Chapter 7. Compromise

Sora's POV

I sat, completely oblivious to the sounds around me. I was still processing reality, all the things that had been said to me lately.

Pregnancy.

Jenova.

And my dear General's execution.

I had had peace of mind for 4 days, at home, quiet. Being at that Bar was, at least, calm and allowed me to sleep. There was no noise. The woman made sure of it – Tifa, the blonde's girlfriend. Despair was taking over me, at how impotent I felt over everything. I wanted so much to find a way to save the General… and yet, I carried this kind of biological weapon inside me, growing and taking shape.

All Jenova's doing.

They spoke and spoke, my mind roaming out of that room, where Tseng, Hojo and some other people were. I didn't want to listen. All I wanted was peace. Out of all of this.

The warm touch of a hand in my left arm made me tremble and I blinked a couple of times, my eyes finding a worried stare.

"Pay attention," she whispered. "Don't space out, this is important."

Elena, I read on the identification card. That was her name. My stare met Tseng's, who stared at me with disbelief.

"This problem has been discussed thoroughly in the last 12 hours, Sora. It is serious enough, as you might imagine."

I snorted.

"I never said it wasn't serious. But you didn't believe me, what was I supposed to do?"

My voice broke at the end of the sentence "I am so tired of this." I added.

There was silence before Tseng spoke again.

"I do believe in you and in Sephiroth. But, things aren't simple. We have to handle this very carefully, it's Jenova we're talking about here."

The environment grew heavy for a moment. Yes, it was a very serious matter.

Hojo's words cut the silence.

"I've been testing the General's brain and it clearly shows that Jenova has been inside of his head several times, repeatedly over time, even since before Nibelheim. Jenova interferes in Mako broadcasting leaving a very characteristic imprint over the brain's activity. Sephiroth's brain activity is a map of mind invasions and mental atrocities. Now we all know the reason beneath… well, you know. Nibelheim and probably many other things that happened before that."

I took the chance to speak up.

"So all this considered, why do you insist in allowing his execution?"

All eyes were on me now.

"Now if you all know he wasn't directly responsible for what happened there, why does he have to die for something Jenova made him do?"

Tseng sighed.

"The thing is… Jenova is a high-secret matter of the company. Her real existence, as well as her effect on Sephiroth's mind cannot be exposed publicly. All this is top secret."

His words gave me strength to go on.

"Then if it's all top secret you could arrange something to go out in public that wouldn't involve the General's death."

"People want justice, Sora." Cloud declared, his stare meeting mine. "The victims, all the people that died… for all that matters, he was the one there, killing all that people."

I sighed. And nodded at Cloud.

"So that's a good thing he's dead, right? People will consider it justice done and you can finally claim what you so dearly want, isn't that it?"

There was a moment of silence before I spoke again.

"I understand, really. You've always lived under his shadow and you want to shine-"

"Your General murdered people." Tseng interrupted. "A consistent amount of them. For all that matters he is a public enemy and justice… won't absolve him. You must understand that his fate is beyond our control now."

I shook my head, eyes closed. This was very hard to endure.

"I am truly sorry."

He had said it, but I didn't believe him anymore. There was a moment of silence and Hojo got up. He walked over me and gestured with his head.

"Come. We have work to do."

I blinked, a little taken aback.

"Me?"

"Certainly."

I stared at Tseng, hoping to find a reassuring stare. He nodded at me and I had no choice but to leave with Hojo.

Sephiroth's POV.

All this imprisonment, this isolation was driving me mad but it had given me time to think. To try and be coherent about all this. The images of that dream, vivid and real, replayed in my mind over and over again. The child in that dream… how could Jenova take advantage of such pure soul?

I had considered so many options. Of course, killing the baby was a very viable one, the easiest one, it was a fact. But it wouldn't change the fact that Jenova was here.

Messing with me. Messing with all of us.

Sora and the child were victims, her victims. I had been only an asset for her to get what she needed. A viable form to do as she pleased. Because that was, in fact, what that baby was.

A mean. To reach a goal.

Hours and hours of thinking got me to the conclusion, the obvious conclusion that the only way of solving this problem was…

Yes, the unthinkable, the undoable.

Killing Jenova.

It was the only way to solve everybody's problems. Sora would be free, the child would be in no danger… and I could die in peace.

Yes, I was completely aware that living… wouldn't be possible for me. It was all too complex. I had done so many bad things that I was beyond forgiveness. I knew I couldn't escape.

But I… could have some use in all this. I had to find a way to kill… my dear Mother.

Sora's POV.

I remained horizontal on that damn gurney for what it seemed like hours. Blood work, testing and more testing, people in white coats coming in and out, medical gear on and off.

And all I could thing about was that I missed terribly my dear General. Days went by and I knew nothing of him. Tseng rendered silent, decided not to tell me if the General was still alive or not.

"You must feed properly, Sora. The fetus is not growing as it should."

Hojo's words were cold, as much as the environment of the room as I was in.

"I'm not hungry." I said, as I sat. "Besides, I'm always nauseous."

"Do you take the medication I gave you?"

"Yes."

"Your lab results say otherwise."

Silence was all I could offer the man. What was I going to say, admit that most of the times I didn't take the medication?

"You are depressed." He stated, eyeing me curiously.

"Is he alive?"

My sudden question seemed to surprise the scientist in front of me. He didn't say anything, minding his own business with stuff right next to him. His indifference was my undoing.

"Please." I whispered, as tears finally fell.

I cried silently. Each time I blinked, there were tears, staining the white lab vest I had on.

My hands squeezed hard the edges of the gurney as I tried not to make a noise. I felt embarrassed to cry in front of the man. I didn't want to show him how weak and sad I felt but truth was, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Please. If Sephiroth no longer lives, I have the right to kn-"

"Yes."

When I heard the word, I took a sharp intake of air. I couldn't help it.

I looked up, at him. My eyes followed his actions and I saw how he put a monitor on. The images that screen showed me made my heart ache.

There he was. Just like any other time, wonderful and beautiful. The hair, the face, his stance… I closed my eyes for a moment. How I missed his touch on me. For the scarce seconds the screen was on I could see it was a live feed so, Hojo wasn't tricking me… and there was someone in that cell as well. Tseng.

They seemed to be talking.

Hojo disconnected the screen and walked in my direction. I didn't let him speak.

"Wh-What are they talking about?"

The man looked at me and seemed to consider how to answer me.

"That, I don't know now yet. Satisfied?"

I nodded, cleaning up the tears on my face.

"Will you eat better now? Knowing your dearest General is alive?"

I took a deep breath.

"I'll… try."

"Very well. You should. Try." He declared, a little impatient. "You can put your clothes on."

As I did so, my curiosity spoke for me.

"Aren't you going to do what he told you to?"

Hojo looked back at me, as if wondering what I was talking about. But, then again, he was fast doing the math.

"Child. Please." He snorted. "Your health and hence, the child's, are my priorities now."

"Why?"

"Because you're both unique. You, because She chose you… and the child, because it's one of a kind. A real child of Jenova."

I stood there for a while, considering the man's words. That was what I was to him. More of an experiment, like a shiny new toy.

"Can I go?"

His stare met mine.

"Can you do as I tell you? Take care, eat properly and take the medication?"

I didn't answer him. I didn't want to lie again.

"Do you need motivation?"

I remained in silence, not knowing what to answer him.

"What do you mean?"

"What is that you want the most? Think about it. We can compromise."

I didn't have to think twice.

"I would like to see him. Talk to him."

Hojo seemed divided, and he took his time answering me.

"You have to be patient, child."

That wasn't a no. But it wasn't a yes, either.

"But I am. Too damn patient."

And with that, I left medical ward. Cloud was waiting for me outside the door and we both walked, in silence.

The ride was calm and thankfully the bar was still closed when we got home. Cloud finally spoke.

"If you're hungry-"

"I think I'm calling it a day. I'm tired. But thank you… for everything." I knew it was somehow rude, interrupting the new General like that but I couldn't stand it anymore. My eyes met his as I thanked him, right before I was headed upstairs.

A/N: All right. Let's see if I can get project on track again. Hope you like it. It's a little short, but the next ones will certainly compensate.