Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy VII or the song Broken Wings. They belong to Square Enix and Mr. Mister, respectively.

Chapter Six:

A Little Too Much

Tifa closed her eyes and braced herself to be crushed from the falling beam and roof tiles. Instead of being greeted by the unforgiving wood and tile, she felt the sensation of being lifted in someone's arms. She was jarred around slightly before whatever had her came to a halt. She coughed a little; dust had seeped into her lungs.

After her coughing fit subsided, she opened her eyes. She was above the wreckage of her bar and to her surprise in Sephiroth's arms. He shook his head at her and looked at the rubble below. His eyes were distant, cold, and far removed from this small sight of destruction. They were the only things she could see through the darkness of his hood besides a few wisps of silver. Vincent's cloak luckily covered his most distinguishable features, and that caused Tifa to relax only slightly. He, slowly, lowered her to the ground and completely let go only after making sure she would not lose her footing.

She stared at him with an inquisitive look on her face. How he had moved that quickly and managed to jump this far up was beyond her belief. They were at least thirty feet in the air standing on the remains of a chimney and ledge beside her bar. She left her balance wavering and almost fell until he grabbed her arm. She glared at him. Damn him. He was just standing there making this balancing act look extremely facile. He let out an irritated sigh and shifted his head to the rubble.

Now, she left ridiculous. She was so wrapped up in being angry and grateful at Sephiroth she almost forgot about Barret and Cid. She descended the rubble as fast as her balance would allow. To her surprise and much delight, she saw Barret and Cid erupt from the destruction almost unscathed. They only sustained a few minor cuts and bruises from what she could see. The two gave her a look of joy and astonishment as both stood up to greet her.

"Tifa, how the hell did you survive?" Cid asked in utter bewilderment. His eyes almost popping out of his head.

"I thought for sur' you were a' goner," Barret added.

Tifa smiled and looked up to where Sephiroth once stood, but he was nowhere to be found. She felt slightly disappointed, but remembered that Barret and Cid would go berserk if they found out now. She smiled and feigned ignorance. "I don't know what happened. One moment I was about to be crushed and the next I was standing above the wreckage. I guess the Planet just favored me." The two of them nodded, not quite believing her story, but accepting it anyway.

This is when she took a moment to notice it wasn't just her bar that was destroyed, but the neighboring inn and general store. The well in the middle of town was demolished and the reserved water was running into the disheveled streets. Part of Cloud's house had fallen and blocked the path leading to the mansion. The mansion seemed untouched still standing with no visible sign of damage. She looked towards her house, which also seemed untouched. She slowly sunk to her knees, grasping her heart. She could hear the people around her calling for their children or screaming over the dead.

She couldn't say quite why, but she started crying. The scar on her chest echoed pain and it vaguely reminded her of what this sight was reminiscent of. After all these years of repressing and hiding the memories, it had finally resurfaced. Her free hand attempted to pull the ground as her fingers dug into the soil. The only difference was there was no fire and she wasn't in the reactor. It was an earthquake. She damned herself for letting this happen. Her mind told her to blame Sephiroth for all her pain, but it was not that simple anymore. He was innocent. This whole event was a freak accident so she thought.

She was wrapped up in her emotion that she didn't notice Barret sitting beside her with his arm on her shoulder. He never knew of her sadness and agony that she felt surrounding this place, but the least he could was attempt to comfort his friend.

Tifa lifted her head and through her tear filled eyes she could see blond strands of hair and blue eyes. It was Cloud and his face looked quite saddened and apologetic at the same time. His arms were opened to greet her. She accepted them and cried into his shoulder as he rubbed the small of her back. He attempted to quiet her, but attempts were futile. All he could do was allow her to let it out. He looked to Barret and Cid.

"Please, go see what you can do for the survivors. I will stay with her," he said.

Cid and Barret nodded and went in separate directions. Tifa and Cloud looked alone and separate from the settling dust and chaos surrounding them. Her head was buried into his neck as she sobbed away. He set his chin on her shoulder and occasionally rubbed her back. They both were oblivious to everything around them except comforting one another.

Meanwhile, Nanaki was slowly dragging the unconscious Yuffie out of the fallen part of Cloud's house despite the obvious limp in his rear leg. With his pawprints were small traces of blood that indicated a cut in his pads.

Vincent had been lucky enough to be in Tifa's house at the time of the quake, but he did not stay there for long. His sleep had been interrupted by the sound of the house creaking and cracking. When he noticed Sephiroth had disappeared, he went outside just in time to see his trailing figure venture into his home. Silently, the cloaked man went after him. The two met just as Sephiroth took the time to sit down and lift the hood from his head. Vincent glared at him. A thickness filled the air between the tow, but quickly dissipated after a few minutes.

"Please, tell me you didn't have anything to do with that?" Vincent asked, completely forgetting the fact Sephiroth had gone outside in the first place.

Sephiroth smirked in response before staring just as harshly at Vincent. "No, I didn't. Fires are more of my signature, not earthquakes." Vincent remained slightly passive through his smart-ass response. "It was the result of a very angry and vengeful spirit."

It was well into the night before things started to settle down. Everyone except Vincent and Sephiroth settled in Tifa's house. Barret was outside vainly searching for Marlene. Cid was outside on Tifa's porch, shaking his head. He hated to see the big guy in tears. Grimly, he thought Barret would come to them in the morning with the broken and bleeding body of his beloved daughter. Cid lit another cigarette and stared into the night sky, praying to the Planet for Barret and Marlene.

Inside things were still quiet and downtrodden. Yuffie was lying upstairs on Tifa's bed, still unconscious. Nanaki lay quietly on the couch, occasionally looking at his bandaged leg. Cloud was sitting down at the kitchen table beside Tifa, who had calmed down considerably. He seemed slightly detached from her at the moment and very distant. Nanaki had been a witness to all that had transpired between the two for the past hours.

Ironically, Cloud's attempts to comfort Tifa were futile and had almost the opposite effect. He had never much of a people person. Apparently he had said something that greatly upset her with him. She swatted his hand away as he tried to pull her into his embrace. She couldn't understand why he could not understand her feelings at the moment. She cursed herself for being so weak and not being able to help the town or prevent the events that happened. All he said to her that it would be all right in the end.

And damn it that is what he always thought. Maybe back when they were children that it was true, but not anymore. The world had become to complex for that simple statement to work. Through her self-pity she felt selfish. Her emotions were getting the best of her and she could not help it. It also didn't help that the scar on her chest rung with pain throughout her small frame.

"I couldn't stop it. Why does it happen every time I feel safe things like this happen!" She yelled, slamming her hand on the table.

"It is not your fault.. Besides I know it will be all right," Cloud responded.

"No, Cloud, it will not be all right. You can not believe in that forever," she retorted sounding hurt and angry at the same time.

"I didn't until Aeris taught me that it will…" he said.

At that moment something inside her snapped. It was true she loved Aeris as a friend, but jealousy reared its ugly head. Visions flashed before her of Cloud constant flirting with Aeris, almost ignoring her own existence. The times she tried to warm up to him and he was cold towards her. That damn smile of hers stole the only man she really wanted away from her. Tifa never stood a chance against her background and innocent demeanor. Aeris was kind, generous, and never hurt others. Though Aeris, had hurt Tifa's heart.

No, she thought. Cloud was the one that had hurt her. He was the one that knew Tifa had feelings for him, but still ignored her. He feigned ignorance of her feelings and went with Aeris. Even after her death, feeling between the two of them seemed forced and false. She stood up from the table, slamming both of her palms on it.

Sephiroth looked up from his reeling thoughts as Vincent turned on the radio. Both had been silent to one another for the some time now. The radio was a welcome relief to the eerie silence that echoed throughout the mansion. Vincent nodded at his companion's presence before heading in the direction of the kitchen. Sephiroth remained behind and looked outside just in time to see the skies unleash a torrent of water on the already bleak, broken down town. He was currently occupying an old, elegant chair meant for people of nobility. A single candle lighted the room by the piano and the glow of his eyes. He looked slightly amused at the storm. He barely moved making him appear to be just another decoration in the vast, dust covered mansion. It appeared that he fit neatly into place in this elegant, yet old environment.

The glow of his eyes danced with the drops of rainwater. He had long since abandoned the cloak for a trenchcoat Vincent loaned him. Inside his head, his thoughts wandered, but his face gave no indication of what his thoughts were. Slowly, he began to stand as the chair creaked being released from his weight. He walked over to the window and stood there with his arms crossed. All he could think about was the specter he had come to know. He had no clue of who it was, but somehow felt connected to him.

His fingers came to rub the bridge of his nose. He was definitely annoyed by this whole situation especially that specter he knew was responsible for this. His head hurt from dwelling on it too much. Though, outwardly he seemed immovable and impassable as a mountain during the strongest of blizzards. But how dearly he wished he could tear that ghost limb from limb. Some primal instinct inside of him urged the matter. Oh how he would enjoy seeing the sight of that man begging for his mercy. He smiled grimly at the thought of his blood running down Masamune. That is when it hit him. His sword had been absent since he came from the lifestream. This fact perturbed him even further. He felt incomplete with his precious gift as he called it. He moved his bangs from his face even more annoyed with himself now.

You still find satisfaction in revenge, don't you?

"Only when justice needs to be served," Sephiroth spoke to the voice.

And what justice needs to be served to a man you don't even know?

"You dare question my reasons? What does one need other than a gut feeling to know when one is your enemy and needs to be eliminated?"

If only you felt the same way about everything else in your life…

"And what is it you are inquiring?"

Nothing really… It's a little too much for you anyway.

Before he could retort or probe for further answers as he felt the voice leave him. It angered him more, but he still retained a calm countenance about him. He turned around in a wave of silver to look away from the window.

Orpheus looked at himself, his senses finally coming to him. He stood in front of a long mirror examining his body. He was fitted into clothing the scientist provided for him. His pants were hunter green and very plain. His shirt was an almost black green and constrained at the waist by a simple dark brown belt. He wore black boots made for formal occasions and over his whole figure was a form hiding black trenchcoat. He was pleased with his attire and rubbed at one of the silver bangles on his wrists. Inscribed into the metal were symbols in the language of the Cetra.

He smiled wickedly and turned with his arm outstretched and whispered a simple word. Nearby a table exploded leaving little more than burnt spots on the floor. He lowered his hand and stared at the scientist.

"Perfect. I commend you on a job well done. Being trapped in that living hell was getting boring," Orpheus said. "There is just one more thing."

"No need to say anything else," the scientist responded. He walked over to a table and with a huge effort picked up a battered sword inside its sheath. It was about five feet in length and curved. Orpheus took from the man with no effort and unsheathed it.

The blade's hilt was simple and black. The blade itself was unsettling being permanently stained with crimson. Orpheus smiled and took a practice swing, effectively cutting an innocent chair in two, cleanly. He sheathed the blade and attached it to his back with a leather strap.

"It's nice to see you retrieved Murasame for me as well," Orpheus stated, "Now to see if you really did your homework. Where is the wielder of Masamune? That is the first person I want to see."

The man looked at him with a glint I his eye. "He is in a small town called Nibelheim, but is without the sacred sword of the Cetra. The fool lost it."

Orpheus laughed with his head arched back. He laid his right hand to his forehead. "This situation is jut getting better and better. Now I can eliminate him without worries. Without that damnèd blade no one is capable of stopping me this time around!"

"Well, I am sorry that I am not Aeris!" Tifa shouted.

"Tifa, listen to what you are saying, you are being unreasonably," Cloud said as he stood up. He placed his hand under her chin and made her face him. She quickly jerked her head away from him.

"Then tell me, how am I supposed to act?" she questioned.

"First I want you to calm down, getting upset is not going to help the situation," Cloud stated. Bu of course being himself he could not just leave it at that. "You need to stop thinking about yourself and your feelings and about others."

His words stung her like a million swords stabbing through her heart, tearing it to shreds. She glared at him as tear streamed down from her face. Damn him for making her cry again. Acting on impulse she walk towards the door and slammed it behind herself. Cloud was about to chase after her, but he thought better of it.

Tifa ran past Cid, who yelled to her, but his words were lost in the haze of her mind. As if by instinct she ran through the muddy streets and tore though the ruble obscuring her path towards the mansion. She scraped herself along some of the broken beams and tiles. Before she could comprehend what had transpired she found herself standing in the entranceway of the mansion.

She was clearly a mess, her clothes soaked. Her face was a mix of rain and tears. Her legs and arms were covered in tiny scratches. The thick clay covering them muddled her shoes down. Her wine colored eyes looked up from the floor. They were meet by the sight of Sephiroth. He had heard her enter and went to inspect the intruder in the mansion. His eyes were the only distinguishable feature in the dimly lighted mansion. Music echoed throughout the place. She sobbed and ran towards him, not caring anymore. She stopped in front of him with her head to the ground. Sephiroth crossed his arms and looked down upon her shaking form. Her actions caused him to raise his eyebrow at her.

Before he had time to react she crumpled herself against his bare chest, crying. Her right hand clinched at his borrowed black trenchcoat while the other fisted itself near her head. He flinched at her closeness and almost pushed her away, but some force inside him made him not.

Tifa felt so weak, but didn't care. Why she felt compelled to seek comfort in Sephiroth was beyond her comprehension. She looked up at his cold glaze and somehow felt comforted. Her scar no longer pained her, but sobs and the cold still wracked throughout her form. She could hear another song starting the background and went back to sobbing into his chest. There she felt protected, safe from the pains of her life and the harsh words of Cloud.

Baby, don't understand why we can't just hold


To each other's hands.

Sephiroth, in an attempt to remove gently from his person, he started to pry her right hand from his clothing. He got the opposite effect when she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. At this point he was both angry and confused by her action.

This time might be the last we feel


Less I make it all too clear, I need you so

He tried to pull his hand away from her. She looked up at him once more with pleading eyes. She must have been delirious or insane to be doing this to him. Either way she didn't care. At the moment she needed a strong pillar to stand against.

"Please…" she sounded so pleading. Her eyes cried out to him. He tried to resist them, but he was still part human and gave into her. He could hear voices swirling about his head and they all sang a mournful tone.

She slowly pulled his free arm around her waist as she hugged closer into his form. She couldn't explain why she did this, but it felt so right to her. His warmth was a welcome to her cold body and numb fingers. She listened to his steady heartbeat that helped her calm down.

Sephiroth looked at her slight disgust that eventually subdued into indifference. He looked down at Tifa as she mumbled something into his chest.

Take these broken wings and learn fly again


Learn to live so free

"..Angel… Fallen.." she murmured. His eyes widened at her assumption. He definitely was no angel. He pulled her head to face him with his hand. She was smiling gently towards him. His mind tried to probe into her thoughts, but he was meet with pain and another feeling he couldn't pinpoint. He pulled quickly out of the recesses of her mind. She had a fever. He could deduce that much. She was hallucinating.

When we hear the voices sing


The book of love will open up and let us in


Take these broken wings

Tifa reached out to grasp at something that was behind him, only she could see. She smiled sweetly and brought a single black feather in her hand. Sephiroth shook his head, swearing that was not there before and wondered where the hell she got it. Specks of blood lightly decorated the feather.

"It must hurt… To have your wings broken, not able to fly. I can teach you," she said. Strangely enough he had to shake away a twinge in his back.

Baby, think tonight


We can take what was wrong and make it right


Baby, it's all I know is that


You are half of the flesh and blood that makes me whole

That was all he could take of her as he pushed her gently away from him. Human contact never settled with him and hers was going behind his personal bubble. She grabbed at him and refuse to let him push her away.

"Please, don't I need you." She said.

He had almost enough of it so he scooped her sodden form easily in his arms. She hugged his neck and nestled her head in the crook of his neck. He was slightly annoyed by this, but slowly ascended the stairs to the bedroom he remembered being here. Inside his head the voices sang to him.

So take these broken wings and learn to fly again
Learn to live so free
When we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up and let us in

It didn't take him long to reach the room and deposit her on the bed. With her high fever it was the least he could do for her tending to him those nights. He may have been a cold-hearted man, but he never liked leaving a debt he owed, unpaid. He turned to leave when he felt a tug at his coat.

"Please don't leave me…" Tifa spoke through her weakened voice.

He was slightly amused by the look she gave him. It reminded him of his childhood days when all he wanted was someone beside him to make his pain go away, but no one ever did come. Slowly, he found himself sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her.

Tifa smiled through the growing haze in her mind. All she could make out were these brilliant warmly glowing eyes. Behind them were town, torn, tattered wings, but didn't matter to her or the fact this being was giving off a menacing aura. She reached her arm out through the anger. Her hand lightly touched the being that held those wings.

Take these broken wings
You've got to learn to fly
Learn to live and love so free
And when we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up and let us sing

She smiled, feeling her tears dry. She felt warm all over and pulled herself up to rest her head on this being's shoulder. She felt him tense and smiled all the more. She didn't care anymore. Here she felt safe and secure for once in her life. She wasn't alone and she could feel her heart sing in unison to the breathing of this man. She slowly succumbed to sleep as her hands weakly grasped on Sephiroth's trenchcoat.

"Broken angel, I need you a little too much…" She whispered before welcoming the comfort of sleep.

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A/N: Sorry guys for taking so long, but I had many problems writing this chapter. But I was inspired by the song, Broken Wings, by Mr. Mister and felt it appropriate to include it in this chapter. Originally, I was going to have the others find out about Sephiroth, but decided against it and went the route of developing Tifa's and Sephiroth's relationship with each other. I am sorry that Sephiroth seems so cold towards her, but I believe it will take him a while to give into raw emotion. It isn't exactly one of those hopelessly romantic kinds of guys. I also apologize if you think I put too much description in the scenes with Sephiroth, but this story is leaning towards being centered on him. Oh I do realize there is a sword in the game Cloud gets called Murasame, but that is different from Orpheus's and all be explained about that later.

Anyway, next chapter should be out soon. I hope you enjoyed this one and please give me some honest feedback on this one because I feel a little unsure if I approached it correctly, besides I love constructive criticisms. Oh, and thank you for all my readers waiting all this time for this post.