It seemed like the doctor was in bad spirits lately. His tasks seemed to come more often. Training got harder and Sephiroth was forced to study more than before.

The next couple of weeks passed painfully slow. He wasn't able to sneak away from the procedures as well as he could before. In all honesty, he didn't dare try. With the thick mood looming over the whole area, it made it difficult to even take one step out of line.

Why was he upset? The only thing Sephiroth could figure was that something seemed to be wrong with his right hand. It wasn't as steady as it usually was. Which didn't bode well for whatever he was working on. That in itself made him nervous. For a while there were splints on three of his fingers. Even when they came off there was a bizarre twist to the knuckles. How had he hurt his hand?

Eventually things seemed to settle back into the norm, but Sephiroth still didn't dare act up.

Figuring that they wouldn't expect it, when he was too afraid to try anything, Sephiroth had managed to slide the broken fork prong into the lock of his door, and broke it. After a short while longer, Sephiroth finally checked to see if his plot worked. He tested the bolt on the door, and pushed sharply. It opened, heavily, but still, he could get out.

The boy wanted to take one more look at that odd door, in the basement. Since everyone was asleep, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Unfortunately, he didn't really know for sure, how many people were still up and about. Not nearly as much as one would think, but still enough to make him nervous.

He was about to head back to his room, and try to think of another way to find out, when he saw the Doctor walk past. Normally, it wouldn't have been a good idea to follow him, but the direction he was heading made the silver haired child curious.

He, cautiously, followed him until it was confirmed… he was heading into the lower level.

Sephiroth almost didn't want to believe that the Doctor was really heading toward that green light, but curiosity enticed him to follow. He followed the Doctor on down that familiar path until he was assured that's where he was headed.

Sephiroth crouched at the bottom of the stairs. Scrunching himself as small as possible to stay out of sight. The Doctor stopped in front of the door and checked the area, before pulling out a key card. He slid it through the slot, causing the steel plate to slide aside, and reveal a small keypad. Sephiroth leaned over to try to see the inputted code. He hid quickly, with the glance shot in his direction.

Sephiroth tried to see what was behind the door, but it slammed shut before anything could be revealed. He sighed, half from disappointment, though mostly just relieved that he wasn't caught. Silently, he swept back up the stairs, since it really wasn't a good idea to be there any longer, reciting the inputted code in his head. He couldn't really see the actual numbers, but the positions of his fingers told him what it had been.

xXx

Still playing it safe, Sephiroth waited before trying to reach the door again. He waited up until it was fairly late at night then slipped out of his room. There were still a few people patrolling the halls, but nothing he couldn't sneak by.

He made it to the door to the basement, pushing it open slowly. It was just as dark as he'd remembered, and he crept down the wooden stairs. He froze upon the creaking boards, his heart pounding as he descended back into the dark depths. It was different being alone, than when he followed the Doctor down here. At least then he knew where he was.

Sephiroth reached the bottom, darting over to the door, guided by the green light, still spilling from underneath it. He pulled the green key card from his pocket, and paused. Was whatever was behind there really worth him getting in worse trouble, then he already seemed to be?

He glanced down at the light on the floor. Could he risk it? With a steady breath, against his still pounding heart, Sephiroth slid the key card through the slit, to reveal the panel. He couldn't believe that actually worked.

Ok… 3-4-1-0-5… at least that's what it appeared to be. Though it was odd when something funny caught his eye. The four was upside down… kinda like an h. Either way, this was the path he saw the doctor's hand follow. Sure enough, it was right. The lock slid to the side, allowing him to push the heavy door open.

"Aha!" Sephiroth's heart froze, feeling the Doctor grasp tightly onto his arm. "I knew it!"

"D-doctor, I."

"No excuses, Sephiroth, you've undermined me, for the last time." He snatched the key card from the small boy's hand. "I'll teach you not to go against me. You're not to ever come down here again, do yo understand me!?" He proceeded to drag him out, slamming the door shut behind him. He shook Sephiroth fiercely. "I said, do you understand me?" A hard hand struck him across the face. "STOP CRYING AND ANSWER ME!"

"Y-yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

"Not as sorry as you're going to be." The doctor dragged Sephiroth toward the stairs. Sephiroth glanced back to the green light, still a mystery to him.

He was so close. He had almost reached it. The source of that light was right there in front of him, but he missed it. His mind screamed out for that light to help. He didn't want to know what would happen to him. He'd never seen the Doctor this angry before.

xXx

Sephiroth was dragged through the hall, receiving diverted looks from the surrounding guards. His arm was beginning to go numb from the tight grip of the hand.

The Doctor led him into one of the labs he knew all too well. Against his better judgment, Sephiroth pulled at his arm, only to be jerked hard enough to twinge his neck. He was shoved onto an upright table, facing the cold steel, soon having the leather straps fastened around his arms and legs.

The small boy's breathe quickened, pulling desperately at the restraints. A sharp prick, into the side of his neck, and Sephiroth screamed, as a thick substance corroded though his veins. It was thick and hot. Far too much for his tiny system to handle.

He felt the tight pull, as it left his skin, and he panted, still feeling the effects from it.

"I don't understand it, Sephiroth."

He turned to the voice, his vision hazing over.

The Doctor's back was to him, messing with something in the cabinets. "I've given you so much. I've devoted my life to you. To making you stronger, and this is how you repay me. Why do you have to be so stubborn?" The Doctor turned back towards him, eyes narrowed behind the ominous gleam off his glasses. The boy's heart stopped, at the sight of the short leather whip. Snapping in his hands to create the very reaction he was causing. "I'm just going to have to try something else, to get you to listen, now aren't I?"

"Please, no." His voice came out in a small whimper, tears glistening from the Mako sheen of his glowing green eyes.

"You will learn to mind me." With one sharp crack, Sephiroth could feel the sting cut across his back. It was difficult to tell if it was the pain or the fear of the sound, that hurt more. Yes. In the world Sephiroth lived in fear was painful. He could feel his own hot blood, flowing across his pale skin. The heat of it, made the resulting cuts sting. The stinging nearly numbed his back to the next strike. The only thing that brought his attention to it was the sound of that sharp crack.

"Please, Sir, stop. I'm sorry." Sephiroth sobbed, his fingers curling into his palms.

"You always say that." The Doctor stepped closer, wringing the whip in his fists. "Every time I catch you, you always say you're sorry." The whip cracked again making Sephiroth sob harder. His face pressed into the hard metal table, pleading with him under his breath. "If you were truly sorry then you wouldn't have done this. I need to make sure you've truly learned your lesson... Are you crying?" He asked through gritted teeth, snapping the whip again.

Sephiroth screamed again, instinctively crying, "No!" Even if he knew lying would just make the Doctor angrier.

"I am training you to be a man." -crack- "Men don't cry." -CRACK- "Stop crying!"

Sephiroth buried his face in the table again. His teeth dug into his bottom lip, tasting the metallic taste of blood along the tip of his tongue. Maybe it would stop if he could just stop crying. That's what he wanted. If he could stop crying then the Doctor would be satisfied.

Nothing worked.

Each strike was like a burning knife against his already raw skin. The only relief from it was the feeling of cold tears against the heat of his pain. Soon, his eyes closed. Gladly letting his consciousness escape him.

xXx

Sephiroth woke up to a harsh cold surrounding him. He was laying on something hard. His mind still numb from the pain. His back screaming with each movement. It soon became apparent that something was settling heavily on his ankles, his wrists too. His eyes began to open, to try to see where he was, but there was hardly anything to be seen. A faint light, from what he guessed was a door, traced over him. It glistened off of his wrist, reflecting a silverish glow. Sephiroth reached a hand to it. He touched the soft glow, only to realize that his thoughts were right. It was a shackle. The doctor had chained him up in one of the holding cells. He tried to sit up, feeling that same heavy weight around his neck.

The sharp sting, in his back, restricted him from rising fully. He quivered, still trying to see something, his labored breaths echoing through the dark room.

It was what he deserved anyway. Sephiroth knew better than to snoop around in restricted areas. All because of that stupid light. Who cared what it was anyway? All it's done was get him in more trouble.

He settled back down, closing his eyes. What was the point?

xXx

It had almost seemed like they'd forgotten about the silver haired child in lock-down. He was no longer allowed to change his cloths, and meals came less frequently. It was far more difficult to determine time laps in this dark place, and he wasn't even sure he even got a meal every day.

The only good part was that the procedures seemed to cease. He was no longer forced onto lab tables, or even to study like he had to before. He hadn't even seen the Doctor since he was locked away down here.

An endless time passed before Sephiroth had even seen one of the attendants. A rattling of keys, on the other side of the door, and the steel door swung open, to let him in. He tossed a plate of strange food down on the floor in front of him, turning to leave. It seemed even more scarce than before, but at least it was food.

He ate quickly, feeling on the verge of starvation, and threw the plate over against the wall.

Sephiroth buried his face in his knees, cursing his very existence.

xXx

"Sephiroth." A weak raspy voice called to him. "Sephiroth… you have to… help you… safe."

What? He tried to open his eyes and see where the voice was coming from, but all that came was darkness.

"Sephiroth, please… come… help."

"Hello?" He pushed up onto his knees, still looking around.

"Sephiroth."

"Where are you?"

"Come."

The ground beneath him, started to feel lax. It seemed to liquefy, into an odd thick water. Almost like jello mixed with molasses. "What's going on!?"

"Come."

Directly beneath him, the ground shot up a bright green light, and he fell into the mass of liquid. He flailed trying to swim in the thick, watery mass. What was going on?

"Come back, Sephiroth… trust me… I can help you."

xXx

Sephiroth awoke, sitting up quickly. He felt the floor, to see if it was still wet. Resolving that it was solid, he sat down, bringing a hand to his forehead. "What was that all about?"

He shot a quick glance to the door. "It couldn't really be." Sephiroth pulled at his wrists, trying to slide them from the cuffs. "Maybe I should… what else do I have to lose?" The thick metal cut into his hand, as he pulled further, determined now to get free. A strange tingling lit up the end of his fingers. "I have to know, but I have to get out of here, first."

xXx

It was still a good while before anyone else came by. The guard unlocked the door, proceeding closer. "How ya holdin up squirt?" It was possibly the first kind thing anyone had said to him, since his isolation. Or ever, for that matter. Only maybe two of the guards would show any form of concern, but there was still no chance of ever getting any true help from these people. The guard laid the plate down in front of him.

Before he could pull his hand away, Sephiroth's hand snapped out, grasping his wrist.

It was now or never.

The guard gasped, "How did you get free!?" Sephiroth pulled him closer, snapping his other hand over his mouth, and surged a bolt of energy through his body. The guard twitched and fell limp, allowing the child to fish around for the keys. He found them, flinging the guard back into the wall behind him.

Sephiroth proceeded to unlock his restraints, darting out of the room. He wasn't as familiar with this part of the labs, but he had a pretty honed since of direction anyway, so it wasn't too difficult. The boy finally made it back to an area he recognized, making his way to the Doctor's office. If he didn't get that key card, there was no way he'd ever find out.

He opened the door, slowly, glancing in first to make sure no one was there. It was vacant. Sephiroth ran in, searching desperately around for that card. He checked the book first, but it was no longer there. His attention turned to the desk. Throwing around papers. Ripping open drawers. Even digging around for false bottoms. He didn't even care if he was making noise. He had to find that card. There were a few, in a drawer. Desperately, Sephiroth checked the backs. All the strips were black. He tossed them down, and checked the other drawers.

Nothing.

Sephiroth climbed up into the chair, searching through the bookcase. He could hear voices coming closer, causing him to lose his balance, and fall off the wheeled chair. Seeing as how he was trained, the boy was able to land, so as not to injure himself, too much, and spun to his feet. He was still kinda low, and got a good look under the desk. There was an area where the drawer had once been. Taped to the bottom of the desktop was a key card. He wouldn't have even seen it if he hadn't removed the top drawer.

He snatched it off, checking the back. Sure enough the strip was red. "Yes."

Sephiroth jumped to his feet, running for the door. Unfortunately, he had completely forgotten that people were coming and ran right out into them.

"What are you doing out here?"

Sephiroth gasped, as the two guards grabbed for him. He jumped back, then sprang forward kicking one upside the head, into the other, then darted down the hall.

It was simple to find his way from here, but he had to hurry. The news that two Turks had been taken down would not be ignored. And they'd immediately know who it was.

Sephiroth flew through the hallways, twisting around corners, dealing with more guards along the way, until finally he made it to the restricted area, deep in the catacombs of the labs. He found the door, slid through, and ran down the stairs.

The boy followed the green light, right up to the heavy steel door. A commotion could be heard, coming toward him. He slid the card quickly through the slot, only to have his heart stop dead from its quick pace.

It didn't work. The little light beeped red, unable to open the door.

He panted, glancing back to the stairway, and placed the card in the top of the slot. He closed his eyes, sliding it through again. Three quick beeps, and the panel slid over. Sephiroth felt his heart rise, punching in the code. The door slid open, and he ran in.

Sephiroth slammed the door shut, smashing the lock. Doing so may've stopped him from getting out, but that also meant no one else could get in.

The small child flopped on the ground, trying to catch his breath. He glanced back at the door, trying to steady his overall state.

The green light drew his periphery. Finally… the light that had, in a way, haunted him since he'd first caught a glimpse of it. He was finally going to find out what was in here. He turned to look up at a large tube, filled with thick green liquid. It seemed like something was in it, but the height in which it was elevated made it difficult to make out.

Sephiroth stood, stepping closer. A man came into view through the translucent liquid. Someone he'd never seen before. He had wires stretching from every vital part of his body, and an oxygen mask over his face. Just the sight of this man made him feel strange. Almost happy. His frame was slender, yet he seemed strong. The scars covering the man's bare flesh was something all too familiar to him. Those marks had been made with a scalpel… just like some of his own. As he circled, there was a clear view of more scars along his back. Criss-crossed with something else he was familiar with. Part of the doctor's punishment. The fresh scars on his own back twinged from the lashes. A dark shape caught his eye. He glanced down at the man's left hand, seeing it was contorted into something that didn't even look like skin anymore. It was blackened, almost like it'd been charred. His nails extending into sharp delicate points.

Long dark hair flowed in the tube, framing the delicate features of his face. This man was beautiful. Nearly angelic. Was the doctor messing with him as well? Maybe he knew what he had been through. Sephiroth climbed onto stairs, around the lower edge of the tube, tapping on the glass. "Hello?"

There was no response. Was he dead?

Sephiroth climbed down, glancing over the keys, on the computer wrapped around the tube. He checked the files on this specimen, finally coming to a description. "Vincent… Valentine?"

He looked up at the man again. "So your name's Vincent?"

The man moaned, his hand twitching. His eyes began to flutter gently open. Revealing a deep red gaze, glowing with that familiar sheen of Mako, directly down towards the silver haired child.

Sephiroth gasped, jumping back. "You're alive!?"

##

AN: OMG I'm finally getting back to typing this one. I'll admit it, I rushed it a bit, but I'm 3 chapts in… that's long enough to wait… right?... even if those chapts were a lot shorter than usual. This was actually a rather difficult one to write. Mainly because of my pure disdain for this doctor. It makes me physically ill to have him hurting characters I like. So when he was punishing Sephy... yet. I even felt like I wanted to puke when he just slapped him last earlier.

Anywho... WOOOOOOOOOO…. Finally, I'm at the part I've been dying to write