Chapter Ten: Blind with Hate
Several weeks pass, and Marena has not seen any sign of Dante. Cloud and Marena usually meet after work is over and go out for a ride before supper and continue to get closer to each other. Marena learned all about what had happened to Cloud before she met him, and everything about what had happened after they had met when they had kept her out of the loop.
"So, Kadaj and his gang brought Sephiroth back?" Marena asks curiously.
"Yes, but I beat him and everyone else," Cloud says.
They are once again sitting in Aerith's church as they talk, and Marena looks down at her hands sadly.
"I almost wish I was there to see him. Even though Sephiroth betrayed us, I still wish I could see him to tell him how I feel. I hated him for what he did to so many people. I wasn't there to stop him..." Marena says as her fists clench and her eyes close.
Her eyes suddenly open as she feels something on her hand. Looking down, Cloud's hand is resting on her hand gently.
A blush creeps up her cheeks and Cloud says, "It's alright. I stopped him, Marena. You shouldn't blame yourself because you weren't there. Besides, I would rather you not go through the hardships I had to face when I fought Sephiroth."
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence for Marena, she pulls her hand away from Cloud as she stands.
"Lets head back to the bar now. I'm sure Tifa is waiting for us, Cloud," she says as she walks away from him and outside.
Cloud stands up and looks at the ground a little ashamed for touching her hand since she obviously felt uncomfortable by his gesture. He follows her and they drive back to the bar where they are greeted by Tifa and Marlene who are both cooking behind the bar.
"Hi, Cloud! Hi, Marena! Supper is almost ready! Tifa let me help!" Marlene says happily as she adds some veggies to the soup.
"I see. I hope it tastes good," Cloud says as he sits down at the bar as well as Marena who stares down at her hands.
Tifa glances at Marena and says, "What's wrong, Marena?"
Marena looks up as if she woke up and says, "Huh? Oh, nothing! I'm fine. I'm not feeling too well. Would you save a bowl for me for later?"
Tifa nods and says, "Sure."
Marlene sets a bowl of soup down in front of Cloud and says, "Now taste it and tell me how it is, and don't lie either!"
Cloud smiles and says, "Okay, I won't lie. I promise, Marlene."
Marena gets up and turns away from them.
As she walks up the stairs she hears from Cloud, "This taste great, Marlene!"
"Really?" she asks.
"Yeah!" he says.
"Thanks!" Marlene says as she blushes and gets her own bowl of soup as well as Tifa.
Marena goes into her room and gets clothes, then walks into the bathroom down the hall shutting the door. She turns the hot water on and pulls the nozzle up which turns the shower on. Marena undresses and lets her hair down from the bun as she steps into the hot water. As the steaming water streams down her body, Marena's hair becomes soaked and she puts shampoo in it. Massaging her hair, Marena keeps her eyes closed so the soap stays out of her mako blue eyes. When she stops massaging her hair, she tenses as she feels someone continue to massage her hair.
"Who are you?" she asks.
There is a chuckle behind her, and Marena takes a step forward knocking the plug onto the drain causing the tub to start filling with water.
"Don't move, Marena. I'm here to speak with you," a male voice says.
"While I'm taking shower..? If you don't leave, I'm going to cut your-" she begins, but she can't finish as he yanks her hair.
"Silence, child... You will listen to me, and do not interrupt. I want you and Cloud dead; along with your little friend Tifa. If you don't do as I say, the children will die," he says.
Marena's eyes widen and the man continues, "Bring Cloud, Tifa, and yourself to the Forgotten Capital, and I'll spare the children's' lives... But if you do not, they will die."
Marena's eyes glare at the wall and she turns to punch him, but he grabs both her wrists and pulls them behind her back. He pushes her to her knees and the water is to the point of almost overflowing now, and he pushes her head under the water. Marena holds her breath in, afraid that if she screamed she wouldn't have enough air and struggles to pull herself up, but the man holds her down. He pulls her up right after she let all her air out, unable to hold it any longer.
Whispering in her ear he says, "I'll see you soon, Marena."
She gasps for air on her hands and knees with her hair draped over her closed eyes, and she stands up slowly, knowing the man had disappeared already. She lets the rest of the shampoo rinse out of her hair as her hair moves out of her face because of the water.
"I'm sorry, Tifa and Cloud," Marena whispers as her hair is finally rinsed.
Marena washes her body and turns off the water, releasing the plug, and she steps out of the tub. As the water drains, Marena dries herself with the towel and puts her clothes on. She towel dries her hair and brushes it with Tifa's brush. Once she is finished, she bundles up her dirty clothes and dumps them in the hamper. She leaves the bathroom and walks downstairs, finding Tifa serving a man and woman. Marena sits down at the bar and Tifa comes walking behind the bar.
"Hi, Marena... Would you like that bowl of soup now?" Tifa asks as she gets some drinks for the couple she is serving.
Marena nods and says, "Yes. A glass of water, too, please."
Tifa nods and says, "Coming right up."
Tifa fills a glass with ice water and gives it to Marena, then takes the other two glasses to the couple waiting for her. Marena sips her water and rests her head on her hand. Tifa heats up a bowl which she had pulled out of the cooler and sets it in front of Marena with a spoon.
"Marlene will want to know if you liked. She's in bed now, and Cloud is upstairs. As soon as these last two customers leave, I'm closing up, so please eat," Tifa says kindly.
Marena nods and eats the soup and her eyes light up a little and she says, "I'll be sure to tell Marlene her soup is delicious."
Tifa giggles and continues to cook some food which she takes over to the couple. The couple thank her and eat slowly as they talk and laugh. Tifa turns her open sign off and waits for the couple to finish eating. When they are done, they pay her and leave her the change for a tip.
"Thank you and come again," Tifa says sweetly to the man and woman.
They nod and leave, so Tifa cleans up the dirty plates and washes dishes. When Marena finishes, Tifa sweeps the bowl and spoon out from under Marena's nose to wash them. Marena finishes up her glass of water and sets it down for Tifa to clean.
"Thanks, Tifa. I'll see you tomorrow morning," Marena says as she stands and walks to the stairs silently.
Tifa looks after her and says, "Marena? Are you sure there isn't anything wrong?"
Marena looks back at Tifa and says, "I'll be alright, Tifa. Please don't worry for me."
Tifa nods and says, "Okay. If you need anything, I'm here for you."
"Thanks," Marena says as she continues up the stairs to her room.
Sitting on her bed in her night clothes, Marena stares at her hands which rest in her lap. She sighs and her fists clench.
"What do you want?" she speaks to the shadow by her window.
"You may not remember me, Marena. I am Vincent. I worked for the Turks a long time ago," the man says as he steps out of the shadows to reveal his red form.
"I remember you, Vincent. How are you fairing?" Marena asks as she keeps her back to him and unclenches her fists.
"I'm fairing well, but you seem to be upset. I've been watching you and Cloud. Cloud has a hard past and is not easy to speak to sometimes, but you have changed him. Cloud no longer locks himself in his room unless he wants alone time, and he smiles a lot more often then he has smiled in a long time," Vincent claims to her.
Marena turns on her bed and says, "Why do you say this, Vincent?"
Vincent grins behind his collar and says, "You knew love only once in your life, when you lived with your parents and your brother. When they died, you forgot what it was like to love, and you began to hate and malice claimed your heart. Cloud used to be overwhelmed with an undying sadness which consumed his heart as well. You both have changed over these few months of friendship. Will you let Dante ruin your friendship?"
Marena stares at him, and her eyes become sad as he says these things to her.
"Dante will die before he has the chance to hurt anyone else," Marena says.
"Your heart is no longer pure hate, Marena. You have a tiny shimmer of love in your heart. Love for children, love for your friends, and love for Cloud has filled a hole in your heart, Marena. Can you not see it? Are you blind with hate?" Vincent asks.
Marena stares at him with a lost expression and she blinks. Vincent disappears in the second she blinks, and Marena is left alone in the darkness.
Marena looks at her bed and asks her self, "Blind with hate?"