Angel Trapped On Earth

Chapter Nineteen

.+. Kidnapped .+.

Sephiroth stared blankly at the vast garden that lay in view before him. Colorful flowers of violet, white, red, and pink blanketed the lush, green grass. It was one of the many rooms he had discovered during his stay at the ShinRa headquarters' building. Instead of seeing the beautiful scenery, he saw images of a young woman with hair of silky copper. He vaguely remembered that Tseng had called for a meeting.

He had been acting like a jerk for the past two weeks, and he knew it. He was doing her a favor by keeping her away from him. Or so he thought. The nagging feeling that penetrated his feelings told him otherwise. The pure sadness in her eyes the night he turned her away could not be forgotten, but how could he soothe her when his pain was also great? He was like the devil wanting liberation from an angel, and in that alone was pure sin. Yet, the nagging feeling told him otherwise.

He heard someone opening the entrance door to the garden, and he glanced at the entryway. His heart almost stopped when he saw Tifa looking around, her eyes finally capturing his. Why was she still here? He thought that Tseng had already sent Tifa back to an isolated manor in the mountains, and after a lot of protests from Tifa, she finally gave in. But she was here, and she was approaching him with reluctant eyes. He turned away from her, wanting to ignore her and ignore the burning sensation that was tugging at his heartstrings.

"I've come to say goodbye." She said softly. He said nothing.

"Tseng wanted to know why you didn't go to the meeting. They're planning to attack Hojo's laboratory base tomorrow in Wutai." She continued. Still no answer.

"They need you." She said with a weary sigh. But she still received no answer.

"I can't go on any of the missions. Tseng said it's too risky. He's sending me into the mountains in a far off continent." She told him. She knew he was listening even though he had not even spared a glance toward her.

She sighed heavily and walked away, finally exiting the room and out of his life. He let out a low growl and tried to ignore the feelings of hurt, disappointment, and guilt.

.+.+.

"Are you sure you'll be safe alone?" Yuffie asked, concern clouding in her eyes.

Tifa smiled at Yuffie affectionately and nodded. Her thoughts were barely focused on the words that seemed to endlessly trail out of Yuffie's mouth because it seemed to linger and swim in thoughts of Sephiroth. He was all she thought about now that she had accepted her love for him. Her heart ached, and she felt compelled to put her hand upon her chest to calm the pain.

"Are you alright?" Yuffie asked, frowning. Something was terribly wrong with her friend, "You look ill."

"I'm alright, Yuffie. I've got to leave right now. I'll miss you and good luck with Vincent." Tifa replied, hugging her friend.

"You'll come to our wedding right?" Yuffie asked, still worried. Tifa laughed and nodded.

"We'll visit you once you move back to Nibelhiem. I can't believe you can't go back there until this is all resolved! Who knows when that will be!" Yuffie cried out.

"I'll be alright, really." Tifa said and added a lighthearted laugh to reassure her dear friend.

"You're stopping by an inn first right? Please promise me, you'll protect yourself the best you can Tifa!"

"Yuffie," Tifa chided teasingly, "You know I can kick butt."

After what seemed to be countless numbers of hugs and farewells, Tifa was well on her way onto a small traveling plane, just invented for far-off continents. She had hoped to see Sephiroth for her departure, but he had stayed away. Tifa felt the confusion and hurt clawing at her eyes and threatened to spill tears. She was alone again.

Just accept your fate, Tif'. You're meant to be a spinster.

.+.+.

Sephiroth took another swig at the whiskey bottle he held in his hands. His vision was starting to blur, and his memory was fading. This was what he wanted. He wanted to forget the way Tifa smiled at him, the way she made him feel whenever she was close. Tseng's plan had to be postponed due to unexpected things. Ling-Nhi had somehow escaped. He looked at the whiskey bottle in his hands curiously, pleading it to erase the memories of Tifa with his hooded green eyes.

He had never been a drinker, but he found the recklessness of the forbidden liquid satisfying if not repulsive at the same time. He grunted and smiled ruefully. Tifa was out of his life now. Shouldn't he be relieved and overjoyed? No. He was feeling angry at the twisted way fate had played him, and at the feelings he could never accept. Tifa deserved someone better than that. She deserved an angel to protect and guide her.

As he took another generous gulp from the bottle, he stated in his mind firmly that he was no angel.

.+.+.

Tifa looked around the inn. Something was not quite right. No one seemed to be in here. Not even the innkeeper. She had barely took two steps around the room when a strange, yet hypnotic smell reached her nostrils. Suddenly, she felt drowsy and she felt as if her head was a heavy burden on her shoulders. She dropped to the floor within seconds, trying to fight the darkness that threatened to overcome her.

Darkness won and she was thrust into oblivion.

A few moments later, a burly man stepped into the room, panting. A dizzying sensation swept over him, and he had to steady himself by placing a palm on a nearby table. He looked around and his years training with ShinRa told him that sleeping gas had been used. Panic gripped his throat tightly. Miss Lockheart was in danger.

"Miss Lockheart!" He shouted, his eyes sweeping over the empty room.

It did not take long for it to register in his mind that the lovely Tifa Lockheart had been kidnapped.

.+.+.

"She WHAT?!" Tseng exclaimed, slamming a fist down on his table.

Everyone was tense in the room, especially Yuffie. Her face was no longer innocent and cheerful. Her lips were set in a grim line, and her eyes were filled with fury. Kidnapped? She just barely left! Everyone's eyes impatiently snapped to the new figure that just entered the room. It was Sephiroth, and he was still slightly drunk.

"What the hell is it?" He snapped, trying to shake his head of the throbbing sensation inside his head.

"Tifa has been kidnapped." Yuffie replied coldly, her voice rivaling his. Vincent's face seemed impassive, and if it wasn't for the rage that was shown in his blood-red eyes, they would've thought he could cared less.

Sephiroth's heart slammed and almost halted inside his chest. His head was suddenly clear and quickly replaced by thick waves of anger. And fear. He had known fear when he found that she wasn't locked inside his room on the Highwind, but this was a fear unlike no other. He had no idea where she was, and how to get to her. How could he have been such a jerk, such an idiot, such a fool? While he was reprimanding himself, Yuffie gave him an incredulous look.

"You don't even care." She spat out and turned to Tseng, "What should we do?"

Tseng looked at Yuffie wearily and sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping as if bricks were shoved upon them. "I don't know, Yuffie. I don't know. Hojo's activities have seemed to disappear altogether from Wutai. We have no trace of him, he's completely disappeared."

Yuffie cried out in frustration, as did Barret. "Can't yeh do anything! Tifa's out there in god-knows-what danger!" He cried, waving his arms frantically in the air. It was his trademark.

"Please, Barret. Stay calm." Tseng soothed. Barret showed Tseng what a bunch of bull crap he thought that was by snorting his disbelief.

"Fuck! Can't you do anything!? She's in danger. We gotta put everything off until we find her." Cid exclaimed. Yuffie didn't notice his cursing. She wanted to curse herself.

Putting a weary hand over his sleepy eyelids, he replied, "We can't, Cid. We don't even have the slightest clue as to where she is or where Hojo is. As for Cloud, we don't even have a crumb of info. We can't just go poking in the dark."

Several voices spoke out in alarm, eager to voice their opinions and ideas. Sephiroth felt as if he was drowning. The noise was becoming too much for him, and he growled menacingly. They quieted quickly, suddenly feeling his power, and looked at him strangely.

"I will go find her." He growled.

Yuffie gave him a disgusted glare, but hope stirred within the depths of her heart. Deep inside, she was still convinced that Sephiroth was the key to Tifa's happiness. It was clear that he had broken her heart from the way Tifa was acting before her departure. Her mind held a raging battle against whether she should trust Sephiroth or continue hating him. She chose to hate him.

"I don't see how her well being is any of your business." Yuffie spat, and as much as he hated to admit it, there was a bit of truth in what she said. "I also don't believe you."

"Believe it." He replied.

.+.+.

Tifa yelped in pain as a guard slammed her into a dungeon. Its rotten smell made her want to vomit, and she tried to blink back tears of frustration. She didn't have a fighting weapon with her and didn't have a clue where she was. She stared out at a high window and noticed that it was night. Streams of moonlight were pouring in, and she tried to keep her sobs down.

She felt more alone than she ever did before, and she pulled her arms around her for comfort and warmth. She felt hungry, sleepy, and frightened. Had Cloud ordered to kidnap her? It must've been, and as images inside her head took bad turns, she felt panic rising in her heart. Sleep finally claimed over her right just before she thought of a silver-haired man.

Who as of now, was trying to rescue her.

Author's Note : Hope you liked this chapter. I'm very tempted to write another story…but I don't want to leave this one behind. I'm taking a deeper interest in A Crimson Rose now. I wanted to write a better Sephiroth x Tifa, but I won't leave this one behind so don't worry. ^_^ Keep reviewing, and I won't get discouraged! (That sounds like a threat…lol…gomen) This story is becoming more crappy by the day. LOL

Disclaimer : *sweatdrops* err--right lol