AN: Here's the rest of the pillar scene as well as some backstory for it.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3
This Changes Everything...

Tseng's eyes narrowed as he walked along the familiar paths between the Sector 5 Church and Aerith's house. She could usually be found in the Sector 5 Slums and it disturbed Tseng that nobody had seen her since yesterday. Usually he would have let it go, but... the President's patience has been worn thin on this issue and he will not except another failure from us. Tseng's thoughts were grim. He is using this mission to test my loyalties and I... Tseng mentally shook himself. He knew what course he had to take; his true loyalties demanded nothing less.

Lost in his musings, Tseng turned a corner and saw Aerith. She was coming out of the hole in the barrier between the Sector 6 Slums and the Sector 7 Slums. With her was a small girl who looked to be about four years old. Steeling himself, Tseng approached her. "Aerith," he stated.

Aerith stopped short and looked over to where he was. The little girl buried her face in Aerith's dress. "Tseng?" Aerith's voice was soft. Tseng walked over to her and Aerith backed up a step. "What are you...?"

"Aerith..." Forgive me. Tseng glanced away from her and when his eyes returned to her, they were hardened steel. "We've put this off long enough. You're coming with me."

Aerith's eyes grew wide and her hand went up to brush her bangs away from her face. She glanced at the girl with her and then looked at Tseng. "If you let me take Marlene to my mother's house..." She gulped. "I'll go with you."

Tseng looked at her for a moment before nodding his consent. This would be the last kind thing he would be able to do for her.

Tseng glanced over at Aerith. She was staring quietly out the window of the helicopter at nothing in particular. Tseng inwardly sighed. He had always known their relationship would end this way, it was just a matter of time.

Tseng's PHS rang. "Tseng speaking."

"Sir," it was Rude's baritone. "I dropped Reno off at the pillar. Cloud is there."

"Thank you." Tseng hung up and glanced at Aerith and then at the pilot. He was one of Scarlet's men. "Go to the Sector 7 support pillar," Tseng ordered. The pilot nodded.

A few minutes later they were at the pillar. They arrived just in time to see Reno jump off the catwalk and into another helicopter. Tseng mentally sighed in relief; his subordinates were safe. Now to see how Cloud did..."Take us up.

As the helicopter rose up to the catwalk Tseng heard, "...not a normal time bomb." It was Cloud. He was standing by the console. Next to him was Tifa and Barret. More people who shouldn't have survived Shin-Ra, Tseng thought.

"That's right. You'll have a hard time disarming that one," said Tseng. He decided to warn Cloud. "It'll blow the second some stupid jerk touches it."

"Please, stop it!" Tifa screamed up at him.

Tseng laughed. The irony was not lost on him. "Only a Shin-Ra executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System." And the President has stripped that right from us.

"Shut your hole!" Barret raised the arm that had a gun attached to the end of it and started shooting at Tseng.

Tseng glanced at Aerith who was ducking to avoid the bullets and wondered if Barret was blind. "I wouldn't try that... You just might make me injure our special guest." The bullets stopped and Aerith looked up at AVALANCHE.

"Aerith!" Tifa cried.

Tseng looked at Aerith. "Oh, you know each other?" Wordlessly, she nodded. Tseng wasn't even surprised; weirder things had happened. "How nice you could see each other one last time," he told her. "You should thank me."

"What are you gonna do with Aerith!" Cloud demanded.

"I haven't decided." Unfortunately the President has. "Our orders were to find and catch the last remaining Ancient. It's taken us a long time," because I didn't want to bring her against her will, "but now I can finally report this to the President." And maybe he will finally accept that we will not betray the company again.

Suddenly, Aerith leaned out over the edge of the helicopter. "Tifa, don't worry!" she shouted down. "She's all right!" Tseng assumed Aerith was talking about Marlene.

What do you think you're doing Aerith? Tseng thought. If you were to die... Out of concern for what would happen to the Turks if she were to die, Tseng turned and slapped Aerith away from the edge of the helicopter. He slapped her so hard she fell back into the helicopter. ...Our lives will be forfeit. I will not do that to my subordinates.

"Aerith!" Tifa shouted. Tseng could see the concern in her eyes.

"Hurry and get out!" Aerith screamed from her place on the floor. "I'll be alright," she whispered to herself.

The PHS in Tseng's pocket buzzed. It's time. He laughed, "Well, it should be starting right about now. Think you can escape in time?" Knowing your luck, you will. He signaled to the pilot and they lifted off just as the support pillar started to crumble.

Tseng looked out to see AVALANCHE escape by swinging down a wire. The members of AVALANCHE had survived the impossible again. Why am I not surprised? Oddly content that the Plate had not finished AVALANCHE, Tseng turned to Aerith. She met his eyes and Tseng could see horror stirring in them.

Why? they accused, Why did you have to go that far for only a few people?

Tseng bowed his head and looked away from her. Their relationship would never be the same.

End

AN: My first time doing Tseng's pov. I hope he was in character. Thanks for reading!