Chapter 39

It was just after breakfast the following day when Alex was shocked to see Elfé walk into the infirmary. Even more so when the other woman headed straight for her bed. Alex was wary, but she greeted Elfé anyway.

Elfé returned the greeting in kind, but it seemed as though her mind was on something else. That thought was confirmed when she took the closest seat and said, "I know you have no reason to trust me, not after yesterday. Still, I would like to apologize. I had no idea what they had planned, and I do not condone it. Please believe me."

Alex didn't answer right away. Instead, she studied the other woman's face. Somehow, she doubted Elfé was lying, but she still held doubt.

Before she could say anything, Lorne walked in. The younger woman immediately glared at Elfé and said, "Why are you in here? Weren't you told this was off-limits without an escort?"

Elfé stood immediately, but Alex held up a hand and gave Lorne a smile as she said, "It's alright. We were just talking."

Lorne gave her a doubtful look, but when Alex only brightened her smile, Lorne sighed and said, "Fine, whatever. But I want you to know I'll be right in the other room restocking."

Both Elfé and Alex nodded in understanding. As soon as Lorne was in the other room, Elfé sat back down and gave Alex a curious look. "Why did you stand up for me?"

Alex shrugged. "You apologized, and you seem sincere, but don't think this means I trust you. I just want to see what you have to say."

Elfé gave her a curt nod. "That was the bulk of it. The only other thing I wanted you to know is that the elders are keeping both Fuhito and Shears locked in their quarters for now."

She paused and looked away for a moment before she finally looked back with a sigh. "Honestly, I had hoped to find out why the elders seem to trust all of you—even the Silver Demon. It doesn't make sense, but I get the feeling there is more going on."

Alex nodded, but she was frowning as she said, "I accepted your apology, and I don't want to make things harder, so I'll try to remember that you don't know Sephiroth. Your opinion of him is solely based on rumors, so I will ask you politely this once, to never call him that again."

Elfé couldn't quite catch a grimace, but it was gone in a flash as she nodded. "Forgive me. It is an old habit that I will work to break." She hesitated after that, but only for a moment before she said, "Would you be willing to share why the elders trust you?"

Alex sighed before she said, "Even though I think it would be best not to burn this bridge, that doesn't mean I'll be spilling our secrets. Though, I suppose it won't hurt to let you know that none of us work for Shinra any longer."

It was Alex's turn to pause, and she gave the other woman a contemplative look before she said, "I suppose it also won't hurt to tell you that it might be a toss-up, which one of us Shinra wants more—Avalanche or their escaped 'employees.'"

Elfé froze and stared at Alex with wide eyes, though Alex kept going before she could say anything. "We have too much going on right now, but I think if we ever meet again, there could be a lot of potential for an alliance. At least if it's you and not Fuhito."

Nothing was said between them for several seconds as Elfé watched Alex for any more surprises. When she stood, she crossed her arms, but her eyes were contemplative as she said, "I get the feeling there is a lot left to learn, but I will agree that if we ever do meet again, there could be potential. Hopefully, by then, we'll have more reason to trust one another. And don't worry about Fuhito. I still don't know everything he had planned, but I won't let him get out of hand again."

Alex wasn't sure Elfé could keep that promise, but she still nodded as she said, "I'll look forward to it then." Elfé only nodded in return before she turned to leave.

Two days later, a large group of people was gathered near the Candle. Preparations for the group of ex-Shinra employees to leave had already been made, and they were saying their goodbyes.

Genesis had spent most of his time since the last conversation with Bugenhagen outside of the village and was currently standing off to the side with his arms crossed. At least he wasn't glaring at anyone or making problems.

The same couldn't be said for Peter. He had not appreciated being left out of the research, and that went double when he found out the others were leaving, and he wasn't going with them. At least he had finally quit arguing when Alex told him it would be safer for him to stay and keep his head down since they would be headed toward danger.

Both Angeal and Sephiroth kept sending frowns over to where Alex was currently standing with Elfé. None of them quite expected the tentative friendship that had formed between the two women. Especially not after the incident with Fuhito and Shears. Still, they held their tongue until Elfé walked away, and Alex rejoined the group.

Her brother was the first to say, "While I am glad to see that you have not let recent events bother you, I can't help but wonder why you are friendly with one of the people that tried to kidnap you."

Alex gave her brother a longsuffering look. "Geal, aren't you the one that always says I should be nicer?"

She chuckled when his frown deepened and didn't give him a chance to reprimand her. "Look, I won't say that I'm not wary of Fuhito and Shears, but I believe that Elfé was clueless to what they had planned. Plus, we sort of have a common goal, or at least some overlap. I'm not suggesting that we team up with terrorists to take down Shinra, but there may come a day when we can reach a compromise and help each other. Especially since Elfé is now the undisputed leader of their small team."

Angeal was still frowning when he grudgingly nodded, but Sephiroth did not seem as convinced when he said, "While I do agree that it does make tactical sense to keep a tentative line of communication open with Avalanche, I do not agree with their methods. Before we left, there had been several attacks perpetrated by them that caused many civilian casualties."

Alex sighed as she shrugged. "I agree that their previous methods left a lot to be desired, but I still think there is potential there. From what I have gathered, a lot of that was based on Fuhito's plans. He never cared about collateral damage as long as the planet was taken care of. I can't say that Elfé will be better, but perhaps after our talks, she will consider options that don't catch innocent people in the crossfire. Besides, any plans we might make are long down the road since we have too much else to worry about right now. And that's only if we meet again. There is no guarantee."

Sephiroth's lips pursed into a thin line, but he nodded. By that time, one of the villagers approached them. The man gave them all a respectful greeting before saying, "Elder Bugenhagen and Nanaki are both already settled with the wagon at the base of the stairs. Your chocobos are down there as well, and the supplies you purchased have already been loaded. Will you need anything else before you leave?"

Angeal smiled at the man as he said, "No, thank you. All of you have already done so much. We appreciate everything."

The man gave them an appreciative smile. "It was our honor to assist. We are assured that you will take good care of the elder and Nanaki, so it is our sincere wish to see you safely back when your journeys are through." He gave them one last bow before he headed back into the village.

Once the man was gone, Alex went to where Lorne was watching them all and trying to hide a frown. She didn't say anything before she pulled the younger woman into a tight hug and said, "Thank you especially. You did so much for me, and I appreciate every bit of it."

She then pulled back and smiled down at the shorter woman. They both had unshed tears as she continued. "We may not have talked as much as I would have liked, but I look forward to seeing you again someday soon. Don't worry; I will do everything I can to make sure Geal makes it back safely. I may be jumping the gun a little, but I know you make him happy, and that's something I want to see grow."

Lorne huffed as she crossed her arms, but her irritation was belied by the pink in her cheeks as she said, "Gah, you are just as embarrassingly honest as your brother. Now isn't the time for that kind of talk."

Alex's only response was a chuckle as she pulled the woman into another hug. Lorne returned the gesture just as tightly as the girl whispered, "You don't forget to take care of yourself too. Your brother isn't the only one I want to see again."

Alex felt a single tear escape as she stepped back. She dashed it away and managed a smile and a curt nod before she turned to leave. She saw Angeal and the others were still waiting. When she drew even with them, she put her hand on her brother's arm as she whispered. "Take a few minutes to say goodbye. It won't take you much to catch up, and you both deserve it."

Angeal froze for a moment before he frowned at Alex. Before he could say anything, she shook her head and said, "Take the chance while you can. It may be a long time before we return, and I don't want you to regret it. Trust me."

He finally sighed and patted her hand as he smiled softly. He then looked at the other two Soldiers as he said, "If you would leave my chocobo, I will catch up to you all before midday."

Genesis frowned but didn't say anything before he turned to leave. Sephiroth furrowed his brows at the red-head's actions but didn't comment. Instead, he turned back to Angeal and said, "It will be no issue. With the cart, we will be moving slower than initially expected. You should not even have to push your chocobo."

Once that was decided, Alex turned and waved at Lorne one more time before she turned to walk next to Sephiroth as they headed down and out of the village that they had all come to appreciate. At least they held onto the hope that it would not be the last visit they paid.

Even though Nibelheim was relatively close to Cosmo Canyon, the cart they had to use to take Bugenhagen and the extra supplies added a couple of days to their travel. Mainly because they ended up needing to go farther downriver to find a way to cross. It ended up being nearly a week before they arrived at the tiny village located at the foot of the looming mountains.

Alex hoped it was just her imagination that made the peaks seem like jagged teeth poking from the low clouds gathered around the tips. She was just glad that it wasn't winter yet. Not that the higher climate wasn't already starting to feel like it. She was thankful that the elders had thought to mention the need for coats before they left. She was huddled inside hers as she guided her chocobo behind the cart and into the quiet village.

Fog was starting to fill the streets, which didn't help. It was muting the already quiet click of the chocobo's talons on the packed dirt. The only other sound was the faint rumble of the wagon wheels. The streets were eerily empty, and most of the lights inside the houses were out, even though dusk was starting to settle in. All in all, the whole scenario was like nightmare fuel.

It didn't help that Alex felt like they were being watched. At least she was pretty sure that part was the wary villagers watching them from inside their darkened homes. Not that it made her feel much better as they made their way past the central square and toward the furthest edge of the hamlet where the old mansion was waiting.

Alex's chocobo must have been picking up on her unease as it started to get restless. She pulled tighter on the reigns to keep it from possibly bolting, but she was grateful when Sephiroth steered his mount to her side. His presence eased her tension, and in turn, her bird calmed down. She shot him a grateful smile as they continued to make their way through the fog.

The last week had been an odd one for their travel. Genesis had been surprisingly silent. Though that didn't mean he seemed to be getting past everything. He still watched them all with frowns. Especially she and Sephiroth. At least he hadn't tried to start anything. Alex was surprised at that since she and Sephiroth settled into a quiet conversation more nights than not.

After everything that happened in Cosmo Canyon, the two of them spent a lot more time in each other's company. Alex was still worried about the emotions she could feel growing but never brought it up. It was bad enough that the situation was tense on its own. None of them needed extra burdens.

She was pulled from her thoughts on how to deal with things going forward when a massive black, cast-iron gate suddenly materialized out of the fog. They all stopped, and Angeal called out from where he was guiding the cart. "Is this the place then?"

Alex and Sephiroth both made their way around the cart and stopped near the front. She had to repress a shiver at how little she could see through the growing dark and fog. At least there was a light inside the cart that lit up her brother and the area around him. She tried to focus on that as she said, "I'm pretty sure it is. It was said to be the biggest building in the village. You saw the rest of it. I doubt anywhere else would have a gate like this."

Angeal nodded before he jumped down and went to inspect the gate. His light showed a chain with a padlock around the fence, but it was a flimsy one. He verified the Shinra logo on the lock before he jerked on the chain. It was nothing for him to snap it before he pushed the gates open.

When he climbed back up into the cart seat, he was frowning. "Do you know how far the house is from here? Even I can't see through this fog."

Alex suppressed a shiver as she answered, "It shouldn't be far—a few hundred feet at best. I've never seen pictures, though, so keep an eye out."

Alex, Sephiroth, and Genesis fell back so the cart could clear the gate. There wasn't enough room for them to ride beside it. Once it was through, they followed. Alex wasn't sure if she was glad she was correct or not. It was a matter of seconds before the mansion seemed to spring from the fog. The windows were black and looked like voids in the night.

Alex cursed her imagination as everyone dismounted. It wasn't like her to get so worked up. Most of the time, logic ruled, but she had to admit part of it was likely that she was already jumpy. She knew being anywhere near Nibelheim was dangerous. She couldn't remember precisely what could happen, but she did remember fragments of visions where Sephiroth was far from the man she knew now, and it had something to do with Jenova. That was enough for her to be more than wary. She also remembered the Reunion theory that Hojo kept going on about. None of it sounded good.

It was not long before they had the front door open, and the whole crew followed Angeal into the darkness. The inside was just as creepy as the outside had been. The lights did not seem to penetrate far, and what was exposed was all dilapidated and dusty. The whole thing gave Alex the creeps. She had already decided that she would swallow her pride and beg to stay in the same room as her brother. If they even had places to sleep.

They were all shocked when the chandelier overhead suddenly lit up the room. They turned as one to see Genesis had found the switch. He smirked as he said, "Well, at least we know this trip won't be totally wasted. If they kept the power on, then the labs should still be functional."

Alex nodded in agreement. "That's a good point. I was too focused on what was here to even consider we might have had issues without a generator. However, knowing what this place holds, there is probably one around here somewhere in case the local energy goes out."

Angeal turned back to Alex with a frown. "We will need to further explore this place, but not tonight. It's already late. Why don't we see if we can find a few rooms that can be used to sleep in for now and tackle the rest tomorrow? Worst case scenario, we can always bring in our bedrolls as long as we find places we can secure."

Sephiroth nodded in agreement. "Given the layout, I would assume the bedrooms are upstairs." He then turned to Alex, Bugenhagen, and Nanaki as he said, "Please allow us to scout the upper floor before you follow. This place does not seem to have been occupied by anything in a long while, but it is better to be safe."

Alex felt a little nervous about being left behind, but she concealed it as she nodded. She didn't want to worry her brother, but she also didn't want to hurt Nanaki's feelings. Not that she was sure she could, but it was better to be safe. He had proven to be quite the competent warrior while they traveled. She knew she was secure with him, but her unease stemmed from being jumpy and not having the familiar faces of those she cared for. She could get over it.

Thankfully, it did not take the Soldiers long to secure three rooms, all on the right side of the house. Alex had been trying to dredge up as much as she could about the place and had a feeling what they were looking for was in one of those rooms, but she kept it to herself for the moment. There was no point in causing everyone else to be jumpy as well. Plus, she couldn't remember exactly what it was she needed to do. She just hoped that when they found it, whatever it was, that she could remember enough to get into the basement. At least she remembered that was where they would find the entrance to the labs.

It did not take the team long to bring the essentials in and take them upstairs. Thankfully, the rooms had beds that seemed to be intact, but everyone agreed that they would use the bedrolls until the blankets could be inspected. Everything was covered in dust, and the goddess only knew what else. Still, it did not take them long to lay everything out, split into groups, and set a watch. Once that was all settled, it was not long until most of them drifted to sleep.

A/N: We have finally gotten to Nibelheim! I'd say yay, but I don't think that's really appropriate. Now that we are here, things will really start to get interesting. The next couple of chapters, maybe three will be another rollercoaster (just a heads up because I love you guys). Although, I think you will like where it goes. Anyway, thanks for reading, and cheers! Please feel free to let me know what you think, please.

P.S. One more thing. I have a poll on my profile about this story and a couple of alternatives. Not story-wise, but about focus and the possibility of splitting it into a sequel soon. We will be to the relevant point somewhere between 3-4 weeks from now, so if you want to vote, it will need to be soon. Thanks!