Chapter Twenty-One

Head Games

Jessi heard voices all around her. She opened her eyes and noticed her vision was blurry, but she still made out the forms of three figures.

"You never should have brought her here!" Hojo hissed.

"We should have thrown her to Lifestream and left her there…" It was Sean's voice.

"Quiet, she needs rest…" Kristen's.

"Yea, she's gonna need a lot of rest when I'm done…Ow!" There was a smack, followed by Alex crying out in protest. Jessi closed her eyes and let the darkness overcome her.

She continued to sink down into Lifestream and the more she struggled to reach the surface, the further down she sank.

"I don't think we're going to find her Vincent." She heard Tifa's voice. She sounded bored.

Jessi looked up and seen her friends above her. She opened her mouth to call out to them but closed it quickly when she seen Vincent shrug.

"She probably went ahead and left; it's better that way anyhow."

Jessi felt like someone had stabbed her, how could he be so callous?

"It's too bad, I really did like her." Aeris said unconvincingly.

"Let's get going, we have to find Hojo and Jenova still." Cloud said.

Jessi called out to them. Couldn't they see her? They turned and walked to the ship and she reached out to them. Why didn't they look harder for her?

Because they don't want to, what do they care? She shook her head and refused to believe it. She stretched her hand out further and cried for them to come back. But they couldn't hear her and she knew it. Just as she started to drop her hand, another reached down and pulled her up. Her heart soared; they came back, its Vincent! As she broke to the surface, she had seen it was not Vincent, but Sean.

He pulled her up to the platform beside him and she began coughing, it felt like Lifestream was still flooding her lungs. She looked back at him and flinched as he raised his right arm, but was shocked when he pushed the hair away from her face. Her eyes widened and she felt his name form on her lips. He smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her. She closed her eyes as tears began to slide down her face and she wrapped her arms around him. I don't care if Vincent or the others don't want me with them; I finally have you back my love. As he lowered her to the ground, she thought silently, please, don't let this be a dream; and if it is, don't wake me up…

"That was excellent my Queen." Kristen said, absolutely delighted.

"But when she wakes up, she will realize it was a dream. What will we do then?"

Jenova smiled. "Patience my child, patience. That vision was merely a small thing that we have to offer her if she chooses to join us. When she wakes up, she will want it to be real so much that she would give anything for it to be so…and we are going to grant her that wish."

"With her cooperation of course, isn't that right Jenova?" Hojo said viciously as he entered the room.

Krissy glowered at him but Jenova smiled. "Of course."

Vincent was searching everywhere for Jessi when Cloud walked up behind him.

"Vincent…" His voice was quiet, full of empathy and it made Vincent afraid to turn and face him. He did, slowly and seen Cloud was carrying someone in his arms. Vincent choked, as he took Jessi's torn and beaten lifeless body. No, he thought. No, no, no!

"NO!" He screamed out and dropped down to his knees. He held the dead weight of her body close to him and bowed his head.

"Why did you leave? You knew you wouldn't stand a chance against them Jessi, why did you do it?"

Tifa turned her head away as tears slid down her cheeks; Cloud put his arm around her and placed his hand over her head. Aeris had tears in her eyes as well and she started towards Vincent when he suddenly lay Jessi's body on the ground and stood up. He turned and walked back to the ship while the others stood there in disbelief. Sephiroth walked slowly towards Jessi; he kneeled down next to her and lay his head on her chest for a moment. He looked at her face and said so quietly, "I thought she couldn't die."

He looked over to Aeris and asked, "How can she die if she's immortal?"

Aeris walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him as she began to cry.

"Oh Seph, I'm sorry."

He didn't notice the others walk back to the ship but Yuffie stopped by Jessi's body and brought her hands together and brought them down past her stomach; it was her goodbye to Jessi and also her prayer for the soul to find peace. She started for the ship, but then stopped next to Sephiroth. She placed her hand on his shoulder and he looked at her. Her soft grey eyes were misted and she smiled at him. "I'm sorry." With that she walked to the ship and Sephiroth, with Aeris beside him, followed. When the giant ship lifted into the sky and sped off, Jessi opened her eyes and sat up. As she got up, she smiled and dusted herself off.

"What kind of friends are they, they didn't even realize."

Jessica's appearance began to change and was replaced by Alex's

"Oh well, it doesn't matter now."

He started down into the depths of the crater and walked into a well-hidden entrance into Jenova and Hojo's lair.