Chapter Twelve

Once he'd figured out how to find Yuffie -- by following her sibling's cries -- it had been easy for Genesis to catch up to the escaped Kisiragi, and Angeal had been quick to follow. "Give it up, Yuffie," he told her now. She was trapped, her back to a wall, and the two SOLDIER's in front of her. "I told you we'd catch you!"

Yuffie stood defiantly, her eyes darting about as though desperately attempting to come up with a plan, any plan.

"It's ok," Angeal told her. "We're not mad...just give us the kids, and cooperate."

"Not mad?" Genesis repeated, amazed. "We're fricking furious! Look at me! I had to run out here in my slippers and pajamas to chase this little twit!" Here, glancing down at his slippers, Genesis let loose an exclamation of horror. "Oh my gods! Look at my slippers! They're ruined! Look at all this mud!!"

Yuffie hissed in disgust, and Angeal cleared his throat.

Genesis shot him a furious glance. "Rae got me these and the pajama set for our anniversary! Look! Even the legs to my pj's are torn up -- probably from you plowing into me like an ox!"

"Yes, well, maybe we can worry about them later?"

"Later?!" Genesis demanded. "These were a special present from Rae!! And now they're ruined!"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Yuffie scoffed. "They're hideously gaudy. Your girlfriend must have the worst taste in the world." She shrugged. "Well, she is dating you…"

Genesis glared daggers at her. "If there's one thing I will never allow while you're under my roof," he spat out at her, "it's criticizing the light of my life, my sunshine and roses, the most wonderful woman in the world..."

Nearly gagging, Yuffie interrupted, "No problem, as I have no intention of staying under your roof, so I can say whatever I want about your tasteless twit of a girlfriend!"

This insolence was too much for Genesis, who charged forward to lay hold of the escapee. Yuffie sprang to the side, sprinting away from the SOLDIER. Angeal, however -- the one party to the evening's events whose actions were not guided by anger -- jumped forward just as Yuffie moved, stopping her flight instantly as she careened into him.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, whimpering in shock as she fell backwards from the impact.

But Angeal's arms were there to catch her -- and the bundle of infants she dropped in the collision. "Yuffie!" he scolded. "Your siblings could have been killed! Here, Genesis!" With this, he kept a strong hold on Yuffie's arm while, as carefully as possible, considering the careless way in which they'd been bundled together, handed the makeshift sling, and the children it held, to Genesis. "Get them out of that damn thing, and make sure you hold them the way I showed you."

Genesis, agape, hesitated. "Why don't I take her? And you take the brats?" he asked.

"You son of a -" Yuffie screamed, her temper obviously flaring at his words. She shook herself violently to be free of Angeal's grasp, but to no avail. "How dare you speak of Kisiragis that way? And you!" Here she turned to Angeal, eyes flaming. "How dare you touch me like this? You're hurting my arm! Let go of me!"

"Umm...not likely," he replied, grimacing as he attempted to hold the younger children safely and hold Yuffie securely.