The circle we formed around Aeris was long gone as the Highwind zoomed through the clouds towards Mt. Nibel's Mako reactor. I was lying down in my room with the back of my hand draped carelessly over my eyes. Sephiroth had explained his plan to me, but I wasn't thrilled. He had said that if he were in the place where it all began for him, the place where he lost his mind and ripped Jenova's head off, he believed he would be able to control the cells within him, will them to leave his body, and order them to destroy Hojo's cells. I was frightened...frightened that stirring memories of Jenova, the realization of his fate, and the destructive path he took afterwards would be too much. And really, was it worth it to potentially sacrifice the man that I loved to save a place where no one could seem to find, or enter? I shook my head and sighed. I couldn't think that way...it was a real place, a good place, and we had to save it.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts as I sat up. "Come in," I said as I stretched my arms above my head. The door opened and a flash of silver caught my eye as Sephiroth stepped into the room and sat down on the bed next to me.

His eyebrows furrowed. "You look tired."

I raised one eyebrow and lightly pushed his arm. "Well, thanks."

He gave me a weak smile, and then his face turned serious. "I am very understanding of your concerns for returning to the reactor, but please trust that I have control of myself now, and am determined to end this." He pushed a loose strand of hair away from my face and rested his hand on my cheek. "This will be over soon; I promise you."

I closed my eyes and leaned into his hand. "I trust you, I'm just scared."

He gave me a sly smile. "The great Tifa Lockheart...scared? Come now, you're the bravest woman I know." His eyes crinkled and he laughed quietly. "We'll get through this." He said, almost to himself.

The road to the reactor was a long one, with monster after monster attacking us to the point where we split up into groups just to avoid stopping more frequently than we had to. Sephiroth seemed to grow more and more weary the closer we got to the reactor. His Masamune hung on his back and swayed as he walked with his fists clenched, seemingly preparing for...something. As for me, my gloves were all but covered in monster blood as well as blood from my own fists. My hair clung to my face with sweat and my muscles were starting to burn. I must have reached my limit break at least three times during our trek, and frankly, I was wiped.

After what felt like many hours, we arrived sweating and exhausted and stopped to look up at what could be our final destination. Mt. Nibel's Mako reactor stared us down, daring us to enter. Sephiroth was the first to speak.

"Everyone...I wanted to thank you. After all we've been through, I'm glad that our paths crossed once again; this time, for the better. I don't know what will happen in the reactor, so I implore you to remain here while I go in."

"What? After all this, we have to stay here?" Barrett shouted as sweat dripped down his face.

Cid's face turned red, but he didn't say anything. The rest looked on in silence.

I on the other hand, spoke up. "Sephiroth, as wonderful as that speech was, there's no way in hell I'm letting you go in there by yourself!" I said as I walked over to him. "I'm going," I said as I slipped my hand into his. "Please."

Sephiroth sighed. "As you wish, Miss Lockheart," he said in resign as he stepped forward towards the reactor, with me along in tow.

The steps were certainly far more rickety than when I first walked on them years and years ago as a guide. It was funny to think about...this was not the first time that Sephiroth and I walked into this same reactor, but the circumstances were like night and day. No, like the universe and a cell. As we walked step by step, light flashed behind us.

A familiar voice came out from behind the light. "You didn't think that you saw the last of me, now did you Miss Lockheart?"

I whipped around and saw Cedric behind us. Cloud and the rest of our crew had Sleepel put on them and were frozen in place, doomed to watch what was taking place without a way to interfere.

Sephiroth took a step towards Cedric, removing his Masamune from his back and getting ready to strike, when I placed my hand on his. After hearing what Aeris had to say about Hojo and his evil doings as far as injecting people with his cells, I had to feel sorry for Cedric. He was being controlled by Hojo and for that, did not deserve to die. Sephiroth turned to me with an icy look in his eyes that slowly softened as he read my expression of pity on his face. "I know, Tifa."

He replaced his sword and reached into his pocket. From his pocket, he, withdrew a strange looking elixir, glowing with what appeared to be Mako energy, but...seemed to have a red tinge to it. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sephiroth..." I started.

Before I could say another word, he tossed the elixir at Cedric, which burst at Cedric's feet and covered his face in the liquid. Then, something amazing happened. Cedric's eyes began to glow fiercely bright. "What...what's happening to me?" He exclaimed as he dropped to his knees with his head in his hands. As he shook his head back and forth, the glow began to stream out of his eyes and down his face, as if he were crying. The second the liquid tears touched the elixir that had covered Cedric, the red liquid overpowered the tears, rose up off Cedric, and evaporated. When Cedric picked his head back up and looked at us, his eyes were...brown. A normal, brown color, just like mine. Cedric blinked a few times, and then looked around.

"Where...what's going on?" He said. "Who are you?" He started looking around and saw the rest of my friends frozen. "What happened to you guys? Are you alright? Let me help!" He started casting magic to unfreeze everyone as Sephiroth looked on and nodded.

My mouth dropped open as I looked at Sephiroth. "What was that elixir you threw at him?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what it was.

"That was blood. My blood." He looked from Cedric to me. "I drew it from myself after we spoke with Aeris. Of course, there would be no way to draw enough blood out of me so that the cells could defeat all of Hojo's cells, as that would surely kill me. And yet, I wanted to see if what Aeris said was true...if cells from my body could truly defeat Hojo's cells. And looking at our friend here, it looks like it is true."

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, it certainly does."

Cedric was still casting as I walked over to him. "Cedric, you were a puppet. Hojo's puppet. He infused you with his cells and took over your conscious mind," I said. "You may not remember this, but you took me and some of my friends hostage and tortured us."

Cedric looked horrified. "I did what? Miss, if that is true, then I am deeply sorry!"

I patted his back and nodded. "Don't worry, Cedric; you meant no harm, and you're free now." I pointed towards a clearing in the trees. "Follow that path, and get out of here. There's no telling if and when Hojo will show up, and we don't want you falling under his spell again, so to speak."

I didn't have to tell Cedric twice as he ran towards the clearing, but not before looking back and mouthing "thank you" to me. And just like that, he was gone.

Cloud walked up to me and took my arm. "Tifa...if Sephiroth's blood can do that, I wonder..."

"No, Cloud. No one else's blood will be spilled. We are going to figure this out so that the cells can be taken another way," I said firmly. Based on what I'd learned about Jenova cells, it seemed that perhaps anyone infused with Mako cells might be a match for Hojo's cells. This included Vincent's and Cloud's cells too. However, I was horrified enough that Sephiroth drew his own blood, and I didn't want either Cloud or Vincent getting bit by the hero bug and draining themselves dry to combat Hojo's cells.

I turned back to Sephiroth, who was looking at his arm, no doubt where he had drawn blood from. "Sephiroth," I said quietly, "as you said, it's time to end this."

Sephiroth nodded. I squeezed Cloud's hand before releasing him and walking over to Sephiroth. Together, we once again walked up the steps, opened the door to the reactor, and stepped inside.