Angel Trapped On Earth

Chapter Five

. + . Insufferable Men .+.

~*~ Quick Author's note : Quite sorry everyone for delaying this chapter, but just wanted to make a quick comment. I really appreciate all of you reading my story, and I'm really happy at all the comments I've received so far. I also appologize for not being able to update as often as I like, but I'll try to put up new chapters more often! Arigatou minna-san! Until next time! ~*~ --]] (( Shinju-chan aka Wendy ))

The first streaks of morning light descended through Tifa's window and drops of warmth carressed Tifa's face. She opened her eyes, feeling weak, and she ached all over. She suddenly went rigid as she realized that she was in the arms of someone. Images flashed through her mind as she recollected yesterday's events. She let out a shuddered breath and looked up to see a sleeping Sephiroth. She couldn't help but blush when she noticed how beautiful he looked when he was peacefully at rest. His features never ceased to amaze her.

She gently detangled her limbs from his, and made for the door. She could do it. Just little silent steps, a twist of the knob and she could make her escape. She tiptoed towards the door, and just when she was about to grasp the doorknob, he let out a groggy murmur. She continued to open the door. It was good as done.

"Going somewhere?" A sleepy voice drawled.

Tifa froze in her tracks. Damn. She turned around slowly and plastered a fake bright smile on her face despite the horrible things that she had experienced last night. She was too confused and she didn't want to confront her thoughts right now. Most of all, she was too frightened.

"Good morning!" She exclaimed sounding sickly sweet.

Sephiroth eyed her cautiously then yawned. He crossed his hands behind his head, and Tifa couldn't help but notice how his arms muscles seemed to have rippled. Actually, anything upon his body never left un-noticed by her. Was it her fault that he was heavenly? She blinked twice. Then three times. The thoughts never left her and left her cheeks guiltily crimson. Then she tried to snap herself back to reality. Had he just said something? It looked like he had.

"I believe I was speaking?" Sephiroth said irritatingly.

Tifa blinked rapidly unable to concentrate on anything else except for the way his heavy-lidded gaze was doing odd things to her.

"Oh yes. I was." Tifa said.

"Do you remember anything from last night?" Sephiroth asked. Was she crazy or did she just hear a hint of concern in the tone of his voice?

"…Cloud.." Tifa muttered, not wanting to approach the subject. She wasn't ready yet. Sephiroth sensed this.

"Your friends are waiting at the inn." He simply said.

It didn't even take Tifa a second before she immediately dashed for the bathroom to refresh herself and then dash out to greet her old comrads. She was excited and she knew they would have answers. Sephiroth was left sitting on the floor feeling more irritated then ever. What? No breakfast?

~.+.+.+~

"They're in the upstairs room." The innkeeper said. Tifa made no time to run upstairs.

She bursted into the room the innkeeper had said and beamed at five shocked faces, excluding Vincent's of course. Cid was also there, he was too busy with the highwind to come yesterday for the meeting with Sephiroth. Once he had heard the news, however, a stringful of curses trailed out of his mouth. He got a good whack over the head by Yuffie for that. She had promised Shera that and it had become her most important duty.

"TIFA!!!! IT'S FUCKING GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE! WHERE'S THE DAMN BASTARD OF A BITCH?" Cid exclaimed noisily and immediately jumped out of Yuffie's way. Yuffie narrowed her eyes into slits. Vincent had to cough to stiffle a chuckle.

Tifa laughed and felt mirth bubbling up inside her. It had been so long since she was able to see them, and they could always make her laugh and feel giddy.

"By bastard of a bitch, you're referring to me?" A lazy voice drawled.

Tifa whirled around to see Sephiroth leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were narrowed again. Tifa opened her mouth to say something, but found that she couldn't. She turned to face her friends to open her mouth to say something, but also found that she couldn't.

"Stop doing that, you look like a dying fish." Sephiroth said.

Tifa gave him a glare but she knew full well that the others were doing it for him. Sephiroth quirked his lips upwards to a smirk and she instantly knew what her friends wanted to do at that moment. To slap him. She tittered nervously and motioned for all of them to sit down. None of them move, however, and all of them crossed their arms over their chests. She coughed nervously, and tried hard to swallow. Her throat had become amazingly dry.

"Well?" Barret said, waiting for an explaination from Tifa.

"Err..well you see..I ..um….well you see it's like this. It started out that way…and then it….ended that way…and.." Tifa stuttered not quite knowing what she was saying herself.

"What the devil are you talking about?" Cid snapped.

"I can explain." Rufus spoke up. All eyes turned to him.

"You see…Cloud hadn't really suceeded in killing Sephiroth, " Sephiroth coughed at this, "Sephiroth however must've managed to emerge from the lifestream, and unmistakinably, some of his powers must've drained away. I believe Tifa has been helping him. We've been keeping a close eye on his whereabouts." Rufus said.

Tifa's eyes widened, "You knew?"

"We did. We just didn't do anything. We believed that if we waited, his plans would reveal itself to us." Rufus said with a nod.

Tifa couldn't believe her ears. What if she was in danger? They would risk her like this?

"We had close security and well trained fighters camped around, Tifa." Rufus said, sensing her distress.

"To hell with that! Why'dya let Sephiroth be in 'da same roof wit' ya anyways?!!" Barret exclaimed.

"Well…I don't know. It looked like he needed me.." Tifa said, not quite sure herself.

"If you all may stop talking about me as if I'm not here…" Sephiroth interrupted, "But how are we going to solve our problem? In other words, how the hell are we going to kill Cloud?"

"Who said anything about killing him?" Tifa suddenly burst out, unaware of herself. Sephiroth flahsed her an angry look.

"He TRIED to KILL you!" Sephiroth roared furiously.

Her friends just merely stood there because they all sided with Sephiroth on this one.

"Look. This is too strange. We don't know all the details yet. Former enemies have become allies, and allies have become enemies. Let's all go back to the ShinRa headquarters. I'm sure Tseng as some information for us." Yuffie said, softly, ending the glare contest between Tifa and Sephiroth.

"We are going to send a troop of solidiers to what is supposedly to be Hojo's laboratory soon. Some of us must go." Rufus said.

"I'll go." Sephiroth growled. He would love to get his hands on Hojo.

"I'll go." Barret also said determinedly.

"….I shall go." Vincent said stiffly. Yuffie looked at him then also said she would go.

"No. You stay with Tifa.." Vincent said to her. Yuffie looked disappointed, but nodded in the end. Tifa was surprised, she had never seen Yuffie, the spunky girl, ever yield to anyone like that.

"I'll also go! Time to get some action!" Cid said, jabbing his fist in the air.

"I will go too." Tifa said haugtily.

"The hell you won't!" Sephiroth said, his eyes flashing with pure rage.

"And who the hell are you to say what I can or can not do?!" Tifa spat back.

"I'm not letting you put your life in danger!" Sephiroth said through gritted teeth.

Tifa turned to Barret with an exasperated look. Barret put his hands in the air in a defeated way, and shook his head.

"Sorry Tif, but Imma side with him on dis' one, " Barret said, looking ashamed, "Can't believe the day when me and Sephiroth would be on da' same side." He muttered.

Tifa huffed a frustrated sigh and turned to Cid for help with pleading eyes. He looked away relunctantly.

"Oh no! Not you too!!" Tifa cried out.

Nanaki hid behind a nearby curtain in order to avoid a yelling from Tifa. Tifa had no choice but to turn to Vincent then decided to forget about it since he just gave her a passive look.

"Rufus! This isn't fair! Why can't I come along? I am just as good as these men!" She cried out, not believing her ears as she detected a whine.

"I'm sorry, Tifa. It is for your best interest that you stay with Yuffie at the headquarters. It'll be better that way." Rufus said resolutely, then he continued, "We shall all board the highwind today at noon. We'll leave as soon as possible, and pack as little as you can."

All of them started to scatter around the room, getting prepared, leaving Tifa there looking exasperated. She then turned around to face a smug looking Sephiroth.

"You!" She hissed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Me?" He mouthed, blinking.

"INSUFFERABLE! ALL OF YOU!…..SEXIIIIST!" She shrieked then stormed out of the room.

Yuffie scurried after her, leaving a chuckling Sephiroth still leaning against the door frame. The men turned to look at him. They clearly still didn't trust him, and he didn't blame them. He didn't even care. He raised an eyebrow at them, daring them to speak to him. No one said a word, except for Rufus.

"You better start preparing too." Rufus said, waving his hand in the air dismissively.

"The clothes and the sword on me are all I have." Sephiroth said emotionlessly.

"Oh." Rufus said, not really knowing what to say, then turned back to his suitcase.

"Rufus. Something's bad has happened. Hasn't it?" Sephiroth asked.

He glanced up at Sephiroth and averted his eyes to his clothing again.

"I can't talk about it." He said quietly.

"Damn it! That's all yeh've been saying! What the hell is going on?!" Barret said waving his arms frantically in the air.

"We'll talk later. At the headquarters….I promise you'll have all the information you need." Rufus said. That was that.

~.+.+.+~

Secret Underground laboratory of Junon

"What they have feared shall come to pass. Finally, all will be mine!" Hojo said with a little cackle.

Cloud cleared his throat and glared at Hojo, "Ours." He stated.

Hojo waved his hand in the air and nodded, "Yes yes. Ours."

But neither of them believed so. Both of them were already planning the demise of one another, and there were no better patners in the world then that of two untrustful ones. Hojo then began pacing back and forth.

"You're sure Sephiroth is still alive?" He asked, his voice anxious.

"Yes. I saw him with my own eyes." Cloud replied.

'Good…good. You shall be in my possesion again, my precious,' Hojo thought with malicious glee. Nothing excited him more than a good speciman. Sephiroth just happened to be his best one.

~.+.+.~

Author's Note : Sorry this story has been kind of moving slow, eh? Yeah well oOOh Cloud and Hojo working together! What's the world come to? Well you'll find out more of their motives soon. How did Hojo come to be alive? Find out in later chapters! Until next time! Ja-ne!

Disclaimer : FFVII isn't mine…lolz yup that's why I'm on fanfiction.net! ^_^