AN: So here it is! Thanks again for the reviews and enjoy!

Sephiroth sat in the cave eyes closed enjoying the stillness around him. In the distance was the thunder of water and close by water dripped into a pool with a steady rhyme that was almost comforting.

He opened his eyes, taking in not for the first time the sight of the women encased in crystal. She was beautiful, dressed in white, hands clasped in front of her. It almost looked liked she was sleeping.

This was his mother, this woman and not some creature in a laboratory.

When Vincent had first brought Sephiroth to this place shortly after…losing her. He found a sense of belonging. Standing there with both his father and mother, Sephiroth felt like he knew who he was for the first time.

He was Sephiroth. He had been kidnapped when he was an infant and experimented on by a madman his whole life. He had become a General in an army for the largest company on the planet. He had helped save the planet from a monster and in turn had lost the one person who had slowly become the most important person in his life, ever more so after her death.

That was who Sephiroth had been and that had been over a month ago. Since then Sephiroth had needed to decide who he was going to become. This place had helped him do that.

He had first come here when Sephiroth had decided to leave Shinra. Well in truth he had just never went back.

Of course that was bound to create problems with the company, problems that Sephiroth had been forced to deal with. His assassination of the president had shocked a lot of people, but Sephiroth had felt justified in his action.

The man had sanctioned Hojo's actions and was directly responsible for the deaths of countless people as a result. That the president's death also allowed Sephiroth to keep his end of bargain with Rufus was a bonus. After that, things just naturally occurred.

Rufus took charge, ruthlessly taking out anyone who tried to oppose him from within the company. In all honesty Sephiroth thought the company might just be better off that way.

One of the first changes Rufus made with Cloud's help was ending the Wutai war. The action had made Rufus immensely popular among the people and even the army. Everyone was tired of war, at least for now.

This place had helped Sephiroth think all that out. At first Vincent would always be here too. Sephiroth knew the man had been worried about him in the beginning. Slowly though as Sephiroth made his decisions, decisions that Vincent obviously must have agreed with, though he never gave a sign of approval or disapproval. The man had slowly distanced himself and allowed Sephiroth his own space here…with his mother.

It was odd, at times Sephiroth thought he heard his name whispered from the crystal. She was gone in a sense, yet she still remained with him at the same time. It seemed like that was the fate of all the important women in Sephiroth's life and Sephiroth was not satisfied with that.

That was going to change. He was going to change it.

If there was one thing Sephiroth had learned about the Planet, it was its powers were limitless. If it had the right motivation it could move time and create something incredible from which there was nothing before. Today he was going to give it that motivation.

The Centra in the Lifestream could no longer even be called human. Nor could they ever be completely absorbed into the Lifestream. They were an essence caught somewhere between, remaining close to the Planet and choosing to remain distance from the life on it.

There were only two expectations. One was their last remaining daughter, who they had easy contact with from within the Lifestream. The other was their Ancient Temple, which always had to be watched and guarded. It was the key to bring about the death of the Planet.

The Black Materia had been created back when the threat of Jenova had been at its greatest. It was to be the final solution. However it had not come to that and the material had been disguised and locked away, forever away from human hands.

As the intruder entered the Temple, the Centra stirred. It was odd when a human stumbled through its doors, but it did happen and usually they left none the wiser to the destruction that lay within the walls.

This intruder was different. This one had the memories to know what this Temple contained and how to use it. Even the Planet sensed their alarm and stirred briefly.

However the Centra were quick to assure it that the intruder was no longer the Calamity's son and that he could be reasoned with.

Since they had almost entirely forgotten their human forms, they instead choose to take one that they reasoned the intruder would be the most receptive too. However as soon as he laid eyes on them, the cat like eyes narrowed and mako flashed behind them.

"Don't," his voice rumbled darkly, "don't you dare use her form."

"Why not?" they inquired "Is this form not pleasant to you?"

He snarled, "It is one that has been abused by both you and that creature. You two are becoming more and more the same as far as I'm concerned. You both take whatever you want to achieve what you desire."

The Centra quickly changed in a male form that would be unrecognizable to the man in front of them.

"You are in pain," their voices held no small amount of concern, "why do you choose to remember? It will cause nothing but sorrow. Peace from her memory was supposed to be her last gift to you. Why do you choose to refuse it?"

Their words did nothing to calm the rage on his face, and he strode forward with silent, purposeful steps, "Because I refuse to let you take her. As long as I remember she is not gone, not completely."

"She is gone." Their voices were firm, "There is nothing you can do to win against death."

"You forget who I am. Death did not stop me." The small curve of his lips was one that made him look less human and more like the Calamities' son, "I kept coming back again and again. The Returning Nightmare… do not think just because I helped this time, that I am that much different from who I was."

The wing slowly unfurled from his back, and Masamune appeared in hand. He eyed the walls around them.

"I don't need that creature to finish what she started. All I need is what you have hidden here and we can restart everything over again. This body would still be able to absorb the Lifestream's energy and become a God."

The Centra starred, assessing the threat behind the words, "You are not that kind of man anymore."

"I didn't use to be, but what is the point in not being that kind of man anymore. I was still used. I still lost, no matter which side I picked. The planet's happiness and those on it depend on my suffering either way. If I am to suffer, why not do it in the pursuit of what I want."

"And what is it that you want Sephiroth?"

A long pause, "I want to not to suffer any longer. I want her back."

They shook their head sadly, "That is not possible."

The man actually laughed, "I wonder why I don't believe you. The Planet turned back time itself, rewrote history, brought new life into it. Surly bringing back someone who was not supposed to even exist is not beyond its ability."

"There is a balance that must be maintained, if it is broken…"

"Which you have already done!" he snapped, "You hounded her of existence her entire life."

"No," the response was soft, "there was balance. A mother's life was cut short so her daughter's life energy could take her place."

"Have you returned that taken life? You cut short one life so another could exist. Did you give Cloud back his mother?"

"She has already completed her journey and found the Promised Land. She would not wish to return, even if she could."

"Then there is a place in this world for one more." He countered.

They starred at each other, both unwilling to be moved. Sephiroth's phone suddenly buzzed and the Centra watched as he answered it and nodded. Then abruptly he turned and walked out.

They were confused. Had he given up?

Suddenly the ground around them trembled and walls began to crumble. The Centra looked around horrified. There was only one reason the temple would be collapsing. Someone had solved the puzzle and the temple was returning to its original form.

They quickly returned to the Lifestream and sought within its depths for the small piece of energy that could save them.

Sephiroth watched in satisfaction as the temple crumbled. It collapsed in on itself, while the heart of the Temple remained. The outside stone walls were being pulled in until with an explosion of dust and rumble, the only thing left of the once impressive temple was a black orb.

Cloud and the others had used Cith Cat, a robot in that other lifetime to solve the puzzle. Cith Cat after all could be rebuilt. It was not hard for Sephiroth to find a similar piece of technology in Shinra that would serve the same purpose. The phone call Sephiroth had programmed into the machine to warn him to get out when it was close to solving the puzzle. A puzzle Sephiroth also had pre-programmed into the machine, with the answer. Some things after had not changed from one time life to the next.

Sephiroth walked slowly over to the black orb, and bent down on one knee to pick it up. He rolled it in his hand. It looked like just any other piece of materia. Interesting how this little piece had the power to destroy dreams or give the power to create new ones.

"Sephiroth, no!"

He froze at the sound of the familiar voice. Then closed his eyes briefly, drew in a deep breath and turned.

A short distance away a green mist was slowly rising from the ground, particles of the Lifestream. It looked like when something was returning to the Planet. Only this time it was not taking, but giving.

The green particles kept rising and slowly they began to take shape. Then with a guest of wind the remaining particles of the Lifestream seemed to just blow away, leaving behind a woman with long blond hair.

She blinked as if momentarily confused, and then she saw Sephiroth and her eyes widened. Slowly both of her hands moved out from her sides, the gesture meant to be none threatening, yet her stance was wary.

"Sephiroth, don't. You were never that monster, don't act like him, please."

Sephiroth did not move, only starred at her. He steeled himself against the hope that was rapidly rising within him.

She looked so much like the Rain he knew. Yet how could he be sure she was real, that this was not some sort of trick? Neither moved, eyes locked in a battle of wills.

Normally Sephiroth's gaze would break any man. No matter how strong they always looked away first. Even Genesis could not hold his gaze for long. Sephiroth had only ever met two people who could not only hold it, but challenge it. Sephiroth always loved a challenge, Cloud and Rain had never failed to give that to him.

The Rain look alike continued to hold his gaze, but seemed to be growing frustrated.

"Gaia Seph! I did not sacrifice everything to save you, only to have you throw it back in my face."

Still he said nothing.

Her hands now clenched into fists and she turned away obviously angry. Despite Sephiroth's suspicions, he could not stand to have her turn her back on him. He was just about to reach out to her, when she whirled around and slammed her fist into Sephiroth's face.

"What more do I have to do?!" the woman screamed, "I have given everything for you! What more do you want?"

Sephiroth had turned his face with the blow, not even trying to avoid it and smiled relieved. Only Rain would dare try to persuade him with a blow to the face.

He caught the next blow directed at him and held it, while with a casual twist of his wrist the black material in his other hand was tossed to the side, completely forgotten.

Rain made a move to go after the materia, but his grip on her fist held her in place. With his other hand he gently cupped her face to turn it to look at him again.

Yes, this was defiantly Rain and she was alive.

Sephiroth remembered how her touch felt when she had re-appeared only to say goodbye. Her touch though warm had felt distant, fleeting like she would disappear at any moment, this though felt…real.

"You left without letting me give you an answer."

Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"You think you can tell me something like that and I will let it go unanswered?"

Her eyes softened, "Sephiroth is that what this really is about? I'm sure you have had hundreds of confessions from lovesick girls before. Why does this one matter?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed sharply, but Rain did not flinch. She sighed drawing a hand over her eyes.

"What is the point in giving an answer now? I am dead."

Sephiroth ran his eyes slowly down her body and a slow smirk appeared on his face.

"It appears to me the planet has returned this body to all its…formal glory." He had not allowed himself to appreciate the sight before, but now he took pleasure in it. He also watched in amusement as Rain, just now appeared to realize that all this time, she had not had a stitch of clothing on.

Sephiroth knew that Rain was capable of strong language, but he again got to witness it as she twisted from his grip, turning her back to him and crossing her arms over her chest.

Sephiroth chuckled softly, the sound foreign even to his own ears. It made Rain look over her shoulder in surprise, then glare at him. He quickly slipped his leather jacket off his shoulders and wrapped it around her from behind.

On the shorter figure the long material went down to her feet and Rain quickly slipped her arms through the sleeves and wrapped the jacket almost twice around her middle. Only then did she turn to face him again. A small smile appeared on her face as she took in his now bare chest.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Much better than before," was the reply.

Rain's face then turned serious as she lifted her hands in front of her face to examine them. The fist that slammed into his face was swollen and bleeding from a split knuckle. The injury seemed to shock her.

Mako should have taken care of such a minor injury. Then Sephiroth realized what Rain must have. She had been brought back without enhancements. The thought both pleased and frightened him. She was pure, the evidence of Shinra's experiments removed, yet it would make her incredibly vulnerable.

Sephiroth's own strength would have to be enough for both of them. He had never doubted his own ability before, but now for the first time he was uncertain.

"Gaia Sephiroth, what have you done?" The horrified whisper brought him out of his train of thought.

He then realized that Rain had now only just realized that she was alive and not some apparition. She would not simply stop him and then simply slip back into the Lifestream. Sephiroth could see from the look on her face that thought terrified her.

Rain after all was many things. A warrior, fearless in battle and loyal to those she sought to protect. Yet she was also a runner, especially when it came to Sephiroth. Death had been her ultimate escape, but all that running would all end today. Sephiroth planned on making that very clear, yet he was unsure how to go about it.

Sephiroth always knew he had very limited social skills and soft loving confessions were simple beyond his ability and not really his style. Conflict and battle though he excelled in. Was not love in some way the same thing? Was it not a war of emotions and feelings that each person had to maneuver and dance around until they achieved the desired result?

If that was the case then he would approach it like he would any other conflict. But what approach was best taken with this opponent, an indirect or direct form of attack? Anything other than a direct attack Rain would run from.

So Sephiroth opened his attack with a thrust. "You said before that you would have given everything up for me. Cloud, your friends, even your life, you gave it all up to protect me. But are you willing to give that all up just to be with me?"

Ease off the attack, end with a challenge, "Or were those just fancy words simply meant to comfort those left behind?"

Rain's eyes narrowed, but Sephiroth could see the beginning of understanding dawn in them. Any other woman he knew would be insulted by his approach, but not Rain. Rain after all understood him, was in many ways like him.

"The more important question Sephiroth is what your answer to those fancy words? I thought that was the reason for all this, because I left without letting you give me an answer?" Rain parried.

"I am a man of action, based on my actions so far what do you think my answer is?"

She sighed almost like she was disappointed, "I surrender General. You win."

Sephiroth frowned. They were just beginning, why was she surrendering already? She was better than that. It almost made him feel like he didn't deserve it.

She continued, "It's true they do say actions speak louder than words and your actions have been very clear Sephiroth. I have lied and deceived you almost from the very beginning. Yet for some reason you never arrested me. You came after me in Deepground, tried even to save me from… her. "

Sephiroth waited now wondering what Rain's own goal was for their battle of words.

"But words must sometimes be spoken to confirm those actions. Motives are sometimes more important than the actions themselves. My actions the last time I was alive were anything, but true to my feelings. Sometimes words are needed."

There it was. Rain wanted him to say it. She had already exposed herself the last time by telling him her true feelings and then had quickly tried to guard herself by not letting him respond.

Why must women always need words? Sephiroth suspected it was one of those many things Zack said men would never understand about women.

His first instinct was to deny an opponent what they desired. Rain however was not an opponent, not anymore. She was everything he desired to have. Surly he could express that in words. Say the words Sephiroth never thought he would ever say.

"I…love… you, Rain."

The words slipped from his mouth surprisingly easy. It was almost…natural. He offered no actions to confirm the words, no kiss or sign of affection. That was not what she wanted at the moment.

For a moment no emotion crossed her face. Then with an audible sigh Rain closed her eyes in what Sephiroth could tell was obvious relief. Did those words really mean that much to her? Sephiroth would have to make an effort to say them in their future then.

Rain took a step back and turned to face the stone path leading away from the Temple. One hand slipped away from her body, fingers spread a clear invitation.

Sephiroth moved forward beside her and took the offered hand firmly in his own. He was careful not to apply to much pressure, but not planning on letting go any time soon.

A smile crossed Rain's face as she looked down at their clasped hands.

"Never just a memory… right Sephiroth."

Sephiroth lifted their hands and pressed hers to his lips, "You will never be just a memory Rain, never to me."

An: Okay so I thought I should take a little time and explain why I choose to bring Rain back. I know some of you were very satisfied with ending it at the last chapter. However I wanted Sephiroth to have if not a happy every after, I still think he has too much baggage for that, but a little measure of peace.

I started this story by creating my own OC something I know is very dangerous for it so often ruins the original story. However I tried my best to keep the characters and setting as true to the original, while fully intending to take out my OC at the end, and leave the story with just the original characters. But since Sephiroth is character that in the original story does not make it and is alive in this one. I thought it appropriate to have these two off their their own leaving the rest of the characters off in a world that is different but similar to the original. I do intend to unload one more time and give everyone an epilogue just to finish up a few loose ends that should be in a week or two. Thanks again everyone for the support and feedback on this story!