(Author's Note: Well. One more chapter ought to be it…after this one…oh well…enjoy chapter 9!)
Disclaimer: FF7 and Squaresoft are not mine. Rueh is not mine…she belongs to Rueh…Dete belongs to me…
Chapter 9
Alls Well That Ends Well…Right?
"Welcome my son," Hojo said with a mocking tone.
"Why are you still alive? And don't call me that! You have no right," Sephiroth hissed.
Hojo laughed softly. "You and that failure aren't the only ones with Jenova's cells," he said.
"You experimented on yourself…that's sick," Sephiroth shook his head and made a face.
"But what are you going to do now? I have the 3 most important things to you locked up…"
"HA! All I'd have to do was wake Rueh up and she could get out of there herself! As for Aeris and Dete…" Sephiroth shrugged. "I'm sure they can help themselves."
Hojo looked taken aback. "I knew there was a problem between you and Aeris from talking to Rueh and Dete but I never thought it would turn out like this!"
"You've always had a problem with underestimating me," Sephiroth said in a lazy tone and cast a reviving spell. Slowly Rueh's eyes opened. "Well. Now that's she's awake I'll be going. Rueh when you're done here come back to Midgar," he waved his hand at her as he walked towards the door.
The glass shattered and Rueh was free. She got an evil smile and slowly began to advance on Hojo.
"No…calm down…no…stay away…NO!" Hojo ran but Rueh gave chase laughing evilly.
Sephiroth stopped at the door.
"Don't leave…please help us," Aeris's voice called to him.
"Why should I?" he asked darkly as he turned to face her. "After everything that's happened why should I care?"
"Please Sephiroth…maybe if you hadn't left, we could have talked about our problems…" she started.
"If I hadn't left? Oh no Aeris. You're the one you left! You broke your promise to me! You said you would always be with me but you left me…didn't even let me explain…"
Aeris bowed her head and bit her lower lip. She heard the hurt in his voice even though he tried to hide it with anger. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
He snorted. "It's too late for that. If you want help find someone who cares. We were finished a long time ago. I guess you never got that message…" he took a step out the door.
"Sephiroth…"
"What now?" he whirled around to face her again. "I've got better things to do than waste time here."
In the background Hojo let out a shrill shriek. It was followed by Rueh's laugh. More glass shattered and Dete was free. Rueh had revived her now. She wore the same evil smile Rueh did. They looked at each other and nodded. Then they turned to Hojo who was trying to escape. They ran at him.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Velociraptors!" he yelled as they attacked. (A/N: Fingernails and teeth…aka fangs and claws…I'm sure you get the idea that they're really hurting him…hehehe…^_^)
"Just…help me and then we can talk about this," Aeris pleaded.
"You don't get it do you? We're through," he said opening the cell door. He drew the masamune and cut the ropes. He didn't help her up and walked back to the door. Her hand caught his shoulder. "Let go Aeris," he said quietly.
"Not until you listen to me," she said.
"YOU DON'T GET IT! You didn't listen to me then! Why should I listen to you now?" he snapped spinning to face her.
"I was wrong…I should have let you explain…I'm sorry," she said not looking at him.
"Sorry didn't do it. You had the chance to listen to me then…but you pushed it away…ignored it…" he spun and walked down the hall towards the stairs with his arms crossed after sheathing masamune.
Aeris glanced at Rueh and Dete. They seemed to have everything under control. She looked back at Sephiroth watching him. In a spilt second she made up her mind and ran after him. She caught up with him at the stairs. She got in front of him and blocked his path.
"Listen to me Sephiroth," she said. He looked up at the top of the stairs not wanting to meet her eyes. She had caused him enough pain. "Listen!"
"Why?"
She took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have said those things that I did. I should have let you explain. I should have been more patient. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"
"…I don't know Aeris…you were the only one to show me what love was…and then you broke my heart…"
"NO! I didn't mean to! Please!" Sephiroth still wouldn't look at her. She sighed and cupped his face in her hands making him look at her.
"Aeris…"
"Please Sephiroth…explain it to me now…"
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a minute he opened his eyes. "…very well. That note was from Tifa…I had asked her to order something for me. She got it and sent me that note telling me that it had come in and that she would meet me to give it to me. I told her not to sign her name or anything in case you found it…it was to be a surprise for your birthday…"
"That…that was all it was…just Tifa telling you that whatever it was had arrived and she would give it to you…oh Sephiroth!" Aeris threw her arms around his neck.
"…Aeris?" he cautiously put an arm around her waist.
"Yes?" she asked looking up at him.
"Are you still mad at me?"
She looked down. "No…I never should have gotten mad in the first place…16 years have gone by and I've been mad for no reason…I'm sorry…"
"Look at me…" she did. He slowly lowered his face to hers. "I forgive you. Just next time listen to me before you make any judgments…" he lightly touched her lips with his.
"I will…if you promise to make me listen," she breathed.
"Deal…" he kissed her again putting both arms around her. She leaned against him.
Another shrill scream brought them back to reality.
"I didn't know Hojo could hit that note," Sephiroth had an amused look.
"That wasn't Hojo!" Aeris said pulling away from him and running back towards the lab.
Sephiroth drew his sword and followed a step behind her.
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