older now, my kids, about Lianna's age… God when's the last time I've seen them…?" He wiped his eyes.
"Looks like that's what you have to do first. Take some time off and visit them. I'm sure everyone wants to see you."
He nodded, "Thanks… I will," he started to leave but turned, "If you need anything-."
Gray smirked, "I'll call you… Thanks." He nodded and continued on.
Someone's talking… A man…? Daddy…? I opened my eyes in time to see a man leave. Dad got up and started walking to another room. Where am I…? "Dad…?"
He turned quickly and rushed into the room sitting down on the bed beside me. "You okay?" he asked.
I nodded, "Who was that?"
"My friend Dorian. He helped us escape from Shin-Ra."
"Dorian…?" I'm still so tired.
"He helped me find you," he pet my hair making me blush.
"He's a good friend," was all I could think to say.
"One of my closest friends," he smiled at me. His smile soon turned into a smirk, "Now, I heard about how you snuck up into the Shin-Ra building knowing full well the danger you were in."
"Wha-?" This is starting out like how mom used to scold me…
"I'm proud of you for rescuing your friend, but at the same time I want you to promise me you won't do anything reckless again."
"What? But-, what!?" Was he seriously-? "Uh no! Mary's my sister! If she's in danger I'm going to go after her!"
He scowled at me, "No Lianna, I will."
"What? But-!"
"You heard me. If she, or Aerith, or any one of your friends are in danger I don't want you going after them. I'll go after them. I'm not going to lose you again, Lianna."
I sputtered in shock. Part of me was glad he wanted to protect me and didn't want me to get hurt but the other part was pissed! I can do anything just as well as him and who is he to say what I can or can't do, he hasn't even been here! "Why weren't you here!" I blurted out. "Why weren't you there to be my dad!? You can't just come in here and expect me to trust you when over half my life I believed you had abandoned me and mom!"
As soon as I saw the heart breaking sadness on his face I regretted saying what I did… "… I wasn't here because while your mother was still pregnant with you I was working at Shin-Ra as a scientist. I had been working under professor Gast until he had mysteriously vanished a few years before you were born. Only later did I find out Hojo had killed him… During that time though I had to work under Hojo… And one day I found a file... It was on human experimentation... Hojo had been kidnapping children and adults to use in experiments," he bit his lip, "Some turning into monsters, some super soldiers and others…" he trailed off, "I confronted him about it and demanded he stop. I guess I had assumed it was only him and not the entire company…" he breathed in heavily "He laughed at me… He laughed at me and told me he had collected some of my blood to use in his experiments. He said my blood was special, that it worked as the best catalyst for the Jenova DNA and mako energy to attach to human cells. He told me I could work with him on the experiments but I refused, so he locked me up and started experimenting on me..." I felt so horrible… I started crying and leaned against him. "It's okay honey," he held me close to him and kissed my hair, "… Ever since I was a child my dream was to be a father… When your mother got pregnant I was so happy I couldn't believe it. I wanted to hold you, sing to you, and read you bedtime stories… I've always wanted you sweetheart, I've always loved you… It killed me inside, knowing that I couldn't be there for you… I'm so sorry Lianna… I thought I was protecting you. I thought that if I went to you they would find out that you existed… I couldn't bear the thought of them experimenting on you too…"
"I'm sorry…!"
"Don't apologize honey. None of this is your fault."
"I'm sorry I got mad at you and hated you…! I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay. I understand."
"I love you…!"
"I love you too…"