Chapter Seventy-Three: Farewell
Zack entered the room uninvited. He burst in, full of sunshine and energy and carrying fresh red and white roses. "Good morning to all! And might I say that…oh," the last syllable was breathed, as all the energy left him. Sephiroth was clutching a shaking Aralyn as she sobbed, streaks of wetness present on his own cheeks as well.
"What happened?" Zack asked fearfully.
Sephiroth's gaze was far away as he looked forlornly at Zack, his voice weak and strained. "The children are dead."
The flowers in Zack's hands fell to the ground as he stepped back in shock. "How?" he breathed. "They were…last night…!"
Aralyn wailed into his chest and he gripped her tighter, stroking her hair and whispering shaky words of encouragement. Words that he needed to hear himself. "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome…there was no warning."
"Both of them?" he asked weakly.
"Yes…both of them." The last words were whispered so quietly and mournfully that Zack could barely hear them, though the tone itself broke his heart. His commander closed his eyes again as he battled a foe that even he could not fell.
Grief.
"I don't know what to say," Zack admitted. "I can't even fathom what you must be going through. I am…so sorry." Slowly, he slunk out the door, stepping over the petals of the beautiful, vibrant flowers as he left.
Outside of their room, an argument was occurring. Aralyn stilled her tears and raised her head, listening, along with her husband.
"You can't ask that of him!" Zack protested. "Not now!"
The people outside seemed to sense the silence within, and stopped suddenly. "My decision stands," a voice Sephiroth recognized as Rufus Shinra's said firmly. "But give them my deepest condolences."
"You filthy rotten-!" Zack stopped himself there, doubtless stemming a long string of curses at his boss. Angrily, he threw open the door.
"Seph, I really tried to get you out of it, but they're sending you on a mission."
Sephiroth's grip on Aralyn noticeably tightened, and Zack wondered how it was that he was not suffocating her. "When?" He began to stroke Aralyn's hair.
"We leave tonight. I'm sorry. I tried so hard but Rufus would have none of it!"
Sephiroth sighed deeply. "What is the mission?"
"We're going to Nibelheim," Zack said.
Aralyn stifled a gasp, as if pained, and Sephiroth turned to her, frightened. She would not show her face, and only shook her head when they asked what was wrong.
"Should be a piece of cake, just an investigation as far as I heard but still…after this, how can they ask this of you?" Zack continued.
"Can I ask a favor of you then, Zack?"
"Anything."
"Take care of Aralyn. I don't want her alone. Not now." He stroked her lovingly, concern and worry poisoning his clear, strong gaze.
Zack hesitated. "I would give anything, man, but I'm assigned to accompany you."
Sephiroth drew in a sharp breath. "So I am to leave Aralyn alone?"
"Yeah…I'm going to kill Rufus! I swear, Seph!"
Sephiroth's eyes remained cold, dead, and mournful. "Let me say goodbye to Aralyn. I will be with you shortly."
"Understood," Zack said, saluting his general as he detected the change to a formal, military tone. "I'll see what I can do to distract Ruf—I mean, the scum-bag, sir."
Sephiroth nodded fluidly, not looking toward Zack as he left.
"Don't go…please, don't go…" Aralyn pleaded.
"Aralyn, you know I don't have a choice." He spoke gently, rubbing her back in slow circles, trying but failing to soothe her.
"Take me to Faramir, stay…they can't find us there!"
"Aralyn," he lifted her chin with a finger, turning her eyes to his. With one hand he cradled her chin and with the other he used his thumb to dry her tears. "It will only be a few days."
She didn't answer, and tried to avert her eyes, but Sephiroth held her firm. "Are you afraid that I'll be hurt?"
"Yes. It's something that I can't explain."
"Try," he urged softly.
She closed her eyes for a long time. "You promise you won't laugh?"
"Why would I laugh at your pain?"
"Seph…I-I've dreamed of Nibelheim." He silently urged her on. "I can't say what it is, but I feel it's wrong! I see fires, and so much blood…something terrible will happen there! I'm truly afraid…like I've never been before! Don't go…for me…stay with me!"
"A nightmare," he soothed. "Just a nightmare. It's all right, now. Nothing's going to happen. I won't even have to fight anything other than fiends; it's just an investigation. Routine procedure, Aralyn. I can't tell you how many of these I've done."
"But there's something different…something horrible…"
"Sephiroth," Zack peeked his head in. "We have to go," he reminded apologetically.
"One moment."
Zack nodded and left.
Sephiroth grasped his wife and kissed her. He was gentle, afraid to hurt her in her current state, but it was long. Tenderly, he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"I love you. Nothing in this world can change that. You are everything to me, and always will be, I swear it, Aralyn. Nothing will ever change that…"
She was still shaking when he forced himself to pull away. There was genuine terror in her eyes, and he wondered what could frighten her so.
"I'll be back for you Aralyn…I swear it."