Disclaimer: 3 Libras is copyright A perfect circle. I could neverevereverEVER write something THAT pretty. And yes...you guessed it, FF7 is not my creation. *Sigh*

                                                                Chapter 9- You don't see me

I threw you the obvious,

 And you flew with it on your back

 A name in your recollection, down among a million same.

Difficult not to feel a little bit disappointed and passed over

When I look right through, see you naked but oblivious and you don't see me.

She stood stock-still, trying to force the fine trembling that was running through her body to stop.  She wasn't going to let this show. Not in front of anyone. If she was going to breakdown at all it'd be on her own time. Finally convinced she was back in control she called out to him.

"Have you finished?" She noticed her voice didn't waver and felt a certain amount of satisfaction.

He stood up and re-sheathed his sword. "Let's go."

They walked in an awkward silence. It was starting to stifle Tifa but she'd be damned if she was going to be the one to break it. She pulled ahead of him, the feel of him so close was intensifying the heavy feeling in her chest.

He increased his pace to match hers until they were side by side again. "As you have just demonstrated it is not a good idea for you to walk on your own." She felt like punching him. What was his problem? If the positions were reversed he wouldn't want to be anywhere near her. So why was he completely disregarding the pain she was in? Instead she gritted her teeth.

"Go away." When under threat of tears blinding rage was always an acceptable substitute.

She stepped ahead of him as he reached out and caught her wrist. On instinct she brought her arm up and around, throwing his hand away. "Don't."

 "Tifa I know you're upset-"  he began gently.

"I don't want to hear it. I'm sorry. It was a mistake, I won't do it again. I thought-" she shook her head. "I don't know what I thought. Can we please just get out of here?"

 He paused, at a loss for words. There were so many things he wanted to say...

Finally he just nodded.

                                                                                ~

They stepped out of the cavern having reached the exit at last. As Tifa had predicted it was almost full dark and the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, making seeing almost impossible. The cold air hit her in an icy blast.

"Be careful, there's a precipice to your right."

"I see it. There appears to be a thicket of trees over to our left."

How the hell could he see? Oh right, advantages of being a super SOLDIER. She answered her own question.

"We can sleep there then." She followed him to the trees, keeping an eye out for any unpleasant surprises. He stopped inside a circle of trees growing close together.

"This should provide adequate protection." Sephiroth slid to the ground with unnatural grace.

She slumped down against the nearest tree, dropping her pack beside her as she wrapped her arms around herself in order to retain what little warmth she had. Noticing her reaction he reached up and broke a thick branch off the tree above him with ease. He snapped the wood into smaller pieces before adding a handful of leaves to the pile of wood. Extending his hand he concentrated, a green glow emanating from him as he set the wood on fire. This done he leant back, satisfied.

"I will take the first watch."

"No. I don't trust you to wake me up for the second. Go to sleep." He scowled. Again with the orders! Right now didn't seem to be a good time to cross her however. He shut his eyes.

Tifa watched him, noting as his breath slowed, signalling that he was fast asleep. She stood up and moved a little away from the fire, out of the circle of trees. Looking up she glimpsed the stars, glinting like icy diamonds in the night's sky.  They were beautiful. They always were, so beautiful and yet so...distant. The sight of them always pushed her a little out of control.  Tears slowly started to roll down her face as she let the events of the last few hours sink in.

But I threw you the obvious just to see

She'd finally taken a chance and this was the result. 

If there's more behind the eyes of a fallen angel, eyes of a tragedy

She'd started to fall for him, not love him ,no, but it could have easily turned into it. Well best I know now instead of deluding myself with this little fantasy, taking his actions and words to mean what I want them to mean, rather then what they are. I made that mistake once with Cloud.

Though a kiss... that tends to mean something more then friendship, a stubborn voice whispered inside her head.  God, he was such a contradiction! Warming to her, then acting like he was devoid of all goddamn human emotion!

Here I am expecting just a little too much from the wounded.

But no... that wasn't fair. He'd gone through hell and back and I just expected him to forget all about it? How could I have been so stupid?  She sank,cross-legged to the ground, her head in her hands as her tears started to flow freely. Idiot idiot idiot.

Behind her, Sephiroth struggled into consciousness. He'd always been a light sleeper and any change in his surroundings was enough to awake him. Always on alert, even while I sleep. Hojo must have been proud, he thought, humourlessly.

He noticed he was alone, the fire still crackling away merrily.  For a wild moment he thought Tifa had left him here and gone home. But... he didn't think she'd do that. Then, where was she? Where'd she go? Had something happened? No, I'd have woken if we were attacked.  Damnit, why does she continue to go off alone?! She knows it isn't safe! He stood up and clenched his fist, lashing out and hitting the tree behind him in frustration.  Well I'm just going to have to go bring her back, he thought grimly.

He stepped out of the trees and looked around, almost immediately spotting her a little distance away, sitting on the ground facing away from him. He moved towards her soundlessly and as a result Tifa didn't notice him until he was almost on top of her.

He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, turning her around to face him roughly. "What do you think you're..." his words died in his throat as he took in her tear-streaked face.

"Tifa?" he made it a question.

She hurriedly brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. She didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't let anyone seeing her when she was vulnerable. She was too proud to be comforted and she hated pity.

"What. What do you want?!" She stood up to face him.

"I just... I woke up and saw you gone. I thought something had happened." He faltered as she laughed harshly.

"Oh like you'd give a damn! You don't want me here right? You've made that very clear.  "

"No. Do not presume to know me so well that you can predict my actions. You do not. You have no idea."

 She turned away from him in exasperation. "What do you want from me Sephiroth? Your actions say you don't like me and you don't want me. And yet you persist in saving my life, keeping me around. Damn you!" She rounded on him again." You say that I don't know you well enough to predict your actions? You're right, how can I do that when you don't even know yourself well enough to do it? "

He tried to speak and she cut him off. "Shut up, I'm not finished. How do you explain kissing me Sephiroth? And why did you push me away when I did the same?"

He sighed, weary of this, weary of the hurt that rode the night air, but at the same time a little glad to finally be able to get some things off his chest, off his mind. "You accepted me. You accepted that part of me that destroyed your home, and I am grateful for it but at the same time don't you understand? I don't deserve it! I don't deserve the happiness that you bring me." He stopped, his voice cracking.

She could feel herself beginning to cry again and she was too worn out to try and stop. "And me? Do I not deserve the happiness you bring me?"

"I didn't realise you felt that way. You don't.. You haven't known me that long."

"I know what I want." He stared at her in shock, taking in the implications of her words.

 He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She tried to push him away but he held on. Finally she gave in and rested her head on his chest, shedding her tears.

He held her until he felt her sobs receding. "Come on, I think you need some rest." Hesitantly he held out his hand. Surprised she took it, intertwining her fingers with his as they walked back to the campfire.

He stopped as they entered the circle of trees and removed his jacket. "You look cold, sleep with this." She took the jacket and waited for him to sit down ,before sitting down beside him.

"Tifa-"

"Sephiroth, cut the tortured crap. You're taking on Vincent's less admirable traits. I'm sticking around so you're just going to have to deal with being happy. Alright?"

Wordlessly he nodded and she smiled, satisfied as she nestled her body against his, her head once again on his chest as she covered them with his jacket.

His arms cradled her as they drifted off to sleep.

Author's note:

God I just HAD to change this chapter because it made me gag to read it. It's shorter and the more vomit inducing dialogue and thoughts are gone. Yippee. In future when I write crap like that someone PLEASE tell me. I'm in the middle of the next chapter, it'll be up later today or tomorrow.

Now I'd just like to take this time to say… Thank you Yue-Sama(my first reviewer,sniffle), Ice-angel, Chem, Midnight Starz, Dragondreamer ,Ayane, chaos, Rach, Lynx, YamiMarita, Malz, Kris(Yeah yeah I updated in the end) annnd Misaki. Whose fic does NOT suck*Evil eye*. You all rock. So much. So very very much.

Yes so Ice-angel has a new story up. Go read it, it's good. But review this first.