Chapter 33. Making amends.

Elie's POV

I knew I must look like an animal on the loose.

I was so angry, so fed up with those two. I knew I had to leave John's office in time or I would start distributing slaps.

They were being unfair and cruel at me and I hated it! Fucking hated it! Damn, it was something I was involved with, Hojo in the middle of it and they simply decided to put me in the dark?

I sighed at my thinking. This felt horrible. All of it.

I couldn't think I would have to go to work the other day, see him - that stubborn traitor son of a bitch, and treat him like I always did.

With respect.

That night was a blank. I wanted to sleep, wanted to stop hearing my pulse on my ears, but there was nothing able to ease me up. Muscles were tense and I couldn't relax enough to get some sleep, which eventually ended in me getting up in the morning with the most horrific face in the world. It looked like I was on hangover or something. Really.

Reno was the first one mentioning it, with that smiley face of his.

"Rough night, ha?"

I looked at him with a serious frown on my face, as I tried to eat breakfast. Reno sat somewhere in my kitchen, his legs crossed as he slurped an expresso.

"I wish," I said, gulping down the chocolate milk. "Those idiots are hiding things from me and they won't tell me why."

Reno paused and took a deep breath.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't know much either." He declared. "Sephiroth demanded of me to guard you with my own life, but offered me no concrete justification."

My eyes met Reno's, and I decided to go a little further.

"What about Hojo?"

Reno's face changed and I sensed something was wrong.

"He just… doesn't want him around you." He declared, seriousness all over that complexion. "Sephiroth was very specific about it."

It was the first time I had seen Reno serious, or worried about something. Which meant things weren't that simple… and maybe John and the General had their reasons to put Hojo far away from me.

But either way, I had the right to know.

"It's not fair to keep me in the dark, Reno." I declared, a little sad. "I'm not a child, I can take it, whatever they're hiding."

Reno sighed, and drank what was left of the Expresso, getting up and putting his hands on his pockets.

"Let's go, it's time."

I nodded, feeling my head tired. God, today was going to be difficult to go by. I couldn't wait to come home again from Shinra and have some sleep.

-/-

We walked in silence until we reached the Office, and we made the arrangements to go and have lunch by noon.

I sat, eyeing my desk and wondering if I had done the right thing coming to work here. I didn't particularly enjoy this kind of job and now - there was the General factor.

I was offended with him and the last thing I wanted was to see him, greet him, whatever.

Thankfully the girls working in the floor came to get me for a coffee - there was a new vending machine by the hall, next to the elevators.

It was great to take my mind out of the gutter, even if the talking was not very cultural, but I had to admit talking about stuff happening in Midgar spiced up my mind and senses. It was cool to know about the outside world, and I eventually realized the whole 'going-out' Reno was preparing next week… was actually a work-outing.

And exactly in the middle of a sincere group laugh, that the elevator door opened.

And everything turned somber in that exact moment.

General.

Our eyes met accidently and I felt my heart skip a beat in that moment. My smiley face disappeared and I turned my face immediately towards the group, dead silence scoring the moment.

This harsh footsteps echoed in that hall and everybody felt squeezed by his presence. He didn't say a thing, he only walked towards his office by the end of the hall, ignoring us completely.

Thankfully.

We all exchanged weird looks and I sighed, throwing away my empty cup of coffee.

"Gotta go." I said, with a low tone. "Thanks for the coffee."

They all whispered Good Luck's at me and off their way they went. We all dispersed like a band of frightened cockroaches.

I sat in my desk for the whole morning busied with the stuff he had ordered me the day before. It took time, all this digital archiving.

Thankfully he didn't make an appearance and before I knew it, Reno passed by, prepared to abduct me to have lunch. Thank God!

I didn't bother to tell him personally I was going to have lunch, so I decided I should simply leave a note, glued on the screen.

'Went to have lunch w/ Reno. I'll be back by 13.00.'

And off that place I went.

Sephiroth's POV

As much as I hated to agree with John, he was right.

Actually, very right.

Things were unbearably tense between me and Stevens, and it actually disturbed more than the acceptable. That unfortunate episode had happened yesterday, there hadn't passed 24 hours and I felt heaviness inside my chest when I recalled her words.

So revolted and angry, about to burst in tears as if I and Medina were the worst of traitors.

I didn't think her reaction would affect me this much.

Really, what was wrong with me?

John had wished me good luck undoing what I had done and I didn't pay him importance… wrongly.

I felt a stupid sensation that I should make amends with her. Just because, for this tension just to end once and for all. And would be able to focus properly on my own matters.

Thing was, I wasn't going to say I was sorry - because I wasn't. I had hidden information from her and would hide whatever I had to if I deemed necessary.

This was a question of security, not of pride. Well… maybe a little.

The result of all this dozing off hadn't been bright. Early in the morning I had been gathered with the Turks and the Physics Department for the weekly report of activities… and my mind had been somewhere else, thinking futile stupidities over a stubborn, childish being.

"You're particularly distracted this morning, Sephiroth", Tseng alerted me and I hated to be this transparent. "What's wrong, problems in the office?"

I blinked at Tseng, my killing stare making his wicked smile vanish, but answering his question with silence.

"Mind your own business, Tseng." I whispered, as I exited the meeting, considering what Tseng had told me.

He was right, very right in deed but I couldn't disclose weakness of this nature. Nothing like that at all. So, I had to do something to end this right away. I had to return to my 'natural' mode. No Sephiroth-bothered-over-someone's-feelings.

But, deep down inside, a hint of worry consumed me. And, as I walked towards my office, all I could think was 'For Gaia, what's this woman doing to me?'

-/-

When I reached the hall I saw her.

Stevens. Laughing her heart out with Reno, obviously with some silly obscenity he had just said. They seemed to be having fun and the theme was apparently gossip, cups of coffee on their hands, as they chatted casually.

It actually calmed me a little to see Reno was so enthusiastic over protecting Stevens, and she seemed to be okay with him around all the time.

Before I could say or do something, our stares locked. Brown-eyed Stevens gulped dry and her smile vanished, a childish sadness invading her facial features.

Reno caught immediately the environmental change and turned, his eyes meeting mine. Thankfully, he had interrupted the flow of unpleasant emotions between me and that stubborn woman.

"Hey." He said, and I greeted him with a silent nod, making my way to my office, sensing her censoring gaze on my back.

Elie's POV.

"Idiot."

I had said the words out of despair, I couldn't hold it any longer. He was behaving like a jerk since the day before and I hated it.

Hated him for being such a stubborn bastard.

My eyes remained on his back and his silver hair until his form disappeared on that hall. When my eyes finally unfocused, Reno's stare was on me, a mix of fun and surprise all over.

I blinked, expecting the most inadequate comment from him. I knew he had sensed the discomfort between me and, well, Sephiroth.

I sighed, hoping the constricting sensation on my chest would ease a little.

"It's the first time I've seen you so worked up over someone." Reno said, amused, and I, dead serious, threw him a serious look. "Since when are you guys like this?"

And by 'this', he obviously meant the tense environment and virtual discomfort created the moment the General left the elevator.

"Yesterday."

"And will you both stand it?" He laughed, "The place was about to combust, and you look like-"

"I don't want to hear it." I declared with a gesture, urging him to stop right there and then. "I have to go, I'm reaching my hour limit for lunch."

"Will you be okay?" He asked, as I threw away the empty cup and walked towards the hall. Reno remained with his hands on his pockets, eyeing me with a half-serious stare.

I raised one of my eyebrows.

"I'm one wall apart of the omnipotent Shinra man, what else can happen to me?"

I had been sarcastic and Reno seemed to enjoy it, raising his eyebrows at me, making a face. He nodded and took some steps back, and I sensed something was strangely off, Reno wasn't usually like that-

"Eleanor."

I widened my eyes as I heard a very familiar voice behind me.

His voice. Oh, damn. And using my first name.

I turned with a sudden move and tried to look like casual. Somewhere behind me I heard the elevator open and close, and I knew I was alone with him. Right there, not ten meters from his office.

"Yes?"

My voice didn't sound as steady as I wanted to. My stare met his and I gave everything to look and sound… coherent, strong and not remotely affected by him. Which was very difficult to accomplish, because all I recalled was… hurt. Feeling hurt and put aside, and… argh.

"A word, please."

Hum. No, thanks.

"I have things to do."

I sensed Sephiroth react to the words I had offered him. He took a deep breath and I felt my heart beat peak, feeling a little oppressed by his silence and his presence.

God, why there was no one in this damned hall? That way I wouldn't feel like this and he wouldn't have dared to haunt me right after lunch.

"I only ask a minute of your precious time."

His tone changed a little and I felt I had no choice but to acquiesce. He was like that. Authoritarian and a total… handsome son-of-a-bitch.

Oh, and what a not so adequate direction my thoughts were going. This was a terrible moment to focus on Sephiroth's physical attributes, namely considering I was very, very offended with him.

I followed, on his tail, and entered his office.

The moment felt oppressive as he stood resting against his desk, arms crossed. I took only a couple of steps and stopped, deciding to cut the silence once and for all.

"What is it?"

He answered me with his eyes on mine, a subtle and intense stare that threatened to drill a hole in me.

Shit.

"I am aware you didn't enjoy the fact I was hiding from you my suspicions on Hojo."

I gulped dry and decided I would be honest with him, considering he was doing the same with me.

"No, you bet I didn't." I admitted. "But then again, you're the General, you're the all mighty man who can do what he pleases with the mortals."

I was provoking him and he knew it.

"You're being childish." He said.

"You're being unfair." I retorted.

"Life is unfair."

And that made me angry.

"Really?"

The dialogue was sharp and leveled and we fought a battle of emotions hid behind each and single word. Sadly, I couldn't sense any of him, what irritated me. Namely because I had the feeling he could even hear my heart beating fast, sense my nervousness, my… fascination over him and the way my feelings over him were becoming… dubious.

"Why are you being so difficult?" He eventually asked, stepping slowly towards me, reaching a considerate distance from me. 50 cm, give or take. "I am doing this for you, I don't want him to have you."

It sounded so damn possessive and I liked it in a very sick, secretive way. I took my time considering what to say to him. His eyes remained on mine I felt him a little softer than before. Walls down.

"So, am I supposed to thank you for being treated like a-"

"He was the one attempting against your life. Not Rufus Shinra." He interrupted me, and his declaration surprised me. Oh-uh. "So yes, accuse me all you want for trying to be discreet."

I didn't know what to say, how to react. What he was telling me was serious. Way fucking serious.

"Are you sure of that?"

I had to ask.

"I have no proof, if that's what you're asking."

The thought worried me. Rufus being innocent, then Hojo all worked up over taking me out? This was insane.

"You should have told me your suspicions." I stated, as I recalled his renitence in telling me the truth the day before. "That way… I could have done something, and… I wouldn't look like an idiot!"

But he reacted at once.

"You did the same, when it took you a year to reveal all the things about me and my upbringing." He narrowed his eyes at me, and bended down a little, towering me and stepping a little closer than before. "So don't you start on me about looking like an idiot without knowing a thing about what's going on."

"That was different." I gulped, trying not to think of how close he was and how tempting it actually felt. "You're being unfair. As usual."

"Don't be dramatic."

Our stares were locked and I felt something passing by between us - something that made me say something right from the heart.

"Your selfish actions hurt me."

"I never mistreated you."

He seemed to have all the answers prepared, it was a fact, but my memory was fresh on things that had happened when I was at the Science Division. Namely, that episode when he tried to strangle me. The same man that stared at me in a less proper way right now. There was something beyond making amends in him today.

"Well I can remember several times you did that exactly."

He seemed to recall exactly the moment I was thinking of. Actually, it was simple and obvious.

Things felt weird now, considering all that had happened back then. But Sephiroth decided not to go that way. His stare changed intensity and his neutrality returned again. Which meant he would change subject. I knew him that much by now.

"I am very sure Hojo arranged the whole thing for the simple reason he cannot get to experiment on. He does not react well to interpositions."

I took a deep breath.

"I know that."

"That's nice. So what are we supposed to do with so much information? He is not easily tricked. If he dreams he's the one we suspect of… we will never catch him."

He had a point.

"So what do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know yet." He declared. "Probably, nothing. For now."

And there was something about his tone that made me do the math quickly.

"You want to use me as a decoy." I said, nodding. "Again."

"No, I don't." He stated, his stance softer. "But if it comes to that… I'll be closer this time."

"Will you?"

It was a genuine question, filled with little doubt. And a clear tease, which he caught immediately. Sephiroth tilted his head a little and gazed upon me seriously.

"You do trust me, don't you?"

His hushed tone was sexy and genuine, and all of the sudden I realized the question had a double meaning. I wondered what he intended, what he would be thinking about, namely because I was starting to feel my cheeks blush.

But, it was a fact that, no matter what, I did trust him. With all my heart.

So I nodded, a sample of smile escaping my lips. I felt so vulnerable when he did this to me - making me be so obvious and transparent to him, when he was always so defensive and closed up when it came to… feelings. Emotions. Whatever.

"Be careful with your walks. You'll be under tight surveillance the whole time, try not to wander around alone." He declared, with a casual tone. "I wouldn't want Hojo to spoil that little head of yours."

I snorted, actually amused with his words. And even satisfied - so the man was able to do some teasing as well.

You're going to get it, tall guy.

"Little head of mine?" I quoted, with a wide smile. "Is that supposed to be what? Insult? Compliment?"

A glimpse of smile seemed to form along the lines of his face, and I sensed his effort into keeping the status. He was he General after all and he wanted me to be sure of that… feel that he was the one in charge.

"You're dismissed, Stevens."

I nodded at him, taking a couple of steps back, my heart beating like crazy. But in the moment I was going to open the door, his voice made me stop.

"Oh, and Stevens?"

My head turned and our eyes met. Again. The formality was back when he used my last name.

"Yes?"

"Inform me verbally when you leave the office." He declared. "No notes, this is not junior school."

His words sting and I felt the need of justify myself.

"I thought you didn't want to be disturbed over something as silly as 'Hey, I'm going to have lunch, be right back.'"

His stare on me was solid and… soft, at the same time. It felt weird, it was like he was thinking something and saying otherwise. Feeling otherwise.

"No notes, please." He insisted, and what could I do besides… agree?

"Very well."

I was the one interrupting that strange flow between me and the General. I didn't know what on Earth had happened in there.

It was like he wanted to apologize, in his own way, justify his actions.

Which could only mean that, in the end, I mattered to him.

And that thought made me feel butterflies in my stomach.

John's POV

Days went by and finally had a definitive team to start working with in the new lab facilities. The thought amused me and I felt very happy to finally be back to work. The candidate selection had been difficult and I've been through hundreds of interviews - and I was tired of bureaucracies.

It was time to make science - finally.

The labs were prepared, and my floor would be in a different wing of the Science Division. The one that had been destroyed was being reconstructed and I didn't know what the company intended to do with the area.

All I knew was I didn't want to go there.

It was painful to recall the carnage that had happened there.

I got up from my chair, the pile of curricula now inside a box, that I would store in the archive. It was time to go home and relax a little, it was a fact I needed a break from-

"A word, Medina."

A voice startled me and I turned, only to see the General by the door of my office, with that neutral face I was so used to already.

I blinked at him first, trying to deduce why the man was here at 7 p.m. on a Thursday, week day. This was winter and the days were smaller, it was actually dark outside, the only light available being the ones inside the building.

Eventually, my obvious worry was the first thing exiting my mouth.

"Is there everything okay? Is Stevens-"

"She's fine." He interrupted "I'm here over a different matter." He said, as he entered the office, closing the door behind him.

I gulped at his action - so, this was serious.

"Please sit." I offered, and we both took our chairs.

The environment was heavy and I sensed he was not here to tell me good news.

"I'm preparing Zack's memorial ceremony. And I'm considering letting Stevens out of it, it will be better if she won't attend it."

I blinked at him and took a deep breath, considering the consequences. Nothing that the man in front of me hadn't, I was sure. So… I was going to be very blunt with him.

"She's going to hate you for that."

He made a face and answered me crudely.

"I can live with that." His tone was smug and harsh. "Namely considering the whole thing would be an equivalent of targeting her, again, what would be totally unnecessary."

I sighed, and kind of got his point of view but… come on, it was too much. First the thing with Hojo, then this... I didn't think the General was doing the right thing but hey, he was the one in charge here. I could only make suggestions. Honest ones.

"Why don't you try and explain that to her? She'll understand."

The General eyed me with a side look.

"It looks like you don't know her." He declared, as if the subject tired him. "She would never accept not going to such thing, even if I was certain Hojo would be there with gun waiting for her to blow her brains out."

There was silence, and I wondered how this could be done pacifically. If, by any chance, it would be remotely possible.

The General interrupted my introspecting, guessing up the contents of my thoughts.

"What?"

And I decided I would be honest with him.

"I just… you keep on pushing her patience. You insist in doing things that she flips about. First the thing about Hojo, and now something as important and serious as Zack's memorial ceremony… well, you're a grown up, you'll be the one handling the consequences."

And now it was time for the General to remain in silence. And hence, I decided to be cocky.

"Do you enjoy it?"

My question seemed to catch him by surprise.

"What?"

"Teasing her." I clarified.

"I don't do such thing."

I didn't know if he actually had the notion he did that all the time… or if he was simply in denial.

"You do it constantly, General." I informed. "You just don't seem to notice… or do you?"

My last sentence seemed to irritate him somehow.

"This is not a question of teasing." He declared, his tone a mix of annoyance and seriousness. "I wouldn't put her life at risk over a stupid reason. I know how badly she would want to be in this ceremony and I don't get off over contradicting her, or anyone else, if that's what you're suggesting."

I decided to leave the subject there. Elie was something he wasn't very open to talk about and I sensed there was something he didn't disclose about her. I didn't know it there were feelings, or simply a simply obsession, but I also knew she definitely felt something for him, what complicated things.

I, knowing he was asking me not to tell her things she had the right to know of was not only cruel - it felt like treason.

"I don't agree with this but if it's all for the sake of her safety… I won't tell her a thing about it."

The general seemed relieved as he processed my words.

"Thank you."

As he prepared to leave, I insisted in some details.

"When will it be?"

"I'll let you know." He informed, with the office door half-open. "And, in the mean time… maybe we should summon the team with Stevens."

Okay, that one surprised me.

"What for?"

"Life goes on in the Planet. And she's still our informant, last time I checked."

I blinked at the man, appalled with his nerve. And what's with the 'we' thing?

"Why don't you schedule the appointment? Since you get to see her every day."

It sounded very personal and unprofessional, but I didn't resist. Come on, this was Elie we were talking about, not some piece of meat!

"What's that, Medina? Jealous?"

That smug smile of him made me snap in that very moment.

"You come here, and inform me you'll be preparing a funeral - the very one of that person you murdered, your 1st Class, and you know how Elie will react to that. She'll flip and she'll have all the right to do that, and on the top of it you ask secrecy. Of me. one of her best friends."

I paused a little, always under the silent scrunity of those alien green eyes.

"And then you just mention we should use her to get information just like that, like if she's … an asset."

I was far from done but the General outran me.

"I see a conflict of interests in here."

Oh, come on!

"There's no conflict, you just have to be coherent." I explained. "If you hide that kind of things from her, you can't just demand-"

"I have no problem in doing what I have to do to make things work Medina." His stance was aggressive and the man in front of me didn't pay me mercy. "If Stevens has to remain in the dark for her own good, I will keep her in the dark, even if she hates me for that. I'd rather having her hating me, but alive, but to deal with the guilt of her death if Hojo wakes up inspired and finds a way of killing her right under our noses."

The brutality of his words rendered me silent. I couldn't say a thing in my defense - he was right, I got it, but his ways… why did he have to do things like this?

I guess there was no rational explanation to that. Things were this way, he was like that… and the rest of us had to endure.

"I'll schedule the damn thing. Pay attention to your pager."

The words were fast and hasty and the man left with the swiftness of a Shinra man, an improved military of sorts.

I exhaled, tension exiting slowly my system.

What could I do not to let things run down the hill?

Nothing.

Just wait to see them collide.

Elie and Sephiroth.

A/N. I know, the plot's still running along the conflicts of dealing with Sephiroth daily and such, but it's necessary to contextualize what will happen next. This phase of the story has several character interaction and the FF7 happenings will flow around it.

It's a fact everyone is waiting to see how things will develop between Elie and Sephiroth and, let me tell you, it won't be easy or… normal.

To those who were afraid the FF7 plot was dying - it's not. There is a timing for everything, even for other characters to appear.

Hope you like this chapter and… see you in the next one….'Training Room' :), currently on the making!

You're all welcome to read and review, thank you so much for your support, your comments and suggestions - your reviews give me strength to go on and to invest in this fic every single moment I have to doze off a little. Even in late night shifts when the ER is calm (which is rare)!