She worked so hard to find him. Now that she did she was at a loss for words. His brilliant green eyes continued to read as if her presence was just a mere annoyance. His posture reminded her of Genesis and his favorite work of literature, Loveless.

She swallowed the knot in her throat, and felt it stick in her chest. Mustering up courage to even speak was proving difficult. She was still in shock that she even found this man.

The pale ghostly man raised a finger to turn a page. The sounds reawaken her from her thoughts. These books must mean Sephiroth himself was on his own journey. "Sephiroth," her voice was soft. "What are you searching for?"

There was an uncomfortable silence. The energy in the room shifted and it the air chilled. "You mean what have I found. I am but a sole survivor, meant to remove all humanity. To purify this planet and use it as my vessel to find paradise with Mother." He closed his book and looked up at her with his piercing eyes.

She had to take a moment to let it absorb. She had heard of all humans abandoning the Ancients against the fight of an alien being, allowing the Ancients to be slaughtered. However she did not think Sephiroth was a sole survivor since ShinRa knew the only Ancient was Aerith. Did they miss one? Or was his information mixed up?

"But…Aerith is the last Ancient." His eyes flickered and with in human speed she was flung against a bookshelf. Some books tumbled off, and she tried to become reoriented while her head was spinning from the impact.

Before she could make a recovery to defend herself, a warm body pressed against her. Cold silver hair fell against her own cheek as she looked up with glaring eyes. His own eyes looked into her's with such loath that she felt shivers going down her spine.

"Ignorance. Poor foolish girl. Lost in ShinRa's shadow you have no idea of the monster they have made me." He lifted a hand and let her red-brown tendrils snake from his fingers.

Being a trained professional, she would attempt to get answers from him. "If I am so ignorant, why not tell me more?" However, she could tell Sephiroth was getting annoyed at her mere presence. He had no use for her, and did not require more of his attention. He had other things in mind. But he wondered if he could actually make use of this girl.

"Alive or dead. All you see is but an illusion. This is my illusion, but this is reality," reality shifted. The floor shook and dissolved. The books shook and pages fluttered, then they all went up in a puff of smoke.

As the smoked thinned out, Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen. All around was blackness. It was a dark void that continually vacuumed the swirling green espers of light. It then lit up the entire area, swirling around her in tendrils. A warm sensation feel over her, and so much knowledge was over coming her. It repelled back at the sound of a resonating voice.

"Is this what you wanted?" The lifestream came to her again; she was absorbing knowledge at an alarming rate. Panic washed over here. The answers she sought were there, but was soon washed away by the unneeded information entering her mind. Her vision blurred. "Is this why you sought me? To endure your own madness?" Her mind was starting to black out…

Then she felt a blade stab through her side. Her mind focused on the pain and all the information she was absorbing ebbed away. Sephiroth could not allow her to return. She could tell ShinRa of his plan. He withdrew the sword from her side. If he killed her here, her mind would be lost forever. She could not foil his plans if she was an empty vessel on the surface.

Cissnei wondered if this was the end. Was what Sephiroth said true? Was she just here to endure her sorrow and confusion…her own brewed madness? She knew Sephiroth was not stable…that he destroyed a village out of hatred…but for some reason she did not expect this. Was she so blind in her pursuit of an answer that she didn't think of the consequences?

Sephiroth raised his sword. The lifestream's green tendrils glinted off of the silver blade. The blade came thrusting down. Cissnei rolled out of the way, but with his speed the second death blow was upon her.

Reno eyes glinted around Mideel. It was pouring rain and he was soaked to the bone. However he did not give up waiting for her. The trip here was no walk in the park, since the helicopter was nearly blown away thanks to the rain and wind. When over the water he spotted a yellow raft being tossed around. Someone had fallen in. His heart raced, hoping to god that whoever was in it wasn't Cissnei.

He scouted the coast for the next two days. The civilians watched him with lingering eyes, and he kept telling them his friend may have drowned and he was looking for her. Rumors begin to spread that he lost his 'lover' out at sea.

Reno talked to the civilians of this island, and they, in return, told him where all the hotspots for the lifestream spouts were. He checked almost all of them, but they hadn't shown any sign of Cissnei. Perhaps it wasn't her on the raft. Or it was… His heart hurt thinking about it. Tseng had called twice and Reno finally told him that he was on Mideel looking for her. Tseng understood but he did not sound like he approved. Tseng was still sore Reno left without his permission.

He found the lifestream reservoir. It bubbled up from the earth with an eerie gentleness. There was a figure in the middle of it . His heart leapt, "Cissnei! Please be okay." Without thinking he rushed to the edge of the reservoir and waded in until he could pull her out.

He picked her up and moved her to dry land. He laid her out flat on dry ground. Reno had never seen his fellow Turk look so helpless and beat up. Her clothes were dirty and torn, her arm still disabled from the wolves. He shook his head and pressed an ear to her breast. If he had tried to do this in any other scenario he would have been bruised very badly.

His pulse and heart beat were very faint but there all the same. "Hold on Cissnei." He pulled out a cellphone. "Tseng I need an emergency crew here in Mideel. I have found Cissnei but she needs medical assistance. I think she could have Mako poisoning." His green-blue eyes flashed to her as he hung up. "Hold on sweet heart. Takin' you to the doctor for some temporary treatments."

He knelt down and picked her up. Her body felt cold against his skin. She looked so peaceful and fragile; something he never seen in her before. There was an ounce of relief inside of him, yet it his heart was still full of fear…could she make it? He kissed her brow, as if that would bring her back to 'life'. It hurt more that it did not work. If only he knew what to do when she was hurting and in despair after Zack's death. This would never would had happened if he was a better friend.

Authors Note: I apologize for the long delay. My hand finally has healed to working potential. There has been a lot going on for the past week. I hope you forgive. Please review. Creative criticisms are accepted.