Chapter 2

The sweet sound of a melodic tune being played down below wasn't worth listening to. Since when did people became heartless, she pondered. It's not fair for the deceased to die for nothing, especially die thinking that one should ever lover them. Yet now, it didn't matter as much since her sister brought Faust home. Aeris stuffed her head under the pillow, wishing that all of those noise would go away.

Happy singing could be heard now that Faust loudly suggested Nadia to sing. Aeris sat up straight, holding her pillow in both arms. Caravan Of Life, Nadia was singing. Getting up, she grabbed a stuffed chocobo and walked over to the window. Curtains were slowly peeled to the side and tide. The windows opened with a breeze afloating the warm night as she shivered. These feelings of sadness that consumed her heart was buried deep. Everything that has happened in the past, still reflects her mind. Images came running in and out. Some could be left behind, but others merely come ramming into her head, like how scars never fade away.

The pressure around the stuffed animal's neck began to tighten. Her face painted sorrow and sadness, still, no tears came flowing as she had been expecting for ages. Sighing, tonight was going to be a long night. Aeris couldn't understand how Nadia could keep on smiling, after all, so many things have gone wrong. When taking a deep breath, it became shaky. Aeris thought she was about to cry, but it was false.

Crying has no point to it. As of now, Vincent's son became her boss. Everything he demands, she will have to abide by it or lose the job. Losing it right now would be such a horrid decision. Bills ran high and without a job that pays well...

What was she to do...

"Momma, why are you crying?" The little girl ran into her mother's arm after it was opened. "Don't cry. It won't do you any good," Aeris comfortably laid safely in her arms. The cold night was surely going to be warm, she just knew it! "Daddy told me that if we all smile a lot, we live longer!" She giggled after the last comment. "Don't cry anymore, okay, momma?" The woman didn't respond. "During hard times, we have to be strong, right? Remember? You told me that a long time ago. Well, I guess crying is all right from time to time, but just crying out of nowhere seems...weird," Aeris looked up. Her mother's eyes were shut. "Momma, are you...sleep...ing...?"

Her mother stopped crying, she noticed. Hoping for the better, Aeris smiled and laid into her mother's comfort. "You must be tired, momma," Soon, she, too, fell asleep in her mother's embrace.

By morning, Aeris stretched and yawned. One thing that she noticed was the lack of warmth. "Momma, I'm cold," She looked up. Her mother was still asleep. Aeris shook the woman. "Momma, I'm cold," she said one last time. "Momma!" Aeris shook her harder. For the first time in her life, she realized that her own mother was ignoring her. She angrily got up to get a blanket. As she turned to leave, something slumped on to the floor. Closing her eyes, she whispered a silent prayer in her heart, hoping for the better. Turning to look at where the sound came from, her mother laid on the floor. Not only did it scared the child, but she noticed her mother's complexion wasn't right.

Just a little child, she didn't understand any of this. "Momma?" she called out, hoping for an answer. Nothing came. Afraid, Aeris spee out of the room, kicking and screaming at Nadia's door. "Nadia! Nadia! Nadia! Wake up! Wake up!"

"What is it?" Nadia shouted, opening the door. "Don't you ever bang on my door like that again or I'll beat the crap out of you!"

"Something's wrong with momma!" she cried.

"What is?" she asked annoyingly. "Mom was fine last night until you bothered her! Leave her alone,"

It wasn't until the next question that came out of Aeris's mouth that made Nadia realize what was going on. "I was sleeping in momma's arms last night and then I woke up cold. Sissy, why is momma's body so cold? Why is she almost blue?"

"Blue?" Nadia whispered to herself, with eyes wide in fear. She ran past Aeris and into her mother's room. There, the woman was lying on her side on the floor, lifeless as a doll. "Mom!" she screamed. "Mom!" Nadia sat her mother up straight. "Oh my god! Mom! Wake up! Wake up!" Her chest began to tighten. "Oh my god!" Turning around, she looked at Aeris with eyes full of tears. Rather than saying it to her sister, Nadia ran outside and shouted for help, begging someone to come and get her mother. In the slums, no one was important; no one cared about one another.

A woman walked by. Nadia got on all four and grabbed her right leg. "Please, help my mom!"

"Get off of me!" she shouted. "Get the hell off of me, you damn beggar!" She slapped the girl off before running down the streets.

The pain stung her face, but Nadia quickly went to another person. "Sir, please, help my mom! She's dead!"

"Cunt, get out of my sight,"

"Ma'am! My mother-" Her face was slapped. "Someone!" More peole came by. "Help!"

A man pushed Nadia and slammed the child against a wall. "Would you just leave everyone the hell alone?" he spat on her face.

Before giving in, a few more people beat on her. As she turned to go back home, Aeris stood there with frighten eyes of an innocent child. Nadia was, of course, bathed in her own blood while her little sister witnessed the whole thing.

"Sissy?" Aeris was shaking from the scene. "What happened to momma...and why did they hurt you?"

Nadia shook her head slowly. She walked up to Aeris and got down on her knees, measuring up to the little girl's height. "Our momma's just sleeping. She's just...very tired, Aeris."

"Why did they hit you? Why? You didn't do anything!"

"They hit me because we're down here in the slums. People in the slums are like old paper to many people,"

"Why? Old or new, papers are re-usable,"

"But no one like papers from the sums," Nadia got up to her feet and held her sister's hand. Go to your room, Aeris, and lock the door. Don't come out until I say so, okay? Lock the door, and shut the window. Don't let anyone from outside see you! Do you hear me? If you don't listen to me, I'll get momma to come and spank you, do you hear me, Aeris?"

"But why?"

"Do as I say or I'll tell momma to spank you!"

"Fine!" Aeris turned and ran up the stairs, doing exactly what Nadia had told her.

While her little sister was in her room, Nadia slowly went up the stairs, into her mother's room. The woman laid there, dead on her side. Nadia ran to her mother and wrapped both arms around her, hugging and sobbing. The scent of death was strong, but she didn't care. "Oh, mom, what did you do? Don't you know that Aeris and I still need you? Daddy's still waiting to come home from the war. Why, mom, why did you do this to yourself?" She pulled back to look at her mother's face. "Don't you know that we still need you?"

It seemed a bit morbid, but Nadia quickly carried her mother on her back, trying to hurry down the stairs before Aeris realize what's really going on. In the flower garden, Nadia bared the pain by digging with her fingers. Her flesh were turning red with blisters while dirt stuck to the bottom of her nails. Sad tears trembled endlessly while she kept on digging. When the tiny grave was done, her fingers were bleeding. Baring the pain and burden, Nadia quickly burried her mother.

With all the dirt piled up and covering the body, Nadia didn't care about the pain in her fingers. She laid down next to the grave and closed her eyes. "Dear heavens," she prayed. "I don't know if heaven nor hell exists, but if so, send my mother to heaven. She doesn't deserve to go to hell after all these years of burden. I don't ask for much except for you to open the gate to heaven and let my mother in, please. She's my only mother. No one feeds me or keeps clothes on my back but her. Just one plea, open the gates to heaven and take her in, please,"

In the beginning, nothing makes much sense. Aeris could feel her body tremble in pain, but still, not a leak came out of her eyes. She wants to be able to cry, but it felt so useless to do such.

"Life is not a dream,
When emptiness is filled with scene.
When you walked away from me,
And told me love is only just a dream."

Nadia's singing could be heard from upstairs. Aeris wished that she could forget about the past, but winds up reminiscing about it. People have said that the pass is in the past, but no matter what, it's a scar for life. Everything that is part of a memory can never be forgotten unless the mind is altered somehow.

Life should be more wounderous...so why all the sorrows... Could she not let the past rest... It always kept coming back at her. A friend once told her long ago to forget the past and never think about it. How does one do that, she does not know. Her had never witness such an atrocious life while very young, what could they know...what could they understand...

Pointless. Everything was pointless.

She wasn't allowed to do anything. Nadia kept a strict rule on her at all times. The job that Vincent had given her allowed her to do many things that Nadia normally wouldn't let her do. Aeris smiled a little bit herself, thinking about the time when she used to wake her sister up, in the middle of the night, over nothing. Nadia would get so angry at her and shout. Aeris would just sit there and laugh until her sister grabs her by the neck collar and pull her down for sleep.

All of her happy moment have disappeared since the day Nadia made her a promise.

"I'll be taking mom's place from now on, Aeris,"

"Why?"

"Because she's gone now. Dad won't come back either. Mom had no choice. She had to leave us, but dad won't be coming back for us. God knows where the hell he's at."

"I don't need you to look over me. I want mom,"

"Look, mom had to leave us. Here, I promise that I'll take care of you and give you the best in life that I can offer,"

"I want to get out of the slum, can you do that?" Aeris winked at her sister, hoping that Nadia figured out it was a joke.

"I'll do that for you, Aeris," Nadia looked up into the skies. "I promise,"

Since then, nothing was ever the same. Aeris closed the window and released the ties around the curtains, covering over the window.

"I have tried to say goodbye,
But words have gotten in the way.
Couldn't hold my feelings,
I just broke down and cried."

The song seeped through the thin door. Nadia's voice was pleasant and very appealing to listen to. Hearing Faust's voice laughing down below made Aeris want to get rid of him.

Vincent Valentine. He was always like a father to her. Aeris dearly misses him so much. He was the one who picked Nadia and her up from the slums and offered a home for them. In his death, Nadia was partially ungrateful.

Since the first day she met him, Aeris never knew he was married. Vincent never mentioned his family to her. She knew that Vincent had a relationship with her sister, but didn't expect Nadia to be so cruel in using him like an object. Even in death, Vincent left them some properties. This house that they are staying in was supposed to be for Sephiroth, but he gave it to Nadia and her.

One time she couldn't afford to buy a gift for her sister's birthday, but Vincent took her out shopping for that gift. Going places with him felt like she finally has a father to talk to. He would have a normal father-daughter-conversation with her as if she was really his own child.

A smile almost came up to her lips thinking about her wish-to-be-father.

There were moments when Vincent had bought her collections of book. Aeris then popped the question to him one day, asking him what the catch was for him being so generous. His answer was that he had always wanted a daughter.

Things happen so fast that it becomes hard to believe, such as his death.

Did Nadia think about Vincent one least bit before turning to Faust? Aeris was angried by her sister, but couldn't do anything about it. Nadia is the only person in the world that she has left. No one loves or care for her like Nadia does.

Getting into bed, Aeris threw the covers over her head, while listening to the rest of her sister's singing.

"Breaking up is not a game.
Oh my baby can you see in me?
I still love you baby,
I just can't let you go
Couldn't live without you baby.
I'd rather lead my life this way.
When you turned and walked away,
I knew that love was only just a dream"

These papers seem to pile up and increase more and more. Was Sephiroth doing this on purpose? It wasn't fair. Aeris sighed and did the paperworks as fast as she could.

The blank fields referring to mako gave her the most painful headache due to the fact that Sephiroth was sending them in harder and harder. This was probably her punishment in taking someone else's father and husband away. None of it matters. Right now, she needs to keep this job as permanent until there's another job with better pay.

A knock came at her door. "Come in," she told that person. Still writing out on her papers, she didn't look up.

"Do you need anything, Aeris?" asked Maliya.

Looking up, the woman gave her a confused look. "Not really...is there something going on?"

"Didn't you receive a letter from Mr. Valentine?" Maliya watched Aeris shaking her head. "You didn't? Weird. Anyways, today is supposed to be the day for our company to have a little party,"

"A party?"

"Yes, Miss Gast, a party. Mr. Valentine is giving everyone a break today. He ordered some out of town food and some wine,"

"Does Mr. Vincent Valentine usually do this, too?"

"Of course! It's a company party. So, do you need anything, Miss-I'm-so-always-busy!"

Aeris smiled at her co-worker. "No, thank you, I'm fine,"

"You are coming down stairs, though, right? To the party, I mean,"

"No. I think I'll just stay here and try to finish up on my work before Mr. Valentine gets angry with me,"

"Okay. Whatever!" Maliya walked out and shut the door behind her.

"Work, work, work!" Aeris mumbled to herself. "Gotta work, work, work!" Everyone received an invitation except for her. Aeris shrugged her shoulders. At least Sephiroth wouldn't have to see her face and bother him. It's not like she's ever gotten an invitation.

Once more, another knock came at the door.

"Come in," Aeris smiled and looked up. The smile on her face vanished. "Oh, hello,"

"Miss Gast, isn't it?" asked the young man.

"Yes..." she replied. Aeris noticed his spikey raven hair that made his face attractive. His blue eyes sparkled with some kind of happiness. For one full minute, Aeris stared at him. "...Yes...sir?"

"Oh! Ahem," He nodded his head to the side once. "My name's Zack Buster,"

Another pause of silence filled the room. Aeris didn't know why, but this young man somehow made her smile. "May I be of an assistance for anything?"

"No..." He closed the door behind him. "May I come up closer to you?"

"O...kaaaaay..." Aeris shook her head. "Why do you need to ask?"

"Oh, just being polite since this is your office,"

"I see,"

"Well, you're actually prettier up close!" he blurted.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, I got stuff to do. I'd love to stay and chat longer, but the party's downstairs. I hope to see you down there, too. Bye, see ya!"

Just like that and the stranger ran out of the door. For the first time in a long time, Aeris sat there in her seat, laughing.

Beep!

Aeris pressed the little red button under the intercom. "Aeris speaking," she answered.

"Get in here before one minute is up, right now," Sephiroth calmly told her.

"Yes...sir," she replied. Aeris got up out of her seat and speed-walk to the door of his office. She knocked on it twice and walked in. "Yes...sir?" She noticed the way he was sitting, laid back against the chair with one elbow on the seat while rubbing his head. Aeris bit her bottom lip.

"Get over here and see this," he told her.

She walked up to him slowly until she could clearly see the papers he threw down on his desk. It was all of her paper work she had done last week. It took her all day and night to finish it up for Vincent. "Yes, sir?"

"Could you say anything else besides that?" Sephiroth got up to his feet and began pacing. "I don't need this load of crap that you did for my father. Trash it."

"But, sir! It took me-"

Stopping in his track, he looked at her. "Are you refusing my words?"

Aeris lowered her head.

"Well? Are you?"

"N-no...sir,"

"Then take it and trash it," He stepped up to the shorter woman. "Use the paper shredder in your office. I don't want anyone reusing it again," No response came from her. "Did you already forget what I told you about when you are talking to me? Look up into my eyes when I am talking," The woman didn't look at him. "You're about to-" Aeris looked at him with nervous eyes. "Good. Anyways, trash your old work and make me another one with different information than what you have given my father,"

"Y-yes, sir," Aeris turned around and took the papers. She fled out of his office. Sephiroth personally wanted to intimidate her. Aeris knew it and could tell.

Sitting down in her office, she read all of the works she's done. Rather than trashing it, Aeris kept it in a folder to take home with her.

Beep!

"Yes?" she answered.

"My office, now, less than one minute," Click!

Aeris rushed to his office. "Yes, sir?"

"Where's Maliya?" he asked her, sitting back in his chair with thumbs twidling.

"She's downstairs at the party," answered Aeris.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and looked away. A thought crossed his mind. "Do you know how to make coffee?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Go over there and make me some," He noticed the woman's jaw's were twitching. "No sugar, add honey instead, and light creamer.

Aeris looked around for a moment. The coffee was behind her to the left. Aeris quickly made it for him. No sugar, add honey and put light creamer. I'll give you some honey, all right! She was about to put honey in until Sephiroth called out to her.

"Make sure there's a little bit of honey. I don't like it too sweet," Then he went back to typing on his computer.

Sighing, Aeris mixed it all in. She placed it on his desk and turned to leave.

"Did I say put it there and you may now leave?"

Though his tone was in a nice manner, it was all for fun to pull her string. Aeris turned to face him. "Did you want me to put it back on the counter?" she asked nicely.

"No,"

"Somewhere else on your desk?"

"No,"

She fell into silence, lowering her head. The last thing she needed was to upset him and get fired.

"In my hand,"

The woman's head snapped up. "What?"

"Don't make me raise my tone,"

She wanted to tell him how ridiculous he was being, but couldn't. Giving in to his orders, she picked up the cup and slowly handed it to him. She turned to leave.

"Did I say you may go? No," He took a sip from the cup. "Are you serious? Make me another cup!" he nearly shouted. "Go! Hurry up!"

Another cup of coffee. Aeris made sure she added the right amount this time. Stirring it, she put the spoon away and headed towards Sephiroth. Her hands stuck out to give him his hot beverage. Sephiroth picked up the cup and sipped it. The coffee plate was still in her hand.

One sip, he looked at the cup and then at Aeris and frowned. "I said I don't like my coffee sweet!" He put it back on the plate. "Make me another one,"

"It wasn't that much honey,"

"I don't care! Make me another one, damn it! You're ridding my nerves, woman! It's just coffee! Can't you make it right?"

"People have different tastes in coffee, sir. I'm sorry that I didn't find your favorite," She turned around and walked over to the coffee station. Pouring it all out, Aeris had to freshly brew up another pot. She couldn't believe how picky he was with coffee! Just coffee! Turning around to see him--! Aeris shrieked when Sephiroth's face was directly in front of hers. "Sir!" she cried.

"Were you trying to say something to me?" He frowned at the woman gravely.

"I was trying to tell you that I don't know what you like, so it's hard to know which mixture of coffee would be best to your taste," She tried to get around him, but Sephiroth seized her by the arm and shoved her up against the counter. He crossed his arms and stared at her. "Please, sir, the coffee's brewing,"

"What's wrong with glaring at you?"

It didn't hurt at first, but the pain is slowly reacting on her back. "I-I'm sorry, sir,"

"Sorry about what? You were merely stating what you wanted, correct?"

"Sephiroth!" Zack screamed at the top of his lungs, walking into his boss's office. "Woah! Did I interupt the two of you?" He had a grin on his face for Sephiroth to see.

"Do you mind teaching her how to make a good coffee?" Sephiroth asked Zack. "Its just...I don't think they have any coffee in the slums,"

Aeris held her feelings in her heart.

"Sir..." started Zack. "Oh..." He kept forgetting that Sephiroth hated this woman because of her sister. "Ah! Stop it before you make the poor thing cry," Seeing a beautiful woman cry is the last thing he ever wants. "Here, I'll make you some coffee...or I can go get Maliya,"

"I asked, do you mind teaching her how to make a good coffee?"

"Ehk?" Zack didn't want to make his boss angry either. "Sure, yes, sir,"

"I know how to make coffee," Aeris spoke up.

"Then why do they all taste like crap?"

"Sir!" started Aeris.

"All right, all right!" cried Zack. "You two, stop it! Sir, I'll let her know how you like your coffee. Aeris, I'll show you the coffee mixture for Sephiroth--everyone okay? Okay! Good!"

Scoffing, Sephiroth went over to his seat.

Aeris turned around, looking at the coffee pot. All of this trouble...over coffee! Aeris knew better than that. Sephiroth was trying to find a way to fire her. If he's really trying, why does he hesitate? Probably to boss her around.

"Don't worry," said Zack, standing next to her. He grabbed the coffee pot after it was done brewing. "He can be an jerk sometimes," Zack spoke in a very, very low tone. "But then soon, he'll probably get used to you and become a bit nicer," He looked at her, realizing she wasn't looking anywhere except at the coffee pot. "Are you all right? If you feel like crying, hehe, my shoulders are available anytime,"

No smile came to the woman's face, but she looked at him. "I...can't really cry," She smiled at him, hoping he would take it as a joke. "But thank you,"

"Of course you can cry!" He winked at her. "Even Sephiroth cries, just not around anyone. Anyways, I was just messing around. Honestly, if you do not feel well, then I'll go ahead and make the coffee for you,"

"No, I'll watch so that next time I won't get chewed out over coffee,"

"Yeah...huh?" Zack shook his head and got about half a spoon full of honey. "See this? That's too much honey. The trick is to get the spoon half full and then pour it back into the jar. Due to it being sticky, you don't have to worry about putting the whole thing back. So, with the left over on the spoon, stir it in until it melts off into the coffee. As for the creamer, pour two spoon full," In his extremely low tone, he told her, "Everything's always too sweet for the boss so do what I just did. Any less honey he'll tell you that it's not sweet enough."

Nodding, she smiled a little bit. "Thank you, Zack,"

"You're very well welcome!"

Aeris took the coffee from his hand and placed it on the small plate. She walked up to Sephiroth and handed him the coffee.

"I changed my mind," said Sephiroth, turning away from his computer to look at her. "Take it away. You may leave,"

The woman litterally stared at the man with hate. She bit her tongue and put the coffee up. Aeris took off angrily.

"Why'd'ya do that for?" asked Zack. "Don't you think that was a bit cruel to the poor girl?"

"It's not my fault that she still wants to work here," Sephiroth shrugged his shoulders and went back to the computer. "Besides, it's what she gets for having a sister like Nadia. Too bad my father didn't make Nadia my secretary instead. I wouldn't mind making her work for nothing until she really wants to quit the business."

"Is that what you're doing to Aeris?"

"Not as satisfying,"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

The silver haired man looked at Zack while leaning back in his seat. "Aeris is just the little sister. She wasn't the one who had the affair with my father, Nadia was,"

"Then why are you taking it out on Aeris?"

"Because from now on, she's my little scapegoat. She's probably already her sister's scapegoat, too."

"But, sir--!" Zack crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "You really shouldn't hold a grudge against her like that. Aeris actually works really good for the company. Your father brought her in here so that she could help him with his works. She was actually like a daughter to that man before he died,"

"No...she...wasn't," His voice was low, but sounded threatening.

"Believe what you want, sir, but your old man personally told me himself. Anyways, I don't know what kind of hell that Aeris and her sister's been through, but I still can't figure out why Nadia wasn't placed in the office rather than Aeris. It would seem right, since your father did sleep with her,"

"He probably wanted the little sister, too,"

Zack smiled at that comment. "No, I don't think your father was that horny. Seriously, you shouldn't hold a grudge on those two sisters. If Vincent had to take them out of the slums, then their life was already messed up enough. Come to think about it, where are their parents? I mean, what kind of parents would let their two girls go out with an old man like it was nothing?"

"I don't really care. I still remember at the funeral, I thought that Aeris was Nadia. I can't believe that Nadia has the nerve to use my father,"

"How do you know that she did?"

"Why didn't she come to his funeral? If she loved him before, why couldn't she show up?

"It could be because she knows you'll throw her out, just like you did with her little sister, Aeris."

"At least show up,"

"Yeah, huh? Well, anyways, lets just leave it at here. You should come down and enjoy the party with everyone else."

"I have work to do,"

"Don't be an over-achiever. Let's go!"

"Go on with the others. I'm busy right now,"

Shrugging his shoulders, Zack left the room.

AN: sorry, after this chapter, none of my fics will be up on ffn anymore. i finally found a place to put up my fics! yay! i just needed ffn as temp. haha. oh well. anyways, been great in ffn for a while...