Hello my lovely readers,

I'm sorry for taking such a long time to write another chapter. I'm still doing school projects and things... ugh...

Anyways, I know this chapter won't be that great. If it's confusing, just keep reading and I'm sure you'll understand. It's supposed to flow into place like dreams usually do.

Enjoy!

I do not own anything to do with Final Fantasy VII (That right goes to Square Enix), I only own the original character, Tristis Memoria/Nix Somnium and the twists added to the plot.

Chapter Ten - Her Lullaby

They keep coming...

The church was aged with ecrect gray pillars straining to keep the wooden roof up with cracks within the stones. Each had stories of saddness and happiness for as long as anyone in the slums could remember. The wooden pews were finely made of the darkest wood ever seen, yet still held it's familiar stereotypical brown hue to it. They were lined slightly slanted in two collums leaving a walkway through the middle. The stained windows of crimson and lemon gave little light, unlike the large hole in the roof that directed sunlight to a small patch of flowers. Wooden floorboards were sprawled around as if someone had purposely removed them to let the patch of yellow, white and scarlet flowers grow. There was an altar further back, yet dusty unlike the pews.

Sometimes I wish for it to never stop...

Her eyelids slowly fluttered up, revealing the lush green of her eyes. She took in every little detail of the church- of her home. Atleast it was once her home. It still had that homely feel to it, like it was welcoming a child in a mother's embrace. She gently brushed her finger tips along the pews as she walked down the aisle. She felt no dust against her skin, but heard the familiar footsteps of her own barefeet against the wooden floor boards.

It was so serene that she could feel the happiness swelling within her just from walking around in this church. She didn't understand why it was in the slums. It was so majestic to be in Sector 5. Despite what some people had said, the place could support the living needs for flowers. Midgar was never a place for plants as the mako reactors always leave the soil barren. Yet, she and Aerith had managed to grow some.

She saw Aerith kneeling by the flowers in her blue singlet with a matching pink camisole barely shown underneath and a matching blue and white knee-length skirt. She wore white wedges with pink straps. and a very familiar pink ribbon in her brown hair. Tristis could never cease to notice how similar they looked. Their hair and their eyes were identical although it was obvious Triss's was longer and more wavy than curled.

Next to Aerith was a strange metallic wolf. It had Angeal's head grafted onto the body and it was rather mutated- even considered as ugly to most. It's back was segmented into different parts of metal, giving it a spinal effect with a large white wing protruding from it's upper right back and a smaller version on the left. It had golden outlines against certain parts of it's metallic body and jet black eyes. To Tristis, this was nothing but a majestic creature.

The wolf looked up slowly with twitching triangular ears and got closer until it finally reached her side to settle down comfortably. Her cousin looked up and smiled fondly as if she knew Triss would come here sooner or later.

But it never will...

Tristis gently smiled back, but felt something tugging her. She reluctantly let her eyes close and felt herself fall back, yet there was no familiar feeling of wood against her back nor no lovely smell of floral. She could hear whispering voices calling out to her. Sometimes they would repeat her name like a mantra, but most of it was just a jumble of words.

"Save..."
"Weapon..."
"...Life stream..."
"Time..."
"Death..."
"Memento mori..."

"Triss!" Her eyes snapped open when she heard the banging of glass.

Her vision was blurred by a green-blue liquid and she felt herself drifting helplessly. Her hands were against her heart one ontop of the other. Her chocolate hair dancing amongst the liquid and bubbles that exited from her oxygen mask. Her skin prickled from the substance burning against her except for the bandages that not so modestly covered her femine mysteries.

"Triss, look at me!" The voice came again.

She focused on the strange peach marking against the glass and soon found herself staring into the familiar blue-green eyes of a SOLDIER.

... Zack...?

"I'm going to come and get you out, okay? It's going to be really loud, but don't be scared. I'll catch you." She nodded and waited.

BANG. She didn't know what he used, but he managed to break the glass of the cylinder she was held in which sent her body rushing forward like the wave of mako. She felt familiar brotherly arms around her shivering body and relaxed only slightly.

I want to keep running...

"Can you walk?"

She nodded slowly as she managed to stand up straight. Zack encouraged her with a smile before grabbing her hand and tugging to forward, "Let's run for it."

They rushed forward, although Tristis was slightly weaker causing Zack to practically pull her faster with her bare feet pitter patting against the tiles while his combat boots clomped and made small dirt marks while her's just left small evidence of water droplets.

Cloud was inside a similiar room as her's... A lab. He was more effected by the mako, making him unresponsive and in a trance. "Let's keep going." Zack grunted as he uncomfortably hefted Cloud onto his right shoulder.

They ran to what seemed like forever. But they weren't alone. Soon, the Turks began to follow them, firing at them to see if they could take them down. The white corridor just wouldn't end no matter how long they've ran.

In the corner of her emerald eyes she saw a bullet zip past her ear and straight into Zack's back. "ZACK!" She screamed as he fell along yet her body could not stop at their speed and she ended up skidding a few moments later to stop herself. She watched in horror as he struggled to get up and found herself lunging forward to protect him and Cloud from getting hit. "NO!"

But... That would be bad... Wouldn't it?

A bright white flash of light blinded her sight and her vision was slowly gained back, only to see cat-like eyes glaring at her.

"S-Sephiroth?" She gasped.

He growled before pushing her back, his long masamune gleamed in the light as it malevolently directed at her. She felt the dreaded weight within her hands and found herself weidling her own weapon of death. It was her scythe in all it's former glory. "Please, don't-"

I don't want to fight...

He lunged at her with such power and speed that she couldn't even flinch as masamune struck her. She didn't feel any pain, only numbness around her abdomen. Her eyes widened in weak horror when the scene suddenly morphed.

She had no wound on her physically, yet felt her heart constrict from knowing the wound was inflicted by a friend. She stood in the life steam. The wisps of green-white flowing surrounding her in it's purity.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises
Nothing shall forestall my return..."

"Genesis?" She called out, turning sharply around to search for him. "Genesis? Where are you?"

"Nix." A voice called out from behind her.

The voice was gentle and very familiar. It was masculine, soothing and loving... Sometimes she wondered if she'll ever hear enough of it. One thing was for sure, she'd never get sick of it. She'd never get sick of him.

"Angeal..." She whispered, feeling his arms envelope her and her back pressed against his chest.

It was silent... It was peaceful. For a moment, she felt her fears melting away. She lived for this moment. She needed this moment. "Monster!" A voice hissed and his warmth suddenly vanished.

In panic, she turned to grab whatever she could of him, only to grasp his white feather. The tears immediately stung her eyes, "No! He's not a monster!" She screamed at no one, yet she knew someone was listening.

I just don't want to be alone...

Tritis sat up instantly, feeling sweat soaking into her night dress. Her body was so cold, yet she was heaving as if she had ran a hundred laps around the ShinRa training grounds. She was trembling with tears spilling down her cheeks. It was just a dream... She thought, yet the dream kept replaying in her head over and over again... Tormenting her with such cruelty she had experienced for so long. She just couldn't assure herself and soon reached over to get her phone. The first thing she did was dial the first contact on her 'most recent' list.

Ring... Ring... Ring...Click.

"Hello?" The voice groggily greeted.

She took in a few deep breathes to calm herself down before speaking. "G-Gen?"

"Triss?" Genesis asked before hearing a small click (most likely from turning on the light to his alarm clock). "Why are you calling me at this hour? It's two in the morning if you haven't checked." He grumbled.

Tristis always knew Genesis wasn't the best person to call at night or early morning. He would be cranky for the rest of the day when woken up. The young man loved his sleeping time and to be disturbed from it was certain death to others. Yet Tristis was glad to hear his voice, still proud and strong even when battling drowsiness. "I... I just wanted to hear your voice..." She whispered, curling herself up and holding the phone like a life-line.

There was an eerie silence in which she understood was his time of thinking. "What happened?" His voice suddenly soft and caring like an older brother.

"I had a nightmare." She said. Just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. "It was... I just..." Tristis suddenly felt so childish for getting upset over something she'd experienced over and over again. She should have been used to it, yet her trembles still came and she let a small sniffle be heard.

"Are you afraid?"

She made a small affirmative noise as she nodded. "Where's the others? Are they asleep too?"

"Yeah. Angeal and Zack have gone on a mission in Kalm. Sephiroth and Cloud are at Junon. Do you want me to put them into the conversation?"

"No. It's... It's okay..."

The silence settled in once again. She felt chilly and dived back into her covers, snuggling herself as close as the wall as possible with the phone still pressed to her ear. She sniffled again (not knowing whether it was from crying or from the cold) and waited for Genesis to speak.

"Triss."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember from when we were younger? You could get sleepy really easily and you always needed to take a nap."

"Y-Yes." She squeaked, blushing slightly from the memories.

He chuckled, a bit of sleepiness still laced within his poetic voice, "I would always read to you before you slept. Angeal would have to carry you back home all the time. Sometimes you would never let go of him. There was one time where he had to carry you on his back for almost three hours."

"Can you read to me again?" She paused, hearing him chuckle again. "It always calmed me down..."

"Alright. Close your eyes and just listen to my voice. Don't you dare complain about the literature I'll be reading out or I'll hang up."

She did as she was told and Tristis listened as he began reciting LOVELESS (as obvious as that was). It was a nostalgic feeling... Listening to him as she felt her energy being washed away only to have a warm loving feeling replaced within. His musical voice lulled her to sleep and she felt herself drifting off...

"Good night Tristis." Genesis whispered.

"Night Gen..." She replied drowsily before they both hung up.

I'm not alone anymore...

As you have read, this was supposed to be a nightmare (or a bunch of memories morphed together) that Tristis's has. I wasn't really aiming for a romantic atmosphere (although it might seem so) between Tristis and Genesis. This was meant to show that Genesis does have a kind side (before he found out he was an experiment and etc) and that he has a brotherly or best friend feeling towards Tristis whom looks up to him a lot.

I'm not so sure what inspired me to start writing this chapter. It's not really important with the plot... Ugh, I should start focusing more on the plot now, right? Sorry. I listened to Hikari -PLANITb remix- and Aerith's theme. I guess watching Kingdom Heart openings also gave me a lot of inspiration too... Hmm...

Also a huge thank you for xseikax for being really helpful with Genesis's personality and clarifying it for me so Genesis won't seem so OOC in my story. As Tristis (or even Cloud) would say, "You're an angel!"

Thank you for reading and have a nice day!

-Lolimochi.