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.

Queen's Quornor: Here's another angst-fest, and this one is actually a lot more intense than some of the others. I mean, how often does this sort of thing happen in world-swap fics? Plus, I have to warn you all that this one is really graphic. I don't mean sex-graphic, but graphic nonetheless. Anyway, this is not the end of the fic! There's still plenty more to come! Oh, and dear readers? I would like to point out that all authors need feedback on their stories! Not only do they need reviews, they hunger for them as a starving man for sustenance. So throw me a bone here, and click the pretty purple button at the bottom of the screen! Go ahead, you know you want to... Or do you really want me to get Hojo out after you with murderous intent?

I Chose this Fate

Kadaj was getting worse and worse. He had an episode with Jenova once every other day now, sometimes more often than that. It was all that Yazoo, Loz, and Laura could do to protect each other from him when the Calamity had him under her control, all they could do to placate him. He was violently unpredictable, lashing out at them for no real reason before resuming his silent broodings a second later.

He was always apologetic once he had snapped out of it and Jenova was quiet, but it was getting harder and harder to forgive him. The mind and body could only take so much abuse before hatred set in, after all.

Laura found forgiveness especially difficult now, so soon after Kadaj had ordered her to fuck with Yazoo while he watched, leaving no orifice untouched. She especially remembered his sadistic smile when he had demanded that she take his brother in her virgin ass, refusing to allow him to fetch some lube to make the penetration easier. Neither she nor Yazoo had enjoyed any second of that encounter, even though their bodies had reacted with pleasure. It wasn't that the elder clone was a bad lover, because that had nothing to do with it (And I'd have to be a liar to say that he wasn't good at it). But what had Laura so upset was that immediately after both of them had finished cumming, Kadaj had attacked them, viciously beating Yazoo and raping Laura while his brother lay moaning in agony. He was out in the forest now, leaving the battered duo to their own devices.

Gritting her teeth against the pain that speared through her body, Laura pulled herself across the room to Yazoo, the Restore materia already in her hand. The Remnants had unanimously decided that she should be the one to carry that particular materia, and given her a silver armlet to carry it on her at all times. The long-haired clone rolled his head to look at her, too much in pain to move. Angry purple-red bruises were already blossoming across his milk-pale skin, all over his body. She winced at the size of some of them.

"I'm sorry, Laura," he croaked. "I didn't want..."

"Hush, Yazoo. I know. I didn't either." She ran the green materia down his body, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the pain faded and his wounds were speeded along the road to full healing. "He can't help it. He's completely under Jenova's control at moments like this."

"I know. But it still hurts."

Laura reached out and pulled a blanket over him, smoothing his hair down as a mother would. "I know. Just lay here, and get some rest. Let your body heal itself. Has he ever been this bad before?"

Yazoo shook his head, relaxing beneath her soothing caresses. "Never. He occasionally has bad episodes, but never like this." He grabbed her hand as she started to leave, moving for her clothes. "Laura, I've come to think of you almost like another sister, one to replace all the ones killed in the cells. I don't want to see him hurt you. And you know he will, sooner or later. Jenova won't let him keep you alive. You're too much of a threat to her."

Laura nodded sadly. He already has hurt me, more than once... "I know. I think of you and Loz as if you really were my brothers, the siblings denied me by my mother's own hand. But I can't stop loving him, Yazoo. And he needs me. Now, more than ever, he needs me. If hurting me can take him out of Jenova's reach forever, then I'll let him do it. Anything to keep him away from her forever." She looked at Yazoo curiously. "Why isn't she trying the same trick with you and Loz?"

"I don't know. But I wish she would go after us, and just leave him alone."

Laura pulled on her jeans and slid her mesh shirt and Hard Rock tank over her head. "I'm going to go find him. You just rest."

Yazoo tried to get up, then gasped in pain and lay back down. "Laura!"

"I know what I'm doing, Yazoo. Just trust me." Stop humming 'Taps,' conscience! You're not helping!

Yazoo shouted her name as she raced out of the room, casting a Cure on her as she went.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Now where could he have gone? The bikes are still here, so he's got to be somewhere nearby.

She heard a yell from the weapons-practice clearing, and ran towards it as fast as she could. That was Loz! God help us, don't let Kadaj lose himself! Please!

She skidded to a stop when she saw the brothers. Kadaj had Souba out and ready, the razor-sharp edges already slick with blood. Loz was leaning against one of the trees, crimson rivers streaming from a multitude of slashes and cuts that crisscrossed his body, panting heavily.

"Loz!" she cried. "Kadaj, stop! You're killing him!"

Souba was suddenly inches away from her neck, her wielder having crossed the clearing in less than a second. Laura stood perfectly still, staring into her lover's eyes.

Sephiroth's eyes.

It wasn't Kadaj. There was someone else, a lethal stranger, inside his body.

He's lost... We're all lost...

I failed...

"I thought I made it perfectly clear who your master is," he hissed. "And I shall do as I please. Do you need another lesson?"

"You're not Kadaj," she whispered. "Not my Kadaj. The Kadaj I know and love would never hurt me, never hurt his brothers, like this."

"Shut up!" he growled, pressing Souba in a little tighter. Laura felt the sting of skin parting, felt hot blood spilling down her neck and chest in small, slow rivulets.

But she didn't flinch, refused to back down.

I've made my choice.

"The Kadaj I know..."

"Shut up!"

"...would never allow Jenova to use him as her puppet."

She could not hold back a pained yelp as his gloved hand suddenly fisted in her hair, yanking her head back as far as it could go, exposing her throat to Souba's cruel edges.

"You have caused me enough problems, Laura Kerrington." The voice belonged to Kadaj, but the words were not. Whoever was talking to her (and she had a sinking suspicion she knew who it was), was not the man she loved. "You have prevented the Reunion for as long as I am willing to tolerate. Now, it is time for you to die."

"You'll never win," she gritted out. "Cloud and the others won't let you succeed. You have already lost."

"You forget one crucial factor, Miss Kerrington." The double-bladed katana slid against her neck until the hilt was tight against her fast-pulsing carotid artery, cold and threatening. Undeniable. "This is not a movie. This...

"...is reality."

It was over in one quick slash. He let her drop, leaving Laura to drown in her own blood. She dimly heard Loz calling her name, but her eyes were glued to Souba, to the macabre vision of her blood dripping from the blades to the forest floor. So...beautiful...

Then, as the darkness closed, she sought out Kadaj. Her lips formed one last message.

I love you, Kadaj...

She was lost to the darkness.