-1Chapter 3- Sakura's POV

I never expected anything like this to happen to me! Is this what President ShinRa had meant? I had a sinking feeling in my chest that it was. He wanted to ruin me, no! Even WORSE, Kill me! It was all over…all of it? Wasn't it? My dreams, my career, and my life. It was after me, I knew it. I couldn't move…and even if I did run, it'd just come after me and attack me from behind. If I was going to die, I'd do it facing the foul creature.

I then saw a figure dart past me and in front of me. I instantly recognized it from earlier when I had seen him, and in the picture too.

"M--Mr. Highwind! Y-you are still here!? Get out! Before it gets you too! It's not after you…It wants me! I believe…I made it's owner quite unhappy with some previous actions. I'm so--"

He cut me off before I could finish by speaking. He didn't face me, but I saw him wave his hand back and forth as he spoke.

"You are sorry, right? Cut it out. You don't need to go apologizing to me. But let's save the chit-chat before we become chow. Stay back, missy."

I decided it was best to listen to him, most likely If I wanted to survive. I didn't know a captain of that sort could be a great fighter as well. He had no weapon's on him it seemed and…well for materia on the other hand, I had no clue. I backed away slowly, but that just seemed to upset the big ol' kitty. It growled towards me as I did so, I bit my lip.

"Uh…it doesn't like it. S-sorry. Should I just stay put, Sir?"

He gave a light sigh, what had I done? Was I doing something wrong? I didn't think I had. I tilted my head some, and blinked. Had I upset him? --Why was I worrying so much if I did? I watched as he leashed forward towards the creature, what the heck was he going to do? I watched as he shoved his fist directly into the beast side, barely avoiding the cat lashing out it's paw to tear him to shreds. It howled in pain, but that wasn't enough to kill it. I was worried, more for him then myself. I felt sorry that I had involved someone else in something that was strictly my fault for going off on President ShinRa one unfortunate night. If only I hadn't then none of this would be happening.

I heard several obscenities coming from Mr. Highwind as he continued knocking around the beast. The cat had finally knicked him a few times on his face, pants, and arm of his jacket. The only place that seemed to be bleeding from was the first. Finally, it appeared the thing wasn't moving around much underneath of him. He sighed, and rubbed at his cheek a bit, blood oozing out slowly and onto his hand. I heard him swear again as he looked at it. The creature was knocked out, but not dead. Placing his hand against the floor he stood up, stumbling a bit. I felt the urge to run towards him, and I did so in my high heels which hit the ground hard and echoed throughtout the auditorium. He turned towards me, and groaned.

"I could really use a smoke, right about now."

With that, he looked down at the overgrown kitty. He then lifted his leg and put his shoe over the cats head before lifting up some and then stomping down right into it's forehead. I heard something crack…and then squish. I knew what it was…and it made me sick to my stomach. I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to withdraw the urge to hurl as I turned away. I wasn't used to seeing death of any sort. Be it human or beast.

"…I d-don't feel so good all of a sudden. B-but I think I'll get over it."

I heard him laugh at my response, after what I had seen I didn't think it would be possible for him to act so lightly so quickly. I heard him place his foot back on the ground and then walk up towards me. What he did next, I wasn't expecting. He placed his hand against my head, making me look up at him, blinking. He smiled down at me, while I still remained in the same position as if I were going to be sick from what I saw.

"Eh? A little too much for you? Heh. Kid, there wasn't really any other way to do it. It was either the Dark Nation got it or you and me. --And before you go saying sorry, don't. I don't want to hear a word of it."

He didn't want me to say sorry!? Why not? He shouldn't of had to do a damned thing for me! If I couldn't say sorry. There was something else I could do, I remember! Mr. Highwind had liked cigarettes and looked so sad when his cigarette had dropped outside! While I was backstage before the show started I had found a unopened pack just laying around. It was prohibited for any of us to smoke, our director thought it disabled us to sing to the best of our abilities. Well--not to mention, some of us were too young to anyways. I decided to ask if they were anybodies and nobody had wanted to claim them in front of the director. While she had stood there giving everyone a long-speech about why cigarettes were a no-no I had tucked them into my chest, hiding them in my dress. I wanted to give him them after the show as an apology for not knowing more about him.

"Sir, listen. If I can't say sorry, please…I want to give you something to makeup for this. It's not much but.."

I began shuffling through the chest area of my dress, while I did so I looked up for a moment to see him looking completely dumbfounded at me. Come to think of it--as I got a glimpse of his face he looked a little red too. Was he not feeling well, or was that just the blood stain?

"Sakura…what are you…doing?"

I pulled out the package of cigarettes and held them out in both of my hands, bowing down to him as I spoke. I began to talk, a bit fast-paced…I was a little embarrassed…it wasn't much to show appreciation.

"I…I wanted to give you this! B-because you had looked so sad when you dropped your cigarette outside. I thought maybe that had been your last one and you didn't have anymore! This was backstage and no one would claim them--and…and…so! I thought…it'd be okay if I give these to you! Please accept it as a token of appreciation! Thank you!

I then felt him place his hands on top of mine, I was still bent over but I lifted my head up to look. He slowly began to bend down to my level as he took the package of cigarettes away from me.

"Well, that's mighty nice of you Sakura. See..you know more about me then you think. You remembered I'm a chain-smoker. Not exactly the most flattering of things to remember, but you remember it nonetheless. Since you're such a nice kid, I'll accept it. Although…it's a bit of cheap padding for were you had it, wasn't it?"

He then took it and began to unwrap the package after those words. ….W-why had he had to say that last sentence? W-was he teasing me? I didn't understand…I began to feel my face burn, and slowly I lifted my hands to my cheeks…oh no, was I feeling sick too now?! He took one of the cigs out and slipped it in-between his lips. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a lighter and began to flick it…I sat there watching. Then I realized he couldn't get the lighter to work properly. That's when his curses began to start again. As for me, I giggled and began searching in my dress again, and pulled out a spare lighter and tossed it to him.

"Oh yeah! This was also on top of the pack, thought to grab it, just in case!"

He caught it, and smiled.

"You are my little lifesaver tonight, kid. You think of everything, don't you?"

I did.

Authors Note: Totally cute, eh? Yeah yeah, I know…and Cid's being a bit of the softie to the max eh? Tell me whatcha think! I love you all lots my readers!