Disclaimer: I don't own any of the FFVII characters or settings:)

A/N: I know, I know! This took me a LIFETIME to update! I've been so busy with other project and activities and school and sports that I've simply had NO time to focus on more than one story. I'm really trying to finish up one at a time; the first being Lives in Choosing. BUT, seeing as how I've gotten so many requests to keep this going, I think I can try to pull off two at the same time. Ugh…

Seriously, I'm going to try and develop a worthy story for this and push harder to please all you perverted Aeris/Seph minds. I mean, this story went from 3 reviews for the first chapter to thirty-something in the fourth. It's getting there!

Once again, I'm totally, truly sorry for taking so long to update! And just a side note, this story has absolutely NOTHING to do with Advent Children. I came up with the original idea for this story before I even knew about AC, so I had no way to incorporate that story with this one. So, if you've already seen it, or are planning to while in the midst of reading Wicked Savior, disregard it!

One last tidbit, I realized through a review that this story had been marked "complete." It's FAR from it, so don't distress why it's so confusing and marked 'Mature' without good reason. I changed the setting to "In progress" and it will hopefully not change unknowingly on me again.

Thank you fans and happy reading!

Chapter 5: So it begins…

It was the deepest, most relieving sleep Aeris had experienced in ages. No dreams tainted her rest; no stress of worries made themselves know. Just to let everything go, even for just hours, was worth the price of tomorrow's pain. She felt tempted to never wake and just stay in this slumbering bliss for eternity. Death could not even taste so sweet.

Aeris let out a soft sigh and shifted on the uncomfortable sand she was forced to sleep on. She couldn't quite remember why she was here, but it was necessary. The soft splashing of small waterfalls in the distance helped her foggy establish a broader setting and Aeris was suddenly reminded of the caverns she had to travel through to reach the holy lake. Something in the back of her thoughts panicked excitedly, but Aeris passed it off, too tired to worry. The Planet was softly humming and she trusted that if the Planet was relaxed, she was safe enough to be as well. Turning over, she fell into a deeper sleep.

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Aeris's conscious woke her again not long after falling back into a peaceful, dreamless slumber. There was a scolding voice ringing in her ears, fearing that she had fallen asleep in the first place. Something was wrong and the Planet had no judgment over the situation. The mist of sleep evaporated quickly and Aeris blinked her eyes open, surveying her surroundings clearly for the first time since waking. Her fire conjuration was burning low and steadily. The sand beneath her was rough and scratching her skin as the pelt she had tried to sleep on was discarded somewhere behind her. The dripping of ancient pools in the distance chimed rhythmically through the high-domed ceilings. There was a disturbance however - a sloshing was coming from the edge of the lake where the usually still waters would be silent.

Aeris sat up tiredly onto her elbows to gaze over the flames and gasped. Sephiroth. Everything rushed back to Aeris and hit her like a solid wall; everything from the discovery of him, to the healing, to the glowing jade eyes that watched her through the orange, angry flames before she fainted.

Aeris didn't know what to do. She was suddenly hypersensitive of her body, trying to establish her composure while feeling over herself for wounds or evidence of a violation. The actions seemed irrational, for if he wanted to kill her in her sleep, it would have been effortless, but she wasn't exactly in a rational situation.

Sephiroth was back in the lake up to about his waist, his back to her, apparently bathing. He was fiddling with his hair, taking care to separate the knots slowly. Most of the blood had been removed and many of his wounds had healed more while Aeris slept.

It was hard to believe the man had just been so close to death. His tall frame was imposing even from the distance he stood. He held an aura of carelessness, yet carefully chained power. It was the first time Aeris had seen him not terrorizing or causing chaos. The assumed image in her head of a maniac killer faltered momentarily.

Aeris wondered even more why he was still around. How long had she been out? It must've been hours at least and Sephiroth appeared to not have made any move to leave. Was he waiting for her wake? For his moment to end her existence again, but assuring that she knew it? Did he want information from her? Would he torture her… rape her? Aeris swallowed hard and panic flooded her veins. If she ran for it now she might be able to escape without his notice. But where would she go? She had spent days on a relentless journey just to get here and revive him. 'Gods, I need a backbone,' she chided herself, still staring at the back of Sephiroth with fear.

The Planet was still reclining in the back of her mind, unaffected by her worry. It did not evoke any emotions or cautions at all. It seemed totally content with the fact that Aeris was only a few yards away from her killer, and still potential killer a second time around. She was stuck in a debate with herself as to whether to stand up and face him or cower and die. She was on the verge digging herself a hole in the sand when Sephiroth unexpectedly looked over his shoulder at her. Had he known she was watching him? Aeris felt the heat of anger and embarrassment rise in her face.

Sephiroth's expression released no hint of his thoughts. His eyes focused on her impassively for a moment, as if looking through her, then he turned back around. It was now or never.

Aeris stood shakily to her feet, brushing loose sand from her dress, and then stubbornly putting her hands to her hips. "I-uh…" What was she going to say? Aeris mentally kicked herself for not thinking this through. "I-I hope you know this wasn't for you."

Sephiroth made no reply or even sign that he had even heard. Aeris was trembling with fright, but she set her jaw firmly in place. How dare he just ignore her after what she had just done for him! "I could've left you to die, you know. In fact, I wanted that more than anything!" She was trying her hardest to sound strong and unafraid. The sound of her own quivery voice didn't confirm that.

Sephiroth still made no motion, but instead kept kneading the edge of his bloody hair in the water. This was ridiculous! Aeris started to fume as hot rage boiled under her skin. She knew he didn't want to be here with her either and assumed it must be awkward as well, but this was being childish! The least he could do was turn around and face her. "I'm talking to you, you lunatic! I saved your life! You should be somewhat thankful at least," she took a determined step forward, but leapt back when Sephiroth fully turned around.

"I didn't ask to be saved," he said in a chilled, low voice. His bright eyes pierced into Aeris's painfully, accusingly. He took long strides out of the cold water and stopped only a foot in front of Aeris. He was much taller than she recalled, her head barely coming to the top of his wide chest. "Nor would I have needed your assistance, Cetra girl."

Aeris felt her knees turn to liquid as he towered above her, his eyes full of harsh humor. She opened her mouth to say she didn't know what, but her voice thankfully failed and saved her the humiliation. Under normal circumstances, if there was such a thing, Sephiroth might have smirked triumphantly, but now he just frowned and strode past her, water droplets splashing onto Aeris's flushed skin. She shivered involuntarily and watched him walk up to the fire, pause, then continued walking. Where was he going? Was he just going to leave her here?

Aeris jumped to her senses and fumbled her way up the shore to follow Sephiroth. "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded bravely. She practically had to run to keep up with the length of his strides. "You can't just leave!" Couldn't he? It was really quite foolish to believe herself capable of stopping him. She called to the Planet, trying to jolt it into action and realization of the situation. 'What do I do?' she begged of it. Sephiroth had already reached the entrance of the first cave returning to the outside of the village.

'Follow…' the Planet replied coolly.

'Follow him? How long?' Aeris must have sounded desperate and uncertain.

'As long as needed. He knows the way.'

'You can't expect me to just tag along without him getting irritated, can you?' The Planet quietly retreated, leaving Aeris to one simple command: follow Sephiroth or lose purpose. "Great," she mumbled disdainfully, turning back to grab her pelt before hurrying to catch up with the silver-haired man.

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Aeris followed a good fifteen feet behind Sephiroth through most of the cave. The florescent glow still seeped from cracks in the walls and floor, gently floating and quivering weightlessly about. The Cetra girl trained her eyes on the ground, avoiding looking at Sephiroth, who caused her blood to boil and her heart to freeze in terror all at once. She could distantly detect the warm male voices of the Planet humming contently. Their origins were still a mystery to her, for she could not recall hearing them the last time she was here. They were growing steadily louder the closer to the entrance Aeris moved.

Her attention was brought up when she heard Sephiroth's steps silence. He had paused, his head cocked almost curiously to a side, as if listening to the rocks. Could he hear the voices? Could he understand them? Aeris was tempted to ask, but refrained. She was still having a hard time believing herself to be calmly following The Great Sephiroth. The idea itself was hardly plausible, let alone a reality.

"Do you miss death so, Cetra?"

"What?" Aeris wasn't sure he was actually talking to her, his voice so low. He half-turned and gave her another penetrating glare.

"If you wish death by my hands again, you simply had to ask," he told her without a hint of emotion.

Aeris felt an icy sliver shoot up her spine. Perhaps her luck would run out quicker than she thought. "No," she squeaked, "I most certainly don't want that again." A sudden pain ran instantaneously through her ghost wound Sephiroth's masamune had caused, which brought her to realize that he did not have his legendary weapon. Not that that meant he was incapable of causing her harm. Far from it.

"I have nothing for you, Cetra. The Planet is saved." His voice was hard, a hint of sarcasm and fiery hate tethered within it.

"No, it isn't," Aeris watched, astonished, as her voice emanated itself. "The Planet is still dying beyond Meteor and I have to save it."

"Good luck," Sephiroth grunted and it was no question how much he really hoped she would fail. He turned to continue walking.

Either he didn't believe Aeris or he simply did not care anymore, Sephiroth still showed no emotion to her statement. Everything he had been working for and everything he had just lost was presenting itself opportune again. Aeris hadn't meant to quite share that with him, but he thankfully didn't jump to take direct action. Abnormally aloof or not, there was something on Sephiroth's mind. Not that she was about to step into that territory, Aeris simply found it hard to believe he would not even inquire of her how the Planet was dying. That information was hers alone for now, but if he was to be her "hope," she had to push some buttons.

Aeris walked briskly to keep pace and called to him firmly, "And you are going to help me." Nervous tension rose again when Sephiroth paused, his shoulders going slightly rigid.

"Oh? And was I sane when I offered myself?"

"No…"

Sephiroth rounded on Aeris, still a good distance from her, but dangerously bristling either way. "Cetra, I couldn't care if your planet was cloning itself into a colony of molten cores. If the Planet lives, is killed, commits suicide, it is no concern of myself."

Aeris was now feeling confused. "I… I think your views on this were much different no so long ago. Are you feeling alright?" She almost wanted to laugh at her words.

"Perhaps you should ask yourself the same," he turned and started walking again, but his deep voice still echoed back to her clearly. "Because in case you haven't noticed, it is you who is following the crazed maniac asking for his assistance."

"I am not asking you for anything. You will do it," she called, hoping she had not stepped too far over. He seemed to be unfazed by anything else so far. "Do you even have an idea where you're going?"

"Do you?" His voice was hard and irritated.

"That's why I asked you."

"How long do you mean to follow me, Cetra?"

Although it was not a vulgar or painful thing to call her, Aeris was beginning to dislike the sound of the sacred word coming from his mouth so disrespectfully. "My name is Aeris. And I mean to follow you as far as I am to go." 'Nice, Aeris, that sounded intelligent.'

"You will not survive in the cold past the first day. The night if you are lucky."

"I did all the way here," she said defiantly.

"Surely not barefoot?" The question was swimming in dark jest. As much as Aeris did not want to admit it, he had a point. She had forgotten all about her discarded boots, which were still abandoned somewhere out in the endless fields of snow. Shell Village had been warm enough for her to survive without them. Her feet indeed would not last a day, not even hours, in the biting cold. She could try and create some makeshift coverings with her pelt, but that would take a good half hour to an hour, giving Sephiroth plenty of time to trudge away and out of her sight. She sighed in defeat and looked ahead, suddenly realizing Sephiroth wasn't even wearing a top.

"And you're going to survive without any sort of shirt or cloak?" she retorted, clutching her fur pelt to her reflexively, imagining being stranded in the ice and snow clad only in her flesh.

Sephiroth ignored her, walking on. He eventually led them to the city's yawning mouth, expanding the scenery into the endless snow. It had changed little since Aeris had run across it the other day.

Aeris had been tearing at the edge of the pelt, desperately trying to get off pieces large enough to envelope her feet without totally distorting the blanket. She had just succeeded in getting off the second piece when Sephiroth hesitated a moment to survey the landscape. He seemed to be orienting himself and finding his cardinal directions. Aeris took this time to off two strips from the bottom of her dress, letting her wrap her feet and tie the fur securely around her ankles. She had just finished when Sephiroth stepped off determinably into the snow, not a moment wasted to see if she was following of not.

They had been walking only ten minutes when Aeris felt the gnawing cold of melted snow soaking through the fur around her feet. She didn't know how much longer they would last before they would be totally useless. She turned, still viewing the forgotten city in the distance and turning again to watch The Great Sephiroth push on through the thick snow, unaffected. The Planet had left her to herself with only one impending request. She would follow it without question, even to her death. Unfortunately, the journey alone, wherever she might be led to, looked like a struggle beyond anything she had yet been forced to endure. This was no AVALANCHE assignment, with Cloud and the others to watch over her. This was a demented murderer, only further vexed by her presence.

Death would be a far greater fate.

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A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for reading! I promise to update fast… really… I do! Anyway, please leave me a review, comment, correction, maybe even question. I love hearing from you all! Love ya! tsukino