A/N: The last third or so of this chapter has a soundtrack of 'Rescue' by Lauren Daigle. You'll know where it goes when you get there.
Chapter 30
It was only a matter of a few minutes before Tseng returned. By that time, the rest of the room had settled back into a semblance of calm. Genesis' parents were both back on the other side of the room, but he was no longer glaring at them every time his gaze passed over them. When Kris noticed it the first time, she smiled. It was a step in the right direction at least.
She also had a better handle on her temper. Or she hoped she did. No one had said anything to her after Tseng left. Genesis had wrapped her in another embrace and held her there until the Turk's return.
Tseng sent her a glare when he walked back in, but his voice was far calmer than it was when he walked out. "Now that you have us all on edge, why don't you start from the beginning, and let's not skip around this time. I don't want you to leave anything out."
Kris sighed at his implied threat, as well as his unspoken question. Unfortunately, she still had no intention of telling him how she knew. The rest, she could roll with. She motioned to the chairs. "Have a seat. This is going to take a while."
Once everyone was seated again, they all turned to her with various looks, ranging from curious to angry. Kris sighed and put her head in her hands. They had already touched on the Jenova Project, but only the basics. There was so much more, and so many more levels that she wasn't even sure Hollander knew about. Plus, it was all interconnected. In the end, everyone in this room was affected by the Science Department in some way, except Zack. At least not yet, thankfully.
Tseng had said to start at the beginning, but how far back was that? She sighed again as she looked up and purposely avoided looking in Hollander's direction. She knew she needed to keep herself under control if they were going to get through this, and seeing his face would not help.
Her voice was strained when she spoke. "Fine, from the beginning. You were already told that Professor Gast started the Jenova project because he believed her to be a Cetra. It ended up being Professors Hojo and Hollander that ultimately carried out the two separate projects that produced children. Like Genesis explained, they were different, but you all have Jenova's cells imbued in your bodies and have had since before you were born."
There was grumbling at her statements, but no one asked further questions. They all knew Tseng had been correct and wanted to get to the bottom of this. It helped that so far, what she had said had been confirmed by Genesis, and indirectly by Hollander himself.
She shook her head and continued. "As heinous as those experiments were, they were just the beginning. Hojo still hasn't stopped." Several people started talking at that point, including Hollander, but a glare from Kris shut the man up. A glare from Tseng quieted the rest of them.
Kris looked over at Genesis and squeezed his hand. "I know this is hard, but no matter what, I love you."
It was the first time she had said those words in front of anyone else, and despite the circumstances, Genesis found himself reassured. He knew they were only words, and words only held meaning when actions backed them, but he knew Kristobel was not one to use them lightly.
Neither of them had noticed the shocked look from several of the others in the room, or the very disturbed Puppy, much less the glare from Tseng when Genesis leaned over and brushed his lips against hers before he responded. "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess. I have seen it first hand, so have no doubt that I know you will be steadfast."
Tseng had already seen enough. "I said no interruptions."
Kris glared over at him. "Don't get pissy with me because you don't have someone here to hold your hand too. I know it sucks." Part of her regretted her lack of control of her tongue when he started to stand, but only almost. She took a deep breath and motioned him to sit back down. She knew things were going to get harder for him shortly as well, so she couldn't afford to antagonize him. They all needed her help.
Tseng sat back with another glare, and Kris sat back to continue. She barely spared a glance over at her lover. She knew the next part was going to be hard for him. "Genesis was the first to be born, and although he was not what Hollander was looking for, there was still something in his DNA that prompted the Science department to change the Soldier hospital in reactor 0 to what is now known as Deepground. It is a facility where they, to this day, carry out inhumane experiments. They have even gone as far as kidnapping people to take them down there. Children even."
Hollander gasped at her words. He stuttered. "H-how do you know that?"
Kris clenched her jaw and her fists in her lap to keep from doing something she would regret. She was pulled from the moment when Genesis' hand covered one of hers. She looked into his troubled eyes. "It's true, then?"
She relaxed her fist and sighed as she intertwined her fingers with his before she nodded. His eyes widened slightly before he turned a glare to Hollander. Before he could stand, she pulled on his hand. When he looked back, she shook her head. "That isn't all. Just wait."
His eyes widened further, but he sat back. Kris was too afraid to look at any of the other people in the room. The only thing that was keeping her together was her focus on getting through this story. She had no idea how to tell the man she called brother how she knew this. She didn't want him to abandon her, but she couldn't see how to avoid it.
She violently pushed those thoughts aside and looked back at Tseng. As angry as he was, it still served to keep her focused. His anger she could deal with. His anger was expected. She focused on his eyes as she continued. "There are many other things that have gone on between now and then, but the two others that most affect the people in this room actually have to do with the Turks."
Tseng sat back in shock. Kris didn't give him time to ask, though. "Specifically, with Veld. First, his partner was assigned to guard the Jenova Project S site in Nibelheim, where he became close to one Professor Lucrecia Crescent. Many things happened there, but it culminated in him being shot by Hojo. He was then used as a test subject and nearly killed. He is alive, but only because of Professor Crescent's efforts afterward."
Tseng's eyes narrowed. "His partner?"
Kris nodded. "Yes. Vincent Valentine." Tseng's sharp intake of breath was enough to confirm she was correct to the rest of the room.
She quickly continued before he could interrupt again. "The second thing is how Hojo handled the victims after the bombing in Kalm. I know there probably isn't much information about that, but he didn't help them, so much as use them, like he does everyone. One of those victims happened to be Veld's daughter, Felicia. She is also alive, but his 'assistance' has rendered her memory fallible, and her life has been shortened. Currently, she is with Avalanche and going by the name Elfé."
Tseng did stand at that point and gestured with an angry slashing motion. "Enough. I have heard enough." He took several steps closer to her and took a few deep breaths before he pinned her with his flashing eyes. "The one thing you have not told us, that I am sure we all would love to hear, is how you know any of this. Why should we believe you? And do not expect me to buy into the fact that you just knew today. You had to have known before we came, or else you would not have known about Genesis."
Both Genesis and Zack were suddenly up in front of her, and Kris felt an overwhelming sense of relief to see her brother. She knew he had to doubt her too, but he still was defending her. When Sephiroth stepped forward, and so did Angeal, she finally started crying.
She still managed to stand and put a hand on Genesis' arm, so he would step aside. When he did, and she stepped forward, she was shocked that it was Sephiroth that spoke up. He looked at her before he turned to Tseng. "You were there. You heard the Goddess as well as the rest of us. No matter what her resources, she is the key to our survival. We have been tasked with keeping her safe, and I, for one, will take that job seriously."
Tseng looked like he was ready to explode, but he could tell that he would get nowhere by pushing. He stalked across the room, and much to everyone's surprise, Kris followed. "Wait!"
He turned back with a glare, but she didn't stop. At least not until she was close enough that she could speak to him. "Look. I told you this would be hard to hear, but that is no reason to ignore me." She paused and took several deep breaths as she tried to give him a reasonable response. She needed to explain her memories in a way that would make sense to them all, and still somehow keep the worst of them from crawling out of the darkest corners unbidden while she did it. It had already been hard while she had told them what was going on. Most of her knowledge had been gained during the happier days of her youth spent with someone she thought she could trust.
She felt herself start to hyperventilate as those memories began to crowd back in, and she shook her head. She couldn't afford to break down now. She ignored the look he was giving her and closed her eyes. She pictured Genesis' arms around her and the comfort she felt. The safety she felt when she was with him. She breathed deeply, and after a moment, she was able to open her eyes again and look Tseng in the eye.
She could tell that his look had changed from rage to something else. He wasn't stupid enough to miss her symptoms. She didn't give him a chance to ask why she was having a panic attack before she started again. "You are correct. I did know before I asked to come here. I knew as soon as my memories were returned to me. What you need to understand is the fact that my memories were not blocked because of my own mind. Minerva blocked them herself when she placed me outside Gongaga. She felt it would allow the best opportunity to start fresh. It was never her intention for me to become involved with these events, but once Genesis left, and it was clear that we were in love, it was unavoidable. The block was shattered, and my knowledge and memories came rushing in. You can choose to believe me or not, but it is the truth."
She watched as Tseng's jaw clenched several times before he shook his head. "I don't know what to believe." He stepped past her and toward the others but stopped after only a few paces. His back was still toward her when he spoke again. "Much of what you have said has already been indirectly verified by Hollander's reactions. The rest we can verify in time. That is the best you will get from me."
That was the last thing he said before he walked out of the room. Kris sighed in frustration. They were far from done, but she knew their tasks could not be tackled in a day. He was right that it would take time.
Her attention was drawn when Zack closed the distance. The look he was giving her nearly broke her heart. She could tell he was hurt by the fact that he felt that she had been keeping things from him. His question only made it worse. "Kris, I've been trying to put it all together since yesterday, and I think… I think I know what happened. Why didn't you tell me? You died, didn't you?"
Kris felt herself start to shake as his innocent question caused a landslide in her mind. She barely heard Genesis curse from across the room as she backed away from Zack with terror in her eyes. It was hard for her to stop seeing the image of another boy that she had once called brother instead of the gentle giant that was reaching for her.
She screamed when he tried to grab her to keep her from tripping as she backed up. His eyes widened as she shook her head at his actions and she almost fell. Thankfully, Genesis had already made it to her side. She didn't react to his arms around her any better at first, but his embrace was loose, despite her thrashing against him, and his voice was calm. One of his hands was brushing against her hair, and the other was against her back.
It was several minutes before his actions finally paid off and her thrashing calmed to sobbing. Once he was sure she was back to herself, he picked her up and carried her back to sit with her in one of the chairs and ignored the looks from all the others in the room, except for Zack. He caught the Puppy's eyes and motioned him over.
Zack was still stunned by what had just happened and still wasn't sure what to think. He was hurt by the fact that his sister was seemingly terrified by his touch, but somehow Genesis had been the one to calm her. It made him even more confused when the man obviously wanted him to join them. He was hesitant to walk over there. He didn't want Kris to go off again, but when her cries slowed, he made his way over. Though he did stop a far enough distance away that she could feel safe, he hoped.
There was still a tinge of fear in her eyes when she looked up, and that hurt him more than he had words for, but she held out a hand. He realized she was waiting for him to take it, and he watched her eyes as he got close enough to wrap his much larger hand around hers. Tears filled her eyes again as she watched it before she looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Zack. It isn't you."
His expression still showed his confusion when she pulled her hand away. "You said that before. What is going on?"
Genesis looked like he was about to speak up, but Kris shifted so she could face her brother better. She didn't leave the safety of her lover's arms, though. She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before she opened them. There were enough terror and sadness in them to nearly knock Zack off his feet. When she spoke, he almost wished her words could have knocked him out. At least then he wouldn't have been able to feel so much pain.
"Zack, I didn't just die. I was murdered. The reason you found me the way you did was because the man that did it had me for months beforehand. Honestly, I don't know what bothers me more, the fact that the boy I grew up with and called brother killed me, or the fact that I begged him to."
Genesis' voice softly saying her name as he pulled her closer once again was the only sound in the room for several minutes. Kris couldn't watch as Zack looked at her with dawning horror. He now knew why she doubted him, why she was reacting to his touch the way she did, and as much as it hurt, he understood. He wanted to fix it. He wanted to assure her that it would never happen that way again. He wanted her to know she would always be safe with him, but he didn't know how to do any of that without making her remember what had happened before.
Angeal did not look to be reacting any better. He was frozen in place with shock, as were Genesis' parents and even Hollander had stopped trying to get loose when the whole debacle started. Genesis' mother had begun to softly weep as she came to understand just how broken both her son and the woman he loved were. Her only consolation was the fact that they each seemed to draw strength from the other.
To everyone's shock, it was Sephiroth that broke the silence. "Kris."
Her head jerked up, and she looked over to where he was standing. When their eyes met, he gave her an understanding look. "I have seen brave men break under less dire circumstances. There is no shame in what has happened to you. I can only imagine what that betrayal was like, but know that you are among friends. We know that this is not something that can be dealt with easily, but you will not have to do so alone. You have Genesis, yes, but do not forget that Zachary loves you, and we are all here as a team. From what I gather, this will require all of us, and like I told Tseng, I have no plans to walk away now."
Kris stared at him for several moments as she tried to comprehend the words coming from the Great Silver General. As they finally sank in, she felt tears falling once more, and she gave him a nod. She couldn't speak past the lump in her throat, but it was enough. His words were enough to help dispel the last of the shadows that had been hanging over her since they started talking about their circumstances. She knew they weren't gone for good, but she also knew that she would have help pushing them back going forward.
She looked at her brother and managed to give him a weak smile. When he caught sight of it, he realized that Sephiroth was right. He couldn't give up before he even tried, especially not when it came to his sister. If anyone was worth fighting for, it was her. He managed to grin back. "Don't worry, sis. We'll figure this out together, just like we always do."
Kris laughed wetly at his exuberance, but she already felt better. She looked back to see Genesis was giving her a worried look. She kissed his cheek before she whispered. "Thank you for not letting go."
His eyes had softened when she sat back, and he brushed his knuckles across her cheek. He didn't get to say anything before they heard Hollander bouncing around in the chair once again.
They all looked over to the scientist with frowns, and he suddenly stopped moving under their glares. None of the other people in the room were in the mood to deal with the arrogant man, and he realized he should have just taken the girl's advice and kept quiet as he shrank into his seat.
When Sephiroth took a threatening step toward the man, Kris quickly extricated herself from Genesis' arms. She called out before he reached the man. "Wait! There is one more thing before you all decide what to do with him."
Sephiroth turned to her with a frown. "I believe we have all heard enough to condemn at least Hollander and Hojo many times over. How much do you want to add to make their deaths justified?"
Kris looked away uncomfortably, but took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and looked back. "It isn't that. I know I lost my temper earlier, and all I can ask is that you don't use that is the measure of how things should be handled. As you have seen, my temper is unreliable. However, there is pertinent information that at least one of you should know before any decision is made."
She ignored his continued glare and turned to Angeal. His brow drew down when she spoke to him. "This is potentially private. Would you like to step outside?"
He blinked at her several times and looked extremely uncomfortable. After her recent display, he wasn't sure how to react around her at all, despite Sephiroth's reassurances. Yes, he had seen men break down, and with them, he knew how to respond most of the time, but he had never known a woman that had to deal with the same symptoms. He wasn't sure if he could treat her the same, and he felt awkward. Still, he couldn't ignore her. He knew they had all seen too much for that.
He finally shook his head. "There is no need for that. After everything we've seen today, I doubt secrets should be kept between us."
Kris sighed at his response. She had a feeling she knew why, but couldn't fault him. Her breakdown had probably freaked them all out. She was just glad Genesis had been there to calm her, or she would have likely been out of it like she had the last time.
She finally shrugged and gestured to one of the seats. "Fine." Once he was seated, she turned to him and tried to keep her voice down, even if she knew it was a lost cause for any but the Rhapsodos'. "Angeal, I know this may be hard for you to hear, but I know if you were to find out later, after something happened to him, that you might feel guilty. I also know that Mr. Hewley was your father in every way that you needed, so I am not trying to take that from him."
Angeal sat back with a start. He already had an idea where this was going, and it was unbelievable. "No."
Kris sighed. "I told you this was private."
He shook his head again, but she continued before he could interrupt again. "Gillian was Hollander's assistant on the Jenova Project before you were born. This may make no difference to you at all, but he is your biological father. That doesn't make him your dad. That is all Mr. Hewely. What you do with this knowledge is up to you."
Angeal stood so quickly that it knocked the chair over. He didn't look at anyone before he walked out of the room. Kris buried her face in her hands. She was trying to help people and had already managed to alienate two of their team members in just a few hours. She was doing a swell job.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but relaxed when she looked up to see Genesis. He was giving her a concerned look. She looked around to see that Sephiroth had left as well. Her voice was low when she spoke. "What am I going to do? I can't help myself, I can't convince my friends, and I can't manage to keep my shit together. I'm pretty hopeless for a representative of the Goddess."
Genesis knelt and cupped her cheeks before he placed a kiss on her forehead. "You said it was your choice, correct?" At her confused nod, he smiled and continued. "Do you know what that tells me? It tells me that despite your fear, despite your uncertainty, despite how much you doubted yourself, you still felt strongly enough for all of us to put those thoughts aside and take up the mantle the Goddess gave you. Love, remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to feel fear and walk forward anyway."
Kris was sick to death of crying, but she couldn't stop her tears at his words. She wrapped herself around him and let his warmth give her strength once more. She knew she wouldn't always need to lean on him. She knew that somewhere inside she was strong enough to stand beside him instead, but it would take time to get back there. For now, she was just glad that he was willing and able to help her get to that point. She just needed to make sure that she helped him too, or this would all be for naught.
A/N 2: First off, happy holidays! Secondly, I know, this is incredibly sad for the holidays, but it was what I was motivated to write. Kris is having a hard time right now, but I promise it will get better. These things take time. Don't forget that she's a strong lady. She just needs a reminder every now and then. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!