21. Daddy's Little Girl pt. 2: Angel

The smell of fresh hey and chocobos lingered in the air. The sun gleamed off of the emerald grass. Looking around, Angel checked over her family's chocobos. They were their pride and joy.

Angelus watched Angel while smiling.
She really had grown during her recovery from her mako poisoning. Although, he could tell there was something haunting her.
Her once smiling brown eyes had become troubled and emotionally scarred mako blue eyes.

He remembered when she had finally come home from the ShinRa mansion; tears ran down the young girl's pale face. He remembered how at night, she would have the most graphic nightmares.

Then came Cloud and Cassie.

Angel instantly clicked to the two infant twins, but mostly Cloud. At night when they would start crying, it was Angel who would rush to them. Angelus and Evelyn couldn't complain; they got more sleep.
Angelus remembered walking into the nursery one night and seeing Angel fast asleep in the rocking chair holding a peaceful looking Cloud safely in her arms.
They remained the same way even as they grew up.

Angel and Cloud amused their parents. Wherever Angel went, so did Cloud clutching her long jacket. You could easily yell Cloud looked up to his big sister.
When Cloud was three, he had taken Angel's long jacket, thinking it had magical powers, and tried to jump off the top railing of their fence. Thankfully, both Angel and Angelus were nearby.

They were a happy little family, save their Uncle Liam. Liam despised his brother Angelus.
He had everything Liam ever wanted: A loving wife, beautiful children, a charming little house, and not to mention respect from everyone. Angelus and Liam would constantly get into arguments.
It got to it's worst point when Angel was eleven.

Angel and Angelus were on their way home from the more distant village of Gongaga. Angel was clutching a small velvet bag close to her chest. Inside the bag was a chocobo egg. It was a gift for Cloud, whose birthday was arriving soon.

It was starting to get dark by the time they could see the outskirts of Nibelheim.
Angelus lit a fire as the sun began to set. Angel sat next to the small blaze, still holding onto the chocobo egg.
Fog began to roll in and damped everything. Angelus leaned back against a nearby boulder, totally relaxed.
Angel, however, remained fully alert, the fog creeping her out.

Perhaps Angel had been right to be paranoid. After all, monsters loved to hide in fog and other eerie places.

Angelus had begun to nod off and become unaware of his surroundings. Only Angel picked up the sound of heavy footsteps and the clank of metal. The young girl sat up straighter and held Cloud's egg closer to her. A shadow could now be seen towering over a large bush.

Moonlight shone off of a metallic object. Angel didn't have time to take a closer look before she was pushed over, but then again, she didn't need one. Angel could hear the ring of the horrid gun echo off of the trees and rocks.

Angel felt a warm liquid on her and, with wide eyes, looked at the gun wielder only for her eyes to widen even more. Liam stood in the bush looking at Angelus with a look of surprise. Had he not meant to shoot him?

Angelus lay slumped over next to Angel, blood pouring from a fatal wound in his chest. Liam ran away to Gaia knows where. Angel looked at her father whose eyes were both closed.

"Daddy? Daddy, don't leave. Please…"

Angelus looked at the blonde little girl. Finally, after all these years, Angelus understood the look in Angel's eyes. She had seen death before and it was someone close.

"A-Angel…listen closely. W-watch over your m-ma, Cloud, and l-little sisters for me. Be…Be my living legacy."

The child nodded her head, "I will daddy. I promise."