A / N : There is mild adult content in this chapter.

I relinquish to your powers.

From your grasp, I just can't hide

It's been half a year since he came to live with her.

If he were honest with himself, he could admit that it was only a matter of time before the walls between them fell away in the face of her dogged pursuit and determination. It was like osmosis; eventually, two very different beings level out on one another and blend. This was how he formed attachments to Angeal and Sephiroth, even though the three of them were as distinctive as morning, noon and night.

It was like that too with Aerith.

Only, it was very different as well. She brushed aside the difference in their age and opened his arms the way you throw open a window during a storm; smiling and unapologetic, with just a hint of insanity. Then she held on to him without any intention of letting go.

He could say that what happened between them one night when she was feeling particularly brave (and he could swear that there was something in the food he ate) was a simple meeting of flesh. It was only natural, after all, for them to come together the way only a man and a woman would. Besides, she was old enough for that; the curves her body revealed to him as she slid down her green robes were proof enough.

She initiated, and he just... stopped resisting.

She doesn't question him about his past lovers and he doesn't ask who initiated her in the ways between the sheets, nor of the small, precise scars that mar her milky white skin. What was important was the way a blush covers her face when she achieves completion, the ragged way she breathes his name, her surrender and abandonment to his pleasure. She would cling to him afterward, as if she would drown had his arms not been there to hold her afloat… It was always strange how he felt after their encounters. Not so much the feeling of hangover or regret after a particularly wild night, but that of being intoxicated all over again.

What was this girl doing to him? He tried to resist for the sake of his sanity (and he fancied, for her modesty too). There was, after all, the difference in their age. She was too young, too uninitiated in the ways of the world.

But he was slowly, surely, making a woman out of her. His hands were sculpting the curves she would fill in the years to come, his preferences are defining her habits and persuasion. He was sure that whatever space he made for her, she would readily fill in. She accommodated him like that. After all she did say that she wanted him to look at her and only her.

One morning, he woke up to find the edges of her long brown braid circled around his wrist. He smiled, amused. So possessive. Was this her way of making sure he wouldn't wander elsewhere while she's asleep? It was the first time he ever encountered hair used as a leash. Maybe Sephiroth could learn a thing or two in the use of alternative materials for binding people. He certainly had the material to work with, he sniggered in his mind.

He looked down at the top of her head and wondered, not for the first time, if he should really be here with her. He was more than a little worried about the repercussions for giving in to baser desires with her. After all, she still wasn't legal. He should have asked her about her parents before they got to this point. Would they allow him to live or cut him up into small, separate pieces? He sighed. Damn the brain in his lower regions for leading the charge, and damn her too for being such a temptress! He was determined to ask her about them at the first possible opportunity.

Which would be now, apparently.

"Aerith..." he began. He knew she was awake by the telltale change in her breathing. "Who are you?"

Her eyes fluttered open, she felt it feather against his bare chest, but she did not move otherwise. "You already know me better than most." He could feel the teasing smile on her lips while her hands trailed down his abdomen, settling between his legs as she wrapped her fingers—tightly—around her prize.

Genesis took a deep breath as he felt the natural reaction to her touch. He gripped her shoulders and brought her up to face him before he lost all reason again.

She tried to kiss him but he turned away. "I mean, you must be someone important. Are you the President's daughter?"

She laughed at that, her body pleasantly vibrated as she shook her head. "No."

"Are you Sephiroth's sister?"

She laughed again and succeeded in landing a peck to his lips. "He would perhaps be the closest to a brother I'll ever have… but no."

Then why am I here? Who are your parents? But his thought process was interrupted by something more immediate. Aerith hadn't let go of his member and he could feel his blood go down south. "I want to..." he took a deep breath as he steadied himself. He bent his head and nuzzled his chin against her head as she continued her ministrations. "...know who will come after me for corrupting a minor."

She stopped for a split second and looked up at him wide-eyed. "No one will! My parents, they approve of you... With you, no one can harm me... You are here with me. Here. Now." There was a strange desperation that crept into her voice as she resumed the motions of her hands with fervour. She rained kisses on his neck and shoulder.

Genesis opened his mouth to voice his disapproval but it came out as a groan. "Aerith...!"

That night, her nightmares came back with a vengeance.

"MOTHER!" Aerith screamed. She bolted awake and let out a long drawn out wail. He sat up, hand automatically smoothed down her back. She had not had a nightmare in a while, although this one seemed different. She cried hysterically, and for the first time, shunned his touch. She got off the bed and ran outside the door, crying desperately as she headed for the bathroom down the hall. The door slammed closed.

Genesis got up to follow after her but was interrupted by his ringing phone. Curious, he sauntered over and saw the person trying to reach him from the other end. "Sephiroth?" The digital clock indicated that it was 2 hours past midnight. "Don't you ever sleep, you madman?"

"I apologize for the hour but it's urgent. I have to speak with Aerith." His voice from the other end was tightly composed, a strain was apparent in his usual droll monotone.

"She's indisposed at the moment." He turned to the direction of the door where he could still hear the muffled sobs.

"So she knows already…"

"She knows what?" That came out more harshly than he'd intended. What did the silver haired General know that he didn't? He was eager to go back to blissful, uninterrupted sleep.

He was silent for a while. "Her mother passed away," he replied almost as an afterthought.

"You knew who she was?" Whatever made him hope that he could go back to sleep tonight was gone. Aerith was distraught, her mother was dead and the General called him in the middle of the night knowing something that he did not. His mind went into overdrive. There was something that was happening or just happened and he had no idea what it was. Something tugged at his gut. He felt betrayed somehow.

"Listen to me very carefully now…" The General used a steely voice that he has witnessed him use to dish out threats. "I want you take her away from the mansion, away from Shin-Ra and disappear."

Genesis took calming breaths and would have glared at the General if he could. He cannot operate optimally on incomplete information! He needed to know more and he needed to stay calm. "Explain yourself."

"She is in danger. The most important thing is her safety. You should move right away."

"In danger from what? I have to talk to Lazard to inform him of…"

"No! Do not let anyone know of your whereabouts, not even Angeal or me! Her life is more important than any of ours, do you understand?" That was perhaps the most emotion he ever witnessed Sephiroth express in all their years together. Not even when he was close to dying did his tone rise. Forget betrayal, he felt angry now.

"No, I don't! And you better start making sense because I'm not going to do anything before I know what's going on!" His voice got louder as he went on. "How can I be effective if you people don't even deign to inform me what I'm supposed to protect her from?" He felt his rage simmer when Aerith's hand touched his arm. He turned and studied her red rimmed eyes and cheeks still moist with tears that glistened in the moonlight.

"D-Don't be mad at Sephy, I'll explain," she said haltingly, almost pleadingly to him. "But he's right, we should leave now."

"Aerith?" cackled the voice from the other end. She reached for his phone and he let her have it.

"Sephy…?" she whispered to the receiver.

"Go with Genesis. He'll bring you somewhere safe."

"Yes…"

"I'm… sorry I couldn't be there for you. Take care of yourself."

Tears fell from Aerith's eyes again. She wiped them as she said, "I knew… I knew it couldn't last... Goodbye then." It felt like she would have liked to say more but did not.

"Goodbye..."

Aerith gave the phone back to Genesis and he almost closed it when he heard Sephiroth's voice come alive again from the other end.

"Sephiroth?"

"Genesis… please. Take care of her, keep her safe from harm. She will need you now, more than ever." He never heard the proud man beg, yet there was no mistake about pleading his tone now. There were many things that could be implied from this development and he didn't like any of them.

Still. He had his honor, Angeal made sure of that, even if his other actions might suggest otherwise. It was his mission to protect her and he will do so to the best of his abilities.

"I swear it."

After carefully packing provisions for their journey, they made their way through the mountains, choosing the dangerous path out of town as he formed a plan in his mind. Where could they seek refuge? Would it be better to stay away from the main continent and areas within Shin-Ra's spheres of influence or should they hide right under their nose? Neither of them spoke as he pondered their course of action and she grieved in silence for her deceased mother.

The biting mountain wind got everywhere as they trudged through trails rarely used during day time. At nights, he wrapped his arms around her to ward off the night chill. He patiently waited for her to explain their predicament. He knew she would speak when she was ready.

On their third day, she broke her silence just as the sun was setting down in the sky.

"Genesis… I'm not human."

He stopped his trek and questioned his ears and sanity. He was sure he heard that right. He turned to her and eyed her carefully. She said it with such sadness it tugged at something inside him. Not human? Did she think herself lower than they were? But how could she claim that when he could clearly see the way the sun brought out golden strands in her hair, when he could clearly remember the way she fit into his arms, how her pulse raced while they pursued pleasure with their all too human bodies and...

"I'm an Ancient…" she whispered and came to stand before him but did not meet his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

He could swear the world slowed to a standstill at her words. Not a monster no... but still something different. Still not human. He met her eyes but stayed silent as he waited for her to continue.

"My... my father was a scientist. His name was Dr. Gast Faremis. He worked for Shin-Ra." She shook her head and tears started to fall down her cheek. "He used to work for Shin-Ra but then he ran away with my mother who was a… a subject of Shin-Ra's research. They had me and we were happy for a while. But then..." Her voice caught and she buried her face between her hands. "I was caught and then they agreed to come back to Shin-Ra's service in exchange for my freedom."

He heard of Dr. Gast though he's never personally met the man. They say he preferred the reclusiveness of his labs to actual human contact. He was one of the few scientists who wanted nothing to do with the SOLDIER program. Was he the one who sent protection for her daughter? And what did she mean 'freedom'? "You weren't really free, were you?" He spoke softly. It started to make sense now. The mansion, the lifestyle, the guards stationed there when he first arrived. They weren't there to make sure of her protection, but to keep an eye at her. "You were well-provided for at Nibelheim but you weren't allowed to wander anywhere else..."

"Yes. I lived under their watchful eyes. Sure, I never wanted for anything, and I could do what I wanted to, but Sephiroth, he told me, they kept me there because they were going to... to use me after my mother..."

Genesis frowned. He knew of the human experiments in Shin-Ra. After all, SOLDIERs were a type of them, after a fashion. "You said your mother, the Ancient, was a subject? A test subject?"

"Y-Yes, she was usually... subjected to experiments." Her voice caught at her throat at this, but she shook away the stubborn tears that made its way down her cheek. "Now that my mother is dead, I am the last of my kind... The last Cetra..."

Genesis kept his distance. He knew she wanted to be comforted but he was determined to get to the bottom of this without further interruptions physical contact would surely bring about. "Ancients... the Cetra. I've read of them but they're usually surrounded by myths. What exactly does it mean to be one?"

"We have... a connection to the Planet. I can hear her voice, her will... I am connected to all living things. When we die, our spirit lives on in the lifestream. We are not born again, unlike humans whose soul reincarnates after each life."

It was his turn to frown. That sounded useless. It did not warranty her 'special asset' status in the company. "What does Shin-Ra want with the Ancients then?"

"Mother said… they wanted to find the Promised Land. A land full of magic and mako... at least that is what they believe." With each word she began to compose herself and now she turned away from him and rested one of her hands gently on a nearby outcropping of rock. The motion struck him then, it was as if she touched another being who can feel.

"You do not?"

She shook her head sadly. "I do not think it exists in this world. Mother said we return to the Promised Land when we die. It is futile to search for it while we are still alive."

"You speak with your mother then?"

"Everyday." Her voice caught in her throat. "I speak with her still, but I know that she is gone now. She is in the lifestream. And my father... he is not well either. I fear it will be a short time before... before he decides to join her."

"Hn." He sighed. How does he explain this to her? "You do know that Shin-Ra sent me to protect you, right?"

Aerith turned her head to his side, meeting his eyes. "I knew you were SOLDIER the moment they brought your unconscious form down from the helicopter. At first I thought it was Sephy, finally come to visit me but I'm glad it was you..."

"You trust me, even if I part of the very corporation that may very well be hunting for you now?"

"I don't trust them but I trust you..."

"Why?"

"Sephy told me about you even before you came. And I've read about you from the news, saw your face from the picture of the three of you that Sephy carried with him at all times..." She confessed. "I used to ask him about you all the time."

A faint smile crossed his features. He had a good idea of what that picture might be. Angeal insisted on a group photo during a rare break they got after the end of the Wutai war. He developed three copies of a picture where they all grinned like idiots, courtesy of the obscene amount of alcohol they had dumped into their systems. He gave each one of them a copy. His own was left in his room back in Midgar, framed and displayed near his bed. He would have never suspected the General brought his copy with him at all times.

"I could never take my eyes off you even from then..." she admitted with a blush. "You have a very old soul. I could sense it even then. Beloved of the Goddess... I knew our paths would cross someday. And I knew that I would love you and only you."

He stiffened. Despite all her demonstrations of affection, she never once mentioned she loved him before. She seemed to have matured overnight. He shook his head. That's impossible. "You're too young to know the meaning of the word. Just because we shared-"

She turned around to face him, shaking her head. "You don't have to believe me. But I know what I feel. I love you, Genesis."

He grunted, not quite sure what to say in response to that. New questions formed in his head but he decided not to voice them just yet; she looked tired and will need to rest soon.

They did not speak again that night.

"Do you find me repulsive?"

Genesis turned to find that she stopped marching a few steps behind. Tears made its way down her cheeks and he groaned inwardly at the sight of her; a mess of a teenager he had to deal with. "Aerith..." he began as he walked back to her. "Why do you say that?"

"You haven't touched to me or spoken to me since I t-told you about what I am!" her outburst came and she sat on the ground wiping her tears. He had to fight back a smile at the picture she made. He knew a tantrum when he saw one. He used to throw one all the time while he was a child. But, he thought as his eyes lingered on her form, he knew the body beneath the heavy clothes she wore. Based on that alone he knew she could no longer be called a child. He was about to come close to her to silence her rambling in the most effective way he knew, when he noticed the shadow on the ground...

"Don't move!" he screamed as he saw descending talons aim for her upturned head from behind. In a split second his rapier was out, slicing through the air a hair's breadth above her head and impaled the winged monster several feet from where she sat. She turned behind her for a look and screamed at the sight of a flock of winged creatures in the sky that dove with a shrill cry.

"Get behind me!" Genesis commanded as his right hand suddenly caught fire, he threw globes of flame at the incoming flock, one for every creature. Screeches and desperate flaps of wind filled the air around them as the monsters were engulfed by the magical flare. Genesis' eyes darted about, looking for further signs of possible monsters. Burnt feathers and charred lumps dropped to the ground. He was about to turn back to make sure she was alright when a sound of a gunshot reverberated through the air. He crouched with one hand out to protect her form as he scanned the surrounding area for the source of the disturbance.

A thump sounded as another bird landed near Genesis, too near for comfort. His eyes went to the source of the gunshot sound and there, on one mound just behind a collection of rock, stood a dark haired young boy with a gun. Carcasses of the monster birds were slung in a rope that hung low in his waist and he shouldered the smoking gun before smiling and calling out "You missed one!" to him.

Genesis was still for a moment, assessing the area around them for more threats. Then he walked toward his rapier and pulled it free, flicked it once to get rid of the mess, and sheathed it. He nodded to the boy; he took that as a sign to come closer to them and practically bounced down the rocks. "Don't meet that much people up here in the mountains." He said as he got to his side. "I'm Zack by the way, I've been trailing that flock for days! Their meat is in good demand over at my hometown you know? Oh and that was so cool what you did with the fire. Did you use materia? I don't have fire, but I do have a lightning materia but even then I don't think I've mastered it enough to do what you just did-"

"Zack." He interrupted, cutting him off.

"Yeah man?" he said with a grin on his face.

"Do you mind if I attended to the lady first?"

"Oh, sure, yeah. Sorry back there!" he said with a wave to Aerith's direction.

Genesis went back to Aerith who still sat trembling. Her eyes were fixed at the ground before him. He knelt in front of her and took in her dishevelled appearance. Some of the hair had escaped from her braid and fanned around her face. She looked hopelessly lost, but more importantly, she was unharmed. He wiped her tears with his gloved hands, and regretted it, suddenly aware of the rough surface of his gloves. Still she leaned toward his touch. "Sound attracts predators. You and I need time to think. We'll talk again when we reach a safe place. Alright?"

She could only nod but when she looked at him again, her eyes were filled with hope. She lunged herself at him and hugged tightly. He could hear Zack give an embarrassed cough in the back ground but he ignored it. He held her for as long as she wanted to be held.

"Silly girl."

Zack extended an invitation to look him up at the Fair farm in Gongaga if they ever passed that way. He was very talkative, rivalled only by now-happy-again Aerith. It was hell for his ears. Zack had gone with them until they reached a fork in the road which he explained was the trail that he came from. He had collected enough birds from his trip and had to head back. With a wink and a gesture down Aerith's way, Zack smiled and said "Goodluck with her, yeah?". The two got along quite well; Aerith finally found someone to match her motormouth.

"We'll invite you to our wedding!" Aerith called as he walked away.

He shook his head and settled for a sigh. "Was it wise to talk to him so much?" he asked when they walked side by side. "He might inform Shin-Ra of our whereabouts."

"Oh relax! I didn't tell him anything important. And he's a really nice guy." Then she turned to him with a gleam in her eye. "You know if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous of him. You barely said a word when he was here."

He gave her a mildly irritated look which promptly earned him some giggles. He realized he hasn't heard that sound in a while. He sort of missed it.

"Wait a minute, you were, weren't you?" She linked her arms with him and hugged the arm she caught. "Oh Genny, don't worry! He's cute, but why would I want him when I have you?"

He glanced down at the top of her head. "I liked you better when you were quiet."

"So you do like me!"

"Goddess..." This wasn't going to end, was it? He rubbed his temple. Why did he take this mission again? Maybe he should have gotten rid of her when he had he chance.

The inside of the cave they settled in was littered with crystals and phosphorescent moss that glowed in the dark, as well as a pool of natural spring water. It was right beside a deep lake and surrounded by mountains on all sides. It was a good place to stake out in, he thought. After they've made camp and dined on the game Genesis found he came to her as she sat beside the waters.

"This place is sacred..." she mused as he heard him settle behind her. She sighed as his arms went around her and she snuggled closer to him. "I can feel the spirits that linger and guard this place. We'll be safe here."

He nodded. There was only one entry point that he could discern and it was easily defensible considering the rocks and stalagmites that made the tunnel entrance small before it hollowed out to the space inside. They set up their camp behind some luminescent crystals, away from plain view. "Now will you tell me the rest?" They could talk about it uninterrupted and he needed to know as much as he could. "Who is after you?"

Aerith sighed and leaned back to his arms. "There's one scientist in particular... Professor Hojo."

Genesis tensed at the mention of the name. Oh, he knew his reputation well; the few stories that Sephiroth shared and his own run-ins with the man convinced him that the scientist had loose grip on sanity. "Why is he after you?"

Aerith sighed. "He wants to unlock the mystery of life. To make stronger, faster... perfect beings. As powerful as gods."

His eyebrows lifted. "How absurd." It was a foolish notion that proved that the scientist was clearly off his rocker. But perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised. The SOLDIERs were constantly pushing the limits of human strength and endurance; the enhancements upon his own body were proof enough that the science was pushed in that direction.

And then of course, there was the General himself, who was already a demi-god by most accounts. "How did you meet Sephiroth?"

A weak laugh escaped her lips. "He was the one that kidnapped me..." she thought for a second. "I think it was 8 years ago?"

"Ah." He joined the army when he was 15, just as Sephiroth first met the 7 year old Aerith.

"He was also... my first." She whispered so softly he would never have caught it had he not been close to her at the time. He tensed. Whatever happened to being her one and only love?

Aerith lifted her head and turned to him, suddenly upset. "No it's..." She looked away as she realized what she had given away. "I'm sorry I..."

He frowned. "You're making it worse Aerith. Just tell me."

"It happened b-before things became peaceful..." She kept her head turned away from him. "You've seen my scars," she continued, her voice was a mere whisper now. "Those were a result of the experiments Hojo did to me. To test my tolerance for pain and..." her voice caught in her throat and she was silent for a few moments before she continued again. "W-when I had my first menstruation he declared that it was time that I started... b-breeding."

Genesis was stunned. He was suddenly more aware of the coldness in the room.

"He made Sephy do it... He believed combining our genetics would create superior species. It wasn't his fault!" She shook her head and looked everywhere but his face. "He was given something that made it unbearable unless... it was done. He was gentle with me... it wasn't as bad as it could have been." She trailed off. She buried her face in her hands and started crying again. "You hate me now, don't you?"

"Did you conceive?"

"No."

"How many men have you had before me?'

"J-just Sephiroth…"

"How many times?"

"I don't know!"

"Did he tell you he loved you?" Her face, which she hid behind her splayed hands snapped around to meet his eyes. "Answer, Aerith." He said in a voice that betrayed nothing of what he felt.

"Y-yes."

He stopped his breath. "And do you love him?"

"No! You're the one I love!"

He shook his head and faced her completely. He felt angry, like he was cheated somehow, even though all those things happened before they met. She and the General were closer to each other than to other person they knew, and that bond formed from carnal knowledge. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his noise. He should have known better. He should have suspected this... the familiarity, the nicknames, the overarching concern... Aerith had captured Sephiroth's heart.

And what of him? Was he just another prize for her?

No. I'm not Sephiroth. He could think of one way he could ascertain her profession of love."You're too young to know what love is. But you're not too young to learn about lust. I will gladly teach you the difference between the two."

He kissed her and took her harshly that night. He was blind to the tears that fell down from her eyes and deaf to the fervent proclamations of love that escaped her lips. He made sure that he caused more hurt than pleasure in his actions as he chased his release without regard for her own. He took her several times that night, not letting her rest until both they were exhausted physically and emotionally.

In the morning, she was still there, cradled against him with a troubled look on her face. He half-expected her to be gone, nursing feelings of betrayal and hurt because of his behavior last night. But still, she remained here with him.

He looked at her closely now. There were dark circles under her eyes; the emotional burden she's carried and the weariness of being on the road for days on end finally showing itself. She slept fitfully, called for her mother, and shivered despite the warmth of their tangled bodies. He brought his palm down to her and turned her chin to face him more fully.

"Genesis..." she murmured as she sensed his touch. At the reminder of his presence, she relaxed and sank down into deep sleep once more.

He frowned. She trusted him. Trusted him completely. And she loved him. If he were to believe her, she chose him though it was unclear why. It could be a mistake on her part. She was young after all, and would many more mistakes in the years to come. But she chose him still.

Stupid girl... he tightened his arms around her. Young, naive, impressionable girl... and mine. All mine.

A tear slid down his cheek and he was quick to wipe it away.

Thank you to all my lovely reviewers! I've never tried to write Genesis, Aerith or even Sephiroth in this way before, so I'm glad I'm getting them through well enough.

Two more chapters to go!