Shot Through the Heart

By Raven Chaos

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 and all others are propert of Square-Enix.

Authors note: This was just an idea I got one night. A morbid one, yes, but it's

only real purpose is to set the stage for a larger story that's still in the planning.

Please R&R, thats always appreciated

A prologue to a larger story still in the planning.

Setting- The following takes place precisely three days and 6 hours prior to the defeat of

Sephiroth and the destruction of Midgar.

"Lucrecia, I have returned..." A solemn voice echoed in the central chamber, the

usual blue glow eminating from the walls.

Vincent Valentine kneeled in front of an altar in the back of the chamber, his head

cast down to the ground, his eyes shut.

A figure stepped away from the Altar, a weak, frail form that swayed with each step.

"Vincent..." A ravaged voice called out. "...Why have you come back...?"

"The deed is done, Lucre..." Vincent raised his head to gaze upon her, and his voice

caught in his throat.

Before him stood the being that had once been his love, a lady named Lucrecia.

Before, when first they had come, she had been just as radiant, if not more, than when

she was taken from him. But now, in the sapphire glow of the cave, she stood as a

weakened wretch of a creature. Her skin gaunt and yellow. Her figure twisted and torn.

Her visage one of constant pain and suffering.

"Lucrecia..w..what has happened...?" Vincent rose to his feet, staggering back a

pace. This motion elicited a sigh from the woman, if it was possible to call her such.

"...Vincent..." She called, raising talon-laden fingers to reach out to him. "Am I

such a beast to your eyes now...?"

"But...Jenova is dead...You..You said that, if I killed Jenova, the Jenova cells

would die..." Vincent found his feet taking another space farther from her as she approached.

"Yes...and they did die, didn't they...?"

"Then...what is this? What has happened to you?"

Jenova wagged her head, moaning a whimper from her lips. "...It hurts so much, Vincent...

You have no idea how bad it hurts...Vincent, I am not human anymore...This is the wrath of

Jenova..."

Her sobs turned into a gargeling choke. She fell to her knee's, resting her head against

the ground. "I can no longer feel, Vincent...everything so so numb...All is pain!"

Vincent knelt beside her. Despite anything, this was still Lucrecia. Her picked her up and

put his arms around her.

"Vincent..." Her hands held onto his back, digging the tips of her knife-like appendages into

him. "After all this time, you were always there for me..."

Vincent nodded, resting his head on her shoulder in their embrace.

"Even now you stay with me..." Another gargled choke.

She began to spasm against him, writhing in his hold. He layed her down on the ground,

removing his headband to wipe the black fluid oozing from her lips.

"It'll be alright, Lucrecia...It'll be alright..." He murmured softly. She continued to squirm and

whimper, her eyes rolled back into her head, her talons grabbing and and tearing his cloak.

Vincent closed his eyes, holding her tightly against him with one hand.

She's gone... A voice spoke in Vincent's mind. Her existance is the pain of the Cells dying

within her...

"...I'll find a way to save her..." Vincent murmured, swallowing back the knot in his throat.

Look at her...She is too far away to be saved...I'm amazed she was able to speak to you

as she did...There is no saving her, Vincent.

Vincent stood, pulling himself from her own grasp, her claws, scraping and grasping at the

ground, her head lolling around with her mouth wide open, emitting a series of chokes and cries.

Click...

"Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned..."

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

...click!

...click!

To be Continued...