"Loren…"

Loren opened her eyes to discover Vincent caressing her hair.

"V…Vin…cent?"

"Yes…I'm here. Don't worry. You're safe now."

She was confused.

"Safe…? How are you here? Shouldn't you be fighting?"

"You're safe. He's gone. He left somewhere, probably to get something."

"How…did you find me?"

He smiled softly.

"Chaos told me. He has a connection with Death."

She paused and thought about Death.

'Death? Are you alright?'

There was a brief pause.

"Yes, I am fine. Thank you for worrying."

'How do you think she was able to attack my mind?'

"It is probably because of the Jenova cells in you, not to mention the power Sephiroth left in you."

'Oh yes…I almost forgot. I must deal with the matter at hand. He has to leave.'

"Because he endangered himself by coming here or because you are confused?"

She growled at Death but stopped when she finally thought about it.

'At both, really.'

"You are beginning to grow fond of Sephiroth, are you not?"

'I think I kind of always was. Even in the game, I believed him to be attractive. His eyes always left a strange feeling in me. I always believed him to be misunderstood, that his cause was somewhat justified, though I admit some of his deeds were deplorable. I thought that, when he killed Aeris, I would never forgive him. I confess that I still have not. It is just that…something in me just wants to be near him, and it is not his power.'

"So are you dropping Vincent?"

'I…I do not know. Vincent has treated me so kindly. But I killed him. He killed me. Sephiroth…he would kill me without a second thought. I am only a tool. And yet…something feels different.'

"You do not see it? Are you that blind?"

'What?'

"You strange woman…you sometimes muddle even me. Sephiroth--"

"LOREN!"

Loren jolted out of her conversation.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You stopped speaking and your eyes glazed over."

Loren nodded.

"Yes, I am fine."

His eyes were filled with sadness.

"I am so sorry."

"For what?"

"For hurting you."

Loren shook her head.

"If anything, you should kill me again. Not only did I kill you, but I betrayed you."

"None of that matters. As long as you are alive and safe. I love you, and I will not lose you."

Loren shut her eyes tight. She thought back to the kisses she shared with Sephiroth, and how she betrayed him in more than one way. What made her feel worse is that she wanted those kisses, not initially, but wanted them nonetheless. Her love was torn between two people; and she couldn't make it go farther one way or another. She froze. Love? Did she really love Sephiroth? Could she love? She couldn't say that she loved him in return when Vincent confessed his love and she can't say that she loves Sephiroth, and yet the word is stuck to both of their names in her head.

"Vincent…"

"Yes?"

"You have to leave. Sephiroth will be back soon. I can feel it. Leave now."

He shook his head.

"No, I won't leave you."

"You have to, unless you want to die."

"No, I won't leave."

She growled at him.

"You stubborn fool! You will leave now or I shall never forgive you!"

"I'll take your safety over your forgiveness."

She sat up. Her hair fell in her face.

"You fool…you are going to die."

"I'd rather die than leave you with him."

"Jealous? Suspicious? Good: you should be. But you have to leave. I will not see you die again."

Vincent stared at her when a low growl met both their ears. Loren shut her eyes painfully.

"No…"

"You…"

Vincent rose, gun in hand.

"I'm taking her. I'm taking her to where she belongs, with me and her friends. You won't stop me Sephiroth."

Muttering low so only he could hear, he said, "After what you did…"

He spoke with clarity.

"You are only leaving with your own broken body."

He drew his sword. Vincent took his battle stance and waited for the first move. Sephiroth moved blindingly fast, leading with a quick slice of his sword, but Vincent evaded and shot several rounds. Missing mostly, Sephiroth blocked the rest with his sword. The play went on for several minutes, Vincent's reloads faster than Loren could register, Sephiroth with now a few minor abrasions. Loren thought to herself, 'this is not right. This simply is not right.' Sephiroth's speed was mainly what was keeping him from getting a bullet. Vincent had several cuts on his arms and face, but he still maintained his speed. Both paused, hate evident on their faces.

Shaking her head solemnly, Loren stood. The marks on her body burned slightly.

'Death…I am putting an end to this fight. You will help me?'

"Of course."

The marks ignited into a bright glow. Her hair grew even longer, her eyes became feral looking and yellow, the spines near her hairline sprouted, her feet and hands became clawed, she was now in black robes, and she was in the air, levitating.

With speed unknown to her, she placed herself between the two and the marks created a shock wave that knocked both men to the far ends of the cave. Black fire erupted around her and on the ceiling. Closing her eyes, she extended her hands to both men and shot something like an ethereal violet arrow into both of their weapon arms, which temporarily disabled them. Both hid their pain, but it was ill disguised to her.

Baring sharp fangs in a tight grimace, she shut her eyes in anger. Sephiroth and Vincent stared. Her voice was joined by Death's, creating an eerie double voice. The contrast is what created the eerie feeling, her voice hollow and light, whilst Death's was smooth and considerably deeper, not masculine, but not feminine, either.

"You both are fools. I am a fool. This cycle of searching and fighting never ends. If this is what love entails…I do not want it. I have had enough of this love. I have…had enough."

With those final words, she took to the sky, floating across the air upright with her arms crossed at a fast speed. Vincent shouted after her.

"LOREN!"

Sephiroth remained on the ground, impassive. His mind was a jumble of emotions.

'Love? Did she say she loved me? She disrupted my fight. She is gone. She does not want love anymore. I am not a fool. Do I love her? Why am I in so much pain? Why am I pleased and furious at the same time? I have to find her. But she does not want that. It would continue the cycle. But…I have to.'

He stood and grabbed his sword with his good hand. Just as Vincent turned around, Sephiroth took to the sky as well. Vincent cursed.

"Damn…"

He turned into Chaos and flew off. He would follow Sephiroth, but at a distance far enough that he could stay out of the range of Sephiroth's senses.

Loren rested against a tree in the Mideel Forest. She sighed.

'Again I have pushed myself away from open arms…'

"Willingly?"

'No. But it was necessary. If I let it be, one of them could have gotten hurt and the cycle would never end.'

"What makes you think they are not fighting at this moment and what makes you think that they will not come searching for you?"

'I do not know. But I have a feeling I stopped the fight.'

"You know they are fighting for you, right?"

'But I do not want that. I had figured out that Sephiroth has feelings for me, and I knew it would cause trouble. I had to end it.'

"But it will not. They will still search for you. You have just confessed your love for both. It will make Sephiroth's love awaken and spur Vincent's. They will come for you. You are going to have to choose between one of them."

'I know. It is hard.'

"Of course it would be hard."

She stepped away from the tree and floated over to Mideel. She placed her hood on and entered the town. She bought a new black outfit, now more like hard leather armor, and left the town to go relax in the forest once again. She rested up against a tree (she's still in demon form, mind you.) She felt a distinct cold aura and formed an incorporeal barrier, wanting her peace. She felt his hand touch the barrier. The aura flared.

"I wish to speak with you."

"Speak."

"Why do you love me?"

"Why do you love your mother? Why do you love me?"

He paused.

"I cannot explain it."

"Then you have answered your own question."

"You love Vincent as well."

"…Yes."

"I want you to stay with me after we finish the trap."

"You will have killed my friends."

"They would have killed you for aiding me."

"I had no choice."

"You did. You nearly matched my strength. You could have wounded me, warned your friends, and faced me together. But you did not."

"I thought they would never trust me again after killing Vincent with your power."

"You could have tried to make amends."

"I…"

"He was alive again. It was not your fault for killing him in the first place."

"I began all of this. If I had been more careful, the portal to your world would not have opened."

Sephiroth didn't speak after that.

"I do not think I even know what love is. No one has ever described it to me, and I live such a secluded life that I have never seen it."

"You do not have to see it or have it described to you. I believe that you simply know. Describe what you feel."

"Warmth…comfort…safety…joy…sadness…anger…caring…turmoil…I could go on, but that is mainly what I feel when I think of you or him."

"Then you feel it."

Something clicked in Loren's ears. Anger filled her senses and she lost her calm. A scythe appeared in her hands.

"It doesn't matter. If it causes the two people I care most for to fight, then it is a worthless emotion!"

With her heightened speed, she pushed Sephiroth out of the way and swatted at the air. A loud clang was heard and if one had a trained eye, they could see the bullet ricocheting into the trees. She bared her fangs again.

"Enough Vincent!"

She looked forward to find, to her horror, not only Vincent but also the entire group. A quick warning entered her mind as the group prepared for battle.

"You must decide now. Ally with them, or protect Sephiroth."

'I have to help him. I have to protect Sephiroth.'

"You know he is powerful enough to wipe out the entire group single-handedly, right?"

'I am not so sure. Cloud has grown almost as powerful as Sephiroth and his rage for Aeris's death will fuel his strength.'

"I see you have made up your mind. Stay with him. Do not leave him alone. He has no one, unlike Vincent, who has a whole party to be with."

'Have you grown a soft spot for Sephiroth as well?'

"I admire his power, and how he has dealt with his troubles all his life with his head held high."

'How would you know?'

She heard a small laugh.

"I saw into his past while you and he were kissing."

'Oh…'

Sadness and pain filled her thoughts.

"What is it?"

'I do not want to kill them.'

"You do not have to. Incapacitate them. They will know the extent of your power when you start fighting. Just by looking at you, feeling the protective rage in your eyes, they will see and feel your power."

'Must I draw blood?'

"You can simply knock them out, but for those with strong wills, you may have to."

She nodded resolutely.

'Okay.'

She sent a telepathic message to Sephiroth.

'Incapacitate them, but do not kill them.'

'Why?'

'Though they wish you and probably me as well dead, they are still my friends. I will not leave you. But please, do not kill them.'

'We could complete our plan here, you know.'

'I DO NOT WANT THEM DEAD, YOU HEAR ME!'

'DO NOT ORDER ME AROUND LIKE A SERVANT!'

'…I know…but…not here…not today…leave them alive…please…'

'It would be easier this way.'

'Just…please…not today…not here…'

'…Very well.'

The communication ended there, but they glanced over at each other, grim faces on both. They faced the charging front liners, Red XIII, Cid, Cloud, and Tifa, while Yuffie, Cait Sith, Barret, and Vincent unleashed a torrent of ammo and started casting spells.

Setting up her barrier and Sephiroth using his innate energies to set up a barrier of his own, both began their run to the battle, in her case one of the most difficult and heart wrenching battles of her life.

A/N: Yeah, this was kind of short (for me), but I wanted to end it here because good stuff happens next. I can't think right now. I'm getting ready to move, so I'm very, very distracted, plus I'm playing Star Ocean: TTEOT, Tales of Symphonia (again), and FF7 (AGAIN!) almost all at once. And my brother's supposed to be getting a press release for his book soon so that has me all excited and I'm reading Cirque du Freak and Forgotten Realms and playing piano. Sigh , despite how bored I think I am, I actually have way too much to do. Argh! (Stares at Masamune) ooh, pretty blade. Must…steal…

S: NO! That is mine! All mine! My precious…

ES: Obsessed much?

S: (glare) No.

ES: Uh-huh. Sure, I believe you.

S: My precious…

ES: (swipe) Ha ha, it's mine, it's mine!

S: NO! Masamune!

ES: (running in circles) HA HA HA, review please! Catch me!

S: ARRGGHHH!