Chapter Twenty Six: Omens

The glowing green tendrils of the Lifestream flowed all around her as she wandered along the path, an endless sea of green surrounding her on all sides. As Aeris traveled the stone path and looked up into the bright green sky, a feeling of wellness and peace washed over her, and she couldn't help but smile. It was all so beautiful and serene, and a large part of her felt as if she had come home.

She had no idea where she was going, but somehow it didn't matter. The only sound was that of the energy of the Lifestream, leaping out of the calm sea on either side of the path and into the sky. The arcing green jets shot high into the air, crossing over and through each other before reentering the pool far in the distance. The very air was alive with its power, and Aeris felt goose bumps rise on her bare arms each time one of the glowing beams rose within close distance.

When she reached a fork in the road a short time later, she paused for a moment, observing her surroundings. No matter how many times she visited this place, she was still filled with awe, her mind flooded with its beauty and power. She felt such a strong connection to everything around her, as if she was a part of the very energy it held, but she was unable to understand why.

To her right, a twisting path lined with tall trees that glowed with the power of the Lifestream led off into a lush forest full of new life and promise. Aeris smiled, knowing she would very much enjoy exploring such a lovely place and everything hidden beneath the thick canopy. But there were two options, and she turned her head to look in the opposite direction. Down the path to her left were a series of tall buildings made of large shells, instantly reminding her of the City of the Ancients. They were a good distance away, but Aeris felt powerfully drawn to them. Forgetting all about the forest and the promise of the wildlife within, she had just begun to walk toward the buildings when a soft female voice called out to her.

"Wait…"

Unafraid, for nothing in the Lifestream had ever harmed her, Aeris stopped and turned toward the voice. She was surprised to see the figure of a beautiful woman stepping out from behind one of the trees and moving toward her as if floating just above the ground. Her form was not quite solid, almost ghostly, and her stunning white hair trailed nearly to her ankles. She wore a long flowing dress, flowers braided into her hair and a large pendant around her neck. She was beautiful, Aeris thought, though there was something about her that made her feel unusually on edge. Somehow, she knew this woman was important, and that she needed to listen to her.

"We are growing stronger every day," she said, her voice a soft, melodic whisper. Her pale green eyes were unblinking as she watched Aeris closely, their gaze nearly hypnotizing and disturbing at the same time.

Aeris swallowed nervously, unable to find her voice. She suddenly realized that she had never spoken within the Lifestream before, unsure if she was even able to do so. She stood frozen in place under the figure's powerful gaze, all thoughts of peaceful exploration long gone from her mind.

"There will soon be a healing… a cleansing," the woman continued, a soft smile spreading across her face. "We must rid ourselves of the dangers that remain."

Aeris eyes grew wide as she suddenly realized that the being before her was speaking for the Planet, her heart racing in her chest as her stomach twisted into knots. The Planet had spoken to her many times before, but never quite like this… and it had been so long that it was the last thing she'd expected. With her gown flowing around her, the woman slowly approached Aeris as if able to reach her mind, pausing to allow her a moment to compose herself. When she met Aeris' eyes again, her smile had been replaced by a look of regret.

"There will be a great loss… a sacrifice… but it is necessary for the good of all," she said, her voice quiet yet firm, sending a chill down Aeris' spine. In that moment, she felt as if an icy hand had reached out and taken hold of her heart, and a powerful sense of foreboding washed over her so forcefully that she barely noticed when the figure simply turned her back and disappeared into the trees. Aeris remained frozen where she stood, unable to move as the Planet's final words repeated over and over again in her mind.

"Aeris?"

The familiar deep voice and the warm brush of his mind reached through the deep meditative state and gently eased her back toward consciousness. Aeris slowly opened her eyes, feeling as if she had been asleep for a very long time and unsure of where she was at first. She blinked, momentarily confused, until she was able to focus on the man who had dropped to one knee in front of her on the living room floor.

Sephiroth was staring at her intently, his head tilted slightly and his eyes filled with grave concern. She realized that one of his hands was resting against her cheek, warm and ungloved, while his other gently gripped her opposite shoulder. As the haze of meditation slowly began to fade she managed a slow smile as her eyes locked with his, but when she tried to speak she found she couldn't form the words. She tried to rise from her position and lift her arms to embrace him, but her body swayed wildly and wouldn't obey her wishes, a wave of dizziness washing over her as the room began to spin. Aeris gasped as she began to fall sideways, but two strong arms were instantly wrapped around her before she made it very far.

"Aeris! What is wrong?!" Sephiroth exclaimed as he brought her in against his body. He dropped to both knees on the floor, cradling her in his arms and looking down at her with alarm. "Are you all right? You… you are frightening me…"

Though his hold on her was firm and supportive, she could feel his body trembling every so slightly. His breathing had begun to speed up, and the panic she felt building inside his mind reached her as clearly as if it was her own despite the fog that clung to her thoughts. Aeris looked back at him helplessly, her body weak and still partially disconnected from her mind. She closed her eyes, the temptation to simply fall asleep in his arms nearly overwhelming. But the fear and anxiety radiating from her husband only continued to grow when she failed to respond, and she knew she had to do something quickly to reassure him. Concentrating hard, Aeris forced her eyes open and looked up at Sephiroth, finally able to really focus on him. As she gazed up into his eyes and managed to shakily reach up and touch his face, her mind began to clear as their emotions gently ran together. It was familiar and comforting despite the troubled thoughts that so often plagued him, and she took a moment longer to let the feeling wash over her as her mind continued to recover. She felt so safe and warm in his embrace that it helped to eased her the rest of the way back to reality, though she remained shaken and a bit disoriented by what she had just experienced.

"I'm sorry," she finally managed to whisper, snuggling in against him and stifling a yawn. "I was meditating, and all of a sudden the Planet spoke to me. It's been such a long time, and I guess I just got overwhelmed…"

Sephiroth frowned, effortlessly climbing to his feet with Aeris still cradled in his arms. She'd been meditating in the middle of the living room floor, and he crossed the room to sit on the couch. Aeris was relieved that he kept her right where she was, feeling almost desperate to be held and reassured that everything was all right. She needed him, and he seemed to feel it through the link they shared… though he had grown quite perceptive and sensitive to her needs all on his own. Sephiroth was not often the one to initiate close physical contact, but he was holding her so tightly in his lap that Aeris knew he was as unsettled as she felt."I came in from my meeting, and even though Blade made his usual fuss and I announced myself to you several times, you did not even flinch," Sephiroth said quietly, softly stroking her hair as he spoke. "I thought that was odd, but left you be for the moment… but when ten minutes passed and you still did not move, I became very concerned. That is when I tried to reach you more directly."

Aeris nodded weakly, realizing how unusual that was. Normally, even if she was deep in meditation, Sephiroth's arrival home would have started to awaken her because of their deep mental bond. Their minds were able to reach out to each other any time they were close by, sharing emotions and sometimes even pieces of thoughts and memories, and his sudden presence would surely have interrupted her session. And if that had not done it, his pet Great Dane pacing about excitedly while whining and wagging his enormous tail while she was in the center of the room would have! No wonder Sephiroth was so concerned… He looked nearly sick with worry, and she could feel it radiating so strongly from him that she was having a hard time separating it from her own emotions.

"I'm really sorry, love," Aeris repeated, her mind still swimming as she worked to order her thoughts so she could better explain what had happened. Or should she…? A chill ran down her spine as the feeling of foreboding returned, and she wondered again what the Planet had meant. A sacrifice… Would she be called on to help prevent yet another disaster? At what cost…? The message had sounded so positive at first, and then…

"This was not a normal meditation," Sephiroth stated, his words not a question. He gently lifted Aeris' chin until she met his eyes, and when she did she was momentarily drawn into them and unable to respond. The connection and love between them was so strong, almost as if they were symbiotic, that at times it was nearly overwhelming. Aeris still did not know it if was because she was a Cetra, or because of Sephiroth's abilities… or perhaps the unique combination of the two. But the effect was incredible, and she paused to catch her breath before attempting to answer.

"It was… very intimate," she began, unsure of how to communicate what she experienced to a non-Ancient. Sephiroth, at least, had meditated with her many times, during which their minds often linked intensely and many deeply emotional and personal things passed between them, so he had some idea, but… "Like I said, ever since we stopped Meteor, the Planet has been quiet, like it was finally at peace. But all of a sudden, while I was meditating, a figure appeared to me, and when… she spoke I knew it was the voice of the Planet."

"What… did she say?" Sephiroth asked, a bit more relaxed but still giving off enough anxiety that it was difficult for Aeris to relax despite her secure position in his strong arms. There was always some level of tension surrounding him that she had long grown accustomed to, but sometimes it grew so intense that Aeris almost wished she didn't have to share it. But she would not have given up the connection between them for anything, and she loved him enough to endure absolutely anything. He still struggled, but he had come so far… and she would never let him forget that.

"She said… that the Planet is growing stronger, and that there will be a healing… a cleansing… soon," Aeris told him, unable to help but smile as she remember the positive part of the message she'd received. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, and she could feel that he was a bit relieved as he nodded.

"That is good then… right?" he asked, as if he desperately needed her reassurance that all was well.

Staring up into his hauntingly beautiful Mako eyes and feeling how worried he still was, seeing how he was looking to her to tell him everything was all right, Aeris did not have the heart to tell him the rest of the Planet's message. She swallowed hard and smiled up at him, pushing her fears to the far corner of her mind. She couldn't bring herself to worry him when she didn't truly know what the Planet had meant by its warning. She knew he would take any possibility that she might be in danger very hard, and there was little he could do about it anyway but drive himself mad with worry. He had been doing so well, and she did not want to do anything to interrupt his progress… Especially not now, when he was about to lead his very first military mission with Cloud's blessing. Upsetting him just before he was due to leave could have disastrous consequences, and Sephiroth had worked too hard to lose his opportunity to show everyone that he deserved to be trusted. For now, Aeris would keep it to herself, biting down on the dark feeling that lingered and instead focusing on the positive message and the love of the man who held her.

"Yeah, it's very good," she told him, resting one hand over his heart and leaning her head against his chest. "It was just so sudden and intense… I didn't mean to worry you, but everything is okay."

"I am just relieved that you are all right," Sephiroth said, and though she could feel that he was beginning to relax, a tension remained just below the surface. Whether he was still in the process of calming down, or didn't quite believe her, Aeris could not be sure.

"I'm just a little tired, but I'm fine now," Aeris told him, melting against him and finally able to fully enjoy being held in his lap. She could have easily fallen asleep, so warm and secure with his strong arms around her and resting against his body. She could sense that he was still uneasy, however, running her hand from his chest to the side of his neck in an attempt to comfort him. "Really, Seph… Please stop worrying."

Sephiroth frowned, and for a moment he appeared about to say something, but instead sighed quietly as he met her eyes. But he quickly looked away, and Aeris knew immediately that he needed to speak but felt unable to. She had always read people extremely well, and by now she was a virtual expert when it came to Sephiroth's expressions and mannerisms. Many were quite subtle, but to Aeris he was an open book.

"Go ahead," she encouraged him, her voice gentle. Sephiroth frowned again, appearing briefly annoyed that she saw through him so easily, but finally turned and looked down at her again.

"If anything happened to you… I…"

Gods, did he pick up on that after all…?

"Seph… I'm fine!" Aeris insisted with a nervous laugh, hoping he was only referring to the condition he'd found her in and nothing more. "You know how a deep meditation session can affect you, right? You almost always fall asleep afterwards, and stay that way for quite a while."

He nodded, his cheeks flushing crimson. It was true, after all. When they meditated together, Aeris had learned it was best to do so seated or kneeling on their bed, because Sephiroth seemed to enter a kind of trance from which he had a difficult time emerging, and afterwards he was so groggy he fell asleep almost immediately and slept peacefully for hours. Sometimes it was the only way he could get any rest, and he never had nightmares after their sessions. It was something that had strengthened the bond between them tremendously, and it helped to calm Sephiroth when he was struggling with flashbacks, panic attacks, and insomnia. He'd been reluctant to even try it at first, but by now he came to Aeris asking her to meditate with him any time he was feeling out of control. It was a powerful coping mechanism that had aided them a great deal as his mind continued to heal.

"Very well…" he said reluctantly, tenderly caressing her cheek and studying her closely, unconvinced but willing to give in for the moment. "I only worry so much because I love you…"

"I know… and I do the same for you. It's good to know there's always someone who cares so much and looks out for you."

Sephiroth nodded, a distant look in his eyes. Aeris realized it might not have been the wisest thing to say given his past, but she also wanted him to realize that things were different for him now. She snaked her hand around to the back of his neck and eased him down into a soft kiss, holding onto him for long moments after they'd parted and gazing into his eyes. The intense emotions that flooded the link between them were far different now, full of love and tenderness, and a slow burning passion Aeris could feel him trying hard to resist. She pulled him down into a passionate kiss, pleased when he finally began to return it with enthusiasm and held her just a bit closer.

"Aeris… you should rest," he protested a bit breathlessly as he pulled away from her, the reason for his resistance finally clear. "I should really put you to bed."

"Yes… yes you should," she giggled mischievously, her eyes shining. Sephiroth stared at her blankly for a moment, then smirked crookedly and rolled his eyes as he finally understood the meaning behind her words.

"You are truly something else," he muttered as he stood with Aeris in his arms, pausing to lean over and kiss her deeply before carrying her toward their bedroom. Blade rose from his bed beside the couch and followed after, his master's constant shadow. Aeris could feel that Sephiroth had finally dropped his guard, giving in to the love and desire she was offering and the security he knew could be found in her arms. At least for now, the haunting sense of foreboding she'd felt was many miles away.

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"All rise!"

A thick door to the left of the crowded courtroom opened, and a judge dressed in heavy black robes entered. His head was completely covered by a black hood, his face entirely shrouded by the shadows beneath. He was an enormous figure, moving slowly and with purpose until he reached the stairs and ascended to the bench. Even when he gazed down at the participants and spectators from his position of power, nothing could be seen of his face but a gaping blackness. He nodded silently to the bailiff and took his seat.

"This court is now in session!"

Vincent heard the mass of spectators behind him settle into their seats, but he remained standing behind a tall wooden podium, gripping its sides so hard the knuckles of both hands had long ago turned white. He was dressed in his Turks' uniform but rendered unarmed, alone on his side a wide aisle that was patrolled by a burly security guard. He glanced across the aisle and bristled with hatred as his eyes fell upon Professor Hojo, standing behind his own podium in his white lab coat. He looked relaxed and confident while Vincent was sick to his stomach with fear and worry. There was a well dressed female lawyer by Hojo's side at a smaller station of her own, organizing a tall stack of files spread out before her. Vincent briefly wondered why he did not have any paperwork or a lawyer of his own, and why Hojo's looked so familiar.

"Bring in the jury," the judge said in a deep, gravelly voice that was nearly a growl. It sent shivers down Vincent's spine and he swallowed nervously, filled with an immediate fear he could not name. It was familiar and terrifying, nearly crippling, and he found himself unable to look up at the judge again.

A door on the opposite side of the courtroom creaked open, and Vincent swore his heart nearly stopped. Lucrecia… the love of his life. His soul mate. His reason for living. She was as beautiful as ever despite the fact that she was heavily pregnant, looking about nervously as she made her way to the jury box. There were no other jurors with her, and she made the long walk alone as all eyes followed her on her lonely march. Vincent briefly caught her eye, but she looked away before he could get any idea of what she might be thinking. She quickly took her seat and folded her hands tightly in her lap, keeping her head down to avoid looking at anyone. Vincent forced himself not to stare, wanting nothing more than to go to her and comfort her. But when he looked down again, his eyes settled on the heavy metal restraint around his ankle that attached him firmly to a bolt in the floor. He had never felt so helpless in his life.

"In this case, the jury must decide if she wishes to remain with Professor Hojo, or start her life over with Vincent Valentine," the bailiff solemnly informed the judge, reading from a form in his hand. "Professor Hojo is represented by Elmyra Gainsborough, while Vincent Valentine was found unworthy of counsel."

"Wait a minute!" Vincent began to protest, shocked from his sorrow and more than a little outraged as he head snapped up. "How is that-"

"SILENCE!" roared the judge, sending a fresh rush of terror through him that was so strong he began to tremble. "Neither plaintiff may speak without my permission, is that understood?!"

Vincent nodded weakly, his original protest nearly forgotten as he again lowered his eyes.

"Mrs. Gainsborough, are you prepared to begin presenting your case?" the judge asked, his voice having returned to its disturbingly low and nearly feral tone.

"Yes, your honor!" she said cheerfully, shuffling her papers a final time before turning to face the jury box and smiling widely at Lucrecia. "Good morning, Lucrecia. How are you feeling?" she asked. Vincent shuddered at how obviously fake she was, hoping his lover could see right through her. Lucrecia smiled weakly and nodded, answering with the typical "fine" even though she clearly was anything but.

"Your husband loves you very much, so he's asked me to help him explain some of the many reasons why it's so much better for you… and the baby… if you remain right where you are and give up that Turk once and for all," Elmyra said, placing a supportive hand on Hojo's shoulder as she spoke. Hojo obediently wore a sorrowful expression, and Vincent ground his teeth, wishing he could slap that look right off his face. The professor certainly liked to slap his wife around, after all. "I am sure that once you hear our arguments, no one in this courtroom could possibly think that leaving this wonderful man for that… that creature over there could possibly be a good idea!"

There was a chorus of whispers from the spectators and the scratch of pens meeting notebook paper as reporters took down Elmyra's words. Vincent stood numbly in place, disoriented and frozen. He was chained to the floor, unable to speak, and given no one to speak for him. The judge left him terrified for reasons he did not understand, and he was helpless to go to his lover's aid. Yet all the while in the back of his mind he remained aware of the fact that it was very likely he who was in need of help…

"Let's do this the easiest and simplest way possible, so we can end this matter once and for all and get on with our lives, shall we?" Elmyra said, as if she could reduce Vincent's world and all he held dear to a mere inconvenience, to be dealt with as casually as one handled a traffic citation. "And that would be by a matter of direct comparison of my client and this filthy interloper!"

Vincent finally turned his head to glance across the isle, watching as Elmyra paced back and forth before the judge and Lucrecia as she spoke. Hojo watched with a pleased smirk, as relaxed as if he already knew he had won. Vincent tried not to look at him, the sight of the vile little man filling him with a toxic mixture of anger and revulsion. Comparison? Really? He almost wanted to laugh. After everything Lucrecia had told him about her husband, Vincent had no idea how that could possibly be a positive angle for his case.

Unless, of course, he lies…

"My client is in line to become the head of the entire Shin-ra Science Department, which is a highly prized position held in very high esteem across the entire Planet," Elmyra began, injecting a ridiculous amount of awe into her voice. There were appreciative murmurs throughout the crowd, and even the bailiff nodded appreciatively. "That job brings in a very large salary with fabulous benefits and the nicest living arrangements aside from the President's, as well as guaranteed promotions and other perks for his wife who just so happens to work in the same department. It seems awfully foolish to throw that aside, especially with a new baby to consider, and for what? An ordinary Turk. One who is not in line for any kind of promotion, earns a rather bland salary, lives in a small, ordinary apartment, and is constantly at risk for being killed in the line of duty. What then? Surely you have to consider who can provide for you better, madam of the jury! Think of the baby. You don't want the little one to grow up poor like you did… or gods forbid, in a single parent home!"

As members of the audience gasped in horror, Vincent wondered why they could speak and react, yet he could not. But his attention was drawn more to the alarmed, worried expression on Lucrecia's face as she took in the information. Gods, was she really going to buy into this nonsense? Of course he could take care of her! They had already talked about it all before… While not wealthy, Vincent had been careful with his income and saved a good bit of it. He could take care of her and the baby easily, and would be able to find work doing anything he had to once they left Midgar and settled somewhere safe. He had done many different things to survive in the past and he'd do it again, especially for her and the child he had promised to raise as his own and already cared for a great deal. Who cared about degrees and titles and fancy apartments? It was Vincent who really loved she and her unborn child. To Hojo, she was just a means to and end, the baby nothing more than an experiment and his ticket to fame…

Biting back a rising fury and fear that he was about to lose everything, Vincent shakily raised his hand and forced himself to face the judge. When he turned his empty black face down toward him, Vincent shivered but forced himself to stand tall.

"What do you want?" the judge demanded, growling deep in his chest.

"Do I get to answer her remarks?" Vincent asked, concentrating all of his energy on keeping his voice from trembling. "I would like to say something, because much of what she has said about me is simply not true! And Lucrecia knows that!"

"NO! Only counsel may refute or offer evidence. Do not interrupt this court again, or you will lose by default and be subject to penalty!"

What kind of court was this? How was this fair? Vincent could not remember anything before the trial had begun, his mind spinning with sudden panic. Why was he chained to the floor with no representation, while Hojo was clearly not and had his own lawyer? He wanted badly to defy the judge and shout out that this was wrong, that nothing made sense and that this was not just, but he was so afraid of him and so confused that he could not find his voice. The only thing that kept him from falling apart completely was the sight of his lover, so sad and alone, sitting in the center of the jury box and wringing her hands in her lap.

"If I may continue…" Elmyra said indignantly, causing Hojo to snicker beside her. Somehow he had moved into a comfortable recliner, his feet propped up on a footstool, his podium gone from sight. "My next piece of evidence is to compare the pedigrees of these two men, though I hesitate to flatter Valentine with the use of that word."

Vincent's mouth dropped open, but this time he knew better than to protest. He tried not to hear the laughter of the audience behind him as the judge banged his gavel several times to restore order.

"Professor Hojo comes from a long line of highly educated and wealthy men," Elmyra said, seemingly unaware of how she was shunning her own gender with the remark. "His parents were given the opportunity to escape their very backward homeland of Wutai to come here to Midgar where they would have much better opportunities, and they have taken full advantage of them. Hojo has managed to rid himself of his accent and any other lingering influences of his early youth spent in that misguided place, and despite where he was born he's educated himself and become the intellectual superior of nearly everyone! And then… we have Vincent Valentine."

Vincent already felt sick to his stomach as Elmyra slowly walked toward him and stopped just in front of where he stood, the false smile she wore and the sparkle of enjoyment in her eyes clearly mocking him as she shook her head. "Also born in Wutai, his mother was a mere teenager when she learned she was pregnant… out of wedlock and unplanned of course. Yes, that makes him a bastard, with no pedigree or ancestry he can trace. In fact, he doesn't even know who his father is, do you, Mister Valentine?"

What is the point of humiliating me in front of all these people? Lucrecia already knows this, and she does not care…

"Answer the question," demanded the judge.

Vincent hung his head, his dark bangs trailing in front of his eyes as the shame washed over him. He could feel the eyes of the crowd behind him burning into his back. "No, I do not." There were gasps and snickers, but he barely heard them as his face grew hot. All throughout his childhood, his mother and step-father had never let him forget what he was, and it all came rushing back in a painful barrage of memories.

"And would you just listen to that accent!" Elmyra exclaimed, shaking her head. " I don't know about all of you, but I barely understood him! Any child raised around him would be teased mercilessly and struggle all through school."

Vincent finally raised his head and blinked in confusion. He was aware that he did indeed have a Wutaiin accent, which was understandable since he had spoken nothing but until his mid teens. But by now his Universal was nearly flawless and his vocabulary vast, and he had been told by many people that his accent was mild. The one who knew his voice best was Lucrecia, and he trusted her opinion the most. She told him that he did indeed retain a bit of an accent, but that it never made him difficult to understand. She also said she found it extremely attractive, and often asked him questions about his culture and homeland because her husband so openly shunned his… Wasn't her opinion what mattered most at this trial? And what did a bit of an accent have to do with whether or not Lucrecia ought to stay with her abusive, uncaring husband or run away with the man who adored her and wanted to spend the rest of his life taking care of her?

Her point apparently made, Elmyra happily made her way back to her station, sorting through her files until she found the next one she wished to consult.

"I am also concerned about what kind of man fools around with the wife of someone else while they are working hard or away on business," Elmyra continued, and it was only Vincent's crippling fear of the judge combined with his growing confusion that kept him from laughing aloud. Was she really going to try to argue that Hojo was cut from a superior moral fabric than he was? "Professor Hojo is a busy man trying to provide for his wife and give his unborn child the best of all opportunities, and this individual is sneaking around waiting for his next chance to get his rocks off and use the poor man's wife for a good time! Even while she's with child for goodness sake!"

Vincent nearly howled with outrage, her words so far from the truth that his inability to defend himself made him feel as if he would explode from the pressure building in his head. How could he stand there silent and just take it? Not only was it insulting and degrading to him, but it was also an affront to the honor of the woman he loved! His relationship with Lucrecia had never been about just having a good time or simply physical pleasure, and it had started many months before she was pregnant. He would never have used anyone that way, most especially her. He had already loved her before he'd ever laid a hand on her, and she had been the one who moved things forward physically and gave him a much needed dose of courage when they'd finally admitted how they felt for one another. Yes, sex was a part of their relationship, but only because they were in love, and it was far from the only part or something that was one sided, either. How dare this woman stand there and pervert something so beautiful and private in front of so many people… Vincent ground his teeth, his chest tightening as he struggled to draw each new breath.

"Valentine is an animal who corrupted Lucrecia. Because she is a very emotional woman that was lonely while the husband who loves and spoils her was away… she fell prey to his false charms and pressure to give in. I'm sure many of you can understand that," Elmyra went on, and there were many nods in the crowd. "But does using her for sex give him some kind of claim to another man's wife just because he's gotten away with it for so long? Of course not! It just shows what kind of immoral trash he is. He'd probably end up cheating on her, smacking her around, and doing gods knows what else before long!"

Vincent felt tears burn his eyes as the very things Lucrecia had told him Hojo did on a regular basis were leveled against him in open court, gazing across the room toward the jury box in desperation. This had to stop. He had never done any of those things, and he never would. She knew that, and though he could not speak he had to be sure she remembered everything they'd shared and the things he had promised her. He was relieved when she looked up from her lap and met his eyes across the room, feeling some of the tension in his body begin to relax. He almost began to smile, his love for her so strong that a warmth washed over him despite the horrific circumstances. All he wanted was to take her from the room and away from Midgar, where he could protect her and keep her safe.

When he saw the look in her eyes, however, he felt so ill he nearly doubled over and vomited. Her beautiful green eyes were cold and vacant, and she quickly turned away as if his gaze was toxic. Vincent felt his heart shatter in his chest, and his legs trembled so badly he had to grip the podium to keep from collapsing. Elmyra was still speaking and slandering his character with enthusiasm to a captivated audience, but Vincent no longer heard the words. Lucrecia had believed her. Somehow, she had been convinced by the all the lies. He had seen it in her eyes… His life was over.

"That's all I have, Your Honor," Elmyra said an unknown time later. Vincent looked up weakly, and the room seemed to spin as he tried to focus his eyes, still clinging to the podium. He was drowning, and there was no one left to save him. His only reason for existing had abandoned him.

"Does the jury need time to deliberate, or have you reached a verdict?" the judge growled, sounding almost pleased as he clasped his hands together. As Vincent fought to remain on his feet and looked upward toward the bench, he noticed that the judge's hands were actually large purplish claws emerging from within the sleeves of his robes.

"I've decided," Lucrecia whispered, wringing her hands and still staring down at them as they rested against her swollen abdomen. Was she unsure of her decision, ashamed of herself, or did she just want this to be over so she could go on with her life?

"Please rise and announce the verdict to the court," the bailiff instructed her. She rose to her feet with visible effort, took a deep breath, and spoke in a voice that was nearly inaudible. But to Vincent, nothing had ever been more deafening.

"I, the jury… have decided to remain with my husband."

The spectators burst into thunderous applause, and though he had expected it, Lucrecia's quiet words hurt far more than any physical pain Vincent could have imagined. He watched through glazed eyes as Hojo stood and shook Elmyra's hand. Two large security officers were instantly on either side of him and grabbed him by his arms as a third released the shackle from his leg. Vincent nearly collapsed, but the men roughly held him up and forced him to watch the scene transpiring across the aisle. Lucrecia slowly stepped out of the jury box and approached her husband, a shy smile on her face and one hand held almost protectively over her stomach. Hojo grinned widely and reached out to embrace her, meeting Vincent's eyes over his wife's shoulder and smirking cruelly. He had won… To him, Lucrecia was a possession, a thing to own, a living incubator for his prized experiment. If he'd ever really loved her, if he'd ever cared for the person she truly was, he didn't any longer… yet he'd never be willing to let her go. Not as long as she lived and breathed.

Vincent felt tears stream down his cheeks as the guards held him firmly in place. The judge rose and stepped out from behind the bench, towering over those standing below. From within the darkness beneath his hood, two red eyes glowed as they studied the victors.

"What would you like done with the losing party?" the judge asked Elmyra, his voice much louder and sounding even more like a growl than before. Vincent found the strength to lift his head for just a moment, the painful grips of the guards digging into his flesh as he tried desperately to get Lucrecia to look at him one last time. Elmyra leaned in close to consult Hojo, nodded with satisfaction, then looked up to the judge with a broad smile.

"My client would like him delivered to his laboratory as soon as possible, to help in a few special experiments," she said cheerfully.

"NO!" Vincent exclaimed as the guards began to drag him away, Hojo's chilling laughter echoing off the courtroom walls as the spectators began to exit. Elmyra gathered her files, winked in his direction, and made her way out of the room as he desperately fought to break free.

The judge shrugged out of his robe in one smooth motion, revealing the demonic form of Chaos. The creature roared and spread its wings, taking to the air and bursting through the ceiling of the courthouse and out into the night sky. A shower of concrete and glass rained down onto the bench, but Vincent barely noticed as he struggled with all he had, wild with panic. The sound of the electric saw and the rush of white hot agony had already begun to assault his mind.

"Lucrecia, help me!" Vincent cried as the guards continued to drag him away, striking him with their nightsticks when he continued to resist. "Please! I love you! You cannot let him do this! He's going to kill you!"

With one last glance in his direction, Lucrecia shook her head, turned her back, and vanished through a side door with Professor Hojo, leaving Vincent to be dragged away toward the laboratory beneath the courthouse.


((Author's Notes: Oh hi. Remember me? So yeah, I've not been active as of late, and I apologize. My health as usual, but also some horrible writer's block that got way out of hand. I got very depressed and down on my work for several reasons. Stats were way down, reviews dropped a ton, and I was struggling to put my ideas into words and concerned about doing my characters justice and writing them as they deserve. I just thought, the hell with it all, and went gaming in Torchlight 2 for a while. I couldn't even stand to look at any of my stuff til this past weekend, but I'm working my way out of it, and after some talk with my beta and forced time in front of an open document, I managed to finally get this chapter written. I hope you all enjoyed it and will let me know. It really does make a huge difference to me to hear from my readers, especially when I've been feeling a bit off my game.

- I wonder what that message Aeris got from the Planet could mean… Me, foreshadow my next multi chapter fic? ;) I hope you all are going to follow me to Internal Warfare after I'm finished here and begin that one. Vincent is still the main character, but it is much larger scale and includes more characters… Seph and Aeris get more time there, so this scene was a bit of a preview for that. It'll be a much longer fic with a mix of plot and character work, and I'm still in the process of trying to outline something so huge. I know I said over and over that I would never do anything the length and scope of Irony of Fate again but um… oops? ;)

- I suppose this is a fairly odd chapter overall, and Vincent's dream is pretty damn bizarre, so I was a little concerned about writing it along with Aeris' meditation scene. But both things HAD to happen at this point in time in the story since it's wrapping up in three more chapters. I have been reading a lot of crime-related memoirs as of late, so the inspiration started with that. I needed something that involved Vincent's hurt over Lucrecia's past rejection he still has not dealt with properly, and wanted to work Elmyra into it, too. Hopefully this came off as strange and creepy, which was the intent. The idea hit me while soaking in our little hot tub… I get lots of ideas in the shower, too. Hey, go ahead and laugh, it works! (The ocean also inspired me over the summer. Yet I can barely swim.) So yeah, Vincent just had a pretty nice chat and… roll in the sheets with Lucrecia, but he's still having nightmares right next to her in bed after fighting off Chaos all evening. Wonder what will happen next? Mwahaha!

- I now have the rest of this fic totally plotted out in my head, so as long as all goes well, finishing it should not be a problem. (I totally shouldn't have said that, haha). Oh, and the poll to name my two new betta fish is now closed. The winning names were Vincent and Tseng (a bit surprised at the second one, but that is awesome!). Thanks to everyone who voted! Also, please don't forget to check out my Facebook page, linked in my profile. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will do my best to update more often this month. I will try to work on Closing the Distance soon as well, for those also reading that story. Thanks! ~ JenesisX ))