Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warnings: This chapter has a couple of potential triggers in it. One is the discussion of past attempted filicide, the other a medical procedure without anesthetics. Neither is graphic, but they are still there.

.

There was no music playing in the cab as the three fighters were dropped to the lower levels of the Shinra building. Zack had opted to travel with Cloud instead of Tseng and Tifa when they reached the elevator banks, something about escorting them. Cloud didn't protest it. Only the sound of soft breathing and the occasional rustle of fabric when someone shifted. Cloud was grateful for the silence and knew Vincent felt the same, however Zack was an entirely different story.

With Cloud leaning carefully against the left side of the tiny compartment and Vincent pressed as far as he could into the back-right corner Zack enough room to fidget anxiously. Cloud smiled slightly as he watched his friend go from jumping on his toes to doing squats trying to expel energy. It reminded him of Denzel on a caffeine and sugar rush…something that was somehow always his fault according to Tifa.

The elevator stopped and opened on the medical floor that was several floors above Hojo's private labs. Oh the 'public' labs may reside on two of the uppermost floors, but his private playground was buried far into the belly of the building. Down there were for the 'not Shinra approved' experiments…at least not officially.

"This is you Zack. Angeal and Genesis should be somewhere on this floor." Cloud told him lightly.

Zack hesitated just inside the doors. They started closing before Cloud grabbed the edge and triggered them to open again.

"Zack?"

"Well, uh, now that I've had time to think about it, I probably should escort you and um… him down, to the labs." Zack stuttered out.

Just like Denzel.

Cloud shook his head softly. While he would love to have Zack with him, he knew the First needed time alone to deal with everything. Angeal shouldn't be awake yet and seeing his mentor, even while the older man was still out would to his friend a world of good. Plus, he didn't think Vincent would tolerate Zack's antics much longer.

And there were certain things that Cloud needed done that he didn't want Zack knowing about.

"He's your friend. Go sit with him."

"But…"

Cloud covered Zack's mouth with his hand. The affronted look on Zack's face made Cloud smile.

"We'll be fine. Go!"

Cloud pushed him through the door and waved at him as the door closed. Just before it closed completely he saw Zack grin. It was small but it was there and that was all that mattered. Zack should always be smiling.

"He's very excitable, your friend."

Cloud turned to face Vincent as they started going down again. It was the first time the gunman spoke since they took off from Nibelheim. Cloud knew Vincent understood how important Zack was to him, but Cloud didn't think they would become fast friends. Although he could be wrong, after all Vincent and Yuffie were near inseparable and she was easily as excitable as Zack if not more so.

Cloud shrugged "He doesn't quite trust me yet. Can't blame him for that," Cloud leaned against the side again "and I think he's more than a little scared of you too."

"Good."

.

When the doors opened again Cloud led Vincent through the maze of medical equipment in a giant room that spanned most of the floor to the lab that Hojo set up for him. The smaller outer labs were teeming with activity. People were running to and fro studying this or that. Voices chattering so loudly they hurt his ears. Cloud could only imagine how Vincent felt.

The cavernous room had several doors and sheeted off areas that lead off to the sides. Various projects (some very much alive) were laid out on desks and tables in different levels of completion. Only scientists loyal to the Professor were rushing around to their various jobs.

Cloud grabbed a young woman as she passed by "Let Hojo know we're back. We'll be in the back lab."

He let her go to scurry over to wherever Hojo was and walked to the heavy metal doors at the far back of the great room. He entered the security code, and allowed Vincent to proceed in first, closing and locking the door behind him.

Cloud watched Vincent explore the room that was something out of both their nightmares. The lone experiment table complete with restraints was bolted down in the middle of the well-lit room. Several tables and desks with precisely placed equipment on them half-circled around it. Everything a madman would need to torture someone in the name of science.

There was a large mako tank off to the side already full of the noxious green liquid. Cloud couldn't quite suppress a shudder at the sight of it. Hojo better not be planning on putting him in it or there would be Hel to pay. There was only so far he could be pushed in this…partnership.

Cloud unlatched his Fusion Sword and set her on one of the tables near the back of the room. He didn't want his sword in easy reaching distance if things went sour. Vincent appeared calm, but Cloud could see the tension forming in his movements, making them slightly erratic. The sight of Vincent being anything other than perfectly smooth would've made him smile under different circumstances. He didn't blame the other man for it. This room was hell for the both of them and their devil was going to appear any second.

"Are you going to be able to handle this?" Cloud asked calmly.

Vincent glared at him as he continued to relentlessly explore the torture chamber disguised as a laboratory. Cloud sighed in weary exasperation. He was exhausted and his side hurt, the last thing he wanted to deal with right now was a catty Turk.

"Vincent, you have as much right as I do to want him dead, but right now we need him not only alive, but co-operating with us. So if you can't handle it, I need to know." Cloud snapped at his friend.

"I'm aware." Vincent snapped back visibly on edge "I received my instructions the same as you. I know we need him until they are fulfilled." Vincent folded his arms and stared hard at Cloud. His gold gauntlet flexed unconsciously. Cloud has never seen what was underneath that gauntlet and as far as he knew no one ever has. Vincent never took it off where people could see. Not even his closest friends.

"I can wait until we're finished. After that, he is mine."

Cloud matched his hard stare with one of his own. "After we're finished, I won't care what you do to him."

They both nodded in understanding at each other. It could become a problem if Vincent, or his passengers, couldn't maintain control around the Professor. As much as he caved the comfort of having him here, and knowing he needed Hojo…he just hoped he wasn't forced to choose.

Speaking of the Devil…

"Cloud! My dear boy!" Hojo exclaimed with foul cheer "You're back, and almost completely successful!"

Shadows moved before him as Vincent shifted so Cloud was between them, using his as a human shield. It was a good precaution to make, but he hoped it wouldn't be necessary in the long term.

"Almost, Doc?" he asked softly as he turned his head to face him.

"Genesis woke up and escaped capture." The madman was almost gleeful.

Cloud wasn't all that surprised "Did he take the vial with him?"

"Humph…he did." Hojo sneered, reluctantly.

"I'm not worried then. When Angeal wakes and proves to be completely healed, he'll know the cure works. After he takes it, he won't be able to make any more copies and Hollander will have one less pawn to play with."

Hojo sniffed disdainfully as if the very concept of Hollander being considered competition was a foul odor. It didn't matter at the moment as Hollander was now in Turk custody in Junon. If Genesis takes the cure there will be no army of copies to break him out this time.

The scientist turned his gaze to the former Turk. Vincent glared balefully back.

He narrowed his eyes and said scathingly "I still don't understand why you need that failed reject of Lucrecia's."

Before Cloud could blink, Vincent moved across the room and held his gun pressed to Hojo's temple.

Cloud instantly rushed between them and pushed Vincent's arm away. The gunman allowed it, but continued to glare at the Professor. Once he determined Vincent was in control again, Cloud turned to Hojo. He needed to nip this now before it festered.

"Vincent has his own tasks to complete. As you well know." He moved into Hojo's space and pushed him against the metal table "Those tasks are his alone to achieve. You, however, are replaceable. I could just as easily kill you and use Hollander or even Fuhito. I may not get the best results possible, and may have to kill Sephiroth again, but ultimately I will still succeed. So think very carefully before you push me too far."

Hojo didn't show any outward emotion, but Cloud could feel the scientist's pulse skyrocket from where his arm pressed against the man's neck. He would probably end up paying for this scene later, but right now it was worth it if it kept the peace between Vincent and the good doctor.

"Understood," Hojo gasped around Cloud's arm "I'll leave that faithless bitch's lover alone. Threaten my son again, however, and this working relationship will come to a very abrupt end."

Vincent gently wrapped his unguarded arm around Cloud's chest and pulled him away. He allowed Vincent to put some distance between him and Hojo. It appeared that Vincent's flash rage was once again under control… and Cloud was still injured.

"Agreed." Vincent stated coldly.

Cloud really didn't like getting man-handled but he understood what Vincent was trying to do. He allowed Vincent to pull him towards the table then hopped up onto it when he was close enough. Vincent stayed a warm presence at his side as he started listing sideways badly. That small amount of speed he used to get between them must have ruptured something inside him as new spikes of agony tore through his side.

He was just about done with the day. He hadn't slept in what felt like a week and he was tired of it all. Vincent circled around the table, putting him between the two men again. He carefully helped Cloud lay back onto the cold surface as he closed his eyes and slowly gave in to sleep's temptation. He was as safe as he could be and if those two were willing to be civil, then he could rest for just a minute. Almost immediately he started dozing off, only vaguely aware of what was happening around him.

"That…nexpected."

"What do…mean she…aithless?" Cloud heard Vincent's voice faintly.

"…tupid… bitch tr… ill Sephiroth."

Cloud was drifting off. Three or more days without sleep was pushing what he could endure.

"Wha…d…m…"

"…it's…"

"…"

"…"

"WHAT!"

Cloud jack knifed up with a grunt of pain. Adrenaline shot through his bloodstream in a sudden rush. In all their time together he had never heard Vincent raise his voice, much less shout out anything. The two men were glaring at each other over him, separated only by the table.

Vincent tore his glare from Hojo to face him. He'd never seen so much visible emotion coming from Vincent before. In his daze, Cloud could only stare at it. He needed to quickly shake it off before the gunman lost it.

"Did you know?" Vincent asked harshly. His eyes shined gold.

The gunman was quickly losing control. It wasn't something he normally worried about. He learned quickly how to handle each of Vincent's passengers as they made their appearances. Except, this wasn't a normal situation. Hojo was here, and he really wasn't up to a fight with a demon to protect someone he wants to kill himself…again. Cloud slowly shifted to face the gunman fully.

"Do I know what?" he asked softly.

"Lucrecia attempted to kill my son." Vincent could barely get the words out.

"My son!" Hojo snarled from behind. Cloud reached out to push the scientist further back as Vincent's entire face rippled.

It always came back to Sephiroth with Vincent. It was only the mention of Sephiroth that drove the gunman out of his exile in the first place and Cloud knew that killing Sephiroth that time during Meteor Fall was just as painful for him as it was for Cloud. Possibly more so…parents shouldn't have to kill their children.

"I suspected, but was never able to confirm it." Cloud said reluctantly.

"Why?"

"I honestly don't know. All I have are just fragments of memories I've pieced together." Cloud told him as calmly as he could "Can you answer that one Doc?"

Hojo glared at him for daring to ask it of him but Cloud wouldn't take no for an answer. If these two had any hope of working together then they needed to air this out properly. Sephiroth was the main source of their contention, he'll become the glue that keeps them together when he's not around to referee.

"Just before the end of her term she claimed she had a vision of what Sephiroth would become and couldn't accept it." Hojo gave in reluctantly "After he was born, she tried to smother him, but he proved to be too strong for her to kill before my guards stopped her. She became a liability so I cut her out of the Jenova Project. She took her research and experimental protomateria 'Chaos' and hid it away somewhere. Then the bitch ran off and killed herself."

Vincent and Cloud shared a swift look at the mention of Chaos. If Hojo didn't know about Vincent's most powerful passenger, it would be in their best interest to keep it that way for the time being. Vincent stepped back and started pacing in a tight circle.

"This could become a problem." Cloud told Hojo.

Vincent kept flexing his gold gauntlet with poorly repressed agitation. The gunman was desperately fighting for control.

"Explain!"

"Lucrecia isn't dead. She's frozen in crystal mako in a cave near the Nibel mountain range. She has just as much J-cells as Sephiroth did at birth." Cloud paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"If she is as big a threat to Sephiroth as you say, and Jenova takes her over (like she did with you) then she could become an even greater threat to the planet than you ever were."

"Ridiculous." Hojo sneered.

"Not really." Cloud told him "Lucrecia is a brilliant scientist in her own right, and she's not emotionally tied to anyone to counter Jenova's influence." He gestured to Hojo "For all of your madness from the time before, your sole obsession was always with Sephiroth. It was all you cared about. Jenova was only a means to Sephiroth's greatness."

"Sephiroth is superior in every way." Hojo injected smugly.

Vincent was still fighting for control in the background. To this day, he still loved Lucrecia and while he knew logically the threat she represented as well as Cloud did, he had a hard time accepting it. The former Turk was far more emotional than he lets on, a genuine romantic at heart. There were times where Cloud envied his depth, and then there were time where he was glad he wasn't capable of it.

"The point is, while your obsession with Sephiroth counter balanced and in many ways, overwrote Jenova's desire for complete destruction, Lucrecia has no such counter weight that we know of. If Jenova puts Lucrecia into play, things could get very messy very fast, and the first thing she goes after will be Sephiroth." Cloud stated coldly.

Vincent finally came back to himself and asked "Isn't Sephiroth bound to Jenova through the J-cells? I thought they were one in the same."

"No," Cloud answered "Sephiroth didn't fully bond with Jenova until he fell in the mako reactor in Nibelheim. If we keep him away from there until he's been purged, then he should be fine."

"It seems logical to do it now. Why are we waiting?"

"While he's not fully bonded yet, there's still so much of her in him. If we do it now like we did with Angeal, she'll know and Geostigma will start all the sooner. She may not be able to control him, but she can still feel him. We can't just cut through the bond all at once; we have to break the threads one at a time gradually. It's the only way to free him without her suspecting."

They still didn't quite understand.

"It's like a spider's web. There are certain strands or things we can just cut off without alerting the spider and others so wrapped up that we have to remove one part at a time so we don't wake her and allow her to bite. Sephiroth is cocooned near the epicenter. It we try to free him too fast we'll set off the trap."

"Aerith told you this?" Vincent asked.

"Personal experience actually." Cloud told him "I had just as much of her in me as Sephiroth did, remember? I never truly got rid of it until the pool."

Vincent nodded, he did remember.

"How did you resist Jenova when Sephiroth could not?" Hojo asked.

"Well…I had a lot more than just Jenova and Sephiroth in here. Still do. I lost Jenova, but that was the only one I lost."

Cloud didn't think Hojo understood exactly what he meant, and that was alright with him. There was a reason why as strong as he was, he was considered a failed copy. He didn't feel like enlightening the man who broke him.

"What do we do?" Vincent asked, dragging them back on task.

"We wait for now and prep where we can. We don't know if Jenova will even use Lucrecia. There are still plenty of other puppets she could play with. Still, I'll have Tseng put a watch on the cave when I see him next."

Cloud sighed as he once again leaned back onto the table. His side was still killing him and he was drained from all the trauma that was let out in such a short amount of time. He much preferred to suppress unpleasant truths rather than air them out. In his opinion it did no good talking about it other than to gain some unwanted sympathy.

Vincent had wondered off into some shadowy corner, probably trying to process what he learned. His love for Lucrecia was almost a part of his foundation. He hated telling his friend such horrible news. It couldn't be easy to find out that your first love could do something so…heartless.

"What did you do to yourself?" Hojo suddenly demanded.

"Hmm?"

"Don't play with me boy! You've been favoring your side since you returned."

What the hell did Hojo care if he was injured or not. It's not like it would do any permanent harm, he'd cut it out later once he'd slept.

"I was in a helicopter that crashed." Cloud deadpanned tiredly "I've got some shrapnel in my side I couldn't get out in time."

"Idiot boy! Show me!"

Cloud sat up again with a groan and slowly unbuckled the straps that held his harness and armor on. He allowed the heavy contraption fall to the floor. It would need to be repaired and thoroughly cleaned anyway. The wool knit vest came off easily thanks to the added zipper, (Tifa's idea) although it probably wouldn't be wearable again due to the ragged tear ripped into the left side. He was lucky it happened on the side he wore his leather sleeve, otherwise he would never have been able to hide it from Zack.

The entire left side, from just below his armpit to his hipbone, was black. The flesh was rock hard from the internal bleeding and misshaped where the metal lay too close to the skin. There was no entry wound however, it was completely healed over. One of the less joyful things about fast healing…anything left in the wound, stays in the wound.

"Well, well, this looks rather painful." Hojo commented "It's a wonder you're still functioning." He prodded the area with less care than Cloud would have liked.

"I heal fast."

"That is very unfortunate for you."

Hojo started putting together a tray of surgical tools. It was taking everything Cloud had to stay calm. He probably needed the aid, but he sure as Hades didn't want it. Hojo's manner was anything but gentle and while he could take the pain he was almost positive that the Professor would make it as horrible as he could get away with for what Cloud did to him.

"W-Why is that Doc?" he wanted to kick himself for the slight waiver. Hojo would pounce on the slightest perceived weakness.

"Why?" Hojo was almost giddy "If your body heals that fast, then anesthetics or tranquilizers will be useless on you."

Cloud froze.

"Fortunately, this table was designed to hold Sephiroth. It should do you just fine. You're lucky I am accustomed to dealing with my son's injuries and therefore prepared."

Hojo gently pushed Cloud back on the table and strapped him down to it. He took his left arm and stretched it, bent and tied over his head at his bicep, elbow and wrist. Two thick straps went across his torso, one at his armpits and the other over his hips. His legs were also tied down. The only thing that kept him from completely panicking was that his right arm was still free.

Vincent, finally back in control of himself wandered back over to the table as Hojo was finishing the last strap. Cloud tried to gesture to him that everything was fine but it didn't come off very successful. Nevertheless, Vincent was able to read the situation correctly.

"You're tying him down?" Vincent came back to the table.

"I don't want him moving around and risk further damage. Come and hold here, you need to keep him from struggling. The more he moves the harder this will be for him, and the longer it will take for me."

No need to mention the longer it took the more painful it would become.

Vincent looked at Cloud and he gave him a short nod. It was the only response he was capable of anymore. Vincent yielded to the Professor with an 'hmm' of disapproval and braced over him. Cloud desperately clung onto Vincent's side with his free hand, grasping firmly to his cloak.

"Now, my boy," Hojo told him sicken sweetly "I need you to try and hold as still as you can. However, you don't have to be silent. This room is soundproof so no one would hear you, and screaming has never interfered with my work."

Hojo picked up the scalpel and Cloud braced himself as Hojo made the first diagonal incision. He couldn't stop the tremors as Hojo made the second diagonal cut forming a bloody V. The impacted blood was gushing over the side of the table and already covered Hojo's coat in a thick film of red. The doctor had to make several careful passes along the V to get through the muscle and tissue. Cloud was panting great gasps as Hojo pulled the flesh back and pin it in place. Cloud tightened his grip on Vincent as the gunman pushed his free shoulder down harder. As he felt Hojo push his gloved hand into the cavity and grip a piece of metal and pull, Cloud gave up all pretense of stoicism.

It turned out that Professor Hojo lied about the room being soundproof. Outside of the private work room and past the heavy metal doors the other scientists, assistants, and guards heard every scream and shriek throughout the night.

Not one of them gave it any notice.