I do not own FFVII characters – though I wish I did. lol

I do own my own character – Jalyne and other originals.

Chapter 43 – The Serpent

It rose out of the water causing waves to crash upon the edge where Reno and Jalyne were standing. She looked closely at it and wondered how something like that could get so big. It's scales were dark and slimy with assorted vegetation hanging off of it.

"You have some strange beasts here." Jalyne idly commented staring at the serpent. "I knew that was questionably murky water."

"That's a Midgarsorm, yo." Reno answered quirking a brow. "Questionably murky water, yo?"

"Sorry, but that is not normal water, even for a swamp." She stated seriously with barely a hint of amusement. "That's unlike any snake I have seen."

He flashed her a grin. "Watch out for the tail. When it raises, it will cast Beta. That spell has the ability to kill you or put you unconscious for a very, very long time, yo."

She met his gaze then with an exasperated look. "You know, Reno, I really thought this would go a little better than this. All I wanted was to get you out of there so I could rest and spend tomorrow relaxing and enjoying my special day."

"Special day?" he questioned.

"It is Yuletide and…" Jalyne looked away.

"I know it is Yuletide, you've mentioned it, though I don't know what that is. And what, yo?" Reno pushed lightly, eyeing the serpent which was swaying back and forth.

"Yuletide marks the beginning of Light's return. It is the longest night." she paused looking at the large snakelike worm. "It also marks the beginning of another year for me."

He turned to her aghast and stared at her. "It's your birthday?" he questioned not taking his eyes off of her and she shrugged. Reno leaned down closer to her and whispered sultrily. "We are going to have a very long talk, yo."

At least Jalyne blushed at the statement and innuendo associated with it. It made her giddy just thinking of it and she realized then the effect Reno had on her. "We have a slight problem to take care of first. Plan?"

"Kill it." He shrugged tapping his rod. "It won't let us go, even if we could get around it, yo."

"Fine. I'll take the high ground." Jalyne asserted and lifted into the air, unhooking her swords. "Tseng?"

I hate Midgarsorms. He commented. We'll attack it from this position. Elena, do the honors, please.

It lashed out at Reno, sweeping downward with its fangs. He rolled out of the way as he heard the choppers' guns start to fire. He was really starting to feel his wounds and tiring out, even with Jalyne's healing. He agreed with her, rest and relaxation was needed for a day or two.

Reno looked skyward observing his beloved attacking high in the sky around the beast's head. Her blades were drawn and glinted in the early morning sunlight. He paused taking a breath and watched her from below.

Jalyne zipped around the mutated serpent and finally gained enough momentum to dive towards it. It opened it's mouth catching one sword in it's mouth. She twisted in the air trying to wrench its neck and swung hard with the other sword, watching it bounce off of its hard hide. Jalyne flew and hovered away from it.

"What's it's weakness?" she yelled down to Reno.

"Nothing, yo!" he shouted back.

"Oh that's just great." She muttered.

You have to use physical attacks. Tseng stated. Elemental magic usually doesn't work.

"You are not giving me much hope, Sir."

Reno stood and dipped his rod into the water and charged it with an electrical burst hoping to cause some sort of damage to it. The Midgarsorm reared backward taken off guard with the attack and lunged for him, causing him to speed away.

Jalyne pulled her staff and extended it, attaching the blades. She swung with full force at it head as the electricity coursed through its body. It hissed in pain and she drifted higher. She angled toward the chopper to see if she could indeed outrun it, though it would be tougher carrying Reno.

As she zipped past it to test the theory, it's tail raised up and snatched her legs, whipping and throwing her downwards towards Reno. As it let go of her legs, Jalyne backflipped twice and used wind to break her momentum, coming to hover just above her partner.

"Well," she stated calmly. "That didn't work."

"Told ya you can't out maneuver it, yo." He smirked.

She stared at him slyly. "One day, that smirk may just backfire on you." Jalyne ominously stated. His smirk grew wider and she heard Rude chuckle in her earpiece of which she turned sharply to the chopper.

Jalyne lifted into the air again with her staff raised and proceeded to attack while Reno dodged and attacked on the ground. He picked up the discarded guns and opened fire on the Midgarsorm hoping to bring an end to its' life. He had numerous things he wanted to do and involved getting out of this area.

The chopper door swung wide allowing Rude to appear with a laucher of some sort that Jalyne had never seen before. The silent partner aimed carefully, balancing the weight of the munitions against the wind that was whipping around and he unleashed the rocket.

The blast took Jalyne off guard and she tumbled backwards. As she righted herself, she flashed a grin at Rude who raised a thumb in her direction. She heard the sigh from Tseng and smiled wider at the chopper.

The tail whipped upwards smaching into Jalyne and sending her to the ground in a heap. Reno was by her side instantly.

"Are you okay, yo?" he whispered helping her up as he noticed her eyes darken.

"I'm fine." She stated back. "Just starting to get tired and frustrated."

She flew upwards for a third time determined to take out this beast. She attacked high dodging bullets from the helicopter while Reno continued to dodge and weave on the ground. Its' tail came down hard causing the ground to shake and took him off of his feet and head first into a rock pond, knocking his dizzy. The Midgarsorm lunged for him, jaws open wide to gouge him.

"Reno!" Jalyne screamed pushing her speed to the maximum. She barely reached him, grabbing his wrist, pulling him to her, and tumbling on the ground, out of the way of the strike. They landed hard behind a boulder with him on top and as he raised his head to her, his smirk returned.

"Again, we are in a suggestive and questionable position, yo." He stated sliding his hand under her ass.

Jalyne's eyes widened and suddenly she laughed. "You are always like this, aren't you?"

"Yep." Reno replied pulling her up. His wounds had started bleeding and Jalyne looked closer at them placing a hand over his ribs as he winced.

"We need to end this." She whispered as she disassembled her staff, hooking one sword to her belt and peering around the boulder at the snake.

"It's slowing down some, yo." He stated pointing at it. "We're doing some damage."

"Well then it's time to continue on." Jalyne commented lifting into the air as a distraction.

She attacked as swiftly as she could, trying to keep it busy as Reno tried shocking it with the water and Elena barraged it full of bullets. Rude discharged two or three more rockets from the launcher causing the beast to fall to the water.

Did we kill it? Elena questioned.

Reno turned to the entrance of the mines as Jalyne did the same, looking for any movement from the terrorist's group.

"I don't think so." Jalyne stated.

The shriek filled the area as the serpent rose from the water and hissed at the two of them. It swayed back and forth and dove for Reno who moved out of the way slowly. As it righted itself, the scales rippled and flexed, spraying water everywhere. Its tail reared upward, rattling dangerously and the Midgarsorm unleashed Beta right towards her partner.

"Oh, shit." Reno stated trying to move away from impending doom.

She screamed, the sound echoing around her and rushed to intercept the attack. Jalyne pushed Reno out of the way and behind her as Beta landed, raising her arms in defense.

"Jalyne!" he watched the power engulf her.

The attack subsided slowly, the orange glow fading and Reno saw Jalyne suspended in the air with her arms outstretched. As the landscape cleared she fell to one knee and Reno saw her breathing heavy. He rushed to her side as the Midgarsorm reared upward again.

"Jalyne?" he whispered. "Are you okay, yo?"

She turned her head towards him and slowly opened her eyes to him covered in the dark blue haze of Midnight's Kiss and spoke seriously. "It is time to end this." Her accent as heavy as her breathing. "I cannot contain it now and nor will I. Not this time." Jalyne slid her left hand to his right and as her abilities started to return to normal, she looked and grinned at him. "It is time for you to take part, Baelo."

Reno stared at her. "Oh, I'm going to take part, yo." He cockily smirked at her.

"Reno?" she questioned lightly grabbing his wrist and hand tighter, allowing her power to flow to him.

He returned the gesture as he didn't need to question what would happen for they were in sync and he could ascertain her intentions and thoughts. He grinned wider and shifted his legs underneath him in preparation for the jump. "Yes, Beloved?"

"Wipe that smirk off your face!" she chuckled and launched him into the air.

The flame-haired Turk rose into the air with speed, crossing his mag rod to his chest and igniting it. Reno spun in the air and with a downward slash, unleashed the electricity and shocked the Midgarsorm in place.

Jalyne called the nebulous clouds further trapping the serpent in place along with Reno's electroburst. She leapt into the air just in front of him as the clouds rose from the surface and arched over and behind him with a back layout flip.

As she dipped below him, Reno turned, extending his hand to her of which she grabbed with her right hand to stop the momentum. He lifted her easily, aided by her abilities and the power she gave to him. Jalyne turned in the air to face the beast and extended her arms outward.

She concentrated, bringing the twinkling clouds and air upwards along with the monster. It writhed and struggled against her bonds but she would not let go. Jalyne moved around the beast creating trails of light and dark, similar to a dance. She came behind Reno as he lifted his mag rod to his right shoulder.

Jalyne slid her right hand to his wound and moved her leg to rest on his hip as she curled behind him. He looked at her questionably as she leaned into him from the left. Her left hand rested on his wrist lightly and her eyes bore a look, he quite couldn't place.

"Take it back, beloved." He whispered. "The Gate spell. We don't need it, yo."

Her right hand tightened on his ribs for a moment. "Sure we do." She breathed and flexed her shoulders lightly like something coursed through her. Her aura flared at her left hand encompassing his as he glanced at it and then back to her. "Remember the button I told you to be careful with?"

"Of course, yo." He grinned suddenly at her. "Why?"

"Because I believe it is time to find out what it can do for you." Her eyes shifted in power and her fingers lightly rubbed his wrist and hand, teasing him a little as the deviousness crossed her features. She leaned in closer to his face, studying his eyes.

He gazed, never taking his eyes off of her and for a heartbeat Reno detected the love she held for him, shining through her eyes. He knew then, all she wanted was to protect him, shield him, and never let him go. Part of him wanted to ignore the love she held for him, believing it was not possible; but in truth he felt her thoughts and emotions coming through the bond they shared within that heartbeat and he decided to stop fighting against it, but to allow it to flow through him.

"Look at that." Elena stated as the chopper hovered. "What's happening?"

Tseng glanced out the window at the pair hovering within the dark clouds as a light sprang forth. It was a iridescent red and blue that encircled them.

"It begins." Rude commented, noting the pair in the sky. "Stronger together."

They all saw the red that sprang from Reno to mix lightly with Jalyne's darker blue aura creating a purplish color where they touched.

"It's about time."

"Ready?" she asked him, the corner of her lip sneaking upward.

"Whenever you are, yo." Reno grinned back. "I've been ready to call it a day."

He pushed the button at the bottom of his gift as both of them swept their arms outward. The energy from the rod blasted through the Midgarsorm and opened a Gate behind it while Jalyne's rebounded Beta to it, pushing it through the Gate into the nothingness and snapping it closed.

Jalyne coasted both of them to the ground allowing her power to dissipate and the clouds to return to normal within the sky. "Tseng?" she called upward, glancing at the chopper.

We're coming, Jalyne.

"Time to go." She stated looking at Reno, placing a hand on his bare chest. "Can you make it?"

"Heh." Reno shrugged as she gave him a spark. "Of course I will, yo. But you're coming with me." He stated grabbing the hand that was on his chest.

Gunshots erupted behind them as the duo momentarily forgot the reason they were in the swamplands. They both dove behind a boulder for cover, each breathing hard and exhausted. Reno looked upward as Elena guided the chopper closer. Rude opened the side door to drop the ladder.

"Time for you to go. I'll follow behind." Jalyne whispered and without hesitation launched Reno towards the chopper.

Rude reached his arm outward as Jalyne's power wrapped around Reno, guiding him to it. Reno climbed into the chopper and kneeled on the metal grating exhausted. The injured Turk spun around towards the open door, grabbing the holds to steady him as the wind whipped around.

She crouched low and prepared to jump as Reno held his hand outward. Jalyne launched into the air only to feel something slide through her abdomen and hook onto her, pulling her backwards. "Ahh!" she screamed as the look of horror crossed his features. "Reno!" she yelled outstretching her arm to him.

Jalyne landed on the grass, sliding backwards creating a trench and she stared wide eyed at the blade protruding underneath her left ribcage as she heard the chain rustle behind her. She encircled it with her hand and dissolved the metal letting the chain drop to the ground.

"Jalyne!" Reno screamed, stepping onto the choppers rail. Rude grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back, tying a harness around the rash Turks waist to keep him grounded.

"You can't fly." The silent man retorted.

"Come quietly." Jalyne heard the blond standing on the cliff yell down to her. "And we'll let the Turks go."

The princess struggled to get to her knees, blood pooling underneath her from the wound and she was breathing hard. The mercenaries circled her, each with weapons drawn.

"Go." Jalyne whispered into the coms.

No. she heard Reno's reply and glanced at the chopper to see him wearing a headset. We're not leaving you, Jalyne.

She smiled and bowed her head, letting her hair fall forward to hide her movements. "I can't guarantee your safety in what happens next."

What do you mean? Tseng questioned.

A shot rang outward from the nervous soldier in front of her, bouncing off the shield she was casting. Jalyne unhooked her staff, extending it. "I feel…different." She whispered bringing attachment end into her view.

Shots rang all around her in an attempt to break the shield and she lifted up onto one leg, reaching behind her for her swords. Jalyne attached them in a different configuration and they now extended sideways. With all the noise of the ricocheting bullets she missed the voice in her earpiece.

Elena.

Yes, Sir.

Elena opened fire as the chopper circled around, picking off as many as she could without coming too close to her partner.

Mud, gravel and grass filled the air around Jalyne from the onslaught and she raised to stand, her breathing coming out harsh as blood started to filter into her punctured lung. Her healing started to activate but not fast enough as exhausted as she was.

"Stop firing!" came the command from the cliff.

Elena pointed the guns at Reina and opened fire trying to catch the extortionist, but she ducked behind the rocky cliff out of view.

The dust settled to show Jalyne standing straight, holding her staff loosely at arms length near her thighs. The white-haired Turk began to bring down the shield. Her staff now looked like a doubled ended scythe and she began to spin it, the blue crystal in the center glowing a white light.

"Jalyne – Don't!" Reno screamed. He felt a hand on his shoulder and snapped his head to the right.

"Watch."

Jalyne turned to address Reina as she stepped back out onto the cliff. "You honestly think you can manipulate or contain my power?" Jalyne yelled at her.

"Raphael can." Reina snidely shot back. "He'll break you."

To that, Jalyne scoffed. "There is only one that will break me, and he is not it!"

"Subdue her!"

The guns went off missing Jalyne as the wind from the chopper altered their course and she deflected the ones she could with her staff. Jalyne sprang into action, taking the nearest guardsmen, swinging her staff. The light trailed down the shaft and up her arms as she maneuvered around them. Just a little more. Jalyne thought. A bullet clipped her leg and she faltered to one knee, the white light coalescing to the center of the blades in an circle.

Tseng.

Yes, Sir.

Jalyne barely heard Tseng in her coms and idly noticed that the chopper backed away. She lifted into the air to the surprise of the mercenaries who ceased fire to watch the spectacle. Jalyne launched her staff in front of her and extended her arms outward with the ball of white energy growing bigger and bigger as the staff twirled with incalculable speed. Jalyne vaguely heard anything as the power consumed her and she became lost in the lighted orb that was growing in front of her.

"What the hell, yo?" Reno questioned glancing backwards in the chopper as it coasted further away.

"Nova." Elena explained. "It's her Limit Break. Jalyne told me about this." The Turks watched on as the light flooded around Jalyne, blocking their view of her.

She grabbed the staff and dove downwards, slamming it into the ground, embedding it within the earth. The white light waved outward in a shockwave with a resounding crack and boom, taking everything or everyone down with it.

"Holy shit." Reno commented as the shockwave rocked the helicopter.

The light stopped for a brief second and in a rush, retracted to be absorbed by Jalyne. She turned and looked at the chopper as Tseng guided it closer. She crouched down, ready to leap towards her family when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Now!" came the command from Reina. "Grab her, love!"

The rope came around her throat swiftly and weakened, Jalyne tried to get a hand under it to relieve the pressure. Victor pulled tighter and she stared at the flame of her heart as his expression turned to dismay. She thought she caught a flash of white.

"Circle around."

Tseng swung wide carrying the helicopter towards the right of where the two struggling people were vying for dominance.

"You will come with us." Victor stated deadly in her ear and tugging the rope tighter. "Even if I have to carry your dead carcass with me."

"I believe…" Jalyne struggled to say with the light fading from her eyes. "that it defeats the purpose."

The shot rang out, a familiar sound to Jalyne's ears as she glanced at the chopper again. She saw the blond hair and white dressed silhouette of the President, shotgun raised and a smirk on his face. She felt the rope slacken and the body thump on the ground behind her.

"I will protect you." The President stated smugly. "I promised."

Jalyne was exhausted, but bent down to make the jump. She screamed as she leapt into the air, hand outstretched. "Reno!"

He leaned forward, Rude bracing Reno by holding the tethered cable and Rufus stepping back. Reno leaned down as Jalyne shot forward, arm outstretched to catch her. They clasped hands – she was safe now. Jalyne hung there, hand within his when she felt the light fade. She started slipping from his grasp.

"Jalyne!." Reno screamed. "Don't let go, yo!"

She shook her head to clear the fog. "Help me." She whispered and tightened the grip, swinging dangerously from the helicopter as Tseng steadied it.

Reno pulled with all of his strength with Rude behind him to help. Rufus leaned down as she swung her left arm upwards, grabbing her forearm and pulling her up as her legs struggled to grip the foot rail. They heaved her upward and Jalyne landed on top of Reno with a hump as Rude rushed to shut the side door.

She looked into Reno's eyes and threaded her left hand to his wound on his right side, her aura and healing springing to life. She was breathing hard at first and after a few minutes, it settled down as Tseng and Elena swung the chopper around, heading to Midgar.

Thump thump-Thump thump.

Reno felt her increased heartbeat on his chest. "Jalyne?" he whispered looking at her. Her eyes didn't register him and she slowly closed them and opened them again, staring blankly at him.

Thump thump-Thump thump. Thump thump-Thump thump.

Jalyne took a shuddering breath, staring at him, then flickered her eyes to Rufus and came back to stare at Reno. "You are safe." She whispered.

"I am." Reno felt something he's never felt before as he gazed at her affectionately. Her green orbs took a distant look and her breathing slowed more as the light faded.

"I'm tired."

Thump-thump-thump.

Thump-thump-thump.

He watched as her chest slowed it's rhythm and she calmed as she stared at him. "Myak Lovtka." She clenched her fingers lightly at his wound, her healing slowly closing it.

Thump-Thump.

She exhaled a breath, staring at Reno and his turquoise eyes and allowed the light to fade further. He was safe. That was all that mattered.

Reno cradled her tighter, stroking her hair. He could feel her power warming him and glanced down at her hand. The blue aura filled him but it was tinged purple around the edges. She took a deep breath and he looked back into her distant eyes.

Thump.

Reno pulled her tighter as he showed the emotions he never dared to before. The tears flowed down his cheeks as breathed deeply, containing the rage, guilt and sorrow he now felt. As he blinked his eyes and leaned his head backwards, he realized he wanted no one else but her.

He could no longer feel her heartbeat.