Disclaimer: The author does not own Final Fantasy or the characters in said franchise.

A/N: Here is my super long, action packed, chapter. Thank you for being patient. Feel free to review this chapter because it was a long rough decision to make on what was going to happen. I tried not to be cheesy or cliché, but we can't always get what we want. Enjoy or despair my darlings.

Sephiroth glared at the helicopter as it circled once again. He gripped the katana Cass had purchased for him in his left hand. A small cut on his right cheek was dripping blood, but he took no notice. The wind made it sting, but it only served to sharpen his senses. He blinked once.

How had he let this happen? How could he have been so selfish? How had he not seen this coming?

"I can make this right," he said, "I can fix this. I promise I will, Mom."

Three days previously

"Why did you come today?" Sephiroth asked.

"I can't come to see you train?" Cass asked, "You did really well."

"I don't want you to see that," Sephiroth said.

"See what?" Cass asked, "You killed a Fang." Sephiroth clenched his jaw and his fists.

"You didn't want me to see you kill a holographic monster?" Cass asked.

"They aren't always holograms," Sephiroth said quietly. He hadn't heard Cass walk to his side.

"I know," she said, "I know that Hojo lets some things in with you."

"You've known?" Sephiroth asked. It hadn't even crossed his mind. He'd thought he'd kept it such a secret, not even her mind reading skills could find this out.

"You call me Mom," Cass said, "what sort of mom would I be if I didn't know about this? Of course I knew and I'm the one that told them to start using the holograms." Sephiroth looked over at her.

"They feel real," Sephiroth said, "but they don't..." He couldn't finish.

"I know," she said.

"I don't want you to see me do that though," Sephiroth said.

"Why?" Cass asked, "You know fully well that Fergus and I have done the same." Sephiroth didn't reply. Cass sat down with her back to the wall directly in front of him.

"Sephiroth, I didn't buy you a sword so you could hang it on a wall," she said, "You're a warrior. What's more, you're good at it. I'm not ashamed of that." He looked at her. She was as sincere as ever. She held out her hand. He rested his own in it.

"You could say that I'm proud of you," she said. His eyes got wide.

"You're...you're not afraid of me?" Sephiroth said.

"Why would I be?" she asked.

"I'm seven-"

"Seven and a half don't be modest," Cass corrected.

"I can kill a monster three times my size and it isn't hard," Sephiroth said, "Everyone else is afraid of me."

"Tell me this then," Cass said, "would you hurt me?"

"What?" Sephiroth jerked, but Cass had a firm hold on his hand.

"If Hojo put me in the room with you and told you to hurt me, would you?" Cass asked.

"No!" Sephiroth said, horrified, "Never. I would never hurt you."

"Then what do I have to be afraid of?" Cass asked, "since you would never hurt me?" Sephiroth didn't have an answer for that.

"Tell me this now," Cass said tugging him closer, "If something else tried to hurt me, what would you do?"

"I'd protect you," Sephiroth said automatically. He blinked at his own response. He hadn't even been aware it was there.

"Hmm," Cass said, "You'd protect me and never hurt me. Should I be afraid of you?"

"...no?" Sephiroth didn't know the answer.

"I can tell you that I'm not afraid of you," Cass said, "and that I love you no matter what." Sephiroth nodded. She squeezed his hand.

"Now," Cass said as she got up again, "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pizza tonight."

Hojo slammed his fist into the table. It wasn't there. The godsdamned Cetra was not where it was supposed to be. Gast must have found it first. He must have found it and moved it. But how? How had he figured it out?

He searched through all the notes on this particular venture. Nothing. Nothing! Where had he gone wrong?

He did a double take. This looked familiar...where had he seen this? Then he felt a seething rage as he remembered a half-forgotten detail.

"I'm sorry you couldn't give them the picture in person," Cass said, "I hoped we would see them again."

"It's okay," Sephiroth said as he rinsed off the plate. He handed it over to Cass.

"Mom?" he asked.

"Hmm?" she replied.

"Did you really mean what you said earlier?" he asked.

"That I wasn't afraid of you?" she said, "I'm not."

"No, not that," Sephiroth said, "That you would love me no matter what."

"I don't love very many people Sephiroth," she said, "but when I do, I love them for life. I meant it."

"Even if I did something bad?" he said.

"I'd be mad and disappointed in you," she said, "but I'd still love you. I may not forgive you, but I'd still love you."

"I don't understand," Sephiroth said.

"You will when you're older," Cass said.

Hojo was still seething. How had he not seen that? How had he not realized that? It had been under his nose the entire time and he had been a fool.

Not even his luck brought his mood around. They had moved several times, but somehow Hojo had literally stumbled upon them. Had they not come back into the city, they might have been lost for good. Now he had them.

Gast had been taken care of, Hojo did that himself. His offspring was...interesting to say the least. Something to test out before the real experiment, if the Cetra ever submitted. She was feisty for some reason. One thing Hojo could say about Lucretia was that she was easier to manipulate...until she changed her mind. It had been a little too late then.

Just one more problem to take care of. The sound of a truck being pulled in the yard made the ire die a little.

Sephiroth sprinted up the stairs. He had to be here somewhere. He felt pure rage building up inside. It was a strangely exhilarating feeling, but there wasn't time to dwell on that now.

Why hadn't he stopped it? He was right there. He could have done something. One second he and Mom were walking home, the next...

He opened the door. Nothing. He started up again.

Why? Why did they take her? She hadn't done anything wrong. She was taking good care of him. People seemed to like her. Why would they take her away like that?

He opened the next one in time to see a blue figure walk around the corner. He didn't hesitate and shot off after it. Were they holding her here even now?

It was him. The man who followed Mom. He had to know something.

Tseng was taken entirely by surprise for once. Something rammed itself into his back. He toppled over as the air was pushed from his lungs. Whatever it was, flipped him over and pinned him down.

A flash of silver came into view and he found himself being glared at by eerie green eyes. What on Gaia?

"Where is she?" Sephiroth all but growled. Tseng was actually a little shocked by this little kid. He had some serious muscle on him. Sephiroth jerked his collar.

"Where is she?" he said louder. Tseng regained his composure.

"Where is who?" he asked.

"You were following her and now you took her away," Sephiroth said, "where is she?" Oh shit...this kid was pissed. He struggled to remain calm. When Cassiopia Durmont talked Sephiroth into being calm she was calm too.

"I don't know," Tseng said carefully, "Tell me, who did I take?" Sephiroth suddenly looked less angry and much more lost. Then his grip hardened again.

"She didn't do anything wrong," Sephiroth said darkly, "give her back." Tseng blinked. There hadn't been any assassinations, kidnappings, etc. for at least a week. What the hell was this kid's problem? And where was his guardian when he needed her?

Oh wait.

Shit...

"Sephiroth," Tseng said, "What happened?"

"You took her away!" Sephiroth said, "Tell me where she is." Tseng sat up carefully.

"I did not take her," Tseng said carefully, "I had no intentions of taking Cassiopia Durmont anywhere." Sephiroth looked lost again. His grip went slack as if Tseng and hit him. He blinked once and then got up. Tseng sat back in shock before regaining his senses. He took off after Sephiroth. The door to the stairwell was sliding shut. He slid into it and hurried to catch up.

Sephiroth felt like an imbecile. How could he have been so selfish? How had he not seen? In all of his nightmares he was always the one to be taken away. Always him. He realized suddenly that that was not the thing he should have been afraid of. He should have been afraid of Mom being dragged away, while he watched helplessly.

Hojo was smug as the Turk brought Sephiroth down to him. He felt so much better now. Gast was dead, he had a Cetra, and the whore was awaiting punishment. Part one of that was about to begin. She could watch as he took back what was rightfully his and no one but the two of them would be the wiser.

"Back so soon Sephiroth?" Hojo asked, as if he didn't know. Sephiroth blinked for a moment. Hojo could actually see the epiphany happening right before him. He patted himself on the back for making such a specimen. Then Sephiroth's wide eyes narrowed. Hojo almost didn't hear him say it.

"It was you..." Sephiroth whispered. He started to turn away.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hojo questioned the Turk. He was seriously confused, what the hell was Sephiroth doing?

"Cassiopia Durmont is missing," he said plainly. Such a perfect opening.

"It was only a matter of time," Hojo scoffed, "She obviously wasn't prepared for such a responsibility and has shirked it. Jumped up slut probably ran off with the first car that came her way." The Turk made no reply. Sephiroth visibly stiffened. This was working so perfectly.

"No she didn't" Sephiroth said, "I saw her get taken away. They put her in a truck." Goddammit, he paid them to be discreet and make sure the boy didn't see. Oh well, he could hide this away too.

"She certainly gave you her propensity to make things up," Hojo remarked, "We can fix that. Come." Sephiroth most certainly did not come.

"Sephiroth get over here," Hojo said, "you are wasting time." Sephiroth looked at the ground for a long moment.

"I hate you," he said. He looked up at Hojo with a glare that made the sleazy scientist's blood run cold. Then he turned and walked out of the labs, the Turk in tow. He started to follow.

"Sephiroth you cannot leave," the Turk said. Sephiroth didn't even stop.

"She'll be back," Sephiroth said and was gone. The Turk didn't wait for instructions, he didn't work in the labs after all. Hojo let that go. These two weren't the ones he had to convince. That was the man upstairs.

Tseng assumed Sephiroth was going to wait at Cassiopia's apartment and was right. The boy was waiting outside, when Tseng caught up. He nearly glared at him, but the fire wasn't there. He was getting desperate. Not to tears yet, but that didn't mean it wasn't coming.

"I don't have to go back to the labs," Sephiroth said firmly, "I can live where ever I want." Tseng felt very sorry for Sephiroth in that moment. His only companion taken from him and the threat of living in a place that gave Tseng chills at the same time...it made his next words hurt.

"You cannot live alone," Tseng said.

"She'll be back," Sephiroth said as if he was trying to convince himself. Tseng sighed. He could wait until Sephiroth was passed out before taking him back. It was probably safer that way anyway as the bruises on his back said. He could let him wait in a place that was familiar to him. It was the very least Tseng could do considering the alternatives.

Veld was already starting his own search anyway. What better way to get the Turk of his dreams than to swoop in and rescue her. She'd probably still say no, but she might applaud the effort.

Tseng opened the door to Sephiroth's amazement.

"Where did you get a key?" Sephiroth asked, suspicious all over again.

"One was made for me when you were..." Tseng trailed off, "sick." Sephiroth still watched him distrustfully, but went inside. He permitted Tseng into the apartment after the Turk said he could not leave Sephiroth alone. The poor kid shuffled around hopelessly without Cassiopia here. After a few moments just staring at the empty rooms he went into a bedroom, Cassiopia's and started waiting. Tseng left him there as his PHS went off. It was Veld.

"Where are you?" Veld asked, to the point as usual.

"I am with Sephiroth," Tseng said simply. He let Veld come to whatever conclusions he wished.

"I found an interesting set of phone calls that come from downstairs," Veld said, "all the way." Tseng turned around as a sound came from the bedroom.

"This is all my fault. I'm so sorry."

"This is not your fault. I do not blame you at all. I blame that bastard."

"I let you get caught and now Gast..."

"He told me as they came in that he was worried for you. That they would come for you next. He knew this wasn't your fault either. You did everything within your power. Even the planet agrees."

"I don't agree! You came back to see me. This is my fault. If I hadn't sent you that picture..."

"Gast loved it. He had to see you one last time. It broke his heart when we left. He demanded that I stay behind, but I refused. This is not your fault. It's the farthest thing from it."

"I led them right to you and know you're trapped and Gast is dead."

"Cass, this was meant to happen. I'm sorry to say it, but I can feel it."

"I let your family fall apart."

"You made my family, Cass. I don't regret that one bit and neither did Gast."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too. If it weren't for me, you would have your own family with that...what did you call him? A rain cloud?"

"Aeris..."

"It pains me too." The door opened and the two women fell silent. Hojo looked from one to the other trying to decide where to begin.

"He'll forget about you," Hojo said deciding taunting the bitch that had caused him nothing but pain for years was what he wanted, "It may take time, but when he comes to his full potential you'll have been nothing but a blip on his memory."

"He hates you," Ifalna said, "He said it himself. Nothing will change that."

"I don't need his affection," Hojo said, "merely his results. Would you care to watch him forget you? Perhaps I can time it right so that he can kill you during his later training stages." Yes, that was a pleasant idea. Hojo turned his back on the cages. A hand shot through the bars and took a firm grip on Hojo's hair. Cass jerked Hojo to the ground.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," she said. Her voice was a cold monotone. Deadly serious. Hojo scrambled for something to save himself with and smirked. He took up the needle. He turned and stuck it in her neck at the same time. He pushed down the plunger. Cass let him go and backed away, already starting to feel the effects.

"It won't kill you," Hojo said straightening himself, "but you won't be doing much for quite some time." He watched her slump against the cage with relish. "You baby is getting hungry," he said to Ifalna.

"Then give her to me so I can feed her," she replied. It was the same reply she had given for the past day. Hojo scoffed and left them there. Ifalna got as close as she could to Cass.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Sephiroth stared at the pictures on the wall for a long time. Cass with Gast. Cass with Aurore. The new with with Cass and himself that had taken hours to finally take. The photographic Cass said nothing. He heard the man walk away and start talking. Then he made his move.

It took thirty seconds in all. Sephiroth stood up on the bed and removed a mirror above the headboard. It was heavy, but made no noise as it landed on the mattress. The cabinet stared back at him. It's such a cliché hiding spot, an imaginary Cass said. He opened it quickly. There was Fergus in his case. Cass told him never to take him out of it and he didn't. He slung it over one shoulder. It was too big for him, but he could carry it that far. He was grateful he was wearing his jacket with the big pocket as he slid a few boxes of ammunition into them. Never carry your weapon loaded, Cass continued. She also mentioned to never touch Fergus without her explicit permission, but he ignored that. This was a different situation.

He got got and moved over to the window. It opened easily. Sephiroth carefully manuevered himself outside of it. Hojo had done a test to see how far Sephiroth could jump without hurting himself. This wasn't too far, but he'd never done it with this much extra weight.

Cass was waiting though. He'd said he'd protect her, didn't he?

He stepped off. He stumbled a little as he landed, but was unhurt. He took off running as fast as he could.

Tseng found an empty bedroom waiting for him. He saw the empty cabinet and a few leftover ammunition cases. The open window was a big clue. He looked out to see the streak of white turn the corner. He wasn't even angry. He laughed quietly.

"What's going on?" Veld asked.

"Someone else figured out what Hojo's been up to," Tseng said as he exited the apartment.

Gast is dead gast is dead its all my fault how did i let it happen but sephiroth no sephiroth is mine he's not yours he's mine he's my little black rain cloud goddammit i'll fucking kill you motherfucker leave aeris alone she wants her mom let her have her mom ifalna won't help you give aeris back i'm going to cut your fucking dick off sephiroth can't be alone it's dinner time he wanted hot dogs why didn't you let him eat hot dogs before aeris is crying give her back i'm sorry ifalna i should have tried harder i'm sorry gast i should have died but sephiroth needed me i needed him where is my sephiroth i need to tell him i love him one more time one more time please i love you sephiroth i love you forever forever and ever he hates you he hates you and he loves me he'll never forget me because he loves me one more time one more time just one last kiss because i love you too sephiroth forever and ever it hurts it hurts it hurts why do you always make it hurt for everyone why can't you just eat shit and die where's my sephiroth he needs to know that i love him one more time

Sephiroth came in Cass's back entrance. He went down the familiar pathway in absolute silence. He'd scared Cass like this and she yelled and her face got red, but she forgave him. Hojo didn't know about it. Fergus was getting heavy. He had to find her soon. He could protect her once he found her.

Then he stopped.

There was a baby crying. Sephiroth didn't know all the places in the lab, but he followed the sound. Why was there a baby here? He waited a moment before going in.

It was writhing and screaming in a metal box with a blanket tossed it. Sephiroth remembered being in a similar one once. Maybe it was the same. Sephiroth looked inside.

"Aeris?" he asked. The baby kept crying, but Sephiroth recognized those green eyes. They weren't as pretty when she was upset. Sephiroth didn't know exactly what he was doing, but he wasn't going to let Aeris be with Hojo too. He had to protect Mom though? He picked her up like Ifalna showed him. Like magic Aeris quieted down. Sephiroth ran out of the room before anyone came looking.

He frantically checked all the rooms. He had to find her before Hojo found him. He opened a door and nearly shut it again.

"S-Sephiroth?" a woman asked. It wasn't Mom, but it was familiar. He rushed back in.

"Ifalna," he said, "He found you."

"It's not your fault," Ifalna said, "I got your picture. It was very nice. Gast liked it too."

"I'm sorry," Sephiroth said, "I should have tried harder."

"There was nothing you could have done," Ifalna said. Sephiroth blinked once.

"There's something I can do though," he said. He passed Aeris through the bars to her mother.

"Thank you Sephiroth," Ifalna said, "but I know you didn't come here to get me and Aeris. She's in the corner." Sephiroth whipped around. Mom was there. She was sleeping except...

"Hojo gave her something," Ifalna said, "he said it wouldn't kill her. It was yellow. It's more important that you save her. Aeris and I have no place to go to."

"Neither do we," Sephiroth said. Without another word he pulled off the door to the cage. He'd been able to do that since he was three. How else could he go see the rain? "Go," he said to Ifalna, "I found her. You get out while I wake her back up." He rushed over to Mom without another word. He pulled off the door just as easily.

"Mom?" He asked. She didn't move. He tried to remember. Yellow stuff in a needle? Hojo used it on the big monsters in the arena. He got them to wake up with...

Sephiroth looked around. Hojo always left things around. There they were. Blue ones that made them wake up. He picked up a handful, mindful to keep the caps on the the tips. He pulled one off and stuck it into Mom's arm with gentle care. She started stirring not long after. He eyelids fluttered.

"Ssss...ssseph?" she started.

"It's me Mom," he said, "I came to get you." She started to get up. She looked really stiff and groggy. "I got Ifalna and Aeris out," Sephiroth said, "I brought Fergus too." She turned back to Sephiroth.

"Fergusss?" she said. She shook her head and held out a shaky hand. Sephiroth handed him over with mild relief.

"I know you said not to touch him, but I thought you might need him," Sephiroth said, "I can get my sword on the way out." She blinked and nodded

"Hhhelp," she said, "I n-need sssome help." Sephiroth was at her side in an instant. He helped her get the strap over her head. She stood on shaky feet.

"Lead," she said, a little more clearly. Sephiroth did it without hesitation. They had gotten the sword at Sephiroth's insistence and were back in the hallway when alarms started going off. Sephiroth could hear people approaching. He took Cass's hand and dragged her to another hallway. One with a closet with a large grate inside. Cass let him, too drugged up to even complain. Not that she would. She knew a knight in shining armor when she saw one.

It was eerie how well Cass's observation worked for them. Sephiroth watched as people scurried everywhere to find the Cetra and the baby. He hoped they got out okay. He glared daggers at Hojo who spouted curses at everyone. Not one looked up. Sephiroth planned to wait until it quieted down some more.

Hojo ruined it. Frustrated beyond anything he had ever felt before, Hojo had fumed at the ceiling. He saw a silver-haired seven-year-old with a very ill looking mathematician. He smirked.

"The serum is only temporary," he said as he made his way calmly out, to get them no doubt, "you'll be asleep again soon enough." Sephiroth felt utter despair at that. Cass suddenly was leading him along.

"It's not the only exit," she said. They crossed the catwalk. Cass slammed herself up against the other wall. It wasn't much, but Sephiroth saw it give a little. It was only drywall. There was no support behind it. She did it again. Sephiroth pulled her back and did it himself. It broke after another two tries. The ran along the dusty dilapidated hallway.

"I don't know where it goes," Cass said.

"Doesn't matter," Sephiroth said. They found themselves outside. They paused and blinked as they tried to figure out how it was possible.

"Truck entrance," Cass said. She started running again.

"Keep going," she said, "before it wears off again." Sephiroth obeyed without another word.

"They got out."

"It's amazing to watch. He found her and pulled her out all on his own"

"I still can't believe that Hojo forgot we had cameras in there"

"I'm more impressed with her knowledge of the building. Remind me to ask her that if we ever find her again."

"..."

"Tseng, you still haven't explained why he would feel the need to pull her out of the labs."

"He needs a reason?"

"No, but why her? Why not all of Hojo's experiments?"

"Perhaps because he loves her."

"Loves her."

"He's entirely devoted to her."

"You didn't mention this before because..."

"..."

"I see. How devoted is this devotion?"

"Devoted enough to track me down and demand that she be returned."

"I meant has he admitted said devotion."

"Yes."

"That could be useful, though I'd rather it not be. Do you know where they are headed?"

"...They found a car two blocks away. Heading East."

"How'd they get a car?"

"She held someone at gunpoint. After shooting out the tires on all the trucks in the lot."

"Shit," Cass said, "We were making good time." Sephiroth was unbuckled and by her side in an instant. "I didn't say you could get unbuckled and in the passenger seat!" she said, but there was no fire in her voice.

"It's wearing off isn't it?" he said. She didn't reply. Her movements were getting sloppy.

"How many do you have?" she asked.

"Two." She swore again.

"Do you think you could steer the car if I did the pedals?" she asked.

"What to I have to do?" Sephiroth said.

"The direction you point the wheel makes the car turn in that direction," Cass said. He nodded and climbed into her lap. He still relaxed into it despite their dire situation. It was simple enough after a few swerves. He heard Cass exhale sharply.

"Pull off to the left," she said, "We're stopping." He did. He jumped out and helped Cass shamble out. She started moving clumsily back towards the city.

"They won't expect that as much," she gasped, "give us time." Sephiroth nodded.

"Do you want another one?" Sephiroth asked. She shook her head.

"Save," she murmured. Sephiroth shook his own head and gave another injection to her anyway. She looked annoyed at him, but started to recover.

"Let's go then," she said, "We need to find some sort of shelter before this one wears off too." He nodded.

"Use the last one only in an emergency," Cass said. Sephiroth nodded.