Summary: Laura was just your average woman, until a freak accident involving her television set, the Advent Children dvd, and lightning strike transported her to Gaia. And that's only the beginning of the story!

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own FFVII or Advent Children. Just a single copy of the movie. Now put the pitchforks and torches away. I also don't own The Princess Bride.

Queen's Quornor: This chapter is kinda broken up. I am fully aware of this, but it just wasn't cooperating with me. This was the closest I could get to a compromise. Oh, and before any of you ask, I am pretty damn sure there are no washing machines or dryers in the Forgotten City. As for Kadaj's limit break in here, I had to wing that. I think he might have been trying to use one on Cloud right before he nearly gets flung over the side in Advent Children, so I used that as a base and went from there. Sorry it's been a few days; wasn't allowing me to upload for some weird reason. Just in case that happens again, expect updates under similarly-named stories from my other account, kadajsqueenofthenight. Figures that the problem is solved after I create a second account, doesn't it? Oh, and the bishop referred to herein is the lisping one from The Princess Bride.

Mother's Blessing

"Ah-choo!"

Laura sniffed and scrubbed her nose with the back of her hand violently, attempting to aleiviate the itching sensation currently plaguing it. Her chore for the day was a simple one: sweep and dust the house. Loz had assured her that it would not be a difficult one, as it had only been a week since he had done the same.

Laura's faith in Loz's statement was rapidly draining along with her nose.

He couldn't have cleaned in here last week. Hell, he couldn't even have cleaned in here the week prior to that! There is like a foot of dust on the floor!

Angrily, she stuffed the dust rag into the back pocket of her jeans, grabbed the broom, and began sweeping at the floor. But this only resulted in a massive cloud of dust getting kicked up, causing her to sneeze uncontrollably.

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo!

"Ah-CHOO!"

"You all right, Laura?" Yazoo walked in, seemingly unaffected by the grey fog currently filling the small room.

"No." She sniffed again and rubbed her eyes, aware that she sounded like she had the worst cold in the world. "I hab a dust allergy, and dis roob isn't helping. Ah-choo!"

"Well, how about switching me chores? I have to wash and dry the clothes today..."

Laura had already thrust the broom and rag into his hands and fled the room, glad for any reason to escape the Evil Room of Perpetual Dustiness. Evil, evil room, filling my nasal passages with dust and making me sneeze like I'll never stop... Evil room... Aw hell, just get me out of here!

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

The SHM did not do their laundry in the same pool where Aerith's body had been laid to rest. There was another, smaller pond on the outskirts of the city that they used for their non-leather articles of clothing. Laura made her way to this pond and sighed when she saw all of the undershirts, sleep-shirts, and boxers scattered along the banks, alongside her own dirty laundry.

Well, at least their leather outfits are brushed and oiled. So all I have to worry about are the underthings.

Joooooyyy.

Grabbing one of her shirts, she went over to the large sandstone they used for scrubbing and knelt down to get the tank-top wet. Then she worked some soap into the cotton and began vigorously rubbing it against the rock. Once a good lather had been worked up, she dunked it back in the water and swirled it around until all of the suds were gone. That done, she carried it over to one of the low-slung tree-branches and flopped it over the limb to dry.

Let's see. The cotton boxers belong to Loz, Yazoo wears the silk ones, and Kadaj goes commando. The undershirts belong to the two older guys, and all three of them own the sleep-shirts. Everything else belongs to me.

Hmmm... Wonder if some of those items had anything to do with Yazoo's sudden desire to swap chores? Maybe he got the idea that one of his brothers was secretly a crossdresser...

She snickered at the idea of Loz wearing one of her silk thongs and matching bra.

Considering the amount of laundry laying around, it didn't take much time to scrub it all clean. Once the final pair of boxers had been draped over a handy log, Laura stretched her arms out and wandered off to find something to do.

Let's see. Yazoo is probably still cleaning, Loz is repairing the bikes... Where's Kadaj gotten to, I wonder?

She vaguely recalled him saying that he was going to practice with Souba today. So she went to the clearing where they usually practiced with their weapons, hoping to watch him fight. The battle scenes involving Kadaj had always been some of her favorite parts of the movie, after all.

She was not disappointed. Kadaj had stripped down to his boots and a pair of leather pants, and his naked chest and arms were already gleaming with sweat. While that was a distraction all in its own, it was his movements that took her breath away. They were a combination of slow, graceful manuevers and lightning-quick, acrobatic feats, accompanied by slashes and thrusts at invisible enemies. The dance of a master at perfect harmony with his blade. Watching him, Laura became utterly convinced that Cloud's victory over him in the movie had been due to only two things: the distraction of having Jenova in his grasp at long last, and sheer damned luck.

She saw a soft glow shimmering around him, and recognized what it meant from the game. Kadaj has a Limit Break? He didn't have one in the movie...

There was a scarred, holey tree at the far edge of the clearing, obviously a victim of Yazoo's target practice. Kadaj focused on it, Souba held in a reverse-grip before him, then took a running start and jumped high into the air, falling towards the tree like a living, screaming bullet. Then he became a black-and-white blur, slamming into the tree and rebounding off it to a neighboring tree and launching off that surface right back at the hapless tree, only to repeat the whole process all over again. He was everywhere. It happened too quickly for Laura to decipher how many times he slashed into the tree.

Then he launched straight across the base of the trunk, ending in a low crouch with one leg stretched out behind him, Souba held parallel to it. His eyes were closed.

Behind him, about three seconds later, the tree exploded in a shower of ghost-pale shards.

Hooooollllllyyy... Is that what he was trying to do to Cloud? That's a bigger overkill than Omnislash!

Kadaj slowly stood up, sliding Souba back into her sheath without opening his eye. He straightened, and let out a slow exhalation.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked, not looking at the woman.

How did he know I was there? Laura emerged from behind the trees and held her arms behind her back, a little humbled by this blatant reminder of his strength and power. "You are amazing. What was that last attack called?"

He went for a towel hanging off a branch along with his sleeveless leather vest.With his back to her, he began wiping off the accumulated sweat. "I originally called it 'Silver Fury.' But it's got another name now."

"And what would that be?"

He didn't look at her. "'Mother's Blessing.'"

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Later that night, Laura lay alone in her bed, staring up at the ceiling with her arms folded behind her head, lost in thought.

He named his Limit Break after Jenova... What does that mean? How am I supposed to interpret this?

Her body was still sore from their exertions. After watching him demonstrate a few more of his moves and routines, they had exchanged jibes for awhile, then retreated to the baths and shared one of the tubs.

Which had, predictably, resulted in water splashing all over the floor and nearest wall as they fucked like rabbits again.

It's like I'm addicted to him, like I can't get enough of him. We can barely keep our hands off each other when we're alone together. He's my new drug.

And I love him. I love him so much...

I'll never, ever leave him. I promised I wouldn't.

And I never break my word.

She thought back to each of her past relationships, closing her eyes in memory. She had thought she'd loved each of those men, too. But that had been mere infatuation, the thrill of mutual attraction. What she shared with Kadaj was deeper, stronger, than anything she had experienced with anybody else.

As the bishop would say, it's "twue wuv." I'd bet anything, everything I have, on it.

And he felt the same about her. He had shown her, told her, so many times in the past few days...

But what kind of a future do I have with him? Unless she's destroyed, Jenova's going to keep on trying to turn him and sacrifice him for the purpose of Sephiroth's resurrection. And he won't destroy her; he despises her, but is still loyal to her, even though he knows she isn't his mother now. And I don't even know how long I'm going to be here. Am I stuck here on Gaia, or will I ever return to Earth? And if I do return to Earth, will he and his brothers come with me?

I'd rather stay here with them than return to my home without them.

Yazoo and Loz are almost like the brothers I never had. And I'm not leaving Kadaj. No fucking way.

Marriage, perhaps?

But he's so young, only eighteen years old. He's still got a lot of growing up to do, despite his maturity. I don't know if he's ready for that kind of commitment. Hell, I'm not even sure I'm ready for that level of commitment. Besides, the in-laws on both sides are completely insane.

Well, I can wait for him. When he's ready, he'll let me know.

I'm willing to take the risk.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Something's...

Wrong...

Laura did not open her eyes. She recognized her survival instinct screaming that she was in danger, and remained motionless, pretending sleep until she could figure out what was wrong.

There was a static stillness in the atmosphere, the air reeking with the scent of deadly intent. She recognized that scent; her mother had often threatened her life when she was drunk, and several times in the alleys behind their home she had been in mortal danger from punks out for meaningless blood.

I'm not alone.

There was someone in the room with her. And whoever it was wasn't making any sound, giving her little clue as to their identity.

She had to open her eyes.

Do this slowly. No sudden movements.

Her eyelids rolled up by increments, with excruciating slowness...

And her heart stopped.

Kadaj was standing over her bed, clad only in a pair of sleep-pants. Souba was held above her throat, mere centimeters from her rapidly-beating pulse. His eyes, glowing in the darkness, were wrong; the pupils were slitted.

There was no emotion on his face whatsoever.

Oh my god... He's gone under.

And she's decided...

Jenova's decided to kill me. Using him.

She didn't speak. Words would have no meaning here. Instead, she locked her eyes onto his, silently pleading with him to be strong and push her away. She let her emotions speak through her gaze, silently reminding him of who he was, who she was. Reminding him of how much she loved him, and begging him to recall that he shared those feelings.

She noted a fine trembling vibrating along his body. She pressed onward, begging him with her eyes to break free of Jenova's hold on his mind.

Don't let her make you kill me...

The tense standoff remained for what seemed like an eternity. Then, at long last, Kadaj's eyes flashed back to the normal, circular pupils. He looked down at her for a moment, then took Souba away from her throat. Laura lay perfectly still, staring into his eyes.

The twin-bladed katana slipped from his numb fingers, ringing out in protest as it hit the floor. A moment later, he was on his knees beside the bed, head buried in his hands. Laura closed her eyes slowly as the soft noises of his crying reached her.

Another victory. But at what cost? How much has her hold on him increased?

She slipped from the bed and joined him on the floor, putting her arms around him and drawing him down to her. Laura stroked his hair comfortingly as he wept. "I'm here, Kadaj. I'm all right. You didn't do anything to me. It's all right."

"No, it's not," he choked. "I almost killed you, Laura. If I hadn't come out of it, you'd be dead right now! And it would all be my fault!"

"But you didn't. You stopped it in time, Kadaj. You stopped her from killing me."

His only reply was more muted sobs.

For long minutes, Laura stayed on the floor with him in her arms, wordlessly soothing him as he cried. She had no words that would comfort him, and so all she could offer was her love and her forgiveness. At last, he drew back from her, his eyes red and swollen from his tears.

"Laura, I want you to go away. I'm too dangerous to be around. You won't be safe if you stay here."

She cupped his cheek, shaking her head slightly. "Kadaj, I knew the risks when I agreed to come back with Loz. I knew there was a good possibility that coming here would result in my death."

"But..."

"I'm not leaving you. I promised I wouldn't, and I won't." He looked so miserable that it broke her heart, but she knew this was their only chance. "I won't abandon you to her. I'll help you fight her.

"No matter what it takes."