Vincent stood silent as he watched Sephiroth react to seeing Lucrecia. His heart ached to go to him, to comfort him, but he stood his ground and watched the display of emotions play out in front of him.
Sephiroth dug his fingers into the dirt, his hair curtained around him and shadowing his face. Cries of anguish shook his body as he shouted over and over again: Mother, Mother. His voice echoed in the cave as he sobbed, releasing years of pent-up emotions, silently mourning the childhood that he could have had if things had only been different.
"Mama… Mama, why?"
Vincent could stand no more. Upon hearing Sephiroth use such a childlike term, he rushed to be by his side. He wrapped his arms around the sobbing figure and held on tightly.
"It's okay, Sephiroth. It's going to be fine, I promise you this," he soothed. "Look at her, Sephiroth. Look at your mother." Sephiroth looked up at Lucrecia's encased form through blurry eyes, but even he could see that tears were spilling over her own cheeks. Then he heard her voice. Though her lips did not move, he heard the words plainly.
My dear child, stand up. Do not burden yourself like this. It is I who takes the full burden and blame. Neither you nor your father should shoulder this grief that I feel.
Her eyes shifted to Vincent.
He has your mouth, Vincent. Had it not been for the Jenova effect, he would have had your beautiful hair, too.
Vincent felt Sephiroth twitch in his arms. Slowly, he turned to look at Vincent.
"…You?"
Vincent swallowed hard and remembered what he had felt when he read the letter from Lucrecia many years ago, fingering him as the father.
You see, she had written, I hadn't had any relations with Hojo weeks before then, nor did I have any shortly after you and I were together. The professor kept a close eye on my habits and cycle… Not only is the child yours, but I fear I have made a huge mistake. Please forgive me. I didn't want his child, Vincent, and in all honesty, I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to the project… I know now that it should have been you that I married, not Hojo. I see now that he is wicked, a wicked and cruel man. Please…
Her words had fallen on blind eyes, and if they had been spoken to him, he would have been deaf as well. She had regrets now? She should have thought about that a long time ago before marrying that horrid man and agreeing to be a fucking lab rat for him.
But as he looked down into the bewildered face of their son, and years asleep had had time to change his mind about many things, he regretted being angry at her for a while. Before he had the chance to make things right and reconcile with her, he was shot nearly to death and experimented on -- tossed into a musty coffin in a dark basement for years, asleep without reason.
"You… You are my son, Sephiroth. Our son. And… I am sorry for everything."
Sephiroth felt his world shift as he stared into shining ruby eyes, knowing this raven-haired man was telling the truth. The tears had stopped coming as his body adjusted itself to the shock of so many things being thrown at him all at once. He almost felt blank inside, though the ache in his heart told him differently.
"My father…?"
"Yes."
Sephiroth stood up then, and moved slowly toward Lucrecia. He placed a shaking hand on the crystal dome that held her body, and their eyes met.
"I am happy to meet you, Mother."
Lucrecia's eyes smiled into his. I wish that I could hold you. I didn't even get the chance when you were born. Hojo took you away… I'm so sorry for my mistakes. Forgive me, love.
"There is nothing to forgive. You were in a strange situation and you did what you thought was right at the time. I'm only sorry that you weren't there for me, but that in itself is a separate matter… I had good friends and I had someone who loved me.. And I still do," Sephiroth told her.
Lucrecia was silent, and Vincent put a hand on Sephiroth's arm, knowing she would not speak again for some time.
"Let's go back to Midgar."
Reluctantly, Sephiroth removed his hand from the crystallized mako and turned to follow Vincent. Upon exiting the cave, he stood in the sunlight and rolled his neck from side to side, easing tight muscles that had formed. With a hoarse shout, he balled his fists and his wing sprung out. He looked at Vincent, who was watching with pride, and smiled.
"I am stronger already."
