~Disclaimer~ I do "not" own any of the Final Fantasy characters, costumes,
locations, sexy lingerie.......oops, I mean, um, yah. I don't own any of
it. Except maybe in my mind. Hee hee. Sexy underwear stuff. *ahem*
(ILOVESEPHIROTH) *please note that the Author puts "bracketed" notes for
her own pleasure. You are entitled to you own opinion on them as long as
you agree with her*
Author: Hi all! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long. :( I've been really busy doing a whole bunch of other stuff (especially school) so forgive me. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and helped me along my path to writingness. I'll make this a longer chapter just for you guys. Please R&R.
Sephiroth: *smiles and hugs author* No one could stay mad at you.
Author: Yah........sure they couldn't......
Chelsey: *runs up screaming bloody murder and tries to strangle Natalee* You made me wait for two months to read the next part! TWO MONTHS!!!!!!!
Author: *pries her off* I'm very very very sorry!
Sephiroth: *looks at Chelsey with interest and she smacks him, then leaves* *hangs his head* No one loves me.
Author: *grins* Oh I wouldn't say that.....
Sephiroth: *doesn't get it* *shrugs and dances off to picks more flowers*
Author: *sighs* I'll get on with the fic now. Just so you know, there may be more fluff in this chapter then there was in the others. Also, for those of you who are waiting for the Aeris and Sephiroth fluff, it's coming so be patient. It takes time to fall in love you know. ;)
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"What the hell is that?!" he sputtered.
Cloud and Squall both ran out to the hallway and Cloud narrowed his eyes at Sephiroth, who was holding Aeris' arm and desperately trying to calm her down. Aeris struggled and fought against Sephiroth and when he saw Cloud coming for him he released her. She ran into Cloud's arms and he held her tightly, trying to make her stop shaking. Cloud stroked her hair and whispered soothingly in her ear. Aeris simply clung to him. Raising her head, she looked at Cloud with terrified eyes. "Please. Don't let him hurt me."
Sephiroth just stood still, clearly in shock from seeing Aeris alive. Squall came over to Aeris and she turned her head towards him. "It's okay. He's harmless. I promise you that we won't let anything happen to you." Aeris portrayed the same attitude that Cloud had when he first saw Sephiroth.
She frowned at Cloud. "And you're okay with this?!" Cloud hugged her again, stalling for time to figure out how to reply.
"Well, I, um, you know. I don't have a choice really. Squall trusts him so I'm giving him a chance." Aeris remained silent and he knew how she felt. She shook her head, but didn't comment.
Sephiroth stood there awkwardly, watching the two. He would never admit it to anyone, but secretly he had always found Aeris attractive. He realized that he was staring at her and he blushed and turned his head away. Thankfully, no one had noticed. He shook his head regretfully. If only Jenova hadn't had so much control over him and his clones. He winced at the memory of his clone stabbing Aeris through the stomach. Although he hadn't directly tried to kill her, his mind was linked with all the clones Hojo had created and he has felt Aeris' pain. Along with the hate and anger from her friends towards him afterwards. Could she ever forgive him?
He blinked, hearing his name. "So I'll just walk you back to the infirmary all right?" Sephiroth glanced at Squall and realized that all eyes were on him. He shifted uncomfortably as he racked his brain for something to say. Even Cloud was shooting daggers at him with his angry glare, Sephiroth felt his expression soften when he gazed at Aeris.
"Okay. Let's go," he spoke softly to Squall.
Aeris saw the serious expression on Sephiroth's face change a little when his eyes rested on her for a moment and felt a little confused. Was he feeling guilty for hurting her? Aeris ignored her thoughts and turned her attention back to Cloud.
Squall and Sephiroth headed back to the infirmary. Squall made sure Sephiroth was back in bed and patted his shoulder companionably. "Rest up. Give them a while to get used to the whole thing and I'm sure they'll warm up to you." Sephiroth gave Squall a half smile and leaned back onto the pillow.
"Thank you. I really appreciate everything you do for me."
Squall smiled, "no problem."
Sephiroth sighed in relief when Squall finally left the room. No one knew how much he had cried for Aeris. He had assumed she died when the clone stabbed his sword through her. His mind raced with thoughts and he put the pillow over his face. It was useless. Everyone hated and despised him. He'd given them no reason to trust him so why should they? Grinning maliciously, he thought of Cloud with a masemune in his back. Now there's a pretty picture I could get used to. He sighed and rolled onto his side, replacing the pillow in its original place and slowly fell asleep with an image of Aeris in his mind.
Aeris held Cloud's hand tightly while he rambled on beside her. She didn't think she could listen even if she wanted to. Cloud was going on about something or other to do with staying at Garden for a while to help out Squall. She just nodded and smiled a lot until he stopped talking, even though staying here was the last thing she wanted to do. He caught her by surprise when he leaned over and kissed her. He pulled back after a moment and grinned.
"Thanks. This means a lot to me. And to Squall. Although I'm sure he'll find a different way to thank you then I will." Squall came around the corner and paused for a moment, blushing, before he looked at Cloud.
"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Cloud shook his head and Squall gave him a knowing smile.
"So, have you talked to her yet?" he asked hopefully.
Cloud nodded, "yah, I did. We're going to stay." Squall hugged Aeris gratefully.
"Thanks for letting him stay!"
Aeris smiled shyly, "just don't let me catch you two up to mischief or this one here is going home." She messed up Cloud's hair as she spoke. He pushed her hand away playfully.
"Stop that! Do you have any idea how long it takes me to do my hair in the morning?!"
Squall shook his head and laughed. Aeris smiled at the blushing Cloud. "Come on you guys. I'll show you to your room," Squall said, gesturing for them to follow him. Cloud put his arm around Aeris' waist and they followed him to the dormitories. Squall lead them to one of the bigger dorms and handed Cloud the key. "Have a nice night partner."
Squall left them and headed for the elevator. He stopped dead in his tracks and ran his hand through his hair, remembering Rinoa's silent threat. The look she had given him said it all. 'Show you face here tonight and you'll seriously regret it.' He sighed, got into the elevator and pressed the button for his floor.
Aeris inspected the room critically. She smiled slightly at the navy curtains that clashed with the red bedspread. It would do. For now. Cloud knew exactly what she was thinking. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled the back of her neck.
"We'll get a navy bedspread. Don't worry. By the time I'm done with this room everything with match perfectly." Aeris smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, sweety, but remember, it's not permanent." Cloud slid his hands up onto her shoulders and massaged lightly.
"You're tense, love. What's wrong?"
Aeris closed her eyes, "nothing. I'm fine. Just tired I guess." Cloud snuggled her again and she leaned back against him. "Lets just go to sleep," Aeris whispered, her head starting to pound painfully. She massaged her temples with her fingertips and Cloud looked at her with concern.
"Come to bed then. We can talk in the morning." Aeris changed into her pajamas and climbed into the bed next to Cloud. As soon as she lay down she felt a gentle, loving hand stroking her hair and she curled up in Cloud's arms her head still throbbing.
Squall knocked nervously on the door of his bedroom. He waited for an answer and when none came he sighed and called softly through the door. "Rinoa? Honey, please. Come on. I'll find some time for us to spend alone all right? I promise. I mean I'm free now..... Just open the door." He heard some sounds from inside the room and a few seconds later a miffed Rinoa opened the door and looked at him impatiently.
"What?!" she snapped, a trace of hurt in her voice. He grabbed her in his arms before she could shut the door and pulled her out into the hallway. He kissed her cheek to show that he knew he wasn't forgiven yet and held her for a minute. Squall looked down at her lovingly before speaking.
"I love you, that's what." Rinoa tried to keep a serious face, but a smile was breaking through. Squall saw his chance and tickled her making her break out into giggles. She pushed him away teasingly.
"Cheater," she said in a mock-annoyed tone, "I knew I should have left the door shut."
Squall felt safe enough to smile. "Tired?" he asked innocently. She shook her head, amused, and pulled him back inside the room.
"Not yet."
Squall closed the door behind him and made sure it was locked this time.
Aeris sat up in bed and shivered. She was freezing cold and her head hurt even more then before. She glanced over at Cloud. No wonder she was so cold! The blanket hog had all the freakin' covers! She smiled fondly at him and quietly swung her legs out of bed, sticking her feet into a pair of slippers. Carefully stepping around obstacles she made her way out of the dorm room and into the hallway. She shivered again and rubbed her arms.
Stepping lightly along the hallway, Aeris made her way into the main hall. Sighing, she felt the need to get away from this place for a while. Having nowhere to go, she went past the infirmary and paused by the stairs that go to the balcony. She considered her options and walked on over to the training center entrance. He headache intensified and she let out a small cry of pain. Aeris leaned on the door and when another wave of pain slashed through her she shoved open the door and went inside.
Sephiroth had jolted awake from the numerous nightmares he repeatedly experienced. Pacing around the room seemed to be the only thing that calmed his nerves. He saw a shadow pass by the window and sensed someone in pain going down the front hallway. Sephiroth wondered who, besides himself, would be up this late.
He peered out the door and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a petite figure in blue pajamas and fuzzy slippers standing by the balcony exit. She seemed to change her mind and moved on to the training center. A wave of pain from Aeris washed over him and he winced. The last thing he wanted was for her to be in pain. He slipped into his housecoat and followed her silently into the training center.
She was far ahead of him and by the time he entered the center he had lost sight of her. He concentrated, looking for Aeris' presence and finally his mind caught hold of hers.
He jogged quickly and entered a side room where her presence was the strongest. Aeris was leaning against the wall. Her shoulders were shaking and tears ran off her cheeks, dripping onto the floor. Sephiroth felt a little awkward, but her couldn't stand to leave her like this. He stepped forward and stopped again, not quite sure how to approach her. Sephiroth moved forward and gently placed his hand on her back. Aeris cried out and spun around. Sephiroth hated the fear he could see in her eyes when she looked at him and he turned his face away, not able to bear it any longer. Aeris could sense that Sephiroth wasn't going to hurt her, but she didn't know what he wanted from her.
She could feel her fear fading slightly and she broke down and threw her arms around Sephiroth , still crying. His eyes shifted back and forth nervously and he awkwardly patted her back. Something inside her mind was really hurting her. He closed his eyes and searched through her thoughts. He found the source of the headache and transferred the pain to himself.
Aeris quieted when she felt the pain leave and a kind of peace settled over her. Sephiroth embraced her, then backed away. She could see his face tightened in pain. Somehow he had taken the pain from her. She frowned and stepped towards him. Sephiroth watched her longingly as she came towards him and knew her had to leave her here before he did something he's regret. Turning, he ran through the door and all the way back to his bed. He climbed into the comfy sheets and focused until the pounding headache faded, then smiling him to himself, he fell asleep.
Aeris stared at the space Sephiroth had been a few moments earlier. What exactly was she doing? Cloud would be furious if he found out that Sephiroth had followed her and been with her while she was all alone and unprotected. She shook her head, thinking of how he seemed to treat her like a child a lot. Her heart was beating like a drum, but not from fear. Sephiroth had been so kind to her, so different from how she remembered him. And were his eyes always that deep blue? She clearly remembered his green, eyes glowing from the mako infused in his body.
Is it possible that he wasn't the Sephiroth they had destroyed? Could the real Sephiroth still be alive? Feeling dizzy, Aeris sat down and leaned back against the wall. She had to talk to him. Had to know. She pushed herself up again and headed back to her room. She'd talk to him tomorrow.
Cloud jerked awake suddenly. He glanced at the clock next to the bed and groaned. Five-sixteen a.m. Still early. He rolled over and gently stroked Aeris' long, silky hair that spilled over the pillow. Snuggling up against her, he fell back asleep.
Later that morning Cloud awoke to an empty bed. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head and propped himself up on his elbows. Cloud looked around for any sign of Aeris. He shrugged and stripped off his pajamas to take a shower.
Sitting at a two-person table in the cafeteria, Aeris skimmed over today's newspaper and sipped her glass of orange juice. No one awake yet and there was a peaceful silence throughout Garden. Quiet footsteps entered the room and Aeris glanced up at the newcomer. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Squall heading for her. He carefully pulled out a chair and turned it backwards so he could lean on the headrest.
"You're up early," he commented in a light and pleasant voice.
"Likewise," she smiled.
Squall shrugged. "Well, Rinoa kept me up half the night so I'm surprised to be up this early."
"I didn't need to know," Aeris remarked, shaking her head. Squall just grinned and stood again.
"I just wanted to come and share a little good news with you. I just got a letter this morning and Avalanche is going to come and help us out. They said they'll be sending a couple members over with some emergency finds for us and they might stay for awhile. They should be here in a few days."
"That's great!" Aeris responded excitedly.
Squall beamed happily. "I know. I hope they don't send that Cid guy, though. We don't get along to well. He seems to have a thing for Rinoa." He shook his head, "anyway, I'm gonna go check in on your man. Come find me if you need anything." Squall left and Aeris gratefully went back to reading her newspaper.
Bored of the news, she flipped through until she found the comics and giggled to herself quietly. Garfield had always been one if her favourite comics. Again, she heard someone enter the room and sighed.
"Go away Squall," she grumbled to herself. She glanced up and piercing blue eyes caught hers. A small sound escaped from her throat and she quickly looked back down at the newspaper. Sephiroth, unusually dressed in a fuzzy black housecoat, shyly sat in the unoccupied chair at Aeris' table.
"Good morning," he spoke softly. Aeris felt a shiver go down her spine. Slightly embarrassed from the previous night's activities, Aeris was unsure how to answer. Sephiroth could see Aeris struggling for something to say and he decided to help her out.
"Sure is quiet this morning," he commented, smiling at her, "it's so peaceful before all the students wake up." Aeris nodded wordlessly and mentally scolded herself for noticing the housecoat Sephiroth was wearing complimented his.........attributes. She blushed and looked away. Sephiroth could sense her uneasiness and felt stupid, now, for bothering her.
He stood and bowed his head slightly to her. "I can see that I've disturbed your peaceful morning. I'll be on my way then."
Aeris found her voice at last and stood, stopping him. "Can I talk to you later?" she blurted out. Sephiroth looked surprised.
"Um.....sure. When? Or should we just talk now?" Aeris felt her heart beat faster and felt dizzy again. Sephiroth looked at her with concern and took a step closer. "Are you all right? You look like you're going to pass out." Aeris allowed Sephiroth to steady her and wondered what was happening to her. Why did he make her so nervous? Except for the obvious reasons, like fact that he had tried to kill her. She was kind of attracted to him. But then, it was hard not to be......I mean for god sakes look at him!
Aeris blinked and shook her head. Sephiroth's face was peering down into hers and she resisted any foolish ideas that entered her head. "U, um," she stuttered like an idiot, "will you meet me later tonight? I, I'll, um.......I'll come to the infirmary to get you."
Sephiroth nodded, but still looked confused. "Certainly. I look forward to speaking with you later." Without thinking, he gently kissed her hand goodbye and quickly left. Aeris felt a tingling sensation go through her body. Cloud chose that very in-opportune moment to enter the cafeteria. He saw her ghostly white face and immediately hugged her tightly in his arms.
"What's the matter, love?" She just shook her head, feeling extremely guilty about everything she'd been feeling. Cloud kissed her and sat her back down at the table. "Well, if you're sure you're okay...... Um, Squall and I were going to hang out for a while. So.......I'll see you later, okay?" With one last kiss, he left Aeris sitting alone.
What is it with people? Is it 'come say hi for ten minutes and leave' day?! Frustrated, abandoned and no longer able to concentrate on her newspaper, she decided to spend the day in the library. Away from everyone. She needed time to collect all her thoughts.
Sephiroth hurried back to the infirmary, but kept a desperate look out for Squall. He needed to do something before things got out of hand.
Cloud and Squall sat at a table in the dorm recreation room surrounded by a crowd of students excitedly watching. Cloud dealt out the cards and everyone passed money into pools, betting on the one they thought would win. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Cloud wished he wasn't abandoning Aeris so frequently. He hoped she wasn't taking it too personally. A smile played on his lips at the mere thought of her and Squall tapped lightly on his forehead. "Time to play. Wakey wakey sleepyhead." Cloud grinned and inspected his cards. The game had begun.
Flipping through pages without really looking at them, Aeris thought about Cloud. He was her protector, he love, her husband. How could she even look at anyone else, but him? He practically worshiped the ground she walked on.
Leaning her forehead on the page in front of her, she simply listened to the quiet musical tones she could always sense coming from the earth instead of trying to decipher feelings that would never make sense. Aeris hummed softly to herself and fell into a peaceful sleep against a bookshelf.
Sephiroth spent most of the afternoon outside of Garden. He preferred the outdoors and since they weren't moving at the moment he didn't have to worry about being left behind. Removing his masemune from its sheath he began going through his training exercises that he had long since memorized. Hours passed by as his sword sliced through the air, unhesitant, never pausing.
Satisfied at last, Sephiroth let his sword drop to his side and stood, chest heaving, to look back at Garden. His heart stopped when he saw nothing but the horizon layed out in front of him.
Where was Garden?!
He squinted desperately in every direction, but it was no where within his sight range. Calming himself, he searched the ground for the impression that Garden had left behind. Once he found it, he took off in the direction the wind blown grass was facing. Anger burned fiercely in the back of his mind and he snarled with rage. Had they figured it out? Did they know of his plans? With an evil smirk upon his face he ran on. I they thought they had gotten rid of him they were dead wrong.
Aeris woke suddenly out of a deep sleep. A fearful chill ran down her entire body and she found herself shivering uncontrollably. The planet was afraid. Deathly afraid, of something, but the voices weren't as clear in Garden and she couldn't quite grasp what they were trying to tell her; warn her almost. She inhaled deeply and shuddered.
Looking around her at the now empty library, she wondered how long she had slept and how late it was. When she stood he stomach rumbled and reminded her of how many meals she'd missed in the past while. Aeris smiled to herself at the thought of meeting Sephiroth later then mentally scolded herself. She needed to pluck these feelings out by the roots before they grew any more.
She headed for the cafeteria to grab some dinner and check the time. Arriving at last at the cafeteria, Aeris grabbed a taco salad and iced tea and glanced up at the clock. Nine-fifty?! No wonder the place was empty! She took her food with her and ran towards the infirmary. Sephiroth probably thought she had forgotten about him. Knocking gently on the door, she entered and looked around.
"Sephiroth," she whispered into the darkness. Where was he? She sighed and went back into the hall wondering if he was avoiding her. Shrugging the thought away, Aeris headed up the staircase past the balcony entrance and leaned on the railings, munching salad and watching the stars. They shine brightly down on her and she breathed in the night air deeply. Being outside always calmed her and cleared her mind. Aeris closed her eyes and unconsciously began to sing with the planet in sweet, melodious tones.
Sephiroth felt even his amazing energy beginning to subside after running for so long at his top speed. The only thing that was keeping him from collapsing was the increasingly bigger dot of Garden in the distance. He ran on for another twenty minutes and with his last ounce of strength he threw himself at a bottom door and managed to grab onto a nearby frame. With a leap, he smashed his way through the door. Sephiroth lay panting on the floor for a moment before he was up again and heading for the stairs to the main floor, a grim look set upon his face.
Squall grinned smugly at Cloud and triumphantly displayed his full house. Cloud shrugged and gathered up all the cards. "You may have won the battle, but I'm gonna win the war."
Squall took the deck that Cloud offered and shuffled with expert precision. "Bring it on!" he shot back. Cloud glanced at his watch.
"Oh my gosh! I've gotta get to bed! Aeris is gonna kill me!"
"Whipped. Completely whipped," Squall teased.
Cloud smiled, "the sooner I get back, the sooner I can make it up to her." Nodding, Squall starting clearing the table. The few lingering students that were left went off to their rooms. Cloud started to help clean, but Squall shooed him away.
"Go find your lady. I'll finish up here."
"Thanks. I appreciate it," Cloud said, patting his friend's shoulder, "see you tomorrow."
He quickly headed off to his room, already composing, in his head, the best apologies he could think of for being gone all day. Upon nearing his room he sighed at the dark interior. Aeris must already be sleeping. Cloud carefully opened the door and let his eyes adjust to the dark. The empty room surprised him. Was she so upset that she was sleeping somewhere else? Sitting on the edge of the bed, he began undressing and pulled on his pajamas. He guiltily lay back on top of the covers. Cloud decided to give Aeris her space and wait up for awhile in case she came back. Rolling over, he grabbed the remote and flicked through channels boredly.
Sephiroth leaned on his masemune in the empty hall and suppressed his desperate want to kill every living soul he could feel around him. How dare they! Aware or not, they had left the great and powerful General behind. Now they must suffer. It was hard enough to keep his innocent, tree-hugging Sephiroth image intact without having these awful urges to lash out and kill something.
The fools had believed every word that came out of his mouth and lapped up his apologies like eager little puppy dogs. They are his puppets and they don't even realize it. The only person who could be a future problem is his old enemy. Cloud Strife watched him a little too closely. He would deal with him eventually. It was inevitable.
A sudden presence startled him out of his thoughts and a flood of emotions caught him off guard. His one true weakness had been partially connected to his mind since he healed her of the severe headache. A smile played on his lips as he saw Aeris' distress and the events of her day played in his mind. He shook his head. 'Strife, you're making it too easy for me.'
In spite of his evil future plans, Aeris made something happen to him every time he was near her. It was like a power that took over him and made any and all rational thought leave him. He admitted that he did like her, but he hated himself for it. Sephiroth was supposed to be emotionless not compassionate and loving. It just didn't work. "What had Cloud done now?" he wondered to himself, sensing that Cloud was the source of Aeris' distress. He knew that one way of getting to Cloud would be though his wife. What Aeris saw in that wimpy runt he would never know. Sheathing his sword, Sephiroth climbed the stairs to the balcony and pushed the door open...............
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Author: *duh duh duh* Well, okay, I'll admit that wasn't really a cliff hanger, but I bet you all wish you could read the "balcony scene" that's coming up next. Don'tcha? Don'tcha?! You bet you do. *laughs evilly* The only way I can give you the next part is if you would give me five reviews in return. I humbly ask for that meager offering of your gratitude for all the typing and hard work I put into this story. (I do it all or you guys) :)
Sephiroth: *sniffs, about to cry* No one kisses me in this chapter! This story sucks!
Author: *grabs him and kisses him deeply, then pulls back after a couple minutes* There! Are you happy now? Quit your whining already!
Sephiroth: *gasps for air* WOW!
Author: *sighs and shakes her head* Thank you so much for reading. Now all you have to do is review. You know. R&R and all that.
Sephiroth: *looks at the Author with a new found interest and advances on her*
Author: Hey! Back off buddy! *hits Sephiroth with a stick* I'm taken!
Sephiroth: *hangs his head* Awwwww............
Cloud: *snickers* Shot down!
Author: *whacks Cloud unconscious with the same stick* I'm sorry Sephiroth, but all I can promise you is a one night stand......for now......
Sephiroth: YAY!!!!!! *dances around with glee*
Author: Anyway, I should probably end this before I seriously disturb people........wait.........I probably already did...... *ahem* Sorry. Again, thanks to everyone who read this AND REVIEWED. I'll have the next chapter up much sooner then you had to wait for this one. See ya next chapter.
Author: Hi all! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long. :( I've been really busy doing a whole bunch of other stuff (especially school) so forgive me. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and helped me along my path to writingness. I'll make this a longer chapter just for you guys. Please R&R.
Sephiroth: *smiles and hugs author* No one could stay mad at you.
Author: Yah........sure they couldn't......
Chelsey: *runs up screaming bloody murder and tries to strangle Natalee* You made me wait for two months to read the next part! TWO MONTHS!!!!!!!
Author: *pries her off* I'm very very very sorry!
Sephiroth: *looks at Chelsey with interest and she smacks him, then leaves* *hangs his head* No one loves me.
Author: *grins* Oh I wouldn't say that.....
Sephiroth: *doesn't get it* *shrugs and dances off to picks more flowers*
Author: *sighs* I'll get on with the fic now. Just so you know, there may be more fluff in this chapter then there was in the others. Also, for those of you who are waiting for the Aeris and Sephiroth fluff, it's coming so be patient. It takes time to fall in love you know. ;)
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"What the hell is that?!" he sputtered.
Cloud and Squall both ran out to the hallway and Cloud narrowed his eyes at Sephiroth, who was holding Aeris' arm and desperately trying to calm her down. Aeris struggled and fought against Sephiroth and when he saw Cloud coming for him he released her. She ran into Cloud's arms and he held her tightly, trying to make her stop shaking. Cloud stroked her hair and whispered soothingly in her ear. Aeris simply clung to him. Raising her head, she looked at Cloud with terrified eyes. "Please. Don't let him hurt me."
Sephiroth just stood still, clearly in shock from seeing Aeris alive. Squall came over to Aeris and she turned her head towards him. "It's okay. He's harmless. I promise you that we won't let anything happen to you." Aeris portrayed the same attitude that Cloud had when he first saw Sephiroth.
She frowned at Cloud. "And you're okay with this?!" Cloud hugged her again, stalling for time to figure out how to reply.
"Well, I, um, you know. I don't have a choice really. Squall trusts him so I'm giving him a chance." Aeris remained silent and he knew how she felt. She shook her head, but didn't comment.
Sephiroth stood there awkwardly, watching the two. He would never admit it to anyone, but secretly he had always found Aeris attractive. He realized that he was staring at her and he blushed and turned his head away. Thankfully, no one had noticed. He shook his head regretfully. If only Jenova hadn't had so much control over him and his clones. He winced at the memory of his clone stabbing Aeris through the stomach. Although he hadn't directly tried to kill her, his mind was linked with all the clones Hojo had created and he has felt Aeris' pain. Along with the hate and anger from her friends towards him afterwards. Could she ever forgive him?
He blinked, hearing his name. "So I'll just walk you back to the infirmary all right?" Sephiroth glanced at Squall and realized that all eyes were on him. He shifted uncomfortably as he racked his brain for something to say. Even Cloud was shooting daggers at him with his angry glare, Sephiroth felt his expression soften when he gazed at Aeris.
"Okay. Let's go," he spoke softly to Squall.
Aeris saw the serious expression on Sephiroth's face change a little when his eyes rested on her for a moment and felt a little confused. Was he feeling guilty for hurting her? Aeris ignored her thoughts and turned her attention back to Cloud.
Squall and Sephiroth headed back to the infirmary. Squall made sure Sephiroth was back in bed and patted his shoulder companionably. "Rest up. Give them a while to get used to the whole thing and I'm sure they'll warm up to you." Sephiroth gave Squall a half smile and leaned back onto the pillow.
"Thank you. I really appreciate everything you do for me."
Squall smiled, "no problem."
Sephiroth sighed in relief when Squall finally left the room. No one knew how much he had cried for Aeris. He had assumed she died when the clone stabbed his sword through her. His mind raced with thoughts and he put the pillow over his face. It was useless. Everyone hated and despised him. He'd given them no reason to trust him so why should they? Grinning maliciously, he thought of Cloud with a masemune in his back. Now there's a pretty picture I could get used to. He sighed and rolled onto his side, replacing the pillow in its original place and slowly fell asleep with an image of Aeris in his mind.
Aeris held Cloud's hand tightly while he rambled on beside her. She didn't think she could listen even if she wanted to. Cloud was going on about something or other to do with staying at Garden for a while to help out Squall. She just nodded and smiled a lot until he stopped talking, even though staying here was the last thing she wanted to do. He caught her by surprise when he leaned over and kissed her. He pulled back after a moment and grinned.
"Thanks. This means a lot to me. And to Squall. Although I'm sure he'll find a different way to thank you then I will." Squall came around the corner and paused for a moment, blushing, before he looked at Cloud.
"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Cloud shook his head and Squall gave him a knowing smile.
"So, have you talked to her yet?" he asked hopefully.
Cloud nodded, "yah, I did. We're going to stay." Squall hugged Aeris gratefully.
"Thanks for letting him stay!"
Aeris smiled shyly, "just don't let me catch you two up to mischief or this one here is going home." She messed up Cloud's hair as she spoke. He pushed her hand away playfully.
"Stop that! Do you have any idea how long it takes me to do my hair in the morning?!"
Squall shook his head and laughed. Aeris smiled at the blushing Cloud. "Come on you guys. I'll show you to your room," Squall said, gesturing for them to follow him. Cloud put his arm around Aeris' waist and they followed him to the dormitories. Squall lead them to one of the bigger dorms and handed Cloud the key. "Have a nice night partner."
Squall left them and headed for the elevator. He stopped dead in his tracks and ran his hand through his hair, remembering Rinoa's silent threat. The look she had given him said it all. 'Show you face here tonight and you'll seriously regret it.' He sighed, got into the elevator and pressed the button for his floor.
Aeris inspected the room critically. She smiled slightly at the navy curtains that clashed with the red bedspread. It would do. For now. Cloud knew exactly what she was thinking. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled the back of her neck.
"We'll get a navy bedspread. Don't worry. By the time I'm done with this room everything with match perfectly." Aeris smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, sweety, but remember, it's not permanent." Cloud slid his hands up onto her shoulders and massaged lightly.
"You're tense, love. What's wrong?"
Aeris closed her eyes, "nothing. I'm fine. Just tired I guess." Cloud snuggled her again and she leaned back against him. "Lets just go to sleep," Aeris whispered, her head starting to pound painfully. She massaged her temples with her fingertips and Cloud looked at her with concern.
"Come to bed then. We can talk in the morning." Aeris changed into her pajamas and climbed into the bed next to Cloud. As soon as she lay down she felt a gentle, loving hand stroking her hair and she curled up in Cloud's arms her head still throbbing.
Squall knocked nervously on the door of his bedroom. He waited for an answer and when none came he sighed and called softly through the door. "Rinoa? Honey, please. Come on. I'll find some time for us to spend alone all right? I promise. I mean I'm free now..... Just open the door." He heard some sounds from inside the room and a few seconds later a miffed Rinoa opened the door and looked at him impatiently.
"What?!" she snapped, a trace of hurt in her voice. He grabbed her in his arms before she could shut the door and pulled her out into the hallway. He kissed her cheek to show that he knew he wasn't forgiven yet and held her for a minute. Squall looked down at her lovingly before speaking.
"I love you, that's what." Rinoa tried to keep a serious face, but a smile was breaking through. Squall saw his chance and tickled her making her break out into giggles. She pushed him away teasingly.
"Cheater," she said in a mock-annoyed tone, "I knew I should have left the door shut."
Squall felt safe enough to smile. "Tired?" he asked innocently. She shook her head, amused, and pulled him back inside the room.
"Not yet."
Squall closed the door behind him and made sure it was locked this time.
Aeris sat up in bed and shivered. She was freezing cold and her head hurt even more then before. She glanced over at Cloud. No wonder she was so cold! The blanket hog had all the freakin' covers! She smiled fondly at him and quietly swung her legs out of bed, sticking her feet into a pair of slippers. Carefully stepping around obstacles she made her way out of the dorm room and into the hallway. She shivered again and rubbed her arms.
Stepping lightly along the hallway, Aeris made her way into the main hall. Sighing, she felt the need to get away from this place for a while. Having nowhere to go, she went past the infirmary and paused by the stairs that go to the balcony. She considered her options and walked on over to the training center entrance. He headache intensified and she let out a small cry of pain. Aeris leaned on the door and when another wave of pain slashed through her she shoved open the door and went inside.
Sephiroth had jolted awake from the numerous nightmares he repeatedly experienced. Pacing around the room seemed to be the only thing that calmed his nerves. He saw a shadow pass by the window and sensed someone in pain going down the front hallway. Sephiroth wondered who, besides himself, would be up this late.
He peered out the door and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a petite figure in blue pajamas and fuzzy slippers standing by the balcony exit. She seemed to change her mind and moved on to the training center. A wave of pain from Aeris washed over him and he winced. The last thing he wanted was for her to be in pain. He slipped into his housecoat and followed her silently into the training center.
She was far ahead of him and by the time he entered the center he had lost sight of her. He concentrated, looking for Aeris' presence and finally his mind caught hold of hers.
He jogged quickly and entered a side room where her presence was the strongest. Aeris was leaning against the wall. Her shoulders were shaking and tears ran off her cheeks, dripping onto the floor. Sephiroth felt a little awkward, but her couldn't stand to leave her like this. He stepped forward and stopped again, not quite sure how to approach her. Sephiroth moved forward and gently placed his hand on her back. Aeris cried out and spun around. Sephiroth hated the fear he could see in her eyes when she looked at him and he turned his face away, not able to bear it any longer. Aeris could sense that Sephiroth wasn't going to hurt her, but she didn't know what he wanted from her.
She could feel her fear fading slightly and she broke down and threw her arms around Sephiroth , still crying. His eyes shifted back and forth nervously and he awkwardly patted her back. Something inside her mind was really hurting her. He closed his eyes and searched through her thoughts. He found the source of the headache and transferred the pain to himself.
Aeris quieted when she felt the pain leave and a kind of peace settled over her. Sephiroth embraced her, then backed away. She could see his face tightened in pain. Somehow he had taken the pain from her. She frowned and stepped towards him. Sephiroth watched her longingly as she came towards him and knew her had to leave her here before he did something he's regret. Turning, he ran through the door and all the way back to his bed. He climbed into the comfy sheets and focused until the pounding headache faded, then smiling him to himself, he fell asleep.
Aeris stared at the space Sephiroth had been a few moments earlier. What exactly was she doing? Cloud would be furious if he found out that Sephiroth had followed her and been with her while she was all alone and unprotected. She shook her head, thinking of how he seemed to treat her like a child a lot. Her heart was beating like a drum, but not from fear. Sephiroth had been so kind to her, so different from how she remembered him. And were his eyes always that deep blue? She clearly remembered his green, eyes glowing from the mako infused in his body.
Is it possible that he wasn't the Sephiroth they had destroyed? Could the real Sephiroth still be alive? Feeling dizzy, Aeris sat down and leaned back against the wall. She had to talk to him. Had to know. She pushed herself up again and headed back to her room. She'd talk to him tomorrow.
Cloud jerked awake suddenly. He glanced at the clock next to the bed and groaned. Five-sixteen a.m. Still early. He rolled over and gently stroked Aeris' long, silky hair that spilled over the pillow. Snuggling up against her, he fell back asleep.
Later that morning Cloud awoke to an empty bed. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head and propped himself up on his elbows. Cloud looked around for any sign of Aeris. He shrugged and stripped off his pajamas to take a shower.
Sitting at a two-person table in the cafeteria, Aeris skimmed over today's newspaper and sipped her glass of orange juice. No one awake yet and there was a peaceful silence throughout Garden. Quiet footsteps entered the room and Aeris glanced up at the newcomer. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Squall heading for her. He carefully pulled out a chair and turned it backwards so he could lean on the headrest.
"You're up early," he commented in a light and pleasant voice.
"Likewise," she smiled.
Squall shrugged. "Well, Rinoa kept me up half the night so I'm surprised to be up this early."
"I didn't need to know," Aeris remarked, shaking her head. Squall just grinned and stood again.
"I just wanted to come and share a little good news with you. I just got a letter this morning and Avalanche is going to come and help us out. They said they'll be sending a couple members over with some emergency finds for us and they might stay for awhile. They should be here in a few days."
"That's great!" Aeris responded excitedly.
Squall beamed happily. "I know. I hope they don't send that Cid guy, though. We don't get along to well. He seems to have a thing for Rinoa." He shook his head, "anyway, I'm gonna go check in on your man. Come find me if you need anything." Squall left and Aeris gratefully went back to reading her newspaper.
Bored of the news, she flipped through until she found the comics and giggled to herself quietly. Garfield had always been one if her favourite comics. Again, she heard someone enter the room and sighed.
"Go away Squall," she grumbled to herself. She glanced up and piercing blue eyes caught hers. A small sound escaped from her throat and she quickly looked back down at the newspaper. Sephiroth, unusually dressed in a fuzzy black housecoat, shyly sat in the unoccupied chair at Aeris' table.
"Good morning," he spoke softly. Aeris felt a shiver go down her spine. Slightly embarrassed from the previous night's activities, Aeris was unsure how to answer. Sephiroth could see Aeris struggling for something to say and he decided to help her out.
"Sure is quiet this morning," he commented, smiling at her, "it's so peaceful before all the students wake up." Aeris nodded wordlessly and mentally scolded herself for noticing the housecoat Sephiroth was wearing complimented his.........attributes. She blushed and looked away. Sephiroth could sense her uneasiness and felt stupid, now, for bothering her.
He stood and bowed his head slightly to her. "I can see that I've disturbed your peaceful morning. I'll be on my way then."
Aeris found her voice at last and stood, stopping him. "Can I talk to you later?" she blurted out. Sephiroth looked surprised.
"Um.....sure. When? Or should we just talk now?" Aeris felt her heart beat faster and felt dizzy again. Sephiroth looked at her with concern and took a step closer. "Are you all right? You look like you're going to pass out." Aeris allowed Sephiroth to steady her and wondered what was happening to her. Why did he make her so nervous? Except for the obvious reasons, like fact that he had tried to kill her. She was kind of attracted to him. But then, it was hard not to be......I mean for god sakes look at him!
Aeris blinked and shook her head. Sephiroth's face was peering down into hers and she resisted any foolish ideas that entered her head. "U, um," she stuttered like an idiot, "will you meet me later tonight? I, I'll, um.......I'll come to the infirmary to get you."
Sephiroth nodded, but still looked confused. "Certainly. I look forward to speaking with you later." Without thinking, he gently kissed her hand goodbye and quickly left. Aeris felt a tingling sensation go through her body. Cloud chose that very in-opportune moment to enter the cafeteria. He saw her ghostly white face and immediately hugged her tightly in his arms.
"What's the matter, love?" She just shook her head, feeling extremely guilty about everything she'd been feeling. Cloud kissed her and sat her back down at the table. "Well, if you're sure you're okay...... Um, Squall and I were going to hang out for a while. So.......I'll see you later, okay?" With one last kiss, he left Aeris sitting alone.
What is it with people? Is it 'come say hi for ten minutes and leave' day?! Frustrated, abandoned and no longer able to concentrate on her newspaper, she decided to spend the day in the library. Away from everyone. She needed time to collect all her thoughts.
Sephiroth hurried back to the infirmary, but kept a desperate look out for Squall. He needed to do something before things got out of hand.
Cloud and Squall sat at a table in the dorm recreation room surrounded by a crowd of students excitedly watching. Cloud dealt out the cards and everyone passed money into pools, betting on the one they thought would win. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Cloud wished he wasn't abandoning Aeris so frequently. He hoped she wasn't taking it too personally. A smile played on his lips at the mere thought of her and Squall tapped lightly on his forehead. "Time to play. Wakey wakey sleepyhead." Cloud grinned and inspected his cards. The game had begun.
Flipping through pages without really looking at them, Aeris thought about Cloud. He was her protector, he love, her husband. How could she even look at anyone else, but him? He practically worshiped the ground she walked on.
Leaning her forehead on the page in front of her, she simply listened to the quiet musical tones she could always sense coming from the earth instead of trying to decipher feelings that would never make sense. Aeris hummed softly to herself and fell into a peaceful sleep against a bookshelf.
Sephiroth spent most of the afternoon outside of Garden. He preferred the outdoors and since they weren't moving at the moment he didn't have to worry about being left behind. Removing his masemune from its sheath he began going through his training exercises that he had long since memorized. Hours passed by as his sword sliced through the air, unhesitant, never pausing.
Satisfied at last, Sephiroth let his sword drop to his side and stood, chest heaving, to look back at Garden. His heart stopped when he saw nothing but the horizon layed out in front of him.
Where was Garden?!
He squinted desperately in every direction, but it was no where within his sight range. Calming himself, he searched the ground for the impression that Garden had left behind. Once he found it, he took off in the direction the wind blown grass was facing. Anger burned fiercely in the back of his mind and he snarled with rage. Had they figured it out? Did they know of his plans? With an evil smirk upon his face he ran on. I they thought they had gotten rid of him they were dead wrong.
Aeris woke suddenly out of a deep sleep. A fearful chill ran down her entire body and she found herself shivering uncontrollably. The planet was afraid. Deathly afraid, of something, but the voices weren't as clear in Garden and she couldn't quite grasp what they were trying to tell her; warn her almost. She inhaled deeply and shuddered.
Looking around her at the now empty library, she wondered how long she had slept and how late it was. When she stood he stomach rumbled and reminded her of how many meals she'd missed in the past while. Aeris smiled to herself at the thought of meeting Sephiroth later then mentally scolded herself. She needed to pluck these feelings out by the roots before they grew any more.
She headed for the cafeteria to grab some dinner and check the time. Arriving at last at the cafeteria, Aeris grabbed a taco salad and iced tea and glanced up at the clock. Nine-fifty?! No wonder the place was empty! She took her food with her and ran towards the infirmary. Sephiroth probably thought she had forgotten about him. Knocking gently on the door, she entered and looked around.
"Sephiroth," she whispered into the darkness. Where was he? She sighed and went back into the hall wondering if he was avoiding her. Shrugging the thought away, Aeris headed up the staircase past the balcony entrance and leaned on the railings, munching salad and watching the stars. They shine brightly down on her and she breathed in the night air deeply. Being outside always calmed her and cleared her mind. Aeris closed her eyes and unconsciously began to sing with the planet in sweet, melodious tones.
Sephiroth felt even his amazing energy beginning to subside after running for so long at his top speed. The only thing that was keeping him from collapsing was the increasingly bigger dot of Garden in the distance. He ran on for another twenty minutes and with his last ounce of strength he threw himself at a bottom door and managed to grab onto a nearby frame. With a leap, he smashed his way through the door. Sephiroth lay panting on the floor for a moment before he was up again and heading for the stairs to the main floor, a grim look set upon his face.
Squall grinned smugly at Cloud and triumphantly displayed his full house. Cloud shrugged and gathered up all the cards. "You may have won the battle, but I'm gonna win the war."
Squall took the deck that Cloud offered and shuffled with expert precision. "Bring it on!" he shot back. Cloud glanced at his watch.
"Oh my gosh! I've gotta get to bed! Aeris is gonna kill me!"
"Whipped. Completely whipped," Squall teased.
Cloud smiled, "the sooner I get back, the sooner I can make it up to her." Nodding, Squall starting clearing the table. The few lingering students that were left went off to their rooms. Cloud started to help clean, but Squall shooed him away.
"Go find your lady. I'll finish up here."
"Thanks. I appreciate it," Cloud said, patting his friend's shoulder, "see you tomorrow."
He quickly headed off to his room, already composing, in his head, the best apologies he could think of for being gone all day. Upon nearing his room he sighed at the dark interior. Aeris must already be sleeping. Cloud carefully opened the door and let his eyes adjust to the dark. The empty room surprised him. Was she so upset that she was sleeping somewhere else? Sitting on the edge of the bed, he began undressing and pulled on his pajamas. He guiltily lay back on top of the covers. Cloud decided to give Aeris her space and wait up for awhile in case she came back. Rolling over, he grabbed the remote and flicked through channels boredly.
Sephiroth leaned on his masemune in the empty hall and suppressed his desperate want to kill every living soul he could feel around him. How dare they! Aware or not, they had left the great and powerful General behind. Now they must suffer. It was hard enough to keep his innocent, tree-hugging Sephiroth image intact without having these awful urges to lash out and kill something.
The fools had believed every word that came out of his mouth and lapped up his apologies like eager little puppy dogs. They are his puppets and they don't even realize it. The only person who could be a future problem is his old enemy. Cloud Strife watched him a little too closely. He would deal with him eventually. It was inevitable.
A sudden presence startled him out of his thoughts and a flood of emotions caught him off guard. His one true weakness had been partially connected to his mind since he healed her of the severe headache. A smile played on his lips as he saw Aeris' distress and the events of her day played in his mind. He shook his head. 'Strife, you're making it too easy for me.'
In spite of his evil future plans, Aeris made something happen to him every time he was near her. It was like a power that took over him and made any and all rational thought leave him. He admitted that he did like her, but he hated himself for it. Sephiroth was supposed to be emotionless not compassionate and loving. It just didn't work. "What had Cloud done now?" he wondered to himself, sensing that Cloud was the source of Aeris' distress. He knew that one way of getting to Cloud would be though his wife. What Aeris saw in that wimpy runt he would never know. Sheathing his sword, Sephiroth climbed the stairs to the balcony and pushed the door open...............
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Author: *duh duh duh* Well, okay, I'll admit that wasn't really a cliff hanger, but I bet you all wish you could read the "balcony scene" that's coming up next. Don'tcha? Don'tcha?! You bet you do. *laughs evilly* The only way I can give you the next part is if you would give me five reviews in return. I humbly ask for that meager offering of your gratitude for all the typing and hard work I put into this story. (I do it all or you guys) :)
Sephiroth: *sniffs, about to cry* No one kisses me in this chapter! This story sucks!
Author: *grabs him and kisses him deeply, then pulls back after a couple minutes* There! Are you happy now? Quit your whining already!
Sephiroth: *gasps for air* WOW!
Author: *sighs and shakes her head* Thank you so much for reading. Now all you have to do is review. You know. R&R and all that.
Sephiroth: *looks at the Author with a new found interest and advances on her*
Author: Hey! Back off buddy! *hits Sephiroth with a stick* I'm taken!
Sephiroth: *hangs his head* Awwwww............
Cloud: *snickers* Shot down!
Author: *whacks Cloud unconscious with the same stick* I'm sorry Sephiroth, but all I can promise you is a one night stand......for now......
Sephiroth: YAY!!!!!! *dances around with glee*
Author: Anyway, I should probably end this before I seriously disturb people........wait.........I probably already did...... *ahem* Sorry. Again, thanks to everyone who read this AND REVIEWED. I'll have the next chapter up much sooner then you had to wait for this one. See ya next chapter.