(Author's Note: Hello! This is the next chapter for you all! Thanks for all the reviews! ^_~ )

Disclaimer: Don't own FF7 or Squaresoft…Cassandra is mine!

Chapter 16

1 ½ years later…

"…what?"

"You heard me. We've received orders to go to Nibelheim to fix the malfunctioning reactor," Sephiroth said looking up at Zack from where he sat in his chair behind his desk.

Zack stood in front of his desk. "Well…why can't they just get a bunch of scientists to go? Why do they need you and me to go?" he said sitting down.

"Who knows how Shinra thinks. We've got one other who goes with us," Sephiroth said.

"And that would be? Any one but Hojo," Zack said.

"I honestly don't care who goes with us. You pick," Sephiroth said shaking his head.

"Hmm…Cloud Strife?"

"Why him?"

"He's a friend of mine and it's his home town we'll be going to," Zack said with a shrug.

"Very well. Tell him we leave first thing tomorrow morning," Sephiroth said.

"Yes sir," Zack said and left the room.

'Tomorrow…will you set me free?'

'You know what? SHUT UP!'

'Don't you dare use that tone with me! I'm your mother!'

'HA! You're nothing but a voice in my head,' Sephiroth said and waved his hand as if brushing something away from himself. The voice faded with the movement.

                                    ****

Next day…

"…ugh…my stomach…"

"You okay?" Zack asked bending down to see Cloud's face.

"…yeah…motion sickness…ugh…so what are we supposed to do?" Cloud asked. Sephiroth looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Well…you see…I'm clueless about it right now…" Cloud trailed off.

Sephiroth slowly nodded. "I see…well. We're to fix the broken mako reactor and find out why the animals are mutating into monsters," Sephiroth said.

"Oh…what was that?!" Something rammed against the side of the truck again.

"Sir! We're being attacked!" the trucks driver called in a panicked voice.

"Stop the truck!" Sephiroth yelled back and stood from the crate he had been sitting on. The truck came to a halt. "Come on Zack," Sephiroth said sounding bored and left the back of the truck.

"Oh goody! I've wanted to try out my new materia!" Zack said and followed after him. They jumped out of the truck and came face to face with the monster that had attacked the truck. "What is it?" Zack asked and took a step back.

"A dragon," Sephiroth was definitely bored from his tone of voice.

"Oh well," Zack drew his buster sword and ran forward.

"No! Wait!" Sephiroth yelled after him dodging a flame attack from the creature and drawing his own sword. The monster roared as Zack slashed it with his sword. The next thing he knew was that he was thrown backwards by the dragon's tail. Sephiroth sighed and slowly shook his head.

"My sword didn't work!" Zack called to him.

Sephiroth looked at the dragon who was glaring a challenge at him. Raising masamune at the same time he ran forward and leapt into the air. He slashed once then landed smoothly and jumped back out of reach of the dragon's next attack.

"See! It didn't work!" Zack said getting ready to use his new lightning materia.

"Take a second look," Sephiroth said calmly.

Zack did as told. Before his very eyes the dragon's neck severed…and the head fell off. The body crumpled to the ground with such force that the ground shook for a minute or two. Sephiroth turned to where the driver was inspection the truck.

"Well?"

"It'll get us there. We'll have to repair the damage once we get to the town though," the driver said.

"Very well," Sephiroth said and climbed into the back of the truck.

"What happened?" Cloud asked.

Zack had entered after Sephiroth. "I'll tell ya!" he told Cloud what had happened.

When he was done Cloud was looking at Sephiroth with a look of awe on his face. Sephiroth completely ignored him the rest of the trip.

                                    ****

She silently snuck to the fire escape and looked around. There was no one in sight. Good. That meant no one could see her. She went up the fire escape and looked in through the window at the room on the highest level. There was no one in it and no signs that if there were that they might come back.

She picked the window open from the outside and slipped in. She crossed the room to the door and made sure it was locked. She didn't have enough money to rent the room so she had to sneak in and use it. It would only be for awhile anyway…she was just exhausted and wanted to take a short nap. But first…the shower.

                                    ****

2 hours later…

"So…how does it feel?"

"What?" Cloud asked looking at Sephiroth.

"To be back…in your hometown. I don't have a hometown…my father…" Sephiroth started to laugh out loud. Cloud and Zack watched him uneasily. "What does it matter? We are supposed to have a guide to go into the mountains tomorrow. We will meet at dawn. You need to check in at the inn and then you are free to visit any family or friends that you have," Sephiroth said and walked away towards the inn.

"Come on! I'll show you my house once we check in!" Cloud said. Zack shrugged and followed after him. They checked into the inn and then disappeared.

Sephiroth went up the stairs to his room. The door was locked so he unlocked it and went in. He set his sword against the wall and sat down on the foot of the bed.

'Please set me free?'

'How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?'

'But Sephiroth…my son…I'm your mother…we can rule this planet together and get rid of all you oppose you and hurt you,' Jenova's voice said in his thoughts.

'I'm not interested,' Sephiroth replied evenly.

'Oh you will be…I'll have you convinced whether you like it or not!' Jenova hissed.

Sephiroth ignored the voice as something kicked him in the back. He slowly turned to see behind himself and the voice faded. There was someone sleeping in the room's only bed. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. The person had the blankets pulled up over their head.

He stood slowly and walked to the side of the bed. He reached down to pull the covers back but stopped when some things caught his eye. There was a wallet on the nightstand beside the bed. Next to that was a pair of boots. Close to those and leaning against the wall was a sword. Sephiroth looked down at the bed and silently moved away to a chair on the other side of the room.

                                    ****

 The room was dark when she awoke…well almost dark. The light on the nightstand beside the bed was on…it was the only light on in the room. She pushed the covers away but didn't get up. There was silence for a few minutes.

"Awake I see."

She sat bolt upright in a flash. "Who's there?" she demanded.

From the corner of the opposite side of the room a pair of glowing green eyes slowly met hers. Her eyes widened and she took a small gasp. He slowly stood and walked to the edge of the lamp light. He stood silently gazing at her. Her eyes were still a bright green but had a dull look that was barely noticeable. Her skin was tanned and the white markings around her eyes stood out because of it. Her royal blue hair was long and hung loose around her shoulders.

"Cassandra…" he said after a minute still not moving.

"…Sephiroth. What are you doing here?" she said. He looked just the same as when she had last seen him. Long silver hair with bangs that peaked above his forehead to fall into his glowing green eyes.

 "I could ask you the same thing," he said.

"But I asked first."

He sighed. "I'm here with 2 others to fix the reactor. Now what about you? Why did you run away?"

"I…had to. It was Hojo's plan…I figured it out when Navarro…I had to leave," she said shaking her head.

"But why?" he asked taking a step forward.

"…so Hojo couldn't use me the way he had planned. And to keep you from getting involved after I figured it out," she said looking at her hands that were in her lap.

"You could have stayed…I would have dealt with Hojo for you…you know that," he said.

"I know," she said in a barely audible voice.

"I wish you would have stayed," he said softly.

"I wish I did too but I couldn't not with…" she suddenly blushed when there was a low rumbling sound.

"Hungry?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and slightly amused expression.

"Yeah…I haven't had a good meal for awhile now…I didn't even pay for this room," she said her blush getting deeper.

"Hard to get money?" he asked.

"Yeah. I couldn't walk around in broad daylight with Shinra still wanting my return…but then he gave up. Even then it was hard to find work that suited and met my needs," she said looking up at him.

"I'll call room service…it's only 9:30 at night," he said walking over to the nightstand and reaching for the phone.

"I've been sleeping that long? It was around 3:00 or so when I got here," she said.

"Don't worry about it," he said as the phone call was picked up from another end.

-30 minutes later-

"Yes?" Sephiroth called at the knock on the door.

"R-room service s-sir," the voice on the other side said. He stood up and opened the door. A cart was pushed into the room. He nodded and the door was closed.

"Help your…self," he said but saw that Cassandra was already eating. He smiled and sat down.

-30 minutes later-

Cassandra sighed and sat back in her chair when she was finished.

"Better?" Sephiroth asked amused.

"Much," she said with a smile.

"Good…"

"What's wrong?" she asked. He didn't answer.

'My son…'

'Can't you get this through that thick mind of yours? I'm not helping you!' Sephiroth thought angrily.

"Sephiroth?" Cassandra's voice broke through his thoughts and the voice of Jenova faded.

"What?" he asked a little startled.

"You are okay?" she asked looking a bit worried.

"Oh yeah. I'm fine. It was just a long trip here," he said.

"You don't look okay," she said.

"…I keep hearing a voice in my thoughts," he said.

"What does this voice say?" she asked.

"It tells me to set her free."

"Set who free?"

"My…mother."

"Your mother? But that doesn't make sense," she said.

"I know. I'm trying to ignore it but it doesn't seem to be getting the message," he said rubbing his forehead.

"Maybe you should get some sleep? You're going to have a long day tomorrow as it is," she said.

"Yeah…" he said standing up.

"Since this is rightfully your room I'll just sneak out and find some other place to stay," she said heading for the window. He grabbed her wrist before she reached it. She turned to face him.

"You were here first. Stay," he said.

"But…"

He shook his head. "No…stay with me." he said it before he realized it.

"Sephiroth…I…"

"Sh-h-h-h-h…" he pulled her back to the center of the room. He sat down on the foot of the bed and pulled her next to him. She shook her head and started to stand again. He acted before he thought he had.

Cassandra blinked at him when he pulled away from her. "You…you…" she couldn't think of what she wanted to say.

"Stay here," he said softly.

"…if that is what you want…" He kissed her again.

                                    ****