A/N: Okay! I told you I'd have another chapter up today. Though honestly I doubt anyone is reading this. O.O poor me... Well I guess I'll give a quick response to my reviews...
Bladeswin:
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for you to decide," -- Gandalf
I get a cookie!
YAHOO!
Make it oatmeal chocolate chip!
Any who, kudos on a cool story!
Jake
Response:
LOL. ::gives you a basket of fresh cookies:: you can eat 'em while you read/pretend to read this chapter. Thank you for the review. ;)
MEP:
I hope you realize that Midgar is the Asgard protected planets call Earth?
Response:
Of course I do. What kind of writer do you take me for? Midgar is an old word something to do with Earth, or something like that. I can't help it if the cities name is Midgar. Maybe you should play the game sometime mate. And here is a new thought for you.
The Cetra/Ancients take a quick break on a planet. They see a city named Midgar, they leave and name the next planet the stop on Midgar for some oddball reason.
Or how about this? My bro came up with it .
The Cetra visit Earth. Live there and it dawns the official name Midgar. The move to another planet and name a city after it.
It's not totally impossible hun. Why don't you kick back, relax, and not point out problems in my fanFICTION. I aint professional hun, I'll do what I bloody want in my story.
Okay, sorry that took up so much space but those were some things I hade to say. I'll have more to say at the bottom but for now- enjoy!
Chapter Four: I can help you just take my hand
"What is this place?" he asked in a soft voice.
"May I ask why you followed me Dr. McKay?" Aerith asked in an equally soft voice.
"Well I told you this was off limits and you didn't stop, and yet you were continuing as if you knew the place so..." McKay frowned, "Okay that sounded stupid, but still? What is this place?"
"Oh, about a couple thousand years back, this garden and house used to belong to my mother," Aerith sighed, "I'm just curious us how to there are still flowers here..."
"Yeah that confused me too," McKay shrugged, "So... How well do you know this place?"
"As in Neo Midgar? Honestly, not that well," she shrugged, "This here sector? Like the back of my hand."
"Funny, I don't know the back of my own hand that well," McKay smirked.
And Aerith laughed. It was a soft sound, sorta similar to the kind bells make and it had some sort of calming effect on McKay who turned to look at the Cetra.
"I like it here," McKay said looking around, "Sort of... Out of the way and yet so peaceful..."
"I know how that feels," Aerith giggled.
"Well," McKay said glancing at his watch, "Dinner starts in a few if you'd like to go to the Mess with me."
"Mess?"
"What we call the Cafeteria section."
"Oh, okay then."
McKay stood and him and Aerith left the room as she led them back to the centre area. McKay would often question where some of the other roads led of too. She didn't seem to mind telling him, and they soon reached the Mess Hall.
"McKay!" One of the lesser technicians called, "I've been looking all over for you!"
"Sorry," He looked at Aerith, "You mind?"
"Oh, no. Not at all," she smiled kindly.
McKay walked over to the lackey and the two started to talk quickly. Aerith smiled sadly, and shook her head before looking around the Mess.
And for some reason her gaze was drawn to a corner of the room, were a single figure sat quietly in the shadows of a pillar. The Cetra nabbed something to eat, all the while with one eye on this figure.
And as soon as she had her meal she slowly began to walk towards him and sat down quietly.
He continued to eat but made no reply as to if he had seen her sit or not, and he put another mystery bite of food into his mouth and chewed slowly, his gaze fixed on a red sphere sitting perfectly still in the middle of the table.
"How did you get that?" Aerith asked in a nonchalant sort of way.
He still didn't show any signs of having noticed her presence, and completely ignored her. Aerith looked like she wasn't really surprised by this action.
However, when she reached to touch the sphere a strong hand was around her wrist in an iron hard grip. She let out a soft cry and looked deep into his eyes.
The Cetra pulled back her wrist slightly, but he held on tightly. She realized he was unwilling to let her go after she tried to touch his shiny red sphere.
"Please," Aerith said softly, "Don't head that way."
He snorted and let go of her, turning his gaze back to his red sphere and Aerith sighed deeply, a little guilty about what happened to the poor man.
"I can help you if you let me," Aerith reached over and brushed her fingers against his cheek and felt him freeze to her touch, "I can teach you all you need to know. But please... Don't go that way."
"And what is it that you could teach me?" he asked in a soft voice.
"How to control that Materia for starters," Aerith smiled faintly.
He closed his eyes and to Aerith he seemed to pale, as he was battling whatever evil spirit was in his mind at the moment.
She took a few bites of her own meal, found it disgusting, and quickly ate more, all the while keeping her gaze on him.
And after a moment, he opened his eyes and it was as if he could see her again. He blinked in confusion and looked around him, wondering what was going on.
"Take my hand," Aerith said softly, "I'll tell you everything."
Aerith was standing beside him with her hand outstretched. He looked at her in confusion and looked around the room once more.
"I can teach you everything you will need to learn," she half whispered, "Just take my hand Carson Beckett."
And the male reached up and grabbed her slim hand in his own before she helped him out and they ducked out of the Mess Hall to find a room at least a smidge more on the private side.
"Spread your feet apart slightly, put your hands at your sides and take deep breathes. Yes, like that, now keep breathing like that. Next, think of what spell it is you wish to cast and clutch that materia tightly in your hand. Not quite- Imagine the fires, burning the wick of the candle until it is nothing more then a puddle of wax. Yes... Yes... Come on... YES!"
Beckett opened his eyes and stared at the candle in front of him in disbelief, holding his hand a safe distance away from the flame. He quickly turned to Aerith and slipped on his jacket, which had fell on the floor and knocked the two to the ground.
He lay on top of her and slowly opened his eyes to see her lying there and breathing deeply. He felt his cheeks burn as they turned several shades brighter and he quickly got off her and sat cross-legged with his back to Aerith.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I really am."
No response. Her heavy breathing continued, and he looked over his shoulder to see her form still except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
"Aerith?"
He knelt by her side and touched her shoulder lightly. No response. He shook her gently to see if he'd get a reaction. Still no response.
The poor doctor was now freaked out, and put his ear to her chest to check her heartbeat. He pulled back a little relived to see that it was still normal, but he was still scared over her lack of reaction.
"Aerith... oh gods, please Aerith?"
He touched one of her cheeks to find it frozen and choked slightly. Brushing her bands out her eyes he looked in her pail cheeks.
And something stirred in the corner of his vision.
He turned his head to see her fingers twitching and he backed up slightly. She put her hand to her head before sitting up and shaking it, her brown hair smacking against the floor gently.
And before he could think he had his arms around her in a hug and quickly speaking apologies of how it was an accident and he was glad he didn't hurt her.
It took the female Cetra to realize what was going on, but she smiled, put a hand on his chest and pulled away from him slightly, but not so much so that his arms were still around her slim waist.
"Its okay Carson," she smiled, "I'm not hurt."
"I'm so sorry- what happened?" he asked, greatly relieved.
"I remember you turning around and slipping on your coat," Aerith frowned, "And I closed my eyes but when I opened them again I was in the Life Stream. I spoke with the Planet and came back."
"Oh, I'm so sorry though," Carson mumbled, "really I am."
"I know," she smiled, and she rested her head on his chest, "I know." She repeated softly.
Carson's cheeks tinged red again and he smiled faintly. Aerith's eyes were closed and her arms were folded on her lap gently. The doctor rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes, tired.
He vaguely remembered something about Aerith saying that to use materia would drain his energy. The energy drained on the level of the materia. So she had given him a green sphere that she called Fire Materia and said to hold on to his red one till he had the ability to use it.
Which he hoped was soon, because after the affect the simple fire one had, the red materia had to be something special.
Especially since the mystery orb was so much stronger then he was.
But for now, he could wait.
Wait and rest. The two things seemed to be the best things he'd heard of in a long time, what with his energy drained.
Beckett silently wished he could do this for a long time, just sit against the wall of the small bar holding Aerith and rest.
Yeah...
That would be perfect.
Unfortunately, some people must have never heard of happily ever after because the door slid open to reveal McKay and Weir standing in the door.
Beckett opened his eyes to the noise and blinked in confusion, Aerith doing the same. It took a moment for the realization to sink in but in the next moment the two were standing up a good distance away from each other, Beckett pulling his jacket on.
"May I ask why you came to this little... ex-storage room?" Carson asked, looking at Dr. Weir.
"One of the engineers detected a brief flash of energy here and the two of us came to check it out," Weir said cocking a brow, a slight smirk on her face as she looked at Beckett.
"Right," he coughed, shifting nervous, "that would be-"
"My fault," Aerith bowed her head quickly, before looking at Weir, "I was showing him how to use Materia. I realize I probably should have asked you first."
"No," Weir smiled faintly, "It's okay. But please warn us next time before you do something like that again?"
McKay opened his mouth to say something but closed it again as he received one of those 'I'm in charge here' looks. He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.
"Well, if that was it," Weir frowned, "I guess the two of us will be going no. Continue with your... materia?"
"No, it's okay ma'am, I think that was enough for tonight," Aerith smiled faintly.
"If you say so," Weir frowned, leaving the room with a slightly reluctant McKay.
The two were silent as they heard McKay complain about the ignorance of one of his science lackeys and Weir seemed to be half with the conversation, half in her own mind.
Aerith smiled faintly, and shook her head in silent laughter and Beckett turned to look at her, shifting nervously once more.
"I'm sorry about that Aerith," he said bowing his head, "Really I am."
"No, once again Carson," she giggled, "It's okay. In fact... I really don't mind."
"Oh... really?" he asked.
She sent him a puzzled look and nodded her head and he sighed in what might have been relief.
"Oh, I heard Major Sheppard was going to be telling some more horror stories," Carson grinned, "If you want to?"
"Of course," she smiled.
The two left the room talking about a few of the many uses of Materia, the candle still burning softly in the bar they had left behind.
A/N: Okay, I know that was kind of... cheesy? Cliché? Ah well, I like it O.o but that is not important. I wanna know (If I actually have any readers) what I should do about the Aerith/Carson couple... thing... I think they would be cute together but I don't want to ruin my story with it.
What do you readers think? Maybe I could work it in?
Ta-Ta-For-Now!
-The Vengie Tormenter
